the Devill so fugitive and fickle is mans minde naturally so many Acquaintances hath he in the world that are constantly knocking at his Door as it were to speak with him a little even while he is busie with God himselfe that very difficult it is without great circumspection and obstinacie and to use these is allso very difficult to attend upon the Lord without distraction though but for a season When Complaint was made to an Auncient Holy Man by a Novice in severe life that he was wonderfully infested with idle thoughts in praying unto God he willed him to goe abroad and gather the Winde into his Lap But said he Father I cannot doe it No more said he canst thou stay thy thoughts at thy pleasure from waving and wandering Which we mention not for Persons under pretence of frailty and humane infirmitie to connive at such failings in themselves suffering them patiently so to rule without any Censure or due sense of such evill For it is one part of a Christians Militarie Office in this life to war against the Law of his minde thus opposing him and accordingly to arme himselfe for the Encounter by these or the like meanes and helps in Prayer 3. First then it is necessarie he should understand what he sayes to God and consequently that the language he uses at such times should be known to him For next to if not alltogether impossible it is that a man should minde that which was never in his minde as strange Languages are not And how can the heart be actually united to God in it knowes not what 4. Secondly To avoid alienation of minde in Prayer it is requisite a man should be well preadvised of his danger in erring and thereupon stand more upon his watch and guard and especially not give way to strange thoughts though civill modest yea religious in another kinde For the experience of divers have found it to be true and matter of complaint that at no other time a man shall have so manie prettie wittie and often usefull cogitations come into his head as in the time of Prayer Better contrivances of worldly affairs will be then injected than at other times he could hit of Somtimes some acute and usefull distinction in scholasticall and difficult Points of Divinity And perhaps a very plausible notion of praying right shall fall into his minde hindering him from actually praying aright These and such like are mighty temptations to divert and hold the minde from its more proper Dutie But more grosse and avoidable much are they which are the remains of some evill affection or passion we generally carrie about us and onely formally put by for the present which will not be put off so but as rude Fellowes in a Croud or great Concourse where civill distance is to be observed having heard the word of some in Autority saying Stand off give back for the present and suddenly again presse forward among their betters so idle and vain if not directly evill thoughts being put off for a moment while we attend Gods service suddenly break their bounds and molest us These Contingencies as we may Civilly call them ought duely to be considered and the minde fortified with great resolutions against the assaults so made And be well assured against the appearance of the usefullnesse of some cogitations that whatever is not seasonable as these are not cannot be reasonable nor religious And as for those thoughts which proceed from some lurking Vice covered for the present as they are evill at all times so are they of a double guilt interposing in sacred Actions And the best no better than golden Apples thrown in our way by the Envier of all good Actions to stop our direct course to Godward 5. Another proper meanes to constancie in the good intended is to begin well and set out at first with good advice considering with our selves what we doe whose we are before whome we come whome we serve and for what we so draw nigh unto him whose Majestie is incomparable whose seat is in Heaven and we upon Earth and that to trifle with him is to arme him against our own Soules and pull down a Curse upon our heads instead of a Blessing But trifle we doe when with our mouthes we worship him and our hearts are far from him But though no man is to allow in himselfe such deviations yet where they are involuntarie rather than affected a mitigation of their evill may be in some degree expected from the first generall and habituall designe of offering an entire Sacrifice to God. A man was by no meanes to offer any thing to God which was maimed or imperfect but if he had chose an absolutely perfect Sheep Lamb or Heifer to give to God and it happened to fall lame by the way as it was driving to Hierusalem I know not whether such were refused A man must therefore choose and intend the best he can and if in praying it happens against his will and desire to halt by the way God may accept the same a man not approving that accessorie imperfection 6. A fourth expedient then may be the obtaining the Spirit of Prayer And by the Spirit of Prayer not that presumptuous giftednesse vain men boast of but that spirituall Disposition that habituall Prayer which Saint Paul commends to us when he said Pray without ceasing not requiring that our Tongue should allwayes be going but that as the Prophet speakes Isaiah 26. 8. The desire of our soule is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee And the heart is fixed the heart is fixed as David's was Psalm 57. 9. and 108. 1. Upon and from such a generall addiction of the minde to God doe flow a readinesse and regularnesse in the actuall exercise of Prayer towards God the Mouth speaking and the minde moving according to the good stock treasured in the heart 7. Fifthly Habituall Pietie not alone sufficing to bear a man up in his Dutie herein frequent reflexions upon our selves is very necessary to recover our selves faultring or tripping in such cases Some hot mettall'd Jades will set out too fiercely but soon flagge in travailing and must be spurred up and quickened often to perfourm their Journey as they ought and so must the fickle fervour of divers which endureth for a time and faileth without fresh excitations and remembrances 8. And sixthly Peradventure care is to be had that a man be not too anxious or sollicitous in praying lest he should not pray as becometh him and so by the Artifice of the Devill a man becomes distracted in his thoughts lest he should be distracted For the minde of man cannot be very intent upon two things at a time no more than by his will he can serve two Masters at the same time A fault apprehended in a mans selfe suddenly condemned presently corrected by applying himselfe to the true Object may suffice without such a long censuring himselfe as may hinder rather than farther
methodically yet could never be so really perswaded but that holy Men of old speaking and writing as they were moved by the Spirit contemned all order and Methods but what naturally arose from the bowells of the Subject they treated of and the occasion given them not contradicting or denying liberty to men to forme their matter by outward Methods as may agree best with the learning retaining and digesting what they finde there delivered 2. And answerable to this the more Mentall a mans Contemplations are the lesse methodicall are they wont to be So that if there be such a thing as may be called properly Prayer Supramentall as Authours speak it must be more strange to Order and Methode than either of the two other degrees of Prayer and be of the nature of Rapts and Extasies of which we have spoken For by such puritie of intention and such vehemencie of intension and ardour in directing a mans minde and heart to God and as it were delivering up his spirit into his hands the intellectuall facultie may cease which is that Absorption spoken of allso and such that can be approved onely from the goodnesse and Divinenesse so pored on and with its lustre confounding them carried away with it For it is apparent that Evill Spirits doe in like manner oppresse the mindes of the Persons devoted to them And therefore as I cannot condemne all such excesses mentall or supramentall rather so can I approve them no farther than they are consonant to the Law and the Testimonie and the Spirit of the Living Prophets I mean the Church truely so called and the peace and Charitie of the same So that as I cannot but think favourably of those extravagant passages and rulelesse while the Authours of them keep the peace of the Church and known principles of Christianity innovating nothing in the Faith but onely in their own supramentall Facts as we may terme them so can I no wayes justifie those presumptuous Spirits who not having attained to the true mentall Prayer dare obtrude their vocall and sensible Prayer upon the spirits of an whole Congregation and that without any good Autority so to doe 3. After the extraordinary gift of unprepared Prayer ceased in the Church of God together with unprepared preaching of the Gospell it lay upon the Governours of the Church to supplie that defect in the best manner they could by composing and prescribing formes for Publique Worship lest any scandall or indecencie should disaffect soberer and more prudent Christians And when the Bishop presiding in the Church committed any part of his wide charge to his Presbyter we never finde that he departed in the Publique Worship from what was in use in the Mother-Church either as to matter or forme Nay the principall Pastour of any Diocese never was himselfe so imperious over his Flock as vain men of late dayes to offer a new and unknown Office to Believers every day or to God as more spirituall or acceptable to him but aymed at nothing more than a Common plain well-known well-approved and constant forme of sound words to which all intelligent Christians might safely and cheerfully give their concurrence and sett to their Seal of Amen And to denie liberty to Ministers to offer the Will-worship of their own inventions in Publique was never lookt upon as they say as Lycurgus-like to cut up all the Vines in the Country lest men should be drunk but rather cutting down the wild Vines whose fruit is ungratefull to judicious Palates and pernicious to the community of Christians Wherein the gift of Prayer consisteth we have touched before but sure we are it consisteth not in the volubility of the Tongue readinesse of Invention fluencie of Speech choice of Divine Phrases but in the grace of Prayer which the same men unhappily would distinguish from the Gift which is a certain pure intention and fervent intension of Spirit lifted up to God which may consist with a Prayer used ten thousand times Not but that it is very lawfull usefull and allmost necessary in some cases to utter the fullnesse of the minde by unprepared words in private Addresses but to lay the weight and worth of a Prayer upon the wording of it is a foul absurdity When sudden surprizing and extraordinary occasions are offer'd to blame is that man who will not strive to use proportionable Addresses to God neither staying for a Book nor the licence of his Ordinary But plying his heart while it is hot and full the best manner he can for his ease and comfort 4. And not onely in such extraordinary cases as may even extort an Ejaculation sutable but out of that common Habit of grace a man may have attained unto by Christian diligence it is most reasonable and pious he should lift up his minde frequently unto God in divine Contemplation Admiration of his Power and Wisdome thankfullnesse for deliverances and benefits bestowed imploration of his mercie and pardon for dayly Trespasses he is liable to and exercising that Communion that every Good Christian should have with God and all this not onely in usuall and constant Phrases and Formes though that be commendable but as the Spirit shall give him utterance All which notwithstanding ought to be regulated by the rule of Christian modestie justice and Charitie so as not to indulge to private satisfactions herein to the prejudice of others nor to phansie such an Edification to himselfe which should tend to the dissipation of the Church of God that Rule of Saint Paul binding incessantly such as otherwise would be boundlesse Let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth 1 Corinth 10. 24. meaning rather spirituall than temporall wellfare And again the same Apostle 1 Corinth 14. 12. adviseth For as much as ye are zealous of spirituall gifts seek that ye may excell to the edification of the Church which whosoever violateth by private affectations in Religion may be said to indulge rather to his own carnall humour how divine soever it may appear to weaker judgements than to the edification of himselfe or others For as he that sings with the Congregation ought to lay aside his private Tunes though possibly far more excellent than that which is set for all to follow so must the singular Devotion of a higher strain than ordinarie complie with the meaner to avoid scandall and confusion as that which may better agree with the whole Bodie than sublimer strains or Tunes And this is the Case of that plain and easie recitative way of using the Psalmes in our Church which requires a cheerfull Spirit without difficulty or tediousnesse of modulating the Voice which for that reason might have been preferred before the more Artificiall and hard of private mens Invention had it not pleased men of designe and unquiet Spirits to bring it into disgrace for no other faults but which are found to be more notorious in that they have introduced in its stead From which frowardnesse of Spirit and
II. A brief description of the Illuminative Purgative and Vnitive way of Religion p. 9 SECT III. Of the necessity of Illumination and of Faith with its subordinate Graces especially conducing thereunto p. 12 SECT IV. That Faith and naturall Reason improved is the onely proper cause of Illumination being taken for the things revealed whereof some principall heads are here given p. 20 SECT V. Of the Grace and act of Faith leading to Illumination and of the difficulties and meanes of believing p. 40 SECT VI. Of the gift and guidance of Gods Spirit towards true Illumination the abuse and true uses of it noted And of the necessitie of believing p 51 SECT VII Of Illumination Reflexive whereby the Christian Soule comes to the knowledge of its selfe in its Spirituall State. p. 63 SECT VIII Of Revelations or Illuminations extraordinarie by Spirits and the discerning of them with the use of such Revelations p. 76 The Second Part. Of the Purgative part of Religion SECT I. THAT Action and good Works must be added to true knowledge and Believing And of the distinction of sins to be purged Page 99 SECT II. Of the Office of Faith in purging the Soule from sinfull defilements p. 105 SECT III. That in purifying our selves principall regard is to be had to the puritie of Faith and of the affections of the Inward Man not neglecting outward severities p. 114 SECT IV. Of the proper meanes and methode of cleansing the Soule And first of Baptisme p. 124 SECT V. Of the Grace and power of Repentance in cleansing the Soule p. 129 SECT VI. That this purgative Repentance must be generall of all sins and perpetuall p. 147 SECT VII Of Selfe deniall required to true Reformation and that both of Vnderstanding and Will. p. 156 SECT VIII Of the custodie and discipline to be had over the outward man especially the Eyes Eares and Tongue p. 174 SECT IX Of outward moderation and modestie to be used in abstinences and Apparell p. 189 SECT X. The connexion of what hath passed with what followes concerning the Seven Capitall Sins p. 201 SECT XI Of Pride the first deadly or Capitall Sin. p. 203 SECT XII Of Anger a Second Capitall Sin its Concomitants and Remedies p. 219 SECT XIII Of the deadly sin of Envy its nature and Remedies p. 233 SECT XIV Of the Capitall Sin Covetousnesse p. 244 SECT XV. Of Luxurie and Vncleannesse p. 254 SECT XVI Of Gluttonie its sinfullnesse and Cure. p. 265 SECT XVII Of Slothfullnesse the last Capitall Sin. p. 277 SECT XVIII The Conclusion of this Second Part with some short advices relating to what hath been said therein p. 288 The Third Part. Treating of the Unitive Way of the devout Soule with God. SECT I. Of the Nature of true Vnion with God and of Mysticall Theologie and of the Abuses and due Vse thereof p. 297 SECT II. That this Vnion consisteth chiefly in the true knowledge of God and Love experimentall and reciprocall p. 304 SECT III. Of the excesse of Vnitive Love of God in Extasies and Raptures with their abuses and uses noted p. 309 SECT IV. Of the Vnion of the Soule with God by Divine Contemplation and Meditation with some instances of particular Subjects for this latter p. 317 SECT V. Of the Vnion we have with God in Prayer habituall and actuall as the proper matter of Worshippe p. 328 SECT VI. Of the defects incident to the Act of Praying and their Remedies p. 334 SECT VII Of the due use of Publique and Private Prayer p. 342 SECT VIII Of the severall sorts of Prayer viz. Sensible Mentall Supramentall Extemporarie Formed or fixed as allso of Singing of Psalmes p. 350 SECT IX Of Vnion and Communion with God in the Holy Eucharist or Lords Supper to which certain instructions are premised p. 359 SECT X. Of the difficulties and dangers in receiving the Holy Communion here discussed p. 367 SECT XI Other impediments and scruples observed against Communicating especially with their proper Remedies p. 378 SECT XII A brief recapitulation of what hath been treated of before with advices and directions concerning the interruption and recoverie of actuall Communion with God and of Consolations p. 387 THE Methode and Means TO TRUE SPIRITUALL LIFE The First Part Treating of Spirituall Illumination SECT 1. Previous advice concerning the Necessity Reasonablenesse and Vsefulnesse of being truly Religious 1. THERE being three principall Stages as I may so speak which every true Christian is to passe over in his travail towards that Sabbath of Blessednesse hoped for hereafter and aspired to it may seem both very methodicall and profitable to that great end to prepare the way thither by cleering up the defaced Characters written by Gods own finger on the tables of Mans heart concerning the sense of God and Religion towards him in generall that such a fundamentall perswasion being well received the edification in our most holy faith may be more firme absolute and better advanced 2. For what may we call Religion speaking here more practically than artificially but a thorow conviction of a Supream Being and Power able to save and destroy everlastingly inferring a strong and just obligation upon all creatures especially Man to pay the debt of veneration and obedience to that God from whom he received his present being and to whom he owes his subsistence and upon whom depends his future state of happinesse or misery 3. But may it not here allso be said Who hath believed our report and to whom hath the Arme of the Lord been revealed too many obstinately refusing any better guidance or conduct of their Lives but such as may favour their degenerous and dangerous humour of gratifying their sensuall appetites hurrying them to a liberty inconsistent with that whereby we are made free to God by Christ Jesus For his service being perfect freedome ' when we are dedicated to him in Baptisme we renounce the servitude and turpitude of the world and enter our selves Apprentices to learne and doe the will of God by Religion the Art of all Arts God at the same time Indenting and Covenanting with Believers so faithfully serving him when their times come out by death in this world to give them a more noble and desireable freedome by making them Citizens in Hierusalem which is above the Mother of us all than which the heart of man can desire no greater or better event of all his labours and services in the world nor so good nor great remuneration 4. Who would not then sometimes retire into the chamber of his heart and seriously consider these things And who considering these things would not apply himselfe to this so necessary so divine and beneficiall a work shall we see so many Artists of this world strive to excell one another not only for lucre sake but esteem of men in their severall professions and trades and shall we be cold indifferent and carelesse in this of Religion the glory of all How many have become poor infamous
comes to their share 6. For this reason God sends such tempestuous and dark weather at Sea to the skilfull Navigatour that he shall not be able readily to know or say where he is till the restored calme Light better informes him And sends Shipwracks sometimes to the subtill Merchant that he may understand better who it is that gives skill and strength to get Riches And diappointeth the hopes of the understanding and painfull Husbandman And as the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 44. maketh diviners mad and turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish teaching them all and us too and that in all senses more perfectly that necessary lesson of humility Deuteronomy 8. 18. Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God. For it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth c. And as it is with the riches of this world it is with the riches of the world to come or being rich towards God as the Scripture speaks Luke 12. 21. For undoubtedly God may and doth apparently denie the ordinary meanes of Salvation sound knowledge and holy faith in him and of divine mysteries to some To others he grants to be initiated and to have some knowledge of the saving trueth who there stop and proceed no farther as tender plants rising out of the earth wither and perish for want of the blessings of heaven falling on them without which they can proceed no farther towards perfection and some proceed farther and promise fair and for the same reason attain not to the intended end 7. But nothing of this nature can reasonably be taken into an Apologie or defence of the unprofitable servant whom God hath delivered such talents and meanes unto that in themselves tend unto such progressions and consummations as are saving and beatificall But admit thou art becalmed and canst make no way through want of divine aspirations and influence How canst thou how darest thou impute this cessation and oscitancie of thine in not doing the known Will of God unto an unknown cause or rather a not cause of doing which whether it is so as thou imaginest or givest out at least that thou imaginest when thy heart contradicteth thy tongue thou knowest not For who can say that God denies him the inward power and meanes of Salvation that is of effectuall Grace to whom he giveth the outward meanes of Illumination Faith and Salvation Whatsoever may be wanting in the abstruse counsell and dispensations internall of God and known to him cannot be so known to a man without divine Revelations It is an uncharitable and rash act in any man directly to charge his Neighbour with denying him his due or taking away his goods from him when he can prove nothing against him and much more injust it is and impious for a man to say directly that God denies him grace or doth harden his heart so that Rules and exhortations and sufficient reasons of becoming faithfull righteous and holy before God and man are of no effect upon him 8. It is not so much pardonable as commendable in all Good Christians to be sensible of their naturall insufficiencie and infirmity to doe any good act St. Paul having taught us 2 Corinth 3. v. 5. That we are not able to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God. But doe not the very next words as well as the latter part of that argument plainly tell us that God hath a sufficiencie for us and God doth make us able Ministers of his Will And doth not St. James tell us that every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights James 1. 17. And doth not our Saviour Christ direct us how we should fill our selves from that Fountain when he saith Matth. 7. 11. If ye being evill know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more should your Father which is in heaven give you good things that ask him And this good thing is the best and fullest of all good things being interpreted in St. Lukes Gospell Chap. 11. 13. to be the Holy Spirit it selfe the fountain of all Grace which he giveth to them that ask him The Querie then must needs be made to our selves whether upon sense of our infirmities and defects we ever did and that as we ought invoke Almighty God implore the gift of his Spirit and its concurrence and whether we ever submitted to its Dictates and directions to that power God hath given us For to doe this as well as believe that we have an excellent president from the wise Man Wisdome 8. v. 21. Neverthelesse I perceived I could no otherwise obtain her i. e. True Wisedome comprehending all intellectuall graces except God gave her me and that was a point of Wisedome also to know whose gift she was I prayed unto the Lord and besought him and with my whole heart I said O God of my Fathers and Lord of mercie c. Which prayer for that illuminating gift and Grace so necessarie might not very unfitly be transcribed hither and used by all true lovers of light rather than darknesse at least untill the Day-star shall arise in their hearts according to which true Believers may shape their course more steadily towards Heaven but I shun prolixnesse SECT VI. Of the Gift and guidance of Gods Spirit towards true Illumination The abuse and true use of the same and necessity of Believing 1. BUT the use or act of the grace of Faith resteth not here but is wonderfully assistant to the naturall understanding in discerning the minde of God revealed unto us in his Word For as the discreet and diligent Master doth not only set his Schollar whom he teacheth to write an exact and fair Copie to imitate and follow but also guides his hand in the making the Letters and joyning them together according to their true shape and order in like manner doth he whose Chair is in heaven teaching the hearts as his Instruments and Officers doe the eares and eyes of men below to understand receive believe and act according to the Rule and scope prescribed For man naturally is apt to believe those things only which his Reason assures him of but his reason how acute soever cannot demonstrate the Scriptures to be the Word of God which we believe and must believe to be so if we would be accounted good Christians And having the Scriptures in that esteem we cannot out of our promptitude and acutenesse of wit discerne clearly and readily many usefull things therein contained without the direction of that great Authour the Blessed Spirit principall in the composing them For 't is truly said The Scriptures must be understood by the Spirit that indited them According therefore to the gifts and grace given unto Mee doe they understand the mysteries of Faith Rom. 12. 6. And to every man is given grace according to the measure of Christ Ephes 4. 7. whereby that light revealed shineth unto the true Believer as out of a dark place So that
preserve that comfortable state unshaken and the purity thereof undefiled being with Peter at the glorie of Christs Transfiguration loth to goe down the Mountain where such manifestations are made 8. And the Mystery of Godlinesse in this case is truely wonderfull if a man considers that not onely the way to this conjunction with God is purification of the Bodie and Soule from earthly uncleannesses but such Union and Converse with God doth change the Faces at least that is the outward formes of men not truely fitted or sanctified to such an end Hence is a resolution in some measure made of a doubt seeming difficult to me Who perceiving hereticall and schismaticall and men of unjust lives to make a fair appearance of good outward and retrenching the more scandalous Vices contrary to sound Piety could not but wonder how an erroneous faith and unrighteous and uncharitable demeanours in a Christian course should attain to so much as a commendable formalitie of Godlinesse For surely the very appearance of holinesse though there should be nothing more in the case is in it selfe laudable The reason of all this I take to be the strange forwardnesse many such abound with in pressing though indirectly into Gods Presence affecting mountainous phrases and phansying themselves intimate with God himselfe For as Conspiratours and Traitours frequenting the Kings Court and Presence and observing what is perfourmed of such as doe him immediate service and attend him can and doe easily and more artificially comport themselves as prime Subjects Or to use Saint Chrysostome's comparison As he that shall come into a Drugsters shop where Aromaticall Spices are pounded shall whether he will or not carrie away upon his Clothes some of the fragrancies which are there stirring Or lastly as the Censers of Corah Dathan and Abiram with their Complices became holy by being brought though in a wicked manner into Gods Presence and devoted to his service so ill-grounded and ill-advised Devotion to God doth make some alteration very laudable in men resembling God himselfe and his holinesse So that as sinceritie of Intention purity of Affection and Actions innocent and righteous doe conduce much to spirituall mindednesse and contemplation of and union with God so doe even that preposterous way of conversing with God and pressing unduly into Gods Presence divers times worke some good effect outwardly at least upon men And were it not that where Divine Contemplations are orderly performed and faithfully a reall and sound improvement of Christian Graces and Vertues was allso made and the Soule became not more like unto God so viewed and enjoyed it must needs have been an errour in Scholasticall Divines to preferre the Contemplative Life or the Life of Mary before the Practicall or the Life of Martha serving Christ restraining Contemplation to that way had in this world which beginning on such low and sensible Subjects as are before recited may rise to greater perfection in the more immediate intuition of God himselfe and the glorie to be revealed SECT V. Of the Vnion we have with God in Prayer habituall and actuall as the proper matter of Worshippe 1. FROM the two-fold Union with God spoken of Contemplation or Knowledge and Love proceeds as a necessarie consequence of both Adoration which consists in an actuall Devotion and Consecration of the whole man unto God and an inanition or emptying of a mans Soule into the fullnesse of God as the smaller as well as greater Rivers fall into the Ocean and loose themselves the Channell through which they run remaining the same and allwayes in those streames moving Or when as two intimate Friends of the same judgement and equally affectionate one to another meeting together after mutuall embraces fall into Discourses most kinde and pleasing one with another So the foresaid meeting of the Soule with God begets conference and holy Talk with God in Prayer It was not therefore thought sufficient by John the Baptist to have procured followers of his Doctrine nor attenders of his Person nor by Christ to have chosen his Apostles who should be allwayes neer him by profession unlesse he taught them to pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. For Filiation or Adoption whereby we have God for our Father sufficeth not without he be our heavenly Father and under that notion use Invocation of him and holy Communication with him by the Ascent of the heart to him in Prayer 2. And Prayer being of a very comprehensive nature may be considered in its Habit which is a generall and constant disposition of the minde to God of which sort we may understand Saint Paul to speake 1 Thessalonians 5. 17. Ephes 6. 18. Pray allwayes and Pray without ceasing by alienating the Affections from earthly things and raising and continuing the same to and with God. That so when ever God by any tacite suggestion shall say to the Soule Seek ye my face an Answer and Act may allwayes be in readinesse saying Thy face Lord will I seek For actuall Prayer is the exercise of that generall disposition men have toward God and differs no more from that than the Fire covered and the Fire kindled which latter when it ceases leaves new Coals apt to a repetition of the like flames And thus ascending unto God and for the time abiding with him we are estranged from terrestriall businesses and cogitations From which consideration a tolerable reason may be given why divers praying together in the conclusion are wont to salute one another as newly met For this we are wont to doe after a far Journey taken and a returne so having been as far as Heaven it selfe in Prayer and wholly as we ought at least estranged from things below we returning take Acquaintance with our Friends and Brethren Or perhaps having been so united to God as in such cases becomes us the Center of all Christian Charitie whereby we meet alltogether we testifie our Christian Affection thereby encreased with affectionate Salutations outward 3. But this is perfourmed as well that is as really though not so edifyingly in single addresses as in Society when a man makes known unto God that which would not be so proper to have published to others of which we may speake by and by For though for dayly and common Sacrifice Gods House and Altar is the most convenient place yet we may observe that those extraordinarie Revelations and Visions reported in Auncient and inferiour Histories to be made to the eminent Servants of God have been obtained chiefly in private retirements from the Noise and Dust of the World. Elias was so visited by God in the cleft of a Rock and Moses in the wide Wildernesse alone when God gave him the signall of his Presence by the Fire in the Bush And David counsells to enter into a mans own heart and commune with that in his Chamber as an excellent expedient to draw God to a friendly conference with him an appearance to him answerable to his exigence Exceeding
capable and many times sensible is the minde so erected to God separated from businesses of the world of the sweetnesse of abstractions of that nature And the Trances of Daniel Peter and most probably of Paul befell them in such retirements without the concurrence of a Congregation or the Mediation though not Ministration of Holy Spirits which we never read in Scripture to be Intercessours in any kinde to God in behalfe of the Saints here labouring but onely Ministers and Delegates of God to perfourme his pleasure to such as so wait for him and call upon him And as for Saints in Heaven we never so much as read in Holy Scripture that they were sent at any time by God to minister unto his Servants here on Earth as Angells have been neither are we directed by the Word of God to have any communication with them visible or sensible It must needs therefore be a third Oeconomie of God as yet unrevealed besides that of Moses or Christ which assignes us new intermediate Objects or Vehicles of our Prayers to God no wayes made known by God but devised by humane ratiocinations intruding into things not seen and founded on presumptions not known nor demonstrable but by such instances and examples of miraculous Apparitions which may more than suffice to turne the stomach from swallowing them 4. But presumption it is not to goe directly in Scripturall Road prescribed us to Allmighty God but to goe out of it neither is it modesty but rather a double impudence to alter the course of our Devotion to God in importuning them to sollicite for us who never gave us the least intimation or encouragement so to doe and in not following the direct Precept given by Christ as our Great Mediatour and by God himselfe as our heavenly Lord and Father Whence doth it appear that God is of more difficult accesse since the coming of Christ than he was before Or when and how became the priviledges of Gods faithfull Children under Christ inferiour to them under Moses Did the souls of the faithfull then make immediate approaches unto God and claspe him and may we not or in trueth ought we not much rather so to doe as well for the glorie of God some of which must needs fall short of God and stick to the hands that should so offer our worship to God and that whether those holy Spirits will or not we failing in the puritie of our intention and modestie and innocencie of our expressions so applying our selves as allso for our comfort and satisfaction which must needs be more full the more immediate and strict our conjunction is with God our fellowship as Saint John tells us being with the Father and the Son and that surely will bear us out in all immediate approaches to God but scarce allow application to others which are onely commendable where the bond of civill Charitie in this life the ground of the exercise of spirituall Offices to one another is not dissolved as it is when we are separated by Death So that we can onely in Christ exclusively come with that boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him as the Apostle speakes Ephes 3. 12. but with suspicions fears and doubtings untill customarinesse hath blinded the minde so far that it cannot see afar off And then if it fares with us as it happens to poor Suppliants suing to an earthly King surrounded with his Guards and Nobles that they cannot come at his Majestie no wonder unlesse it could appear that it was any ones appointed Office or Office of all to be Masters of request to God on our behalfe SECT VI. Of the defects incident to the Act of Prayer and their Remedies 1. AS there are Guards of Princes whose Office it is to push off with Pikes and Staffs such as would presse into their presence so Evill Spirits are allwayes at hand making it their Office to hinder devout Soules coming to God by their temptations and obstructions and either by wholly putting us off that we approach not at all or by pulling us off engaged so that we cease in spirit when we proceede in words and outward appearance so that we may be said to draw nigh unto him with our Lips while our Hearts are far from him a thing much disallowed by God yet not in all alike For the spirit and minde of Man are naturally fickle light vain various musing on many things and Dinah-like gadding abroad to see the Daughters of the Land and visiting strange Objects while they should keep home and minde their Fathers businesse And of the heart it may be said what was said of Ruben Vnstable as waters thou shalt not excell For what powerfullnesse may be expected in that Prayer which is prepared for God and designed but falls short of him as an Arrow shot from an unbent or halfe broken Bow. And how unreasonable as well as unlikely is it that God should heare us when we scarce heare our selves For as when the outward Eye seemes to be fixed stedfastly on an Object the minde in the mean time carried strongly after another Object doth not see what is before it many times so though in appearance outward a man seems wholly bent to Godward yet his heart being drawn off him to private Objects which it more phansies he speaketh in Prayer not to God but to men or the open Air. And it must needs be no small derogation from the greatnesse of God to be thus mocked by the world catching up that by the way which is passing towards him and the Sacrifice maimed or blemished by the fingring of Evill Spirits which was devoted wholly to God and at the same time that we have warme affections towards the world to set cold Meat before God. So that in this manner supinely and slothfully to request any thing at Gods hands must needs be a provocation to God to denie us rather than to gratifie us It is little better than an Idoll which is set up in the heart which drawes the current of Devotion to it selfe intended for God and such God threatens in Ezechiel to answere by himselfe but not in Mercie but in Justice And it was the opinion of an Auncient and devout Scholar in the School of Christ that if God should judge a man for no other thing but his wandring and vain thoughts in praying to him he were not able to stand before him 2. This in trueth is the Law of Prayer and this is the end of praying that we should have and keep our mindes erected unto God and to attain this should be the endeavour of all good Christians But if not onely God should be so extreme to mark what is thus done amisse but man should be so rigorous to himselfe to judge himselfe according to his demerits he might fear and despair to undertake this sacred Dutie For who can say on this side of Heaven I am clean from this common Contagion So vigilant and active is
the action in hand 9. Lastly A certain revenge upon a man and a conscience towards God for defrauding him of his due service and himselfe of the benefit of Prayer by vain Aberrations may be usefull here which is this That upon a sense of such strayings in his thoughts in time of Prayer he punishes his Carnall part desireing to be at liberty by going over again with that which he once perfourmed so negligently For hereby allso having so resolved to doe he shall be revenged of the Tempter and cause him to be lesse busie in molesting him afterward finding such evill successe in his wiles and so good effect of a bad Cause SECT VII Of the due use of Publique and Private Prayer 1. WHerefore think we did God build the spacious and beautifull Temple of this World this Universe which we behold and admire but to make known the glorie of his Majestie and that it being known by us should affect us with proportionable zeale to celebrate his Prayse all the wayes he hath taught us and all that we can devise not repugnant to his own prescriptions They therefore that would shrink up all Devotions into an House of their own nay peradventure into their own brest and a narrow dark corner of the heart judging that alltogether sufficient doe in a manner implicitely lay a slight upon the Creation of the World by God as superfluous seeing be might have been as great and glorious in himselfe without that But the same Spirit if not Person that said Psalm 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in mine heart said allso Psalm 40. 10. I have not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart I have declared thy faithfullnesse and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindenesse and thy trueth from the great Congregation intimating unto us that the stock of Grace inwardly must not be kept so as it were under Lock and Key as not to appear publiquely to the use and service of him to whome as Money bearing his Image and superscription it properly belongeth The House of God so called because it is devoted to his service is undoubtedly the most proper place of his Worship that being like the Treasurie-Chamber of Kings and great Princes into which all Duties are to be paid and out of which all undue favours are to be dispensed And therefore surely as greater glory is given to God by publique than by private Worship so greater Blessings may be from thence expected And though common Prayers wherein many agree to glorifie God in private places is to be preferred before single Devotion the same service in Gods House as more publique and exemplarie must needs be more acceptable than that of private Places Christ said indeed to confound Hypocrites seeking praise of men When thou prayest enter into thy Closset and shut thy Door c. never intending to confine men to their Chambers in praying but to cut off ostentation in Prayer which yet may be avoided in publique Prayers The Devill therefore envying the glory of God and the edification of Christians in faith towards God and Charitie to one another and a more powerfull accesse to God and a more prosperous successe of publique Prayers there offered must needs have a Finger in that sacrilegious doctrine of detracting from the honour and efficacie of publique Prayers in matching private with it 2. They say God is in all places that he is They say God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands They say God can hear us in all places at home as well as at Church and in Private as well as in Publique And in saying this and the like they say they know not what For doth God dwell in Clossets or Halls or Parlours or Kitchins and doth he not dwell in Temples made with hands Is it not said expressely of the Temple that it is the place where his Honour dwells Psalm 26. 8. Psalm 29. 9. And are not there expresse Promises fixed there above other places If it be said Those things were Jewish Let them tell me if they were not Gentile allso if among all Nations civiliz'd and professing Religion and among all Christians so soon as they were able and permitted to have Publique places they carried not their Sacrifices to them to be tender'd to God and shall private senses of ignorant persons in the Scriptures presumed upon without knowledge or ground preponderate all these And hereunto not to repeat here what hath elsewhere been more fully discussed we may adde the Mock which is too often put upon God and Religion by this Opinion so that very often God is not worshipped at all in Private by divers who plead for such private Worship which is securely passed over uncensur'd because no man can witnesse to the contrary But I may say safely no men generally make a greater Conscience of worshipping in their proper seasons in Private than they who most frequent the Publique worship For Private worship was onely intended for an Auxiliarie and supplie of what we could not perfourme publiquely which I can scarce think God will accept of when it is grounded upon such a false foundation as making Private equall to Common Prayer joyntly with others or to such publique Prayer which in Gods House is by private and single Persons made to God agreeable to the Primitive practice of Christians so early as they had such places to pray in and never laid down but where an unluckie and precipitant zeal against a scandalous Religion hurried men forward to divers unwarrantable alterations in Religion not in one Church nor one Age received and practised 3. And against this makes nothing what Saint Paul saith 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands but teaches how we should pray where-ever and when-ever we pray that is Lifting up holy hands And that we should rather pray any where than no where but not excluding Prerogatives of some places above others They write of Lombard that being reproached by the Devill for praying in an House of Office an unseemly place for so holy an Action as a man may think he answered him Here and any where else I may pray unto my God which is most true in some cases but 't is not true therefore that one place is not better than another to pray in or that all are alike to God in all respects saving that of accommodation for Companie to meet in But necessitie may consecrate any Place and affected choice of privacie when circumstances require publique and open worship may desecrate or unhallow any Room making it unfit to serve God and the worship it selfe unpleasing to God So that to me it is not easie to resolve whether the moderner way so much applauded by some of constancie of Family-meetings in Prayers to the keeping the Church vacant and the Doors shut at all times allmost but when a man scarce dares stay away have not robbed God of more glorie and worship than they have given
him the exception lying onely good where there can be no accesse to the publique Place 4. But I know not what vitious and very blameable modesty hath possessed so many of late dayes as to be affraid to be seen or taken praying and sundry devout Persons are startled and shrink to be seen unawares at their Prayers in Gods House it selfe which is the House of Prayer unlesse when the Bells publish the dutie at hand and an Assembly is made professedly and so likewise at their domestick and separate Devotion as if they were taken in a fault or some Crime whereof a man should be ashamed and affraid some men being more abashed seen to doe well than others are taken in an evill Action This cannot be well thought of by God whose service a man is then engaged in and cannot but be an infirmitie in men praying For though a man is not hypocritically and with no better designe than to be noted and praised by men to expose studiously himselfe to the view of others while he prayes he is no lesse obliged not to forbear what place and time and just occasion require at his hands or otherwise may be expedient because people see him For God sayes Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven and the manifestation of our Adoration and service is likewise a manifestation of his honour and glorie And if at length we could recover and bring into Reputation such lost good Actions as publique Prayer in private Persons Religion would be more renowned and many more than now doe would allso fall down and say God is in you of a trueth and so be excited to the same good work or worship in use 5. But a known time of Gods Worship being assigned a sound entire tryed approved Sacrifice and reasonable service of God being appointed for Confession Humiliation Supplications Petitions Deprecations Intercessions Thanksgivings and Benedictions as Saint Paul directeth 1 Tim. 2. 1. with sobrietie or good Conscience to contemne these either ignorantly or presumptuously and to foist in private Inventions scarce so good as humane all things considered what amounts this to but a despising of Christ himselfe and a provocation of God to cast the officious zeal of such as dung upon their own faces For how can it be supposed that God should be pleased with that Oblation obtruded upon him and others without Autoritie which is often put up without Faith and never with Charitie or Humilitie convenient But if our Prayers themselves offend how should we hope for pardon of our offences by them That therefore they should have favourable accesse to God is necessarie they should be dulie qualified themselves and that such as these Conditions here onely to be named be found in them 1. That we pray in Faith that God is and that he is a rewarder of all that call upon him 2. That we pray in trueth without any hereticall or erroneous Dogmes or corrupt Opinions of God of his Word or holy Worship 3. Praying in puritie of intention seeking even when our Prayers consist of spirituall or temporall benefits to our selvles primarily the glorie and good will of God. 4. In Puritie or holinesse of hands that is innocencie of life as David when he said I will wash my hands in innocencie and so will I goe to thine Altar or at least a dislike of our guilt and contaminations making them part of our humiliation and supplications to God. 5. In Charitie towards others so far as Justice and Pietie will permitt And lastly In zeal to Gods service and to our own Soules in so praying which is that lifting up the Soule we so much speak of here and leaving it with him to preserve to his greater service and glorie and our immortall happinesse SECT VIII Of the severall sorts of Prayer viz. Sensible Mentall Supramentall Extemporarie Formed and fixed as allso Singing of Psalmes 1. NOw because there are usually distinguished severall kinds of Prayer to God as well according to the matter as manner of putting up our requests to him all concurring in this one thing that the minde and heart should be thereby united to God and fixed it will not be amisse to glance at the principall in this second order having touched the former from the Apostles words 1 Tim. 2. 1. All which relate to the matter of Prayer and may be perfourmed in any one of those which great Artists have cast into this threefold Prayer viz. Sensible Mentall and Supramentall Sensible they make that which is common to all Christians praying to God in a vocall sensible manner to themselves and others Mentall they would have that called which is contemplative and whereby the minde is throughly directed to God not without affection For if the Understanding onely be erected and directed to God it can scarce deserve the name of Prayer to God as Philosophizing about him therefore it is necessarie that affectionatenesse and adherence to God by love which are acts of the will allso should be found in all due Prayer yea in all Treaters of the nature and use of Prayer otherwise acute and learned men may prescribe better than teach or affect A manifest Example we have in the two great Chieftains amongst Schoolmen Thomas the Angelicall and Bonaventure the Seraphicall Doctour as they call them Both which have in their Opuscula written Treatises of the Love of God. In which the former keeping closer than in such a Subject is expedient to Scholasticall Methods and termes of writing hath left but a dry Monument and insipide to a spirituall Palate of his gift in that kinde whereas Bonaventure speaking out of the abundance of the heart and affection as the Subject required rather than by the rule of humane disquisitions hath much more divinely commendably and profitably as to practice treated thereof And spirituall Doctrine and devotion towards God seem much to resemble the Notion we generally have of the nature of Spirits in themselves which they say consisteth in not being circumscribed by limits as our Bodies are but indefinite and diffusive very much like to the bodie of the Air in which we are inclosed which is capable of any figure but determined to none In like manner Spirituall Prayer and the gifts God bestoweth upon the Soule are not to be limited by the lineaments and parts of humane Methods which as it were fetters the Spirit from expatiating according to its pleasure which like the Winde bloweth and breatheth and leadeth as it listeth and is in very deed as Phanatiques terme it stinted and obstructed by the Arts of Men modelling their Devotion and not subject rather to it and following rather than going before its dictates and impulses For however I finde many Commentatours ingeniously enough and acutely methodizing holy Scripture and Analyzing it so as if it had been the very intent and designe of the Holy Spirit therein to speak Logically and