thoughts 83 84 c. 17. Of knowledge required necessarily in prayer 89 That prayer ought to be made in a known tongue 92 18. Of Faith which is required in prayer 101 19. Of Humilitie required in prayer 106 Faith and Humility must be joyned in prayer 110 20. Of Reverence required in prayer and Heartinesse 113 21. Of the Gesture to be used in prayer 116 22. Of the Voyce to be used in prayer 125 Of Battologie in prayer 129 Of the quantitie and qualitie of our prayers 133 23. Whether a set form of prayer may be used 135 What we are to think of extemporall prayer 137 Of conceived prayers and set forms 139 24. Of things required out of the action of prayer 141 Of Preparation unto prayer 142 Of duties to be performed after prayer 144 25. Of the Subject matter of our prayers and what is required thereunto namely that it be good and according to Gods will 146 That being unable to pray we are assisted by the Spirit 147 Chap. 26 Of the 〈◊〉 of prayer 150 Of Pâ—…blick prayer 151 Of Private prayer in the family and alone 154 27. Of the time of prayer 156 The â—…cheta coâ—…fured 157 28. Concerning the Place of prayer 161 The vanity of Pilgrimages 163 29. Of Prayer or Petition and what is required unto it 164 Prayer and thanksgiving must bâ—… joyned 165 What things are required in prayer 167 We must pray in sight and sense of our wants 169 We must pray with fervency of desire 172 30. Of Faith which is chiefly reqâ—…ired in prayer 173 We must pray in faith and submission to Gods will 176 31. Of duties to be performed after prayer 178 32. Distinctions of prayer in regard of the object 181 For whom we must pray 184 Of prayer against others 188 Of Imprecations 189 33. Of thereall object of prayer or the things to be prayed for 191 We must pray for temporall blessings 193 34. Of Deprecation 195 Of Confession of our sinnes 196 How this Confession is to be made 197 35. Of Thanksgiving 201 What is required in Thanksgiving 202 36. Speciall duties required in Thanksgiving 206 37. Of the outward expressing inward thankfulnesse by praysing God 212 38. Duties to be performed before after thanksgiving 216 ¶ The chief things handled in the second part of this Treatise viz. The exposition of the Lords Prayer THe generals of Invocation applyed to the Lords Prayer 226 The Preface 231 How God is called Father ibid. Of the name Father and what duties it teacheth us 234 What is meant by the word Our 237 The meaning of these words Which art in heaven 244 The division of the Petitions 251 The meaning of the first Petition 252 How Gods name is sanctified by us 255 How Gods name signifying his Glory is sanctified by us 257 How it is sanctified signifying his Titles 259 How it is sanctified signifying his Word 263 How it is sanctified signifying the Doctrine of religion 264 How it is sanctified signifying his Works 265 How God himself sanctifieth his name 269 The second Petition handled 271 What Gods kingdome is 272 What it is for Gods kingdome to come 275 Christs kingdome cometh by means 279 The impediments of Gods kingdome to be prayed against 282 Uses concerning the coming of Gods kingdome 289 Of the coming of the kingdome of glory 293 We must expect and pray for the second coming of Christ 294 How we must expect the second coming of Christ 298 The third Petition explained 301 Of the will of God and things which he willeth 303 How Gods will is done on earth 307 How Gods will is done on earth as in heaven 310 The matter and manner of our obedience 314 315 Wherein our obedience resembleth that of the Angels 319 The exposition of the fourth Petition 324 Why we ask temporall blessings before spirituall 325 Whatis meant by Bread 327 What is meant by daily bread 330 How God is said to give us daily bread 333 c. Duties to be performed by them that ask daily bread 339 340 c. The fifth Petition expounded 350 We must be justified before we can be sanctified 352 That our sinnes are debts 355 What is meant by forgiving our trespasses 359 By this petition we are put in mind of our misery and Gods mercy 361 No man can satisfie Gods justice for his sinnes 362 Severall duties arising out of the fifth petition 368 369 Our forgiving no cause of Gods forgiving us 376 How we can be said to forgive 379 Reasons moving us to forgive 385 c. The sixth petition expounded 390 Those whom God pardoneth the devil tempteth 391 The necessity of this prayer Not to be lead into temptation 392 Of probations and trialls 1. by prosperity 2. by afflictions 394 395 Of divers â—…orts of temptations 396 1. Of the â—…lesh ibid. 2. Of the world 3â—…7 3. Of the devil 400 Of the divers â—…orts of the devils temptations 401 c. How God may be said to tempt 406 Satan can neither tempt or overcome without Gods permission 409 That temptations are good for Gods children 410 How we must pray against the temptations of the flesh the world and the devil 413 414 415 c. The Conclusion of the Lords Prayer both authenticall and necessary 41â—… Oâ—…r faith confirmed by this Conclusion 420 What is meant by thine is the kingdome 422 423 What is meant by the power and the glory 424 425 Everlasting kingdome power and glory belongeth to God 427 What the word Amen signifieth 429 CHAP. I. Of the definition of prayer and of the persons who are to pray AMong all the duties of Christianitie as there is not any more honourable in it self more glorious to God more profitable and necessary for us then the exercise of prayer and invocation so is there none wherein we do more need direction and instruction and consequently nothing wherein my labour in speaking and yours in hearing may better be imployed For as Chrysostome saith Pulcherrima est scientia veréque Christiano homine digâ—…a quae docet rectè precari That is the most excellent knowledge and truly worthy a Christian man which teacheth rightly to pray In treating whereof I purpose by the help of God to observe this order First I will set down the doctrine of invocation and then explain that absolute form or pattern of prayer prescribed by our Saviour Christ wherein the practice of the doctrine is conteined The doctrine must first be generall and common to both the sorts of invocation viz. prayer and thanksgiving and then speciall and peculiar to either The generall doctrine consisteth of such points as are either more substantiall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or accidentall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The substantiall points are all of them comprised in this definition Invocation or prayer is a religious speech of the faithfull directed unto God in the name of Christ framed according to the will of God by the help of the holy Ghost concerning good
obteining remission both to faith and to prayer which they ascribe to the Sacraments especially of Baptisme for sinnes going before and Penance for sinnes following after Baptisme which they hold do free from sinne and conferre the grace of justification ex opere operato whereunto they require neither prayer nor faith nor any other good motion or disposition in the party save onely that he do not ponere obicem peccati mortalis put in the way the barre or stop of mortall sinne affirming that the Sacraments do contein grace as vessels and that they are physicall causes of grace justifying by efficacie put into them by God as the heat of fire is the cause of burning abusing that place Acts 22. 16. Be baptized and wash away thy sinnes having called on the name of the Lord. But let us come to their objections To the first I answer That we do teach that remission of sinnes is obteined by prayer and that to that end our Saviour hath taught us to crave remission and hath acquainted us with the example of the Publicane who by prayer obteined justification as David Manasseh and the faithfull and penitent sinners in all ages have done which hindreth not but that we are justified by faith alone For it is not every prayer but the prayer of faith as S. James calleth it which is impetratory I say it is the prayer of faith which by prayer obteineth pardon To the second Where our Divines define faith to be a full and certain perswasion of Gods love towards us in Christ forgiving our sinnes c. they define it in the highest degree and perfection thereof whereunto we must alwayes aspire But there are two principall degrees of faith The first is an assent to the truth of Gods word and more especially to the promises of the Gospel assuring salvation to all that believe in Christ. This assent in the judgement to the Law and Gospel if it be true lively and effectuall worketh in the heart and will a lothing of our sinnes a resolution to leave them a desire of grace and a hungring and thirsting after Christs righteousnesse and a resolution to acknowledge Christ to be our Saviour and to rest upon him alone for salvation And howsoever those who have but this degree cannot say that they are assured of forgivenesse and salvation yet their desire of grace proceeding from this lively faith expressed in their prayer is acceptable before God and obteineth that which is desired Now they which have this degree must proceed to the second For seeing the promises belong to them concerning justification and salvation they ought to apply them to themselves And look how sure a man may be that he believeth that is giveth a true and lively assent to the doctrine of the Gospel so sure ought he to be of the remission of sinnes and salvation by Christ. And of this assurance there are degrees according to the measure of grace received To conclude therefore this point We ascribe to faithfull prayer efficacie to obtein that which we desire in the name of Christ according to the will of God and by the Scriptures do demonstrate the efficacie of prayer which now we are to shew by the wonderfull effects which by prayer have been brought to passe CHAP. V. Of the great and wonderfull efficacie of prayer AS first in the elements the earth the water the aire the fire At the prayer of Moses the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Korah Dathan and Abiram with their families Numb 16. At his prayer also the hard rocks sent forth rivers of waters Exod. 17. Samson having slain a thousand Philistines with the jaw-bone of an asse Judg. 5. 18 19. whereupon the place was called Lehi which signifieth a jaw-bone and being ready to perish with thirst by prayer obteined a well of living water which continued to posteritie which the Lord opened unto him in Lehi not the jaw-bone but the place so called which for a perpetuall monument of the efficacie of prayer he called En-hakkore the fountain of him that prayed At the prayer of Moses Exod. 14. the waters of the red sea gave place to the Israelites and overwhelmed their enemies But come we to the aire Elias being a man* subject to the like passions with us which the Apostle James noteth chap. 5. 17 18. that we might in like manner hope to be heard prayed a prayer that is prayed effectually that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth for three yeares and six moneths and he prayed again and the heavens that is the aire gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Concerning fire we have two examples of the same Elias the former 1. Kings 18. where by prayer he brought down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice the latter 2. Kings 1. where also by prayer he brought down fire from heaven to destroy the two captains with their fifties But leaving the elements let us in our cogitations ascend into heáven For most admirable is that example Josh. 10. 15. where at the prayer of Joshua for he is said to have spoken to the Lord and the Lord to have hearkened to his voice the sunne stood still in the middest of heaven for the space of one whole day untill the Israelites were avenged on their enemies And no lesse admirable is that example of the Prophet Isaiah 2. Kings 20. 11. at whose prayer not onely the shadow in the sunne-diall but the sunne it self in the firmament went back ten degrees Isa. 38. 8. Ecclus 48. 23. Neither is the efficacie of prayer seen upon those creatures alone which are without sense but upon those also which are indued with sense and reason Jonah when he was swallowed up of the whale and lay in the belly thereof as in a grave for the space of three dayes and three nights having cried to the Lord de profundis he was restored safe to land Jonah 2. As touching men the efficacie of prayer appeareth in the deliverance not onely of particular men but also of whole cities and countreys from the fury and force of their enemies were they never so mightie or so many When Peter was by Herod cast into prison and kept by foure quaternions of souldiers lying in the night before he should be put to death between two souldiers bound with two chains the keepers also before the doore keeping the prison at the instant prayer of the Church which effectually prayed for his deliverance the Lord sent his angel to set him at libertie Acts 12. 5. Elias the Prophet being armed with the spirit of prayer when Ahaziah the king had sent three captains of fifties one after another to apprehend him he not onely brought down fire from heaven to destroy the two first with their fifties as I said before but also he brought the third captain upon his knees humbly intreating him that his own life and the lives of all his companie might be precious
in his sight 2. Kings 1. Elisha also upon whom the spirit of Elias was doubled when Ben-hadad king of Syria had sent an armie of men with horses and chariots to apprehend him the armie having by night environed the citie where the Prophet was and besieged it by prayer he had them in his power striketh them blind leadeth them to Samaria and having by prayer opened their eyes that they might see their present danger he victualleth them and sendeth them away as vanquished Now for the defense and deliverance of whole peoples and common-wealths such is the efficacie of prayer that those who are indued with the spirit of supplication may not unworthily with Elias and Elisha be called the horsemen and chariots of Israel By prayer Asa 2. Chron. 14. Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 25. Hezekiah 2. Kings 19. overcame most mighty armies of their enemies which by their own strength they were in no sort able to resist But most remarkable is that example of Moses at the battel of Rephidim whereby it appeareth to be true which Chrysostome upon that occasion noteth Preces justorum plus valere quà m arma the prayers of the righteous more prevail then arms For whilest Moses being on the hill with Aaron and Hur holdeth up his hands and is fervent in prayer Israel hath the better but when his hands fall down and he ceaseth to pray Israel hath the worse as if the welfare of Gods people did depend upon his prayer But what speak I of men That which subdueth all men giveth place unto prayer as sicknesse and death For the former Jam. 5. 15. The prayer of faith shall save or make whole the sick Examples Num. 12. 13. in Miriam Acts 28. 8. in the father of Publius but especially in Hezekiah who though he had received the sentence of death obteined by prayer the prolonging of his life 2. Kings 20. 2. For the latter we reade of many who by prayer have been restored from death unto life as namely the widows child of Sarepta 1. Kings 17. 21. the sonne of the Shunamite by Elisha 2. Kings 4. 35. Dorcas by Peter and all by prayer Yea the devils themselves who are said to have the power of death give place to prayer yea that kind of devil which by no other means can be cast out is cast out by prayer Matth. 17. 21. And yet we stay not here For the efficacie of prayer is not onely seen in and upon the creatures but the effectuall prayer of a righteous man availeth much with God Jam. 5. 16. For the Lord being omnipotent and of a most simple and pure nature and therefore not subject to passive power cannot properly be said to suffer any thing yet having by most gracious promises bound himself to grant the faithfull prayers of his children they are said to prevail with him both because they obtein such blessings at his hands as otherwise would not be granted and turn away such judgements as otherwise would have been inflicted For else when the Lord was ready to have destroyed the Israelites for their idolatry had not Moses stood up in the gap Psal. 106. 23. why did the Lord bid him let him alone Exod. 32. 10. but that Moses by prayer laid hold upon God as the Prophet speaketh Isa. 64 7. and staid his hand And why is Jacob said to have prevailed with God and thereupon is called Israel but that the Lord suffered himself as it were to be overcome by his prayer whereby he laid hold upon Christ who is meant by that Angel and would not suffer him to depart untill he had granted him a blessing Gen. 32. 26 28. And so the Prophet Hosea teacheth that when Jacob wrestled with the Angel he prevailed with him not so much by strength of body as by earnest and effectuall prayer He had power saith he chap. 12. 4. over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication to him c. And in this sense the Apostle exhorteth the Romanes chap. 15. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together with him to wrestle in their prayers for him And Epaphras in like manner is said Col. 4. 12. to have wrestled for the Colossians in prayer And what else meaneth the parable of the widow and the judge Luke 18. 2. and of the two friends Luke 11. 5. but that the importunitie of our prayers prevaileth with the Almighty And thus the woman of Syrophenicia Matth. 15. 22 28. having taken divers repulses yet at the length by the importunitie of her faithfull prayer prevailed with Christ. The use of this doctrine is 1. That by consideration of the great efficacie of prayer we should be moved upon all occasions to pray without fainting Luke 18. 1. Jam. 1. 16. 2. That we may be encouraged to pray with confidence and assurance to be heard And so much of the first question CHAP. VI. Whether by prayer we alwayes obtein our desire THe second Whether we do alway obtein our desire The promises are generall as you have heard Matth. 7. 7 8. John 16. 23. Notwithstanding some ask and do not receive Psal. 22. 2. some seek and do not find Cant. 3. 1. some knock to whom it is not opened Luke 13. 25. Wherefore the promises are to be understood with a threefold limitation in respect of the Person Prayer and Thing Of all which we are hereafter to speak more fully For first if the party be an impenitent sinner the Lord hath not promised to heare such John 9. 33. Examine therefore thy self whether thou dost lie in any sinne unrepented of for that doth make a separation between God and thee Isa. 59. 2. and that being repented of God will heare thee Isa. 1. 15 18. The second limitation in regard of prayer is That it be according to Gods will 1. John 5. 14. in regard of the manner or the end For the manner In generall it is required that it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 16. that is efficax effectuall To be effectuall and to avail is all one and so we shall make S. James say that prayer which availeth doth avail There is duplex actus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first inward as being the form or nature of a thing the second outward as the motion or effect And as in respect of the latter the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of an active signification as Gal. 5. 6. Ephes. 3. 20. Col. 1. 29. so in regard of the former it is passive as 2. Cor. 1. 6. In which sense they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are acted by a spirit either good or bad So prayer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it hath the inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being acted and effectuated by the Spirit of God who helpeth our infirmities and teacheth us to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. ingenerating this inward efficacie in our prayers
things must be done decently and in order v. 40. But when publick prayers are made in an unknown language there happeneth much disorder and confusion like that of Babel The Minister though he speak Latine is a barbarian to the people and the people to the Minister v. 11. If I know not the meaning of the voyce I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me not simply but to me saith Chrysostome Hierome truly saith Omnis sermo qui non intelligitur barbarus judicatur All speech not understood is deemed barbarous So Ovid in banishment Barbarus hîc ego sum quia non intelligor ulli I am barbarous here because I am not understood by any 2. The minister and people meeting to publick prayer use not publick prayer but private for it is not the place but the congregation that maketh it publick But the minister praying in an unknown language his prayer is private and the people when they do pray at all betake themselves to their private devotions Hereunto adde examples and precedents For the Patriarchs and Prophets under the law the Apostles and Primitive Church did alwayes pray in a known tongue Neither can any sound testimonie or approved example be produced to the contrary for six hundred yeares after Christ. Vitalicus the Pope about the yeare 666 which is the number of the beast whose name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thought to have been the first authour of this ordinance concerning Divine service to be done in Latine Origen saith That every nation in their mother tongue make their prayers unto God and yield him due praises So Basil Epist. 63. ad cler Neocaesar And to the examples of the ancient Church we may adde the practice not onely of the reformed Churches but also of the Ethiopians and Egyptians Syrians Armenians Moscovites Moravians and Sclavonians all which at this day observe the ancient form of praying in their vulgar languages De Cyrillo Moraviorum praesule qui vixit 900 Aeneas Sylvius Hist. Bohem. cap. 13. scribit Ferunt Cyrillum cùm Romae ageret Pontifici supplicasse ut Sclavorum linguâ ejus gentis hominibus quam baptizaverat rem Divinam faciens uti posset De qua re dum in sacro senatu disputaretur esséntque non pauci qui contradicerent auditam vocem tanquam de coelo in hâ—…c verba missam OMNIS SPIRITUS LAUDET DOMINUM ET OMNIS LINGUA CONFITEATUR EI. Indéque datum Cyrillo indultum c. They report that Cyrill when he was at Rome sued unto the Bishop that executing Divine service he might use the tongue of the Sclavonians to the men of that nation which he had baptized About which when they disputed in the sacred senate and there were many that gainsaid it a voice sent as it were from heaven was heard uttering these words Let every spirit praise the Lord and let every tongue confesse unto him And so Cyrills suit was granted c. And yet will the Papists be counted Catholicks who in this point as in many more go against the practice and doctrine universall of the Primitive Church for six hundred yeares after Christ. But say they the Latine tongue doth better become the majestie of the Divine service which is diminished in vulgar languages The commendation of prayer consisteth not in the language whereof there is no difference to be made in respect of God but in the sense of the words and devotion of him that prayeth That which the Apostle speaketh against praying in unknown tongues is as much verified concerning the Latine tongue in respect of them which understand it not as concerning any other Yea but holy mysteries are not to be communicated to the vulgar nor precious stones are to be cast unto dogs and hogs But holy mysteries are to be expounded to the people of God who may not be compared to dogs or swine by whom are meant profane persons and scorners of religion But since prayers have been made in vulgar tongues devotion is waxed colder in those parts and religion decayed Many are made worse by the preaching of the Gospel and where best means are used the people if they be not the better are the worse In respect of them devotion is decayed but in respect of all sound Christians it flourisheth Neither was that true devotion or religion which they say by vulgar prayers is decayed but will-worship and superstition in which men are usually more fervent then in the profession of the truth For such is the common hypocrisie of men that when they think to satisfie the Lord with outward observations they will be forward in that kind Micah 6. 7. Now as touching private prayers in an unknown tongue it is certain that they which so pray do scarcely perform any dutie that is required or exercise any grace which is to be shewed in prayer For first he prayeth without understanding and therefore not as a man but rather as an unreasonable creature as Augustine saith Quid hoc sit quod in Psalmo dicitur AB OCCULTIS MUNDA ME intelligere debemus ut humanâ ratione non quasi avium voce cantemus Nam merulae psittaci pici hujusmodi volucres saepe ab hominibus docentur sonare quod nesciunt What this should be which is said in the Psalme Cleanse me from secret sins we ought to understand that we ought to sing with humane reason and not as it were with the voice of birds For even black-birds parrots pies and such like birds are often taught by men to sound that which they do not understand So Cassiod in Psal. 46. Nemo sapienter facit quod non intelligit No man doth wisely that which he understandeth not 2. Neither doth he pray in spirit but the prayer not understood is a mere lip-labour The sound of the soul is the understanding Neither is that any speech of the soul which it doth not understand neither can they pray but with continuall wandring thoughts For the mind will not attend that which it doth not understand or if they do they do but attend to the words and not to the matter which they do not understand 3. As he which prayeth before others in a language unknown to them his understanding is unprofitable to them neither are they edified thereby so when a man prayeth in a language which himself understandeth not his understanding is unfruitfull to himself And as he which praying in an unknown tongue to others is to them a barbarian so he which prayeth in a tongue which he doth not understand is a barbarian to himself 4. Neither can he pray with faith that his request shall be granted when he knoweth not what his request is 5. What reverence is here shewed to the majestie of God when men presume to babble before him they know not what And what conceit have they of God when
they hope by such lip-labour to satisfie for their sinnes and to merit eternall life 6. How can men either ask with fervencie of spirit or give thanks with alacritie of heart when they do not so much as know whether they pray or give thanks 7. Bodily exercise profiteth little 1. Tim. 4. 8. for God respecteth not the mouth but the heart But this prayer in an unknown tongue is a mere bodily exercise and so in the church of Rome is usually injoyned to penitents as a penall work 8. Battologie is to be avoided in prayer Matth. 6. But this babbling and multiplying of prayers without understanding especially joyned with numbring of them on their beads as though by how much the more and longer so much more meritorious and satisfactorie is most grosse battologie I conclude with the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. 37 38. If any man think himself to be a prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge what the prophet hath written concerning the use of a known tongue in the service of God to be the commandments of God But if any saith he be ignorant let him be ignorant The like may be said of those who praying in their mother-tongue do not understand what they say For the prayer which is made without understanding is also without faith without feeling without true devotion neither is it a lifting up of the mind but of the voyce unto God and a bare recitall of a set form of words without any inward grace such as parrots might be taught to make Wherein many are so grosse that they use the Creed and the ten Commandments for prayers and recite them with the like devotion as they do the Lords prayer I deny not but that it is good for the simpler sort to meditate both of the Creed of the Decalogue the one conteining the summe of that which we are to believe the other comprising the summe of that which we are to do likewise to pray unto God that he would increase our faith in the one and our obedience to the other But neither of both is to be used as a form of prayer because in neither we do either ask any thing which we want or give thanks for that which we have received Let men therefore which would call upon God labour for knowledge and understanding For a prayer of five words such as was the Publicanes prayer Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori God be mercifull unto me a sinner uttered with understanding is better then a prayer of an houre long not understood CHAP. XVIII Of faith which is required in prayer SEcondly in the mind is required faith For faith being a perswasion and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper seat thereof is the mind Howsoever it is to be granted that where this sound perswasion and assurance is in the mind it worketh affiance and hope in the heart as a proper fruit and necessarie effect thereof And therefore in the phrase of believing in this affiance is implyed For to believe in God is not onely to believe that there is a God and that he is such an one as he hath revealed himself in his word but also that he is such an one to me as that the Father is my Father c. and consequently that therefore I repose my trust and affiance in him In invocation there is a double faith required The one more generall apprehending the main promise of the Gospel whereby we stand righteous before God in Christ whereby we are to be perswaded that both we and our prayers are accepted of God in Christ The other more speciall apprehending the speciall promises made to our prayers whereby we are perswaded that our speciall request shall be granted unto us The former because it doth generally belong to all invocation as well thanksgiving as prayer is now to be intreated of The other specially belongeth to prayer and therefore in the speciall doctrine of prayer is to be considered The former is that perswasion or assurance of the soul whereby we believing in Christ are in the same measure perswaded of Gods love towards us in Christ and therefore are incouraged to come with confidence to the throne of grace not doubting but that both we and our prayers are acceptable unto God in Christ Heb. 4. 16. And this assurance of faith is grounded partly on the will and love of God and partly on the merits and intercession of our Saviour Christ. On the will of God 1. in generall appearing in his commandments injoyning this dutie and his gracious promises For if God hath commanded us to call upon him and hath graciously promised to heare us why should we doubt but that this our service is acceptable unto him 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. Pray continually in all things give thanks for this is the will of God the acceptable will of God in Christ concerning you But chiefly on the promises of God is our faith to be grounded Which promises are either generall and those not onely that he will heare and accept but also graciously reward this exercise of piety performed to him Matth. 6. 4. Godlinesse hath the promise both of this life and of that which is to come or speciall for the granting of that which we desire as Gen. 32. 9 12. Exod. 32. 13. 2. Sam. 7. 27 28. 1. Chron. 17. 25. Secondly in particular that the thing which we either pray or praise be good as being referred to Gods glory and our good For if it be not good we are neither if we have it not to desire it and much lesse to pray for it nor if we have it to praise God as the authour and giver of it We must have warrant in Gods word that the thing for which we call upon God be such as God hath promised to give otherwise our prayer is turned into sinne And in this sense the Apostle saith Let every man be perswaded in his mind for whatsoever is not of saith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Likewise our faith must be grounded on the love of God and goodnesse First in generall that is Psal. 5. 7. his bounty and readinesse to heare and reward all those that call upon him Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God For he that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Rom. 10. 12 13. The Lord is rich towards all that call upon him Psal. 86. 5. Thou art plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee Isa. 65. 24. Secondly in particular to our selves in Christ John 16. 27. Rom. 8. 32. and 5. 5. and 8. 15 16. Psal. 55. 16 17. I will call upon God the Lord will save me Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and he will heare my voice Psal. 4. 3. The Lord will heare when I call unto him Psal. 56. 9. When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn
back this I knâ—…w for God is for me Psal. 86. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt answer me In the merits of Christ whereby we are accepted and in his intercession whereby our prayers are made acceptable Heb. 10. 22. And in this sense also we are to pray in the name of Christ that is not onely with desire that for Christs sake we may be heard but also with perswasion and some measure of assurance that for Christs sake we shall be heard John 16. 23. To call upon God in the name of Christ implyeth two things 1. To desire that for Christs sake we may be heard 2. To believe that for Christs sake we shall be heard That we are thus to pray in faith appeareth both by testimonies reasons Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God For as Bernard saith How shall be please God whom God doth not please for he that believeth not maketh God a liar 1. God is to be worshipped with a willing mind and chearfull heart 1. Chron. 28. 9. which cannot be done in prayer unlesse we be perswaded that our prayers are accepted of God 2. There is no accesse unto God but by Christ John 14. 6. nor to Christ but by faith To come unto God Heb. 11. 6. and unto Christ is to believe in him John 6. 35. Through Christ we have boldnesse and entrance with confidence but it is by faith in him 3. What benefit we reap by Christ we receive by faith For which cause the same benefits which we have by Christ are ascribed to faith And therefore as without Christ we can do nothing John 15. 5. nothing belonging to a spirituall life which may be acceptable to God so without faith we can do nothing and much lesse pray as we ought For without faith we are without Christ and by faith we are ingrafted into him I believed and therefore I spake that is with faith I called upon God Psal. 116. 10. 4. It is the prayer of faith which is available and acceptable Jam. 5. 15 16. 5. The promises made to prayer are to be understood with the condition of faith Matth. 21. 22. If ye believe Which may be understood of this more generall faith or the speciall This is hard to be performed by a sinfull man c. impossible to be performed by a Papist without speciall revelation For he cometh in his own worthinesse yet knoweth not whether he be worthy or not Qualis erit ista oratio O Domine ego quidem an exaudire me velis dubius sum sed quia anxietate premor ad te confugio si dignus sum mihi succurras What a kind of prayer is this O Lord I am doubtfull whether thou wilt heare me or no But because I am pressed with anxietie I flie unto thee and if I be worthy help me Vide Calv. Instit. 3. 20. 12. But we know that in our selves we are unworthy and yet believe that in Christ we are accepted Our faith is grounded not on our own worthinesse in our selves but on the love and promises of God and on the merits and intercession of Christ. For though we be sinners in our selves yet believing in Christ God the Father justifieth us Though we know not how to pray or what to ask as of our selves yet God the Spirit maketh intercession for us in helping our infirmities and teaching us to pray according to God And though our praiers be unperfect and unworthy to be offered to God yet Christ our Saviour sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us Rom. 8. 26 27 33 34. and perfuming the incense that is the prayers of the faithfull with the odours of his own sacrifice Revel 8. 3. CHAP. XIX Of Humility required in prayer HItherto we have spoken of the mind Now we are to enquire what is required in the heart In the heart three things are requisite humilitie reverence and heartinesse The first respecting our selves the second God the third the things for which we do invocate For the first That properly is said to be humile which is even with the ground Where therefore it is required that we should humble our selves before the Lord when we call upon him it is meant that we should abase our selves as it were to the ground to which purpose the faithfull were wont in the Eastern Churches to cast themselves down to the ground when they called upon God laying aside all manner of conceit of our own worthinesse whereby we might be lifted up in our selves and acknowledging our own nullitie and unworthinesse in our selves to appear in the presence of God For compared unto God we are as nothing or as lesse then nothing Isa. 40. 17. And therefore when our Saviour took upon him our nature he is said as it were to have annihilated himself Phil. 2. 7. For this cause prayer in Hebrew is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath affinitie with the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which fignifieth to fall or cast down our selves To teach us to humble our selves before God when we call upon him And to the same purpose Augustine defineth prayer thus Oratio est mentis devotio i. conversio in Deum per pium humilem affectum Prayer is the devotion of the mind that is a conversion unto God by an holy and humble affection How necessary and profitable this is to be indued with humility when we call upon God may appear both by the testimonies of Gods word and examples of the godly Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hearest the prayer of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilâ—… cause thine eare to heare Psal. 7. 12. He forgetteth not the cry of the humble Luke 18. 9. our Saviour telleth us a parable of a Pharisee and a Publicane which went to pray The Pharisee cometh in a conceit of his own worthinesse the Publicane in conscience of his sinfulnesse The Pharisee in a brave manner thanketh God that he was not a sinner like other men the Publicane in most humble manner acknowledgeth himself to be a sinner and craveth pardon for his sin But what was the issue of their prayer Which speedeth better the humble sinner or the proud justitiarie The Publicane goeth home justified the Pharisee remaineth in his sin according to that John 9. 41. And the reason is because as our Saviour saith every one that exalteth himself shall be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted To this accordeth Psal. 138. 6. The Lord is high yet he beholdeth the lowly but the proud he knoweth a farre off Psal. 51. 17. The sacrifices of the Lord that is that which he esteemeth above all sacrifices are a contrite spirit a broken and contrite heart he will not despise meaning that he doth in speciall manner
might be perswaded and that alwayes they did not hearken unto them as being otherwise imployed as Elias telleth Baals priests 1. Kings 18. 27. and therefore thought it needfull to repeat the same things oft that if they did not heare them at one time they might at another As we see those priests of Baal to call upon him from morning v. 26 29. untill the time of the evening sacrifice crying again and again O Baal heare us But the true God on whom we call he is our heavenly Father and therefore for his love most ready and willing to heare us even before we call upon him Isai. 65. 24. And for his knowledge he knoweth what we stand in need of before we pray as our Saviour sheweth v. 8. Which may be a third reason Fourthly Solomon Eccles 5. 1 2. dehorteth from the same fault by two reasons First God is in heaven and thou on earth therefore let thy words be few God sitteth in the heavens as his throne full of majestie power and glory and we are on the earth base and vile being as nothing in comparison of him therefore in great humility and reverence we are to speak unto him framing and moderating our speech so as there be nothing idle or superfluous therein For when a man is to speak to his prince or any whom he doth reverence he will labour that his speech may be pithy avoiding all vain idle and superfluous talk Fifthly Because in multitude of words folly is committed For as multitude of businesse causeth dreams so multitude of words argueth folly v. 2 3. Sixthly If in our speech with men there wanteth not iniquitie in multitude of words as Solomon saith Prov. 10. 19. and if of every idle word men must give an account at the day of judgement as our Saviour testifieth Matth. 12. 36. If it be true as one saith Non est ejusdem multa opportunadicere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. sejuncta sunt haec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more are these true of our speech with God wherein all superfluitie of idle words is joyned with irreverence and abuse of the majestie of God Seventhly Plato though an heathen Philosopher yet in his wisdome for which he was called divine he saw that brevitie and pithinesse in prayer was to be affected rather then prolixitie and therefore preferreth the short prayer of the Lacedemonians That God would give them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farre before the longer prayers of the Athenians wherein they studying to be long uttered many things which neither became the majestie of God nor were expedient for themselves and therefore he saith as if he had read that counsel of Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But never did the heathen so grossely offend in their battologie as the Papists at this day who numbring upon their beads their prayers which themselves understand not perswade themselves that the more often they do repeat their Pater-nosters and their Ave-Maries the more satisfactory and meritorious their prayer is before God yea and to the greater multitude of such idle repetitions the Popes have granted the greater indulgences For whereas according to the invention of Dominick their rosary or string of beads consisteth of 55 beads whereof five that is every eleventh be greater to signifie that to every Pater-noster they must recite ten Ave-Maries they have devised since that time the Ladies Psalter conteining three rosaries that is besides fifteen Pater-nosters an hundred and fifty Ave-Maries according to the number of Davids Psalmes Not to speak now of that Ladies Psalter in which what is spoken in Davids Psalmes of God or Christ our Lord is transferred to the virgin Mary most sacrilegiously and blasphemously to the saying whereof divers Popes have given large indulgences which in all arise to threescore thousand yeares pardon What then is it not lawfull to make long praiers I answer That prayer is not condemned of battologie or too much prolixity wherein nothing is superâ—…uous neither is made with that opinion that for the lengths sake it shall be heard Where is variety of good matter uttered with the attention of the mind and vigour of affection there the longer we continue in prayer the better it is We are exhorted in the Scriptures to continue iâ—… prayer and to watch in the same with thanksgiving Col. 4. 2. and our Saviour himself to give us example sometime continued in prayer whole nights Absit ab oratione saith Augustine multalocutio sed non desit multa precatio si fervens perseverat intentio Let much speech be absent from prayer but let not much praying be wanting if the intention persevere to be fervent But we are to moderate the length of our prayers according to the measure of grace received of faith and devotion appearing both in the attention of the mind and intention of the affections for as Augustine saith Intentio sâ—…eut non est obtundenda si perdurare non potest ità si per duraverit non cit ò est relinquenda As the intention is not to be dulled if it cannot hold out so if it can last it is not to be easily left Howbeit men may pray long and continue in prayer though their prayers be not long To which purpose Chrysostome giveth this advice Deum orans non longos extendat sermones nec in longum orationem producat sed pauca simplici á que dicat verba Non enim in verborum multitudine sed in mentis solertia positum est ut exaudiatur Oportet igitur orantem neque longos extendere sermones jugiter orare Breves enim frequentes orationes fieri Christus Paulus praeceperant parvis ex intervallis Nam si sermonem in longum extenderis in negligentiam frequenter lapsus multam diabolo surrependi facultatem deder is supplantandi abducendi cogitationem ab his quae dicuntur Si verò continuas crebras orationes facias totumque tempus interpolans frequentiâ facilè poteris modestiam exhibere ipsas orationes cum multa facies solertia He that prayeth unto God let him not make long speeches nor draw out his prayer into length but let him utter few and simple words For his hope of being heard is not placed in multitude of words but in the right disposition of the mind Therefore he that prayeth must not extend his speech to a great length in a continued prayer For our Saviour Christ and S. Paul have injoyned short and frequent prayers to be made with small pauses between them for if thou draw out thy speech in a continued length thou wilt become negligent and wilt give great occasion to the devil of stealing in and of supplanting thee and of withdrawing thy thoughts from those things which are spoken But if thou continuest and makest many prayers and throughout the whole time dost refresh them with frequencie thou mayest use moderation and make thy prayers with much skill Agreeable
to which advice was the practice of the faithfull in Egypt of whom Augustine Dicuntur fratres in Aegypto crebras quidem habere orationes sed eas tamen brevissimas raptim quodammodo jaculatas nè illa vigilanter erecta quae oranti plurimùm necessaria est per productiores moras evanescat atque hebetetur intentio The brethren in Egypt are reported to have made many prayers but withall such as were very brief and in a manner suddenly darâ—…ed lest that intention vigilantly raised which is very necessary to him that prayeth should by long continuance vanish and be blunted And herein our Saviour Christ hath given us a precedent Matth. 26. 39 42 44. Wherefore howsoever some do carp at the short prayers in our Liturgie calling them shreds and wishing that in one continued prayer all our requests should be joyned notwithstanding the wisdome of those learned and godly men who out of the most ancient Liturgies compiled ours is to be commended who considering that our long continued prayer would to the greatest sort seem tedious and breed distraction and wandring thoughts have set forth many short prayers to avoid wearisomenesse and to keep the mind of the people attentive CHAP. XXIII Of the qualitie of our speech in our prayer and of the form which is to be used AS touching the quality of our speech As we need not to be curious in respect of the style because God looketh to the uprightnesse of the heart rather then the elegancie of the speech so must we not be more carelesse negligent for â—…he manner of speech then we would be if we were to speak to any mortall man And because we are but too carnall let us make use of Malachi's rule chap. 1. 8. Offer it to thy Prince that is Let us examine our selves whether we be as carefull to speak unto the Lord as we would be unto a Prince and herein also let us shew that reverence which we ow unto the Lord. The godly in the Scriptures have been very exquisite and accurate in those prayers and Psalmes which are recorded in the Scriptures Concerning the form it may be demanded Whether we may use a set form of prayer for that is denied by our Separatists insomuch that they hold it unlawfull to pray in that set form which Christ himself hath prescribed But they are plainly confuted by the words of our Saviour Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say Our Father c. unlesse they will persist in their contradiction against Christ himself forbidding us when we pray to say Our Father Besides that prayer of Christ there are other set forms in the Scriptures prescribed to be used in the Church of God The whole book of the Psalmes was penned and committed to Asaph and other musicians as is mentioned in divers of their titles to the end that they might be sung in the congregation More especially the ninety second Psalme was penned to be used on the Sabbath-day and the hundred and second Psalme is A prayer of or for the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. But why may not a set form be used Because the faithfâ—…l praying in the holy Ghost as Jude speaketh v. 20. must pray as they are moved by the Spirit and not as they are provided beforehand The assistance of the Spirit is seen not so much in helping our invention The gift of invention or conceiving a prayer is a gift of the Spirit but a common gift and not a proper grace of the sanctifying Spirit for a man of a present wit and good speech wanting the spirit of sanctification may do much that way especially if he be studied in Divinity as in these three 1. in rectifying our judgement teaching us to ask that which is good for us especially in time of affliction For we being led by sense know not what to ask but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities and teacheth us to pray according to God asking those things which tend to his glory and our good 2. His help is seen in inflaming our affections teaching us to pray with sighs and grones that cannot be expressed v. 26. And to the same purpose the Prophet Zacharie foretelleth that the faithfull by the spirit of grace and supplication shall be moved when they look upon him whom they have pierced to mourn as one mourneth for his first-born sonne Zech. 12. 10. 3. The spirit of Adoption crieth in our hearts Abba Father that is teacheth us to pray in faith and to call upon God as our Father in Christ Rom. 8. 15 16. Gal. 4. 6. Moreover where they say that they must pray as the Spirit moveth them they seem with the Enthusiasts to look for extraordinary inspirations and are in the number of those which tempt God for this conceit of theirs as well taketh away all meditation and preparation beforehand as set prayers But we are to follow the counsel of the Wise man Ecclus 18. 23. Before thou prayest prepare thy self and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. The promise made the faithfull that they should not need to study beforehand what they should speak but that they should speak as the Spirit should move them is to be understood of the extraordinary gift of Gods Spirit wherewith they were filled in inspiring them in their preachings apologies and prayers without their own study and industry Wherefore as in preaching to neglect study and to expect extraordinary inspiration of the Spirit that we may speak ex tempore as the Spirit moveth when a man is not upon some present exigent and necessity put to it is to tempt God so likewise in prayer And therefore we must not presume unlesse it be upon some present necessity to conceive a long prayer especially prayer ex tempore without some former study and meditation used either against the instant or in former times but we must come prepared either with some set form which notwithstanding with help of meditation we are to vary upon occasions or with such a form as we have conceived in our meditation that so we may with David call our prayer our meditation Neither do I doubt but that a good desire vow or promise made in prayer upon former deliberation is more accepted of God and is like to be more constant and may likewise be uttered with better fervency of affection and begged with more assurance of faith then that which is rashly uttered upon a sudden And therefore Salomon saith Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to â—…tter any word before God Eccles 5. 1. Neither do I condemn all that seem to pray ex tempore For as hiâ—… faculty is to be commended that is so well studied in Divinity and eâ—…ercised in preaching as that he is able to preach as it were ex tempore not that he casteth himself upon extraordinary inspirations but is inabled by the help of his former studies and exercise so
is his faculty to be commended who is so well studied in Divinity and exercised in applying the severall parts of religion to the use of prayer that he is able as it were ex tempore to conceive a prayer not that in so doing he casteth himself upon the extraordinary inspiration of the holy Spiriâ—… but is inabled by the help of his former 〈◊〉 and meditations Now if I be asked the question Whether is bâ—…tter a set form of prayer or a prayer conceived I answer by distinction For if they speak of such a prayer as is conceived ex tempore without former study and meditation by such an one as expecteth extraordinary inspiration meaning to pray as the spirit shall move him I answer that a fet form is to be preferred before such an extemporall prayer First because it wanteth due reverence of God when men dare speak to God quicquid in buccam venerit whatsoever first cometh into the mouth when as if they were to speak to their prince or any whom they reverenced they would use preparation and directly against the advice of Salomon Eccles 5. 1. Secondly because it is joyned with the presumptuous fansie of the Enthusiasts and tempting of God Thirdly because in prayers rashly and suddenly made many times things are uttered which beseem not the majestie of God nor are expedient for men Such sudden prayers are of the mind rather then of the heart Fourthly Though the thing uttered were good without exception yet that good which is uttered upon premeditation and mature deliberation is more acâ—…eptable unto God then that which proceedâ—…th from a sudden motion If they speak of a prayer conceived upon due meditation I distinguish again in respect of private prayer of one and that which is common and publick For private prayers that course is to be followed for which most do find themselves 〈◊〉 qualified being alwayes carefull to avoyd those inconveniences to which either a set form or a conceived prayer is more subject The set form is more subject to wandering thoughts and want of attention of mind the conceived to want of affection the powers of the soul being wholly occupied in invention But for the most this will be found the most behooffull course to have a set form or forms rather for the generall and the many blessings for which we are either to pray or to prayse God ordinarily whereunto extraordinarily something is to be added as occasion is offered I say forms rather for the avoyding of distraction and wandering thoughts And because our prayers are defective it shall be expedient to conclude them with that absolute form which Christ hath taught us As for prayers publick and common with others Though a conceived prayer be more commendable in the speaker if it be performed without spirituall pride and â—…stentation yet a set form or forms is more profitable for the hearers who with a known form may easily concurre in prayer with the speaker which in a conceived form unheard of before they cannot so well do All which I have the rather noted because I understand that in these times both many hearers do erroneously magnifie extemporall prayers contemning all set forms and also the oratours or speakers themselves in great ostentation and spirituall pride affect such variety of extemporall prayers as if they scorned to use the same form twice when as our Saviour in the garden is recorded to have prayed thrice and to have used the same form Matth. 26. 29 42 44. CHAP. XXIV Of things required out of the action of prayer HItherto we have spoken of such things as are required in the action of invocation Now we are to treat of those things which must be done out of the action that is to say both before and after Before there is required preparation For 1. if we ought to prepare our selves when the Lord is to speak unto us in the ministery of the word that we may be fit to heare as Exod. 19. Eccles 4. 17. then much more are we bound to prepare our selves when we our selves are to be speakers that we may be fit to speak to so great a Majestie 2. If we will not speak to our superiours especially our Prince without preparation how much more ought we to come prepared when we are to speak to the Kinâ—… 〈◊〉 kings and that concerning matters of great importance Thirdly we may not be rash with our mouthes nor let our hearts be hastie to utter any thing before God Eccles 5. 1. But as the sonne of Sirach adviseth Before we pray we ought to prepare our selves and not be as those that tempt God Ecclus 18. 23. Fourthly we have the example of David Psal. 108. 1. and 57. 7. O God my heart is prepared so is my glory I will sing and give praise Now this preparation consisteth partly in removing the impediments and partly in the using of the means For first We must look to our feet Eccles. 5. 1. that is with what affections and dispositions we come to prayer and consequently are to lay aside all carnall thoughts and worldly cares which might distract our minds Quicquid ante orationis horam anima nostra conceperit necesse est ut orantibus nobis per ingestionem recordationis occurrat Quamobrem quales orantes volumus inveniri tales nos ante orationis tempus praeparare debemus Whatsoever before the houre of prayer the mind hath conceived it is necessary that whilest we are praying it offer it self by the ingestion of the remembrance Wherefore such as we would be found to be whilest we pray we must prepare our selves to be such before the time of prayer Secondly we must put off the shoes off our feet as Exod. 3. Jos. 5. that is our pollutions and corrupt affections as carnall lust which maketh the heart speak lewd things and anger as 1. Tim. 2. 8. 1. Pet. 5. 7. Matth. 5. 23 24. Thirdly we must not suffer our heart to be made heavie with surfeting and drunkennesse Luke 21. 34 36. but contrariwise with prayer upon extraordinarâ—…â—…ccasions to joyn fasting 1. Cor. 7. 5. and wiâ—… the ordinarie a moderate diet Fourthly if we be guilty of any sin unrepented of we must repent thereof promising and purposing amendment for the time to come for sinne not repented of is as a wall of separation between God and us Isai. 59. 1 2. God heareth not impenitent sinners John 9. 31. Isai. 1. 15 16 18. therefore as Psal. 26. 6. we must wash our hands in innocencie and so come to the altar of the Lord to offer the incense of our prayers lifting up holy hands unto God 1. Tim. 2. 8. The means First because the Lord prepareth the heart Psal. 10. 17. we are to desire him to prepare our hearts unto prayer Secondly we must use meditation In which regard David calleth his prayer his meditation Psal. 5. 1. that is to say that which he had
infirmities for we know not what we should pray as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercossion for us with gronings which cannot be â—…ttered And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to God Rom. 8. 26 27. Quodnon sic est intelligendum saith Augustine ut existimemus sanctum Spiritum Dei qui in Trinitate incommunicabilis Deus est cum Patre Filio unus Deus tanquam aliquem qui non sit quod Deus est interpellare pro sanctis Dictum quippe est INTERPELLAT PRO SANCTIS quia interpellare sanctos facit Sicut dictum est TENTAT VOS DEUS VESTER UT SCIAT SI DILIGATIS EUM hoc est ut scire vos faciat Which is not so to be understood that we should think the holy Spirit of God which in the Trinitie is God incommunicable and with the Father and Sonne one God should pray for the Saints unto one who is not that which God is But it is said He prayeth for the Saints because he inableth the Saints to pray as it is said Your God tempteth you that he may know whether ye love him that is that he may cause you to know it It is well said of Chrysostome Supra vires hominis est sacere cum Deo colloquium nisi adsit vis actus Spiritûs sancti It is above the strength of man to conferre with God unlesse the vertue operation of the Spirit be present And therefore when we pray we are to crave the assistance of Gods spirit which is the spirit of grace and prayer Zech. 12. 10. which God hath promised to give to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. and in and by his holy spirit we are to call upon God Jude v. 20. For whereas many graces and duties are required in prayer all which are above our own strength the spirit of God which is the spirit of grace and supplication effecteth them all in the children of God It is he that prepareth our hearts to prayer Psal. 10. 17. that openeth our lips that our mouth may shew sorth his praise Psal. 51. 15. It is he that anointeth our blind eyes that we may see and toucheth our senselesse hearts that we may feel our misery and want that in true humility of soul we may poure forth our hearts before God It is the spirit of the fear of God that maketh us to come with due reverence of his Majestie It is the spirit of suppllcations that maketh our frozen and benummed hearts to pray fervently with sighs that cannot be expressed It is the spirit of adoption who testifieth unto our spirits that we are the children of God by which we do cry in our hearts Abba Father Finally it is the spirit of grace which helpeth our infirmities and furnisheth us with those graces which be requisite in prayer and teacheth us to pray according to God And this is that which Paul teacheth us that we have accesse to the Father through the Sonne and by the holy Ghost Ephes. 2. 18. that is in the name and mediation of Christ by the help and assistance of the holy Ghost For being both unworthy in our selves and of our selves unable to call upon God as we ought if we come in the name of Christ craving the assistance of the holy Spirit in Christ we shall be accepted and by the holy Ghost enabled to pray according to God But here we are to take heed that we abuse not this doctrine concerning the help and assistance of the holy Ghost in prayer by neglecting our own indeavour and presuming of the extraordinary inspiration of the holy Ghost for that is to tempt God But in doing the uttermost of our own indeavour we are to crave the assistance of Gods Spirit who will not be wanting to those who are not wanting to themselves Now if it be demanded how these things may stand together that no man can pray without the spirit of God and without faith and yet both the spirit and faith is to be obteined by prayer I answer God by his preventing grace worketh in us a true desire of grace and of faith which desire of grace is the beginning of the grace desired And therefore the grace of the spirit and faith in order of nature go before prayer which is the effect of that desire and yet prayer goeth before the knowledge or feeling of either of both CHAP. XXVI Of the circumstances of prayer ANd thus much of the substantiall points of Invocation Now follow the accidentall which are the circumstances of Person Time and Place Prayer in regard of persons is either publick or private Publick invocation is the prayer of a congregation as of a parish or colledge Of publick prayer we are to make speciall account For if the prayer of some one man can avail so much as heretofore I have shewed what shall we think of publick where the prayers of so many ascend together unto the Lord As the flame of one faggot-stick to the â—…lame of the whole faggot or bundle so is the prayer of one man to the prayer of the whole congregation for Vis unita est fortior force united is so much the stronger and a threefold cable is hardly broken Our Saviour Christ hath bountifully promised that where two or three be gathered together in his name there is he in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. Yea such is the presence of the Lord in publick assemblies that those which have been excluded thence have thought themselves banished from the presâ—…nce of God and to be put away from his face It was the punishment of Cain and so he esteemed it Gen. 4. For when the Lord had banished him from that earth which hâ—…d received his brothers bloud from his hand v. 11. which was the place of the visible Church v. 14. he saith that by reason of this punishment he should be hid from Gods face We see the same in the practice of David Who when he was in banishment desired nothing more then to have libertie to come into the assemblies of the saints when he had liberty he rejoyceed in nothing more For the first reade Psal. 27. and 42. and 84. In Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I require even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple Psal. 42. 1 2. As the hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thir steth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appear before the presence of God c. And v. 4. he saith that his soul languished when he considered that had it not been for the tyrannie of his oppressours he might have gone with the rest of the assembly into the house of God
be understood of publick with this distinction For publick prayer is to be considered according to the state of the Church If the Church be either in persecution or warfare wheresoever the assembly meeteth to that purpose there may they lawfully pray As namely in persecution in private houses or in secret places for the assembly not the place maketh prayer publick But if the Church be in flourishing and quiet estate there ought some publick places as Chuâ—…ches to be appointed for that purpose wherein the congregation ordinarily is to be assembled not for any greater holinesse in the Churches then in other places for the assembly sanctifieth the place and not the place the assembly but onely for good orders sake and politie of the Church CHAP. XXIX Of Prayer or Petition and what is required unto it HItherto of the generall doctrine of Invocation common to both the sorts Now followeth the speciall Invocation is either prayer or thanksgiving In the former we ask good things at the hand of God In the latter we return praise and thanksgiving for benefits received The former hath reference to the time to come the latter to the time past For in the former we crave either the gift of such things as we want for the time to come or the continuance and increase of that which we have In the latter we praise Gods goodnesse for his blessings either bestowed already or at the least promised In the former we beg and pray in the latter we give or rather render and repay the praise which is due to his name But howsoever in nature these two sorts of Invocation do differ and so are in doctrine to be severed yet in use and practice they must go together Neither must we be more ready to crave new blessings at the hands of God then to return thanks for benefits already received And therefore the performance of both these duties the holy Ghost in many places hath joyned together as 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. Psal. 50. 14 15. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Col. 3. 17. More plainly Col. 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Phil. 4. 6. Be distrustfully carefull for nothing but in all things let your requests be manifested unto God in prayer and supplication with giving of thanks Examples of Jacob Gen. 32. 9 10 c. David 1. Chron. 29. 10 18. 2. Sam. 7. 18. Paul Col. 1. 9 12. Phil. 1. 3 4. 1. Thess. 1. 2. Not that by giving of thanks for benefits received we do merit greater and better according to that of the Schoolmen De acceptis beneficiis gratias agentes meremur accipere potiora When we render thanks for benefits received we merit to receive better but that the Lord of his mere bounty is ready to reward our thankfulnesse for former benefits with granting new blessings which we crave at his hands and likewise ourselves when we are affected with a thankfull remembrance of Gods goodnesse towards us for the time past are the more encouraged with faith and affiance to crave new blessings for the time to come Psal. 4. 1. 1. Kings 3. 6 7 8. Psal. 116. 1 2. But first we are to speak of prayer Prayer is that invocation whereby we effectually crave any thing which we do well that is lawfully and profitably desire at the hands of God Where I say it is invocation I mean that it is a religious speech of the faithfull made unto God in the name of Christ according to the will of God by the help of the holy Ghost concerning good things apperteining to Gods glory and our good and consequently that whatsoever before hath been spoken in generall concerning Invocation is particularly to be applyed to Prayer The proper nature and difference is expressed in the word crave For prayer is that invocation whereby we beg and crave of God But because we speak of that prayer which is right and acceptable and is framed according to the will of God as was said in the generall out of 1. John 5. 14. and it is the will of God that our prayer should be effectuall and our desire good therefore I added whereby we effectually crave any thing which we do well that is lawfully and profitably desire of God That our prayer which shall avail with God must in it self be effectuall S. James teacheth us chap. 5. 16. The prayer of a righteous man availeth math it being effectuall The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which I have spoken before As therefore that is an effectuall oration wherein nothing is omitted which the oratory art requireth whether the hearers be perswaded or not so that is an effectuall prayer wherein nothing is omitted which in the word of God that teacheth the art and doctrine of prayer is required either in generall or in particular For although the efficacy of prayer doth not properly consist in the observation of the generall points yet they are such as without them it cannot be effectuall As 1. That the party which prayeth be faithfull that is a penitent and believing sinner 2. That the prayer be directed unto God 3. In the name and mediation of Christ 4. By the help of the holy Ghost 5. That it be a prayer of the heart or that the prayer be made in truth for to that the promise is restrained Psal. 145. 18. and therein the life of the prayer consisteth without which it is dead and counterfeit that it be made with knowledge and with faith with humility with reverence and with heartinesse 6. For good things All which are essentiall points required in all invocation But the things wherein more properly the efficacie of prayer consisteth are Fervency and Faith and to pray effectually is to pray fervently and faithfully For as touching the former whatsoever we do effectually ask that we do fervently desire Quae vâ—…rò fidelis humilis fervens â—…ratio fuerit coelum sine dubio penetrabit unde certum est quòd vacua redire non poterit The prayer which is faithfull humble and fervent will without doubt pierce the heavens whence we certainly gather that it cannot return vain and empty Now fervency presupposeth a sense and feeling or acknowledgement of our want And both of them in the Scriptures are signified in the phrases of hungring and thirsting Isai. 55. 1. Matth. 5. 6. John 7. 37. For as in hunger and thirst there concurre two things a sense of our want and an appetite to have that want supplyed so in prayer we must hunger and thirst after those graces and blessings which we do crave that is we must have a true sense and acknowledgement of our want and an earnest desire to have it supplyed In which respect David compareth his soul to thirstie lands which gape for the rain Psal. 63. 2. and 143. 6. and to the hart braying for the rivers of waters Psal. 42. 1. Both these are necessary to
the offenses of their brethren For if we do forgive we may be assured that we are forgiven Matth. 6. 14. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will forgive you For which cause our Saviour Christ pronounceth the mercifull to be blessed because they shall obtein mercy Matth. 5. 7. And undoubtedly the true love of our brother for Gods cause which is especially to be seen in forgiving offenses is an evident argument of the love of God The love of God is a fruit of faith for we love him because we are perswaded that he loved us first and where faith is there is justification and remission of sinnes by imputation of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith III. The last use is a reproof of those which using this prayer notwithstanding retein hatred against their brother or purpose of revenge And they are to be reproved both for their hypocrisie and folly their hypocrisie because they not forgiving their neighbours but reteining malice against them are not ashamed to lie unto the Lord saying For even we also forgive c. Their folly because using this prayer Forgive us as we forgive not forgiving but purposing and desiring revenge in stead of craving pardon they desire God to be revenged on them for their sinnes as they desire to be revenged on their neighbour Of both which hypocrisie and folly our lustie gallants especially our chevaliers and hacksters are guilty who think it the greatest disparagement that may be which the holy Ghost esteemeth to be the glory of a man to put up an injury and therefore will die upon a man rather then suffer the least offense unrevenged But these men must know that not onely they are carnall men and remain in their sinnes but also that in seeking private revenge they are satanicall and devilish And therefore when Abishai stirred up David to revenge himselfe upon Shimei David answered What have I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah that ye are this day to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of Satan 2. Sam. 19. 22. to teach us that they are inspired of Satan that breathe after revenge Yea but saith one I know how to avoid both this hypocrisie and folly and yet I will be even with mine enemie too For either I will leave out this petition or use some other sorm of prayer where this clause is not or else I will not pray at all Yea but the sentence of our Saviour whether we use these words or no standeth sure If ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Matth. 6. 5. 18. 33. and therefore those that use such shifts do but mock God and deceive themselves Remember the parable Matth. 18. and the saying of Tertullian Quid est ad pacem Dei accedere sine pace ad remissionem debitorum cum retentione injuriarum Quomodo placabit patrem iratus in fratrem c. What is it to come unto God to seek peace without peace for remission of our debts with retention of wrongs How shall he please the Father that is angry with his brother Vers. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil OF the order of this petition and the coupling it with the former I have spoken before For whereas in the former we begged the grace of justification and remission of sinnes in this we crave the grace of sanctification and the spirit of fortitude whereby we may prevent sinne and be enabled to resist the tentations of the devil flesh and the world provoking us unto sinne In the former we asked freedome from the guilt of sinne In this we crave deliverance from the evil and corruption of sinne and strength against tentations alluring us thereunto But as touching the order we are taught to ask first justification freedome from the guilt of sinne and then sanctification and freedome from committing sinne because justification in order of nature goeth before sanctification And as touching the coupling of this with the former signified in the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we are taught this dutie That as we are to desire freedome from the guilt of sinne so we should be desirous carefull to forsake and prevent sinne and to avoid the occasions thereof Forsaking of sinne is a companion of the forgivenesse of sinne And whosoever hath faith and believeth the forgivenesse of sinne hath also a care to prevent sinne and an endeavour to resist it and the provocations thereof Art thou washed from sinne take heed thou be not again defiled therewith As the Spouse saith in the Canticles chap 5. 3. I have washed my feet how should I again defile them Hath Christ justified and freed thee from the curse of thy sinne stand fast in this liberty which Christ hath purchased for thee and be not again intangled in this yoke of bondage Gal. 5. 1. For he that committeth sinne is a servant of sinne Far be it from us to abuse this liberty as an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5. 13. as though being freed from sinne we might sinne more freely No we are taught the contrary 1. Pet. 2. 24. Luke 1. 74. Neither may we think as secure men do that because we are perswaded that our sinnes are forgiven by Christ we are safe from sinne and need not fear the allurements thereof and therefore not stand upon our watch and ward but live in security For tentation unto sinne is a consequent of remission of sinne Whom the Lord loveth the devil hateth whom the Lord draweth unto himself and pulleth into the kingdome of grace him the devil laboureth to pluck back again by all means Therefore if a man be not tempted at all it is a fearfull signe that the strong man possesseth still his hold because all is in quiet Whereas contrariwise to be troubled with tentations is an argument of Gods favour if also we have grace to resist them Satan fighteth not with those that be under his bondage and fight as it were in his camp but those that are souldiers under the banner of Christ they must look to be assaulted They that be true members of the militant Church must acknowledge their whole life to be a spirituall warfare wherein they are daily to fight against the assaults of Satan the corruption of their own flesh and allurements of the world Such as are Christs Satan desireth to winnow and to sift them as wheat Luke 2. 31. to such he sendeth his messenger to buffet them 2. Cor. 12. 7. Our Saviour therefore knowing his faithfull servants whom he loveth to be most subject to tentation in this place teacheth them to use this prayer and elsewhere commandeth them to watch and pray that they enter not into tentation Mark 14. 38. The necessitie of which prayer is further to be enforced by consideration of our enemies likenesse to overcome and our own weaknesse
A GODLY AND LEARNED TREATISE OF PRAYER Which both conteineth in it the Doctrine of Prayer and also sheweth the Practice of it in the exposition of the LORDS PRAYER By that faithfull and painfull servant of God GEORGE DOWNAME Doct r of Divinity and late L. Bishop of Dery in the Realm of Ireland 1. THESS 5. 17 18. Pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you ¶ Printed at Cambridge by ROGER DANIEL for Nicolas Bourn and are to be sold at his shop at the South-entrance into the Royall Exchange in London 1640. THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER Teaching the nature efficacie utilitie and necessity of this holy duty by whom unto whom and through whom it is to be performed what things are required that our prayers may be acceptable both in respect of our souls and bodies both before in and after prayer and more especially of the parts of Prayer Petition and Thanksgiving LUKE II. 1. One of his disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples ¶ Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge Ann. Dom. MDCXL To the Christian Reader THere is no duty more excellent in it self or profitable to us then that of Prayer Wherein we have sweet communion with God and free accesse to the throne of grace laying open to a gracious Father all our wants and grievances in hope and confidence to have our suits granted our sinnes pardoned our necessities supplyed and our griefs removed and relieved It is that hand and key which helpeth to unlock and open the treasury of all Gods graces for the enriching of our souls with all his blessings the horsmen and chariots of the Israel of God whereby they get victorie over all their enemies yea they prevail with God whē he seemeth to oppose against them as an enemie and to wrestle with them that he may soil and overthrow them as he did with Jacob. In all which and innumerable other respects as it is to be esteemed the chiefest exercise of a godly and Christian life which can never be too much practiced as the Apostle implyeth where he injoyneth us to pray continually and in all things to give thanks so can it never be sufficiently insisted upon in the doctrine of it whereby we are pressed perswaded to the frequent exercise of it and taught to perform it in a right and acceptable manner In which regard though much already hath been excellently spoken and written upon this subject yet let no man think it superfluous to have more published of this argument seeing that can never be too much taught which is never sufficiently learned and loved The ensuing Treatises were the labours of that learned judicious and godly Divine D. Downame late Bishop of Dery in the Realm of Ireland my most dear brother which were penned with his own hand for his private use but for the publick service of that part of Gods Church over which he was a painfull and faithfull Pastour conteining the summe of many of his sermons which he preached on this argument The which if he had been pleased to have polished and perfected with his own learned hand no doubt much would have been added to their lustre and beautie Yet seeing this was not done according to his better abilities I thought it a dammage to Gods people that they should lose the substance for the want of some circumstance and have no use of a well-compacted bodie fit to do God and his Church good service because it was not decked with gay ornaments And therefore I have presented it to the view of the world and indeavoured to perform the dutie of a brother to him that is deceased though not to raise this spirituall seed to him for it was of his own begetting and composing yet to give unto it birth and being in the world without which it would have proved abortive and so have been buried in perpetuall oblivion The which service I have the more willingly undertaken for the benefit of all that will take pains to peruse this work because I am now disabled by age and many infirmities to produce any further labours of mine own in this kind wherein I have not been wanting in my more able and mature times according to the proportion of my small talent which my great Lord and Master hath entrusted me with Herein imitating the example of the weaker sex who after they have been fruitfull in bearing children themselves and now being come to older age are disabled to have any more conceptions do some of them become midwives who are helpfull to those who are young and fruitfull for the bringing of their children into the world The Lord whose onely blessing maketh all our indeavours profitable by giving efficacie unto them by the inward operation of his holy Spirit blesse these and all other labours of his servants that they may bring forth plentifull fruits for the advancement of his glory and the benefit of all his children who are willing to make use of them to these ends Thine in the Lord Jesus to do thee any Christian service JOHN DOVVNAME ¶ The contents of the Chapters of the first part of this Treatise viz. The Doctrine of Prayer together with the chief points therein handled Chap. 1. OF the definition of Prayer and of the persons who are to pray Pag. 1 Of the name of Invocation and Prayer 2 Of the generall nature of prayer 3 Of the proper nature of prayer 4 What is required in invocation acceptable to God 5 Who ought to pray 6 7 c. 2. Reasons moving to the dutie of prayer 8 9 c. 3. Other motives to the dutie of prayer 11 4. Three questions cleared 14 Whether prayer be efficacious to obtein our desires 15 That prayer is necessary notwithstanding Gods decree 16 17 c. 5. Of the great and wonderfull efficacy of prayer 21 6. Whether by prayer we alwayes obtein our desires 26 7. Of the profit of prayer 29 8. A threefold necessity of prayer 32 9. Who are to perform the duty of prayer 33 10. None but the faithfull can pray effectually and acceptably 37 That the impenitent cannot pray acceptably 39 In what respect God heareth the wicked 47 11. That God alone is to be called upon 51 12. That we ought not to invocate any creature 58 That Angels and Saints are not to be invocated 59 That Saints departed are not to be invocated 61 Chap. 13 That we must conceive of God in prayer as he hath revealed himself in his word 64 Whether Christ as Mediatour is to be invocated 66 14. That Christ alone is the Mediatour of intercession as well as of redemption 68 15. That we must pray onely in the name of Christ 77 16. Of the manner how we are to call upon God 80 That we must pray with upright hearts 82 c. That we must not pray with feigned lips and wandring
things apperteining to his glory and our good The phrase of invocating or calling upon the name of God sometimes signifieth the profession of the true religion whereby we take the name of God upon us and are called after his name as Gen. 48. 16. and 4. 16. Isa. 63. 10. Acts 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. And first as touching the name This part of Gods worship is usually in the Scriptures expressed by the phrase of calling upon the name of God and therefore is fitly called invocation that is calling upon God whether it be by way of praying or praysing In which generall sense the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tephillat is sometimes used 1. Sam. 2. 1. Psal. 86. 1. Isa. 56. 7. Domus orationis oratio and invocatio in Latine and by a Synecdoche prayer in the English tongue though properly it signifieth that species or kind of invocation whereby we crave any thing at the hands of God By a Metonymie of the signe it is sometimes called the lifting up of the hands Psal. 141. 2. and 44. 20. sometimes the lifting up of the eyes Psal. 123. 1. more properly a lifting up of thé heart unto God Psal. 25. 1. whereof the other are but signes Which must teach us when we pray to lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens as Jeremie speaketh Lam. 3. 41. So much of the name In the definition the nature of Invocation is set forth both the generall which Logicians call the genus and proper in that which is called the difference The generall in that I call it a religious speech For of religious speech there are two speciall sorts the one of man â—…nto man in the name of God and in the stead of Christ which is preaching the other of man unto God in the name and mediation of Christ which is prayer or invocation And both of them somewhere in the Scriptures are expressed by one and the same name of prophesying which for Preaching is used 1. Cor. 14. 3 4. and elsewhere for Invocation both in the sense of praying 1. Kings 18. 29. with 26. and of praysing 1. Chron. 25. 1 2 3. First I say it is a speech And because the religious speech is the chief speech which we can use therefore as preaching is called Sermo so prayer is of the Latines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called Oratio But where I say prayer is a speech you are to understand that whereas there is a twofold speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outward and inward the inward being also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech conceived in the mind the outward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech uttered with the voice prayer is not the outward speech chiefly or onely but the inward of the soul either alone when in prayer the voice is not used as Gen. 24. 45. Exod. 14. 15. 1. Sam. 1. 13. and is called oratio mentalis which is usuall in meditation and is sometimes so called or chiefly when the voice is used as most commonly it is Whereupon some define prayer to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the speech or communication of the soul with God others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ascending of the mind unto God In which respect the holy Ghost calleth it the lifting up of the heart unto God Psal. 25. 1. and the pouring forth of the soul before the Lord Psal. 62. 8. 1. Sam. 1. 15. As for that prayer which is onely the outward speech of the mouth without the inward of the heart it is not a prayer in truth but a meer lip-labour For to call upon God in truth is to pray with our souls and to call upon him with our hearts to lift up our hearts and to poure forth our souls before the Lord as I shall shew more fully hereafter But I adde that it is a religious speech to note that prayer is a part and indeed a principall part of that religious adoration and worship which we ow unto God and consequently to teach us that it is a dutie to be performed religiously and devoutly as intending thereby an holy and acceptable service unto God So that true prayer is not a bare reading or recitall of any form of prayer without understanding withou affection without devotion without faith but a religious service devoutly offered unto God out of an upright and pure heart 2. Tim. 2. 22. Psal. 119. 7. The proper nature of Invocation is described in the rest of the definition conteining six substantiall points necessarily required in all prayer viz. Quis Quem Cujus nomine Quomodo Cujus ope De quibus that is Who must pray Whom we must pray unto In whose name In what manner By whose help and For what For in all invocation that shall be acceptable unto God there is required 1. That the person which prayeth be faithfull 2. That the partie to whom we pray be the onely true God 3. That the prayer be made in the name of Christ For sinne having made a separation between God and us there is no accesse for us unto God in our own name 4. For the manner that it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God Rom. 8. 27. or as S. John speaketh more fully 1. Epist. 5. 14. according to the will of God that is that in our invocation or prayer we perform those things which God hath willed and required in his word to be performed in prayer 5. Because we are not able of our selves to perform any of those things which God hath required I adde that we are to call upon God by the help of the holy Ghost 6. And lastly I shew that the object of our invocation that is the things concerning which we do speak unto God in prayer are good things apperteining to his glorie and our good as namely and especially the benefits and blessings of God for which we do either pray unto him or praise him Of these six in order And first for the partie which is to pray When I say that prayer is a speech of the faithfull you are to understand 1. That we speak of prayer as it is officium viatorum a duty injoyned unto men living here upon earth as pilgrimes in the Church militant unto whom alone the doctrine of Invocation doth appeâ—…tein and not as it is exercitium spirituum beatorum the exercise of the Saints and Angels in the Church triumphant in heaven to whom neither the commandments injoyning this duty nor the promises made to prayer nor the directions which teach how to pray are directed For although the word of God hath revealed that they are conversant in the one part of invocation that is in praising glorifying God wherein we are to imitate them that we may do this will of God 1. Thess. 5. 18. as the Saints and Angels do it in heaven yet as touching the other part which is
prayer or petition for what or for whom they pray in particular the Spirit of God in the Scriptures hath not revealed and it is but foolish curiositie to seek to be wise above that which is written For herein especially is that verified Quae supra nos nihil ad nos that is Things above us belong not unto us much lesse ought we with the superstitious Papists upon an erroneous conceit of theirs I mean the Saints and Angels in particular that is such Saints and Angels praying for us in particular ground an idolatrous practice of our praying unto them But of this also more hereafter 2. Seeing we consider it as the dutie of the living Isa. 38. 19. we are more particularly to consider both who in this world are required to pray and also what is required in them that do pray This dutie is required of all men living without exception All are to call upon God And that their prayer may be accepted of God it is required of all that they should have faith For as much therefore as we are to define prayer as it is effectuall and acceptable for that cause I defined it to be the speech of the faithfull not but that all are bound to pray but that none pray effectually and acceptably but they onely that believe Concerning the partie therefore which is to call upon God I am to shew these two things 1. That it is required of all to pray 2. That it is required of all which do pray that they be faithfull The former I am the rather in this place to perform lest when I have defined Quid sit and so taught how we are to pray I leave place to the question An sit Whether we are to pray at all or not For howsoever it is a great honour and favour for a sinfull man who is but dust and ashes as Abraham upon this occasion confesseth Gen. 18. 27. that the Lord should admit him to familiar speech with his great and glorious Majestie For as Chrysostome saith Quis non admirarâ—…tur tantam benignitatem quam in nos declarat Deus qui nos mortales dignos habuerit qui cum ipso colloquamur nostráque vota apud ipsum deponamus that is Who would not admire this so great goodnesse which God declareth towards us who esteemeth mortalls worthy to talk with him and to lay before him all our suits and that he should be near unto us in all that we do call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. and therefore a thing greatly to be desired and highly to be esteemed of us yet naturally men abhorre from the performance of this dutie which caused the Prophet Isaiah to complain that there was none that called upon the name of the Lord. The reason is because sinne having made a separation between God and us the man whose conscience condemneth him of sinne unrepented of as not being reconciled unto God flieth from his presence as the guilty person or malefactour from the sight of the judge so farre is he from presenting himself voluntarily before the Lord as we see in the examples of our first parents Gen. 3. 8. in Peter before his effectuall calling who perceiving by the miraculous draught of fish the Divinitie of our Saviour Christ desireth him to depart from him for I saith he am a sinfull man in the Gergasines or Gadarenes who being strucken with fear at the miraculous dispossessing of the legion of devils besought our Saviour to depart out of their coasts Matth. 8. 34. Luke 8. 37. It shall be needfull therefore to use some reasons and motives to move us to the performance of this dutie CHAP. II. Reasons moving to the dutie of prayer FIrst therefore the law of nature teacheth all men this principle That there is a God and that this God is to be called upon and worshipped For which cause all nations being never so barbarous though they know not the true God yet by the instinct of nature think themselves bound to call upon that which they suppose to be God If therefore those nations which did not call upon the true God whom indeed they did not know are subject to the curse of God Psal. 69. 6. Jer. 10. 25. how shall they escape the curse of God who knowing him do not call upon him for by their not calling upon him they do deny him Tit. 1. 16. and therefore this is observed as a note of the foolish Atheist who saith that there is no God that he doth not call upon the Lord Psal. 14. 4. Secondly It is a principall part of that worship of God for which the nature of man was at the first created according to his image and for which it was redeemed viz. that we might worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse and therefore those who will not call upon him rob God of that honour that is due unto him and as much as in them lyeth go about to frustrate that end for which they were created and redeemed So principall that sometimes the duty of invocation is put for the wholâ—… worship of God as Gen. 21. 33. 26. 25. as if it were all in all In which regard the temple which was provided for Gods worship was called the house of prayer Esa. 56. 7. And no marvell for by this one duty of invocation we exercise and testifie our religion our faith our love both of God and man our affiance and hope c. Thirdly It is injoyned in the morall law of God which is generall and perpetuall and is therefore also required in the gospel And if you ask in what part of the law I answer In both tables as a duty of religion to God and of charity to our neighbour for whose good we either pray or give thanks In every commandment as the common means whereby we are enabled to peâ—… form the severall duties and to attein those vertues which are therein prescribed But chiefly it is commanded in the commandments of the first table the obedience wherâ—…of in a great part consisteth herein For hereby God is worshipped in the spirit or inwardly prâ—…cept 1. adored in the body or outwardly prâ—…cept 2. sanctified or glorified in the mouth praecept 3. and a good part of the sanctifying of the sabbath praecept 4. standeth in this Now if any man shall object That he is a sinfull man and that by his sinne he hath made himself unworthy to tread upon the earth or to look up unto heaven and much more unworthy to present himself before the Lord with hope to be heard and consequently that it were great presumption for him to call upon the Lord I answer That it were indeed greater presumption to come before God then it was to rush into the presence of the kings of Persia were it not that the Lord did in like manner hold out unto us the sceptre of his word therein by his manifold commandments injoyning us this duty and by his
gracious promises encouraging us thereunto This therefore may be a fourth argument or motive For if God hath commanded us to call upon him and hath promised to heare us in obedience to his commandment and in faith in his promises we are to call upon him being assured that he who hath commanded us to pray and hath promised to heare will graciously accept our prayers The speciall commandments are dispersed in many places of the scripture and so likewise the promises I will cite a few places where they are conjoyned Psal. 50. 14 15. Offer unto God thanksgiving and call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Matth. 7. 7 8. Ask and ye shall have 〈◊〉 and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for whosoever asketh receiveth c. Joh. 16. 23 24. Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full To these commandments adde 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. Pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you And to the promises that in Psal. 145. 18. belongeth The Lord is near to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth And therefore they can no sooner call but he heareth Dan. 9. 23. Yea before we call the Lord hath promised to heare Esa. 65. 24. Which sheweth that he is more ready to heare then we are to call upon him CHAP. III. Other motives to the duty of prayer UNto these we may adde three principall motives viz. the excellency the profit the necessity of invocation that the excellency may invite the profit allure the necessity draw us to the performance thereof First therefore it is excellent and honourable For this is a great honour and high favour for a sinfull and mortall man who is but dust and ashes to have ordinary accesse unto God and free conference with him but especially to have the Lord near unto to us in all things that we call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. For it is no small honour for a man to have free accesse to his prince who is made of the same mould and to have as we say the kings eare Illud maximum saith Chrysostome quòd quisquis or at cum Deo colloquitur Quantae autem dignitatis sit hominem cum Deo miscere sermonem neminem latet That is the greatest priviledge that whosoever prayeth talketh with God And how great a dignity it is for a man to be admitted conference with God none can be ignorant But it is not onely honourable unto us but which is much more to be regarded unto God himself For hereby we asscribe unto him omniscience omnipotency and all-sufficiency infinite mercy and goodnesse acknowledging him to be the authour and fountain of all good things And therefore he preferreth the sacrifice of prayse and of prayer which are the calves of our lips before the sacrifice of goats and bulls Psal. 50. 8. ad 16. For as touching the sacrifice of a broken and humble soul poured forth in prayer the holy Ghost testifieth that the Lord esteemeth it in stead of all sacrifices Psal. 51. 17. And for the other of praise the Lord professeth Psal. 50. 23. He that offereth or sacrificeth praise honoureth me By prayer we glorifie God for magna est Dei gloria saith Augustine ut nos simus mendici ejus that is It is the great glory of God that we are his beggers But by praysing much more for to prayse God is to magnifie and glorifie him and by these terms it is expressed in the scriptures But profit is that respect which most men look after Psal. 4. 6. There be many which say Who will shew us any good And in this particular What will it profit us if we shall call upon God Job 21. 15. First for prayse If we glorifie God he will glorifie us 1. Sam. 2. 30. Secondly for prayer The profit is so great that it is the ordinary means of obteining all good things which we do desire and of avoyding all evil which we fear It hath the promises both of this life and of a better neither is there any good thing which the Lord hath ordeined for us whether temporall for our good or spirituall for our salvation but he hath appointed that we should obtein it by prayer Prayer is the key of Gods treasury yea it is clavis coeli that is the key of heaven It is armour of proof against all tentations serving for all parts and therefore not assigned to any one Ephes. 6. 18. flagillum diaboli the scourge of the devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sovereigne remedy against all evil In the spirituall life it is as the hand in the temporall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the instrument of instruments But the profit is best manifested by the promises of God which are infallible especially if ye will compare Matth. 7. 7 8. with John 16. 23. and 1. John 5. 14. Whosoever â—…sketh any thing whatsoever in the name of Christ according to Gods will it shall be granted What promise can be more large then whosoever and whatsoever In a word God is rich unto all that call upon him for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 12 13. CHAP. IIII. Three questions cleared NOw for the further clearing of this point concerning the profit and efficacy of prayer there are three questions to be decided 1. Whether prayer be 〈◊〉 impetratorium or of any efficacy to obtein our desires 2. And if it be Whether by prayer we do alwayes obtein our desires 3. Whether there be any other profit or fruit to be expected by our prayers besides the obteining of our desires The decision of the first question is needfull not onely because some hereticks have held prayer to be superfluous but chiefly because our adversaries father this heresie upon us Those that take away the use of prayer ground their fansie on the knowledge and providence of God For first If God our heavenly Father do know our wants and be of himself ready to supply them shall not we seem to doubt either of his knowledge or of his goodnesse if we pray unto him Answ. Our Saviour indeed doth teach us that God our heavenly Father doth know our wants and is willing to supply them Matth. 6. 32. but yet in the same chapter he teacheth us to pray and promiseth that by prayer we shall obtein Matth. 7. 7 8. and therefore in obedience to the commandment and in faith in the promise we are to call upon God whatsoever flesh and bloud can object to the contrary Gods knowledge of our wants and readinesse to supply them must free us from distrustfull care and move us with affiance to seek unto God in all our
necessities to which end our Saviour Christ informeth us of Gods knowledge and fatherly love And so the Apostle Phil. 4. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not distrustfully carefull for any thing but in every thing let your requests by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving be made known before God The perswasion therefore of Gods knowledge and love must not hinder us from prayer but rather incourage us with faith and affiance to call upon him Neither do we call upon God either to inform him in that which he knoweth not or to move him to that which he hath not purposed but to do our duty to God and our selves to God in worshipping him by this exercise and acknowledging him by prayer and thanksgiving to be the authour of all good things to our selves in using that means which God hath ordained for the obteining of our desires God hath purposed and promised to give good things not to all but to those that use the means There is a promise of receiving and obteining but to those that ask of finding but to those that seek and of opening but to those that knock And moreover as Augustine saith the Lord would have us to exercise and increase by prayer our desire our hope and our faith that so we may be the more capable of those good things which God hath promised to give For they are great sed nos ad accipiendum parvi angusti sumus Tantò quippe illud quod valde magnum sumemus capaciùs quantò sideliùs credimus speramus firmiâ—…s desideramus ardentiús But we are little and strait to receive For that which is veâ—…y great we take more capaciously when as we do more faithfully believe and more firmly hope and more ardently desire The second objection is taken from the decree of Gods providence For whereas we teach that all things come to passe according to the counsel of Gods will Ephes. 1. 11. which is unchangeable because it is alwayes the best hereupon some object that we take away the use of prayer For if all things come to passe according to the immutable counsel of God then to pray for any thing is needlesse or bootlesse Needlesse if God have already appointed that which we desire bootlesse if he have determined the contrary for we may not think that by our prayer we can alter his decree which cannot be changed Answ. It may well be that some do thus abuse the doctrine of Gods providence as many do to the like purpose the doctrine of predestination falling into the erroneous conceit of the Predestinatours For if I be elected say they a godly life is needlesse if not it is bootlesse But the same answer will serve for both 1. Where God hath appointed any thing as the end he hath also preordained the means whereby it is obteined Finis imponit necessitatem his quae sunt ad finem The end imposeth a necessity unto those means which conduce to the end Wherefore as it is necessary in respect of Gods decree that the end appointed shall come to passe so is it as necessarie in respect of the same decree that it should be obteined by the preordained meâ—…ns whereby it is to be obteined Now prayer is the means which God hath ordained whereby we are to obtein good things c. Non propter hoc oramus saith Thomas ut Divinam dispositionem immutemus sed ut id impetremus quod Deus disposuit per orationes sanctorum esse implendum ut scilicet homines postulando mereantur accipere quod iis Deus omnipotens ante secula disposuit donare that is We do not therefore pray that we may change the Divine disposition but that we may obtein that which God hath disposed to be accomplished by the prayers of the Saints to wit that men by praying may deserve to receive that which God omnipotent hath before all times ordained to give them 2. God in his word hath injoyned us the use of this means and graciously promised a blessing and therefore farre be it from us under a pretense of conforming our selves to the secret will of God which we know not to rebell against his will revealed which we know 3. God in his word by his gracious promises hath revealed his will concerning those that do pray as they ought that they shall obtein If therefore God hath enabled thee to pray effectually thou mayest be assured that thou shalt obtein thy desire or that which is better For much availeth the prayer of a righteous man and the Lord is rich to all that call upon him 4. Though the will and purpose of God for the granting or denying thy desire were revealed unto thee yet were it thy dutie notwithstanding to call upon God First for denying by threatnings for though God non novit mutare consilium yet novit mutare sententiam knoweth not to change his counsel yet he knoweth to change his sentence The threatnings of God are conditionally to be understood namely if we do not use the contrary means Ezek. 33. 11. Jer. 18. 7 8. Jon. 3. Joel 2. 12 13 14. When Hezekiah was sick unto the death the Prophet Isaiah brought this message from the Lord Set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not live notwithstanding by effectuall prayer he obteined the prolonging of his life Isa. 38. 1 2 5. So Judg. 10. 13 16. Matth. 15. Secondly For granting by petitions and promises For Daniel though he knew by reading the prophesie of Jeremie that the captivitie of the Jews in Babylon should continue but seventie yeares yet when the seventy yeares were expired he thought it his dutie to beg the deliverance of the people by fasting and prayer Dan. 9. 2 3. To Isaac was the promise made of Seed in which all the nations should be blessed and yet he prayeth to the Lord that he might have seed Gen. 25. To Elias the Lord had revealed his purpose concerning rain which Elias believed and in the name of God promised to Ahab and yet notwithstanding he goeth up into the mount Carmel to beg it of God And the obteining of this rain after the long drought though purposed and promised by God is ascribed to the efficacie of Elias his prayers Jam. 5. 16 18. Conferre Acts 27. 24 25 31. God hath promised and purposed to give good things sed roganti quaerenti pulsanti to him that asketh seeketh knocketh and not to those who tempt him in the neglect of means See Jer. 33. 3. Luke 18. 41. Psal. 2. 8. Moreover the Papists object against us that we take away the efficacie of prayer in obteining remission of sinnes or any other good things The former because we teach that faith alone justifyeth the latter because we teach that the prayer which must obtein any thing proceedeth from speciall faith which cannot be had But more worthily the Papists may be charged for denying the efficacy of
which we in our selves are not able to give them So that the oration of an oratour is efficax in respect of the inward efficacie when therein is performed what art requireth in respect of the outward when it perswadeth and that efficacie dependeth on the hearers pleasure But prayer which is effectuall in it self alwayes prevaileth with God In particular that we pray in truth fervencie and faith In truth for to that is the promise restrained Psal. 145. 18. In fervencie Jam. 5. 16. In faith Mark 11. 24. Jam. 1. 5 6 7. Without the first prayers are dead without the second cold without the third uneffectuall for it is the prayer of faith which is effectuall Jam. 5. 15. For the end Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye might consume it on your lusts The end must be good or the prayer is bad The end must be that God may be glorified Psal. 50. 15. The third limitation is in respect of things God hath promised to give good things to them that ask Matth. 7. 11. But if the thing which thou desirest be not good either in it self as if it be unlawfull or not to thee as if it be unprofitable it is not within the compasse of the promise nor ought to be within the compasse of thy desire Or if it be good perhaps it is not yet good for thee to have it but in due time thou shalt find grace In the former case the Lord seemeth to denie in the letter to delay our suits and yet in both he doth grant our prayer if it be rightly conceived For first we must not circumscribe God or prescribe unto him the time and means but so desire that our request may be granted as he shall judge most fit both for his glorie and our good Secondly when as the good things which we ask are either necessarie to salvation or otherwise the former we are to ask absolutely and absolutely we are to believe that we shall obtein them Yea know this for thy comfort that if God hath given thee grace to ask spirituall and saving graces effectually thou hast alreadie obteined for the 〈◊〉 desire of any grace is the beginning of that grace which is so desired But those blessings which are not necessary to salvation whether spirituall or â—…emporall we are not to ask absolutely but with condition if the obteining thereof may be for Gods glory and our good So shall we be surâ—… to obtein our desires of the Lord who alwayes heareth his children if not ad voluntatem according to their will yet ad 〈◊〉 for their profit as wise parents deal with their children seeming many times to denie to his children in fatherly love that which in anger and indigâ—…ation he granâ—…eth to others Perhaps therefore as Augustine saith negat tibi propitius quod allis concâ—…dit iratus In mercie he denieth that to thee which in anger he granteth unto others And therefore the hearing of our prayers is not to be measured by sense but by faith CHAP. VII Of the profit of prayer THe third question Whether any further profit is to be expected from prayer besides obteining our requests The profit is twofold the one of reward freely bestowed by God on him that calleth on his name the other the increase of grace wrought in them by Gods Spirit who give themselves to prayer As touching the former Though by reason of our wants and imperfections in prayer the Lord if he should deal in rigour with us might justly reject our prayers yet such is his mercie that he doth not onely cover our wants and for the intercession of Christ accepteth our prayer but also granteth our desire and not onely that but because prayer is a dutie of pietie and a principall part of that worship whereby we gloâ—…lfie God he doth graciously reward it godlinesse having the promise of this life and that which is to come Our Saviour therefore promiseth Matth. 6. 6. that when we call upon God though it be but in secret and private prayers and much more in publick our heavenly Father will reward us openly The Lord is rich to all that call upon him for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 12 13. For the other By the frequent and religious exercise of this dutie our faith and affiance in God is increased our experience of his bountie and goodnesse towards us in hearing us confirmed our love to his majestie augmented Psal. 116. 1. our hope nourished our patience exercised By it we grow in acquaintance with God and tast how good and gracious the Lord is By it we learn being Gods daily suiters so to behave our selves as not to be ashamed to appear before him By it we elevate our minds above earthly cogitations to mind things that are above and to have our conversation in heaven By it we grow into assurance of our election because the same spirit which is the spirit of supplication is also the spirit of adoption whereby we cry in our hearts Abba Father and which testifieth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and if sonnes then also heirs c. But the Papists not content herewith ascribe two other fruits to their prayers that they are also Satisfactorie for their sinnes and Meritorious of eternall life Satisfactorie as being penal works and therefore both voluntarily undertaken and by their Priests injoyned by way of penance So that this exercise which is so honourable and so profitable as you have heard being also a chief prerogative to the faithfull to have free accesse to God is to them a punishment or work of penance to satisfie for sins But their prayers performed with these conceits of satisfaction and merit are sacrilegious and derogatorie to the all-sufficient satisfaction and merit of Christ though otherwise they were commendable But the impietie of their assertion will better appear if we take a brief survey of their prayers For first whereas our prayers ought to be directed unto the Lord alone they pray to Saints and Angels yea before images and crosses and by their prayers commit most horrible idolatry 2. Neither do they pray in the name and mediation of Christ alone but unto him joyn other mediatours of intercession by whose merits and intercession they desire and hope to be heard 3. The most of them pray without understanding for that which they utter in prayer as praying in an unknown language and consequently pray without attention or actuall intention which they say needeth not without faith or hope without reverence 4. They number their prayers upon beads oftentimes by most grosse â—…attologie repeating the same words perswading themselves that the more Pater nosters Ave Maries and Creeds for those also are prayers with them they shall mumble upon their beads the more satisfactory and meritorious their prayers be Now their prayers being thus every way abominable and odious
what horrible impudencie and impietie is it to obtrude such prayers upon God not onely as acceptable service unto him but as satisfactory and meritorious by which they can merit nothing but damnation and for the wickednesse whereof they shall never be able to satisfie but with endlesse torments Let this suffice us that prayer is of so great profit and admirable efficacie that our prayers rightly conceived and made are alwayes heard and granted that besides the benefit of obteining our prayers have their reward with God and notable fruits conferrâ—…ng and increasing Gods graces in us CHAP. VIII Of a threefold necessitie of prayer NOW I come to the necessitie of prayer which is necessary by a threefold bond of necessitie 1. Necessitate praecepti necessitie of precept as being a dutie most straitly injoyned and a principall part of that worship and service which we ow unto God This necessitie is not absolute but if we will avoid his curse Jer. 10. 25. 2. Necessitate medii necessitie of the means as being the means ordained by God for the obteining of all good things which he hath either purposed or promised to bestow upon us for our good so that if we ask aright we have if we ask not we have not as S. James saith chap. 4. 3. Necessitate signi necessitie of the signe as being a necessarie signe and cognizance of all true Christians who are described in the Scripture to be such as call upon the name of God As contrariwise the foolish Atheist who saith in his heart There is no God is deciphered by this note that he doth not call upon the Lord Psal. 14. 4. In which respects the holy man Daniel held the performance of this dutie so necessary that when the king had published a decree which might not be revoked That whosoever should ask a petition of either God or man save of the king for thirtie dayes he should be cast into the lions den he chose rather to be cast into the den of the lions then to omit this dutie but thirty dayes Dan. 6. neither did he omit it one day see vers 10. CHAP. IX Who are to perform the dutie of prayer ANd thus you have heard that it is required of all to call upon God Now let us consider what is required in all those that do call upon him That I expressed in the definition when I defined prayer to be a speech of the faithfull or as the holy Ghost styleth them also the righteous the godly the Saints of God Where by the way note that all faithfull and true Christians are righteous are godly are the Saints of God And thus are they to be qualified who will either pray unto God or praise him For prayer the holy Ghost saith that every one that is godly shall pray unto God Psal. 32. 6. and the prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 1. 16. For praise and thanksgiving unto God be glory in the Church saith the Apostle Ephes. 3. 21. that is in the company of the faithfull And so David Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his give thanks at the remembrance of his holinesse Psal. 30. 4. It is true that all the works of God do praise him as the matter of his praise but the Saints do blesse him as the instruments of his praise Psal. 145. 10. For both see Psal. 50. 14 15 16. where the Lord as he commandeth the faithfull to whom his speech is directed v. 5 7. to offer unto him thanksgiving and to call upon him in the day of trouble so he taketh exception against the wicked But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee But here we are carefully to consider who are the godly and righteous lest we exclude from hope of being heard those whom the holy Ghost doth not exclude There is therefore a twofold righteousnesse mentioned in the Scriptures the one Legall the other Evangelicall According to the legall righteousnesse none can be said to be righteous who doth not perfectly and perpetually perform whatsoever the law which is the Divine rule of perfect righteousnesse doth prescribe For if a man do not abstein from all things forbidden if he do not also the things commanded if he do not all and that in that manner and measure which the law prescribeth if he do not continue in doing all the things required but breaketh the course of his obedience by any one sinne though but of omission though but in thought he is notwithstanding all his obedience by the sentence of the law not onely a sinner but also accursed Gal. 3. 10. By this righteousnesse no man since the fall of Adam could be said to be righteous Christ onely excepted but we had all need to pray with David Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified viz. by the works of the law Gal. 2. 16. For there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7. 20. Yea in many things we offend all saith S. James chap. 3. 2. And if we say we have no sinne saith S. John 1. epist. 1. 8. we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Wherefore the law concludeth all under sinne and consequently under the curse Gal. 3. 22. So that there is no man so godly and righteous but in himself by the sentence of the law he is a sinner Which serveth notably to confute the Popish hypocrites which teach that none are justified but such as are formally just by a righteousnesse inherent in and performed by themselues that is habituall and actuall according to the law of God and that no man who is a sinner in himself by reason of sinne inherent can be said to be justified But whatsoever Pope-holy men do conceive of themselves we must confesse with the forenamed Apostles that we are sinners in our selves and had need daily to pray as our Saviour taught them for the forgivenesse of our sinnes and so to appeal from the sentence of the Law to the promise of the Gospel for the law hath concludâ—…d all under sinne that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal. 3. 22. The Evangelicall righteousnesse is that which without the Law is revealed in the Gospel whereby men that are sinfull in themselves I mean believing sinners and penitent sinners are accepted of God as righteous in Christ. And it is twofold For it is either imputed to a believing sinner as the righteousnesse of justification or infused and so inherent in a repentant sinner as the righteousnesse of sanctification The former is perfect and not inherent being the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith The other is inherent but not perfect being our new obedience wrought in us by
the spirit of regeneration In respect of the former it is said that the righteous man shall live by his faith In respect of the latter that he is a righteous man which worketh righteousnesse And this twofold righteousnesse must of necessitie concurre in the same partie c. By the doctrine therefore of the Gospel he is a righteous a godly man a Saint of God who doth believe and repent And this is to be understood not onely of those who are indued with perfect faith and repentance or the higher degrees thereof but even of the lowest degrees of true faith and unfeigned repentance So that whosoever truly assenting in his judgement to the promises of the Gospel concerning salvation by Christ doth earnestly in his heart desire to be made partaker of Christ and hiâ—… merits and unfeignedly resolveth in his will to acknowledge Christ to be his Saviour and to rest upon him alone for salvation he doth believe to justification And whosoever being displeased with himself for his sinnes doth unfeignedly desire and truly purpose amendment of life he doth repent to sanctification And he that but thus believeth and repenteth is within the latitude of those faithfull and righteous men whose prayers are acceptable unto God and whose persons are accepted yea blessed of him Matth. 5. 3 4 5. and 11. 28. Psal. 34. 18. Examples of Manasseh 2. Chron. 33. 13. the Publicane Luke 18. And these beginnings of faith and repentance do alwayes concurre in our regeneration or conversion unto God For in regenerating us the holy Ghost doth ingenerate in us the grace of faith and contrariwise CHAP. X. None but the faithfull can pray effectually and acceptably NOw how necessarie it is that he which prayeth acceptably should be a righteous or faithfull man indued with some measure of true faith and unfeigned repentance it may appear both by manifest reasons and manifold testimonies of holy Scriptures wherein the promise of hearing the prayer is restrained to the righteous and all hope of being heard denied to the wicked First then it is necessary that he who calleth upon God should be indued with faith For how shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10. 14. and Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. and likewise with repentance For unlesse a man repent he reteineth a purpose to go on in sinne and this his impenitencie or sinne not repented of is as a wall of separation between God and him God heareth not impenitent sinners as hereafter we shall shew Secondly before our prayers or other actions can be accepted of God our persons must be accepted in Christ Neither can the fruit be good while the tree is bad neither can we hope to prevail with God by intreaty whiles we do not desire to be reconciled unto him but as we were born the children of wrath so his wrath abideth upon us John 3. 36. and we do continue in our enmitie against God Thirdly there is no accesse to God but through Christ by the holy Ghost Ephes. 2. 18. and 3. 12. But the unbelieving and impenitent sinner as he hath no part in Christ so is he void of the holy Ghost Fourthly it cannot be but that the prayer of the unbelieving and impenitent sinners is very absurd and odious in Gods sight because they ask many â—…imes such things as they do not desire and promise such things as they do not mean to perform and bear the Lord in hand that they be such men then whom they are nothing lesse going about to deceive the Lord with their mouthes and with their lips speaking lies unto him Psal. 78. and in all their prayers and praises concerning spirituall things playing the notorious hypocrites before God For the manifestation whereof let us take a brief survey of the Lords prayer whereof the impenitent sinner is not able to utter one word aright and if not of that then of none for that is the summe of all First therefore they call God their Father in Christ when as they are nothing lesse then his children For he that committeth sinne is of the devil 1. John 3. 8. and his children they are whose works they do John 8. They say Our Father Give us as though in brotherly love they prayed for the whole brotherhood of the faithfull whereas they being void of Christian charitie seek onely themselves and have no part in the communion of Saints They direct their prayers to God who is â—…n heaven infinite in majestie glory and power themselves being on earth vile and base creatures Eccles 5. as if they came in great humility in respect of their own unworthinesse and reverence in respect of the glorious majestie of God whereas indeed they rush into the presence of God with lesse regard and speak unto him with lesse reverence then they would to a mortall man who is but a little their superiour They call him Father noting his love which art in heaven noting his power as if they believed that their prayers should be granted as being assured that God is both willing and able to grant their desires and yet have no faith in God and therefore call not upon him aright in whom they have not believed In the first place they beg the advancement of Gods glory as if that were more deare unto them then their own good whereas in truth they have no zeal of Gods glory but unto it preferre the obteining of any worldly and sinfull desire They pray that his name may be sanctified which they do daily pollute with their mouthes and by their lives do cause it to be blasphemed They desire that his kingdome may câ—…me and that his will may be done as though they did first seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse whereof indeed they have no studie or care but are wholly addicted to worldly desires They pray that the kingdome of grace may be advanced and that God would rule and reigne in them by his Spirit according to his word when they are in the number of those who say We will not have this man to reigne over us resisting the spirit and casting the word behind their backs They pray that the kingdome of glory may be hastened by the speedy coming of Christ unto judgement and yeâ—…desire nothing lesse then the second coming of Christ. They desire that Gods will may be done which themselves will not do The will of God is their conversion and sanctification that they should abstein from those sinnes whereunto they are more specially addicted but though they know it to be the will of God that they should turn unto him they will not turn that they should leave their speciall sinnes they will not leave them as the drunkard his drunkennesse the whoremaster his fornication c. and yet like egregious hypocrites do pray that they may do the will of God as it is done in heaven that is after an angelical manner readily
and that as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be reserved as proper to God The like distinction they have forged between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Service and Worship whereof the former as they say may be given to the creatures the latter onely to God If by these words they distinguished civill worship from religious as Augustine doth they might be born with For as he saith both is servitus Sed ea servitus quae debetur hominibus secundùm quam praecipit Apostolus SERVOS DOMINIS SUIS SUBDITOS ESSE DEBERE alio nomine Graecè nuncupari solet scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ea verò servitus quae pertinet ad colendum Deum dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both is Service But that service which is due to men according to which the Apostle commandeth servants to be subject to their masters in the Greek it is used to be called by another name to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that service which belongeth to the worship of God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would cloke religious service performed to creatures they are intolerable For between religious service and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no difference and both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are alike in the Scriptures ascribed to God both of them used as the translation of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 23. 33. SI SERVIERIS DIIS EORUM Hîc Graecus saith S. Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde intelligitur quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debetur Deo tanquam Domino 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verò non nisi Deo tanquam Deo IF THOU SERVEST THEIR GODS Here the Greek hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it is understood that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is due to God as unto our Lord but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to none but God as God Lodovicus Vives in August De civit Dei lib. 10. cap. 1. saith Valla docet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem esse utrumque significare Servitutem Suidas ait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servitus mercenaria Lev. 23. 7. opus servile dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18. 21. Desemine tuo non dabis servire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta Septuaginta Valla saith be teacheth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the same and that both do signifie Service And Suidas saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is service for a reward or mercenarie service Lev. 23. 7. a servile work is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and chap. 18. 21. Thou shalt not give any of thy seed to serve the prince or the idole Molech which service the Septuagint expresseth by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 8. 3. But if a difference between these words is to be urged it will be found that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the greater and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lesse the former being derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a bond-slave the latter of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an hired servant For Suidas telleth us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is service for a reward And so by this distinction they shall gain thus much That they give the greater to the creatures and reserve the lesse for God Neither can this distinction be applyed to either of these places alledged 1. Sam. 7. 3. Matth. 4. 10. in both which the vulgar Latine hath servire in the former eique soli servite and serve ye him alone where the Greek also hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter eique soli servies and thou shalt serve him alone Secondly he that is to be called upon is to be believed in Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed God alone and none but God is to be believed in Psal. 73. 25. whom have I in heaven but thee According to the Creed the object of our faith is God and the Church but with this difference that we believe in God but as touching the Church we do not say that we believe in it for the Church is not God but domus Dei as Augustine hath observed but onely that we believe the holy catholick Church Now if we are not to believe in the Church much lesse in the members thereof whether they be of the Church militant or triumphant Thirdly no part of Gods glory is to be communicated to any thing else Isa. 42. 8. My glorie will I not give to another To be a hearer and granter of our requests is a great part of Gods glory Psal. 65. 3. O thou that hearest the prayer to thee shall all flesh come and in the conclusion of the Lords prayer thine is the glory namely of hearing and granting our prayers And therefore this glory is not to be communicated to any other and consequently no other is to be called upon Fourthly the commandment of Christ is broken if in prayer we call upon any to whom we may not say Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come c. For thine is the kingdome c. When ye pray say Our Father Luke 11. 2. But without horrible blasphemie we cannot use this form of words to any but onely to God therefore if we call upon any other we break the commandment of Christ. If the Papists alledge that in their prayers they usually do say their Pater noster I confesse they do but in so doing they commit blasphemous idolatry saying this prayer to the Rood or to the Crosse which they worship cultu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying with the old idolaters to a piece of wood Pater mâ—…us es Thou art my father and before the images not onely of men but also of women departed Fifthly all acceptable prayers are made in faith that they are accepted and in hope that they shall be granted For without faith it is impossible to please God and what is not of faith is sinne and prayer which is made without hope is in vain But those prayers that are made to God and they onely are made in faith and hope In faith because God hath commanded us to call upon him and hath promised to heare us In hope because God to whom we pray is omnipresent and therefore is acquainted with our wants and secret desires Psal. 38. he is omnipotent and therefore able to do for us exceâ—…dingly above all that we can ask'or think Ephes. 3. 20. and for his bounty and goodnesse more ready to heare and to grant then we are to ask Isa. 65. 24. On the other side prayers made to creatures are made neither in
faith For there is no warrant in the Scripture for such a prayer no doctrine which teacheth it no precept that injoyneth it no promise to confirm it no example to commend it And this is confessed by Eckius viz. That neither it is warranted or taught in the Old Testament because the people were prone to idolatry and the fathers deceased were in Limbo nor in the New lest the Gentiles should return to their old idolatry and lest the Apostles should seem to direct Christians to invocate them after their decease And therefore by their own confession no testimonie of Scripture can be alledged to this purpose Neither can such prayer be made in hope because none but God is either omniscient or omnipresent to know the wants or heare the desires of men in all places calling upon them nor omnipotent to grant their desires Hereunto may be added the testimonies of the Fathers Origen Contra Celsum lib. 8. Solus adorandus est Deus God onely is to be worshipped Eusebius De praeparat Evang. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 Deum adorare didiciâ—…us We have learned to worship God onely Nazianzen De Spir. sanct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it be to be adored why is it not to be worshipped if it be to be worshipped how is it not God Ambrose De Spiritu lib. 3. 12. Neque adorandum quicquam prater Deum legimus We do not reade of any thing which ought to be worshipped except God alone Cyrill Thesaur lib. 2. 1. Vnanatur a Deiâ—…atis est quam solummodo ador are oportet There is one nature of the Deitie which alone ought to be worshipped CHAP. XII That we ought not to invocate any creature THus have I shewed in generall That no creature is to be called upon Now more specially That neither Angels nor Saints Civil honour indeed is due to both as to our fellow-citizens of the same city but religious honour done to either is idolatry First for Angels Our fellow-servants are not to be adored of us Angels are our fellow-servants being ministring spirits sent forth into the ministery for their sake that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. And by this reason the angel Revel 19. 10. and 22. 19. disswadeth S. John from adoring him and in both places appropriateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration to God Likewise the Apostle admonisheth the Colossians chap. 2. 18. to take heed that none bercave them of their prize which is their salvation under shew of humiliâ—…ie as the Papists do as though it were too much boldnesse to go directly to Christ commending unto them the worshipping of angels whereunto those countreys of Phrygia were very much addicted as Theodoret sheweth in Col. 2. And therefore it was decreed in the councel of Laodicea the mother-citie of those parts that no man should pray unto angels Moreover he that is the authour and fountain of all good things and is onely able of himself to help us he is to be invocated and not those who being but his instruments are not able to help us otherwise then he appointeth But God is the authour and fountain of all good James 1. 17. Our onely help and refuge Psal. 46. 1. and 124. 8. The angels are but his instruments who neither can nor will help us further then God himself appointeth Objection out of Jos. 5. 13. and Judg. 13. 20. That Joshua and the parents of Samson worshipped the angels which appeared unto them He that appeared unto them was not a created angel but the Angel of the great covenant the second Person in Trinity who oftentimes in assumed forms appeared to the Patriarchs He that appeared to Joshua calleth himself the Prince of the Lords armies Jos. 5. 14. and 6. 2. he is called the Lord. He which appeared to Samsons parents being demanded his name said it is Wonderfull which is the name of Christ Isa. 9. 6. And such was their opinion of him for Manoah calleth him God and his wife termeth him Jehovah Now that Saints are not to be prayed unto it shall appear by these reasons I. To them which neither heare us nor know us prayer is made in vain But the Saints departed neither heare us nor know us That they do not heare us it is manifest For what is it which they do heare the voice of the mouth or the speech of the heart If the voice of the mouth then the voice which moveth the aire for a small distance and so vanisheth shall not onely pierce all the regions of the aire but the heavens also where the aire which is the medium ceaseth If the speech of the heart then are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searchers of the heart and therefore gods for it is a property peculiar to the Lord 1. Kings 8. 39. Jer. 17. 9. Acts 1. 24. That they know us not it is testified by Isaiah chap. 63. 16. Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel knoweth us not Eccles 9. 5. The Papists except First That the Saints having the blessed vision of God they do see in speculo Trinitatis the things done in earth By which reason they should know all things which God himself doth know neither should the day of judgement be hid from them But this glasse is a forgerie of their own brain For if they say it is the essence of the whole Deitie then is it most simple and unvariable if the glory or splendour of God whereby he enlighteneth the place of the blessed it will no more follow that they beholding this light should see those things which God beholdeth then that he which looketh on the sunne should see all that the sunne shineth upon Secondly That God acquainteth them with our prayers made to them which they understanding become intercessours for us unto God But what a foolish circumstance is this They will not have us go directly unto God or our Saviour but as in Princes courts to some that are neare unto them that they may mediate our cause and in the upshot we cannot go directly unto them I mean the Saints but God himself must be fain to be a mediatour between us and them to acquaint them with our prayers that so they may pray unto him for us Thirdly That they do not worship the Saints as gods but as the friends of God As if a woman taken in adultery should alledge for her self that she loved the adulterer not as her husband but as her husbands friend For religious worship doth as properly belong unto God as conjugall love unto the husband But do not they give Divine worship to the Saints whom they invocate prescribing thereby unto them omnipresence omniscience omnipotencie and thereby also professing themselves to repose their trust in them For when they pray to Saints departed do they speak unto them as present or as absent If as to present they being in heaven they on the earth dispersed in many places countreys then
they ascribe unto them omnipresence if as to absent they ascribe to them omniscience Both which are blasphemous Besides when they invocate they ascribe omnipotencie to them and therefore repose their trust in them But God alone is to be trusted in because he alone is omnipotent and cursed is he that trusteth in man Jer. 17. 5. II. Again mere men are not religiously to be adored It is Peters reason Acts 10. 26 and Pauls Acts 14. 15. If Christ himself had been but a mere man or a creature though a god by creation yet ought not he religiously to be adored and much lesse the Saints who are but the servants of Christ. Therefore the ancient Fathers termed the Arians who supposed Christ to be God by creation and yet worshipped him idolaters and the Nestorians likewise who supposed the humanitie of Christ to be a distinct person from the Sonne of God III. To leave God who hath commanded us to call upon him and hath promised to heare us and is most willing and onely able to help us and to run to the Saints who neither have commanded us as having no such authoritie nor have promised to heare and help us as having no such power yea are so farre from hearing and helping that they neither know us nor our desires and so farre from commanding us to call upon them as they have forbidden us so to do and alwayes directed us to call upon God Acts 10. 26. and 14. 15. is a thing in-religion impious and in reason absurd IV. To call upon Saints is a thing most injurious unto God and Christ our Saviour derogatorie from the glory of God as though they were either more ready to heare or more willing or more able to help us or that we had more confidence in their love then in the mercies of God and intercession of Christ our Saviour But it is lawfull to intreat the Saints upon earth to pray for us why then may we not desire the Saints in heaven much more to pray to God for us To intreat the Saints living on earth to pray for us hath warrant in the Scriptures as having been a dutie injoyned by God Gen. 20. 7. Job 42. 8. Jam. 5. 14 16. and also practiced by the faithfull Rom. 5. 30. Ephes. 6. 19. But praying to Saints departed hath no warrant in the Scriptures as the Papists themselves are forced to confesse Nay it is directly forbidden and those which do it commit two evils forsaking God the fountain of living waters and digging out to themselves cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water Jer. 2. 13. They worship the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 25. praeterito Creatore passing by the Creatour ut Hilarius interpretatur De Trinitate lib. 12. 2. The Saints living with us are acquainted with our persons and our wants and therefore may pray in particular for us and so cannot the Saints departed 3. The request made in this behalf to the faithfull living is a civil intreaty of a Christian duty but as it is made to the Saints departed it is a religious invocation of them to do that for us which is the peculiar office of the Mediatour Neither do they onely intreat the Saints to pray for us and desire God that for the merits intercession of the Saints he would grant their desires which is to give the office of Christ to them But also they desire the Saints themselves to bestow upon them such blessings as they desire both spirituall and temporall and to avert from them such evils as they fear Wherein the Papists have made the Saints to succeed the heathen gods ascribing unto them their severall offices and functions insomuch that there is no countrey citie or town but hath certain Saints to patronize them as the heathen had their tutelares deos no trade or occupation which hath not a peculiar Saint no kind of cattel or tame fowl which have not their patrones no kind of disease but some Saint or other is called upon for the curing thereof as the dii averrunci or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the heathen So that if there were no other fault in Popery their idolatry were sufficient cause of separation from them But the Saints departed do pray for us therefore we ought to pray unto them It may well be supposed that the Saints departed do pray in common for the faithfull upon the earth as fellow-members of the same bodie But they are not acquainted with particular persons or their particular wants or desires or if they were yet it would not follow that we should pray to them no more then we are bound to invocate religiously the Saints upon earth whom we know according to their dutie do pray for us August contra Faust. Manich lib. 20. c. 21. Colimus martyres â—…o cultu dilectionis societatis quo in hac vita coluntur sancti homines We worship the martyrs with that worship of love and societie with which even in this life holy men are worshipped Notwithstanding the Papists think this consequence to be so strong as they take it for granted that if the Saints make intercession for us we must pray to them Insomuch that Bellarâ—…ine when he would prove against our King That invocation of Saints was taught by the ancient Fathers in stead of that he proveth ridiculously the intercession of Saints for us CHAP. XIII That we must conceive of God in prayer as he hath revealed himself in his word SEeing then the Lord alone is to be called upon religiously it remaineth that we consider how we are to conceive of God when we do call upon him viz. not according to the fansies of our own brain but as he hath revealed himself in his word both in respect of the Divine nature and also the Divine persons In respect of his nature that he is a spirit invisible and incomprehensible omnipotent and infinite most holy wise just and mercifull c. And in regard of the Divine persons that being a God in essence substance one and indivisible he is notwithstanding distinguished into three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who as they be not in nature disjoyned so are they not to be severed in their worship but the Unitie in Trinitie and Trinitie in Unitie is to be worshipped and adored Whosoever therefore in respect of Gods nature do circumscribe God worshipping him under any form whether outwardly expressed or inwardly conceived as namely in the form of an old man c. in stead of the true God they do worship an idole Such was the erroneous conceit of the Anthropomorphites and such is the superstitious worship of the Papists at this day Likewise in respect of the persons whosoever shall call upon God as not distinguished into three persons howsoever they may professe that they invocate one onely true God maker of heaven and earth yet they do not worship the
of redemption the other of intercession and they do confesse in word that Christ is the onely Mediatour of redemption but of intercession they adjoyn other mediatours unto him viz. the Saints departed Here therefore I will shew two things 1. That they seem to acknowledge other mediatours of redemption and so in deed overthrow that which in word they confesse 2. That none can be mediatour of intercession who is not also of redemption For as touching the first in many of their authorized prayers they desire God to have mercie on them in forgiving their sinnes and in giving unto them good things as well spirituall as temporall for the merits and intercession of the Saints and so plainly thrust the Saints into the office of Christ. And not onely so but they invocate also the Saints as they do Christ to bestow good things upon them and to avert evil from them substituting them as I have shewed before into the room of the tutelar gods of the heathen But let us see whether there be any mediatours of intercession who are not also of redemption We denie not but that in a large sense they may be called mediatours and intercessours who are medii inter namely between God and man So Moses is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 19. Deut. 5. 5. and 27. 31. Pastours likewise and preachers who are both the mouth of God to the people in preaching and of the people to God in prayer But they are not in that sense intercessours as we acknowledge Christ and the Papists do esteem the Saints that we for their merits intercession should hope to be heard In like manner the Saints upon earth who in mutuall charity do pray and make intercession one for another as they are required 1. Tim. 2. 1. Jam. 5. 15 16. may be called intercessours but such as whose intercession dependeth wholly upon the intercession of Christ and whose prayers are alwayes made in his name Why then may not the Saints in heaven be esteemed intercessours For the intercession of Saints departed there is no testimonie of Scripture It is not to be doubted but that they do use to invocate the name of God by praise and thanksgiving bearing a part as it were in the quire of Angels And it is not unlikely but that they pray for that which is wanting unto them whilest their bodies sleep in the dust that is their full redemption that the number of the elect being accomplished the Lord would hasten the second coming of Christ for their full redemption In which prayer also they pray for us as we also do for them and in regard thereof we are as well intercessours for them as they for us It is also probable that they being members of the same mysticall bodie indued with perfect charitie do in generall pray for their fellow-members upon earth But that in particular they pray for any of us it is improbable because they know not our persons nor heare our prayers nor understand our particular wants or if they did yet would it not follow that either we should pray to them as I have shewed before or that we should desire the Lord for their merits and intercessions to grant our desires Neither is it to be doubted but what praises or prayers they utter unto God they offer them onely in the name and mediation of Christ desiring that for his merits and intercession their invocation may be accepted And in this sense Christ alone is the Mediatour of intercession So Augustine speaking of those words of S. John 1. Epist. 2. 1. saith John doth not say You have an advocate for so should he separate himself from sinners nor doth he say You have me for a mediatour as Parmenianus in a certain place maketh the Bishop a mediatour between God and the people for then what good and faithfull Christian could indure him who would look upon him as an Apostle of Christ and not as Antichrist And again All Christians do mutually commend themselves unto God in their prayers pro quo autem nullus interpellat sed ipse pro omnibus hic unus verúsque mediator est that is but for whom none intercedeth but he for all he alone is the true Mediatour Now that Christ is the onely Mediatour of intercession as wel as of redemption it is evident because these being the two parts of his mediation and not two sorts of Mediatours the latter of intercession dependeth on the other of redemption as being the representation of it unto God and the application thereof to the faithfull the dignitie I say efficacy and vertue of his intercession dependeth on the merits of redemption For had Christ not been the Mediatour of redemption he could not have been the Mediatour of intercession For when it is said that Christ maketh intercession for us in heaven we are not thus to understand it that he falleth down upon his knees and prayeth to God for us John 16. 26. I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you but that sitting at the right hand of his Father he representeth his own merits unto him and offereth the prayers of the faithfull unto God perfumed with the odours of his own sacrifice as he is described Revel 8. 3 4. So Anselme in Rom. 8. Vnigenitum Filium pro hominibus interpellare est apud coaeternum Patrem seipsum hominem demonstrare The onely begotten Sonne is said to make intercession for men when he sheweth himself man before his coeternall Father And the Apostle describeth his intercession to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his appearing in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. The holy Ghost therefore joyneth both the parts together 1. Tim. 2. 5. where speaking professedly of prayers and saying that Christ is the onely Mediatour between God and man he addeth who gave himself a ransome for all So 1. John 2. 1 2. If any man sinne we have an advocate Christ Jesus the righteous he is the propitiation for our sins He onely is the advocate because he onely can plead his merits for us He onely is perfectly fully just he onely is the propitiation for our sinnes And as he is the onely Intercessour because he is the onely Saviour Acts 4. 12. so is he the perfect Saviour because he ever liveth to make intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. For whereas they ordain other intercessours for whose sake they desire to be heard they do it altogether without warrant of Scriptures wherein there is no doctrine no precept no promise no example to warrant it and consequently such prayer cannot be made in faith neither can it please God And with what forehead can they take from Christ his office and the honour thereof which he purchased with his bloud and without any warrant from him assigne it to others as though Christ having for a short time exercised the office of mediation should to the end of the world have resigned
it to his servants But the holy Ghost teacheth the contrary Heb. 7. 25. that Christ is therefore able perfectly and fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save those which by him do come to God because he liveth ever to make intercession for them Yea the Scripture every where directeth us unto Christ and to no other mediatour and therefore to no other must we flie Ephes. 3. 12. Heb. 4. 16. and 7. 19. Christ is the onely way and the onely accesse unto God Those that leave this way and this accesse they have no way nor accesse to God with hope or comfort or if any will go to God any other way in stead of a throne of grace they shall find a tribunall of justice and terrour and in stead of a mercifull Father a just terrible Judge Our Saviour Christ in plain terms saith John 14. 6. No man cometh to the Father but by me and the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. 5. That as there is but one God so but one Mediatour between God and man the man Christ who is both God and man For as S. Augustine The Mediatour between God and man ought to have something like to God something like to man lest being in both like to men he should be farre from God or being in both like to God he should be farre from men and so â—…hould be no Mediatour But Christ alone is both God and man and therefore he alone is Mediatour The high Priest in the law was a type of Christ but the high Priest in type was mediatour both of redemption and expiation in offering sacrifices and of intercession in making prayers for the people to which purpose bearing the names of the twelve tribes he entred into the holy place to make intercession for them therein representing Christ who being entred into the heavenly sanctuary maketh intercession for us But to what purpose do they flie to other mediatours is it because the mediation of Christ is not sufficient or is it because the Saints are in greater favour with God or lastly because the Saints are more favourable to us then our Saviour Christ If the first they denie Christ to be a perfect Saviour which the Apostle affirmeth Heb. 7. 25. If the second they denie him to be the Sonne of God in whom he is well pleased with the Saints themselves If the third they deny him to be their loving and mercifull Saviour who hath loved us with the greatest love unto which the love of the Saints being compared is as a little spark to agreat flame or a drop of water to the great sea He took our nature and infirmities that he might have compassion on us Heb. 2. 17 18. and 4. 15 16. He graciously inviteth us to come unto him and who do come he promlseth not to reject Matth. 11. 28. John 6. 37. Injurious therefore and blasphemous are they against Christ esteeming him as austere and seeking to the Saints as more propitious especially when they commit the administration of justice to Christ and of mercy to his mother and therefore appeal from the tribunal of his justice to the throne of his mothers mercy But besides the horrible superstition and idolatry besides the sacrilegious injurie offered unto Christ besides their own infidelitie and unthankfulnesse towards Christ it is extreme folly and madnesse rather to seek to other mediatours seeing in Christ nothing is wanting which is required in a perfect Mediatour For by his all-sufficient merits he hath satisfied the justice of God so that for his merits we may trust to be heard He is in highest favour with God in whom the Lord graciously accepteth whomsoever he loveth therefore we may be bold to pray that for his sake we may be heard He heareth our prayers is acquainted with our persons and wants and he is most gracious and favourable in commending our suits unto God He hath commanded us to call upon God in his name and hath promised that we shall obtein Whereas the Saints have no merits to plead for themselves and much lesse for others but those of Christ. In Christ they are loved and graciously accepted They heare not our prayers neither are acquainted with our persons or wants and all the love they have is but a small reflexion of the beams of Christs love shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost neither have they either by commandment or promise moved us to seek to their mediation but alwayes have directed us unto Christ. If it be objected That for Abrahams or Davids fake the Lord is said or requested to do something In these examples not the merits of those Saints but the covenant of grace which the Lord made with them is interposed If they plead antiquitie for their using the mediation of Saints the first that brought in this superstition into the East-churches was Petrus Cirapheus the heretick about the yeare 500 and in the West Gregory about the yeare 600. The Scriptures in this case give us the like counsel to that which was given to Themistocles For having occasion to use the favour of Admetus the King of the Molossi who was offended with him he asked counsel of the Queen how he might obtein the Kings favour and being instructed by her when the King returned from the Temple held the Kings sonne between his arms as desiring that for his sake he would receive him into favour by which means the King was pacified towards him CHAP. XV. That we must pray onely in the name of Christ. BUt to leave them For our own instruction we are to learn that we are alwayes to call upon God in the name of Christ. Now they are said to pray in the name of Christ who believing in him and reposing their affiance in the merits and intercession of Christ do desire the Lord that not respecting their own unworthinesse or demerits he would be pleased to heare them for Christs sake and for his merits and intercession accept of their prayers The which includeth two things 1. A desire that for Christs sake we may be heard 2. A belief that for Christs sake we shall be heard Of the desire we are here to speak of the belief or faith afterwards That we are thus to pray in the name of Christ is proved 1. by the commandment of Christ John 16. 24. 2. by his promise John 16. 23. and 14. 13 14. 3. by his prediction John 16. 26. 4. by the practice of the faithfull not onely since the ascension of Christ who have alwayes used to conclude their prayers with this clause per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum through our Lord Jesus Christ but also before the incarnation Dan. 9. 17. for the Lords sake And this was diversly figured in the law For 1. Whereas by the propitiatory which covered the ark Christ was represented therefore the faithfull when they were to pray turned their face towards the place where the ark remained 2. Hereunto tended their sacrifices which
were a figure of Christs sacrifice that for the merit thereof the prayers of them which did offer the sacrifice might be accepted 3. Thirdly as the high Priest once a yeare entred the sanctuary bearing on his shoulders the names and on his breast twelve stones the tokens of the twelve tribes prayed for the people who stood in the courts of the house even so Christ being entred into the heavenly sanctuary maketh intercession for us Heb. 10. 19. Apoc. 8. 3 4. Therefore as Augustine saith If you require a priest he is above the heavens where he maketh intercession for thee who in earth died for thee He is the onely way by whom we have accesse unto God John 14. 6. he is the onely Mediatour by whom we have accesse with boldnesse Ephes. 3. 12. he alone in whom God is well pleased with us and appeased towards us Rom. 3. 25. so that coming in his name neither the sense of the dreadfull majestie of God nor the conscience of our own unworthinesse shall dismay us He is the altar Heb. 13. 10. on which the sacrifice of our prayer or praise being offered is thereby sanctified vers 15. He is as Ambrose saith our mouth by which we speak unto the Father our eye by whom we see the Father our right hand by which we offer our selves to the Father without whose intercession neither we nor the Saints have ought to do with God And herein especially the prayers of true Christians do differ from the prayers of others that we call upon God in the name and mediation of Christ alone The use of all is Heb. 4. 16. and 10. 19. that seeing we have such an high Priest who maketh intercession for us that we should with boldnesse and assurance of faith offer up our prayers unto God For 1. the Spirit of Christ helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. 2. God the Father justifieth and accepteth of us in Christ v. 33. Who therefore shall lay any thing to our charge who can condemn us seeing Christ died for our sinnes and rose again for our justification and now sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for us v. 34. and with the odours of his own sacrifice perfumeth our prayers making them acceptable unto God Revel 8. 3 4. CHAP. XVI Of the manner how we are to call upon God IN the fourth place we are to intreat of the manner how we are to call upon God The manner is set down Rom. 8. 27. according to God that is as S. John speaketh according to the will of God 1. John 5. 14. So I said in the definition That invocation is a religious speech of the faithfull made unto God in the name of Christ according to the will of God where by the will of God we are to understand not his secret will and counsel which we know not but his will revealed in his word Prayer is therefore made according to the will of God when in our prayer those things are performed which God in his word prescribeth to be performed in prayer This and the former point are of great moment for when a man prayeth and is not heard it is as Bernard saith because aut praeter verbum petis aut propter verbum non petis that is because thou prayest either beside the word or not for the word whereas on the other side we have this confidence in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1. John 5. 14 15. Now for the manner of prayer there are duties to be performed not onely in the action it self but also out of the action that is to say both before and after In the action of invocation the duties respecting the manner belong either to the internall form or externall The former are the inward duties of the soul the latter the outward speech and gesture of the bodie Unto the speech referre words quantitie qualitie voice In the soul we are to consider what is required first in generall and then in particular In generall it is required that our invocation be a speech of the soul and therefore as I said in the beginning some define prayer that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the communication of the soul with God Others that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the ascending of the mind unto God David expresseth his prayer to be a lifting up of his soul unto God Psal. 25. 1. and 86. 4. and elsewhere he calleth it a pouring forth of the soul before the Lord as Anna also speaketh 1. Sam. 1. 15. So that true prayer is not the lifting up of the voice of the eyes or hands alone but a lifting up of the heart with the hands unto God that is in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. To the same purpose in the Scriptures we are directed to pray in the heart Col. 3. 16. and in the spirit that is the soul Ephes. 6. 18. to pray with the whole heart Psal. 111. 1. that is with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. with unfeigned lips Psal. 17. 1. in truth that is in sinceritie and uprightnesse of heart Psal. 145. 18. The necessitie of this praying in truth appeareth 1. By testimonie of our Saviour Christ John 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth 2. By all those testimonies even now cited wherein we are stirred up to lift up our hearts and to poure forth oursouls c. 3. If the Apostle require servants to perform their duties to their masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto the Lord how much more is it our duty to the Lord himself to perform our service from our hearts 4. The uprightnesse and sinceritie of the heart is the soundnesse of all our worship and service of God without which it is hypocrisie therefore David professeth that he would call upon God with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. and with lips unfeigned Psal. 17. 1. and to the same purpose we are exhorted to seek the Lord with an upright heart Deut. 4. 29. Jer. 29. 13. 5. The promise of hearing our prayer is restrained to this praying in truth Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is near to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth for bodily exercise profiteth little 1. Tim. 4. 8. and the Lord respecteth especially the voice of the heart As for those that call upon him with their lips and not with their hearts the Lord abhorreth their prayer and taketh himself to be abused by them and therefore he reproveth them by his Prophet Isaiah chap. 29. 13. This people cometh near me with their lips but their heart is farre from me and elsewhere he complaineth of the hypocrites of his people that when they howled unto him they cried not with their hearts which he calleth speaking lies Hos. 7. 13 14. for what else doth a man but lie when he speaketh otherwise then he thinketh
This divorce of the heart and the tongue in all speech even betwixt men is detestable Psal. 12. 2. it is called speaking with a heart and a heart But when men speak so unto God it is ridiculous and impious ridiculous because they go about to deceive God who beholding he heart as well as the tongue seeth them dance as it were in a net impious because it is not to lie unto men but unto God Both which folly and impietie the Psalmist noteth in the Israelites Psal. 78. 36. That when the hand of God was upon them slaying divers of them they sought him and called upon him neverthelesse they did flatter or go about to deceive him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him Here therefore two faults are to be avoided the one praying with feigned lips the other praying with wandring thoughts He is said to pray with feigned lips whose lips agree not with his heart nor his words with his desires and thoughts So saith Beda Labiis dolosis or at quis cùm vox oris non convenit voci cordis A man prayeth with deceitfull lips when the voice of the mouth agreeth not with the voice of the heart This is to pray with an heart and an heart and thus prayeth every one which asketh that with his mouth which he doth not desire with his heart and pretendeth that in his prayer which he doth not intend which promiseth that in his prayer which he meaneth not to perform or praiseth God for that whereof his conscience doth not acknowledge either God to be the giver or himself the receiver This is the condition of all impenitent sinners to play the hypocrites before God in all their prayers concerning spirituall things We must learn therefore with David to pray with unfeigned lips Psal. 17. 1. and to praise God with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. For if it be the propertie of a sound Christian to speak unto his neighbour the truth which is in his heart Psal. 15. how much more shall we think it to be our dutie when we call upon God who trieth the heart and searcheth the reins to speak from the ground of our hearts And if we will not stick to speak dissemblingly unto the Lord who seeth our thoughts long before Psal. 139. 2. what hope is there that we will make conscience to speak the truth unto men who see no further then our mouthes Let us therefore avoiding this leaven of hypocrisie which sowreth our prayers imbrace integrity and uprightnesse of heart setting the Lord before our eyes and behaving our selves in our prayer as those who sought to approve themselves to him who trieth the heart Thus seeking the Lord with upright hearts we shall be sure to find him and calling upon him in truth we shall obtein our desires The second thing to be avoided is praying with wandring thoughts Which fault ariseth partly from the suggestions of Satan who is most busie to withdraw our minds from this heavenly exercise partly from our own spirituall sluggishnesse and carnall securitie and the worldly vanitie of our minds whereby it cometh to passe that we behave our selves as those who neither have reverence of the majesty of God to whom we speak nor sense of those things whereof we speak For if we considered that we are speaking to the most mighty and glorious God could we imagine that we ought to think of any thing rather then of that which we speak unto him Do not men as it were gather their wiâ—…s and cogitations together so that no part thereof be derived to any thing else when they do speak before any whom they do reverence Or if our affections were unfeignedly set upon those heavenly things whereof we speak would we suffer our cogitations to wander about trifles on the 〈◊〉 Wherefore as at all other times so especially when we pray we must as the Wise man adviseth above all observations observe and keep our hearts Prov. 4. 23. that they wander not from God for as Bernard saith nihil corde fugacius nothing is more fugitive then the heart and that with David 2. Sam. 7. 27. we may find our heart to call upon God And to the same purpose let us pray that as at all times so especially in prayer the Lord would knit our hearts unto him Psal. 86. 11. that they go not astray after vanities Let us resist the suggestions of Satan let us shake off our own sluggishnesse and to that end let us set before us the infinite majestie of God to whom we speak the excellencie and necessitie of those graces for which we pray and give thanks lâ—…t us also pray with David Psal. 141. 3. that the Lord would set a watch before our mouthes and keep the doore of our lips that neither our minds go a whoring after vanities nor our tongues which should be as the pen of a ready writer be rash to utter any thing before God and to utter nothing but that which the minâ—… doth indite And therefore we must take heed that the speech of the mouth do not go before but alwayes follow the conceit of the mind For many times it cometh to passe that as the musicians fingers will run over a song which he hath been used to play although his mind be otherwise occupied so in prayer the tongue will run over that form of words which it hath been used to utter though the mind be roving about other matters But this ought not so to be for howsoever the Schoolmen do not require an actuall intention of the mind in prayer but onely a purpose to pray in the beginning therein framing their doctrine to their practice and not their practice to Gods word yet seeing this kind of prayer proceedeth from the mouth and not from the heart it is but lip labour in the sight of God For as Cyprian saith Quae est enim segnitia abalienari capi ineptis cogitationibus profanis cùm Deum deprecaris quasi sit aliud quod magis debeas cogitare quà m quod cum Deo loquaris Quomodo tâ—… audiri à Deo postulas cùm teâ—…ipse non audias Vis enim Deum memorem tui cùm rogas eùm tu ipse memor tui non sis that is What a negligent sloth is this to be alienated and carried away with foolish cogitations and profane when thou prayest unto God as though there were something else which thou oughtest rather to think on then of that whereof thou speakest with God How dost thou desire that God should heare thee when as thou dost not hâ—…are thy self For wilt thou have God mindfull of thee when thou askest seeing thou art not mindfull of thy self And so G. Baldwin Quomodo se audiri postulat â—…ui seipsum non audit quidloquatur ignorat Nunquam enim orare dicitur qui flexis genibus orat si vagatione distrahatur Nihil igitur
aliud cogitare debet animus orantis quà m quod precatur that is How doth he desire to be heard who doth not heare himself is ignorant of what he speaketh For he cannot be said to pray who prayeth with bended knees if he be distracted with wandring thoughts and therefore the mind of him that prayeth ought to think of nothing else then what is prayed And likewise Chrysostome Si corpore humi prostrato ore incassum nugante mens totam domum forum circumeat quomodo talis dicere poterit quòd in conspectu Dei precatus sit Nam orat in conspectu Dei totam colligens animamsuam nil habens cum terra commune sed in ipsum se transferens coelum omnem ex animo pellens humanam cogitationem that is If the bodie lying prostrate upon the ground and the mouth vainly trifling the mind wandreth throughout the whole house and market how can such a one say that he prayeth in Gods sight For he prayeth in the sight of God who recollecteth his whole soul that he may have nothing to do with the earth but may wholly raise himself into heaven and banish all humane cogitations out of his mind And to conclude let the absurditie of the fault it self and the grosse abusing of the majestie of God breed in us a lothing of this fault and a care to shun it For when at any time our minds have wandred in prayer let us endeavour to joyn into one speech the prayer of the mouth and the speech of the heart both which do sound in the eares of the Lord and then consider whether we would make such a speech I say nor according to Malachi's rule to our Prince but to any man whom we regard which we are not abashed to offer unto the Lord. And thus have you heard the two faults opposed to praying in truth whereof the former is a note of hypocrites and impenitent sinners the latter though a foul fault and carefully to be avoided yet incident to the children of God For even in this sense the best of us may complain with David that our heart forsaketh us Psal. 40. 12. and as Augustine citeth out of Ambrose Ipso in tempore quo elevare mentem paramus insertis inanibus cogitationibus adterrena plerunque dejicimur In the very time wherein we indeavour to lift up our minds vain thoughts being inserted we are for the most part cast down unto earthly things Wherein if we please our selves and are satisfied with such wandring prayers as though suâ—…h wandring thoughts were not to be regarded as the Schoolmen teach we also play the hypocrites in our prayers and speak in vain in the aire without fruit or efficacie for such a prayer is dead and withour life But if we come with upright hearts intending a religious service unto God though sometimes our devotions be hindred with wandring thoughts yet if we be grieved for them and pray and strive against them this infirmitie through Gods mercy and intercession of Christ shall not be imputed unto us CHAP. XVII Of knowledge which is required necessarily in prayer THus much of that which is generally required in the soul Now let us see what is more particularly required in the mind and in the heart In the mind two things are required Knowledge and Faith Knowledge 1. Of God to whom we pray and of his will according to which we are to pray 2. Of that which we in our invocation do utter in the presence of God First there is required knowledge and acknowledgement of the true God and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent otherwise we are subject to the censure of our Saviour given to the Samaritanes John 4. 22. You worship you know not what First we must know God before we can believe in him and we must believe in him or else we cannot call upon him Rom. 10. 14. Therefore David exhorteth his sonne Solomon â—… Chron. 28. 9. first to know then to worship the God of his fathers with a willing mind and an upright heart For all worship of God which is not guided by knowledge is mere will-worship and superstition Neither is that to be accounted religion or pietie which proceedeth from ignorance as the Papists hold ignorance to be the mother of devotion But that devotion is blind superstition Knowledge is as it were the 〈◊〉 which guideth us in the right way of serving God according to his word without which we wander into will-worship and superstitious inventions And theresore as of God there is knowledge required so also of his will revealed in his word For we can have no assurance that we shall be heard unlesse we pray according to his will 1. John 5. 14. Neither can we pray according to his will unlesse in some measure we do know it Col. 3. 16. Secondly there is required knowledge and understanding of that which we do pray otherwise we are subject to our Saviours reproof Matth. 20. 22. You ask you know not what Prayer not understood is the lifting up of the voice and not of the soul unto God and a pouring forth of our breath and speaking into the aire and not a pouring forth of our hearts and souls unto the Lord for as Augustine saith Seeing as it is Psal. 89. 16. Beatus populus qui intelligit jubilationem Curramus ergò saith he ad hanc beatitudinem intelligamus jubilationem non eam sinâ—… intellectu fundamus Quid opus est jubilare non intelligere jubilationem ut vox nostra sola jubileâ—… cor non jubilet Sonus enim cordis intellectus est that is Blessed is the people which understandeth the joyfull sound Let us therefore haste saith he after this happinesse let us understand this joyfull sound and not vent it our without understanding What use is there of a joyfull sound and not to understand it that our voice onely should make this joyfull sound and not our heart For the sound of the heart is understanding Wherefore the Apostle Col. 3. 16. exhorteth us that the word of God dwell in us plenteously in all wisdome teaching and admonishing our selves in psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. Where the Apostle as he doth in generall require in every Christian a plentifull knowledge of the word of God to direct him in his worship of God so he teacheth us the use of our Psalmes and songs which we sing unto the Lord to wit that we and those that heare us may be instructed and edified thereby which without understanding of that which is said cannot be done as the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 14. And to the same effect doth the Prophet David exhort us Psal. 47. 7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words though diversly translated do in every sense require understanding in those that call upon God whether you read it Sing praises every one that hath understanding or sing
praises understanding by or with understanding or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also signifiâ—…th as appeareth by the titles of divers psalmes sing a Psalme of instruction whereby you may according to the exhortation of the Apostle Col. 3. instruct and edifie your selves and others Here therefore two sorts of men are condemned the first of those who pray in an unknown tongue the second of them who praying in their own tongue do not understand their own prayer The former fault is commited in the Church of Rome both in publick and private prayers And first for publick the Church of Rome hath ordained that all the publick Divine service in the West-churches should be done in the Latine tongue And although this their practice be directly repugnant to the word of God and contrary to common sense and reaâ—…on yet they do not onely stiffly retein and maintein it but also pronounce Anathema against him that shall say that the Divine service ought onely to be celebrated in the vulgar tongue and yet this expressely is the doctrine of the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. From whence I reason thus First That which the Lord by his Apostle hath commanded to be done that is necessarily to be observed But the Lord by his Apostle hath commanded that the sacred service should be done in a language known and not in a strange language unknown to the people For what he there teacheth he testifieth that they were the commandments of God v. 37. But let us heare the Popish shifts used to avoid the force of this testimonie 1. That the Apostle speaketh not of prayer but of preaching and exhortation which they confesse are to be made in a known tongue otherwise that they are unprofitable and edifie not Why then by the same reason do they not reade the holy Scriptures in a known tongue unto the people but hide the light of Gods word under the bushel of a strange language But I answer That the Apostle speaketh of the whole Divine service of God the Church as well praying and praysing of God as preaching and prophesying v. 14 15 16 17. 2. Yea but the Apostle speaketh of such as having the gifts of tongues did pray in a tongue which themselves knew not and of them he saith that in their spirit that is in their affection they pray but their mind not understanding what they say is unfruitfull namely to themselves It is not credible that they which had the gift of tongues did not understand the language which they spake though some of the Fathers have so conceived for that had been an unprofitable gift to them and others Chrysostome in 1. Cor. 14. Homil. 35. You will say Doth the tongue edifie no bodie Not so For he that speaketh saith he with tongues edifieth himself v. 4. which verily cannot be except he understand what he saith Neither is it the Apostles meaning that his understanding is unprofitable to himself as Bellarmine affirmeth for he saith that he edifieth himself but to the hearers who understand him not Neither is it to pray in the spirit in that place to pray in affection without understanding himself but to pray in the spirit is to pray in the closet of a mans soul being not understood of others and to pray with understanding is to pray that others may understand So the Apostle seemeth to expound the phrase v. 19. In the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that I might teach others also then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue Secondly the people of necessitie ought to understand the publick prayers made in the Church therefore they ought to be made in a language known to them The antecedent is denied by the Papists under this pretense Publick prayer is made not to the people but to God for the people which may be as available for them in an other language as in their own If God understood or regarded no language but Latine there were some shew of reason in this answer but all tongues are alike known esteemed of God and he is no accepter of persons much lesse of tongues Again publick prayer as it is made for the people so it is the prayer of the congregation and we shall prove that every one ought to understand his own prayer The Minister doth pray but the people ought to concurre with him in their prayers and to give their consent thereunto by saying Amen which they cannot do if they understand not what is said v. 16. Else when thou shalt blesse in the spirit how shall he which occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest But the Papists say That the Apostle meaneth not every one unlearned in the Laitie but the clerk of the Church who supplieth the place of the Laitie But the words do signifie not him who supplyeth the place or stead but he that filleth or occupieth the place of the unlearned that is to say one of that rank and so is expounded by the Greek Fathers Moreover why is speech used at all in publick prayer and why do the people assemble themselves thereunto For speech is not needfull in respect of God who searcheth the heart neither is the presence of the people necessarie at a prayer which is onely made for them but words in publick prayer are used that the people both might be guided and edified and also that they might joyn with the speaker and adde their consent in which respect also their presence is necessary So Augustine Opus est locutione in publicis precibus non ut Deus sed ut homines audiant Speech is needfull in publick prayers not that God but that men may heare But that the people ought to understand the publick prayers I prove 1. Because as I have said it is their prayer whereunto also they are are to give their consent which the Apostle saith they cannot do unlesse they understand what is spoken v. 16. 2. Prayer uttered in a language unknown is unprofitable to the congregation as the Apostle saith If I come to you speaking with tongues what shall I profit you v. 6. such an one speaketh in the aire v. 9. that is saith the Greek Scholiast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vain and unprofitably his understanding is unprofitable v. 14. So Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is When as the words of the prayer are not understood of those that are present the understanding is without fruit so that no man so prayeth with the profit of another So Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are not unprofitable unto you Thirdly all things must be done to edification Which generall the Apostle applyeth to this particular v. 26. For it is a most true saying of Augustine Nemo â—…dificatur audiendo quod non intelligit No man is edified by hearing that which he doth not understand Fourthly all
thereby we may be repressed pride will wring out of our hand all we have done whilest we rejoyce of our doing any good deed For other viâ—…es are to be feared in our sinfull actions but pride onely is to be feared in our good deeds lest those things which are laudably done be lost by our greedie coveting of praise 3. Those that pray with spirituall pride and ostentation as the Brownists being proud that they are able to conceive as it were ex tempore a prayer unto God and with such varietie as to use no set form nor twice to use the same words 4. Those that by their prayer look to satisfie for their sinnes and to merit at the hands of God as the Papists For prayer made with such a proud conceit is abominable unto God CHAP. XX. Of Reverence required in prayer and Heartinesse THe second thing required in the heart is a reverence of the Majesty of God to whom we speak according to Davids both advice Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with reverence and rejoyce with trembling and practice Psal. 5. 7. I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercie that is trusting therein and in the fear or reverence of thee will I worship towards thy holy temple That we are thus to call upon God I shall not need to prove For if when we are to speak to a Prince we are touched with great reverence of an earthly Majestie how are we to be affected when we speak unto God And if the blessed angels being in Gods presence and sounding forth his prayse are described in the Scriptures as having six wings whereof two pair serve to cover their face their feet Isa. 6. 2 3. thereby betokening their wonderfull reverence of God how much more should we who inhabit these houses of clay subject to infirmities and corrupted with sinne be strucken with an awfull reverence of God If therefore we did but seriously consider That we are to speak vnto God and did set him before our eyes who is in Majestie most glorious and therefore to be reverenced for power omnipotent and therefore to be feared Luke 12. for greatnesse or infinitenesse rather in every place and therefore present with us to heare what we say and to behold what we do for knowledge omniscient and a searcher of the heart and therefore throughly acquainted with what disposition and affection we do come before him for holinesse and justice a most pure Spirit and therefore will be worshiped in spirit truth finally who is as Malachi speaketh our Father and therefore to be reverenced our Lord and therefore to be feared chap. 1. 6. If I say we did set him before our eyes and our selves in his presence as we ought alwayes to do but especially when we call upon him it cannot be but that we shall be touched with great reverence of his glorious Majestie and therefore shall behave our selves accordingly doing speaking thinking nothing but that which may become his presence and whereof we may be bold to admit him to be the hearer and the judge all light behaviour all wandring thoughts being far removed and abandoned and we for the time being elevated above all earthly cogitations and having our conversation in heaven supposing as Chrysostome saith our selves to be in the midst of the Angels and performing the like exercise with them You see our duty But what is our practice Do not we vile wretches when we present our selves before the Lord behave our selves many times with lesse reverence or regard then if we were speaking to a mortall man that is our superiour Insomuch that we hold it for good advice as indeed it is respecting our weaknes In such sort to speak to men as if God did heare us so to speak to God as if man did heare us And is not this an evidence that we are carnall that our hearts are affected with no more then our senses apprehend and that we want those eyes of faith which Moses had Heb. 11. 27. whereby we might be moved to behave our selves in the presence of God as seeing him that is invisible Now to move us both to humilitie and reverence let us consider as Solomon adviseth Eccles 5. 1 2. that God to whom we speak is in the heaven full of majestie and power which consideration our Saviour also teacheth us to have in the beginning of our prayer Matth. 6. 9. and we which do speak are on the earth base and vile not onely in respect of our mould being but dust and ashes but especially in respect of our sinnes whereby we have made our selves unworthy to appear in his presence And unto both these we are excited Psal. 95. which is prefixed as a preparative to our Liturgie v. 6. Come let us worship and fall down let us kneel before the Lord our maker For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hands The third thing is heartinesse devotion or ardour of the mind when we are throughly affected with those things whereof we speak calling upon God with our whole hearts For if that be good counsel which the wise Solomon giveth That what we do we do it with all our might Eccles 9. 10. it is especially to be followed in prayer wherein we are not to be cold or carelesse This heartinesse in prayer is fervencie or earnestnesse of desire in thanksgiving alacritie and chearfulnesse the former arising from the sense of our want the latter from the sense and experience of Gods goodnesse towards us And it is that which giveth wings to our prayers and causeth them to ascend before God This is called lifting up our prayer Isai. 37. 4. Jer. 7. 16. Here therefore two things are to be avoided The first is coldnesse when men call upon God without sense either of their wants in prayer or of Gods blessings in thanksgiving calling upon God for fashion or custome sake usu magis quà m sensu or antes praying rather out of use then sense Such a prayer wanting lively affections is dead and therefore counterfeit and hypocriticall and a mere bodily worship For this is to call upon God with our mouthes but not with our hearts this is to pray without desire and to give thanks without grace in our hearts The other is taedium in orando wearinesse in praying That is when mens hearts being set on other matters all time that is bestowed in prayer is thought too long and therefore the prayer as it is unwillingly begun so is it wearisomely performed the end of the prayer many times being more desired then the end for which prayer was ordained But our invocation must be as a free-will-offering and our service of God must be performed with a willing mind neither is that to be accounted a service of the soul which is without either the understanding as I said before or the will CHAP. XXI Of the Gesture to be used in prayer HItherto
we have spoken of those things which in the action of Invocation are required in the soul. Now we are to speak of those things which are required in the body For though bodily exercise being severed from the inward worship is little worth yet being joyned with the inward it is of some moment For where the Lord commandeth any duty or forbiddeth any sinne there also he commandeth or forbiddeth the signes and appearances thereof and therefore where he requireth the inward worship of the soul in prayer as honorem facti the honour of the deed there also he requireth the outward of the body when it may be conveniently exercised as honorem signi the honour of the signe Now our bodies and members thereof as they are the instruments so also the indices and manifesters of our souls and therefore the signes of those graces which we contein in our souls must when they may conveniently be expressed in the body and that for these reasons 1. As at the first the Lord created and afterwards redeemed both our souls and bodies so must we worship him in both 1. Cor. 6. 20. therefore where the worship of God may be performed in both conveniently both must be used 2. In the two first commandments where the Lord forbiddeth this outward worship which we call honorem signi to be given to any other there he requireth that it should be performed to himself and he is jealous thereof And so in other places as the yielding of outward worship to any other is condemned Isai. 2. 9. Psal. 44. 20. and the deniall thereof commended Dan. 3. in the three children 1. Kings 18. 19. so the performance thereof unto God is commanded Isai. 45. 23. Psal. 95. 1 2 6. 3. Neither is it for nothing that the holy Ghost where mention is made of invocation is so carefull every-where almost to speak of the voice of the mouth and gesture of the bodie Yea so much he seemeth to esteem the outward worship that as the signe many times is put for the thing signified so the voice of the mouth and gesture of the bodie are oftentimes put for invocation it self as we shall shew in the particulars 4. The gesture and voice do greatly serve to help both the attention of the mind and intention of the affections as every mans experience can testifie In publick prayers they are also good means to excite and stirre up one another In the outward worship to be performed in invocation we are to consider the gesture of the body and the speech of the mouth For neither of which can there any certain universall rule be prescribed as necessarie to be observed alwayes in private prayer In publick prayer we are to follow the custome of the Church where we live if it be without scandal and superstition For as there is commanded inward unanimitie in the publick assemblies so also outward uniformity and to dissent from the Church in these outward things being as I said free from scandal and superstition is schismaticall Now the Church is to direct it self by the examples of the godly recorded in the Scriptures and practice of the Primitive Church First for gesture Concerning which thus much in generall may be prescribed 1. That it be decent and comely according to the generall rule 1. Cor. 14. 40. The which decencie is for the more part to be measured according to the custome of the countrey 2. That it be correspondent to the affections and disposition of the soul serving as to expresse so also to incite and inlarge the same otherwise the devoutest gestures are but histrionicall that is hypocriticall The varietie of gestures mentioned in the Scriptures do shew that we are not perpetually tied to any particular as necessary in it self but that in themselves they are indifferent and arbitrarie if not determined and prescribed by the Church By the examples of the godly in the Scriptures admonemur saith Augustine non esse scriptum quomodo corpus constituatur ad orandum dummodo animus Deo praesens peragat intentionem suam We are admonished that it is not written how the bodie is to be disposed to pray so that the mind present with God do perform its intention But first I will shew the varietie of gestures which have been and may be used and then I will commend that which is most convenient to be observed usually The gestures to be considered in prayer are either of the whole body or of the parts As 1. the turning of the body towards some part of the heavens east or west c. Among the Jews it was required and observed that wheresoever they were when they prayed they turned themselves towards the temple wherein was the ark which was a type of Christ in whom alone we are to come unto God If therefore they were in the east from it they were to turn into the west and to pray towards the east turning their backs towards the temple was a fault Ezek. 8. 16. Daniel when the edict was given against prayer went into his house and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime Dan. 6. 10. And this was first intended in the building of the temple and placing of the ark there 1. Kings 8. 29 30 35 38 44 48. where Solomon by the spirit prayeth that if any being absent from the temple should pray towards it they might be heard The ancient Christians prayed towards the east Damascene saith Traditionem esse Apostolicam ut ad orientem conversi precemur That it is an Apostolicall tradition that we should pray turning our selves to the east And to that end the Churches were built east and west In which respect we are in publick prayer to conform our selves to their practice putting no superstition therein But in it self the thing is indifferent which way we turn our selves because God who is in heaven is every-where present and heaven it self is every way alike distant from us and Christ our Saviour to whom we are to turn in our prayer as the Jews to the temple is ascended into heaven and thither are we to direct our prayers as the Jews did to the temple 2. Standing For that is a token both of reverence and of service as 2. Kings 5. 25. 1. Sam. 16. 21 22. 1. Kings 10. 8. Job 29. 8. Dan. 1. 4. Psal. 135. 2. and 134. 2. This gesture is used by Abraham Gen. 18. 22 23. 19. 27. by Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 5. by the Publicane Luke 18. 13. by Stephen Acts 7. 59. approved by our Saviour Christ Mark 11. 25. When ye stand praying and practiced by him John 11. 41. 3. Kneeling Which is a fit gesture to signifie our humilitie and earnestnesse also in prayer and is warranted both by the word of God as Psal. 95. 6. Isai. 45. 23. insomuch
that sometime it is put for prayer Ephes. 3. 14. and by the practice of the godly as of Solomon 2. Chron. 6. 12 13. Daniel chap. 6. 10. Ezra chap. 9. 5. Stephen Acts 7. 60. Peter Acts 9. 40. Paul Acts 20. 36. and finally by the example of all examples Christ himself Luke 22. 41. Which serveth to confute certain hereticks called Agnoetae who alwayes stood in prayer holding it unlawfull to kneel 4. Prostration or falling on the ground or falling on the face A gesture of the greatest humiliation but not in use among us or in these parts of the world but used by Moses and Aaron Num. 16. 22. and 20. 6. by Joshua chap. 5. 14. by Ezekiel chap. 9. 8 11 13. and by our Saviour Christ Matth. 26. 39. 5. Sitting Which though among us it do not seem a fit gesture in publick prayer yet privately it hath been and may be used Examples of David 2. Sam. 7. 18. of Elias 1. Kings 19. 4. and when he put his face between his knees praying earnestly for rain Jam. 5. 18. he prayed sitting as Augustine saith Sedens oravit Elias quando pluviam orando impetravit Elias prayed sitting when by prayer he obteined rain 6. Lying in bed So David Psal. 6. 6. and Hezekiah Isai. 38. 2. and is usually practiced by the faithfull not onely in their sicknesse but at other times 7. Walking riding journeying Gen. 24. 12 36. Jehoshaphat in his chariot 2. Chron. 18. 31. The gesture of the parts First the uncovering of the head in men which among us is an usuall signe of reverence In the female sex it is otherwise in which the covering of their head and face is noted in the Scriptures to have been a token of subjection 1. Cor. 11. 4 7. But in men it is a fit gesture to betoâ—…en their reverence being the uncovering and so 〈◊〉 of the highest and chiefest part and by some is 〈◊〉 depositio magnificentiae the laying aside of magnificence as we see in the foure and twenty elders Apoc. 4. 10. which fell down and cast their crowns before the throne 2. Of the eyes as the lifting up or casting down of them The former is most usuall betokening the lifting up of our hearts unto God and our faith in expecting help from him and is sometime put for prayer it self Psal. 123. 1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Behold as the eyes of servants c. Psal. 141. 8. But mine eyes are unto thee O God the Lord in thee is my trust Psal. 25. 15. 2. Chron. 20. 12. To omit other examples Christ himself is ofen noted in the Gospel to have lift up his eyes to heaven when he called upon God as Matth. 14. 19. John 11. 41. and 17. 1. The casting down of the eyes is a note of great dejection and humiliation whereby we being confounded in our selves as knowing our selves unworthy to look up unto heaven do cast down our eyes on the earth Example the Publicane Luke 18. 3. Of the hands As â—… the Lifting up stretching forth of the hands A gesture fit to expresse our humilitie our earnest affection as being the gesture of suppliants and earnest suiters as also to testifie our faith and hope and to signifie the lifting up of our souls And it is a gesture of such moment that it also is put for prayer Exod. 9. 33. Psal. 28. 2. and 44. 20. and 63. 4. and 88. 9. Isai. 1. 15. Examples in Moses Exod. 9. 29 33. and 17. 11. David Psal. 141. 2. and 143. 6. Solomon 1. Kings 8. 22 54. It is commanded Psal. 134. 2. Lam. 2. 19. and 3. 41. The other gesture of the hands is the Knocking of the breast Which is most fit in deprecation for thereby is signified both our acknowledgement of guilt and an earnest desire of pardon as Luke 18. 13. and 23. 48. Thus have you heard the several gestures Among which I would commend unto you as fit most usually and ordinarily to be observed uncovering of the head in men standing or rather if we may conveniently kneeling lifting up of the hands and of the eyes to heaven For whereas in the soul are required faith humilitie reverence and ardour of affection which we are to expresse in the bodily gestures whereby we give God honorem signi the honour of the signe these gestures are most fit to expresse these inward graces For the uncovering of the head signifieth reverence and humility which also are more expressed by kneeling Faith and hope is represented in the lifting up of the eyes hands in which also as in kneeling the ardour of affection is expressed But here our greatest care must be because it is easie to observe these outward gestures to give God in truth the inward worship of the soul as well as the outward of the body which without the other is hypocriticall And therefore as we uncover our heads so to lay aside all opinion and conceit of our own worthinesse and with all reverence to set our selves in the presence of God and as we kneel outwardly so to bow the knees of our hearts and to humble our souls before the Lord and with our eyes and hands to lift up our souls unto God who is in the heavens And withall we must be carefull to lift up pure and innocent hands to God 1. Tim. 2. 8. For if our hands be stained with sinne or polluted with bloud the Lord will not heare Isai. 1. 15. Quid manuum in oratione vult extensio Hae multis sceleribus ministerium exhibent propterea jubemur eas extollere ut orationis ministerium sit eis vinculum nequitiae à malitiaseparatio ut cùm rapturus vel oppressurus vel alterum sis percussurus recorderis quòd has ad Deum pro patronis emissurus es per has illud spirituale sacrificium offerre debeas nec illas confundere nec actionis pravae ministerio fiduci à privare Eas igitur emunda per eleemosynam per misericordiam per indigentiam tutelam ità eas offer ad orationem that is What meaneth the stretching out of the hands in prayer These offer their service to much wickednesse and therefore we are commanded to lift them up that their ministery in prayer may be unto them a bond to tie them from wickednesse and a separation from maliciousnesse That when thou art about to use rapine or oppression or to strike another thou mayest remember that thou must lift up these hands to God for thy patrones and benefactours and that with them thou must offer unto God a spirituall sacrifice and therefore oughtest not to confound or disable them nor spoil them of their confidence by making them instruments in an evil action Cleanse them therefore by aâ—…ms by mercy and defense of the needy and so offer and lift them up in prayer CHAP. XXII Of the Voyce to
be used in prayer COncerning the voice it may be demanded whether it be needfull in prayer seeing the Lord heareth as well and regardeth more the prayer of the heart then the voyce of the mouth And this doth Elias signifie 1. Kings 18. 27. when he mocketh Baals priests saying Cry aloud he is a god insinuating that if he were a god he could heare them though they did not cry aloud I answer That the voyce is needfull not in respect of the Lord who heareth and respecteth especially the cry of the heart but in respect of us and others with whom we pray therefore is to be used when it may conveniently for the reasons before alledged Indeed sometimes in the private prayer of one alone it is more convenient to use the inward speech of the heart alone when the outward speech of the tongue cannot be used but that it shall be heard or perceived of others For private prayer must be made in secret as Christ commandeth Matth. 6. 6. lest we pray or at least seem to pray that we may be heard or seen of men When as therefore we are occasioned to pray by our selves alone in presence of others we must pray in the closet of our heart using no voyce nor making any outward shew of prayer and the Lord which seeth the secrets of the heart will reward openly Thus Abrahams servant standing at the well unto which was ordinary resort prayed in his heart Gen. 24. 45. and Moses being among the people Exod. 14. 15. and Nehemiah being in the Kings presence Neh. 2. 4. and Annah the mother of Samuel in the presence of Eli 1. Sam. 1. 13. Otherwise in private prayer it is most convenient and in prayer with others whether in the Church or family it is necessary that the voice in prayer should be used for otherwise those that are present cannot consent to our prayers and say Amen neither can they be edified thereby unlesse they heare and understand the prayer Our duty is as I have said before to worship God both in body and soul And as we are to glorifie God with all our members and powers so especially by our tongue and speech For therefore hath God given us the facultie of speech above other creatures that we might not onely be the matter of his glory as they are but also the instruments to sound forth his praise And therefore is our tongue called our glory Psal. 16. 7. and 108. 1. because it is that instrument by which we are to set forth Gods glory Moreover as the gesture of the body so much more the voyce of the tongue doth serve both to stirre up the affections of the heart and also to contein the cogitations from wandring about other matters And of such moment is the voice in prayer as that first the voice or cry with the voice is put sometime for the prayer it self 1. Sam. 7. 8 9. Psal. 66. 17. and 77. 1. and 142. 1. Secondly the holy Ghost in many places where he speaketh of invocation is carefull to mention the voice as in the places even now cited out of the Psalmes and elsewhere as Psal. 71. 23 24. and 119. 171. my lips shall utter praise For which cause prayer and prayse are called the calves of our lips Hos. 14. 2. Thirdly David prayeth Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal. 51. 14 15. But here we must alwayes remember that with our voice we must lift up our hearts to God and that the cry of the voyce must proceed from the cry of the heart For the Lord respecteth the heart and if the cry come not from thence he will not heare it Hos. 7. 13 14. no though men should cry loud in his eares Ezek. 8. 18. The voyce used in prayer is either inarticulate or articulate The inarticulate is that which is uttered in sighing groning and weeping For the children of God many times do best expresse their desires by sighs and grones and tears The which proceed from an humble and fervent spirit and are wrought in us by the spirit of God which teacheth us to pray with sighs that cannot be expressed Rom. 8. 26. And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit v. 27. For as David saith Psal. 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groning is not hid from thee Thou tellest my wandrings put my tears into thy bottle are they not in thy book Psal. 56. 8. Plerunque hoc negotium plùs gemitibus quà m sermonibus agitur plùs sletu quà m affatu For the most part this businesse is acted more with grones then with words more with weeping then with speech Hezekiah professeth that he did chatter like a crane or a swallow and did mourn like a dove Isai. 38. 14. The articulate voice is the externall speech it self whereby the prayer is expressed Wherein we are to consider two things the words which be uttered and the language wherein they are uttered In the words we are to consider the quantitie the qualitie and the form For the quantity We must not affect prolixity as though for the multitude of our words we did look to be heard Neither may we use any superfluity of words or idle repetitions First because our Saviour Christ forbiddeth all battology in our prayers Matth. 6. 7. which Theophylact interpreteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 futilitie Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idle and unseasonable speech But the meaning may best be gathered from the notation for as the Etymologist saith the word is compounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Battus a certain Grecian who was accustomed to adorn images with long and tedious inscriptions which were full of vain repetitions For so Ovid also speaketh of him Montibus inquit sc. Battus erant erant in montibus illis and therefore he saith it signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbosity Which agreeth with the exposition of Christ who is the best expounder of himself For in the words following he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the meaning of our Saviour is in prayer to use multitude of words and idle repetitions with this conceit That for the multitude of our words we shall be heard Secondly For the reason which our Saviour giveth Christians in their prayer must not be like to the heathen The heathen affected prolixitie and used superfluity of words and idle repetitions with this perswasion that for their much babling they should be heard But why must not Christians be like the heathen Because the God on whom we call is most unlike The heathen might well imagine concerning their gods the best whereof were men deceased that by multitude of words they
meditated of Psal. 142. 2. Effundam coram eo meditationem meam I will poure out my meditation before him There is such affinity between meditation and prayer that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either of both to meditate or to pray and therefore Gen. 24. 63. some reade that Isaac went out to meditate others to pray And it is likely that he did both first meditate and theâ—…â—…ay Now the end of this preparation being to make us fit to perform such duties as are required in prayer our meditation must be referred thereunto And first if we find ourselves backward in the duty it self we may meditate on those reasons which before we used to this purpose And that we may perform it in an holy manner we must stirre up our hearts as David doth in many places as Psal. 103. 1. that so we may call upon God with our hearts And if our knowledge be so small that we are not able to conceive a prayer of our selves but must be fain to use a form prescribed by others we must before hand meditate thereof that we may be able both to understand it and to use it aright And that we may pray in faith we are to meditate on the promises of God made to our prayers and on the mediation and intercession of our Saviour Christ on which our faith is to be grounded Likewise we are to meditate on our own unworthinsse that so we may pray in humilitie of the glorious Majestie of God our heavenly Father that we may call upon him in reverence of the excellency profit necessitie of those blessings for which we either pray or give thanks that so we may pray with fervencie and give thanks with alacrity And further if we conceive a prayer before not used we are to meditate not onely of the matter but also of the manner and order of our speech that we may be able to say with David My heart is prepared so is my tongue I will now call upon the name of the Lord. And thus much of Preparation After the actioâ—… 〈◊〉 ought to be such a disposition as the severall kind of invocation doth especially require Whereof in due place In the mean time this admonition in generall may be given That when we have at any time called upon God we take heed that we do not end our prayers as we end epistles with a Vâ—…le bidding the Lord Farewell till the time of prayer come again as though we had then ended our task and had performed all the service we ow unto God in the mean time neither thinking of God or godlinesse but following our own corrupt wayes For howsoever we cease to speak unto God for a time yet we cease not to be in his sight and presence and therefore cannot do as untoward children and unchast wives who though in absence they have behaved themselves lewdly yet approve themselves to their parents and husbands by their demure carriage in presence But we are continually in Gods sight and presence and therefore if after we have called upon God we play the lewd children even in his sight and go a whoring after vanities in his presence how cannot this but greatly amaze us against we shall pray again and put us out of hope to be heard Wherefore the frequent exercise of prayer is a notable bridle to restrain us from sinne whether you respect that which is past or that which is to come For when a man is about to commit sinne let him call to mind his prayer past Am I that man who so lately called upon God making such shew of pietie pretending a zeal of Gods glory in advancing his kingdome and doing his will c. or that which is to come With what face can I appear before God guilty of such offenses with what affiance can I lift up these cyes unto God that behold vanities these hands unto God that commit such sinnes c. Let us therefore with David use to meditate If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal. 66. 18. following the advice of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquitie For not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven Matth. 7. 21. Inefficax est petitio cùm precatur Deum sterilis oratio i. sine operibus Petition is uneffectuall when we call upon God with a barren prayer that is without good works And thus much of the manner of Invocation CHAP. XXV Of the matter and subject of our prayers and what is required thereunto namely that it be good and according to Gods will NOw followeth the matter or the subject that is the things for which we either do pray or give thanks Concâ—…rning which this is to be noted in generall That we have a sound perswasion grounded on the word of God that they be lawfull and good First because what is not of faith is sâ—…n Rom. 14. 23. Secondly for what we do elther pray or give thanks to God thereof we acknowledge God to be the authour but it is blasphemous to make God the authour of that which is wicked unlawfull Thirdly prayers must be made in faith viz. that God accepteth our prayers and will grant them unto us This faith must be grounded on Gods promise and God promiseth to give good things to them that ask Matth. 7. 11. Evil things are not within the compasse of Gods promise for the foretelling of that which is evil is rather a threatnâ—…ng then a promise Fourthly the assurance that we have to be heard is when we ask any thing according to Gods will 1. John 5. 14. but to ask evil things is not according to Gods will Fifthly they that call upon God for evil things are like the wicked Psal. 50. who think that God is like unto them Sixthly if we ask good things we have assurance to be heard Matth. 7. 11. 1. John 5. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For our direction in this behalf our Saviour Christ hath prescribed a most perfect form of pray er which is summa petendorum the summe of things to be desired So that whatsoever may be referred thereunto we may be assured is according to Gods will but what cannot be referred to some part of the Lords prayer that our Saviour hath not taught us to ask nor the Father promised to give There remaineth the last point For now it may be demanded How we being so corrupt and sinfull in our selves should be able to pray according to the will of God Of our selves indeed we are not able to think a good thought and much lesse to conceive an acceptable prayer Of our selves we cannot say that Jesus is the Lord and much lesse call upon God as our Father in Christ But the Spirit of God helpeth our
Psal. 84. 1. O Lord of hosts how amiâ—…ble are thy taberâ—…acles My soul longeth yea and fainteth that I might come to the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cry out after the living God In the third verse he seemeth to envie the sparrows and the swallows which had liberty to lay their young ones there where he had no accesse And then he cryeth out abruptly with a 〈◊〉 patheticall exclamation O thine altars Jehovah my King and my God! In the three next verses he pronounceth them happy not onely that dwell in the Lords house to praise him but also those who have liberty to come to the Church although it were by tedious and troublesome journeys both in respect of the way and the weather thereby signifying that he would think himself happy if he might have liberty to come to the assembly although he went through thick and thin and that no way or weather should hinder him And again v. 10. he saith that one day spent in the house of the Lord is better then a thousand elsewhere and that he had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of iniquity Thus we see Davids affection to the assembly of the Saints when he might not enjoy them And as he placed happinesse therein when he wanted them so when he injoyed them his chief joy was therein Psal. 122. 1. I rejoyced when they said to me We will go to the house of the Lord. Reade 2. Sam. 6. 14 16. When the ark of the Lord was to be brought to the city of David David for exceeding great joy danced and leaped before the ark with all his might as if he had not been his own man insomuch as his wife despised him v. 20. derided him O how glorious was the king of Israel this day which was uncovered to day in the sight of the maids of his servants as a fool uncovereth himself If we were men according to Gods own heart as David was we would have the like estimation of the assemblies of the Saints both when we could not frequent them most earnestly to desire them and when we have liberty with wonderfull â—…hearfulnesse and alacrity to frequent the Churches as for other exercises of religion so for prayer In respect whereof it is called the house of prayer Isai. 56. 7. Neither must our private prayer exempt us from the publick For although it be an excellent exercise and in no case to be omitted yet if it come in comparison it must give place to the publick But the frequenting of the publick assemblies is especially to be understood on the Sabbath on which is mercatura animae the merchandise of the soul and the market-place is the Church Now as we are to frequent the publick assemblies so we must be carefull before we come thither to prepare our selves according to the counsel of the Wise man Eccles 4. 17. to look to our feet that is to our affections lest me offer the sacrifice of fools and to lift up holy hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without wrath or doubting 1. Tim. 2. 8. And also when we are there to behave our selves both in soul and body as I have shewed before labouring also inwardly for unanimity that we may call upon God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one mind and heart To unanimity is the promise made Matth. 18. 19. If two of you shall consent c. as the Primitive Church did Acts 1. 14. and 4. 24. and outwardly for uniformity so farre forth as it is joyned with decency and order and severed from superstition Concerning the voice which I said was alwayes to be used in publick prayer we are to know If it be uttered in one voice as in praier the mouth of the people ought to be the minister because it is part of prophâ—…cie and the Apostles Acts 6. 4. make it part of their function If by the voice of many as in singing For singing also is warranted in the word of God both by the example of Christ Mark 14. 26. by the commandment of the Apostle Col. 3. 16. Ephes. 5. 19. of James ch 5. 13. then such singing is to be used as we may sing with grace in our hearts and spirits with understanding to instruct and edifie both our selves and others But we may not so sing as that neither we our selves can attend to the matter nor they which heare us understand what is said That both unanimitie and uniformitie may be used it is fit that there should be see forms of publick prayer for then may the people best joyn their consent and desire of heart when they know before-hand the very form of the request Indeed to that which they understand they may at the end of the prayer say Amen but when they know before-hand what shall be asked there may be a better concurrence between the prayer of their heart and the speech of the minister who is the mouth Private prayer is either the prayer of a familie or of some one To the former doth the promise of Christ also appertein When two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. And it is so much to be preferred before the other as it seemeth to draw nearer to publick prayer And therefore it is the duty of an houshoulder to call his familie together and to pray with them The prayer of some one man is properly called private For privi with the ancient Latinists is the same with singuli That which properly is required in this prayer is this that it be private as that we be not heard to pray of any man This is done either when we are alone and ordinarily or in the sight of others upon occaâ—…ions offered If when we are alone we must neither be heard nor seen of any but obey the commandment of Christ Matth. 6. 6. When thou prayest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And therefore we are to be carefull to contein our voyce within the compasse of the private place wherein we pray For otherwise we break the commandment of Christ and it is all one as if we prayed openly For as Tertullian saith petitiones suâ—…s quid minùs 〈◊〉 quà m si in publico orent What do they lesse in their petitions then if they prayed in publick Again if we so pray privately as that either we be seen or heard of men our prayers wil not be void of ostentation But as we are to avoid evil so we are to shun all appearaâ—…ce of evil Now to pray for ostentations sake is a thing â—…imply evil and forbidden by our Saviour Christ Matth. 6. 5. And therefore we are to forbear not onely from it but also from the shew therof If privately thou art to pray upon
occasions offered in the presence of others then thou art to pray in the closet of thy heart without using the voice according to the example of Moses Exod. 14. of Abraâ—…ams servant Gen. 24. and Hannah 1. Sam. 1. Neâ—…emiah chap. 2. 4. But this is not to be understood of him who praying in the company of others is as it were the mouth of the rest For we are to conceive of that as of the prayer of the family wherein the voice is necessary CHAP. XXVII Of the time of prayer NOw we are to enquire of the time of invocation when we are to call upon God The holy Ghost telleth 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. that we must pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is continually and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things to give thanks and not in that place alone but also in divers others as Luke 18. 1. that we must pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes and 21. 36. as also Ephes. 6. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all seasons What then will you say must we do nothing els in the whole course of our life but pray I say not so This was the phanâ—…asticall opinion of the fanaticall hereticks the Euchetae which thought they might do nothing else but pray and grounded their heresies upon these places of Scripture But for the answering of them and informing our selves in the truth first we are to search out the true meaning of those places of Scripture First therefore where it is said 1. Thess. 5. 17. that we must pray continually it may be fitly expounded by that in the 18. verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things for the sense would be the same if we should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things pray and continually give thanks that is upon every just occasion pray and give thanks Now that these cannot be understood of perpetuall continuance in prayer excluding all other actions and duties it is plain by this Paul in divers places of his epistles doth professe of himself that he did pray and give thanks alwayes continually without ceasing Rom. 1. 9. Col. 1. 3. 1. Cor. 1. 4. Ephes. 1. 16. Col. 1. 9. 1. Thess. 1. 2. 2. Thess. 1. 3. and yet notwithstanding he neither denied to obey the necessities of nature neither omitted the duties either of his calling or of a godly life Nay he laboured in his calling more then all the rest of the Apostles The like may be said of Cornelius of whom the Scripture doth testifie Acts 10. that he prayed alwayes which is all one with in all things and yet by his calling a Centurion and therefore sometimes in fight and for the duties of a godly life it is said that he was a just man v. 22. and therefore exercised the duties of the second table and gave alms Secondly as touching the place in Luke 18. 1. where it is said that Christ spake a parable to this end that we ought alwayes to pray the holy Ghost expoundeth his meaning in the next words by removing the contrary that we should pray alwayes and not faint So that to pray alwayes in this place is not to faint in prayer Which in other places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to per severe in prayer as Rom. 12. 12. that is with some pertinacie if I may use this word in the good sense to persevere in prayer And that this is the meaning of the words it appeareth by the scope of the parable it self which is nothing else but this That when we have prayed unto God and he seemeth not to heare us we must not faint and give over but stedfastly persevere untill we have an answer Thirdly for the other places Luke 21. 36. and Ephes. 6. 18. it is not said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every time but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every season that is upon every just occasion whensoever opportunity is offered To confirm this exposition this reason may be used The Lord in his word inioyneth us a great fort of duties besides Invocation which if we do omit for the omission of them although we should do no hurt we shall be condemned Matth. 25. 42. the sentence of condemnation is pronounced against the wicked for the omission of certain duties which necessarily must be omitted if we should do nothing else but pray Again it is a received distinction That the negative commandments of God do bind both semper adsemper to the absteining froÌ„ those things which are forbidden but the affirmative commandments howsoever they do bind us semper yet for the most part they do not bind us adsemper And therefore although we be alwayes bound to the performance of this duty and never exempted from it yet we are not bound to do it alwayes So that these commandments of continuing in prayer are to be understood of the whole life and not of every moment of time Now that we are alwayes bound to this duty appeareth both by our continuall necessitie to pray in regard first of our necessities and wants both spirituall and temporall secondly of the continuall rage of our spirituall enemies who are never at truce with us except we be at league with them thirdly of innumerable dangers which are alwayes imminent from which by Gods continuall mercy and goodnesse towards us we are delivered for which we must return thanks unto him For if there were no other cause of thanksgiving as there are many but onely this that he hath â—…pared us and not confounded us for our sinnes this were matter sufficient Lam. 3. 22. It is the mercy of the Lord that we are not confounded Now that we may perform these commandments of continuance in prayer it is requifite that we call upon God both ordinarily at set times and extraordinarily as occasion and opportunity is offered And therefore in respect of time prayer is thus distinguished Prâ—…es sunt statae vel vagae which distinction belongeth both to publick and privâ—…te prayer For publick prayer What set houres in the day-time are to be appointed for Divine service it is to be left to the discretion of every Church Onely in the night-time it seemeth inconvenient in the flourishing and quiet estate of the Church that publick assemblies should be held but in time of persecution it is otherwise For vagâ—… They are so often to be used publickly as occasion is offered either by any publick danger and calamity to pray or by some publick blessing of God to give thanks But concerning private prayer there is no time of day naturall which may not be imployed thereunto It hath been the practice of the godly to call upon God both night and day So did David Psal. 22. 2. Annah Luke 2. 37. and not onely she but all right widows of whom Paul speaketh 1. Tim. 5. 5. So did Paul himself 2. Tim. 1. 3. 1. Thess. 3. 10. But more specially for the day David saith that he
would call upon God seven times a day that is many times Psal. 119. 164. In another place he saith that he would pray in the morning in the evening and at noon And again for the morning Psal. 5. 3. and in another place that he would prevent the morning watch For the noon Acts 10. 9. For the night our Saviour gave us a precedent Luke 6. 12. where it is said that he spent the whole night in prayer unto God And to omit other speciall times There is none so unseasonable as midnight yet often in this time have the godly given themselves unto prayer Psal. 119. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee And so did Paul and Silas Acts 16. 25. So that we see no time excluded from private prayer But to apply the former distinction to private prayer also and first for statae That our infirmity may be helped and our backwardnesse in this duty relieved we are to appoint to our selves some certain houres in the day which we will not let passe without invocation on the name of God but yet so as we place no religion in one time more then in another as the Papists do in their canonicall houres as though God were more ready to heare one time of the day then another This practice which I have named the most holy men of God have used As David Psal. 55. 17. In the morning at noon and in the evening will I pray And Daniel chap. 6. 10. used to pray three times in the day Which practice of theirs we are thus to imitate 1. to pray in the morning before we go about the works of our calling 2. in the mid-day in the time of intermission of our works and thirdly at evening before we take our rest and besides whensoever we take meat we are to use both prayer and thanksgiving 1. Tim. 4. 4 5. 2. Concerning vagae We are to follow the advice of the Apostle Col. 3. 17. In every thing which we do in word or deed both to take it in hand by calling upon the name of the Lord and to end it with thanksgiving Not that we are alwayes to use the voice and gesture of the body for sometime it is sufficient to lift up the soul unto the Lord Which kind of short prayers among the ancient Fathers were called ejaculations And thus if we shall use statae vagae orationes stinted and unstinted prayers omitting no just occasions we shall perform the commandment 1. Thess. 5. 17. but otherwise we shall break the same and in so doing we shall incurre the wrath of God CHAP. XXVIII Concerning the place of prayer THirdly concerning the place To no one certain place is that promise made that then was made to the temple of Jerusalem viz. That whatsoever men in their extremitie should ask of God in it God would grant it in his holy habitation in the heavens Jesus the Messias then looked for whose presence was sought in the mercy-seat and between the Cherubims is now entred between the veil that is in the heaven and there abideth onely Mediatour for us unto whom from all the coasts of the earth we may lift up pure hands with assurance that we shall be heard Howsoever the Israelites under the Law were tyed to pray either in the temple and tabernacle Deut. 12. 5 14. Psal. 99. 6. or else towards the same 2 Chron. 7. 38. 1. Kings 8. 44 48. Psal. 138. 2. Dan. 6. 10. yet now all such distinction and difference of place being but ceremoniall is abolished For that one place of prayer and sacrifice was a type of Christ Jesus the alone altar and the praying in or towards the same did figure out thus much That onely in the mediation of Jesus Christ who is the onely Mediatour both of redemption and also of intercession we are to call upon the Lord Wherefore seeing these were but shadows and ceremonies of things to come and seeing the substance and truth it self Jesus Christ is already exhibited whereunto the shadows and ceremonies do and ought to give place we are not now tied to one place more then another as one being more typically holy then another In the 4. of John v. 21 22 23 24. our Saviour himself resolveth this doubt for when the Samaritane had demanded of him which is that place wherein God is to be worshipped the mount Gerizzim where the Samaritanes temple was or the mount Moriah whereon the temple of Solomon was built Christ giveth her this answer That now the time was come wherein all these differences of places being but ceremoniall were taken away that now the Lord was no more to be worshipped by ceremonies but in spirit and truth and therefore that it was lawfull to worship God not onely in Jerusalem or in mount Gerizzim but also in other places The Prophet Malachi seemeth to foretell the same chap. 1. 11. For so the Lord speaketh by him From the rising of the sâ—…nne to the going down of the same my name is great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered in my name c. But most plain is that 1. Tim. 2. 8. where the Apostle willeth that men should pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every place liâ—…ting up holy hands without wrath or doubting So that there is no such difference of place but that we may lawfully call upon God in any place Which also is confirmed unto us by the practice of Christ and his Apostles who did not onely pray in the temple but without distinction in other places as in the mountain in the desert in the garden in private houses on the house-top on the sea-shore and where not Hence appeareth the vanity of Pilgrimages Which were used either because the places were more holy to which they went then others or because the Lord was nearer to them there then elsewhere The former reason I have already confuted and the latter is more absurd For is the Lord present at Jerusalem and is he absent in England nay Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. And doth not the Psalmist say Psal 138. 8. If I ascend into heaven thou art there if I lie down in hell thou art there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea yea thither shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand hold me Seeing therefore that the Lord is every where present to heare us we may call upon him in any place and the rather because our bodies are the temples of God and we our selves priests and Christ Jesus dwelleth in our temples upon whom as being our onely altar we may offer up incense that is our prayers Revel 5. 8. Psal. 141. 2. So that wheresoever we are we have temples wherein to call upon the Lord. Now howsoever this which I have said be in generall true of Invocation both publick and private yet it is to
effectuall prayer For what we ask we desire and what we desire we want Neither can we fervently ask that we do not earnestly desire and we cannot earnestly desire that whereof we feel no want The whole needeth not the Physician as our Saviour saith Luke 5. 31. And as the Philosophers teach Nihil appetit quod habet Nothing affecteth what it hath therefore this I said is presupposed If any want wisdome saith S. James let him ask it For if he find not himself to want it in whole or in part he is not to ask it unlesse he will mock God who will not be mocked Gal. 6. 8. Here therefore they offend I. In respect of temporall things who trusting in their own means and relying upon their own store do not find themselves to stand in need of Gods help neither do depend upon the providence or blessing of God in the use of the means For such when they pray unto God for these things as namely to give them this day their daily bread they do not pray in truth because they do not unfeignedly desire that whereof they find no want II. In respect of spirituall things two sorts of men offend First those that are carnally secure who although they be wretched and miserable poore blind and naked yet being lukewarm with the Laodiceans Rev. 3. 17. feeling no want think they are rich and need nothing Secondly those who are righteous in their own conceit as Pharisaicall and Popish justitiaries For both these and the other feeling no want either pray not at all or if they do pray it is but for fashions sake and therefore praying usu magis quà m sensu out of custome rather then sense their prayer is not acceptable unto God and like lukewarm water to the stomach Wherefore it behoveth us to labour that we may have a true sense of our wants Which I speak especially in respect of spirituall graces for when we are pinched with bodily wants we are many times but too sensible thereof But of spirituall wants many have no sense and being miserable they feel no misery First therefore it is good to be perswaded that this sense of our wants is necessary for us For without it neither will we seriously seek unto the Lord neither will he seem to regard us We will not earnestly seek unto him for what we do not want we do not desire and what we do not desire that we do not ask except it be for fashion And how can we look that the Lord will compati that is have compassion on us when we do not pati or feel any want How can we desire him â—…isereri to have mercy on us when we do not esteem our selves miseri to whom mercy belongeth for thence hath misericordia the name Yea if we be rich and full in our own conceits the Lord will send us away empty Luke 1. 55. remaining in our sinne Luke 18. 14. exposed to his curse Luke 6. 24 25. Whereas on the other side if we be humbled with the sense of our want the Lord will have speciall regard unto us Isai. 66. 2. and 57. 15. and be near unto us in all our desires Psal. 34. 18. Yea such he calleth to him Matth. 11. 28. such he promiseth to heare Psal. 10. 17. â—…ohn 7. 37. such he pronounceth blessed Matth. 5. 3 4 5. Secondly that we may attein to this sight and sense of our misery and wants we are to look into the glasse of the law which will reveal unto us our misery both in respect of our sins and also of the punishment due for the same c. Thirdly for as much as the sight and sense of our misery is the gift of God and work of his spirit we are to pray unto God that he will anoint the eyes of our minds with the eye-salve of his spirit Revel 3. 18. that we may see our sins and that he would touch our hearts with the finger of his spirit as he struck the rock in the wildernes that they may melt within us as the heart of Josias did at the reading of the law 2. Kings 22. 19. and be resolved into a fountain of tears by which we may bewail our sinnes whereby we have displeased and dishonoured God From this sense of our wants ariseth the second thing that is an earnest desire to have our wants supplyed And this is of such force in prayer that it seemeth to be nothing else but the expressing of our desire and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of such efficacie â—…n prayer that some place the efficacie of prayer therein so reade the words of S. James ch 5. 16. The effectuall â—…ervent prayer of a righteous man avaâ—…leth much others The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent But though it be not the onely cause of efficacy yet it is one of the principall for as Augustine saith Dignior scquitur effectus quem ferventior affectus praecedit A more worthy effect followeth which a more fervent affection precedeth This praying with earnest desire is commended to us in the word of God by divers significant phrases For besides that it is called crying unto the Lord and crying mightily Jon. 3. 8. lifting up of our prayer Iâ—…ai 38. 14. this is also to poure forth our souls before the Lord like water Lam. 2. 19. In which sense the Isâ—…elites are said 1. Sam. 7. 6. to have drawn water from the fountain of their hearts and poured it out before the Lord. This is to pray with grones unspeakable Rom. 8. 26. which the holy Ghost stirreth up in us and is therefore an evident token of the child of God indued with the Spirit of adoption which is also the spirit of grace and supplication making us when we look upon him whom we have pierced by our sinnes to lament and mourn as a man mourneth for his first-begotten Zech. 12. 10. For as Augustine saith Plerunque hoc negotium plùs gemitibus quà m sermonibus agitur 〈◊〉 plùs quà m 〈◊〉 For the most part this businesse is effected better with grones then words with weeping rather then speaking This is to pray with Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly r. Thess. 3. 10. This is with Epaphras Col. 4. 12. as it were to wrestle with the Lord which the Apostle commendeth to the Romanes chap. 15. 30. By which kind of wrestling Jacob prevailed with God as Hosea teacheth chap. 2. 3 4. and was therefore called Israel Gen. 32. This is that prayer of the humble which pierceth the clouds Ecclus 35. 21. This fervent desire therefore is fervently to be desired of us and happy are they which have atteined to it Matth. 5. 6. The means to attein unto it are First because it is the work of Gods spirit to beg it of him by prayer Secondly to labour after a true sense of our wants Thirdly in our preparation to meditate on the excellency
profit and necessity of those things which we crave that so our affections may be inflamed with a desire thereof as also of the necessity of Gods help that except the Lord heare us and help us our case is desperate So David prayeth Psal. 28. 1. and 143. 6 7. Heare me O Lord and hide not thy face else I shall be like to them that go down into the pit Fourthly we are upon extraordinary occasions to joyn fasting with our prayers as we are directed in many places of the Scripture For fasting as it causeth the hunger of the body so it is an effectuall means to stirre up and increase the hunger of the soul. For which cause the Fathers call fasting orationis alas the wings of prayer CHAP. XXX Of Faith which is chiefly required in prayer BUt the chief thing which maketh prayer effectuall is Faith whereof Fervency it self is a fruit And therefore our Saviour attributeth the earnestnesse and importunity of the woman of Syrophenicia's prayer to the greatnesse of her faith Matth. 15. 28. For that prayer which S. James chap. 5. 16. calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 15. verse he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prayer of saith Now in prayer there is a double faith required The one more generall apprehending the promises of the Gospel concerning salvation by Christ by which we are in some measure perswaded that we and our prayers are accepted of God in Christ Of which I have spoken before in the general doctrine Rom. 10. 14. Heb. 11. 6. Ephes. 3. 12. The other more speciall giving speciall assent to the promise made to our prayer whereby we are perswaded that our particular requests shall be granted unto us according to Gods gracious promise in this behalf Matth. 7. 7 8. John 14. 13 14. and 16. 23 24. To pray effectually therefore is to pray faithfully For what things soever saith our Saviour ye desire when ye pray believe that ye shall receive them and ye shall have them And it is usuall with our Saviour Christ to dismisse his suiters with this answer As thou believest so be it unto thee On the other side he prayeth not effectually who doubteth whether he shall be heard or not Wherefore as S. James saith chap. 1. 5. If any man want wisdome let him ask it of God and it shall be given him But let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed to and fro Neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. So S. Paul 1. Tim. 2. 8. would have men pray without doubting Examples Psal. 4. 3. and 55. 16 17. And the Apostle S. John saith This is our confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him 1. John 5. 14 15. Wherefore seeing in Christ we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him Ephes. 3. 12. we ought as we are exhorted Hebr. 4. 16. to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtein mercy and find grace to help in time of need and draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 10. 19 22. But here a distinction is to be used In matters spirituall necessary to salvation as we are to ask them absolutely as being perswaded that God hath subordinated our salvation to his own glory so are we absolutely to believe that the Lord will grant them unto us Yea this may be added for our comfort that if God hath given us grace unfeignedly and earnestly to desire any saving grace the same grace is begun in us In matters temporall or spirituall which are not necessary to salvation as 2. Cor. 12. as we are to ask them conditionally so far forth as they may stand with Gods glory and the good of our selves and our brethren so are we to believe that he will so far forth grant them and therefore that he will either grant our desire or that which is better For which cause in such requests we are most willingly with our Saviour Christ to submit our will and desires to the will and pleasure of God Matth. 26. 39 42. who as he knoweth what is good for us better then our selves so he is most ready to give good things unto us Matth. 7. 11. and therefore we are alwayes to believe that our requests being rightly conceived shall be granted unto us I would believe that I should be heard were it not for mine unworthinesse and my wants in prayer Indeed thou mayest be such an one and such may be thy prayers as thou canst have no hope to be heard that is if thou be an impenitent and unbelieving sinner God will not heare thee or if thou pray in hypocrisâ—…e and dissimulation the Lord will not heare thy prayer But if thou art a penitent and believing sinner yea if thou dost unfeignedly desire to believe and repent and dost pray unto the Lord in truth with unfeigned lips thou oughtest to pray with assurance to be heard and this thy faith and assurance must not be grounded on thine own worthinesse or dignitie of thy prayer but on the undoubted promises of God and on the merits and mediation of Christ in whom both we our prayers are accepted of God As for the sense of thine unworthinesse if it be in truth and joyned with unfeigned desire of grace it ought to make thee the rather to pray in faith for such as I have shewed our Saviour calleth with promise to heare and help them And such he pronounceth blessed Matth. 11. 28. John 7. 37. Matth. 5. 4 5 6. Now for the helping of our faith we are in our preparation to meditate of these things especially First of the power of God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we do ask or think Eph. 3. 20. Secondly of his fatherly good will who will deny us nothing that is good Matth. 7. 11. The consideration of both which our Saviour hath prefixed before the Lords prayer when he teacheth us to call upon God as our Father therein noting his love good will which is in heaven therein noting his power Psal. 111. 3. that being perswaded that God is both able and willing to grant our requests we might pray in faith and assurance that our prayer shall be heard Thirdly of his gracious promises made unto prayer as Matth. 7. 7 8. John 16. 23 24. which if we cannot find in our hearts to believe we are not to pray for in not believing we make God a liar Lastly and especially of the merits and mediation of our Saviour Christ who sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us Though our prayer must be fervent and confident
yet with submission to the will of God Quid Quale Quantum Quomodo Quando Vbi what of what kind how much after what manner when and where he is pleased to give knowing that he is able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding abundantly We are not to limit God or to circumscribe him by circumstances It is reckoned Psal. 78. 41. among the faults of the old Israelites that they circumscribed the holy One of Israel and is effectually reproved by Judeth chap. 8. 11 16. in the governours of Bethulia who appointed to the Lord the term of five dayes to deliver them otherwise they would give up their city Not that it is simply unlawfull to mention circumstances so it be done with submission to the will of God either expressed or understood Gen. 24. 12 c. Psal. 102. 2. Now as I said we do by prayer effectually crave that which we do well that is lawfully and profitably desire at the hands of God Lawfully when we desire that which is good and to a good end For if it be not good which we desire then is our desire unlawfull and we sinne in going about to make God the authour of sinne God hath promised to give good things to them that ask Matth. 7. 11. But if they be not good they are not within the compasse of Gods promise nor ought to come within the compasse of our desire If not to a good end our desire is not lawfull nor our prayer acceptable Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it upon your lusts But as the thing must be good in it self so also it must be good unto us that is expedient and profitable for God as a most wise Father doth not alwayes grant his children their desires for many times they ask that which would be hurtfull for we know not what to ask as we ought Rom. 8. 26. But he heareth them alwayes though not ad voluntatem to their will yet ad utilitatem to their profit And therefore when he seemeth not to satisfie our particular desire he graciously heareth our prayer if it be rightly conceived For we ought all to be of that mind which some of the heathen expressed in their prayer mentioned in Plato and in the Greek Epigramme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good things great Jove pray or pray not impart To us but bad though crav'd from us avert CHAP. XXIX Of duties to be performed after prayer ANd these are the duties to be performed in the action of prayer Out of the action before is required preparation wherein we are to meditate of such things as may help and further us for the exercise of such duties as are required in the action which I have already noted in the particulars After our prayer is ended we must quietly rest in the good will and pleasure of God not doubting but the Lord as he hath heard our prayers so in his good time will grant the same as shall be most for his glory and our good And this is the meaning of the word Amen wherewith our Saviour hath taught us as it were to seal up our prayers for thereby as we signifie the consent of our desire so also the assent of faith This was Davids disposition Psal. 3. 4 5. I did call unto the Lord with my voice there is his prayer and he heard me out of his mountain there is his assurance that he was heard I laid me down and slept there is his quiet and secure resting in the good will and protection of God who did sustein him So Psal. 4. 6 7 8. Psal. 5. 3. In the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee speculabor and I will look and wait untill thou shalt grant my desire And such also was the disposition of Hannah after she had prayed 1. Sam. 1. 18. Secondly as we crave good things at the hands of God so we our selves must endeavour to attein unto them by all good means possible For otherwise our prayer is a tempting of God as if we would have our desire granted as it were by miracle and a fruit of no faith or unfeigned desire of the thing asked For if we did truly believe and unfeignedly desire the thing which we ask we would leave no good means unattempted for the obteining thereof As for example when I pray for faith or any other spirituall grace I must besides my prayer use all the good means carefully which the Lord hath ordained for the begetting and increasing of those graces in us as the hearing of the word preached receiving the Sacrament reading and meditating in the word c. To this purpose there are many worthy sayings of the heathen as of Aeschylus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God delighteth to be present with him that laboureth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When as any man useth his indeavour God also putteth to his hand and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manum admoventi invocanda sunt Numina Divine powers are to be invocated by him that putteth to his own hand To which purpose is that proverb of Varro Dii facientes adjuvant God assisteth labourers Adag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly if having prayed and used other means we do not obtein our desires let us before we go any further labour to find out the cause If the fault be in our prayer because we did ask amisse Jam. 4. 3. as that we did not pray in faith or in fervency c. we must endeavour by the assistance of Gods spirit which we are to crave to amend that fault If the fault be in our selves as that we lie in some sinne not repented of we must by repentance wash our selves and then renew our prayers unto God Isai. 1. 16 18. It may be we neither so greatly desire the thing which we ask while we want it neither would so highly esteem it when we have it as it deserveth and therefore the Lord deferreth the granting of our suit that our desire being deferred might be more fervent and the thing so hardly obteined might both the more highly be esteemed and the more carefully kept So Augustine Deus differt nostra postulata ut discamus grandia granditer desider are God deferreth to grant our requests that we may learn to desire greatly great things Fourthly having used the means and endeavoured to remove the impediments we are to perfist and persevere in prayer without fainting To which purpose our Saviour propounded the parable of the widow and the judge Luke 18. 1. giving us to understand that those things which we do not obtein at the first by reason of our perseverance and importunitie shall be granted To which purpose also serveth the parable of the two friends Luke 11. 8. To this perseverance we are often stirred up both by precept Rom. 12. 12. and practice as of Hannah 1. Sam. 1. 12. of David Psal. 109. 4. who gave himself to prayer of Daniel
when he was forbidden under pain of death to call upon God Dan. 6. of Bartimeus the blind man who calling upon Christ and being therefore rebuked of the people did so much the more cry after him Mark 10. 46 48. of the woman of Syrophenicia who having received divers repulses yet by her importunity obteined her desire Matth. 15. 22. of the Primitive Church Acts 2. 42. and 12. 5. of Cornelius Acts 10. of Paul who prayed without ceasing Fifthly as we are to persist with a kind of importunitie in our prayers so are we with patience to expect the Lords leisure Psal. 40. 1. and 130 5 7. and not to be hasty according to that Isai. 28. 16. Qui crediderit nè festinet Let not him that believeth make hast but as it is Psal. 123. 2. waiting upon the Lord untill he have mercie upon us knowing as Jeremy speaketh Lam. 3. 26. that it is good both to trust and to wait for the salvation of the Lord being assured that the Lord who is a present help in the time of need will in his good time grant our requests And therefore we are exhorted Heb. 4. 16. to come with boldnesse to the throne of grace that we may obtein mercy and find grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for opportune help And because we have need of this patience Heb. 10. 36. we are to stirre up and encourage our selves thereto Psal. 27. 13 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage c. Sixthly if having persisted in prayer and long expected the Lords leisure we yet have not obteined our suit insomuch that the Lord may seem rather wholly to deny it then for a time to delay it we are to rest in the good will and pleasure of God being perswaded that he hath heard our prayers in a better manner then we desired hearing us though not ad voluntatem yet ad utilitatem that is for our profit though not according to our will after the manner of wise and carefull parents who will not give to their children what they ask but what is profitable and of good Physicians who will not grant their patients what they desire but what is expedient And therefore we are in this case to be disposed as Augustine directeth us Si quid contra quod oramus acciderit patienter ferendo in omnibus gratias agendo hoc potiùs oportuisse quod Dei non quod nostra voluntas habuit minimè dubitare debemus by patient bearing it if any thing happeneth contrary to that which we have prayed for and in all things giving thanks neither ought we to doubt but that it is better that should come to passe which God willeth then what we desired And this is true not onely in temporall benefits which it is good sometime to want but also in spirituall which are not necessary to salvation As for example A man being troubled with some infirmitie which is as a prick in his flesh moving him to sinne prayeth unto God to be delivered from it but howsoeuer his prayer in desiring to be freed from evil is acceptable unto God yet it may be he will not grant it the deniall being more for his glory and our profit for his glory because his power is manifested in our weaknesse to make us work out our salvation with fear and trembling to make us more circumspect of our wayes knowing that we carry such an enemy about us as if we stand not upon our guard will be ready to foil us Example hereof in Paul 2. Cor. 12. 7 8 9. And this ought to be our disposition when our requests do seem not to be granted But if contrariwise the Lord hath heard our prayers and granted our requests then are we First to be thankfull unto God for his goodnesse Psal. 28. 6. and 66. 20. and 118. 21. Dan. 2. 23. Gen. 24. 26. John 11. 41. Secondly our love of God must be increased and our faith confirmed with greater confidence to make our prayers unto him for the time to come Psal. 116. 1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard the voyce of my supplications because he hath inclined his eare unto me therefore will I call'upon him as long as I live CHAP. XXXII Distinctions of prayer in regard of the object NOw this kind of invocation admitteth some distinctions in regard of the object which is either Personall or Reall In regard of persons we pray either for our selves or concerning others howbeit when we pray for our selves we are also ordinarily to pray for others as our Saviour hath taught us The prayer which concerneth others is properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intercession and it is either for them 1. Tim. 2. 1. or against them Rom. 11. 2. The others for whom we are to pray are either deceased or living The deceased are either the elect which are happie in heaven or the reprobate damned in hell For the elect in generall we do pray in the second petition of the Lords prayer that the whole number of the elect being accomplished the Lord would hasten the second coming of Christ for our and their full redemption that both they and we may both in body and soul enjoy the felicitie of our blessed Saviour and by him the fellowship of the whole Trinity to our complete and eternall happinesse As touching the reprobate in hell we are not to pray for them but rather against them which we do in generall and by consequence in the same petition In particular we are not to pray for any deceased For either they be in heaven and then our prayer is needlesse or in hell and then it is bootlesse For as touching the purgatorie-fire it was but a smoke and therefore vanished or at the most a devised fire serving for the Popes kitchin and the inriching of the Popish clergie Furthermore as he that prayeth in particular for the saints in heaven wrongeth them as supposing that they need his prayer so he that prayeth for any of the reprobate in hell wrongeth himself for such a prayer being without warrant and therefore not of faith yea expressely against the Scriptures which teach that out of hell there is no redemption is turned into sin For what warrant have we to love where we know that God doth hate or to make intercession for them to whom the intercession of Christ doth not belong But we know not whether they be in heaven or in hell But this we are to know Whether they be in heaven or hell we are not in particular to pray for them If we know not their estate we are in charity to hope the best of those which die in the church for whom being in heaven we can by prayer procure no particular blessing Concerning those that are alive We are commanded in the word of God to pray one for another Jam. 5. 16. for all the Saints Ephes. 6. 18. for the whole brotherhood of
Christians as our Saviour hath taught us Our Father Give us c. The which as it doth teach us our duty so to them that do it it ministreth comfort Frater si prâ—… te solo oras solus oras pro te si pro omnibus omnes orant pro te Brother if thou prayest for thy self alone then thou alone prayest for thy self if thou prayest for all then all pray for thee And not onely for the faithfull are we to pray but for all men in generall that is for men of all sorts and conditions those onely excepted who have sinned against the holy Ghost for whom there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne bâ—…t a fearfull expectation of judgement and violent fire which shall consume the professed enemies of God Hebr. 10. 27. For these we are not to pray 1. John 5. 16. Of the rest there is a distinction to be made in respect both of their outward and inward estate In regard of outward estate some are publick persons some are private We are to pray for all but especially for the publick and those which be in authority 1. Tim. 2. 1 2. And as private persons are to pray for the publick so contrariwise the publick for the private 1. Sam. 12. 23. In regard of the inward estate some are faithfull some are faithlesse We are to pray for all but especially for those which be of the houshold of faith Psal. 122. 6. Ephes. 6. 18. Gal. 6. 10. The faithlesse are the enemies of God and some of them the enemies of our Church and countrey and some enemies to our selves and shall we pray for such Although now they be the enemies of God yet hereafter they may become friends and be reconciled unto him whereof our prayer may be a means And therefore howsoever we are to pray against their wicked practices we are to pray for their persons that they of enemies may become friends of infidels faithfull of hereticks and schismaticks sound Christians of wicked and profane religious and holy for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who willeth that all men should be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth 1. Timoth 2. 4. Examples of them who have prayed for the wicked are very many in the word of God As of Abraham for the Sodomites Gen. 18. Moses for the rebellious Israelites Exod. 32. yea for Pharaoh and the Egyptians Samuel for Saul the man of God for Jerdboam 1. Kings 13. But why seek â—… examples We have a commandment to pray for such as have sinned not unto death and a promise to procure mercy for them 1. John 5. 16. and a complaint of God when this is not performed Ezek. 22. 30. Prayers made for the wicked are many times without fruit If they be without fruit though they be to them idle yet not to thee Thy prayer shall return into thine own bosome Psal. 35. 13. according to that Mat. 10. 13. When ye come into an house salute it or wish peace unto it if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you As for those that be our enemies Though the Schoolmen teach that we are not or at least need not specially to pray for them yet our Saviour Christ hath commanded us to love our enemies to blesse them that curse us and to pray for them who despitefully use us and persecure us So Jer. 29. 7. Rom. 12. 14. And this was practiced by our Saviour Luke 13. 34. by Stephen Acts 7. 60. To this kind of praying for others we are to referre Blessing which is a speciall kind of prayer of the superiour for the inferiour Heb. 7. 7. As of the Prince 1. Kings 8. 55. of the Priest Num. 6. 23 24. of the parents Gen. 9. and 27. and 49. To which the Lord hath given great force insomuch that the prolonging of the childrens life and dayes seemeth to be attributed to the parents in the fifth commandment that they may prolong their dayes c. And therefore not without cause are children taught to crave the blessing of their parents the rather because as it is our duty to pray for others so also to desire others to pray for us Which hath been done not onely by the inferiour and weak in grace as 1. Sam. 12. Jam. 5. 14. but also by the chief Saints of God as by Paul in many places of his epistles as Rom. 15. 30. Eph. 6. 19. But when we desire others to prâ—…y for us we must adde our own prayers and our indeavour and our repentance if sinne hath separated between God and us otherwise the prayers of others though never so godly will not avail us Jer. 15. 1. Ezek. 14. 14. Prayer against others is Querimonia or Imprecatio Complaint is intercession against others laying forth the evil that they do or intend against us Rom. 11. 2 3. 1. Kings 19. 14. Psal. 3. 1 2. and 22. 7 8 12. Isai. 37. 14. Acts 4. 29. Imprecation is that intercession against others whereby we do not onely declare their malum culpae evil of sinne but desire their malum poenae evil of punishment And hereof are three degrees The first when we pray not against their persons but against their counsels and practices that God would confound them and bring them to nought So David prayed against Achitophel 2. Sam. 15. 31. Secondly when we pray the Lord to inflict some temporall affliction upon them that they may be humbled and brought to repentance Psal. 83. 16. Fill their faces with shame O Lord that they may seek thy name Job 34. 36. Optat Elihu Jobum tamdiu affligi donec justitiam Dei agnoscat à responsionibus blasphemis qualibus impii utuntur abstineat Elihu wisheth Job so long to be afflicted till he acknowledged Gods justice and absteined from blasphemous answers such as the wicked do use Thirdly when we pray for their utter destruction Psal. 55. 15. But here it may be demanded whether these kinds of imprecations be lawfull and agreeable to charity and whether also they be imitable Of the first there is no question seeing it is made not against their person but their sinne Now it is profitable not onely for him that prayeth but for the other also that is prayed against that his sinne may be restrained and his wicked practices prevented Nor is there any great question to be made of the second if it be made in hatred of the sinne and love of the person that the sinne by the affliction may be mortified and the sinner saved Concerning the third we are to distinguish between such imprecations as are generally conceived against the wicked and obstinate enemies of God and those which are particular For of the first there is no question to be made that they be warrantable and lawfull as they are generally propounded without having a
illud tanquam bonum nostrum hoc tanquam necessarium nostrum necessariâ—…m autem propter illud bonum FIRST is relatively spoken with reference to a latter And therefore when he saith that we must seek it first he implyeth that this is to be sought afterwards not in respect of time but dignity that is in a secondary respect that as our good this as necessary For whereas it may be objected that temporall benefits are not quaerenda sed adjicienda quaesitis not to be sought but to be added to things sought I answer That God hath promised to adde these things but not to those that tempt God in neglect of prayer and other means but to such as seek them in a secondary respect Whereunto we may adde the practice of the godly Gen. 28. 20. 1. Kings 8. 33 35 37. Prov. 30. 8. and the precept of our Saviour Christ teaching us to say Give us this day our daily bread It cannot be denied but that in asking temporall things many do erre either asking them chiefly or absolutely but as we must ask and seek them in a secondary respect so also conditionally so farre forth as they stand with the glory of God and our own spirituall good But these outward things are not to be cared for and therefore not to be prayed for Christ doth not forbid curam providentiae sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curam solicitudinis diffidentiae the care of providence but carking care and diffidence Phil. 4. 6. Be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be manifested And where they think these things unworthy the Lords gift they must understand that his providence submitteth it self to the lowest creature and he giveth food to all even the basest creatures The mind in and by prayer is to be lifted up to God and not to be depressed to things below But when we pray for temporall things the mind is not elevated but depressed When we so ask temporall things for themselves resting in them as the end our mind is depressed and our heart is set upon them but not so when they are asked as means to further Gods glory and our own spirituall good CHAP. XXXIV Of Deprecation NOw followeth Deprecation which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The evil which we do deprecari that is desire either to be delivered from whether in whole ut avertatur that it may be averted or in part ut mitigetur that it may be mitigated if it be upon us or to be kept and preserved therefrom if we be in any danger thereof ut antevertatur that it may be prevented is either the evil of sinne or the evil of punishment In the former we pray that our sinnes may be removed and taken away that is that we may be delivered either from the guilt of sinne which is our justification or from the fault and corruption which is our sanctification In prayer for the forgivenesse of sinne these things specially are required First in the action it self confession of sinnes And of this Augustine speaketh excellently Hortatur nos saepius Scriptura ad medicamenta fugere confessionis Non quòd Deus indigeat confessione nostrâ c. The Scripture doth often exhort us to flee to the medicine of confession not that God needeth our confession unto whom all things are present which we think speak and do but because we cannot otherwise be saved unlesse we confesse penitently that which we have done amisse negligently He that accuseth himself in his sinnes the devil hath not whereof to accuse him in the day of judgement If at least confessing he do by repenting blot out what he hath done and doth not again renew them c. Let the sinner whilest he liveth confesse the sinnes which he hath committed because confession is fruitlesse in hell neither doth repentance there profit to salvation Behold now is the day of salvation now is the time acceptable to God now is the time of pardon to the penitent but after death there will be a time of vengeance for those that neglect to confesse their sinnes For all wicked men have bitter repentance in torments but it doth not profit theÌ„ for pardon but their conscience tortureth them for the increase of their pains which they suffer c. All hope of pardon consisteth in confession So Ad fratres in Eremo Serm. 30. O homo nè tardes converti ad Deum c. O man saith he do not delay to turn unto God Examine thy mind search all the secrets of thy heart consider before thou comest to confession that thy heart hath sinned in coveting evil things thine eye in beholding vanity thy mouth in speaking falshood thine eare in hearing lies thy hand in perpetrating blows and murders c. Let therefore thine heart grieve thine eye weep thy mouth pray without intermission thine eare heare the word of God thine hand give alms c. thy feet come to Church thy knees bow and labour c. And do not deferre it For God hath promised pardon to the penitent but he hath not promised life till to morrow to him that delayeth it Thus much Augustine Now this confession is both profitable and necessary It hath the promise of forgivenesse So to the hiding of our sinnes is pardon denied 1. John 1. 8 9. If we deny our sinnes we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us but we bewray our selves to be hypocrites If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy We see this verified in the example of David For while he concealed his sinne the hand of the Lord was heavy upon him to afflict him Psal. 32. 3 4. but when he confessed and acknowledged his iniquity the Lord forgave him his sinne vers 5. Assoon as David reproved by Nathan confessed his sinne the Prophet presently assureth him that his sinne was forgiven 2. Sam. 12. Now this confession is to be made of unknown sinnes generally Psal. 19. 13. of known sinnes particularly together with the aggravating circumstances Psal. 51. 4 5. and in both we are freely to acknowledge what we have deserved for the same Ezra 9. 6 7. Dan. 9. 4 5. that judging our selves we may not be judged of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 31. and that the Lord when he judgeth may be justified Psal. 51. 4. To which purpose we are to abhorre our selves in dust and ashes Job 42. 6. and to behave our selves before the Lord as Benhadad and his followers before Ahab the King of Israel 1. Kings 20. 31. And that this confession may be made accordingly we are in our preparation both to try and examine ourselves by the law of God to find out our sinnes which we are seriously to confesse Lam. 3. 40 41. and also labour
that we may see and feel our miserie in respect of them that labouring and being wearied under the burden of them we may out of an humble and contrite soul poure out our supplications unto the Lord. The neglect whereof is reproved Jer. 8. 6. And that we may obtein forgivenesse we are also to come in charitie being as desirous to forgive our brethren that have offended us as we desire to be forgiven of the Lord Matth. 6 14 15. See Ecclus 28. 2 3. 1. Tim. 2. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without wrath And likewise we are to repent of those sinnes the pardon whereof we desire For that is pretended in our asking forgivenesse that is both to be sorie for our sinne past and to promise and purpose unfeignedly amendment for the time to come And both these duties of charity and repentance are likewise to be practiced in our lives after we have craved forgivenesse at the hands of God For as touching the dutie of charity in forgiving others If after we have desired forgivenesse and in our conceit have obteined pardon if we deal unmercifully with our brother whom we will not forgive it will be an evidence against us that our sinnes indeed were not pardoned Matth. 18. 23 to 35. And for the other duty of repentance A man cannot have assurance of the forgivenesse of his sinne which he doth continue in For God doth not remit the sinnes which we our selves retein He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. And as we are to pray for the forgivenesse of sinne or taking away of the guilt so we must also pray that we may be delivered from the corruptions and preserved against tentations alluring unto sinne for the time to come And as we are to pray against corruptions and tentations so must we in our lives strive and fight against our corruptions and resist tentations avoyding also occasions of evil otherwise how can we ask that of the Lord which we our selves will not yield unto in our practice So much of prayer against malum culpae the evil of sinne There is also prayer against malum poenae the evil of punishment both spirituall and temporall and also eternall The spirituall is when God doth punish sinne with sinne blinding the eyes of men and hardening their hearts and giving them over to a reprobate sense The temporall when God doth either for chastisement or triall or punishment afflict men with the afflictions and calamities of this life against which sort this kind of deprecation is most usuall Psalmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nè perdas Psal. 57 58 59 75. But in this kind of prayer especially we must wholly submit and resigne our selves unto the good will and pleasure of God who knoweth what is good for us better then our selves with patience and comfort to bear what it shall please God to lay upon us after the example of David 2. Sam. 15. 26. and of our Saviour Matth. 26. 39 42. For herein especially that is verified Rom. 8. that we know not what to ask For to be afflicted is not simply evil but contrariwise worketh for the good of them that are afflicted Rom. 8. 28. Insomuch that David professeth that it had been good for him that he had been afflicted Psal. 119. 71. and Jeremy Lam. 3. 27. yea David pronounceth the man blessed whom the Lord doth chastise and nurture in his law Psal. 94. 12. Deprecation of calamities is often joyned with Lamentations particularly bewayling their state and Expostulations Example of the former in the Lamentations of Jeremie Expostulations are vehement interrogations of the afflicted expressed from their grief whereby they expostulate with God concerning the greatnesse or continuance of their afflictions Psal. 22. 1. But here we must take heed that our expostulation be a lively fruit of a strong faith lest perhaps it do degenerate into open murmuring and repining against God David Psal. 22. 1. and our Saviour Christ being assured that the Lord is his God and therefore calling him My God my God expostulateth with him why being his God he had forsaken him So much of Petition or Prayer CHAP. XXXV Of Thanksgiving THanksgiving is that invocation whereby we do render due thanks and prayse unto God for his benefits As touching the name This duty is by divers names expressed in the Scriptures Psal. 100. 4. Isai. 12. Psal. 145. 2. As To prayse God Gen. 29. 35. To blesse him Psal. 103. 1 2. and 104. 1. 1. Chron. 29. 13. Jam. 3. 9. To confesse unto him Matth. 11. 25. Heb. 13. 15. To give him thanks Psal. 105. 1. 1. Chron. 16. 8. 1. Thess. 5. 8. Rom. 1. 21. Eph. 5. 20. To magnifie the Lord Luke 1. 46. Act. 10. 46. and 19. 17. To extoll him Psal. 145. 1. To exalt his name Psal. 34. 3. To glorifie him Matth. 9. 8. and 15. 31. Luke 2. 20. To make his name glorious Psal. 66. 1 2. To offer viz. a voluntary oblation thanksgiving and prayse Psal. 50. 14 23. To offer the sacrifice of prayse unto God that is the fruit of our lips confessing to his name Heb. 13. 15. as Hosea speaketh chap. 14. 2. To render the calves of our lips To sacrifice unto God with the voice of thanksgiving Jon. 2. 9. Psal. 116. 17. To sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving The duties required in thanksgiving are either common to it with prayer or proper and peculiar unto it For when I say that thanksgiving is a kind of invocation you are to understand that all those things which were spoken of in the generall treatise are particularly to be applied to thanksgiving The which I will the rather do because commonly those things are delivered not as generall points but as particular to prayer Thanksgiving therefore as well as prayer is a religious speech of the faithfull unto God in the name of Christ made according to the will of God by the help of the holy Ghost concerning good things apperteining to Gods glory and our own good I call it a religious speech because it is a principall part of that religious worship which we ow unto God whereby it is also distinguished from the civill thanksgiving to men and is therefore religiously to be performed In the rest of the definition I noted six things which are essentiall to all invocation and without which it cannot be acceptable unto God First That the party which doth invocate must be faithfull for God heareth not sinners And thanksgiving being a sacrifice the holy Ghost telleth us that the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15. 8. The proper subject of Gods prayse is the Church Eph. 3. 21. To him be prayse in the Church Psal. 65. 1. Praise waiteth sor God in Sion The Lord Psal. 50. 14 15. exhorteth his saints and his peculiar people to offer unto him thanksgiving and to call upon him in the day of trouble But v.
with thanks Col. 3. 17. Thanks is to be given with joy but we are many times in distresse and consequently in grief The Apostle as he exhorteth us to give thanks alwayes 1. Thess. 5. 18. so also to rejoyce alwayes v. 16. But you must understand this as spoken to the faithfull who rejoyce in God being perswaded of his love towards them For those who have not tasted how good the Lord is nor are perswaded of Gods love towards them they have no peace and much lesse joy Paulus non omnes ad hoc juge gaudium sed tantùm sui similes invitare videtur Paul doth not seem to invite all to continuall joy but onely those who are like himself But the faithfull who are at peace with God have also joy in the holy Ghost whereby they do rejoyce in God in all estates not onely in time of peace prosperity but also in time of adversity Rom. 5. 3. Yea the greatest afflictions of this life are to be born of the godly not onely meekly and patiently but also comfortably and thankfuly For 1. as God in all his judgements remembreth mercy so must our faith apprehend his mercy as well as our sense apprehendeth his judgements And therefore we ought to say with Job chap. 13. 15. Though he kill me yet will I trust in him 2. Because the faithfull have this priviledge that as nothing can hurt them Isai. 54. 17. so all things even their afflictions do work together for their good Rom. 8. 28. 3. Because God afflicteth them for their good whether by triall or chastisement 4. Because with the outward affliction he vouchsafeth inward comfort 2. Cor. 1. 5. 1. Sam. 30. 6. Acts 16. 25. Psal. 94. 19. 5. Because the afflictions of the faithfull though for sinne are under their desert and in them the anger of God is carried not against their persons but against their sinne 6. Because of those other favours of God which in their afflictions they do enjoy Desinentes contristari propter ea quae non habemus de rebus praesentibus gratias agere debemus Ceasing to grieve for those things we have not we are to give thanks for things which we presently have 7. Because though positive blessings are wanting yet there are alwayes innumerable privative blessings for which we are to give thanks Consider the evils we have deserved and the dangers whereunto we are exposed Consider that by our sinnes we have deserved all the plagues denounced in the law Deut. 28. 15. not onely in this life but also in the world to come Whilest therefore our condition is better then those in hell we have cause to prayse God who hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us after our iniquities Psal. 103. 10. Lam. 3. 22. Now if they are bound to prayse God that are not consumed how much more have we cause to prayse God whom he hath not onely not consumed but hath heaped and multiplied his mercies upon us both privative and positive And as at all times we are to prayse God so in solemn festivalls ordained to that end such as was that of Purim Esth. 9. and ours of the Fifth of November for our marvellous deliverance from that horrible conspiracy of the Papists by the gunpouder-treason FINIS A GODLY AND FRUITFULL EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER Shewing the meaning of the words and the duties required in the severall Petitions both in respect of prayer it self and also in respect of our lives PHIL. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God ¶ Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge Ann. Dom. MDCXL MATTH 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LUKE 11. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO call upon the name of God by hearty and effectuall prayer is a duty in it self most excellent to God most glorious to our selves most profitable and necessary But such is the blindnesse and ignorance of our minds the dulnesse and hardnesse of our hearts that we know not either how to pray or what to ask Like to Zebedee's children Matth. 22. 20. We ask we know not what and as Paul speaketh Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray as we ought Wherefore our Saviour Christ in abundant mercy towards us that he might relieve our wants in this behalf hath set down a prescript form of prayer whereby we are to frame ours commanding us when we do pray to pray thus In which words as he forbiddeth us not to use this prayer so he doth not alwayes bind us to use the same words For here two extremities are to be avoided the first of the Brownists who think it unlawfull to use the prescript form of these words the second of the Papists who superstitiously â—…nsist in the very words and syllables themselves As touching the first Our Saviour commandeth us thus to pray and more plainly Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say Our Father c. Therefore unlesse it be unlawfull to obey the expresse commandment of our Saviour Christ it is lawfull to use these words Secondly the book of Psalmes doth prove that we may have set forms of prayers Psal. 86. is a form of prayer to be used in affliction The 92 is Psalmus in diem Sabbati A Psalme for the Sabbath The 102 Oratio pro paupere A Psalme for a poore man The 136 A solemn form of thanksgiving 2. Chron. 7. 6. and 20. 21. For the second when Christ commandeth to pray thus he doth not tie us to the words but to the things We must pray for such things as herein summarily are conteined with such affections as are herein prescribed For we must understand that our Saviour Christ propoundeth this prayer as a brief summe of all those things which we are to ask For as the Creed is summa credendorum the summe of things to be believed the Decalogue summa agendorum the summe of things to be done so the Lords Prayer is summa petendorum the summe of things to be desired But as all things particularly to be believed are not particularly expressed in the Creed nor all things to be done in the Decalogue so neither are all things particularized in the Lords prayer for which we are to ask And therefore it is lawfull nay expedient and necessary often to descend into the particulars themselves For the proving whereof we have so many arguments as there are prayers of the godly recorded in the word For though all of them may be referred to this prayer or some part thereof yet none of them are conceived in the same words And moreover Matthew and Luke in setting down this prayer are not curious in observing the same words And therefore superstitious is the opinion and practice of the Church of Rome who think that the bare repetition of these words in an unknown tongue without understanding or faith
is ex opere operato meritorious as though our Saviour Christ had prescribed these words to be used as a charm c. First whereas our Saviour Christ propoundeth this form we may be assured that it is a perfect pattern of prayer that nothing ought to be asked which is not in it conteined For in him are all the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God Col. 2. 3. He knoweth what is acceptable unto God what is needfull for us therefore in this prayer is conteined whatsoever is either fit for God to grant or for us to ask By this then as a pattern we are to form our prayers and as by a rule we are to examine them May the things which we desire be referred to these petitions then may we boldly ask them Can they not be referred then do we not pray according to Gods will and therefore can have no assurance that we shall be heard Secondly whereas Christ teacheth his disciples to pray herein he giveth an example to be imitated of Ministers sc. that as they teach other things so also to pray John Baptist Luke 11. 1. taught his disciples to pray whereupon Christs disciples desire him in like manner to teach them Wherein also they are to be an example to be imitated of all learners As the Father in the family or the Pastour in the Church ought to teach so the child in the house the hearer in the Church ought to be desirous to learn how to pray Thirdly it sheweth that of our selves we know not how to pray For if we should be left to our own affections and desires we should ask many times those things which would tend to Gods dishonour and our own hurt As appeareth by Socrates who wanting this direction of our Saviour Christ knew not what to ask but groping in darknesse desired in generall terms that those things which are good he would give them whether they asked them or no and would deliver them from evil things although they should ask them Plato in Alcib 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Jupiter King give unto us good things whether we ask or ask them not but put away from us evil things though we pray for them And therefore our Saviour Christ thought it necessary to teach us how to pray Again hence ariseth great comfort to Gods children For whereas the word of God assureth us whatsoever we shall ask according to his will it shall be given us 1. John 5. 14. we may assure our selves that we so pray when we follow Christs direction Neither need we doubt but the Lord acknowledging the voice of his own Sonne as Cyprian saith our prayers shall be acceptable unto him Lastly seeing our Saviour Christ hath commanded us to pray and taught us how we are unexcusable if we neglect this duty One thing further is to be considered in the words as they are set down by Luke When ye pray say Whether speech in prayer be alwayes necessary There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either inward or outward speech and prayer is either vocall or mentall And the Lord heareth the cry of the heart and our secret grones are not hid from him Psal. 38. 10. Howbeit the voyce is to be used so oft as it may conveniently both for the attention of the mind and intension of the affections c. NOw let us come to the Lords Prayer it self In which is lively though summarily set down unto us the practice of that doctrine which heretofore we have learned concerning prayer For as we have been taught that Prayer and Thanksgiving are to be joyned together so here with the Petitions is joyned a Thanksgiving wherein we are taught to ascribe unto the Lord eternall kingdome power and glory which words almost David useth in his solemn thanksgiving 1. Chron. 29. 11. Again whereas we have been taught that unto prayer are required duties before we pray and also in prayer it self both here are prescribed Before we are to use preparation wherein we are to meditate of such things as are fit to stirre up those graces in us which in prayer are to be expressed In prayer two things are to be expressed an hungring and thirsting desire of grace and the speciall assent of faith For the stirring up of both which it is fit to meditate upon the fatherly love and almighty power of God which our Saviour hath taught us to prefix before the prayer it self In prayer two things especially are to be expressed 1. An hungring and thirsting desire of the grace and blessing of God 2. A speciall assent of faith that our request shall be granted Therefore the prayer it self is divided into Petitions and Conclusion the desire being especially expressed in the Petitions the Conclusion conteining 1. a confirmation 2. a testification of our faith in the word Amen Of the Lords prayer therefore there be two parts the Preface and the Prayer it self consisting of Petitions and the Conclusion conteining a Confirmation of our faith joyned with the praysing of God and also a Testification both of our faith and the truth of our desire in the word Amen In expounding the Lords Prayer we will observe this order First we will expound the words and shew the true meaning of thē then we will inferre the uses of Doctrine Confutation Instruction in the duties of prayer and of our lives and lastly of Reproof whereby shall be detected the hypocrisie of worldly men who using these words do not pray in truth Whereas our Saviour doth not abruptly propound the Petitions but prefixeth a solemn Preface we are taught before we call upon God to use some preparation The preface conteineth a description of God to whō we pray taken 1. from his relation to us that he is Our Father 2. from the place wherein his majesty doth especially appear that he is in heaven the former signifying especially his love the other his power Of which two if in our preparation we do duly meditate our desire will be kindled and our faith confirmed considering that he to whom we pray is both able and willing to grant our requests Our Father SOme do expound these words as though they were a rhetoricall proeme which we use to win Gods favour But we use words in our prayer not that God but that we may be moved and affected First we call him Father whereof we are first to seek the meaning and then the use By the name of Father God alone is understood For as our Saviour saith Matth. 23. 9. we must call no man father because we have but one Father who is in heaven Joh. 8. 41. We have one Father which is God A good profession if it had bene uttered with a good conscience Now God is said to be a Father two wayes by Creation and Adoption By creation as Isai. 64. 8. So Adam is said to be the sonne of God Luke
3. 38. and the Angels Job 1. By adoption in Christ Ephes. 1. 5. So every believer is born of God 1. John 5. 1. For to so many as believe in Christ God hath given this priviledge to be the sonnes of God John 1. 12. And in this sense is every faithfull man to call God Father But here it may be demanded Whether the whole Trinitie is called upon in the name of Father or the first Person alone The word Father is attributed unto God two wayes either essentially or personally Essentially when he is so called in respect of the creatures 1. Cor. 8. 6. Personally when it hath relation to the other Persons the Sonne and the holy Ghost In this place it hath relation to the creatures So Deut. 32. 6. Isai. 63. 16. But howsoever the whole Trinity is our Father so to be worshipped of us yet this speech is more peculiarly directed to the first Person the fountain of the Godhead who is the Father of Christ Ephes. 3. 14. and in him our Father John 20. 17. yet so as in worshipping him we joyntly worship the other two who as they are â—…ll one in essence coequall and coeternall concurring also in all actions towards us so they are altogether to be worshipped O God thou Father of Christ and in him our Father who givest the Spirit of thy Sonne whereby we cry Abba Father to thee we present our prayers in the name of thy Son craving the help of the holy Ghost The second Person is called our Father Isai. 9. 6. so may the holy Ghost who doth regenerate us Deut. 32. 6. and to either of them may our prayers be directed Acts 7. 59. So that our prayer may be directed to any or to all the Persons 2. Cor. 13. 13. or to two of them 1. Thess. 3. 11. We are taught to whom to direct our prayers namely to God alone For seeing our Saviour hath commanded us when we pray to say Our Father it is evident that we break the commandment if we direct our prayers to any to whom we may not say Our Father c. Which title without blasphemy we cannot attribute to any but onely to the Lord who is our heavenly Father Jer. 31. 9. Sum Israeli Pater I am a Father to Israel Secondly whereas by nature we are the children of wrath and yet commanded to call upon God as our Father we are taught in whose name we are to come unto God Not in our own names or worthinesse Dan. 9. 18. for then we shall find him a Judge rather then a Father but onely in the name and mediation of Christ Eph. 3. 12. in whom he is our Father and in whose name he hath promised to grant whatsoever we ask according to his will It is well said of Calvine Cùm Deum Patrem vocamus Christi nomen praetendimus When we call God Father we pretend the name of Christ. 3. We are taught that the help of the holy Ghost is necessary in prayer For how should we which were children of wrath dare to call God our Father or be assured that we be his children By the holy Ghost who is the spirit of adoption beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God we cry in our hearts Abba Father Rom. 2. 15 16. For if none can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost then much lesse can a man call upon God as his Father in Christ except he be endued by the holy Ghost We must therefore as the Apostle teacheth us Ephes. 2. 18. call upon God the Father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost so shall we though unworthy and unable to call upon God in Christ be accepted and by the holy Ghost be enabled to pray according to God Here therefore first are they refuted who think they may lawfully direct their prayers either to Angels or Saints to whom the name Father is opposed Isai. 63. 16. or to their images sâ—…ying to a stock or stone Our father Jer. 2. 27. If God be our heavenly Father who is more willing to give good things then any earthly parents and also all-sufficient why should we seek to any other unlesse we can either accuse him of unkindnesse or object want of power unto him Secondly if God be our Father in Christ then ought we with boldnâ—…sse to come unto the throne of grace through him Ephes. 3. 12. Neither do we need any other mediation then of the Sonne who is the onely Mediatour as of redemption so also of intercession 1. Tim. 2. 5. contrary to the doctrine of the Papists who teach men to use the mediation of Saints Whereas our Saviour John 16. 26. having commanded us to pray in his name addeth I say not that I will intreat the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you Duties in Prayer IF God be our Father we must come 1. In reverence as unto our heavenly Father 2. In dutifull thankfull and sonne-like affection acknowledging his mercy of Adoption who when we were by nature children of wrath adopted us to be his sonnes and if sonnes then heirs Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us that we should be called the sonnes of God 3. In faith and assurance not onely that we and our prayers are accepted in Christ but that our prayers shall be granted unto us of our Father as may be most for his glory and our good And that we may come in faith let us consider First that without faith we are no sonnes of his but children of wrath Ephes. 2. 3 12. and if we believe we are the sonnes of God John 1. 12. and of the houshold of faith Secondly that if God be our Father in Christ he will grant us what good thing soever we ask For 1. he is affected as a good Father towards his children yea his love towards us is so much greater then the love of earthly parents as his goodnesse and mercy is greater Isai. 63. 16. Psal. 27. 10. Isai. 49. 15. Matth. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. 2. In that he is our Father he hath given us the greatest gift that can be imagined and therefore will not deâ—…y the lesse Pater quid 〈◊〉 filiis qui jam 〈◊〉 quòd pater est What will the father deny to his sons who hath vouchsafed already to be our Father For if he have sâ—… loved us that he gave his Son for us that in him we might be adopted his children how shall hâ—… not with him give us all good things Rom. 8. 32. 3. In that he hath vouchsafed us this great love to be our Father and that we should be his children he hath also made us his heirs provided us an inheritance in heaven For as he gave his Sonne in pretium for a price so he reserveth himself in praemium for a reward If therefore it be our Fathers
pleasure to give us a kingdome we need not fear but that he will grant us matters of lesse moment Luke 12. 32. 4. In sonne-like submission we are to call upon God our Father c. Matth. 26. 39 42. And in this faith we are to rest in the will of our Father submitting our selves thereto knowing that he will dispose of us for the best Duties in our lives IF we call God our Father we must behave our selves as dutifull and obedient children 1. Pet. 1. 14. we must walk worthy our calling Ephes. 4. 1. For seeing we have these promises namely that God will be a Father unto us and that we shall be his sonnes and daughters we ought to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow up into all godlinesse in the fear of God 2. Cor. 6. 18. and 7. 1. Deut. 32. 6. Nonne ipse Pater tuus c. Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee We must honour him we must fear him 1. Pet. 1. 17. Neither ought we to fear any thing so much as to displease him We must love him and Christ his Sonne John 8. 42. and for his sake our neighbours as the sonnes of God and members of Christ and consequently as our brethren and fellow-members 1. John 5. 1. We are to imitate our heavenly Father Matth. 5. 45. Luke 6. 36. We must patiently and meekly bear afflictions as fatherly chastisements Heb. 12. 6 7 c. Otherwise we shew our selves to be bastards rather then sonnes We must trust in him Psal. 27. 10. Isai. 63. 16. Here therefore is reproved the hypocrisie of those who using these words do not call upon God in their prayers with sonne-like reverence faith affection submission nor in their lives behave themselves as Gods children For though we call upon God as our Father and yet do not obey him nor honour him nor fear him nor love him nor follow him nor submit our selves to his chastisements nor trust in him we shew our selves not to be the children of God but rather of the devil For our Saviour saith to the Jews affirming that God was their Father His sonnes ye are whose works ye do John 8. 39 48. And John also saith 1. Epist. 3. 8 9 10. He that committeth sinne is of the devil Whâ—…soever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him c. In this the children of God are known and the children of the devil Whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that lâ—…veth not his brother See Deut. 32. 5 6. Our VVHen as our Saviour teacheth us â—…o say Our Father Give us c. he may seem to some to have prescribed a form of publick prayer onely Otherwise why doth he not teach us to say My Father Give me c. But out of verse 6. it appeareth that he prescribeth this form as well for private as for publick prayer Now he teacheth us to say Our Father Give us c. that we may learn it to be our duty to call upon God not onely for our selves but also for others But for what others For all men 1. Tim. 2. 1. For God is the Father of all by â—…reation but especially for the faithfull to whom God is a Father by grace of adoption and they also our brethren in Christ. We are therefore to pray for the whole brotherhood which is the universall Church and the whole company of the faithfull Psal. 122. 6. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem For the universall Church I say militant upon earth For unto the present estate of the Church militant our Saviour doth accommodate this prayer as that we may do the will of God upon earth as it is in heaven that he would give us our â—…ily bread that he would forgive our sinnes and noâ—… lead â—…s into temptation When as therefore this prayer is used amongst the Papists for the dead they shew themselves not impious onely but also ridiculous Vses concerning Prayer FIrst whereas Christ commandeth us to call God Father not onely of other faithfull and elect but also ours he requireth in us when we are to pray a true and justifying faith whereby we are perswaded that God is our Father in Christ and the spirit of adoption whereby we cry in our hearts Abba Father Therefore that speciall faith which the Papists call presumption whereby every Christian man believeth that he is adopted in Christ reconciled to God and justified by him and that for his sake both himself and his prayer is accepted of God Christ requireth in this place For unlesse I be perswaded that the Lord is not onely the Father of the rest of the faithfull and elect but also my Father I cannot in truth call him our Father Unto prayer therefore we must bring faith without which it is impossible to please God Secondly whereas Christ commandeth us to call upon God not onely for our selves but also in the behalf of the whole fraternitie which is the universall Church Our Father Give us c. he teacheth us to exercise the communion of Saints by mutuall prayers for one another Ephes. 6. 18. and not onely to have respect to our own good but also to the good of others 1. Cor. 13. 5. and withall informeth us how we are to be affected towards our brethren when we come to call upon God that we should desire the same good things for them which we ask for our selves that we should be touched with a fellow-feeling of their wants as it becometh those which are not onely the sonnes of the same Father but also members of the same body Heb. 13. 3. Therefore as we ought to bring faith towards God so also charity towards men that without wrath and dissension we may lift up pure hands unto God 1. Tim. 2. 8. But is it not lawfull to say sometimes My Father My God and to pray for our selves in particular or for some others It is lawfull in private prayers to call God thy Father so that thou dost not arrogate any thing peculiar to thy self besides or above other faithfull men For this is the voyce of justifying faith especially in the time of temptation when the faithfull man may seem forsaken of God to apply unto himself in particular that which commonly belongeth to all the faithfull Psal. 22. 1. Deus meus My God my God c. John 20. 28. Rom. 1. 8. The Lord instructeth his people thus to call him My Father Jer. 3. 4 19. and Christ his disciples Matth. 6. 6. Pray to thy Father and thy Father which seeth in secret c. It is lawfull also to pray for thy self and for others in particular so as thou forget not to pray for the whole brotherhood of Gods children For as when we are commanded to do good to all but especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. we are bound in particular to do good to those whose wants are
known unto us so when we are commanded to pray for all we are bound in particular to pray for those whose wants are known unto us and especially for such as do any wayes belong unto us or do desire to be commended in our prayers unto God Rom. 15. 30. Jam. 5. 14. Ephes. 5. 19. 1. Tim. 2. 1 2. Thirdly whereas we are taught to say Our Father Give us c. we may gather that this prayer and those that are made to the like effect are the common voyce of the Church and of all the members thereof praying mutually for one another Which affordeth comfort to every one of us for although the sense of thy own wants weaknesse in calling upon God doth discourage thee yet this ought to comfort thee that this prayer and the like is the common prayer of the Church and of all the faithfull lifting up holy hands in every place and praying for thee if thou be a faithfull man as well as for themselves Now the prayer of the Church the Lord who is most gracious unto it is ready to heare Deut. 4. 7. Isai. 65. 24. and being most faithfull is also willing to perform Matth. 18. 20. Therefore this serveth as for instruction teaching us our duty in calling upon God for one another so also for our comfort assuring us that others in like sort pray for us and that we are partakers of all the prayers of the whole Church and all the members thereof Fourthly the hypocrisie of those is condemned who say with the Jews John 8. 41. We have all one Father God but neither have faith in God nor charity towards men nor any fellow-feeling of other mens wants nor any true desire of their good who say Every man for himself and God for us all Vses concerning our lives SEeing we have all one and the same Father Matth. 23. 9. therefore we ought to embrace one another with brotherly love Ephes. 4. 3 4 6. For if God be the Father of us all then are we all brethren Which word of love ought to tie us with the bond of love and break off all dissension Gen. 13. 8. Acts 7. 26. Mal. 2. 10. And surely if we love not our brethren the love of God is not in us For he which loveth him that begetteth loveth also those that are begotten 1. Joh. 5. 1. And Whosoever saith that he loveth God and hateth his brother he is a liar 1. John 4. 19 20. Therefore where is not brotherly love there is not the love of God where is not the love of God there is no faith and who hath not faith is not the sonne of God Therefore the Apostle saith 1. John 3. 10. In this the children of God are known and the children of the devil Whosoever doeth not righteousnesse is not of God nor he that loveth not his brother For if those that be the sonnes of God as all the faithfull are and we are to hope well of the most when we speak of particulars be not our brethren and so we esteem them then are not we the sonnes of God For if he be our Father then his children are our brethren If the sonnes of God be not brethren to us then are not we his children If therefore we shall hate the children of God how can we call upon him as our Father Secondly whereas all as well poore as rich are commanded to call God Father this ought to teach the rich comfort the poore The rich ought from hence to learn humility and not to despise the poorest Christian seing they are our brethren by the law of nature and of the same bloud Acts 17. the same flesh Isai. 58. and also by our redemption by Christ they are our brethren in him sonnes of the same Father and have as good part in Christ if they believe as the best for God is a Father that respecteth noâ—… persons Acts 10. 34 35. 1. Pet. 1. 17. And in Christ there is no difference of rich and poore bond or free but we are all one in him Gal. 3. 28. To which purpose Paul exhorteth Philemon to receive his servant Onesimus being now converted as a brother v. 17. Let therefore the rich follow the advise Rom. 12. 16. Example Job 31. 13 14 15. that of the wife 1. Pet. 3. 7. which is to be extended to all Christians viz. that they be coheirs Which doctrine doth not favour the Anabaptists for although in respect of our spirituall estate there ought to be no respect of persons Jam. 2. 1. neither is there difference of bond and free in Christ yet in respect of our outward estate the Lord hath ordained superiours and inferiours c. and hath established orders and degrees in the outward politie The poore also are to comfort themselves with this consideration that howsoever they be contemned in the world yet they are dear in Gods sight God is their Father as well or rather of them then of the rich Psal. 68. 6. and Christ their brother yea they are members of Christ to whom what is done Christ esteemeth as done to himself Matth. 25. The which is to be understood of the godly poore for otherwise as their estate is miserable now so a thousand times more miserable shall it be in the world to come Vses of reproof THey are condemned that call God their Father and yet hate the children of God because they are godly and deride the name of brethren 2. Schismaticks who call God their Father but denie his children to be their brethren For they which will have God for their Father must have the true Church to their mother And these words Our Father are the voyce of the Church and of all that be of the same brotherhood 3. Again when we are bid to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father c. we are taught to direct our prayers unto God immediately as being present with us Which confuteth the Papists who would not have us go directly to God but to desire Mary or Peter c. to pray for us whereas this priviledge have all the faithfull to come with boldnesse to the throne of grace by Christ Ephes. 3. 12. Secondly we are to believe that God who is in heaven is also present with us hearing our prayers and therefore so ought we to poure forth our prayers as into his bosome yea though we pray in secret Matth. 6. 6. Thirdly we ought to have the eye of faith to see him that is invisible Heb. 11. so shall we set God before our eyes and behave our selves as it becometh those that speak to so glorious a Majesty But most men because they see none present are touched with lesse reverence then if they spake to a mortall superiour Which art in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HEaven is all that space which is above the earth Of which are three parts Coelum Aereum Gen. 1. 8. Aethereum Empyreum The first Air in which are the
birds fowls of heaven and the wicked spirits in heavenly places Ephes. 6. 12. and 2. 2. The second is that heaven wherein the starres are which are called the host of heaven The third is the seat of the blessed and throne of God called Coelum empy reum because of the light 1. Tim. 6. 16. paradise 2. Cor. 12. 4. and the third heaven in respect of the two lower and in the same sense the heaven of heavens Psal. 115. 16. 1. Kings 8. 27. God is all in all But this place is especially to be understood of the third heaven which is the place of the Lords habitation 1. Kings 8. 30. How is God said to be in heaven seeing he is everywhere If God be everywhere then is he also in heaven But God is said to be in heaven not that he is included therein 1. Kings 8. 27. and therefore not circumscriptivè by circumscription as the body of Christ nor definitivè definitively as the finite spirits but he is there and everywhere repletive filling all places Jer. 23. 23. but yet so as he is every-where totus wholly But yet after a more speciall manner he is said to be in heaven Because there especially he manifesteth his glory there he is seen face to face there he communicateth himself thence he sendeth down his blessings judgements Rom. 1. 18. thence he speaketh to men thence Christ descended thence the holy Ghost Matth. 3. thither Christ ascended there he sitteth and thence he returneth to judgement And as the soul is said to be tota in toto tota in qualibet parte all in the whole and in every part all and yet in respect of the chief operations is said to be seated in the head as it were the heaven of this Microcosme so God who is everywhere wholly both in the world and out of it is said to be in heaven Heaven is his throne Isai. 66. 1. there he prepared his seat Psal. 103. 19. there he sitteth Psal. 2. 4. that is the habitation of his holinesse c. Isai. 63. 15. the place of his habitation 1. Kings 8. 30. Secondly when Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the heavens he meaneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly as Matth. 6. 26. And he is called heavenly because the shallownesse of our minds cannot better conceive of the unspeakable glory and excellent majestie of God then under this name For nothing more excellent and glorious is subject to our sense then the heaven Whereas therefore the Scriptures give this title to God they teach us to ascribe unto him majestie glorious essence omnipresent power infinite wisdome unspeakable mercy endlesse The sense therefore of these words is this Thou that sittest upon heaven as thy throne glorious in majestie infinite in essence power wisdome and mercy Vses concerning prayer I. THe adoration of images reliques condemned we are taught to lift up our mind eyes hands to God being in heaven We may therefore say as Psal. 121. 1. Should I lift mine eyes to images whence then should I have help my help is from God Therefore as Psal. 123. 1. To thee I lift up mine eyes O thou who dwellest in the heavens II. We are taught not to direct our prayer towards any certain place as the Jews towards the temple but we may turn any way towards God in heaven And if we are not bound to look towards any certain place much lesse to go on pilgrimage to it III. Neither must our minds go on pilgrimage whilest we are praying but above the earth and all earthly cogitations our minds with our hands are to be lifted up unto the heavens Lam. 3. 4. Psal. 25. 1. as at all times so especially in the time of prayer our conversation ought to be in heaven IV. When we are commanded to call God our heavenly Father we are taught to abandon all base conceits concerning God Psal. 50. 13. and to ascribe unto him incomprehensible glory and majesty infinite power and essence wisdome unsearchable mercy endlesse Majesty as sitting upon the heaven as upon his throne the earth being his footstool Isai. 66. 1. Which must teach us reverence and not rashly to utter any thing before God For God is in heaven full of majestie and glory and thou upon earth dust and worms meat Eccles 5. 1. Power that is Might infinite omnipotencie Right infinite and authority universall Potentia Power Psal. 115. 3. Our God is in heaven whatsoever he will he doeth Which must teach us to pray with affiance being assured that our heavenly Father is able to do for us according to yea above our requests yea above our thought Ephes. 3. 20. Thus Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 6. Art not thou God in heaven so as power is in thine hand which none can resist Potestas Authority So faith Jehoshaphat Art not thou God in heaven and dost not thou rule over all nations So Psal. 103. 20. The Lord hath established his seat in heaven and his kingdome is over all On him therefore our trust must be reposed by whose providence and power all things are governed in heaven and in earth For hereby we learn that the Lord is not onely able in respect of his might but hath right also to bestow upon us any good thing Audacter Deum roga nihil illum de alieno 〈◊〉 Beg boldly of God seeing thou canst ask nothing of him which belongeth to another Infinite essence and omnipresence for so is the heaven said to be his throne as that the earth also is his footstool and so is he in both as that he is also everywhere and in every place totus For we may not think that God is farre from us Acts 17. 27. because he is said to be in heaven as the wicked imagine Job 22. 13. but we must acknowledge that he is alwayes present with us Psal. 139. 7 8 9 c. and as it is Psal. 145. 18. Deut. 4. 7. near unto us when we call upon him yea where two or three are gathered together in his name he is in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. If therefore thou prayest in secret the Lord heareth thee Matth. 6. 6. if in the closet of thine heart without any speech he heareth the voyce and cry of the heart Exod. 14. 15. 1. Sam. 1. 13. Assure thy self therefore that thou speakest not into the air or utterest thy words in vain but that thou pourest forth thy requests into the bosome of the Lord. Wisdome unsearchable For as the heavens are high above the earth so are the Lords thoughts above ours Isai. 55. 9. We must therefore submit our selves to his will which is most wise and just neither let us circumscribe him but rather resigne our selves unto him who best knoweth what is fit for us Mercy unspeakable Whereby all these attributes are effectuall to our good For if earthly parents do know to give good things to their children much more doth our heavenly
c. Psal. 78. 19. who live as if there were no God Tit. 1. 16. that say he is a Spirit but desire not to worship him in spirit that he is just and yet desire not to fear him c. II. How Gods name signifying his glory is hallowed by us â—… SEcondly the name of God signifieth his glory Which we do sanctifie whenas we glorifie God in our hearts mouthes and lives And this is the most principall signification of this petition We glorifie him in our hearts 1. When in the affections of our hearts we desire the procuring and advancement of Gods glory above all things as being more dear unto us then our own good 2. When as in the purpose of our hearts we intend the glory of God in all things putting into our hearts to give glory to his name Mal. 2. 2. In our mouthes we glorifie him when we make the glory of God the matter and end of our speech The matter when in our speech we set forth the praises of God whose name is to be exalted above all prayse Neh. 9. 5. For to prayse him is to glorifie him Luke 2. 20. Psal. 50. 23. and to make his prayse glorious Psal. 66. 2. We make it the end of our speech when therein we intend the glory of God either by the profession of a necessary truth Josh. 7. 19. or by a speech seasoned with grace tending to the glory of God or the good and edification of our brethren which is subordinate thereunto Col. 4. 6. In our lives we glorifie God 1. When in all our actions whatsoever we aim at the glory of God according to that 1. Cor. 10. 31. 2. When by our godly lives we do not onely glorifie God ourselves John 15. 8. but give just occasion to others of glorifying him Matth. 5. 12. 1. Pet. 2. 12. Vses 1. In prayer Wants to be bewayled 1. Our pride and vain-glory seeking our selves and our own prayse 2. The neglect of Gods glory the main end of all things which ought to be more dear to us then our salvation Such we are that except the Lord endue us with this grace we neglect his glory and so live in vain 3. Our suppressing of Gods prayse our unthankfulnes 4. Our idle and unsavoury speeches 5. Our manifold slips in our lives whereby God is dishonoured All which are faults incident to the best of us and therefore we had need earnestly to pray that God may be glorified of us 2. Sam. 12. 14. Graces which we desire 1. Zeal of Gods glory 2. Thankfulnesse 3. A desire to glorifie God by a godly life 2. Vses in our lives As we are in prayer earnestly to desire that we may give glory to God so in our lives we must endeavour both in our hearts tongues and works to glorifie him c. Otherwise if in our mouthes we desire that we may glorifie him and in our hearts neither desire it nor intend it if we altogether seek ourselves and our own praise if we use to suppresse the praises of God and to smother his truth if our ordinary speech be idle and unsavoury our lives dissolute from whence no honour can arise unto God and in truth desire not to be freed from these sinnes nay on the contrary if in stead of intending Gods glory we seek his dishonour in stead of sounding forth his prayse we blaspheme his holy name in stead of professing and defending his truth we oppugne the same in stead of savoury speeches they be rotten and infective in stead of causing the name of God to be glorified we cause it to be blasphemed our prayer is little better then mockery of God And yet such is the prayer of very many which with their mouthes desire that they may glorifie God and yet desire not his glory in their hearts nor seek it in their lives but rather practice such things whereby the name of God is dishonoured and blasphemed The glory of God is most dear unto him and so must be to us Acts 12. 22. His glory he will not lose III. The name of God signifying his titles how it is hallowed THirdly the name of God doth signifie his titles the titles I say of the Deity Attributes and Persons This name of God is sanctified when as it is holy and reverend so it is used of us It is used of us either by taking it into our mouthes or by taking it upon us We sanctifie it in our mouthes and so in our writings when as we make an holy and reverent mention of the titles of God Which we do when we mention them in a serious matter after a reverent manner to a holy end For the most holy and dreadfull name of the Lord our God Deut. 28. 58. must not be used to trifles and ridiculous matters neither may we lightly take up the most reverend name of God which we are not worthy to take into our mouthes neither must the glorious name of God be mentioned but to his glory either mediately or immediately And hereunto we are to referre two sorts of usurpation of Gods name and titles by Blessing and Swearing aright Blessing is either of God or man The blessing of God is the praysing of God of which we have spoken Example Rom. 9. 5. and 1. 25. 2. Cor. 11. 31. Blessing of men in the name of God which the Scripture calleth the putting of Gods name upon them Num. 6. 27. is a duty to be performed by all to all even unto enemies Rom. 12. 14. Matth. 5. 44. whereunto referre salutation but especially to be performed by superiours Hos. 7. 7. to their inferiours in the commonwealth by Princes and Magistrates David 2. Sam. 6. 18. Solomon 1. Kings 8. 55. In the Church Num. 6. 23 24 25. Melchisedec Gen. 14. 19. In the family by parents unto which the Lord giveth great force c. By swearing we make a holy and reverent mention of the name of God whenas we swear in truth judgement and righteousnesse Jer. 4. 2 c. We take upon us the name of God when his name is called upon in us as Gen. 48. 16. i. when we call our selves by his name and professe our selves to be the children of God Isai. 43. 6 7. which began to be done in the time of Seth after the birth of Enosh Gen. 4. 26. 6. 2. In these last times those of the Church of God do invocate the name of Christ Acts 9. 14 21. 1. Cor. 1. 2. and are called by his name Christians Acts 11. 26. and are baptized into his name Thus we sanctifie the name of Christ when as we walk worthy our calling whereby we are called Ephes. 4. 1. and aâ—…orn the doctrine of Christ our Saviour in all things departing from iniquity as it is 2. Tim. 2. 19. Vses in prayer 1. Graces to be desired 1. That we may use the titles of God reverently 2. That we may swear by his name alone in judgement truth and righteousnesse 3.
in them as the holy Ghost hath appointed Secondly by a holy and sanctified use The creature is sanctified by the word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 5. Col. 3. 17. Duties in prayer Wants to be bewailed 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the hardnesse and senselesnesse of our hearts in not seeing and acknowledging the goodnesse wisdome and power of God in his creatures Mark 6. 52. 2. Our jesting at some of his works as at the form or countenance of some man c. 3. Our suffering of the brute creatures to go beyond us as the crane and swallow in knowing their times and seasons the ant in diligence the trees and plants in bringing forth fruit 4. Our irreligious use of the creatures or abusing them to be the instruments of sinne Duties in our lives 1. Holy meditation and mentioning of the works of God to his glory and our spirituall good To his glory for so must we meditate and speak of the creatures as that the wisdome goodnesse and power of God shining in them be acknowledged that we knowing him by his works may glorifie him as God To our good by meditating in such things as are to be followed or eschewed in them 2. The pure and holy use of the creature sanctified by the word and prayer c. Otherwise if we knowing God by his works shall not glorifie him Rom. 1. 21. if we shall play the Momes in detracting from the works of God or mocking the same if we shall abuse his creatures to superstitious wicked and profane uses and please our selves in so doing we are to take heed lest in making this prayer we be found mockers of God Now follow the works of administration which are his blessings or judgements towards our selves or others His blessings on our selves are sanctified 1. in our hearts when we are truly thankfull for them 2. in our tongues when we give thanks Psal. 124. 6. and shew forth his benefits Psal. 66. 16. and 71. 8 18. 3. in our deeds when we referre the good things received to his glory and the good of others and when by them we are brought to repentance Rom. 2. 4. The blessings of God on others are sanctified when we rejoyce with them 1. Cor. 12. 26. and glorifie God in them Psal. 35. 27. Gal. 1. 24. The judgements of God on our selves are sanctified when they have the like effect in us that they had in Job that is First when we are humbled under the hand of God and brought to repentance Job 1. 20. and 42. 6. Secondly when we bear them patiently Job 1. 21. Thirdly when we blesse God in them and for them v. 21. The judgements of God on others are sanctified when by consideration thereof we fear to sinne when we shew forth the justice of God in the punishment of the wicked Psal. 58. 11 12. when we condole with the just Wants to be lamented First unthankfulnesse in that neither in our hearts we have the chearfull sense of Gods goodnesse in his benefits nor in our tongâ—…es return praise to him nor in our deeds bring forth the fruits nor yet by them are brought to repentance Secondly our not acknowledging Gods graces in others or depraving or lessening them or envying their good Thirdly our senselesnesse in affliction Jer. 5. 3. Fourthly impatience Isai. 22. 12 13. Fifthly murmuring Sixthly not to be terrified by the example of others but rather pleasing our selves Luke 13. 1. Seventhly not condoling but rather rejoycing in other mens evils as laughing at fools Duties in our lives To be thankfull to God for his benefits To expresse our thankfulnesse by thanksgiving by referring them to the glory of God by repentance To rejoyce with others To glorifie God in them To make right use of his chastisements on our selves and others Otherwise if we shall be proud of those good things which we have as though we had not received them not giving God the glory nor referring them to his glory and the good of others but contrariwise abusing them to the dishonour of God and the hurt of others as many do their learning wit riches strength c. If we shall deprave Gods mercies in others or envie them If in the judgements of God upon our selves we shall harden our hearts with Pharaoh If we shall impatiently bear them and murmure against the severity of God If with Belteshazzar we shall not be moved with the example of others Dan. 5. 22. If we shall make a sport of other mens calamities we are farre from that desire of sanctifying Gods name which in this prayer we pretend Secondly in these words we pray that the Lord would sanctifie his name The which petition we are the rather to make because his glory is so little regarded amongst men And in this sense our prayer is the same with that of our Saviour John 12. 28. Father glorifie thy name or with that of David Psal. 57. 6 11. Be thoâ—… exalted Lord above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth or that Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us c. The Lord doth sanctifie his name I. When he doth shew forth and manifest the excellencie and glory of his name that is of his attributes and perfections as wisdome power c. but especially by making manifest the glory of his mercy and justice Of mercy by preserving his Church and multiplying his blessings upon the faithfull Ezech. 36. 21. For the glory of his own name he preserved his Church amongst the heathen and promised to reduce them into their own countrey not for their sakes but his holy names sake v. 22. and then v. 23. I will sanctifie my great name which was polluted amongst the heathen namely because of the affliction of his people v. 20. and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes c. So 2. Thess. 1. 12. Of his justice and power in executing his judgements on transgressours and on the wicked and overthrowing the enemies of his Church When Nadab and Abihu had offered strange fire contrary to the commandment of God and were destroyed by fire from heaven he said I will be sanctified in them that come near me that is By executing judgement even against those that are near to me I will make manifest the glory of my justice and before all the people will I be glorified Levit. 10. 3. Isai. 5. 15 16. By the judgements of God executed upon the wicked it is said that man shall be humbled and brought low but the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgement and the holy God shall be sanctified in justice Ezech. 28. 22. Thus saith the Lord God Behold I come against thee Sidon and I will be glorified in the midst of thee and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall have executed judgements in her and shall be sanctified in her For I
whilest we have time let us do good remembring that the Lord hath placed us here on the earth for a short time to do his will which time if we let passe without repentance and turning to God and doing his will afterwards it will be too late As it is in heaven that is as the Angels in heaven do perform it And they perform Gods will Psal. 103. 20 21. 1. Scienter knowingly 2. Sincerely and uprightly 3. Willingly and chearfully 4. Readily expecting the beck of the Lord Matth. 18. For which cause they are said to stand before the Lord Dan. 7. 10. Revel 5. 11. 5. Speedily without delay For which cause wings are attributed unto them 6. Fully and not by halves 7. Constantly till the Lord bid them cease 8. Faithfully doing all to Gods glory assuming no glory to themselves Revel 19. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As here signifieth not equality but similitude as 1. John 3. 3. For if we should understand it of equality we should pray for an impossibility Eccles 7. 20. No man on the earth doth good and sinneth not True it is indeed that we should contend and aspire towards angelicall perfection although whilest we are on the earth we cannot attein thereunto In this petition therefore we pray that we may perform the will of God on earth after an heavenly and angelicall manner Of this obedience there are two degrees the matter and manner First we will speak of the obedience it self and then of the manner Of the matter of obedience As touching the former Whereas our Saviour teacheth us thus to pray it is evident that of our selves we are not able to do his will and therefore the doctrine of Freewill is here refuted Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both to will and to do of his good pleasure Vt voluntatem Dei faciamus facit hoc ipse Dâ—…us in nobis God himself doeth this in us that we do the will of God Wants to be bewailed The defects therefore which we are to bewail are these 1. Our inability through our own default to perform obedience to the will of God 2. Our pronenesse to sinne and to transgresse the will of God being stirred thereunto by every occasion By our corrupt nature we are as apt to sinne as a bird to flie 3. The frowardnesse of our wills rebelling against the will of God Rom. 7. 23. and our preposterous affections the law in the members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The carnall mind is enmitie against God Rom. 8. 7. 4. The disobedience also of others must wring tears from us Psal. 119. 136. 5. Our impatience in troubles 2. In respect of the matter wants to be bewailed In respect of the matter we are to bewail our imperfect obedience our righteousnesse being like a polluted cloth Velle praestò est sed perficere bonum non invenio To will is present but I find not how to perform that which is good Rom. 7. 18. Our best actions if God should enter into judgement with us are not justifiable The Graces which we ask We ask 1. in respect of obedience it self That the Lord would vouchsafe us this grace to deny our selves our own wills and affections which are opposite to his will Matth. 16. 24. 2. That we may labour in all things to perform simple obedience to the Lord Heb. 13. 21. more especially That he would convert us and we shall be converted Ezek. 33. 11. 3. That he would bring us to the knowledge of his truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. 4. That he would give us faith which is the gift of God 1. John 3. 23. 5. That he would make us thankfull 1. Thess. 5. 18. 6. That he would sanctifie us 1. Thess. 4. 3. 7. That he would arm us with patience that in all afflictions we may say with Christ Not my will O Father but thine be done Matth. 26. 39 42. 8. That we may not be in subjection to sinne and Satan and carried away captive to the obedience of his wilâ—… 2. Tim. 2. 26. but that he would renew stablish and guide us by his free spirit that we may will and do those things which are acceptable in his sight 9. That we may not be carried away with the world or conformed thereunto but transformed by the renewing of our minds and that we may prove what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect And 10. That we may give up our selves a lively holy and acceptable sacrifice unto God that is our reasonable service of him Rom. 12. 1 2. 2. Of the manner of our obedience As touching the manner We are here taught that we are not to rest in opere operato in the deed done but that we are to be carefull as of the matter so also of the manner It is not sufficient that we do the will of God unlesse we do it after a spirituall manner 2. Chron. 25. 2. Many think if they heare it is sufficient and care not how but Christ saith Luke 8. 18. Take heed how ye heare Therefore we must pray That we may do the will of God as the angels do it in heaven with knowledge faithfulnesse sincerity uprightnesse with willingnesse alacrity chearfulnesse readily speedily fully constantly doing all to the glory of God And whereas he hath appointed us to salvation that we may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the angels Matth. 22. 30. that it may please him to begin our conformity with the angels in this life These wants then we are to bewail and these graces we are to crave in this petition Duties in prayer Further we are in these words taught to perform these duties in prayer 1. That we pray according to Gods will 1. John 5. 14. asking such things onely as he hath promised to grant Otherwise in this petition we pray against our own desires namely that not our will but the will of God may be performed 2. That in our prayers especially for temporall matters we do humbly and willingly submit our selves to his will and wholly resigne over our selves to his good pleasure saying with our Saviour Christ Not my will c. because we ought to be assured that as for his wisdome he knoweth what is best for us so also for his fatherly love he is most ready to grant good things unto us Matth. 7. 11. Rom. 8. 32. and therefore if he deny our requests that the deniall is better then the grant And we are to remember that here we pray not that God would alter his will according to ours but contrariwise that our will may be conformable unto his Duties in our lives As we pray that we may do Gods will on earth as the angels do it in heaven so must we have a true desire an unfeigned care and an upright endeavour in our selves to perform holy obedience to Gods will Otherwise how can we perswade our selves that we pray in
Doth the Lord bid thee seek his face answer with that heavenly echo of the Psalmist Psal. 27. 8. Thy face Lord will I seek It is the will of God that thou shouldst turn unto him break off without delay the course of thy sinne and turn unto the Lord. Knock at the doore of thy heart Open thine immortall gate that the King of glory may come in Doth he call thee to repentance to day If yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Deferre not repentance but to day before to morrow repent Seek the Lord whilest he may be found and call upon him whilest he is near Isai. 55. 6. Doth he call us to triall and affliction let us take up our crosse and follow him submitting our selves willingly to his will 1. Sam. 3. 18. Acts 21 14. 2. Sam. 15. 26. 5. The Angels do the will of God fully accomplishing whatsoever the Lord commandeth so ought we to do it fully and not by halves otherwise he will say to us as to them of Sardis Revel 3. 2. I have not found thy works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complete before God Remember the example of Herod Mark 6. 20. who albeit hearing John Baptist he did many things and heard him gladly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet because hâ—… continued in that sinne of incest his partiall obedience did nothing avail him He that keepeth all the law and faileth in some one commandment is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. And he that truly repenteth of any one sinne repenteth of all Where there is upright obedience there is intire obedience but where there is halving there is halting between God and Mammon between Christ and Antichrist The covetous man thinketh well of himself because he is not a whoremaster or a drunkard the riotous person thinketh well of himself that he is not covetous no extortioner c. the Pharisee because he is no Publicane Luke 18 c. Many separate justice and holinesse c. But herein we are as much as we are able to follow the example of Christ who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulfill all righteousnesse Matth. 3. 15. For if we will be men according to Gods own heart we must desire and endevoúr to do all his will Acts 13. 22. 6. The Angels of the Lord do his will constantly never giving over untill they have accomplished the will of the Lord so must we be constant persevering in obedience being not weary of weldoing knowing that we are redeemed of the Lord to worship him c. all the dayes of our lives Luke 1. 74. Our obedience must not be like the morning mist. Remember that religion is a way to the end whereto we cannot come untill the end of our lives and therefore if we set down our staff before we come to the end and will go no further what will all our former pains avail us If we run in this race and faint before we come to the goal how shall we hope to obtein the garland Be faithfull unto death saith our Saviour and I will give thee the crown of life Revel 2. 10. and Matth. 24. 13. He that continueth to the end he shall be saved 7. Lastly the holy Angels do the will of God faithfully and in all their doings seek the glory of God that sendeth them not assuming unto themselves any part of the praise So must we 1. Cor. 10. 31. For if therein we shall seek our own praise or other sinister respects we have our reward Thus must we truly in our lives desire and endevour to do the will of God on earth as the Angels do it in heaven otherwise when we make this prayer we do ask with our mouthes that which we desire not with our hearts Here therefore is discovered the hypocrisie of many men who pray that they may do the will of God which they will not do God would have thee to turn unto him thou prayest that thou mayest do the will of God and yet wilt not turn to him c. What is this then but to mock God when thou askest that of him which thou hast neither desire nor purpose to do But here especially appeareth the hypocrisie of obstinate and stiff-necked sinners who will seem so forward as to desire that they may do the will of God even as the Angels do it in heaven and yet in very truth obey the will of God no otherwise on earth then the devils in hell who although they oppose themselves against the revealed will of God yet willingly though unwittingly perform his secret will which no creature is able to disannull If therefore we would be thought to pray in truth let us desire and endeavour to do that in our lives which in prayer we ask and desire So having imitated the obedience of the Angels on earth we shall be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Angels and fellow-citizens with the Saints and Angels in heaven c. The fourth Petition HItherto we have spoken of those petitions which immediately concern the glory of God Now we are to come unto those which more nearly appertein unto our good Howbeit mediately also they are referred to Gods glory which must be the main end of all our desires for whatsoever we are to ask for our selves we are to desire no otherwise but as it is subordinate to Gods glory Spirituall graces and salvation we are to desire for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy in our salvation And because a Christian man is bound to believe that the Lord harh ordained him to salvation therefore salvation and those spirituall graces which are necessary thereunto may be asked absolutely as being subordinate to Gods glory with which he joyneth the salvation of the chosen Temporall benefits are to be asked conditionally so farre forth as they serve for Gods glory and our spirituall good Gods glory is to be sought for even in our eating and drinking and whatsoever we do 1. Cor. 10. 31. Nay our life it self is no otherwise to be desired then it is referred to Gods glory Psal. 80. 19. Preserve O Lord our life and we will call upon thy name Psal. 119. 175. Let my soul live and it shall praise thee Isai. 38. 18 19. Psal. 6. 5. and 30. 9. and 50. 15. Sufficientia vitae saith Augustine rectè appetitur non propter seipsam quidem sed ut eam habentes commodiùs Deo serviamus Sufficiencie for life is rightly desired not for it self but that we may more commodiously serve God Now these petitions are of two sorts For in them we ask either temporall benefits concerning the body for the maintenance of this life present or spirituall blessings in heavenly things concerning the soul for the obteining of a better life Of both which we have a promise 1. Tim. 4. 8. and therefore are to pray for both The prayer for temporall blessings is conteined in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give us this
the Father hath already given unto us In the second petition we desire that we may be drawn out of the power of darknesse and given unto Christ that he may rule in us by his word and Spirit Neither as I think would Christ have taught us to say Give us that bread of ours but rather that bread of thine For we are Christs and Christ is Gods 1. Cor 3. 22. and he is that bread of God which came down from heaven Neither would he teach us to ask this bread for a day but rather for ever And as touching the body of the prayer which is a summe not of all Divinity as they imagine but onely of those things which we are to ask as the Decalogue is the summe agendorum of things to be done and the Creed credendorum of things to be believed it may not be thought that in this perfect summe our Saviour Christ hath omitted any thing which we are to ask But if you shall not expound this petition of temporall blessings you cannot comprehend them in any other petition for to say that they â—…e comprehended in the first it is too violent an exposition As for the Papists that expound this petition of the Sacrament of the Altar they are more absurd For besâ—…des the reasons alledged they contradict themselves both by a divers exposition translating the same word Luke 11. 3. daily and by their practice For if the people arâ—… to ask that bread every day then are they bound in conscience to give it them every day whereas indeed they give it unto them but once a yeare Others derive the word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is used five times in the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the day following For of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adventare to come the participle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if you expound the word crastinus the sense will not agree that we should ask to morrows bread to day especially seeing our Saviour biddeth us not to care for the morrow But if you expound it as some do succedaneus that succeedeth which is all one in sense with quotidianus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daily the sense will well agree viz. That we ask that bread which daily we stand in need of cujus successione atque accessione quotidie egemus whose succession and accession we daily need Others expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenieâ—…t for substance and being as Suidas Basil in his short 252 questions expoundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that breâ—…d which fitteth our substance for the maintenance of this temporary life So Theophylact and Euthymius Gr. Schol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenient for our substance and being So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our daily bread signifieth that portion of temporall things which thou hast assigned as most fit and convenient for us Sic Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpretatur panem cibarium vel panem nobis sustentandis idoneum So Beza interpreteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread fit for meals or convenient to sustein us This exposition I take to be the safest not onely because it is made by the Greek writers whose judgement in this case we are rather to follow then the Latines but also because it agreeth with the Syriack interpretation Da nobis panem necessitatis nostrae But especially because it fully agreeth with that prayer of Agur Pro. 30. 8. Give me not poverty nor riches but nourish me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cibo dimensi mei vel pane praescripti vel portione quam assignasti mihi With the bread which thou hast allowed me or with meat appointed for my portion or give me the portion which thou hast assigned me as Gen. 47. 22. or as the LXXII interpret Give me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August Constitue mihi quae necessaria sunt sufficienter Give me those things which are necessary in a sufficient measure Now whereas the Lord Jesus doth direct us thus to pray he teacheth us to avoid two extremâ—…ties that we neither covet abundance nor affect poverty according to Agurs prayer Prov. 30. 8. Give me not poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient for me For those that desire either of these know not their own infirmity Wealth many times is accompanied with these vices 1. Pride oblivion and contempt of God Deut. 8. 11 14 17. and 32. 15. 2. Chron. 32. 25. August Divitiarum morbus superbia Pride is the disease of riches 2. Disdain and contempt of our brethren Luke 16. Dives 3. Security Psal. 30. 6. Luke 12. 19. 4. Confidence in riches Psal. 49. 6. Job 31. 24. 1. Tim. 6. 17. 5. The choking of Gods word in them Matth. 13. 6. The nailing of men unto the earth setting their heart and affections upon their pelf Psal. 62. 10. whereby it cometh to passe that they serve Mammon And these corruptions are not onely incident to the wicked but sometimes also to the children of God And therefore the Lord many times denieth prosperity to his children for their good and granteth it to the wicked who have their portion in this life Psal. 17. 17. Luke 16. 25. On the other side poverty is accompanied many times with 1. murmuring against God 2. repining at the better estate of others 3. distrust in Gods providence 4. using of unlawfull means 5. abandoning of all religion taking a desperate course of life as though they were perswaded that they have served God for nought Agur therefore finding these infirmities in himself which indeed naturally are in us all desireth the Lord that he would give unto him neither poverty nor riches left saith he I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord or lest I be poore and steal and take the name of my God in vain Prov. 30. 8 9. Here therefore two sorts of men are condemned 1. Those worldlings who covet after abundance of wealth not knowing that they further and increase their condemnation 2. Those superstitious Papists that vow voluntary poverty whereby they become unthankfull to God and unprofitable to men But our Saviour teacheth us to follow the middle course and commendeth to us a moderate desire of that which is necessary and convenient for us both for our own sustenance and also relief of others Now the same measure is not necessary and convenient for all men in respect of themselves For there is a necessity 1. of Nature quatenus homo as we are men 2. of Person quatenus solus est vel familiam habet as a man is alone or hath a family 3. of State quatenus est persona publica vel privata as he is a publick or private person The necessity of nature which is content with a little is satisfied with food and raiment 1. Tim. 6. 8.
not performed in that mannâ—…r and measure which his law requireth and therefore every one had neâ—…d to pray as Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement c. Secondly because whatsoever obedience we can perform it is a debt and duty Luke 17. 10. When we have done all that is commanded wâ—… must say that we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 12. and 13. 8. Gal. 5. 3. Now certain it is that we cannot â—…atisfie debt with debt but noâ—… withstanding our latter obedience we shall be debtours in respect of the former debt unsatisfied Seeing â—…herefore we are not able to satisfie for the least of our sinnes our Saviour hath taught us to say not with â—…hat serâ—…ant Matth. 18. 26. Havâ—… 〈◊〉 Master I will satisfie but Lord remit takâ—… away and blot 〈◊〉 our offenses Furthermore we are taught to pâ—…ay that the Lord would remit our debts that is not onely forgive the fault but also 〈◊〉 â—…he punishment in râ—…spect whereof sinnes are called debts And therefore it cannot be truly said thaâ—… God forgiveth the â—…ault and 〈◊〉 the punishment for which wâ—… our selves must â—…atisfie either in this life or in purgatory For if God should 〈◊〉 of us satisâ—…action for those 〈◊〉 which he pardoneth in Christ it would follow 〈◊〉 that â—…ither the sufferings of Christ were unsufficient or else that the Lord is unjusâ—… 〈◊〉 iâ—… is absâ—…rd that sinne â—…eing 〈◊〉 the punishment should be reteined For sinne is â—…he causâ—… of punishment and the cause being taken away the 〈◊〉 also is removed And again wherâ—…as sinne iâ—… 〈◊〉 increased in respect of that infinite Majestie and justice of God whiâ—…h is violated 〈◊〉 it is that we cannot satisfie for it before we have eâ—…dured endlesse puâ—…ishment which will never be Whereas therefore our Saviour Christ teacheth us thus to pray he sheweth that we cannot be discharged from thesâ—… our debts by our own satisfaction or merits oâ—… any other means but onely by the free remission of them and imputatâ—…on of Christs righteousnesse And this is to be understood not onely of our great and grievous sinnes but also of our lesse offenses which the Papists call veniall and erroneously hold not to be mortall neither need the death and merits of Christ for their expiation but may by the holy-water-sprinkle or by episcopall benediction or by knocking of the breast be taken away As therefore every sinne great or small deserveth death and is also punished with death either in Christ or in the sinner himself and as the bloud of Christ doth purge us from all iniquitie 1. John 1. 7. so that by him we have remission of all our sinnes so are we to pray that the Lord would for the precious merits and righteousnesse of our Saviour Christ remit all our sinnes both more and lesse from which we could by no other means be delivered but by the merits of Christ. But here it may be objected Our sinnes were forgiven in baptisme Acts 2. 38. therefore we need not now the forgivenesse of them Some answer That because we sinne after baptisme therefore we ought after baptisme to pray that the Lord would forgive our sinnes But this answer is not sufficient considering that in baptisme is sealed the remission of sinnes not onely past but also for the time to come during the whole course of our life For otherwise baptisme had need to be reiterated I answer therefore That we feeling the burden of our sinnes pray that the forgivenesse of sinnes which was represenâ—…ed and sealed unto us in baptisme may indeed be granted unto us and that we may feel in our selves the fruit and effect of our baptisme For we must not think that the Sacraments absolutely conferre grace to every receiver but onely upon those conditions which are conteined in the promises of the Gospel whereof baptisme is a seal Now the Gospel promiseth remission of sinnes and salvation onely to them that believe and therefore the Sacrament sealeth and assureth remission onely to them that believe For we ask forgivenesse onely for the righteousnesse of Christ but the righteousnesse of Christ is there imputed to righteousnesse where it is apprehended by faith In which sense we are said to be justified by faith alone and by faith to have remission of sinnes And therefore in this petition we desire that the Lord would work in us true faith that being united unto Christ and made partakers of his merits we may have not onely forgivenesse of sinnes but also aâ—…surance thereof by the anointment of the holy Ghost the Spirit of adoption crying in our heartâ—… Abba Father c. And because none attein to that measure of assurance but that it is mingled with some doubting therefore all had need to pray that the Lord would increase their faith and more and more assure them of the pardon of their sinnes Vs. This teacheth us to pray not onely for the remission of our own sins but also of our brethren it being a duty of charity to desire and to further the salvation of our brethren And this duty as it belongeth to all so especially to those that are governours of others either in the Church or Commonwealth Examples of Moses who oft stood in the gap Psal. 106. 23. Exod. 32. 21 32. Num. 14. 19. Samuel 1. Sam. 12. 23. Neither are we to pray for our friends and well-willers alone but also for them that hate and persecute us according to the precept and practice of our Saviour Matth. 5. 44. Luke 23. 34. and the holy martyr Stephen Acts 7. 60. And as we are to pray the Lord to forgive them so must we as willingly forgive them as we desire to be forgiven of the Lord neither can we in truth of heart desire God to forgive them if we do not Duties in prayer The duties which here we are taught to perform in prayer are either more peculiar to this kind of deprecation or common The former is Confession which must concurre with Deprecation of pardon and goeth before pardon as appeareth Psal. 32. 3 5. Prov. 28. 13. 1. John 1. 9. Num. 5. 7. Examples 2. Sam. 12. 13. Luke 15. 21. Now this confession is to be made of unknown sinnes generally as Psal. 19. 12. of known sinnes particularly Isai. 59. 12 13. And to this end it will be profitable to examine our hearts and our lives by the law of God taking a view of the duties therein commanded and vices forbidden that we may particularly see and acknowledge what duties we have omitted and what vices we have committed The common duties That we pray in fervency faith and perseverance That we may pray in fervency we must have both a true sense of our wants and earnest desire to have the same supplyed The wants which we are to bewail are 1. our manifold sinnes and transgressions for which we are to be grieved that
we have by them displeased and dishonoured God And to increase this godly sorrow in us we are First to consider and meditate of Gods manifold benefits undeservedly bestowed upon us and our unthankfull behaviour towards him c. Secondly we are to desire the Lord that he would poure upon us the spirit of deprecation that we may with bitternesse bewail our sinnes whereby we have so violated the justice of God that nothing could be found sufficient to appease or to satisfie the same but the death of Christ whom we by our sins have pierced Zech. 12. 10. Thirdly we are to consider the misery whereunto our sinnes make us subject both in this life and in the world to come In all which respects we must esteem our sinnes as a most heavy burden and being weary thereof we are by prayer to come unto the Lord that we may be eased thereof Matth. 11. 28. Neither are we to bewail our sinnes alone but as we are to pray for the pardon of other mens sinnes so are we also to mourn for the iniquities of the place and time wherein we live Ezek. 9. 8. Psal. 119. 136 158. 2. We are to bewail the hardnesse of our hearts that we cannot so bewail our sinnes as we ought 3. Our want of faith and assurance of the remission of our sinnes The graces which we desire are 1. Remission of sinnes and justification viz. that God would cancell the bill of debt Col. 2. 14. that he would take away our sinnes and cast them into the bottom of the sea Mich. 7. 18 19. that he would impute the merits and obedience of Christ unto us And secondly because we receive remission of sinnes and are justified by faith by which we apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ to our justification and without which the merits of Christ are not communicated unto us therefore we desire not onely that he would forgive us our sinnes but also that he would work in us a true faith whereby we may have assurance of the pardon of our sinnes and peace of conscience 3. Because our faith is weak therefore we are to pray for the increase thereof Luke 17. 5. and also that God would blesse unto us the means of the begetting and increasing of our faith 4. Because reconciliation and adoption are unseparable companions of justification we therefore must also pray that he would receive us unto his love and favour and give us his spirit of adoption that howsoever we be by nature the children of wrath yet being reconciled unto him in Christ we may have the testimony of his Spirit testifying to our spirits that we are the children of God 5. We pray not onely for righteousnesse and assurance of justification and peace of conscience arising from thence Rom. 5. 1. but also for the joy of the holy Ghost proceeding from them both Rom. 14. 17. Now that we may with fervencie beg these graces of God we must besides the sight and sense of our sinnes and the misery which they bring upon us consider the necessity of these graces First of remission of sinnes because sinne maketh a separation between God and us Isai. 59. 1. and maketh us subject both to the curse of God in this life and after and therefore above all things in the world we are to desire freedome from our sinnes without which our estate is most miserable c. and without which we cannot be saved Contrariwise in remission of sinne consisteth happinesse Psal. 32. 1 2. Secondly of faith without which the benefits of Christ are not effectuall to our justification sanctification or salvation By it we are made partakers of all the benefits of Christ to our justification and salvation In which respect the same benefits in the Scriptures which proceed from Christ are also ascribed unto faith Upon which follow reconciliation peace with God and joy in the holy Ghost and the beginning of eternall life it self in this life As we must pray for the forgivenesse of our sins in fervencie so also in faith that as we unfeignedly desire pardon of sinnes reconciliation with God so we are truly to believe that the Lord will heare our prayer that he will receive us unto mercy and at the length grant unto us the certificate of his Spirit the Spirit of adoption For that which he hath commanded us to ask he hath promised to give He commandeth us to ask remission of sinnes justification the Spirit of adoption c. therefore consequently we are stedfastly to believe that we shall obtein them The forgivenesse of sinnes is a chief part of the covenant of grace Heb. 10. 17. The Spirit of adoption is expressely promised to those that ask him Luke 11. 13. There 〈◊〉 that we pâ—…ay with perseverance never ceasing day by day to call upon God for the forgivenesse of our sinnes 〈◊〉 â—…rtificate of the holy Spirit assuring us thereof untill the Lord say unto our souls I aâ—… your 〈◊〉 and â—…hed abrâ—…ad his love in our hearts Neither are we then to cease from this prayer but as we sinne daily so are we daily to crave forgivenesse and as our faith is weak and mixt with doubting so daily to dâ—…sire the increase thereof c. Duties to be performed in our lives If we would make this prayer with upright hearts or would either hope to obtein this request or assurance that our prayer is heard I. We must be adorned with 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 5. 5. whereby we must acknowledge our selves so deeply indebted unto the Lord by reason of our manifold sinnes that he may mâ—…st justly glorifie his name in our endlesse coâ—…fusion and thâ—…t in respect thereof we are not worthy to â—…ook up unto heaven or to breathe in the aiâ—…e or to live upon the earth and that therefore it is thâ—… 〈◊〉 mercy of the Lord that we are not consâ—…ed For if we have humble and contrite hearts the Lord will be ready to heare our prayer and to pardon our sinnes The Lordreâ—…isteth the proud but he giveth grâ—…ce to the humble Jam. 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. The sacrifices of God are a 〈◊〉 spirit â—… conâ—…ite and c. Psal. 51. 17. Psal. 34. 18. Example in the humbled Publicane Luke 18. 14. For Câ—…rist 〈◊〉 not to câ—…ll 〈◊〉 righteoâ—…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to repentance Matth 9. 13. Luke 4. 18. Matth 11. 28. Whom doth he call with promise to ease them of the burden of 〈◊〉 but thâ—…se that 〈◊〉 under the burden of sinne and are weary thereof If therefore God hath given thee an humble heart thou mayest be encouraged to come untâ—… him for grace and pardon of sinnes For as iâ—… was sâ—…d of the blind man so it may be said of every onâ—… that is poore in spirit Be oâ—… good comfort he 〈◊〉 â—…hee But as humility maketh us fit to receive Gods gâ—…ace in the pardoning of our sinnes so is iâ—… also a good signe that our sinnes are pardoned For they onely are
promised of the Lord v. 7. Out of our Saviours words Luke 17. 3 4. it may be gathered that it is the duty of him that hath offended to acknowledge his fault with promise of amendment to him that is offended And this duty though-very late was performed by Josephs brethren Gen. 50. 17. But many when they have offended a man they do hate him so much the more as Amnon did Thamar 2. Sam. 13. 15. and are further from reconciliation then the party offended Because they having deserved ill of him as their conscience telleth them therefore they expect ill from him and consequently hate him And of such the Italian proverb is true He that offendeth will never forgive But these men that will not forgive them whom they have offended of all others are farthest from pardon because they be farthest from repentance Now let us consider how we are to behave our selves towards them that offend us Our duty standeth on foure degrees First if the offense be not notorious to take no notice of it but to dissemble it and to passe by it For as Solomon saith Prov. 10. 12. Hatred stirreth up contention but love covereth the multitude of offenses and Prov. 19. 11. The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger and it is his glory to passe by an offense Examples in Saul 1. Sam. 10. 27. and David Psal. 38. 13 14. Our first duty therefore when we are wronged is not to fret and fume storm and chafe and much lesse to proceed to brawling or blows For as Solomon saith Indignation resteth in the bosome of fools Eccles 7. 10. but he that is slow to anger is wise Prov. 14. 29. And to moderate our anger and desire of revenge let us consider these two things 1. That thy brother which offendeth thee is the rod of God c. 2. That as thou forgivest so thou must look to be forgiven If when thou art wronged thou chafest and stormest and presently revengest thy self when thou makest this prayer thou dost desire the Lord so to deal with thee that is when thou offendest presently to be revenged of thee The second duty is when we have been offended not to retein anger purpose or desire of revenge but freely and from our hearts to forgive one another Lev. 19. 18. Rom. 12. 19. Ephes. 4. 32. Col. 3. 13. And thus we are to forgive our brother openly if he acknowledge his fault and repent and that so oft as he seeketh reconciliation though it be seven times a day Luke 17. 3 4. If he do not ask forgivenesse but rather persist in hating and wronging us yet are we in our hearts to forgive him and to desire his good and to pray for his amendment Matth. 5. 44. Unto the performance of this duty we are to be moved by these arguments First if we will not forgive our neighbour the Lord will not forgive us Matth. 6. 15. Mark 11. 25 26. 2. If we retein anger and desire of revenge with what face can we pray unto the Lord to forgive us our great debts that will not for his sake remit those pettie debts of our brother And to this purpose notable is that saying of the sonne of Sirach Ecclus 28. 1 2 3 4 5. He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord and he will surely keep his sinnes in remembrance Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee so shall thy sinnis also be forgiven when thou prâ—…est One man beareth hatred against another and doth he seek pâ—…rdon from the Lord He sheweth no mercy to a man which is like himself and doth he ask forgivenesse of his own sinnes If he that is but flesh nourish hatred who will intreat for pardon of his sinnes Therefore Paul exhorteth us to pray lifting up pure hands without anger 1. Tim. 2. 8. and Peter signifieth that anger interrupteth this exercise of prayer 1. Pet. 3. 7. 3. If we do not forgive our brother in making this prayer we desire that the Lord would execute his vengeance upon us rather then crave forgivenesse c. For this cause as Augustine exhorteth we are above all other sinnes to lay aside anger and hatred when we come to pray For this prayer obteineth pardon for other sinnes but for this sinne it doth not but rather pulleth down vengeance upon him that desireth revenge As for those reasons which we pretend for our anger hatred and desire of revenge they are most vain especially if we compare the debts of our brethren to us with those which we desire to be forgiven of the Lord. For some will alledge The offenses which he hath committed against me are great and I cannot put them up But they are nothing to those sinnes which thou hast committed against God 2. Yea but he hath touched my good name And thou by thy sinnes hast dishonoured God and hast caused his holy name to be blasphemed 3. Yea but he is mine inferiour c. And what art thou to God 4. Yea but the offenses which he hath committed against me are maâ—…y and he never maketh an end of doing me wrong But nothing so many as thy sinnes are against God neither dost thou put an end to thy sinning 5. Yea but I have deserved well of him But not so well as God hath deserved of thee 6. Yea but I have sought to win him with kindnesse And hath not the Lord by his mercies invited thee to repentance 7. Yea but he hath been often admonished of his fault Not fo oft as thou Furthermore as thy brother offendeth against thee so for the most part thou offendest against him either by giving him occasion of evil or by anger and impatience conceived against him therefore the debt being mutuall thou shouldst be ready to strike off thine own debt by pardoning of him And although perhaps thou hast not deserved so ill of him yet thou hast deserved worse of the Lord who by him as his instrument correcteth thee and therefore must â—…ay as Mich. 7. 9. I have sinned and therefore I will bear the anger of the Lord. The third degree is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgetfulnesse That we should not onely forgive but also forget the offenses done against us as we desire that the Lord would forget the sinnes which we have committed against him And therefore this art of oblivion which Themistocles wished we are to beg of the Lord. The fourth is by Christian â—…harity to labour to win him and to overcome evil with goodnesse Rom. 12. 21. And this love must be exercised 1. by doing good to him that hath deserved ill Psal. 25. 21 22. for thereby also we shall resemble the goodnesse of the Lord who although he hath been diversly offended yet first seeketh reconciliation with us 2. in commending them to God in our prayers Matth. 5. 44. II. The second use is consolation to them who are ready to forgive
meant honour and praise 1. Tim. 1. 17. For to him belongeth the glory honour and prayse of bestowing all good things He is the fountain and authour of every good gift Jam. 1. 17. His is the glory of hearing and granting our prayers Psal. 65. 2. And to his glory whatsoever we ask according to his will doth especially tend Therefore as by his kingdome aâ—…d power he is able so for his glory he is ready and willing to grant our requests which we make according to this direction of our Saviour For what Christ hath taught us to ask in his name that the Lord hath promised to give for his sake in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen to his glory 2. Cor. 1. 20. This therefore serveth to confirm our faith For doubtlesse such things as tend to his glory he will grant especially considering it is his glory to heare the prayers of his servants and seeing to him belongeth the glory of giving every good gift but these things which we ask according to our Saviours direction do tend to the glory of God and to that end we ask them therefore we may be assured that he will grant our requests so far forth as they stand with his glory Now whereas our Saviour directed us to make this our first suit That Gods name may be glorified and now teacheth us to make his glory the reason of our prayers this sheweth That the glory of God should be the main end of all our desires for which wâ—… should affect them and unto which when we have obteined them we should referre them 1. Chron. 16. 35. Psal. 50. 15. And forasmuch as the glory is the Lords which he will not have communicated to any other Isai. 42. 8. therefore we are to call upon him alone as being the onely fountain of every good gift the onely hearer of our prayers Of which glory we rob the Lord if we direct our prayers to any other And as we are not to give his glory to any other so we are not to take it to our selves For seeing the glory is the Lords therefore vainglorious persons seek to rob God of that glory which is proper to him and to assume it to themselves But we must say with David Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord c. and with Daniel chap. 9. 7. Righteousnesse O Lord belongeth unto thee and to us shame c. But we ascribe unto the Lord not onely kingdome power and glory but also an everlasting kingdome an eternall power and immortall glory For as Moses saith Psal. 90. 2. He is God from everlasting to everlasting he is King for ever Therefore he hath right not onely in this life to crown us with his blessings but after this life he hath an everlasting kingdome to bestow upon us Luke 12. 32. unto which he is able and willing to bring us by his power everlasting to the immortall glory of his mercy Now these reasons as they must be propounded in faith so also with chearfulnesse as a consequent thereof And when they are chearfully uttered they are not onely reasons of our requests but also a notable form of praysing God which our Saviour hath taught us to joyn with our prayer And so the holy Ghost hath directed us elsewhere as Col. 4. 2. Phil. 4. 6. And that this is a form of prayse and thanksgiving appeareth by other places of Scripture where the men of God setting themselves of purpose to prayse God have used the very like form As David 1. Chron. 29. 10 11 12. and Psal. 145. 10. and 11. 12 13. Revel 7. 12. Jude v. 25. Revel 4. 11. Vses Duties concerning prayer 1. That we pray to God and him alone Whereof a reason is conteined in these words For his is the kingdome c. 2. That we pray in faith seeing our heavenly Father whose is the kingdome power and glory is both able and willing to grant our requests 3. That with our prayer we joyn prayse and thanksgiving which in this short form is not omitted Duties in our lives 1. To arrogate nothing to our selves but to ascribe all kingdome power and glory to the Lord Psal. 29. 1 2. and 115. 1. and of all good things received to ascribe the praise to God 2. If God be our King then must we behave our selves as dutifull and obedient subjects If his be the power then are we both to fear him and to trust in him If his be the glorie then of him must we beg all good things and to his glory must all be referred If his power kingdome and glorie be everlasting then are we taught whom to fear whom to serve whom to trust in namely him that is able not onely in this life to blesse us but also after to crown us with immortall glorie in his eternall kingdome If we serve the flesh the devil the world we shall have the momentanie fruition of sin and after this life is ended eternall torments God liveth for ever as to crown eternally the godly so to punish the wicked eternally He then will exclude them out of his kingdome and will be of power to destroy both body and soul in hell and he will glorifie his justice in their endlesse confusion Hypocrisie discovered But here the hypocrisie of men is to be discovered who ascribe kingdome to God and yet obey him not power and fear him not glory and glorifie him not and they adde all these reasons to their petitions as if they should say Thou Lord wilt grant our requests for thine is the kingdome power and glory for ever and yet do not believe that the Lord will grant their requests Amen And so much of the confirmation of our faith Now followeth the testification both of our faith and of the truth of our desire in the word Amen For it importeth the assent of the heart to the words of our mouth and it signifieth truly or even so or as the Grecians sometimes translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So be it The meaning of it is thus much as if we should say As I have made these requests unto thee O Lord so do I both unfeignedly desire the performance of them Let them O Lord be granted 1. Kings 1. 36. and also truly believe that thou in thy goodtime wilt grant my desires so farre forth as they stand with thy glory and my good and in this perswasion I rest attending thy good pleasure And as I have ascribed unto thee kingdome power and glorie so I do both unfeignedly acknowledge that thine alone is the kingdome c. and also heartily desire that I and all others may truly and effectually ascribe unto thee everlasting kingdome power and glorie For being annexed unto prayer it signifieth both the truth and earnestnesse of our desire and also the assent of faith laying hold on the promises of God made in Christ to our prayers And being added to thanksgiving it signifieth both the â—…ath
of our assertion in ascribing praise to God and also a true desire and zeal of Gods glory Hence therefore we may learn again those duties which heretofore have been taught 1. That we call upon the Lord with unfeigned lips and upright hearts truly desiring those things with our hearts which we ask with our mouthes and being truly thankfull for those things for which we give thanks 2. We must strive against our infidelitie and doubting Psal. 42. 12. and must truly believe that the Lord will grant our requests so farre forth as they stand with his glorie and our good otherwise we cannot say Amen 3. We are to rest in the good pleasure of God with assurance expecting his grace and help Psal. 123. 2. and 3. 4 5. and 4. 9. And thus our Saviour hath taught us with this word to seal up our prayer Which therefore is not unworthily of some called Signaculum orationis Dominicae the seal of the Lords prayer For he that truly believeth that the Lord doth heare him and goeth away resting in his goodnesse putting his Amen to Christs Amen John 16. 23. he hath set to his seal that God is true in his promises and that to the Lord belongeth kingdome power and glory for ever But here see the hypocrisie of men who say Amen but pray not from their hearts nor truly desire that which with words they ask nor are thankfull for that for which they would seem to give thanks neither do they believe that God will grant their requests and therefore though they say Amen yet therein they lie unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS The method observed in this tractate Of prayer The definition of Prayer Of the name of Invocation Prayer Of the generall nature of Prayer Psal. 5. 1. Damasc. De Orthodoxa side lib. 3. cap. 24. The proper nature of Invocation What is required in all invocation acceptable to God De orando Deo lib. 1. cap. 1. Isa. 64. 7. 1. Reason taken from the law of nature 2. Because it is the end of our creation and redemption 3. Because it is injoyned in the morall law Object Answ. Esth. 4. Special commandments injoyning prayer 1 From the excellency of it Lib. De orand p. 120. 2. From the profit of it August Chrysost. Atâ—…anas De Psal. 68. 1. Whether prayer be efficacious to obtein ouâ—… desires Object 1. Answ. Epist. 121. ad Probam Object 2. Hunnius De Providentia Answ. Arist. Phys. 2. Tâ—… Aquin. 2. 2. quâ—… 83. 2. c. Jam. 5. 16. Rom. 10. 12. Jer. 25. 11 12 Bellarm. Dâ—… bonis operib in particul lib. 1. cap. 3. Of the efficacy of prayer in respect 1. of the â—…lements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. of the heavens and heavenly bodies 3. of men 2. Kings 6. Chrysost. De orat lib. 2. cap. 1. 4. of sicknesse death and devils 5. of God prayer is of greatest essicacie The uses A threefold limitation of Gods promise to heare 1. God heareth not the impenitent sinners 2. That we must pray according to Gods will Object Answ. What in particular is required to â—…ffectuall prayer The third limitation in respect of the things prayed for Two benefiâ—…s accrewing by prayer Rom. 8. 26. The Papists confuted who hold that prayer is satisfactorie and meritorious That the righteous onely are admitted to pray There is a twofold 〈◊〉 Legall Evangelical what it is Hab. 2. 4. Isa. 59 1 2. John 9. 31. That the impenitent is not able truly to utter any petition in the Lords Prayer That all promises are limited with the condition of faith and repentance Object Answ. God heareth not the wicked for spirituall blessings That God often heareth the wicked for temporall benefits and how God heareth the wicked as a severe Judge August ad Probam Epist 121. 1. Reason An objection of the Rhemists answered The distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discussed De civit Dei lib. 10. cap. 1. Ails 20. 10. 1. Thess. 1. 9. Rom. 7. 6. and 12. 11. Quaest. super â—…xod lib. 2. 94. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suid 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason Jer. 2. 27. Thom. part 3. quaest 25. aâ—…t 4. 5. Reason Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 14. 23. That Angels ought not to be worshipped 1. Reason Vide Ambros in Rom. 1. pag. 177. 2. Reason Object Answ. That Saints departed ought not to be invocated 1. Reason 1. Exception of the Papists The glasse of the Trinity forged A second pretense of the Papists answered A third pretense avoided 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason Object Answ. 1. Object Answ. In Apolog. Rom. 1. 23. Psal. 106. 20. Whether it be lawfull to direct our prayers unto any one person in the Trinitie Whether Christ as Mediatour is to be invocated That we must worship Christ in his whole person and not in his manhood alone Ad Theodos. De rect fide 1. Tim. 1. 5. The Papists make two sorts of mediatours Object Answ. How the Saints in heaven may be said to pray and for what Contra Epist. Parmen lib. 2. cap. 8. The holy Ghost joyneth intercession and redemption both in one Contra Parmen lib. 2. Epist. cap. 8. The high Priest a type of Christ. 1. In respect of the soul in truth and uprightnesse of heart That our prayer must be the speech of the soul. Psal. 62. 8. The necessity of praying in truth proved by divers reasons Ephes. 6. 6. Praying with feigned lips to be avoided and what it is 2. We must not pray with wandring thoughts Serm. de Orat Domini Inter Orthodoxogr 1399 Tom. 4. Homil 79. 641. B. in F. Contra Julian lib. 2. ex Ambros. De suga seculi First we must know God 2. We must know Gods will and pray according unto it In Psal. 99. The doctrine and practice of the church of Rome confuted who presse prayer in an unknown tongue Concil Trid. sess 22. can 9 The Papists shifts avoided which they use to â—…lude the Apostles words 1. Cor. 14. Object Answ. vers 14. Object Answ. Lib. De Magistro cap. 1. That the people ought to understand publick prayers Basil. in des breb. 278. De Genes ad literam lib. 12. cap. 8. In 1. Cor. 14. De Tristib lib. 5. cleg 11. Contra Celsum lib. 8. Chemnit Exam par 2. 172. a. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Of private prayers in an unknown tongue and the evils thereof In Psal. 1â—… Expos. 2. Prayer unprofitable in our mother-tongue if we pray not with understanding Psal. 5. 7. A double faith required in invocation 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. That we must pray in faith proved 1. By testimonies 2. By reasons Ephes. 3. 12. Object Answ. Tom 3. 632. The necessitie and profit of humility proved by testimonies and â—…xamples Examples of the humility of the godly Luke 18. 13. Faith and humility must be joyned together Object Answ. Bernard De triplici modâ—… orationis serm 5. fol. 22. D. August Epist
56. Meditations to stirre up reverence Of heartinesse ferven cie and devotion required in prayer The signes of worship ought outwardly to be expressed with our bodies and the reasons why 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason Of the gestures which ought to be used in prayer Ad Simplician lâ—…b 2. qu. â—… Tom. 4. Vide Damas. De orthod fide lib. 4. cap. 13. 1. Praying towards the â—…ast A Standing 3. Kneeling Conferre 1. Kings 8. 22. with v. 54. and 2. Chron. 6. 12 13. Damasc. De haeres 4. Prostr ation 5. Sitting Ad Simplic lib. 2. quaest 4. 6. Lying in bed 7. Walking riding c. Of the gesture of the severall parts 1. The uncovering of the head in men 2. Of the eyes 3. Of the hands Chrysost. Hom ad pop 79. T. 4. pag. 643. F. Quest. Answ. August epist. 121. What is to be considered in our words Prolixity not to be affected Reasons 1. Alcibiad 2. Epist. 21. pag. 403. Ibid. pag. 402 Homil. 74. Tom. 4 pag. 641 642. Spist. 121. 402. Whether a set form of prayer may be used A set form is to be preferred before ex tempore prayer without preceding meditation Reasons 1. 2 3 4. I. Preparation The reasons why preparation is necessary This preparation consisteth 1. in removing impedimenâ—… Cassian Collat 9. cap. 3. 2. In using the means Meditation required before prayer Psal. 108. 1. II. Of the duties to be performed after prayer Cyprian Menandeâ—… How we may be enabled to pray according to Gods will Epist. 121. Lib. 2. De 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 120. Zech. 12. 10. Heb. 10. 29. Quest. Answ. 1. Of the persons In which respect it is publick or private Of publick prayer Private preparation required before publick prayer Of the voice to be used in publick prayer Of private prayer Object Answ. The Euchetae confuted 1. Thess. 5. 17. expounded Luke 18. 1. expounded Luke 21. 36. and Ephes. 6. 18. cleared That we are alwayes bound to the duty of prayer Of stinted prayers at set times unstinted upon occasions offered No time exempted from private prayer That there is no limitation of place for prayer The vanity of Pilgrimages 1. A sense of our wants and a desire to have them supplyed Prayer and thanksgiving must be joyned together Th. Aquin. 2. 2. quaest 83. 17. 6. What Prayer or Petition iâ—… Thegenerals of Invocation applyed to Petition Fervency faith required in our petitions Bern. De orat jejuâ—… serm 4. sol 21. R. Sense and feeling of our wants required in prayer Jam. 1. 5. How we may come to a sight sense of our wants That we must in prayer have an earnest desire to have our wants suplyed Epist. ad Probum 121. Epist. 121. The means to obtein fervency of desire A double faith required in prayer Mark 11. 24. Matth. 22. 21 That we must pray for spiritual things absolutely for temporall things conditionally Object Answ. Meditations to strengthen our faith in prayer Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. Ephes. 3. 20. 1. We must rest upon Gods pleasure for the obteining of our suits 2. We must use the means to obtein those things for which we have prayed 3. We must examine what is the cause that we are not heard 4. We must persevere in prayer 5. We must with patience expect Gods leisure 6. We must be contented with Gods good pleasure when he seemeth to deny us Aug. 〈◊〉 121. ad 〈◊〉 How we must carry our selves when our requests are granted 1. Of the persons For and against whom we must pray That we ought not to pray for the dead Object Answ. That we ought to pray for those that are alive Object Answ. That we ought to pray for unbelievers Object Answ. Of Blessing a speciall kind of prayer Chrysost. hom 79. Of Prayer against others Complaint Imprecation Whether imprecations be lawfull Contra â—…austum Our safest course is to abstein from imprecations Pag. 147. Object Answ. August De serm Dom. in mâ—…nte l. 2. Object Answ. Object Answ. Of confession of our sinnes and that it is most profitable and necessary Dè confessione peccat Serm. 66. De Tempoâ—… How this confession is to be made That examination should go before confession Charity and repentance required before confession and after Of prayer against the evil of punishment Vide Aug. â—…pist 121. Of the divers names and phrases whereby thanksgiving is expressed in the Scriptures Of the common duties required in thanksgiving Thanksgiving what it is The proper subject of Gods prayse is the church Thanksgiving can be rightly performed by the faithfull onely Thanksgiving is to be offered unto God alone Thanksgiving to be offered in the name of Christ. Of the manner of thanksgiving 1. Thankfulnesse 2. Remembrance of Gods benefits 3. A gratefull acknowledgment of Gods benefits 4. A gratefull estimate of Gods benefits 5. An acknowledgement of our beholdingnesse 6. An acknowledgement of our unworthines 7. Humility the mother of thankfulnesse 8. Joy and rejoycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reasons moving us to praise God The excellency of this duty 2. Praise honourable to God 3. Praysing of God necessary Asscensus graâ—…iarum est descensâ—…s gratiae Before is required preparation After we must testifie our thankfulnesse Of the object of thanksgiving We must give thanks continually Heb. 13. 15. Object Answ. Object 2. Answ. That we must give thanks alwayes for all things Basil. Basil. 386. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Lords prayer is to be used as a prayer That we ought not to be tyed onely to this form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That this form is a perfect pattern Ministers must teach their people to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agnoscit Pater filii sui verba cùm preces fundimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest. Answ. Of the Lords prayer The parts The order The prefacâ—… God a Father two wayes Quest. Answ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 2. 3. 1. Cor. 12. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 2. Rom. 8. 16. 1. John 3. 1. Psal. 103. 13. Mal. 1. 6. 1. Faith required in prayer 2. We must pray one for another Quest. Answ. 3. An use of comfort seeing all the Church prayeth for us Brotherly love required of all that pray 2. To teach the rich and comfort the poore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Object Answ. Adoration of images condemned Sâ—…ueca The order What is signified by Gods name What is meant by sanctified or hallowed Psal. 86. 12. Psal. 2. 10. Works of Creation Works of Administration Dan. 5. 22. How God sanctifieth his name 2. Thess. 3. 1. Two kingdomes in this world the first the kingdome of darknesse The second is the kingdome of God 1. universall over all 2. Speciall over the Church Of the kingdome of glory Psal. 16. 11. Of the kingdome of grace How Gods universall kingdome is said to come How the kingdome of grace cometh Three degrees of the coming of Christs kingdome 1. Outward meanâ—… The second outward means 2. The inward means
16. unto the wicked saith God What hast thou to do to declare my statutes and to take my covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and castest my words behind thee Sacrifices are to be offered by none but priests and all the faithfull and they onely are a royall priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 2. 5 9. Revel 1. 6. This duty is necessarily required of all and cannot without sinne be omitted by any but cannot be acceptably performed but by the faithfull And therefore the faithfull are in a speciall manner exhorted to this duty Psal. 30. 4 and 145. 10. and 149. 5 6. And this sheweth the necessity of faith in Christ and repentance towards God Again those which give thanks must be joyfull and rejoyce in the Lord but the wicked cannot rejoyce in the Lord neither ought they whilest they continue in their sinnes to be joyfull yea our Saviour denounceth à wo to such laughers Luke 6. The faithfull therefore alone are exhorted as to rejoyce alwayes so in all things to give thanks 1. Thess. 5. 16 18. Psal. 132. 9 16. and 149. 2 3 5 6. and 33. 1. Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righteous for prayse is comely for the upright Secondly as prayer so also thanksgiving is to be offered unto God alone as the authour and principall giver of all good things Jam. 1. 17. Psal. 50. 14. Col. 3. 17. Ephes. 5. 20. We may and ought to be thankfull unto men as unto the instruments of God as Rom. 16. 4. And to be unthankfull is a great fault 2. Tim. 3. 2. But if neglecting God we give thanks unto men as the authours we commit sacrilegious idolatry in robbing God of his honour and giving it unto men In this sense prayse and thanksgiving is a sacrifice which must be offered to the Lord alone and in this sense his name alone is to be exalted Psal. 148. 13. and therefore they which so give thanks to men or rest in the means they sacrifice unto them and make them their God they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their drag Hab. 1. 16. Eph. 5. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto God and the Father Thirdly Thanksgiving as well as Prayer is to be offered unto God in the name of Christ Ephes. 8. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christ Jesus Ephes. 3. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ Jesus Rom. 1. 8. 7. 25. Col. 3. 17. Heb. 13. 15. For we are an holy priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 2. 5. Revel 8. 3. Fourthly for the manner There is required in the soul 1. in generall that our thanksgiving be a speech of the soul and not of the lips alone David therefore in some places stirreth up his soul to prayse God Psal. 103. 1 2. and 104. 1. And elsewhere he professeth that he would prayse God with his whole heart Psal. 9. 1. and 86. 12. and 111. 1. that is with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. To which purpose Paul also exhorteth us to sing in our hearts unto God Ephes. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. To little purpose serveth the outward melody of the voyce unlesse there be a concent thereof with the heart We must therefore be carefull to sing Davids Psalmes with Davids affections but we may not sing or praise God either with feigned lips or with wandring thoughts 2. In the mind there is required first Understanding Psal. 47. 7. Col. 3. 16. and secondly Faith whereby we are to be perswaded that this our service and sacrifice of praise is acceptable unto God in Christ without which our thanksgiving cannot be as it ought chearfull unlesse we be perswaded by faith of Gods goodnesse towards us how can we be thankfull to him 3. In our heart it is required that our praise or thanksgiving be humble reverent and hearty Humble that we may ascribe the whole praise unto God unto whom alone it is due and assume no part thereof unto our selves Psal. 115. 1. Reverent for without reverence we cannot give unto the Lord the praise that is due unto his name Psal. 29. 2. nor ascribe unto him eternall kingdome power and glory We must in our thanksgiving rejoyce in God but we must rejoyce in reverence Psal. 2. 11. and 95. 2 6. performing therein a religious service and worship to God Hearty with all our heart and that in particular with thankfulnesse and chearfulnesse without which our thanks will be either cold or counterfeit See Psal. 68. 26. And as for bodily duties The voyce in more speciall manner is required in thanksgiving Therefore our tongue is called our glory because by it we are to glorifie God We are not by silence to smother Gods prayse but as we are inwardly thankfull so must we testifie our inward thankfulnesse by our outward thanksgiving And in this kind of Invocation especially is singing warranted and commended unto us in the Scriptures not onely of the Old Testament but also of the New Jam. 5. 13. Ephes. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Matth. 26. 30. Acts 16. 25. Fifthly this invocation also is to be performed by the help of the holy Ghost For naturally we are tongue-tied in Gods prayses but it is the spirit of God that doth open our lips that our mouth may shew forth his prayse Psal. 51. 15. It is the spirit of grace which maketh us to sing with grace in our hearts Sixthly and lastly our thanksgiving must be for good and lawfull things otherwise we go about to make God the authour of evil CHAP. XXXVI Speciall duties required in thanksgiving THe duties specially required in Thanksgiving do concern either the manner how or the time when or the object for which we are to give thanks For the manner there are duties required both in the action it self and out of it that is before and after In the action there are duties required both inward and outward The inward are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thanksfulnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chearfulnesse The former is required Col. 3. 16. that we should sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with grace in our hearts For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gratia do signifie both the benefit and the thanks as when we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratia gratiam parit A good turn begetteth thanks And in this sense the word grace is used for Thanksgiving at meals The grace therefore that is required in the soul is Thankfulnesse For outward thanksgiving without inward thankfulnesse is counterfeit and hypocriticall There is no doubt but that habendae sunt gratia quas agimus we must have thankfulnesse when we give thanks And as prayer is the expressing of our desire so thanksgiving is the testifying of our thankfulnesse And therefore as they play the hypocrites which pray for that which they do not desire so likewise they which give thanks for
that for which they are not thankfull either because they have it not or do not think themselves beholding to God for it Luke 18. And as in prayer the Lord especially regardeth the desire of the heart so in thanksgiving the thankfulnesse of the soul. Now unto this thankfulnesse there is required grata recordatio mindfulnesse in the soul agnitio acknowledgement in the soul affectio affection in the heart For first if we be not mindfull of Gods benefits non habemus gratias we bear them not in mind we are not thankfull And therefore we are often stirred up to remember Gods benefits and straitly charged that we do not forget them for to forget them is to be unthankfull See Deuâ—… 6. 10 11 12. and 8. 11 14 17 18. and 32. 15 18. Psal. 103. 2. and 116. 21. And this remembrance it must be effectuall moving us to be thankfull both in heart word and deed Psal. 78. 7. Deut. 8. 11. The second is a gratefull acknowledgement beneficii Divini of Gods goodnesse and officii nostri of our beholdingnesse To the gratefull acknowledgement of Gods benefit is required first a faithfull agnizing of the authour or benefactour and a right prizing of the benefit For if we would be truly thankfull unto God we must acknowledge what good thing soever we have whether spirituall or temporall by what means soever that God is the authour and giver thereof Jam. 1. 17. But infidelity in not acknowledging God to be the giver but either resting in the secondary causes which are but the instruments of God or ascribing the good things we have either to our good fortune or to our own industry or worthinesse maketh men unthankfull unto God For faithlesse men as when they desire any good thing which they want do not seek unto God so having obteined their desire they do not return praise unto him but ascribe the good thing which they have either to blind fortune with profane Atheists or to their idoles with idolaters and Papists Hos. 2. 5 8. or else rest in secondary causes as the principall and preferre the tool before the workman Isai. 10. 15. or attribute it to their own means and industry and so sacrifice to their net Hab. 1. 16. or lastly to their own wisdome and worthinesse as if they were gods to themselves Deut. 8. 17 18. The second thing is a gratefull estimate and a right prizing of Gods benefits as well when we have them as when we want them But ungratefull men lightly esteem the benefits of God when they have them which they greatly desire and highly prize when they want them The which is most usuall in ordinary blessings The benefits of health of peace of liberty the spirituall food of Gods word c. we make no reckoning of them when we have them but carendomagis quà m fruendo by wanting rather then enjoying them we learn rightly to prize them and God many times bereaveth men of these benefits that by the want they may learn rightly to value them and to be thankfull unto him for them Our duty therefore is not to extenuate Gods blessings but with thankfull acknowledgement rather to amplifie them in respect of the greatnesse of them the excellency the profit the commodiousnesse the necessity the sufficiencie saying with the Psalmist Psal. 16. 6. acknowledging also therein Gods wisdome power goodnesse fatherly providence and bounty towards us being perswaded that he doth all things well Mark 7. 37. and that by the gracious dispensation of his good providence he causeth all things to work for our good Rom. 8. 28. They therefore are unthankfull who either extenuate or lightly esteem the benefits of God which as I said is usuall in ordinary blessings Num. 11. 6. or which is worse do take in ill part that which God hath done for their good Deut. 1. 27. which is usuall in the fatherly chastisements and crosses which God layeth upon us for our profit Heb. 12. 10. But who is wise and will observe these things even he shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Psal. 107. 43. And as we are thankfully to acknowledge Gods goodnesse towards us so also we are humbly to acknowledge our own beholdingnesse Which we shall the better do if to the acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse we shall adde the consideration of our own nullity in our selves and our own unworthinesse For first if we consider that we came naked into the world in respect of temporall blessings and void of all spirituall goodnesse we will acknowledge that what good thing soever we have we are beholding unto the Lord for it Job 1. Naked we came into the world and naked we shall go out of it for what have we that we have not received 1. Cor. 4. 7. and that by the grace of God we are that we are 1. Cor. 15. 10. But secondly if we adde thereto the consideration of our unworthinesse by reason of our sinnes by which we have deserved the plagues of God in this life and eternall damnation in the life to come we shall be thankfull to God in all estates acknowledging that he hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Psal. 103. 10. In time of distresse we shall acknowledge his great bounty that we are not consumed Lam. 3. 22. and so be thankfull for his privative blessings And for the positive if we have any as we never are without some more or lesse we will acknowledge with Jacob Gen. 32. 10. that we are lesse then the least of his mercies But if in stead of heaping his judgements upon us which we have deserved he multiply his blessings which we have not deserved in the least degree how are we then to acknowledge our own unworthinesse with David 1. Chron. 17. 16. and 29. 14 15. True humility therefore is the mother of thankfulnesse But pride contrariwise maketh men unthankfull perswading themselves either that they have not so much as they are worthy of and so are discontented that they have no more or that whatsoever they have is to be ascribed to their own worthinesse wisdome or strength Deut. 8. 17. Isai. 10. 13. which is to make themselves Gods Ezek. 28. 4 5 6. Dan. 4. 30. Now this acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse and our beholdingnesse if it be effectuall as it ought to be will work upon the heart that it shall be gratefully affected with the sense of Gods goodnesse and bounty towards us causing us to love God and rejoyce in him and to be obsequious towards God in all duties of thankfulnesse For upon this sense and acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse towards us wherewith we are affected followeth alacrity and chearfulnesse which is the second inward duty required in thanksgiving For as the Lord loveth a chearfull giver so a chearfull thanksgiver and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks cometh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to rejoyce so 〈◊〉
truth being not willing to obtein that which we our selves do ask Duties respecting the matter And therefore as it is the duty of every one to make this prayer so none of us ought to think our selves exempted from doing the will of God Neither may we think it sufficient in words to professe God and in prayer to crave good things of him unlesse we be carefull in our lives to do his will Not every one that saith Lord Lord c. Matth. 7. 21. yea those that make a profession of religion and obedience as though they would perform obedience to Gods will and yet do it not are many times further from salvation then open sinners as appeareth by the parable of the two sonnes and the application thereof Matth. 21. 28 29 30. Neither may we think that we shall obtein our prayers unlesse we be desirous to perform Gods will For if we will not do his will why should we think that he will do ours Prov. 28. 9. John 9. 31. We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth If we ask any thing saith S. John 1. Epist. 3. 22. we receive it from him because we keep his commandments and do those things which are acceptable in his sight If therefore we be desirous and carefull to obey Gods will we need not doubt having these testimonies of a true faith but that both we and our prayers are acceptable unto God For our selves our Saviour affirmeth that those be his brothers and sisters that do the will of his Father that is in heaven Matth. 12. 50. And the holy Ghost giveth this testimony unto David that he was a man according to Gods own heart who would do all his will Acts 13. 22. And elsewhere the Scriptures ascribe blessednesse to those that do the will of God Luke 11. 28. For our prayers John 15. 7. Psal. 34. 15 17. And as we are to do the will of God in generall so more especially those branches of his will which after a more speciall manner are called his will His will is if we would be saved we should come to the knowledge of his truth and not live in ignorance 1. Tim. 2. 4. that we should turn unto him and not go on in our sinnes Ezek. 33. 11. that we should believe in Christ 1. John 3. 23. that we should be sanctified dying unto sinne and living unto righteousnesse 1. Thess. 4. 3. Mich. 6. 8. 1. Pet. 2. 15. that we should be patient in troubles and thankfull unto him in all things 1. Thess. 5. 18. And as we are to do the will of God so must we deny our own wills and renounce the desires of the world Duties respecting the manner And as touching the manner We are not to rest in opere operato in the deed done but as we pray that we may do the will of God on earth as the angels do it in heaven so must we endeavour to imitate their manner of obedience And albeit we cannot attein to that full perfection which is in them yet we are to strive towards it and therefore we are not to content our selves with that smal measure whereunto we have atteined but still we are to labour that we may grow up in grace seeing whilest we live here we are in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and growing age But let us come unto particulars 1. The Angels do the will of God in knowledge and so must we or else all our worship of God is but will-worship and all our religion but superstition Knowledge is the stern without which we rove and wander like a ship wanting a stern it is the light without which we walk in darknesse not knowing whither we go Without knowledge we have no faith and without faith it is impossible to please God And therefore miserable is our estate if we please our selves in ignorance 2. The Angels do the will of God sincerely uprightly labouring alwayes to approve their obedience to the Lord so must we obey the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with eye-service as men-pleasers but from our soul and heart Ephes. 6. 6. Rom. 6. 17. in singlenesse and uprightnesse of heart labouring to approve not onely our outward actions but also our inward affections and cogitations to the Lord knowing that he looketh not as man looketh but he especially respecteth the heart and according to the disposition of the heart esteemeth of men Without this uprightnesse all our obedience is but hypocrisie and all the graces which we seem to have but glorious sinnes c. 3. The Angels do the will of God willingly and chearfully their whole delight being to do Gods will so must we worship the Lord with upright hearts and willing minds 1. Chron. 28. 9. knowing that forced obedience proceeding onely from servile fear as it is violent so it is but momentany and therefore but counterfeit But we must worship the Lord in faith love and hope and consequently chearfulnesse willingnesse and delight for when the love of God is shed abroad in mens hearts by the holy Ghost men have assurance that their obedience and service is acceptable unto God and so they are encouraged in all chearfulnesse to offer their obedience as a free-will-offering to the Lord. First To whom much is forgiven they love much Luke 7. 47. and secondly those that have true love to them the commandments of God are not grievous 1. John 5. 3. the yoke of Christ is light Nihil difficile 〈◊〉 anti Nothing is hard to a lover To Jacob his seven yeares troublesome service seemed to be short and pleasant Gen. 29. 20. If therefore we truly love God we will take delight to do his will And thirdly if we have assured hope of salvation by Christ and live in expectation of happinesse we shall contemne all the difficulties of this life as not worthy the glory that shall be revealed and joyfully proceed in our way to life because of the joy that is set before us Let us therefore hold fast by this anchor for if we leave this hold we shall eftsoon fall away into worldlinesse whither the surges of worldly desires carry us And in this behalf as we are to imitate the example of the Angels so also of Jesus Christ whose meat it was to do his Fathers will John 4. 34. and therein also was his delight Psal. 40. 8. Facere voluntatem tuam Deus mi delector O my God I delight to do thy will Psal. 122. 1. Isai. 54. 13. 4. The holy Angels do the will of God readily speedily so ought we without delay put in execution the cōmandments of God behaving our selves towards our heavenly Master as the Centurions servants to their master Matth. 8. 9. Doth the Lord call thee thou must answer with David the type of Christ Ecce venio Behold I come Psal. 40. 7.
we have unto others considering that what I have received I am to esteem it as given not to me alone but to us Neither mayest thou think that thy prayer is upright if having obteined that which thou hadst asked for us thou shalt keep it to thy self Thou beggest not onely in thine own name but also in the behalf of others Therefore when God heareth thy prayer he giveth not onely to thee but by thee he giveth to others making thee not lord of that which he giveth but his steward and almoner and therefore howsoever thy goods be thine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ—… possession yet art thou to make them common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in use by doing good to all but especially to those of the housâ—…old of faith And as we are to pray that we may be able to help others so being able we must râ—…member to distributâ—… and to do good for with such sacrifices God is pleased What is meant by this day This day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Matthew or as Luke speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in diâ—…m for a day h. e. quantum huic diei sufficit so much as sufficeth for this day or as others expound according to the day that is Give untâ—… us that which is fâ—…t and 〈◊〉 for uâ—… in this our present estate For we need not the same things at all times the time of adversity requiring other blessings then the times of prosperity But the sense in Matthew and Luke is the same Give us that bread which is convenient for us this day or Give us that which is convenient and necessary for this day Now whereas our Saviour doth teach us thus to pray First he putteth us in mind of our frailty and mortality who have need day by day to be fed and susteined of the Lord. And secondly he putteth us in mind of our duty that as children we should come every day to our heavenly Father to â—…ave those things that be needfull for us And thirdly he teacheth us not to be distrustfully carefull for the time to come but every day to depend upon Gods fatherly providence being assured that when he hath nourished us to day he will not be wanting to us to morrow And 〈◊〉 as in maâ—…y things else the Israelites were a type unto us whom the Lord would have every day to gather manna for the day Exod. 16. 16. And fourthly he teacheth us to moderate our unsatiable appetite that we may learn to be content if we have provision for the day Whereas we pray for others to whom God giveth by us we are bound even to day without delay to supply their want and not bid them come to morrow or another time Prov. 3. 28. But here it may be demanded if it be not lawfull to provide for the time to come As we are to be content if we have provision for the day so if it please God to give more we are not to cast away his good gifts but reserve them nor suffer them to be lost John 6. 12. but to preserve them or else imploy them to good uses Yea if it please God to give means men are bound to provide for the time to come rather then by neglecting the means to tempt God 1. Tim. 5. 8. 2. Cor. 12. 14. the fathers are to lay up for their children And it is evident that in summer we are to provide against winter to which purpose the sluggard is put to school to the ant Prov. 6. 6. and in the time of plenty against the time of dearth Example Acts 11. 29. Gen. 41. 48. Lawfull therefore it is to provide for the time to come so that these conditions may be observed 1. That our desire and care in providing be not inordinate in labouring for the meat which perisheth more or as much as for that which endureth to everlasting life After which sort they offend who to gain the world do loose their soul as those do that stick not to sinne to obtein their worldly desire 2. That it be not immoderate or joyned with covetousnesse which is an insatiable desire of having more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. That it be not joyned either with distrust in Gods providence or trust in our store Luke 12. 20. 4. That we set not our hearts thereupon Psal. 62. 10. 5. That it be done neither with injury to our neighbour nor neglect of our poore brethren 6. That we lay up our goods to good ends that we may have not onely to supply our own wants and to provide for our family but also to relieve the necessities of others But Christ forbiddeth to care for to morrow Matth. 6. 34. He forbiddeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is carking and distrustfull care Christ biddeth us not to lay up treasures on the earth Matth. 6. 19. and forbiddeth us to labour for the meat which perisheth John 6. 27. I answer Those speeches are to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in comparison of spirituall food and heavenly treasures c. And secondly that we should not affect or esteem any worldly thing as our treasure but rather the righteousnesse and merits of Christ in heaven and those spirituall and heavenly graces whereby everlasting life is obteined For where the treasure is there the heart will be also And thus have we the meaning of the words The duties to be performed in prayer 1. To ask temporall blessings of God 2. To ask them aright For the first Men are not to have this conceit that temporall blessings are not to be asked of God as being unworthy for him to grant or unnecessary for us to receive For the Lords providence stoopeth to the smallest things to the lighting of a sparrow upon the ground to the feeding of all brute beasts Matth. 6. 26. Psal. 104. 27. and 145. 15. and 147. 9. Luke 12. 24. And he affirmeth that all both prosperity and adversity proceed from him Hos. 2. 8. that in adversity we should pray unto him and in prosperity praise him and in both acknowledge his mercifull providence And as for us certain it is that neither any of us in particular nor the whole Church in generall can continue our life in this world to the praise of God unlesse it please him to grant unto us a continuall supply of temporall blessings Therefore seeing God is the giver of them and we stand in need of them it behoveth us by prayer to acknowledge him the giver of them and to exercise our faith in asking them at his hands And that we are so to do it further appeareth by these reasons 1. Because Christ in this place commandeth us to ask them 2. Because we have a promise that we shall receive them 1. Tim. 4. 8. 3. The examples of the godly Jacob Gen. 28. 20. Solomon 1. Kings 8. 33 35 37. Agur Prov. 30. 8 c. who have prayed for them Secondly it is not
sufficient to ask these things of God but we must also be carefull to ask them aright and according to the will of God which that we may do there are duties to be performed both peculiar to prayer for temporall things and generall and common to all prayer The peculiar duties are these 1. That in asking temporall blessings we submit our selves to the will and good pleasure of God saying with our Saviour Not my will c. And therefore when we ask temporall things our Saviour teacheth us to deny our own wills and to desire that not our will but his will may be fulfilled 2. That we ask them not absolutely but so farre forth as they are blessings and good things with this condition that if they may stand with Gods glory and our own good For God hath promised to give good things to them that ask them But these are not simply good but as they have reference to Gods glory and our spirituall and everlasting good We must remember that in temporall matters God heareth men either in mercy as a father or in wrath as a judge but we come unto him as a father and desire him as a father to heare us c. 3. That we ask them to good ends not to spend them on our lusts but to imploy them to Gods glory in the supply of our own wants and theirs that belong unto us and also in the relief of other mens necessities either private or publick Ephes. 4. 28. Therefore we are to ask and to ask aright and this is that which James faith chap. 4. 2 3. Ye get nothing because ye ask not ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it on your lusts The generall duties to be performed in prayer for temporall blessings are that we ask them in fervency and in faith That we may ask them in fervency we must have 1. a true fense of our wants 2. a true desire that our wants may be supplied by the contrary gifts and graces We will for brevities sake joyn them together Every request presupposeth want Jam. 1. 5. Whereas therefore Christ biddeth us ask it proveth 1. our nullity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and poverty in our selves who neither have any thing but what it pleaseth God to give us neither can we by our means procure any thing that is good except it please God to blesse our means neither can we use and enjoy that which we have unlesse it please God to grant us the use thereof neither will the use thereof avail us except it please God to blesse the use of them giving them vertue to nourish and to cherish us and make them effectual to our good Wants to be bewailed In true sense therefore of this our want we are to pray that it may be supplied by the contrary gifts namely that God would be pleased to give unto us that portion of temporall benefits which he knoweth to be most fit and convenient for us and to that end that he would blesse our means for the obteining of that which we have not and also grant unto us the use of that which we have and lastly that he would blesse the use thereof unto us making them effectuall to our good 2. Whereas Christ teacheth us every day to say Give us this day c. it argueth our mortality and frailty who cannot continue our lives except it please God to make a daily supply of his temporall benefits whereby we may be susteined In sense of which our frailty we are day by day to poure forth our souls before the Lord saying Give us this day our daily bread that is that bread which we have need of every day as the Syriack readeth Luke 11. 3. As we are to acknowledge 1. our own nullity who have nothing of our selves and 2. our frailty and mortality who cannot continue except we have a daily supply so in the third place whereas our Saviour doth teach us to ask these things not as our own desert but as the free gift of God we must confesse our own unworthinesse who cannot truly challenge unto our selves the least temporall benefit that may be as our own desert but must as our Saviour hath taught us beg it of God as his undeserved gift Therefore we are to come unto God not in our own worthinesse but in his manifold mercies acknowledging with Jacob that we are lesse then the least of his mercies that we are not worthy to breathe in the air not to dwell upon the earth or to enjoy any of his blessings which therefore we humbly beg of him that he would give them unto us for his mercies fake in Christ Jesus 4. Whereas our Saviour teacheth us to ask our bread which we have gotten by good means to be given us of God this argueth 1. our coveting of other mens goods 2. our diffidence and distrust in Gods providence which maketh us ready in time of our need to use unlawfull and indirect means In sense of which want we are to pray that we may depend upon his providence and cast our care upon him expecting with all the creatures our daily food from him and in all our need may be carefull to use good means and with quietnesse to work that is good that we may eat our bread given us of God For that is onely ours which we have by good means and that onely is given of God which is well gotten 5. Whereas we are taught to desire God to give us these things notwithstanding our means and the abundance of goods which we possesse this argueth our confidence in the means for obteining our desire and our trusting in the goods once gotten In respect whereof we are to pray that both in the means and in the use of the things we may learn to depend upon Gods blessings without which all means are uneffectuall and unprofitable and therefore we must desire notwithstanding all our means and abundance of goods that God would give us our daily bread 6. Whereas he biddeth us ask bread teaching us to bridle our desires and to be content with a little this sheweth our covetousnesse and discontentednesse many times with our present estate In sense whereof we are to desire that as we do ask our daily bread of God so having that which we have asked we may not onely rest contented but give thanks to God that heard the voice of our prayer 7. When he directeth us to ask 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daily bread it bewrayeth our either superstitious and phantasticall contempt of Gods gifts with them that affect voluntary poverty or else our worldly and immoderate desire of more then is sufficient that in sense thereof we may with Agur pray Give me not poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient for me 8. Where he biddeth us say Give us this pointeth at our self-love whereby every man desireth good things for himself although many times it