as many beams of the sun meeting in a glasse do beget a burning so are the spirits and faculties conjoyned and heated in prayer Thirdly When tongue and tears are the index of a melting heart then men may be said to be fervent in prayer Thus David discovers his work in prayer Psal 55.2 Attend to me and hear me I mourn in my complaints and make a noise he bent as it were all his nerves and set up his note So doth Hannah 1 Sam. 1.10 when she is said to be in bitternesse of spirit and prayed to the Lord and wept sore Mary Magdalen manifested her fervency by those streams of tears that ran through her supplications I do not say that the strength and work of prayer doth consist in extension of the voice or vehemency of pronunciation Moses and Hannah prayed fervently and yet spake not a word neither do I judge tears unseparable from effectual Prayer But this I say that the voice may be much helpful to increase devotion and to move compassion and when tears do accompany they are good symptomes as Calvin speaks Lachrymae non sunt vera poenitentia at affectus symbola poenitentiae They have strength and a voice â—s well as words Psal 6.8 The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping lachrymae pondera vocis habent As musick on the waters sounds farther and more harmoniously then on dry land so do prayers joyned with tears cry louder in the ears of God and make sweeter melody then when they be absent Fourthly When a man borroweth strength and getteth hands to joyn with him Wo to him that is alone Society is usefull both in preaching and in praying Therefore our Saviour sent out his disciples by two and two vis unita fortior as the gathering together of waters make the stream stronger and the voices of many together the louder sound So it is here single prayer is like the single hair of Sampson but those of a Congregation like the whole bush Deus pluris facit preces in Ecclesiâ quà m domi factas non ob locum sed ob considerationem multitudinis fidelium Deus communi consensu invocantium as Rivet notes As those use to do who would fain speed in their Petitions to great men they get hands others to joyn in pleading and speaking for them so it is here yet understand this inclusively you must pray your selves and for your selves Not as Pharaoh and Simon Magus who put it wholly on others Orate pro nobis Fifthly When men are frequent and constant in Prayer so as to receive no deniall discouragements and worldly impediments notwithstanding Importunity carrieth fervency in its bowels Jacob would not let the Angel go till he blessed him and will stand to it though upon one leg Hannah multiplied to pray 1 Sam. 1.12 Paul sought the Lord thrice 2 Cor. 12.8 i. e. frequently fervently He is advising men to pray continually i. e. habitually vitally Colos 4.2 Semper orat qui bene semper agit Wait upon prayer persevere with strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is attributed to the hunting of Dogs which will not cease following the game till they have got it And Rom. 12.12 continuing watching in prayer it imports constancy with vehemency And this was the practice of that poor woman Mat. 15.22 Have mercy on me thou son of Daevid c. And after denials she rises higher and locks her self within the deniall and pleads Gods truth and justice if mercy will nor serve let thy words be true I am a Dog and there is something for Dogs let me have a Dogs portion crumbs I crave no mo e. David and Daniel prayed thrice a day and otherwhiles seven times Of saâ—ous Bolton it is reported that he constanâ—ly prayed six times a day viz. twice by himself alone twice with his wife â—nd twice with his family And of Theodosius that pious Emperour Cujus regia non dissimilis crat monasterio that his Court was like a Church for piety and devotion Of Constantine the great that he conversed more with God then with men All men of might in Prayer Constancy bespeakes fervency Sixthly When in Prayers men do heat others by the beauty and livelinesse of a well-order'd working prayer A living coal will inliven others and one candle lighteth others Grace where it is endeavours to kindle where it is not as where is life there is also a seminary of propagation and the more excellent the life is the more pregnant is it to propagate in its kinde like the glow-iron on the Smiths Anvill câ—sting light and heat round about it But because this may be brought about by one who is not formally fervent effectively as the Philosopher speaks of the sun there are some cautions to be added to this mark In such a zealous petitioner who heateth others with the fervency of his Devotion there is required First a sense of that misery which the voice deciphereth both in confession of sin and deprecation of judgements Secondly A grounded hope of relief upon experience of some promises Thirdly Sincerity in the Petitioner the truth spoken must be in the inward parts that what is asked of God be for God for his service and glory as Hannah in her Samuel There may be an inward coldnesse and yet an outward heat the nature of the Amber-stone as in hypocrites who know much of God bur do little for him this may heat and benefit others though not themselves Again there may be an inward heaâ— and for some time in some duties yet no audible expressions as in Moses and Hannah they cryed to the Lord and yet said nothing their heat was as a flame kept in encreasing This zeal in prayer is most acceptable to God as the prime object of his eye and ear although noâ— so beneficiall to men for unlesse the Petitioner burn with zealous heat and expresse it he shall never enflame the heart of the hearers nor quicken their devotion as Austin speaks Enar. in Psal Seventhly When men joyn endeavours and other things seasonable and usefull together with Prayer As the wise mariner who hath not onely an eye to the Star but an hand to the Helm and as the Plowmen of Sparta who had one hand held up to Ceres whom they feigned the Goddess of corn and the other on the stilts of the plow they joyned plowing and praying The good man not onely lifts up his heart to heaven but puts his hand to the work to compasse what he prayes for The Heathen could say admota manu invocanda est Minerva and they noted him for a foolish Carter that when his Cart stuck fast cried to God and moved his lips but not his hands to help himself Semper orare est semper operari Aug. If thou callest for knowledge saith Solomon and criest for understanding there is Prayer to God If thou seek her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure there is mans endeavour in
AN USEFUL TRACTATE TO Further Christians of these dangerous and back-sliding times in the Practice of the most needful Duty of PRAYER Wherein are discover'd the nature necessity and successe of FERVENT PRAYER Many Objections answered several Practical Cases of Conscience resolved and all briefly applied from this Text viz. James 5.16 The effectual fervent-prayer of a righteous man availeth much Being the substance of several Sermons Preached in the Town of Columpton in Devon By William Crompton M. A. Minister of that part of Christs Church there John 16.23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name he will give it you Coloss 4.2 Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving London Printed by J. H. for Philemon Stephens at the Gilded Lion in S. Pauls Church-Yard 1659. ALthough there be many excellent Treatises already printed concerning Prayer yet this ensuing Discourse hath a peculiar excellency in it for which it deserves to be bought and diligently perused And let me assure the Reader that he will neither repent of his mony nor his pains and that it will be his happinesse to be transformed into the doctrine herein delivered Febr. 15. 1658. Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY I Have perused this Treatise of Prayer from the beginning to the end and I conceive it will be good service to God and his Church in the making of it publick not so much because of the delight it will yield to those that read it as because I hope the holy directions which are herein given will be of much avail to teach men to pray so that their prayers may be the Lords delight Pro. 15.18 ARTH. JACKSON Pastor of the Church of Faiths under Pauls Januar. 19. 1658. TO THE VVORSHIPFUL ROBERT COCKRAM Esquire his honoured Patron with the rest of my constant Auditours in the Town and Parish of Columpton The dew of Heaven be your portion as the beauty and fatnesse of the earth is your habitation grace mercy and peace be upon the heads and hearts of you all that love Christ Jesus in sincerity BEsides my readinesse to gratifie the desire of some among you and willingnesse to give some signal of my unfeigned love to you all I have been easily induced to publish the following Treatise by these following considerations viz. 1. That I might the better confirm these things wherein you have been instructed * Luke 1.4 and not seem to labour altogether in vain by bestowing so much time on that which was to vanish in the hearing a sad lot which waits on the best things committed to leaking ears as water poured into a vessel full of chinks 2. That I might benefit those absent yea if it may be the people that are yet unborn Psal 102.18 3. That I might leave a memorial with you whenever it shall please the Lord of the Vineyard whose I am to call me off from you and so supply my absence though by death speaking to you when I cannot see you yea living with you when dead and laid in the dust †Sic Mathaeus cum praedicasset Hebraeis ad gentes ire pararet utile judicavit si iis quos corpore deserebat aliquid memoriale doctriâ—ae suae relinqueret Ut Bel lib. 4. de verb. Dei non scrip c. 4. notavit ex Eusebio 4. Because the matter thereof is weighty and the designe of no small consequence it is to guide you in your going to God how to converse with him to manage well your performances in which if you are defective the whole will be unprofitable Religion is curious clock work if but one wheel fail so wâ—ll all the rest and as one string in a Lute dissonant and unharmonious to the rest corrupteth the whole Musick There is in every duty absolutely required righteousnesse quoad substantiam operis and no lesse quoad modum the matter and the manner are of equal concernment the flie in the Apothecaries ointment and miscarriage in the Christians performance render both unsavoury If you are resolved to the duty as I hope you are and more Practitioners in it see here what it is will adorn your sacrifice why it must be so accommodated and how it may be discerned besides other things which occur for your information therein There are its true other more excellent Discourses of this nature extant some of the same metal bearing a better stamp but this I commend to you soonest because your own it is hony that was gathered for your use milk drawn from your own brest and therefore most proper for you it is a sheaf gathered out of your own field a dish taken from your own table if it be not so well filled as might be expected so circumstantiated as the subject doth deserve you cannot despise it except you blame your selves who chose the Cook Accept it then with the same love it is offered read it with the same diligence you heard it If any among you may be informed convinced confirmed resolved comforted quickned by any thing here presented I shall account a sufficient recompence and rejoice that I have not run in vain And now my Beloved since I have opportunity suffer me in the eye of the world to exhort you The publishing of these things was chiefly intended for you let it be your care to be the principal Proficients by it here is a talent committed to your careful improvement lay it not in a napkin hide it not in the earth Now be doing move Planet-like uniformly Covet grace rather then gifts as to pray more fervently though lesse notionally yet strive to come behinde in no spiritual gift Be men of excellent spirits and expresse sincerity by your fervent endeavours after communion with God and fellowship with Christ Like the Eagle soar aloft but out of love to Heaven Trade for grace your trading on earth is slack unprofitable Let your conversation be now where you would have it to be shortly when you shall be here no more be not slack in closet-services do not you as others that restrain prayer before God but continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving O pray continually and that not out of form but feeling Serve God faithfully keep close to Christ your Captain Stand in your order O 't is a stragling age fly not from your colours quit your selves like men and men of valour souldiers in the spiritual war for Christ and his truth manifest your actual membership of the Militant Church be mindeful of the yet suffering body of Christ join your mutual forces for her help fervent prayer will do it be not weary nor wanting But my-thinks I hear you reply and say with Samuel God forbid that we should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray I will therefore dismisse you with prayer to God for you in the words of old Eli Go in peace and the Lord of Israel grant you your Petitions which you have
his thigh was lamed Moses in praying for the people craving leave for himself to enter Canaan how earnest was he with God how doth he work it out The woman in the Gospel was full of this heat Matth. 15.25 She will not be said nay like another Gorgonia she threatens heaven and is modestly impudent and I think it was for that end Christ held her off so long We may see it enjoyned in general Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength what we do to or for God it must be done cum toto valdè with all our might Pressed and practised in particulars Isa 12.6 Cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion Exod. 14.15 Moses cried to the Lord. The Ninevites cry mightily to God Jonah 3.8 It notes the strength of affection Elijah cried earnestly to God Jam. 5.17 Christ as Mediator sent up strong cries to his Father Heb. 5.7 He prayed as he preached He preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one having authority and he prayed likewise powerfully and effectually Paul adviseth the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to strive together in prayer to God Rom. 15.30 A military word he useth noting such fervency as is for life and deâ—th as he testifieth of himself that he prayed night and day The Primiâ—â—â—â— Christians at their services and dâ—votions with one shoulder were so earnest that they seemed to besiege the Throne of grace to raise a common force and strength to invade and use violence with God in prayer as it is related by Tertullian Apol. 39. In the prosecution of this point I intend this method viz. to â—â—ew what prayer and what fervent prayer iâ— opening and applying the description following Prayer is a fervent expressioâ— of holy desires to God only by Jesus Christ This is to pray fervently Orationi instare fortiter incumbere Col. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Continue in prayer which implies both intention of minde and assiduity in the exercise First I say it is a fervent expression So much these ordinary tearms used in Scripture do import as calling out of the deep pouring out of the soul and crying to heaven expressed also in other Scriptures 2 Chron. 32.20 Hezekiah the King and Isaiah the Prophet prayed and cried to heaven Luke 18-1 Men ought alwaies to pray and v. 7. the elect cry day and night I shall labour as fully as I can to unfold what I have read and observed touching this fervour in prayer and enquire Qu. 1 First What this fervencie is A. We may conceive the nature of it in these three following branches Ans viz. First It is the very hâ—at and height of all gracious affections in a Zealous moving oâ— the soul to God in prayer and for God after prayer where there is no Zeal for him there is little to him and again where there is none to him in our prayers commonly there is none for him in our actions he that is cold in prayer is not hot in any good cause except where self is principle or end Though I do confesse diversity of Degrees in Zeal to God and for God which are diversly manifested and sometimes eclipsed in Gods dearest servants best skill'd and most exercised in prayer Secondly Fervency is the influence and efficacy of the regenerating Spirit of Christ helping his own needy members to pray so as they may be heâ—â—d Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray wâ—â—â— the Spirit Though you be we k yet the Spirit is willing and strong And so much onely as cometh in our prayers from the renewed part findes acceptâ—â—ce with God If the motion be good he will not accept it from an ill mouth nor own these prayers which 〈◊〉 not indited by the Spirit of grace â—nd supplication Thirdly It is a reverently-Zealous manifestation of both the former in words sutable for matter and manner to a renewed mind as may be most beneficiall to the hearers if it be publick the heart is the fountain of this heat and life the tongue is but an instrument and God looks chiefly to the first Moses and Hannah prayed fervently to God and yet spake little or nothing The latter is for mans sake Secondly We enquire when are Qu. 2 men said to be fervent in pâ—â—â—er and in dealing with God to use their strength Ans I answer in the ensuing particulars First When they are moved by the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 and 26. compared Ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father and the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Then a man prayeth with strength when the Spirit helpeth The same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Spirit is attributed both to the Spirit of man and to the holy Ghost or Spirit of God because as that gives motion and operation to the body which of it self could never performe so doth the Spirit of God to those that partake of it Hence of Stephen and others when they performed any notable exploit of grace it is said they were filled with the holy Ghost The heart of man indeed is but as so much cold earth till the Spirit of adoption inflame it and when this is gone all the strength is gone as a wheel that is turned about with an hand if the hand be removed the wheel standeth still The duty is weâ—k and empty till the Spirit overshadow the soul and then it is a living body We know of old the Symboles of the Spirit were fiery tongues and where this fire is it melts the coâ—â— ice its heavenly flame appears in â—uty As Eliahs body was carried up with a whirlwind and a fiery Chariot to heaven so are gracious souls moved by the Spirit of God in prayer for as its motions are regular in regard of the object so they are vehement in regard of the manner Secondly When men are inwardly heated with a sense and feeling of what they pray for Noahs Ark rose higher as the waters grew higher want will adde sticks to the fire and make the flame more fervent Hence coâ—e groans unutterable earnest ejaculations like darts shot up to heaven David is an exact pattern for this Psal 42.1 2 3. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God! my soul thirsteth for God for the living God c. As a child as soon as it comes into the world begins with cries and tears because of its indigency so where there is any spiritual life and heat the first discoveries of it are by sighs and groans Beggars cry earnestly from apprehension of want as the blind man did Luke 18.41 O thou son of David have mercy on me And as the Apostles did Lord save or we perish When a man praies as Rachel whilst she spake to Jacob Give me children or I die or as Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13 who spake in her heart then he is fervent For
the use of means Many things are requisite to prayer according to the nature of the blessing if Spiritual then fasting and almes as Cornelius practised Acts. 10. Repentance and Prayer as the Ninevites did Jon. 3.8 Hearing the Word and use of the Sacraments which are instituted meanes for accomplishing great and saving ends And so if the blessing be temporall Vain are desires not produced to action Aristotle writeth of the Bathes in the Parthecusian Islands that they are fiery hot but send forth no flames that fervency cannot be commended which is smother'd and pent up in the heart gets no vent hath no extrinsecall operation Augustine relates it as a vanity of his youth that he prayed God against some sins whereunto he was strongly addicted but should have been full sorrowfull if God should have heard him because he was loth to part with them how much better was that prayer Domine Deus fac me in consequendis iis operam collocare pro quibus obtinendis soleo ad Te orare i. O Lord help me to bestow pains in getting those things for obtaining of which I usually pray unto thee Confesse sin you must and not sleight pray for pardon and power with desire and longing after them not as Austin did with a secret reservation or as Spira and the hypocrite who pray for grace but saw no beauty in it why it should be desired saved without it they cannot be that they only apprehend But rather say with David My heart is prepared O God my heart is prepared and with Paul I will pray with the Spirit and with understanding This is to work in prayer to use strength and fervency Now is the soul on the mount of transfiguration this is to pray in prayer and the second Question answered Thirdly Why must men be thus Qu. 3 zealous and fervent in prayer I Answer First Ans Not because God like men standeth in need of a Committee of Examination for discovery nothing is hid from him he is omniscient as he heareth without ears so he understandeth without words And yet it must be so for these reasons viz. First That you may acknowledge his Propriety even as children do their fathers when they come for food in the good things you want and receive them with more joy and thankfulnesse God will be owned and have his Lordly-right acknowledged If we take any thing that is our neighbours without asking them leave we shall be accounted theeves so to take and possesse the things of God without asking his leave will be accounted felony of the highest nature Secondly That you may learn to distinguish between gifts of promise and of common providence the first are effects of special grace requiring faith and prayer I will be sought unto by the house of Israel the latter are fruits of common goodnesse flowing from that fountain according to his unchangeable purpose for the supportance of creatures till they attain their pre-ordained ends the first are peculiar to the good only the second common as the sun to good and bad Thirdly That by this familiar entercourse between God and the soul your graces may be both exercised and increased that hereby I say we may have communion with God and grow into acquaintance with him whereby the stock of grace is much augmented as good company doth increase it so doth converse with God much more set this duty aside and man becomes a stranger to God his graces decay and he becomes cold and loose This is the first reason Secondly Because the Lord loves an importunate sutor Fervency like rosin to the strings of a musicall instrument makes the sound pleasant Haec vis grata Deo est saith Tertullian It doth as it were charm God it is a weapon well managed that overcomes the invincible a cord that binds the Almighty as Jerom phraseth it It is a strength he hath promised to yield unto Isa 45.11 Command ye me as some glosse the place As they write of Proteus that when any came to consult with and to receive Oracles from him he would first turn himself into a thousand shapes and varieties of colours but if they pressed him with importunity and held him close to it he then would give them satisfactory Oracles God may indeed seem to slight the prayer of his people as we slight a confused noise and wind himself from them but when they grow fervent then he lets them to be their own carvers It will bow down his ear and pull the hand out of his bosom to speak with the Psalmist Psal 145.18 He is nigh to them that call upon him in truth The Canaanitish woman is put off three times and her fervency is crowned with successe It is recorded to the everlasting renown of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 31.37 that in every service of God he acted with all his might and he prospered Thirdly Because he that asketh any thing coldly doth but teach a deniall Carelesse heartlesse prayer is one of the most unsavoury parts of formallity dishonourable unpleasing to God as a body without a soul as incense without fire say the Jews Yea and to men unprofitable as a Diamond that is not right and as a Picture not drawn to the life are of no value Formall cold devotion like Caesars heartlesse sacrifice will never finde acceptance Painted fire as it hath no heat so it is of no use We may as soon cleave a rock with a wedge of wood grasp the winde in our hand as make carnal cold affections to draw any thing from God There is no great odds between the omission of duty and the carelesse performance of it man is loser both ways The Bow that is slack bent carries not the Arrow to the mark formality and coldnesse destroy the very vertue of prayer as doth Garlick the drawing vertue of the loadstone applyed to it Therefore we must be fervent We must be fervent seekers before we can be happy enjoyers God will have us Jacobs before we shall be Israels Fourthly The matter about which you are employed is weighty and of great concernment viz. to procure pardon and power over sin supportance under temptations Giant-like corruptions sons of Anack to prevail over removal of Judgments renewed peace after much treachery and hostility Now these are not matters of an inferiour alloy they are things not to be obtained with a single sigh opposition from earth and hell is not to be conquered with a sleight breath It is not a dull wish a languishing velleity an heartlesse endeavour that will win the day There must be passionate longings and breakings of heart with continual desires after God Great stones you know are not to be turned over without great strength and great mercies are not to be obtained without great strivings The matters we pray for require fired affections enlarged petitions as the Heathen said Imperia quolibet pretio constant lenè a Kingdom cannot be bought too dear Agrippina thought the Roman Empire a good penyworth
also may be profitably enquired two things First Why our prayer must come Qu. 1 from a spiritual principle The Reasons will appear to be such as these 1. Ans Because it is directed to the Father of Spirits who is delighted with spiritual service and accepts nothing in this kind from men but what comes from a spiritual principle It is therefore we hear the Apostle enjoining prayer in the spirit Ephes 6.18 and praying in the Holy Ghost Jude v. 20. This is the wind must set youâ— mill on work and the poise that should cause your clock to strike 2. It is to distinguish prayers First Because many prayers are but natural desires or hypocritical expressions of counterfeit devotion The Ravens call upon God and some we read of did howl on their beds and were importunate for corn wine and oil but from a natural principle which as the Grashopper hope not much above the earth and as a vapour exhaled by the Sun doth soon fall down again when self doth seek and is sought for as the people did Christ for the loaves and Judas for the purse And this not onely in carnal persons I mean such as for the present are destitute of actual grace and the spirit of holinesse but even in the regenerate Moses his prayer was very earnest to enter Câ—naan and yet it was but a naturall desire Secondly Because men living under the means of grace may go far by their own spirits as to read repeat Sermons and frame prayers very exactly as if they were full of spiritual life and heat We know great wants may and do produce earnest entreaties terrours of God and frights of Conscience may make men fervent they may desire pardon and removal of judgments merited inflicted or threatned nay they may pray for grace when they never heartily desire it because they look upon it as a means of safety as a Bridge to help them to Heaven not because they love and desire sanctity and so all this while may be destitute of a gracious principle Therefore Secondly We may farther Qu. 2 enquire how prayers coming from the Spirit may be discerned The Answer may be thus 1. Ans By that liberty light and heat following the presence of that Spirit See Luke 2.25 2 Cor. 3.17 Light to discern what to ask Liberty and heat to order and send up your Petitions It removeth impediments freeth from the invisible chains of the Kingdome of darknesse enlargeth the heart and helpeth to pray with fervency such sighs and groans as cannot be uttered 2. By an hearty free and full submission of our selves and requests to the God of prayerâ— for the matter and measure Not my will but thy will be done As Hester submitted to the good pleasure of the King in her requests And as the mother of Christ doth not over earnestly in words presse him to do that she desired but onely laies open the case they have no wine referring all to his discretion It is reported of Socrates that he â—aught his Scholars to ask no more of God but this that he would do them good but how and how much they would leave that to him as best understanding what is best and fittest for us It comes not from the holy Spirit to drive men upon indenting with God 3. By a patient expectation in the use of all other means till the Lord be pleased to manifest his answer in soâ—e gracious return This disposition flows from faith He that believeth shall not make haste Isa 28.16 As the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth and waits patiently by a natural faith he seeth the hâ—rveâ—t in the seed and so bears up himself by that faith in expectation of an harvest So much more doth a spiritual faith enable souls to do much more waiting is nothing else but faith stretched out into patience 4. By spiritual cheerfulnesse after prayer with care to improve and apply all you get by prayer to some spiritual ends 1 Sam. 1.18 Hannah prayed for a son and went away and was no more sad and after dedicated her Samuel to the service of God Thus the principle must be holy Thirdly Desires must be holy for the matter of them Whosoever shall ask any thing according to his will believing 1 John 5.14 And that 1. In the ground You must have a promise for what you ask in particular or at least in general distinctly apprehended and rightly applied no way repugnant to the Analogy of faith nor to any passage of Divine Providence otherwise we can have no hope to be heard For no faculty can or ought to extend it self beyond its adequate and proper object it is limited by peculiar rules He that prayeth without a promise denieth his own request To make our fancy the highest rule is a presumptuous folly and to ask according to our own lusts is an implicit blasphemy 2. Prayer must be holy in the matter this must also bear the stamp of God Whenever your Censers are fired the coal must be taken from the Altar nor from the Kitchin The matter must be spiritual or spiritually desired For instance First You may and must pray for the apprehension of Gods love promised Hos 14.4 I will love them freely Secondly For pardon of sin promised Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy traâ—sgressions for my own sake and will not remember thy sins Thirdly For sanctification of nature promised Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean Fourthly For the removal of judgments spiritual or corporal promised Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee c. At least for the sanctification of them and supportation under them Q. May not we pray for temporal blessings A. Yes As some men pray for spiritual things in a carnal way So others may pray for carnal blessings in a spiritual manner Provided 1. It be done in order and that they have their due place Spiritual things must be first and principal these secondary and subordinate Matth. 6.33 First seek the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof c. 2. Upon condition that you submit to God both the things themselves and the measure and time John 12.27 28. Save me from this hour Father glorifie thy name It is enough to a gracious heart if God will glorifie his own name carnal hearts are impetuous and impatient of a check delay or denial Rachel must have children or die 3. With caution that you desire and use them to the Lord. Whatever you desire for this life make it serviceable towards the otâ—er desire not mercies for nor abuse them to excesse revenge luxury Lust is an earnest craver but when it receâ—veth any comfort it consumeth it in ease and pleasure This must be observed else
if your ends be evil which move you to pray and may be known from these three companions Fâ—rst Hypocrisie when men neither oâ—it the duty wholly nor go through with it in an hearty and chearful performance Secondly Vain-glory praying to be heard and praised Matth. 6.5 A thing hateful among Heathens Tâ—lly taxed Gracchus for this that he referr'd all his actions not to the rule oâ— vertue but to the favour of the people that he might have their esteem and applause And as Pliny telleth the Nightingale singeth far longer and sweeter when men are by then at other times Thirdly Self-love which keeps men at home to look only or chiefly to their own good If thus you pray see what follows Your outward grosse sins are daily increased by this addition of spiritual sins An unprepared irreverent Petitioner takes Gods Name in vain Besides your pains and labour upon the matter are lost the Lord will not heat such prayers the grunting of Hogs in the stye saith Hierom is as pleasing to God because he expects no more then he hath given or offered Use 2 The second Use is for Instructionâ— 1. Know then every kind of praying will not serve the turn Every sound is not Musick The followers of Baaâ— called on his name from morning even until noon but there was no voice nor any thing that answered 1 Kings 26.28 Yea and they cryed aloud and cut themselves aftâ—r their manner c. and no voice nor any to answer c. Papists say over abundance of composures which they call prayers in so much as they need beads to help them keep nuâ—ber yet Saint James his Prayeâ— is to be desired among them So too many among our selves who rest on the Idol opus operatum or work wrought If they be frequent in some common forms they think themselves boon-Christians though they do nothing lesse then pray Take heed of this God is in Heaven and thou on earth Eccles 5.2 â—et your expressions be heated with reveâ—ent fervency 2. Learn the Art of Praying He is a good Christian that can pray well not contenting himself with the form without the power My Brethren It is not the labour of the lips but the travel of the heart Common beggary is the easiest and poorest trade but this beggary is the richest and the hardest Then to the work redeem the time It is observed of the Camel that having long travell'd through sandy desartâ— without water impletur cum bibendi est occasio in praeteritum in futurum i. e. drinks for the time past and for the time to come so do you for past neglects act with more diligence now do for what is past and to come And for your direction herein know that he that would pray well must have first Ability consisting in knowledge of his own wants and Gods treasury in his word and promises Blind devotion cannot please God I will pray with understanding In assent not only to the verity but also to the equity and congruity between the desire and the offer In a fiducial resting on the fidelity of the promiser with reference to his own case All which is ordinarily got by hearing of the Word and former experience of Gods goodnesse An humble hearer is alwaies a zealous Petitioner Secondly He must have flexibility or a bending of the mind to or with the duty He must not be content to be down on his knees if his heart be not up to have his hand in the work if his soul be not also in it It was the saying of holy Bradford that he would never leave a duty till he had brought his heart into the frame of the duty He would not leave confession of sin till his heart was broken for sin He would not leave Petitioning for grace till his heart was quickned in desire A property of a good honest soft and humble heart which is a jewel an ornament of great price in the sight of God Thirdly He must have dignity or worth both for composition and presentation The Spirit of Prayer to compose it and the personal merit of Christ to presenâ— it Pray alwaies with all supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 3. Be instructed when you are about to pray call these things to mind Prayer is a fervent expression of holy desires holy for person principle matter and end And so I come to the last part of the description that these holy desires with spiritual fervency must be presented Unto the only true God by Jesus Christ To God only Prayers must be directed not to creatures Angel or Saint In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God Phil. 4.6 This will be cleared with a little labour For first he only can hear and relieve you Psal 65.11 O thou that hearest prayers to thee shall all flesh come Isa 63.16 Doubâ—lesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not thou art our Father O Lord our Redeemer Look as nature teacheth our children to come to their parents for every thing and to give thanks to them so grace teacheth the children of God to cry Abba Father to resort to him in every condition as they did to Joseph in Egypt and to praise him for every blessing As it is one of the Royalties of the King to be petitioned unto as a common parent for grace in sundry cases so is this a divine Royalty of God that all flesh should come to him in their several necessities abasing themselves in confessing their indignity exalting him with whom is all fulnesse of good things and uncontrolable power to effect for us whatever is good according to his own pleasure Secondly For this you have a command Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble Acts 8.22 Pray God if perhaps c. Yea and a promise Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name he will give it you And God complains of such who forsake the fountain of living waters and dig to themselves pits that can hold no water Thirdly We have presidents for it The Church directs her prayer to God Lam. 5.1 And herein she is like to John Baptist a shining and a burning light She shines as knowing the rich storehouse where in her exigence to fetch relief and she goes to none below God She burns the fire of her zeal is kindled in her breast and therefore goes not with cold luke-warm affections In that Prayer our blessed Saviour taught his disciples we are taught the same Look over the form observe the phrases and see whether you can imagine that prayer should ever be directed to any other Read through all the Records of the world and shew if you can where any Saint of God made suppâ—ica ion unto any but to God only You cannot no not to the Virgin the Mother of Christ nor to any other Saint or Angel And in all the presidents recorded in the sacred
Scriptures not only in the Old Testament while the Fathers are fondly supposed to be in Limbo as Bellarmine gives the reason why we do not then read of any praying to Saints but in the New after our Saviours ascension And if there be neither command promise nor president in the Old or New Testament for invocation of Saints is it not a wonder it hath been so much pressed and practised To the contrary we have viz. Matth. 4.10 Colos 2.18 Rev. 19.10.22.9 Alas all other persons are rather praying to God then to be prayed to as God God is the authour of every perfect gift and to seek it from any other is flat idolatry and to give the praise thereof to any but God is sacriledge Further we add By and through Jesus Christ We cannot mount to Heaven on our own wings nor reach God by our own strength as soon may we scale Heaven with ladders And besides how terrible and horrible is it to think of God much more to come to him without Christ The holinesse and justice of God were before Christ as two flaming swords to keep off souls from coming to him but by Christ they both look on the soul with a lovely and aimable countenance And whatever you ask the Father in Christs name believing ye shall receive For the farther benefit of Practitioners in this holy Art here will be enquired 1. What it is to offer up Prayers by Christ 2. Why they must be so offered up Qu. 1 First What is it to offer up Prayers by Christ Ans I answer 1. It is to have them composed by the Spirit of Christ I name this the oftner lest you should trust to your own spirits content your selves with meer natural desires And further to move you both to prize and to procure and cherish the spirit of prayer 2. It is to direct Prayers to Christ ascending by his glorious humanity towards the Deity that so the gift may be sanctified by the Altar It is Christs office to pray the Father for his Saints and it is their priviledge to call upon him so to do and direct their holy desires to him Joh. 14.16 Thirdly It is to have Prayers presented by Christ to the Father and taken as immediately from him who is heard in all his suits John 11.42 I know that thou hearest me alwaies This â—s to offer up Prayers by Christ Secondly Why must Prayers be offered Qu. 2 up by him I Answer 1. Ans Because of the Covenant is made with him all the promises are in him yea Yea indeed all the promises are made to him first and by him to us Heb. 9.15 He is called the Mediator of the Covenant No intercourse now between God and man but by and through him The keys of the house of David are laid on his shoulders He is the only door and through him we have boldnesse of accesse to the Father and confidence to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way Heb. 10.20 2. He is both the Priest and Altar for his Church No other Priests or Altars now properly but Christ Since Priest Altar and Sacrifice met in one in him No more Priests Altars or Sacrifices but Metaphorical As then all Sacrifices were to be brought to the Priest and offered on the Altar appointed so it must be now We have an Altar upon which all our spiritual Sacrifices must be offer'd even the Lord Jesus Heb. 13.10 If we go and offer without him the Altar and in our own name the sacrifice will be loathed It is not because we perform a duty in the most excellent manner that it is accepted but because Christ our high-Priest presents both us and our performances to the Father So that if a man should offer as many Sacrifices as were at the dedication of Solomons Temple and all without blemish and that all the qualifications did meet in the person that did offer yet all these are accursed if offer'd in their own name As the least things that were offer'd even an Epha or a Gomer a pair of Turtle Doves or a mite were accepted from the hand of the high-Priest when rivers of oil should be refused if presented otherwaies We must do therefore in this case as the Country of Tyre and Sidon having need of Herods favour made suit to Blastus his Chamberlain that was gracious with him And as Themistocles being to make a great request to King Philip of Macedon took with him young Alexander Philips beloved son We can then hope to speed with God when by faith we take Christ Jesus with us to be our Intercessour to present and offer our prayers to God Thirdly Because the best prayers of the Saints here as they proceed from men are tainted and unsavoury yea to go farther the most gracious actions which they are enabled to do by Gods Spirit are coming through them so imperfect as pure water running through a foul pipe getteth some soil upon it and excellent generous wine will taste of the cask if it be not sweet so vitiated as they become very unfit for the Lords holy and pure presence And therefore we read of the smoak of the incense coming with the prayers of the Saints They must be dipped in his blood perfumed with his odours otherwise they will stink worse in Gods nostrils then ever did the Onions and Garlick of Egypt It was the fault of King Uzziah to burn incense upon the Altar without a Priest he was resisted by eighty valiant Priests of the Lord and struck with Leprosie to make you fear to do the like by offering up prayers to God without Christ The work cannot be accepted where the person is not and the person is accepted in and for Christ's sake Now stand still look back lay all together and conclude two things by way of Application Use 1 First The misery of gracelesse persons though indowed with many naturall abilities in that they cannot pray in best health and prosperity much lesse in sicknesse and danger They have no ability skill nor will to pray with any power and life The Painter can give external lineaments and outward representations but he cannot give that which is the actus primus life to them the hypocrite may give outward colours and shades but he wants this Principle As the Satyre in Plutarch who strove to make a dead man stand upright but could not said Deest aliquid intus there wants a principle within to enable him to stand So may we say the carnal man that praies wants a principle within to put forth spiritual prayer He is that like a ship that is wind-bound No stirring without the Spirits gales There is great difference between praying and reading or saying over a prayer these have no fervent expressions their heat goeth another way no holy desires can come from such impure proud prophane spirits either they go to the creature as the end or by the creature as the mean and
what successe can be expected That 's a true rule Bonum est ex integris causis malum è quolibet defectu Good like harmonious Musick if one string jar the hâ—rmony is marred and like beauty which is compleated of the Symmetry of parts if one part be deformed the beauty is vitiated thus it is in any good action let it be never so admirable for the matter of it if there be any failing or crack in the principle manner or end the man loseth the comfort and the reward of the duty You ask and have not because you ask amisse Let such consider two things First That all their hope such as it is themselves confessing is upon their prayers good meaning and good deeds now without grace and Christs Spirit you can do none of these he that wants the Spirit of Grace must needs be destitute of the Spirit of Supplication You hope to be saved by your good prayers and cannot pray by your good deeds and can do none without faith it is impossible to please God In what condition are you then Secondly None can stead you but God not friend not wit not wealth were you set as the Caliph of Babylon once was in the midst of a golden treasure and yet starved in the midst of all these and cannot pray in what a miserable case are you The dead praâ—se not God they that are in the pit call not upon him and without prayer no good thing can be had Use 2 Secondly Let all learn their duty to amend your praying else you may howl upon your beds and call loud upon him and not be heard It is not speaking or babling but praying that hath the promise Psal 50.16 Matth. 7. See wherein you have been faulty apprehend and acknowledge it for time to come number not measure not the length of your prayers weigh them in Christs ballance viz. by the heat and holinesse of your desires by the merit of Christ and by the reverent fervency of expression And thus from the description of fervent-working prayer I proceed to Objections Cases Conditions and Motives so to close this Doctrine Obj. 1 It may be objected first What need of this ado Will not lesse pains serve the turn God knows our wants already he will do what seemeth good in his sight His Decrees are immutable and cannot be alter'd by all our eâ—rnestnesse and endeavours Thus indeed argued Maximus Tyrius an Heathen Ans And thus many Libertines in our daies But to the Answer Prayer is not for Gods information but the creatures submission we pray for his leave yea when he will do any thing he stirreth up those that are his to desire that which otherwise he would have done to the intent that for honours sake he might attribute the same unto their prayers Besides Gods Decrees do not exclude the duty of the creature and the work of second causes Jer. 29.11 12. I know the thoughts of peace I have toward you yet yee shall call upon me and I will hear you This Moses and Elias knew and the former turned Gods predictions and the latter his promises into prayers Finally We pray not in any case to the intent that God should be changed which thing should be attempted in vain for he is immutable but rather that we our selves should be changed for so much as in praying we are made capable of the divine benefits By vertue of Gods Ordination a spiritual holy prayer casteth the soul into a better disposition so that now he is made capable of spiritual blessings which before it was not So that we draw not God neerer to us by our arguments but we draw neerer unto him Obj. 2 2. Some say they cannot pray or at least not according to that description of Prayer Ans I Answer 1. If you cannot pray at all then you are spiritually dead The blinde man may justly say he cannot see the deaf man that he cannot hear the same man that he cannot go but nemo vivens potest dicere non possum orare No living man can say cannot pray The blinde the lame the deaf if they have any grace any joâ— of spiritual life may pray the dead only praise thee not O Lord Neither can any man pray acceptably without the Spirit 2. It is true you cannot pray of your selves by natural abilities or any innate principle Pray that you may pray for you know not what you should pray for as you ought but the Spirit helpeth your infirmities As a poor hungry man craves an alms or a condemned prisoner a pardon so humbly and earnestly seek of God the assistance of his blessed Spirit the Spirit of Prayer eying what is written for your comfort Luke 11.13 If you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask 3. Sâ—ir up those gifts and abilities connatural and acquired whatever they be though never so few or weak and do what you can with them If you can but look up and sigh out your wants and with silent motions of the heart where words and other skill is wanting send up your complaints to Heaven The Ravens call upon the Lord he hears and feeds them you are better in Gods esteem then Ravens 4. By timely and stirring endeavours remove the impediments of Prayer As are ignorance pride distraction through variety of evil motions or earthly employments difuse and the like These clip the wings of the soul and are to it as lead to the net bear it down they are the rust of the soul and do mightily streighten and render it uselesse Many complain of power when will is wanting They say they cannot do this or that when through spiritual sloth they never tried 5. Hear and join sometimes as conveniently you may with such as can pray fervently Those that have any sparks of heavenly fire in their breasts may be a means to inflame others as a dead coal catcheth fire being cast among living coals and green wood taketh fire when it is laid with the dry at least to give a good president and great encouragement to the duty I heartily wish you knew the benefit of good company The communion of Saints is the perfection of beauty and joy of the whole earth No better help to Prayer then the society of those who can and do pray with frequent fervency Especially be careful to note your enemies which go about yea often hinder you from this duty And they are such as these viz. First Your sleighting of the duty that it is an easie thing to pray And so it is indeed as most go about it not distinguishing between reading and saying over a prayer and prayer indeed Commonly men yea good men and women put not their strength to it but hastily run over it as a task insomuch that frequency doth allay fervency and custome doth turn prayer into a fruitless formality indeed vain babling Secondly Living
of greatest weight and concernment for comfort credit and profit and to matters of greatest importance we account all other things but lets but not them as lets to any thing of a subordinate nature If the King or some special Favourite should come to your Place and publish a will to admit any to his presence that you might confer with him an hour or two about your wrongs and wants would you so plead Alas we have not the leasure it would hinder us in our callings I trow not but rather put off all occasions attend this So judge in the Case now in question Secondly It doth much further you in all your worldly affairs You know the baiting of the horse doth not hinder the journey nor the whetting of the sythe the work but further them The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and fervent prayer is the souls messenger sent up to fetch it down on servants cattle grounds and the whole day and night Therefore is prayer called by one of the Fathers the lock of the night and the key of the day to shut up from harm and to let in the Sun even the Sun of righteousnesse in his glorious beams and ravishing influence into every sad dark and drooping soul 4. Grant all you say Suppose it some hinderance will you be at no charge to wait upon God and to prefer your Petitions to him You can hardly expect so easie and such cheap audience in any earthly Princes Court to have your Petitions presented and answered without fees or moving gratuities And will you part with nothing for God not so much as hazard a pretended losse David was of another minde when called to build an Altar 2 Sam. 24. He would not offer that to God which cost him nothing It is true God is not won thus our good extends not to him yet he would have us willing to part with all for the purchase of the pearl to account all things but dung in respect of communion with him and the fruition of Christ he can give you a rich dew upon your labours much more then this and infinitely recompence your supposed hinderance A whet is no let you say and for all the haste of work and businesse you will have time to eat your meat three or four times a day that you may do your work both better and speedier O fools and unwise to judge prayer a losse a hinderance while it refresheth the soul of poor Pilgrims setteth edge on all our spiritual implements and calleth in the Lord to be and help you in your businesse Many thousands now in Heaven are blessing God for the benefit of Prayer No time can be spent better But I am sensible of a Digression my aim is to assure you my Beloved in the Lord for whose sake this is written that Prayer is the best way to thrive To such as rested on the Lords day according to the command did not the Lord give a double portion of Manna the day before And to such as paid their Tythes for the maintenance of the Sanctuary did not the Lord promise to open the windows of Heaven Malac. 3.10 Abraham had this promise of abundance performed to him So had Constantine the first Christian Emperour the Churches great Benefactor so many temporal blessings as never any man durst to wish Aug. de Civit. Dei Lastly Where you mention fear of Derision it is of all other the least discouragement If others laugh do you mourn if they scoff do you counsel if they curse do you blesse and pray The best things do hear ill from the worst men They know not what they do Let Dogs bark or mad men shoot arrows to the Lights of Heaven they with their radiant light and motion do still serve their Creatour So say you If this be to be vile I will be more vile then thus Chuse you whether you will pray or no as for me I will pray fervently to God who only is able to save us from sin and Hell From Objections we proceed to some Cases of Conscience First What should a man do that Case 1 cannot utter his minde he wants fit words for such a presence 1. Let such a one know Ans that an unfeigned fervent desire of the heart is to God an acceptable prayer and broken language coming from a broken heart avails more then affectation of well-couched words without affection of prayer I say the businesse of prayer is more dispatched by sighs then speeches by inward groans more then outward garnishes As the Lord heareth without ears so he understandeth without words Sighs and breathingâ— to God are articulate There is great dispute among the Schoolmen about the speech of Angels but this they agree in that one Angel speaketh thus to another when any one hath a conceit in his minde of any thing with a will that another should understand it and that God should also that is enough for the expression of it So it is with the spirit of man in speaking to God for the spirit of man agreeth with Angels Though it is our duty to strive to pray in fit words and to be enriched in all utterance and knowledge Hosea 14.1 1 Cor. 1.5 Therefore 2. Let him for a time use the help of godly mens prayers composed to his hand by the same Spirit and purposely intended for such as want knowledge memory or utterance till the Lord further enable the willing minde to make its requests known in a reverent and sober manner as savouring more of grace then art Young beginners may finde great help in the matter fit words good method from such a form and which being applied to particular occasions do not a little quicken revive and enlarge the heart If you should say Is it lawful so to pray I shall answer by asking this question Where is there any law against it And where there is no law there is no transgression I can finde no command against it This we finde in Scripture that Prayer is an Ordinance of God but whether to be conceived only in the heart or uttered by words whether in our own or in others words by pronunciation or reading that is not appointed Why then may not a godly man and in some cases especially as when the soul cannot put forth its operations do as Christ did pray oft in the same words to God and that though composed by another Neither is there any thing hinders but that a man thus doing may pray by the Spirit the work of the Spirit being rather 1. To teach us what graces to pray for 2. To raise fervent and devout desires after the things we pray for groans that cannot be expressed then to give in words which a man may want and yet not want the Spirit of Prayer Nor that I deny that the Spirit of God doth at all help as to words and expressions for he doth it mediately by stirring up the affections which being raised are some advantage to
11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of those that diligently seek him this you must be well settled in that he is such in himself and such towards you as he stands described in his Word and be acknowledged of God or else the answer will be I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept an offering at your hands Malac. 1.10 I care not for your persons I respect not your performances 2. To men whether friends or enemies to be in love and charity Matth. 5.23 24. Matth. 6.14 15. Gods bounty to us requires our obedience to him he will not give except we forgive if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you Though our love to men be not a cause of our acceptance with God yet it is a necessary antecedent yea forasmuch as he hath made us this promise here our forgiving others seemeth to have the nature of an intervenient cause a cause sine qua non of his forgiving us How can we look our Father in the face or ask him a blessing when we are conscious that he knows hatred or heart-burning between us and our brethren 3. Towards himself he must be an hater of sin if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer so as to pursue it with a serious intent and hearty desire to have it taken and killed he must be a lover of Gods image where ever it truly appears it was the expression of a good man I dare not but love him in whom I see any thing of Christ If thou love not thy brother whom thou hast seen how canst thou l ve God whom thou hast not seen As Dalilah said to Sampson so it may be said to most men how can yee say yee love God or good men seeing your heart is not with them Now that you may not be mistaken take along with you some properties of men and women thus qualified viz. First They will be ready to part with any thing for Christ Matth. 13.46 to sell all and purchase this pearl Phil. 3.8 I count all things but dung c. Now I know that thou lovest me saith the Lord to Abraham seeing thou art content to part with thy onely son at my word Christ hath taken up their souls unto the top of Pisgah and discovered to them the Land of Canaan and hath given them such more then ordinary tastes of the world to come that the whole lower world though vailed with the most glorious and glistring temptations is all scorned as too low a bribe to draw off the soul from Christ Theodosius will value his Christianity above his Empire Luther would rather be Christianus rusticus quà m Ethnicus Alexander i. e. a Christian clown then an Heathen Emperour Secondly They are not long angry but easily entreated in the matters of God or in their transactions with men ready to any good office Like the waters at the foot of Sion that run softly 1 Cor. 13.4 Charity suffereth long and is kinde Charity envieth not it doth not behave it self unseemly James 3.17 The wisdome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good works A good garment for a Christian without which he is naked before God Thirdly They are open-ear'd and handed towards any in misery They resent the misery of others their hearts do yearn over the Brethrens calamities As Pharaohs daughter when she saw the childe in the Ark of Bull-rushes a very sad Cradle and that the babe wept the Text saies She had compassion on him Exod. 2.6 And so in the good Samaritan when he passed by the poor man who had fallen among thieves and saw him stripped of all woundeâ— this good man had an eye and an hand toward him So it is in this case Fâ—urthly They are wondrous cheerful in seeâ—ing heavy conditions especially in afflictions for the truth's sake rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Which hope holds them above fears so that they are not moved with love or fear as the Romans wrote on their Targets though at first they may be daunted yet at length they look up and gather strength Hannah was much troubled for want of a childe she went to God by fervent prayer anâ— was no more sad With thiâ— David was wont to cheer himself in the depth of troubles the Lord hath heard my prayer Fifthly They can deny themselves whom God cannot deny in their fervent suits being divorced from their own will by an over-powering work of the Spirit in Legal convictions they leâ—â— not to their own understandings Thus must the person be qualified foâ— Prayer Object Then it seems a wicked unrighteous person may not pray Or if he may his prayer will be to little or no purpose ineffectual A. Prayer is considerable two waies 1. In a large sense as a commanded duty and part of Gods worship in its ordinary use whereby we give God the glory of his Omnisciency Mercy Power and Wisdome 2. In a more strict sense for the putting up of a formal request or petition to God which may consist in an exercise of the soul and of the graces in it whether common or saving And the Answer to the Objection I shall lay thus before you First Prayer considered as a duty must be performed by unrighteous men and a great sin it is to neglect it it is the worst thing can be said of any man that he restraineth prayer before God in Job 15.4 it is joined with casting away the fear of God i. e. with professed Atheisme and prophanenesse Mans defects as he now stands can give no excuse to a wilful neglect his impotency cannot prejudice Gods authority or diminish his own duty Prayer is a thing good in it self and not evil propter fieri because it is done but by accident vitio personae by reason of some defects cleaving unto it In which sense only it is that the Scriptures cry down the prayers of wicked men as an abomintion as Pro. 15.8 28.9 Cartwright on the Text gives that same glosse not that it is so as to the substance of the duty but because whatever it be they pray for they resolve to go on in their wicked practises as the latter Scripture expresses in the beginning of it He that turneth his ear from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination And besides though prayer not made in faith cannot please God as the prayers of holy â—en do yet being good for the substance of it giving glory to God of sundry Attributes of his it may probably avail for procurement of a temporal blessing as the Pharisees prayers had the reward of mens praises Ahabs humiliation and the Ninevites repentance procured a delay of punishment Secondly Prayer considered as a formal request in the exercise of the soul and of some
or shall so ask of him for your selves or others To his Grace I leave you and remain Your most affectionate Pastor Devoted to the service of your faith W. Crompton Mr FORD'S PREFACE TOUCHING The ensuing Treatise and the Subject thereof I Need not commend the Subject of this Discourse to any that confesses there is a God He that hath but so much Divinity as to acknowledge a Deity must needs grant Prayer to be a necessary duty For the usefulnesse I appeal to all that have found the benefit of it by experience And they are such as count of no enjoyment but what is the fruit and return of prayers It may be truly said of Prayer It is not more our duty then our priviledge T is as one saith piae mentis cum Deo colloquium The converse and commerce that a gracious soul on earth hath with God in Heaven A priviledge indeed as great as we are here capable of that we may come to God as children to a father and speak to him as a man speaketh to his friend Now he that hath but so much leasure and patience as will give him leave to peruse this short Discourse will finde many encouragements to presse the performance of this duty and many helps to direct him in it It s aim and scope is nothing else but to teach us to pray It meddles with no controversie only resoves a Case or two in order to practice the design of it being only to learn us how to reason the case and plead our cause with God In one word It shews nothing but the practice of Religion in one great and necessary part of it And if those who pretend most to godliness would fall closer to their work in the practice and think more of expressing the life and power of it in effectual-fervent-prayer the duties of personal relations and particular callings I am sure they should finde more sound peace and comfort then now they do in many frivolous controversies and perverse disputings For foolish questions do but puff men up in pride and self-conceitednesse whereas effectual-fervent-prayer and practical godlinesse edifie and establish in grace render men approved to God and amiable in the sight of all that have to do with them T is very remarkable what the reverend Authour observes in this ensuing Treatise That whilst we are quarrelling and striving one with another we can never wrestle and strive with God as we ought to do in Prayer And then what marvel is it if iniquity do abound and the love of many wax cold as it doth But I shall Preface no more Let it suffice to say of this Treatise that it is short and sweet Hath in it plenty with much variety and all couched into a narrow compass so as the Reader is in no danger of being cloyed as some guests are wont to be at a great Feast where the sight of so much as is served in takes off their stomacks that they can eat little Here is enough and no more of what is singularly useful for all that have but a minde and good will to pray And in testimony hereof I subscribe my self an hearty well-willer to the publication of this Treatise and the Readers due improvement of it Tho. Ford. Exceter Decem. 16. 1658. Mr. SAUNDER'S PREFACE Christian Reader IT was the respect I had to the Reverend Authour and the content I took in the perusal of this Tract being therewith entrusted by him before it was committed to the Presse rather then expectation to adde reputation to it by prefixing my name that drew this Epistle from me But if the matter treated of meet with the better entertainment from any by this means I shall count a little time and pains well spent As for the subject 't is such as needs not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters of commendation 2 Cor. 3. â— or any Panegyrick to usher it in to an honest heart Yet in our giddy-headed times 't is its lot with all other the sacred institutions of Christ to have its legitimatenesse made matter of dispute yea zealously impugned We read of Hereticks very ancient called Euchitae that held men must be ever praying Aug. de Haer l 1. De quibus etiam Epiphan but who ever heard before men should never pray Yes for there is no new thing under the Sun * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. strom lib. 7. Clemens Alexandrinus mentions an old Heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That men should not pray at all God gives blessings unaskt Prayer therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superfluous Our unhappy times have given a resurrection to this monstrous conceit I take thee Reader to be a Christian and if thou be so indeed thou knowest thou canst no more be without Prayer then thou canst be without thy food 'T is not so much thy duty as thy priviledge Wouldest thou please God I know thou wouldst The Prayer of the righteous is his delight Prov. 15.8 'T is like honey drops Cant. 4.11 Sweet to his taste Incense to his nostrils Psal 141.2 Dionis Carth. in Matth. Carthusian observes that of all other Christian services Prayer only is compared to incense In it we strive with God but he likes such striving Haec vis Deo grata est says Tert. This force is grateful to God Wouldest thou glorifie God and pay him the homage thou owest him This is Census subjectionis nostrae our suit fine or homage in which God has the glory of all his Attributes returned him Solater on Psa 116. pag. 194. his All-sufficiency Omnipotency Omniscience Love Mercy Dominion Truth Is Heaven shut against thee This is Clavis Coeli as Austin The key of Heaven Not of the aerial only it opens that as Elias prayed for rain and it came yea and an Heathen Emperour M. Aurelius relates how that in the German Expedition Tert. ed sâ—â—p c. 4. in apolog cap. 5. Justia Mâ—â— Apol 2. Euseb l. 5. cap. 5. the Christian souldiers by their prayers made the clouds to yield down water to his Host ready to die for thirst But 't is Clavis Paradisi the key of Paradise too by this key maist thou get into Gods presence and have what thou wilt of him 'T is Res omnipotentissima Luthers devout Hyperbole a kinde of omnipotent thing which makes God himself to say Sine me Let me alone Exodus 32.10 It does with reverence be it spoken strangely charm the Majesty of Heaven The word which is rendred Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—cantatio Iâ—cantam mum Dâ—us ipsâ— qâ—i nullis câ—â—â—â— se vâ—â—bus superarâ— potest Pâ—â—icani pâ—â—â—bus 〈◊〉 Hiâ—â—â—on Epist. Isa 26.16 signifies a charm Fearest thou the Devils assaults 'T is Flagellum Satanae as Austin a whip for Satan and a bulwark for thee that is says Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to be broken not to be shaken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Father a strong weapon 'T is
both offâ—nsive and defensive Desirest thou sweetest communion with thy blessed Saviour here on earth This is Osculum pacis as an Antient styles it The kisse of peace with which the soul kisseth the lips of her beloved 'T is Sabbathum animae as another calls it the souls sabbath Wouldst thou visit Canaan before hand and get to Heaven once before thou come to settle there Prayer is scala Coeli a Ladder for thee 'T is Ascensus intellectus ad Deum The ascent of the minde to God Damascen's definition To be short 't is a Catholicon good for every thing and nothing good without it All things are sanctified by it 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Weems Christ Synag Sâ—ct 3. Paragâ— 5 All things upheld by it The Jews have a saying sine stationibus non subsisteret mundus The world would not endure without Standing Gnammuda standing is one of the seven names they give to Prayer without this the world would not stand This rich treasure Reader is here put into thine hand with direction how to use it Here is not Novum any thing new but perhaps Novè good old truths in a new and delightful dresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Reverend Authour hath in this little piece well mixed utile dulci thou canst not mâ—sse desired content in reading it nor can I choose but heartily commend it to thy serious perusal Read and practice but remember write over thy closet door what the Jews use to write about the doors of their Synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They expresse it by this Abbrâ—viature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the first letter of each word Bux oâ—s de Abbr. Heb. A Prayer without affection is like a body without a soul Maintain inward warmth of devotion in thine heart he that does not Loquitur non precatur as says Salvian he talks he does not pray if thou do Gen. 32.28 Thou shalt be caled Israel because as a Prince thou shalt have power with God and with men and thou shalt prevail That thou mayest is the hearty desire of him who is Desirous of the prosperity of thy precious and immortal soul RICH. SAUNDERS A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS THe Introduction and opening of the Text. pag. 1 Two Doctrines from it viz. First That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to make use of fervency Secondly that righteous mens prayers are powerful and effectual 5 The first point opened and proved 6 Prayer described to be a fervent expression of holy desires to God only by Jesus Christ. 7 This description of Prayer explained in the several branches of it viz. 1. It is a fervent expression Wherein is enquired First What this fervency is Answered in three particulars Secondly When are men said to be fervent in prayer p. 10. Answered in seven things Thirdly Why men must be thus zealous p. 19. Made good by eight reasons following 1. Not because God like man stands in need of it 2. Because the Lord loves an importunate sutor 3. Because he that asketh any thing coldly asketh a denial 4. The matter about which you are emploied is weighty 5. There are many and prodigious sins crying 6. By this means we declare at what rate we value Gods mercies 7. Fervent-prayer is most effectual 8. There are other reasons why the Lord will have it so First So much the more to astonish the Devil Secondly To give good example to the Church Thirdly To bring the hearâ— into a better temper p. 26 The Doctrine farther cleared by Scripture-Presidents p. 27. Fourthly How may a man keep his heart iâ— this height of heavenly fervor and thaâ— constantly for sometimes it is so Answered 28 Use 1. To condemn the Roman society and too many formal Protestants 33 A formal Christian described in five particulars 1. He is destitute of spiritual life and heat 2. He saith or repeats prayers often but without zeal 3. He is taken up with self-seeking and variety of distracting cares 4. He is oppressed with corruption and carried away with a violent stream of wordly cares 5. He is not in charity with his neighbour Use 2. To excite men to the duty of fervent prayer p. 35 Directions for that purpose in three things To which are annexed three serious motives 38 One weighty Objection answered viz. These fervent expressions are not always successeful a time may come when a Moses and a Samuel may not be heard 42 The second branch of the description of Prayer viz. Of holy desires how to be understood They must be holy for Person Principle Matter and End 43 First The Person must be holy Farther explained by enquiring first What an holy heart is Secondly Why prayer must come from an holy heart 46 Secondly The Principle must be holy Vnder which head is discovered First Why Prayer must come from a spiritual principle Secondly How Prayer coming from the Spirit may be discerned 49 51 Thirdly Desires must be holy for the Matter of them and that 1. In the ground 2. In the matter instanced in several particulars p. 53 Fourthly Desires must be holy for the end Where is discovered 1. When a mans end is holy 2. Why it must be so To which reasons are given both Philosophical and Theological 56 57 Use 1. For correction of those that pray but in a cold manner ib. Marks of such indisposednesse to prayer 60 61 Use 2. For instruction in two things 1. All prayer will not serve the turn 2. Learn the art of praying 62 The third branch of the dâ—scription of Prayer Vnto God 65 Prayer must be directed to God only Reasons of it 66 Only by Jesus Christ â—8 Where is enquired First What it is to offer up prayers by Christ Secondly Why it must be so Use 1. Shews the misery of gracelesse persons in that they cannot prâ—y See it discovered in two things Use 2. To shew the duty of all to amend their praying 74 To whâ—â—â— are annexed Objections to be answered viz. First What need this ado lesse pains may serve the turn God knows our wants and he will do what seemeth good in his sight 75 Secondly Some say they cannot pray or at least not according to this description of Prayer 76 Thirdly Many that have used thus to pray have proved counterfeits Ergo c. 81 Fourthly Many we see have blessings of all sorts who yet never did nor could pray thus for them 82 Fifthly Should we practise this duty every day as is pressed it would waste and spend our spirits hinder us in our callings and expose us to the derision of others 84 Cases of Conscience to be resolved viz. First What should a man do that cannot utter his minde he wants fit words for such a presence 89 Secondly What should he do that findes his heart unfit and altogether indisposed for prayer especially with such holy fervency 92 Thirdly I am distracted with vain thoughts and terrified with strange fears especially
when alone and in the dark what shall I do 98 Fourthly I finde not any successe in my prayer but am rather crossed in them therefore I fear it is in vain to pray 96 Fifthly What should a man settle his minde upon while he is framing and directing his prayer 100 Sixthly But when I do mâ—thinks my own unworthinesse doth so much the more present it self and make me ready through fear to sink 101 Conditions required that praâ—er may be accepted 103 First The Person must be riâ—htly qualified and that standing in a threefold relation viz. 1. To God ibid. 2. To Men. 104 3. To it self 104 105 Five properties of persons thus qualified 105 Quest It seems by this that wicked unrighteous persons may noâ— pray or if so their prayers will â—e to little or no purpose ineffectual 108 Secondly All the graces muâ—t be set on work viz. Faith where is enquired how may a man know when he prayeth in faith 110 Repentance which gives occasion to consider How true penitency in gracious souls may be discerned from feigned sorrow in gracelesse persons 114 115 Humility Q. How this grace may be discerned 117 Motives to fervent prayer drawn 1. From the Lord. 120 121 2. From Men. 125 3. From prayer it self 130 Object Answered with respect to such persons as were effectual in prayer 132 Second Doctrine 134 Proved by Scripture ibid. Explained by enquiring First Wherein they are so prevailing 135 Secondly Why they are so prevalent 139 Use 1. To let us see what to expect from the prayers of too many among us unrighteous unholy 142 Use 2. To shew us what to do that we may be powerful and effectual in prayer viz. First get the qualification in the Text. 143 Secondly Pray in a time while he may be found p. 144 When these two are joined prayer never failed 1. When they are joined in Persons 2. When they are joined in a Nation 145 Obj. When will that be 146 A. 1. It hath been often promised 2. This is the way whereby â—ll those that belong to God may be brought in ibid. Causes discovered why prayers have been so ineffectual 147 Directions how to prevail more 151 A TREATISE OF PRAYER JAMES 5.16 The effectual fervenâ— Prayer of a righteous man availeth much THE Spring-head of this Scripture doth arise at the 13th verse of the Chapter and the streams run down to the 18th The general scope of the whole is to give direction in a matter of no small concernment viz. how the Flock of Christ should demean themselves in every condition Divine providence might cut out for them in the present evil world According to our Apostle whose pen was held and ruled by the Spirit of truth the state of the Church and as here described is two-fold Prosperity and Adversity happinesse and misery frowns and smiles like the Sun which sometimes appears bright and glorious but sometimes is hid under dusky clouds now in health then in an Hectick weeping and joy a summers day and a winters night as she gives her own motto Psal 102.10 Thou hast life me up and cast me down an uncertain câ—ndition and such as wants peculiar direction especially if it be considered how easie it is to miscarry in both He that runs may read the purpose of the Apostle to ballast the people of God in this unequal condition to help them walk steadily both in their up-hill and down-hill way Is any afflicted then let him pray Is any merry then let him sing Psalms Needfull it is for Christians to be doing in each condition My Text is a branch of the first direction and is laid down as a Motive and Encouragement to the duty drawn from the excellent successe of it which he proves by induction of particular examples in the following verseâ— The words in themselves are a good mans encouragement and testimoniall subscribed by God himself which doth certifie what he is and what he must be viz. Fervent in prayer They are easie in the sense of them clear and plain it will be time and labour spent impertinently to give account what Interpreters say of them how they differ or agree this were almost to strike fire and light up a candle at noon-day to seek for that which is neither hid nor lost As for partâ— to prevent confusion and to clear our entrance I shall divide the handling of them into three generals In them we have to consider First The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or duty commended and directed unto viz. Pâ—ayer A necessary and usefull duty which neither the decree of God in regard of its immutability nor the promise of God in regard of its infallibility Ezek. 36. v. 37. nor the effectual intercession of Christ our Lord who taught his Disciples to pray can dispense with us for not doing it The Gospel commands it Secondly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or quallification mentioned which is two-fold viz. First Of the duty it must be fervent such as sets the whole man on work and such as notes the most lively activity that can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ardens 1. fervent as Piscator renders it Efficax i. effectual as Beza It is both effectual-fervent as in the text Secondly Of the person he must be righteous i. so made by the righteousnesse of Christ by faith justified by righteousnesse impured called the righteousnesse of God sanctified by righteousnesse imparted called ours because inherent in us They must be men of penitent renewed hearts men of faith evangelically righteous Thirdly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or effect successe and good issue of prayer so quallified and performed It availeth much they are prayers that carry force with them thus quallified they are a mighty engine to move heaven and earth a key to open the door of the treasury of God to fetch mercies for our selves and others a Panecaea a receipt for every disease and a soveraign one too it brings present ease and future health God never said to the seed of Jacob Seek ye my face in vain The parts thus set we may â—asily read the meaning of the Spirit in them Supposing the first I shall handle the two later and labour to condescend to the meanest capacity and point out the full scope of the words in two usefull Observations First That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to make use of strength and fervency Secondly That righteous mâ—ns prayers are powerfull and effectual Both these observations God willing I shall labour to explain laying them as the foundation of my intended Discourse For the first viz. That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to use strength and fervency I shall prove this Doctrine first by Scripture presidents and precepts We must put to our strength as Abraham did in his intercession for Sodom Gen. 18. and as Jacob in wrestling with the Angel Gen. 32. v. 26. who held with his hand when
paying her life for it though for her Nero. We cannot lay out too much strength in obtaining objects of so great worth Fifthly There are many and prodigious sins cry aloud to God in your own breasts families place and Country yeâ— Nation wherein you live we are like the land of Egypt which though it bring forth multa salubria yet withall it brings forth plurima venena in our Garden are many pleasant Flowers but withal more poisonful unsavoury weeds if we look within or without almost all things are to be sound as the Physitians facies hypocratica of a dying man very gastly and tantum non deadly the whole head is sick sin cryes aloud and if you be not earnest indeed will out-cry your prayers Sixthly By this means we declare at what rate we value Gods savour and mercies A fervent request doth advance the person and thing petitioned for It is an argument we disesteem and undervalue the blessing that we think may be obtained by slender petiâ—â—ns as if the purchase we were about would not quit the cost nor be worth the pains that is required for it When Callidius the Roman Oratour pleaded a cause but faintly and expâ—essed little or no affection Tully told him that sure he was not in earnest otherwise the tide of affection would have been up in like manner it is an argument we reckon not much the blessing when we are faint in our pursuits after it Seventhly Fervent prayer is best and most effectual like an arrow shot with full strength and a ship carryed on with full sails Powder and shot in the Musquet will do no execution unlesse the Souldier gives fire well Prayers without fervency are but as powder and shot without fire they will never go off so as to reach Heaven or our wants Of all elements that of fire is neerest Heaven and the more fire in any thing the higher it ascends Heaven-ward cold and sluggish prayers have so much earth in them that like the Grashopper if they mount a little upward they are presently down again fall short of Heaven Of all warlike Engins your Granadoes and Fire-works are of most force and of all prayers those that have most fervency are most effectual Lastly The Lord will have you to be fervent First To the end you may so much the more anger and astonish the Devil who is eaten up with envy to see God so much honoured the inward heat and voice of the heart he cannot hear divine at it he may but outward expressions he doth note and observe Secondly To give good example to the Church who are much moved and stirred up by prayer especially if it be fervent as in the body of an Army concurrent shoutings of Souldiers do as it were infuse mutually spirits into one another Thirdly To bring the heart into a better temper which is enlarged and made more capable of spiritual blessings by this fervency A zealous petitioner is but preparing and enlarging his rooms to store up the return of his holy adventures Thus you may answer the question of the rich man What shall I do because I have no room to bestow my fruit A manifest sign they were never gotten by prayer it makes room before the blessing comes he that is much in fervent prayer shall never be brought into such a streight of vexing cares And thus you have the third Quere dispatched and it shall now suffice onely a little to clear your judgments and help you in practice by some presidents I refer you to Moses Exod. 32.11 12 13. he doth as it were put God to it to free himself as if Moses his Devotion were stronger then Gods indignation To Joshuah c. 7. v. 6 7 8 9. he rent his cloaths fell to the earth on his face before the Ark of the Lord c. there is fervency in the very manner and so in the matter of his prayer Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought this great people over Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites What shall I say when Israel turneth their back before the enemy What wilt thou do unto thy great Name To David in most of his Psalms To Ezra c. 9.56 O Lord God of Heaven the great and terrible God c. Let thine ear now be attentive and thine eyes open that thou maist hear the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee day and night And to Daniel c. 9. v. 3 4. He set his face to seek the Lord by supplication and prayer with fasting sackcloth and ashes saying O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping Covenant and Mercy c. we have sinned and committed iniquity and have done wickedly c. as you may farther read I come to a fourth Quere viz. Qu. 4 Fourthly How may a man keep his heart in this height of heavenly fervour and that constantly for sometime it is so Ans I answer First By soundnesse and depth of spiritual union between Christ and the soul who is the Fountain of spiritual life and heat as the Sun is the Fountain of all life and heat to sublunary things as also between you and the members of Christ where you live they pray most fervently that love most entirely therefore S. Pâ—ter adviseth men and their wives to live lovingly together lest their prayers should be hindred How much enmity and strangenesse do hinder prayers the common enemy of mankind knoweth well enough he is busie in sowing cares and glad to see men divided for then they cannot use this spiritual weapon against him nor weild this instrument one of the chiefest Engines to batter down the gates of Hell To make much of those that are godly is a ready way by allurement to make others good let this band be strong and your prayers cannot be weak Secondly By dependance on the strength of God and not upon your own abilities or graces this is to fetch fire from Heaven because no sacrifice must be offered up with common fire Our strength is weaknesse and it is one of Gods names the Strength of Israel 1 Sam. 15.19 When the wheel is set on going the soul set on work how long will it hold to its motion No longer then turned by the same hand that first moved it We shall soon work out the strength received and therefore to maintain the vigour of a fervent course there must be renewing strength from Heaven every day This David knew and therefore when his heart was in good frame as ever he felt it and his people likewise by their free-will-offering declared so much in themselves yet even then he prays that God would keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of his people and establish their heart in them 1 Chron. 29.18 He adored the mercy that made them willing and then implores his farther grace to strengthen them Would a Christian pray Where else will he finde materials for his prayer Alas he
knows not how or what to pray for as he ought God puts words into his mouth and these would freeze there and never vent did he not by the same influence of some heart-heating affections prevail to thaw the tap In a word a Christian hath not a spark of this fire on his own hearth except some that is strange fire which will not serve the turn he must fetch it from Heaven continually Thirdly By a continual supposal that the present opportunity may be the last how earnest would you pray how fervent would you be were you to dye presently provided this be in earnest settled on a grounded knowledge of your mortality the uncertainty of the last hour else this also will degenerate into formality Fourthly By weighing the causes moving unto and requiring this fervency as fear of Gods displeasure of the curse of the sentence of death and of Hell following Want of Gods image and love of Christ and his grace imminent judgments hanging over our heads ready to fall every moment with some hope of speeding in our requests knowing who hath said Ye shall reap if you faint not Fifthly By a true love unto that we pray for Strong affections cause fervent prayers True love makes weak things strong it is as an addition of fire to the flame It was love to God that made Moses so fervent Mary Magdalen so earnest It hath a constraining vertue it made the dumb son to speak Love if true will make a man do that 's beâ—ond his power as the Corinthians when they were poor in estate yet were rich in liberality Christ loving Lazarus well wept and groaned in spirit when he prayed for him and so did David for his son Where affection is wanting there will be cold praying we see it in sutors among men Sixthly By a proposal of some moving presidents as of a poor man that comes to your door for an alms hear how he cries with hands and eyes lift up he multiplieth and continueth Petitions For the Lords sake for Christs sake some relief Of one naked and almost starved see and behold he will have no denial Or of a condemned prisoner at the bar his knees are bowed to the ground as if his heart would touch the Judges feet his hands elevated his looks ruful his eyes full of distilling tears his words earnest and constant Mercy O Merciful Judge save or I perish Set these patterns before you and make their case your own Be earnest the matter is weighty you must either speed there or no where now or never I shall apply this in a few things Use 1 First The Use may serve to condemn as the society of Rome requiring and resting in the work done whether mighty or weak hot or cold they enquire not so the number and tale be up So too many among our selves that content themselves with a cold and carelesse form of praying a bedulling strain like the pace the Spaniard is said to ride Let us take a character of them First Such as are destitute of spiritual life and heat who have no grounded hope in any promise of speeding How should they pray lively that want life When life goeth out of the body it groweth cold and so where the life of grace is not all is cold no vigour no zeal in the discharge of duty The dead do not praise thee neither can they pray unto thee O Lord Secondly They are meerly formal in Prayer who say or repeat Prayers often but without any zeal or serious bent of minde to the passages thereof as if they cared not whether they were heard or no. Negare docent qui frigide rogant Such persons do far rather suggest a denial then move pitty it was hinted before Thirdly All they who are wholly taken up with self-seeking and variety of distracting employments so that they spend most of their strength about the perishing comforts of this life such are the malicious envious covetous and voluptuous men and women Moses was fervent in Prayer hot in the cause of God but in his own the meekest man on earth his heat was not spent for himself it was reserved for God Therefore our Saviour checks his Disciples when they would pray down fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans telling them they knew not what spirit they were of In our own businesse and wrongs our heat should be hid and as it were wrapt up in the embers but when Gods honour is endangered or obscured then should our fire break forth nay it will if we have any as Cyril sometimes advised Theodosius Fourthly They are cold in prayer who are oppressed with corruption or are carried away with the violent streams of worldly cares for the present they are all choaking and quenching as water abateth the heat of the fire or else lie under desertion or a divine restraint as Jeremiah was often forbid if not disabled to pray in some cases and for some people Fifthly They that are not in charity with their neighbours Love â—s the bond of perfection and the heat of the soul no love no heat so much want of heat as is want of love Forgive and it shall be forgiven Confesse your fâ—ults one to another and pray one for another James 5.16 Be reconciled then come and offer Matth. 5.24 God will not appear to Abraham till Lot and he be agreed Jacob being reconciled to hiâ— brother first builds an Altar Prayer offer'd up with uncharitable hands though otherwise most excellently accomplished is but as sounding brasse and a tinkling Cymball Secondly The Use serves to advise Use 2 excite and quicken you When you pray do it with all your might Water runs most swiftly and strongly when it swells over its own banks and is mounted above its chanel so will our souls move and apprehend with most strength when they are lifted on high and tend to God Be not like the glow-worm fervent in appearance onely take you heed of Jehu's countenance full of flushing heat and Nabals heart as cold as the stone Bid defiance to Laodicean luke-warmnesse Remember the sweet perfumes under the Law were burnt before they ascended Hoc agite Attend on your selves when you call upon God to attend you lest frequency diminish fervour which should encrease it and custome take away the sense When you are to go with a Petition to Christ to be presented to the Father First Let the minde be withdrawn from all prevalency of lust though from the presence it cannot Of worldly employments say as Abraham to his servant with the asses Stay here while we go yonder and worship These Birds would rob Abraham of his Sacrifice Call in and concenter your thoughts as men do the Sun-beams into a burning glasse Have your hearts at your right hand with Solomons wise man or else be sure of this that which is upmost will be out ever and anon distracting dragging downward and cooling your prayers Secondly Be well verst with that Divine Rhetorick in the
holy Scriptures to move attention and to procure compassion Setting forth your own misery and using arguments for mercy out of Gods own Word God loves to be sued on his own bond Thus did Hester with the King and so must we if we will speed in Heaven Produce Gods own words and say as she did to Judah Whose are these It is acceptable to God to be prest with his promise this David knew and therefore cries Unite my heart to fear thy Name Ps 86.11 which is as if he had said thou hast promised to give me one heart behold I find my heart divided my thoughts dissipated and my self disabled for duty anima dispersa sit minor Unite it I beseech thee This is a ready way to have our prayers nigh to the Lord day and night Thirdly Though your own Conscience should trouble and check you though Satan labour mightily to hinder you yea say the Lord seem to turn away his face from you as he did once to David and to shut the door of mercy against you yet faint not cry still plead free grace and look on Christ against all replies remember who saith You shall reap if you faint not And great cause you have to improve your strength this way For 1. The Lord is greatly incensed against us and others round about us we may say as Moses sometime did in a case not much different Numb 16. v. 46. Wrath is gone out from the Lord the plague is begun it is a time now especially to be strong in Prayer the onely way to heal the Land 2 Chron. 7.14 Besides a multitude of sins are between God and you and therefore great need of fervent praying the Lord will be intreated if you be earnest what father seeing his indigent childe though a Prodigal on his knees with hands lift up with tears in his eyes can forbear to embrace him and to grant him his request If you who are evil know how to give good things to such children how much more will your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask 2. You may hear and see the poor Church of Christ lying and languishing before you withering in her cadency like a May-flower Jerusalem is become an heap of rubbish our fair hopes of her establishment almost blasted her enemies potent and we cannot rationally conceive her ever able to wrestle through her difficulties and if the Church wither the Commonwealth cannot grow like Hippocrates his twins they smile and weep live and die together the children of both have cause to pray if either languish yea to pray fervently for both Surely if we have any bowels of compassion we cannot hold our peace for the misery of Zion the Gangrene of Heresie hath overspread her more then the present sicknesse on the Nation the raging billows of prophanenesse is ready to overwhelm her hell and the bottomlesse pit are open home-bred vipers and forrain enemies like the children of Edom cry out and gape for her destruction she is in great bitternesse and is it nothing to you that passe by When one of Darius King of Persia's Eunuchs saw Alexander the great set his feet on a low cable that had been highly prized by his master he wept and being asked the reason by Alexander he answered I mourn to see that thing my master so highly esteemed to be contemned and made a foot-stool What pious heart cannot bleed and weep to hear and see in these degenerate times the despisings of those things which God so highly prizeth Jerusalem the perfection of beauty and joy of the whole earth should not this make a dumb man to speak to pray to use strong cries Let every son of Zion consider this 3. You have many and those mighty enemies within you original sin which never resteth to draw you to evil in act without you Satan and his Agents either to tempt terrifie or persecute you this should make your hearts boil up in devotion But be sure to pray aright Some of old cryed our like a wind-instrument loud enough on their beds but could not be heard and were turned off with the censure of howling on their beds like Balaam who had words enough in his mouth without any heat in his heart A man may pray for pardon as Josephs brethren did and yet not be sorry for what is past nor resolve to amend for time to come A man may pray for power over lust as Austine confesseth of himself and yet fear as unwilling to be heard A man may pray for removal of judgments and when on the râ—ck roar out a confession as Pharaoh Ahab and Simon Magus did like the mill-wheel driven by the force of waters and yet not think of much lesse be sorry for the cause and perhaps repent of their repentance thawing in the Sun and freezing in the shade As the Historian relates of William Rufus that in a great sicknesse he vowed amendment to reform his hard laws and taxes to give spiritual livings freely but recovering repented of his promise And as the captivated Jews fasted and prayed for seventy years but to get off their chains more then their sins and so like melted meâ—tal held no longer then the fire lasted Isa 26.16 They poured out prayer when thy chastening was upon them A man may pray for grace as Spira said he did and yet have no love to it for its excellency and beauty All this men do and yet not pray fervently to God Pauci quaerunt Deum propter se sed propter aliud He onely that is mighty in Scripture that is mighty in the Spirit that is mighty by Christ to do all things can thus pray O God create in me a clean heart and renue a right spirit within me Object These fervent expressions are not alwaies successful a time may come when a Moses and a Samuel may not be heard A. 1. Fervent expressions though they be one and chief yet not the onely means somewhat else must be done viz. submission in Petitioners and reformation in those for whom it is petitioned 2. These fervent expressions are alwaies First According to the divine purpose though not alwaies to your intents and ends Secondly For your selves and own good though not alwaies for others your prayers shall return into your own bosome Thirdly it may be your Petition is heard and granted but the time of manifestation is not yet come be constant and wait a while you shall reap Zacharies prayers for a childe were granted long before it was discovered to him Fourthly Else you may be out in the thing desired either for the matter it may not be good in it self or not for you or not for the measure not so much as is desired or for the time it may not be good now and then no wonder if you be not heard which is the second branch in my description of Prayer viz. Fervent expressions Secondly Of holy desires These are the feet on which the soul runs the
wings on which it mounts toward the object desired Holy they must be for Person Principle Matter and End First The Person must be holy Under the Law the Swan which was white in feathers was yet reputed unclean and unmeet for sacrifice because the skin under them was black Religious workings stand in Gods account according to the qualification of the workman either for acceptance or rejection These fervent expressions must come from an holy heart they are not the childe of wit and phantasie but the rapture of an elevated spirit the heavenly dew of a good heart Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer To explain this branch we may enquire fitly First What this holy Heart is Qu. 1 I Answer 1. Ans It is in Scripture discovered to be a broken contrite heart a self-condemning self-crucifying sinne mortifying-heart Prayer comes for mercy and must bring a vessel to hold it and that is a broken heart a paradox in nature but not in grace Deus non infundit oleum miserecordiae nisi in vas contritum the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit An heart that by passing under the hammer of the Law and through the melting fire of the Gospel is divided from the band of sin which is a fruit of that sweet Spirit of grace promised Zach. 12.10 11 12. The Spirit of grace and supplication and whereby they shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him c. It hides nothing like a broken vessel le ts all run out opens and spreads all its vilenesse before the Lord As water mire stones heterogeneals which were inseparably congealed in a hard bound frost yet they all lie loose when there comes a kindly thaw so in the heart that was once congealed in the mire and dregs of sin c. and with penitentiall brokennesse is kindly thawed and dissolved the sins that before stuck fast in the soul now lie loose the spirit longs to be rid of them all and so becomes more capacious Broken language if from a broken heart is acceptable 2. It is an humble flexible heart waiting for and ready to receive divine impressions like softned wax and as melted mettle will run into any mould an holy heart will be ready to bend and bow as God will have it Acts 9.6 What wilt thou have me to do As if he should say Lord do but thou command me and I am ready to obey Lord give me ability to do what thou commandest and then command me what thou pleasest as Austin once of himself A carnal heart waits for and embraceth the commands of sin and an holy heart waits for and is ready to receive the commands of Christ to stoop to that service which bears Gods superscription on it 3. It is a chaste clean heart wholly dedicated to God that loveth no evil in motion or action Create in me a clean heart Psal 51.10 Holinesse is a cleansing thing 2 Cor. 7.1 As a good wife is towards her husband such is the holy heart to Christ espoused it is to him The carnal heart hath many lovers but the holy heart hath one whom it loveth even Christ 2 Cor. 11.2.4 It is an heavenly heart Words deeds behaviour not onely in sacred but in civil affairs are heavenly Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven i. e. Habitually Corpore ambulamus in terra corde habitamus in coâ—lo saith Augustine The body is on earth but our heart in Heaven as the pearl that grows in the Sea but shines as the sky O the preciousnesse of an holy heart A person thus rightly qualified for prayer is more honourable more excellent then his neighbour Qu. 2 Secondly Why must Prayer come from an holy heart Ans First Because a carnal heart destitute of renewing grace and spiritual life cannot rise to close with such a spiritual duty A natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 Light and darknesse may as soon come together and agree An holy heart may make a carnal prayer but a carnal heart can never make an holy prayer so as to ascend high enough Nothing can work beyond the activity of its own principle A bullet flyeth no farther then the force of the powder carrieth it and where prayers come from nature onely they go no farther then nature can carry them Secondly Reigning sin in the heart out-cryeth your prayers especially the sins of pride and anger Jam. 4.6 God resisteth the proud 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men every where pray lifting up holy hands without wrath If your sins be hearty your prayers cannot be hearty If the sin of one man may hinder the prayers and endeavours of many how much more will many sins hinder the prayers of one Reigning sin is like many great Ordnance charged and planted on high mountains they make a great noise like thunder which confounds and swallows up lower and smaller cries Sin unto prayer is as Garlick to the Loadstone renders it flat and dead Thirdly The person must be accepted before the prayer and none are accepted but such as are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ Therefore prayers must come from an holy heart John 15.5 He that abideth in me bringeth forth much fruit Gen. 4.4 The Lord had respect to Abel and then to his offering Prayer from a wicked heart is like a jewel put into a dead mans mouth loseth all its vertue * The Naturalist saith a precious jewel put into a dead mans mouth loseth its worth and vertue so doth prayer in the mouth of a man spiritually dead The prayer of the wicked is abominable Prov. 21.27 But if the tree be good the fruit will be good You must be in Christ before you can do or obtain any good this way Through him we have accesse with confidence unto the Father Ephes 2.18 Fourthly Because the Lord is holy and cannot endure sin especially in Petitioners God hates sin naturally where ever it is like as we hate poison whether it be in a Toad or Princes Cabinet Yea he hateth it more then the Devil Can a Prince endure a Petitioner that shall bring his greatest enemy with him in his hand even into his presence Or can any Petitioner think so to prevail No As in a wound the plaister prevails not whilest the iron remains within so neither can prayer while sin rankleth God will not hear a good motion from a bad mouth He will hide his eyes while your hands are full of blood You love my profest enemies more then me will God say your bosome sins above your requests Therefore go and be reconciled put away your sins and then come and offer Thus much for the first branch the Person must be holy Again Secondly The Principle must be holy Your desires must be the issues of grace dictated by the Spirit of Christ we know not how or what to ask without his assistance Rom. 8.15 26. Here
you may ask and receive not because you ask amisse Jam. 4.3 Your requests may not terminate in self That was but a brutish request which we find related Exod. 17.2 Give us water that we may drink A beast can aim at self-preservation This branch of Prayer must have an ordination to God Therefore Thirdly and Lastly Desirâ—s must be holy for the end As may well be collected from the beginning and end of the Lords Prayer the beginning is Hallowed be thy Name the end is For thine is the Kingdome Power and Glory for ever As the superiour Orb carries all the inferiour about with iâ—s own motion So must this great and noble end wheel about all our desires and though lowest actions Enquire we may for the clearing of this last branch after two things First When is a mans end holy Secondly Why our ends must be holy Qu. 1 For the first When is a mans end holy Ans The Answer shall lie in these two things 1. When neither himself nor any other creature is the last end of a mans prayer For either of them make it eccentrick irregular The motion must needs be lame when a man shall make God a meer servant to himself and move wholly on a private center of his own and is visibly for God but underhand for himself The Pharisees were glorious in prayer but what they did was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be admired by others The Spring was not Gods grace and the end was not Gods glory Glorious actions without holy and pure ends are like sweet herbs on a noisome dunghiâ—l 2. When God is the end ultimus though not proximus last though not the very next or immediate end of our desires As in Jacobs and Hannahs prayer 1 Sam. 1.11 When men aim at his glory the enlâ—rging of Christs Kingdome and resolve what they get in prayer to spend for God and the good of his Relations with the sanctification and salvation of their souls then the end is holy The want of this was that did so discolour the otherwise excellent works of the Heathen which are almost incredible they looked not to God in their great services and brave exploits So that â—heir actions were good Bullion as one speaks but carried not a good stamp upon them and therefore would not passe with God So that it is well maintained by our Divines yea some of the Schoolmen that their works were not morally good because though the proxime end might be good yet they knew not the ultimate end which was Gods glory Secondly Why must our ends be holy Qu. 2 Divers Reasons may be rendred Ans Some Philosophical and some Theologicall Of the first I will mention these three viz. 1. Because every operative intellect doth begin with the end that is first in intention and that which doth both move the agent and denominate the action Which appeareth to be truth from two reasons First Because the end supplieth the room and place of the form in all those agents and acts whose essential perfection consists in operation Secondly Because the last end doth perfect both the actor and the action justly therefore doth it begin with the end and take denomination from the end 2. The end must be holy because the last end especially doth give beauty and amability to all the means conducing thereunto and because the appetite is terminated and quieted in the last end Needs must his desires be holy whose end is holy 3. Because the end and the means leading thereunto are proportioned and disposed together Posito sine ponuntur disponuntur media omnia c. if a mans end be not holy the means leading thereunto cannot be holy The second sort of Reasons are Theological I shall give these two viz. First Because the Lord looks mainly to the end and specially noâ—es wherefore we pray He regards not so much the Arithmetick of Prayers how numerous they are nor the Rhetorick of them how neat they are nor their Geometry how long they are not so much their Musick how melodious nor their Logick how methodical but their Divinity how heart-sprung they are how they tend to his glory how much holinesse is twisted about them Secondly The end if it be holy will strengthen the Petitioner to peâ—severe in the use of all good means When a man with a free Conscience can say Lord thou knowest my ends they are not meerly self nor biassed with carnal interests but holy and spiritual according to the best of my knowledge and power as did Hezekiah I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done thâ—t which is good in thy sight is a good ground to rest faith upon for a gracious â—nswer in due time This may be useful to us all by way Use 1 of correction and instruction First For correction there be many among us that pray at least that read or say prayers like the Parrot at Rome that could repeat the whole Creed but very few that send up fervent expressions of holy desires Some know noâ— what it is to pray they cannot distinguish between oro and credo Others think not of it that they are going into Heaven into the Presence-Chamber before the Throne of a great and glorious God when they do pray And too many there are who rest on the work done numbring rather then weighing their prayers So it cometh to passe that most are indisposed for this holy exercise in all or some of these following cases 1. If your hearts be impure which may be discerned by your thoughts now good and then bad and both disregarded by your words the very off-spring of the heart Matth. 12.34 false corrupt impertinent by your companions chosen for intimacy and that you most delight in and by your life if that be impure through the reign of any one sin You regard iniquity in your heart and the Lord will not hear But observe there is a two-fold impurity one in the dominion another from the inhesion of sin understand the first here 2. If you have and bring nothing but natural desires sufficient knowledge a good memory a quick invention and easie elocution so thâ—t your praying is nothing but a matâ—er of wit and parts rather for ostentation then devotion which may be thus discerned First If your heads are better then your hearts you have more abilities then will to do good and glorifie God Secondly By such prayers the head may be better'd but not the heart It is a clear case the more any man prayeth spiritually the more is Gods image renewed in his heart and soul the heart is more benefited then the head Thirdly If the matter oâ— manner of your prayers be carnal as if you should crave blessings of the leâ—â— hand only for corn wine and oil meat that perisheth the bona scabelli â—nd not throni as Austine speaketh oâ— should ask these things in the first placâ— the matter and manner is then carnal Fourthly
in some secret sin especially pride God resisteth the proud and enmity with your neighbours This is one of the worst signs in the world especially to be out with the people of God Yet such broils Satan laboureth to foment and chiefly for this end to hinder prayers or to slack the fervency of them if he can between man and wife Minister and people the Devil well knows guilt to be a tongue-tying thing Great sins to be great gags David on this account prays Psal 51.14 15. Deliver me from bloods O Lord then my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse Open my mouth Guilt had put a padlock on Davids mouth and he could not speak to God whom he had so much offended Sin approved makes the Lord deaf and the sinner dumb Thirdly Variety of worldly businesse and multiplicity of oppressing cares these are the birds that would rob Abraham of his Sacrifice and swarms of Egypt which annoy the best coming necessarily they prove a cumber but when men voluntatarily thrust themselves upon and delight to be in them as a fish in water they choak the seed and thrust duty out of doors Matth. 13.22 Luke 21.34 Oh how quickly will these thorns overtop the corn Fourthly Satan and wicked company which unloose a man and disrelish spiritual employments labouring to cast a beclouding mist upon the blessed beauty of holinesse and to vail the spiritualnesse of this exercise from the eye of the minde Either they indispose men wholly and keep them off from it as forgetful or fearful to come into Gods presence or else to keep them contented with a meer form so that men may go to Hell praying in that manner Isa 1.15 Hosea 7.14 3. But many that have used thus to Obj. 3 be fervent in praying as you now teach have afterwards proved counterfeits Ergo c. Will you therefore dislike it Ans and not pray fervently at all Suppose some coin be counterfeit will you therefore keep no silver in your purse I think you will not so easily be perswaded Some abuse good callings will you therefore cast off all How can thaâ— be reason in Religion which â—is a kinde of madnesse in civil matters If an abuse of some should merit an abolishment of all good things of that naturâ— what would have become of us by this time But to answer more punctually First All those have not proved counterfeits that have been thus fervent in prayer God forbid that you should so think Moses Joshuah David Hannah Daniel Paul with many hundreds of blessed souls have held out in a growing fervency and proved best at last Secondly In those that have falen the fault was not in their fervent praying oâ— any other part of Religion but their false hearts blame unsoundnesse only and give zeal her due praise Thirdly Let their example make you affraid of any especially self-deceiving-hypocrisie Keep truth in the inward parts Labour mainly for sincerity Let the greatest heat be inward in the intention of the spirit this way Fourthly Regard not so much what the common sort say as what God and your need requires If others deride it the Scriptures commend it Remember Joshuah let all others do and be what they please go you and pray fervently with all your strength It is sad to see how carelesse indevout cold and irreverent the generality of people are amongst us if by their publick we may judge of their private devotion Mend this and the rest of your spiritual maladies will be easily cured Obj. 4 But many we see have blessings of all sorts who yet never could nor did pray thus for them there appears then no such necessity of fervency in prayer Ans You must distinguish of blessings and then answer your selves 1. For the nature of them they are alwaies blessings either of common Providence or of speciall favour and promise The former are and may be enjoyed without any prayer and therefore without fervency coming from God as a Creatour to support his creature in being till the prâ—ordained end be obtained The latter which are blessings indeed sweet full and lasting must be sued out with strong cries and fervency of devotion I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them Ezek. 36.37 Many rich favours promised in the former verses but they must be fetcht by Prayer 2. For the end of them some are bestowed on men for their everlasting good as are saving graces and a sanctified use of common favours effects of Prayer in adult persons Other blessings are bestowed not so much for themselves as for the good of others Such are functional abilities for the good of humane societies as Saul called to be King had â—nother heart given him without prayer for it 3. For the use and continuance that shews whether they be the persons of devout Prayer or no. Men may have blessings with a curse Hosea 13.11 I gave them a King in mine anger c. as he once gave them quails to choak them Like Achans wedge Gehezies silver Jeâ—oboams Crown all were gifts of God but yet giftlesse Ahabs Vineyard taken from Naboth because convenient for him Some things are lawful but not convenient this was convenient but not lawful it had been better for him and his had he suffered some inconveniencies to have enjoyed things lawful Possession without right and prosperity without prayer frequent and fervent is the bane and ruine of all Obj. 5 It is again objected If we should practise this duty every day as is pressed it would spend and waste our spirits hinder us in our callings and expose us to the derision of others Ans I Answer 1. I have read of some men who have been somewhat hurt in their bodily health by fasting watching and much kneeling James sirnamed the just Christs kinsman had his knees made as hard as Camels knees with much praying as Eusebius relateth Father Latimer during his imprisonment was so constant and frequent in prayer that he was much impaired in his bodily strength as is related by Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments But I never read or heard nor conceive it possible that ever any man was hurt by fervency in prayer This heat I speak of consumeth no radical moisture an heavenly dew goeth with it as a cordial to cool refresh and make glad men in prayer 2. I demand Can your time and strength be spent in a betteâ— emploiment No man spends so much as he gains in prayer You are mistaken and slander this sweet communion with God while you lay such blame upon secret or private-devotion in family-duties Doth not the satisfying of your lusts spend you Do not evil company and riot consume you Doth not your neglect and backwardnesse in sowing Charity is so called by the Apostle 2. Cor. 9.6 beggar you it is not prayer 3. How can you after deliberation account it an hinderance of you or yours in their work First It is a matter
expression However we finde that through slownesse of phantasie bashfulnesse unreadinesse of speech men that have good affections may yet need forrain helps as to words 3. Let such a one read or hear to get by heart such passages of Scripture as being orderly joined will make an excellent Prayer It is best praying in the Lords own words The Scripture is a Magazine of matter Many complain they have a great dearth of expressions when the cause is in themselves they do not study the Word of God the most genuine off-spring of expressions Case 2 Secondly What shall he do that findes his heart unfit and altogether indisposed for Prayer especially such Prayer with holy fervency Ans For Answer to this 1. Let him consider whence that indisposition is whether from some prevailing corruption which must be mortified or from omission of some duty which must be bewailed and redeemed or from a temptation which must be resisted or else from a desertion in which case there must be a waiting and earnest seeking for the Lords return 2. In this danger and damp of the soul know there is most need of praying to bring the heart into temper and to free it from those pressing weights which do so clog and keep it down The only way to fit a soul for this duty is to fall presently upon it and the very doing of the duty doth fit to the duty As one expresseth it for as all actions of the same kinde encrease the habit so prayer will make ready for prayer By setting a mans self on the work he shall gather disposednesse though unfit before as joints benummed get life being used 3. Know such is your condition here below like a watch though it be brought in order yet ere long it will be out again like the house that is swept and the childes face that is washed gathers dust and is fouled again Yet let not this discourage you but rather excite you to resolution and diligence in keeping the soul Heaven-ward and like the Palm-tree which by how much the more weight is laid upon it gathers the more strength the more to encounter Assailants Especially take heed of living in any beloved sin and thinking to pacifie Conscience and satisfie offended Justice by a task of daily prayer a wile of Satan â—eigning among Papists who hearing the Masse and confessing their sins once a year audibly think they may live as they list and spend the day as they pleâ—se as if they had taken a new licence to commit iniquity a practice too too common amongst ourselves resting on a cold performance of some duties without truth of grace or any thought of a necessity of universal obedience Case 3 I am distracted with vain thoughts and terrified with strange fears especially while alone and in the dark what shall I do 1. Consider whence they come from without Ans as injections or from within as corruptions prevailing through negligence or meer weaknesse judge and shame thy self for such distractions strive to do better so shall they never be imputed To be wholly freed from them is a priviledge proper to the state of perfection as some diseases cannot will not be cured neer home but men must repair to the Bath or to the City for help this infirmity is not to be quite healed till we come to Heaven 2. Admit not such vain and hurtful thoughts while you are in your civil emploiments at least play not with them as children use to do with motes in the air for there begins your bane You admit them at other times and they will be admitted at prayer If once the minde is let loose to rove idly it will hardly be brought in to attend upon God wholly in the duty of Prayer or otherwise as the trifling fellow that wanders up and down will not easily be tied to work The best way to keep the heart from gadding is to keep it as much as may be in â—une and rightly disposed before as when a man is to use his horse he will have him under bridle 3. Though you be set with terrors and fears yet flie not upon such imaginations but resist and the enemy will yeeld leave not the place where you are but buckle so much the closer to the duty in hand When Christ sweat drops of blood he prayed most fervently Remember Satan is chained he hath no enforcing power Distrustful fear giveth advantage and that you are in Gods presence who hath power over the Devil 4. Know that these defects and displeasing thoughts do disturb and discomfort the praying soul but cannot evacuate your prayers This is the priviledge of a true Christian his spotty and defiled prayers as other services are washed in the Founâ—â—in opened for sin and uncleannesse he corrects interlines and paraphrases them puts them into the method and language and expected constitution of the Court of Heaven that what goes from us with sincerity is immediately taken and entred on the File and become standing Records of that Office Case 4 But I finde not any successe in my prayers but am rather crossed in them therefore I fear it is in vain to pray Ans 1. If you pray amisse for matter manner or end no marvail in the matter as Moses in his desire to enter into the promised Land the matter of prayer being temporal we have no absolute promise to obtain Spiritual mercies indeed are bona absoluta bona bonum habentem facientia ever good to him that hath them and therefore we have an absolute promise to speed in our requests for them he will never deny good things to them that ask Luke 11.13 But outward blessings are onely bona respectiva good in reference to a certain end and our expectations may fail with reference to them In the manner as the Church in the Cant. 5.3 She would and she would not There is it may be a kinde of wambling willingnesse and velleitie but it boils not up to a full height of resolution for God and utmost endeavours after the thing desired Now affection without endeavour is like Rachel beautiful but barren Or Lastly Your prayers may misse in the end either of intention or of duration They draw not neer him with true heart that is contented either to wait for or to want the thing desired being heartily willing that God should be glorified though themselves be not answered They that ask aright may have any thing Mat. 5.6 2. Prayers may be successeful and yet not found or felt The grant may be past and you not know it for it is made to Christ first who by the worth of his Intercession merits a return of Prayers to himself and after to his Saints besides somewhat equivolent or better for you then that which you requested may be given and you not discern it for the vehement intention of your eies upon your own will or the veâ—y thing may be granted though not for the time manner means and measure by
repent yet sin again A. 1. A truly gracious soul though it sin yet it makes no league oâ— peace with sin but keeps the war on fooâ— still As Hannibal took an Oath to his father to maintain perpetual hostility with Rome So have gracious souls covenanted with â—od to wage a perpetual war with sin though it sometime receives a foil and losse yet thereby it is more enraged against the adversary Carnal counterfeit persons once foiled seldome come on again but the true penitent riseth and fights most valiantly doubles his guard after unwarinesse strengthens the battle after a blow laying on more strongly after sin hath been too hard as we see in Peter and Paul and many other Scripture-examples 2. True grace gets advantage by the stirring and sometimes prevailing power of sin which meer nature cannot do it alwaies loseth the heart is made worse sin loved holinesse loathed some degrees more and security surpriseth the soul When as in gracious hearts every thing falleth out otherwise the heart is made better sin more loathed holinesse prized some degrees more the soul strengthned like the Giant Anteus who in his wrestling with Hercules is seigned to get strength by every fall to the ground The Third Grace required to be acted in prayer is humility which may serve as the pins of Jacobs Ladder whereby the soul climbeth up to Heâ—ven He that would leap highest must stoop lowest God exalteth the humble whilst he resisteth the proud and sends them empty away As men use to lay up the richest wine in the lowest Ceâ—lars so doth God the choicest mercies in humble and lowly hearts Christ when he was upon the earth did most for those that were humble and so continues to do The truly humble soul is Gods second Heaven I will dwell with the contâ—â—â—e spirit The Valleys shall laugh with satnesse when the Hills are barren And this Grace may be discerned thus First By a grateful disposition for former favours Of old a peâ—ce-offering was appointed to be joineâ— with the trespasse-offering to teach the Church ever to join praise with prayer But the proud heart hath never enough is ever unthankful Secondly By a mean and low conceit of your selves and your own unworthinesse before God Like that of Abraham Gen. 18.27 that am but dust and ashes or of David â—o foolish was I as a beast before thee and Agur Prov. 30.2 I am more brutish then any man or as that Martyr who cried out Gehenna sum Domine c. Lord thou art Heaven but I am as bad as Hell Tantillitas nostra said Ignatius of himself and his Colleagues the humble man like Paul doth not elevate but aggravate his sins against himself vails all the top-sails and sits down in the dust Job 42.6 Mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhorre my self in dust and ashes when he had a glorious apparition of God he vanished into nothing in his own thoughts The stars vanish when the Sun appears and our poor Candle vanisheth into a disappearance when the glory of God ariseth in the thoughts of the humble Thirdly By this when heavenly Objects appear in our eye great and beautiful more and more As in David Psal 4.6 who preferred Gods favour to all things and in Paul Phil. 3.8 who counted all things but dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ He undervalues a whole sky full of stars to one Sun of Righteousnesse And as holy Lambert None but Christ none but Christ To them that believe he is precious they can see those beauties and excellencieâ— in him that are not discovered to others To unbelievers heavenly objects are as orient pearls in an heap of sand and a Mine of gold covered over with rubbish and earth Fourthly By meeknesse and readinesse to yield in all your own causes but resolutenesse in the cause oâ— God in behalf of his truth Moses one of the meekest men on earth yet who more hot and zealous in the service of God The three children Dan. 3.16 are well resolved in the like case and will not suffer truth to fall for them Luther regards not himself nor the rich presents but is eaten up with the zeal of Gods house Fifthly By a patient waiting upon God till the time appointed He that believeth will not make hast to step aside through indirect means to obtain what is prayed for or promised not sorcery charms witchcraft to finde things lost to obtain health or grow rich who art thou that fearest God and obeyest the voice of his servants and yet walkest in darknesse wait upon God and stay thy self on the Lord. We reâ—d of Zachary that he prayed for a childe heretofore while there was any ordinary ground of hope but after as it is probable left off that suit but not waiting what God would do for him and he had his request at last Prayers are often granted long before manifested Thus must grace be exercised in acceptable prayer it is the Palaestra the Arena the Artillary-yard of all our graces in which they must shew their activity And thus much may suffice for the discovery of the Conditions required in prayer In the last place we come to the Motives not to the reading or repeating saying over of prayers onely not to a cold carelesse performance of this duty at all but to fervent praying this is praying with power whereof that passage is fitly verified and rightly to be understood Acts 9.11 Behold he prayeth Saul struck to the ground remained three days without sight and did neither eat nor drink but behold he prayeth i. e. with all his might as one that taketh no denial To pray fervently is the point in hand first undertaken and hitherto prosecured And to this there are seveâ—all Motives and they may be taken â—irst From the Lord to whom we must pray Secondly From men Thirdly â—rom prayer it self First From the Lord and then you may take into consideration such Motives as these 1. He commands that you should pray to him as you love him i. e. strongly vehemently and constantly My son give me thy heaâ— It is a special part of Divine worship and if you make conscience of any duty you will of this especially Hos 14.2.2 He delights in earnest and zealous prayers and petitioners God is not a man who may be tired with uncessant suits and frequent visits Prov. 25.17 as was the unjust Judge and the Disciples with the poor womans cries repeating the same request over and over Such were Moses and David highly commended of God for their skill art in praying one the meekest man on earth thâ— other a man after Gods own heart and he can deny them nothing provided they referre the time and measure to him As men take delight in the deep-mouâ—h'd hound and the shrill sound of the Trumpet and the loud report of the Piecâ— so doth God take delight in the fervent reports of his people 3. He is ready to return answer
to such fervent prayers hiâ— ears are open to the cries of his people The Aediles among the Romans had ever the door standing open to all that had occasion for requests or complaints Even so are the doors of Gods mercy open unto fervent suppliants He is that friend spoken of in Luke 11. Ready to hear when any friend doth knock God is not like that Idol Baal 1 Kings 18.27 Of whom Elijah said to his Priests when with much clamour they cried unto him but had no answet Cry aloud for he is a God either talking or pursuing or in a journey or peradventure he sleepeth Or like the Heathen Jupiter who when the Grecians and Trojans were by the ears was gone to visit his old friends Oceanus and Tethis The Lord is alwaies nigh at hand to all that call upon him fervently It was never known that God said to any suitor as Philip of Macedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. I have no leasure or go away and come to morrow if it were convenient and seasonable for him to grant the request at present He is as ready to bestow mercy as a mothers breast is to give milk he waits but for drawing It was the commendation of Theodosius his clemency and sweet disposition that it was to him as if he received a benefit if he might have opportunity to forgive an injury and such is the excellent freenesse of Divine bowels that the Lord waiteth to â—e gracious and mercy pleaseth him 4. He hath made many sweet and precious promises to such as pray to him with supplication and thanksgiving Psal 50. â—5 Call upon me and I will hear God will hear But upon what terms upon condition that you call seek and knock Mat. 7.7 8. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Yea Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name believing he will do it for you There is a promise for whatsoever you have need to pray for Who then is so dull that will not be quickned by those allurements so stubborn as not to be won so timorous as not to be encouraged by them who will not ask when his request is so graciously accepted so easily granted 5. Christ hath taught you how to pray Mat. 6.9 He putteth words as it were to your mouths and tels you what to ask He died and rose again to make way for your pâ—rsons and prayers into Gods presence calling you to come unto him with your petitions and he will present them to the Father 6. The Divine Attributes should move you whether absolute or relative Absolute as his Omnisciency Omnipotency Mercy Truth and Faithfulnesse his bounty and Glory all magniâ—ied by petitioners and excercised by granting requests Relative so he is called an husband a Father a gracious Lord as it was said of Augustus that he that dared to approach his presence seemed not to know his greatnesse and he that durst not seemed not to know his goodnesse All of God should encourage the houshold of Faith to come unto him in all zealous humility and devout reverence 7. The honour to be admitted his presence and to have conference with him Men account it a great honour to stand before a great Prince of the earth who is but a man in a greater letter and to conveâ—se with him The Queen of Sheba pronounced them happy men happy servants which could stand continually befoâ—e Solomon and to hear his wisdom 1 Kings 10.8 The Persian Kings made it a part of their great condescention to manifeâ—t themselves unto their Subjects But what honour is this to stand in the preâ—ence chamber of the King of Kings that Glorious Lord of all the earth to converse and have fellowship with him Consider it is a favour given only to a few even such as the Lord shall call and they are but few compared with the numbers that sit in darknesse and call not upon the Name of the Lord. This should move you to pray often and ever in earnest he is easie to be entreated and upbraideth not the oftner we come the more welcome and the more we acquaint our selves wiâ—h him the more good cometh to us Joâ— 22.21 Our often addresses and requests â—o men may soon receive a repulse but cannot weary infinitenesse The Second sort of Motives may be taken from men and so 1. From a consideration of your selves 2. Of others 1. Consider your selves First What danger and losse growes upon omission of prayer as 1. Your outward estate lieth open to the curse of God to be spoiled by all or any of the Creatures It is the presence of God that must preserve our outward estates and make up a peace with us and the Creatures Rebellis enim facta est quia homo numini creatura homini The creatures rebell agaâ—nst man because he rebelled against God Now as Noble mens servants will draw in defence of their Lord and as Souldiers fight for their General so it is here God is the Lord of Hosts and they continue to this day according to his Ordinance for they are all servants ready prest to seize a sinner and to do execution on him and his as a Traitor and Rebell to highest Majesty Now it is Gods presence that can only abolish this enmity And how shall we confine God amongst us without fervent praying Prayer is like the Golden chain with which the Tyrians when Alexander beleagur'd them bound fast their tutelar God Apollo that he might not leave their City Secondly Your inward parts and faculties run all out of order like a wide wildernesse whereon comes neither Sun or dew or as a Clock that no man looks unto will soon be out of order and at a stand and as a sore wound which is not dressed or plyed with fresh salves will corrupt and fester so it is with men that neglect or omit prayer Thirdly It is one of the worst signes can be that men are and continue strangers to God that they depend on themselves and like the swine who eat the â—corns but never look up to the tree that bare them What dammage likewise comes upon a cold carelesse performance of it for so you mispend precious time lay your selves open to the enmity of the world who take you to be zealous men indeed and under that notion hate and trouble you and all this without any recompense from God because you are not such indeed And so often you pray or rather repeat a prayer in this cold formal manner you take Gods Name in vain Secondly Consider the benefit comes to the soul and society of Christians by fervent prayer which can hardly be imagined or uttered For 1. Iâ— is ever a blessed means to mitigate or remove judgments what spiritual burdens the soul lieth under by reason of sin remaining within or enemies without It was Davids Catholicon in all his troubles and trials When you have none to complain to or ease you think what an happinesse it is to have such a
bosom open 2. A means it is richly to supply all your wants Prayer like the Heavens hath influence on all things below it as appears from the Prophetick Prayer of Solomon 1 Kings 8. And the practise of David in the book of Psalms and of Agur Prov. 30.8 It brings and keeps the heart in good temper and fills it with Spiritual joy and sweetnesse John 16.24 Ask and your joy shall be full No sorrow can stand before the God of consolation Davids heart was more oft out of tune than his harp he prayes and then cries Return to thy rest O my soul In many of the Psalms the beginnings are sull of trouble but by that time he hath prayed a while the ends are full of joy and assurance Psal 6.22 51. It fastneth on us as with Spirituall buckles all our Spiritual armour and sets God on work for us It is a lock for the night and a key for the day to open Gods treasury and let in the beams of the Sun of righteousnesse upon us Thirdly Consider what need you have to pray to God fervently If you knowingly weighed what a great work you have to do in a short time and in what danger you are upon the brink of Eternity and Satan goes about seeking to devour you say then have you not cause in respect of your selves to work in prayer 2. Motives may be taken from consideration of others whether â—nemies or friends Enemies you have many to your persons profession and practice in close following the Captain of your salvation Jesus Christ Psal 3.1 Many there are that rise up against me 2 Chron. 20.12 O our God wilt thou not judge them we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eies are upon thee Your friends are sick in body or troubled in minde with fears doubts desertions and suggestions carnal or Satanical as Paul was 2 Cor. 12.9 Persecuted and imprisoned as Peter was Acts 12.5 or lying under heavy rods one way or other perhaps imployed about weighty matters by sea or land tending especially to unthrone Satan to root out Anti-Christ and to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ Such moving objects you have enough at home and you may hear of more abroad The great dangers we are sensibly in by reason of sin and enemies should move and awaken us to improve all our interest in Christ to save us or else we perish and so be made the woful'st spectacle that was ever yet beheld A fruitfull land makes he barren for the sins of the people that dwel therein May not we tremble to think what will befall us To close this Can you see God dishonour'd Satan advantaged to domineer a flourishing Church endangered a dear Country like a mother bleeding to death a brother nay many brethren oppressed distressed and yet be silent Can you hear of what is preached on house-tops without sighing Can you look on the dolefull face of things with dry eyes O hard-hearted Christ hath some great work in hand a great and effectual door is opened and there are many adversaries and will you not so much as pray to God for help They are cursed with a bitter curse which come not in to help the Lord against the mighty A third and last sort of Motives are taken from Prayer it self such kind of praying First It distinguisheth between the gracious and the gracelesse soul it declares the sacrifice to be more excellent Cain offered a sacrifice as well as Abel but saith put the difference As faith puts a difference between the works of Heathens and the works of Christians though not for the matter yet for the manner so do faithfull fervent prayers between the sound and the rotten Christian It puts a difference betwixt the Abba-fathers of a child and the Ave-Maries of a superstitious Papist betwixt the devotion of a Saint and the devotion of a sinner the crie of a Saint and the howlings of an hypocrite these make a great and long noise the other only send up strong cries as well and more in private then in publique Secondly It is ever effectual and hath been most successfull Vitus Theâ—dorus speâ—king of the prayers Luther made in reference to a Diet at Ausburg wherein matters were like to go against the Protestants wrote thus Non dubito quin illius preces magnum momentum ad desparatam hanc causam comitiorum sint allaturae he doubted not but Luthers prayers would go near to turn the stream No man ever thus sought help of God in vain Witnesse Abraham Moses Joshuah Elijah a man subâ—ect to like passions with us Hannah Daniel with thousands more who were sent away as Ruth from Boaz with their bosom full of blessings as Mephibosheth from David with a royall revenue as Achsah Calebs daughter from her father with upper and neather springs or as Moses from the mount with their faces shining A Christian cannot want supplies so long as he can pray for them as they were wont to say of the Pope he could never want money so long as he could hold a pen in his hand to write for it When the man can find a fervent-praying heart God will find a pitying heart and a supplying hand The Ark and the Mercy-seat were never nor ever shall be separated Obj. But such as you instance for successe of prayer were all extraordinary eminent men good and holy while I am mean poor vile and cannot hope to prevail as they Ans 1. I would know who they are that have most need of mercy and are so prest to use strength and fervency with God as penitent sinners throughout the whole book of God Paenitens loco justi apud Deum a penitent sinner is just in Gods account As Manasses the Publican Mary Magdalen the thief on the Cross sinners in grain yet humbled and accepted As for Abraham and Moses and the like they were holy men indeed as there are many in the world now though not so eminent yet as acceptable to God and as powerfull in praying as they were 2. I say that the successe and effectualnesse of pâ—ayer is not so much from the faith and fervency of the Petitioner as from the mercy of God and merit of Christ Cry and pray fervently unto God and rest on the promises Obj. But I am streightned and want time to pray morning and evening as you direct Ans 1. Have you time for other businesse to eat drink sleep labour and take your pleasure and none to pray Have you time to game and drink to buy and sell and none to pray This is the part of a worldling of the man of this life 2. Wisely improve your time and beware of contracting upon your selves that burden of oppressing varieties which keep men down and imploy them in such an excesse of matters in the earth as with that Duke of Alva they have no time to mind or look up to heaven 3. Redeem
at one time what is inevitably lost at another You may be assured in the word of truth and experience there is no hinderance of work nor losse of time in continuing this exercise Gods blessing doth more then recompenâ—e such expences A whet is no let I come now to the second Doctrine viz. That righteous men are very prevalent in prayer While mens hands are full of blood the Lord will not heâ—r Isa 1.15 If I regard iniquity in my heart c. Psal 66.18 Impenitent persons such I mean as are so in act or disposition either they pray not at all they that have done evil hate the light lest their deeds should be reproved Joh. 3.20 The guilt of sin redounding and resting on them doth discourage such from prayer and makes them willing to grow strangers to God as a trespasser of his neighbour useth to say I have done so or so against you and am ashamed to look you in the face Or else they pray in a cold fâ—int manner for form rather then out of love and such prayers ascend not Now for the penitent righteous persons they are fervent in prayer wrestling with Jacob striving with Paul and sweâ—ting with Christ As the tribes Acts 26.27 are said to serve God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a stretching forth themselves with all their might And their prayers are worth something Witnesse the prayers of Moses Joshuah Elijah Daviâ— Daniel Paul no such extraordinary presidents but that a true penitent skilled in prayer and closing with the promises may prevail as much with God now aâ— they did then Coldnesse and infidelity are the main causes of so much fruitlesse praying and want of skill to observe returns when they are fruitfull doth occasion unthankfulnesse and uncheerfulnesse in good men For a further illustration of this Doctrine it will do well to enquâ—re First Wherein are the prayers of the righteous so prevalent Secondly Why First Wherein are they so effectual A. The answer may be thus They are effectual both to remove judgements and procure mercies The work of prayer in the former will discover the later It is effectual to remove judgements and consequently to bring mercies Amos 7.1 to the 7. It removed the judgements of the grashoppers and the fire as Jonah prayed and removed a double death that had seized on him It is the best Lever at a dead lift It loosed the iron chains and opened the iron gates unlocked the windows of heaven Est clavis instar quâ Dei penetralia aperiuntur Jamblicus Instead of a key wherewith Gods Cabinet is opened The Prophet Amos knew this full well and therefore sets to work in good earnest as when a Cart is in a quagmire if the horses feel it coming they 'l pull the harder till they have it out so he Prayer overcomes enemies Achitophel withers before the prayer of David The huge Army of a thousand thousand Ethiopians ran away like cowards before the prayer of Asa Luther having prayed earnestly to God in his chamber for the Churches successe came down saying We have overcome we have overcome And so accordingly it proved Marcus Aurelius being in the field with his Army and in a great streight for water commanded his Christian band to pray unto their God in that distresse they presently fall down where they stood and behold a plentifull shower followed immediatly with thunder and lightning upon the enemy called by him therefore from that time Legio fulminatrix the lightning Legion Constantine would have his Effigies made kneeling whenas other Emperours had theirs standing triumphing to shew that he got all his Victories by prayer Euseb lib. 2. cap. 12. reports of him that he never took any war in hand but first presented his earnest prayers to God Statis temporibus quotidiè solus cum solo Dâ—o loquebatur Fox in Martyr relateth that the victory against Cedwell and Penda in the time of the Saxons was ascribed to the prayers of Oswald and the like of Allured against the Danes What was said of the wicked Psal 57.5 Their tongue is a sharp sword swords are in their lips may be truly said of the tongues and lips of Gods people in prayer they are as two-edged swords in their hands to execute vengeance Of all weapons there is â—one like to this Again prayer is effectual to heal the sick 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face c. then I will hear from Heaven forgive their sins and heal the land Gen. â—0 17 We find that Abraham prayed and the Lord healed Abimelech Jam. 5.15 The prayer of Faith shall heal the sick and if they have committed sins they shall be forgiven them And so shall be healed on both sides Anointing will not do it prayer will not do it but the prayer of faith shall The story of Luther is well known how by his prâ—yers he recovered Theodorus Vitus of a consumption after the Physitians had given him up for dead Such strong breathings like strong winds whilst they are up keep great showers from falling and can blow away the blackest cloud yea blow the most smarting wounds whole Such sweet lips are ever dropping balm into the wounds of a people You see the prayers of the righteous are effectual to procure blessings for the well-being of the common body It is this that raises storms to drive away enemies and prosperous gales to bring mercy and relief It was the prayer of England that scatteâ—ed the Spanish Armado like a mist I have read of Theodosius who being once dangerously beset with enemies turned himself to God by prayers fasting and tears the Lord was entreated to raise a tempest in the face of the enemy to their discomfiture and to turn Arbitiâ— one of their Câ—ptains to his side as Socrates relates it Herein are the prayers of the righteous effectuall Secondly Why are their prayers so effectual Ans First Because all righteous persons are in house and Covenant with God and therefore poweâ—fully-effectuall They are neer to him dearer than Heaven and Earth Now a domestick Attendant can ever prevail more with the Lord than a retainer only Their prayers go up as pillars of Incense and come before the Lord as the sound of many waters Sozomen reports of Apollonius that he never asked any thing of God but obtained it Hic homo potuit apud Deum quod voluit reâ—orded of Luther he could have what he would of God What Zedekiah saiâ— to his Courtiers hypocriâ—ically God saith to his servants seriously The King câ—â— deny you nothing The Courtier that is a fâ—vourite gets more of his Pâ—ince many times with one request than an huâ—bandman or tradesman can attain unto by twenty years labour So doth the righteous man obtâ—in at the hands of Goâ— having the Royalty of his eâ—r Henâ—â— that transcendent rapture of Luther in a certain prayer of his fiat voluntas mea Domine Lord let
my will be done And hence that request of Bernard to his friend whom he had advised for strict and holy walking cum talis fueris memento mei i. e. When thou art such a one remember me in thy prayers All Gods family-servants are Israels prevailers with him Secondly They have the Spirit of prayer whereby they are enabled to cry powerfully Abba Father As the Spirit wrought powerfully in those men who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the holy Ghost to speak the Word of God to men so it works powerfully in all righteous men speaking to God The Spirit doth both disponere and excitare give the habit and the act also brings the fuel of good desires into the soul and there sets it a burning so that in a sense they are the prayers of Christ indited by the Spirit put up in his Name and presented by â—his mediation And it cannot otherwise be but that they should find the way back again and reach that bosom whence they came These waters will rise as high as the fountain especially being conveyed by such a Conduit-pipe If the holy Spirit be the Inditer the Son the Advocate the Father the Register of the Saints prayers whatever weaknesses there be if not wilful they cannot non-suit them in that Court He cannot dislike the petition which himself hath framed Prayer is the counterpane and reflection of his own good pleasure and he can no more resist it than his own will Thirdly They have disposed and enlarged hearts though not alwaies alike Utinam eodem ardore orare possim saith Luther The more they pray the better it is with them in that regard The Lord doth enlarge their hearts that they may pray and then by prayer that enlargement is encreased that they may be fitted to receive more blessings Prayer doth not merit mercy but sits us for mercy empties the heart of self and takes in the more of God Fourthly There is nothing that can totally and finally hinder them whilst Christ Heavens Favourite and Master of requests is their friend and husband whilst the blessed Spirit is their assistant and no sin beloved Distracted and weakned they may be but wholly disappointed and kept off they cannot be The Use followes And it may serve First To let us see what to expect from the prayers of too many among usâ— those birds without wings and messengers without feet good for nothing at all Divide us into four sorts viz. Prophane Civil Formal and penitent We find the first sort pray not at all the second repeat a prayer the third sort make a prayer but the last sort only pray in Faith and power The prayers of unrighteous persons are little worth confundunt opera sermonem their works confute their words sâ—ith Hierom. And as Tacitus speaks of some words of Tiberius Preclara verba c. They are good words but not sutable to him and the reason he gives is because ad haec caetera non conveniunt his other words and actions are not of the same stamp This we may read in many Scriptures Isa 1.15 When you make many prayers I will not heâ—r your hands are full of blood Jer. 7.9.16 Will ye steal murther c. and come before me Jer. 14.10 11 12. See the place Secondly What you must do that you may be powerful and effectuall in prayer viz. 1. Get this qualification be righteous men You must lay aside all your sins not for a time only as 't is said of the snake that she laies aside her poyson whilst she drinketh Or as the Persians who kill all their venomous creatures one day in the year and after that suffer them to swarm as before nor blot out the old score to begin a new one as 't is said of Lewis the eleventh of France that when he had done evil he would kisse his crucifix and then God and he were good friends as he thought and so might go to his old work again but for ever in desire and endeavour Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse and to undo heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free that ye break every yoke Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry c. Isa 58.7.55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way c. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning c. Then thou shalt call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say here I am Your stubbornnesse and pride must submit or else never hope to speed all your time and strength is spent in vain When you spread forth your hands to me I will not hear I will hide mine eies from you while your hands are full of blood Sin is a devil in the air to hinder the ascending of prayer a thick cloud to stop the Sun-shine of mercy That which was noted of Coâ—sar may be here applied when one that was up in Arms against him yet at the same time sent him a Crown Coesar sends back the Crown with this message Let him return to his obedience and then the Crown may be accepted Certainly whatever means we use to obtain favour and prevail with God remaining in our sins had we Crowns to dedicate to his honour all would be in vain Then turn from sin 2. You must pray in a time while he will be found Isa 55.6 and call upon him while he is neer In giving you peace and liberty in the Ordinances while the Spirit strives lovingly and the Angel moves the water God cals waits Grace is dispensed the door is open whilst the day continues a time may come when he may not be found a black night may come and hide his gracious presence the Sun and the Stars may be turned into blood Lose not opportunity be gathering Manna whilst it fals call upon him Say his own beauty mercy goodnesse moved you Where these are joined there is a promise of good successe they neveâ— yet failed this better deserves then any an affix of probatum est saepissimè 1. When they are join'd in Persons so that the petitioner be penitent and the penitent a petitioner such as see their sâ—ns convictingly and distinctly such as bewail and flie to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse may run and reâ—d comfort Isa 1.18 Matth. 21.22 Joâ—n 15.7 A penitents prayer doth presuppose a promise though not alwaies in particular yet alwaies in general which is sufficient 2. When they are general in a Nation when those that sit in the throne as stars in the superiour Orb leâ—d the way and give light and influence in the power of godlinesse splendour of grace and gracious performances to deny themselves in all hurtful vanities and prâ—y fervently as did Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.3 c. When there is a Court-reformation and a Country-reformation when young and old in City Church and State reform and cry fervently to God when all join in acting as well as in
speaking of repentance when men see and leave their whoring swearing excessive drinking their covetousnesse idlenesse gaming and conformity to this world when women leave their pride and vain-talking c. when both bring forth fruit meet for repentance and walk in that humility and soundnesse as is most comely for the Gospel then expect good successe from prayer and religious drawing nigh to God Obâ— But when will this be It is a thing hath been long expected spoken of exhorted to by all sorts both Magistrates and others but yet to be acted I Answer First So much is this time * A solemn day of humiliation 1657. solemnly professed and this day invited unto viz. to repent and turn from our evil waieâ— and they must be grosse hypocrites which afterward do not join them seeing they have represented the persons and acted the parts of humble penitents and professed Reformists Secondly Thiâ— is the way whereby those that belong to God among us may be brought in Children of many prayers cannot perish Prayer and fâ—sting can cast out Devils and work mighty cures However it fall out to others it cannot but be successful to your selveâ— You that labor to join them shal not miss a return You shal have heâ—lth in sâ—ckneâ— plenty in penury peâ—ce in war and who knoweth how far you may be accepted for others Say then What is the cause why your prayers with reference to your selves and the Nation to this present season are no more successeful Is it not because First These things are not joined in persons nor general in our Nation as with grief we see and hear It is true we have had and still have much praying but we have little doing much speaking to God little or no reforming among men no wonder that so many prayers are made and not heard whilst mens hands are full of blood howle and cry and yet rebel against God pray and yet grow worse and worse thus this excellent engine of a Nation is marr'd and proves to a people like the Ark to the Philistims provoke God to anger and does the people more hurt Praying without reforming is but howling Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their whole heart when they â—owled on their beds they assembled themselves for coâ—n wine and oyl and they rebel against me i. e. They consume it on their lust and sight against God with his own weapons or they assembled themselves and made no small shew of devotion but when the duty was over they go to their old courses again See Isa 1.15.58.4 5. Jer. 7.9 10.14.11 12. Whâ—t Saint Hierom speaks of luxurious Clerks in his time that the grunting of hogs in the slye was more pleasing to God then their singing of prayers in the Church may warrantably be applied here To the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth Psal 50.16 Such devotion is but beautiful abomination Secondly Is it not because such as do join them for and to the good of the Land are some way oâ— other discoâ—ntenanced and troubled in most places and can we think to prevail with God what dissembling is this to speak him fair to his face both privately and publiquely and strike him in his fr ends after with words deeds and neglect of them If thou wilt take from the midst of thee the yoak the putting forth of the finger i. e. any way of disgracing contemning despiâ—ng the people of God and speaking vanity great sins in most places then call and cry and I will answer saith the Lord. Jobs friends dealt unkindly with him but to him they must be reconciled before they can be accepted Justin Martyr and Tertullian in their Apologies for Christians tell the Emperours plainly what was the cause of those plagues and judgements inflicted because Gods people the poor Christians were persecuted They may be heard for you awhile but you cannot be heard for your selves nor all of us for the whole so long as the best are proscribed and by mens tongues who think they have a Law for it so bitterly pursued Thirdly Is it not because of the cry of division and backsliding among us from God and one anotâ—er 1. From God and the purity of his woâ—ship and service truths and commands what incongruity is it to cry unto God and run from him No wonder if he say Go now to your idols c. Is not this the ground of his dividing from our prayers As smoak drives away the Bee from his Hive so doth this sin drive God from his habitation 2. From one another We are broken in minutula frustula as Austin of the Donatists in Africa little little pieces little love and unity to be found so ne cry out for them but they mean by it their own wills And how many cast oyl instead of water upon the â—lames of contention Few study to be quiet and of an healing spirit some are for God and further reformation that Christs government may be advanced and established in his own house and seen among his peopâ—e others are for Baâ—l and Romish Superstition a Samaritan Religion to introduce and burnish the filthy rags of the scarlet whore though undeâ— better pretences Some few are for truly good men others and the most in number are for wicked tempâ—rizing forâ—alists whose best piety is policy and faith fantas e and too many halt as neuters till they see which is that they may side with the strongeâ—t Now a divided multi ude either pray not at all or not for one thing and one another how can Christians sight and prevail when they are in so many divided troops If they do pray theâ— are slight weak and interrupted some cry one thing and some another for the assembly was confused Act. 19.32 and the greater part knew not wherefore they were come together as it was once in the Apostles time is often in ours This is the mors in olla like to the Colliquintida that spoiled all the pottage these turbulent waves overthrow the vessel of prayer and we see no return of our adventures Fourthly Is it not from our unthankfulnesse for mercies received and shameful barrennesse in improving them Because mercies have been fuel to feed our corruptions Spiritual showers have made the weeds of sin to grow the faster Such dunghilly hearts are in mortals that many times the more God shines on us with his mercies the more they putrifie the better he is to us have we not been the worse to him the more he loved us hath he not the lesse been loved by us As the Ocean takes in all the fresh rivers but is not a jot the fresher for it so are we insensible of what we have received and think we not this an intolerable provocation Unthankfulnesse is an hellish stop to future mercies A man that is about to pour oyl into a glasse if he see it crackt he staies his hand and saith I will pour no more oyl into this glasse The unthankful heart is the broken glasse not fit to receive any more blessings Unthankfulnesse was the sin for which God gave over the Heathens to a reprobate mind Rom. 1.21 27. It is related of the Romans that they made a law that if a master did free a servant from bondage and afterward that servant prove unthankful the master had power to re-inslave him The great God hath bestowed many mercies upon the Nation he hath delivered us from Babylon Egypt and those that had evil will to us innumerable are the mercies heaped upon England now if we prove unthankful we may not expect otherwise to be dealt with then to want an answer to our best prayers yea be re-inslaved and brought under former hazards Unthankfulnesse is a sin that makes the times perilous 2 Tim. 3.1 Q. What may be done that we may prevail more A. To what hath been already said I shall add here two things more viz. Constancy and Regularity 1. Constancy till you have gone through the work be not slight and carelesse nor weary in seeking God as sluggards in woâ—k or cowards in war Prayer must be re-doubled and re-inforced like those arrows of deliverance 2 Kin. 13.19 As the woman of Canaan when denied and shews her self a woman of a well-kniâ— resolution And Jacob who holds with his hand when his thigh is lamed thus the Israelites overcâ—me Goâ— Judg. 20.18.23 26. They go up and ask who shall go up to Benjamin first a very careless and formal behaviour their multitude made them presume to ask rather Gods direction for the thing then his lewe and presence then they came again they wept and asked him leave which was somewhat more submissive and yet not enough Lastly all the people came unto the house of God there they sate and wept before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt-offering c. thus they went through the work and prevailed As Daliâ—ah overcame Sampson so may we overcome God where neither love nor reason nor desert will gain constancy will 2. Regularity under which I comprise First Order that reformation go before your petition first amend then pray Reformation is the wing of the soul to fly heaven-ward one leg to help the soul to walk run to Christ As a man cannot run with one leg nor a bird fly with one wing no more can we get to Heaven by prayer without reformation This being done nothing remains to hinder or question your entrance at the door of mercy If you regard iniquity in your heart the Lord will not hear They do wel that reform though it be after they do better that reform pray together but they do best that lay aside their filthy garments before they come into Gods presence Davids resolution is an excellent copy for us in this case to write after Ps 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocency and so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord Secondly Rule what you do must be like good builders who first lay a good foundation and afterward ascend by line and directions from the master-builder For help herein is the intent of the whole discourse Gloria Deo mihi condonatio