The Generation of Seekers, Treatise 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
I Shall not make my Superſtructure in the Application, ſo large as the foundation would bear, but confine my ſelf to ſpeak ſomething▪
1. To thoſe that want this ſweet Priviledge, who are deſtitute of the Spirit of Supplication, either really, or at leaſt in their own apprehenſion.
2. To thoſe that have it, and do or may find, or have found the ſweetneſs of it.
1. The firſt ſort are thoſe that want the Spirit of Prayer; And amongſt theſe,
1. Some ſcorn and deride it, thinking it a meer fancy: Tell them of praying by the Spirit, they are ready to ſcoff at it, or wonderJohn 3. 4. (as Nicodemus) how can theſe things be? This is Fanaticiſm, Melancholy, a meer dream of a few brainſick perſons: they will cry out as Feſtus againſt Paul, Thou art Act. 26. 24.beſide thy ſelf, much learning hath made thee mad. Or as they did againſt our Saviour, He hath a Devil, and is mad—I can ſcarceJohn 10. 20. hope, that ſuch will vouchſafe the peruſal of theſe lines, and therefore I ſhall not ſpend many words upon them. Only this: Let ſuch know, that either extremity of miſery here, or eternity of torment hereafter, ſhall convince them, that themſelves are poſſeſt with that madneſs which they charge upon others. When miſery is upon them, and they cannot pray, except the Lord give them up to deſperate madneſs (as he hath done ſome) to rage and blaſpheme, they will wiſh, Oh, for a heart to pray! Oh, that I had that Spirit of prayer, which I have ſo often ſcoffed at▪ then, ſend for a godly Miniſter, a prayerful Chriſtian, as David Pſal. 141. 6ſpeaks in a like caſe, When their Judges are everthrown in ſtony places, they ſhall hear my words, for they are ſweet: So they, How graciousJer. 22. 23. will they be, when pangs are upon them? When (with Manaſſeh) they are caught amongſt 2. Chron. 33. 11.the Thorns, they will then know the benefit of prayer, either by the want of it, or, if God give them a heart to pray, by the exerciſe of it. Then to be able to pray with aſſiſtance and acceptance, will be worth ſomething. Or ſuppoſe, they never come into ſuch ſtraits, or be given up to a reprobate mind, or to deſperate hardineſs, if they be ſo far given up, as to blaſpheme the God of Heaven, becauſe Rev. 16. 11.of their pains; yet eternal torments, will beget a late and fruitleſs repentance; then will they wiſh they had been of the preciſeſt of thoſe, whom they now ſcoff at▪ But I ſhall ſpeak ſomething to the ſecond ſort, which may alſo concern theſe, if they will vouchſafe to hearken to it.
2. Some neither have, nor care for this Priviledge. It is a thing above their capacity: They never trouble their heads about it; nor ever conſider, whether it be a fancy or reality. As for afflictions, they either promiſe themſelves immunity, or if they ſhould fall into trouble, they cannot apprehend what good Prayer can do them; they cannot believe, that it will bring caſe or comfort, becauſe they ſee theſe often to drink deepeſt of the Cup, who give themſelves moſt to prayer; beſides, they have better ſhifts, they have riches, friends, policy, &c. Theſe will beſtead them more, than to go and whine out a prayer to God in their trouble. Let me tell theſe careleſs, ſenſleſs perſons, that ignorance and preſumption blind their ſouls, and beget theſe ſad miſtakes. The reaſon why they think ſo ſlightly of this priviledge is, becauſe they know it not; and therefore neither, can they deſire it. I may ſay, as our Saviour to the Woman of Samaria, If thou kneweſt the gift of God—If you knew theJohn 4. 10. ſweet revivings, the overflowing comforts that a ſoul in troubles gets by earneſt prayer, you would not ſo diſregard it: but alas! I cannot expect you ſhould eſteem what you know not, nor indeed can conceive, till experience teach you; yet in hope, that God may ſet in with my poor endeavours by his holy Spirit, I ſhall lay before you ſome conſiderations, which may ſhew the ſad condition of thoſe that want the Spirit of prayer: Eſpecially, in a time of affliction, which (by Gods bleſſing) may awaken you (and thoſe alſo I ſpake of in the firſt place) to labour for it. 1. Then, Conſider with what ſad temptations, afflictions come armed upon a prayerleſs perſon: they are not meer troubles, but temptations alſo: and it is a thouſand to one, he that cannot pray in an affliction, will both ſin and ſink under it. Man under affliction, is impatiently deſirous of help, and ready to catch at any Twig to keep himſelf from drowing, Self-preſervation is ſo rooted a Principle in mans nature, that he thinks any thing lawful, that ſeems probably conducing that way. Now he that cannot go to God by prayer in a ſtrait, and eaſe himſelf that way; what will he not do, to ſave himſelf? Whither will he not go? For inſtance:
1. He will be ready to run to helpleſs helps; ſuch as will afford him no comfort or relief. So it will be at the day of Judgement (if we ſo underſtand that Text) They ſhall call to the Mountains and Rocks, Rev. 6. 16.ſaying, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that ſitteth on the Throne, and from the V. Iſa. 2. 19. Hoſ. 10. 8. Rev. 9. 6.the wrath of the Lamb. The like to which, is fore-told of wicked men in their diſtreſs in other Scriptures: What improbable courſes do men take for relief in their diſtreſſes, when they have no intereſt in God? Whereas, a ſoul that hath the Spirit of Adoption, can betake himſelf to God, he hath a ready way, he is never to ſeek for a refuge: God is his hiding place; thitherPſal. 32. 7. & 143. 9. he flees, to hide himſelf: by prayer he commits and commends himſelf into the hands of God: he dwells in the ſecret of the Moſt High, Pſal. 91. 1.and lodgeth under the ſhadow of the Almighty. Oh, what a helpleſs creature, is a prayerleſs ſoul? he goes to friends, but they know him not: he may take up Job's complaint;Job 6. 15. My Brethren have dealt deceitfuly as a Brook, and as the ſtream of Brooks they paſs away. He tryes what his riches can do; but they profit not in the day of wrath; Treaſures of wickedneſs profit nothing: Neither their Silver norProv. 11 4. & 10. 2. Ezek. 7. 19. Zeph. 1. 18. Gold is able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath: He makes lies his refuge, and under falſehood he hides himſelf; but the Hail ſweeps away the refuge of lies, and the waters overflow the hiding-place. This bed (of ſinful policy and baſe practices whereon he thought to be at eaſe) is ſhorter then Iſa. 28. 15, 17, 20.that he can ſtretch himſelf upon it: This covering (of hypocriſie) narrower than that he can wrap himſelf in it. Whither will the poor forſaken wretch go? Pray he cannot, he wants that Heaven-engaging faculty. Oh, the advantage of a Spirit of prayer in a day of diſtreſs! But,
2. He will be ready to go to thoſe that will diſtreſs him, inſtead of helping him: as the Jews found Pharaoh, of whom God witneſſeth, that when they took hold of him Ezek. 29. 7.by the hand, he did break and rent all their ſhoulder▪ and when they-leaned upon him, he brake and made all their loins to be at a ſtand, left them to ſhift for themſelves, as well as they could; brought them into the Briats, and then caſt them off; or as Ahaz was ſerved by Tilgah-Pilneſer King of Aſſyria, 2 Chron. 28. 20, 21.whom though he hired with a great reward, yet he diſtreſſed him, but ſtrengthned him not. How often do wicked prayerleſs perſons plunge themſelves deeper into miſery, by thoſe courſes they take, to relieve themſelves? and run into the ſnare they would avoid, or ſome worſe calamity? The ſilly Sheep to ſhelter it ſelf from the Storm, runs into the Bryars, and they pull off its covering: We run ſometimes under a Tree in a Storm, and it drops upon us, and wets us worſe. Such are the ſhelters of ungodly men; but the Spirit of prayer puts us out of danger of this temptation; it ſends us to one, whoſe promiſes are not more free and full, than his performances will be faithful.
3. Such an one will be ſadly tempted to run to ſinful helps, to make lies his refuge (as was hinted before): when he cannot untye the knot, he will cut it, he will break the hedge of duty, to eſcape the foulneſs of his way: He will be ready to ſay as ſhe,
Flectere ſi nequeo ſuperos, Acheronta movebe.
If Heaven will not, Hell ſhall relieve him. If the God of Iſrael be his enemy (becauſe of wickedneſs) or he a ſtranger to God, and hath no Intereſt in him, cannot pray to him, he will be ready to enquire of Baa…z…bub the2 Kings. 1. 2, 3. God of Ekron. If God have caſt him off, be departed from him, and become his enemy, he will be ready to go to the Witch of 1 Sam. 28. 16.Endor. Now the Spirit of prayer is a ſingular preſervative from ſuch ſinful courſes▪ while thoſe that want it, ſink in their affliction; and ſo either ſink themſelves deeper into it, or elſe ſin themſelves out of it, by debauching conſcience, gratifying the Devil, offending God (which indeed is but to avoid one miſchief, by running into a far greater). He that hath the Spirit of prayer, is plying the Throne of grace, committing himſelf to God, caſting his burden upon the Lord; he dare not, indeed he needs not take thoſe ſiniſter courſes. Ezra would not ſo much as deſire a guard of the King, becauſe he had told the King of the hand of God upon Ezra 8. 21, 22.all them that ſeek him for good. He had intereſt in Heaven, he can engage Gods protection, by a ſolemn Faſt, and humble ſeeking the Lord. A praying believing ſoul ſcorns thoſe baſe ſhifts, that others uſe. If he cannot pray himſelf out of his afflictions, he can pray down ſupport and ſtrength, patience, cheerfulneſs, grace ſufficient for him; 2 Cor. 12. 9.and therefore reſolves to wait, as the Church, Iſa. 8. 18. Mich. 7. 9. as Job, Chap. 14. 14. Should the Devil or the world tempt him▪ to an indirect way of eſcape, and ſet him a door open, if he will but accept of ſuch terms as they propoſe; it may be, diſſemble a little, falter in his Religion, violate his engagements to God, debauch conſcience, &c. He will be ready to ſay (as Paul, whenAct. 16. 37. they would have thruſt him privily out of the Priſon) Nay, verily, but let them come themſelves and fetch us out. So he, God hath put me into this ſuffering ſtate, and I will ſtay till he come and take me out of it; and I will pray and wait, till he come, for be will come, and will not tarry.
4. Such as want the Spirit of prayer, are in danger of being tempted, to break out into curſes, imprecations, bleſpheming againſt God, or ſome ſuch dreadful courſes. Grief will vent it ſelf one way or other, if it do not work out in prayer, and humble ſubmiſſive acknowledgements, it will be apt to work the contrary way. See how Job's grief works. He fell down upon the Job 1. 20, 21, 22.ground and worſhipped, and ſaid, Naked came I—the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord: This kept him from ſinning, and charging God fooliſhly: and yet you find ſome mixtures of impatience in him. And eſpecially in curſing his birth-day, Chap. 3. &c. you ſee what his impatient Wife prompts and tempts him to; Doſt thou ſtill retain thy integrity? Job 2. 9.Curſe God and dye. For I cannot aſſent to that ſofter ſenſe that ſome have put upon her words; the former clauſe of the Verſe will not bear it, Doſt thou ſtill retain thy integrity? She ſeems to have reſpect to his bleſſing God in the end of the former Chapter (if you will read the words, Bleſs God, &c. q. d. Since thou art ſo apt and readyDutch Annotat. ſtill to bleſs God for all things, as thou didſt lately; thou hadſt beſt hold on ſtill, and ſee how well he will requite thee—So that ſhe ſeems here to act the Devils part, who is ready to ſet in with all occaſions, and moſt commonly tempts to murmuring, impatience and blaſphemy, when we are under affliction, as knowing how ſubject we are to it at ſuch a time. Well, but Job had the Spirit of God, which fortified him againſt ſuch temptations. But now, where the Spirit of prayer is wanting (which teaches humble ſubmiſſion, and bleſſing God) how apt are men to break out into curſing, dreadful imprecations, and horrid blaſphemies? you may note in that Scripture, moſt of thoſe things together. Much of that Chapter, isIſa. 8. a threatning againſt Iſrael for their wickedneſs. Now obſerve what courſe men will take in theſe ſtraits: They forſake the waters of V. 6.Shiloah that go ſoftly (a ſmall Brook in Jeruſalem, in alluſion to which, the Pſalmiſt calls the ſpecial Providence of God over his Church, a River, Pſal. 46. 4. So that they deſpiſe the promiſe of Gods help, looking upon it, as a little Brook, a poor contemptible thing). Now what courſe do they take? They rejoyce in Rezin (King of Syria) and in Remaliahs Son, Pekah King of Iſrael: but God will bring upon them the waters of the V. 7.River (in oppoſition to the River Shiloah which they forſook) ſtrong and many, even the King of Aſſyria, and all his glory—Here they truſt to vain helps, ſuch as ſhall not afford them relief. Again, Say ye not V. 12.a confederacy, to all them to whom this people▪ ſhall ſay a confederacy. Here is another vain and ſinful refuge, making confederacies, entring into Leagues and Covenants with Idolatrous Nations, as Ahaz (to whom this ſeems to relate) with the King of Aſſyria; 2 Chron. 28. 16, 20, 21.but this proved a diſtreſs, and not a refuge. Again, when they ſhall ſay unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar Spirits, and unto Wizards that peep and that mutter—Here is a ſinful courſe; the wickedneſs whereof, is evinced by the following words [Should not a people ſeek unto their God?] q. d. V. 19.Should you not rather believe in God, and enquire of him by prayer? And then the folly of it in thoſe words [for the living to the dead?] q. d. What madneſs is it, that1 Sam. 28▪ 11. thoſe who are alive, ſhould enquire of the dead (as Saul did)? Yet, ſuch is the ſin and folly of prayerleſs perſons. Then obſerve again, They ſhall paſs thorough it hardly V. 21.beſtead and hungry; and it ſhall come to paſs▪ that when they ſhall be hungry, they ſhall fret themſelves, and curſe their King and their God, and look upward (not with an eye of faith, but of impatience, or forced by meer extremity, as 2 Sam. 22. 42.) This is that I am now ſpeaking of; they fall a curſing, blaſpheming, grow deſperate. By all this, you ſee, how ſad it is to want a Spirit of prayer in a day of trouble: Into what ſnares men run themſelves, when they cannot go to God. Therefore do not make a light matter of it: Think not the want of the Spirit of prayer, a ſmall thing: you know not how ſoon God may change your condition; how ſoon affliction may faſten upon you: then the Spirit of prayer would be an unſpeakable advantage, and the want of it, will be found an unſpeakable want: however, if by theſe ſinful ſhifts, you may keep off the blow for the preſent; yet ſin will increaſe, and you will by ſuch courſes, treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath,Iſa. 50. ult. & 8. ult. your portion will be to lye down in ſorrow, you will be driven into darkneſs.
2. A ſecond conſideration, that may ſhew the miſery of not having the Spirit of prayer in affl…ction, is this, that ſuch ordinarily loſe the benefit of affliction, to them it isEzek. 7. 5. like to be an evil, an only evil. I deny not, but God may do good, and hath done good to very wicked men by afflictions: But I ſay, you cannot expect or promiſe to your ſelves any benefit, till you can pray in affliction. The promiſes indeed are many, ofIſa. 27. 9. benefit by affliction. By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged—I have ſent them Jer. 24. 5.into the Land of the Caldeans for their good—All things ſhall work together for good Rom. 8. 28.—But he (God chaſtneth us) for our Heb. 12. 10.profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs—and the like. But all theſe promiſes bring forth upon the knees of prayer. What is it for him, that hath no key, or way of entrance, to know of an infinite Treaſure? Theſe wells are deep; if you cannot draw them by the Bucket of prayer, what the better are you? Oh, it is an unconceivable loſs, to loſe the benefit of afflictions. Thus may a prayerleſs ſoul bemoan it ſelf in trouble: This affliction (for ought I know) may be my ruine, it may be the Praeludium of eternal miſery; it may cut me off, and ſend me packing to Hell; or, if I live, I may live a miſerable comfortleſs life; I may be a very Cain, a Vagabond. Or, it may be to my further obduration, and ſo heighten and haſten my condemnation: Now, he that hath the Spirit helping him to pray in trouble, may be aſſured of a bleſſed iſſue, and a ſanctified improvement of his ſufferings. But of this I ſpake ſomething before. Well, if you deſire to derive upon your ſouls, the influences of all thoſe bleſſed promiſes made to the ſuffering ſervants of God, get the Spirit of Prayer, otherwiſe you cannot be aſſured, that one of thoſe good things belong to you.
3. Where a Spirit of prayer is wanting under affliction, it is to be feared, that ſoul is in a ſtate of wrath. I will not be peremtory: In ſome caſes God may withdraw his Spirit from his people in affliction, when he intends to hold on their burden for ſome time; as it was with the Jews in Babylon. Ezek. 24. 23.So foretold: Ye ſhall not mourn nor weep, (that is, towards God in prayer) but ye ſhall pine away in your iniquities, and mourn one towards another: and ſo fulfilled: All this evil is come Dan. 9. 13.upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God—Yea, ſometimes, the with holding of a Spirit of prayer, is inflicted, as a puniſhment upon Gods children (of which I ſpoke in one of the Caſes above). Yet this I muſt needs ſay, Where a ſoul neither prayes, nor deſires to pray, nor ſees a neceſſity of prayer under trouble, but thinks of other courſes, any whither rather than to God, it is a ſhrewd ſign, that ſoul hath no intereſt in God: For afflictions are Gods Rod; and if we are children, we ſhall fall at his feet, when he takes his Rod in hand: and however the Sun-ſhine of Proſperity make a Child of God caſt off his Cloak (as I may allude to that Fable); yet the wind of Adverſity, would make him gird it cloſer about him. Though a courſe of peace, health, fulneſs, make the beſt ſometimes forget their Rock; yet when miſery comes, they remember God is their Rock, and Pſal. 78. 35the high God their Redeemer. The Text tells you, it is one of the great ſupports of a child of God in a day of trouble, to have the Spirit helping his infirmities. So that where the Spirit of ſupplication is wholly wanting, it is to be doubted, whether that ſoul hath the Spirit of Adoption. Though to pray in affliction, is not alwayes an evidence of having a Spirit of Prayer: for even wicked men may, and often do, pray in ſtraits; yet to be prayerleſs then, ſpeaks one void of the Spirit. Were there any praying diſpoſitions in the heart, afflictions would draw them out. But it may be, this is little to thoſe I am ſpeaking to; what if they be not children of God? What if they be ſtrangers at the Throne of Grace? &c. Oh but make not light of ſuch a condition. What can I ſay worſe of a man on this ſide Hell, than to ſay, he is a child of wrath? To ſuch, God is an enemy, and all his diſpenſations are in anger; his very bleſſings are curſed. That is a ſad word the wrath of God abideth on him; it hunts and purſuesJohn 3. 36. him, and (without repentance) will never leave, till it hath ſunk him into everlaſting perdition. Is this to be made light of? Or can you imagine a condition more deplorable?
4. Add this alſo, that, where a ſoul under affliction, is void of the Spirit of prayer, the whole weight l…es upon himſelf. Some by infirmities, in the Text, underſtand our weakneſſes,Dutch Annotat. whereby we are unable to bear affliction: Such as in croſſes we are ſtill ſubject to, as well in our Spirit, which often murmurs againſt it, as in our body, which is frail and weak: but where this is wanting, we are like to bear our own burden: and the leaſt affliction, when it lies wholly upon our ſelves, will be intolerable. But I ſhall leave this to be better underſtood by their own experience, who make light of this precious priviledge. Mean while, if any ſoul by theſe conſiderations, be …wakened into a deſire of this great mercy, and begin to enquire what courſe he ſhall take to be poſſeſſed of it; let ſuch look back to the fourth Caſe, where he ſhall be directed, what is to be done, in order to the obtaining of it.