very fears complaints doubts troubles expressed in his own language to have a faithful Minister or prayerful Christian bespeak God for him as if himself was in the very same condition to urge and plead suitable promises and wrestle with the Lord on his behalf Must not this needs more affect the poor wounded soul than a dull form that comes not near his condition I will in short give you Clark in the Life of M. Perkins a relation to this purpose It was the custom of Reverend Mr. Perkins to go to the place of Execution with the condemned Prisoners Once a young lusty fellow going up the Ladder discovered an extraordinary lumpishness and dejection of Spirit Mr. Perkins observing it said to him What man What is the matter with thee Art thou afraid of Death Ah no said the Prisoner shaking his head but of a worse thing Whereupon Mr. Perkins bid him come down and see what Gods grace would do to strengthen him who coming down Mr. Perkins took him by the hand and made him kneel down with himself at the Ladder foot Where that blessed man of God made such an effectual prayer in confession of sins and aggravating thereof in all circumstances with the punishments due to the same as made the poor Prisoner burst out into abundance of tears Mr. Perkins perceiving that he had brought him low enough even to Hell Gates proceeded in the next place to shew him the Lord Jesus Christ stretching forth his blessed hand of mercy and power to save him which he did so sweetly press upon the soul of the Prisoner as cheered him up again to look beyond Death and made him break out into new showers of tears for joy of the inward consolation which he had found and gave such expression of it to the beholders as made them lift up their hands and praise God to seâ— such a blessed change in him and so took his Death patiently and joyfully See here the effect of a prayer in season though I would neither rob God of his glory without whose blessing no such effect could have been wrought nor attribute it to prayer as being conceived and extemporary but I think I may under God ascribe something to the suitableness of it to that poor creatures present condition upon which account I must needs prefer it to such as being framed in such general expressions as may reach any condition cannot be so accommodate to a particular time person or occasion In short then a conceived prayer hath these advantages above a form 1. It leaves the soul more freedom to exert present affections and makes more room for the Spirit to excite graces in the soul suitable to all occasions and emergencies 2. It affords more opportunity to put up suitable petitions to the many and various Wants Temptations Providences and other emergencies respecting our selves or those we pray with and for which must necessarily be attended with more kindly stirrings of affection and exercise of grace than under cold generals 3. It more calls out and imployes the soul makes it more attentive to what it is about and how necessary it is to use the best means to keep the heart to its work in duty there is not an experienced Christian but can tell from the sad experience he hath of his own wanderings and extravagancies 4. And which I look upon as not the least excellency of it it is singularly helpful for edification By the mutual participation of each others gifts exercised in this kind Christians build up one another they not only help to excite present affections and graces but they furnish one another with matter and arguments in prayer So that by this means the body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which Eph. 4. 16. every joâ—nt supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love They that 1 Cor. 14. 12. excell in this gift excell to the edifying of the Church 5. It helps a man better to discern the present frame of his own heart The beating of the Pulse is not a better Tryal of the Temperature of the Body than prayer is of the frame of the soul Something it is true one may discern even under a form but it is much better discerned when out of the Mat. 12. 34 abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh How may a poor soul sometimes discern its want of faith love desire after God delight in God want of godly sorrow compassion and fellow-feeling of his Brethrens miseries by his coldness and straitness in prayer when at sometimes he can scarce utter a word with any feeling at other times he hath plenty of expressions but no stirrings of affection Again at another time how sensibly are these graces exercised in prayer How can he stir up himself to lay hold on God Confess sin with a bleeding heart begg and plead and pursue God with arguments How tenderly can he represent before the Lord the affliction and condition of others and put his soul in their souls stead So that he may judge very much of the present state by his straitness or enlargement in this duty yea he can better discern when he hath the Spirit helping his infirmities and when he is under a desertion These are some of the Advantages of conceived prayer above stated forms And now in a few words to apply what I have said to the Case in hand To which that I may give a clearer Solution be pleased to distinguish with me 1 Betwixt the Absolute Power of Gods Perk. Amos Spirit whereby he being God can do all things he pleaseth and his Ordinate Power whereby he worketh according to that ordinary way and connexion of causes which God hath decree'd and appointed You may thus conceive By Gods Absolute Power he could rain down Manna from Heaven to feed the Jews in the Wilderness but when they came into the Land of Canaan that ceases and he feeds them in the Ordinary way by plowing sowing reaping c. according to that Series of Causes I will hear the Heavens and they shall hear the Hos 2. 21. 22. Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall hear Jesreel Now according to this distinction I say that the Spirits Absolute Power is not restrained by stinted forms He can make the dullest form effectual to excite and quicken the soul no matter what the Tool be if Omnipotency put forth it self the work shall be effected But in the Spirits ordinary way of working which is as you have heard a rational argumentative way wherein he maketh use of means according to their natural vertue and efficacy So a form cannot have that effect upon the soul as a conceived prayer uttered by such as are competently qualified with that gift partly because the customariness of it dulls the souls attention chiefly because it cannot be
more glorified and wee more shamed so in petition though God knows what wee want yet hee would have us sensible of our wants and shew him as it were the grieved place Ja. 1. 5 If any man lack Wisedome and so of any other grace or goodthing let him ask it of God c. Thus it is in Thanksgiving wee must be particular in acknowleging mercies 1 Thessa 5. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every thing give thanks Wee are to summe up as wee can the particular mercies of God Psalm 139. 17 18. how doth David in that Eucharisticall Psalm viz. 18. amplify upon every circumstance of his deliverances so that though this be full and every way absolute as a pattern yet it is not sufficient to attaine all the ends of prayer which doubtless it should have been had Christ intended it properly as a form to be constantly used in the very words and syllables of it I owe as much Reverence to it as those that are the most Zâ—alous contenders for it but I cannot see that our Saviour intended it for more then a platform for our imitation and direction CHAP. II. HAving spoken to these two things I now enter upon the handling of it wherein I shall propose to my self the same end that our Saviour had in giving it viz. to teach you to pray Nor shall I handle every particular Truth which would arise from the words but only such as may direct us in prayer and those in such a Method as I conceive most helpfull to that duty The Usuall and most naturall Division of this excellent Directory for prayer is into 3. Heads 1. The Preface 2. The substance or body of it 3. The conclusion or Doxology In the Preface Our Father which art in Heaven wee have the Object of prayer or him to whom wee must pray described by way of Compellation and that 1. From his Relation to us Our Father 2. From his eminency above us which art in Heaven The first Lesson for our direction in prayer will arise from the whole Preface as Describing God to whom wee pray 1. Doctr. Our prayers are to be directed to God and him only A Truth I hope unquestionable amongst us and therefore needs the less to be insisted on yet because wee may possibly meet with those that may endeavour to shake this foundation let mee fortify you with an Argument or two and then a Reason God command ' s it as a speciall part of that worship which is due to him as God and therefore not to be yielded to any other Psalm 50. 15. Call upon meâ— Amos 5 4 5 6 8. Seek not to Bethel Seek the Lord Seek him that maketh the 7 Starres Isa 8. 19. When they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar Spirits should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead q. d. that were a most vaine and impious thing The Decree passed in the Court of Babylon for 30 dayes Dan. 26. 7. viz. that none should ask a petition of any but of the King is past in Heaven for ever in reference to the great God and everlasting King No prayer or Petition as part of worship is to be put up to any other but to him alone 2. Wee have the universall standing practise of the saints of the Old and New Testament for our direction and imitation Is there the least syllable of their praying to Angels Saints or other creature How are they described Psalm 24. 6. The generation that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Psalm 99. 6. 22. 5. To whom doth Paul bow the knee Eph. 1. 17. or our Saviour direct his prayer John 17 This is the frequent title of the Saints they are such as call on God's name not on any other Acts. 2. 21. Rom. 10 12 13. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 22. What is said to the Contrary of the Patriarch's Abraham's and Jakob's praying to Angels c. scarce deserves confutation and is abundantly done by others yet I shall hint at it by and by Take this Reason Reas Therefore must wee pray to God alone because prayer ascribes to God those attributes and gives him that glory which hee will not have ascribed or given to any other Isa 42. 8. By prayer wee acknowledge God's omniscience for to what purpose is it to pray to him that knows not what wee want or cannot heare us When wee pray wee ascribe to him omnipotency that hee is able to fulfill our requests Mercy and goodness to incline him to heare us Truth and faithfulness to perform his Promises wee ascribe to him the glory of our trust and dependence for how shall wee call on him in whom wee have not beleeved Rom. 10. 14. Now can God who is especially jealous about his glory and worship take it well that wee should rob him of these things which are the Jewels of his Crowne Is it a light matter to give to the Creature that which belongs only to God What can be greater injury to God or more gross Idolatry Use 1 Let us then improve this Truth 1. Into a detestation and abhorceny of that Religion which teacheth to share this honor due to God alone with Angels Sanâ—s or Images perhaps to wicked men Trayâ—ors and Rebâ—ls Thomas Becket c. as some of those were which the Church of Rome hath Canonizâ—d should you be assaulted with Temptations to that Religion have recourse to this pattern tell them that tempt you that the unerring Guide hath taught you to call upon God only that you cannot say to any other but God only Our Father c. that hee to whom you pray must have those three properties which none but God can have 1. Hee must be Lubens willing to heare and help and who is like unto God in this Mich. 7. 18. What care so open as God's 1 Pet. 4. 12. What help so neare at hand Psalm 46. 1. But suppose any other willing yet 2. Hee must be Sciens one that knowes what you want and who but the all knowing God can see into your Souls and know what you stand in need of Matt. 6. 32 Yea hee must know better then your selves for wee are very often ignorant of our wants and necessities and ask what is hurtfull in stead of what is needfull The Physician must have more skill then the Patient else there is little hope of doing him good But 3. Hee must be Potens able both to heare from Heaven to Earth to understand all languages yea the secret sighs and groanes of our hearts Rom. 8. 26. Moreover hee must be able to discerne betwixt those that pray in sincerity and those that pray in hypocrisy and hee must be such a one as can Simul Semel at once heare all suites and petitions in and from all parts of the world and who but God alone can doe all this 1. nor only must hee be able to heare but 2. to help
as to concern their prayers in their Brethrens necessities A duty practised by all the genuine children of God See Psalm 25. ult and 51. ult and 122. 6 7 8. and 137. 5. Neh. 1. 4 5. Isa 62. 1 7. Ephes 1. 16. 1 Thess 1. 2. Phil. 4. c. Col. 2. 1 2. And lest you should think that this is only the duty of publick officers as Paul was the injunction is upon all and for all Eph. 6. 18. Use 1 This blame our private-Spiritedness especially in our single addresses to God are not our private approaches to the Throne of grace too private in this respect how little doe wee interest others especially the community of the faithfull in our prayers how unbeseeming Saints is this narrow-spiritedness Our prayers should be like the Sun whose beames and influences are universally communicated or rather wee should be like our heavenly Father who causes his Sun to shine Matth. 5. 47. how seldom doe wee say Our Father with any Enlargement of heart towards others nay so far wee are I feare from remembring the common concernments of the Church that wee are too little mindfull of our Relations families Neighbourhood Christians this is not a right Gospel Spirit wee follow not our pattern when wee thus confine our devotions 2. Let us therefore put on bowels of Brotherly tenderness and compassion that wee may put up hearty prayers for others for all the Saints the way to attaine this generall Spiritedness is to look more at the grand concernments of Gods name and honor then will our prayers be more publick when wee prefer the glory of God which is chiefly bound up in the publick concernments of his Church before our owne welfare To put you upon getting this frame consider 1. Nothing is a better evidence of your reall membership in the Church 't is naturall to the members of the Spirituall body to 1 Cor. 1â— 25. 2 Cor. 1â— 28. have the same care one for another Herein Paul prooved himself a lively member by his care of all the Churches and where this care is it will vent it self as Pauls did in earnest prayers for the whole Churche's welfare 2. Consider how advantagious this is how infinitly your charity will be multiplyed in its returns upon you by thus putting our prayers into the common stock wee become interested in the common stock and this is indeed a singular benefit flowing from that Article of the Communion of Saints hereby all the Saints are our Factors as wee are theirs and Oh what a thriving trade may be driven by thus making our prayers a common stock Qu. But must wee pray for none but those of whom wee have ground to hope that God is their Father Answ For these wee must especially pray yet for others also that God may be their Father for wee know not what is in the womb of Gods decrees towards those that are yet vile and profligate Sinners Our Saviour prayes not only for those that did but also for those that should beleeve on his name John 17. 20. The Church must travell in birth of those that are yet unborn even for unconverted nations for Sisters that have no breasts Cant. 8. 8. But so that a difference be made in our prayers for them and the faithfull and our petitions suited to their condition CHAP. III. Which art in Heaven WEe have heard something spoken to the first part of the Preface wherein God is described by his Relation to us I proceed to the second part which describes him by his Eminency above us and this is by the designation of the place where hee eminently shews himself I shall not unnecessarily enlarge but keep mee within the bounds of my intended brevity and my eye upon the mark I first proposed viz. to teach you to pray Take what I shall say to this in this single Observation Doctr. 5 In our addresses to God by prayer wee must come to him as in heaven our addresses to God must be directed thither This Salâ—mon minds us of as a Curb to rashness and vain-babling Eccles 5. 2. and hither good Jehoshaphat directs his prayer 2 Chron. 20. 6. 'T is needless to multiply Scripture-proofs rather let us explaine How wee are to conceive God to be in heaven And then give Reasons of the point Explic. And 1. we are not to goe to as God if confined or locally circumscribed in heaven 'T is a piece of Atheisme to limit God there Joh 22. 12 13 14. To suppose God confined within the circuit of heaven and not to regard what is done on earth is the next way to become an Atheist There 's little difference betwixt no God at all and a God so limited nor Secondly Are wee to imagine which would follow upon the former that God must locally descend from heaven when hee heares or gives answer to our prayers his being in heaven doth not nor must is in our conceptions of him suppose him at a distance from us on earth wee must remember that of David Psam 139. 1 12. that hee is present with us that hee hath beset us behind and before c. that hee is intime nostro intimior nearer us than wee are to our selves And as they sung of old hee is extra caelum non exclusus intra coelum non inclusus that hee is so in heaven as not included and so out of Heaven as not excluded a circle whose center is every where and circumference no where in a word wee are not to frame any conceptions of God from his being in heaven prejudiciall either to his generall presence in all places or to his speciall presence with his people in their addresses to him But Thirdly By his being in heaven wee are to understand that more speciall and glorious manifestation of himself which hee there vouchsafes to the Angels and glorified Spirits the more immediate exhibitions and discoveries of his glory such as none but they enjoy in this sense hee is said to 1 Tim. 6. 16. dwell in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see So that in this sense wee are to call upon God as in Heaven And this Reas 1 1. To distinguish God from and declare his eminency above all other false Gods and dunghill-deities which are on earth and confined to their places whence they cannot moove 2. For it is sufficient to name these things To beget in our hearts awfull and reverentiall apprehensions of the divine Majesty the place speaks his sublimity and he speaks in us humility This is the Emphasis of that Scripture Eccl. 5. 2. God is in heaven and thou art on earth therefore let thy words be few q. d. Speake with that reverence as becomes his eminency and thy distance 3. To take off our thoughts from the gross Idolatrous conceptions of a visible deity such as the Heathens fancied and from the carnall Jews conceit of Gods confining himself to a place as
their Temple or the Mountaine of Samaria 4. To corroborate our faith and raise up our hearts in expectation of Gods fulfilling our petitions since Gods being in heaven imports his power and Soveraignty his alseeing eye and all disposing hand this the Psalmist makes the foundation of his confidence against the scornfull scoffes and malicious contrivances of the wicked and the very foundation of humane help razed Psal 11. 1 5. Verse 4. The Lord is in his holy Temple The Lords throne is in heaven 5. To hint to us that it is not the extension of the voice but the intension of the heart that must reach God That right prayer is not meerly the lifting up the hands or exaltation of the voice for how can these reach heaven but the execrcise of faith and others graces That the silent groanes of a devout soul are more prevailing than the loudest heartless exclamations 6. To put us in mind what things are chiefly to be asked viz. heavenly as if wee send for any thing to a friend in a far Countrey wee will desire such as the Countrey affords This title of God serves as a directory or a prompter to teach us what to ask in the first place and to curb us in our petitions for inferiour and earthly things Use 1 Learn hence what self-debasing and God exalting apprehensions become us in prayer Wee cannot have apprehensions too low of our selves nor high enough of God Sauciness ill becomes us earth-worms towards the Majesty of heaven the Conceptions of Gods highness should lay us low the Moon and Sâ—arrs disappear when the Sun arises Man drawing nigh God in way of Communion should as the Moon in conjunction with the Sun lose his own light strip himself naked of all his excellencies Gods perfections are a looking glass wherein wee may best discover our owne imperfections Oh then when wee approach Gods presence let us remember wee come to him who is in heaven Away then with all proud thoughts and self-admiring reflections pull down your plumes put your mouths in the dust This is the genuine frame of the Saints Less Gen. 32. 10. Psam 22. Isa 6. 5. then the least of all thy mercies saith Jacob A worme and no wan saith David Woe is mee I am undone a man of polluted lips and mine eys have seen the Lord of Hosts saith Isaiah High apprehensions of God and humble conceptions of our selves are a suitable frame to bring to God in prayer 2. Must wee make our addresses to God as in heaven what have wee then to doe with the world when wee draw nigh to God Doe carnal earthly sensual hearts become his presence who is in heaven Wee should as Abraham leave the Servants and the Asse at the bottom of the hill when wee goe up to converse with God in the Mount Sursum corda is a suitable memento for a Soul drawing nigh God Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. It is not enough to leave our wicked but wee must lay aside our worldly thoughts Else wee bring Idols in our hearts and God will answer us accordingly Ezek. 14. 3 4. Thy soul must be upon its wing must soar above these terrene vanities else thy Soloecism will be greater then his who cryed out O Jupiter or O heaven and yet pointed with his finger to the earth 'T is a contradiction to thy prayers when thou prayest to thy Father in heaven and thy heart lies groveling upon the earth 3. Then all places are alike as to our nearness to God as the Earth is in respect of its situation a center whereof heaven is the circumference and lines from any part of the circumference to the center are of equall length so is it in respect of Gods hearing of our prayers wheresoever wee are wee are at the same distance if I may say distance to God I mean no more but this that as to acceptance with God there is no difference of place hee that is in heaven respects no more one place on earth then another John 4. 21 2â— The time is coming when neither at Jerusalem nor on this Mountain c. q. d. you think God hath a singular respect to your Mountain the Jews have the like conceit of their Temple but the Truth is it is not the place that God respects but the frame of the heart as in every Nation so in every place hee that feareth Acts. 10. 35. God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him It was a gross mistake that dropt from the pen of a Reverend Prelate when out of zeal to publick places of worship he ascribes the success of prayer to the place and tels us that God hears a man non quia precatur sed quiaâ—ibi As 't is not the gift that sanctifies the altar so neither doth the place the prayer The Jews after Christ's time and if I mistake not before also had their Proseuchae places of prayer but were I beleeve far from attributing such a sanctity to them as some now fancy in our publick-places of assembly let us but judge by the place where they had their Proseuchae Acts. 16. 13. out of the City by a Rivers sid it is more than probable that conveniency or necessity or both might prompt to the choise of such a place not any conceit of sanctity in it either before or after Let men ascribe what conveniency or decency they please to the Fabrick of Churches but take heed of imagining in them any sanctity except they will call the peculiar appropriation of them to the service of God sanctity or efficacy to further us in the success of our prayers even then when God had made peculiar promises to a place viz. the Temple yet hee had not confined himself there but if in the field or when carried a far off into their enemies land they should 1 Kings 7. 46 49. there call upon God hee was as able to hear and as ready to help them 'T is a sweet consideration that in all places God is nigh unto us in all that wee call upon him for and that being in heaven hee is equally present to the faithfull in any place on earth 4. Let us then make heavenly things our first and chief requests to God True wee may and this pattern teaches us to ask outwards but limitedly and in Subordination to Spirituals there is but one petition for them and that as wee shall heare many wa◠〈◊〉 bounded besides wee have Gods word for it that upon our seeking heavenly things these shall be cast in as additaments whereby God hath endeavoured to provent our over-sollicitousness about them and to take us off from too much earnestnes in asking them I say not that Gods promise of them should make us less prayerfull for them promises being encouragments of prayer but when God hath promised them upon condition of our more earnest seeking his Kingdom and righteousness hee
the work of my owne soul c. 2. That hee will give us so much of the good things of this life as hee sees convenient viz. food rayment protection health habitation c. These things so far as they are necessary wee may begge as Jacob Gen. 28. 20 21. If the Lord will keep mee and give me bread to eat and rayment to put on c. Thus Agur Prov. 30. 8 9. hee prayes against the extremity of poverty so may we with submission since O Lord there lie so many Temptations in a necessitous condition as Theft lying envying murmuring and taking indirect wayes for the supply of nature's urgent necessities deliver me if it may stand with thy good pleasure from a condition so urged and encompassed with temptations bestow such a measure of outwards if thou feest it good for mee that I may be rather helpfull them needfull since thou hast said It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive 3. That in order to the attainment of these things God will make us carefull and conscientious in our places and callings and attend our labours with his blessing and that hee will keep us from unlawfull and unwarrantable wayes of getting This Petition is not a Petition of idleness but of engagement to labour and industry as hath been hinted every Petition and so this is an obligation to endeavour Pray therefore that he that stole may steal no more but labour with his hands the thing that is good Eph. 4. 28. 2 Thess 3. 12. and that hee will not blast or blow upon but bless and smile upon our lawfull endeavour That hee will so hear the heaven that it may hear the earth and the earth may hear the corn and wine and they may hear us so as to sustaine nature and supply our necessities Hos 2. 20 21. 4. That hee will add his blessing to and teach us to depend upon for his blessing upon all our outward enjoyments upon this account the richest as well as poorest have need to pray this Petition Bread is but as a stone drink will not quench our thirst rayment will not keep us warm nothing will be to us what it is appointed to be without Gods blessing So that all must be sanctified to us by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4. 4 5 that wee may use the good things of this life hot only by Gods leave but with his love Give us our bread imports more then let us have our bread it intimates a desire to see Gods hand in our obtaining this q. d. Let us see it come from thee Let us see it as a Benjamin's mâ—ss come from thy Table let us read much of thy love in our dayly provision and so bless it to us that each creature may serve us in its capacity 5. That hee will enable us in every condition to depend upon his providence q. d Help us to look up to and depend upon thee If we have little or nothing let us wait on thee for supplies if much yet let us not trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. 16. That if riches increase we may not set our hearts upon them Psal 62. 10. Oh this is a desireable frame and upon this account the rich have more need to pray this Petition that amidst their worldly enjoyments they may rely on God as if they had nothing at all Nâ—cessity will prompt the poor to depend on God but it must be grace and a good measure of it that must put the rich into a right fram in this particular This seems to be fairly implyed in this Petition as Luke reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day by day q. d. Though we have bread for our lives yet let us so seek it and wait for it and for a blâ—ssing upon it at thy hands as if wee were like day-labourers that have not a peny to buy them food till they have earned it so wee not a bit to put in our heads till wee have beg'd it 6. That wee may be contented with and thankfull for that pittance and portion of outward good things which God hath allotted us that we may be able to say as David Psal 16. 6. My lines are fallen to mee in a large place I have a goodly heritage not envying those who have a larger share of these things than our selves This is implyed in that wee call it OUR bread i. e. fit and convenient for us and whereas wâ—e say Give us we seem to intimate our not deserving it but expecting it only as a free-gift which must needs in reason teach us contendness and thankfulness with what hee gives since if hee give us nothing he is not unjust if any thing bountiful Direct 2. Labour for a frame of heart suitable to this Petition that in praying it there may be a harmonious concurrence betwixt your affections and expressions Therefore 1. Get a practical belief of that great Truth Jam. 1. 17. that every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights else wee but dissemble with God while wee seek them at his hands and here how many fail grossly they pray to God in this form Give us this day yet rely upon their owne endeavour or upon other carnall confidences and when they have attain'd any thing they ascribe it not to God but sacrifice to their owne net and burn incense to their dragge Habb 1. ult such doe but mock God when they pray this Petition You must have a practical perswasion that you can neither have nor enjoy any outward blessing aright without asking it of God and when you have it that God can either take it from you or curse it to you so that in the fulness of your sufficiency you shall be in straits Job 20. 22. That it is the blessing of the Lord more then the endeavours of man that maketh rich Prov. 10. 22. and that man lives not by bread only but by every word of blessing that proceedeth out of the Mouth of the Lord Deut. 8. 3. 2. Get a frame of heart abhorring all unlawfull wayes of getting hating the wayes of unrighteousness and resolved to wait and depend on providence in the use of warrantable means What notorious impiety is it to pray to God to give you bread and then to take the Divels counsell and the course he prescribes for the getting of it Our Saviour would not though hee could change stones into bread because hee would not gratify the Divell tempting him to goe out of the way of providence Matth. 4. 3 4. when you get by fraud oppression over-reaching your Brethren c. you contradict your prayers what damnable Hypocrisy was that Zech. 11. 5. to get by murther and oppression and then to father it upon God and say Blessed be the Lord for I am rich And no loss it is to ask of God and seek it by the
and held up thy heart in duty Thus I have said a little of what might be spoken upon this account The summ of it is this Improve the Spirits assistances for the ends they are vouchsaf't and by so doing you shall procure the continuance of them This is the Third Means 4. Beg earnestly the continuance of the Spirit with you as it is obtained so it is continued by asking It will stay with you upon your importunity Do therefore as the two Disciples dealt with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 24. 28 29. they constrained him not by violence but by entreaties even as Lot dealt with the Angels whom he took to be Travailers he Gen. 19. 3. pressed upon them greatly and they turned in unto him Thus deal with the Spirit of God earnestly importune his continuance as the Judg. 19. 6 8 9. Levites Father-in-law perswades him time after time to stay with him Take up David's words praying for the continuance of that willing cheerfull frame which the people manifested in their contributions to the building of the Temple O Lord God of Abraham keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare or establish their heart unto thee So when thou feelest the vigorous motions and influences of the Spirit pray that the Lord would establish thee with his free Spirit and that he will not take his holy Spirit from thee Breathe out thy soul in such expressions Oh sweet Dove Oh blessed Spirit of Grace how unspeakably delightful is thy heavenly company how easie sweet and pleasant is this yoak of Duty when thou helpest to bear it How powerfully sweet and sweetly powerfull are thy assistances Ere I was aware my soul made me like the Charets of Amminadab or set me on Cant. 6. 12. the Charet of my willing people What a Heaven upon Earth is it to perform spiritual duties with spiritual enablements What Oyle to the Wheel what refreshing baits in ebe up-hill way of duty are thy seasonable Incomes Oh let me never want thy blessed help do thou draw and I will run What am I but a dead lump a breathless carkass if thou withdraw thy quickning influences O do thou continually inspire me I am a dry tree do thou cause me to bud and blossome and bring forth fruit unto perfection Let my root be spread out by the waters of Job 29.19 thy Grace and let thy dew lye all night upon my branches Great and continual are my necessities troubles temptations Prayer is the only way to procure supply support sanctification victory but I cannot alas I cannot turn this Key whereby the Door into Heavens Treasury is opened except thou strengthen my hand I cannot wield this conquering Weapon except thou teach my hands to war and my fingers to sight Wherefore let me ever injoy thy presence let me seel thy help let thy power be made perfect in my weakness Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon the Garden of my soul that the Spices thereof may flow out 5. But especially be willing to follow the conduct of the Spirit you read of being led by the Spirit of walking in and after the Spirit Rom. 8. 3 4 14. This do and you shall not want its seasonable help If you would know what I mean by following its conduct In short I intend not any Enthusiastical Unscriptural motions or impulses but to hearken to its motions and counsels pressing you to follow the directions of the Word The Spirit of God speaks no otherwise in the hearts of Gods people than it doth in the Bible To the Law and to the Testimony if it speak Isa 8. 20. not according to that Word it is none of the Spirit of God it is a lying deluding Spirit But when this Holy Spirit either by the Ministers of the Word or in a more immediate way presseth you to holy walking calls you from loosness worldliness from a vain conversation from any particular course of sin which you have been addicted to or invites you to the performance of any neglected duty to order your conversation according to Gospel-rule to come nearer your pattern Jesus Christ to be more humble heavenly more profitable more exemplary c. Let your ear be open to its counsells follow its directions be as obsequious Matth. 8. 9. to the Spirit as the Souldiers to the Centurion if he say go then go if come come if he bid do this do it They that obediently follow the Spirits guidance in the course of their life shall not ordinarily want his assistance in the course of their duties And let us not think the Spirit will be at our command or help when we desire and need him if we will not be at his command It you will give way to loosness vanity pride carelesness worldly lusts neglect of duty think not to have the Spirit long to help you in duty Res mihi creds delicata est Spiritus saith one the Spirit is a tender thing soon grieved It will not be our Comforter if it must not be our Councellor 6. Abide in Christ if you would have his Spirit abide in your hearts all communications of the Spirit are from the Father through Christ How often is this abiding in Christ inculcated in that one place John 15. 4 6 7 9 10. and note especially what is said in v. 7. Iâ—â—ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Here you have both the Duty and the Priviledge the Duty abiding in Christ the best evidence whereof is expressed in the next words and my words abide in you to abide in Christ then is to continue in the Faith of the Gospel not to depart from the Truth nor only so but to have the Word a lively operative commanding Principle in the heart directing our steps Manent in Christo qui Verbum ejus Gualtâ—r audiunt audito credunt toti ab eo dependent Well what 's their Priviledge The next words tell you Ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you a holy freedom boldness and success in prayer I take those words Ye shall ask what ye will not only to import leave or licence to ask what they desire but that which the Scripture else where calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedom liberty of speech and confidence to be heard in our Petitions Now this cannot be without the Spirits assisting and encouraging So that it amounts to thus much If ye abide in me ye shall have a Spirit of Prayer liberty and confidence in asking and the grant of your Petitions Therefore I say abide in Christ and in so saying I would be understood to mean these things 1. Abide in the Doctrine of Christ I mean the great Doctrine of Justification and Salvavation by Christ alone Take heed of a Popish Linfie-woolsy Merit Mix not the