A GODLY AND LEARNED TREATISE OF PRAYER Which both conteineth in it the Doctrine of Prayer and also sheweth the Practice of it in the exposition of the LORDS PRAYER By that faithfull and painfull servant of God GEORGE DOWNAME Doct r of Divinity and late L. Bishop of Dery in the Realm of Ireland 1. THESS 5. 17 18. Pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you ¶ Printed at Cambridge by ROGER DANIEL for Nicolas Bourn and are to be sold at his shop at the South-entrance into the Royall Exchange in London 1640. THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER Teaching the nature efficacie utilitie and necessity of this holy duty by whom unto whom and through whom it is to be performed what things are required that our prayers may be acceptable both in respect of our souls and bodies both before in and after prayer and more especially of the parts of Prayer Petition and Thanksgiving LUKE II. 1. One of his disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples ¶ Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge Ann. Dom. MDCXL To the Christian Reader THere is no duty more excellent in it self or profitable to us then that of Prayer Wherein we have sweet communion with God and free accesse to the throne of grace laying open to a gracious Father all our wants and grievances in hope and confidence to have our suits granted our sinnes pardoned our necessities supplyed and our griefs removed and relieved It is that hand and key which helpeth to unlock and open the treasury of all Gods graces for the enriching of our souls with all his blessings the horsmen and chariots of the Israel of God whereby they get victorie over all their enemies yea they prevail with God whē he seemeth to oppose against them as an enemie and to wrestle with them that he may soil and overthrow them as he did with Jacob. In all which and innumerable other respects as it is to be esteemed the chiefest exercise of a godly and Christian life which can never be too much practiced as the Apostle implyeth where he injoyneth us to pray continually and in all things to give thanks so can it never be sufficiently insisted upon in the doctrine of it whereby we are pressed perswaded to the frequent exercise of it and taught to perform it in a right and acceptable manner In which regard though much already hath been excellently spoken and written upon this subject yet let no man think it superfluous to have more published of this argument seeing that can never be too much taught which is never sufficiently learned and loved The ensuing Treatises were the labours of that learned judicious and godly Divine D. Downame late Bishop of Dery in the Realm of Ireland my most dear brother which were penned with his own hand for his private use but for the publick service of that part of Gods Church over which he was a painfull and faithfull Pastour conteining the summe of many of his sermons which he preached on this argument The which if he had been pleased to have polished and perfected with his own learned hand no doubt much would have been added to their lustre and beautie Yet seeing this was not done according to his better abilities I thought it a dammage to Gods people that they should lose the substance for the want of some circumstance and have no use of a well-compacted bodie fit to do God and his Church good service because it was not decked with gay ornaments And therefore I have presented it to the view of the world and indeavoured to perform the dutie of a brother to him that is deceased though not to raise this spirituall seed to him for it was of his own begetting and composing yet to give unto it birth and being in the world without which it would have proved abortive and so have been buried in perpetuall oblivion The which service I have the more willingly undertaken for the benefit of all that will take pains to peruse this work because I am now disabled by age and many infirmities to produce any further labours of mine own in this kind wherein I have not been wanting in my more able and mature times according to the proportion of my small talent which my great Lord and Master hath entrusted me with Herein imitating the example of the weaker sex who after they have been fruitfull in bearing children themselves and now being come to older age are disabled to have any more conceptions do some of them become midwives who are helpfull to those who are young and fruitfull for the bringing of their children into the world The Lord whose onely blessing maketh all our indeavours profitable by giving efficacie unto them by the inward operation of his holy Spirit blesse these and all other labours of his servants that they may bring forth plentifull fruits for the advancement of his glory and the benefit of all his children who are willing to make use of them to these ends Thine in the Lord Jesus to do thee any Christian service JOHN DOVVNAME ¶ The contents of the Chapters of the first part of this Treatise viz. The Doctrine of Prayer together with the chief points therein handled Chap. 1. OF the definition of Prayer and of the persons who are to pray Pag. 1 Of the name of Invocation and Prayer 2 Of the generall nature of prayer 3 Of the proper nature of prayer 4 What is required in invocation acceptable to God 5 Who ought to pray 6 7 c. 2. Reasons moving to the dutie of prayer 8 9 c. 3. Other motives to the dutie of prayer 11 4. Three questions cleared 14 Whether prayer be efficacious to obtein our desires 15 That prayer is necessary notwithstanding Gods decree 16 17 c. 5. Of the great and wonderfull efficacy of prayer 21 6. Whether by prayer we alwayes obtein our desires 26 7. Of the profit of prayer 29 8. A threefold necessity of prayer 32 9. Who are to perform the duty of prayer 33 10. None but the faithfull can pray effectually and acceptably 37 That the impenitent cannot pray acceptably 39 In what respect God heareth the wicked 47 11. That God alone is to be called upon 51 12. That we ought not to invocate any creature 58 That Angels and Saints are not to be invocated 59 That Saints departed are not to be invocated 61 Chap. 13 That we must conceive of God in prayer as he hath revealed himself in his word 64 Whether Christ as Mediatour is to be invocated 66 14. That Christ alone is the Mediatour of intercession as well as of redemption 68 15. That we must pray onely in the name of Christ 77 16. Of the manner how we are to call upon God 80 That we must pray with upright hearts 82 c. That we must not pray with feigned lips and wandring
of redemption the other of intercession and they do confesse in word that Christ is the onely Mediatour of redemption but of intercession they adjoyn other mediatours unto him viz. the Saints departed Here therefore I will shew two things 1. That they seem to acknowledge other mediatours of redemption and so in deed overthrow that which in word they confesse 2. That none can be mediatour of intercession who is not also of redemption For as touching the first in many of their authorized prayers they desire God to have mercie on them in forgiving their sinnes and in giving unto them good things as well spirituall as temporall for the merits and intercession of the Saints and so plainly thrust the Saints into the office of Christ. And not onely so but they invocate also the Saints as they do Christ to bestow good things upon them and to avert evil from them substituting them as I have shewed before into the room of the tutelar gods of the heathen But let us see whether there be any mediatours of intercession who are not also of redemption We denie not but that in a large sense they may be called mediatours and intercessours who are medii inter namely between God and man So Moses is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 19. Deut. 5. 5. and 27. 31. Pastours likewise and preachers who are both the mouth of God to the people in preaching and of the people to God in prayer But they are not in that sense intercessours as we acknowledge Christ and the Papists do esteem the Saints that we for their merits intercession should hope to be heard In like manner the Saints upon earth who in mutuall charity do pray and make intercession one for another as they are required 1. Tim. 2. 1. Jam. 5. 15 16. may be called intercessours but such as whose intercession dependeth wholly upon the intercession of Christ and whose prayers are alwayes made in his name Why then may not the Saints in heaven be esteemed intercessours For the intercession of Saints departed there is no testimonie of Scripture It is not to be doubted but that they do use to invocate the name of God by praise and thanksgiving bearing a part as it were in the quire of Angels And it is not unlikely but that they pray for that which is wanting unto them whilest their bodies sleep in the dust that is their full redemption that the number of the elect being accomplished the Lord would hasten the second coming of Christ for their full redemption In which prayer also they pray for us as we also do for them and in regard thereof we are as well intercessours for them as they for us It is also probable that they being members of the same mysticall bodie indued with perfect charitie do in generall pray for their fellow-members upon earth But that in particular they pray for any of us it is improbable because they know not our persons nor heare our prayers nor understand our particular wants or if they did yet would it not follow that either we should pray to them as I have shewed before or that we should desire the Lord for their merits and intercessions to grant our desires Neither is it to be doubted but what praises or prayers they utter unto God they offer them onely in the name and mediation of Christ desiring that for his merits and intercession their invocation may be accepted And in this sense Christ alone is the Mediatour of intercession So Augustine speaking of those words of S. John 1. Epist. 2. 1. saith John doth not say You have an advocate for so should he separate himself from sinners nor doth he say You have me for a mediatour as Parmenianus in a certain place maketh the Bishop a mediatour between God and the people for then what good and faithfull Christian could indure him who would look upon him as an Apostle of Christ and not as Antichrist And again All Christians do mutually commend themselves unto God in their prayers pro quo autem nullus interpellat sed ipse pro omnibus hic unus verúsque mediator est that is but for whom none intercedeth but he for all he alone is the true Mediatour Now that Christ is the onely Mediatour of intercession as wel as of redemption it is evident because these being the two parts of his mediation and not two sorts of Mediatours the latter of intercession dependeth on the other of redemption as being the representation of it unto God and the application thereof to the faithfull the dignitie I say efficacy and vertue of his intercession dependeth on the merits of redemption For had Christ not been the Mediatour of redemption he could not have been the Mediatour of intercession For when it is said that Christ maketh intercession for us in heaven we are not thus to understand it that he falleth down upon his knees and prayeth to God for us John 16. 26. I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you but that sitting at the right hand of his Father he representeth his own merits unto him and offereth the prayers of the faithfull unto God perfumed with the odours of his own sacrifice as he is described Revel 8. 3 4. So Anselme in Rom. 8. Vnigenitum Filium pro hominibus interpellare est apud coaeternum Patrem seipsum hominem demonstrare The onely begotten Sonne is said to make intercession for men when he sheweth himself man before his coeternall Father And the Apostle describeth his intercession to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his appearing in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. The holy Ghost therefore joyneth both the parts together 1. Tim. 2. 5. where speaking professedly of prayers and saying that Christ is the onely Mediatour between God and man he addeth who gave himself a ransome for all So 1. John 2. 1 2. If any man sinne we have an advocate Christ Jesus the righteous he is the propitiation for our sins He onely is the advocate because he onely can plead his merits for us He onely is perfectly fully just he onely is the propitiation for our sinnes And as he is the onely Intercessour because he is the onely Saviour Acts 4. 12. so is he the perfect Saviour because he ever liveth to make intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. For whereas they ordain other intercessours for whose sake they desire to be heard they do it altogether without warrant of Scriptures wherein there is no doctrine no precept no promise no example to warrant it and consequently such prayer cannot be made in faith neither can it please God And with what forehead can they take from Christ his office and the honour thereof which he purchased with his bloud and without any warrant from him assigne it to others as though Christ having for a short time exercised the office of mediation should to the end of the world have resigned
they ascribe unto them omnipresence if as to absent they ascribe to them omniscience Both which are blasphemous Besides when they invocate they ascribe omnipotencie to them and therefore repose their trust in them But God alone is to be trusted in because he alone is omnipotent and cursed is he that trusteth in man Jer. 17. 5. II. Again mere men are not religiously to be adored It is Peters reason Acts 10. 26 and Pauls Acts 14. 15. If Christ himself had been but a mere man or a creature though a god by creation yet ought not he religiously to be adored and much lesse the Saints who are but the servants of Christ. Therefore the ancient Fathers termed the Arians who supposed Christ to be God by creation and yet worshipped him idolaters and the Nestorians likewise who supposed the humanitie of Christ to be a distinct person from the Sonne of God III. To leave God who hath commanded us to call upon him and hath promised to heare us and is most willing and onely able to help us and to run to the Saints who neither have commanded us as having no such authoritie nor have promised to heare and help us as having no such power yea are so farre from hearing and helping that they neither know us nor our desires and so farre from commanding us to call upon them as they have forbidden us so to do and alwayes directed us to call upon God Acts 10. 26. and 14. 15. is a thing in-religion impious and in reason absurd IV. To call upon Saints is a thing most injurious unto God and Christ our Saviour derogatorie from the glory of God as though they were either more ready to heare or more willing or more able to help us or that we had more confidence in their love then in the mercies of God and intercession of Christ our Saviour But it is lawfull to intreat the Saints upon earth to pray for us why then may we not desire the Saints in heaven much more to pray to God for us To intreat the Saints living on earth to pray for us hath warrant in the Scriptures as having been a dutie injoyned by God Gen. 20. 7. Job 42. 8. Jam. 5. 14 16. and also practiced by the faithfull Rom. 5. 30. Ephes. 6. 19. But praying to Saints departed hath no warrant in the Scriptures as the Papists themselves are forced to confesse Nay it is directly forbidden and those which do it commit two evils forsaking God the fountain of living waters and digging out to themselves cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water Jer. 2. 13. They worship the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 25. praeterito Creatore passing by the Creatour ut Hilarius interpretatur De Trinitate lib. 12. 2. The Saints living with us are acquainted with our persons and our wants and therefore may pray in particular for us and so cannot the Saints departed 3. The request made in this behalf to the faithfull living is a civil intreaty of a Christian duty but as it is made to the Saints departed it is a religious invocation of them to do that for us which is the peculiar office of the Mediatour Neither do they onely intreat the Saints to pray for us and desire God that for the merits intercession of the Saints he would grant their desires which is to give the office of Christ to them But also they desire the Saints themselves to bestow upon them such blessings as they desire both spirituall and temporall and to avert from them such evils as they fear Wherein the Papists have made the Saints to succeed the heathen gods ascribing unto them their severall offices and functions insomuch that there is no countrey citie or town but hath certain Saints to patronize them as the heathen had their tutelares deos no trade or occupation which hath not a peculiar Saint no kind of cattel or tame fowl which have not their patrones no kind of disease but some Saint or other is called upon for the curing thereof as the dii averrunci or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the heathen So that if there were no other fault in Popery their idolatry were sufficient cause of separation from them But the Saints departed do pray for us therefore we ought to pray unto them It may well be supposed that the Saints departed do pray in common for the faithfull upon the earth as fellow-members of the same bodie But they are not acquainted with particular persons or their particular wants or desires or if they were yet it would not follow that we should pray to them no more then we are bound to invocate religiously the Saints upon earth whom we know according to their dutie do pray for us August contra Faust. Manich lib. 20. c. 21. Colimus martyres â—…o cultu dilectionis societatis quo in hac vita coluntur sancti homines We worship the martyrs with that worship of love and societie with which even in this life holy men are worshipped Notwithstanding the Papists think this consequence to be so strong as they take it for granted that if the Saints make intercession for us we must pray to them Insomuch that Bellarâ—…ine when he would prove against our King That invocation of Saints was taught by the ancient Fathers in stead of that he proveth ridiculously the intercession of Saints for us CHAP. XIII That we must conceive of God in prayer as he hath revealed himself in his word SEeing then the Lord alone is to be called upon religiously it remaineth that we consider how we are to conceive of God when we do call upon him viz. not according to the fansies of our own brain but as he hath revealed himself in his word both in respect of the Divine nature and also the Divine persons In respect of his nature that he is a spirit invisible and incomprehensible omnipotent and infinite most holy wise just and mercifull c. And in regard of the Divine persons that being a God in essence substance one and indivisible he is notwithstanding distinguished into three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who as they be not in nature disjoyned so are they not to be severed in their worship but the Unitie in Trinitie and Trinitie in Unitie is to be worshipped and adored Whosoever therefore in respect of Gods nature do circumscribe God worshipping him under any form whether outwardly expressed or inwardly conceived as namely in the form of an old man c. in stead of the true God they do worship an idole Such was the erroneous conceit of the Anthropomorphites and such is the superstitious worship of the Papists at this day Likewise in respect of the persons whosoever shall call upon God as not distinguished into three persons howsoever they may professe that they invocate one onely true God maker of heaven and earth yet they do not worship the
it to his servants But the holy Ghost teacheth the contrary Heb. 7. 25. that Christ is therefore able perfectly and fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save those which by him do come to God because he liveth ever to make intercession for them Yea the Scripture every where directeth us unto Christ and to no other mediatour and therefore to no other must we flie Ephes. 3. 12. Heb. 4. 16. and 7. 19. Christ is the onely way and the onely accesse unto God Those that leave this way and this accesse they have no way nor accesse to God with hope or comfort or if any will go to God any other way in stead of a throne of grace they shall find a tribunall of justice and terrour and in stead of a mercifull Father a just terrible Judge Our Saviour Christ in plain terms saith John 14. 6. No man cometh to the Father but by me and the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. 5. That as there is but one God so but one Mediatour between God and man the man Christ who is both God and man For as S. Augustine The Mediatour between God and man ought to have something like to God something like to man lest being in both like to men he should be farre from God or being in both like to God he should be farre from men and so â—…hould be no Mediatour But Christ alone is both God and man and therefore he alone is Mediatour The high Priest in the law was a type of Christ but the high Priest in type was mediatour both of redemption and expiation in offering sacrifices and of intercession in making prayers for the people to which purpose bearing the names of the twelve tribes he entred into the holy place to make intercession for them therein representing Christ who being entred into the heavenly sanctuary maketh intercession for us But to what purpose do they flie to other mediatours is it because the mediation of Christ is not sufficient or is it because the Saints are in greater favour with God or lastly because the Saints are more favourable to us then our Saviour Christ If the first they denie Christ to be a perfect Saviour which the Apostle affirmeth Heb. 7. 25. If the second they denie him to be the Sonne of God in whom he is well pleased with the Saints themselves If the third they deny him to be their loving and mercifull Saviour who hath loved us with the greatest love unto which the love of the Saints being compared is as a little spark to agreat flame or a drop of water to the great sea He took our nature and infirmities that he might have compassion on us Heb. 2. 17 18. and 4. 15 16. He graciously inviteth us to come unto him and who do come he promlseth not to reject Matth. 11. 28. John 6. 37. Injurious therefore and blasphemous are they against Christ esteeming him as austere and seeking to the Saints as more propitious especially when they commit the administration of justice to Christ and of mercy to his mother and therefore appeal from the tribunal of his justice to the throne of his mothers mercy But besides the horrible superstition and idolatry besides the sacrilegious injurie offered unto Christ besides their own infidelitie and unthankfulnesse towards Christ it is extreme folly and madnesse rather to seek to other mediatours seeing in Christ nothing is wanting which is required in a perfect Mediatour For by his all-sufficient merits he hath satisfied the justice of God so that for his merits we may trust to be heard He is in highest favour with God in whom the Lord graciously accepteth whomsoever he loveth therefore we may be bold to pray that for his sake we may be heard He heareth our prayers is acquainted with our persons and wants and he is most gracious and favourable in commending our suits unto God He hath commanded us to call upon God in his name and hath promised that we shall obtein Whereas the Saints have no merits to plead for themselves and much lesse for others but those of Christ. In Christ they are loved and graciously accepted They heare not our prayers neither are acquainted with our persons or wants and all the love they have is but a small reflexion of the beams of Christs love shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost neither have they either by commandment or promise moved us to seek to their mediation but alwayes have directed us unto Christ. If it be objected That for Abrahams or Davids fake the Lord is said or requested to do something In these examples not the merits of those Saints but the covenant of grace which the Lord made with them is interposed If they plead antiquitie for their using the mediation of Saints the first that brought in this superstition into the East-churches was Petrus Cirapheus the heretick about the yeare 500 and in the West Gregory about the yeare 600. The Scriptures in this case give us the like counsel to that which was given to Themistocles For having occasion to use the favour of Admetus the King of the Molossi who was offended with him he asked counsel of the Queen how he might obtein the Kings favour and being instructed by her when the King returned from the Temple held the Kings sonne between his arms as desiring that for his sake he would receive him into favour by which means the King was pacified towards him CHAP. XV. That we must pray onely in the name of Christ. BUt to leave them For our own instruction we are to learn that we are alwayes to call upon God in the name of Christ. Now they are said to pray in the name of Christ who believing in him and reposing their affiance in the merits and intercession of Christ do desire the Lord that not respecting their own unworthinesse or demerits he would be pleased to heare them for Christs sake and for his merits and intercession accept of their prayers The which includeth two things 1. A desire that for Christs sake we may be heard 2. A belief that for Christs sake we shall be heard Of the desire we are here to speak of the belief or faith afterwards That we are thus to pray in the name of Christ is proved 1. by the commandment of Christ John 16. 24. 2. by his promise John 16. 23. and 14. 13 14. 3. by his prediction John 16. 26. 4. by the practice of the faithfull not onely since the ascension of Christ who have alwayes used to conclude their prayers with this clause per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum through our Lord Jesus Christ but also before the incarnation Dan. 9. 17. for the Lords sake And this was diversly figured in the law For 1. Whereas by the propitiatory which covered the ark Christ was represented therefore the faithfull when they were to pray turned their face towards the place where the ark remained 2. Hereunto tended their sacrifices which
3. 38. and the Angels Job 1. By adoption in Christ Ephes. 1. 5. So every believer is born of God 1. John 5. 1. For to so many as believe in Christ God hath given this priviledge to be the sonnes of God John 1. 12. And in this sense is every faithfull man to call God Father But here it may be demanded Whether the whole Trinitie is called upon in the name of Father or the first Person alone The word Father is attributed unto God two wayes either essentially or personally Essentially when he is so called in respect of the creatures 1. Cor. 8. 6. Personally when it hath relation to the other Persons the Sonne and the holy Ghost In this place it hath relation to the creatures So Deut. 32. 6. Isai. 63. 16. But howsoever the whole Trinity is our Father so to be worshipped of us yet this speech is more peculiarly directed to the first Person the fountain of the Godhead who is the Father of Christ Ephes. 3. 14. and in him our Father John 20. 17. yet so as in worshipping him we joyntly worship the other two who as they are â—…ll one in essence coequall and coeternall concurring also in all actions towards us so they are altogether to be worshipped O God thou Father of Christ and in him our Father who givest the Spirit of thy Sonne whereby we cry Abba Father to thee we present our prayers in the name of thy Son craving the help of the holy Ghost The second Person is called our Father Isai. 9. 6. so may the holy Ghost who doth regenerate us Deut. 32. 6. and to either of them may our prayers be directed Acts 7. 59. So that our prayer may be directed to any or to all the Persons 2. Cor. 13. 13. or to two of them 1. Thess. 3. 11. We are taught to whom to direct our prayers namely to God alone For seeing our Saviour hath commanded us when we pray to say Our Father it is evident that we break the commandment if we direct our prayers to any to whom we may not say Our Father c. Which title without blasphemy we cannot attribute to any but onely to the Lord who is our heavenly Father Jer. 31. 9. Sum Israeli Pater I am a Father to Israel Secondly whereas by nature we are the children of wrath and yet commanded to call upon God as our Father we are taught in whose name we are to come unto God Not in our own names or worthinesse Dan. 9. 18. for then we shall find him a Judge rather then a Father but onely in the name and mediation of Christ Eph. 3. 12. in whom he is our Father and in whose name he hath promised to grant whatsoever we ask according to his will It is well said of Calvine Cùm Deum Patrem vocamus Christi nomen praetendimus When we call God Father we pretend the name of Christ. 3. We are taught that the help of the holy Ghost is necessary in prayer For how should we which were children of wrath dare to call God our Father or be assured that we be his children By the holy Ghost who is the spirit of adoption beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God we cry in our hearts Abba Father Rom. 2. 15 16. For if none can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost then much lesse can a man call upon God as his Father in Christ except he be endued by the holy Ghost We must therefore as the Apostle teacheth us Ephes. 2. 18. call upon God the Father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost so shall we though unworthy and unable to call upon God in Christ be accepted and by the holy Ghost be enabled to pray according to God Here therefore first are they refuted who think they may lawfully direct their prayers either to Angels or Saints to whom the name Father is opposed Isai. 63. 16. or to their images sâ—…ying to a stock or stone Our father Jer. 2. 27. If God be our heavenly Father who is more willing to give good things then any earthly parents and also all-sufficient why should we seek to any other unlesse we can either accuse him of unkindnesse or object want of power unto him Secondly if God be our Father in Christ then ought we with boldnâ—…sse to come unto the throne of grace through him Ephes. 3. 12. Neither do we need any other mediation then of the Sonne who is the onely Mediatour as of redemption so also of intercession 1. Tim. 2. 5. contrary to the doctrine of the Papists who teach men to use the mediation of Saints Whereas our Saviour John 16. 26. having commanded us to pray in his name addeth I say not that I will intreat the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you Duties in Prayer IF God be our Father we must come 1. In reverence as unto our heavenly Father 2. In dutifull thankfull and sonne-like affection acknowledging his mercy of Adoption who when we were by nature children of wrath adopted us to be his sonnes and if sonnes then heirs Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us that we should be called the sonnes of God 3. In faith and assurance not onely that we and our prayers are accepted in Christ but that our prayers shall be granted unto us of our Father as may be most for his glory and our good And that we may come in faith let us consider First that without faith we are no sonnes of his but children of wrath Ephes. 2. 3 12. and if we believe we are the sonnes of God John 1. 12. and of the houshold of faith Secondly that if God be our Father in Christ he will grant us what good thing soever we ask For 1. he is affected as a good Father towards his children yea his love towards us is so much greater then the love of earthly parents as his goodnesse and mercy is greater Isai. 63. 16. Psal. 27. 10. Isai. 49. 15. Matth. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. 2. In that he is our Father he hath given us the greatest gift that can be imagined and therefore will not deâ—…y the lesse Pater quid 〈◊〉 filiis qui jam 〈◊〉 quòd pater est What will the father deny to his sons who hath vouchsafed already to be our Father For if he have sâ—… loved us that he gave his Son for us that in him we might be adopted his children how shall hâ—… not with him give us all good things Rom. 8. 32. 3. In that he hath vouchsafed us this great love to be our Father and that we should be his children he hath also made us his heirs provided us an inheritance in heaven For as he gave his Sonne in pretium for a price so he reserveth himself in praemium for a reward If therefore it be our Fathers
were a figure of Christs sacrifice that for the merit thereof the prayers of them which did offer the sacrifice might be accepted 3. Thirdly as the high Priest once a yeare entred the sanctuary bearing on his shoulders the names and on his breast twelve stones the tokens of the twelve tribes prayed for the people who stood in the courts of the house even so Christ being entred into the heavenly sanctuary maketh intercession for us Heb. 10. 19. Apoc. 8. 3 4. Therefore as Augustine saith If you require a priest he is above the heavens where he maketh intercession for thee who in earth died for thee He is the onely way by whom we have accesse unto God John 14. 6. he is the onely Mediatour by whom we have accesse with boldnesse Ephes. 3. 12. he alone in whom God is well pleased with us and appeased towards us Rom. 3. 25. so that coming in his name neither the sense of the dreadfull majestie of God nor the conscience of our own unworthinesse shall dismay us He is the altar Heb. 13. 10. on which the sacrifice of our prayer or praise being offered is thereby sanctified vers 15. He is as Ambrose saith our mouth by which we speak unto the Father our eye by whom we see the Father our right hand by which we offer our selves to the Father without whose intercession neither we nor the Saints have ought to do with God And herein especially the prayers of true Christians do differ from the prayers of others that we call upon God in the name and mediation of Christ alone The use of all is Heb. 4. 16. and 10. 19. that seeing we have such an high Priest who maketh intercession for us that we should with boldnesse and assurance of faith offer up our prayers unto God For 1. the Spirit of Christ helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. 2. God the Father justifieth and accepteth of us in Christ v. 33. Who therefore shall lay any thing to our charge who can condemn us seeing Christ died for our sinnes and rose again for our justification and now sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for us v. 34. and with the odours of his own sacrifice perfumeth our prayers making them acceptable unto God Revel 8. 3 4. CHAP. XVI Of the manner how we are to call upon God IN the fourth place we are to intreat of the manner how we are to call upon God The manner is set down Rom. 8. 27. according to God that is as S. John speaketh according to the will of God 1. John 5. 14. So I said in the definition That invocation is a religious speech of the faithfull made unto God in the name of Christ according to the will of God where by the will of God we are to understand not his secret will and counsel which we know not but his will revealed in his word Prayer is therefore made according to the will of God when in our prayer those things are performed which God in his word prescribeth to be performed in prayer This and the former point are of great moment for when a man prayeth and is not heard it is as Bernard saith because aut praeter verbum petis aut propter verbum non petis that is because thou prayest either beside the word or not for the word whereas on the other side we have this confidence in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1. John 5. 14 15. Now for the manner of prayer there are duties to be performed not onely in the action it self but also out of the action that is to say both before and after In the action of invocation the duties respecting the manner belong either to the internall form or externall The former are the inward duties of the soul the latter the outward speech and gesture of the bodie Unto the speech referre words quantitie qualitie voice In the soul we are to consider what is required first in generall and then in particular In generall it is required that our invocation be a speech of the soul and therefore as I said in the beginning some define prayer that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the communication of the soul with God Others that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the ascending of the mind unto God David expresseth his prayer to be a lifting up of his soul unto God Psal. 25. 1. and 86. 4. and elsewhere he calleth it a pouring forth of the soul before the Lord as Anna also speaketh 1. Sam. 1. 15. So that true prayer is not the lifting up of the voice of the eyes or hands alone but a lifting up of the heart with the hands unto God that is in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. To the same purpose in the Scriptures we are directed to pray in the heart Col. 3. 16. and in the spirit that is the soul Ephes. 6. 18. to pray with the whole heart Psal. 111. 1. that is with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. with unfeigned lips Psal. 17. 1. in truth that is in sinceritie and uprightnesse of heart Psal. 145. 18. The necessitie of this praying in truth appeareth 1. By testimonie of our Saviour Christ John 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth 2. By all those testimonies even now cited wherein we are stirred up to lift up our hearts and to poure forth oursouls c. 3. If the Apostle require servants to perform their duties to their masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto the Lord how much more is it our duty to the Lord himself to perform our service from our hearts 4. The uprightnesse and sinceritie of the heart is the soundnesse of all our worship and service of God without which it is hypocrisie therefore David professeth that he would call upon God with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. and with lips unfeigned Psal. 17. 1. and to the same purpose we are exhorted to seek the Lord with an upright heart Deut. 4. 29. Jer. 29. 13. 5. The promise of hearing our prayer is restrained to this praying in truth Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is near to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth for bodily exercise profiteth little 1. Tim. 4. 8. and the Lord respecteth especially the voice of the heart As for those that call upon him with their lips and not with their hearts the Lord abhorreth their prayer and taketh himself to be abused by them and therefore he reproveth them by his Prophet Isaiah chap. 29. 13. This people cometh near me with their lips but their heart is farre from me and elsewhere he complaineth of the hypocrites of his people that when they howled unto him they cried not with their hearts which he calleth speaking lies Hos. 7. 13 14. for what else doth a man but lie when he speaketh otherwise then he thinketh
infirmities for we know not what we should pray as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercossion for us with gronings which cannot be â—…ttered And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to God Rom. 8. 26 27. Quodnon sic est intelligendum saith Augustine ut existimemus sanctum Spiritum Dei qui in Trinitate incommunicabilis Deus est cum Patre Filio unus Deus tanquam aliquem qui non sit quod Deus est interpellare pro sanctis Dictum quippe est INTERPELLAT PRO SANCTIS quia interpellare sanctos facit Sicut dictum est TENTAT VOS DEUS VESTER UT SCIAT SI DILIGATIS EUM hoc est ut scire vos faciat Which is not so to be understood that we should think the holy Spirit of God which in the Trinitie is God incommunicable and with the Father and Sonne one God should pray for the Saints unto one who is not that which God is But it is said He prayeth for the Saints because he inableth the Saints to pray as it is said Your God tempteth you that he may know whether ye love him that is that he may cause you to know it It is well said of Chrysostome Supra vires hominis est sacere cum Deo colloquium nisi adsit vis actus Spiritûs sancti It is above the strength of man to conferre with God unlesse the vertue operation of the Spirit be present And therefore when we pray we are to crave the assistance of Gods spirit which is the spirit of grace and prayer Zech. 12. 10. which God hath promised to give to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. and in and by his holy spirit we are to call upon God Jude v. 20. For whereas many graces and duties are required in prayer all which are above our own strength the spirit of God which is the spirit of grace and supplication effecteth them all in the children of God It is he that prepareth our hearts to prayer Psal. 10. 17. that openeth our lips that our mouth may shew sorth his praise Psal. 51. 15. It is he that anointeth our blind eyes that we may see and toucheth our senselesse hearts that we may feel our misery and want that in true humility of soul we may poure forth our hearts before God It is the spirit of the fear of God that maketh us to come with due reverence of his Majestie It is the spirit of suppllcations that maketh our frozen and benummed hearts to pray fervently with sighs that cannot be expressed It is the spirit of adoption who testifieth unto our spirits that we are the children of God by which we do cry in our hearts Abba Father Finally it is the spirit of grace which helpeth our infirmities and furnisheth us with those graces which be requisite in prayer and teacheth us to pray according to God And this is that which Paul teacheth us that we have accesse to the Father through the Sonne and by the holy Ghost Ephes. 2. 18. that is in the name and mediation of Christ by the help and assistance of the holy Ghost For being both unworthy in our selves and of our selves unable to call upon God as we ought if we come in the name of Christ craving the assistance of the holy Spirit in Christ we shall be accepted and by the holy Ghost enabled to pray according to God But here we are to take heed that we abuse not this doctrine concerning the help and assistance of the holy Ghost in prayer by neglecting our own indeavour and presuming of the extraordinary inspiration of the holy Ghost for that is to tempt God But in doing the uttermost of our own indeavour we are to crave the assistance of Gods Spirit who will not be wanting to those who are not wanting to themselves Now if it be demanded how these things may stand together that no man can pray without the spirit of God and without faith and yet both the spirit and faith is to be obteined by prayer I answer God by his preventing grace worketh in us a true desire of grace and of faith which desire of grace is the beginning of the grace desired And therefore the grace of the spirit and faith in order of nature go before prayer which is the effect of that desire and yet prayer goeth before the knowledge or feeling of either of both CHAP. XXVI Of the circumstances of prayer ANd thus much of the substantiall points of Invocation Now follow the accidentall which are the circumstances of Person Time and Place Prayer in regard of persons is either publick or private Publick invocation is the prayer of a congregation as of a parish or colledge Of publick prayer we are to make speciall account For if the prayer of some one man can avail so much as heretofore I have shewed what shall we think of publick where the prayers of so many ascend together unto the Lord As the flame of one faggot-stick to the â—…lame of the whole faggot or bundle so is the prayer of one man to the prayer of the whole congregation for Vis unita est fortior force united is so much the stronger and a threefold cable is hardly broken Our Saviour Christ hath bountifully promised that where two or three be gathered together in his name there is he in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. Yea such is the presence of the Lord in publick assemblies that those which have been excluded thence have thought themselves banished from the presâ—…nce of God and to be put away from his face It was the punishment of Cain and so he esteemed it Gen. 4. For when the Lord had banished him from that earth which hâ—…d received his brothers bloud from his hand v. 11. which was the place of the visible Church v. 14. he saith that by reason of this punishment he should be hid from Gods face We see the same in the practice of David Who when he was in banishment desired nothing more then to have libertie to come into the assemblies of the saints when he had liberty he rejoyceed in nothing more For the first reade Psal. 27. and 42. and 84. In Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I require even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple Psal. 42. 1 2. As the hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thir steth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appear before the presence of God c. And v. 4. he saith that his soul languished when he considered that had it not been for the tyrannie of his oppressours he might have gone with the rest of the assembly into the house of God
when he was forbidden under pain of death to call upon God Dan. 6. of Bartimeus the blind man who calling upon Christ and being therefore rebuked of the people did so much the more cry after him Mark 10. 46 48. of the woman of Syrophenicia who having received divers repulses yet by her importunity obteined her desire Matth. 15. 22. of the Primitive Church Acts 2. 42. and 12. 5. of Cornelius Acts 10. of Paul who prayed without ceasing Fifthly as we are to persist with a kind of importunitie in our prayers so are we with patience to expect the Lords leisure Psal. 40. 1. and 130 5 7. and not to be hasty according to that Isai. 28. 16. Qui crediderit nè festinet Let not him that believeth make hast but as it is Psal. 123. 2. waiting upon the Lord untill he have mercie upon us knowing as Jeremy speaketh Lam. 3. 26. that it is good both to trust and to wait for the salvation of the Lord being assured that the Lord who is a present help in the time of need will in his good time grant our requests And therefore we are exhorted Heb. 4. 16. to come with boldnesse to the throne of grace that we may obtein mercy and find grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for opportune help And because we have need of this patience Heb. 10. 36. we are to stirre up and encourage our selves thereto Psal. 27. 13 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage c. Sixthly if having persisted in prayer and long expected the Lords leisure we yet have not obteined our suit insomuch that the Lord may seem rather wholly to deny it then for a time to delay it we are to rest in the good will and pleasure of God being perswaded that he hath heard our prayers in a better manner then we desired hearing us though not ad voluntatem yet ad utilitatem that is for our profit though not according to our will after the manner of wise and carefull parents who will not give to their children what they ask but what is profitable and of good Physicians who will not grant their patients what they desire but what is expedient And therefore we are in this case to be disposed as Augustine directeth us Si quid contra quod oramus acciderit patienter ferendo in omnibus gratias agendo hoc potiùs oportuisse quod Dei non quod nostra voluntas habuit minimè dubitare debemus by patient bearing it if any thing happeneth contrary to that which we have prayed for and in all things giving thanks neither ought we to doubt but that it is better that should come to passe which God willeth then what we desired And this is true not onely in temporall benefits which it is good sometime to want but also in spirituall which are not necessary to salvation As for example A man being troubled with some infirmitie which is as a prick in his flesh moving him to sinne prayeth unto God to be delivered from it but howsoeuer his prayer in desiring to be freed from evil is acceptable unto God yet it may be he will not grant it the deniall being more for his glory and our profit for his glory because his power is manifested in our weaknesse to make us work out our salvation with fear and trembling to make us more circumspect of our wayes knowing that we carry such an enemy about us as if we stand not upon our guard will be ready to foil us Example hereof in Paul 2. Cor. 12. 7 8 9. And this ought to be our disposition when our requests do seem not to be granted But if contrariwise the Lord hath heard our prayers and granted our requests then are we First to be thankfull unto God for his goodnesse Psal. 28. 6. and 66. 20. and 118. 21. Dan. 2. 23. Gen. 24. 26. John 11. 41. Secondly our love of God must be increased and our faith confirmed with greater confidence to make our prayers unto him for the time to come Psal. 116. 1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard the voyce of my supplications because he hath inclined his eare unto me therefore will I call'upon him as long as I live CHAP. XXXII Distinctions of prayer in regard of the object NOw this kind of invocation admitteth some distinctions in regard of the object which is either Personall or Reall In regard of persons we pray either for our selves or concerning others howbeit when we pray for our selves we are also ordinarily to pray for others as our Saviour hath taught us The prayer which concerneth others is properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intercession and it is either for them 1. Tim. 2. 1. or against them Rom. 11. 2. The others for whom we are to pray are either deceased or living The deceased are either the elect which are happie in heaven or the reprobate damned in hell For the elect in generall we do pray in the second petition of the Lords prayer that the whole number of the elect being accomplished the Lord would hasten the second coming of Christ for our and their full redemption that both they and we may both in body and soul enjoy the felicitie of our blessed Saviour and by him the fellowship of the whole Trinity to our complete and eternall happinesse As touching the reprobate in hell we are not to pray for them but rather against them which we do in generall and by consequence in the same petition In particular we are not to pray for any deceased For either they be in heaven and then our prayer is needlesse or in hell and then it is bootlesse For as touching the purgatorie-fire it was but a smoke and therefore vanished or at the most a devised fire serving for the Popes kitchin and the inriching of the Popish clergie Furthermore as he that prayeth in particular for the saints in heaven wrongeth them as supposing that they need his prayer so he that prayeth for any of the reprobate in hell wrongeth himself for such a prayer being without warrant and therefore not of faith yea expressely against the Scriptures which teach that out of hell there is no redemption is turned into sin For what warrant have we to love where we know that God doth hate or to make intercession for them to whom the intercession of Christ doth not belong But we know not whether they be in heaven or in hell But this we are to know Whether they be in heaven or hell we are not in particular to pray for them If we know not their estate we are in charity to hope the best of those which die in the church for whom being in heaven we can by prayer procure no particular blessing Concerning those that are alive We are commanded in the word of God to pray one for another Jam. 5. 16. for all the Saints Ephes. 6. 18. for the whole brotherhood of
of our assertion in ascribing praise to God and also a true desire and zeal of Gods glory Hence therefore we may learn again those duties which heretofore have been taught 1. That we call upon the Lord with unfeigned lips and upright hearts truly desiring those things with our hearts which we ask with our mouthes and being truly thankfull for those things for which we give thanks 2. We must strive against our infidelitie and doubting Psal. 42. 12. and must truly believe that the Lord will grant our requests so farre forth as they stand with his glorie and our good otherwise we cannot say Amen 3. We are to rest in the good pleasure of God with assurance expecting his grace and help Psal. 123. 2. and 3. 4 5. and 4. 9. And thus our Saviour hath taught us with this word to seal up our prayer Which therefore is not unworthily of some called Signaculum orationis Dominicae the seal of the Lords prayer For he that truly believeth that the Lord doth heare him and goeth away resting in his goodnesse putting his Amen to Christs Amen John 16. 23. he hath set to his seal that God is true in his promises and that to the Lord belongeth kingdome power and glory for ever But here see the hypocrisie of men who say Amen but pray not from their hearts nor truly desire that which with words they ask nor are thankfull for that for which they would seem to give thanks neither do they believe that God will grant their requests and therefore though they say Amen yet therein they lie unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS The method observed in this tractate Of prayer The definition of Prayer Of the name of Invocation Prayer Of the generall nature of Prayer Psal. 5. 1. Damasc. De Orthodoxa side lib. 3. cap. 24. The proper nature of Invocation What is required in all invocation acceptable to God De orando Deo lib. 1. cap. 1. Isa. 64. 7. 1. Reason taken from the law of nature 2. Because it is the end of our creation and redemption 3. Because it is injoyned in the morall law Object Answ. Esth. 4. Special commandments injoyning prayer 1 From the excellency of it Lib. De orand p. 120. 2. From the profit of it August Chrysost. Atâ—…anas De Psal. 68. 1. Whether prayer be efficacious to obtein ouâ—… desires Object 1. Answ. Epist. 121. ad Probam Object 2. Hunnius De Providentia Answ. Arist. Phys. 2. Tâ—… Aquin. 2. 2. quâ—… 83. 2. c. Jam. 5. 16. Rom. 10. 12. Jer. 25. 11 12 Bellarm. Dâ—… bonis operib in particul lib. 1. cap. 3. Of the efficacy of prayer in respect 1. of the â—…lements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. of the heavens and heavenly bodies 3. of men 2. Kings 6. Chrysost. De orat lib. 2. cap. 1. 4. of sicknesse death and devils 5. of God prayer is of greatest essicacie The uses A threefold limitation of Gods promise to heare 1. God heareth not the impenitent sinners 2. That we must pray according to Gods will Object Answ. What in particular is required to â—…ffectuall prayer The third limitation in respect of the things prayed for Two benefiâ—…s accrewing by prayer Rom. 8. 26. The Papists confuted who hold that prayer is satisfactorie and meritorious That the righteous onely are admitted to pray There is a twofold 〈◊〉 Legall Evangelical what it is Hab. 2. 4. Isa. 59 1 2. John 9. 31. That the impenitent is not able truly to utter any petition in the Lords Prayer That all promises are limited with the condition of faith and repentance Object Answ. God heareth not the wicked for spirituall blessings That God often heareth the wicked for temporall benefits and how God heareth the wicked as a severe Judge August ad Probam Epist 121. 1. Reason An objection of the Rhemists answered The distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discussed De civit Dei lib. 10. cap. 1. Ails 20. 10. 1. Thess. 1. 9. Rom. 7. 6. and 12. 11. Quaest. super â—…xod lib. 2. 94. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suid 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason Jer. 2. 27. Thom. part 3. quaest 25. aâ—…t 4. 5. Reason Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 14. 23. That Angels ought not to be worshipped 1. Reason Vide Ambros in Rom. 1. pag. 177. 2. Reason Object Answ. That Saints departed ought not to be invocated 1. Reason 1. Exception of the Papists The glasse of the Trinity forged A second pretense of the Papists answered A third pretense avoided 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason Object Answ. 1. Object Answ. In Apolog. Rom. 1. 23. Psal. 106. 20. Whether it be lawfull to direct our prayers unto any one person in the Trinitie Whether Christ as Mediatour is to be invocated That we must worship Christ in his whole person and not in his manhood alone Ad Theodos. De rect fide 1. Tim. 1. 5. The Papists make two sorts of mediatours Object Answ. How the Saints in heaven may be said to pray and for what Contra Epist. Parmen lib. 2. cap. 8. The holy Ghost joyneth intercession and redemption both in one Contra Parmen lib. 2. Epist. cap. 8. The high Priest a type of Christ. 1. In respect of the soul in truth and uprightnesse of heart That our prayer must be the speech of the soul. Psal. 62. 8. The necessity of praying in truth proved by divers reasons Ephes. 6. 6. Praying with feigned lips to be avoided and what it is 2. We must not pray with wandring thoughts Serm. de Orat Domini Inter Orthodoxogr 1399 Tom. 4. Homil 79. 641. B. in F. Contra Julian lib. 2. ex Ambros. De suga seculi First we must know God 2. We must know Gods will and pray according unto it In Psal. 99. The doctrine and practice of the church of Rome confuted who presse prayer in an unknown tongue Concil Trid. sess 22. can 9 The Papists shifts avoided which they use to â—…lude the Apostles words 1. Cor. 14. Object Answ. vers 14. Object Answ. Lib. De Magistro cap. 1. That the people ought to understand publick prayers Basil. in des breb. 278. De Genes ad literam lib. 12. cap. 8. In 1. Cor. 14. De Tristib lib. 5. cleg 11. Contra Celsum lib. 8. Chemnit Exam par 2. 172. a. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Of private prayers in an unknown tongue and the evils thereof In Psal. 1â—… Expos. 2. Prayer unprofitable in our mother-tongue if we pray not with understanding Psal. 5. 7. A double faith required in invocation 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. That we must pray in faith proved 1. By testimonies 2. By reasons Ephes. 3. 12. Object Answ. Tom 3. 632. The necessitie and profit of humility proved by testimonies and â—…xamples Examples of the humility of the godly Luke 18. 13. Faith and humility must be joyned together Object Answ. Bernard De triplici modâ—… orationis serm 5. fol. 22. D. August Epist
true God but an idole for the true God is the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Forasmuch therefore as the Jews and Turks do not worship the Trinity they are not worshippers of the true God but as our Saviour said of the Samaritanes They worship they know not what John 4. not acknowledging the true God nor Jesus Christ whom he hath sent John 5. 23. He that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father and Whosoever denieth the Sonne hath not the Father 1. John 2. 23. Here therefore it may be demanded That seeing we are to worship the holy Trinitie whether it be lawfull to direct our prayers to some one person as to the Father to the Sonne or to the holy Ghost He that acknowledgeth the Trinitie when in his prayers he nameth one onely person he doth not exclude the other persons but rather includeth thē For in every person or supposite that is named the Divine nature is presupposed so that when the Father is nominated Christ and so the holy Ghost is the same God which is invocated and therefore as there is one essence of all the persons so one worship Furthermore concerning our Saviour Christ it may also be demanded That seeing God is the onely object of religious invocation whether he being the mediatour between God and man is to be invocated and if he be how and in what respect we are to call upon him That he is to be called upon as our Lord and Saviour in whose name we are baptized in whom we believe and trust there is no doubt All men must honour him as they honour the Father John 5. 23. and All the angels must adore him Heb. 1. 6. and to his name must every knee bow Phil. 2. 10. Examples Stephen Acts 7. 59. Thomas John 20. 28. the Apostles Luke 24. 52. But all the question is Whether we are to call upon Christ as God alone or as man alone or as both God and man Since our Saviour Christ was incarnate and did personally and inseparably unite unto himself the humane nature his whole person as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Immanuel God manifested in the flesh is to be worshipped by one and the same act of invocation and worship without separation or division The Papists have found out a peculiar worship for the humanitie of Christ and for the blessed Virgin which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the humanitie of Christ as it doth not subsist of it self so are we not severally to worship it with Nestorius but the whole person both God and man But yet so as that our prayer be not directed to the humanity which is a creature but to the Sonne of God having assumed and united unto himself the humane nature So saith Cyrill Non igitur tanquam hominem adoramus Emmanuelem Absit Deliramentum enim hoc esset deceptio ac error In hoc enim nihil differremus ab his qui creaturam colunt ultra Conditorem Factorem that is We do not therefore worship our Emmanuél as man alone God forbid For this were a dotage a false conceit and errour neither should we in this differ from those which worship the creature more then their Creatour and Maker To conclude this second point Whereas the whole world almost is overflown with idolatry as with an universall deluge the Paganes invocating a multitude of false gods the Jews and Turks worshipping one God but not in the Trinitie of persons nor acknowledging Jesus Christ the Papists which call themselves the Catholick Church invocating besides the true God a multitude of angels and Saints images the crosse and Eucharist and in their prayers representing the invisible and incomprehensible God in a visible form notwithstanding God in his great mercy hath taken us who professe the reformed religion into the ark of his Church teaching us by his word and spirit to call upon him the true God in the name of Christ his Sonne himself also being near unto us as he was to the Church of Israel in all that we call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. CHAP. XIIII That Christ alone is the Mediatour of intercession as well as redemption HAving spoken of the subject of invocation viz. men and the object viz. God we are now in the third place to enquire how it cometh to passe that man being stained and polluted with sinne and by reason thereof an enemie to God should have any accesse unto God or be admitted to any speech with him who is most just and terrible a consuming fire hating all iniquitie with perfect hatred Indeed it must be confessed that sinne maketh a separation between God and man and that both we are unworthy in our selves to appear before God and our prayers also by reason of our manifold wants and corruptions unworthy to be offered unto him And therefore of necessitie a mediatour was to come between God and man who reconciling us unto God and covering our imperfections might make both our persons and our prayers acceptable unto God And for as much as it was needfull that the justice of God should be satisfied in the same nature wherein he had been offended neither could obedience be performed to the law given to man nor the punishment due to the sinnes of man be satisfied but by man neither could the righteousnesse be meritorious for all nor the price of ransome sufficient if the person which should perform both were not God It was likewise needfull that the mediatour who should reconcile us unto God and make us and our prayers acceptable unto him should be both God and man therefore God in his unspeakable mercy hath appointed and given his onely begotten Sonne to be our Mediatour Advocate and Intercessour who having assumed our nature should therein satisfie his justice and appease his wrath and having performed perfect obedience for us and given himself a ransome for our sinnes should ascend into heaven and there sitting at the right hand of the Father should make intercession for us that both the persons of such as believe in him and their prayers which call upon God in his name should be accepted of him But as in the former points we were forced to prove two things not onely that God is to be invocated but that he alone is to be called upon and not Saints and Angels so in this we are by the like superstition of the Papists compelled to demonstrate two things first that Christ is the onely Mediatour of intercession and secondly that we are alwayes to call upon God in his name For as they invocate others besides God and so are indeed worshippers of more gods so have they appointed other mediatours and intercessours besides Christ. And the reason is alike in both But the Apostle teacheth us That as there is but one God so there is but one Mediatour between God and man the man Christ. The Papists make two sorts of mediatours the one