A Treatise of Prayer and Divine Providence, Chapter 4 · Section 3
SECT. III.
A Conſideration of the means of receiving Reſolution in this Queſtion.
WE have ſeen ſome Rules concerning the manner of addreſſing our ſelves to the Query propounded: let me now add ſomething by way of conſideration, touching the way or means by which ſatisfaction is to be fought and received: Concerning which take theſe particulars.
1. The reſolution of this queſtion belongeth unto God, it can only be had from him; his place and prerogative it is to unty this knot, to return anſwer to this Query. As Joſeph ſaid to the two Officers of Pharaoh, concerning Dreams,Gen. 40.8 Do not Interpretations belong to God? So may I in this caſe; 'Tis true, all things whatſoever, both the Being and the knowledg of them, cometh from God, but the underſtanding of this matter proceedeth from him in a more peculiar manner: it lies not within the reach of natural principles, the perſpicacity or induſtry of humane wit cannot make this diſcovery. Elihu, going to ſpeak unto that diſpute which was betwixt Job and his three friends (one branch whereof was this caſe of prayer now in hand with us) he prefaceth this as a maxim, Surely there is a ſpirit in man, but the inspiration of the Almighty maketh them to underſtand: q. d. Though man have a reaſonable Soul, and a diſcurſive faculty in him, yet he cannot attain to the true knowledg and determination of this difference without the illumination of Gods Spirit. A reaſon of his own action, and of ſuch an action as is not reducible to the courſe of Nature, or his general Providence, but is of the number of his ſpecial Diſpenſations, God alone can give; he only (by the ways and helps himſelf hath aſſigned) is to be enquired of for it. Sometimes (I acknowledg) the caſe may be ſo plain, as even the light of Nature may ſee ſome reaſon for this effect. The Scripture ſaith, the cauſes of the plagues and deſolations upon Iſrael ſhould be ſo evident (when God ſhould have executed them) that all the paſſers by, and the Heathen Nations adjoyning, ſhould be able to ſee, and render a reaſon of themaDeut. 29 25 1 Kin. 9.9 Jer. 22.9: and this is ſpoken in particular of the Lords hiding his face from the houſe of Iſrael bEzek. 39 23. But every caſe of this nature is not ſo apparent as that of Iſrael might be; and if it were, yet however this infringeth not what I have ſaid of the appropriatedneſs unto God of the reſolution of this queſtion: For, 1. Though ſome groſs ſins, which may provoke God to this hiding of himſelf, may be diſcovered by a natural Conſcience, as the cauſe thereof; yet all the cauſes which there may be (I ſpeak not of ſecret cauſes which we may not pry into, but of thoſe that are enquirable) cannot be that way deſcryed. 2. What ever in this kind may be humanely diſcernable, it is God alone that can make known the whole truth in this matter unto conviction, and ſo, as men concerned it ſhall actually acknowledg and ſubſcribe unto it. Elihu telleth Jobs friends (after all their diſcourſes with him were done) There is none of you that convinced Job, Job 32.12, 13or that anſwered his words: leſt you ſhould ſay, We have found out wiſdom: God thruſteth him down, not man. Theſe laſt words Iunius renders, the ſtrong God ſhall drive him down, not man: that is, as if he had ſaid, It is not the work of any man ſo to argue with Job as to evince him, or to drive or beat him out of his opinion; but there needs a divine power to do it. It is ſolely appertaining to God, ſo to make known a thing, as to make men know and confeſs it,Job 36.22 and ſit down ſatisfied in it: Who teacheth like him? (as Elihu ſaith after:) Whoſe inſtruction hath that power and evidence to convince as his hath? Again, ſaith the ſame perſon, He openeth the ears of men, Verſe 16.and ſealeth their inſtruction: He openeth or uncovereth the ears, ſo that men do receive and regard what he ſaith; and he ſealeth their inſtruction, ſo that it takes impreſſion upon them.
2. The ſalving of this Query being to come from God, we are to look about for the means by which he imparteth, and men receive it from him. The means which the Scripture mentioneth, are of two ſorts, extraordinary, & ordinary.
1. The people of God have ſometimes been afforded extraordinary means. When the Lord hath any way withdrawn, or hid himſelf from his people, and the queſtion hath been, wherefore it was? he hath revealed to them the reaſon extraordinarily, as ſometimes by UtimaJoſh. 7.10 2 Sam. 21.1, ſometimes by Lotb1 Sam. 14 37, 40., ſometimes by a ProphetcJudg. 6 7 8. Jer. 16.10. Amos 3.7.. But theſe ways we are now deſtitute of; we now have no warrant (that I know) to expect or make uſe of any ſuch means.
2. But, though ſuch ways of Gods diſcovery of his mind in this matter be ceaſed to us, yet God hath not given over ſpeaking to his people; but he ſtill makes known unto them (by the means he thinks fitteſt) the Rule and Reaſon (in ſome ſort) by which he walks towards them. In our preſent diſtractions and obſcurities, although we have not a Samuel now (as Iſrael once had in their Aſſembly at Gilgal) to ſay to us by immediate and extraordinary commiſſion from God (as he then to them1 Sam. 12 7,) Stand ſtill, that I may reaſon with you of all the righteous acts of the Lord; by ſhewing us (as he did to them) what great things God had done from time to time for us; and what evil returns we have made to him; and what therefore he hath done againſt us; and what the cauſes of his ſo doing have been in particular; and to confirm his diſceptation by a miraculous ſign from Heaven, that might enforce our confeſſion (as did Samuel upon Iſrael: Luk. 16.29) Yet we have Moſes and the Prophets to hear: Iſai. 8.20.we have the Law and the Teſtimony to repair to: 2 Pet. 1 12.we have that more ſure word of Prophecy whereunto to take heed: we have the holy Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3.15which are able to make us wiſe unto Salvation, to furniſh us. This is the means by which God now layeth forth his ways, and the grounds of them (ſo far as he ſees good to reveal them) to us. In the written Word of God there are divine Declarations, that for ſuch and ſuch cauſes God will hide himſelf from prayers: There are Hiſtories and Narrations of times and caſes wherein, and of perſons from whom, and of reaſons for which God hath withdrawn himſelf: There are alſo Recognitions and acknowledgments of men, both that ſuch hath been the proceeding of God towards them or others, and wherefore it hath been: and of all thoſe, and all other Scripture Declarations, Hiſtories and Acknowledgments,Rom 15, 4 it is ſaid, Whatſoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning. Theſe things were our examples. All theſe things happened to them for enſamples; 1 Cor. 10.6 11and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. The proper and direct end of the putting of theſe upon divine Record, clearly was, that as Urim, Lots, and Prophets, ſpeaking with lively voyce, were to them of former ages (unto whom they were afforded) in ſtead of Scripture; ſo the Scripture now ſhould be to us in ſtead of Urim, Lots, and Prophets ſpeaking; and that thoſe things which were once delivered by inſpiration to ſome perſons, and on particular occaſions, ſhould ſtill retain an infallible Authority, and an expreſs voyce to give information generally unto all, and in every caſe.
But to underſtand God ſpeaking to us in his Word: Among thoſe many Reaſons which Scripture layeth down of Gods hiding in this behalf, to diſcern which of them more ſpecially belongs to our caſe, this is a matter of ſome skill; and indeed herein lies the knot of the enquiry. We are apt, as in other, ſo in this particular, to miſapply; to take hold on that in Scripture which fits not us, and to paſs over that which appertaineth to us; to catch at that which ſpeaks not, and to be deaf to that which doth ſpeak to us. Any better courſe for the ſeting of us right in this regard I cannot think of, then that of the Pſalmiſt, in the 73 Pſalm; when he was come to a loſs in his enquiry (the which was ſomewhat alyed to this of ours,) when he thought to know the thing, and it was too painful for him, he went into the Sanctuary of God, and there he underſtood the bottom of his query.
This way, if well followed and practiſed, may alſo ſtand us in good ſtead in the ſearch in hand. That entering into the Sanctuary of God, and approach unto God therein, is of ſuch avail, David will inform us elſewhere. Thy way, O God, is in the Sanctuary: And again, They have ſeen thy goings, Pſa. 77 13 68 24O God, even the goings of my God, my King, in the Sanctuary. The proceedings of God toward his people (with all that concerning them is requiſite to be underſtood) are to be learned in his Sanctuary: for this reaſon it may be that it is called the place of his feet, Iſai. 60.13 Ezek. 43.7and the place of the ſoles of his feet; that is, the place where the tracts or prints of his feet may be found out, ſo far as they are knowable. Hence it is that whereas David makes this one thing among many, and above others, which he had deſired of the Lord, and would ſeek after, Pſal. 27.4.to wit, that he might dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the days of his life; his end in it was, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple.
Let us therefore conſider, a little, what this entering into the Sanctuary of God may mean; or, what it may import to us. There were three conſtant and principal errands or occaſions for which the people of God were to go into the Sanctuary of God. 1. For Attonement, or Reconciliation with God by ſacrifice. 2. For Prayer. 3. For Inſtruction in the written Word of God. What the moral of theſe is to us, will be eaſily gathered. Would we then be helped at this loſs, or ſtop? Would we hear and underſtand what God the Lord ſpeaks to us out of his Word? Would we take out of it that portion which properly belongs to us? Would we have the Book of God to open (as it were) in the fit place,Luke 4.17 Auguſtin. Confeſſ. l. 8. c. 12. as ſometimes it did to our Saviour, and as it is reported to have done once to holy Auguſtine? Let us enter into the Sanctuary of God, that is, put in practiſe theſe three things.
1. Seek we Peace and Reconciliation with God in the pardon of our ſins, through that one, only, real, and ſufficient Sacrifice of Chriſts Death. The Lord promiſeth Iſrael, that at the door of the Tabernacle, where the continual burnt-offering was offered up upon the Altar,Exod. 29.42, 43. there he would meet with them, and he would ſpeak there unto them. David, in the 51 Pſalm, that his penitential Pſalm, earneſtly ſeeking unto God for pardon of ſin, doth therewithall promiſe to himſelf, that in the hidden part God ſhould make him to know wiſdom; yea, in that meaſure to know it, that he ſhould be able to teach others the ways of God. And,Pſal. 25.4, 5, 7, 11. in another Pſalm, petitioning God to ſhew him his ways, to teach him his paths, and lead him in his truth; he annexeth (as in order thereunto) his requeſts, that the Lord would not remember the ſins of his youth, nor his tranſgreſſions; and that he would for his Names ſake pardon his iniquity. It may be obſerved, that in the day of the Prophet Daniels ſolemn humiliation and prayer,Dan. 9, 19, &c. and in the cloſe thereof, immediately (as it ſeems) upon thoſe words of his, O Lord, hear, O Lord, forgive, &c. the man Gabriel came to him, and informed him concerning the counſel of God, delivering to him that revelation of the ſeventy weeks. And, it deſerves to be well taken notice of,Iſai. 54.8, 9, 11 Jer. 33.34. Heb 8.11, 12 that in the New Covenant the benefit of being taught of God, and of the abounding of the knowledg of God, is joyned with the removal of Gods wrath, and the forgiveneſs of ſins and iniquities. Let it be our firſt care then to ſeek and obtain reconciliation with God, and expiation of ſins.
2. Let us go unto God by Prayer, and make this a ſpecial petition unto him, that he would diſcloſe his mind, and give us wiſdom in this particular. Doth the Lord hide himſelf from our prayers? ſet we our ſelves to prayer ſo much the more cloſely. It is recorded of our bleſſed Saviour, Luk. 22.41 44.that when he was in the garden, and at prayer, being in an agony, he prayed more earneſtly. And let us for this in particular ſeek unto God, to know the reaſon of his hiding of himſelf; that reaſon (I mean) which it behoveth us to know, and he would have us ſeek after. David, in his exile, and want of God,Pſal 42.9. ſaith, I will ſay unto God, My Rock, why haſt thou forgotten me? why go I mourning becauſe of the oppreſſion of the enemy? Thus Elihu adviſeth Job, Job 34.31 32Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more; that which I ſee not, teach thou me. And this Job himſelf had done, when he ſaid unto God,Chap. 10.2 Shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me: And again, where he faith, How many are mine iniquities and ſins? Chap. 13.23, 24Make me to know my tranſgreſſion and ſin. Wherefore hideſt thou thy face, and holdeſt me for thine enemy? Let that be our courſe in this doubt which was the courſe of Daniel, and the three children, for the finding out of Nebuchadnezzars dream, namely,Dan. 2.18, 19 to deſire mercies of the God of Heaven concerning this ſecret. This way ſucceeded with them: for, then was the ſecret revealed to Daniel in a night viſion. And we may hope the like ſucceſs (though not by the ſame means) may be unto us. Solomon tells us,Prov. 28 5 Evil men underſtand not judgment; but they that ſeek the Lord underſtand all things. This is the way directed unto by the Apoſtle James, and unto it he gives us a promiſe;Jam. 1 5. If any of you lack wiſd…, let him ask of God, and it ſhall be given him. The Prophet Daniel confeſſeth the neglect of this, as both the ſin, and the prejudice of his people then in captivity, in this regard: All this evil is come upon us; Dan. 9 13.yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and underſtand thy Truth. To underſtand Gods Truth here, I conceive, intendeth the practical and particular underſtanding of the congruity of Gods dealings then in Judgment with them, with his Word, in the threatenings pronounced by Moſes and the Prophets; and the applicative knowledg or acknowledgment of the verification of thoſe denunciations upon them; together with an attributing of their deſolations to theſe evil ways of theirs; againſt which the Prophets had before declared them. And the reaſon why they had not underſtood this truth of God, was, they had not made their prayer unto God, that they might turn from their iniquities, and underſtand this truth. Where, by the way, you may note the neceſſity of that which I inſiſted on before, in the Rules given, to wit, turning from our iniquities, to the end we may know Gods truth, manifeſted in his dealings with us. The people of the Jews had made their prayer, after their manner, both before, and during the ſeventy years captivity; but they had not made their prayer with a returning from their iniquities; and therefore they had not attained to underſtand the aforeſaid truth in this behalf.
But, to conclude this particular, if God do hide himſelf from our prayers, we are to pray to him, that the reaſon of it may not be hidden from us; and that, if it ſeemeth good unto him, for a time to make a ſtop of our other prayers, yet he would not deny us in this, but herein diſcover his intention to us, that ſo we may both the more contentedly ſtay, and make the better uſe of his delaying or denying of us in the other.
3. Attend diligently to the written Word. We have before ſhewed the Scripture to be (now) the only ordinary means of underſtanding the reaſon of theſe ways of God towards us; and that the common or main difficulty that is obvious to us on the part of this means, is, whereas God revealeth to men in his Word variety of Reaſons for this, according to the variety of Caſes, how to know or pitch upon that which in ſpecial concerns us and our condition; and that, in order to the clearing our ſelves of this difficulty, we are to get into terms of peace and reconciliation with God, we are particularly to pray for ſpecial information herein of God: Now unto theſe we muſt thirdly add, a cloſe and cordial inſpection into the Word: Conſcience muſt here awaken, come in, and diligently do its office; and that is, not only to open and acquaint us with the whole rule or dictate of Scripture, but to make uſe, application, or deduction from it to our ſelves: and this conſiſts mainly, if not only, in taking a diſtinct and right view of our caſe; or, in bringing in a true and full account, evidence, or judgment of the matter of fact.
This matter of fact hath two parts: 1. Gods dealing with us. 2. Our own ways towards him.
1. A ſtrict and narrow inſight into a ſerious conſideration of Gods dealing with us muſt be had: Come, behold the works of the Lord, Pſal. 46.8.what deſolations he hath made in the Earth. Every Providence of God (eſpecially his more notable acts) hath a reaſon written upon it,Eze. 14.23 could mans eye read it: And the due eying of the ways of God is a great means to bring to light that reaſon. The contemplation of Gods proceedings is hereunto apt, in two reſpects.
1. By vertue of that ſimilitude or proportion which often there is (eſpecially in croſſes) betwixt Gods dealings with men, and their dealings afore with him: And this is particularly to be found in Gods walking towards us in relation to prayer. As Solomon hath it in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple:1 Kings 8.39 Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whoſe heart thou knoweſt. Take one inſtance of this proportion of Gods ways to mens, as to the matter of prayer. O the hope of Iſrael, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, Why ſhouldſt thou be as a ſtranger in the Land, Jer. 14 8, 9 10and as a wayfaring man that turneth aſide to tarry for a night? Why ſhouldſt thou be as a man aſtonied, as a mighty man that cannot ſave?—Thus ſaith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them, &c. Here the people of Judah are by the Prophet Jeremiah perſonated in a complaint of Gods withdrawing from them; and the Lord maketh his reply unto them by way of reddition of a reaſon, wherefore he did it: Thus have they loved to wander: q. d. They complain of me, that (notwithſtanding the relation they are in unto me, of my people) I am as a ſtranger, or a night-lodger, as a wearied man, or as a ſtrong man whoſe power is overmatched, in that I do not hear and ſave them: they may ſee, if they will, why it is, and what's the matter I am ſo ſtrange and helpleſs to them; what it is that makes me diſlodg and be gone from among them; and, while I ſtay, to be as a man altogether unconcerned in their condition: Thus have they loved to wander: Right as I carry to them, ſo have they to me; they have eſtranged themſelves, and run away from me, after their Idols; ſo that they may ſay, like ſin, like puniſhment.
2. By vertue of that ſenſe and awakening efficacy which the works of God (of this ſort more eſpecially) are apt to introduce upon the Conſcience: As in the Prophet Zechary it is ſaid of the Jews, upon their captivity,Zech. 1.6. And they returned, and ſaid, Like as the Lord of Hoaſts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, ſo hath he dealt with us. This obſervation which they make upon the ways of God towards them, is even wrung out from them by their preſent ſenſe and ſmart under Gods Judgments; and their Conſciences are induced to this acknowledgment by the tranſparency of the hand of God upon them. In this reſpect the Judgments of God are as the light that goeth forth, Hoſ. 6.5.or the morning light; of force to awaken and rouze up thoſe men that lie aſleep in their beds of ſenſleſs ſecurity.
2. The other branch of the matter of fact is, our own ways towards God. Let us ſearch and try our ways, ſaith the afflicted Church of Judah, Lam. 3.40upon this very occaſion, of the Lords covering himſelf with a cloud, that their prayers could not paſs through. Hag. 1, 5, 7Conſider your ways: Conſider your ways: The Lord ſaith it twice over to his ill-ſucceeding people. And the ſame again is reiteratedly required in that of Zephaniah; Gather your ſelves together, yea gather together: or, as others read, Winnow, ſift, or ſearch your ſelves; and again, winnow, &c. your ſelves. And, indeed, this we have need to do very faithfully and fully: If we will not take a true and through account of our own ways, there is no congruity that we ſhould expect to find out a reaſon of Gods ways. If we will let our own courſes go unſearched, it is but ſuitable that the proceedings of God ſhould remain hidden to us. When any evil of affliction is upon us, as God always brings it, ſo there is ſtill a reaſon for it on our part; there is a cauſe ever extant in us; there is always ſomething in us that calleth for it; either ſomething that needeth it, or ſomething that procureth it: and, if we ſeem deſirous to know the cauſe of an evil we lie under, and will not ſearch, and ſoundly ſearch where it is, we deſerve not to find it.