our Liturgie calling them shreds and wishing that in one continued prayer all our requests should be joyned notwithstanding the wisdome of those learned and godly men who out of the most ancient Liturgies compiled ours is to be commended who considering that our long continued prayer would to the greatest sort seem tedious and breed distraction and wandring thoughts have set forth many short prayers to avoid wearisomenesse and to keep the mind of the people attentive CHAP XXIII Of the qualitie of our speech in our prayer and of the form which is to be used AS touching the quality of our speech As we need not to be curious in respect of the style because God looketh to the uprightnesse of the heart rather then the elegancie of the speech so must we not be more carelesse negligent for the manner of speech then we would be if we were to speak to any mortall man And because we are but too carnall let us make use of Malachi's rule chap. 1. 8. Offer it to thy Prince that is Let us examine our selves whether we be as carefull to speak unto the Lord as we would be unto a Prince and herein also let us shew that reverence which we ow unto the Lord. The godly in the Scriptures have been very exquisite and accurate in those prayers and Psalmes which are recorded in the Scriptures Concerning the form it may be demanded Whether we may use a set form of prayer for that is denied by our Separatists insomuch that they hold it unlawfull to pray in that set form which Christ himself hath prescribed But they are plainly confuted by the words of our Saviour Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say Our Father c. unlesse they will persist in their contradiction against Christ himself forbidding us when we pray to say Our Father Besides that prayer of Christ there are other set forms in the Scriptures prescribed to be used in the Church of God The whole book of the Psalmes was penned and committed to Asaph and other musicians as is mentioned in divers of their titles to the end that they might be sung in the congregation More especially the ninety second Psalme was penned to be used on the Sabbath-day and the hundred and second Psalme is A prayer of or fâ—…r the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. But why may not a set form be used Because the faithful praying in the holy Ghost as Jude speaketh v. 20. must pray as they are moved by the Spirit and not as they are provided beforehand The assistance of the Spirit is seen not so much in helping our invention The gift of invention or conceiving a prayer is a gift of the Spirit but a common gift and not a proper grace of the sanctifying Spirit for a man of a present wit and good speech wanting the spirit of sanctification may do much that way especially if he be studied in Divinity as in these three 1. in rectifying our judgement teaching us to ask that which is good for us especially in time of affliction For we being led by sense know not what to ask but the Spirit helpeth our insirmities and teacheth us to pray according to God asking those things which tend to his glory and our good 2. His help is seen in inslaming our affections teaching us to pray with sighs and grones that cannot be expressed v. 26. And to the same purpose the Prophet Zacharie foretelleth that the faithfull by the spirit of grace and supplication shall be moved when they look upon him whom thâ—…y have pierced to mourn as one mourneth for his firsâ—…-born sonne Zech. 12. 10. 3. The spirit of Adoption crieth in our hearts Abba Father that is teacheth us to pray in faith and to call upon God as our Father in Christ Rom. 8. 15 16. Gal. 4. 6. Moreover where they say that they must pray as the Spirit moveth them they seem with the Enthusiasts to look for extraordinary inspirations and are in the number of those which tempt God for this conceit of theirs as well taketh away all meditation and preparation beforehand as set prayers But we are to follow the counsel of the Wise man Ecclus 18. 23. Before thou prayest prepare thy self and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. The promise made the faithfull that they should not need to study beforehand what they should speak but that they should speak as the Spirit should move them is to be understood of the extraordinary gift of Gods Spirit wherewith they were filled in inspiring them in their preachings apologies and prayers without their own study and industry Wherefore as in preaching to neglect study and to expect extraordinary inspiration of the Spirit that we may speak ex tempore as the Spirit moveth when a man is not upon some present exigent and necessity put to it is to tempt God so likewise in prayer And therefore we must not presume 〈◊〉 it be upon some present necessity to conceive a long prayer especially prayer ex tempore without some former study and meditation used either against the instant or in former times but we must come prepared either with some set form which notwithstanding with help of meditation we are to vary upon occasions or with such a form as we have conceived in our meditation that so we may with David call our prayer our meditation Neither do I doubt but that a good desire vow or promise made in prayer upon former deliberation is more accepted of God and is like to be more constant and may likewise be uttered with better fervency of affection and begged with more assurance of faith then that which is rashly uttered upon a sudden And therefore Salomon saith Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any word before God Eccles 5. 1. Neither do I condemn all that seem to pray ex tempore For as his faculty is to be commended that is so well studied in Divinity and exercised in preaching as that he is able to preach as it were ex tempore not that he casteth himself upon extraordinary inspirations but is inabled by the help of his former studies and exercise so is his faculty to be commended who is so well studied in Divinity and exercised in applying the severall parts of religion to the use of prayer that he is able as it were ex tempore to conceive a prayer not that in so doing he casteth himself upon the extraordinary inspiration of the holy Spirit but is inabled by the help of his former studies and meditations Now if I be asked the question Whether is better a set form of prayer or a prayer conceived I answer by distinction For if they speak of such a prayer as is conceived ex tempore without former study and meditation by such an one as expecteth extraordinary inspiration meaning to pray as the spirit shall move him I answer that a
THE DOCTRINE OF Practicall Praying TOGETHER With a Learned Exposition ON THE LORDS PRAYER By the Right Reverend Father in God George Downam late L d Bishop of Derry in Ireland Pray without ceasing c. 1 Thes. 5. 17. After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father c. Mat. 69. LONDON Printed by W. H. for Nicolas Bourne at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange 1656. To the Christian Reader THere is no duty more excellent in it self or profitable to us then that of Prayer Wherein we have sweet communion with God and free accesse to the throne of grace laying open to a gracious Father all our wants and grievances in hope and confidence to have our suits granted our sinnes pardoned our necessities supplyed and our griefs removed and relieved It is that hand and key which helpeth to unlock and open the treasury of all Gods graces for the enriching of our souls with all his blessings the horsmen and chariots of the Israel of God whereby they get victorie over all their enemies yea they prevail with God whē he seemeth to oppose against them as an enemie and to wrestle with them that he may foil and overthrow them as he did with Jacob. In all which and innumerable other respects as it is to be esteemed the chiefest exercise of a godly and Christian life which can never be too much practiced as the Apostle implyeth where he injoyneth us to pray continually and in all things to give thanks so can it never be sufficiently insisted upon in the doctrine of it whereby we are pressed perswaded to the frequent exercise of it and taught to perform it in a right and acceptable manner In which regard though much already hath been excellently spoken and written upon this subject yet let no man think it superfluous to have more published of this argument seeing that can never be too much taught which is never sufficiently learned and loved The ensuing Treatises were the labours of that learned judicious and godly Divine D. Downame late Bishop of Dery in the Realm of Ireland my most dear brother which were penned with his own hand for his private use but for the publick service of that part of Gods Church over which he was a painfull and faithfull Pastour conteining the summe of many of his sermons which he preached on this argument The which if he had been pleased to have polished and perfected with his own learned hand no doubt much would have been added to their lustre and beautie Yet seeing this was not done according to his better abilities I thought it a dammage to Gods people that they should lose the substance for the want of some circumstance and have no use of a well-compacted bodie fit to do God and his Church good service because it was not decked with gay ornaments And therefore I have presented it to the view of the world and indeavoured to perform the dutie of a brother to him that is deceased though not to raise this spirituall seed to him for it was of his own begetting and composing yet to give unto it birth and being in the world without which it would have proved abortive and so have been buried in perpetuall oblivion The which service I have the more willingly undertaken for the benefit of all that will take pains to peruse this work because I am now disabled by age and many infirmities to produce any further labours of mine own in this kind wherein I have not been wanting in my more able and mature times according to the proportion of my small talent which my great Lord and Master hath entrusted me with Herein imitating the example of the weaker sex who after they have been fruitfull in bearing children themselves and now being come to older age are disabled to have any more conceptions do some of them become midwives who are helpfull to those who are young and fruitfull for the bringing of their children into the world The Lord whose onely blessing maketh all our indeavours profitable by giving efficacie unto them by the inward operation of his holy Spirit blesse these and all other labours of his servants that they may bring forth plentifull fruits for the advancement of his glory and the benefit of all his children who are willing to make use of them to these ends Thine in the Lord Jesus to do thee any Christian service JOHN DOVVNAME ¶ The contents of the Chapters of the first part of this Treatise viz. The Doctrine of Prayer together with the chief points therein handled Chap. 1. OF the definition of Prayer and of the persons who are to pray Pag. 1 Of the name of Invocation and Prayer 2 Of the generall nature of prayer 3 Of the proper nature of prayer 4 What is required in invocation acceptable to God 5 Who ought to pray 6 7 c. 2. Reasons moving to the dutie of prayer 8 9 c. 3. Other motives to the dutie of prayer 11 4. Three questions cleared 14 Whether prayer be efficacious to obtein our desires 15 That prayer is necessary notwithstanding Gods decree 16 17 c. 5. Of the great and wonderfull efficacy of prayer 21 6. Whether by prayer we alwayes obtein our desires 26 7. Of the profit of prayer 29 8. A threefold necessity of prayer 32 9. Who are to perform the duty of prayer 33 10. None but the faithfull can pray effectually and acceptably 37 That the impenitent cannot pray acceptably 39 In what respect God heareth the wicked 47 11. That God alone is to be called upon 51 12. That we ought not to invocate any creature 58 That Angels and Saints are not to be invocated 59 That Saints departed are not to be invocated 61 Chap. 13 That we must conceive of God in prayer as he hath revealed himself in his word 64 Whether Christ as Mediatour is to be invocated 66 14. That Christ alone is the Mediatour of intercession as well as of redemption 68 15. That we must pray onely in the name of Christ 77 16. Of the manner how we are to call upon God 80 That we must pray with upright hearts 82 c. That we must not pray with feigned lips and wandring thoughts 83 84 c. 17. Of knowledge required necessarily in prayer 89 That prayer ought to be made in a known tongue 92 18. Of Faith which is required in prayer 101 19. Of Humilitie required in prayer 106 Faith and Humility must be joyned in prayer 110 20. Of Reverence required in prayer and Heartinesse 113 21. Of the Gesture to be used in prayer 116 22. Of the Voyce to be used in prayer 125 Of Battologie in prayer 129 Of the quantitie and qualitie of our prayers 133 23. Whether a set form of prayer may be used 135 What we are to think of extempor all prayer 137 Of conceived prayers and set forms 139 24. Of things required out of the action of prayer 141 Of Preparation unto prayer 142 Of duties
so much more meritorious and satisfactorie is most grosse battologie I conclude with the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. 37 38. If any man think himself to be a prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge what the prophet hath written concerning the use of a known tongue in the service of God to be the commandments of God But if any saith he be ignorant let him be ignorant The like may be said of those who praying in their mother-tongue do not understand what they say For the prayer which is made without understanding is also without faith without feeling without true devotion neither is it a lifting up of the mind but of the voyce unto God and a bare recitall of a set form of words without any inward grace such as parrots might be taught to make Wherein many are so grosse that they use the Creed and the ten Commandments for prayers and recite them with the like devotion as they do the Lords prayer I deny not but that it is good for the simpler sort to meditate both of the Creed of the Decalogue the one conteining the summe of that which we are to believe the other comprising the summe of that which we are to do likewise to pray unto God that he would increase our faith in the one and our obedience to the other But neither of both is to be used as a form of prayer because in neither we do either ask any thing which we want or give thanks for that which we have received Let men therefore which would call upon God labour for knowledge and understanding For a prayer of five words such as was the Publicanes prayer Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori God be mercifull unto me a sinner uttered with understanding is better then a prayer of an houre long not understood CHAP. XVIII Of faith which is required in prayer SEcondly in the mind is required faith For faith being a perswasion and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper seat thereof is the mind Howsoever it is to be granted that where this sound perswasion and assurance is in the mind it worketh affiance and hope in the heart as a proper fruit and necessarie effect thereof And therefore in the phrase of believing in this affiance is implyed For to believe in God is not onely to believe that there is a God and that he is such an one as he hath revealed himself in his word but also that he is such an one to me as that the Father is my Father c. and consequently that therefore I repose my trust and affiance in him In invocation there is a double faith required The one more generall apprehending the main promise of the Goâ—…pel whereby we stand righteous before God in Christ whereby we are to be perswaded that both we and our prayers are accepted of God in Christ The other more speciall apprehending the speciall promises made to our prayers whereby we are perswaded that our speciall request shall be granted unto us The former because it doth generally belong to all invocation as well thanksgiving as prayer is now to be intreated of The other specially belongeth to prayer and therefore in the speciall doctrine of prayer is to be considered The former is that perswasion or assurance of the soul whereby we believing in Christ are in the same measure perswaded of Gods love towards us in Christ and therefore are incouraged to come with confidence to the throne of grace not doubting but that both we and our prayâ—…rs are acceptable unto God in Christ Heb. 4. 16. And this assurance of faith is grounded partly on the will and love of God and partly on the merits and intercession of our Sâ—…viour Christ. On the will of God 1. in generall appearing in his commandments injoyning this dutie and his gracious promises For if God hath commanded us to call upon him and hath graciously promised to heare us why should we doubt but that this our service is acceptable unto him 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. Pray continually in all things give thanks for this is the will of God the acceptable will of God in Christ concerning you But chiefly on the promises of God is our faith to be grounded Which promises are either generall and those not onely that he will heare and accept but also graciously reward this exercise of piety performed to him Matth. 6. 4. Godlinesse hath the promise both of this life and of that which is to come or speciall for the granting of that which we desire as Gen. 32. 9 12. Exod. 32. 13. 2. Sam. 7. 27 28. 1. Chron. 17. 25. Secondly in particular that the thing which we either pray or praise be good as being referred to Gods glory and our good For if it be not good we are neither if we have it not to desire it and much lesse to pray for it nor if we have it to praise God as the authour and giver of it We must have warrant in Gods word that the thing for which we call upon God be such as God hath promised to give otherwise our prayer is turned into sinne And in this sense the Apostle saith Let every man be perswaded in his mind for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Likewise our faith must be grounded on the love of God and goodnesse First in generall that is Psal. 5. 7. his bounty and readinesse to heare and reward all those that call upon him Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God For he tâ—…at cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Rom. 10. 12 13. The Lord is rich towards all that call upon him Psal. 86. 5. Thou art plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee Isa. 65. 24. Secondly in particular to our selves in Christ John 16. 27. Rom. 8. 32. and 5. 5. and 8. 15 16. Psal. 55. 16 17. I will call upon God the Lord will save me Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and he will heare my voice Psal. 4. 3. The Lord will heare when I call unto him Psal. 56. 9. When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn back this I know for God is for me Psal. 86. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt answer me In the merits of Christ whereby we are accepted and in his intercession whereby our prayers are made acceptable Heb. 10. 22. And in this sense also we are to pray in the name of Christ that is not onely with desire that for Christs sake we may be heard but also with perswasion and some measure of assurance that for Christs sake we shall be heard John 16. 23. To call upon God in the name of Christ implyeth two things 1. To desire that for Christs sake we may be heard 2. To believe that for Christs sake we shall be heard That
hath the promise both of temporall benefits Prov. 22. 4. The reward of humility is riches glory and life and spirituall Prov. 3. 34. grace Prov. 11. 4. wisdome Prov. 22. 4. the fear of God and finally blessednesse Matth. 5. 3. And therefore let us follow the counsel of James chap. 4. 10. to cast down our selves before the Lord and he will lift us up and of Peter 1. epist. 5. 6. to deck our selves inwardly with lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble In the examples also of the godly we may observe that the most holy men have most abased themselves when they have come into Gods presence Abraham the father of the faithfull making request to God in behalf of the Sodomites acknowledgeth himself to be but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. Jacob who was called Israel because by his wresting in prayer he prevailed with God confesseth himself lesse then the least of Gods mercies Gen. 32. 10. David a man according to Gods own heart in the humility of his soul desireth the Lord not to enter into judgement with him c. Psal. 143. 2. And 2. Sam. 6. 22. he professeth that he would be vile before the Lord. Isaiah the prophet at whose prayer the sunne went back being admitted into the presence of God crieth out that he was a man of polluted lips Daniel a man greatly beloved humbly acknowledgeth his sinnes and refuseth to come in his own worthinesse Dan. 9. 18. and likewise Ezra chap. 9. 6. The Centurion of whom our Saviour testifieth that he had not found the like faith in Israel Matth. 8. 8. professeth himself to be unworthy that Christ should come under his roof The woman of Syrophenicia to whom our Saviour gave testimonie that great was her faith confesseth her self to be but as a dog in comparison of the Israelites Mat. 15. 27. The repenting prodigall received to favour confesseth himself unworthy to be called a son Luke 15. 21. The Publicane who went home justified shewed great signes of humilitie Let us therefore avoiding the proud conceit of all Pharisaical Popish justitiaries who are not afraid to present themselves before God trusting in their own merits follow the advice of Paul Rom. 12. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as some expound it to go the same way with the humble so we shall come to the same end of the way which is the salvation of our souls the which unlesse we be humble even as children we cannot attein But he that is humble as a child shall be the greatest in the kingdome of heaven Matth. 14. 3 4. Now these two graces whereof I have last spoken faith and humilitie must necessarily go together For we must not be so humblâ—…d in regard of our unworthinesse in our selves but that notwithstanding we are to trust in Gods mercy accepting of us in Christ we are so to have affiance in the mercies of God merits of Christ that we disclaim all worthines in our selves Here therefore they offend 1. Who come to God in a Pharisaicall conceit of their own worthinesse for which they presume to be heard If it be obiected that the faithfull sometimes alledge their own pietie in their prayers as an argument to obtein their desires as David Psal. 86. 2. Hezekiah Isa. 58. 3. I answer 1. They alledge their own pietie as a gift of God and testimonie of his favour to confirm their faitâ—… not ascribing it to their own desert but to the favour grace of God by which they do confesse that they are what they are 1. Cor. 15. 10. For it is the nature of true faith to strip him where it is of all praise that all glory may be given unto God Psal. 115. 1. Non dignitatem suam sed dignationem Divinam allegant They alledge not their own dignitie but Gods acceptance 2. Because the promises of hearing our prayers are restrained to the godly they alledge their piety as a testimonie to their own souls that the promise belongeth to them 1. John 3. 22. Non hoc dico quin accâ—…a gratia siduciam donet orandi Sed non oportet ut in 〈◊〉 constituat quisquam fiduciam impetr andi Hoc solum conferunt haec promissa dona ut ab cadem misericordia quae tribuit haec sperentur etiam ampliora that is I do not say this because grace received doth give confidence in praying For none ought in it to place their trust of obteining But these gifts promised do onely conferre this that of that mercy which giveth these things we may also hope for greater More particularly for Davids prayer Preserve my soul for I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one on whom thou hast shewed great mercie save thy servant that trusteth in thee For Gods promise is not to fail them that put their trust in him For Hezekiah The Lord had promised David That his sonnes if they walked before him in uprightnesse should not want a sonne to succeed them in the crown Whereas therefore the prophet Isaiah brought this message to Hezekiah being sick that he should die having yet no issue he desireth the Lord to remember that he had walked uprightly before him and therefore intreateth the Lord that according to his promise he might not die without a sonne to succeed him and so obteined the lengthening of his dayes for fifteen yeares in which time God granted him a sonne to succeed him 2. Those that pray ambitiously to be seen and praised of men for such hypocrites have their reward Matth. 6. 5. Nisi humilitas omnia quaecunque bene fecimus praecesserit comitetur consecuta fuerit praeposita quam intueamur apposita cui adhaereamus imposita quâ reprimamur jam nobis de aliâ—…uo bono facto gaudentibus totum extorquet è manu superbia Vitia quippe caetera in peccatis superbia verò etiam in rectè factis timenda est nè illa quae laudabiliter facta sunt ipsius laudis cupiditate amittantur Unlesse humilitie do precede accompanie and follow all whatsoever we have well done and be preposed that we may behold it and apposed that we may adhere unto it and imposed that thereby we may be repressed pride will wring out of our hand all we have done whilest we rejoyce of our doing any good deed For other vices are to be feared in our sinfull actions but pride onely is to be feared in our good deeds lest those things which are laudably done be lost by our greedie coveting of praise 3. Those that pray with spirituall pride and ostentation as the Brownists being proud that they are able to conceive as it were ex tempore a prayer unto God and with such varietie as to use no set form nor twice to use the same words 4. Those that by their prayer look to satisfie for their sinnes and to merit at the hands of God as the Papists For
seâ—… form is to be preferred before such an extemporall prayer First because it wanteth due reverence of God when men dare speak to God quicquid in buccam venerit whatsoever first cometh into the mouth when as if they were to speak to their prince or any whom they reverenced they would use preparation and directly against the advice of Salomon Eccles 5. 1. Secondly because it is joyned with the presumptuous fansie of the Enthusiasts and tempting of God Thirdly because in prayers rashly and suddenly made many times things are uttered which beseem not the majestie of God nor are expedient for men Such sudden prayers are of the mind rather then of the heart Fourthly Though the thing uttered were good without exception yet that good which is uttered upon premeditation and mature deliberation is more acceptable unto God then that which proceedeth from a sudden motion If they speak of a prayer conceived upon due meditation I distinguish again in respect of private prayer of one and that which is common and publick For private prayers that course is to be followed for which most do find themselves best qualified being alwayes carefull to avoyd those inconveniences to which either a set form or a conceived prayer is more subject The set form is more subject to wandering thoughts and want of attention of mind the conceived to want of affection the powers of the soul being wholly occupied in invention But for the most this will be found the most behooffull course to have a set form or forms rather for the generall and the many blessings for which we are either to pray or to prayse God ordinarily whereunto extraordinarily something is to be added as occasion is offered I say forms rather for the avoyding of distraction and wandering thoughts And because our prayers are defective it shall be expedient to conclude them with that absolute form which Christ hath taught us As for prayers publick and common with others Though a conceived prayer be more commendable in the speaker if it be performed without spirituall pride and ostentation yet a set form or forms is more profitable for the hearers who with a known form may easily concurre in prayer with the speaker which in a conceived form unheard of before they cannot so well do All which I have the rather noted because I understand that in these times both many hearers do erroneously magnifie extemporall prayers contemning all set forms and also the oratours or speakers themselves in great ostentation and spirituall pride affect such variety of extemporall prayers as if they scorned to use the same form twice when as our Saviour in the garden is recorded to have prayed thrice and to have used the same form Matth. 26. 29 42 44. CHAP. XXIV Of things required out of the action of prayer HItherto we have spoken of such things as are required in the action of invocation Now we are to treat of those things which must be done out of the action that is to say both before and after Before there is required preparation For â—… if we ought to prepare our selves when the Lord is to speak unto us in the ministery of the word that we may be fit to heare as Exod. 19. Eccles 4. 17. then muâ—…h more are we bound to prepare our selves when we our selves are to be speakers that we may be fit to speak to so great a Majestie 2. If we will not speak to our superiours especially our Prince without preparation how much more ought we to come prepared when we are to speak to the King of kings and that concerning matters of great importance Thirdly we may not be rash with our mouthes nor let our hearts be hastie to utter any thing before God Eccles 5. 1. But as the sonne of Sirach adviseth Before we pray we ought to prepare our selves and not be as those that tempt God Ecclus 18. 23. Fourthly we have the example of David Psal. 108. 1. and 57. 7. O God my heart is prepared so is my glory I will fing and give praise Now this preparation consisteth partly in removing the impediments and partly in the using of the means For first We must look to our feet Eccles 5. 1. that is with what affections and dispositions we come to prayer and consequently are to lay aside all carnall thoughts and worldly cares which might distract our minds Quicquid ante orationis horam anima nostra conceperit necesse est ut orantibus nobis per ingestionem recordationis occurrat Quamobrem quales orantes volumus inveniri tales nos ante orationis tempuâ—… praeparare debemus Whatsoever before the houre of prayer the mind hath conceived it is necessary that whilest we are praying it offer it self by the ingestion of the remembrance Wherefore such as we would be found to be whilest we pray we must prepare our selves to be such before the time of prayer Secondly we must put off the shoes off our feet as Exod. 3. Jos. 5. that is our pollutions and corrupt affections as carnall lust which maketh the heart speak lewd things and anger as 1. Tim. 2. 8. 1. Pet. 5. 7. Matth. 5. 23 24. Thirdly we must not suffer our heart to be made heavie with surfeting and drunkennesse Luke 21. 34 36. but contrariwise with prayer upon extraordinary occasions to joyn fasting 1. Cor. 7. 5. and with the ordinarie a moderate diet Fourthly if we be guilty of any sin unrepented of we must repent thereof promising and purposing amendment for the time to come for sinne not repented of is as a wall of separation between God and us Isai. 59. 1 2. God heareth not impenitent sinners John 9. 31. Isai. 1. 15 16 18. therefore as Psal. 26. 6. we must wash our hands in innocencie and so come to the altar of the Lord to offer the incense of our prayers lifting up holy hands unto God 1. Tim. 2. 8. The means First because the Lord prepareth the heart Psal. 10. 17. we are to desire him to prepare our hearts unto prayer Secondly we must use meditation In which regard David calleth his prayer his meditation Psal. 5. 1. that is to say that which he had meditated of Psal. 142. 2. Effundam coram eo meditationem meam I will poure out my meditation before him There is such affinity between meditation and prayer that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either of both to meditate or to pray and therefore Gen. 24. 63. some reade that Isaac went out to meditate others to pray And it is likely that he did both first meditate and then pray Now the end of this preparation being to make us fit to perform such duties as are required in prayer our meditation must be referred thereunto And first if we find ourselves backward in the duty it self we may meditate on those reasons which before we used to this purpose And that we may perform it in an
who are like himself But the faithfull who are at peace with God have also joy in the holy Ghost whereby they do rejoyce in God in all estates not onely in time of peace prosperity but also in time of adversity Rom. 5. 3. Yea the greatest afflictions of this life are to be born of the godly not onely meekly and patiently but also comfortably and thankfuly For 1. as God in all his judgements remembreth mercy so must our faith apprehend his mercy as well as our sense apprehendeth his judgements And therefore we ought to say with Job chap. 13. 15. Though he kill me yet will I trust in him 2. Because the faithfull have this priviledge that as nothing can hurt them Isai. 54. 17. so all things even their afflictions do work together for their good Rom. 8. 28. 3. Because God afflicteth them for their good whether by triall or chastisement 4. Because with the outward affliction he vouchsafeth inward comfort 2. Cor. 1. 5. 1. Sam. 30. 6. Acts 16. 25. Psal. 94. 19. 5. Because the afflictions of the faithfull though for sinne are under their desert and in them the anger of God is carried not against their persons but against their sinne 6. Because of those other favours of God which in their afflictions they do enjoy Desinentes contristari propter ea quae non habemus de rebus praesentibus gratias agere debemus Ceasing to grieve for those things we have not we are to give thanks for things which we presently have 7. Because though positive blessings are wanting yet there are alwayes innumerable privative blessings for which we are to give thanks Consider the evils we have deserved and the dangers whereunto we are exposed Consider that by our sinnes we have deserved all the plagues denounced in the law Deut. 28. 15. not onely in this life but also in the world to come Whilest therefore our condition is better then those in hell we have cause to prayse God who hath not dealt with us after our sinâ—…es nor rewarded us after our iniquities Psal. 103. 10. Lam. 3. 22. Now if they are bound to prayse God that are not consumed how much more have we cause to prayse God whom he hath not onely not consumed but hath heaped and multiplied his mercies upon us both privative and positive And as at all times we are to prayse God so in solemn festivalls ordained to that end such as was that of Purim Esth. 9. and ours of the Fifth of November for our marvellous deliverance from that horrible conspiracy of the Papists by the gunpouder-treason FINIS A GODLY AND FRUITFULL EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER Shewing the meaning of the words and the duties required in the severall Petitions both in respect of prayer it self and also in respect of our lives PHIL. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God ¶ Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge Ann. Dom. MDCXL MATTH 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LUKE 11. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO call upon the name of God by hearty and effectuall prayer is a duty in it self most excellent to God most glorious to our selves most profitable and necessary But such is the blindnesse and ignorance of our minds the dulnesse and hardnesse of our hearts that we know not either how to pray or what to ask Like to Zebedee's children Matth. 22. 20. We ask we know not what and as Paul speaketh Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray as we ought Wherefore our Saviour Christ in abundant mercy towards us that he might relieve our wants in this behalf hath set down a prescript form of prayer whereby we are to frame ours commanding us when we do pray to pray thus In which words as he forbiddeth us not to use this prayer so he doth not alwayes bind us to use the same words For here two extremities are to be avoided the first of the Brownists who think it unlawfull to use the prescript form of these words the second of the Papists who superstitiously insist in the very words and syllables themselves As touching the first Our Saviour commandeth us thus to pray and more plainly Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say Our Father c. Therefore unlesse it be unlawfull to obey the expresse commandment of our Saviour Christ it is lawfull to use these words Secondly the book of Psalmes doth prove that we may have set forms of prayers Psal. 86. is a form of prayer to be used in affliction The 92 is Psalmus in diem Sabbati A Psalme for the Sabbath The 102 Oratio pro paupere A Psalme for a poore man The 136 A solemn form of thanksgiving 2. Chron. 7. 6. and 20. 21. For the second when Christ commandeth to pray thus he doth not tie us to the words but to the things We must pray for such things as herein summarily are conteined with such affections as are herein prescribed For we must understand that our Saviour Christ propoundeth this prayer as a brief summe of all those things which we are to ask For as the Creed is summa credendorum the summe of things to be believed the Decalogue summa agendorum the summe of things to be done so the Lords Prayer is summa petendorum the summe of things to be desired But as all things particularly to be believed are not particularly expressed in the Creed nor all things to be done in the Decalogâ—… so neither are all things particularized in the Lords prayer for which we are to ask And therefore it is lawfull nay expedient and necessary often to descend into the particulars themselves For the proving whereof we have so many arguments as there are prayers of the godly recorded in the word For though all of them may be referred to this prayer or some part thereof yet none of them are conceived in the same words And moreover Matthew and Luke in setting down this prayer are not curious in observing the same words And therefore superstitious is the opinion and practice of the Church of Rome who think that the bare repetition of these words in an unknown tongue without understanding or faith is ex opere operato meritorious as though our Saviour Christ had prescribed these words to be used as a charm c. First whereas our Saviour Christ propoundeth this form we may be assured that it is a perfect pattern of prayer that nothing ought to be asked which is not in it conteined For in him are all the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God Col. 2. 3. He knoweth what is acceptable unto God what is needfull for us therefore in this prayer is conteined whatsoever is either fit for God to grant or for us to ask By this then as a pattern we are to form our prayers and as by a rule we are to examine them
â—…yes 3. Of the hands Châ—…ysosi Hom ad pop 79. T. 4. pag. 643. â—… Quest. Answ. August â—…pist 121. What is to be considered in our words Prolixity not to be affected Reaâ—…ons Alâ—…ibiad 2. Spist. 21. pag. 403. Iâ—…d pag. 402 Homil. 74. Tom. 4. pag. 641 642. â—…pist 121. 402. Whether a set form of prayer may be used A set form is to be preferred before ex tempoâ—… prayâ—…r without preceding meditation Reasons 1. 2 3 4. I. Preparation The reasons why preparation is necessary This preparation consisteth 1. in removing impediments Cassian Collat 9. cap. 3. 2. In using the means Meditation required before prayer Psal. 108. 1. II. Of the dutiâ—…s to be performed after prayer Cyprian Menandeâ—… How we may be enabled to pray according to Gods will Epist. 121. Lib. 2. De â—…do Deâ—… 120. Zech. 12 10. Heb. 10. 29. Quest. Answ. 1. Of the persons In which respect it is publick or private Of publick prayer Private preparation required before publick prayer Of the voice to be used in publick prayer Of pâ—…ivate prayer Object Answ. The Euchetae confuted 1. Thess. 5. 17. expounded Luke 18. 1. expounded Luke 21. 36. and Ephâ—…s 6. 18. 〈◊〉 That we are alwayes bound to the duty of prayer Of stinted prayers at set times unstinted upon occasions offered No time exempted from private prayer That there is no limitation of place for prayer The vanity of Pilgrimages 1. A sense of our wants and a desire to have them supplyed Prayer and thanksgiving must be joyned together Th. Aquin. 2. 2. quaest 83. 17. c. What Prayer or Petition iâ—… The generals of Invocation applyed to Petition Fervency faith required in our petitions Bein De orat 〈◊〉 serm 4. sol 21. R. Sense and feeling of our wants required in prayer Jam. 1. 5. How we may come to a sight sense of our wants That we must in prayer have an earnest desire to have our wants suplyed Epist. ad Probum 121. Epist. 121. The means to obtein fervency of desire A double faith required in prayer Mark 11. 24. Matth. 22. 21 That we must pray for spiritual things absolutely for temporall things conditionally Object Answ. Meditations to strengthen our faith in prayer Rom. â—… 34. Heb. 7. 25. 〈◊〉 3. 20. 1. We must rest upon Gods pleasure for the obteining of our suits 2. We must use the means to obtein those things for which we have prayed 3. We must examine what is the cause that we are not heard 4. We must persevere in prayer 5. We must with patience expect Gods leisure 6. We must be contâ—…ed with Gods good pleasure when he seemeth to deny us Aug. Epist. 121. ad Proâ—…am How we must carry our selves when our requests are granted 1. Of the persons For and against whom we must pray That we ought not to pray for the dead Object Answ. That we ought to pray for those that are alive Object Answ. That we ought to pray for unbelievers Object Answ. Of Blessing a speciall kind of prayer Chrysoft hom 79. Of Prayer against others Complaintâ—… Imprecation Whether imprecations be lawfull Contra 〈◊〉 stum Our safest course is to abstein from imprecations 〈◊〉 147. Object Answ. August De serm Dom. in mâ—…te l. 2. Object Answ. Object Answ. Of confession of our sinnes and that it is most profitable and necessary De confessione peccat Serm. 66. De Tempor How this confession is to be made That examination should go before confâ—…sion Charity and repentance required before conâ—…ssion and aftâ—…r Of prayer against the evil of punishment Vide Aug. â—…pist 121. Of the divers names and phrases whereby thanksgiving is expressed in the Scriptures Of the common duties required in thanksgiving Thanksgiving what it is The proper subject of Gods prayse is the church Thanksgiving can be rightly performed by the faithfull onely Thanksgiving is to be offeâ—…ed unto God alone Thanksgiving to be offered in the name of Christ. Of the manner of thanksgiving 1. Thankfulnesse 2. Remembâ—…ance of Gods benefits 3. A gratefull acknowledgment of Gods benefits 4. A gratefull estimate of Gods benefits 5. An acknowledgement of our beholdingnesse 6. An acknowledgement of our unworthines 7. Humility the mother of thankfulnesse 8. Joy and rejoyâ—…ing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reasons moving us to praise God The excellency of this duty 2. Praise honourable to God 3. Praysing of God necessary Asâ—…census gratiarum est descensus gratiae Before is required preparation After we must testifie our thankfulnesse Of the object of thanksgiving We must give thanks continually Heb. 13. 15. Object Answ. Object 2. Answ. That we must give thanks alwayes for all things Basil. Basil. 386. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Lords prayer is to be used as a prayer That we ought not to be tyed onely to this form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That this form is a perfect pattern Ministers must teach their people to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agnoscit Pater filii sui verba cùm preces sundimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest. Answ. Of the Lords prayer The parts The order The preface God a Father two wayes Quest. Answ. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 2. 3. 1. Cor. 12. 3. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 2. Rom. 8. 16. 1. 〈◊〉 3. 1. Psal. 103. 13. Mâ—…l 1. 6. 1. Faith required in prayer 2. We must pray one for another Quest. Answ. 3. An use of comfort seeing all the Church prayeth for us Brotherly love required of all that pray 2. To â—…each the rich and comfort the poore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Object Answ. Adoration of images condemned Sâ—…neca The order What is signified by Gods nâ—…vne What is meant by sanctified or hallowed Psal. 86. 12. Psal. 2. 10. Works of Creation Wâ—…rks of Administration Dan. 5. 22. How God sanctifieth his name 2. 〈◊〉 3. 1. Two kingdomes in this world the first the kingdome of darknesse The second is the kingdome of God 1. uniâ—…ll over â—…ll 2. Speciall over the Church Of the kingdome of glory Psal. 16. 11. Of the kingdome of grace How Gods universall kingdome is said to come How the kingdomâ—… of grace cometh Three degrees of the coming of Christskingdome 1. Outward means The second outward means 2. The inward means of the coming of Gods kingdome 1. The Dâ—…vil 2. The World Matth. 6. 24. 3. The Flesh The hypocrisie of many detected Things â—…o be believed We must expect I. with faith II. with earnest desire 1. of eternall life 2. of Christs coming III. With patience In 〈◊〉 IV. With vigâ—…lancy 3. We must remain constant in Gods love 4. We must walk worthy of God 5. We must so live as ready to meet Christ. In Matth. Hypocrisie detected All that God willeth is properly good Of the things which God willeth Quest. Whether Gods will be alwayes done Answ. How can the wicked sin seeing they do Gods will Answ. How sinne is by Gods decree Answ. Gods secret and absolute will is not here
to be performed after prayer 144 25. Of the Subject matter of our prayers and what is required thereunto namely that it be good and according to Gods will 146 That being unable to pray we are assisted by the Spirit 147 Chap. 26 Of the circumstances of prayer 150 Of Publick prayer 151 Of Private prayer in the family and alone 154 27. Of the time of prayer 156 The Euchetae confuted 157 28. Concerning the Place of prayer 161 The vanity of Pilgrimages 163 29. Of Prayer or Petition and what is required unto it 164 Prayer and thanksgiving must be joyned 165 What things are required in prayer 167 We must pray in sight and sense of our wants 169 We must pray with fervency of deâ—…ire 172 30. Of Faith which is chiefly required in prayer 173 We must pray in faith and submission to Gods will 176 31. Of duties to be performed after prayer 178 32. Distinctions of prayer in regard of the object 181 For whom we must pray 184 Of prayer against others 188 Of Imprecations 189 33. Of the reall object of prayer or the things to be prayed for 191 We must pray for temporall blessings 193 34. Of Deprecation 195 Of Confession of our sinnes 196 How this Confession is to be made 197 35. Of Thanksgiving 201 What is required in Thanksgiving 202 36. Speciall duties required in Thanksgiving 206 37. Of the outward expressing inward thankfulnesse by praysing God 212 38. Duties to be performed before after thanksgiving 216 ¶ The chief things handled in the second part of this Treatise viz. The exposition of the Lords Prayer THe generals of Invocation applyed to the Lords Prayer 226 The Preface 231 How God is called Father ibid. Of the name Father and what duties it teacheth us 234 What is meant by the word Our 237 The meaning of these words Which art in heaven 244 The division of the Petitions 251 The meaning of the first Petition 252 How Gods name is sanctified by us 255 How Gods name signifying his Glory is sanctified by us 257 How it is sanctified signifying his Titles 259 How it is sanctified signifying his Word 263 How it is sanctified signifying the Doctrine of religion 264 How it is sanctified signifying his Works 265 How God himself sanctifieth his name 269 The second Petition handled 271 What Gods kingdome is 272 What it is for Gods kingdome to come 275 Christs kingdome cometh by means 279 The impediments of Gods kingdome to be prayed against 282 Uses concerning the coming of Gods kingdome 289 Of the coming of the kingdome of glory 293 We must expect and pray for the second coming of Christ 294 How we must expect the second coming of Christ 298 The third Petition explained 301 Of the will of God and things which he willeth 303 How Gods will is done on earth 307 How Gods will is done on earth as in heaven 310 The matter and manner of our obedience 314 315 Wherein our obedience resembleth that of the Angels 319 The exposition of the fourth Petition 324 Why we ask temporall blessings before spirituall 325 What is meant by Bread 327 What is meant by daily bread 330 How God is said to give us daily bread 333 c. Duties to be performed by them that ask daily bread 339 340 c. The fifth Petition expounded 350 We must be justified before we can be sanctified 352 That our sinnes are debts 355 What is meant by forgiving our trespasses 359 By this petition we are put in mind of our misery and Gods mercy 361 No man can satisfie Gods justice for his sinnes 362 Severall duties arising out of the fifth petition 368 369 Our forgiving no cause of Gods forgiving us 376 How we can be said to forgive 379 Reasons moving us to forgive 385 c. The sixth petition expounded 390 Those whom God pardoneth the devil tempteth 391 The necessity of this prayer Not to be lead into temptation 392 Of probations and trialls 1. by prosperity 2. by afflictions 394 395 Of divers sorts of temptations 396 1. Of the flesh ibid. 2. Of the world 397 3. Of the devil 400 Of the divers sorts of the devils temptations 401 c. How God may be said to tempt 406 Satan can neither tempt or overcome without Gods permission 409 That temptations are good for Gods children 410 How we must pray against the temptations of the flesh the world and the devil 413 414 415 c. The Conclusion of the Lords Prayer both authenticall and necessary 419 Our faith confirmed by this Conclusion 420 What is meant by thine is the kingdome 422 423 What is meant by the power and the glory 424 425 Everlasting kingdome power and glory belongeth to God 427 What the word Amen signifieth 429 CHAP. I. Of the definition of prayer and of the persons who are to pray AMong all the duties of Christianitie as there is not any more honourable in it self more glorious to God more profitable and necessary for us then the exercise of prayer and invocation so is there none wherein we do more need direction and instruction and consequently nothing wherein my labour in speaking and yours in hearing may better be imployed For as Chrysostome saith Pulcherrima est scientia veréque Christiano homine digna quae docet rectè precari That is the most excellent knowledge and truly worthy a Christian man which teacheth rightly to pray In treating whereof I purpose by the help of God to observe this order First I will set down the doctrine of invocation and then explain that absolute form or pattern of prayer prescribed by our Saviour Christ wherein the practice of the doctrine is conteined The doctrine must first be generall and common to both the sorts of invocation viz. prayer and thanksgiving and then speciall and peculiar to either The generall doctrine consisteth of such points as are either more substantiall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or accidentall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The substantiall points are all of them comprised in this definition Invocation or prayer is a religious speech of the faithfull directed unto God in the name of Christ framed according to the will of God by the help of the holy Ghost concerning good things apperteining to his glory and our good The phrase of invocating or calling upon the name of God sometimes signifieth the profession of the true religion whereby we take the name of God upon us and are called after his name as Gen. 48. 16. and 4. 16. Isa. 63. 10. Acts 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. And first as touching the name This part of Gods worship is usually in the Scriptures expressed by the phrase of calling upon the name of God and therefore is fitly called invocation that is calling upon God whether it be by way of praying or praysing In which generall sense the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tephillat is sometimes used 1. Sam. 2. 1. Psal. 86. 1. Isa. 56. 7. Domus orationis
oratio and invocatio in Latine and by a Synecdoche prayer in the English tongue though properly it signifieth that species or kind of invocation whereby we crave any thing at the hands of God By a Metonymie of the signe it is sometimes called the lifting up of the hands Psal. 141. 2. and 44. 20. sometimes the lifting up of the eyes Psal. 123. 1. more properly a lifting up of the heart unto God Psal. 25. 1. whereof the other are but signâ—…s Which must teach us when we pray to lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens as Jeremie speaketh Lam. 3. 41. So much of the name In the definition the nature of Invocation is set forth both the generall which Logicians call the genus and proper in that which is called the difference The generall in that I call it a religious speech For of religious speech there are two speciall sorts the one of man unto man in the name of God and in the stead of Christ which is preaching the other of man unto God in the name and mediation of Christ which is prayer or invocation And both of them somewhere in the Scriptures are expressed by one and the same name of prophesying which for Preaching is used 1. Cor. 14. 3 4. and elsewhere for Invocation both in the sense of praying 1. Kings 18. 29. with 26. and of praysing 1. Chron. 25. 1 2 3. First I say it is a speech And because the religious speech is the chief speech which we can use therefore as preaching is called Sermo so prayer is of the Latines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called Oratio But where I say prayer is a speech you are to understand that whereas there is a twofold speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outward and inward the inward being also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech conceived in the mind the outward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech uttered with the voice prayer is not the outward speech chiefly or onely but the inward of the soul either alone when in prayer the voice is not used as Gen. 24. 45. Exod. 14. 15. 1. Sam. 1. 13. and is called oratio mentalis which is usuaîl in meditation and is sometimes so called or chiâ—…fly when the voice is used as most commonly it is Whereupon some define prayer to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the speech or communication of the soul with God others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ascending of the mind unto God In which respect the holy Ghost calleth it the lifting up of the heart unto God Psal. 25. 1. and the pouring forth of the soul before the Lord Psal. 62. 8. 1. Sam. 1. 15. As for that prayer which is onely the outward speech of the mouth without the inward of the heart it is not a prayer in truth but a meer lip-labour For to call upon God in truth is to pray with our souls and to call upon him with our hearts to lift up our hearts and to poure forth our souls before the Lord as I shall shew more fully hereafter But I adde that it is a religious speech to note that prayer is a part and indeed a principall part of that religious adoration and worship which we ow unto God and consequently to teach us that it is a dutie to be performed religiously and devoutly as intending thereby an holy and acceptable service unto God So that true prayer is not a bare reading or recitall of any form of prayer without understanding without affection without devotion without faith but a religious service devoutly offered unto God out of an upright and pure heart 2. Tim. 2. 22. Psal. 119. 7. The proper nature of Invocation is described in the rest of the definition conteining six substantiall points necessarily required in all prayer viz. Quis Quem Cujus nomine Quomodo Cujus ope De quibus that is Who must pray Whom we must pray unto In whose name In what manner By whose help and For what For in all invocation that shall be acceptable unto God there is required 1. That the person which prayeth be faithfull 2. That the partie to whom we pray be the onely true God 3. That the prayer be made in the name of Christ For sinne having made a separation between God and us there is no accesse for us unto God in our own name 4. For the manner that it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God Rom. 8. 27. or as S. John speaketh more fully 1. Epist. 5. 14. according to the will of God that is that in our invocation or prayer we perform those things which God hath willed and required in his word to be performed in prayer 5. Because we are not able of our selves to perform any of those things which God hath required I adde that we are to call upon God by the help of the holy Ghost 6. And lastly I shew that the object of our invocation that is the things concerning which we do speak unto God in prayer are good things apperteining to his glorie and our good as namely and especially the benefits and blessings of God for which we do either pray unto him or praise him Of these six in order And first for the partie which is to pray When I say that prayer is a speech of the faithfull you are to understand 1. That we speak of prayer as it is officium viaâ—…orum a duty injoyned unto men living here upon earth as pilgrimes in the Church militant unto whom alone the doctrine of Invocation doth appertein and not as it is exercitium spirituum beatorum the exercise of the Saints and Angels in the Church triumphant in heaven to whom neither the commandments injoyning this duty nor the promises made to prayer nor the directions which teach how to pray are directed For although the word of God hath revealed that they are conversant in the one part of invocation that is in praising glorifying God wherein we are to imitate them that we may do this will of God 1. Thess. 5. 18. as the Saints and Angels do it in heaven yet as touching the other part which is prayer or petition for what or for whom they pray in particular the Spirit of God in the Scriptures hath not revealed and it is but foolish curiositie to seek to be wise above that which is written For herein especially is that verified Quâ—… supra nos nihil ad nos that is Things above us belong not unto us much lesse ought we with the superstitious Papists upon an erroneous conceit of theirs I mean the Saints and Angels in particular that is such Saints and Angels praying for us in particular ground an idolatrous practice of our praying unto them But of this also more hereafter 2. Seeing we consider it as the dutie of the living Isa. 38. 19. we are more particularly to consider both who in this world
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both is Service But that service which is due to men according to which the Apostle commandeth servants to be subject to their masters in the Greek it is used to be called by another name to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that service which belongeth to the worship of God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would cloke religious service performed to creatures they are intolerable For between religious service and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no difference and both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are alike in the Scriptures ascribed to God both of them used as the translation of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 23. 33. SI SERVIERIS DIIS EORUM Hîc Graecus saith S. Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde intelligitur quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debetur Deo tanquam Domino 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verò non nisi Deo tanquam Deo IF THOU SERVEST THEIR GODS Here the Greek hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it is understood that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is due to God as unto our Lord but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to none but God as God Lodovicus Vives in August De civit Dei lib. 10. cap. 1. saith Valla docet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem esse utrumque significare Servitutem Suidas ait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servitus mercenaria Lev. 23. 7. opus servile dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18. 21. Desemine tuo non dabis servire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta Septuaginta Valla saith â—…e teacheth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the same and that both do signifie Service And Suidas saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is service for a reward or mercenarie service Lev. 23. 7. a servile work is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and chap. 18. 21. Thou shalâ—… not give any of thy seed to serve the prince or the idole Molech which service the Septuagint expresseth by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 8. 3. But if a difference between these words is to be urged it will be found that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the greater and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lesse the former being derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a bond slave the latter of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which siâ—…nifieth an hired 〈◊〉 For Suidas telleth us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is service for a reward And so by this distinction they shall gain thus much That they give the greater to the creatures and reserve the lesse for God Neither can this distinction be applyed to either of these places alledged 1. Sam. 7. 3. Matth. 4. 10. in both which the vulgar Latine hath servire in the former eique soli servite and serve ye him alone where the Greek also hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter eique soli servies and thou shalt serve him alone Secondly he that is to be called upon is to be believed in Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed God alone and none but God is to be believed in Psal. 73. 25. whom have I in heaven but thee According to the Creed the object of our faith is God and the Church but with this difference that we believe in God but as touching the Church we do not say that we believe in it for the Church is not God but domus Dei as Augustine hath observed but onely that we believe the holy catholick Church Now if we are not to believe in the Church much lesse in the members thereof whether they be of the Church militant or triumphant Thirdly no part of Gods glory is to be communicated to any thing else Isa. 42. 8. My glorie will I not give to another To be a hearer and granter of our requests is a great part of Gods glory Psal. 65. 3. O thou that hearest the prayer to thee shall all flesh come and in the conclusion of the Lords prayer thine is the glory namely of hearing and granting our prayers And therefore this glory is not to be communicated to any other and consequently no other is to be called upon Fourthly the commandment of Christ is broken if in prayer we call upon any to whom we may not say Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come c. For thine is the kingdome c. When ye pray say Our Father Luke 11. 2. But without horrible blasphemie we cannot use this form of words to any but onely to God therefore if we call upon any other we break the commandment of Christ. If the Papists alledge that in their prayers they usually do say their Pater noster I confesse they do but in so doing they commit blasphemous idolatry saying this prayer to the Rood or to the Crosse which they worship cultu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying with the old idolaters to a piece of wood Pater meus Thou art my father and before the images not onely of men but also of women departed Fifthly all acceptable prayers are made in faith that they are accepted and in hope that they shall be granted For without faith it is impossible to please God and what is not of faith is sinne and prayer which is made without hope is in vain But those prayers that are made to God and they onely are made in faith and hope In faith because God hath commanded us to call upon him and hath promised to heare us In hope because God to whom we pray is omnipresent and therefore is acquainted with our wants and secret desires Psal. 38. he is omnipotent and therefore able to do for us exceedingly above all that we can ask or think Ephes. 3. 20. and for his bounty and goodnesse more ready to heare and to grant then we are to ask Isa. 65. 24. On the other side prayers made to creatures are made neither in faith For there is no warrant in the Scripture for such a prayer no doctrine which teacheth it no precept that injoyneth it no promise to confirm it no example to commend it And this is confessed by Eckius viz. That neither it is warranted or taught in the Old Testament because the people were prone to idolatry and the fathers deceased were in Limbo nor in the New lest the Gentiles should return to their old idolatry and lest the Apostles should seem to direct Christians to invocate them after their decease And therefore by their own confession no testimonie of Scripture can be alledged to this purpose Neither can such prayer be made in hope because none but God is either omniscient or omnipresent to know the wants or
tongues for their heart was not right with him Here therefore two faults are to be avoided the one praying with feigned lips the other praying with wandring thoughts He is said to pray with feigned lips whose lips agree not with his heart nor his words with his desires and thoughts So saith Beda Labiis dolosis or at quis cùm vox oris non convenit voci cordis A man prayeth with deceitfull lips when the voice of the mouth agreeth not with the voice of the heart This is to pray with an heart and an heart and thus prayeth every one which asketh that with his mouth which he doth not desire with his heart and pretendeth that in his prayer which he doth not intend which promiseth that in his prayer which he meaneth not to perform or praiseth God for that whereof his conscience doth not acknowlâ—…dge either God to be the giver or himself the receiver This is the condition of all impenitent sinners to play the hypocrites before God in all their prayers concerning spirituall things We must learn therefore with David to pray with unfeigned lips Psal. 17. 1. and to praise God with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. For if it be the propertie of a sound Christian to speak unto his neighbour the truth which is in his heart Psal. 15. how much more shall we think it to be our dutie when we call upon God who trieth the heart and searcheth the reins to speak from the ground of our hearts And if we will not stick to speak dissemblingly unto the Lord who seeth our thoughts long before Psal. 139. 2. what hope is there that we will make conscience to speak the truth unto men who see no further then our mouthes Let us therefore avoiding this leaven of hypocrisie which sowreth our prayers imbrace integrity and uprightnesse of heart setting the Lord before our eyes and behaving our selves in our prayer as those who sought to approve themselves to him who trieth the heart Thus seeking the Lord with upright hearts we shall be sure to find him and calling upon him in truth we shall obtein our desires The second thing to be avoided is praying with wandring thoughts Which fault ariseth partly from the suggestions of Satan who is most busie to withdraw our minds from this heavenly exercise partly from our own spirituall sluggishnesse and carnall securitie and the worldly vanitie of our minds whereby it cometh to passe that we behave our selves as those who neither have reverence of the majesty of God to whom we speak nor sense of those things whereof we speak For if we considered that we are speaking to the most mighty and glorious God could we imagine that we ought to think of any thing rather then of that which we speak unto him Do not men as it were gather their wits and cogitations together so that no part thereof be derived to any thing else when they do speak before any whom they do reverence Or if our affections were unfeignedly set upon those heavenly things whereof we speak would we suffer our cogitations to wander about trifles on the earth Wherefore as at all other times so especially when we pray we must as the Wise man adviseth above all observations observe and keep our hearts Prov. 4. 23. that they wander not from God for as Bernard saith nihil cordâ—… fugacius nothing is more fugitive then the heart and that with David 2. Sam. 7. 27. we may find our heart to call upon God And to the same purpose let us pray that as at all times so especially in prayer the Lord would knit our hearts unto him Psal. 86. 11. that they go not astray after vanities Let us resist the suggestions of Satan let us shake off our own sluggishnesse and to that end let us set before us the infinite majestie of God to whom we speak the excellencie and necessitie of those graces for which we pray and give thanks let us also pray with David Psal. 141. 3. that the Lord would set a watch before our mouthes and keep the doore of our lips that neither our minds go a whoring after vanities nor our tongues which should be as the pen of a ready writer be rash to utter any thing before God and to utter nothing but that which the mind doth indite And therefore we must take heed that the speech of the mouth do not go before but alwayes follow the conceit of the mind For many times it cometh to passe that as the musicians fingers will run over a song which he hath been used to play although his mind be otherwise occupied so in prayer the tongue will run over that form of words which it hath been used to utter though the mind be roving about other matters But this ought not so to be for howsoever the Schoolmen do not require an actuall intention of the mind in prayer but onely a purpose to pray in the beginning therein framing their doctrine to their practice and not their practice to Gods word yet seeing this kind of prayer proceedeth from the mouth and not from the heart it is but lip-labour in the sight of God For as Cyprian saith Quae est enim segnitia abalienari capi ineptis cogitationibus profanis cùm Deum deprecaris quasi sit aliud quod magis debeas cogitare quà m quod cum Deo loquaris Quomodo te audiri à Deo postulas cùm te ipse non audias Vis enim Deum memorem tâ—…i cùm rogas cùm tu ipse memor tui non sis that is What a negligent sloth is this to be alienated and carried away with foolish cogitations and profane when thou prayest unto God as though there were something else which thou oughtest rather to think on then of that whereof thou speakest with God How dost thou desire that God should heare thee when as thou dost not heare thy self For wilt thou have God mindfull of thee when thou askest seeing thou art not mindfull of thy self And so G. Baldwin Quomodo se audiri postulat qui seipsum non audit quid loquatur ignorat Nunquam enim orare dicitur qui flexis genibus orat si vagatione distrahatur Nihil igitur aliud cogitare debet animus orantis quà m quod precatur that is How doth he desire to be heard who doth not heare himself is ignorant of what he speaketh For he cannot be said to pray who prayeth with bended knees if he be distracted with wandring thoughts and therefore the mind of him that prayeth ought to think of nothing else then what is prayed And likewise Chrysostome Si corpore humi prostrato ore incassum nugante mens totam domum forum circumeat quomodo talis dicere poterit quòd in conspectu Dei precatus sit Nam orat in conspectu Dei totam colligens animam suam nil habens cum terra commune sed in ipsum se transferens coelum
private prayer of one alone it is more convenient to use the inward speech of the heart alone when the outward speech of the tongue cannot be used but that it shall be heard or perceived of others For private prayer must be made in secret as Christ commandeth Matth. 6. 6. lest we pray or at least seem to pray that we may be heard or seen of men When as therefore we are occasioned to pray by our selves alone in presence of others we must pray in the closet of our heart using no voyce nor making any outward shew of prayer and the Lord which seeth the secrets of the heart will reward openly Thus Abrahams servant standing at the well unto which was ordinary resort prayed in his heart Gen. 24. 45. and Moses being among the people Exod. 14. 15. and Nehemiah being in the Kings presence Neh. 2. 4. and Annah the mother of Samuel in the presence of Eli 1. Sam. 1. 13. Otherwise in private prayer it is most convenient and in prayer with others whether in the Church or family it is necessary that the voice in prayer should be used for otherwise those that are present cannot consent to our prayers and say Amen neither can they be edified thereby unlesse they heare and understand the prayer Our duty is as I have said before to worship God both in body and soul And as we are to glorifie God with all our members and powers so especially by our tongue and speech For therefore hath God given us the facultie of speeâ—…h above other creatures that we might not onely be the matter of his glory as they are but also the instruments to sound forth his praise And therefore is our tongue called our glory Psal. 16. 7. and 108. â—… because it is that instrument by which we are to set forth Gods glory Moreover as the gesture of the body so much more the voyce of the tongue doth serve both to stirre up the affections of the heart and also to contein the cogitations from wandring about other matters And of such moment is the voice in prayer as that first the voice or cry with the voice is put sometime for the prayer it self 1. Sam. 7. 8 9. Psal. 66. 17. and 77. 1. and 142. 1. Secondly the holy Ghost in many places where he speaketh of invocation is carefull to mention the voice as in the places even now cited out of the Psalmes and elsewhere as Psal. 71. 23 24. and 119. 171. my lips shall utter praise For which cause prayer and prayse are called the calves of our lips Hos. 14. 2. Thirdly David prayeth Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal. 51. 14 15. But here we must alwayes remember that with our voice we must lift up our hearts to God and that the cry of the voyce must proceed from the cry of the heart For the Lord respecteth the heart and if the cry come not from thence he will not heare it Hos. 7. 13 14. no though men should cry loud in his eares Ezek. 8. 18. The voyce used in prayer is either inarticulate or articulate The inarticulate is that which is uttered in sighing groning and weeping For the children of God many times do best expresse their desires by sighs and grones aâ—…d tears The which proceed from an humble and servent spirit and are wrought in us by the spirit of God which teacheth us to pray with sighs that cannot be expressed Rom. 8. 26. And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit v. 27. For as David saith Psal. 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groning is not hid from thee Thou tellest my wandrings put my tears into thy bottle are they not in thy book Psal. 56. 8. Plerunque hoc negotium plùs gemitibus quà m sermonibus agitur plùs sletu quà m affatâ—… For the most part this businesse is acted more with grones then with words more with weeping then with speech Hezekiah professeth that he did chatter like a crane or a swallow and did mourn like a dove Isai. 38. 14. The articulate voice is the externall speech it self whereby the prayer is expressed Wherein we are to consider two things the words which be uttered and the language wherein they are uttered In the words we are to conâ—…ider the quantitie the qualitie and the form For the quantity We must not affect prolixity as though for the multitude of our words we did look to be heard Neither may we use any superfluity of words or idle repetitions First because our Saviour Christ forbiddeth all battology in our prayers Matth. 6. 7. which Theophylact interpreteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 futilitie Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idle and unseasonable speech But the meaning may best be gathered from the notation for as the Etymologist saith the word is compounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Battus a certain Grecian who was accustomed to adorn images with long and tedâ—…ous inscriptions which were full of vain repetitions For so Ovid also speaketh of him Montibus inquit sc. Battus erant erant in montibus illis and therefore he saith it signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbosity Which agreeth with the exposition of Christ who is the best expounder of himself For in the words following he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the meaning of our Saviour is in pâ—…ayer to use multitude of words and idle repetitions with this conceit That for the multitude of our words we shall be heard Secondly For the reason which our Saviour giveth Christians in their prayer must not be like to the heathen The heathen affected prolixitie and used superfluity of words and idle repetitions with this perswasion that for their much babling they should be heard But why must not Christians be like the heathen Because the God on whom we call is most unlike The heathen might well imagine concerning their gods the best whereof were men deceased that by multitude of words they might be perswaded and that alwayes they did not hearken unto them as being otherwise imployed as Elias telleth Baals priests 1. Kings 18. 27. and therefore thought it needfull to repeat the same things oft that if they did not heare them at one time they might at another As we see those priests of Baal to call upon him from morning v. 26 29. untill the time of the evening sacrifice crying again and again O Baal heare us But the true God on whom we call he is our heavenly Father and therefore for his love most ready and willing to heare us even before we call upon him Isai. 65. 24. And for his knowledge he knoweth what we stand in need of before we pray as
holy manner we must stirre up our hearts as David doth in many places as Psal. 103. 1. that so we may call upon God with our hearts And if our knowledge be so small that we are notable to conceive a prayer of our selves but must be fain to use a form prescribed by others we must beforehand meditate thereof that we may be able both to understand it and to use it aright And that we may pray in faith we are to meditate on the promises of God made to our prayers and on the mediation and intercession of our Saviour Christ on which our faith is to be grounded Likewise we are to meditate on our own unworthinsse that so we may pray in humilitie of the glorious Majestie of God our heavenly Father that we may call upon him in reverence of the excellency profit necessitie of those blessings for which we either pray or give thanks that so we may pray with fervencie and give thanks with alacrity And further if we conceive a prayer before not used we are to meditate not onely of the matter but also of the manner and order of our speech that we may be able to say with David My heart is prepared so is my tongue I will now call upon the name of the Lord. And thus much of Preparation After the action there ought to be such a disposition as the severall kind of invocation doth especially require Whereof in due place In the mean time this admonition in generall may be given That when we have at any time called upon God we take heed that we do not end our prayers as we end epistles with a Vale bidding the Lord Farewell till the time of prayer come again as though we had then ended our task and had performed all the service we ow unto God in the mean time neither thinking of God or godlinesse but following our own corrupt wayes For howsoever we cease to speak unto God for a time yet we cease not to be in his sight and presence and therefore cannot do as untoward children and unchast wives who though in absence they have behaved themselves lewdly yet approve themselves to their parents and husbands by their demure carriage in presence But we are continually in Gods sight and presence and therefore if after we have called upon God we play the lewd children even in his sight and go a whoring after vanities in his presence how cannot this but greatly amaze us against we shall pray again and put us out of hope to be heard Wherefore the frequent exercise of prayer is a notable bridle to restrain us from sinne whether you respect that which is past or that which is to come For when a man is about to commit sinne let him call to mind his prayer past Am I that man who so lately called upon God making such shew of pietie pretending a zeal of Gods glory in advancing his kingdome and doing his will c. or that which is to come With what face can I appear before God guilty of such offenses with what affiance can I lift up these eyes unto God that behold vanities these hands unto God that commit such sinnes c. Let us therefore with David use to meditate If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal. 66. 18. following the advice of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquitie For not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven Matth. 7. 21. Inessicax est petitio cùm precatur Deum sterilis oratio i. sine operibus Petition is uneffectuall when we call upon God with a barren prayer that is without good works And thus much of the manner of Invocation CHAP. XXV Of the matter and subject of our prayers and wâ—…at is required thereunto namely that it be good and according to Gods will NOw followeth the matter or the subject that is the things for which we either do pray or give thanks Concerning which this is to be noted in generall That we have a sound perswasion grounded on the word of God that they be lawfull and good First because what is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. Secondly for what we do either pray or give thanks to God thereof we acknowledge God to be the authour but it is blasphemous to make God the authour of that which is wicked unlawfull Thirdly prayers must be made in faith viz. that God accepteth our prayers and will grant them unto us This faith must be grounded on Gods promise and God promiseth to give good things to them that ask Matth. 7. 11. Evil things are not within the compasse of Gods promise for the foretelling of that which is evil is rather a threatning then a promise Fourthly the assurance that we have to be heard is when we ask any thing according to Gods will 1. John 5. 14. but to ask evil things is not according to Gods will Fifthly they that call upon God for evil things are like the wicked Psal. 50. who think that God is like unto them Sixthly if we ask good things we have assurance to be heard Matth. 7. 11. 1. John 5. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For our direction in this behalf our Saviour Christ hath prescribed a most perfect form of prayer which is summa petendorum the summe of things to be desired So that whatsoever may be referred thereunto we may be assured is according to Gods will but what cannot be referred to some part of the Lords prayer that our Saviour hath not taught us to ask nor the Father promised to give There remaineth the last point For now it may be demanded How we being so corrupt and sinfull in our selves should be able to pray according to the will of God Of our selves indeed we are not able to think a good thought and much lesse to conceive an acceptable prayer Of our selves we cannot say that Jesus is the Lord and much lesse call upon God as our Father in Christ But the Spirit of God helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with gronings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercâ—…ssion for the Saints according to God Rom. 8. 26 27. Quodnon sic est intelligendum saith Augustine ut existimemus sanctum Spiritum Dei qui in Trinitate incommunicabilis Deus est cum Patre Filio unus Deus tanquam aliquem qui non sit quod Deus est interpellare pro sanctis Dictum quippe est INTERPELLAT PRO SANCTIS quia interpellare sanctos facit Sicut dictum est TENTAT VOS DEâ—…S VESTER UT SCIAT SI DILIGATIS EUM hoc est ut scire vos
he would think himself happy if he might have liberty to come to the assembly although he went through thick and thin and that no way or weather should hinder him And again v. 10. he saith that one day spent in the house of the Lord is better then a thousand â—…lsewhere and that he had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of iniquity Thus we see Davids affection to the assembly of the Saints when he might not enjoy them And as he placed happinâ—…sse therein when he wanted them so when he injoyed them his chief joy was therein Psal. 122. 1. I rejoyced when they said to me We will go to the house of the Lord. Reade 2. Sam. 6. 14 16. When the ark of the Lord was to be brought to the city of David David for exceeding great joy danced and leaped before the ark with all his might as if he had not been his own man insomuch as his wife despised him v. 20. derided him O how glorious was the king of Israel this day which was uncovered to day in the sight of the maids of his servants as a fool uncovereth himself If we were men according to â—…ods own heart as David was we would have the like estimation of the assemblies of the Saints both when we could not frequent them most earnestly to desire them and when we have liberty with wonderfull chearfulnessâ—… and alacrity to frequent the Churches as for other exercises of religion so for prayer In respect whereof it is called the house of prayer Isai. 56. 7. Neither must our private prayer exempt us from the publick For although it be an excellent exercise and in no case to be omitted yet if it come in comparison it must give place to the publick But the frequenting of the publick assemblies is especially to be understood on the Sabbath on which is mercatura animae the merchandise of the soul and the market-place is the Church Now as we are to frequent the publick assemblies so we must be carefull before we come thither to prepare our selves according to the counsel of the Wise man Eccles 4. 17. to look to our feet that is to our affections lest we offer the sacrifice of fools and to lift up holy hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without wrath or doubting 1. Tim. 2. 8. And also when we are there to behave our selves both in soul and body as I have shewed before labouring also inwardly for unanimity that we may call upon God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one mind and heart To unanimity is the promise made Matth. 18. 19. If two of you shall consent c. as the Primitive Church did Acts 1. 14. and 4. 24. and outwardly for uniformity so farre forth as it is joyned with decency and order and severed from superstition Concerning the voice which I said was alwayes to be used in publick prayer we are to know If it be uttered in one voice as in praier the mouth of the people ought to be the minister because it is part of prophecie and the Apostles Acts 6. 4. make it part of their function If by the voice of many as in singing For singing also is warranted in the word of God both by the example of Christ Mark 14. 26. by the commandment of the Apostle Col. 3. 16. Ephes. 5. 19. of James ch 5. 13. then such singing is to be used as we may sing with grace in our hearts and spirits with understanding to instruct and edifie both our selves and others But we may not so sing as that neither we our selves can attend to the matter nor they which heare us understand what is said That both unanimitie and uniformitie may be used it is fit that there should be set forms of publick prayer for then may the people best joyn their consent and desire of heart when they know before-hand the very form of the request Indeed to that which they understand they may at the end of the prayer say Amen but when they know before-hand what shall be asked there may be a better concurrence between the prayer of their heart and the speech of the minister who is the mouth Private prayer is either the prayer of a familie or of some one To the former doth the promise of Christ also appertein When two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. And it is so much to be preferred before the other as it seemeth to draw nearer to publick prayer And therefore it is the duty of an houshoulder to call his familie togetheâ—… and to pray with them The prayer of some one man is properly called private For privi with the ancient Latinists is the same with singuli That which properly is required in this prayer is this that it be private as that we be not heard to pray of any man This is done either when we are alone and ordinarily or in the sight of others upon occasions offered If when we are alone we must neither be heard nor seen of any but obey the commandment of Christ Matth. 6. 6. When thou prayest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And therefore we are to be carefull to contein our voyce within the compasse of the private place wherein we pray For otherwise we break the commandment of Christ and it is all one as if we prayed openly For as Tertullian saith petitiones suas quid minùs faciunt quà m si in publico orent What do they lesse in their petitions then if they prayed in publick Again if we so pray privately as that either we be seen or heard of men our prayers wil not be void of ostentation But as we are to avoid evil so we are to shun all appearance of evil Now to pray for ostentations sake is a thing simply evil and forbidden by our Saviour Christ Matth. 6. 5. And therefore we are to forbear not onely from it but also from the shew therof Is privately thou art to pray upon occasions offered in the presence of others then thou art to pray in the closet of thy heart without using the voice according to the example of Moses Exod. 14. of Abrahams servant Gen. 24. and Hannah 1. Sam. 1. Nehemiah chap. 2. 4. But this is not to be understood of him who praying in the company of others is as it were the mouth of the rest For we are to conceive of that as of the prayer of the family wherein the voice is necessary CHAP. XXVII Of the time of prayer NOw we are to enquire of the time of invocation when we are to call upon God The holy Ghost telleth 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. that we must pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is continually and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in
all things to give thanks and not in that place alone but also in divers others as Luke 18. 1. that we must pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes and 21. 36. as also Ephes. 6. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all seasons What then will you say must we do nothing els in the whole course of our life but pray I say not so This was the phantasticall opinion of the fanaticall hereticks the Euchetae which thought they might do nothing else but pray and grounded their hersies upon these places of Scripture But for the answering of them and informing our selves in the truth first we are to search out the true meaning of those places of Scripture First therefore where it is said 1. Thess. 5. 17. that we must pray continually it may be fitly expounded by that in the 18. verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things for the sense would be the same if we should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things pray and continually give thanks that is upon every just occasion pray and give thanks Now that these cannot be understood of perpetuall continuance in prayer excluding all other actions and duties it is plain by this Paul in divers places of his epistles doth professe of himself that he did pray and give thanks alwayes continually without ceasing Rom. 1. 9. Col. 1. 3. 1. Cor. 1. 4. Ephes. 1. 16. Col. 1. 9. 1. Thess. 1. 2. 2. Thess. 1. 3. and yet notwithstanding he neither denied to obey the necessities of nature neither omitted the duties either of his calling or of a godly life Nay he laboured in his calling more then all the rest of the Apostles The like may be said of Cornelius of whom the Scripture doth testifie Acts 10. that he prayed alwayes which is all one with in all things and yet by his calling a Centurion and therefore sometimes in fight and for the duties of a godly life it is said that he was a just man v. 22. and therefore exercised the duties of the second table and gave alms Secondly as touching the place in Luke 18. 1. where it is said that Christ spake a parable to this end that we ought alwayes to pray the holy Ghost expoundeth his meaning in the next words by removing the contrary that we should pray alwayes and not saint So that to pray alwayes in this place is not to saint in prayer Which in other places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to persevere in prayer as Rom. 12. 12. that is with some pertinacie if I may use this word in the good sense to persevere in prayer And that this is the meaning of the words it appeareth by the scope of the parable it self which is nothing else but this That when we have prayed unto God and he seemeth not to heare us we must not faint and give over but stedfastly persevere untill we have an answer Thirdly for the other places Luke 21. 36. and Ephes. 6. 18. it is not said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every time but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every sâ—…son that is upon every just occasion whensoever opportunity is offered To confirm this exposition this reason may be used The Lord in his word inioyneth us a great sort of duties besides Invocation which if we do omit for the omission of them although we should do no hurt we shall be condemned Matth. 25. 42. the sentence of condemnation is pronounced against the wicked for the omission of certain duties which necessarily must be omitted if we should do nothing else but pray Again it is a received distinction That the negative commandments of God do bind both semper ad semper to the absteining froÌ„ those things which are forbidden but the affirmative commandments howsoever they do bind us semper yet for the most part they do not bind us ad semper And therefore although we be alwayes bound to the performance of this duty and never exempted from it yet we are not bound to do it alwayes So that these commandments of continuing in prayer are to be understood of the whole life and not of every moment of time Now that we are alwayes bound to this duty appeareth both by our continuall necessitie to pray in regard first of our necessities and wants both spirituall and temporall secondly of the continuall rage of our spirituall enemies who are never at truce with us except we be at league with them thirdly of innumerable dangers which are alwayes imminent from which by Gods continuall mercy and goodnesse towards us we are delivered for which we must return thanks unto him For if there were no other cause of thanksgiving as there are many but onely this that he hath spared us and not confounded us for our sinnes this were matter sufficient Lam. 3. 22. It is the mercy of the Lord that we are not confounded Now that we may perform these commandments of continuance in prayer it is requisite that we call upon God both ordinarily at set times and extraordinarily as occasion and opportunity is offered And therefore in respect of time prayer is thus distinguished Preces sunt statae vel vagae which distinction belongeth both to publick and private prayer For publick prayer What set houres in the day-time are to be appointed for Divine service it is to be left to the discretion of every Church Onely in the night-time it seemeth inconvenient in the flourishing and quiet estate of the Church that publick assemblies should be held but in time of persecution it is otherwise For vagae They are so often to be used publickly as occasion is offered either by any publick danger and calamity to pray or by some publick blessing of God to give thanks But concerning private prayer there is no time of day naturall which may not be imployed thereunto It hath been the practice of the godly to call upon God both night and day So did David Psal. 22. 2. Annah Luke 2. 37. and not onely she but all right widows of whom Paul fpeaketh 1. Tim. 5. 5. So did Paul himself 2. Tim. 1. 3. 1. Thess. 3. 10. But more specially for the day David saith that he would call upon God seven times a day that is many times Psal. 119. 164. In another place he saith that he would pray in the morning in the evening and at noon And again for the morning Psal. 5. 3. and in another place that he would prevent the morning watch For the noon Acts 10. 9. For the night our Saviour gave us a precedent Luke 6. 12. where it is said that he spent the whole night in prayer unto God And to omit other speciall times There is none so unseasonable as midnight yet often in this time have the godly given themselves unto prayer Psal. 119. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee And so did Paul and Silas Acts 16. 25. So that we see no time
the flesh and spirit and grow up into all godlinesse in the fear of God 2. Cor. 6. 18. and 7. 1. Deut. 32. 6. Nonne ipse Pater tuus c. Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee We must honour him we must fear him 1. Pet. 1. 17. Neither ought we to fear any thing so much as to displease him We must love him and Christ his Sonne John 8. 42. and for his sake our neighbours as the sonnes of God and members of Christ and consequently as our brethren and fellow-members 1. John 5. 1. We are to imitate our heavenly Father Matth. 5. 45. Luke 6. 36. We must patiently and meekly bear afflictions as fatherly chastisements Heb. 12. 6 7 c. Otherwise we shew our selves to be bastards rather then sonnes We must trust in him Psal. 27. 10. Isai. 63. 16. Here therefore is reproved the hypocrisie of those who using these words do not call upon God in their prayers with sonne-like reverence faith affection submission nor in their lives behave themselves as Gods children For though we call upon God as our Father and yet do not obey him nor honour him nor fear him nor love him nor follow him nor submit our selves to his chastisements nor trust in him we shew our selves not to be the children of God but rather of the devil For our Saviour saith to the Jews affirming that God was their Father His sonnes ye are whose works ye do John 8. 39 48. And John also saith 1. Epist. 3. 8 9 10. He that committeth sinne is of the devil Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him c. In this the children of God are known and the children of the devil Whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother See Deut. 32. 5 6. Our WHen as our Saviour teacheth us to say Our Father Give us c. he may seem to some to have prescribed a form of publick prayer onely Otherwise why doth he not teach us to say My Father Give me c. But out of verse 6. it appeareth that he prescribeth this form as well for private as for publick prayer Now he teacheth us to say Our Father Give us c. that we may learn it to be our duty to call upon God not onely for our selves but also for others But for what others For all men 1. Tim. 2. 1. For God is the Father of all by creation but especially for the faithfull to whom Gâ—…d is a Father by grace of adoption and they also our brethren in Christ. We are therefore to pray for the whole brotherhood which is the universall Church and the whole company of the faithfull Psal. 122. 6. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem For the universall Church I say militant upon earth For unto the present estate of the Church militant our Saviour doth accommodate this prayer as that we may do the will of God upon earth as it is in heaven that he would give us our daily bread that he would forgive our sinnes and not lead us into temptation When as therefore this prayer is used amongst the Papists for the dead they shew themselves not impious onely but also ridiculous Vses concerning Prayer FIrst whereas Christ commandeth us to call God Father not onely of other faithfull and elect but also ours he requireth in us when we are to pray a true and justifying faith whereby we are perswaded that God is our Father in Christ and the spirit of adoption whereby we cry in our hearts Abba Father Therefore that speciall faith which the Papists call presumption whereby every Christian man believeth that he is adopted in Christ reconciled to God and justified by him and that for his sake both himself and his prayer is accepted of God Christ requireth in this place For unlesse I be perswaded that the Lord is not onely the Father of the rest of the faithfull and elect but also my Father I cannot in truth call him our Father Unto prayer therefore we must bring faith without which it is impossible to please God Secondly whereas Christ commandeth us to call upon God not onely for our selves but also in the behalf of the whole fraternitie which is the universall Church Our Father Give us c. he teacheth us to exercise the communion of Saints by mutuall prayers for one another Ephes. 6. 18. and not onely to have respect to our own good but also to the good of others 1. Cor. 13. 5. and withall informeth us how we are to be affected towards our brethren when we come to call upon God that we should desire the same good things for them which we ask for our selves that we should be touched with a fellow-feeling of their wants as it becometh those which are not onely the sonnes of the same Father but also members of the same body Heb. 13. 3. Therefore as we ought to bring faith towards God so also charity towards men that without wrath and dissension we may lift up pure hands unto God 1. Tim. 2. 8. But is it not lawfull to say sometimes My Father My God and to pray for our selves in particular or for some others It is lawfull in private prayers to call God thy Father so that thou dost not arrogate any thing peculiar to thy self besides or above other faithfull men For this is the voyce of justifying faith especially in the time of temptation when the faithfull man may seem forsaken of God to apply unto himself in particular that which commonly belongeth to all the faithfull Psal. 22. 1. Deus meus My God my God c. John 20. 28. Rom. 1. 8. The Lord instructeth his people thus to call him My Father Jer. 3. 4 19. and Christ his disciples Matth. 6. 6. Pray to thy Father and thy Father which seeth in secret c. It is lawfull also to pray for thy self and for others in particular so as thou forget not to pray for the whole brotherhood of Gods children For as when we are commanded to do good to all but especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. we are bound in particular to do good to those whose wants are known unto us so when we are commanded to pray for all we are bound in particular to pray for those whose wants are known unto us and especially for such as do any wayes belong unto us or do desire to be commended in our prayers unto God Rom. 15. 30. Jam. 5. 14. Ephes. 5. 19. 1. Tim. 2. 1 2. Thirdly whereas we are taught to say Our Father Give us c. we may gather that this prayer and those that are made to the like effect are the common voyce of the Church and of all the members thereof praying mutually for one another Which affordeth comfort to every one of us for although the sense of thy own wants weaknesse in calling upon God doth discourage
against God some against our neighbours and some against our selves In respect of all and every whereof we are every of us debtours unto God and therefore had need to pray that he would forgive us all and every of our debts Psal. 51. 9. which how many and great they are we may easily know if we will diligently look into our obligation and examine our lives by the law of God c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our In this word confession of sinne is included For it is in effect thus much O Lord we have sinned against thee have mercy therefore on us O Lord according to thy goodnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away our offenses Wash us from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes For we acknowledge our transgressions and our sinnes are alwayes before us Psal. 51. 2 3. Therefore with asking of pardon confession of sinne is conjoyned And this form of prayer is prescribed to be used of the perfectest men in this world as of the Apostles because there is no man that doth good vpon the earth and sinneth not Eccles 7. 20. If we say saith the holy Apostle John that we have no sinne we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and to 〈◊〉 us from all iniquity If we say that we have not 〈◊〉 we make him a lâ—…ar and his truth is not in us 1. John 1. 8 9 10. Here therefore both the Catharists which dream of perfection in this life and also the Pelagians and Papists which hold that a man may fully and perfectly keep the law of God in this life are confuted For such cannot make this petition except they will mock God as all those do that have a conceit of their own perfection Which conceit is in not onely the Catharists and Papists but also in the greatest part of ignorant and securâ—… men who affirm that they love God with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves they never did any man hurt they never doubted of their salvation For howsoever the Scripture speaketh of perfect men and such as walked in all the commandments of God yet certain â—…t is that thereby is meant the uprightnesse of their will and endeavour not the perfection of their obedience which uprightnesse notwithstanding the Scripture calleth perfection the Lord accepting the will for the deed so that upright men may indeed be said to be perfect but in affectu potiùs quà m effectu in their affections rather then their actions Forgive The Lord in forgiving sinnes as he is mercifull so is he just 1. John 1. 9. Neither doth he forgive any sinne for which his justice is not satisfied by the obedience and sufferings of Christ Rom. 3. 26. He is therefore said to forgive our sinnes when as he inputeth them not unto us but accepting of the obedience and sufferings of Christ as a full ransome and satisfaction for them washing away our sinnes in his bloud covering them with his righteousnesse imputing our sinnes to Christ and his obedience to us so that we howsoever sinfull in our selves appear righteous before him in Christ. When as therefore we do pray for the forgivenesse of our sinnes we do not so desire him to be mercifull as that we would have him forget his justice but we come unto him in the name and mediation of Christ in whom he is well pleased beseeching him to accept of his obedience sufferings as a full satisfaction for our sinnes For remission of sinnes as it is a free work of mercy in respect of us who neither can deserve pardon nor satisfie his justice so in respect of Christ who hath satisfied for us it is a work of justice Now whereas our Saviour Christ doth teach every one of us every day to ask forgivenesse with assurance to be heard we are put in mind both of our misery and Gods mercy Our misery who day by day commit sinne and therefore have need every day to crave remission of our sinnes Gods mercy and long suffering who though he be offended every day yet he is ready to forgive their sinnes who come unto him by hearty and earnest prayer confessing their sinnes and craving pardon of them But this mercy and long-suffering of God must not encourage us to presume but invite us unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. and 6. 1. Ecclus 5. 4 5 6. Psal. 130. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared Joel 2. 13. and encourage us to call upon him This long-suffering of God is to be imitated of us For if he be content to forgive us that sinne against him every day then ought we freely to forgive them that offend us c. though it be to seventy times seven times Again if every one of us be he never so righteous is bound to make this prayer that God would freely remit our sinnes then it followeth that none of us can discharge the debt or by any thing which we are able to perform satisfie for our sinnes but either they must be freely remitted for Christs sake or else we must suffer the punishment due for them Divine remission and humane satisfaction cannot stand together We must crave remission therefore we cannot satisfie Remission of sinnes and justification are free Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. Isai. 43. 25. but in satisfaction there is recompense Therefore those that trust to their own merits and use this prayer they mock God and condemn themselves They mock God because they desire him to forgive their sinnes which they do not desire should be forgiven them but trust to satisfie for them They condemn themselves because they confesse themselves to be debtours unto God unlesse he remit their debt and yet stand not to his remission but to their own satisfaction by which they appeal to his justice rather then implore his mercy And that no man can satisfie by any works of obedience the justice of God for his sinnes it may further appear by these reasons 1. Because our best obedience is unperfect and our righteousnesse like unto a polluted â—…lout and therefore if God should enter into judgement with us he might justly condemn us for our best actions as being not performed in that manner and measure which his law requireth and therefore every one had need to pray as Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement c. Secondly because whatsoever obedience we can perform it is a debt and duty Luke 17. 10. When we have done all that is commanded we must say that we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 12. and 13. 8. Gal. 5. 3. Now certain it is that we cannot satisfie debt with debt but notwithstanding our latter obedience we shall be debtours in respect of the former debt unsatisfied Seeing therefore we are not able
of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith III. The last use is a reproof of those which using this prayer notwithstanding retein hatred against their brother or purpose of revenge And they are to be reproved both for their hypocrisie and folly their hypocrisie because they not forgiving their neighbours but reteining malice against them are not ashamed to lie unto the Lord saying For even we also forgive c. Their folly because using this prayer Forgive us as we forgive not forgiving but purposing and desiring revenge in stead of craving pardon they desire God to be revenged on them for their sinnes as they desire to be revenged on their neighbour Of both which hypocrisie and folly our lustie gallants especially our chevaliers and hacksters are guilty who think it the greatest disparagement that may be which the holy Ghost esteemeth to be the glory of a man to put up an injury and therefore will die upon a man rather then suffer the least offense unrevenged But these men must know that not onely they are carnall men and remain in their sinnes but also that in seeking private revenge they are satanicall and devilish And therefore when Abishai stirred up David to revenge himselfe upon Shimei David answered What have I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah that ye are this day to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of Satan 2. Sam. 19. 22. to teach us that they are inspired of Satan that breathe after revenge Yea but saith one I know how to avoid both this hypocrisie and folly and yet I will be even with mine enemie too For either I will leave out this petition or use some other form of prayer where this clause is not or else I will not pray at all Yea but the sentence of our Saviour whether we use these words or no standeth sure If ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Matth. 6. 5. 18. 33. and therefore those that use such shifts do but mock God and deceive themselves Remember the parable Matth. 18. and the saying of Tertullian Quid est ad pacem Dei accedcre sine pace ad remissionem debitorum cumretentione injuriarum Quomodo placabit patrem iratus infratrem c. What is it to come unto God to seek peace without peace for remission of our debts with retention of wrongs How shall he please the Father that is angry with his brother Vers. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil OF the order of this petition and the coupling it with the former I have spoken before For whereas in the former we begged the grace of justification and remission of sinnes in this we crave the grace of sanctification and the spirit of fortitude whereby we may prevent sinne and be enabled to resist the tentations of the devil flesh and the world provoking us unto sinne In the former we asked freedome from the guilt of sinne In this we crave deliverance from the evil and corruption of sinne and strength against tentations alluring us thereunto But as touching the order we are taught to ask first justification freedome from the guilt of sinne and then sanctification and freedome from committing sinne because justification in order of nature goeth before sanctification And as touching the coupling of this with the former signified in the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we are taught this dutie That as we are to desire freedome from the guilt of sinne so we should be desirous carefull to forsake and prevent sinne and to avoid the occasions thereof Forsaking of sinne is a companion of the forgivenesse of sinne And whosoever hath faith and believeth the forgivenesse of sinne hath also a care to prevent sinne and an endeavour to resist it and the provocations thereof Art thou washed from sinne take heed thou be not again defiled therewith As the Spouse saith in the Câ—…nticles chap 5. 3. I have washed my feet how should I again defile them Hath Christ justified and freed thee from the curse of thy sinne stand fast in this liberty which Christ hath purchased for thee and be not again intangled in this yoke of bondage Gal. 5. 1. For he that committeth sinne is a servant of sinne Far be it from us to abuse this liberty as an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5. 13. as though being freed from sinne we might sinne more freely No we are taught the contrary 1. Pet. 2. 24. Luke 1. 74. Neither may we think as secure men do that because we are perswaded that our sinnes are forgiven by Christ we are safe from sinne and need not fear the allurements thereof and therefore not stand upon our watch and ward but live in security For tentation unto sinne is a consequent of remission of sinne Whom the Lord loveth the devil hateth whom the Lord draweth unto himself and pulleth into the kingdome of grace him the devil laboureth to pluck back again by all means Therefore if a man be not tempted at all it is a fearfull signe that the strong man possesseth still his hold because all is in quiet Whereas contrariwise to be troubled with tentations is an argument of Gods favour if also we have grace to resist them Satan fighteth not with those that be under his bondage and fight as it were in his camp but those that are souldiers under the banner of Christ they must look to be assaulted They that be true members of the militant Church must acknowledge their whole life to be a spirituall warfare wherein they are daily to fight against the assaults of Satan the corruption of their own flesh and allurements of the world Such as are Christs Satan desireth to winnow and to sift them as wheat Luke 2. 31. to such he sendeth his messenger to buffet them 2. Cor. 12. 7. Our Saviour therefore knowing his faithfull servants whom he loveth to be most subject to tentation in this place teacheth them to use this prayer and elsewhere commandeth them to watch and pray that they enter not into tentation Mark 14. 38. The necessitie of which prayer is further to be enforced by consideration of our enemies likenesse to overcome and our own weaknesse to withstand Sinne is deceitfull Heb. 3. 13. The flesh continually sendeth forth concupiscences which fight against souls 1. Pet. 2. The law of the members carrieth captive to sinne Rom. 7. The things which we desire in the world are so many baits of the devil to allure us unto sinne The bad examples of other men are so many stumbling-blocks whereat we stumble fall The devil very cunning powerfull malitious diligent For his craft he is called the old serpent cunningly using our own corruptions and inclinations the baits of the world and examples to intangle us For his power he is called the prince and the God of this world John 12. 31. 2. Cor.
glory 2. Cor. 1. 20. This therefore serveth to confirm our faith For doubtlesse such things as tend to his glory he will grant especially considering it is his glory to heare the prayers of his servants and seeing to him belongeth the glory of giving every good gift but these things which we ask according to our Saviours direction do tend to the glory of God and to that end we ask them therefore we may be assured that he will grant our requests so far forth as they stand with his glory Now whereas our Saviour directed us to make this our first suit That Gods name may be glorified and now teacheth us to make his glory the reason of our prayers this sheweth That the glory of God should be the main end of all our desires for which we should affect them and unto which when we have obteined them we should referre them 1. Chron. 16. 35. Psal. 50. 15. And forasmuch as the glory is the Lords which he will not have communicated to any other Isai. 42. 8. therefore we are to call upon him alone as being the onely fountain of every good gift the onely hearer of our prayers Of which glory we rob the Lord if we direct our prayers to any other And as we are not to give his glory to any other so we are not to take it to our selves For seeing the glory is the Lords therefore vainglorious persons seek to rob God of that glory which is proper to him and to assume it to themselves But we must say with David Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord c. and with Daniel chap. 9. 7. Righteousnesse O Lord belongeth unto thee and to us shame c. But we ascribe unto the Lord not onely kingdome power and glory but also an everlasting kingdome an eternall power and immortall glory For as Moses saith Psal. 90. 2. He is God from everlasting to everlasting he is King for ever Therefore he hath right not onely in this life to crown us with his blessings but after this life he hath an everlasting kingdome to bestow upon us Luke 12. 32. unto which he is able and willing to bring us by his power everlasting to the immortall glory of his mercy Now these reasons as they must be propounded in faith so also with chearfulnesse as a consequent thereof And when they are chearfully uttered they are not onely reasons of our requests but also a notable form of praysing God which our Saviour hath taught us to joyn with our prayer And so the holy Ghost hath directed us elsewhere as Col. 4. 2. Phil. 4. 6. And that this is a form of prayse and thanksgiving appeareth by other places of Scripture where the men of God setting themselves of purpose to prayse God have used the very like form As David 1. Chron. 29. 10 11 12. and Psal. 145. 10. and 11. 12 13. Revel 7. 12. Jude v. 25. Revel 4. 11. Vses Duties concerning prayer 1. That we pray to God and him alone Whereof a reason is conteined in these words For his is the kingdome c. 2. That we pray in faith seeing our heavenly Father whose is the kingdome power and glory is both able and willing to grant our requests 3. That with our prayer we joyn prayse and thanksgiving which in this short form is not omitted Duties in our lives 1. To arrogate nothing to our selves but to ascribe all kingdome power and glory to the Lord Psal. 29. 1 2. and 115. 1. and of all good things received to ascribe the praise to God 2. If God be our King then must we behave our selves as dutifull and obedient subjects If his be the power then are we both to fear him and to trust in him If his be the glorie then of him must we beg all good things and to his glory must all be referred If his power kingdome and glorie be everlasting then are we taught whom to fear whom to serve whom to trust in namely him that is able not onely in this life to blesse us but also after to crown us with immortall glorie in his eternall kingdome If we serve the flesh the devil the world we shall have the momentanie fruition of sin and after this life is ended eternall torments God liveth for ever as to crown eternally the godly so to punish the wicked eternally He then will exclude them out of his kingdome and will be of power to destroy both body and soul in hell and he will glorifie his justice in their endlesse confusion Hypocrifie discovered But here the hypocrisie of men is to be discovered who ascribe kingdome to God and yet obey him not power and fear him not glory and glorifie him not and they adde all these reasons to their petitions as if they should say Thou Lord wilt grant our requests for thine is the kingdome power and glory for ever and yet do not believe that the Lord will grant their requests Amen And so much of the confirmation of our faith Now followeth the testification both of our faith and of the truth of our defire in the word Amen For it importeth the assent of the heart to the words of our mouth and it signifieth truly or even so or as the Grecians sometimes translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So be it The meaning of it is thus much as if we should say As I have made thâ—…se requests unto thee O Lord so do I both unfeignedly desire the performance of them Let them O Lord be granted 1. Kings 1. 36. and also truly believe that thou in thy good time wilt grant my desires so farre forth as they stand with thy glory and my good and in this perswasion I rest attending thy good pleasure And as I have ascribed unto thee kingdome power and glorie so I do both unfeignedly acknowlcdge that thine alone is the kingdome c. and also heartily desire that I and all others may truly and effectually ascribe unto thee everlasting kingdome power and glorie For being annexed unto prayer it signifieth both the truth and earnestnesse of our desire and also the assent of faith laying hold on the promises of God made in Christ to our prayers And being added to thanksgiving it signifieth both the truth of our assertion in ascribing praise to God and also a true desire and zeal of Gods glory Hence therefore we may learn again those duties which heretofore have been taught 1. That we call upon the Lord with unfeigned lips and upright hearts truly desiring those things with our hearts which we ask with our mouthes and being truly thankfull for those things for which we give thanks 2. We must strive against our infidelitie and doubting Psal. 42. 12. and must truly believe that the Lord will grant our requests so farre forth as they stand with his glorie and our good otherwise we cannot say Amen 3. We are to rest in the good pleasure of God with assurance expecting his