precept as being a dutie most straitly injoyned and a principall part of that worship and service which we ow unto God This necessitie is not absolute but if we will avoid his curse Jer. 10. 25. 2. Necessitate medii necessitie of the means as being the means ordained by God for the obteining of all good things which he hath either purposed or promised to bestow upon us for our good so that if we ask aright we have if we ask not we have not as S. James saith chap. 4. 3. Necessitate signi necessitie of the signe as being a necessarie signe and cognizance of all true Christians who are described in the Scripture to be such as call upon the name of God As contrariwise the foolish Atheist who saith in his heart There is no God is deciphered by this note that he doth not call upon the Lord Psal. 14. 4. In which respects the holy man Daniel held the performance of this dutie so necessary that when the king had published a decree which might not be revoked That whosoever should ask a petition of either God or man save of the king for thirtie dayes he should be cast into the lions den he chose rather to be cast into the den of the lions then to omit this dutie but thirty dayes Dan. 6. neither did he omit it one day see vers 10. CHAP. IX Who are to perform the dutie of prayer ANd thus you have heard that it is required of all to call upon God Now let us consider what is required in all those that do call upon him That I expressed in the definition when I defined prayer to be a speech of the faithfull or as the holy Ghost styleth them also the righteous the godly the Saints of God Where by the way note that all faithfull and true Christians are righteous are godly are the Saints of God And thus are they to be qualified who will either pray unto God or praise him For prayer the holy Ghost saith that every one that is godly shall pray unto God Psal. 32. 6. and the prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 1. 16. For praise and thanksgiving unto God be glory in the Church saith the Apostle Ephes. 3. 21. that is in the company of the faithfull And so David Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his give thanks at the remembrance of his holinesse Psal. 30. 4. It is true that all the works of God do praise him as the matter of his praise but the Saints do blesse him as the instruments of his praise Psal. 145. 10. For both see Psal. 50. 14 15 16. where the Lord as he commandeth the faithfull to whom his speech is directed v. 5 7. to offer unto him thanksgiving and to call upon him in the day of trouble so he taketh exception against the wicked But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee But here we are carefully to consider who are the godly and righteous lest we exclude from hope of being heard those whom the holy Ghost doth not exclude There is therefore a twofold righteousnesse mentioned in the Scriptures the one Legall the other Evangelicall According to the legall righteousnesse none can be said to be righteous who doth not perfectly and perpetually perform whatsâ—…ever the law which is the Divine rule of perfect righteousnesse doth prescribe For if a man do not abstein from all things forbidden if he do not also the things commanded if he do not all and that in that manner and measure which the law prescribeth if he do not continue in doing all the things required but breaketh the course of his obedience by any one sinne though but of omission though but in thought he is notwithstanding all his obedience by the sentence of the law not onely a sinner but also accursed Gal. 3. 10. By this righteousnesse no man since the fall of Adam could be said to be righteous Christ onely excepted but we had all need to pray with David Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified viz. by the works of the law Gal. 3. 16. For there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7. 20. Yea in many things we offend all saith S. James chap. 3. 2. And if we say we have no sinne saith S. John 1. epist. 1. 8. we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Wherefore the law concludeth all under sinne and consequently under the curse Gal. 3. 22. So that there is no man so godly and righteous but in himself by the sentence of the law he is a sinner Which serveth notably to confute the Popish hypocrites which teach that none are justified but such as are formally just by a righteousnesse inherent in and performed by themselues that is habituall and actuall according to the law of God and that no man who is a sinner in himself by reason of sinne inherent can be said to be justified But whatsoever Pope-holy men do conceive of themselves we must confesse with the forenamed Apostles that we are sinners in our selves and had need daily to pray as our Saviour taught them for the forgivenesse of our sinnes and so to appeal from the sentence of the Law to the promise of the Gospel for the law hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal. 3. 22. The Evangelicall righteousnesse is that which without the Law is revealed in the Gospel whereby men that are sinfull in themselves I mean believing sinners and penitent sinners are accepted of God as righteous in Christ. And it is twofold For it is either imputed to a believing sinner as the righteousnesse of justification or infused and so inherent in a repentant sinner as the righteousnesse of sanctification The former is perfect and not inherent being the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith The other is inherent but not perfect being our new obedience wrought in us by the spirit of regeneration In respect of the former it is said that the righteous man shall live by his faith In respect of the latâ—…er that he is a righteous man which worketh righteousnesse And this twofold righteousnesse must of necessitie concurre in the same partie c. By the doctrine thereforâ—… of the Gospel he is a righteous a godly man a Saint of God who doth believe and repent And this is to be understood not onely of those who are indued with perfect faith and repentance or the higher degrees thereof but even of the lowest degrees of true faith and unfeignâ—…d repentance So that whosoever truly assenting in â—…is judgement to the promises of the Gospel concerning salvation by Christ doth earnestly in his heart desire
perficiantâ—…r All things are ordained unto an end that from the end they may be perfected So that he willeth and willeth well to his creatures for their good and not for his own which commendeth the riches of his love towards us But to proceed Those things that God willeth concerning his creatures are either quae fieri vult de creaturis aut quae fieri vult à creaturis the things that he will have done concerning the creatures or the things which he will have done of the creatures the knowledge of both which must be sought after so farre forth as it hath pleased him to reveal the same or promised to reveal it Deut. 29. 29. Rom. 12. 2. That which is voluntas beneplaciti concerning the creatures is the will of his good pleasure which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 11. 25 26. and decretum Dei the decree of God The which is partly secret which the Lord will not have foreknown and therefore we must religiously adore it not curiously search it Rom. 11. 33 34. Acts 1. 7. John 21. 23. partly revealed And this decretum Dei decree of God is either universall concerning the government of the world or more speciall concerning the salvation of the elect or damnation of the reprobate The former revealed in part both beforehand to the Prophets and also by the events the latter revealed by his Sonne in the Gospel John 6. 40. Eph. 1. 5. What this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure of God is not onely towards the elect in generall but also towards himself every Christian ought to know For besides that it is declared in the Scriptures sealed by the Sacraments confirmed by his daily benefits the holy Ghost also revealeth this knowledge unto us 1. Cor. 2. 10 12. Rom. 8. 39. Gal. 20. 20. 2. Tim. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 5. The will which God willeth to be performed of us is voluntas signi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is well-pleasing Col. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is acceptable Ephes. 5. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That will of God which is good acceptable and perfect Rom. 12. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This will we are bound to know Eâ—…h 5. 17. because he hath revealed it in his word because we are to practice it and according to it as the rule of justice are to frame and fashion our wills not onely to will the same things but also after the same manner with love unfeigned to the same ends seeking the glory of God and the good of our brethren And of this will doth our Saviour speak This in generall is whatsoever the Lord requireth of us either in the Law or Gospel But more specially there are some branches thereof recorded in the word of God As it is the will of God that so many as shall be saved being adulti come to age shall come unto knowledge of his truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. that a sinner should convert unto him Ezech. 33. 11. that we should believe in Christ 1. John 3. 23. that we should be thankfull unto him for his mercies 1. Thess. 5. 18. that we should be sanctified 1. Thess. 4. 3. and by weldoing stop the mouthes of the ignorant 1. Pet. 2. 15. that we should patiently and chearfully suffer affliction Matth. 16. 24 25. Unto this will of God are opposed the slesh which is enmity against God the desires of the world the will of Satan which is sinne and whatsoever is an enemie to the performance of this will And therefore as we are taught to pray that Gods will may be done so also that these things which be contrary and are impediments may be removed Thy will which is not onely just but also the rule of all justice Not our will nor the will of Satan or of the world For here we are taught to pray that our words and our lives may be framed according to the will of God which is the rule of justice and that we may have grace to deny our selves and our own will renounce the desires of the world resist the will of the devil that he would create new hearts in us and establish us by his free Spirit that we may will and desire such things as are acceptable unto him And surely if our Saviour Christ whose will was pure said Not my will but thine be done how much more ought we so to desire Fiat be done But here it may be demanded Whether the will of the Lord be alwayes performed or not and if it be to what end serveth this prayer and if not how can that be verified Isai. 46. 10. Consilium meum stabit omnem voluntatem meam faciam My counsel shall stand and I will do all my will The will of God is diversly taken in the scriptures For sometime it signifieth the decree of God whereby he willeth simply and absolutely Which is called voluntas Absoluta Beneplaciti Consequens Efficax Invicta the Absolute will of his Good pleasure Consequent Effectuall and Unresistable This will of God is alwayes performed Psal. 115. 3. Quaecunque vult facit he doth whatsoever he will and 135. 6. Isai. 46. 10. Omnis mea voluntas fiet All my will shall be done Neither is any thing able to resist this will Isai. 14. 26 27. Rom. 9. 19. Which also is proved by his omnipotencie And therefore we may truly say that voluntas Dei est omnium rerum necessitas the will of God is the necessity of all things and that in respect hereof all things come to passe necessarily howsoever in respect of secondary causes some things are necessary and some contingent And this will is so effectuall and invincible that whatsoever happeneth cometh to passe according to the will of God who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will Ephes. 1. 11. yea the very enemies of God when they do most oppose themselves against the will of God do unwittingly perform it Acts 4. 28. But hence arise two objections 1. If that which the wicked do happen according to the will of God how can they be said to sinne Sinne is not the transgression of the secret and hidden will of God which cannot be hindred but of the revealed will of God which he hath propounded as a rule to square our actions by and therefore sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of the law Ad legem testimonium To the law and testimony 2. If all things come to passe as God hath willed and decreed then sinne also and how then is not God the authour of sinne Some things God hath decreed to do some things he hath decreed to suffer to be done Of those things which he hath decreed to do his will is the efficient cause as of his creatures and all good things Of those things which he hath onely decreed should be effected by such and such causes his will is not
against God some against our neighbours and some against our selves In respect of all and every whereof we are every of us debtours unto God and therefore had need to pray that he would forgive us all and every of our debts Psal. 51. 9. which how many and great they are we may easily know if we will diligently look into our obligation and examine our lives by the law of God c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our In this word confession of sinne is included For it is in effect thus much O Lord we have sinned against thee have mercy therefore on us O Lord according to thy goodnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away our offenses Wash us from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes For we acknowledge our transgressions and our sinnes are alwayes before us Psal. 51. 2 3. Therefore with asking of pardon confession of sinne is conjoyned And this form of prayer is prescribed to be used of the perfectest men in this world as of the Apostles because there is no man that doth good vpon the earth and sinneth not Eccles 7. 20. If we say saith the holy Apostle John that we have no sinne we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and to 〈◊〉 us from all iniquity If we say that we have not 〈◊〉 we make him a lâ—…ar and his truth is not in us 1. John 1. 8 9 10. Here therefore both the Catharists which dream of perfection in this life and also the Pelagians and Papists which hold that a man may fully and perfectly keep the law of God in this life are confuted For such cannot make this petition except they will mock God as all those do that have a conceit of their own perfection Which conceit is in not onely the Catharists and Papists but also in the greatest part of ignorant and securâ—… men who affirm that they love God with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves they never did any man hurt they never doubted of their salvation For howsoever the Scripture speaketh of perfect men and such as walked in all the commandments of God yet certain â—…t is that thereby is meant the uprightnesse of their will and endeavour not the perfection of their obedience which uprightnesse notwithstanding the Scripture calleth perfection the Lord accepting the will for the deed so that upright men may indeed be said to be perfect but in affectu potiùs quà m effectu in their affections rather then their actions Forgive The Lord in forgiving sinnes as he is mercifull so is he just 1. John 1. 9. Neither doth he forgive any sinne for which his justice is not satisfied by the obedience and sufferings of Christ Rom. 3. 26. He is therefore said to forgive our sinnes when as he inputeth them not unto us but accepting of the obedience and sufferings of Christ as a full ransome and satisfaction for them washing away our sinnes in his bloud covering them with his righteousnesse imputing our sinnes to Christ and his obedience to us so that we howsoever sinfull in our selves appear righteous before him in Christ. When as therefore we do pray for the forgivenesse of our sinnes we do not so desire him to be mercifull as that we would have him forget his justice but we come unto him in the name and mediation of Christ in whom he is well pleased beseeching him to accept of his obedience sufferings as a full satisfaction for our sinnes For remission of sinnes as it is a free work of mercy in respect of us who neither can deserve pardon nor satisfie his justice so in respect of Christ who hath satisfied for us it is a work of justice Now whereas our Saviour Christ doth teach every one of us every day to ask forgivenesse with assurance to be heard we are put in mind both of our misery and Gods mercy Our misery who day by day commit sinne and therefore have need every day to crave remission of our sinnes Gods mercy and long suffering who though he be offended every day yet he is ready to forgive their sinnes who come unto him by hearty and earnest prayer confessing their sinnes and craving pardon of them But this mercy and long-suffering of God must not encourage us to presume but invite us unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. and 6. 1. Ecclus 5. 4 5 6. Psal. 130. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared Joel 2. 13. and encourage us to call upon him This long-suffering of God is to be imitated of us For if he be content to forgive us that sinne against him every day then ought we freely to forgive them that offend us c. though it be to seventy times seven times Again if every one of us be he never so righteous is bound to make this prayer that God would freely remit our sinnes then it followeth that none of us can discharge the debt or by any thing which we are able to perform satisfie for our sinnes but either they must be freely remitted for Christs sake or else we must suffer the punishment due for them Divine remission and humane satisfaction cannot stand together We must crave remission therefore we cannot satisfie Remission of sinnes and justification are free Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. Isai. 43. 25. but in satisfaction there is recompense Therefore those that trust to their own merits and use this prayer they mock God and condemn themselves They mock God because they desire him to forgive their sinnes which they do not desire should be forgiven them but trust to satisfie for them They condemn themselves because they confesse themselves to be debtours unto God unlesse he remit their debt and yet stand not to his remission but to their own satisfaction by which they appeal to his justice rather then implore his mercy And that no man can satisfie by any works of obedience the justice of God for his sinnes it may further appear by these reasons 1. Because our best obedience is unperfect and our righteousnesse like unto a polluted â—…lout and therefore if God should enter into judgement with us he might justly condemn us for our best actions as being not performed in that manner and measure which his law requireth and therefore every one had need to pray as Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement c. Secondly because whatsoever obedience we can perform it is a debt and duty Luke 17. 10. When we have done all that is commanded we must say that we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 12. and 13. 8. Gal. 5. 3. Now certain it is that we cannot satisfie debt with debt but notwithstanding our latter obedience we shall be debtours in respect of the former debt unsatisfied Seeing therefore we are not able
themselves with a conceit of faith and assurance of the pardon of their sinnes when indeed their sinne is not pardoned therefore our Saviour Christ would have this protestation added that it may be a touchstone to trie whether we have remission of sinne and assurance thereof For as our Saviour saith that he to whom much is forgiven loveth much Luke 7. 47. and he that loveth God truly cannot but love his brother for Gods cause For as John saith 1. Epist. 4. 20. If any say that he loveth God and hateth his brother he is a liar c. and chap 5. 1. Every one that loveth him that hath begotten doth also love him that is begotten of him And Love covereth the multitude of offenses Prov. 10. 12. Therefore if we will not forgive our brethren that offend against us it is an evident argument that we do not love them If we love not our neighbour certain it is that we love not God If we love not God it is a certain signe that we do not believe in him nor are perswaded of his love towards us in the forgiving of our sinnes If we believe not this Christs righteousnesse and merits are not imputed unto us to our justification and remission of our sinnes And therefore if we be not willing and ready to remit offenses committed against us it is a certain signe that our sinnes are not forgiven of God As contrariwise our brotherly love in remitting offenses is a sure token of the forgivenesse of our sins For as our Saviour saith Matth. 6. 14 15. If ye forgive men their offenses then will your heavenly Father also forgive you Some expound these words as if in them we did alledge a cause why God should forgive us or as though our forgiving of our brethren did merit forgivenesse of sinnes at the hands of God As the Papists also expound that speech of our Saviour Luke 7. 47. Many sinnes are forgiven her for she loved much Whereas in truth the love either of God or of our neighbour for Gods cause is an effect and so a signe of Gods love towards us in forgiving our sinnes We love God because he loved us first 1. John 4. 19. And so doth our Saviour in that place argue not from the cause to the effect but from the effect to the cause as also appeareth by the opposition in the latter part of that verse but to whom lesse is forgiven he loveth lesse and by the parable of the two debtours ver 41. whereof he loved more to which more was forgiven So that our love is not the cause of forgivenesse but the forgivenesse of our sinnes is the cause of our love and therefore our love an effect fruit and signe of the forgivenesse of our sinnes Again our justification and remission of sinnes is free proceeding from the mere love of God without any desert of ours Rom. 3. 24. howbeit it is deserved through the merits of Christ. And surely if our forgiving of offenses were the cause why our sinnes be forgiven then may we thank our selves for our justification neither should we need to pray that God would forgive us for Christs merits but for our own deserts And lastly the Apostle Paul exhorteth us to forgive our brethren as to a fruit and effect of Christs forgiving us Ephes. 4. 32. Col. 3. 13. Forgiving one another even as Christ hath freely forgiven you In these words therefore is not set down the cause of the forgivenesse of our sinnes but an argument from the lesse to the greater to confirm our faith in the assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes that lesse being also an undoubted fruit and sure signe of the remission of our sinnes But now let us consider the words particularly and so come to the uses By our debters is meant such as have offended or wronged us or as the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. 13. against whom we have any quarrel But what debters am I to forgive may some body say I can be content sometimes to put up an injury at the hands of my better but I cannot brook that my equall should crow over me or that mine inferiour should be too sawcie with me I can be content to remit some offenses but great indignities I cannot put up Answ. Our Saviour speaketh indefinitely and generally without difference of debters so that whosoever is our debter we must forgive him if we would have assurance that God hath forgiven our sinnes But this is more plainly expressed Luke 11. For even we also forgive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that is indebted to us So that our love must not be partiall neither is it if it be indeed for Gods cause in whom we are to love our friends and for whom we are to love our enemies May not a man therefore require and exact his debts of his debter if he would have God forgive his debts Our Saviour doth not speak of the debts of money or goods but of trespasses offenses and wrongs which in the Chaldee and Syriack tongue are called debts c. As for due debts of money and goods them thou mayest exact of those which are able to pay so that it be done without using rigour or seeking extremities What is meant by we forgive We forgive God alone forgiveth sinnes how then can we be said to forgive our debters We must distinguish both of the debt which is forgiven and also of forgiving In every offense committed against the neighbour two parties are offended God mediately and the neighbour immediately And so it may be considered either as a transgression of the law of God and so it is properly called sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it hurteth or hindreth the neighbour and is called an injury or wrong As therefore it is a transgression of the law of God no man can remit it but as it is an injury or wrong done to a man he may remit it Again God is said to forgive a sinne when he is content not onely to forget the fault but also to forgive the punishment for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to the sinner Man is said to forgive an offense not when he remitteth the punishment due unto it by the law of God for that is not in his power to do but when he doth abandon all purpose and desire of revenge all hatred and ill will towards his brother in respect of the offense If this be true then belike no man may complain plain to the Magistrate or seek his remedy by law when he hath susteinâ—…d injury or wrong Although we are to forgive from our heart every one that offendeth us yet we may in some cases complain unto the Magistrate and seek remedy by law if these cautions be observed 1. That it be not done in anger or malice or desire of revenge which commonly are the grounds of mens going to law but that it be done with a
so much more meritorious and satisfactorie is most grosse battologie I conclude with the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. 37 38. If any man think himself to be a prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge what the prophet hath written concerning the use of a known tongue in the service of God to be the commandments of God But if any saith he be ignorant let him be ignorant The like may be said of those who praying in their mother-tongue do not understand what they say For the prayer which is made without understanding is also without faith without feeling without true devotion neither is it a lifting up of the mind but of the voyce unto God and a bare recitall of a set form of words without any inward grace such as parrots might be taught to make Wherein many are so grosse that they use the Creed and the ten Commandments for prayers and recite them with the like devotion as they do the Lords prayer I deny not but that it is good for the simpler sort to meditate both of the Creed of the Decalogue the one conteining the summe of that which we are to believe the other comprising the summe of that which we are to do likewise to pray unto God that he would increase our faith in the one and our obedience to the other But neither of both is to be used as a form of prayer because in neither we do either ask any thing which we want or give thanks for that which we have received Let men therefore which would call upon God labour for knowledge and understanding For a prayer of five words such as was the Publicanes prayer Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori God be mercifull unto me a sinner uttered with understanding is better then a prayer of an houre long not understood CHAP. XVIII Of faith which is required in prayer SEcondly in the mind is required faith For faith being a perswasion and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper seat thereof is the mind Howsoever it is to be granted that where this sound perswasion and assurance is in the mind it worketh affiance and hope in the heart as a proper fruit and necessarie effect thereof And therefore in the phrase of believing in this affiance is implyed For to believe in God is not onely to believe that there is a God and that he is such an one as he hath revealed himself in his word but also that he is such an one to me as that the Father is my Father c. and consequently that therefore I repose my trust and affiance in him In invocation there is a double faith required The one more generall apprehending the main promise of the Goâ—…pel whereby we stand righteous before God in Christ whereby we are to be perswaded that both we and our prayers are accepted of God in Christ The other more speciall apprehending the speciall promises made to our prayers whereby we are perswaded that our speciall request shall be granted unto us The former because it doth generally belong to all invocation as well thanksgiving as prayer is now to be intreated of The other specially belongeth to prayer and therefore in the speciall doctrine of prayer is to be considered The former is that perswasion or assurance of the soul whereby we believing in Christ are in the same measure perswaded of Gods love towards us in Christ and therefore are incouraged to come with confidence to the throne of grace not doubting but that both we and our prayâ—…rs are acceptable unto God in Christ Heb. 4. 16. And this assurance of faith is grounded partly on the will and love of God and partly on the merits and intercession of our Sâ—…viour Christ. On the will of God 1. in generall appearing in his commandments injoyning this dutie and his gracious promises For if God hath commanded us to call upon him and hath graciously promised to heare us why should we doubt but that this our service is acceptable unto him 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. Pray continually in all things give thanks for this is the will of God the acceptable will of God in Christ concerning you But chiefly on the promises of God is our faith to be grounded Which promises are either generall and those not onely that he will heare and accept but also graciously reward this exercise of piety performed to him Matth. 6. 4. Godlinesse hath the promise both of this life and of that which is to come or speciall for the granting of that which we desire as Gen. 32. 9 12. Exod. 32. 13. 2. Sam. 7. 27 28. 1. Chron. 17. 25. Secondly in particular that the thing which we either pray or praise be good as being referred to Gods glory and our good For if it be not good we are neither if we have it not to desire it and much lesse to pray for it nor if we have it to praise God as the authour and giver of it We must have warrant in Gods word that the thing for which we call upon God be such as God hath promised to give otherwise our prayer is turned into sinne And in this sense the Apostle saith Let every man be perswaded in his mind for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Likewise our faith must be grounded on the love of God and goodnesse First in generall that is Psal. 5. 7. his bounty and readinesse to heare and reward all those that call upon him Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God For he tâ—…at cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Rom. 10. 12 13. The Lord is rich towards all that call upon him Psal. 86. 5. Thou art plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee Isa. 65. 24. Secondly in particular to our selves in Christ John 16. 27. Rom. 8. 32. and 5. 5. and 8. 15 16. Psal. 55. 16 17. I will call upon God the Lord will save me Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and he will heare my voice Psal. 4. 3. The Lord will heare when I call unto him Psal. 56. 9. When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn back this I know for God is for me Psal. 86. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt answer me In the merits of Christ whereby we are accepted and in his intercession whereby our prayers are made acceptable Heb. 10. 22. And in this sense also we are to pray in the name of Christ that is not onely with desire that for Christs sake we may be heard but also with perswasion and some measure of assurance that for Christs sake we shall be heard John 16. 23. To call upon God in the name of Christ implyeth two things 1. To desire that for Christs sake we may be heard 2. To believe that for Christs sake we shall be heard That
to satisfie for the least of our sinnes our Saviour hath taught us to say not with that servant Matth. 18. 26. Have patience Master I will satisfie but Lord remit takâ—… away and blot out our offenses Furthermore we are taught to pray that the Lord would remit our debts that is not onely forgive the fault but also remit the punishment in respect whereof sinnes are called debts And therefore it cannot be truly said that God forgiveth the fault and reteineth the punishment for which we our selves must satisfie either in this life or in purgatory For if God should requiâ—…e of us satisfaction for those sinnes which he pardoneth in Christ it would follow necessarily that either the sufferings of Christ were unsufficient or else that the Lord is unjust Moreover it is absurd that sinne being remitted the punishment should be reteined For sinne is the cause of punishment and the cause being taken away the effect also is removed And again whereas sinne is infinitely increased in respect of that infinite Majestie and justice of God which is violated sure it is that we cannot satisfie for it before we have endured endlesse punishment which will never be Whereas therefore our Saviour Christ teacheth us thus to pray he sheweth that we cannot be discharged from these our debts by our own satisfaction or merits or any other means but onely by the free remission of them and imputation of Christs righteousnesse And this is to be understood not onely of our great and grievous sinnes but also of our lesse offenses which the Papists call veniall and erroneously hold not to be mortall neither need the death and merits of Christ for their expiation but may by the holy-water-sprinkle or by episcopall benediction or by knocking of the breast be taken away As therefore every sinne great or small deserveth death and is also punished with death either in Christ or in the sinner himself and as the bloud of Christ doth purge us from all iniquitie 1. John 1. 7. so that by him we have remission of all our sinnes so are we to pray that the Lord would for the precious merits and righteousnesse of our Saviour Christ remit all our sinnes both more and lesse from which we could by no other means be delivered but by the merits of Christ. But here it may be objected Our sinnes were forgiven in baptisme Acts 2. 38. therefore we need not now the forgivenesse of them Some answer That because we sinne after baptisme therefore we ought after baptiâ—…me to pray that the Lord would forgive our sinnes But this answer is not sufficient considering that in baptisme is sealed the remission of sinnes not onely past but also for the time to come during the whole course of our life For otherwise baptisme had need to be reiterated I answer therefore That we feeling the burden of our sinnes pray that the forgivenesse of sinnes which was represented and sealed unto us in baptisme may indeed be granted unto us and that we may feel in our selves the fruit and effect of our baptisme For we must not think that the Sacraments absolutely conferre grace to every receiver but onely upon those conditions which are conteined in the promises of the Gospel whereof baptisme is a seal Now the Gospel promiseth remission of sinnes and salvation onely to them that believe and therefore the Sacrament sealeth and assureth remission onely to them that believe For we ask forgivenesse onely for the righteousnesse of Christ but the righteousnesse of Christ is there imputed to righteousnesse where it is apprehended by faith In which sense we are said to be justified by faith alone and by faith to have remission of sinnes And therefore in this petition we desire that the Lord would work in us true faith that being united unto Christ and made partakers of his merits we may have not onely forgivenesse of sinnes but also assurance thereof by the anointment of the holy Ghost the Spirit of adoption crying in our hearts Abba Father c. And because none attein to that measure of assurance but that it is mingled with some doubting therefoâ—…e all had need to pray that the Lord would increase their faith and more and more assure them of the pardon of their sinnes Vs. This teacheth us to pray not onely for the remission of our own sins but also of our brethren it being a duty of charity to desire and to further the salvation of our brethren And this duty as it belongeth to all so especially to those that are governours of others either in the Church or Commonwealth Examples of Moses who oft stood in the gap Psal. 106. 23. Exod. 32. 21 32. Num. 14. 19. Samuel 1. Sam. 12. 23. Neither are we to pray for our friends and well-willers alone but also for them that hate and persecute us according to the precept and practice of our Saviour Matth. 5. 44. Luke 23. 34. and the holy martyr Stephen Acts 7. 60. And as we are to pray the Lord to forgive them so must we as willingly forgive them as we desire to be forgiven of the Lord neither can we in truth of heart desire God to forgive them if we do not Duties in prayer The duties which here we are taught to perform in prayer are either more peculiar to this kind of deprecation or common The former is Confession which must concurre with Deprecation of pardon and goeth before pardon as appeareth Psal. 32. 3 5. Prov. 28. 13. 1. John 1. 9. Num. 5. 7. Examples 2. Sam. 12. 13. Luke 15. 21. Now this confession is to be made of unknown sinnes generally as Psal. 19. 12. of known sinnes particularly Isai. 59. 12 13. And to this end it will be profitable to examine our hearts and our lives by the law of God taking a view of the duties therein commanded and vices forbidden that we may particularly see and acknowledge what duties we have omitted and what vices we have committed The common duties That we pray in fervency faith and perseverance That we may pray in fervency we must have both a true sense of our wants and earnest desire to have the same supplyed The wants which we are to bewail are 1. our manifold sinnes and transgressions for which we are to be grieved that we have by them displeased and dishonoured God And to increase this godly sorrow in us we are First to consider and meditate of Gods manifold benefits undeservedly bestowed upon us and our unthankfull behaviour towards him c. Secondly we are to desire the Lord that he would poure upon us the spirit of deprecation that we may with bitternesse bewail our sinnes whereby we have so violated the justice of God that nothing could be found sufficient to appease or to satisfie the same but the death of Christ whom we by our sins have pierced Zech. 12. 10. Thirdly we are to consider the misery whereunto our sinnes make us subject both in this
Men tempt to evil either of punishment as when by captious questions they seek to bring a man into danger which Christ calleth tempting Matth. 22. 18. Or else to evil of sinne and that either they do by counsel and allurement as Jonadab did Amnon 2. Sam. 13. 5. Achitophel Absalom 2. Sam. 16. 21. Or example by words or deeds By words alluring so did Josephs mistresse Gen. 39. 7 12. the harlot Prov. 7. 13 c. and 1. 10 14. So by entising words Jezebel tempted Ahab â—… Kings 21. 7. 25. By example A sinne committed in the notice of another is committed against him and destroyeth him as much as in the offender lieth For as Augustine saith As he that lusteth after a woman hath committed adultery with her though she remain undefiled so c. For every sin committed in the notice of our brother is a scandal provoking him to the like yea and as the Apostle saith destroying of our brother for whom Christ died Rom. 14. 15. 1. Cor. 8. 11. Where by the way men must note that those who provoke others to sinne are in that action the very instruments of Satan and therefore are worthy to be enterteined as Christ did Peter Matth. 16. 22 23. Avaunt Satan for thou art a scandal unto me or as David did Abishai tempting him to revenge What have I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah that ye are in stead of Satan unto me this day 2. Sam. 19. 22. The things in the world whereby men are tempted are either the desires or the terrours of the world For sometime the world allureth unto evil by promising good things sometimes terrifieth from good by threatning evil things The desires of the world that is the things desired in the world as in generall peace and prosperity in particular pleasure profit preferment and glory in the world are many times so many baits of sinne and snares of Satan baits in respect of the getting and snares in respect of the using of them For sinne being in it self ugly and fearfull if it should come in its own likenesse being the hook of the devil therefore it is covered with the shew sometimes of pleasure sometimes of profit sometimes of preferment sometimes of glory as with a bait that the voluptuous man with desire of pleasure the covetous man by coveting after profit the ambitious man by gaping after preferment might swallow the hook of the devil to their perdition Men had therefore need to look unto the means of getting their desires for when they cannot be got but by sinne they are the baits of the devil In respect of using they are snares of the devil whenas mens minds hearts are intangled with them so as they cannot mind or affect heavenly things If they be called to the worship of God and means of their salvation they have their worldly excuses as those in the Gospel Luke 14. 18. If they come to the worship of God if they heare the word if they call upon God by prayer their heart notwithstanding goeth a whoring after their worldly desires whereby they are so fettered as that they cannot freely set their hearts and minds on better things Men had therefore need to take heed unto themselves that they use the world as though they used it not that they possesse the things of the world and be not possessed of them For if once they set their hearts upon them and be wholly addicted unto them they fall into tentation and snares of the devil and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction 1. Tim. 6. 9. As the good things in the world are many times baits and snares to allure men to evil and to entangle them therewith so the evils and crosses which be in the world are many times terrours to scare and terrifie men from God If thou embrace godlinesse and sincerely professe the truth then saith the world thou shalt not onely bereave thy self of that pleasure profit and preferment which thou mightest have enjoyed but thou shalt live in misery in want disgrace and contempt â—…ay it may so be that thou shalt lose thy goods and hazard thy life Thus by allurements on the one side and terrours on the other side many men are tempted with Demas to forsake God and to embrace this present world But we must be carefull to make Moses his choise Heb. 11. 14 15 16. remembring that this life is but a moment in respect of immortality and therefore that it is not onely mere folly but extreme madnesse to hazard nay indeed to lose the eternall fruition of God and all happinesse in heaven for the momentany fruition of sinne in this world The desires of the world are but vanities in comparison of heavenly blessings The crosses and terrours of the world are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed And so much of the tentations of the world Which in respect of the men who are the instruments of the devil tempteth instrumentally in respect of the things which either are the baits and snares of the devil to allure to evil or the bug-bears of the devil to terrifie from good it tempteth if I may so speak objectively or occasionalâ—…y ministring the objects to the flesh or the devil which two tempt to evil efficienter as the efficients 3. But now we are to speak of the tentations of the devil who is the principall tempter unto evil and is therefore called the tempter 1. Thess. 3. 5. Matth. 4. 3. Now his tentations may diversly be distinguished I. That they are either immediate or mediate Immediate when he casteth a wicked thought or concupiâ—…cence as it were a fiery dart into the mind or heart of man And such are called the suggestions of the devil Which if they be not admitted but resisted and presently nipped in the head and extinguished as a spark cast into water they hurt us not but if once they being enterteined do take hold on us they will both infect and inflame us John 13. 2. But for the most part he dealeth by means using either as his instruments sometimes the flesh that is man 's own corruption and sometimes also the mediation of other men as once he did the serpent or else as occasions and objects the desires and terrours of the world The chief help and instrument of the devil is the flesh that is a mans own corruption by which he hath all the advantage he hath against us The flesh is as it were the devils bawd prostituting the soul to his tentations and betraying us into the hands of the devil And as he knoweth in generall our pronenesse to sinne by which he taketh advantage against us so he observeth and by observation acquainteth himself with the particular inclinations humours and dispositions of men following and fitting them in their humours and by all means egging them on to the extremities of those things whereunto they are