A Practical Discourse of Prayer, Discourse · Part 3 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. About Meltings in Prayer.
A Ninth Caſe is about Meltings in praier, How they may be diſcerned to bee from ſaving principles, and not from the moving nature of ſome pathetical expreſſions in prayer, or from ſome common natural paſſion, or melting diſpoſition, and aptneſs of nature to tears.
This caſe is of weight, and its dangerous being deceived herein, in the ſemblance of that which ordinarily faileth not of acceptance with God: yea never, when ſuch meltings in prayer are in truth. God eyed with a gracious aſpect Hezekiahs tears he ſhed in his prayers, 2 Kings 20. 5. and heard the voice of David weeping in his prayer. Pſal. 6. 8.
Before we come to give a particular anſwer to this caſe, we muſt premiſe,
1 That God maketh uſe ſometimes of pathetical expreſſions to break his peoples hearts, when they are more hard, and ſtupid, and ſleighty. And therefore often in the Prophets there is much uſe made thereof for the like purpoſe. Jeremiahs lamentations abound therewith: yea, the Lord maketh uſe of natural temper and diſpoſition this way, ſanctifying a natural, ſoft, tender, melting diſpoſition, as well as any other. 2 Corinthians 5. 17. All things become new.
2 That yet it is very poſſible, that men may bee melted in prayer from ſuch common cauſe; ſome from meer natural tempers, ſome from carnal griefe, as thoſe grieved women whoſe husbands abuſing of them by marrying others in their life time, they made them cover the Altar of God with tears. Mal. 2. 13. Some from the affecting and moving nature of the notions in praier, (eſpecially praying with others) as notions pleaſing a curious fancy, or illuminating their minds in material paſſages, or ſetting forth to the life ſome ſad afflicting matter, &c. Many of thoſe which with the reſt of the Congregation at Mizpeh wept abundantly at the religious exerciſes there, they even drew water, the text ſaith, 1 Samuel 7. 5, 6. Verily, in many, this was from ſuch like common principles, albeit in others it were from holy and ſpiritual cauſes; yea, ſome may from ſome ſudden extatical joyes conceived, upon ſome miſtaken apprehenſions and feelings in prayer, as Benjamin wept for joy. Geneſis 45. 14. (which yet had a real ground in him,) ſo theſe from miſtaken grounds of joy.
But that we may come to ſome anſwer When meltings … prayer are not meerly from force of natural temper, or from pa…h…ticalneſſe of expreſſions. 1 When more melted, yet fewer of pathetical expreſſions uſed.to he caſe.
1 When more expreſſions, and more pathetical are uſed by our ſelves or others in prayer, yet not like melting attending; and when at other times there are fewer ſuch like expreſſions, yet there are more meltings accompanying the ſame: yea, when expreſſions wch are more obvious, and not ſo pathetical, yet melt us: then ſurely doth it evidence that your meltings are not wrung from us by any force of expreſſion, but from ſome inward better principle. The Father of the poſſeſſed child in his requeſt unto Chriſt for its cure, had many more moving expreſſions Mark 9. 21. Ofttimes hee hath caſt him into the fire, &c. If thou canſt doe any thing, have compaſſion on us. (Beſides thoſe, Verſe 17 18.) then hee uſed, verſe 24. yet in mentioning of thoſe wherein a Fathers bowels might have flowed forth into teares, hee is not melted. But the in gracious expreſſions he uſed in his prayer to Chriſt, verſe 24. Lord I believe, help mine unbeliefe. Therein he breaketh forth into tears.
2. When meltings whilſt we pray are in 2. When meltings prevent prayer and expreſſions.a manner without expreſſions; or doe at leaſt prevent our expreſſions in prayer; ſuch meltings are from more inward principles then moving expreſſions. As in the woman which ſilently begged the clearing of her juſtification to them, as appeareth by our Saviours anſwer to her ſilent and ſecret deſires, Woman, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee. Luke 7. 48, 50. yet v. 38. ſhe is there weeping behind him, without expreſſing in words her hearts deſire.
Davids teares (its likely) firſt ſpake, ere he uttered his heart; and his teares called out expreſſions, his expreſſions did not provoke and urge his teares. Pſal. 6. 8, 9. Jacob wept and prayed, Hoſ. 12. 4. he was weeping ripe, even as he went about to pray; his heart was ſo full, that it iſſued out at his eyes, before his mouth could utter forth his deſires and ayles.
3. When they are moſt ſpirituall things, 3. When the moſt ſpiritual expreſſions melt us moſt.or ſtraines in prayer, which moſt affect and melt us therein. Here nature is purblind and deaf, and ſenſeleſs, as above its element. Or when ſuch paſſages be in prayer, wherein nature and ſelfe is moſt vilified, and the Lord and his grace is moſt exalted, then we are uſually moſt melted; then feare not any force of expreſſions, or ſtrength of a naturall melting temper to be chiefe in ſuch meltings. Such was Ezra's weeping in his prayer, Ezra 10. 1. And how much he exalted God, and his rich grace, and abaſed man and ſelfe in his expreſſions, the ninth Chapter verſ. 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15. will make it appeare.
4. When they are no ſudden ſtarts of 4. When more tears then words.meltings, here or there, as ſome affecting or nature-moving matter is mentioned: nor are they ſome light, flitting, vaniſhing dew, but they are more continued and abundant; their prayers which melt kindly (albeit they are not alwaies ſo ſpirituall, yet) ſometimes are ſealed with tears: ſo that their prayers at ſome ſuch times are rather weeping then words. Pſal. 6. 8. Hezekiah ſaid little, but wept ſore, or much, 2 Kings 20. 2, 3 5. Ezra began and ended meltingly, Ezra 10. 1. & 9. 5. compared.
5. When ſuch meltings are not land-floods, 5. When meltings are more uſuall,rare, unuſuall things (as are all forced things, which are not naturall to regenerate ſpirits, cōſidered as regenerate) but they are more frequent and conſtant, & therefore they are joyned in Jer. 3. 21. & 31. 9. weeping and ſupplications; as if inſeparable in a manner, and led with weeping and ſupplications, as in the uſuall way which the Lord guideth them: yea, when ſuch meltings are opportune and ſeaſonable, holding ſome gracious proportion to the occaſions which are offered, and which fall into teares and meltings, as in Ezras more then ordinary weeping, when a more then ordinary cauſe thereof was given, Ezra 10. 1. So in Nehemiahs weeping with his prayers ſundry daies which he ſet apart for faſting and prayer for the calamities of the people of God in his native Countrey. It is the trade of the Saints, a part of their ſpirituall calling and husbandry, to be ever and anon ſowing ſuch ſeed teares. Pſal. 126. 5, 6. They are mourning beggers, Matth. 5. 3, 4. Bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit: bleſſed are the mourning.
6. When ſuch meltings are not meerly 6. When heart droppings.rain-dews and diſtillations, (as I may call them) when they are not meer notionall fleeting things, but they are heart-drops; the heart is poured forth in and with them; they proceed from, and are joyned with a melting, tender, contrite heart, as in Joſiahs requeſt, which he made and God heard, 2 Kings 22. 19. I have heard thee, ſaith God; yea, but his prayer is not there recorded; true, but a prayer its likely he made when his heart melted ſo before God; elſe what was it which God heard? or wherein is it ſaid that God heard him? when all ſuitable workings in ſpirit doe accompany ſuch meltings in prayer, when there is ſtrength and ſavour of ſpirit ſuitable to meltings in prayer, then are they right, as in Chriſt. Heb. 5. 7. He made ſupplications, with ſtrong crying and teares.
7. When they are not unprofitable meltings, 7. when like ſeed-teares, fructifying.but ſeed-teares, there comes much good fruit after them, as fruitfull, upright, even walkings with God and men: Conſcientiouſneſſe and tenderneſſe of the leaſt blunders in or at the wayes of God, or any path thereof: theſe are fruits of Gods covenant of grace; he uſeth to lead his own in ſuch ſort, with ſuch weepings in their ſupplications, as that they keep the cloſer to, and the more directly and inoffenſively in the way that he hath appointed. Ierem. 31. I will lead them with weeping and ſupplications in a ſtrait way.
Laſtly, when they are meltings of faith 8. When meltings of faith and love.and love: when the Lord Chriſt would ſhew the riſe and root of the womans weeping, in preſenting her ſecret deſires of his mercy, he inſtanceth in her love: She loved much, Luke 7. 48. in her faith, v. 50. Thy faith hath ſaved thee. Compare that with v. 38. She ſtood behind him weepping, and waſhed his feet with her teares. Thus that poore man, when in a believing frame in his prayer to Chriſt, then he cried out with teares, Mark 9. 24. When in prayer the Saints are apprehenſive by faith, that notwithſtanding their unworthineſſe and rebellions and backſlidings, yct the Lord is willing to heare them and accept of them, or return to them, and the like; then are their hearts full, then what with griefe and ſhame, in ſenſe of their own vileneſſe, and joy in the intimations of the favour of God in Chriſt towards them, they are diſſolved into teares.