be remembred of their Wrath Revenge Pride Envy Conceit and Disobedience Fraud Deceit Injustice Violence Sacriledge Lust and Intemperance their neglect of God and their Duty towards him nay their aversation from hatred or contempt of Pious Performances they will either deny or excuse or justifie themselves therein These are the far greatest number But we may find some too on the other hand who are so melancholy fearful and timorous or angry and discontented with themselves that they are very apt to think those things sins in themselves and to accuse and condemn themselves for them which are not but only defects of knowledge or prudence when their principles were very right and innocent and they used as much or more care sometimes to do what they intended then they ought Nay some there may be who may think those things sins which are their material duty or they ought in prudence and wisdom to have done As when any person notwithstanding the stirring or tumultuating of any Lusts resisted disapproved comes to the Sacrament desirous heartily to be better and stronger against them and yet thinks he hath done amiss in coming before his heart was better when this was his duty These same â—â—morous and discontented persons also are apt to think themselves guilty of some faâ—lts when they are not or more then they are and to take notice of what 's bad and not what 's good in themselves They take notice of the frequent assaults of their excessive and immoderate Appetites and Lusts and sometimes of their being overcome and not at all of their disapprobation dislike resistance repelling and overcoming them the latter of which is as effectual a means of encouraging preserving and strengthening us in goodness as the former So also men may mistake in their Confession concerning Original Sin if not rightly informed as that we are guilty of Adam's personal Sin and so deserve Eternal Damnation therefore whereas the utmost that seems to be taught us by Scripture Reason and Experience which indeed is a great and a sad deal is that it may seem just to God or for the Universal Good to constitute such Laws of Nature that Children by the Mediation of their Bodys from their Parents may be born with inordinate and immoderate appetites or inclinations or with inclinations to some objects absolutely for themselves and stronger than that to holiness or righteousness in which is the nature of Sin These inordinate and immoderate appetites or inclinations being by Laws of Nature from certain temper or disposition of our bodys which is communicated from our Parents may very well be called Original or Birth-Sin as it is in our Church-Articles But all this though it be a very great Calamity to Children yet cannot be said to be their Punishment because no sin in them is supposed to have preceded but it is the Punishment of their Parents and of their First-Parents who have sinned to whom they are so related as to be looked upon by them and others as part of themselves and whom their Evil or Calamity seen or foreseen really doth affect Nay further These inordinate and immoderate Appetites or habitual Lusts or evil Concupiscences do certainly make it just for God to place such Souls in whom they are in some suitable state of imperfection and unhappiness sometime or in some degree or other best known to his infinite Wisdom if they be not removed or taken away as some think they are in Infants by Baptism But all this still is no Punishment to Children either for Adam's or any other 's personal Transgression The neglect of a Judaical observation of the Lord's day hath been and I suppose is still amongst some even very good person one of the most frequently or zealously confessed sins That they have spoke their own words and thought their own thoughts any time within the four and twenty hours that is as they interpet it any words or thoughts concerning any worldly Affair though it be hard to fix the bounds of worldly and religious which in it self might be hightly useful to ones self and to others and therefore lawful nay commanded on another day and this because they look upon the Jewish Sabbath only translated to another day by our Lord or his Apostles with the addition of the Commemoration of our Lord's Resurrection The Command concerning the Observation of which Jewish Sabbath they esteem Moral by which they mean that it is of perpetual obligation except where God himself hath altered it as they think he hath in respect of the day In all which I think there are many mistakes As 1. That the Jews themselves were forbidden for the entire space of twenty four hours of their Sabbath all thoughts and words nay actions themselves which were not the immediate worship of God internal or external or very nearly relating thereunto As for Actions it is not to be doubted but that first those which might be necessary to make them spend a greater part of that time in the immediate worship of God with more vigour and fervency were never forbidden and therefore those which were for the best refreshment of the body with food and those which were for diversion sometimes which to some persons might necessarily take up a good part of their time such as walking and talking about innocent or useful affairs of Life and interposing these so much as might make them fitter for the commanded Worship of God and that which their own prudence might add in publick private or secret Nor 2. Is it more to be doubted that those actions were never forbidden which were of greater good effect just at that time and in those circumstances and many such there may be which must be left to mens sincere prudence than the immediate Worship of God As for Example A Man's pulling his Neighbour's or his own Ox or Ass or Sheep out of a Ditch where they would certainly perish It is our Saviour's own Instance How much more to ride many miles Post more than many of their Sabbath days Journey to save a Man's Life ready to perish by some Disease or by violent assault of wicked Murtherers And as for words and thoughts they had in this respect still more liberty For abundance of actions and otherwise very useful and good would be inconsistent with and indispose a man to the immediate Worship of God the words or thoughts concerning which for a small time may not but clean contrary conveniently and fitly divert or refresh a man and be the cause of his better performance thereof The place in Isaiah the 58. which hath been usually quoted to this purpose is If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day anâ— call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words Where firâ—â— the words from doing thy pleasure on my holy day signifie and
mean â—â— general their doing every thing they listed and pleased not only upon the day now ordinarily called their Sabbath but also upon other their holy days And that they made the rule of their actions on those days only their own will and pleasure not God's This they neglected and had no regard to and therefore they neglected and slighted those things that God had on those days commanded them Those words cannot mean their doing some things which might please themselves for eveâ— what God commanded might and ought to please them and they were to delight themselves in them Again The sense of the words shalt honour him not doing thine own ways c. is no other but that they should in general honour God by keeping his Commandments and preferring his Will before their own will and ways when inconsistent with or opposed thereto and particularly by keeping his Commands whatsoever they were concerning the observation of the Sabbath that by the Phrase of their own ways is meant their sinful ways in opposition to God's Will and Commands is manifest from Isa 66. Verse 3 and 4. Another mistake is That supposing the Jews were commanded by God for the 24 hours of the Sabbath to abstain from all words and thoughts which were not nearly at least relating to the immediate Worship of God that this Command obligeth all Christians For on the contrary it is most certain that no Commands given to the Jews by Moses oblige any Christians as given by him They were particularly directed to that particular people and no other If there be any of those Commands that are enjoyned from God by Christ who was the great Prophet and Messenger of God to all Mankind or by Reason and Natural Light so that they appear in all circumstances to have more good effects than bad ones then indeed they oblige all men Now the Judaical Observation of the Lord's day to all men howsoever particular that of their Sabbath was is not commanded neither by Christ nor by Reason There is not one word of it in the Scripture And for Reason it is not imaginable that it is possible for all Persons of all tempers in all Climates and places as the affairs of humane nature now are to observe it as the Jews did nor is it of more good effect that it should be so observed And as for the translation of the Jewish Sabbath-day from the Seventh to the First Day of the Week by Christ or his Apostles it is without any ground from any Testimony that I remember to have heard Nor is the Reason usually given more considerable viz. the Redemption of the World by Christ being a greater Mercy than the Creation For the Creation was of Millions more and that of ever blissful and happy and most perfect Creatures than the Redemption was And indeed if the minute circumstances with which the Jews observed their Sabbath be Moral and therefore not changed by Christ and his Apostles much more should the precise day be so Finally it is to be affirmed That only all those Precepts in the Mosaical Law are obligatory to all men at all times which concern the end of all our wills and actions namely the Universal Good consisting of pleasing God the greatest good of others and our own Salvation or most compleatly perfect and happy state and consequently the suppression of all selfish and immoderate Appetites or Lusts in us And moreover those few general Precepts of Prudence which perpetually to observe doth most obtain this our one ultimate end such as the material part of the Commands against Idolatry Prophaneness Irreligion Murder Adultery False-witness c. how many and which these are our own Reason and Prudence if we have them not repeated in our Christian Religion must only determine by the same ways they use in other matters In all that I have said concerning the Judaical Observation of the Lord's day I would not be thought as if I intended or desired in the least to undervalue and discourage the employment of our minds about spiritual things and consequently spirituality of Soul that is such a temper whereby a man is apt to apprehend and be affected with spiritual matters No I would have it introduced into the World as much as humane nature is capable of For although I do not think this employment and temper of Soul to be our absolute and greatest Perfection which I doubt is a mistake among some of the highest Religionists of all sorts and parties yet I know it to be a most excellent Instrument thereof viz. of Universal Love and Goodness in opposition to Selfishness It allays and calms all our bodily Passions and consequent bad Impressions and Inclinations it clears our Reason and Perception of all Perfection of the Nature of God of the Truth of Things and consequently of the Nature and Excellency of Virtue and its only instance Universal Charity and Goodness yea and causeth us to be deeply affected with it to admire and love it It immediately disposeth the Soul to a sweet and easie benignity and goodness c. Wherefore I say I would endeavour to introduce it as much still as humane nature shall be observed to be capable of that is so much as will be the cause of most good among men as their natures or affairs are necessarily constituted For it is certain The employment of a man's mind about spiritual matters may be too much so that it may wast or dull ones spirits and consequently render one less sufficient to apprehend well and be affected with either spiritual or sensible things it may weaken flatten and darken our apprehension and conception diminish and impair much all our natural parts it may render us fearful flattering of too mean an opinion of our selves compared with others superstitious pievish morose by too great an expense or contracting some certain ill Crasis of the Spirits in fine very little and mean minded persons dull afraid of and angry with every small thing beyond measure whereas a free and discreet use of bodily pleasures and converse with ordinary affairs may secure us from those Infirmities But thus much I think the Condition of men will very well generally bear 1. That there be some time set apart for the publick Worship of God to which all men except very rarely may resort which time may be once in the Week at least or oftner 2. Particularly to commemorate his Creation Preservation and Administration of the whole Universe and therein with all sutable affections to acknowledge his infinite Perfections displaied and more particularly to commemorate that part of his providence or administration or direction and government of the affairs of Mankind viz. Jesus's coming amongst us from him for our Redemption from a State of great Imperfection Wickedness Misery by his Doctrine Life gracious Influence procurement of Pardon c. all this also with agreeable affections of Soul for which the day of his Resurrection by his own Power
and Virtue being the most wonderful thing and peculiar to him and therefore the great confirmation of his mission is well chosen To which might be added by Christians for ought I see the weekly celebration of the day of his Ascension if the affairs of Mankind could bear it which was also a most magnificent and strange thing though happenning to two others before and necessarily inferrs his resurrection 3. Upon the same day to Worship God in secret too more or less according as our bodily temper and necessary affairs will permit which every ones sincere prudence must determine Particularly to entertain ones self with such actions and thoughts before the publick Worship as will prepare a man to perform it better more to apprehend and be affected with the spiritual things that do occur therein and to abstain from those things which may indispose and unfit a man for that performance And so afterwards to take some time to impress upon our memory examine inculcate upon our affections what might have occurred and moreover to think of contemplate and affect our selves with any other spiritual things as the Existence Nature Actions of God of our own Souls what we were are should be shall be our imperfections perfections c. for all which we are fitter by freedom from bodily action and calmness This very day is also a very fit season for instructing of Families and performing Offices and Duties of Religion with them also for all acts of Charity both Spiritual and Corporal to our Neighbour The Church of England hath in one of her Canons very piously described how she would have holy days to be observed which were it carefully obeyed would be a very grave Ornament to her Nor can it therefore be expedient for such an end to encourage Plays Pastimes Recreations worldly Affairs but barely to tolerate some lesser matters which prudence might not think sit to exact rigidly but to leave to every ones liberty And as for times of necessary Diversion or Recreation which usually is accompanied with some folly and debauchery others are a great deal fitter for such a purpose And now if the Lord's day and other holy days were thus observed there would be far more of spiritual employment of our minds and more effectual for the great end of making us better than there was ever among the Jews in their strictest observation of their Sabbath a great part of which was taken up in the bare external Worship of God or in the external signs of Honour as in the care of their best Apparel and well provided Tables their Gate their Voice and other such unprofitable and trivial matters as R D Kimchi observes upon the place in Isaiah before quoted What a ridiculous Observation of their Sabbath was the abstaining from twisting ones Whiskers or running a Needle twice through a Clout or writing two Letters because these were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Works Of this enough every where in their Authours and particularly in the Talmudical Tract of the Sabbath most of which were only an ignorant and superstitious application of God's general Command as it seems of which some Christians have been or may be soon too much guilty It may be here advised that there is great difference as to persons and that there may be some whose constant employment or leisure may give them such advantages of spending much time upon other days about spiritual things that it may not be so needful nor convenient for them to spend so much time on these and that oft-times the principal reason especially of their publick observation is the giving a good Example to those who else would take too much liberty But to the generality of men if these fixed and set times be not made use of for the spiritual employment of their minds it will be quite neglected But so much for this digression which I intended no other than only in general to suggest many things to be considered concerning this matter not particularly to discuss them and therefore have taken no notice of what others of other perswasions had said or might have objected In like manner are they mistaken who confess That the best actions the best men do are sins and even deserve eternal punishment but pardoned in Christ from that place in the Prophet misunderstood viz. All our Righteousness are as filthy rags spoken of the generality of the Nation of the Jews who were very bad Isaiah 64. Verse 6. When the truth of the Case is that many and many a good man have done many and many an Action in which there was no sin and which deserves no punishment For he who hath in any Action with the greatest vigour of his Soul he then had propounded intended and willed his duty right just and that consisting in the most universal good the greatest good he can know viz. in pleasing of God and doing the greatest good to the World he at that time was capable of and most perfecting and making happy himself in so being and doing I say this person seems to me to have done some action in which there 's no sin nor desert of punishment and I do not doubt that there hath been many such an action done It is true Righteousness and the good of the whole World God our Neighbour our selves and God alone deserve to be loved with a greater degree of Intenseness than we are capable of even with the infinite one of God himself but this is but a necessary Imperfection of all created Natures even of the highest Angel and would have been in the state of Innocency In giving thanks likewise we must use the same care For as men may confess sins when they are no sins and when they are not guilty of them so also they may thank God that they have received certain favours and benefits from his hands when either they are no benefits nor instances of his favour or if they be they have not received them So men may thank God that they are led into some great truth as they think that they are of this or t'other perswasion or party and in the right way and now sure to be saved when their truth is some trifling or hurtful errour and 't were better for them and the World that they were of another mind or another way and even of that from which it may be they may thank God they are delivered Thus men may also thank God and be highly ravished with the distinguishing love of God to them in electing justifying sealing glorifying and saving them and securing them certainly from Eternal Misery or Hell when all this may be only an Imagination of their own caused by self-love and self-flattery and nothing of truth in it and really they are very bad persons having many and great Lusts unmortified known even to themselves but yet as they think to be over-looked by God because they are and will be sure they are his Elect Children and more yet unknown
of the Earth may know that thou art the Lord God even thou only He premises the express Acknowledgment of the Divine Supream and Uncontroulable Power to his Petition both as an Honour to his God and a cause of Confidence and Faith in himself and consequently of his petitioning God And this especially was most seasonable where there was some Power viz. that of Sennacherib and his false Gods opposed to the true God and which indeed had prevailed against the reputed Gods of other Nations which were in truth no Gods And so it is always most proper where there is any thing that seems to flatten or weaken our desire there to take notice of some Attribute in God just contrary which may easily excite and embolden it In David's Psalms nothing more frequent and particularly in the 86. Psalm Read the whole Psalm at leisure Verse 5. After several Petitions he strengthens and confirms his Faith and Prayer by the Consideration of the Divine Goodness For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in Mercy unto all them that call upon thee And Verse 8 9 10. from the consideration of his Supream Power Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy Works All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorisie thy Name For thou art great anâ— doest wondrous things thou art God alom Verse 13. is a particular Acknowledgment oâ— God's Mercy and a Reslection upon his paâ—â— Goodness to him For great is thy Mercy to wards me and thou hast delivered my Soul from the lowest Hell That is my Life from the low Grave or from Death And lastly Verse 15 16. But thou O Lord art a God fuâ— of compassion and gracious long-suffering ani plenteous in Mercy and Truth O turn unto me and have mercy upon me c. The Reader may himself casily observe many places in thesâ— Excellent Psalms and I cite these Examples to give him an occasion of observing these and such like places of the Scripture And to make our Apprehensions of Godâ— insinite Excellencies and Persections more clear and strong we may here mention oâ— take notice of our own Infirmities Weaknesses or Imperfections that so by the apprehension and compare of these contraries we may the more clearly apprchend the Greatness of the other It will also well come in as a distinct Particular just after this or immediately before our Petitions to render them still more earnest and ardent because we do not use to ask of any one or at least importunately when we can probably or possibly have it done elsewhere and least of all if we can do it our selves Nay here we may mention and reslect upon the insufficiency of all the Creatures in the World without God and independent upon him to help us and do us good and that what they can do is only by his power and appointment And that therefore there is a Necessity of God's Help or we must be quite helpless This necessity of having all from God will still make our Desires more importunate particu'arly towards him But more of this hereafter II. The second Action or Operation of Soul in a Prayer is generally Confession For sometimes this Part as also others of Prayer except Petition may be omitted or used more sparingly according as the Occasion is By which I mean as in all parts of Prayer not Words or any other external Actions or Postures but an express Attention to and Judgment that we are or have been guilty of some Sins or Faults directed and proposed to God which supposes a free and impartial Disallowance Disapprobation and Dislike and consequently a Determination and Resolution of Soul to quit and abandon them and to do so no more An express and willing Judgment concerning our selves that we are guilty of some things which are not reasonable and cannot be justified is certainly I say a sign of a present changed Mind and Resolution to be guilty no more for what we have no mind to leave and yet know it not justifiable we conceal it from others and our selves too as much as we can and will not attend to it nor take notice of the unreasonableness and iniquity of it lest we should be engaged and pulled by contrary Appetites as that of good Opinion of others and of our selves concerning our selves and that of Virtue Justice Right often signisied by the name of Conscience of which last there is somewhat in the worst of Men to leave that which we love better and be disturbed in the enjoyment of it and consequently possess it with less delight and satisfaction After this Change of mind must needs also succeed a hatred and aversation from the sin for the time to come and a serious and sincere sorrow that we have been so foolish unreasonable unhappy for the time past on set purpose that we may be the more cautious and flee more therefrom for the suture This Confession is very proper in Prayer for it doth strengthen and embolden our desires thus It is a sign to us of a serious and real goodness in us as I have just now said and what is so confirms our Faith and Hope of God's particular goodness to us and that we are more capable of his Favours As being conscious to our selves of the Badness and Wickedness of our Temper of too great kindness for any sin weakens and oppresses them For we all naturally know God is righteous and good to the World and that it is most for the good government of it that he should put good men into a good and bad men into a bad condition that it should be well with the one and ill with the other generally But now what confirms our Faith and Hope emboldens our desire what weakens and sinks them and makes it less probable we should obtain any thing though we should desire it never so importunately cools and allays our desire too And here the more comprehensive and particular and accurate our Confession is so that we conceal not the least Fault but take notice even of small ones the more it is also principally of the greatest and foulest the most dear pleasant and delightful sins the more it is of the aggravating circumstances of any sin that is of those things which are signs of a greater degree of sinfulness in us such as are being against great means to be better against much knowledge both of our duty and of the mischievous consequences of our sins against the divine bounty elemency or justice or the like I say the more our Confession is thus performed the more still it is a sign of a greater degree of sincere and real goodness and consequently still more confirms and strengthens both our hopes and desires Besides this more immediate and proper use thus of Confession there are also many others As that it is an exercise of our disapprobation hatred sorrow
sins are more plain and manifest and the evil which they lye under or fear is very great and seems no other way remediable but by God's help then their Consciences will be awakened to a suspition of themselves to reflection examination and confession and to some kind of promise or resolution of amendment before they will have the confidence to address any desire to God They are ashamed and afraid without something at least of repentance and begging of God's pardon to request any thing from him whose most just Laws they have negligently or contemptuously violated and whom they know to be so just as no more to approve and acquit the guilty without repentance then to neglect or condemn the innocent and righteous Of the first sort of men were the Pharisees who were generally very bad men but probably did not always know their own badness and hypocrisie These made frequent and long Prayers in places where it might be observed they used some of them to stand fixed in Contemplation aâ— hour that they might dispose their Hearts to Prayer as is mentioned by the antienâ— Jewish Authors and yet under pretence oâ— colour hereof though they might not aâ—tend to their Insincerity at that time devouâ—red Widows Houses and were ambitious covetous proud vain-glorious fraudâ—lent oppressive envious as we read Matt. 2â— It appears also from our Saviour's Parable â— the Pharisee and Publican who went up into the Temple to pray that some Mâ— may pray with a great deal of Confidence who are bad enough but yet are wondrously conceited of themselves for their own Sanctity and that for this very reason namely because they pray and fast whicâ— are but fallible Signs Luke 18. Verse 10 The Pharisee indeed did not there Petition but thanked God for his great degree of Hâ—liness but without doubt he that thought sâ— well of himself would have asked too wiâ— Considence enough Moreover we that are Christians not oâ—ly know by natural Light that we have nâ— Reason to hope that God will grant us oâ—â— Petitions and Desires so far as we are wicked Persons and that Obedience is a Condition of Acceptance but we are expresly informed as much also by the Scripture Gâ— heareth not Sinners said the blind Man is the Gospel but if any Man be a Worshipper of him and doth his Will him he heareth John 9. Verse 31. And we do not see what he said reproved Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most high that is worship love and obey God and then Call upon me in the day of Trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me But unto the Wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant into thy Mouth of which one part sure on God's side was to be a God and Father and to give all good things seeing thou hatest Instruction and castest my Words behind thee Psalm 50. Verse 14. Whoso osfereth Praise glorisieth me and to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God Verse 23. So Psalm 5. Verse 3. c. My Voice shalt thou hear or hear thou in the Morning O Lord in the Morning will I direct my Prayer or my Soul unto thee and will look up And then follows For thou art not a God that hast Pleasure in Wickedness c. that is indeed thou art not a God who dost approve Wickedness and hear such Persons who are wicked but contrariwise thou hatest such and wilt destroy them But I will come into thy House in the Multitude of thy Mercy c. I am a Person who worship and fear thee and therefore I pray unto thee to hear me Offer the Sacrifices of Rightcousness that is the Sacrifices which are lawful and right commanded by God or be righteous obey God keep his Commandments which is the best Sacrifice or ofter Sacrifices from a righteous and holy Mind and then put your Trust in the Lord. Psalm 4. Verse 5. And so Verse 3. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself the Lord will hear when I shall call upon him Take notice O ye Sons of Men that God especially favours godly Men and will hear their Prayers Psalm 66. Verse 18. If I regard Iniquity in my Heart the Lord will not hear me We have many places too in the Prophets to this purpose and effect as in Isaiah 1. Where when God by the Prophet had affectionately complained of the Universal and exceeding great Wickedness of the Nation of the Jews to whom he had been so good a Father he takes notice Verse 11. that notwithstanding that their Wickedness they brought their Sacrifices which were joined with Acknowledgments Petitions and Praises it is likely expressed with Words however they were Signs of them viz. of Thanks of the Acknowledgments of the Divine Perfections of Desire of Pardon or other good things I say they brought their Sacrifices punctually enough Though he utterly rejected them and required them not at their Hands persisting in their wicked Practices To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices c. Verse 11. and Verse 12. When you come to appear before me who hath required this at your Hands to tread my Courts And bring no more vain Oblations c. to the 15. Verse Where he plainly tells them When they stread forth their Hands he would hide his Eyes and when they made many Prayers he would not hear so long as their Hands were full of Blood and so of other Sins as appears by what follows But if they hoped to be pardoned to have his Favour and consequently to be heard they must repent put away the evil of their doings cease to do evil learn to do well c. Come now let us reason together saith the Lord. Verse 16. c. Now he would permit them to converse with him to Sacrifice and Pray to him c. Likewise in Isaiah 58. Though the People of Israel were generally guilty of many and notorious Transgressions of God's Laws such as were Oppression Contention Cruelty one to another Tyranny Hard-Heartedness Uncharitableness Fraud and Lying Profanation of their Sabbath or converting that Day which was appointed and commanded by God unto them expresly for his publick Worship and for the Ease of Servants and Cattel to the Use of their ordinary Labours and doing what they pleased neglecting the Divine Worship and the Use appointed Though I say the People of Israel were generally guilty of these great Transgressions against God's Laws as appears by the whole Chapter yet they sought God daily Verse 2. and delighted to know his Ways that is appeared so to do or really did delight and were well pleased in some of the external Part of God's Worship Sacrifices Prayers Fastings and afflicting their Soul like as a Nation that did Righteousness were every where good and forsook not the Ordinances of God c. and they were so confident
of their Desert from God as to challenge him with Injustice for neglecting them But God tells them plainly that the external Parts of his Worship of Praying Weeping Fasting Looking sorrowfully and sordidly were not the things that he had chosen to procure them any Favour from him but it was reforming themselves and leaving all the above-named Iniquities being in all Instances and Expressions Universally Charitable to their Neighbour not oppressing or tyrannizing being tender-hearted compassionate c. It was these and such like should cause their Light to break forth as the Morning and their Health spring forth speedily that is should make them a joyous and happy People And Verse 9. expresly Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say here I am If thou take away from the midst of thee the Yoke that is Oppression the putting forth of the Finger that is Derision and Contempt it may be of thy poor unhappy Neighbour and speaking Vanity that is Lying or Fraud For by Vanity the Hebrew ordinarily expresseth Falshood c If thou reform and mend thy wicked Ways then mayst thou hope for and expect according to God's own Promise when it shall seem fit to him and that it will often dâ— that thy Prayers shall be heard otherwiâ—e thy Prayers and Confidence too are but Presumption and Impudence It is true these last places of the Prophet Isaiah and such like prove that which I have before mentioned viz. That Mens Consciences may sometimes so forget themselves be so partial and erroneous that they may pray boldly and confidently when they may rather expect the Taunt there and their Prayers to be thrown into their Faces that is their Prayers to be hated and contemn'd by God and themselves to be punished for their Hypocrisie and that therefore all Prayers do not always in all things necessarily suppose or make Men good But then they inform Men too which is the End why I have brought them that if Men hope to be heard by God and to have their Prayers granted they must be good and not live in the practice of known Sin or through Hypocrisie or Insincerity Laziness or Prevalency of some Lust above their Duty wilfully be ignorant whether they live in any Sin or no or slatter themselves in general they do not And those Men who know thus much by natural Conscience Reason the Scriptures and often attend to it which are most Men in some Degree or other though not all if they betake themselves to pray to God for the removal of any Evil or the granting of them any good will first be apt to reslect upon their Lives and Actions and promise unto God Amendment and Reformation of what they know to be bad in themselves and to beg his Pardon that they may with Hopes of Success pray to him and effectually obtain their Desires and to do this often and constantly surely will be an excellent Means for the preserving Men from all Sin nay to make them more sincerely vigorously constantly and universally better SECT VI. THe Fifth Way how our Praying may V. make us better and preserve us in Goodness is by Remuneration or Reward that is God Almighty may immediately or mediately reward our Prayers even in general being such as they should be God may reward our dutiful Acknowledgment of his infinite Perfections and our being affected with them accordingly our Admiration Honour Love Thankfulness Address to him humble Dependence upon him exercised in our Prayers with the greatest Blessings he can bestow upon us and that is with Increase Growth Strength in Holiness and Goodness When we pray unto him depend upon him humbly and in Resolution of Obedience and well-doing which also are Signs of our Acknowledgments of his Perfections even for any other good things besides Goodness as for Wisdom Instruction Deliverance from bodily Dangers Plenty good Success in worldly Affairs a peaceable and comfortable Life c. Then it may seem good to God sometimes to reward this Exercise of our Goodness or of those things which are such proper Means thereof with better things than what we ask and with them too eveâ— this principal one of all of preserving aâ— strengthning our Souls in Holiness in genâ—ral and in particular Virtues and Graces But much more still have we reason tâ— think that God will bestow this incompâ—rable Blessing upon us when we humblâ— sincerely and importunately beseech it â— his hands above all other things Whâ— we pray to him with our whole Hearts thâ— he would but make us sincerely and generously good holy Lovers of himself and â— all Persons to do all things out of an Unâ—versal Charity and Love never to gratifâ— any inordinate or immoderate Appetite anâ— as for other things we plainly are indiffereâ— to them but only so far forth as they maâ— be Instruments hereof of our being or doing good This is a Petition that argueâ— and acts a Temper of Mind than which nothing in Heaven and Earth is so acceptable unto God and therefore to encourage iâ— and our Desires and Endeavours after it especially if they be frequent and long it is the most likely thing that God will heat our Prayers grant our Desires make out Endeavours in some Measure and Time or other successful We have heard before the blind Man's Opinion and the common Opinion of Mankind That if any Man be a Worshipper of God God heareth him â—nd in this surely rather than any other â—hing Our Saviour to encourage our Addresses to God such as they ought to be hath exâ—resly promised Success when it seems sit to God and it doth so sometimes or else there is no 〈◊〉 at all 〈◊〉 and it shall be given â—â— seek and you shall 〈◊〉 knock and it shall â—e opened unto you for every one that asketh â—s he ought receâ—â—eth when it seems fit to God and that is very often and he that â—eketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall â—e opened Which our Saviour illustrateth â—y a Similitude of earthly Parents who â—ive to their Children upon their asking â—ecessary or convenient things how much more will God who is infinitely wiser and â—etter to us and loves us all more with a Love of Benevolence than our earthly Parents can do give them unto us What Man is there c. Matt. 7. to Verse 12. The â—ame we have in St. Luke Chap. 11. Verse 13. Where it is How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him In David's Psalms are many places to this purpose Psalm 145. Verse 18 19. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him in Truth He will fulfil the Desires of them that fear him he also will hear their Cry and will save them Nothing more ordinary than for the Apostles in their Epistles to pray for their Disciples and Believers thâ— were their Charge that they might increâ— and be strengthned in Holiness and Gâ—ness
bow down and oppress this happy soul With upright and cheerly countenance with solid joy and satisfaction in his thoughts he steadily and generously walks through all the variety of conditions of life and being the Divine Wisdom may dispose him into Who would not be a good man that he may thus pray and who would not pray that he may enjoy so great a happiness who would be so weak and foolish as for the indulgence and gratification of some pitiful mean and base appetite for the present enjoyment of some vile and unreasonable lust or sin forego and quit all his faith confidence and hope in God and the consequent delight acquiescence case peace and joy of soul upon all occasions being ashamed ever to think of God much more to address himself to him or ask any thing at his hand though he should be in never so great distress Who would lose the benefit and comfort of so good a Friend for what can never make the least part of recompense Yes Let Atheists and Worldlings live without any minding of or addressing themselves to God if they please the good man knows too well the sweetness the profit and the pleasure thereof to do likewise David was a truly excellent Example of this usefulness and benefit of Prayer It seems to have been his most usual Cordial which he often took to support his fainting and tired soul to quell and compose his vexations fears disturbances to alleviate and remove his grief and sadness We 'l give an instance or two Psalm 42. First he mentions his present sad and miserable condition in many respects as his being banished out of his Country it is likely by Saul and principally from the Publick Worship of his God for which he panted and thirsted Oh when shall I come and appear before God Verse 1 2 4 6. Then his Enemies contempt and insulting over him and especially their not believing that he was so great a Favourite of God's but rather that God had rejected him or minded him not Verse 3 10. But to comfort and chear himself he prays to God and is very confident God will hear him as he had reason and cheerlily chides himself Ver. 8 9 11. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his Song shall be with me and my Prayer to the God of my life that is yet I will pray to my God and I trust and know he will give me cause to rejoyce and praise him by his hearing of me at all times I will say unto God my Rock why hast thou forsaken me why go I mourning because of the oppression of the Enemy And Verse 11. Why art thou cast down O my Soul why art thou so disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God Again The very next Psalm viz. 43. he prays very passionately to God for deliverance from his Enemies who were unmerciful deceitful unjust and that God would bring him back again to enjoy his Publick Worship in his Temple from which he seems now banished Oh send out saith he thy light and thy truth that is perhaps thy enlightning or rejoycing truth in performing of thy Promises thou hast made to me let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy hill Sion the place where the Temple was built and to thy Tabernacles that is the Temple built instead of the Tabernacle where God especially manifested himself or where were very special effects of his Power and Presence Then he Vows unto God that with exceeding joy and thankfulness he would make use of and improve that favour Vers 4. Then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy c. and then Verse the last he is full of good hope and firm confidence that God who was the health of his countenance that is the cause of all his joy and of his content which useth to be shewed by ones healthful aspect and countenance and who was his God would hear his Petition at last viz. that he should praise him therefore and that publickly in the Temple Again in Psalm 55. he describes the miserable plight that he was in because of the constant Machinations and plots of his Enemies deceitful and bloody men as 't is v. 23. nay of those who had been his Friends and Confidents who had forsaken him in his disgrace and adversity as it is usual and contemned him Verse 12. his Enemies contrived even to take away his Life they oppressed him with Accusations and Reproaches and wrathfully hated him whence he was full of Complaints and Mourning in so much that there was likelihood of his death thereby which though another sense may be too he expresseth in Verse 4 5 by his heart being pained and the terrours of death fallen upon him and fearfulness and trembling coming upon him and horrour overwhelming him But then the course he takes is to pray to God with hope and trust in him By these he reseues himself from this sadness and grief of Soul and eases comforts and satisfies it Verse 16. As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me Verse 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon-day that is very frequently he would pray and cry aloud and God should hear his voice And Verse 22. Cast thy burden that is what grieves thee upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved that is himself to be frustrated of his hope SECT IX A Third Way how Prayer is for our III. ease comfort and satisfaction of mind is by reflection upon our having performed our most just and reasonable duty to God and upon some more than ordinary good qualities in our selves that may upon this occasion appear as in general upon our ability for and our good will to this duty or performance that we are able and disposed for such excellent things as are in Prayer more particularly that our minds are so able to converse with spiritual things and future yea eternal and to be affected with them such as God his Nature and Actions our own Souls their Actions and Inclinations the State after Death the Affairs of the Life hereafter That we can take notice of God's Perfections acknowledge them really honour him love and resolve to obey him to put our trust in him and depend upon him that we can take notice of and grieve sincerely and heartily for the irregularities of our Actions and our bad and sinful Temper and Inclinations be pleased with desire pray for Virtue and Grace that we can think of attend to and be frequently and much affected with things of future reward and misery Heaven and Hell that we are not sensual dull worldly earthly-minded persons who can mind nothing but sensible present and worldly matters for this short life All men are naturally inclined to believe and confusedly see
as great a joy and delight in saving the Life of its little Animal Play-fellow as Abraham would have had in prevailing with God for the saving of Sodom and Gomorrah from a miserable Destruction if there had been found therein but Ten Righteous Persons There is infinite more difference between the things that men ordinarily entertain their thoughts and pursuits withal and those which the Soul converseth withal in such Prayers as have been before described And so I have given an account of some of the general Heads of the good Effects or Benefits of Praying to God which I have hitherto proved by Reason and Testimony and Experience of all good men And now I desire men would prove it one way more and that is by their own experience or else disprove it Make we tryal of it our selves and that for some time together for the Effects may not presently follow take we some time begin now to do it to pray to God discreetly and affectionately with a holy pure and innocent heart in publick private secret see whether we do not grow better upon it Pray to him heartily and assiduously in secret for strength to mortifie any Lust thy Pride thy Revenge thy Envy thy Wrath thy Injustice thy Covetousness thy Vain-glory thy Uncleanness or Lasciviousness thy Intemperance and a Thousand other Lusts which may be troublesome and importunate to us so far as we are good or to the Divine and Regenerate Nature within us Pray to him for Universal Holiness Love to himself Charity Humility Purity and Spirituality of Mind for his forbearance for his Pardon Make thy report after some time I fear nothing more than a Temptation to boast too much of thy Success And as for the pleasure of it step â—â—metimes into thy Closet or any retired place desire of God first to dispose thy Mind that the Meditation and Action of thy Soul may be such as may be acceptable to him set thy self to make Acknowledgments of his infinite Excellencies and Perfections and the Instances thereof to all his Creation and in particular to thy self in making preserving providing for thee and bestowing upon thee the good things of thy Soul and Body such as Knowledge especially of himself and thy self of thy present and future States and Conditions any Goodness or Virtue that thou art not the most villanous and wicked person devoid of all sense of thy Duty given up to all Sin and Wickedness the means afforded still of being yet wiser and better God's forbearance forgiveness in case of Repentance present Peace Comfort Joy in well-doing the provision of Heaven and Eternal Life hereafter when thy Eyes are closed and thou art no more an Inhabitant of this World thy Health Strength plenty of Food Rayment Habitation all Conveniencies of this Life in order to a good and happy Life here and hereafter And not only make bare acknowledgments of these things but heartily love and thank God for them honour and admire him with all thy might and understanding firmly believe him to have been to be now and that he always will be thy best Friend if thou be not thine own hindrance Ask heartily God's Pardon for offending him and sinning against the Eternal Laws of Righteousness drop an unfeigned Tear breath out an unconstrained Sigh chide thy self beseech God's Grace more than thy Life never to do so any more resolve to use all the inherent strength thou hast come then and tell what thou findest how thou likest Once more When thou wouldst have any thing make thy Case known propound it to God beseech him to give it thee so far as it is just only leave thy self and thy request with God because he is wise and just examine and amend what is amiss in thy self that thou mightest not be the cause why it is not just for God to give it thee let us know how this relisheth and what followeth Say sometimes such things as these with the devout and holy Psalmist I love the Lord because he hath heard my Voice and my Supplication or because he hath delivered my Soul from death that is he hath saved my Life in such a danger or sickness suppose mine eyes from tears that is he hath removed from me or prevented those Evils which would have sore grieved me and my feet from falling that is he hath kept my mind upright and cheerful from dejectedness and despondency or he hath kept me in that good condition of Life from which I was in danger of having fallen or of being deprived of it the Lord hath dealt bountifully with me what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the Cup of Salvation the usual part of the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving I will shew my self publickly thankful and call upon the Name of the Lord or Worship him O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant Psal 116. Say further sometimes Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable The Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and of great Mercy The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee Oh happy is he who hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in Jehovah the Lord his God who made Heaven and Earth the See and all that therein is He who telleth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their Names who is of great Power and his Understanding is infinite Psalms 145 146 147. Make we tryal I say our selves see we things with our own eyes confirm or confute all by our own experience Let us not think it a thing not worthy our trouble to be satisfied in for it is worthy of our greatest pains Either we believe all that hath been said concerning these Excellent Uses of Praying or we do not if we do not as I said try we our selves whether our Nature is not capable thereof and God will not assist us for this is the best way of proof If we do believe it without trying then do we accordingly If we do believe this to be true and yet do not practise it must needs be a sign we are both bad and foolish that we have no mind to be made good or better no nor lift through laziness or slavery to be made happier or because we cannot have the comfort and pleasure of Praying without the profit of being engaged to be good we 'l part with that rather than be good and leave our bad Courses or any Sin we love in which as we are wicked so we are such Fools for our selves as if when we have a decrepit and infirm Body we should be afraid it should be made more sound and strong whereby we might be more useful to the World and have the constant pleasure of a clear Health And so I have perfected this Fourth Head namely