approbation but on the contrary when through ignorance and infirmity and being under a surprisal they have tendered but a little of their homage and that worship they owe to God unto the creature though never so eminent and excellent though an Apostle or Angel they have been admonished of and rebuked for their errour as Act. 10.25 26. Rev. 19.10 and 22.8 9. O! but may Saint-worshipers say what is refused in modesty should not therefore be denied or withheld O! but hearken and ye shall hear reason for their refusing yea and abominating that service and homage O! saith (x) What Peter abominateth while he was on earth he will not accept while he is in heaven until the reason he used prove null and he leave off to be a man or fellow-creature with us Peter to Cornelius why wilt thou fall down at my feet Ah! am not I a man and wilt thou make an idol of me and see thou do it not saith the Angel to John for I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren worship not me but God We may here admire (y) Bell. de sanct beat lib 1. cap. 14. sect ad 4. dico Bellarmines impudency in pleading Johns practice as a rule and ground for ours Whether saith (z) num melius Johanne norunt Calvinistae c. he did John or the Calvinists best know if Angels should be worshiped And wherefore are we reprehended for doing what John did Ans Because John himself is reprehended and who knowing what he saith would affirm that we should practise what is condemned in him and make that for which he was rebuked a rule whereby we should walk Albeit Balaams asse when she saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way turned aside yet these men though they hear an Angel from heaven crossing their way and calling to them to halt they will notwithstanding drive on and go forward It s true John was the Disciple whom Christ loved and an eminent Saint but not free of sin untill by death he was freed of the body of sin and death which was derived to him from the first Adam he was subject to mistakes failings and infirmities and whether shall we think that John or the Angel was in an errour for both could not be right there being such an opposition the Angel condemning what the Apostle practiseth and holding out a reason for his reproof and Johns relapsing into the same fault is a further proof of his weakness while he was surprised with the glorious appearance of the Angel but it no wayes helps Bellarmin's cause But the Angels renewed reproof is a new confirmation of his errour for though Mala non sunt bis facienda yet pulchra vera sunt bis dicenda eoque magis observanda The oftner an evil is committed it is the worse but the oftner a truth is inculcated it should be the more headed and observed Then while Papists shall be able 1. to convince us that they know better how to entertain Saints and Angels then they themselves know how they should be used by us yea 2. While they shall make good that the holy Angels can dissemble and like men in their vain complements refuse what is due to them and bring a lye to back their complement and 3. Till they can prove that their canonized Saints are not yet (a) According to that usual synecdoche totius pro parte the soul as being the nobler part gets the denomination of the whole men their fellow servants and creatures they must have us excused if we challenge them of idolatry while they give the worship wich is due to God unto the work of his hands 3. (b) Arg. 3. We should only pray to him who is 1. omnipotent and able to save and deliver and to do (c) Eph. 3.20 exceeding abundantly above all that we can think or ask 2. Omnipresent and alwaies at hand who is not on a journey as (d) 1 King 18.27 Eliah mockingly said of Baal while his Priests were crying unto him and far from home when we knock 3. Omniscient and knows the very (e) 1 King 8.39 thoughts and desires of our hearts he must know our wants and hear our cryes and complaint he must not be a sleep or diverted by talking with some other petitioner so that like Baals Priests we should cry aloud to awaken him or wait till he be at leasure to hearken to us but there is only one Omnipotent to whom all things are possible Mat. 19.26 One who is omni-present from whose presence we cannot flee run where we will Ps 139.7 8 9. And only he is omniscient from whose eyes nothing is hid and he it is and he only with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 Ergo. Albeit Papists dare not so impudently blaspheme as to ascribe any of these divine attributes to the creature yet say they the Saints in glory have power with God and he hath put in their hands the dispensation of mercies and by beholding his face they see there as in a glasse though not all things whatsoever yet what concerneth them and is pertinent to them to know and thus they must know and hear when we pray unto them Ans Yet Scripture holds forth the ministry of Angels Heb. 1 14. but it doth not speak of any such ministry committed to the Saints after their removal but supposing it were so should we therefore rob the master and give to his servant that honour and glory that is due to him alone I am the Lord saith the holy one that is my name and my glory will I not give to another neither my praise to graven images Isa 42.8 Idolatry in the Word is frequently called whoredome now it were a poor plea for the whorish wife to say to her husband ye sent your servant to wait upon me and minister unto me or I knew such a one to be your friend and have moyen with you and why might I not then use him as my husband since ye loved him why might I not deal kindly with him for your sake And should not the honest servant if tempted by an impudent woman say with (f) Genes 39.8 9. Joseph my kind master hath committed (g) Qui babet habentem omnia habet omnia all to my hand neither hath he kept back any thing in that he hath given me himself except his glory how then can I do this great wickedness to rob him thereof We heard how Peter and the Angel would not durst not rob him thereof and how zealously did Barnabas and Paul protest against their madness who would have sacrificed unto them And little know these deluded creatures with what (h) Nemo dicat timeo ne irascatur mihi angelus si non illum colo tunc tibi irascitur quando illum colere volueris bonus est enim Deum amat c August in Ps 96. indignation the holy Angels and the spirits of just men do abhor
of consolation Page 45 An objection against Christs vocall intercession answered Page 46 Christs intercession practically improven for the comfort of believers notwithstanding all their fears and doubts Page 47 Three grounds of Christs intercession viz. his office his love and his sympathy with us Page 53 Whether the Jewish Church were at a disadvantage upon this account Page 56 Christ did not interceed before his incarnation ibid. Objections answered Page 57 What his sympathy then did import Page 58 How he was then the Angel of the covenant Page 60 How the persons of the Trinity are said to appear visibly and to manifest themselves by some sensible symbols Page 61 Whether Mr. Goodwin ascribeth too much to Christs interssion while he preferreth it to his death and affirmeth that we may rest upon it alone Page 62 Whether Christ interceeds as a common person representing us Page 66 What the Jews enjoyed and what is our priviledge Page 67 The Text Joh. 16.26 vindicated Christ doth not there deny c. Page 68 Christ alwayes heard yea then while he prayed that the cup might pass from him with a large commentary on these words Page 70 Whether all Christs prayers were mediatory Page 75 Whether Christ Luk. 23.34 prayed for all those who had a hand in his death Page 75 The popish School-men argue against Christs formall and proper intercession from Matth. 28.18 ibid. Their objection answered Page 76 How and why the heavens earth c. are invited to praise God ibid. Sect. II. Whether the holy Angels and the Saints departed do pray and for what Page 78 The souls in hell cannot pray and why Page 81 Devils neither will nor may pray though Sathan may ask leave to tempt Job Page 83 Who may and ought to pray Page 85 The duty of the unconverted vindicated from Antinomian cavils Page 86 The obligation and ability of those who are not in the state of grace held forth in some few assertions Page 88 How the prayers and performances of unbelievers may be said to please God Page 94 Several arguments showing that the most wicked wretch is obliged to pray to God Page 96 Whether they may ask in faith Page 99 Whether the wicked have a promise to be heard Page 100 CHAP. VI. To whom should we pray Page 103 Whether we should pray to Christ as Mediator Page 104 We may not pray to Angels or the Saints in glory Page 106 Papists have made many new gods nay herein they have exceeded their patrons those Pagans from whom they borrowed and learn'd this new point of divinity Page 107 By what steps this Pagan doctrine crept into the Church Page 109 The Jewish Chruch in her worst times did not fall into this error nor the Christian for the space of some hundred years Page 109 Who were the first authors and abetters of this platonick dream Page 111 When was it generally received Page 115 Bellarmin his impudence Page 118 Of the glass of the Trinity Page 120 Erasmus his sarcasme Page 122 Whether Papists maintain that the Pater noster should be said to the Saints Page 125 Whether he can be a Mediator of intercession who is not also a Mediator of redemption Page 129 Many abominable blasphemies in Mary her Psalter Page 130 Papists make Saint-merit the ground of Saint-invocation Page 131 Cassander's confession with Vives his regrate Page 132 Popish self-conviction Page 135 There is a difference between praying the Saints to pray for us and praying to the Saints that they may pray for us Page 137 The popish argument from miracles answered ibid. What honour we owe to the Saints in glory Page 138 A word of application ibid. CHAP. VII Of the matter and object of prayer Page 140 Sect. I. We must have a warrant to come to the throne of grace and what to ask Page 141 The will of God the sole rule of prayer but not his purposes and decrees though revealed and made known to us Page 142 Three things must concur for consttiuting the rule of prayer Page 147 What kind of promulgation is necessary Page 148 The practise and example of others not a sufficient warrant Page 150 The promise alone a sufficient ground of prayer Page 152 Objections answered Page 154 Providence is not our rule Page 158 How far it may declare the will of God and our duty Page 160 Whether and how far we may make use of the dispensations of providence in our personal cases which are not particularly determined in the Word answered in several conclusions Page 165 Whether we may go to the Scriptures and make use of that passage which first occurreth if pertinent to our case Page 175 How far providence may be directive and helpfull for constituting us in any place â—tate or relation Page 176 Sect. II. For what things and in what order should we pray Page 179 We may safely go as far as the promise and ask every thing that is good Page 180 The Messalians denying that we may ask temporals confuted Page 182 Objections answered Page 185 Socinians Jesuits and Arminians cannot tell what they ask from God while they pray for temporal mercies Page 187 Our motives should be rationall and spirituall while we pray for temporals Page 189 Whether smaller mercies may be particularized and expresly askt Page 190 We must not pray peremptorily for any temporal mercy though more earnestly for some then for others Page 191 Our prayers for temporals are not in that sense conditional in which a logical enunciation Page 194 Under what condition should temporals be asked and whether at all times we should reflect upon that condition Page 196 We should not only ask the use and possession of but also aright unto and the blessing with our mercies Page 198 The difference between the Saints and the wicked as to the right unto and enjoying of outward mercies Page 198 Whether we may pray that such a mercy may become a blessing that we may get and receive it Page 196 Motives to pray for temporals Page 200 Spirituals must have the precedency else we loss both spirituals and temporals and will receive neither the one nor the other in answer to our prayers Page 204 The promises of grace distinguished from the promises to grace Page 208 Whether such as are yet under the spirit of bondage may plead the absolute promises Page 209 None can absolutely and in faith pray for grace as to it's nature and being but upon a mistake of their condition but we may and should thus pray for the measure and a further degree of grace Page 211 An evasion confuted Page 214 Another evasion Page 215 What an absolute promise doth import Page 216 What it is to pray absolutely Page 217 How the promise is the rule of prayer Page 218 Whether those prayers that have for their object a further perfection and measure of grace be alwayes answered Page 220 It is difficult to judge concerning the measure of grace Page 221 Why we must
individuall man or woman are elect or reprobat but also in the generall as to the present and following generation whatever may be said of times past whose wickednesse and impiety is notour and known for who can bind up Gods hand that he may not shew mercy to all the world and shall we alledge an unknown decree purpose and intention which though it were known must not be acknowledged for a rule and law for a ground and plea why we should forsake the known commandment to pray for all men And that we might pray for cast-awayes though their reprobation and why not also though Christs purpose and intention not to shed his blood for them were known hath been shown Concl. 4. 3. It is not faith in the Object but in the Subject not in him for whom but in him who doth pray that is required in the i Jam. 5.15 prayer of faith and that it may be offered up in Christs name as shall appear Part 2. Ch. 2. From this generall we may draw several particulars the most matterial shall be named in the following Conclusions Concl. 6. Concl. 6.1.2.3.4.5.6 We should pray for our enemies 1. David did so Psa 35.13 and Stephen Act. 7.60 Yea and our blessed Lord Jesus Luk. 23.34 And 2. commands us to do so Mat. 5.44 And 3. maketh the conscientious performance thereof an evidence of our son-ship And 4. of our conformity with our Father which is in heaven v. 45. And 5. of discrimination between us and Publicans v. 46.6 This is the best mean to reclaime enemies and to make them friends with God and with us and that is the most noble k Quo quisque est major magis est placabilis irae Ovid. 3. trist 5.7 victory over enemies in which the true Christian will more rejoyce and triumph though one were only thus gained then in the destruction of a multitude However 7. thus he doth his duty and shall be no loser his prayer shall not be as l 2 Sam. 14.14 water spilt on the ground but shall return with a message of peace to himself Psa 35.13 And 8. in so doing he heapeth coals of fire though he intend not their hurt upon the head of incorrigible enemies Rom. 12.20 And 9. it is no small evidence of sincerity and may be a ground of comfort to thee O Saint if while enemies are injuring and persecuting thee thou canst with the Prophet say O Lord remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath while they were digging a pit for my soul Jer. 18.20 And as this is a notable mean of our peace with God and with our own consciences So it is 10. an evidence and a sure ground of confidence that our prayers for our selves are heard 10. and our iniquities pardoned Mat. 6.14 Mark 11.25 and 11. 11. thereby also we prevail against and most valiantly m Bis vin ciâ— qui se vincit Publian apud Reusn clas 1. Sym. 50. triumph over that devil of malice and revenge which maketh the Lord himself become our enemy and to back the lashes of men with a stroak from heaven because we tak upon us to sit on his Throne who hath said vengeance is mine I will repay Deut. 35.35 Heb. 10.30 Rom. 12.19 O! Then pray for your enemies and ye shall have God to be your friend and shall thus obey that evangelicall command give place to Wrath Rom. 12 19. Psa 37.8 Prov. 20.3 O! blesse them that persecut you Rom. 12.14 and thus thou mayest get a blessing both to thy self and them But ah although this duty doth make us resemble God who is kind unto the unthankfull and to the evil Luk 6.35 albeit it hath so much of heaven in it so much humility self denyall and tendernesse though it be such a notable mean of our comfort peace and acceptance with God and may prove a mean of so much good to others yet how few make conscience thereof and are carefull to perform it but if thou goest mourning all the day long for want of comfort enlargement of affections divine manifestations and acceptance in thy addresses to God enquire after the cause and perhaps thou wilt find that if thou wert compassionat towards thy enemies God would be more kind to thee and manifest himself more familiarly the Lord deals with many as if he were an enemy because they live in malice and at enmity with their brethren and their prayers meet not with that n Qui tollit litem fas huic est fausta precari Reusn class 3. Symb. 16. acceptance they desire because they do not cordially desire the good of others God seemeth to slight their (o) Qui litem aufert execrationem in benedictionem mutat symb Henrici 3. Nigri prayers that they may learn no more to hate or slight their brethren in their prayers Mat. 6.15 Mar. 11.26 Concl. 7. Albeit we should thus pray for all men though strangers yea though enemies and persecuters yet there are speciall bonds and tyes lying upon us to pray for those to whom we have speciall relations and the mo and greater and the more neer and engaging the relation is our obligation to the performance of this duty is the greater we may not speak to particulars these being so many this duty so clear and uncontroverted Scripture-instances so obvious and the advantage both to our selves and them so certain and great And 1. in the generall who is so ignorant as not to know that it is his duty to pray for the Church of Christ and that his Kingdom may come that the borders thereof may be enlarged that the heathen may be given to him for an inheritance and the uttermost ends of the earth for a possession Mat. 6.10 Psa 2.8 that the whole earth may be filed with the knowledge of God Isa 11.8 that the Gospel may have a free and effectuall passage 2 Thes 3.2 that all Israel might be saved that Sem may be perswaded to dwell in the tents of Japhet Rom. 11.26 Gen. 9.27 that the fulnesse of the Gentiles were brought in and that those who yet sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death may be enlightned Rom. 11.25 Luk. 1.79 that God in his good pleasure would do good to Zion and build up the walls of Jerusalem that peace may be within Her walls and prosperity within her Palaces and that God would redeem Israel out of all his troubles Psa 51.18 Psa 122.7 Psa 25.22 2. Who knoweth not that we should pray for Kings and Rulers that God would blesse them and make them a blessing to his people that he would instruct our Magistrats and teach our Senators wisdom that judgment may run down as a river and righteousnesse as a mighty stream that thus they may prove nursing Fathers both to the Church and Kingdom being an encouragment to them that do well and a terror to such and only to such