of the people he calls it the roaring of Beares The Lord had as lief heare the barking of a Dog or the grunting of a Swine as a man that doth not pray aright with a bleeding heart with contrition of soule and spirit with a spirit of grace and supplication When a man prayes and prayes dot aright his prayer leaves that name it is no more a prayer in Gods account And so preaching it is an admirable action but if a man doe not preach aright if it be flattering with the enticing words of mans wisdome or beating the aire and to shew his owne learning this overthrowes the action of preaching hee preacheth not Christ but himselfe himselfe not the Gospel though the Gospel bee in his Sermon all over yet himselfe hee preacheth the action is marred the circumstance marreth it So in the Lords Supper if a man come not prepared that he have not the Wedding Garment that he be not aright qualified according to the requisites of the Gospel this is not to eate the Lords Supper Saith the Apostle When yee come together this is not to eate the Lords Supper you think you eate the Lords Supper you take the bread and the cup and can say Blessed be God and I pray God to blesse me you may come and doe these actions but the action is altered the action is diversified when it is not done in a right manner So if a man come to reprove his brother if himselfe be faulty do you think this a sufficient reproof No it is hyhocrisie Thou hypocrite Matth. 7.5 his reproof of his brother is hypocrisie So for men to tell one another of their faults and to tell them with a spirit of bitternesse this is not Christian dehortation but biting one another Gal. 5.15 And so for eating and drinking beloved eating is lawfull and drinking is lawfull and marrying and giving in marriage all these are lawfull yet if a man eate not aright and drink not aright and marry in the Lord and eate and drink with title to the Lords creatures that he have interest in the covenant of God if Christ be not in it how shall he have comfort Nay that very nature of his eating is alrered his eating and drinking and marrying is a sinne As our Lord Christ shews of the old world They did eat and drinke and were marrying and giving in marriage till Noah entred into the Arke and the flood came and swept them away Matth. 24.37 He reckons their eating and drinking among their sins among the reasons and causes why the flood came upon them they did eate and drink and marry and give in marriage Object You will say Was that the reason the flood came And was that an argument of their security Did not Noah eate and drink and marry And were not his sons married that were in the Arke and he a grand-father Answ But he did it aright therefore his eating and drinking is not brought in as a signe of security but of the old world that were carnall and wretched people it was because they did not eate and drink aright There be Rules in eating and drinking in talking and discoursing in doing the duties of our callings There be Rules how you ought to buy and sell and to do every good word and worke If these Rules be not observed the Rules of Gods blessed word the actions themselves are altered though the things be commanded of God yet they are cursed and abominable things when the true form and fashion of them is not regarded though they be never so godly A garment though it be never so good if the Taylor handle it not well it is marred in the making if hee bring it not to a right forme and make it in a right manner the man that is to have the garment is disappointed So Timber though it be never so excellent though it be all Oke or Elm or whatsoever tree though it be never so fit for building if the Artificer deale not well in handling it the inhabitant that comes there may curse the day that ever he came there If it be not well built it may fall on his head and kill him and all that belongs to him So it is in all the Ordinances of God and the matters of Religion we must not only do them for matter but for manner too for that either makes or marres them Thirdly another Reason is because only the right manner of doing duties gets the blessing A man may pray a thousand times and never be heard he may hear a million of Sermons and never be converted a man may come to all the Sacraments in the yeare all his life long and never be sealed against the day of redemption A man may do the things and never get the blessing all the blessing lies in the right manner of doing Blessed is that servant who when his master comes shall find so doing Matth. 24.48 He saith not Who when his master commeth shall find doing Christ when he comes to judgement shall finde many doing it may be he will come in prayer time it may be he will come in the morning when many thousands shall be at their prayers in their families it may be he will come at night when all are at prayer in their houses it may be he will come on the Sabbath when all the Countrey is at Church hearing of Sermons hee shall finde many thousands doing and praying But blessed is that servant whom his Lord when hee comes shall find so praying so hearing so receiving the Sacrament He shall find many believing but so believing gets the blessing many professing but it is so professing that gets the comfort I say all the blessings of God are promised to the right manner of doing Now what is it when we doe duties what doe we look for Is it not for a blessing Why doe we doe the duties if we doe not doe them so as we may get the blessing Now except we observe the right manner of doing them all is to no purpose Fourthly another Reason is the example of Jesus Christ Christ hath given us an example that we should doe as he did Now hee did not onely doe that which his Father bid him doe for maâ—ter but for manner both in all the words hee spake and in all the deeds that hee performed For the words he spake As the Father hath said unto me even so speak I Joh. 12. And in Joh. 14.31 As the Father hath given me commandement even so doe I. Mark he did not onely obey his Father in the matter of his command but in the manner of it And as Christ hath done thus so all that are Christs all the servants of God in all ages they have been very carefull especially of the right manner of obeying God As it is said of Noah Gen. 6 22 As the Lord commanded Noah even so did he just as the Lord commanded
81 5. Obj. At what time soever a sinner repents he shall find mercy Ans It is true if he repent from the bottom of his heart but a man may have many a degree of repentance and yet never repent from the heart 81. Self-love may make a man do much 82 2. Doct. It may be this very day even this particular Sermon this instant hour may be thy day that art now in thy sinnes that if thou repent not at this very one Sermon thou neglectest eternal life for ever 82 Four Reasons of the point 1. Because Gods patience is in his own breast and who can tell how long it will last 83 Wherein Joel 2.13 is opened in five particulars 84 God usually giveth some signes of death beforehand 86 But the day of grace may end and a man never have any warning of it 86 2. Because Gods patience giveth no marks or incklings of its ending before it ends 86 3. Because God keepeth a strict account how many opportunities he hath vouchsafed 88 4. Consider it is a wonder that the day of grace is not ended already and that thou art not now in hell 90 The Contents of the Fourth Sermon upon Philip. 3.18.19 1. An explanation of the severall parts of the Text in five particulars 98 Doct. That those whose minds and thoughts run habitually on earth and earthly things their end must needs be destruction 99 6. Reasons 1. The curse of God is the desert of vain thoughts 99 2. The curse of God is the event of vain thoughts 99 3. That man whose thoughts are habitually on the things of the world can never truly repent 100 4. Because that man whose thoughts run habitually on earthly things hath no part in Jesus Christ 102 For the thoughts and affections of the heart are the feet of the soul 102 5. Because so long as a mans thoughts run habitually on the things of the world that man hath no true love of God in him 105 6. Because so long as a mans thoughts run after the world he can never depart from his sins 106 2. Uses 1. For humiliation because these vain thoughts bearing sway in the heart they make that mans end to be destruction 108 2. For the terrour of those men who suffer their hearts to be taken up with vain thoughts 111 Object But I think of God and of Christ of faith and repentance 113 Ans 1. Consider whether thy good thoughts be meerly cast into thy heart or whether they be raised by thy heart 113 A wicked man may have a thousand good thoughts and yet go to hell in the midst of them 114 2 Thou hast good thoughts but consider whether they be fleeting or abiding thoughts 116 There are two kinds of vain thoughts First vain because the matter and substance of them is vain Secondly vain for want of durance and lasting though not vain for the matter of them 116 3 Thou thinkest of God but consider whether thy thoughts be studied or accidental thoughts When a good thought commeth into a godly mans heart it leaveth a good impression behind it but when a good thought comes into a wicked mans heart it leaves no impression behind it 117 118 A godly man not only thinketh of God but he studieth how to think of God 119 4 Thou thinkest of God but consider whether thy thoughts of God be profitable or unprofitable thoughts 120 Thoughts are not free 121. Not free 1 From Gods knowledge 121 2 They are not free from Gods word 122 3 They are not free from the wrath of God 123 Three meanes in the use whereof we may rid our selves of vain thoughts 1 Love the word of God 123 2 Go unto God by prayer 124 3 Consider thou hast not so learned Christ 125 All vain thoughts arise from these three Heads 1 From the variety and abundance of the thoughts of the world 125 2 From the Fountain of corruption that is in mens hearts 126 3 From the damned malice of Satan and his temptations both within and without 126 1 Materially thoughts are vain 1 When the matter of them is vain 126 Such are the thoughts of the world calling or recreation these are evill 1 When we think of them primarily that is before we think of God 127 2 When we think of them too usually too often 129 3 When we think of them too savourly 130 4 When we think of them without counsel 131 5 When they are thought needlesly 131 2 Thoughts are vain formally when though the matter of them be never so good yet the manner of thinking them is evill 132 It is possible for a wicked man to go to hell though he perform the same things for the matter of them that a godly man doth 132 3 Thoughts are vain efficiently when the heart that thinketh upon them is earthly and vain 134 4 Thoughts are vain when the drift and end of the soul in thinking on them is vain 136 Wicked men will be thinking of God 1 To make God amends for their dishonouring of him by their wicked thoughts 137 2. To collogue with God and to flatter him 138 3. To smother and choke their own consciences 139 The Contents of the Fifth Sermon upon 1 Corinth 6.2 1. An explanation of the text together with the verses foregoing and following 144 Doctrine The Saints shall judge the world 146 Objection How shall the Saints judge the world 146 Answer 1. By their consent unto Christs judgement 146 2. By their applause of Christs judgement 147 3. By their Majesty then shall they shine as the Stars in the Firmament and the wicked shall be amazed at the sight of them 148 4. By their lives and conversations by their accepting of the Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the worlds rejecting of him 148 Four Reasons of the point 1. First because of that mysticall union that is betwixt Christ and his Saints so when Christ judgeth the world the whole body of Christ may be said to judge the world 149 2. In regard of their sufferings with Christ as they are judged by the world so they shall be judged of the world 149 3 For the greater terror to all wicked men at the day of judgement 150 4 Because the mouthes of wicked men may be stopped and that they may have no excuse for themselves 150 Use 1 For information in five particulars 1 Hence we may learn that the Saints by their now being Saints do now judge the world 151 Wherein Heb. 11.7 is cleared from an objection 2 Hence let the world learn that when any one sinner is converted there is one Judge more to sit upon them 153 3 Hence we may learn that it concernes all the world to take notice of every grace in Gods children because there is never a grace in any of the Saints but it shall make for the condemnation of them that want it 154 4 Learn hence that if the Saints then much more the world that begets them shall
know our Lords will we must prepare for the doing of it 243 The Contents of the eighth Sermon upon Proverbs 29 1. 1 A double exposition of the Text. 1 Doct. From the first exposition viz. He that reproveth another and is guilty himself in the same kind or in any other kind and hardeneth his own heart in it that man shall be destroyed without remedy 244 7 Reasons First because the office of a reprover bindeth him to be blamelesse 2 Because such a reprover as is guilty himself can never reprove to a right end 250 3 Neither can he do it in a right manner 251 4 Such a reprover is an hypocrite 252 5 Such a reproving of another mans sinne makes him inexcusable in his own 253 6 It is an absurd thing for a person to reprove another for that whereof he is guilty himself 254 7 Such a reproving is a signe of impenitencie 254 Object Shall not a wicked Magistrate or Minister reprove others c. Ans He is bound to reprove in regard of his office â—ut is bound in conscience to amend himself first 155 Use For instruction first Let every reprover take heed lest he make himself inexcusable 256 2 Let him endeavour to walk unblameable and inoffensive 256 Two Doctrines from the second exposition of the Words viz. Doct. 1. The Lord doth not destroy man willingly but for sinne 261 Doct. 2. It is a great mercy for a man to be reproved for his sin 261 Three Reasons of the Second Doctrine 1 Because reproofs primarily come from love 262 2 They tend to the good of a mans soul 264 3 It is brutish not to take reproofs in good part 265 Use 1 First for information that God is bringing destruction upon a Kingdom when he takes away reprovers from them 267 Use 2 For the reproof of those that despise the reproof of the wise they despise not men but God 269 The grievousnesse of their sin who stand out against reproof is aggravated under severall heads 270 Doct. 3 The Lord proportions punishments to mens sins 271 Reas 1 Because hereby a mans punishment appears to be so much the more equall and worthy 271 2 This stops mens mouths and convinceth their consciences 3 All the standers by may see the equity of it when the punishment is according to the sin 273 Use for instruction First to teach men not to complain of Gods dealing with them if their punishment be for the kind of it according to their sin but rather let them learn to see Gods immediate hand in it 274 2 To teach men to consider how God many timeâ— proportions punishments to sins 1 For kind 275 2 For quantity 275 3 For quality 276 4 For time 277 5 For place 277 The Authors Preface upon these ensuing Sermons THE cause of that little heavenlines which is in the profession of Christianity is the want of Meditation Many can meditate cursorily but that is not enough it must be a sticking Meditation that must affect the heart That place in 2 Pet. 2.8 is marvellous pregnant it was the means why Lot was so touched with the abominations of Sodome That righteous man â—welling amongst them in seeing and hearing their ungodly deeds vexed his righteous soul from day to day Many heard and saw too besides Lot and were not vexed Why Other matters stuck in their thoughts they never throughly meditated on it but he vexed himself that is the meditation of those evils and bringing them home to his soul vexed him The word is a fit word implying two things First the searching and examining of a thing his meditating heart examined their sins how many they were how grievous how damnable how likely to pull down some vengeance or other upon them Secondly the wracking or vexing upon trial so it was with Lot he observed all their evils and weighed them in his soul then he wracked his spirit with the consideration of them The Evangelist useth this very word for tossing this word that is here put for vexing he puts for tossing of a ship in the seas Matt. 14.24 The ship was toss'ed with the waves so meditation did tosse his soul with vexation sometimes down to the deep O miserable wretches that we are or How brutish how beastly and how hellish are our sins Sometimes up O that the Lord would humble us and spare us Sometimes over head and eares in the storme O fool that I was to chuse my dwelling amongst such men These meditations vexed hiâ— soul Many have studied meditations and yet are not acquainted with this cordiall meditation Many Ministerâ— that study Divinity all the day that study the Word all the week that study their Sermons all the year may yet for all this be carnall Ministers Why Because their meditation is but inventing and mentall meditation thiâ— meditation is a practicall meditation the thing meditated feeds the heart that meditation is like a fluttering Pheasant that flutters before their eyes it feeds their eyes indeed but never feeds the stomack as long as they neither catch nor eat it The saving mysteries of God flutter before their eyes and before their understandings they feed their eyes with knowledge but never feed their souls unto everlasting life unlesse they fowle for it dresse and digest it in their hearts There is an apt word Gen. 24.63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field the originall hath it to signifie mutuall conference his mind conferred with the truth and the truth with him a mutuall working he wrought upon the truth by meditating of it and it wrought upon him by leaving an impression upon his soul this is a rare practice in the world and yet as necessary as most it is the art of the soul in being heavenly it is the inuring of thee to every good duty for by meditation a man comes to have his mind and heart fixed upon every thing that he would Would he pray he that hath inured his heart to meditate his mind is fixed in his prayer Would he receive the Sacrament He that hath inured his heart by meditation his mind is fixed in the Ordinance David that was excellent at meditation had a fixed heart Psal 57.7 Psal 112. 1.7 A SERMON OF The use and benefit of Divine Meditation HAGGAI 1.5 Now therfore saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes THe Prophet reproveth the people because they could finde in their hearts to mind their own houses and yet were carelesse of the house of the Lord the Lord had sent a drought and a famine and sundry punishments upon them for this thing and yet they laid it not to heart and therefore he sends Haggai the Prophet unto them to call them to repentance and which is an admirable course and little thought of in the world he begins with holy meditation and consideration Now therefore thus saith the Lord consider your wayes that is both in regard of the course of them your wicked wayes and also in regard
wickednesse As Huntsmen observe that the hounds cannot well hunt in the Spring as Theophrastus and Pollux and others observe the sweet odors of the flowers and herbs sayes Oppian hinder the hounds from smelling the hare so it is with Meditation it is hard for it to track the heart in the green Spring time of civill honestie and formalitie And therefore let Meditation make diligent search saith he The third duty hale thy heart before God and let Meditation bring it before his throne and there powre out thy complaint against it before God there out with all thy villany and article against thy self and bring as many complaints against thy self before heaven as there be drops in a bucket full of water So do the godly I powred out all my complaints before him Psal 102. in the preface I powred out my complaints as a man powreth out water out of a vessell generally men are willing to call for mercie but they are not so willing to bring complaints unto God against themselves ye shall have them whisper after the Minister as he is begging for pardon and mercie but they will not do so whiles he is complaining of their sins the hellish and devillish abominations of their heart These are men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith and shall never have mercie till they be as forward to complain of their sins as to be plaintives for mercie When a man in Meditation meets with a hard matter that he cannot sufficiently dive into he breaks it to another so do thou to God break all thy heart to God tell him of thy hardnesse of heart of the pride of thy heart of the desperate prophanenesse of thy heart but take these rules with thee First thy complaint must be full of sorrow Psal 55. Secondly it must be a full complaint of all thy sins and of all thy lusts Lam. 2.18 19. Poure ouâ— thy heart like water before the face of the Lord. Water runs all out of a vessell when you turn the mouth downward never a spoonfull will stay behind The wicked will not complain of their sins fully they make hypocriticall professions If it be a sin I am sorry for it saies one if it be naught I cry God mercie saith another when their own consciences tell them it is a sin yet they will not complain of it absolutely Thirdly thy complaint must be with aggravation thou must aggravate thy sins by all the circumstances that may shew it to be odious as Peter did when he thought thereon he wept Mark 14.72 the originall hath it he cast all these things one upon another Wretch that I was Christ was my master and yet I denyed him such a good master that he called me before any of my fellow Apostles and yet I denyed him I was ready to sink once he denyed not me I was to be damned once he denyed not my soul and yet I denyed him he told me of this sin beforehand that I might take heed of it and yet I denyed him I said I will not commit it nor forsake him and yet I denyed him yea this very night no longer ago did I say and say again I would not deny him and yet I denyed him yea I said though all others denyed him yet would not I and yet worse then all others I denyed him with a witnesse before a maid before a damosel nay more filthy beast that I am I said I did not know the man nay more I sware I did not know him nay more then all this I did even curse my self with an oath that I did not know him nay more all this evill did I not above five or six strides from my Lord and Saviour nay more even then when if ever I should have stood for him I should have done it then when all the world did forsake him Oh wretch that I was I denyed him he cast up all these circumstances together and meditating on them he went out and wept bitterly Fourthly thy complaint must be a self-condemning complaint thou must condemn thy self and lay thy self at hell gates and set the naked point of Gods vengeance at thy throat Thus and thus have I lived damned cast-away as I have deserved to be So did Ezra in the behalfe of the Jewes Ezra 9. For 1 He fell on his face he did not bow down on his knees but like a man astonished he fell on his knees ready to feele on the ground in amazement 2. He spread out his hands unto the Lord verse 5. as if he should say here is my heart-bloud Lord here is my breast Lord we deserve thou shouldst stab us with thy wrath 3. He blushes to look heaven in the face verse 6. so vexed to think on the sinnes of his people that he is even confounded to beg mercy 4. He is as it were dumb and speechlesse before God And now our God what shall we say after all this for we have forsaken thy commandements verse 10. Shall I excuse the matter alas it is inexcusable What shall we say after all this Shall we call for thy patience We had it and yet were little the better Shall we call for mercie Why we had it and yet our stubborne hearts would not come downe I know not what to say for our selves for we have sinned against thee 5. He declares Gods truth that he had warned them by his Prophetâ— vers 11.12 but no warning can better us 6. He shewes how God had punished them yet they would not be humbled for all that God had brought upon them lesse evils then they deserved and wrought deliverances for them which they could not have expected What shall we say should we for all this break thy Commandements verse 13 14. What can we expect but hell and confusion 7. He is sensible of Gods judgements and righteousnesse O Lord thou art righteous as if hee should say How canst thou spare us for this sinne How can it stand with thy righteousnesse How is it that such hell-hounds as we are should live above ground when thou art so righteous a God It is a wonder that the earth opens not her mouth for to swallow us up quick for O Lord thou art righteous 8. He laies downe his soule and all the peoples soules at Gods feet as if he should say here we be thou maist damne us if thou wilt Behold we are all here before thee in our trespasses for we cannot stand before thee because of this ver 15. Behold here we are rebels we are here are our heads and our throats before thee if now thou shouldst take us from our knees unto hel from our prayers unto damnation we cannot aske thee why thou doest so Oh it 's mercie it 's mercie indeed that we have been spared Thus meditation must bring our hearts before God and there complaine against them before heaven Meditation should deale with the heart as the Father did with his possessed child who carried him to
Christ saying Master my child is possessed with a Devil even a dumb spirit and I spake to thy Disciples that thâ—y should cast him out but they could not Mark 9.18 Bring him to me saith Christ vers 19. How long is this agoe since this came to him Of a child saith the Father and often it hath cast him into the fire and often into the water to destroy him but if thou canst doe any thing as certainly thou canst doe all things have compassion on us and help us verse 22. And then Christ helpt him So let meditation drive thy heart to God saying Lord here is my heart I beleeve possest with a Devill for it is a most abominable sinful heart I brought my heart to thy Ministers to cure it to Sermons to Prayer to all other good duties but they could not help me my heart is a Devillish heart still my heart is wicked and rebellious still the Devill oh the Devill is in it still Oh how he tempts me he holds me hee casts me into the fire of this lust and into the water of ever-flowing iniquity Have thou compassion come and help me for my heart is miserably vexed with Satan when I pray the Devill stuffes me with dead thoughts and drousie desires the Devill fills me with wandring Imaginations and I know not what when I hear the Word the Devil makes me to rise up against it or forget it or not obey it when the Sabbath is come the Devill sets me on thinking my own thoughts and speaking mine own words when a Sacrament is come the Devill hinders me in selfe-examination the Devill disappoints me of my preparation Oh have thou compassion on me The fourth duty let meditation when it hath held thy heart before God there cast thee downe before him when Meditation hath searched out thy case and made it appeare how wofull it is then let it lay thee along before God with What shall I do to be saved So it did with them in Acts 2.27 as if they should say saith Chrysostome we have not one jot of hope to finde mercy so long as we live as we do What shall we do Say what thou wilt our ears are ready to hear it command what thou wilt our souls what ever it be are willing to do it bid us suffer what ever thou pleasest tell us what it is and we will endure it They did not say notes Chrysostome How shall we be saved as wicked men do they desire to be saved but their maine care is not to see what they must do they are told what they must do and yet refuse to do it but thy chiefe study must be to cast thy selfe down before God with the good Jaylor Sirs what shall I doe to be saved Acts 16.30 First what must I do and then to be saved First thy care must be what to do to get out of thy sins how to be rid of thy lusts and then to be saved as if he should say I see I am at a damned passe and therefore I was a making away my selfe the fire of hell did slay my soule but now is there hope of salvation is there indeed Oh tell me I am willing to do any thing what must I do Keep nothing back of all the will the Lord be it punishments to suffer tell me of it I am ready to beare it be it precepts for to do though never so irksome O let me know it and I will not refuse it What must I doe to be saved When the heart is thus humbled upon sound meditation it 's willing to do or suffer any thing Jonah is willing to be cast into the sea being humbled Jonah 1.2 Here I am Lord deal with me as thou wilt Motive 1 The first Motive Is it a folly not to meditate Should a man walk on in a course and not meditate whether it will tend When he falls into mischeife what will he say I never thought of this before I never considered that this would be the end Now it is the part of a fool to say I never thought as the Latin proverb hath it when the Steed is stoâ—len if he should then shut the Stable doore what wouldest thou say Hee should have thought of that before The rich man in the Gospell had these meditations in his heart he thought within himselfe What shall I do because I have no roome where to bestow my fruits He said in his heart This will I do I will pull down my barnes and build greater and will say to my soule Soule soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares eate drinke and be merry Luke 12.17 18 19 20. Thou fool said God this night shall thy soule bee required of thee then whose shall these things bee that thou hast provided God said thus unto him not as if God spake thus familiarly unto him saith Theophylact but it is a parable and God sayes so in his word Thou soule this night shall they requirâ— thy soule of thee In this night of thy blindnesse in this night of thy security shall they require it hee doth not say I will require thy soule of thee but they he doth not say who but they the Devils in hell God knowes who shalâ— come thou shalt die and they shall fetch away â—hy soul to hell they shall require it A godly mans soule is not required but â—ather he requires God to take away his soule he is willing to die that he may be with Christ but a wicked mans soule is required of him hee would willingly not â—ie but that his soul is required of him and he must die Doubtlesse the rich fooâ—e now thought with himselfe I never thought that I should have died so soone and therefore now he â—alls it may be to his Lord Lord and cries God mercie But what will they say to him Thou shouldst have thought of this before The wise man shall inherit â—lory but shame shall be the promotion of soâ—es â—rov 3.3 â—he wiâ—e and prudent those that truely meditate of things before hand shall have glory but fools that hope to be promoted to glory and salvation shame and confusion of face shall be all their promotion and when they come thereto besides their expectation what will they say We never thought it would be thus with us before but fooles as we were we thought to be promoted to heaven like Haman when King Aâ—ashuerus said unto him What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour O thus and thus saith Haman for he thought I am the man whom the King intendeth to honour Esther 6. â— but when Haman was presently after to be hanged on a gallowes he might rightly say I never thought of this before So what shall be done to the man whom the Lord will honour Thus and thus sayest thou he shall have mercies blessings heaven I for thou thinkest I am the man that God intendeth thus to honour but when thou art come
to hell what wilt thou say then I never thought of this before that so it would be Mot. 2 The second Motive is Thou wouldest be loth to have the brand of a Reprobate Not to meditate is that brand The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God neither is God in all his thoughts Psal 10.4 He scornes to be so poring upon Bibles to be so wracking his mind with his sins He hath said in his heart God will not require it vers 13. God requires no such scrupulosity nor strictnesse Mot. 3 The third Motive is Thou wouldst be loth to roh God of his honour and the maine part of his service whis is Meditation Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soule Matth. 22.38 How can this bee true of them saith Chrysostom who become vain in their imaginations Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soule and mind And so do I saist thou So dost thou What and not love God with all that is in thy heart Thy thoughts are in thy heart thy meditations are in thy mind If thy thoughts then and meditations be not of God thou dost not love God with all thy heart David did not only pray that the words of his mouth but also that the thoughts of his heart should be ever acceptable to the Lord Psal 19.14 not only that he might be full of heavenly communication in his mouth but also of holy meditation in his heart Behold saith he thou requirest truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 And meditation is one of the duties of truth in the inward parts Mot. 4 The fourth Motive Thou wouldst be loth that all the worship thou givest to God should be abominable so it will be without meditation meditation before it meditation after it First Thou must meditate before thou goest about a duty of Gods worship consider before thou hear the word of God meditate what thou art going about Hearken O daughter and consider incline thine eare Psal 45.10 First consider and meditate and then incline thine eare This is part of those words often in Scripture Be ready be ready Be ready and come up saith God Exod. 34.2 Be ready against the third day Exod. 19. Gather your selves together Zeph. 2.1 that is prepare to meet thy God O Israel Amos 4.12 Secondly meditate after the duty When men part with men they use to give one another a farewell and not bluntly deliver their mind one to another and so turn their backs one upon another Lysias could not write a letter to Felix and break up abruptly but he gave him a farewell Acts 23.30 Neither may a man when a duty is done go away bluntly from God but give him a farewell by holy meditation It 's an unseemly kicking of a duty as most men do when they are come to the end of their prayers to whom with the Father and holy Spirit be ascribed all praise and glory Amen Come is dinner ready or what news do you hear This is unmannerlinesse towards the ordinances of God A man that hath been at a â—ooâ— dinner will sit a while after it or walke a while he will not presently run to his worke that the meat may digest the better So when thou hast been at Gods dainties sit after it a while pawsing and meditating thereof as often as thou well mayest let it have its working a while What is the reason thou hast so many by-thoughts in prayer Because thou dost not meditate before-hand and after Hence it is that thine eyes are not directed to the duty but like a blind Archer thou shootest but by aim when the good Archer shoots he must have the white in his eye still which he must levell at My voyce shalt thou hear betimes in the morning in the morning will I direct my prayer to thee and will look up â—s â— 3 How came that you may look on his meditations vers 1. By meditation he was wont to direct and levell his prayer to God Wicked men know that God is before them as a blinde man may leâ—rne that the But is before him but they see not God before them to direct their prayers unto him they pray at rovers Thou must use then to meditate of God that thy prayers may bee directed if thou prayest not thus thy prayers are like them in the Prophet who drew neer to God with their lippes but their hearts were far from him like an arrow beside the But or far from the mark either wide or short They have not cried unto me with their hearts when they howled upon their beds Hosea 7.14 They prayed but they prayed not to me saith the Lord as the White may say of a bungling Archer hee shoots but not at me when he shooted he shot another way God counts all such prayers no better then howling of Dragons and wild beasts so the word signifies saith Scindler God would as lief and rather too that a Dog or a Wolfe or Dragon should howl in his hearing then hear such a prayer as this is The onely way therefore to performe duties of Gods worship purely is cheifly meditation meditation meditation THE DANGER of deferring REPENTANCE DISCOVERED In a Sermon preached at Maidstone in Kent Septem 25. 1629. By that Reverend and faithfull Minister of the Word WILLIAM FENNER B.D. Sometime Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Parson of Rochford in Essex London Printed by T.R. and E.M. for J.S. A SERMON OF Mr. WILLIAM FENNERS at Maidstone Septem 25. 1629. PROV 1.28 Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me THere is a good English Proverb amongst us that he that neglects the occasion the occasion will neglect him Solomon wisely begins his Proverbs with it for he bringeth in the Wisdom of his Father in these five particulars first making a generall Proclamation in the 20 verse Wisdome crieth without shee uttereth her vice in the streets He compareth God unto a Crier that goeth up and down the City from street to street and from doore to doore crying his commodity even the richest that ever was which is a Christ a Christ for redemption a Christ for sanctification a Christ to enlighten those that walk in darknesse and in the shadow of death Ho every one that thirsteth here is a Christ for you Secondly here is a mercifull reprehension in the 22. verse O yee foolish how long will yee love foolishnesse and yee scorners take pleasure in scorning Foolish indeed to be without Christ foolish to be without grace foolish to chafer away our souls for sin How long yee scorners will yee take pleasure in scorning will you still persist in your wickednesse and never have done with your sins will you never turn back again but damne your souls for ever O yee foolish how long will you love foolishnesse Thirdly here is a gracious exhortation in
He that turns away his eare from Gods Law God wiâ—l turn away his eare from his prayer He that turns it is spoken in the present tense that is he that now turns away his eare his prayer shall be abominable in the future tense that is the Lord marks what master or servant what father or mother what husband or wife what man or woman it is that turns away the eare of his head or the eare of his heart from hearing his will and obeying of his Commandments the Lord takes speciall notice of it and sets it down in his Calender and records it in his Memoriall keeping a strict account thereof as if God should say Well is it so I now call and will not this man or that woman answer Do I now stretch out my hands and will not they take care to obey me Well let them alone saith God there is a day coming that I shall be a hearing of them times of sorrow and misery will take hold of them and then they in their afflictions will cry unto me but I will not hear they will begge for mercy but I will not regard they will seek me early but they shall not find me It was one of the Articles of high Treason brought in against Cardinall Woolsey that he had the pox and a stinking breath and yet durst come into the Kings presence So it will be an Article against thee of high treason before the King of heaven if thou come into his presence with the stinking breath of thy sins living in thy lusts and wallowing in thy silthinesse all thy prayers are but as so many stinking breaths in the nostrils of the Lord and every duty that thou performest unto the Lord shall be as so many Articles of high treason against thee for to condemne thee because thou livest in rebellion and a Traitour against God His prayer shall be abominable he doth not say I will turn away mine eare from hearing his prayer which turns away his eare from hearing my Law that is the true exposition of the words no like for like is sometimes in justice for if a man should strike a Magistrate a box on the eare it were not justice for him to give him another for it is a greater sin to strike a Magistrate then any other common person and therfore a greater punishment the Law requireth So God doth not say he will turn away his eare from hearing his prayer but will serve him in a worse kind he will count it abominable yea abomination in the abstract it shall be loathsome yea loathsomnesse it self in the worst manner Galat. 6. As a man soweth so shall he reap if thou sowe sparingly thou shalt reap sparingly if thou sowe a dull eare to Gods Word thou shalt reap a dull eare from God to thy prayer for God will reward every man according to his works Reas 2 Secondly because of the time of Gods attributes both mercy and justice have their season in this life and when mercie hath acted her part then commeth justice upon the stage and acteth her part so that God will have his attributes manifested to all the sons of men yea to the face of the whole world There is no market nor Fayre day that lasteth alwayes if the countrey will not come in the Tradesmen will put up their wares and be gone but if they come in time they may have a peniworth otherwise if they come too late they will find none For the Merchant will not alwayes dwell in tents but away he goeth and will not stay for them Beloved Gods standing is now open and his shop set wide unto the sons of men if men will not come in cheapen and by without money whiles God offers his wares he will put them up and be gone For the Merchant will not lose his wares which he should do if he should alwayes remain in the open ayre with them if he alwayes continue in the fields expecting customers his wares would spoyl and rot So it is with God how many sweet counsels doth he lose how many sweet exhortations how many blessed Sermons and holy Sacraments and Sabbaths doth he lose how many checks of conscience how many dayes of grace and motions of his spirit have been squandred away in vain do you think that God wil lose all these and let them rot upon the stall with staying for you No no the day of grace and mercie will have an end and grace and mercie will have an end and then the day of wrath and vengeance will step up To day if you will hear his voice then barden not your hearts then they hardened their hearts and would not be led by Gods mercies to forsake their sins Therefore he swaâ—e in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest If it be so with you as it was with Israel in the wildernesse in the day of temptation you do not know but that your sinnes may now begin to pluck vengeance upon you I tell you if you harden your hearts this day you do not know but this very day the Lord may clap an oath upon your heads that you shall never enter into his rest For one and the selfe-same occasion lasts not alwayes as every day is not a Market day nor every week in the yeare a Faire week nor every season in the yeare a time of Spring or harvest so every day of a mans life may not claime to be the day of grace Therefore if a man fore-slow it now he fore-sloweth his own happinesse and putteth off his owne peace for ever Excellent is that annotation of Gregory on Job 27.9 Will God heare his cry when trouble commeth upon him Beloved now Gods patience is troubled wilt not thou repent Now Gods Spirit is troubled wilt not thou obey Now Gods Justice is troubled wilt thou not relent Now Gods Word is troubled wilt thou refuse to hearken Will God heare his cry He speaketh interrogatively as if he should say Art thou so mad so vaine so foolish to promise to thy selfe being an hypocrite that God will hear thy prayer Oh no then justice cometh to take place Reas 3 Thirdly it is Gods use to doe so in other things even upon the contempt of temporall blessings and therefore much more in matters of grace and salvation Thus God promised to give Israel the Land of Canaan Num. 12.22 but the text saith They tempted God ten times that is as some Expositors expound it many times or as others ten severall times But what ever the meaning of the text be certainly it was very many times so long til at last he sware in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest Beloved though there be many a hot swearer that regards not an oath yet certainly if the Lord sweare we may beleeve him the Word of God is as strong as oaths if he say it upon his word wee are bound to beleeve it how much more then when he
house as you walk abroad in the fields as you are employed in your callings or about any holy duty God seeth all thy thoughts what is going in and what is comming out there is never a thought in thy heart but God sees it how then can thoughts be free God will weigh the thoughts of men Prov. 16.2 Beloved what a fearfull day will that hee when God shall take his Scales and weigh no mans bodies and estates for then it may bee that rich men and fat and grosse men will out-weigh them that are better but he will take mens thoughts and weigh them hee will weigh their soules he will take mens good thoughts and put them into one scale and their bad earthly carnall and unprofitable thoughts into another scale and to try which weighes heaviest Now if thy earthly and sinfull thoughts weigh heaviest then down thou goest into eternall damnation Secondly as thoughts are not free from Gods knowledge so are they not free from Gods Word for Gods word can meet with them for it is lively and mighty in operation and is a descerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Hebr 4.12 Doth the word of God discern the thoughts of mens hearts Then much more doth the God of this Word and therefore how can thoughts be free Thirdly and lastly they are not free from the condemnation of hell and damnation I am hee saith God that searcheth the hearts and reins and I wil give to every one of you according to his works or as some translations have it according to your thoughts Rev. 3.23 Now if God will so severely punish thoughts take heed then how thou tetainest any evill thoughts I should here give you some means in the use that so you might rid your selves from vain thoughts Means 1 First love the word of God if ever thou wilt come out of them prize the truth of God and labour to get thy mind and thoughts to beâ— set on better things and then the thoughts of the world and all vain things will vanish away This course the Prophet David took Psal 119.113 I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love How came it to passe that he hated vain thoughts namely by loving Gods Law if he had not loved Gods Law and those excellent things therein and set his heart on them hee could never have hated vain thoughts The way then to break of thy league with vain thoughts is to be in league with good thoughts Dost thou complain of vain thoughts in prayer in hearing the word in receiving of the Sacraments and art thou stuffed and filled with them that thou canst not think upon God and holy things thou dost here by bewray thine own rottennesse and corruption And therefore know that if thou lovest the Lord and his Word and didst set thy thoughts upon him thou wouldst never have them so much employed about such base things Secondly if ever thou wouldst rid thy heart of vain thoughts especially when thou art in holy action thou must goe unto God by prayer there is no greater bridle to restrain a man from vain thoughts then this consideration that hee is to goe to God I speak not this to the men of this world Carnall men who can rush into Gods presence hand over head without any fear or reverence they can set upon any duty without any preparation but I speak it to the godly man whose heart dreads and stands in awe of God Wilt thou let thy mind rove and run all the day on worldly things how then wilt thou call upon God Dost thou not know that this is the cause of thy dulnesse thy deadnes and wandrings of thy heart when thou art about any good duty namely because thou sufferest thy heart to be lashing out and roving abroad on the world all day no marvell if it keep his haunt at night and therefore thy heart being vain God will never hear thy prayer Job 35.13 God will never bear vanity Comest thou to God with a vain prayer God will never hear it Comest thou with a vain eare to the hearing of the Word God will never hear it or with a vain heart to the Sacrament God will not regard it Lay this seriously to thy heart if ever thou wouldst have thy heart to the duty thou art about busie thy mind upon good things for if thy heart be accustomed to vain and worldly things all the day it is no marvell if it returne to its haunt again at night Thirdly consider that you have not so learned Christ It is the Apostles argument Ephes 3. consider then what you have learned of Christ hath Christ taught you so hath Christ taught you such a love and given you such a liberty that you should love the world more then him and imploy and bestow all your thoughts wholly in seeking after vain things Hath Christ taught you such a faith as this Hath Christ taught you such a repentance as this to have your thoughts more upon the world then upon Christ to repent of sin and yet never forsake sinne Have ye so learned Christ Hath he not taught you such a faith as purifieth the heart such a sanctification as cleanseth the soul and the minde such an obedience as bringeth every thought into subjection unto himself Therefore if now thou shouldst still retain thy vain dead earthly and carnall thoughts it is not to learn Christ Christ teacheth thee no such doctrine nor giveth thee any such licentious libertie but thou learnest of the Devill and of thine owne heart for all evill and vain thoughts arise from these three heads First from the variety and abundance of the thoughts of the world which our Saviour calls the cares of this world Seconly from the fountaine of corruption in mans heart the heart of man being alwayes like a sink naturally running with filthinesse or like a living quickset alwayes bearing so is it with the heart of man alwayes imagining vain thoughts Thirdly from the damned malice of the Devill and his fearfull suggestions and temptations both within and without the Devill is fitly called a tempter and trier for by these suggestions and temptations he feels and tries mens hearts and thereby knowing to what they are most inclined and which way they are soonest overcome accordingly he fits his temptations for to intrap them Now these thoughts are infinitely variable according to the constitution place quality passions affections and conditions of men as of the poor man in his beggery of the rich man in his abundance of the Minister in his calling of the Magistrate in his and so of all other men Now the whole world is not able to fill the heart how then shall we number the thoughts of it But for the better understanding we will rank them into these four heads to show how thoughts become vain 1. Materially mens thoughts are vain when the matter of them is vain 2. Formally when though for the matter they are never
so good yet the manner of thinking them is evill 3. Efficientially when the man that thinks them is vain 4. When it is a thought that might become the best Saint upon the earth or a glorified Angel in heaven yet the drift of the soule being carnall and vain the soule thereby becomes vain also First then materiall vaine thoughts are all thoughts of the world of the works of thy calling of thy recreations eating drinking sleeping thoughts of thy wife and children and the like they are vain thoughts not sinfull necessarily yet they may come to be sinfull five manner of wayes Manner 1 First when we think of them primarily that is in the first place when we think of them before we think of God Tell me then what are thy first thoughts in the morning Hereby a man may know his thoughts whether they bee good or evill Consider I say what it is that first presents it selfe unto thy thoughts certainly that which the heart is most haunted withall and most taken up with is most naturall unto it If the heart be carnall and earthly it will have carnall and earthly thoughts if it be a godly and gracious heart it will labour to make God the first in his thoughts I know the godly man fails in many things and many unruly thoughts in him may rebell but it is the very griefe of his soule and he will never rest nor be at quiet till he hath got Balm from Gilead strength from Christ for the subduing and crucifying of them even of those vain and sinfull thoughts that stick closest unto their hearts and are most prone unto them naturally so that it is the practice of a godly man first in the morning to lift up his heart with his hand unto God and when he is up his thoughts are wholly upon God See this in David who considering that the Lord was present everywhere made this use of it When I awake I am present with thee Psal 139.18 His heart was lifted up to God he did endeavour to shake hands with God as it were in his holy meditations worshipping and adoring God with his first thoughts he would be sure to give God the flower and Maiden-head of his first service and thoughts as soon as ever he was awake his heart was in heaven This shewes that the thoughts of men that â—ive in their sins are damnable thoughts Thou that arâ— a drunkard a swearer a profane person a carnall worldling that never hast repented I tell thee that the very thinking of thy meat and drink is damnable the very thoughts of thy recreations and of thy sleep are damnable thoughts to think of the workes of thy calling yea of setting thy foot upon the ground or of any thing that God hath commanded thee for to doe are all damnable thoughts Why Because thou givest not God thy first thoughts Wilt thou think of thy belly and back before thou thinkest of God and how to be converted unto him Wilt thou think of thy Markets and Faires before thou â—hinkest of thy reconciliation with God The first thing that every soule is bound for to doe is to get in with God First seek the kingdom of God saith our Saviour and the righteousnesse thereof Matth. 6.35 Where our Saviour doth not forbid our taking of thought for the things of this life but that they should not be sought after in the first place so that our first thoughts and endeavours should be after the Kingdom of heaven Therefore all thoughts whatsoever which are conceived before a man bee converted and so thinks of God are all damnable thoughts Manner 2 Secondly all worldly thoughts are sinfull when we think of them too usually as Chrysostome speakes because we think of the universalitie of them Beloved it is lawfull to think of the world and to think of our trade and imployments to think of our corn of our catâ—ell fields barnes wives children for if God have commanded or commended these things unto us then surely he gives us leave to think on them that so we may accomplish our businesse the better but let us take heed they bee not too usuall with us for we have soules as well as bodies and there is a heaven as well as an earthly business to think upon thou art not to live here alwayes therefore take heed that thy thoughts be not too usuall and common upon the things of the world let not earth and earthly things have too much of thy thoughts As the Prophet David seeing the thoughts of wicked men wholly to run after the things of the world he tels them all their thoughts perish and so I tell you if that your thoughts on the world run together with heap and crowd and then you bundle them up in bundles as it were they all prove damnable and shall perish Manner 3 Thirdly worldly thoughts are sinfull and damnable if thou thinkest of them too savourly a carnall-minded man thinkes savourly of the things of the world the thoughts of earthly things are savoury unto them a wicked man hee will thinke of God and of the world but which is the savourest thought to him He will think of Christ of heaven and of the word of God and of such a Sermon he heard but alas hee finds no savour taste nor rellish in them he finds no sweetnesse joy or delight in them but when he thinkes of the world of his gold and silver of his lands and livings Oh these are merry thoughts unto him â—hese are sweet unto him and pleasant to him and his heart is not at home in his own nest he can think of these seven dayes nay seven moneths nay seven yeares together and yet never be weary but his thoughts as ful as fresh as at the first But bring him to a Sermon or to a prayer and he is jaded presâ—ntly his heart is empty and his thoughts are at an end For saith the Apostle they that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh Rom. 8 5. It is a true note of an earthly carnall fleshly heart to be thinking on earthly and vain things savourly Thou maist think on the world but it must be onely with a cast of thy thoughtâ— as one that looks upon a thing with a squint eye but when thou art to think on God or on the things of God then thou must gather all thy thoughts and affections thou must lay all the powers of thy soule together and thou must imploy them only to this work Manner 4 Fourthly worldly thoughts become sinfull when we think of them without counsell then saith Solomon they come to nought when a man considers not afore-hand what thoughts are necessary and needfull and so restraines and keeps off all impertinent thoughts then his thoughts will prove distrustful carking thoughts caring for the morrow contrary to the rule of Christ Matth. 6.33 Take no care for to morrow let to morrow care for it self He doth not forbid here
him he did not onely make an Arke but so hee made all the roomes so hee made it in the same forme and figure and in the same similitude just as the Lord set him downe the patterne even so did he So the Lord sets down the patterne of every good word and work of all our prayers and Sermons and hearing and conference and keeping the Sabbath and speaking holily all our actions have their patterne set downe in the word of God Now as wee are to doe the things so wee are to doe them in the same manner as the Lord commands even so must we doe Fiftly and lastly except we doe it in a right manner except as wee come to the duty so wee come to the right manner wee can never glorifie God The glory of God lies in the manner of doing of things So let your light shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 Mark the light must not shine onely in our lives and conversations but so that the duty must be a means to the glorifying of God Now the means must have its proportion and likenesse and nature and mold and frame from the nature of the end Look how the end is that the dutie lookes unto so must the frame and fashion of the duty be Now if the end of all our actions be that God may be glorified that must put a forme and fashion upon every duty that it may be so that he may have glory Suppose a man pray every day in his family and call all his houshold his servants and wife and children and all under his roof about him every morning and evening he may dishonour God by prayer every day on this fashion if a man pray coldly and carelesly for forme and fashion without faith and life he makes all the ordinance of God vile and all the worke of God contemptible his houshold sleeps one snorts it may be another is infinitely prophane it may bee and though there be divers that would fain be quickned and wakened yet his prayer is so cold there is no life nor heat nor warmth in it that God is exceedingly dishonoured and all are thereby rather worse then better So for a mans preaching though it be never so good a duty yet hee must labour to preach so as the Apostle speakes of his preaching and labour in the work of the Ministery how he may edifie others and save his own soule So fight I not as one that beats the â—ire but so as I may get the mastery We must so preach that we may attain the conversion of the people or else we may rather doe as Hophni and Phineas the sonnes of Fli that made the Table of the Lord contemptible and the Sacrifice of the Lord loathsome in the eyes of the people So may we do with the ordinance of God Take any duty of religion if it be not done aright God hath no glory by it Suppose thou wouldest reprove thy brother and tell him of his fault and check him for his backwardnesse or omâ—ssion of some duty and for the commission of some sinne if thou doe not doe it with a spirit of compassion and bowels of Jesus Christ with an humble heart with a feeling and a pure conscience I say thou gettest a blot to thy own selfe and causest God to be ill spoken of and the very way of his name to be dishonored This will be the effect of it and so in every other dutie And so I come to the use Is it so that we must not onely come to the Sacrament but come aright or doe any dutie but we must do it in a right manner This servs to condemne that naturall popery that is in mens hearts that is of opus operatum of the deed done this is the religion of the Church of Rome that so a man doe the duty indeed it is better if it bee done in a right manner but if it be done there is somewhat a man may look for by that If a man come to the Sacrament the very eating of the Host the very partaking of the body of Christ they make it meritorious so the very hearing of so many Sermons the very saying of so many prayers the very performanec of so many duties the very thing it self nakedly considered it is of some validity This is rooted in the hearts of men we see it up and downe people doe the duty and think all is well enough when they consider not how it is done People pray but not with zeale they heare but not with reverence People come to the Sacrament not for the better but for the worse they come not in a right manner and yet every one hopes to speed and builds himselfe on this that God accepts of him But this is the folly of mens hearts it is an evident argument that men goe foolishly to work in the wayes of God It is the brand of a foole not to be able to observe circumstances Aristotle the heathen hee saith it is the part of a wise man to think of and understand the manner of actions as a wise man saith he observes circumstances It is a part of wisdome to observe the right circumstances of every action as it is Ephes 5.15 Walke circumspectly that is accurately as it is in the originall not as fooles but as wise Marke hee perswades them to a right manner of walking not only to walk in a good course in praying and hearing in obedience and sobrietie in temperance faith and diligence in our callings but doe it accurately in a right manner doe it as wise men and not as fooles they doe it in a wrong manner It is the part of a foole I say to doe a thing and to leave the right manner of doing it Now this is nothing with God the Lord doth not esteeme any action though it bee never so frequently done except it bee done with his owne stamp except it have his owne character upon it I remember a story in 2 Kings 17.26 The Assyrians there observed that God sent Lions among them because they did not observe the right manner of the God of Israel they worshipped the God of Israel but because they observed not the right Manner of his word hee sent Lyons among them to teare and devoure them in pieces So though wee pray and heare and read and professe and have a name that wee live and though we be taken for good people heap up duties from day to day and vie performances and though we doe them as many times as the children of God nay though we could do them ten thousands times oftner then they yet if we doe them not in a rightmanner if wee know not the manner of the God of heaven and earth with humble hearts and selfe-denying spirits with holinesse of affection and with puritie of heart if a man doe them not in a right manner the
Lord will teare him in peices and hee shall have no deliverance for all that Another use shall be what may be the reasons why people are so willing generally to doe duties for the matter and care not to doe them in a right manner It will not be amisse a little to shew the mystery of this thing for we see every man is willing to doe duties every man will be praying and comming to Church many reprobates and God knows how many carnall hearts are in this congregation some drunkards it may be some adulterers some it may be that committed whoredome the last night some that have been swearing even now and deceiving in their shops there are many carnall hearts yet every man is willing to do duties to hear and to pray Now what may be the reason that people are willing to doe good duties and yet are loath to come off with their carnall harts There are four reasons The first is this Because the matter of the dutie is easie but the manner is difficult It is an easie matter to pray to say Lord I have sinned against heaven and against thee Lord I have sworne I have been a drunkard I have disallowed the Sabbath I have done this and that I pray thee pardon and forgive me and give mee thy grace it is an easie matrer to doe this It is easie for a man to come to Church and marke what the Miâ—iner saith and follow him from point to point and it may be goe over it to his family This is good there are few that come thus far And so it is easie to come to the Sacrament to take the Bread and the Cup and to pray for a blessing this is easie but when a man comes to a duty in a right manner here is difficulty when a man doth it with a How Take heed How you beare He doth not call upon people to hear that is not the matter there needs no great diligence for that but if you will consider How you hear take heed to that Here must be a great deal of circumspection the soul must be marvellous painfull a man must offer violence to his own soul a man must fight against his own wil a man must beat down his own spirit he must crucify his own thoughts must mortify his own mind beat down his own soul It is a hard thing to do it in a right manner as the Lord commands if we consider now how to doe it This is certaine flesh and blood cannot abide to take pains if it can serve God with ease and pray with ease that it will doe but for a man to weep before God for a man to indict his heart to the throne of grace to rend his bowels before his Maker to tâ—are the caule of his heart upon his knees for a man to vow to God and pay them for a man to rid his hands of all the wages of iniquity for a man to purifie himselfe as Christ is pure for a man to wrastle with God and to take grace according to the covenant of grace with life and power to doe it in a right manner here is religion and this men cannot abide And so for the Sacrament for a man to come in a right manner Oh it is difficult to flesh and blood for a man to goe and examine all his life to reckon up all his conversation to anotomize himself from his cradle to this moment to consider how he hath sinned in his calling in his family in his shop in his company in his speâ—ch and in his life to goe and judge himselfe of these and condemne himselfe and to accept of his owne punishment to goe and wrack his owne thoughts and crucifie his owne soule Oh! this is hard men cannot abide this therefore they go and take the matter they observe that and leave out the manner Secondly another reason is this because the matter of duties may be done with a proud heart there is no duty but a man may do it with a proud heart and never bee humble A man may pray and use good words and make good petitions and have marvellous good language and Scripture phrases and termes and passages and an admirable sweet tone and yet have a proud heart A man may come and preach a Sermon he may preach so as that he may strangely affect the hearts of the people and may make all the people wonder and admire at the gracious words that come from his mouth and yet have a proud heart A man may heare and heare oft and hear the best Preachers in the Citie and delight in hearing and yet have a proud heart A man may come to the Sacrament and sit to ones thinking as devoutly as any in the Church and pray when the people pray and give thanks when others give thanks and have a kind of morall faith in the Covenant and a morrall application of the promises and yet have a proud heart It is the manner of doing duties that humbles the soule as St. Paul saith Acts 20. You know in what manner I have beene with you Why what was the manner In all humility of mind saith he being among the Ephesians preaching to them in a right manner leaving them the example of his owne patterne doing all this in a right manner he did it in all humility of heart It is the right manner of prayer that pulls downe the heart before God It is the right manner of hearing the word that makes a man melt at it It is the right manner of comming to the Sacrament that makes a man feele the comfort of God and the promises of the Gospel and to seek and find the admirable things contained in it It is the right manner that makes a man walke lowly with his God Thirdly another Reeson is Because the matter may stand with an unholy life A man may do a duty for the matter of it and yet be unholy This is plain how many thousands are there that pray and yet are vain and covetous and carnall How many thousands heare Sermons and yet are unprofitable Ever hearing and never come to the knowledge of the truth If they were injurious before they are injurious still if they were cousners before they are so still if they were drunkards before they are so still A man may receive the Sacrament every month and yet may have his lusts and roll them as a sweet morsell under his tongue he may delight in his secret lusts and go on in the deadnesse of his heart It is the right manner of worshipping of God that purgeth the conscience and purifieth the soule and makes a man that there is no room for his corruptions as you may see 1 Thess 2.10 You your selves know saith the Apstle how holily and unblamably we walked among you He speaks there of his manner of walking and hee saith to them because it was in a right manner it was an holy
manner such walking as excluded all unholinesse and prophanesse Flesh and bloud cannot abide this Men they love to pray and be proud they love to hear sermons and to have their profit they love to professe religion and still to carry their secret lusts in their bosomes People love this alife to go up to Gilgall and transgresse to offer sacrifice every new Moon and every morning and to find the labour of their hands this is right but for a man to part with his iniquity that is the thing that goes against the haire The last reason is because the matter of duties bring not the crosse upon a man A man may do all the duties of Religion and never be persecuted for it a man may be as devout as the devoutest man under heaven and yet no body hate him for it except he be devout in a right manner and worship God in a right manner One man may reprove another that is wicked A drunkard may suffer a drunkards reproof and be never the worse A whore master may serve his quean so he may call her so and yet not be spighted because it is not right It is the right doing of it that brings the crosse as in 2 Tim. 2.10 Thou knowest my manner of life It was that that brought afflictions and persecutions We may see to this very day many thousands that seem devout men in the Church they will pray and will hardly misse any time of prayer morning or evening and yet they are farre from being persecuted nay many of them are maine persecuters of the Gospel of God enemies to the crosse of Christ adversaries to the Saints of God We see it plain in Acts 13.5 we read there of devout women that raised persecution against Paul Marke they were devout and because it was not in a right mannâ—r they persecuted the Apostles and set themselves against them that were truly faithfull Though wicked men do not love to pray aright yet many of them are much for praying they care not how much praying they have and when they are at prayers they will pray over from the beginning of the book to the end they love it alife But if they come to a prayer that moves the heart that rifles the conscience that dogges a man into his bosome that laies a man flat on his face before God they gnash their teeth at such a prayer So they love preaching too I it is true if it be preaching that is flaunting and glosing with the enticing words of mans wisdome but if a man preach to the consience if he preach the pure naked word of God and carry it home to mens soules this makes them gnash their very teeth and they could eate the Minister of God for his labour It is the right manner of duty that is accompanied with the crosse Thirdly if we ought to be carefull to performe duties in a right manner Let us be exhorted in the feare of God to go and quicken all our duties to bring a soule into so many bodies we have bodies of praying and bodies of hearing and bodies of receiving the Sacrament and of good duties let us get a soule into them labour to do them in a right manner The bare duty is like a carcasse It is a Proverb of the Jewes Prayer without preparation it is as a carcasse without the soule that is a loathsome thing so is prayer without life and without a right manner of pouring it forth Let us labour therefore in the feare of God to pray and pray aright to heare and to heare aright to seek God and to seek him with all our hearts aright and to do every thing in the right way Let us consider first we doe not pertake of any ordinance at all except we doe it in a right manner I remember a fit place for this in Num. 11.14 It is said there The stranger shall eat the passover and pertake of it according to the ordinance and the manner of it Where the Text puts in the Ordinance of the Passover and the Manner of it For it is all one they are Synonyma's So the Ordinance in every duty Gods ordinance in praying in hearing the Word in the Sacrament in reproof in every good dutie it is all one as the selfe-same thing So that if we pray and doe not pray in a right manner we have not praied we doe not partake of the ordinance So when we come to the Sacrament the ordinance of the manner of it is all one it is one compleat concrete action we doe not partake of it except we partake of both Secondly consider it as nothing but hypocrisie when a man prayes and doth not pray in a right mâ—nner when a man doth any dutie to God and not in the right wise it is nothing but hypocrisie Mark how our Saviour Christ sets forth the hypocrisie of the Pharisee Luke 18.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himselfe he marks his manner of prayer he doth not say He stood and prayed This these words but Thus he prayed he did not pray in a right manner there was his hypocrisie and that was the reason he went home not justified Thirdly consider it makes the Ordinance of God of no effect Thus they make the Commandements of God of none effect Matth. 15.6 Hee speakes there of their duties that they did in a wrong manner and their expounding the Scripture that they did in a wrong wise and their sacrifice their offerings and tithings their precepts and many things that were all done after another fashion then God had commanded therefore saith Christ Thus they make the Commandements of God of none effect So we make all the duties of Gods worship of none effect Wee know there is never an ordinance of God but it hath great effect if it be rightly performed Prayer is of great effect it is able to rend heaven it is able to pull down God to the soule it is able to wrastle out a blessing to quicken the heart to obtain of God every thing we want but if a man pray not aright a man may pray and go away never a whit the more holy nor more quickned nor neerer to heaven nor comfort So preaching and hearing they are admirable Ordinances what powerfull effects have they wrought when they have beene done in a right kind People have cried out and beene converted at them and many a man hath been pulled out of the power of Satan to the Kingdome of Jesus Christ They had royall glorious effects upon many thousand soules But what is the reason that our hearing is so in effectuall Because wee heare not in a right manner this makes the Ordinance of God of none effect it makes Prayer of no effect the word of no effect the Sacraments and Sabbaths of no effect you see people partake of these things and are never the wiser Lastly it cannot please God it is onely the right
manner of doing duties that pleaseth God as in 1 Thess 4.1 As yee have received of us How yee ought to walke and to please God Mark there is the manner That yee may know HOW to walke and by that to please God It is not enough for a man to walke in good duties that a man may doe and not please God but saith he yee have received the manner HOW to walke and to please God It is the manner How that pleaseth God A man may walke to hell upon heavens ground he may go to hell in the wayes of God it is possible Suppose a man should go and take if it were possible all the surface of ground between this place and York and lay it between this place and Dover a man might go to Dover upon York ground So many a man laies the Ordinances of God in hell way he walkes in the way to hell and there he layes his prayers and there his hearing and his good duties hee prayes every day and hears every day and doth good duties every day and yet walkes to hell he goes to hell on heavens ground The reason is because hee doth the duty and doth not observe the manner how he doth it The third thing is the rule of direction how wee may come to the right manner of receiving the Sacrament that is by preparing of a mans selfe and the preparation is here set downe by the specification of it namely in examining himselfe Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drink of that Cup. The generall scope of these words and the Apostles meaning in them is this That Every man must prepare himself before he come to the Lords Table I cannot stand on this I will only name it As in the sacrament of the Passeover there was preparation to the Passeover In Joh. 19.14 it is said of the Disciples of Christ that they made ready the Passeover In Matth. 26. they made the Lamb ready and the room ready and themselves ready and the Table ready and every thing ready So in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherein Christ is the true Pascall Lamb when we come to eate of him wee must make every thing ready faith ready and repentance ready and interest in the promises ready and hunger and thirst after these spirituall dainties ready every thing must be ready or else like a man that comes into the field to battle that hath not gotten his sword or his weapons ready that is the way for himselfe to be killed so it is when we come to the Communion and have not all things ready it is the way to be damned The Reasons of this are First because the Sacrament is an Ordinance of God Now all the Ordinances of God require reparation they are all spirituall and naturally a man is carnall and therefore cannot be prepared As it is with wood there is never a tree in the wood but it is unprepared for building Is there any tree in the wood of the fashion of a Chimney or of a Lintell or a Doore It must first be prepared as it is Prov. 24.27 First prepare thy work without and then build thine house So every ordinance is to build a man up in the feare of God in the grace of God and in Religion Now man is naturally unprepared for it First a man must fell his wood and then cut it and hew it even and carve it and plane it fit and prepare it before he build So a man must hew downe his owne heart he must humble his owne soule and qualifie all within him and so be sanctified before hee be fit As for example In prayer a man must bee prepared to prayer before he pray he must prepare his heart and then Gods eares will hearken to it In Psal 10.17 The Lord will have the heart prepared before he heare the prayer So it is with the word of God a man must bee prepared before he heare it As a man that preacheth must be prepared before he preach as Ezra is said to prepare his heart Ezra 7.10 Hee prepared his heart to doe the Law and to teach it So a Minister cannot preach except he be prepared beforehand with a commission from God with preserving knowledge with a coale from Gods Altar with a spirit of wisedome and understanding with a law of kindnesse in his lips with meditation and with a Theam fitted in his mouth for the people hee must be prepared with a burning and a shining light or else hee shall not edifie the congregation So it is with all other ordinances For humbling of a mans soule a man cannot humble his heart except he be prepared to it Amos 4.12 Prepare to meet thy God he speaks of humiliation If a man would humble himselfe before God if he be not prepared if his heart be not prepared to let go the world his worldly profits and vain pleasures and carnall acquaintance his wonted lusts and former delights If hee bee not prepared to let these goe when he comes to keep a Fast or to afflict his soule and goes along to do the dutie to lay himselfe down before Almighty God some lust or other will stick in his teeth and intercept his heart hee shall never be able to doe it as Samuel said to the people If you will turn to the Lord prepare your hearts to doe it 1 Sam. 7. So it must bee in all the ordinances of God and much more in the Sacrament Secondly another Reason is because the Lord Christ hath made great preparations to provide the Lords Supper therefore wee must be prepared to eate it You know what a great deale of adoe there was before this Supper was made Christ must be incarnate and fulfill all righteousnesse he must conclude it upon his suffering he must tread the wine-presse alone and suffer himselfe to be beaten and rejected of God and men and suffer death the cursed death of the Crosse all these things were concluded upon before this holy and blessed Supper was provided Come saith hee I have prepared my dinner Matth. 22. Mark Christ is fain to prepare his dinner he makes a great Feast there was great preparation for it so there must be great preparation of our soules before we can come to this holy banquet It is true among men there may be great preparation for a feast and little or nothing for the eating of it Sometimes there are two or three dayes preparation for a Feast and it is eaten presently The reason is because man naturally hungers after meat and drink and he alwayes provides twice or thrice in twenty foure houres for eating and drinking But the Lords Supper is a spirituall banquet a man is every day and houre and moment naturally unfit for it and there is much adoe to put an edge upon mens appetites and a keennesse upon mens desires that they may bee fitted and prepared for it
life and many other outward comforts and supports But thou wilt heare more of these things in the Sermons themselves the wholesome Admonitions and Reproofs wherein contained with the rest of that heavenly provision for thy Soule which thou shalt find here gathered together and laid into thy hand I heartily wish may be sanctified unto thee by the highest hand of the Sanctifier that so thy sins and corruptions may flie seven wayes before that Spirit of power which here pursueth them and thou never presume to return back again unto them more The God whom we serve is able to performe this great petition by Jesus Christ To whose grace the peace of thy soule is faithfully and feelingly recommended by That poor and unworthy servant of Christ and his Church John Goodwin The Contents and Heads of the eight following Sermons The Contents of the first two Sermons from HAG. 1.5 THe Preface showing the usefulnesse of Meditation together with the danger in neglecting it Page 1 The opening of the Tex in severall particulars pag. 4 Doctrine Serious Meditation of our sins by the â—ord is an especiall means for to make us repent 4 The definition of Meditation in four particulars 4 1 It is an exercise of the mind 4 2 A setled exercise of the mind 5 3 It is to make a further enquirie into all the parts of the truth 6 4 It labours to affect the heart 7 Two Reasons 1. Because Meditation presseth â—ll Arguments home to the heart 7 2 Because Meditation fastens sin close upon the â—oul and makes the soul to feel it 9 1 Use For the reproof of severall sorts of men â—hat are loth to put in practise this so necessary a duty 12 Four lets of Meditation 1. Vain company 14 2 Multitude of worldly businesse 14 3 Ignorance 16 4 That naturall aversnesse is in the heart of man unto it 16 This aversnesse of heart consisteth in three things 1 In the carelesnesse of the heart 17 2 In the runnings and rovings of the heart 17 3 In the wearisomnesse of the heart in meditation 17 2 Use For terror unto all those that dare sit down in security never at all regarding this soul searching duty 18 Four means or helps to meditation 1 With all seriousnesse tell the soul that thou hast a message from the Lord unto it 20 2 Observe sitting times for meditation viz. 1 The morning 21 2 The night 22 3 The evening 22 4 When the heart is after some extraordinary manner touched with Gods word or providences 22 3 Call to mind what evill thou hast done ever since thou wast born 23 4 Rouse up thy heart and thoughts as high aâ— heaven 23 3 Use For the reprehension of those that meditate upon their sins and how they may with the more freenesse commit sin 24 Four grounds upon which meditation must be raised 1 Meditate on the goodnesse mercy and patience of God that you have oft abused by your sins 26 2 Meditate on the justice of God that you have so oft provoked 28 3 Meditate on the wrath of God that you have so oft kindled 29 4 Meditate on the constancie of God who is a constant hater of all sin 30 Four directions how to carry Meditation home to the heart 1 Weigh and ponder all the foregoing things in â—hine own heart 33 2 Strip sin and look upon it starknaked and in â—ts own colours 33 3 Dive into thine own soul and search thine â—eart to the quick 34 4 Prevent thine own heart by meditation and â—ell thy soul that it will one day wish that it had not â—eglected this so necessary a duty 36 Four duties to be discharged that we may put life to Meditation 1 Let Meditation haunt and dogge thy heart with the promises and threatnings mercies and judgements of God 38 2 Let Meditation trace thy heart in the same steps and run over all thy duties discharged 41 3 Let Meditation hale thy heart before Gods Throne there to poure out thy complaints before the Almighty p. 43. and let thy complaint be 1 Full of sorrow 44 2 A full complaint of all thy sins 44 3 A complaint aggravating all thy sins by all their circumstances 45 4. A self-condemning complaint wherein the complaint of Ezra is illustrated in eight particulars 46 4 Let Meditation when it hath searched out thy case and made it appear how wofull it is cast thee down before God 49 Four motives to stir up the soul to Meditation 1 Consider it is the part of a fool not to meditate It is a madnesse for a man to walk on in a course and not to consider whither it will tend 50 2 Consider not to meditate is the brand of a Reprobate 52 3 He that meditates not robs God of his honor 52 4 All the service that a man performeth unto the Lord will be abominable if he meditate not before it and after it 53 The reason why we have so many vain thoughts in our holy exercises is because we prepare not our hearts thereunto by meditation 54 The Contents of the third Sermon Proverbs 1.28 1 THe opening of the context in 5 particulars 59 2 The opening of the words of the Text in four particulars 62 1. Doctrine Those that will not heare the Lord when he calleth upon them by the ministry of his word and voice of his Spirit the Lord will not hear them when in their misery they call upon him 62 3. Reasons of the point 1. The law of Retaliation of rendring like for like requires it 64 2. Because Gods two Attributes of Mercy and Justice have their season in this life and when Mercy hath acted her part then commeth Justice upon the stage for to act her part 66 3. Because it is Gods manner for to doe so in temporall things and therfore much more in matters of grace and salvation 68 God giveth to men a day and no Man nor Angell knoweth how long this day lasteth or when this season of grace shall have an end 71 73 And as there is a Personall day so there is a Nationall day 74 Object 1. A man may be called at the 11th or 12th houre of the day 75 Ans Those that were called at the first hour came in at the first houre these that came in at the twelfth houre were not the same that were called at the first hour 75 Object 2 The day of grace lasteth as long as the day of life 77 The Objection is cleared under three particulars Ans And it is answered that the day of grace may end to a particular man long before his death 1. Because God may harden a mans heart 78 2. Because God may sear mens consciences 78 Object 3. Suppose I go on in my sinne and repent upon my death-bed will God hear me Ans The answer is negative 80 Object 4. Suppose I humble my self by fasting and prayer will not God hear that The answer is negative if thou neglect the day of grace
drink of that Cup. In these words observe First the matter of the duty commanded that is to eat of that bread and to drink of that cup. Secondly the manner of doing the duty not only to eat of that bread but so to eat and not only to drink that cup but so to drink Thirdly the rule of direction how to come in a right manner to partake of it that is by examining of our selves Let a man examine himself and so let him eate of that bread and drink of that cup. Fourthly and lastly the benefit following that direction and that is in this word But But let a man examine himselfe He had said before He that eats and drinks unworthily is made guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord and he discerneth not the Lords body vers 27. But saith he as if he should say if a man would prevent this if a man would take order that he be not guilty of the body and bloud of Christ that he do not come undiscerningly to these heavenly mysteries but with comfort and title to the promises with hope and confidence and speeding there of the benefits of Christ exhibited then let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Now I will passe over some of these points namely that we are to eate that bread and drink that cup. There is a necessity that we should receive the Lords Supper I need not stand on this you know it is sufficiently proved by the Sacrament of the Law which was the fore-runner of this Sacrament that soul that did not partake of that was to die the death he was to be cut off from Gods people Num. 9.13 If the Lord was so careful of those Sacraments that were inferior to these and yet they were of the same substance as these that the man that neglected to come to them to partake of them was to be cut off to be excommunicated from the people of God and to be rent off from the Congregation of the Saints then how much more for these heavenly and weighty and glorious Ordinances of the Gospel which are far more glorious then them of the Law But I will not stand upon that I might here take notice too of the frequencie of the duty for so it hath dependance on those words formerly As oft as yee eat this bread and drink this cup yee shew the Lords death and so that is as oft as ye eate do it in this manner This is the command of God that we oft receive the Lords Supper In the Primitive times St. Basil observes that they ate it three or foure times in a week on Wednesdayes Fridaies and on the Lords day but that was a time of persecution I will not stand upon that I think it not needfull But it should bee often wee should not trust it only upon Easter and Whitsontide and Christ tide three or four times in the year Again I might observe here from this mystery received in that he cals it Bread I might observe against the Papists Transubstantiation that the bread received is not transubstantiated it is bread And against that of receiving in one kind So let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup he doth not say so let him eat of that bread only but he directs the command in both kinds But I let this passe and come to the seceond thing that is the manner how we should do this duty So let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. It is not first let him examine himself and then let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup But let him examine himselfe and then SO let him eate implying that examining a mans selfe helps or ought to help a man to a right manner and when he hath gotten a right manner then to eat that bread and drink that cup that he may do not only for matter that which the Lord commands but for manner as the Lords commands Beloved the Lord stands on circumstances as well as duties we are all racers wee run but we must so run that we may obtain 2 Cor. 9.26 So pray that we may speed so hear that we may be converted so reprove that we may be edified so behave our selves in our places and callings that we may glorifie God It is not enough for a man to run but he must so run if he mean to obtain Every man will be speaking and doing good things but so speak and so do Jam. 2.12 The Lord calls upon us to have a care of the manner of duties as well as of the matter of duties It is not enough that a man come to eate of that bread and drink of that cup but so to eat and so to drink of it he must partake of the Lords Table and so as the Lord enjoyns Now the Reasons of this are First because the same Lord that commands the matter commands the manner too The Lord he will have his service well done as well as done he will have the work well performed as well as performed It is not only the thing that the Lord stands upon but the right manner and kind of doing it When David perswaded his sonne Solomon to worship the God of his Fathers he bids him not only do the thing but do it in a right manner And thou my sonne Solomon know thou the God of thy fathers and serve him Is that all No but with a perfect heart and a willing mind 2 Chron. 28.9 He commands him to do it not only for the matter of it but in the right manner of it A man may serve God but if it be not with a perfect heart and a willing minde and with a chearfull spirit if he be not ready to every command if he do not open his eares to every rebuke a man doth not serve God at all The manner either makes all or marres all Secondly another Reason is because circumstances overthrow actions if they bee not rightly and duly observed As for example In Scripture prayer is an action commanded of God the Lord commands us to pray that we call upon his name duly every day in all our needs and necessities upon all occasions continually But now if we pray not aright not in that manner that the Lord hath perscribed if we pray either with a guilty defiled conscience with cold affections with a dead spirit or without departing from iniquity or without a pure heart if a man pray without the right manner of prayer he marres all his prayer it is a howling and not a prayer They did not cry to mee saith God when they howled on their beds that is when they prayed but because they did not pray in a right manner the Lord calls it a howling and not a prayer We roare as Beares in Isay 59.12 the Prophet nicknames it speaking in the person