The Nature Parts and Kinds of Prayer, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Sheweth the excellency and profit of Prayer.
Sect. 1.
LEt us now proceed to ſet forth the excellency and great benefit that cometh by prayer.
1. Prayer enlightneth the mind with divine light, and quickneth our wills with the heat of divine love: it is very effectual to purge our underſtandings of ignorance, and our wills from their depraved cuſtoms; it is that holy water by which the roots of good deſires do ſpring and bud forth.Struther. obſervat. Cent. 1… Some ſpiritual exerciſes augment light, as reading, hearing, conference: other exerciſes increaſe life and affection, as meditation and praiſe: but prayer is for both, it openeth the mind to ſee more clearly, …t makes the heart tender, and more ſenſible; it brings a man to ſee God …nd himſelf in his light; it fixeth the mind upon him, and draweth …he heart unto him, the more clearly we ſee him, the more we love him; …t ſets all the powers of the ſoul on God, and pours out it ſelf upon him, …eceiving ſweet influences from all …is revealed properties.
2. Prayer is the moſt immediate worſhip of God, wherein we draw …igh to the throne of grace, it is the …adder of our aſcenſion to Heaven. Prayer is nothing elſe but the ſouls travelling to God,Nazianz. ſaith one of the Fathers; it is our faithfull meſſenger ſent to the throne of God, which never returns in vain. What fruit canſt thou expect from all thy labours, unleſſe thou doſt firſt worſhip God? And canſt thou worſhip him better than by praying to him? And the more frequently thou ſtandeſt before him, the better thou wilt love him, and render thy ſelf abſolutely to him.
3. Prayer is the ſtrength of the ſoul: it fortifies a man againſt all aſſaults, it is our buckler of defence; it is of that force and efficacie, that Chryſoſtome calls it, A well-fortified guard, a great bullwark of the Church which cannot be battered down. 1. It fortifies a man againſt temporal enemies; the prayer of David turneth the Oracle-like wiſdome of Achitophel into fooliſhneſſe, 2 Sam. 15.31. The prayer of the Jews, and of Queen Heſter lifted up Haman on the ſame gallows which he had prepared to hang Mordecai upon, Eſth. 7.9. The prayer of Daniel not onelyonly ſtopt the Lions mouths, but alſo brought deſtruction upon his adverſaries, Dan. 6.22. That viſion mentioned Revel. 4.5. is a deſcription of the Church of God on earth, and there is … throne in it, and round about the …hrone the twenty four Elders ſate: the whole company of believers (typified by the twenty four orders of Prieſts in the Old Teſtament) are …ound about the throne, praying, and ready for an anſwer; And out of …he throne cometh thundrings, lightnings and voices, that is, God returneth dreadfull anſwers upon his enemies in anſwer to his peoples prayers. Prayer hath been very powerfull with God when other means have …ailed. When one told Numa, ſay…ng, O Numa, the enemies prepare warre againſt thee; he cheerfully an…wered, But I ſacrifice: implying …hat the force of enemies is more bro…en by fervent prayer than by our …wn forces. 2. Prayer is a good …uckler of defence againſt all ſpi…itual enemies; we muſt fight againſt the Devil and his weapons by our prayers, ſaith Hilary. Hilar. in Pſal. 65.It is an unſhaken munition or rampier, and dreadfull to the Devil; it is that which keeps off temptation from us. Pray, ſaith our Saviour to his Diſciples, that ye enter not into temptation, Luke 22. Auſtin ſaith, That prayer is a ſacrifice to God, a ſuccour to the ſupplicant, and a whip to drive the Devil away. And Chryſoſtome ſaith, That as a City without walls may eaſily be entered by the enemy; ſo a ſoul not guarded, nor fenced by prayer, is eaſily ſurprized by Satan, and laid open to his temptations: and as thieves and robbers will not very ſoon ſet upon an houſe well fortified with men and weapons; no more will the Devil be bold or buſie with that man that is accuſtomed to fervent prayer. Prayer is one of the pieces of the ſpiritual armour, Eph. 6. and muſt be joined to it. We cannot furniſh our ſelves with, nor fitly uſe the ſame without prayer; we muſt pray for our armour, and this our armour muſt be fitted and exerciſed by prayer: Be holy and pray; be patient and pray, believe and pray, hope and pray; uſe th… ſword of the Spirit and pray: Prayer buckleth on all the pieces of th… ſpiritual armour about us, and ſet them on their proper work: Prayer is the moſt neceſſary weapon; the force of prayer hath quenched the force of fire, hath repreſſed the rage of Lions, hath ap…eaſed wars, hath removed battels, hath taken away tempeſts, hath chaſed away Devils, hath broken the chains of death, hath turned away ſickneſſe, and aboliſhed judgements, or removed them falling from Heaven, the ſubtilties of men and Devils, and all evils have been removed by prayer.
4. A praying Chriſtian is a living Chriſtian; and whoſoever doth not pray unto God daily, nor doth deſire to converſe with God by fervent and conſtant prayer; he is dead; and doth wholly want ſoul and ſenſe. And as this our body, when the ſoul …s wanting, is dead and ſoon ſtink…th; ſo the ſoul not given to prayer … dead and miſerable; and that we …re to account it more grievous than …eath to be bereaved of prayer; that …oly man Daniel ſheweth, in that he was more willing to die,Chryſoſt. Tom. 5. de precat. than …o be hindered but a few daies from praying to his God, as Chryſoſtome noteth.
5. There is nothing more powerfull with God than fervent prayer, it availeth much, ſaith St James. There is nothing ſtronger here than a man rightly praying. Luther calls prayers and praiſes, Chriſtianorum bombarda, the Chriſtians artillery and gun-ſhot, whereby Heaven is ſaid to ſuffer violence, and by a kind of battery to be taken by force: that which neither riches, nor humane Policie, nor Phyſical skill, nor haughtineſſe of mind, nor multitudes of helpers, could be able to effect, that the prayer of one poor and needy one hath been able to do. And ſaith Chryſoſtome; If a woman by her importunity could appeaſe the fury of that unjuſt Judge, who neither feared God, nor regarded man, much more ſhall h… provoke God to be favourable to him who ſticks to continual prayer. Chryſoſtome ſaith, That prayer is the key to unlock the treaſury or exchequer of Gods mercies. And St Auſtin ſaith Aſcendat oratio, deſcendat gratia Let prayer aſcend, and let grace deſcend. Prayer is a means whereby we have acceſſe continually into the preſence of God. Without God we can do nothing, and all our hope and help is in God, and his help is obtained by prayer: Let us therefore come boldly unto the th…one of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and finde grace to help in time of need, Heb. 4.16. God heareth Abraham to the ſixth requeſt, and would have ſpared Sodome at his intreaty, had there been but ten righteous perſons in it, Geneſ. 18.32. he heareth Lot, and ſpareth Zoar at his requeſt, Geneſ. 19.20, 21. He heareth Iſaac for Rebekah, and removeth her barrenneſſe, cauſing her to conceive and bear him children, Geneſ. 25.21. He heareth Jacob, and delivereth him from his brother Eſau, Geneſ. 32. He heareth the diſtreſſed Iſraelites, and delivereth them out of their Aegyptian bondage, Exod. 2. Exod. 12. he heareth Samſon, and giveth him water out of the jaw-bone of an Aſſe, Judg. 15. God will have an ear to hear, while Saints have a tongue to ſpeak unto him.
Sect. 2.
YEa many times God not only giveth his people what they ask, when they ask it, but even more than they ask, and before they ask it. Hannah the mother of Samuel begs but a ſonne of the Lord, 1 Sam. 1.11. and the Lord gave her an excellent Prophet. And Solomon asked onelyonly wiſdome, and the Lord gave him over and above riches and honour, and all things belonging to the part of a Prince, in ſuch ample manner, as there was never the like before him or ſince, 1 King. 3. chap. Likewiſe Monica the mother of St Auguſtine, prayed onelyonly that her ſonne might be converted, and become a Chriſtian, and it pleaſed God to make him an excellent inſtrument of the converſion of many others. Likewiſe the woman of Canaan prayed only for her daughters health, and obtained alſo a ſingular commendation of her own faith,Accedens ad Chriſtum canis vocatur, diſcedens à Chriſto mulier vocatur: ipſa mutavit affectum, & ipſe mutavit vocabulum. Auguſt. Vox humilis, ſed celſa fides, vel ipſum omnipotentem vincere valuit. Seduli…. Coeleſtis auſae janua ſemper paret, & quò ſaepiùs illam precibus pulſaus, eò vis Deo gratior. Tertull. Matth. 15.…8. whereupon one ſaith, She ſhewing her ſelf by her faith and patience, and importunate wreſtling with God, to be no Canaanite, but an Iſraelite, he ceaſeth to call her dog, and calleth her daughter, or woman. See here the fruit of devout importunity. She knew, and was well acquainted [it ſeemeth] …hat it went not in the Court of Heaven, as things are many times carried …n earthly Courts: here many times Kings and great Perſonages will be offended to be importuned; but the gate of Heaven alwayes ſtands open, …nd the more frequently thou knockeſt at that gate by thy prayers, ſo much the more ſhalt thou be accepta…le to God, ſaith Tertullian. And God, the more ardently he is deſi…ed by us, ſo much the more vehemently is he delighted of us.
Sect. 3.
Object. BUt it will be objected; If prayer be ſo powerfull a …eans to procure Gods bleſſings; how …meth it to paſſe, that ſo many ſpeak, …nd ſo few ſpeed, ſo many put up …heir petitions, and ſo few obtain their …uits?
Resp. St. James anſwereth the Queſtion, who tells us, That we ask and receive not, becauſe we ask amiſſe; becauſe we ask what or how, and when we ſhould not; there's ſomething faulty, either in the matter, manner, or end of our prayers, and therefore they are not granted, Jam. 4.3.
1. For the matter; ſome are ſo impudent, as to ask abſolutè mala, things abſolutely evil and unlawfull, and hurtfull, as skill in poiſoning, ſorcery, witchcraft, charming, conjuring, or the like: of which ſort of things, St. Auſtin ſaith,Nòn petuntur in nomine ſalvatoris, quae petuntur contra rationem ſalutis. Auguſt. They are not asked in the name of a Saviour, which are aske againſt the reaſon of our ſalvation▪ and no marvel, if God deny ſuch requeſts; as an earthly father wil… not give his child a Serpent to ſting o… poiſon him, for Fiſh to feed upon; o… a ſtone to break his own teeth, or his brothers head, for bread to eat; ſo God will not give any of his children things hurtfull for them, or thing… evil in their own nature: we muſ… ask things lawfull only; to pray fo… things unlawfull, is altogether unlawfull.
2. Others there are, that ask ſuch …hings as are not good for them: This was the caſe of David, deſiring …he life of the child that Bathſheba bare him, 2 Samuel 12.16 and of St. Paul deſiring the removal of Sa…ans meſſenger ſent to buffer him, 2 Cor. 12.7, 8. therefore he was not heard, …hat God might exerciſe his patience, and keep him from ſpiritual pride, being apt to be puft up above mea…ure by the abundance of his revelations. God knoweth that as Bees be drowned in honey, and preſerved in vinegar; ſo his children are many times beſt affected when moſt afflicted; as was the caſe of Job, who behaved himſelf better on the dunghill …han Adam in Paradiſe; for the one amidſt his pains reſiſted and ſtood, …ut the other in all pleaſure yeelded …nd fell: thus it was with David, Pſalm 119. who ſaith, Before I was …fflicted, I went aſtray, but now I have kept thy Word. Thus the Father will not give the Prodigal his full portion, …eſt he ſpend it all in riot, but reſerveth ſomething for him againſt a wet day, Luke 15. nor will he alwayes give us health and ſtrength of body, leſt we abuſe them to the hurt of our ſouls: thus he many times ſuffereth the outward man to be ſick, that the inward man may be the more ſound, and increaſeth the ſores of our bodies, that he may decreaſe the ſinnes of our ſouls; in a word, the Phyſician better knows what may be beneficial to the ſick man, than the ſick man himſelf doth, and God doth not alwayes hear his people at their pleaſure, that he may alwayes hear them for their profit: therefore we muſt never beg theſe things but with condition, alwayes ſubmitting our wils to Gods will, and in theſe requeſts never ask but what may make moſt for Gods glory and our own good.
3. Some there are whoſe petitions are framed, not according to the wiſdom of God, but they ariſe out of the ignorance of their own eſtate, and then, aut fiet quod petitur, aut expedit nòn fieri; either God will grant their deſires, or elſe a denial ſhall be better than a grant: How exceedingly did the Apoſtles deſire Chriſts bodily preſence alwayes to …e with them on earth? John 16.5, 6. …ut Chriſt tells them it was expedi…nt they ſhould be croſſed in their …eſire; It is expedient for you that I …o away, for unleſs I go away the com…orter will not come.
4. Many requeſts of Gods people may ariſe from carnal diſtempers of …heir ſpirits, and be no works of the Spirit of Chriſt dwelling in them, and therefore no wonder, if the Lord deny them in thoſe deſires, wherein they ought to deny themſelves. Jo…as deſired that all Niniveh ſhould be deſtroyed together, after he had proclaimed, Yet fourty dayes and Niniveh ſhall be deſtroyed: This aroſe from ſelf-love, and in regard of his own credit, for fear of being accounted a falſe Prophet, therefore God denied him in his requeſt. When thoſe two ſons of Zebedee with …heir mother deſired preheminence above the reſt of the Apoſtles, Chriſt croſſeth this deſire of theirs, and reads them a lecture of the Croſſe, and falls a diſcourſing of the cup of affliction.
5. The people of God may deſire things good in themſelves, yet things that they are not fitted for, and ſuited unto; as when that horrible villany was committed in Gibea contrary to the Law of God and man, and rules of nature, the reſt of the Benjamites ſtood to maintain it, and the other Tribes reſolved to revenge it, and had the worſt of it in two battels, their deſires were juſt and noble, therefore they ſpent a whole day in prayer to humble themſelves before the Lord: they needed more humiliation for their own ſinnes, before they were fit inſtruments to puniſh the ſinne of Gibeah.
6. Others there are that aim at wrong ends in their prayers, though they ask things good or indifferent. Some deſire to be great and riſe in the world that they may keep their neighbours down, and make them little: whereas if we may deſire the goods of the world, it muſt be to do good in the world. Some deſire health and ſtrength of body, not to ſerve God and their Countrey, but the Devil and their own luſts, by giving their ſtrength to women, and by being ſtrong to drink wine, and …our in abundance of ſtrong drink. Some deſire learning and knowledge, …nd to be great Clerks, not to teach …nd edifie themſelves and their bre…hren, but to advance themſelves, …nd riſe to high places, yea many …imes to diſturb the peace of the Church and Commonwealth, as he…eticks and ſchiſmaticks uſe to do. Now in theſe and ſuch like caſes it's …n uſual thing with God to ſend curſt Kine ſhort horns, as the Proverb ſaith, …o diſmiſſe ſuch impudent beggars without an almes, leſt they might …buſe it.
Sect. 4.
Object. 2. IT will be further objected; If God be ſo quick …f hearing, and ſo eaſie to be intreat…d, as the Scripture tells us he is; …w cometh it then to paſſe, that God …oth deferre to anſwer his people's …rayers?
Resp. God doth not ever hear and …rant their ſuits at firſt, though he intend to do it at laſt, for theſe Reaſons:
1. Leſt if he ſhould preſently yeeld to their ſuits, and grant their requeſts, upon the firſt moving and making of them, they might imagine prayer to be nothing hut a matter of courſe, and that he did rather grant their requeſts of fatal neceſſity, than of his fatherly bounty. So, ſaith St Ambroſe, Si ſemper exaudiret omnes, nòn tàm ex voluntate liberâ, quam ex quadam neceſſitate facere videretur. Ambroſ.If God ſhould hear all men alwayes, he might ſeem to do it not ſo much of freewill, as from a certain neceſſity: but it's not opus operatum, that will do the deed.
2. God deferreth anſwering his peoples requeſts, to make his bleſſing the more welcome to them when they come, than if they had them preſently; God dealeth with his children, as Laban did with Jacob, Geneſ. 29. who made him ſtay long for Rachel, not that he ſhould not have her, but that when he had her, he might prize her the better thus God makes as if he ſometime ſlept, to make us to awaken him by our prayers, and he often defers us not that he meaneth alwayes to deny us, but to make his gifts the more welcome to us. A Father many …imes makes his child ask him often for what he meant he ſhould have at the firſt, to make him value it the more, and eſteem it the better when he hath obtained it, by how much …he more hardly he ſeemeth to ob…ain it.
3. Although Gods will is fullfilled in his own time, yet the de…ires of his people are not granted …n the time that they determine, …ut as God determineth. Moſes …xpecteth that Iſrael ſhould be pre…ently delivered, as ſoon as he went …n to Pharaoh, and delivered his meſſage from God, and therefore …e complaineth, Exod. 5.22. Why is …, O Lord, that thou haſt ſent me? Moſes's time was now up, and he …xpected the work ſhould be now …one: now the Lord would give …im his deſire, but not at that time, …ut in a fitter time for the benefit …f his people, the Lord would take …ime to ſhew his power upon Pha…aoh, and that the enemies of his Church might be ripened for deſtruction: but on the other ſide, it was performed exactly, at the time that God had determined, Exodus 12.41. At the end of four hundred and thirty years, the very ſelf ſame day in Gods own time, though not in Moſes time, all the Hoſt of Iſrael came out of the Land of Aegypt.
4. He deferreth, and ſeemeth ſometime to turn a deaf ear towards us, to awaken our zeal, and make us the more earneſt in asking: Thus our Saviour Chriſt dealt with the woman of Canaan, he makes three great ſtops and ſtayes upon her requeſt, in the firſt whereof he delayes and defers her,Matth. 15. as ſeeming to neglect and not regard her: he anſwered her not a word; this ſtrange dealing of his might have put her quite out o… patience had it not been ſtrong. In the ſecond he ſeems quite to deny her and her ſuit, and his Diſciples ſpeaking for her, whether moved with pity and commiſeration towards her, or whether to be rid of her, becauſe ſhe was troubleſome to them, by her importunity, the Text being ſilent, I will ſay nothing: but for Chriſts anſwer it ſeems a flat denial: I am not ſent, but to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael: She holds the cancluſion ſtifly, and preſſeth the point hard, and came and worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord help me; as if ſhe had ſaid; Thou cameſt to ſeek and ſave that which was loſt, Luke 19.10. and I am in miſery, therefore Lord I beſeech thee ſhew me thy mercy: But our Saviour anſwered, and ſaid unto her, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and give it unto dogs; This is the ſharpeſt repulſe of all the reſt; before he did but ſimply reject her; but now he doth reproach her, for [this terme] ſignifieth one of a moſt baſe and ſervile condition, …elling her in effect, her turn was not yet come, the children muſt be firſt fed and filled, perhaps ſome …crap might fall to her ſhare at laſt, as yet ſhe was too haſty: Iſrael was the firſt-born, and muſt have the benefit of his birth-right, but ſhe was an alien from the Commonwealth of Iſrael; a ſtranger to the Covenant of promiſes. —Now how doth ſhe digeſt this bitter pill? Surely ſhe ſwalloweth it; and however a man would have thought theſe three repulſes ſhould have broken the heart of her; yet her faith continueth conſtant, and getteth new force; yea ſhe taketh advantage from the very worſt word that Chriſt had given her; Truth Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the childrens table: as if ſhe had ſaid, Seeing I am no better than a dog, I ſhall be contented to be ſerved like a dog; I deſerve not to ſit at table with thy firſt born and ancient people, nor to be fed either before or with the children; a little ſcrap or a crumb ſhall ſerve me, that am a poor Gentile: I deſerve not a loaf of bread, but a crumb of mercy, I leave thy great miracles for thine own peculiar people the Jewes; let me have one mercy, one little miracle wrought for me that am a Gentile; and if I am a dog, I am thy dog, and will not ceaſe crouching, I will be importunate, till thou hear me, and heal my daughter; then Jeſus anſwered, and ſaid unto her, O woman great is thy faith; be it unto thee as thou wilt; he then gives her more than ſhe asked; according to that of the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 3.20. He giveth abundantly above what we are able to ask or think: for her daughter was made whole, or the Devil went out of her, and departed from her; at her coming home, ſhe found her lying upon the bed, Nòn per aegritudinem, aut infirmita…em, not by reaſon of ſicknes or weakneſs; but this quiet, peaceable geſture of hers is oppoſed to thoſe powerfull pangs ſhe had formerly had whiles …he Devil poſſeſſed her.
Sect. 2.
HEre we may ſee the benefit of importunate prayer; what …hough the Lord doth ſeem ſome…ime to bear a dull ear, yet we ſhould not diſtruſt of the ſucceſſe of our prayers, perſeverance and importunity will at laſt draw him to audience; if our former requeſts be weak and infirm, fainting in the way to the mercy of God, yet the latter may aſcend, and draw down his bleſſings; the Apoſtle requireth us to uſe all perſeverance in prayer, Eph. 6. What if God delay, yet muſt we ſtill like Jacob wreſtle with God, and not let God go till he give us the bleſſing; and like thoſe remembrancers of Sion, give him no reſt, till he accompliſh our deſire. This perſeverance in prayer is like ſhowers of the firſt and latter rain, and if the one faileth of watering the earth, the other moiſteneth it ſufficiently; and if thou haſt made thy prayers to God for a bleſſing once or twice without ſucceſs, pray again and again; ceaſe not till he heareth thee. One ſaith, That as ſeed which is the longeſt covered,Baine's Expoſ. on Epheſ. 6. riſeth the firſt with moſt increaſe: ſo do thoſe prayers which God ſeemeth to bury in forgetfullneſſe a long time, if we perſevere, they ſhall ſpring out with the greateſt bleſſing. The longer Abraham talked with God, the more he obtained; he brought God from the whole number to fifty, and from fifty to ten before he left him: Behold, ſaith he, I have begun to speak unto my Lord, and am but duſt and aſhes; let not my Lord be angry, and I will ſpeak again; and once more I have begun to speak; and once more, let not my Lord be offended: Once more and again, you ſee are able to ſend away clouds of fire and brimſtone; and ſo far was God from being angry with his inſtant requeſt, that he gave him both patience and a gracious anſwer; If ten be found there, ſaith he, I will not deſtroy it: Far is it from him to be angry, or to command us to be driven back, when we are importunate; no, he commandeth us to be importunate, and will be angry, if we be not importunate. In the Parable of the wicked Judge,Luke 18. and the importunate widow, he teacheth us, That importunity may get any thing at the hands of God. God will at laſt avenge his elect of their enemies, if night and day they cry unto him: So in the ſimilitude of the man that came to his friend at midnight to deſire him to lend him three loaves, and his friend anſwered him, his door was ſhut, and his children and ſervants in bed, and he could not riſe himſelf to give them to him, at length he ſtill continuinging in knocking, and that for him neither he, nor any of his might reſt; to be rid of his importunity, (not for that he was his friend) he roſe up, and gave him as many as he needed: Thus it pleaſeth the heavenly Majeſty to be long intreated; therefore though at your firſt call he ſeemeth not to hear, yet you muſt call again; and though he doth yet ſuſpend your deſires in expectation, yet ceaſe not praying, and your importunity at laſt will draw him to audience: it delighteth the Lord to hear our redoubled requeſts.