deuotion of the irreligious rich and the religious poore man Chap. VI. The force of liuely faith and how hard a thing it is truly to apprehend the mysterie of Christ and how easie historically to discourse thereof Chap. VII Naturall Fathers cannot beget children good or euill of their owne wils But they that are begotten a new of God are only good and like vnto God before whom the vnregenerate howsoeuer seeming holy are hipocrites Chap. VIII Carnall wisedome hath not cheife place of counsell in the regenerate man hee depends on God and not on the meanes in any enterprise Chap. IX It is a dangerous thing to pray vnto God vnprepared but most safe and sweet vpon diuine premeditation arising of grace not of nature Chap. X. WheÌ„ce al our transgressions do proceed and the reason why we cannot pray aright and the meanes to reforme it Chap. XI The neglect of the communicating with God in Prayer is the cause that many runne headlong to their owne ruine seeking what they need in a wrong course not feeling their owne spirituall wants Chap. XII Murtherous hearts hautines and pride may lurke vnder the habit of outward humblenesse Chap. XIII Euery faithfull Christian findeth comfort in prayer the neglect whereof admits manie euils Chap. XIIII The most happiest men in the World are they that most often communicate with God in Prayer and not the most glorious worldly man whose miserie is to come and what consolation remaineth for the godly Chap. XV. True contentment not gotten by nature but by grace which produceth prayer the only meane to obtaine all good Chap. XVI God being wisedome it selfe knoweth how to deale with vs for our best aduantage and his owne glorie which ahoue all thinges wee must respect in all our prayers Chap. XVII Three principall motiues to stirre vp men to pray wherof the chiefest is necessitie Chap. XVIII The force of faith what it is and the effects of it how dangerous a thing it is to faint Chap. XIX Some among many preuaile by their faithfull prayers for the rest And how God turneth the prayers of his to the best though hee grant not what they desire And how foolishly carnall men reason against Gods prouidence Chap. XX. The naturall man misconceiueth of true happinesse whereby hee runneth into manie absurdities by the suggestion of Sathan Chap. XXI Englands manie blessings and deliueries are not so duly considered nor so thankfully imbraced as they ought being too much ascribed to humane and carnal meanes which breedeth ingratitude and securitie Chap. XXII The Church of Christ militant and Sathans Church malignant seeke the ouerthrow one of the other but by contrarie meanes And that all Christians are to pray for the defence of the first without which it is to bee feared it may suffer violence Chap. XXIII The death of the late Prince is not lightly to be forgotten Nor our generall praiers for his Maiestie Royall issue to be neglected publikely and in priuate For praier auaileth much being feruent Chap. XXIV Deuotion lately â—ote is now become more cold which may presage some consequent danger But the practise of the word and prayer preuaileth with God The neglect whereof maketh men senselesse of sinne Chap. XXV Beasts foreseeing flie danger more then some reasonable men besetted with securitâ—e and the pleasures of this life Chap. XXVI If Gods word cannot awake vs he will send his rod to correct vs and nothing can appease him but our humiliation and prayer and not the glorie of our vaine glorious pride Chap. XXVII The bringing in of true religion was of great difficultie effected by God by his instruments Wee must bee warie lest wee neglect it and so loose it againe Chap. XXVIII God loueth vs not more then the Turkes and Pagans if wee liue like Turkes and Pagans Our manifold Idoll-Gods The Carnall mans Sophistrie The long vse of the word hath made vs much weary of the word Nothing can preuent danger but repentaÌ„ce praier Chap. XXIX We ought to pray aswell for our neighbors as for our selues the vse of prayer is twofold publique and priuate Meditation inkindleth prayer Chap. XXX How when and where priuate prayers are to be made An erronious conceit of priuate prayer What sweetnesse priuate prayer brings to the soule Chap. XXXI The helpes and hinderances of prayer how Sathan striueth to hinder prayer For nothing woundeth him as faithfull prayer in the name of Christ. Wee must bee watchfull and strong to resist him Chap. XXXII The presence of God himselfe is promised in publike praier how he is present which the carnall man apprehendeth not the discontinuance of prayer publique or priuat dangerous Chap. XXXIII Priuat prayer in som respects at som times more comfortable to a priuate man then publique The neglect of publique praier in priuat families condemned for where God is not there Sathan is serued Chap. XXXIIII The true vse of the Lords Prayer about which friuolous questions haue risen It is the rule of all other prayers and euery petition ful of high matter of instruction Chap. XXXV The summe of the lords prayer briefly explained Chap. XXXVI Praier much increaseth diuine knowledge whereby men of meane carnall learning exceede many literate Doctors Chap. XXXVII Although no man by nature knoweth how to pray none is to despaire for the word heard and prayer vsed teacheth it and increaseth the knowledge of it A LOADSTAR TO SPIRITVAL LIFE CHAP. I. The neglect of prayer Prayer in an vnknowen language Praier without cordial deuotion condemned with a comparison between spiritual and bare verbal prayer OF all the neglects of mens spiritual duties vnder the Sun none is more to be condemmed then the little regard of and the small delight men haue in diuine prayer And yet an excercise of that comfort to the conscience and so profitable to soule and body as it passeth in sweetnesse all other exercises pleasures and delights of the minde as farre as Gold excelleth durt and the most valuable pretious Iewel the dung of the field The Sunne excelleth not in brightnesse the blackest and darkest night as doth true faithfull and cordial praier truly performed exceed the best contentments that proceede from earthly and carnal delights Faithfull prayer truly performed is al things to the faithfully-praying It is the sweetest and most valuable Iewell that the most godly heart can possesse It worketh assurance to obtain euery good thing and to preuent euery euill It giueth peace to the conscience and vndergoeth all crosses with sweetest alacrity It is as a preuayling watch-man that doth not onely discouer but preuenteth or causeth a man patiently to vndergoe all afflictions incident to the faithfull man And yet an exercise as farre vnknowen to many euen to such as pretend to be very deuout as is one mans thought vnknowen to another Many boast of their quotidian set deuotions as the Pharisie did and yet pray neither in the spirit nor with vnderstanding but of a kinde of
prepensed custome vsing onely the Lords Prayer the Beliefe and the Salutation of the blessed Virgin and otherset prayers in an vnknowen language with so many superfluous iterations and needlesse repetitions as the heart busied with retayning the number of the prayers seldome or neuer apprehendeth what the mouth vttereth neither truly vnderstand they what they speake praying in a language they know not And so turne their deuotions into sinne being made without vnderstanding and consequently not of faith Moreouer they vse in their prayers a kind of humblenesse which God requireth not superstitiosly pretending the auoyding of presumption in going immediately to God and therefore they came to God in the name of strange mediatours namely to the blessed Virgin to Angels and to Saints departed prying them by their merits to intercede for them to Christ that he may pray to his father for them What a needlesse circumstance is this Hath not Christ our Sauior louingly willed vs to come immediatly and freely to him who is the sole and onely mediatour vnto God our heauenly Father for all that faithfully and immediatly come vnto him There is none in and by whom we can be saued releiued or defended but in and by the man Christ Iesus He willeth vs not to vse that kind of humblenesse which should imply pride or any breach of promise in himselfe as it followes if wee think it too much presumption to come immediatly to him but first to goe and to pray vnto his blessed Mother Angel or Saints as if he himself were of the cōceit and humour of earthly Princes It is far from him his children may freely come to him he disdayneth them not for their basenes and therefore desireth not to bee sued vnto by more glorious persons whom they pretend he loueth better But this doth argue that we thinke He will not bee as good as his wrod where he saies Come vnto me all yee that are heauy laden and I will refresh you Which is to make God a Iyer and Christ to haue died in vaine Hee saith not come to me by the meanes of my blessed Mother holy Saints or Angels And therfore this is but a forged humblenesse and a falselie coyned meane to come to Christ but faith onely is the meane to assure vs that hee is our onely Aduocate to the father to whom wee come by Christ only and alone That praier that men make to God in the name of any besides Christ is not only no prayer but a meere derogation of the principal part of his office of being our only Mediatour Moreouer to goe to any besides Christ argueth a doubt that either he cannot or wil not be as good as his promise where he saith Whatsoeuer ye aske my father in my name shall be giuen you These kinds of prayers are grounded vpon a zeale without knowledge and consequently without faith and so become sinne vnto them that thus superstitiously pray And I can not but confesse also that the most religious praiers that godliest men haue made nay the very praier that Christ himselfe hath taught vs although most hard in it selfe may become vnprofitable vnto them by proceeding from an vnbeleeuing vnfeeling or vnreformed heart or proceeding onely from the lippes passing from the mouth into the Ayre and vanishing with the soud Such prayers as they proceede from vnbeleeuing hearts are like vnto Cayns offering howsoeuer foolishly accounted deuotion these are but the sacrifices of fooles who would be seene to offer acceptable incensce and behold hypocrisie they would seeme to glorifie God and behold blasphemy There is a kinde of prayer which God requireth and accepteth and is onely proper to the truly godlie And that is made somtimes in words sometimes by sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed and sometimes in silence without vttering any sound yet all very auailable with God who seeing and serching the heart knoweth what we inwardly desire and seeth wherof we haue need And these secret and silent prayers proceeding from a faithfull heart are far more effectuall then the verball praiers which the vnbeleeuer may vse with the like words as the godly do and to the same seeming ends And yet the same prayer is not to them both the selfe same praier the one hauing but the shadow the other the substance the one praying but with the lippes the heart estranged the other with the spirit and vnderstanding Therefore is the one of no force and the other truly effectuall These two kindes of prayers may be resembled vnto two pieces of Ordnance whereof the one is charged with powder onely The other with powder and a bullet Eyther of them takes fire a like and that which hath no bullet giues as great an outward and audible report as the other But the first batters not as doth the second although they seeme to ayme both at one mark So hee that hath not vnderstanding and faith may haue the like fire of necessity to enkindle the powder of desire but can neuer perse the cloudes the throne of grace with the bullet of liuely faith though the tongue thunder out as loud and clamorous acclamations as the other yet the other carries with it both powder and bullet both voice of the tongue and deuotion of the heart powerfully to worke the intended effect with God And the force of the other perisheth with the sound CHAP. II. It is vaine to vse many words in Prayer without spirituall feeling and great arrogancy to presse into the presence of God without premeditation with a definition of prayer HE that duly and with true vnder-standing considereth the force and effect of faithfull prayer and how vaine and vnprofitable it is to powre forth a multitude of words without spirituall feeling of his owne necessities As the causes mouing him to pray the matter wherefore hee praieth the parties to whom and in whom hee prayeth and with what zeale and affection he praieth without◠consideration of these hee may feare to presse into Gods presence presuming without premeditation deliberation holy preparation to approch the maiesty of God Wee shame to approch a King or great personage without recounting before hand how to behaue our selues as touching our gestures and how to place our speech to be seene formall in all the circumstances of our behauiour fearing least we should be obserued vnciuill rash or defectiue in our cariage How dare wee then thrust our selues abruptly into the presence of the King of kings without diuine preparation◠Our words and gestures must be agreeable to a holy and sanctified affection our hearts must be humble otherwise wee cannot come as petitioners but rather as insolent and proud vsurpers although our words seeme neuer so milde For if the heartfrom whence ought to proceed our requests be not truely humbled and rightly qualified God will neuer haue respect vnto our prayers And therefore if wee duly consider That Prayer is an humble request made vnto God in Christ with
him but also in punishing the wicked when they offend yet are these meanes onely of and by God working not as man willeth but as God foreseeth fit for the good of the one punishment of the other God vsed clay to cleere the eies of the blinde man if the blinde man had yeelded the thanks to the clay as the cause of his sight though hee had likewise giuen praise vnto God hee had robbed God of his right For to allow vnto God a fellow-helper were to argue him of himselfe insufficient as som most fearfully belch forth a most superstitious praier saying God and our Lady do this or that or preuent this or that whereby they eyther make God no God or a God not absolute in power nor without a cooperator complete which cannot bee but most horrible blasphemie I hereby yet inferre not that it is vnlawfull to giue reuerence vnto the means which God vseth for our good as Dauid did to Ionathan yet no further but as to the instruments without which God might haue effected his worke eyther by other meanes or without any meanes nay against means as not tied to any secondary meanes of necessitie Hezekiah being healed with a cluster of figges did not perswade himself that nothing else could haue done the cure but that whatsoeuer God had made the mediate cause howsoeuer contrarie to the opinion that man might haue of the thing it would haue wrought the same effect For he is able by weakest means to performe the greatest worke as it appeared by the ouerthrow of the wals of Iericho with the sound of Rams hornes And as he worketh by meanes so sometimes without meanes euen by his word as in healing the Cananitish woman and the Centurions seruant nay such is his absolute power as he worketh as familiarly and easily against meanes as in bringing water out of the hard drie Rocke making the waters to diuide as the red Sea and Iordan in making the Sunne to stand still in Gâ—beon and the Moon in the valley of Aialon at the prayer of Iosuah and causing the Sunne to goe backe in his sphere contrarie to and against his naturall motion at the prayer of Hezekiah The holy Scriptures are full of such sweete examples of the absolute power of God who to effect them requires necessarily no other human meanes but faithfull praierâ— not the praier which passeth onely the lips the affections of the heart being extrauagant but that prayer which proceedeth from the sanctified soule well and rightly tuned in all her faculties the vnderstanding thinking on nothing but on God the will onely louing him the memory coueting to retaine nothing but him the desire aspiring to no other happinesse but what he hath promised vs in his word In this maner were our holy fathers qualified and in this sweete consent of the affections poured they forth the concordant harmonious praiers that wrought these former most admirable supernaturall effects in altering the naturall course of those creatures which he himselfe set in the firmament neuer to be moued to the end of the world CHAP. IX It is a dangerous thing to pray vnto God vnprepared but most safe sweet vpon diuine premeditation arising of grace not of nature HOw can this but moue a kind of feare in men who presume to thrust themselues into the presence of God vttering praiers in wordes their vnderstandings being carried from God through the vanities of this life their wills beeing besorted with the loue of carnall things and their desires thirsting after worldly aduancements Are these mens prayers of force to cast downe holdes to alter the natural course of things or can they obtaine any thing at the handes of God but reproofe But men that are wise in Christ enlightned with the diuine spirit feele motiues in themselues of another kinde not staying below their affections set vpon the golden Calfe at the foot of mount Sinai but they aâ—cend vp in their harts to the holy mount of Grace and there conuerse they familiarly with the true God leauing the flesh pots the Onyons and Gourds of Egypt and feede on the heauenly Manna Angels bread the bread of life whereby they becom so rapt vp from earth and earthly things as they haue their conuersations alreadie in the heauens by their heauenly communication with God in their spirits Their prayers sweet conference with God for the time ended they then returne to the performance of their lawfull affaires and therein walke as it were with God liuing so sincerely with and among men in the feare and loue of God as if they were in the reall presence of God To this degree of perfection none can attaine by his naturall vnderstanding or will but by the administration of the spirit of God only who teaches vs how to pray God commaundeth all men to pray and yet giueth not all men the gift of true praier and therefore euerie man is bound to aske of God power to aske although it may seem strange to a carnall man to aske power to performe the selfe-same thing that hee performeth in asking But it is to be considered that there is a verball and lip-kind of asking and there is a cordiall heartie praying and he that doeth it not from the heart may vtter it with the lippes and in words may seeme to pray and yet the heart remaine estranged and full of rancor and euill affections But such is the force of â—iuely faith that it cannot conceale it selfe for if it bee in the heart it will shew it selfe in the efficacie of prayer which praier onely hath the promise to obtaine beeing made in the name of Christ to God hath the promise to be granted for his sake by God For in Christ are the promises made vnto vs both of spirituall and corporall blessings and in him and by him sealed vnto vs and confirmed so as there is no cause of doubting left vnto the faithfully asking alwayes prouided that he ask not the thing the graunting whereof is not warranted in the word of God that hath made vs a generall warrant of granting whatsoeuer wee aske with restriction yet that it bee agreeable to his wil which also includeth all things that he seeth best for vs to receiue For such is the wisedome prouidence and loue of God towards vs that like a father he will not giue vnto his children a Scorpion in stead of Fish he will not giue them hurtfull things instead of helpfull And therfore it behoueth vs to inform our selues by his word what is consonant and what dissonant to his will that we may auoide to aske forbidden things with boldnes aske things lawfull In the prayer which Christ taught vs we pray Thy will be done wee must not therefore wilfully attempt to aske much lesse to do any known thing to the contrarie But such is our corruption as howsoeuer we seem willing that the will of God should be done we yet retaine a
inflamed by the holy spirit of Christ and powerfully vttered priuatly vnto God in Christ whether in silence in sighes or words cannot be expressed to the capacity of a carnall man and therefore it may seem that priuat praiers in priuat cases somtimes work more effectually to the comfort of the soule then the publik But in cases more generall when the more faithfull soules conioyne in effectuall prayer so much the more auaileable is their prayer with God Fathers of children and Masters of families who content themselues onely with a bare seruâ—ng of God in shew once in the week on the Sabbath day are to bee reproued who seem to hold it a needlesse and superfluous worke to trouble themselues their families morning or euening in prayer and exhortation to the feare of God and dehorting them from sin which times they haue assigned in their opinions to more profitable vses both for themselues their seruants forgetting or not vnderstanding that in euery Christian family eyther God or Sathan is serued Christ or Belial obeyed sanctity or sinne embraced For there is no priuat person but is or holdeth of one of these coÌ„sequently no societie but partaketh of the fruits arising of good or euill If then either priuat man or publike assembly be it prouinciall parochiall or domesticall do forget this most high dutie of seruing the liuing God it followeth of necessitie that a contrary power hath there the command and nothing more discouereth to which any of the former lend their obedience then the fruits that eyther of them produceth if carnall effects as louing the world the pleasures of the flesh and the vanities of this life it argueth that priuat man or that society to be profane If it were sufficient to serue God on the sabbath what needed the Apostle to aduise vs to pray coÌ„tinually and the commandement of Christ Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation to loue righteousnesse and to slie sinne How doe they awakeâ—or watch that slumber from Saboth to Saboth Are they not all that time in darknesse not vsing the duties of the light Christ is the light in whome whosoeuer liueth not hee is in darknesse And hee that hath but one day of light in seuen How great is his darknesse It is true this day the Saboth was set apart by God that in it men should imploy themselues to serue and to glorifie him And in that day they shuld not only not doe but also not thinke of anie Worldly affaires But are not some so far from celebrating the name and seruice of God that day as they prophane it aboue all other dayes doe they not turne the glorie of God into wantonnes to banquetting dicing dauncing drunkennesse gluttonie and to what sinne not This commonly is the day that many appoint for merrie companie to laugh and to be jouiall as they call it without meane or modestie And yet this day is sufficiently kept holy as they thinke if they spend an houre in the fore part of the day and halfe an houre in the after-noone in the Church though all the rest be consumed in most lasciuious vanities and carnall occasions How can this discharge the duty of a Christian that hath no care to serue God any other day in the weeke Doe we not credit the premonition of the Apostle Saint Peter that the end of all thinges is at hand And how follow wee his counsell namely to bee sober watching in prayer To whom speaketh the Apostle this to his Countrimen the Iewes only no euen to vs that are come as it were to the Worlds period And therefore high time it is for vs to looke vp to watch pray to liue religiously and soberly least that the Master of this great family come suddenly and find vs buffeting one another blaspheming swaggering drunken faithlesse insolent couetous and few or none doing the seruice of our Master It wil bee a dreadfull sight to see him come with his iron rod in his hand to crush his enemies in peeces The salt of the earth hauing lost it saltnesse shall bee cast to the dung-hill The Tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast in the fire The Magistrates saltnesse is profession of the Gospell and the execution of Iustice. The saltnesse of the Minister is the true preaching of the word and example of godly life The saltnesse of Fathers is their sincere conuersation before their children and the educating them in the feare of God and holy life The saltnesse of Masters of Families is to liue honestly religiously aud gouerning their charge in the feare of God And vnder these four estates of men are all conditions comprehended subiects vnder Kings children vnder fathers and young men vnder tutors and gouernours Euery of these in their places of superioritie and inferioritie haue their seuerall duties and all vnder one God whome they ought all to obey Superiours in rightly commanding and inferiors in duly obeying Neyther of these duties can bee rightly performed without knowledg of the wil of God by his word This knowledge is not perfect without practise This practise is imperfect without faith And faith is known by the fruits the chiefe whereof is loue And this loue most shineth and sheweth it selfe in doing good to all but especially to them of the family of faith The greatest good that can bee done to the Church of God is Prayer And therefore Saint Paul willeth to pray continually not for our selues onely but for Kinges al the members of Christs mysticall bodie Kings and Magistrates ought to imitate Dauid to accompanie the people to the house of the Lord Fathers and Masters ought to pray with and for their Children and Families not on the Saboth day only but with all perseuerance Some refer the duty of praier only to the Minister and thinke it a kinde of vsurpation of the Ministers office to pray for or with any but for himselfe contrarie to the precept of Saint Paul Who willeth that all men make prayers in all places heauing vp pure handes without strife or enuying vnto the Liuing God Where it appeares that vnder the word all Men Kings Princes Nobles and men of all degrees faculties and functions are comprehended and because they shall not thinke there is no place but the materiall temple he commands that dutie to bee performed in all places euen in euery particular house with caution that it bee done without strife and enuying free from vaine ostentation and desire of popular glorie CHAP. XXXIIII The true vse of the Lords Prayer about which friuolous questions haue risen It is the rule of all other prayers and euery petition ful of high matter of instruction THE most absolute praier and the most ordinarie which not only the Primitiue but the Moderne Christian Churches their members haue in vse is the Prayer that Christ taught his Disciples But wee must take heed wee doe not take this
Prayer into our mouths vnreuerently inconsideratly and without faith or feeling and without due conceiuing and rightly vnderstanding what euery Petition concerneth and importeth as some doe But wee must especially in priuate or publike Prayer vnto God and aboue all other vse this most heauenly Prayer with a sincere and truely sanctified zeale About the vse of this praier there hath beene of late a friuolous needlesse question raised by men of too precise an opinion who affirme it not necessarie to vse this praier in the bare words as Christ set it down A conceit without reason or religioÌ„ Others hold it verie sufficient of it selfe without eyther any other Prayer or enlarging the same according to the measure of the spirit that the man that praieth hath Which last opinion although more tollerable then the first I holde erronious For we know that the Apostles themselues the Disciples of Christ after they had learned this Prayer prayed often in other words albeit the Lords Prayer bee the rule and the sum of all other Prayers And so no doubt it is not only not vnlawfull but an especiall fruit and effect of faith to pray according to our occasions and to frame words as the Spirit of God shall giue vtterance who although we know not teacheth vs how to pray but this must alwaies be done according to the tenour of the Lords Prayer And therefore howsoeuer weake and imperfect our Prayers may seemâ—e to bee vnto our carnall part in respect of the phrase yet our spirits being directed by Gods Holy Spirit powreth forth Prayers truely vnderstood of him by whose spirit wee are enabled to pray And GOD granteth our requests according as hee seeth fit for vs. The vse of this Prayer of Prayers is farre more common then commonly rightly vnderstood For euery word therein implieth matter of great importance yet passeth the lips oftentimes before it come at much lesse before it bee truely digested in the heart and therefore witâ—ereth without fruit as plants without natural soile and van sheth in the aire euen with the sound Others in like sort like Parrots patter forth Pater noster c. know no more what the words import theÌ„ the senselesse Parrot And yet they thinke it a worke of great deuotion to tumble out a set number of such fruitlesse faithlesse prayers not vnderstood as were the time spent in cordiall and heartie prayers indeed could not be but much profitable Such are to be pitied and prayed for if they would but yeilde their eares to heare their hearts to vnderstand and indeuour to practise CHAP. XXXV The summe of the lords prayer briefly explained HOW many doe duly consider the efficacie of the word Our And yet it carrieth in it as it were the seale of our adoption in Christ for if God bee our Father then are we his children but by adoption If his children then are we to loâ—â— and obey our faâ—â—er If we obey him we acknowledge his Commaundements iust who hauing commanded vs to loue our brethren how can we come vnto our Heauenly father but bee put in mind by this word Our that our brethren haue also an interest in oâ—r Prayers whom if we forget we cannot but acknowledge that wee also forget who is our Father Againe how can children loue their father and not hate what he loueth not If wee loue what hee misliketh as the workes of the flesh the vanities of the World and the pleasures which our Father hath forbidden how and with what face can wee come cal him Our Father Or beg any thing with hope to receiue it at his handes whom wee cannot but confesse wee rather flatter then feare or loue The wordes which art in heauen intimate vnto vs that we call not vpon any earthly Prince or mortall Monarch but vpon the inuisible and immortall God whose dwelling is in the Heauens at his hands only we seeke whatsoeuer we need both heauenly and earthly thinges And as hee our Father is in Heauen whome wee loue so should â—ur minds and cogitations mâ—unt vp aboue the earth vnto the heauens where our beloued sitteth in glorie And although we bee in bodie in the earth our soules in an earthly Tabernacle yet should that our spiritual part be euermore conuersant as it were with him in the heauens as children of our heauenly Father For hee that findeth not here in himselfe such spirituall motions as may assure him that hee in some measure partaketh of a kind of felt heauenly blessednesse shall neuer hereafter partake of our heauenly Fathers glorie And therefore as we are bold in Christ our elder brother to present our selues before his Maiestie rendring vnto him his owne namely the lesson that he himselfe taught vs let vs not come to him as Trewants nor able to yeeld a reason vnto our selues of euery branch of the lesson hee gaue vs to learne But let vs set it before the eyes of our vnderstandings eyther as a glâ—sse to see our ignorance and deformities or to make it a law vnto our selues to shape all our prayers to him and our conuersations thereby to Gâ—ds glorie and our owne internall comfort What a lesson doe these words Hallowed bee thy name teach vs what occasion may wee hereby take to reproue our selues for many with the â—lippâ—s pronounce Hallowed be thy name that thinke or doe nothing lesse profaning the name of God by their sinnes which they should seeke by all meanes to glorifie as by obedience to his lawes by louing him for his own sake by praying vnto him and beleeuing in him But contrarily we disobey his will wee loue not his word we beleeue not his promises wee seeme to pray vnto him with the lips our hearts farre from him Also wee pray that his Kingdome may come namely that his Word may worke and take effect in euery mans heart to the sauing of their soules And yet most of vs are as farre from regarding it as wee rather contemne it and resist it seeming as it were vnwilling that the Spirit of God should dwell and rule in our heartes as may appeare by our common disobedience vnto the Scepter of his Kingdome the Gospell of Christ. Wee pray likewise Thy will be done And yet we do nothing lesse then obey it We begge our daily bread at the hands of God And yet wee trust him not but rather our owne prouisions our wit and policies our friendes and carnall meanâ—s coueting to lay vp in store for many yeares as the rich man did mentioned in the Gospell Arguing thereby that wee thinke in our hearts that if our owne care in getting were no surer meane of prouision of our daily necessaries then the promise and prouidence of God wee should want manie thinges and not obtaine sufficient meanes to maintaine our estate leaue vnto our children merely contrarie to the counsell of Christ who willeth vs not to be ouer-carefull for tomorrow
corrupt affectioÌ„s and by truly and vnfeinedly repeâ—ting obtaine remission in the merits and mediation oâ— Iesus Christ the rightâ—ous who is a propitiation for ouâ— sinnes Giue vs grace Lord to dâ—aw neere vnto thee for thou hast promised to preserue the state of the righteous and all that forsake thee shal be coÌ„founded Be thou therfore our strong rocke wherunto we may alwaies resort Haue mercie vpon vs O L. haue mercie vpon vs giue vs helpe in trouble for â—ain is the helpe of man Giue vs a holy feare of thy great and glorious Name for great O Lord is thy goodnes which thou hast laide vp for them that feare thee Knit our hearts vnto thee through faith in loue that we may be of the number of them that shall partake of thy glorie with Christ that where thou art there we may bee to behold thy glorie Increase our faith open the eyes of our dimme and dull vnderstanding that wee may â—ee the wonderfull workes of thy mercies towards vs euen in the darknesse of our corporall liues when our naturall eyes shall bee shut vp with the feeblenesse of our bodies by sleepe thou sleepest not nor slumberest but waâ—chest ouer thine and sufferest no man to doe them violence thou preseruest them in thy prouidence thou defendest them vnder the shadow of thy wings not onely in their corporall employments and bodily labours but when they are in their deepest forgetfulnesse of their owne dangers and of weakest abilitie to helpe themselues in the deadnesse of sleepe Preserue vs Lord be watchfull ouer vs let thy holy Angels attend about our beddes let them be thy ministers of our safetie let not our sleepe be dangerous but comfortable vnto vs let not our delight be set on that sluggish ease and slothfull wallowing in our beds as breedeth diseases and corrupt humors But as sleepe is the fruite of our corrupt nature which without rest cannot continue so let vs vse it as matter of necessitie not of wantonnesse carnall contentment Saue vs from that curse of the wicked that we should wax worse and worse and that though wee haue liued long after the vanities of the flesh let vs not end in the same though we haue not as wee ought brought forth the fruits of the spirit let vs now begin to liue in him and our spirits be ruled directed salted and seasoned by thy holy and sanctifying spirit so though our mortall bodies sleepe our sanctified spirits may watch for the comming of the bridegroome that we be not found like the foolish Vâ—rgins with emptie and blind Lamps but prepared to meete the Lambe in the cloudes with ioy among the rest of thy Saints In the meane time keep vs we recommend our selues and all that we haue into thy gracious keeping in that thy deerest Sonne our Sauior Christ Iesus to whom with thee thy holy Spirit bee praise eternally Amen Our Father c. Lord increase our faith The neglect of true prayer much to be condemned 1. Cor. 14. 15. Prayer in an vnknowne tongue not onely not auayl-able but sinfull Mat. 6. 7. Needlesse humblenesse Zeale without knowledge The prayer which God accepteth The deffinition of prayer How the carnal man commeth vnto God and how and when he prayeth The confidence of worldly men a 1. Sam. 17. 51. b Exod. 14 11. c 2. King 19. 35. d 2. Sam. 17. 23. e Est 7. 9. f Dan. 4. 29. g Dan. 5. 6. The spirituall maÌ„ hath but one the carnall many Gods The carnall mans gods wither like Ionahs Gourd Sweet is the operation of faith in God God workes without humane meanes Great difference betweene the happines of the godly poore and wâ—cked rich Not to iudg of men by their states rich or poor 1. Cor. 4. 7. 8 True and false wisedome 1. Cor. 3. 9. Iob 5. 13. The hypocrite only deceiueth himselfe What rich man deserueth commendation and admiration Whâ— it is hard for a rich man to be saued The force of beleeuing God vpon his promise Euery man beleeueth not the mysterie of Christ. Who is truly adopted in Christ to be the childe of God and 〈◊〉 not Eph. 4. 22. What we ought to put on and cast off Carnall wisedome a hand-maide to diuine prudence To pray to God and to beleeue in meanes is spirituall adulteriâ— Esa. 2. 21. A curse on them that leaue God to depend on other meanes Ier. 17. 5. God works by meanes without against meanes How the soule must be qualified in time of prayer Nature teacheth vs not to pray but the spirit of God The will peruerts the mind 1. Ioh. 3. 20. Act. 20. 27. We ought to vnfold our imperfections to God yea and to men vpon occasion The basest may be as proude as the most arrogant Murtherers of Kings haue a shew of humblenesse and deuotion Psal. 32. 1. Cor. 1. 26. The most glorious in the world are not alwayes the most godly The true comfort of a Christian. Phil. 4. 6. Iam. 1. 5. 1. Pet. 2. 21. Eph. 5. 1. God is best pleased with fâ—ithfull râ—ligious importunitie Necessitie hath many branches and man hath no pâ—wer to help himselfe in any The woÌ„derfull effects of faith and how it fares with them that faint Prayer performeth greater things by weakest meanes and incredulitie preuenteth most easie things God blesseth and punisheth many for one God denieth what we aske and giueth vs better in fleed It is enough for a Christian to referre the issue of his petitionsâ— vnto God Rom. 8. The faithfull man exercised in prayer findeth things succeed better then he expected 1. Kin. 17. 4 The grosse opinion of some who acknowledg no differeÌ„ce between the godly and the wicked Men not fearing God run into many absurdities by the suggestion of Sathan Esa. 31. If a word of conditioÌ„ Esa. 45. Ingratitude will rise in iudgement against vs. We forget Gods goodnesse in giuing vs worthiest King Iames The powder-treason As the cause of the Church is generall so should our prayers be generall wher praier is neglected there cannot but follow punishment The carnall man feeleth not sinne to be sinne Man is enemie to himselfe permitting the house of his soule to be robbed Men are become defenders of their grossest sinnes The strange metamorphosis of some men of this age to be lamented None can foretell what will become of this obdurate age God hath a iudgement against vs for sinnes God will not be appeased by any carnall meanes God wil not put his cause to be determined by man The deformities of mens and womens attires Pride more to be abhorred then the Diuell to be feared As God hath loued vs so must we loue him againe In the time of Q Marie Q. Eliz. Carnall sophistrie Repentance the â—â—eanes to please God being angry for sinne 1. King 9. 8. 9. How wee ought to appease God 2. Chro. 20. 3 Priuate praier Meditation the bellowes to enkindle prayer Nehem. 2. 4. Luc. 19. 2. A preposterous kind of prayer Hindrances to praier 1. Thes. 2. 18 3. 5. Eph. 4. 27. Eph. 6. 11. Zech. 3. 1. Mat. 4. Luc. 22. 31. Nothing more wouÌ„deth SathaÌ„ then faithfull praier and therefore he coueteth to hinder it 1. Cor. 16. 13. Ioh. 14. Sathan beleeuâ—th that hee would haue other men to doubt of It is a dangerous thing to abandon the assemblies of Gods people Publique prayer why so called Fathers Masters of Families reproued for their neglect of prayer with their families Not to serue God but on the Sabbath day is wilfull ignorance and negligence 1. Cor. 15. 34 Mat. 26. 41. The Saboth prophaned more then other daies 1. Pet. 4. 8. We should especially serue God for that we liue in the last age of the world Opinions about the vse of the Lords Prayer The Lords praier the rule of all other praiers The Lords prayer is to be rightly vnderstood What the Word Our importeth Which art in Heauen Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done Giue vs our daily bread Forgiue vs our sinnes as we forgiue Leade vs not into temptation As many petitions as are in the Lords prayer so many instructions wâ— haue by them to liue godly Prayer increaseth 〈◊〉 knowlâ—dge 1. Cor. 2. 12. The spirit of God teacheth al â—aithfull duâ—â—es the 〈◊〉 whereof is 〈…〉 prayer Som affirm they cannot pray with comfort The force of prayer increaseth by degrees
the liuely and feeling affection of the heart faithfully beleeuing to receiue what we religiously desire we cannot but blush to come vnto God as the Pharisie did arrogating vnto our selues such perfection as if God were rather beholden to vs for our fasting tything almes and prayer then that wee needed to bow our hearts in humblenesse before his maiesty crauing pardoÌ„ for our sin when we pray therefore we must leaue behind vs all presumption and conceit of self-merit And in al humility aske beleeuing to receiue otherwise our praier wll become vnprofitable in not obtayning and sinfull in not beleeuing And therefore the Prophet Esay forewarneth vs to take heede that wee come not neere vnto God with our lippes namely to vse many and good words and yet our hearts wherein consisteth the force or frailty of faiâ—h and prayer be far from him CHAP. III. How we ought to approch before God in praier depending on Gods promises and not on carnall means which howsoeuer the vnfaithful respect not yet are the godly moued thereby THat praier is not true prayer which is not grounded vpon a liuely faith in the promises of God in Christ. It is promised to all beleeuers that if they aske they shall receiue yet for the merits in the mediation of Christ in whom if we beleeue not wee may seeme to send forth as many sighes and poure forth as many verball prayers and appeare in our gestures outwardly as deuout and zealous as any man and yet be as farre from being heard and come as farre short of obtayning what we desire as he that praieth not at all the very Publican will preuent vs. If we had not the promise of obtaining for our faithfully asking what would become of Faith Prayer If we rested as doubtfull vncertain to receiue our requests at the hands of God as many a poore begger is that asketh almes of mortal men in his Name should we not passe by more houres in a day more dayes in a weeke nay many weekes in a yeare neuer remember our duties of beleeuing and praier For it seemeth notwithstanding the promise by our generall slacknesse in praier that we hardly beleeue Christ vpon his promise nor God vpon his oath For as long as the carnall man hath worldly meanes to supply his wants or to free him from danger he will hardly seeke God by praier for earthly things because hee feeles no present neede of them nor for spirituall because he is a stranger vnto them Many seeme as miserable of offring praiers to God as they are of giuing him of their goods in his members But as they keepe their goods to the time of necessitie so their praiers they wil spend none but vpon meere extremitie Pharoh neuerentreated Moses to pray for him as long as he felt not some plague but when the extreme hand of the powerfull God was vpon him then called he for Moses to pray to God for him And yet that zeale continues but as do his plagues the one ceasing the other are staied Carnall men make their praiers as the water mooues the Mill-wheele when the water ceaseth the wheele staieth so when troubles faile faith praier cease Man by nature trusts rather his owne present worldly meanes then Gods promises his owne wealth then Gods word as he that obserues the rules of carnall reason cannot but collect how far the confidence men repose in worldly meanes ouersway their trust in God namely as farre as the earth is distant from the heauens For according to the portioÌ„ of euerie earthly blessing hath euerie carnall man trust in his means Golâ—ah in his strength Pharoh in his greatnes Senacherib in his Armie Achitophel in his policy Haman in his fauor with the King Nebuchadnezzar in his greatnes Belteshatzer in his vain-glorie and infinite others trusting in their own seuerall means long since gone to their places but haue not carried hence with them this vaine confidence froÌ„ mortal men For euery carnall man in his owne nature extendeth his confidence onely so farre as he hath visible and carnall meanes Quantum habet nummi tantum habet fidei We trust so farre as we see probable carnall meanes in naturall reason fit to be depended vpon which failing Faith faileth The couetous man is called an Idolater because he puts his trust in his riches so may euery man be truely called that trusteth in carnall means whether it be riches strength friends or other the like And the reuerence that men naturally yeelde vnto these meanes differeth not much from that they doe vnto God onely what they pretend towards God is opeÌ„ but what they do towards their earthly meanes is secret They seeme not visibly to kneele nor verbally to pray to the meanes but they in their hearts preferre that they see and enioy aboue that they haue but heard of the promises of the inuisible God And therefore rather then they will diminish their wealth to doe good vnto Gods people as God hath commanded as touching their abundance they will be bolde to straine a point of Christian obedience and rather giue ouer their following of Christ and abandon his presence with the Gergesites then to lend vnto God though they shall be assured not only ten of the hundred but one hundred-fold more then they disburse And therfore no maruell though they neuer or seldome pray vnto the inuisible God Their soules are not so deare vnto them as their liues and their liues not so pretious as their wealth nay liues and soules are of smal value with them in comparison of their worldly riches and carnall pleasures Tell a rich worldling that he ought to make his praiers vnto God hee will in his heart aske you for what hee should pray hee hath wealth at will as the rich man in the Gospell he hath health at his hearts desire his cattell prosper his corne oile wine abound for what should hee pray It is a strange exercise you would draw him vnto that concerneth not his worldly profit or carnal delight The like may be also said of euery meere carnall man bee hee poore or rich who rather then hee will embrace the promises and faithfully depend vpon the prouidence of God hee will aduenture the most vnlawful and vniust attempts against the lawes both of God men wheras if they could or would incline their eares to hear and their hearts to vnderstand the word of truth they could not but abandon all vniust deuises the rich would pray vnto God for direction to dispose of their wealth to Gods glorie and their owne soules health and the poore for supplie of all their corporall necessities and relie vpon Gods promises and prouidence bending al their powers to serue the liuing God in obedience and praier The godly and faithfull poore man beeing pâ—nched with penurie visited with sicknesse in feare of enimies and in whatsoeuer danger flieth vnto one onely God
the duetie that God commands to make heauenly friends with their earthly Mammon Therfore our Sauiour pronounceth such impossibilitie for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heauen euen because of his couetousnesse and oppression and because of his securitie and seldome or neuer faithfully seruing the liuing God and againe denounceth woes against them for that they haue their consolation in this world not for that they oppresse the poore and get their goods by vnlawfull meanes but because they haue their coÌ„solation namely their carnall delights and pleasures and not their spirituall ioy and inward comfort of the holy Ghost heere in this life Therefore behoueth it rich men to beware they place not their hearts consolation vpon these worldly fleeting vanities but according to diuine counsaile If riches encrease not to set their mindes vpon them but to vse them as they vsed them not For it is not meerely riches that maketh the vser but the abuser of them vnhappie And therefore as there may be a poore man proude and couetous euen in his small portion so may there be a rich maÌ„ poor in his owne conceit and so bestowe and distribute his goods as not onely not a woe but a blessing shall be pronounced vnto him as to the poor beleeuing in God for our Sauiour to encourage all as well poore as rich rightly affected and to stirre them vp to obedience and prayer saith Reioyce be glad for I haue prouided for â—ou a Kingdome CHAP. VI. The force of liuely faith and how hard a thing it is truly to apprehend the misterie of Christ and how easie historically to discourse thereof THE promises of future happinesse are able to stirre vp the dullest heart to waite and worke out his saluatioÌ„ with fear trembling with loue and obedience in faith prayer and yet it seemeth Not manie wise not many mighty not many rich beleeue this promise They seem rather to be leue a bond a statute a pawn or the promise of a rich maÌ„ then they wil giue credit vnto God vpon his oath who yet neuer was found to promise any thing but what he performed to the good of euery one that beleeuing asketh any thing fit for him to receiue he deceiueth no man that trusteth his bare word Abraham might haue cast many doubts being in a profane and Idolatrous countrey brought vp without the written will of God being called thence by an inuisible power to repaire into a remote country vnknowne and the conditions of the people strange vnto him But he contrarily cast off all difficulties and confidently resolued against his owne naturall reason and will of all his friends and familiars and betooke him to the iourney and ceased not till he came to Canaan Who would not haue consulted with his kinsfolks frends Who would not haue looked for better assurance of good successe before hee would haue aduentured to forsake his countrey and friends and betake himselfe to the hazard of such an attempt But he knew that he that called him was iust and what hee had promised hee was able to performe and would neither faile him nor forsake him Hee wauered not as the most of vs do touching heauen and heauenly things promised how can we affirm we beleeue it and yet giue our selues ouer to the world It is not indeed euery mans case to know the mysterie of Christ but in a kinde of generall apprehension as hee is deliuered in the outward word according to the Historie But to beleeue that he came in the flesh without man to containe two natures vnder one visible forme that hee was God equall with the father and man like vnto vs that he cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs that in him we are reconciled again to God the father that he sits at God's right hand a mediator for vs and that all beleeuers shall ascend and rest with him in glorie that our bodies that are corrupt shall either die and putrifie or be changed and in fine be glorified in the heauens And to apply all this to our owne selues through faith cannot but goe so farre beyond the ordinarie capacities of naturall men as the God of heauen is aboue the God of the ayre For as Christ said vnto Peter flesh and bloud reueiled not vnto him what Christ was neither can the natural man apprehend this heauenly mysterie and therefore cannot beleeue the promise of saluation to the comfort of his own soule and consequently cannot pray to God in Christ. He can speake of and dispute and beleeue the whole Historie of Christ both how he was promised and prophesied how he was crucified and can relate euery Article of Christian beleefe And so farre the diuels know beleeue and tremble But this is the peculiar portion of Gods children truly to depend vpon Christ thorough faith grounded vpon knowledge as beleeuing that heauen is his portion is the gift of God in Christ who being the liuely image of God the father teacheth vs to know God in the Trinitie and the Trinitie in vnitie whom who so knoweth not and by knowing him loueth him and in louing him obeyeth him and in oâ—beying him beleeueth him and in beleeuing him dooth not pray vnto him howsoeuer they seeme to vpholde their knowledge defend their obedience and bragge of their prayers they are all but counterfeit For no truly spirituall exercise can bee performed or diuine grace obtained but by a man spiritually qualified and beloued of God and who loueth God for vnlesse we feele in our selues the loue of God towards vs wee can neuer loue God for he loueth vs first and by the third person of the Trinitie worketh loue in vs towards him and loue being the band of obedience and obedience the marke of our election and coÌ„sequently the seale which hath the image of our Redeemer whereby our adoption to bee the sonnes of God is confirmed to euery one that beleeueth Not to euery one that pretendeth to loue obey and serue him but to him only whose heart is right before the Lord who heareth the word beleeueth the spirit that wrote it and bringeth forth the fruits of it namely to doe what is therin commanded and to auoyde things forbidden therein he euen he is the vndoubted adopted sonne of God and whatsoeuer he asketh the father by the spirit in the sonne hee shall receiue it for he hath the promise of the blessings of this life and the life to come Contrariwise such as neither yet haue nor desâ—re to haue thiâ— feeling this faith and this dependance on God howsoeuer they pretend that they are the sonnes of God for that they can only talke like and performe some outward duties as the true sonnes of God do yet let them not deceiue themselues they are not yet out of the lees of their originall neither haue they remission of their actuall sins but the Bond is yet against them depending vncancelled though they associate the
sonnes of God and not only in humane affairs conuerse but in diuine dueties communicate with them as in hearing the word preached in the sacraments and in publique prayer They are yet but bastards no children they neuer truely tasted of the milke of Christs spouse nor euer drew the life of grace out of her breasts no more then did Cham in the Arke with Noah Ismael in the house with Abraham Esau in the company of Iacob who inwardly did not partake of their fathers vertues of obedience faith and continual praier vnto God the God of their fathers CHAP. VII Naturall fathers cannot beget children good or euill of their owne wils but they that are begotten anew of God are only good and like vnto God before whom the vnregenerate howsoeuer seeming holy are hypocrits EArthly fathers coÌ„monly beget childreÌ„ of their owne corporall likenes but the godliest father cannot propagate in his children the graces of the spirit neyther can profane fathers by their sinnes make their children sinners For it is found by experience that good fathers haue often wicked and wicked fathers godly children But the children of God begotten anew by the holy Ghost can neuer fall from being like vnto him that begat him And therefore doe they much dishonour God who in wordes professe they are his sonnes and yet in their actions they resemble the image of Sathan It were a great blemish vnto a godly man to be wrongfully supposed the father of a wicked sonne much more is God dishonoured by such as would seeme to be but are not of his seed For they that are of God indeed cannot but in some measure resemble him in being righteous as he is righteous that is By casting off the olde man which is corrupt through deceiueable lust and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines This casting off and putting on doeth teach vs that there is in vs somthing that befits vs not to retaine if we will be the true sonnes of God not by reputation among men but by imputation in Christ. What is to be cast off and what to bee put on is plainly expressed in the Apostles wordes before mentioned namely to cast off all deceiueable lusts which includeth all things forbidden and to put on righteousnesse which implieth a spirituall indowment of al heauenly graces among which none is of that singular force vertue and effect as is zealous and heartie prayer in faith vnfained which none can effectually make but such as haue put on this new man for the olde man knoweth not how to pray being clothed with corruption and blinded with the mist of ignorance The new man only shaped in holinesse knoweth to whom when in whom for what and how to pray all which circumstances are duly to be considered in prayer and yet neither of these dooth the naturall that is the old man truly apprehend and consequently the lip-labor that he pretendeth to bestow in prayer is not onely not profitable but sinfull CHAP. VIII Carnall wisedome hath not chiefe place of counsell in the regenerate man he dependeth on God and not on the meanes in any enterprise FRiends we obserue do most vsually communicate together not by way of dissimulation but by sincere affection and one is ayded and comforted of another according to the occasions each propoundeth to other And shal we think that that man that loueth God will estrange his occasions from the counsaile of God Will hee deliberate of any matter of importance but will first consult with the Oracle of Gods mouth And will hee not impart his occasions by powring them forth vnto him in praier assuring himselfe that God againe will answer him by his holy spirit and by him certifie his spirit what he shall doe and what course hee shall take both for the atchieuing of the good he desireth for the auoyding the danger he feareth No carnall counsel whatsoeuer not warranted by the word shall be admitted to that consultation or resolution he will abandon all carnall respects and onely holde himselfe to diuine direction hee will not vse humane wisedome but as it were a hand-maide to diuine prudence It may serch and find out such wants and corporall necessities as are fit in spiritual vnderstanding to be supplied but leaueth the execution to diuine wisdome which produceth faith and faith prayer for the obtayning thereof at the hands of God And as Abraham left his seruants and Asses behinde him when he went to offer vp his sonne so doth this heauenly wisedome leaue all carnall respects behinde when it approcheth towards God to offer the sacrifice of prayer or praise Contrariwise it is too manifest that the most carrie their carnall vanities with them eueÌ„ to the Altar making their petitions partly in the flesh and partly in the spirit in part beleeuing and in part doubting halting before God and yet seeming to walk vprightly before men who iustifie or coÌ„demne the outward action not seeing the inward heart To pray vnto God with the lippes for any corporall benefit and yet to haue the eye of the hart fixed in confidence vpoÌ„ naturall means is a kinde of spirituall adultery For what man is hee that hauing a wife outwardly affable vsing wordes of loue vnto him and yet her heâ—rt set vpon another man will not thinke her a faithles and vnchaste wise And is God lesse iealous think we who craueth our hearts when we shall worship him in words and outward shew of works when our consciences cannot but tell vs that we aske that of God which we inwardly beleeue more probable and possible to be obtained by meanes without him Is not this a falsifying of our faith and dissembling of our prayers Is not this a manifest breach of the law that saies we shal haue no other Gods but Iehouah as also not to take his name in vaine as they do that call vpon him with the lips their hearts farre from him The Iewes thinking to make themselues strong by the Egyptians and other carnall meanes left their dependancie on God therfore did God denounce his iudgements against them Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh any kind of carnal meanes his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord hee shall not see when any good commeth How can he then attribute praise or prayer vnto God for whatsoeuer successe when he groundeth his hope on earthly meanes and not on God Nay though hee pray vnto God and yet dependeth more and puts more hope on secondarie meanes if he find that come to passe that hee desired how can hee but yeeld part of the praise vnto the mediate cause wherein hee in part trusted and so derogate the praise due vnto God who is eyther all or no part of the cause of that wished successe For although God vse naturall instruments to effect his will not onely in relieuing his children when they pray vnto
kinde of inward desire that God would doe according to our wills for naturally the will of man is neither rightly affected towards his owne mind nor towards the will and word of God It is the rule of right reason that the wil should be directed by the minde but contrarily and preposterously the will ouerswayes the minde and drawes it as by coÌ„straint to many inordinat desires and therefore when the minde begins to incline it selfe to the sacred exercise of prayer the will as an vnequall yoke-fellow peruerts the minde distracts it into many noysom lusts wandering thoughts This cannot the most godly and most faithfully zealous man but find in his deuoutest praiers and therefore wee ought in our prayers to restraine our cogitations from earthly things and the more wee feele them to range here and there as sensibly wee may so much the more earnest zealous we ought to be and so much the more watchfull that they steale not away our spiritual affectioÌ„s which cause the minde to ascend euermore vpward to the Throne of his grace who by his holy spirit is readie to assist our spirits to suppresse our erring thoughts and to rectifie our mindes according to his own will CHAP. X. Whence all our transgressions do proceede and the reason why we cannot pray aright the means to reform it OVr transgressions proceede all from this that against the rule of diuine reason we preferre our will and our desires before the most holy will of the Lord our God How then can we truly seek him whose will our wills as much as in vs lieth seeketh to resist The Apostle sheweth the reason saying The naturall man hath such a mind as cannot vnderstand the things of God and such a will as is not subiect to the law of God nor indeed can be How then can the minde conceiue how or for what to pray And how can the will frame the faculties of vtterance and other diuine affections How can it frame it selfe to pray vnto God according to the right rule prescribed vnto vs by God seeing that this exercise is sacred holy spiritual the mind wil altogether carnall profane And therfore al the praiers which natural men make in the habite of the olde man do not onely not profit them but turn rather vnto a curse then a blessing vnto them What man is hee then knowing this will lie stil in his natural corruption and ignorance hauing the way laide out before him the meanes of direction offered him the promise made vnto him and the reward assured him the way is Christ the directioÌ„ in that way is the word the promise is to receiue what wee aske and the reward is life eternall the way is straight the direction plaine the promise iust the reward great In earthly affaires there is a continuall common emulation who may grow greatest wisest most glorious whose best reward is but a vanishing shadow How foolish then are wee to see and suffer all men to outstrip vs in spirituall things and our selues to lagger behinde loth to goe forward in diuine duties as trewantlike schollars with il wil and by compulsion prepare them to the Schoole Hee then that may and will not endeuour to attaine vnto diuine knowledge by the word and thereupon namely vpon the promises of God made therein to builde a liuely assurance of Gods neuer-fayling goodnesse towards him and in that faith will not seeke God in all his occasions by continuing prayer is neyther worthy to haue the promises performed vnto him of the good things of this life nor of the life to come Let vs therefore learn to deny our selues and endeuour to subdue our owne wills and wholly to subiect them to the will of God so shall wee neuer vndertake consult determine or conclude any action vntil wee haue enquired what the will of God is therein by faithfull prayer CHAP. XI The neglect of the cnmmunicating with God in prayer is the cause that many run headlong to their owne ruine seeking what they need in a wrong course not feeling their owne spirituall wants THe want of holy search desire to be enlightned in the diuine duetie of praier and to bee directed therein is the cause that so many men runne headlong into their owne ruine in rashly enterprising that without coÌ„municating with God which they in naturall reason conceiue will prooue to their high contentment as in making choise of religion the highest point of diuine wisedome in choosing a wise and the like The Shechemites without consulting with God tooke vpon them the seale of the couenant which was a true note truly taken of the true children of God but because they took it to a carnall end what reward they had appeareth Gen. 34. So did Simon the Magician couet spirituall gifts to vse them to carnall ends and the like doe they that to obtaine corporall maintenance and to be free from some calamitie rashly without consulting with God by learning his word and by prayer thrust themselues into the Romane Catholike or into any other false Religion Nay to intrude into the profession of the true Religion for the respects abouesaid and not in a feeling of diuine loue to the spirituall effects it worketh to Gods glory and their owne comfort is not onely not to be truly religious but vnder the cloake of true religion to be indeed a profane Atheist God commands vs not to coÌ„tract marriage but vpon due deliberation and consideration forbids to contract with any of a false Religion Isack and Iacob fearing and obeying the liuing God sought their wiues not by worldly adâ—uice but therein to be directed by God And to that end did Abrahams seruant pray vnto the GOD of his Master Abraham that hee might bee guided by some diuine instinct how to chuse a wife for his Masters sonne and all things succeeded vnto him beyond naturall reason But Esau contrariâ—y without consulting with God or coÌ„municating with his parents tooke him wiues of the Gentiles a profane irreligious people such as for the Iewes to contract matrimonie withall was an abhomination Prayer or consultatioÌ„ with God is the best but the last worke of chiefest but of least regard in this age in most capitall causes and of greatest consequence And therefore the most of them succeed to the perpetual trouble and griefe of the parties And that which hath been said of the former two namely of the choise of Religion and a wife may hold for and in all other matters belonging to the life and gouernement of man in this life especially in the election of some function or calling in Church or Common-weale wherein experience maketh manifest that little or no conscience is made to craue direction from God but according as the profession or mysterie seemeth likely to proue profitable or discommodious is the desire made the more hote or cold But to consider how it may stand with Gods greatest glorie
action If these most impious consorts enterprise not their wicked acts but in the shew of calling mutually on God were it not a shame to professed Christians to attempt any matter lawfull of greatest moment without touch of any consideration of the necessitie or vtilitie of faithfull prayer If the children of darkenesse can point out their more then heathenish attempts by the outward tokens and termes of deuotion to their assured condemnation what will become of cold Christians that so little regard the holy duty of prayer in all their actions to their soules saluation CHAP. XIII Euery faithfull Christian findeth comfort in praier the neglect whereof admits many euils WHo is that faithfull Christian that hath practised this holy exercise and hath not found comfort to his conscience and helpe in his occasions Whosoeuer findeth the continuance of inward vexation of the mind let the cause arise from spirituall or corporall occasions he may assâ—re himself it proceedeth most ordinarily at least from his seldom or neuer praying vnto God Griefe oftentimes procureth teares which seem somthing to asswage the sorrow but it is as it were the slacking of the band that gripes the wound too hard but teares passing from the heart through liuely prayer doe not onely ease the griefe for a while but heale it altogether and keep the wounded parts sound so long as the plaster of true prayer is applied with faith thereunto The teares that wee spend must bee spent before God who hath promised to receiue them as they fal from a liuely feeling heart and to put them in the bottle of his remeÌ„brance reseruing them as witnesses of our true repentance that the sinnes in sorrow whereof we shedde them may be washed away by the bloud of Christ and not to rise vp in iudgement against vs. And these teares are of themselues as so many petitions vnto God who hath bound himselfe by promise to register them as so many preuayling requests wherby he giues oftentimes what inwardly we desire as soone as the first teare falls from a broken and contrite heart Dauid affirmeth that God pardoned his sinne as soone as he had any motion to craue it God requireth not our prayers because hee hath neede of them as a seruice beneficiall or profitable vnto him but because wee hauing neede of his graces and blessings and that hee loueth vs in his beloued son hee willeth vs to pray vnto him for euery spirituall and corporall blessing And although it be true that hee knoweth wherof we haue need yet in common reason hee that wanteth and disdaines to aske he is not worthy to receiue that whereof he hath neede CHAP. XIV The most happiest men in the world are they that most often communicate with God in prayer and not the most glorious worldly men whose miserie is to come and what consolation remaineth for the godly THe men that haue greatest shewes of happinesse in this life are not the blessedst men but the poor in spirit that haue their continuall recourse vnto God they that communicate often with and truly pray vnto him althogh their estates bee neuer so vnpleasant to flesh and bloud yet theirs is the promise of this life and the life to come The Church of Corinth in the bâ—ginning consisted as appeareth for the most part of the poorest and meanest of the people and such as appeared to the world fools and Idiots and they that seemed more wise more mightie more noble were left out of the number of them that were called Yet God preferred not the base in the world before the noble to make them proud of their calling but that they might be constrained as it were to reioyce in the Lord by whose mercie they had obtained in Christ wisedom and all things necessarie to saluation before the more glorious in the world although they were the most base and abiect of all others and to moue them so much the more readily willingly to serue God in thankefulnesse and prayer to testifie their loue to him for his mercies towards them And heauily it will befall them who hauing receiued so many blessings at Gods hands are no whit the more moued to loue him and so many threats for their vnbeleefe and ingratitude and yet not moued to feare him Will they not bee drawne then from their deceiuing vanities will they rather then for lesse then an apple or a messe of pottage disclaime their birth-rights and loose that Kingdome and Crown so dearely pâ—rchased for the faithfull Nay were the losse of it all it were not so horrible If a man missing of the good promised could avoid the dangers threatned it would somthing mitigate the despayring conscience and ease the troubled mind If after death there were neither life nor death if a man might haue no bâ—eing nor feel or endure tormeÌ„t thogh he had no comfort it were a kinde of ease to the carnall mind that knoweth no other heauen then the profits and pleasures of this life nor feareth other hell then the miserie penurie and afflictions of the same But the case is otherwise they that misse the kingdome of heauen by not beleeuing the promise of God by not praying vnto God for direction in the course of their liues may assure themselues thogh they seeme not yet to beleeue it that there remaines for them and attends them the God of darkenesse and the Angels of horror and torment And therefore they that are wise in Christ enlightned with the sanctifying spirit of God obserue the difference between sinne and sanctity betweene the carnall and the spirituall betweene the olde and the new man and finde that the pleasing vanities of this life and the reioycing of the worldly minded haue no solid or sound assurance of continuance no not for a day and after commeth the seueritie of iudgement But the spirituall man vndergoing with patience the bitter miseries incident to a religious and godly life considereth that the continuance of it is but a spanne long and there attendeth him mercie and consolation perpetuall And therfore beareth he the yoake without grudging spending his time not in wantonnesse and chambering not in vanities and carnal pleasures but in all temperance and humblenesse of minde neuer so cheered neuer so full of consolation and alacritie as when hee is hearing God speake vnto him by his word as by preaching or hearing of the same and finding himselfe truely and aptly prepared and zealously exercised in the most holy dutie of praier and heauenly meditations wherein hee speaketh vnto God This is his comfort herein are his ioyes and nothing is so sweete vnto him as heauenly continuall contemplation whereby hee passeth by both the pleasures and penurie of this life as things of that weakenesse to moue loue to the one or feare of the other as hee respects them not but placeth all his affections on God with whom he knoweth that his prayers doe at all times so farre preuaile as at
what time soeuer he asketh hee receiueth whensoeuer hee seeketh he findeth and when soeuer he knocketh he is admitted into the presence of God And whatsoeuer misery befalleth him in this life hee feeleth it not so vnsauorie to himselfe as other men conceiue it that beholde and obserue it in him As our Sauiour told his Disciples that hee had meate to eate which they knew not of so hath euerie sanctified regenerate man comfort that carnall men know not of which giueth him such sweete feeling of present happinesse through the assurance of his future promised glorie that he seemeth through the abuÌ„dance of his consolations rapt as it were alreadie out of this earthly Tabernacle into the heauen of heauens where he hath his conuersation in the spirit with-God though hee corporally remaine in this inferiour world CHAP. XV. True contentment not gotten by nature but by grace which produceth prayer the onely meane to obtaine all good SPiritual coÌ„tentmeÌ„t none can attaine vnto by his owne naturall powers and therefore there is a spirituall meane to be vsed for the obtayning thereof which the Apostle reaches saying Let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer And Who so lacketh wisedome let him ask of God which giueth to al men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This wisedome is not the wisedome of the world but the knowledge how when and what to ask to conform vs to the likenes of him that hath begotten vs anew who hath left vs an example that wee should follow as deare children If then we be the children of God Co-heirs with him of that heauenly Kingdom shal we not with him walke as becommeth children of such a father Shal our head weepe and lament for our sinnes Shall be suffer for our transgressions and shall wee laugh and reioyce in the vanities of this life and yet think to partake with Christ of his purchased Kingdome Hath he so farre purchased for vs as we need neyther suffering nor patience faith nor prayer Shall we think our selues like that vnspotted Lambe of God and yet defile our bodies soules by committing sinne vpon sin How can we then come vnto our father which is in heauen where no profane thing can haue any being If God heareth not sinners where shall the sinfull mans prayers appeare And how can he haue his conuersation in heauen as S. Paul had or walke with God as Henoch did whose soule and spirituall part which ought to ascend by the wings of faith towards heaueÌ„ is pressed downe by a most vgly and filthy dunghill the bodie clogged with the masse of sinne Cast off therefore all carnall and vncleane affections purifie clense your hearts by liuely repentance that the sauing bloud of the Lambe being sprinkled vpon the dore posts of our beleeuing hearts the holy spirit of God may enter and teach our spirits rightly to crye Abba father So shall wee apprehend that sacred renewing grace that shall breede this most sweet and heauenly change namely to make vs of the children of wrath the children of loue of the children of disgrace the childreÌ„ of glorie which change is not nor can be where faith faileth which faith is not obtained in respect of our prayers or any desert of our selues but only and altogether of the free fauor and good will of God in Christ in whoÌ„ for whom and by whom we haue promise to obtaine the fulnesse of spirituall contentment CHAP. XVI God being wisedome it selfe knowes how to deal with vs for our best aduantage and his own glorie which aboue all things wee must respect in all our prayers GOd being wisedome it selfe knoweth better then we what is fiâ—test for vs to receiue and for him to giue in both which his glorie must goe with our desires as it will of necessitie in his giuing And if wee seeke not his glory in all our demands we breake the order prescribed namely to doe all to the glorie of God much more then should our prayers which are the highest seruice wee can doe vnto God tend to the honour of his Maiestie beyond the desire of supply in our owne necessities and that is in making our prayers vnto him to be confident that he is iust and will according to his promise satisfie our iust desires so farre as may bee most for our benefite For we cannot truly iudge what is most expedient for vs we may aske for and think that best for vs which God in his wisedom knoweth most inconuenient and that to bee hurtfull euill for vs which hee seeth to be most for our good It is therefore agreeable to the right rule of true faith to subiect our wills to the wil of God and to frame all our petitions according to the rule of his word which teacheth vs to aske corporal things with condition that he be pleased therewith and spirituall heauenly things as the graces of the spirit with a full assurance to receiue And the more constant and earnest we be and the more we presse God to giue them so much the more it pleaseth him as to importune him to giue vs power to mortifie our corrupt affections to kill sinne both in our harts and members to begge the increase of faith obedience loue towards God and our neighbours peace in our selues and with all men patience in suffering Gods corrections gentlenesse meekenesse temperance To aske these absolutely and constantly is pleasing vnto God is acceptable vnto him wherein yet we are to beware that wee aske not spirituall gifts to carnal ends as did Simon the Magician but to Gods glorie as Salomon asked wisedome For the holy Scriptures teach vs that God suffereth many profane men to vsurpe spiritual functions as preaching prophecying and casting out Diuels to whom yet God wâ—â—l say Depart from me I know you not The like may be said of praying namely of meere babling with the tongue without the consent of a feeling faith full heart And in all these to shew more outward sinceritie then to haue inward sanctity is meere hypocrisie CHAP. XVII Three principall motiues to stirre vp men to pray wherof the chiefest is necessitie THere bee three principall motiues to stirre vp Christians to prayer first Gods commandement Pray continually 1. Thess. 5. 17. secondly the promise And ye shall receiue Matth. 7. 7. The third and last motiue is our owne necessities and they are infinite Daniel prayed â—o be preserued among the Lyons the three children froÌ„ the fire Hezekiah from death Ionah to bee deliuered from the bowels of the Whale Susanna to be freed from the vniust accusation of the lasciuious and false Iudges Dauid to be deliuered from the malice of Saul Necessitie hath so manie branches as men are subiect to seuerall dangers which are infinit and therefore a motiue of great force and yet without Gods assistance they can obtain no ease For the more a man strugleth to free himselfe from
Sodom how God in iustice is readie to shewe merâ—ie Lâ—â—an his house-hold and cattle prospered for Iacobs sake and Potiphers for Iosephs And therfore wee cannot say but that the prayers of the faithful be they of many few or one auaâ—le much with God And impietie it were to think the contrarie And as God blesseth so hee punisheth manie for one as the whole Host of Israel for the trespasse of Achan yet we cannot but confesse that God in his wisdom oftentimes concealeth his purposes of shewing mercie or sending iudgements to make his dearest children the more watchful and more earnest in prayer and in more and more hardening vnbeleeuers hearts to their deeper condemnation and often delayeth the granting of the requests of his children giueth them in stead some other thing more fit which they asked not He retayneth somtimes things necessary in our opinions lest we shold presume too much vpon his bountie in giuing corporall things crossing our desires lest wee should by the readie successe build too much vpon our vaine vnderstandings as if we knew rightly what were good and what were ill and that we needed but to aske and haue at the handes of God what we would It is enough for the most faithfull Christian to lay downe his request before God to continue his oblation and to waite and attend the leisure of God and rest content with his holy dispensation assuring himselfe that not one thing only but all things whatsoeuer shall worke to the best to them that feare God The faithfull man often exercised in this diuine duty of prayer cannot but acknowledge that things oftentimes fall out better and succeed more to his comfort and true consolatioÌ„ then he required not by chance as many most foolishly conceiue but by the meer mercie and prouidence of God who as he granted vnto Salomon more then hee asked so doeth hee euen in these dayes to his obedient children And yet they cannot truely obserue by any outward or visible working how it should so come to passe no deuice of their own nor instrument of their owne procuring working it to their handes God raised Ionathan to loue Dauid and moued the Rauen to feed Eliah I do my selfe acknowledge Gods vnsearchable goodnesse and prouidence to haue the chiefe place in the working of infinit my deliueries from many dangers and his relieuing me in many and infinit wants And who so denieth that GOD hath his working now both in mercie and in iustice beyond the naturall course or operation of his creatures for the good of his children and punishment of the wicked hath neither spirituall vnderstanding nor true faith Such yet there are whom I haue heard to maintain that they can obserue no difference betweene the reputed religious and the supposed Atheist for they cannot see but either of these haue their fortunes alike he that prayeth hath no better nor hee that prayeth not the worse share in this life whereby they raise an argument that all things succeed to all men at all aduenture Let a religious man willing to moue a carnall man to serue God tell him what happy and wished successe he hath had by his prayers to God what continuall comforts he findeth thereby how hee hath beene deliuered from apparent iminent perils how he hath bin prouided for in his greatest wants how hee hath escaped the things hee feared and how all things worke to his good contentment will not the carnall man say Tush this befalls all men without respect of the ones vertues or the others vices Will he not affirme that the Cattell Corne and all earthly blessings fall as well vpon the Drunkard Whoremonger Blasphemer and whatsoeuer irreligious as vpon the most zealously religious and deuout person And do they not hereby shew that in their hearts they say that either there is no God or that he is a God that maketh no difference betweene the good and the euill between the religious profane betweene the faithfull and the infidell Yet indeede it cannot bee denied but God in mercie keepeth vnder his children whom he will saue exercising them with fatherly crosses and gentle corrections and in iustice permitteth the Reprobate to haue their portions in the fulnesse of pleasures and delights of this life But who so obserueth the ends of both cannot but see the carnall man leaue this life with horror and his goods with griefe and the other in peace who expiring his last breath recommends his soule into the hands of God aspiring in a liuely faith vnto the Kingdome promised with most holy and heauenly alacritie CHAP. XX. The naturall man misconceiueth of true happinesse whereby hee runneth into many absurdities by the suggestion of Sathan THe sottishnes of mans nature and mans misconceiuing of good and euil things is such as it thinketh nothing heauenly but pleasure and profit nothing to befal by a diuine prouidence but by chance and therfore they that pray or pray not are equally rich strong wittie healthfull and alike happie Oh more then blind ignorance palpable Atheisme peruerting the harts of men supplanting Religion and quenching faith condemning prayer the prop of all mens happines which without faith is yet of none effect Infinit are the absurdities whereinto such as know not God plunge themselues for being once ledde out of the way which is Christ they cannot but follow Sathan For there are but two principall spirituall powers that haue dominion ouer al men and they haue their seuerall Kingdomes opposit as light and darkenesse truth falshood heauen and hell And as their Dominions are spirituall so leade they their subiects spiritually the one by grace to the performance of all spirituall dueties in heauenly obedience the other by all possible illusions deceits and spirituall wickednesse in this corporall life This latter gaineth more meÌ„ by his plausible suggestions then Christ by his true and infallible word the reason is for that he first preuayled to betray man euen the father of men by whom and in whom all men by nature are subiect to the same falling from God who made him to the diuell that seduced him And no maruell thogh he lay baits to betray vs now hauing so long practised his treacheries preuailed so much leading men into a thousand by-wayes he careth not how menwalk so they follow not Christ hee cannot beare with patience that men should beleeue the promises of God in Christ nor his threats for disobedience and for not belieuing the Gospel of Christ. And therefore casteth hee a mist before the eies of mens vnderstandings that they may not apprehend Gods mercies towards them that doe well nor his iudgments towards them that doe euill But as GOD cast Adam in a slumber when hee tooke out his ribbe to make a woman so doth he couet to lull men asleepe when he purposeth to steale their hearts from GOD to make them reprobates And as he turneth himselfe into an Angell
of light so hee turneth all his plausible allurements to the confusioÌ„ of them that consent by suggesting them good he deludeth men by the counterfeit imitation of Christ himselfe as by fained fastings voluntarie penurie wilfull idlenesse and causeth men to reclude themselues thereby to merit saluation leauing the world before the time and to become vnprofitable members of Church or Common-wealth hee preuenteth true faithful and cordiall prayer by prayers in a strange language vttered without vnderstaÌ„ding or feeling he maketh men to misconceiue of all Gods threats and tokens of his indignation as when God sendeth tokens of his anger for sinne eyther in or by the ayre by supernaturall exhalations and extraordinarie apparitioÌ„s as of late he hath done by fierie inflamations and bloudie euaporations by the extraordinary rage of the windes causing the Seas to surmount the bounds making fearful inundations vpon the land to the destruction of men and multitudes of beasts and most lately to the confusion of many ships and men cast away vpon diuers coasts when he sends these vnusuall distemperatures of seasons scarcitie of food famine plague or war when he fireth the Towns and Cities round about vs this deceiuer saith vnto the hearts of carnall men and suggesteth vnto them that all these things are natural comming of causes ordinarie and idle it is and sauoring of a needlesse feare to thinke they are forerunners of greater danger whereby hee holdeth men in continuall security and a weening that al is wel and that God is not displeased with our coldnesse in religion with our rebellions transgressions and intollerable sinnes which is the cause that men liue so carelesly so backwardly in seruing of God holding preaching vnprofitable and prayer fruitlesse neuer giuing GOD thankes for his mercies nor fearing his iudgements CHAP. XXI Englands many blessings and deliueries are not so duely considered nor so thankefully embraced as they ought being too much ascribed to humane carnall meanes which breedes ingratitude and securitie IT cannot but seem strange I thinke to all that haue but common but especially to such as haue diuine vnderstanding that England hauing receiued at the hands of God so many and most wished blessings both in giuing vs good things and preuenting vs of euill and that farre beyond the apprehension of the wisest worldly man should so generally forget themselues as if they were so familiar and ordinarie as were worthy of no admiration the reason is as before is said wee cannot perswade our selues they be the wonderfull workes of God Queene Elizabeths many and strange deliueries and ours in her the more then admirable ouerthrow of the Spanish inuincible-reputed Nauie the discouery of so many plots and complotments of treasons and conspiracies were they by chance or was God the Author of them Indeed some haue endeuoured to ascribe the praise to carnall meanes and to rob God of the honor thereof by attributing the discoueries vnto humane wisedome and the ouerthrow of the Spanish Nauie to our owne arme neyther of them due to either for it was God that gaue the means and blessed them for our safetie and as working instruments vnder God they are to be embraced But to say that if such a man had not taken such a course such a plot had not beene discouered if such an accideÌ„t had not falne out or such a stratagem beene inuented and put in practise the successe had not beene so good is to attribute the power of doing the miracles in Egypt to Moses rod not to God Wo to him that excludeth Gods prouidence of the issue of these things as Esay saith Wo vnto them that goe downe into Egypt for helpe and stay vpon Horses and trust in Chariots because they are many and in Horse-men because they are very strong but they looke not to the holy One of Israel nor seeke vnto the Lord who is wisest If is a word of condition and only implieth doubt of future euents but to vse it in matters alreadie com to passe is most idle and vaine StultuÌ„ est dicere non putâ—ram A man were better to holde his peace when things are done not to be redeemed be they done with or against his will then to applie this doubtful word If. For it hath onely force to condemne his ignorance and to commend Gods prouidence in whose dispensation are mercie and iudgement the first obtayned the second auoyded by faithful praier And the most that can bee spoken of humane wisedome and prouidence in such cases of eminent consequence is that God vouchsafed vnto such a man the reason to appreheÌ„d such or such dangers and to vse such and such meanes to preuent them as in Ioseph in foreseeing the plentie and prouiding for the dearth but to say it came immediatly from the naturall apprehension of any mortall creature to worke the good or to preuent the euill of a Nation Prouince Citie Familie or priuat man were to affirme that God is not vniuersally omnipotent absolutely prouident and consequently that to pray vnto him were both needlesse fruitlesse which were the highest degree of impietie and is onely found in them that know not God And therefore it behoueth Christians to be truely watchful and duly conuersant in praier so shall nothing succeed vnto them but either to their approued good or tolerable euill wherein he shal be thankfull for the first and patient in the second knowing that nothing cometh to passe by chance or at aduenture but by God who worketh all in all I am the Lord and there is none other I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create euill saith the Lord. Nothing therefore will rise vp in iudgement against vs in a higher degree then ingratitude receiuing so many continuing blessings at Gods handes yet to shew not onely no thankfulnesse but in stead to become the more rebellious stubborne and stiffe-necked adding sin to sin and heaping vp transgression vpon transgression as it were with greedinesse neuer regarding the manifolde dangers that doe palpably houer ouer our heads but as men drunken with new wine we lie secure euerie man in his particular sensualitie seldome or neuer repayring vnto God in praier But let vs awake and consider in what drowsinesse we pass our peace making it the feast of our bewitching delights giuing God neither thaÌ„ks for good receiued nor standâ—ng in fear of his iudgments threatned And let vs ruminate a little vpon our duties and then can wee not but finde that our neglect of hearing God speaking to vs and our seldome colde speaking vnto him in thankfulnesse and prayer will tell vs that wee are falne into a fearefull and mortall Lethargie Are the mercies of God rightly considered and duly weighed in giuing vs our good Iosiah worthiest King Iames for establishing him in the steed of our deceased Deborah with and in him the vse and continuance of true religion and that without bloud Doe
not all the Kingdomes of Europe admire stand amased at our happinesse in our blessed Soueraigne And can his Maiesties deliuerie from Gowries conspiracie in Scotland be thought ordinarie circumstances cōsidered How much lesse the powder Treason that so long lay couerd with so many difficulties the arrow being drawn as it were to the head before the string was broken ayming not only to hit the Lords anointed and royall family the Nobles Counsellors of state the Bishops and worthiest of all parts of the land but at an instant in a moment the vtter ruine subuersion and confusion of all estates degrees qualities and people of all conditions howsoeuer suggested an infranchisement to pretended Catholikes euen many of them also had tasted the same cup of extirpatiō with the more loyally affected and more religiously disposed The plot was laide by the policie of Sathan practised by his members discouered by God himselfe who reueiled the same vnto his annointed without humane intimation of the thing what the place where the persons by whom it was to be performed This for the present was wonderful in euery mans eyes men for a time lifted vp their hands as it were to God tokening thankefulnesse but it seemed to bee but like a splending sunne that shined for a while with glorious acknowledgeing that it was the very hand of God but now eclipsed with the cloud of forgetfulnesse somtimes it falls ouer the Pulpit into the eares but seldome into the hearts nor considered according to the worth of so worthy a deliuerance Moses erected stones in memoriall of the Israelites deliuerie from Pharoh to shew to posterities what God had done for them and to testifie their thankfulnesse to God but it seemeth that we haue turned our fleshly hearts into stones to testifie our ingratitude and to witnesse against vs how little we feare future dangers For were these former fauours of God written in our hearts could our tongues cease so long from praising God should we not be still mindfull of it be stirred vp to mixe with our thankefulnesse prayer that as hee hath vouchsafed to discouer and preuent so horrible treasons so it might please him to worke for vs against all Antichristian future complotments Sathanicall stratagems CHAP. XXII The Church of Christ militāt and Sathans Church malignant seek the ouerthrow one of the other but by contrary meanes and that all Christians are to pray for the defence of the first without which it is to bee feared it may suffer violence AS long as God hath in this kingdom a church militant it will not be auoyded but here will Satan haue his Church malignant and these cannot but be so opposite the one to the other as the one wisheth not the other to stand The first seeketh the conuersion of the second by gentle and Christian endeuours by perswading according to the rule of Christ praying for them in loue lifting vp no hand no sword no weapon of offence onely the sword of iustice for Treasons Treacheries and Conspiracies against the King and Kingdom wherin if there should bee no iustice inflicted it could not but embolden propagate more and more insolencie and boldnesse to execrable attempts so should the sword of the Magistrate be censured a partie of selfe-danger and confusion But the last seeketh the confusion of the first by treasons treacheries conspiracies massacres bloud nay by killing of Kings and by whatsoeuer inhumane vnnaturall and hellish attempt Iudge ye therefore iudge ye that giue aime to either yee that gaze vpon the controuersie and are indifferent whether of these is likest Christ and his Church the first that neuer foiled hand in bloud vnder the pretence of Religion or that which hath no other meanes to support it but the bloud of Princes and confusion of people Is there any so blear eyed that distinguisheth not the difference let him pray that God will open his eyes for flesh and bloud teacheth it not Now therfore as the cause of the Church militant is generall and her danger vniuersall so are or ought to be the prayers of euery mēber both in publique and priuate generall as well for the whole as for part these prayers haue the promise of defence of protection and freedome that whatsoeuer succeedeth shall bee for the best By meanes of which prayers though the successe suddenly at all times appeareth not God is moued to haue a watchfull eye and to extend a protecting hand ouer his people and that was it that defended Queene Elizabeth and that suffered not King Iames to be surprised by the conspiracie of Gowrie nor the treasonable plot of powder to take effect for many saithfull harts among infinite are doubtlesse daily lifted vp to God for his protection And although they foresee not the dangers God preuenteth them through the prayers of his little flocke made vnto him in generall in the name of his Christ. And impious it were to affirme that these dangers haue beene preuented and our deliueries wrought by chaunce without Gods prouidence and working Where God then is not continually solicited as well in priuate by his Saints as in publique by visible assemblies there cannot but follow some correction and that vpon Gods owne peculiar people for the neglect of calling vpon God his iudgements vpon the contemners of this holy duetie Prayer and it is to be feared that GOD hath beene enforced to come down to see whether the coldenesse of prayer and the crie of our sinnes bee according to the vnpleasing sauour which is ascended from vs into his presence be so or not Let vs repent let vs turn vnto God and humble our selues in sack cloth and ashes in a true and religious conuersion in faith prayer vnfained CHAP. XXIII The death of the late Prince is not lightly to bee forgotten nor our general praiers for his Maiestie and royall issue to bee neglected publiquely and in priuate for prayer auaileth much being feruent DOe wee lightly passe ouer or little consider that God hath depriued vs of the Anchor of our hope a corner stone of his spirituall building in earth the second piller of his Church May we not think that God foresaw him likely to proue too good to goe in and out before so vnthankfull a people Although hee preserue vnto vs and for vs our most worthy of Kings Let vs not thinke it is for our deserts but for his loues sake to his Annointed and our Soueraigne for his mercies sake vnto his Church Therefore let vs abandon sinne let vs retire our selues to him that calleth vs let vs lift vp our voyces in praises and praier that The holy one of Israel wil be pleased to blesse the K. the Kings son of his English Israel in whose prosperitie he hath as it were included our safetie There are a multitude of Sinners let a multitude of sighes bee speedily sent forth before the decree of his iudgements be sealed against vs let vs send
forth the Doue of true contrition out of the Arke of our repenting hearts it may bring vs the Oliue branch of reconciliation and peace with God Prayer preuenteth perils and howsoeuer some misconceiue that there are but few truely religious faithfully zealous yet no doubt God hath his seuen yea seuentie thousand that cease not to solicite him not only in publique but in their priuate clossets not for themselues alone but for the king kingdome people whose praiers haue promise to preuaile And therefore it cannot be said that the prayers of the faithfull are either none or few or little or not auaileable as some men thinke because as they affirme they respectiuely precede not euery vnknown or vndiscouered danger As if God knew not whereof Nations Kingdomes and people haue neede eyther of things wanting to be supplied or things dangerous to be preuented If he be truly called vpon in one danger he deliuereth from many as if in Famine a people bee relieued by their faithfull praiers vnto God hee in regard of their humiliation and repentance doth free them froÌ„ the plague which hee purposed should haue followed the Famine and of Warres that should haue followed the Famine and Plague As he did with the people of Samaria whom he did not only relieue with plentie after their famine but from their enemies also And this holdeth not in generall multitudes only but with priuate men fearing and faithfully seruing GOD in constant perseuerance CHAP. XXIV Deuotion lately hote is now become more colde which may presage some consequent danger but the practise of the word and prayer preuaileth with God the neglect whereof maketh men senselesse of sinne IT is to be lamented to obserue how the coldnes of Christian deuotion encreaseth especially considering how zeale flourished within these few yeares and how fruitfully it wrought in the hearts of many insomuch as there seemed a kinde of religious emulation in yong and old who could be most forward in hearing the word preached in the Churches in reading the same and praying together not only in the Church but also in their Families but now many are slack in that Christian duty and some hold it a sufficient seruice of God to visite the Church once a weeke on the Sabbath day to heare the word to conioyne in concluding the ordinary prayers saying Amen and somtimes to receiue the outward signes of the Sacraments neglecting in the meane time to meditate vppon the word of God which they haue heard to confirm the beleeuers faith And faith begetteth all other graces especially prayer which preuaileth with God aboue all other duties if it be feruent and is as it were the life of al other vertues the life mouing of the soule The neglect whereof may bee well compared to the foolishnes of a man voluntarily staruing himselfe for as the neglect of moderate receiuing food doeth by degrees macerate and in fine consume the bodie and it perisheth so the contempt of prayer workes in the soule a loathing of the word whereon vnlesse the soule doe feed it cannot but wax feeble in faith the want whereof is the absolute confusion of the soule which as the Fish cannot liue out of the water the Salamander out of the fire nor the Camelion out of the ayre cannot liue out of it owne element the word of God by which it was created the word profits not without meditation and praier hearing reading and often ruminating the same For as the seede sown though in a good soil if it haue not the former and latter raine it will not grow to perfection so the word vnlesse it bee watered as it were by continuall practise and prayer fructifieth not although the carnall man growing from ill to worse feeleth it not nor findes how he decayeth but as one in a consumption dieth spiritually The regenerate man by the Word the Sacraments and Prayer perceiueth in himselfe a daily increase of liuely effects working in his heart more and more assurance that all things shall worke together for the best in this life and after this life his endlesse glorie Moreouer the spirituall man apprehendeth in himselfe the lest motion of sinne hee perceiueth when the flesh or his corrupt thoughts begin to rebell in the least measure then beginneth hee to encounter them by abstinence and prayer But the carnall man sold vnder sinne is of another more obdurate temper hee feeleth nothing to be sinne But as a man may make what corosiue or incision he will in a dead member without feeling or pain as in a gangrine or the like so when the soule of a man is dead in sinne and his conscience seared vp nothing can be felt to be sinne Contrarily as the least pricke of the point of a needle annoieth the liuely flesh so the least prick of Sathans temptations is felt and auoyded by the regenerate man CHAP. XXV Beasts foreseeing flye danger more then reasonable men besorted with securitie and the pleasures of this life THere is no creature in the world so dul and insensible but can foresee and by natures instinct endâ—uor to preuent and flie danger and yet a carnall man endowed with reason oftentimes runneth wilfully into his owne ruine As while he with the foolish flie soareth about the vaine pleasures of this world scorcheth the wingâ— of diuine obedience and falleth into endlesse destruction He may be compared to Esops Hart who while hee beheld his beautifull head in the water forgetting the perrils which follow securitie is suddenly surprised by death euen while hee is foolishly admiring his owne vaine pride and worldly delights in the glasse of vulgar admiration Such men therefore that thus loose themselues in the wood of worldly contentments seldome or neuer finde the Temple to pray in with profit but for fashion and depart not iustified at all but rather condemned When theeues assaile or enemies approch to beleager a Citie euery man betakes him to his weapons and he that endeauours not to preuent the danger cannot but be held an enemie How stands it then with vs who haue permitted the house of our soules to bee robbed Are wee not enemies to our owne soules The pleasures of the world the lusts of the slesh haue stolne away our hearts from the liuing God the vanities of our minde the riches and pleasures of the world and the pride of life haue not only besieged but entred and surprised our vnderstandings captiuated our wils they haue depriued vs of our defensiue weapons stript vs of our spirituall ornaments they haue disarmed vs of the sword of the Spirit taken from vs the shield of faith the buckler of patience despoyled vs of the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the helmet of saluation haue they defrauded vs of Thus haue our theeuish delights and our enemies sinnes of all sortes dealt with vs and yet such is our sottish senselesse condition as being left naked of all goodnes wee feele not our
owne euils and therefore few or none thus falne couet to rise all or the most are so ouer-mastered by the old as they couet not the new man that is shaped in holinesse and righteousnes Who laboureth to become wise in the Lord But contrarily it is com to passe that euery sort of sinners presume to defend their vices A man cannot bee a good fellow saith the Drunkard and be merrie swinish with his friend but hee is censured a beast A man cannot shape his apparell saith the Peacock like proude man and fashion his garments in cost and colours as other proper men doe but he is held to be vaine and proud A man cannot shew his valorous spirit saith the swaggerer in the braue termes of a Souldier but he is termed a Blasphemer A man in the heate of his wantonnesse saith the Whoremonger cannot lie with a woman but hee must be branded with the mark of a lasciuious person aâ—d so lying stealing swearing forswearing bribery extortion respect of persons partiall iudgment haue their colourable defences and impious pretexts with wicked men Is there none that will take vp a lamentation ouer so many thus inchanted and metamorphosed some into Swine some into Goats som into Lions some into Beares Wolues Foxes Camelions Peacockes Vultures and the like who liuing in the shapes of men and women doe harbour the humours affections conditions and qualities of the most vile and abhorred creatures and yet will bee readie to raile vpon and reuile him that shall reproue them and endeuor to reforme them They will affirme that they are as sure of saluation as the best of a thousand that according to the commaundement of the Apostleâ— they pray continually and liue religiously Can the tongues of men and Angels prophesie what will becom of this obdurate age or can they with all their spirituall eloquence diuine gifts by deliuering Gods mercies or denouncing his iudgments reclaim these bewitched men Can any crosse vexation misery or calamitie worke in them contrition returning vnto God by repentance and prayer The God of this world hath blinded them they see not their owne errours nor foresee their dangers nor feele their own miseries Neyther can the promises of heauens glorie nor the threats of hells torments asswage the heat of their rebellions against God Peace and plentie health and securitie shaddowes of true happinesse argue against these men that they say in their hearts by their deedes that there is no cause of feare But when danger approcheth we will pray say they and prouide meanes to preuent the perill why should curious Preachers seeke to torment vs before the time Who can denie but all wicked men say thus in their hearts by the fruits of their liues denying God as it were to be God his promises to bee true or his threats of any force faith to be but an idle conceit and prayer a fruitlesse labour CHAP. XXVI If Gods word cannot awake vs he will send his rod to correct vs and nothing can appease him but our humiliation and prayer and not the glorie of our vaine-glorious pride IT behooueth vs to bee warie and watchfull in prayer and sith the Trumpet of Gods word cannot awake these deafe Snakes the rod of his iudgements cannot bee farre off for drunkennes is intollerable pride abhominable blasphemie horrible And God it is to be feared hath entred a plaint against vs and summoned vs by his Ministers to answere and by default of our appearing submissiuely before him appealing vnto him hee hath determined to punish our offences albeit he hath long forborne vs according to his nature of being patient and long suffering But let vs know that he is iust and if wee agree not with him quickly hee being our aduersarie too mightie for vs wee cannot but looke for the Sergeant who will deliuer vs to the Iudge the Iudge to the Gaoler and he cast vs into prison there to remaine without baile or maine-prise neuer to be released How shall we then make league with this offended God Shall wee flatter him as the Pharisie did Shall we bribe him as Sathan would haue done Shall we threaten him as Senacherib presumed The first was reproued the second repulsed the third confounded What can then appease his displeasure Onely repentance Not as Pharoh seemed but as the Niniuites did Dauid and Peter are patternes of true returning to God and are examples for offeÌ„ding Christians to follow God is not as man hee putteth not the controuersie which hee hath against man to be tried by man Althogh hee recommended the quarrell which he had against the rebellious Israelites to bee considered but not to be determined by man he put the case to man by way of agrauation of their disobedieÌ„ce but reserued both the iudgement and punishment to himselfe affirming that if Moses Elias Abraham Iob should stand vp and pray for such a rebellious people they should but saue themselues His wrath being enkindled yea but a litle none can abide or endure it but beeing highly incensed against a people or peculiar person it is most hard to appease him For he will be auenged on him on whom he will be auenged There is no attonement to bee made with him but by serious and true repentance no pardoning without faith faithfull prayer People Nations Tongues and Men offending him must soone repent or perish The glory of Belteshasher the fury of Pharoh the pride of Nehuâ—hadnezzer the vaine-glory of Herod the high mind of Haman the policie of Achitophel preuailed not against God but the poore offending Publican falling on his face praying pardon obtaytained it And this and none other way submission and prayer appeaseth our offended God Kingdoms Countries Cities Parishes Families and priuat men must by true humiliation and faithful prayer obtaine remission Sackcloth and ashes testified Niniuies repentance and shall our Silkâ—s and sutes deâ—ised by Sathan the deformities of men and women appease God The pride insolencie of these times so farre exceede the pride and insolency of old as the greatest of the sonnes of Anaek exceeded the meanest Pigmey in stature and strength Our men women are becom robbers of all Nations neuer Camelion changed his colour as wee doe our sutes fashions of changing varieties It is a high dignity to holde one fashion two moneths or to weare one weede two dayes Surely howsoeuer they may please the eie of their fauorites and delight their owne foolish fantasies God is not pleased with their fashions or fansies They studie not the word the sauing truth but the word of euery new and vpstart stuffe and their praier is seldome or not at all to God but to the monster-maker to fit their attire netely of a new or the newest cut that came last out of the Diuels shop Husbands must dis-mannor and dis-money themselues to make their wiues to glitter in the world Esdras declareth what the excesse
Religion liue like the Pagan It is a sweete contentment to bee in the protection of the liuing God but most feare full to fall into his handes Wee haue beene long in the first let vs beware lest we fall into the second these differ as much as doe mercie and iudgement life and death heauen and hell Christ and Mahomet in the first we obey in the second we rebell in the first we trust in the second we despaire in the first wee pâ—ay in the second wee blaspheme Let vs consider therefore how farre wee are falne from the first and how farre we are from falling into the second and nothing more discouereth the same then to behold our conuersations in the glasse of the word wherein euery man in particular may see his owne and by obseruation the blemishes of the general multitude and none that hath religious eyes but may behold a generall deformitie Wee ought to haue no other Gods but one but we make vs as many as we haue worldly dependancies namely reposing our confidences on any besides the liuing God as is said before We shold not take the holy name of GOD into our polluted moutâ—es in vaine yet what is more common then the idle speaking of and the heedles praying vnto God Wee should loue our neighbours as our selues and performe the rest of our dueties required and auoyde things forbidden by the laws of the two tables but if we shal be examined by the letter and iudged by our obedience we would seeke to hide vs from the iudgement to com But none can fulfill the law and therfore not I if any be saued then so shall I. This is the carnall mans sophistry whereby he frameth to himselfe syllogismes against his owne saluation prouing it needlesse to heare the word preached nay dangerous Some will not sticke to say that they may heare too much consequenly know too much for according to their knowledge is their obedience and practise required and therefore if they know good and doe it not their condemnation is the more iust if they know little they may sinne the more yet are they the more excusable And though they seldome or neuer pray they offend not so much as if they pray and forgiue not their brother whoÌ„ they hate and therefore the lesse they pray the lesse shall their hatred of their brother be laid to their charge Here is the doctrine of the Diuell professed by some kinde of people and held as sound religion as they neede to build their faith vpon as by such as refuse to partake of the holy communion beecause they are not in charitie As the diuel said to Heuah Yea hath God said ye shall die if ye eate of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill No no ye shall not only not die but ye shall be like God himselfe so he perswadeth these kind of men Hath God commanded you to search the Scriptures to seeke knowledge to beleeue the word and to pray partake of the sacraments No no beware the more ye know the more ye haue to answere ye need take no such paines Though some more curious theÌ„ they need make much ado and spend their time in hearing the Word preached in reading the same beleeuing in God and praying vnto him they haue much to answere for He to whom much is giuen of him much shall bee required and therefore take heede ye couet not to know much and yet ye shall prosper fare as well and haue all things at wil as wel as they that are most religious This doctrine of the Diuell is pleasing to the carnally minded and more follow the rules of the power of darkenes then there follow Christ the guide vnto grace and giuer of all goodnes which causeth sinne so infinitely to abound and euery man to run a race according to his own hearts lust seldome or neuer reprehended or condignly punished But howsoeuer man neglecteth the punishment God no doubt wil punish vs vnlesse we meet him by repentance as Abigaile met Dauid we must fall beâ—fore him on the knees of relenting harts and appease him with the presents of faith obedience and praier wee may else feare that God will come vpon vs as Dauid intended vpon Nabal and take from vs that vnspeakeable pearle the vse of the Gospell which hee hath so long lent vs and continued amongst vs notwithstanding so many millions of impediments Let not our sinnes increase as they seem to beginne All places are too full of them who little regard the Gospell such as despise gouernement whose hearts are ouergorged with sinne We haue been so long fed with this spirituall Manna that many seeme to bee glutted therewith whose soules yet famish and they feele it not Other Nations haue beene denied to taste of that whereof many of vs are wearie Will we needes put out our Lampes now the Bride-groome is so neere Will we needes cast wilfully off our wedding-garments the Master of the feast being readie to suruey his guests Are we willing to bee taken from the blessed banquet of saluation and to be cast into vtter darkenesse Shall such as passe by shake their heads at vs seeing vs naked that erst were so decked with the knowledge of Christ and beautified with the sacred ornaments of obedience and loue Shall we now beginne to crucifie Christ anew God forbid What remaineth then Onely let vs become more warie watchfull let vs not follow the multitude to doe euill let euery man rather retire himselfe into the secret closet of his heart and let him bewray vnto God his owne sinnes and confesse them to bee part of the cause that God is angrie with his people let euery man pray as well in priuat as in publike beating our breasts wherin do lodg our corrupted hearts with the fists of true repentance and new obedience let vs pray earnestly for pardon remission of our former transgressions let vs cast ofâ— the ragges of the old man and seek by humble and vnfained submission and praier to be clothed with the more glorious garments of pietie and the rich and right robe of innocencie let vs redeem our furniture of true Châ—istianitie that our sinnes haue stolne from vs and arme vs againe wâ—th the shield of faith the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the helmet of saluation let vs be feruent in faith constaint in hope frequent in prayer let vs not be ashamed to lay open and vnlap our sores before the Physitian of our soules let vs take vnto vs the sword of the spirit and constantly encounter Sathan and sinne who haue wounded vs euen to the death let vs repaire vnto that heauenly Samaritan hee will poure the oyle of mercie into our wounds and heale vs. Our disease of sinning is common let there be a common consent in seeking remedie and let vs all with one hart and one mind humble our selues before God in fasting and prayer Thus must we seek
the PhysitiaÌ„ who being thus sought is euer readie at hand and expecteth no reward but our new obedience and to obserue the diet he prescribeth namely to sinne no more with a caueat lest a worse thing happen vnto vs. Wee must not onely not doe euill but we must do good we must not only flie vice but follow vertue which rules implie al the duties that a Christian man ought to performe towards God and his neighbour among which prayer being the cheefest is cheefly required which if it bee enkindled by the fire of Gods spirit produceth such a spirituall zeale in our affections as begetteth that loue whence proceedeth our true obedience to God and the deâ—ire to doe good to our neighbors which are diuine vertues inseparable For hee that loueth God cannot buâ— loue his neighbour also CHAP. XXIX Wee ought to pray as well for our neighbours as for our selues The vse of prayer is two-fold publique and priuate Meditation enkindleth prayer AS prayer to God and loue to our neighbour go necessarily together how can a Christian man then pray to God for himselfe therein forget hâ—s brother whom God commandeth him to loue as himselfe wherein is included not only his naturall brother and priuate friend but all men in general but especially the Church of Christ and the members of the same And therefore it is to be considered that the vse and exercise of praier is two-fold priuate and publique The priuate prayer is the exercise of a faithfull man sequestred froÌ„ the societie of men pouring forth his faithfull â—upplications vnto God in secret and that not of set custome but in affections sanctified vnto the Lord onely and that especially in such times as when he feeleth the spirit of God enkindling in him a kind of inward and spirituall desire thereunto which to a man exercised in this diuine worke is as sensibly felt and perceiued as the beating of his pulse When hee feeleth this heauenly fire begin to waxe hote within him let him not delay to feed it with its proper fuell Meditation and Prayer for by experience the godly man cannot but find that Meditation is as the spiritual bellowes that increaseth the feruencie of prayer Euen as one sparke of fire beeing connexed to the fuell capable or combustible with gentle blowing makes a flame so the least portion of spirituall zeale beginning but to moue in the heart of the beleeuer being by little little cherished by silent but heauenly eleuatioÌ„ of the mind to God breedeth in the end such a powerfull operation as the tongue that was before dumbe and could not moue zealously to vtter and the heart that was before dull could not conceiue what to speake shall so sweetly concurre that without all difficultie and harshnes such a sweet sacrifice shall ascend from the hart to the lips and from the heart and lippes to the heauens as the tongue it selfe cannot expresse the sweetnesse it bringeth vnto the soule For that spirit that first kindled the desire administreth the matter for the heart to conceiue and frameth the wordes that the lips doe vtter in farre more diuine manner then the wisest carnall man could euer deuise or speak and it bringeth with it more ioy true consolation then gold or the most precious earthly thing And more solide and sound peace to the conscience then the tongue of man is able to vtter It is the most truely approoued remedy against all the griefes and troubles of the minde It easeth the afflictions crosses torments and persecutions of the bodie And were it possible that this sacred gift could be obtained by carnal meanes and the carnall man knew the vertue sweetnesse of it he would sel all his earthly possessions to buy it CHAP. XXX How when and where priuate prayers are to be made An erronious conceit of priuate prayer What sweetnesse priuate prayer brings to the soule THE priuate prayer before mentioned is not alwayes made in a Closset or Chamber Although Christ willeth vs when wee pray to enter into our chamber and there to pray to him in secret The mening wherof is that wee should not bee seene Pharisaically to make our priuate prayers in a publike manner as to bee seen of men The open fields is as a priuate Closset to him that sequestreth himselfe froÌ„ the societie of men for that holy purpose as it is supposed Isack did when hee met Rebecca his wife Sometimes this prayer is made euen in the middest of ill-disposed companie and in the very act of most serious businesse though not ceremoniously as vpon the knee bare headed striking the breast or lifting vp the eyes or hands which are externall gestures most meete to be vsed in prayer But places times and persons are to be considered for the outward gesture but the inward heart and the sanctified affection without any outward appearance of prayer may secretly send vp vnto God inward sighes and desires which may preuaile with God as did Anna Moses Nehemiah Hee that made the heart knoweth it how it is prepared within looketh not to the lippes how they moue as Helie did to Annaes but to the heart as Christ did to Zacheus The place where and the time when touching our priuate prayer are not much materiall so the occasion be rightly considered For in the time of vnseasonable wet to pray for raine in time of sufficiencie to pray for increase were absurde But as the occasion doth offer it selfe in whatsoeuer place at whatsoeuer time in whatsoeuer manner diuine reuerence to God considered it is accepted with God Daniel praied among the Lions in the den Ieremie in the dungeon the three children in the Ouen Dauid in the Wildernesse Gedion at his threshing Elisha at the plough Wheresoeuer we are and whatsoeuer we doe in our vocations we are in the presence of God may there then send forth our silent preuailing praiers and Christ the mediator will present them as sweet odors before our God in Heauen Ioseph Paul Peeter Silas Iohn Baptist found the Lord in their prisons It is a fond conceipt of some men that thinke there is no place fit no not for priuate prayer but the Temple nor God any where else to bee found or prayed vnto but in and towards the East as if he were not aswell in the west vpon al the points degrees of the Compasse In the Zenith ouer our heads and with the Antipodes directly vnder vs Before vs behind vs on our right hand and on our left In the Sea with Peter In the Whales bellie with Ionah In shipwrack with Paul And therefore wee may conclude that there is no place where God is not So we may pray euery where And if our prayer be faithfull he heareth vs walking working riding sitting yea and in our familiar talking the minde may haue her affections in Heauen the soule may cast forth certaine inward holy desires and yet the
bodie may bee occupied in whatsoeuer lawful function But when wee are for that purpose retired and are free both from bodily exercise and from the view of men wee must then conforme our gestures in a mâ—râ— reuerend and more humble outward manner as kneeling vpon our knees and lifting vp our handes and the like giuing our holy desires best satisfaction in so sacred an exercise O happie is that soule that sends forth continuall holy sighes and desires at all times and in all places which are as lowd cries vnto the Lord which God heareth vnderstandeth and answereth and alloweth this kinde of holy deuotion as a forsaking of earthly thinges for a moment to aspire vnto Heauenly contemplation conuersation for euer And this cannot proceede but from a heart full of the loue of heauenly thinges of God especially who hath as wee may thereby truly feele the superior power in vs ouer vs and in his loue draweth our affections from earthly to heauenly cogitations altogether alone for our saluation And happy is he that with Dauid delighteth therein CHAP. XXXI The helpes and hinderances of prayer how Sathan striueth to hinder prayer for nothing woundeth him as faithfull prayer in the name of Christ. Wee must bee watchfull and strong to resist him PRayer both priuate and publik haue their helpes and hinderances their motiues and mortifications To stirre vp the heart thereunto nothing more availeth then the often hearing and reading of the word of God which begetteth faith that begetteth prayer sundrie selected Psalmes of Dauâ—d diuers of the writings of S. Paul besides many other Scriptures consideratly read duly meditated are forceable motiues to this diuine dutie The consideration of our sinnes and of the promises of the forgiuing them in Christ The feeling of our spirituall wants The consideration of Gods continuall fauour prouidence and protection in releiuing defending and helping others through faithfull prayer Examples whereof are infinite in the Scriptures doe much further this diuine and heauenly exercise by applying our faith and prayer to God in our like occasions On the contrarie prayer is much hindred and our zeale mortified by the neglect of practise by seldome or carelesse hearing of the Word of God or reading the Diuine Scriptures or some godly workes of good and religious men Not to beleeue that God heareth or respecteth our prayers That he is not able to giue what we aske or to doe what we desire if it bee for his owne glorie and our good To thinke that which hee doth is not for our best To wauer in our prayers or to haue our mindes carried away with by-thoughts that are not answerable concurring with that wee pray for To pray for fashion and without feeling of any necessitie to pray To presume that God will heare our prayers for our owne sakes without the merits and mediation of Christ To faint giue ouer our prayers when we cannot receiue what we would when we would To pray openly and to be seene of men To thinke that wee are not bouÌ„d to pray for our brethren These and manie other like hinderances of prayer are often thrust into our hearts by the policie of Sathan who commeth to hinder all good and godly actions But wee ought not to giue place to his inticements nor yeild to his temptations The most faithfull men haue not only continuall warre with flesh and bloud namely with their owne corrupt affections to keepe them vnder but with Sathan himselfe with spiritual wickednesse When Iehoshua was doing the Office of the High Priest standing before the Angell making his prayers vnto God The Deuil stood at his right hand to hinder him And shall wee thinke that he will be lesse readie to hinder and resist vs in our Diuine excercises He tempted Christ the Lord and will hee forbeare his seruants Hee desired to winnow the verie Apostles of Christ how much more will hee seeke to distract vs in our deuotest prayers which hee thinketh will bee most auailable with God There is nothing vnder the Sun that giues him a more deadly wouÌ„d then our faithfull prayers to God And therefore in his impious policie he endeuoureth to hinder this heauenly exercise in the deerest childreÌ„ of God lest that the righteous soule should so farre preuaile with God as to procure his fauor and grace by prayer and consequently his ayde and holy assistance to encounter this most malicious aduersary It is written that the Lion is afraid at the crowing of a Cocke but nothing maketh Sathan so much afraide as faithfull prayer to Christ whose very name is terrible vnto him hauing tried his force and skill against him in the Wlldernesse vpon the pinacle but especially vpoÌ„ the Crosse where Christ so farre triumphed ouer him as that now howsoeuer malignant he seemeth to be towards Gods children he dareth not to encounter them face to face that vse the sword of the spirit and the shield of faith against him Although through the abundance of his malice to Christ and his elect he leaueth not to tempt them yet it is but by starts and snatches as hee findeth them colde in their spirituall exercises as hee found Dauid idle or thorough weakenesse apt to be drawne into some back-sliding as hee did Peter But what got hee by betraying those innocents It was not long ere they renewed their spirituall strength and then they gaue him such an ouerthrow as afterwards hee could neuer preuaile against the force of their faith It therefore behoueth euerie Christian to be very watchfull that he admit none of these suggestions of Sathan to take away preuent or resist this sacred and diuine dutie of faithfull prayer and to stand fast in the faith to quit them in all his encounters like men Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell for wee wrestle not against slesh and bloud against weake men that haue as we haue their breath in their nostrils but against Principalities against powers and against the Princes of the darkenesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse which are in the high places These are the enemies of our peace with God and therefore endeuor they to steale away our hearts from the liuing God these are they that seeke to resist our prayers to peruert our hearts in prayer to estrange our affections from heauenly things and by no meanes can we repell them but with spirituall weapons as they are spirituall enemies And therefore wee must vse the counsell of the Apostle that is to take vnto vs the armor of God not a part but the whole furniture namely an vpright conscience a godly and holy life knowledge of the Gospel faith vnfained and continuall prayer not for our selues onely but for the Church of Christ and for euery member of the same For the particular weapons of this complete munition wherewith euery Christian ought to be armed
against these spirituall enemies reade Eph. 6. 16. 17 18. CHAP. XXXII The presence of God himselfe is promised in publike praier how he is present which the carnall man apprehendeth not the discontinuance of prayer publique or priuat dangerous AS touching publique prayer our Sauiour giueth vs such an encouragement to moue vs thereunto both of his owne presence and of the assurance of obtaining what we ask as it is more then wonderfull that meÌ„ should shew themselues so baâ—kward as not to desire to meete Christ in such holy Assemblies as are graced with his owne presence Where two or three are gathered together in my name saith Christ I will bee there in the middest of them And whatsoeuer they shall aske with one accord in my name it shall be granted vnto them No man is so impious as to bring in question whether this can or will prooue true or not that Christ should come downe and be in the society of men For we may assure vs that God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost being all one the Father is where the sonne is the holy Ghost where the father and the sonne are And Christ promising to send the Comforter the holy Ghost after his departure performed it in clouen tongues and he is with vs namely with his Church to the end of the world and consequently the father and the sonne the Trinitie in Vnitie I will pray the Father saith Christ and he shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth so called because hee inspireth the truth into vs and teacheth vs to crie Abba father whether in priuate or publike assemblies gathâ—red together in the name of Christ. Hee then being the spirit of Christ and being all one with Christ being with vs and dwelling in vs it can not be denied but Christ is with vs according to his promise namely with the faithfull assembled in his name whoÌ„ the world namely carnall men of the world know not But yee saith Christ to the faithfull know hum for he dwelleth in you I will not leaue you comfortlesse but I will come to you Againe he saith I am in my father and I in you and you in me Seeing then that all holy assemblies gathered together to heare God speake vnto them and againe that they together may speake vnto God are not left without the glorious presence of God himselfe how are they to be condemned that frame vnto themselues or rather â—orge by the suggestion of Sathan cases as it were of conscience to abiure the companie euen of Christ himselfe Sathan beleeueth the word of God to be true and yet laboureth the contrarie in men inclinable to doubt and causeth many to misconceiue of the sense which he himself knowes to be otherwise then he would haue them to beleeue And as he can make no vse of any part of the word of God to his owne neyther would hee that any should eyther heare the word truely expounded or assemblies to concurre rightly in prayer to their saluation And therefore whosoeuer findeth in himself the lest motion of doubting of Gods performance of his promises made vnto the faithfully praying or an vnaptnesse and vnwillingnesse rather then a zealous inclination to pray either in priuat to himselfe in publique with the Congregation or with his family priuately assembled may iustly feare that Sathan hath wouÌ„d himselfe into his affections and if he preuent him not speedily and resist him faithfully by prayer he will not leaue vntill hee haue gotten command of the whole house of his soule and will expulse all godly cogitations holy affections and sanctified desires and will suffer none to be entertained but infidelity sinne and fearefull apostacie Will not these daungers mooue men to repaire vnto the house of God with diligence and zeale there faithfully to ioyne in prayer with Gods children and attentiuely to heare the word preached which begetteth faith the fountaine whence doe flow all holy and spirituall exercises of the godly soule There is no other way to seeke saluation but in and by the word of God nor any other in and by whom we can be saued but in and by Christ who hauing so louingly called vs and by promise of his own presence intreated vs to communicat in holy exercises with him and his elect who wil or can rest so carelesse of his owne saluation as wilfully or negligently to estrange himself from this holy communication with God himselfe in prayer publique or priuat Publique prayers are so called because they are pronounced distinctly with an audible voice in the hearing and to the vnderstanding of a whole Congregation assembled And these praiers commonly tend to publique and common ends as for the obtaining of some generall good to the whole Church preuenting of some generall daÌ„ger or remouing of some generall euill And this although it be properly meant of parochial CongregatioÌ„s who assemble themselues by course on the Sabbath and other set dayes making their supplications publiquely for themselues and others according to generall occasions after a common manner yet are houshold assemblies said to pray publiquely wherein the Master of the Family is to conuent such as are vnder his charge and publikely together with them to pray vnto God as well for the vniuersall good of the Church whereof they are members for the Common-weale wherin they liue as subiects as for themselues And the promise of Christs presence holdeth true as well in this latter wherein two or three onely gather together in his name as where infinit numbers are assembled CHAP. XXXIII Priuat prayer in som respects at som times more comfortable to a priuate man then publique The neglect of publique praier in priuat families condemned for where God is not there Sathan is serued THe same that hath been formerly said of priuate prayer may bee affirmed of publique although the first bee more ordinary then the second not being limited to times certain but attendeth all occasions and yeeldeth more comfort to the troubled spirit of some priuate man that dareth to vnfolde that vnto GOD in secret which hee would blush to reueale vnto man were hee neuer so neere and deere vnto him much lesse would he publish it in a publique assembly willingly And this kind of prayer also is of that condition that where it is enkindled and cannot haue free vtterance by the lips by reason of company but is pent vp in the breast it laboreth with such spirituall violence in the sanctified soule as it makes the very heart within a man as it were to ake and rent in sunder thorough the ardent eleuation of the spirit vnto God And it is the surest trial of true religion In publique assemblies sometimes hypocrisie beareth a farre greater sway then it can doe in the priuat man who knoweth that the weight of spirituall ioy it bringeth vnto and leaues in his soule through prayers
Foâ— it argueth in vs a great defect of faith And yet these words are not so to be expounded as if we should bee altogether carelesse of future times or for our children but that wee should not bee too solicitous and carefull and thereby argue an absolute distrust that God either can or will giue vs with our true obedience all thinges necessary in this life to enioyâ— and to our faithfull children If riches increase set not your hearts vpon them If pouertie oppresse thee cast thy care vpon God for hee careth for thee Wee pray that God will forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue And yet we seeke to take aduantage of euery small iniurie done vnto vs by our neighbour or brother and couet to reuenge it by the extremest violence of force or Law Our hatred sometimes growes so deadly as wee cease not to persecute and prosecute our enemies to death euen by our own death and yet we pray for equall measure at Gods hands And this petition they shall bee sure to haue granted aboue all other For as they craue to be forgiuen as they forgiue they shal be sure as they forgiue not neither shall they bee forgiuen We desire also not to be ledde into temptation And yet som leaue not to seek all occasioÌ„s to fal therinto coueting idle euil lewd lasciuious coÌ„panies hearing reading profane wanton bookes singing and hearing songs of ribaldrie and filthinesse delighting in drunkennesse whoredome pride couetousnesse enuie gluttoâ—ie scurrilitie and all kinde of forbidden wickednesse Is this the holy vse that they make of this most sacred prayer And yet doe they thinke that it is deuotion of such acceptation with God as dischargeth Christian dutie in prayer Surely God heareth these but regardeth them not but by way of condemnation And therfore let all men learne to know God aright in his word to beleeue him faithfully in his promises and to pray vnto him contiâ—ually according to knowledge so as this holy praier began with a desire that God might bee glorified so shall wee to his glorie and our comfort conclude the same And let vs know that as many petitions as are in this most heauenly prayer so many holy heauenly aduertisements instructions they administer vnto vs to liue heauenly for our Sauiour by teaching vs how to pray for so many seuerall blessings doth therein teach vs also how to performe our duties towards God and our neighbours the summe of both the Tables so as in praying vnto God with a faithfull and an vnderstanding heart we cannot but inform our selues in the course of a godly conuersation also thereby CHAP. XXXVI Praier much increaseth diuine knowledge whereby men of meane carnall learning exceede many literat Doctors WHo then among the company of Christians is there that will not be aduised or so backward that will not be stirred vp or so peruerse and peeuish that will not be perswaded to practise this holy duetie considering that it is found by holy experience that the continuall vse of faithfull prayer much encreaseth the knowledge of all other duties tending to the obtayning of our saluation in Christ nay further it is found by experience that faithfull often vse of prayer is a most effectuall meane to increase diuine knowledge such knowledge as some learned and great Doctors notwithstanding their deepest Schoole-learning haue not attained vnto For there is not a little difference betweene humane learning and spirituall knowledge so much difference between carnall deuotion and holy zeale the first may be in a reprobate the secoÌ„d in none but in the child of God The Scribes and Rabbies of the Iewes were great Doctors yet they apprehended not the mysterie of Christ as did the Apostles who receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God The spirit which Gods children receiue lifteth vp their spirits vnto God teacheth them heauenly things that we may know the things that are giuen vs of God So that it is not the deepest carnall learning that can search the secret things of God but God reuealeth them vnto the poore and humble by his spirit which searcheth the deepe things of God The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned TheÌ„ is not the facultie of vnderstanding spirituall things giuen but by grace not by humane vnderstanding bee it neuer so deepe Therefore saith the Apostle Not manie wisemen after the flesh nor many mightie nor many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake things of the world to confound the most mightie It followeth theÌ„ thaâ— he that hath the spirit of God knoweth how to performe all spirituall dueties among which none taketh place aboue faithfull prayer which is of that force as it obtaineth all things especially knowledge of things tending to the saluation of the soule the sweetnesse of true prayer none knoweth nor can apprehend but he onely that hath it the carnall man vnderstandeth it not beeing told it Some will say they cannot pray they finde no aptnesse in themselues therunto onely they can say the Lords praier but to say they doe it withâ— that feeling of coÌ„fort that they haue heard some men say they feel they cannot and how to amend it they know not yet are they content to be let alone loth to bee awaked out oâ— their deadly slumber and to die in that most fearefull traunce It is a greeuous sickenesse and a dangerous disease that such men are in it cannot but argue that they haue no true knowledge of God so long as they liue in this obscure yet a kind of voluntary darknesse For it cannot be that a man can heare the word preached Gods promises pronounced and his threats denounced but if there bee any feeling in him hee cannot but apprehend mercie or feare iudgement if neither of these can prouoke him to pray with feeling he is doubtlesse farre gone in a deadly Lethargie and no carnall medicine can cure him nor mortall Physitian heale him he only must doe it that cast out the seuen Diuels out of Marie hee must cast out the diuellish affections out of the man make him wise vnto saluation But if he be like vnto the deafe Adder and stoppe his eares wilfully refusing the relieuing charme there is no help or hope for such a man CHAP. XXXVII Although no man by nature knoweth how to pray none is to despaire for the word heard and prayer vsed teacheth it and increaseth the knowledge of it NO man by nature I coÌ„fesse knoweth how to â—ray as hee ought it is the spirit of God that helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed And therefore let no man despaire of beeing enabled There is a seed in all men a