The spiritual sacrifice, or, A treatise wherein several weighty questions and cases concerning the saints communion with God in prayer are propounded and practically improved by Mr. Alexander Pitcarne.

Sect. IV. A modest enquiry after the reason, holy design••, and ends why the Lord delayeth, or denieth the particular merey that was desired, though he accept and answer our pray∣ers.

Psa. 30.18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you,—and that he may have mercy upon you, for the Lord is a God of judgment.

2 Cor. 12.8, 9. For this thing, I besought the Lord thrice, —and he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee.

THe present question is not concerning the Lords hiding himself from the prayers, either of the wicked or of the Saints, (that being the matter of the following Chapter) but concerning such and such a way of answering the effectu∣al fervent prayer of the righteous; which must prevail and cannot want a return) viz. 1. why the Lord for so long a

time delayeth to give what he purposeth at length to give; 2▪ why he denyeth and with-holdeth the particular mercy that was askt, and will rather give some other thing (which will be better for us) in lieu and consideration of what was desired, and thus will rather make a gracious compensation, then grant the mercy in kind that was desired? We shall be∣gin with the last, as being many a time the sad tryal and ex∣ercise of the Saints, who not seeing the Lords design, nor observing the compensation (it haply being in spirituals which are not so easily discerned) have been ready to apprehend such a dispensation to be in wrath, and that the Lord hath hid himself from their prayers.

But here it would be remembred, that our work is not to enquire after the meritorious and procuring cause, which by way of demerit doth provoke the Lord either to deny or de∣lay, because although the Lord delay to give or deny what was askt, yet he doth not (as the question supposeth) either deny or delay the acceptance and hearing of our prayers; yea, such a denial and delay is not only in mercy and love, but by(a) 1.1 way of answer to our prayers; and he who knew no sin, did meet with such a return to his prayers, Mat. 26.39, 42, 44. And therefore now we must only enquir concern∣ing the holy ends and gracious designs the Lord propoundeth in such a dispensation; under which we would not have the castigation of his people to be comprehended; for, albeit in his purpose, and in the issue that hath much love in it, yet it being in it self grievous, bitter and afflictive, and not a fit(b) 1.2 object of our prayers, it cannot so properly be said to be given by way of return to them, yet since it proceeds from love, and may be very profitable to us, and thus may be askt con∣ditionally and comparatively (as hath been(c) 1.3 shown) we shall in the close add a word concerning it; though still it would be considered, that there is a great difference between this, and those other designs which have nothing of anger and wrath in them, and here the object it self being absolutely considered is(d) 1.4 evil, a fruit and punishment of sin, and a testimony of divine displeasure, and therefore whatever be said of the fruit and event, yet the thing it self

abstractly considered, cannot well be called a return and an∣swer of prayer.

Now let us name some of those gracious ends for which the Lord denieth to give the particular mercy we desired; as, 1. the exercise of our faith and patience; graces are giuen us for use, as talents wherewith we should trade and gain, and not to be laid up in a napkin to rust and corrupt, and therefore its needfull, that the Lord in his providence should offer occasions for their exercise; as in the present case, while he with-holdeth our hearts desire, then in pati∣ence to submit to his holy counsel, and still to depend upon him, as it must be the work of honest supplicants; So, 2. it is their tryal; thus the sincerity of their hearts and reality of their grace is brought to the touch-stone, not only must our graces be exercised for their growth and encrease, but also for their tryal and discovery; and to give Sathan, the world, yea and our own hearts an evidence of their truth; yea, and sometimes of their strength and perfection, if notwithstand∣ing we meet with no sensible demonstrations, yet we will believe God's Word of promise, depend upon him, and pa∣tiently bear a seeming repulse and denial. 3. Hereby the Lord would draw our hearts off from the creature, that we may enjoy a more ful•• and immediat communion with him∣self; he will cut off the streams, that we may run to the fountain it self, to have a supply and an up-making there; the Lord will with hold many creature enjoyments that we may know our home not to be here, and that our minority is not yet past, nor the inheritance to be yet intrusted to us, as being but pupils who must depend and ro••l themselves and their affairs over upon the care and fidelicy of another; and that thus our hearts may be enlarged with longing desires after that day, when our wills shall run parallel with our good, and the glory and purpose of our Master. 4. To prevent our hurt; we are ready to mistake, and to ask a ser∣pent in stead of an egge, but God will not grant such foolish desires, but will (according to Christs(e) 1.5 prayer) keep us (thus, as it were, against our wills) from the evil of the world; 1. from the evil of temptation, for often(f) 1.6 such

things prove an occasion of sin; 2. from the evil of suffering; for riches, honours and pleasures have often proven a preci∣pice from which the men of the world have been cast head∣long; 5. to promove our good and greater advantage, what we desire may prove obstructive of a greater mercy, either spiritual or temporal, and the Lord in his pity and love will not suffer such a block and impediment to be cast into our way; 6. for our instruction; what is said of the cross, scho∣la crucis, schola lucis, may well be applied to this dispen∣sation (which often, through our ignorance and mistake, proveth a sad affliction to us) thus we may learn no more to live by sense, and hereby we may be set a work to examine our hearts and wayes more narrowly, that we may know whether such a dispensation proceedeth from anger or love, and thus we may be brought to espy what formerly did escape our view, &c. nay, here we might alledge all those motives which prevail with the Lord to afflict his people, and honest servants while he doth not pursue any quarrel against them; as in the case of Job, of the Apostles and Martyrs; for, as this case is much like to that, this being often very grievous to us, and looking affliction-like, So the ends and motives on the Lords part, will be found to be much alike, and for the most part the same.

As to the second branch of the question, viz. those ends for which the Lord delayeth to give what he purposeth at length to give; we might here resume several particulars mentioned in the former head, as there also might be appli∣ed much of what we are now to say; these cases not being much different as to the present enquiry, since both those dispensations flow from one and the same fountain of love, wisdom, care and fidelity of a compassionat father towards his children and servants. 1. Then the Lord delayes to give till we be fitted and(g) 1.7 prepared to receive, and that such a dispensation may be a mean to humble and prepare us; eve∣ry thing is good and beautifull in its season, and the Lord knows best how to time our mercies right; if the Lord should give in our time, and before we be prepared to re∣ceive and improve, such a gift would be as medicine unsea∣sonably

taken, which would rather encrease and beget, then remove diseases; but as the Lord thus delayeth till we be fit∣ted to receive and improve his mercies aright; So, 2. till other things be fitted, and be in readiness to joyn with the desired mercy for our good, that thus (according to that sweet, though little pondred or believed word, Rom. 8.28.) all things may work together for our good; that impedi∣ments may be removed, and other means may be placed and joyn hands with such a mercy, that fit occasions may be of∣fered, and such circumstances may combine, &c. and thus a considerable space of time may interveen before the right and fit season come. 3. To make us prize the Lords bounty the more when he fulfilleth our desire, and to make us the more thankfull for the mercy;(h) 1.8 cito data vilescunt, soon and easily gotten, little prized, and soon forgotten. 4. To make us pray more frequently and importunatly;(i) 1.9 Deus differt dare ut tu discas orare, the Lord delayeth that we may add both to the number and measure of our prayers, that we may become both more assiduous, and more ardent supplicants. 5. That at length he may appear for our grea∣ter comfort; the Lord waiteth that he may be gracious, and that our mercies may be full, compleat and stable. 6. To learn us that hard lesson of submission, and that we may not dare to limit and prescribe to the Lord, that we may pati∣ently wait and look up to him untill he show us his loving kindness; to make us examples to others of patience, depen∣dence and self-denial, &c. I have not insisted on these par∣ticulars, because many of them, or such like are more fully handled, and applied to a more(k) 1.10 general case, by the judicious Mr. Gee in his elaborat Treatise concerning prayer-obstruction, Chap. 4. But what hath bee said may suffice for convincing us of our impatience, folly and ingratitude to our kind God, who waits that he may be gracious to us, and who will not with-hold our desires, when these are not contrary to his glory; the good of his people, and our own comfort and happiness.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  See Sect. 2
• (b) 1.2

  See Part. 3. Chap. 3.
• (c) 1.3

  Ibid.
• (d) 1.4

  Malum paena.
• (e) 1.5

  Joh. 17.25.
• (f) 1.6

  See Sect. 2.
• (g) 1.7

  Tauto quippe illud quod valde magnum est su∣memus eapa∣cius, quanto & fidelius credimus & speramus sir∣mius, & de∣fideramus ar∣dentius.
• (h) 1.8

  Augustin. supra citat.
• (i) 1.9

  Ibid.
• (k) 1.10

  Viz. both to this and that which followeth; chap. 2.