THE RETURNE OF PRAYERS. A TREATISE WHEREIN this Case [How to discern God's answers to our prayers] is briefly resolved, WITH OTHER OBSERVATIONS UPON PSAL. 85. 8. concerning GOD'S speaking PEACE, etc.  
BY THO: GOODWIN. B. D.  HAB. 2. 1. 
I will watch to see what he will say to me.  
LONDON, Printed for R. Dawlman, and I. Fawn, at the sign of the Brazen Serpent in Paul's Churchyard. 1636.   

TO THE MUCH HONOURED KNIGHT, SIR NATHANIEL RICH.  
SIR,  
GOd, who from all eternity hath had an infinite Mass of grace and glory lying by him, to bestow upon his Church: and did accordingly provide a treasury and Magazine sufficient wherein to store up all, [the Bosom of his Son:] in whom are hid, 
Ephes. 3. 8.  riches so unsearchable, as cannot be told over, much less spent to all eternity.  
He hath as richly shed his holy Spirit on us: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3. 6.  that we, who could never have known of any thing bequeathed us, nor what to pray for as we ought, might both, fully from him know all that God hath given us; and through him lay claim thereto, who maketh intercession for us; and so doth furnish us with a privy key to all that Treasury, which otherwise, is fast shut up to all the world.  
Through which Spirit of of prayer, and supplications thus poured forth, believers come to be at once anointed to the fellowship, and execution of those three glorious Offices of Christ their head. Not only 1. of Priests; by offering up their prayers, as spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to GOD, through Jesus Christ: but 2. of Kings; to rule with God, Hos. 11. 12. Being hereby made of Privy Council to the King of kings, 
Psa. 20. 4, 5  so as their Counsels, and desires expressed in their Petitions, are said to be fulfilled; and their decrees in their Prayers made, 
job 22. 27, 28.  ratified, and established. Nay further, by virtue of this privilege, advanced to such height of favour, 
Hos. 12. 3, 4  as by their strength in prayer alone, to have power with God himself; and not only with him, but also over him; and in their wrestle to prevail: Yea to command: Himself hath said it; Thus saith the Lord, the holy One of Israel and his Maker, ASK of me, of things to come, concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, COMMAND ye ME, Isai. 45. 11. which so transcendent privilege of power, is likewise by the express words of this great Charter, universally extended unto all transactions of this lower part of his dominions; whether Ecclesiastical, which do concern his sons, that is, his Church: or what ever other, the more ordinary works of his hands, that appertain to common providence.  
And for as much as these grand affairs of this his Kingdom, 
Mat. 6. 10.  as future, and to come, are commended to their prayers, as their most proper subject, about which they are to treat, Ask of me of things to come: in this respect, they do become as truly. ³. Prophet's also: though not in so full and complete, yet in some kind of true resemblance; not by foretelling, yet by forespeaking in their prayers, things that come to pass. To demonstrate which, God, who made and upholds this world, and all things in it, by the word of his power, doth likewise rule and govern it, by the Precedents, and prescript rules, of the word of his will: exactly dispensing unto men, 
Psal. 25. 10.  both rewards and punishments, according to the tenor of some or other, of his promises and threatenings, and former like proceed therein recorded: though with such various liberty, in respect of the particulars, that his ways remain unsearchable and past finding out: That look how he appointed in the heavens, those ordinances of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, by their light, heat, and motion, to rule the day and night, to divide, and cause the several seasons of the year, and all the changes and alterations that do pass over this animal, and natural world▪ in like manner hath he stretched out that so exceeding broad expanse of his word and law, 
Psal. 119. 96.  (to which the Psalmist doth assimilate it) over this rational world, 
Psal. 19 1, 2, 3, 4. compared with Rom. 10. 18.  of Angels and Men; and therein set his Statutes, and his Judgements, that by the light of Precepts, and their influences in rewards and punishments, they might order and direct these his creatures reasonable, and all their actions; also dispose, and set out all the issues of them. And seeing his Saints they are a people in whose hearts is his Law; and their delight is to meditate therein, both day and night, they daily calculating and observing the various aspects, conjunctions, and mixed influences of those innumerable precepts, promises, and threatenings, which themselves and others, Nations or Men, stand under; and by a Judgement thence resulting, 
jer. 8. 7.  so fare as they have attained, endeavouring to frame their supplications and petitions according to Gods will: Hence their prayers oft, full happily succeed, and aforehand do accord, to those issues and events, that afterwards fall out. That like as it sometimes falls out, that the earth comes to be just under the Sun and Moon, in some of their conjunctions; so their desires and prayers, sometimes in a direct line fall under, and subordinately concur with God's secret purposes, and some revealed promise met in conjunction, to produce such and such effects. The Spirit also, herein helping their infirmities, sometime so guiding and directing them, by a gracious preinstinct, though unbeknowne to them, to pitch their requests upon such particulars, as God hath fully purposed to bring to pass; becoming thereby, as it were, the Spirit of prophecy unto them; respectively, in some measure and degree.  
Thus doth that great King, employ his nearest servants, as his under-Officers, and Sheriffs to serve his Writs, & executions upon his Enemies; to execute the Judgement written in his threatenings, Psalm. 149. 9 and to accomplish his mercies written also; by putting all the promises in suit; to be as man-midwives (as Hezekiahs' allusion, when he sent a visiting to the Prophet Esay, 
Esay 37. 2, 3, 4.  for his voice and suffrage, seemeth to import) to help and assist his promises and decrees in their travel with mercies and deliverance, 
Zeph. 2. 2.  when these their children do come unto the birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth.  
In all which, they shall therefore have the honour to be accounted Co-workers together with God, in his greatest works of wonder. And at the latter day, when that great and last Edition, both of all God's works, and likewise ours, then complete and finished, shall be published to all the world, they shall find their names put to them, together with his own; and the same by him acknowledged, to be as truly the works of their hearts and prayers, as that they are the sole work of his hands and power. Such honour have all his Saints.  
And if all the works of GOD are so exceeding great, and his thoughts therein so very deep, Psal. 92. 5. that every jota of them, doth deserve our deepest studies, and intentions; and thereunto require a proper skill and wisdom, to read his hand, peculiar unto the Saints, ver. 6. whereunto there must be adjoined the most diligent search, 
Psal. 77. 6.  and attentive observation to find out his meaning in them; and withal a special inclination, and delight to be conversant therein, Thy works are very great, sought out of those that have pleasure in them, Psal. 111. 2. And if, of all the rest, those choicer pieces, his works of mercy may challenge our best regard: in which his heart and delights are most; 
Mich. 7. 18.  on which his wisdom hath laid on the richest workmanship, in the most curious contrivements of his love: Then surely that selected volume of more special mercy's [His Epistles:] vouchsafed in answer to our prayers, is above all other, most exactly to be studied, and most diligently to be perused by us. Wherein God doth unbosom himself, and lay open his heart, more sweetly, more familiarly unto us; which are directed, and in a manner dedicated more particularly unto ourselves alone; Many of them written with his own hand, in a more immediate manner discovered and appearing in them: and all of them come sealed with the impress of everlasting love, and down laden with the enclosure of the most precious tokens of his special favour. 
Ps. 107. 43.  Who so is wise, will observe these things; and they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord.  
Neither have such favours, only more of mercy in the things themselves bestowed, but are further endeared to us, by being made our own mercies, by a more peculiar title to them: by which the kindness in them is rendered double. For therein we have that royal liberty to become our own choosers, and contrivers of our own condition; having all the promises thrown down to us, with blanks for us to write our names in which of them we please; which is the greatest liberty. And We have withal his Spirit secretly directing, and fixing the needle of our desires, to the same point, wherein his great intentions towards us do meet with our best good: which is indeed the truest liberty. And to be made ourselves, whom we love so well, and therefore delight to do good unto, the chiefest instruments under him of our own greatest happiness, is a privilege, than which, the creature is not made capable of a more transcendent royalty. And yet when the greatest love, thus rectified, which possibly we can bear ourselves, hath opened its mouth widest, and stretched our desires in praying, to their utmost compass; then will Gods infinite vast love, not only fill them, but do for us above all that we are able to ask, yea to think; exceeding abundantly above all; as far above, as his thoughts are above our thoughts; which is fare more than the heavens are higher than the earth.  
All which, when put together, (if well considered,) how would it provoke us to call in all that precious stock of our time, thoughts, and intentions which we cast away on trifles, to lay out the choicest portion of them in this thriving trade of intercourse with God; the returns whereof, are better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof, then fine gold. It is the praying Christian that alone employs the riches of the promises, which we usually let lie by us like dead stock unimproved: whilst he, like a wise and diligent Merchant, looks abroad upon all the affairs of jesus Christ, that are afloat here in this world, and adventures in them all; is watchful to spy out all advantages, and with an holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, intermeddleth in every business that may bring in glory unto God, good unto the Church, grace and comfort to his own soul. And how infinitely rich must that man needs become, that puts even God's riches out to use, with the increase of ten Talents for one, yea an hundred fold!  
The due estimate whereof, would no less quicken us to as diligent an inquiry, what becomes of all those goodly adventures, the prayers we make; to listen what haven they arrive at, how, and when, and with what fraught they do return.  
In which great duty, and most necessary property of all true Merchants, yet many of the best and greatest dealers, that are diligent enough in praying, are still found failing and deficient; that omit no gainful opportunity of adventure, but are careless and unobservant of their returns.  
Some through ignorance (it may be) that this is at all a duty, or of any such importance, are careful only how to lad in prayers enough, not expecting to find any of this bread cast upon the waters, until that great and general return of themselves, & all the world, with joy bringing their sheaves with them. Others, though at present, many of their prayers come home after a few days, and richly laden; yet through want of skill to read those Bills of Exchange which God often writes in an obscurer character, they lie unregarded by them. Many when voyages prove long, (though to their greater advantage, when once they do return, yet in the mean time) through discouragement, they give all for lost, as we do ships at Sea we cannot hear of. The most are commonly complaining, that their adventures still miscarry, and that little or nothing comes of all their prayers. And All are negligent of keeping their books of accounts, to cast up their come in, and doings out, the one with the other. By which they lose the chiefest portion of that comfort, which for the present, God hath here allotted us to live upon [the revenues of their prayers.] And God also, is not only rob of that Custom of his glory which should thence accrue; but wronged also by standing still as debtor in their accounts to many prayers, in the return of which he hath been creditor long ago.  
I have endeavoured therefore in this small Treatise to convince believers of the grand importance of this duty, which is so full of gain: To discover likewise the causes of the neglect herein, and remove the temptations and discouragements which do occasion it; and have briefly resolved such cases as do more usually occur in the practice of it. But principally, my desire was to give in some few experiments, and observations, which may help to teach the weaker sort, though not perfectly to read, yet here and there to spell, (and especially out of the impressions in their own hearts) God's meaning towards them in his answers. I have cast in some scattered calculations of broken prayers cast up, which though they will not amount, to make general and perfect Tables out of, yet may serve, as Instances and examples, for young beginners, to direct them in the exercise of this most useful skill, and wisdom, how to compute and balance their accounts by comparing their prayers and their returns together.  
This small and imperfect embryo, I have presumed to send forth into the world; and directed it first of all to present its service unto you; and make an honourable and thankful mention of your Name. Your worth deserves a more costly, large, and lasting monument for this inscription. Your own abilities of learning, eloquence, and depth of wisdom in humane affairs, would you be persuaded to lay them out, as you are able, would erect such a remembrance and sumptuous memorial of you, when you are gathered to your Fathers, as would bear some proportion to your great worth. But that which emboldened me was the near affinity which meditations of this nature do hold, with those other your more retired thoughts you think to none but God and your own soul. You have been long a frequent and constant dealer in this blessed way of intercourse with God in private: Those that know you, know your strict observance of those exchange hours you have devoted to meet with God, and enjoy communion with Him. But above all, it was that personal obligation, under which a great and special all favour from you long since brought me, upon which I devoted (with myself) the first of my labours unto your service. And it became one great relief unto my thoughts, weighing the many inconveniences of appearing thus in public, that it gave so full occasion to pay my vows thus openly before all the world; which having now done, God that is rich in mercy to all that call upon him, fill you with all Grace, and grant all your petitions; so prays  
Your Worships obliged to love and serve you THO: GOODWIN.   

THE TABLE.  

CHAP. 1. The main observation: That God's people are diligently to observe the answers of their prayers. Pag. 5. 

The sinfulness of the neglect hereof demonstrated by seven reasons. 7 

1▪ reas. An ordinance of God taken in vain ibid.  
2. reas. God's attributes taken in vain. 12  
3. reas. God in answering made to speak in vain 16  
4. reas. God provoked not to answer. 19  
5. reas. We shall not return thanks. 21  
6. reas. We shall lose much experience. 23 

1. Of God's faithfulness ibid.  
2. Of our own ways towards him. 25    
7. reas. We shall lose much comfort. 28      
CHAP. 2. Three Cases: The first concerning prayers for such promises as may be accomplished in ages to come. 32 

1 § Such prayers the Church to come doth reap 33  
2 § Yet we at present may have an answer about them. 39  
3 § In heaven, and at the last day we shall rejoice for their accomplishment. 40    
CHAP. 3. Second Case: Concerning prayers made for others of our friends, etc. How answered. p. 42 

1 § Such prayers oft granted. 44  
2 § Yet not always in the very thing prayed for. 46 

Such promises but indefinite. 49  
As all temporal promises are 51  
Our faith towards them not required to be assurance. 53  
Unless God give a special faith 58    
3 § Such prayers returned into our own bosoms. 61  
4 § God in the end casts some out of our prayers 65  
5 § Those prayers answered in some others. 68    
CHAP. 4. Third Case: How the influence of our own prayers, when others pray also for the same thing with us, may be discerned. 72 

1 § If our hearts are affected with the same holy affection 73 

Vnbeknowne each to other. 75    
2 § By some special endeavour: as, 

1 Some notable circumstance. 76  
2 By joy in the accomplishment. 79  
3 By thankfulness for the accomplishment. 81    
3 §. This less to be doubted when the thing prayed for by us doth concern our own particular. p. 82    
CHAP. 5 Common directions helpful in all cases, and prayers: taken first from observations from Before and In praying. p. 85 

1 § BEFORE: when God prepares the heart. 86 

Difference between Satan's motions to prayer and Gods. 89    
2 § IN prayer: Gods speakings in prayer are evidences of hearing: and discerned by 4 things. 93 

1 Giving a quietness by prayer about the thing prayed for. ibid.    
3 § 2 By revealing his love, in and upon such petitions. 99 

A caution herein. 103  
Reasons why God draws nigh when he grants not the thing 104    
4 § 3 God sometimes gives a particular assurance. 107 

A caution herein. 111    
5 § 4 By giving a restless importunity to pray for a particular mercy. 117    
CHAP. 6 Observations made upon the disposition of the heart AFTER prayer: Until the ISSVE of the thing prayed for p. 119 

1 § When God gives an obedient dependant heart. pag. 119  
2 § when God gives an heart waiting for and expecting it. 123    
CHAP. 7 Observations made AFTER prayer Upon the ISSVE: first If Accomplished: whether as the fruit of prayer, or of common providence. 125 

1 § God sometimes answers the prayer in the very thing and manner desired. 126  
2 § Directions to discern that things thus obtained are in answer to prayers. 134 

1 From the manner of God's performance. A more than ordinary hand discovered in things accomplished by prayer, instanced in 5. particulars. ibid. 

1 By bringing it to pass through difficulties. 135  
2 By facilitating all means. 137  
3 Effecting it suddenly. 139  
4 With addition of other mercies above what was desired. 141  
5 By some special circumstance as a token of his hand in it. 142      
3 § 2 From the Time, wherein it is accomplished. 146 

As first when we were most instant in prayer. 147  
2 In the fittest time for us. Then, 150 

1 When we have most need. 151  
2 When the heart was best prepared to receive it. 154      
4 § 3 From the proportion which may be observed betwixt Gods dealings in the accomplishment, and our prayers. 158    
CHAP. 8. Seven observations more, from the Effects, which the accomplishment of the mercy hath upon the heart. 163 

1 § If it draw the heart nearer to God. ibid.  
2 § Enlargeth the heart with thankfulness. 166  
3 § And encourageth the heart the more to pray, for other things. 169  
4 § If it makes more careful to perform the vows made to obtain it. 170  
5 § If by faith a man sees and acknowledgeth God's sole hand in the accomplishment. 174  
6 § By an assurance which comes sometimes with the mercy. 178  
7 § By the event: Things obtained by prayer prove stable mercies. 179    
CHAP. 9 Considerations, to quiet us, and to help to discern an acceptation of the prayer, when the thing is Not Accomplished. 183 

1 § The thing not always granted, when yet the prayer is heard. ibid. 

An objection answered. 186    
2 § Some blessings not absolutely promised, nor absolutely to be prayed for. 188 

In which a denial is to be interpreted as best for us in God's judgement. 190    
3 § There may be a reservation in the denial, for some greater mercy. ibid.  
4 § There may be a transmutation into some other blessing of the same kind. 193  
5 § God when he denies, yet answereth to the ground of our prayers. 196  
6 § And yields fare in it, to give satisfaction to his child. 203  
7 § We may know that the prayer notwithstanding is accepted, by the effects upon the heart, which are 4. 206 

1 If we acknowledge God righteous in the denial. ibid.  
2 If God fills the heart with contentment in the denial. 207  
3 If the heart be thankful out of faith. 209  
4 If not discouraged, but prays still. 210      
CHAP. 10. Application: A reproof of them that pray, but look not after the Returns of their prayers: The causes of this neglect: are 212 

1 Temptations: 1 From want of assurance that our persons are accepted, 216 

2 From the weakness of our prayers: three answers to it. 221  
3 From not obtaining what we formerly prayed for, answered by 4. things. 227    
2 More sinful discouragements as, 231 

1 From slothfulness in praying. 232  
2 Looking at prayer as a duty only, and not as a means to obtain. 236  
3 Falling into sin after prayers. 240      
Six Observations more out of the Text. 

1 Observe. That God doth sometimes not speak peace to his own people. 245  
2 Obser. The cause thereof some folly. 251  
3 Observe. God only can speak peace. 258  
4 Observe. God easily can give peace. 267  
5 Observe. God will certainly speak to his people. 278  
6 Observe. After peace spoken his people should return no more to folly. 283    
The sin and folly of relapsing shown by 7. reasons. 29●  
Temptations from relapse into the same sin after peace spoken, answered 

By Scriptures. 32●  
By 3 Examples. 33●  
By 4 Reasons. 34●  
5 Cautions. 36●     
FINIS.   

THE RETURNE OF PRAYERS.  PSAL. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, and to his Saints: but let them not turn again to folly. The Coherence of the words. 
THis Psalm was penned, in the name and for the comfort of the whole Church of the jews, both as a Prophecy of, and a Prayer for their return out of the Babylonish Captivity, and the flowing in again of that ancient glory, peace, administration of Justice, liberty of God's Ordinances, plenty and increase, which formerly they enjoyed, but had now suffered an ebb of seventy year's continuance. And first he beginneth with Prayer, from the first verse to this we have in hand, putting the Lord in mind of, and urging Him with His graciour dealings in former times unto His Church: this is not the first time (saith he) that the Church hath been in Captivity, and that thou hast returned it, (as out of Egypt, etc.) and therefore we hope that thou wilt do so again; Thou hast been favourable unto thy Land, etc. His Prayer being finished and he having spoke, he now stands, and listens, as you use to do when you expect an Echo, what Echo he should have, what answer would be returned from Heaven, whither his Prayer had already come, I will hear what the Lord will speak: or as some read it, I hear what the Lord doth speak: for sometimes there is a present Echo, a speedy answer returned to a man's heart, even ere the Prayer is half finished, as unto Daniel, Dan. 9 20. 21. And in brief it is this, The Lord will speak peace unto His people: this answer he finds written at the bottom of the petition, but with this clause of admonition for time to come, added, But let them not return again to folly: a good use to be made of so gracious an answer.  


Chap. 1.  CHAP. I.  
The main observation and subject of this Discourse thence deduced: That God's people are diligently to observe the answers to their Prayers: The reasons of it.  
THese words being especially spoken in relation to the answer of God returned to his Prayer made, therefore in that relation I mean principally to handle them.  
The observation is this; That when a man hath put up Prayers to God, he is to rest assured, that God will in mercy answer his Prayers, and to listen diligently, and observe how his Prayers are answered: both are here to be observed. I will hear what God will speak, that is, how He will accomplish them: and withal he confidently expresseth an assurance, that God will speak peace. Thus doth the Church, Mich. 7. 7, 8. I will look to the Lord, I will wait, my God will hear me: She was both sure of gracious audience with Him, my God will hear me: and she will wait till he answers her, and observe how he doth it, I will look to the Lord: and vers. 9 I will hear the indignation of the Lord, till he plead my cause. So Habakkuk, he having made a Prayer against the Tyranny of Nabuchadnezzar, in the first Chapter, having ended it, he gins the second Chapter thus, I will stand upon my watch tower, and see what he will answer me: 
The sinfulness of the neglect hereof demonstrated by 7. reasons.  and in the end an answer comes vers. 2. and as he thus waited for a Vision (for sometime their Prophecies were in answer to their prayers) so should we for an answer unto ours.  
1. Reason, 
Reas. 1. Hereby an Ordinance of God is taken in vain: which is God's Name.  because otherwise you take an Ordinance of God in vain in your hearts, which is to take God's Name (with whom in that Ordinance you deal) in vain: for it a sign you think your prayer not an effectual means to attain that end it is ordained for; and say secretly in your hearts, as they job 21. 15. What profit have we, if we pray to him? for if we use any means, and expect not the end, it is a sign we think the means vain to accomplish that end. Whereas every faithful prayer is ordained of God to be a means to obtain what we desire and pray for, and is not put up in vain, but shall have answer: 1. joh. 5. 14, 15. This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: 'tis true, God heareth an enemy, but to hear with favour, is the hearing there meant; and is so used in our ordinary speech, as we say of a Favourite, that he hath the King's ear; and if a man be obstinate to a man's counsel, we say, he would not hear, though he give the hearing; so here, to hear is a word of gracious inclination to do the thing required; and thus God's ears are said to be open to their prayers; and so it follows there, that if he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. Assoon as we have prayed, we are said to have our petitions, that is, they are then granted, and we may be confident they are assented unto by God; although in regard of outward dispensation, the command for accomplishment is not yet come forth: even as a petitioner is said to have his suit, when the word of the King is gone forth that it shall be done, though it passeth not the seal, or be not signed a good while after. And like as when a wicked man sinneth, as soon as the act is committed, so soon doth sentence from God go forth against the sinner, but the Execution overtakes him not (it may be) a good while after, according to that of Solomon, Sentence against an evil doer is not presently executed, 
Eccles 7. 11  it is presently sentenced, as the words imply, but not executed: so in like manner falleth it out, when a godly man prays, that as soon as the prayer arrives in Heaven (which is in an instant) so soon is the petition granted, (So Dan. 9 at the beginning of his prayer the Command came forth ver. 23. though the Angel, who brought the answer, arrived not at him till towards the end in the Evening, ver. 21.) but the real accomplishment of it may be deferred. So as no prayer in respect of an answer to it is in vain; but where God hath given a heart to speak, He hath an ear to hear, and love to return answer: which not to regard, is to take an Ordinance in vain, which is God's Name.  
And secondly, 
Reas. 2. We take the Attributes of God in vain.  not simply Gods name, as in an Ordinance made known, but also His name, that is, His Attributes are taken in vain. For it is a sign you think of that God you pray to, that either his ear is heavy, that he cannot hear: or his hand shortened, that he cannot save: or his heart straitened, and his bowels restrained, that he will not: And thus you rob him, and despoil him of one of his most royal Titles, whereby he styles himself, 
Psal. 65. 2.  a God that heareth prayers; who is so regardful of them, that in the first of Kings 8. 59 they are said to be nigh the Lord day and night, they are all before him, and he sets them in his view, as we do letters of friends which we stick in our windows, that we may remember to answer them; or lay them not out of our bosoms, that we might be sure not to forget them: so the petitions of his people, pass not out of his sight, till he sends an answer, which is called speaking here; God speaking as well in his works as in his word. But you, by your neglect herein, make an Idol God of him, such as were the vanities of the heathen, as if he had ears and heard not, eyes and saw not your need, etc. Such a God as Elias mocked, You must speak aloud, (saith he) he may be in a journey, etc. Even such a God do you make the God of heaven & earth to be, whilst you put no more confidence in him, or make no more reckoning of your prayers to him, than the heathens did of their sacrifices to their Gods. Petitioners do not only put up their requests, but use to wait at great men's doors, & inquire, and listen what answer is given unto them; and it is part of an honour to great men that we do so: and for the same end are we also to wait on God, As an acknowledgement of his greatness, and our distance from him, and dependence upon him; as the eyes of the servants look to the hand of their Masters, 
Psal. 123. 2  so do we (saith David) on thee, till thou hast mercy on us. And Psalm. 130. after he had prayed ver. 2. He saith, he waited more than they that watch for the morning, like those that having some great business to do on the morrow, long for the day light, and look often out to spy the day, so he for a glimmering, and dawning of an answer. The like we have Psal. 5. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer to thee, and look, that is, for an answer.  
Again, 
Reas. 3. If God give an answer we make him speak in vain.  3. If God doth give you an answer, if you mind it not, you let God speak to you in vain, when you do not listen to what he answers: if two men walk together, and the one, when himself hath said, and spoke what he would, listens not, but is regardless of what the other answers, he exceedingly slights the man: As non respondere pro convitio est, not to answer again is contempt, so non attendere, not to attend to what one says: Now our speaking to God by prayers, and his speaking to us by answers thereunto, and to study out his dealings with us, by comparing our prayers and his answers together, which are as Dialogues between us and him, is one great part of our walking with God. It is said of samuel's prophecy, 
1. Sam. 3. 19  that not a word of it fell to the ground: and so it may be said of our prayers; and so it ought to be of God's answers, not a word of them should fall to the ground: as there doth, if you by your observation, and listening thereunto catch them not (as Benhadads' servants are said to do Ahabs' words,) apprehend, and observe them not: & by the same reason, that you are to observe the fulfilling of God's promises, you are of your prayers also: now, 1. Kings 8. 56. it is said, not one word failed of all he promised, Solomon had observed this by a particular survey, and register made of all that God had spoken and done for them, and found not a promise unperformed: and there is the like reason both of answers to prayers, (for prayers are but putting promises into suit;) and for our observing of them: and therefore Solomon brings those words in there, to this very purpose, to confirm firm their faith in this, that no prayers made, would fail, being grounded on a promise, thereby o encourage others, and his own heart to diligence herein, as also as a motive unto God to hear him; for vers. 59 he infers upon it, Let my words be nigh thee, etc. Seeing thou always thus performest thy good word unto thy people.  
4. Yea, 
Reas. 4. God may be provoked not to answer at all.  you will provoke the Lord not to answer at all, he will forbear to answer, because he sees it will be thus in vain. When a man is talking to one that listens not to him, he will cease to answer, and leave off speaking, and so will God. So as that which the Apostle saith of faith, 
Heb. 10. 36.  that it is not enough to believe, but when you have done the will of God, you have need of patience to eke out faith, that you may inherit the promises, may be also said, and is alike true of praying: it is not enough to pray, but after you have prayed, you have need to listen for an answer, that you may receive your prayers; God will not fulfil them else. As he said, the Sermon was not done, when yet the Preacher had done, because it is not done, till practised: so our prayers are not done, when yet made, but you must further wait for, and attend the accomplishment.  
5. If you observe not his answers, 
Reas. 5. We shall not return thankes to God for hearing us.  how shall you bless God, and return thankes to him for hearing your prayers: Psal. 116. 1, 2. I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and my supplication, and therefore he goes on to thank him, throughout the whole Psalm. You are to watch unto prayer with thanksgiving: 
Col. 4. 2.  and therefore, as to watch, to observe, and recollect your own wants, which you are to pray for, that you may have matter of requests to put up, so also to observe God's answers for matter of thanksgiving; and many fill that common place head full of matter, to furnish them for petitioning, but as for this other of thanksgiving, they watch not unto it against they come to pray, nor study matter for that head also; and if any study will furnish you this way, it is the studying out of God's answers to your prayers: The reason you pray so much, and give thankes so little, is, that you mind not Gods answers: you do not study them. When we have put up a faithful prayer, God is made our debtor by promise, and we are to take notice of his payment, and give him an acknowledgement of the receipt of it, he loseth of his glory else.  
6. As God loseth, 
Reas. 6. We lose much experience.  so yourselves also the experience which you might get hereby. 
1. Of God's faithfulness to us.  1. Both experience of GOD and his faithfulness, which will cause in you, hope and confidence in God another time, when you have found him again and again answering your prayers. It was a speech of one eminent in holiness, upon occasion of the accomplishment of a great request made to God by him, That God having never denied him any request, I have tried God often, now (says he) henceforth I will trust him; if the hearing the prayers of another, will encourage us to go to God, (as Psal. 33. 5. For this cause shall every one that is godly prey unto thee) much more when we observe, and have experience that our own are heard: Therefore (says David) Psal. 116. 1, 2. The Lord hath heard me, and I will call upon him as long as I live: as if he had said, Now that God hath heard me, now I know what to do: this experiment, if I had no more, is enough to encourage me for ever to pray unto God: I have learned by it to call upon him, as long as I live. And also 2. by observing Gods answers to your prayers, 
2. Of our own hearts and ways towards him.  you will gain much insight into your own hearts, and ways, and prayers; and may thereby learn how to judge of them. So Psal. 66. 18, 19 David's ansurance that he did not regard iniquity in his heart, was strengthened by Gods having heard his prayers: for thus he reasons, If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear me: But God hath heard me. For 1. if God doth not grant your petitions, it will put you to study a reason of that his dealing: & so you will come to search into your prayers, and the carriage of your hearts therein, to see whether you did not pray amiss; according to that, Ye lust & have not, because ye ask amiss, james 4. 3. As if you send to a friend, who is punctual in that point of friendship of returning answers, and useth not to fail, and you receive no answer from him, you will begin to think there is something in it: And so also here, When a Petition is denied, you will be jealous of yourselves, & inquisitive, What should be the matter, and so by that search come to see that in your prayers, which you will learn to mend the next time. Or 2. if they be answered, yet because that therein usually God deals in a proportion with you to your prayers, (as you might perceive if you would observe his dealings with you) you would by this means come to have much insight into God's acceptation, and opinion of your ways: For you should see His dealings with you, and yours with Him, to be exceeding parallel and correspondent, and hold proportion each with other. So Psal. 18. 6. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and so verse 7, 8, etc. he goes on to describe his deliverance which was the fruit of those prayers, and then at 20, 21. verses, etc. he adds his observation upon both, According to the cleanness of my hands hath he dealt with me, etc. For with the pure thou shalt show thyself pure.  
7. You will lose much of your comfort: 
Reas. 7. We shall lose much comfort.  there is no greater joy than to see prayers answered, or to see souls converted by us, john 16. 24. Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full: the receiving answers makes joy to abound and overflow. Yea, even when we pray for others, if our prayers be answered for them, our joys are exceeding great; much more when in our own behalf: and therein, even in the smallest things which a Christian doth enjoy, doth his comfort exceed another's, that he hath them by virtue of prayers, and promises: he knows how he came by them; If stolen waters be sweet, And bread eaten in secret, 
Pro. 9 17.  etc. (as Solomon says) to wicked men; begged meat is much more sweet to godly men: yea, in the very praying for outward mercies, there is more sweetness, than they have in enjoying them. As it is joy to a good heart to see any one converted, but much more to him that is the means of it. I have no greater joy (says S. john) then that my children walk in truth: So to see God do good to his Church, and hear others prayers is a comfort, but much more to see him do it at a man's own prayers. Therefore when God restores comfort to a drooping soul, he is said, Esay 57 To restore comfort also to his mourners, that is, to those that prayed and mourned for him, as well as unto that soul itself, it being a comfort to them to see their prayers answered. Comfort it is many ways: The hear from God; as to hear from a friend, though it be but two or three words, and that about a small matter, if there be at the bottom this subscription, Your loving Father, or, Your assured friend, it satisfies abundantly: so also, To know that God is mindful of us, accepts our works, fulfils his promises: How doth it rejoice one to find another of his mind in a controversy: but that God and we should be of one mind, and concur in the desire of the same things; 
Mat. 18. 19  not two in the earth only agree, but God who is in heaven and we to agree, this rejoiceth the heart exceedingly. And thus it is when a man perceives his prayer answered. Therefore you lose much of your comfort in blessings, when you do not observe answers to your prayers.   


Chap. 2.  CHAP. 2.  
Three cases propounded: The first, concerning prayers for the Church, and for the accomplishment of such promises as may fall out in ages to come.  
NOw as for rules, and helps to find out God's meaning towards you in your prayers, and to spy out answers; and how to know when God doth any thing in answer to your prayers, this is the next thing to be handled: wherein first, I will answer some cases, and queries which may fall out in several sorts of prayers, about the answering of them▪  
1 As first, concerning prayers put up for the Church, for the accomplishment of such things as fall out in Ages to come.  
2 Concerning prayers made for others of your friends, kindred, etc.  
3 Concerning those prayers, whether for yourselves or others, wherein others join with you.  
For the first. 
§. 1. The full answer to such prayers is to come.  First, there may be some prayers, which you must be content, never yourselves to see answered in this world; the accomplishment of them not falling out in your time: such as are those you haply make for the calling of the jews, the utter downfall of God's enemies, the flourishing of the Gospel, the full purity and liberty of God's Ordinances, the particular flourishing and good of the society and place you live in: all you whose hearts are right, do treasure up many such prayers as these, and sow much of such precious seed, which you must be content to have the Church (it may be) in after Ages to reap: All which prayers are not yet lost, but will have answers: for as God is an eternal God, and Christ's righteousness an everlasting righteousness, and therefore of eternal efficacy, Dan. 9 24 Being offered up by the eternal Spirit, Heb. 9 14. So are prayers also, which are the work of the eternal Spirit of Christ, made to that God in his Name, and in him are eternally accepted, and of eternal force, and therefore may take place in after Ages. So the prayer that S. Stephen made for his persecutors, took place in Saul when S. Stephen was dead. So David's prayer against judas, Psal. 109. 8, 9 took effect above a thousand years after, as appears, Acts 1. 20. So the prayers of the Church for three hundred years in the Primitive times, That Kings might come to the knowledge of the truth, and they lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty, (which S. Paul in Nero's time exhorted unto, 1. Tim. 2. 2.) were not answered, & accomplished till Constantine's time, when the Church brought forth a Man-child. 
Revel. 12 1▪  So Esay 58. after he had exhorted to, and given directions for fasting & prayer in a right manner, he adjoineth this promise: Thou shalt raise up the foundation of many generations; thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, namely for this, because his fasting, and prayers might have influence into many ages yet to come, in the accomplishment of what was prayed for. And that which Christ says of the Apostles, reaping the fruit of S. john the Baptists ministry, and the seed he had sown, is in like manner herein verified; john 4. 37. One soweth and another reapeth. And in this sense that which the Papists say is true, that there is a common treasury of the Church, not of their merits, but of their prayers: there are bottles of tears a filling, Vials a filling to be poured out for the destruction of God's enemies: what a collection of prayers hath there been these many Ages towards it? and that may be one reason why God will do such great things towards the end of the world, even because there hath been so great a stock of prayers going, for so many ages, which is now to be returned: and herein it falls out to us in our prayers, as in their prophecies to the Prophets of old, 
1. Pet. 1. 11▪  The Spirit in them did signify the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things that are now revealed: and thus is it in the spirit of prayer, which is instead of the spirit of prophecy: for we pray through the guidance of the Spirit (who teacheth us what to ask) for many things that come to pass in after ages.  
Only at present, 
§. 2. Yet they may have an answer at present, in assurance both that they shall come to pass, and of the acceptation of our persons for them.  it may be, in prayer thou hast revealed unto thee by a secret impression made on thy spirit, that these things shall come to pass, and so hast thy faith confirmed in them, and withal an evidence, that even for thy prayers, among others, God will perform them; and that the contribution of thy prayers, doth help to make up the sum: and upon such prayers God usually for the present also testifies the acceptation of a man's person, and reveals himself most to him that he is his; as he did to Moses; he never revealed his love to Moses more, than when he prayed most for God's people. And haply thou hast that as one of thy best evidences of the uprightness of thy heart, that thou canst pray for the Churches good, though for a long time to come which thou mayest never behold with thine eyes even as David also did, and rejoiced in it. 
§. 3. And in heaven we shall rejoice at the accomplishment of them: and at the day of Judgement▪   
And when they are accomplished, and thou in heaven, thy joy will surely be the more full for these thy prayers: as at the conversion of those thou hast prayed for, so at the ruin of the Church's enemies, etc. whom thou didst pray against; For if there be joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner, (as at the birth of a new Prince and Heir of heaven) then haply in a proportion he shall rejoice most, whose prayers had most hand in it, and a special interest therein. And so as thy other works, so thy prayers follow thee, and the fruit of them, 
jer. 17. 10.  as jeremy speaks: and how ever, yet at the day of Judgement thou shalt rejoice, as well as they that enjoyed the fruit of thy prayers in their times, thou having sown the seed of their happiness; both he that sows, and he that reaps shall then rejoice together, as Christ says, john 4. 36.   


Chap. 3.  CHAP. III.  
The second Case, concerning prayers made for others: of our friends, etc. How they are answered?  
THe second case is, concerning answers to our prayers for others, for particular men, as friends, and kindred, etc. and likewise for temporal blessings.  
Pray for others you know we must: 
Pray for others we ought.  so the Elders of the Church for those that are sick, jam. 5. 15, 16. Pray one for another, says S. james: as in case a man is troubled with a lust, tell some private friend of it, Confess your sins one to another; that when a mans own prayers are not strong enough to cast it out, it may be done by the help of another's prayers joined with his. (So it follows, That ye may be healed, ver. 16. For in that sense I understand healing, in ver. 16.) So also, 1. john 5. 16. If a man see his brother sin a sin, which is not unto death, that is not against the Holy Ghost, he shall ask life for him, and God shall give him life, that sins not unto death.  
Concerning this case I give these considerations, how such prayers are answered.  
1. Consideration. 
§. 1. Such prayers for others God often granteth.  Such prayers God often heareth; why else are any such promises made? as That they shall be healed in their bodies, James 5. 15. Healed of their lusts, ver. 16. Converted to life, 1. joh. 5. 16. God hath made these to encourage us to pray, and to testify his abundant love to us; that it so overflows and runs over, that he will hear us, not only for ourselves, but for others also: which is a sign we are in extraordinary favour. So God intimates concerning Abraham, to Abimelech, Gen. 20. 7. He is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and as he was a Prophet, so we are Priests; as for ourselves, so for others also, to God our Father: and it is a prerogative we have through the fellowship we have, and communion of Christ's Priestly office, 
Revel. 1. 6.  who hath made us Kings and Priests, to prevail and intercede for others; and a special token and pledge of extraordinary love. For if God hears a man's prayers for others, much more for himself in his own behalf. So when Christ healed the man sick of the palsy, it was, as it is said, For the faith of the standers by, Matth. 9 2. He seeing their faith, said, Thy sins are forgiven thee; the meaning is, not as if for their faith sake he forgave that man his sins, 
Hab. 2. 4.  for, The just doth live by his (own) faith: but to encourage them, who out of faith brought that sick man to him; and us all in like manner to bring others, and their plaints, by prayer, before him; he therefore then took occasion to declare and pronounce forgiveness to that poor man; 
§. 2.  he therefore then said, 
Yet always they do not prevail for the party's prayer for.  Thy sins are forgiven thee.  
2. Consideration: yet secondly, prayers for others may often also not obtain the particular thing prayed for them. So samuel's prayer for Saul, 1. Sam. 15. 35. So David for his enemies, Psalm. ●7. 13.  
For it is in this, 
The reason.  as it is ●n the use of other means and ordinances for the good of others; God making such like kind of promises to our prayers herein, as he hath made to our endeavours to convert when we preach to men: that look as we preach to many, and yet but few believe, 
Rom. 10. 16.  for, Who hath believed our report? even as many as are ordained to eternal life; we become all to all, and win but some: So we pray for many, not knowing who are ordained to eternal life, which whilst we know not, we are yet to pray for them, 1. Tim. 2, 3, 4. Only as where God hath set his Ordinance of Preaching, it is more than a probable sign he hath some to convert, and usually the word takes among some, though often but a few: So when he hath stirred up our hearts to pray for others, it is a sign God will hear us for some of those we pray for: yet so as we may be denied. For God doth require it as a duty on our parts, because it is an outward means ordained by God, by which sometimes He useth to bring things to pass: but yet not as such a certain, and infallible means, as he hath tied himself universally unto, to bring the thing to pass on his part.  
And though indeed his promise to hear and accept the prayer is general and universal: 
Such promises to hear us for others, being but indefinite, not universal.  yet the promise to hear it, by granting the very thing itself prayed for, is but an indefinite promise; such as he makes to other means of doing men good, as to our admonitions and reproofs, and to our preaching, etc. He makes such promises, because sometimes he doth hear and convert by them. For instance, that promise, jam. 5. 15. of healing the sick, cannot be universal: for it might then be supposed as a truth implied in it, that sick men might never die, when as it is appointed for all men once to die, 
Heb. 9 27.  seeing it may be supposed that the Elders may at all such times of danger of death still come and pray with them: but the meaning is, that it is an Ordinance, which God hath made a gracious promise unto, because he often doth restore the sick at their prayers: and therefore upon every such particular occasion, we are to rely upon God for the performance of it, by an act of recumbency; though with an act of full assurance that we shall obtain it, we cannot; the promise being not universal, out indefinite.  
Of the like nature are all other promises of things temporal and outward, 
Illustrated by the like tenor of all promises of things temporal.  (of which we herein speak) as when God promiseth to give long life to them that honour their parents; riches and honours to them that fear Him; the tenor and purport of which promises is not, as if absolutely, infallibly, & universally God doth always perform these to those that are yet truly qualified with the conditions specified in those promises; The contrary both Scripture, instances, and common experience shows: they are therefore indefinitely meant, and so to be understood by us; for, because when ever God doth dispense any such mercies to any of his, he would do it by promise; All his ways to His being truth, that is, the fulfilling of some truth promised; and also God having purposed in his outward dispensation of things here in this world, to bestow riches and honours upon some that fear him, (though not upon all, for how then should all things fall alike to all? 
Eccles. 7. 2.  Poverty and cotempt upon them that fear God, even as well as those that fear him not.) He hath therefore indefinitely expressed His gracious dispensation herein: 
The faith towards them required to be but an indefinite act of recumbency not of assurance.  requiring answerably an act of saith (which principle in us is suited to a promise, as a faculty is to its proper object) suitable to that his meaning in the promise; That as he intended not in such promises an absolute, infallible, universal obligation of himself to the performance of them to all that fear him: so the act of faith which a man is to put forth toward this promise, in the application of it for his own particular, is not required to be an absolute, infallible persuasion, and assurance that God will bestow these outward things upon him, having these qualifications in him; but only an indefinite act (as I may so call it) of recumbency and submission; casting and adventuring ourselves upon him for the performance of it to us, not knowing but he may in his outward dispensations make it good to us, yet with submission to His good pleasure, if otherwise He disposeth it. 
Though of assurance to the promise in general, yet not in the application of it.   
It is true indeed, that that act of general assent, which faith is to give to this promise in the general abstract truth of it, is to be an assured certain persuasion and belief, that God hath made this promise, and that He certainly will, and doth perform it unto some according to his purpose expressed therein; which act of general assent, is that believing without wavering, namely of the truth of the promise in general, which S. james calls for in prayer, jam. 1. 6. But yet that special act of application (as Divines call it) required in this faith, whereby I am to rest upon it, for my own particular, is not required to be such an undoubted persuasion, as to think that I shall certainly have this particular promise in kind fulfilled to me; for the truth, purpose, and intent of the promise, is not universal, but indefinite. So as it is but an it may be (as God elsewhere expresseth such promises, as Zeph. ●. 1, 2.) That it shall be performed to me: and yet because it may be God will perform it unto me, therefore my duty is to cast myself upon God, and put in for it, with submission to His good pleasure for the performance of it to me. So that so fare as the truth and intent of it, is revealed to be infallible & certain, so far a man is bound to have an answerable act of faith, of certain and infallible persuasion towards it, as to believe without wavering that God hath made such a promise, and will perform it according to His intent in making it, which is unto some: but yet withal because the tenor of it is but indefinite, and in that respect, whether it shall be performed to me or no, is not therein certainly revealed; Therefore God requires not of me in the application of such a promise, an absolute full persuasion that He will perform it to me in such or such a manner, etc. But only an act of dependence and adherence with referring it to his wise and righteous good pleasure towards me.  
And yet again if God should at any time give a man such a special faith concerning any such particular temporal blessing for himself or another, 
Yet when God sometimes gives a special faith, than we are to be assured the thing shall be done.  than he is bound to believe it thus in particular: as when He gave power to any to work miracles, (as to his Apostles He did, with a Commission to work them,) than they were bound to believe that such and such a miracle should infallibly be wrought by them; as that the Devils should be cast out by them, etc. And therefore in this case Christ rebukes His Disciples, for not believing thus upon such particular occasions, Matth. 17. 20. And then it is also true, that if God give such a faith, He will infallibly perform it: and thus those his words are to be understood, Matth. 27. 22. Whatsoever ye ask in faith believing, 
An objection prevented.  ye shall receive, he speaks it of the faith of miracles, for 21. ver. he had said, If ye believe and doubt not, ye shall say to this Mountain, remove into the sea, and it shall be remooved: so that, when God works such a faith, and we are called to it, we are bound to believe with a certain persuasion that such a thing will be done, and it shall be done: but unto such a kind of special faith in temporal promises for ourselves or others, God doth not now always call us. If indeed at any time we did believe and doubted not, by reason of a special faith wrought by God, that GOD would remove a mountain into the Sea, or bestow any outward mercy, it should be done: for he that stirred up such a faith, would accomplish the thing: but it is not that, which God requires of believers, that they should without doubting thus believe concerning outward things; the promises thereof being not universal, but indefinite; and therefore answerably a man is not absolutely bound to believe that God will certainly bestow such a temporal blessing on him, no not though he should have the qualification, which the promise being not universal, made ●o all so qualified, but indefinite to some of such so qualified. The case is the same of believing promises made to our praying for others, which is the thing in hand.  

§. 3. Such prayers for others are often returned into our own bosom.  3. When the prayers ●re thus made out of conscience of our duty for such, whom yet God doth not intent that mercy unto, than they are returned again into our own bosoms to our advantage: even as S. Paul saith, that his rejoicing that others preached, though they lost their labour, should turn to his salvation, Phil. 1. 20. So prayers for others, though to the parties themselves we prayed for they prove in vain, yet they turn to our good So Psalm. 35. 12, 13. When his enemies were sick, David he prayed and humbled himself; and my prayers (says he) returned into my bosom David did by this his prayer in secret for his enemies, testify the sincerity of his heart to God and his true forgiveness of them (for it is the usual disposition of God's children, to pray for them that are the greatest enemies to them,) and this prayer though it did not profit them, yet it turned to David's own good, it came back, and home again to him, with blessings to himself; God delighting in, and rewarding such a disposition in his child, as much as any other; 
The Reason.  because therein we resemble Christ so truly, and show that God is our Father, and ourselves to have his bowels in us; and God stirreth up this praying disposition in his children for their enemies, not always that he means to hear them for them, but because he means to draw forth, and so have an occasion to reward those holy dispositions, which are the noblest parts of his image in them and wherewith he is so much delighted; and so their prayers return into their own bosom, and it is taken, as if they had prayed for themselves all that while. Thus in like manner, when Moses prayed so earnestly for the people of Israel, God offered to return his prayer into his own bosom, and do as much for him alone, as he had desired that God would do for them. 
Exod. 32. 10.  I will make of thee a great Nation (says God to him) for whom I will do as much for thy sake, as thou hast prayed I should do for these. As in preaching the Gospel, Christ told the Disciples, That if in any house they came to preach peace, there were not a Son of peace, Luke 10. on whom the message might take place, and their peace rest, Your peace (says he) shall return unto you again. So is it, if your prayers take not place.  

§. 4. Good often in the end casts such out of our prayers he intends not to hear us for.  4. If we have prayed long for those, whom God ●ntends not mercy unto, he will in the end cast them out of our prayers and hearts, and take our hearts off from praying for them. That which he did by a revelation from heaven to some Prophets of old, as to Samuel and jeremiah, the same he doth by a more undiscerned work; that is, by withdrawing assistance to pray for such; by withdrawing the spirit of supplication from a man, for some men, and in some businesses. Now thus he did with Samuel; Why dost thou mourn for Saul? 
The Reason.  1. Sam. 16. 1. So with jeremiah, Jer. 7. 16. Pray not for this people: and this he doth, because he is loath when his people do pray but to hear them; and would not that such precious breath as that of prayer is, should be without its full and direct success, or be in vain: therefore when he means not to hear, he lays the key of prayer out of the way, so desirous is he to give answers to every prayer. It falls out in this case of praying for another, as in reproving another. One whom God intends not good unto, God will lock up a man's heart towards such a man, that he shall not be able to reprove him, when towards another God doth enlarge it as much, where he intends good; thus it is sometimes in praying for another; so as in praying a man shall not be able to pray for, as not to reprove such a man, though his heart was to do both: but it fareth with him as God threatneth concerning Ezekiel towards that people, that he makes his tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth. 
Ezek. 3. 26.   

§. 5. God sometimes answers those prayers in some others whom we prayed not for.  5. God will hear those prayers for, and answer them in some others, in whom we shall have as much comfort, as in those we prayed for: and so it often proves and falls out. God, 
The reason.  to show he looks not as man looks, nor chooseth as he chooseth, lets our hearts be set on work to pray for the conversion or good of one he intends not mercy to; and then answers them in some other, whom He makes as dear unto us. When God had cast off Saul, still samuel's heart lingered after him, and he mourned for him: but God at the same time, when he bids him cease mourning for Saul, 1. Sam. 16. to show that yet he accepted that his mourning as it came from him; Go (says he) and anoint one of the sons of less, 1. Sam. 16. 1. Samuel desired to see a good successor in that government, and he having been their ruler, it was his special care; and he having anointed Saul, it exceedingly grieved him, that he should prove so wicked; and God saw and answered the ground of his desires; and therefore immediately upon his prayers, sent him to anoint the best King that ever was upon that Throne, who was the issue and Man-child of those his prayers. And again, when Samuel came to anoint one of the sons of jesse; when he saw Eliab, ver. 6. Surely (says he) the Lords anointed is before me: If Samuel had been to choose, he would have chosen him, and would have prayed for and desired him: but God seethe not as man seethe, ver. 7. and chooseth not as man chooseth: but in David was his prayer fully heard, and answered, and that better. So Abraham he had prayed for Ishmael; and Oh let Ishmael, live in thy sight! Gen. 17. but GOD gave him Isaac in stead of him. So perhaps thou prayest for one child more than for another, out of thy natural affection, looking on his countenance and stature; as Samuel did on Eliabs': but yet thy prayers being sincere in the ground of them, in that thou desirest a child of Promise, God therefore answers thee, though in another, for whom yet haply, thy heart was not so much stirred; who yet when he is converted, proves to thee as great a comfort; and it is as much as if that other thou didst most pray for, had been wrought upon.   


Chap. 4.  CHAP. IU.  
The third Case, about such prayers wherein others join with us. How therein to discern the influence of our own prayers.  
THe third Case to be considered is, when a man prays for something with others; or which others likewise pray for with him, so as he is not alone in it; how then should he know, that his prayers have a hand in obtaining it, as well as theirs? For in such cases Satan is apt to object; though the thing is granted indeed; yet not for thy prayers, but for the prayers of those others joined in it with thee.  

§. 1. If our hearts were affected in praying with the same holy affections wherewith others that prayed with us were.  1. If thy heart did sympathise, and accord in the same holy affections with those others in praying, than it is certain thy voice hath helped to carry it; If two agree on earth (says Christ) Matt. 18. 19 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, if they harmonially agree to play the same tune: for prayers are music in God's ears, and so called Melody to God, Ephes. 5. 19 It is not simply their agreeing in the thing prayed for, but in the affections: for it is the affections that make the consort and the melody: now if the same holy affections were touched, and struck by God's spirit in thy heart, that in theirs, than thou dost help to make up the consort; and without thee it would have been imperfect: yea, without thee the thing might not have been done; for God stands sometimes upon such a number of voices, and one voice casts it; as when he named ten righteous persons to save Sodom: when therefore the same holy motives and affections acted thee in thy prayer, which did them in theirs, it was the work of the same spirit, both in them and thee, and God hath heard thee.  
Especially if God did stir up the same secret instinct in thee, 
Especially when this sympathy is unbeknowne each to other.  to sympathise with another in praying for such a thing unbeknowne one to another, as sometimes it falls out; then surely thy prayers are in it as well as his. You shall observe sometimes a general instinct of the Spirit, put into God's people's hearts, generally to pray for or against a thing, without each others stirring up one another: even as Ezekiel by the river Chebar prophesied the same things jeremiah did at home at jerusalem. Thus against the time that Christ the Messiah came in the flesh, there was a great expectation raised up in the hearts of the godly people, to look and pray for him, Luke 2. 27. and 38.  

§. 2. By some special evidence: as first, sometimes by some notable circumstance.  2 God doth usually, & often evidence to a man, that his prayers contributed, and went among the rest towards the obtaining of it; as,  
1 By some circumstance: as for example, sometimes by ordering it so, that that man that prayed most for a thing of concernment, should have the first news of it when it comes to be accomplished: which God doth, as knowing it will be most welcome news to him. God doth herein, as we do with a friend, who we know is cordial in, and wisheth well to a business; he sends him the first word of it, who was most hearty in it, & prayed most about it. Good old Simeon, had surely been earnest in seeking the Lord, as well as the rest in jerusalem, to send the Messiah into the world, to restore and raise up the ruins of Israel, for God did reveal to him, that he should see him before he died: and therefore to evidence to him his respect to his prayers, God carried the good old man into the Temple, just at the time when the Child was brought into the Temple, for to be presented to the Lord, Luk. 2. 27, 28. And in like manner good Anna, who had served God with fasting and prayer, night and day: God ordereth it so, that she must also come in at the same instant, Luke 2. 38. By some such like peculiar circumstance or other, doth God often use to witness to a man's heart, that he hath heard him in businesses, prayed for in common with others.  

Secondly, by the hearts being filled with much joy in the accomplishment.  2. By filling the heart with much joy in the accomplishment of what a man prayed for: which is an evident argument that his prayers did move the Lord to effect it, as well as the prayers of others. Thus that good old Simeon, seeing his prayers now answered, he was even willing to die through joy; and thought he could not die in a better time, Lord now let thy servant departed in peace. For when the desires have vented and laid out much of themselves, then when the return comes home, they have an answerable part and share in the comfort of it: and as desires abounded in praying, so will joy and comfort also in the accomplishment. As when a Ship comes home, not only the chief owners, but every one that ventured shall have a share out of the return, in a proportion to the adventure: so here, though some one whom it mainly concerns hath especial interest in the mercy obtained, yet thou shalt have thy prayers out in joy from God, that the thing is granted. S. Paul had planted a Church at Thessalonica, but he could not stay to water it with his own preaching, yet when absent, he waters those Plants which he had set, with prayers, night and day; 1. Thes. 3. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly for you, says he: and as his prayers were exceeding abundant for them, so was his joy as abundant in them, when he had heard that they stood steadfast, and fell not back again; Now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord, ver. 8. And what thanks can we render to God for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes, before the Lord? ver. 9  

3 By thankfulness for it when accomplished.  3. If God give you a heart thankful for a blessing vouchsafed to another, prayed for by you with others, it is another sign your prayers have some hand in it: S. Paul knew not what thanks to give for the answering of his prayers, as in that forementioned place. Old Eli had put up but one short ejaculatory petition that we read of, for Hannah, & that was The Lord grant thy petition, 1 Sam. 1. 17. & for the return of that one prayer when Hannah related how God had answered her, ver. 26, 27. he returned solemn thankes, And he worshipped the Lord there. ver. 28.  

§ 3. Especially when the thing obtained concerns a man's own particular.  And lastly, in case the thing concerned thyself, which was prayed for by others helping thee therein, what cause hast thou but to think that it was granted for thy own prayers, and not for theirs only? seeing God stirred up their hearts to pray for thee, and gave thee a heart to pray for thyself, and beside, gave thee the thing which thou desiredst: which argues thou art beloved aswell as they, and accepted as well as they. I know this shall turn to my salvation through your prayers, saith S. Paul, Phil. 1. 19 though their prayers went to the business, yet had not S. Paul been accepted himself, the prayers of all the men in the world, would have done him but little good. God may hear the prayers of the godly, for wicked men, when they do not pray themselves, in temporal things; so he did hear Moses for Pharaoh, Abraham for Abimelech; and he may hear godly men the sooner for others prayers; so he heard Aaron and Miriam the sooner, for Moses his sake, Numb. 12. 13: But if God stirs up thy heart to pray for thyself, as well as others for thee; then God that gave thee a heart to pray, hath heard thy prayers also, and hath had a respect to them more in it then to theirs, because it concerned thyself, as a more special mercy unto thee.   


Chap. 5.  CHAP. V.  
Common directions helpful in all cases and prayers. First, from such observations as may be taken, from before, and in praying.  
HAving premised these Cases, I come now to more general and common directions to help you in discerning and observing the mind of God, and his answers to you in your prayers. All which directions are such, as may be helpful in all the forementioned cases, and in all sorts of prayers whatever. And they are taken from observations, to be made upon your prayers, etc. Both before, in, and after praying;  

§ 1. Before: when God prepares the heart to pray.  First, Before praying; when God bespeaks a prayer, (as I may so speak) that is, when God secretly speaks to the heart to pray much about a thing; I express it thus according to that phrase of David, Psal. 27. 8. Thou saidst seek my face: and I said, Thy face Lord will I seek: now God then speaks to the heart to pray, when not only he puts upon the duty by saying to the conscience, this thou oughtest to do: but Gods speaking to pray is such, as his speech at first was, when he made the world, when he said, Let there be light, and there was light: so he says, Let there be a prayer, and there is a prayer, that is, he pours upon a man a spirit of grace and supplication, a praying disposition; he puts in motives, suggests arguments and pleas to God; all which you shall find come in readily, and of themselves; and that likewise with a quickening heat, and enlargement of affections, and with a lingering, and longing, and restlessness of spirit to be alone, to pour out the soul to God, and to vent and form those motions and suggestions into a prayer, till you have laid them together, and made a prayer of them. And this is a speaking to the heart: and observe such times when God doth thus, and neglect them not; then to strike, whilst the iron is hot; thou hast then his ear, it is a special opportunity for that business, such an one as thou mayest never have the like. Suitors at Court observe mollissima fandi tempora, their times of beging, when they have Kings in a good mood, which they will be sure to take the advantage of; but especially if they should find that the King himself should begin of himself to speak of the business which they would have of him: and thus that phrase of Psal. 10. 17. is understood by some, that God prepares the heart, and causeth the ear to hear; that is, he fashions it, and composeth it into a praying frame. And sure it is a great sign that God means to hear us, 
The difference between Satan's unseasonable urging us to pray, and Gods moving us.  when himself shall thus indite the Petition.  
And by the way let me give this note of difference, between these speakings to the heart, and those whereby Satan puts us upon such duties at unseasonable hours and times; as when we are otherwise necessarily to be employed in our callings, to eat, or to sleep, etc. then to put upon praying, is a device of his he useth, to tyre out new converts with. The difference will appear in this, the devil comes in a violent imperious manner upon the conscience, but enlargeth not the heart a whit unto the duty: but whensoever God at such extraordinary by-times doth call upon us, he fits and prepares the heart, and fills the soul with holy suggestions, as materials for the duty; for whatsoever he calls to, he gives abilities withal to the thing he calls for.  
And thus usually, when he will have any great matters done & effected, he sets men's hearts a work to pray, by a kind of gracious preinstinct; he stirs them up and toucheth the strings of their hearts, by his Spirit sent down upon them: Thus against the return of the captivity he stirred up daniel's heart, Dan. 9 1. He knowing by books, the time to be near expiring was stirred up to seek God: 
Dan. 9 2.  and so he that made this Psalm, Salvation being then nigh, ver. 9 10. then God stirred him up to pray, and pen this prayer for their return: which God had foretold he would do, jer. 29. 10, 11, 12. For having promised ver. 10. I will cause you to return after seventy years: Then (says he, ver. 12.) shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you: he speaks it not only by way of command, what it was they ought to do; but as prophesying also what they should do; for than he meant to stir up their hearts; as than he did, as appears by those forementioned instances. Therefore observe what things, God, thus by an instinct doth enlarge thy heart to pray for at times, and sometimes at extraordinary by-times, when haply thou didst not think to pray about any such thing, yet he then stirred thee up most, it may be, as thou wert walking, etc. and having spare time, he draws thee into his presence and moves thee in that manner specified.  

§. 2. 2 In prayer: Gods speaking to the heart in prayer, an evidence of hearing: which may be discerned.  Now secondly: as God thus speaks to the heart to pray, so also in praying; and his speaking to the heart in prayer may be discerned by these particulars.  

1 By giving a quiet rest of spirit about the thing prayed for, in and by prayer.  1. When God quiets, and calms, and contents the heart in prayer, which is done by speaking something to the heart, though what is spoken, be not always discerned: If you should see one, who was an earnest and importunate suitor and exceeding anxious when he went in to a great man, but behold him after coming out from him contented, and quieted, and cheerful in his spirit, you would conceive that certainly something had been said to him, which gave him encouragement, satisfaction and contentment in his suit; Thus when thou goest to God, and hast been importunate in a business, (as suppose for Christ, Oh give me Christ, or else I die!) and thy desires were exceedingly up for it; But thou risest up with thy mind calmed and satisfied, and feelest the anxiousnesse, the solicitude of thy heart about the thing taken off, and dispelled; This is a good sign that God hath heard thy Prayer, and hath spoken something to thy heart, which makes it thus composed. When Hannah out of much bitterness and with strong desires (which by a long delay had been made more violent, so as her heart was much disquieted (for, Prov. 13. 12. Hope, and by the same reason, desire also deferred makes the soul sick) when out of the abundance of her grief, she had poured her soul out before the Lord, 1. Sam. 1. 16. Eli the Priest joining in prayer also for her, The Lord grant thy petition! after that prayer she found her heart so quieted, that she looked no more sad, as the Text says there; She arose quieted, and calmed, and it was that prayer, that did both fill Eli's mouth, with that word of prophecy, and her heart with quietness, and a secret word from God accompanying it, that did still those waves: and accordingly God gave her a Son, a Son of her desires. And the like God doth now, by speaking (as I said) something to the heart: as by dropping in some promise or other into the heart, or some like consideration; saying as it were to the heart, even as Eli from God did to her, The Lord grants thy petition; As to S. Paul, when he was earnest with God about removing his buffet by Satan (which whether they were the stirring up a lust, or temptations of blasphemy, I do not now dispute) I besought God thrice, that is, earnestly (says he,) that it might departed; and to this he had an answer in the mean time given him, till it should be taken away; enough to still and quiet him, so 2. Cor. 12. 8, 9 And he said, that is, in prayer the Lord did put in this consideration and promise into his thoughts, And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee, and my power is made perfect in weakness: This answer thus coming in, this promise thus seasonably suggested stayed and quieted Paul's heart. In like manner thou hast (it may be) been long praying against poverty, or the like distress, and God let's fall this or the like promise into thy heart, I will never leave thee, 
Heb. 13. 5.  nor forsake thee, which quiets and contents thy mind. This is an answer, and observe such answers, for they are precious.  

2 When God draws nigh and reveals His love in and upon such a petition.  2. If whilst thou art a praying, God doth draw nigh to thy soul, and revealeth himself to it, in and upon such, or such a particular petition. As in case thou didst mainly intent when thou didst begin to pray, to set thyself to beg some temporal mercy at his hands, some great matter for the good and prosperity of the Church (as Daniel, Chap. 9 did set himself to seek God for the return of the Captivity:) and even before thou comest to ask it, or in ask it, God smiles upon thee, welcomes thee: falleth about thy neck and kisseth thee: This thou art to observe as a sign he hears thy prayer, and accepteth both thee and it; when there is such a strong sense of God's favour, and presence, whilst thou art upon such a suit and request, more than at other times, or then in other passages of the same prayer, this is a token God hears thee, in that particular, and thou art to observe this his speaking to thy heart: When thus thou shalt no sooner come into his presence to inquire of him, but he says, Here I am, as the promise is, Esay 58. 9 Therefore, Psal. 69. 17, 18. Hear me speedily says David; and (that I may know thou hearest me) draw nigh to me: therefore when God draws nigh to thee, it is a sign he hears thee. Daniel having fasted and prayed for three weeks together, Dan. 10. 2, 3: Then an Angel came, and one of the three Persons came and told him, he was a man greatly beloved, ver. 11 and 19 when in like manner God by his Spirit comes down, and meets thee, and tells thy heart in secret that thou art His beloved, and He is thine, than thy prayers are certainly heard: for if he accepts thy person, much more thy prayers, 1. john 5. 19, 20. Men, false men, (false upon the balance, as David speaks, when they come to be tried and weighed,) they will out of cunning use suitors most kindly then, when they mean to put them off, and deny them their requests: But God who is truth and faithfulness itself, doth not use so to deal, but when he means to answer the prayer, He withal sometimes reveals his free grace most, to the end they may see and acknowledge the fountain of all, to be his everlasting love, and so take the thing granted as a fruit of it, and thereby come to be the more abundantly thankful.  
Only let me add this Caution, 
A caution: That yet this is not always an infallible sign the thing is granted, though that the prayer is accepted.  which may be of great use to you. That it is not always infallibly true, that when God draws nigh to you in a particular request, that that request in particular, shall be granted in that manner you desired, but it is a certain evidence that thy prayer is heard, and that the thing thou askest is agreeable to his will, and that he approves of thee and thy request exceedingly, and thinketh the better of thee for it, and he will give thee it, or something that is better▪ There may be herein and sometimes is a mistake of God's meaning, to think that always, than the thing shall be granted, when God draws nigh to a man: experience sometimes shows the contrary.  
Quest. But you will say, Why doth God draw so nigh if he means not to grant it?  
Answ. 1. He shows thereby His approving will of the thing prayed for. Now GOD approves many things, he decrees not. 
The reasons why God sometimes draws nigh when he grants nor the thing.  There is his approving will and his decreeing will. God may show his approving will of the thing thou askest, (as suppose it be in view a matter which is of great consequence for the Church;) which he doth for thy encouragement: but yet it follows not, that his decreeing will is for the accomplishment of that very thing in particular.  
2. God may accept the person and the prayer, when he doth not grant the thing prayed for; and by that drawing nigh witness his acceptation of thy person and the prayer. Yea,  
3. That revealing of himself is oftentimes all the answer he intended to such a prayer, and it is answer enough too, to enjoy in the stead of a particular mercy the assurance of God's love. As suppose thou didst pray against some evil coming upon his Church, which he yet intends to bring; which he did set thy heart a work to pray against, thereby to manifest the sincerity thereof; and then he seeing thee thus sincere draws nigh to thee, and tells thee, however, it shall go well with thee, and that thou art greatly beloved of Him: Thou art sometime to take this for all the answer he means to give. And this he doth sometimes also to content the heart, and prepare it for a denial in the thing: whereas, otherwise, the denial of what a Christian hath been earnest in, might occasion (as in many it doth) a questioning and doubting of God's love.  

§. 4. God some times stirs up a particular faith of assurance in some businesses.  3 When God stirs up in the heart a particular faith in a business: as sometimes He doth, and upholds the heart to wait for it, maugre all discouragements. So he did in David, Psal. 27. 3. David was then in great hazards by reason of Saul or Absalon, and those such and so often, as that to sense and outward probabilities he was like never to live quietly again at jerusalem and enjoy God's Ordinances there in peace; but for this David had prayed, and had made it as the grand request of his whole life (as every man hath some one great request of all other, even as He hath some special grace above all other, or gift, etc. so request to God next to His salvation, as haply for his Ministry, or the like, therefore says David, verse 4. This one thing have I desired) and accordingly God gave him a special faith in this thing above all other, because it was his great request, In this will I be confident▪ verse 3. And though an host of men should again and again incompasseme, says he, yet in this I will be confident, that I shall still escape, and see jerusalem again, and enjoy the Ordinances and live in peace; and though his faith failed him often (as in the persecution of Saul it did) for he said he should one day perish by the hand of Saul: 
1 Sam. 27. 1  yet at other times his faith was marvellously upheld, and he was confident in this. He used not to be so, in other requests thus absolutely particularly and distinctly, and therefore he says, In this, etc. As there is a witness of the Holy Ghost immediate to the heart, sealing up adoption to a man's person, so in some cases, there is the like testimony for the obtaining of some eminent thing we have asked. Which particular special faith, doth in a kind of similitude answer to the faith of miracles of old, whereby a man had a particular confidence, that God would do such a miracle by him: so in & by means of prayer, in some things there may be a particular strengthening & assuring the heart, that God will do such a thing for a man: which I confess is rare and extraordinary, as also that immediate testimony concerning our persons is, which many want that go to heaven. And haply this other concerning the accomplishment of special mercies, is much more rare; and but in some businesses; and is a thing which some men are not acquainted with, but yet may be in some cases existent to some men's spirits, as it was to david's in the thing mentioned.  
And concerning this also I will also add a Caution, 
A caution, that herein a conditional evidence be not taken for absolute.  as about the former. That it doth not always fall out upon all such kind of evidences made to a man's spirit, and that by God, that the thing prayed for doth come to pass. For these very persuasions stirred up by God, may be and are often but conditional, though thus immediately made to a man's spirit, and are so to be understood, and not peremptory and absolute. It cannot be imagined that all these should always be of greater absoluteness and peremptoriness, than were many of those revelations made by God to the Prophets, wherein He manifested his gracious purpose towards such a man or people, either to vouchsafe them such a mercy, or bring such a judgement; which forewarnings though they were particular and express, yet limited and intended with a condition, according to the performance, or not performance of which, it fell out, either the judgement expressly threatened was diverted, or that good thing which was as directly and fully promised, was not bestowed: as it was in the case of jonas threatening the destruction of Nineveb; and so in the promise concerning Ely's house, 1. Sam. 2. 30. I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever, but now the Lord says, it shall not be so: For they had broken the condition which was implied in it; they had despised the Lord; and them that despise me, says God there, I will despise. In like manner is God's meaning, expressed towards us in such like persuasions wrought in us by prayer, to be understood; as that such mercies will surely come to pass, but still under a condition of obedience, and performing of those vows, which a man joined with those his petitions, to move the Lord to grant the things; which if a man fail in, or ceaseth to go on to believe, it may and doth often come to pass, that things fall out contrary to that persuasion, and then we are apt to question whether it was from God or no; which it might be, and truly wrought by his Spirit and yet not always absolutely meant (that was your mistake so to take it) but conditionally only. For in such great requests of the soul unto God there use to pass mutual covenants between God and us; and Indentures are drawn and sealed unto by us, that is, we in prayer, offer and promise to do thus and thus, if God will vouchsafe us such a mercy, and plead it to God to move him to bestow it; and God, he thereupon (it may be) seals a covenant on his part to grant the thing, & works such an undoubted persuasion; but if we in that interim of waiting for that mercy, do deal falsely in that covenant which we made; and this even whilst we are yet in dependence upon God for it; whereby it appears that we would have done so much more after we should have received it once, in this case God denies the thing, and yet notwithstanding, that persuasion and evidence was from God that heard the prayer. He said indeed he would do thus and thus for thee: (as he told David, I would have given thee much more:) because thou saidst to him, thou wouldst walk thus and thus, or didst vow this or that to him; thou failest in thy word, upon which God uttered his; and thereupon says God as to Ely, Now it shall not be so, and yet God had spoken it afore, and not Satan, nor thine own heart only.  

§. 5. When God puts a restless importunity into the heart, to pray for a particular mercy.  4. When God doth put a restless importunity into the heart, maugre all discouragements. So in that Psalm 27. 4. One thing I have desired, and I will seek after it, that is, as I have sought it, so I will not leave seeking to God for it: when God maintains this in the heart, it is a sign he hears, and will answer: for you know the Parable, that the unjust judge heard her for her importunity; therefore when God puts an importunity into the heart, he means to hear.  
Only this likewise is to be added in this, 
A double importunity: one accepted, not the other.  There is a double importunity: one out of such an inordinate desire to a thing, as the heart knows not how to be without such a mercy, and so continues to ask, but asketh amiss, and so receives not, jam. 5. But there is an importunity joined with a subjection to Gods will; which when it runs along with it, than God hath stirred it up, and then look for something to come; otherwise you may be importunate, as they seek me daily, when yet God heard not, Esay 58. 2.   


Chap. 6.  CHAP. VI  
Further Observations to be made, on the dispositions and carriage of our hearts, after Prayer: until the issue of the thing prayed for.  
NExt: after thou hast prayed, observe, what God doth towards thee.  

§ 1. When God gives an obedient dependant heart, in walking before him.  As first, how he doth guide thy feet and heart after praying: there is much in that: that which was the Spirit of supplication in a man when he prayed, rests upon him as the spirit of obedience in his course; so as that dependence he hath upon God for the mercy he seeks for, is a special motive, & means to keep him fearful of offending, and diligent in duty; to look to his paths to walk and behave himself as becomes a suitor, as well as to come and pray as a suitor. Thus David, he walked by this principle, Psal. 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear me; that consideration still came in as a curb unto sin; and without this a man provokes God, and so casts himself behindhand again, and by sinning loseth what ground he had got by praying. Therefore David, Psal. 145. 8, 9, 10. when he was to pray, even as for his life, (as then he did, it being a deliverance from his enemies he sought) he specially prays God to direct him and keep him, that he might not sin against him; for he knew by sinning he should enervate and spoil all his prayers: not only hear me speedily (says he) but also Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; Teach me to do thy will; this he especially prays for, and more than for deliverance, for else he knew God would not hear him. Therefore when thou art in treaty with God for any mercy, observe, doth God still after praying keep thee in a more obedient frame of spirit? it is a sign he intends to answer thee; as in like manner, when he keeps thee from using ill means, etc. When he meant to give David the Kingdom, he kept him innocent, and his heart tender, that it smote him but for cutting off the lap of saul's garment: he was not so tender after. Therefore in Psal. 18. when he was delivered from all his enemies, he says, God dealt with him according to his uprightness: for I kept myself from mine iniquity. So also Psal. 27. 11.  

2 When God gives a heart to wait for & expect the mercy.  2 When God after prayer strengtheneth the heart to wait for the mercy. So Psal. 27. ult. David having prayed, says to his soul, Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he will strengthen thy heart. Honest men, when they nourish hopes in one that is in dependence on them, who waiteth and is obsequious upon the hopes he hath of a suit, use not to deny him: it were dishonesty in them to keep a man underhand, and then frustrate his expectations; Therefore when God keeps thy soul after praying in such a dependant frame, look for some good answer. And indeed when a man hath prayed long, in the end he gins to wait (as I may so say) rather than pray (though he pray still) because now he looks God should perform: before, and at first, he told the Lord he desired it, but now he can with some boldness tell him, that he waits for it and expects it. The hope of a godly man and his expectation should make him ashamed if it were not answered, therefore in this case answers use to come.  
Both these two last we have together joined Psa. 37. 34. Wait on the Lord, & keep his ways, and he shall exalt thee.   


Chap. 7.  CHAP. VII.  
Observations to be made after prayer, upon the issue of what was prayed for: and first, if accomplished, whether as the fruit of prayers, or out of common providence; Helps herein.  
WHen a man hath thus waited, and kept his way, then let him observe the issue and conclusion of what he sought for, how things are cast by God. Now of necessity, one of these two must fall out, that either the thing desired is accomplished, or not accomplished; and in either of these he may come to spy out answers to his prayers; for prayer may be answered, though the thing be not done.  
I mean to insist severally on these.  

§. 1. God sometimes answers the prayer fully in the way and manner desired.  1 If the thing thou prayedst for doth come to pass, then what needst thou doubt of an answer, and whether God heard thee or no? For thou beholdest it with thine eyes: and so often it falls out, that God doth grant according to the desires of a man's heart; and not only so, but also fulfils his counsel therein, as it is, Psal. 20. 4. that is, fulfils not only his desire, and aim of his prayer, but in that very way, by that very means, which his judgement and counsel pitched upon in his own thoughts. The desire of the heart may be satisfied, when God gives some other thing, but the counsel of the heart is then fulfilled, when a man is answered in that particular, which his own judgement pitched upon as best for him. For counsel is an act of the understanding, deliberating about means to an end, & directing to choose a particular means tending to an end: so that as Eliphaz says to job, 22. 27, 28. Thou shalt make thy prayer to God, and he shall hear thee: & decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee, that is, a man is guided to decree and pitch upon such mercies in his prayers, as God makes good in particular: he says what he would have, and God performs it: and this privilege thou shalt have (says Eliphaz there) if thou wilt turn to him, and be acquainted with him, and receive the Law from his mouth: thou shalt not err in praying; but what thou settest upon to pray for, shall be accordingly granted to thee▪ such a man shall have the privilege, Fingere sibi fortunam in a right sense, to be his own chooser, and carver of his own mercies; and as Christ said, Be it according to thy faith, so God says sometimes, Be it according to thy prayers; and Eliphaz speaks of it as of a special favour, that whereas other men's prayers are answered obliquely, thine says he shall be answered directly, which is more comfortable; as direct beams are, and have more heat in them then collateral and obliqne. Thus if a man will hear God and obey him, God will hear him: for if a man be subject to Christ; Kingly Office, his Prophetical Office shall guide him, and cause him not to err in his Petitions; but by an unerring providence & preinstinct infused by his spirit, God will so guide him, as to ask even that very thing which GOD intends to give; whereas of himself he knows not what, nor how to ask. So David asked long life, and God gave it him, Psal. 21. 2, 3, 4. God not only gave him his hearts desire, but the request of his lips, v. 2. Hannah asked a son, and God answered her in the very thing she desired, and therefore she called him Samuel, 1 Sam. 1. 20. Because (says she) I asked him of the Lord: and Verse 27. For this child I prayed, and the Lord (did not give another thing in stead of it, but) hath given me my Petition I asked of him. So, 1. Chro. 4. 10. labesh called on God ('tis said) and God granted him the thing he requested. And thus God often deals with his children. And to this end hath God given us his Spirit; and made Christ Wisdom unto us, who knows what is good for us, though we do not. And hath therefore also commanded us to spy out mercies for ourselves, and then come to him for them: and to this end hath made such particular promises of particular mercies, which he would have us have an eye unto in our prayers; all which is, because often he means to bestow the very things we ask.  
And yet because, 
Yet our hearts are often jealous, whether it be an answer to prayer, or out of common providence.  although we have the very things we did ask and desire, such is the jealousy & infidelity of our hearts, that we often discern not, nor acknowledge that it was our prayers, that obtained them from God: but we are apt, when once we have them, either to look but to things below, and the second causes of them, though before we did earnestly seek them of God, or else still distrustfully to question whether or no it was at our prayers that he granted them, or out of common providence. Thus job in his distemper, job 9 16▪ although I had called, and God had answered me, yet (says he) I would not believe that he had harkened to my voice, that is, not that he did it in respect to my prayer and request, because he now deals so feverely with me, For he breaketh me with a tempest, Ver. 17. And thus do our distrustful hearts, (which are apt to be unsatisfied with all the clearest pledges of God's favour, and still to misconstrue and pervert them,) although God doth answer us upon our calling upon him, yet we will not believe that he harkened to our prayer in it. Therefore that you may be further enabled to discern, how, and when things you prayed for, come in by prayer; I give you these further directions.  

§. 2. Directions to help to discern this.  1. When God doth a thing in answer to prayers, he often doth it in such a manner, that his hand may be in a more than ordinary manner seen in it. 
1 From the manner of God's performance: God discovers a more than ordinnary hand of providence in things accomplished by prayer: instanced and discovered in 5. particulars.  There are few prayers, wherein a man hath sought God much, but in the answers of them God discovers himself much, and turns many great wheels in the accomplishment of them, and manifests (as David desires, Psal. 17. 7.) his marvellous loving kindness; and indeed, when GOD hears prayers, that have been a long while a making, He shows usually half a miracle one way or other.  
Now GOD discovers his immediate hand in the answers of prayers many ways.  

1 By bringing it to pass through many difficulties.  1. When he carries a thing through many difficulties, when there were a great many cross wards in a business prayed for, the least whereof would have kept the key from turning: when GOD shall make (as it were) a key on purpose to unlock it; when God plots and contrives all the passages in a business thou didst pray for, and so accomplisheth it; This is a sign, it is a fruit of prayer, and that prayer had been a making that key all that while: So in bringing David to the Kingd me; joseph out of prison; Mordecai to honour: and likewise S. Peter out of prison, which was done at the prayers of the Church, Act. 12. He was sleeping between two soldiers: if they had waked, he had been discovered: and he was in chains, but they fall off, ver. 6. 7. And the Keepers stood before the door, but they mind him not, ver. 6. and when one watch is past, he passeth quietly through another, ver. 10. and when both those were passed, an Iron gate flies open of its own accord, ver. 10. Now such difficulties are there in many businesses, which yet in the end are accomplished by prayer: Iron chains fall off, Iron gates, enemies hearts fly open of their own accord; and though not in that miraculous manner, by the means of an Angel, yet no less wonderfully.  

Or secondly by facilitating all the means & causing them to conspire to accomplish it.  Or secondly when God facilitates all means to accomplish the thing which was prayed for, so as all means do in view conspire and combine in it, that thou hast wind and tide, and a fair day, and all the way paved; or as David says, hast thy way made plain before thee; and there falls out a great conjunction and meeting of many circumstances together to effect it, which had influence into it, whereof if any one had been wanting, haply the thing had not been done, when the thing prayed for is thus granted, prayer then hath done it. Thus, when he delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt, which was the accomplishment of their long desires and prayers, (their cry came up the Text says) how were all things facilitated! they that detained them do themselves come, and entreat them to go out, yea, are urgent, says the Text; and that at midnight: nay, hire them to go out, with their earrings; and Pharaoh himself then parts lovingly and fairly with them, and desires their prayers, 
Exod. 12. 31, 33, 35. Ver. 32.  Bless me also: Yea, to show there was no resistance, the Text says, a Dog did not move his tonguee: The bruit Creatures did not disturb them, though at midnight, when those Creatures use to be most obstreperous through noises.  

3 By bringing it to pass suddenly and unexpectedly.  3. When he doth it suddenly, and accomplisheth the thing thou hast long prayed for, ere thou art ware of it: as the return of the Captivity of Babylon, which was the conclusion of many prayers, was done in a trice, they were as men in a dream, Psal. 126. 1. they could scarce believe it was so, when it was done, it was because they had sown many prayers which came up on the sudden, ver. 5, 6. So Peter, he was fast asleep, and did not so much as dream of deliverance. So josephs' delivery out of prison, and advancement to be the greatest man in the Kingdom, the suddenness of it shown it was Gods remembering of him, and hearing his prayers.  

4 By doing above what was desired with addition of other mercies.  4. When God grants the thing with an overplus, above what we did ask, & casteth many other mercies in together with that which we long prayed for; this also may be a sign God did hear our prayers in it: for when he doth hear indeed, he useth to do above what we did ask or think, thereby the more to overcome the heart. So David asked long life, and he gave him more than he asked, Psal. 21. 2, 3, 4, 5. So Solomon he asked but wisdom, and he gave him more than he asked, Peace, Riches, Honour, and all with it, 1 Kin. 3. 12, 13. Hannah she asked but one male child, 1 Sam. 1. 10. but God gave her three sons more and two daughters, Chap. 2. 21. When prayers are answered, usually mercies come thick, they come tumbling in; the thing we prayed for comes not alone: as when sins are punished, than miseries also they come like armies in troops upon us: as temptations likewise come together, and we fall into many of them at once, 
jam. 1. 2.  as S. james speaks: Thus do mercies also.  

5 By adding some special circumstance as a token of God's special hand in it.  5. When the thing is granted by prayers, there is often some particular circumstance of providence concurrent with it, which is a token for good, and sealeth to us that it is from God; such often as a man himself takes notice of, and which others take notice of also. Show me a token for good, says David, Psal. 86. 17. that others may see it and be ashamed: and such tokens doth God often make small circumstances to be. Things small in themselves, may be magna indicia, great signs and tokens: for example Moses and Aaron, and the Israelites had long cried to GOD for the deliverance of his people, and laid up many prayers; their cry came up, as was said; and when God doth deliver them, what tokens were there of good? and of GOD'S hand in it, and of his answer to their prayers? The Text notes (as was observed before) that a dog did not bark at their going out, Exod. 11. 7. which was a small circumstance, but it was magnum indicium, and so intended by God; for the Text adds, That ye may know that God puts a difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians. This was a ●oken of God's hand, to overrule the tongues of rude bruit creatures, that use to stir at such unusual noises, and at travellers especially in the night. So when Isaac and Abraham, and his servant also, had prayed for a Wife for Isaac, see by what a token God shown he had heard their prayers; Rebekkah was the first that came out to the servant sent to bring a wife for him: and if she be the woman appointed for Isaac (says the servant) Let her offer me drink, 
Gen 23. 13, 14.  and my Camels also: this was a small thing in appearance, but a great indicium of God's hand in it, and therefore the servant bowed at it, and worshipped: and the sign in itself was such, as argued a good nature in her, and a kind courteous disposition, which therefore (it may be) he singled out, as a token of a meet wife, as a thing especially to be looked at in the marriage choice.  

§ 3. Observation from the time wherein the thing prayed for is accomplished, as,  Again, the consideration of the time, wherein the things we have asked▪ are granted, may much help us to discern, whether it be in answer to our prayers. For God who doth all things in weight and measure, shows his wisdom and love, as much in the season, as in giving the thing itself: GOD considereth all times of thy life, and still chosseth the best and fittest to answer thy prayers in, In an acceptable time have I heard thee. So Esay 49. 8. As David (in like manner says) he prayed in an acceptable time, Psal. 69. 13. So accordingly God answers in the best and most acceptable time to us; for he waits to be gracious, for he is a God of judgement, Esay 30. 18. that is, He is a wise God that knows the fittest times and seasons, wherein to show kindnesses, and to deal forth his favours in.  

1 Sometime the thing is accomplished about the time wherein we are most instant in prayer.  As first, it may be, that at that very time when thou hast been most instant and earnest, yea even whilst thou art a praying or presently after, the thing is done and accomplished. To this purpose is that of Esay 65. 24. That as sometimes he hears before they call (which argues much love to give mercies unsought) so also whilst they are speaking, I will hear, and grant the thing, which argues no less love; and he culls out that time on purpose, that they might rest assured that it was in answer to their prayer. Thus to assure Hezekiah his prayer was heard, God sent the Prophet in unto him whilst he was a praying and weeping, with his head turned towards the wall. So Isaac going out to pray in the field, meets his Rebekkah then a coming; 
Gen. 24 63  that blessing of a good Wife, being surely the great request temporal he was then in Treaty with God for: this Rebekkah was the fruit of many prayers. So when S. Peter was in prison, the Church being gathered together to pray for him, S. Peter comes and knocks at the same hour, Acts 12. from the 12. ver. to the 18. So as it often falls out herein, as to the Ruler in the Gospel, job. 4. 52. who enquiring diligently, found that the same hour that Christ had said to him, Thy son liveth, his son recovered, and so he believed, and his whole household: So also here, that sometimes the thing is done, or the news of it comes the same hour or soon after, wherein a man was praying about it, and haply then when the heart was most stirred about it, more than at any time else: this is a sign it was an answer of prayers, and may help to confirm a man's faith in it, as that also did his.  

2 When granted in the fittest time.  Or secondly, when it is the most acceptable and every way the fittest time to have the thing granted. At that time, 1. when thou hadst most need, and 2. when thy heart was most fit for it. For in answering prayers, God aims especially at two things: 1. To show his mercy, that a man might magnify and exalt that: And 2. To have the heart satisfied and filled with joy and contentment in his answer, and the thing made sweet, and a mercy indeed to him: in brief, that his goodness might be delighted in, and his mercy exalted. 
The fittest time known two ways.  And for these two purposes he culls out such times, when we have most need; and also when our hearts are most subdued, and our lusts mortified. For than we are fittest to relish his goodness alone, and not to be drawn away with the carnal sweetness that is in the thing. The one you have expressed, Esay 30. 18. He waits to be gracious to have his mercy exalted. The second intimated james 5. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, to consume upon your lusts; Such prayers, whilst the heart is in this temper, the Lord denies, or defers in mercy till the heart be weaned.  

1 When we have most need.  For the first of these: As, suppose thou didst pray long for assurance of salvation, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and when thou hadst most need of it, either when thy spirit would have failed without it, as Esay 57 16. Or against some great affliction approaching, or some great encounter with the world for the Name of Christ, than God filled thy heart with it, etc. that was the fittest time: now hath God heard thy prayer. As S. Peter he was in Prison, and had been so for many days, as appears by the fourth and fifth verses, Acts 12. God could have delivered him at any time, while the Church prayed for him, ver. 5. But God kept him in on purpose, till that very night, when in the next morning Herod meant to bring him forth to execution, and then God delivered him at the prayers of the Church; then was the most fit time; As the Psalmist says, The full time to have mercy on him was come. 
Psal. 102. 1●.  And then to receive an answer, is a sign God did it out of special love, which love he would have exalted by thee, as Esay 30. 18.  

2. When the heart was best prepared to receive it, and most weaned from it.  If 2. when thy heart was most fit for the mercy, it was granted, than art thou also heard in an acceptable time: for God doth not with hold mercies from those that are his, out of want of love; neither so much for what is past, as for the present evil disposition of their hearts, whereby they are unfit to receive them: and in this sense likewise may that be understood, that God prepareth the heart: and heareth the prayer, Psal. 10. 17.  
As first, when thy heart is most weaned from that temporal mercy (supposing it such) granted thee upon seeking of it: So David, when had he the Kingdom in possession given him? then, when he was as a weaned child, and had his high thoughts (which haply at the first news of it had risen in his mind) purged out, Psal. 131. 2. I have no high thoughts, etc. says he then; Thus, when thy heart had let all carnal ends go, and had betaken itself alone to God, for thy portion to be had alone out of him then the thing prayed for comes to pass: this was the fittest season.  
Object.. But you will be ready to say, To have a thing when my heart is taken off from it, and even contented not to have it, makes it to be as no mercy: for where there is no desire, there is no rejoicing.  
Answ. If thy desire be taken off the thing, than thou wilt rejoice the more in GOD now; and though the thing of itself should now give thee less satisfaction, yet God by the thing will give thee more, and he will make it up; for thou wilt relish his love and sweetness in it now, which is better than life, and therefore much better than that thing enjoyed; and indeed the violence of the desire before, would have made it less sweet, for the thing alone would not have filled and contented that desire, when it was an inordinate lust, and so thou wouldst have been vexed with it, rather than satisfied, and found a greater vanity in it: but now when it is become a subordinate desire unto God, that the desire is down, and the heart quieted and contented with God in the thing: the heart says as she said, I have enough. So 2. likewise thou mayst have an affliction thou prayedst long against taken off then, when thy heart was most willing to accept thy punishment (as Moses' phrase is, 
Leu. 26. 41 ) and to submit to God in it.  

§ 4. A third sort of observations, from the answerable proportion between Gods dealing in the accomplishment of it, and our prayers.  A third thing you are to observe concerning the accomplishment of the thing prayed for, whereby you may discern whether granted in answer to prayers, is, when thou seest God in his dealings with thee, and answering of thee, to deal in a kind of proportion with thy manner of praying and seeking of him, and of walking with him whilst thou were dependant on him, for such or such a mercy. And as you may see a proportion between sins and punishments, which are the rewards of them; that you can say, such a sin brought forth this affliction, it is so like the Father: so you might see the like proportion, between your prayers, and your walking with God, and Gods answers to you, and his dealings with you. So did David, Psal. 18. 24. According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me, etc. His speech notes some similitude or likeness: as for example, The more by-ends or carnal desires you had in praying, and the more you mingled of these with your holy desires, and the more want of zeal, fervency, etc. were found in your prayers, the more you shall (it may be) find of bitterness mingled with the mercy, when it is granted; and so much imperfection, and want of comfort in it: so says David in the same Psal. verse 25. 26. With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure. Pure prayers have pure blessings; & è contra: With the foward thou wilt show thyself froward: and again, as you in praying sometimes slackened and grew cold, so you might see the business in like manner to cool, and cast backward: as when Moses hands were down, Amalck prevailed; but when they were lifted up, Israel had the better, Exod. 17. 12. God let him see a proportion, which argued his prayer was the means of prevailing. A man finds in praying, that his suit sometimes sticks, and goes not on as he expected, this is because he gives not so good a fee as he was wont, and doth not ply God, and solicit him; but on the contrary, when he was stirred up to pray, then still he found things to go well: by this a man may clearly see, that it was the prayer which God did hear and regarded. Thus likewise when a man sees hills and dales in a business, fair hopes often, and then all dashed again, and the thing in the end brought to pass, let him look back upon his prayers: didst not thou in like manner just thus deal with God? When thou hadst prayed earnestly, and thought thou hadst even carried it, then dash all again, by interposing some sin, and thus again and again? Herein God would have you observe a proportion; and it may help you to discern, how, and when they are answered, and obtained by prayer; because God deals thus with you therein in such a proportion to your prayers.   


Chap. 8.  CHAP. VIII.  
Seven Observations more, from the effects which the accomplishment of the mercy hath upon the heart, etc.  

§. 1. If the thing obtained draws the heart nearer to God, and to rejoice in his favour in it, more than in the thing.  FOurthly, thou mayest discern whether they be in answer to thy prayers, by the effects upon thy heart.  
As 1. If the thing that is granted upon thy prayers, draw thy heart more near unto God, it is then certain, that it was granted as an answer to thy prayers. Things granted out of ordinary providence only, do increase our lusts, and are snares to us; as Saul gave David his daughter Michol to be a snare to him: 
Psal. 69. 22.  So their full tables are made snares: so GOD gave the Israelites their will, the things they desired, but withal gave them up to their lusts, Psal. 106. 15. he gave them their requests, but sent leanness into their souls; the Quails might fat some of their bodies that survived, yet their souls grew lean: there was a curse upon their Spirits: this new delicate food made their bodies more lustful, they did eat and drink, 
Exod. 32. 6  and rose up to play. But things obtained by prayer are sanctified to us, for every thing is sanctified by prayer, 
1. Tim. 4. 5  so as it shall not ensnare nor entangle our hearts: a thing obtained by prayer; as it came from God; so a man will return it to God, and use it for his glory: So Hannah having obtained Samuel by prayer, she returns him unto God, 1. Sam. 1. 27 28. For this child I prayed, and God gave me my petition, and therefore also I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth. If therefore thou findest this his dealing with thee, in answering thee, to be a kindly motive to cause thee to mourn for sin, and to be as a restraint against sin, it is a sign it was the fruit of prayer: Thus it wrought with David, Psal. 6. 8. Away from me ye that work iniquity: God hath heard the voice of my weeping.  
Also if thou rejoicest in God, more than in the thing obtained: so Hannah gins her song when she blesseth God for her child; My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, etc. 1. Sam. 2. 1. She rejoiceth not so much in the gift as in the giver; and his favour more in this that her prayer was answered, then in the thing obtained: this is a sign of having obtained the mercy through prayers, when it is thus sanctified unto a man's spirit.  

§. 2. Prayer answered enlargeth the heart with thankfulness.  2 Prayers answered will enlarge thy heart with thankfulness, and thus usually they do; self-love makes us more forward to pray, than to give thankes; for nature is all of the craving and taking hand: but where grace is, there will be no eminent mercy gotten with much struggling, but there will be a continued particular thankful remembrance of it a long while after, with much enlargement: and As prayers abounded, so will thanksgiving abound also. Hannah, she makes a Song, 1. Sam. 1. 2. Great blessings that are won with prayer, are worn with thankfulness: such a man will not ask new, but he will withal give thankes for old. Thankfulness, of all duties, proceeds from pure grace, therefore if the spirit stirs thee unto it, it is a sign he made the prayer; What thankes shall I render to God, for the joy I have in you, saith S. Paul, 1. Thess. 3. 9, 10? So in all his other Epistles, all those he writes to, as he prays for them, so he tells them, he gives thanks for them, and for their graces which he had prayed for. And if answering prayers for others, makes S. Paul so thankful, what when for himself? Prayer and thanks, are like the double motion of the lungs, the air that is sucked in by prayer, is breathed forth again by thanks: Is thy heart afresh enlarged, as to mourn for past sins long since committed, so in like manner, to give thankes for past mercies won with long prayers, and this for a long while after? it is a sign that they were obtained by prayer.  

§. 3. If this encourageth thee to go to God again.  3 If the mercy obtained doth encourage thee to go to GOD another time, to pray again the more confidently and fervently, it is a sign thou hast got the former that way: For the Holy Ghost having once shown thee this way of procuring mercy, hence it is, thou art thus ready to take the same course another time. Psal. 116. 2. The Lord hath heard me, and I will call on him as long as I live. I know (says he) now what course to take, if I be in any want, even to call upon him; and he calls upon others to do so too.  

§ 4. It makes a man careful to perform his vows made in prayer, to obtain it.  4 When God having heard thy prayers upon solemn vows made by thee, thy heart is made careful to pay those vows, which thou didst make in the time of thy suing to GOD for that mercy, this may be an argument to thee, the thing being granted, that thy prayer was heard. For first, it argueth, that thy heart itself doth secretly make such an account, that upon them God did grant the thing, and thou dost therefore make conscience to return all again to God in service, as the condition of thy Indentures made with him; and as an homage due, and an acknowledgement for ever, that such a mercy was won by prayer; and by this preservest the memory of the receipt of that mercy: vows being of the nature of homage: and secondly, in this also it is an evidence, that the thing was obtained by prayer, in that God calls for those vows from thee, by his Spirit in thy heart, and stirs thee up to perform them; it argues that in relation to thy prayers answered, He takes them as dues from thee, that having dispatched thy suit, He now calls for what was agreed to be given him when it should be performed. And thirdly, in that also he doth accept the payment of these thy vows of thee, he acknowledgeth that those vows and prayers were heard: for as Manoah said in another case, If he meant to have destroyed us, 
judg. 13. 23  he would not have accepted a sacrifice: so in this case it may be said, if God had not heard thy prayers, he would not have accepted thy vows after thy praying. Thus David, Psal. 66. 13, 14. I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in my trouble; the reason follows, v. 17, 19 because that Verily God hath heard me, when I cried to him: and so Eliphaz in job doth connect and hang these two together, job 22. 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows: This which he speaks of paying his vows, was not only as it was to be his duty, but also as a consequent that would follow the other, that when his prayers should be heard, he thereupon would perform his vows: for his scope is to move job to turn to God, showing what benefit would accrue to him by it, and amongst others this: The hearing his prayers, and performing his vows.  

5 If a man sees by faith, and acknowledgeth God ● sole han● in the accomplishment.  5 When thou art enabled by faith, to see clearly God's hand shown forth in the effecting of that mercy over and above the power of second causes, and to acknowledge it to his glory: for the truth is, one main cavilling reason in our blind hearts, whereby we are usually hindered and put by from apprehending our prayers to be answered, when yet the thing is done, we shall find to be, that our eyes are terminated and bounded in second causes, and not raised to see God's hand in the thing: therefore on the contrary, when God enableth thee to see that he hath done thee this kindness, so as thy mind is clear in it, this is a fruit of his hearing thy prayers: And this you will usually find to be true, that so much faith and dependence as you had upon God in prayer for the obtaining of a mercy, so much faith and acknowledgement you will have in the accomplishment of it. Parallel with this rule is that other, which in another case is usually given, that in performance of duties, so much as the soul did go out of itself to God, for strength to perform them, so much, when they are performed, will the heart acknowledge God's assistance and be humbled: And this is a sign of prayer being heard upon this ground, because God's end of hearing prayers is, that we might glorify him. So Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Therefore when the heart hath prayed much for a mercy, with dependence before the obtaining of it, and then is enabled to exalt God when it is obtained; it is a sign that God did it in relation to those prayers. For there is that connexion made between these, as between the cause and the effect, I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me. David, when he was delivered out of all his troubles, (as when he made that 18. Psal. he was, as appears by the title of it) then at the 6. verse, he relates how he had prayed, and how he was heard; and see thereupon how his heart was enlarged to acknowledge God alone to have done all, in the rest of that Psalm; so from the 27. and also from the 31. ver. When we see Angels from God, beyond the power of second causes descending, it is a sign, that prayers, as Angels, first ascended, and obtained that mercy. Thus also the Church Esay 26. having obtained those deliverances by prayer, ver. 17. (for which there she makes that song by way of thankfulness) she ascribes all unto God, ver. 12. Thou hast wrought all our works for us, and ver. 18. Verily we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth.  

§. 6. With the mercy, sometimes a special evidence comes in, that it is obtained by prayer.  6 When with the mercy there cometh the assurance of God's love, and an evidence of his favour, when GOD sends not a bare token only, but a letter also with it, to bear witness of his love, in which the token is wrapped. I need not make that a sign, for when this comes with a mercy, it carries its own evidence, you will then know well enough that it is the fruit of prayer.  

§. 7. By the event; things obtained by prayer, prove real and stable mercies.  7 Lastly, it will be evident by the event; things obtained by prayer have few thorns in them, the curse is taken out, but what comes but by ordinary providence, comes as it were up of itself alone, and like the earth untilled, is full of thorns, and briers, and many vexations: The reason is, for what comes in by prayer comes as a blessing, and so no sorrow is added to it; and also because prayer killeth those inordinate lusts, which is the cause of that vanity and vexation which is in the things enjoyed. But when the blessing of God maketh rich, he addeth no sorrow with it, Prov. 10. 22. Things long deferred, at last obtained by prayer, prove most comfortable, and in a settled manner such; they prove standing and stable blessings; and what trouble the heart was put to in the deferring, it is recompensed by the more settled constant immixed sweetness in the enjoying; prayer having long perfumed it, and the thing being steeped therein, it proves exceeding pleasant. So Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life, and heals that sickness, and abundantly comforts the heart. Thus Isaac found Rebekkah a great blessing, and a comfortable wife to him, Gen. 24. ult. Such a comfort also was Isaac to Abraham, Gen. 17. 18, 19 A son indeed, a son of laughter, as his name signifies: and such was Samuel to Hannah, she had not only a son of him, but a good son, a blessed son, a Prophet, and the Judge of the people of God: whereas jacob getting the blessing, but without prayer, how embittered was it to him, (though a blessing to him in the event) by twenty years banishment from his mother's house? When Israel themselves set up a King, but not by me, as God says, what a punishment was he to them? given in wrath, and taken away in anger: Hos. 13. 11.   


Chap. 9  CHAP. IX.  
Considerations to quiet the heart, and to help it to discern an answer to, and acceptation of the prayer when the thing is not accomplished.  

§ 1. The thing prayed for is not always granted, when yet the prayer is heard.  BUt now the next and more difficult question is, When the thing is not granted, how shall we then discern and know, that God doth notwithstanding hear the prayer?  
Concerning which, I must premise this, that it is true, that always the very thing itself desired is not granted, when yet the prayer is heard. Christ prayed, the Cup might pass from him, which though some interpret the word passing, for the short continuance of the brunt, and that therefore in that respect he was heard directly in what he asked: yet if so, why was that clause if it be possible, added? that argues his petition was for a total removal, yet with subjection to Gods will; for he knew there was no great impossibility in a short removal of it: nay, it was impossible but that it should pass, Acts 2. 24. But howsoever, it is plain in Moses, about his going into Canaan: Deut. 3. 26. I besought the Lord, says he, ver. 23. and he was angry with me, and would not hear me. ver. 26. Likewise ere I come to resolve the case, an objection is also to be removed, which is,  
That if the Spirit of GOD doth make every faithful prayer in us, as Rom. 8. 26. it is said He doth; we know not what to pray for, but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, etc. and he searcheth the deep things of God, as it is said, 1 Cor. 2. that therefore he knowing that GOD will not grant such a thing, you may think that he should not stir up the heart to pray for that which God means to deny, but always guide the heart aright, and not let us err or miss in the things we pray for. To this, in brief by way of answer.  

An objection answered:  1. The Spirit makes not prayers in us, always according to what Gods secret will and foreknowledge is, 
That though the Spirit knows God's mind, and teacheth us what to pray for; yet the thing prayed for may not be granted.  but according to his revealed will to us, both in his word, and in his providence, as things therein are presented to us, and do lie before our view, and so not always according to what he means to do, but according to what it is our duty to pray most for: for he concurres to assist us to pray, as he doth in preaching or using other such like means and Ordinances, wherein though the spirit knows whom God means to convert, whom not, yet he assists us Ministers in our spirits oftentimes as much to preach to those he means not to convert, as to those he means to convert: He dealing with us therein according to what is our duty, not according to what is his decree.  
Again, secondly, that phrase helps to answer this, when he is said to help our infirmities, and therefore not according to his own vast knowledge, doth he frame our prayers, but so, as he applies his assistance to our infirm, weak, and narrow apprehensions, and stirs up desires in us to such things, as according to our knowledge we are in duty to conceive, and which by all we can see, by what is afore us revealed in his providence, we think to be most for our good, and his glory; and God accepts such desires as from us, but yet doth for us according to the largenese of his own love.  

§. 2. A mistake to pray absolutely for such blessings as are not absolutely promised.  And so now to come to the case propounded, and therein unto helps to pacify, and direct the heart about those prayers at which the things are not granted.  
And first, how didst thou frame thy prayer for that thing which is denied thee? Didst thou pray for it absolutely, and peremptorily as simply best for thee? thou must not then think much, if such a prayer be denied, for therein thou goest beyond thy commission: but if thou didst pray for it conditionally, and with an (if) as Christ did, if it be possible (which instance is a strong ground for such kind of prayers) and not my will, but thy will be done, so, as thou didst refer it unto, and trust God's judgement in the thing, and not thine own, only didst put him in mind as thy duty was, of what was represented to thee as best for thee in view, and so left it to him to cast, and didst, refer it to His will and wisdom: 
In which when we are denied we are to rest in God's judgement as best for us and so interpret the prayer answered.  Then thy prayer may be most fully answered and heard, and yet the thing denied, and thou art to interpret, and God takes meaning and mind revealed in the event in the best sense, which way soever it falls: for otherwise, CHRIST had not been heard, when yet, the Text says, He was heard in all he feared, Hebr. 5. 7.  

§ 3. There may be a reservation in the denial, for some greater mercy.  2. Observe, if there were not a reservation in that denial, for some greater and further mercy, whereof that denial was the foundation. Thus ¹ oftentimes some great cross is prevented, by the denial of a thing, which we were urgent for: if we had had many of our desires, we had been undone: So it was a mercy to David, that his child was taken away, for whose life he was yet so earnest, who would have been but a living monument of his shame. It was also a mercy to David, that Absalon was taken away, (whom surely he prayed much for, for he loved him much) who if he had lived, might have been the ruin of him and his house. As a wicked man's deliverance and the granting his request lays a foundation, and is a reservation of him to a worse Judgement: So, the denial of a Godly man's prayer is for his greater good, and is laid as a foundation of a greater mercy: ² and again, oftentimes the very denial breaks a man's heart, and brings him nearer to God, puts him upon searching into his ways, and estate, and in his prayers to see what should be amiss therein, which alone is a great mercy; and better than the thing, seeing by the loss of that one thing he learns how to pray better, and so to obtain a hundred better things afterward. Christ desired the Cup might pass, it did not; and that was the foundation of our salvation, & the way to His glory: He being to pass through that suffering into His glory: The woman that had the bloody issue, though she used many means, and haply prayers among the rest, and all in vain, yet none took effect; that in the end she might come to Christ, and have both body and soul healed at once.  

§. 4. There may be a transmutation of the thing denied, into some other blessing that is better of the same kind.  3 Observe if there be to a transmutation and a translation or turning of ●he thing desired into some other greater blessing of the same kind: for God (all whose ways are mercy and truth to His people) doth improve, husband, and lay out the precious stocks of their prayers, to the best advantage, in things, whereby the greatest returns and gains may accrue: as old jacob laid not his Hand of blessing as joseph would have guided them, but laid the right hand upon the younger Son, whom joseph did set at his left: So often doth God take off his hand of blessing from the thing we prayed for, and lays & discovers it in another more for our good: and as God giving Isaac the power and privilege to bless a son, though Isaac he intended it for Esau, yet God unbeknown to him transmitted it to jacob, yet so, as the blessing was not lost: Thus is it in our prayers for blessings both upon ourselves and others. There is often a transmutation, never a frustration of them: which may as truly and directly be called an answer to the prayer; As if a factor beyond Sea, when the owner sends for such and such commodities, supposing them more vendible and advantageous, but the Factor knowing the state of things, and the prices, sends him ●ver in stead of them, such as shall sell better, and bring in more profit, may be said to answer his letters, and that better, then if he had sent those very commidities he writ for; Thus Abraham's prayers for Ishmael were turned for Isaac: david's for the Child to Solomon.  

§. 1. God answers to the ground of our prayers.  4 Observe if in the end God doth not answer thee still according to the ground of thy prayer: that is, see if that holy end, intention, and affection, which thou hadst in prayer, be not in the end fully satisfied, though not in the thing thou didst desire: for God answers, Secundum cardinem, according to the hinge which the prayer turns upon. As when a General is sent out with an Army, by a King or a State, who give him many particular directions, how to order and dispose, and manage the war, although in many particulars that fall out, wherein they could not foresee to give so punctual and particular directions, he swerve from the directions, yet if he keeps to the intent of their Commission, and doth what is most advantageous for their ends, he may be said to keep to his Commission. For as they say of the Law, men's leg is est lex▪ the mind of the Law is the Law, not the bare words it is printed in: so the Meaning of the Spirit is the prayer, Rom. 8. 27. and not simply the things desired, wherein we express those our desires: and still the meaning, the intent, the ground of our prayers shall be answered. To open this, the main ends, and meanings of our hearts in our requests are God's glory, the Churches good, and our own particular comfort and happiness: we can desire but comfort, and a man looketh out, and spieth out such a particular mercy, which he thinketh tends much to God's glory, and his happiness, and yet that thing is denied; yet notwithstanding God will answer him according to the meaning of his prayers, his glory shall certainly be advanced, even for that prayer of his, some other way, and his comfort made up, which is the common desire of all mankind: and thou canst have but comfort, let the thing be what it will that conveys it to thee; and God will take order that that comfort thy soul desired, thou shalt have come in one way or other, which when it doth, thou canst not but say thy prayers are heard. For as God fulfils his promises, so he hears prayers, there is the same reason of both: now God hath promised, He that leaves Father and Mother, shall have an hundred fold: not in specie, as we say, in kind, this cannot always be fulfilled, for an hundred Fathers he cannot have. God fulfils it not therefore always in the same kind, but in some other things, which shall be more than a hundred Fathers would be.  
Moses he prays he might go into Canaan, God answers the ground of his prayer, though not in the matter in it expressed and desired, and that both for Moses his comfort and his own glory; for he takes him up to heaven, the true Canaan, whereof that Canaan was but a type, and he appoints joshua a fresh and a young man, coming on in the world, and one whom Moses himself had tutored and brought up, and was his pupil, servant and attendant, Num. 6. 11, 28. and this was more for God's glory, for joshua was therein to be he type of Christ leading us to heaven, which the Law (of which Moses was the type) could not bring us unto by reason of the weakness of it; and he being young did it better: and it was not so much also for God's glory, that one man should do all; and whereas Moses desired to have the honour of it; in that his servant that attended him, and had been brought up by him, and had all from him, that he was the man should do it, was well nigh as great an honour to Moses, as if he had been the leader himself. And so David when he desired to build the Temple and an house to God, for the like reasons God denied it, but yet honoured him to prepare the materials, and to draw the pattern, as also in that his Son did it, who was therein also the like type of Christ, being a Prince of peace, but David a man of blood and war, and likewise God accepted this of David, as if he had built it, and will recompense him as much.  

§. 6. God when he denies, yet sometimes yields far in it, to give satisfaction to his child.  5. Observe, if in the thing which thou hast prayed much about, though it be denied thee, yet if God doth not endeavour to give thee (as I may so speak) all satisfaction that may be, even as if he were tender of denying thee, and therefore doth much in it for thy prayers sake, though the conclusion proves otherwise, as being against some other purpose of his, for some other ends: As when he denied Moses to go into the Land of Canaan, he did it with much respect (as I may so speak with reverence) to Moses: he yielded as far as might be, for he let him lead them, till he should come to the very borders; and he let him see that good Land, carrying him up to an hill, and (as it is thought) by a miracle enabled his sight to view the whole Land; and the man he chose to perform this work, was his servant, which was a great honour to Moses; that one brought up by him should succeed him. So when Abraham prayed for Ishmael, Oh let Ishmael live in thy sight, Gen. 17. 18. God went as far in granting his request as might be; for, says he, ver. 20. I have heard thee, and I have blessed him, and I will make him fruitful, and multiply him exceedingly, and he shall beget twelve Princes; but my covenant I will establish with Isaac. So likewise, when in casting that thing, thou didst seek at his hands, he shows an extraordinary hand in turning it; it is a sign he had a respect to thee, that he would vouchsafe to discover his hand so much in it; let the thing fall which way it will, if God's hand appear much in it, thou mayest comfortably conclude, that there is some great thing in it, and that prayer wrought that miracle in it, to dispose it so; and that there is some great reason why he denies thee, and a great respect had to thy prayers, in that he is pleased to discover so extraordinary a providence about it.  

§. 7. Observe the effects that denials have upon the heart. As first, if a man doth acknowledge God righteous in it, etc.  Lastly, look into the effect of that denial upon thine own heart; as,  
1 If thy heart be enlarged to acknowledge God, to be holy and righteous in his dealings with thee, and thine own unworthiness the cause of his denying thee. Thus we often find the Saints expressing themselves in their prayers: that Psal. 22. though typically made of Christ; yet as it was penned by David, and as it may concern his person, it may serve for an instance for this, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not: this might have made him jealous of God; but says he, Thou art holy, etc. and dealest now with me in an holy manner, and art just in it: Others have called on thee, and have been heard, though I now for my unworthiness am denied: But I am a worm. It might have put a man off, when he should think, others are heard, but not I, but it puts not him off, but humbles him, I am a worm, etc. And Thou art holy.  

Seco●●●y, if God fill the heart with a holy contentment in the denial.  2 If God fill thy heart with an holy contentment in the denial; if he speak to thy heart, as he did to Moses, when he denied him, Deut. 3. Let it suffice thee; if as to S. Paul, when he was so earnest about removing that buffeting, if thou gettest but such an answer as that to him, My grace is sufficient; or that some such like consideration is dropped in that stays thee: It was the effect of David's seven days fasting, that he did so contentedly bear the loss of the Child, which his servants thought would have overwhelmed him, 2. Sam. 12. 19, 20, 21. But a consideration was dropped in, which was the fruit of his prayer, That he should go to him, not he return hither; and his mind was comforted thereby, in so much, as it is said, ver. 24. That he comforted Bath sheba also.  

Thirdly, if the heart be thankful out of faith, when denied.  3 If thou canst be thankful to God out of faith, that God hath cast and ordered all for the best, though he hath denied thee; and although thou seest no reason, but that the thing prayed for, would have been for the best, yet art thankful upon the denial of it, out of faith resting in God's judgement in it: As David, in all those forementioned places was, Thou art holy, that inhabitest the praises of Israel; he praises God for all this: David before he did eat, after his seven days fasting for the child, arose, And went first into the Temple and worshipped, 2. Sam. 12. 20. and of what kind of worship it was, appears by his anointing himself and changing his raiment, which was in token of rejoicing and thanksgiving, and it fell out to him according to his faith, for presently after, Solomon was begotten, vers. 24.  

§. 4. If the heart be not discouraged, for continuing still to pray for other things.  4 If thou canst pray still and givest not over, although thou standest for mercies which thou missest; if when thou hast mercies granted, thou fearest most, and when denied, lovest most, and art not discouraged, thy prayers are heard, Psal. 80. 4. Though God seemed angry with their prayers, yet they pray, and expostulate with him, and give not over, for they made that Psalm as a Prayer, And how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? So Psal. 44. 17. Though we are cast among Dragons, ye we have not been false in thy Covenant. So say thou, I will pray still, though I never have an answer in this life. It moves ingenuous natures to see men take repulses and denials well, which proud persons will not do: and so it moves God.   


Chap. 10  CHAP. X.  
Application: A reproof of those that pray, but look not after the return of their prayers: The causes of this neglect.  
THe use of all is, 
A reproof of those that pray, but look not after the return of their prayers.  to reprove those, who put up prayers, and are earnest in begging, but look not after them when they have done, no more than if they had not prayed: who still venture, & have a great stock of prayers going, but look not after the returns that are made, cast not up their come in and gainings by prayers; and when they have prayed, sit down discouraged, as not making account in earnest that ever they shall hear of their prayers again, even as if they had been but as words cast away: as beating the air; as bread cast upon the waters, which they think sinks, or is carried away, and they shall find it no more; but herein you despise God's Ordinance, and err, not knowing the power of prayers; and ye contemn the Lord But you will say as they in the Prophet said, Wherein in do we contemn him? if you asked a man a question, and when you had done, did turn your back upon him, as scoffing Pilate asked in scorn of Christ, What is truth? but would not stay for an answer, did you not contemn him? as not to answer when a question is asked you, is contempt, so not to regard the answer made, when you have been earnest in begging, is no less contempt also: if you had writ letters to a very friend about important business, and had earnestly solicited him for an answer, and he were careful in due time to send one, if you should make account to hear of him no more, should you not wrong him in your thoughts? Or if he did write, if you should not vouchsafe to read over his answer, were it not a contempt of him? so is it here, when you have been earnest with God for blessings, and regard not the answer: and because verily this is a fault among us, I will therefore endeavour to discover to you the causes and discouragements, 
The causes of this neglect, are of two sorts.  which though they keep you not from praying, yet from this earnest expectation, and real, and true making account to hear of answers of your prayers; only my scope is, not to show you so much the reasons, why God denies you many requests, as why even in your own hearts you are discouraged after you have prayed, as if they would not be answered, although God doth answer them. These discouragements are partly temptations, partly sinful impediments wherein we are more faulty.  

1 Temptations, want of assurance; as 1. That because your persons are not accepted your prayers are not.  1 Because your assurance that your persons are accepted, is weak, therefore your confidence that your prayers are heard, is weak also: For as God doth first accept the person, and then our prayers: so the belief, that God doth accept our person is that which also upholds our hearts in confidence that our prayers shall be granted: this you may find in 1 john 5. 13, 14, 15. in the 13. vers. he says. These things have I written to you, that ye may know you have eternal life: and upon that assurance this will follow, Vers. 14, 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us, etc. And if we know he hears us, we know we have the petitions we desired of him. Mark how he links these three together, as effects and consequences each of other. 1. These things I writ unto you, that you may be assured, that life and heaven is yours, as in 12. and 13. verses. And upon that 2. this confidence will follow in your hearts, That God hears you, that is, that you have his ears open to you, and his heart enlarged towards you: and then 3. if you be assured that God hears you, then from this will follow an assurance, that You shall have any thing granted you desire; yea, and he makes this one of the main and immediate effects of Assurance of justification; therefore he says, this is the confidence that we have in him; that is, this effect there is of this confidence, for whereas they might say, what benefit will accrue to us by this assurance? why this says he, which is one of the great and main privileges of a Christian, even assurance that God will hear him; and not only so, but grant him all his prayers. For when a man is assured God hath given him his Son, he will then easily be induced to believe and expect, How shall he not with him give me all things? Rom. 8. 32. If once he looks upon God as a Father, he will then easily conceive that which Christ says, If Fathers that are evil can give good things to their Children, how much more shall not your Father give his spirit, and all good things to them that ask them: and if he gave his Son, when we did not pray to him, how much more shall he not with him give us all things we pray for? If a man comes to sue to any man whose mind he knew not, whether he loved him or not, he would have small hope or expectation of having his suit granted, though he came again and again; but if he be assured he is in favour with him, according to that degree of favour, he supposeth himself to stand in with him, he is assured and confident of obtaining his request.  

2 Of the weakness of our prayers: which is answered by three things.  2 Discouragement is the weakness of their prayers: though a man thinks his person is accepted, yet alas says he, my prayers are so poor and weak, as surely God will never regard them. To remove which, let me first ask thee this question: Dost thou pray with all thy might? then though that thy might be weak in itself, and in thine own apprehension such, yet because it is all the might which thou hast, and which grace hath in thee, it shall be accepted. For God accepts according to what a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 2 Cor. 8. 12.  
2. Thou art to consider that God doth not hear thee for thy prayers sake, though not without them, but for his Names sake, and his Son's sake, and because thou art his child, as the mother when her child cries (suppose it be a weak child) doth not neglect to hear and relieve it: but tenders it not because it doth cry more loud, but because it cries; and pities it the more the weaker it is.  
3. Again, though the performance in itself be weak, yet considered as a prayer, it may be strong, because a weak prayer may set the strong God a work, as faith for the act of it, as produced by us may be weak, yet because its object is Christ, therefore it justifies: so it is in prayer, it prevails, not because of the performance itself, but because of the name, which it is put up in, even Christ's name; and therefore as a weak faith justifies, so a weak prayer prevails as well as a stronger; and both for the like reason in both, for faith attributes all to God, and so doth prayer; for as faith is merely a receiving grace, so prayer a begging grace. And therefore dost thou think thy prayers are accepted at all, notwithstanding their weakness? if that they are accepted, than they must be accepted as prayers, now if they be accepted as prayers, then as effectual motives to prevail with God to grant the thing you ask; for if he should not accept them to that end, for which they were ordained, it is as if he accepted them not at all. As therefore when he approves of any man's faith as true and sincere, he approves and accepts of it to that purpose, for which it was ordained, which is to save and justify, and to this end doth as fully accept the weakest act of faith, as the strongest; so is it with their prayers, which being ordained as a means to obtain mercies from him, if he accepts them at all, it is with relation to the accomplishment of them, which is their end.  
4. Men are mistaken in judging of the weakness of their prayers, they judge of the weakness of their prayers by their expressions, and gifts in performing them, or by the stirring and overflow of affections, whereas the strength & vigour of prayer should be estimated from the faith, the sincerity, the obedience, the desires expressed in it. As it is not the loudness of a Preachers voice, but the weight and holiness of the matter, and spirit of the Preacher, that moves a wise, and an intelligent hearer: so not gifts, but graces in prayers are they that move the Lord. The strength of prayer lies not in words, but in that it is fitted to prevail with God; one prayer is not more strong than another, further than it is so framed as it hath power with God more or less; as of jacob it is said, he had power with God, Hos. 12. Now prayers move God, not as an Orator moves his hearers, but as a child moves his father: two words of a child humbled, and crying at his father's feet, will prevail more then penned orations. Rom. 8. It is the meaning of the spirit, that God looks unto, more than the expressions: for the groans there are said to be unutterable. Hezechiahs' expressions were so rude and broken, that he says, Esay 38. 14. that he did but chatter, (he being then sick,) even as a crane, yet God heard them.  

3. So often failings of answers: answered by four things.  A third discouragement is failings of answers; I have prayed often and long, and I have been seldom or never answered, and therefore I make little account of my prayers, that they are heard: others have the revenues of their prayers coming in, but I do miss whatsoever almost I stand for: Therefore say they as those, Why have we fasted, and thou regardest it not? Isay 58. 3.  
To remove this, consider, 1. That thou hast the more reason to wait, for thou hast the more answers to come: for as wicked men treasure up wrath, so do godly men mercy, and especially by their prayers; & therefore mercies, and answers do often come thick together, even as afflictions also do.  
Suppose thou shouldst have few answers concerning the things thou seekest for here, either in praying for thyself or others, yet thy reward is with the Lord. It is in praying as in preaching, a man may preach faithfully many a year, and yet not convert a soul, and yet a man is not to give over waiting, but to observe after every Sermon what good is done, and whether God will give men repentance, as it is, 2 Tim. 2. 25. And if none be converted, yet as Esay 49. 4. A man's reward is with the Lord. Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 1 Cor. 3. 8. and not according to the success of his labour only. So it is in praying, though thou missest again and again, & nothing succeeds thou prayest for, yet be not discouraged, for thy reward is with the Lord, which will come in one day.  
3. God doth it, not that he hears thee not, but to try thee; for a man to say as David says, Psal. 116. 1, 2. God hath heard my prayer, therefore I will call upon him as long as I live, that is nothing so much as to be able to say, Well, I have prayed thus long, and for these many things, and never sped, and yet I will call upon him whilst I live, though I find no answer in this life. To find come in, in a trade, and yet to hold out trading still, argues not so much faithfulness in a man's calling, as when a man hath losses, and casting behind hand, and yet to follow it.  
4. God usually stays so long that we have done expecting, Luke 18. 8. The Elect cry day and night, but God stays so long, ver. 7. that when he comes he finds not faith, they have done expecting, have forgot their prayers, and then he doth things, 
Isai. 64.  they looked not for.  

§ 2. A 2. cause, are sinful discouragements, which are three.  Other discouragements there are wherein we ourselves are more faulty, and which are our sins, more than our temptations, which yet weaken the expectation of having our prayers answered: as,  

1 Slothfulness in prayer.  1 Slothfulness in prayer, when we do not put to all our might in praying, and then no wonder, we do not only not obtain, but that our own hearts misgive us, that we look for little success and issue of such prayers, Qui frigidè rogat, docet negare; he that shows himself cold in a suit, teaches him he sues to to deny him; if we see one seeking to us faintly, and slightly, we are not then solicitous to deny him, but think he will be easily put off, and not think much; so accordingly when we shall observe so much by our selves, and see ourselves slothful in praying, and praying as if we prayed not, no wonder if by reason of that consciousness, we look not after the success of such prayers, which in the performance we slighted; when we pray, as if we were willing to be denied, we knowing that the Scripture says, that the fervent prayer only prevails, that prayer which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that sets all the faculties on work, james 5. 16. How should we then expect that God should grant any good thing to us? For though God sells nothing to us for our prayers, but gives freely, yet he would have his gifts accepted: now without large desires, and long they would not be accepted: and what is fervent prayer, but the expression of such fervent desires? jacob wrestled when he obtained: many seek to enter, says Christ, but you must strive. Now when we know these things, and yet are slothful, how can we expect any answers at all? will not the consciousness of it quell all our expectations? and hence it comes to pass that God proportioning his dealings with us to our prayers, because we seem to pray, and yet pray not to purpose, therefore God he sometimes seems like one asleep, and then sometimes to wake, and make fair offers to help, and yet falls as it were asleep again, because we were thus drowsy in our prayers; those prayers that awaken God, must awaken us: Those prayers that stir God, must first stir us to lay hold on God as Isaiah speaks: as obedience strengthens faith and assurance, so fervency in prayer begets confidence of being heard. In all other things slothfulness doth discourage and weaken expectation: doth any man expect that riches should come upon him when he doth his business negligently? for it is the diligent hand that maketh rich: doth any man expect a crop and a harvest, if he takes not pains to blow, and sow his Corn? no more if you do not take pains with your hearts in Prayer, can you expect an answer, or indeed will you.  

2 Discouragement: looking at prayer as a duty rather than as a means to obtain blessings.  2 Cause: or sinful discouragement herein, is looking at prayer only as a duty to be performed, and so performing it as a task, and not so much out of desires stirred up after the things to be obtained, nor out of faith that we shall obtain them; which is as if a Physician having a sick servant, to whom he prescribeth, and commandeth to take some physic to cure him, and his man should take it indeed because it is commanded and prescribed by his master, looking at it as an act of duty as he obeys him in other businesses, but not as looking at it as a medicine, or means, that will have any work upon him to cure him, and therefore orders himself as if he had taken no such thing. Thus do most in the world pray to God, take prayer as a prescription only, but not as a means: they come to God daily, but as to a Master only in this performance, not as to a Father, and thus doing, no wonder if they look for little effect of prayers: for our expectation never exceeds or reaches further than our end and intention, which we had in any business. If I perform any Ordinance, but as a duty, than I rest therein, and expect no further: as if a man preacheth for filthy lucre only, he performs his duty and then looks for his hire, but looks not after any other effect of his Sermons: so nor will men do after their prayers for answers to them when they perform them as duties only. Now to help you in this, you are to look to two things in prayer. 
A direction. Two things to be looked at in praying. Acommand. A promise.  First to a command from God. Secondly to the promise of God: and so to consider it in a double relation, first as a duty, in respect to the Command, secondly as a means to obtain or procure blessings at God's hand in relation to his promise: therefore in prayer, first an act of obedience, secondly an act of faith is to be exercised, ask in faith nothing wavering, jam. 1. Now the most in the world perform it as an act of obedience only, and so rest in the present performance and acceptation of it, but if a man pray in faith, he will pray with an eye to the promises; and look on prayer as a means for time to come to obtain such or such a mercy at God's hands; and if so, than he is not satisfied till he hath an answer of his prayers, and till then will wait, as the Church says, She would wait till he did arise and plead her cause.  

3 Discouragement; falling into sins again after praying.  A third sinful discouragement is returning to sins after prayers, when a man hath prayed for some mercy, and riseth full of much confidence that his prayers are heard, and so a while he walks, yet falling into a sin, that sin doth dash all his hopes, undoes his prayers, (as he thinks) and calls them back again, meets as it were with the answer, which is God's messenger, and causeth it to return to heaven again. How often when God had even granted a petition, and the decree was a coming forth, and the grant newly written, and the seal a setting to it, but an act of treason coming between, stops it in the seal, and defers it, blots and blurreth all, both prayer and grant when newly written, and leaves a guilt in the mind, which quells our hopes, and then we look no more after our prayers; and this especially if when we were a sinning, such a thought came in, (as often it doth to restrain us) are you not in dependence upon God for such a mercy, and have prayed for it, and are fair for it, how then dare you do this, and sin against him? when in this case the heart goes on, this blots all the prayer, and discourageth a man; for saith the conscience, will God hear sinners? (as he said.) And thus fare it is true that sinning thus between, interrupts and hinders the obtaining our petitions, that answerably as we do thus dash and betray and undo our prayers, 
The answer to it.  so in a proportion, we find in the way to our obtaining the thing we prayed for, so many rubs and difficulties do arise; for as we lay blocks in God's way coming towards us to do us good, so he in ours: therefore often when a business goes prosperously on, and we think we shall carry it, comes some accident between the cup and the lip, that casts all behind hand again, because answerably we dealt with God. For when we had prayed, and were encouraged and in good hopes, then by some sin or other we spoilt all, and bereft ourselves of our expectation. But yet this you are to consider, that as in the end praying useth to overcome sin in God's Children, so also God in the end overcomes difficulties, and brings the matter to pass: and know it is not sins passed so much that hinder the prayers of God's people, as the present unfitness and indisposition of their hearts for mercy.    

TIDINGS OF PEACE TO BEE SPOKEN to Consciences distressed.  Psal. 85. ver. 8. — God will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints, etc.— 
THE main thing intended to be insisted upon out of these words is dispatched, yet that I may not leave so fair and fruitful a crop still standing upon the ground unreaped, I will go on more briefly to have in the rest of that harvest the Text affords.  
This Psalm (as was said) was penned as a Prophecy of and prayer for the return of God's people out of the Captivity of Babylon, and the settling and establishment of that Church and State upon its former Basis, yet so as therein there is a further and more especial aim had to the peace and glory to be brought in by Christ, till when this Prophecy otherwise had but a poor and slender accomplishment, in regard of much outward glory or peace that that Church enjoyed.  
And therefore the peace here spoken of and promised for the present is to be extended largelier than to outward prosperity, or an happy issue out of that calamity, even to speaking peace to drooping and weatherbeaten consciences: and accordingly we find this kind of peace to have been specially promised by the Prophet Isaiah to the people at their return out of the Captivity, both in Isaiah 48. from 20. to the end, and Isaiah the 57 from the 14. to the end, there being many broken hearts that had wanted the light of God's countenance long, having been during the Captivity, banished from the Ordinances of the Temple, hanging up their harps mourning, whose thoughts were as if God had meant to destroy them, as appears jer. 29. 11. who afterwards were refreshed with in ward peace, at the restauration of those Ordinances, as well as with outward, as by those places doth appear. Therefore in relation to this kind of peace only I will at this time handle the words.  
In the words you have a discovery of God's proceed in treating of peace or proclaiming war with his people and subjects.  
Obser. 1 1. You see that sometimes God doth not seake peace to his own children. This was their state for the present, when this Psalm was penned: He will speak peace, therefore at present he did not; yea, it may incline us to think that God at present spoke the contrary, for the Prophet speaks this by faith, as contrary to sense, and present experience; he believes God intends to come again to a treaty of peace, though now he seems to have nothing but anger, and blood, and war in his looks, speeches, and actions; and to threaten and proclaim war, and take up Arms against them. And thus God often deals with his own Children, whether a people or a particular man: so with a nation, Esay 63. 10. They rebelled, and he fought against them: so with a particular man, God frowned upon and rated his Child Ephraim, and spoke bitter things against him, (it is the phrase used, jer. 31. 20.) though yet Ephraim is my pleasant Child says he: David had not a good word from him a long time, Psal. 51. 8. Make me to hear again of joy and gladness. And Psal. 50 7. Hear oh my people, and I will speak, but not against them they might hope, because he owns them for his people: Hear oh Israel, and I will testify against thee: and yet it follows, I am the Lord thy God. job (says, he did not speak only against him, but also wrote bitter things, he wrote as it were books against: him, job 13. 26. he writing over in his Conscience the sins of his youth in letters of blood and wrath and terrors for them.  
Obser. 2 There must needs be some great reason for this they being his people, which is the second thing that is intimated, and may be observed out of these words, namely, the reason, or moving cause provoking God thus to interrupt the peace of his people: they had fallen into some gross folly or other, some sinful inordinate dispositions had been indulged unto, and nourished in them, which is usually, though not always, the cause of this his dealing: this is evident by this, that the conclusion of their peace, when it is made up again hath this clause, as the only article of reconciliation between them, that they return no more to folly, implying they had formerly run out into some inordinacy, which to reduce them from, God had taken up arms against them, and thereby taught them wisdom to take heed of losing, and then buying peace at so dear a rate again. And indeed all the quarrels, that God hath against a Nation, a particular place, or person, that belongs to him, do begin there; They rebelled, and He fought against them, Esay 63. 8. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, Isa 57  
Reason. The reason is, for anger is out of love as well as hatred, which therefore he expresseth though with grief, he should be put to quarrel with those, he hath set himself to love. And as wicked men, whom he always hates, may out of his patience have a truce; so on the contrary, with his own, God may take up a quarrel, yet He loves them, & remembers them with everlasting kindness.  
The Uses of both are these.  
Use 1 1 As peace with God is dear to you, so to take heed of turning unto folly. Only take this advertisement, that they are not mere follies or ignorances that do interrupt or break the peace: as it is not simply the outrage of some Pirates that will cause two States at peace to enter into a war, unless that State consent to their act, and maintain them in their rapine. So it is not simply the rising of lusts that war in our members against the Law of the mind, that break the peace between God and us, unless they be approved of, and consented unto, nourished and maintained with some presumption; whilst we maintain, and take up a constant fight against God's enemies in us, and disavow the outrageous rise of our lusts, the peace may hold and often doth; for whilst we are not at peace with sin, God may be at peace with us and our Spirits; but so much peace as we give them, so much war God takes up.  
Use 2 The second Use is: Doth God take up quarrels against His own? then upon any breach made, go forth to meet Him: It is Saint Paul's exhortation, not to let the Sun go down upon thy wrath, but to reconcile thyself ere night, with thy offended brother; but I turn the exhortation, Let not the Sun go down upon God's wrath towards thee; but every day make and renew thy peace with God, ere thou sleepest, that as David says, thou mayest lie down and sleep in peace, Psal. 4. 8.  
Use 3 The third Use: If the peace of Gods own people be thus often interrupted, who yet are the Sons of peace: Luk. 10. what wrath is reserved for the children of disobedience, 
Ephes. 2. 2.  and open Rebels? that are children of wrath, because of disobedience. There is no peace to the wicked, says my God, Esa. 57 God is a preparing against thee, who ever thou art, that goest on in sin, if thou turn not, Psal. 7. 13. thou art pressed for hell, and art thither bound, to encounter with the wrath of the great God, thither where no truce is to be had, there is no discharge in that war, as Solomon says, Eccles. 8. 8. Think of this, you that sin, and will sinne; whose peace is not struck up between God and you, who never yet so much as entered into any treaty of peace with God, who never apprehended God and yourselves at odds.  
Obser. 3 The third thing to be observed out of the Text is this; That when the Child of God wants peace, he can have no peace till God speak it; God must speak peace, if ever his people have it: therefore says he here, I will hear what God will speak: he speaks in opposition to the voice of man, and the help of second causes, and of all means whatever, which in time of distress, of themselves can do no good.  
Reas. 1 Reason first: Because God is the King of all the world, the Sovereign Lord of all. Now treaties of war and peace are the prerogative of Kings, and of them alone: they may consult with their subjects about establishing good Laws, as they use to do, etc. but the proclaiming War and Peace with foreign States, they have ever held in their own hands; and so doth God who is the King of Kings.  
Reas. 2 Secondly, because God is the Judge of all the world and the party offended, at whose suit all arrests and controversies do come; now when a condemned man stands at the bar, let all the standers by say what they will, bid him be of good comfort, and tell him that his cause will go well, yet till he hear the Judge himself speak as much, he cannot be at rest in his mind: the Judge only can acquit him and absolve him The King alone speaks pardons; and so doth God peace; all afflictions are his arrests; thou must therefore make thy peace with him, if thou wilt be at peace.  
Reas. 3 Thirdly, peace especially of conscience, is a thing must be created, for our hearts of themselves are full of nothing but turmoil; as the raging sea, which cannot rest. I create the fruit of the lips, peace. Isaiah 57 19 men may speak it, but I must create it; A word of power, such as went forth when light was created, must go forth from God, or else there is no peace; for otherwise our hearts are as the sea, that rests not.  
Reas. 4 Fourthly, the wounds of conscience which are in God's people, are of that quality, that none but God can cure them; for, the chief thing that wounds them, is the loss of God's favour, not simply his wrath: for it is the glory of God, and his favour, not self-love only that makes them seek him; therefore nothing gives peace, but the restoring of his favour, and the light of his countenance; the same dart that wounded, must heal again; Isay 57 I smote him, and I will heal him: And as one that is sick with love, when love is the disease, no physic, no persuasion of friends can cure it, nothing but only the love of the party beloved; so when a soul is wounded for the loss of God's love, not all the things in the world can cure the heart, but one word from him, one good look, one promise from him that we are his, stills all, and only can give peace. Like to a poor child, that cries for its mother, let who will dandle it, and play with it, and use it never so kindly, yet it will not be stilled till the mother comes; so it is with a poor soul that cries after God day and night.  
Use 1 1 Use. In case thou art in distress, especially of spirit, and want of peace of Conscience, wait upon GOD, in the use of means for peace; friends may come to thee, and say, Why shouldest thou be troubled? thou hast no such cause to be cast down; but all these are miserable comforters, (as job said) unless God speak peace: David heard by the Prophet Nathan that his sin was pardoned, but yet his soul was not at quiet, till God would second it immediately by his Spirit; therefore says he, when Nathan had been with him, Psal. 51. 8. Make me to hear of joy and gladness. Art thou baited with hellish blasphemies cast into thy soul? God must speak peace, and rebuke Satan for thee, and take him off thee; all thy friends, all the men in the world cannot do it; they can only say as the Archangel said, The Lord rebuke thee. And he can as easily do it, as he did rebuke Laban, and forbade him speaking roughly to jacob, the same charge he can give in an instant to Satan: therefore wait upon God, and look up to him.  
Use 2 2 Consider this against the time you come to die; all your desire is to die in peace, and, Oh let thy servant departed in peace! is the speech and desire of all; But who is it, that must speak peace to you then? God only. At death you will send for a good Minister, or a good friend, to give you some comfort, (as you call it) but, if God will not speak it, how can they? if you could call all the Angels out of Heaven, and all the Saints both in earth, and Heaven; and so could have all that whole College of Physicians about you, and they, should desire to comfort you with all their cordials; yet if God will not speak it, who is able to do it? job 34. 29. If he hides his face, who can behold him? None can show his face, as the opposition in the next words shows. False daubers may come to you, & say, Peace, peace, as they in the Prophet said; but listen what God will speak, he only must, and can do it; and be sure you make sure of him before you come to die. Would any wise Prince defer the treaty of peace with his enemy, till he come into the field, and when the battle is begun? how foolish then are those, who neglect seeking after God, till the assault of death comes, and the King of fears with all his terrors, hath encompassed them round?  
Obser. 4 4. Observation is, that let God's people be in never so great distress, yet it is an easy thing for God to give peace to them; mark the expression used here, It is but speaking peace, that is, it is as easy for him to give peace, as it is for you to speak a word; it is no more to him: Then, our comfort is, that as he only must do it; so he easily can do it, even with a word.  
Reas. 1 Reason 1. Because his speaking is creating: if he speaks, he makes things to be, even with a word; as at first, he did but say, Let there be light, and there was light; so still, if he but say, Let there be peace, there is peace: he made all, and upholds all by the word of his power. As therefore when the storm was at its height, and the waves most raging, yet at one word of Christ's, they were all still: The sea and the winds obey him: so, when tentations are most fierce, and the doubts of thine own heart most tumultuous, and raging, a word from him, can still them.  
Reas. 2 Secondly, because the light, which God gives to a man's spirit, when he speaks peace, is a sure and infallible light, and therefore a satisfying light; so as when it comes, it must needs give peace; and no objection, no tentation can darken or obscure it, when it shines: If he give quietness, who can trouble? says he in job 34. 29. No creature is able to separate from his love, or the assurance of it.  
1 It is a certain and infallible light, which God gives, when he speaks peace; The anointing from above, which enlighteneth a man's eyes, is truth, and is no lie, 1. joh. 2. 27. that is, in teaching a man (of which he there speaks, not only what he is in himself, but what he is in teaching us) he doth it so, as a man is not deluded by it, and therefore it is added, None else need teach him; for did the spirit, (when he did speak peace) speak so, as that that man to whom it is spoken, did not infallibly apprehend it, he should speak in vain: for so the Apostle reasons in case of unknown tongues, that if a trumpet give an uncertain sound; or a man speaks so, as it shall not be known what he speaks, he beats the air: 1. Cor. 14. 9 Now therefore surely God, when he speaks peace, speaks it so infallibly, and distinctly, that the soul knows the meaning of it; It is not a voice else; for, says the Apostle there, ver. 10. The end of all voices is to signify, and therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, he shall be as a Barbarian, that speaks to me: ver. 11. especially when the speaker undertakes to be a witness, as the Holy Ghost in speaking peace is, 1. john 5. 6. Now to witness, is such a testimony, as is taken for infallible, for the end of it is to put an end to the controversy, and it ends the strife between man and man; now the Holy Ghost when he speaks, speaks as a witness, and therefore puts an end to a man's doubts: he speaks infallibly.  
And therefore in the second place, it is a satisfying light also; it is such a light, as dispels darkness, as answers all objections; and so speaks peace home. As in a question, and Controversy in Divinity, or Logic, when some one bottom truth is understood, a man hath a light, which goes through all the Objections, and answers them all; such a light doth the Spirit give to a poor distressed soul, about the great controversy of his own salvation, when he doth speak peace; he gives such a light, as satisfies the mind, as lets him see that in God's free grace, and in Christ, which doth answer to all, he, or all the devils can say against him, from what wants, or objections are in himself. He openeth, and no man, nor devil, is able to shut: And therefore when he doth speak peace, his testimony is taken and believed: If we receive the witness of men, and rest in it: 1. john 5. 9 The witness of God is greater, that is, of more power, and efficacy to persuade, and satisfy the soul.  
Use 1 1. Use, is an Use of comfort to poor souls, that are in distress, and in such distress sometimes, as they think, and say their case is desperate, and past recovery, so fare are their souls sometimes shot into despair. Consider, how easy it is for you to have your condition altered, and changed, even in a moment. I tell thee, though (it may be) thou hast been cast down this twenty years, and thy soul is battered, broken, hardened, settled, fixed in serious thoughts of thy ruin, and reprobation, yet one good look, one good word from God shall in an instant dispel all, altar thy conceit and apprehension clean; God can and doth often more with one word, in one moment, than Satan could do in many years, with all the objections he could muster up. The truth of this, in experience we often find and observe in ourselves and others. Yea, and sometimes when he doth speak peace, he gives such satisfaction to a man's soul in that particular, that he would be content to be as many years more, in his spiritual conflicts, to enjoy but the like light, one half hour. Thus easy is it, for God to speak peace. Though thou thinkest thyself never so far off from peace, yet he can speak peace to them, that are afar off, as well as those who are near: as himself says, Esay 57 19 for, says he, it is I that speak it. And when he doth it, than all thy doubts and distresses, will be forgotten, as the pains of a woman in travail are when a man-child is borne.  
Use 2 Secondly, is the Church in any distress? (as the Church here at this time was,) he can redeem it out of all with a word. A word spoken to Cyrus his heart, did set them in their own land again, so you have it expressed, Esay 44. 26, 27, 28. The God that saith to jerusalem, thou shalt be inhabited, and to the Cities of judah, ye shall be built; you see his manner of doing it, it is but with a word speaking; he says to jerusale, be built; and though there be never so great impediments in the way, he will say to the deep, be dry, that his people may pass over; he dried up a whole Nation, a sea of people, namely the Babylonians, to make way for this deliverance. And when they are conquered, and Cyrus, a new King comes to have the sway of things, God speaks to his heart also; That saith of Cyrus, he is my shepherd, and causeth him to say to Jerusalem, Be thou built. Therefore go to him, and trust in him in all the distresses of the Church, as the Church also did, Psal. 44. 4. Thou art my king, command deliverances; A Mandamus from God doth it, and will do it at any time.  
Obser. 5 Let God be never so angry, and his people's distress never so great, yet he will speak peace in the end to his people: you heard before, that if we have peace, he only must give it; and then, that he could, and was able with ease to do it: and now you shall hear, that he will certainly do it in the end.  
The Reasons the Text suggests are these:  
Reas. 1 1. If we consider but, who this God is, that is to speak peace, I will hear what God the Lord will speak; he is the Lord, and therefore able to speak what pleaseth him; he is peculiarly the God of peace, and therefore willing to speak peace. Now, 1. when it is said, he is the God of peace, and the God of comfort, the meaning is, he is full of it, infinitely full of it, and out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks; thoughts of peace, and love to his, do boil within him, as hatred, or malice doth in a malicious man towards his enemy; so as he cannot contain and forbear expressing it towards him; that as David says, his thoughts did burn within him, and at last, broke forth; so in God, I know the thoughts I think towards you (says he to them of the captivity) jer. 29. 11. They are thoughts of peace, and not of evil. And 2. besides that these his thoughts of peace are taken up of himself, his Son also hath bespoken peace for us; and therefore God will speak it, Even as joseph, though he spoke roughly a while to his brethren, yet could not in the end contain, Gen. 45. 1. so nor God.  
Reas. 2 Secondly, Let us consider, who they are to whom he is to speak it, they are his people, as the text hath it; and to them there is no question, but he will speak peace; though he seems angry for a while. They are his people, that is the reason given, 1. Sam. 12. 22. He will not cast off his people: as also Easy 63. 8, 9 When they rebelled, he was wroth, yet he said, surely, they are my people, so I was their Saviour. They? why they are the sons of peace, Luke 10. 6. ordained for peace, and therefore shall be sure to have it; and although some differences may arise betwixt God and them, yet there is a natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord, that moves him to speak peace in the end to them: as the dumb son of Croesus, when he saw his father like to be killed, though he had never spoke before, yet then out of an impetus of spirit, the strings of his tongue were unloosed, and he cried out to the murderer, Kill not King Croesus; so, when the enemies of his Church are ready to devour his people, and Satan is ready to swallow his child up in despair, than God's bowels work within him, and he can hold no longer, but cries, save my child, save my Church. Is Ephraim my pleasant child, (says God) jer. 31. 20? Well says God, though I spoke against him, and took him up, and chid him sound, yet I cannot forget my child says he, nor my Fatherly affection to him, but my bowels are stirred, and I will surely have mercy on him.  
Reas. 3 Thirdly, otherwise if God did not in the end speak peace, they would indeed return to folly, which is the third thing in the text. For his end of speaking peace, is that they might not return to folly, Psal. 125. 3. The rod of the wicked shall not always lie upon the righteous, lest they put forth their hand to iniquity, Therefore at the last verse, Peace shall be upon Israel. As for this cause he speaks outward peace, so also inward, and suffers not the rod of Satan, and of his own heavy displeasure to lie upon their hearts: for else they would return to the pleasures of sin; for every creature must have some delight; their spirits would fail, and be tired out else, and wearied in good duties, if GOD should not in the end speak peace, Esay 57 The spirit would fail before me. When the child 'swounds in the whipping, God let's fall the rod, and falls a kissing it, to fetch life into it again. As 'tis a rule in Physic, still to maintain nature: and therefore when that shall be in hazard to be destroyed, they leave giving purging Physic, and give cordials: so doth GOD with his people, though with purging physic, he often brings their spirits very weak, and low, yet he will uphold and maintain their spirits, so as they shall not fail, and be extinguished, but then he will give cordials to raise them up again.  
Use 3. What good heart that bears a childlike affection to God, would offend such a God, that be thy distresses what they will be, will certainly speak peace: then do not put him to it, spend not upon that precious stock of his free grace and love. 'tis true, he is married to thee, and therefore though thou hast gone a whoring after many lovers, jer. 3. 1, 2, 14. still he says, Return, for I am married to thee: as therefore when man and wife are fallen out, they consider, we must live together, and therefore they reconcile themselves again: so consider it must be between God and thee, and make it a means and motive to recover thee, as Samuel did to the Israelites: 1. Sam. 12. 22. You have committed this great sin, yet turn not aside from following the Lord, for God will not cast you off, you are his people. Go home to him again, he will speak peace. Think thus, the time will come wherein God will be friends again with me, he and I cannot be strange long; though I would, he will not, Esay 57 18, 19 though he went on stubbornly, yet God healed him, and would not lose his child, therefore I will return of myself.   

THE FOLLY OF RELAPSING after Peace spoken.  Psal. 85. ver. 8. — But let them turn no more to folly. 
Obser. 6 THE sixth Observation is, That Peace being spoken to their hearts by GOD, they should return no more to folly. See this Ezra 9 13, 14. Thou having punished us less than we deserve, and given us such a deliverance as this, should we again break thy Commandments, wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us?  
Reas. 1 1 Reason: Because it will be a greater aggravation in sinning; It is made the aggravation of Solomon's sin, 1 Kings 11. 9 That God had appeared to him twice: they were especial appearances and manifestations of mercy; and though such do now cease, yet we read of such as are analogical to them, as john 14. 21. Christ promiseth to manifest himself, which is by shedding abroad his love, and his Father's love into the heart, which is evident by the former words, he shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and after he saith, we will come to him, and make our abode with him, ver. 23. and 27. My peace I will give unto you. Now such appearances will be set upon the score of every sin, many years after, as they were upon solomon's. And the reason is, because nothing wounds an ingenuous loving Nature more, than matter of unkindness: if it had been my enemy says David, I could have borne it, Psal. 55. 12, 14. but it was thou ôh man, mine acquaintance, we took sweet counsel together, a bosom friend to whom I had committed my secrets, opened my heart: Thus when God hath unbosomed himself as it were to a man, and told him what was in his heart towards him, this goes nigh him, if he lifts up the heel against him. And the reason of that further also is, ¹ because of all things else, a man cannot endure to have his love abused, you come nigh him when you do so, for his love is himself, and commands all in him, so that abuse his love, and you strike at his heart; it is less to abuse any excellency in a man, to reproach and extenuate his parts, learning, etc. though these are dear to him, but his love is his bowels. And therefore, when God hath opened his heart to a man, and set his love upon him, and revealed it to him, and he carries himself unworthily, it pains him at the heart. Besides, 2. it is against the law of Nature and of Nations, to seek out for a peace, and get it concluded, and then secretly to prepare for, and enter into a war; nothing more hateful, or can exasperate two Nations one against another more than this. It was the aggravation of Absaloms' sin, that being newly reconciled with his father, and taken into favour again, after two years discountenance, he then began to rebel more closely.  
Reas. 2 2 Reason is intimated in the word folly, as if the Lord should have said, Set aside the unkindness and wrong you do to me, yet therein you befool yourselves; you will have the worst of it. And indeed, when God doth afterwards draw nigh to a man again, upon that his recovery of his peace, it appears to be folly, even in that man's own apprehension; when he hath tasted how sweet God is, then come and ask him, What, will ye return to sin again? he will then say, Ask me if I will wound or cut my flesh: It is impossible, thinks he, I should any more be so besotted; if there were no other motives, he thinks it the greatest folly in the world. And therefore GOD on purpose chooseth out that expression, and placeth it here in this case, because it is indeed the greatest folly in God's sight; and is so apprehended by ourselves, looking upon sin after peace is spoken to us. It is folly to sin against GOD at any time, but especially then, and that will appear by these particulars.  
1. Because, before a man had that peace, he felt the bitterness of sin, for GOD never speaks peace, till that be felt: now that is an argument even to sense, never to return to it again; which a fool will be warned by; A burnt Child dreads the fire; even as a Child will take heed being taught by sense. When a man shall be in great distress, and his Conscience shall suggest to him, as jer. 4. 18. Thy ways and thy doings have procured these things to thee, this is thy wickedness: a speech like that when you say to your Children, when they have gotten any harm or cold, or sickness, this is your playing and gadding and going in the Snow, and your eating of fruit, etc. so doth GOD speak there, to them when they were in distress, this is your wickedness, for it is bitter, it reacheth to the heart, it woundeth the Conscience, the wounding of which, of all else is the greatest misery. When once a man after this hath peace restored to him, and he comes newly out of such a distress, ask him then how he likes turning to such a sin again, and he will tell you, it is the greatest folly in the world: ask David if he will murder any more after his bones have been broken, and set again.  
2 Thou wilt easily acknowledge, it is folly to return to sin again, if thou considerest the terms, upon which thou didst obtain thy peace. Reckon what pains it cost thee, to wash out the guilt and stain, which sin had made, what vows and resolutions thou madest, what bonds thou didst seal unto, what promises never to return, what prayers and tears, what raps and knocks at Heaven Gates, ere thou couldst get an answer, or God to speak one word, he making as if he had not been within: why is it not folly now to lose that in an instant, thou hast been a getting so long, haply many years, and with so much pains and cost? You use it as an excuse to prodigals to say, things lightly come by, are lightly gone; and yet you count them, and call them fools for it, as not knowing what it is to earn a penny: how much more folly is it, when a man having afore mortgaged his peace, and God restored it again after much suit, and waiting many a term, then to come home, and venture to cast all away at one throw at dice? such a fool art thou, when thou returnest to sin; to drink that at one draught, which thou hast been getting many a year, what madness is it? when thou hast taken much pains, to wash thyself, then to wallow in the mire again, and make thyself new work, what folly is it? who but Children and fools will do thus? That which the Church said in another case, may well be alluded to in this, Cant. 5. 31. I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?  
3 Consider, what it is thou dost hazard, to lose by returning to folly: thy peace. David lost it, as appears, Psal. 51. 12. therefore says he, restore to me the joy of thy salvation; In losing of which, thou wilt be so much a loser, that if the sin thou choosest▪ were able to give thee all the world, it could not recompense thee; no not the loss of one hours' communion with God, which in a moment will bring thee in more sweetness, than all thy sins can do, to eternity. If all the pleasures of sin were contracted, and the quintessence of them strained into one cup, they would not afford so much, as one drop of true peace with God doth, being let fall into the heart. It is peace which passeth understanding. Few pleasures here do exceed the senses, nay, the senses are capable of more than the things can give; but this passeth understanding. God's loving kindness is better than life. If it were propounded to thee, thou must lose thy life next moment, if thou shouldst commit such a sin, wouldst thou venture, if thou didst believe it? Now The loving kindness of God is better than life, and wilt thou lose the enjoying of it, though but for a moment?  
4. It is folly to return again, because the pleasures of sin will be much less to thee after thou hast had peace spoken. Take them at the best, when they are freshest, and when thy palate was most in relish, and taste with them, when thou wert carnal, and ere thou knewest what sweetness was in God, and they then were but poor sorry pleasures: but now, they will prove fare more empty than before; they are empty vain pleasures even to him that hath them in their flower, and in his season of sinning; and therefore all wicked men are weary, and do inwardly complain of their condition, only they cannot find sweetness in God, and so are fain to keep themselves to their husks; but alas, to thee they are fare less worth than to another man, who knows not God, and therefore thou art like to have a worse bargain of it; another man can make more money of a sin, and get more pleasure out of it, than thou art able to do.  
For first, thy conscience having been scorched with sin, as scalt flesh deer more, and is more sensible in coming to the fire, than other parts of the body, is become of a quicker sense; whereas wicked men's is seared, and so they commit all uncleanness with greediness: but thine is tender & galled in the act, which allays much of the pleasure of thy sin, and mingleth the more bitterness with it.  
And 2. besides this galling of conscience, which is common to thee with many an unregenerate man, thou hast a principle of grace, an inner man, which is dead to such, pleasures, that tastes them not, that is like Barzillai, who through age 2 Sam. 19 35. could not taste either what he ate or drank, as young men do; no more can that New man in thee, and therefore it can be but half as pleasant to thee as to another man. If one side of a man be taken all with a numb palsy, what pleasure is it to that man, to exercise his limbs in the actions of life? He is but half a man, and lives but half a life; so it is with thee, when thou hast grace in thy heart, but half thy heart can take pleasure in sinning, that new man the other half, reluctates, grieves for it, hates what thou dost; and all this must needs strike off much of the pleasure.  
But 3. If we add to this, that this new man in him having once tasted what sweetness is in God, and How good the Lord is, is then like a man that hath eaten sweetmeats, other things are out of taste with him, and therefore also it is folly to return. No man (says Christ, Luke 5 ult.) having drank old wine desireth new, for he saith the old is better; a manused to high fare cannot agree so well with thin diet: so the soul having been used to taste of great pleasures in God, the impression & remembrance of them leaves his soul less satisfied than another man's; a stomach that hath been enlarged to full diet, looks for it, and riseth more hungry from a slender meal: now communion with God enlarges the faculties, and widens them and makes them more capable of greater joys, than other men have, and therefore the creature is less able to fill them; still he remembers with much grief, whilst he is eating his husks, what far he had in his father's house: and oh, Than it was better with me, than now. Call me not Naomi, but call me Marah, as she said, For I went out full, and am come home empty; so doth he say, when he comes from the act of sinning, he went with his heart full of peace, and meeting with a bargain of sinning, thought to eke out his joy, and make it fuller, but he comes home empty.  
Use 1 1 Use, is to those who have had peace spoken to them, let them at such times fear themselves and God most, for than comes in this, as you see here, as the most seasonable admonition that can be given, to return no more to folly. 1. Fear God then most: for of all times else, than sins provoke him most; to come and call him Father, and the guide of your mouth, and yet to fall to sin, this is to do as evil as you can, you cannot do worse. jer. 3 4, 5. So Ezra 9 After such an escaping, should we again break thy Commandments, wouldst thou not be angry till thou hadst consumed us? In times of affliction it is the property of a good child to love GOD most: in times of speaking peace, to fear God most and his goodness, and to fear to offend him for his goodness sake. Did I only say, that God is provoked most then, if you return to folly? Nay, I add further, he is grieved, which is more than to be provoked; and therefore you shall mark that expression and admonition not to grieve God's Spirit, then comes in, when the Spirit hath sealed us up to the day of redemption, Ephes. 4. 30. Then by sinning we are said more properly to grieve him then before, when he hath so far engaged himself to love a man, and expressed himself to him, and set his seal upon him for his. God is angry with wicked men's sins, but he is grieved for yours. To grieve him is more than to anger him. Mere anger is an affection can ease itself by revenge, and by coming even again with the party, and when we can or intent to do so, our minds are not so much aggrieved, but please themselves rather to think of the revenge which we mean to execute: so when wicked men sin whom GOD means to meet with, he is said to be angry rather then grieved; and says, I will ease myself of mine adversaries: Isay 1. 24. and avenge myself of mine enemies. But here, as when a man's wife that lies in his bosom, or his child shall wrong him: so is it when one sins, whom God hath set himself to love, and done much for, and made known his everlasting kindness unto, and sealed to the day of redemption: this goes to his heart, grieves him rather than anger's him, and such are the truest and deepest griefs. What should he do with you in this case? if afflict you, and by that means go about to turn you from your iniquity, therein he shall but afflict himself as it were; for Though they rebelled, yet when they were afflicted he was afflicted, Esay 63. 9, 10. As when a Father that is a Magistrate, or as one that maintains a Student in a College, if either punisheth a child, or pupil in his purse, he punisheth himself, so must God afflict himself to afflict you. Put not the Lord into these straits if you have any love in you. And 2. as thou art therefore to fear God most then, so thyself most, and to be more watchful over thy own heart; thou art then apt to return to folly, if thou takest not heed; as when a man hath been very hot, or sweat much, he is apt to take the greatest cold. Hezekiah, after GOD sealed peace to him and answered his prayers, and renewed the lease of his life, his heart got cold, he did return to folly. The reason is, because then the heart is apt to grow less watchful, and to think itself fortified enough against any tentation. As S. Peter having seen Christ transfigured in the Mount, grew confident in his own strength. And know that the Devil watcheth such an opportunity most, for he gets a great victory if he can foil thee then, after he hath been foiled himself, and when thou art most triumphing over him; how many battles have been lost through security of victory and recoiling of the enemy? and beside our corrupt nature so fare as unrenewed, is apt to gather heart to itself, to slight sin, as thinking its pardon easily gotten.  
Therefore when thou art tempted, labour often to renew those thoughts, which thou hadst of thy sin at that time, when thou wert suing for peace, before thy peace was gotten; when thou wouldst have given a world for God's favour; & also what thoughts thou hadst of it, when God spoke peace, how thou didst abhor it, yea, thyself, & look what sin was most bitter to thee & an enemy to thy peace; as if uncleanness, Idleness, neglect of prayer, ill company, etc. and preserve in thy heart those bitter apprehensions of it, & say of it, thou hast been a bloody sin to me, as Moses wife said of her husband: and though I have got peace, & my life saved, yet it was a bloody sin to Christ, his blood was shed to purchase this my peace, & shall I return to it?  
And when tempted to it again, have recourse to the kindness God shown thee in pardoning, and say, how shall I do this, and sin against God? say as he said, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? 2. Sam. 16. 16. and what, shall I Absalom-like, now I am new reconciled to my Father, fall a plotting treason again? what, shall I make more work for prayer, more work for God, break my bones again, & lie roaring again? Think thus, I was burnt in the hand afore, I shall be racked surely now. Sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee.  
Use 3. The doctrine of assurance (if not abused) and of Gods speaking peace to men is no dangerous doctrine to make men secure and presumptuous in sinning: when peace is preached in any man's heart, this use naturally flows from that Doctrine, return no more to folly. The very scope of the whole Epistle of S john is to help all believers to assurance, as appears by the 1. john 1. 4, 5. and the 5. Chap. 13. These things I writ to you, that ye might have communion with God, and that your joy might be full. But this will open a way to all licentiousness. No says S. john, Chap. 2. 1. These things I writ unto you that ye sin not; nothing guards the heart more against tentations, than the peace of God: it is said to guard the heart, Phil. 4. 2. Yea and if you do sin, the assurance of God's love is the speediest way to recover you; so it follows: If any one doth sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, etc. And he that hath this hope in him, that is, to live with Christ, and knows what manner of love the Father bears us, purifies himself as he is pure, 1. john 3. 1, 2, 3. If there were no more but self-love in a man, it were then no wonder if he doth abuse it. For self-love, where the love of God is wanting, is unthankful and ungrateful, willing to take all the love and kindness which is afforded, and abuse it, and work upon it for its own advantage; and it is true also that because we have too much of this principle unmortified in us, therefore God trusteth so few with much assurance, because they would abuse it. But where true love to God is seated, and much of it implanted, there the love of God & the peace of God doth as kindly and naturally enkindle and inflame and set it a-work, even as arguments suitable to self-love do work upon, and stir that principle. For grace is more for GOD then for ourselves, it being the image of God's holiness, whose holiness consists in this, to aim at himself in all: and therefore when Gods free grace towards a man is revealed, it raiseth him up to higher strains of love to God, and hatred of sin. And therefore it is observable, Psa. 51. 12. that David when he prays for the restoring of the joy of his salvation, he prays not simply for it, or alone, but withal prays for a free spirit, Establish me with thy free spirit: that is a spirit of ingenuity, which is kindly, sweetly and freely wrought upon: therefore when we have a free spirit wrought in us, than that free love that is in God towards us will work most kindly upon it, and constrains us to love him that loved us first. The love of Christ constrains us, 2. Cor. 5. 14. Because we thus judge, that if Christ died for all, than they which live should not live unto themselves but unto him that died for them: S. Paul gives the reason, why this love of Christ did thus constrain him, because he did thus judge, that is, this consideration of Christ's love, he having a principle of love in his heart to Christ, he found to be a powerful prevailing reason to persuade him to live to Christ. Having a new judgement he saw force and strength in the argument. And so shall we if we thus judge, and it will have this natural consequence as naturally to follow upon it in our hearts, as any reason in any other kind hath, that is brought to enforce any other conclusion. And therefore as the mind is constrained (as it were) to assent to a truth proved by force of reason, that if you grant this, than this or that will follow: so because we judge this reasonable by an argument drawn out of love's Topics, that if Christ died for all, who otherwise must themselves have died, that then they should live to him, this will constrain us to love him, and live to him. Amor Dei est extaticus, nec se sinit esse sui luris.  
THis Text and admonition here gives a ust occasion to consider a little of that so often questioned case of Conscience concerning relapses of God's Children into the same sins and folly again, 
The case of relapsing into the same sin after peace spoken, resolved.  and whether after peace spoken, God's people may return again to folly. Some have held, that a man after a second repentance could not fall into the same sin again: others if he did, it excluded him from mercy for time to come. For the comfort of some poor souls whose case and tentation this may be, I will speak somewhat though sparingly and with caution.  
1. The Scripture no where excludeth those from the state of grace, or bars mercy from those, that have relapsed into the same sin, especially so long as in regard of the manner of their sinning it be but folly, not wickedness or wilful sinning, that is, rather proceeding out of error of understanding, and heat, and impetuousness of foolish affections, than obstinacy and malice in the will, and with despite of the Spirit of grace, Heb. 10. 27.  
Yea: 2. In Scripture we meet with such passages and promises, as may undoubtedly uphold any soul, that hath so fallen after peace received, into the same sin, and preserve him from apprehending himself excluded therefore from mercy and the state of grace: As Hosea 14. 4. I will heal their backslidings, I will love them freely; unless they had fallen after repenting & former healing, it could not have been called backsliding, and yet this he promises to heal, & withal shows the ground that moved him to it, his loving them freely: for if in any thing his free love is shown to any of his children and drawn out, it is in healing again such a backsliding soul after recovery and peace given. For the falling into the same sin, which hath been repent of and healed, provokes God more than a thousand other acts of sins formerly committed though of the same kind. And therein also to show his free love, that he can pardon even the abuse of love itself, he leaves some thus to sin after his love shed abroad in their hearts. Some he shows his free love unto, in keeping them from sinning, others in pardoning them, and giving them repentance: they are but several ways of drawing it forth; so that if in any thing, herein his free-love is shown, for if it were not free, it would never endure itself to be abused. And likewise the sure mercies of David are then shown, when God multiplies to pardon: so Esay 55. 3. having mentioned the promise of the sure mercies of David, He promises to multiply to pardon, as it is in the Original verse 7: which are thus joined, both because the sureness of his Covenant, is therein shown, and because we might haply multiply to sin; and at least it supposeth the possibility of it again. God likewise runs upon such a supposition in that expression of his, to his own people, jere. 3. 1, 2. They say if a man put away his wife, and she becomes another man's, shall not the Land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me, saith the Lord. He speaks to her as to one, had been his Wife, who though she had not been put away by him, but had put away herself and run away, not once but often, and that with many lovers, and sometimes in the midst of her whoredoms, had come in and made challenge of his former love and pleaded his former mercy to her, and yet fallen back again verse 4. 5. (where he adds, Wilt thou not from this time cry, My Father, and thou art the guide of my youth, that is, I know says God, you will come now and cry as heretofore you have done and say, Oh thou art my Father and my Husband, and confidently still claim an interest in me upon my former kindness, and yet do as evil as you can, for you cannot do worse than thus to abuse my love) yet for all this at the 12. verse, Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, for I am married to you, verse 14. That which he doth thus to a nation, he may do to a particular man who is his child.  
Again, 3. There are not altogether examples wanting for this.  
Examp. 1 1. We find Samson a godly man (whom yet we would scarce have thought such but that we find his name in the list of those Worthies, Heb. 11.) ensnared with a Philistine woman against the counsel of his parents, judg. 14. 3. who clearly laid open his sin to him, and he was in the event reproved for his folly, for his wife deceived him, told his riddle to his enemies which he in the end perceived, and further to reproove him, in the issue she was given away to another, verse 16, 17, 20 from all which passages of reproof, an holy man that had his eyes in his head, could not but see his error; and yet again a long while after this, (twenty years after, judg. 15. 20. (when certainly ere that he had repent of this his sin, for which his parents before, and after, God so clearly did rebuke him,) he went to Gaza, judg. 16. verse 1. and saw a harlot and went into her, and there scaped narrowly with his life at midnight, And verse 4. After that also it came to pass he fell in love with another, as bad as any of the former, Dalilah, who was his ruin. But his returning thus to folly cost him dear, for in the end he was taken as a Captive to the Philistines his enemies, & that through her falsehood, deprived of his strength he had spent upon these women, had his eyes those betraying lights put out, that had ensnared him, and himself made a fool of, to make his enemy's sport. So as no child of God can take any great encouragement thus to return to folly, for the future, by his example, though comfort they may have therefrom in case they have returned for the time past.  
2. Another example may be that of jeboshaphat who committed a great sin in joining with Ahab that wicked King that sold himself to work wickedness, 2. Chron. 18. 1, 2, 3. and he was foretold what would be the success of that confederacy and journey by Michaiah before he went with him to battle, and after in the battle itself, where he hardly escaped with his life, and by an extraordinary providence at his prayer was delivered, verse 31, 32. and as if that were not sufficient, God sends another Prophet to him, Chap. 19 2. who with open mouth reproves him and discovers to him his sin, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord: which message to so good a man doubtless was not in vain, but humbled him for that his sin, and wrought repentance in him to avert that wrath. And yet after that great and miraculous deliverance of him and his people, Chap. 20. we find him relapsing into the same sin ver. 35. After this did jehoshaphat join himself with Ahaziah King of Israel who did very wickedly, and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: which another Prophet in like manner reproveth, and likewise God himself rebuked by the like ill success of that league to the former, the ships were broken, verse 37.  
3 Saint Peter a man, who seemed by other of his carriages, bold enough, was yet three several times surprised with base fear: once when he tempted Christ, not to hazard himself at jerusalem, where Christ had told him, that he was to suffer: Matth. 16. 21, 22, 23. Master (says he) spare thyself: upon which speech Christ calls him, Satan, rebuketh him more sharply, then at any other time, for which surely there was a more than ordinary cause. Saint Peter thought that if his Master should suffer at Jerusalem, that himself, and the rest should not be safe: That speech therefore proceeded from fear, and therefore Christ doth immediately thereupon call for self denial, and taking up the Cross, verse 24. And this was immediately after peace spoken, verse 16, 17, 18. CHRIST had never more comfortably given testimony to Saint Peter, and his faith, then there. Yet again, after this Christ had him up into the Mount and transfigured himself, to hearten him against that trial to come, which made him so confident; yet than he denied him, at his arraignment: when again Christ immediately upon that looked back upon him with so sweet a look as broke his heart for this his folly; and so he returned again, and it cost him many a tear; and Christ after the Resurrection, owned him again, more than any of the rest, bade them that first met him, Go tell Peter, He mentions him by name, and in especial, go tell him the first news of it: and then also he asked him, Peter, lovest thou me? and he said, Lord, thou knowest I love thee: as if he had said, Though I have played the wretch, yet I love thee: upon this, though he grew more bold, Acts 4. 13. yet Gal. 2. 11, 12. we find him falling into the grudge of the same disease, which cast him into another fit, he dissembled, fearing them of the Circumcision: this was a spice of the former sin, though not so gross; and though the outward acts in these sins were diverse in their occasions, yet they were all acts and buds of the same root of bitterness; and may as well be called sins of the same kind, as the committing differing acts of uncleanness, are reckoned falling into the same sin.  
In the fourth place, if the Scriptures had been utterly silent in examples, yet reason consonant to other principles, and grounds of Divinity, and of the Scriptures might persuade the same.  
Reas. 1 1. If he may after the most serious, and through repentance fall again, into as grievous a sin of another kind, and return: why not into the same again? I confess there is some disparity, which might make him more averse, and set him in some more remoteness, from the same sin he hath particularly repent of, than another; which shall be considered in its place. Yet, the difference, cannot be supposed such, as should make the one possible, and not the other: all true repentance working the heart, to an abominating every sin, as well as any; and therefore if it were true, it was for that particular sin, as sin; and than it would work the like against all, and every sin, according to the measure of the sinfulness; and though it may, and doth work a more keen, and special hatred against that particular sin, a man hath been most stung with, yet still, this is but so fare, as this aggravation, (to fall into the same sin again,) may cause such a relapse, to be more sinful than another sin: and so fare, and upon that ground he is, and may be more set and strengthened against it, then against another sin. But then, if the supposition fall upon another gross sin, never before committed, the sole and single act of which, other circumstances make as heinous, even as this reiterated act of a sin formerly committed, can be; then the one is equally as possible as the other. But however yet still the difference, is but in degrees; namely in that the heart is elongated a degree, or so, further from that sin formerly committed, than any other: which will not therefore so vary the case, (as magis & minus do not) that it should be made impossible to fall into the one, and not into the other.  
Reas. 2 2. Reason: If he may fall into some gross sin, which at first conversion, he did above all other humble himself for; and yet, that same initial repentance, did not put him into such an impossibility of falling into that sin again: Why then should a renewed act of repentance for the same, or for some other reiterated sin, be supposed to have such virtue in it, as to make him shot-free for ever, from the same fiery dart again?  
Reas. 3 Again thirdly: Let it be considered, from whence it should be, that a renewed, or indeed any act of true repentance, though never so great, and intense, should have such a transcendent, eternal, and invincible virtue in it, and privilege annexed to it; for how is it, that repentance doth strengthen us against sin, but by restoring the decayed frame of Grace, to a better constitution and greater degree of strength then before; and by raising it, above a man's lusts, and above that lust, more than all other? as in David, when he prayed, Create in me a clean heart, which, through his sin of uncleanness, was in an especial manner, defiled with a proneness to that sin: But yet withal remember, that, that new frame of heart, & strength gotten by that renewed repentance, and that augmentation, and increase of hatred against, and abominating that sin wrought by it, is all but a creature; as grace, and every new degree of Grace is: and therefore for preserving us, hath in itself but the power, and force of a created habit, which may be prevailed against, by the sin that is in us; and can no more, nay much less put us into a state of confirmation against any particular sin, than the grace of the Angels could of itself confirm them in a state against all sin. And as for the impression of that bitterness, which in our repentance for that sin fallen into, was made upon our hearts: that also can be supposed to have but the like force upon our spirits, that the impression of joy unspeakable and glorious, hath upon the heart in those heavenly raptures, which believers sometimes enjoy; yea and the latter of these will easily be supposed to be of the greater efficacy of the two; and both but creatures: Now those ravishing joys, are not yet such immortal and everlastingly quickening cordials, that put such spirits into a man, as to preserve him from 'swounds, and faintings of spirit for ever: and though, whilst they abide and are present to the heart, they do then raise it above all thing here below: yet when a man hath been a while off from that Mount, and hath conversed a while with things here again below; then that lustre wears away, as the glory that shined in Moses face did: and after a while, the sense and present taste of those joys wears out; and when that is gone, the bare remembrance of them which is left, hath not in their absence, such an infallible, though a great efficacy to preserve his mind in an everlasting disrelishing former delights; but that he may, and often doth fall in love again too too much with them: although indeed whilst the present sense of them did abide upon the heart, it abstracted the mind from all things here below. And hence a man is apt to fall from his first love, Rev. 2. and from that high esteem of spiritual things; as the Galathians, Gal. 4. 15. Where is the blessedness you spoke of, says Saint Paul to them? therefore answerably the remembrance of the bitterness of any sin felt in our deepest humiliations, is much less able to preserve a man, nor is the impression and dint made so lasting, nor the scars and wounds of conscience continuing for ever so fresh, as everlastingly to preserve and deter us from falling into the same sin again. For both are but creatures, and at best but arguments drawn from sense, and experience within ourselves, and have but an humane created power which is not always efficacious; especially seeing GOD hath ordained us to live by saith, more than by sense, for faith is appointed by God to be our more constant keeper, 1. Pet. 1. 5. We are kept through faith unto salvation, and by it more surely and more constantly then by impressions of joy, or sorrow which are made to sense: and yet we are not kept by it of itself, but by the power of God: so then, we are kept by the power of God as the principal supporter, and guardian, through faith as the instrumental, and by it rather than by sense or any other grace of sorrow or repentance; because faith caries the heart out of itself, and commits itself wholly into the hands of God as a faithful Creator (who is the strength of Israel, to keep a man from every evil work,) as not being able to secure itself against any sin through the power of any fortification, or strength that any other grace or degree of grace hath built, no not for one moment; and therefore is as dependant upon God after a fall, and a renewed repentance out of it, yea and more than before he fell, and his own woeful experience hath reason to make him so. The like instance to illustrate the truth of this we may draw from the assurance of faith itself. For even the assurance of faith itself, (which is an act properly belonging to that grace, called therefore the assurance of faith, Heb. 10. 22.) which doth strengthen us as much against doubting when it is joined with joy unspeakable and glorious, as repentance can do against any other sin: and whilst it is upon us, in the strength of it a believer is apt to think himself armed and strengthened, and so established, as that he shall never question God's love any more, or the pardon of his sins: and yet, experience shows it, that the guilt of sin prevails sometimes again, after this, and the same doubts arise, and prevail as much as ever; neither will the remembrance of the former assurance be always of force enough to resist them; for he may come to question that assurance itself also; and so forget that he was purged from his old sins. And if the guilt of sin prevail in the Conscience again, against such a renewed and settled act of faith, why may not the power of a lust prevail in the members, after a renewed act of repentance?  
Reas. 4 4. If it be said, that a renewed act of thorough repentance doth keep a man, not by any peculiar virtue in itself alone, but by the power of God concurrent with it: Then I demand to see the promise wherein God hath infallibly obliged and engaged his power, upon such a renewed act of repentance, to preserve from falling into that sin of all other for ever; without which no man in faith can affirm it; and without which there is an it may be, and a supposition of such a possibility, as sometime falleth out, and is reduced to existence. GOD indeed hath said, that if we fall, he will put, under his hand, to break that fall that it shall not ruin us; but not so to keep us in his hands, as we shall be out of danger of falling again. A renewed act of repentance is indeed an ordinance sanctified to preserve a man; yet, but in the same manner that other ordinances are, as Prayer, and the word preached, and admonition, etc. with which GOD doth not always so infallibly cooperate, as efficaciously to work always that which they serve to.  
5. If there were not such a possibility, as might and doth sometimes fall out; then every regenerate man, after such a renewed act of repentance, might secure himself against the committing that gross act again for ever; but so he can never do against any particular act of sin, but that sin against the Holy Ghost. Saint Paul therefore exhorts, when a brother is fallen into a sin, to restore such an one with the spirit of meekness; upon this consideration, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted; and he lays the exhortation upon those who are most spiritual; Ye that are spiritual, refore such an one, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted, Gal. 6. 1. so as he speaks of such, as have their hearts raised up to the best frame, through the most deep, and serious repentance: and now we will suppose one, that hath formerly fallen himself into the same sin, which another is fallen into, but not yet restored, but himself is returned by repentance out of it: (for indeed, such a spiritual man, is of all other like to be the meekest bonesetter of a man fallen,) & even such doth Saint Paul exhort to consider, that themselves may for the time to come, be also or in like manner tempted, that is, fall as this man fell; and therefore so be tempted as to fall into the same sin again, that he was fallen into. And if any man could be secure from the like fall again, he had been out of the reach of this exhortation to this duty upon that ground mentioned, as not capable of it. But the Holy Ghost hath else where, 1. Cor. 10. 13. told us, that there is no tentation which is common to man, but is incident to befall any man, at any time; and therefore verse 12, exhorts him that standeth, to take heed lest be fall: indeed, that temptation which is common to Devils with men, the sin of final despair, and against the holy Ghost, etc. a regenerate man may through the grace of Christ, secure himself against: but, all such sins as are common to man, from these or any of them, no man in any state, can without an extraordinary revelation, secure himself from the commission of.  
Only I add these Cautions concerning this case.  
Caution 1 1. There are two sorts of corruptions. First, more gross corruptions, which Saint Peter calls, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the defilements of the world, 2. Pet. 2. 20. they being the common mire, or kennel, wherein the unclean swine of this world wallow, and which the Apostle calls such works of the flesh as are manifest, Gal. 5. 19 even to the light of Nature; such as are adultery, fornication, drunkenness, etc. and by those two expressions do they distinguish them from a sort of more spiritual and refined lusts. For secondly, there are corruptions more spiritual, as pride, secret love of the world. Now, for those gross corruptions, which are contrary, even to common honesty, and (to use jobs phrase) are punished by the judges, 31. job 11. which profane men wallow in, a godly man hath more strength against them, so as it is not so ordinary for him to be entangled again and again with these; for where but moral principles are, these are abstained from, as we see in the Pharisee, I am no adulterer, etc. therefore, where grace is, much more. And some sins are more opposite to the spirit of holiness, and less compatible with grace, as uncleanness, of which Saint Paul says, God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness, 1 Thes. 4. 7. it is in an especial manner, there opposed to holiness: and such as these are works of the flesh which are manifest, even to Nature, to civil men: and therefore when they are often fallen into, they do manifest, that the heart is but flesh. And although the limits, how seldom or how often, cannot be set concerning relapses into these, or any sins; yet, in an ordinary course it may be said, that few godly men fall into such sins again and again: God keeps them from such in an ordinary providence, that scandals should not arise: they being sins which all the world takes notice of. But those other sins of rash anger, and love of the world, and spiritual pride, etc. these being less manifest, and sitting more close to our spirits, godly men are more subject unto.  
Yet secondly: we must again distinguish.  
1. There are the inward lustings to those outward acts: now, though grace weakeneth the very lustings within, yet, takes them not wholly away: The spirit that is in us, (that is,) in us Saints, says S. james, lusteth to envy: and as to envy, so to all other sins.  
And secondly, there are the outward gross acts of such sins; and there in the weakness of sin in a regenerate man, and strength of grace shows itself most in preferving from them: for, as to will is present with me says S. Paul to will what is good, yet how to perform it I am not able, Rom. 7. 18. So on the contrary, to lust the heart may be ready, and lust may soon rise up in rebellion, but when it should come to the act, there is a weakness discovered; they come to the birth, and want strength often to bring forth; the contrary lusting and prevailing of grace being then seen and discovering itself: that it fareth with a regenerate man in this case often as with a man that is deadly wounded, who riseth up to strike his enemy, and thinks to run him thorough, but sinks down again, medio conatu, when his sword is at his enemy's breast, through a deficiency of spirits; or as a man in a Palsy, or the Gout, who thinks he is able to walk, till he comes to try, and then he finds a weakness which makes him fall back again: Thus, even when the whole forces of lusts are mustered up, yet the weapons fall out of their hands. Humours in a healthful constitution, may stir, and boake in the stomach, when yet they come not up, nor prevail unto vomiting. In that place afore named, Gal. 5. the Apostle seems not to deny but that in the most regenerate, lustings may arise, for the flesh (says he) lusteth against the spirit, ver. 17. but yet, as for outward acts, he tells them, verse 16. That if they walk in the spirit, that is, in the prevalency of the spirit, keeping up a holy frame of heart above the flesh, that then ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh: for that frame of heart so kept up, will hinder the outward fulfilling of the lust; which is never done till flesh and corruption is actually raised above the spirit, & gets more voices to carry it; till the spirit be under hatches, and the flesh above, and so steers the helm: otherwise the lusting of the spirit against the flesh, will hinder the outward doing, and fulfilling of a lust. For the reason he gives, verse 17. so as you cannot do what you would, implies, that not only lustings, which arise without consent, may be in such a man but further, much of the will may be won to consent to them, to like them; when yet there is not strength enough to carry it on to the outward act; you cannot do what you would. And what those works of the flesh are, which are manifest works of the flesh, and which Christians whilst they walk in the Spirit fulfil not, he mentions and reckons up in the following words. And this is the more ordinary frame of a Christians heart; for verse 24. (says he) they that are Christ's have crucified the affections and lusts, that is, so fare, as not to fulfil them.  
3. He may more easily fall into a gross sin of another kind, then into the same after special repentance for it, and peace spoken in the pardon of it. Because true repentance especially fortifies the heart against that sin which a man hath most repent him of; and sincerity lies more in watching over that sin then any other: so says David, Psal. 18. I was upright, and kept myself from mine iniquity, that especial sin which was eminently his sin. A man's arm that hath been broke, will, if well set, rather break in some other place then where it was broke at the first. Hence sometimes it falls out, that that which was a godly man's bosom sin before conversion, continues not to be so after: but, another steps up in the room of it, by reason that he than endeavoureth to wash out that great stain, most; and spendeth the most of the Fuller's soap, to purge himself from it; and so becomes, ever after, most watchful over it; and sets in this his weakest place, the strongest garrison, and a watch, to prevent the enemy. And, as an act of some presumptuous sin, though it inclines the heart more to all sin, than before, yet, especially, to commit that kind of sin again, rather than any other: so on the contrary, is it in a sound and solemn repentance, for some especial sin; and in the endeavouring, to mortify some especial member of the body of sin: (to mortify which, not only in the bulk and general, but also particularly and apart in the several members of it, the Holy Ghost exhorts, Colos. 3. 5.) though thereby, the whole habit of the body of sin is purged and weakened, yet that particular sin which we aim especially to have mortified, is through God's blessing more subdued than any other. We see Idolatry, was the sin which the people of Israel relapsed into, again and again; yet when they were once throughly humbled by the Captivity for it, they never returned to it, of all sins else, not to this day: so as it may be said, as was foretold, haply in an other case, Ezek. 16. 43. Thou shalt not commit this lewdness of all thy abominations: jonah, though he would haply never run away from God again, after his Gaol delivery out of the Whale's belly; yet, immediately, after peace spoken to his heart he falls into a sin of another kind; into a passion of extreme anger and peevishness, and quarrelling against God. And the reason of this especial tenderness to fall into the same sin, is, because the Conscience looks upon a relapse into that sin, to be more heinous, then into any other sin of another kind; because of that aggravation of it, which thereby would stain and die it: and although a sin of another kind shows the variety of corruption more; yet, this is more against the power and work of repentance itself, which was particularly exercised about that sin: and also breaks, and dissolveth all bands of a man's vows, covenants, prayers, etc. made against it in particular, and so is made more grievous. And this we may see in Ezraes' humbling himself for that great sin of the people, in joining themselves in marriage with the people of the land, when he did set himself to humble himself for them, together with those that feared God, Chap. 9 4. What an hideous apprehension of the heinousness of that sin, if they should again fall into it, did that day's repentance raise his heart up unto? as appears v. 14. Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with them, wouldst thou not destroy us, till thou hadst consumed us, and till there was no escaping? Into which sin, yet, the people did again fall, after they had repent of it, with a solemn confession and promise of amendment, which is recorded, Chap. 10. v. 11, 12. etc. yet they returned to it again the second time, as we find in Malachi, who lived the last of the Prophets, and after this prayer of Ezra. For Chap. 2. 12. the Prophet says, An abomination is committed in jerusalem, for juda hath married the daughter of a strange god: and then follows the aggravation, v. 13. This ye have done again, that is, the second time, and in that respect are challenged to deal treacherously; and that also in respect they had repent of it the first time, covering the Altar with tears, with weeping, and crying out, as Malachi there speaks: so as God regardeth not your offerings any more. And therefore also Psal. 78. 40. How oft did they (saith he, as aggravating their sins) by murmuring provoke the Lord? and Numb. 14. 22. God reckons up, and mentions the times of their sinning, how often they had thus sinned, as an aggravation of them, They have tempted me these ten times.  
Caution 4 4. He may fall into the same sin again and again, until he hath recovered himself, and his peace fully by a thorough repentance, but yet seldom after. Lot committed incest two nights together; but the orifice of his lust, was not yet stopped by repentance; the wound was not closed, and so bled again afresh; but when it is healed once, and the heart made perfect with God, and divorced from that sin, and entered into Communion with God again; then though it may fall out, yet a man more hardly returns. A woman that is gone from her husband may play the whore a long while with him she ran away withal, till her husband fetches her again: but to run often away, after receiving again, is intolerable. That is not so ordinary in God's child.  
Caution 5 5. Though we can hardly set limits to say when, or when not, this shall fall out from the degrees of men's repentings: as that if they have such or such a degree of repentance, than they fall no more: yet we may further consider a difference of their returnings to God, & repentings; and of Gods speaking peace.  
1. Of their Repenting: some are more imperfect, and but as it were thawings of the mind a little, by means of a little Sunshine of God's love: some, are more thorough and deep; that recover a man, and put him into a sound and healthful estate. As for example, a man in an ague hath well days, yet his fits return, and it may be they leave him for a month or so; and yet they take him again, as at Spring and Autumn; which is because all this while his body is not thoroughly recovered to a state of health: so is it with a man's heart in respect of his lusts; though he may have many well days, wherein he may eat his meat, and receive sweetness in the word, and ordinances: yet at times his distempers and aguish fits return, he being aguish still; but in the end, after the peace of God hath more thoroughly established his heart, he attains to some settled constant victory over it; and when it doth not prevail to victory, such aguish fits end usually in consumptions, in which long agues often end: as in Temporaries, in whom, sin overcoming GOD'S striving with them, it eats all good beginnings out; but if they belong to GOD, then usually that aguish distemper, is in the end by a more thorough repentance, so healed, as that they attain to more victory, and security against it then any other sin; that as in those other kind of tentations, it often falls out, that, that which a man doubted of most, he comes in the end to be most assured of, and to doubt no more; so also here, a man becomes most freed from that sin, he was long exercised with of all other. So also  
2. For God's dealings with his, there is much difference therein to be found: there are some kinds of speaking peace by God, and melt of the heart of his people, which, yet are not of that force as to overcome, but wherein God doth but (as it were) strive with them; which strive do ever and anon work their hearts to a repentance, and that true, and serious: which yet is not so deep, and thorough, nor so healing the heart at the bottom, as it should. For GOD sometimes useth more imperfect kind of strive, even with his own children, about some particular sin they are to leave, which do not so fully, at first prevail, and overcome in them; which God doth, to let them see the running issue of their natures, how grace would run out at it, 
Heb. 2. 1.  (as the Apostle speaks) and overcome grace in them, if he should let it alone: and so, let's out upon his child after many years some lust, which had been long down, which puts him to it exceedingly, so that he is in hazard to be undone, and is put into fears of it; and yet God visiteth his spirit by fits, and per intervalla at times strives with him; and though he falls, yet he puts under his hand, and gives him well days, and some comfortable visitations; yet such as are not deep enough to work him fully off from it. For, as God strives with wicked men, so he sometimes strives with his own also; which may seem to be the true meaning of that speech, Gen. 6. where, having mentioned the sin of his own children, ver. 2. That the Sons of God took to them wives of that wicked seed of Cain, he says, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that [he also] is but flesh: He means not this, of all mankind, for he says, [he also] is but flesh: now, with what other creatures, doth he join them in this comparison, but with others of the sons of men? so as the meaning is, I see my Children, that they also are corrupt, and degenerate as well as the rest of mankind, and my Spirit hath striven with them. In which striving, GOD lets them see, how if he did not in the end, show forth his free love to the full, in the rescuing of them, and healing their backsliding, they would be undone: so as, in the end, through his grace which is sufficient, they obtain the greatest conquest, over that lust of any other; when the heart is once thoroughly awakened, and settled in a thorough peace. And as, those doubts they were most troubled with once, (which though they had at times some light against, yet by fits did still arise) are yet in the end, so overcome, as they arise no more, but they enjoy the greatest freedom from them: So is it often herein. And these strive to not overcoming, I resemble to the thawings of the Ice, in a great frost, as when in the day time, the Sun shines, and in the Sunshine it thaweth a little: but yet, so as at night, or in the shade it freezeth; when sometimes, the weather also gins to change for a night, and yet falls a freeing again: so here, there is not such a thorough shedding abroad the love of God in the heart, as should make a thorough general thaw, to the purpose as we say; and so, when the heat of that is withdrawn, it freezeth again: but in the end there comes a more thorough and general thaw, and change that carries all away, melts the heart, and so altars the temper and constitution of the weather, (as I may so speak) as it freezeth no more. And such a thawing of his heart had David, when Nathan came to him, and not afore; though it may be he had those lesser relent often before.  
But let those that are in such a case, take heed they be not hardened thorough the deceitfulness of sin and of all the times, that pass over you, in your lives, these are the most climactiericall, and critical, and most dangerous. For God will not always strive, but if thou be'st his child, if such thawings will not do it, he will use some great afflictions, in the end to divorce the heart, and thy sin; his love will one way or other, overcome thee, and in the end prevail. As when Israel went on stubbornly in the way of his heart, (says God) I have seen his ways and will heal him and guide him, Esay 57 & the Lord may so heal thee, as those lusts of all other shall not in that gross manner, break forth any more. And in those times, when God dealeth thus with him, a man will after say, that in such passages of his life, he had more free love spent on him, then in all his life time, before or after: and when he is freed and healed, he will be more thankful, and fearful then ever before, or then otherwise he would have been; and so get ground by his stumblings. If any of you, being now in such a conflict as this, in such a vicissitude and chance of war: If yet thou findest a constant fight against thy sin; and that those break, and melt of thy heart by God, do win ground of it; and that the comforts, and hope, which at times are vouchsafed, do strengthen, & establish thy heart in well doing: as 2. Thess. 2. ult; and makes thee more fearful, every time thou risest, then ever; so as to look upon another fit if it should come, (which knowing the deceitfulness of the heart, thou fearest,) as the fit of some great sickness, lest it should return again: esteeming it as the greatest cross that can befall thee; which thou wouldst buy off with thy blood; and bleedest most of all to think, that thou hast so unconstant a heart, which as it hath abused Gods love formerly, so thou fearest, will do so again; if thus thou go on to fight it out, the love of God will in the end overcome in thee; but if thou findest that those encouragements from God, do through thy corruption, (which turns God's grace into wantonness) nourish thy lusts, and make thee less fearful against the next time; and thy heart harder, and secure, and to slight sin more, because thou hast been so oft visited from on high, and pardoned: thy case is dangerous, and may prove desperate.  
6. Though he may return, yet not presently: Luke 5. last. He that hath tasted old wine, doth not straightway drink, and desire new: not whilst the love of God, and the taste, and relish of it is fresh in his mouth: when the impression is worn out indeed, and gins to be forgotten, then haply he may return.  
Use. To conclude with the use of this point; If it be folly to run into the same sin, though we repent of it afterwards: then, what folly is it in them that utterly fall away? and after they have been enlightened, and tasted of the good word of God, then fall again to the pleasures of sin and never repent of them? as many do; that come, and try a little, what is in religion, and the ways of God, and then return again to their vomits, and never return to piety again. Foolish souls, who hath bewitched you? are ye so foolish, that having begun in the spirit, ye end in the flesh? as Gal. 3. 3. Folly indeed: to spend the harvest of your time, in seeking God, and then to leave him, when you are about to take leave of the pleasures of sin. Alas poor souls, whither will ye go? do you ever think to have such a God again? Thou hast the words of eternal life, said the Disciples to Christ: and as Saul said to his servants, to keep them from falling away unto David; Can the son of jesse give you vineyards, and make you Captains of thousands? 1. Sam. 22. 7: So, can the world give you that peace, that I can give you, may Christ say to you; yea and heaven besides hereafter? Is the devil, with all the wages of sin, you post after, able to make you amends? you thereby dishonour God in returning to sin, and bring an evil report upon the good land; and discredit your Master, in changing your service; but withal you befool yourselves most: you return to folly. For even that, which you think to gain, the world's good word and opinion by, even that you lose: for, though they make aspoile of you, and triumph in such, and glory in their flesh a while: yet they never inwardly think well of such a one; nor truly love him. A back-slider, is like lukewarm water, having been once heated, which good men spew out, and evil men regard not; for what use, can indeed be made of it? Like salt that hath lost its savour it is good for nothing, but the dunghill. Like one that hath been married, but lives divorced; she is undone for her marriage ever after. Such is the condition of those that fall away and repent not: You who have but turned unto folly and are not grown to a despising and despiting God's ways, Return, Oh Shulamite, return. And you that have peace and communion with God, take heed you do not lose him, you will never have such a God again.  
FINIS.