the liuely and feeling affection of the heart faithfully beleeuing to receiue what we religiously desire we cannot but blush to come vnto God as the Pharisie did arrogating vnto our selues such perfection as if God were rather beholden to vs for our fasting tything almes and prayer then that wee needed to bow our hearts in humblenesse before his maiesty crauing pardoÌ„ for our sin when we pray therefore we must leaue behind vs all presumption and conceit of self-merit And in al humility aske beleeuing to receiue otherwise our praier wll become vnprofitable in not obtayning and sinfull in not beleeuing And therefore the Prophet Esay forewarneth vs to take heede that wee come not neere vnto God with our lippes namely to vse many and good words and yet our hearts wherein consisteth the force or frailty of faiâ—h and prayer be far from him CHAP. III. How we ought to approch before God in praier depending on Gods promises and not on carnall means which howsoeuer the vnfaithful respect not yet are the godly moued thereby THat praier is not true prayer which is not grounded vpon a liuely faith in the promises of God in Christ. It is promised to all beleeuers that if they aske they shall receiue yet for the merits in the mediation of Christ in whom if we beleeue not wee may seeme to send forth as many sighes and poure forth as many verball prayers and appeare in our gestures outwardly as deuout and zealous as any man and yet be as farre from being heard and come as farre short of obtayning what we desire as he that praieth not at all the very Publican will preuent vs. If we had not the promise of obtaining for our faithfully asking what would become of Faith Prayer If we rested as doubtfull vncertain to receiue our requests at the hands of God as many a poore begger is that asketh almes of mortal men in his Name should we not passe by more houres in a day more dayes in a weeke nay many weekes in a yeare neuer remember our duties of beleeuing and praier For it seemeth notwithstanding the promise by our generall slacknesse in praier that we hardly beleeue Christ vpon his promise nor God vpon his oath For as long as the carnall man hath worldly meanes to supply his wants or to free him from danger he will hardly seeke God by praier for earthly things because hee feeles no present neede of them nor for spirituall because he is a stranger vnto them Many seeme as miserable of offring praiers to God as they are of giuing him of their goods in his members But as they keepe their goods to the time of necessitie so their praiers they wil spend none but vpon meere extremitie Pharoh neuerentreated Moses to pray for him as long as he felt not some plague but when the extreme hand of the powerfull God was vpon him then called he for Moses to pray to God for him And yet that zeale continues but as do his plagues the one ceasing the other are staied Carnall men make their praiers as the water mooues the Mill-wheele when the water ceaseth the wheele staieth so when troubles faile faith praier cease Man by nature trusts rather his owne present worldly meanes then Gods promises his owne wealth then Gods word as he that obserues the rules of carnall reason cannot but collect how far the confidence men repose in worldly meanes ouersway their trust in God namely as farre as the earth is distant from the heauens For according to the portioÌ„ of euerie earthly blessing hath euerie carnall man trust in his means Golâ—ah in his strength Pharoh in his greatnes Senacherib in his Armie Achitophel in his policy Haman in his fauor with the King Nebuchadnezzar in his greatnes Belteshatzer in his vain-glorie and infinite others trusting in their own seuerall means long since gone to their places but haue not carried hence with them this vaine confidence froÌ„ mortal men For euery carnall man in his owne nature extendeth his confidence onely so farre as he hath visible and carnall meanes Quantum habet nummi tantum habet fidei We trust so farre as we see probable carnall meanes in naturall reason fit to be depended vpon which failing Faith faileth The couetous man is called an Idolater because he puts his trust in his riches so may euery man be truely called that trusteth in carnall means whether it be riches strength friends or other the like And the reuerence that men naturally yeelde vnto these meanes differeth not much from that they doe vnto God onely what they pretend towards God is opeÌ„ but what they do towards their earthly meanes is secret They seeme not visibly to kneele nor verbally to pray to the meanes but they in their hearts preferre that they see and enioy aboue that they haue but heard of the promises of the inuisible God And therefore rather then they will diminish their wealth to doe good vnto Gods people as God hath commanded as touching their abundance they will be bolde to straine a point of Christian obedience and rather giue ouer their following of Christ and abandon his presence with the Gergesites then to lend vnto God though they shall be assured not only ten of the hundred but one hundred-fold more then they disburse And therfore no maruell though they neuer or seldome pray vnto the inuisible God Their soules are not so deare vnto them as their liues and their liues not so pretious as their wealth nay liues and soules are of smal value with them in comparison of their worldly riches and carnall pleasures Tell a rich worldling that he ought to make his praiers vnto God hee will in his heart aske you for what hee should pray hee hath wealth at will as the rich man in the Gospell he hath health at his hearts desire his cattell prosper his corne oile wine abound for what should hee pray It is a strange exercise you would draw him vnto that concerneth not his worldly profit or carnal delight The like may be also said of euery meere carnall man bee hee poore or rich who rather then hee will embrace the promises and faithfully depend vpon the prouidence of God hee will aduenture the most vnlawful and vniust attempts against the lawes both of God men wheras if they could or would incline their eares to hear and their hearts to vnderstand the word of truth they could not but abandon all vniust deuises the rich would pray vnto God for direction to dispose of their wealth to Gods glorie and their owne soules health and the poore for supplie of all their corporall necessities and relie vpon Gods promises and prouidence bending al their powers to serue the liuing God in obedience and praier The godly and faithfull poore man beeing pâ—nched with penurie visited with sicknesse in feare of enimies and in whatsoeuer danger flieth vnto one onely God
inflamed by the holy spirit of Christ and powerfully vttered priuatly vnto God in Christ whether in silence in sighes or words cannot be expressed to the capacity of a carnall man and therefore it may seem that priuat praiers in priuat cases somtimes work more effectually to the comfort of the soule then the publik But in cases more generall when the more faithfull soules conioyne in effectuall prayer so much the more auaileable is their prayer with God Fathers of children and Masters of families who content themselues onely with a bare seruâ—ng of God in shew once in the week on the Sabbath day are to bee reproued who seem to hold it a needlesse and superfluous worke to trouble themselues their families morning or euening in prayer and exhortation to the feare of God and dehorting them from sin which times they haue assigned in their opinions to more profitable vses both for themselues their seruants forgetting or not vnderstanding that in euery Christian family eyther God or Sathan is serued Christ or Belial obeyed sanctity or sinne embraced For there is no priuat person but is or holdeth of one of these coÌ„sequently no societie but partaketh of the fruits arising of good or euill If then either priuat man or publike assembly be it prouinciall parochiall or domesticall do forget this most high dutie of seruing the liuing God it followeth of necessitie that a contrary power hath there the command and nothing more discouereth to which any of the former lend their obedience then the fruits that eyther of them produceth if carnall effects as louing the world the pleasures of the flesh and the vanities of this life it argueth that priuat man or that society to be profane If it were sufficient to serue God on the sabbath what needed the Apostle to aduise vs to pray coÌ„tinually and the commandement of Christ Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation to loue righteousnesse and to slie sinne How doe they awakeâ—or watch that slumber from Saboth to Saboth Are they not all that time in darknesse not vsing the duties of the light Christ is the light in whome whosoeuer liueth not hee is in darknesse And hee that hath but one day of light in seuen How great is his darknesse It is true this day the Saboth was set apart by God that in it men should imploy themselues to serue and to glorifie him And in that day they shuld not only not doe but also not thinke of anie Worldly affaires But are not some so far from celebrating the name and seruice of God that day as they prophane it aboue all other dayes doe they not turne the glorie of God into wantonnes to banquetting dicing dauncing drunkennesse gluttonie and to what sinne not This commonly is the day that many appoint for merrie companie to laugh and to be jouiall as they call it without meane or modestie And yet this day is sufficiently kept holy as they thinke if they spend an houre in the fore part of the day and halfe an houre in the after-noone in the Church though all the rest be consumed in most lasciuious vanities and carnall occasions How can this discharge the duty of a Christian that hath no care to serue God any other day in the weeke Doe we not credit the premonition of the Apostle Saint Peter that the end of all thinges is at hand And how follow wee his counsell namely to bee sober watching in prayer To whom speaketh the Apostle this to his Countrimen the Iewes only no euen to vs that are come as it were to the Worlds period And therefore high time it is for vs to looke vp to watch pray to liue religiously and soberly least that the Master of this great family come suddenly and find vs buffeting one another blaspheming swaggering drunken faithlesse insolent couetous and few or none doing the seruice of our Master It wil bee a dreadfull sight to see him come with his iron rod in his hand to crush his enemies in peeces The salt of the earth hauing lost it saltnesse shall bee cast to the dung-hill The Tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast in the fire The Magistrates saltnesse is profession of the Gospell and the execution of Iustice. The saltnesse of the Minister is the true preaching of the word and example of godly life The saltnesse of Fathers is their sincere conuersation before their children and the educating them in the feare of God and holy life The saltnesse of Masters of Families is to liue honestly religiously aud gouerning their charge in the feare of God And vnder these four estates of men are all conditions comprehended subiects vnder Kings children vnder fathers and young men vnder tutors and gouernours Euery of these in their places of superioritie and inferioritie haue their seuerall duties and all vnder one God whome they ought all to obey Superiours in rightly commanding and inferiors in duly obeying Neyther of these duties can bee rightly performed without knowledg of the wil of God by his word This knowledge is not perfect without practise This practise is imperfect without faith And faith is known by the fruits the chiefe whereof is loue And this loue most shineth and sheweth it selfe in doing good to all but especially to them of the family of faith The greatest good that can bee done to the Church of God is Prayer And therefore Saint Paul willeth to pray continually not for our selues onely but for Kinges al the members of Christs mysticall bodie Kings and Magistrates ought to imitate Dauid to accompanie the people to the house of the Lord Fathers and Masters ought to pray with and for their Children and Families not on the Saboth day only but with all perseuerance Some refer the duty of praier only to the Minister and thinke it a kinde of vsurpation of the Ministers office to pray for or with any but for himselfe contrarie to the precept of Saint Paul Who willeth that all men make prayers in all places heauing vp pure handes without strife or enuying vnto the Liuing God Where it appeares that vnder the word all Men Kings Princes Nobles and men of all degrees faculties and functions are comprehended and because they shall not thinke there is no place but the materiall temple he commands that dutie to bee performed in all places euen in euery particular house with caution that it bee done without strife and enuying free from vaine ostentation and desire of popular glorie CHAP. XXXIIII The true vse of the Lords Prayer about which friuolous questions haue risen It is the rule of all other prayers and euery petition ful of high matter of instruction THE most absolute praier and the most ordinarie which not only the Primitiue but the Moderne Christian Churches their members haue in vse is the Prayer that Christ taught his Disciples But wee must take heed wee doe not take this
Foâ— it argueth in vs a great defect of faith And yet these words are not so to be expounded as if we should bee altogether carelesse of future times or for our children but that wee should not bee too solicitous and carefull and thereby argue an absolute distrust that God either can or will giue vs with our true obedience all thinges necessary in this life to enioyâ— and to our faithfull children If riches increase set not your hearts vpon them If pouertie oppresse thee cast thy care vpon God for hee careth for thee Wee pray that God will forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue And yet we seeke to take aduantage of euery small iniurie done vnto vs by our neighbour or brother and couet to reuenge it by the extremest violence of force or Law Our hatred sometimes growes so deadly as wee cease not to persecute and prosecute our enemies to death euen by our own death and yet we pray for equall measure at Gods hands And this petition they shall bee sure to haue granted aboue all other For as they craue to be forgiuen as they forgiue they shal be sure as they forgiue not neither shall they bee forgiuen We desire also not to be ledde into temptation And yet som leaue not to seek all occasioÌ„s to fal therinto coueting idle euil lewd lasciuious coÌ„panies hearing reading profane wanton bookes singing and hearing songs of ribaldrie and filthinesse delighting in drunkennesse whoredome pride couetousnesse enuie gluttoâ—ie scurrilitie and all kinde of forbidden wickednesse Is this the holy vse that they make of this most sacred prayer And yet doe they thinke that it is deuotion of such acceptation with God as dischargeth Christian dutie in prayer Surely God heareth these but regardeth them not but by way of condemnation And therfore let all men learne to know God aright in his word to beleeue him faithfully in his promises and to pray vnto him contiâ—ually according to knowledge so as this holy praier began with a desire that God might bee glorified so shall wee to his glorie and our comfort conclude the same And let vs know that as many petitions as are in this most heauenly prayer so many holy heauenly aduertisements instructions they administer vnto vs to liue heauenly for our Sauiour by teaching vs how to pray for so many seuerall blessings doth therein teach vs also how to performe our duties towards God and our neighbours the summe of both the Tables so as in praying vnto God with a faithfull and an vnderstanding heart we cannot but inform our selues in the course of a godly conuersation also thereby CHAP. XXXVI Praier much increaseth diuine knowledge whereby men of meane carnall learning exceede many literat Doctors WHo then among the company of Christians is there that will not be aduised or so backward that will not be stirred vp or so peruerse and peeuish that will not be perswaded to practise this holy duetie considering that it is found by holy experience that the continuall vse of faithfull prayer much encreaseth the knowledge of all other duties tending to the obtayning of our saluation in Christ nay further it is found by experience that faithfull often vse of prayer is a most effectuall meane to increase diuine knowledge such knowledge as some learned and great Doctors notwithstanding their deepest Schoole-learning haue not attained vnto For there is not a little difference betweene humane learning and spirituall knowledge so much difference between carnall deuotion and holy zeale the first may be in a reprobate the secoÌ„d in none but in the child of God The Scribes and Rabbies of the Iewes were great Doctors yet they apprehended not the mysterie of Christ as did the Apostles who receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God The spirit which Gods children receiue lifteth vp their spirits vnto God teacheth them heauenly things that we may know the things that are giuen vs of God So that it is not the deepest carnall learning that can search the secret things of God but God reuealeth them vnto the poore and humble by his spirit which searcheth the deepe things of God The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned TheÌ„ is not the facultie of vnderstanding spirituall things giuen but by grace not by humane vnderstanding bee it neuer so deepe Therefore saith the Apostle Not manie wisemen after the flesh nor many mightie nor many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake things of the world to confound the most mightie It followeth theÌ„ thaâ— he that hath the spirit of God knoweth how to performe all spirituall dueties among which none taketh place aboue faithfull prayer which is of that force as it obtaineth all things especially knowledge of things tending to the saluation of the soule the sweetnesse of true prayer none knoweth nor can apprehend but he onely that hath it the carnall man vnderstandeth it not beeing told it Some will say they cannot pray they finde no aptnesse in themselues therunto onely they can say the Lords praier but to say they doe it withâ— that feeling of coÌ„fort that they haue heard some men say they feel they cannot and how to amend it they know not yet are they content to be let alone loth to bee awaked out oâ— their deadly slumber and to die in that most fearefull traunce It is a greeuous sickenesse and a dangerous disease that such men are in it cannot but argue that they haue no true knowledge of God so long as they liue in this obscure yet a kind of voluntary darknesse For it cannot be that a man can heare the word preached Gods promises pronounced and his threats denounced but if there bee any feeling in him hee cannot but apprehend mercie or feare iudgement if neither of these can prouoke him to pray with feeling he is doubtlesse farre gone in a deadly Lethargie and no carnall medicine can cure him nor mortall Physitian heale him he only must doe it that cast out the seuen Diuels out of Marie hee must cast out the diuellish affections out of the man make him wise vnto saluation But if he be like vnto the deafe Adder and stoppe his eares wilfully refusing the relieuing charme there is no help or hope for such a man CHAP. XXXVII Although no man by nature knoweth how to pray none is to despaire for the word heard and prayer vsed teacheth it and increaseth the knowledge of it NO man by nature I coÌ„fesse knoweth how to â—ray as hee ought it is the spirit of God that helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed And therefore let no man despaire of beeing enabled There is a seed in all men a
deuotion of the irreligious rich and the religious poore man Chap. VI. The force of liuely faith and how hard a thing it is truly to apprehend the mysterie of Christ and how easie historically to discourse thereof Chap. VII Naturall Fathers cannot beget children good or euill of their owne wils But they that are begotten a new of God are only good and like vnto God before whom the vnregenerate howsoeuer seeming holy are hipocrites Chap. VIII Carnall wisedome hath not cheife place of counsell in the regenerate man hee depends on God and not on the meanes in any enterprise Chap. IX It is a dangerous thing to pray vnto God vnprepared but most safe and sweet vpon diuine premeditation arising of grace not of nature Chap. X. WheÌ„ce al our transgressions do proceed and the reason why we cannot pray aright and the meanes to reforme it Chap. XI The neglect of the communicating with God in Prayer is the cause that many runne headlong to their owne ruine seeking what they need in a wrong course not feeling their owne spirituall wants Chap. XII Murtherous hearts hautines and pride may lurke vnder the habit of outward humblenesse Chap. XIII Euery faithfull Christian findeth comfort in prayer the neglect whereof admits manie euils Chap. XIIII The most happiest men in the World are they that most often communicate with God in Prayer and not the most glorious worldly man whose miserie is to come and what consolation remaineth for the godly Chap. XV. True contentment not gotten by nature but by grace which produceth prayer the only meane to obtaine all good Chap. XVI God being wisedome it selfe knoweth how to deale with vs for our best aduantage and his owne glorie which ahoue all thinges wee must respect in all our prayers Chap. XVII Three principall motiues to stirre vp men to pray wherof the chiefest is necessitie Chap. XVIII The force of faith what it is and the effects of it how dangerous a thing it is to faint Chap. XIX Some among many preuaile by their faithfull prayers for the rest And how God turneth the prayers of his to the best though hee grant not what they desire And how foolishly carnall men reason against Gods prouidence Chap. XX. The naturall man misconceiueth of true happinesse whereby hee runneth into manie absurdities by the suggestion of Sathan Chap. XXI Englands manie blessings and deliueries are not so duly considered nor so thankfully imbraced as they ought being too much ascribed to humane and carnal meanes which breedeth ingratitude and securitie Chap. XXII The Church of Christ militant and Sathans Church malignant seeke the ouerthrow one of the other but by contrarie meanes And that all Christians are to pray for the defence of the first without which it is to bee feared it may suffer violence Chap. XXIII The death of the late Prince is not lightly to be forgotten Nor our generall praiers for his Maiestie Royall issue to be neglected publikely and in priuate For praier auaileth much being feruent Chap. XXIV Deuotion lately â—ote is now become more cold which may presage some consequent danger But the practise of the word and prayer preuaileth with God The neglect whereof maketh men senselesse of sinne Chap. XXV Beasts foreseeing flie danger more then some reasonable men besetted with securitâ—e and the pleasures of this life Chap. XXVI If Gods word cannot awake vs he will send his rod to correct vs and nothing can appease him but our humiliation and prayer and not the glorie of our vaine glorious pride Chap. XXVII The bringing in of true religion was of great difficultie effected by God by his instruments Wee must bee warie lest wee neglect it and so loose it againe Chap. XXVIII God loueth vs not more then the Turkes and Pagans if wee liue like Turkes and Pagans Our manifold Idoll-Gods The Carnall mans Sophistrie The long vse of the word hath made vs much weary of the word Nothing can preuent danger but repentaÌ„ce praier Chap. XXIX We ought to pray aswell for our neighbors as for our selues the vse of prayer is twofold publique and priuate Meditation inkindleth prayer Chap. XXX How when and where priuate prayers are to be made An erronious conceit of priuate prayer What sweetnesse priuate prayer brings to the soule Chap. XXXI The helpes and hinderances of prayer how Sathan striueth to hinder prayer For nothing woundeth him as faithfull prayer in the name of Christ. Wee must bee watchfull and strong to resist him Chap. XXXII The presence of God himselfe is promised in publike praier how he is present which the carnall man apprehendeth not the discontinuance of prayer publique or priuat dangerous Chap. XXXIII Priuat prayer in som respects at som times more comfortable to a priuate man then publique The neglect of publique praier in priuat families condemned for where God is not there Sathan is serued Chap. XXXIIII The true vse of the Lords Prayer about which friuolous questions haue risen It is the rule of all other prayers and euery petition ful of high matter of instruction Chap. XXXV The summe of the lords prayer briefly explained Chap. XXXVI Praier much increaseth diuine knowledge whereby men of meane carnall learning exceede many literate Doctors Chap. XXXVII Although no man by nature knoweth how to pray none is to despaire for the word heard and prayer vsed teacheth it and increaseth the knowledge of it A LOADSTAR TO SPIRITVAL LIFE CHAP. I. The neglect of prayer Prayer in an vnknowen language Praier without cordial deuotion condemned with a comparison between spiritual and bare verbal prayer OF all the neglects of mens spiritual duties vnder the Sun none is more to be condemmed then the little regard of and the small delight men haue in diuine prayer And yet an excercise of that comfort to the conscience and so profitable to soule and body as it passeth in sweetnesse all other exercises pleasures and delights of the minde as farre as Gold excelleth durt and the most valuable pretious Iewel the dung of the field The Sunne excelleth not in brightnesse the blackest and darkest night as doth true faithfull and cordial praier truly performed exceed the best contentments that proceede from earthly and carnal delights Faithfull prayer truly performed is al things to the faithfully-praying It is the sweetest and most valuable Iewell that the most godly heart can possesse It worketh assurance to obtain euery good thing and to preuent euery euill It giueth peace to the conscience and vndergoeth all crosses with sweetest alacrity It is as a preuayling watch-man that doth not onely discouer but preuenteth or causeth a man patiently to vndergoe all afflictions incident to the faithfull man And yet an exercise as farre vnknowen to many euen to such as pretend to be very deuout as is one mans thought vnknowen to another Many boast of their quotidian set deuotions as the Pharisie did and yet pray neither in the spirit nor with vnderstanding but of a kinde of
sonnes of God and not only in humane affairs conuerse but in diuine dueties communicate with them as in hearing the word preached in the sacraments and in publique prayer They are yet but bastards no children they neuer truely tasted of the milke of Christs spouse nor euer drew the life of grace out of her breasts no more then did Cham in the Arke with Noah Ismael in the house with Abraham Esau in the company of Iacob who inwardly did not partake of their fathers vertues of obedience faith and continual praier vnto God the God of their fathers CHAP. VII Naturall fathers cannot beget children good or euill of their owne wils but they that are begotten anew of God are only good and like vnto God before whom the vnregenerate howsoeuer seeming holy are hypocrits EArthly fathers coÌ„monly beget childreÌ„ of their owne corporall likenes but the godliest father cannot propagate in his children the graces of the spirit neyther can profane fathers by their sinnes make their children sinners For it is found by experience that good fathers haue often wicked and wicked fathers godly children But the children of God begotten anew by the holy Ghost can neuer fall from being like vnto him that begat him And therefore doe they much dishonour God who in wordes professe they are his sonnes and yet in their actions they resemble the image of Sathan It were a great blemish vnto a godly man to be wrongfully supposed the father of a wicked sonne much more is God dishonoured by such as would seeme to be but are not of his seed For they that are of God indeed cannot but in some measure resemble him in being righteous as he is righteous that is By casting off the olde man which is corrupt through deceiueable lust and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines This casting off and putting on doeth teach vs that there is in vs somthing that befits vs not to retaine if we will be the true sonnes of God not by reputation among men but by imputation in Christ. What is to be cast off and what to bee put on is plainly expressed in the Apostles wordes before mentioned namely to cast off all deceiueable lusts which includeth all things forbidden and to put on righteousnesse which implieth a spirituall indowment of al heauenly graces among which none is of that singular force vertue and effect as is zealous and heartie prayer in faith vnfained which none can effectually make but such as haue put on this new man for the olde man knoweth not how to pray being clothed with corruption and blinded with the mist of ignorance The new man only shaped in holinesse knoweth to whom when in whom for what and how to pray all which circumstances are duly to be considered in prayer and yet neither of these dooth the naturall that is the old man truly apprehend and consequently the lip-labor that he pretendeth to bestow in prayer is not onely not profitable but sinfull CHAP. VIII Carnall wisedome hath not chiefe place of counsell in the regenerate man he dependeth on God and not on the meanes in any enterprise FRiends we obserue do most vsually communicate together not by way of dissimulation but by sincere affection and one is ayded and comforted of another according to the occasions each propoundeth to other And shal we think that that man that loueth God will estrange his occasions from the counsaile of God Will hee deliberate of any matter of importance but will first consult with the Oracle of Gods mouth And will hee not impart his occasions by powring them forth vnto him in praier assuring himselfe that God againe will answer him by his holy spirit and by him certifie his spirit what he shall doe and what course hee shall take both for the atchieuing of the good he desireth for the auoyding the danger he feareth No carnall counsel whatsoeuer not warranted by the word shall be admitted to that consultation or resolution he will abandon all carnall respects and onely holde himselfe to diuine direction hee will not vse humane wisedome but as it were a hand-maide to diuine prudence It may serch and find out such wants and corporall necessities as are fit in spiritual vnderstanding to be supplied but leaueth the execution to diuine wisdome which produceth faith and faith prayer for the obtayning thereof at the hands of God And as Abraham left his seruants and Asses behinde him when he went to offer vp his sonne so doth this heauenly wisedome leaue all carnall respects behinde when it approcheth towards God to offer the sacrifice of prayer or praise Contrariwise it is too manifest that the most carrie their carnall vanities with them eueÌ„ to the Altar making their petitions partly in the flesh and partly in the spirit in part beleeuing and in part doubting halting before God and yet seeming to walk vprightly before men who iustifie or coÌ„demne the outward action not seeing the inward heart To pray vnto God with the lippes for any corporall benefit and yet to haue the eye of the hart fixed in confidence vpoÌ„ naturall means is a kinde of spirituall adultery For what man is hee that hauing a wife outwardly affable vsing wordes of loue vnto him and yet her heâ—rt set vpon another man will not thinke her a faithles and vnchaste wise And is God lesse iealous think we who craueth our hearts when we shall worship him in words and outward shew of works when our consciences cannot but tell vs that we aske that of God which we inwardly beleeue more probable and possible to be obtained by meanes without him Is not this a falsifying of our faith and dissembling of our prayers Is not this a manifest breach of the law that saies we shal haue no other Gods but Iehouah as also not to take his name in vaine as they do that call vpon him with the lips their hearts farre from him The Iewes thinking to make themselues strong by the Egyptians and other carnall meanes left their dependancie on God therfore did God denounce his iudgements against them Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh any kind of carnal meanes his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord hee shall not see when any good commeth How can he then attribute praise or prayer vnto God for whatsoeuer successe when he groundeth his hope on earthly meanes and not on God Nay though hee pray vnto God and yet dependeth more and puts more hope on secondarie meanes if he find that come to passe that hee desired how can hee but yeeld part of the praise vnto the mediate cause wherein hee in part trusted and so derogate the praise due vnto God who is eyther all or no part of the cause of that wished successe For although God vse naturall instruments to effect his will not onely in relieuing his children when they pray vnto
kinde of inward desire that God would doe according to our wills for naturally the will of man is neither rightly affected towards his owne mind nor towards the will and word of God It is the rule of right reason that the wil should be directed by the minde but contrarily and preposterously the will ouerswayes the minde and drawes it as by coÌ„straint to many inordinat desires and therefore when the minde begins to incline it selfe to the sacred exercise of prayer the will as an vnequall yoke-fellow peruerts the minde distracts it into many noysom lusts wandering thoughts This cannot the most godly and most faithfully zealous man but find in his deuoutest praiers and therefore wee ought in our prayers to restraine our cogitations from earthly things and the more wee feele them to range here and there as sensibly wee may so much the more earnest zealous we ought to be and so much the more watchfull that they steale not away our spiritual affectioÌ„s which cause the minde to ascend euermore vpward to the Throne of his grace who by his holy spirit is readie to assist our spirits to suppresse our erring thoughts and to rectifie our mindes according to his own will CHAP. X. Whence all our transgressions do proceede and the reason why we cannot pray aright the means to reform it OVr transgressions proceede all from this that against the rule of diuine reason we preferre our will and our desires before the most holy will of the Lord our God How then can we truly seek him whose will our wills as much as in vs lieth seeketh to resist The Apostle sheweth the reason saying The naturall man hath such a mind as cannot vnderstand the things of God and such a will as is not subiect to the law of God nor indeed can be How then can the minde conceiue how or for what to pray And how can the will frame the faculties of vtterance and other diuine affections How can it frame it selfe to pray vnto God according to the right rule prescribed vnto vs by God seeing that this exercise is sacred holy spiritual the mind wil altogether carnall profane And therfore al the praiers which natural men make in the habite of the olde man do not onely not profit them but turn rather vnto a curse then a blessing vnto them What man is hee then knowing this will lie stil in his natural corruption and ignorance hauing the way laide out before him the meanes of direction offered him the promise made vnto him and the reward assured him the way is Christ the directioÌ„ in that way is the word the promise is to receiue what wee aske and the reward is life eternall the way is straight the direction plaine the promise iust the reward great In earthly affaires there is a continuall common emulation who may grow greatest wisest most glorious whose best reward is but a vanishing shadow How foolish then are wee to see and suffer all men to outstrip vs in spirituall things and our selues to lagger behinde loth to goe forward in diuine duties as trewantlike schollars with il wil and by compulsion prepare them to the Schoole Hee then that may and will not endeuour to attaine vnto diuine knowledge by the word and thereupon namely vpon the promises of God made therein to builde a liuely assurance of Gods neuer-fayling goodnesse towards him and in that faith will not seeke God in all his occasions by continuing prayer is neyther worthy to haue the promises performed vnto him of the good things of this life nor of the life to come Let vs therefore learn to deny our selues and endeuour to subdue our owne wills and wholly to subiect them to the will of God so shall wee neuer vndertake consult determine or conclude any action vntil wee haue enquired what the will of God is therein by faithfull prayer CHAP. XI The neglect of the cnmmunicating with God in prayer is the cause that many run headlong to their owne ruine seeking what they need in a wrong course not feeling their owne spirituall wants THe want of holy search desire to be enlightned in the diuine duetie of praier and to bee directed therein is the cause that so many men runne headlong into their owne ruine in rashly enterprising that without coÌ„municating with God which they in naturall reason conceiue will prooue to their high contentment as in making choise of religion the highest point of diuine wisedome in choosing a wise and the like The Shechemites without consulting with God tooke vpon them the seale of the couenant which was a true note truly taken of the true children of God but because they took it to a carnall end what reward they had appeareth Gen. 34. So did Simon the Magician couet spirituall gifts to vse them to carnall ends and the like doe they that to obtaine corporall maintenance and to be free from some calamitie rashly without consulting with God by learning his word and by prayer thrust themselues into the Romane Catholike or into any other false Religion Nay to intrude into the profession of the true Religion for the respects abouesaid and not in a feeling of diuine loue to the spirituall effects it worketh to Gods glory and their owne comfort is not onely not to be truly religious but vnder the cloake of true religion to be indeed a profane Atheist God commands vs not to coÌ„tract marriage but vpon due deliberation and consideration forbids to contract with any of a false Religion Isack and Iacob fearing and obeying the liuing God sought their wiues not by worldly adâ—uice but therein to be directed by God And to that end did Abrahams seruant pray vnto the GOD of his Master Abraham that hee might bee guided by some diuine instinct how to chuse a wife for his Masters sonne and all things succeeded vnto him beyond naturall reason But Esau contrariâ—y without consulting with God or coÌ„municating with his parents tooke him wiues of the Gentiles a profane irreligious people such as for the Iewes to contract matrimonie withall was an abhomination Prayer or consultatioÌ„ with God is the best but the last worke of chiefest but of least regard in this age in most capitall causes and of greatest consequence And therefore the most of them succeed to the perpetual trouble and griefe of the parties And that which hath been said of the former two namely of the choise of Religion and a wife may hold for and in all other matters belonging to the life and gouernement of man in this life especially in the election of some function or calling in Church or Common-weale wherein experience maketh manifest that little or no conscience is made to craue direction from God but according as the profession or mysterie seemeth likely to proue profitable or discommodious is the desire made the more hote or cold But to consider how it may stand with Gods greatest glorie
action If these most impious consorts enterprise not their wicked acts but in the shew of calling mutually on God were it not a shame to professed Christians to attempt any matter lawfull of greatest moment without touch of any consideration of the necessitie or vtilitie of faithfull prayer If the children of darkenesse can point out their more then heathenish attempts by the outward tokens and termes of deuotion to their assured condemnation what will become of cold Christians that so little regard the holy duty of prayer in all their actions to their soules saluation CHAP. XIII Euery faithfull Christian findeth comfort in praier the neglect whereof admits many euils WHo is that faithfull Christian that hath practised this holy exercise and hath not found comfort to his conscience and helpe in his occasions Whosoeuer findeth the continuance of inward vexation of the mind let the cause arise from spirituall or corporall occasions he may assâ—re himself it proceedeth most ordinarily at least from his seldom or neuer praying vnto God Griefe oftentimes procureth teares which seem somthing to asswage the sorrow but it is as it were the slacking of the band that gripes the wound too hard but teares passing from the heart through liuely prayer doe not onely ease the griefe for a while but heale it altogether and keep the wounded parts sound so long as the plaster of true prayer is applied with faith thereunto The teares that wee spend must bee spent before God who hath promised to receiue them as they fal from a liuely feeling heart and to put them in the bottle of his remeÌ„brance reseruing them as witnesses of our true repentance that the sinnes in sorrow whereof we shedde them may be washed away by the bloud of Christ and not to rise vp in iudgement against vs. And these teares are of themselues as so many petitions vnto God who hath bound himselfe by promise to register them as so many preuayling requests wherby he giues oftentimes what inwardly we desire as soone as the first teare falls from a broken and contrite heart Dauid affirmeth that God pardoned his sinne as soone as he had any motion to craue it God requireth not our prayers because hee hath neede of them as a seruice beneficiall or profitable vnto him but because wee hauing neede of his graces and blessings and that hee loueth vs in his beloued son hee willeth vs to pray vnto him for euery spirituall and corporall blessing And although it be true that hee knoweth wherof we haue need yet in common reason hee that wanteth and disdaines to aske he is not worthy to receiue that whereof he hath neede CHAP. XIV The most happiest men in the world are they that most often communicate with God in prayer and not the most glorious worldly men whose miserie is to come and what consolation remaineth for the godly THe men that haue greatest shewes of happinesse in this life are not the blessedst men but the poor in spirit that haue their continuall recourse vnto God they that communicate often with and truly pray vnto him althogh their estates bee neuer so vnpleasant to flesh and bloud yet theirs is the promise of this life and the life to come The Church of Corinth in the bâ—ginning consisted as appeareth for the most part of the poorest and meanest of the people and such as appeared to the world fools and Idiots and they that seemed more wise more mightie more noble were left out of the number of them that were called Yet God preferred not the base in the world before the noble to make them proud of their calling but that they might be constrained as it were to reioyce in the Lord by whose mercie they had obtained in Christ wisedom and all things necessarie to saluation before the more glorious in the world although they were the most base and abiect of all others and to moue them so much the more readily willingly to serue God in thankefulnesse and prayer to testifie their loue to him for his mercies towards them And heauily it will befall them who hauing receiued so many blessings at Gods hands are no whit the more moued to loue him and so many threats for their vnbeleefe and ingratitude and yet not moued to feare him Will they not bee drawne then from their deceiuing vanities will they rather then for lesse then an apple or a messe of pottage disclaime their birth-rights and loose that Kingdome and Crown so dearely pâ—rchased for the faithfull Nay were the losse of it all it were not so horrible If a man missing of the good promised could avoid the dangers threatned it would somthing mitigate the despayring conscience and ease the troubled mind If after death there were neither life nor death if a man might haue no bâ—eing nor feel or endure tormeÌ„t thogh he had no comfort it were a kinde of ease to the carnall mind that knoweth no other heauen then the profits and pleasures of this life nor feareth other hell then the miserie penurie and afflictions of the same But the case is otherwise they that misse the kingdome of heauen by not beleeuing the promise of God by not praying vnto God for direction in the course of their liues may assure themselues thogh they seeme not yet to beleeue it that there remaines for them and attends them the God of darkenesse and the Angels of horror and torment And therefore they that are wise in Christ enlightned with the sanctifying spirit of God obserue the difference between sinne and sanctity betweene the carnall and the spirituall betweene the olde and the new man and finde that the pleasing vanities of this life and the reioycing of the worldly minded haue no solid or sound assurance of continuance no not for a day and after commeth the seueritie of iudgement But the spirituall man vndergoing with patience the bitter miseries incident to a religious and godly life considereth that the continuance of it is but a spanne long and there attendeth him mercie and consolation perpetuall And therfore beareth he the yoake without grudging spending his time not in wantonnesse and chambering not in vanities and carnal pleasures but in all temperance and humblenesse of minde neuer so cheered neuer so full of consolation and alacritie as when hee is hearing God speake vnto him by his word as by preaching or hearing of the same and finding himselfe truely and aptly prepared and zealously exercised in the most holy dutie of praier and heauenly meditations wherein hee speaketh vnto God This is his comfort herein are his ioyes and nothing is so sweete vnto him as heauenly continuall contemplation whereby hee passeth by both the pleasures and penurie of this life as things of that weakenesse to moue loue to the one or feare of the other as hee respects them not but placeth all his affections on God with whom he knoweth that his prayers doe at all times so farre preuaile as at
Sodom how God in iustice is readie to shewe merâ—ie Lâ—â—an his house-hold and cattle prospered for Iacobs sake and Potiphers for Iosephs And therfore wee cannot say but that the prayers of the faithful be they of many few or one auaâ—le much with God And impietie it were to think the contrarie And as God blesseth so hee punisheth manie for one as the whole Host of Israel for the trespasse of Achan yet we cannot but confesse that God in his wisdom oftentimes concealeth his purposes of shewing mercie or sending iudgements to make his dearest children the more watchful and more earnest in prayer and in more and more hardening vnbeleeuers hearts to their deeper condemnation and often delayeth the granting of the requests of his children giueth them in stead some other thing more fit which they asked not He retayneth somtimes things necessary in our opinions lest we shold presume too much vpon his bountie in giuing corporall things crossing our desires lest wee should by the readie successe build too much vpon our vaine vnderstandings as if we knew rightly what were good and what were ill and that we needed but to aske and haue at the handes of God what we would It is enough for the most faithfull Christian to lay downe his request before God to continue his oblation and to waite and attend the leisure of God and rest content with his holy dispensation assuring himselfe that not one thing only but all things whatsoeuer shall worke to the best to them that feare God The faithfull man often exercised in this diuine duty of prayer cannot but acknowledge that things oftentimes fall out better and succeed more to his comfort and true consolatioÌ„ then he required not by chance as many most foolishly conceiue but by the meer mercie and prouidence of God who as he granted vnto Salomon more then hee asked so doeth hee euen in these dayes to his obedient children And yet they cannot truely obserue by any outward or visible working how it should so come to passe no deuice of their own nor instrument of their owne procuring working it to their handes God raised Ionathan to loue Dauid and moued the Rauen to feed Eliah I do my selfe acknowledge Gods vnsearchable goodnesse and prouidence to haue the chiefe place in the working of infinit my deliueries from many dangers and his relieuing me in many and infinit wants And who so denieth that GOD hath his working now both in mercie and in iustice beyond the naturall course or operation of his creatures for the good of his children and punishment of the wicked hath neither spirituall vnderstanding nor true faith Such yet there are whom I haue heard to maintain that they can obserue no difference betweene the reputed religious and the supposed Atheist for they cannot see but either of these haue their fortunes alike he that prayeth hath no better nor hee that prayeth not the worse share in this life whereby they raise an argument that all things succeed to all men at all aduenture Let a religious man willing to moue a carnall man to serue God tell him what happy and wished successe he hath had by his prayers to God what continuall comforts he findeth thereby how hee hath beene deliuered from apparent iminent perils how he hath bin prouided for in his greatest wants how hee hath escaped the things hee feared and how all things worke to his good contentment will not the carnall man say Tush this befalls all men without respect of the ones vertues or the others vices Will he not affirme that the Cattell Corne and all earthly blessings fall as well vpon the Drunkard Whoremonger Blasphemer and whatsoeuer irreligious as vpon the most zealously religious and deuout person And do they not hereby shew that in their hearts they say that either there is no God or that he is a God that maketh no difference betweene the good and the euill between the religious profane betweene the faithfull and the infidell Yet indeede it cannot bee denied but God in mercie keepeth vnder his children whom he will saue exercising them with fatherly crosses and gentle corrections and in iustice permitteth the Reprobate to haue their portions in the fulnesse of pleasures and delights of this life But who so obserueth the ends of both cannot but see the carnall man leaue this life with horror and his goods with griefe and the other in peace who expiring his last breath recommends his soule into the hands of God aspiring in a liuely faith vnto the Kingdome promised with most holy and heauenly alacritie CHAP. XX. The naturall man misconceiueth of true happinesse whereby hee runneth into many absurdities by the suggestion of Sathan THe sottishnes of mans nature and mans misconceiuing of good and euil things is such as it thinketh nothing heauenly but pleasure and profit nothing to befal by a diuine prouidence but by chance and therfore they that pray or pray not are equally rich strong wittie healthfull and alike happie Oh more then blind ignorance palpable Atheisme peruerting the harts of men supplanting Religion and quenching faith condemning prayer the prop of all mens happines which without faith is yet of none effect Infinit are the absurdities whereinto such as know not God plunge themselues for being once ledde out of the way which is Christ they cannot but follow Sathan For there are but two principall spirituall powers that haue dominion ouer al men and they haue their seuerall Kingdomes opposit as light and darkenesse truth falshood heauen and hell And as their Dominions are spirituall so leade they their subiects spiritually the one by grace to the performance of all spirituall dueties in heauenly obedience the other by all possible illusions deceits and spirituall wickednesse in this corporall life This latter gaineth more meÌ„ by his plausible suggestions then Christ by his true and infallible word the reason is for that he first preuayled to betray man euen the father of men by whom and in whom all men by nature are subiect to the same falling from God who made him to the diuell that seduced him And no maruell thogh he lay baits to betray vs now hauing so long practised his treacheries preuailed so much leading men into a thousand by-wayes he careth not how menwalk so they follow not Christ hee cannot beare with patience that men should beleeue the promises of God in Christ nor his threats for disobedience and for not belieuing the Gospel of Christ. And therefore casteth hee a mist before the eies of mens vnderstandings that they may not apprehend Gods mercies towards them that doe well nor his iudgments towards them that doe euill But as GOD cast Adam in a slumber when hee tooke out his ribbe to make a woman so doth he couet to lull men asleepe when he purposeth to steale their hearts from GOD to make them reprobates And as he turneth himselfe into an Angell
of light so hee turneth all his plausible allurements to the confusioÌ„ of them that consent by suggesting them good he deludeth men by the counterfeit imitation of Christ himselfe as by fained fastings voluntarie penurie wilfull idlenesse and causeth men to reclude themselues thereby to merit saluation leauing the world before the time and to become vnprofitable members of Church or Common-wealth hee preuenteth true faithful and cordiall prayer by prayers in a strange language vttered without vnderstaÌ„ding or feeling he maketh men to misconceiue of all Gods threats and tokens of his indignation as when God sendeth tokens of his anger for sinne eyther in or by the ayre by supernaturall exhalations and extraordinarie apparitioÌ„s as of late he hath done by fierie inflamations and bloudie euaporations by the extraordinary rage of the windes causing the Seas to surmount the bounds making fearful inundations vpon the land to the destruction of men and multitudes of beasts and most lately to the confusion of many ships and men cast away vpon diuers coasts when he sends these vnusuall distemperatures of seasons scarcitie of food famine plague or war when he fireth the Towns and Cities round about vs this deceiuer saith vnto the hearts of carnall men and suggesteth vnto them that all these things are natural comming of causes ordinarie and idle it is and sauoring of a needlesse feare to thinke they are forerunners of greater danger whereby hee holdeth men in continuall security and a weening that al is wel and that God is not displeased with our coldnesse in religion with our rebellions transgressions and intollerable sinnes which is the cause that men liue so carelesly so backwardly in seruing of God holding preaching vnprofitable and prayer fruitlesse neuer giuing GOD thankes for his mercies nor fearing his iudgements CHAP. XXI Englands many blessings and deliueries are not so duely considered nor so thankefully embraced as they ought being too much ascribed to humane carnall meanes which breedes ingratitude and securitie IT cannot but seem strange I thinke to all that haue but common but especially to such as haue diuine vnderstanding that England hauing receiued at the hands of God so many and most wished blessings both in giuing vs good things and preuenting vs of euill and that farre beyond the apprehension of the wisest worldly man should so generally forget themselues as if they were so familiar and ordinarie as were worthy of no admiration the reason is as before is said wee cannot perswade our selues they be the wonderfull workes of God Queene Elizabeths many and strange deliueries and ours in her the more then admirable ouerthrow of the Spanish inuincible-reputed Nauie the discouery of so many plots and complotments of treasons and conspiracies were they by chance or was God the Author of them Indeed some haue endeuoured to ascribe the praise to carnall meanes and to rob God of the honor thereof by attributing the discoueries vnto humane wisedome and the ouerthrow of the Spanish Nauie to our owne arme neyther of them due to either for it was God that gaue the means and blessed them for our safetie and as working instruments vnder God they are to be embraced But to say that if such a man had not taken such a course such a plot had not beene discouered if such an accideÌ„t had not falne out or such a stratagem beene inuented and put in practise the successe had not beene so good is to attribute the power of doing the miracles in Egypt to Moses rod not to God Wo to him that excludeth Gods prouidence of the issue of these things as Esay saith Wo vnto them that goe downe into Egypt for helpe and stay vpon Horses and trust in Chariots because they are many and in Horse-men because they are very strong but they looke not to the holy One of Israel nor seeke vnto the Lord who is wisest If is a word of condition and only implieth doubt of future euents but to vse it in matters alreadie com to passe is most idle and vaine StultuÌ„ est dicere non putâ—ram A man were better to holde his peace when things are done not to be redeemed be they done with or against his will then to applie this doubtful word If. For it hath onely force to condemne his ignorance and to commend Gods prouidence in whose dispensation are mercie and iudgement the first obtayned the second auoyded by faithful praier And the most that can bee spoken of humane wisedome and prouidence in such cases of eminent consequence is that God vouchsafed vnto such a man the reason to appreheÌ„d such or such dangers and to vse such and such meanes to preuent them as in Ioseph in foreseeing the plentie and prouiding for the dearth but to say it came immediatly from the naturall apprehension of any mortall creature to worke the good or to preuent the euill of a Nation Prouince Citie Familie or priuat man were to affirme that God is not vniuersally omnipotent absolutely prouident and consequently that to pray vnto him were both needlesse fruitlesse which were the highest degree of impietie and is onely found in them that know not God And therefore it behoueth Christians to be truely watchful and duly conuersant in praier so shall nothing succeed vnto them but either to their approued good or tolerable euill wherein he shal be thankfull for the first and patient in the second knowing that nothing cometh to passe by chance or at aduenture but by God who worketh all in all I am the Lord and there is none other I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create euill saith the Lord. Nothing therefore will rise vp in iudgement against vs in a higher degree then ingratitude receiuing so many continuing blessings at Gods handes yet to shew not onely no thankfulnesse but in stead to become the more rebellious stubborne and stiffe-necked adding sin to sin and heaping vp transgression vpon transgression as it were with greedinesse neuer regarding the manifolde dangers that doe palpably houer ouer our heads but as men drunken with new wine we lie secure euerie man in his particular sensualitie seldome or neuer repayring vnto God in praier But let vs awake and consider in what drowsinesse we pass our peace making it the feast of our bewitching delights giuing God neither thaÌ„ks for good receiued nor standâ—ng in fear of his iudgments threatned And let vs ruminate a little vpon our duties and then can wee not but finde that our neglect of hearing God speaking to vs and our seldome colde speaking vnto him in thankfulnesse and prayer will tell vs that wee are falne into a fearefull and mortall Lethargie Are the mercies of God rightly considered and duly weighed in giuing vs our good Iosiah worthiest King Iames for establishing him in the steed of our deceased Deborah with and in him the vse and continuance of true religion and that without bloud Doe
not all the Kingdomes of Europe admire stand amased at our happinesse in our blessed Soueraigne And can his Maiesties deliuerie from Gowries conspiracie in Scotland be thought ordinarie circumstances cōsidered How much lesse the powder Treason that so long lay couerd with so many difficulties the arrow being drawn as it were to the head before the string was broken ayming not only to hit the Lords anointed and royall family the Nobles Counsellors of state the Bishops and worthiest of all parts of the land but at an instant in a moment the vtter ruine subuersion and confusion of all estates degrees qualities and people of all conditions howsoeuer suggested an infranchisement to pretended Catholikes euen many of them also had tasted the same cup of extirpatiō with the more loyally affected and more religiously disposed The plot was laide by the policie of Sathan practised by his members discouered by God himselfe who reueiled the same vnto his annointed without humane intimation of the thing what the place where the persons by whom it was to be performed This for the present was wonderful in euery mans eyes men for a time lifted vp their hands as it were to God tokening thankefulnesse but it seemed to bee but like a splending sunne that shined for a while with glorious acknowledgeing that it was the very hand of God but now eclipsed with the cloud of forgetfulnesse somtimes it falls ouer the Pulpit into the eares but seldome into the hearts nor considered according to the worth of so worthy a deliuerance Moses erected stones in memoriall of the Israelites deliuerie from Pharoh to shew to posterities what God had done for them and to testifie their thankfulnesse to God but it seemeth that we haue turned our fleshly hearts into stones to testifie our ingratitude and to witnesse against vs how little we feare future dangers For were these former fauours of God written in our hearts could our tongues cease so long from praising God should we not be still mindfull of it be stirred vp to mixe with our thankefulnesse prayer that as hee hath vouchsafed to discouer and preuent so horrible treasons so it might please him to worke for vs against all Antichristian future complotments Sathanicall stratagems CHAP. XXII The Church of Christ militāt and Sathans Church malignant seek the ouerthrow one of the other but by contrary meanes and that all Christians are to pray for the defence of the first without which it is to bee feared it may suffer violence AS long as God hath in this kingdom a church militant it will not be auoyded but here will Satan haue his Church malignant and these cannot but be so opposite the one to the other as the one wisheth not the other to stand The first seeketh the conuersion of the second by gentle and Christian endeuours by perswading according to the rule of Christ praying for them in loue lifting vp no hand no sword no weapon of offence onely the sword of iustice for Treasons Treacheries and Conspiracies against the King and Kingdom wherin if there should bee no iustice inflicted it could not but embolden propagate more and more insolencie and boldnesse to execrable attempts so should the sword of the Magistrate be censured a partie of selfe-danger and confusion But the last seeketh the confusion of the first by treasons treacheries conspiracies massacres bloud nay by killing of Kings and by whatsoeuer inhumane vnnaturall and hellish attempt Iudge ye therefore iudge ye that giue aime to either yee that gaze vpon the controuersie and are indifferent whether of these is likest Christ and his Church the first that neuer foiled hand in bloud vnder the pretence of Religion or that which hath no other meanes to support it but the bloud of Princes and confusion of people Is there any so blear eyed that distinguisheth not the difference let him pray that God will open his eyes for flesh and bloud teacheth it not Now therfore as the cause of the Church militant is generall and her danger vniuersall so are or ought to be the prayers of euery mēber both in publique and priuate generall as well for the whole as for part these prayers haue the promise of defence of protection and freedome that whatsoeuer succeedeth shall bee for the best By meanes of which prayers though the successe suddenly at all times appeareth not God is moued to haue a watchfull eye and to extend a protecting hand ouer his people and that was it that defended Queene Elizabeth and that suffered not King Iames to be surprised by the conspiracie of Gowrie nor the treasonable plot of powder to take effect for many saithfull harts among infinite are doubtlesse daily lifted vp to God for his protection And although they foresee not the dangers God preuenteth them through the prayers of his little flocke made vnto him in generall in the name of his Christ. And impious it were to affirme that these dangers haue beene preuented and our deliueries wrought by chaunce without Gods prouidence and working Where God then is not continually solicited as well in priuate by his Saints as in publique by visible assemblies there cannot but follow some correction and that vpon Gods owne peculiar people for the neglect of calling vpon God his iudgements vpon the contemners of this holy duetie Prayer and it is to be feared that GOD hath beene enforced to come down to see whether the coldenesse of prayer and the crie of our sinnes bee according to the vnpleasing sauour which is ascended from vs into his presence be so or not Let vs repent let vs turn vnto God and humble our selues in sack cloth and ashes in a true and religious conuersion in faith prayer vnfained CHAP. XXIII The death of the late Prince is not lightly to bee forgotten nor our general praiers for his Maiestie and royall issue to bee neglected publiquely and in priuate for prayer auaileth much being feruent DOe wee lightly passe ouer or little consider that God hath depriued vs of the Anchor of our hope a corner stone of his spirituall building in earth the second piller of his Church May we not think that God foresaw him likely to proue too good to goe in and out before so vnthankfull a people Although hee preserue vnto vs and for vs our most worthy of Kings Let vs not thinke it is for our deserts but for his loues sake to his Annointed and our Soueraigne for his mercies sake vnto his Church Therefore let vs abandon sinne let vs retire our selues to him that calleth vs let vs lift vp our voyces in praises and praier that The holy one of Israel wil be pleased to blesse the K. the Kings son of his English Israel in whose prosperitie he hath as it were included our safetie There are a multitude of Sinners let a multitude of sighes bee speedily sent forth before the decree of his iudgements be sealed against vs let vs send
forth the Doue of true contrition out of the Arke of our repenting hearts it may bring vs the Oliue branch of reconciliation and peace with God Prayer preuenteth perils and howsoeuer some misconceiue that there are but few truely religious faithfully zealous yet no doubt God hath his seuen yea seuentie thousand that cease not to solicite him not only in publique but in their priuate clossets not for themselues alone but for the king kingdome people whose praiers haue promise to preuaile And therefore it cannot be said that the prayers of the faithfull are either none or few or little or not auaileable as some men thinke because as they affirme they respectiuely precede not euery vnknown or vndiscouered danger As if God knew not whereof Nations Kingdomes and people haue neede eyther of things wanting to be supplied or things dangerous to be preuented If he be truly called vpon in one danger he deliuereth from many as if in Famine a people bee relieued by their faithfull praiers vnto God hee in regard of their humiliation and repentance doth free them froÌ„ the plague which hee purposed should haue followed the Famine and of Warres that should haue followed the Famine and Plague As he did with the people of Samaria whom he did not only relieue with plentie after their famine but from their enemies also And this holdeth not in generall multitudes only but with priuate men fearing and faithfully seruing GOD in constant perseuerance CHAP. XXIV Deuotion lately hote is now become more colde which may presage some consequent danger but the practise of the word and prayer preuaileth with God the neglect whereof maketh men senselesse of sinne IT is to be lamented to obserue how the coldnes of Christian deuotion encreaseth especially considering how zeale flourished within these few yeares and how fruitfully it wrought in the hearts of many insomuch as there seemed a kinde of religious emulation in yong and old who could be most forward in hearing the word preached in the Churches in reading the same and praying together not only in the Church but also in their Families but now many are slack in that Christian duty and some hold it a sufficient seruice of God to visite the Church once a weeke on the Sabbath day to heare the word to conioyne in concluding the ordinary prayers saying Amen and somtimes to receiue the outward signes of the Sacraments neglecting in the meane time to meditate vppon the word of God which they haue heard to confirm the beleeuers faith And faith begetteth all other graces especially prayer which preuaileth with God aboue all other duties if it be feruent and is as it were the life of al other vertues the life mouing of the soule The neglect whereof may bee well compared to the foolishnes of a man voluntarily staruing himselfe for as the neglect of moderate receiuing food doeth by degrees macerate and in fine consume the bodie and it perisheth so the contempt of prayer workes in the soule a loathing of the word whereon vnlesse the soule doe feed it cannot but wax feeble in faith the want whereof is the absolute confusion of the soule which as the Fish cannot liue out of the water the Salamander out of the fire nor the Camelion out of the ayre cannot liue out of it owne element the word of God by which it was created the word profits not without meditation and praier hearing reading and often ruminating the same For as the seede sown though in a good soil if it haue not the former and latter raine it will not grow to perfection so the word vnlesse it bee watered as it were by continuall practise and prayer fructifieth not although the carnall man growing from ill to worse feeleth it not nor findes how he decayeth but as one in a consumption dieth spiritually The regenerate man by the Word the Sacraments and Prayer perceiueth in himselfe a daily increase of liuely effects working in his heart more and more assurance that all things shall worke together for the best in this life and after this life his endlesse glorie Moreouer the spirituall man apprehendeth in himselfe the lest motion of sinne hee perceiueth when the flesh or his corrupt thoughts begin to rebell in the least measure then beginneth hee to encounter them by abstinence and prayer But the carnall man sold vnder sinne is of another more obdurate temper hee feeleth nothing to be sinne But as a man may make what corosiue or incision he will in a dead member without feeling or pain as in a gangrine or the like so when the soule of a man is dead in sinne and his conscience seared vp nothing can be felt to be sinne Contrarily as the least pricke of the point of a needle annoieth the liuely flesh so the least prick of Sathans temptations is felt and auoyded by the regenerate man CHAP. XXV Beasts foreseeing flye danger more then reasonable men besorted with securitie and the pleasures of this life THere is no creature in the world so dul and insensible but can foresee and by natures instinct endâ—uor to preuent and flie danger and yet a carnall man endowed with reason oftentimes runneth wilfully into his owne ruine As while he with the foolish flie soareth about the vaine pleasures of this world scorcheth the wingâ— of diuine obedience and falleth into endlesse destruction He may be compared to Esops Hart who while hee beheld his beautifull head in the water forgetting the perrils which follow securitie is suddenly surprised by death euen while hee is foolishly admiring his owne vaine pride and worldly delights in the glasse of vulgar admiration Such men therefore that thus loose themselues in the wood of worldly contentments seldome or neuer finde the Temple to pray in with profit but for fashion and depart not iustified at all but rather condemned When theeues assaile or enemies approch to beleager a Citie euery man betakes him to his weapons and he that endeauours not to preuent the danger cannot but be held an enemie How stands it then with vs who haue permitted the house of our soules to bee robbed Are wee not enemies to our owne soules The pleasures of the world the lusts of the slesh haue stolne away our hearts from the liuing God the vanities of our minde the riches and pleasures of the world and the pride of life haue not only besieged but entred and surprised our vnderstandings captiuated our wils they haue depriued vs of our defensiue weapons stript vs of our spirituall ornaments they haue disarmed vs of the sword of the Spirit taken from vs the shield of faith the buckler of patience despoyled vs of the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the helmet of saluation haue they defrauded vs of Thus haue our theeuish delights and our enemies sinnes of all sortes dealt with vs and yet such is our sottish senselesse condition as being left naked of all goodnes wee feele not our
the PhysitiaÌ„ who being thus sought is euer readie at hand and expecteth no reward but our new obedience and to obserue the diet he prescribeth namely to sinne no more with a caueat lest a worse thing happen vnto vs. Wee must not onely not doe euill but we must do good we must not only flie vice but follow vertue which rules implie al the duties that a Christian man ought to performe towards God and his neighbour among which prayer being the cheefest is cheefly required which if it bee enkindled by the fire of Gods spirit produceth such a spirituall zeale in our affections as begetteth that loue whence proceedeth our true obedience to God and the deâ—ire to doe good to our neighbors which are diuine vertues inseparable For hee that loueth God cannot buâ— loue his neighbour also CHAP. XXIX Wee ought to pray as well for our neighbours as for our selues The vse of prayer is two-fold publique and priuate Meditation enkindleth prayer AS prayer to God and loue to our neighbour go necessarily together how can a Christian man then pray to God for himselfe therein forget hâ—s brother whom God commandeth him to loue as himselfe wherein is included not only his naturall brother and priuate friend but all men in general but especially the Church of Christ and the members of the same And therefore it is to be considered that the vse and exercise of praier is two-fold priuate and publique The priuate prayer is the exercise of a faithfull man sequestred froÌ„ the societie of men pouring forth his faithfull â—upplications vnto God in secret and that not of set custome but in affections sanctified vnto the Lord onely and that especially in such times as when he feeleth the spirit of God enkindling in him a kind of inward and spirituall desire thereunto which to a man exercised in this diuine worke is as sensibly felt and perceiued as the beating of his pulse When hee feeleth this heauenly fire begin to waxe hote within him let him not delay to feed it with its proper fuell Meditation and Prayer for by experience the godly man cannot but find that Meditation is as the spiritual bellowes that increaseth the feruencie of prayer Euen as one sparke of fire beeing connexed to the fuell capable or combustible with gentle blowing makes a flame so the least portion of spirituall zeale beginning but to moue in the heart of the beleeuer being by little little cherished by silent but heauenly eleuatioÌ„ of the mind to God breedeth in the end such a powerfull operation as the tongue that was before dumbe and could not moue zealously to vtter and the heart that was before dull could not conceiue what to speake shall so sweetly concurre that without all difficultie and harshnes such a sweet sacrifice shall ascend from the hart to the lips and from the heart and lippes to the heauens as the tongue it selfe cannot expresse the sweetnesse it bringeth vnto the soule For that spirit that first kindled the desire administreth the matter for the heart to conceiue and frameth the wordes that the lips doe vtter in farre more diuine manner then the wisest carnall man could euer deuise or speak and it bringeth with it more ioy true consolation then gold or the most precious earthly thing And more solide and sound peace to the conscience then the tongue of man is able to vtter It is the most truely approoued remedy against all the griefes and troubles of the minde It easeth the afflictions crosses torments and persecutions of the bodie And were it possible that this sacred gift could be obtained by carnal meanes and the carnall man knew the vertue sweetnesse of it he would sel all his earthly possessions to buy it CHAP. XXX How when and where priuate prayers are to be made An erronious conceit of priuate prayer What sweetnesse priuate prayer brings to the soule THE priuate prayer before mentioned is not alwayes made in a Closset or Chamber Although Christ willeth vs when wee pray to enter into our chamber and there to pray to him in secret The mening wherof is that wee should not bee seene Pharisaically to make our priuate prayers in a publike manner as to bee seen of men The open fields is as a priuate Closset to him that sequestreth himselfe froÌ„ the societie of men for that holy purpose as it is supposed Isack did when hee met Rebecca his wife Sometimes this prayer is made euen in the middest of ill-disposed companie and in the very act of most serious businesse though not ceremoniously as vpon the knee bare headed striking the breast or lifting vp the eyes or hands which are externall gestures most meete to be vsed in prayer But places times and persons are to be considered for the outward gesture but the inward heart and the sanctified affection without any outward appearance of prayer may secretly send vp vnto God inward sighes and desires which may preuaile with God as did Anna Moses Nehemiah Hee that made the heart knoweth it how it is prepared within looketh not to the lippes how they moue as Helie did to Annaes but to the heart as Christ did to Zacheus The place where and the time when touching our priuate prayer are not much materiall so the occasion be rightly considered For in the time of vnseasonable wet to pray for raine in time of sufficiencie to pray for increase were absurde But as the occasion doth offer it selfe in whatsoeuer place at whatsoeuer time in whatsoeuer manner diuine reuerence to God considered it is accepted with God Daniel praied among the Lions in the den Ieremie in the dungeon the three children in the Ouen Dauid in the Wildernesse Gedion at his threshing Elisha at the plough Wheresoeuer we are and whatsoeuer we doe in our vocations we are in the presence of God may there then send forth our silent preuailing praiers and Christ the mediator will present them as sweet odors before our God in Heauen Ioseph Paul Peeter Silas Iohn Baptist found the Lord in their prisons It is a fond conceipt of some men that thinke there is no place fit no not for priuate prayer but the Temple nor God any where else to bee found or prayed vnto but in and towards the East as if he were not aswell in the west vpon al the points degrees of the Compasse In the Zenith ouer our heads and with the Antipodes directly vnder vs Before vs behind vs on our right hand and on our left In the Sea with Peter In the Whales bellie with Ionah In shipwrack with Paul And therefore wee may conclude that there is no place where God is not So we may pray euery where And if our prayer be faithfull he heareth vs walking working riding sitting yea and in our familiar talking the minde may haue her affections in Heauen the soule may cast forth certaine inward holy desires and yet the
bodie may bee occupied in whatsoeuer lawful function But when wee are for that purpose retired and are free both from bodily exercise and from the view of men wee must then conforme our gestures in a mâ—râ— reuerend and more humble outward manner as kneeling vpon our knees and lifting vp our handes and the like giuing our holy desires best satisfaction in so sacred an exercise O happie is that soule that sends forth continuall holy sighes and desires at all times and in all places which are as lowd cries vnto the Lord which God heareth vnderstandeth and answereth and alloweth this kinde of holy deuotion as a forsaking of earthly thinges for a moment to aspire vnto Heauenly contemplation conuersation for euer And this cannot proceede but from a heart full of the loue of heauenly thinges of God especially who hath as wee may thereby truly feele the superior power in vs ouer vs and in his loue draweth our affections from earthly to heauenly cogitations altogether alone for our saluation And happy is he that with Dauid delighteth therein CHAP. XXXI The helpes and hinderances of prayer how Sathan striueth to hinder prayer for nothing woundeth him as faithfull prayer in the name of Christ. Wee must bee watchfull and strong to resist him PRayer both priuate and publik haue their helpes and hinderances their motiues and mortifications To stirre vp the heart thereunto nothing more availeth then the often hearing and reading of the word of God which begetteth faith that begetteth prayer sundrie selected Psalmes of Dauâ—d diuers of the writings of S. Paul besides many other Scriptures consideratly read duly meditated are forceable motiues to this diuine dutie The consideration of our sinnes and of the promises of the forgiuing them in Christ The feeling of our spirituall wants The consideration of Gods continuall fauour prouidence and protection in releiuing defending and helping others through faithfull prayer Examples whereof are infinite in the Scriptures doe much further this diuine and heauenly exercise by applying our faith and prayer to God in our like occasions On the contrarie prayer is much hindred and our zeale mortified by the neglect of practise by seldome or carelesse hearing of the Word of God or reading the Diuine Scriptures or some godly workes of good and religious men Not to beleeue that God heareth or respecteth our prayers That he is not able to giue what we aske or to doe what we desire if it bee for his owne glorie and our good To thinke that which hee doth is not for our best To wauer in our prayers or to haue our mindes carried away with by-thoughts that are not answerable concurring with that wee pray for To pray for fashion and without feeling of any necessitie to pray To presume that God will heare our prayers for our owne sakes without the merits and mediation of Christ To faint giue ouer our prayers when we cannot receiue what we would when we would To pray openly and to be seene of men To thinke that wee are not bouÌ„d to pray for our brethren These and manie other like hinderances of prayer are often thrust into our hearts by the policie of Sathan who commeth to hinder all good and godly actions But wee ought not to giue place to his inticements nor yeild to his temptations The most faithfull men haue not only continuall warre with flesh and bloud namely with their owne corrupt affections to keepe them vnder but with Sathan himselfe with spiritual wickednesse When Iehoshua was doing the Office of the High Priest standing before the Angell making his prayers vnto God The Deuil stood at his right hand to hinder him And shall wee thinke that he will be lesse readie to hinder and resist vs in our Diuine excercises He tempted Christ the Lord and will hee forbeare his seruants Hee desired to winnow the verie Apostles of Christ how much more will hee seeke to distract vs in our deuotest prayers which hee thinketh will bee most auailable with God There is nothing vnder the Sun that giues him a more deadly wouÌ„d then our faithfull prayers to God And therefore in his impious policie he endeuoureth to hinder this heauenly exercise in the deerest childreÌ„ of God lest that the righteous soule should so farre preuaile with God as to procure his fauor and grace by prayer and consequently his ayde and holy assistance to encounter this most malicious aduersary It is written that the Lion is afraid at the crowing of a Cocke but nothing maketh Sathan so much afraide as faithfull prayer to Christ whose very name is terrible vnto him hauing tried his force and skill against him in the Wlldernesse vpon the pinacle but especially vpoÌ„ the Crosse where Christ so farre triumphed ouer him as that now howsoeuer malignant he seemeth to be towards Gods children he dareth not to encounter them face to face that vse the sword of the spirit and the shield of faith against him Although through the abundance of his malice to Christ and his elect he leaueth not to tempt them yet it is but by starts and snatches as hee findeth them colde in their spirituall exercises as hee found Dauid idle or thorough weakenesse apt to be drawne into some back-sliding as hee did Peter But what got hee by betraying those innocents It was not long ere they renewed their spirituall strength and then they gaue him such an ouerthrow as afterwards hee could neuer preuaile against the force of their faith It therefore behoueth euerie Christian to be very watchfull that he admit none of these suggestions of Sathan to take away preuent or resist this sacred and diuine dutie of faithfull prayer and to stand fast in the faith to quit them in all his encounters like men Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell for wee wrestle not against slesh and bloud against weake men that haue as we haue their breath in their nostrils but against Principalities against powers and against the Princes of the darkenesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse which are in the high places These are the enemies of our peace with God and therefore endeuor they to steale away our hearts from the liuing God these are they that seeke to resist our prayers to peruert our hearts in prayer to estrange our affections from heauenly things and by no meanes can we repell them but with spirituall weapons as they are spirituall enemies And therefore wee must vse the counsell of the Apostle that is to take vnto vs the armor of God not a part but the whole furniture namely an vpright conscience a godly and holy life knowledge of the Gospel faith vnfained and continuall prayer not for our selues onely but for the Church of Christ and for euery member of the same For the particular weapons of this complete munition wherewith euery Christian ought to be armed