haue occasion to meditate on the course of our life and to thinke with our selues that the course of our life is but as a way wherein we walke and that we are here on earth but as f 1. Pet 2. 11. strangers and pilgrimes hauing g Heb. 13. 14. here no continuing citie and then pray that we may haue our hearts and mindes aboue desiring to come to the end of our way h Ver. id seeking the citie to come euen that i Heb. 11. 10. citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God And trauelling towardes k Ver. 16. a better countrey that is an heauenly These and such other meditations we may haue in the day time 3 In the euening Thirdly in the euening we may meditate on the end of our life and pray that we may be prepared for our last end When we put off our apparrell we may meditate on l Ephe. 4. 22. putting off the old man and pray that we may m Ezek. 18. 31. cast away from vs all our transgressions whereby we haue transgressed and n Heb. 12. 1. lay aside euery weight and burthen of sinne When we lie downe in our beds we may fitly meditate on our lying in the graue and pray that as we rest our wearie bodies in our bed that they may rise againe with greater strength so when our bodies shall sleepe in the dust of the earth in the day of the resurrection they may awake and rise vp to glorie These and such like meditations we may haue in the euening Thus diuine meditations doe stirre vp deuotion and further vs in Prayer The consideration whereof serues to reprooue those Vse who haue their thoughts cogitations little vpon God Against those who haue their thoughts much vpon earthly things and little vpon heauenly things or his word or his workes little vpon heauenly things but haue their hearts and mindes vpon the world and the things of the world whose affections are set vpon the earth and earthly things and whose meditations and musings are for the most part worldly and carnall such men may see and perceiue how farre they are from the state of true happinesse by Dauids description of a blessed man of whom he saith o Psal 1. 1. 2. his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Wherefore let such men be admonished to set their hearts lesse vpon the world and more vpon God to haue their minds and affections lesse on earthly things and more vpon heauenly things and as the Apostle exhorteth to p Coloss 3. 2. set their affection on things aboue not on things on the earth that so heauenly thoughts and godly meditations may stirre vp their feruencie in prayer without which deuotion is cold dull and drowsie CHAP. XXI Of motiues and perswasions to Prayer THe tenth and last thing in the Treatise of praier 10 Motiues and perswasions to Prayer is concerning the motiues and perswasions whereby euery Christian may and ought to be perswaded to practise so holy and religious a dutie which motiues I take First from the testimonies of holy Scripture Foure Secondly from examples of holy and deuout men Thirdly from the necessitie of Prayer Fourthly from the benefit thereof Touching the first the Scripture maketh it manifest 1 Testimonies of Scrâ—pture that God requireth Prayer the Lord calleth vs to the performance of this dutie he biddeth vs call vpon him a Psal 50. 15. call vpon me saith the Lord in the day of trouble the Propher Esay saith b Isa 55. 6. seeke ye the Lord while hee may bee found call ye vpon him while he is neere This is the charge of our Sauiour Christ to his Disciples c Mat. 2â— 41. watch and pray S. Pauls exhortation to the Romanes is to d Rom. 12. 12. continue instant in Prayer to the Ephesians to e Ephe. 6. 18. pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit to the Thessalonians to f 1. Thess 5. 17. pray without ceasing S. Iames saith g Iam. 5. 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray And S. Peters exhortation is h 1. Pet. 4. 7. be ye sober and watch vnto Prayer Thus the Scripture exhorteth vs to Prayer Secondly examples of holy and deuout men may 2 Examples perswade vs to the practise of this dutie of Prayer Moses the man of God is i Exod. 32. 11. 12. 13. 31. 32. And Exod. 14. 13. 14. 15. Numb 21. 7. often found praying for the people when they had sinned against God Dauids psalmes are full of prayers praises and thankesgiuings vnto God Daniel is deuout in Prayer vsing to k Dan. 6. 10. pray three times a day Cornelius hath commendation that he was l Act. 10. 2. a deuout man and one that feared God with all his house which gaue much almes to the people and prayed to God alway The Apostles of Christ we finde m Act. 1. 24. 25. And Act. 4 24. 25. c. to 31. And Act. 6. 4. 6. often praying yea and we may find our Sauiour Christ himselfe not onely teaching vs to pray but also giuing vs an example of prayer in himselfe when he fed the fiue thousand with the fiue loaues and two fishes he first n Mat. 14. 19. looked vp to heauen and blessed and after that the people were filled and departed o Ver. 23. he went vp into mountaine apart to pray In his p Luk. 22. 41. 42. 44. â—agonie he prayed earnestly that the cup might be remooued from him And the seuenteenth Chapter of S. Iohns Gospell is nothing else but a heauenly deuout prayer which our Sauiour Christ maketh to his Father in the behalfe of himselfe that his Father would q Ioh. 1. 5. glorifie him in the behalfe of his Disciples that the Father would r Ver. 15. keepe them from the euill and Å¿ Ver. 17. sanctifie them through the truth and in the behalfe of them also t Ver. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. which shall beleeue on Christ through their word that they all may be one and may be with the Lord where he is and may behold his glorie These are examples written for our instruction to mooue vs also to be carefull of performing this dutie of Prayer to call vpon the name of the Lord to pray vnto God and to prayse God Thirdly there 's a great necessitie of praying for 3 The necessitie of praying For First our want is verie great both in regard of temporall blessings and spirituall graces for concerning our temporall state when we were borne into the world we were naked destitute of cloathing hauing neither 1 Our want is verie great foode nor raiment For u 1. Tim. 6. 7. we brought nothing into this world as saith the Apostle And concerning our spirituall state we were x
of because they are earthly minded which prophane people despise being irreligious which wicked and vngodly men regard not because their hearts are hardned which hypocrites know but will not walke in the same except it be in the sight of men to haue the praise of men and wherein good men walk but with many failings wandrings and goings astray And to the end that the wise men of the world may be more wise to saluation that ignorant soules may bee inlightned with the knowledge of the truth that the naturall man may be borne againe may awake from the dead sleepe of his sinnes and liue the life of grace that worldly minded men may bee lesse earthly and more heauenly minded that prophane people may be more religious that wicked and vngodly men may come to repentance that hypocrites may bee more zealous and sincere and that the godly may be more confirmed in the good way and more encouraged to hold on the good course which they haue begun that continuing to the end they may bee saued I haue penned this Treatise Declaring how a sinner may bee saued and come to life euerlasting Which if it may finde fauour in your Honours eyes it will be more welcome to the world I shall be more encouraged in the worke of the Lord and be for eâ—er bound to q Ephâ—s 3. 14. bow my knees vnto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ in your Honours behalfe that as the Lord of his mercy and goodnesse hath giuen you great honour on earth so he would graciously preserue and increase your honour heere and crowne you with glory honour and immortality in the Celestiall Paradise Your Honours in all duty to be commanded ROBERT WHITTELL TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Grace and peace from GOD our Father and from the Lord IESVS CHRIST COurteous Reader this Booke in my first thoughts was intended to be but a Manuall but my meditations enlarging themselues it is growne to this bignesse And now being come into thy hands I craue of thy courtesie two things to read it and to practise it First to read it and in reading it first to reade it wholly and throughout not heere a leafe and there a leafe to read by snatches and peeces is vnprofitable Secondly to read it deliberately both for the better vnderstanding of it as also for the auoyding of rash censure things hastily read and not well vnderstood easily beget vniust censure Thirdly in reading it despise not my plaine and humile stile for I put not my selfe forth to this open view to humor thee with pleasing words nor to tickle thine eare with affected eloquence but to saue thy soule and to bring thee to the Celestiall Paradise which cannot bee performed with a 1 Cor. 2. 1 4. excellency of speech nor with enticing words of mans wisdome but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power And lastly reiect it not because others haue formerly written of the same subiects for I haue not drawen much water out of any of their fountaines neithâ—r haue I trodden farre in any of their steps for Matter if I haue sometimes lighted my darke candle at the cleere light of the graue Fathers or any of their Sonnes of later times that 's none other thing then the Fathers themselues and after them all learned men which haue written almost of any subiect haue formerly vsed And for my Methode and manner of handling these Treatises of Faith Repentance and Prayer I haue I confesse consulted with many Authours but directly followed none my Methode is mine owne for which I acknowledge my selfe bound first to God next to my b D. Downame B. of Derry Tutor then to Art How many learned men haue beene exercised in Controuersies and haue manifested the diuersities of gifts vpon the same subiects How many Commentaries Expositions and Postills are now extant the later still sucking moisture and fatnesse from those which haue gone before whether men exercise themselues in Controuersies Commentaries or Treatises that saying of the Apostle is verified in all c 1 Cor. 12. 4. There are diuersities of gifts but the same Spirit Hauing read it in the second place I desire whosoeuer thou art that readest to practise it The reading of good bookes and not practising what thou readest as it may augment thy knowledge so will it adde to thy punishment Good Reader I shew vnto thee here The way to the Celestiall Paradise walke in the same that at thy last end thou mayest enter into that Heauenly Paradise Heere is the path of life which will bring thee into the presence of God where there is d Psal 16. 11. fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore I declare vnto thee how thou mayest be saued and come to life euerlasting O then I beseech thee by the mercies of God whiles thou hast time vse meanes to saue thy soule and suffer not thy soule to perish for which Christ died If thou hast read this Booke and findest thy selfe no whit bettered neither for information nor reformation nor consolation then thou hast read in vaine and vnderstood in vaine and I haue bestowed on thee labour in vaine But if thou hast so read it and vnderstood it as that therby thy vnderstanding is inlightned thy iudgement informed thy life amended thy faith stablished thy zeale enflamed thy conscience pacified and thy soule comforted then not vnto me but vnto the LORD ascribe the glory and this I pray thee doe Praise thou the LORD and pray for me Thine in Christ Iesus R. W. THE ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST BOOKE Of the way to the Celestiall Paradise Concerning Faith in Iesus Christ THE first book consisteth of 2 parts 1. The preface wherein 4 things 1. The way to the Celestiall Paradise in generall chap. 1. pag. 1. 2. The Diuision of the whole Treatise pag. 4. 3. The order of the Treatise chap. 2. ibid. 4. The partition of the first booke cha 3. pag. 6. 2. The subiect Matter wherein ten things are to bee considered 1. The diuerse significations of Faith and what is meant by Faith in this Treatise chap. 4. p. 7. 2. The diuerse sorts and kindes of Faith and which is the true Faith ch 5. Faith 1. In regard of the circumstance of time is two-fold 1. The faith of the Fathers before Christ p. 9. 2. Of vs who liue after Christs comming in the flesh ibid. 2. In regard of the effect thereof is two-fold 1. Fruitfull in good works ibid. 2. Vnfruitfull ibid. 3. In regard of the quantity thereof is two-fold 1. A little and weake faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 10. 2. A great and strong faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. 4. In regard of the subiect persons in whom it is is foure-fold 1. Historicall pag. 11. 2. Temporary ibid. 3. Miraculous pag. 12. 4. Iustiâ—ying pag. 13. 3. That there is but one true sauing faith cha 6. wherin three things 1. What true sauing
in the Idoll whether the image or God in the image For in so doing we giue that honour vnto the Idoll or Image which belongs vnto God and that vnder colour and pretence of worshipping God And Iehouah the Lord who is a iealous God cannot endure that another should vsurpe that honour which is due vnto his name Wherefore he saith o Isa 42. 8. My glory will I not giue to another neither my praise to grauen images Secondly in particular I instance in Prayer concerning which the rule of Gods worship is that we pray to the Father in the name of Iesus Christ with assurance that he will heare our prayers and grant our requests which we make in his name For thus saith our Sauiour Christ p Ioh. 16. 23. Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Now wheras they are not content with this word of God to pray vnto God in the name of Christ but flee to the intercession of Saints and Angels they worship God with a deuised worship such as God hath not commanded neither requireth When Papists therfore bow downe before an Image and kneele to a Crosse or Crucifix it may be sayd vnto them as it was sayd to those hypocriticall Iewes q Isa 1. 12. Who hath required this at your hand for as for Saints they themseues worship God and r Reu. 4. 10. cast their crownes before the Throne and therefore they will not be worshipped Neither will the Angels bee worshipped the Angell that appeared to Iohn in the Reuelation refuseth to be worshipped for when Iohn fell downe to worship before the feet of the Angell the Angell sayd Å¿ Reu. 22. 9. See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-seruant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this booke Worship God It was the Deuill that bad Angell that would bee worshipped hee saith to our Sauiour Christ tempting him t Matth. 4. 9. All these things will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee But as for the good Angels they will not be worshipped they bid vs worship God This of externall and outward Idolatry The second kinde of Idolatry is Internall Spirituall 2 Inward or spirituall Idolatry that is Idolatry of the heart This Idolatry is committed when we loue any thing aboue God or trust in any thing more then in God and so set vp an Idoll in our hearts This Idolatry is more generall then the former this reacheth to all sorts of people for though a man doe know the true God acknowledge one God in three persons worship the true God and abhorre Idols though he make no Image of God neither bow downe before any Image in a word thogh a man be no Infidel no Heathen-man but a Christian no Papist but a Protestant yet for all this hee may be an Idolater in heart by seetting his heart vpon some thing that hee loues more then vpon God and by putting his trust and confidence in some thing else more then in God Thus the couetous man makes an Idoll of his riches and wealth of his siluer and gold Iob saith u Iob 31. 24. If I haue made gold my hope or sayd to the fine gold Thou art my confidence The Apostle in plaine tearmes calls x Coloss 3. 5. Couetousnesse Idolatry and the y Ephes 5. 5. Couetous man an Idolater The voluptuous man makes an Idoll of pleasure Lady Pleasure is his goddesse Gluttons and Drunkards make an Idoll of their belly their belly is their God so the Apostle speakes of soâ—â—â— z Phil. 3. 19. whose God is their belly Heereupon Chrysostome saith a Varij sunt Idololatriae modi Chrysost in Rom. Hom. 6. There are diuerse sorts of Idolatry One hath Mammon for his Lord another makes his belly his God another makes some other lust his God and though thou doest not offer sacrifice vnto these thy Gods as the Gentiles did yet thou doest worse for thou sacrificest thine owne soule vnto them thou bowest not the knee to them neither doest fall downe before these thy gods to worship them but yet thou art obedient vnto them and art at their command if thy belly or thy lusts command thy seruice and require to doe any thing for them thou art ready to doe it Thus Chrysostome Now it stands vs Christians in hand as wee abhor Idols for the outward so to looke to our hearts and affections that wee doe not set vp an Idoll in our heart for certaine it is we cannot both worship God and serue Idols whether outward or inward b Matth. 6. 24. No man saith our Sauiour can serue two masters yee cannot serue God and Mammon No man can serue God and riches God and his pleasures God and his belly God and his owne lusts The worship of the true God and the worship of Idols cannot stand together When the Philistines brought the Arke of God into the house of Dagon the god of the Philistines and placed it by Dagon c 1 Sam. 5. 4. in the morning they found Dagon fallen to the ground As the Arke of God and Dagon cannot stand together in one Temple so the true worship of God and Idols cannot stand together in one temple in one house nor in one heart If a Christian doe truely serue and worship the true God with the affection of the heart if he loue God aboue all trust in God alone and feare God with all his heart then there will bee no roome to set vp the Idoll of Couetousnesse or Pleasure or Lust in the heart these cannot agree together Wherefore if wee will bee true worshippers of God wee must put away all false worship and remooue all Idols out of the heart wee must cast downe the Idoll of Couetousnesse the Idoll of Pride the Idoll of Lust the Idoll of Pleasure c and giue God lâ—â—â—e alone to sit and rule in the heart as God for God and Idols cannot dwell together as the Apostle saith d 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 16. What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Beliall or what part hath he that beleeueth with an Infidell and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for yee are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath sayd I will dwell in them and walke in them and I will bee their God and they shall be my people CHAP. IX Of the particular knowledge of God acknowledging the one only true God to be our God how necessary this knowledge of God is how profitable it is how dangerous to want it and the meanes of obtaining it HItherto of the generall knowledge of God The particular knowledge of God is not 2 The particular knowledge of God onely to know that there is a God nor only to know that there is
saith therefore 1 Mourning and desolation shall the land mourne c. Againe he saith q Verse 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge Secondly where the knowledge of God is not men are giuen ouer to a reprobate minde to doe things that 2 A reprobte minde are not conuenient This S. Paul sheweth speaking of the Gentils r Rom. 1. 28 29. Euen as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient being filled with all vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnesse full of enuy c. Thirdly to them that know not God there remaines 3 Punishment nothing but iudgement punishment and euerlasting destruction as saith the Apostle Å¿ 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from Heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power The fourth thing concerning the knowledge of God 4 Meanes wherby we may come to the right knowledge of the true God is the meanes whereby wee may come to the true knowledge of God That there is a God may be knowen as hath beene already shewed by the light of Nature and by the book of the Creatures and that there is one true God is manifest by the Scriptures the Word of God reuealeth the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of Persons but to the attaining to the right knowledge of the one only true God by a particular knowledge to know him to be God vnto vs to acknowledge the one onely true God to bee our Lord and our God as hath beene formely more fully declared there is required more then the light of Nature more then the booke of the Creatures and more then bare knowledge of the Scriptures for this particular knowledge of God is attained vnto partly Two by the Word of God and partly by the Spirit of God the one being an outward the other an inward 1 By the Scriptures meanes to teach vs the true knowledge of God The true knowledge of God then is attained vnto First by the Scriptures and that both by the Law and the Gospell For t Per Legem cognitiopeccati nostri per Enangelium cognitio gratiae Dei Zanch. de Natu. Dei lib. 3. cap. 3. By the Law as one saith wee come to the knowledge of our sinnes and of our misery by the Gospell we come to the knowledge of the grace and mercy of God shewed vs in Christ Iesus According to that saying of S Iohn u Ioh. 1. 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ And to the end that wee may come to the true knowledge of God by the Scriptures there are foure things necessarily required at our hands And that by First that we diligently read the Scriptures concerning 1 Reading the Scriptures which our Sauiour Christ hath sayd x Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee This was the practise of those noble Bereans who hauing heard Paul preach vnto them Iesus y Aâ—ts 17. 11. searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Secondly that wee carefully and attentiuely heare 2 Hearing the Word of God the word of God preached Eor * Rom. 10. 17. Faith as saith the Apostle commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Our Sauiour saith z Ioh. 17. 8. I haue giuen vnto them the words which thou gauest mee and they haue receiued them and haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou didst send me In which words he sheweth three things first he gaue them his Word secondly they receiued it and thirdly by the Word of God they knew God and Iesus Christ whom hee had sent Thirdly that wee seriously meditate vpon the Word 3 Meditating vpon the Word of God which we haue read or heard Dauid saith a Psal 119. 99 I haue more vnderstanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation By meditating vpon the Word of God he got vnderstanding and attained to the true knowledge of God Fourthly that we ioyne vnto all these deuout praier 4 Praying for a blessing vpon these meanes crauing the blessing of God in reading and hearing the Word and meditating vpon the same Thus the knowledge of God is attained unto by the Scriptures Secondly the true knowledge of God is attained vnto 2 By the Spirit of God through the gracious working of the Spirit of God in our hearts for God must first put it into our hearts to know him before wee can know him As the Lord speakes by Ieremy the Prophet b Jer. 24. 7. I will giue them an heart to know me that I am the Lord. Againe hee saith c Ier. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Our Sauiour Christ saith d Ioh. 6. 45. It is written in the Prophets and they shall bee all taught of God This is called e Cognitio per gratiam Tho. 1. q. 12. ar 14. knowledge by grace or gracious knowledge because it is wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God the Worker of grace as the Apostle also saith f 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9 10. We speake the wisdome of God in a mystery euen the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world vnto our glory Which none of the Princes of this world knew c. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him But God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit This of the particular knowledge of God Now the consideration of the great necessity of the Vse knowledge of God and the benefit thereof with the danger of the want thereof and the means of obtaining it serues for reprehension and it reproues First those who content themselues with the generall 1 Against those that content themselues with a generall knowledge of God knowledge of God that there is a God that there is one God that God made all things that God is to bee worshipped c. but are not carefull to come to a particular knowledge of God to know God to be their God and so to know God as to beleeue in him to feare him and to loue him to trust in him and to depend vpon him But if we would be saued and come to euerlasting life we must labour to attaine to a particular knowledge of God for the bare generall knowledge of God will not saue vs for
two sorts 2 The sorts and kinds of it Two-fold Generall and Particular Generall when a Sinner doth onely in a generall manner confesse that he is a sinner that hee hath offended 1 Generall God that he hath broken Gods commandements and done wickedly c. Particular confession of sinne is an acknowledgement 2 Particular of our particular sinnes when hauing made diligent search by the law of God to finde out our sinnes we doe then confesse those sinnes which our owne conscience witnesseth against vs that we are guilty of as Dauid when hee had committed adultery with Bathsheba confessed his sinne in particular saying d Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight The Iewes confessed their sinnes both in generall and particular In generall e Isa 59 12. Our transgressions say they are multiplyed before thee and our sinnes testifie against vs for our transgressions are with vs and as for our iniquities wee know them And in particular they confesse and say f Vers 13. in transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from our God speaking oppression and reuolt conceiuing and vttering from the heart words of falshood The third thing in Confession is the manner how a 3 The manner of making Confession aright sinner is to make confession of his sinnes that his confession may be acceptable to God Dauid saith g Psal 32. I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord. The vulgar Latine translation readeth it thus g Psal 32. I said I will confesse against my selfe mine vnrightousnesse vnto the Lord. From whence sixe things are obserued to bee necessary in the confession of sinne First that our Confession of sinne be done with premeditation 5 h Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniustitiam meam Domino Six things are necessary in the Confession of Sinne. that we doe not rashly and rudely thrust our selues into the presence of the Lord but first search our hearts try our wayes finde out our sinnes take notice of them view them consider them and haue them before our eyes when wee come to make confession of them This is noted in the beginning of the sentence i Dixi. I said before I confessed my sinnes I first thought with 1 That it be with premeditation my selfe I considered in my minde the sinnes which I was to confesse I said within my selfe I will confesse my sinnes Secondly Confession of sinne must be in truth without 2 That it be in 〈◊〉 guile not hiding sinne but plainely and truely confessing our sinnes wherfore he saith k Confitâ—bor I will confesse I will make knowne my sinne I will hide nothing I will search euery corner of my heart I will lay open all and euery sinne I will confesse my sinne Thirdly our Confession must be accusing not excusing 3 That it be accusing not excusing noted in the next words l Aduersum me against my selfe Our confession must be against our selues Howsoeuer it be dangerous for any one to accuse himselfe before men yet euery sinner must accuse himselfe before God iudge himselfe to haue broken the commandements of God and condemne himselfe to be worthy of death For this cause a sinner must come before the Lord in all humility and lowlinesse of mind with shame and confusion of face being ashamed to lift vp his eyes to heauen for the multitude of his sinnes and transgressions saying with Ezra m Ezra 96. O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased ouer our heads and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauens And must be like the penitent Publican who comming before the Lord to confesse his sinnes n Luk 18. 13. Stood a farre off and would not lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen but smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Fourthly Confession must be made of sinne and iniquity 4 Confession must be of Sinne and iniquity noted in the word o Iniustitiam vnrighteousnesse or transgresgressions Wee must not with the Pharisee boast our good deeeds and praise our well-doing but with the Publicane confesse our sinnes and our selues sinners and earnestly pray for the pardon of our sinnes Fiftly Confession must be made of our owne sinnes 5 That we confesse our owne sinnes wherefore he saith I will confesse against my selfe p Meam mine vnrighteousnesse or my transgressions Sâ—xtly Confession of our sinnes must be made vnto the Lord our God wherefore he saith I will confesse my 6 That our confessioÌ„ be made vntâ— God transgressions q Domino vnto the Lord. Confession must be made vnto God to the honour of God that God may haue the glory and we the comfort Of this Dauid speakes thus in another place r Psal 51 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned So also when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and Dauid said vnto the Lord Å¿ 2 Sam. 24. 10. I haue sinned greatly in that I haue done Daniel said t Dan. 9 4. 4. I praied vnto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord we haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly c. Chrysostome taught the same doctrine u Deâ— sâ—luendis peâ—catum Chrys de paeâ—it Hom. 9. Tell thy sinne onely vnto God Againe he saith * Sâ—luâ—te Deus confiâ—entâ—m vidâ—aâ— Chrys de paeâ—it confâ—s Let God onely see the confessing of thy sinnes After this manner we are to make Confession of our sinnes In the fourth place I come to the motiues which may perswade vs to confesse our sinnes vnto God Which I take 4 Motiues to coÌ„fesse our sinnes vnto God First from the necessity Secondly from the benefite thereof For the first Confession of Sinne vnto God is necessary 1 〈◊〉 necessâ—ry For for First God is chiefly and principally offended by our sinnes wherefore it is that Dauid hauing committed 1 God is principally offâ—nded by our sinnes adultery and thereby hauing not onely offended God but wronged man comming to make confession saith y Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned Now because sinne is chiefly and principally committed against God therefore it 's necessary that wee make our confession chiefly and principally vnto God Secondly without confession of sinne we can looke 2 Without Confession we can haue no remission for no remission of sinne Salomon saith z Pro. 28. 13. He that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Giuing vs to vnderstand that he onely obtaineth mercie of the Lord that confesseth his sinnes but if any one will not confesse but hide and couer his sinnes he shall not prosper it shall not be well with him the Lord will shew him no fauour nor mercie
deserued punishment of sinne St Paul saith of the Gentiles p Rom. 1. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. they changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and foure footed beasts and creeping things wherefore God gaue them vp to vncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts c. For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections c. And God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient Againe in his Epistle to the Ephesians he sheweth that the q Ephe. 4. 17. 18. 19. Gentiles walked in the vanitie of their minde hauing the vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorace that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse Pharaoh's r Exod. 4. 21. heart was hardned that he would not let Israell goe And to the sinner that hath despised the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering which should haue led him to repentance the Apostle saith Å¿ Rom. 2. 5. after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath shewing thereby that when God hath shewed his patience and long-suffering towards a sinner and the sinner repenteth not but still deferreth his repentance in the end the Lord will lay a heauie and sore iudgement vpon him hardnesse of heart so that now his heart is hardned he hath an impenitent heart a heart that cannot repent And sometimes the impenitent sinner is so forsaken of God and left to himselfe that he growes to desperation and then through the strong temptations of the Deuill he workes meanes to bring himselfe to some vntimely death as t 2 Sam. 17. 23. Ahitophel and u Mat. 27. 5. Iudas Now whereas the Lord doth iustly punish impenitent Vse sinners with such spirituall iudgements blinding To pray that God would soften our hard hearts their minds hardning their hearts and leauing them to themselues this should teach vs to pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vs grace to lay aside all pride of heart and stubbornnesse of minde and that the Lord would take away from vs our hard and stonie hearts and that by his good Spirit he would soften our hard hearts that we might be mooued to repentance when God calleth vs to repentance and that we might humble our selues before the Lord and tremble at his word For x Isa 66. 2. to this man will I looke faith the Lord euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word To this end let vs heare and receiue the exhortation of the Apostle to the Hebrewes y Heb. 3. 12. 13 take heede brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God but exhort one another daily while it is called To day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne CHAP. XXII Of the eternall punishment of impenitent sinners and of the paines of hell And how this ought greatly to mooue vs to Repentâ—nce THe third punishment belonging to impenitent 3 Eternall Herein Two things sinners is eternall punishment concerning which I consider these two things First the place of their punishment Secondly the greatnesse and grieuousnesse of their punishment The place of punishment appointed for the wicked 1 The place of eternall punishment Two fold eternally to be punished and tormented is two-fold The one is the place from whence they shall be excluded The other is the place whither they shall be cast Touching the first The place from whence the wicked shall be excluded is the kingdome of God a 1 Câ—r 6. 9. The 1 The place from whence the wicked shall be excluded vnrighteous saith S. Paul shall not inherite the kingdome of God The wicked shall haue no possession or inheritance in heauen they shall be shut out of the kingdome of heauen they shall be cast from the glorious presence of God they shall be depriued of the cleare vision of God and they shall not see the face of God but shall be b 2 Thes 1. 9. punished as the Apostle saith with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power And this losse of the kingdome of heauen to be depriued of the glorious presence of God neuer to see God to be excluded from the fellowship of the holy Angells and blessed Saints in heauen in a word to be thrust out of the place of happinesse neuer to see good day neuer to haue comfort any more is an vnspeakeable punishment yea a very hell In so much that a Father saith c Nâ—â—i autem quâ—a 〈◊〉 pâ—rtâ—â—escanâ— Gelienâ—â—nt ego tâ—men gloriae amissiâ—nem multo amarius 〈◊〉 ipsius Gelâ—enâ—â—â— dicâ—â—sse supplicium Chrysâ—n Math. Hom. 24. I know that many doe greatly stand in feare of hell but I say that the losse of glory in heauen is more bitter and grieuous then the punishment of hell it selfe This of the place from whence the wicked shall be excluded For the second the place whither they shall be cast 2 The place whither the wicked shall be cast is into vtter darkenesse as our Sauiour saith d Mat. 25. 30. cast ye the vnprofitable seruant into outer darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And of this place our Sauiour againe saith e Mat. 13. 49. 50. at the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and seuer the wicked from among the iust and shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth This is that f Isa 30. 33. Tophet which is ordeined of old yea for the king it is prepared he hath made it deepe and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it as saith the Prophet Isaiah And this place is said in the Reuelation to be a g Reu. 19. 20. lake of fire burning with brimstone And the h Reu. 20. 10. lake of fire and brimstone Now if the place prepared for the tormenting of the wicked and vngodly after this life be a place of outer darknesse where there is weeping gnashing of teeth if it be a furnace of fire if there be fire and much wood if the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone 2 The greatnesse and grieuousnesse of the punishment of the wicked in hell Their torment shall be doth kindle it and if it be a lake of fire and brimstone O then sure this must needs be a most fearefull place a place full of intollerable paine and torment And such is the place whither all impenitent sinners euen all wicked and vngodly men which haue liued wickedly and haue
glasse Moreouer in this heauenly Cittie and bleâ—â—ed place there is no darknesse but all light For as S. Iohn saith againe t Verse 23. The Cittie had no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof Such is the excellency of the place of happinesse prepared for the righteous after this life Secondly the eternall blessednesse of the righteous is 2 The greatnesse of their happinesse to be considered in regard of the greatnesse of their happinesse which is vnspeakeable For as the Apostle saith u 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seene nor care heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him But the greatnes of that eternal happinesse of the blessed ones in the kingdome of heauen euen of all the faithfull and true beleeuers of all true penitent sinners which haue repented of their sins and are washed from their wickednesse will appeare the For more if we consider it in these particulars 1 They shall be partakers of glory First they shall be partakers of glory in heauen they shall be glorious So S. Paul saith x Phil. 3. 20. 21. The Lord Iesus Christ shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body And our Sauiour Christ saith y Math. 13. 43. The righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father Secondly they shall see God in his glory they shall 2 They shall see God in his glory enâ—oy the cleare vision of God Our Sauiour Christ saith z Math 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God a 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a glasse saith S. Paul but then face to face And S. Iohn saith b 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Beloued now are we the Sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when hee shall appeare we shall be like him for wee shall see him as he is When Moses was desirous to see the glory of God and said c Exod. 33. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. 23 I beseech thee shew me thy glory The Lord answered him Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and liue Yet the Lord yeelded thus farre to Moses that he might see his backe parts It was a great fauour that the Lord shewed to Moses an earthly man that he might see the backe parts of God but neither Moses nor any earthly man could euer possibly see the face of God and liue But in Heauen the blessed Saints shall come into the presence of the Lord shall see the face of God and shall behold his glorie To be in the company of the holy Angels to behold the Patriarchs and Prophets to see the Apostles and all the Saints d Gloriosa sunt hac sed multo gloriâ—sius est presentâ—m Dei vultum cernere Aug. Man c. 17. These as S. Augustine saith are glorious things but it is farre more glorious to be in the presence of God and to behold his face Againe he saith * Hac est plaena beatitudo tota glorificatio hominis vidâ—re faciâ—m Dei sui Aug. Soâ—â—lo c. 36 This is the full blessednesse and the whole glorification of mâ—n to see the face of his God In the cleare vision of God stands the perfection of glorie Thirdly they shall be with Christ in glorie For so Christ hath prayed to his Father for them e Ioh. 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast giuen me be with mee where I 3 They shall be with Christ am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me This was the happinesse that S. Paul so much desired I am saith he in a straight betweene two hauing a desire to f Phil. 1. 23. depart and to be with Christ which is farre better Fourthly they shall haue the company of the holy 4 They shall haue blessed company Angels the fellowship of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the Saints of God as saith the Apostle g Heb. 12. 22. 23 Ye are come vnto mount Sion and vnto the Cittie of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of men made perfect Fiftly they shall haue eternall felicity euerlasting happinesse 5 They shal haue eternal felicity and endlesse ioy S. Mathew saith h Math. 25. 46. These shall goe away into euerlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Of this Dauid saith i Psal 16. 11. In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore The ioyes of the eternall Cittie are eternall Sixtly In heauen they shall haue no hurtfull thing to 6 They shal haue no euill nor want any good thing annoy them and shall want no good thing to make them happie For as S. Iohn saith k Reu. 21. 3. 4. God himselfe shall bee with them and be their God And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall therebe any more paine for the former things are passed away Moreouer there shall be the l Re. 22. 2. 3. 4. 5. pure riuer of water of life and the tree of life and there shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lambe shall be in it and his seruants shall serue him And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads And there shall be no night there and they neede no candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giueth them light and they shall raigne for euer and euer In Heauen there shall bee euery good thing and there shall be no euill thing m Non enim est ibi malus neque malitia c. Aug. Man c. 6. There is as Augustine saith neither any wicked one nor any wickednesse There is no aduersarie there is no prouocation to sin there is no want no vnquietnes no discord no variance no violence no oppression there is no sorrow nor sicknesse no paine nor griefe there is no more feare of death nor Hell All these things are past but there is peace and concord loue and charity there is sweet vnity and agreement there is continuall reioycing and praising of God for euermore Now whereas repentance procures to penitent sinners blessings temporall spirituall and eternall This hath a double vse First it serues for instruction to teach and admonish vs Vse 1 To repent of our sinnes and to amend our waies if To repent of our sinnes and amend our waâ—es if we would be either hâ—pâ—ie
on earth or blessed in Heauen we desire to be blessed with temporall and spirituall blessings and to be patakers of eternall happinesse For thougâ— temporall blessingâ— be common to all to good and bad yet the blessing of God vpon the outward blessings which God bestoweth is giuen onely to them that repent of their sinnes to them that feare the Lord and â—eâ—d a godly life aâ— it is said in the Psalmes n Psâ—l 34. 9. There is no want to them that feare him Againe o Psal 84. 11. No good thing will he with-hold from them that walkâ— vprightly For spirituall blessings mercie pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes these belong to none but to penitent sinners to such as hâ—ue repâ—â—ted oâ— their sinnes and are washed from their wickedâ—â—sse as appeareth in that large promise of meâ— forgâ—uenesse in Esay p Isay 1. 18. Though your sinnâ—s be as carlet they shall as white as snowe though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll But to whom is this gracious promise made but to penitent sinners Euen to such as haue washed and cleansed their â—eâ—â—ts from wickednesse to such as haue put away the euiâ—l of their doings from before the eyes of the Lord and to suâ—h â—â— haue ceased to doe euill and hâ—ue learned to doe welâ— for to such the Lord saith Comâ— nâ—w and let vs reason tâ—gâ—ther sâ—ith the Lord though your sinnes be as scarlet c. And as for eternâ—ll blessednesse and euerlasting happâ—nâ—sse none can be paâ—takers thereof but penitent sinners The kingdome oâ— heâ—uen is giuen to no wicked and vngodly man onely they which haue repented of their sinnes and are washed from their wickednesse shall enter into the kingdome of heauen As it is said in the Reuelation q Reu. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defilâ—th neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambes booke of life Againe it is said r Reu. 22. 14. 15. Blâ—ssed are they that doe his commaundements that they may haue right to the tree of lift and may enter in through the gates into the Cittie For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoeuer loueth and maketh a lye Wherefore it greatly stands vs in hand to repent of our sinnes to wash and cleanse our hearts from wickednesse to amend our wayes and to walke in obedience to Gods commandements to serue the Lord and to feare him if wee desire either to be happy on earth or blessed in heauen As the Apostle also exhorteth vs saying Å¿ Hâ—b 12. 28. Wherfore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot be mooued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare Vse 2 Secondly whereas true penitent sinners haue the Consolation to the righteous which are afflicted in this life promise not onely of temporall benefitâ— and spirituall blessings but also of eternall happinesse and euerlasting felicity in the kingdome of heauen this doth minister great consolation to the righteous which are afflicted and troubled in this present life for though they endure sorrow and sicknesse paine and griefe though they suffer tribulation or persecution or whatsoeuer affliction they vndergoe it is but for this present life it is but for a short time it is but for a moment it wil haue an end And then after that this short life is ended the righteous which haue patiently suffered with Christ shal also raigne with Christ and shall inherite a kingdome The time shal come that they shal haue no paine nor sorrow but shall enter into eternal ioy shall be partakers of euerlasting glory shall liue blessedly for euer in heauen So saith S. Paul t Rom. 8. 17. And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together This was Dauids comfort in his afflictions u Psal 27. 13. I had fainted saith he vnles I had belieued to see the goodnes of the Lord x Anciently expounded Heauen Aug. Hug. in the Land of the liuing This comforted S. Paul in all his tribulations and sufferings as he himselfe witnesseth saying y 2 Tim. 4 6. 7. 8 I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departing is at hand I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to me onely but vnto them also that loue his appearing And this ought to be our great consolation comfort in all distresse knowing that glory in heauen will be a full recompence for all our sufferings As S. Paul also saith z Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be reuealed in vs. a 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding eternall waight of glory The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE WAY TO THE CELESTIALL PARADISE Concerning Prayer Which is the third meanes whereby a Sinner may be saued and come to life euerlasting CHAP. I. The Preface with the Partition of the whole Treatise of Prayer The order of this Treatise THe a Rom. 11. 13. Apostle of the Gentiles writing to the Romanes saith b Rom. 10. 13. 14. whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued How then shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And how shall they heare without a Preacher Which Rhetoricall gradation is adorned with these fiue beautifull ascending steps First Christ must be preached Secondly being Preached men beginne to heare of Christ Thirdly hearing of Christ they beleeue in him Fourthly beleeuing in Christ they beginne to call vpon the name of the Lord. Fiftly by calling vpon the name of the Lord they ascend vp to the highest step saluation After that a man by hearing the word preached hath gotten faith and is brought to Repentance then and not before is he sit to make an acceptable Prayer vnto God for except the heart be purified by faith and purged by Repentance God will not regard our prayers but will hide his eyes and stop his eares when we crie vnto him but a sinner hauing true faith to beleeue in Christ and through true and vnfained Repentance hauing his sinnes washed away in the bloud of Christ may boldly come to the throne of grace with assurance to preuaile with God not onely for temporall blessings but for spirituall graces and not onely for grace in this life but also for glorie and saluation in the life to come For whosoeuer shall call
Priuate Twofold Either in the house with the familie and houshold Or in the chamber or some secret place alone These are the seuerall sorts kindes of praier which 1 House I haue now barely mentioned but shall haue iust occasion offered in the treatise following to handle more 2 Chamber or secret place at large CHAP. III. Of the Persons whom prayer doth concerne and first of the persons praying shewing what things are necessarily required of them that pray that their prayers may be acceptable to God HAuing shewed what Praier is and declared the seuerall sorts and kindes thereof 3 The persons whom prayer doth concerne Three The third thing to be handled is touching the persons whom praier doth concerne and they are three First the persons praying Secondly to whom we are to pray 1 The persons praying Therein Two things Thirdly for whom we ought to pray First concerning the persons praying two things are to be obserued First all men are bound to pray without exception no man is exempted from the performance of this holy 1 All are bound to pray without exception dutie neither King nor subiect noble nor ignoble rich nor poore fathers nor children maisters nor seruants and not only all of all sorts but euery one in particular 2 We our selues must please God before our praiers can be acceptable vnto God for himselfe must call vpon the name of the Lord if he will be saued Secondly the persons praying are to be so qualified that they themselues may please God and be acceptable in his sight before they can make any acceptable praier vnto God it is said of Abel a Gâ—n 4. 4. The Lord had respâ—ct vnto Abel and to his offring First to Abel and then to his offering The Apostâ—e sheweth the reason â—herefoâ—e Aâ—els sacrifice was more exceptable to God then Cains saying b Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifiâ—e then Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he waâ— righteous God testifying of his gifts Because Abel had faiâ—h was righteous therefore was his sacrifice accepted of God Abel himselfe pleased God and that made his sacrifice the better to please God So Abrahams offering was accepted of God because as S. Iâ—mes saith c Iâ—m 2. 22. 23. Hiâ— faith wrought with his workes c. and he was called the friend of God For this cause it is that Salomon saith d Pro. 15 8. the sacrifice of the wicked is an abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the vpright is his delight Now to the end that we our selues may please God and that our praiers may To which Two things are required be acceptable vnto God two things are specially required of vs. The first is faith for S. Paul saith * Heb. 11. 6. He that commeth 1 Faith to God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him But more of this heereafter when I come to shew the manner how we ought to pray in faith The Second is repentance for as it is necessarie in euery 2 Repentance For Sinne not repented of hindereth prayeâ— and that one that praieth that he haue faith to beleeue so likewise that he haue true and vnfained repentance of his sinnes past and that he doe not now liue in any knowne sinne For sinne hindereth praier and that whether we consider it in generall or in particular First in generall sinne hindereth praier So saith the 1 In generall Prophet Esay e Isâ— 59 2. your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare The man that was borne blinde could tell the Iewes so much f Iâ—h 9. 31. we know saith he That God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of God and doth his will him he heareth And Dauid saith g Psa 66. â—â— If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare me Secondly diuerse particular sinnes hinder Prayer 2 In particular As which we must cast off and put away farre from vs if we would haue the Lord to heare our Prayers and they are these The first is Idolatrie worshipping of Idoles in stead 1 Idolatrie of the true God Of this the Prophet Ieremie saith h Iere. 11. 13. 14 according to the number of thy Citties were thy gods ô Iudah and according to the number of the streets of Ierusalem haue ye set vp altars to that shamefull thing euen altars to burne Incense vnto Baal Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift vp a cry or prayer for them for I will not heare them in the time that they cry vnto me for their trouble The second is crueltie vnmercifulnesse blood-guiltinesse 2 Crueltie and vnmercifulnesse Of this the Lord saith by the Prophet Esay i Isa 1. 15. When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many Prayers I will not heare your hands are full of blood Because they had bloudie hands and were not washed from their hainous transgressions therefore the Lord would not heare them The third is wrath of which the Apostle saith * 1. Tim. 2. 8. I will 3 Wrath. therefore that men pray euery where lifting vp holy hands without wrath He saith without wrath to giue vs to vnderstand that if any one come to make his Prayer vnto God hauing wrath towards his neighbour hating his brother in his heart the Lord will not hearken vnto his Prayer The fourth is vain-glory this was the fault of those 4 Vaine glorie hypocrites of whom our Sauiour warneth his Disciples to beware k Math. 6. 5. When thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they loue to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seene of men Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward If men pray for this end to be seene of men and heard of men and that they may haue prayse of men they may haue the reward which they looke for men may commend them but they haue no reward from God their vain glorie hinders the successe of their requests and makes their prayers vnacceptable to God The fift is hypocrisie when men pray vnto God fainedly 5 Hypocrisie not in truth of heart Of this the Lord complaineth by the Prophet Hosea l Hosâ—a 7. 14. they haue not cried vnto me with their heart when they howled vpon their beds they assemble themselues for corne and wine and they rebell against me In their necessitie when they wanted corne and wine they cryed and wailed and made a pitifull noise in the eares of the Lord but yet they liued wickedly still rebelled against the Lord they cried not to the Lord with their heart and therfore the Lord would not
vpon him but we haue also his promise for audience if we call vpon him in our trouble he hath 2 God promiseth to heare vs promised to heare vs and to deliuer vs out of trouble So hath the Lord said k Psal 50. 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee saith the Lord as if he had said goe to none other in the time of thy trouble neither seeke thou helpe and deliuerance from any other but in the day of thy trouble come vnto me seeke vnto me cry and call vpon me and I will deliuer thee for there is none besides me that can deliuer thee out of thy trouble The Lord our God is not like the Gods of the heathen which haue l Psal 115. 6. eares and heare not hee is not like to Baal vpon whom his Prophets m 1 Kin. 18. 26. called from morning euen vntil noone saying O Baal heare vs but there was no voice nor any that answered To whom Elijah the Prophet of the Lord said in derision of their God Baal Cry alowd for hee is n Vers 27. a God either he is talking or pursuing or he is in a iourney or peraduenture he sleepeth and must be awaked But so is not our God whom we worship for our God is in heauen beholdeth the things on earth he made the eare and he heareth he is neither busie in talking nor pursuing his enemies nor in his iourney nor yet sleeping for o Psal 121. 4. he that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth as saith the Psalmist but the p Psal 34. 15. eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry Thirdly we are sure that the Lord our God is both able 3 God is both able and willing to heare vs. and also willing to heare vs able for q Psal 94. 9. he that planted the eare shall he not heare and willing for r Psal 145. 18. the Lord is nigh to all that call vpon him to all that call vpon him in truth Wherefore I conclude that we are to make our prayers to none other in heauen or in earth but to God and to him alone Vse This serues to reprooue those who make praiers to Against those which make prayers vnto Saints Reasons not to pray vnto Saints For Saints departed vse their mediation to God for helpe in trouble For First it hath beene prooued before that God hath commanded vs to call vpon him in the day of trouble but we haue no commandement in all the Scripture that enioynes vs to pray to any Saint not to S. Peter nor to 1 It s not commanded S. Paul nor to the Virgin Marie for that Å¿ Luke 1. 28. Aue haile Marie c. is no praier but a salutation of the Angell It is no forme of praier for vs to vse to the Virgin but it was a salutation of the Angell Gabriel whom the Lord sent to doe a message to the Virgin Marie and therefore not to be vsed of vs as a prayer And seeing that we haue no warrant in the word of God to pray vnto Saints it is a bold and rash presumption for vs to pray vnto any Saint whatsoeuer though it were to the Virgin Mary There were certaine in the dayes of Epiphanius who adored the Virgin Marie and offered vnto her But Epiphanius iudgeth them as heretiks and confuteth them saying t Reuera virgo erat ipsa virgo honorata sed non ad adorationem nobis data verum ipsa adorans â—um qui eâ— ipsa carâ—e genitus de calis vero è sinâ—â— patris venerat Epiph. coâ— Collyridian The Virgin indeed was a Virgin and honoured but was not giuen to vs to be adored but she her selfe did adore him which tooke flesh of her but came from heauen from his fathers bosome And so we acknowledge the Virgin is to be honoured but not to bee worshipped and adored and therefore no prayer to be made vnto her Secondly It hath beene prooued that if we pray vnto 2 Wee haue no promise of helpe from any Saint to God he promiseth to heare vs and to deliuer vs but we haue no promise in the word of God that any of the Saints no not the Virgin Marie her selfe will or can helpe and deliuer vs in the time of our trouble Thirdly the Saints departed doe not know our particular 3 The Saints departed doe not know our particular wants wants neither doe they hearken and attend to the praiers of particular men as it is manifest by the praier of the people of God in Esay saying u Isa 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel acknowledge vs not thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy name is from euerlasting Heere the people pray not to Abraham nor to Isaak nor to Iacob but to the Lord and the reason is because they are sure that the Lord heareth them and remembreth them though Abraham and Israel that were dead were ignorant of them and acknowledged them not It is manifest then that Abraham and Isaak and Iacob that Peter Paul and the Virgin Marie and all the Saints departed though they be Saints in glory yet because they are but Saints and not Gods they are ignorant of vs they know not our particular wants and distresses and it is onely the Lord that is our Father and remembreth vs and heareth and helpeth vs in our trouble and therefore we are not to pray either to Abraham or to any of the Saints but onely to the Lord our God our Father and our Redeemer Fourthly we cannot pray vnto Saints but wee must 4 To pray to Saints is to belieue in them to put trust confidence in them beleeue in them according to that saying of the Apostle o How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Where S. Paul giueth vs to vnderstand that before we can call vpon the Lord wee must first belieue in him and so for Saints if wee call vpon Saints and x Rom. 10. 14. pray vnto them to helpe vs in our trouble we must first belieue in them wee must put trust and confidence in them that they can helpe vs. Now this is contrarie to the truth of Gods word for wee are to belieue in none saue onely in God neither ought wee to put our trust and confidence in any saue onely in the Lord our God But they that maintaine and vse prayer to the Saints Obiect make this defence for themselues We say they pray to Saints vsing them as Mediatours to God because wee acknowledge our selues to bee farre vnworthy to come directly vnto God but haue accesse vnto God by the mediation of Saints To which I answere Answ First here is feare where no feare is Are wee afraid to come vnto God to call vpon his name Behold hee biddeth vs call
them so Steuen said concerning his enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their charge x Mat. 5. 46. If ye loue them which loue you what reward haue you Doe not euen the Publicans the same It 's a small matter for a man to loue one that loueth him againe and to wish well to him that wisheth well to him againe this verie Publicanes can doe any man may doe this But he is a worthie Christian he is a good man indeede that can loue his enemies that can wish well to him that wisheth no good to him againe and that can pray for his enemies such men are rare on earth few such are to bee found and yet we ought so to striue against our inward corruptions against our anger and hatred and desire of reuenge that we might both forgiue our enemies and pray for our enemies if we will be the followers of Christ and the children of our heauenly Father CHAP. VI. Of praying for the dead HItherto hath beene shewed that we are to pray 2 Not for the dead And Therein three things for the liuing It remaineth in the second place to entreate of Prayer for the dead And therein I will shew First how the present Romish Church holdeth and maintaineth Prayer for the dead Secondly I will declare in what sence the auncient Fathers haue mentioned and they themselues somtimes vsed Prayer for the dead Thirdly I will vse reasons to disswade all men from praying for the dead as the Romists doe For the first a Bellarm. de Purgator Cardinall Bellarmine giueth vs a cleare 1 How the present Romish Church holdeth and maintaineth Prayer for the dead light to know how in what sence the present Romish Church holdeth and maintaineth Prayer for the dead for he tells vs that there are three places of receptacle Heauen Hell and Purgatorie besides his faigned Limbus for three sorts of people departing hence that is to say the iust and righteous ones the wicked and vngod ly and they that are of a middle sort beleeuers but yet such as are not throughly cleansed from their sinnes As for the iust and righteous he doubts not but their soules goe straight to Paradise to Heauen as the soules of the Apostles Martyrs c. As for the wicked and vngodly impenitent sinners and Infidels hee maketh no question of them but that they goe downe to Hell neuer to be deliuered All the question is of the third sort those of the middle sort which are neither very good nor very euill but such as die in their veniall sinnes or haue not satisfied for the temporall punishment of their mortall sinnes and therefore such must be cast into the fire of Purgatorie to purge them more from their sins and as it were to scoure away their drosse till they haue satisfied the iustice of God partly by their owne sufferings and partly by the prayers fastings almesdeeds of others and such like This is the Faith of the present Romane Church concerning Prayer for the dead so that the praiers of the Romists which they make for the dead are chiefely intended for the soules of their friends in Purgatorie that thereby they may procure some mitigation of their paines and bring as they imagine some ease to their tormented soules The second thing concerning Prayer for the dead is 2 In what sence the auncient Fathers haue mentioned sometimes vsed prayer for the dead to shew in what sence the auncient Fathers haue mentioned in their writings and sometimes vsed themselues Praier for the dead Diuerse iudicious and learned b D. Mort. in his Protest Appeale l. 2. c. 8. Lanch de natura Dei l. 4. c. 4. Perk problâ—m â—itul prâ—s promort Diuines consent in this that the auncient Orthodoxall Fathers neuer vsed or spake of Prayers for the dead to the end that they might haue remission of their sinnes after this life that they might be purged from their sinnes or be deliuered from the paines of Purgatorie but the Prayers made for the dead in auncient time were for other ends and chiefely they were either prayses and thankesgiuings to God for their departure out of this miserable sinfull and wretched life and forgiuing them eternall life in the heauens or else they were Prayers made in regard of the Resurrection of their bodies that the Lord would send them a speedie and ioyful Resurrection and these Prayers which were made for their friends departed were not made in regard of any miserie of the present state of their soules but for the glorifiing of their bodies in the Resurrection of the iust that then their glory might be encreased and that they might receiue fullnesse of glorie both in their bodies and in their soules And this is not a meere opinion and bare coniecture but this is according to sound iudgement gathered from the writings of the Fathers themselues St Ambrose prayeth for the Emperour Theodosius after his death saying c Darequiem perfectam seruo tuo Theodosiâ— requiem quam praeparasti sanctis tuis Amb. orat funeb de obit The dos Giue perfect rest to thy seruant Theodosius euen that rest which thou hast prepared for thy Saints Thus he prayeth and yet afterwards saith d Manet in lumine Theodosius sanctorum caetibus gloriatur ibid. Theodosius is in light and is glorified amongst the company of the Saints So St c Lib Confess Austine prayeth for his Mother being dead and yet is perswaded that the Lord hath heard him and granted his request and that shee is in glorie So Eusebius reporteth that f Preces pro auima Imperatoris Deo fundebant Euseb de vita Constant l. 4. cap. 71. Prayers were made for Constantine the Christian-Emperour after his death which prayers were but either thankesgiuings lauding and praising God for deliuering him out of this miserable life crowning him with glorie in the heauens or prayers for the fulnesse of glorie in the Resurrection of the iust and they did not pray for any ease to his soule from the flames of Purgatorie for as the same Author reporteth g Omnes beatum Imperatorem acceptumque Deo praedicabant ibid. c. 69. all men did say that the Emperour was blessed and accepted of God It is manifest then by these Fathers that the custome of the auncient Church of God in praying for the dead was not to procure ease to bring refreshing to their soules in Purgatorie or to deliuer them out of Purgatorie seeing that they acknowledge that their friends for whom they prayed were in light were in glorie and were blessed 3 Reasons wherfore we are not to pray for the dead as the Papists doe at this day In the third place I yeeld these reasons wherefore we are not to pray for the dead as the Romists vse Prayer for the dead at this day First The Scripture acknowledgeth but two places as receptacles for the soules of men after this life Heauen and Hell
state Secondly Prayer also auaileth greatly for the good 2 In regard of the soule And that of the soule and that both for the Remoouing of euill and Procuring of good 1 Remoouing euill As First for the remoouing of euill And first prayer is a meanes to remooue away our sinnes from vs which stand as a cloud betweene God and vs to hinder good 1 Our sinnes things from vs separating betweene God and vs and prouoking Gods wrath against vs wherefore Hezekiah being recouered from his sicknes and praising God for his deliuerance saith t Isa 38. Ver. 2. 3 And 17. thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy backe Secondly Prayer is effectuall and powerfull to helpe 2 Temptations vs against temptations and to deliuer vs from that euill one So our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray u Mat. 6. 13. lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And so he exhorteth vs to pray x Mat. 26. 41. watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Thirdly Prayer is powerfull to helpe vs in the euill 3 The teâ—â—our of death and iudgement and perillous times to free our soules from the danger of death and the iudgement to come that neither death shall suddenly come vpon vs nor the day of the Lord take vs vnawares Which our Sauiour sheweth vs in this exhortation y Luk. 21. 36. Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be accompted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Sonne of man Thus prayer auaileth for the remoouing of euill from the soule Secondly prayer auaileth much for the procuring of 2 Procuring Good As good things to the soule as first mercie pardon and forgiuenesse Dauid in his Prayer confesseth his sinne 1 Mercy pardâ—n and forgiuenesse saying z Psal 32. 5. I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and it followeth thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne Dauid confessed his sinne and prayed for the pardon of his sinne and the Lord heard his Prayer and pardoned his sinne So S. Iames saith a Iam. 5. 15. the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen him Secondly Prayer is a meanes to obtaine all graces necessarily 2 All graces necessarie for our saluation accompanying saluation For b Iam. 1. 17. euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the Father of lights Our Sauiour Christ saith c Mat 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you and S. Iames saith d Iam. 1. 5. If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him Thirdly Prayer is effectuall not onely for the obtaining 3 Increase of Grace of grace but likewise for the increase of grace the Apostles pray e Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith And S. Paul prayeth for the Ephesians that God would f Ephe. 3. 16. 17. 18. 19. grant them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith that being rooted and grounded in loue they might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ Which passeth knowledge that they might be filled with all the fullnessâ— of God And they that are strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man hauing Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith and are growing and increasing in grace in this life shall assuredly attaine to glorie in the life to come Prayer then as it remooueth euill â—o it procureth good to the soule mercie grace yea increase of grace and with grace glorie the perfection of Grace Such is the efficacie of Prayer The consideration of which efficacie and power of Vse Prayer may teach vs in all our necessities and tribulations To vse prayer in time of need as a sure defence to flee vnto God by Prayer to lay hold on prayer as a man would on his shield and buckler For prayer is a most sure defence in all troubles whatsoeuer It is a defence against tribulations outward and temptations inward It helpes the bodie and cures the soule it preuaileth both in heauen and in earth concerning which the exhortation of the Apostle S. Paul is to be receiued and embraced g Ephe. 6. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. take vnto you saith he the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the euill day and hauing done all to stand Stand therefore hauing your loynes girt about with truth and hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked and take the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit A Christian that is thus armed hauing the girdle of truth about his loynes hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and his feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace hauing the shield of faith before him the helmet of saluation vpon his head hauing the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and being prepared to pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Such a one is able to stand against the aduersarie the Deuill and all spirituall wickednesse and such a one shall preuaile against his spirituall enemies yea such a one shall preuaile with God himselfe for any petition that he shall make so farre as it shall be good for him For the effectuall feruent Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much CHAP. XVIII Of the helpes and furtherances of Prayer Of the first helpe the Spirit of God THe ninth thing in the Treatise of Prayer is of 9 The helps and furtherances of Prayer Three the helpes and furtherances of Prayer and they are three The first is Gods holy Spirit of which Saint Paul saith a Rom. 8. 26. 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities 1 Gods holy Spirit And for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God For this cause the Spirit of God is called the spirit of supplications by the Prophet Zacharie b Zach. 12. 10. The holy spirit