58 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLXIV.
have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not ? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge ? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labour : behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness, ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high- Is it such a fast that I have chosen ? a day for a man to afflict his soul ? is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him ? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord ? '
2. That though they do not cease praying, yet do they not pray with any life and hope, because of his delays and seeming denials. There are certain general blessings which we are always praying for, because though we have them, yet we ought daily to ask them of God ; the continuance of them, the sense of them, the increase of them ; here never cease praying, There are other particular blessings, that either concern ourselves, or the church of God, which we are to ask with earnestness, and yet submission : in these we put it to the most sensible trial whether God will hear us or no. Now for these things we must seek the face of God with hope and zeal.
[1.] Because it is not enough to keep up the duty, unless we keep up the affections that must accompany the duty : Rom. xii. 12, ' Con- tinuing instant in prayer,' irpoaKapTepovvres. In long afflictions men will pray, but they pray as men out of heart, for fashion's sake, or with little and weak affection ; rather satisfying their consciences than setting a-work the power of God.
[2.] A seeming repulse or denial should make us more vehement ; as blind Bartimeus, ' the more they rebuked him, he cried so much the more,' Mark x. 48. God suffereth the faith of his servants to be tried with great discouragements ; but the more it is opposed, the more should it grow, and the more powerfully and effectually should it work in our hearts ; as the palm-tree shooteth up the faster the more weight is hung upon it ; or as fire, the more it is pent up, the more it striveth to break out ; therefore we should not only have fresh affections at first, but in every new prayer we should act over our faith again, and put forth spiritual desires anew.
[3.] God's dearest children are not admitted at the first knock: Mat. vii. 7, ' Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' It may be we have not at first asking ; we need seek and knock. Mercy cloth not come to us all in haste ; we have not at first what we lack ; delays are no denials ; therefore we must not take the first or second answer, but continue with instance : ' Give the Lord no rest,' Isa. lxii. 7. Be importunate with him, to hasten the deliverance of his people.
[4.] We must not only continue praying when Christ seemeth to neglect us, or to give no answer, but when he giveth a contrary answer ; when he, to appearance, rejecteth our persons and prayers, and seemeth to forbid us to pray. {Sometimes he seemeth to neglect us, and pass us by as if he took no notice ; but yet he heareth when he doth not answer ; yea, his not answering is an answer. Pray, or continue your prayer. It is said, Mark vi. 48, ' He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them ; and about the fourth watch of the
VER. 146.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 59
night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.' But he came with an intent to appease the storm and help them. Christ taketh notice of the distresses of his people, but they shall not kDOW so much, but delayeth to help till all their patience be spent, and yet then seemeth to pass by, for their thorough trial and exercise, and to move them more earnestly to pray. Some- times he giveth them a seeming contrary answer and rebuke ; instead of an expression of favour, he seemeth to pursue us in anger. God is the main party against us, we have to do with an offended God ; but yet we should not quit him, but follow him when he seemeth to forsake us, and fly to him when he is pursuing us in hot displeasure. Such is the admirable power of faith that it dares call on an angry God, and follow him when he goeth away from us, and lay hold on him when he smiteth, and cast itself into his arms in the midst of his rebukes and frowns : Jonah ii. 4, ' Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight ; yet will I look again towards thy holy temple.' God seemeth to cast us off, as those he will not favour or care for, which is a great trouble to a child of God, who liveth by his favour, and valueth that above all things else : now for such a one to be rejected by God in his own sense and feeling, it goeth near his heart ; yet in such a case we should not cast away our confidence, nor give over all addresses to God, but yet look to him and wait upon him.