ibid. 7. Contempt of Gods Word ib. 8. Theft murder adulterie c. ibid. Vse Before wee pray to see that our hearts bee purged from our sinnes by Repentance ibid. 2. To whom wee ought to pray cha 4. Therin three things 1. To God pag. 289. 2. To God alone and to none other p. 290. 3. Reasons whâ—refore wee are to pray vnto God and to none other For 1. God commandeth so ibid. 2. God promiseth to heare vs. ibid. 3. God is able and willing to heare vs. p. 291. Vse Against those which make prayers to Saints where Reasons not to pray to Saints For 1. It is not commanded ibid. 2. Wee haue no promise of helpe from anie Saint p. 292. 3. The Saints doe not know our particular wants ibid. 4. To pray to Saints is to beleeue in them to put trust and confidence in them ibid. 3. For whom we are to pray chap. 5. And they are of two sorts 1. For our selues two-fold 1. Generally p. 295. 2. Particularly ibid. 2. For others Of two sorts 1. For the liuing twofold 1. Generally for all ibid. 2. In particular for diuerse sorts of people as 1. For Kings and all that are in authority because 1. Gods Word commandeth so p. 297. 2. By the King and good rulers wee receiue much good ibid. 2. For the City and place of our dwelling p. 297. 3. For the Church of God ibid. 4. For all that are afflicted p. 298. 5. For our enemies ibid. Vse 1. To pray for the Kings Maiesty with a free heart and willing minde ibid. Vse 2. Against those that will not pray for their enemies p. 299. 2. Not for the dead chap. 6. And therin three things 1. How the present Romish Church holdeth maintaineth prayer for the dead p. 300. 2. In what sence the ancient Fathers haue mentioned and sometimes vsed prayer for the dead p. 301. 3. Reasons wherfore we are not to pray for the dead as the Papists do at this day 1. The Scripture acknowledgeth but two places after this life p. 302. 2. All the faithfull true beleeuers are cleansed from their sinnes in this life p. 303. 3. The Canonicall Scripture doth not mention prayer for the dead ibid. 4. Prayer for the dead though it bee ancient yet is it neither Apostolical nor yet vsed by the most ancient Orthodoxall Fathers of the Church as it is by the Romists as this day pag. 304. Vse 1. Against praying for mercy to the soules of our friends departed ibid. Vse 2. To praise God for the departure of our Christian friends is no superstition p. 305. 4. The subiect matter of prayee chap. 7. two fold 1. Things for which we are to pray two-fold 1. In generall for lawfull things For wee may pray amisse two wayes 1. Asking vnlawfull things pag. 306. 2. Asking lawfull things vnlawfully and that two wayes 1. Not asking according to the will of God p. 307. 2. Asking good things to an euill end ibid. 2. In particular two-fold 1. Supplications against euils two-fold 1. Against the euill of sinne p. 308. 2. Against the euill of punishment three-fold 1. To turne away euils ibid. 2. To remooue euils ibid. 3. To mitigate and asswage euils ibid. 2. Prayers for obtaining of good things Where Rules in praying for temporall and spirituall things Two 1. Spirituall things are to bee prayed for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply temporall things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with condition pag. 309. 2. In asking temporall things we must bee content with things necessary not crauing superfluity but in spirituall things wee are not limited ibid. Vse 1. To discerne what manner of praiers we make pag. 310. 2. To consider whether the things that wee pray for be lawfull ibid. 3. To put difference betwene temporal blessings and spirituall graces ibid. 2. Things for which we are to praise God Where of Thankesgiuing to God for his Benefits Chap. 8. Therein two things 1. How many waies wee may praise God three 1. With the heart p. 311. 2. With the tongue ibid. 3. By our deedes and works two-fold 1. Edifying others and prouoking them to doe good by our good example p. 312. 2. Our godly life is a means to conuert the wicked being conuerted to glorifie God ibid. 2. Reasons to perswade to thankefulnes foure 1. The Scripture exhorteth to it p. 312. 2. Good men haue practised it p. 313. 3. The very creatures in their kinde and manner doe praise God ibid. 4. It is profitable for 1. To praise God for blessings receiued is a meanes to preserue and blesse them vnto vs. p. 314. 2. To praise God for former blessings is a meanes to procure more blessings ibid. Vse Against those who are vnthankefull to God for benefits receiued pag. 314. 5. The time of prayer cha 9 considered two wayes 1. In regard of the present day p. 317. 2. In regard of our present neede p. 318. Vse Against those which omit prayer and are negligent in calling vpon the name of the Lord. p. 320. 6. The place of praier ch 10. two-fold 1. In a certaine set place two-fold 1. Publique pag. 321. Vse 1. 1. To frequent the house of God p. 324. Reasons thereunto 1. Scripture p. 325. 2. Custome of the Church of God ibid. 3. Good men haue had great loue to the house of God ibid. 4. It is meet on the Lords day to bee in the Lords house pag. 326. 2. To come into the house of God with reuerence and humilitie ibid. Vse 2. To reprooue 1. Those which are negligent in comming to the Church pag. 327. 2. Those which prophane the house of God by any disorder ibid. 3. Those who will not willingly contribute to the Church p. 328. 2. Priuate chap. 11. two-fold 1. In the house Therein 2 things 1. To whoÌ„ the performance of houshold prayer belongeth and that is to the Master of the house 1. In regard of order p. 329. 2. Parents Masters are so charged p. 330. 2. Reasons to perswade to houshold prayer two 1. Good men haue vsed it p. 331. 2. It s necessary For 1. Without praying to God wee can looke for no blessing vpon our labours ibid. 2. Families that call not vpon the name of the Lord are heathenish and subiect to Gods wrath p. 332. Vse Against those that neglect houshold prayer p. 332. 2. In a secret place pag. 333. Vse Against those that pray not in secret though they sinne in secret pag. 334. 2. More generally in any place Chap. 12. Considered two wayes 1. In regard of the present occasion pag 335. 2. In regard of the present necessity hindering from the publique place of prayer pag. 336. Vse Consolation to those who vpon iust occasion and meere necessity are hindered from comming to the publique place of Gods worship pag. 337. 7. The manner how we may pray aright chap. 13. Nine things required thereunto 1. Preparation standing in two things 1. A withdrawing of the minde from the world p. 338. 2.
A drawing of the heart vp vnto God ibid. Vse Against hasty rash praying p. 339. 2. Attention standing in three things 1. Attending to the matter of prayer p. 340. 2. Hauing respect to the sence ibid. 3. The heart must bee fixed vpon God ibid. Vse Against those who in praying giue liberty to their wandring thoughts ibid. 3. Humility chap. 14. two-fold 1. Outward shewed by outward gestures of 1. Standing p. 341. 2. Kneeling p. 342. 3. Lifting vp the hands ibid. 4. Looking vp to Heauen c. ibid. Vse Consolation to sicke persons and lame people pag. 343. 2. Inward ibid. Vse Against those who giue vnto God onely outward worship p. 344. 7. To pray in faith Chap. 16. Vse Against those who in praying are weak-hearted and doubtfull of being heard pag. 355. 8. To pray according to the will of God pag. 356. Standing in two things 1. Asking spirituall things simply and temporall things conditionally pag. 356. 2. Referring our will to Gods will pag. 357. Vse Against those who consider not whether the things which they pray for be according to Gods will ibid. 9. To pray in the Name of Christ pag. 359. Vse 1. To conclude our Prayers in the Name of Christ ibid. Vse 2. Against those who relie vpon the intercession of Saints pag. 360. Vse 3. Consolation That praying in the Name of Christ God will grant our lawfull requests ibid. 4. The auoyding of vaine repetitions p. 100. two-fold 1. Battologie p. 345. 2. Polylogie ibid. And vaine repetition is to be auoyded For 1. It is but lip-labor p. 345. 2. It is heathenish ibid. 3. God doth not therefore the sooner heare them p. 346. 4. It is not needfull ibid. Vse To reprooue 1. Those who tie themselues to an often repeating of the same prayers ibid. 2. Those who in their conceiued prayers vse often repetitions ibid. 5. Feruency Chap. 15. Vse To make vs more earnest in prayer p. 349. 6. Persenerance pag. 351. Vse 1. To wait vpon the Lord for help and deliuerance p. 353. Vse 2. Against those who are impatient in their trouble and will not stay the Lords leisure Where is shewed how the Lord oftâ—n deferreth the granting of our requests 1. To exercise vs in praying p. 354. 2. That wee may receiue the blessings of the Lord with greater ioy and thankefulnesse ibid. 8. The efficacie and power of Prayer Chap. 17. Two-fold For praier auaileth much 1. Extraordinarily And that 1. In the heauens As 1. In the Firmament pag. 362. 2. In the regions of the Ayre As in 1. The vppermost region ibid. 2. The lower regions ib. 2. In the waters ibid. 3. In the earth pag. 363. 4. In hell ouer the euill spirits ibid. 2. Ordinarily Two-fold In regard of 1. The Bodie and that 1. Remouing euils Twofold 1. Common calamities ibid. 2. Priuate afflictions pag. 364. 2. Procuring good p. 365. 2. The Soule and that 1. Remouing euils As 1. Our sinnes pag. 365. 2. Temptations pag. 366. 3. The terror of death and Iudgement ib. 2. Procuring good As 1. Mercie and forgiuenes ib. 2. All graces necessarie for saluation ibid. 3. Increase of grace ibid. Vse To vse prayer in time of neede as a sure defence pag. 367. 9. The helpes and furtherances of Prayer Chap. 18. And they are three 1. Gods holy Spirit And the Spirit helpeth vs three wayes 1. Teaching vs to pray aright pag. 368. 2. Causing vs to attend to the things which we pray for pag. 369. 3. Stirring vp the heart to pray with sighes and groanes ibid. Vse 1. Before we pray to craue â—he assistance of Gods holy Spirit pag. 369. Vse 2. Consolation That the good Spirit of God helpeth vs to pray ibid. 2. Religious fasting Chap. 19. Wherein 3. things 1. The right manner of obseruing a true fast To which 4. things are required 1. To fast from all meat pag. 370. 2. To abstaine from all sinne pag. 371. 3. To be exercised in doing of good ibid. Which is two-fold To doe 1. Workes of pietie ibid. 2. Workes of charity p. 372 4. To fast in secret ibid. 2. The right end of fasting Two-fold 1. To tame the flesh ibid. 2. To humble the soule pag. 373. 3. How fasting is a helpe to Prayer 2. wayes 1. Stirring vp our deuotion ibid. 2. Helping to get the masterie ouer some great sinne ibid. Vse Against those who cannot endure to fast pag. 374. 3. Diuine Meditations Chap. 20. considered two wayes 1. Generally p. 376. 2. Particularly twofold concerning 1. God three-fold concerning 1. The Attributes of God As his 1. Eternitie ibid. 2. Power pag. 377. 3. Iustice ibid. 4. Mercie ibid. 5. Patience ibid. 6. Wisdome p. 378. 2. The word of God ibid. 3. The woorks of the creation Three-fold In the 1. Heauens pag. 379. 2. Earth pag. 380. 3. Waters pag. 381. 2. Our selues twofold in regard of 1. Our state Three-fold 1. Past What we were pag. 382. 2. Present What we are pag. 383. 3. To come What we shall be ibid. 2. Our dayes and houres threefold 1. In the morning ibid. 2. In the day time pag. 384 3. In the euening ibid. Vse Against those who haue their thoughts much vpon earthly things and little on heauenly things pag. 385. 10. Motiues and perswasions to Prayer Chap. 21. And they are foure 1. Testimonies of Scripture pag. 386. 2. Examples ibid. 3. The necessitie of Praier Foure-fold 1. Our want is verie great pag. 387. 2. We are in continuall feare of perils and dangers pag. 388. 3. Except a man exercise himselfe to Prayer he is dead being aliue ibid. 4. The want of prayer is a marke of wicked and vngodly men pag. 389. 4. The benefit of Prayer Threefold 1. Gods promise to heare our Prayers pag. 389. And God heareth our Prayers two wayes 1. Giuing vs sometimes the same things which we desire p. 390. 2. Not granting vs the same things which we desire but giuing vs some thing else better for vs. ibid. 2. Prayer is a great helpe in trouble conâ—idered two wayes 1. Generally pag. 391. 2. Particularly As 1. In time of Warre p. 392. 2. In captiuitie ib. 3. In famine pag. 393. 4. In the plague pestilence ib. 5. In temptation ibid. 6. In sicknesse ib. 7. To cure the soule pag. 394. 3. Saluation p. 394. Vse 1. Against those who in time of trouble seeke not vnto the Lord but either trust in lawfull meanes or seeke helpe by vnlawfull meanes pag. 394. Vse 2. To giue our selues deuoutly to prayer pag. 395. Good Reader the literall faults escaped in Printing thine owne vnderstanding may teach thee how to correct the materiall faults any whit altering the sence are these following LIb. 1. Page 11. line 16 they for he pag. 18. l. 23. in the end of the line blot out in p. 21. l. 26. riâ—us for gloriâ—us p. 26. l. 20. they for to and l. 33. read a wicked p. 32. l. 14. r. outward worship p. 37. l. 24. formely for formerly p.
vpon him but we haue also his promise for audience if we call vpon him in our trouble he hath 2 God promiseth to heare vs promised to heare vs and to deliuer vs out of trouble So hath the Lord said k Psal 50. 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee saith the Lord as if he had said goe to none other in the time of thy trouble neither seeke thou helpe and deliuerance from any other but in the day of thy trouble come vnto me seeke vnto me cry and call vpon me and I will deliuer thee for there is none besides me that can deliuer thee out of thy trouble The Lord our God is not like the Gods of the heathen which haue l Psal 115. 6. eares and heare not hee is not like to Baal vpon whom his Prophets m 1 Kin. 18. 26. called from morning euen vntil noone saying O Baal heare vs but there was no voice nor any that answered To whom Elijah the Prophet of the Lord said in derision of their God Baal Cry alowd for hee is n Vers 27. a God either he is talking or pursuing or he is in a iourney or peraduenture he sleepeth and must be awaked But so is not our God whom we worship for our God is in heauen beholdeth the things on earth he made the eare and he heareth he is neither busie in talking nor pursuing his enemies nor in his iourney nor yet sleeping for o Psal 121. 4. he that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth as saith the Psalmist but the p Psal 34. 15. eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry Thirdly we are sure that the Lord our God is both able 3 God is both able and willing to heare vs. and also willing to heare vs able for q Psal 94. 9. he that planted the eare shall he not heare and willing for r Psal 145. 18. the Lord is nigh to all that call vpon him to all that call vpon him in truth Wherefore I conclude that we are to make our prayers to none other in heauen or in earth but to God and to him alone Vse This serues to reprooue those who make praiers to Against those which make prayers vnto Saints Reasons not to pray vnto Saints For Saints departed vse their mediation to God for helpe in trouble For First it hath beene prooued before that God hath commanded vs to call vpon him in the day of trouble but we haue no commandement in all the Scripture that enioynes vs to pray to any Saint not to S. Peter nor to 1 It s not commanded S. Paul nor to the Virgin Marie for that Å¿ Luke 1. 28. Aue haile Marie c. is no praier but a salutation of the Angell It is no forme of praier for vs to vse to the Virgin but it was a salutation of the Angell Gabriel whom the Lord sent to doe a message to the Virgin Marie and therefore not to be vsed of vs as a prayer And seeing that we haue no warrant in the word of God to pray vnto Saints it is a bold and rash presumption for vs to pray vnto any Saint whatsoeuer though it were to the Virgin Mary There were certaine in the dayes of Epiphanius who adored the Virgin Marie and offered vnto her But Epiphanius iudgeth them as heretiks and confuteth them saying t Reuera virgo erat ipsa virgo honorata sed non ad adorationem nobis data verum ipsa adorans â—um qui eâ— ipsa carâ—e genitus de calis vero è sinâ—â— patris venerat Epiph. coâ— Collyridian The Virgin indeed was a Virgin and honoured but was not giuen to vs to be adored but she her selfe did adore him which tooke flesh of her but came from heauen from his fathers bosome And so we acknowledge the Virgin is to be honoured but not to bee worshipped and adored and therefore no prayer to be made vnto her Secondly It hath beene prooued that if we pray vnto 2 Wee haue no promise of helpe from any Saint to God he promiseth to heare vs and to deliuer vs but we haue no promise in the word of God that any of the Saints no not the Virgin Marie her selfe will or can helpe and deliuer vs in the time of our trouble Thirdly the Saints departed doe not know our particular 3 The Saints departed doe not know our particular wants wants neither doe they hearken and attend to the praiers of particular men as it is manifest by the praier of the people of God in Esay saying u Isa 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel acknowledge vs not thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy name is from euerlasting Heere the people pray not to Abraham nor to Isaak nor to Iacob but to the Lord and the reason is because they are sure that the Lord heareth them and remembreth them though Abraham and Israel that were dead were ignorant of them and acknowledged them not It is manifest then that Abraham and Isaak and Iacob that Peter Paul and the Virgin Marie and all the Saints departed though they be Saints in glory yet because they are but Saints and not Gods they are ignorant of vs they know not our particular wants and distresses and it is onely the Lord that is our Father and remembreth vs and heareth and helpeth vs in our trouble and therefore we are not to pray either to Abraham or to any of the Saints but onely to the Lord our God our Father and our Redeemer Fourthly we cannot pray vnto Saints but wee must 4 To pray to Saints is to belieue in them to put trust confidence in them beleeue in them according to that saying of the Apostle o How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Where S. Paul giueth vs to vnderstand that before we can call vpon the Lord wee must first belieue in him and so for Saints if wee call vpon Saints and x Rom. 10. 14. pray vnto them to helpe vs in our trouble we must first belieue in them wee must put trust and confidence in them that they can helpe vs. Now this is contrarie to the truth of Gods word for wee are to belieue in none saue onely in God neither ought wee to put our trust and confidence in any saue onely in the Lord our God But they that maintaine and vse prayer to the Saints Obiect make this defence for themselues We say they pray to Saints vsing them as Mediatours to God because wee acknowledge our selues to bee farre vnworthy to come directly vnto God but haue accesse vnto God by the mediation of Saints To which I answere Answ First here is feare where no feare is Are wee afraid to come vnto God to call vpon his name Behold hee biddeth vs call
the morning when we are risen before we presume to goe abroad into the Sunne-light and before we go about our busines to prayse God for preseruing vs that night past and to pray for a blessing vpon our labours and businesse that day in the euening to prayse God for his blessings all that day to commend our selues into his hands the night following and at the receiuing of our meate to prayse God that sends it vs and to pray for a blessing vpon it that it may nourish vs. And this for the time of the day that we are to make our prayers to God Secondly we are to make our prayers to God in the 2 In regard of our present neede time of neede When we are in any trouble and affliction in any griefe or heauinesse in any sorrow or sicknesse in any paine of bodie or griefe of minde when we are in any peril or danger or when we feele a want of any temporall good thing or any spirituall grace in all these and in euery of these it is a fit time to pray vnto God and to call vpon his name Dauid saith l Psal 18. 6. In my distresse I called vpon the Lord and cryed vnto my God Againe he prayeth vnto God saying m Psal 22. 11. Be not farre from me for trouble is neere for there is none to helpe When Dauid was in great trouble in grieuous distresse and had none to helpe him no man to succour and relieue him then was it a needfull time to pray to the Lord for helpe These are the times when and wherein we are bound to pray vnto God But it is obiected that these times of Prayer to pray Obiect morning and euening and at noone and to pray in the time of need are not sufficient for Prayer because Saint Luke saith n Luke 18. 1. Christ spake a parable vnto them to this end that men ought alwayes to pray and not to faint And Saint Paul exhorteth to o 1. Thes 5. 17. pray without ceasing To which I answere that the words of the Euangelist to pray alwayes Answ and of the Apostle to pray without ceasing are not so to What it is to pray alwayes and without ceasing be vnderstood as if we were bound to pray continually without any intermission for then we should doe nothing else but pray and so it would come to passe that in regard of continuall praying we should neglect the duties of our calling but to pray alwayes and without ceasing is First to pray euery day and to let no day passe ouer vs without calling vpon the name of the Lord morning and euening and at noone Secondly to pray alwayes in all time of neede alwayes when any trouble is vpon vs alwayes when we are in any manner of affliction miserie and distresse alwayes when we haue neede of any blessing to be bestowed vpon vs and alwayes when we haue receiued any blessing from the Lord to giue him thankes Thirdly to pray alwayes and to pray without ceasing is so to pray as to be constant in Prayer to be feruent in Prayer not to faint in Prayer but to continue and hold on still p Mat. 7. 7. asking seeking and knocking at the gate of mercie till the Lord doe graciously looke vpon vs heare vs and grant our requests Thus to pray is to pray alwayes and thus a man may pray alwayes and not hinder the workes of his calling Now seeing that there are appointed times of praier Vse wherein we are bound to make supplications prayers Against those that omit prayer and are negligent in calling vpon the name of the Lord. intercessions and giuing of thankes The consideration hereof serues to rebuke the world of great neglect in the dutie of Prayer omitting dayes and houres and neglecting the times of calling vpon the name of the Lord. It hath beene declared that holy and deuout men haue vsed to pray often in the day some twice a day morning and euening some thrice a day morning and euening and at noone and Christ himselfe vsed to pray often in the day time morning and euening and sometimes in the night too Yea and Heathen men haue beene diligent in the morning to offer sacrifice to their Gods Alexander as Historians report q Manè ante omnia sacrificabat first of all in the morning offered sacrifice to the Gods What a shame then is it for vs Christians if we doe not morning and euening offer spirituall sacrifice of prayers and praises vnto the true and liuing God Prayer is our best aids in trouble it is the best defence against the deuill our aduersarie it s the best meanes to driue away euill spirits in what a fearefull and dangerous case are they in then who passe ouer many mornings and many euenings manie dayes and manie nights without praying vnto God or calling vpon the name of the Lord How fearefully and how dangerously doe they lay them downe to sleepe who doe not first commend themselues into the hands of God Alas wretched man how doest thou know whether thou shalt liue tâ—ll the next morning And if thou diest that night hauing not made thy praiers vnto God nor commended thy soule to the protection and safe-keeping of the Lord thou art in danger of the euill spirits and to haue thy soule taken from thee that night Praier is said to be the r Clauis divi sera noctu key of the day and the locke of the night It is as a key to open the day vnto vs for as we cannot goe abroad in the morning without a key to open the doore so neither can we nor may we safely go abroad without prayer And it is the locke of the night for as the locke in the euening shuts vp the doores that all within the house may be in safety so payer in the euing shuts vp the day and keepes vs safe vnder the protection of the Almighty Praier then should be our first worke and our last worke euery day should beginne with prayer and end with prayer And in so doing a man might euery morning willingly rise vp from his bed and euery euening safely lye downe to sleepe yea euery day both cheerefully goe about his businesse and comfortably end his businesse CHAP. X. Of the place of Prayer and first of the publique place of prayer THe Sixt thing in the Treatise of Praier is of 6 The place of praier the place of praier Which I consider in a two-fold respect First as it is in some certaine set place Secondly as it is more generally in any place and in Twofold euery place First the place of prayer may be in some certaine set 1 In a certaine â—â—t place place And that is two-fold The one publique The other priuate Twofold First of the publique place of praier The most publique 1 The publique place of praier place of Gods worship and the most famous and glorious
least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant So Daniel confesseth saying u Dan. 9. 7 8. O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs confusion of faces c. And againe he saith O Lord to vs belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers because wee haue sinned against thee This was the humilitie of the Centurion who said vnto Christ x Mat. 8. 8. Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe And of the prodigall sonne humbling himselfe before his Father and saying y Luk 15. 21. Father I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne And this humility in prayer is acceptable with God and is of great force to mooue the Lord to be mercifull vnto vs to encline his eares to our prayers to heare vs and helpe vs in the time of our neede as the Lord promiseth Salomon saying z 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people will humble themselues and pray c. then will I heare from heauen and will forgiue their sinne and will heale their Land And the wise Sonne of Sirach saith a Ecclus. 35. 17. The prayer of the humble pierceth the clowdes The consideration of this inward humility required Vse in praying serues to reprooue the hypocrisie of those Against those who giue vnto God onely outward worship who in their worshipping of God giue vnto the Lord but onely outward worship they are content according to vsuall custome to bare the head to bow the body and bend the knee as others doe but for humbling of the soule bowing of the heart contrition of spirit and drawing vp of the thoughts vnto God these with many are not or but sleightly performed But what shall it profit thee O man or what reward shalt thou haue if thou vncouerest thy head and couerest thy sinnes if thou bowest thy body and doest not humble thy soule if thou bendest thy knee and hast within thee a hard and stubborne heart or what great thing doest thou if thou onely bringest thy bodie neere vnto God and honourest him with thy lips and tongue when as thy heart is farre from God The outward humbling of the bodie alone may content men but cannot please God the inward humilitie of the heart is most acceptable to God but both ioyned together are best pleasing both to God and man and this of humility in praying The 4 thing required in the framing of our praiers is 4 The auoiding of vaine repetitions in praying Twofold that we be carefull to auoide vaine repetitions And this fault of vsing vaine repetitions stands in two things First in a vaine and idle repeating of the same things making the same petitions againe and againe this is properly called Battologie or vaine repetition 1 Battologie Secondly in multitude of words regarding more the multitude of words and length of time in praying then either the matter of prayer or the sence 2 Polylogie of the words vttered in praying this is properly called Polylogie or much talking Both which are reprooued by our Sauiour Christ saying b Math. 6 7. When ye pray vse not vaine repetitions aâ— the heathen doe For they thinke that they shall Vaine repetition to be auoyded For. be heard in their much speaking Now in praying we must auoide vaine repetitions and much speaking First because that therein there is much labour of the lips but little moouing of the heart which is a thing displeasing 1 It is but lip labour vnto God Secondly because this is the manner of the heathen which know not God wherefore saith our Sauiour 2 It is heathenish when ye pray vse not vaine repetitions as the heathen doe Thirdly God doth not heare men the sooner because of their much speaking and many words for the heathen 3 God doth not therefore the sooner heare them thinke saith our Sauiour that they shall be heard for their much speaking They thinke so but it is not so Fourthly it is not needfull to vse vaine repetitions in praying to the Lord nor to wearie him with much talking 4 It is not needfull for the Lord knoweth what things we stand in need of before we pray as our Sauiour also saith c Math. 6. 8. Be not therefore like vnto them that is the heathen for your Father knoweth what things ye haue need of before ye aske him The consideration of the vnlawfulnesse of vsing vaine Vse repetitions and much speaking in prayer serues to reprooue First those who tie themselues to a set number of praiers 1 Against those who tie themselues to an often repeating of the same prayers and to a strict obseruation of repeating often ouer their praiers as the Lords prayer yea those which are no prayers as the Aue and the Creed the one being but a Salutation and the other a confession of our Faith Secondly here they are reprooued who in their conceiued 2 Against those who in their conceiued praiers vse often repetitions praiers either through want of knowledge or affecting length of time vse many words and often repetitions of the same things and for the most part disorderly placed Here it may be demanded whether the vsing of long Quest prayers be lawfull or whether long-praying be not forbidden vnder that which our Sauiour calleth much speaking I answer if any one vse many words to prolong the time pleasing himselfe in the multitude of words and Answ priding himselfe in this that he is able to hold out long in praying though it be with sundry repetitions of the same things this is sinnefull but a long praier is not simplie vnlawfull And that is not properly said to bee a long prayer wherein there is nothing d Loâ—ga non est in quâ— nihil redâ—ndat superfluous nor idle but that is a long prayer which abounds with superfluity of speech hauing little matter but manie words and many repetitions of the same things that 's a long and a tedious Praier CHAP. XV. Of Feruencie and Perseuerance in Prayer THE fift thing necessarily required in praying 5 Feruencie in Prayer is Feruencie in Prayer Of which Saint Iames saith a Iam. 5 16. the effectuall feruent Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much Praier auaileth much but what praier is it that auaileth much It is the feruent and earnest Praier We haue sundrie examples in the Scriptures of this feruencie in praying Dauid praieth thus b Psal 17. 1. Heare the right ô Lord attend vnto my cry giue eare vnto my Prayer that goeth not out of fained lips Againe hee prayeth saying c Psal 130. 2. Lord heare my voice let thine eares bee attentiue to the voice of my supplications And againe d Psal 39. 12. heare my Praier O Lord and giue eare vnto my crie hold not thy peace at my teares So Daniel
my brethren prouoke not the Lord our God to anger For if he will not helpe vs within these fiue daies he hath power to defend vs when he will euen euery day or to destroy vs before our enemies Doe not bind the counsels of the Lord our God for God is not as man that he may be threatned neither is he as the sonne of man that he should be wauering Therefore let vs wait for saluation of him and call vpon him to helpe vs and he will heare our voice if it please him Not to waite on the Lord for deliuerance but to prescribe the Lord a time to helpe vs is a prouoking of God a binding of the counsels of God a tempting of God and a limiting of the Lord who may not be limited for God though he be t Liberalis est Deus sâ—d liber liberall and bountifull to bestow his blessings vpon vs and to helpe vs yet he is free he is not tyed nor bound to man neither is he to be limited and appointed by man Say not thou then I haue praied so long and so often and yet the Lord doth not heare doth not deliuer me what should I pray any longer take heede be not of this minde let no such words proceede out of thy mouth for if the Lord doe deferre to heare vs and helpe vs when we call vpon him in the time of our need The Lord often deferreth the granting of our requests it is not because the Lord is either vnable or vnwilling to helpe vs but for other ends as First to exercise vs in praying to cause vs to pray more 1 To exercise vs in praying feruently and to make vs crie and call vpon the Lord more earnestly as did the woman of Canaan Secondly the Lord doth not alwayes yeeld to grant 2 That we may receiue the blessings of the Lord with greater ioy and thankfulnesse vs our requests at the first asking but oftentimes suffereth vs to aske once and twice yea manie times before he be pleased to answere vs and grant our requests that when he heareth vs and granteth vs the things which we prayed for we may receiue the same with greater ioy thankefulnesse That as when we wanted such blessings we prayed earnestly so when we haue receiued his blessings we should praise him heartily And this also of Perseuerance in Prayer CHAP. XVI Of praying in Faith also of praying according to the will of God and in the name of Christ THe seauenth thing required in making our praiers is to pray in Faith without doubting When 7 To pray in Faith we pray we must beleeue that God will heare vs and grant our requests being lawfully made Of this our Sauiour Christ saith a Mat. 21. 22. all things whatsoeuer you shall aske in Prayer beleeuing you shall receiue If you beleeue you shall receiue So saith S. Iames b Iam 1. 5. 6. 7 If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him But how must he aske the Apostle answereth let him aske in faith nothing wauering for he that waueth is like a waue of the Sea driuen with the wind and tossed For let not that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. And St Paul saith c 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray euery where lifting vp holy hands without wrath and doubting This is the trust and confidence that we haue in making our praiers vnto God that God is able to heare vs and grant our requests and also that he is willing and for his truth and promise sake for his goodnesse and mercie sake he will heare vs and grant the things which we lawfully craue at his hands in this confidence the Leper said vnto Christ d Mat. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane e Potentiam credo veluntatem spero I beleeue thou canst I hope thou wilt make me cleane Thus ought we to pray in faith without doubting Here they are reprooued who are fearefull and faint-hearted Vse in prayer being distrustfull and wanting boldnesse Against those who in praying are weak-hearted doubtfull of being heard to approach to the throne of grace the distrustfull man saith thus to himselfe to what end should I pray God doth not heare me and if I make my supplication the Lord will not deliuer me And by reason of these distrustfull thoughts he either praieth not or praieth but sleightly and weakly fainting and doubting But hearken ô man and consider God saith vnto thee f Psal 50. 15. call vpon me in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee and Christ maketh thee this promise g Mat. 21. 22. all things whatsoeuer ye shall aske in prayer beleeuing if you beleeue you shall receiue O then cease not to pray to the Lord for helpe and deliuerance because the Lord bids thee pray and promiseth deliuerance but pray that thou maist haue faith to beleeue that the Lord will helpe thee and deliuer thee For if thou be faint-hearted and beleeue not thou shalt obtaine nothing And the reason wherefore thou art not helped and deliuered is either because thou doest not pray or not pray in faith not beleeuing but doubting Hence it is that the wise sonne of Sirach saith h Ecclus. 2. 13. Woe vnto him that is faint-hearted for he beleeueth not therefore shall he not be defended The eight thing required in the manner of making an 8 To pray according to the wil of God acceptable prayer vnto God is that we make our prayers according to the will of God Concerning which Saint Iohn saith i 1 Ioh. 5. 14. This is the confidence that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Here is a promise that if we aske at Gods hands things needfull forvs he will heare vs but here is also a condition set downe we must aske according to his will Which asking according to the will of God stands in two things Standing in two things First that we pray for spirituall and heauenly things 1 Asking spirituall things simply and temporall things conditionally for graces accompanying saluation as for faith knowledge and repentance and godly sorrow for pardon and remission of sinnes for hope and charitie for patience and humilitie and for all other graces needfull for our soules health as also for increase of grace simply and absolutely for these things are necessarie to our saluation and we are assured that God will grant vs these things if we pray for them aright God is willing to bestow vpon vs graces in this life which may bring vs to glorie in the life to come Wherefore it is that St Iames saith k Iam. 1. 5. If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth
they be offered vp in the name of Iesus Christ For this cause Christ is called the b Reuel 8. 3. Angell hauing the golden censer offering vp vnto God the sweete Incense of the prayers of the Saints acceptable vnto God through the mediation of Christ Christ is likened vnto the c Gen. 28. 12. ladder which Iacob saw which stood on the earth and whose top reached to heauen and the Angels of God were ascending and descending on it For Christ Iesus our Mediatour is the onely way and meanes whereby our prayers doe ascend vp to heauen and appeare before the throne of God and by whom also the blessings of God do descend downe vpon vs. For it is not of our deseruing but for the merits and through the mediation of Iesus Christ that we receiue all good blessings whatsoeuer whether for our soules or bodies The vse hereof is three-fold Vse 1 First for instruction Seeing that we are to make our To conclude our prayers in the name of Christ prayers in the name of Christ it teacheth vs to conclude our Prayers whether publique or priuate alwayes in the name of Iesus Christ Secondly for confutation of their errour who thinke Vse 2 that they may pray in some other name then in the Against those who relie vpon the intercession of Saints name of Christ who preferre their petitions to the heauenly King in the name of some Saint hoping thereby to haue their prayers heard this hath no warrant in Gods word nay rather Gods word teacheth vs the contrarie as expressely in that saying of our Sauiour Christ Whatsoeuer ye shall aske tho Father in my name he will giue it you He saith not whatsoeuer you shall aske in the name of an Angell or in the name of any Saint as Abraham Isaak or Iacob or the virgin Marie or Peter or Paul but whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name The holy name Iesus is the name whereby we are onely saued and there is no other name vnder heauen whereby we can be saued and the name Iesus is the name in which God is well pleased and accepteth our petitions which wee make according to his will The Scripture pointeth vs out no more Mediatours but one d 1. Tim. 2. 5. there is one God saith S. Paul and one Mediatour betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus And we acknowledge according to the Scriptures no more Intercessours but one onely Christ Iesus e Rom. 8. 34. It is Christ saith the Apostle that died yea rather that is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. To which agreeth the saying of St Augustine who in his Meditations saith f Quem enim alium dirigam intercâ—ssorem 〈◊〉 nescio nisi hunc qui est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris qui sedet ad dextram tâ—am interpellans pro nobis Aug. Medit. c. 5. I know none other whom I may make my intercessour vnto thee but onely him euen Iesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sinnes who fitteth at thy right hand making intercession for vs. Vse 3 Thirdly this ministreth consolation vnto vs for Consolation that praying in the name of Christ God will grant our lawfull requests hereby we haue assurance that if we pray vnto God in the name of Iesus Christ we shall obtaine our lawfull requests made according to the will of God For so hath Christ promised g Iob. 16. 23. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you He saith he will giue it you There 's the promise which God will performe for Christs sake To call vpon God in the name of his sonne Christ Iesus is acceptable and well pleasing vnto God h Quid euim est dulcius quam genitorem in nomine vnigeniti inuocare patrem in recordatione filij ad pietatem in flectere Aug. Medit. c. 5. For what can be more pleasing as S. Augustine againe saith to a Father then for the offender to vse the mediation of his sonne to intreat fauour in the name of his only begotten son though the father cannot endure to looke vpon the offender yet he is pleased to looke vpon him for his sonneâ— sake the louing countenance of the son doth pacifie the anger of the father toward the offender It is so with vs we are offenders such as by our sinful life haue offended our heauenly father we haue no meanes to pacifie his wrath neither haue we any assurance to obtaine any fauour at Gods hands whom we haue so angred by our sinnes but onely by the mediation and intercession of Christ Iesus the onely begotten sonne of God and our alone and onely Sauiour And we haue sure confidence that we shall speed well in our requests which we make vnto God in the name of Christ and that what we aske the father in his name he will giue it vs because Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs as saith the Apostle i Heb 7. 25. He is able to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them CHAP. XVII Of the Efficacie and power of praier THE Eight thing in the treatise of Praier is concerning the Efficacie and power of praier 8 The Efficacie and power of praier That the praier of a righteous man framed after the manner prescribed is of great efficacie and preuaileth much with God is euident by that saying of S. Iames a Iam. 5. 16. The effectuall feruent praier of a righteous man auaileth much And how much the feruent praier of a righteous man auaileth will appeare more euidently if we consider it in a twofold respect for the feruent Twofold For. Prayer auaileth much praier of a righteous man auaileth much both Extraordinarily and Ordinarily First Extraordinarily praier hath auailed much and 1 Extraordinarily and that hath wrought wonders First in the heauens aboue and that First in the Firmament causing the Sunne Mooue 1 In the heauens as to stay their course and to stand still So effectuall was the praier of Ioshua For he prayed that the b 1 sh 10. 12. 13. Sunne might stand still vpon Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of 1 In the firmament Aialon And the Lord heard his prayer and the Sunne stood still and the Moone staied vntill the people had auenged themselues vpon their enemies Yea the Sunne stood still in the midst of heauen and hasted not to goe downe about a whole day Secondly in the Regions of the Aire and 2 In the regions of the aire as First in the vppermost region causing fire to descend downe from heauen so at the praier of Elijah the Prophet c 1 King 18 36. 37. 38. The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice 1 In the vppermost region and the wood and the
state Secondly Prayer also auaileth greatly for the good 2 In regard of the soule And that of the soule and that both for the Remoouing of euill and Procuring of good 1 Remoouing euill As First for the remoouing of euill And first prayer is a meanes to remooue away our sinnes from vs which stand as a cloud betweene God and vs to hinder good 1 Our sinnes things from vs separating betweene God and vs and prouoking Gods wrath against vs wherefore Hezekiah being recouered from his sicknes and praising God for his deliuerance saith t Isa 38. Ver. 2. 3 And 17. thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy backe Secondly Prayer is effectuall and powerfull to helpe 2 Temptations vs against temptations and to deliuer vs from that euill one So our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray u Mat. 6. 13. lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And so he exhorteth vs to pray x Mat. 26. 41. watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Thirdly Prayer is powerfull to helpe vs in the euill 3 The teâ—â—our of death and iudgement and perillous times to free our soules from the danger of death and the iudgement to come that neither death shall suddenly come vpon vs nor the day of the Lord take vs vnawares Which our Sauiour sheweth vs in this exhortation y Luk. 21. 36. Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be accompted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Sonne of man Thus prayer auaileth for the remoouing of euill from the soule Secondly prayer auaileth much for the procuring of 2 Procuring Good As good things to the soule as first mercie pardon and forgiuenesse Dauid in his Prayer confesseth his sinne 1 Mercy pardâ—n and forgiuenesse saying z Psal 32. 5. I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and it followeth thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne Dauid confessed his sinne and prayed for the pardon of his sinne and the Lord heard his Prayer and pardoned his sinne So S. Iames saith a Iam. 5. 15. the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen him Secondly Prayer is a meanes to obtaine all graces necessarily 2 All graces necessarie for our saluation accompanying saluation For b Iam. 1. 17. euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the Father of lights Our Sauiour Christ saith c Mat 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you and S. Iames saith d Iam. 1. 5. If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him Thirdly Prayer is effectuall not onely for the obtaining 3 Increase of Grace of grace but likewise for the increase of grace the Apostles pray e Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith And S. Paul prayeth for the Ephesians that God would f Ephe. 3. 16. 17. 18. 19. grant them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith that being rooted and grounded in loue they might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ Which passeth knowledge that they might be filled with all the fullnessâ— of God And they that are strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man hauing Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith and are growing and increasing in grace in this life shall assuredly attaine to glorie in the life to come Prayer then as it remooueth euill â—o it procureth good to the soule mercie grace yea increase of grace and with grace glorie the perfection of Grace Such is the efficacie of Prayer The consideration of which efficacie and power of Vse Prayer may teach vs in all our necessities and tribulations To vse prayer in time of need as a sure defence to flee vnto God by Prayer to lay hold on prayer as a man would on his shield and buckler For prayer is a most sure defence in all troubles whatsoeuer It is a defence against tribulations outward and temptations inward It helpes the bodie and cures the soule it preuaileth both in heauen and in earth concerning which the exhortation of the Apostle S. Paul is to be receiued and embraced g Ephe. 6. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. take vnto you saith he the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the euill day and hauing done all to stand Stand therefore hauing your loynes girt about with truth and hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked and take the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit A Christian that is thus armed hauing the girdle of truth about his loynes hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and his feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace hauing the shield of faith before him the helmet of saluation vpon his head hauing the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and being prepared to pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Such a one is able to stand against the aduersarie the Deuill and all spirituall wickednesse and such a one shall preuaile against his spirituall enemies yea such a one shall preuaile with God himselfe for any petition that he shall make so farre as it shall be good for him For the effectuall feruent Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much CHAP. XVIII Of the helpes and furtherances of Prayer Of the first helpe the Spirit of God THe ninth thing in the Treatise of Prayer is of 9 The helps and furtherances of Prayer Three the helpes and furtherances of Prayer and they are three The first is Gods holy Spirit of which Saint Paul saith a Rom. 8. 26. 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities 1 Gods holy Spirit And for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God For this cause the Spirit of God is called the spirit of supplications by the Prophet Zacharie b Zach. 12. 10. The holy spirit
that we should haue accesse vnto the throne of grace and should haue communication with the Lord. For as a meane subiect would count himselfe a happie man if he might finde such fauour with his Soueraigne Lord the King as that he might haue free accesse into his presence and libertie to make any lawfull request vnto the King with assurance that the King would heare him and grant his petition so a poore Christian whatsoeuer his estimation be in the world concerning his spirituall state is a happie man for he may haue free accesse into the presence of the King of heauen earth he may f Heb. 4. 16. come boldly to the throne of grace may obtaine mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede This exhortation to be deuoutly giuen to call vpon the name of the Lord and to be instant in prayer and supplication vnto God is verie necessarie to be practised of all high and low rich and poore one and other and verie expedient it is for Ministers to call vpon the people euerie where and to exhort them to be frequent and feruent in prayer especially in these euill dayes wherein deuotion with many is waxen colde and with some is fallen asleepe and had need to be awaked I haue shewed by the Scriptures that Moses Dauid Daniel Cornelius with diuers others that the Apostles of Christ yea and Christ himselfe haue beene all much giuen to prayer and I read of Iames g Gal. 1. 19. the Lords brother that with praying much and often h Geâ—ua ipsius in morem camelâ— sensum coâ—tactus amiserint Euseb l. 2 c. 23. his knees were waxen so hard by reason of kneeling much that they were as hard as camels knees so that he had no feeling of any paine when he prayed kneeling vpon his knees That was a happie age and those were blessed times for then men had hard knees and soft hearts but in these euill dayes its contrarie for manie in these our daies haue soft knees and hard hearts In those better times good men were as Cornelius was i Act. 10. 2. deuout men fearing God giuing much almes to the people and praying to God alway But in these dayes manie of vs come farre short of Cornelius his deuotion for he gaue much almes to the people and prayed to God alway I feare it may be truely said of manie amongst vs that they giue few almes to the people and pray to God seldome Wherefore if any haue hitherto beene negligent and slacke in performing this religious dutie of Prayer either publiquely or priuately let them pray and the Lord grant they may pray that the Lord would enflame their hearts with zeale and deuotion that hee would k Zach. 12. 10. powre vpon them the spirit of grace and of supplications and that hee would send his holy Spirit into their hearts to l Rom. 8. 26. helpe their infirmities To teach them to pray as they ought and to m Ver. 15. crie Abba Father And whosoeuer they are that haue alreadie addicted themselues to this holy and heauenly dutie of prayer let them bee encouraged to perseuere and pray that they may haue grace to be constant and to continue therein And now I conclude with the exhortation of Saint Paul n Coless 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thankesgiuing ioyning thereunto the like exhortation of Saint Peter o 1. Pet. 4. 7. the end of all things â—s at hand be ye therefore sober and watch vnto Prayer Now the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation confirme and strengthen our faith till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and grant that through his grace we may be brought to true and vnfained Repentance and that by the guiding of his holy Spirit we may walke in holy obedience to his heauenly will all the dayes of our life that we may sincerely deuote our selues to Prayer and calling vpon the name of the Lord that so at our last end we may be receiued into the Celestiall Paradisc through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen ⸪ Deus qui dedit velle dedit etiam perficere Benedictus Deus FINIS
in the Idoll whether the image or God in the image For in so doing we giue that honour vnto the Idoll or Image which belongs vnto God and that vnder colour and pretence of worshipping God And Iehouah the Lord who is a iealous God cannot endure that another should vsurpe that honour which is due vnto his name Wherefore he saith o Isa 42. 8. My glory will I not giue to another neither my praise to grauen images Secondly in particular I instance in Prayer concerning which the rule of Gods worship is that we pray to the Father in the name of Iesus Christ with assurance that he will heare our prayers and grant our requests which we make in his name For thus saith our Sauiour Christ p Ioh. 16. 23. Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Now wheras they are not content with this word of God to pray vnto God in the name of Christ but flee to the intercession of Saints and Angels they worship God with a deuised worship such as God hath not commanded neither requireth When Papists therfore bow downe before an Image and kneele to a Crosse or Crucifix it may be sayd vnto them as it was sayd to those hypocriticall Iewes q Isa 1. 12. Who hath required this at your hand for as for Saints they themseues worship God and r Reu. 4. 10. cast their crownes before the Throne and therefore they will not be worshipped Neither will the Angels bee worshipped the Angell that appeared to Iohn in the Reuelation refuseth to be worshipped for when Iohn fell downe to worship before the feet of the Angell the Angell sayd Å¿ Reu. 22. 9. See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-seruant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this booke Worship God It was the Deuill that bad Angell that would bee worshipped hee saith to our Sauiour Christ tempting him t Matth. 4. 9. All these things will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee But as for the good Angels they will not be worshipped they bid vs worship God This of externall and outward Idolatry The second kinde of Idolatry is Internall Spirituall 2 Inward or spirituall Idolatry that is Idolatry of the heart This Idolatry is committed when we loue any thing aboue God or trust in any thing more then in God and so set vp an Idoll in our hearts This Idolatry is more generall then the former this reacheth to all sorts of people for though a man doe know the true God acknowledge one God in three persons worship the true God and abhorre Idols though he make no Image of God neither bow downe before any Image in a word thogh a man be no Infidel no Heathen-man but a Christian no Papist but a Protestant yet for all this hee may be an Idolater in heart by seetting his heart vpon some thing that hee loues more then vpon God and by putting his trust and confidence in some thing else more then in God Thus the couetous man makes an Idoll of his riches and wealth of his siluer and gold Iob saith u Iob 31. 24. If I haue made gold my hope or sayd to the fine gold Thou art my confidence The Apostle in plaine tearmes calls x Coloss 3. 5. Couetousnesse Idolatry and the y Ephes 5. 5. Couetous man an Idolater The voluptuous man makes an Idoll of pleasure Lady Pleasure is his goddesse Gluttons and Drunkards make an Idoll of their belly their belly is their God so the Apostle speakes of soâ—â—â— z Phil. 3. 19. whose God is their belly Heereupon Chrysostome saith a Varij sunt Idololatriae modi Chrysost in Rom. Hom. 6. There are diuerse sorts of Idolatry One hath Mammon for his Lord another makes his belly his God another makes some other lust his God and though thou doest not offer sacrifice vnto these thy Gods as the Gentiles did yet thou doest worse for thou sacrificest thine owne soule vnto them thou bowest not the knee to them neither doest fall downe before these thy gods to worship them but yet thou art obedient vnto them and art at their command if thy belly or thy lusts command thy seruice and require to doe any thing for them thou art ready to doe it Thus Chrysostome Now it stands vs Christians in hand as wee abhor Idols for the outward so to looke to our hearts and affections that wee doe not set vp an Idoll in our heart for certaine it is we cannot both worship God and serue Idols whether outward or inward b Matth. 6. 24. No man saith our Sauiour can serue two masters yee cannot serue God and Mammon No man can serue God and riches God and his pleasures God and his belly God and his owne lusts The worship of the true God and the worship of Idols cannot stand together When the Philistines brought the Arke of God into the house of Dagon the god of the Philistines and placed it by Dagon c 1 Sam. 5. 4. in the morning they found Dagon fallen to the ground As the Arke of God and Dagon cannot stand together in one Temple so the true worship of God and Idols cannot stand together in one temple in one house nor in one heart If a Christian doe truely serue and worship the true God with the affection of the heart if he loue God aboue all trust in God alone and feare God with all his heart then there will bee no roome to set vp the Idoll of Couetousnesse or Pleasure or Lust in the heart these cannot agree together Wherefore if wee will bee true worshippers of God wee must put away all false worship and remooue all Idols out of the heart wee must cast downe the Idoll of Couetousnesse the Idoll of Pride the Idoll of Lust the Idoll of Pleasure c and giue God lâ—â—â—e alone to sit and rule in the heart as God for God and Idols cannot dwell together as the Apostle saith d 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 16. What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Beliall or what part hath he that beleeueth with an Infidell and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for yee are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath sayd I will dwell in them and walke in them and I will bee their God and they shall be my people CHAP. IX Of the particular knowledge of God acknowledging the one only true God to be our God how necessary this knowledge of God is how profitable it is how dangerous to want it and the meanes of obtaining it HItherto of the generall knowledge of God The particular knowledge of God is not 2 The particular knowledge of God onely to know that there is a God nor only to know that there is
And againe p Verse 14. by one offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified Secondly by humane satisfacttion this was a part oâ— Christs Priestly office to satisfie for out sinnes Now the Romish Church teacheth that notwithstanding Christ hath suffered and q Bâ—llar de satisfact lib. 4. satisfied for vs to saue vs from eternall punishment yet we our selues must satisfie for our sins by our good workes by fasting and almesdeedes c. for our temporall punishment This is also against the truth of Gods Word for we hold according to the Scriptures that Iesus Christ alone and once and that perfectly hath satisfied the Iustice of God both for our sinnes and for the punishment due to our sinnes As S. Iohn saith r 1 Ioh. 1. 7. The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne And the Lord hath made a promise that Å¿ Ezek. 18. 21. 22. if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him Thirdly by making Saints their Intercessours It belongs vnto Christs office to make intercession for vs. So the Scripture witnesseth S. Paul saith t Rom. 8. 34. Christ died yea rather is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for vs. But the Church of Rome appointeth other intercessours besides Christ they flee to the mediation of Saints and pray to Saints that they would make request for them whereas Christ is our alone Mediatour as the Apostle saith u 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one God and one Mediator betweene God and men the Man Christ Iesus Thirdly concerning the Propheticall office of Christ as he is a Prophet hee is the Instructor and Teacher of 3 A Prophet his Church by his Spirit and written Word for his Word is his will and his Word ought to be our Rule in matters both of faith and godly life but the Church of Rome besides the Scriptures and Word of God brings in a heape of humane Traditions which their Doctors and Teachers will haue to be receiued as x Traditiones simpliciter necessariae sunt Bellar. de Tradit simply necessary holding that all things needefull to faith and a Christian life are not contained in the Scriptures but that wee must seeke many things from Traditions whereas we hold that whatsoeuer is necessary to saluation to faith and a godly life is contained in the Scriptures euen in the written Word of God either expresly or so as may rightly be collected and gathered from the Scriptures According to that saying of S. Paul to Timothy y 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes Wherefore if we will hold the truth concerning Christ and his Offices wee must hold and acknowledge him to be a King a Priest and a Prophet to his Church and that not in word onely but also in deede and in Truth Thirdly Iesus Christ is denied by Apostasie when 3 By Apostasie Two-fold men fall away from the truth which they haue knowne and professed And this is two-fold Particular and Vniuersall The particular back-sliding and falling away is two-fold 1 Particular falling away Two-fold The one is when a Christian hauing turned from his former euill course of life and framed himselfe to liue a 1 By falling into some great and grieuous sin godly life and now making a profession of religion doth fall into some great and grieuous sinne whereby he doth not onely sinne against God but doth also offend the people of God and giues occasion to others to speake euill of the way of the Lord. An example hereof is in Dauid committing adulterie with Bathsheba to whom the Prophet Nathan rebuking him saith not onely thus z 2. Sam. 12. 7. Thou art the man thou art he that hast done this wickednesse and hast sinned against God but he saith also a Vers 14. by this deed thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme This is an euill falling away but yet this fall is recouerable for Dauid seriously repented and was receiued to fauour b Vers 13. Dauid said vnto Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said vnto Dauid the Lord hath also put away thy sinne thou shalt not die The other kind of particular back sliding and falling 2 By falling from the profession of Christ and that two waies away is a falling away from the profession of Christ and that either through Infirmitie or Securitie First through Infirmitie so Peter who had made a 1 Through infirmitie profession of Christ had also boasted what he would doe and suffer for Christ c Mat. 26. 33. 35. though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I neuer be offended And againe he saith though I should die with thee yet will I not denie thee notwithstanding all this fainted and d Ver. 70. 72. 74 denied Christ three times Secondly through Securitie falling away from a 2 Through securitie mans former zeale and sinceritie of his profession an example hereof we haue in the Angell of the Church of Ephesus to whom Christ saith e Reue. 2. 4. I haue somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue But both these fals are recouerable for of Peter it is said f he went out and g Mat. 26. 75. wept bitterly And to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus Christ saith g Reu. 2. 5. remember from whence thou art fallen and exhorteth him to repent and to doe the first workes This of the particular Apostasie and falling away which is onely a backsliding and falling away in part and that for a time There is also an vniuersall falling away and that is 2 Vniuersall falling away Two-fold also two-fold The first is an vniuersall falling away form a mans former righteousnesse from his holinesse of life and godly conuersation when any one fals from vertue to 1 From a mans former righteousnesse and holinesse to prophanenesse and wickednesse vice and from a godly conuersation to profanenesse and notorious wickednesse this is a kinde of denying Christ yea this is of the seruant of Iesus Christ to become the seruant of the Deuill euen as a seruant which râ—fuseth to serue his owne Lord and Maister but fals to his maisters aduersarie and serues him may be said to haue denied his maister so they who for a time haue made shew of seruing their Lord Maister Iesus Christ and afterwards fall away from the seruice of Christ and serue the flesh the world and the Deuiil may rightly be said to haue denied Iesus Christ of such St Peter speaks shewing the dangerous state of those that so fall away h 2.
vpon him y Psal 50. 15. Call vpon mee in the day of trouble And the Apostle bids vs z Heb. 4. 16. come boldly vnto the throne of grace Secondly I confesse that by reason of our vnworthinesse we haue need of a mediatour to make intercession for vs but what Mâ—diatour Not any of the Saints of God but onely the mediation of the Sonne of God For the Apostle saith a 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one God one Mediatour betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus And Christ Iesus is the mediatour not onely of Redemption but also of Intercession as S. Paul also saith b Rom. 8. 34. It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. And Christ himselfe saith c Ioh. 16. 23. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you S. Paul saith that Christ is our Mediatour and he that maketh intercession for vs. And Christ himselfe will haue vs to pray vnto the Father in his name promising that whatsoeuer wee shall aske the Father in his name he will giue it vs he saith not whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in the name of S. Peter or S. Paul or in the name of the Virgin Marie he will giue it you but in my name that is in the name of Christ Iesus Thirdly the ancient Fathers of the Church doe not approoue of the mediation of Saints S. Chrysostome saith Aâ—que homines si qu â—ndo exorare oportet â—anitoribus prius occurâ—ere câ—nucnit parasitisque histrionibusque suadere c. In Deo nihil est tale Sine mediatore exorabilis est Chrys de paenit Hom. 4. If a man haue a suâ—e to great men hee must first meete with the Porters and come in by their leaue then hee must speake his followers â—â—ire c. In God there is no such thing he will be entreated without a mediatour And S. Ambrose saith e Ideo ad Regem per tribunos aut comites itur quia homo vtique est rex c. Ad DeuÌ„ autem quem vtique nihiâ— lateâ— omnium enim merita nouit promerendum suffragatore non opuâ— est sed mente deuota Amb. in Rom. 1. We goe vnto the King by mediation of his Officers his Lords and Nobles because the King is but a man c. But he that commeth vnto God who knoweth all things and nothing is hid from him hath no neede of any one to speake for him to doe him a pleasure but onely a deuoute minde To conclude seing that the dead are ignorant of vs and our affaires seeing that the dead know not what the liuing doe and seeing that it is altogether vncertaine and doubtfull whether the Saints departed heare vs and that it is most certaine and without all doubt that the Lord our God heareth vs and knoweth what things we haue need of Why then should we pray vnto Saints And wherefore is it that men will bee so blinded to choose rather that which is vncertaine then to hold fast and sticke to that which is certaine Doubtlesse the Lord is our God and will heare vs Our Father and knoweth what things wee haue neede of Our Redeemer and will helpe and deliuer vs though Abraham be ignorant of vs and though Israel and the Saints departed acknowledge vs not CHAP. V. Shewing for whom we ought to pray and First of praying for The Liuing TO whom we ought to pray hath bene declared The third thing in regard of the persons 3 For whom we are to pray Two sorts whom prayer concerneth is for whom we are to pray And they are of two sorts for we are to pray First for our seluers 1 For our selues Twofold Secondly for others First for our selues and that either generally including 1 Generally others as when we pray Our father Giue vs and forgiue vs c or a Mat. 6. 9. 11. 12. Particularly in regard of our owne priuate wants or dangers either of body or soule as Dauid praieth 2 Particularly b Psal 69. 1. Saue me ô God c Psal 51. 1. haue mercy vpon me ô God And as the penitent publicane praieth d Luk. 18. 13. God be mercifull to me a sinner Secondly for others which praiers for others are 2 For others properly called e 1 Tim. 2. 1. Intercessions and these Intercessions or praiers made in the behalfe of others I consider two waye Twofold First affirmatiuely in regard of the liuing for whom 1 For the liuing we are to pray Secondly negatiuely in regard of the dead for whom we are not to pray Twofold First we are to pray for the liuing and that either 1 Generally For all Generally for all or Particularly for some certaine persons For the First We are to make praiers for all which the Apostle exhorteth vnto saying f 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications praiers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men What must we pray for all men for wicked and vngodly men yea for all for all of all sorts for wicked Quest bad men as long as there is any hope of their amendment Answ An ancient Father demands wherefore the Apostle would haue vs to pray for all men seeing that there are so many wicked and vngodâ—y men on the face of the earth And he answereth himselfe saying g Forsitan aliqua fiet eorum mutatio Chrys aâ— pop Antio Hom. 69. It may be they may be changed and altered from their euilâ— course of life They that are now bad may become good We are to pray for euill men then that they may be amended we are to pray for good men also that they may be bettered and for those that are amended and bettered that they may perseuere and continue in their goodnesse But the Lord forbids Ieremie the prophet to pray for Obiect the people h Jer. 11. 14. Pray not thou for this people neither lift vp a cry or prayer for them for I will not heare them c. And S. Iohn saith i 1 John 5. 16. If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not vnto death be shall aske he shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death there is a sinne vnto death I doe not say that he shall pray for it I answere we may and ought Answ to pray for all men except they be knowne to be such rebellious and obstinate sinners as those were for which Ieremie must not pray namely such as were obdurate and whose hearts were hardned that they would not returne Or if they be not such who through Apostasie fall away wholy from God and the knowne truth and so of Christian professours become professed aduersarieâ— to the truth for which S. Iohn will not haue vs to pray because they sinne
vnto death In a word then we are to pray for all men as Saint Paul exhorteth vs yea were they neuer so wicked as long as there is any hope of their amendement and as long as they 2 In particular for diuers sorts of people doe not sinne vnto death Thus in generall we are to pray for all Secondly we are to pray in particular for diuerse 1 For kings and all that are in authoritie sorts of persons and people First for Kings for rulers and gouernours of the land for Magistrates and for all that are in authoritie This the Apostle teacheth vs laying k 1. Tim. 2. 1. 2. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authoritie And there 's great reason to perswade vs to pray for For Kings and for all that are in authoritie for First Gods word bindes vs thereunto As is manifest Gods word commandeth so in S. Paules exhortation formerly mentioned Secondly By the King and through the good rulers 2 By the King and good Rulers we receiue much good and gouernours of the Land we receiue much good By the King we haue peace and quietnesse in our Land By the King we enioy the inestimable benefit of the Gospell in our coasts By the rulers of the Land and those that are in authoritie we haue the execution of good lawes and by them transgressors of the Law are punished and by their punishments others are warned so that quiet minded men may walke in their callings without feare and lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie First then we are to pray for Kings and for all that are in authoritie Secondly we are to pray for the Citie the towne and 2 For the Cittie and place of our dwelling place where we inhabite and dwell as the captiue Iewes liuing in Babylon were commanded to doe l Jere. 29. 7. Secke the peace of the citie whither I haue caused you to be caried away captiue and pray vnto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye haue peace The Iewes at this time were in a strange Land in bondage to another Nation and yet the Lord appointeth them to pray for the good and prosperous estate of the citie where they dwelt Thirdly we are all bound to pray for the state of the 3 For the church of God Church of God militant here on earth this is Dauids exhortation m Psal 122. 6. pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee And Dauid himselfe prayeth saying n Psal 51. 18. Doe good vnto Sion Fourthly we are bound to pray for all that are in need in want and distresse in affliction and miserie in sicknesse or paine in perfecution or tentation When S. For all that are afflicted Peter was in affliction and distresse when he was persecuted and cast into Prison o Act. 12. 5. Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church vnto God for him And Saint Iames teacheth vs to pray for the sicke and diseased p Iam. 5. 14. 15. 16. Is any sicke among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him anointing him with oyle in the name of the Lord and the Prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and againe he saith pray one for another that ye may be healed Lastly we are bound to pray for our enemies this our 5 For our enenemies Sauiour Christ teacheth vs saying q Mat. 5. 44. loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully vse you and persecute you and this is not onely the precept of our Sauiour Christ but also his practise for at his passion and suffering he prayed saying r Luk. 23. 34. father forgiue them So doth St Steuen pray for his persecutours saying Å¿ Act. 7. 60. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge The consideration of this that we are to pray for others Vse 1 and chiefly for Kings and those that are in authoritie To pray for the Kings Maiestie with a stee heart and willing minde may teach vs that it is our bounden dutie with an open heart with a willing mind and free voice to pray vnto God for our Soueraigne Lord the KING for the most Noble and Illustrious PRINCE and Princely progenie The captiue Iewes obtaine licence of King Darius to goe to Ierusalem and to build the house oâ— God that they might offer sacrifices vnto the God of Heauen t Ezr. 6. 10. and pray for the life of the King and of his sonnes In Turtullian's time the Christians were slanderously reproached that they did not houour the Emperour but were enemies to the State to which the Father making an Apologie for the Christians answereth shewing that Christians did pray for the Emperours for they u Vitam illâ—â— prolixam impâ—rtum securum dâ—mum tutam exercitus fortes senatum fidelem populum probum c. precantes Tertul. Apolog. prayed that God would giue them a long life a secure Empire a safe house strong armies a faithfull Senate a good People c. Now these Kings and Emperours were heathenish and persecutours of Christians and yet they prayed for them how much more then are we O England bound to prayse the God of Heauen for giuing vs so wise so learned so religious a King so powerfull a defender of the Faith and so great a maintainer of the Gospell of Christ And we are not onely bound to blesse and praise God for the manifold blessings wherewith the Lord our God blesseth vs in our Soueraigne Lord the King but also to pray earnestly vnto the Lord for the preseruation and prosperitie of our King that in his safetie we may haue safetie in his prosperitie we may haue prosperitie and in his peace we may haue peace Secondly whereas we are bound as hath bin prooued Vse 2 to pray for the whole Church and any in distresse Against those that will not pray for their enemies for all men yea for our enemies this serues to reproue those who although it may be they may pray for their friends yet beare such a grudge and hatred to their enemies that they will in no case be perswaded to pray for them But consider ô man whosoeuer thou art that canst not pray for thine enemies Christ commandeth thee to pray for thine enemies obey him Yea Christ himselfe prayed for his enemies to giue thee an example of praying for thine enemies imitate thou him Or if thou thinkest it hard to imitate Christ the Lord in a matter so hard to flesh and bloud then imitate Steuen the seruant of Christ who imitated his Lord and Maister Christ in praying for his enemies For as Christ said concerning his enemies Father forgiue
them so Steuen said concerning his enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their charge x Mat. 5. 46. If ye loue them which loue you what reward haue you Doe not euen the Publicans the same It 's a small matter for a man to loue one that loueth him againe and to wish well to him that wisheth well to him againe this verie Publicanes can doe any man may doe this But he is a worthie Christian he is a good man indeede that can loue his enemies that can wish well to him that wisheth no good to him againe and that can pray for his enemies such men are rare on earth few such are to bee found and yet we ought so to striue against our inward corruptions against our anger and hatred and desire of reuenge that we might both forgiue our enemies and pray for our enemies if we will be the followers of Christ and the children of our heauenly Father CHAP. VI. Of praying for the dead HItherto hath beene shewed that we are to pray 2 Not for the dead And Therein three things for the liuing It remaineth in the second place to entreate of Prayer for the dead And therein I will shew First how the present Romish Church holdeth and maintaineth Prayer for the dead Secondly I will declare in what sence the auncient Fathers haue mentioned and they themselues somtimes vsed Prayer for the dead Thirdly I will vse reasons to disswade all men from praying for the dead as the Romists doe For the first a Bellarm. de Purgator Cardinall Bellarmine giueth vs a cleare 1 How the present Romish Church holdeth and maintaineth Prayer for the dead light to know how in what sence the present Romish Church holdeth and maintaineth Prayer for the dead for he tells vs that there are three places of receptacle Heauen Hell and Purgatorie besides his faigned Limbus for three sorts of people departing hence that is to say the iust and righteous ones the wicked and vngod ly and they that are of a middle sort beleeuers but yet such as are not throughly cleansed from their sinnes As for the iust and righteous he doubts not but their soules goe straight to Paradise to Heauen as the soules of the Apostles Martyrs c. As for the wicked and vngodly impenitent sinners and Infidels hee maketh no question of them but that they goe downe to Hell neuer to be deliuered All the question is of the third sort those of the middle sort which are neither very good nor very euill but such as die in their veniall sinnes or haue not satisfied for the temporall punishment of their mortall sinnes and therefore such must be cast into the fire of Purgatorie to purge them more from their sins and as it were to scoure away their drosse till they haue satisfied the iustice of God partly by their owne sufferings and partly by the prayers fastings almesdeeds of others and such like This is the Faith of the present Romane Church concerning Prayer for the dead so that the praiers of the Romists which they make for the dead are chiefely intended for the soules of their friends in Purgatorie that thereby they may procure some mitigation of their paines and bring as they imagine some ease to their tormented soules The second thing concerning Prayer for the dead is 2 In what sence the auncient Fathers haue mentioned sometimes vsed prayer for the dead to shew in what sence the auncient Fathers haue mentioned in their writings and sometimes vsed themselues Praier for the dead Diuerse iudicious and learned b D. Mort. in his Protest Appeale l. 2. c. 8. Lanch de natura Dei l. 4. c. 4. Perk problâ—m â—itul prâ—s promort Diuines consent in this that the auncient Orthodoxall Fathers neuer vsed or spake of Prayers for the dead to the end that they might haue remission of their sinnes after this life that they might be purged from their sinnes or be deliuered from the paines of Purgatorie but the Prayers made for the dead in auncient time were for other ends and chiefely they were either prayses and thankesgiuings to God for their departure out of this miserable sinfull and wretched life and forgiuing them eternall life in the heauens or else they were Prayers made in regard of the Resurrection of their bodies that the Lord would send them a speedie and ioyful Resurrection and these Prayers which were made for their friends departed were not made in regard of any miserie of the present state of their soules but for the glorifiing of their bodies in the Resurrection of the iust that then their glory might be encreased and that they might receiue fullnesse of glorie both in their bodies and in their soules And this is not a meere opinion and bare coniecture but this is according to sound iudgement gathered from the writings of the Fathers themselues St Ambrose prayeth for the Emperour Theodosius after his death saying c Darequiem perfectam seruo tuo Theodosiâ— requiem quam praeparasti sanctis tuis Amb. orat funeb de obit The dos Giue perfect rest to thy seruant Theodosius euen that rest which thou hast prepared for thy Saints Thus he prayeth and yet afterwards saith d Manet in lumine Theodosius sanctorum caetibus gloriatur ibid. Theodosius is in light and is glorified amongst the company of the Saints So St c Lib Confess Austine prayeth for his Mother being dead and yet is perswaded that the Lord hath heard him and granted his request and that shee is in glorie So Eusebius reporteth that f Preces pro auima Imperatoris Deo fundebant Euseb de vita Constant l. 4. cap. 71. Prayers were made for Constantine the Christian-Emperour after his death which prayers were but either thankesgiuings lauding and praising God for deliuering him out of this miserable life crowning him with glorie in the heauens or prayers for the fulnesse of glorie in the Resurrection of the iust and they did not pray for any ease to his soule from the flames of Purgatorie for as the same Author reporteth g Omnes beatum Imperatorem acceptumque Deo praedicabant ibid. c. 69. all men did say that the Emperour was blessed and accepted of God It is manifest then by these Fathers that the custome of the auncient Church of God in praying for the dead was not to procure ease to bring refreshing to their soules in Purgatorie or to deliuer them out of Purgatorie seeing that they acknowledge that their friends for whom they prayed were in light were in glorie and were blessed 3 Reasons wherfore we are not to pray for the dead as the Papists doe at this day In the third place I yeeld these reasons wherefore we are not to pray for the dead as the Romists vse Prayer for the dead at this day First The Scripture acknowledgeth but two places as receptacles for the soules of men after this life Heauen and Hell
helpeth vs in our prayers three wayes I will powre vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and supplications Now the Spirit of God helpeth vs in our prayers three waies First teaching vs to pray aright to aske things lawfull and according to the will of God For we know not 1 Teaching vs to pray aright saith the Apostle what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered Secondly in praying we haue manie distractions 2 Causing vs to attend to the things which we pray for wandring thoughts vaine imaginations which trouble vs and draw away our mindes and herein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities the Spirit helpeth vs to withdraw our minds from the world and to draw vp our hearts vnto God and causeth vs to be more attentiue vpon the things that we pray for Thirdly many are the afflictions tribulations and 3 Stirring vp the heart to pray with sighs and groaning temptations of the godly they haue many perturbations which so trouble and distemper them of times that they finde a marueilous vnfitnesse to pray and if they set themselues to pray cannot pray as they would herein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities in this case the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered that is the Spirit doth stirre vp in the soule deuoutly affected holy sighes and spirituall groanings which crie alowd in the eares of the Lord. This hath vse First for instruction to teach vs before we pray to Vse 1 pray for the assistance of Gods good spirit to be with Before we pray to craue the assistance of Gods holy spirit vs to guide and direct vs to aide and helpe vs in praying to teach vs what to pray for and how to pray and to helpe vs from wandring in our thoughts while we are praying Secondly for consolation to the children of God Vse 2 when as in regard of afflictions and temptations they The righteous receiue comfort that the good spirit of God helpeth them to pray finde an vnfitnesse to pray and in regard of their infirmities they haue many distractions and wandring thoughts in praying or by reason of great griefe and heauinesse of heart they cannot vtter words or cannot expresse their mindes in such words as they desire from hence they may gather consolation comfort to their troubled soules the Spirit of God is our helper the Spirit helpeth our infirmities the Spirit causeth vs to pray and crie c Rom. 8. 15. Abba father and if words faile then the Spirit stirres vp deuotion in the heart causing the heart to pray and crie alowd The Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered CHAP. XIX Of the second helpe and furtherance of Prayer Fasting REligious Fasting is the second helpe and furtherance 2 Religious fasting Therein three things of Prayer In handling whereof I will First shew the right manner of obseruing a Fast Secondly I will set downe the right vse and the chiefe ends of Fasting Thirdly I will make it manifest that such fasting in the right manner and to the right end is a great helpe and furtherance to our prayers To the first In the right manner of obseruing a Fast 1 The right manner of obseruing a true fast To which foure things are required that it may please God there are foure things required First when we fast either publiquely or priuately it is required that we abstaine from all meate and drinke so long as the fast is continued The greeke word which signifieth to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fast is asmuch in signification as b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to eat giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that all the time of 1 To fast from all meate our appointed fast we must not eate Thus we finde Dauid fasting till night and would eat nothing till the Sunne was downe for c 2. Sam. 3. 35. when all the people came to cause Dauid to eate meat while it was yet day Dauid sware saying So doe God to me and more also if I taste bread or ought else till the Sunne be downe Notwithstanding herein there must be a respect had of the constitution of the bodie how the bodie is able to continue and hold out the set time of the fast without fainting whtrefore one saith d Dometur caro non interimatur let the flesh be tamed not destroyed For God doth not require that we should destroy the flesh and hurt the body with fasting but onely that we tame the flesh and humble the body Secondly in fasting we must abstaine not onely from 2 To abstaine from all sinne all meat but likewise from all sinne for want of which abstinence from sin the Lord dislikes of the abstinence from meat the people say c Isa 58 3. 4. wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest not Wherefore haue we afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge And the Lord answereth them behold in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exact all your labours Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse The Lord reproued them for fasting on this manner Chrysostome saith f Non ciborum abstinentia ieiunium oporatur sed abstinentia peccatorum Chry. ad pop Antioch Hom. 22. It is not the bare abstaining from meates that makes the good fast but abstaining from sinnes as well as from meats Not onely the stomacke should fast from meats but all the members of the bodie should fast from sinne the heart should fast from hatred and malice and enuie the tongue should fast from blasphemous words from slanderous speeches and from all corrupt and filthie communication the eyes should fast from beholding vanitie the eares should fast from receiuing tales the hands should fast from working wickednesse and the feete should fast from walking the pathes of vnrighteousnesse When we fast we should not taste of the bread of malice that 's sowreleauened bread nor touch the daintie meat of carnall pleasure that 's a surfetting meat but we ought to abstaine from euill thoughts sinfull words and wicked deeds for these are all vncleane meat and defile a man as saith our Sauiour g Mat. 15. 19. 20 out of the hart proceed euil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false-witnesse blasphemies These are the things which defile a man Thirdly in the day of our fast we ought to be exercised 3 To be exercised in doing of good Two-fold in doing of good doing workes of Pietie and Charitie First workes of Pietie spending that day in holy 1 To doe works of pietie and religious duties as praying and praising God reading the Scriptures meditating vpon the word of God and his workes as did Cornelius for he saith vnto Peter h Act. 10. 30. foure dayes agoe I was fasting