A TREATISE OF PRAYER: AND Of Divine Providence as relating to it.  
With an Application of the general Doctrine thereof unto the present time, and State of things in the Land, so far as PRAYER is concerned in them.  
Written for the Instruction, Admonition, and comfort of those that give themselves unto Prayer, and stand in need of it in the said respects.  
By EDWARD GEE, Minister of the Gospel at Eccleston in Lancashire.  O Lord God of Hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy People? Psal. 80.4. 
LONDON, Printed by J. M. for Luke Fawn, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Parrot in Paul's Churchyard. 1653   

Imprimatur,  
April 14. 1653. Edmund Calamy.   

TO THE Christian Reader.  
THe many high Expectations, great Attempts, dismaying Dangers, and heavy Sufferings of these Times, have been the occasions and subjects of many and extraordinary Prayers: What the Consequences of them have been hitherto, all do or may see, and some do seriously and sadly lay to heart.  
The multiplied unhappy Variances which have broke out and gone on among us, whether arising from difference of Judgements, or from diversity of private Interest (for from those two Heads do they all, I think, derive their rise) have set men busily upon all ways and means of counter-working one another. Among all the means that have been laid hold on in those mutual Contestations, Prayer hath been one which all parties have had recourse to, and much employed. And no marvel, for where men use it aright, it is a taking hold on Almighty God, an engaging of him unto them, and to their Cause; it is a procuring of him to be their Coajutor or Patron; or a devolving of their whole matter into his hands: and where it is not used rightly, it yet standeth people in some stead, in as much as in the sight of men it putteth upon that way whereunto it is annexed the show and promise both of Justice, and of hopefulness to prevail. So that among all the means to be taken up, it is like the Helm in the Ship, or like the Spring or Master-wheel in any curious Artifice, of chiefest place and service. And being so, the more pity it is that either it should be set on work to a wrong purpose, or, being well employed, should meet with any let: the misemployment of it is a high abuse; and the miscarrying of it is of sad consequence.  
Doubtless this holy Engine of Prayer hath of late among us fallen under prejudice both these ways. That it hath been misemployed by some parties in relation to their proper quarrels or designs; that it hath come short of its end in relation to many public concernments, there can be but few (I think) that will not confess.  
Among the many Afflictions of the days, there are these two very cross and sorrowful Occurrences which have attended Prayer; Discord, and Disappointment. Discord in the putting up of Prayers; there hath been in reference to many and great Affairs prayer against prayer. And Disappointment in the event of Prayers; the Lord hath pleased in sundry particulars to walk contrary to the earnest, solemn and continued prayers of his people; either by denial, or by delay. And who can sufficiently lament? who can throughly explicate the Reasons and Remedies of these evils? By the former, what scandal redoundeth to Religion? what obstruction to Prayer itself? for while we cannot agree upon things to be asked, how should we expect that God should accord in mercy to grant? By the latter, what perplexity, sorrow and discouragement redoundeth to the people of God? And by both, what dishonour redoundeth to the Name of God?  
When the Case is thus, it will be acknowledged a specially seasonable and needful, a profitable and acceptable work to undertake the Vindication of Prayer from both, or either of those Prejudices: only if there were an Undertaker, and a performance suitable to the undertaking.  
The Redemption of Prayer from the latter of those two Prejudices (that which ariseth from disappointment) is the drift of this Discourse.  
The Platform of God's Ways in reserving or hiding himself from the Prayers of his People which are of a right and regular frame; the Reasons, and Remedies thereof; with Rules of Direction, and Comforts appertaining to such a Case, and divers other Points incidental to a Subject of this nature, are here endeavoured to be drawn forth of Scripture, and brought home to the present state of the Church of God in these places.  
A worthy Enterprise, you will say; but by whom taken up? and how managed? there is no place for commendation either of Author or Work. The former only desireth, and will think himself well if he obtain, that his excuse be accepted for his undertaking this weighty and high Task. The latter is submitted to the free censure of the Reader without Apology; only with this precaution: If the mere usefulness and gratefulness of the Subject, with a possibility that something may be in it pertinent thereto, and to the drift proposed, will not invite thee to peruse, and prevail with thee to cover many imperfections in it, thou mayst lay it down ere thou begin with it.  
The Author's Apology for his undertaking shortly is: He hath took it in hand upon a special occasion, and call (as he apprehendeth it) given him, which is related in the end of the Chapter. There are upon him (as some of his Christian Brethren do know, and have sometime put him in mind) certain special engagements to the prayers of the people of God (and to the God that heareth prayers) for divers notable benefits evidently received by means thereof. And, as he taketh occasion hereby to acknowledge it, so he conceiveth it one of the suitablest ways whereby he may make a return of his gratitude both to God and them for the same, if he might be (in the least degree) a Helper of their joy, or satisfaction in and about their prayers. Further, when first he was moved to, and entertained the thought of this undertaking, he was under a restraint from the exercise of his ordinary public employment; and therefore designed to improve his said vacancy to an essay upon it. Moreover, he knoweth not of any other hand that hath taken up this Subject, which (if it had been) might have discharged him from it: the want whereof, as it hath made his work the more difficult, (he being to walk in an untrod path,) so he hopeeth it may help to extenuate his defects in it. Lastly, he hath considered, that whereas this weighty Case is not (as he deemeth) duly minded, and laid to heart, his weak assail of it may excite Christians to take more notice of it, and may also occasion some sufficienter hand to take up the disquisition of it. And being that in all Studies and handiworks there is a process from imperfect beginnings unto perfection: In Studies a plain Alphabet goes before a perfect Skill: In manual workmanships there is a rough-cast first, than an exact polishing: The Carpenter applieth to his timber, first his ruder tools, and then his Rule and Chisel. So in this Subject, his unexpert handling may excusably, and not without some service, make a beginning and step to a more exquisite treaty of this Subject. This is his Apology.  
For the manner of handling the Subject, he hath laboured to be plain, not only in stile, but in things spoken, by dealing home, and laying aside all partial and servile respect of persons; and particularly in the discovery of some of the Reasons of the Case he hath to open: And this he hath done not without need and special warrant. When it was with Judah, as now it is with England, there was in them an approaching unto, seeking of God daily, but without the expected success, 
Isai. 58.1.  so that they came with that question, Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? The Lord sent his Prophet to them with this special charge; Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet; and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sin. If any prejudice or peril come thereby, he hath cast it up, and commended it unto the care of him unto whom belong the issues from all dangers.  
He hath in his intention dedicated it to the use of every praying Christian that pleaseth to look it over; but more peculiarly to those of his proper charge (the Parishioners of Eccleston Parish) and to those of his acquaintance in the County wherein he liveth, and of any other place that call upon the Name of the Lord: And for that Reason, having an eye to so many at once, he hath omitted the particular Dedication of it.  
Christian Reader, for no other respect but for the Subjects sake it prayeth (if thou wilt read) thy serious and religious perusal; and let it have, withal, thy prayers for a blessing upon it; and therein also remember him, who is,  
Thy Servant for Jesus sake, EDWARD GEE. Eccleston, May 27. 1653.   

The Titles of the several Chapters and Sections, expressing summarily the Contents of them.  

CHAP. I. AN Introductory Discourse. Pag. 1. 

Sect. I. The Faithfuls Crosses are their way to Blessings. Ibid.  
Sect. II. The Persecutions that befall the Faithful make many and notable Heart-discoveries. Pag. 4.  
Sect. III. The Faithfuls Persecutions cause Heart-discoveries in themselves. Pag. 9  
Sect. IU. Some Reasons wherefore the Persecutions of the Faithful produce in them Heart-discoveries. Pag. 14.  
Sect. V. The Subject and Occasion of this Treatise. Pag. 41.    
CHAP. II. The first Query handled, viz. Whether Gods hiding himself from his People's Prayers grounded upon his Promises, and seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto, can be paralleled with any Examples? Pag. 46 

Sect. I. The Question affirmed, and divided into Parts. Ibid.  
Sect. II. Examples of Gods hiding himself from his People's Prayers. Pag. 47  
Sect. III. Examples of the Lords seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary to his People's. Pag. 78  
Sect. IU. The Conclusion of this Chapter, showing the good Use that may be made of the Examples fore-alledged. Pag. 95    
CHAP. III. The second Query handled, viz. How, or in what sense God may be said to hid himself from his People's Prayers grounded upon his Promises, and seem by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto. Pag. 99 

Sect. I. Of the People of God. Pag. 100  
Sect. II. Of the groundedness of Prayers upon divine Promises. Pag. 103  
Sect. III. Of God's answering, and of his hiding himself from Prayers. Pag. 142  
Sect. IU. The Answer to the Query summarily recollected, and form. Pag. 187    
CHAP. IV. The third Query discussed, viz. What may be the Reason of Gods hiding himself from his People's Prayers grounded upon his Promises, and of his seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto? Pag. 203 

Sect. I. The difficulty of resolving this Question, and whence it is. Ibid.  
Sect. II. Some Rules about the manner how this Question is to be taken in hand. Pag. 219  
Sect. III. A Consideration of the means of receiving Resolution in this Question. Pag. 238  
Sect. IU. The Question divided into its parts; and the Causes of Gods hiding from Prayers distinguished of. Pag. 253  
Sect. V. Of the first sort of Causes of Gods hiding from prayers. Pag. 261  
Sect. VI. Of the latter sort of Causes of Gods hiding from Prayers. Pag. 287  
Sect. VII. The Application of both sorts of Causes unto the present Case. Pag. 342  
Sect. VIII. What may be the Reasons of the Lords seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary to those of his People. Pag. 431    
CHAP. V The fourth and last Query considered; viz. What use should be made of this proceeding of God, to wit, his hiding himself from his People's Prayers grounded upon his Promises; and seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto? Pag. 439 

Sect. I. Certain Errors to be shunned in case of the Lords hiding from his People's Prayers, and answering the contrary Prayers unto them. Pag. 440  
Sect. II. The Graces or Duties to be exercised in the Case . Pag. 457  
Sect. III. The way to Help or Remedy in this Case of the Lords hiding from his People's Prayers. Pag. 483      


CHAP. I. An Introductory Discourse.  

SECT. I.  
The Faithful's Crosses are their way to Blessings.  
WHen old Simeon, at the presentation of the Child Jesus, by his Parents, to the Lord, in the Temple, had done blessing God, for that he had (according to the Revelation formerly received) now before his death seen with his eyes the Lords Christ; the Evangelist telleth us he blessed the Parents of the Child also; and said unto Mary his Mother, Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; 
Luk. 2.34, 35.  and for a sign which shall be spoken against: yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own Soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. We must take these words of his to Mary, either to be adjoined to the blessing he had pronounced upon them, or to be the very form of blessing wherewith he blessed them. If the former, they give us to understand what a Commixture, or connexion of Crosses, there is with the greatest Blessings the servants of God can receive in this life: They were happy Parents to have such a Child, and yet that Child must in some respects be a Benoni, a son of extreme sorrow to them, or one of them, by the very unhappy use and usage he should meet with in the world. If the latter (which is to me more probable) it may seem at first sight to be a strange kind of Blessing, which consists for the most part of exceeding sad events to befall both Son, and Mother, yea and many others. Behold, this Child is set for the fall— of many in Israel; and for a Sign that shall be spoken against: yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own Soul also. So that Mary might as much muse at this Blessing, as she did at the Angel's Salutation, of which it is said, She was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of Salutation this should be. 
Luk 1 29.  Be it so, yet the Holy Ghost calls it a Blessing, and a Blessing it must be. Yea we may observe (and for that end here I bring it in) It is not only their Blessing, but a Pattern or Platform of the Blessing of all the Faithful, wherewith the Lord endoweth them here on Earth. Simeon's form of Benediction upon Joseph and Mary, is a draught of the Lords constant method of bestowing, and bringing about Blessings to his people. Look how Simeon speaketh to them, so the Lord proceedeth towards his; namely, by contradictions, and conflicts; by offences, and scandals; and by heart piercing sorrows to bring them to happy enjoyments, comforts, and mercies. And that which is here designed to be the lot of Christ's Person, is also to be extended to his Office, Word, Truth, Way, Cause, and Church; they are with him, and he in them set as a stone of stumbling, and Rock of offence, whereat many shall fall, and thereby catch their ruin; and as a But or Mark (as the word is interpreted) at which proud and malicious men shall dart their sharpest reproaches, and into which they and their Rulers shall thrust their bloodiest swords: and these their injuries and sufferings shall wound with bitterest griefs all their Allies, that is, all those that in affection and profession adhere unto them. As Joseph the Patriarch came by his Blessing, The Archers sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him, but his Bow abode in strength, etc. by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, etc. who shall bless thee with blessings of Heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb, etc. they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his Brethren: By the same way doth Joseph's Son here become a Blessing to those that belong to him: But of this course of the Saints to the Consolations in Christ; That their passage to the Land of Promise must be (with Israel) through the Red Sea, and the waste howling Wilderness; That they must fetch their honey (with Samson) out of the Roaring Lion; That the sword that brought Christ to his death must pierce through Mary's heart, and all theirs that travel in birth with Christ, if sh● and they, will obtain the Blessing by him: Or, that (as the Prophet Zechariah hath it) that Sword which is awakened against Christ the Shepherd, 
Zech. 13.7 8, 9  must disperse them that are the flock, and be turned also upon them, until it hath cut off two parts of three; and the remaining third part must pass through the fire, and be refined as Silver, and tried as Gold, and then they shall call upon the Name of the Lord, and be heard. This I say is to be further treated on in the ensuing Discourse.   

SECT. II.  
The Persecutions that befall the Faithful make many and notable Heart-discoveries.  
BUt, there is another thing which I aimed at in prefacing this of Simeon; and that is the effect which he foretells, the falling of many at Christ as a stumbling block, the bent of men's tongues against him, as the scope of their malice, and the swords piercing through the Soul of Mary, should have, to wit, that the thoughts of many hearts may be Revealed. Afflictions, especially those of the Saints, and more especially those that come upon them by the persecuting Sword, they cause great search of heart. This Sword, as it worketh impressions of fear, and grief in the heart, so it causeth expressions of Truth from it. It is a Key to unlock, open, and bring forth the abundance of the heart, which before was kept in. It gives vent to, and draws forth those deep waters of the counsels of man's heart: It anatomizeth, or rips up all the otherwise concealed intents, drifts, and dispositions thereof. What great heart-discoveries doth it make on all hands? It lays open both friend, and foe; it unfolds the heart both of Patients, and Agents; yea, and of the Dependants and Allies of them both; yea, and of mere Spectators. We need go no further for Instance then those Sufferings of Christ related to in this place, especially when they came to a head, at his Passion and Death; Then did those his Enemies, the high Priests, the Elders, the Scribes and Parisees, Herod, and Pilate with his Soldiers (who before durst not do what they would, and were sometimes fain to speak him fair) show themselves in their colours. What inveterate Malice, desperate Blood-thirstiness, self-condemning Injustice, devilish worldly-policy, immune Cruelty, insolent Blasphemy, did then swell, and burst forth of their hearts? Then also did the rottenness of his false and feigned Friends appear: Of Judas, by selling and betraying him, his Master: Of the common people, who erewhile had followed and admired him, and but a few days before had entertained him with triumphant Acclamations and Hosannas as their King; they now display their hypocrisy, by their preferring Barrabas before him; by their crying out against him, Away with him, crucify him; and by their wilful taking upon them the guilt of his Blood. Nay then did the passers by, and bystanders, take occasion to show their spleen, by railing and scoffing at him. Yea, one of his very fellow-sufferers must, with his life, breathe out his impotent rancour, by reviling him. Then did also his faithful Friends and Followers disclose what was in them, and that both ways; both the evil, and the good: On the one side, they generally discovered their weakness of Understanding, and slowness of Faith, about the Necessity, End, and Fruit of Christ's Death, and Certainty of his Resurrection, with extreme despondency of mind, and some of the chiefest of them bewrayed, moreover, strange inconstancy, fear, and falsehood. On the other side, there broke forth somewhat of the truth and power of grace in them, to wit, in Mary, and the other women that followed Christ, in the Apostles, in Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, and in the good Thief upon the Cross; in them were manifested honest resolutions, and much tenderness of affection, with some degree of faithfulness, piety, and courage. Lastly, in our blessed Saviour himself there was a discovery made. In the midst of all those his inexplicable endure and agonies, his heart (being with them melted like wax in the midst of his bowels) did send forth the most precious ointments, 
Psa. 22 14.  and sweet smelling savours of the graces treasured in him above measure; and among other, admirable and surpassing Love, Meekness, Patience, Fortitude, Charity, Obedience, and Faith oriently shined forth in him: So fully did this dissecting effect of the Sword in all sorts of persons then appear.  
And there hath been of late no small verification of the same in and amongst ourselves. That which was once complained of as the case of Judah, 
Jer. 4.10.  hath been made good upon us, to wit, the Swords reaching unto the Soul. It hath reached unto, yea and pierced through the Soul of these three Nations, in regard of their public Interests; besides▪ that it hath run through the Soul of many, and many a particular person in them, in respect of life, or of other things dearer to them then their own lives: and this Soul-piercer hath been a shrewd Heart-discloser. As when that holy King and Prophet David was driven out of his Kingdom by the rebellious sword of his own son and Subjects, the hearts of men did diversely discover themselves towards him: One shown himself a traitorous Ahitophel, another a raillng Shimei, another a self-advantaging Ziba, another a seditious Sheba; others (as the two hundred which went with Absalon out of Jerusalem in their simplicity) are seduced from their Loyalty: others stand fast, and approve their fidelity (though some of them are misrepresented to David) as Zadock and Abiathar, Ittai and Mephibosheth. So hath it come to pass amongst us: Our eyes do now behold all these parts acted, as the several issues of men's hearts, drawn forth by this dissecting Sword. O what Ambition, Deceitfulness, Malice, Covetousness, Dissimulation, Cruelty, Carnal-policy, Mutability, Hypocrisy in Religion, Perfidy, and Perjury in Covenants and Oaths? What Ignorance in the ways of God, Insensibleness of one another's Miseries, Censoriousness, Contentiousness, hatred of Reformation, weariness in well-doing, Impatience, Infidelity, have the several bosoms of men (opened by this Sword) poured out in the face and theatre of the world during the progress of these Wars and Commotions? These times abound not (scarce) with any thing so much as with strange extractions and productions out of the mines of men's hearts, by the efficacy and influence, not of the Stars, but of these sublunary Revolutions: Whilst an height of earthly prosperity and advancement hath so dissolved some, and a load of hardships and frustrations hath so depressed and squeezed others, that they have expressed, become, and acted what neither themselves would, nor others durst imagine of them. 'Tis commonly observed (saith one) that though smooth and peaceable times are best for the Liver, 
Jo. Wilkins Beauty of Providence, pag. 62.  yet times that are full of Changes and Vicissitude are best for the Writer: for the Historian than hath greater store of strange passages to commit to memory.   

SECT. III.  
The Faithful's Persecutions cause Heart-discoveries in themselves.  
IT is besides my present purpose to undertake the deciphering, or cure of all, or many of those unhappy heart-maladies even now named; the most of them are too dangerous Ulcers for me to deal with: such a Spittle-ful of running, raging sores, require the view and applications of a whole College of the ablest Physicians. It is enough if I admove my hand to the most gentle and curable amongst them. There are some of them are the taintures and griefs of the godliest, uprightest men: such as in the aforementioned trials, the faithfulest Disciples of Christ, the fastest friends of David, yea and David himself was subject to those, both deserve more pity, and promise more hope of recovery: Such are, weariness in the ways of God; failing, and frowardness of heart under the smart of worldly troubles and disappointments; distrustful thoughts, doubts and reasonings about the Promises, and Providences of God, and the like. My design is to apply myself (did I know how) unto some of the servants of God, labouring under, or in danger to be overtaken by these evils; To speak (as the Prophet bids) to them that are of a fearful (or hasty) heart, 
Isai. 34.4  to be strong, and not to fear. It being promised by the same Prophet, both, that the heart of the rash (or hasty) shall understand knowledge, 
Isai. 32.4. & 29.24.  and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly (or elegantly;) and, that they that erred in spirit shall come to Understanding, and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine.  
It is no new thing, that the hearts of men truly gracious and holy, under disastrous events, do manifest some perversity, or distemper; It hath scarce ever been otherwise with any such in that condition. Adverse Providences are a stone, at which, as carnal and profane persons do stumble, and fall, and are broken, and snared, and taken; so do the faithful stagger; 
Isai. 8.15. Psal. 73.2. Jer. 25.15.27. & 8.18 Lam. 1.20, 22.  in so much that their feet are almost gone, their steps are well nigh slipped. The Judgements of God are a Cup of which all must drink; and the potion thereof, as it makes the wicked drunk, so that they spew, and fall, and rise again no more; so it bringeth upon the soundest of the servants of God qualms, and sick fits, and is very painfully digested by them. It is in a sanctified Soul as in a Beehive; If you stir, or thrust any thing into the hive, presently all the Bees come forth; the honey stays within, but the stinging Bees swarm out: So, if such a Soul be pierced with that persecuting-sword that entered into Mary's Soul, the corruption in it makes issue, and comes forth, whilst the graces and virtues lie hidden, and couched down within. As in Nature, when the heart is violently affected, either through any sudden passion of the mind, or noxious humour in the body, the blood and vital spirits retire inward, and betake themselves to the heart; the outward parts are possessed with weakness, paleness, trembling, and distortion: So you may observe in the spiritual Constitution; Let vehement troubles assail a gracious person, and you may find, not seldom, and especially in the first onset, that in such a one infirmities and corruptions are forward to break out; and the good that's in him to be slow of vent, or benumbed, and shut up in the Centre. The Examples of the Servants of God in Scripture thus carrying under Afflictions, the obscurement and overcasting of their graces and good principles, and the irruption of their frailties, are more and larger than I can allow myself to lay forth. How much in this kind is recorded in the Old Testament, of those great names, and renowned Saints, Job, David, Heman, Ethan, Jeremiah, Jonah, and Habakkuk, may easily be remembered: The bitter Complaints, the overwhelming Horrors, the deep Astonishments, the high Expostulations, the perverse Judgements and Conclusions, the Infidelity, Wrath, Impatience, and Despondency, which they have bewrayed, are too ample a Subject for me here to expatiate on. Some perhaps will presume, those imperfections and overcloudings were peculiar to that time of the Church's Minority, before the Gospel times; but, now she is come to more maturity under the Gospel, the Saints are overgrown those distempers: But this can in no wise be admitted. I alleged before the weaknesses of this nature appearing even in the Apostles, and other Disciples of Christ, in the hour of his falling into his Crucifiers hands: and I shall only add thereto the example and acknowledgement of that great Apostle of the Gentiles, 
Act. 20.19  St Paul; His many tears and temptations which befell him by the lying in wait of the Jews; 
Gal. 4.13, 14. 1 Cor. 2.3. 2 Cor. 1.8. & 4.8, 9 & 7.5. & 11.29. & 12.7. Phil. 1.30.  the infirmity and temptation which was in his flesh; his weakness, fear, and much trembling; the troubles which pressed him out of measure, above strength, in so much that he despaired even of life; How he was troubled on every side, perplexed, persecuted, cast down; that, without were fightings, within were fears; How he was as weak (in his own sense and repute) as the weakest; as ready to be offended, yea to burn (with indignation or fretfulness) as any other; that he was galled with a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan sent to buffet him 
* Beza in loc. , (that is, with the contumelies and violences wherewith his and the Gospel's Enemies did by Satan's instinct impetuously molest him, both in body and mind,) and that he had a certain conflict or agony within himself. These distempers and perturbations of mind he confesseth, as the effects of those persecutions which in the course of his Ministry, in Asia, Greece, Rome, and other places, he sustained: And, they abundantly testify, that the best of the Saints of God here do (as the Apostle in this regard saith of himself and his partakers in the Ministry) bear the treasure of grace in earthen vessels; that is, that they are frail, 
2 Cor. 4.7.  and apt to express some mud and soil of humane infirmities, when they are pressed and chafed with hard endure.   

SECT. iv  
Some Reasons wherefore the Persecutions of the Faithful produce in them Heart-discoveries.  
THat so it is, is evident enough: it may be more apposite to find out whence it is; or to take notice of some special Causes or Occasions (more than the activeness of Corruption, the imperfection of Sanctification, and the stimulating nature of Persecutions, which are of themselves obvious) by which this cometh to pass: And this done, I shall proceed to the treaty of the Subject intended. Amongst other things these following may be considerable, as the ground or rise of the premised Effect in such persons.  
1. The darkness and intricacy of those ways of God, wherein he bringeth any great Calamities upon his Church and People; those his Works are more than ordinarily obscure and difficult to men's discerning, and that not only to vulgar or profane minds, (they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his Counsel; 
Mich. 4.12 Jer. 8.7. Hab. 1.5.  they know not the Judgement of the Lord; they will not believe it, though it be told them,) but to them that are godly, and endued with wisdom from above, even to them these do and deal of God are very intricate. Zophar in Job saith, 
Job 11.6.  There are in them secrets of wisdom, and that they are double to what is, or to what appears, and is extent to be seen: There is much more in them within, then in their superficies. And Job himself describeth God in those his proceed thus: Which doth great things past finding out, yea and Wonders without number. Lo, he goeth by, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. And again, he saith in the same Chapter, He covereth the faces of the Judges thereof; 
Job 9.10, 11, 22, 23, 24.  that is (as I understand) those that are willing and inquisitive to know and judge of the acts of divine Providence, wherein sometimes he alike destroyeth the perfect and the wicked, the good and bad: Sometimes he laugheth at the trial of the innocent (or is pleased to try them with afflictions,) and the Earth (mean while) is given into the hand of the wicked, (or wicked men have allowed them by him an abundant portion of earthly things.) Those (I say) that would be acquainted with these his disposings, he covereth their faces, or so casteth a vail over their sight, and interposeth a cloud betwixt their eyes and his acts, that they are not able to dive into and clearly discover them. So it was with the Psalmist: When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me: Thy way is in the Sea, and thy path in the great waters, 
Psa. 73.16 & 77.19.  and thy footsteps are not known. The ways of God in the Sea are deep and investigable; Seafayring men there see his Wonders, Psal. 107.23, 24. Such are the paths of God in his sharp Correctings of his people by wicked men, as his Rods: Or, as the way of a Ship in the Sea is unperceiveable; this is one of the four things which Solomon the wisest of men found too wonderful for him: 
Prov. 30.19, 20.  so is the way of God towards his when he bringeth them into the rough and tempestuous Ocean of worldly tribulations. The same Wiseman having observed that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous; 
Eccles. 8.14, 17.  resolveth thus: Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the Sun; because though a man labour to seek it out, yet shall he not find it; yea further, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it. In that glorious Vision represented to the Prophet Ezekiel by the River of Chebar, 
Ezek. 1.16  one thing was a wheel, the appearance or work of which was as a wheel in the middle of a wheel. This wheel (say Expositors 
* Ezek. 10 13. Hae autem rota ipsae vocatae sunt orbis; videlicet, ut orbem nostrum in quo versamur figura rent. Jun. ) denoteth the state of this world, with all things in it; particularly, the Kingdoms of the Earth, and the Church of God here Militant; the outward state whereof is always subject to motion and mutation, to be up and down life a wheel: and the artifice of it being a wheel within a wheel, is the portraiture of divine Providence about the affairs of the world, and especially of the Church, and more especially of the Church in the furnace of hot Persecutions, (as at the time of this Vision showed to Ezekiel she was,) and it pointeth out to us the mysteriousness of the course of God's Providence towards his Church in that estate: The quickest, most searching eyes cannot therein descry the tract and purposes of divine Dispensations; there are in them so many cross turn, so many close involations and intricacies: The effects produced, to wit, the evils suffered, are obvious to sense, and quickly enough apprehended, and the secondary means by which they come do ofttimes appear; but the obscurity of them is, as they come from God: What are his reasons for which, what his ends to which, what his mind and affection with which, he doth them? These are the inquiries which are always, and presently raised, by the Patients upon them; and they are no less commonly raised, than difficulty determined or cleared. O Lord (saith Joshua) what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their Enemies? 
Josh. 7.8.  That disaster quite amazed Heroic Joshua; he was at his wit's end; he was so puzzled at it, that he knew not what to think, what to say of it. Nay, sometimes the perplexed Soul goes further in its questions; and demands concerning God, Where is he? doth he see, or regard? is he mindful of his promise? where are his former lovingkindnesses? and the like. Such clouds are spread upon the face of God's ways in this particular; and such vapours do arise out of men's musing minds to increase the obscurity, that here, he that feareth the Lord walketh in darkness, 
Isai. 50.10 & 59.10.  and gropeth for the wall like the blind, he gropeth as if he had no eyes. And hence doth the Faithfuls distemper of heart take its rise; this darkness worketh upon their corruption, or rather their corruption upon it: Unto the weight of that evil that lies upon the outward man, the heart creates itself, and superaddeth a burden of doubtful, solicitous, and vexing thoughts, about the Lords doing in it; and thus that condition is turned into a temptation, or occasion for sinful infirmities to make head, and boil forth.  
2. Another Cause may be the hard Construction which is made of the adverse events of the faithful; the heavy censures and perverse judgements that are passed upon them. The Prophet David, that had much experience, both of this demeanour of men towards him, and of the working of it upon him, (by causing a heart-rising or stirring of corruption within him,) he beginneth one of his Psalms (penned on such an occasion) with these words: Blessed is he that considereth the poor; 
Psal. 41.  or, as some render the place, Blessed is he that is understanding upon (or towards) him that is low; or, 
Ar. Mout. Muscul. Ford in loc.  Blessed is he that carrieth himself wisely towards the afflicted. To carry wisely, or prudently to look upon him that is cast down, or brought low, is seriously to mind, and ponder the Lords meaning in that his hand upon him; and, out of a quick sense of his, and our own community of condition, both in regard of desert of, and subjectness to such calamities, to forbear all harsh judge of him; and, in stead thereof, to minister wholesome advice, and seasonable comforts to him: And the benediction, that he pronounceth upon such deporters of themselves, intimateth the singularity or rareness of this carriage. The more ordinary entreaty that persons in that estate meet with from others, is, a load of rash, uncharitable, and scornful censures: Men, presently, condemn them as impious, conclude them to be grand offenders, and disgorge upon them the blackest of their conceits; they think no brand foul enough for them. As David, being in this case, saith, They cast iniquity upon me: 
Psal. 55.3.  as people are wont to cast dirt, or any filthy stuff, at an infamous lewd person that is exposed to public shame. Or, as Job 
Job 30.10  in the like case, They spare not to spit in my face; as they were accustomed to do to an odious malefactor. The Prophet David, in the progress of the forementioned Psalm, complaineth of this in those that were his haters: 
Ps. 55.7, 8  They whispered together against him, thus; An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him; and now that he lieth, 
Verbum Belial. Ar. Mont. Res Belial. Ford.  he shall rise up no more. The Margin, with others, readeth the first words, A thing of Belial cleaveth fast unto him: A thing of Belial, that is, a horrible crime, a wicked fact, a devilish deed, such as is so execrable as it is unfit to be named; he being now struck with sickness, with some dangerous disease in body, they surmised him to be tained with some horrid offence, for which he was now so smitten of God. Upright Job, being made a woeful spectacle in most afflicting losses, diseases, and temptations, his three friends will needs despoil him of his integrity, and give sentence against him to be that which Satan had traduced him before God to be, viz. a Hypocrite: His innocency was all he had left him; 
job. 4 6 7.22, 5 6.  and he retained that still, because the Devil and his Instruments could not bereave him of it by all his afflictions: And now, because he is in that condition, these his friends will make those very afflictions which the Lord gave him over to, for the trial and evidence of his Uprightness, to be an argument of his unsincerity and rottenness. Thus was our blessed Saviour himself dealt withal; when his Enemies had gotten him condemned, and fastened to the Cross, than they open their mouths upon him, they rail at him as an Impostor; they then conclude him to be a counterfeit in his Miracles, 
Mat. 27.40, 41.  and in his claim to be the King of Israel, and the Son of God; and why? because of his so suffering, because he saved not himself, cam● not down from the Cross, and because God did not then deliver him; they had prosecuted him to death, though they could find no fault in him at all; and now they will needs have him guilty, because he so died. 
See Clarks Martyrol. p 31, 34, 37. 41. 56.  In like manner fared the primitive Christians under the ten Persecutions; their Persecutors were not content to slaughter them with the inhuman●st and exquisitest torments they could invent; but (for some colour thereof) they accused them as the common Pests; as the Procurers of all the Calamities that came upon the Empire by War, Famine, Pestilence, and Earthquakes; as addicted to the foulest vices that ever were found among men; and as seditious and rebellious against the Civil State. And after that, when Christian Religion had been embraced, 
See the Argument prefixed to S. ●ug. de civet. dei.  and publicly authorized by the Roman Empire, and the Goths and Vandals had brought the Empire low, and had taken and sacked Rome; the Enemies of Christianity accused it as the cause of those mischiefs; which occasioned St Augustine to write that his work de Civitate Dei, as an Apology for Religion, and a Refutation of that Obloquy. I might go on to parallel this way of men's aggravating the sufferings of the Church by slanders, and such smitings and wound with the tongue, in the Papists, like handling of the Waldenses, and latter reformed Professors; and in more modern recent sufferings, by professedly Antipapistical, but really Popish hands; but I forbear, upon the Evidence of the Fact.  
Now this is no small trial of Christians Equanimity: It can hardly be escaped, but that it will somewhat stir the stomach, and move the patience of the afflicted, when their adversities are made their crime, and that which is one of their best supports under their sufferings, their innocency, is taken away from them, as far as censure can do it. For the most part the Faithfuls troubles come upon them because they dare not, know not how to run a course of wickedness with others: this than is a very hard case, that when men suffer because they dare not sin, they must be said to sin because they suffer. This usage of Job by his friends (of which even now) exceedingly battered his spirit, and drew from him high language, and somewhat distempered in his contestation with them: How long (said he) will ye vex my Soul, and break me in pieces with words? These ten times have ye reproached me, etc. Have pity upon me, 
Job 19.2, 3, 21, 22.  O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me. Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh? q. d. The scourge of God being laid thus smartly upon me, it would become you to pity me, and not to arraign and condemn mine Integrity; and, if you will take pleasure to rake in my wounds, my bodily sufferings should suffice, and glut your cruel delight; and you should spare my Soul, and state of Conscience, which is peculiar to divine Cognizance.  
I the rather take notice of this incentive of Corruption in the Saints under pressing afflictions, because, I am persuaded, it was never so much practised, at least never so ex professo, or Magisterially made use of as now it is. It is now become a current proof, yea one of the chiefest Topics, or Common-places, from which men draw their arguments against the persons and cause of their distressed opposites, and for their own justification. This argument hath been so artificially adorned, so imperiously consigned, (and, which is more) so smiled upon, and applauded with subsequent events, and observations; that, although in true divinity it be but merely fallacious, and even with rational men it hath been denied admission among probable reasons, yet it now seems to pass as demonstrative: Yea, it is at present grown a wonderment, mixed with some indignation, that the continued disappointments and miscarriages on the one part, and the constant successes following, if not out-going, the designs and expectations of the other, do not convince all men. It is besides my business to discuss this Argument; there hath been enough said to it: And, if the Evidence of Scripture, and the experience and acknowledgement of all sound Judgements, in all Ages, will not cast off the scales of some men's minds against the present sense of worldly advancement; a little time, with the turn of the tide, may possibly do it. Cosmographers observe, That, though the common course of the Sea to be ebb and flow every twenty four hours, yet there is a place in Africa towards the Equator from whence the Sea flows continually towards the East. This Sea is not the figure of a worldly condition. If Africa can show such a wonder in Nature, no place can yield the like in Civil Affairs: There never was any where a continual afflux in temporal attainments: These know a West, as well as an East; an ebb, as well as an increase: And those that fix their anchor, or bottom the equity or approveableness of their way upon this Argument, may ride at full Sea; but when it ebbs they shall be left on the sand, and their own Argument shall serve to gravel them.  
3. The nature of the sufferings of the servants and Church of God: The Measure, Multitude, and Multiplicity of them. When the time of their calamity, and day of their visitation is come; when the Lord cometh cut of his place to punish the inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity, and in special hath a Controversy with his people, and will plead with Israel; their miseries fall heavy and thick upon them, and in various kinds.  
1. For their Measure, or Heaviness; They are resembled to the pains of birth-travel: What wilt thou say, when he shall punish thee? 
Jer. 13.21. Lam. 1.15 Lam. 3.15  Shall not sorrows take thee as a woman in travel? And to the treading of the Vintage: The Lord hath trodden the Virgin the daughter of Judah as in a wine-press. And to a sad drunkenness: He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. The Prophet Jeremiah further representing and personating the Church's miseries in the Lamentations sets them forth as perfect, admirable, incomparable, and incredible. 1. Perfect, or complete: The Lord hath accomplished his fury, he hath poured forth his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. 2. Admirable and astonishing: She came down wonderfully: How doth the City sit solitary? how is she become a widow? how is she become tributary. 3. Incomparable and surpassing: Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger: What thing shall I take to witness for thee? What thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O Virgin daughter of Zion? For the punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. 4. Incredible: The Kings of the Earth, and all the Inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the adversary and enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.  
2. And then, for their Number, or Multitude. In the Churches or Saints day of trouble, or hour of temptation, it pleaseth God oftentimes to multiply their miseries, to heap affliction upon affliction, to add grief to grief, and to bring one adversity in the neck of another. The Scripture compareth their evils in such a time to waves of the Sea, that pursue and overtake one another: So David; Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts; 
Psal. 42.7.  all thy waves, and thy billows are gone over me. And to Armies that come in companies and thousands upon a party: So Job saith of God; His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle. 
Job 19.12.  And to a Leaguer that besets a place on all hands: So the Church in the Lamentations; 
Lam. 3.5, 7.  He hath builded against me, and compassed me about with gall and travel; he hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out. And to a festival Congregation; as the Church in the same Song; 
Cap. 2. 22.  Thou hast called me as in a solemn day my terrors round about. And to a chain made of many links; as the Church again; 
Chap. 3. 7.  He hath made my chain heavy: And the Prophet Ezekiel; Make a chain, etc. mischief shall come upon mischief, 
Ezek. 7.23, 26.  and rumour shall be upon rumour. And to the arrows of a quiver; as the Church; He hath bend his bow, 
Lam. 3.12 13.  and set me as a mark for the arrow; he hath caused the arrows (or sons) of his quiver to enter into my reins. Thus the crosses of the servants of God come thronging in, and coupled together, and environing them about on every side. I will add but one expression more to this purpose, and it is very full one, to wit, that of Job: I am full of confusion, 
Job 10.15, 16, 17.  therefore see thou mine affliction, for it increaseth; thou huntest me as a fierce Lion; and again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me: thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; Changes and War are against me.  
3. There is then usually a Multiplicity of sufferings. The Lord's hand goes out against them in afflictions, not only heavy for measure, and many for number, but manifold, or divers for kind. He maketh use of variety of ways in dealing thus with them: And that, either, 1. Successively; so that when they have avoided or recovered from an evil of one kind, they are met with by one of another kind: as in that of the Prophet; Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O Inhabitant of the Earth: And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare; for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the Earth do shake. And in that of the Lord to Eliah: 
1 King 19.17.  And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. So the people of Judah were parceled out to several Judgements: A third part of thee shall die with the Pestilence, and with Famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part shall fall by the Sword round about thee; 
Ezek. 5.12  and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. Or, 2. At one and the same time: Sometime it so befalleth the servants of God, that at once afflictions come upon them from God, from Man, and from Satan; that they are troubled both in Body and Soul, both within and without at the same time.  
1. Sometimes they have God immediately, Man and Satan at once against them: so it was with Job, Satan stood up against him, and accused him to God, and upon licence obtained, smote him in all kinds (death excepted) and in this condition he was afflicted immediately of God, he hiding his face from him, and showing the tokens of his anger against him, so that he cries out, The arrows of the Almighty are within me, 
Job 6.4: 7: 13, 14.  the poison whereof drinketh up my spirits, the terrors of God do set themselves in Array against me, and when I say my bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint, than thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions. And, being thus, men also become his tormentors, as he often complaineth, and particularly in one place he reckoneth up, how many sorts of men did aggravate his trouble; His brethren, his acquaintance, his kinsfolk, his familiars, 
Job 19.13. to the 20.  and inward friends, his menial servants, his own wife, and the young fry of little children. In another place he describes at large what a rabble of abject miscreants assailed him. 
* Job 30.1. to the 15.  And this is often seen, when the Lord lays his hand upon any of his, than Men and Devils come in upon them; Men, that is, the vulgar sort, and especially the professed enemies of God, and godliness, do then let sly at them, both with tongue and hand; with the scorn and derision of the one; and with the Rapine and violence of the other. Job hath an elegant expression of this, Because he (to wit God) hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let lose the bridle before me, 
Job 30.11. Beza & Diodat in Loc. compar. with Job 12.18.  that is, as Beza, and Diodate pharaphrase it, He hath loosed the bands of my power and authority over them; and therefore they run riot, and cast off the reins of subjection and modesty.  
In like manner, Satan, in what he may, is ready then to put in, 
2 Cor. 12.7. 1 Thes. 3.5.  as the Apostle Paul both found it in himself, in that thorn in the flesh, his buffeting messenger; and feared it in the Thessalonians, when in his own tribulations he could not forbear, but must needs send Timotheus, to know their faith, lest by some means the tempter should have tempted them.  
2. Again sometimes they are at the same time, troubled both within and without, both in soul and body. 
Psal. 6.2.3 2 Cor. 7.5.  O Lord heal me, saith David, for my bones are vexed, my soul also is sore vexed. We (saith S. Paul) were troubled on every side, without were fightings, within were fears.  
This then being the Dimension of the endure of God's servants; seeing they often prove to be so mighty, numerous, and various, it is not to be wondered at, if they be surprised with a kind of stupefaction, in regard of the exercise of their graces, and be somewhat distempered in respect of the acting of corruption. Holy and wise Heman, being in such a plight of sorrows, 
Psal. 88.3, 4, 15.  was (in his own acknowledgement) as a dead and distracted man; as dead, in regard of the sense, and use of the grace and comfort; and as distracted in regard of the fumes of corruption that invaded his mind.  
4. A fourth consideration, of occasion helping forward the said effect in the faithful may be the means of their afflictions, or the persons by whom instrumentally they come; and this consideration may lie two ways, or, there are two sorts of men, which not seldom are employed in laying on the sufferings of the Church, and their agency therein may add some aggravation to those sufferings, and exasperation to the spirits of the sufferers of them.  
1. Sometimes the Instruments are of the worst of men, and very wicked persons, and this adds to their affliction, and moves their discontented passions; that such as those should be their scourges: so the Psalmist makes the Church's complaint. O God the heathen are come into thine inheritance, 
Psal. 79.1, 2, 3, 6, 7, & 74, 4.  thy holy Temple have they defiled, they have laid jerusalem on heaps, the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the Earth, their blood have they shed like water, etc. Again, they (to wit, the heathen that have not known thee, and the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name) they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his dwelling place; and in another Psalm, thine Enemies roar in the midst of thy Congregations, they set up their Ensigns for signs. This was it with which the Prophet Habakkuk was sore aggrieved, The wicked doth compass about the righteous,— Wherefore lookest thou on them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? 
Hab. 1.4, 13.  and with this the Lord himself amplifieth the punishment of judah, when he saith, 
Ezek. 7.24.21.31.  he will bring the worst of the heathen upon them: and he will deliver them into the hands of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.  
2. Sometimes the subordinate agents are persons of nearest relation, and obligation to the sufferers, and this cuts to the heart, and exulcerates their sorrow; when those that are intimately tied to them by Domestical, Political, or Ecclesiastical relation; by the bond of Civil amity, or Religion, prove false and hostile to them: that place in Zechariah, Behold I will make jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about; 
Zech. 12▪ 2.  Some conceive may be meant not actively as if jerusalem should infer, or inflict such plagues upon the neighbouring people as should fill them with horror; but passively jerusalem shall suffer such things as shall move objectively, trembling in others at the beholding thereof; and the words following, When they shall be in the siege both against judah, and against jerusalem, they read thus, because judah shall be in the siege against jerusalem; and, according to this interpretation, this is the reason why jerusalem under God's Judgements shall be a matter of trembling to others, because judah, so nearly allied, and bound by so many relations to be a friend and helper to Jerusalem, should be against her: and so indeed it came to pass, when many of the Jews, called Pusaim, or Apostates, stood up against, and persecuted the Hasmonean and Hasidean party in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, and after. This wrought upon Job more than all his other sufferings from other creatures, that his beloved friends and brethren not only failed him of their help, but turned against him, and added their Reproaches and Contestations to the rest of his miseries: All my inward friends (saith he) abhorred me, 
Job 19.19.  and they whom I loved are turned against me. He had suffered heavy things by the Sabeans and Chaldeans in his goods and servants, and by Satan in his body; but all these discomposed not his spirit so much as did the contendings against him of his three friends. How holy David was galled with the very same thing, is well known, 
Psal. 41.9.  and he more than once expresseth it: Yea, mine own familiar friend (or the man of my peace) in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lift up his heel against me: q. d. This is beyond all, that he that before kept intimatest correspondency with me, was my Confident, and my Beneficiary, should kick against me; and, having got me down, should basely trample me under his feet. This was a thing that did so press him, that he knew not well how to bear it; as in another place he speaketh: For it was not an enemy that reproached me, than I could have born it; neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me, than I would have hid myself from him: 
Psa. 55.12 13, 14, 20, 21.  but it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and my acquaintance: We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in company. And once again in the same Psalm it moves his choler: He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him, he hath broken his Covenant; the words of his mouth were smother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. This lay hard upon his spirit, and vexed him to indignation; that one endeared to him by so many obliging names and relations, should be the man against him, and should prove such a circumventing, bloody, reproachful, and successful foe, as in that Psalm he is described to be. That embracement of him as another self, 
Secundum aestimationem mei. Jun. Dux●mens. Jun. Familiaris mens. Jun.  (a man, mine equal, or equalled to myself,) advancement of him to highest Command, (my Guide, or General,) familiarity of company, (mine acquaintance,) conjunction and trust in honest designs, (we took sweet counsel together,) association in the same God, Religion, and seeking of God, (we walked unto the house of God in company) union in the same League and Covenant, (he hath broken his Covenant,) the specious insinuating and egging pretences and professions held forth by him, (the words of his mouth were smother than butter, softer than oil;) that all these Engagements interveening, not any nor all of them should make him true, nor so much as keep him from hostility; this was the thing which staggered this upright man to bear.  
And I dare be bold to say, there is many a suffering Soul at this day, with whom, next to their own and the Lands sin, and the anger of the Almighty, this is the thing that strikes deepest, lies heaviest upon the heart, that the evils that are come upon them are the projects and productions of Brethren, not only as Englishmen, but as Protestants, Reformers, Covenanters, Solemn-callers upon God; Associates in the same counsels, actions, dangers, mercies; and fair Avowers for the Gospel, Conscience, Godliness, Purity; for Law, Justice, Liberty, Peace; for King, Parliament, Kingdom, Sister Nations, and all Protestant Churches. O the sorrow, shame, vexation, astonishment, that is upon them for this!  
5. Another Reason is the difficulty of patience in times of great troubles. The office of Patience is in the state of adversity to keep down, and quiet the tumultuous passions; and to curb and suppress the headstrong corruptions which that condition is apt to awaken and let lose: it is then to compose the spirit, and to contain the whole man within his duty. Now this is no small business; Patience proves a hard task when it comes in hand. It is but an easy matter, when men are in a quiet state, to frame contemplative notions of afflictions in the mind, or to discourse of them to others, or to behold them upon others, or to foresee them coming on themselves: But the matter is to endure them when they are come; then comes in the part of Patience. Patience is not an intellectual comprehension of Good Rules, or a speculative discerning of the equity, necessity and profit of afflictions; but a practical use of such Rules in bearing; or, a real and regular suffering; and this is somewhat to do. He is in the Apostle James his account a perfect and entire Christian, 
Jam. ●. 4.  lacking nothing, that can fully exercise this grace. And the Apostle Paul, when he would produce the Arguments and Evidences of the truth of his Apostolical calling among the Corinthians, who (it seems) vilified his person, and questioned that his Calling, he mentions patience for one proof: Truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience, 
2 Cor. 12.12.  in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds. Whereby he gives us to observe, that patience (especially all, or complete patience) is a virtue seated in the highest form of Christians, and somewhat demonstrative of an Apostle. A learned Expositor conjectureth of David, that the 73 Psalms (wherein he confesseth how he was offended and staggered, 
Ford in Psal. 49. & 73.  and what envy and impatience he was tainted with at the wickeds prosperity, and the afflictedness of the godly) was written by him when he was yet but young; whereas the 37 and 49 Psalms (wherein he professeth his quietness and unmoveableness at the flourishing of the wicked, and adversity of the righteous, and teacheth the same to others) were penned by him when he was grown old, and thereby attained to be a veterane Soldier in patience. Common experience tells us, passive grace is much more difficult to get and use, then active: as it is more ado to travel in a deep or craggy way, then in a fair and smooth road: as Seafaring men find it is an otherwise labour to sail in a storm, then in a calm. The exercise of active grace consisteth either in receiving good, or in communicating the good endowments we have to others, or in restraining from superfluities; but these things are much more easy then to bear the want of good, the presence of evil; and to lay down ourselves, and resign up our very Being.  
6. The last thing I shall take notice of by way of Reason, here, is, the Faithfuls Interest, experience, confidence in, and recourse to God in prayer. These references, in their ordinary and direct use, are the great means to regulate and compose the heart, and to give stop to corruption; but being reflected on with a humane Judgement, in a state of trouble, and seeming desertion, they are turned to matter of aggravation of the affliction; they help to breed more discontent, and give rise to great thoughts of heart. It is with the Saints in this case, as with one that lies sick: Such a man, if there be a Physician of greatest skill and account, or a receipt of most sovereign virtue; and if he can procure that Physician to undertake him, or that receipt to be applied to him, he is in a full hope of recovery; but having made use of them, if he do not find that effect by them which he looked for, he is now the more dejected; and the greater hopes he had of himself from their worth, the worse heart will he have from their disappointment. Just so it sometimes is with a Christian: Whatsoever can befall him, his great Salvo, or Refug●, is, ●hat he hath God for his God; he hath found the advantage of that relation; he continues stedfastly trusting in him, and earnestly calling upon him; and, in thus doing, what security and good success doth he not promise to himmel and, indeed, what safety and good success may he not promise himself that way? But he, mistaking the matter, that is, taking his safety and success to lie within the compass of such a means, such an order, such a time, and such an issue, when indeed it doth not, he finding his expectation in God failed as to such circumstances of safety and good success which he had circumscribed, he is now in his own sense by so much the more unhappy: That which had been, and still should be, his only cordial, his infirm mind is ready to take for an increase of his sorrow, and to chew upon as one of his bitterest morsels. So it was with David; I remembered God, and was troubled: Why? 
Ps. 77.2, 3.  how should the remembrance of God be matter of trouble to David? The words immediately preceding will tell us: In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord, my sore ran (or my hand was stretched out) in the night and ceased not, my Soul refused to be comforted, I remembered God and was troubled. He had recourse to God in his trouble, and found no present ease, neither in body nor mind; and hence it came to pass that he remembered God, and was troubled: Seeing he could receive no relief, no comfort from God, he reaps an addition of discomfort; the more he seeks, and suffers repulse, the more is his sorrow stirred.  
1. The Saint's Interest in God, as his peculiar people (in this case) exaggerates their grief. So the Psalmist: O God, 
Ps. 79.1, 2.  the Heathen are come into thine Inheritance, thine holy Temple have they defiled, the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the Heaven, the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the Earth, etc. And so Nehemiah: 
Neh. ●. 10.  Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great Power, and by thy strong hand. And so also Jeremiah in the Lamentations: Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou hast done this. 
Lam. 2.20  And again, He remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger.  
2. Their former experience and enjoyment of God, makes his withholding of himself more strange and heavy. So David: 
Psal 42.4.  When I remember these things I pour out my Soul in me; for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holiday. And in another Psalm: 
Psa. 77.10.  Furthermore, I said, This is that which maketh me infirm, that the right hand of the most High is changed; 
Infirmare me istud mutata dextra excelsi. Tremel. Ford. Isai 33.17 Lam. 1.7.  that is, that the right hand of God which was wont to deliver, defend and comfort me, is now withdrawn or turned against me. So Hezekiah; Behold, for peace I had great bitterness. And in the Lamentations its said, Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction, and of her misery, all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old.  
3. Their Confidence in God (when not answered as they expect) makes them the more confounded. Solomon saith, Hope deferred maketh the heart sick. 
Pro. 13.12  That which helped to increase the wonder and sadness of those two Disciples of Christ, that on the day of his Resurrection were travelling to Emmaus, and communing together in the way of the crucifying of Christ, 
Luk. 24.21  was this; But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.  
4. Lastly, Their recourse to God in prayer (when they find not their desired effect) being in like manner reflected on, contributes to their perplexity and dejection. So Heman: Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction; 
Psal. 88.9, 13, 14.  Lord, I have called upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee— But unto thee have I cried, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee: Lord, why castest thou off my Soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? So David rather personating our Saviour Christ then himself: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
Ps. 22.1, 2●  why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, and thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. And so also Job: I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me; I stand up, 
Job 30.20  and thou regardest me not.   

SECT. V  
The Subject and Occasion of this Treatise.  
THus at length I am come home to my intended Subject; this last Consideration hath brought me to it, viz. The succeslessness of Prayer, and the contrary proceeding of divine Providence to it. This is the very condition of many a godly Soul, yea of some whole Christian Nations and Churches at this day. This is one of the commonest, weightiest, and difficultest Cases of Conscience that is on foot in and about these times: This is one thing that lies as a heavy burden upon the minds of very many of the servants of God.  
And it comes upon them both by their own sense and observation, and the exprobration of their opposites: In regard of the former they are like Rebecca, who going with child of prayer powerful Jacob, she suffered a struggling within her 'twixt him and Esau, a rough and profane person; in so much that she said, 
Gen. 25.22.  If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. In respect of the latter they are like Hannah, whom her adversary Penninah provoked sore for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb: and this she did year by year, 
1 Sam. 1.6, 7.  when she went up (or, from her going up) to the house of the Lord: That is, at what time she sought God in a special manner in his house at Shiloh, that she might have children, Peninnah upbraided her more than at other times, and that with the fruitlessness both of her womb in bearing children, and of her prayer in obtaining her petition. So it is now with many of jacob's seed, or the generation of them that seek the face of God: by reason of the disappointment of their prayers, they both with Rebecca suffer an inward conflict from their own doub●● and fears; and with Hannah they bear from without the reproaches of their Antagonists.  
Let this case be put as it really is, with all its considerable Circumstances and Ingredients, and it will be found a very remarkable and important Case. 1. The observation of many hath been, That a more than ordinary spirit of prayer hath been poured out upon Christians of late; and that out of it a great multitude of prayers have been poured forth in relation to the public Concernments. 2. That there hath been a general Consent and Concurrence, not only of Christians in these Nations, but of all the Protestant or Reformed Churches under Heaven, in prayer for the same Concernments. 3. That the effect of their prayers that have gone before us, and are now with God, hath broke forth, and begun to be reaped by us of this age. 4. We of these Nations, besides daily and personal prayers, have set to it in solemn seeking unto God, with Fasting, Humiliation, and Confession of sins, public and private, on stated days, and occasionally; and have continued in this course now divers years. 5. We have added to such our prayers, public Vows, Oaths, and Covenants, for the things prayed for, and heaped them one upon another. 6. The subject matter of our prayers have been (1.) Such things as we are not only commanded to pray for, but to give a principal place to in our prayers, to wit, Religion, Reformation, Propagation of the Gospel, and Kingdom of Christ, Deliverance from public Enemies, and Intestine Conspirators, and the Upholding of our Fundamental Government against all Innovaders, with the safety and conduct of our supreme Magistracy and Counsels: (2.) Such benefits as the promises of God in his Word are understood to lay up and reserve for his Church in these, or the near following times. 7. There hath been the use of other lawful means, with strong endeavours, and hazards therein, for the accomplishing of the things prayed for; and very hopeful beginnings and first fruits thereof erewhile attained; yea and a door set open to, and a near view of, and approach to, yea even almost an embracement of, the main of our desires. 8. There hath been (no doubt) a sincere aim, and an upright frame of heart in many throughout all these things. 9 Lastly, To all these Considerations we may add the Promises of God made in Scripture to them that call upon him; with the usual efficacy, and experienced prevalency of prayer with God. Now if we compare these particulars about the putting up, and prosecution of our prayers, with the success (on the other side) that hath followed; the present unaccomplishment of those prayers, and the events that have ensued directly cross and thwart thereunto; it will appear a case of serious moment, very needful and worthy to be remarked and discussed in order to manies resolution and satisfaction.  
I have here taken in hand to say something to it; not that I dare promise, or hope to sound the full depth, or traverse the utmost extent of it; but to put it into the Remembrance of others more able, and to set the Enquiry before them, and a little to begin and break the way into it for them: And this I really do (that I may confess what may help to make me more excusable in this Undertaking) upon special instance. There hath been put into my hand a Case, or Query, of this import by a Brother very eminent in his place, in the name of himself, and many others, desiring answer thereto; which desire hath since been often renewed: The Query was this, both for matter and words: Seeing God doth hid himself from his people's prayers, grounded (we humbly hope) upon his Promises, and seemeth by his Providences to answer the prayers which are contrary thereunto; I desire to know whether there be any Example of it? what may be the Reason of it? and what Use should be made of it?  
When I had read it, I thought it was no hard thing to say that which might suffice to clear it, and therefore stuck not to receive it; but after, when I had considered better, not only of the thing, but of the quality of the persons from whom it came, and how difficult it is to know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary, and to utter fit, acceptable and right words to one, much more to many, under affliction; and that it is one thing to inform the Judgement, another thing to heal or comfort a troubled spirit; I begun to repent of my forwardness, and wished that I could tell how fairly to lay aside the Enterprise. But the usefulness of the Question, my respect to the Proposer, and overhasty Entertaining of it, now have engaged me to carry on the Treaty of it, as the Lord shall help me: And oh that it would please him to enable me to speak, both of him the thing that is right, and to men, to his servants, that which may be sound and satisfying.  
The Question propounded, affordeth matter for four Queries; or, it offereth four things to be distinctly considered and resolved. 1. Whether there be any Example of this? vis. God's hiding himself from his people's prayers, grounded upon his Promises, and his seeming by his Providences to answer the prayers which are contrary thereunto? 2. How, or in what sense God may be said so to do? 3. What may be the Reason of his so doing? 4. What Use should be made of it?    

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

SECT. I.  
The Question affirmed, and divided into Parts.  
THis first Query is to be answered Affirmatively: It is a thing that may be Exemplified; there is no new thing in it: Yea, we are not without many Precedents of it going before us.  
In producing the Examples required, I will divide the matter to be patterned into its two Parts, and show the Examples, 1. Of God's hiding himself from his people's prayers grounded upon his Promises. 2. Of his seeming by his Providences to answer the prayers which are contrary thereunto.   

SECT. II.  
Examples of Gods Hiding himself from his People's Prayers.  
FIrst, Of the former (viz. God's hiding himself from his people's prayers grounded upon his Promises) there is great store of notable Examples of this.  
I will set them down in this order: 1. The Acknowledgements or Complaints of this in the mouths of the people of God. 2. The Declarations of God himself to this purpose. 3. Historical Observations of the thing.  
I. First, Of this the Saints or people of God have made their Acknowledgement or Complaint in Scripture. And this is observable, 1. Either of the prayers of particular persons; 2. Or of the prayers of the Community, or multitude of God's people, that is, of the Church.  
First, For Personal Prayers: Single persons have found themselves in this condition. And this may be noted touching their prayers: 1. For others. 2. For themselves. 3. For Gods own Cause.  
1. Let us hear their Testimonies in relation to their prayers for others. Holy David telleth us, He clothed himself with sackcloth, 
Psa. 35, 13  and humbled his Soul with fasting, (for his Enemies, and Persecutors, Saul, and his party,) and his prayer returned into his own bosom; that is, it proved ineffectual, as for them. He also solemnly fasted and besought God for his sick child, but it availed not, on the seventh day the child died. Moses prayed earnestly for them of Israel who had set up and worshipped the golden Calf: Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me I pray thee out of thy Book, 
Exod. 32.32, 33, 34, 35.  which thou hast written: But what answer had he to this pathetic prayer? And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my Book; therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: Nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the Calf which Aaron made. The Prophet Isaiah professeth his uncessantness in prayer for Zions' and Jerusalem's glorious Restauration: For Zions' sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, 
Isai. 62.1, 6, 7. & 63.11, 15. & 64.7.  until the Righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth: And he enjoineth the same instancy in prayer to all other praying persons; Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth. Yet in the two following Chapters he in his own and their persons expostulateth and bemoaneth the Lords withdrawing and withholding himself from them and his people notwithstanding their prayers. Where is he that brought them up out of the Sea with the Shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him? where is thy zeal, and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me? are they restrained? And this his hiding himself is set out to be so dismal and long, that they were even grown weary of prayer: And there is none that calleth upon thy Name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. The Prophet Jeremiah prayeth most tenderly for Judah and Zion; 
Jer. 14.19, 21. & 15.1  Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy Soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory; remember, break not thy Covenant with us, etc. And what is the Lords return unto this? Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people; cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. King Josiah upon his hearing read the words of the Book of the Law, and understanding by it the great wrath of the Lord which was kindled against him and his people, 
2 King. 23.25, 26.  he besought the Lord with extraordinary humiliation, zeal, and diligence: His heart was tender; he humbled himself before the Lord, he rend his clothes and wept before God; he sent to inquire of the Lord for himself and all Judah by the Prophetess H●ld ah; e assembled the people, published the Book of the Law, made and imposed on the people a Covenant before the Lord to yield obedience to it: He rooted up Idolatry and Sorcery; He restored the Temple and true Worship of God. He was in all these a peerless King; Like unto him was there no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, neither after him arose there any like him. But all this would not appease God's anger, nor avert his Judgements unto desolation from Judah: Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, etc. The Prophet Habakkuk gives us to understand how speedless he was in prayer, beginning his Prophecy with this complaint unto God: 
Hab. 1.2.  O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save? And going yet a second time unto God by prayer, in expectation and hope of a better answer, I will stand upon my watch, 
Chap. 2.1, 2, 3.  and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer; he is yet delayed in his petition, and receives an answer of further Judgements yet to come: And the Lord answered me, and said, Writ the Vision, and make it plain upon tables, 
Chap. 3.2  that he may run that readeth it; for the Vision is yet for an appointed time, etc. So that his hopes were overwhelmed with fears and terrors, which he expresseth in this third recourse in prayer to God: O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid:— When I heard my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; 
Verse 16.  rottenness entered into my bones; and I trembled in myself, etc. The Apostle Paul was earnest by prayer for Israel's Conversion and Salvation; that is, for the Body of that Nation which continued in blindness, and stood upon their own, and out against the righteousness of God for Justification: Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 
Rom. 10.1.  The answer of God unto him in this was, That a remnant only should then be called, and the rest be judicially hardened for a long time to come, 
Chap. 11.5, 7, 25.  even until the coming in of the fullness of the Gentiles. Upon saul's disobedience, and the Lords repenting of his advancement to the Kingdom, Samuel prayed a whole night, 
1 Sam. 15.11, 35.  yet the Lord rejected Saul from being King over Israel; and when this was done, Samuel still mourned for Saul, 
Chap. 16.1  till at length the Lord reproved him, and sent him to anoint another for that place.  
2. The holy servants of God have met with stays and disappointments not only in their petitions for others, but even in their supplications for themselves, and when they have prayed in their own behalf. Upright Job, that man of Trials, doth in this respect thus make known and bewail his case to his friends: Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his Net: 
Job 19.6, 7, 8.  Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no Judgement. He hath fenced my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. And in another place he complaineth of th● same unto God: I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear; I stand up, and thou regardest m not. 
Cap. 30 20, 26, 27, 28.  When I looked for good, then evil came upon me; and when I waited for light, there came darkness. My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me, I went mourning without the Sun: I stood up, and I cried in the Congregation. The Prophet David often finds himself in this condition; often cries out of it unto God. In his 13 Psalms he complains thus for lack of audience: How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, 
Psal. 13.1, 2, 3.  for ever? How long wilt thou hid thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my Soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord, my God. In the 31 Psalms he saith, I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; 
Psa. 31.12.  I am like a broken vessel. In the 69. he 〈…〉 moan thus: I am weary of my crying, 
Psal. 69.3.  my throat is dried; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. Holy Heman also was in this very plight: O Lord God of my Salvation, I have cried day and night before thee; 
Psal. 88.1.  and with what success? He tells presently: 
Verse 4, 5.  I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength: Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more, and they are cut off fr●● thy hand. And again a little after: Lord, I have called upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee: Yet had he no better speed: 
Vers. 9.14.  Lord, why castest th' u off my Soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?  
Nay the greatest Example possible we have for this, to wit, that of our blessed Saviour, who in his Passion is personated by David in these words: My God, My God, 
Psa. 22 12. Mat. 27.46  why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, and thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. Part of which words he audibly uttered, or rather cried out, when he hung upon the Cross. I will add hereunto only one Instance, and it is as great as can be added to the former: It shall be taken from the continual experience of all true Christians, that are or ever were in the world. Our blessed Saviour teacheth all his to pray, Thy Will be done in Earth as it is done in Heaven: And again, Led us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Now although these things are and aught to be daily prayed for; yet it must needs be acknowledged (as it is experienced by all the Saints of God on Earth) that never doth any of them attain to in this life an absolute conformity to the Will of God, like that of the Angels and Saints in Heaven; nor to a sinless distance from all temptations. 
Bellar. T. 4 the Justif. lib. 4. cap. 13. Chamier. T. 3. l. 11. c. 7. s. 21.  Bellarmine would infer from hence a capacity of perfection in the Saint's obedience in this life: for otherwise (saith he) these petitions in the Lord's prayer are in vain taught and used. This Inference we deny. There are divers things allowed, yea commanded, and necessary to be prayed for, which yet may never be granted: and there are sundry things (as those petitions specified) which are to be prayed for every day; and yet they may (in their just and full measure) never be attained till our last day and end come.  
3. Yea when the servants of God have called upon God in and for his own Cause and Concernment; yet the Lord hath sometimes hid himself from their prayer. Eliah (whom the Apostle James brings in for a singular pattern of prevalency in prayer) he maketh intercession to God against Israel (in the Lords Cause, as well as his own,) saying, Lord, they have killed thy Prophets, 
Rom. 11.2 3.  and digged down thine Altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. Yet after this, things went still on in Israel in relation to the matters of God as they did before; he never lived to see any redress. The people of God in Psal. 44. call out upon God, and expostulate with him as one that seemed to sleep out the time of their heavy Calamities, and hid his face purposely from them, and put their Case into utter oblivion: 
Psal. 44.8, 22, 23, 24.  Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever: Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction, and our oppression? And yet what Cause did they suffer in? Th●y immediately before represent that to him; Yea for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. And in another Psalm they bespeak him in this sort; Arise, O God, 
Psa. 74.22  plead thine own Cause; remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Yet than it appears by that which goes before they accounted themselves cast off, and lying under the smoking anger of God; and they complain, We see not our signs, there is no more any Prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.  
These Examples may suffice for the first Head, to wit, the Complaints of the Saints touching the Lords hiding from their personal prayers.  
Secondly, It hath so fared with the joint and public Prayers of the Community of Saints, or Church of God; as they have made their Complaint: This was the case of the Church at the time of the penning of the 80 Psalms: O Lord God of Hosts, 
Psal. 80.4.  how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? It is not here intimated that the Lord was angry with the prayer of his people (as if it were peccant in the nature of it, for which he should be displeased with it,) but he was angry against their prayer, that is, his anger proceeded still on; though their prayer was for his pacification, their prayer was for the calling back of his Judgements, his anger carried them still on; so that this went on in opposition to that. The particular time and occasion of the compiling of this Psalm, is not manifested by its title of tenor; but their Conjecture is probable that assign it to the rending of the ten Tribes from the house of David, and Kingdom of Judah, and the setting up of Jeroboam, upon which the Invasion of Judah by Shishak King of Egypt shortly followed. For it hath often come to pass, and it may here be seasonably observed by us, that when those whom God hath joined together in one Religion, and under one Government, do break asunder, and erect opposite Thrones over them respectively, which ●ide soever hath the better, yea or the right of it, the common Enemy presently comes in, and gets his greatest advantage by it.  
It is noted of the people of Judah, yea witnessed of them by God himself, that they prayed much: Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. 
Isai. 58.3.  They take delight in approaching to God; and how succeeded their prayers? The next words will inform us: Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our Soul, and thou takest no knowledge?  
The Prophet Jeremiah in his Lamentations, representing the Church of Judah under her Babylonian Calamities, 
Lam. 3.8.  sets forth her plaints for want of audience in prayer: Also when I cry, and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. They not only prayed, but cried, yea even shouted, that is, called upon God with greatest vehemency; yet their prayer found no entrance. And again in the same Chapter: 
Verse 44.  Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. And surely this cloud lay long over their prayers; as will appear if we compare with this those places of Zechariah, 
Zech. 7.3, 5, 8, 19  where their set times of fasting and humbling themselves are found to have been for seventy years together. In the Prophet Malachi's days, when the people were grown very corrupt, and Religion was much collapsed, yet they had so much Religion left as to fast and pray; and this they did so long without success, that at length they grew stout and ●ullen against God, concluding a course of devotion to be bootless: They said, It is vain to serve God; 
Mal. 3▪ 14.  and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts.  
We have thus seen the Complaints and Acknowledgements of the people of God in the matter to be Exemplified, and that in sufficient variety of Instances.  
II. In the next place let us observe what the Lord himself declares touching his hiding or withholding himself from his praying people; and we shall receive it from his mouth by way, 1. Of Threatening. 2. Of Prophecy, or Prediction. 3. Of Narration.  
First, He utters it by way of Threatening or Denunciation, as a special Judgement, or effect of his wrath against his people, and that concerning, 1. Their own prayers. 2. The prayers of others for them.  
1. He threatens he will hid himself from them praying for themselves. Upon the Apostasy of the Israelites unto Idolatry in the times of the Judges; when the Lord had for that cause sold them into their Enemy's hands, the Text saith, The children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, 
Judg. 10.10, etc.  both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites? etc. The Zidonians also, and the Amalekiles, and the Maonites did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand: Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods; wherefore I will deliver you no more. The same bar upon the gate of entrance of prayer the Lord puts in the time of his Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, against the prayers of his people of Israel and Judah. In Isaiah he saith, And when ye spread forth your hands, 
Isai. 1.15.  I will hid mine eyes from you; yea when you make many prayers, I will not hear. In Jeremiah he declares, Though they shall cry unto me, 
Jer. 11.11, 14.  I will not hearken unto them,— for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble— When they fast, 
Cap. 14.12  I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering, and an oblation, I will not accept them. In Ezekiel he forestalls them thus; 
Ezek. 8.18  Though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.  
2. Yea, but perhaps, though the sinfulness of their persons made their prayers cast back; yet the prayers of others, who were righteous persons, and had been usually prevalent with God, might avail for them; nay neither must they be heard for them. 
Jer. 7.16.  Therefore pray not thou (saith the Lord to his Prophet Jeremiah) for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee. And when he did make bold to speak a few words for them, his answer is, 
Cham 15.1.  Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. And by the Prophet Ezekiel the Lord pronounceth it four times over at once; 
Ezek. 14.14, 16, 18, 20.  Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own Souls by their righteousness. So we hear this proceeding of God owned by himself, by way of Threatening.  
Secondly, He hath spoken it by way of Prophecy, or Prediction. Our blessed Saviour in his Exhortation to his Disciples to uncessantness in prayer, by the example of the windows importunity with the unjust Judge, in the reddition of that Parable he foretells, 
Luk. 18.1, 7, 8.  that God will indeed avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night to him: but withal, he will bear long with them; that is, he will long sit still, and forbear to appear, and vindicate his people, notwithstanding the cry of their prayers, and the provoking of their Oppressors. And in the next words he describes how long, to wit, so long, as that it will be a question whether the Son of man when he cometh shall find faith on the Earth: That is (as I understand) when Christ our Saviour shall come either personally and visibly to the last Judgement, or virtually and by his divine working in this life, to the rescue of his Church, and ruin of their Enemies, according to the several Promises and Predictions in Scripture, the faith of his people (not in the absolute being or nature of it, but in regard of that particular use of act of it in believing that God will seasonably avenge them, and confident staying for it) shall even be worn out through pining delay, and brought almost to a fail. In the Prophecy of the Revelation, at the opening of the fifth seal by the Lamb (our blessed Redeemer,) there appeared under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, 
Rev. 6.9, 10  and for the Testimony which they held; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, etc. white Robes were given unto every one of them, and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fufilled. These Souls under the Altar are unanimously interpreted to be the Persecuted and Martyred Christians in the Ten primitive Persecutions; and, more especially (according to Mr Mede) those under Dioclesian's Imm●nity. We see they cry for Avengement, and complain of a long putting off, How long? and, nevertheless, their answer is that, notwithstanding all the delay that hath been, they must rest contented, and stay yet some time longer. Learned Mr Mede conceiveth the time of their yet further deferring to be till the sounding of the Trumpets; and their fellow-servants, and brethren, which in the Interim were to be killed as they, to be those who after were slain under Licinius Julianus, and the Arrians. 
Rev. 8.2, 3, etc.  Those seven Trumpets he also reckoneth to be so many alarms to the fatal ruins of the Roman Empire: God taking punishment by those ruins for the blood of the said Martyrs, shed by the Roman Emperors. And the Angels adding much incense to the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar before the Throne, and the ascending before God of the smoke of the incense out of the Angel's hand with the prayers of the Saints, which immediately antecedeth the Trumpets, to be a renewing of the memoral of those prayers of the afore-martyred Saints under the the fifth Seal: upon which, as an answer of that remembrance, and of those prayers, so long before put up, the seven Angels prepare to sound their Trumpets. Now, betwixt the beginning of the last of the Ten Persecutions, and the beginning of the seven Trumpets, there was more than the age of a man. Mr Mede beginneth the fifth Seal at the year of Christ 268. and the Trumpets at 395. it was thus long (to wit, 127 years) ere those prayers of the afflicted Martyrs began to be answered: and moreover, the time of the continuance of the first six of those Trumpets, in which their answer is made up, he accounts to be 1260 years more after that.  
Another Prophecy in the same Book we may add to this purpose; it is that of the two Witnesses: the Text saith, They shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed with sackcloth; 
Rev. 11.3, 5  and if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth; and devoured their Enemies. By those two Witnesses our Divines understand those few Preachers, Professors, and Maintainers of the Truth of Christ, which shall be found during the Gentiles treading under foot the holy City, that is, the profane and idolatrous people's trampling upon the face of the visible Church. Those one thousand two hundred and threescore days they compute to intent so many years. That sackcloth they take to emblematize their mourning, complaining condition. And that fire issuing out of their mouths, they expound to be their prayers for divine aid and rescue: like as Elijah called for fire to come down from Heaven, 
2 Kings. 1 10.  to consume the Captains and their fifties. These persons, although such precious ones, so raised up, and empowered by Christ; yet, we see, they are put to walk mournfully, and pray continuedly, for so great a term of years, ere their prayers speed, and their state be changed. Yea, notwithstanding all their patience, and constancy in that sad and expecting condition, they are at length to be overcome, and slain, and kept unburied, and insulted over by the Beast, and his accomplices, before they come to receive the issue of their prophesying and praying, 
Rev. 11.7, 8 9, 10.  by their re-advancement. This last part of their sorrowful cup seems to be, not only a suspense of their long continued prayers, but even a breaking off of them, and of all hope of their enjoying the benefit of them, unless they must expect it in another world. But yet the next words will resolve us, that both their former walking in sackcloth, and their slaying at last, is to be no more than a suspense, or deferring for a time: for within three days and a half they are raised up again to life, to their feet, yea to Heaven, in a Cloud, in sight of their Enemies; that is, they attain to an happy end of their labours and sufferings, and to an accomplishment of their prayers. This last passage, the slaying of the Witnesses, is conceived by many to be yet behind, or in fulfilling; unto others it seems to be acted, and past: It is beyond me peremptorily to determine either way: only, whereas it appears unlikely to be yet to come, when as sundry Nations, sometimes following and serving the Beast, have cast him off, bidden defiance to him, and set up the Reformed Religion. I will here insert Mr Medes gloss upon it, very appositely meeting with that scruple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. When they shall be about to finish their testimony (for so it is to be translated, not, when they have finished) the Beast which ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make War with them, and shall overcome them, and kill them: 
Mr. Medes Comment. part 2. pag. 3. Engl.  That is, when now part of the holy City, or inhabitants of the Christian world repenting of their idolatries and abominations, and cleansing the temple of God within themselves, the witnesses rejoicing, should begin to put off their sackcloth, and to be freed from their daily mourning; notwithstanding they should not yet be wholly freed; that Roman sevenheaded Beast of the last time (of which Chap. 13.) chafing that the preaching of those Mourners had so far prevailed, shall make war against them, overcome and kill them: The first of which, concerning the mourning of the Witnesses already begun to determine, hath been continually performed from the beginning of the Reformed Church until this present: The other, concerning war and slaughter, I conjectture is yet to come.  
Thirdly, The Lords hiding from his people's prayers, himself declareth by way of Narration, as of a thing done. This he doth by his Prophet Zechariah. 
Zech. 7.13  Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of Hosts. And he mindeth the Israelites, that so he had done by them, speaking thus by Moses: And they returned and wept before the Lord, 
Deut. 1.45  but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.  
I have thus laid forth the Examples of Gods hiding from his praying people, comprised under those two first general Heads, to wit, the Saints own Acknowledgements, and the Declarations of GOD Himself.  
III. The third followeth; that is to be Observations out of Story: And for this I think I may safely affirm two things. 1. There was never any public Calamity or Judgement came upon any people professing the knowledge of the true God, and his true Worship, since the beginning of the world to this day, but there hath been always some of, or about them, or both, who have been earnest and faithful Petitioners unto Almighty God for the preventing of the said Calamity from coming, and for the removal of it as soon as come; and notwithstanding that Judgements have come, and have continued for their time, to wit, that time which had been foreallotted, and sometimes foretold. 2. There hath scarce ever been any great work of Mercy which God hath brought forth towards or for his people, but, as his servants have had some preapprehension of it by means of his promise, and, upon that intimation, have a good while prayed and waited for it; so, ere it hath come about, they have been at a stagger concerning it, and their prayers for it; and it hath seemed to them for a time, as if the Lord had forgotten his Word, hid himself from, and disappointed them. Therefore many particular Instances I need not take forth. 
Exod. 2.23 24. & 3.7.  Israel being under servitude in Egypt, it is said, they sighed by reason of the bondage, and cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of their bo●dage, and God heard their groaning: And so the Lord telleth Moses out of the bush, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. Here is Israel praying, yea even crying, sighing, groaning in Egypt; and yet notwithstanding after this, when Moses and Aaron were sent of God to deliver them, and had reported their message from God to them, and to Pharaoh, they were in worse case than before; their burdens were increased, and their Officers beaten; whereupon they cry out of Moses and Aaron, as being become their Tormentors in stead of being their Deliverers: And Moses complaineth unto God: 
Exod 5.6, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.  Wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? Why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name, he hath done evil to this people; neither haste thou delivered thy people at all. And the Israelites became so hopeless of their own prayers, and Moses his enterprise taking any effect, that when Moses was sent unto them from God with a second Message, 
Exod. 6.6, to 12.  assuring them of the Lords hearing their groans, remembering his Covenant, resolving to bring them out, and to seat them in the promised Land, and to approve himself their God, and to own them as his people, they heeded him not: the Text saith, They hearkened not to Moses for anguish of spirit, 
Cap. 14.12  and for cruel bondage: Yea, they said, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians.  
When the Israelites received that terrible overthrow by the Philistines, wherein the Priests of the Lord were slain, and the Ark was taken, it is said, The word of Samuel came to all Israel; 
1 Sam. 4.1. Tho. Coleman's Sermon before the House, Septem. 12, 1644. pag. 5. 1 Sam. 7.2  or (as one translares) the word of Samuel was for all Israel. His daily words and prayers (saith that Interpreter) were for his people, and for their good, and particularly for a comfortable success in this expedition; yet samuel's prayer could not prevent that disaster, no nor recover it of twenty years after.  
The holy and zealous Prophet Jeremiah, as he was faithful to deliver the Word of the Lord to the Kings and people of Judah, concerning their Desolation and Captivity at hand under Babylon; so he was instant with God in prayer to have made up that gap, and intercepted those evils. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, 
Jer. 18.20.  and to turn away thy wrath from them: Yet, as he could not prevail with Judah to repent of their sins; so, upon their impenitency, he might not prevail with God to recall his denounced Judgements. When these destructions were accomplished upon Judah, there was a certain and plain promise for their Recovery at the end of seventy years; and there was much praying in that space, both by the people of God generally, as may appear by the Book of the Lamentations, and by the 79, the 102, the 126, and the 137 Psalms; and by the Prophets, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and other eminent servants of God in particular: And yet, when the foreset time of Deliverance was at hand, or come● what was become of all their expectations and prayers in their apprehension? The Prophet Isaiah will show us: But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. 
Isai. 49.14.  And ezekiel's Vision of the dead and dry bones will inform us: 
Eze. 37.11  Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost, we are cut off from our parts. The Prophet Daniel did inure himself unto prayer and fasting, in relation not only to the present affairs of the people of God, but to those of future times: The return of those his extraordinary Humiliations and seekings unto God, was sometimes in such Visions, as the bare representations thereof, and foresight thereby, of the Calamities of the Church of God under the Grecian, Seleucian and Roman Powers, drove him much out of heart, and brought him into deep distemper both of mind and body. O my Lord (saith he) by the Vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. 
Dan. 10.16 & 7.28. & 8: 27.  And at another time: As for me Daniel, my cogitations troubled me, and my countenance changed in me. And at a third time; And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days, and I was astonished at the Vision. And if that foreknowledge of the Events of the Church, whereabout his prayers were employed, were such an amazement and burden to his spirit; what (think we) would the sight and sense of them be to those praying Saints that should live to see them acted and endured?  
The Apostle Paul knowing what an advantage to Christianity (in the Protection and Propagation of it) it would be to have the Civil Magistrate Christian, he giveth Christians a Precept in their private and public Supplications, in special to pray for Kings, 
1 Tim. 2.1 2.  and for all that are in Authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. And no doubt the primitive Christians in and after the Apostles time were mindful and constant in the practice hereof; besides the Authority of the Command, their own conveniency would lead them to it. That woman in St john's Vision (in the Revelations) that appeared clothed with the Sun, 
Rev. 12.12  treading under her feet the Moon, and crowned with twelve Stars, Divines take to be a figure of the Christian primitive Church: And, whereas it is said, She being with child cried, travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered; they understand that to intent the said Churches crying unto God by daily prayers to obtain a Christian Emperor, that would cease their Persecutions, and establish their Religion in Peace and Freedom: yet was it near three hundred years ere she could bring forth that her Manchild Constantine the Great, the first Emperor that set up the Christian Profession. So long was the Church put to travel in prayer, together with hot and painful persecutions, ere they received therein their Answer. The Church indeed brought forth a Christian Emperor before, viz. Anno 245. Julius Philippus; 
Euseb. l. 6. c 31. Chron. Carian, p. 245. Speed, lib. 6. c. 31.  but him she brought forth for Heaven, and not for her Militant state here; he lived not to establish Christianity in the Empire, but was soon cut off by Decius, the Author of the seventh Persecution, who slew him and his son, and Caesar (a Christian also) odio Christiani nominis, of hatred to the Christian name: So that in him the Church's pregnancy and travel in prayer proved abortive; she continued travelling still, until she brought forth Constantine. We see, though the Churches striving together in prayer be compared to the pains of a labouring woman, yet it is so resembled in respect of Vehemency, not of Duration; a woman's labour is but for a few hours, the Church's travel may be for a multitude of years, and some ages, ere she bring forth.  
Being thus passed out of Scripture into Ecclesiastical History, I will add out of it a few Examples more, of the overclouding or suspense put upon the prayers of the people of God. Who hath not read or heard of the thundering Legion? that Legion of Christian Soldiers, which by their prayers relieved the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and his Army▪ who in an Expedition against the Quadi, and others, being ready to perish, having an Army of Enemies against them of nine hundred seventy five thousand, and being withal destitute of water for five days together; this Legion of Christians, then in the Emperor's Leaguer, drew apart, and falling prostrate upon the Earth in ardent prayer, they prevailed with God; so that they had plenteous showers of Rain to satisfy the Army's thirst, and Thunder and Lightning to disperse and destroy their Enemies; and, upon this, that Legion was named by the Emperor (though a Heathen) the Thundering Legion. These Christians (and the rest of those times) that were so earnest with God in the behalf of a Papan Emperor, and Civil Cause, were as much, or rather more serious and fervent (not doubt) in daily prayer for the Churches Rest and Enlargement, then under bloody Persecution; they must needs be granted to bear a part in the travelling woman's pains and cry, afore spoken of; as also in that cry unto God of the Souls under the Altar at the opening of the fifth Seal, which before also I insisted on: But, though they did, and were so mighty in prayer, and exercised those Arms of prayers and tears (which were the Arms which the primitive Christians only owned, as allowable, wherewith to resist the Tyranny of their lawful Superiors, they being then but of a private and plebeian capacity) as diligently as they did their secular Arms for defence of the Emperor; yet they could not thereby obtain a present period of those fiery Persecutions, 
See Mr. Clarks Martyrolog. p. 44, 45 & Mr Fox, vol. 1. p. 67▪ etc.  which then had so long lasted, but they went on, by times, for above a hundred years longer; and although Aurelius (upon the aforesaid Wonders) decreed the stay of the fourth Persecution, then on foot, yet was it carried on still by the Judges, and by his son Commodus.  
After that the Roman Emperors were become Christian, Gratian, one of the most pious, 
Mr Mede● Comment. in Apoc. part 1. p▪ 58. And Rosses Hist. Book 3. c. 3. An. Chr. 379.  zealous, and orthodox Emperors we find in Story; he was the first Christian Emperor (as Mr Mede noteth) that refused the Title and Pontifical Robe of the High priesthood, anciently annexed to the Imperial Majesty, and a branch of the old Heathenish Idolatry: He commanded a general Embracement of the Nicene Creed; He suppressed Heretics, and restored the Orthodox, banished by his Predecessor Valens, an Arian: This godly Emperor in his Expeditions of War was generally and affectionately prayed for by the Christian Churches. A Historian saith of him, At non Ambrosius duntaxat pro Gratiani victoriâ solicitus, juges obtulit Deo preces, sed fidelium omnium vota publica nuncupata sunt, 
Schulting. Thesaur. Tom. 4. cap. 321.  frequensque tunc pro eo piorum ad basilicas concursus prospera illi assidus postulantium. But not only Ambrose offered up daily prayers to God, being solicitous for Gratians victory, but the public supplications of all the faithful were made for him; and there was a great flocking together of the godly to the Cathedrals, 
Chron. Ca●ion, l. 3. p. 293, Speed, hist. book 6. c. 51. p. 178. Rosses Hist. B. 3. c. 3.  to pray daily for his prosperity: Yet this good young Emperor was first overthrown in Battle, and quickly after traitorously slain by Maximus the Usurper: In this it pleased God to frustrate the Christians prayers, and to give the Victory, and that Western Empire, to a usurping Tyrant. The Monks of Bangor in Flintshire were famous in their times, and still are among Historians, for their piety and devotion, as also for their austerity of life, and industry in manual labour, (being no way like unto the pack of degenerate and vicious Monks of latter ages.) When the Britain's about Anno Christi 609. were gathered together at Chester to defend themselves by Arms against Ethelfrid, King of the Northumbrian Saxons, a Pagan; they procured those godly Monks to assemble thither, and assist them with their prayers against that fierce Enemy: three days they continued in fasting and prayer. King Ethelfrid, 
Mr Fox, Acts, vol. 1. p. 153, 154. Usser. Brit. Eccl. Anti. c. 6. p. 133. & Index Chronol. (apudeund) An. 602, 603, 613. Cambd. Brit. Engl. p. 603. Speed, B. 7. c. 9 s. 7. p. 241 etc. 18. s. ●1. p. 292.  understanding of their there assembling, demanded what they did there; and being informed that they prayed for the Christian Britain's against him and his Army; Then (saith he) although they bear no Arms, yet they fight against us with their prayers and preaching. Brockmail the British General, and his Christians, were vanquished: Whereupon Ethelfrid, having chased them, commanded his men to fall upon those Monks, that had fasted and prayed against him; and he slew of them there to the number of twelve hundred. I the rather take notice of this event of praying Christians, falling before invading, persecuting Infidels, for the occasions sake upon which it is observed to have fallen out, which was as remarkable as the disaster itself, and suitable for the observation of us as things go now: Thus they say it was. Augustine (he that was sent over by Gregory the first to plant, or rather restore and reform Christian Religion here in Britain) had a little before this accident called together seven of the British Bishops, and some say the Bishops of Scotland also, in a Synod, for a Consultation and Concurrence in propagating the Christian Faith and Religion, and extirpating Heathenish Idolatry. At their meeting these British and Scots Bishops could not agree with Augustine and his Associates: Some say, their discord was about a matter of Compliment at their first meeting; others, that it was concerning some Rites about Baptising, and keeping of Easter: But a Breach there was, and shortly upon it ensued both this destruction of the Christian Britain's and Monks at Chester, and an overthrow also of the Scots by the same Ethelfrid, under Ean their King, at Degsafton, wherein (they say) there were killed the same number of 1200 of the Scots Clergy; and both these defeats were (they say) foretold by Augustine to come by reason of their disagreement, and interruption thereby of advancing their common work of reforming and propagating Religion. I need not apply or compare this precedent to the Jars of these days, either in the Causes or Consequences, felt or feared.  
I will descend to latter times. It is well known with what asseduity and fervency of prayer, as well as other labours, the restoring of the Gospel, and Reformation of Religion, was enterprised and carried on by Luther, Melanct●●●, and the rest of the Protestant Professors in Germany. This work, being by the mighty and good hand of God advanced to a fair progress, at length it came to the Trial, and hazard of War. When it had been for about thirty years carried on in the hands of Luther, Oecolampadius, Capito, and others, by prayer, preaching, disputation, and such like spiritual and peaceable means; The Emperor Charles the fifth, with Pope Paul the third, raise a great Army of Spaniards, Italians, Germans, and other Nations; 
Thuan. l. 1. Brightman in Apoc. 11  and under the conduct of the said Emperor they come upon the Protestants, arming themselves for their necessary defence in Saxony. The issue is, the Protestants, under the leading of Jo: Frederick Elector of Saxony, are defeated; and so great and continuing was the Overthrow, that Mr Brightman takes it, and the suppression of the freedom of the Protestants which followed (together with the Decree of the Council of Trent about the same time concerning the sole Authority of the Vulgar Latin Translation of the Scriptures) to be the overcoming and killing of the Witnesses by the Beast, 
From An. 1547. Apr. 24. the day of that Battle, to the middle of Anno 1550. Melch. Adam in vit. Luth. p. 162  (Revel. 11.) and their lying dead and unburied in the street for three days and a half; for the strages of that disaster lasted (as he computes) for three years and a half: and upon it the Pope and Papists made mighty triumph: At Wittenberg, where Luther was buried but the year before, the Emperor's Soldiers insulted over his grave, and had well nigh digged up his Corpse, and burned it, but that the Emperor himself restrained th●●  
To this Instance might be added many like unto it, of the black days that have gone over the faithful in these late ages, in regard of their heavy sufferings and desertions, and their outrageous Adversary riding and reigning over them, by Wars, Massacres, Inquisitions, and secular Judicatories. This hath been their lot in all Countries, wheresoever the light of the Gospel hath broke out to the dispelling of Popery, at some time or other, since the Reformation began. And, when thus it hath been, the cry of the Faithfuls prayers and of their blood hath gone up to Heaven together; whilst the Lord for a time hath showed as if he regarded neither; and their prayers as well as their blood hath seemed as water spilt upon the ground. But particulars of this sort, as they may be better remembered, so they are too many to be descended unto.  
I will only mention one more; it shall be of our own time and state, even within the compass of these our troubles. In the year 1644. upon the ill successes of the Parliaments Army in the West, the two Houses kept a public Fast for that occasion: One of the godly Ministers that performed the duty of that day, observed to them, 
Mr T. Coleman's Sermon before the House, Septem. 10, 1644. pag. 3, 5.  That their Western disaster was the day after the last public Fast kept in the Kingdom, and in that City and place; and not many days after a peculiar Fast for the welfare of that Army in six Churches. And taking Psal. 65. v. 5. for his Text, he gathered and handled this Proposition from it, viz. Terrible things may be the Consequent of the duty and day of Prayer: God may answer our private and public Interceding with Terrible things. The other in like manner reminded them, That the dissipation of that brave, gallant, hopeful Army, 
Mr Matthew Newco●en, Ser● on Josh. 7.10, 11. p. 7. 24.  was of an Army that was sent out with solemn Fasting and Prayer; and since they came to be in the straits, wherein they unhappily miscarried, were solemnly again sought for of God by Fasting and Prayer; and yet this Army lost, and lost in a week of Fasting and Prayer. And in the prosecution of his Subject, enquiring after the Cause of this Disaster, he saith; I will tell you what we may not think it to be; we may not, must not think, that the ground and cause of the War is unjust and sinful, because of this disaster; no more than Joshua's here (Josh. 7.) or the Benjamites (he meant Israel against the Benjamites,) Judg. 20. No, though God should frown yet further upon us, and break us with breach upon breach. This was sound and acceptable Doctrine then; and, if any man upon the Change of Successes now speak contradictorily, who then assented to it, he is (with the Apostles Heretic) to be rejected, and he sinneth, 
Tit. 3.10.11.  being condemned of himself.  
So much of the former part of the matter to be presidented, viz. The Lords hiding himself from his People's Prayers, grounded upon his Promises. In the insisting of it I have thought it superfluous to point out the Promises upon which the prayers in each Example respectively may be grounded, there being many general Promises in Scripture easy to be called to mind (for instance, Psal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, etc.) upon which every one of those mentioned prayers may have ground.  
And whereas some few of the Examples produced are of the prayers of such as the Scripture brandeth for hypocrisy, and other gross sins; let the Reader consider that these notions (of God's people, and of the grounding of prayers upon the promises of God) are sometimes of a stricter, sometimes of a larger acception (as well shall see hereafter:) and a community of people (unto which both those terms, and the question in hand, have some relation) is of a mixed nature, and contains a better and a worse sort: and therefore it was suitable that some Examples of each sort should be remembered.   

SECT. III.  
Examples of the Lords seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary to his People's.  
I Proceed to the latter part, viz. The Lords seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto. In this I will be shorter. Two things are in this.  
1. That sometimes there are prayers against prayers; or, that men in evil ways, and in those designs which are opposite to the prayers of God's people, do pray, and call upon God for his aid and blessing. 2. That in their so doing, the Lord seemeth by his providences sometimes to answer such prayers.  
1. Men in bad ways and designs, contrary to the prayers of the people of God, do pray; and invocate the Name of God for his aid and blessing.  
Balaam sacrificed, 
Numb. 23.  and went to inquire of God, when he so earnestly and often endeavoured to curse Israel. 
2 Sam. 15.7.8.11, 12  Absalon went to Hebron to pay his Vow unto the Lord, and to serve him, and there he offered sacrifices, when he was going in hand with his Conspiracy against King David his Father; 
Ford. in Psal. 3. 2●  and it is conceived that thereby he seduced those two hundred men that went out of Jerusalem in their simplicity, and knew not any thing of the Treason: David in his song of praise, for all the Lords deliverances of him from all his Enemies, saith of them, that they cried even unto the Lord. The degenerate and corrupt, 
Ps● 18.41  but prevalent party in Judah, that hated and cast out those that trembled at God's Word, and that for his Names sake said, 
Isai. 66.5.  Let the Lord be glorified; that is, they professed to seek and pray for the advancement of the way, will, and honour of God. The malicious and persecuting Pharisees of our Saviour's time fasted and prayed often. 
Luk. 5▪ 35. Mat. 9.14.  The unbelieving Jews that opposed Christianity instantly served God day and night; and they were devout men that persecuted Paul and Barnabas from Antioch. I read of the Jews of these latter times, 
Acts 26.7, Buxtorf. Synag. c. 3 apud Ellis on Obad. 20 Cambd. Britan. of Irel. p. 144 Pulchra laverna, da mihi fallare da justum, sanctumque videri; noctem peccatis, & fraudibus objice nubem. Juven. Illa sibi intr●rsum, & sub lingua immurmurat; O si ebullit patrui praclarum funu●; &, O si sub castro crepet argenti mihi seria dextro Hercule; pupullumve uti? nam, quem proximus baeres impello expungam. Pers. saty. 2.  that they expect and daily pray for the subversion of the Christian Empire, as that which must antecede the coming of their yet expected Messiah.  
The Law and Light of Nature hath taught all Nations, the most Heathen, as to acknowledge a God, so to pray to him, and to implore his assistance in all their needs, and important undertake: and they whose Consci nces are so licentious, as to give them way to act wicked and unjust designs, yet they are withal so religious, as to oblige them to crave divine help and benediction thereupon. Cambden in his Britannia observes of the wild Irish; When they go to rob, they pour out their prayers to God, that they may meet with a booty; and they suppose that a cheat or booty is sent unto them from God as his gift; neither are they persuaded that either violence, or rapine, or manslaughter, displeaseth God; for in no wise would he present unto them the opportuniy, if it were a sin: nay, a sin it were, if they did not lay hold upon the said opportunity.  
In all the warlike erterprises that have been, nothing hath been more generally observable than this, that both sides have made their addresses and supplications to the God whom they respectively acknowledged for ●afety and victory: Who knoweth not that in the Wars of Christendom, the Protestants and the Papists, the just Defendants and the unjust Invaders, the lawful Powers and the lawless Rebels, each have from time to time had recourse to God by prayer, in, and for their Martial Adventures? The blackest Treasons that ever have been brooded, have been accompanied with the solemn devotions of the Conspirators: so was the Powder-plot: and at the beginning of the stirs and breaches betwixt the late King and his Parliament, there was a discovery made, and oft mentioned, of an appointment of the Romish Priests and Papists (the first movers without doubt of those stirs) by Fast-days and Prayer, to recommend their Intentions to divine help: and questionless as their devotion and activity hath gone along in all these late Revolutions; so, whatsoever hath fallen out to the advantge of their cause, and to the crossing of the sincere Protestants intentions and endeavours (as divers things have,) they apprehend, and as much hug themselves at it, as the supposed return of their prayers, as others do more openly in relation to theirs.  
And, I may add, as such men in such ways are wont to pray, so when they speed, they return thanksgivings unto God. Those oppressing Tyrants that made a prey of the people of God, in, or after Zech●●iah the Prophet's time, they were endued with this kind of cruel Religion, as appears by their character thus given, Whose possessors slay them, 
Zech. 11.5  and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich. When those horrible villainies of that most bloody Massacre in France, on Saint Bartholomews day, were acted, 
See Mr Fox, vol. 3 pag. 1024 and continuation, pa. 60.  the Authors and Abettors thereof, the Guisians, the King and the Parliament of Paris, appointed general Processions to be made throughout the City of Paris, by way of thanksgiving unto God, with Bonfires, singing and ringing: And at Rome solemn Masses were sung with Te Deum, and Procession; yea, in honour of that Butchery, a Jubilee was commanded by the Pope with great indulgence: such may be the mistaken devotion of blood-guilty persecutors.  
2. The second thing is; As men in evil ways, and in opposition to the lawful desires and prayers of the people of God, do pray; so the Lord doth seem sometimes by his providences to answer them. David, in the apprehension hereof, entreats thus against his Enemies: Grant not, 
Psa. 140 8 Psal 73, 7  O Lord, the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked device, lest they exalt themselves: In vain should the holy King pray thus for the preventing of the desires of his Enemies against him, if the accomplishment of such men's bad petitions were a thing that never came to pass. Sometimes then, the Lord grants the desires of the wicked. Yea, elsewhere the Psalmist observes of such persons, that they have more than their hearts desire. Let us single out of many a few remarkable examples.  
The Prophet Jeremiah notes, and complains of the wicked and very treacherous dealers, to wit, those his Kinsmen and Brethren, the men of Anathoth, that sought his life; That their way prospered, they were all happy; Thou hast planted them, (saith he further unto God,) yea, 
Jer. 12.1, 2  they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins. See how their impious piety, and flourishing prosperity went along together: You may note here these four things; 1. These men, in their unrighteous and perfidious ways, they were praying men; thou art near in their mouth. 2. They were successful in so doing; their way prospereth, they are happy that deal very treacherously. 3. Who made them so to be? even the Lord; Thou hast planted them, etc. 4. How many degrees of success and answer of their prayers they attain to: 1. Thou hast planted them: 2. Yea, they have taken root: 3. They grow: 4. Yea, they bring forth fruit. In sum, they have a pleasant Spring, and a long Sum r, even to the full and ripe Harvest. Let this example (among others) be taken notice of by us in these stumbling times: Though these degenerate Brethren of the Prophet take unjust and perfidious courses, yet they pray; and, though they pray in such courses, yet they prosper: Divine providence speeds them, and speeds them to a high rise, & with a long tract of successes. In the mean time, how fares it on the other hand with the Prophet himself their Antagonist? why, to this expostulation about them he subjoineth his prayer for himself, and against them, in the next words following; But thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou hast seen me, etc. and the Answer which he receives to this, is in effect thus; That in stead of those footmen, with which he was now matched, and was wearied, he must look to be charged with horsemen; and in stead of that Land of peace, wherein then he expected good, but found wearying, the swelling of Jordan was coming in upon him; that is, he was yet to wait, and arm for a continuance, yea a further accumulation of adversities. Here than we have a dishonest and false-dealing party praying and prospering; and an upright-hearted, faithful, and zealous Prophet praying and persecuted; yea; and pursued still with growing indignities and pressures. Those stout-speaking Jews in the Prophet Malachi. who had so long fasted and prayed fruitlessly, that they conclude it a vain and profitless thing to serve God, 
Mal. 3.13, 14 15.  and walk mournfully before the Lord of Hosts; although we may by no means admit of their conclusion; yet in their narration of the state of the wicked and godless, whom they grudged at, there is no reason why we may not credit them. In it they tell us, They that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God, are even delivered. What was this their tempting of God? To tempt God, is to make an unwarranted experiment of God; or to ask his assistance, or manifestation of himself, otherwise than he hath allowed us to require it. The Israelites in the Wilderness are said to tempt God (and to that their tempting him, our margin and other Bibles and Commentaries refer us upon this place) when they desired of God that provision, or conduct, which he had not warranted them to ask: as in that their discontented petitioning for flesh to eat; of which the Psalmist saith, They tempted God in their heart, 
Ps●. 78.18  by ask meat for their lust: and when at Massah they quarrelled at Moses for lack of water to drink, the Text saith, 
Exod. 17.7  They tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord amongst us, or not? When men presume, without Commission from God, to expect and move him to discover his Power, Presence, Providence, Justice, approving Will, or other perfection of his, this is to tempt God.  
Suitably these persons, in this place of the Prophet, tempted God in some one or other of these particulars: They implored his appearance to them unallowedly; it's probable they might entreat his assistance to some unlawful undertaking▪ for their tempting God is joined to their working wickedness: or happily they would refer the Justice of a cause in Controversy to divine decision, by the event of an encounter, as some do in duels, 
Vide Am●s. medulla, l. 2. c. 12. S. 20.  and others in more general engagements of war: which way soever they did it, we see they that tempted God, that is, unwarrantably invocated him to manifest himself, they are delivered: God answereth their desires in the thing; even as Israel ask flesh, the Lord sent them Quails; and when they tempted him at Massah, he gave them water. Thus sped these tempters of God, whilst, we find in the same place, they that kept his Ordinances, and walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts, were unanswered, and no present profit appeared of their seeking God. That so it was with such, may appear, not only by what these murmurers take occasion to utter, vers. 14. but by what the Lord himself declareth touching those that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name, 
Mal. 3.16, 17, 18. and 4● 1, 2.  in the subsequent Verses, viz. That they are put into a book of remembrance, and a day is to come of differencing betwixt them and others, by consuming Judgements upon the proud, and the wicked; and the Sun of righteousness arising with healing and satisfying mercies unto the fearers of his Name.  
To this example I will further observe, That the practice of Sorcery and Enchantment (in which in a sort men do call upon God, and the Vulgar think they only go to him, and that religiously) it is one of the grossest ways of tempting God that is; yet this sometimes takes place, and attaineth its expected end, and that even in opposition to the prayers of the people of God. There is a time indeed when there is no Enchantment against Jacob, nor Divination against Israel: 
Numb. 23 23  but thus it always is not. When Nabuchadnezzar King of Babylon was upon his expedition against several Syrian Countries, in the which he destroyed Jerusalem, and carried Judah away captive for seventy years, he fell to his Enchantment: the Text saith, 
Ezek. 21.21, 22 Jer. 14.19 cap. 18.20 Ezek. 9.8 Jer. 36.6, 9  The King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use Divination; he made his arrows bright, he consulted with Images, he looked in the Liver: at his right hand was the Divination for Jerusalem etc. There were at this time those faithful ones in Judah, who did earnestly pray for that people of God, to have saved them from the Babylonian. So did the Prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel; and doubtless many others: yea, there is no question but the people universally sought unto God in that straight; and in this case they of Judah thought, that, as Nebuchadnezars course was impious, so his successes would be unprosperous: And it shall be unto them as a false Divination in their sight, 
Ezek. 21.23  to them that have sworn Oaths; but he shall call to remembrance their iniquity, that they may be taken. Yet nevertheless the event was, Nabuchadnezzar carried the enterprise, and Judah fell miserably into his hand.  
I above noted 〈◊〉 devoutness of the persecuting Pharisees, and unbelieving Jews; we may here reflect upon their success: as they were devout towards God, so were they bitter adversaries to Christ, his Disciples, and Doctrine: they reckoned their persecutions of them among their services done to God. Under this their enmity, On the one side Christ, 
Joh. 16.2  and his Apostles, and other Disciples (as the History of the Gospel, and the Acts fully manifest) prayed much, and in prayer commended their cause to God: On the other side, those Pharisees and Jews prayed often; and no question, as their counsels and other proceed, so their prayers were bend against Christ, 
Psal. 109.17, 18, 20.28  and Christians: These two parties, thus oppositely praying, it is well known how th● success went. Indeed in spiritual efficacy and progress, our Saviour and his Disciples had the better; the Gospel spread, and the Church of Christ increased: but in outward and earthly power and prevalency (which is the matter now stumbled at) it went quite contrary. Christ himself, even immediately after he had shut up his ardent and reiterated prayer, poured out with sweat and blood in the Garden, 
Luk. 22.44 to the 48. John 18.3.  and whilst he was exhorting his Disciples to arm themselves with prayer, was apprehended, and led away to his passion, by the band of men and officers sent from the chief Priests and Pharisees; and when they had crucified him, they insult over him, his prayers, and confidence in God▪ as being (in their own eyes) masters of thei●●espiteful desires; 
Matth. 27.41, etc. Psa. 69.10 22.1, 2.  while he himself, and his prayers (in his own present apprehension) are relinquished of God. After his Ascension, his Disciples are persecuted by the Pharisees; and, being laid hold on, inhibited, and threatened by them, they unanimously set to prayer; their prayers indeed are followed with a fullness of the Spirit, 
Acts 4 24 5.18.33 40  and heavenly courage against all opposition; but they escape not the molestations of their persecutors; these yet return, and grow upon them. At their next appearing in public, they are taken, put in prison, and designed to slaughter, 
Acts 7.58 8.1, 3.9.1 26.10▪ 11 Gal. 1.13 Acts 12.1, etc.  and hardly come off with scourging. Shortly after one of their company is stoned to death, than followed a general persecution by prison, Synagogue-censures, dispersion, and death, which stayed not at Jerusalem, but pursued them thence to strange Cities. A while after, Herod's hand (the Jews instigating him) riseth up, to the vexing of certain of the Church, and Martyrdom of James, and almost of Peter, his designation to death went on very far (even during the incessant prayers of the Church unto God for him:) he was brought out of prison by the Angel but that very night before he should have been brought forth by Herod to his death: but, though he survived, yet persecution stayed not. The Jewish rage against Christianity still proceeded; and, as the Church of Christ grew, so their persecutions multiplied, and were more intense: witness the Envy, Conspiracies, Tumults, Expulsions, Stoning, Imprisoning, Beat, Accusations unto Authority, Scourge, Capital Trials, and Judgements, which the blindly zealous and religious Jews procured against Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others mentioned in the Acts; besides the rest of the Persecutions and Martyrdoms they brought upon them, & other Christians, related in Ecclesiastical Story. In sum, He that shall look over those Evangelical Records, and view the outward conditions and successes of these two opposite parties, viz. Christ and his followers on the one side, and the unbelieving Jews on the other, he cannot but acknowledge that Providence seemed to answer the desires and prayers of the then greatest adversaries to Christianity; and to overlook the prayers of his people: I mean, for a time, and as to temporal Interest.  
In the Insurrection of Absalon against David, we find them both having recourse to God: As David prayed, and penned one Psalms of prayer on that occasion; 
Psal. 3.2. 2 Sam. 15.12  so Absalon (as was even now observed) offered Sacrifices at Hebron when he was carrying on his Conspiracy: and mark what followed; how strong did Absalon grow? how far did he go on, and prevail? immediately, it's said, the Conspiracy was strong; the people increased continually with Absalon: And David cries out, Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? many are they that rise up against me: All this while David flies before him in a sad posture, leaving the City, and the Ark of the Covenant of God, and the Priests behind him to the Enemy: he flieth, his Friends bewailing, his Foes cursing, his chief Counsellor conspiring and advising against him: his Rebel-Son seizing on the City, his House, and Wives; all the people, all Israel, choosing and following Absalon. David not only gives ground a little; but he, and they that were with him (lest they should be swallowed up by the Enemy) are fain to haste away, and pass over Jordan by night, 
2 Sam. 19.9.  never staying till they came to Mahanaim, 
Mahanaim (saith Mr. Buntings Itinerarium) was a City in the Tribe of Gad, 44. miles from Jerusalem, near the River jabok, which River was within the Confines of the Ammonites, as will appear by Gen. 32 2, 22, with Numb 21.24. Deut. 2 37. & 3.16. Josh. 12.2.  the very border of the Kingdom: so that (as the very Text tells us) he fled out of the Land. Thus for a time Providence goes along with Absalon; and seems to accomplish his, and put back godly and innocent David's prayers. And this it appears was taken notice of even by Absalon and his party; for David in his Psalm composed upon his flight from Absalon, saith, Many are they that rise up against me; many there be which say of my Soul, There is no help for him in God 
* Psal. 3.1, 2. .  
But one Example more shall I bring for this, and it is a noteworthy one. Job, the Monument of Afflictions, accompanied with integrity, maketh this one strain of his adverse condition: I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him. 
Job 12.4.  That Job called upon God, and found no answer, is expressed by himself in several other passages of this Book, which I cited before. Here than he meaneth (by him who calleth upon God, and he heareth him) another, to wit, his neighbour, by whom (he saith) he is mocked. 
Job 19▪ 7. & 30.29. & 19.3.  Whether by his neighbour he intendeth any of those his friends, who were now in eager dispute with him, maintaining a contrary part to him, (and of whom he complains elsewhere, that they had reproached him ten times,) or another, it is not very manifest; but the former is very probable. 
Who calleth upon God; that is, the mocker who was one that made a profession of the true Religion with him; who was so bold, that he durst pray to God to confirm his works, and to prosper him in his wicked courses. And he answereth him. God answers him really by making the mocker to prosper in his evil way. His meaning is, that he had Heaven & Earth against him, and his deriding friends were heard of God when he could not be heard, Divines Annotat. in Loc. And Mr Caryl in loc.  Yet we may take for certain, that betwixt Job and him (whosoever he was) there was some kind of odds or variance; that they both called upon God; and that in their so doing Job was the just upright man, and the other was in the wrong. Yet see, Job seemeth to himself to be repelled in his prayer, and his scornful Antagonist to be heard of God. How he was heard, Job explaineth in the next Verse but one: The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. They were heard (it appears) in temporal issues and advantages. But in stead of my own, I will present you with Mr Caryls Paraphrase on those words. The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper. Robbers are of two sorts: There are open Robbers, that care not who sees; such are warlike Robbers, who bring Power to do what they cannot do by Justice: such were those warlike Bands (and at them Job aims in this Argument) of Chaldeans and Sabeans, who spoilt Jobs Estate and . By Robbers here we may understand these boisterous sons of Mars, men of blood and violence, who make their Will their Law, and think they may do whatsoever they have power to do. Secondly, There are secret Robbers: Deceit and Fraud commit Robbery, as well as Power and Force. Some rob while they pretend to seek for right; some are robbed, others are murdered by the Law; the Law is a shadow to many lawless actions. Others rob securely while they seem only to sell. Ephraim said, Surely I am become rich, I have found me out Substance; in all my labour they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin, Hos. 12.8. q. d. I am sure none can charge me with any open wrong or Robbery; it appears plainly that I have done no such thing; for that were sin, that is, punishment would follow such iniquity; whereas I thrive and prosper. Both or either of these Robbers may be understood here. They who provoke God are secure. To provoke God is sinning with a high hand: q. d. I do not speak of those who sin lightly, who trade in small sins, or sin after the rate and course of ordinary men; but they who sin provokingly and boldly, they who send defiance to Heaven by sinning, even those live securely here on Earth. Are secure. The Hebrew is abstract and plural; securities, confidences are to them. They sin against God every way, and they have security every way; they sin against God as much as they can, and they have as much prosperity as they will; all kind of security is their portion who commit all kind of impiety. Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. What the worst of men have is of Gods giving, he puts it into their hand: Satan puts wickedness into their hearts, but it is God who puts power into their hands; God puts the persons and estates of others into their hands. Abundantly. Our Translators add that, to show the bounty of God even to many of them, who most designedly disobey him: Such have not only as much as they need, but as much as they desire; God brings Quails into their hands, as well as Manna. In cujus manus venire facit Deus, sc. omnia animi sui vota. Merc. Into whose hands God maketh to come, to wit, all their wishes. There is another reading, Who put God into their hand. The Jewish Doctors are much for this; They may be said to carry God in their hand, because they act as if God were in their power and dispose, not they in his. The Tyrians chained Hercules to a post, that he might not departed their Country. This is to bring a God in the hand grossly and openly. They do it closely and covertly, who are unwilling to be guided by his hand. They who would bring God down to their wills make Laws for God: They who make a Law for God, act as if they had made God. Thus hath Mr Caryl opened these words for me: and we see of what a large extent the answer of an evil man's prayer, in opposition to a godly man's, may be.  
Thus have I produced Examples (of sufficient variety, and what pertinency mine observation and leisure would afford) to the thing propounded in both the branches of it: viz 1. Of God's hiding himself from his People's Prayers, grounded on his Promises. 2. Of his seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are Contrary thereunto.   

SECT. iv  
The Conclusion of the Chapter, showing the Use may be made of the Examples fore-alledged.  
IF it be asked, To what purpose may the collecting of this multitude of Examples serve? I answer: Besides the Resolution of the Query to which they are brought, they may serve for the like end whereunto the History of Job is conceived to have been intended. Origen, 
Sixt. Senens. Bibliothe: lib. 1. p. 9 & l. 8 p. 649.  and with him the Jewish Rabbins, and others, conjecture, that the Book of Job was first writ in Syriac by Job himself, or by his friends, and after translated into Hebrew by Moses, at what time the Israelites were under the servitude of Pharaoh in Egypt, and that for this intent, that by the reading thereof they might receive Consolation, learn Patience, and gather Hope in that their hard bondage, by the consideration of Jobs sufferings, his pious and patiented behaviour under them, and the redoubled happiness which their end brought forth. So, in like manner, whatsoever burden any of the servants of God may be under now, from any suspense they may apprehend lying upon prayers, either their own or others, either for themselves or their relations; these Examples may be of some such use, and may raise up their hearts somewhat in representing to them, that the same affliction hath been accomplished in their Brethren that have been in the world. 
1 Pet. 5 9   
I will conclude mine Answer to the first Query with another General Observation on the said History of Job: It is concerning the state of the Controversy therein debated. The great difference between Job and his three friends in it, is this: Job maintaineth, That the Lord may, 
Job 9.22. & 6.29. & 23.11, 12. & 27.5, 6.  and sometimes doth, temporarily afflict, destroy, desert, or defer to hear a righteous man; and prosper or grant the desires of the wicked man. They on the opposite part contend, That God doth at no time leave or cast down the pure and upright, 
Job 9.24. & 10.3. & 12.6. & 27.7, 8. & 8.20. & 4.7. & 8.5, 6 & 11.13. & 4.8. & 20.20 & 21.27, 28. & 22.15.  nor any ways second or favour the ungodly. And particularly in reference to prayer one of them, viz. Bildad, affirms in terminis, That if Job would seek presently unto God, and if he were pure and upright, surely now (at that instant) the Almighty would awake for him, and make the habitation of his Righteousness prosperous: And again he asserts, Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doer. Which last sentence, taken in the utmost extent, so as to exclude all manner of casting away the one, and helping the other, will no more stand then the former, of the Lords instant awakening for, and prospering of job, if pure and praying. But why do I interpose to determine in this Controversy? The Lord himself doth umpire the difference in the end of the Book, and he decides it on jobs side; he tells Eliphaz, 
Job 42.3, 4, 5, 6.  Thou and thy two friends have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant job hath. This I suppose is necessarily to be taken as the Lords coming in, and arbitrating the main Controversy betwixt them. job indeed had used some unbeseeming and reprovable speeches of and to God, as the Lord before convinceth him, and he acknowledgeth; but in the main of the question and debate, to wit, concerning the divine administration in relation to the estates and prayers of the righteous and the wicked, job was in the right, and his three friends besides it. job indeed had this unhappiness heaped upon his other miseries, that both his Person and his Argument were severely censured by his Opponents: His Person, as a wicked Hypocrite, Chap 4.6, 7. & 22.5, etc. His Argument, 
Rebellionem haberi quaerimoniam meam. Tremel.  as Rebellion, Chap 23.2. whilst those his Censurers sat high in their own opinion, both for wisdom, Chap. 15.9, 10. Integrity, Chap. 22.18. and worldly weal, Chap. 22.20. Yet, in conclusion, job and his Tenet are absolved, his Friends and their Cause are disallowed by God. I cannot pass from this without additionally observing the immediate Consequents of this Arbitration. As by this sentence pronounced job is vindicated, and his three friends rectified, so are they both reconciled, and they are reconciled in Sacrifice and Prayer; jobs friends provide the Sacrifice, and job makes the Prayer, and, these being performed, job is heard and accepted of God, both for himself and his friends; and, being so, he is raised up again to a prosperous estate; and that double, in proportion to his former have. O if this might be the happy period of the most unhappy divisions of these days about Prayer and Providence: As that it may be so, is to be the joint wish, prayer and labour of all; so there is no necessary reason to despair that it shall be: only if they that sustain Jobs condition would hold out to act Jobs approved part; in particular, that his resolution, Chap. 27.3, 4, 5, 6. All the while my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils; my lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbidden that I should justify you; till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me. My Righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.    

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

SECT. I.  
Of the People of God.  
ALl Nations and persons in the world are in one acception God's people, in as much as he is their Creator and supreme Lord, they his Creatures and Subjects: The Earth is the Lords, 
Psa. 24.1.  and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. He himself saith, Behold all Souls are mine: 
Ezek. 18.4 Job 41.11  and again, Whatsoever is under the whole Heaven, is mine. But some people are his in peculiar above others, and in a more near and special relation belong unto him; in as much as he fixeth a more peculiar property in them, and settleth a more special dominion over them, and placeth a more intimate presence among them: Moses saith unto Israel, The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the Earth. 
Deut. 7.6 10.14, 15  Behold, the Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords thy God, the Earth also with all that therein is: only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers, to love them; and he chose their seed after them, even you, above all people, as it is this day.  
It must be noted further of these his peculiar people: 1. Some are in this relation by external vocation, union, communion, and profession only; that is, they are appropriated to God by outward acts of Ordinances and Worship, and enjoy external, ministerial, and temporary privileges and benefits. The description of these in Scripture is; They are God's people and Saints, that have made a Covenant with him by sacrifice: 
Psa. 50.5. 2 Chro. 7.14 Neh. 1.10  they are his people which are called by his Name, or upon whom his Name is called: These are thy servants, and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand, viz. from Egypt. They are they to whom pertaineth the Adoption, and the glory, 
Rom. 9.4.  and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the Promises: that is, they have those things, as to the outward signs, tokens, expressions, and actions of them. 2. Some have, over and above this stile and relation, a nearer appertainency unto God, to wit, by inward and effectual grace, calling, union and communion. He that is of this number, is called an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile: a Jew inwardly, 
Joh. 1.47 Rom. 2.29  that hath the Circumcision of the heart, and in the spirit: of such the Lord speaketh, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie; 
Isai. 63.8  so he was their Saviour. These are such as God hath peculiarly loved, freely chosen, dearly purchased, efficaciously called, absolutely covenanted with, and singularly qualified, and sanctified for this relation, and the benefits and glory that ensue upon it. The Scripture is industrious in distinguishing betwixt the people of God in the former, and in the latter way; and showing the difference which there is between them in sharing of the privileges of God's people.  
They that are his in the former way only, are set out under this character, They are Jews outwardly, they are born after the flesh; they are the sons of the Bondwoman, 
Rom: 2.28 Gal. 4.29, 30 Isai. 48.1.  they are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the Name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, 
Matt. 7.22  but not in truth, nor in righteousness: They will say unto Christ, Lord, 
Luk. 13.26  Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name, and in thy Name have cast out Devils, and in thy Name done many wonderful works? we have eaten and drunken in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets: These, because they are mere nominals, and remain without the spiritual part of this relation, without those graces, virtues, and effectual workings that are in Saints indeed, and without the truth, power, and life of Sanctification; therefore they are in the upshot disclaimed, 
Hos. 1 9 Ro. 9.6, 7 1 28 1 Joh. 2.19 Mat. 7.23  and declared to be, not the people of God; not Israel, though of Israel; not children, though the seed of Abraham; not Jews, not of us: and Christ will profess unto them, I never knew ye; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.  
But they that are God's people in the latter, more peculiar and intimate respect, they are noted out thus: They are the little flock, to whom it is their father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom; 
Luk. 12 32 Mat. 20.16  the few that are chosen of the many that be called: his people which he fore-knew: 
Ro. 11.2, 5 9.7, 8, 23 27.4.12.  the remnant according to the Election of Grace: the children of the Promise: Abraham's seed by Isaac: the vessels of mercy: the remnant that shall be saved: not of the Circumcision only, but walkers in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham: 
Gal. 4.29, 3●  sons of the freewoman, born after the Spirit.  
As there is betwixt these two sorts [viz. the people of God by external vocation only, and they that are his by internal transformation also] much difference in other respects; so there is particularly in respect of success in prayer: and though the Lord may in some sort hid himself from them both when they pray, yet not from them both alike: the difference will be shown after.   

SECT. II.  
Of the groundedness of Prayers upon Divine Promises.  
COncerning the groundedness of Prayers upon Divine Promises, we are well to observe divers things.  
First, That prayer unto God hath in Scripture a twofold ground: There is, 1. A ground of precept. 2. A ground of promise. There is a ground of Precept, by which prayer is authorized, and made necessary; and a ground of promise, by which it is supported and encouraged: The precept is the ground of Conscience for the undertaking of it; the promise is the ground of confidence, and assurance for the success of it: The precept shows the subject for what, and the manner how to pray; the promise gives us the inducement why we should pray. Both these grounds we have delivered together in divers places; as in that of the Psalmist: 
Psa. 50.15  Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee. Call upon me in the day of trouble, there's the ground of precept: I will deliver thee, there's the ground of promise. And in that of the Apostle James, If any of you lack wisdom, 
Jam, 1.5.  let him ask it of God, that's the ground of precept; and it shall be given him, that's the ground of promise. And in that of our Saviour, 
Matt. 7.7.  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: there's a triple precept, Ask, seek, knock; and a triple promise, It shall be given you, Ye shall find, It shall be opened unto you.  
I will not deny but in some kind the promise may be accounted a ground of warrant, or precept for prayer: yea, in some cases it is the only warrant; that is, where the thing prayed for is a peculiar blessing, out of the common road: 
2 Sam. 7.16.25 27  as was that promise of God to David of a sure House and Kingdom, upon which he built his prayer. And that made to the Prophet Elijah, 
1 Kin. 17.1 Jam. 5.17  that there should not be dew nor rain for some years, but according to his word: whereupon he grounded his prayer mentioned in the Epistle of James. But the more proper, universal, and adequate ground of warrant for prayer, is that of precept. Some things happily may be found promised that are not to be prayed for: as the promise of retribution of our wrongs, Rom. 12.19. and that of the not perishing of one hair of a Christian, Luk. 21.18. and there are divers things which have been lawfully, and are to be prayed for, concerning which there is no special promise: Such is Abraham's prayer for Sodom, Gen. 18. Moses prayer for Israel, Exod. 32. Paul's prayer for the Salvation of the Jewish Nation of his age, Rom. 10.1. Prayer for our Enemies, Matt. 5.44. Prayer for all men, 1 Tim. 2.1. And the general promise of hearing (besides that it doth not constantly intent the giving of the thing (as will after be showed) it must be resolved into that proviso, that the prayer be for a thing warrantable to be asked: The ground of warrant therefore must be distinct from the promise; and in cases ordinary is to be primarily and originally fetched from the rule, or precept for prayer.  
It being a matter of much weight and use, to know how to ground prayers aright, and to understand what prayers are grounded as they should be, and what are not; it will be requisite that we take a distinct view of both these groundworks of prayer: that is, both that of precept, or rule, and that of promise; of the one to guide our Conscience in making, of the other to erect our confidence in believing, and expecting our prayers.  
First, Of the ground of precept: this, besides that it warrants prayer, and makes it necessary, gives us moreover direction about it in two respects: 1. What may and aught to be the subject of our prayer. 2. How, or in what manner it must be put up to God. I shall here take notice of it only in these two respects.  
First, The subject of prayer is regulated by Scripture-precept; and that, 1. Either in the matter or thing for which, 2. Or in the person or parties for, or concerning whom, prayer is to be made.  
In point of matter, or things for which we are to pray, the Scripture gives us precepts. 1. Sometimes generally, or indefinitely, as in that of our Saviour, Ask, and it shall be given you; 
Mat. 7.7, 11  seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: which indefinite Command is interpreted by the following words to be, not simply universal, ask any thing whatsoever, but circumspectly universal, viz. within the predicament of good: Your Father which is in Heaven shall give good things to them that ask. And the Apostle delivers us such another general warrant for the matter: Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 
Phil. 4.6, 5, 8  The Apostles eye doubtless in this universal precept is only upon lawful, serious, ordinarily possible, and good things; those namely about which the Moderation (forespoken of) of Christians is to be exercised; for whatsoever is otherwise, is wholly to be refrained: and those things which presently after he defines by the characters of true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, praiseworthy; those are the things to be thought of; yet with Moderation, not with anxious, diffident carefulness; and with a pious recommendation of them in prayer unto God. 2. Yet the precept leaves us not so in the general, but descends to particulars. It instructs us in a multitude of, yea in all particulars to be prayed for: it requires us to deprecate such and such evils, and to supplicate and implore this and that good thing. It points us out to Temporals, Spirituals, and Eternals; to things of body, things of mind, and things of external property and respect. I might gather up, and bring in precepts for every of these in particular, as they lie scattered in their several places of Scripture. But with this I need not charge myself, or my Reader; there is a form of prayer, excellent and perfect, both for matter and order, taught and commanded by our blessed Saviour, which distributeth, under six Petitions, or heads, the whole substance of prayer; and under those heads are comprehended all things good, and religiously to be desired: there is in that prayer summa petendorum, a complete platform, or groundwork of prayer for the matter: So that look what is reducible to it, may and must be asked of God; and whatsoever thing is not comprizable under some of the branches of it, is not allowed a place in our prayers. Concerning it our Saviour hath spoken plainly, After this manner therefore pray ye, etc.  
Secondly, for the personal subject of prayer, or the persons concerning whom we must make request to God: we have in the Word of God Rules, 1. For praying for persons: 2. For praying against persons.  
First, The persons to be prayed for are of two sorts: 1. Divine; as our Saviour enjoins us in his platform to pray in the three leading Petitions for Gods own immediate concernments, The hallowing of his Name, the Coming of his Kingdom, and the performance of his will. And as he instructs us by his Word, so doth he teach us by his example to pray, whilst he himself prays, Father, glorify thy Name: 
Joh. 12.28  and we are directed to this also by the practice of the Apostle Paul, praying, That the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in the Thessalonians. 
2 Thes. 1.12  In this kind of prayer the divine Majesty is both the object and subject of our supplication, and it is peculiar to him so to be. 2. The other sort of persons to be prayed for are humane; and they are, 1. Ourselves: 2. Others. 1. For ourselves, we have many Commands to pray: Is any among you afflicted, 
Jam. 5.14  let him pray: He must not only send for the Elders to pray over him in his sickness (as it followeth,) but he must pray for himself. And again, Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, and say, 
Hos. 14.2.  Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. 2. We are also to be Petitioners for others; and the extent of our prayers for others is prefixed, 1. Universally unto all men: I exhort therefore that first of all supplications, 
1 Tim. 2.1  prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. For all men, that is, not for all collectively, if we intent our prayer to be for their Salvation, for God hath declared his counsel and purpose to be against that; and Christ our Saviour, in praying for those that shall be saved, and for all them in order to their Salvation, hath contradistinguished them from the world: I pray for them, 
Joh. 17.9.  I pray not for the world: But, either distributively, for any, of whatsoever sort or degree, for one as well as another, as occasion is offered; or, if for all collectively, then only for those benefits to them which God hath declared to be common to all: For that some persons are excepted out of our prayers for spirituals, is manifest by that of the Apostle; There is a sin unto death, I do not say that he shall pray for it: that is, 
1 Joh. 5.16  not for the life (eternal) of him that sinneth that sin. 2. In particular there are also precepts to pray for others in special, according to several states and relations, Ecclesiastical and Civil, public and private. The people of God are to pray for the Church of God: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 
Psa. 122.6  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, 
Eph. 6.18  and supplication for all Saints. And for the Ministry: Brethren, pray for us, 
2 Thes. 3.1  that the Word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified. In like manner the Ministers for the people: We will give ourselves continually to prayer, 
Acts 6.4▪  and to the Ministry of the Word. Moreover as for me, 
1 Sam. 12 23  God forbidden I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. Is any man sick among you, let him call for the Elders of the Church, 
Jam. 5.14, 16  and let them pray over him. And Brethren for Brethren: Pray one for another, that ye may be healed. If any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. Prayer also must be for others that stand in civil relation to us: as for the Country we belong unto; Lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. 
2 Kin. 19.4 Ezek. 22.30  I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the Land, that I should not destroy it. And seek you the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried away Captives, 
Jer. 29.7  and pray unto the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. And for Magistrates: For Kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honest. 
1 Tim. 2.2  And for our kindred according to the flesh: Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 
Rom▪ 10.1  And for our children and posterity: Let thy work appear unto thy servants, 
Psal. ●0. 16  and thy glory unto their Children. Yea and for our Enemies: But I say unto you, Love your Enemies, bless them which curse you, 
Mat. 5.44. Ro. 12.14.  and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you: Bless them which persecute you; Bless, and curse not. We see how far and how particularly the Precept warrants and binds to prayer for all sorts of men.  
Secondly, There is something also in Scripture for prayer against persons: Which I mention, as well for Explication and Caution, as for Prescript or Incitation.  
1. Some are found to pray against themselves: And this hath been done diversely in respect of the principle whence. 1. Sometimes out of an extraordinary and supereminent pitch of zeal and charity: As Moses, David, and Paul. 1. Moses: 
Exo. 32.32  Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me I pray thee out of thy Book which thou hast written. David: Let thine hand I pray thee, O Lord, 
1 Chro. 21.17.  be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued. And Paul: 
Rom. 9.3.  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my Brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 
Exempla quae nos admirari praestat quam imitari. Scult. deprecat. c. 15. p. 54  Of these Instances I suppose I may say they are either scarce imitable, or scarce attainable. Observe also, they are conditional, or comparative; rather this than that; rather than the desire to which they are annexed should be frustrate. Moreover for the first, it is not easy to understand distinctly what Moses meant by that Book, or by bloting out; and besides, Moses was in an extraordinary relation and function, he was a typical Mediator. For the second, David doth but pass an equal censure upon himself, that he that had committed the Sin might bear the punishment, and that only rather than others that were innocent in it, that were a public community, and the people of God. And for the third; Paul's is not a prayer, but a profession what he could wish were it a prayable thing: like that profession of his before King Agrippa, 
Act. 26.29  Festus, and the rest: I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. But this Sea, this flame of Love (as Chrysostom calls it) breaking forth of the Apostle Paul, expresseth itself indefinitely, as to the matter of separation, and may therefore be understood of separation, not from the love of Christ, but from his Enjoyment; not everlastingly, but for a time only. 2. Sometimes holy men have prayed against themselves, 
Job 6.8. Jon. 4.3, 9 Num. 11.15 ● Kin. 19.4  but it hath been out of rashness and impatience, as Job, Jonah, Moses, Elijah, (I refer to the places quoted for their words and occasion,) of them I need not doubt to say they are left on record for our use indeed, but not to practise, but to avoid.  
Secondly, There are prayers against others; and of this sort there are found many Precedents, and some Commands, which I shall distinguish into several sorts, and shortly point out the sense and use which (according to judicious Interpreters) may be made of them. The Prayers against others are, 1. Either by way of complaint of the wickedness or wrong done against them by whom they are put up. So Elias is said to make intercession to God against Israel. 
Rom. 11.2 Acts 4.29. Isa. 37.14.  So do the Apostles and Church of God complain in prayer of the threats of the high Priest and his Council against them. So doth Hezekiah make his plaint unto God of the blasphemy of Sennacherib against God, and his rage against himself. And the Book of Psalms aboundeth with such like prayers. Now concerning this kind of prayer there is no doubt or difficulty, but it may and should upon occasion be used by us. 2. Or they are by way of imprecation; that is, wishing and desiring the Lord to manifest himself, and lift up his hand against them, in opposition to whom they are made: And of this sort of prayers we must yet further note some difference. 1. Some are only against men's counsels or practices; Thus when Ahitophel conspired with Absalon, 
2 Sam. 15.31.  David prayed, O Lord, I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness: Such Imprecations are without scruple. 2. Others are bend against the persons of men; and these are also differenced into, 1. Such as are not for men's destruction, but correction only, by some temporal evil or affliction; which is desired to befall them for this end, that they may be brought to understand, humble themselves, repent of their iniquity, and turn to God: As is that of the Psalmist; 
Psal. 83.16  Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy Name, O Lord. So Elihu is conceived to pray concerning Job; My desire is, that Job may be tried (or, O my Father, 
Job 34 36.  let Job be tried) unto the end, because of his answers for wicked men; that is (as Diodate paraphraseth it) Do not, O God, withdraw thy visitations from Job, until thou hast brought him to the duty of a child, and to the only means of obtaining pardon, which is humility and confession. Neither is the lawfulness of Imprecations like to these stuck at by Divines. 2. Such as are against men's persons, for their subversion; and these are of a threefold nature or Consideration. 1. Some are against men as they are Gods Enemies 
a Psa. 68.1 69 2.109.6 Rom. 11.9. Judg. 5.31 . 2. Some are against men as they are the Church's Enemies 
b Psa. 79.6 137.7 Lam. 3.64 Neb. 4 4 . 3. And some are against men as they are their own Enemies that pray 
c Ps. 55.15 59.13 71, 13 Jer. 15.15 17 18 18.21 20.12. 2 Kin. 1.10. 2.24 2 Tim. 4.14 . Now these three kinds of Malediction are those that are called into question; and that two ways. 1. Whether they were Justifiable in them that used them in sacred writ? 2. Whether they be imitable lawfully in by us against the like Enemies? First, For the former Question; The Justifiableness of them in them that used them in holy Writ, is generally assented unto; and thus cleared. 1. Many of those Execrations may be taken to be uttered by a Spirit of Prophecy, and so to be rather Prophetical Predictions, and Denunciations of divine Judgements certainly foreseen to come upon the parties, then mere wish and desiring of evil to them, proceeding originally from the wills of them that pray 
d Verba praedicantium, non vota imprecantium. 
* August. contra. Faustum. idem de Serm. Dom. li. 1.  Optativo modo usi sunt pro Indicativo. . 2. Others of them, if they came not from a divining Spirit, yet they might come from a discerning Spirit, peculiarly given to them; whereby they might be able to discover those against whom they so prayed, to be implacable, and desperate Enemies of God, his Church and Truth. 3. The Utterers of those prayers, being Penmen of holy Writ, or otherwise extraordinary persons, may well be deemed to have been moved with a pure zeal of God, and his Cause, and clear of those base incentives of private passion, malice, and impatience, more incident to others. And whereas those prayers may seem to oppugn the Rules of charity, and prayer for our Enemies; it may be said, Those Rules are to bind where there is no special Warrant for exception; and charity to men must be subordinate and secondary to our love and zeal towards God. 2. But if any vitiosity may be supposed in any of those Instances (as some incline to admit in those votes of the Prophet Jeremiah 
e H. Bullinger in Jer. 15. ●5. And Scultet. de prec. c. 16. p. 76. ,) such doubtless are to be born with in them, and passed over by us, without following them therein. Secondly, For the latter Question about them, viz. their Lawfulness for us to practise: This may not simply be granted; but we are to distinguish of the manner of conceiving such prayers, which may be, 1. Either generally, or indefinitely; as when one prayeth against the Enemies of God and Christ, whomsoever they be, not pitching upon any particular persons, and without eyeing or judging these or those to be such; but leaving it to God to find them out, and deal with them accordingly. Of this nature is that of Deborah and Barak; So let all thine Enemies perish, O Lord: 
Judg. 5.31  And that of the Apostle, not only pronounced by him, but imposed upon others to concur in; If any man love not the Lord Jesus, 
1 Cor. 16.22  let him be Anathema Maranatha. Such like Imprecations keeping within the general denunciation both with tongue and eye, are not inconvenient for Christians now. 2. Or particularly conceived, that is, personally applied and fixed on this or that man or people; and these Maledictions are to be held unwarrantable for us ordinarily, we having no special or infallible gift of prophecy or discerning, whereby we may be enabled to see into men's spiritual estate, or to foresee what is absolutely the portion of their cup from the Almighty, or to dictate unto us such prayers; we falling short also of that clearness of zeal, and immixture of Love to God, which in some in times past hath been. We having no such special call or assistance as others have had, our safest and clearest way is to take notice of that rebuke of our Saviour unto James and John, 
Luk. 9.55. Mat. 5.44. Ro. 12.14 19 1 Pet. 3.9. 1 Pet. 2.23 Lu. 23.34 Acts 7.60.  when they would have called for fire down from Heaven upon certain Samaritans: And to walk by those Rules which on the other hand are given us in the Gospel, of Loving, doing good to, blessing, praying for our Enemies, Cursers and Persecutors, and of refraining cursing, self-avenging, and wrong-retaliating: And for which we have the practice of our blessed Saviour, and of his servants, set before us in Scripture.  
We have thus an Extract of the Rules of Scripture concerning the Subject of prayer, both as it respecteth things and persons. There is yet another branch of this preceptive ground of prayer to be viewed, viz. that which prescribeth the way in which prayer must be performed and put up to God. This hath included in it two things. 1. The means or assistance by which we must pray. 2. The manner how. Briefly of both.  
First, The means or assistance by which we must pray, this is twofold. 1. It must be in Christ. 2. It must be in the Spirit. We are to make use of both these by way of Intercession or Advocateship. Christ maketh Intercession for us in Heaven 
a Ro. 8.34  at the right hand of God: The Spirit maketh Intercession within us in the heart 
b Ro. 8.26 . Christ is our Advocate with the Father 
c 1 Joh. 2.2 : The Spirit is our Advocate abiding with and in us 
d Jo. 14 16 : The Spirit is called another Advocate, in relation to Christ, who is also our Advocate: The Spirit is another, because different from him, both in person, and in the nature of his Advocateship. Christ is our Advocate in Heaven by way of Expiation of our sins, Atonement, Reconciliation, and Representation of our persons, and of our prayers before God: The Spirit is our Advocate here on Earth by way of Instruction and Excitation of us to pray, and animating or enlivening our requests within us. We labour of a double incapacity to go to God in prayer. 1. Of guilt and unworthiness, as being enemies and transgressors against God. 2. Of ineptitude or infirmity, both in point of understanding and will; as being both ignorant and liveless to ask any thing of God. Wherefore we have need of, and have given us a double Advocate, First, Of Propitiation in Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ; Secondly, Of Interpellation, or Efficiency with and in us; this is the proper work of the Holy Ghost: And therefore we are said to have access unto the Father through Christ, and by the Spirit. The Rule then in this place to be followed, is; We must pray, 1. In Christ: Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my Name; Ask, and you shall receive, that your Joy may be full. At that day ye shall ask in my Name. 
Io. 16 24.26. Rom. 3.25 Psal. 80.1. Exod. 30.6  Christ is our Propitiatory, or Mercy-seat: As in the time of the Law the Lord afforded his presence over the Mercy-seat, and thence gave Answers to the Inquiries of the high Priest, and people of Israel; so are we now (without such visible and local types) brought near unto God, and vouchsafed audience through Jesus Christ. 2. We must pray in the Spirit. Praying in the Holy Ghost. 
Iud● 20. Eph. 6.18. Tim. 5. ●6.  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. The Apostle James saith, The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, effectual, 
Dr Downham, doctr. of p●ayer, cap. 6. p. 27.  when it hath the inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or working; when it is actuated and effectuated by the Spirit of God, in generating this inward efficacy in our prayers, which we are not able to give them, saith a most judicious Author. Our prayer must not be the work of our lip or voice; nor of our brain, wit, memory; nor of our will, and carnal desire only: it must not be a mere humane work; or but from a common acquired gift of prayer, serving only to put our case into a form of words and method: but it must be the work of the Spirit upon the heart; it must be made of impressions, and expressions that are inward, and proceed of the Spirit of God: impressions of softness, tenderness, and mourning; 
Zech. 12. ●0 Rom. 8.27.  expressions of groan that cannot be uttered. We see this part of the way in which prayer must be offered up, viz. the Means by which.  
Secondly, The Manner: There are certain particular Qualifications and Affections that must accompany prayer: Those are these following, or the main of them. 1. Understanding 
a 1 Cor. 14 15 . 2. Faith 
b Mat. 21.22 jam. 1 6. Rom 10.4 . 3. Repentance 
c Ps. 66 18 Lam. 3 40 41 . 4 Sincerity 
d Heb. 10.22 Psa, 145.8 Ro. 12 12 . 5. Fervencye. 6. Charity 
f Mark 11 25 1 Tim. 2.8 . 7. And lastly, Perseverance 
g Luk 18.1 Eph. 6▪ 18. . I leave the Reader (for brevity's sake) to search the places quoted in the Margin.  
I have thus given a brief description of the ground of Precept, laid down for prayer in the Word of God: I am now to come to the ground of Promise, and to do the like by it.  
I shall, for our survey of this, propose unto observation two things: 1. The several kinds of promise upon which prayer is to ground itself. 2. The right sense and acception, in which those promises are made, and to be taken by us, in building our prayers upon them; and consequently of the grounding of prayers upon the promises.  
First, The several kinds of promises for the bottoming of prayer. The Promises of God, upon which prayer may fix and hold, are of two sorts: 1. Irrespective, or such as are made of doing good, without any express mention of, or relation to prayer. 2. Relative, or such as are made to prayer, as of hearing, or of giving this or that blessing upon prayer. The former promiseth the matter or thing prayed for: the latter promiseth it unto prayer. So that the former I may term the material, the latter the formal ground of prayer.  
First, For the irrespective promises, I need not, may not be particular upon them, they are so huge a multitude: they make a principal part of Scripture; and, for their nature, they are great and precious; of a vast and various comprehension; they are extended to all things, times, persons, states, and uses: they are by themselves a subject large enough for a whole Treatise; and so they are put forth by a learned and worthy Author, with much diligence 
* Mr Leigh Treat. of Divine Promises now a 3d time imprinted. . Only I shall note one distinction of them: 1. They are either such as concern all; are made and propounded, and so in some sort appertain to all, or any whomsoever, so they come duly qualified to them: such are the main bulk, and current of Scripture-promises. 2. There are that belong to some special persons only, who are usually by name spoken to, or of, in them: such was that promise made to David of a lasting family, and succession in the Kingdom over Israel; 
2 Sam. 7.16 Isai. 38.5  and that promise made to Hezekiah of recovery from sickness, and of an addition of fifteen years unto his life, and of defence of himself and the City Jerusalem from the King of Assyria, and, as a sign of the same, of the return back of the shadow upon the Sundial of Ahaz ten degrees; and that promise made to the captive Jews of a return home from Babylon, after seventy years accomplished in captivity.  
Secondly, For the relative promises, or those that are made expressly to prayer; they are, as the former, 1. Either peculiar to some persons, as God promised Abraham upon his prayer, to spare Sodom, 
Gen. 18.26 20.7  according to the conditions by him inserted touching the number of the righteous to be there found: and he promised Abimelech, King of Gerar, life, upon Abraham's praying for him: 
1 Kin. 17 1. Jam. 5.17  And he promised Elijah that there should not be dew nor rain for some years, but according to his Word, which was his prayer. 2. Or universal, and laid down for all: and these are the promises now of use to us, for the grounding of our prayers upon them: and therefore we are to take these into our more special consideration. They are all general in regard of object, or extent to persons; but in regard of their subject, or the matter promised, 1. Some are more generally propounded; as when the Lord promiseth to hear, 
Isai. 58.9. Ps●l. 144.18, 19 50 15 86.5 Rom. 10 12, 13  to answer, to save, to be plenteous in mercy, to be nigh, to be rich over them that call upon them: or that they that ask, shall receive, and the like. These are promises of good success to prayer, without descending to any express or determinate way or manner of their speeding, or the return to be made. 2. Other promises run more particularly and precisely upon the doing or giving of the thing prayed for: As that, Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name, 
Joh. 14.13 14.15.7  that will I do: And that, If ye shall ask any thing in my Name, I will do it: So in divers particular promises; as unto prayer for wisdom, 
Jam. 1.5.  the promise is, It shall be given to him that asks it: and for a Brother that hath sinned, 
2 Joh. 5.16  He shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. For the holy Spirit: 
Luk. 11.13  Your heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. It may be observed by the way that these promises that run particularly upon the doing or giving of the thing, are (at least for the most part) promises of spiritual things: and this difference of promises to prayer, that some are for hearing and return, others for a grant or performance of the thing, may be of use to us in the sequel.  
Secondly, It follows that we come to inquire into the sense and manner wherein the promises (both the irrespective, and the relative) are made, and to be taken by us, in bottoming our prayers upon them; and so we come home to the point of the groundedness of prayers upon the promises.  
For this, we must heedfully observe in every promise two things: 1. The thing promised; as this or that benefit, or an audience or accomplishment of prayer. 2. The condition, circumspection, or qualification, of the promise: for God never promiseth, that, be men what ever they will or can be, they shall have such blessings; neither is his Word out, that whosoever puts up a prayer, or howsoever it is put up, or whatsoever it, be for, he will hear and do it: but there are certain bounds, limits, or provisoes, inserted in his promises, by which he confineth them, and unto which we must keep in our dependence upon them. These limits or provisoes (as far as I observe) are reducible to six heads: 1. Concerning the person praying. 2. The manner of the prayer. 3. The matter. 4. The order. 5. The circumstances of time, means, and the like. 6. The end.  
1. For the person praying, the promise is to the prayer of a righteous man 
a Jam. 5.16 1 Pet. 3.12 Pro. 10.24 15.29 , of a godly man 
b Ps. 32.6. , of him that feareth God 
c Ps. 145.19 , of an humble man 
d Isa. 66.2 , of one that is in Christ 
e Joh. 15.7 , and one that keepeth the Commandments of God 
f Joh. 3.22 : These are to be the qualifications of the person praying; and he that is not such a one, is an unpromised person; if he cometh to God in prayer, he comes without the promise.  
2. For the manner of prayer: The promise is to the prayer, 1. That is made in the mediation of Christ 
a Joh. 16.23 24 . 2. In the help of the Spirit 
b Ro. 8.27 . 3. In Faith 
c Mat. 21.22 . 4. In Truth 
d Psal. 145 18  and Sincerity. 5. In Fervency 
e Jam. 5.16 . 6. In Love and Charity 
f Mark 11 25 . 7. With Humility 
g Ps. 10.17 . 8. With constancy 
h Luk. 18 1, 7 . These must be the accomplishments of the prayer, besides those foregoing of the person. And let it here be noted, that the person may be furnished with those conditions above required in him, and yet his prayer may be without these: The man may be a righteous and a godly man, one that feareth God, humble, obedient; and, that which inferreth all these, one in Christ: and yet his prayers may be, not in the mediation of Christ, or not in the help of the Spirit, or not in Faith, Truth, etc. For, that the prayer may be so qualified, there is required an actual recourse to Christ, operation of the Spirit, exercise of Faith, Sincerity, Zeal, Love, Humility, and Constancy. Now that which the person hath in the root, principle, or habit, may lie unacted, may not reach, or be put forth into the action of prayer: but the promise requireth them both; to wit, both that the Suppliant and the Prayer be qualified, each with those their proper characters.  
3. Concerning the matter: There is for this a double limitation; 1. The promise is to what we pray for, 
Joh. 5.14.  so it be according to the Will of God: This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his Will, here I conceive to intent, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his Will of Purpose, or Decree, for that is to us in most things unrevealed; but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his Will of warrant, or his revealed Will to be done by us; his Will of precept, or approbation, made known to us in his Word, for a Rule to us. To pray for anything according to his Will then, is to pray for that which is lawful, and allowed us by his Word to be prayed for. All the promises of God are arguments and encouragements to the obedience of his Will; and therefore certainly none of them may be understood to hold out or promise any benefit to irregular desires. 2. The promise is to what is prayed for that is a good thing: Your Father which is in Heaven shall give good things to them that ask him. 
Mat. 7.11.  Good here is to be taken, not in genere moris, for good, or appropriated in God's Word, or good according to the precept; for that was the meaning of the last restriction before: but good in genere utilis, that is, profitable or beneficial: and that not only so good simply, or in itself, but good complexedly, or in its circumstances; that is, good for the party pro hic, & nunc, as the case is now with him; and good comparatively, that is, better than the want of it, or another thing put in the room of it, or into the balances with it. Indeed the subject of all God's promises is some good thing, as is the object of all rational desires; but good here is understood to be a note of restriction, to confine the matter of other indefinite and irrespective promises of good things to a complexed, circumstantiated, and comparative goodness, as to the exercise and expectation of prayer. Some things indeed are absolutely good, that is, invariably, both in their own nature, or kind, and in whatsoever individual circumstances of person, time, or the like, you can cloth them; and this is because they are absolutely and universally necessary: so are all spiritual blessings in respect of essence, or Being; and therefore to them this limitation reacheth not: but other things are of a variable goodness, and necessariness to us; such are temporal things, and some spiritual gifts, in regard of us, or of this or that degree of them. These are all good in themselves, but any of them may be inexpedient, if not hurtful, to us, in this or that case considered. This deficiency or mutability of goodness (in point of profitableness) of some things, which are the subject of some promises, and may be made the matter of our prayers, is the reason that this proviso is put in: they are promised, they may be taken into our prayers so far as they are good for us. Many of the benefits stored up in the Treasury of Scripture-promises, are like the multitude of excellent Simples, or Drugs, laid up in an Apothecary's shop, whereof all are good in their kind and place, but they are of several, and some of contrary natures; so that some of them are good for one man's use, some for another; some fit for one season and need, some for another; very few are for all turns and times: and therefore men do not come for, and buy them promiscuously, but with the skilful Physicians advice and recipe. In like sort are the benefits of the promises, good in the abstract and kind of them, but not all so catholically or unalterably good; and therefore not commended, or tendered to us without respect and caution: and this is the stamp they must have to make them currant to our prayers and confidence, if they be good for us. This exception is the same with that usual distinction of Divines upon the promises 
* See Mr Leigh's Treat. of Pro: B. 1. ch. 4. pa. 52, 54. Sul●e●. de prec. c. 25 downham's Doct. of Prayer, c. 6. p. 26 etc. 30. p. 174. etc. 33. p. 192 , viz. That spiritual things, as they are absolutely necessary, are promised absolutely, and consequently are so to be prayed for: there is but one thing necessary by our Saviour's assignment, to wit, Mary's choice, that better part; one thing above others which David will seek after all the days of his life: but temporal things (and in like sort this or that degree of grace, and some gifts of the Spirit) are not absolutely necessary, nor promised absolutely, but with condition of suitableness, and subserviency to our good, in the promoting of God's glory; and with reservation of room for the castigations of God our Father, 
Psa. 89.30 Heb. 12.10  and the Cross of Christ our Saviour; in as much as these also may be sometimes convenient for us, and better to us, than the blessings they deprive us of. Temporals I say are not absolutely promised; and therefore we sometimes find the promises of them made with an it may be, or Who knoweth if he will 
* Zeph. 2.3 Joel 2.14 Dan. 4.27 Amos 5.15 Jonah 3.9 ? An excellent pattern for us in this particular, is that prayer of Agur: 
Pro. 301 7 8  Two things have I required of thee, deny them not before I die; Remove far from me vanity and lies: Give me neither Poverty nor Riches: feed me with food convenient for me. These two things, which he would make his constant requests, they are distinguished according to those two sorts of good things, to wit, Spiritual and Temporal: The first, Remove far from me vanity and lies; this is for spiritual good, that his Soul may be delivered from sin, both past and future, by pardoning and preventing grace 
* See Divines Annotations, Cleaver & Trapp in loc. . The second is for his temporal estate, wherein it is mainly observable (as to the point in hand) that he prayeth not for any certain or particular good things, or proportion of them; but first privatively, that he may have neither Poverty nor Riches; that his outward condition may not be cumbered either with want or superfluity. The rule of our desires and endeavours (saith an excellent Divine) in the getting and enjoying of these outward things, 
Mr Mede Diatrib. part. 4. p. 153.  aught to be our spiritual welfare, and the bettering of us to God-ward. This was Agurs rule, he desires such a measure of outward means as might neither through fullness make him forget God, nor through want tempt him to sin both against him and his Neighbour. And secondly, positively, Feed me with food convenient from me; food convenient for me, is out of the Hebrew rendered, my allowance, or my part. God our Father is here resembled to a householder, who cuts out to each child his portion of meat, raiment, and goods; or to the Dam that fetcheth in meat to her young Birds, and gives it them every day duly in measure. This portion in Agur is the same with that daily bread in our Saviour's prayer; the bread of the day for the day; noting that each day hath its proper indigence, and not all after the same manner, or measure 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ●uffic●ent bread, & opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, superfluous, or superabounding bread. Mr. Me, Diatrib. pa●t 4. p. 139. : But observe, Agur, he doth not speak precisely how much food; he sets down no stint, or rate, but desires a mediocrity, competency, or sufficiency, whatsoever that may be. He doubtless considered, that a conveniency is of a variable nature in regard of proportion; sometimes one thing or measure may be fit, sometimes another: as the Summer requires one sort and rate of diet and apparel, the winter another: So doth the difference of times and persons alter in the dimension of temporal uses: As were the Israelites gathering of Manna; some gathered more, some less; but when they came to meet with an Omer, He that gathered much had nothing over, 
Exo. 16.18  and he that gathered little had no lack: they gathered every man according to his eating. So in all earthly things, the quantity of them requisite is not the same for all persons, nor for the same person at all times 
* A competency is twofold, either in regard of Nature, which sufficeth to support a man in his natural life and health. 2. In regard of a man's condition, which is sufficient to support and maintain him in that condition, order, degree, and calling, wherein God hath placed him. Both these degrees of sufficiency are meant in the prayer of our Saviour, and in that of Agur, Feed me with food convenient for me. Namely for Agur; for perhaps that may no be sufficient for Agurs condition, which might suffice another If Agur be a Master of a family, then that is his competency which is convenient to maintain his wife, children, and household. If Agur be a public person, a Prince, or a Ruler of the people, then that is Agurs ●●fficiency which will conveniently maintain him in that condition. Mr Mede, Diatrib. part 4. page 140. ; and therefore we are to pray for particulars of them, with condition of, and reduction to this Standard of Conveniency.  
4. Concerning the Order to be in prayer, that is, the Order of our petitions in relation to one another: The Promise is to have our requests so, that we give spiritual things the precedency, and put worldly things to come behind in our prayers. So it is ordered by our Saviour: But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. 
Mat. 6. 33·  First, that is not so much in time, or priority of uttering, as in degree and measure of will and affections; prius, that is, potius: first is here more earnestly and ardently then other things; and if both cannot be enjoyed as we desire, rather these than any. If we seek temporal things only, and let spirituals alone; or, if we seek outward things before, or in equal position with spirituals, we break the Order, and cannot expect to speed, but may well look to go without both: This method is necessary to our prevailing; upon our observation of this order, both sorts of mercies are promised us: Heavenly things are promised as Principals, Earthly as Accessaries to them. Seek earthly things we may; for the first place given to the Kingdom of God importeth other things to have some place allotted them in our seeking: But to seek them out of their place, 
Primum relative dicitur ad secundum. Lyra.  is the way to lose all, and our labour also. If we would have them follow our prayers, we must make them follow spirituals in our prayers. One therefore hath well said, 
Non est clavi● alia qua jannam sibi fideles ad orandum corporalia aperiant quam spirituaelium petitio. Scultet. de prec. cap. 25.  The petition of heavenly things is the only key that must open the door to our petitions for temporals. A great example we have in Solomon who being put to ask of God what he should give him, desired wisdom and knowledge; and, because he did so, h● had his request given him in an incomparable measure; and, with it, riches also, wealth, and honour unparallelled. This order our Saviour hath observed to us in his prayer, teaching us to pray first for the glory of God's Name, the coming of his Kingdom of Grace, and Glory too, and in us, and for spiritual ability and readiness to do his Will; and then for daily bread.  
5. The fifth Proviso concerning the extent of the Promises, is touching the Circumstances of Time, Means, and Manner of their accomplishment upon our prayers. These Circumstances are in most Promises (especially if common to all persons) unassigned, or left free and arbitrary; and, where they are so, our prayers must not limit them, but leave them to the most wise and gracious choice of the Promiser. Where there is a latitude, we must not frame a limitation. We must not prescribe unto God beyond what he hath promised. The Promise of God by his Prophets was for the restoring again of the Kingdom of Isra●l after the removing of the Diadem by the Babylonian. The Apostles being come together at the Ascension of Christ, ask him, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? 
Acts 16.7.  The answer returned to them is, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. The times and seasons are concealed usually, and reserved free by God in the making of his Promises: And where they are not given us to know, they are not given us precisely or determinately to expect. But, in believing, and praying for the benefit promised, we are to submit to, 
Psal. 32.6. Isai. 49.8. H●b. 2.3. 1 Pet. 5.6. Gal. 4 4. 1 Tim. 6.13  and attend God's time. There is a certain time of finding; an acceptable time; an appointed time; a due time; a fullness, or ripeness of time; God's time; proper to every promise, to every prayer: This God knoweth, and not we: to his choice (who best can choose) we must leave it; upon him we must wait for the Consummation of it. The Apostle Paul speaketh of the dispensation (Oeconomy, o● disposition) of the fullness of times; 
Ephes. 1.10  and this appertaineth peculiarly unto God. David saith, My times are in thy hand; 
Psa. 31.15▪ 37.18.  and, the Lord knoweth the days of the upright.  
So for the Means: The Lord had said to Moses, Bring up th● people, and had said also, 
Exo. 33.12  I know thee by name, and thou hast found grace in my sight; yet had he not let him know whom he would send with him. The Lord sent Samuel to Bethlehem, and told him he had provide d him a King among Jesses sons; and ordered him to fill his horn with oil, 
1 Sam. 16.1  and go and anoint him whom he should name unto him: but all this while he told him not which of the eight; in so much as when he came and looked on Eliab, he took him to be the Lords Anointed. The Lord promised our first Parents a Seed of the Woman which should break the Serpent's head, 
Gen. 3.15. See Musc. & Cartwr. in loc.  but he gave no special description of his person or lineage, or of the term to be expected of his coming for a long time after: and therefore some conjecture, when Eve said of her first son Cain, 
Gen. 5.29. See Musc. in loc. & Pasor in voc.  I have gotten a man from the Lord, she took him to be that promised seed; who afterward proved a destroyer of her seed. The like Error it's conceived Lamech was in concerning his son, whom he therefore named Noah, Rest; and the Patriarches generally are thought to have expected the Messiah all along from Adam.  
And so for the Manner: It was Israel's sin, that being in the wilderness, through which God had promised to conduct and provide for them, they were ever and anon, when in any want or danger, ready to tempt God, and limit the holy One of Israel: that is, 
Psal. 78.40  they would always be prescribing him how, and in what manner they would be relieved▪ In another Psalm it is more fully set forth: They soon forgot his works, 
Psa. 106 13  they waited not for his coun●●sel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. In the Margin and Hebrew it is, they made haste, they forgot; they limited, and so tempted God in all those forementioned respects. First, For time; they made haste: they would not tarry his leisure or season. Secondly, For manner; they waited not for his counsel: they would not refer the way of their help to God, but were impatient to have their own way, and ambitious to be their own carvers. Thirdly, For means; they lusted a lust: they would needs be fed and satisfied with flesh; they were not content to be sustained with that feeding which the Lord did even miraculously provide for them. This is the latitude we must give to the Promises both in Time, Means, and Manner.  
6. The last Requisite to Prayers conformity to the Promise, is, that it be to the right end. The general end, which every prayer must arrive at, is the honour of God, and our Souls good. And, besides, there are intermediate and particular ends of prayer, differing according to the subject. As if our prayer be for the good of a Brother, or a Nation, or a Church, our heart must be upright to that end. David enjoining us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem; adds this promise, they shall prosper that love thee. The words may intent the prosperity or success of prayer: and then the promise is thus limited; they shall prosper in their prayer, or speed in it, that love Jerusalem; and loving pray for her; or, pray for her out of love to her, that is, for her good. But the honour of God, and our spiritual good in him, is the universal end of all our prayers; and this end may be laid down in that promise, Ye shall find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart: And in that, 
Jer. 29.13. 2 Chr● 15.2  The Lord is with you while ye be with him; and if ye seek him he will be found of you. Where seeking God may well import, that God is to be, not only the object of our invocation, him whom we pray unto; but the end, him whom our drift is to glorify, and find to our Soul's enjoyment in praying to him. And those promises assure us to find him; but upon this proviso, that we seek him to that end. From this end do those prayers decline, of which the Apostle; 
Jam. 4.3.  Ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. And those in Hosea; 
Hos. 7.14  They have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they assembled themselves for corn and wine. And those in Zechariah; 
Zech. 7.5.  When ye fasted and mourned, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? As also those in Isaiah; Ye fast for strife and debate, 
Isai. 58.4.  and to smite with the fist of wickedness; and to make your voice to be heard on high. And being they swerved thus in regard of the end, they were out of the compass of the promise, and so failed of prevalency.  
And thus I have endeavoured to open the sense wherein the Promises are made, and to be taken by us in our making use of them in prayer. We must learn to take along their genuine meaning and force, circumscribed with these qualifications touching the person praying, the manner, matter, order, and end of petitioning; and the Circumstances (where the promise is not particular in them) of time, means, and manner of performance. True it is, these points are not all expressed, or literally provided in every promise; yet they being somewhere expressed, are always to be understood, and to be supylyed out of their parallel places. As for example; there is a promise, Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved; 
Rom. 10.13  This may seem very large and lax: But the very next Verse supplieth it with one main limitation; How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Faith must be an ingredient in their invocation, who may have a title to that promise: and other provisoes must be borrowed from other places for the due bounding of it in every qualification.  
The result of what hath been spoken concerning the grounding of prayer, I will now sum up in these few Propositions.  
1. The promises made unto prayer (as of hearing or giving upon it) are not extensible beyond the Rule or Precept for prayer; that is, we are not by virtue of the promise to believe, or expect to be heard and answered in any request, but such as we have a warrant for in the Word.  
2. A prayer may be said to be grounded on the promises of God two manner of ways. 1. With respect to the matter only (in the kind and nature of it) as when the thing prayed for is in the promise. 2. With respect both to the matter and to the conditions of the promise, and to every one of them, either prescribing such and such qualifications to be in the person and in the prayer, and in this both in regard of manner, matter, order, and end of the supplication; or reserving a latitute in the time, means, and manner of performance. That a prayer then be completely grounded on the promises, it is required, not only that the thing prayed for be the subject of a promise, but that there be (in reality) all these conditions.  
3. Whereas we have above distinguished of the promises unto prayer, that some are in more general terms, as to hear, answer, help upon prayer put up; others are more particular, as of doing, giving this or that thing in special: We are to note thereupon a threefold Rule. 1. That promises unto prayer are more determinate touching spiritual things, simply necessary for us, then touching other things: in these the promise usually is in general of audience and answer; in those it is often of doing or giving the particular thing. 2. General promises of hearing are to be interpreted according to the variety of ways wherein God may be said to hear or answer (of which by and by,) and must not be restrained to one way of hearing or answering. 3. Promises must be differenced according to their subject matter: some being of invariably good, and absolutely necessary things; others are of things of a mutable or indifferent nature; these must be taken conditionally, if they be good in the case wherein they are sought: and, because we ourselves know not when or how far they may be good or necessary for us, or others, in whose behalf we ask them; that our prayer may be conform to the promise, we are particular cases concerning such things, to pray with submission and reverence to the infinite wisdom, and most gracious disposition of God, desiring the thing only if it shall be good in his eyes, and leaving the determination of that condition to him: so that such promises and petitions must be resolved into that general modification. It is the Note of the Divines (in the late English Annotations on the Bible) upon that prayer of Moses unto God, I beseech thee show me thy glory; 
Exod. 33.18, 19  and the Lords answer to it, I will make all my goodness pass before thee: Moses (say they) makes his demand of God's glory, and he answereth him by the mention of his goodness; whereby he promiseth, that so much as is good and profitable for him to know, he will reveal unto him. And surely if we have God's goodness showed and communicated to us, though we have not our wish, or our eye satisfied, or the particular given us which our prayer may be for; yet it is as fully conform to the promise, so sufficient, and best for us.  
4. I will add one Proposition here concerning prayers for others, and the promises made unto them. I conceive the conditions required of him that prayeth, as faith in Christ, and the rest (especially what ever is necessary to a persons being acceptable unto God) must also be in the person prayed for, else no ground of assurance to speed for him. The Rule of Precept indeed binds to pray for others however; and he that prayeth as he ought, hath assurance to be heard some way other; and sometimes God doth hear his servants for others not so qualified: but assurance that his prayer shall be heard to the good of the other person, he hath none that I know of, unless the other be so qualified: For instance, The promise in the Apostle James his Epistle is, The prayer of Faith shall save the sick, 
Jam. 5.15  and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him: This must be, as I apprehend, understood as well of the sick's Faith (who is to call for the Elders of the Church to pray over him) as of the Elders Faith: Forgiveness of sins is not promised nor given (that I know) but upon the Faith of the person forgiven. We cannot think to have others receive corporal or spiritual good by our prayers upon easier terms than we ourselves can; or that we may be prevailed for by others praying, repenting, believing, without our own. I observe, when the man sick of the Palsy was brought to Christ by his friends, When Jesus saw their Faith, 
Mark 2.3. Luk. 5.18  he said to the sick of the Palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. Their Faith; that is, the sick man's and his friends, for he was born of four; and they that brought him to Christ uncovered the roof of his house, and let him down through the Tiling before Christ: all their Faiths, both the parties and theirs that thus moved for him, concurred. Again, our Saviour directing his seventy Disciples at his emission of them▪ into whatsoever house they enter, to say, Peace be to this house, he tells them withal, If the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall turn to you again: their prayer could be only effectual to true Believers. 
Psa. 35.13  David praying and fasting for his wicked and persecuting Enemies, his prayer returned into his own bosom. 
Exo. 32.27 33. 4 Josh. 7.6, etc.  Moses at one time, and Josuah with the Elders at another, praying, turned away God's wrath from Israel, but it was when Israel repent, humbled themselves, and reform the offence: Otherwise (I think) the case is plain, particular men (though. they must pray) yet they cannot confidently look to remove God's Judgements from a Nation, unless the Nation repent and amend 
* See Jer. 15. ● Ezek. 14, 13, etc. . So that when we would obtain the deliverance, or prosperity of a people, the ready way is to pray for, and endeavour their repentance. True it is, we are not able to discern infallibly these qualifications in another person, or people, and therefore we cannot attain an infallible certainty of prevailing for them; but it sufficeth to the making of our prayer, that we have a precept to pray for them; that we have any hope or possibility of the thing; that the parties (in our eye) have not sinned the sin unto death; 
Joel 2, 14 Amos 5.15 Jonah 4.9  that we have Joels Who knoweth if he will return? Amos his It may be, and Jonah's Who can tell? and that, however it be, it will be to our own good; God will accept of, and reward the Petitioner: They shall prosper, 
Psa. 112● 75. 1●  that pray for, and love Jerusalem: Their prayer (that pray for others) shall return (not to the ground, but) into their own bosom. And it must suffice that in relation to others we have a conditional assurance; if they have the requisites and conditions in them suitable to the promises, they shall have the benefit of those our prayers that are grounded on them. Our prayers for others proceeding upon these terms, it will behoove us to look more at our duty, than any infallible certainty of the particular issue to them; to be more pressing in our desires, then peremptory in our resolves; and, if we resolve on any things, it may be this, That if we seek God aright, we shall not seek him in vain. Let the Reader observe, in this Proposition, the case being not much handled by any that I meet with, I give my Judgement and Grounds for it, under submission.   

SECT. III.  
Of God's answering, and of his hiding himself from Prayers.  
THe third clause in the Query to be unfolded now follows, viz. Gods answering of, or hiding from Prayers. For the helping of the unclean in this particular, I shall propound and insist on two things: 1. The variety of the ways, or behaviour of God towards the prayers of men. 2. The diversity of the grounds, or impulsives, whereupon he walketh in ●hat diversity of ways. The unfolding of these two will (I hope) serve much for the clearing of this subject.  
First, Of the diversity of the ways, or behaviour of God towards the prayers of men. The supposition, that the carriage or way of God towards men's prayers is various, I need not labour to prove; it will be confessed. The matter to be stood on is, What that Variety is? It hath two parts in the general very obvious to apprehension, to wit, 1. His inclining, appearing to prayer: 2. His declining, hiding from prayer. But besides, there is a great diversity under each of these; God doth many ways appear to, and many ways hid from prayers: his appearing is of divers sorts, his hiding is of several kinds. I will begin with the former, Gods appearing to prayer; and therein consider the several ways of his inclining or appearing to prayers, or to persons praying. These are to be comprehended under two heads: The first is in hearing, or receiving the prayer: The second is in making a return, or giving answer to prayer. Both these the Psalmist exemplifies to us together: I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. And again, This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, 
Psa. 34.4 6  and saved him out of all his troubles. There is first hearing, and secondly delivering: first hearing the prayer, or cry; then delivering, or saving the person.  
First, God inclines or appears to prayer when he receives or hears it, when he gives it admission or audience; this is at the putting up or presenting of the prayer: Whiles they are yet speaking, I will hear. It's said unto Daniel, 
Isai. 65.24  From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, 
Dan. 10.12  and to cast thyself before thy God, thy words were heard. This act of reception of prayer, though in some sort it be more largely extended (as will after be showed) is (properly taken) an act of special grace, and paternal favour, which God appropriateth and exerciseth to those persons and prayers that are good in his sight, and wellpleasing to him.  
The Word of God setteth forth the Lords entertainment, and acceptance of prayers, with great variety of expressions, and those very savoury and sweet; as if it studied to point it out as an act of very great worth, and a thing very notable and affective: when it is thus, the Scripture saith of prayers, They come, and ascend up before God: 
Neh. 8.4 Acts 10.4.31 Psa. 18.6  they come up for a memorial before God. David saith, His cry came before God, even unto his ears. The Priests, the Levites, when they arose and blessed the people (at Zedekiahs' Passover) the Text saith, 
2 Chro. 30 27  Their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto Heaven. And when it is thus, the Scripture saith of God, in relation to prayers: His ears are open to their cry: He harkens, and hears: 
Psa. 34.15 Mal. 3 16 Psal. 86.1 10.17 66.16 102.17 Prov. 15.8 Cant. 2.14 Psa. 145.18 Lam. 3.57 Job 33.26 Isai. 30.19 Jer. 31.20 Mal. 3.16 Jer. 29.14 Ezra 8.23 Gen. 19.21 Cant. 2.14  He bows down his ear, and hears: He causeth his ear to hear: He attendeth to the voice of prayer: He regardeth, and despiseth not their prayer: The prayer is his delight: the voice is sweet. And it saith of God, in relation to the Petitioner; He is nigh: He draweth near to them that call upon him: He is : He is very gracious to them at the voice of their cry: He doth earnestly remember them still: His bowels are troubled for them: A book of remembrance is written before God for them: He is found of them: He is entreated of them: He accepteth their face; their countenance is comely. In such terms as these the Scripture traveleth to deliver, and explain to us the respect and welcome which God gives to his children's prayers: And this is the first part of prayers success, or taking with God, it's heard or received.  
The second is God's answer, or making return to prayer: The Lord appears to prayers by answering them; and this is the appearance whereof we are more sensible: this is that we find in the Prophet; Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, 
Isai. 58.9  and he shall say, Here am I. David tells us, That when in his distress he called upon the Lord, 
Psal. 18 6  and cried unto his God, he heard his voice out of his Temple, and his cry came before him, even unto his ears: that was the first effect of prayer, of which before: It than follows, He bowed the Heavens also, and came down, and darkness was under his feet; and he road upon a Cherub, and did fly, yea he did fly upon the wings of the wind: the Lord also thundered in the Heavens, etc. yea he sent out his arrows, etc. that's the latter effect, the return and answer: the Lord did visibly and mercifully appear for his help and rescue, as is there figuratively and largely set forth.  
There were indeed times when God did return answers to his people audibly, or sensibly; by appearances, or voices; as he did by vision to Abraham and others; by voice or visible token to Moses and the Highpriest in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and from above the Mercy-seat; and by Dreams, by Vrim, by Prophets from time to time, to his people Israel; and sometimes by Angels to some of them. But these returns, some of them were peculiar to those times, others were then extraordinary, and now much more extraordinary; and neither then were, much less now are, to be looked for. There is another way of return which is more common and constant, and that is by his workings: of this David makes relation, I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined to me, and heard my cry: He brought me up also to an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my go. This his raising out of the pit, and seating upon a firm standing, is the active answer of God to David's prayer. Now this return of prayer is divers ways made; and the several sorts of it must be well noted. I shall distinguish them thus: There is a threefold answer of prayer; or return is made thereto three ways: 1. By way of obsignation: 2. By way of performance: 3. By way of commutation. These three ways God answereth the prayers of his servants when they are faithfully put up, and grounded as before was showed; that is, some one (at least) of th●se three ways.  
The first way is obsignatory: this is an answer by way of testimony, or assurance of acceptance, and audience of the prayer that hath been offered up to God; or by way of Earnest, or pledge of future accomplishment. God is pleased many times, before he perform the request of his servants, to give them immediately, or upon their seeking to him, a pledge that they are heard, and shall have an issue of their desires: This he doth usually, when the performance is to be at some distance of time; and the Petitioner must bear some delay for it; then he vouchsafes often to give (as it were) a Bill of assurance under his hand in the interim for it. But what is it that God doth give in pledge? why, something still that is both valuable and suitable: Some fire (as it were) comes down from Heaven upon the Altar, and consumes their sacrifice, 
Psa. 20.3  in testimony of acceptance. This obsignatory answer may be by divers effects or ways.  
1. By an inward taste or testification from God, of his goodwill and love to the Suppliant: Elihu saith, He shall pray unto God, and he will be  unto him, 
Job 33.26  and he shall see his face with joy. When Jacob had prayed, and wrestled all night, and had got the victory and blessing yielded him, He called the name of the place Peniel (that is, the face of God,) 
Gen. 32.30  for I have seen (said he) God face to face. The request that he had been conflicting about, was, to be delivered from the hand of Esau his Brother; he had it granted, and in assurance he should find it fulfilled the day following in the reconciled face and embracements of his Brother, he hath immediately the sight of God's face, and the light of his countenance shown him; and this made him go on with boldness of heart, though with a halting thigh, from Peniel to meet his Brother. The Prophet Daniel, when he had fasted, and made his supplications unto God, 
Dan. 9.13 10.11 8.26 10, 1, 14 7.28 8.27  had several times an Angel appearing to him, and telling him, He was greatly beloved, to wit, of God; the visions shown him were for many days, and the time appointed was long: and some of them were sad, and unpleasing unto him: But in the interim, and for a cordial, he had this message sent him from God, that he was a man in high favour with God.  
2. By a removal of that sorrow, dejection, fear, or anxiety of spirit, that before might possess and fill him that prayed. Hannah, having poured forth her prayer and tears, and uttered her vow before the Lord in Shiloh, and received that good presage from Eli the Priest of her Petition; 
1 Sam. 1 18  it's said, She went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad: she thenceforth had a light heart; her fretting, her unchearful look, her meatless meals were now laid aside. There is a promise to them that seek God, That he will make them joyful in his house of prayer: 
Isai. 56.7 30.19  as he will bestow those blessings upon them which they crave, so he will for earnest make them joyful before they go out of his house. And in the same Prophet; Thou shalt weep no more; he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry. David praying, and being in a very heavy taking, having his Soul cast down within him, and deep calling unto deep at the noise of God's water-spouts, and all his waves and his billows going over him: that is, he being, as it were, overwhelmed in a Sea of sorrows; evils flowing upon him like waves one at the heels of another; had this reviving giving him: 
Psa. 42.4, 7, 9  Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. The Lord will command his loving kindness; that is, he will dispatch it forth to him instantly, as a winged Messenger, and Harbinger of a good issue of his prayers and afflicting griefs: And whilst he is praying, the song of God shall come into, and recreate him; his own prayer, and God's song, shall join company together, and both at once associate him. The Souls under the Altar, that cry, how long O Lord, etc. they are put to stay some time for their vindication; 
Apoc. 6.11 Eccles. 9.7, 8  but, in the mean space, it's said, White robes were given unto every one of them: Those white robes might betoken a cheerful habit of spirit, a good measure of alacrity put into them during their sufferings, yet to be prolonged, in assurance of their answer and release in due time to come.  
3. By a continuation of the Spirit of prayer, or an exercise of it: When the hands are still supported in their lifting up to God, or raised and stretched out higher towards him; when the motions, vigour, and vehemency of prayer are renewed or redoubled in the hearts of God's servants, it is a token from God that it shall not be in vain, but to some purpose and effect that they call upon him. 
Hos. 12.3, 4  When jacob's strength in wrestling with the Angel was so great, and did hold out until day break, and he was so set that he would not let the Angel go until he had blessed him; this was a strong argument of his power and prevalency with God; and that he should prevail with men also, with his Brother Esau, and all his Troop. The pouring upon the House of David, 
Zec. 12.10  and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications, is put in the Prophet as a forerunning presage and introduction to many great mercies to them. The Apostle brings in this as a clear earnest to Believers, of deliverance from sins and sufferings, and of receiving the glory and redemption of the body expected, and groaned after; That the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us (in prayer) with groan which cannot be uttered. 
Rom. 8.26  As it is a special favour, and a good sign to a people, that God gives to his Prophets the opening of the mouth (in declaring his Word,) 
Eze. 29.21  so it is also that he bestows upon them a mouth opened wide, and a voice loud, and lifted up in prayer: Open thy mouth wide (saith God to his Israel) and I will fill it. 
Psa. 81.10   
4. By an erected confidence; and it may be a clear foresight and evidence, that the Petition is dispatched in Heaven, and shall assuredly be accomplished in time on Earth: This pledge God doth sometimes vouchsafe his faithful ones upon their seeking of him, and before he work to the effecting of their prayers: as it is in the Psalmist, Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble, 
Psa. 19.17  thou wilt prepare their heart; or (as the Margin) thou wilt establish their heart: that is, When they have poured out their desires unto thee, thou wilt give them a seal of success, by setting impressions of confidence and evidence of it upon their hearts. This we often find in David: in one part of his Psalm he is praying, weeping, complaining, expostulating, and deprecating the dejections and desertions of his Soul for lack of audience; and by and by, before any thing be done about the affairs or particulars of his prayer, he is lifted up, and composed in full assurance of having his requests, yea triumphs in them, as already embraced: Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity, 
Psa. 6.8, 9 13.5, 6 ● 20.6 42.11 142.7  for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, the Lord hath heard my supplication: But I have trusted in thy mercy, my heart shall rejoice in thy Salvation: I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me: Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy Heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand: Why art thou cast down, O my Soul? why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him: The righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me. Cornelius the Centurion, in one of his Fast-days, and whilst he was praying, had a vision of assurance, in which an Angel told him, Cornelius, 
Act. 10.30 Luk. 1.13 Philem. 22  thy prayer is heard; and the like had Zacharias the Priest in the Temple at the time of prayer. The Apostle Paul also, being in prison at Rome, conceived such a confidence of his being given up to the Christians at Coloss, by way of enlargement, upon their prayers, that he sends out of his prison to Philemon at Coloss to prepare him a lodging with them there.  
This may be sufficient for the illustration of the first way of the Lords answering prayer, to wit, by way of Obsignation, or Assurance, wherein we have noted four instances or acts.  
I come to the second kind of answer, which is by way of performance; this is when the thing entreated for in prayer is accomplished: This is the most sensible and most noted way of prayers return from Heaven to the Petitioner: David describes it in that his benedictory Psalm: 
Psa. 20.1, 4 21.2  The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble, etc. Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel: and in the next Psalm to that, Thou hast given him his hearts desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. It will not be unnecessary to observe the several methods of this answer of performance: 1. Sometimes it is instantaneous, or dispatched all at once; it is finished in one complete act; as when Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel at what time the Philistines Army stood ready to give the onset upon them, it is said, The Lord heard (or in the Margin) answered him; 
1 Sam. 7.9 10  and, as Samuel was offering up the  offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfitted them, and they were smitten before Israel. 2. Sometimes it is successive, or effected by degrees; when the servants of the Lord in their straits and needs call upon him, he often helps them gradatim, or by successive steps. Two steps more frequently he makes in this work: 1. He sends strength and support under and during the affliction, or want of the benefit desired. 2. And then after he gives them deliverance from it, he loosens the bands of their distress, and they escape out of it: both these we have distinctly noted in divers Scriptures, as in that of the Psalm, He shall call upon me, and I will answer him, (and mark the degree of the answer which follows,) I will be with him in trouble, (there's the one,) I will deliver him, and honour him, (there's the other.) And again, In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthened me with strength in my Soul: there's the first, present support in his exigence, which is further amplified after; Though I walk in the midst of trouble, 
Psa. 138.3 7  thou wilt revive me: and then follows in the next words, recovery out; Thou shalt stretch out thine hands against the wrath of mine Enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. This double step of relief from God to his people upon their prayer, is notably set forth in the Prophet Malachi: When the state of things was grown so forlorn, 
Mal. 3.14 etc.  as that the ordinary sort of Fasters and Prayers concluded it a vain thing to s●●ve God, and a profitless course to keep his Ordinances, and to walk mournfully before him; yet there were some left that truly feared the Lord, that spoke often one to another in mutual corroborations unto piety, and that thought upon the Name of God in diligent and constant calling upon it: and observe the issue; these have a twofold day set for them, and in them have those 2 degrees of help from God successively: 1. There is a day when God makes up his Jewels, (or, as Drusius interprets) a day when he makes Judgement, or proceeds in Judgement,) and in that day, they, saith the Lord of Hosts, shall be my Jewels, and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him: that's the first day, and first step of succour. The Lord will own them for his in the evil day, he will take care of them as of his choicest and preciousest goods; and he will moderate their share of troubles, and support them therein: so that (as it is in the next words) there shall be a palpable difference put and discerned betwixt them, and the wicked in their sufferings. 2. There is another day cometh after, a day that shall burn as an oven; and in this latter day is that other step of the help of those fearers and seekers of God; that is, their deliverance and full satisfaction: For, in that day, the proud, yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble; and the day that cometh, shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch: But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings,— and ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts.  
I will further note, that the latter of these two degrees of God's return to prayer, viz. Deliverance out of trouble, or fruition of the thing asked, may have its several degrees also: As, 1. When God raiseth up the means and secondary causes which he will use, and sets himself to work by them: 2. When he doth carry on and consummate deliverance with them. This order he pursued in bringing Israel out of Egypt, upon the hearing of their cries and groans; he first appears to Moses in Midian, and gives him a Call, Commission and Instructions to go into Egypt and fetch them out: I have heard (saith he to them out of the burning Bush) their groaning, 
Acts 7.34  and am come down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee into Egypt: And then Moses and Aaron being joined together in Egypt, and after many go in there, unto Pharaoh for dismission of them, and many additions of oppressions upon the Israelites, and many miraculous plagues upon Pharaoh, his People, and Land, they are led, or posted out of Egypt in one night: And in the recovery of the same people, long after, from their captivity and ruins under the Babylonian, the Lord proposeth in his promise several degrees: as in the Prophet Hosea; And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, 
Hos. 2.21, 22, 21  I will hear the Heavens, and they shall hear the Earth, And the Earth shall hear the Corn, and the Wine, and the Oil, and they shall hear Jezreel; and I will sow her unto me in the Earth, and I will have mercy on her, etc. Such a series of causes and operations the Providence of God doth often go through in delivering his people. This is spoken figuratively in the Prophet; not as if the Heavens, and the rest of the inferior Creatures here, had a voice, or did pray: and we must not understand it as spoken of the order of Gods receiving, but of his performing prayers: In order of receiving prayer, God immediately and only hears Jezreel, his people; but in order of answer and execution, he first hears, or answers the Heavens, that is, puts efficacy and influence into them; and then, by them, into the Earth, and by the Earth into its fruits, and so comes home to Jezreel: and then also Jezreel must be sown in the Earth, that is, must be cast into the ground, and lie under the clods of affliction, and be in appearance as dead for a time, and then spring up, and be restored. The smoke of incense which came with the prayers of the Saints, 
Rev. 8.4.  and ascended up before God out of the Angel's hand, by it and them were procured the seven following Trumpets. Now these Trumpets, the issue and execution of those prayers, sounded successively one after another, and did accomplish those prayers by so many degrees; and the term of their succession and continuance, ere all be finished, is supposed to be for many years, yea divers ages.  
Thus of the second way of prayers receiving its answer, and the several steps of it.  
The third, and last, is that of Commutation. The Lord doth sometimes hear and answer the prayer, when he doth not give the very thing prayed for: There is an answer by way of exchange, to wit, when God gives in lieu of that which is asked another thing, which is as good, or better for the party. God grants Petitions, either formally, or by way of equivalency: he returns unto him that prayeth, either that which he prayeth in kind, or the same in weight and value, though not in kind. Our Saviour teaching us how to pray, withal informs how we may expect to be heard: Pray to thy Father which is in secret, 
Matt. 6.6.  and thy Father which seethe in secret shall reward thee openly: He doth not say, thy Father shall precisely do the very thing requested, but he shall reward thee; he shall give thee a full return, and retribution of thy prayer, one way or other: he shall reward thee openly, or evidently, though not identically: He shall answer thy Petitions, if not by way of punctual execution, yet by way of compensation of them; if not by way of literal concession, yet by way of counterballancing: And when it is thus, the prayer is truly and sufficiently answered; although it be somewhat varied, yet we cannot say it is denied; God in so doing doth not frustrate our requests, but rectify our choice. Samuel being at Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesses sons to be King, 
1 Sam. 16.6  when they were come before him, he looked upon Eliab as the man; he looked upon him for his countenance, and the height of his stature; but God put him by, and the rest that followed, until David, the youngest of the eight, came, & him he appointed to be anointed: So it is with us, when we pray, we sometimes fix our eyes, and fasten our affections and wishes upon one particular, when God sees another fit, and puts that in the room; and when it is thus, the countenance, face, or individual form of our Petition (as in samuel's case) is altered, but not the benefit. We have one of the same stock and kind, though not the same thing 
* As old jacob laid not his hands 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 and 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 it is in our prayers for blessings both upon ourselves and others. M goodwin's Return of Prayers, cap. 9 s. 4 .  
We may note divers ways of Gods making this Commutation; particularly three: 1. In regard of Person: 2. In regard of Matter: 3. In regard of Means.  
1. In regard of Person: David fasts, and prays, 
Psa. 25.13  and humbles his Soul for his persecutors, and his prayer is returned into his own bosom: He intended it for them, it is converted to his own benefit. 
2 Sam. 12 15  David again beseecheth God for his first child by Bathsheba, when the Lord had struck it with sickness, nevertheless that child dies; but the Lord gives him in stead thereof another child, a son, a Solomon, one whom the Lord loved, and chose to sit on his Throne after him. So it pleaseth God in mercy to transfer the prayers of his servants from one to another, from others to themselves: If Noah, Daniel, 
Ezek. 14.14  and Job cannot deliver the Land, when it hath trespassed grievously, neither son nor daughter in it, yet they themselves shall be delivered. 
Luk. 10.5, 6  If the Disciples benediction of peace rest not upon the house into which they enter, it shall turn to them again. The Lord heard Josiah praying for Judah and Jerusalem; 
2 King. 22 19  but not to the deliverance of them from Judgements, but to his own taking away from the evils to come.  
2. The change may be in regard of Matter: As, 1. When carnal things are begged, God sometimes makes his return in spiritual things; when earthly and temporal blessings are asked, he turns them in heavenly and eternal mercies. The Disciples after Christ's Resurrection asked him, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? 
Act. 1.6, 7  they meant it of the civil Freedom, Property, and Dominion of their Nation in Canaan. Christ our Saviour refuses to answer them positively to that, telling them, It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power: but in stead of their satisfaction in that demand, he gives them a promise of the Holy Ghost, and of assistance, enlargement, and success in their function: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth. The two sons of Zebedee come to Christ, desiring him to grant them to sit, the one at his right hand, 
Mark 10.35  the other on his left in his glory: Our Saviour declines the grant of that request, but in the place of it he promiseth them that they should drink of his cup, and be baptised with his Baptism. Now certainly the grace, ability, and honour so to do, was far more desirable and acceptable in a true estimate, than all that earthly glory of Christ, which those brethren fancied and affected, and supposed was to come presently. Moses, when God had sentenced him never to go into the promised Land of Canaan, besought God with great importunacy for the reversion of that sentence, and for a passage over into that Land; the Lord would not hear him, but said, Let it suffice thee; 
Deut. 3.23  speak no more to me of this matter: But what was it wherewith he would have him sufficed? it was this, He should go up to the top of Pisgah, and thence take a view of all the quarters of that Land, and so die where he was. Now by this means Moses was considered well enough in his Petition, though it were not given him to his wish: for he was eased of his heavy and often bemoaned charge over that people, and removed from the tiresome Wars of Canaan, than beginning, into rest and peace in a better Canaan, that is, the heavenly. A worthy Divine observes, That oftentimes the very denial (of the particular) breaks a man's heart, and brings him nearer to God, and puts him upon searching into his ways and estate, 
M goodwin's Return of prayer, ch. 9 s. 3.  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 to pray better, and so to obtain a hundred better things afterward.  
Secondly, In requests for spirituals, sometimes one benefit is asked, and another of that nature is substituted for it, which is equivalent to it. The Apostle Paul, molested with the thorn in his flesh, 
2 Cor. 12.7  the messenger of Satan buffeting him, went to God in prayer, and besought him thrice over, that it might departed from him: In stead of that removal begged, the answer is, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Here the Apostle obtained the spiritual help he asked, in substance the same, but not in the very same way, or special kind; he had given him, not the removal of the temptation, but the supplement of divine grace to countermand it; not the taking off of the Enemy, or the dart that struck him, but the armour to fence, and wave it off the Souls life.  
Thirdly, Sometimes in deprecations, and prayers for deliverance from trouble, 
Phil. 1.29  in stead thereof it is given to the servants of God to suffer; that is, they are enabled to suffer with confidence, patience, joy, steadfastness, profit, in wisdom and holiness, i. e. with confidence. Jeremiah, or the Church of Judah in the Lamentations, 
Lam. 3.55 etc.  saith, I called upon thy Name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon; thou hast heard my voice: But how? Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou saidst, Fear not: He, or they, would have been raised up out of their dungeon, but the Lord heard them another way; he dispelled their fears of drowning, or pining, in it: he ministered unto them a supply of confidence; he raised them out of the dungeon of dread and terrors. In like manner our blessed Saviour in his Passion and Agony, He offered up prayers and supplications, 
Heb. 5.7  with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard, in that he feared. The subject of his prayers, as appears in the Gospel, was, That he might be saved from that hour; That that cup, if it were possible, might pass from him. 
Exauditis precibus liberatus a metu, Beza (i e.) confirmatus fuit ut omnem pavorem mortis deposuerit. Idem.  The Apostle saith, He was heard, in that he feared; or, as Beza readeth, His prayers being heard, he was delivered out of fear: when the bitter cup of his agony, desertion, and death drew nigh, his Soul was troubled; he began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; His Soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death. Under these horrors, he conditionally, if it might so be, and with submission to his Father's will, desired to avoid those sufferings; He was heard, in that he feared; not by his Father's removing then, or preventing of the sufferings, but by a vanquishment of those terrors, by a greatness of strength and might bestowed on him, to wade through and tread that dreadful winepress. 2. With Patience: Job was jealous of his sons, that in their circular feasting they might sin, 
Job 1.5.20  and curse God in their hearts; for the expiation whereof, he every day sent and sanctified them, and in the morning offered burnt-offerings according to their number: Notwithstanding this his care and devotion, the ruin of his children would not be prevented; yet, although he could not scape it, he had a plentiful measure of patience, and acquiescence under the hand of God in it ministered unto him. When he receives the tidings of it, and all his other losses together, He fell down upon the ground, and worshipped; he blessed the Name of the Lord, and he refrained all charging of God foolishly. 3. With Joy; David would fain have beged of God his child's life, 
2 Sam. 12  and recovery from sickness; he could not do that, but die it must; but upon its death, when his servants judged, by his taking on at its sickness, that upon the sudden hearing of his death he would have mischieved himself 
* How will he then hurt himself? marg. , he contrarily could bear it with an admirable temper, not only with moderation of grief, but with alacrity, and the exercise of piety. 4. With Steadfastness: The Apostle willeth us, Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication, 
Phil. 4.6, 7  with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the consequent upon this, which he promiseth for certain, is, And the peace of God, which passed all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus: q. d. If ye do not obtain your desires in particular at all, or not instantly, yet the peace of God, 
Praesidio erit, Bez.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, shall be a garrison in your hearts, to fortify and keep them; and it shall keep both your hearts and minds, your minds from vexing cares, and your hearts from piercing sorrows, or fears. 5. With Profit, both in wisdom and holiness: The Lord assures his praying people this gracious issue of their cries; Though he give them the bread of adversity, 
Isai. 19.20 etc.  and the water of affliction, yet shall not their Teachers be removed into a corner any more; but their eyes shall see their Teachers, and their ears shall hear a word behind them, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when they turn to the right hand, and when they turn to the left: They shall defile also the covering of their graven Images of silver, etc. The sum is, they shall enjoy the public Ministry and Ordinances, and the guidance of the holy Spirit, and be rid of the monuments of Idolatry, and be brought to Reformation. daniel's prayer brought not himself out of Babylon presently, neither prevented they his people's calamities under the several subsequent Monarchies; but this he gained of them, He had many a heavenly and important vision and message by Angels. The like is promised to Jeremiahs' prayers: 
Jer. 33.3.  Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty (or hidden) things, which thou knewest not. And the primitive Christians that underwent such fiery and bloody persecutions, though their prayers could not avert them, yet they obtained the losing of the seven seals, 
Rev. 5.8.  and the opening and reading of the written Book, which was showed John in the hand of him that sat on the Throne by the Lamb, which containeth in it many weighty Visions and Prophecies concerning the Christian Church from thence unto the World's end. Thus God heareth prayers in way of exchange of the matter prayed for divers ways; and in so doing he mostly gives better things than those he waveth, and so makes his Petitioners not only speeders by his answer, but gainers by his exchange.  
3. The Commutation may be in regard of Means: When we have a mercy assured us by promise, we may and must use means for the achieving of it; and in the use of the means we are to pray (with submission) for a blessing upon it, unto the attaining of the thing promised by it. Now when we have thus prayed, God may see cause to vary the means; that is, lay aside that which we select, employ, and bring before him in our prayers, and take up other; and by this means, of his own choice and exchange accomplisheth his promise, and our expectation and prayer, in regard of the mercy aimed at. This Commutation, as it is ordinary, so it may well pass with us, so far as God's agency and answer to prayer is concerned in it; in as much as the means inserted in our prayer in order to its end: and though we be tied to the use of that means which is lawful and present, yet neither is God himself, nor the end to be attained, so tied. If it please God to put by the means which he hath given us to use, and our hearts and desires are therefore upon, and to intermit other, and effect the end promised and prayed for thereby, we have our expectation and our prayer also in equivalency. I would not be misunderstood; I know there is now adays a question raised, Whether, or how far a means most righteously employed by God, but sinful as unto its own interposition and acting, may be owned, and concurred with: But there is no question to be made (as I think) but that the event produced by such a means (if it were lawfully desired and prayed for, though expected and sought by other means) may be acknowledged, and acquiesced in as from God, and in return of prayer. Though we may not use, or join issue with unlawful agents and actions, yet we may receive and enjoy a benefit by the providence of God accomplished by them. When the Prophet Jeremiah was loosed out of prison by Nebuzaradan, the Captain of the guard to the King of Babylon, he might well take it as the fulfilling of God's promise, and answer to his prayer, whether that Captain or his master had any right over the place he was then in, 
Jer. 40.1 c. 15. 11, 15  or Jeremiah could own them as Proprietors thereof or no. Believers may well embrace Christ crucified, as the accomplishment of God's promises, and the desire of all Nations for their Salvation, although the warrantableness of those men's actions, and power to do it that did it, and confederation with them, might be denied with abhorrence: But enough of this caution by and by. Prayer is, and hath been answered by an exchange of the means. Abraham, having the great Promises and Covenant of God made unto him, and to his seed, he prayed for Ishmael, then born of Hagar the bondwoman, 
Gen. 17.17  That (as it seems) he might be the child, and heir of the promise: The Lord (though he heard him in part for Ishmael too) would not yield to that, but would have a son yet unborn, and of Sarah, to be the seed of promise. Moses would fain have been the man to have gone and conducted Israel over Jordan into Canaan, and prayed for it; 
Deut. 1.37 38  but the Lord otherwise and better disposed of him, and appointed Joshua his servant to that office. David had fully purposed, 
1 Chro. 28 2, etc.  and devoted his endeavours to build a house for the Name of God; the Lord accepts of the intent of his heart, but will not let it go on, but transfers the honour of that work from him to his son Solomon.  
We have thus the third way of Gods answering prayers, viz. by Commutation and Equivalency: The sum and issue whereof is, although God do alter from the letter of the prayer, either in respect of the person, matter, or means eyed by the Petitioner, yet he observes a proportion and equality to, if he do not transcend the thing prayed for, in making his return: and in altering thus, He (who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think) considereth, 
Eph. 3.20  and procureth the good of them that pray, 
Exardit saepe ad profectum non ad votum, Aqui. in Joh 9 Permittas ipsis expendere numibus quid conveniat nobis rebusque sit utile nostris. Juvenal. Saty. 10. Joh. 12.27, 28 Mat. 26.33  and he fulfilleth the substance, drift, and scope of their prayers, to wit, the advancement of his own glory, the Churches good, and their own comfort and profit: and if these be any ways brought about by their prayers, they must needs acknowledge themselves answered. Christ our Saviour, when in his extremest distresses he prayeth to his Father, to save him from that hour, and to let that cup pass from him, he doth immediately and with the same breath pray, Father, glorify thy Name: and nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt, and thy Will be done. By these latter Petitions he doth not cross or contradict himself in the former, but reduplicates, illustrates, and gives his words a due signification and latitude: and as his practice, so was his doctrine of prayer, and it deserves to be observed: when he would teach his Disciples to pray by a copy, or pattern, he delivers them a platform, wherein are comprehended all things requestable, not in special terms, but reductively under short and general heads; and in the very mould or structure of that prayer informs us thus much, That as in framing our prayers we are to reduce and square all our Petitions to those heads, though we vary in particulars, as occasion requires; so we must expect God to do in the answer: and we must observe, and reckon our answer, rather by those heads, than our own occasional and expatiated requesting.  
The several ways whereby God appeareth unto his people's prayers, have been thus far set forth: It now follows on the other hand to speak of his declining or hiding from prayers, and the various ways thereof: These being answerable to those of his appearing to prayer, there will be the less need of much labour to discover or dilate upon them.  
1. This hiding may be in respect of audience or reception of prayer, when the Lord refuseth to receive, or rejecteth and repulseth the prayer; when he gives it no entrance to him, nor countenance: He saith to the people of Judah, When ye spread forth your hands, 
Isai. 1, 15 Jer. 14.12 Lam. 3.56 Psa. 27.8, 9.66.10.  I will hid mine eyes from you; yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: when they fast, I will not hear their cry: and when they offer burnt-offerings, and an oblation, I will not accept them. This is that which the Church deprecates, or desires God, that it may not be to her; Hid not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. So doth David, Thy face Lord will I seek: Hid not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: And elsewhere he giveth God thanks that it was not so with him; Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.  
2. There is a hiding from prayer in regard of answer or return, when the effect or fruit of prayer is not received from God; when it is, as sometimes it was with the Prophets of Baal, 
1 King. 18 29  They cried aloud, but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded: So the Lord saith, it shall be with obstinate sinners; Then they shall call upon me, 
Prov. 1.28 Psa. 18.41  but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: And so it was with David's adversaries, They cried, but there was none to save them, even unto the Lord, but he answered them not. And this obstruction of prayer, may be,  
1. In respect of Obsignation, when there is no evidence to the Soul of audience: As, 1. When there is no sign of favour: Blessed be God (saith David) that hath not turned away my prayer, 
Psa. 66.21  nor his mercy from me: It was a token to him that his prayer was not turned away from God, because God's mercy was not turned away from him. Of the Hypocrite it's said, 
Job 27.9  Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? will he delight himself in the Almighty? It is an argument God hears not him, because he finds no delight in God. 2. When there is no animating, no drop of comfort to the spirit: In the day of my trouble (the Psalmist complains) I sought the Lord, 
Psal. 77.2  my Soul refused to be comforted: I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. 3. When there is a declining or drooping in the spirit of prayer: 
Job 27.10  Will the Hypocrite always call upon God, saith Job? It was so in the Prophet's time, even with God's people: 
Isai. 64.7  And there is none that calleth upon thy Name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us because of our iniquities. And it was so in part with David sometimes: I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried; 
Psa. 69.3  mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. 4. When there is no discovery of God's intent or resolution concerning our prayers: This was the Church's case, as she expresseth it; We see not our signs, there is no more any Prophet, 
Psa. 74.9  neither is there any among us that knoweth how long.  
2. In respect of performance: so the people of Judah were frustrate; Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people, because of them that dwell in a far Country: Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her King in her? The Harvest is past, the Summer is ended, and we are not saved: Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no Physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?  
3. In respect of exchange, or any consideration in lieu of the thing: So they say in the Prophet, It is in vain to serve God, 
Mal. 3.14  and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? No advantage, no return comes by prayer and fasting any way.  
God may be said to hid himself from prayer all these ways. But I must further add a distinction or two, that I may not leave this matter too indifferent and promiscuous.  
First, We may observe that Gods hiding from prayer is, 1. Sometimes real, and so in deed. 2. Sometimes only in appearance, or in the apprehension of men.  
1. It is sometimes real; as in all those places of Scripture where the Lord threatens or owns it so to be, and often gives the reason from men's provocation why it is so: As for instance in that of the Prophet, Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot save, 
Isa. 59.1, 2  neither is his ear heavy that it cannot save, but your iniquities have separated between you and your God; and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Here the hiding and distance from prayer is real on God's part.  
2. It is at other times but in appearance only and in humane apprehension: God hears sometimes, yea and answers, when he seemeth not so to do; or when men do think and believe that he doth not: and, in this case, the defect is in man's sense and perception. Now God is accounted not to hear his servants prayers, when indeed he doth: 1. Either in the judgement of others: Thus David relateth often the conclusion which his Enemies, or the spectators of his condition made of him, that he was rejected and disowned of God; as in the rebellion of Absalon, whiles David was in his flight and prayer, there were divers that stood looking on, and censuring him as an abject from God: There be many which say of my Soul, there is no help for him in God: 
Psal. 3.2 42, 3. etc. 71.11.  And in his Exile through saul's persecution, when he was panting and craving after God's presence in his house, his adversaries upbraided him, saying, Where is now thy God? and this filled him with tears continually, and pierced him like a sword. And in another Psalm, penned (as is thought) during Absaloms' insurrection, his Enemies speak again him, and consult, saying, God hath forsaken him, persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him: but this is not so strange, that others in their malignant judgements so apprehend it. 2. Or in the sense or conceit of them that pray: Even the people of God themselves when they pray, and God hears them, they may deem themselves unheard, unanswered; they may take themselves to be denied of God, when he graciously receives their prayer: Sometimes God harkens to, and answereth them, but they hear not him, they are deaf to their answer. We are ordinarily better acquainted with our own prayers then with God's performances, and are more sensible in ask, then in receiving or discerning our success. As sometimes God's promises or predictions are fulfilled, yea and we are actors in the fulfilling of them, but we see it not, (thus was it with the Jews in relation to Christ's death, 
Acts 3.17, 18.13.27 Joh. 12.14,  yea it was so with the Disciples themselves in some circumstances concerning Christ,) so are our prayers grounded on the promises. How often do we find David in the same Psalm one while complaining, Lord, how long, 
Psa. 6.3 10.1 13.1 22.1 43.2  how long wilt thou hid thy face from me? How long wilt thou hid me for ever? Why standest thou afar off? why hidest thou thy face in times of trouble? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, and thou hearest not, etc. Why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the Enemy? and using the like expostulations; and by and by, ere he breaketh off his speech, he correcteth himself; he seethe, and is satisfied that the Lord hath heard him; 
Psa. 6.8 10.17 13.6 22.24 43.5  and declareth, The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, the Lord hath heard my supplication, the Lord hath dealt bountifully with me: Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble; he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard: Why art thou cast down, O my Soul? etc. I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Here was no want of hearing, but want of perceiving the entertainment and success of prayer. We are so dull that God must not only give us our prayers, but give us eyes to discern them; he must not only hear our prayers, but give us ears to hear his answer to them. We are so insensible and inconsiderate, as not to own, yea and to charge God with want of advertency, when all is well, and to our desires, if we had eyes and hearts to see and understand. David therefore makes this ingenuous recollection and acknowledgement of his imperfection (once for all) as touching this case; For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes; nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. 
Psa. 31.22  I said in my haste; here he clears and wipes off the many dark and erroneous conceits and speeches he had in his troubled moods used of God, in relation to his prayer; and states the point aright betwixt God and him, confessing God's audience even at the instant when he had cried and complained for want of audience, and acknowledging his own blind precipitancy in apprehending and uttering the contrary.  
There are two occasions whereupon the people of God are apt thus to misconceive the issue of their prayers; 1. The continuance or increase of their afflictions upon them, or the delay of their expectations and desires: They judge of their audience and acceptance with God by the present course of their providence; and will needs gather, his ear is not open to them, his face is not towards them, if his hand do not instantly help them, if his arm be not made bare for them, and in their sight, if his candle do not shine upon their head: Thus did Job, and his speech of it is notable; If I had called, and he had answered me, 
Job 9.16, 17  yet would I not believe that he had hearkened to my voice; and why? For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my words without cause, (or as Tremel. without remedy: others interpret without rendering a cause.) Job could not believe Gods hearing him, because he found it not in his present outward estate, but felt what he thought spoke the contrary, to wit, a storm and tempest of adversities, renewed strokes and incisions of the lancing knife of God's spiritual Chirurgery. Mr Caryl's Notes upon this place are; God may be doing us good when the signs he gives us may speak evil; he hears and answers us praying to him, when we think to hear him thundering terribly against us. Afflictions continued is no evidence that prayer is not heard, yet usually it is very inevident to an afflicted person that his prayer is heard: prayer may be heard and answered when greatest afflictions are upon us; even while we are praying, the Lord may be thundering, he may be breaking us when we are beseeching him. So he. The Church in the Lamentations saith unto God, 
Lam. 3.42, 43  Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayers should not pass through: and she apprehended so upon this ground, Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied: Because God hath covered them with anger against their sins, therefore they collected he had covered himself with a cloud against their prayers: Because he had persecuted them, therefore their prayers pierced not to him. 2. Again, sometimes it is because of the amplitude or greatness of the success of their prayers, and the extraordinariness of God's workings for them: When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream: 
Psa. 126.1, 3  the Lord hath done great things for us. Their deliverance was so great that they were surprised and amazed with it, it overcame their conceit and belief. When Peter was ready to be brought out to his death, 
Acts 12.  and the Church had prayed instantly and without intermission for him, the Lord by an Angel brought him out of prison, and he presently came to the house where the Saints were assembled together, and praying for him; but when he knocked at the door, and the Damsel knowing his voice, ran in and told them he was there delivered up to their prayers, it was incredible to them; they said of the maid, Thou art mad; they said of his appearance, It is his Angel: when their eyes saw him, They were astonished. Great returns cannot easily or quickly find entrance and credit in our minds: they are like the great draught of fishes which the Disciples caught upon the command of our Saviour to cast forth the net; when they had taken it, the net broke, and their ship began to sink with it: so are our hearts on such an occasion; they cannot well at first receive, they cannot land with, or hold with the larger incomes of prayer.  
This is the first distinction necessary to be observed; there is also another to be added.  
Secondly, We must again distinguish, when the Lord doth indeed and really hid himself from prayer; This may be, 1. Either by way of absolute and flat denial of the prayer: 2. Or only in way of delay, or deferring for a time. This difference should be well heeded: every real hiding of God from prayer is not negative, is not a rejection and casting of it back as denied; and every denial is not final and resolute. God doth often defer what he intends to grant, nay what he hath already granted in Heaven; yea, sometimes he hath in a sort expressly denied the Petition, when it hath indeed been but in effect a delaying, and the repulse hath been in order to a concession. When the woman of Canaan cried so vehemently upon our Saviour in behalf of her daughter vexed with a Devil, 
Mat. 15: 22  and he gave her a triple put off, the end proved it was no peremptory denial, but only a delay, for the trial and manifestation of her great faith.  
When the Israelites, under their sore distress by the Philistines, and others, cried unto the Lord with confession of their sin in forsaking him and serving Baalim; and the Lord answered them, that for those their sins relapsed into, after many former deliverances in the like case, he would now deliver them no more: Let them go and cry unto the gods whom they had chosen, 
Judg. 16.10, etc.  and let them deliver them in the time of their tribulation: This was not a simple abjection, or a concluding denial, but a sharp and minatory rebuke to work them to a more serious humiliation and reformation, and to make way (so) for a better answer to their prayer, which afterwards they had. It hath been always ordinary with God to suspend the answer of those prayers which he doth presently hear and assent to, and to put a distance of time betwixt the grant and the execution of them, and that for many good reasons, which may come to be discovered in their place. To give some instances, Daniel fasts and prays for the return of the captivity in the first year of Darius, and he prays, That the Lord would ha●ken, and do, and not defer; but God did defer until the first year of Cyrus, which was two years' current 
* Dan. 9.1 19 Darius' imperium accepit, A. M. 3466. imperavit annis duobus. Cyrus' Monarchia potitus est. A. M. 3468 Vide annal Usser. pag. 145, 146. Dan. 10.2 12.13 Luk. 18.7 . And again, at another time of his fasting and praying he is told in a Vision; That from the first day he set his heart to understand, and to chasten himself before God, his words were heard: yet he continued mourning three full weeks; and the Angel appearing to him in the end thereof, telleth him, his answer was stopped in the way, just so long, to wit, one and twenty days: God doth hear his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him under their pressures; but there is a long bearing with their adversaries interposed betwixt his hearing and avenging of them. 
Rev. 6.10, 11  The Souls under the Altar that cry with a loud voice, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth! They were heard, but withal they are told, They must rest for a little season, until their fellow servants also, and their Brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled: This little season of stay for the issue of their prayers is computed by a very judicious Commentator to be above a hundred years. 
Mr Mede, who beginneth the fift Seal an. 268. and the first Trumpet (which he makes the beginning of the answer of their cry) an. 395. See his Key, Comment. part 1. pag. 52. 81, 85.   
In the Song of Solomon the Spouse twice had lost her beloved, and missing, sought him, and seeking was yet disappointed for some time of meeting with him; yet this missing, and not finding, 
Cant. 3.1.5, 6  was not a dereluction or divorce, but a stepping aside of him only for a time. The prayers of the Saints in the Book of the Revelation are resembled by the smoke of Incense; 
Rev. 8.3.5  their answer or return, by voices, thunderings, lightnings and earthquakes: There is in this resemblance a great congruity to the work of Nature; for smoke, or such hot and dry vapours ascending into the upper region, do produce thunder and lightning (which are the voice of God,) and enclosed in the Earth, do cause Earthquakes: but as there is naturally a good time after the exhaling of these vapours, for the altering and forming of them ere they break forth into Thunder, Lightning, or Earthquakes: so it is with the Saints prayers; there is often an interval of time betwixt their ascent and effect: and as it is the folly of the vulgar, to think, when they see smoke or vapours gone up out of their sight, that they are quite vanished or annihilated; so is it for us to judge those prayers of none effect, that are a good while a working above, ere they come down in visible impressions here below.  
I have thus endeavoured to show the diversity of the ways of God towards the prayers of men, both in appearing to, and hiding from them. The second thing proposed now is to follow, viz. the diversity of grounds or impulsives whereupon he doth either: This will not hold us long, as being not altogether so various and intricate. First, for the Lords appearing unto prayer, the difference of grounds may be thus taken: He doth appear to prayer, 1. In Anger: 2. In Favor.  
1. God doth sometimes hear and grant men's prayers in anger; he gives men their desires, and it is sometimes not in mercy, but in displeasure: 
Numb. 11 20, 33 Psa. 78.21 26.106.15 1 Sam. 8.21, 22  so God gave quails to Israel in the wilderness; he sent them out of wrath, and wrath was the sauce with which they did eat them: Thus also God gave a King to Israel in the days of Samuel. Questionless the Quails were in themselves very good, and wholesome food, and did not naturally engender the plague; but they asked them lustfully, 
Satius erat non audiri a Dominó quam cum carnibus ejus indignationem vocare. Calv.  not for need; and diffidently, not in faith; and God gave them accordingly, out of anger, and with the plague: they were the last meat that many of them ever eaten; they brought them to their graves, the graves of them that lusted. Doubtless Monarchy was and is in itself a good Government, and was promised long before as a blessing to that people, and (as it appeared by the sequel) was intended them shortly as a mercy, and it is as a mercy promised to the Church of after times: 
Gen. 17.6, 16 2 Sam. 7.8 etc. 23.3, etc. 2 Chro. 2 11 Isai. 49.23 Rev. 17.16 21.24  but they asked a King, not by virtue of, or in the way of promise, but rebelliously, ambitiously, distrustfully; and God gave them a King suitably, Saul, an impious, tyrannical, despairing King.  
And we may note, God gives sometimes evil and unlawful requests in wrath, or for correction to others besides the askers. The curses or enchantments of malice, or witchery, God sometimes brings to pass, as means of punishment or affliction to those against whom they are intended by the maleficous: 
Judg. 9.20 Vide Calv. Instit. l. 3. c. 20. S. 15  Thus he gave success to Jothams' curse upon the men of Sechem: Thus he yielded to Satan's desire against Job in his goods, children, and body; and thus our Saviour granted the Devils request touching entering into the Gadarens herd of swine: 
Mat. 8.32  yea, Satan had his desire of Peter, so far as to have him to sift him as wheat, 
Luk. 22.31  though not to destroy his Faith.  
2. God appeareth to prayer in mercy and favour, and this may be more ways than one: It may be, 1. Out of his general goodness, and common pity: God hath a propension to show mercy, a disposition to extend favour towards all, as they are his creatures, as they are in want and misery, 
Vide Aqui. 22. qu. 83 Art. 16 Job 34.28 Exo 22.23 Gen. 21.17  as they may put forth and express their natural desires before him: He heareth the cry of the afflicted, saith Elihu: I will surely hear their cry, saith he himself of the widow and fatherless child: God heard the voice of the lad Ishmael. Under this notion are those hear and deliver taken to be of the solitary, hungry, thirsty, and harborless; of the imprisoned, 
Psalmus docet non carere effectu preces quae tamen fide in coelum non penetrant. Colligit enim quas incredulus non minus quam piis necessitas extorquet preces ex naturae sensu; quibus tamen Deum propitium esse ex eventu demonstrat. Calv. Instit. l. 3. c. 20. sect. 15. & scultet. de prec. c. 15. p. 54.  of the sick, and of the Sea-bestormed, Psa. 107. yea, out of this universal commiserativeness God is said to hear the cry of brute beasts, as of the young Lions, of the young Ravens; nay to hear inanimate Creatures, as the Heavens, the Earth, the Corn, Wine, and Oil. Thus it comes to pass, that many times very wicked men have their desires and prayers in temporals granted them. The Lord took notice of Ahabs humbling himself upon Elijahs reproof and denunciations; and because of it he said, 
1 King. 21 29  He would not bring the evil upon his house in his days. Wicked Jehoahaz, delivered of God into the hands of the Syrian Kings, 
2 King. 13 4, 5  He besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him, and the Lord gave Israel a Saviour; so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians. Israel (in the Psalmist) when they under his Judgements sought God, and returned, and enquired early after God, though it was but in flattery and hypocrisy; 
Psa. 78.34  Yet he being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not.  
2. God appeareth to prayer out of that favour which is special and more peculiar; he heareth the faithful seekers of him, his own children, from a nearer impulsive, out of a dearer respect and consideration which he beareth towards their persons, out of a federal and fatherly love; and he embraceth their prayers not only out of a general, but out of a special benevolence; nor merely with benevolence, but with complacency and acceptation; their prayers are as sweet as incense to him. To the dwellers in Zion the Prophet saith, 
Isai. 30.19  He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry: These are the different grounds of Gods hearing prayer.  
Secondly, For Gods hiding from prayer, he doth it also upon the like different grounds: 1. It is some, yea most times out of wrath; and that is either, 1. Judicial, or a wrath of loathing and hatred; a full, pure, unallayed anger; such he bears to carnal wicked men, and to their prayers, 
Zech. 7.12 13  as it is in the Prophet, Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts: therefore it came to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear, so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of Hosts. 2. Or Paternal, and Conjugal; the wrath of a Father or Husband, a wrath tempered with, and in time overcome, and swallowed up of love, intimate and peculiar love; a wrath joined to bowels of mercy; such is that in the Prophet, 
Isai. 57.17 18  For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hide me, and was wroth, etc. I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him, and to his mourners. Such a wrath as is again expressed by the Lord in the same Prophet, In a little wrath I hide my face from thee for a moment, 
Isai. 59.8  but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. Mark well the great difference of this wrath from that which is against others: it is the present wrath of a provoked Husband against an offending Wife, by which she is widowed, cast off, and so barren and desolate (in her prayers) for a time, (for so are the words before,) The Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken, and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. Again, it is a little wrath, and but for a moment, and a small moment: The sum is, it is a moderated anger, mixed with a dear relation and band of affection to them; and it is a short, and quickly cooled, and forgotten wrath.  
2. This hiding from prayer is sometimes out of mercy; yea, it may be in special favour, and the favour in withholding may be greater than it would have been to have granted the thing prayed for. It may seem otherwise, but the very truth is, God doth sometimes deny his people's prayers in indulgence and mercy to them: they not seldom are set upon that which would be hurtful for them, and ask the things which would be very bad for them to have: in this case the want of their desires is better than the grant; and God consulteth their good, showeth them favour in withholding their wishes from them. Rachel was excessively bend to have children, Give me children (saith she) or else I die: Well, at length she had her longing, but what came of it? she died of childbearing; her second child was her Benoni, the son of her sorrow; so named by herself: he was her bane and death. As God giveth sometimes in anger, so he withdraweth and denyeth sometimes in goodwill and love. As the natural father will give none but good gifts to his children; he will not give his son a stone, a Serpent, a Scorpion, for Bread, for a Fish, for an Egg: So neither will our heavenly Father. If the natural father will not exchange good petitions into bad gifts, much more will our heavenly Father suspend bad Petitions, or exchange them into good gifts 
* 
Deus quaedam negat propitius quae concedit iratus. August. Fideliter supplicans Deo pro necessitatibus hujus vitae & misericorditer auditur, & misericorditer non auditur. Quid enim infirmo sit utile magis novit medicus quam aegrotus. August. apud Aquin. 22. qu. 83. art. 15.  
Quid enim ratione timemus, aut cupimus? Quid tam dextro pede concipis ut te conatus non paeniteat, vo●●que peracti? evertere domos totas optantibus ipsis dii faciles; nocitura toga, nocitura petuntur militia. Juvenal. Saty. 10.  
Mr Goodwin, Return of Prayer, Chap. 9 Sect. 3.  . A worthy Author saith, 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.   

SECT. iv  
The Answer to the Query, summarily recollected and form.  
I Have finished the main tractation of the Query propounded, in the Explication of the several terms or clauses, and have showed the difference to be noted among them that are styled the people of God, how Prayers are to be grounded both upon Precepts and Promises, and the divers ways in which, and grounds upon which, God doth appear to, or hid himself from Prayers.  
I shall now only gather up all into a few Corollaries, or summary Propositions, fitted by way of Answer to the Query. The Question was, How, or in what sense God may be said to hid himself from his people's Prayers grounded upon his Promises, and seem by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto? I answer,  
1. They that are the people of God by name, outward call, profession, communion, and form of godliness, God may hid himself from their Prayers, and that really, totally, finally, and in highest disfavor to them: but it cannot be said that he hides himself from any prayer of theirs grounded upon his promises, for the truth is their prayers are never so grounded. The matter of their prayers may be indeed the matter of the promises, but the quality of their prayers is never correspondent to the conditions of the Promises. The Promises of grace are offered, propounded, and conditionally made to all the externally called, all that pass under the pastoral Rod of the Ordinances of Christ 
* The Covenant is actually made with Believers only, but it is offered to all. Mr Leigh Treat. of Promises, B. 1. chap. 5. Romans 9.3. Acts 2.39. Romans 3.2. : Therefore it is said, To them appertain (or theirs are) the Covenants and the Promises: The Promise is to them, and to their children; that is, to them they are committed (as another place hath it,) they are delivered to them to make use of, and improve to themselves; but for want of faith they do not receive them to any benefit, no nor to any sound property: for lack of faith in them the promises to them are as Christ was to the Jews; 
Joh. 1.11  He came to his own, and his own received him not: And as in particular to them of Nazareth, 
Mark 6.5  He could there do no mighty works, because of their unbelief; So the promises to them are suspended in their efficacy, they are no ground to them. Faith is that which uniteth, cementeth, and incorporateth the person to the promises, as the structure is coupled to the foundation, and so they become profitable. 
Heb. 4.2  The Scripture saith, The Word of the Gospel preached did not profit them, being not mixed (or incorporated) by faith in them that heard. The faithless hypocrite doth not agglatinate, immix, or immerse his heart, by faith, in, or to the promises; only they that are sincerely, internally, and in the truth, and life of grace, the people of God do so close with them: 
2 Cor. 7.1  Hence it is said of them that they have the promises, that is, as usufructuaries, in actual tenure and fruition: 
Rom. 9.8 Heb. 6.17 11.9, 13 Eph. 3.6, 2.20  They are the children of the Promise; they are the heirs of Promise: they see, are persuaded of, and embrace the Promises: they are partakers of the Promise in Christ; they are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, which is the promises.  
2. For the inwardly called, the grace-obtaining, and effectually renewed people of God; God may hid himself from some prayers of theirs in some sort: but then observe, either it is not wholly, really, and perpetually, but for a time only, or in show and appearance only, or in respect of some one way of appearance only; or else it is from such of their prayers as are not regularly grounded on the promises; it is when there is some disproportion betwixt their prayers and the divine promises. Such prayers may come from them; and it ought to be remembered, that it is not enough, to the certain success of their prayers, that they be agreeable in some, or in many points to the promises; but there is to be a suitableness in all particulars, though not in full degree, yet in truth and substance; and from their prayers that are so completely grounded (I dare be bold to say) God doth never hid himself, or leave them really, finally, and every way answerless: They may suffer some intermission in their issue, or interposition in the evidence of their hearing; they may receive the answer which they did not eye, or directly expect; but an utter desertion they do not fall under. For this look into that one firm and gracious promise of God purposely fitted to his people in such a case as this is: 
Zech. 10: 6  And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them, for I have mercy upon them; and they shall be as though I had not cast them off; for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them. When ever then the people of God pray, and cannot discern Gods appearing to their prayers, let them not peremptorily conclude against themselves, until they have first narrowly considered the congruity or disagreement of their prayers with the promises; and if in that there be no substantial defect, they may resolve the hiding of God, which they apprehend from their prayers, to be but either imaginary, not real; or dilatory, not simply negative.  
That which the Apostle answereth unto that Query concerning God's rejection of his people in respect of grace in general, I say then, hath God cast away his people? God forbidden:— God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew:— Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for: but the Election hath obtained it: That may I answer unto this Query concerning God's rejection of his people from this grace in particular, of audience in prayer; God hath not, doth not, cast away his people which he foreknew, nor their prayers: Israel, the Titular people of God, hath not obtained that which they seek for by prayer; but the Election, the chosen people of God, the internally called, and spiritually adopted people of God, do certainly obtain their prayers. What though they for lack of a discerning eye think they are not heard? this must not carry the conclusion, nor aught to be the rule of their judgement: The Lord himself doth very strongly and sweetly confute and take away this inference in that affectionate delivery of himself to his people in the Prophet Isaiah; But Zion said, 
Isai: 49: 14 15, 16  the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me: Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee: Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. The Lord did not say, that he had forsaken Zion, but Zion said so; the Lord did not so, but Zion spoke so: Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, but the Lord denyeth it, yea averreth the contrary, and attesteth it, to wit, his mindfulness of, and faithfulness to her, by the most pregnant instances; affirming his remembrance of her to be more tender and tenacious then is that of a mother to her child, her sucking child, her son, not her foster-son, but the son of her womb; if possibly she may forget, yet God doth not, will not forget: and the reason of this more dear and durable regard in him, then in her, is, a woman may forget, because her child may sometimes be out of her hands, out of her sight; but Zion is not so to him, he hath her graven upon the palms of his hands, and her walls, the whole dimension and circuit of her state, is continually before him: Though she be sometime removed far from her own walls and gates present into captivity; though she have not the prospect of them, or of the accomplishment of her prayers for them; though it be to her sense, as the Prophet in the Lamentations on her behalf expresseth it; 
Lam. 2.7, 8  The Lord hath given up into the hand of the Enemy the walls of her palaces— The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the Daughter of Zion— He made the rampart and the wall to lament, they languished together: Yet her walls are continually before him, they decay not in his memory, he constantly minds the upholding or rebuilding of them. When her walls are in her view as low as the ground, yea sunk into, and buried in it, even than they reach up to Heaven in regard of God's watchful eye and care for their instauration: and a little after, the Lord puts this matter of difference betwixt him and her (viz. her accounting herself deserted by him) unto proof and evidence; 
Isai. 50, 1.  Thus saith the Lord, where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? q. d. Thou O Zion are full of mistrust, jealousies, and exclamations of my forsaking thee; but where is thy proof for this? hast thou any bill of divorce, or sale under my hand to show? canst thou produce any legal testimony, that I have either through change of mind, or affection on my part, repudiated thee, or for my poverty and engagements to others sold thee? There hath been no mutation or defect on my side, either of matrimonial fidelity, or of sufficiency of estate: and if there hath been a distance, or withdrawing for some time, or in respect of some enjoyments, if any temporal or partial separation, the tenor of the act, if it be brought out, will show that it's your deed, not mine; it's you that have given the cause, and made the breach: Behold for your iniquities have you sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.  
Again, What if the faithful servants of God, in seeking of him, have not their prayers instantly returned? This deferring must not go for a final refusal, or frustration. The Lord's suspense of his people's prayers complained of in Scripture by them, they themselves in a calm and deliberate temper have not so understood, but have interpreted it otherwise; as in that complaint of the Church in the Lamentations (cited among the examples above given,) When I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer— Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, 
Lam. 3 8, 44, 31, 32  that our prayer should not pass through. She (in the same Chapter) cleareth her meaning from apprehending or intending an utter rejection: For the Lord will not cast off for ever; but though he cause grief, yet he will have compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies. The Church here, as she is sensible of a present putting off of her prayer, so she is no less secure against a perpetual casting off; and she makes sure of a commiserative return to come. The Penman of Psal. 102. (which is the sad man's Psalm, purposely compiled for a mourning, moaning, wailing condition, for the servant, or Church of God, that is in deepest afflictions, and in their most sorrowful prayers) he representeth the Church in a solitary and pining state, complaining of God's absence: By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin: I am like a Pelican of the wilderness; I am like an Owl of the desert: I watch, and am as a Sparrow alone upon the house top: and yet she doth not for this tiresome stay give her prayers as forlorn and lost, but fixeth upon this; Thou shalt arise, 
Vers. 5 6, 7, 13, 17  and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come (or cometh:) and again, He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This Psalm is supposed to have been composed by the Prophet Daniel, 
Junius & Ford in hunc Psal.  or some such person, near the end of the Judean Church's Captivity seventy years at Babylon; during all which time they had sowed in tears, they had setly and solemnly fasted and mourned in certain months in the year, besides the personal humiliations of some of them (as of Daniel) mentioned in Scripture: and in this their desolate condition, and praying posture, they were held in delay and expectation for so many years: Zion was still a heap of stones, and lay in the dust; and they continued praying over her stones, and pitying her dust 
* Quia voluerunt bene servi tui lapidibus ejus, & pulveris ejus miserti sunt. Ar. Mont. : and in those their prayers they for present remained solitary, and destitute of divine help and recovery; yet they remain resolved, Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion, the time to favour is coming; he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.  
3. When and so far as God doth hid himself from his faithful people's prayers, it is not only righteous in him, and consistent with his promises (either their prayers not holding correspondence with his promises, and so he is free; or his proceed exactly corresponding thereunto (though it be not discerned) and so he is faithful,) but it is in mercy to them, either in withholding from them their desires, when bad for them; or in reserving them, either till they be reduced to their rule, if they be irregular, that they may have them in a promissory way, or till they be ripened to that exercise and growth of grace, wherein they may be most acceptable and profitable to them. To this purpose weigh seriously that of the Apostle, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, 
Rom. 8.18  to them who are the called according to his purpose. He layeth this down as a known and generally received principle: They that are the people of God indeed, that peculiarly love him, and are beloved by him, all things work together for good to them. He had spoken immediately before of Believers prayers, and the Spirits helping their infirmities, and making intercession for them according to God; and here he enlargeth his speech, and riseth from the particular to the universal; not only doth the Spirit help, but all things work together for the good of Believers: in special (as the coherence seems to imply) their prayers that come from the Spirit, how ever at present they succeed, whether the effect of them be stayed, or instantly emergent, evident or inevident, or however transformed, yet they work for good to them; and (which is much to be noted) he saith, they work together for good they are not single causes to produce an effect of, or by themselves, solitarily; but they work together, that is, together with other things; and amongst, or above other things that must work with them, is the divine disposal, the Saints prayers, and God's hand of providence cooperate together; and in this coworking each hath its proper part (as it were,) the one is to petition, the other is to perform; and consequently, the one is to propose, the other to dispose; the one to crave, the other to carve; the one to importune, the other to opportune, or to contrive the way, method, and season of effectuating, as may be for the best: As in shooting the hand and the eye act together; the one to draw the Bow, and enforce the Arrow, the other to direct both to the work: Or, as in sailing, the Pilot and the Rowers, or Halers, work together, the one to make the ship go, the other to make it steer its right course; so do Providence and Prayer close and concur together in working for the good of praying Saints. The breath of our Prayers must fill the Sails, but the divine disposal must tend the Card and Compass.  
4. In judging of Gods appearing to, or hiding from their prayers, the faithful seekers of God are not to rest in their own sense, or eyesight, nor in the present face of God's providence, or ways: these may yield them for a time no answer, no testimony of audience: they are like the vision in Habakkuk, not always speaking, but having a peculiar time to speak, At the end it shall speak, and not lie: 
Hab. 2.3  yea, these may yield them occasion of discouragement, or doubt, when indeed the Lord hath a respect to their prayers, is mindful of a return, and an answer may be in drawing or dispatching out to them: And further, they are to look over all the ways of hearing, whether by Testification, Performance, or Commutation; lest their answer may be with them, and they not ware of it, not find it out 
* Vid. Calv. Instit. l. 3 c. 20 S. 52 .  
5. As divine providence may at present stand at a distance from, or proceed oppositely to prayer, even whilst prayer may be heard and answered, or in answering: so it may run parallel, or go along with it; it may act agreeably and answerably to prayer; it may produce what prayer hath asked, and yet nevertheless the prayer may be unanswered: all this may be, and not in answer to prayer. Therefore, as God may be apprehended to hid himself from his people's prayers, when indeed he doth not, but sets open the door of mercy and his hearing ear to them, and sets a-work his hand of providence in the best manner for them: so he may be conceived to answer the prayers that are contrary to them, when indeed it is nothing so. As God sometimes hears the prayer when he doth not give the thing, so he sometimes gives the thing when he doth not hear the prayer. This seeming Paradox I will endeavour to make clear by instances and illustration: The Danites messengers, whom they sent to spy out the Land of Laish for them, as they went, turned into the house of Micha, and in the Idolatrous way of his Religion (that is, 
Judg. 18.  by the Ephod and Teraphim, and carved Image, and molten Image, which he had made; and by the young Levite which he had consecrated, and kept as his Priest for that Idolatry,) enquired of God (as they called it) concerning the success of their expedition; and the said Priest returned them this answer, Go in peace, before the Lord is your way wherein ye go: and according to his answer it succeeded with them; they discovered, and immediately conducted the six hundred Danites (who for their better speed rob Micah, and took along with them those his good presaging Idols and Priest) unto a large and good Land (which was that they sought after and lacked) and they most easily and prosperously conquered the Inhabitants, and possessed the Land, and enjoyed it long, though they there set up Micahs graven Image and superstitious Priesthood, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh. Here Providence speeds, and suits with the ends and erterprises of those devotions, which certainly could not be but very displeasing unto God, and therefore could not be followed with any such success for the prayers sake. In like manner Saul (when as Samuel came not to Gilgal within his time) he took in hand to offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings (either in his own person, or by another) contrary to the Commandment of God, 
1 Sam. 13 9, 12  that (as he pleaded to Samuel) his Soldiers might not desert him, and the Philistines might not set upon him, before he had made supplication unto the Lord. Well, notwithstanding this his sacrilegious, or otherwise presumptuous Error, in thus seeking to God, contrary to his Will and way prescribed, yet he goes out presently to his War against the Philistines, and though he had a very small Army, but six hundred men, and neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of them, yet he prospered, and got the victory: The Text saith, The Lord saved Israel that day, 
Ver. 15, 22 ch. 14 20, 23  and there was a very great discomfiture of the Philistines: Thus it went happily, according as Saul had prayed; yet questionless this was not (properly) in answer to his prayer, for the answer to that Samuel had given him before, and it was quite of another nature, viz. a sharp rebuke for his transgression, and foolishness therein, 
〈◊〉. 4  and a declaration of the Lords purpose upon it to translate the Kingdom from him, and dispose of it to another.  
Prayer is properly answered, 1. When the thing prayed for, is, not only done, but is done in acceptation and reward of prayer, or for the prayers sake, and it's well pleasing and prevalency with God. 2. When it is done by virtue of the Promise. 3. When it is done in special mercy to the person praying: But a wicked man's prayer cannot come within these rules, or any of them: the prayer of such a one cannot be pleasing, or acceptable, or of any force with God: 
Prov. 28.9  He that turneth away his ears from hearing the Law, even his prayer shall be abomination: the prayer of such a one hath no promise belonging to it: 
Psa. 50.16  Unto the wicked God saith, what hast thou to do that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth? unto such a one the Lord beareth no fatherly affection; 
Psa. 34 16  The face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And as an evil man's prayer cannot properly receive answer from God, so neither can an evil prayer whatsoever the person be: 
Psa. 66.18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Observe it, though it were holy David, or the choicest of God's servants that should pray, yet if he pray amiss, if he regard iniquity in his heart, he cannot have hearing. And again, Who is of the generation of them that seek God, that seek his face, and shall receive the blessing from the Lord, 
Psa. 24.4  and righteousness from the God of his Salvation? why, he who hath not lift up his Soul unto vanity: that is, whose desire and affections do not stray from God, and that which is truly good, after some unlawful thing. This than must stand as a firm and clear truth, The prayer that is put up by a wicked man, or that is made with an evil mind, or in an evil manner, it may be prosperous, but it is not pleasing; it may be effected, but it is not affected; it may be acted, but it is not answered; it may be happy, but it is not heard with God. And they that but so have their prayers, they have but either the fruit of God's general goodness, or the consequence of his special anger therein 
* Quinetiam nocturna sacrificia sceleratasque ejus preces, & nefaria vota cognovimus, quibus illa etiam Deus immortalis de suo scelere testatur: neque intelligit pietate & religione, & justis prelibus Deorum mentes, non contaminata superstitione, neque ad scelus perficiendum caesis hostiis pesse placari cujus ego furorem, atque crudelitatem Deos immortales a suis aris, atque templis aspernato: esse confido. Cicero Orat. pro A. Cluendo. Non tamen est cur fideles deflectant a league sibi Divinitus imposita, vel invideant incredulis quasi magnum lucrum fecerint, ubi adepti sunt quod volebant. Calv. Instit. l. 3. c. 20. S. 15. . The people of God then may let such have their prayers sometimes without either their envy or imitation.  
But, seeing that by these two last Propositions it is asserted, That Divine Providence may for the present run cross to those prayers that find audience and answer with God, and may second the desire and end of those prayers that are not accepted or answered by him; it must needs be a matter of some difficulty to know and discern when prayer is heard and answered, and whether success ensuing upon prayer, it be in answer to prayer or no. Upon this I have here no room for any large discourse, only I shall give this word of resolution; Besides extraordinary, or at least immediate testimony from Heaven (of which I have spoken something before) I know no other, or at least not better way then to look whether our prayers run parallel with the rule of God's Word: without this Cynosure our Judgements may either be at a nonplus, or stray very wide from the Truth. This direction is commended to us by the Apostle John, and it is notably worth our exact inspection: And this is the confidence that we have in him, 
1 Joh. 5.14 15  that if we ask any thing according to his Will, he heareth us; and if we known that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Mark it, he teacheth us to gather the knowledge, that we have the petitions that we desired of him, from this, that we know that he heareth us; and to infer the knowledge, or confidence, that he heareth us, from this, that we ask a thing according to his Will: by this rule we must judge of our having our petitions, not by sense, or visible providences, but by God's audience; and we must judge of his audience, not by instant effects, but by the quality of our prayers and persons. Some men of this generation proceed directly contrary, they will judge of their audience by their have; and they will judge of, and justify their askings, and the designs they concern by their receivings; and they will not be brought to begin their inferences at the accord and conformity of their prayers to the revealed Will of God, and by it to be led to the confidence of hearing, and so from this confidence of hearing to pass to the discerning of the receipt of their Petitions.    

CHAP. IU.  
The third Query discussed, viz. What may be the Reason of Gods hiding himself from his People's Prayers grounded upon his Promises, and of his seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary to them.  

SECT. I.  
The difficulty of resolving this Question, and whence it is.  
IF it be so, why am I thus? 
Gen. 25.22  so said Rebecca when she had conceived, and the Children struggled together within her: and so are we ready to say upon every strange and disastrous occurrence: So are the servants of God apt to say upon this, one of the saddest of their disasters: and so it is not unlawful, yea, it is requisite that they say, 
Eccl. 7.10 Trap. in loc.  provided that they inquire wisely concerning this; when any great thing befalls us contrary to our expectations and wishes, we are naturally disposed to expostulate the cause of it. Malcontents (saith one) are commonly great Questionists. But the matter is to inquire wisely, to make a religious, sober, impartial, and profitable inquisition: this we are not very apt unto; and if at all we be disposed, and seek to know it, we find it no easy work to make the discovery: it proves a difficult enterprise, and hard to effect, not because we do not seek, nor because we are destitute of means to find it out, but because we go wrong to work; we look not the right way, or we look not with good eyes, or we look not to the right end.  
First, We look not the right way: we are apt to look for the fault or fail in God, or to charge it upon him at all-adventures, when the root of the matter is in ourselves. In the Prophet Haggai, when the House of God lay waste, and the people's labours were all improsperous, and their wealth and store unblessed unto them; when they should have considered their own ways, wherein they might have found a plain reason why it was so, they turn their eyes up to God's ways and designments; and in them, in stead of meeting with a reason, 
Hag. 1.2  they make one: They say, the time is not come, the time that the Lords House should be built: q. d. there is a certain time when the Lords House should be built: this time himself hath prefixed: and until that time be accomplished, our labour will be in vain upon it: it is bootless for us to go up to the mountain, and thence bring wood to build his house: we may as well let it lie waste as it doth. We see our ordinary labours about natural means, and for our bodily provisions, our sowing and reaping and day-laboring, yea and the efficacy of natural causes, as of the Heavens sending down dew, and the Earth sending forth fruits, and the fruits affording their sustenance; these all decay, and disappoint us of their benefit: how then shall we think to speed in that harder and higher work of Temple-building? Thus their want of duty to God in the forward instauration of his House and Worship (whereof the succeslessness their own affairs was the effect) they will needs father on God's Decree, and falsely surmise an immaturity of his time.  
In like manner did the same people in the Prophet Malachi's time; they miss of the expected promise of divine service, to wit, the blessing of God upon their ground and tillage; and what reason do they find for it? who is in the fault in their judgement? why, they lay it upon God: 
Mal. 3.9, etc.  Their words are stout against him; they say, it is in vain to serve God, and profitless that they kept his Ordinance, and that they have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts. The truth was, the causes were grossly and palpably extant in themselves; and that in the very point of God's service, they despised and profaned his Name, they polluted and vilified his offerings, they grew weary and snuffed at his worship, and they rob him in Tithes and Offerings; yet they cast the blame of the fruitlessness of their Religion upon him: nay, a spice and tainture of this error, a proneness to look upon God and his ways somewhat awry, even the servants of God are subject unto; as was Job, whom Elihu is offended at, because he justified himself rather then God: 
Job 32.2 Josh. 7.7  and Joshua, in his expostulating with God upon the defeat befallen the Israelites Army before Ai, when the delinquency was in the Camp of Israel: and David, 
Psal. 77.7, 10  when he asked, Will the Lord cast off for ever? will he be  no more? when there was no defect but his own infirmity.  
Indeed we are prone many ways to direct our enquiry amiss, in regard of the place or subject, and to seek most for the fail where it is not: in this we are like the Lapwing, who makes the greatest fluttering and cry when she is furthest from her nest: we are readier to look towards God then man to find it; and in looking towards him, we are more ready to look into his providences then into his Word, and into his Decrees and Purposes then into either: and when we do look towards man, we are apt to look into others for it then into ourselves; and in looking into others, rather into them that are more remote and distant from us, then near home, or into the men of our confederacy: As, when Ahab would father the trouble of Israel, 
1 King. 19 17  he went to pin it upon Elijahs sleeve; whereas it was from himself, and his father's house. And when Laban made search for his stolen gods, he went first into the Tent of Jacob, 
Gen. 31, 33  his son-in-law; then into his daughter Leah's; and lastly, into the Tent of Rachel, his younger and dearer daughter.  
Secondly, We look not with good eyes, not with a cleared sight, but some or other mist or distemper blears our eyes. There are three indispositions ordinarily incident to men in this kind: 1. Offence at the thing fallen out. 2. men's partiality to themselves. 3. Their prejudice against others.  
1. Offence at the thing fallen out: The Penman of Psal. 73. had much difficulty about that case of the wickeds supereminent flourishing, and the godlies deep sufferings, to find out the reason of it: he confesseth, When he sought to know it, it was too painful for him: and from hence was his difficulty, the scandalization and discomposure of his spirit at the case, as he acknowledgeth; 
Psa. 73.2  My feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped. He that will ken an object somewhat remote, or indistinct, he must stand still: A man that is in motion, especially if he stumble and stagger, will lose the view of his object, or see but imperfectly. Again, he saith, 
Vers. 21  My heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. Inferbuit cor meum, & renes mei meipsum exacuebant: My heart seethed like water upon the fire, or worked like Bear new-tunned in the vessel, or swelled like leavened meal; and my reins pricked, or spurred me on. And through this rising or boiling up of his heart, this commotion of his natural passions, his head was dazzled, his understanding or apprehensive faculty was intoxicate, as he after confesseth; So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. 
Vers. 22.   
2. men's partiality to themselves: Self-indulgence spreads a vail over the eyes, and forestalls the judgement, that, whatsoever cause of the thing there may be in ourselves, we cannot easily see it. The Prophet Isaiah saith of the Idolater, 
Isai. 44 20  A deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his Soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? A selfconceited heart is the self-deceiving heart; and verily every man in this respect is an Idolater, to wit, an Idolizer of himself to this degree, that he cannot quickly descry within himself the deserving cause of his own miseries, which may be there; no, nor scarce undertake to put the question to himself concerning it; he cannot, because he will not: Favor and affection to ourselves will not admit of an evil imagination, 
Jer. 8.6 1 Chro. 21 17 Mat. 26.22 1 Tim. 5 25  of a suspicious reflecting, or misgiving thought by ourselves: No man repent him of his wickedness, saying, what have I done? Where is the man that will confess with David, I it is? or that will, as the Disciples every one of himself, Lord, is it I? Most men's sins in this regard follow after, or come behind them: they are like Moab, 
Jer. 48.10 Zeph. 1.12  or the men of Jerusalem settled on their lees: their faults are sunk down, and stay in the bottom of the Cask, whilst they draw very clear, as if there were no dregs in them. It is almost incredible to read how confident and peremptory those degenerate Jews, to whom the Prophet Malachi was sent, were, in their own justification, against the several charges laid unto them, in the Name and Authority of the Lord; He bespeaking them in this stile, 
Mal. 1.6, 2.17 3.8, 13  O ye Priests which despise my Name! they presently retort, Wherein have we despised thy Name? The Prophet tells them a little after, Ye have wearied the Lord with your words: They abruptly interrogate him, Wherein have we wearied him? The Lord again challengeth them, Will a man rob God? yet ye have robed me. They roundly demand of him, Wherein have we rob thee? Once more the Lord accuseth them, Your words have been stout against me: They still expostulatingly reply, What have we spoken so much against thee? See unto what a height of shameless and impudent self-excusation the spirit of man may transport him, even then, and in those things, when and wherein he is most guilty: And though we think this prodigious in them, yet it is but an instance of the overweening partiality that is in us all towards ourselves, withstanding all imputation of any blame-worth●ness to us, and so indisposing us to the abovesaid enquiry.  
3. Prejudice against o hers: We are no less prone to be suspicious, hasty, and severe in sentencing and faulting other men, than we are well-conceited, slow to mistrust, and  in judging of ourselves. Our Saviour hath deciphered this humour in us, where he saith, 
Mat. 7.3  And why beholdest thou the moat that is in thy Brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? In reprehending this fault, he insinuateth the commonness of it in the nature and practice of men; and the thing which he reproveth is not the bare seeing of a moat (a little fault) in our Brother's eye, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pi●● 〈◊〉 quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈…〉 damnatur qui vel frat●es vel suos errores videt, & intelligit; sed quia alienos intuetur studio reprehendendi, suos autem dissimulat. Bez. in loc.  for that is not culpable; but a studying to detect ou● Brother of a fault, signified in the word (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) beholdest, that is, lookest, or payest strictly, narrowly and rigidly, with a forwardness and quickness to apprehend something amiss in another, as may also be insinuated in those words (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the moat in the eye: for in looking towards another man, we commonly look him first in the face, and in the eye; and if any thing be there amiss, though it be but a small moat, we see it presently, and apprehend it in the largest shape: any slight blemish, or bu● an appearance of an imperfection in that part, is speedily marked. This aptness to fault another, is that which Elihu in the upshot of the debate taxed Jobs three Friends with; They had found no answer, 
Job 32 3  and yet had condemned Job: They could allege no reason or matter to convince him, yet they find a heart and mind to condemn him.  
And as there is in men a prejudice towards others in general, through which they are disposed to find fault with all but themselves, and to lay that blame which must rest some where at any other man's door, rather than their own: So there is a more special and vehement prejudice among those (one against another) betwixt whom there is any contrariety or variance; and the stronger the opposition is, the stronger is the prejudice: and hence it is, that men that are bandied into Sects or parties against each other, do usually, without standing to inquire or reflect any other way, cast all the charge and procurement of calamitous events upon their opposite way, or party. In that notable Schism in the Camp of Israel, of Corah and his Complices, into which they drew all the Congregation against Moses and Aaron, when God cut off the Conspirators by his immediate and terrible hand, in the Earth's opening her mouth, and swallowing up the Ringleaders, and the fires consuming the rest, the people that had followed those movers of Sedition, impute this dreadful destruction to Moses and Aaron; 
Numb. 16 41  On the morrow they murmur against Moses, and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord. They had killed them not otherwise then that they durst not concur with them, but had kept to the Ordinance and charge of God by him imposed on them: yet thus they lay the sad consequences of their insurrection and sacrilege upon them. Envy and enmity are very precipitate and unequal Judges, and know not where to lay any load, but upon them against whom they are bend: all the odium and guilt must needs be transferred to their adverse party.  
When Seleucus (as it is in the Maccabean story) had sent Heliodorus his Treasurer to seize for his use a great sum of Money, 
2 Maccab. cap 3 & 4 Jac. Usser. Annal. An. M. 3828. p. 554.  treasured up in the Temple at Jerusalem; and the said Heliodorus adventured to execute the command, (notwithstanding the admonitions and entreaties of Onias the High Priest, and the outcries of the people against the presumption of that deed,) and being in the Temple in the very act, was by an apparition of Angels struck down speechless, and carried out thence for dead, and his whole guard and retinue sore terrified; but upon the prayer of Onias was recovered to life: and returning to Seleucus the King acknowledged the hand and power of God in that his punishment, and so desisted. Simon the Benjamite, an inveterate adversary to Onias, who in despite to Onias had discovered the said Treasure, and procured Heliodorus to b● sent to despoil the Temple of it; this Simon, upon the aforesaid issue, accused Onias (a good Patriot of Religion, and of his Country) as the worker of those evils against Heliodorus; and, upon them, slandered him as a Traitor to the King: So miserably squint eyed and prejudicated is malice and contention: So easy and ordinary is it, for them that are Antagonists, to turn any disastrous accident into matter of aspersion and impeachment against those, to whom is their grudge. The Jews, the Enemies of Christ's Name, ascribed the dangers and discords their Nation was in from the Roman State (which ended in their destruction) unto our Saviour, his Disciples and Doctrine, (as appears in the History of the Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles:) The Heathen Romans accused the Christians as the causes of all the mischiefs, that, by Commotions, War, Famine, Pestilence, Earthquakes, 
See Clarks Martyrol. p. 34 37, 56, 98. Rev. 12.10  and Invasions of barbarous Nations, befell the Roman Empire. By these slanders did Satan, in those Pagan Persecutors, act his part of the Accuser of the Brethren.  
It is well known how the Papists, Atheists, and hypocritical Time-servers, have, ever since the rise of Antichrist, to these our days, aspersed; and now cease not, but rather whet their tongues sharper, to asperse the faithful Martyrs, Confessors, and Protestant Reformers, in the several Country's of Europe, with the true and pure Doctrine and Religion, professed, maintained, and revived by ●hem, as the causes of the public combustions and woes. This, not only the Histories of t mes passed, and our own present hearts-grieving experience, witness; but the Scripture (as I understand) foretelleth, where it saith, The sevenheaded, 
Re●▪ 1●. ●▪  ten-horned, and ten-crowned Beast openeth his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his Name, and his Tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven.  
Such is the propension of man's nature, when an unhappy event must be somewhere charged, to cast it upon other men's backs to bear, rather than their own; and, of all others, soon on those upon whom they have any spleen or malice placed: and this readiness to prejudg and impeach others, may often be the cause of men's miscarrying in the discovery of the true reason of the sad occurrences or providences they meet with.  
As I have given divers instances of that propenseness, and of this effect of it, let it be without offence if I pass not over one instance more, it being so plain, present, and pertaining to us. The heavy things that have fallen out in England and Scotland these two last years, the dint whereof hath more immediately light upon the Scotish Nation, (as at Worcester and Dunbar (in which affairs there was much seeking unto God by prayer for, and against, as the persuasion and affection of each party led them;) The investigation and pointing out of the cause of those events, how hath it been diversified? some attributing them to this thing, others to that; but all sorts (in a manner) have agreed in this, that they have construed them, and conceited the reason of them, as the respective quarrel of each unto them hath led them. The Papists say, the Scots have so swarved, and suffered in their stand up, because of their Protestant profession, zealous Reformation of Religion, and diligent counter-working of the Jesuit. The Prelatists conclude, it is for their opposition to Hierarchical Episcopacy. The Cavaliers judge, it is for their withstanding them, and absolute Monarchy. The Independents resolve, it is for their establishing and promoting Presbytery. The Libertines and Sectaries cry out, it is for their contesting against Toleration of all Doctrines and Religions. The Republicans determine, it is for their maintaining Regal and Hereditary Government, in the Family of the late King, and in the Peers: and all these concord together in this, That it is for their Covenant-union, and constant adherence thereunto. Yea, and among themselves, as there lack not intestine divisions (usually the causes, companions, and effects of public disasters) so their construction of their mishaps is varied according to their differences. Those called the old Malignant in judgement fall in with the Cavaliers; the Western Remonstrancers declare, it is for their too free embracement of their King, and too facile Reconciliation with the D linquent, and the Hambletonian Royalist. The Kirk party suppose it to be for the Remonstranc●rs impetuous segregations. It is far from my intent, either to be an Umpire of these discordant censures, or to involve all persons, called by any of these names, within the compass of such partiality, and prejudice in their thoughts of this matter: nay, here I undertake not to be a reprehender of any, but only an observer of all, and in all, how uniformly construction follows opposition.  
Thirdly, We look not for a right end: and this may be it that prevents us in this discovery: In enquiring after the reason of such a return, our aim (it may be) is not to find out the cause, that cause which it behoves us to look after and know; but (possibly) something else: as sometimes it is to satisfy our own curiosity, out of which we busy our thoughts and studies in prying after secrets; either the reserved and hidden counsels, motives, and purposes of God; or the covered Cabinets of other men's close contrivances and proceed. Sometimes it is that we may find fault, and pick a quarrel with God or man: And sometimes it is merely to feed and vent our own passion and discontent, to enlarge our plaints, to furnish with matter our repining and murmuring hearts, and that (if we can meet with any thing in the likeness of a cause) we may have the more to complain of. Our ask after a reason often is like enquiry which Jehonan, and the other Captains, and people of the Jews, after Ishmaels' slaughter of Gedaliah, made of Jeremiah, and by him of God, concerning what way the Lord would have them to go: They enquired with an intent, not to follow the appointment of God, but their own minds; and rather that the Prophet might bring an answer to fit the design that was already in their hearts, then that they should bring their hearts and designs to the Prophet's answer. So we in this case, our wishing and seeking to know the cause, is, not to discover what in that kind is requisite and useful for us to know, but to fasten on something that may suit with our overcurious, quarrelsome, or querulous natures. Our end is rather to plead with God then profit ourselves, to carp at others then to correct ourselves; to exclaim at the deal of men with us, then to trace out and amend our own do. And hence it is, that with Sisera's mother, we do often both ask the question and give the answer: Our own surmising heart is the Oracle we go to, and we will know no more than likes ourselves, and fits the indirect end for which we inquire. There are these impediments, or causes of difficulty, and danger of missing, in our search after the reason of cross providences in general, and of this (the Lords hiding from his people's prayers) in particular. And besides these, which arise from ourselves, from the imperfections that lie upon our own judgements, I might observe others; but having insisted so far on these, and because these (in as much as they are from ourselves) are the impediments we have most need to take notice of, it shall suffice but to touch upon one or two more: viz.  
1. The nature or quality of the thing itself, for which a reason is required; Gods hiding of himself: it is an act of God, and it is an act of hiding, or covering himself. Elihu saith, 
Job 34.29  When he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Indeed Gods hiding of himself doth necessarily infer an obscurity (in measure answerable to the degree of his hiding) upon all things knowable: as the Sun's hiding himself behind a cloud, or our Horizon of the Earth, maketh all things about us dim or dark. When the iniquities of the people of God in the Prophet Isaiah had separated between them and their God, 
Isai. 59.2, 10  and their sins had hid his face from them, that he would not hear, darkness immediately followed, and lay upon them; as we hear them complaining, We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noon day as in the night, we are in desolate places as dead men. The mournful and desolate state of the Church of Christ, 
Rev. 12.6, 14.11.2, 3 10.7  set forth by the woman fled into the wilderness, and by the Court without the Temple trod underfoot by the Gentiles, and by the two witnesses of Gods prophesying in sackcloth, it is called the mystery of God; and that blindness which is happened to Israel, 
Rom. 11.25, 33  is also called a mystery: both these are termed mysteries, by reason of the intricacy which must be acknowledged in the proceed of God therein: Concerning the latter it is that the Apostle breaketh out into that adoring astonishment, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God  
2 The Guide or Rule of Direction, by which we are to go, (to wit, the Word of God,) 1. Layeth down a multitude of reasons or divers causes of the thing under enquiry, and those separable one from another; and so leaveth us to select, out of that multitude, that which is more properly appertaining to our case. 2. It proceedeth in general (as to us,) delivering (as they call it) the matter of law, or that this or that thing is a cause of such an effect; and our Consciences are to make out the Assumption, or to bring in the matter of fact; that is, to discover and vote whether we have that in us or no, or the thing be extant which the Scripture saith is a cause of this effect.  
I have thought requisite to note and premise these difficulties, before I enter upon the Answer of the Question, both by way of Caution and Apology: of Caution, to others and myself, in managing the enquiry; and of Apology, in behalf of that resolution which I shall give: that if either I reach not so far as the Reader doth expect, or fail in any thing I deliver, my excuse may be near.   

SECT. II.  
Some Rules about the manner how this Question is to be taken in hand.  
UPon serious consideration of the nature and state of this question, and of the aforementioned difficulties, wherewith both he that seeketh, and he that would give resolution in it, are beset, it appears somewhat requisite and conducible, before we come home to it, to deliberate of, and premit some things by way of rule and proposition touching the manner and means of resolving it: and if I shall not attain to the clear discovery of the thing enquired after, yet if I may in any wise help to prepare, open, and indigitate the way thereunto, I shall not wholly lose the Readers, or my own labour.  
First, These Rules following may be looked over, touching the manner of our address to this question, or how it must be taken in hand and discussed.  
1. We must endeavour to free our minds of the above-noted impediments, to wit, looking above us, when we should look about us; and looking about us, when we should look within us: Scandal at the thing, indulgence to ourselves, prejudice against others, and an obliqne intent in ask after the cause, these Errors have already been laid open; let it be our care to lay them aside, and get clear of them: Look how much we retain of them, so far we forestall our own judgements, and becloud the matter we seem willingly to see into: And in special, let us be content, yea and desirous, that the search may go on impartially, neither prejudging others before, nor privileging ourselves from an upright and through inquisition: Let us be unfeignedly willing that the genuine causes may be known, whether it make for, or against us; and that the Achan may be discovered, the accursed thing may be brought out, wheresoever it lies; that our own tent, our own fear be ransacked as well as others: and wha soever person or party be the Jonah, let him not stick to acknowledge, 
Jonah 1.12  I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you: and for that end, let no man think the uncovering of his own counsel, course, or condition, an evil comparable to the hiding of God's face, that for the avoiding of that he should reserve any thing unto the continuance of this.  
2. Remember here, and take along that sage admonition of Solomon, 
Eccl. 7.16  Make not thyself over-wise: that is, as to the present purpose: The thing queryed being an act of God, we must keep our due bounds (as Israel was to do at the Law-giving in Mount Sinai, 
Exo. 19.12 21 ) we must not press too far in this enquiry, we must not gaze too near, we must take heed of looking into God's ways as Recognizers, Judges, or Censors of them: we must beware of that captiousness, or readiness to call in question the equity of God's proceed, upon any inevidence of the reasons of them, or seeming unequalness, that we may apprehend. We go too far, we are too bold (and so may well miscarry in our search) if we enter into judgement with God, 
Job 34.23  or think that he owes us a reason or an account of his actions. Job saith of God, He multiplieth my wounds without cause; 
Cap. 9.17  that is, without showing cause; and so he may do. God is not accountable to any creature for his actions: Who will say unto him, 
Vers. 12  what dost thou? and, as Elihu to Job, He giveth not account of any of his, matters. 
Cap. 33.13  We must not think that God's ways are not right, unless they be clear to us, that there is no great or good reason for what he doth, but we must needs see it: Though we may and aught to consider, yet we must not expect to comprehend the ways of God, or confine them to the scantling of our understanding. 
Job 26.14  Job saith, Lo these are parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him? There are parts (or, as some interpret it) ends, that is, extremities, or outmost parts of God's ways which are discovered; but how little a portion or parcel are they, in comparison of the whole? Eliphaz saith, 
Cap. 4.12  Mine ear received a little thereof: so modestly he confesseth man's weakness, resembling him unto a narrow-necked vessel; he swims (as it were) in a vast Ocean of divine Manifestation, but he is able to take in a very small quantity thereof. 
Cap. 5.9. Mr Caryl in loc.  Eliphaz saith again, He doth great things and unsearchable, marvellous things without number: Here are four things spoken of God's works, which advance them above our reach; He doth great things, unsearchable things, marvellous things, and things without number. We have no line that can measure or fathom them, no Arithmetic that can cast them up. Unsearchable (saith a learned Expositor) may be considered two ways: 1. Which cannot be searched; so are many of his works, mysterious in regard of the manner, causes, and ends of their doing. 2. Which ought not to be searched into: they are to be adored by believing, not to be pried into by searching: Zophar saith of God, Canst thou by searching find out God? 
Job 11.7  Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? We may be searching find God, but we cannot find him out; that is, we cannot find the utmost of God; or, as some read the end of the former clause, the last thing of God: We cannot find him out to perfection, that is, we cannot attain to the perfect discovery of what God doth. Mr Caryl citys a learned Author translating that word Perfection by the parts about the heart, or the closest lodges of the heart; as if he had said, Canst not find out the inmost recesses or secrets of God's heart? Canst thou dive into all the moving causes, drifts, and purposes that are in his mind? Elihu tells us, Great things doth he, 
Job 37.5,  which we cannot comprehend; touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: We must never think to measure or bottom his works: we may not look to go about or reach the utmost extent or whole circumference of them from side to side, or to sound the depth of them from top to bottom; if we do, we shall come immeasurably short, and perhaps be swallowed up.  
It is observed, that in every humane art there is a mystery, and there are some rules and reasons therein which are not vulgarly understood, but known only to the Arts-masters: if it be so in man's workmanship, how much more in Gods? Whosoever then shall enter upon the enquiry which we are about, I would advise him to lay down this as a ground or grant beforehand, That that is perfectly right which God doth, and that is sufficient to be known which God revealeth.  
I cannot pass from this rule until I have further backed it with a Scripture-Aphorism, and an example added to it: The Aphorism is that of Moses; 
Deu. 29.29  The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law: Here are two sorts of things solemnly distinguished, secret things, and those which are revealed; and two distinct parties to whom they are severally appropriated, Secret things belong unto the Lord, Revealed unto us, and to our children: and the proper end, or reason of the latter part of the distinction, and of that appropriation of it, that we may do all the words of this Law. 
Dr Hall Exhort. apud Acta Synodi Nat. Dord. Sess. 16.  A great Divine, in an Exhortation spoken in a famous Synod, observed, that in all the Scripture the Jews note fifteen places that have a special kind of mark set upon them, and this is one, and the first of them: and it is the more to be marked, in reference to our purpose, because it is spoken in way of answer to a question not much differing from this we have in hand: When all Nations shall say (upon the sight of the dreadful Judgements of God upon Israel for their forsaking of him, and breach of their Covenant with him) wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land? what meaneth the beat of this great anger? then men shall say, because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord, etc. Unto which positive answer this is added, as the close and boundary unto men's expostulations touching that matter; The secret things belong unto the Lord, etc.  
The example is that of Job and his three Friends: They (in Jobs heavy taking) enter into, and maintain on both sides, and carry very far on, a perplexed debate about God's providence towards righteous and wicked men, and the differences and ends thereof; from which neither part came off clear and innocent, much less satisfied or satisfying to their Reader: in the end therefore God himself interposeth to decide the controversy (when Elihu had assayed, and could not, 
Job 38.1 ) and speaking out of the whirlwind, blameth them both: Job he faulteth somewhat, to wit, of presumption and rashness; but his three Friends more, to wit, of unsoundness and untruth in their several discourses of his ways: and he so deals with them both, as that he drives them to recant their Errors, and return into the bounds of piety and charity. Let this example instruct us: 
Job 40.3.42.1  let us not forget the silence, self-abhorring, and retractation, which Job was brought unto; nor the kindling of God's wrath against Eliphaz and his two friends, and what atonement, by sacrifice, 
Cap. 42.7  and the intercession of job, they were put to.  
3. Take heed of setting up a screen, or drawing a shadow betwixt us, and the thing we inquire after; I mean, of an allowance of ourselves, or a purposed continuance in any known sin against God; to bolster up ourselves, or to dispense with ourselves in any known way of wickedness, is wilfully to put a vail before our own eyes, and industriously to prevent ourselves of finding out that which we pretendingly seek to know. And (by the way) a known sin I understand to be, not only that which is actually apprehended, or presently judged by ourselves to be a sin; but that which is contrary to our habitual knowledge, or received principles, though we should not apply them to its condemnation actually: yea, whatsoever we have so sufficient and plentiful means to be convinced of to be a sin, that if it were not for our affection to the sin, and our disaffection to the light, that would detect us in it, and draw us from it, it would be evident enough to us that it is a sin. And if there should be any that will not allow the latter branch of this description of a known sin, yet I dare affirm to him, that a sin even so continued in, may justly prove such a screen or vail as I am speaking of. He that will not know his evil way to be a sin in God's sight, or knowing, will not forsake it, that man must not look to succeed well in this enquiry: How should he expect to receive information in the cause that he knoweth not, that will not obey information in the case that he knoweth, or is afforded full information in? That such adherence to a manifest sin is of this obstructing nature, and interruptive consequence, may appear, if we look into that notable place in Ezekiel, Son of man, 
Eze. 14.13  these men have set up their Idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face; should I be enquired of at all by them? Here we have certain of the Elders of Israel repairing to the Prophet, and sitting be o'er him: their business is to inquire of the Lord, or (as it is termed after) to inquire of the Prophet concerning the Lord; that is, 
Verse 7  to be acquainted from God with what they desired to know concerning God, his Will, and ways: but the posture they come in, is the matter which the Lord takes notice of more than the errand which they come about; and this is quite spoiled with that: These men have set up their Idols in their heart, etc. This is the thing which puts a stop to their enquiry: here comes in the screen or traverse which interposeth betwixt them and their business. We may observe sin indulged brings this about two manner of ways:  
1. Efficiently. 2. Meritoriously. And both are in this Text.  
1. Efficiently: sin distempereth the heart that it cannot take in, or receive.  
2. It provoketh God, that he will not give answer, or satisfaction.  
1. Efficiently: It distempereth or indisposeth the heart for the receiving of an answer; Their Idols are set up in their heart, and the stumbling block of their iniquity is put before their face: that is, there is a prepossession of their heart, and sight by their sin; it is gotten into the heart beforehand, and there it hath the uppermost seat or throne; it is the Lady or Mistress, it is the Idol or Goddess there: And it is before their face; it hath taken up the whole scope and region of their eyesight, it covers all before them; and this is with their own consent and will, it is their own doing; they have so set it up in their heart, so put it before their face: they have been otherwise taught and instructed, they have been often and plainly detected of, and rebuked for those their sins, yet they will still set and keep them up in their hearts, and before their faces; their affection, favour, and regard is to them; and this sets them up against all the clear lights and admonitions of God's Word: their sin we see is of a blinding nature to them, and they blindfold themselves with it. The Law saith of a gift, 
Deu. 16.19  that it blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous: this it doth by raising the affections, which, like a steam or mist about a candle, dim the eyes of the understanding. So it is in the prevalency of every other sin, as well as in that of bribery: We say, affection is blind, love to sin doth deprive the sight, and deprave the judgement, that when an inquisition is passing, the right cannot be discerned. There is a place very full and suitable to this, in the Prophet Isaiah, 
Isai. 44.18  They have not known nor understood, for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see, and their hearts that they cannot understand. He hath shut, that is, their Idol, spoken of immediately before. The Prophet there, and in the discourse thereabout, doth excellently set forth the infatuating and intoxicating nature of Idolatry, (and every lust-serving sin is real Idolatry,) how unreasonable, stupid and senseless it makes the followers of it; how it prevails, not only to tempt and entice them to its committance, but to bind and block up their senses and reason from all discovery of their extreme folly in it; so that they cannot once reflect upon or entertain a thought of their dotage therein, though it be never so palpable: And this place is sufficient to make good the description I gave before of a known sin: we cannot expect, to the making of it such, that a man do actually apprehend, and own, and yield it to be a sin: It is in the next words said of these men, None considereth in his heart, (or, as it is read) none setteth it on, 
Vers. 19  or returneth, or reduceth it to his heart; neither is there knowledge or understanding to say, I have burnt part of it in the fire, etc. This phrase, none considereth, or setteth on to his hearth, gives us the sense of those words before and after, wherein they are said to have no knowledge or understanding of what they did; to wit, they had not the practical applicative, or actual knowing; habitual knowledge, principles out of which to deduce an act of judgement, they had; for the Prophet there abundantly proves, what they did was against Nature's light, common Reason, and ordinary sense: and therefore in the following words he saith, Remember these, O jacob, and Israel: Remember, there wanted no more but an act of remembrance, or calling in, out of the storehouse of the memory, that which was there already laid up, and was sufficient to show them the whole truth of that matter. But to return to the point: here it is evident that the cause of the Lords hiding himself may be near at hand, may be in the very hearts, and before the faces of men, and yet they not see, nor consider it; that is, they see it not to be a cause of such an evil: the thing they see, and own, and that too much; but they understand no such causality, or effect by it: and the reason why they do not, is, the darkening and deluding efficacy that their Idolized sin hath upon them. The more men set up their sin in their heart, and put it before their face, as an Idol, to wit, in affection and regard; the more it is out of their mind and sight, in respect of entitling or attributing to it the mischief that it doth them: they cannot see, or find it out, in point of causing and procuring that evil to them, because they look and fix too much upon it in point of love and affection. It is truly that beam in their eye, which is not considered: it is therefore not considered because it is in their own eye: it is too near to be noted; and being so close to them, it not only escapes espying but it is the impediment that they cannot see any thing else as they ought. Thus any allowed sin is a blind or screen against the enquiry we we are upon, by way of efficiency.  
2. It doth it Meritoriously, or by way of provocation; it moveth God to deny an answer: and this is in the next words, Should I be enquired of at all by them? q. d. I cannot endure that such persons should come and inquire of me, and if they do adventure upon it, it shall be in vain: This advancement of their Idols, and iniquities in their heart, and before their face, doth mightily incense God; and he takes their coming to inquire of him, in this conjunction with their sin, as a very high presumption, and daring affront, and indignity put upon him; and for it he refuseth and repulseth their enquiry with indignation. Suitable to this rejection is that in Daniel; when the Church of God (whether Jewish or Christian, whether under Antiochus or Antichrist, I shall not here dispute) should be in her time of greatest trouble, it is said, 
Dan. 12.4  Many shall run to and fro; to wit, to understand the rise and continuance of those doleful afflictions: and the Angel informs the Prophet Daniel, that their enquiry should be of a twofold success, according to the difference of the enquirers: 
Vers. 10  None of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand: and the reason why none of the wicked shall understand, is immediately foregoing, because the wicked shall do wickedly; for their wicked do it shall be that they shall be left destitute of understanding in these Times: they may run to and fro, but it will be but (as it is in the Psalmist) like a dog, with an unsatisfied mind; and the reason is, because they go round about, like the dog, to pursue their sinful lusts with greediness.  
Yea, it may be observed, this retaining and persistency in their sin, when they come to consult with God, not only frustrateth their seeking unto him, by provoking him to deny them resolution, but it procureth a further sentence from God, as the words following declare; and it is of two parts: 1. A penal tradition, or delivery of them up to deceits and delusions: 
Vers. 4  I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his Idols: q. d. He shall not only be denied that answer which he would have, and I would give, if he were an obedient and sincere seeker of me; that is, a friendly and satisfying solution of his doubt; but he shall have an answer worse than none, an answer of judgement and displeasure: and it shall be according to the multitude of his Idols; that is, as his abominable Idolatries deserve, and in some proportion to that kind of sin: he shall have no better an answer than if he were enquiring at his Idols: he shall have an Idols answer; and that was, indeed, sometimes a dumb, mute, and answerless repulse; as was that of Baal's Priests, in Elijahs contest with them: 
1 King. 18 26  but sometimes it was a doubtful and enigmatical, or a downright false and lying answer: 
Hab 2.18  The molten Image is a teacher of lies: the Idols have spoken vanity, and the Diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams. 
Zech. 10.2 5  The answer is further described, That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart; that is, the consequence of their enquiry shall be their catching and ensnaring; they shall be possessed with the error and misprision of their own brains, in stead of a true revelation from God: and by it they shall be held and led on with confidence, as in a net or snare, to their own ruin: This sentence is the same, both in effect and in cause, with that of the Apostle; For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, 
2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12  that they should believe a lie: and wherefore is it? because they received not the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness: and the special means, by which they should thus fall into the trap, is in the subsequent words; And if the Prophet be deceived, 
Verse 9  when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that Prophet: It should be by the deceiving and deceivedness of false Prophets, whose falsehood and delusion, whether subjective or effective, whether in themselves or in the people, though it be their own sin (as the people's delusion also is their own sin, in that they seek to, and credit such Prophets) yet it is also penal; and so from God, not by active infusion, but by giving them up to Satan, his instruments and engines, to themselves, and their own stumbling blocks.  
2. The other part of the sentence is, 
Vers. 8.  I the Lord will answer him by myself, and I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and proverb; and I will cut him off from the midst of my people: Here is still more weight added to the punishment of the presumptuous sinner, that dares inquire of God with his heart upon his sin; he shall, not only be denied a  and resolving answer from God, nor only, besides that, be given up by God to others and his own deceits, but he shall have thereto an immediate, positive return from God: and it is an heavy one; it containeth much: it is a most dreadful thing for a man to have the face of God set against him; it is one of the terriblest expressions in the whole Scripture: and he that will seek to God, but will not sincerely set himself towards him, to seek his face, but will keep up the stumbling block of his iniquity before his own face, he must look for this return. Therefore it behoves every one, not only in relation to the well-speeding of his enquiry in this, or any other matter, but in reference to all other his concernments, to that dearest concernment of his own Soul, that there be an unfeigned parting betwixt him and his iniquity. To close up then this Rule, let that admonition of God himself, annexed to the rebuke and sentence I have been insisting on in this place, be embraced and followed; 
Vers. 6  which is this: Therefore say unto the House of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, Repent and turn yourselves from your Idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations: and let us, together with this, remember that in Psal. 111. when the Psalmist had discoursed of the great, honourable, glorious, and wonderful works of God, and of the duty of searching them out, he concludeth with this sentence, as containing the way thereto, (and with it I will conclude this particular,) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they which do his Commandments.  
Other two Rules there are, which I shall dispatch shortly.  
4. Come to the enquiry with an humble heart: 1. With an heart-humbled under this condition (of Gods hiding himself from us in relation to prayer) according to the nature of it, and as it deserves. We have great reason to take it very heavily: The Lords hiding from his servants, or from his Church, hath ever been the matter of their deepest hearts-piercing, bitterest sorrow, and dolefullest lamentation: So it was to Job, to David, 
Job 30.28  to Heman. Job saith, I went mourning without the Sun; 
Psa. 30.7 & 88.15  I stood up and I cried in the Congregation. David saith, Thou didst hid thy face, and I was troubled. Heman complains, I am afflicted, and ready to die from my youth up; while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. And so it hath been to the Church of God: When the Lord told Israel in the Wilderness, upon their sin, and notwithstanding Moses intercession for them, that he would not go up in the midst of them, for that they were a stiffnecked people; it's said, When the people heard these evil tidings, 
Exod. 33.3, 4  they mourned, and no man did put on his ornaments. The Church, in that allegory of Solomon's Song, when she arose up, and opened to her beloved, and found that he had withdrawn himself, 
Cant. 5.5, 6, 8  and was gone, her Soul failed, or melted: and when she sought him, and could not find him; when she called him, but he gave her no answer; she charges the daughters of Jerusalem, if they could find him, to tell him, she was sick of love.  
2. With an heart humbled under the sense of our ignorance, and inability to see into this matter of ourselves: There must be an ingenuous and lowly acknowledgement of our blindness and unskilfulness to discern what we should see herein, and of our proneness to be puzzled, non-plussed, and offended at all those ways of God, wherein he walks behind a cloud in any sort towards us: If we would be enwised in this particular, 
1 Cor. 3.18  we must become fools (in our own sense) that we may be wise. He that intently looketh over the History of Job, may find this failing both in Job and his friends (which might be one cause of their mistaking touching the ways of God towards his afflicted servants) that they arrogated too much to themselves, and insisted too much upon comparisons with each other in point of wisdom and understanding. Agur, going to utter his Prophecy, or Doctrine of Christ, under the Titles of Ithiel and Vchal, (the former rendered God with me, the latter, God Almighty) thus vilifies, yea nullifies himself; 
Prov. 30.2, 3 Vide Jun. Trap, Cleaver, in loc.  Surely I am more brutish, etc. or (as some interpret) Surely I have been brutish since I was a man; neither is there in me the understanding that was in Adam: I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. And if we will understand the reason why he, who is Ithiel or Emmanuel, God with us, doth sometimes withhold or conceal his presence from us, we must take Agurs course, and abase ourselves to the bottom of our own real imbecility. The Psalmist also hath set us a very full and pertinent pattern for this: 
Psa. 73.16 etc.  he seeking to know the mystery of the wickeds flourishing, and the godlies suffering, and for that end going into the Sanctuary of God, withal makes an humble confession of his own foolishness, ignorance, and brutishness before God: This must be our way; and remember we that the promise of resolution is made to such a posture, 
Psa. 25.9  The meek will he guide in judgement, and the meek will he teach his way.  
5. Lastly, Be diligent and laborious: apply seriously and industriously to know what is to be discovered in this case: be not careless, slothful, and slight in a matter of this importance: it doth much offend God, if in the times of his afflicting providences men do walk at all adventures with him, or carelessly before him: if it be a hard question to dive into, search and study it the more; if it be possible give it not over without gaining some competent insight into it. Many special duties, both towards God and man, may (for their discovery, practice, and quickening to them) depend upon the disclosing of the subject of this enquiry: There can be no very skilful or hopeful application of proper remedies for the salving of this case, until the causes of it be descried: We cannot look that things should be mended, or brought to a better pass, either betwixt God and us, or among ourselves, before our condition be better understood. 
Job 17.4.  Job saith, Thou shalt hid their heart from understanding, therefore shalt thou exalt them: intimating to us, that those whom God will raise up, he will first enwise. David in this case tells us, He communed with his own heart, 
Psa. 77.6  and his spirit made diligent search.   

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

SECT. iv  
The Question divided into its parts; and the Causes of Gods hiding from Prayers distinguished.  
WE have hitherto been detained at the threshold of this question (but it hath been somewhat necessarily) by taking a view of the impediments arising in the way, the manner how to address unto, and the means by which to gain satisfaction in it: it is now time to enter upon it.  
The Question hath two parts: 1. What may be the reason of Gods hiding himself from his people's prayers grounded upon his Promises? 2. What may be the reason of his seeming by his providences to answer the prayers which are contrary unto them? although the former be the main, and that being resolved, will be in effect the resolution of the latter.  
I begin with the first, to wit, What may be the reason of Gods hiding himself from his people's prayers grounded upon his promises? The intent of this Query (as I take it) is not merely to ask, in the general, what at any time or in any case may be the reason of the said effect? but particularly, what may be the reason now, and as the case stands with us? yet it will be first very requisite, and a good part of our work, to deal with the question in its general state; that is, to survey the whole series, or predicament of causes of this effect, which the Scripture gives us; and then we may proceed to the hypothesis, or the case as it is present and proper to us.  
It will be requisite (I say) and make much towards the clearing of the Query, to look into, and sum up all the reasons (so far as we can collect them) which the Word discovers to us of the Lords hiding from the prayers of his people grounded upon his promises: and, in so doing to take (in this general account) those notions [of God's people, and of Prayers groundedness upon the Promises] in the larger sense, namely, to include all those persons who are the people of God by outward profession and calling; and all the prayers of such, which may be said to be grounded on the Promises, in regard of the matter prayed for, though they be deficient in the qualifications necessary: For, 1. Though the case, upon which our eye is intent, be but one, yet the reasons that have influence into it may be many. 2. Among the many reasons in Scripture for the over clouding of prayer, some (in this particular case) may belong to some persons more directly and peculiarly, and other to others; it may avail therefore to have all represented. 3. If we come short in the unfolding of the present case set before us (as infallibly and perfectly to open it I must be far from promising,) yet to have gone thus far will be an advantage; for when we have a collection of what reasons are possible to come within our case laid before us, than each men's conscience may set itself on work; and we have the enquiry, with the rule to go by, put into our hand, as in a Systems or Anatome. 4. Though there be much difference betwixt Gods hiding from the prayers of the faithful seekers of him, and his hiding from those of the hypocrite, in respect of manner or degree; yet there may be, and is too often, a co-incidency, in respect of causes.  
The reasons or causes which the Scripture rendereth for the Lords hiding from his people's prayers may be reduced to two heads: They are arising either from man or from God; they are such as are either given by man, or proposed and aimed at by God; or they are either meritorious causes, or final causes; that is, they are either the ungracious procurements and provocations of man, or the gracious intendments and purposes of God. 1. There are causes arising from man, those which he giveth; this effect is promerited and procured by him; there is in him that which provoketh God to it. 2. There are causes arising from God, final causes, merciful ends, purposes and designs proposed, and aimed at by him. The former sort of causes makes the hiding penal, the latter makes it profitable; by the one it is vindictive, by the other it is beneficial.  
I shall insist on these two severally: but there is one thing that would first be denoted concerning them both together, which is, that these two sorts of causes may sometimes go alone, or apart, or the one may be severed from the other; sometimes again they may concur or go conjoined.  
1. Sometimes, or in some cases, they may be found apart, or alone, or the one without the other; and that both ways, to wit, this without that, and that without this.  
1. One while God may be observed to do this (namely to hid himself from prayer) for the demerit or delinquency of the party praying only, without any ground of gathering his respect therein to any gracious ends towards or for them: 
Prov. 1.28  as in that of Solomon; Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: Here the hiding may be merely penal.  
2. Another while it may be for certain gracious ends, which God hath to accomplish thereby on, or for them that pray, without respect to any special provocation of theirs: as in the Church's case, 
Psa. 44.17 etc.  Psal. 44. They were covered with the shadow of death: God (as unto their sense) was asleep, had cast them off, did hid his face, and forget their affliction and oppression: yet they say, all this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant; our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way: And this appears to be Jobs case, his own words so report it; Behold I go forward, 
Job 23.8, etc.  but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him: but when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold: my foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept and not declined, etc. In these cases the hiding may be conceived not penal at all, but merely procurative of their good.  
2. Sometimes those two sorts of reasons may concur, or be conjoined in this effect: And this may be two ways:  
1. Either distributely, or with relation to several persons joined together in one community, and in the same prayers; that is, it may be that the Lord may hid himself from the joint prayers of a society of men, so, as that to some of them it may be only for their demerits, and so merely penal; too others of them it may be from merciful intentions in God, and so conducing to their benefit. We read in the Prophet Jeremiah, the people of Judah were distinguished by God into two parties, by the emblem of two baskets of figs, 
Jer. 24.1, etc.  the one whereof had very good, the other had very naughty figs in it: by the former were figured those of Jehojakims and Jeconiahs' captivity; by the latter those of Zedekiah: both these sorts, that is, all the people of judah, the the whole Nation generally prayed (as I have made evident before,) and for testimony of it, take the places in the margin 
a Jer. 21.1 2.36 9 37 3.42.1, etc. Ezek. 14 1 etc. Zech. 7.5 : and as they all sought unto God, so did God hid himself (in respect of a prevention, or instant return of the captivity) from the prayers of them all, both of the one sort and the other: But it was with this difference (as it is in that Prophecy of the Figs,) those resembled by the good figs, though they were carried and kept in that captivity, it was for their good for many gracious ends to be thereby accomplished to them, which you may see in that Text 
b Vers. 6, 7 . Those noted by the naughty figs were delivered up to the hands of Nabuchadnezzar for their hurt, and that many ways, as may be read to that Prophecy 
c Ver. 9, 10 ; and so it was unto them purely for punishment. Here then is a hiding from prayer upon both those sorts of reasons distributively referred.  
2. Or it may be individually, or with relation to the same persons: The hiding of God from prayers may be for reasons of both those kinds respecting the same parties, to wit, both for their provocation and unto the effecting of happy ends to them; it may be both for the sins and for the good of the selfsame persons: for their sins, as the procuring cause on their part; and for their good, as the purposed end on God's part. Daniel was one of those good figs afore spoken of, he was one of jehojakims captivity; and of it also were the three children: and either of that, or of jeconiahs' captivity were Mordecai, Ezra, Ezekiel, and all those, who being carried to Babylon, were after the seventy years set free, and brought to judea, (for of Zedekiahs' deportation none were to return 
d Or; if any, a very few; compare Jer. 24 10 with 44, 28. , they were the basket of naughty figs that were to be consumed from off the Land,) and being so, they all belonged to the basket of the good figs, 
Jer. 24.20  and consequently God did hid himself from them (in regard of, and during that captivity) for their good; yet it was also for their sins, as themselves acknowledge 
e Dan. 9.8 16 Ezr. 9.7.13 Neh. 9 33 37. L m. 3 42, 43, 44. Ps●. 79 89 Isai. 64 7 , and the Lord himself testifieth 
f Ez●k. 39 23, 28, 29 . I before observed of David that it was a mercy to him that the child which Vriahs wife bare unto him died; that his prayer in that behalf was denied him; and yet withal this was for his sin 
g 2 Sam. 12 14 . Israel at Kadesh, having so far provoked God by their diffidence and murmuring against him, upon the return of their spies from Canaan, as that he doomed them to wander out forty years in the wilderness ere they should pass over Jordan into the promised Land; they, upon better thoughts, relent, and offer to redeem their said offences, by going up to fight for, and to possess that Land: and being repulsed, first by divine prohibition, 
Deut. 1.45  and then by the Amorites sword; They returned, and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to their voice, nor give ear unto them. Here the denial of their suit, and the irrevocability of the sentence of their wandering so long in the wilderness, was plainly for their sin. And yet we read elsewhere in the story, the same was ordered so for their good also: The Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, etc. and he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, etc. that he might make thee know, that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. And a little after: Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness wherein were fiery Serpents, 
Deut. 8.2, 3, 15, 16  etc. that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end. These many excellent benefits were the end for that people's attainment whereof they were put to travel and stay so long a time out of Canaan, and in the desert: The proposal of so happy an end by God, and the committance of such great offences by the people, concurred together in the denial of their request above spoken of. And the like may be said of Moses, in regard of the denial of his request to go over Jordan and into Canaan; it was his benefit, being that in lieu thereof he dying, attained to a better life, and Canaan: and yet his sin also was in it, as the cause of that refusal 
h Deut. 3.26.32.52 Numb. 20 12 Psa. 106.33 . We see then by these instances, those very persons whom the Lord hideth himself from, it may be both to correct their sin, and to consult their good; he may do it to them, both for the punishment of their offences, and for the procurement of their profit.   

SECT. V  
Of the first sort of Causes of Gods hiding from prayers.  
HAving made this observation of both the sorts of Causes laid together, I now proceed to speak of them severally. 1. Of the former, namely, the Reasons arising from man, or the meritorious Causes on man's part. Concerning this head of Reasons, I shall endeavour to show four things. 1. That sin is a cause of Gods hiding from his people's prayers. 2. Whose sins. 3. What special sins for kind. 4. Certain circumstances in sin that help forward this effect.  
1. That sin is a cause of this deportment of the Lord towards his praying people. I shall not need to say much to this, it is a thing so evident: It is plainly declared by God; It is freely acknowledged by the people of God themselves.  
1. It is expressly declared by God: 
Isai. 59.12.  Your iniquities have separated between you and your God; and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 
Jer. 33 5.  For all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this City. Because they trespassed against me, 
Ezek 39.23, 24.  therefore I hide my face from them. According to their uncleanness, and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. And predict●vely: 
Mic. 3.4.  Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them, he will even hid his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their do.  
2. The consciences of the people of God have given testimony to this against themselves. So the Church of judah under her Babylonian pressures: 
Lam. 3.42 43  We have transgressed, and have rebelled; thou hast not pardoned: Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayers should not pass through. 
Isai. 64 7  For thou hast hid thy face from us, and consumed us, because of our iniquities. David elegantly expresseth this, where he saith, 
Psal. 65 3. Verba iniquitatum prevaluerunt mihi. Ford. Ar. Mon. pelican. Musc.  Iniquities prevail against me; or (as our margin with other Interpreters read) the words of iniquities prevail against me. He had in the verse next before used this compellation to God, O thou that hearest prayer; and, with relation unto that stile, he is conceived to intent this speech, The words of iniquities prevail against me. We see iniquities speak; they have a voice, yea a cry. As our prayers speak, and cry for us; so, if iniquity have dominion over us, it will speak, yea clamour, and clamouring prevail against us. As God is a hearer of prayer, so he is a hearer of the cry of sin: As he receives the suits which our prayers present for us, so also he admits the bills which our sins put in against us: As he hath an ear of mercy open to the one, so hath he an ear of justice and holiness open to the other. And it is but equal, that as the presentment of our wants or wrongs by prayer, so the accusation of our sins (which are injuries done unto God) should have access to him; yea, and that God himself should first be vindicated, and the sin expiated and removed, and we ourselves set right in the Court of Heaven, upon our repentance, ere our prayers for us should have a hearing and return from God.  
2. The next thing is, Whose sin it is that may cause God to hid himself from his servants prayers? I answer:  
1. It is very ordinarily their own sin that do pray. I will give no other instances for this then those even now given out of Isaiah, jeremiah, the Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Micah; look but over them again, and you will read in every of them, that, as sin was the motive of Gods hiding from those prayers, so the sin was theirs whose were the prayers.  
2. It is oftentimes the sin of others: As,  
1. Theirs for whom the prayer is put up to God: As in the intercessions of the servants of God for others, they may pray for others out of duty to God's Command, and pious affection to them, and their prayer may be regular, and it may be acceptable to God, and yet the Lord may hid himself from it (in regard of granting the benefit to the persons prayed for;) and the reason may be the sins of those persons. 
1 Sam. 15.11  Samuel cried unto the Lord all night for Saul, but saul's disobedience, in his expedition against the Amalekites, suffered not Samuel to prevail for him. 
Ezek. 9.8, 9  Ezekiel prayed for jerusalem, when the six men, the Executioners of God's wrath, were sent out into it, with their destroying weapons in their hands; but the full measure of the Lands and Cities sins would not admit of a rescue, though it was Ezekiel that prayed. Israel's Golden Calf stood up, and made such a breach for God's anger against them, 
Exod 32.31, etc.  that though Moses his chosen stood before him in it, yea and turned away his wrath, (as to the destroying of them,) yet he could not obtain for them a total remission of punishment: The Lord answered him, Nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them: And the Lord plagued the people, because they had made the Calf, etc. Many a dear Saint of God, and many a holy prayer of such, hath been nonsuited in Heaven by the overpoising sins of them for whom they have interceded.  
2. Or the sin may be theirs who are in near relation to the persons prayed for. We may find that sometimes the wickedness of bad friends, or allies, hath made more against men, than the prayers of their godly friends could make for them. Josiah and Jeremiah (both very choice ones, the one for a Prince, the other for a Prophet) they both prayed for Judah about one time; but the sins of Manasseh, the grandfather of Josiah, and the King of Judah, were too strong for them both; they are mentioned, as the prevailing reason against both their prayers 
* 2 Kings 22.15, 16, 17, with 23, 25 26 Jer. 14.19 & 15.1, 2, 3, 4. .  
3. The third thing propounded to consideration, is, What sins in special do provoke God to hid himself from his people's prayers?  
The Scripture brands a multitude of sins, by name, and special note, with this effect: Let us view the particulars: And for that end I will put them into three ranks: 1. Sins against Piety, or duty to God. 2. Sins against the second Table. 3. Sins in or about Prayer itself.  
1. Sins against Piety: Unto this rank belong these sins following.  
1. Idolatry, or the setting up and giving divine Worship unto those that are no Gods: For this peruse that story in Judg. 10. In short, it is thus: The Lord's anger waxed hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and of the Ammonites. The Israelites, under their oppressions and distresses by them, cry unto the Lord, with confession of their sin: The Lord answers them, That, seeing after and notwithstanding many former deliverances from the like evils, they had now forsaken him, and served other gods, therefore he will deliver them no more; let them go, and cry unto, and be delivered by the gods which they have chosen. This was the dolorous repulse which in a day of tribulation they received for their sins of Idolatry: For this sin it was that God declared he would neither hear his people of Judah praying for themselves, 
Jer. 11.10, etc.  nor his Prophet Jeremiah praying for them. See also for this Ezek. 20.31.  
2. Covenant-breaking with God: As in that example I last mentioned, of Judah's and Jeremiahs' prayers: They were rejected for this, as one cause: The house of Judah have broken my Covenant, which I made with their fathers; therefore, etc. And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them, etc. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them, etc.  
3. Abuse of Religion to carnal ends: This was the sin of the Prophets of Judah, and for it they are sentenced with this Judgement: They make my people to err; 
Mic. 3.5, 6 7  they by't with their teeth, and cry peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him: Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that you shall not divine; and the Sun shall go down over the Prophets, and the day shall be dark over you: Then shall the Seers be ashamed, and the Diviners confounded; yea they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer of God.  
4. Contempt, neglect, waxing weary of, slothfulness in, or falling off from the service of God. 
Mal. 3.14.  The people in the Prophet Malachi complain, by way of taxing God; It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? And wherefore do they thus charge God? what was the cause of this obstruction of their prayers? If they had looked well about them, they might have found it in themselves, and in those very services which they complained to be disregarded in; as the Prophet before (in the first, second, and third Chapters) had made it manifest against them: They were grown to despise God's Name; to pollute and account contemptible his Table; to offer the blind, the lame, and the sick for sacrifice; to profane the Name of God; to esteem his service a weariness, and to snuff at it: the Levites were departed out of the way; they had caused many to stumble at the Law; they had corrupted the Covenant of Levi: judah had profaned the holiness of the Lord, which he loved from the days of their fathers; they were gone astray from God's Ordinances, and had not kept them; they had rob God, namely, in tithes and offerings. No marvel their devotions proved so vain and unprofitable to themselves, when they were so vile and curtalled, as they were done unto God; they had no worse than they brought. When the Spouse (in Solomon's Song) gave herself to sluggishness, 
Cant. 5.3, 6.  and would not arise from her bed when she was called up by her Beloved; this moved him to withdraw from her door, and to absent himself from her, when after she would have entertained him, and, missing, sought him. The set time for God to favour Zion (in regarding the prayer of the destitute, 
Psal. 102.  and in hearing the groaning of the prisoner) is, when his servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof: that is (as I understand) when the sight and face of God's house and service is amiable to them; and the very dust, the humblest and meanest part of it, is delightsom.  
5. Loathing of, refusing to hearken, and disobedience to the Word of God. Solomon saith, He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law, 
Prov. 28 9 Chap. 1.24 28, 29 30.  even his prayer shall be an abomination. And, Because I have called, and ye re-refused; I have stretched out mine hand, and no man regarded, etc. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me, etc. See the verifying of this in Zech. 7.11, 12, 13. What congruity is there, that men should look to be heard of God, when they will not hearken to him? Upon these terms is audience promised by our Saviour to his servants: 
Joh. 15.7.  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.  
6. Carnal security, or putting confidence in a temporal portion, as in wealth, successes, or advancements. This sin was David's cloud: In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved: Lord, 
Psa. 30.6, 7  by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hid thy face, and I was troubled.  
2. The next rank of sins is, of those against the second Table: In it, as causes of this effect, are,  
1. Bloodguiltiness. When you spread forth your hands, 
Isai. 1, 15  I will hid mine eyes from you; yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood. See also for this, Isai. 59.2, 3.  

Isai. 58 3, 6.  2. Oppression, injustice, and violence. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou hearest not? etc. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen? to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? They have filled the Land with violence, etc. 
Ezek. 8.17 18  therefore though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them. You may read also, Isai. 59.2, 4, 7. And, for Magistratical and Martial Injustice, take that of Micah: Hear, I pray you, O Heads of Jacob, and ye Princes of the House of Israel; 
Mic. 3.1, etc.  Is it not for you to know Judgement? who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones: who also eat the flesh of my people, and stay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron: Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them; he will even hid his face from them at that time. Let men of this quality and crime look to it: As they have their time to act their mischiefs and cruelties, and may proceed from one degree of violence to another, until they have even made meat of their inferiors; so God hath his time of deserting them, and of refusing to hear their cry.  
3. Unmercifulness, 
Prov. 21.13  or uncharitableness to the poor and afflicted: Who so stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor; he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. The people of Judah, making complaint of God to himself, 
Isai. 58.3, 6, 7  Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not? etc. The Lord discovers to them the causes, to wit, the defaults of their Fasts; Is not this the fast that I have chosen? etc. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hid not thyself from thine own flesh? Cornelius the Centurion, 
Act. 10.2, 4, 31  as he prayed to God always, so he gave much alms to the people: and we may take notice, as alms and prayers (and that in answerable proportion, praying always, and much alms) were joined together in his practice; so they were by God, in his acceptance of him: So the Angel told him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God: On the contrary, if we forget to show mercy to men, together with our prayer to God, we may look that God may forget, and withhold his mercy from our prayers.  
4. Covetousness: This was one of Judah's sins, and of the bolts that kept out their prayers from God: 
Isa. 1.57.17  For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hide me, and was wroth, etc. A greedy desire to, and overfast holding of earthly things, as it hinders our desires and affections from ascending upwards to Heaven, so it stops on prayers from coming downwards from thence, in answer to us: 
Matt. 6, 23 Dr Hammond prac. Catec.  This is that evil eye, which (in our Saviour's sentence) makes the whole body full of darkness, and that great darkness: and the darkness in that place means a privation of the sight of those treasures and benefits that are laid up in, and come down from Heaven.  
5. Pride: Elihu in Job tells us, There they cry, but none giveth answer, 
Job 35.12, 13  because of the pride of evil men: Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. Pride is vanity, or a lie; by it we either foolishly assume to ourselves what we have not, or impiously ascribe to ourselves what we have, and deny our dependence on, or beholdingness to God: And it is but suitable, that if we take to ourselves that excellency which we have not, we should go without that which we would obtain; and if we deny God the glory of what we have received, and with it be lifted up in ourselves, he may well cut us short of what we ask, and would receive of him. Agur entreated God not to give him riches, last being full, 
Pro. 30.8, 9  he should deny God: A proud man is too full in himself to be fit to receive any thing at the hands of God: and it is far better (even for us) that God should deny us in some of our prayers, then that we should deny him in his benefits. David saith, The Lord respecteth the lowly, 
Psa. 138.6  but the proud be knoweth afar off: and Peter, 
1 Pet. 5.5  that God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. The Apostle Paul was in danger of being exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations: and therefore, when, for the prevention thereof, there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet him; and for that thing he besought the Lord thrice, 
2 Cor. 12, 7, etc.  that it might departed from him: He was not instantly heard (as to the removal of that evil,) the same end (in all probability) that brought it, to wit, the cure of pride, continued it upon him, and prevented his prayers from that way taking effect, lest the plaster being taken off, the sore might gather, and swell again.  
3. The third rank of sins are those that may be in or about prayer itself: these are many: The most remarkable may be these; 1. Praying without a sight and discovery of the sins that lie against us: The Lord saith, I will go and return unto my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: With seeking of the face of God there must go along a finding out, and owning of our sin, and in particular our offence, that is, the special sin we are most guilty in, and most stands up against us before God: We are all readier to see our wants then our sins; like Malefactors before a Judge, apt to petition for a release, then to confess our faults. joshua and the Elders of Israel lay upon their faces, and prayed before God, upon their discomfiture as Ai; but they were not ware of Israel's sin in the accursed thing: the Lord therefore bids them get themselves up, 
1 Kin. 8.38  and go hunt out that. Solomon's request was, that God would hear what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all his people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart: Sin is the plague of the heart; this plague must be known that prayer may be heard; and every man must know the proper plague or sin of his own heart: this is a pestilence that too often walketh in darkness, as to men's taking notice of it.  
2. Unhumbledness of heart: There is to be in all, especially in our solemn and extraordinary prayers, an humbled Spirit, in regard of needs, judgements, and sins: So the Lords promise upon Solomon's prayer runs, 
2 Chro. 7 14  If my people, which are called by my Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, etc. and so it was before to Moses; If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity, etc. The want of this affectedness of heart was one cause, that though the people of judah sought God daily, and fasted, and afflicted their Souls by bodily interdiction, yet the wrath of God would not be averted; They bowed down the head as a bulrush, 
Isa. 58.3, 5  and spread sackcloth and ashes under them, but they still found pleasure in sin.  
3. Hypocrisy, word, or lip-devotion, without the power of piety (to wit, the true love and fear of God, and seeking after him) in the heart: Of the Hypocrite job saith, 
Job 27.9  Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Solomon's prayer (which seems to be the square, both according to which we should pray, and God will accept and hear) was, 
2 Chro. 6 30  and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest: The thing intimated hereby (as I conceive) is this, Men that pray shall have a return from God, not merely according to their present form of prayer, but according to the universal course of their lives: If their prayer be for its composure good, and their ways be good too, they may expect from God a good answer; but though that be good, if they be peccant in these, they can look for no good answer; and the reason here may be, for that God looketh at, and for the heart, and the integrity of it; and there is not any such true character, or picture of a man's heart, as is the general course and frame of his ways; it and these do exactly answer each other, as do the signet and the impression.  
4. The proposing of indirect, by, and unworthy ends in prayer: The Apostle saith, Ye ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts: 
Jam. 4.3  It is intolerable that holy and godly desires (for the matter of them) should travel to, and traffic with Heaven, to serve and bring in provisions for sensual or vile lusts. The Lord taxeth it upon Israel, that they cried not unto him when they howled upon their beds; 
Hos. 7.14  they assembled themselves for corn and wine: their end was not God, it seems, but their own belly. It was an heinous crime for any man of Israel to make a perfume like to that which was holy, 
Exo. 30.37 38  and compounded for the incense of the Sanctuary; or to turn it to a civil and private use, as for himself to smell to; this was to be punished with cutting off from his people: Accordingly it must needs be very displeasing unto God for a man to convert the sacred incense of prayer from its own proper and religious end to any carnal or sinful purpose or design.  
5. A contentious, quarrellous, or malicious heart in prayer: Our blessed Saviour thus instructs us for prayer; And when you stand praying, 
Mark 11.25  forgive, if you have aught against any, that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses; but if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses. A Rule to be well taken notice of at all times, especially in these warring and jarring times, wherein there is not only party against party (in more divisions than can be mustered up,) but even prayer against prayer: and if withal there should be strife and rancour within, and so heart against heart, (as alas, how hard is it to be avoided! who can hope it is any better among many?) This default would be enough itself alone, both to keep back their prayers from them, and to bind on their sins upon them: As two persons cannot walk together, except they be agreed; so neither can their prayers ascend up to Heaven together, except they be agreed: the one, at least (and if both be from a strife-enflamed Censer, what ever the matter be, both) must needs be shut out. The Apostle wills, That men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting, 
1 Tim. 2.8  or without wrath and disceptation; and so both terms may exclude debate in devotion. When Israel went to war in their Land against the enemy that oppressed them, the Priests were to blow an alarm against the enemy with both the Trumpets of the Sanctuary; 
Num. 10 9  and then they should be remembered before the Lord their God, and be saved from their Enemies: But what might be expected if they should sound Trumpet against Trumpet, and Priest against Priest?  
6. Infidelity, or weakness of Faith, or trust in God: The Apostle James requires us to ask in Faith, nothing wavering; for let not that man (that wavereth) think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 
Jam 1.6, 7 Mr Medes Diatr. part 2. p. 297  This wavering (saith one) is when we reel from God to rest upon second means. It is a hard matter to use friends, wisdom, or strength, and not to rely upon them; and it is as hard to go to God in prayer, and sincerely and steadfastly to trust in him: It is wont to be said, we must use the means, but trust in God; but the usual practice is to invert that, and to use prayer, use God, but trust in the means. Our Saviour saith, that God will avenge his own Elect which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them, 
Lu. 18 7, 8  he will avenge them speedily: nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find Faith on the Earth? How is this? Can it be long, and yet speedy? We must take it in divers respects, or in relation to divers persons: It is long in the account and sense of them that pray; but it is speedy to the wicked, that are the subjects of that avenging. It is long, because God waits for strength of faith, as well as assiduity of cries in his Elect: it is speedy, because God is quicker in coming on in his work, than they are in their advance of faith: Though he bear long, yet he comes sooner than their faith is ready; for when he cometh, he shall scarce find faith in the Earth.  
7. A continuance of sin in heart and life: If I regard iniquity in my heart, 
Psa. 66.18  the Lord will not hear me, saith David. And the Lord tells Israel, 
Leu. 26, 27 31  If ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me, I will bring your Sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours. Their sweet odours were an emblem of prayer; and the time of their Incense-offering was their time of prayer 
* Psa. 141 2 Luk. 1.10 : so that it is as much as if he had said, I will not accept your prayers. This the Prophet Daniel renders as the reason of the accomplishing of the seventy years' captivity, and of the Lords hiding so long (in that particular) from his people and their prayers: All this evil is come upon us, 
Dan. 9.13  yet made we not our prayers before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities. The people before, and all along during the captivity, did pray (as I have before noted) but they did not so pray, as withal to turn from their iniquities; and therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil (saith he in the next words;) or, as some render, Therefore hath the Lord been diligent, 
Rolloc. in loc.  and persevering in that evil, which he hath brought upon us: that is, therefore he hath gone on in judgement against us, and would not be entreated. We may note it in all experience, a course of prayer, and a course of sin, cannot stand together; I mean, they cannot both stand in force together, but either prayer will beat down sin, or sin will keep down and enervate prayer; neither do they ordinarily stand together (for any time) in regard of practice, but either prayer will break off the course of sin, or sin will break off the custom of prayer. What the Apostle saith, of the Spirit and the flesh, that they mutually lust against one another, 
Gal. 5.17  the same may be said of prayer and sin, they combat and conflict each against other, and that until the one be brought down.  
We have thus seen what sins in special are causes of Gods hiding from prayers, and we have had them distinguished in three ranks, namely, sins against piety, sins against the second Table, and sins in or about prayer: and under each of these have been mustered up divers particulars.  
The fourth thing propounded to consideration was certain circumstances in sin, which help forward this effect, and move God the rather to it. These are,  
1. Incorrigibleness in sin, or a going on in sin, notwithstanding and in contradiction unto special means applied for reformation; as, when the Word of the Lord is sent out, and published unto a person, or people, for a direct conviction and rebuke of the sin or sins committed, and lived in, and for the calling of men to repentance of, and recovery from them; or, when the Judgements of God have come and lain upon men personally, domestically, or nationally, in any kind, as a witness against, and correction for the sin; or any other means hath been used; and yet, nevertheless, men persist and obstinately persevere in their evil ways. This was Israel's and Judah's aggravation of their sin, and it added weight to, and furthered the Lords hiding from their prayers: But they refused to hearken, 
Zech. 7.11 12, 13.  and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear; yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the Law, and the words which the Lord of Hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets: Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts: Therefore it came to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear, so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of Hosts. When the Lord declared to Israel, 
Hos. 5.15.  by the Prophet Hosea, that he would go and return to his place, that is, that he would withdraw his presence and audience to a great distance from them; this was one thing which brought it on, They have done so and so, 
Verse 2.  though I have been a rebuker of them all. And the same is alleged against that people, in the Prophet Isaiah, as concurring to this effect; I hide me, 
Isai. 57.17  and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart; or (as the late Annotations) because he went on frowardly, 
Divines Annot. 2 Edit.  etc. And so their froward and obstinate running on in their sin, was not the consequent, but the antecedent, and reason why God was wroth, and, being angry, hid himself from them.  
2. Presumption, or an adventuring to do an act, or run a course, against the express and particular prohibition or warning of God by his Messengers against the doing thereof: As when Israel in the wilderness would needs go up to fight with the Amorites, Moses relating it to them afterward, saith, And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight, 
Deut. 1 42 etc.  for I am not among you, lest ye be smitten before your enemies. So I spoke unto you, and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill, etc. and ye returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.  
3. Scandalous sinning. David, when the Lord had struck the child that Vriahs' wife bare unto him with sickness, besought God for the child, and fasted, and lay all night upon the Earth, but nevertheless the child died; and the special reason why the Lord was so inexorable to him in this particular, Nathan the Prophet had before given him: Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die 
* David was not heard, because it stood not with the rule of divine justice, that so scandalous a sin, which made the enemies of God to blaspheme should not have an exemplary punishment. Mr Mede Diatrib. part 2 pag. 298. . Those sins of the people of God which do open the mouths of the professed Adversaries of Religion to reproach the Name of God, are more than ordinarily obstructive of prayer. It is time for God upon the remittance of such by them to manifest his special disfavour in such an effect, that so he may vindicate that Name of his which his people call upon from the aspersion of their sin. As God upon this ground refused to hear David, so did he, for the like cause, deny the petition of another (as eminent for nearness to, and favour with him, as he) to wit, Moses: He besought the Lord very pathetically for leave to go into, and see the Land of Canaan, but the Lord would not hearken unto him in it, but he must die beyond Jordan; and what was the reason? the Lord tells it Aaron and him, Because ye believed me not, 
Numb. 20.12. & 27.14  to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel. By his sin at the waters of strife a scandal was given unto the people, reflecting upon God himself; and therefore when mention is afterward made of this sin, and the sentence of God upon it (as it is often noted in the sacred Story) it is said, that God was angry with Moses for the people's sakes 
* Deu. 1.37 3.26 4.21 Psa. 106.32 . It is to be understood to have been, not for the people's fault, but for his own sin, which was an evil example, and a God-dishonoring offence unto the people. In the days of the Prophet Malachi, and in his Prophecy, it appears there was an ill success of prayer (I have divers times mentioned it,) and this was one cause of it, the not hallowing duly the Name of God, 
Mal. 2.2, 3 8, 13.  their contempt and vilifying of it; and, in particular, the Priests and Levites are taxed therewith, the Lord saith unto them by name, If ye will not give glory unto my Name, I will curse your blessings. These blessings may signify, either the blessings bestowed on them by God, or the blessings or prayers which they offered up to God, and wherewith they blessed the people; or both (say the late Annotations:) the latter of the two senses, as it aptly suiteth to the present purpose, so it is not incommodious to the words and drift of them: The prayers of them that serve God, and in special of the Ministers of his house, are blasted for their scandalous sins. In the very next words he saith, I will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn Feasts; and one (or it) shall take you away with it. The Lord will abhor them, and make them an abhorring and a shame unto men, that despise and detract the glory of his Name. They that pollute and besmear, as with dung, his solemn Feasts and Sacrifices by their profaneness, 
Drusius in loc. Con. temptus nominis mei adducet vos ad istam contemptum, q. d. par pari, etc.  he will cast them out of his sight, and cause them to be carried out, like as the entrails and excrements of the beasts that were killed for sacrifices on those days in the holy place were carried out of the Camp or City. It shall take them away to it, that is (as Drusius saith the Hebrew scholia expounds it) the contempt of my Name shall bring you to that contempt. A little further he saith to the same persons, Ye are departed out of the way, ye have caused many to stumble at the Law, (and in the sequel) insomuch that he (the Lord) regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. The errors of the Priests are very prevalent causes (by way of pattern or patronage) of others, many others falls, and therefore may justly become causes of the non-acceptance of sacrifices, and of the non-audience of prayers with God. To this I will add one example more, and it is still of the same degree of persons. What was the cause of those dismal events unto Israel in Eli's time? that notwithstanding they fetched the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh into their Camp, after their first defeat, 
1 Sam. 4.2, etc.  yet they received a second, and greater, a total overthrow by the Philistines? The Ark of God saved them not; yea, itself was taken, and in it the glory departed from Israel; the presence of God was (in a sense) removed from them: the cause was principally the sins of those that bore the Ark, the Priests, the two sons of Eli; according as the Lord had before, twice over, by two several Prophets, declared to Eli: And what were their sins? Besides the gross nature of them, impious violation of the sacrifices, and whoredom, this was their aggravation, through them men abhorred the offering of the Lord; 
1 Sam. 2.17, 24.  they made the Lords people to transgress: Their sins were gross and flagrant scandals and stumbling blocks to the people, both to deter them from the worship of God by sacrifices, and to draw them to commit the same crimes. I have the rather noted this way of sinning, as prejudicial to the success of prayer, because our times and people abound with scandalous sins, and that our Moseses and Davids, our Priests and Levites (I mean our Superiors and Leaders in Magistracy and Ministry) may be put in mind how pernicious the scandals of persons of their rank are unto others, and how obstructive of the prayers and votes put up unto God.  
4. Sinning after prayer, and whilst we are in expectance of our answer. This manner of sinning is of a special malignity to hinder the taking effect of prayers, at least for the time. When we have drawn as near to God as we can by any solemn and serious seeking unto him, and while we are wai●ing, he is preparing or working for the fulfilling of our petitions, if in the interim we fall to sin, and especially if it be any gross or presumptuous sin, this may well interrupt and dash our fair expectations; this calls back our prayers (as it were) in their going up, or meets the answer in its way to us, and causeth it to return back again to Heaven. This seems to be the sense of that caution uttered by the Psalmist, when he said, I will hear what God the Lord will speak; for he will speak peace to his people, 
Psal. 85.8.  and to his Saints: But let them not turn again to folly. That caution, let them not turn again to folly, may as fitly be applied to the time betwixt his servants praying, and the Lords speaking peace, that is the time of their harkening for an answer of peace, as to the time after he hath spoken peace to them; and so it layeth forth to them the danger of running into any sin (especially the folly that they had fallen into, and have in seeking unto God professed repentance of) than when they are looking towards Heaven, and attending for the fruit of their supplications unto God; their so doing may prevent the Lords speaking peace unto them. Thus it fared with Israel: They in Egypt, and under their yoke of bondage, cried and groaned, and their cry came unto God, and God heard their groaning, and upon it he appeareth to Moses, 
Exo. 3 7, 8  telling him out of the bush, I have heard their cry, and am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the egyptians, and to bring them up out of that Land, unto a good Land, and a large, unto a Land flowing with milk and honey, etc. and accordingly the Lord did bring them out of Egypt, and even to the borders of Canaan presently after: But when they should have received the other part of their prayers and hopes, and of the Lords promises, to wit, possession of that good Land, 
Numb. 14 & 26 64.  their sin at Kadesh, upon the return and report of the Spies concerning that Land, put betwixt them and it, and for the same the Lord had well-nigh utterly disinherited them of it, and destroyed them with the pestilence; but, however, they were so far pardoned, yet they were made to wander in the wilderness until forty years, and the lives of all the men that came out of Egypt, save Caleb and Joshua, were expired together. Such and so long an interruption was caused by the interposition of their sin betwixt their prayers and the Lords performance, even when they were at the very brink thereof.  
5. Lastly, Apostatical sinning, or sinning by way of Apostasy, or falling off from God and his ways after an embracement of them. When men have once owned themselves to God, professed, and happily covenanted to be his, and to serve him, and to walk in, and keep his ways; their turning back from this their devoted relation and course into a practice of sin (chief if broadly opposite to the same,) this will turn back their prayers from Heaven without entrance or answer. Thus the Prophet Azariah forewarned Asa, 
2 Chron. 15.2  and his people: The Lord is with you while you be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. And the same Item had David left with his son Sololomon: 
1 Chro. 28 9 Deu. 31.16  And it was long before that also foretold by Moses unto Israel; and so it proved to be, and was verified to that people upon their several revolts from God, both in the times of the Judges, and particularly that before Jeptha's deliverance 
a Judg. 10.13 : And in samuel's time, in the Lords forsaking his Tabernacle at Shiloh upon their revolting carriage 
b Psal 78.59, 60. : And also in the rejection of the State of Judah, and their prayers, in the Prophet Jeremiahs' time, for seventy years, which was for their reiterated Apostasies 
c Jer. 11.10 11. & 15.1, 6. & 18.15, 17. : And in the frustration of the prayers of that people, when, after the captivity, they had obtained a return and resettlement in their Land, and in the privileges of the house of God, but were found again to be departed from the Ordinances of God 
d Mal. 3 7 14 . Of all the ways of sinning that are, this is one that doth (as it were) naturally, and by a kind of near proportion, procure this effect. Those that profess, and vow themselves unto the Lord, though they call upon him with their lips in their need, yet if their feet be declined from his ways, if they have left off following him in his service and Commandments, they must look for a withdrawing on God's part.   

SECT. VI  
Of the latter sort of Causes of Gods hiding from Prayers.  
WE have gone over the first sort of Reasons of the Lords hiding from his people's prayers, and have therein seen what influence men on their part may have unto this effect, by way of demerit or provocation: the other sort come now to be enquired into; those are the final Causes, or the Ends which God proposeth, designeth, and aimeth at in so doing.  
One End, viz. the punishment of sin, is involved in all that which hath been said already of the Causes given by men: for, if the sins of men procure God to hid himself from prayers, than the punishing of their sin is one end aimed at by him in so doing. I shall not therefore here need to insist on that.  
But besides, there are many other ends which God may have, and which his Word discovereth to be set up by him in this proceeding; and those are of another nature, to wit, merciful and gracious ends, or intentions of good and profit unto his servants.  
God hath his gracious purposes, and is merciful in holding off from the prayers of his servants, as well as in manifesting himself upon them: 
Jer. 29.11.  As in that of the Prophet, For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. The words are uttered upon a supersede as or stay of about seventy years put upon the hopes and prayers of those of Judah that were then captivated at Babylon: The Lord tells them he had intendments and contrivances on foot directed to that very end which they themselves desired and expected, which was their peace and good; and he would not fail to bring that to pass, although he posted off their prayers (in regard of the direct purport of them, their present return to Judea) to so long a term; yea, he would effect that end of their prayers by not granting them; he would give them their expected end, though not by their expected means: they longed and waited to enjoy peace and welfare again at jerusalem, but the Lord tells them they should have those benefits for seventy years at Babylon 
a Ver. 5, 6, 7 ; and then, after the expiration of that time, they should re-enjoy the same at Jerusalem 
b V 10, 14 . God sometimes seethe, that his, and his people's aim will not be procured by letting them have their wills and prayers: the end therefore, which he finds will be unattained by his subscribing to their Petitions, he projecteth to accomplish by disposing other ways: as the judicious Physician in some cases discerns, that abstinence is more conducible to his Patient, than either food or physic; so the wisdom of God, upon some occasions, judgeth it better for his Petitioners to keep them fasting (in respect of the satisfaction they desire) then to send them away full-handed from his presence.  
The Lords hiding from his servants prayers may be (as to the purpose in hand) two manner of ways: First, By way of denial of the thing asked. Secondly, By way of deferring it for a time.  
1. By denying: and when he doth thus, the question here is, What may be his end herein? I answer, The intention and aim of God, in relation to the Suitors, is their profit and benefit: 1. To prevent their harm. 2. To promote their good.  
1. To prevent the harm that might ensue unto them, if those desires which he denyeth should have been accomplished. The prayers of the servants of God, when they descend to particulars, as when they beg health, peace, victory, deliverance, prosperous success in such a calling, undertaking, or condition, or the like, for themselves or others; such particulars (I say) though they think them desirable, and intent them for good, yet they may be as incommodious and hurtful for them to have, as wine or sweetmeats are for one in a Fever: God therefore, in denying them those things, provideth for their indemnity. Of not a few of those things, which our hearts are carried after, and our eyes are fixed upon in prayer, it may be said to us, as it was by our Saviour to the two sons of Zebedee and their mother, of their request, Ye know not what ye ask. 
Mat. 20.22  We are like children, of vehement and impetuous desires, but very unable in judgement either to refuse the evil, 
See Mr goodwin's Return of Prayers, chap. 9 sect. 3. Evertere domos totas optantibus ipsis Dii faciles; nocitura toga, nocitura petuntur Militia, etc. Ergo quid optandum foret ignorasse fateris Sejanum; nam qui nimios optabat honores, Et nimias poscebat opes, numerosa parabat Excelsae Turris tabulata, unde altior esset Casus, & impulsae praeceps immune ruinae. juvenal. Satyr. 10.  or choose the good: We are bend to ask a stone in stead of bread, a serpent in stead of a fish, for an egg, a scorpion: And certainly if our heavenly Father were as ready to give, as we are to ask some things, if he did not consult our safety and profit more than we do ourselves, and manifest his goodness some while in withholding, as well as other-while in giving, we might perish, or be very near undoing by our Petitions. The Apostle saith, We know not what we should pray for as we ought 
* Rom. 8.26. : The saying holds true, not only of the manner, as we ought, but of the matter, what: and it holdeth universality of all matters; we are unskilled what to ask in all desirable things whatsoever, unless the Spirit help us, and as an advocate in the Court, form our requests and pleas in and for us: Spirituals we cannot see at all, to desire them; and temporals we cannot see, so as to distinguish of them, or discern what is convenient for us, and what is not. One of the wholesomest Petitions that ever was put up to God, in relation to worldly Affairs, is that of our Saviour, praying to his Father for his Disciples, that he would keep them from the evil of the world. 
Joh. 17.15  It is more necessary for us to be preserved from the evil of the world, then to be gratified with the benefits of it in any kind whatsoever: and we, being subject to mistake in our wishes about them, if we have a part in Christ's prayer, we must needs be denied in some of our own prayers concerning them: if God, according to it, deliver us from the evil of the world, he must needs deliver us from some of our suits about it.  
2. To promote their good: The Lord's denial of a thing prayed for may be, not only to put by a hurt that would come to his people by it, but to procure to them a benefit; it may be not only for their security, but for their advantage; not only cautional, but gainful to them. It often cometh to pass, that the keeping back of a temporal benefit turneth to the spiritual good of them that sought it; they miss an outward comfort, and meet with an inward; and so are great gainers by the repulse of their desires. If men learn, by a disappointment of their Petition about some earthly concernment, to amend what is amiss in their Souls, lives, or prayers; if they be drawn nearer to God, and more alienated from the things of this life, it proves well for them that they sped not in the particular asked: they are no losers by such a miscarrying. It is with the servants of God in this respect, as with Vines; let the branches of a Vine lance and sprout forth while they will, and they will spread much, but bear little; the way to have them fruitful is to prune them: So, give a godly man all his requests, and he will be like an unlopped Vine, but slender and slow in spiritual growth and fruit; the way to make him fertile, and flourishing in grace, is to cut him short of some of his desires. I have mentioned before the Lord's denial of his people Israel at Kadesh, 
Deut. 2.45  when they would have had the sentence of the forty years wandering in the wilderness reversed, and an instant admission into Canaan granted: Now Moses (after those years were expired, and they were come again to the borders of Canaan to enter into it) looking back upon that many years travel, observes a multiplicity of good effects for which they had been kept, and led about by God so long in that wilderdess, to wit, to humble them, and to prove them, to know what was in their heart, whether they would keep God's Commandments, or no; and to make them know, 
Deut. 8.2.3, 15, 16. See also Deut. 29.5, 6  that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord; and that he might prove them, to do them good at their latter end. Those servants of God, that are much and diligent in prayer, do, and aught, to petition daily for a multitude of things, both in relation to themselves and others: and in this variety of matters prayed for, although there be a fair consistibility in the ask of them, yet there may be an inconsistency in the enjoying of them: there may be a simulty of desire, there cannot be a simulty of fruition: for though there be not intrinsecal contrariety, yet there may be an accidental opposition amongst them: In this case therefore, where we cannot have all our requests fulfilled, if the Lord choose out and prefer those that are the more beneficial and needful; if he put back smaller matters, that he may make way for greater; if he set aside meaner Petitions, that he may reserve place for weightier; the accounts of our prayers being cast up together, we shall sustain no prejudice; but, on the other hand, reap much advantage by denial in some particulars.  
2. The other way of the Lords hiding from his people's prayers, is in deferring or delaying them for a time: This way being more frequent with God towards his faithfullest servants, than the other of that denial, I shall be something more large and particular in noting out the several ends of it: They may be, either, 1. In relation to the persons praying: 2. Or respecting others.  
1. The ends in respect of the parties praying (as we learn them out of Scripture) may be these:  
1. In reference to their prayers, to better them therein; to stir them up, and set them on to pray, with both more frequency and more fervency: to excite them to a further measure, both of assiduity and ardency in prayer. God will have us, not only to ask (when the matter is of moment) but to ask again and again; to pray, and that with much instancy and vehemency: this may be the meaning of our Saviour's trebling of the precept, Ask, seek, 
Matt. 7.7.  & knock: importing both a multiplication of the act, and an heightening in the activity and intention of the mind therein: Seeking implieth more earnestness and intenseness then ask; and knocking more importunacy than seeking. David saith, Evening, morning, and at noon, 
Psa. 55.17  will I pray, and cry aloud, and the Lord shall hear my voice. To bring his suit to a hearing, he resolves on it as requisite, not only that he pray, but that he make an advance in praying, and that both in number and measure; that in regard of the one he reiterate, in regard of the other he reinforce his prayers: 1. He will reiterate their number, Evening, and morning, and at noon. 2. He will reinforce their measure; I will pray, and cry aloud: Both these are contained in those terms of continuing instant, and of perseverance 
i Acts 1.14.2.42.6.4.12.5. Rom. 22.12. Eph. 6.18. Col. 4.2. , so often by the Holy Ghost annexed to prayer. Interpreters observe, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, haec duo involuit; vehementem quandam animi intentionem, & quasi pugnum dum versatur in actu orandi; & assiduam frequentationem orationis. Epis. Davenant. in Colos. 4.2. Vide Cr. Sacra in voc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. , signify to persevere with strength or force, or to hold on with importunity. Some apprehend in these terms a Metaphor taken from hunting-dogs, that pursue the game with a full cry, and with all the might in them, and give not over till they have gotten it; and though they be sometimes at a loss, yet they retrieve or cast about till they get again the sight, or scent of their prey, and so prosecute it unto seizure 
l Mr Leigh his Crit. Sacr. and Mr Trap on Cant. 5.6. .  
1. There must be a continuance in respect of time and frequency of acts: The Lord foretelling the recovery of his people from their Babylonian ruins and captivity, or that deliverance of the same people yet to come from the Roman desolations and dispersions; he saith, They shall come with weeping, 
Jer. 31.19.  and with supplication will I lead them: And again in another place, The children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping; 
Jer. 50.4.  they shall go and seek the Lord their God. In both these places the people's advance and progress towards their Country and former state is to be accompanied and carried on with a constant tract or course of prayer; they must travel to home in a posture and march of prayer; that they may arrive there, they must be always advancing in it, as well as in their way: and in this course of prayer the Lord doth lead or train them on, by slow and successive paces; with supplications will I lead them: Here methinks God is resembled unto a Father that hires his young child to go with some alluring reward in his hand, so as whilst the child comes on towards him, he goes backward still, until he hath drawn his little one on as far as he thinks fit, and then he delivers him the reward: Thus the Lord by delays tilleth on his people to trace out their full course of prayer ere he give them a return, and whilst they are thus prosecuting the mercies they desire, going and weeping, they go and seek the Lord; that is, all along as they go they weep and pray: their journey and their prayers are pursued with equal steps; their acts of weeping and praying they reiterate as often as they do their paces, or the stages of their journey.  
Again, Prayer is compared to a Husbandman's sowing; 
Psa. 126.5  They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: He that will sow that he may have a harvest, and an answerable crop, he must not think, that to go into the field, and there cast down his seed all at once on a heap, will serve for a seeding, but he must be content (as it is in the next words) to bear his precious seed, or (as the words are interpreted) to bear draw-seed 
* See Divines Annot. in loc. Edit. 1. , that is, seed drawn forth out of the basket by handfuls: he must carry his seed over all the field, and every land, or butt, step by step, scattering it orderly, and by little and little, as he goeth: Suitably thereto must prayers be sown (as it were) with a diligent hand, and a successive pouring forth, in number and weight, unto a due proportion.  
Again, Prayer is likened unto a woman's going with child, as in that of the Revelation: 
Rev. 12.1.  There appeared a woman clothed with the Sun, etc. and she, being with child, cried, travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered. This is understood of the Churches labouring in prayer to obtain of God a Christian Emperor, which might cease their persecutions, and establish the Christian Religion. Now in Nature a woman that brings forth a child doth not only conceive it, but ripen it certain months in her womb, and when she hath gone her full time, she must undergo sharp labour, and bitter birth-pains, ere she embrace her child: In like manner, that our prayers may bring forth the manchild begged, there must be not only a first conception, but a daily forming and an increasing of them, and a prosecuting them to the full time, and a sustaining the burden and sorrows of their maturation and bringing forth.  
Again, The prayers of the Saints are represented by golden viols full of odours: 
Rev. 5.8.  They must not only be for their quality odours, or incense, that is, pure, fragrant, and delightsom unto God; but for the quantity they must be viols full: as we read elsewhere of a bottle for the tears of God's servants, so here we have viols for their prayers: and they must be content to stay for the return of their prayers, and to renew them until they have filled up these viols with them: when these are full, than the Lamb openeth the seven seals, then doth God manifest himself in his Providences answerable to them.  

Mr Trap on Gen. 25.21.  I will but add this: Prayer is resembled to those arrows which Elisha, lying sick on his deathbed, ordered King Joash to take, and with them to smite upon the ground: As the blows given with them, so the use of prayer, must be often reiterated, that the mercy may be throughly obtained: we must repeat and renew it, and that often enough; if we do it not to the full count, we may imp ourselves in the benefit sought of God.  
2. In prayer we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, we must not only continue our prayers, and multiply them in number, but reinforce them; we must renew and intent our instancy and vigour in them. For this purpose prayer is called an agony, strife, or combat: The Apostle Paul desires the Romans to strive together with him in their prayers to God for him. 
Ro. 15.30.  Now they that undertook those exercises in the Grecian games, to which the phrase alludeth, it did not suffice them to hold out the time, and keep up the action, but they were to put to their utmost strength, and follow it with might and main, that they might overcome, and get the Crown. So the Lord would have us to do in prayer. This is the meaning of that Parable, of one friends coming to another at midnight to borrow of him three leaves; 
Luk. 11.5, etc.  which motion the friend requested at first excusing himself from, as having his doors shut, and being in bed with his children, and indisposed then to rise; but, being further pressed with importunity, he cannot but grant it. The reddition hereof is, the near relation and dear affection which a servant of God standeth in with God, is the foundation of God's respect unto him in prayer; but in many special cases the Lord will have superadded thereunto a begging importunacy, ere his prayer can be followed with the effect of audience.  
If we will with Jacob be Princes, and Prevailers with God, we must be Wrestlers with him in prayer. Jacob, when terrified with the tidings of his brother Esau and his companies coming to meet him, not only prayed, as he did immediately upon the news, but after he had disposed of his bands, and sent out his present to his brother, and taken up his lodging, the Lord called him forth (as it were) to a combat all that night with his Angel; and had not he not only held out all the time until break of day, but by a power from God (as it were) overcome God, whilst he held the Angel fast, and would not suffer him to go until he blessed him, he might have miss the blessing. Some of the Ancients conceive, that in that conflict there were two, besides Jacob, that wrestled; one against him, another on his side 
* Origenes. Hieronymus, procopius, apud Sixt. Senens. Bib. lib. 5. Annot. 111. : but certain it is, there was a great measure of strength, and more than humane, in, or with jacob, else he had never been Israel, a Prince with God. Indeed the power and prevalency which he had was but precarious, or borrowed of him with whom, either personally, or by way of representation, he wrestled: it pleased God, whose is all power, for that time to put forth the more might in jacob, and the less in the Angel: but, however, the power, though it was but lent, it was a power that denominated him a Prince with God. Some observe the word, wrestled, in the text, signifies an action that raiseth dust, and causeth sweat 
* Mr Cartwright, and Mr Trap in loc. Hos. 12.4. ; so that it importeth a very stiff and violent conflict: wherein that great strength lay, Moses relateth not expressly; but in the Prophet Hosea it is more plainly told us, He had power over the Angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplications unto him. Jacob did not maintain the combat, or carry away the victory by the strength of his body, but by the force of his tears and entreaties: it was not the might of his arms and limbs which commanded, but his passionate, humble, and importunate begging for the blessing which melted the Angel. There is a main strength in prayers and tears, when they are poured out in due earnestness. The Apostle to the Hebrews telleth us of strong crying and tears; 
Heb. 5 7.  and St James saith, 
Jam. 5.16.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  
Thus we see the design and drift of God is to bring his people to a certain measure and pitch in prayer, both in regard of frequency and fervency; and this is the reason why he defers their prayers: his putting in delays is one means of drawing them on to that length and proportion which he aimeth at to be therein: Such dilatory hidings of God are like a small quantity of water sprinkled on fire, which makes it burn the hotter; or like abstinence to a dull and cloyed stomach, which helps to whet and sharpen it to its food. The Lord carries himself to us, as a man that hears his friend calling to him afar off, and seems as if he heard him not, that he may make him come nearer, and speak his mind more distinctly and fully to him: So the Lord sometimes shows as if he did not hear, would not grant our petitions, that he may cause us to draw nearer to him, and to open and prosecute our requests more amply and affectionately. When Peter was cast into prison, and designed unto death by Herod the King, God intended to deliver him, and could have done it at his first stretching forth his hand against him, or upon the first request which the Church made for him; but he deferred it till the night which Herod determined to be his last night, that the Church's prayer might be made without ceasing unto God for him; that it might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, drawn out to the full measure, both of extension and intention; and then was he given up to, and in the very act of the Church's prayers, as the proper birth thereof. This seems to have been one end of the Lords putting off the suits of the people of judah, even unto the expiration of the seventy years' captivity, as may appear by that promise, That after seventy years should be accomplished at Babylon, 
Jer. 29.12, 13.  then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go, and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you, and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. There was praying during all those years of trouble and desolation by the Babylonian; but there was much hypocrisy and sloth, and many by-ends in their seeking unto God; which are often mentioned by the Prophets of those times 
* Isai. 58.2, etc. Jer. 36.9, 24. & 42.20. Hos. 7.14. Zech. 7.5. Deus frequenter differt nostra postulata ut discamus grandia granditer desiderare. Augustin. apud P. Martyr. loc. c. clas. 3. ch. 13. sec. 2. Deus differt dare ut tu discas orare. August. apud Bromyard. : they c 
* Isai. 58.2, etc. Jer. 36.9, 24. & 42.20. Hos. 7.14. Zech. 7.5. Deus frequenter differt nostra postulata ut discamus grandia granditer desiderare. Augustin. apud P. Martyr. loc. c. clas. 3. ch. 13. sec. 2. Deus differt dare ut tu discas orare. August. apud Bromyard. : they could never, in all that time, be brought to search for God with all their heart: and therefore, until they should, by that long enduring their calamities, and continuance in prayer, attain thereunto, the Lord adjourned their petitions. This is the first End of Gods hiding from his people's prayers by delay, to wit, to increase and make up that fervour and frequency in prayer which he will have to forego the accomplishment of their desires.  
2. It may be for the fitting of them for that mercy which they seek, and wait for: The Lord appointeth a certain fitness to be in his people, to receive and use a blessing before they obtain it by prayer: If they should have it before they be somewhat framed, and made meet for it, both he and they might be frustrate of the fruit of it. The servants of God are not always fit for every enjoyment or condition; yea, it may be sometimes observed in them, that when their minds are most earnestly and eagerly bend upon a thing, their hearts are least prepared for it; they are farthest off from any capacity rightly to receive and manage it. Now the design of God, in the delaying the performance of their prayers, is to mould them to this fittedness: his work is, not only to bring about a mercy to them, but to bring them to it, or into a suitable frame for it: he not only causeth his ear to hear, but prepareth their heart, as in that of the Psalmist, the which some understand as well of preparing their heart to receive the thing prayed for, as to pray for it 
† Mr Goodwin Return of Prayer. c. 7. sec. 3. . We are put to pray (saith Peter Martyr) not that we may alter God, which were in vain for us to to essay, seeing he is immutable, but rather that we ourselves may be altered; for by prayers we are made capable of the blessings of God 
* P. Martyr, loc. come. clas. 3▪ c. 12. s. 3. Tanto quippe illud quod valde magnum est sumemus capacius, quanto & fidelius credimus, & speramus firmius, & desideramus ardentius. Augustin. ep. 121: ad probam. apud Down ham Tract of Prayer, cap. 4, p. 15 . What a number of indispositions, and and how great were found in Daniel to receive the answer of his prayers, when the Angel came unto him with it? He relateth, Dan. 10. that upon the first vision or voice of the Angel, there remained no strength in him; his comeliness was turned in him into corruption, and he was in a deep sleep upon his face, and his face towards the ground, vers. 8, 9 Then, after that, he stood, indeed, but trembling, vers. 11. Neither was that all; for after this it's said, he became dumb, vers. 15. And these his distempers were not removed in one instant, but by successive degrees: First, an hand touched him which set him upon his knees, and upon the palms of his hands, vers. 10. Next of all, he is animated by the Angel against his trembling, vers. 12, 13, 14. After that, his lips are touched, and his mouth opened, vers. 16. And, last of all, he is strengthened, vers. 18. And after all these corroborations, when he was thus brought into a capacity, the Angel delivers unto him his message, as the return of his prayers. There is in him a notable emblem of the slowness and ineptitude which is in us to entertain what by our prayers we would obtain; and of our progressive or gradual coming on to a power of reception: One while we are too feeble to brook the glory of God, which is to break forth in the mercy; another while we are too drowsy and senseless to hear or apprehend his answer to us; or we are so fearful and wavering, that we cannot take fast hold on the benefit, if reached out to us; or we are so dumb, that we know not how to express due thanks unto God for the desired blessing, were it bestowed on us: and we are long ere we can get over all these incapacities. So that, what the Apostle saith unto the Corinthians, by way of reason, for his not feeding them with meat (that is, with more deep and spiritual doctrine) the same may be rendered to us, as the reason of our not sooner embracing the effect of our prayer, 
1 Cor. 3.2.  Hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet are you able. It is well worth our observing unto this purpose, what a number of interposals, and of what weight and difficulty they are, which come between the pouring upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, Zech. 12. and their reaping the fruit thereof, in the Lords harkening to their prayers, Chap. 13. in the close whereof it is said, They shall call on my Name, and I will hear them; I will say, it is my people, and they shall say, the Lord is my God. Those two promises do directly eye and answer one another; but mark the several and great things that are interlined betwixt that and this, as the necessary steps and preparatives to bring on the former to arrive at the latter, that is, that the spirit of prayer and supplications may attain its issue and success in a full and gracious audience and performance. The preparatives are these:  
1. There must be a great, a bitter, a solemn, and an universal mourning of those, in whom the spirit of prayer is poured forth, Chap. 12. v. 10. etc. a mourning like that of a tender Parent for his firstborn or only son, and like that of a desolate Nation for a most pious and hopeful Prince, such a one as was Josiah.  
2. There is to be unto them a revelation and application of the free, full, and everlasting Expiatory of the Blood of Christ, cap. 13. v. 1. The Lord having poured out the Spirit of supplication upon them, and they by it pouring out their Souls, as well in bitter mourning for their wound and crucifyings of Christ, as in earnest petitions for their reconciliation, the purifying fountain of Christ's blood must be poured out upon their consciences unto remission of sins.  
3. There must be an abolition of Idols and false worship, and an extirpation of uncalled and lying Prophets, and of corrupt Teachers and Doctrines out of the Land, Chap. 13. v. 2. etc. And let us note by the way, that the abolition of these must be, not only by the hand of God, I will cut off, etc. but by men, even by the prosecution of the parents and nearest friends of the counterfeit Prophet: and that such must be expelled, not only out of the house of God by Church-censures, but out of the Land, or civil Liberty and Society, by corporal penalties: and that lying Prophets, not only in regard of matter, but in respect of mission, to wit, that make themselves Prophets when they have no lawful call unto it, must be thus dealt with: read vers. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.  
4. There must be a very sharp and searching persecution stirred up against the people of God and his true Prophets or Pastors, which shall prove to the major part of them as a sword to disperse and destroy them, and to the residue as a refiners furnace, to try, purify, and prepare them: Chap. 13. v. 7, 8, 9  
These four things will the Lord have wrought in his people after that he hath poured out the spirit of supplications upon them, and before they receive the effect of their prayers made thereby. These are the necessary Harbingers of, or predispositions to that issue: There must be a deep humiliation for sins, a gracious expiation of sins, an effectual extermination of all false ways of Religion, and a through trial and purgation of them that adhere to the true: and when these things are compassed, then cometh in the return of prayer, They shall call on my Name, and I will hear them, etc.  
And agreeable hereunto is there a passage in the Prophet Zephaniah, chap. 3. the Lord in that place puts his people to a stay; Therefore wait upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey, vers. 8. But to what end or effect must they stay or wait? Even to their exceeding great comfort and rejoicing in the Lord's manifestation of himself in the midst of them, with all the saving, satisfying, and gladding fruits of his presence; as v. 14. to the end of the Chapter. But wherefore, or what is the matter that they must wait and tarry for this happiness? why there are certain dispositions and alterations to be wrought in them, to whom that command is given, and those blessings are promised; and those changes must be first produced in them ere they can enter into the harvest of those comforts: they must wait therefore until they be accomplished with them. The qualifications are those that lie in that Text, betwixt vers. 8, and 14. Let us take the particulars out, because they are very material: They, or the principal of them, are these four:  
1. Purity in them that call upon the Name of the Lord; I will turn to the people a pure language, vers. 9 where language is not put as the sole and entire subject of purity, but figuratively, as for the whole conversation, in as much as real sanctity in the tongue is one main, yea and ordinarily the highest and last attained point in purity: 
Jam. 3.2  If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.  
2. A general union in Religion: That they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent, vers. 9 There must be neither neutral Atheism, nor unbrotherly separation, or diversity in divine service.  
3. Sole confidence in God; and, as a means thereof, stripping off all their former outward glory, prosperity, and wealth: I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain: I will also leave in thee an afflicted and poor people; and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord, vers. 11, 12.  
4. Fidelity and truth in deed and word: The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: vers. 13.  
These gracious dispositions the Lord will have introduced, or renewed in his people calling upon his Name, as suitable to forerun and usher in the benefits promised in the residue of that Chapter.  
Let these four things in Zephaniah, and the other four noted out of Zechariah, be well considered, as the pre-requisites which the Lord designeth to find or frame in his praying people, and which he annexeth to the promise of audience (especially in things of grand importance) as necessary antecedents to the execution thereof. I might amplify and parallel these by other places of Scripture, but the clear and close delivery of them in these two places shall suffice. Let our mediation upon them be this: Until we be thus disposed and fashioned in some convenient measure, we are not fit to have the great and excellent things which we prosecute by prayer; and all the delay of our prayers which we sorrowfully lie under is but needful, as the space of time which is allotted for the acquiring of those dispositions: and how long soever the delays seem to be, it is our slow coming on in these graces which extends the length thereof unto what it is.  
3. Another end may be the exercise and trial of the people of God that pray: As the Lord, by deferring their prayers for some time, may intent the producing or bettering those graces which are deficient in them, and thereby the fitting of them for the receipt of their answer; so he may aim at the exercise and probation of such graces as are already seated in them; for the which exercise and probation, the withholding of their prayers may be a fit opportunity and means. There are some virtues or fruits of the Spirit, the chief use and experiment whereof appears in desertions and overcloudings: As the principal service of Tapers is to give us light when the place we are in is covered with darkness; or, as the worth and sovereign virtue of some precious cordials is shown in a swoon or trance; so is the truth and excellency of some graces best attested by the absence (for a time) of those enjoyments and comforts which are sought and waited for. Such a case discovers what metal the virtues we profess are made of, and what indeed they can do: By this means is faith, patience, love, and sincerity set a work, and proved in us to the purpose: Here is the faith and patience of the Saints. 
Rev. 13.10 14.12  And again, Here is the patience of the Saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus: that is, here they come to action, proof, and manifestation in their faith, patience, and sincerity of obedience; namely, where and while God's witnesses prophecy in sackcloth: his Saints are captived, and killed under the tyranny of the cruel beast.  
The Apostle Paul's faith and courage were then evidenced, when in the tempest at Sea neither Sun nor Star in many days appeared, 
Act. 27.10  and all hope of being saved was taken away. Jonahs' confidence in God was then put to it and tried, when, being shut up in a double grave, viz. the belly of the Whale, and the bowels of the Sea, he nevertheless said unto God, I am cast out of thy sight, yet I will look again towards thy holy Temple. 
Jonah 2.4  Jobs trust in God was then raised to the height of action and manifestation, when in his deserted state he resolved, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: 
Hab. 2.3, 4  The just then lives by his faith indeed, when the vision of the fulfilling of his prayers and the divine promises tarryeth. The patience of the Prophet Isaiah, and of the faithful personated by him, appeareth where he saith, I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, 
Isa. 8.17  and I will look for him. It was a full proof of Jobs sincerity when Satan could not move him from his integrity, neither by all the miseries which he brought upon him from without, nor by all the mists and temptations which he cast upon his spirit. So were the people of God tried, 
Psa. 44 17 etc.  when the Lord had sore broken them in the place of Dragons, and covered them with the shadow of death: When the Lord (as to their sense) was asleep, cast them off, and hid his face, forgetting their affliction and their oppression; and yet then they did not forget him, neither deal falsely in his Covenant: their heart did not turn bark, neither did their steps decline from his way. The love and compassion of the servants of God is seen, when Zion sitteth watching, solitary and desolate; 
Psa. 102.14 etc. 137.1, etc.  and they then take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof: and when they sit down by the rivers of Babylon, and weep at the remembrance of Zion; and protest not to forget Jerusalem, but to remember her before their chief joy.  
Such graces as these the Saints of God have given them, not only for ornament and beauty, but for use and service; and that not for easy and ordinary employment only, but for hardships and distresses: They are their armour, wherewith to fortify and fence themselves in the evil day; and in such a day their skill and strength in the use of them is proved. Job in his state of desertion saith, He hideth himself that I cannot see him; 
Job 23.10  but he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold: q. d. Though he hid himself from me, I am not hid from him; though I see not him, he takes exact notice of me: he stands by me as a Founder doth by his metal in the furnace, and observes me; he continues me in this estate, but as a Goldsmith doth keep his gold in the fire; that is, for probation sake: and as soon as he hath sufficiently tried me, he will remove me out of the furnace; and then set as great a price and lustre upon me as the Goldsmith doth on his gold.  
4. The end of the Lords temporary hiding himself from his people may be for his fuller manifesting of himself unto them: as our Saviour said of Lazarus his sickness, 
Joh. 11.4  This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby: So may we here; this hiding is not unto our loss of God, but for his clearer shining forth unto us. It may make for God's fuller manifesting of himself: 1. During the interim or space of delay. 2. Afterward, or in the upshot of it.  
1. By means of this deferring, and even during it, the Lord may the more appear, and communicate himself unto his people: he, by hiding himself in one respect, may the more impart himself unto them another way. God would not grant the Jews of Jehojakims and Jeconiahs' captivities (among whom were Ezekiel, 
Jer. 29.4, etc.  Mordecai, Daniel, the three Children, and the better part of that people) a release and return out of Babylon presently, but willed them, by the Prophet's letter unto them from Jerusalem, to set their hearts at rest, for stay they must at Babylon for seventy years; yet this long put off of their request in that particular was not their total separation from God: yea, it was for the communicating of his favour the more unto them during that time, and for their fuller enjoyment of him; as he showeth unto Jeremy, by his vision of the two baskets of figs; Like those good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, 
Jer. 24.5, 6  whom I have sent out of this place into the Land of the Chaldeans for their good; for I will set mine eyes upon them for good. God will own them one way, though he deny them another way: he will eye them in one kind, though he hid his face from them in another kind: yea, he will own and eye them in that way and kind that shall be most for their weal and good. Of them the Lord saith in another Prophet, (when as their brethren that were left at Jerusalem seemed to scorn them as outcasts, saying to them, Get you far from the Lord, unto us is the Land given in possession,) Although I have cast them far off among the Heathen, 
Eze. 11.16  and although I have scattered them among the Countries, yet will I be to them as a little Sanctuary in the Countries where they shall come. Thus the Lord recompenseth their deprival of their formerly possessed, and now much longed for privileges: Though he cast them out from their own habitations in Judea, and from his house at Jerusalem, yet he doth not cast them off from himself; they shall have his presence, protection, and provision, in all the Countries where they are strangers and captives: They change indeed their own Land for other Countries, and the company of their Brethren for the vicinity of Heathens; but they change not their God. They may not carry along with them the material Sanctuary which they had, nor rear up a new one where they are; but, which is better, (for it is the pre-eminence of the Church in the new and heavenly jerusalem, 
Rev. 21.22 ) the Lord himself will be their Temple: And whereas it is said, a little Sanctuary, this is no diminution of their privilege; little may mean the commodiousness and peculiarity of the Sanctuary, or the proportion of it to their small number; but others more probably read it, a Sanctuary for a little, that is, for a little time, to wit, during their seventy years' abode there. Thus the Lord makes them saviours, yea great gainers, in their stay at Babylon. They would fain have been at God's Sanctuary in jerusalem, that they may not; but (which was incomparably better, then especially) God himself would be their Sanctuary. They desired a perishable Sanctuary, and which indeed shortly after was burnt down to the ground; but the Lord would become a Sanctuary to them not made with hands, and of everlasting strength. The Lord had already forsaken that Sanctuary in judea 
* Jer. 12.7 , so that if they had had their wish, they had had a Sanctuary without God; but the Lord provides far better for them in that they shall have God for their Sanctuary. The Apostle Paul, galled and buffeted with the thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, besought the Lord again and again, that it might departed from him: This his trebled suit might not prevail for an instant removal, but in lieu thereof the Lord said unto him, My grace is sufficient for thee: 
2 Cor. 12.8, 9  with which he was so well apaid, that he saith, Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me: The word here rendered, to rest, signifies to cover, or compass about, as doth a Tent or Tabernacle them that are within it: the sense then of the Apostle there, is, although Satan be suffered to continue his assailant, yet the power of Christ shall be a shelter unto him on every side, as a Tent is to a man against the injuries of Sun and weather. Thus the Apostle, by the deferring of his request, had a greater experiment of the grace and power of Christ within him; for whereas, if he had gained his Petition, he had but purchased his quiet; now, being relieved this way, he hath whereof most gladly rather to glory.  

Exod. 3.2 Acts 7.30  The bush wherein the Lord appeared unto Moses, which burned and flamed with fire, and was not consumed, is a lively figure of the Lords manifesting himself to his servants in one kind equivalently, or more eminently, whilst he withholdeth himself in another: The Lord telleth Moses out of the bush, That he had heard the cry of his people in Egypt, and was come down to deliver them thence, and to bring them into the Land of Canaan: yet after this the Lords hearing of them, coming down, and thus appearing to Moses, ere those things were effected, much time passed, many stops occurred, and Israel was many times out of hope of attaining them, both in Egypt, and in the Wilderness: Nevertheless, as the Lord audibly told Moses out of the bush, that he was now come down to accomplish those things; so his appearance in that manner, to wit, in a bush, burning with fire, yet unconsumed, visibly told him (if I may so speak) the reason of all those delays and difficulties, and the equivalent recompense or rather the advantage afforded them for and by the same. Whilst the Lord was bringing them up, like a vine out of Egypt, to transplant them in Canaan, they were like that bush, all on a flame, by reason of the afflictions and oppositions meeting with them, from first to last, in their way, and their danger of perishing thereby; yet they came through, and survived them all; by which means the presence and power of God, in and for them, was the more put forth and evidenced: they had the light and lustre of that fire, but escaped the devouring heat of it, God showing himself the more apparently with them, and in their conservation.  
As a Commentary or Paraphrase upon that Emblem of the burned unburned Bush, we may take that of the Apostle, spoken of himself, and his fellow-labourers in the Ministry; We are troubled, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, 
2 Cor. 4.8 etc.  but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord jesus. How and wherefore is all this? That the life also of jesus might be manifest in our body; for we which live are always delivered unto death for jesus sake, that the life also of jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. Here are a heap of expressions of sufferings and straits, troubled on every side, perplexed, etc. but each of these hath its stop, alloy, and correction: here are many plunges over head, as if they were quite drowned and lost; but here are as many recoveries and fetching up again. But observe what's the efficient cause of these their recoveries, and what's the final cause or end of their delivery up to such depressions and deadly hazards, and of their holding out and safe coming off? The efficient cause of their recoveries is the life of jesus; that it is that still brings them back, and raiseth them up again when they are well-nigh gone: and the final cause, both of their relinquishment to those dejections and perils, and of their safe enduring and coming off from them, is, that the life of jesus might be made manifest in them: they are in deaths oft; they die daily: they are pressed out of measure, above strength, even to despair of life; and have the sentence (or answer) of death in themselves, as the Apostle elsewhere saith 
* 2 Cor. 11 23. 1 Cor. 15.31. 2 Cor. 1.8 9 : and wherefore all this? but that they may have so many resurrections from death, and those as eminent and as daily reiterated; and that the power, virtue, or life of Christ might be so much the oftener and the more conspicuously put forth in those resurrections. With good congruity therefore doth Beza understand what follows (vers. 14.) of the civil and analogical resurrections, where he saith, Knowing that he which raised up the Lord jesus, shall raise up us also by jesus, and shall present us with you.  
2. It may be for the Lords more illustrious appearing afterward, or in the issue and upshot of the delay: The greater deferings, and the stranger cross there be of prayer, while they are in putting up and prosecuting, the more glorious may the appearing of God be in the end, when they come to be answered. What the Apostle saith to Philemon of his new converted servant Onesimus; For perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldst receive him for ever; 
Philem▪ 15 16  not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved: the like may be said of God in reference unto this case, he may hid himself for a time, that he may be the more seen, and the more welcome, and the more comfortably and constantly enjoyed when he doth manifest himself.  
David tells us, He waited patiently (or, he waited long) for the Lord, 
Psa. 40.1, etc.  and then he inclined unto him, and heard him; he brought him up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set his feet upon a rock, and established his go. This appearing of God after so long waiting, when he was sunk so low and dangerously, raised up David's thankfulness unto God and admiration of him very high: He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward; they cannot be reckoned in order unto thee: Upon this so earnestly sought, so long expected, so extremely needed, and now so admirably effected a deliverance, God is very much exalted and dignified in David's eyes; his praise is now set forth, not by an ordinary, but by a new song in his mouth: he is now rapt up into a wonderment at the works and contrivances of God, and he sees an inexplicable multiplicity of marvels in them.  
The Penman of Psalm 102. in the midst of all the sadness and solitariness he is in, in Zions' behalf, foresees yet that the Lord will regard the destitute, and not despise their prayer: He will look down from the height of his Sanctuary, and from Heaven he will behold the Earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; 
Psal. 102.15, etc.  to lose those that are appointed to death. And when thus it shall be, he foretells what will be the consequent of it in reference to God, to wit, high, and general, and lasting advancement of his Name, Glory, and Praise: So the Heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord, and all the Kings of the Earth thy Glory: When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory: This shall be written for the generation to come; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.  
There is a like remarkable place in Isaiah, setting forth both unto what extremity the Lord sometimes deferreth his craving people, and whereto it tendeth. When the poor and needy seek water, 
Isai. 41, 17 etc.  and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. Unto this extent of delay the Lord may put off his servants prayers; even till they be as a people that have all their pools and springs quite dried up, so that they cannot find a drop of water to cool their thirst, and till their tongue be tired and spent with drought, and importunity of ask; yet he hears them at length, and then he hears them to the purpose: I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water; I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar, etc. And the end, or issue, first of that protracted indigence, and then of this exceeding affluence; first of that low ebb, and then of this full tide, is, that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the holy one of Israel hath created it. Here we have the effect notably expressed: it is not merely said, that the hand of the Lord and his work may be visible; but the act of acknowledgement of it is set forth by a multiplicity of words, by a fourfold term, to note, both the conspicuity of the object to be observed, and the intentness of the observer of it; that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together. In our prayers which are ordinarily put up, and as continually answered, we scarce see or confess God in the return: but when as we are put to seek God long ere we speed, and are hard pinched with the want and delayed expectation of the thing, and are even wearied and faint with our waiting and crying, and when at last our requests are granted us, than we apprehend God clearly in the issue, we own him expressly, and take solemn notice of him in it. As Hagar, when the Lord appeared to her by the well in the wilderness, gave unto God this appellation, 
Gen. 16.13  Thou Lord seest me; and said, Have I also here looked after him that seethe me? in like manner do the servants of God now on such an appearance of him: Or as it is in another passage of Isaiah, of a suitable import to this, they say, Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us; 
Isai. 25.9  this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoice in his Salvation. Observe what the occasion is of this exultation in Gods appearing, and of this pointing out of God (as it were) with the finger; the preface to those words denoteth it to us, 
Verse 8.  And it shall be said in that day, Lo this is our God, etc. In that day, to wit, when the Lord God will swallow up death in victory, and will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth; that's the day in which this shall be said.  
This then is one intent of God in withholding himself for a time from his people's prayers, that his appearance to them in the upshot may be the more grateful and glorious. Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you: 
Isai. 30.18  that is, not as if God were not gracious (in disposition and affection) unto his servants at all times; but the meaning is, the Lord hath his special season of exercising and bringing forth the eminent effects of his grace and favour to them; and the special season is, when mercy will appear to be mercy indeed, and grace will look like grace, and shine forth in its orient brightness; and this season is brought on & ripened by the Lords deferring or waiting for a time, even until his people be come to that extremity of affliction and inability, as is there described in the context. 
Mar. 8.24. Mark 4 37  If Christ had not slept in the ship, while the storm arose, and came to that height, that his Disciples, and the rest of the company in it, apprehended themselves at the point of per●shing, the divine Power of Christ had not so appeared, and been so admired by them as it was, when he, upon their awakening him with their cries, rebuked the wind, and stilled the Sea, and made it calm in an instant. 
Mat. 14.24  And at another time of their passing by Sea, had it not been that they had been so tossed by waves, and contrary winds, and that he tarried from them until the fourth watch of the night; and that, when he came unto them, he came walking upon the Sea; and when he was come into the ship, the wind and waves immediately ceased, they in the ship had not been so moved to worship him, and to conclude him of a certain to be the Son of God.  
Ye have heard (saith St James) of the patience of Job, 
Jam. 5.11.  and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. The end of the Lord (I conceive) here may be not so much, or not only the conclusion which God put to Jobs afflictions in the happy change and recovery of his outward estate double to his former prosperity, as the end which the Lord accomplished upon the spirit of Job, and doth still work upon the hearts also of all others that look upon, and make a right use of the deal of God with him; which is the demonstration of God's exceeding pitifulness, and tender mercifulness unto him, in pardoning his infirmities, dispelling his temptations, and raising him up from so miserable a state to flourish again: and this was the end of Jobs endure, and the exercise of his patience in so great a measure by them; the end (I ●ay) it was of his endure, not which they by their own natural efficacy produced, but which the Lord by his ordering brought forth: it's therefore termed, the end of the Lord, that is, the end which the Lord proposed, and at length attained by his proceed in that manner with him.  

Gen. 32.31  Jacob, when he so stoutly wrestled with the Angel of God, as that he prevailed, and carried the blessing, withal he got a halt, and came off sinew shrunk, by the Angels touch of the hollow of his thigh. The reason which is commonly rendered, was, that by this mark of infirmity it might appear, that he got not the victory by his own strength, but by his with whom he prevailed; it was the will, and not the weakness of him with whom Jacob wrestled, by reason whereof he got the upper hand. As the hollow of jacob's thigh was touched before he obtained the blessing, so do the servants of God not seldom get a halt, or come on slowly to the enjoyment of their desires in prayer; and it is for that very reason, that the divine power and grace may be the more magnified in the end.  
5. A further end of the Lords deferring to answer his people's prayers, may be to enhance the price of the benefit prayed for; to teach them, by the long want of it, and by their painful and solicitous seeking for it, to set a due rate upon it. That which costs us dear, we usually account dearly of. The m●rcy which is gotten by hard begging, and long craving, will be more acceptable, and better improved when it comes; it will be both more pleasing, and more profitable when it is possessed; we shall by that means learn better to entertain it, and better to employ it. Sol●mon observes, 
Eccl. 3.11.  God hath made every thing beautiful in its time. 
Isai. 49.8.  And the Lord saith, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of Salvation have I helped thee. Now the time unto which the Lord defers his answer is that time, and his deferring it is which is one means of that beauty and acceptableness of the thing at that time. It is with benefits obtained by prayer, as with the fruits of trees, and other plants; these must have their time to ripen ere they be to be gathered, so as to be either for pleasure or profit; and it is usually sound, that those fruits that are longest in growing and ripening, are the most wholesome, useful, and lasting: rathe-ripe fruits are more for fond delight, then solid and durable use. So it is in blessings that come by prayer: they become sweet and serviceable to us by our praying and staying for them until a full time be; and the longer the stay is, the more comfort, profit, and permanency may be in them when enjoyed. 
Psa. 126.1  Zion after her long endured captivity had her mouth filled with laughter, and her tongue with singing; and said, The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad: After a laborious and tedious seeding she had a full harvest of joy. lemuel's mother was very affectionate to him, and solicitous for his virtuous education; and her introduction to her instructions given him, yields the reason thereof: 
Prov. 31.2  What my son? and what the son of my womb? and what the son of my vows? She had bred him in her bowels, and born him with travel and hazard: she had not only endured bodily pains and sorrows for him, but her soul had traveled for him (as Monica for her Augustine,) he was the son of her vows; and therefore he was very dear to her, and she entirely applieth her endeavours for his training up holily.  
Hannah obtained her son Samuel with prayers and tears; ere she could have him, she was put to strong conflicting in prayer: the text saith, 
1 Sam. 1.10, etc.  that in Shiloh she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore; and she vowed a vow; and she continued praying (or, multiplied to pray) before the Lord. And she herself saith to Eli, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; I have poured out my soul before the Lord; out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken. And coming by him so hardly, and by so many, so earnest suits unto God, she accordingly received and disposed of him, to wit, with much thankfulness, and officious observance of her vow of dedication of him unto God, conceived and uttered before the Lord ere she conceived him in her womb. The former, solemn thankfulness, she expresseth, both in the name which she gave him at his birth, Samuel, that is, asked of God; and in the song of praise which she sung, and left upon record in memory of that benefit. The latter, her diligent and punctual observation of her vow, appeareth not only in that she denoteth him to God as a Nazarite, according to her former obligation, but in that she kept him no longer with her at home then until he was weaned, and in the least degree capable of delivery up to God, and employment in the service of his house, and in that she presented him to the Lord so solemnly, that is, both with a large free-will-offering, and a public profession before Eli of the Lords return of her prayers in this child, and of her return of him unto God as his devoted servant in lieu or consideration thereof.  
Thus God deferreth his servants prayers, not to deprive them of the fruit thereof, but to frame their hearts to a higher esteem, a gladder entertainment, and a more thankful and profitable disposal of it. It is the note of a very reverend Divine, that God when he casteth out the prayers of his Saints, 
Mr Trap on Cantic. pag. 278.  deals by them as the Lioness doth by her young ones, which she seems sometimes to leave till they have almost killed themselves with roaring; this is to make them more careful another time.  
That which is gotten by working with God, that is, by instant and constant prayer, is ordinarily better blessed to us; it is sanctified unto a more happy enjoyment then what is earned merely or principally by secular industry, or hath not so strong and deep a tincture of prayer upon it: This is according to that of the Apostle, Every creature of God is good, for it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer. 
1 Tim. 4 4 5  When jacob acted as jacob, that is, a supplanter, when he dealt with policy, he got indeed at one time the birthright, at another time the blessing of his Father from his Brother Esau; but those win of his for a long time were not so prosperous, they stood him in little stead, they were followed with divers bitter crosses, as with his exile from his habitation and Parents, and his tedious pilgrimage in Mesapotamia, and the hardships there undergone: but when he acted as Israel, a Prince with God, by importunate prayer, he got a clearer blessing, a blessing which was followed with sundry tokens of Gods special appearance and goodness to him.  
6. The delay of the prayers of the people of God may be for the removal of those persons and things which stand in their way, as impediments to their receiving or enjoying the mercies prayed for. In the Prophet Isaiah, while the faithful resolve, They for Zions and Jerusalem's sake will not hold their peace, and while the watchmen placed by God upon the walls of jerusalem, the Lords daily remembrancers, are commanded that they keep not silence, and that they give the Lord no rest, 
Isa. 62.1, 6  until the righteousness of Zion go forth as brightness, and the Salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth, and until the Lord make jerusalem a praise in the Earth: There is a charge given out by God unto some agents of his (either Angels or men) after this manner, Go through, go through the gates, prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, 
Ver. 10, 11 12  cast up the high way, gather out the stones, lift up a Standard for the people: and then it follows, Say ye to the Daughter of Zion, Behold thy Salvation cometh; behold his reward is with him, and his work before him: And they shall call them, The holy people, the redeemed of the Lord; and thou shalt be called, Sought out, a City not forsaken. Here we have clearly set forth these three things in order: 1. The incessancy and importunacy of prayer imposed upon the friends and lovers of Zion, that her deliverance and exaltation may be procured. 2. The many blocks and obstructions that lie in the way, by which Zion is to pass to the deliverance and happiness prayed for; and the course that is taken for the clearing thereof in order to the taking effect of those prayers, and the bringing on of that restauration. 3. The Salvation of Zion that thereupon ensues in answer to prayer; then is she called, Sought out, a City not forsaken: by all which we are given to understand, that betwixt a restless persistency in prayer, and the accomplishment thereof, there are ordinarily some interposing impediments which must be removed, and for that reason the said accomplishment is for some time delayed.  
The impediments which are in the way of the people of God to the mercies they pray for, are, for the most part, either bad Rulers that are over them, or bad people that are mingled and associated with them.  
1. Sometimes such persons, as are in power and rule, and are enemies to God and his people, they, or their enmity or oppositeness, are the obstacles to be removed. Whilst Daniel is afflicting his Soul, and solemnly supplicating in behalf of the Church of God, the Temple, 
Dan. 10.1 2  and the City of jerusalem, three full weeks, the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia stands in the way of the Angel that was dispatched to Daniel with the answer of his prayers, and hinders him from arriving at Daniel for that space: and so did the said Prince, and divers of his successors, afterwards interrupt the effecting of daniel's prayers in the instauration of the Temple, and recovery of the Church of God in judea: The Angel therefore, who at the end of those three weeks comes to Daniel to deliver him his answer, telleth him by way of satisfaction in the delay already past, and that which was yet to come, in relation to the matter or things prayed about, His words were heard from the first day; but he came not until then, hav●ng been withstood and detained for those three weeks by the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia; 
Ver. 12, 13 20  and that, as soon as he had delivered to him his message, he was forthwith to return again to fight with the Prince of Persia. Interpreters understand this Prince of Persia, in vers. 13. to be Cambyses, and the resistance which he made to the Angel to be his opposing by his inhibition the building of the Temple, which formerly was authorized by his father Cyrus; but now, whilst Cyrus is absent, and employed in the Scythian War, his son Cambyses, governing in his place, forbiddeth it; and the Prince of Persia, in vers. 20. is conceived to signify those his successors, by whom, or during whose reigns, the aforesaid work in judea ceased, to wit, Darius, Histaspes, Ahasuerus called Xerxes, and Artaxerxes called Longimanus. The Angel therefore, as the Minister of God, is sent, first to take cognizance and course about those proceed of Cambyses, and then to bring unto Daniel matter of information and encouragement touching the subject of his prayers; and after that, he is to return back to the Court of Persia, and there continually to attend the actions of the Princes thereof successively, and to fight against those of them that withstood the rebuilding of the Temple, and recovery of the state of judah. All this work was in order to the remotion of the impediments which letted the effecting of daniel's Petitions; and for this reason it was, that there was so much time to run out ere they could be accomplished, as the Prophet himself saith in his Preface to this Vision, 
Vers. 1.  A thing was revealed unto me, and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long.  
2. Sometimes the impediments to be removed are such wicked persons as are mingled or associated with the special people of God, whom neither the Will of God, nor the conveniency and good of those his people will brook to be copartners with them in the mercies prayed for: The Lord declareth his purpose and promise to confer sundry blessings upon a certain party, whom he calleth, My people that have sought me, (Isai. 65.8, 9, 10.) and whom he contradistinguisheth from that rebellious and provoking people, whom he had described before, vers. 2, 3, 4, 5. But when shall those promises take effect? what is it that stands in their way to them? Why that rebellious and provoking people must first be proceeded with, and taken out of the way; they must not survive to participate with the faithful servants of God in those mercies: concerning them therefore he saith (vers. 11. and on-ward,) But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, etc. Therefore I will number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter, etc. Behold my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit: and ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen; for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name.  
By that Vision of the two baskets of figs (Jer. 24.) the Lord showeth the Prophet the reason why he would not grant the Jews already in captivity (represented by the basket of very good figs) a return from captivity presently, nor until after seventy years, and it was because the Lord would first consume from off the Land of Judea Zedekiah and the rest that still remained there, or that dwelled in Egypt, who were signified by the other basket of very evil figs, (see vers. 8, 9, 10.) these were first to be emptied out, and made an end of: if the other, the better part, now in Babylon, should have returned while these were left alive in Judea, they must have been mixed with them; and so either the better party must have fared as ill as the worse, or the worst must have shared with the better in their felicity: either the naughty figs would have tainted the good, and so both have perished together, or the happiness of the good would have been blemished by the presence of the bad: it was therefore in special wisdom and mercy provided by God, that these two sorts should be kept several in two baskets, in two far distant Lands; that the purer part was put and kept by themselves at Babylon, until the more degenerate and incorrigible part were consumed out, that so the other might re-enter, and enjoy the Land, City, and Temple of God alone: according hereunto is that in Ezekiel; 
Ezek. 20.38, 41, 42  I will purge out from among them the rebels, and them that transgress against me; they shall not enter into the Land of Israel: and then it's said, I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the Countries, etc.  
7. Lastly, The delay of the Saints prayers may be to raise up their thoughts, their faith, their love, and their longing desire unto the last day, and second and glorious coming and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; that's the great Audit-day, the great and full harvest, the solemnest and complete year of release and Jubilee: Some promises and prayers are wholly referred for their accomplishment or answer to that day, and others have not their perfect and ultimate accomplishment until then; that's the full period and utmost mark of the Saints faith 
a 1 Pet. 1.9 , the compliment or winding up of their hope 
b Vers. 13 , the last point of their paience 
c Jam. 5.7 : the close of the whole book of God, and in especial of the Revelation (wherein are recorded the great promises and comforts of the Church, their clouds of prayer, and strong cries, their exquisite and lasting trials in faith and patience, their reigns and rages of their many, 
Rev. 22.20  mighty, and cruel Enemies,) the close (I say) of all this is, Even so come Lord jesus. Solomon (likewise) shutteth up his Ecclesiastes with this, 
Eccles. 12.13, 14  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his Commandments; for this is the whole duty of man: for God will bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. This is the conclusion of the whole, that is, of all the discourse in the book, and therefore of what he had said before of the oppressions which he had considered under the Sun, that there were the tears of such as were oppressed, 
Chap. 4.1.  and they had no comforter; and that on the side of the oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter: and of that vanity, 
Chap. 8.14  that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: And that, as to the present and visible state of persons, all things come alike to all; to him that sacrificeth, 
Cham 9.1, 2  and to him that sacrificeth not. The conclusion, drift, and use of all is, to fear God, and keep his Commandments: and for a spur thereunto, and a corrective and encouragement against all the vexation of spirit that ariseth from the above recounted evils, we must fix our minds on this, God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing: 
August de Civ. Dei, lib. 20 c 3  St Austin readeth this last clause, with every secret thing, somewhat otherwise then our Translations, to wit, of every despised man, paraphrasing it thus, God will bring every work, that is, every act of man in this life unto judgement, yea the works of every despised man, of every contemptible person, that seemeth not to be noted at all, God seethe him, and despiseth him not, neither overpasseth him in judgement.  
And thus much of the first sort of ends which the Lord may have in suspending for a time the return of his people's prayers, to wit, such as concern themselves that pray. The other sort, viz. those that respect others, I am now come unto: The ends of such delay reflecting upon others (briefly) may be these:  
1. To raise and make up the number full of those who in the purpose and promise of God are to be partners or joynt-possessors of the mercies prayed for. The Apostle saith of that cloud of Believers before the first coming of Christ (who witness unto us the necessity and efficacy of faith,) They received not the Promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. These received not the promise, that is, they attained not the thing promised, or the fulfilling of the promise's of the Messiahs coming in the flesh, with the immediate glorious consequences thereof: and the reason is, God had provided that better thing, to wit, the Evangelical estate (so called for its precellency above theirs of the first Covenant) for us, that is, for the Believers of the Church under the Gospel; who had been prevented of this prerogative over them, if they, by the coming of Christ in their days, had enjoyed in their life time the Gospel perfection. No doubt but those men of faith under the Law, as they believed the Incarnation of Christ to come, so they prayed for it 
* Mat. 13.17 ; but their prayers were put off, that the Christians of Paul's time, and of the following ages, might not by the antidating of Christ's manifestation in the flesh be forestalled by their predecessors of that privilege which was peculiarly intended for them.  
The general calling of the Jews (which was the earnest prayer of Saint Paul, 
Rom. 10 1 & 11.12, 15  and aught to be the continual vote of the Gentile Church, and which will be as great a wonder, as the resurrection of a man of a Nation from the dead, and which shall be the riches of the world and of the Gentiles) is deferred until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 
Vers. 25.  It hath been so long, and is yet deferred for that end, that all the Gentile Nations and persons whom the Lord hath foretold or purposed that he will call, may be gathered into the Church: God will have (as it were) the Theatre of the Gentile Churches full, for their beholding and enjoying that admirable and abundant mercy of the Jews conversion. We sometimes are put to pray, and our posterity are intended to enter into the harvest of our prayers, not we; or, it may be, they that are yet unborn, or, though in being, yet uncapable, are to have a share in the blessings prayed for, as well as we; and for them therefore the return of our prayers is stayed.  
2. To complete the account of the sufferers and sufferings of the people of God. The Souls under the Altar that cry with a loud voice, 
Rev. 6.9, 10, 11.  saying, How long, O Lord, etc. it is said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. The Apostle Paul in all his persecutions desired and had the prayers of the Churches of Christ for his constant enduring and deliverance 
* Rom. 15.30, 31. 2 Cor. 1.11 Phil. 1.19. 1 Thes. 3.6 Philom. 22 Heb. 13.18 : yet his troubles were many, great, and sometimes long; and the reason he himself gives, Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the Church. The sufferings of the Apostle are here called the afflictions of C●rist; both in regard of the mystical union which is betwixt Christ and every Believer, as between the head and the members; and in regard of that sympathy or sense of the sufferings of the faithful wherewith Christ is touched: and he termeth his present bonds a filling up of the remainders of the afflictions of Christ, denoting to us, that God hath apportionated unto every member of Christ a certain measure of afflictions to undergo and pass through, with the stint of time for the continuance thereof; and from these no supplications or intercessions unto God can redeem or recover him until they be made up and finished.  
3. To give others an example of patience and confidence in God under the like delays. David waited long for the Lord, 
Psal. 40.1, 2, 3.  and then he inclined unto him and heard his cry, and brought him up out of the horrible pit, etc. and the effect of this his patiented staying God's leisure, and the issue of it, is, Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Long and great endure become famous, and draw the eyes of men much upon them; and the consequent of men's observing them, is (by the operation of God's grace) that they fear, and trust in the Lord: They fear with a reverential fear of Gods mighty hand, & a with a Providential fear, so as to prepare for the like trial, and lay up trust in God against it come. Job likewise inferreth this, as the effect of all his miseries, and the delay of his prayers under them; 
Job 17.8 9  Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite; the righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. 
Chap. 15.16, 17, 20.  He had somewhat before (in this his present reply to Eliphaz) mentioned his prayers and tears, My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death; not for any injustice in my hands; also my prayer is pure: My friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. Jobs sorrows we see were abundant, and continuing, and his prayers exact and holy; 
See Divines Annot. in loc. 2 Edit.  yet at present he was insulted on as one deserted of God: notwithstanding in these his extremities he gathered this comfort unto himself, that other godly men will make a better use of his afflictions then his friends had done; and, although at first they might be taken with admiration to see such a man as he in that condition, yet, upon recollected thoughts, they will decline censuring, yea clear and join with him against his enemies; and by his example will reinforce their stediness, and renew their strength & courage to entertain and bear the like encounters.  
4. Lastly, The more to dismay, deject, and confound the enemies and reproachers of his people in the issue. The Church of Judah in the Prophet Micah, when, after her low fall, and long waiting, and sitting in darkness, and bearing the indignation of the Lord, he at last pleadeth her cause, and executeth Judgement for her, bringing her forth to light, and letting her behold his Righteousness, she telleth us, 
Mic. 7.10.  Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? Hannah staying, and praying, and weeping long for a child, and during her barrenness being much provoked and fretted by her adversary Peninnah, when at length she obtained her son Samuel, she saith in her song, My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, 
1 Sam. 2.1, 3.  because I rej ice in thy Salvation: Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth.  
When the wall of Jerusalem was at last (by the diligent prayers, labours, and watch of Nehemiah, and the people of Judah) finished, it is said, 
Neh 6.26.  All their enemies, when they heard thereof, and all the Heathen that were about, when they saw it, they were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. When the Beast hath overcome and killed the two Witnesses (who by prophecy and prayer oppugn his Kingdom, and maintain the truth of Christ) there will be great insulting; They that dwell upon the Earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another: But anon, when after the three days and an half they are raised again, and called up into Heaven in the sight of their enemies, great fear shall fall upon those their beholders: Look how much pleasure and joy they took in their dead and prostrate condition, so much terror and confusion will possess them at their recovery and ascension into Heaven. It was the thing which Peter observed as soon as he was come to h●mself, upon his deliverance out of prison, (then when the purposes of his Persecutors against him, and the prayers of the Church of God for him, were come even to the last cast of trial which should prevail,) that the Lord had sent his Angel, and delivered him out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the jews. Herod's hand had now even almost gone through with the execution of Peter; the Jews were mightily pleased with his proceed; and the eve of his designed deaths-day being come, they were high in expectation to have their cruel eyes and malicious hearts satisfied with the spectacle of his slaughter: wherefore his rescue thus long deferred, and now achieved, did the more abate and cross the insolency of his enemies.  
These are the Ends which I find in Scripture respecting others, for which the Lord may hid himself from his people's prayers by way of delay: and having done with them, I have finished the whole series or order of Causes of the Lords hiding himself from prayers; both the procuring Causes given by man, and the ends or final Causes proposed by God; and under this latter head, both the ends of Gods denying, and the ends of his deferring his servants prayers; and of the latter sort, both the ends which concern the persons praying, and those which reflect upon others: And having made up this enumeration, I have returned answer to that Query [What may be the reason of Gods hiding himself from his people's prayers grounded upon his promises?] in its general state, or as it may extend to any time, case, or people.   

SECT. VII.  
The Application of both sorts of Causes unto the present Case.  
I Am now to speak to the Hypothesis, or the Case in particular, as it is ours: What may be the reason of the Lords hiding himself now from his people of these Nations in respect of their prayers? Of this I must say something, but it shall be but by way of hint; for I neither need to speak of this all that I could, nor can I speak all that there is in it: The former I need not, the resolution of this query being someway contained in what hath been already said in answer to the query in general; the latter I cannot, by reason of the large breadth of the Subject, it extending itself to so wide a circuit of ground, to so great a multitude of persons, and to so vast a mixture and variety of ways and transactions, and those so secret or intricate, that neither mine, nor any other one man's experience or eyesight, is able to ken or overlook the whole. In short, unto a full and perfect discovery of the reason (I mean not of what is hidden in God's council, but of that matter of reason which is extant and enquirable by means afforded to us) of this effect in our Case, there must go these three things. 1. An exact knowledge and remembrance of the whole Oracle of God, at least so much of his Word as delivers us any rule or light in this matter. 2. A perfect understanding of the spiritual condition, of the ways, and of the prayers of all the persons that have any either influence or concernment in this effect. 3. A faculty of discourse or deduction which is unerring or certain, both by way of application of the Rule to the subject, and of inference of the conclusion thereupon. So much as any is deficient in any of these (as who is not in every of them?) so far he shall come short of a complete and absolute resolution of this question. Now if I should say, some kind of certitude in the point of Application and Inference is attainable, yet it must be acknowledged very rare and difficult in this imperfect state of man on Earth, and in these byassing and partial times. But for a perfection in the two former, who can in this world once pretend to it?  
Yet must not the Question therefore be wholly laid aside: For, 1. Though an exact knowledge and comprehension of the Rule of Scripture be not to be acquired, yet some good and serviceable measure thereof is acquirable; and though the full state of men's hearts, ways, and prayers be not humanely fathomable, yet there is much matter of fact obvious unto those that will observe, as to many particulars which do most concern us: to lay to heart a curious search, a critical Judgement, joseph's divining cup, or his divining for his cup, needs not; they are plain enough to be seen; we have not so much need to be new informed, as to be put in mind of them; and the work is not so much to bring them within our sight, as to press them upon our hearts. 2. As it most nearly concerns us, so it may much advantage us, to discover what we can in this query, though we cannot be so absolute and exact in our solution of it: for we shall never seek remedy, either by the removal of the procuring Causes, or by endeavouring after the Ends of this hiding of God from us, until we be somewhat resolved herein; and so far as we gain any discovery and satisfaction about it, so far we are in an advance towards the remedying of it. 3. If we be diligent to find out what we can, and to practise according to what we find, we then may hope God will both accept and meet us in the discovery we endeavour, and promote us both in it, and in our recovery out of that evil which is the subject of it: Although there may be divers reasons in men moving God to this deportment toward his people, which we can never search out, yet the invincible ignorance of them shall not prejudice us. God imposeth not upon us to find out what is inextricably hid, but to destroy and own what is occurrent to our knowledge, and to rectify what is so desired. If each man would busy himself about this, and we would all communicate each to other, and borrow one of another our several apprehensions; though one can say but a little, yet all together might (by the help of divine grace) search out and bring in much towards the making up of a sufficient answer to this.  
That which I apprehend, and will here say of it, shall be contained under these three Propositions: 1. It is more than probable that of all those causes of the Lords hiding himself from his people's prayers above collected, not one, or some few only, but many, if not all, have some place, causality, or efficacy in the present case. 2. That plurality of reasons, which there may be of this thing among us, we cannot reasonably suppose ascribable wholly to every one, or to any one person or party, but we may attribute them to the whole community distributively, or dispersedly; so as that some of them more properly belong to one, some to another, and all to the whole, by way of distribution. 3. Although many, most, or all the recited causes may have influence in the present case, yet some of them may be conceived more predominant, and more notable in the effect, than the rest, and therefore more necessary for us to observe and lay to heart. Somewhat of each of these in order.  
1. It is more than probable, that of all the reasons of the Lords hiding himself from his people's prayers above enumerated, a multitude of them, if not the most, or all, have some place, causality, and efficacy in this effect now among us; I mean, of all of both those sorts, viz. whether meritorious or procuring on man's part, or final and intentional on God's part: All the causes of both these kinds, or many of each of them, may now have influence in the producing of this sad effect: Our case seems to yield much matter of reason in both these respects; many and mighty provocations in us, great and various designments of God.  
1. For the matter of provocation on our part, we need not look far, or ask for which of those sins before rehearsed it is that the Lord deals thus with us: there is such store of them among us, that we may ask, which of them is not found in us, and that in an high degree? and therefore, which of them is it not for? We can scarce tell how to pitch upon any of them, to say, it is for this or that, more than the other, they are all so rife amongst us: As the Lord tells his people of judah, I have wounded thee with the wound of an Enemy, 
Jer. 30.14 15  with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity, because your sins were increased. And again: Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because your sins were increased, I have done these things unto you. And elsewhere, having pronounced his desolating judgements upon them, and having told the Prophet, that when they fast, and offer burnt-offerings, he will not hear their cry, nor accept them; yea, and forbidden him to pray for them for their good; and told him, though Moses and Samuel were interceding for them, his heart could not be towards them: for all this he allegeth the reason after this manner; 
Jer. 15.13  and that for all thy sins, even in all your borders. All their sins committed in all the quarters and coasts of their Land the Lord doth (as it were) gather and bundle up together, and lay in the balances with their prayers, and those do far over-weigh these. So may it be said of us; why hath the Lord in so many and great things, and for so long, hid his face, and turned a deaf ear to his people's prayers and cries? why it is for the whole mass and multitude, and high increase of our iniquities; it is for all our sins, even in all our borders: These put all together, prove more in number, heavier in weight, and louder in cry, than our prayers.  
When the state of judah was grown extremely and incorrigibly corrupt, and the ruining judgements of God were in pouring forth irrevocably upon them, that is, some years after jeconiahs' captivity, and a little before the last of Zedekiah, certain of the Elders of Israel came to the Prophet Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord by him, the Lord wills him to give them this answer, 
Ezek. 20.1, etc.  As I live, saith the Lord, I will not be enquired of by you: and further, in stead of the Prophets supplicating to him for them, he directs him to apply himself to them by way of charge, and conviction of them of those their and their forefathers sins, that had made him so inexorable towards them: Wilt thou plead for them, son of man? wilt thou plead for them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: And again, Wilt thou plead for, 
Chap. 22.2  wilt thou plead for the bloody City? yea, thou shalt show her all her abominations: 
cha. 23.36  And once again, Wilt thou plead for Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations. As face answereth face, so doth (methinks) England's present condition answer that of the Jewish Church, and that in respect both of sins and divine wrath: The time of calamity, the time that iniquity hath an end, seemeth to be now upon us: we are (as it were) betwixt Jeconiahs and Zedekiahs' captivities; betwixt over-passed, and new-arising and imminent mischiefs and ruins: and these Scriptures seem to make the very same return to our former and present seekings unto God, as it doth directly and immediately to them. We plead with God for England, but there are other pleaders before him against her, to wit, her abominations. We plead by way of intercession for her, these plead by way of accusation and outcry against her: We plead for her help and deliverance, these plead for her punishment and destruction. The plea of these is more equal, more moving, and powerful, then that of ours; especially when as both are ours; when we that pray are the authors of those abominations: The cry of sins is then more especially prevalent against prayers, when not only sins are great and many, but they are theirs that pray. I call them ours that prey, as being so, either by the committing, or by contracting the guilt of them; either by the acting or by the accessariness of them. Two ways I find sin becomes National, or imputed universally to all: 1. When the most or the generality of a people perpetrate it; as in many of those charges upon Israel and Judah in the Prophets before the captivity. 2. When one or a few commit a sin, and the rest (joined in the same community, or body politic, and (it may be) in one common oath, or covenant, binding out from that sin,) let it pass, neglecting their duty, either for the preventing or expiating of it: as in the case of Achan, and in divers of the reproofs in the Prophets; and particularly in one of the places even now cited 
* Ezek. 22 . The sins of many special parties in Jerusalem, as of Princes, Priests, Prophets, Children against their Parents, and the particular sins committed in her, are called Jerusalem's abominations.  
Here then is the matter: we have put up prayers, or entered our pleas before God for England, but our suit is not heard, or brought to issue: and that which causeth the demur, is, our abominations come in, and lie, yea cry against us: This perhaps is acknowledged in the general; but what are the particulars of our sins? and who will for their own particulars own and take to these abominations, and say, this or that have I done? For the latter, I will only say this, Whosoever he be that will not take to his own sin, now it riseth up in judgement against the Land, and the joint supplications made for the same, he is worse than Achan: and if he will not own his sin, be sure his sin will own, 
Numb 32 23  or find him out. For the former, what are the sins of England in particular that now interrupt the prayers that have gone, and are daily going up for her? I answer, What sin is there found in all the Bible to be obstructive of National Prayer, that is not rife and ripe in England? Here is abominable Idolatry, Covenant-breaking with or in the matters of God, abuse of Religion to carnal ends, sloth and declining in God's service, loathing and rejection of the Word of God, and carnal confidence. Again, for sins against the second Table, here is bloodguiltiness, injustice, unmercifulness, covetousness, and pride in their height. Again, for sins cleaving unto prayers, we pray, but sin is choked, and lies hid; the herd is unhumbled, devotion is formal and counterfeit, indirect aims are set up, contentions and breaches of charity are reserved and carried on, faith faileth or shrinks up, and sin is unreformed. Lastly, for the modal aggravations, the sins of England are heightened by grievous incorrigibility, presumption, scandalousness, repetition after prayer, and apostasy after beginnings of repentance.  
To pursue all these severally, and as they deserve (with all the other sins of the Nation that are mighty to pull down, continued, and increase the judgements of God, and to hinder prayers) would amount to a volume, or roll as large as that in Zechariah, of many cubits in length and breadth: and to charge them fully home, would require a reprover as sharp, fluent, and undaunted, as the Prophet Jeremiah, who was a man of strife, 
Jer. 15.10. Eze. 3.8, 9 20.46 21.2  and a man of contention to the whole Earth; or one like Ezekiel, whose face and forehead the Lord strengthened against the faces and foreheads of his people, and made it as an adamant, harder than flint; and who could drop or pour down reproofs and menaces: or one like the Apostles of Christ, who in their contestations against the unbelieving Jews, are said to have filled Jerusalem with their doctrine. 
Acts 5.28  I will but point at some of them.  
Here is Idolatry: indeed it is not yet as in the Heathen, or as in some Christian Nations, or as it hath been in the former ages generally practised & authorized; but it hath a being, and (which is a shame, yea a horrible thing to say or hear, after so long ejection of it, and enjoyment of the clear light and true worship, and so strong ties and oaths upon us against it,) a reviving of late among us: There are those whose eyes begin to be after their father's Idols: There are that begin to inquire, saying, How did the Nation (of old) serve their gods? or, why may not we, or they that list, do so likewise? And how general is, if not the committance, yet the contagion of Idolatry, when as some practice it, others plead for its freedom, others argue for it as no Idolatry, others connive at it, and let it alone, and others work underhand for its further impunity? That which the Prophet utters, by way of description and reproof, of the impiety of the Heathen Nations, 
Micah 4.5  All people will walk, every one in the name of his God, is now owned and voted for by many, and they say, Let all people (or they should) walk every one in the name of his god: and further, besides the gross or corporal sort of Idolworship, or adoring either Images, the work of men's hands, or Creatures, the work of God's hands; there are two other kinds of Idolatry, and they are both among us. There is the Idolatry of the brain, and the Idolatry of the heart: The Idolatry of the brain, to wit, the entertaining of Antitheistical notions or conceits of God, or the setting up of such figments in the understanding, of God, as are directly opposite to that divine Nature and Personality, or distinction of subsistence, as is revealed unto us in the Word of God, to be the object of our faith and worship. And the Idolatry of the heart, that is, Covetousness; for this sin the Apostle brandeth for Idolatry 
* Col. 3 5. Ephes. 5 5 Vide Drusius in Hos. 12.8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we (Ephes. 4.19.) translate greediness. Vide Bez. in loc. & presertim. Dan. Heusii excercit. lib 10 c 4 & l. 13. c. 2 And Mr Leigh's Crit. Sacr. in vocab. : And we must understand the term is of a larger extent than our ordinary sense of the word, Covetousness, reacheth unto; for it signifieth an over-greedy desire, prosecution and use of any earthly thing; and so may include in it ambition, intemperance, luxury, or any other inordinacy, as well as the love of money, or worldly wealth; and particularly it signifies that satisfying or accomplishment of any corrupt lust which is brought about by violence, treachery, or breach of Covenant. Now who will not confess that the Land is full of this Idolatry? or can say, that ever any Age, or Country, equalled, or more abounded with this kind of Idolatry and Worship, than this of ours?  
Here is Covenant breaking, and especially with or in the matters of God. I think I may confidently say, Never any Nation (scarce Israel itself in Moses time, or after) hath so generally, publicly, solemnly, sacredly, and reiteratedly bound themselves to or in the th' ngs of God, as hath this with our neighbour Nation; and never did any so quickly, so universally in regard of things, so professedly, so constantly, with such self justifying, and so hypocritically, or under a pretence of acting from and for God, violate their bonds unto him, as multitudes have done among us. Did ever any people lift up their hands so high unto God in swearing performance of all religious and humane Duties, and defence and advancement of all sacred and civil Rights, and presently let down their hands so low when it came to execution, yea and lifted them up so high against the very things which they swore for, as many in England have done? We have multiplied Oaths, and studied for the most solemn, express and strict forms of declaring and binding ourselves; as if we would constrain both God and all the world to believe and build upon our word most surely; and as if we would make it unimaginable and impossible that we should break: but after all this there are men found that have gone to work in the matters of the Oaths and Covenants, as if the direct contrary to what was the subject of their Oaths had been the things they had undertaken and tied themselves unto; and as if all that they did in entering into those Obligations, and in their proceed afterward, had been out of a study to make themselves and the Land as deeply guilty as they could, both against God and man, of Oath and Covenant-violation. Who so shall but look back (if a remembrance thereof now may be offenceless) upon the Vow and Protestation of the year 1641. and the League and Covenant of the year 1642. and therein take notice (to let all other things pass) of what was vowed, protested, covenanted, and sworn by the generality of this Nation (in one, or other, or both of those bonds) in relation to God; What maintenance and defence of the true reformed Protestant Religion, against all Popery, and Popish Innovations, and what endeavour of the punishment of all the Actors to the contrary; what endeavour for the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland, and for the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdom of England and Ireland, and that in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Government, in respect both to that Church, and to these Kingdoms, and for the Conjunction and Uniformity of the Churches of God in all the three Kingdoms in Religion, etc. and for the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, Superstition, Heresy, Schism, Profaneness, etc. He (I say) that shall but think thereof, and then cast his eye upon the universal indisposition and backwardness of the whole Nation to the making good of these things; their lothness to expose or employ any life, power or estate for the same; the late committance to otter oblivion and deep silence of all these Obligations; their total desistance from, and constant refusal of all these performances in whose hands it is publicly to manage the same, and their disenabling, letting, and discouraging them that would stir therein; the declarings, endeavours and exploits of many directly contrary to these clauses, both to the downfall of what was to have been preserved, restored, or effected; and to the reviving and flourishing of what was to have been extirpated; and, lastly, the favour and help that hath been lent to the known Enemies of the Religion, professed and covenanted for, in all the said branches thereof, and in their enmity against the same: He (I say again) that shall revolve these things, if he have any sense, either of the things obliged to, or the nature of the Obligation, cannot choose but sit down with some part of Ezra's astonishment and heaviness, conceived upon the sin of some of his people in the point of anti-federal marriages: And (as to the purpose in hand) in stead of wondering what is become of all the prayers that have been put up for England, he may admire what shall become of England, and of them that have made it and themselves so guilty in this matter. For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim. 
Lam 5.17   
Here is Religion abused unto carnal ends; and that very commonly, plainly, and grossly. Religion hath been for a long time universally embraced, and pretended to in England: There have of late been many proceed ngs taken in hand about it, yea it hath been one thing which men have held forth and made countenance towards in all their motions and agitations. But, although at first, while the face and gloss of Religion was new and fresh (like false coin when new minted) it was hard to distinguish of those pretensions, but each passed for current; yet, having now been used and well worn, it is too evident that Religion by very many hath not been taken up in reverence or love to itself, but hath been debased to advance and attend some or other worldly design. Most men now look through the vizors of the busy and restless Stirrers of these times, and discern their true faces. It is easy now, not only to say, but see, that vile ambition, covetousness, self-love, malice, and envy, have been palliated with a cloak of Religion. I would be loath to say, all men, but I may say, men of all interests and parties, have served themselves of it. He hath been no body, that either would not put on a dress of Religion, or would use it otherwise then as a dress. We have had much ado about Religion; ample Declarations to all the world; solemn Praying and Fasting; vowing and swearing; arming and fight for it; discovering of Plots; puunishing of some, even capitally, for attempts against it; calling Assemblies; inviting in of Brethren to assist; urging of Acts to be passed, and the passing and sending forth of some to the people about it: the uprightness of some (doubtless) hath been in all this, but not of all: their latter point-blank-contrary declarings of themselves and actings, do proclaim those proceed (in them) were form to serve those turns, than which since they have pursued and carried on by other means. I know this charge is of an odious nature, but being true I dare not omit it. Lest it may seem to come merely from a rash or uncharitable Judgement. I will here in short set down the Considerations which induce it.  
1. We see a letting in and suffering of all Religions: This proceeding about Religion cannot but be of design, (what it is, and how much sums interest is built upon it, I need not say,) for I doubt not to affirm, There never was that man in the world that was cordial and real to any one Religion, whether true or false, but he would stand for it against all other, and would (having means in his hand) suppress the contrary to it. There is no man desires or grants allowance to all Religions, but he is either a flat Atheist, and cares for no Religion, or a worldly Politician; and the latter may do it, either to drive on an earthly design, or to succour the weakness of his own Religion or party for the time, until it shall become able, either to stand out a storm, or master its competitors. Tolerationists would have none suffered to wear horns, until their own be grown out; and then, who so will not herd with them, hath not horns as sharp as theirs, shall know it: only a distinction must colour this mutation; and none so fit as that of the Pope's forge, (by inversion,) he brought all temporal States and Affairs under his Crosier, in ordine ad Spiritualia, in reference to Religion; and they must have all matters spiritual, and Religion under their cognizance, in ordine ad Temporalia, in relation to the Commonwealth.  
2. Take notice how men change their carriage towards Religion, (even that Religion which still they profess,) and diversely shape and fashion their postures about it, as best suiteth with their carnal ends and concernments: As in point of standing up for Religion; one while Religion is the main Cause, another while it is no part of it: one while, that Religion may be secured and reform to an higher pitch, we must up, arm, and fight, and all must be laid at stake for it; another while it must be deserted, prostituted, laid common. And in point of settling Religion; one while nothing so necessary to be consulted, articled for, and established, as Religion; another while, not that at all, any thing but that. And in point of Engagements upon Conscience; one while Oaths and Covenants must be imposed upon Conscience; another while it must be left free, and not urged to them by any penalties; anon it must again be fettered and engaged, or else beware what follows: And what's the Reason? It is not that Religion varyeth, or the Rules following it vary, or that these alterations make any thing for it; but terrene things are mutable; and who so will design them, must be one of the Amphiscis, and cast the shadow of his protection one while towards, another while frowards his Religion, as the Sun of his worldly interest moves about him.  
3. Many that pretend to Religion insist on it with application to others, but not to themselves. Religion is a good weapon in their hands, wherewith to oppose and persecute others; they, whom they set against, attempt against Religion, they deny to settle Religion, they are not godly: but it is of no such use to them, and theirs. Religion is an handsome Engine, or stalking-horse, wherewith to catch, and draw, and mould others to their turn: if they have occasion to use the favour or service of those whom they deem cordial to their Religion, than they are all for Religion, for the Religion of those they are insinuating with; they seriously profess many good intentions and fair promises for it; they are sorry for all bypast differences, and hard usages: But are they indeed so minded and affected? Is their aim in this to oblige themselves, or those with whom they deal?  
4. Men have been noted to appear and act for that way and course of Religion which they have been known to be against in their judgements and affections; and at other times to shrink from or shake off that way which they have seemed best to like and approve: What is the business? why they pursue their worldly design; as hunters do their prey, who are fain sometimes to refuse the pleasant plains, which they had rather be upon, and to run through brakes and bushes, that they may follow their game.  
5. We see men as forward as the foremost for Religion, while their carnal end is unattained, or can be prosecuted under that colour; but when they are possessors of their drift, they leave Religion to see to itself: Jehu-like, who drove furiously, vented much zeal for the Lord, until he had made his way to the Kingdom, and gotten his Throne secured, and then for Jeroboams Calves: Or like a Merchant that takes care for the well furnishing and safe-steering of his Ship, whilst he hath use of it to transport him and his goods to the places of his Merchandise; but when he hath ended his voyage, and gotten into the Port where he would be, he conveys himself and his commodities to Land, and leaves the Ship to the Sea, to sink or swim, or sail whither it will.  
6. Lastly, We may observe, those who have held close to the interest of Religion, and are still true and constant to it, they are the most deserted, despised, vilified, and distrusted persons in the Land; while those who are but reputed Temporisers, are the men looked upon, received into the bosom, promoted, and entrusted. Now where Religion is talked of, and the ground and band of all correspondency and confidence is men's absolute flexibility, and giving up themselves to any public interest for private and self-respects sake, even Charity herself will judge Religion is taken in but upon design.  
It being thus manifest, that many men's forwardness for Religion hath been to serve base carnal ends, we may gather thence, both what intolerable abuse hath been done to Religion, and what guilt is then contracted. 1. Religion hath grossly been abused, and sadly suffered thereby; and that many ways: It its life and being, whilst overgrown and overtopped with hypocrisy and worldly-mindedness; in its honour, whilst exposed to scandal and reproach; and in its advance and growth, whilst the Reformation intended and begun hath been by no means so much undermined, retarded, and blasted, as by this: All the professed contradictions and oppositions of the Papists and profane have not so availed to crush and strangle this work, as these self-designers (like the Samaritans in Ezra, 
Ezr. 4.1, 2  coming in to join with the children of the Captivity in building the Temple, on purpose to cross it) have done. 2. A great trespass is thereby committed: 
Jer. 22 14. See our English margin. Et lacerat sibi fenestras meas, & tectum cedrinum, deinde pingit judici. Junius. (i. e.) Rerum e domo mea amocarum in usum suum loco obducit colorem floridum Jud●ci ne fraus manifesta sit. Id.  this is for men, with Jehojakim (as our margin, and Junius read that place in Jeremiah) to cut out God's windows, and his Cedar-sieling out of his Temple, therewith to build and deck our own houses, and to paint over the breach they have so made in God's house with Vermilion: that is, to bestow upon Religion a vain flourish, or colourable compliment, and under pretence thereof to dispoil it of its solid and substantial furniture. For that fact of Jehojakim, the Lord pronounceth a woe upon him; Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that saith, 
Ver. 13, 14 15 An Regnaturus es quia tu misces te cum ista Cedro? Jun. (i. e.) Res sacras admisces tuis: an his artibus regnum tuum stabilum iri existimas? Id.  I will build me a wide house, and large chambers, and cutteth him out my windows, and Cedar-sieling, and then paints it over with vermilion: and in particular tells him, Shalt thou reign because thou closest thyself with that Cedar? Let the false & pretending dissemblers to Religion, that seek and set up themselves, and enlarge their houses and estates thereby, take to themselves this woe, else it will certainly take hold on them. Let us go on to other particulars.  
Here is a decay, cooling, dying of Religion: we are all generally baptised persons, professed Christians; we bear the name of Christ, own the Religion of his Gospel, in opposition to, and distinction from Heathenism, Judaisme, Turcism, yea and Popery: We declare for Protestantism and Reformation; but where is the soundness, life, vigour, and efficacy of these things? If any sense or power of these things moved in us at first, unto the embracement of them, what is become of it? The Lord may say of us, as of Jerusalem, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, 
Jer. 2.2,  the love of thine espousals. In the beginning of Reformation in King Edward's, Queen Maries, and Queen Elizabeth's days, there was some zeal and forwardness expressed for the truth, and for the pure worship of God, in acting for the abolition of Popery, and for Church-Reformation, and in sufferings unto death: but from that time how soon were we departed? How continuedly have we degegenerated? How far are we now fallen from that life and fervour? Where are the forward actors? Where are the resolute Endurers for the Cause of God? A zealous, strict, gracious, and fruitful course of life and conversation hath all along, by the most, been laid aside, loathed, hated, denied, and persecuted. We have of late begun high attempts and engagements, as if we would not only recover, but exceed and outstrip our first settings forth for Religion; but this rise hath seemed to be but like that of a body mortally sick, or wounded, which in the approaches of death well have one or a few starts and liftings up to recall (as it were) its departing Soul, but is not able to hold up when it is raised, and therefore yields presently again to the seizure of death. May we not fear that the late stir and stickling for Reformation were but as sprints or struggle before death? considering how little these are seconded, yea, how quite flat these are laid down, yea what intentions, studies, and practices clean contrary to them, are taken up and practised? Methinks, when I consider the story of Gideon, I see a lively portraiture of the men of these times: Gideon at first, when in his low condition (when he threshed wheat by the wine-press, to hid it from the Midianites, and when he confessed his family was poor in Manasseh, and he was the least in his father's house,) and the Lord set him to throw down the Altar of Baal, and cut down the grove by it, and to build an Altar unto the Lord, and to offer thereon a  sacrifice with the wood of that grove; he was very forward, zealous, and courageous, both in the removing of Idolatry, and erecting the worship of the true God: But when he had accomplished his great conquests, and the deliverance of Israel from the Midianites and Amalekites, how then proceeded he in reference to Religion? Why, he makes a request to his people for their golden Earrings; 
Judg. 6.11 15. cap. 8 24, etc.  accordingly they grant, and spreading a garment, every man therein casts the Earrings of his prey; and he makes an Ephod thereof, and puts it in his City, and all Israel goes thither whoring after it.  
Even thus have men (the gideon's, the mighty men of valour) now dealt with Religion: At the first, when they were little in their own sight, than down with the Altar of Baal, and the grove; down with Idolatry, Superstition, and all humane Innovations and Inventions in Religion: Then for nothing so much as for Reformation, and purity in the Worship of God, and in the Ministry and Government of his House; but when the Wars are over, and Victory is obtained, than the conclusion about Religion is this; Let every man bring in his golden Ear-ring, the uncouth and extravagant Notions and Opinions which he hath taken up during the War (an employment which hath often proved not more hurtful to men's bodies, by bringing diseases, wounds, and death, then to their minds and souls, by breeding Error and vice) and make a many-coloured, changeable Ephod; that is, an interwoven mixture, and free Toleration of all these, and of whatsoever else any will further take up, and contribute; and let all England go a whoring after it, according as his deluded fancy shall lead him. But that Ephod proved a snare to Gideon, and to his house; a snare, first of sin, in their superstitious use of it; and then of punishment, in fratricide and usurpation of Abimelech, and the sedition and bloodshed that followed, chap. 9 A sad presaging pattern. The main pillars and vital parts of Religion, to wit, Piety, Love, Charity, tenderness of Conscience, and Courage, are grown faint, and brought low. It is very plain to be seen, that Luxury and Epicurism in some, worldliness in others, and an heretical judgement, or a dividing and contentious spirit in a third sort, hath deadened and destroyed Religion: and besides these three sorts, there are but a few left to keep up any life of it among us.  
Many of the Disputes about it, and about the outward support of it by the power of the Magistrate, and the set maintenance of the Ministry, may justly be deemed to arise from the mean esteem, cold affection, and nauseating weariness of it, into which many are declined: They account every thing in it unnecessary and burdensome; any command of it over them, any diligence in its practice, any charge bestowed on it (though by others) seemeth too much: They fall to question and quarrel with it, as being desirous to ease themselves of its power, restraint, cost, and labour.  
All the dotage, unsetledness, and Libertinism in opinions and ways that is on foot, seems to be from a Paralysis, or dead Palsy, seized on our Religion: In that disease there is a decay or stop of the animal spirits, and from thence a resolution of the sinews and muscles, and so a stupefaction of the senses, and a loosening of the members and limbs of the body: In such a manner it is now analogically with Religion; A dead Palsy hath struck us; the vigour and spirits of our Religion are perished: and from thence it is that the understandings of men are become so vain and fantastical; their minds and consciences so lose, unstable, and extravagant.  
That zeal, which should heat men's hearts, and warm their affections unto the practice of their duties, and the resistance of gross errors and sins, is cold and extinct to that use; and inflamed only to strife, and debates of tongue, pen, and hand, either frivolous or plainly heterodox and unrighteous. Our unkindly and sickly heats in Religion have begotten Wars, and these Wars have not only destroyed the natural lives, and worldly estates of many, but have drawn out the life and blood of Religion itself; and have left it as a cold, mangled, and liveless carcase.  
Even in many of those who seemed to be affected to Religion above the generality, it is evaporated into winds of Doctrine, fumes of contention, or flashes of highflown notions or expressions.  
I have culled out these, amongst many of the sins of England, against the first Table, which stand up against, and may well outcry the prayers that are put up for her. For those against the second Table, they are also as flagrant among us. Bloodguiltiness, injustice, and unmercifulness, I need not point at; they so break out, and fill every place, that there is no room left for my complaint against them: Covetousness I have met with afore: Only a word of Pride.  
Here is pride, even in its height; Luciferian arrogancy: Pride was the National sin of Sodom, and after that of Jerusalem; and it brought them both to ruin 
* Ezek. 16 49 : and it is now our National sin as much as ever it was either of theirs, or any others. We have been proud of all the earthly, of all the heavenly blessings God hath given us. We have been proud of our plenty, power, wisdom, peace, successes, impunity, deliverances: We have been proud of our Gospel-priviledges, of our Religion, Reformation, Profession, Ministers, unseemlily preferring our Church, Clergy, and Professors, above those of other Nations.  
Our pride appears in our discords and jars: If contention be the proper issue of pride (as Solomon saith it is 
* Prov. 13 10 ) than we may conclude ourselves the most pride-swollen people under Heaven: for we are absolutely the most broken and divided Nation that is, or ever was (I think) upon the Earth.  
Our pride appears in the seditious and aspiring spirit that now lifts men up: Every man (almost) is a Korah, and takes too much, yea all, upon him: Every man (almost) arrogates the highest demerit, honour, and power to himself: scarce a man to be found, especially of the lower degree and worth, but thinks himself fit and worthy of the chiefest employment and command, and none so fit as himself. It is not now, as in Jothans' Parable, wherein the Trees going to anoint a King over them, first offered their Kingdom to the more noble and profitable Trees, the Olive-tree, the Figtree, and the Vine; and they refusing, then to the Bramble: but these being rejected, and trambled underfoot, every Bramble assumes to himself superiority, and will rather set all on fire, than not be a Ruler.  
Our pride appears in that contempt and disdain which men cast one upon another: The exalted spirits of the Times, as they greaten themselves in their own eyes, so they lessen and detract from others: they look at themselves as more than men, at others (their Connatives in the Land, their Brethren (now, or once) in religious profession; and it may be both in the eyes of God and other men their betters,) as Pagans, or Dogs, not deserving any respect, society, liberty, protection, or subsistence with them.  
Our pride appears, in that (like the Caldean, or Amaeziah King of Judah) we cannot keep at home, but must be enlarging our desires unsatisfiedly, 
Hab. 2.5 2 Chro. 25 19  and stretching our line to, and gathering unto us all Nations, and heaping unto us all people.  
Although we are become a shame and a derision, a proverb and a byword, a reproach and a taunt unto the Nations that are round about us, yet we vaunt and boast it out; we stand upon tiptoe, we are high and honourable in our own conceits; we glory in ourselves, yea in our shame.  
In these days, in which the spirit of drunkenness and deep sleep, darkness and dotage, is poured out upon us, men dream of a higher measure of light, and will needs fancy to themselves extraordinary illumination: like the Prince of Tyrus, 
Ezek. 28.12, 13, 14  we seal up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty, as if we had been in Eden, the Garden of God, or were become anointed Cherubs.  
Next follow, as obstructers of prayer, the sins we are guilty of in and about our prayers. If I should take scope in them every one severally, I should scarce find a way to any end. In brief therefore:  
We pray, yet sin (though open and in impudent enough in itself) is, as to our distinct and convictive acknowledgement, latent and hidden. Many of those sins that are before the face of God, and set in the light of his countenance (as a vail of separation, shutting out our prayers from him) we put behind our backs, or with Achan hid in the bottom of our Tent: and some of them are justified, and entitled to divine approbation and patronage: Evil is called good, and darkness, light, 
Isai. 5.20  and bitter, sweet.  
We pray, yet the heart is unhumbled: All the weight of sins, the woes of wrath and judgement, the want of our desires and prayers, break not the heart. After the threefold captivity of Judah by the Babylonian, 
Jer. 44.10  the Lord complains of those that were left, They are not humbled even to this day. After the triple Civil War, which this Land within these few years hath been inflamed with, it is in like manner with us, We are not humbled even to this day; nay, we are more unhumbled and hardened at this day then at the first.  
We pray, but our devotion is formal and remiss: We have prayed and fasted (as we think) long; but how? so long indeed that we appear tired out with it: The longer we have continued, the fainter and colder we have been about it; until at last we have given it over, in regard of constancy in public; and that (pretendingly) upon this very ground of weariness and formality; as if that were a just reason to desist, which is our sin; and as if discontinuance were not as great a sin, or greater, and as much or more impedimental of prayer, as remissness and formality: and as if constancy and assiduity in prayer were the cause (per se) and justly chargeable with that slackness; or, the regular way to cure the ill habit and bad consequents of Customariness in a necessary duty were disuse. 
Job 17.10  Job saith, Will the Hypocrite always call upon God? We say, constancy in fasting and prayer is the breeder of Hypocrisy, and unconstancy the remedy.  
We pray, but it may be feared we seek ourselves in it, and not God: our ends are carnal, and not spiritual; 
James 4 3 Hos. 7.14.  we ask for our lusts, not for our Souls: we assemble for corn and wine, not for the glory and service of God. If our aims in prayer may be judged by our other endeavours, we mind not the Kingdom of God, or the advancement of Religion, in the first, or in any place; for what do we act for them? Our own wills, our own interests, our own quarrels, are the attractive of our eyes: We look at our own things, and it is well if not (with Jezebel in her Fast) at Naboths Vineyard.  
We pray, but is it in mutual charity and forgiveness, or in contention and strife? We pray in relation one to another, but is it for, or against one another? If irremission of quarrels and wrongs do lock up the gates of Heaven against prayers, who can wonder that the prayers of England stand without doors? Here are contentions numberless, endless, irreligious, unpolitique, irrational, bloody, fundamental, and ruining: and without all doubt, as the subjects of these contentions are the subject of men's prayers, so the affections that stir up, and carry on those quarrels, do move and act in their prayers. There is scarce any union or agreement among us in any thing positive: that which is betwixt any party seems rather to consist in a joynt-differing from and opposing others (which is the union of Hell) then in a conjunction or concurrence in any positive truth or practice: and though some men's judgements and ends do meet in some things, yet the variance that is betwixt them in other things, or the quarrel they are together engaged in against a third party, deprives them of, or disturbeth that sweet union and complacency, which they should have in their concurrent practice and fruition of that wherein they agree. Well it is, 
Isai. 58.4  if men do not now fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness. For my part, I will here deal plainly: I admire that the subject of public Fasts should constantly be matter of civil interest, and such things as they that do most attend fasting and prayer do mainly differ in; and that the not publishing of those Fasts should be matter of snare and penalty to Ministers; and they that will not come publicly to hear the Word, to worship, or call upon God, either on those, or the Lords own days, should be left free: And is it now come to this, That whereas erewhile coercive proceed might be only in civil matters, and in things of conscience (as they speak) or of Religion, there might be no compulsion; now what man commands in point of Religion, the indicting or proclaiming of a Fast to be kept on such a day, may be under a pain; but what God himself commands, to wit, the actions themselves of fasting, prayer, preaching, and hearing, must be arbitrary 
* If it be said, the publication of a fast is no act of Religion, but a civil action only introductory thereto: it is of the same nature with that of a man's travelling from his home unto the public Assembly, and his placing himself, and continuing there during the public worship; these actions are but introductory to performances: why may not then these be commanded under a pain, as well as that, or both be left free? ?  
We pray, but we reform not: The gap lies down, the hedge lies open betwixt divine wrath and us, while we continue irreformed. Prayers and tears alone will never make up that breach. It is to trust in lying words, for men to enter in at the gates of the Lords house, 
Jer. 7.2, etc.  there to worship, sacrifice, fast, and pray; and to say, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, without through amendment of their ways and do: It is to make God a Patron of Thiefs, Murderers, Adulterers, Perjurers, and Idolaters; and his House a den of such. Reformation beginneth at the House of God; so hath it been proceeded in by all the eminent and exemplary Reformers that ever have been: Our Saviour Christ (whose coming and publishing the Gospel was the time of Reformation) the first thing we find enterprised by him at his first entrance into Jerusalem, 
Heb. 9.10.  
Joh. 2.14, etc.  was his driving out of the Temple with a scourge the Profaners of it, and purging his Father's house. Let persons in Authority suffer in the house of God emptiness, separation, disorder, error, and profanation; and it shall be bootless for them to set upon life-reformation: in so proceeding, as they are preposterous in the undertaking, so they will prove unprosperous in the effecting of a Reformation. The Lord saith to Israel, 
Hos. 4.13, 14  because they went a whoring from their God by Irreligion and Idolatry, Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery: I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery 
* I will punish your Idolatry by abandoning your daughters and daughters in law to infamous and unbridled lust, which shall not be repressed by the Laws or Magistrates punishments, nor corrected by 〈◊〉. Diodate. . The which is to be understood as well of the Lords dissolving the force of Laws, and the Magistrates power and proceed, as of his withdrawing his own preventing grace, and withholding his castigations, by which the women might be restrained from those crimes: and this he declareth as the punishment of the adulterer's licence, which the parents or husbands of those women took to themselves, and permitted to others in matters of Worship and Religion.  
Now how is Reformation minded with us? In special how is it in relation to the house of God? For Superiors, is it not wholly, professedly, inexorably laid aside by them? It is, if I much mistake not. For Inferiors, men are generally unwilling, impatient of coming under any Rule, either of Confession of Faith, or of Worship, or of Government. There was erewhile nothing but disputing for and against this and that way of Discipline, and there was eager contention, each party for the advancement of their frame of Government; but now men are generally agreed to let all alone, and to be without any at all, and to leave off all settlement in Religion: And this is the issue which the Tempter (certainly) aimed to bring it unto, when Reformation was first moved in, and he stirred up so many Commotions, and particularly such a multitude of Sects and Civil Interests to stickle in it.  
And there are two things which make our irreformedness exceeding abominable, and therefore very forcible against our prayers.  
1. We are they that lately drew near to God very solemnly in Prayer, Fasting, Oaths, and Covenants, for Reformation of Religion. Now it is a most desperate thing (and so no doubt it will be found) for men to dally with God in a work of this nature; for men to seek God, and swear by him for Reformation, and then to reject and stand against it. How should God hear our prayers, when we ourselves hinder them? How should he not deny them, when we ourselves deny them? How should he answer them, when we contradict them? If we make void our Prayers and Covenants for his Interest, we are impudent unto stupidity if we look for any thing but frustration in the remainder of our suits. 
Exod. 19.8 & 24.3, 7. Heb. 9.18. Deut. 5.27 Exod. 32, & 33.   
Israel at Mount Sinai hears and receives the Law from Gods own mouth; they make a Covenant with him for its performance dedicated with blood; they desire Moses to go up into the Mount unto God to hear, receive, and bring them down all that the Lord would speak, and they would hear, and do it: but after this, ere Moses could return, and ere forty days were expired, they set up gods of their own handy work, and a worship of their own devising; and this made that heavy breach betwixt God and them, for which they paid so dear, and were so long remembered. This was that which heightened Judah's sin, and desolation; even their universal seeking and covenanting with God, and beginning to act for Reformation under Josiah, and their as general Apostasy under Zedekiah. And this was that which brought that fearful ruin of the Jewish State, and of Jerusalem, by the Roman, after Christ's time: They generally professed repentance, and embraced the Baptism of it by John; 
Mat 3.5. Mark 1.5. Luke 7.29  but they falsified herein, turning to persecute and crucify Christ, to withstand and infest his Apostles, and to reject his Gospel. These patterns sadly speak to us at this day, who have done the like to them.  
2. We have let slip, yea thrust away the opportunity of Reformation when it served. Formerly the Court and the Bishops bore the blame of the irreformedness of the Church and Nation: of latter days the Malignants and Wars were urged as the impediments of it: but since these blocks have been removed, and a full opportunity hath been put into their hands who before cried and petitioned to God and man for it; and I cannot but say (if I must say the truth) in their hands it hath miscarried; the fairest opportunity that ever Nation had (and that under the strongest engagements to it) hath miscarried; nothing wanted but hearts to use it. One part hath failed through remissness in it, and overmuch eyeing other interests inferior to it: and another part hath actively withstood, and put it back, opposing all conclusions and agreements towards it, kindling new flames, yea traversing and confounding their own principles, counsels, and courses, rather than not interrupt it. Here is irreformedness to a height, if not a non-ultra. This is a Lamentation (O England) and shall be for a Lamentation. But I will insist no further on the sins in or about our prayers. I will also here omit the  modal aggravations of our sins, having purposely (for brevity's sake) taken them, or the most of them, in, as I have gone over the heads already touched. This shall serve for the noting out the Reasons on our part (viz. the meritorious Causes, or provoking sins) for which the Lord now hideth himself from his people's prayers.  
For the other sort of Reasons, to wit, the final Causes, or the Ends which the Lord may have to accomplish upon us or others thereby; It is not fit or expedient that I descend unto the particulars thereof by way of positive assertion, as to say it is for this or that special end. It may suffice that I have gathered out of Scripture, and laid down in one series, those several ends for which the Lord declareth to hid himself from his people's prayers: and that further I hear annex these two things.  
1. As it is not to be doubted but that the Lord hath a peculiar people in England, yea such as are his, not only by external calling and profession, but according to the Election of grace, and that have a sanctifying and saving interest in him and his promises; so questionless he hath these, or some of these ends to bring forth in or unto them by his present hiding himself from their prayers, and in especial from those prayers which they have and do still daily put up to him for the public concernments of the Church of Christ, and in particular for those of England. They are of many kinds: some of them he may (in their determinate import) never grant; others of them he doth delay. Those which he may finally deny his end towards them which he may (I suppose I may without presumption say he doth) aim at, and will accomplish thereby, is, both to prevent the evil which by their obtaining those petitions might ensue to them, and to provide for, and procure their greater good. Those which he doth for a time delay, his intent and drift we may conceive and conclude certainly in that delay, is, to bring to pass thereby some of those Ends, if not all, which have been before inumerated.  
Let us therefore repeat them over. 1. In relation to them that pray, to increase their assiduity and ardency in prayer: To fit them for the mercy prayed for: To exercise and try their faith, patience, love, sincerity of sanctification and obedience: To manifest himself to them the more fully, either in or after the delay: To make the benefit prayed for the more precious, and welcome, and useful when it comes: To remove the impediments of their receiving or enjoying the mercy sought for: And to raise up their thoughts, their faith, hope, love, and longing to the second appearing of Christ. 2. In relation unto others: To make up and bring in the number of those for whom the mercy is purposed: To complete the account of the Church's sufferers and sufferings: To give others an example of patiented and confident waiting upon God: and for the greater dismay and confusion of the adversary.  
2. All these Ends (especially those which concern the persons praying) as they are good and desirable in themselves, and very convenient to be attained ere their prayers come to issue; so as many of them as we now, upon a diligent view, can discern, or apprehend to be unaccomplished, we may well conjecture the Lord intendeth to accomplish them before he perform his people's prayers; and that the Lords staying, and gradual working for the bringing forth of these ends, is the reason of his present deferring of those prayers. Now who of the people of God among us can otherwise judge of themselves, or their brethren, but that many of, or all of those said ends which respect them, and much of every one of them, remains unattained? and therefore they may resolve there is very good reason for all this delay: The Lord hath a great work yet to finish out in and upon his people, before he work out their prayers for them.  
To conclude therefore this part of mine Answer to the particular Case and Query. Consider on one hand the ripeness and fullness of England's sins, and on the other hand the immaturity or unripeness of those gracious ends which the Lord setteth up to be effected in, and by the delay of his people's prayers; and we have before us abundant matter of Reason for that dilatory hiding of God from his people. Again, consider, if any one of those sins before recited may (according to Scripture threat or example) suffice to hinder the answer of prayer, much more may many, or all of them concurring together, and that with so many circumstances and degrees of aggravation, be forcible to that hindrance.  
Now to the second Proposition.  
2. That plurality of Reasons which there may be now for this hiding of God from prayers, we cannot reasonably think ascribeable wholly to every one, or to any one person or party; but we may attribute them to the whole community distributively, or dispersedly; so as that some of them more properly belong to one, some to another, and all to the whole, by way of distribution.  
These meritorious and final causes of this effect, and the variety of particulars under each of them, are not to be sought in, or applied to every person; but some of them respect, obtain, and take place in this person, some in that. This proceeding of God concerneth and looketh at us all in common and general; yet, as it is with some difference of disposition in God (as was above showed 
* Chap. 3 Sect. 3. ,) so it is with some difference in respect of grounds or reasons in or from men, and with some difference also in regard of ends for or towards men; all men do not contribute to it by way of provocation in the same kinds, acts, or measures of sins: God hath not his ends towards all men alike, or the same for nature or degree.  
I have before distinguished of a double notion of the people of God: some are such in regard of name, and outward call and privilege only: some are such in regard of spiritual appropriation and communion also. It must be granted, this carriage of God may be partly grounded on some sins of those, or some of them who are the people of God in the strictest sense: and it may be partly for some merciful ends towards them, or some of them, who are (at present) God's people but in the larger acception. Yet it is most likely those that are the people of God in the common notion only, have the largest share in the meritorious causes; and those who are his people in the most peculiar notion, have the largest portion in the final causes. Now for any further resolution by way of application to persons or parties, I only say, As it is God alone who knoweth particularly who are his by either of these degrees of relation, so he alone knoweth to allot to every single person his proper part and portion of either of those two sorts of causes. And it is every man's duty, first to reflect upon himself, and consider how much he shareth in either of them, and then to take notice of them in relation to the whole community.  
I come to the third Proposition.  
3. Although many, most, or all the aforesaid causes may have influence into this case of ours, yet some of them may be conceived more predominant, and more notable in producing the effect, than the rest; and therefore more necessary for us to take notice of, and lay to heart. As among those three and four (that is, seven, a complete and full number of) Transgressions of Judah, Israel, and others, spoken of as the causes of the irrevocability of their respective judgements (Amos chap. 2. & 3.) there is still one or two nominated as the chief or head of the rest; so there is usually in such a case as ours, some one or a few sins that do more appear and prevail then others, in procuring this evil. Judah had one sin (viz. Idolatry) that was written with a pen of Iron, 
Jer. 17.1.  and with the point of a Diamond; and graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of their Altar. 
Hos. 5.5 7.10  Ephraim had one sin (viz. Pride) that did testify to his face. There is ordinarily to be seen upon a sinful Nation some sin or other, 
Isai. 3.9  that the show of their countenance doth witness, or hold forth; that doth occur at the first blush, as a mark or brand upon the forehead, and is their proper and predominant National sin. What sin or sins there be in us of this Land, that bear this priority of place and influence, it behoves us to observe. I shall therefore here plainly speak my apprehension: and for that end shortly, first, give the characters by which (as I conceive) they may be known; and then say which I think they are.  
1. Those sins (I suppose) are of this prececedency and predominancy above others: 1. Which are more general, either in the whole community, or in them that give themselves to prayer. 2. That are the common root, or mother of other sins. 3. Which God more apparently manifests himself against, and strikes at in his cross providences. 4. Which our Consciences must take to, or reflect on, by way of charge, if not upon ourselves, yet, at least upon one another. 5. Which the evil under present consideration reflecteth on by way of proportion. These are the tokens by which (as I suppose) the sins which are predominant in this effect may be discerned.  
2. Now which are they? unto what sins do these tokens more eminently agree? According to these characters, or any other rule I have to go by, and upon the most considerate and impartial survey that I can take of the visible state and ways of this Nation, the sins that, among the whole herd, appear to me, as Saul did among the people, higher by head and shoulders than any of the rest, that is, to be the leading and master-sins, as to the pulling down of other judgements, so in special to the procurement of this, are these two: 1. The gross disesteem, contempt, and rejection of the holy Word, and glorious Gospel of the blessed God. 2. The high and dear esteem, advancement, and love of a worldly-private-interest. These two are England's sins; and (if I much mistake not) they are the predominant sins in the obstruction of the prayers of, or for England.  
For the making good of this charge, much needs not be said: who can doubt of it in relation to either of them? Let me speak a little of them severally, and under that double charge: 1. That they are England's sins. 2. That they are the reigning sins of England, and therefore of chiefest influence in the hindrance of prayers.  
First, For the contempt and rejection of the Word of God and Gospel of Christ: And of it, 1. That it is England's sin. 2. That it is England's master sin.  
1. The contempt and rejection of the Word and Gospel of God is England's sin: this is too apparent. We of this Nation are of this guilty all manner of ways, and in the greatest height. Scarce ever any people have enjoyed the Gospel so freely, so generally, so plentifully, and so long as we; neither hath ever any more vilely despised and rejected it. Israel's or Judah's contempt of the Word of the Lord in the worst and corruptest time's (even when the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, 
2 Chro. 36 15, 16  rising betimes and sending: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy,) was not above ours at this day; but is rather exceeded and outstripped by us, both in regard of the more excellent manner of the Lords sending and speaking to us now then he used then, to wit, 
Heb. 1.1, 2  by his own Son and his Prophetical Office; and in respect of the higher measure of scorn, disdain, and abuse we cast upon Christ's Word and Ministry.  
The Jewish rejection of Christ and his Gospel, when he lived and preached personally among them, was not beyond ours of this age and Nation. 
Mat. 11.20 etc.  Was Chorazin's, Bethsaida's, and capernaum's impenitency ever a whit more inveterate or upbraidable then is ours? As it was said in the Parable of Dives his Brethren, They have Moses and the Prophets; 
Luk. 16.29  so it may be said of us, We have Christ and his Apostles: He who is greater than Jonah, greater than Solomon, is here (in his Administrations, and that in those Ordinances which they had not) with us. And as they of that generation repent not at the presence and preaching of Christ and his Apostles, so neither do we. 
Mat. 21 33 22.2.23.37  Have not we had the Kingdom of God as a planted and manured vineyard let out to us? and have not we as reproachfully denied to render the fruits thereof in their seasons, as violently handled the servants of Christ sent to us to demand them, as did the Jews? We are those whom the King of Heaven hath bidden and called to the marriage of his Son, 
Luk. 19.42  and we have made light of, and refused the invitation, and have spitefully entreated his servants sent to bring us to it. We have had as tender and frequent calls and offers to be gathered, shrouded, and cherished under the wings of Christ, as Jerusalem had; and have as obstinately as they denied it. We have as wittingly and wilfully shut our eyes upon the things which belong unto our peace, and against the day of our visitation, as ever did they. Were the Apostles and Ministers of Christ (after Christ's departing from them to Heaven, and sending them forth to all Nations) disobeyed, derided, envied, slandered, contradicted, and persecuted with threats, accusations, bonds, banishments, and death? and have not the Ministers of Christ been so done unto with us? Was the Apostle Paul's calling more questioned, his Ministry more basely accounted of, his Office more presumptuously and unwarrantably usurped by the Corinthians, or their novel Teachers, than now is the same Ministry? The Galatians did not more vilely desert the Gospel, nor more strangely change their respects towards, and fall to quarrel at the Apostle Paul that brought it to them, than men do now adays grow weary of, and cast off that Gospel, and turn to grudge at, and emulate the true preachers thereof. The Apostle foresaw, that the time would come that men would not endure sound Doctrine, but would after their own lusts heap to themselves Teachers, having itching ears; and would turn away their ears from the Truth, and would be turned unto Fables. And do not we see these things now fulfilled, and acted before our eyes? The Apostles Peter and Judas discovered in their time some in the Christian Church, that turned from the holy Commandment delivered unto them; and in stead thereof betook themselves to the wanton and impure lusts and ways of the flesh, and became scoffers and mockers of the doctrine and hope of the Gospel. And have not we many of this stamp? multitudes of worldly and sensual Libertines, multitudes of profane, Atheistical Deriders of holiness and strictness, and of the reward thereof? These things in the Apostles days were but in the bud; they are now with us grown ripe and rotten. Once more: Those sharp rebukes which our Lord Jesus sent unto the several Angels and Churches of Asia; and in particular those unto the Churches of Ephesus, Sardis, and Laodicea for their falling away from their first love and life, and for their loathsome cooling in their respect to the Word and Name of Christ, do fall fully and heavily upon us. Yea, all those aforecited instances do cast back their faces upon us as their exact followers, yea as their over-passers and justifiers: and all the menaces and woes, which are by the Holy Ghost denounced against them respectively, do sadly declare against us 
* See Mat. 11.22, 24 12.45 21.43, 44 22.7 23.38 39 Luke 19.43.44.23 29, 30, 31 2 Thes. 2.12 Heb. 10.38 2 Pet. 2.1 3, 10, 12, 13, etc. Judas 5.8, etc. Revel. 2.5, 16, 22 3.3, 16. Jer. 16.18 with vers. 14, 15. . God (we may justly fear) hath other things in store for us, than the accomplishment of our prayers, or the bestowing of those blessings which we have sought and waited for; even the fulfilling of the several threats of his Word against the highest contemners thereof: and that although he would not utterly reject our prayers, but sometime perform them, yet that he should first make good his own Word upon us, and vindicate it against us. Once he said of Judah, when he promised them an exceeding great and renowned deliverance out of Babylon, First I will recompense their iniquity, and their sin double: So may we apprehend the Lord determining concerning us. I do not where read, that either God did ever so long afford his Word written and preached in such freedom and plenty to any people, as he hath afforded it to us; or that, having begun in judgement with any for their abuse of it, he was so quickly and so easily pacified and entreated, as we now expect he should be.  
The dignity and worth of the Word of God; the singularity of the mercy of enjoying it 
b Psa. 147.20. Rom. 3.2. ; the holy and jealous nature of God 
c Josh. 24 19 ; the platform of his ways described to us in Scripture denunciations and examples to this purpose 
d As Shiloh was a pattern to Jerusalem, Israel to Judah, Jer. 7.12, 13, 14. & 26 6. so were they both to the Christians of the primitive age 1 Cor. 10 6 11. and so are they all three unto us. ; the contempt of God himself, which the contempt of his Word (both in its own tendency, and in his interpretation) amounteth to 
e Luk. 10.16 1 Thes. 4.8 ; and, lastly, that [how shall we escape?] which the Apostle fixeth upon the neglect of that great Salvation which the Gospel preacheth to us 
f Heb. 2.3. : These considerations alone (besides many other, which come in, both from the nature of the fact, and from the aggravating circumstances of it, as it is ours 
g Those passages in the Epistle to the Hebrews, wherein the Apostle argueth, the sins of Christians now under the Gospel outgo those of God's people under the Law; and that the Judgements coming upon these do exceed them that came upon those, (as Heb. 2.2, 3. & 10.28, 29, 30) do cast a very terrible aspect upon us. ) do induce me to apprehend that, as God may have (I hope hath) thoughts of peace towards his people, and their prayers in England, so his thoughts are not all of peace, but some of evil towards this Nation: Only this; Repent, O England, Repent, or thou mayst give thy prayers, thyself, and the Gospel which thou hast contemned, as lost.  
But my scope was to make good the charge of this sin upon us, and not to presage from it. To return therefore:  
We have ever since the restoring and republishing of the Word of God (by the Preaching) and Translation of it in our Tongue) in the beginning of the Reformation, been declining in our respect to it. Although the light of it (even in our acknowledgement) hath been still ascending, and waxing clearer and brighter, and extending itself more generally; and although the end of its protracted continuance, extent, and growth, hath been (as that of the householders sending more servants than the first, and at last his own Son, in the Parable of the Vineyard, to wit) to conciliate and procure at length our reverence and obedience to it; yet we have all along unto this day still the less esteemed it, the more grossly despised it: so that now it is become the most despicable and loathed thing in all the Land; and we are casting the very dregs of our contempt upon it. Christ, and his Apostles, and Ministers, were not more contemptible in the eyes of the infidel world, 
1 C●r 1 13 & 4.13.  when they were accounted a stumbling block, and foolishness; the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things; then the Word of God and its Ministry are now in the esteem of professed Christians. Popery and Prelacy, or what ever was most nauseated, were not more stomached in the beginning of the late Stirs, then are now Orthodox Preaching and Presbytery with many. And although we have for about these hundred years been declining in our respect to the Word, yet, I dare say, we have fallen and degenerated more therein within these ten last years, than we did in all the other fourscore and ten. And what think we doth this hastening in our defection, and our arrival now at the very lowest step of it, portend? Certainly, not the speeding of our prayers, but of our punishment.  
What contempt or indignity is there which the Word of God is capable to suffer, and we capable to act, which we have not done unto it? In two words. What ever there is in the Gospel worthy of honour and acceptation, we despise and vilify: What way soever respect and esteem is to be showed unto it, therein we manifest our contempt of it.  
1. What ever there is in the Gospel deserving and commanding our honour and acceptance, we despise and vilify. We despise and vilify the light of the Gospel, by affecting ignorance, and love of darkness: We despise its Truth, by changing it into a lie, entertaining or enduring the Errors opposite to it, and wresting it to patronise falsehood and iniquity: We despise and vilify its grace, by practical infidelity, or irreconciliation to God, pleasure in sin, and earthly-mindedness: We despise and vilify its holiness, by Atheism, impiety, and hypocrisy: Its righteousness, by injustice, violence, sedition, fraud, falsehood, and perjury: Its purity, by Epicurism, luxury, and pride: Its union, peace, and love, by malice, envy, strife, cruelty, and schism: Its order (lastly) by Libertinism, confusion, and profanation.  
2. What way soever there is respect and esteem to be showed to the Gospel, therein we manifest our contempt of it. There is honour to be done to it in hearing and reading it; in believing it; in obeying it; in professing and adorning it before others; and in maintaining it. But we have all these ways cast contempt upon it.  
1. We contemn it in point of hearing and reading. Look into our Assemblies; see how they are accounted, followed, frequented. What absenting, turning away the ear from hearing? what emptiness is there in the Congregations? Time was, in the primitive age, in the beginning of Reformation, yea in our memories, no pains, travel, or frequency in repairing to Sermons was too much; now we are overcloyed with much preaching. Erewhile we complained of the Bishops for putting down Sermons; but now many of the people do put off more Sermons (I dare say) then ever the Bishops put down. It is now counted by some a poor, and low business for a man to be diligent in following the public Ordinances; he that cannot with Elies sons, kick at God's Sacrifice, and his offering which he hath commanded in his habitation; or, at least, fly higher than the Church-assemblies, Worship, and Sacraments, and the Scriptures too, he is scarce one of the godly, or well-affected. Again, look into the disposition of hearers when they are come: May it not be said of divers, yea of the most, and in some places of all, Their ear is uncircumcised, they cannot hearken: behold, 
Jer. 6.10.  the Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it? The Word of God was unto David, more  than gold, and sweeter than honey; now it is generally nauseous, and wearisome. How hard, dead, careless, disdainful, quarrelling, are men's hearts unto it? Some can hardly stay it out; others can scarce refrain their tongues from breaking out against it; many come and sit it out, but their hearts are gone from it. Plain and pure doctrine pleaseth but a few. Now the common temper of them that lend their ear to hear the Word, is nicety and novellizing. So great is the affectation of novelty, and disrelish of ancient and wholesome truth, that no doctrine will go down with many but what is acquaint and new, either for the matter, or the dress. Men are never swift to hear, but when they smell something that is uncouth. The beaten road of plain and familiar doctrine, though in the Apostles sentence it be safe for the hearer 
* Phil. 3.1. , yet it is no way satisfying, but tiresome. Again, Look into men's houses and closerts: What constancy, care, delight is there used of men in the Reading of God's Word? Are not the Bibles of many that have them, and can read, cast into a corner the week through? never taken up, unless to carry to and from the Church; scarce ever looked upon but when their ear should rather be employed in hearing, than their eye in reading: At home they are seldom or never opened: What was once spoken as a heavy Judgement, is now become a wilful practice, 
Isai. 29.11  The vision of all is become as the words of a Book that is sealed. In what account was the Word of God in England, when it was first translated by Mr Tindal? and then, under what peril did many procure and keep it in their houses? and with what diligence, eagerness and pleasure did they read or hear it? Some that could not read it, hired others with their money to read it to them. Now the Book of God is reputed as strange and antiquated; whilst Diurnals and Prognostications (those worse than legendary liars, the one for time past, the other for the future; those constant public scandals of our Religion and Nation) are in all the request; upon which it may be doubted the continual users of them do bestow more time and cost, and it's well if they give not more heed and credit to them, than they do upon or to the Word of God. Rome, and some other Cities, are infamous for the permission of Stews: Is it not as disgraceful to our Commonwealth to suffer such Marts of falsehood, cozenage, and slander, as are practised by those weekly and yearly Pamphlets? Their officious lies and flatteries will not be found advantageous at all to the State, if the dishonour and guilt that they lay upon it be well weighed. But I had almost in pursuit of these shameful abuses digressed; but sure I am not transgressed.  
2. In point of believing: we manifest our contempt of the Word in this respect. That exclamation of the Prophet Isaiah (applied by the Evangelist John and by the Apostle Paul unto the Jews of whom they wrote) may be justly taken up of us: 
Isai. 53.1 Joh 12.36 Ro. 10.16  Lord, who hath believed our report? The preaching of Christ, and Faith in him, is very plentiful and general; but the Faith which is in Christ is very rare, if we may judge by the Apostle James his demonstration of Faith 
* Jam. 2.18 . Christ Jesus is laid forth unto us now, as once he was laid in Zion, 
1 Pet. 2.6 Isai. 28.16  as a most precious tried stone, a chief corner stone, a sure foundation; but with multitudes he is a stone disallowed, set at nought and rejected. If Christ were our sure foundation, there would not be so many rents and divisions: If he were our tried stone or touchstone 
* See on Isai. 28.16 Diu. Annot 2 Edit. , there would not be taken up so many apparently false doctrines and unlawful courses: If he were a stone precious, and in honour with us, there would not be so much stumbling and falling at him: If he were really believed on among us, there would not be such making haste, 
Isai. 28.16  so much impatience and and fear of man, such shrinking in, and deserting of the way of Truth and Righteousness, upon the least imagination of trouble.  
3. In point of obedience: The Word of God consisting (in a great part) in Commands, and containing the Will of God which we are to do, and being spoken to us for that end, that we may become conform to the Will of God, the most immediate, direct, and real contempt of it (after we come to know it) is disobedience to it. Now our contempt of it in this respect breaks forth most notoriously, and in all kinds of contumacious and rebellious carriages: how unsubjugate we generally are thereto, would be endless to discover. Look into our Congregations (once again) after the power, success, and fruit of the Word of God herein: who almost is there that gives up himself to the Lord? 
2 Cor. 8.5 Rom. 6.17  who that obeys from the heart that form of doctrine unto which he is delivered? May not the Lord say of us, as of Israel sometimes, 
Isa. 65.2, 3  I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way not good, after their own thoughts; a people that provoke me to anger continually to my face.  
There is a sort of men among us, who dispute and deny the binding power of the Moral Law of God unto Christians; but we are generally practical Antinomians: When the Commandments of God are delivered unto us, though we do not flatly say unto him, as the first son (in the Parable) unto his father, 
Mat. 11.28  We will not go; yet we do as the second son did, who answered his father, I go Sir, and went not. The Land is full of nothing so much as of disobedience, and contemptuous violations of the Commandments of God, and of Jesus Christ. We cast off and abrogate the Precepts of both Testaments: We reject both Law and Gospel: we not only break in sunder the bands of the Lord, but we cast away the cords of his anointed: the easy and light yoke of Christ is refused. The general vote among us, even against Christ himself, is, We will not have this man to reign over us: Witness both the impetuous resistance that hath been made against his regiment in his house, and the searedness of men's Consciences, and setledness of their lives in all ungodliness and unrighteousness.  
As there are Antinomians who take away the Authority of the Law of God, so there are men that are anti or Hyperordinancists, who take away or antiquate the force of Gospel-Institutions. But the generality are such in practice, whilst they pretend to Christianity, and yet make no conscience of the disuse of the Ordinances of Christ: they either content themselves to be wholly without the Lords Supper, and all exercise of Church Discipline, or are resolved not to have them, but in what manner they please.  
4. In point of profession, and adorning of it before others: Our deportment towards the Gospel is utterly unworthy of it, and unbeseeming it: The reproach and scorn which it lieth under among us, and abroad, through the carriage of them that make profession of it, is very odious. Divers contemn the profession of it actively, many accounting it too strict and precise for them to own: others make use of it as of a garment to put on or off as they see occasion; or as a Summer garment, which they only put on in fair and warm weather, and lay aside in the cold and stormy winter of persecution: and a third sort esteeming it too low, childish, and formal for them, they must have a pitch above Scripture-Revelations and Rules. But the grand reproach which we lay upon it is passive, whilst we assume to ourselves this profession, but minister occasion to others to be scandalised at, and speak evil of it through us. Some under a profession of the Gospel hold fundamental Errors against it, and yet endeavour to patronise and defend them by it; nay, they account them the only Evangelical men, who invent, or receive and maintain unscriptural Doctrines: others under that profession live licentiously, and work all manner of wickedness, and break down all bounds of duty, either respecting God or man; and by means of both those sorts the way of Truth is most vilely blasphemed.  
Multitudes (if I may not say the greatest number) of us have no more of Christ then merely what may make them capable of being a scandal to his Gospel, to wit, the water of Baptism upon their faces, and the Name of Christ in their memories and mouths: In all other respects common Heathens are as much if not more Christian then they.  
But this is not all: what is publicly known and spoken of, methinks it should not offend any, if I mention; and indeed I cannot uprightly pass it by. There are those that have made a higher and more singular profession of the Gospel than the rest, by whom it now suffers most, as in some other respects, so in point of infamy: not only the Atheistically profane and ignorant, but many other, both weak and strong in the faith among us; nor only they, but the Nations about us are scandalised at us, and our profession, for such men's sakes: not only our Protestant Brethren, Friends and Favourers, are ashamed, grieved, stumbled, and weakened; but the Papists (and it may be others at more distance from us) have their mouths opened in derision and obloquy at us by reason of them: yea, and these last make out from their do a serious and insinuating argument to justify their abominations, and proselyte others. But what is the matter? The swarms of Sects and Heresies, the hellish Blasphemies, the endless and unreasonable divisions that have been spawned under a shroud of profession, not of the ordinary and plain garb, but gilded with the show and surface of extraordinary devotion, zeal, and Scripture-knowledg, or higher light. To these add the horrid, multiformed, and restless Seditions and Anarchies that have been devised by their heads, and acted by their hands, whose faces have looked intently towards Religion. For these things we are famed in other Lands as a brood of Monsters in Religion, and a pack of Rebels and State-firebrands in point of political order: and, which is worse, the Gospel, Reformation, Protestanism are made an abhorring, or to savour ill with people abroad and at home. I do not affirm all the scandals that may be taken or laid upon us, or our profession, or any party; neither do I assent to the extending of any of them to all the Nation, as the Authors thereof: Some persons are mere patients; some things may be mere slanders, or slanderously aggravated: There are whose faces blush, and their hearts bleed; but their hands are clear of these imputations. But this I say, there is too much fire, from the which ariseth all the smoke and clouds of reproach: There is truth and guilt, more than enough to occasion, if not to deserve (considering how the world is disposed to construe and speak of the actions of such as we) these blurs. I am persuaded there is more of such truth and guilt than hath ever otherwhere been found among any Christians.  
5. Lastly, For the maintenance of the Gospel: Who stands up for it? who is on the Lord's side? who sets himself really for the defence of the Gospel? Some depart from the Faith by giving heed to seducing spirits: The love of others waxeth cold, because iniquity abounds: Others whither away, and are offended because of tribulations arising for the Word. And into these three sorts, the most with us are at this time reducible.  
The Authority of the written Oracles of God are gainsayed; the fundamental Truths thereof, summed up into Articles of public Confession, are contradicted. What remedy is there from men? what effectual vindication is afforded? The Apostle Paul thought it a strange thing, that he being to answer for the Gospel in Nero's Court, and there being Christians in, 
2 Tim. 4, 16  or thereabout, no man stood with him, but all men forsook him: It would have been stranger if it had been so in Constantine's Court. We have a Christian State, if Paul be not arraigned in our Court, he, and all his Fellow-Apostles, yea, and his Master too, are torn in pieces, in their Doctrine and Institutions, before their faces: What public Authoritative Redress is yielded them? I pray God this neglect be not laid to their charge that have Power: and for that end, that they may repent, and quit themselves better.  
It may well be feared, that one special sin, for which the Lord giveth the Sword a commission, so that Protestant People and States war one against another, is, their not contending for the Faith; their not warring against the Synagogue of Satan, the Beast, the false Prophet, and the unclean spirit; their harboring, yea, the promoting of Baalamites, Nicolaitans, and Jezebels. It was observed, that the Civil Wars of these Nations followed immediately upon the Court-countenancing of Popery, and other Heresies, and the allowance given to Innovations in Religion and Profanations of the Lordsday. Happily they that then made this observation may have occasion to make the like now upon the same, and grosser Tolerations, wherein their own hands may be found with the deepest.  
As the Truth and Ordinances of the Gospel are dealt with, so is the Ministry thereof: In stead of maintaining, it is denied, invaded, reviled, undermined, despoiled, and discountenanced. They that are in superior place are very jealous of any that shall disown their power, or take up Arms without their warrant: they take such acts to be very dishonourable and treasonable against them; but the power which our Lord hath given to the Stewards of his House 
a Luk. 12.46  is denied; the warfare which he hath ordered and committed to certain hands 
b 1 Tim. 1 18 2 Tim. 2.3  is usurped at every one's pleasure. It is now noted for one step or qualification for him that would obtain favour or preferment, that he get up into the Pulpit some other way then by the stairs and door; that he have the presumption to preach of himself: Whilst this is the way of rising, the calling and work of the Ministry advanceth not, but goeth down. The Gospel preached is compared by our Saviour to a Treasure, which he that findeth will sell all that he hath to buy: but now there is many a one that had rather buy any thing than it; that had rather sell then buy it; that in stead of selling all for it would sell (or take) all from it.  
But I have gone far enough with the first part of our charge in relation to the first sin, the contempt of the Word of God, viz. that it is England's sin.  
2. The second thing is, This contempt of God's Word is England's reigning sin, and so of chiefest influence in the prevention of our prayers. This may be evident by a brief application of the afore-given characters unto it.  
1. It is a general sin, whether we respect the whole community, or the company of them that give themselves to prayer. The Gospel is generally, in regard of places and persons, preached and heard, and (in a manner) as generally contemned and rejected. All those among us, to whom the reproach of it is a burden, will confess, that by the multitude it is (and hath been from the first) disrespected, and disaccounted; although they draw near unto it with their lips and ears, in seeming to attend, and in making profession of it, yet all real and hearty esteem and entertainment they deny it. If some in the several places where it is preached do cleave unto it (as there did at Athens unto Paul) the generality look contemptuously or strangely at it. 
Act. 17.34  It is with us, as once with Judah in the Prophet isaiah's and Jeremiahs' days: 
Isai. 28.9 Jer. 6.10.5.4, 5  Whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand Doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? Behold their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold the Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. Go to the poor, they are foolish, for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgement of their God. Go to the great men, and speak unto them, these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. That which the Prophet Isaiah is commanded to go, and write in a Table, and note in a Book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever, concerning that people's despising the Word of the Lord, may be also set before us, as a Diagram suiting us: I desire therefore the Reader to peruse it, Isai. 30. vers. 8. unto 13.  
These Scriptures do like a glass represent our faces, and that as truly and fitly as they did theirs: we are thus universally (old and young, rich and poor, high and low) wayward and averse from the Word of God.  
2. It is the common root and mother of other sins, and therefore the predominant and reigning sin. All the many and mighty sins that break out, and overflow in this Land, do own and father themselves upon this, the contempt and rejection of the Word of God: The trampling under foot of this, is the opening of the floodgates to the inundation of all sorts of crimes.  
A few instances may here serve. This is the cause of that Atheism, ungodliness, and profaneness that prevails in many among us: The contempt of God himself immediately and inseparably follows upon the contempt of his Word: He that despiseth you, despiseth me: 
Luk 10.16 Psa. 81.11  And, My people would not hearken to my voice, Israel would none of me.  
This is the cause of that gross blindness and inadvertency that men are now involved in, both in the matters of God, and in those of Civil right and polity: They have rejected the Word of the Lord, 
〈◊〉 8.9.  and what wisdom is in them?  
This is the cause, head, and spring of all those strange, damnable, and contagious Heresies and false doctrines that now so monstrously abound, with the proneness of men to receive them, and their height of confidence in them: Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved; 
2 Thes. 2.10, 11.  for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.  
This is the cause of that disorder, discommunion, and anti-disciplinary carriage and disposition appearing in the Church of God among us. Men are come, through pride and inordinate lusts, to ravel and trample under foot that order and authority which the Apostles of Christ from him have delivered unto us in the Word; as sometimes the Corinthians in some particulars did 
* 1 Cor. 11 17, etc. 2 Cor. 10 8. . Some ungodlily spurn at, others overweeningly undertake to mould after their fashion, or to transcend Scripture Rule and Institution.  
This is the cause of the warrantless and bold usurpation of the work of the Ministry in preaching: The Word of God is become base and mean in the eyes of people, therefore it is thought a light and easy work to dispense it; any man is fit enough for it, no matter who takes upon him to speak it: men's irreverence to it hath begotten arrogant and unskilful speaking of it: As Jereboam, when he and the people were persuaded the worship ordained of God was too much for them, he then made two golden Calves to be their gods, 
1 King. 12.28, 31.  and of the lowest of the people to be their Priests.  
This is the cause of that base fear of men, and obsequiousness to their commandments, even where persons are convinced otherwise in their consciences. Laying aside the Commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men. 
Mark 7.8, 9  Full well ye reject the Commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. If the Word of God were of more weight and force with men, the precepts of men repugnant thereto would be of less or no value.  
Lastly, This is the cause that the irreligious, heathenish practice of Divination, Astrology and Prognostication is grown into so much request and use. The great Prophet of the Church, whom the Lord hath raised up, and hath appointed to be his Oracle unto us, and hath willed us to hearken unto, even the Lord Jesus, with those whom he hath set in his Church under him, are rejected. I desire the Reader for this, and for his satisfaction against the use of Astrology and Almanack-divination, to peruse that prohibition of it, and the opposition which is put betwixt it and Christ's Prophetical Office, Deut. 18. vers. 9 unto 19 and the contestation which was betwixt the Apostle Paul, and Elymas 
* Elymas is supposed to be an Arabic word, or to be a Gentile name, taken from a place in Persia called Elymais, and it is of the same signification and use with the title Chaldaeus, which is an ginger, because in Chaldaea Astrology was invented, and much used. See Beza, Drussus, and Heusius in loc.  the Sorcerer, Wiseman, or Chaldaean, Acts 13.8, unto 12.  
3. Against this sin God doth specially manifest himself in his proceed among and against us. It is apparent God leaveth us now unto obscurity, and darkness of mind, and we are benighted, and to seek what the Will of God is almost in all affairs, both Religious and Civil, public and private. For the Reason, let the Holy Ghost, speaking in the people of Judah's case, 
Isai. 29.11  tell us. The vision of all is become unto you as the words of a Book that is sealed, 
vers. 13, 14  etc. Why was it so? For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me; and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work, and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wisemen shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. The Jews long continued, wilful shutting their eyes, ears and hearts against the Word of God, was the reason which our Saviour rendereth why he spoke to them in Parables, 
Mat 13.13 14  so as hearing they should not understand, and seeing they should not perceive.  
Both the Word and Providences of God are perverted and misapplyed; they are become unto many a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, and a snare, upon which they stumble, and fall, and are taken in error and pernicious ways. What's the reason? Because men have been so long wittingly disobedient, stubborn, and contumacious against the plain and clear instruction of the Word: 
Is 8.13, 14 28.12, 13. 1 Pet. 2.8.  That which they would not suffer to be their Ruin, is become their Rule; they would not be led by it, therefore they are left to be misled by the shadow of it.  
We are divided, and set one against another in numberless breaches and quarrels, in matters divine and humane, public and personal: Wherefore is it? Why the Gospel (and Christ in it) is a stone, which being rejected of men, in regard of their building thereon, will fall upon its Rejecters, 
Mat. 21.4.  and on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. We are dissolved even to dust in rents and divisions by this very means, and for this cause. Those that have Christ preached to them as the Son of God, and their King, and they devise, rage, consult, and set themselves against him, 
Psal. 2.9.  to break his bands asunder, and cast away his cords from them; Christ will break them with a Rod of Iron, and dash them in pieces like a Potter's vessel. We have thus risen up against Christ, and he hath thus now dealt with us. The Lord declares by his Prophet, that this very iniquity (to wit, despising the Word, 
Isai. 30.12 13, 14.  and trusting in oppression, and perverseness, and staying thereon) shall be as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall— and he shall break it as the Potter's vessel, that is broken to pieces, he shall not spare; so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sheard to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. Thus contempt of the Word brings fractions and ruptures among a people.  
We are subject to changes and mutations of State: Persons in supreme Authority are dethroned and outed, one party after another 
* This is a divine punishment, Prov. 28.2 Amos 6 13 ; their Authority and Laws are conculcated; men do take to them horns by their own strength. What's the reason? Why divine Authority, the Commandments of God, his Word and Will, are laid aside, dispensed with, transgressed, and waved at pleasure, and as humane policy suggests. I dare say it before all the world, The not walking evenly by the Word of God; the Gallio-like disposition towards it, that is, the not regarding to vindicate and settle it; the not caring and providing that the Word of the Lord may run, and be glorified; these corrupt neglects of men in Authority are one reason of their displacing and ejection: 
Psal. 82.5. & 2.10, 11 12  And O that they would know, and understand, and not walk on in darkness; that they would be wise now, and instructed; and serve the Lord, and kiss his Son. This sin was it for which the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes of Israel was rend from Solomon in his heir Rehoboam, and was translated to Jeroboam: see 1 King. 11.9, to 12. And this was it for which the Lord afterward delivered Rehoboam, and his people of Judah, over into the hand of Shishak King of Egypt: they cast off the Rule and Law of God, and therefore he determined of them thus, They shall be his servants, that they may know my service, 
2 Chro. 12 2 8  and the service of the Kingdoms of the Countries. Suitable hereunto is that which the Lord saith of Israel in the Prophet; 
Ezek. 20.24, 25.  Because they had not executed my Judgements, but had despised my Statutes, etc. wheresore I gave them also Statutes that were not good, and Judgements whereby they should not live.  
Lastly, We are in doubt and danger of the Removal of the Gospel from us, either by Apostasy, or Persecution, or both, (for these have been wont usually to tread one upon the heels of the other, and therefore I say we are in that danger,) and if so it be, what is the reason? It is the proper product of our unworthy and contemptuous carriage towards it 
* Mat. 21.43 .  
4. This is the sin which our Consciences do now take to, and reflect upon, as the procuring Cause of all our miseries, and particularly of this hiding of God from prayers. That so it is, I shall not go about to confirm by reason or instance; it is sufficient to refer to, and the proper evidence thereof is, the sense and dictate of every man's conscience; of theirs, especially, who are cordially observant of the evils we lie under from God, and of the incentives of them from ourselves. There may be indeed, yea there is partiality and indulgence in every one to himself: Few of us smite upon our own breasts, or say each one to himself, This Soul is guilty hereof: But the contempt of God's Word is ordinarily in men's mouths as a charge upon others, and is noted for a sin of this reigning nature, and predominant influence.  
5. Last of all, The evil under present consideration (the Lords hiding from our prayers) looketh full upon this sin by way of proportion and similitude. This desertion is an answerable punishment or correction to that sin. It is one denial, one put off for another: We hearken not to God in his Word; and God harkeneth not to us in our prayers: We manifest no delight in God's Word; God manifesteth no pleasure that he takes in our seekings of him. The Gospel of peace is not entertained with acceptance by us; we receive not an answer of peace to our supplications: We yield not to God; God yields not to us: We defer our obedience to his Will; and he delays the grant of our wishes.  
Thus much of the first master Sin of England.  
The other I now come unto; to wit, the high and dear esteem, advancement, and love of a worldly-private-Interest. This and the former sin are usually to be met with together; they are like two Germane Sisters, or Twins, that are born and grow up together. Where the Word of God falls, and lies under contempt and loathing, there an earthly-self-Interest lifteth up its head, and carries men's hearts and adorations after it: and vice versa, where worldly-interest gains favour and esteem, there the Gospel comes into disgrace and disrespect. The Word and the World are as contraries, that do mutually expel and remove one another. Earthly-mindedness is the Anti-Gospel, Antichristian Sin. The Gospel sets up the life of Faith; Earthly-mindedness sets up the life of Sense: That carries to things unseen, and eternal; this fixeth on things seen, and temporal. Christ calleth us out of the world; this setteth up our rest in the world. Christ commands us to forsake all that we have; this enjoins us to grasp at all the world, and hold fast all that we can get. Christ conquers the world unto us; this captivates us to the world. Christ teacheth us to deny ourselves; this wills us to love and save ourselves. And as these two (the contempt of the Word, and the adoring of Self-Interest) are bred, and live together; so they concur and work together for the obstruction of prayers. It is the latter I am now to speak to; and for brevity's sake I will jointly assert, that it is the sin, and the reigning sin of England as to this effect.  
What is now the professed study, care, and projection? what is the labour, strife, and adventure of men? It is to make themselves rich, high, safe, free, and potent; and that with little or no respect to Religion, Conscience, other men's, or the public Interest. The Land, though it be very full of various opinions and parties, divided and subdivided in point of Judgement, yet it is not so full of them, as it is of particular Interests, each whereof is preferred by its owner above the whole. We are indeed lately new-termed a Commonwealth; but let it be without offence, if I say what is undeniably true, and plain to be seen, to wit, these two words: 1. Private Wealth and common Poverty were never more procured then since we were a Commonwealth. 2. If it had not been for private-wealth and Interest, the Commonwealth had not had so many friends and followers.  
It hath been in divers ages a catching opinion, that Faith and Religion brings a kind of temporal right, or an earthly privilege, dominion, and pre-eminence. The Jews extracted such a worldly notion out of the Promises and Privileges they had by their father Abraham, and those they expected by the Messiah 
a Jo. Selden de Jur. Nat. lib. 6. cap. 3. p. 678. & cap. 12. p. 730. & cap. 18. pag. 770. & cap. 19 p. 774, etc. . The Disciples of Christ until after his Ascension, harboured a strain of that Jewish fancy 
b Mark 9.34.10.35 Acts 1.6. . After that the Corinthians, and other Heretics in the Christian Church, took up the conceit 
c Augustin. de Haeres. . But more notoriously and grossly the Mahometans entertained this Opinion, and pursued it with the Sword, unto the erecting of a vast Dominion 
d Appendix ad Aug. de Haeres. & Io. Selden de Jur. Nat. lib. 6. cap. 12. pag. 732. . Of late the 
e Io. Sleiden, Com. lib. 10. Cambden Elizab. Tom. 2. p. 34.  Anabaptists in Germany, and Hacket, and his Complices here, were possessed with this principle unto a strange height of fury and dotage. And it is very probable there are some now among us that have sucked in this for a Doctrine: They have laid but a weak title to any other warrant, and what they allege, they quickly take from themselves by their contrary actions: If indeed they hold this Doctrine, they think it fit to practise then preach it; to keep it to themselves, then to proselyte others to it. Sure I am, for any to challenge, by virtue of Saintship or Christianity, a right to dispossess others, and to assume to themselves as much of the property and rule of this world as they can lay their hands on, is one of the most unsaintlike and unchristian points that is imaginable. The Devil once entitled himself to the Monarchy of the World 
* Luk. 4.16 ; and after him, the man of sin, the Pope, hath claimed it: And whatsoever sort of men do take to themselves such a pre-eminence, upon such a ground as is abovesaid, they are not the followers of Christ, but of these two, and the direct contradictors of the Gospel. But my work here is not to prosecute them with a Confutation. Whether it be this principle, or that downright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (the insatiable greedy desire after the things of this world, and a ruined bent to have them, by what means soever) or both, that prevails, certain it is that the hearts of men are exceedingly inflamed with the love of an earthly-self-interest: This is the powerful attractive, the swaying concernment, the axletree that actions and affairs now move upon. Let us in one word measure the regnancy of this sin by the afore-given characters.  
1. This is general: It was once said of Judah, From the least of them even unto the greatest of them, 
Jer. 6.13  every one is given to covetousness. Can any less be said of England? There are many new and strange Sects noted among us, but there is one not of a new rise, but of late much increased, and the most numerous Sect of any that is to be found, which is, that of the Mammonists: this is the greatest Sect, the strongest party you can meet with amongst them all: nay, these cannot properly be called a party, they are rather the whole. All other parties and Sects, though they be never so much divided, and opposite to one another in other regards, yet they meet and agree in this, in Mammonitism: They agree not indeed in an unanimous prosecution and participation of the world's Interest; yea, many times the reason of their jars is in truth (though pretended to be for other things) their being too much  in the affection and pursuit of the world: but they thus far agree in it, that they are all competitors and designers for it.  
2. This is the common root, or mother of most, or all other sins among us. The Prophet saith of those of his time, 
Ezek. 7, 19  Their silver and their gold was the stumbling block of their iniquity: that is, It was that which made them fall, and cast them down into their other sins. 
1 Tim. 6.9 10  In like manner saith the Apostle, They that will be rich fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,— for the love of money is the root of all evil. So it is with us, an excessive love, a dear respect to earthly-self-concernments, breeds and brings forth all the iniquities of the times. This I might manifest in a multitude of particulars: Take but these few.  
What makes men Heretics, Inventors or Broachers and Advancers of erroneous and pernicious Doctrines? The Apostle Peter will show us: Through covetousness it is; and by having an heart exercised with covetous practices; and by following the way of Balaam, 
2 Pet. 2.1, 3, 14, 15  who loved the wages of unrighteousness, that men become false Teachers, and bring in damnable Heresies; and in that trade make merchandise of people, and beguile unstable Souls. And the Apostle Paul also tells us in the passage even now cited, 
1 Tim. 6.10  While some have coveted after money, they have erred from the Faith 
* Some have derived the original of all Popish Errors from ambition and avarice; or (as others) from the Cardinal's Caps, and the Monk's Bellies. Mr Gilespy, Miscellan. chap. 12. pag. 143. .  
What hath stirred up and fomented all the unhappy Wars and Contentions among us? The genuine and main cause hath been the competitions and emulous conivalship of the several adverse parties about this self-earthly-interest: The true state of the many quarrels hath been, which should be great in rule and riches. I know other things have been more spoken of, held forth, and insisted on, as being more specious; We have been called out to appear for Religion, the fundamental Government in the three Estates, the Privileges of Parliament, the Liberty of the Subject, the Peace and common Good of the three Kingdoms: But the upshot of these agitations hath discovered what was the first moving cause of them in many persons. We may (I think) infallibly conclude that to have been the end and last aim, and first mover in any undertaking, unto which it is used and improved, when it is accomplished. Now whether the victories, power, and peace attained by the adventures and commotions, have been improved by the possessors of them unto Religion, and those other interests held forth, or unto self-worldly-interest, I leave to the impartial observers, yea to the persons themselves, to judge.  
What's the reason Religion goes not forward? the Reformation and Settlement of it is, or hath, until very newly, been, at the one end of every business, and of every Declaration, and yet it is not effected, nor really promoted? The reason is, This Interest comes still in the way, and crosseth it. It sometimes consists with, or forwardeth a private temporal design, to seem zealous and resolved for Religion; but a through, zealous course unto activity and performance doth seldom stand with the said design: and therefore when it becomes an impediment, it is shifted off. The Jews, being set upon their Domestic Interests, say, The time is not come, 
Hag. 1 2  the time that the Lords House should be built. The like excuses men now find to lay down Reformation, and from the same root: Men say, The time is not for it, the way is not found out, or clear, the State is not secure, men will not be brought in, Superiors do not countenance, there is little hope of doing any good, they dare not strain upon men's consciences; and such like put-offs are alleged. But what? Gehazi can make it a time to receive moneys (and to strain for that) to buy Lands, to bring men in by the horn for his own purpose, and to over-aw Conscience for his own turn.  
What's the reason of the discontents, mutinies, and tumults among us? Men are generally possessed with a jealous, repining, and restless spirit. No man (scarce) containeth himself within his place, or enjoyeth his mind: Nothing but murmuring and grudges at, or clashing and thwarting with one another. Whence is this Erinys, or malcontented, turbulent disposition? Why thus it is: The heart is vehemently, inordinately, impatiently set upon this worldly Interest, to have and enjoy it in peculiar. The state of the World is a limited and scant possession, there is not room or extent enough in it to suffice all its Paramours: every one therefore labours to enclose and sequester it to himself, 
Isai. 5.8  that he may be placed alone in the midst of the Earth: And hence it becomes the spawn of discontent and discords unto its admirers and adorers. 
Gen. 26.19  Isaac's servants and the herdsmen of Gerar strove for one Well after another, until at length the former digged a Well called Rehoboth (that is, Room) and so they rested. We shall never be quiet among ourselves while our minds are passionately addicted to this world's goods, wherein there is not room. The scantiness of this Interest, and the boundlessness of men's affections to it, hurries us into uproars and confusions about it. This oportet habere; this Interest is the Diana, the magnifico of these times, and the jealousy that men are in of being hindered one by another in their prosecution of it, is that which stirs them up (like Demetrius and fellow craftsmen) to make head, and run into parties, and fill all with noise and disorder. The lower sort start up, and strive to lay hold on, and get it to themselves: The higher sort having it, travel and employ their heads and hands to keep and enlarge it for themselves and theirs: The mean would be great, the great would be greater, the greater would be yet the greatest, or great alone: hence all our commotions, and combustions, and feverish furies. We are become like the raging waves of a tempestuous Sea, that some at, and break themselves one upon another. It is observed, that the Jews in Christ's time being set upon the expecting and longing after an earthly Deliverance, Kingdom, and Happiness by their Messiah, whom as about that time they looked for, they were thereby become very prone to Sedition and Insurrections against the Roman State; and exceeding apt to set up, or embrace false Christ's (which was the reason of our Saviour's cautions to his, to beware of false Christ's 
* Matt. 24 2, 23, 24, 26 Mark 13.6 Luke 21.8 ) even any one that would pretend to be a head and vindicator to them of that nature: and by means of that conceit, and those distempers arising from it, they never rested until they brought the Roman Emperor upon them unto their utter ruin 
† See Tho. goodwin's Serm. on Psa. 105.14 and Dr Jackson in Serm. p. 32 . It is a sad presage now to us, to see both the like aestuations and stirs among us, and withal the Roman Beast hover over us, to set up himself and his abomination that maketh desolate again in the midst of us. And what sets all these Hurlyburlies on foot, and creates this omen, but the impetuous minding of an earthly felicity, a worldly Christ?  
What makes men so grossly and diversely misapply both Scripture and Providences? The plain sense of Scripture is wrested, and the clear Authority of it is obscured; and it is from hence: men's consulting their worldly interest, blinds the mind, and corrupts the judgement, and silenceth, if not seareth, the Conscience. The world is a pearl in the eye, it makes the eye evil, double, and dark; 
Mat. 6.22 23  so that it seethe nothing, though never so evident, but what agreeth with it. He that is set upon his gain, and commodity, he dissents from wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness: 
1 Tim 6.3 5  He becomes of a corrupt mind, and destitute of the Truth. Divine Providences are misconceived also; how comes it about? Gain is become Godliness, Gold is made a God, and Prosperity is put in stead of Piety; and men of this mind will upon all occurrencies construe Gods approving or disapproving Will to be as things temporal succeed well, or prove improsperous. An unhappy rule it is to go by.  
What's the cause of Persecution, where, or whensoever ye see it in the world? Self-interest is the most ordinary cause. Come, say the Husbandmen (in the Parable of the Vineyard) this is the heir, 
Luk. 20.14  come let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. A Kingdom made Hazael an inhuman, 
2 Kin. 8.12  dogged Persecutor, notwithstanding his former abhorrency of it. This was the principal ground of the persecution of Christ, and his Apostles, and Church, by the High Priests and Elders of the Jews, 
Joh. 11.49 50. & 19.12, 13. Mat. 2.3, 16. Act. 16.19 & 17 6, 7, 8. & 12.25 & 24 5.  by Herod, by Pilate, and others. Men do nowadays condemn and oppose principles, ways, and persons hand over head, in respect of any conscientious warrant; that is, not for that they find them sinful, or stand to examine that, but because they meet with them in an opposite party and posture to their earthly interest and concernment.  
What's the reason of that delusion (above touched) of a temporal felicity, earthly promotion, enrichment and power by Religion or Christianity? Men are wont to dream of what their mind is most upon; those therefore whose hearts are bend upon the world, do easily dream of such a matter: That fantastical conceit, that State embroiling and subverting doctrine, is the hatching of a sordid, earthly spirit.  
What's the reason of the many screwed and conscience-relucting compliances that men make now adays? Some men can say, swear, subscribe, act, oppose any thing, as the times turn: their private interest is the oil that supples them, the shooinghorn that draws on what would otherwise pinch. We may observe some carnal and self-interested Christians in the primitive Church devised ways of accommodating their Religion with the strain of the times and people where they lived; and this was for their beloved worldly concernments sake. So did the Galatians, 
Gal. 6.12.  or some of them, endeavour to comply with the Jews in point of Circumcision and Ceremonies, to avoid persecution for the Cross of Christ. For that end did the Corinthians 
1 Cor. 8.1, etc.  (as it seemeth) labour to temporize with the Gentiles in communion with them in Idolothytes. In like manner did some of the Christian Soldiers under Julian the Apostate; to receive their pay, 
Mr Clarks Martyrol. 1 p. 84.  they cast incense into the fire of the Idolatrous Altars which Julian set for that purpose to be a train to draw them to a denial of their Religion. If men did not immoderately favour the world, they would never do that which proves after a sting to their conscience, a blur to their profession, and a dishonour to their name: Their tenderness and indulgence to their estate-concernments, makes them harsh and violent to their inward principles and conscience. Two things I fear (when I consider the course of things, and the shifts and turns of men in them) and I will here express them. 1. That those evasions and compliances will not serve, they must be thundered, frighted out of those their Zoars, greater trials must sift them out of those holes. 2. That men will hardly stop at their present shifts, but that those will dispose them to admit of greater, wider compliances: And what will they do in the end thereof? It may come to that again, whether you will carry a Taper, and bear a faggot to the fire, in renunciation of Protestantism.  
Lastly, To take in all at once, the many enormous crimes, the indirect courses, the violent practices, the irreligious, unrighteous and perfidious contrivements and achievements that have been acted in these times, have sprung from hence: men have absolutely and unmeasurably addicted themselves to the affection and service of their own earthly interest: this they are peremptorily resolved on, that they will maintain and enlarge all they can, their fortune (as they call it) in the world, be it by right or wrong: They lay down to themselves for a principle that of the Satirist, 
Juvenal. Satyr. 14. — Vnde habeas quaerit nemo, sed oportet habere. The Apostle Paul foretelling to Timothy, that perilous times shall be (or, as the word may be rendered, hurtful, troublesome, cruel times) in these last days, he reckoneth up nineteen several vices, or sorts of depraved persons, as the causes of those bad times; and in the head of them all, as the leaders or common parents of the rest, he placeth, the lovers of their own selves, and the covetous. 
Ind fere scelerum causa; nec plura venena miscuit aut ferro grassatur saepiu● ullum Humanae mentis vitium quam saeva cupido Indomiti census: nam dives qui fieri vult, & cito vult fieri; sed quae reverentia legum? Quis metus, aut pudor est unquam properantis avari? Ad scelus atque nefas quodcunque est purpura ducit. Juvenal. Satyr. 14.  That which he then said shall be now we do see: The whole band of those vicious persons are broken in upon us, or risen up out of us; and their chief, or the king of them, is this Apollyon, the self-lover, and next unto him, as his second, is the covetous.  
3. It is a sin which the Lord doth specially appear against, and strike at, in his present proceed among us. This is very evident to him that will see. Whilst people of all degrees are busy with head and hand, by policy and power, or industry, to raise and secure their Interest in the world; so that Religion, Truth, Right, and public Peace are nothing regarded in comparison of it; the Lord seems even to set himself against them, and to cross, thwart, and curse them in that their beloved concernment. What is become of those secular Prerogatives and Privileges, of the which superior persons have been so much more jealous and tender then of the weightier things of their charge, particularly the honour of God, the safety and lustre of his Truth, and the purity and order of his House? What satisfaction or success have others had in all their private labours, cares, and ploddings for the world? The solicitude and turmoil of most hath proved to be vain and void; yea, to their loss, and going backward: so that we may say with the Prophet, Behold, is it not of the Lord of Hosts, that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? 
Hab. 2.13  Have not we experience of this? men's worldly endeavours now are as labour in the very fire, wherein the laborers have pain in stead of profit, and their work consumes as fast as they make it.  
Verily the toil, adventures, and strive of the most in these days for their earthly respects, comes to the same reckoning with theirs in Haggai; 
Hag. 1.6  Ye have sown much, and bring in little, etc. all endeavours prove unhappy and abortive: and it is from the same agent, and for the same cause that then it was so. I did blow upon it: Why, saith the Lord of Hosts? because of mine house that is waste, 
Verse 9  and ye turn every man to his own house. Never were people more intent and desirous to grow high, great, and rich in the world, then of late have been, and now are, the men of this generation; and how remarkably, even to almost every man's conviction, doth God appear against them, unto their debasement and impoverishment, by Wars and distractions, at home and abroad, by Land and Sea? The Lord by his ways may be conceived to have passed a peremptory sentence of us, as in the words of the Prophet; Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown; yea, their stock shall not take root in the Earth: 
Isai. 40.34  and he shall also blow upon them; and they shall whither; and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. q. d. Men would fain take root in the Earth, they assay to sow, to plant, they attempt all ways of thriving in the ground; but all in vain, God is against them in it; he says it thrice over, they shall not, they shall not, they shall not; which may respect those three ways of disappointment: Either he prevents them in the beginning, they shall not be planted, they shall not be sown; he denies them materials wherewith, or soil wherein to set up their husbandry: Or he crosseth their progress, their stock shall not take root in the Earth; either the storms from without shake it, or some vermin at the root, some secret curse of God, deads' it, that the stock of wealth, parts, or friends, with which they set up, rots and consumes in the Earth: Or he blasteth them before the harvest, they shall whither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble; all their gay, hopeful, and promising flourishes do in a short while, ere the years end, miscarry: if they can stand out ordinary storms which nip others, the Lord himself will blow upon them with his mighty whirlwind, and that turns their fruit into dried stubble.  
In the midst of the falls and miscarriages of the most, some it may be gather and go away with great spoils of wealth, honour, and advancement; but what quiet or comfort have they withal? what blessing, either from God or man, attends them? Do we not see the Lord sending among the fat ones leanness, and kindling under their glory a burning? 
Isa. 10.16, 33.  Do we not see the Lord lopping the bough with terror, and the high ones of stature are hewn down? We see one War, Combustion, and Change coming after another, in which the greatest do take their turns both in ascending and coming down. There is a War now on foot threatening sad things in many respects; and particularly in this of men's worldly interest: if it go on, as it must needs wear and waste the Community in Blood and Treasure, by Slaughter, Impositions, and loss of Trade, so it may abate and shrink the strongest Power, the highest arm of flesh, the deepest Treasury. Methinks the Lord bespeaks our Mammonists and Matchiavels less and greater now, as he did them of Judah or Israel by Isaiah: 
Isai. 10 3.  And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? etc.  
4. Let the Consciences of men speak: Do we not generally acknowledge this to be the reigning sin of the times? Do we not universally note and complain of it? We take not the charge of every one home to himself, yet we cry out of it in one another, and as the sin of the age. The Country charge the Soldiery with it, the Soldiery lay it upon them of higher place and office. Clients and Suitors complain of it in Courts and Judicatories, and they again retort it. The Ministers reprove it in the people, and some of the people cast it upon their Ministers. None own it in themselves, but every one asperseth his neighbour with it. I shall not here say where it lies more than otherwhere, or endeavour the excuse of any: but thus it is evident by every man's confession, that it is the Nations regnant sin.  
6. To conclude: This is a sin which the evil under present consideration (the Lords hiding from prayers) reflecteth on by way of proportion: This evil is a suitable retaliation to that fault. In having recourse to God by prayer, we make profession to place our Interest in Heaven: but, if under that profession our hearts, our dependencies be nevertheless upon the Earth, it is but suitable that God should put us back, and our interest in Heaven desert us in our recourse to it: In so doing God doth but say to us, as he did once of Israel; Where are their gods, 
Deut. 32.37, 38. See Judg. 10.14.  their rock in whom they trusted; which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offerings? let them rise up and help you now, and be your protection.  
If our ambition and aim be to be great and potent in this world, we must think to be but weak in Heaven: If we will court the world, we must expect but cold entertainment with God: If we make the world our friend, we must look that God should be strange to us: If the world be in all the request with us, we shall be but in little request with God. Jacob was a Prince with God, when he was but weak in the world. If we seek an earthly Princedom as our promotion and stay, we must be no Israel's, none of God's favourites. The Apostle James 
Jam. 4.3, 4 8  at large teacheth us this; Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God.— Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: but withal, cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double-minded.  
I will proceed no further in the prosecution of the predominant Sins of England in the production of this sad effect of prayer-obstruction. And having done with it, I am come to the close of those three Propositions, which I laid down for the resolution of this grand Case of Prayer as it is ours; and so I have finished (as far as I now intent) the resolution itself.  
I apprehend myself in this Section to have run the hazard of falling under censure diversely, as of attempting too highly; of redundancy of amplification; of deficiency in discovery; of boldness and plainness of reprehension; of mistake or error in judging: but my design hath been to avoid what is justly culpable in any of these respects; and for what is not severely , rather to cast myself upon the candour of my Reader, with submission to his judicious correction, than not to endeavour (seeing I have undertaken it) what I may, the satisfaction of the anxious Christian, and the awakening of the drowsy in a point so material.   

SECT. VIII.  
What may be the Reason of the Lords seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary to those of his People.  
HAving gone through this enquiry [What may be the Reason of the Lords hiding himself from his People's Prayers grounded upon his Promises?] I have in a manner answered the whole Query propounded in the beginning of this Chapter: Only whereas it was divided into two parts 
* See Sect. 4. , and the latter [which is, What may be the Reason of the Lords seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary to those of his People?] I have directly and distinctly said nothing unto; I shall therefore here remember it, but in one word. The resolution of the former I take to be the main, both in point of necessity, and in the intent of the Proposer: and it is moreover in effect the answering of this latter: for the prayers in the former, from which the Lord hides himself, and the prayers in the latter, which seem to be answered by him, are supposed to be contrary to each other; so that the suspense of the one is the succeeding of the other: and the Reasons which move God to hid himself from the one, and to answer the other, are the same, especially in relation to the people of God. In a word therefore, the Reasons for which the Lord seemeth by his Providences to answer the prayers which are contrary to his peoples, may be twofold.  
1. In relation to them that pray those contrary prayers: It is in wrath to them, and in judgement against them. This it must needs be; for the prayers of the people of God are presupposed to be (at least for matter) good, and agreeable to the Will of God: the prayers then that are contrary to them must needs be for their matter sinful, as repugnant to the revealed Will of God, or rule of Prayer; and what is so sinful, success therein must needs be in wrath and judgement. For a man to prosper in his evil way, to bring his wicked devices to pass, though he join prayer therewith, it cannot but be his sin; yea, his conjunction of that holy performance of prayer, with his unlawful enterprise, much addeth to his sin 
* As the Scribes & Pharisees devouring Widows houses, & for a pretence making long prayer, made their condemnation the greater. Mat. 23.14 : and that which is the proper fruit or product of sin, must needs be judgement and punishment. It is one of the styles which is given to the judgements of God upon men for their sins, they are called, the fruit of their own way, and the fruit of their own thoughts. When God therefore performeth or speedeth such prayers, it is in his displeasure to them, and for their hurt: It had been better for them not to have had their desires 
† Bernard calls this misericordia omni indignatione crudelior. . It may be a judgement to them two ways.  
1. In being an occasion or means of increasing their sin; this is a heavy judgement. Men by prospering in their evil designs, especially when they (as they think) obtain them by prayer; when they are the sequel, and (they take it) the issue of their devotions, they take occasion thereby of delusion, infatuation, hardening, and furtherance in Sin: 
Prov. 1.31 Jer. 6 19  Their Table is their snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense: 
Rom. 11.9  What Table is this? May it not be the Table on which they spread their prayers before God? or, may it not be applied to that Council Table of the chief Priests, Scribes, and Elders; of the Jews, at which they consulted to take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him? which plot, 
Mat. 26.4  because they prosperously achieved (even beyond their hopes, doing it, by the help of Judas, in the Feast of the Passover, in the most open and ignominious manner, which they doubted they could not do) they therefore concluded their action good, 
Mat. 27.63, 43  and that Christ justly suffered as an Impostor: They tied the proof of his Innocency, and of his being the Christ, upon the event of their prosecution of him; and therefore they said, when Christ was upon the Cross, He trusted in God, 
Mark 15.32  let him deliver him now if he will have him; or as Beza, if he be grateful or pleasing to him; and, Let Christ the King of Israel come down from the Cross, that we may see and believe.  
Prevalency in evil undertake carried on with prayer, putteth on and emboldeneth to many sins: For example; 1. It lifts men up in pride: H●nce that of David, Grant not, O Lord, 
Psa. 140.8  the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked device, lest they exalt themselves. 2. It makes men the more violent and fierce in their enmity and persecution of the people of God. Sennacherib made this one ground of his rage and insolent threats against Hezekiah and his people, Am I now come up without the Lord against this Land to destroy it? 
Isai. 36.10  The Lord said unto me, Go up against this Land, and destroy it. 3. Upon it they justify themselves, and wax more confident of the goodness of their way. Ephraim saith, I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labours they shall find none iniquity, that were sin. 
Hos. 12.8  As some deceive themselves in thinking they pray w●ll (or aright for matter) therefore they shall speed; so others delude themselves in arguing they speed well, therefore they do pray well. Cambden hath observed of the Wild Irish (as was once before said) that when they go to rob, they pour out their prayers to God, 
Cambdens Britannia of Ireland, page 144  that they may meet with a booty: and they suppose a cheat or booty is sent unto them from God as his gift: neither are they persuaded, that either violence, or rapine, or manslaughter displeaseth God; for in no wise would he present unto them the opportunity, if it were a sin; nay, a sin it were, if they did not lay hold on the said opportunity. 4. They take occasion thereby to go on the more securely and presumptuously in their sinful course. The Jews in Egypt peremptorily determine to go on in their Idolatry, in direct contradiction to the Prophets forewarning them from it in the Name of the Lord; and they take their boldness from hence, Because when they were at home, and burned Incense there to the Queen of Heaven, 
Jer. 44.16, 17  they had plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. Job 
Job 12.6  observes also, They that provoke God are secure, into whose hands God bringeth abundantly.  
2. As their success in prayer proves their temptation to sin, so it becomes their precipice to cast them headlong upon their ruin. Those wicked men in Jeremiah, 
Jer. 12.1, 2 3  who have God near in their mouth, but far from their reins, and in that posture go on prosperously in their way, their happiness is but their preparation, or fat pasture, to fit them for the day of slaughter. Solomon saith, The prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 
Prov. 1.32  This was made memorably good in Israel, who in the wilderness tempting God by ask meat for their lusts; 
Numb. 11 33 Psa 78.18 etc.  when God gave them their own desires by sending them quails, and they did eat, and were filled with them; while the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God fell upon them in a very great plague.  
2. There are Reasons of it in relation to the people of God, whose prayers are supposed thereby to be crossed.  
1. It may be for their sins: It is not the virtue or value of those prayers, but the vileness of the sins of God's people, which makes way for, or lifts up those prayers to Heaven: They are the same sins on the part of God's people, which stop their prayers, and promote the prayers of their opposites: Their Transgressions do at the same time bring them down very low, 
Deut. 28.43, 44  and lift up the stranger that is among them very high above them; they make them the tail, and these the head: They move God to cast off, and abhor, and be wroth with them, 
Psa. 89.38 42  and to set up the right hand of their adversaries.  
2. It may be to accomplish those ends which the Lord aimeth at also in his hiding from their prayers. Their not speeding in their own, and their beholding the success of the contrary prayers, may work together for the ripening of the same ends. Emulation at their corrivals may be a notable spur, together with their own disappointment, to forward them in the attainment of those aims.  
3. One end it may be more especially for in relation to them, to wit, for their probation or trial. The Prophet saith (looking upon the wicked man's happiness in his hypocritical devotion) Thou, 
Jer. 12.3  O Lord, hast tried mine heart towards thee: Possibly he might mean that very spectacle was his trial. What Moses forewarneth the people of God of, in reference to false Prophecy, may be (methinks) fitly applied to false Devotion: If a Prophet, or a Dreamer, give thee a sign or a wonder, when he saith, Let us go after other gods, etc. and the sign or the wonder come to pass, Thou shalt not hearken to that Prophet, or Dreamer; 
Deut. 13.1 etc.  for the Lord your God proveth you, to know wh●ther you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your Soul. In like manner in our case; If any do for a pretence, or the promotion of a bad purpose, call upon God, and the prayer come to pass, we must take it to be a trial from God, whether our love and loyalty be sound or no: And indeed it is a notable and strong trial, when the cloak of Piety, and the course of Divine Providence, in prospering the Tabernacles of Robbers, do, 
Job 12▪ 6  like the hot Sun upon Jonahs' head, cast their bright beams upon our faces. The servants of God, who are cordially godly, are apt to be taken with a form of godliness in others; and being given both to prayer, and to the eyeing of Providence, they are much afflicted with the cross or happy success of the one, and proceeding of the other. Where therefore they observe a course of Prayer, and an instance or series of Providence going together, and the cause or way on which they attend, to be contradictory (in their view) both to the rule of Scripture, and their own prayers grounded thereon, there they are very hard put to, to keep steadfast: whilst on the one hand they are bottomed upon the sure Word of holy Writ, on the other they are encountered with the goodly rays of the most just and wise disposal of God, and the serious devotions of men. But this is no greater a trial than is that in the case of Prophecy above cited: and therefore, as Moses saith upon it, Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet, or that Dreamer of Dreams; 
Verse 2  so must we resolve in this: and the ground we must stand upon, and stick unto, is that which Moses there delivers them by way of Antidote against that temptation; Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his Commandments, 
Verse 4  and obey his voice. Where the voice of God in his Word and Commandments is given as the rule to guide, and the weight to preponderate or sway the judgement, in a question, wherein the Providence of God, in the coming to pass of a sign or wonder, in favour of a way cross to that of God's commandment, is produced; I know this is a trial which may move the servants of God, but it must not remove them. It doth happily shake them, when as they have not only the doubts and despondencies of their own delay or disappointment in prayer to conflict with, but the upbraid and insultings of their successful opposites, and their own vexations and murmur thereby stirred up to wrestle with, and vanquish: but though it shake, it must not cast them down. They must take this condition as a trial from God of their fidelity to him: Let them say, This is the test or proof of my faithfulness, and I must endure it.    

CHAP. V.  
The fourth and last Query considered; viz. What use should be made of this proceeding of God, to wit, his hiding himself from his People's Prayers grounded upon his Promises; and seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto.  
HAving so largely insisted on the other Queries, I have the more need to abbreviate in this: neither doth the question itself require copiousness.  
Th● uses I have thought of shall be comprised under two heads: The case being thus with us, or so far as this is or may be our case, two things it may put us on to learn (or remember) in relation to our practice: 1. In what sort we are to carry or demean ourselves under it. 2. What is to be done, or which is the way to be taken, for the help and remedy of it. I begin with the first.  
It concerneth us in this condition that our carriage be directed, 1. In the refraining of certain Errors, or miscarriages, which we are therein prone to fall into. 2. In the exercise of certain Graces, or Duties, which are in it especially seasonable and necessary.  

SECT. I.  
Certain Errors to be shunned in case of the Lords hiding from his People's Prayers, and answering the contrary Prayers unto them.  
FIrst, when the Lord hideth himself from his People's Prayers, as is abovesaid, there are some miscarriages into which we are apt to slide, and of which we are to beware. David, being in such a case as this, determined thus with himself: 
Psal. 39.1  I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked are before me. He was at this time in some sharp affliction, and under it lay in some kind deserted of God (as is vers. 12. imported by him,) and being so, he was exposed to the reproach of his wicked Enemies, vers. 8. their reproaches in all probability were exprobrations of him as a criminal person, and as therefore forsaken of God; and exultations over him, as having the better (in their present external condition) of him: It being thus with him, he resolveth on it as his duty, to keep a charge over his ways, lest he should exceed his bounds: and especially he enjoineth silence upon his Tongue; he hard muzzleth his mouth, as being in that part most in danger to fly out. This is to be our course: There are divers misdemeanours we are in th' s condition propense unto, and therefore we must take special care to shun them.  
1. Take heed of impeaching God, of accusing or calling into question any of his Attributes or Actions. Job 
Job 1.22.  hath for this left us a precedent; he adored God under his dismal losses; he abstained from charging God foolishly. We all acknowledge the Sun ever shines brightly, and is without the least mote of darkness in its sphere, though the clouds of the air, and the darkness of the night sometimes overshadow it from us. So must we think and speak of God: Though we cannot always clear to our view how our prayers succeed with him, yet we ever must clear the rectitude of his process with us. In the Prophet Malachi, when divine Worship, Fasting and Prayer were by the most concluded vain and unprofitable, yet then there were some few pious Souls that feared the Lord, 
Mal 3.16. Drusius in loc.  and that thought upon his Name, or (as some expound the latter ●lause) that highly prized his Name: the Name of God was by them, even under that dark cloud that then sat upon Religion and Prayer, dearly esteemed and honoured. We ought not only to believe, confess, and magnify the Lord as God when he appears to us as he did to Elijah, by fire, 
1 Kin 8.39  when the question was in deciding betwixt him and the Priests of Baal, which was the true God, for so that halting people of Israel then did, but when he hides himself from us; as those did in the Prophet, 
Isai. 45.15  Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.  
Under this desertion we are to sit down satisfied of, and to subscribe unto, and to proclaim to others the crystal clearness of God,  
1. In point of Equity and Righteousness. Excellent for its piety and our pattern is that of David; having sadly cried out (in his own person literally, and typically in Christ's) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? etc. Psal. 22.1, 2. in the very next word● he saith, But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 
Psal. 22.3.  He declareth his meaning, in the foregoing complaint, to be only to bemoan his own condition, not to accuse the dealing of God; though he complains to God, yet he complains not of God; he professeth, though he find no presence, no hearing, no help of God in his loud and reiterated calling upon him, yet he can find no fault with God. The servants of God, though they can perceive no welcome at the throne of grace, no return from it, yet they must still say with the Psalmist, Justice and Judgement are the habitation of thy Throne: or, 
Psa. 89.19. & 97.2.  as it is in another place, Though clouds and darkness are round about him, yet Righteousness and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne.  
2. In point of mercy and goodness to his people. The Psalmist, though he was much staggered, vexed, puzzled with the wickeds notable felicity, and the godlies continued adversities, yet he resolves, Truly, or, nevertheless God is good to Israel, etc. Be it (as in that Psalm 
Psal. 73.1.  it is set forth at large) be it never so much otherwise in appearance, and to present sense, yet God is good to Israel: Though this cup of consolation, the goodness of the Lord, be not always at their mouths to be tasted of b● them, but on the other side the wine of gladness is poured out to the full into the cup and hand of the wicked, vers. 10. yet still God is good to Israel. It was David's frailty (if he were the Penner of that 77 Psalms) and therefore recorded by him that he might blame himself, by way of repentance, and prevent us from the like, that he moved all those questions; Will the Lord cast off for ever? will he be  no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? and therefore he addeth, I said, this is my infirmity, etc.  
3. In point of Providence, or exact care and attendance unto all things that come to pass. In the crossest course of things the Penman of Psal. 73. 
Psa. 73.23.  confesseth at length, Nevertheless I am continually with thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand, etc. Job 
Job 23.8, 9 10, 14.  acknowledgeth, though in going forward, backward, to the right hand, and to the left, he could not meet with God, yet he knoweth the way that I take— for he performeth the thing that is appointed for me, and many such things are with him. In the time when God standeth afar off, and hideth himself, the wicked man saith in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hide-eth his face, he will never see it, he will not require it: But the servants of God are not of that opinion; in the next words they say, 
Psal. 10.1, 11, 13, 14.  Thou hast seen it, for thou beholdest mischief and spite to requite it with thy hand, etc. In the heaviest oppressions of the poor, and he violentest perverting of judgement in a Province, 
Eccles. 5.8  Solomon minds us, He that is higher than the highest regardeth. Beware therefore lest in dark times, when the Lord will come to search Jerusalem with candles, we be not found settled on our lees, and saying, The Lord will not do good, 
Zeph. 1.12  neither will he do evil. Beware lest with those profane Jews we weary the Lord with our words, in saying, Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, where is the God of Judgement? 
Mal. 2.17.   
4. In point of truth and fidelity. The people of God in Babylon, and under an overclouding of their prayers there, call to mind, and raise up themselves with this, 
Lam. 3.23  Great is thy Faithfulness. David complaining in Psal. 119. now his Soul fainted for God's Salvation, his eyes failed for his Word, doth nevertheless keep close to this, I know, O Lord, that thy Judgements are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 
Psa. 119.75   
Thus are the people of God in a state of dereliction to maintain in themselves clear thoughts of God, his Justice, Goodness, Providential Care, and Fidelity. Though there did not appear any reason for the Lords dealing so with their prayers (which yet we have before seen there doth abundantly,) yet we are to rest satisfied upon those principles that God is invariably holy, gracious, all observing, and true. Many of his ways are deep and unsearchable, but not one of them hath the least taint of the contrary to any of those Attributes. Though we should be left in doubt how the Lord takes, what he will do upon our prayers, though we should see the Lord shining upon the counsels of the wicked, and an horror of great darkness, 
Gen. 15.12  like that of Abraham's falling upon us; yet we must take notice of the burning lamp, 
Verse 17.  as well as of the smoking furnace (as in that appearance of God to Abraham;) we must acknowledge the brightness and lightsomness of God's ways in the midst of our darksome furnace of affliction.  
2. Take heed of making this case an occasion of slighting or disaccounting prayer: although it far thus with the people of God when they have prayed, yet think never the worse of prayer for it; let us not hence fall into a mean esteem or disregard of prayer. The Psalmist, after he had taken a survey of the present flourishing of the ungodly, and suffering of the children of God, doth in the conclusion of the Psalm 
Psa. 73.28  notwithstanding resolve, But it is good for me to draw near to God; those cross Providences, in relation to those two sorts of persons, could not shake his good opinion of prayer. Job 
Job 9.22.  having asserted against h●s three friends, that God dealeth (in some Providences) after a like manner with good and bad, Eliphaz will needs argue from thence, that he restrained prayer before God, that he discouraged men from praying unto God: Though we assent to Jobs 
Job 15.4.  assertion, or should experience it, yet we must not admit of Eliphaz his inference from it; far be it that we should say, So it is, therefore let us no longer make any reckoning of prayer, either to practise it, or hope for good by it: This is a carnal and wretched deduction. If there be a medicinal receipt that is known to be of a sovereign virtue, a man will not contemn, or cast it away, because it may miss a cure once in a thousand times usage, or because it healeth not in the first application. M●n do not therefore neglect or lay aside sowing, or Sea-voyages, because there is ordinarily a long delay, and sometimes there is a disappointment in the harvest, or return of Merchandise expected thereby: for though husbandmen wait for their crop, or adventure, yet at last they usually receive them; and if a seeding, or voyage, miscarry, that's not one of many: So neither should prayer be neglected or disused for the like events upon it. And yet prayer cannot justly be equalled with those affairs in point of swerving: The Seedsman using the best skill and industry imaginable, his labour and hopes may miscarry: The Adventurer employing the greatest providence and art in his voyage, all may be lost: But a servant of God putting up his prayer according to the Will of God, that is, conformably to the revealed Rule, his prayer doth certainly speed some way or other at the last.  
Again, Honest men do not in their thoughts condemn, or in their practice give over the use of the Law, or Trading, because Knaves sometimes by those means obtain as much or more by unrighteousness therein, than the justest persons: So neither ought we to take it either as a disparagement of, or a discouragement from prayer, that men, or ways that are wicked, succeed sometimes well in a course of prayer.  
Two sorts of persons are in the Book of job noted to vilify prayer; the rich and wealthy worldling, job 21.15. & 22.17. and the false hypocrite, job 27.9, 10. And wherefore do they so? The former doth it, because he hath happily attained his desires without, he therefore now thinketh he needeth not to it: The latter doth it, because he hath taken it up for a time, but he findeth not present help by it in his need. Both these are as irrational in their reasoning, as they are profane in their conclusion and practice. Let it be far from us to be swayed by either of their principles: Let neither the prosperous issue of evil desires make prayer seem frivolous to us; nor the present frustration of our expectation by it cause us to conclude it bootless.  
3. Conclude not of the justifiableness or sinfulness of the divine approval or disapproval of a way or cause by the good or bad success of it, or of the prayers that attend it. Say not, the course of these men is pleasing to God, because the event thereof is pleasing to the men themselves: Say not, their cause God disalloweth, because he disappeareth to it. It is great folly to condemn a way for its swerving in success, which if it had stood would have gone for good with us; and while it went on, it stood clear in our censures. It is a Religion next door to Atheism, to reckon the warranting or condemning Will of God by such a measure. How oft must such a Judgement be driven to tack about, and change sides, and dance Ecebolus his turns? We may in these days observe i● some men, that the Religion, way or party which was most odious to them, and most obstinately resolved against by them, they have merely upon this account been first melted into milder thoughts of, and presently linked into deep affection and high admiration of it. It is a miserable mind, that, in stead of embracing that rule of the Apostle for a principle, Godliness is great gain with contentment, will choose the reversed supposal of the worldling, and say, Gain is godliness.  
We in this Age are the more culpable if misled into this error, having seen the vicissitudes that have come upon all interests successively, none excepted, no not theirs who have stood so much upon this argument; having also so many Evangelical maxims and premonitions from our blessed Saviour and his Apostles in the Word to the contrary; and having recorded before us (in sacred Story) so many examples of them that have grossly abused themselves (yea and the Name and Honour of God) with such collections. For the two latter Considerations I will give a few Instances of each.  
For Evangelical Maxims and Premonitions I will refer my Reader to peruse at his leisure Luke 6.20. unto 27. & 16.25. Joh. 15.19. Act. 14.22. 1 Cor. 4.8, to 14. 2 Tim. 2.12. Jam. 2.5, 6, 7. & 5.1, to 7. & vers. 10, 11. Rev. 11.2, to 11. & 13.3, to 9 A●d add the mention of these 〈◊〉 passages. When our Saviour was press●● by the Pharisees and Sadduces (the Jewish Sectaries) to show them a sign from Heaven (to a warrant his actions, or to prove that he was the Christ) he telleth them, 
Mat. 12 38 39, 40. & 16.1, to 5.  A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and further d●nyeth them utterly any sign, (such as they meant, that is, a solemn, magnifical, or signal token, which should make him externally and publicly pompous and glorious to the world;) only they should have the sign of the Prophet Ionas; and that was a sign clean contrary to the strain of their thoughts, even an emblem of humiliation and debasement to the lowest pitch, (which was therefore to them a stumbling stone, and a sign to be spoken against, rather than to confirm them;) For as Ionas was three days and three nights in the Whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth. Again, for the Ages of the Church which follow that of Christ and his Apostles, what do the Scriptures reveal to us touching the use or validity of Providential signs? Why it forewarns us, that the showing of great signs and wonders, a coming with all power, the doing of great wonders, and the working of miracles, are the exploits of false Christ's, false Prophets, the Man of Sin, the second Beast, 
Mat. 7.22. & 24.24. 2 Thes. 2.9 Rev. 13.13 14. & 16.14. & 19.20.  the false Prophet, and the three unclean spirits that come out of the mouth of the Dragon, the Beast, and the false Prophet. And the reason why Miracles, Signs and Wonders do cease in the true Church before and in the times of Antichrist, and do appear on the side, and among the followers of Antichrist, was rendered long since by John Hus (and not only by him, but before that long, by Augustin, Chrysostom, Isiodore, and Gregory, alleged by him) to wit, because the Church of Christ must be persecuted, and seem abject and forsaken; and must overcome by the confession of the Truth, 
See Mr Fox Acts and Mon. vol 1. pag. 593, etc.  by holiness, and shining in good works, and by love and patience, and not by power; and Antichrist must sway all, and have full power to persecute; and hypocrites, that look after Temporals more than Spirituals, must be discovered, and the true Saints tried, and Carnalists justly punished with that snare of specious signs.  
As for the Examples of such as have grossly mistaken and deluded themselves with such collections, take these few. Those stubborn Idolatrous jews in jeremiah, having told him (in answer to a solemn message from the Lord unto them) that they would not hearken unto him speaking unto them in the Name of the Lord, but they would pertinaciously adhere to their own way, in burning incense, and pouring out drink-offerings to the Queen of Heaven, they render this for their ground, We, and our fathers, etc. have done thus in judea; 
Jer. 44.16, etc.  and then we had plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil: but since we left off that worship, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword, and by the famine. Saul hearing that David was come to Keilah, he thought he had him then couped up, and at his mercy; and thereupon he would needs gather, that God had done it in favour of his cause, 
1 Sam. 23.7.  he said, God hath delivered him into my hand. Such use did Shimei make also against David of the providence of God, to wit, when Absalon had risen up and dispossessed him of his Kingdom: Casting stones at him, and cursing him, he said, Come out, come out thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial; 
2 Sam. 16.7, 8.  the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the Kingdom into the hand of Absalon thy son; and behold thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Leah having given Zilpah her maid to her husband jacob to wife, and God after that harkening unto Leah, so that she conceived, and bare jacob a fifth son, 
Gen. 30.17, 18.  this was the interpretation she made of it, God hath given me mine hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband, and she called his name Issachar; an hire: She applaudeth her promoting of Polygamy (a trespass both against her husband and herself) by the happy issue of her prayer in her bearing another son. 
* See also Hos. 12.8. Zech. 11 5 Mal. 2 17.  But away with this silly, religionless inference.  
4. Turn not out of the ways of God, I mean the ways of his Word and Commandments; decline not into any unwarranted path upon occasion of such Providences of God: Kep to the Law and to the Testimony; and what ever Oracle it be that speaks not according to this Word, 
Isai. 8.20.  refuse the pretended light thereof, for in tru●h there is no light in it. The Prophet David in Psal. 37. which he purposely peneth for the establishment and consolation of the righteous under such trials as this we are upon, again and again inculcateth this lesson; Trust in the Lord, 
Psal. 37.3, 8, 27, 34.  and do good: Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil: Depart from evil and do good: Wait on the Lord, and keep his way.  
It was the superstitious folly of Balaam, that he so often shifted the places and courses of his enchantments when he would so fain have prevailed to curse Israel: but it will worse become an Israelite to change from one Religion, party or interest to another as the wind blows. It was the desperate course and finishing sin of Saul, 
1 Sam. 28.6.  that when the Lord answered him not, he sought unto one that had a familiar spirit. King Ahaz is branded with this, that in the time of his distress he did trespass yet more against the Lord. Many now adays forget this to be an aggravation of a sin, and rather count it a dispensable or justifiable act to transgress a Rule in case of a stress or strait. What was it that Ahaz did in that kind? It followeth in the Text, For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus which smote him; and he said, Because the gods of the Kings of Assyria help them; 
2 Chro. 28 22, 23.  therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me. Take we heed of this, of allowing in opinion, or feignedly fawning upon a way when it hath gotten above us, and for that cause. Take we heed that principles or doctrines of Religion, or Civil concernment, be not beaten out of us, and beaten into us by the sword. Minicius Faelix reports of some of the Romans that they set up for gods or goddesses Pavor, 
Pavorem Hostilius, & Pallorem C●luit; mox a nescio quo Febris dedicata. Haec alumna urbis istius superstitio, morbi, & malae valotudines. Mon. Fel. p 81 Mr Weems Vol. 2. on 2d Com. p. 112 Prov. 3 31  and Pallor, Fear, and Paleness; others made Febris, a Fever, their goddess. Mr Weems tells, that the Schythians worshipped a Sword. They that suffer themselves to be carried too and fro in their judgements and practices as the strength of any party gets up, they are almost come to the Religion of the Heathens: It is but a poor Religion for men to fall on worshipping that still that afflicts them.  
Solomon cautions us against this, when he wills us to choose none of the ways of the Oppressor; that is, Let not thy choice of thy way be swayed by force and oppression. Job, and his friend Eliphaz, though they could not agree about the point of divine Providence, in ju●ging thereby of persons yet th●y both concurred in this, that the prosperous or adverse Providence of God, in what way soever it meets a man, is not to bend his judgement or practice contrary to the Rule of well-doing; for that I take to be the clear meaning of that sentence used by each of them in their opposite disputes, 
Job 21.16.22.18  The counsel of the wicked is far from me.  
Let that speech of God himself unto his people of the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes (which was uttered in times full of variation and innovation, both in point of Religion and Civil Policy) be our direction; it is in Amos 5. v. 4, 5. For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.  
5. Be not distracted with overmuch care about the event of prayer: The Apostle prescribeth prayer as a remedy against such carefulness. Prayer being directed to us on purpose to expel solicitous thoughts, must not then be the object of them. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication, 
Phil. 4.6.  etc. let your requests be made known unto God. Prayer is to drive out care: when we have thereby duly recommended our occasions to the grace of God, our cares are then to cease, as being cast upon God to bear and manage them for us. We must not then do by our prayers, as Saul doubted his father would do by him, and the servant, when they were sent to seek his Asses, 
1 Sam. 9.5  Leave caring for the things prayed for, and take thought for the prayers which are sent out to seek them: but leave them both to God; making use of that repose which the Apostle immediately annexeth to the aforesaid Rule: 
Phil. 4.7,  And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  
6. Do not envy or repine at the accomplishment of the desires of others, though they be evil. Abstain from all murmuring and fretting at the matter: This the Holy Ghost hath many times over in Scripture forewarned us of; and that both by precept, and by the evil and harm (experienced by other examples) that comes by it: see Psal. 37.1, 7, 8. & 73.2, 3, 21, 22. Prov. 3.31. & 23.17. & 24.1, 19 And hath moreover furnished us with divers dissuasive Reasons against it: As, 1. The wickeds' prosperity, and the success of evil ways, is no uncouth or strange thing, but very ancient and ordinary: It is called in the Book of Job, 
Job 22.15.  The old way, which wicked men have trod; it is an old and beaten path. What notice Job, David, jeremiah, Habakkuk, and many others in Scripture, and humane Story, have given us of this, is too much to relate. The Penner of Psal. 73. 
Psal. 73.12  holds up wicked men in this condition with a [Behold,] that we may all see, and never more strange at it: Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world; they increase in riches: although now adays this of him is inverted, and the proclamation is, Behold, these are the godly who prosper in the world, etc. 2. God is in Heaven, and above them still, and he still looks at them with abomination and contempt: Psal. 115.3. Eccles. 5.8. Prov. 3.31, 32. Psal. 37.13 & 73 20. Why then should h●s servant's look at them with admiration or envy? 3. Their success and fruition of it is but short, but a l●ttle while, a moment: It is resembled to a night dream, to the Summer grass, 
Psal. 73.19 37.10  to the fat of Lambs, to a flower in its fading, to rather ripe fruit in the eaters hand, and to a candle ready to be blown out with every puff 
* Psa. 73.20 37 2, 20 Isai. 28.4 Pro. 24.20 . 4. They have the disfavor and curse of God with their desires, and their speeding in them speedeth their fall and ruin. 
Psal. 92.7  That which is said in jeremiah of the people's feigned prophecies, Every man's word shall be his burden, 
Jer. 23.36  the same may be said of evil prayers when granted, Every such grant is as a burden, a talon of lead falling on the petitioner, to cast him down to destruction. When the Philistines got the victory, and took the Ark of God from the Israelites, 
1 Sam. 5.6 etc.  they had small joy of that their prisoner, the hand of God was heavy upon them while they kept it: So it is with wicked men in their obtaining of their evil desires.  
7. Let no man insult over the cross events that come upon the pious prayers of the people of God; to rejoice thereat, to turn the disappointments, sl●ps or delays of such men's prayers into derision and triumph, 
Psa. 13.2 4 & 38.16. & 35.15. & 69.10, 11. Mic. 7.8.  is the character of the wickedest persons, and the enemies of God: but, Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, etc.  
These are the Miscarriages to be shunned.   

SECT. II.  
The Graces or Duties to be exercised in the Case above mentioned.  
THe Graces or Duties which in this condition are specially seasonabl●, and necessary to be put in practice, are these.  
1. Lay the case to heart, and be duly affected with it. They that know any thing of the use of prayer, and the worth of God's face, and attentive ear, need no persuading to this. What should deject us, if not this? While the Ark (the sign of God's presence) was a stranger to Israel, and captive with the Philistines, 
2 Sam. 7.2  all the house of Israel mourned after the Lord. This absence of God was David's daily sorrow of heart; yea it was as death unto him: For this he made his tears his meat day and night; He poured out his Soul in him; 
Psal. 42.3, 4, 10.  and his upbraid by his enemies with this were as a sword in his bones. Nay, it was this which was as the splitting of the heart of our Saviour upon the Cross, when he cried with a loud voice, 
Mat. 27.46  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The 22 Psalms, whence the word● were taken pitch them upon a dereliction in prayer. T●is withdrawing of God is an Inlet to a mu● itude, if not all miseries and mischiefs 
a Deut. 31 17. Psal. 10.1, etc. : It is an tv l for which there is no remedy or compensation, but the ceasing of it 
b J●b 3●. 29 See Di●in. Annot. ; and to the mourner under it is the promise of restoring made 
c Isai. 57 ●5 18. .  
2. Persevere in prayer; give not over the pursuit of your petitions for this cause. It behoves us to hold on in duty, what ever be the issue: Pray we must, speed or speed not. When the Cloud (the token of God's appearance and conduct unto his Israel in the wilderness) was taken up from the Tabernacle, 
Num. 9.21  whether it was by day or by night, the people journeyed. Whether we be in the light of his presence (in this effect of prayer hearing) or in the darksome night of his absence, we must travel on in our prayers after God. Doth God hold his peace? we must nevertheless, 
Psa. 109 4  yea the rather, with David, give ourselves to prayer.  
Quest. But how long must the people of God pray? is there no time to give over?  
Answ. Those things for which we have a general and indefinite Precept to pray (being Temporals, for about Spirituals we may pray, and must while we live) we must continue our requests for, until God do, either accomplish them for us, or take us off, and discharge us from the prosecution of them. This latter he hath, 1. Sometimes done by express word, as he did to Moses, Deut. 3.26. and to Samuel, 1 Sam. 16.1. 2. Sometimes he doth it by Providence: so he did to David, when he fasted and prayed for his child that was struck with sickness, 2 Sam. 12.15, 16. the Lord took him off from his praying by the death of the child, vers. 22.23. When the Lord layeth upon the thing prayed for an impossibility in Nature that it should come to pass (as he did upon that child's recovery by its death,) then (unless there be a special promise that the thing shall be, though it be above Nature, as there is of the Resurrection of the body) we are to surcease prayer: But if the impossibility be but moral, that is, when it amounts but unto a great unlikelyhood, (such was that of Zech. 8.6. the flourishing of jerusalem after the captivity,) that is no supersedeas unto prayer. We find the servants of God have interposed their prayers, when the Lords sentence hath been out against the subject of their prayers: Deut. 9.25. 2 Sam. 12.14, 16, Isai. 38.1, 2. jon. 3.4, etc. Nay, when unto their prayers God hath answered them with a plain denial, yet they have persisted to pray, judg. 10.13, 15. Nay further, when the Lord hath not only declared that he would not hear them, but hath forbldden them to pray, yet they have continued praying, jer. 7.16. & 11.14. with Chap. 14.11, 19 That which God hath denounced, he may revoke again; that which he hath begun to execute, he may give over and undo again, jer. 18.7, 8. Ezek. 33.8, 10, 11. Amos 7.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. He threateneth under express or implicit conditions; He acteth with divers and unknown intents: But one condition, one intent, which he hath made known to us, is that we seek unto him; unto which his menaces, and his judicial proceed, are rather a spur, than a discharge. As the promises and predictions of God for the coming to pass of a thing are no release from the duty of prayer, but rather an invitation and a tye unto it 
* Ezek. 36.37. : so neither are denunciations to the contrary of our prayers any discharge from p●ayer; no neither are contrary providences or disposings of God, which do not reach to an utter or natural impossibility.  
Wherefore lift we up, and keep we up our languishing hands and hearts, and reinforce our strive in prayer: There are many Considerations to induce it. 1. God straight enjoins it: He commandeth not only that we call upon him in our wants and troubles, but that we persevere and be importunate therein: See Luk. 18.1, etc. Rom. 12.12. Ephes. 6.18. Col. 4.2. Psal. 62.8. Isai. 62.6, 7. 2. Continuance and instancy in prayer hath its special promises. Christ our Saviour (in those two passages of Luke 11.5, etc. and 18.2, etc.) hath fully assured us by promise of the prevalency of perseverance in prayer; confirming it with a triple comparison taken from the efficacy of persistency in prayer with men, with evil men; as, with a fri●nd, with a father, with an unjust Judge: how much more than shall it be forcible with God? 3. The servants of God have gone this way to work, and have left us on record the example of their practice, and of the happy success of it at length, for our imitation and encourag meant: In the darkest desertions they have prayed most cried loudest, and wrestled hardest. Psal. 21.1, 2, 11, 19 & 13.1 etc. & 42.7 8, 9 & 43.2, 3. & 44.23, 24, 26. & 61.2. & 80.4, 7, ●4, 19 & 141.7, 8. & 143.4, 6. Isai. 5●. 9. & 62.1. & 63.15. & 64.7, 8. Lam. 3.18 41, 44, 54, 55. jon. 2.4. Hab. 1.2, 3. with 2 1. & 3.1. 4. To cease praying would add to our sin, increase our misery, undo the prayers we have put up, and argue us of hypocrisy, 1 Sam. 12.23. Isai. 64.7. Gal. 6.9. 
Nisi ad sit in oratione perseverandi constantia nihil orando agimus. Calv. Instit. l. 3. c. 20. s. 52.  Job 27.10. 5. One special end of Gods deferring our prayers, is to train us on to seek him more diligently, Hos. 5.15. 6. Lastly, How hath God been over-entreated by incessancy in prayer? as by Jacob distressed at his brother Esau's approach, Gen. 32.26. by Moses for Israel, Deut. 9.18, 19 by Israel under the Ammonitish bondage, Judg. 10.16. and by the Church of God in Peter's behalf, Act. 12.5.  
Learn we then, and keep to this Lesson: Let us in the Scripture phrase, roll our way upon the Lord: 
Psal. 37.5 55.22 Prov. 16.3  Though he should seem to turn it back again from him, by delaying to accomplish it, yet still be rolling or devolving it over to him by ingeminated petitions. Let our prayers be poured out unto God, as the Church saith her tears shall be, without any intermission, till the Lord look down, and behold from Heaven. 
Lam. 3.49 etc.   
3. Believe what you see not, to wit, the present acceptance, and future return (in some or other, yea the b●st way) of your prayers framed according to the Will of God. As we must pour out our hearts before God, so must we trust in him at all times; 
Psal. 62.8.  and in particular trust in him for the prayers which we pour out before him. From whence had David that lively confidence of the Lords audience of him, and the prediscovery of the issue of his prayers so clear, as if he saw them already performed before his eyes, the which he often professeth, even under or together with his most bitter complaints of the Lords hiding himself from him? as, Psal. 6.8, 9 & 13.5, 6. & 22.24. & 43.5. & 54.7. Had he it from any peculiar or extraordinary revelation, or by virtue of the promise of God in his Word laid hold on faith? I suppose it might be by the latter way only: But by whethersoever it was, I see no reason why the vigour of a Christians faith may not without the former extraordinary means attain to the same assurance and triumph which he arrived at. For whether it was upon special revelation, or upon the written Word that David was so bottomed, it was still but by force of a divine word or promise; the difference 'twixt those two lies but in the manner of receiving. The promise which all Believers have in the written Word for the success of their prayers, is as firm and certain as that which David built on could possibly be. The Lord telleth all his people (Isai. 45.18, 19) in substance thus much: He is the Lord that created the Heavens, that form and made the Earth, and established it. And as he created it not in vain, but to be inhabited; so he hath not commanded the seed of jacob to seek him in vain: As sure as he made the Earth to be inhabited, so sure he hath ordered his people to pray, that he may perform, and they may possess their prayers. What can be a surer testimony to the validity of any thing, than that asseveration of our Saviour is for the validity of prayer? 
Luke 18 7.8.  Shall not God avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell you, that he will avenge them speedily. I tell you; If Christ tell us so in his Gospel, it is as sure as if the Spirit told us so by his inspiration to us. Can there be a firmer bond to ascertain us, then is that tye which we find betwixt the spirit of prayer poured out, Zech. 12.10. and the hearing and answer of prayer, Chap. 13.9. And from this we may assuredly conclude, God hath not in these days poured out the spirit of supplications, and thereby put his servants on so universally, solemnly and earnestly to pray, yea and to enter into such vows and covenants, but it is for a great and gracious end, at least to themselves, in which he will specially manifest himself to be their God, and they to be his people. Prayers and tears have been accounted the Church's weapons; and doubtless what is said of the bow of jonathan, 
2 Sam. 1.12  and the sword of Saul, that they never returned empty; the same shall be made good of those arms of the Church.  
And as the assurance that is given to prayer in general is so stable, so is that which is given in special to the prayers of the deserted. The needy shall not always be forgotten: The expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever: The Lord will not cast off for ever; but, 
Psal. 9.18. Lam. 3.31 32 Psa. 102.17 Zech. 10 6.  though he cause grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. I will be as though I had not cast them off; for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them.  
To persuade us further to exercise faith in this behalf; 1. Consider, God hears, and sometimes the petitioner doth not discern it: For this take that of Elihu; 
Job 35.14  Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgement is before him, 
Mat. 21.22  therefore trust in him. 2. The promise of audience takes in faith as a condition or requisite. 3. The special use of faith is to settle the heart in believing and hoping things unseen, 
Heb. 11.1 Rom. 4.18 19  yea and what is cross to present and visible things; and in particular things of that nature in return or answer to prayer. This is the confidence that we have in him, 
1 Joh. 5.14 15  that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us, etc. This is the confidence; we may understand it, either that this is the matter of the confidence, or this is the office or use of our confidence or faith▪ to wit, to believe and know the success of our prayer, though we sensibly find it not. 4. This exercise of faith will enable us to wait patiently and regularly: 
Isai. 28.16.  He that believeth shall not make haste. 5. Such a faith will be a token or pledge unto the petitioner of a happy issue of his prayer and desertion: But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy Salvation. 
Psal. 13.5.  6. Lastly, All the interpositions, improbabilities, difficulties, or oppositions which come betwixt us and our prayers, by reason whereof we apprehend God hidden from us, and our prayers hindered, do not make the least distance, obscurity, pause, or impediment to the real presence or working of God to us, or for our help 
* Ps. 73.23 Zech. 8.6. .  
4. Be content to stay God's time for the issuing of your prayers; wait upon God with constancy and patience: So the Prophet; 
Isai. 8.17.  I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and will look for him. Our Inducements may be;  
1. God hath prefixed his time; the which is the best and fittest time for us: his delaying is, that he may bring about that time; that time he will punctually keep, and none shall either preoccupate, or put it back; and he hath that time in his own hand. See for all this, Psal. 102.13. Isai. 49.8. Hab. 2.13. Isai. 60.22. Psal. 31.15. That which Solomon begged of God concerning his prayer made at the dedication of the Temple, holds true of all the faithful prayers of his people, They are nigh unto the Lord day and night, 
1 Kin 8.59  that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people at all times, or, the thing of a day in his day, as the margin.  
2. Consider upon what good grounds and necessary reasons are the Lords deferings; he delays not an hour without a special cause and end: while the Lord holdeth back our prayers, it is still for the accomplishment of something very needful to be in us, and to antecede our receiving of our petitions: The particulars have been given above 
* Chap. 4. Sect. 6. .  
3. Our waiting shall not be in vain; it shall have its end and fruit, provided it be regular: see Psal. 85.8. Prov. 23.18. Hab. 2.3. Yea moreover, as the end or matter waited for shall not miscarry, so neither shall the time, patience or trouble that it costs us in tarrying be lost, or left upon our score, but it shall also be recompensed us to the full: we shall lose nothing by waiting. The Church saith, It is good that a man should both hope, 
Lam. 3 26.  and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. Observe it, It is good that a man should quietly wait; we may understand it not only of moral goodness, but it is good in point of advantage and profit; it's gainful for a man to wait. We say, it is good for a man to be dispatched quickly, and to have his petitions out of hand; so it may be in Civil Courts; and so may Nature judge it to be in the Court of Heaven; but the Holy Ghost tells us, it is good to wait. God will consider thee in waiting, not only to perform the thing waited for, but to remunerate thy waiting. 1. In present supports and comforts during thy expectance, Psal. 27.14. Isai. 40.31. 2. In the end, the return will be so much the ampler and happier, Isai. 30.18. Abraham, Hannah and Job waited, the two former each for a child, the last for a recovery out of his afflictions: the Lord gave them not only that which they waited for, but an overplus and interest in their respective mercies; as to Abraham and Hannah an increase of children above what they asked, or looked for 
* Gen 25 1. etc. 1 Sam. 2.21 ; and to Job twice as much as he had before 
† Job 42.10 , as a compensation of their respective waitings.  
4. Consider how God hath been wont to deal with his servants, his ordinary course hath been in conferring his special favours upon them to use delays, and make them wait for before they have them. The Lord, when he would quiet, and comfort his Church in such a case as ours, willeth them that follow after righteousness, that seek the Lord, 
Isai. 51.1, 2  to look unto Abraham their Father, and Sarah that bore them. Now if we consider how God disposed toward Abraham and Sarah, in reference to their promised son, and toward the rest of the faithful in Scripture, in relation to their several mercies, we shall find that God usually put them to great stays and exercises of their patience. If I had room I might here be large in instances, and that of several kinds; I will but touch them lightly, referring them to these two Heads. 1. How long time the Saints of God have suffered the delay of their prayers. 2. How low they have been brought in their delays.  
1. How long have the Servants of God been delayed in their prayers? The choicest and eminentest Saints, and God's chiefest and notablest works of mercy for them have undergone great delays; and have long stayed in the birth, and have been fetched off with mighty difficulties. The reduction of Abraham's posterity out of pilgrimage, their bringing up out of Egypt, and possession in Canaan according to the promise of God to Abraham, was four hundred, and seventy years 
* Exod. 12 40. And forty years after in their journey. . The Church of the Jews were kept waiting, and playing in Babylon seventy years; and after that their restauration in judea was long in accomplishing, some reckon it an hundred, others an hundred and fifty, others two hundred years, ere the Temple, City, and State, were reestablished 
† See the variety of reckoning of the time and the Authors for them in Master Newcomer his Epist. Dedic. before his Sermon on Neh. 4 11 Psal. 6.3 13.1.2 119.8, 4 . The coming of our Saviour, and the Work of Redemption by him was looked for by believers from Adam's time, and onward, which was for some scores of Generations. The Prophet David's complaints of his overcloudings, and of the length of them under the want of D vine Presence, and audience, are frequent in the Psalms. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord, for ever? How long wilt thou hid thy face from me? etc. But thou, O Lord, how long? How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? The Lord instructing his people, how they should keep their Fasts to be acceptable to him, and making his promises to them of happy consequents of their so observing them, this is one of the promises. 
Isai. 58.12 See Diu. Annotat. 2d. Edit.  And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waist places, etc. He saith not themselves that so fast, and pray as he directeth shall build, etc. But they that shall be of them, their following generations; they must pray, and the effect must be reserved for their posterity to reap. The souls under the Altar, the slaughtered Christians under the most bloody persecution of Dioclesian, crying unto God, How long O Lord, holy and true, 
Revel. 6.  etc. As having laid under Pagan persecutors long already (even by succ●ssive persecutions for almost three hundred years) they are yet willed to rest and wait for the answer of their outcries, for a little season, during which time the Church must yet undergo fresh persecution: Now that season of delay is accounted (by Mr Mede 
See Mr Medes Comment in Engl. p. 52. & 85. ) to have been about 127 years; so long they must stay ere any beginning of their vindication come to pass, by the beginning of the first of the seven Trumpet; and then there was to be but a beginning; 
See his Key part 2. Synchron. 1. & D●v. Annot. 2d Ed. on Rev. 9.13 and Bez. in Apoc. 14 14.  for that avengement of them is not completed, until all the prophecy of the seven trumpets be perfected, the which is taken to last for many hundred years. The Church of God is by the Apostle Paul enjoined to pray for a Christian Magistracy; which yet was not granted until toward 300 years after in Constantine the Great. 
1 Tim. 21 1, 2 ●scendisti in Navem cum Christo, quid expectabus? serenum? imo ventum, & procellas, & fluctu● navem operientes, ut mergi incipiat. Sed hoc Baptismo baptizandus prius es: tum sequetur serenum, excitato, & implorat▪ Christo; qui saltem dormiet aliquando. Melch. Adam. in vita Hessi. p. 185.   
The peace of the Church (saith one) is emblemed, not by Jonahs' Gourd which came up in a night, but by the Palmtree, than which there is scarce any tree flower in growth. Luther wrote to Hessus, that now he had embarked himself in the Ship with Christ, he must not look for a calm voyage, but for storms, and waves ready to overwhelm the Ship: and that he must expect Christ to lie asleep for a time in the ship, and to endure some calling upon, and shogging to be awakened.  
2. How low have the Servants of God been brought in their delays of prayer? unto what extremities have they been reduced? 1. What calamities, and contrary events unto their prayers have befallen, continued, and grown upon them? Iob's condition was very prostrate, where he complains that together with the speedlesness of his prayer, it was thus with him, he hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes. 
Job 30.19  So was the Churches when expostulating with God; for his sleeping, hiding his face, and forgetting them in their affliction, 
Psal. 44 25  they say, for our soul is bowed down to the dust, our belly cleaveth unto the earth. In like manner was it with the people of God, 
Psal. 141.7  where they say, Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth, as when one cutteth, or cleaveth wood upon the earth. The Church of judah (also) when the Angel upon the red horse (conceived to be the Son of God) interceded to God for them, 
Zech. 1.21  How long wilt thou not have mercy on jerusalem, and on the Cities of judah, against whom thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? that people (I say) were then scattered by the horns of the Gentiles so that no man did lift up his head. Those souls that cry unto God for avengement at the opening of the fifth Seal, 
Rev. 6.9.  are souls under the Altar, slain for the word of God: that is, they were then when they so cried cast down to the ground, at the feet of the Altar like sacrifices bound, and in slaying. 2. What weariness, languishment, and fainting in prayer, and waiting have they been overtaken with? David saith, 
Psal. 69.3 Psal. 119.22, 23, 24  I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried up, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God, and elsewhere, I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I am gone like the shadow when it declineth. I am tossed up and down as the locust. My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh faileth of fatness. And again, 
Psal. 119 81, 82, 83  My soul fainteth for thy salvation, mine eyes fail for thy word, I am become like a bottle in the smoke. 3. What fail, and frustration, yea, what overwhelming, and cutting off of hopes have they come unto? job bemoaning his lack of hearing, addeth this, He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone, 
Job. 19.7, 10  and my hope hath he removed like a tree. When men remove trees, they take them wholly up roots, and all out of ground, so were jobs hopes (in his apprehension) plucked up. The Church of judah in the Lamentations complains, that as God had shut out her prayers for present, so he had blasted her hopes for future. And I said, my strength, and my hope is perished from the Lord; 
Lam. 3.18 53, 54 See also Job 30.20 26 Jer. 14.19 15, 18  they have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me, waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. 4. What agonies, conflicts, dolours, have they been exercised with, under, and from their desertions? how lamentable do they express their condition in this regard? One while they reckon themselves as dead, entombed men; 
Psa. 88.4, 5 15, 16, 17. & 60 3. Lam. 3.15 Psal. 80.5 Lam. 3.53 Psal. 116.3 ●ob 30▪ 27 30 Lam. 1.13 Psal. 2.10 Lam. 3.4, 13  another while as distraught; anon as drowned in a Sea of wrath; or as drunk with the wine of astonishment, or with bitterness and wormwood, or with the tears of their own eyes; or as closed up in a dark and famishing dungeon; or as surrounded and clasped hold on with the pangs of death, and pains of Hell; or as having within them their bowels boiling like a pot; or as burning in the fire; or as having their bones broken; or as pierced through with a sword, or shot with arrows into the reins. Such was their estate to their present sense. 5. Lastly, What disdain, reproach and scorn have they lain under from their beholders under those delays? and that both from foes and friends. 1. From enemies or aliens to them: The people of God have in this case become the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people; all their enemies have opened their mouths against them; they have been their music: Lam. 3.44, 45, 46, 63. See also Lam. 1.9. Psal. 13.2. & 22.7. & 38.16. & 69.10, 11. & 89 50, 51. & 109.25. Job 30.9, 10. 2. From their friends and brethren: I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day. My friends (saith Job 
Lam. 3.14 Job 16.20. & 19.19. ) scorn me; all my inward friends abhorred me; they whom I loved are turned against me.  
Lay we all this together, and consider (for our persuasion to wait upon God patiently) how these Worthies for holiness and favour with God (recorded in Scripture for our examples and types in patience and comfort) have been put to wait long and long for the issue of their prayers; and have been brought to great extremities in divers respects during their waiting. There are yet some other Motives unto this to be pointed at.  
5. The Lord defers for a time, and hides himself from his own interest: May we not then bear his delay in ours? God somewhile let's alone, and leaves unrighted and uncleared the concernments of his own Name, Glory, Truth, and Justice. Notwithstanding his eyes are purer than to behold evil, or look on iniquity (that is, with indulgence, or without indignation towards it,) yet he looketh on them that deal treacherously, 
Hab. 2.13.  and holdeth his tongue while the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he. Thus he beareth for a time the spectacle that moveth him to abhorrence, even so long as his servants are troubled at it, and can scarce see how it should stand with his holiness so to do. He saith, I have long time holden my peace, I have been still, 
Isai. 42.14  and refrained myself; now will I cry like a travelling woman, etc. The Lord there compareth himself, enduring the daily increasing provocations of his enemies, unto a woman that goes for divers months with child, while it biggens in her womb, and is her daily load.  
6. As God makes us to wait upon him, so he himself waits upon us. Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you. 
Isai. 30.18  Besides the infinite disparity which there is between the persons waiting, him and us, Gods waiting is for far longer time, and with more sufferance than is ours: He waits for us long, before we come in to seek him; and he waits after we seek him for our fitting to be answered. He in waiting on us, not only bears our delay, but many indignities and offences which we offer him all along, deserving his refusal to wait on us any longer, and that he should not only defer us, but flatly and finally deny us all our requests.  
7. The issue and answer of our prayers is coming on and approaching towards us, though we discern not its coming: Our prayers are ne'er the further off for our not discerning their progress or nearness to effect. A Ship is sailing on toward its Harbour in the darkest night, or blackest weather, when the Mariners cannot tell whether they be going backward or forward. The seed in the Winter lying under ground is taking root in order to a Spring and Harvest, though it appear not above ground, but seem dead and lost. So it is with our prayers.  
8. Most Christians (as it is to be doubted) bear delays of their prayers in greater matters than those, or the most of those things which the case in hand respecteth, and do content themselves indifferent well to wait under those delays. Consider your inward estate: Do not you daily pray against divers special corruptions and temptations within; and for many precious graces, with consummation in glory? and do not those suits yet (in a great measure) depend still in the Court of Heaven, and you satisfy yourselves in an expectation and hope of them referred to Gods own time? There is no reason why we should be more impatient about Externals, whether private or public, or about Ecclesiasticals or Spirituals that are not essential or constituent, no not so much as integral, but only subservient unto the estate of grace, than we are about the Substantials of our Souls: If we were more intent upon, and touched with the deferring of these, we would endure the necessary delay of those more composedly.  
9 Consider (lastly) If we be unfit for the receiving and enjoying of those public benefits we are put to wait for, it is better for us as yet to want, then to have them. We think the necessity and worth of the things prayed for is so great, that there is no place for any stay, every hours delay is our undoing or great detriment: but see whether we be ready or no for the mercies sought and waited for. If the things be of high worth and weight, the more pity it is they should, and the more care will God take that they may not miscarry; and miscarry they will in our hand, if they come before we be prepared for them: Whether we be fit for the return of those prayers that now stick in the birth, ourselves may easily judge. If we had Religion, a Church and State settled (in regard of Rule, Platform, or Order, enacted and agreed to) by the undoubted square of the Word of God, with all ease and security from Arms and War, what could we do with such a fabric? are there hands, and heads, and hearts among us capable to bear and carry it on? Can we furnish out a sufficient number of persons prudently, faithfully, and unitedly to manage the same? Of our suitableness for such a condition we have given some taste, if not a large testimony, in the attempts and transactions hitherto; and I do not see that (generally) men are now grown wiser, holier, or honester by all the events and experiences that have been. Jehosaphat the King was one that prepared his heart to seek God, and was a diligent Reformer of the Church and Commonwealth; and there was power and peace enough in his and the people's hands to accomplish a Reformation; and Laws they had infallibly good and sufficient: Where was the defect then? Why, as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers: 
2 Chro. 20.33  This was it; and therefore, notwithstanding all the aforesaid advantages, the high places were not taken away. We now look at impediments among or about us, as not having all those furtherances which Judah then had of Reformation, but (I dare say) the great bar is our own incapacity. He that maketh a way in the Sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 
Isai. 43.16 17  that maketh the Chariot and Horse, the Army and the Power to lie down together, so that they are extinct, they are quenched as tow, can and would make his way through all obstacles, were we in a receptiveness or readiness for his mercies.  
But thus much of the fourth Duty, there is yet one more.  
5. The people of God must learn and labour to bring their minds, in things not absolutely necessary for them, to those terms and conditions wherewith the promises of those things are compounded and qualified: They must take heed of being too positive, illimited, or peremptory in standing upon the having and enjoying of such things. Who knows how far particulars of such a nature may now be good for the Church of God, or consistible with other greater benefits and ends? The Apostle doth fitly conjoin with the precept for prayer in every thing, his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Phil. 4.6 Verse 5.  or a rule for the exercise of moderation or modesty: for in most things it is very necessary and suitable, that moderation should hold the reins of our affection's and drifts in prayer, as well as zeal should carry them on.  
It appears the Apostle Paul had a very earnest desire to see the Roman Church, and it was for a very holy end, viz. the establishment and edification thereof; but yet where he mentions his prayers in reference to it, as he doth twice in his Epistle to them, he in both places taketh in the Will or good pleasure of God, as the modification of his prayers: 
Rom. 1.10 & 15.32.  The form in which he prayeth is worth observing; Making request (if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the Will of God) to come unto you. See how many iffs he puts in; If by any means; if now at length; (or, if at any time at length 
a Beza. , or, if at one time or other 
b Elvathan par. ;) if prosperously; if God will. This last (saith a good Expositor) may be referred unto every parcel: He desireth to come to them if it be the Will of God; by such means as God will; at some time when God will; and prosperously if God will. Little did Paul think how the Will of God had determined he should come to Rome, viz. that it should be by persecution, that he should come thither a prisoner to appear before Nero; and that in his journey thither he should have such a tedious, perilous, shipwrecking voyage by Sea as he had; this was not (in all likelihood) the prosperous journey which he thought of: Yet the Lord made it prosperous as to the end he proposed in it, and he had not his prayer crossed even in those adverse passages, in regard he prayed with reference to the Will of God: In the latter place where he mentioneth his praying, the subject of it is, that he might be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea, and that he might come unto them with joy by the Will of God. It proved that he was not delivered from, but given up into the hands of the unbelievers in Judea, to wit, to be apprehended, beaten, accused, conspired against, and prosecuted before the Governors by them; and so those things which he would by his prayer have disjoined, that is, persecution by the Jews, and leave to go to Rome, the Lord by his wise Providence conjoined and made the one to effect the other, for their apprehension and persecution of him brought him to Rome: he therefore well inserted that clause, by the Will of God, and so his prayer stood good; yea and took effect, though not in an absolute, yet in a qualified sense; for he was delivered from the Jews in respect of their utmost intentions, for they would fain have prevented his going to Rome, and have had his blood spilt in Judea, and went very near it at sundry times; and yet he was brought to Rome, and that not without joy, for he had joy in his bonds and Martyrdom 
* Act. 28.15 Gal. 6.14. Col. 1.24. 2 Tim. 4.7. .  
It is said by the Psalmist (Psal. 10. wherein Gods hiding from his people is purposely treated of as the subject of the whole Psalm) The poor committeth himself unto thee, vers. 14. or, as the margin, the poor leaveth himself to thee: that is, he refers himself and his cause over unto God, to be heard and maintained as he seethe good; he doth not limit or prescribe God a method or time, but leaves the way, season and order unto God's circumscription.  
Let us then in praying for our own wills submit to Gods; and be content either to have, or want, either to stay, or forthwith receive, as he shall think to dispose. Not to call upon God in our affairs, is Atheism; to think to mould him to our frame and humour, is to make an Idol of him.  
1. Consider our own imperfection in ask, and Gods absolute perfection in disposal of and to us: We are unable to choose for ourselves; our imperfection therein appears both in point of knowledge, and will. In knowledge, either with the sons of Zebedee we rashly run on, 
Mat. 20.22  and ask we know not what, or we are at a stand, 
Rom 8.26  and (as the Apostle saith) we know not what we should pray for. In will, when we go to pray we are apt to ask amiss, that is, for our lusts; and the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy, saith St James. 
Jam. 4.3, 5  But God is infinitely able to make choice for us. The Apostle Peter saith, 
2 Pet. 2.9.  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation: And the Apostle Paul, 
Eph. 3.20.  He is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think.  
2. Consider our unworthiness to be heard or answered by God in any petition. There is no reason why we should at all be aggrieved at God for the deferring or denying of any of our suits; we must learn with Job to lay and leave our complaint upon ourselves. 
Job 10.1.  When we pray to God, we have more cause (with Abraham) to reflect upon our own unworthiness, and deprecate his anger for our speaking to him, then to be angry at him, if he do not at all, or not speedily hear us.  
3. To quiet us, let us reflect on what we receive and enjoy from him, as well as what we miss: Let us look upon his concessions, as well as upon his deferings or refusals; and set the one against the other. If God abridge or delay his people in some things, he hears them in other, yea in many more and greater matters. It hath been reckoned by the choicest of God's servants for a high favour unto them, that in times of great and public calamities they may escape, and have their lives for a prey: see Jer. 15.11. & 39.17, 18. & 45.5. And they speed well if by their prayers they obtain so much, Mal. 3.16, 17. Luke 21.36. Yea, and when they may not be vouchsafed that, but that they fall under sufferings, yet a mercy worthy the recounting, and tending to the satisfying of their spirits, it hath been to them, that they have been left undestroyed, Lam. 3.21, 22, 23. Wherefore look we about us, and within us: Do we not espy the break forth and reservations of many special mercies to us in the midst of the Lords hidings and withholding (in some respects) from us? Even in those events which we observe falling out directly cross to the matter of our prayers, we may descry the goodness of God alleviating or moderating such disasters: 
Desinentes contristari propter ea quae non habemus, de rehus praesentibus gratias agere debemus. Basil.  We may call to mind many particulars wherein it might have been worse with us; yea, we may find cause to admire at some remarkable intermixtures of favour. When Elijah complained to God of the miserable havoc that Ahab and jezebel had made of Religion, and the true worshippers in Israel, it seemeth he took and related the case to be somewhat worse than it was, when he said, And I am left alone, and they seek my life; and the Lord answered him, that yet he had reserved to himself seven thousand men that had not bowed unto Baal. We do often with Elijah exaggerate our misery, and overlook the mitigations and benefits we enjoy under crosses.  
4. God maketh all occurrences to us, all his Providences to work together for good unto his: That promise Rom. 8.28. is immediately subjoined to the doctrine of the Saints prayers: He contriveth sometimes the weal of his people by stops and denials of their requests. Consider seriously how much better it is for thee to want, or wait for thy requests at the throne of grace, with the Lords respect, favour, and purposes of good towards thee, and with an hold upon his promises, with the help of his Spirit, and to such beneficial ends (as have been above described,) then with others to have our petitions in wrath, and to our hurt.  
5. Lastly, None of the servants of God (I may doubtless say) since the world began, have had all their prayers accomplished or obtained them at their first ask; but in many things they have been either denied (in the particular asked) or deferred. We have divers instances in Scripture of the chief Saints of God denied in some requests, which are questionless therefore recorded, that their examples might qualify us in like cases. Peruse at leisure for this those passages of Moses, Samuel, David, jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Paul: Exod. 32.32, to the end. Deut. 3.26. 1 Sam. 15.11, 35. with 16.1. 2 Sam. 12.16, 18. jer. 14.19. with 15.1. Ezek. 9.8, 9, 10. Rom. 10.1. with 11.7.  
I have thus done with the first Head of Uses, to wit, the Rules of Direction for our carriage in the Case before us, both preventive, and positive. The other Head follows.   

SECT. III.  
The way to Help or Remedy in this Case of the Lords hiding from his People's Prayers.  
THat which only now remains, is to show what is to be done, what the course is which we are to take for the Remedy or Cure of this condition of Prayer-obstruction. For this I will propound but three things: And they, if duly followed, will suffice.  
1. Seek, and get the Causes of the Lords so hiding himself from us to be removed; I mean the procuring or promeriting causes on our part, which are our many prayer-letting, God-provoking sins.  
That such there are, and what they are, hath been before endeavoured to be discovered. The way to have them removed is well known, in regard of the Doctrine of it, to wit, Repentance towards God, and faith in Jesus Christ for reconciliation to God. This is a larger subject than I can now enter upon the opening of. We have had it long, and yet have it (through the mighty mercy of God) taught and pressed upon us daily by the Ministry of the Word.  
Let me only in a word, exhort, and persuade to a sincere, and diligent bestirring in the practice of it. Look not at, talk not so much of this party, or that design, or the other preposterous course of any among us, as coming betwixt us, and the end of our prayers. No, no, the obstructers of our prayers are ours, and the Nations sins; these humane occurrences do only obstruct by virtue of these. Our sins they are that are in the chair of all the Counsels, and in the head of all the Forces that interpose betwixt us, and the issue of our prayers.  
And now (Brethren) Is it not time (thus) to seek the Lord, 
Hos. 10.12  till he come and rain righteousness upon us? Have we now any thing left us, but our prayers to betake ourselves unto? and can we have any hope that our prayers will any thing avail us without this? We are like Ephraim (in that place of the Prophet) that loved to tread out the corn. 
verse 11  We would be reaping and threshing out the Harest of our prayers: but there is other work first to be done, God will have us to blow, and break our clods, and to sow to ourselves in righteousness; and then we may look to reap in mercy.  
As the Lord said to Joshuah (when he, and the Elders of Israel were upon their faces before God in prayer and humiliation after the defeat before Ai) Israel hath sinned, 
Josh. 7.11 12  they have taken of the accursed thing: therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from amongst you. Even thus he now appears bespeaking us. Now he hath begun to hid his saving countenance, and to cover his hearing ear from us, and to discover his angry countenance against us, there is no expecting he should be with us in mercy any more, until in a heart-searching, sin-exterpating repentance, and a sin-expiating, soul-reconciling application of the blood of Christ, the cause of his separating from us, and controversy with us be taken away.  
That is a well known, I would it were as well a followed passage of the Prophet, 
Isai. 1.16.17  Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your do from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, etc. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. He had immediately before said, When you spread forth your hands, I will hid mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear. Yet upon the terms of repentance he invites them in this friindly manner, Come now, and let us reason together, or parley.  
Repent O England, Repent ye people of God of the Lands, and of your own sins, that prevent, or foreslow your prayers: Repent of the Idolatries, of the Covenan●-breaking, and perjury, of the prostitution of Religion to sinister ends, of the neglect, and sloth in the worship of God; of earthly confidence, bloodguiltiness, injustice, violence, unmercifulness, and pride. Repent of, and remove those blots and blemishes of our prayers, the hiding, daubing over, and justification of some gross sins, the hardness of heart, hypocrisy, carnal respects, hatred, contention, and irreformedness: Repent especially of those capital crimes, (the which we the universal sins of this Nation) the loathing, rejection, and disobeying of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the vile embracement, and adoration of the interest of this present world. And moreover, add unto the score of your repentance, all those steps that have been trod in following the way of Cain, the error of Balaam, 
Judas 11.  or the gainsaying of Core, together with all those filthinesses of the Spirit; to wit, the many errors, and departing from the faith, and the many breaches of Order and Union in the Church of God, with which (through wrechless ignorance, self-conceitedness, wantonness, newfangledness, inconstancy, emulation, lukewarmness, security, licentiousness, covetousness, and contempt of others) as with a spreading and fretting leprosy so many professors are tainted: And let those aggravations of these recited sins be taken in (to further and increase our repentance) which cleave to them, as they are now committed by us, namely, the scandal, the Apostasy, the Presumption, the incorrigibility, and the boundless growth of, or in them.  
These are England's, and in some sort all our sins, which becloud the Throne of Grace, deafen the ear of God, overcast his face, outcry our prayers, and open a way, or gap to his hot anger against us. These are the sins which the Ministers of God's word have been long declaring against, and they have now even outfaced, and overgrown all their admonitions and reproofs. These are the sins which have long stood up in competition with our prayers, and they have now prevailed above them: These are the sins which have made way for the desires, and prayers of our enemies to take place; so that now they open their mouth wide against us, and say, Aha, Aha, our eye hath seen it, so would we have it. These are our scarlet, crimson sins, which we have to be removed, as the causes of the putting back, or suspense of our prayers, and which are therefore to be throughly repent of, and purged away, that our prayers may take effect: And let me persuade to, and prevail in it, in the words of Jotham, Harken unto me, 
Judg. 9.7.  that God may hearken unto you.  
2. The second thing to be applied by way of remedy is, Let the people of God diligently follow on to the attaining of those ends; for the effecting whereof in them, the Lord for present hideth himself from them in this kind: those ends have been laid down before; the hastening on of them is the way to speed the issue of our prayers. To instance in, and press to some of them in a few words.  
1. Be constant in prayer; hold out in it unto the end; yea, do not only hold on, but mend, and quicken your pace therein. Add more fuel to, increase the flame of your devotions; pray more ardently. Let your progress in prayer be like the natural motion of a body to its centre, or proper place, the longer still, the more swift, and vigorous. Doth God hid himself that you may seek his face? then seek the Lord, and his strength, 
〈◊〉. ●05. 4  seek his face evermore: and so seek that you may find him. Certainly prayer is the Key of Heaven; if then through unexpertness in the use of it, you cannot get the door open presently, cast not therefore the key out of your hand, but turn, and try it again, and again, until it be open. Undoubtedly prayer is the way to find the face of God, though it be hid; leave not then, slack not in the way, because it is long, lose not the end for lack of holding out. It was the sin of Saul, upon which immediately followed his ruin, that when in his sore distress by the Philistines war, he enquired of the Lord, and got not an answer from him presently, he left off enquiring of God, and sought to a woman that had a familiar Spirit; 
1 Chro. 10 13, 14  for this the Text saith, the Lord slew him, and turned the Kingdom unto David; yea, in this regard it saith, he enquireth not of the Lord: His once enquiring was void, and stood for nothing, and was no more than if he never had done it, because he continued not enquiring until he h●d answer, but through a distrustful, and impatient fear, ran from God, to the Witch.  
2. Labour for an humbled heart, a mourning Spirit, both for sins, and for prayers succeslesness: The want of this hath been our great defect under our late sufferings, and seekings to God. It was noted of those Jews who remained after the destruction or the Temple, City, and Land by Nabuchadnezzar, that they were not humbled, even unto that day: 
Jer. 44.10  they enquired of God by the Prophet Jeremiah, 
Cap. 42.3.  to show them the way wherein they might walk, and the thing that they might do: but they were still unhumbled; they had seen, and felt a great deal of the wrath of God upon them for their sins, but yet they were not humbled to that day. And this is our very state, we have sought unto God for his conduct in our Affairs, his hand hath been out against, and upon us many ways for our sins, but for all that we remain unhumbled. But it will not so be; most surely now we have had so much to do with God, and he with us, humbled we must be: never did any person, or people come off, or part with him stoutly: 
Levit. 10.3  he will be sanctified in them that come nigh him. God will have us down, and lay us low either in Spirit, or in worldly state, either inwardly, or outwardly, either to repentance, or to ruin: and if that will not be without this, we shall be humbled both ways, if ever, and ere ever God do raise us up. Remember what the Lord saith to his people in the Prophet when he had hid his face from them, 
Isai. 54.6.  The Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken, and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth when thou wast refused. If we be as forsaken, and refused of God it behoves us to be of a grieved Spirit, and so we must be ere the Lord call us, or look again upon us. He reviveth the spirit of the humble, and the heart of the contrite ones. 
Isai. 57.15.49.13. Mat. 5.4.  He will have mercy upon his afflicted. He is nigh to them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such at be of a contrite spirit. They that mourn shall be comforted. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  
3. Be sure to bide out the present trial and exercise of the grace of God in you, that is, of your faith, patience, love, and obedience. Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Christ under the trial. 
Mat. 11.6.24, 13.  He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. It was a desperate course in Saul, and the forerunning passage of his ruin, that whereas he had before-time rooted out those that had familiar spirits and wizards out of the Land, 
1 Sam. 28.3, 7.  being in his extremity he sought to one of them. It would be a dangerous practice for any now to fly or turn to that sinful way for help in their strait, which in a freer and calmer condition they justly abandoned and opposed.  
4. Look we after not only the end of our prayers, but our fitting and preparation for that end: 
Chap. 4. Sect. 6.  The parts of this preparation have been opened already out of Zech. 12. & 13. and Zeph. 3. Three of them (you may remember) were sanctity, brotherly-unity, and simplicity or truth in our deal with God and man. For sanctity; The pure in heart are they that shall see God. 
Mat. 5.8.  When the Lord will work such a Salvation for his people, as that all the ends of the Earth shall see it; he will have his people to departed, 
Isai. 52.10, 11,  and go out thence (from Babylon) and touch no unclean thing, and be themselves clean. For brotherly union and p●ace: When the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea, God will make a compliance and harmony betwixt the Wolf and the Lamb, the Leopard and the Kid, 
Isai. 11 6, etc.  the Calf and the young Lion, 
Vers. 13.  the Cow and the Bear, the Lion and the Ox, the sucking Child and the Asp and Cockatrice; their antipethies shall cease, that is, as it is quickly after explained, the envy of Ephraim shall departed; Ephraim shall not envy judah, and judah shall not vex Ephraim. Of job 
Job 42.10.  it is said, The Lord turned the captivity of job when he prayed for his friends: It was not while he disputed with, but when he prayed for them. The first thing (as I take it) wherein the Lord appeared to hid himself from his people in these late troubles, was, in their divisions and breaches among themselves in opinions, practices, and party-making; and it is probable the Lord will have them first to be at one again among themselves, ere he manifest himself among them. Then for simplicity and truth, take only that speech of the Lord in the Prophet Isaiah, 
Isai. 63.8.  For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie; so he was their Saviour: with that of the Psalmist, Mercy and Truth are met together: Truth shall spring out of the Earth, and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven: 
Psal. 85.10 11.  So necessary and nearly allied is sincerity and veracity unto the recovery of God's presence, aspect, and audience.  
3. The third and last Direction for the Cure of this evil, is, Let our satisfaction be placed and sought in God himself. When the stream or rivelet is cut off, or dried up, the way to help that is to go to the fountain itself. Doth the Lord withhold from us this or that blessing which we ask of him? our best remedy for that is to seek the fruition of God himself, his presence and favour, and to satisfy ourselves, and make up all defects therewith. Whatsoever wants we lie under in respect of externals, yea or internals, 
Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia. Augustin.  all the particulars we lack are equivalently, yea eminently and transcendently to be had in the enjoyment of God; if we have him, we have them, and more.  
God communicateth himself unto his creature two ways: Either as an Agent, or as an End; either effectively, or objectively; either by way of operation, or by way of rest and complacency. Though we have not his operative or effective communications in the production of every of those works and events which we think behoveful for us, yet if we have the objective or terminative communications of him as our end, rest, or chiefest portion, and good, it is enough. Nay this participation of God is far above the other: He communicateth himself in his acts and operations to all his creatures, but as an end of rest and complacency only to his blessed Angels and Saints: That communication is more remote, this immediate; that more earthly, this is heavenly; that more reserved and limited, this is full and satisfying.  
There is a staying upon God by faith, the virtue whereof is to give us the thing we beg for in prayer before it be given us, and whether ever it be brought forth in rerum naturâ, or in a providential course, or under a sensitive enjoyment, yea or no. Faith giveth us that acquiescence in God, and such an assurance of the performance of the petitions we ask of him, either in kind, or equivalently, and such a clear foresight of what is to come, as that however there be a great distance, and many impediments and delays betwixt as and our prayers, yet there is a kind of presence and possession of them unto us. 
Joh. 8.56.  By it Abraham saw Christ's day with rejoicing. By it he and the other Patriarches, before the obtaining of the earthly or heavenly Canaan, 
Heb. 11.13  saw afar off, and embraced them in their promises. By it David's eye saw his desire upon his enemies, 
Psa. 54.3, 7  when as yet they were up against him, and in pursuit of his Soul. By virtue of it, we have this confidence, that if we ask any thing according to his Will, 
1 Joh. 5.14 15  he heareth us; and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. He saith not, we know that we shall have the petitions, but, we know that we have them; that is, because either we are as sure of them as if we had them in our hands already, or we have them in the fountain or mine, in having interest in, and u ition of God.  
David, when he would still and quiet all murmuring, and impatient thoughts in the hearts of the righteous at the delay of their deliverance, and the flourishing of wicked men, and prosperous success of their evil courses, he prescribeth this medicine: Delight thyself also in the Lord, 
Psal. 37.4.  and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. If they be disanimated by the aforesaid deal of divine Providence, so that they know not how to go on (against such discouragements) in trusting in the Lord, and doing good (the things immediately before exhorted unto) he delivereth them this as a cordial, Delight thyself in the Lord. All the discomforts from present crosses and wants, may be sweetened and swallowed up by this, the satiating solace that is to be had in God: And if the mind be impatiently bend to have its desires fulfilled, this is the way to have them, and that out of hand; if he do not effect them in created events, he will supply them in affording himself; if he do not perform them in providences, he will bless them in blissful consolations to thy Soul: and as Elkanah said to Hannah, 
1 Sam. 1.8  Am not I better to thee then ten sons? Is not God better to thee then ten thousand prayers? When Esau and Jacob met by Peniel, and were in their strains of courtesy about jacob's present, 
G●● 33.9, 11.  Esau, having a good earthly estate in Mount Seir, told Jacob, I have enough, my brother; and Jacob said to him again, I have enough. Interpreters observe, the word which Esau useth, translated enough, signifieth much; and the word for Jacob's enough, signifieth all: Esau hath much, but Jacob hath all. And the reason of Jacob's fuller expression well may be, because though his estate in worldly possessions was probably far less than Esau's, yet he was Israel, a Prince with God; he had God for his portion; to him he had continual recourse by prayer; and if he got not by that means every thing he might ask, or not instantly, yet he had God himself, his presence and favour, and so he had all: And that reason himself might imply, when, together with his profession to have enough, or all, he saith, because God hath dealt graciously with me.  
There is in God a full store-house and wellspring of comforts to make up the defects of whatsoever other things we fail of. If the Lord hid himself from us in things subsidiary, or subservient, or the means conducing to the end, and not in the main matter, or ultimate end itself, to wit, his favour, Spirit and Kingdom, we may well satisfy ourselves. What we are short of in those intermediate and accessive things, we may find and enjoy in God. David, when all was taken and gone at Ziklag, 
1 Sam. 30.6.  encouraged himself in the Lord his God. The Penman of Psal. 73. 
Psal. 73.25 26,  when all went on the wicked man's side, and against the people of God, finds a rock for his heart, and an everlasting portion of God, and him he sets up as his only and incomparable good. The Prophet Habakkuk 
Hab. 3.17▪ 18,  under all creature-disappointments resolveth he shall be able to furnish himself with joy and comfort enough in the Lord, the God of his Salvation. To express in any proportion the numberless and invaluable Consolations that are in God for such a state and use as this, is not to be undertaken; take in lieu thereof these Considerations.  
1. God is always present with his, even when they most seem to be deserted of him. Joseph through envy was sold into Egypt, but God was with him, Acts 7.9. God was with David in his walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Psal. 23.4. God was with the three children in the fiery furnace, Dan. 3.25. And in his presence is fullness of joy, Psal. 16.11. His presence is Salvation, Psal. 42.5. margin.  
2. God still hears his people, even when and while they pray (according to his Will,) though he do not presently answer, Isai. 65.24. jer. 31.18. and in hearing he takes exact notice of them and their requests, Act. 7.34. job 23.10. and he is dearly affected, tenderly moved with their condition and cry, judg. 10.16. jer. 31.20. and he constantly bears in mind them and their prayers: A Book of remembrance is written for them that fear the Lord, and that think upon his Name, Mal. 3.16. They are graven upon the palms of his hands, and their walls are continually before him, Isai. 49.16. The words of their supplication are nigh unto the Lord their God day and night, 1 King. 8.59. And he still owns his people, highly esteems, tenderly cares for them, as his Jewels, Mal. 3. 17. This is his mind and disposition towards them even under desertion.  
3. His people have the pledge of his Word and Promise to stay upon, and move him with. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope: This is my comfort in my affliction; for thy Word hath quickened me, Psal. 119.49, 50. God's word of promise is in many respects better unto his people then his present providential workings: for this is common to the wicked as well as them, and it is temporary and variable; but his Word is eternal and invariable, and the peculiar tenure of his children.  
4. There is no such straight or difficulty to the people of God, but he hath still a way out for them, though they see not the portal or passage. That speech of the Apostle is excellent to this purpose: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9 In In every one of those clauses they cast one of their eyes downward upon themselves, and there see their strait; and another upward, to God, and there see their outlet: They are, as to their own sense, environed with troubles, as at their wit's end, as quite overthrown, they know not which way to turn them for escape; but looking up to God, their nonplus is at an end, they know he hath still a postern to open for them, and set them free.  
5. The people of God have their former experiences of God to revive, and be an earnest unto their faith, Psal. 22.9, 10. & 71.5, 6. & 77.5, 6. & 143.6. Lam. 3.56, 57, 58.  
6. God doth and will support, strengthen, establish, and settle them that trust and wait on him, Psal. 138.3. He giveth them songs in the night: His light riseth in their obscurity: He satisfies their Soul in drought, job 35.10. Psal. 42.8. Isai. 58.10, 11.  
7. Lastly, The people of God (that are so indeed) have an assurance from God, that his present and partial desertion of them is not, neither ever shall be, total or perpetual. The true measure of Gods forsaking th●m is given us Isai. 54.8. In a little wrath I hide my face from thee for a moment. The desertion is not total, it is but in a little wrath. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand, Psal. 37.24. Hence is it, that at the same time, and in the same condition the people of God (to wit, during the seventy years' captivity in Babylon) are said to be cast off and forsaken of God, Ezek. 11.16. jerem. 7.29. & 12.7. & 23.33, 39 2 King. 23.27. and not to be forsaken of God, Ezra 9.9. jer. 51.5. because though they were indeed forsaken in regard of the presence and special blessings of God they before enjoyed at jerusalem, yet they had still the acknowledgement, the favour, the protection, the care, the purposes of God for special good upon them, for which read jer. 24.5, 6, 7. Ezek. 11.16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Neither is the desertion (such as it is) perpetual or endless, it is but for a moment. The Lord will not cast off for ever: but, though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies, Lam. 3.31, 32. In regard of perpetual forsaking ●t is said, The Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance, Psal. 94.14. The Lord forsaketh not his Saints, they are preserved for ever, Psal. 37.28. And of the same people of God whom in part he had forsaken he himself saith, Thou shalt no more be termed, Forsaken: Thou shalt be called, Sought out, A City not forsaken, Isai. 62.4, 12.  Psal. 80.3, 7, 19 
Turn us again, O God, (vers. 7. O God of Hosts: vers. 19 O Lord God of Hosts,) and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.  2 Thes. 3.5. 
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patiented waiting for Christ.  
Amen.    
FINIS.   

A Catalogue of Books, Printed for Luke Fawn, at the Parrot in Pauls-Churchyard.  

In Folio.  
1. A French-English Dictionary, by Mr Randle Cotgrave▪ with the Supplement of Mr James Howel.  
2. Ovid Metamorphosis Englished, Mythologised and represented, in figure's, by Mr G. Sandys.  
3. The Wor●s o● Mr Willi●m ●erkins, the first Volume▪  
4. Dr Fulk, upon the Rhemists' Testament.  
5. The Works of John Boys, Doctor in Divinity, containing an Exposition of the Dominical Epistles, and Gospels, used in our English-Liturgie.  
6. A Dictionary in Spanish, and English together, with a Spanish Grammar, by john Minshew.  
7. The Laws and Customs of a Commonwealth, by john Bodin.  
8. England's Recovery, being the History of the Actions of the Army, under the Conduct of Sir Thomas Fairfax, by joshua Sprig.   

In Quarto.  
9 An Exposition, with Practical Observations upon the first fourteen Chapters of the Book of job, by joseph caryl.  
10. A Practical Commentary, or an Exposition with Notes on the Epistle of james, by Thomas Manton.  
11. Of Wisdom, 3 Books written in French, by Peter Charron, and translated into English, by Samson Leonard.  
12. Christ's victory over the Dragon, or Satan's dowfall, in an Exposition of the 12 Chapters of the Revelation, by Dr Thomas Taylor.  
13. The way of life, in four several Treatises; 1. The pouring out of the Spirit. 2. Sins deadly wound. 3. The Christians Charge. 4. The life of faith, by john Cotton of New-England.  
14. Life's Preservative against self-killing, or an useful Treatise concerning life, and self-murder, by john Sym.  
15. Matrimonial honour, or a Treatise of Marriage, by Daniel Rogers.  
16. The humble advice of the Assembly of Divines, concerning a larger Catechism.  
17. Also a Confession of Faith.  
18. The Assize of Bread, by john Penkethman, mentioned in the weekly bill of mortality.  
19 David's music, or an Exposition of the three first Psalms, by Rich. Bernard of Batcomb, and R. Allen.  
20. A Bloody Irish Almanac, by Io. Booker.  
21. God's waiting to be gracious to his people, in certain Sermons on the 30. of Isa. v. 18. by Tho. Case. And several other Sermons.  
22. The Cannons of the Church.  
23. The Plea of the Poor, or a Treatise of Beneficence, & Almesdeeds, by john Downam.  
24. Disme; the Art of Tenths, or Decimal Arithmetic, by Simon Stevin.  
25. The Diocesans Trial, wherein all the sinews of Dr Downams' Defence, are orderly dissolved by Paul, Bayns, and Will. Amis.  
26. Pseudochristus, or a true relation of a false Christ, by Humph. Ellis.  
27. A Treatise of Usury, divided into three Books, by Roger Fenton.  
28. A Discourse concerning Witches, and Witchcrafts, by George Gifford.  
29. The Use of two Mathemetical Instruments, the Crossstaff, and jacobs-staff, by Thomas Hood.  
30. A brief Discourse of a disease called the Suffocation of the Mother by Dr Edw. jordan.  
31. The most profitable and commendable Science of surveying of Lands, by Valent. Leigh.  
32. Lowcountry training, or the Order how to exercise a Company, by john Waymouth.  
33. The World's Catastrophe, or Europs many mutations until 1666. The fate of England's Monarchy until its subversion, by Will. Lilly.  
34. The Starry Messenger, or an Interpretation of three Suns seen in London, Novemb. 19 1644. by William Lilly.  
35. A Mirror for Magistrates, being a true Chronicle History of the un●●●●ly death of sundry unfortunate Princes in England.  
36. Solomon, or a Treatise of the State of the Kingdom of Israel, also a Treatise of the Church, by Thomas Morton.  
37. The Sum of the Conference between John Rainolds, and John Hart, touching the Head and the Faith of the Church.  
38. The travels of four English men, and a Preacher, into Africa, Asia, Troy, Bythinia, and sundry other places, by john Biddulph.  
39 The two Witnesses discovered, in several Sermons on Revel. 11. by Franc. Woodcock.  
40. A Paraphrase on the Cant. by G. Sandys.   

In Octavo.  
41. A Treatise showing the due Order of receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, by jeremy Dyke.  
42. Divers select Sermons on several Texts, by jeremy Dyke.  
43. Three Sermons, preached at the Collegiate Church in Manchester, by Rich. Heyrick.  
44. A Concordancy of years, by Arth. Hopton.  
45. Rastals Computation of years.  
46. A Discovery of the World to come, according to the Scriptures, by john Seager.  
47. Christ's counsel to his languishing Church of Sardis, by Obadiah Sedgwick.  
48. Piscator in Epistolas Pauli.  
49. The Case and cure of a deserted soul, by Master joseph symmond's.  
50. Sight and Faith, or Meditations upon 2 Cor. 5.7. together with a Christian Plea for Scripture Ordinances, by Mr joseph symmond's  
51. Three Treatises, being the substance of sundry Discourses, by Mr joseph symmond's.  
52. The Beehive of the Romish Church.  
53. Helps for sudden accidents endangering life, by Stephen Bradwel.  
54. Miscellanea, Prayers, Meditations, and Memoratives, by Elizabeth Grimston.  
55. The life of Mistress Katherine Brettergh, with two Funeral Sermons preached at her burial, by Will. Harrison, & Will. Leigh.  
56. Ovid's three Books of Eulogies.  
37.— Festivals, or Roman Kalandar.  
58. The Substance of Christian Religion, in two Books, by Amandus, Polonus.   

In Duodecimo.  
59 The poor doubting Christian drawn to Christ, by Thomas Hooker.  
60. Correction, Instruction, or a Treatise of Afflictions, by Thomas Case.  
61. Six Court Comedies, by john Lilly.  
62. A Treatise of the threefold State of man, or an Anatomy of the Soul, by Tho. Morton.  
63. Rabdologia, or the Art of numbering by Rods, by Seth Partridge.  
64. Essays, or Observations Divine, and Moral, by john Robinson.  
65. New Recreations, or Rare and Exquisite Inventions, for the Exercise of acute wits, by Nicholas Hunt.  
66. The Countess of Mountgomery Eusebia.  
67. The Ornament of women, or a Description of the true Excellency of women, by Stephen Geree.  
68 A Pensive man's Practice, containing very devout and necessary prayers for all godly purposes.  
69. England, Scotland's, Covenant with their God.  

24.  
70. chaplains Prayers.  
71. Godly Garden, a Book of Prayers.  
72. A right godly Rule for Christians to pray by  
73. A Testament of the Roman Letter.    
FINIS.