Jewish Hypocrisy, Chapter 5
CAP. V.
1. Prayer is another refuge they betook themſelves unto in their miſery. 2. And ſo now men expect great things from it. 3. But ſelf-love indites them. 4. And mens love to their ſins makes non-ſenſe of them. 5. For when they pray againſt ſin, they labour to uphold it. 6. And ſo neither their own prayers, nor the prayers of good men will prevail for them. 7. What prayers are acceptable to God. 8. And for what.
1. IT is a ſaying aſcribed unto an Angel, in the book of Tobit, cap. 12. 8. that, Prayer is good with Faſting. And of this the people of the Jews had ſuch an opinion, that they never neglected it on thoſe ſolemn dayes, but thought that it could fetch down any bleſſings from heaven upon them. God himſelf commands, when he calls for a Faſt, that they ſhould cry unto him, Joel 1.14. This they uſed to do (ſaith the Book of Judith) with great fervency, with earneſtneſs, with all their power, cap. 4. 9, 12, 15. And ſometimes (as is there expreſſed, cap. 6. 21.) they called on the God of Iſrael all night for help. Their hearts were even diſſolved into petitions. They ſeemed to be ſo far from ſtonineſs, that they were more yielding then fleſh, and could melt into water. Their eyes could not flow with tears ſo plentifully, as their hearts did with prayers. For ſo in the Chaldee thoſe words are paraphraſed, 1 Sam. 7 6. They drew water, and poured it out before the Lord; i. e. They poured out their hearts in ſupplications unto him.
2. And ſo now at this day, men are content to pump hard for as many buckets full of prayers, as will hold them pouring out from morning until night. Devouter perſons the heavens never ſaw, if this be to be Religious. How can God chuſe but pour down his bleſſings on ſuch men, who are ſo free and open-hearted to him, and could be content to do nothing elſe but preſent him with ſuch ſervices? Prayer paſſing under ſuch a magnificent name as the Key of heavens Gate, and having thoſe Scriptures applyed to it which ſpeak of having power with God and prevailng, men think that by it they can do great matters, and place no ſmall confidence in its authority. So I call it, becauſe they are ready to apply thoſe words to its office, Iſa. 45.11. concerning the work of my hands command you me. Though good Interpreters (which I think fit to admoniſh the Reader of by the way) do read that verſe with an Interrogation to this ſenſe: Do you command me what I ſhall do, and ask me what I mean to deal ſo with my ſons, the people of Iſrael, who, I ſay, ſhall go into captivity? which agrees well with ver. 9, 10. Wo be to him that ſtrives with his maker, &c. Wo be to him that ſaith to his Father, What begetteſt thou? &c. And as the words lie in our tranſlation, their meaning is only this, that they ſhould enquire of Iſaiah and the reſt of his Prophets, concerning the future ſtate of their Nation, and bid them tell them what he was about to do with them, from whom they ſhould receive good ſatisfaction, both of his Juſtice in their captivity, and his Mercy in ſending them deliverance by Cyrus, which in that Chapter he is treating of. But ſo, I ſay, it is that men advance their prayers to ſuch a prerogative, that they have ingroſſed the name of Religion to themſelves, and they have learnt to call praying, going to duty, as if this were all, or the chief of what we have to do. And ſo if in their Confeſsions they ſhould be dejected and caſt down, yet their petitions are able to lift them up very high in hopes again. Eſpecially ſince ſome have taken this new way of boldneſs, to tell God in plain Engliſh, that he muſt not, that he cannot deny them, and that they will have audience, and that without any delay alſo. Which are no deviſed expreſſions of mine, but thoſe which ſome of name have uttered, and which their followers may be apt to imitate, as an high token of a zealous Faith. If any be offended at this plainneſs, it is their own fault that occaſion it, and they cannot be more offended then many good ſouls are at their ſaucy language.
3. But it is now as it was then in another regard alſo; The prayers of the Jews were commonly to no other purpoſe, but that God would pardon them, turn again to them, and ſave their Nation from their enemies hands, whileſt they thought not of turning unto him, and putting all his enemies out of their ſouls. Nothing was ſadder to them, then to be in bondage and ſlavery, and therefore that made their hearts ſigh more then their ſins. Their prayers differed from the deſires of good men, as the Mahometans Lords prayer from that of the Chriſtians. The laſt thing that we beg of God is, that no temptation may prevail over us, to make us fall again into thoſe ſins for which we beſeech forgiveneſs. But the Turks conclude that prayer, (which they call the prayer of Jeſus the Son of Mary) in this faſhion, Let not ſuch an one rule over me, See M. Greg. obſerv. p. 165.which will have no mercy on me, for thy mercies ſake, O thou moſt merciful. Self-love and ſenſe of miſery can indite good ſtore of petitions, adorn them with eloquence, inſpire them with fervency, and thruſt them forward with a luſty degree of confidence. But as they ſay of ſome ſort of precious ſtones, that though they are of ſoveraign vertue, yet they loſe all their force, if they be put into a dead mans mouth: So it is with this Chriſtian Jewel, which doth wonders when it is it ſelf, but languiſhes and dies when it is in the mouth of unreformed ſinners. Such mens prayers are but a ſtinking breath, which is very offenſive to the noſtrils of God. They are ſo far from being a grateful voice unto him, that he turns away his ears from them, as we do from the braying of Aſſes, or the talk of fools. And therefore he tells the people of Iſrael, (Iſa. 58.4.) that he would not have them faſt as they did, to cauſe their voice to be heard on high, not regarding either their mournful howlings, or their clarnorous petitions, whereby they thought to ſtir him up to help them. And by the Prophet Jeremiah he tells them (cap. 14. 12.) that when they faſt he will not hear their cry. For he that turns away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer ſhall be an abomination, Prov. 28.9. If men will not hear God, he will not hear them, yea he cannot give ear unto them. For the things that they love and embrace, are ſuch neceſſary cauſes of the evils under which they groan, and ſo inconſiſtent with the mercies that they deſire, that unleſs God alter the nature of things, or change the method of his proceedings in the government of the world, he cannot hearken to their petitions. Either he muſt change his mind, or they muſt change theirs, or their prayers be unanſwered. And therefore unleſs they heartily renounce their ſins, and throughly diſcharge their iniquities, all their prayers for ſending mercies, and for removing miſeries, are a piece of meer non-ſenſe, incoherent ignorant ſtuff, which will be returned with ſuch ſhame upon them, as if he had thrown the dung of the ſacrifices in the face of thoſe that brought them.
4. When men bear a love to thoſe ſins, the evil conſequents of which they deſire may be prevented, or remedied, that they may not ruine them, they are as ridiculous and unſucceſsful, as if a man ſhould beg health while he continues in his riotous and intemperate courſe of living: It is as if we ſhould deſire that the effect may ceaſe, while the cauſe remains in act; that God would not be angry, though we continually provoke him, and that he would not hate us, though we do not love him. Let a man raiſe his confidence by what arts he pleaſeth, and ſpeak with a boldneſs in his prayers, as though he would command heaven, and have what he would of God; yet he cannot have a true faith that he ſhall be heard, unleſs he utterly abandon in heart and reſolution, whatſoever is incompatible and cannot ſtand with the things that he deſires. We may call our Faſts by the name of dayes of prayer (as we commonly do) but though we ſhould pray from morning until night, though the whole Nation ſhould cry to God that he would bow the heavens and come to ſave us, though it ſhould be with a voice that would rend the clouds, and ſeem to make way for him to come down to our reſcue; yet if we be in love with our ſins, the cauſes of our trouble, we have put in ſuch a ſtrong Caveat, ſuch a barr to our ſuits and petitions in the Court of heaven, that we can obtain no audience. And therefore ſome Heathens were wiſer then theſe ſottiſh children of Iſrael (as Jer. calls them, 4.22.) for when Niniveh was afraid of Gods Judgements, they not only proclaimed a Faſt, and cryed mightily to the Lord, but they turned every one from their evil way, and the violence that was in their hands, Jonah 3.5, 8. It is a prudent ſaying of Cyril of Alexandria; Faſting is a choice thing, (foreign) prayer is profitable, and of great benefit, In Iſa. 58.3.it is to humble our ſouls in Gods eyes; but it is moſt abſurd for thoſe that come in this manner to obtain mercy, to provoke the divine Lawgiver in another way, by not loving to do his commands.
5. But ſo willing are men to deceive themſelves, that though ſometimes they go a little further, yet they ſuffer their prayers to fall ſhort of heaven. When men have made their faces ſour with faſting, they begin ſometimes to look angrily upon their ſins, and to take up ſome reſolutions to be revenged on them. And therefore they beg the divine grace to deſtroy them, and beſeech him to ſend his Spirit to purge their ſouls from them. But then as if they had no mind to be heard, they reſolve to be at no trouble nor pains themſelves about this great buſineſs. They leave all to the care of God, whom they would have ſo far to concern himſelf in our affairs, as not to expect that we ſhould be ſuch creatures as he made us. They ſit ſtill and wait for an unheard of power from above, as if divine Faith were a relyance on God to carry ſuch by force to heaven, who have no liſt to walk in the way thither. Such prayers have a perfect likeneſs to the requeſts of the man in the Fable to Hercules, when his cart ſtuck faſt in the mire, who would neither prick forward his Oxen, nor lay his own ſhoulders to the wheels, nor unload the waggon, but caſt all upon the ſtrength of his God, expecting that he ſhould come and draw it out. And ſuch an anſwer as was returned to that ſilly ſwain, will very well befit ſuch petitioners:
O bone, diſce pigris non flecti numina votis,
Praeſenteſ que adhibe, quùm facis ipſe, Deos.
Learn, Good Sir, that God is not moved by lazie deſires, and ſluggiſh wiſhes, but that thou ſhalt then find thy God preſent, when thou thy ſelf art buſie about thy work. It is help that we beg, and that ſuppoſes we are active though infirm. Aſsiſtance we crave, and that implyes our endeavours, though ineffectual unaſſiſted. They are in all regards therefore idle prayers which careleſs ſinners put up for divine aid and ſtrength, ſeeing they cannot ſpeak common ſenſe, nor know the meaning of their own language. They ask ſuccour againſt their enemies, but either they mean nothing, or elſe victory without fighting: and if that be it they mean, it is as if they asked nothing, becauſe there is no ſuch thing to be granted. O that all men would at laſt learn to labour for that after which they ſeem to long; and not make a perpetual trade of praying much, and doing little or nothing. Let us not meerly run from one Church to another, from private Faſts to publick, from common to extraordinary devotions; for this was the manner of the heathen people, who when they could not prevail by their daily ſacrifices and prayers, betook themſelves to more laborious but unſucceſsful devices. We read of Moab in Iſa. 16.12. that when he was weary in the high places, he came to his ſanctuary to pray, but he could not prevail; i. e. when they had tired themſelves with petitions for deliverance, after the ordinary form that was uſed, they went to the moſt holy place in the Land, where their great god Chemoſh was worſhipped, and there they doubted not but to ſpeed. But as they prevailed not, becauſe they did nothing at all but pray; no more ſhall we (of whom they are a perfect picture) while we have confidence in our repeated prayers, without a real reformation. This kind of faith which men cheriſh in themſelves, is the moſt horrid infidelity, greater then which, the worſhippers of Chemoſh or Baal could not be guilty of. For they believe not him at all who hath ſaid, Unleſs ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh, Luke 13.3. And whatſoever we ask, we receive of him, becauſe we keep his commandements, and do the things that are pleaſing in his ſight, 1 Joh. 3.22.
6. But I muſt add further, that the caſe may ſo be, that though there be ſome Good men in a Nation that do moſt ſeriouſly and heartily pray for it, yet they may not be able to help it, nor prevail for the averting of Gods anger. For the atteſting of which truth, I might call in the Teſtimony of the Prophet Jeremiah, cap. 11. where after God had ſaid, ver. 11. that if the people did cry unto him, he would not hearken unto them, he adds, ver. 14. that he will not have the Prophet pray for them, nor lift up a cry in their behalf, for it ſhall be in vain. The like to which you may read, Jer. 14.11. And therefore he ſaith in Lam. 3.8, 44. that when he did cry and ſhout, God ſhut out his prayers, and covered himſelf with a cloud, ſo that they could not paſs through. The like teſtimony Ezekiel would afford us, who tels us more then once, cap. 14. that in ſome caſes, three ſuch prevalent perſons as Noah, Job and Daniel, ſhall obtain no more then their own ſecurity. And I might have all their ſuffrages to this, that ſometimes nothing leſs then an univerſal reformation (in the great Officers, Magiſtrates and Governors eſpecially) will procure Gods favour. But it is time to draw towards a concluſion of this Chapter; and in the following diſcourſes this matter will be abundantly cleared.
7. Then our prayers are to good purpoſe for our ſelves or the Nation, when we or they come to God with an holy diſpoſition of heart to forſake our ſins which we pray may be forgiven; with a readineſs of heart to make uſe of that divine grace which we beg at his hands; and with a reſolution to do that our ſelves, which we deſire he would do for us. When they are inſtruments to Piety and Godlineſs; and put our hearts into ſuch an holy frame, that even by our actions we may pray and pull down the bleſſings of heaven upon us, then they are indeed ſtrong and prevailing petitions. For as Clemens Alex. ſpeaks of a ſpiritual perſon, foreign. His whole life is a prayer to God, and a familiar converſe with him. He prayes all day long in ſome ſort, viz. as to the effect and iſſue of prayer. For the holineſs of his life ſpeaks moſt powerfully and effectually, if not more prevalently then any other thing in his behalf to God, being the uſe and the improvement of that grace which he hath received, and ſo directly intitleing him to the bleſſings that are in that promiſe, To him that hath ſhall be given.
8. But yet we muſt take notice of this, that when we pray thus to the reforming and amending of our hearts and lives, the bleſsings that we are moſt confidently to expect, are thoſe of a ſpiritual and eternal nature: Such as are forgiveneſs of ſins, acceptance with God to life; and we cannot be certain ſometimes, that by all our reformation we ſhall avert temporal judgements upon our own perſons, or our Nation. Perhaps the Decree may be irrevocably gone forth, the ruine of a people or perſon may be abſolutely determined, or at leaſt ſome very ſharp puniſhment, without any poſſibility of reverſing the ſentence, may be reſolved upon; and though the ſin may be forgiven to ſome (and thoſe the chiefeſt) purpoſes, yet not to all. Who can tell whether God will return and repent? was all that could be ſaid in the Ninivites caſe. And in the caſe of Jeruſalem, it was at laſt decreed, that their City and Temple ſhould be deſtroyed without any hopes of prevention of ſuch a calamity, though they had ſpace given them to repent, in that their ſouls might find mercy. Though it be ſaid of Joſiah, that he turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his ſoul, and with all his might, ſo that there was none like him; yet notwithſtanding the Lord turned not from the fierceneſs of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled againſt Judah, 2 King. 23.25, 26. And afterward when they were carried captive, the Lord decreed a ſeventy years baniſhment, and though many, no queſtion, were reformed, and they poured out their prayer when Gods chaſtning was upon them, yet they could not get the time cut ſhort, nor ſpy any hopes of deliverance, as you may ſee, Iſa. 26.16, 17, 18. Like as a woman (ſay they) with child, that draweth nigh to the time of delivery, is in pain, and cryeth out in her pangs: ſo have we been in thy ſight, O Lord. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world faln. This therefore is our ſatisfaction, that when we faſt and pray aright, we ſhall partake of the principal benefits that attend upon them, though not always of all the fruits and bleſſings which have thereby been procured.