A Treatise of Prayer and Divine Providence, Chapter 2 – Chapter 3

A Treatise of Prayer and Divine Providence · Chapter 2 – Chapter 3

p. 46CHAP. II.

THe firſt Query anſwered, viz. Whether Gods hiding himſelf from his peoples prayers, grounded upon his Promiſes, and ſeeming by his Providences to anſwer the prayers which are contrary thereunto, can be parallel'd with any Example?

SECT. I.

The Queſtion affirmed, and divided into Parts.

THis firſt Query is to be anſwered Affirmatively: It is a thing that may be Exemplified; there is no new thing in it: Yea, we are not without many Preſidents of it going before us.

In producing the Examples required, I will divide the matter to be patterned into its two Parts, and ſhew the Examples, 1. Of Gods hiding himſelf from his peoples prayers grounded upon his Promiſes. 2. Of his ſeeming by his Providences to anſwer the prayers which are contrary thereunto.

p. 47SECT. II.

Examples of Gods Hiding himſelf from his Peoples Prayers.

FIrſt, Of the former (viz. Gods hiding himſelf from his peoples prayers grounded upon his Promiſes) there is great ſtore of notable Examples of this.

I will ſet them down in this order: 1. The Acknowledgments or Complaints of this in the mouths of the people of God. 2. The Declarations of God himſelf to this purpoſe. 3. Hiſtorical Obſervations of the thing.

I. Firſt, Of this the Saints or people of God have made their Acknowledgment or Complaint in Scripture. And this is obſervable, 1. Either of the prayers of particular perſons; 2. Or of the prayers of the Community, or multitude of Gods people, that is, of the Church.

Firſt, For Perſonal Prayers: Single perſons have found themſelves in this condition. And this may be noted touching their prayers: 1. For others. 2. For themſelves. 3. For Gods own Cauſe.

1. Let us hear their Teſtimonies in relation to their prayers for others. Holy David telleth us, He clothed himſelf with ſackcloth, Pſa. 35, 13Ps 35:13and humbled his Soul with fasting, (for his Enemies, and Perſecutors, Saul, and his party,) and his prayer returned into his own boſom; that is, it proved ineffectual, as for them. He alſo p. 48ſolemnly faſted and beſought God for his ſick child, but it availed not, on the ſeventh day the child dyed. Moſes prayed earneſtly for them of Iſrael who had ſet up and worſhiped the golden Calf: Yet now if thou wilt forgive their ſin; and if not, blot me I pray thee out of thy Book, Exod. 32.32, 33, 34, 35.Exod 32:32Exod 32:33Exod 32:34Exod 32:35which thou haſt written: But what anſwer had he to this pathetick prayer? And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, Whoſoever hath ſinned againſt me, him will I blot out of my Book; therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have ſpoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel ſhall go before thee: Nevertheleſs in the day when I viſit, I will viſit their ſin upon them. And the Lord plagued the people, becauſe they made the Calf which Aaron made. The Prophet Iſaiah profeſſeth his unceſſantneſs in prayer for Zions and Jeruſalems glorious Reſtauration: For Zions ſake will I not hold my peace, and for Jeruſalems ſake I will not reſt, Iſai. 62.1, 6, 7. & 63.11, 15. & 64.7.Isa 62:1Isa 62:6Isa 62:7Isa 63:11Isa 63:15Isa 64:7until the Righteouſneſs thereof go forth as brightneſs, and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth: And he enjoyneth the ſame inſtancy in prayer to all other praying perſons; Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not ſilence, and give him no reſt till he eſtabliſh, and till he make Jeruſalem a praiſe in the Earth. Yet in the two following Chapters he in his own and their perſons expoſtulateth and bemoaneth the Lords withdrawing and withholding himſelf from them and his people notwithſtanding their prayers. Where is he that brought them p. 49up out of the Sea with the Shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him? where is thy zeal, and thy ſtrength, the ſounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me? are they reſtrained? And this his hiding himſelf is ſet out to be ſo diſmal and long, that they were even grown weary of prayer: And there is none that calleth upon thy Name, that ſtirreth up himſelf to take hold of thee; for thou haſt hid thy face from us, and haſt conſumed us, becauſe of our iniquities. The Prophet Jeremiah prayeth moſt tenderly for Judah and Zion; Jer. 14.19, 21. & 15.1Jer 14:19Jer 14:21Jer 15:1Haſt thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy Soul lothed Zion? Why haſt thou ſmitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble. Do not abhor us for thy Names ſake, do not diſgrace the throne of thy glory; remember, break not thy Covenant with us, &c. And what is the Lords return unto this? Then ſaid the Lord unto me, Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people; caſt them out of my ſight, and let them go forth. King Joſiah upon his hearing read the words of the Book of the Law, and underſtanding by it the great wrath of the Lord which was kindled againſt him and his people,2 K ng. 23.25, 26. he beſought the Lord with extraordinary humiliation, zeal, and diligence: His heart was tender; he humbled himſelf before the Lord, he rent his clothes and wept before God; he ſent to enquire p. 50of the Lord for himſelf and all Judah by the Propheteſs H…ld ah; e aſſembled the people, publiſhed the Book of the Law, made and impoſed on the people a Covenant before the Lord to yield obedience to it: He rooted up Idolatry and Sorcery; He reſtored the Temple and true Worſhip of God. He was in all theſe a peerleſs King; Like unto him was there no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his ſoul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moſes, neither after him aroſe there any like him. But all this would not appeaſe Gods anger, nor avert his Judgments unto deſolation from Judah: Notwithſtanding the Lord turned not from the fierceneſs of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled againſt Judah, &c. The Prophet Habakkuk gives us to underſtand how ſpeedleſs he was in prayer, beginning his Propheſie with this complaint unto God:Hab. 1.2.Hab 1:2 O Lord, how long ſhall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not ſave? And going yet a ſecond time unto God by prayer, in expectation and hope of a better anſwer, I will ſtand upon my watch, Chap. 2.1, 2, 3.and ſet me upon the tower, and will watch to ſee what he will ſay unto me, and what I ſhall anſwer; he is yet delayed in his petition, and receives an anſwer of further Judgments yet to come: And the Lord anſwered me, and ſaid, Write the Viſion, and make it plain upon tables, Chap. 3.2that he may run that readeth it; for the Viſion is yet for an appointed p. 51time, &c. So that his hopes were overwhelmed with fears and terrors, which he expreſſeth in this third recourſe in prayer to God: O Lord, I have heard thy ſpeech, and was afraid: —When I heard my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voyce; Verſe 16.rottenneſs entered into my bones; and I trembled in my ſelf, &c. The Apoſtle Paul was earneſt by prayer for Iſraels Converſion and Salvation; that is, for the Body of that Nation which continued in blindneſs, and ſtood upon their own, and out againſt the righteouſneſs of God for Juſtification: Brethren, my hearts deſire and prayer to God for Iſrael is, that they might be ſaved. Rom. 10.1.Rom 10:1The anſwer of God unto him in this was, That a remnant only ſhould then be called, and the reſt be judicially hardened for a long time to come, Chap. 11.5, 7, 25.even until the coming in of the fulneſs of the Gentiles. Upon Sauls diſobedience, and the Lords repenting of his advancement to the Kingdom, Samuel prayed a whole night, 1 Sam. 15.11, 35.1 Sam 15:111 Sam 15:35yet the Lord rejected Saul from being King over Iſrael; and when this was done, Samuel ſtill mourned for Saul, Chap. 16.1till at length the Lord reproved him, and ſent him to anoint another for that place.

2. The holy ſervants of God have met with ſtays and diſappointments not only in their petitions for others, but even in their ſupplications for themſelves, and when they have prayed in their own behalf. Upright Job, that man of Tryals, doth in this reſpect thus make known and bewail his caſe to his friends: p. 52Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compaſſed me with his Net: Job 19.6, 7, 8.Job 19:6Job 19:7Job 19:8Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no Judgment. He hath fenced my way that I cannot paſs, and he hath ſet darkneſs in my paths. And in another place he complaineth of th… ſame unto God: I cry unto thee, and thou doſt not hear; I ſtand up, and thou regardeſt m not. Cap. 30 20, 26, 27, 28.When I looked for good, then evil came upon me; and when I waited for light, there came darkneſs. My bowels boiled, and reſted not: the days of affliction prevented me, I went mourning without the Sun: I ſtood up, and I cryed in the Congregation. The Prophet David often finds himſelf in this condition; often cries out of it unto God. In his 13 Pſalm he complains thus for lack of audience: How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, Pſal. 13.1, 2, 3.Ps 13:1Ps 13:2Ps 13:3for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long ſhall I take counſel in my Soul, having ſorrow in my heart dayly? How long ſhall mine enemy be exalted over me? Conſider and hear me, O Lord, my God. In the 31 Pſalm he ſaith, I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; Pſa. 31.12.Ps 31:12I am like a broken veſſel. In the 69. he … moan thus: I am weary of my crying, Pſal. 69.3.Ps 69:3my throat is dryed; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. Holy Heman alſo was in this very plight: O Lord God of my Salvation, I have cryed day and night before thee; Pſal. 88.1.Ps 88:1and with what ſucceſs? He tells preſently:Verſe 4, 5. I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that p. 53hath no ſtrength: Free among the dead, like the ſlain that lie in the grave, whom thou remembereſt no more, and they are cut off fr… thy hand. And again a little after: Lord, I have called upon thee, I have ſtretched out my hands unto thee: Yet had he no better ſpeed:Verſ. 9.14. Lord, why caſteſt th u off my Soul? why hideſt thou thy face from me?

Nay the greateſt Example poſſible we have for this, to wit, that of our bleſſed Saviour, who in his Paſſion is p…rſonated by David in theſe words: My God, My God, Pſa. 22 12. Mat. 27.46Ps 22:12Matt 27:46why haſt thou forſaken me? Why art thou ſo far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, and thou heareſt not; and in the night ſeaſon, and am not ſilent. Part of which words he audibly uttered, or rather cryed out, when he hung upon the Croſs. I will add hereunto only one Inſtance, and it is as great as can be added to the former: It ſhall be taken from the cont…nual experience of all true Chriſtians, that are or ever were in the world. Our bleſſed Saviour teacheth all his to pray, Thy Will be done in Earth as it is done in Heaven: And again, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Now although theſe things are and ought to be dayly prayed for; yet it muſt needs be acknowledged (as it is experienced by all the Saints of God on Earth) that never doth any of them attain to in this life an abſolute conformity to the Will of God, like that of the Angels and Saints in Heaven; nor to a ſinleſs diſtance from all p. 54temptations.Bellar. T. 4 de Juſtif. lib. 4. cap. 13. Chamier. T. 3. l. 11. c. 7. ſ. 21. Bellarmine would infer from hence a capacity of perfection in the Saints …edience in this life: for otherwiſe (ſaith he) theſe petitions in the Lords prayer are in vain taught and uſed. This Inference we deny. There are divers things allowed, yea commanded, and nec…ſſary to be prayed for, which yet may never be granted: and there are ſundry things (as thoſe petitions ſpecified) which are to be prayed for every day; and yet they may (in their juſt and full meaſure) never be attained till our laſt day and end come.

3. Yea when the ſervants of God have called upon God in and for his own Cauſe and Concernment; yet the Lord hath ſometimes hid himſelf from their prayer. Eliah (whom the Apoſtle James brings in for a ſingular pattern of prevalency in prayer) he maketh interceſſion to God againſt Iſrael (in the Lords Cauſe, as well as his own,) ſaying, Lord, they have killed thy Prophets, Rom. 11.2 3.Rom 11:2and digged down thine Altars, and I am left alone, and they ſeek my life. Yet after this, things went ſtill on in Iſrael in relation to the matters of God as they did before; he never lived to ſee any redreſs. The people of God in Pſal. 44. call out upon God, and expoſtulate with him as one that ſeemed to ſleep out the time of their heavy Calamities, and hid his face purpoſely from them, and put their Caſe into utter oblivion:Pſal. 44.8, 22, 23, 24.Ps 44:8Ps 44:22Ps 44:23Ps 44:24 Awake, why ſleepeſt thou, O Lord? Ariſe, caſt us not off for ever: Wherefore hideſt thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction, and p. 55our oppreſſion? And yet what Cauſe did they ſuffer in? Th…y immediately before repreſent that to him; Yea for thy ſake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as ſheep for the ſlaughter. And in another Pſalm they beſpeak him in this ſort; Ariſe, O God, Pſa. 74.22Ps 74:22plead thine own Cauſe; remember how the fooliſh man reproacheth thee dayly. Yet then it appears by that which goes before they accounted themſelves caſt off, and lying under the ſmoking anger of God; and they complain, We ſee not our ſigns, there is no more any Prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

Theſe Examples may ſuffice for the firſt Head, to wit, the Complaints of the Saints touching the Lords hiding from their perſonal prayers.

Secondly, It hath ſo fared with the joynt and publique Prayers of the Community of Saints, or Church of God; as they have made their Complaint: This was the caſe of the Church at the time of the penning of the 80 Pſalm: O Lord God of Hoſts, Pſal. 80.4.Ps 80:4how long wilt thou be angry againſt the prayer of thy people? It is not here intimated that the Lord was angry with the prayer of his people (as if it were peccant in the nature of it, for which he ſhould be diſpleaſed with it,) but he was angry againſt their prayer, that is, his anger proceeded ſtill on; though their prayer was for his pacification, their prayer was for the calling back of his Judgments, his anger carried them ſtill on; p. 56ſo that this went on in oppoſition to that. The particular time and occaſion of the compiling of this Pſalm, is not manifeſted by its title of tenor; but their Conjecture is probable that aſſign it to the rending of the ten Tribes from the houſe of David, and Kingdom of Judah, and the ſetting up of Jeroboam, upon which the Invaſion of Judah by Shiſhak King of Egypt ſhortly followed. For it hath often come to paſs, and it may here be ſeaſonably obſerved by us, that when thoſe whom God hath joyned together in one Religion, and under one Government, do break aſunder, and erect oppoſite Thrones over them reſpectively, which …ide ſoever hath the better, yea or the right of it, the common Enemy preſently comes in, and gets his greateſt advantage by it.

It is noted of the people of Judah, yea witneſſed of them by God himſelf, that they prayed much: Yet they ſeek me dayly, and delight to know my ways. Iſai. 58.3.Isa 58:3They take delight in approaching to God; and how ſucceeded their prayers? The next words will inform us: Wherefore have we faſted, ſay they, and thou ſeeſt not? Wherefore have we afflicted our Soul, and thou takeſt no knowledg?

The Prophet Jeremiah in his Lamentations, repreſenting the Church of Judah under her Babylonian Calamities,Lam. 3.8.Lam 3:8 ſets forth her plaints for want of audience in prayer: Alſo when I cry, and ſhout, he ſhutteth out my prayer. They not only prayed, but cryed, yea even ſhouted, that is, called upon God with greateſt vehemency; p. 57yet their prayer found no entrance. And again in the ſame Chapter:Verſe 44. Thou haſt covered thy ſelf with a cloud, that our prayer ſhould not paſs through. And ſurely this cloud lay long over their prayers; as will appear if we compare with this thoſe places of Zechariah, Zech. 7.3, 5, 8, 19.Zech 7:3Zech 7:5Zech 7:8Zech 7:19where their ſet times of faſting and humbling themſelves are found to have been for ſeventy years together. In the Prophet Malachi's days, when the people were grown very corrupt, and Religion was much collapſed, yet they had ſo much Religion left as to faſt and pray; and this they did ſo long without ſucceſs, that at length they grew ſtout and …ullen againſt God, concluding a courſe of devotion to be bootleſs: They ſaid, It is vain to ſerve God; Mal. 3▪14.Mal 3:14and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoſts.

We have thus ſeen the Complaints and Acknowledgments of the people of God in the matter to be Exemplified, and that in ſufficient variety of Inſtances.

II. In the next place let us obſerve what the Lord himſelf declares touching his hiding or with-holding himſelf from his praying people; and we ſhall receive it from his mouth by way, 1. Of Threatening. 2. Of Prophecy, or Prediction. 3. Of Narration.

Firſt, He utters it by way of Threatening or Denunciation, as a ſpecial Judgment, or effect of his wrath againſt his people, and that concerning, 1. Their own prayers. 2. The prayers p. 58of others for them.

1. He threatens he will hide himſelf from them praying for themſelves. Upon the Apoſtacy of the Iſraelites unto Idolatry in the times of the Judges; when the Lord had for that cauſe ſold them into their Enemies hands, the Text ſaith, The children of Iſrael cryed unto the Lord, ſaying, We have ſinned againſt thee, Judg. 10.10, &c.Judg 10:10both becauſe we have forſaken our God, and alſo ſerved Baalim. And the Lord ſaid unto the children of Iſrael, Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites? &c. The Zidonians alſo, and the Amalekiles, and the Maonites did oppreſs you; and ye cryed to me, and I delivered you out of their hand: Yet ye have forſaken me, and ſerved other gods; wherefore I will deliver you no more. The ſame bar upon the gate of entrance of prayer the Lord puts in the time of his Prophets, Iſaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, againſt the prayers of his people of Iſrael and Judah. In Iſaiah he ſaith, And when ye ſpread forth your hands, Iſai. 1.15.Isa 1:15I will hide mine eyes from you; yea when you make many prayers, I will not hear. In Jeremiah he declares, Though they ſhall cry unto me, Jer. 11.11, 14.Jer 11:11Jer 11:14I will not harken unto them, —for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble—When they faſt, Cap. 14.12I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering, and an oblation, I will not accept them. In Ezekiel he foreſtalls them thus;Ezek. 8.18Ezek 8:18 Though they cry in mine ears with a loud voyce, yet I will not hear them.

p. 592. Yea, but perhaps, though the ſinfulneſs of their perſons made their prayers caſt back; yet the prayers of others, who were righteous perſons, and had been uſually prevalent with God, might avail for them; nay neither muſt they be heard for them.Jer. 7.16.Jer 7:16 Therefore pray not thou (ſaith the Lord to his Prophet Jeremiah) for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make interceſſion to me, for I will not hear thee. And when he did make bold to ſpeak a few words for them, his anſwer is,Cha. 15.1. Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. And by the Prophet Ezekiel the Lord pronounceth it four times over at once;Ezek. 14.14, 16, 18, 20.Ezek 14:14Ezek 14:16Ezek 14:18Ezek 14:20 Though theſe three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they ſhould deliver but their own Souls by their righteouſneſs. So we hear this proceeding of God owned by himſelf, by way of Threatening.

Secondly, He hath ſpoken it by way of Prophecy, or Prediction. Our bleſſed Saviour in his Exhortation to his Diſciples to unceſſantneſs in prayer, by the example of the windows importunity with the unjuſt Judg, in the reddition of that Parable he foretells,Luk. 18.1, 7, 8.Luke 18:1Luke 18:7Luke 18:8 that God will indeed avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night to him: but withall, he will bear long with them; that is, he will long ſit ſtill, and forbear to appear, and vindicate his people, notwithſtanding the cry of their prayers, and the provoking of their Oppreſſors. And in the next words he deſcribes how long, p. 60to wit, ſo long, as that it will be a queſtion whether the Son of man when he cometh ſhall find faith on the Earth: That is (as I underſtand) when Chriſt our Saviour ſhall come either perſonally and viſibly to the laſt Judgment, or virtually and by his divine working in this life, to the reſcue of his Church, and ruine of their Enemies, according to the ſeveral Promiſes and Predictions in Scripture, the faith of his people (not in the abſolute being or nature of it, but in regard of that particular uſe of act of it in beleeving that God will ſeaſonably avenge them, and confident ſtaying for it) ſhall even be worn out through pining delay, and brought almoſt to a fail. In the Prophecy of the Revelation, at the opening of the fifth ſeal by the Lamb (our bleſſed Redeemer,) there appeared under the Altar the Souls of them that were ſlain for the Word of God, Rev. 6.9, 10Rev 6:9Rev 6:10and for the Teſtimony which they held; and they cryed with a loud voyce, ſaying, How long, O Lord, &c. white Robes were given unto every one of them, and it was ſaid unto them, that they ſhould reſt yet for a little ſeaſon, until their fellow-ſervants alſo, and their brethren that ſhould be killed as they were, ſhould be fufilled. Theſe Souls under the Altar are unanimouſly interpreted to be the Perſecuted and Martyred Chriſtians in the Ten primitive Perſecutions; and, more eſpecially (according to Mr Mede) thoſe under Diocleſians Imm…nity. We ſee they cry for Avengement, and complain of a long putting off, How long? and, nevertheleſs, p. 61their anſwer is that, notwithſtanding all the delay that hath been, they muſt reſt contented, and ſtay yet ſome time longer. Learned Mr Mede conceiveth the time of their yet further deferring to be till the ſounding of the Trumpets; and their fellow-ſervants, and brethren, which in the Interim were to be killed as they, to be thoſe who after were ſlain under Licinius Julianus, and the Arrians. Rev. 8.2, 3, &c.Rev 8:2Rev 8:3Thoſe ſeven Trumpets he alſo reckoneth to be ſo many alarums to the fatal ruines of the Roman Empire: God taking puniſhment by thoſe ruins for the blood of the ſaid Martyrs, ſhed by the Roman Emperors. And the Angels adding much incenſe to the prayers of al Saints upon the golden altar before the Throne, and the aſcending before God of the ſmoak of the incenſe out of the Angels hand with the prayers of the Saints, which immediately antecedeth the Trumpets, to be a renewing of the memoral of thoſe prayers of the afore-martyred Saints under the the fifth Seal: upon which, as an anſwer of that remembrance, and of thoſe prayers, ſo long before put up, the ſeven Angels prepare to ſound their Trumpets. Now, betwixt the beginning of the laſt of the Ten Perſecutions, and the beginning of the ſeven Trumpets, there was more then the age of a man. Mr Mede begineth the fifth Seal at the year of Chriſt 268. and the Trumpets at 395. it was thus long (to wit, 127 years) ere thoſe prayers of the afflicted Martyrs began to be anſwered: and moreover, the time of the continuance of the firſt p. 62ſix of thoſe Trumpets, in which their anſwer is made up, he accounts to be 1260 years more after that.

Another Prophecy in the ſame Book we may add to this purpoſe; it is that of the two Witneſſes: the Text ſaith, They ſhall prophecy a thouſand two hundred and threeſcore days clothed with ſackcloth; Rev. 11.3, 5Rev 11:3Rev 11:5and if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth; and devoured their Enemies. By thoſe two Witneſſes our Divines underſtand thoſe few Preachers, Profeſſors, and Maintainers of the Truth of Chriſt, which ſhall be found during the Gentiles treading under foot the holy City, that is, the prophane and idolatrous peoples trampling upon the face of the viſible Church. Thoſe one thouſand two hundred and three-ſcore days they compute to intend ſo many years. That ſackcloth they take to emblematize their mourning, complaining condition. And that fire iſſuing out of their mouths, they expound to be their prayers for divine ayd and reſcue: like as Elijah called for fire to come down from Heaven, 2 Kings. 1 10.2 Kgs 1:10to conſume the Captains and their fifties. Theſe perſons, although ſuch precious ones, ſo raiſed up, and impowred by Chriſt; yet, we ſee, they are put to walk mournfully, and pray continuedly, for ſo great a term of years, ere their prayers ſpeed, and their ſtate be changed. Yea, notwithſtanding all their patience, and conſtancy in that ſad and expecting condition, they are at length to be overcome, and ſlain, and kept unburied, and inſulted p. 63over by the Beaſt, and his accomplices, before they come to receive the iſſue of their prophecying and praying,Rev. 11.7, 8 9, 10.Rev 11:7Rev 11:8 by their re-advancement. This laſt part of their ſorrowful cup ſeems to be, not only a ſuſpenſe of their long continued prayers, but even a breaking off of them, and of all hope of their enjoying the benefit of them, unleſs they muſt expect it in another world. But yet the next words will reſolve us, that both their former walking in ſackcloth, and their ſlaying at laſt, is to be no more then a ſuſpenſe, or deferring for a time: for within three days and a half they are raiſed up again to life, to their feet, yea to Heaven, in a Cloud, in ſight of their Enemies; that is, they attain to an happy end of their labours and ſufferings, and to an accompliſhment of their prayers. This laſt paſſage, the ſlaying of the Witneſſes, is conceived by many to be yet behind, or in fulfilling; unto others it ſeems to be acted, and paſt: It is beyond me peremptorily to determine either way: only, whereas it appears unlikely to be yet to come, when as ſundry Nations, ſometim…s following and ſerving the Beaſt, have caſt him off, bidden defiance to him, and ſet up the Reformed Religion. I will here inſert Mr Medes gloſs upon it, very appoſitely meeting with that ſcruple foreign. When they ſhall be about to finiſh their teſtimony (for ſo it is to be tranſlated, not, when they have finiſhed) the Beaſt which aſcendeth out of the bottomleſs pit ſhall make War with them, and ſhall overcome them, and kill them: p. 64Mr. Medes Comment. part 2. pag. 3. Engl.That is, when now part of the holy City, or inhabitants of the Chriſtian world repenting of their idolatries and abominations, and clenſing the temple of God within themſelves, the witneſſes rejoycing, ſhould begin to put off their ſackcloth, and to be freed from their dayly mourning; notwithſtanding they ſhould not yet be wholly freed; that Roman ſeven-headed Beaſt of the laſt time (of which Chap. 13.) chafing that the preaching of thoſe Mourners had ſo far prevailed, ſhall make war againſt them, overcome and kill them: The firſt of which, concerning the mourning of the Witneſſes already begun to determine, hath been continually performed from the beginning of the Reformed Church until this preſent: The other, concerning war and ſlaughter, I conjectture is yet to come.

Thirdly, The Lords hiding from his peoples prayers, himſelf declareth by way of Narration, as of a thing done. This he doth by his Prophet Zechariah. Zech. 7.13Zech 7:13Therefore it is come to paſs, that as he cryed, and they would not hear; ſo they cryed, and I would not hear, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. And he mindeth the Iſraelites, that ſo he had done by them, ſpeaking thus by Moſes: And they returned and wept before the Lord, Deut. 1.45Deut 1:45but the Lord would not harken to your voyce, nor give ear unto you.

I have thus layd forth the Examples of Gods hiding from his praying people, compriſed under thoſe two firſt general Heads, to wit, the Saints own Acknowledgments, and the p. 65Declarations of GOD Himſelf.

III. The third followeth; that is to be Obſervations out of Story: And for this I think I may ſafely affirm two things. 1. There was never any publique Calamity or Judgment came upon any people profeſſing the knowledg of the true God, and his true Worſhip, ſince the beginning of the world to this day, but there hath been always ſome of, or about them, or both, who have been earneſt and faithful Petitioners unto Almighty God for the preventing of the ſaid Calamity from coming, and for the removal of it as ſoon as come; and notwithſtanding that Judgments have come, and have continued for their time, to wit, that time which had been fore-allotted, and ſometimes foretold. 2. There hath ſcarce ever been any great work of Mercy which God hath brought forth towards or for his people, but, as his ſervants have had ſome preapprehenſion of it by means of his promiſe, and, upon that intimation, have a good while prayed and waited for it; ſo, ere it hath come about, they have been at a ſtagger concerning it, and their prayers for it; and it hath ſeemed to them for a time, as if the Lord had forgotten his Word, hid himſelf from, and diſappointed them. Therefore many particular Inſtances I need not take forth.Exod. 2.23 24. & 3.7.Exod 2:23 Iſrael being under ſervitude in Egypt, it is ſaid, they ſighed by reaſon of the bondage, and cryed, and their cry came up unto God by reaſon of their bo…dage, and God heard their groaning: And ſo the Lord telleth p. 66Moſes out of the buſh, I have ſurely ſeen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reaſon of their task-maſters, for I know their ſorrows. Here is Iſrael praying, yea even crying, ſighing, groaning in Egypt; and yet notwithſtanding after this, when Moſes and Aaron were ſent of God to deliver them, and had reported their meſſage from God to them, and to Pharaoh, they were in worſe caſe then before; their burdens were encreaſed, and their Officers beaten; whereupon they cry out of Moſes and Aaron, as being become their Tormentors in ſtead of being their Deliverers: And Moſes complaineth unto God:Exod 5.6, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.Exod 5:6Exod 5:19Exod 5:20Exod 5:21Exod 5:22Exod 5:23 Wherefore haſt thou ſo evil entreated this people? Why is it that thou haſt ſent me? For ſince I came to Pharaoh to ſpeak in thy Name, he hath done evil to this people; neither haſt thou delivered thy people at all. And the Iſraelites became ſo hopeleſs of their own prayers, and Moſes his enterpriſe taking any effect, that when Moſes was ſent unto them from God with a ſecond Meſſage,Exod. 6.6, to 12.Exod 6:6–12 aſſuring them of the Lords hearing their groans, remembering his Covenant, reſolving to bring them out, and to ſeat them in the promiſed Land, and to approve himſelf their God, and to own them as his people, they heeded him not: the Text ſaith, They harkened not to Moſes for anguiſh of ſpirit, Cap. 14.12and for cruel bondage: Yea, they ſaid, Let us alone, that we may ſerve the Egyptians.

When the Iſraelites received that terrible p. 67overthrow by the Philiſtins, wherein the Prieſts of the Lord were ſlain, and the Ark was taken, it is ſaid, The word of Samuel came to all Iſrael; 1 Sam. 4.1. Tho. Coleman's Sermon before the Houſe, Septem. 12, 1644. pag. 5. 1 Sam. 7.21 Sam 4:11 Sam 7:2or (as one tranſlares) the word of Samuel was for all Iſrael. His dayly words and prayers (ſaith that Interpreter) were for his people, and for their good, and particularly for a comfortable ſucceſs in this expedition; yet Samuels prayer could not prevent that diſaſter, no nor recover it of twenty years after.

The holy and zealous Prophet Jeremiah, as he was faithful to deliver the Word of the Lord to the Kings and people of Judah, concerning their Deſolation and Captivity at hand under Babylon; ſo he was inſtant with God in prayer to have made up that gap, and intercepted thoſe evils. Remember that I ſtood before thee to ſpeak good for them, Jer. 18.20.Jer 18:20and to turn away thy wrath from them: Yet, as he could not prevail with Judah to repent of their ſins; ſo, upon their impenitency, he might not prevail with God to recall his denounced Judgments. When theſe deſtructions were accompliſhed upon Judah, there was a certain and plain promiſe for their Recovery at the end of ſeventy years; and there was much praying in that ſpace, both by the people of God generally, as may appear by the Book of the L…mentations, and by the 79, the 102, the 126, and the 137 Pſalms; and by the Prophets, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and other eminent ſervants of God in particular: And yet, when the foreſet p. 68time of Deliverance was at hand, or come… what was become of all their expectations and prayers in their apprehenſion? The Prophet Iſaiah will ſhew us: But Zion ſaid, The Lord hath forſaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Iſai. 49.14.Isa 49:14And Ezekiels Viſion of the dead and dry bones will inform us:Eze. 37.11Ezek 37:11 Son of man, theſe bones are the whole houſe of Iſrael; behold, they ſay, Our bones are dryed, and our hope is loſt, we are cut off from our parts. The Prophet Daniel did inure himſelf unto prayer and faſting, in relation not only to the preſent affairs of the people of God, but to thoſe of future times: The return of thoſe his extraordinary Humiliations and ſeekings unto God, was ſometimes in ſuch Viſions, as the bare repreſentations thereof, and foreſight thereby, of the Calamities of the Church of God under the Grecian, Seleucian and Roman Powers, drove him much out of heart, and brought him into deep diſtemper both of mind and body. O my Lord (ſaith he) by the Viſion my ſorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no ſtrength. Dan. 10.16 & 7.28. & 8:27.Dan 10:16Dan 7:28Dan 8:27And at another time: As for me Daniel, my cogitations troubled me, and my countenance changed in me. And at a third time; And I Daniel fainted, and was ſick certain days, and I was aſtoniſhed at the Viſion. And if that foreknowledg of the Events of the Church, whereabout his prayers were employed, were ſuch an amazement and burden to his ſpirit; what (think we) would the ſight and ſenſe of them be to thoſe praying p. 69Saints that ſhould live to ſee them acted and endured?

The Apoſtle Paul knowing what an advantage to Chriſtianity (in the Protection and Propagation of it) it would be to have the Civil Magiſtrate Chriſtian, he giveth Chriſtians a Precept in their private and publique Supplications, in ſpecial to pray for Kings, 1 Tim. 2.1 2.1 Tim 2:1and for all that are in Authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſs and honeſty. And no doubt the primitive Chriſtians in and after the Apoſtles time were mindful and conſtant in the practiſe hereof; beſides the Authority of the Command, their own conveniency would lead them to it. That woman in S^t Johns Viſion (in the Revelations) that appeared clothed with the Sun,Rev. 12.12Rev 12:12 treading under her feet the Moon, and crowned with twelve Stars, Divines take to be a figure of the Chriſtian primitive Church: And, whereas it is ſaid, She being with child cryed, travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered; they underſtand that to intend the ſaid Churches crying unto God by dayly prayers to obtain a Chriſtian Emperor, that would ceaſe their Perſecutions, and eſtabliſh their Religion in Peace and Freedom: yet was it near three hundred years ere ſhe could bring forth that her Man-child Conſtantine the Great, the firſt Emperor that ſet up the Chriſtian Profeſſion. So long was the Church put to travel in prayer, together with hot and painful perſecutions, ere they received therein their Anſwer. The p. 70Church indeed brought forth a Chriſtian Emperor before, viz. Anno 245. Julius Philippus; Euſeb. l. 6. c 31. Chron. Carian, p. 245. Speed, lib. 6. c. 31.but him ſhe brought forth for Heaven, and not for her Militant ſtate here; he lived not to eſtabliſh Chriſtianity in the Empire, but was ſoon cut off by Decius, the Author of the ſeventh Perſecution, who ſlew him and his ſon, and Caeſar (a Chriſtian alſo) odio Chriſtiani nominis, of hatred to the Chriſtian name: So that in him the Churches pregnancy and travel in prayer proved abortive; ſhe continued travelling ſtill, until ſhe brought forth Conſtantine. We ſee, though the Churches ſtriving together in prayer be compared to the pains of a laboring woman, yet it is ſo reſembled in reſpect of Vehemency, not of Duration; a womans labour is but for a few hours, the Churches travel may be for a multitude of years, and ſome ages, ere ſhe bring forth.

Being thus paſſed out of Scripture into Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, I will add out of it a few Examples more, of the overclouding or ſuſpenſe put upon the prayers of the people of God. Who hath not read or heard of the thundering Legion? that Legion of Chriſtian Souldiers, which by their prayers relieved the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and his Army▪ who in an Expedition againſt the Quadi, and others, being ready to periſh, having an Army of Enemies againſt them of nine hundred ſeventy five thouſand, and being withall deſtitute of water for five days together; this Legion of Chriſtians, then in the Emperors Leaguer, drew apart, p. 71and falling proſtrate upon the Earth in ardent prayer, they prevailed with God; ſo that they had plentious ſhowres of Rain to ſatisfie the Armies thirſt, and Thunder and Lightening to diſperſe and deſtroy their Enemies; and, upon this, that Legion was named by the Emperor (though a Heathen) the Thundering Legion. Theſe Chriſtians (and the reſt of thoſe times) that were ſo earneſt with God in the behalf of a Papan Emperor, and Civil Cauſe, were as much, or rather more ſerious and fervent (no doubt) in dayly prayer for the Churches Reſt and Enlargement, then under bloody Perſecution; they muſt needs be granted to bear a part in the travelling womans pains and cry, afore ſpoken of; as alſo in that cry unto God of the Souls under the Altar at the opening of the fifth Seal, which before alſo I inſiſted on: But, though they did, and were ſo mighty in prayer, and exerciſed thoſe Arms of prayers and tears (which were the Arms which the primitive Chriſtians only owned, as allowable, wherewith to reſiſt the Tyranny of their lawful Superiors, they being then but of a private and plebeian capacity) as diligently as they did their ſecular Arms for defence of the Emperor; yet they could not thereby obtain a preſent period of thoſe fiery Perſecutions,See Mr. Clarks Martyrolog. p. 44, 45 & Mr Fox, vol. 1. p. 67▪ &c. which then had ſo long laſted, but they went on, by times, for above a hundred years longer; and although Aurelius (upon the aforeſaid Wonders) decreed the ſtay of the fourth Perſecution, then on foot, yet was it carried on ſtill by the p. 72Judges, and by his ſon Commodus.

After that the Roman Emperors were become Chriſtian, Gratian, one of the moſt pious,Mr Mede… Comment. in Apoc. part 1. p▪ 58. And Roſſes Hiſt. Book 3. c. 3. An. Chr. 379. zealous, and orthodox Emperors we find in Story; he was the firſt Chriſtian Emperor (as Mr Mede noteth) that refuſed the Title and Pontifical Robe of the High prieſt-hood, anciently annexed to the Imperial Majeſty, and a branch of the old Heatheniſh Idolatry: He commanded a general Embracement of the Nicene Creed; He ſuppreſſed Hereticks, and reſtored the Orthodox, baniſhed by his Predeceſſor Valens, an Arian: This godly Emperor in his Expeditions of War was generally and affectionately prayed for by the Chriſtian Churches. A Hiſtorian ſaith of him, At non Ambroſius duntaxat pro Gratiani victoriâ ſolicitus, juges obtulit Deo preces, ſed fidelium omnium vota publica nuncupata ſunt, Schulting. Theſaur. Tom. 4. cap. 321.frequenſque tunc pro eo piorum ad baſilicas concurſus proſpera illi aſſidus poſtulantium. But not only Ambroſe offered up dayly prayers to God, being ſolicitous for Gratians victory, but the publique ſupplications of all the faithful were made for him; and there was a great flocking together of the godly to the Cathedrals, Chron. Ca…ion, l. 3. p. 293, Speed, hiſt. book 6. c. 51. p. 178. Roſſes Hiſt. B. 3. c. 3.to pray dayly for his prosperity: Yet this good young Emperor was firſt overthrown in Battel, and quickly after trayterouſly ſlain by Maximus the Uſurper: In this it pleaſed God to fruſtrate the Chriſtians prayers, and to give the Victory, and that Weſtern Empire, to a uſurping Tyrant. The Monks of p. 73Bangor in Flintſhire were famous in their times, and ſtill are among Hiſtorians, for their piety and devotion, as alſo for their auſterity of life, and induſtry in manual labour, (being no way like unto the pack of degenerate and vicious Monks of latter ages.) When the Britains about Anno Chriſti 609. were gathered together at Cheſter to defend themſelves by Arms againſt Ethelfrid, King of the Northumbrian Saxons, a Pagan; they procured thoſe godly Monks to aſſemble thither, and aſſiſt them with their prayers againſt that fierce Enemy: three days they continued in faſting and prayer. King Ethelfrid, Mr Fox, Acts, vol. 1. p. 153, 154. Uſſer. Brit. Eccl. Anti. c. 6. p. 133. & Index Chronol. (apudeund) An. 602, 603, 613. Cambd. Brit. Engl. p. 603. Speed, B. 7. c. 9. ſ. 7. p. 241 &c. 18. ſ. …1. p. 292.underſtanding of their there aſſembling, demanded what they did there; and being informed that they prayed for the Chriſtian Britains againſt him and his Army; Then (ſaith he) although they bear no Arms, yet they fight againſt us with their prayers and preaching. Brockmail the Britiſh General, and his Chriſtians, were vanquiſhed: Whereupon Ethelfrid, having chaſed them, commanded his men to fall upon thoſe Monks, that had faſted and prayed againſt him; and he ſlew of them there to the number of twelve hundred. I the rather take notice of this event of praying Chriſtians, falling before invading, perſecuting Infidels, for the occaſions ſake upon which it is obſerved to have fallen out, which was as remarkable as the diſaſter it ſelf, and ſuitable for the obſervation of us as things go now: Thus they ſay it was. Augustine (he that was ſent over by Gregory the firſt to p. 74plant, or rather reſtore and reform Chriſtian Religion here in Britain) had a little before this accident called together ſeven of the Britiſh Biſhops, and ſome ſay the Biſhops of Scotland alſo, in a Synod, for a Conſultation and Concurrence in propagating the Chriſtian Faith and Religion, and extirpating Heatheniſh Idolatry. At their meeting theſe Britiſh and Scots Biſhops could not agree with Augustine and his Aſſociates: Some ſay, their diſcord was about a matter of Complement at their firſt meeting; others, that it was concerning ſome Rites about Baptizing, and keeping of Eaſter: But a Breach there was, and ſhortly upon it enſued both this deſtruction of the Chriſtian Britains and Monks at Cheſter, and an overthrow alſo of the Scots by the ſame Ethelfrid, under Ean their King, at Degſafton, wherein (they ſay) there were killed the ſame number of 1200 of the Scots Clergy; and both theſe defeats were (they ſay) foretold by Auguſtine to come by reaſon of their diſagreement, and interruption thereby of advancing their common work of reforming and propagating Religion. I need not apply or compare this preſident to the Jars of theſe days, either in the Cauſes or Conſequences, felt or feared.

I will deſcend to latter times. It is well known with what aſſeduity and fervency of prayer, as well as other labours, the reſtoring of the Goſpel, and Reformation of Religion, was enterprized and carried on by Luther, Melanct…, and the reſt of the Proteſtant Profeſſors p. 75in Germany. This work, being by the mighty and good hand of God advanced to a fair progreſs, at length it came to the Tryal, and hazard of War. When it had been for about thirty years carried on in the hands of Luther, Oecolampadius, Capito, and others, by prayer, preaching, diſputation, and ſuch like ſpiritual and peaceable means; The Emperor Charls the fifth, with Pope Paul the third, raiſe a great Army of Spaniards, Italians, Germans, and other Nations;Thuan. l. 1. Brightman in Apoc. 11Rev 11 and under the conduct of the ſaid Emperor they come upon the Proteſtants, arming themſelves for their neceſſary defence in Saxony. The iſſue is, the Proteſtants, under the leading of Jo: Frederick Elector of Saxony, are defeated; and ſo great and continuing was the Overthrow, that Mr Brightman takes it, and the ſuppreſſion of the freedom of the Proteſtants which followed (together with the Decree of the Council of Trent about the ſame time concerning the ſole Authority of the Vulgar Latin Tranſlation of the Scriptures) to be the overcoming and killing of the Witneſſes by the Beaſt,From An. 1547. Apr. 24. the day of that Battel, to the middle of Anno 1550. Melch. Adam in vit. Luth. p. 162 (Revel. 11.) and their lying dead and unburied in the ſtreet for three days and a half; for the ſtrages of that diſaſter laſted (as he computes) for three years and a half: and upon it the Pope and Papiſts made mighty triumph: At Wittenberge, where Luther was buried but the year before, the Emperors Soldiers inſulted over his grave, and had well nigh digged up his Corps, and burned it, but that the Emperor himſelf reſtrained th…

p. 76To this Inſtance might be added many like unto it, of the black days that have gone over the faithful in theſe late ages, in regard of their heavy ſufferings and deſertions, and their outrageous Adverſary riding and raigning over them, by Wars, Maſſacres, Inquiſitions, and ſecular Judicatories. This hath been their lot in all Countries, whereſoever the light of the Goſpel hath broke out to the diſpelling of Popery, at ſome time or other, ſince the Reformation began. And, when thus it hath been, the cry of the Faithfuls prayers and of their blood hath gone up to Heaven together; whileſt the Lord for a time hath ſhewed as if he regarded neither; and their prayers as well as their blood hath ſeemed as water ſpilt upon the ground. But particulars of this ſort, as they may be better remembered, ſo they are too many to be deſcended unto.

I will only mention one more; it ſhall be of our own time and ſtate, even within the compaſs of theſe our troubles. In the year 1644. upon the ill ſucceſſes of the Parliaments Army in the Weſt, the two Houſes kept a publique Faſt for that occaſion: One of the godly Miniſters that performed the duty of that day, obſerved to them,Mr T. Coleman's Sermon before the Houſe, Septem. 10, 1644. pag. 3, 5. That their Weſtern diſaſter was the day after the laſt publique Faſt kept in the Kingdom, and in that City and place; and not many days after a peculiar Faſt for the welfare of that Army in ſix Churches. And taking Pſal. 65. v. 5. for his Text, he gathered and handled this Propoſition from it, p. 77viz. Terrible things may be the Conſequent of the duty and day of Prayer: God may anſwer our private and publique Intercedings with Terrible things. The other in like manner reminded them, That the diſſipation of that brave, gallant, hopeful Army, Mr Mathew Newco…en, Ser… on Joſh. 7.10, 11. p. 7. 24.Josh 7:10Josh 7:11was of an Army that was ſent out with ſolemn Faſting and Prayer; and ſince they came to be in the ſtraits, wherein they unhappily miſcarried, were ſolemnly again ſought for of God by Faſting and Prayer; and yet this Army loſt, and loſt in a week of Faſting and Prayer. And in the proſecution of his Subject, enquiring after the Cauſe of this Diſaſter, he ſaith; I will tell you what we may not think it to be; we may not, muſt not think, that the ground and cauſe of the War is unjuſt and ſinful, becauſe of this diſaster; no more then Joſhua's here (Joſh. 7.) or the Benjamites (he meant Iſrael againſt the Benjamites,) Judg. 20. No, though God ſhould frown yet further upon us, and break us with breach upon breach. This was ſound and acceptable Doctrine then; and, if any man upon the Change of Succeſſes now ſpeak contradictorily, who then aſſented to it, he is (with the Apoſtles Heretick) to be rejected, and he ſinneth,Tit. 3.10.11.Titus 3:10Titus 3:11 being condemned of himſelf.

So much of the former part of the matter to be preſidented, viz. The Lords hiding himſelf from his Peoples Prayers, grounded upon his Promiſes. In the inſiſting of it I have thought it ſuperfluous to point out the Promiſes p. 78upon which the prayers in each Example reſpectively may be grounded, there being many general Promiſes in Scripture eaſie to be called to mind (for inſtance, Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, &c.) upon which every one of thoſe mentioned prayers may have ground.

And whereas ſome few of the Examples produced are of the prayers of ſuch as the Scripture brandeth for hypocriſie, and other groſs ſins; let the Reader conſider that theſe notions (of Gods people, and of the grounding of prayers upon the promiſes of God) are ſometimes of a ſtricter, ſometimes of a larger acception (as well ſhall ſee hereafter:) and a community of people (unto which both thoſe terms, and the queſtion in hand, have ſome relation) is of a mixt nature, and contains a better and a worſer ſort: and therefore it was ſuitable that ſome Examples of each ſort ſhould be remembered.

SECT. III.

Examples of the Lords ſeeming by his Providences to anſwer the Prayers which are contrary to his Peoples.

I Proceed to the latter part, viz. The Lords ſeeming by his Providences to anſwer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto. In this I will be ſhorter. Two things are in this.

1. That ſometimes there are prayers againſt prayers; or, that men in evil ways, and in p. 79thoſe deſigns which are oppoſite to the prayers of Gods people, do pray, and call upon God for his ayd and bleſſing. 2. That in their ſo doing, the Lord ſeemeth by his providences ſometimes to anſwer ſuch prayers.

1. Men in bad ways and deſigns, contrary to the prayers of the people of God, do pray; and invocate the Name of God for his ayd and bleſſing.

Balaam ſacrificed, Numb. 23.Num 23and went to enquire of God, when he ſo earneſtly and often endevored to curſe Iſrael. 2 Sam. 15.7.8.11, 122 Sam 15:72 Sam 15:82 Sam 15:112 Sam 15:12Abſalom went to Hebron to pay his Vow unto the Lord, and to ſerve him, and there he offered ſacrifices, when he was going in hand with his Conſpiracy againſt King David his Father;Foord. in Pſal. 3.2…Ps 3:2 and it is conceived that thereby he ſeduced thoſe two hundred men that went out of Jeruſalem in their ſimplicity, and knew not any thing of the Treaſon: David in his ſong of praiſe, for all the Lords deliverances of him from all his Enemies, ſaith of them, that they cryed even unto the Lord. The degenerate and corrupt,Pſ… 18.41Ps 18:41 but prevalent party in Judah, that hated and caſt out thoſe that trembled at Gods Word, and that for his Names ſake ſaid,Iſai. 66.5.Isa 66:5 Let the Lord be glorified; that is, they profeſſed to ſeek and pray for the advancement of the way, will, and honor of God. The malicious and perſecuting Phariſees of our Saviours time faſted and prayed often.Luk. 5▪35. Mat. 9.14.Luke 5:35Matt 9:14 The unbelieving Jews that oppoſed Chriſtianity inſtantly ſerved God day and night; and they were devout men that p. 80perſecuted Paul and Barnabas from Antioch. I read of the Jews of theſe latter times,Acts 26.7, Buxtorf. Synag. c. 3 apud Ellis on Obad. 20 Cambd. Britan. of Irel. p. 144 Pulchra laverna, da mihi fallare da juſtum, ſanctumque videri; noctem peccatis, & fraudibus objice nubem. Juven. Illa ſibi intr…rſum, & ſub lingua immurmurat; O ſi ebullit patrui praclarum funu…; &, O ſi ſub caſtro crepet argenti mihi ſeria dextro Hercule; pupullumve uti? nam, quem proximus baeres impello expungam. Perſ. ſaty. 2.Acts 26:7Obad 1:20 that they expect and dayly pray for the ſubverſion of the Chriſtian Empire, as that which muſt antecede the coming of their yet expected Meſſiah.

The Law and Light of Nature hath taught all Nations, the moſt Heathen, as to acknowledg a God, ſo to pray to him, and to implore his aſſiſtance in all their needs, and important undertakings: and they whoſe Conſci nces are ſo licentious, as to give them way to act wicked and unjuſt deſigns, yet they are withall ſo religious, as to oblige them to crave divine help and benediction thereupon. Cambden in his Britannia obſerves of the wilde Iriſh; When they go to rob, they pour out their prayers to God, that they may meet with a booty; and they ſuppoſe that a cheat or booty is ſent unto them from God as his gift; neither are they perſwaded that either violence, or rapine, or man-ſlaughter, displeaſeth God; for in no wiſe would he preſent unto them the opportuniy, if it were a ſin: nay, a ſin it were, if they did not lay hold upon the ſaid opportunity.

In all the warlike enterprizes that have been, nothing hath been more generally obſervable then this, that both ſides have made their addreſſes and ſupplications to the God whom they reſpectively acknowledged for …afety and victory: Who knoweth not that in the Wars of Chriſtendom, the Proteſtants and the Papiſts, p. 81the juſt Defendants and the unjuſt Invaders, the lawful Powers and the lawleſs Rebels, each have from time to time had recourſe to God by prayer, in, and for their Martial Adventures? The blackeſt Treaſons that ever have been brooded, have been accompanyed with the ſolemn devotions of the Conſpirators: ſo was the Powder-plot: and at the beginning of the ſtirs and breaches betwixt the late King and his Parliament, there was a diſcovery made, and oft mentioned, of an appointment of the Romiſh Prieſts and Papiſts (the firſt movers without doubt of thoſe ſtirs) by Faſt-days and Prayer, to recommend their Intentions to divine help: and queſtionleſs as their devotion and activity hath gone along in all theſe late Revolutions; ſo, whatſoever hath fallen out to the advantge of their cauſe, and to the croſſing of the ſincere Proteſtants intentions and endevors (as divers things have,) they apprehend, and as much hug themſelves at it, as the ſuppoſed return of their prayers, as others do more openly in relation to theirs.

And, I may add, as ſuch men in ſuch ways are wont to pray, ſo when they ſpeed, they return thankſgivings unto God. Thoſe oppreſſing Tyrants that made a prey of the people of God, in, or after Zech…iah the Prophets time, they were endued with this kind of cruel Religion, as appears by their character thus given, Whoſe poſſeſſors ſlay them, Zech. 11.5Zech 11:5and hold themſelves not guilty: and they that ſell them ſay, Bleſſed be the Lord, for I am rich. When thoſe p. 82horrible villanies of that moſt bloody Maſſacre in France, on Saint Bartholomews day, were acted,See Mr Fox, vol. 3 pag. 1024 and continuation, pa. 60. the Authors and Abettors thereof, the Guiſians, the King and the Parliament of Paris, appointed general Proceſſions to be made throughout the City of Paris, by way of thankſgiving unto God, with Bonefires, ſinging and ringing: And at Rome ſolemn Maſſes were ſung with Te Deum, and Proceſſion; yea, in honor of that Butchery, a Jubilee was commanded by the Pope with great indulgence: ſuch may be the miſtaken devotion of blood-guilty perſecutors.

2. The ſecond thing is; As men in evil ways, and in oppoſition to the lawful deſires and prayers of the people of God, do pray; ſo the Lord doth ſeem ſometimes by his providences to anſwer them. David, in the apprehenſion hereof, entreats thus againſt his Enemies: Grant not, Pſa. 140 8 Pſal 73, 7Ps 140:8Ps 73:7O Lord, the deſires of the wicked; further not his wicked device, leſt they exalt themſelves: In vain ſhould the holy King pray thus for the preventing of the deſires of his Enemies againſt him, if the accompliſhment of ſuch mens bad petitions were a thing that never came to paſs. Sometimes then, the Lord grants the deſires of the wicked. Yea, elſewhere the Pſalmiſt obſerves of ſuch perſons, that they have more then their hearts deſire. Let us ſingle out of many a few remarkable examples.

The Prophet Jeremiah notes, and complains of the wicked and very treacherous dealers, to p. 83wit, thoſe his Kinſmen and Brethren, the men of Anathoth, that ſought his life; That their way prospered, they were all happy; Thou haſt planted them, (ſaith he further unto God,) yea, Jer. 12.1, 2Jer 12:1Jer 12:2they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit; thou art neer in their mouth, but far from their reins. See how their impious piety, and flouriſhing proſperity went along together: You may note here theſe four things; 1. Theſe men, in their unrighteous and perfidious ways, they were praying men; thou art neer in their mouth. 2. They were ſucceſsful in ſo doing; their way prospereth, they are happy that deal very treacherouſly. 3. Who made them ſo to be? even the Lord; Thou haſt planted them, &c. 4. How many degrees of ſucceſs and anſwer of their prayers they attain to: 1. Thou haſt planted them: 2. Yea, they have taken root: 3. They grow: 4. Yea, they bring forth fruit. In ſum, they have a pleaſant Spring, and a long Summ r, even to the full and ripe Harveſt. Let this example (among others) be taken notice of by us in theſe ſtumbling times: Though theſe degenerate Brethren of the Prophet take unjuſt and perfidious courſes, yet they pray; and, though they pray in ſuch courſes, yet they proſper: Divine providence ſpeeds them, and ſpeeds them to a high riſe, & with a long tract of ſucceſſes. In the mean time, how fares it on the other hand with the Prophet himſelf their Antagoniſt? why, to this expoſtulation about them he ſubjoyneth his prayer for himſelf, and againſt p. 84them, in the next words following; But thou, O Lord, knoweſt me; thou haſt ſeen me, &c. and the Anſwer which he receives to this, is in effect thus; That in ſtead of thoſe footmen, with which he was now matched, and was wearyed, he muſt look to be charged with horſemen; and in ſtead of that Land of peace, wherein then he expected good, but found wearying, the ſwelling of Jordan was coming in upon him; that is, he was yet to wait, and arm for a continuance, yea a further accumulation of adverſities. Here then we have a diſhoneſt and falſe-dealing party praying and proſpering; and an upright-hearted, faithful, and zealous Prophet praying and perſecuted; yea; and purſued ſtill with growing indignities and preſſures. Thoſe ſtout-ſpeaking Jews in the Prophet Malachi. who had ſo long faſted and prayed fruitl…ſly, that they conclude it a vain and profitleſs thing to ſerve God, Mal. 3.13, 14 15.Mal 3:13Mal 3:14and walk mournfully before the Lord of Hoaſts; although we may by no means admit of their concluſion; yet in their narration of the ſtate of the wicked and godleſs, whom they grudged at, there is no reaſon why we may not credit them. In it they tell us, They that work wickedneſs are ſet up; yea, they that tempt God, are even delivered. What was this their tempt ng of God? To tempt God, is to make an unwarranted experiment of God; or to ask his aſſiſtance, or manifeſtation of himſelf, otherwiſe then he hath allowed us to require it. The Iſraelites in the Wilderneſs p. 85are ſaid to tempt God (and to that their tempting him, our margent and other Bibles and Commentaries refer us upon this place) when they deſired of God that proviſion, or conduct, which he had not warranted them to ask: as in that their diſcontented petitioning for fleſh to eat; of which the Pſalmiſt ſaith, They tempted God in their heart, Pſ…. 78.18by asking meat for their luſt: and when at Maſſah they quarrelled at Moſes for lack of water to drink, the Text ſaith,Exod. 17.7Exod 17:7 They tempted the Lord, ſaying, Is the Lord amongst us, or not? When men preſume, without Commiſſion from God, to expect and move him to diſcover his Power, Preſence, Providence, Juſtice, approving Will, or other perfection of his, this is to tempt God.

Suitably theſe perſons, in this place of the Prophet, tempted God in ſome one or other of theſe particulars: They implored his appearance to them unallowedly; it's probable they might entreat his aſſiſtance to ſome unlawful undertaking▪ for their tempting God is joyned to their working wickedneſs: or happily they would refer the Juſtice of a cauſe in Controverſie to divine deciſion, by the event of an encounter, as ſome do in duels,Vide Am…ſ. medul…a, l. 2. c. 12. S. 20. and others in more general engagements of war: which way ſoever they did it, we ſee they that tempted God, that is, unwarrantably invocated him to manifeſt himſelf, they are delivered: God anſwereth their deſires in the thing; even as Iſrael asking fleſh, the Lord ſent them p. 84duplicate page p. 85duplicate page p. 86Quails; and when they tempted him at Maſſah, he gave them water. Thus ſped theſe tempters of God, whileſt, we find in the ſame place, they that kept his Ordinances, and walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoaſts, were unanſwered, and no preſent profit appeared of their ſeeking God. That ſo it was with ſuch, may appear, not only by what theſe murmurers take occaſion to utter, verſ. 14. but by what the Lord himſelf declareth touching thoſe that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name, Mal. 3.16, 17, 18. and 4… 1, 2.Mal 3:16Mal 3:17Mal 3:18Mal 4:1Mal 4:2in the ſubſequent Verſes, viz. That they are put into a book of remembrance, and a day is to come of differencing betwixt them and others, by conſuming Judgments upon the proud, and the wicked; and the Sun of righteouſneſs ariſing with healing and ſatisfying mercies unto the fearers of his Name.

To this example I will further obſerve, That the practice of Sorcery and Enchantment (in which in a ſort men do call upon God, and the Vulgar think they only go to him, and that religiouſly) it is one of the groſſeſt ways of tempting God that is; yet this ſometimes takes place, and attaineth its expected end, and that even in oppoſition to the prayers of the people of God. There is a time indeed when there is no Enchantment againſt Jacob, nor Divination againſt Iſrael: Numb. 23 23Num 23:23but thus it always is not. When Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon was upon his expedition againſt ſeveral Syrian Countries, in the which he deſtroyed Jeruſalem, and carryed Judah away captive for ſeventy p. 87years, he fell to his Enchantment: the Text ſaith,Ezek. 21.21, 22 Jer. 14.19 cap. 18.20 Ezek. 9.8 Jer. 36.6, 9Ezek 21:21Ezek 21:22Jer 14:19Ezek 9:8Jer 36:6Jer 36:9 The King of Babylon ſtood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to uſe Divination; he made his arrows bright, he conſulted with Images, he looked in the Liver: at his right hand was the Divination for Jeruſalem &c. There were at this time thoſe faithful ones in Judah, who did earneſtly pray for that people of God, to have ſaved them from the Babylonian. So did the Prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel; and doubtl…ſs many others: yea, there is no queſtion but the people univerſally ſought unto God in that ſtrait; and in this caſe they of Judah thought, that, as Nebuchadnezzars courſe was impious, ſo his ſucceſſes would be unproſperous: And it ſhall be unto them as a falſe Divination in their ſight, Ezek. 21.23Ezek 21:23to them that have ſworn Oaths; but he ſhall call to remembrance their iniquity, that they may be taken. Yet nevertheleſs the event was, Nebuchadnezzar carryed the enterpriſe, and Judah fell miſerably into his hand.

I above noted … devoutneſs of the perſecuting Phariſees, and unbelieving Jews; we may here reflect upon their ſucceſs: as they were devout towards God, ſo were they bitter adverſaries to Chriſt, his Diſciples, and Doctrine: they reckoned their perſecutions of them among their ſervices done to God. Under this their enmity, On the one ſide Chriſt,Joh. 16.2John 16:2 and his Apoſtles, and other Diſciples (as the Hiſtory of the Goſpel, and the Acts fully manifeſt) p. 88prayed much, and in prayer commended their cauſe to God: On the other ſide, thoſe Phariſees and Jews prayed often; and no queſtion, as their counſels and other proceedings, ſo their prayers were bent againſt Chriſt,Pſal. 109.17, 18, 20.28Ps 109:17Ps 109:18Ps 109:20Ps 109:28 and Chriſtians: Theſe two parties, thus oppoſitely praying, it is well known how th… ſucceſs went. Indeed in ſpiritual efficacy and progreſs, our Saviour and his Diſciples had the better; the Goſpel ſpred, and the Church of Chriſt encreaſed: but in outward and earthly power and prevalency (which is the matter now ſtumbled at) it went quite contrary. Chriſt himſelf, even immediately after he had ſhut up his ardent and reiterated prayer, poured out with ſweat and blood in the Garden,Luk. 22.44 to the 48. John 18.3.Luke 22:44John 18:3 and whileſt he was exhorting his Diſciples to arm themſelves with prayer, was apprehended, and led away to his paſſion, by the band of men and officers ſent from the chief Prieſts and Phariſees; and when they had crucified him, they inſult over him, his prayers, and confidence in God▪ as being (in their own eyes) maſters of thei… …eſpiteful deſires;Matth. 27.41, &c. Pſa. 69.10 22.1, 2.Matt 27:41Ps 69:10 while he himſelf, and his prayers (in his own preſent apprehenſion) are relinquiſhed of God. After his Aſcenſion, his Diſciples are perſecuted by the Phariſees; and, being layd hold on, inhibited, and threatned by them, they unanimouſly ſet to prayer; their prayers indeed are followed with a fulneſs of the Spirit,Acts 4 24 5.18.33 40Acts 4:24 and heavenly courage againſt all oppoſition; but they eſcape not the moleſtations of their perſecutors; p. 89theſe yet return, and grow upon them. At their next appearing in publique, they are taken, put in priſon, and deſigned to ſlaughter,Acts 7.58 8.1, 3.9.1 26.10▪ 11 Gal. 1.13 Acts 12.1, &c.Acts 7:58Gal 1:13Acts 12:1 and hardly come off with ſcourging. Shortly after one of their company is ſtoned to death, then followed a general perſecution by priſon, Synagogue-cenſures, diſperſion, and death, which ſtayed not at Jeruſalem, but purſued them thence to ſtrange Cities. A while after, Herods hand (the Jews inſtigating him) riſeth up, to the vexing of certain of the Church, and Martyrdom of James, and almoſt of Peter, his deſignation to death went on very far (even during the inceſſant prayers of the Church unto God for him:) he was brought out of priſon by the Angel but that very night before he ſhould have been brought forth by Herod to his death: but, though he ſurvived, yet perſecution ſtayed not. The Jewiſh rage againſt Chriſtianity ſtill proceeded; and, as the Church of Chriſt grew, ſo their perſecutions multiplyed, and were more intenſe: witneſs the Envy, Conſpiracies, Tumults, Expulſions, Stonings, Impriſonings, Beatings, Accuſations unto Authority, Scourgings, Capital Tryals, and Judgments, which the blindly zealous and religious Jews procured againſt Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others mentioned in the Acts; beſides the reſt of the Perſecutions and Martyrdoms they brought upon them, & other Chriſtians, related in Eccleſiaſtical Story. In ſum, He that ſhall look over thoſe Evangelical Records, and view the outward conditions p. 90and ſucceſſes of theſe two oppoſite parties, viz. Chriſt and his followers on the one ſide, and the unbelieving Jews on the other, he cannot but acknowledg that Providence ſeemed to anſwer the deſires and prayers of the then greateſt adverſaries to Chriſtianity; and to overlook the prayers of his people: I mean, for a time, and as to temporal Intereſt.

In the Inſurrection of Abſalom againſt David, we find them both having recourſe to God: As David prayed, and penned one Pſalm of prayer on that occaſion;Pſal. 3.2. 2 Sam. 15.12Ps 3:22 Sam 15:12 ſo Abſalom (as was even now obſerved) offered Sacrifices at Hebron when he was carrying on his Conſpiracy: and mark what followed; how ſtrong did Abſalom grow? how far did he go on, and prevail? immediately, it's ſaid, the Conſpiracy was ſtrong; the people encreaſed continually with Abſalom: And David cries out, Lord, how are they encreaſed that trouble me? many are they that riſe up againſt me: All this while David flies before him in a ſad poſture, leaving the City, and the Ark of the Covenant of God, and the Prieſts behind him to the Enemy: he flyeth, his Friends bewailing, his Foes curſing, his chief Counſeller conſpiring and adviſing againſt him: his Rebel-Son ſeizing on the City, his Houſe, and Wives; all the people, all Iſrael, chooſing and following Abſalom. David not only gives ground a little; but he, and they that were with him (leſt they ſhould be ſwallowed up by the Enemy) are fain to haſte away, and p. 91paſs over Jordan by night,2 Sam. 19.9.2 Sam 19:9 never ſtaying till they came to Mahanaim, Mahanaim (ſaith Mr. Buntings Itinerarium) was a City in the Tribe of Gad, 44. miles from Jeruſalem, near the River Iabok, which River was within the Confines of the Ammonites, as will appear by Gen. 32 2, 22, with Numb 21.24. Deut. 2 37. & 3.16. Joſh. 12.2.Gen 32:2Gen 32:22Num 21:24Deut 2:37Deut 3:16Josh 12:2the very border of the Kingdom: ſo that (as the very Text tells us) he fled out of the Land. Thus for a time Providence goes along with Abſalom; and ſeems to accompliſh his, and put back godly and innocent Davids prayers. And this it appears was taken notice of even by Abſalom and his party; for David in his Pſalm compoſed upon his flight from Abſalom, ſaith, Many are they that riſe up againſt me; many there be which ſay of my Soul, There is no help for him in God **Pſal. 3.1, 2.Ps 3:1Ps 3:2.

But one Example more ſhall I bring for this, and it is a note-worthy one. Job, the Monument of Afflictions, accompanied with integrety, maketh this one ſtrain of his adverſe condition: I am as one mocked of his neighbor, who calleth upon God, and he anſwereth him. Job 12.4.Job 12:4That Job called upon God, and found no anſwer, is expreſſed by himſelf in ſeveral other paſſages of this Book, which I cited before. Here then he meaneth (by him who calleth upon God, and he heareth him) another, to wit, his neighbor, by whom (he ſaith) he is mocked. Job 19▪7. & 30.29. & 19.3.Job 19:7Job 30:29Job 19:3Whether by his neighbor he intendeth any of thoſe his friends, who were now in eager diſpute with him, maintaining a contrary part to him, (and of whom he complains elſewhere, that they had reproached him ten times,) or another, it p. 92is not very manifeſt; but the former is very probable.Who calleth upon God; that is, the mocker who was one that made a profeſſion of the true Religion with him; who was ſo bold, that he durſt pray to God to confirm his works, and to proſper him in his wicked courſes. And he anſwereth him. God anſwers him really by making the mocker to proſper in his evil way. His meaning is, that he had Heaven & Earth againſt him, and his deriding friends were heard of God when he could not be heard, Divines Annotat. in Loc. And Mr Caryl in loc. Yet we may take for certain, that betwixt Job and him (whoſoever he was) there was ſome kind of odds or variance; that they both called upon God; and that in their ſo doing Job was the juſt upright man, and the other was in the wrong. Yet ſee, Job ſeemeth to himſelf to be repelled in his prayer, and his ſcornful Antagoniſt to be heard of God. How he was heard, Job explaineth in the next Verſe but one: The Tabernacles of Robbers proſper, and they that provoke God are ſecure, into whoſe hand God bringeth abundantly. They were heard (it appears) in temporal iſſues and advantages. But in ſtead of my own, I will preſent you with M^r Caryls Paraphraſe on thoſe words. The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper. Robbers are of two ſorts: There are open Robbers, that care not who ſees; ſuch are warlike Robbers, who bring Power to do what they cannot do by Juſtice: ſuch were thoſe warlike Bands (and at them Job aims in this Argument) of Chaldeans and Sabeans, who ſpoiled Jobs Eſtate and Cattel. By Robbers here we may underſtand theſe boiſterous ſons of Mars, men of blood and violence, who make their Will their Law, and think they may do whatſoever they have power to do. Secondly, There are ſecret Robbers: Deceit and Fraud commit Robbery, as well as Power and Force. p. 93Some rob while they pretend to ſeek for right; ſome are rob'd, others are murthered by the Law; the Law is a ſhadow to many lawleſs actions. Others rob ſecurely while they ſeem only to ſell. Ephraim ſaid, Surely I am become rich, I have found me out Subſtance; in all my labour they ſhall find none iniquity in me that were ſin, Hoſ. 12.8. q. d. I am ſure none can charge me with any open wrong or Robbery; it appears plainly that I have done no ſuch thing; for that were ſin, that is, puniſhment would follow ſuch iniquity; whereas I thrive and proſper. Both or either of theſe Robbers may be underſtood here. They who provoke God are ſecure. To provoke God is ſinning with a high hand: q. d. I do not ſpeak of thoſe who ſin lightly, who trade in ſmall ſins, or ſin after the rate and courſe of ordinary men; but they who ſin provokingly and boldly, they who ſend defiance to Heaven by ſining, even thoſe live ſecurely here on Earth. Are ſecure. The Hebrew is abſtract and plural; ſecurities, confidences are to them. They ſin againſt God every way, and they have ſecurity every way; they ſin againſt God as much as they can, and they have as much proſperity as they will; all kind of ſecurity is their portion who commit all kind of impiety. Into whoſe hand God bringeth abundantly. What the worſt of men have is of Gods giving, he puts it into their hand: Satan puts wickedneſs into their hearts, but p. 94it is God who puts power into their hands; God puts the perſons and eſtates of others into their hands. Abundantly. Our Tranſlators add that, to ſhew the bounty of God even to many of them, who moſt deſignedly diſobey him: Such have not only as much as they need, but as much as they deſire; God brings Quails into their hands, as well as Manna. In cujus manus venire facit Deus, ſc. omnia animi ſui vota. Merc. Into whoſe hands God maketh to come, to wit, all their wiſhes. There is another reading, Who put God into their hand. The Jewiſh Doctors are much for this; They may be ſaid to carry God in their hand, becauſe they act as if God were in their power and diſpoſe, not they in his. The Tyrians chained Hercules to a poſt, that he might not depart their Country. This is to bring a God in the hand groſly and openly. They do it cloſely and covertly, who are unwilling to be guided by his hand. They who would bring God down to their wills make Laws for God: They who make a Law for God, act as if they had made God. Thus hath M^r Caryl opened theſe words for me: and we ſee of what a large extent the anſwer of an evil mans prayer, in oppoſition to a godly mans, may be.

Thus have I produced Examples (of ſufficient variety, and what pertinency mine obſervation and leaſure would afford) to the thing propounded in both the branches of it: viz 1. Of Gods hiding himſelf from his Peoples p. 95Prayers, grounded on his Promiſes. 2. Of his ſeeming by his Providences to anſwer the Prayers which are Contrary thereunto.

SECT. IV.

The Concluſion of the Chapter, ſhewing the Ʋſe may be made of the Examples fore-alledged.

IF it be asked, To what purpoſe may the collecting of this multitude of Examples ſerve? I anſwer: Beſides the Reſolution of the Query to which they are brought, they may ſerve for the like end whereunto the Hiſtory of Job is conceived to have been intended. Origen, Sixt. Senenſ. Bibliothe: lib. 1. p. 9. & l. 8 p. 649.and with him the Jewiſh Rabbins, and others, conjecture, that the Book of Job was firſt writ in Syriac by Job himſelf, or by his friends, and after tranſlated into Hebrew by Moſes, at what time the Iſraelites were under the ſervitude of Pharaoh in Egypt, and that for this intent, that by the reading thereof they might receive Conſolation, learn Patience, and gather Hope in that their hard bondage, by the conſideration of Jobs ſufferings, his pious and patient behavior under them, and the redoubled happineſs which their end brought forth. So, in like manner, whatſoever burden any of the ſervants of God may be under now, from any ſuſpenſe they may apprehend lying upon prayers, either their own or others, either for themſelves or their relations; theſe Examples may be of ſome ſuch uſe, and may raiſe p. 96up their hearts ſomewhat in repreſenting to them, that the ſame affliction hath been accompliſhed in their Brethren that have been in the world.1 Pet. 5 9.1 Pet 5:9

I will conclude mine Anſwer to the firſt Query with another General Obſervation on the ſaid Hiſtory of Job: It is concerning the ſtate of the Controverſie therein debated. The great difference between Job and his three friends in it, is this: Job maintaineth, That the Lord may, Job 9.22. & 6.29. & 23.11, 12. & 27.5, 6.Job 9:22Job 6:29Job 23:11Job 23:12Job 27:5Job 27:6and ſometimes doth, temporarily afflict, deſtroy, deſert, or defer to hear a righteous man; and prosper or grant the deſires of the wicked man. They on the oppoſite part contend, That God doth at no time leave or caſt down the pure and upright, Job 9.24. & 10.3. & 12.6. & 27.7, 8. & 8.20. & 4.7. & 8.5, 6 & 11.13. & 4.8. & 20.20 & 21.27, 28. & 22.15.Job 9:24Job 10:3Job 12:6Job 27:7Job 27:8Job 8:20Job 4:7Job 8:5Job 8:6Job 11:13Job 4:8Job 20:20Job 21:27Job 21:28Job 22:15nor any ways ſecond or favor the ungodly. And particularly in reference to prayer one of them, viz. Bildad, affirms in terminis, That if Job would ſeek preſently unto God, and if he were pure and upright, ſurely now (at that inſtant) the Almighty would awake for him, and make the habitation of his Righteouſneſs prosperous: And again he aſſerts, Behold, God will not caſt away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doer. Which laſt ſentence, taken in the utmoſt extent, ſo as to exclude all manner of caſting away the one, and helping the other, will no more ſtand then the former, of the Lords inſtant awakening for, and proſpering of Iob, if pure and praying. But why do I interpoſe to determine in this Controverſie? The Lord himſelf doth umpire the difference p. 97in the end of the Book, and he decides it on Iobs ſide; he tells Eliphaz, Job 42.3, 4, 5, 6.Job 42:3Job 42:4Job 42:5Job 42:6Thou and thy two friends have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Iob hath. This I ſuppoſe is neceſſarily to be taken as the Lords coming in, and arbitrating the main Controverſie betwixt them. Iob indeed had uſed ſome unbeſeeming and reprovable ſpeeches of and to God, as the Lord before convinceth him, and he acknowledgeth; but in the main of the queſtion and debate, to wit, concerning the divine adminiſtration in relation to the eſtates and prayers of the righteous and the wicked, Iob was in the right, and his three friends beſides it. Iob indeed had this unhappineſs heaped upon his other miſeries, that both his Perſon and his Argument were ſeverely cenſured by his Opponents: His Perſon, as a wicked Hypocrite, Chap 4.6, 7. & 22.5, &c. His Argument,Rebellionem haberi quaerimoniam meam. Tremel. as Rebellion, Chap 23.2. whileſt thoſe his Cenſurers ſat high in their own opinion, both for wiſdom, Chap. 15.9, 10. Integrity, Chap. 22.18. and worldly weal, Chap. 22.20. Yet, in concluſion, Iob and his Tenet are abſolved, his Friends and their Cauſe are diſallowed by God. I cannot paſs from this without additionally obſerving the immediate Conſequents of this Arbitration. As by this ſentence pronounced Iob is vindicated, and his three friends rectified, ſo are they both reconciled, and they are reconciled in Sacrifice and Prayer; Iobs friends provide the Sacrifice, and Iob makes the Prayer, and, theſe being performed, Iob is heard p. 98and accepted of God, both for himſelf and his friends; and, being ſo, he is raiſed up again to a proſperous eſtate; and that double, in proportion to his former havings. O if this might be the happy period of the moſt unhappy diviſions of theſe days about Prayer and Providence: As that it may be ſo, is to be the joynt wiſh, prayer and labour of all; ſo there is no neceſſary reaſon to deſpair that it ſhall be: only if they that ſuſtain Jobs condition would hold out to act Jobs approved part; in particular, that his reſolution, Chap. 27.3, 4, 5, 6. All the while my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my noſtrils; my lips ſhall not ſpeak wickedneſs, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbid that I ſhould juſtifie you; till I dye, I will not remove my integrity from me. My Righteouſneſs I hold faſt, and will not let it go; my heart ſhall not reproach me ſo long as I live.

p. 99CHAP. III.

The ſecond Query handled, viz. How, or in what ſence God may be ſaid to hide himſelf from his Peoples Prayers, grounded upon his Promiſes; and ſeem by his Providences to anſwer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto?

WE have granted, and atteſted by many witneſſes, that the Lord doth ſometimes (and in ſome ſort) hide himſelf from his peoples prayers ſome ways grounded upon his promiſes, and ſeemeth by his Providences to anſwer the prayers that are contrary to them. But it will be very neceſſary [that the caſe may not ſeem, and be apprehended worſe then it is; that needleſs and cauſleſs perplexities about it may be prevented; and that we may underſtand aright thoſe paſſages, both of Scripture and divine Providence, which concerning it have been ſet before us, or may occur,] that we rake out the true ſence of that ſuppoſal, and conceſſion, by a due explication and limitation of it. For that purpoſe I ſhall proceed: 1. In the unfolding of the terms or clauſes therein: 2. In collecting the explication of them into ſome Corollaries, or ſummary Propoſitions. The firſt and chief work will be, the unfolding of the terms: In the doing of it, need will be that I inſiſt ſeverally on theſe clauſes: 1. Of the people of God. 2. Of p. 100the groundedneſs of prayers upon the divine promiſe. 3. Of Gods anſwering, and of his hiding himſelf from prayers.