both offâ—nsive and defensive Desirest thou sweetest communion with thy blessed Saviour here on earth This is Osculum pacis as an Antient styles it The kisse of peace with which the soul kisseth the lips of her beloved 'T is Sabbathum animae as another calls it the souls sabbath Wouldst thou visit Canaan before hand and get to Heaven once before thou come to settle there Prayer is scala Coeli a Ladder for thee 'T is Ascensus intellectus ad Deum The ascent of the minde to God Damascen's definition To be short 't is a Catholicon good for every thing and nothing good without it All things are sanctified by it 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Weems Christ Synag Sâ—ct 3. Paragâ— 5 All things upheld by it The Jews have a saying sine stationibus non subsisteret mundus The world would not endure without Standing Gnammuda standing is one of the seven names they give to Prayer without this the world would not stand This rich treasure Reader is here put into thine hand with direction how to use it Here is not Novum any thing new but perhaps Novè good old truths in a new and delightful dresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Reverend Authour hath in this little piece well mixed utile dulci thou canst not mâ—sse desired content in reading it nor can I choose but heartily commend it to thy serious perusal Read and practice but remember write over thy closet door what the Jews use to write about the doors of their Synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They expresse it by this Abbrâ—viature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the first letter of each word Bux oâ—s de Abbr. Heb. A Prayer without affection is like a body without a soul Maintain inward warmth of devotion in thine heart he that does not Loquitur non precatur as says Salvian he talks he does not pray if thou do Gen. 32.28 Thou shalt be caled Israel because as a Prince thou shalt have power with God and with men and thou shalt prevail That thou mayest is the hearty desire of him who is Desirous of the prosperity of thy precious and immortal soul RICH. SAUNDERS A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS THe Introduction and opening of the Text. pag. 1 Two Doctrines from it viz. First That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to make use of fervency Secondly that righteous mens prayers are powerful and effectual 5 The first point opened and proved 6 Prayer described to be a fervent expression of holy desires to God only by Jesus Christ. 7 This description of Prayer explained in the several branches of it viz. 1. It is a fervent expression Wherein is enquired First What this fervency is Answered in three particulars Secondly When are men said to be fervent in prayer p. 10. Answered in seven things Thirdly Why men must be thus zealous p. 19. Made good by eight reasons following 1. Not because God like man stands in need of it 2. Because the Lord loves an importunate sutor 3. Because he that asketh any thing coldly asketh a denial 4. The matter about which you are emploied is weighty 5. There are many and prodigious sins crying 6. By this means we declare at what rate we value Gods mercies 7. Fervent-prayer is most effectual 8. There are other reasons why the Lord will have it so First So much the more to astonish the Devil Secondly To give good example to the Church Thirdly To bring the hearâ— into a better temper p. 26 The Doctrine farther cleared by Scripture-Presidents p. 27. Fourthly How may a man keep his heart iâ— this height of heavenly fervor and thaâ— constantly for sometimes it is so Answered 28 Use 1. To condemn the Roman society and too many formal Protestants 33 A formal Christian described in five particulars 1. He is destitute of spiritual life and heat 2. He saith or repeats prayers often but without zeal 3. He is taken up with self-seeking and variety of distracting cares 4. He is oppressed with corruption and carried away with a violent stream of wordly cares 5. He is not in charity with his neighbour Use 2. To excite men to the duty of fervent prayer p. 35 Directions for that purpose in three things To which are annexed three serious motives 38 One weighty Objection answered viz. These fervent expressions are not always successeful a time may come when a Moses and a Samuel may not be heard 42 The second branch of the description of Prayer viz. Of holy desires how to be understood They must be holy for Person Principle Matter and End 43 First The Person must be holy Farther explained by enquiring first What an holy heart is Secondly Why prayer must come from an holy heart 46 Secondly The Principle must be holy Vnder which head is discovered First Why Prayer must come from a spiritual principle Secondly How Prayer coming from the Spirit may be discerned 49 51 Thirdly Desires must be holy for the Matter of them and that 1. In the ground 2. In the matter instanced in several particulars p. 53 Fourthly Desires must be holy for the end Where is discovered 1. When a mans end is holy 2. Why it must be so To which reasons are given both Philosophical and Theological 56 57 Use 1. For correction of those that pray but in a cold manner ib. Marks of such indisposednesse to prayer 60 61 Use 2. For instruction in two things 1. All prayer will not serve the turn 2. Learn the art of praying 62 The third branch of the dâ—scription of Prayer Vnto God 65 Prayer must be directed to God only Reasons of it 66 Only by Jesus Christ â—8 Where is enquired First What it is to offer up prayers by Christ Secondly Why it must be so Use 1. Shews the misery of gracelesse persons in that they cannot prâ—y See it discovered in two things Use 2. To shew the duty of all to amend their praying 74 To whâ—â—â— are annexed Objections to be answered viz. First What need this ado lesse pains may serve the turn God knows our wants and he will do what seemeth good in his sight 75 Secondly Some say they cannot pray or at least not according to this description of Prayer 76 Thirdly Many that have used thus to pray have proved counterfeits Ergo c. 81 Fourthly Many we see have blessings of all sorts who yet never did nor could pray thus for them 82 Fifthly Should we practise this duty every day as is pressed it would waste and spend our spirits hinder us in our callings and expose us to the derision of others 84 Cases of Conscience to be resolved viz. First What should a man do that cannot utter his minde he wants fit words for such a presence 89 Secondly What should he do that findes his heart unfit and altogether indisposed for prayer especially with such holy fervency 92 Thirdly I am distracted with vain thoughts and terrified with strange fears especially
knows not how or what to pray for as he ought God puts words into his mouth and these would freeze there and never vent did he not by the same influence of some heart-heating affections prevail to thaw the tap In a word a Christian hath not a spark of this fire on his own hearth except some that is strange fire which will not serve the turn he must fetch it from Heaven continually Thirdly By a continual supposal that the present opportunity may be the last how earnest would you pray how fervent would you be were you to dye presently provided this be in earnest settled on a grounded knowledge of your mortality the uncertainty of the last hour else this also will degenerate into formality Fourthly By weighing the causes moving unto and requiring this fervency as fear of Gods displeasure of the curse of the sentence of death and of Hell following Want of Gods image and love of Christ and his grace imminent judgments hanging over our heads ready to fall every moment with some hope of speeding in our requests knowing who hath said Ye shall reap if you faint not Fifthly By a true love unto that we pray for Strong affections cause fervent prayers True love makes weak things strong it is as an addition of fire to the flame It was love to God that made Moses so fervent Mary Magdalen so earnest It hath a constraining vertue it made the dumb son to speak Love if true will make a man do that 's beâ—ond his power as the Corinthians when they were poor in estate yet were rich in liberality Christ loving Lazarus well wept and groaned in spirit when he prayed for him and so did David for his son Where affection is wanting there will be cold praying we see it in sutors among men Sixthly By a proposal of some moving presidents as of a poor man that comes to your door for an alms hear how he cries with hands and eyes lift up he multiplieth and continueth Petitions For the Lords sake for Christs sake some relief Of one naked and almost starved see and behold he will have no denial Or of a condemned prisoner at the bar his knees are bowed to the ground as if his heart would touch the Judges feet his hands elevated his looks ruful his eyes full of distilling tears his words earnest and constant Mercy O Merciful Judge save or I perish Set these patterns before you and make their case your own Be earnest the matter is weighty you must either speed there or no where now or never I shall apply this in a few things Use 1 First The Use may serve to condemn as the society of Rome requiring and resting in the work done whether mighty or weak hot or cold they enquire not so the number and tale be up So too many among our selves that content themselves with a cold and carelesse form of praying a bedulling strain like the pace the Spaniard is said to ride Let us take a character of them First Such as are destitute of spiritual life and heat who have no grounded hope in any promise of speeding How should they pray lively that want life When life goeth out of the body it groweth cold and so where the life of grace is not all is cold no vigour no zeal in the discharge of duty The dead do not praise thee neither can they pray unto thee O Lord Secondly They are meerly formal in Prayer who say or repeat Prayers often but without any zeal or serious bent of minde to the passages thereof as if they cared not whether they were heard or no. Negare docent qui frigide rogant Such persons do far rather suggest a denial then move pitty it was hinted before Thirdly All they who are wholly taken up with self-seeking and variety of distracting employments so that they spend most of their strength about the perishing comforts of this life such are the malicious envious covetous and voluptuous men and women Moses was fervent in Prayer hot in the cause of God but in his own the meekest man on earth his heat was not spent for himself it was reserved for God Therefore our Saviour checks his Disciples when they would pray down fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans telling them they knew not what spirit they were of In our own businesse and wrongs our heat should be hid and as it were wrapt up in the embers but when Gods honour is endangered or obscured then should our fire break forth nay it will if we have any as Cyril sometimes advised Theodosius Fourthly They are cold in prayer who are oppressed with corruption or are carried away with the violent streams of worldly cares for the present they are all choaking and quenching as water abateth the heat of the fire or else lie under desertion or a divine restraint as Jeremiah was often forbid if not disabled to pray in some cases and for some people Fifthly They that are not in charity with their neighbours Love â—s the bond of perfection and the heat of the soul no love no heat so much want of heat as is want of love Forgive and it shall be forgiven Confesse your fâ—ults one to another and pray one for another James 5.16 Be reconciled then come and offer Matth. 5.24 God will not appear to Abraham till Lot and he be agreed Jacob being reconciled to hiâ— brother first builds an Altar Prayer offer'd up with uncharitable hands though otherwise most excellently accomplished is but as sounding brasse and a tinkling Cymball Secondly The Use serves to advise Use 2 excite and quicken you When you pray do it with all your might Water runs most swiftly and strongly when it swells over its own banks and is mounted above its chanel so will our souls move and apprehend with most strength when they are lifted on high and tend to God Be not like the glow-worm fervent in appearance onely take you heed of Jehu's countenance full of flushing heat and Nabals heart as cold as the stone Bid defiance to Laodicean luke-warmnesse Remember the sweet perfumes under the Law were burnt before they ascended Hoc agite Attend on your selves when you call upon God to attend you lest frequency diminish fervour which should encrease it and custome take away the sense When you are to go with a Petition to Christ to be presented to the Father First Let the minde be withdrawn from all prevalency of lust though from the presence it cannot Of worldly employments say as Abraham to his servant with the asses Stay here while we go yonder and worship These Birds would rob Abraham of his Sacrifice Call in and concenter your thoughts as men do the Sun-beams into a burning glasse Have your hearts at your right hand with Solomons wise man or else be sure of this that which is upmost will be out ever and anon distracting dragging downward and cooling your prayers Secondly Be well verst with that Divine Rhetorick in the
what successe can be expected That 's a true rule Bonum est ex integris causis malum è quolibet defectu Good like harmonious Musick if one string jar the hâ—rmony is marred and like beauty which is compleated of the Symmetry of parts if one part be deformed the beauty is vitiated thus it is in any good action let it be never so admirable for the matter of it if there be any failing or crack in the principle manner or end the man loseth the comfort and the reward of the duty You ask and have not because you ask amisse Let such consider two things First That all their hope such as it is themselves confessing is upon their prayers good meaning and good deeds now without grace and Christs Spirit you can do none of these he that wants the Spirit of Grace must needs be destitute of the Spirit of Supplication You hope to be saved by your good prayers and cannot pray by your good deeds and can do none without faith it is impossible to please God In what condition are you then Secondly None can stead you but God not friend not wit not wealth were you set as the Caliph of Babylon once was in the midst of a golden treasure and yet starved in the midst of all these and cannot pray in what a miserable case are you The dead praâ—se not God they that are in the pit call not upon him and without prayer no good thing can be had Use 2 Secondly Let all learn their duty to amend your praying else you may howl upon your beds and call loud upon him and not be heard It is not speaking or babling but praying that hath the promise Psal 50.16 Matth. 7. See wherein you have been faulty apprehend and acknowledge it for time to come number not measure not the length of your prayers weigh them in Christs ballance viz. by the heat and holinesse of your desires by the merit of Christ and by the reverent fervency of expression And thus from the description of fervent-working prayer I proceed to Objections Cases Conditions and Motives so to close this Doctrine Obj. 1 It may be objected first What need of this ado Will not lesse pains serve the turn God knows our wants already he will do what seemeth good in his sight His Decrees are immutable and cannot be alter'd by all our eâ—rnestnesse and endeavours Thus indeed argued Maximus Tyrius an Heathen Ans And thus many Libertines in our daies But to the Answer Prayer is not for Gods information but the creatures submission we pray for his leave yea when he will do any thing he stirreth up those that are his to desire that which otherwise he would have done to the intent that for honours sake he might attribute the same unto their prayers Besides Gods Decrees do not exclude the duty of the creature and the work of second causes Jer. 29.11 12. I know the thoughts of peace I have toward you yet yee shall call upon me and I will hear you This Moses and Elias knew and the former turned Gods predictions and the latter his promises into prayers Finally We pray not in any case to the intent that God should be changed which thing should be attempted in vain for he is immutable but rather that we our selves should be changed for so much as in praying we are made capable of the divine benefits By vertue of Gods Ordination a spiritual holy prayer casteth the soul into a better disposition so that now he is made capable of spiritual blessings which before it was not So that we draw not God neerer to us by our arguments but we draw neerer unto him Obj. 2 2. Some say they cannot pray or at least not according to that description of Prayer Ans I Answer 1. If you cannot pray at all then you are spiritually dead The blinde man may justly say he cannot see the deaf man that he cannot hear the same man that he cannot go but nemo vivens potest dicere non possum orare No living man can say cannot pray The blinde the lame the deaf if they have any grace any joâ— of spiritual life may pray the dead only praise thee not O Lord Neither can any man pray acceptably without the Spirit 2. It is true you cannot pray of your selves by natural abilities or any innate principle Pray that you may pray for you know not what you should pray for as you ought but the Spirit helpeth your infirmities As a poor hungry man craves an alms or a condemned prisoner a pardon so humbly and earnestly seek of God the assistance of his blessed Spirit the Spirit of Prayer eying what is written for your comfort Luke 11.13 If you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask 3. Sâ—ir up those gifts and abilities connatural and acquired whatever they be though never so few or weak and do what you can with them If you can but look up and sigh out your wants and with silent motions of the heart where words and other skill is wanting send up your complaints to Heaven The Ravens call upon the Lord he hears and feeds them you are better in Gods esteem then Ravens 4. By timely and stirring endeavours remove the impediments of Prayer As are ignorance pride distraction through variety of evil motions or earthly employments difuse and the like These clip the wings of the soul and are to it as lead to the net bear it down they are the rust of the soul and do mightily streighten and render it uselesse Many complain of power when will is wanting They say they cannot do this or that when through spiritual sloth they never tried 5. Hear and join sometimes as conveniently you may with such as can pray fervently Those that have any sparks of heavenly fire in their breasts may be a means to inflame others as a dead coal catcheth fire being cast among living coals and green wood taketh fire when it is laid with the dry at least to give a good president and great encouragement to the duty I heartily wish you knew the benefit of good company The communion of Saints is the perfection of beauty and joy of the whole earth No better help to Prayer then the society of those who can and do pray with frequent fervency Especially be careful to note your enemies which go about yea often hinder you from this duty And they are such as these viz. First Your sleighting of the duty that it is an easie thing to pray And so it is indeed as most go about it not distinguishing between reading and saying over a prayer and prayer indeed Commonly men yea good men and women put not their strength to it but hastily run over it as a task insomuch that frequency doth allay fervency and custome doth turn prayer into a fruitless formality indeed vain babling Secondly Living
of greatest weight and concernment for comfort credit and profit and to matters of greatest importance we account all other things but lets but not them as lets to any thing of a subordinate nature If the King or some special Favourite should come to your Place and publish a will to admit any to his presence that you might confer with him an hour or two about your wrongs and wants would you so plead Alas we have not the leasure it would hinder us in our callings I trow not but rather put off all occasions attend this So judge in the Case now in question Secondly It doth much further you in all your worldly affairs You know the baiting of the horse doth not hinder the journey nor the whetting of the sythe the work but further them The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and fervent prayer is the souls messenger sent up to fetch it down on servants cattle grounds and the whole day and night Therefore is prayer called by one of the Fathers the lock of the night and the key of the day to shut up from harm and to let in the Sun even the Sun of righteousnesse in his glorious beams and ravishing influence into every sad dark and drooping soul 4. Grant all you say Suppose it some hinderance will you be at no charge to wait upon God and to prefer your Petitions to him You can hardly expect so easie and such cheap audience in any earthly Princes Court to have your Petitions presented and answered without fees or moving gratuities And will you part with nothing for God not so much as hazard a pretended losse David was of another minde when called to build an Altar 2 Sam. 24. He would not offer that to God which cost him nothing It is true God is not won thus our good extends not to him yet he would have us willing to part with all for the purchase of the pearl to account all things but dung in respect of communion with him and the fruition of Christ he can give you a rich dew upon your labours much more then this and infinitely recompence your supposed hinderance A whet is no let you say and for all the haste of work and businesse you will have time to eat your meat three or four times a day that you may do your work both better and speedier O fools and unwise to judge prayer a losse a hinderance while it refresheth the soul of poor Pilgrims setteth edge on all our spiritual implements and calleth in the Lord to be and help you in your businesse Many thousands now in Heaven are blessing God for the benefit of Prayer No time can be spent better But I am sensible of a Digression my aim is to assure you my Beloved in the Lord for whose sake this is written that Prayer is the best way to thrive To such as rested on the Lords day according to the command did not the Lord give a double portion of Manna the day before And to such as paid their Tythes for the maintenance of the Sanctuary did not the Lord promise to open the windows of Heaven Malac. 3.10 Abraham had this promise of abundance performed to him So had Constantine the first Christian Emperour the Churches great Benefactor so many temporal blessings as never any man durst to wish Aug. de Civit. Dei Lastly Where you mention fear of Derision it is of all other the least discouragement If others laugh do you mourn if they scoff do you counsel if they curse do you blesse and pray The best things do hear ill from the worst men They know not what they do Let Dogs bark or mad men shoot arrows to the Lights of Heaven they with their radiant light and motion do still serve their Creatour So say you If this be to be vile I will be more vile then thus Chuse you whether you will pray or no as for me I will pray fervently to God who only is able to save us from sin and Hell From Objections we proceed to some Cases of Conscience First What should a man do that Case 1 cannot utter his minde he wants fit words for such a presence 1. Let such a one know Ans that an unfeigned fervent desire of the heart is to God an acceptable prayer and broken language coming from a broken heart avails more then affectation of well-couched words without affection of prayer I say the businesse of prayer is more dispatched by sighs then speeches by inward groans more then outward garnishes As the Lord heareth without ears so he understandeth without words Sighs and breathingâ— to God are articulate There is great dispute among the Schoolmen about the speech of Angels but this they agree in that one Angel speaketh thus to another when any one hath a conceit in his minde of any thing with a will that another should understand it and that God should also that is enough for the expression of it So it is with the spirit of man in speaking to God for the spirit of man agreeth with Angels Though it is our duty to strive to pray in fit words and to be enriched in all utterance and knowledge Hosea 14.1 1 Cor. 1.5 Therefore 2. Let him for a time use the help of godly mens prayers composed to his hand by the same Spirit and purposely intended for such as want knowledge memory or utterance till the Lord further enable the willing minde to make its requests known in a reverent and sober manner as savouring more of grace then art Young beginners may finde great help in the matter fit words good method from such a form and which being applied to particular occasions do not a little quicken revive and enlarge the heart If you should say Is it lawful so to pray I shall answer by asking this question Where is there any law against it And where there is no law there is no transgression I can finde no command against it This we finde in Scripture that Prayer is an Ordinance of God but whether to be conceived only in the heart or uttered by words whether in our own or in others words by pronunciation or reading that is not appointed Why then may not a godly man and in some cases especially as when the soul cannot put forth its operations do as Christ did pray oft in the same words to God and that though composed by another Neither is there any thing hinders but that a man thus doing may pray by the Spirit the work of the Spirit being rather 1. To teach us what graces to pray for 2. To raise fervent and devout desires after the things we pray for groans that cannot be expressed then to give in words which a man may want and yet not want the Spirit of Prayer Nor that I deny that the Spirit of God doth at all help as to words and expressions for he doth it mediately by stirring up the affections which being raised are some advantage to
11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of those that diligently seek him this you must be well settled in that he is such in himself and such towards you as he stands described in his Word and be acknowledged of God or else the answer will be I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept an offering at your hands Malac. 1.10 I care not for your persons I respect not your performances 2. To men whether friends or enemies to be in love and charity Matth. 5.23 24. Matth. 6.14 15. Gods bounty to us requires our obedience to him he will not give except we forgive if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you Though our love to men be not a cause of our acceptance with God yet it is a necessary antecedent yea forasmuch as he hath made us this promise here our forgiving others seemeth to have the nature of an intervenient cause a cause sine qua non of his forgiving us How can we look our Father in the face or ask him a blessing when we are conscious that he knows hatred or heart-burning between us and our brethren 3. Towards himself he must be an hater of sin if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer so as to pursue it with a serious intent and hearty desire to have it taken and killed he must be a lover of Gods image where ever it truly appears it was the expression of a good man I dare not but love him in whom I see any thing of Christ If thou love not thy brother whom thou hast seen how canst thou l ve God whom thou hast not seen As Dalilah said to Sampson so it may be said to most men how can yee say yee love God or good men seeing your heart is not with them Now that you may not be mistaken take along with you some properties of men and women thus qualified viz. First They will be ready to part with any thing for Christ Matth. 13.46 to sell all and purchase this pearl Phil. 3.8 I count all things but dung c. Now I know that thou lovest me saith the Lord to Abraham seeing thou art content to part with thy onely son at my word Christ hath taken up their souls unto the top of Pisgah and discovered to them the Land of Canaan and hath given them such more then ordinary tastes of the world to come that the whole lower world though vailed with the most glorious and glistring temptations is all scorned as too low a bribe to draw off the soul from Christ Theodosius will value his Christianity above his Empire Luther would rather be Christianus rusticus quà m Ethnicus Alexander i. e. a Christian clown then an Heathen Emperour Secondly They are not long angry but easily entreated in the matters of God or in their transactions with men ready to any good office Like the waters at the foot of Sion that run softly 1 Cor. 13.4 Charity suffereth long and is kinde Charity envieth not it doth not behave it self unseemly James 3.17 The wisdome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good works A good garment for a Christian without which he is naked before God Thirdly They are open-ear'd and handed towards any in misery They resent the misery of others their hearts do yearn over the Brethrens calamities As Pharaohs daughter when she saw the childe in the Ark of Bull-rushes a very sad Cradle and that the babe wept the Text saies She had compassion on him Exod. 2.6 And so in the good Samaritan when he passed by the poor man who had fallen among thieves and saw him stripped of all woundeâ— this good man had an eye and an hand toward him So it is in this case Fâ—urthly They are wondrous cheerful in seeâ—ing heavy conditions especially in afflictions for the truth's sake rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Which hope holds them above fears so that they are not moved with love or fear as the Romans wrote on their Targets though at first they may be daunted yet at length they look up and gather strength Hannah was much troubled for want of a childe she went to God by fervent prayer anâ— was no more sad With thiâ— David was wont to cheer himself in the depth of troubles the Lord hath heard my prayer Fifthly They can deny themselves whom God cannot deny in their fervent suits being divorced from their own will by an over-powering work of the Spirit in Legal convictions they leâ—â— not to their own understandings Thus must the person be qualified foâ— Prayer Object Then it seems a wicked unrighteous person may not pray Or if he may his prayer will be to little or no purpose ineffectual A. Prayer is considerable two waies 1. In a large sense as a commanded duty and part of Gods worship in its ordinary use whereby we give God the glory of his Omnisciency Mercy Power and Wisdome 2. In a more strict sense for the putting up of a formal request or petition to God which may consist in an exercise of the soul and of the graces in it whether common or saving And the Answer to the Objection I shall lay thus before you First Prayer considered as a duty must be performed by unrighteous men and a great sin it is to neglect it it is the worst thing can be said of any man that he restraineth prayer before God in Job 15.4 it is joined with casting away the fear of God i. e. with professed Atheisme and prophanenesse Mans defects as he now stands can give no excuse to a wilful neglect his impotency cannot prejudice Gods authority or diminish his own duty Prayer is a thing good in it self and not evil propter fieri because it is done but by accident vitio personae by reason of some defects cleaving unto it In which sense only it is that the Scriptures cry down the prayers of wicked men as an abomintion as Pro. 15.8 28.9 Cartwright on the Text gives that same glosse not that it is so as to the substance of the duty but because whatever it be they pray for they resolve to go on in their wicked practises as the latter Scripture expresses in the beginning of it He that turneth his ear from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination And besides though prayer not made in faith cannot please God as the prayers of holy â—en do yet being good for the substance of it giving glory to God of sundry Attributes of his it may probably avail for procurement of a temporal blessing as the Pharisees prayers had the reward of mens praises Ahabs humiliation and the Ninevites repentance procured a delay of punishment Secondly Prayer considered as a formal request in the exercise of the soul and of some
AN USEFUL TRACTATE TO Further Christians of these dangerous and back-sliding times in the Practice of the most needful Duty of PRAYER Wherein are discover'd the nature necessity and successe of FERVENT PRAYER Many Objections answered several Practical Cases of Conscience resolved and all briefly applied from this Text viz. James 5.16 The effectual fervent-prayer of a righteous man availeth much Being the substance of several Sermons Preached in the Town of Columpton in Devon By William Crompton M. A. Minister of that part of Christs Church there John 16.23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name he will give it you Coloss 4.2 Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving London Printed by J. H. for Philemon Stephens at the Gilded Lion in S. Pauls Church-Yard 1659. ALthough there be many excellent Treatises already printed concerning Prayer yet this ensuing Discourse hath a peculiar excellency in it for which it deserves to be bought and diligently perused And let me assure the Reader that he will neither repent of his mony nor his pains and that it will be his happinesse to be transformed into the doctrine herein delivered Febr. 15. 1658. Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY I Have perused this Treatise of Prayer from the beginning to the end and I conceive it will be good service to God and his Church in the making of it publick not so much because of the delight it will yield to those that read it as because I hope the holy directions which are herein given will be of much avail to teach men to pray so that their prayers may be the Lords delight Pro. 15.18 ARTH. JACKSON Pastor of the Church of Faiths under Pauls Januar. 19. 1658. TO THE VVORSHIPFUL ROBERT COCKRAM Esquire his honoured Patron with the rest of my constant Auditours in the Town and Parish of Columpton The dew of Heaven be your portion as the beauty and fatnesse of the earth is your habitation grace mercy and peace be upon the heads and hearts of you all that love Christ Jesus in sincerity BEsides my readinesse to gratifie the desire of some among you and willingnesse to give some signal of my unfeigned love to you all I have been easily induced to publish the following Treatise by these following considerations viz. 1. That I might the better confirm these things wherein you have been instructed * Luke 1.4 and not seem to labour altogether in vain by bestowing so much time on that which was to vanish in the hearing a sad lot which waits on the best things committed to leaking ears as water poured into a vessel full of chinks 2. That I might benefit those absent yea if it may be the people that are yet unborn Psal 102.18 3. That I might leave a memorial with you whenever it shall please the Lord of the Vineyard whose I am to call me off from you and so supply my absence though by death speaking to you when I cannot see you yea living with you when dead and laid in the dust †Sic Mathaeus cum praedicasset Hebraeis ad gentes ire pararet utile judicavit si iis quos corpore deserebat aliquid memoriale doctriâ—ae suae relinqueret Ut Bel lib. 4. de verb. Dei non scrip c. 4. notavit ex Eusebio 4. Because the matter thereof is weighty and the designe of no small consequence it is to guide you in your going to God how to converse with him to manage well your performances in which if you are defective the whole will be unprofitable Religion is curious clock work if but one wheel fail so wâ—ll all the rest and as one string in a Lute dissonant and unharmonious to the rest corrupteth the whole Musick There is in every duty absolutely required righteousnesse quoad substantiam operis and no lesse quoad modum the matter and the manner are of equal concernment the flie in the Apothecaries ointment and miscarriage in the Christians performance render both unsavoury If you are resolved to the duty as I hope you are and more Practitioners in it see here what it is will adorn your sacrifice why it must be so accommodated and how it may be discerned besides other things which occur for your information therein There are its true other more excellent Discourses of this nature extant some of the same metal bearing a better stamp but this I commend to you soonest because your own it is hony that was gathered for your use milk drawn from your own brest and therefore most proper for you it is a sheaf gathered out of your own field a dish taken from your own table if it be not so well filled as might be expected so circumstantiated as the subject doth deserve you cannot despise it except you blame your selves who chose the Cook Accept it then with the same love it is offered read it with the same diligence you heard it If any among you may be informed convinced confirmed resolved comforted quickned by any thing here presented I shall account a sufficient recompence and rejoice that I have not run in vain And now my Beloved since I have opportunity suffer me in the eye of the world to exhort you The publishing of these things was chiefly intended for you let it be your care to be the principal Proficients by it here is a talent committed to your careful improvement lay it not in a napkin hide it not in the earth Now be doing move Planet-like uniformly Covet grace rather then gifts as to pray more fervently though lesse notionally yet strive to come behinde in no spiritual gift Be men of excellent spirits and expresse sincerity by your fervent endeavours after communion with God and fellowship with Christ Like the Eagle soar aloft but out of love to Heaven Trade for grace your trading on earth is slack unprofitable Let your conversation be now where you would have it to be shortly when you shall be here no more be not slack in closet-services do not you as others that restrain prayer before God but continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving O pray continually and that not out of form but feeling Serve God faithfully keep close to Christ your Captain Stand in your order O 't is a stragling age fly not from your colours quit your selves like men and men of valour souldiers in the spiritual war for Christ and his truth manifest your actual membership of the Militant Church be mindeful of the yet suffering body of Christ join your mutual forces for her help fervent prayer will do it be not weary nor wanting But my-thinks I hear you reply and say with Samuel God forbid that we should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray I will therefore dismisse you with prayer to God for you in the words of old Eli Go in peace and the Lord of Israel grant you your Petitions which you have
or shall so ask of him for your selves or others To his Grace I leave you and remain Your most affectionate Pastor Devoted to the service of your faith W. Crompton Mr FORD'S PREFACE TOUCHING The ensuing Treatise and the Subject thereof I Need not commend the Subject of this Discourse to any that confesses there is a God He that hath but so much Divinity as to acknowledge a Deity must needs grant Prayer to be a necessary duty For the usefulnesse I appeal to all that have found the benefit of it by experience And they are such as count of no enjoyment but what is the fruit and return of prayers It may be truly said of Prayer It is not more our duty then our priviledge T is as one saith piae mentis cum Deo colloquium The converse and commerce that a gracious soul on earth hath with God in Heaven A priviledge indeed as great as we are here capable of that we may come to God as children to a father and speak to him as a man speaketh to his friend Now he that hath but so much leasure and patience as will give him leave to peruse this short Discourse will finde many encouragements to presse the performance of this duty and many helps to direct him in it It s aim and scope is nothing else but to teach us to pray It meddles with no controversie only resoves a Case or two in order to practice the design of it being only to learn us how to reason the case and plead our cause with God In one word It shews nothing but the practice of Religion in one great and necessary part of it And if those who pretend most to godliness would fall closer to their work in the practice and think more of expressing the life and power of it in effectual-fervent-prayer the duties of personal relations and particular callings I am sure they should finde more sound peace and comfort then now they do in many frivolous controversies and perverse disputings For foolish questions do but puff men up in pride and self-conceitednesse whereas effectual-fervent-effectual-fervent-prayer and practical godlinesse edifie and establish in grace render men approved to God and amiable in the sight of all that have to do with them T is very remarkable what the reverend Authour observes in this ensuing Treatise That whilst we are quarrelling and striving one with another we can never wrestle and strive with God as we ought to do in Prayer And then what marvel is it if iniquity do abound and the love of many wax cold as it doth But I shall Preface no more Let it suffice to say of this Treatise that it is short and sweet Hath in it plenty with much variety and all couched into a narrow compass so as the Reader is in no danger of being cloyed as some guests are wont to be at a great Feast where the sight of so much as is served in takes off their stomacks that they can eat little Here is enough and no more of what is singularly useful for all that have but a minde and good will to pray And in testimony hereof I subscribe my self an hearty well-willer to the publication of this Treatise and the Readers due improvement of it Tho. Ford. Exceter Decem. 16. 1658. Mr. SAUNDER'S PREFACE Christian Reader IT was the respect I had to the Reverend Authour and the content I took in the perusal of this Tract being therewith entrusted by him before it was committed to the Presse rather then expectation to adde reputation to it by prefixing my name that drew this Epistle from me But if the matter treated of meet with the better entertainment from any by this means I shall count a little time and pains well spent As for the subject 't is such as needs not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters of commendation 2 Cor. 3. â— or any Panegyrick to usher it in to an honest heart Yet in our giddy-headed times 't is its lot with all other the sacred institutions of Christ to have its legitimatenesse made matter of dispute yea zealously impugned We read of Hereticks very ancient called Euchitae that held men must be ever praying Aug. de Haer l 1. De quibus etiam Epiphan but who ever heard before men should never pray Yes for there is no new thing under the Sun * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. strom lib. 7. Clemens Alexandrinus mentions an old Heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That men should not pray at all God gives blessings unaskt Prayer therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superfluous Our unhappy times have given a resurrection to this monstrous conceit I take thee Reader to be a Christian and if thou be so indeed thou knowest thou canst no more be without Prayer then thou canst be without thy food 'T is not so much thy duty as thy priviledge Wouldest thou please God I know thou wouldst The Prayer of the righteous is his delight Prov. 15.8 'T is like honey drops Cant. 4.11 Sweet to his taste Incense to his nostrils Psal 141.2 Dionis Carth. in Matth. Carthusian observes that of all other Christian services Prayer only is compared to incense In it we strive with God but he likes such striving Haec vis Deo grata est says Tert. This force is grateful to God Wouldest thou glorifie God and pay him the homage thou owest him This is Census subjectionis nostrae our suit fine or homage in which God has the glory of all his Attributes returned him Solater on Psa 116. pag. 194. his All-sufficiency Omnipotency Omniscience Love Mercy Dominion Truth Is Heaven shut against thee This is Clavis Coeli as Austin The key of Heaven Not of the aerial only it opens that as Elias prayed for rain and it came yea and an Heathen Emperour M. Aurelius relates how that in the German Expedition Tert. ed sâ—â—p c. 4. in apolog cap. 5. Justia Mâ—â— Apol 2. Euseb l. 5. cap. 5. the Christian souldiers by their prayers made the clouds to yield down water to his Host ready to die for thirst But 't is Clavis Paradisi the key of Paradise too by this key maist thou get into Gods presence and have what thou wilt of him 'T is Res omnipotentissima Luthers devout Hyperbole a kinde of omnipotent thing which makes God himself to say Sine me Let me alone Exodus 32.10 It does with reverence be it spoken strangely charm the Majesty of Heaven The word which is rendred Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—cantatio Iâ—cantam mum Dâ—us ipsâ— qâ—i nullis câ—â—â—â— se vâ—â—bus superarâ— potest Pâ—â—icani pâ—â—â—bus 〈◊〉 Hiâ—â—â—on Epist. Isa 26.16 signifies a charm Fearest thou the Devils assaults 'T is Flagellum Satanae as Austin a whip for Satan and a bulwark for thee that is says Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to be broken not to be shaken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Father a strong weapon 'T is
when alone and in the dark what shall I do 98 Fourthly I finde not any successe in my prayer but am rather crossed in them therefore I fear it is in vain to pray 96 Fifthly What should a man settle his minde upon while he is framing and directing his prayer 100 Sixthly But when I do mâ—thinks my own unworthinesse doth so much the more present it self and make me ready through fear to sink 101 Conditions required that praâ—er may be accepted 103 First The Person must be riâ—htly qualified and that standing in a threefold relation viz. 1. To God ibid. 2. To Men. 104 3. To it self 104 105 Five properties of persons thus qualified 105 Quest It seems by this that wicked unrighteous persons may noâ— pray or if so their prayers will â—e to little or no purpose ineffectual 108 Secondly All the graces muâ—t be set on work viz. Faith where is enquired how may a man know when he prayeth in faith 110 Repentance which gives occasion to consider How true penitency in gracious souls may be discerned from feigned sorrow in gracelesse persons 114 115 Humility Q. How this grace may be discerned 117 Motives to fervent prayer drawn 1. From the Lord. 120 121 2. From Men. 125 3. From prayer it self 130 Object Answered with respect to such persons as were effectual in prayer 132 Second Doctrine 134 Proved by Scripture ibid. Explained by enquiring First Wherein they are so prevailing 135 Secondly Why they are so prevalent 139 Use 1. To let us see what to expect from the prayers of too many among us unrighteous unholy 142 Use 2. To shew us what to do that we may be powerful and effectual in prayer viz. First get the qualification in the Text. 143 Secondly Pray in a time while he may be found p. 144 When these two are joined prayer never failed 1. When they are joined in Persons 2. When they are joined in a Nation 145 Obj. When will that be 146 A. 1. It hath been often promised 2. This is the way whereby â—ll those that belong to God may be brought in ibid. Causes discovered why prayers have been so ineffectual 147 Directions how to prevail more 151 A TREATISE OF PRAYER JAMES 5.16 The effectual fervenâ— Prayer of a righteous man availeth much THE Spring-head of this Scripture doth arise at the 13th verse of the Chapter and the streams run down to the 18th The general scope of the whole is to give direction in a matter of no small concernment viz. how the Flock of Christ should demean themselves in every condition Divine providence might cut out for them in the present evil world According to our Apostle whose pen was held and ruled by the Spirit of truth the state of the Church and as here described is two-fold Prosperity and Adversity happinesse and misery frowns and smiles like the Sun which sometimes appears bright and glorious but sometimes is hid under dusky clouds now in health then in an Hectick weeping and joy a summers day and a winters night as she gives her own motto Psal 102.10 Thou hast life me up and cast me down an uncertain câ—ndition and such as wants peculiar direction especially if it be considered how easie it is to miscarry in both He that runs may read the purpose of the Apostle to ballast the people of God in this unequal condition to help them walk steadily both in their up-hill and down-hill way Is any afflicted then let him pray Is any merry then let him sing Psalms Needfull it is for Christians to be doing in each condition My Text is a branch of the first direction and is laid down as a Motive and Encouragement to the duty drawn from the excellent successe of it which he proves by induction of particular examples in the following verseâ— The words in themselves are a good mans encouragement and testimoniall subscribed by God himself which doth certifie what he is and what he must be viz. Fervent in prayer They are easie in the sense of them clear and plain it will be time and labour spent impertinently to give account what Interpreters say of them how they differ or agree this were almost to strike fire and light up a candle at noon-day to seek for that which is neither hid nor lost As for partâ— to prevent confusion and to clear our entrance I shall divide the handling of them into three generals In them we have to consider First The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or duty commended and directed unto viz. Pâ—ayer A necessary and usefull duty which neither the decree of God in regard of its immutability nor the promise of God in regard of its infallibility Ezek. 36. v. 37. nor the effectual intercession of Christ our Lord who taught his Disciples to pray can dispense with us for not doing it The Gospel commands it Secondly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or quallification mentioned which is two-fold viz. First Of the duty it must be fervent such as sets the whole man on work and such as notes the most lively activity that can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ardens 1. fervent as Piscator renders it Efficax i. effectual as Beza It is both effectual-fervent as in the text Secondly Of the person he must be righteous i. so made by the righteousnesse of Christ by faith justified by righteousnesse impured called the righteousnesse of God sanctified by righteousnesse imparted called ours because inherent in us They must be men of penitent renewed hearts men of faith evangelically righteous Thirdly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or effect successe and good issue of prayer so quallified and performed It availeth much they are prayers that carry force with them thus quallified they are a mighty engine to move heaven and earth a key to open the door of the treasury of God to fetch mercies for our selves and others a Panecaea a receipt for every disease and a soveraign one too it brings present ease and future health God never said to the seed of Jacob Seek ye my face in vain The parts thus set we may â—asily read the meaning of the Spirit in them Supposing the first I shall handle the two later and labour to condescend to the meanest capacity and point out the full scope of the words in two usefull Observations First That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to make use of strength and fervency Secondly That righteous mâ—ns prayers are powerfull and effectual Both these observations God willing I shall labour to explain laying them as the foundation of my intended Discourse For the first viz. That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to use strength and fervency I shall prove this Doctrine first by Scripture presidents and precepts We must put to our strength as Abraham did in his intercession for Sodom Gen. 18. and as Jacob in wrestling with the Angel Gen. 32. v. 26. who held with his hand when
as many beams of the sun meeting in a glasse do beget a burning so are the spirits and faculties conjoyned and heated in prayer Thirdly When tongue and tears are the index of a melting heart then men may be said to be fervent in prayer Thus David discovers his work in prayer Psal 55.2 Attend to me and hear me I mourn in my complaints and make a noise he bent as it were all his nerves and set up his note So doth Hannah 1 Sam. 1.10 when she is said to be in bitternesse of spirit and prayed to the Lord and wept sore Mary Magdalen manifested her fervency by those streams of tears that ran through her supplications I do not say that the strength and work of prayer doth consist in extension of the voice or vehemency of pronunciation Moses and Hannah prayed fervently and yet spake not a word neither do I judge tears unseparable from effectual Prayer But this I say that the voice may be much helpful to increase devotion and to move compassion and when tears do accompany they are good symptomes as Calvin speaks Lachrymae non sunt vera poenitentia at affectus symbola poenitentiae They have strength and a voice â—s well as words Psal 6.8 The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping lachrymae pondera vocis habent As musick on the waters sounds farther and more harmoniously then on dry land so do prayers joyned with tears cry louder in the ears of God and make sweeter melody then when they be absent Fourthly When a man borroweth strength and getteth hands to joyn with him Wo to him that is alone Society is usefull both in preaching and in praying Therefore our Saviour sent out his disciples by two and two vis unita fortior as the gathering together of waters make the stream stronger and the voices of many together the louder sound So it is here single prayer is like the single hair of Sampson but those of a Congregation like the whole bush Deus pluris facit preces in Ecclesiâ quà m domi factas non ob locum sed ob considerationem multitudinis fidelium Deus communi consensu invocantium as Rivet notes As those use to do who would fain speed in their Petitions to great men they get hands others to joyn in pleading and speaking for them so it is here yet understand this inclusively you must pray your selves and for your selves Not as Pharaoh and Simon Magus who put it wholly on others Orate pro nobis Fifthly When men are frequent and constant in Prayer so as to receive no deniall discouragements and worldly impediments notwithstanding Importunity carrieth fervency in its bowels Jacob would not let the Angel go till he blessed him and will stand to it though upon one leg Hannah multiplied to pray 1 Sam. 1.12 Paul sought the Lord thrice 2 Cor. 12.8 i. e. frequently fervently He is advising men to pray continually i. e. habitually vitally Colos 4.2 Semper orat qui bene semper agit Wait upon prayer persevere with strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is attributed to the hunting of Dogs which will not cease following the game till they have got it And Rom. 12.12 continuing watching in prayer it imports constancy with vehemency And this was the practice of that poor woman Mat. 15.22 Have mercy on me thou son of Daevid c. And after denials she rises higher and locks her self within the deniall and pleads Gods truth and justice if mercy will nor serve let thy words be true I am a Dog and there is something for Dogs let me have a Dogs portion crumbs I crave no mo e. David and Daniel prayed thrice a day and otherwhiles seven times Of saâ—ous Bolton it is reported that he constanâ—ly prayed six times a day viz. twice by himself alone twice with his wife â—nd twice with his family And of Theodosius that pious Emperour Cujus regia non dissimilis crat monasterio that his Court was like a Church for piety and devotion Of Constantine the great that he conversed more with God then with men All men of might in Prayer Constancy bespeakes fervency Sixthly When in Prayers men do heat others by the beauty and livelinesse of a well-order'd working prayer A living coal will inliven others and one candle lighteth others Grace where it is endeavours to kindle where it is not as where is life there is also a seminary of propagation and the more excellent the life is the more pregnant is it to propagate in its kinde like the glow-iron on the Smiths Anvill câ—sting light and heat round about it But because this may be brought about by one who is not formally fervent effectively as the Philosopher speaks of the sun there are some cautions to be added to this mark In such a zealous petitioner who heateth others with the fervency of his Devotion there is required First a sense of that misery which the voice deciphereth both in confession of sin and deprecation of judgements Secondly A grounded hope of relief upon experience of some promises Thirdly Sincerity in the Petitioner the truth spoken must be in the inward parts that what is asked of God be for God for his service and glory as Hannah in her Samuel There may be an inward coldnesse and yet an outward heat the nature of the Amber-stone as in hypocrites who know much of God bur do little for him this may heat and benefit others though not themselves Again there may be an inward heaâ— and for some time in some duties yet no audible expressions as in Moses and Hannah they cryed to the Lord and yet said nothing their heat was as a flame kept in encreasing This zeal in prayer is most acceptable to God as the prime object of his eye and ear although noâ— so beneficiall to men for unlesse the Petitioner burn with zealous heat and expresse it he shall never enflame the heart of the hearers nor quicken their devotion as Austin speaks Enar. in Psal Seventhly When men joyn endeavours and other things seasonable and usefull together with Prayer As the wise mariner who hath not onely an eye to the Star but an hand to the Helm and as the Plowmen of Sparta who had one hand held up to Ceres whom they feigned the Goddess of corn and the other on the stilts of the plow they joyned plowing and praying The good man not onely lifts up his heart to heaven but puts his hand to the work to compasse what he prayes for The Heathen could say admota manu invocanda est Minerva and they noted him for a foolish Carter that when his Cart stuck fast cried to God and moved his lips but not his hands to help himself Semper orare est semper operari Aug. If thou callest for knowledge saith Solomon and criest for understanding there is Prayer to God If thou seek her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure there is mans endeavour in
the use of means Many things are requisite to prayer according to the nature of the blessing if Spiritual then fasting and almes as Cornelius practised Acts. 10. Repentance and Prayer as the Ninevites did Jon. 3.8 Hearing the Word and use of the Sacraments which are instituted meanes for accomplishing great and saving ends And so if the blessing be temporall Vain are desires not produced to action Aristotle writeth of the Bathes in the Parthecusian Islands that they are fiery hot but send forth no flames that fervency cannot be commended which is smother'd and pent up in the heart gets no vent hath no extrinsecall operation Augustine relates it as a vanity of his youth that he prayed God against some sins whereunto he was strongly addicted but should have been full sorrowfull if God should have heard him because he was loth to part with them how much better was that prayer Domine Deus fac me in consequendis iis operam collocare pro quibus obtinendis soleo ad Te orare i. O Lord help me to bestow pains in getting those things for obtaining of which I usually pray unto thee Confesse sin you must and not sleight pray for pardon and power with desire and longing after them not as Austin did with a secret reservation or as Spira and the hypocrite who pray for grace but saw no beauty in it why it should be desired saved without it they cannot be that they only apprehend But rather say with David My heart is prepared O God my heart is prepared and with Paul I will pray with the Spirit and with understanding This is to work in prayer to use strength and fervency Now is the soul on the mount of transfiguration this is to pray in prayer and the second Question answered Thirdly Why must men be thus Qu. 3 zealous and fervent in prayer I Answer First Ans Not because God like men standeth in need of a Committee of Examination for discovery nothing is hid from him he is omniscient as he heareth without ears so he understandeth without words And yet it must be so for these reasons viz. First That you may acknowledge his Propriety even as children do their fathers when they come for food in the good things you want and receive them with more joy and thankfulnesse God will be owned and have his Lordly-right acknowledged If we take any thing that is our neighbours without asking them leave we shall be accounted theeves so to take and possesse the things of God without asking his leave will be accounted felony of the highest nature Secondly That you may learn to distinguish between gifts of promise and of common providence the first are effects of special grace requiring faith and prayer I will be sought unto by the house of Israel the latter are fruits of common goodnesse flowing from that fountain according to his unchangeable purpose for the supportance of creatures till they attain their pre-ordained ends the first are peculiar to the good only the second common as the sun to good and bad Thirdly That by this familiar entercourse between God and the soul your graces may be both exercised and increased that hereby I say we may have communion with God and grow into acquaintance with him whereby the stock of grace is much augmented as good company doth increase it so doth converse with God much more set this duty aside and man becomes a stranger to God his graces decay and he becomes cold and loose This is the first reason Secondly Because the Lord loves an importunate sutor Fervency like rosin to the strings of a musicall instrument makes the sound pleasant Haec vis grata Deo est saith Tertullian It doth as it were charm God it is a weapon well managed that overcomes the invincible a cord that binds the Almighty as Jerom phraseth it It is a strength he hath promised to yield unto Isa 45.11 Command ye me as some glosse the place As they write of Proteus that when any came to consult with and to receive Oracles from him he would first turn himself into a thousand shapes and varieties of colours but if they pressed him with importunity and held him close to it he then would give them satisfactory Oracles God may indeed seem to slight the prayer of his people as we slight a confused noise and wind himself from them but when they grow fervent then he lets them to be their own carvers It will bow down his ear and pull the hand out of his bosom to speak with the Psalmist Psal 145.18 He is nigh to them that call upon him in truth The Canaanitish woman is put off three times and her fervency is crowned with successe It is recorded to the everlasting renown of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 31.37 that in every service of God he acted with all his might and he prospered Thirdly Because he that asketh any thing coldly doth but teach a deniall Carelesse heartlesse prayer is one of the most unsavoury parts of formallity dishonourable unpleasing to God as a body without a soul as incense without fire say the Jews Yea and to men unprofitable as a Diamond that is not right and as a Picture not drawn to the life are of no value Formall cold devotion like Caesars heartlesse sacrifice will never finde acceptance Painted fire as it hath no heat so it is of no use We may as soon cleave a rock with a wedge of wood grasp the winde in our hand as make carnal cold affections to draw any thing from God There is no great odds between the omission of duty and the carelesse performance of it man is loser both ways The Bow that is slack bent carries not the Arrow to the mark formality and coldnesse destroy the very vertue of prayer as doth Garlick the drawing vertue of the loadstone applyed to it Therefore we must be fervent We must be fervent seekers before we can be happy enjoyers God will have us Jacobs before we shall be Israels Fourthly The matter about which you are employed is weighty and of great concernment viz. to procure pardon and power over sin supportance under temptations Giant-like corruptions sons of Anack to prevail over removal of Judgments renewed peace after much treachery and hostility Now these are not matters of an inferiour alloy they are things not to be obtained with a single sigh opposition from earth and hell is not to be conquered with a sleight breath It is not a dull wish a languishing velleity an heartlesse endeavour that will win the day There must be passionate longings and breakings of heart with continual desires after God Great stones you know are not to be turned over without great strength and great mercies are not to be obtained without great strivings The matters we pray for require fired affections enlarged petitions as the Heathen said Imperia quolibet pretio constant lenè a Kingdom cannot be bought too dear Agrippina thought the Roman Empire a good penyworth
holy Scriptures to move attention and to procure compassion Setting forth your own misery and using arguments for mercy out of Gods own Word God loves to be sued on his own bond Thus did Hester with the King and so must we if we will speed in Heaven Produce Gods own words and say as she did to Judah Whose are these It is acceptable to God to be prest with his promise this David knew and therefore cries Unite my heart to fear thy Name Ps 86.11 which is as if he had said thou hast promised to give me one heart behold I find my heart divided my thoughts dissipated and my self disabled for duty anima dispersa sit minor Unite it I beseech thee This is a ready way to have our prayers nigh to the Lord day and night Thirdly Though your own Conscience should trouble and check you though Satan labour mightily to hinder you yea say the Lord seem to turn away his face from you as he did once to David and to shut the door of mercy against you yet faint not cry still plead free grace and look on Christ against all replies remember who saith You shall reap if you faint not And great cause you have to improve your strength this way For 1. The Lord is greatly incensed against us and others round about us we may say as Moses sometime did in a case not much different Numb 16. v. 46. Wrath is gone out from the Lord the plague is begun it is a time now especially to be strong in Prayer the onely way to heal the Land 2 Chron. 7.14 Besides a multitude of sins are between God and you and therefore great need of fervent praying the Lord will be intreated if you be earnest what father seeing his indigent childe though a Prodigal on his knees with hands lift up with tears in his eyes can forbear to embrace him and to grant him his request If you who are evil know how to give good things to such children how much more will your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask 2. You may hear and see the poor Church of Christ lying and languishing before you withering in her cadency like a May-flower Jerusalem is become an heap of rubbish our fair hopes of her establishment almost blasted her enemies potent and we cannot rationally conceive her ever able to wrestle through her difficulties and if the Church wither the Commonwealth cannot grow like Hippocrates his twins they smile and weep live and die together the children of both have cause to pray if either languish yea to pray fervently for both Surely if we have any bowels of compassion we cannot hold our peace for the misery of Zion the Gangrene of Heresie hath overspread her more then the present sicknesse on the Nation the raging billows of prophanenesse is ready to overwhelm her hell and the bottomlesse pit are open home-bred vipers and forrain enemies like the children of Edom cry out and gape for her destruction she is in great bitternesse and is it nothing to you that passe by When one of Darius King of Persia's Eunuchs saw Alexander the great set his feet on a low cable that had been highly prized by his master he wept and being asked the reason by Alexander he answered I mourn to see that thing my master so highly esteemed to be contemned and made a foot-stool What pious heart cannot bleed and weep to hear and see in these degenerate times the despisings of those things which God so highly prizeth Jerusalem the perfection of beauty and joy of the whole earth should not this make a dumb man to speak to pray to use strong cries Let every son of Zion consider this 3. You have many and those mighty enemies within you original sin which never resteth to draw you to evil in act without you Satan and his Agents either to tempt terrifie or persecute you this should make your hearts boil up in devotion But be sure to pray aright Some of old cryed our like a wind-instrument loud enough on their beds but could not be heard and were turned off with the censure of howling on their beds like Balaam who had words enough in his mouth without any heat in his heart A man may pray for pardon as Josephs brethren did and yet not be sorry for what is past nor resolve to amend for time to come A man may pray for power over lust as Austine confesseth of himself and yet fear as unwilling to be heard A man may pray for removal of judgments and when on the râ—ck roar out a confession as Pharaoh Ahab and Simon Magus did like the mill-wheel driven by the force of waters and yet not think of much lesse be sorry for the cause and perhaps repent of their repentance thawing in the Sun and freezing in the shade As the Historian relates of William Rufus that in a great sicknesse he vowed amendment to reform his hard laws and taxes to give spiritual livings freely but recovering repented of his promise And as the captivated Jews fasted and prayed for seventy years but to get off their chains more then their sins and so like melted meâ—tal held no longer then the fire lasted Isa 26.16 They poured out prayer when thy chastening was upon them A man may pray for grace as Spira said he did and yet have no love to it for its excellency and beauty All this men do and yet not pray fervently to God Pauci quaerunt Deum propter se sed propter aliud He onely that is mighty in Scripture that is mighty in the Spirit that is mighty by Christ to do all things can thus pray O God create in me a clean heart and renue a right spirit within me Object These fervent expressions are not alwaies successful a time may come when a Moses and a Samuel may not be heard A. 1. Fervent expressions though they be one and chief yet not the onely means somewhat else must be done viz. submission in Petitioners and reformation in those for whom it is petitioned 2. These fervent expressions are alwaies First According to the divine purpose though not alwaies to your intents and ends Secondly For your selves and own good though not alwaies for others your prayers shall return into your own bosome Thirdly it may be your Petition is heard and granted but the time of manifestation is not yet come be constant and wait a while you shall reap Zacharies prayers for a childe were granted long before it was discovered to him Fourthly Else you may be out in the thing desired either for the matter it may not be good in it self or not for you or not for the measure not so much as is desired or for the time it may not be good now and then no wonder if you be not heard which is the second branch in my description of Prayer viz. Fervent expressions Secondly Of holy desires These are the feet on which the soul runs the
wings on which it mounts toward the object desired Holy they must be for Person Principle Matter and End First The Person must be holy Under the Law the Swan which was white in feathers was yet reputed unclean and unmeet for sacrifice because the skin under them was black Religious workings stand in Gods account according to the qualification of the workman either for acceptance or rejection These fervent expressions must come from an holy heart they are not the childe of wit and phantasie but the rapture of an elevated spirit the heavenly dew of a good heart Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer To explain this branch we may enquire fitly First What this holy Heart is Qu. 1 I Answer 1. Ans It is in Scripture discovered to be a broken contrite heart a self-condemning self-crucifying sinne mortifying-heart Prayer comes for mercy and must bring a vessel to hold it and that is a broken heart a paradox in nature but not in grace Deus non infundit oleum miserecordiae nisi in vas contritum the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit An heart that by passing under the hammer of the Law and through the melting fire of the Gospel is divided from the band of sin which is a fruit of that sweet Spirit of grace promised Zach. 12.10 11 12. The Spirit of grace and supplication and whereby they shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him c. It hides nothing like a broken vessel le ts all run out opens and spreads all its vilenesse before the Lord As water mire stones heterogeneals which were inseparably congealed in a hard bound frost yet they all lie loose when there comes a kindly thaw so in the heart that was once congealed in the mire and dregs of sin c. and with penitentiall brokennesse is kindly thawed and dissolved the sins that before stuck fast in the soul now lie loose the spirit longs to be rid of them all and so becomes more capacious Broken language if from a broken heart is acceptable 2. It is an humble flexible heart waiting for and ready to receive divine impressions like softned wax and as melted mettle will run into any mould an holy heart will be ready to bend and bow as God will have it Acts 9.6 What wilt thou have me to do As if he should say Lord do but thou command me and I am ready to obey Lord give me ability to do what thou commandest and then command me what thou pleasest as Austin once of himself A carnal heart waits for and embraceth the commands of sin and an holy heart waits for and is ready to receive the commands of Christ to stoop to that service which bears Gods superscription on it 3. It is a chaste clean heart wholly dedicated to God that loveth no evil in motion or action Create in me a clean heart Psal 51.10 Holinesse is a cleansing thing 2 Cor. 7.1 As a good wife is towards her husband such is the holy heart to Christ espoused it is to him The carnal heart hath many lovers but the holy heart hath one whom it loveth even Christ 2 Cor. 11.2.4 It is an heavenly heart Words deeds behaviour not onely in sacred but in civil affairs are heavenly Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven i. e. Habitually Corpore ambulamus in terra corde habitamus in coâ—lo saith Augustine The body is on earth but our heart in Heaven as the pearl that grows in the Sea but shines as the sky O the preciousnesse of an holy heart A person thus rightly qualified for prayer is more honourable more excellent then his neighbour Qu. 2 Secondly Why must Prayer come from an holy heart Ans First Because a carnal heart destitute of renewing grace and spiritual life cannot rise to close with such a spiritual duty A natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 Light and darknesse may as soon come together and agree An holy heart may make a carnal prayer but a carnal heart can never make an holy prayer so as to ascend high enough Nothing can work beyond the activity of its own principle A bullet flyeth no farther then the force of the powder carrieth it and where prayers come from nature onely they go no farther then nature can carry them Secondly Reigning sin in the heart out-cryeth your prayers especially the sins of pride and anger Jam. 4.6 God resisteth the proud 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men every where pray lifting up holy hands without wrath If your sins be hearty your prayers cannot be hearty If the sin of one man may hinder the prayers and endeavours of many how much more will many sins hinder the prayers of one Reigning sin is like many great Ordnance charged and planted on high mountains they make a great noise like thunder which confounds and swallows up lower and smaller cries Sin unto prayer is as Garlick to the Loadstone renders it flat and dead Thirdly The person must be accepted before the prayer and none are accepted but such as are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ Therefore prayers must come from an holy heart John 15.5 He that abideth in me bringeth forth much fruit Gen. 4.4 The Lord had respect to Abel and then to his offering Prayer from a wicked heart is like a jewel put into a dead mans mouth loseth all its vertue * The Naturalist saith a precious jewel put into a dead mans mouth loseth its worth and vertue so doth prayer in the mouth of a man spiritually dead The prayer of the wicked is abominable Prov. 21.27 But if the tree be good the fruit will be good You must be in Christ before you can do or obtain any good this way Through him we have accesse with confidence unto the Father Ephes 2.18 Fourthly Because the Lord is holy and cannot endure sin especially in Petitioners God hates sin naturally where ever it is like as we hate poison whether it be in a Toad or Princes Cabinet Yea he hateth it more then the Devil Can a Prince endure a Petitioner that shall bring his greatest enemy with him in his hand even into his presence Or can any Petitioner think so to prevail No As in a wound the plaister prevails not whilest the iron remains within so neither can prayer while sin rankleth God will not hear a good motion from a bad mouth He will hide his eyes while your hands are full of blood You love my profest enemies more then me will God say your bosome sins above your requests Therefore go and be reconciled put away your sins and then come and offer Thus much for the first branch the Person must be holy Again Secondly The Principle must be holy Your desires must be the issues of grace dictated by the Spirit of Christ we know not how or what to ask without his assistance Rom. 8.15 26. Here
in some secret sin especially pride God resisteth the proud and enmity with your neighbours This is one of the worst signs in the world especially to be out with the people of God Yet such broils Satan laboureth to foment and chiefly for this end to hinder prayers or to slack the fervency of them if he can between man and wife Minister and people the Devil well knows guilt to be a tongue-tying thing Great sins to be great gags David on this account prays Psal 51.14 15. Deliver me from bloods O Lord then my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse Open my mouth Guilt had put a padlock on Davids mouth and he could not speak to God whom he had so much offended Sin approved makes the Lord deaf and the sinner dumb Thirdly Variety of worldly businesse and multiplicity of oppressing cares these are the birds that would rob Abraham of his Sacrifice and swarms of Egypt which annoy the best coming necessarily they prove a cumber but when men voluntatarily thrust themselves upon and delight to be in them as a fish in water they choak the seed and thrust duty out of doors Matth. 13.22 Luke 21.34 Oh how quickly will these thorns overtop the corn Fourthly Satan and wicked company which unloose a man and disrelish spiritual employments labouring to cast a beclouding mist upon the blessed beauty of holinesse and to vail the spiritualnesse of this exercise from the eye of the minde Either they indispose men wholly and keep them off from it as forgetful or fearful to come into Gods presence or else to keep them contented with a meer form so that men may go to Hell praying in that manner Isa 1.15 Hosea 7.14 3. But many that have used thus to Obj. 3 be fervent in praying as you now teach have afterwards proved counterfeits Ergo c. Will you therefore dislike it Ans and not pray fervently at all Suppose some coin be counterfeit will you therefore keep no silver in your purse I think you will not so easily be perswaded Some abuse good callings will you therefore cast off all How can thaâ— be reason in Religion which â—is a kinde of madnesse in civil matters If an abuse of some should merit an abolishment of all good things of that naturâ— what would have become of us by this time But to answer more punctually First All those have not proved counterfeits that have been thus fervent in prayer God forbid that you should so think Moses Joshuah David Hannah Daniel Paul with many hundreds of blessed souls have held out in a growing fervency and proved best at last Secondly In those that have falen the fault was not in their fervent praying oâ— any other part of Religion but their false hearts blame unsoundnesse only and give zeal her due praise Thirdly Let their example make you affraid of any especially self-deceiving-hypocrisie Keep truth in the inward parts Labour mainly for sincerity Let the greatest heat be inward in the intention of the spirit this way Fourthly Regard not so much what the common sort say as what God and your need requires If others deride it the Scriptures commend it Remember Joshuah let all others do and be what they please go you and pray fervently with all your strength It is sad to see how carelesse indevout cold and irreverent the generality of people are amongst us if by their publick we may judge of their private devotion Mend this and the rest of your spiritual maladies will be easily cured Obj. 4 But many we see have blessings of all sorts who yet never could nor did pray thus for them there appears then no such necessity of fervency in prayer Ans You must distinguish of blessings and then answer your selves 1. For the nature of them they are alwaies blessings either of common Providence or of speciall favour and promise The former are and may be enjoyed without any prayer and therefore without fervency coming from God as a Creatour to support his creature in being till the prâ—ordained end be obtained The latter which are blessings indeed sweet full and lasting must be sued out with strong cries and fervency of devotion I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them Ezek. 36.37 Many rich favours promised in the former verses but they must be fetcht by Prayer 2. For the end of them some are bestowed on men for their everlasting good as are saving graces and a sanctified use of common favours effects of Prayer in adult persons Other blessings are bestowed not so much for themselves as for the good of others Such are functional abilities for the good of humane societies as Saul called to be King had â—nother heart given him without prayer for it 3. For the use and continuance that shews whether they be the persons of devout Prayer or no. Men may have blessings with a curse Hosea 13.11 I gave them a King in mine anger c. as he once gave them quails to choak them Like Achans wedge Gehezies silver Jeâ—oboams Crown all were gifts of God but yet giftlesse Ahabs Vineyard taken from Naboth because convenient for him Some things are lawful but not convenient this was convenient but not lawful it had been better for him and his had he suffered some inconveniencies to have enjoyed things lawful Possession without right and prosperity without prayer frequent and fervent is the bane and ruine of all Obj. 5 It is again objected If we should practise this duty every day as is pressed it would spend and waste our spirits hinder us in our callings and expose us to the derision of others Ans I Answer 1. I have read of some men who have been somewhat hurt in their bodily health by fasting watching and much kneeling James sirnamed the just Christs kinsman had his knees made as hard as Camels knees with much praying as Eusebius relateth Father Latimer during his imprisonment was so constant and frequent in prayer that he was much impaired in his bodily strength as is related by Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments But I never read or heard nor conceive it possible that ever any man was hurt by fervency in prayer This heat I speak of consumeth no radical moisture an heavenly dew goeth with it as a cordial to cool refresh and make glad men in prayer 2. I demand Can your time and strength be spent in a betteâ— emploiment No man spends so much as he gains in prayer You are mistaken and slander this sweet communion with God while you lay such blame upon secret or private-devotion in family-family-duties Doth not the satisfying of your lusts spend you Do not evil company and riot consume you Doth not your neglect and backwardnesse in sowing Charity is so called by the Apostle 2. Cor. 9.6 beggar you it is not prayer 3. How can you after deliberation account it an hinderance of you or yours in their work First It is a matter
expression However we finde that through slownesse of phantasie bashfulnesse unreadinesse of speech men that have good affections may yet need forrain helps as to words 3. Let such a one read or hear to get by heart such passages of Scripture as being orderly joined will make an excellent Prayer It is best praying in the Lords own words The Scripture is a Magazine of matter Many complain they have a great dearth of expressions when the cause is in themselves they do not study the Word of God the most genuine off-spring of expressions Case 2 Secondly What shall he do that findes his heart unfit and altogether indisposed for Prayer especially such Prayer with holy fervency Ans For Answer to this 1. Let him consider whence that indisposition is whether from some prevailing corruption which must be mortified or from omission of some duty which must be bewailed and redeemed or from a temptation which must be resisted or else from a desertion in which case there must be a waiting and earnest seeking for the Lords return 2. In this danger and damp of the soul know there is most need of praying to bring the heart into temper and to free it from those pressing weights which do so clog and keep it down The only way to fit a soul for this duty is to fall presently upon it and the very doing of the duty doth fit to the duty As one expresseth it for as all actions of the same kinde encrease the habit so prayer will make ready for prayer By setting a mans self on the work he shall gather disposednesse though unfit before as joints benummed get life being used 3. Know such is your condition here below like a watch though it be brought in order yet ere long it will be out again like the house that is swept and the childes face that is washed gathers dust and is fouled again Yet let not this discourage you but rather excite you to resolution and diligence in keeping the soul Heaven-ward and like the Palm-tree which by how much the more weight is laid upon it gathers the more strength the more to encounter Assailants Especially take heed of living in any beloved sin and thinking to pacifie Conscience and satisfie offended Justice by a task of daily prayer a wile of Satan â—eigning among Papists who hearing the Masse and confessing their sins once a year audibly think they may live as they list and spend the day as they pleâ—se as if they had taken a new licence to commit iniquity a practice too too common amongst ourselves resting on a cold performance of some duties without truth of grace or any thought of a necessity of universal obedience Case 3 I am distracted with vain thoughts and terrified with strange fears especially while alone and in the dark what shall I do 1. Consider whence they come from without Ans as injections or from within as corruptions prevailing through negligence or meer weaknesse judge and shame thy self for such distractions strive to do better so shall they never be imputed To be wholly freed from them is a priviledge proper to the state of perfection as some diseases cannot will not be cured neer home but men must repair to the Bath or to the City for help this infirmity is not to be quite healed till we come to Heaven 2. Admit not such vain and hurtful thoughts while you are in your civil emploiments at least play not with them as children use to do with motes in the air for there begins your bane You admit them at other times and they will be admitted at prayer If once the minde is let loose to rove idly it will hardly be brought in to attend upon God wholly in the duty of Prayer or otherwise as the trifling fellow that wanders up and down will not easily be tied to work The best way to keep the heart from gadding is to keep it as much as may be in â—une and rightly disposed before as when a man is to use his horse he will have him under bridle 3. Though you be set with terrors and fears yet flie not upon such imaginations but resist and the enemy will yeeld leave not the place where you are but buckle so much the closer to the duty in hand When Christ sweat drops of blood he prayed most fervently Remember Satan is chained he hath no enforcing power Distrustful fear giveth advantage and that you are in Gods presence who hath power over the Devil 4. Know that these defects and displeasing thoughts do disturb and discomfort the praying soul but cannot evacuate your prayers This is the priviledge of a true Christian his spotty and defiled prayers as other services are washed in the Founâ—â—in opened for sin and uncleannesse he corrects interlines and paraphrases them puts them into the method and language and expected constitution of the Court of Heaven that what goes from us with sincerity is immediately taken and entred on the File and become standing Records of that Office Case 4 But I finde not any successe in my prayers but am rather crossed in them therefore I fear it is in vain to pray Ans 1. If you pray amisse for matter manner or end no marvail in the matter as Moses in his desire to enter into the promised Land the matter of prayer being temporal we have no absolute promise to obtain Spiritual mercies indeed are bona absoluta bona bonum habentem facientia ever good to him that hath them and therefore we have an absolute promise to speed in our requests for them he will never deny good things to them that ask Luke 11.13 But outward blessings are onely bona respectiva good in reference to a certain end and our expectations may fail with reference to them In the manner as the Church in the Cant. 5.3 She would and she would not There is it may be a kinde of wambling willingnesse and velleitie but it boils not up to a full height of resolution for God and utmost endeavours after the thing desired Now affection without endeavour is like Rachel beautiful but barren Or Lastly Your prayers may misse in the end either of intention or of duration They draw not neer him with true heart that is contented either to wait for or to want the thing desired being heartily willing that God should be glorified though themselves be not answered They that ask aright may have any thing Mat. 5.6 2. Prayers may be successeful and yet not found or felt The grant may be past and you not know it for it is made to Christ first who by the worth of his Intercession merits a return of Prayers to himself and after to his Saints besides somewhat equivolent or better for you then that which you requested may be given and you not discern it for the vehement intention of your eies upon your own will or the veâ—y thing may be granted though not for the time manner means and measure by
common graces in it especially argumentative prayer may perhaps avail through the help of Gods Spirit bringing the soul into a better temper and frame and so making it capable of spiritual and outward bâ—essings Prophane Esau could go to his father for a childes portion and so could the Prodigal and had it I come to the second qualification of acceptable effectual prayer viz. all the Graces must be set on work faith repentance humility the very lungs whence prayer is breâ—thed First Faith for where it lives it will breath in devotion in the Divine History touching what is there revealed to be true because he hath said it Faith in Gods Providence concerning his wise and stable government of the world that he can and will provide for bodies and souls out of the rich Magazine of infinite treâ—sures laid up in Christ If an Elijah want the Ravens will come at Gods command and bring him meaâ— morning and evening Faith in Gods promises which are the air and elements wherein faith breaths touching free justification sanctification and acceptation of you unto life and glory for Christs sake If any want wisdome let him ask of God who giveth liberally unto all men but let him ask in Faith nothing wavering James 1.5 6. And again the Apostle willeth men to pray without doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 the more doubting the lesse faith For he that cometh unto God must believe c. as before He that wants this ingredient doth no more then deny his own requests and shuts up the door of Heaven Q. How may a man know when he praies in faith A. 1. By an hearty resistance with some comfortable power and gaining strength against fears doubts and distractions that do oppose This is the victory that overcometh the world even your faith it overcomes a world of enemies 1 John 5.4 It is a victorious grace and it acts by purifying the heart and mortifying lusts And though a man may be foiled now and then in a skirmish when very hotly charged and over-born by violence yet these foils tend to hiâ— further establishment and like the tree stands the firmer for shaking This â—s a fruit of praying in faith 2. By stâ—adinesse of the heart at least in desire and endeavour upon the right object God in Christ Moses his hand being underpropt and stayed by Aaron and Hur as by the Spirit and faith were steady unto the going down of the Sun Exod. 17.12 Christ continued all night in prayer to God Luke 6.12 But take heed of the error of the Heathen Matth. 6.7 that thought to be heard for their much speaking and of the hypocrisie of the Scribes Matth. 23.14 who made long prayers for the praise of men Carry an equal minde in the duty they are not gifts but graces that God looks for in prayer 3. By that calmnesse of minde after trusting God with the successe and resolving patiently to wait When Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 had made her supplication to God for a childe it is said She went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad Which alteration hapned through an inward comfort of Gods Spirit which sealed in her heart that her prayers were heard This is an effect of the witnessing of the Spirit together with ours Rom. 8.16 A refreshing of the heart after duty with a secret content with an hidden approbation If our hearts condemn us not then we have confidence towards God 1 John 3.21 4. By due care in the use of appointed means not to cleave to any particular means with a sinful resolution to have mercy that way or not at all This is to limit a most free agent to circumscribe Gods will and to streighten our selves in a narrow path Psal 78.41 5. By constancy even when the Lord seems to frown and turn away his face A notable instance you have in the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22 she cried earnestly after Christ Have mercy on me O Lord c. One Copy hath it and cried behinde him which implies that Christ had turned his back on her seeing her now coming towards him well the Disciples intercede he tells them He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel She comes again but receives a rough answer It is not meet to take childrens bread and cast it to dogs out of all we may conclude great faith to act that poor woman View her temptations in that doubtful case it is Mr. Boltons Observation in his Treatise Of the Nature and Roialties of saith First There was tentatio taciturnitatis the trial of silence she prayes and not a word comes Secondly Tentatio particularitatis first nothing and then worse then nothing I am not sent but c. as if he had said thou dost not belong to the election of grace thou art not in Covenant I came onely to my own not to thee therefore I will not help thee Thirdly Tentatio indignitatis the trial of indignity It is not meet c. And yet see the strength of her faith Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs if she may not have a childes yet a dogs portion if not childrens morsels yet childrens crumbs but such as fall from the table such as they have no need of She was that well resolved Christian whose part is as Luther sometime said to believe things invisible to hope for things deferr'd and to love God when he seems most angry with and opposite to him With this measure of faith Christ is overcome Oh woman great is thy faith Such force there is in faithful-fervent prayer A Second Grace to be set on work in prayer is Repentance Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well c. then come and let us reason together saith the Lord Isa 1.16 17 18. I will wash mine hands in innocency and so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord was Davids practice Typified in Aarons washing of his feet befoâ—e he went into Sacrifice and continued as a borrowed rite among the Turks to wash and put off their shoes before they enter on their idol-worship A plain doctrine that Saint James teacheth ch 4. v. 8. Draw nigh to God c. cleanse your hands ye sinners c. And the reason is because in prayer you crave pardon of sin and removal of judgements with the favour of Gods blessed presence which cannot be without repentance Conscience of sin unrepented of will clip and dull the wings of prayer set a damp on the petitioner separate between him and God but the blood of Christ will cleanse cheer and elevate the soul as the waters did Noâ—hs Ark far above all danger Repentance is a Rain-bow which if God see shining in our hearts when we come before him he will not drown the soul Q. How may true penitency in gracious hearts be discerned from seigned sorrow in gracelesse persons thaâ— sin and after say they
repent yet sin again A. 1. A truly gracious soul though it sin yet it makes no league oâ— peace with sin but keeps the war on fooâ— still As Hannibal took an Oath to his father to maintain perpetual hostility with Rome So have gracious souls covenanted with â—od to wage a perpetual war with sin though it sometime receives a foil and losse yet thereby it is more enraged against the adversary Carnal counterfeit persons once foiled seldome come on again but the true penitent riseth and fights most valiantly doubles his guard after unwarinesse strengthens the battle after a blow laying on more strongly after sin hath been too hard as we see in Peter and Paul and many other Scripture-examples 2. True grace gets advantage by the stirring and sometimes prevailing power of sin which meer nature cannot do it alwaies loseth the heart is made worse sin loved holinesse loathed some degrees more and security surpriseth the soul When as in gracious hearts every thing falleth out otherwise the heart is made better sin more loathed holinesse prized some degrees more the soul strengthned like the Giant Anteus who in his wrestling with Hercules is seigned to get strength by every fall to the ground The Third Grace required to be acted in prayer is humility which may serve as the pins of Jacobs Ladder whereby the soul climbeth up to Heâ—ven He that would leap highest must stoop lowest God exalteth the humble whilst he resisteth the proud and sends them empty away As men use to lay up the richest wine in the lowest Ceâ—lars so doth God the choicest mercies in humble and lowly hearts Christ when he was upon the earth did most for those that were humble and so continues to do The truly humble soul is Gods second Heaven I will dwell with the contâ—â—â—e spirit The Valleys shall laugh with satnesse when the Hills are barren And this Grace may be discerned thus First By a grateful disposition for former favours Of old a peâ—ce-offering was appointed to be joineâ— with the trespasse-offering to teach the Church ever to join praise with prayer But the proud heart hath never enough is ever unthankful Secondly By a mean and low conceit of your selves and your own unworthinesse before God Like that of Abraham Gen. 18.27 that am but dust and ashes or of David â—o foolish was I as a beast before thee and Agur Prov. 30.2 I am more brutish then any man or as that Martyr who cried out Gehenna sum Domine c. Lord thou art Heaven but I am as bad as Hell Tantillitas nostra said Ignatius of himself and his Colleagues the humble man like Paul doth not elevate but aggravate his sins against himself vails all the top-sails and sits down in the dust Job 42.6 Mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhorre my self in dust and ashes when he had a glorious apparition of God he vanished into nothing in his own thoughts The stars vanish when the Sun appears and our poor Candle vanisheth into a disappearance when the glory of God ariseth in the thoughts of the humble Thirdly By this when heavenly Objects appear in our eye great and beautiful more and more As in David Psal 4.6 who preferred Gods favour to all things and in Paul Phil. 3.8 who counted all things but dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ He undervalues a whole sky full of stars to one Sun of Righteousnesse And as holy Lambert None but Christ none but Christ To them that believe he is precious they can see those beauties and excellencieâ— in him that are not discovered to others To unbelievers heavenly objects are as orient pearls in an heap of sand and a Mine of gold covered over with rubbish and earth Fourthly By meeknesse and readinesse to yield in all your own causes but resolutenesse in the cause oâ— God in behalf of his truth Moses one of the meekest men on earth yet who more hot and zealous in the service of God The three children Dan. 3.16 are well resolved in the like case and will not suffer truth to fall for them Luther regards not himself nor the rich presents but is eaten up with the zeal of Gods house Fifthly By a patient waiting upon God till the time appointed He that believeth will not make hast to step aside through indirect means to obtain what is prayed for or promised not sorcery charms witchcraft to finde things lost to obtain health or grow rich who art thou that fearest God and obeyest the voice of his servants and yet walkest in darknesse wait upon God and stay thy self on the Lord. We reâ—d of Zachary that he prayed for a childe heretofore while there was any ordinary ground of hope but after as it is probable left off that suit but not waiting what God would do for him and he had his request at last Prayers are often granted long before manifested Thus must grace be exercised in acceptable prayer it is the Palaestra the Arena the Artillary-yard of all our graces in which they must shew their activity And thus much may suffice for the discovery of the Conditions required in prayer In the last place we come to the Motives not to the reading or repeating saying over of prayers onely not to a cold carelesse performance of this duty at all but to fervent praying this is praying with power whereof that passage is fitly verified and rightly to be understood Acts 9.11 Behold he prayeth Saul struck to the ground remained three days without sight and did neither eat nor drink but behold he prayeth i. e. with all his might as one that taketh no denial To pray fervently is the point in hand first undertaken and hitherto prosecured And to this there are seveâ—all Motives and they may be taken â—irst From the Lord to whom we must pray Secondly From men Thirdly â—rom prayer it self First From the Lord and then you may take into consideration such Motives as these 1. He commands that you should pray to him as you love him i. e. strongly vehemently and constantly My son give me thy heaâ— It is a special part of Divine worship and if you make conscience of any duty you will of this especially Hos 14.2.2 He delights in earnest and zealous prayers and petitioners God is not a man who may be tired with uncessant suits and frequent visits Prov. 25.17 as was the unjust Judge and the Disciples with the poor womans cries repeating the same request over and over Such were Moses and David highly commended of God for their skill art in praying one the meekest man on earth thâ— other a man after Gods own heart and he can deny them nothing provided they referre the time and measure to him As men take delight in the deep-mouâ—h'd hound and the shrill sound of the Trumpet and the loud report of the Piecâ— so doth God take delight in the fervent reports of his people 3. He is ready to return answer
speaking of repentance when men see and leave their whoring swearing excessive drinking their covetousnesse idlenesse gaming and conformity to this world when women leave their pride and vain-talking c. when both bring forth fruit meet for repentance and walk in that humility and soundnesse as is most comely for the Gospel then expect good successe from prayer and religious drawing nigh to God Obâ— But when will this be It is a thing hath been long expected spoken of exhorted to by all sorts both Magistrates and others but yet to be acted I Answer First So much is this time * A solemn day of humiliation 1657. solemnly professed and this day invited unto viz. to repent and turn from our evil waieâ— and they must be grosse hypocrites which afterward do not join them seeing they have represented the persons and acted the parts of humble penitents and professed Reformists Secondly Thiâ— is the way whereby those that belong to God among us may be brought in Children of many prayers cannot perish Prayer and fâ—sting can cast out Devils and work mighty cures However it fall out to others it cannot but be successful to your selveâ— You that labor to join them shal not miss a return You shal have heâ—lth in sâ—ckneâ— plenty in penury peâ—ce in war and who knoweth how far you may be accepted for others Say then What is the cause why your prayers with reference to your selves and the Nation to this present season are no more successeful Is it not because First These things are not joined in persons nor general in our Nation as with grief we see and hear It is true we have had and still have much praying but we have little doing much speaking to God little or no reforming among men no wonder that so many prayers are made and not heard whilst mens hands are full of blood howle and cry and yet rebel against God pray and yet grow worse and worse thus this excellent engine of a Nation is marr'd and proves to a people like the Ark to the Philistims provoke God to anger and does the people more hurt Praying without reforming is but howling Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their whole heart when they â—owled on their beds they assembled themselves for coâ—n wine and oyl and they rebel against me i. e. They consume it on their lust and sight against God with his own weapons or they assembled themselves and made no small shew of devotion but when the duty was over they go to their old courses again See Isa 1.15.58.4 5. Jer. 7.9 10.14.11 12. Whâ—t Saint Hierom speaks of luxurious Clerks in his time that the grunting of hogs in the slye was more pleasing to God then their singing of prayers in the Church may warrantably be applied here To the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth Psal 50.16 Such devotion is but beautiful abomination Secondly Is it not because such as do join them for and to the good of the Land are some way oâ— other discoâ—ntenanced and troubled in most places and can we think to prevail with God what dissembling is this to speak him fair to his face both privately and publiquely and strike him in his fr ends after with words deeds and neglect of them If thou wilt take from the midst of thee the yoak the putting forth of the finger i. e. any way of disgracing contemning despiâ—ng the people of God and speaking vanity great sins in most places then call and cry and I will answer saith the Lord. Jobs friends dealt unkindly with him but to him they must be reconciled before they can be accepted Justin Martyr and Tertullian in their Apologies for Christians tell the Emperours plainly what was the cause of those plagues and judgements inflicted because Gods people the poor Christians were persecuted They may be heard for you awhile but you cannot be heard for your selves nor all of us for the whole so long as the best are proscribed and by mens tongues who think they have a Law for it so bitterly pursued Thirdly Is it not because of the cry of division and backsliding among us from God and one anotâ—er 1. From God and the purity of his woâ—ship and service truths and commands what incongruity is it to cry unto God and run from him No wonder if he say Go now to your idols c. Is not this the ground of his dividing from our prayers As smoak drives away the Bee from his Hive so doth this sin drive God from his habitation 2. From one another We are broken in minutula frustula as Austin of the Donatists in Africa little little pieces little love and unity to be found so ne cry out for them but they mean by it their own wills And how many cast oyl instead of water upon the â—lames of contention Few study to be quiet and of an healing spirit some are for God and further reformation that Christs government may be advanced and established in his own house and seen among his peopâ—e others are for Baâ—l and Romish Superstition a Samaritan Religion to introduce and burnish the filthy rags of the scarlet whore though undeâ— better pretences Some few are for truly good men others and the most in number are for wicked tempâ—rizing forâ—alists whose best piety is policy and faith fantas e and too many halt as neuters till they see which is that they may side with the strongeâ—t Now a divided multi ude either pray not at all or not for one thing and one another how can Christians sight and prevail when they are in so many divided troops If they do pray theâ— are slight weak and interrupted some cry one thing and some another for the assembly was confused Act. 19.32 and the greater part knew not wherefore they were come together as it was once in the Apostles time is often in ours This is the mors in olla like to the Colliquintida that spoiled all the pottage these turbulent waves overthrow the vessel of prayer and we see no return of our adventures Fourthly Is it not from our unthankfulnesse for mercies received and shameful barrennesse in improving them Because mercies have been fuel to feed our corruptions Spiritual showers have made the weeds of sin to grow the faster Such dunghilly hearts are in mortals that many times the more God shines on us with his mercies the more they putrifie the better he is to us have we not been the worse to him the more he loved us hath he not the lesse been loved by us As the Ocean takes in all the fresh rivers but is not a jot the fresher for it so are we insensible of what we have received and think we not this an intolerable provocation Unthankfulnesse is an hellish stop to future mercies A man that is about to pour oyl into a glasse if he see it crackt he staies his hand and saith I will pour no more oyl into this glasse The unthankful heart is the broken glasse not fit to receive any more blessings Unthankfulnesse was the sin for which God gave over the Heathens to a reprobate mind Rom. 1.21 27. It is related of the Romans that they made a law that if a master did free a servant from bondage and afterward that servant prove unthankful the master had power to re-inslave him The great God hath bestowed many mercies upon the Nation he hath delivered us from Babylon Egypt and those that had evil will to us innumerable are the mercies heaped upon England now if we prove unthankful we may not expect otherwise to be dealt with then to want an answer to our best prayers yea be re-inslaved and brought under former hazards Unthankfulnesse is a sin that makes the times perilous 2 Tim. 3.1 Q. What may be done that we may prevail more A. To what hath been already said I shall add here two things more viz. Constancy and Regularity 1. Constancy till you have gone through the work be not slight and carelesse nor weary in seeking God as sluggards in woâ—k or cowards in war Prayer must be re-doubled and re-inforced like those arrows of deliverance 2 Kin. 13.19 As the woman of Canaan when denied and shews her self a woman of a well-kniâ— resolution And Jacob who holds with his hand when his thigh is lamed thus the Israelites overcâ—me Goâ— Judg. 20.18.23 26. They go up and ask who shall go up to Benjamin first a very careless and formal behaviour their multitude made them presume to ask rather Gods direction for the thing then his lewe and presence then they came again they wept and asked him leave which was somewhat more submissive and yet not enough Lastly all the people came unto the house of God there they sate and wept before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt-offering c. thus they went through the work and prevailed As Daliâ—ah overcame Sampson so may we overcome God where neither love nor reason nor desert will gain constancy will 2. Regularity under which I comprise First Order that reformation go before your petition first amend then pray Reformation is the wing of the soul to fly heaven-ward one leg to help the soul to walk run to Christ As a man cannot run with one leg nor a bird fly with one wing no more can we get to Heaven by prayer without reformation This being done nothing remains to hinder or question your entrance at the door of mercy If you regard iniquity in your heart the Lord will not hear They do wel that reform though it be after they do better that reform pray together but they do best that lay aside their filthy garments before they come into Gods presence Davids resolution is an excellent copy for us in this case to write after Ps 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocency and so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord Secondly Rule what you do must be like good builders who first lay a good foundation and afterward ascend by line and directions from the master-builder For help herein is the intent of the whole discourse Gloria Deo mihi condonatio