unregarded and not taken notice of by themselves being alas oft-times very ignorant inept careless or partial examiners of themselves Men may thank God that they are not guilty of some sins when they are not knowing their own hearts which is a very difficult thing and that they have some graces as sincere Zeal Humility c. when they have not but instead thereof or at least mixed therewith Wrath Pride Vain-glory or in general that they have greater degrees of holiness than they truly have as the Pharisee did They may thank God for owning their Cause by Success in War or Law when he doth not but only chastiseth it may be or correcteth another They may also apply general or particular Promises made to other good men to themselves and thank God for them that he hath made such Promises to them when they do not appertain to them And lastly In the particular deduction and recital of our Cases or Conditions or the reasons and grounds of our Hopes we must observe the same still not aggravate nor extenuate more than is true As a man may propose to God in his Prayers the great machination and malice of his Enemies their insulting over him the dishonour of God himself by them if he be not delivered by him when little of this may be true most of it being only conceited so out of Pride to render himself more considerable or to shew that he can or will deal with them all or out of Wrath or it is more feared than real many other Instances of these Particulars might be given SECT II. II. THe Second due Qualification of the Sense of our Prayers is that the things be Just And this respects only that part of Prayer called Petition When we desire that God should give or grant any positive or privative good thing to us let us be as sure as we can that it is just he should grant it to us Justice is a property of an action and that which we immediately desire in Prayer is God's granting any thing to us And here we are especially to use Divine Revelation or God's Word rightly interpreted and our own best Reason to know what is Just Thus for Example we must not pray to God that he would grant us any thing which may gratifie our Revenge Envy Ambition Covetousness Wrath Vain-glory or any other Lust as sometimes the ruine or destruction or hurt of our Enemies indeed because ours Prosperity for our selves and ours and success in an unjust or wicked Undertaking great Riches Relations Employments Parts and Gifts without taking any notice of serving God or doing good therewith but only that we might be superiour to others or acquire Name or Reputation or be able to advance and propagate certain Opinions and Usages because ours and abolish or remove others because contrary to ours in which case our Request is not that God would grant these things to be done because good for the World and pleasing therefore to himself but indeed to gratifie us only and that in hurtful mischievous and therefore unlawful desires This oft-times lies at the bottom and is the only cause And though we may sometimes slightly or it may be confidently judge the things beneficial to the World to others as well as our selves and acceptable to God yet 't is the gratification of those unlawful desires may make us to judge so Sometimes indeed and most ordinarily perhaps there is a mixture St. James tells his fellow Christians that some of them asked and received not because they asked amiss to consume it upon their lusts or pleasures those viz. of pride and sensuality James 4. Verse 3. The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind Prov. 21. Verse 27. We shall often hear of Fastings and Prayers of contrary and diverse Parties for Victory and Success in any Affairs and Thanksgivings too when both cannot be just In such Cases it is a very good Petition that God would favour or prosper the just Cause And yet this may not always seem good to God neither but we ought to refer it to him as all other Petitions Thus Sects and Parties in Religion pray with a great earnestness and confidence for the Conversion or Extirpation of each other when it is sure but one of those Prayers can be just If when we Petition God for any thing we be careless and negligent whether it be just or no and yet perhaps very confident and bold too in asking we greatly dishonour God For hereby we beget an Opinion in our selves and others and such a suitable behaviour that God is more fond of us and our concerns than of what is just and right that is in effect that he loves us in particular better than all the World besides as if he must needs do what we desire him whether it be right or wrong But if we do attend to and examine with as much care as we ought before we pray whether what we pray be just and fit for God to give and do without any prejudice from self-love conclude it may be so and yet should be mistaken this is only a defect of our knowledge the ill consequence of which is soon amended by referring all our Petitions to the unerring Wisdom of God of which hereafter But we may through undue self-love so flatter our selves and think our selves so acceptable and dear to God that we may conceit it cannot but be just for him to do what especially we with great earnestness and zeal as if he were the inspirer of it and put it into our hearts when it is it may be our own Pride or other self-love Petition him to do More modesty better becomes us whereby we may have a true and due judgment of our selves And when we have that and do with good reason think our selves so far good only as we really are and consequently in the favour of God yet we are to be so modest too as to remember that we can but very rarely certainly tell in particulars with all their circumstances what is absolutely best for the World and consequently what is just for him to do He who is All-comprehending in his knowledge always certainly knows and to him therefore we refer the Justice and consequently the granting of our desires The confidence of some persons in their Prayers proceeding from Ignorance and Pride when their tempers have been heated especially how blameable how hateful and contemptible The wiser sort of Heathens had so good an opinion of their Deities and consequently of their Duty towards them that they would be sure to ask nothing from them but what was just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindar Py. Od. 3. We Mortals ought to desire from the Gods those things which are fitting and just minding the present of what condition we no◠are SECT III. III. THe Third due Qualification of the Sense of our Prayers is That they be in the first place
is certainly our Duty we cannot alter the due Relations of our Actions to their Objects no more than we can conceive that God will ever do it And so our present and suture Condition are and shall be what he decrees or appoints The good or evil things we at present enjoy or suffer from the least to the greatest are and must be all from him whether we will acknowledge or ask or deprecate or thank him for them or no. Our future State of unspeakable Happiness or Misery after a short time shall be by his Sentence which shall be passed upon us without our leave according as we have observed or violated his Commands for all our affectation of Liberty and even Superiority We be lawless We the Governors and Judges of the World What Sottishness is it in Mortals or any Creatures to affect such things which are neither fit nor possible Nor is it at all a sign of a great Mind to arrogate and aspire to such things for its own self not abiding it any where else but rather of a stingy and contracted one which refers all to it self though never so little and contemptible No Selsishness can be great except in him who is at least virtually all himself and upon whom all other Being and Happiness necessarily depend A great Mind is equally pleased with the existence of Infinite Perfection and consequently of the greatest Happiness in the World either fit or possible in any other as well as himself It is indifferent to him where it be so it be he is infinitely in Love with it and rejoyceth in it he despiseth and hateth such a selfish Temper as to wish it no where because it is not in himself Wherefore there is nothing more inexcusable more odious and despicable than a licentious and proud and consequently a negligent ungrateful disobedient Creature towards God his and all the World's Maker and Universal Benefactor To see Ignorance Folly and Wickedness exalt it self against Infinite Wisdom and Goodness and a pitiful Worm to wriggle his dirty Body and turn up his contemptible Snout against Heaven meer Impotency and Weakness which cannot stand of it self to strutt against Almighty Power To see him defying and huffing at God who must by and by ly sprawling and grunting and suffer himself to be insulted over by every Fly and Worm What can more move Indignation Contempt or Pity These are the Creatures too who have made Religion and Piety the Worship of their Maker a Droll and Jest Who have not only hated them but endeavoured to render them the Objects of their Contempt A thing very easie to do There is not the most excellent thing that may not be represented contemptible and ridiculous For it is but observing something therein or related to it which compared with others greater is really mean and small or made to appear so but to conceal what is truly great in it as its being the cause of some small effect compared with others greater or being like to something that is mean and contemptible And in this consists the whole Art of Drollery Nor there is nothing which hath not some such things belonging to it Even God himself with Reverence be it spoken may by an Atheistical lâ—'itt when he shall hear it affirmed that there is not the least Motion but what is produced and communicated by him only be called contemptuously more than is convenient to be named or plenus negotii Deus as the Epicureans slouted because it is in part like to a Man who impertinently prying into and employing himself about every trisling matter though in very truth it is demonstrable and it is absolutely necessary to Infinite Wisdom and Poxer that all things greatest and least together should be known to him and proceed from him and be dependent upon him Nor can a Sparrow fall to the ground as our Saviour saith without his Providence Now the Passions of Hatred and Contempt as all other Passions naturally farnish the Invention or cause to come to mind those things which maintain them and that is any mischievous Quality or Imperfection but they keep back or conceal any thing that may abate them Whence it is manifest how easie it is for an ordinary Witt but proud and â—â—iteful to render any thing it pleaseth contemptible or odious And thus may it do by Religion observing only that it is reverenced by the poor and ignorant weak and fearful Minds but not taking notice that it is in the most wise and generous and that always the greatest and wisest Soâ—ls not influenced by any Appetiâ—es but those of Truth and Right have had the most profound and serious Reverence and Love for it But they can be none but those who have no Understanding themselves which can suffer their Judgments and Affections to be determined by such Persons To thâ—se it is Religious and Godly are become the most ordinary words of scorn But would one ever have thought that that which signifies something appertaining to our Duty to our Maker should have been so Or that it should not be deemed the most honourable Quality and Condition to be a Servant to the infinitely Great Wise and good Soveraign of the Universe In the mean time they may assure themselves that there are some such saithful Servants of God who are so sensible thereof as to contemn and hate such degenerate Souls be they as big as they will so far as they are the Causes or Subjects of such Impiety and yet seriously to pity them as capable of better things Wise and vertuous Souls as much despise and detest hectoring Vice though I say with deep compassion for the Persons as it can Religion and Piety Nor is this humour but too much among the rich and great only but as is usual the fashion is followed by the inferiour sort And it is ordinary enough for them to think that they have wit and worth enough to despise Religion and the Priest And although the Office if it be discreâ—ly and conscientiously discharged is certainly in it self of all publick Employments the most truly profitable to Mankind the most uneasie painful and solicitous to men generally while in this fleshly Life yet by experience it seems at present generally the most thankless and even too much useless For the bad examples of those who administer it do a great deal of harm and yet their good ones do little good If they misdemean themselves which cannot be too seldom their faults are magnified and published with no good intent but out of Envy Contemptuousness or to justifie and excuse mens own licentiousness But if they demean themselves never so worthily and blamelessly as if they only were by way of punishment bound to their good behaviour their good example is little heeded and less imitated I think there are no Persons in a Common-wealth who better deserve what may be esteemed â— reward and consequently Honour and Revenue than those who are constantly in any
Employment the effect of which is the publick good and much more still if the Principle of it be so too and yet often they are undervalued by those who enjoy themselves and live at their ease and are only born to or by some indirect means arrive at that which others better deserve But all this will little cool or abate the Aspires and Resolutions of a sincerely and generously virtuous Soul Which although it knows very well what reward Virtue deserves for its Maintenance and Encouragement and is well assured that how little soever it receives here which it doth not much prize or envy it shall not want what is â—it sometime or other from the Governour of the World Yet it would fain raise it self above all Personal considerations and would please God and do as much good as it can though it were possible as it is not never to receive any thing for its pains Some of the seeming causes somewhat more particular and remote of the Neglect Hatred and Contempt of Piety besides that Universal one the Pityable Natural Inepâ—ness to and Aversness from Spiritual and Divine things in Mâ—n and what hath been before observed may be some such as these Which I crave leave with all due Deference and submission to wiser observers but just to mention Some want of Education of Persons designed for the Clergy in serious and intelligent Piety want of longer continuance in places allotted for that purpose and of more careful examination of sit Qualifications before they are admitted to that Office Want of more places for Retirement and Consideration where Men may learn to rectifie their Opinions to Moderate and Govern their Passions to Direct Form and Temper their Inclinations Want of sufficiency of Revenue for the sufficient and deserving Officers of Religion in very many Places and especially in almost all Corporations where their work is and their worth should be the greatest and there is most need not only of Artificial but Natural Authority Their Revenue also especially since Religion in general and the National Discipline in particular is so much neglected and slighted consisting in most places of many and small things is too solicitous and contentious Their number likewise both of Superiour and Inferiour sort seems to be too small with us probably computing the whole Nation there will not be found above 5 or 6 Hundred but in most Corporations and populous Towns one to two three or four Thousand And in some Protestant-Countreys and particularly our next Neighbours though they are a constituted Common-wealth and flourish in Riches and Greatness Yet I conjecture in some Cities there is not one Clergy Man to five or six Thousand I speak of their National Church not of their Dissenters I know there are some Lay-Elders as they call them which may be some help to them And this may be one cause of the increase both of Papists and other dissenters amongst them if it be true as hath been said notwithstanding the advantages which those of their National Church enjoy But in those places where the Romish Religion obtains as in Italy Spain and France in which last I have some ground for my Conjecture there may be about one to twenty or thirty And in the Divine constitution of the Jewish Common-wealth we know one whole Tribe was assigned for the Ministry of Religion or Gods Worship which might be then about a Fourtieth part of the whole people And yet their Offices and Employments if they be considered will I think be sound to require much less time and leisure than those which are incumbent upon the Clergy in the Christian Church It is true he may be of opinion that their number is already rather too great who seems to make that their only use and employment which is sometimes but the smallest part of it viz. to speak to about a Thousand Persons at once being as many as can conveniently hear in one place though I think if only that were performed as frequently and as well as would be best it would require a greater number Add to these the great neglect and even conculcation of Teel siastical Discipline both over Clergy and Laity especially in Manners To which I heartily wish there were not too great Encouragement in the Civil Government by the Neglect of the Execution of its own very sage and sober Laws and the undoing Examples of those who are entrusted with it * Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in seâ— Crimen habet quanto is qui peccat major habetur The neglect also of the Religious Government of Families those little Commonwealths of which the greater are composed may be here reckoned The Encouragement of judicious plain and affectionate Exposition and Application of the Christian Doctrine or of Preaching seems a very fit and proper Means for the Propagation and Advancement of Piety as all Popular Orations are for the Maintenance of the Esteem and Practice of any Opinions or Actions For whatever some please to think so long as the nature of Man is what it is now and they pursue all other things besides Religion with such real and mighty passions as they do If they be not frequently passionated for Religion and Piety too it seems not likely that it should ever Naturally be prevalent in the World What God may otherwise do we know not If men would have not great affections in Religion they must also bring Men to have none in other Affairs or else they will betray it to loose all its command and efficacy but only there where men are little or nothing concerned Of this the Romanists especially in France seem very sensible and therefore in some places are very diligent in preaching but especially zealous even beyond their Adversaries where their Auditors in their capital City for other places I know little are so numerous and attentive that their Preaching and Catechising seemed to me the principal cause of the Reputation of their Church among the people and that were it not for them their Mass and all the rest of their pompous Religion would not keep the best if not the most of their Sheep from running out into their Neighbours pasture if both Gates were set open This Preaching must not be like School-Boys Themes or young Academicks Orations or School-Lectures But such discourse as is commonly used in the greatest Affairs of humane life not comparably so great as the reforming Mens manners and saving their Souls as at the Bar in the Senate in serious and useful private Conversation where men speak in good earnest to inform convince and perswade their Auditors And because the generality of men through the want of ability or good will mind not so much Religious matters as the concerns of this life it must be oftimes performed to do any great good with many even studied or allowed defects which to some more witty than prudent for want of experience and who think others too much like themselves may seem
distinctions of prayer p. 57. Sect. 1. The first into Mental and Vocal p. 58. Sect. 2. The second into Ejaculatory and set prayer ibid. Sect. 3. A third into diverse or the same where some advantages of each and many other things observed concerning publick and private Forms of prayer premeditated prayers each time extempore prayers by natural parts or supernatural gifts or present inspiration p. 63 Sect. 4. A fourth into prayer alone and prayer with others commonly called publick private secret where many things proposed concerning the publick external Worship of God p. 103 Sect. 5. A fifth into prayer for ones self or for others p. 129 CHAP. III. Contains the matter of that part of a prayer called petition together with some observations thereon p. 131 CHAP. IV. Concerning the great benefits of prayer p. 151 Sect. 1. The good that we may be the instruments of to others thereby ibid. Sect. 2. The benefits to our selves 1. Goodness 2. Comfort 3. Some good things the common causes of both it begetteth preserveth increaseth goodness or boliness in us 5. Ways among others viz. 1. by being an occasion of the exercise thereof or of those things which are immediately the most frequent and effectual means thereof where it is largely shewn that not all prayers may have this effect but that some may make us worse p. 162 to 182. Sect. 3. A second way how prayer preserves and increases goodness or holiness in us is by suggestion and bringing to our minds our duty or those things which are means to dispose and engage us thereto p. 182 Sect. 4. A third way how it doth it is by being an occasion of imitation of God p. 188 Sect. 5. A fourth way is by bringing to our minds the condition of our Petitions being granted p. 191 Sect. 6. A fifth way is by remuneration or reward p. 201 Sect. 7. That the second general benefit of prayer is comfort joy delight of Soul and that four ways 1. Immediately from the operations of our souls in prayer p. 205 Sect. 8. More particularly prayer is the cause of joy and delight by the exercise of saith hope and repose in God p. 212 Sect. 9. Prayer is the cause thereof 3ly by reflection upon our having performed our most just and reasonable duty to God and upon some more than ordinary excellent qualities in our selves which may upon this occasion appear Where two things observed which make a man more sensible of this part of his duty The first is its excellency compared with other parts of our duty the second the unusualness thereof A caution against vain conceit and pride p. 224. Sect. 10. Prayer is the cause of delight and joy by God's special immediate influence p. 237 Sect. 11. The third sort of benefits of prayer are some things which are causes both of goodness and comfort of which two only are mentioned viz. Spirituality and greatness of Soul An affectionate Exhortation to make tryal of these benefits of prayer p. 239 CHAP. V. Contains directions for prayer Sect. 1. The directions for prayer of two sorts I st to propose the due qualifications of a prayer 2. Some means to obtain them The 1st again are of two sorts 1. Those concerning the things contained in a prayer 2. Concerning the signs of those things The qualifications of the things contained in a prayer are again of two sorts 1. Those concerning the sense of a prayer 2. Concerning the operations of Soul in prayer The signs are either of our sense or operations of soul which are 1st Speech 2ly All other gestures The due qualifications of the sense or objects of a prayer are 1. its truth where some instances of more considerable mistakes in all the parts of a prayer p. 252 Sect. 2. A second qualification of a prayer is that it be just p. 280 Sect. 3. A third that it be principally of the greatest importance and concernment p. 284 Sect. 4. A fourth is that it be as extensive as may be this how meant p. 293 Sect. 5. The directions for the due qualifications of the operations of soul in prayer are 1. that they be sincere of which the meaning in two respects p. 298 Sect. 6. The second due qualification of our operations of soul in prayer is that they be intense and fervent p. 310 Sect. 7. The third that they be frequent p. 325 Sect. 8. The fourth that they be seasonable 1 in respect of the whole action of praying 2 in respect of the several parts of a prayer 3 in respect of the particular instances of those parts or ingredients 4 in respect of some adjuncts of prayer as vehemency length The fifth qualification very briefly that all our petitions be in the name of the Lord Jesus p. 334 Sect. 9. The directions concerning the due qualifications of the signs of our sense and operations of soul are 1st that they most perfectly convey the things signified p. 346 Sect. 10. 2 That they draw not the attention therefrom either by too much pleasing or displeasing and offending p. 347 Sect. 11. 3 That they somewhat please and invite the mind to attend to them p. 350 Sect. 12. 4 That they be the most universal p. 352 Sect. 13. 5 That they be the most natural p. 356 Sect. 14. 6 That they be the most clear p. 359 Sect. 15. 7 That they be the most distinct p. 363 Sect. 16. 8 That they be the most short p. 364 Sect. 17. The first direction to obtain the former due qualifications of our prayers is to reâ—â— and understand well the holy Scriptures and other good Books p. 372 Sect. 18. The second is to meditate consider and examine p. 380 Sect. 19. The third is to make use of prayers composed by others Four steps in the use of this means commended to most persons p. 385 Sect. 20. The fourth is to pray to God for those due qualifications p. 391 Sect. 21. The fifth is to be sincere and humble in the desire and possession of the gift of prayer p. 396 Sect. 22. The sixth refer all thy petitions most freely to the Divine Will p. 397 Sect. 23. The seventh be not content with any prayers p. 398 CHAP. VI. Contains the excuses or pretences why men do not pray p. 401 Sect. 1. The first pretence is that there is no need of it this answered ibid. Sect. 2. The second that they have not ability to pray answered p. 411 Sect. 3. The third that they have not time answered The couclusion p. 416 ERRATA Pag. 2. lin 9. dele it is so p. 14. lin 3. for he hath not read it is not ibid. lin 22. dele so far p. 16. l. 3. for or read and. ibid. l. 9. read but also to p. 20. l. 2â— del promises p. 29. l. 11. in the void space Sect. IV. p. 63. l. 12. del one p. 71. lin 16. del of p. 75. l. 16. our Judgments p. 81. l. 1. del affections and maintain them in our selves p. 121.
to us in any kind when we expresly mind our selves that God seeth and knoweth it How darest thou that hast vile Thoughts Designs Affections Inclinations secret Actions all as well known to God as if they were exposed to the Meridian Sun ask any thing of him or so much as think of him And shouldest thou not fear that he should punish thee for thy Impudence and Dishonour thou doest him 3. An Acknowledgment of the Divine universal Goodness or Righteousness which in effect is all one his always doing that which is for the greatest Perfection and Happiness of all that he hath made considered together This gives us Assurance and consequently emboldens our Desires that every thing that is righteous and just a Condition we are always to remember in our Prayers shall be effected and granted And here we may take notice of the two Branches for so they are of his universal Goodness or Righteousness viz. his Justice properly so called and his Mercy The first is the Method of effecting the Universal Good by permission and inâ—licting of Evil. The last by bestowing of Good The good use of the former is as hath been said to engage us to all sincerity and purity of Heart when we approach him with our Prayers and Desires For he is so good to the World that when he sees fit he will also certainly punish wicked persons and sinners which may be sometimes by taking away what they have already received and enjoy but much more by the denial of their Petitions for any thing they want And so likewise God sâ—nercy engageth us to be good if we would have so great a favour from him as the granting our Petitions For God is no more merciful than he is just at random but so as is for the best government of the World or for the greatest good thereof and therefore he is principally so to those who are good to those who obey and serve him God indeed may sometimes see it good to bestow good things upon bad men but it is very little probable that he should give to a bad man any particular good thing because asked by him at any particular time Nay the contrary is far more probable viz. That he should deny and reject his petition as a sign of his just displeasure against him And this the consciences of wicked men very often let them know and make them afraid and ashamed to send up the least desire to God or if they do 't is with a strange faintness and indifferency as if they little hoped it should be accepted and return with success Moreover God's mercy as hath been said of his universal goodness or righteousness gives us particular assurance of his granting our desires for any thing that is good for us if it be just and consistent with or rather part of his universal Goodness or his goodness to the whole World That he is not tyrannical imperious cruel envious to the meanest of his creatures but that every thing which can and ought to be done shall be done for us Now the express belief hereof together with his infinite Wisdom and Power begets in us assured hope and trust for the granting our just Prayers and consequently enlivens and encourages them And in some cases God himself hath told us that it is just for him to hear our Prayers as when we pray for pardon of sin for Christ's sake upon our sincere repentance and for grace to repent Things of so great consequence to us that we need not be much solicitous concerning any other Where we have not the certain assurance of the justice of our desires we must only propose them with reference to the divine wisdom As it is in the case of Health Riches Honour Parts Gifts nay all instances of power or ability to do any thing whatever unless it can any where appear to us that God hath by Revelation or Reason in some particular cases promised them to us And here it may be useful and proper to reflect upon the several ways or instances of God's Mercy as they are also of his Power and Wisdom such as his making sustaining providing for all his Creatures in all respects his affording Means Helps and Assistances of being good and wise and keeping Men from being bad the external ones of Direction Instruction Example the internal of the immediate Influences of his Spirit upon Mens Understandings Consciences Affections Inclinations God's forbearance and long-suffering till Men do repent which may be more especially taken notice of And lastly all or any more particularly as occasion may be the Conveniencies Commodities good things of this Life as Health Strength Plenty good-Name Friends Deliverance from Evils or Dangers all which will still more evidently prove to us and cause us longer to attend to and more clearly to see and more sensibly and strongly to be affected with the divine Mercy and Bounty That indeed the Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works That he is merciful gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth If God be not good whence are these and all other good things to the World Since God is infinitely powerful and knowing to do what he pleaseth what can be the cause besides his goodness that there is any thing in the World but the extreamest misery Hence consequently our Faith that is our Belief and Trust and then our Desires will be strengthened and emboldned Here too we may make a Reflection upon God's Veracity or his Goodness in performing his Promises which in the Old Testament is very often called by the Names of Faithfulness and Truth We may reflect generally upon God's Goodness in the performance of what he hath said and therefore of his Promises and more especially upon those Promises which concern Persons in our particular cases if it appear there are any he hath any way by Revelation or Reason made known and signified to us Here further we may call to mind the past Instances of God's Mercy and Bounty to us and principally those which are the most like that which we now petition for The Reason is because that which hath been done or come to pass hath more of probability that it may and will be done again than that which hath not Wherefore this also will confirm our Faith and consequently encourage our Desire or Prayer Of this there are many Examples in the Scripture especially in the Psalms But besides this more proper and pertinent use and effect of the express Acknowledgment and Recital of the Divine Perfections and Attributes in Prayer and some few others mentioned we may add here in short only that it causeth us to admire the Divine Perfections to honour and reverence God in the most real and serious manner and in the highest degree we are capable of to love him freely chearfully earnestly ardently with all our souls with all our might all the strength and vigour of our spirits all which is
Hand of God asked or unasked except we be in some degree good Examples of this are very frequent in the Psalms Psalm 7. Verse 1. David prays to God to save him from his Enemies Save me from all them that persecute me and deliver me And Ver. 6. Arise O Lord in thine Anger lift up thy self because of the rage of mine Enemies But Vers 3 4. he reflects upon his past Innocency and particularly in something his Enemies or his Conscience might suggest whether he was not guilty and upon the greatness of his Goodness and Charity that he had not only done good to his Friends but even to his causless Enemies and surely he judged himself to be still the same and that he was not changed for the worse which without doubt gave him humble Boldness and Confidence of success and consequently was the cause of the Earnestness and Strength of his Desire that God would be pleased at that time to do that favour for him O Lord my God if I have done this that is it may be something his Enemies might accuse him of or his Conscience bid him to enquire into or more particularly if he had done that to them which they did to him viz. persecuted them and endeavoured and contrived to do them mischief causlesly If I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me viz. his Friends or who had done him no hurt Yea I have delivered him who without cause is mine Enemy Then let the Enemy persecute my Soul yea let him tread my Life down in the Earth and lay mine Honour in the Dust If David had been conscious to himself of the like Injustice or of any other Sin approved that he had been was and would be so for the future he would not have had the Confidence to have desired this of God And so in many places where he prays to God for some Favour he professeth himself God's servant Psalm 86. Verse 4. Rejoyce the Soul of thy Servant Verse 11. He prays to God to teach him his way and he would walk in his Truth That which was truly God's Way and was truly right and to be done And Verse 12. he professes he would praise God and glorifie his Name which were Signs and Branches of his Goodness And then Verse 16. he prays O turn unto thy Servant and save the Son of thine Handmaid Psal 119. Verse 94. I am thine save me for I have sought thy Precepts He had endeavoured and desired to obey God and he had given himself up to him I am thine or God had especially design'd him to serve him in the Kingdome therefore he was bolder to pray God would save him or deliver him from the Evils he was in danger of And Psalm 143. Verse 12. Of thy Mercy cut off mine Enemies and destroy all them that afflict my Soul Suppose them so to continue as long as they had life and were able and not to repent for I am thy Servant And this is the best sort of Vows when a Man not only upon Condition that God will give him any certain thing he craves expresly wills and obligeth himself to do this or that particular good Work or abstain from this or that Fault or bad Action but before-hand he gives up himself entirely to God and vows and promises he will be his servant universally and more particularly it may be too where he thinks he may do the most good or where he hath been the most faulty And as for his Desires and Requests he refers them to the Divine Righteousness and Wisdom He makes no bargain with God only those Duties which can only be done upon Condition of God's bestowing his requested Favours may be promised and professed by him conditionally As for example to thank and praise God particularly for any Favour conferred which cannot be if it be never received SECT VI. IV. A Fourth Ingredient in Prayer is Thanksgiving that is an actual loving of God for his Benefits already received And this contributes to the strengthning and invigorating of our Prayers and Desires too It is as the rest before a necessary Sign according to the degree of its vigour and frequency of the same degree of Goodness in us For if we love God for his Benefits we shall naturally desire to please him and to seek to know what doth so and that we cannot be ignorant is by doing his Will or by keeping his Commands with Care to be universally holy good and righteous in the grand Instance of universal Benevolence and consequently Self-denial and all the Branches thereof I say according to the degree of its Vigour and Frequency For it 's no wonder to see one who loves God for his Benefits but seldom now and then only for one Fit in a Prayer never thinking of it afterwards or in mean and low degree one who loves God less and less often than many other Objects I say it is no wonder to see such a Person to sin and offend as often as these Objects are his Temptations But if we loved God vigorously and more than any other Objects and so frequently that it became an habitual Temper of our Souls it would most certainly produce in us the Effect of universal Holiness And so far forth as we find it in intensness and constancy in our selves so far is it a sign thereof and gives us reason consequently to think our selves acceptable to God and that it may be the more reasonable and just for him to bestow the good things we ask I do not think that Love to God for his Benefits conferred upon ones self or Thankfulness is a principal Virtue but an excellent instrumental one it is It is not an Instance of formal Goodness or Virtue but it is a very frequent means thereof and therefore a sign But to love God for himself as a part or rather infinitely the most considerable thing in the whole Universe and therefore above all things and with reference to the whole this is indeed the noblest Instance of our Holiness The free and generous Acknowledgment and Resentment of God our Benefactor of the Divine Favours already received is one good Use Effect or Improvement of them which hath a further one still viz. it causeth us to please God by keeping his Commands and becoming universally holy and good as I have before instanced and being a very probable sign of this iâ— gives us a just Faith and Confidence and heightens our Prayers and Desires from God Ingratitude that is a Neglect or Contempt of God's Favours already bestowed we may be sure can give us no Encouragement but it is a sign of a dull sensual selfish or wicked Mind and so at least of defect oâ— Goodness Again actual Love to God for Favours received impresseth upon our Minds the Memory of his past Goodness and consequently gives us reason to argue he may be good to us again supposing we see no Circumstances to alter the Case in those things
we now ask And the more still if the Favours we have already received be of the same kind with those we do now desire If it were before it may be now for ought we see just and reasonable for God to hear us And this emboldens animates and enlivens our Petition or Desire still more There are besides these more proper other collateral good Effects of Thanksgiving to God It is a very pleasant thing For what more so than Love what more delicious and sweet And what Friend is capable of being loved more than God Where 's such a Friend and Benefactor as he from whom we have all Again the Reflection upon our own Security upon our own Assurance of good things for the future from the Experience of and Attention to the Divine Benignity and Goodness is a very pleasing and satisfactory thing that we are in the Hands of Infinite Goodness all which our Thanksgiving gives occasion for And this we are most sensible of when under any Frights or Fears of some great Evils just ready to fall upon us then we greedily call to mind God's past Goodness But here we must have a care of loving God ultimately and only for being particularly good to us without at least some habitual reference of it to the use of pleasing him by doing the most Good we can as a Man might love a good Master or any Person or Thing that is useful to himself not much caring whether he be so to any body else all which indeed is no better than selfishness But we must look upon God's Goodness to us as one particular Instance of that Universal Goodness to all for which we love him and whereby we are engaged to love and please him and consequently to do good to all himself doth and to be perfect and happy iâ— so being and doing all which together is tâ— be our last End We are indeed for the mâ— part more sensible of those his personal Eâ—vours because ordinarily we cannot so we apprehend others Satisfaction and Please as our own But we ought equally to that God for his Benefits to others and our selveâ— if we could alike apprehend them And here we may do well sometimes 〈◊〉 to aggravate God's Goodness that is to tâ— notice of those Circumstances which aâ—signs of the greatness thereof As that is the most free and undeserved For whâ— Addition of Good can we make to him 〈◊〉 what can we give him that is not his owâ— or what Law or Power superiour to Himsâ—â—â— to his own Nature obligeth and controlle him We may also remember our selves 〈◊〉 God is good to us when we are bad whâ— we are negligent and take no notice there ungrateful undutiful nay make ill use his Favours abuse them for this God mâ— do for some reasons though we have 〈◊〉 advantage of probability to expect it whiâ—â— is a sign of more pure free and sincere Gooâ—ness or Love to others For we think no Peâ—son can expect any Recompence for his Gooâ—ness from one he knows is unable much leâ— from one he knows unwilling and loves hiâ— not All this is to be done that we may be more deeply affected with the Divine Goodness for the Ends aforesaid We may read Jacob's Prayer to be delivered from his Brother Esau as an Instance Gen. 32. Verse 9 10 11. In the 10th Verse before his Prayer he takes notice of God's manifold Mercies to him without doubt with Thanks and particularly of his Wealth and Increase that God had blessed him withal I am not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies and of all the Truth which thou hast shewed to thy servant for with my Staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two Bands In the Psalms we meet often with Thanksgivings and Petitions Praises and Prayers joyned together Psalm 144 in the two first Verses David blesseth and thanketh God Blessed be the Lord my strength who teacheth my Hands to war c. who subdueth the People under me And then Verse the 5th he petitions and prays for the long continuance of the like Goodness in God and Verse 7. Send thine Hand from above rid me and deliver me out of great Waters from the Hands of strange Children And Psalm 3. Verse 3 4 7. And Psalm 9. to Verse 13. is most Acknowledgments and Praises and then a Prayer Have Mercy upon me O Lord consider my Troubles which I suffer of them that hate me thou that liftest me up from the Gates of Death And Psalm 13 after his Petition in the 6th Verse he saith he will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with him SECT VII V. A Fifth Ingredient in a Prayer is somâ—times particular explication of oâ— Case either of the one or more goâ— things we desire to have or of the Evil thing we desire to be delivered from a more â—â—stinct Representation and View of them â—rected to God And this then especially wheâ— we intend to make a more particular expreâ—â— Address to God in secret or in publick aloâ— or with others for one or for some few coâ—tain things It may be done sometimes as when 〈◊〉 find our selves very sensible and clearly apprehensive of and affected with the goodneâ—â— of any thing in our Prayers for ordinaâ—â— and general good things Here also mâ— come in the reasons or grounds of our greâ—â— Desires at this time such as now the greâ—â— Goodness of the things their Necessity Diffâ—culty if not Impossibility by any second Caâ—ses we yet see or the like Now the use of this is not to acquaint God more particularly with our Case or to move him to be the more favourable to us or pitâ— us by giving him a distinct Knowledge of what we need or desire not so much as the most general Prayer and Desire is needful for that such as the Poets was approved by Socrates and extant in Brodaeus's Collection of Greek Epigrams Plat. Alcib 2. Brod. Epig. lib. 1. Xenoph. Memorab lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. That Jupiter would give him good things whether he asked them or no and keep evil things from him though he should pray for them And another of his mentioned by Xenophon viz. That the Gods would give him good things leaving it to them as best knowing what were such to choose for him No but one principal reason is to cause our selves longer to attend to our Wants we doing it more particularly and distinctly and consequently to be more affected with them and so more passionately earnestly and importunately to desire the supply of them A very confused general short transient Apprehension of the Goodness or Badness of things doth not generally so deeply affect us or raise up such strong Passions in us as a more particular distinct and longer one by frequent smart Bouts yet not so continuedly long as to tyre us doth For the same cause may the grounds or reasons of the Greatness of our Desires be mentioned such
person in his sâ— Reflection or occasional thoughts takes notice of and clearly apprehends the Iniquity the Unreasonableness the Folly the Mischievousness either of Sin in general or of any particular inordinate and immoderate Appetite or Lust or on the other hand the profitableness and consequently the reasonableness and wisdom if there be any difference in the World in our Actions and all things be not alike eligible of Virtue in general or of any particular one as of Charity Self-denyal Humility Spirituality I say when one clearly apprehends these things his Soul may of a sudden swell and burst with a mighty Desire that the Almighty and All-good God would purge rescue and preserve it from such base and detestable things as his Lusts or that he would ingenerate increase and confirm in him that noble excellent most perfect Temper of Virtue And so likewise there may be Ejaculations or sudden dartings out of other Affections and Passions besides Desire and therefore in all the other Parts of Prayer as in Acknowledgment of the Divine Attributes upon a clear Sight and Apprehension of any of them in some Instance or upon any occasion according to the Nature of the Attributes apprehended mighty Admiration Honour Reverence Love Joy Faith or Trust c. may on a sudden break forth In Reflection upon and Confession of ones Faults a keen anâ— sudden sit of Hatred of them Shame aâ— Sorrow for them may be excited and so in thâ— rest When Men are on a sudden surprized â— frighted with any great Evil how naturalâ— do they shoot up a swift and strong Desâ—â— for God's Protection or Deliverance a 〈◊〉 have Mercy on them though they nevâ— otherwise prayed A designed Prayer is whâ— one doth sum up his Petitions forethinkiâ— them and so of the other Ingredients â— Prayer with intent to propose and direct theâ— to God This may be ordinary at some constant â— times and most-what of general things wiâ— occasionâ—l Additions as once or oftner â— some set part of the day Or extraordinarâ— when a Man sets some one time on purpoâ— apart for it when a Man expresly proposeâ— to enâ—ertâ—in himself with such Thoughts aâ— Affections according as he may have Opportunity and Ability Ejaculatory Prayer are usually very servent because the Good â— Evil of the things so occasionally desired â— very clearly and strongly apprehended and then the Soul for such a short time can better intend its Strength and Vigour and finally all Passions Mental or Corporeal especially these last in a little time fail and grow weak But here we are to have a care too as much as we can to proportion the Strength of our Desires to the Goodness of things and to get an habitual Judgment thereof These kind of Prayers thus directed and therefore especially in spiritual things if frequent are of excellent use well to dispose secure and guard a Man's Mind and to obtain all other the good Effects and Benefits of Prayer hereafter to be mentioned SECT III. III. A Prayer is usually distinguished by one Adjunct of the Matter or Contents of which it is composed viz. that it is the same or diverse A Prayer may be the very same with another that is like to iâ— in Sense Passion Speech or Words and other external Signs and their Circumstances as Order or it may be diverse therefrom A Prayer may be the same only in Sense but not in Speech or other external Signs they may change and it is ordinary to express the same Things and Passions too by diverse Words or other Signs Sometimes on the contrary a Prayer may be the same in Speech and Words and other Signs and not the same exactly in Sense and Passions Nay I think it hardly ever is and thaâ— no two Men who use the same Words and external Signâ— have exactly the same Idea's and Sense and the same Passions and Dispositions neither as to Nature or Degree Nay it seems more probable that even the same Person using at two several times the same Speech or other external Signs hath very rarely if ever accurately the same Sense and Passions signified Buâ— let it be enough just to have mentioned sucâ— a minute Speculation and yet not useless iâ— its Place but of greater consequence in diâ—putes and controversies than all are awaâ— of When a Prayer is the same with another both in Sense and Words it is calledâ— Form of Prayer which may be more or leâ— called so as it is more or less often repeateâ— and hath more or less of the same Sense anâ— Words so that there are Degrees And for is in premeditated and extemporary Prayer which may be more or less diverse from aâ— other Prayers This Form may be composed by ones seâ— who recites it or by another And according to this Sense of the Word a Prayer thaâ— is recited by one but once whether composed by himself or others is not a Form but if more than once or often it is Where also it may be observed that hardly any Man's Prayer but is more or less a Form that is it hath more or less of some Prayer which hath been before said or recited by some person or other at least by himself whether it was of his own or another's Invention I say it is a Form more or less and that not only in sense but in Words and in the Order too The greatest Difference even in the Prayers of those who are of most copious and various Conceit and Invention is usually in Words and Expressions and Order of Things which sometimes may be one way sometimes another and yet the Coherence not very remote but very good by reason of diverse Relations of things one to another As one one and the same thing may come in in a Prayer after one thing as its Cause and so as a Means after another as its Effect and so as a Motive after another as one of its Kinds or Instances c. and if the Prayer be premeditated by a Person used to reasoning this Variety is more easie but if it be extempore supposing his Prayer be one continued thing without Interruption his sight of the Relation of things and his Reasoning must be very quick or else oft-times the Order and Coherence will be very impertinent and unaccountable Though the Truth is that it is a thing of less Concernment so the Matter be but true and profitable and oft-times great and just passions cause a Man utterly to neglect Method To affect Variety in Prayers as every where else meerly for it self is a light and childish thing and the being pleased therewith is at least an Effect of Imprâ—dence and so much unseasonable as if noâ— to be wholly excluded yet to be sparingly admitted because otherwise it will usually take off Mens Minds from those things which are of greater Concernment and to which they are to attend in their Prayer in the first place that is the Truth and Goodness of things spoken plainly
take heed that nothing false is said by him to cause himself to attend to what is true anâ— important to awake and inflame Affections thereto by proposing or urging the reasonableness of them by upbraiding his Infirmity Dulness Ignorance Mistake Slavery in his Senselesness of the best things I think too that this Assistance is principally in holy Affections that is such as are rightly directed and moderated to the most excellent Objects and in their due Degree more than in Sense and Words also principally upon some extraordinary Occasion either for the great need of its being well performed just at such a time or the necessary want of Time and it may be of natural Ability of the Person if innocent and humble and therefore always especially to the innocent and particularly the humble and modest not to the lazie negligent weak yet vainly conceited presumptuous and proud Person I rather think that they have most of this Assistance who least pretend to it who least therefore wilfully neglecting their own endeavours trust to it but only modestly think it may be sometimes in some things and whether it be so or be not so do attribute all they are or do or can perform ultimately to God whether it be by natural Parts or habitual Gists or present Influence who acknowledg that all holy Desires all good Counsels all just Works do proceed from him and thank God that he is pleased to do any good to others by them though they should be very well pleased too if it were done by others so it were done If it pleased God to afford a greater degree of this Assistance to do good this way there is no good Man I suppose but would be very glad thereof and willingly receive it and thank God for it And for ought I know it may be afforded to the World in greater degree First in respect of good and holy Inclinations and sense of Soul called Graces and then in those Perfections of our understanings which are called Gifts before the whole design of Christianity and consequently the present condition of Man-kind here on Earth hath and End but then we must certainly know it to be so when it is The Badness the Pride and Vanity of many Persons their self-conceit swelling with a false opinion that they are so highly favoured of God Contempt of others because inferiour to them in this respect want of Humility Modesty Charity also Falshood Uncertainty Unintelligibleness to other Persons wise and Pious in the Reciter's Non-sense or great Confusion Trivialness and Uselessness of things and consequently the Pedantry or Childishness of the Persons sometimes also the mischievousnesâ— of things are sufficient signs in their degreeâ— Non-inspiration and therefore of the Madness and Contemptibleness of such pretences They are signs even of want of ordinary considerâ—tion Reason Judgment of Ignorance Duâ—ness Confusion Error and yet Rashness anâ— Confidence And where Prayers and Persons are bettâ—â— and the clean contrary yet surely full easilâ— may all that we now see be by the Goodnessâ— the natural Parts before mentioned and by hâ—bituaâ— Gifts that is those Faculties endoweâ— with some Perfection belonging to them by God's special Influences some time or timeâ— in our Lives without the special Influence â—â— the Spirit just then And we find extempâ—râ— Performances in other matters to be performed as well as in those divine Offices as in Orations in common discourse especially when warmed with Talking and Passions and yet these are attributed only to natural Parts which in some Men are very quick and lasting of great Variety conversant about more than ordinary things and may not unfitly be termed natural Enthusiasm Of which the bodily cause according to the Laws of union of Body and Soul which God hath fixed is Subtilty Solidity Copiousness of Spirits a well constituted Brain Organs of Speech and the Nervous passages of the Brain thereto c. I would try any Man who should pretend to be even a Prpohet and did even work Miracles by such Signs as I have now mentioned and they may reasonably in some degree over-weigh the greatest appearing Miracles themselves For I may have more certainty and evidence that some things are unworthy of God or that they cannot be done by oâ— proceed from such a Nature as Gods is then that any effect is caused by God's immediate action or influence for the Confirmation of any thing taught or affirmed and not by some natural and second causes And we see accordingly the Jews were admonished by Moses that even if one should rise up who should foretell things to come and yet teach that Jehovaâ— was not the true God but should draw them to other Gods and there is the like reason in all Truths as clearly manifested by Revelation or Reason he was not to be believed that God had sent him but to be rejected and put to death Deut. 13. v. 1. As for those poor deluded or Hypocritical Men who sit in deep silence a great while and of a sudden break out with abundance as is said of Non-sensical stuff or Prophetical Phrases cluttered together and then think themselves inspired by the Spirit most probably their silence was at first affected or if not their bodily Temper was only dull and after some time their Brains were agitated with thoughts and their Hearts with Passions or their Temper was fortuitously changed as most Men are apt to be silent and talkative once in two or three Hours or at least the Examples of others make them begin to talk too and to shew the Spirit comes upon them They may do well also to have a care there be noâ— something a worse cause when Men so proudly and wilfully expose themselves to such miserable sottish Delusions These few things I have at present upon the mentioning these Sorts or kinds of Prayer only briefly suggested If one had a mind accurately and particularly to determine in this matter a Form premeditated and extempore Prayer would be considered first absolutely with each ones conveniencies and Inconveniencies good or bad Effects in which again are to be observed the degrees of their Extension as to Subjects that is Persons of their Intension of their Duration or their Frequency in three words their degrees of greatness as to Extension and Intension and of Lastingness And then again they would be considered comparatively which had most or least Conveniencies or Inconveniencies for all things have some of both and whether the using of one of them or a mixture of all of them would be best to obtain the greatest Conveniencies or good Effects with the least bad ones A Method which is to be observed in the Determination of the goodness absolute or comparative of all things To do which to any good Effect Men must be impartial and indifferent to any thing but the Truth out of Charity to Mankind as in all other Cases of Controversie and Debate it is perpetually to be admonished and dispose themselves by
revengeful Spirit wish and rejoyce in the mischief of good Men their greatest Benefactors and of one another Finally Good Men so far as such always wish and pray in general for good things to all Men even their Enemies and bad Men and to every particular person all particular good things until they see it is inconsistent with a greater good in the World somewhere else They always wish heartily every man to be better and then Knowledge Health Riches Good-Name Friends what you will until they manifestly see they are so foolish or bad as to do more hurt than good therewith both to themselves and others and then their universal Charity to the World obligeth them to refrain from their good Wishes and Prayers for them they are not then câ—pable of them and yet they retain still sâ— much good-Will and Charity to them in particular as that they would always be glaâ— to see them capable so as they might praâ— for and endeavour their good in all thingâ— Thus for example a good Man cannot praâ— for another to be rich when he manifestlâ— sees he will and doth use what he hath â— Intemperance Luxury Wantonness Pridâ— Oppression Mischievousness and thereby â— corrupt vex or make miserable the Placâ— where he lives or the Persons he can reach â— but yet he with all his Heart prays that hâ— might become so sober advised pious anâ— charitable that all these things may be hâ— Portion too though the former be better thaâ— them all And I say many a time upon the sincerely charitable and fervent Prayer of a gooâ— Man do other Men both good and bad receive both spiritual and bodily Blessings and it may be especially in a place where thâ— Prayer and the answer of it may be more remarkable or observable as in a Town or Fâ—mily and this to shew how acceptable tâ— God is sincere and unaffected Holiness anâ— particularly a hearty praying for others ouâ— of Charity and consequently to encourage both the good Man himself to Perseverance and others to Imitation Although the good Man is far from making the Satisfaction he hath in his Goodness and his consequent Favour with God his only or last End but principally at the same time he regards too his pleasing God and good done to others for which God is pleased to make him an Instrument And here let us be sure we are good and sincerely holy Men if we will have this Priviledge with God and Favour from him not only presume and fancy our selves to be so and vindicate our selves for such meerly for some things which may be done by really bad Men and secret Hypocrites Then we are such and so far forth as we do things out of a sincere Conscience that is out of a sincere Judgment and Desire to do the thing that is right and therefore with a cautious and modest Desire of knowing the Truth concerning what is right our Duty or what we ought to do and when the Principles of our Consciences or that with which they are informed or that which influenceth our Judgments concerning our Duty for they may be corrupted are a sincere Love to God that we might please him and a universal Charity such as I have just now mentioned when we desire to know our Duty that we may please God and more certainly be directed to do more good We are far from this temper of sincere Holiness when we are puffed up conceited and hugely pleased ultimately with our selves that we are the People so highly in the Favour of God and have so great a Priviledge and Power with him as to call down Blessings presently not only for our selves but for others and Curses too perhaps if we please A good Man is not thus affected at all but despises and hates any such Temper of Mind when he finds himself tempted to it Further If we modestly take notice at any time that God hath been pleased to grant us such a Priviledge because truly good we are to be advised to call to Mind who it is that hath made us so To attribute and ascribe humbly all the Goodness we have and the Favour of honouring and rewarding it so to his own free though eternal and immutable Goodness and Benignity of Nature That we and all we can do and do do are mediately or immediately from him and depend upon him as the Cause that without him we neither are nor can do any thing For whatsoever Ability Strength Liberty we can truly pretend to it is from him and dependent upon him and could never have been nor now be without him Thus ought we modestly and truly to think of our selves and so far as we do not it is from Pride and we are bad Men. And consequently to be accordingly affected with Contempt or undervaluing of our selves utterly in compare with God in this respect when God is pleased so highly to favour us and to grant us so noble a Priviledge as to make us holy and good and then to be as it were the effectual and successful Mediators and Procurers of Blessings and good things for others not to arrogate and assume falsly to our selves the being in the least the ultimate or principal Cause thereof with a Forgetfulness and Neglect of God and consequently without all reason strutting and being pussed up and big with our selves being pleased ultimately in the Possession of such a Power and Priviledge as if it were really from our selves in which if we were humbly and not proudly disposed we should not be so carelesly ignorant or mistaken Nay let me say if it were possible as it is not to have any such Priviledge or Power from any thing in our selves independent upon God as suppose the good use of our liberty yet if we pleased our selves only in the Possession Use or Effect of it to our selves and not in the good and benefit of others procured thereby we are so far forth not good Men. And therefore whatever we may fancy our selves we are not the Persons unless we be somewhere better whose Prayers are so acceptable and successful with God nor have we so much Power with him Nay if we be thus proudly and vainly affected though we pray we take a most likely Coursâ— to have our Prayers denied and when we think best of ourselves but falsly and proudly we do the least It is a great Honour anâ— Priviledge and therefore Men but of pretended and ordinary Sanctity are apt to cateâ— at it and arrogate to themselves a great degree of sincere Goodness that they may seeâ— with Reason so to do This Honour and Priviledge of righteous holy Men is expresly affirmed by St. James and proved by an Example and upon it iâ— founded an Exhortation or Command foâ— sick Persons to apply themselves to the Elders of the Church that is the Governour or Governours of each particular Church tâ— pray for them and they should be saved oâ— healed the Lord should raise them up and if they
habitual Temper or Inclination Prayer therefore thus performed by a rightly informed discrect and knowing Soul according to its Fervency and Frequency hath a most natutural Influence to preserve and strengthen us to make us grow in all Goodness And the neglect of it may reasonably very often not always because there are other Means be the Cause of Persons declining and growing more cold and indifferent in all their Duty I do not say that all Prayer is a necessary Means of Mens growth in Goodness not are we presently to expect such mighty difference between all those who pray and those who do not And then upon any disappointment by the miscarriages of some who use it gladly take occasion to reproach or despise the Duty as a useless but troublesome thing as some naughty men are apt to do For men may perform it very erroneously idly and carelesly And then they may so engage their Affections with that Concern and Constancy to other Objects in the World after they have done their Prayer that they may quite forget it or drown and overcome the good Sense and Affections they had therein Whence their Prayers are but little effectual From all these Causes it often comes to pass that you may see those that are not negligent in this Duty or Performance but frequent and constant and long too so bad in their Tempers Lives and Actions all the Day that you can see little Difference between them and those who do not pray at all Little I say for I am apt to think there is some general good usually by the meanest performance of it and Men who are bad would otherwise generally be much worse and therefore though Men seem to be very little the better for their Prayers I would not have them to leave them quite off for all that As for Acknowledgment of God's excellent Perfections his infinite Power Wisdom Universal Goodness his Bounty Mercy Justice c. which is another Ingredient in a Prayer It is manifest That the oftner we do this the more Spiritual our Minds are and we see that by Exercise and Use we apprehend and conceive these spiritual things more strongly and clearly and our Affections too of Honour Admiration Reverence Fair Faith Hope Joy in God and Love to him grow more substantial and real more strong and vigorous not so faint and languid so that we feel them in our Breasts as really and as powerfully as to any other Object we come to have a real Understanding Perception Sense and Affection for those things when they are named we know and feel them in our Minds and Hearts we know what it is and have it as really in our selves to honour fear and love God for his infinite Perfections though invisible as a Prince attended with all his Ensigns of Majesty and Greatness and whom we know to be as wise and good as great By our frequent Converse thus of our Minds with God he becomes readily a very real thing to us is really perceived by us and hath real Influence upon our Affections whereas before we thus begun to use our selves the Name of God and of all his Attributes and Perfections was an insignificant thing to us we understood little or nothing by it and no more affected with it most times than our Statues of Wood or Stone would be We might hear much talk and read much of God indeed or his excellent Nature and Attributes but little know what they meant We apprehended better and more were much more affected with some little particular kindness of any honest or good Neighbour than with the infinite Bounâ—y and Goodness of God who is the constant Cause and Author to us and to all things of all the good things we all have and enjoy Moreover in some Prayers as secret Prayers where we may have time to apply our Thoughts to what we please we do not only transiently which if frequent will do a great deal but also fixedly and for a longer time attend sometimes to one or more of these infinite Perfections of God when we acknowledge them whence a more particular discovery and clear apprehension of the Greatness thereof insomuch that the Soul may break forth into Raptures of sutable Passions that is great and sudden Violences thereof As for Example If a Man contemplating the Power of God should attend to the Greatness and Vastness Excellency and Nobleness and Strangeness of the Nature of things he hath made were it but only of the indefinitely extended material World much more of the intellectual or the World of Spirits Or contemplating his Wisdom should attend to this that all things that we and all the rational Creatures in Heaven and Earth know by little Parcels and successively to Eternity it self are all present at once to that infinite Understanding or contemplating his Goodness should take notice of the Freedome of it he being infinitely powerful thâ— Immutability of it the Universality anâ— that all the greatest Evils that so seem to uâ— are permitted or appointed out of Goodnesâ— and the least of things and most miâ—uâ— disposed by the same Goodness the best waâ— that can be or should take notice of somâ— one or more excellent Instances thereof â— his free and ready pardoning upon Repentance the fottish Heedlesness and sometime the malicious Rebellion and insolent Contempt of his own pitiful Creatures againâ— him I say a Man contemplating these Perfections thus and attending to some such thingâ— therein will more strongly apprehend them and sometimes be affected and seized wiâ— the greatest Violence and Raptures of sutabâ— Passions Such as we often meet withal iâ— the Psalms when David in his Acknowledgement of God glanced at and discovered or â—â—â— more steadily and clearly his Wisdom Power Mercy Goodness Righteousness in some Instances or Effects As in Psalm 36. Verse 5. Thy Mercy O Lord is in the Heavens and thy Faithfulness reacheth unto the Clouds That is thy Mercy and Goodness particularly expressing it self in thy faithful performing thy Promises is every where and in all thy Creation manifesteth it self thy Righteousness â— like the great Mountains That is again thy Universal Goodness is vast as to Extension and unmoveable and unchangeable as to Duraâ—ion For so are the Mountains as far as we observe compared with other things thy â—udgments are a great Deep The infinite Decrees and Resolutions of thy Will few of them known and all done with an incomprehensible Wisdom and Knowledge O Lord thou preservest Man and Beast All Creatures are maintained by thee Then upon this Contemplation and Reflection he breaks forth in the next Verse O how excellent and â—recious is thy Loving-kindness therefore the Children of Men shall put their trust in the shadow of thy wings Now the real clear strong and vigorous Apprehension of and Affections towards these divine Attributes or this excellent Nature of God do more powerfully dispose our Minds to Imitation of and Obedience to God and consequently to
infinite Wisdom of God his all-seeing and comprehending Knowledge that he is the searcher of Hearts and knows perfectly and better than our selves the best and worst of our Thoughts Counsels Designs Tendencies Inclinations Choices and Delights of our Hearts He knows both our Honesty Simplicity and Sincerity and also our Partiality Hypocrisie and secret Badness not known or perceived by others at all nor by our selves perhaps till we be of an advised calm humble modest and sincere Temper such are further the Universal Goodness of God his particular Mercy or Bounty his Justice and Severity our Dependence upon God and our absolute Need of him that we cannot be nor hope for any good thing with any Reason but from him Such is his infinite uncontroulable Power that he can turn us out of Being or into Misery here and hereafter take from us our Lives Strengths Healths Riches Reputation Parts or Gifts which we may use lewdly wickedly proudly when he pleaseth make us sneaking sickly poor contemptible Sots or Dâ—nces in this Life and hereafter turn us into everlasting Punishment without Repentance and Amendment Such again are when we confess our Sins our Sins themselves what they are their Vileness Iniquity Folly Shamefulness But the Peace and Satisfaction of Conscience arising from a free and hearty Confession of Sin and Sense of an internal sincere unconstrain'd Hatred and Contempt of it and a firm and generous Resolution of being good for the future I say our praying frequently will bring such things as these are into our Minds bring them to our Observation and Memory and be a cause too of their coming to our Minds upon any Occasion of themselves without our Direction Whereas otherwise we should have never it may be once had thought of some of those things and of others of them very rarely and slightly And so we see by Experience that generally those who most neglect this Duty of Prayer publick private secret set and fixed or at least occasional and ejaculatory perpetually only employ themselves about other matters and more rarely think of these things and such like Some never have them come into their Thoughts all their Lives time others think not of them not in a Day a Week a longer time and when they do it is very transiently and slightly and these excellent things are soon turned out because not liked God and their Duty and their Happiness and things that belong hereto are not in all their Thoughts sometimes especially this is seen in those who if they should not have Time or Ability or Opportunity to pray in private or secret which is an ordinary Excuse hereafter to be answered yet surely want not the Opportunity of the Publick where Prayers are provided for them and something else But yet sottishly and carelesly they sit and loll at Home and it may be do worse or idly ramble abroad We see that these are generally Persons void of the most ordinary Degree of Goodness even of Humanity it self who care for neither God nor Man wretched Brutes who when God out of his unspeakable Goodness hath so highly honoured them with a capacity of knowing and worshipping honouring loving and obeying him of conversation and communion with himself yet will not make use thereof but impudently by this their Carriage in Particular dare proclaim to the World that they care not for him and will have nothing to do with him and wilfully descend so far to be like the Beasts But God will have to do with them and Time will come when neither God nor Man will pity their intolerable Torment and they shall howl under the just Wrath of that God whom they would not love or honour And all honest and but tolerably well minded Men that have but any respect for their Creator much more Christians and have not cast away all Sense of him ought after neighbourly Advice and Admonition if they will not amend to have an Abhorrency of such Persons as such as well as Pity for them as capable of better things But now to proceed The oftner our Duty in general or our particular Duties come to our Thoughts the more likely it is we shall practise them The oftner our Faults come to our Minds and we remember them the more likely we shall avoid and mend them The oftner we think of God but in general much more in particular of his Power all-seeing Knowledge his Goodness his Mercy Justice consequently Heaven Hell the more surely shall we be disposed to do our Duty and have a Care of and abstain from all Sin Our Prayers therefore being the Occasion of bringing such things as these are into our Thoughts and of furnishing our Memory therewith and of their often actually appearing and occurring to us will be also one Means â—â— preserving us in any degree of Goodneâ— we have and continually mending us aâ— making us better And so much the morâ— by how much they are the more frequeâ— the more time we spend therein and we câ— spare from the necessary Occasions of Life which we ought not to neglect or omit â— we observe we shall find that mens thoughtâ— affections and inclinations are generally moâ— real and vigorous to those things about whâ—â— they are most frequently employed Tâ—â— reason of which is most easie and naturâ— Nor is it to be hoped that men should be of â— more intellectual and virtuous spiritual anâ— religious temper till they employ more timâ— about such matters And hence it comes tâ— pass that the publick Worship of God anâ— private too though constantly at appointeâ— times used do so little good yet some anâ— are so little influential upon mens temper anâ— actions Where they have one thought oâ— affection about their duty or those thingâ— which may dispose them to practise it they have thousands about other objects Nâ—â— wonder that their advantage of frequency maintains the prevalence of their influence And because our Ability or Opportunity may be less for set times ejaculatory Prayers are fittest and easiest to be frequently used which may be done by sober and honest Minds upoâ— all Occasions One even at his Plow-handle â—or in his Shop surely may upon any Occaâ—ion often acknowledge God's Blessing his Power Wisdom Goodness in preparing things for the Use of Man in his poor Life and particularly in giving good Seasons good Trading Honesty Reputation competent Gain or he may acknowledge his Power and Justice and his own or other Mens Faults whereby he provokes God when he observes ill-natured or barren Ground or unseasonable Weather or Commodities spoiled or Trade fail or other evil things and may pray to God to continue the forementioned good Blessings and to give men thankful and obedient Hearts and Lives for them or to prevent and remove those evil things which they fear or feel and in order thereto that they may see what is amiss in themselves and mend that as perhaps Neglect of God and to serve him I say any one at
bow down and oppress this happy soul With upright and cheerly countenance with solid joy and satisfaction in his thoughts he steadily and generously walks through all the variety of conditions of life and being the Divine Wisdom may dispose him into Who would not be a good man that he may thus pray and who would not pray that he may enjoy so great a happiness who would be so weak and foolish as for the indulgence and gratification of some pitiful mean and base appetite for the present enjoyment of some vile and unreasonable lust or sin forego and quit all his faith confidence and hope in God and the consequent delight acquiescence case peace and joy of soul upon all occasions being ashamed ever to think of God much more to address himself to him or ask any thing at his hand though he should be in never so great distress Who would lose the benefit and comfort of so good a Friend for what can never make the least part of recompense Yes Let Atheists and Worldlings live without any minding of or addressing themselves to God if they please the good man knows too well the sweetness the profit and the pleasure thereof to do likewise David was a truly excellent Example of this usefulness and benefit of Prayer It seems to have been his most usual Cordial which he often took to support his fainting and tired soul to quell and compose his vexations fears disturbances to alleviate and remove his grief and sadness We 'l give an instance or two Psalm 42. First he mentions his present sad and miserable condition in many respects as his being banished out of his Country it is likely by Saul and principally from the Publick Worship of his God for which he panted and thirsted Oh when shall I come and appear before God Verse 1 2 4 6. Then his Enemies contempt and insulting over him and especially their not believing that he was so great a Favourite of God's but rather that God had rejected him or minded him not Verse 3 10. But to comfort and chear himself he prays to God and is very confident God will hear him as he had reason and cheerlily chides himself Ver. 8 9 11. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his Song shall be with me and my Prayer to the God of my life that is yet I will pray to my God and I trust and know he will give me cause to rejoyce and praise him by his hearing of me at all times I will say unto God my Rock why hast thou forsaken me why go I mourning because of the oppression of the Enemy And Verse 11. Why art thou cast down O my Soul why art thou so disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God Again The very next Psalm viz. 43. he prays very passionately to God for deliverance from his Enemies who were unmerciful deceitful unjust and that God would bring him back again to enjoy his Publick Worship in his Temple from which he seems now banished Oh send out saith he thy light and thy truth that is perhaps thy enlightning or rejoycing truth in performing of thy Promises thou hast made to me let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy hill Sion the place where the Temple was built and to thy Tabernacles that is the Temple built instead of the Tabernacle where God especially manifested himself or where were very special effects of his Power and Presence Then he Vows unto God that with exceeding joy and thankfulness he would make use of and improve that favour Vers 4. Then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy c. and then Verse the last he is full of good hope and firm confidence that God who was the health of his countenance that is the cause of all his joy and of his content which useth to be shewed by ones healthful aspect and countenance and who was his God would hear his Petition at last viz. that he should praise him therefore and that publickly in the Temple Again in Psalm 55. he describes the miserable plight that he was in because of the constant Machinations and plots of his Enemies deceitful and bloody men as 't is v. 23. nay of those who had been his Friends and Confidents who had forsaken him in his disgrace and adversity as it is usual and contemned him Verse 12. his Enemies contrived even to take away his Life they oppressed him with Accusations and Reproaches and wrathfully hated him whence he was full of Complaints and Mourning in so much that there was likelihood of his death thereby which though another sense may be too he expresseth in Verse 4 5 by his heart being pained and the terrours of death fallen upon him and fearfulness and trembling coming upon him and horrour overwhelming him But then the course he takes is to pray to God with hope and trust in him By these he reseues himself from this sadness and grief of Soul and eases comforts and satisfies it Verse 16. As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me Verse 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon-day that is very frequently he would pray and cry aloud and God should hear his voice And Verse 22. Cast thy burden that is what grieves thee upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved that is himself to be frustrated of his hope SECT IX A Third Way how Prayer is for our III. ease comfort and satisfaction of mind is by reflection upon our having performed our most just and reasonable duty to God and upon some more than ordinary good qualities in our selves that may upon this occasion appear as in general upon our ability for and our good will to this duty or performance that we are able and disposed for such excellent things as are in Prayer more particularly that our minds are so able to converse with spiritual things and future yea eternal and to be affected with them such as God his Nature and Actions our own Souls their Actions and Inclinations the State after Death the Affairs of the Life hereafter That we can take notice of God's Perfections acknowledge them really honour him love and resolve to obey him to put our trust in him and depend upon him that we can take notice of and grieve sincerely and heartily for the irregularities of our Actions and our bad and sinful Temper and Inclinations be pleased with desire pray for Virtue and Grace that we can think of attend to and be frequently and much affected with things of future reward and misery Heaven and Hell that we are not sensual dull worldly earthly-minded persons who can mind nothing but sensible present and worldly matters for this short life All men are naturally inclined to believe and confusedly see
that such spiritual and future things as we have mentioned are more excellent more perfect that is of more good effect than sensible and present worldly things and consequently that it is a greater perfection and excellency in a man to know contemplate be affected with those former than these latter to have his mind conversant with and employed about them which is one reason why the persons who profess and really live or seem to live such a life are generally honoured and reverenced Further A man after such a performance as a discreet and affectionate Prayer may reflect not only upon his ability and sufficiency for such excellent things but also upon his love to them and good will to them his esteem for them that he actually is so affected and at that particular time Particularly after an understanding and affectionate Prayer it is very acceptable to make reflection that he hath at that time performed so noble and excellent a part of his duty and that which more immediately respects God that he is not altogether careless of God lives without him forgets him days without number but that he hath honoured him by his express acknowledgments of his Infinite Perfections by humbly petitioning him for what he wants and what is good and just for him by rendring him hearty thanks and actually loving him for his manifold favours even for all he hath or ever had for any degree of Holiness for Knowledge and Wisdom Parts Gifts Riches or Competency Reputation Friends Security from Enemies Health Strength Power Opportunity or Advantage to do Good Peace Joy Satisfaction Happiness here Hopes and Assurance of greater Perfection and Happiness after Death and parting with all here and for all his boundless Goodness and benignity of his Nature to all his Creatures that he hath honoured him by an assured but just Trust and Confidence in him by a free submission of his Will to his Will in all things and conforming of it chearfully thereunto to do all he commands him and to be in any condition he appoints or disposeth that he hath honoured him by a ready and free confession of and piercing hearty grief for and inward detestation of all his unreasonable Violations of his Just and Holy Laws made known either by Reason or Revelation by Natural Conscience or God's Word and consequently of the Eternal Laws of Righteousness that he hath honoured him by asking from him as the only supreme just and yet propitious Judge of the World pardon and forgiveness for Christ's sake that he would not punish him but most of all by importunately begging his supervenient Grace Strength and Influence his Assistance one way or other that he might not Offend or do contrary to his Duty any more in any kind I say when a man hath performed so noble and excellent a part of his Duty towards God which tends so much to make him Divine and Perfect it will not soon out of his mind he will be rereflecting upon it and that cannot be without a high degree of joy and satisfaction of Spirit and he will humbly give unfeigned Thanks to God for making him capable of such a noble and excellent Employment so ravishing and delicious to himself but especially which will render him so benign useful and profitable to the World and pleasing to God for giving him the means of and effectually bringing him to the knowledge and use of such an excellent Life and he will wish all men may be so happy as to know and partake thereof There are Two things among other which make a man very sensible of the excellency of this part of his Duty and consequently to perceive from thence more satisfaction and pleasure The first is its compare with other parts of our Duty respecting our Neighbour It seems more excellent than that to love ones Neighbour that is any rational Creature capable of any good from us To wish well heartily to him to be charitable just grateful compassionate or to shew any other Instance of Love to him though it be excellent yet seems as much inferiour to that of our absolute love to God not as only good to one but to all the Universe as our Neighbour nay all the World are inferiour to God To wish well to or desire any good thing for God we may not because it supposeth some good thing absent or possible to be absent from him an absent good is the proper object of desire but we may will and rejoyce in his infinite happiness and perfection which he actually possesseth we may will a present good And this ought to be so much more esteemed if we compare them than the love of our Neighbour as God is capable of more happiness and felicity than all his Creatures which is infinitely All the World is a little thing a Nothing to him and his Being and Happiness consequently is infinitely to be preferr'd before that of all his Creatures if they could be opposed Besides it is part of the Nature of God to be infinitely good to all his Creatures he therefore that loves God as such must needs love all that he hath made too God's Being and Happiness infer's that of his Creatures necessarily and is the cause thereof but not on the contrary wherefore the love of God as having infinitely more excellent Effects is to be preferr'd before the love of all the Creation if we consider them distinct and if they could be inconsistent one with another which they never can be but much more before the love of any person or persons And although we are said not only to will but to do good to our Neighbour and not to God yet in truth our proper action is to will it the outward Effect consequent upon our will is only by God's Power and Action and we can will it as hath been just now said equally to both Man having naturally a great sense of the infinite Excellency and Perfection of God above all must needs have the perswasion that he ought to love him above all and that to love him is a greater Perfection than the love of all the World besides And the truth of it is next to the perfection of the love of all the Universe i. e. God and all that he hath made together is the Love of God distinctly considered As for the other parts of our Duty to God viz. Honour Admiration Dependance Obedience c. they are but Instrumental Duties to cause us to practise Universal Righteousness and the great Instance Universal Love Love to God and to every Creature c. but they are much more excellent ones than many other and ingenerate in us more immediately a greater and higher degree of Holiness as might be particularly shewed and consequently of Universal Love in which it consists Some of those persons who magnifie and commend those Duties which respect our Neighbour especially such as Beneficence justice and honesty in Dealings and Conversation Peaceableness Obedience c. may
even of Contemplative persons who have made tryal of both with equal advantages hath always confirmed and sincerely declared to the rest of the sensual World The first of which do very heartily complain of and groan under the unhappy circumstances of this fleshly Life which so much hinders them from the enjoyment of those nobler and sweeter delights and for that Reason among others greater full often breath out their thanks to God for the discovery and assurance of the heavenly Life hereafter and their secret welcomes of the approaching time thereof whither steals from them many a privy glance where is fixed many a yearning look II. The Second good Effect or Benefit of this last sort from Prayer is an Enlargedness or Greatness of Soul By which I mean that temper of Soul whereby it is sufficient and fitted to apprehend and be affected with great Objects to understand contemplate will desire love be pleased with pursue and endeavour after them or in one word to converse with them By the greatness of Objects I mean their having great good Effects or a capacity and sufficiency or some causality for such all which good Effects indeed are either immediately or mediately nothing but happiness they are either that in the end immediately or the same in the means mediately All goodness is either the goodness of the end which is pleasurable good or the good of the means to obtain that end which is profitable good and indeed this last is nothing but the first in the means to obtain it So that all Good is nothing but Happiness But to leave this small but very important digression The greatness of the goodness of Objects or the happiness of which they are the cause is measured only by three things viz. its Intention Extention and Duration Those Objects therefore are the greatest which are or are most the cause of the most intense the most universal or extended as to subjects and the most during happiness of which there are infinite degrees The highest of which is that being infinite in all perfection and happiness which we call God who formally or causally contains all things According to the several degrees of this good which each man minds pursues and converseth withal is his Greatness Nobleness Excellency or what words are usual among men to express the confused notion hereof to be judged and esteemed He is the noblest and greatest soul of all who minds and pursues perpetually the greatest good of the whole Universe in these three Respects of Intention Extention Duration that in all other things or all other things as parts or more generally means thereof and therefore spiritual good as much as may be being the greatest in respect of its intention universal good or that of the whole as the greatest in respect of extension and the most publick indeed eternal good lastly as the greatest in respect of duration On the contrary he is the meanest and basest soul who minds and pursues only personal sensible and present good It is manifest that in Prayer as it is before described the objects with which the Soul converseth are of the greatest and noblest sort and that by frequent usage of her self to such conversation she gets a habit thereof so that she doth with ease and delight so employ her self and if this fleshly Life would permit her she would soon make it her constant and perpetual entertainment Further It is alike plain and evident how this greatness of Soul is the cause of Virtue or Goodness and of Comfort or Joy For Goodness Righteousness Holiness Virtue all signifie the same principal thing with some small difference in its greatest degree is nothing but the sincerest strongest constantest habitual inclination and bent of will to the rectitude of our wills or actions which is only to be found in having the greatest good of the whole Universe taking in God himself for the ultimate object or end of our wills and renouncing and quitting that of any part and therefore of our selves It is therefore nothing but a preference of the most Publick and Universal Good before that of any part and therefore before our own And contrariwise Vice and Sin is the preference of the good of any part and almost always our own personal good before that of the whole which is the most Universal and Publick It is the having that the ultimate object and end of all our wills and neglecting or refusing this Holiness and Virtue therefore are great and noble and excellent things which tend to an infinite good and if compared they are as much greater than Sin or Vice as infinite Extension if there can be any such thing is bigger than a single Atome The soul consequently which is inclined to and aspires after the greatest and most noble objects must needs be so far prepared to have the highest honour the ardentest love the keenest desire the most intense and ravishing joy and delight in the most sincere generous and constant Virtue and must perfectly both contemn and hate all Vice and Sin as the most mean base and sordid thing The same greatness or largeness of Soul disposeth us infinitely to prefer one sort of our own personal good viz. the favour of God as our most comprehensive good and particularly Eternal happiness which he hath promised as the Reward of Holiness and Virtue before another sort thereof viz. the Temptations to Sin and Vice at longest the momentany pleasures of this present Life and utterly to despise them in compare with the other and consequently to endeavour and pursue after Virtue and to slight and scorn all Vice It is certain That it is nothing but Ignorance or a pityable and contemptible littleness and stinginess of Soul in the greatest Huffs of the Age whatever they may pretend to generosity which exposeth them to Vice and Wickedness and makes them so easily to neglect or despise all the Laws and Rewards of Virtue and true Religion either they are not able to conceive things beyond the Mud-walls of their own Cottage or they are so stuffed and dryed with its Reeks and Smoaks as never to desire them Nay when no less than Eternal Felicity is proposed and profered to them they are no more moved with it than a Bedlam-Sot is with the offer of a Kingdom or sometimes they laugh at it like one of those poor merry Fools and prefer their own nasty Cell before it One would think the dullest Soul should hardly forbear to enquire after it and be willing it should be true or at least without any prejudice against it endeavour to be satisfied whether it be so or no. Lastly Nothing is more manifest than that the greater and nobler the objects are with which our mind converseth the fuller and mightier is our joy and pleasure Surely we cannot think that Boys have as great pleasure in Conquering at Cob-Nutt as a great Captain hath in subduing a Kingdom or which is better That a fond Child hath
1. The First is the truth of them We are to take care that that which is capable thereof be true All things that are the sense or matter of our Prayers besides that which is the proper matter of Petition or Desire may be false or true The matter or objects of our desire indeed cannot because they are all of them as so considered simple not complex things in such manner as Propositions are in which only there is that truth I now mean For Example In acknowledgment of the Divine Perfections we must have a care that what we acknowledge to be in God be really a pure perfection and implies necessarily no imperfection or defect in the least and therefore that it is really in him Thus when we make an acknowledgment of God's absolute Power and Sovereignty of doing whatsoever he willeth and pleaseth we must have a care of thinking he can by his own intrinsick Power or that it is in his Nature to determine himself contrary to the Laws of Righteousness or Universal Goodness which is all one As for Instance That he can or that there is any capacity in his most perfect Nature to will all his Creatures to be miserable and to make them for that purpose nay or to will any number of them nay any one of them absolutely and ultimately to be so nay or the least evil to any of them without any further respect to any other good but only that he pleaseth himself therein this is contrary to Reason and express Revelation It is true there is no superiour cause to God's Will or his active Power that makes him to be good or restrains him from making any of his Creatures unhappy or miserable we should be mistaken again if we thought so but we neither ought nor can conceive if we attend to the Nature of God and Perfection that it is possible ever for him to will absolutely and ultimately the least evil or misery of his Creatures his Will can never be so disposed it is not in his Nature to will so cannot please him That which I conceive the best disposed men mean confusedly and are not offended with when they acknowledge God's Soveraignty so unlimitedly as that he can do what he will with his innocent Creatures and either immediately though such or mediately first contriving a necessity of sinning throw them into Hell if he pleaseth is that there is no superiour cause to his own Will why he doth not so which is true not that it is possible for him ever so to will or to be pleased therewith That even the due Relations of our Actions to their Objects or their Justice or Righteousness is something and therefore made by God or dependent upon his Will for all things must have his Will or active Power to be the Cause But then we cannot conceive his Nature such as ever to have willed contrary or not to have willed these Relations not to have willed that which is just and right There have been both of the most prophane and of the greatest Religionists but mistaken who have I think entertained these false and most mischievous Opinions concerning God So on another hand in the acknowledgment of the Divine Goodness men may have a conceit and acknowledge that God is so good that he will make all men happy and therefore pass over all their sins though never so great and heinous numerous and many that he will not punish them neither here nor hereafter and this though they do not repent and their minds and natures are not changed at all or very slightly They say they are sinners but God they hope will forgive them for God is merciful as they use to express it This is a very mischievous falshood and implies him even not to be Universally good to all his Creation not to do the greatest good to it for he cannot be so unless he restrain sometimes wickedness and sinful mischievous Purposes and Resolutions of Will and put a difference as to Happiness between the Righteous and the Wicked sometime and in some measure or other according as seems best to his infinite Wisdom This also is contrary to Reason and the express revealed Will of God So again Those who may acknowledge the Divine Tenderness and peculiar Love to them and to some certain others that he will not see any sin in them and will not punish them in the least for it but that they are peculiarly destined to an unconceivable Glory and Felicity in another World notwithstanding they live in their Sins and are no better than others and are very well content so to do and be who say further that God hath provided and found out a way to excuse them from actual obedience to his Laws and from punishment in case of constant failure without any amendment that they indeed have very corrupt hearts but God for Christ's sake will pardon all These persons make God and Christ the worst Patrons of sin the most unrighteous the most partial to bear with and pardon it in a few whom he pleaseth but to punish it in all the rest with the greatest severity Nothing more repugnant to Reason and Scripture in Rom. 2. In Confession in like manner we must have the like care and as near as we can say nothing but what we know to be certainly true Wherefore we must have a care that we do not confess that we deserve punishment in such things which are not sins nor that we are guilty in those things which really are sins when we are not Nor on the contrary perhaps excuse our selves or think our selves innocent or good when we are bad think those things no sins nay very good actions which are bad ones That which may often be in those which are done with pretended or some little real zeal confusedly for the glory of God mixed with much more or other undue selfish ends and unlawful appetites Nor must we acquit slatter connive at our selves and think our selves not guilty of any sins and it may be thank God for it too when we are being either ignorant and forgetful of our selves or wilfully vainly conceited The greatest part of the World are very presumptuous and conceited generally of their own innocency though they may sometimes in words only or very slightly say they are sinners insomuch that if you should enquire of them what they have been or how they have lived they 'l tell you that no man can say any harm by them and they know nothing amiss they thank God by themselves they hardly know one sin by themselves or one bad action to confess or they must study upon it or be put in mind of something or other whence they conclude themselves very innocent and take it for granted and act accordingly as if it really were so and God knew as little by them as they do by themselves when perhaps they have rarely done any good action and they have little good in them If they should
be remembred of their Wrath Revenge Pride Envy Conceit and Disobedience Fraud Deceit Injustice Violence Sacriledge Lust and Intemperance their neglect of God and their Duty towards him nay their aversation from hatred or contempt of Pious Performances they will either deny or excuse or justifie themselves therein These are the far greatest number But we may find some too on the other hand who are so melancholy fearful and timorous or angry and discontented with themselves that they are very apt to think those things sins in themselves and to accuse and condemn themselves for them which are not but only defects of knowledge or prudence when their principles were very right and innocent and they used as much or more care sometimes to do what they intended then they ought Nay some there may be who may think those things sins which are their material duty or they ought in prudence and wisdom to have done As when any person notwithstanding the stirring or tumultuating of any Lusts resisted disapproved comes to the Sacrament desirous heartily to be better and stronger against them and yet thinks he hath done amiss in coming before his heart was better when this was his duty These same â—â—morous and discontented persons also are apt to think themselves guilty of some faâ—lts when they are not or more then they are and to take notice of what 's bad and not what 's good in themselves They take notice of the frequent assaults of their excessive and immoderate Appetites and Lusts and sometimes of their being overcome and not at all of their disapprobation dislike resistance repelling and overcoming them the latter of which is as effectual a means of encouraging preserving and strengthening us in goodness as the former So also men may mistake in their Confession concerning Original Sin if not rightly informed as that we are guilty of Adam's personal Sin and so deserve Eternal Damnation therefore whereas the utmost that seems to be taught us by Scripture Reason and Experience which indeed is a great and a sad deal is that it may seem just to God or for the Universal Good to constitute such Laws of Nature that Children by the Mediation of their Bodys from their Parents may be born with inordinate and immoderate appetites or inclinations or with inclinations to some objects absolutely for themselves and stronger than that to holiness or righteousness in which is the nature of Sin These inordinate and immoderate appetites or inclinations being by Laws of Nature from certain temper or disposition of our bodys which is communicated from our Parents may very well be called Original or Birth-Sin as it is in our Church-Articles But all this though it be a very great Calamity to Children yet cannot be said to be their Punishment because no sin in them is supposed to have preceded but it is the Punishment of their Parents and of their First-Parents who have sinned to whom they are so related as to be looked upon by them and others as part of themselves and whom their Evil or Calamity seen or foreseen really doth affect Nay further These inordinate and immoderate Appetites or habitual Lusts or evil Concupiscences do certainly make it just for God to place such Souls in whom they are in some suitable state of imperfection and unhappiness sometime or in some degree or other best known to his infinite Wisdom if they be not removed or taken away as some think they are in Infants by Baptism But all this still is no Punishment to Children either for Adam's or any other 's personal Transgression The neglect of a Judaical observation of the Lord's day hath been and I suppose is still amongst some even very good person one of the most frequently or zealously confessed sins That they have spoke their own words and thought their own thoughts any time within the four and twenty hours that is as they interpet it any words or thoughts concerning any worldly Affair though it be hard to fix the bounds of worldly and religious which in it self might be hightly useful to ones self and to others and therefore lawful nay commanded on another day and this because they look upon the Jewish Sabbath only translated to another day by our Lord or his Apostles with the addition of the Commemoration of our Lord's Resurrection The Command concerning the Observation of which Jewish Sabbath they esteem Moral by which they mean that it is of perpetual obligation except where God himself hath altered it as they think he hath in respect of the day In all which I think there are many mistakes As 1. That the Jews themselves were forbidden for the entire space of twenty four hours of their Sabbath all thoughts and words nay actions themselves which were not the immediate worship of God internal or external or very nearly relating thereunto As for Actions it is not to be doubted but that first those which might be necessary to make them spend a greater part of that time in the immediate worship of God with more vigour and fervency were never forbidden and therefore those which were for the best refreshment of the body with food and those which were for diversion sometimes which to some persons might necessarily take up a good part of their time such as walking and talking about innocent or useful affairs of Life and interposing these so much as might make them fitter for the commanded Worship of God and that which their own prudence might add in publick private or secret Nor 2. Is it more to be doubted that those actions were never forbidden which were of greater good effect just at that time and in those circumstances and many such there may be which must be left to mens sincere prudence than the immediate Worship of God As for Example A Man's pulling his Neighbour's or his own Ox or Ass or Sheep out of a Ditch where they would certainly perish It is our Saviour's own Instance How much more to ride many miles Post more than many of their Sabbath days Journey to save a Man's Life ready to perish by some Disease or by violent assault of wicked Murtherers And as for words and thoughts they had in this respect still more liberty For abundance of actions and otherwise very useful and good would be inconsistent with and indispose a man to the immediate Worship of God the words or thoughts concerning which for a small time may not but clean contrary conveniently and fitly divert or refresh a man and be the cause of his better performance thereof The place in Isaiah the 58. which hath been usually quoted to this purpose is If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day anâ— call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words Where firâ—â— the words from doing thy pleasure on my holy day signifie and
and mostly of the greatest importance and concernment Not but that there may be some time or other too in which we may mention in our Prayers many lesser things Things of greatest concernment and use must in proportioâ— to their concernment compared with those of less be more and more frequent in our Prayers And this concerns all the parts or Ingredients of a Prayer As in Acknowledgment let us be careful to be well instructed in the greatest the most comprehensive and general the most useful and beneficial Perfections iâ— God that we make our Acknowledgments of those principally and chiefly as that of his infinite and general goodness to all more than his particular goodness to us And so when we make an Acknowledgment of the Instances of his Power Wisdom Goodness Mercy Justice let us take those chiefly which are the greatest and largest and endeavour to be affected with them such as are God's Creation of all things Preservation Providence throughout the whole Universe that towards Mankind and especially the making of us Reâ—sonable Creatures and giving us such Faculties Aid Sufficiency Opportunities Helps to improve our Reason and Understanding also the Revelation of such excellent Doctrines and Truths to the World by especial Messengers the Prophets of old and lastly by Jesus Christ his beloved Son In Confession let us take notice of and bewail most our greatest Sins that have most of Iniquity in them where there is the greatest degree of the depravedness Inordinacy of our Wills included the greatest Aversation from Righteousness the greatest degree of unreasonable and mischievous Self-love in a usual Phrase our most aggravated Sins Consequently let us confess our dearest most pleasing and delightful sins for our greater degree of delight in any thing more than in our Duty argues a degree of the inordinacy and depravedness of our wills as to Intenseness those also which are most frequent Contrariwise let us not confess little sins much and neglect great ones or more than those confess those which we can more easily forsake and neglect those which are most sweet pass over them or slightly only take notice of them confess those which we commit rarely and neglect those which we do frequently When this fault is in our Confession purely through ignorance through want of understanding of the degrees of sin and there is no fault in the will which I scarce believe it begets in us a great deal of superstition that is an opinion that some actions are more or less displeasing to God than indeed they are compared with others and consequently being more afraid of doing some of them and of God's anger or punishment for them than we should be and in others again less which is a very bad effect and doth much deprave and corrupt the Inclinations of the will as to the Instances of our duty and renders us less capable of any happy condition till we are better instructed in them though we should be truly conscientious and love that which we judge right and our duty which possibly may be But I am apt to think that most ignorant superstition proceeds from unconscientiousness But when this fault proceeds out of a desire to indulge our selves in some sin both the Cause and the Effect is extremely bad If we have occasion to confess National Sins or those which are most practised frequently by the generality of a Nation have we a care to confess those principally and most which are indeed the greatest both as to the Principle and the Effect those that argue and include the greatest degree and neglect of and aversation from our duty and the great instance thereof compared with other objects or the greatest degree of ultimate self-love compared with or opposed to the common good and those which are the most mischievous or do the greatest hurt in the World Such as are some the more colourable and undiscerned sins of Malice Pride Envy Ambition Affectation of Superiority Equality Liberty add Tyranny Disobedience Revenge Oppression Covetousness Fraud Hypocrisei or want of Integrity and others more notorious of Prophaneness Irreligion Atheism Unbelief Disbelief of Christian Religion Sensuality Lasciviousness Intemperance c. Those Sins also which are the most frequent and continual in several or the same persons are to be principally confessed In thankfulness likewise it is much to be attended to and we ought to give thanks in the first place and most frequently and most ardently for the greatest favours those that are most publick diffused and general those that are spiritual or intellectual those that appertain more immediately to the Soul those among spiritual ones which concern our wills or inclinations and in order thereto our affections called generally by the names of Sanctiâ—ication or Regeneration purifying and renewing of the heart or in one word usually by the name of Grace then afterwards for the good things that appertain to our Knowledge or Understandings as quick and plentiful Suggestion Revelation Illumination in Truths of the greatest Excellency Use and good Effect for ability to signifie convey or propagate these such as ready Invention Memory Utterance c. all which have been known by the name of Gifts Then for the good things appertaining to the Body or in it as the subject as Strength Health Comeliness plenty of such things as Food and Diet Raiment Habitations with their Ornaments c. which gratifie our Senses and secure us from Corporeal Pain which the most necessarily affects us and consequently from necessary care and solicitude to prevent it c. Then for the External good things without us of Riches Reputation Liberty Magistracy Friends Relations c. The Reason of all this is because to thank God more for personal than publick benefits as it doth usually proceed from so it will increase a particular and selfish spirit To thank him more for bodily or external sensible good things than for spiritual is both a sign and cause of sensuality in us i. e. it doth proceed from and confirm our excessive love to corporeal and sensible good in compare with spiritual as well as keep us in some respect to God It is that which may be ordinarily observed viz. that men are usually much more sensible of and grateful to God for bodily good and the things of this life than for spirtual or intellectual And so likewise to thank God more for Gifts than Graces though both spiritual things confirms one in too great an esteem and love for Gifts compared with Graces which notwithstanding are incomparably inferiour to them Gifts sometimes may be â—ill used be mischievous and hurtful which sincere Virtue and Grace can never in the least be Knowledge puffeth up without Charity and is contentious affecting contemptuous but Charity edifieth saith the Apostle Charity even without Knowledge can do no harm but in its own nature necessarily tends to do good Now although this be better than not to be thankful to God at all than to thank him
deliverance of the Jewish Nation the people of God from their Enemies all of them things of great concernment especially considering God's Honour concerned too and consequently also the good of men sometimes in vindication of his greatness in opposition to false Gods because the Heathen would think their Gods the mightier if they should prevail sometimes in vindication of his Providence both his Justice to punish very wicked persons his most unjust Enemies and his Mercy in being kind and rewarding the righteous and true lovers of himself such as he was and some with him according to his promise I have before instanced in the 51 Psal where David so vehemently and earnestly begs for Purification Pardon Peace Indeed his Sins were great and hainous and much aggravated and so we must have a care that we imitate him when the things we desire are of as great concernment our degrees of Earnestness and Affection must be proportioned always to the importance or good effects of the action most what depending upon the goodness of the objects thereof but I doubt it is but too ordinary for Christians to be guilty of more and more hainous sins than David's were and yet not to use the least part of the Importunity that David here doth for forgivness if they do desire it at all and make not a sport at it And so of other good things they betake not themselves to God St. James tells us that the effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous man availeth much or the active Prayer that in which there is much of activity and life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That earnestness or fervour is principally meant there by those words seems from what follows of Elias's praying earnestly that it might not Rain c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinary Hebraism to express earnestness James 1. 16. 17. Our Saviour after he had given his Disciples an Example of Prayer he adds an advisement of great importunity in Petitions sometimes and for some things when necessary and of great importance and intimates that sometime it may be a condition of our receiving what we ask Luke 11. Verse 5. And he said unto them Which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at midnight and say unto him Friend lend me three loaves for a friend of mine in his Journey is come to me and I have nothing to set before him c. And Verse 8. I say unto you that though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of his Impudence properly that is Importunity so great as it might seem near to that or as men impudent use to do who without the restraint of fear or shame do things and with the greatest vigour and ferventness he will rise and give him as many as he needeth And verily it may sometimes be very reasonable for God to with-hold any benefit asked especially if a great one on purpose to heighten the eagerness and fervency of our desires that we might be more sensible of our dependence upon him and obligation to him and be more thankful when we do receive after such long importunity And it might reasonably seem good to God net to give the thing at first or with only cold and luke-warm wishes and desires nay never to give it if we will not take the pains to continue and invigorate inliven our Supplications and Entreaties And this may often actually be one reason why as St. James saith we ask and receive not namely because we ask so rarely and seldom so weakly languidly and remissly and consequently so unbecommingly to the great and good God so infinitely superiour to us and to the things themselves the least being too good to be given to such idle and heartless Petitioners Indeed a man may reasonably think that rather than such Prayers should be the condition of receiving they should oftner be a cause of denial or should even as little be the condition of receiving as none at all if not less God may give us benefits indeed but not on condition of such Prayers as he often doth when we do not pray at all ungrateful Creatures SECT VII III. A Third due Qualification of our Operation of Soul in Prayer or rather of Prayer in general is that it be as frequent as ought to be and this our Prudence must determine For Ejaculatory Prayers they may be at all times in all places all companies upon all occasions And we are always to keep our mind in such temper and so truly innocent as that we may in the beginning especially of any considerable action send up to God a smart desire for Wisdom Discretion and Prudence sincerity and uprightness in our Intension and Design to do that which is in those circumstances best for the greatest good and most pleasing to God for courage and strength and constancy or vigour and perseverance that we might do nothing we might have reason to repent of for success or deliverance He also who much addicteth himself to and frequently useth this sort of Prayer may pray much more in the sum and most-what doth pray more fervently and more seasonably than he that prayeth many long continued Prayers his Acknowledgments Confessions Professions Thanksgivings Petitions being when he is under a stronger and distincter apprehension and greater sense of the things he conceives in his short Prayer As for publick Prayers they are determined by the Publick and I do not see but that most men generally might if they pleased be there as often as they are appointed many more than there are surely But especially those whose affairs are not so much abroad whose time and garb and other circumstances might be more easily fitted thereto whose affairs are more regular as to time and more at their own dispose And if all those were but present who stand still looking about or who purposely find themselves very little business as well to be done at another time all those who are either idle or do business of far less if of any concernment to be done just at that time the number I do not doubt would be very considerably increased And as for private and secret Prayers surely most persons may have opportunity to perform them once or twice a day in some length or other or some part of the day or other I confine them not to time nor length though it may be best for men who can to fix some time and to use to order their affairs so as not to interrupt them and that they may not be hindred by them as possibly before them all and after they be all dispatcht Better too they be short than none at all If it be but some short and pithy comprehensive form with the Lord's Prayer of which some learned judicious pious and devout men have been so deserving of the Publick as to give great variety which men need not be ignorant of if they have
Histories but they are very sparingly at least to be used in those Exercises whose end is quite another thing viz. the conveyance of Divine Thoughts and Affections This fault is committed commonly by persons who are either imprudent or vain either those who are not advised of the end of such religious Dutys as Prayer or if they be they cannot restrain themselves from using whatsoever they esteem themselves for and think they shall please others with But 2. on the other hand these Signs may take off our minds from the things signified by offending and displeasing Such are in general all such as signifie together with the thing to be conveyed some considerable imperfection in him that conveys which also are called indecent More particularly such are affected Words and Gestures too vulgar and slovenly Similitudes from Shops and Trades and Childrens Affairs Words used ill by the ruder and meaner sort of people some sorts of Tones and Flexions of Voice These things signifie vanity and ostentation a meanness of mind one much conversant about and affected with mean things and yet not discerning it rudeness incivility sometimes something bordering upon sensuality pusillanimity superstition or too great fear of little things want of wisdom and generosity All which and such like displease offend raise contempt or pity in the Auditours of most understanding If at any time our prudence should judge it necessary to use something like such Expressions to some persons it should be so done as to signifie withal our condescension and our prudential choice of them by reason of the imperfection of the persons who occasion it SECT XI 3. LEt the signs of our Conceptions Affections c. viz. Speech and Gesture be such as may rather somewhat please and invite the mind to attend to them and consequently much more to the things signified Such are Words and Phrases which are the most proper that is which are used to signifie any one thing and no other such also are Metaphors or Similitudes where the terms are very like and which are very well known and understood By these men conceive distinctly clearly easily what we would convey to them all which please the mind and consequently cause it longer to employ it self thus and more to attend Such lastly is that commonly called plain speech that is that which very perfectly conveys and signifies the things to be signified which is the principal and substantial use of speech without any or with very few and those the most ordinary ornaments thereof such therefore which hath nothing which doth offend or is unacceptable but yet hath very little besides the substantial and chief use of speech to please or delight This language is commonly used by plain men that is those who use Language as they do Clothes principally for warmth and conveniency following the fashion and using the modish Ornaments thereof only so far as not to offend or to render their company acceptable but rather to be somewhat agreeable All which is a sign of discretion and good government that one knows what is of great and what is of some though but of little good effect and accordingly prizes and esteems it Which very thing again begets a good opinion of the speaker or composer and consequently much disposeth to attend to and approve what he shall deliver In the number of pleasing and acceptable signs in a Prayer pronounced are good deportment and gesture amongst which may be truly reckoned all properties of speech besides its articulation as is before said such as vehemency and softness or elevation and depression quickness and slowness equality and inequality the positions or sites of these called accent and tone All which if they seem to be natural and not affected or counterfeited may be signs of some worthy and useful quality in us such as seriousness gravity sincere and earnest desire to do good of some degree of wisdom or goodness c. These are to be used at the same time with our speech or signs of our conceptions and to accompany them to cause persons to attend thereto in such manner as is aforesaid SECT XII IV. THe signs of the conceptions and operations of our Souls viz. Speech and gesture ought to be the most universal that is to all our Auditors and Readers as much as may be Let them be such therefore as are used by the generality of them and most frequently It is best to use the most common and received words among them to signifie our meaning by And if we can find none as often we shall not when our conceptions are and ought to be more distinct we must come the nearest we can and take those which are most related to some other that are used If an Auditory be mixed as all are more or less and much more the number of Readers and one kind of words may signifie better to some persons and others again better to others theâ— varriety of them more or less is most convenient to be used There are also other prudent reasons of variety of expressions sometimes As because one and the same person may not understand anothers entire sense by any one phrase but only one part of it but by more he may understand the whole So also one may understand anothers entire sense by one phrase but obscurely but by another added thereto more clearly Accordingly we see men practise in ordinary conversation that where they have a mind to have themselves well understood and suspect one or more persons do not understand them they use variety of speech and gesture too Another reason of variety may be its usefulness for attention and memory and affection A man oftner and longer attends to the same thing signified by two or three expressions than by one and then more attention makes a greater impression and the thing is better remembred A thing expressed by one word or phrase only another immediarely succeeding is oft-times quite missed or so slightly attended to that it is not at all remembred Whence most of the things so delivered do but little good This is also a reason of repetition of the same words or phrases Against this rule do they offend who chuse words and phrases unknown to all or the greatest part of an Auditory when there are other well known to them which might have been taken Such are words newly made out of a Foreign Language when there are as good in our own or those which are indeed in our own Language but are not used at all by our present Auditors but by another sort of persons only as Scholars or Courtiers suppose The like may be in gestures or signs of our affections c. we may use those in a mechanick or rustick Auditory which only signifie to those of scholastick or gentile conversation Calmness and equableness of speech and gesture for Example would signifie to these last sort of persons serious and long attention to steady and constant affection for what one saith
but men of more active tempers which are far the greatest number will hardly believe him that useth it to be at all in earnest to mind and be affected much with what he saith they will think him dull because always when they themselves or those with whom they have generally conversed have been seriously and much concerned for any thing they have accustomed themselves to be loud and unequal in their speech and quick fierce multifarious in their gestures In such case it may be advisable to use in part only those gestures which those men do and that with some marks of condescension whereby a man may convey his sense and affections to them and yeâ— not confirm them in their bad usage but rather admonish them of their imperfection For indeed they are not only signs but causes too of strong and ungovernable passions most commonly for little things and consequently of rash and blind actions Rude and vulgar speech and carriage are commonly the causes of rude and vulgar manners But there is no greater breach of this direction than to make Prayers in a Foreign Tongue For here the words are so far from being signs of conceptions to all the Auditory that they are signs to none at all perhaps And this is the foul fault of that Church which pretends to so much wisdom and care in all her Constitutions when hardly any thing can argue a greater folly and tyranny Of this they have heard enough though their pride and other self-interests will never suffer them to acknowledge or amend any thing though never so foolish and mischievous which others shall admonish and advise them of Nay these men do not only appoint those who pray with others to use such a Language wich the Auditors do not understand but also private persons to pray Pater Noster's Ave Maria's and Gloria Patri's a judicious Prayer indeed for they use it for Petition too when sometimes they understand not one Sentence of what they say SECT XIII 5. LEt the signs of all the operations and actions of our Soul particularly of our affections be the most natural Such which are conjoyned in men generally with the things signified even without their wills or endeavours nay they are not disjoyned without some difficulty These signs more certainly convey to others not only the knowledge or conception of the affections which are in us but also the like affections themselves nay sometimes they may be the cause of and excite maintain or increase affections in our selves For which reasons as well as others all instituted and appointed signs are to be the most natural and as little as may be purely arbitrary These last are very often separated from the thing signified which is called formality A common instance too of the unnaturalness of the signification of our affections c. is that we call over-doing i. e. too many and too great a vehemency of gestures and words as it seems to most Auditors These although sometimes in some persons that use them they may be signs natural enough to themselves of good affections for there are degrees in respect of time and persons yet by the generality of Auditors they are judged to proceed from ostentation or meer heat of bodily temper And here we may be admonished that we do not use those which are very natural signs to the generality of an Auditory hypocritically that we do not use them on purpose to beget in them a good opinion of us and to judge that we have such good affections or other worthy qualities in us when we have not nor care perhaps much whether we have them at all really so we may but seem so We may be further advised that they do not proceed from or are consequent upon meerly the heat motion agitation temper of body For there are some persons in whom sighs tears loudness or vehemency of speech for Example do not proceed from nor are conjoyned with their respective passions of sadness grief earnest desire towards any certain objects apprehended evil or good but meerly from the frame and temper or in one word from the mechanism of their body they cannot tell you what it is that so affects them In others again they are very easie and great from every small degree of real passion in them We may see in their abundance of tears deep and frequent sighs great vehemency and variety of speech and gesture whence generally we may think they are brim-full of extraordinary passions when in truth it is not so and either there is none of those passions at all or but in very mean and slight degree Those that affect and endeavour these natural signs of sanctity in Prayers and so in Preaching and all other their Conversation without the things signified for reputation and good opinion or any other self-interest are Hypocrites in intention and design The other in whom they proceed from other causes than those they for the most part naturally signifie but without their will or endeavour are Hypocrites only in event and effect They both often deceive the World but the first more seldom and chiefly by their own fault the second more frequently and by others fault viz. by reason of their ignorance and thinking those signs universal which are not and oft-times they are discovered especially by more observing Auditors which when it happens offends much and causeth them to be a verse from and not to attend to what shall be said by such persons All external signs used before there is the thing signified in us are not hypocritical They may be prudently used on purpose to excite or increase good thoughts and affections in us and to prevent the ill consequence of our bad example As kneeling and intention of the voice may not only be signs of reverence and affection but also the causes they may beget preserve and increase them in our selves and others by our Examples And it may be one good effect of a set Tone in Prayers as well as in other parts of Divine Worship to excite and signifie sutable affections SECT XIV 6. LEt the expressions or signs of our conceptions and thoughts convey them the most clearly in opposition to obscurity Obscurity and confusion of perception of a thing are not the same A man may see with his eye remote objects confusedly without distinction of their parts yet strongly and clearly and on the contrary near objects very distinctly but yet darkly or obscurely And so it is in the minds perception of objects Contrary to this direction generally are Tropical Speeches as Metaphors Metonymies by which names if we respect their Etymology all sigurative speeches might be called i. e. when a thing is signified or expressed not by a word proper to its essential nature but by some one which is proper to something related to it as its cause effect part like contrary The use of this tropical speech seems to me to have been one of the greatest impediments of good knowledge
one of the best Ways to obtain an End by any certain Means to have it perpetually and only in our Mind and Intention when we are using that Means Like as it is a most probable Means to hit the Mark to have it steadily in our Eye or to come to a certain Place to have it as frequently in our Thoughts as needs whither we are going And in truth the neglect of this seems to be one of the most frequent Causes why in many particular Churches as the Church of Rome they have so many Constitutions and Rites either perfectly useless to this great End of the inward Worship of God and universal Holiness of Soul or so little and remotely subservient thereto that either they have seldom attained it or it is not worth the trouble of the Governor and Governed to constitute and observe them or finally they are contrary thereto and more Obstructions and Hindrances thereof Other meaner and more puerile or vulgar Ends and Designs as Beauty Ornament and Pomp or sometimes wicked and selfish ones as Honour Power and Wealth have interposed and quite intercepted the End above mentioned Not but that I think they all of them may honestly and prudently be adhibited in some degree in order to that End but we are to scorn that such mean things should terminate our View and be the ultimate end of our Constitutions Secondly A second means to know what external Worship constituted tends to the promoting of the internal Worship of God is the most exact Knowledge of humane Nature we can get to know what external Signs or other Circumstances of the internal Actions or Operations of our Minds do most naturally cause them in us which are exceeding various according to the Variety of Tempers Usages and Constitutions of single Persons or whole Nations some there are which may be general and well near universal And here we must use principally our own Reason Experience and Observation both in our selves and others We may also make use of others Observation and Experience and consequently their Usages and Constitutions as it follows in the next Particular For what may be further observed in this I refer the Reader to what he will find in the latter end of this Treatise viz. concerning the due Qualifications of the external Signs both of Sense and Operations of Soul in Prayer Thirdly A third Means is all Testimony both divine and humane whether we have it from express Words and Injunctions as in Scripture Commands or Canons of Councils c. or from Examples and Practice Which Testimony is so much more valuable as the Persons are more sincere in the End before mentioned and more prudent and discreet to know and observe the Means which will best attain it Moreover it is carefully to be observed whether their Testimony be concerning the same thing to be constituted i. e. the same or rather the like in all Circumstances which may alter the case Whether that the Circumstances be not so different as that that external Worship which was then and there for Edification or promoting of the internal Worship of God or universally of more good Consequence than bad be not so now amongst those who are to make use of their Testimony Particular respect must be had to the Extent of the Constitution whether it were to all Christians of all Places and Times or directed only to a particular Church and for a certain time And here in the first place comes in divine Testimony any Constiâ—utions to all Christians made by God himself which are undoubtedly to be perpetually observed as tending to the true end thereof before mentioned These if there be any besides the general one of Decency and Order are to be sought for in the New Testament Next may be taken notice of all the particulars of the external Worship of the Jews appointed by God himself also in the Old Testament where all Circumstances are to be considered before they are imitated and whether there were not some peculiar ones which made them necessary then or very subservient to the internal Worship of God or other good Effects the which now being wanting may render them useless or of more bad than good Effect It is certain most of their Constitutions in their external Worship were of this kind as all their Sacrifices their distinction of Meats their legal Uncleannesses their Festivals c. It is as certain that some of them were such as may be well imitated by most Christian Churches now in order to the aforesaid Ends. As a setled Maintenance for the Officers of Religious Worship and perhaps their Age when they should be admitted to minister in those holy Offices and their number and abundance more A great many of them have been by way of imitation introduced into very ancient Christian Churches some sooner some later as much of the Situation Division Form of our Churches and Church-yards in Imitation of their Temple The Habits of those who officiate in Religious Assemblies Caps Hoods Surplices Cassocks Girdles seem to have been in Imitation of the Priests Bonnet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Ephod or half-Coat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Robe as our Translation calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the long Coat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Belt or Girdle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Canon for all persons communicating three times in the year at least seems likewise an imitation of the Jewish Law that all Males should appear three times in the year before the Lord in Jerusalem There are others yet which might be named of somewhat more consequence The Church of Rome have had some Rites possibly with no bad intent at first from the Heathens among whom the Christians for many hundreds of years lived promiscuously as their sprinkling Things and Persons with their holy Water Villas Domos Templa totasque Urbes aspergine circumlatae aquae expiant passim saith Tertullian Tertull. de baptis of the Heathens Lastly may be observed the Constitutioâ— of external Worship in all particular Christian Churches from the beginning to thâ— time and more especially the most ancient anâ— therefore in those which were founded anâ— governed by the Apostles Where again 〈◊〉 Circumstances are as is before said to be coâ—sidered with Reason and Prudence before uâ—proceed to Imitation We are not to thiâ—â— presently that every Constitution or Practiâ—â— we meet with in every Urban or Provinciâ—â— Church nay in many or most is to be imitted in ours Many might there be very laâ—dable and which then might the most obtain the Ends so often mentioned which 〈◊〉 our Circumstances may not but be useleâ—â— or may hinder or in general may be of veâ—â— much more ill consequence than good 〈◊〉 particularly their Quantity or Quality 〈◊〉 Fasting Plunging in Baptism c. in whicâ— things there is great Difference to be madâ— meerly upon the account of the Climate lived in The indiscreet and promiscuous Retention and
Introduction of Constitution may well be one cause of their too great Multitude and Unâ—difyingness And I do not see why a Bishop of Londoâ— with his Clergy or an English Synod maâ— not be as well instructed in the means jusâ— now suggested and all others to know what Constitutions aâ—e of best Effect and most for Edification to their own Church in their Circumstances as a Bishop of Hippo or Constantinople or a Carthaginian Synod to their Church in theirs but much better sure may they constitute for their own Church than these can do And particularly I hope it is not impossible but that in Conjunction with their use of these and other Means especially the first of sincere Intention they may also have some special Influence of God to direct them I am sure it is but too much their own fault if they be not as capable of it as other Christian Churches have been Thirdly It seems of most good Effect and particularly most conducible to the Promotion of the internal Worship of God that there should be some external Signs thereof or some other besides those that are absolutely necessary as Time and Place Circumstances constituted but not many The good Use of some to be constituted is a constant standing sensible Testimony of the publick Opinion of wise and good Men concerning the internal Worship of God what Honour Love Obedience c. we ought to have towards him and how we ought to shew and express it by the most sit and proper Signs not only in those few that are constituted but also by all other which our own Prudence shall determine Those few are but for an Example of our inward Affectioâ— and external Behaviour and for a Directiâ— to our general Practice Further The feâ— external things that are constituted may â—â— somewhat helpful really to introduce and â—â— up in us the due inward Operations of oâ— Souls to God as hath been before observeâ— Further It will prevent at least some perfoâ— appearing to others to be utterly negligeâ— and careless thereof to be senseless or ecâ— temptuous of them and consequently â—â— offending our Brethren both grieving anâ— displeasing the more pious and drawing tâ— more weak and indifferent in Piety to â—â— Imitation of the like Irreligion and Prophanâ— ness And however Men for a few yeâ— may be so serious in the Worship of God â— not to need this Help yet in a Nationâ— Church after some time of settlement theâ— will be found to be need enough as theâ— seems to be in this very prophane Age. â— the mean time it can do little or no Hurt â— them who may think they do not or maâ— not really want it If none of these external Circumstances of Worship be instituted then they must all be left to the Desire anâ— Advice only of the Publick or of each particular Governour of any Religious Assembly and consequently to the Judgment and Choice of every particular Member though never so ignorant and bad But I believe it doth now by Experience appear and whether it will ever be otherwise in larger Churches especially God knows when in Liberty and Peace that a very great number of Persons are not yet so inwardly Religious as to abstain from many indecent things and some which are Signs of sottish Irreligion contemptuous Prophaneness and Pride or to follow the Advices and Intreaties and Examples of their Superiours especially Ecclesiastical though of acknowledged Prudence and Piety Nay I think at this time in this Nation Persons are generally disposed rather to do clean contrary even in things manifestly enough of good use and which it would become Prudence Piety and Charity to appoint Which Humour seems still to be of the growing side and is just the contrary Extreme to the receiving all Institutions though manifestly hurtful or useless with Veneration Which one consideration may afford a sufficient reason for some diversity of external circumstances in the Celebration of the Lords Supper even from the practice of our Lord himself and his Apostles Jesus himself is not now present to distribute it Nor are the Communicants Apostles to receive it There was no need of commanding any external rite to help their seriousness attention and affection or to secure them from neglect or contempt But as it seems to be of very good Consequence to constitute some things in external Worship so it seems best to constitute buâ— few how few Governors must determine especially if they be such as do in themselveâ— strongly affect the Sense or excite much thâ— Passions of Admiration Love or Delight or take up much Time and Pains that sâ— Mens Attention be not taken off from the internal Worship of God It is certain theâ— may be so many so garish so operose and so long as to take up all a Man's Attention pleasing the Vulgar especially in the same manner as some things in a Comedy do As if â—â— Man should be obliged to cross himself at every Verse of Scripture read or to say Lorâ— have mercy upon us just thirty times and Hallelujah ten times as I think it is reported of the Russians of the Greek Church Nor seems it less advisable that the few things which are constituted be of great and manifest good use and particularly for Edification that so those who enjoyn teach or use them may the more easily justifie them and not spend too much time in dispute about them and those who are enjoyned them being without scruple may the more chearfully observe them This will also prevent their too great multiplication of which there is danger in some tract of time For if any be admitted for the reason of some small though real convenience it will make way for all those and they are none knows how many which can alledge as much Fourthly It is undoubtedly best that the Persons who constitute and appoint should be not the People who are generally so ignorant and selfish but the Governors of each Church who are generally more wise and generous of more publick Spirits The larger the Church also the better for by that means the Constitutions are of greater Authority and more freely observed generally also they are both wiser and fewer as being made by a greater Number of wiser and honester Persons and those of different Apprehensions and Tempers and then as being to fit a greater Number of Persons The same may be said of Articles of Belief The Conditions of Communion both in Doctrine and Discipline are likely in equal Time to be far more numerous and of less consequence in lesser Churches such as some amongst us affect and contend for than in larger such as Diocesan Provincial National and if it were possible one Universal Church and consequently there will be less of Liberty in them It is true the wisest and best men are not the greatest number But yet it is more probable that more of them should be found in a greater number of men than in a less Nor
in the World I say generally not always c. For sometimes a man may better know the cause effect or like of a thing than its essential nature and then it will be better to endeavour to convey the knowledge or conception of this essential nature by a word which properly signifies to him its cause effect or like c. and accordingly we often see that we are sain to describe especially an intellectual thing by its likeness effects c. to make some persons understand and conceive it But I am slipping too far into a Philosophical Digression To apply this direction more usefully It is particularly to be observed That many Scripture-Words and Phrases which are figurative though often used do not convey their sense to the generality of Auditors or Readers so clearly as proper words now in common use among us both because they are figurative and also because the things from whence they are taken and other circumstances of speech are nothing near so well known to us now as they were then to those to whom they were first spoken or written or as the natures of the things themselves There are many Metaphors Allegorys and other figurative speeches of the Scripture especially of the Old Testament used ordinarily in Prayers and Sermons which people generally do not at all â—r very obscurely and darkly understand â— am sure they would far more clearly understand the sense it self designed to be signified by them if it were expressed by the most sit words of our own Language Of this it were easie to give instances Moreover Many things in the Scripture might have been more clearly by proper â—peeches expressed even to those to whom they were then delivered if God had so pleased but it might seem good to Divine Providence for many reasons which we have not generally that some things should be delivered obsurely as to excite mens diligence and endeavour to understand them â— detain mens employment about them â—nger to give occasion for mutual forbearance and charity in case of dissenting Nay one reason might be that we might have the satisfaction of finding out and conveying the sense more clearly to others Wherefore when we use Scripture-Phrases which are not clear enough of themselves as it may be often sit for the Authority and better memory of what we say This Rule as well as the rest having their exceptions it will be most prudent for us to paraphrase or to explicate them by the speech most proper for the things now in use with us of which some instances are given in a following Direction Hereby also many confused and erroneous conceits in the sense of Scripture would be prevented The Holy Scripture is the most abused piece of writing extant that I know and that not only by the unlearned always and especially of late among us but many times by some of the learned Fathers Councels Postillers And if men should have explicated and used the Text of Aristotle or the Terms of any Science with as little understanding as they do the Holy Scriptures they would have exposed themselves to shame enough But because the Holy Scriptures are of so mighty concernment to all sorts of persons it is more reasonably permitted to them to be more conversant therein though with great defects and follys which notwithstanding men are to prevent and mend all they can that so they may have the greatest benefits and advantages of the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures with the fewest and least inconveniencies SECT XV. 7. LEt our words and phrases the signs of our conceptions or thoughts be distinct in opposition to ambiguity and doubtfulness Let them not be such as may signifie in all the circumstances with which they are spoken more things than one Such are very many words and phrases and it is a principal defect of Language I speak not concerning the confusedness complexness of our conceptions or thoughts one of the chief defects of knowledge yet remaining to be remedied as much as the World can bear but of the signs of them If our thoughts be complex confused general as we may out of choice prepare only such and not too subtle and distinct according as men are more or less capable our words should be those which properly and distinctly signifie such Whether our conceptions be confused â—or distinct our words should be such as properly signifie them But of this though but â— little is enough in this place SECT XVI 8. LEt not these signs and expressions be longer than are needful for the most perfect conveyance of Thoughts or Affections c. As 1. Not more words when one would serve not a Sentence by which I mean now not a Proposition but many words when one word may be had and easilier too which may serve a great usage of our modern style whereby a great deal of paper and time is spent oft-times to little or no purpose 2. Not many different words or sentences for the same thing except for some such reasons as have and may be mentioned as because of the variety of Auditors or to detain their attention longer or for memory or to signifie affection or on purpose to obscure a thing or for any other reason which prudence may think fit The multitude of ideas of words and sentences confound divert or blunt the perception and attention of the mind to the conception of the things signified 3. Not more of the same words or sentences for the same thing or not the same repeated called Tautology when a man saith the same thing in the same words This doth in common use admit of frequent Exceptions For it is better to use this Tautology than not when the thing that is to be conveyed is very excellent of great good use and very necessary for which there is and ought to be in the conveyer very great and somewhat lasting Affections or Passions and consequently his Attention to the thing it self is so much and strongly detained that he neglects the alteration or variety of words to signifie it by as if he had not time or leisure for that I say in such case which in Prayer is and ought to be a frequent thing Tautology or repeating the same words for the same things is and ought to be used and is a natural sign of real and strong affections for excellent things and particularly for that thing where it was used And thus we see it on purpose used in some set Forms But contrariwise it is not allowable when it is used in mean and and smaller things compared with others in Prayer and to which not so great and lasting an Affection is to be given For the time might have been better spent in attention to other things which might have succeeded It is not allowable meerly to gain time or lengthen our Prayers to no better purpose than that it might be said we pray'd so long An Example of this Tautology is that frequent needless repetition of the same