of Timothy that he had Crebras infirmitates 1 Tim. 5. So the soule also hath certaine infirmities and that is the infirinity whereof the Apostle speaketh for albeit our soule be the stronger part as our Saviour speaketh when he saith The spirit indeed is strong Matth. 26. yet it is subject to many infirmities and weaknesses when it doubteth of Gods mercies saying Will the Lord absent himselfe for ever hath God forgotten to be gracious which the Prophet acknowledgeth to be signes of his infirmities Psal 77.10 And as the spirit is weake so there is a weaknesse of conscience 1 Cor. 8.7 and no marvel if there be such infirmities in the bodies also for life it selfe is but weake in regard whereof it is said of God that hereby hee is content to spare us for that hee remembreth that wee are but dust Psal 103. and considereth that we are but even as the wind that passeth away Psal 78. The difference is that as Christ saith Haec infirmitas non est ad mortem Joh. 11. and the dropsie palsie and such like diseases and infirmities of body are not mortall The second thing which the Apostle teacheth is that howsoever we be as the Apostle speaketh compassed with infirmities Heb. 5.5 yet they are not past cure for the Spirit helpeth our infirmitie◠so that albeit we are subject to fall through weaknesse yet there is hope concerning this thing Esay 10.2 and our errour may be healed Dan. 4. For there is balme in Gilead Jer. 8. which serveth to cure all our spirituall diseases Now the cure of the infirmities of our soule is not performed by any strength of our owne nor by our owne spirit but by the Spirit of God for so long as our infirmities are but bodily the spirit of man will sustaine them and there is helpe to be found but when the spirit it selfe is wounded then who can help it Prov. 18. The spirit of man must have helpe from a higher thing then it selfe as from the Spirit of God which onely is able to minister helpe The Apostle ascribeth to the Spirit of God two benefits first in regard of the life to come secondly in respect of this present life For the one as he is the Spirit of Adoption assures us of our estate in the life to come namely that as God hath adopted us to be his children so we shall be fellow-heires with his owne Sonne of his heavenly kingdome Touching the other because we are subject in this life to fall through infirmitie we have this benefit from him that he stayes and upholds us and therefore is called spiritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As our infirmities are manifold whether we respect the body o◠the soule so the weaknesse and defects of our souls appeareth not onely in good things which wee cannot do because the flesh ever lusteth against the spirit so that we cannot do the things that we would Gal. 5. but in evill things which we should beare and are not able The evill things that we should beare are not onely afflictions and the crosses which we are subject to which the Apostle proveth to be more tolerable because they are not worthy of the glory to come but dilatio boni wherein we need the vertue of magnanimity because it is a great crosse as the Wiseman saith Spes quae differtur affligit animam◠Prov. 13. Touching which affliction and crosses because in this life we cannot obtaine that which the Prophet wisheth namely to fly away as it were with the wings of a dove that sowe might be at rest Psal 55. therefore we must betake our selves to the mourning of the Dove Esay 38. waiting patiently when God will give us time to escape The meanes and wayes whereby the Spirit doth helpe us are many but he onely meaneth prayer to teach us that howsoever it be not esteemed as it ought yet it is the chiefe prop and principall pillar which the holy Ghost useth to strengthen our weaknesse Therefore when the Apostle willeth that first of all prayers and supplications should be made for Kings and all in authority 1 Tim. 2. the reason is as Augustine noteth because both mans salvation the honesty of life knowledge of the truth quietnesse of kingdomes duties of Kings and whatsoever tendeth to the publique benefit commeth by and from Prayer So that not onely the Church and spirituall matters but the common-wealth and temporall things are stayed upon the pillar of Prayer Wherefore as prayer is aspeciall helpe so we are not onely exhorted by religion to use it but nature it selfe binds us unto it for so long as we can either devise any help of our selves or receive it from any other so long we leane upon our owne staffe but when all help failes then we flie to prayer as our last refuge and therefore when God is said to feed the ravens that call upon him Psal 147. that cry of theirs is the voyce of nature so that albeit men for a time leane to their staies and help yet there is a day when all flesh shall be made to come unto him who onely it is that heareth prayer Psal 65. that is when they lye howling upon their beds Hos 7. then they shall be faine to call upon God for help so howsoever Pharaoh in the pride of his heart say Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce Exod. 5. Yet he made him come to him when he plagued him with thundring and raine and haile which made him send to Moses and Aaron that they might pray unto God for him Exod. 9.28 But here the Apostle meaneth the prayer of the spirit which alwaies reckons prayer to be the first and chiefest help in all trouble and not the last as the prayer of the flesh doth Therefore as we must discerne simulacra virtutum from vertues themselves and that which is naturall from that which is of grace so we must distinguish the prayer of the spirit from the carnall prayer and be sure that the vertues which we have if they be any are not naturall as those in many of the Heathen but that they proceed from grace and the working of Gods Spirit To the right framing of our prayer it is required that we do not onely orare mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. but as the Psalmist saith of the praising of God so we pray to God with understanding Ps 47. Both our heart our understanding our affection must concurre in making intercession to God For a second point if prayer be a stay to us in our infirmities then we must be carefull that our prayers be not faint and weake but that they proceed from the fervencie and vehemencie of the spirit for as Christ saith If the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. If our prayer be nothing else but infirmity as it is for the most part how great is our infirinity But the Apostle sheweth our weaknesse in prayer in
will turne to you we must pray Convert thou us O Lord and we shall be converted Lam. 4. If he say to us Make you cleane hearts Ezek. 18 Because that is not in us we must pray Create in me a cleane heart and renew a right spirit in mee Psal 51.10 When Christ saith Beleevest thou this Joh. 11. for as much as Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. we are to pray with the Disciples Domine adde nobis fidem Luk. 17.5 When the Apostle exhorteth Perfecte sperate 1 Pet. 1.13 we should say with the Prophet Lord my hope is even in thee Psal 39. And where our duty is to love with all our hearts because we cannot performe this without the assistance of Gods Spirit we are to pray that the love of God may be shed in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 THE SECOND SERMON JAMES 1.16 17. Erre not my deare brethren Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning AS Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3.5 tels us that we are not sufficient to thinke a good thought but our sufficiencie is of God So the Apostle saith â—t is God onely from whom every good giving and every perfect gift commeth And that we shall erre if we either thinke that any good thing which we enjoy commeth from any other but from God or that any thing else but good proceedeth from him so that as well the ability which man had by nature as our enabling in the state of grace is from God He is the Fountaine out of whom as the Wiseman saith we must draw grace by prayer which is Situla gratiae the conduit or bucket of grace Therefore he promiseth in the old Testament To poure upon his Church both the Spirit of grace and of prayer that as they sue for grace by the one so they may receive it in by the other Zach. 12.10 Unto this doctrine of the Apostle in this place even those that otherwise have no care of grace doe subscribe when they confesse themselves to be destitute of the good things of this life and therefore cry Quis oftendit nobis bona Psal 4. As before the Apostle shewed that God is not the cause of any evill so in this verse he teacheth there is no good thing but God is the author of it If he be the Fountaine of every good thing then he cannot be the cause of evill for no one Fountaine doth out of the same hole yeeld sweet and bitter water Iam. 3.11 Secondly if every good thing be of God onely then have we neede to sue to him by prayer that from him we may receive that which we have not of our selves Wherefore as this Scripture serves to kindle in us the love of God for as much as he containes all good things that we can desire so it is a speciall meanes to provoke us to the duty of prayer This proposition hath two parts first an Vniversall affirmative in these words Every good giving secondly a prevention for where it may be objected that howsoever some good things come of God yet evill things also may successively come from him even as the Heathens say that Iupiter hath divers boxes out of which hee doth powre both good and evill the Apostle preventeth that objection and saith that with God there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing So that as the meaning of these words in the Prophet Hosea 13.9 Salus tua taniummodo ex me is both that salvation is onely of God and that nothing else but salvation commeth from him so the Apostles meaning in these words is both that God is onely the cause of good and that he is the cause of nothing else but good lest when we are tempted unto evill we should make God the Author of all such temptations The former part of the proposition called subjectum is Every good giving c. The latter part called praedicatum is descendeth from above Where the heathen call all vertues and good qualities which they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of having the Apostle calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of giving to teach us that whatsoever good quality is in any man he hath it not as a quality within himselfe but he receiveth it from without as it is a gift Esau speaking of the blessings bestowed upon him saith I have enough Gen. 3.3 And the rich man Luke 12. Anima soule thou hast much good as though they had not received them from God but the Saints of God spake otherwise Iacob saith These are the children which God hath given me Gen. 33.5 Againe when Pilate without all respect of God of whom the Apostle saith There is no power but of God Rom. 13. said Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie and to loose thee our Saviour said againe Thou shouldest not have any power over me except it were given thee from above Iohn 19.10 The consideration hereof serveth to exclude our boasting Rom. 3. That the Wise man boast not of his wisdome Ier. 9. seeing wisdome strength and whatsoever good things we have it is the good gift of God as the Apostle tels us Quid habes quod non accepisti 1 Cor. 4. Secondly this division is to be marked that of the good things which come from God some are called Donationes others Dona and to these two substantives are added two adjectives whereof one doth answer to the givings of Gods goodnesse the other to the gifts of God ascribeth perfection The first errour the Apostle willeth them to beware is that they thinke not that God is the cause of any evill because every good thing commeth from him the second errour is that they should not conceive this opinion that the maine benefits are from God and the lesser benefits are from our selves not so for the Apostle tels us that as well every good giving as every perfect gift is from above That which the Apostle cals Donatio is a transitory thing but by gift he meaneth that which is permanent and lasting Ioseph is recorded to have given to his brethren not onely corne but victuals to spend â—y the way Gen. 45.21 So by giving the Apostle here understandeth such things as we neede in this life while wee travell towards our heavenly Countrey but that which he calleth gifts are the treasures which are laid up for us in the life to come and thus the words are used in these severall senses Of things transitory the Apostle saith No Church dealt with me in the matter of giving Phil. 4.15 there the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but speaking of the good things that come to us by Christ he saith The gift is not as the fault Rom. 5.16 where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Givings he understandeth beauty strength riches and every transitory thing whereof we stand in neede while we are yet in our journey
that he denyeth men two things first that we know not what to pray for secondly that we know not how to pray for both these defects we have a double supply for Christ as he is the light of the world Joh. 8. hath directed us what to pray for by that forme of prayer which he hath prescribed unto us and the holy Ghost who is compared to the wind that bloweth where it will instructeth us how to pray for that it stirreth up our affections so that we pray with fervencie of spirit and utter our desires unto God with sighes that cannot be expressed for as a man that travelleth must have a knowledge of his way so he cannot take a journey in hand except he have a good wind to set him forward to this end we are taught not onely by the wisedome of God the Father what to pray for but from the power of his Spirit we have those motions kindled in us whereby our prayer is made fervent Touching the persons whom the Apostle chargeth with this twofold ignorance they are not the common sort of men but even the Apostles themselves for he includes himselfe in the words We know not So Christ said not to the Heathen men Nescitis quid petitis Matth. 20. but to his Disciples James and John so that this is generally true of all men that they know not what to aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ought except Gods Spirit help them It is true that we have a diffused knowledge of good and evill and a desire to be partakers of the one and to be delivered from the other for Ignoti nulla cupido but we must have a distinct knowledge that is whether the thing we desire be good or no There is an estate of life which is contemplative and another Active and our infirmity is such as we know not which of them to take our selves unto but oftentimes we thinke that course of life to be good for us which albeit it be good in it selfe yet turns to our overthrow so that when we desire of God to place us in any such course of life we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. taking it for a contented course for our selves whereas it falls not out so This will appeare more plainly both in things temporall and spirituall The sonnes of Zebedee in their suit to Christ Matth. 10. had a desire to obtaine some good thing at our Saviours hands and they could not bethinke themselves of any thing better than to be exalted to some place of honour and therefore desired that one of them may fit at his right hand and the other at his left hand but Christ told them they asked they knew not what for honour it not fit for all men they were the Disciples of Christ and were to drinke of the cup of affliction and therefore willed them to be mindfull of it and not to affect that which was not for their good Likewise in spirituall things we may erre and hereof we have example in Saint Paul whom a man would thinke to have knowledg enough so that he would not aske the thing that was not good for him he had the messenger of Sathan sent to buffet him and hee prayed that it might be removed from him which seemeth to have have beene a reasonable petition but God answered him that hee asked he knew not what it was more necessary for him to be exercised withthe temptations then not and vvhereas he desires to be so pure as not once to be driven to evill God told him that his grace was sufficient for him for it was his will to perfect his strength in his weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. Therefore if vve have any revelation from flesh and blood Matth. 6. that persvvadeth us that this or that is good for us vve must know that all such are false and that we must suffer our selves to be directed by Gods Spirit who knoweth better what is good for us then we our selves But to the end that we should not erre the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us and therefore we may be sure that although we know not how to pray in such sort as may please God yet the Spirit of God who knoweth the secrets of the counsell of God will make that prayer for us which shall be both for our good and also according to Gods will 1 Cor. 2. It cannot be verified of the holy Ghost which is God that hee either prayeth or groaneth but the Apostles meaning is that he makes us to make intercession and hath that operation in our hearts that he makes us to groane So when the Apostle Galat. 4.6 sayes that the Spirit cries Abba Father his meaning is that by it wee cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Againe the Spirit is said to make intercession for us because it sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. for from the love of God proceeds this love and affection in us that we desire him and all his blessings and therefore make our prayers to him to that end which is nothing else but explicatio desiderii so that we do not so soone desire any good thing but we are ready to pray for it So sayes the Prophet Lord thou knowest my desire and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 36. Likewise when our desire is delayed so that we obtaine not the thing wee would have then wee are cast into sorrow which is wrought in us by the Spirit which is in us and by prayer for it is the Spirit of God which kindleth this fervencie of desire in prayer as Augustine saith Tepida est omnis oratio quam non praevenit inspiratio every prayer is luke-warme which is not prevented with inspiration The first thing that the Spirit of God workes in us is that he inclineth our hearts to pray to God for the good which wee lacke which is a thing not in our owne power and therefore David thankes God that he found in his heart to pray 2 Sam. 7. for when we would settle our selves to pray Nihil tam longè abest à nobis quà m orare ut decet Now being thus untoward in our selves the Spirit of God comes and helps our infirmitie and as the Psalmist saith He opens our hearts to pray By this meanes it comes to passe that a man having his affections cold shall on a sudden feele in himselfe a desire to pray and shall say Domine paratum est cor meum Psal 108. Secondly whereas the Lord saith Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 87. We find this infirmity in our selves that when wee have found an heart to pray yet we cannot open our mouthes and therefore David sayes Open thou my lips Psal 51. and so must we sue to Christ that he will give us words to speake for God hath a key both to our tongue and will Thirdly having begun to pray that falls out many times which David complaines of Cor meum
dereliquit me Psal 40. So our heart will be gone and our mind will be wandring abroad not regarding what our tongue speakes It falls out often that as Abraham had his sacrifice ready he was no sooner gone from it but the fowles of the aire did light upon it Gen. 15. So while we offer up to God the calves of our lips Hos 14. and our course is past Psal 141. it comes to passe through our wantonnesse many foule thoughts be got upon our sacrifice and dispoyle it and the remedie that the spirit of God affords us against this infirmity is that it calls us home and tels us we are kneeling before the Majesty of God and therefore ought to take heed what we speake in his presence Therefore Bernard to keepe his mind in the meditation of God when he would pray began thus Let God arise and let all his enemies be scattered Psal 68. and Augustine to the same purpose began thus Save mee O God for the waters over-flow Psal 64. Fourthly though we have our meditation still on God yet wee shall find in our selves that our spirits are dull and heavie and have no manner of vigour to help our infirmity herein the Spirit helps and puts these meditations in our hearts whereby it kindleth as the Prophet saith a fire burning within us so that God shall be faine to say to us as he did to Moses Dimitte me let mee alone Exod. 32. Fifthly albeit we pray but faintly and have not that supply of fervencie that is required in prayer yet we have comfort that ever when we most faint in prayer there are of Gods Saints that pray for us with all instancie by which it comes to passe that being all but one body their prayers tend to our good as well as their owne for the faithfull howsoever they be many and dispersed into divers corners of the world yet they are but one dowe and as they are the members of one body so they pray not privately for themselves but for the whole body of the Church so that the weaknesse of one member is supplyed by the fervent and earnest prayer of the other Therefore when the Apostle saith The Spirit maketh intercession for us gemitibus inenarrabilibus Augustine asketh what groanings are these are they thine or mine no they are the groanings of the Church sometime in Mee sometime in Thee and therefore Samuel to shew that the Ministers of God do the people no lesse good when they pray for them then when they teach them said God forbid I should cease to pray for you and so sinne against God 1 Sam. 12.23 for he was an help to them not onely in preaching to them but in offering burnt offerings for them Therefore the people pray to Esay Lift thou up thy prayer for us For as the offering of the Minister is to put the people in mind 2 Pet. 1. so they are Gods remembrancers they are Angels as well ascending upwards by their prayer in the behalfe of the people as descending to teach them the will of God But if the Spirit that quailes in us do quaile also in the whole Church yet we have a supply from the teares which our head Christ shed on his Church Luk. 19.41 and from the strong cries which he uttered to God his Father in the daies of his flesh Heb. 5.7 by which he ceaseth not to make request to God still for us so that albeit the hardnesse of our heart be such as we cannot pray for our selves nor the Church for us yet we may say Conqueror tibi Domine lachrymis Jesu Christi Lastly because we cannot pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have two helpes also in that behalfe from the Spirit first that the Spirit teacheth us to submit our will unto Gods will because as we are men so we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. This submission we learne from the example of Christ his prayer to God his Father Transeat calix isle à me Let this cup passe from mee yet not my will but thy will be done Matth. 26. So David qualified his desire If I have found favour with the Lord he will bring mee againe but if not let him do what seemeth good to himseife 2 Sam. 15. Secondly when wee looke backe upon our prayer and see that by reason of want of fervencie and zeale it is but smoaking flaxe then the Spirit stirreth us up to desire God that according to his promise Esay 42. He will not quench it but that his grace may be sufficient for us and that he will make perfect his strength in our weaknesse 2. Cor. 12. The other thing wherein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities is that he worketh in our hearts certaine groanes that cannot be expressed which is a plaine opposition to drousie and sloathfull prayer for a devout prayer plus constat gemitibus quà m sermonibus it is not fine phrases and goodly sentences that commend our prayer but the fervencie of the spirit from whom it proceeds It is well if wee doe orare mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. but if our prayers do draw out sighs and groanings from our hearts it is the better fâ—r then it appeares that our prayer is not a breath comming from the lungs but from the very depth of the heart as the Psalmist saies of his prayer De profundis out of the deepes have I cryed to thee O Lord Psal 130. What the Apostle meaneth by groanings which cannot be expressed is plaine for when the griefe of the heart is greatest then are wee least able to utter it as appeares by the Shunamite 2 Reg. 4. Notwithstanding as it was God that wakened in us the desire of good things so though we be not able to utter them in words yet hee doth heare etiam vocem in silentio There are mutae preces tamen clamantes such as are the silent prayers of Moses which he made in his heart to God though hee expressed it not in words to this God said Cur clamas ad me Exod. 14. Now as Martha was loath to serve alone and therefore would have Mary to helpe her Luk. 10. So the spirit doth not pray alone but doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beares together or helpes us whereby the Apostle gives us to understand that man must have a co-operation with Gods Spirit So we see the Saints of God albeit they acknowledge prayer to be the work of Gods Spirit in them for as much as we are not able to call Jesus Lord but by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. Yet they are not themselves idle but do adde endeavour as David Lord open thou my lips So he affirmes of himselfe I have opened my lips and drew in my breath Psal 119. But that we may have the help of Gods Spirit without which our endeavour is but vaine wee must still thinke upon our owne weaknesse and humble our selves in the sight of God as the Publican did Luk. 18. So the
desire to have remission of sinne no otherwise then as we forgive our brethren whereby the love of our brother is continually increased And this prayer is breviarium fidei it teacheth us to beleeve those things which we pray for Lastly our perfection in obeying the Law and in beleeving those things which we ought to intreat with such a hope by prayer Legem implendi legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi THE SIXTH SERMON LUKE 11.2 And he said unto them When yee pray say Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come Let thy will bee done even in earth as it is in Heaven c. IT is the answer of our Saviour Christ to that Disciple of his which in the name of the rest desired to be taught a forme of prayer Concerning prayer among other things already noted we te to know that it is the doctrine of the Fathers that God not prayed unto on our parts and his holy Spirit not yet possessing our soules hath notwithstanding promised that he wâ—ll poure his Spirit upon all flesh Ioel 2. as it was poured upon the Apostles after Christs Ascension Acts 2. Namely that Spirit which he cals the Spirit of Grace and Prayer Zach. 12.10 When he thus vouchsafeth to send the Spirit of Grace into our soules then from thence there doe runne two streames into the two severall faculties of our soule that is the Spirit of Grace hath a working on our Vnderstanding by the light of Faith and secondly in our Will by inspiring us with holy desires of which holy desires the interpreter betwixt us and God is Prayer For that as the Apostle speaks Our requests are made knowne to God by prayer and supplication Phil. 4.6 Now as prayer is properly the effect of Grace so whatsoever wee obtaine of God by prayer it is the gift of Grace which prayer is therefore our reasonable service of God because we doe therein acknowledge not onely our owne wants and unworthinesse but also that as God hath in his hands all manner of blessings to bestow upon us so if we sue to him for them he will with hold no good thing from us Psal 84.12 Before we can pray for good things it is required that we doe conceive a love of them which if it be in us then we shall not onely bee inflamed with a desire of them which is an effect of love but shall be stirred up to pray for them But it is the peculiar worke of the holy Ghost to shed in our hearts the love not onely of God Rom. 5. but of all other good things which work he performeth not in all in differently for he is compared to the Wind that bloweth where it will Ioh. 3. But those whom it pleaseth the holy Ghost to inspire with a love and affection towards good things they doe not onely desire them but withall doe pray earnestly for them unto God for as it is the worke of Jesus Christ the eternall Word to enlighten every one that commeth into the world so it is the office of the eternall Spirit to inspire our hearts with holy desires In this answer of our Saviour we are to consider three points first a time limited for prayer secondly the contents of the word Oratio thirdly what is to be noted out of the word Discue Touching the time limited for prayer we have heard already that there are three uses of prayer one was the use of dignity and persection when men doe converse and enter into familiarity with God by abstracting their mindes from humane affaires and sublevating them into Heaven by a continuall meditation of God and things pertaining to the life to come which because it is peculiar to them that have already attained to some perfection we must say of it as Christ did of another matter Qui poâ—est capere capiat Matth. 19. Our weaknesse is such as cannot by any meanes come to this use yea the infirmity of the Disciples themselves was so great that albeit Christ had so many other things to tell them of yet they were not able as yet to beare them Iohn 14. Therefore we are to consider the two other uses which doe more neerely concerne us whereof the one is the Vse of necessity which standeth either upon feare or upon want and when necessity lyeth upon us in either of these respects they are so forcible that they make all flesh to come unto him that heareth prayer Psal 65. Of feare the Prophet saith Lord in trouble they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thychastening was upon them Isa 26.16 And the want of outward things is so vehement a motive as when nothing else can move men to prayer yet they will assemble themselves before the Lord for corne and oyle Hos 7.14 These two the one being as Solomon termeth it Plaga cordis 1 Reg. 5. the other Defiderium cordis Psal 5. doe point to us two times of prayer namely when either we are oppressed with misery as the effect of sinne or disquieted with our selves with the conscience and guilt of sinne it selfe which is the cause of all our miseries Touching sinne the Prophet saith While I held my tongue my bones consumed away but after he had confessed his sinnes unto the Lord and craved pardon he forgave his wickednesse And because it is not his case onely for as much as we have all sinned his counsell is in this behalfe pro hoc orabit omnis pius Psal 32. Which being done as the Prophet speaketh the weakest of them that is every sinner shall be as David Neither are we of necessity to pray that God will forgive the guilt of our sinnes past but that he will prevent us with his grace against temptations of sinnes to come for in this regard our Saviour Christ would have his Disciples occupie themselves in this holy duty Orate Pray ye that ye enter not into temptation Luke 22. For the effect of sinne which is adversity Then is prayer necessary in the time of affliction when outwardly through the malice of our enemies we are in misery In which case the Prophet saith when the ungodly for the love he bare to them requited him with hatred Then he gave himselfe to prayer Psal 109.3 Or else inwardly by reason of crosses which it pleaseth God to bring upon us against which the onely remedy is to use prayer as the Apostle exhorts Iames 5. Is any afflicted let him pray A timore iuo concepimus spiritum salutis Esa 26.8 That is for feare And when we consider our owne wants the troubles that are upon us though for a time we hold our tongues and speake nothing yet a fire will kindle in us we cannot long be silent but the desire of our heart must have a vent by prayer as the Prophet had experience in himselfe Psal 39. So that as well the feare of danger to come as present want and affliction will leade us to prayer But
ejaculatas the Egypâ—ians are said to make many but very short prayers and they shot forth as it were on the sudden and therefore such were called ejaculationes his reason is ne intentio quae oranti plurimum confert per productiores moras hebeteiur evanescat lest the intention which availeth much in prayer should by over-long continuance lose its edge and grow dull therefore his note is that as intentio is not obtundenda si perdurare non potest so si perduraverit non cito rumpenda as the intention is not to be dull'd if it cannot hold out so if it can we are not abruptly to breake off and divers are troubled in conscience for this For the breaking off this intention sundry times it is broken for a better thing if it bee so it is not a thing to be repented of if otherwise as we are to withstand it and if not that grow into an indignation with it as Vincentius writeth of Anthony Cupio salvus fieri sed non permiâ—tunt me cogitationes meae Lord I desire to worke out my salvation but my thoughts will not permit me and therefore he cryeth Domine vim patior a cogitationibus meis in Domine responde pro me Lord my thoughts doe continually trouble and torment me Lord doe thou answer for me then the Lord will not observe our ascending thoughts but our prayers if it please us not but that in our drawing neere to him if we cannot drive these fowle from our Sacrifice but yet if we have but a care to prepare our hearts a short ejaculation will not be uneffectuall See how it wrought for a whole assembly 12 Chron. 30.18 19. Where Hezekiah prayeth for him that prepareth his heart to seeke the Lord though he be not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary this also pertaineth to us though not to the exact rules of invocation Psal 119. is full of these ejaculations and in every one of them is a prayer 2. The prayers that in I am 1.6 that are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ebbe and flow whereas prayer it is nothing else but interpres spei the interpreter of Hope and Hope being the anker it must be stayed fast and stirre no more then Hope Psal 145.18 hee distinguisheth them that call upon the Lord The Lord is nigh unto all them that call on him yea all such as call upon him faithfully that are not moved with the waves Rom. 10.14 it is an especiall effect of prayer beliefe the roote of this and I eriullian Breviarium fidei a breviary of faith Mar. 11.24 Therefore I say unto you whatsoever ye desire when ye pray beleeve that ye shall have it and it shall be done unto you I am 1.7 he that asketh not so he shall be sure that he shall receive nothing So there must be 1. attention 2. it must be of faith and Prov. 18.9 the triall of that is that man shuts his eares at the preaching of the Law so he that hath light thoughts at the preaching of the word he hath no faith ratio because the word of God being the seede of faith he that will not receive the seede in cannot bring forth the fruit 3. The Hebrewes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer no prayer a proud prayer where the spirit of prayer is there is the spirit of humility Luke 18.8.9 Psal 63.1 42.1 it must be anima siticulosa a thirsty soule Psal 102. the forme of prayer vers 17. he will give eare unto the prayer of the humble Luke 7.38 Mary And shee stood at his feete behind him weeping and beganne to wash his feete with teares and did wipe them with the haires of her head and kissed his feete and annoynted them with the oyntment and Luke 18.13 the Publican they had their suite Dan. 9.18 We doe not present our supplâ—cations before thee for our owne righteousnesses but for thy great tender mercies True prayer it hath no confidence in it selfe 4. The fourth is that the Fathers call absurda oratio oratio sine ratione an absurd prayer Terâ—ullian Quid est hoc accedere ad Deum pro pace sine pace pro remissione peccatorum cum reâ—entione What 's this a man come unto God for peace that is an enemy unto peace for pardon of sinne with a purpose to continue in sinne Matth. 18. what coherence is there betweene Forgive me and Pay me so this of being not consonant in our prayers Prov. 21.13 He that casteth away the cry of the poore his prayer shall be cast away If there be a giving there must be a forgiving Mar. 11.25 Forgive others and your heavenly shall forgive you They call it Cains prayer that did offer a Sacrifice to God and murther his brother 5. The last 7. of Iudith 20. hath his name from the men of Bethulia and is called the Bethulian prayer helpe must come within five dayes else farewell prayer contrary to those Euchites Luke 18.1 to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes 1 Thes 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without ceasing Col. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all this for continuance not continually but interpolatim and that in Luke 11.8 in his parable of him that went to his friends house to borrow three loaves hee meaneth not that hee continually knocked at his friends dore but successively interpolatim That then that is here forbidden are the two extremes The extremeâ— 1. of the Euchites August 57. heresie ad quod vult Deum of them speaketh that they never left which was a brutish heresie The other extreme 1. Booke 22. chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleepie heretickes that held that a man was not made to pray but in the night to see in the day and to the use of the creatures our practise is the like that use not to pray but when we are upon our beds if then This for the defect in the manner 1. that we aske not unprofitably or greedily 2. neither carelessely 3. or proudly 4. or grudgingly 5. or not continually So for thanksgiving that is commanded as ingratitude condemned the Heathen counted it all the evill that could be said against a man to be called an ungratefull person Cuncta maledicta dixeris cum ingratum dixeris call him an ungratefull man and thou canst not call him worse Gen. 14.21 the King of Sodome though he were a wretch yet the law of nature taught him thus much that he should be thankfull to Abraham 2 Sam. 16.17 an unkinde sonne condemned an unkinde friend here unkindnesse condemneth unkindnesse So the degrees of it also 1. When a man hath the benefits and contemneth them Numb 11.6 But now our soule is dried away we can see nothing but this Manna 2. So the cold and carelesse thanksgiving which commeth usu magis quam sensu by a customary use of them rather then of any true sense of the value of them God be thanked is of course and with all 2 King 5.18
thing is commanded there all things are commanded that are of the same kinde And wee finde Levit. 16.31 and 25.32 That the day of Humiliation or a Fast is called there a Sabbath an ordinance or as Augustine sayth well If the estate of Innocencie had continued then there had beene but one onely day to have beene observed of Christians and that had beene wholly spent in the giving of Thankes c. But since the Fall there commeth by the wants wee feele in our soules that GOD is not onely Glorified Sacrificio Eucharistiae with the Sacrifice of Prayse and Thanksgiving but also Sacrificio spiritus tribulati humiliati with the Sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart Quia bonum perfectê vt volumus non possumus And so alleadgeth that place of Paul the bond that lyeth upon us cannot bee so accomplished of us as it ought to bee and so consequently wee have ofter occasions to glorifie GOD in this forme or way of Humiliation for At tonement then wee have of the other and the portion of this Sacrifice Rom. 12.2 is greater then the portion of the other so that as the other tendeth to the initiation of the joyes to come so this tendeth to the mortification in this present life It is the Ordinance of God that there should be a day of both It is strange thing that whereas some doe agree that the exercise of fasting is morall and not a ceremonie yet they will not grant the same performance to the Sabbath it selfe And the reason that it is morall is because whatsoever was a ceremonie it might not at any other time be used in any other place or order then was prescribed of God in the book of Ceremonies but this of fasting hath been otherwise in Joel 2.15 and Zac. 7.5 in the fifth and seventh month they had both upon an extraordinary cause And Zachary not that only but also in the tenth month which had it been a ceremonie had been unlawfull to doe But a ceremonie in the time of the Law was tyed to certaine places and times Againe that our Saviour Luke 5.35 as he doth there give a reason why his Disciples should not fast so he sheweth plainely that after the Bridgroome was taken away from them after his taking up into glory they should fast and so consequently when he should be taken up into glory it should continue Lastly the practise of the Church Acts 13.3 at the sending forth of Barnabas and Paul of private fasting as of Paul 2 Cor. 11.27 In muli is jejuniis in fasting often and his precept 1. Cor. 7.5 even of those that are Marryed that they might sever themselves for a time to give themselves to Fasting and Prayer shew plainely that it was accounted lawfull then and therefore practised And for the later part of the Primitive Church the Bookes of the Fathers are exceeding full of the praise of this exercise herewith they did so consume themselves that they might say with David Psal 109.24 Their knees were made weake with fasting and their flesh had lost all fatnesse This Sabbath of humiliation or day of fast receiveth the division of a publike exercise or private Publike as to which the silver Trumpets must be blowne Joel 2.15 Private which none might know off Matth. 6.16 it must be done as privately as may be so that this is onely the difference for the ends and parts they concurre and are the same no difference The ends and reasons of a publike fast are these 1. Either for the turning away of some evill or for the procuring of some good and because malum is paenae or culpae evill is either of sin or of punishment for both these and specially the punishment either our owne or upon some other Our owne either present mali grassantis or impendentis hanging over our heads For present evill When the Church or Common wealth hath any of the shafts of the Lord sticking in their â—â—â—es as Chrysostome saith very well on Joshua 7.6 a publike fâ—â—â— and upon the overthrow in Judges 20.26 and consequently 〈◊〉 â—he time of Captivity under the Philistims 1 Sam. 7.6 and in 〈◊〉 time of dearth Joel 2.13 When as the judgement of God 〈◊〉 as not yet come but onely imminent 2 Chron. 20.3 and Jehosoâ—hat feared and set himselfe to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah a publike fast Hester 4.16 Goe and assemble all the Jewes that are in Susan and fast ye for me and neither eate nor drinke in three dayes neither day nor night and I and my Maids will fast liken I se c. Jonah 3.5 When Ninive was threatned with destruction within forty dayes When this punishment lyeth not upon us but upon the Churches about us Zach. 7.3 Solemne Fasts for the Churches dispearsed in Babylon and Chaldea To come to Malum culpae to the Fault because there is a great affinitie therefore we see though there was no visitation to the Jewes they matching themselves with strange wives yet therefore Esra 9.12 they are forbidden to match their sonnes with the daughters of the Gentiles And though it be an evill example 1 Kings 21.12 At the command of Jezabell a Fast is proclaimed Last for procuring of some good Acts 13.3 and 14.23 The one at the ordayning of the Apostles the other at the ordayning of the Ministers that it would please God to make them sit for the worke unto which they were called In this duty of fasting if we respect the punishment onely or the visitation of God no doubt it is hard to make it Statarie at a set time a prefixed day neither hath the Lord appointed so for that Jom appormi a day of expiation Expiare peccata sua jejunio and so consequently it hindreth not but that there may be set dayes and a set fast and it is more expedient it should And as these are the causes which when they befall the whole people ought to make a solemne Sabbath to move all so the same causes when they concurre but to a private man then cometh out the second the private exercise of it 2. The causes are the same either when we are under the hand of God 2 Sam. 12.16 there David himselfe alone fasteth when it is not upon us but threatneth us and hangeth over us 1 Kings 21.27 Ahabs Fast though not inward yet not unrewarded of God when as the Prophet Elias threatned for the unrighteous putting of Naboth to death When it is not our owne case but pertaineth to others it may be lawfully used as Psal 35.13 David saith That when they were sick hee fasted When it is no punishment but a fault onely so that it be Propter languorem boni 1 Cor. 7.5 When the prayer loseth some part of his fervencie when it is not so fervent or when there is any tentation Christ saith there was such a kinde of spirits as that without prayer and fasting they could not bee cast out Matth 17.2
the hand they will let him goe Quaecunque malo incobantur principio difficulter hono persiciuntur exitu God blesseth not the ends of those that come not in by the doote The Merceâ—â—â—y taâ—â—or Now the two other markes doe make a distinction againe For they that follow come in right but there is an abuse of it Therefore there is a thing called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Purpose 2 Tim. 3.10 O Timothy you know my purpose you know what you have to doe It is well expressed Phil. 2.20 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a naturall care as if there were some that had spuriam curam a bastard care And that germanam curam that naturall care one of the Fathers calleth zelum animarum a zeale of soules They that have not this purpose of heart John 10.13 be called mercenarii for they have no care of feeding Zach. 11.15 they are not instrumenta pastoris boni Inâ—irumâ—â—â—â— pâ—â—â—â—â—is stulti but stulei they are not the instruments of a good but a foolish Shepheard which the Fathers make forcipes mulclram a paire of Sheeres for the Fleece and a Paile for the Milke And so after whatsoever occasion befall that there come danger to the Flock for the soule they reward it not but when there is but the least danger of the wooll or milke then every one sumit instrument a pastoris stulti takes the instruments of a foolish Shepheard and bestirreth himselfe The Jewes call them such as draw neare to the Arke or Temple for the Corban for the offering box Mat. 15. they care not for the Law so the Corban speed well Abiathur of the offpring and posterity of Elie being a wicked man it is prophecied of him 1 Sam. 2. last that Elies posterity should stand thus affected they should come to some of the Priests desire a place to serve for a peece of bread and a peece of silver this was their end But Abiathar was displaced by Salomon and Zadok put in his room Christ Job 10. sheweth a way how this should be discovered For if there come a Wolf or fall Teacher with authority a persecutor they will flie to him And Acts 20.29 30. they will also become as bad as Wolves Heb. 13.17 the Apostle would have them marke the issue of their conversation Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or issue marreth all here for if the Wolfe come either he will give over Iohn 10.12 or worrie the flock too The Apostle saith that even of your selves shall rise men teaching perverse things So you see that whether he continue the care for his belly or degenerate into a Wolfe yet he hath his lawfull institution And this discerneth them that come in right but yet are Mercenary Now though this duty every minister ought to looke too yet quia obediendum est malo the people must obey an evill shepheard if it be not ad malum unto evill But this question is before Page 378. c. Come to the second that as care is to be had of their comming Mat. 22.12 in so of their abuse And that there is no abuse but where there is a duty it is plainely set downe Ezek. 34.3 that as the manner is now they did eate the fat and cloth themselves with the wooll and killed them that were fedde but the sheepe they feede not Where there is an abuse of a dutie and the duty here is of foure parts which may be subdivided into two The first they call Exemplum example it is here of Christ John 10.3 4. expressed by going before the sheepe And their manner was in the East countries they drave not their sheep before them but their sheep followed them More plainely 1 Tim. 4.12 he must be Typus that is such a thing as maketh a stampe upon the coine and the Iron that giveth the forme and impression to the money So it is used againe Tit. 2.3 and 1 Pet. 5.3 And it is Moses his order Deut. 33.8 first Thummim integrity of life then Urim learning and Num. 17.8 which is by way of figure it pleased God to make it a signe of Aarons calling that his rodde was virga fructifera a rod bearing fruit by which as by the fruits of the spirit good workes and vertues bee often meant So of Christ Acts 1.1 his order quae caepit Jesus 1. facere 2. docere first what he did and then what he taught and where it is ex professo handled 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. that he be exemplum unblameable that for manners he be not rebukeable So that is first that he be typus and that he may facere doe and then afterward that he may docere teach He may be exemplum an example two wayes First in himselfe Secondly in his Family 1 Tim. 3.4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.2 without spot so there is a relation to Levit. 21.17 18.22 none of Aarons seed if he were mishapen or had a blemish shall come neere to offer the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire That is it that the Apostle saith here If he have any notorious sinne or crime for he speaketh not of inward crimes but of outward onely of such as may be laid to a mans charge he may not take on him this Fatherhood the reason is because 2 Cor. 6.3 there must no offence be given to the weak to thinke that they may doe so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Ministery be not blamed that there might be no slander no Momus no slander for the adversary to laugh at For the taking away of these slanders according to the Apostles interpretation 2 Cor. 8.20 we must beware of all things which comprehend occasionem scandali occasion of scandall This was the Apostles care concerning the almes that should be carryed to the poore brethren in Jerusalem he would not meddle with it except he had another to goe with him because he would be without blame least some should suspect him of defrauding because he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provide for honest things before God and men He would not give the adversary occasion to speak evill of him so John 4.27 when the Disciples found Christ talking with a Woman they marvelled shewing that it was not his custome Hee eschewed as much as might be all occasions of slanderous suspitions Thus of the Genus Now of the Species foure and the soure opposite vertues which he must have in himselfe The first is that he be Tit. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperate and 1 Tim. 3.2 opposite to this is non habere unam uxorem not to be content with one Wife onely So continencie or single life is the vertue Secondly 1 Tim. 3.2 3. the vertue opposed vers 2. Sober for his dyet opposed vers 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transiens ad vinum sitting by the Wine for the lust of the body and the pleasure of the taste they must be in this order
the faithfull of the Land shall be his and vers 7. The lier shall not tarry in his sight And thus much of the ninth Commandement The X. Commandement Thou shalt not covet c. IN this Commandement the Papists are against us and make it two which it cannot be Our reasons as we said in the generall division are these 1. Because there is but one period 2. Because there should be a Law of particulars which in least of all is Gods Lawes 3. Because onely these two concupiscences should be forbidden And whereas they say all other ought to be referred unto these they teach not how 4. Because Rom. 7.7 the Apostle sets it downe in one word non concupisces thou shalt not lust 5. The consent of the Hebrewes before Christ and the Fathers since 6. The inconveniencie that they are driven to to transplace this Scripture and say sensus est perturbatus that the sense thereof is perplexed 7. They themselves cannot speake of it distinctly as they divide it but confound it Now for the Commandement Deut. 5. Esa 55.7 Ier. 18.11 Mar. 7.14 Rom. 7.7 Ephes 2.3.4 whence we must take all that we speake herein The dependance The dependance as Aug. saith si quis caetera facere studeat hoc maximè faciat if any man endeavour to observe the other Commandements let him much more labour to fulfill this Prov. 4.23 As life issueth from the heart so good and evill life And Esa 59.5 commeth the Cockatrice egge which if it be not broken Iames 1.15 will be sinne whence commeth death The end The ends 1. That God may shew himselfe to looke further and his Law to reach further then mans Law For though mans Law say Binde the hands and stop the mouth yet it saith cogitationis poenam nemo patiatur let no man be punished for his thoughts But Gods Law saith not so Act. 8.22 but the very thought must bee prayed for 2. Propter Pharisaeos for your Pharisaicall justiciaries that though in the other Commandements we may flatter our selves yet this Rom. 7.14 will make us see that we are wretched The consent is in the other Commandements But the thought which in respect of the consent is called partus imperfectus an imperfect birth is forbidden in this For as in the other intentio the intention is forbidden etsi non consequaris although yee accomplish it not so here cogitatio etsi non consentias the thought although ye consent not as Aug. magnum fecit qui non sequitur sed non perfecit he hath done much and gone a great way who bath never assented to lust This Paul Rom. 6.12 calleth sinne raigning in us and Rom. 1.2 dwelling in us For as Aug. saith transivit in affectum cordis impetravit consensum rationis ut faciat si adsit occasio facultas this raigning sinne hath built his nest amongst the affections of the heart and hath obtained the consent of reason to fulfill its lust whensoever occasion and ability presents the opportunity So that it is here whilest it is in question but when it commeth to that Faciam I will or would doe it it is done before God This concupiscence is of two sorts 1. 2 Pet. 3.3 proper 2. Gal. 5.17 of the spirit against the flesh This of the spirit is good and Ephes 1.18 causeth good motions in us and 1 Pet. 4.1 armeth us to performe them and checketh us Psal 44.5 and is opposite to us Matth. 5.22 from this commeth our prayer and maketh us to love those things so much the more Prov. 3.9 And that of our owne Concupiscentia naturae which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturae naturall is not evill for so Christ desired to eate when he was hungry Matth. 24.18 and rest when he was weary Concupiscentia corruptionis Iohn 4.6 But that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruptionis from corruption 2 Pet. 1.4 which is not an hand to the understanding as it ought to be but choketh it up and maketh us to be men of concupiscences And of this corrupt concupiscence 1 Tim. 5.19 some is foolish and some is hurtfull 1. Foolish concupiscence Foolish concupiscence is Colos 3.1 earthly desires when the naturall desire transit lineas passeth the bounds wholly to seeke those things and set their heart on them 2. Hurtfull concupiscence Hurtfull concupiscence is that which is against the spirit Gal. 5.7 7. opposite to the spirit This is that praeputium uncircumcision Act. 7.51 which hindreth the eares and heart from that which is good And this in good things corrupteth our understanding making it Eccles 10.1 like a flie in a barrell of honey and provoketh us to evill by these things which though they are good yet will worke in us an evill humour 1 Cor. 6. i. to make us subject to evill to need to have it then the Devill will bring such a condition as Mat. 4. he did to Christ And in evill it will bring us per malum aut ad malum an evill way or to an evill end as to make us use evill meanes to a good end or an evill end to good meanes It is called the old man Ephes 4.22 Col. 3.9 peccatum inhabitans sinne dwelling in us Rom. 7.5 the sting 1 Cor. 15.16 the pricke 2 Cor. 12.7 virus Serpentis the poyson of the Serpent The Scholemen call it fomitem peccati the fuell of sinne the late writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virium a want of power and strength to rule the passions and affections for when man would make his concupiscence above his understanding Hose 8.11 God permitted it to be And this is that giving up Rom. 1.24 delivering to themselves And whereas the giving to Satan hath a returne 1 Cor. 5.1 2 Cor. 2. this to be given up to himselfe hath no returne so that it is better to be delivered up to the Devill We see then what this concupiscence is and how we are affected to it Now for the danger and the meanes to it though we come not so farre as suppuration i. the consent which is the lowest degree in the other Commandements we must not yet once cover for this desire being in us Ephes 2.23 as also of the world and of the Devill Suggestions from conen piscence Per hanc còncupiscentiam carnis by this lust of the flesh there is two suggestions the one in regard of this alone and the other as it is applied to us of the Devill 1. Alone as Matth. 9.5 in the dialogue Mar. 7.2 those ascending thoughts for nothing in us is good but that which descendeth Ascending thoughts 2. The Devill seeing this as he did with Christ when he was hungry Matth. taketh occasions to cast thoughts into us as hee did into them Luke 9.49 and together Ephes 2.2 the world carrieth them away For as Nazianzen saith The sparke is in us and the Devill doth onely blow it up Now those that arise are
2.37 By prayer the Apostles performed that service to the Lord which the Apostle cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13.1 Therefore so oft as we resort to the house of God to put up our petitions to God then we doe him service properly and nâ—t onely when wee are present at a Sermon for then God rather serveth us and attends us and entreates us by his Ministers to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5. As prayer is a part of Gods worship so the neglect of prayer is a sinne as one saith peccatum non orandi Therefore the Prophet among other sinnes wherewith he chargeth the wicked reckoneth this to be one that they call not on the Lord Psal 14.9 The neglect of this duty was the beginning of Sauls fall as all the Fathers interpret that place 1 Sam. 14.19 where it is said that Saul commanded the Priest to with-draw his hand from the Arke For this hath beene commanded ever from the beginning that we should pray unto God not onely in the law of nature Iob. 8.5 But also in the law of Moses Deut. 10.12 In the time of the law a speciall part of the service which the people performed to God was the offering up of incense and therefore the Prophet compareth prayer to incense Psal 141.2 And it is most fitly resembled to incense for the use of incense was to sweeten those places which are unsavory Even so the wicked imaginations and unchast thoughts of our hearts which yeeld a stinking smell in the nostrils of God are sweetned by no other meanes then by prayer and therefore to shew how the one is resembled by the other it is said that while the incense was a burning the people were without upon their knees in prayer Luke 1.10 neither was it a thing usuall in the law onely but also in the Prophets Call upon me Psal 50. aperi os tuum implebo Psal 81. Touching the effect and fruit whereof it is said Whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved Ioel 2. Secondly albeit God have little Commandements as Christ speakes Matth. 5. Hee that breakes one of these little Commandements Yet this touching the duty of prayer is not a slight Commandement but of great instance and so much we are to gather from hence that Christ is not content once to say Aske but repeates it in three severall termes aske seeke knock which as Augustine saith sheweth instantissimam necessitatem From the vehemencie of this Commandement we are to consider these three things first it lets us see our want and neede in that wee are willed to aske secondly by seeking Christ doth intimate thus much to us that we have lost our selves thirdly in that he would have us to knocke he would have us to learne that we are as men shut out of the presence of God and his Kingdome where is the fulnesse of joy and pleasure for ever The first sheweth man what is the misery of his estate in regard whereof he is called Enoch secondly his blindnesse which is so great that when he doth pray he asketh he knowes not what Matth. 20. If hee would pray he knowes not how to pray for which cause the Disciples desire Christ to teach them Luke 11. Their blindnesse is such as they know not the way to come to the Father as Thomas confesseth Iohn 14.5 Thirdly it sheweth our slothfulnesse in seeking our owne good which appeareth herein that we have neede to have a Commandement given us to stirre us up to pray to God The third thing in the precept is the dependance of these three word petite quaerite pulsate For there is no idle word in Gods book Therefore as they that have to doe with Gold will make no waste at all but gather together the least paring so we must esteeme preciously of Gods word which is more precious then Gold We must be gone hence and there is a place whither we desire all to come which wee cannot doe except we knocke and because we know not at what dore to knocke therefore we must seeke the dore But we have no will nor desire to seeke therefore Christ willeth in the first place that we aske it and the thing that we must aske is the spirit of grace and of prayer and if we aske it then shall we have ability and power not only to seeke the dore but when we have found it to knock at it Fourthly as these words depend one upon another so they are to be distinguished one from another they that are suitors for any earthly benefit doe occupie not onely their tongue in speaking but their legges in resorting to great persons they that seeke doe occupie not onely their legges in going up and downe but their eyes to looke in every place and they that knock as they use other members so especially they use their hands But when our Saviour enjoyneth us the use of prayer he expresseth it not in one word but in three severall termes to teach us that when we come to pray to God the whole man must be occupied and all the members of the body imployed in the service of God for Christ will not have pearls cast unto swine and we may not looke to have the gifts of God cast into our mouthes but if we will obtaine we must first open our mouthes to aske it Psal 81. Secondly they are not so easily found as that we shall stumble upon them but we must seeke diligently with the lifting up of our eyes Psal 1.20 And to God that dwels in the Heavens Psal 123. Thirdly because the dore is shut and locked up therefore we must knock for which end we are willed To lift up our hands with our hearts to God which is in Heaven Lam. 3. The lifting up of our hand is that which the people call the Evening sacrifice Psal 141. As the body so also the soule may not bee idle but occupied with these three vertues first it must petere which noteth confidence and trust secondly quaerere which signifies diligence thirdly pulsare which implyeth perseverance If we joyne these three vertues to our prayer doubtlesse we shall be heard As the second cause of our life here is sudor vultus for we live arando ac serendo by plowing and sowing so the second cause of our living is another sudor vultus which consisteth in asking seeking knocking As in the sweate of our browes we eate the bread that feeds our bodies so by these spirituall paines and endeavours we come to the bread of life which feedeth our soules eternally Now if we aske that question that is made Iob 21.15 What profit shall we have if we pray unto him It is certaine that God having created us may justly command us but he doth not onely constraine us to pray by his commandement but allure us thereunto by his promise he saith if we aske the life of grace we shall obtaine it if we seeke it we shall finde it
Spirit of God will rest upon us as the Lord promiseth Esay 66. For this end fasting is commended to the Church for it hath beene an use alwaies among the faithfull to humble their soules with fasting Psal 35. Secondly as we must pray in faith so we must also be charitably affected to our brethren first by forgiving them if we will have forgivenesse at the hands of our heavenly Father Mar. 11.25 Secondly by giving them that need this commended Cornelius his prayer that he gave almes Act. 10. If our prayer be thus qualified we shall have Gods Spirit to assist us in prayer whose help if we obtaine and unto our prayer adde a patient expectation so that we be not in hast to obtaine the thing we crave but we wait upon Gods leasure as the Prophet saith Qui crediderit non festinabit Esay 28. He that beleeveth makes not hast thus we shall find that the Lord will not cast out our prayer THE FIFTH SERMON LUKE 11.1 And so it was that as he was praying in a certaine place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Master teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples WHich words do bring us to that forme of invocation to which by degrees wee have beene approaching for first out of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3. we learned that of our selves wee are not able so much as to thinke a good thought much more unable to do that which is good Secondly from Saint James that albeit we have no power in our selves yet our want may be supplied by the Father of lights Thirdly that therefore to the end we may obtaine this ability we are to seeke for it by prayer as Christ counselleth Petite dabitur vobis But then wee meete with another difficulty and that is as Paul confesseth Rom. 8. that albeit grace may be obtained at the hands of God by prayer yet we know not how or what to aske except the Spirit of God supply our infirmities and therefore as then it was said that as the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us so here the same Spirit doth move the Disciples to seeke for a forme of prayer of Christ whereby we are taught that if we know not how or what to pray for our duty is to repaire to Christ with the Disciples that he would direct us This Text hath two parts first the Petition of the Apostles secondly Christs answer thereunto vers 2. In the first part we are to consider first the occasion of the Petition secondly the petition it selfe Domine doce nos Touching the first point the Disciples tooke occasion of this petition from Christ praying for seeing him not onely pray now but at sundry other times presently they conceived thus within themselves that doubtlesse prayer was a matter of great inportance and a meanes of no small benefit otherwise Christ would never have prayed so often Before we considered two speciall motives to prayer The first was Christs commandement the second Christs promise Matth. 7.7 Aske and it shall be given you and here againe we have other two motives first the provocation of Christs example whom the Disciples found praying in a certaine place secondly the mould and set form of prayer which he hath given us for our better direction in this duty Say Our Father c. Concerning the first of these no doubt the examples of holy men ought to move us to pray much more when Jesus Christ himselfe who is the Holy of Holies Dan. 9.24 doth by his owne example stirre us up hereunto King David when he had his Crowne pulled off his head by his owne sonne and was driven out of his Kingdome said to the Priest If it please God he can bring mee againe and shew mee both the Arke and the Tabernacle 2 Sam. 15.25 Declaring hereby that he was more carefull to have the liberty to come into the house of prayer to powre out his supplication before the Lord as hee was wont then to be restored to his Crown so great account did he make of prayer The like account did the holy Prophet Daniel make for when by the commandement of the King it was proclamed that whosoever made any petition to God or men save onely to the King should be throwne into the Lyons Denne he chose rather to adventure his life then not to pray Dan. 6. Whereby we may gather both how acceptable to God and also how necessary for us this duty of prayer and invocation is So that these examples of these holy men ought to be of no small efficacie to perswade us hereunto and especially if we consider the example of our Saviour Jesus Christ who is greater then either David or Daniel Of whom it is reported that he went into a solitary place alone not onely in the morning Mark 1. but also in the evening Joh. 6. not for an houre but to spend the whole night in prayer Luk. 6.12 he prayed not onely in deserto which was a place of distresse but in horto Joh. 18.2 which was a place of pleasure as hee prayed when hee was in his agony Luk. 22.46 so also when he was to be made King Joh. 6. to teach us that as well in prosperity as in adversity we have need to pray for hereunto our Saviour doth exhort us in plaine words not onely by precept Matth. 7. Luk. 21.40 Pray that yee enter not into temptation because prayer is a meane to keepe us from evill both à malo culpae à malo poenae as well from sinne as from all manner of plagues which are the effects of sinne as one saith there would none adversity come upon us unlesse there were perversity in us but secondly by promise of reward Pray unto your Father in secret and he will reward you openly Matth. 6.6 We think it sufficient if earthly Princes will vouchsafe to hearken to our prayer but God promiseth us more he will reward us for the same Therefore seing God both commands us to pray and promiseth to grant us that we pray for seeing he doth not only by his example teach us that Prayer is requisite but prescribes us also a Form of Prayer we ought not to be negligent in this duty Besides out of this occasion we are to consider this That Christ prayed though he needed nothing as hee was the onely begotten Sonne of God he was full of grace and truth Joh. 1.16 Hee had received the Spirit without measure Joh. 3. Yet for all that he prayed There are three uses of prayer First there is an Use of Necessity for God hath left prayer to be our City of resuge to the end that when all meanes faile wee should slie unto God by prayer In which regard the Wise man saith Prov. 18. Turris altissima est nomen Domini But Christians should have a further use of this duty for unreasonable creatures as Lyons and Ravens are provoked in regard of their necessity to call upon God Secondly
the Use of Duty for prayer is an offering The Prophet compareth it to Incense Psal 41. a Reasonable service Rom. 12. Our Spirituall sacrifice 1 Pet. 2. It is compared to Incense which giveth a sweete smell to all our workes words and thougths which otherwise would stinke and be offensive to the Majesty of God This use of prayer we have not onely for the supply of our wants in the time of adversity but at all times as Job saith Chap. 27. Thirdly there is the Use of Dignity when a man doth abstract himselfe from the earth and by often prayer doth grow into acquaintance and familiarity with God for this is a great Dignity that flesh and blood shall be exalted so much as to have continuall conference with God Now as Christ was the Sonne of God he had no cause to pray in any of these three respects but as he was Principium omnis creaturae Col. 1. as he was the head of the Church Eph. 1. he had use of prayer in these three respects as he was a creature he stood in need of those things which other creatures of God were wont to desire Againe as he was a creature though the chiefe of all creatures hee ought this duty of Invocation unto God his Creator and as hee called on God in these two respects so he was heard as Christ speakes I know thou hearest mee alwaies Joh. 11.41 But as he was in the state of a Creature the last use doth most of all concerne him for which cause having told Martha that one thing was needfull Luk. 10. because the obtaining of the same is not in our power hee presently withdraweth himselfe unto prayer in the beginning of this Chapter teaching us to do the like Before we come to the Petition these words ut cessavit are to be considered for there are some with Saul will call for the Arke and will presently cry Away with it 1 Sam. 14. that is will begin their prayers and will breake them off in the midst upon any occasion but the Spirit of God doth teach us to be of another mind when he willeth us to avoid whatsoever may be a meanes to interrupt our prayer 1 Pet. 3. The Disciples forbare to make their petitions to Christ till hee had done praying and therefore from their example we are to learne so to settle our selves to prayer as that nothing should cause us to breake off and so to regard others that are occupied in this duty as by no meanes to interrupt them In the Petition we are to consider first the thing that they desire secondly the reason why they make this Petition First whereas they make request that Christ would teach them how to pray they do by implication acknowledge as much as Saint Paul speaks of Rom. 8. that they know not what to aske not that they were without that generall institution which we have from nature that is to desire that which is good but because they know not how to limit their desire as in temporall things they know not whether it were good for them to be the Chiefe men in a Kingdome that was the ignorance of the sonnes of Zebedee Matth. 20. In spirituall matters they will be like Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12. who thought it good for him to be saved from the temptation whereas God told him that his grace was sufficient for him and yet that the temptation should continue still As James and John made a request ignorantly for themselves Matth. 20. So they make another in the behalfe of Christ Luk. 9. Lord wilt thou that wee command that sire come downe from Heaven and therefore were reproved by Christ for it and as we see both by examples of Christs owne Disciples that we may pray amisse Jam. 4. So in the old Testament David saith We may pray so as prayer which is a part of Gods service shall be turned into sinne Psalm 109. For prayer is nothing else but an interpreter of our desire as one saith Ea petimus quae appetimus and as our desires are many times not onely vaine and unprositable but dangerous and hurtfull so it fals out likewise that our prayers are vaine and so are turned into sinne The Disciples therefore being privie to their owne infirmities in this case are stirred up by Gods Spirit to seeke for a perfect forme of prayer of Christ in whom all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid Col. 2. And this they do to the end they might not faile either in the matter or manner of their prayers and that having received a platforme of prayer from Christ they might use it as a patterne and complement of all their petitions The Pharisees were great prayers Mat. 6. but they under a pretence of long prayers did devour Widows houses Matth. 23. and therefore their prayers turned into sinne The Heathen used also to make long prayers Matth. 6.7 but they erred for they thonght that they should be heard for their long babling Therefore the Disciples that they might not pray amisse do make their request to our Saviour Lord teach us to pray which Petition was therefore acceptable to Christ because profitable for themselves for thus he professeth of himselfe Ego Dominus Deus tuus docens te utilia Esay 48.17 Not subtilia saith August So Saint Paul confirmeth that he with-held nothing from the Church that was profitable for them to know Act. 20. The world is full of curious questions The Pharisees move questions totching matrimony The Sadduces asked what should come to passe after the end of the world whether we shall know one another Matth. 22. These were unprofitable and curious the inventions of flesh and blood not those that proceeded from the holy Ghost The Disciples question is here how they may serve God and how they may performe that duty for which they came into the world Curious things are those abscondita which belong to God with which we may not meddle Deut. 29. we must enquire of things which concerne us Of the sons of Cain and Abell who were inventors of tents some devised to worke in brasse and copper others found out Musicke as they thought it most profitable for the publique-weale The trade that the sons of Seth used and professed at the same time that they thought to be most profitable was the calling upon the name of the Lord Gen. 4. and they were occupied therein as an Art no lesse profitable then the building of houses or making of armour and ever since howsoever the worldido addict themselves to other things that serve to make most for their private profit yet the Church and City of God are busie in studying how they may by prayer receive mercy and obtaine grace to help them in time of need Heb. 4. The reason whereby they urge their suit is as John taught his Disciples which reason in the judgement of flesh and blood might seeme of small efficacie for whereas John confessed himselfe unworthy to
unloose Christs shooe Mat. 3. he might have tooke it in scorne that the Disciples of John should teach him his duty after the example of John but Christ to commend his humility is content both in his preaching and praying to follow John John said Every tree that brings not forth good fruit Matth. 3. And Christ though he were the wisedome of God and furnished with all manner of doctrine yet was content to borrow that sentence from John Baptist as appeareth in his Sermon Matth. 7. So he was content to follow him in prayer So that the example of Johns diligence in teaching his Disciples that duty was a motive to him to do the like unto him Whereas the Disciples of Christ tell him that John was wont to teach his Disciples to pray they speake by experience for divers of them were before-time Disciples unto John as appears Joh. 1.37 The ordinary prayer that was used in the Synagogue among the Jewes was that prayer which is intituled the prayer of Moses Psal 90. and as Christ saith The Law and the Prophets were untill John Luk. 16. So that prayer of Moses continued in the Church of the Jewes untill Johns time when he was come he used another forme of prayer which endured to the comming of Christ who having taught his Disciples a third forme of prayer Johns prayer ceased the reason was because as the Apostle speaketh of Moses Heb. 3. Albeit both Moses the Prophets and John were faithfull in the house of God yet they were but servants but Christ was that Sunne of righteousnesse and the day-starre that was long before promised and therefore seeing he being come hath taught a more perfect forme of prayer hee beeing onely wise all other formes ought to give place to his Secondly according to the rule of John Baptist a man can receive nothing except it be given him from above Joh. 3.2 Then if wee will obtaine any thing we must put up our supplications to God for it but in making our prayers we may offend for he that is of the earth is earthly and speakes earthly things Therefore John according to his owne confession may mingle some corruption with his prayer But Christ that is from heaven is above all Joh. 3. and therefore if he teach us to pray it shall be in such sort as God shall accept it and for this cause Christs prayer doth excell the prayers both of Moses and John and all the Prophets Touching which forme of prayer as before he had given them an abridgement of that obedience which the law requireth Luk. 16. So here he doth briefly set downe a forme of prayer As it is said of him that grace and truth is by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. so when in the other Chapter he had shewed them the truth of the Law so now he tels them that grace must be sought for of God by prayer whereby wee may be able to obey that Law The suit of the Disciples being both profitable to themselves and no subtile question Christ is content presently to grant their request and therefore his answer is When yee pray say c. Wherein we are to observe two things first whereas there are certaine practicke spirits that crosse that saying of our Saviour and tell us we may not use this prayer which Christ gave saying Our Father but that we are to frame our prayers of our owne as our state shall require these words are a contradiction to their ne dicite Christ himselfe hath commanded us to use this forme of prayer and therefore we may be bold to say Our Father whatsoever prayers we make of our selves they have some earth because wee our selves are of the earth but the prayer instituted by Christ is free from all imperfection because it was penned from him that was from above Joh. 3. In this prayer there is not one word wanting that should be put in nor any word more then ought to be Therefore both in regard of the Author of it and the Matter we may safely use this forme of Prayer Secondly these words are an opposition betwixt Cogitate and Dicite It is not enough to thinke in our minds this prayer but our prayers must be Vocal so that as in this Christ casteth out the dumbe devill so here he casteth out the dumbe prayer It is true that the life of prayer and thanksgiving standeth herein That we sing praises with under standing Psal 47. that we do or are mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. Herein stands the soule of prayer but as we our selves have not onely a soule but a body also so our prayer must have a body Our tongue must be the penne of a ready writer Psalm 45. We must at the time of prayer bow our knees as our Saviour Christ did Luk. 22.41 We must lift up our hearts with our hands Lam. 3. Our eyes must be lift up to God that dwelleth in the heaven Ps 123. And as David sayes Psal 135. All our bones must be exercised in prayer The reason why we must use this forme of prayer is taken from the skill of him that hath penned it and from his favour with God We are not acquainted with the phrases of the Court and we know not what sure to make unto God But Christ who is our Advocate in whom all treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid Col. 2. He can forme us a bill and make such a petition for us as shall be acceptable at the hands of God None knowes the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. So none knowes what pleaseth God but Christ who hath received the Spirit from God and in this regard as he knowes Gods will best so he is best able to frame a forme of prayer so as it may be agreeable to Gods will Secondly touching the Authority which Christ hath with God his Father it was such as God proclamed from Heaven This is my beloved Sonne and Christ saith Thou hearest mee alwayes Joh. 11. So greatly was he respected with God In both these respects we may be bold to say Our Father c. We have the promise that if we aske any thing in the name of Christ he gives it us Joh. 16.17 Much more may we have confidene to be heard Si non modo in nomine ejus sed verbis ejus The Apostle saith If I had the tongue of Men and Angels 1 Cor. 13. His meaning is that the tongues of Angels were more glorious then the tongues of men and therefore that song of the Angels Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. is magnified in the Church But this prayer was formed by the tongue of Christ who is the Lord of Angels The Cherubims hid their faces before th◠Lord of Hosts Esay 6. And he that made this prayer was the Lord of Hosts of whom it is said Os Domini exercituum locutum est This prayer as one said is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ingaging of our charity and love for we
Psalmist extendeth this part of Gods service to all places generally of his Dominion Psal 103. Howbeit though it be not to be neglected in no place yet especially wee must offer this sacrifice of prayer and prayse in the assembly among the faithfull in the congregation Psal 111. and so we must learne to distinguish the Liturgy and the publike service of God in the Church from that private devotion which our Saviour would have us to performe daily when he saith when thou prayest enter into thy chamber Matth. 6. For God hath promised to accept that worship which we tender unto him in the place consecrate for that purpose In every place where I put my name thâ—ther will I come and blesse thee Exod. 20.24 Non solum quod cratis sed quod ibi oratis that is the publike place whither the Saints of God from time to time assemble themselves to call upon God together In his Temple doth every man speake of his praise Psal 29. Our Saviour Christ did therefore tell them that it was domus orationis Isa 56. to teach us that the chiefe end of our meeting there should be not to make it a pub like schoole of Divinity and instruction but to powre out our prayers to God for private prayers were not enough unlesse at times appointed we meete together to pray publikely So the Apostle Saint Peter doth teach us by his example who not onely when he was at home went up to the top of his house to pray Acts 10. but to the Temple also Acts 3. Saint Paul did not content himselfe to bow his knees to God when he was at Rome and Ephesus and other places but he went to Ierusalem and prayed in the Temple Acts 22.11 which thing as he did for himselfe so no doubt he did it in the behalfe of the Church of God to which he was sent to preach and it were to be wished that in the Church there were minus oratorum plus orantium The second generall point is touching the contents of the word Oratis Our necessities are manifold and the grace of God which we sue for to God is multiformis gratia 1 Pet. 4. Besides the Apostle saith Pray with all manner of prayer Ephes 6. therefore it is meete that wee should take notice how many kinds of prayer there are wherein the Apostle guides us when he saith Let supplications prayers thanks-giving and intercessions be made 1 Tim. 2. These foure containe all those sorts of prayer which are contained in the body of this word Orate Prayer or Invocation consists of Confession and Petition Confession is divided into confessionem fraudis which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the confession of sinnes whereunto they adde supplication to God for pardon like that of the Publican Luke 18. God be mercifull to me a sinner The other kinde of Confession is Confessio laudis that is Thanksgiving to God for his goodnesse in pardoning our sinnes and bestowing his benefits upon us which kinde of Confession is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This also is a part of prayer and ought to goe with it as appeares Phil. 1.3 Col. 1.3 where the Apostle doth thanke God alwayes for the Churches in his prayer Both these the Iewes gather from the words Iudah and Israel for Iudah is Confession and Israel is the name of prevailing in wrastling with the Angel as the faithfull doe strive with God in prayer Rom. 13. The one they call Tehillah the other Tephillah They had both these Hosanna and Hallelujah Petition stands upon Comprecation and Deprecation Deprecation is when we desire that evill may be removed which kinde of prayer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Techinah Comprecation is when we would have our want supplyed with good things which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Tephillah Intercession is in another kinde of prayer proceeding from charity as the other came from faith when we doe not onely confesse our owne sinnes but the sinnes of others when we pray not onely for our selves but for others when we praise God not onely for his goodnesse on our selves but for others So it was the charge which God gave by his Prophet to them in captivity not onely to pray for themselves but to pray for the prosperity of the City where they were prisoners Ier. 29.7 As they were to have a care of the Common wealth so the like is to be had of the Church Therefore when Peter was in prison there was prayer made continually of the Church to God for him Aâ—â—â— 12.5 Pray for all Saints saith the Apostle Ephes 6. and for me especiâ—lly that utterance may be given to me c. and as for them that have any speciall place in the Church or Common-wealth so we are bidden to pray for all such as are in misery as David teacheth us by his example who when his enemies were sicke ceased not to pray for them no lesse then for himselfe but put on sack-cloth and humbled his soule with fasting Psal 35. Unto these kindes of prayer some adde two more the first is when upon condition that God will grant us our desire wee vow that we will faithfully serve him afterwards as Iacob prayed Gen. 28. The other is a simple prayer or petition uttered in short words as Lord have mercie on me and such like which are nothing else but sparkes of that fire which kindleth within us whereof David spake Psal 39. Heare me Lord and that right soone for my spirit faileth 143. In regard of this our weaknesse our Saviour hath in a short prayer comprehended whatsoever is needfull for us which brevity hee used lest if he had set a large forme of prayer our spirit should bee dead and our devotion key-cold before we could come to the end and for the same purpose the Church hath prescribed collects prayers answerable to that short petition of our Saviour Christ All these kindes of prayers were used by our Saviour Christ in the dayes of his flesh as he tooke our nature and was the head of a body Factus pro nobis peccatum 2 Cor. 5. and so did not onely confesse himselfe a sinner but suffered the wrath of God for it which made him cry Deus mi Deus mi My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 26. The rebuke of them that rebuked thee fell on me Rom. 15. Psal 69. Also he was an example to us of thanksgiving I thanke thee O Father c. Luke 10.21 I thanke thee that thou hast heard me Iohn 11. For Deprecation as he was a man Let this Cup passe from me Matth. 26. The good he prayed for at the hands of his Father was Pater glorificame ea gloria quam habui apud te c. Iohn 17. Touching Intercession he prayeth Pater ignosce eis Luke 23. I pray not for them onely but for all them that shall beleeve by their preaching Iohn 17. As he used all these kindes of prayer
yee call him Father without respect of persons c. Then passe the time of your dwelling here in feare 1 Pet. 1.13 Our is a word of hope as Father is a word of faith for he that saies noster our includes himselfe and by hope applyeth Gods favour in particular to himselfe which by faith he apprehends to be common to all neither doth appropriate it to himselfe saying My Father but includes them with himselfe and so the word our is also Vox charitatis the voyce of Charity As the first word did teach us the Father-hood of God so the word our implyeth the fraternity we have one with another for God to shew what great regard he hath of the love of our neighbour hath so framed and indited this prayer that there is neither Ego nor mi nor meum nor mea neither I nor mine nor my but still the tenor of it is Our Father our bread our trespasses us from evill Therefore one saith that prayer is not onely breviarium fidei an abridgment of our faith but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mutuall pledge of our love towards our brethren which is then especially testified when we pray to God for them For this prayer which our Saviour sets downe for us and all Christians prayers are not the prayers of nature pro se orat necessitas necessity stirreth up men to pray for themselves but the prayers of charity when we are to commend the state of our brethren to God as well as our owne quia pro ali is charitas for charity prayeth for others for in this prayer there is matter not onely of supplication for the avoyding of evill and comprecation for the obtaining of good in our owne behalfe but of Intercession also to teach us that whether we desire that evill be rëmoved or good be bestowed upon us we should desire it for others as well as for our selves The use of this doctrine is of two sorts first against Pride for if God be not the Father of one man more then another but all in common doe call him Our Father why then doth one man exalt himselfe above another Have we not all one Father Mal. 2. and the Apostle saith Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. and our Saviour saith Vos omnes fratres estis Yee are all brethren Mal. 2.3.8 Therefore we are not onely to love one another as brethren but to honour one another because we are the sonnes of God for this end the Apostle exhorteth In giving honour to one before another Rom. 12. So farre ought we to be from despising one another Cur enim non pudeat aspernari fratrem quem Deus non aspernatur filium Why are we not ashamed to scorne him to be our brother whom God scorneth not to be his sonne Secondly it serveth against malice wēe were all in the loynes of Adam when he fell and all one in the body of Christ so that whatsoever he as our Head hath done or suffered the same all men doe and suffer in him And lastly we are all included in this word to teachus that wee ought to wish the same good to others which we doe to our selves for this is that which Christ commendeth in our Christian practise in the duty of prayer Vt singuli orent pro omnibus omnes pro singulis that each should pray for all and all for each other He hath taken order that no man can pray this prayer but he must pray for others as well as for himselfe and so doe good to all and the mends that is made him is that they also for whom he prayed doe likewise at another time pray for him and though we cannot alwayes pray in such fervencie of Spirit as is required in prayer yet the holy Ghost doth supply our infirmity by stirring up others to pray and make intercession in our behalfe cum gemitibus inenarrabilibus with unspeakable groanes Rom. 8. even then when we cannot doe for our selves and this is a speciall benefit which the faithfull have in the Communion of Saints The Apostle saith that God to assure us that hee takes us for his sonnes hath sent his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. the one of these words hath respect to the Iewes the other to the Gentiles teaching that it is our duty to pray both for Iewes and Gentiles and so for all though they be strangers to us Secondly we are to pray for sinners be their sinnes never so great in hope that God will give them the Grace to repent and to come out of the snare of the Devill 2 Tim. 2. and that he will translate them out of the state of sinne into the state of grace for this life as long as it lasteth is tempus praestitutum poenitentiae a time ordained for repentance Thirdly as for our brethren so for our enemies as our Saviour willeth Matth. 5.44 for they also are comprehended under the word noster For God hath shut up all in unbeliefe that hee may have mercie upon all Neither are we to pray in generall for all but for some in particular as neede requireth Not in generall for all good things but for some speciall blessings As we are to pray generally that Gods will may be done so for that this is Gods will our sanctification 1 Thes 4. we may pray in particular for those things that we have neede as to be delivered from all temptations generally so specially from those sinnes whereunto the corruption of our nature is most inclined THE EIGHTH SERMON Which art in Heaven WHich words containe the second part of this invocation for as in the word Father we call upon the bowels of Gods mercy so by these words Which art in Heaven we do invocate the arme of his power for so it is termed by the Prophet in the Old Testament Stirre up thy strength and help us Psal 80.2 Rise up thou arme of the Lord Esay 51.9 So that as the Lepers doubt Matth. 8. is taken away by the consideration of Gods fatherly goodnesse so that when we know that this our Father hath his beeing in heaven it takes away that doubt which we use to make of his power Domine si quid potes Lord if thou canst do us any good Mark 9. For the stile of God in respect of our necessities consists of his goodnesse and greatnesse which as they are both expressed by the Heathen in the title Optimus Maximus so the power of God in these words which they use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dwelling in heavenly habitations Christ willing to expresse the greatnesse of Gods power doth it by that place where his glory and power are most manifest and that is heaven whereof the Prophet saith The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke Psal 19.1 For when we see a poore cottage we presently ghesse that the dweller is no great person but if
the goodnesse of God towards us appeares to be the greater in this behalfe because there is no Angell nor spirit to whom he vouchsafeth this favour to have their sinnes remitted save onely to man Of them it is said he found no truth in his Angels in his servants and in his Angels there were folly Iob 4.18 that is they had trespasses but yet God will not forgive them nor receive any supplication for pride but contrarywise he keepeth the Angels that sinned in everlasting chaines to the judgement of the great day 2 Pet. 2. he that is the God of the spirits of all flesh Numb 27.16 16.22 will not heare the spirits that sinned against him but thou that hearest prayers to thee shall all flesh come Psal 65. There is a way for man to escape the danger of sinne if he aske pardon but the sinnes of the wicked Angels shall not be forgiven The elect Angels doe make the three first Petitions as well as we and the Petition for the supply of natural defects is common to all living creatures but this which prayeth for pardon of sinnes is proper onely to man so we see how God exerciseth his goodnesse and sheweth it not onely in exercising of liberality to them that have need but his long suffering in pardoning them that have sinned against him To come to the Petition it selfe by Debis our Saviour meaneth sinnes expressely so called Luke 11.4 and sinners are called debters Luke 13.4 for the Scripture speakes of them Matth. 18.24 one was brought that owed ten thousand Talents that is which had committed a great number of sinnes and Luke 7.31 a lender had two debters by which are meant sinners the reason hereof is because there is a resemblance betwixt sinnes and debts In the affaires of men the case is thus that if the condition be not performed they are bound to indure the penalty and so become double indebted so it is betweene God and us the sinnes that we commit by the breach of Gods Law is Chirographum contra nos an hand-writing against us Col. 2. So they are called in the old Testament Thou writest heavie or hard things against us Iob 13.26 and Ezech. 2. Our sins are compared to a book written in both sides for we are bound to keep Gods Commandements because he made us and not onely so but he still doth nourish and preserve us therefore we ought to doe his will hee gives us Talents Matth. 25. which wee ought to imploy to his glory hee gives us dwelling places in the world as to the Israelites he gave the land of the Heathen that they might keepe his Statutes and observe his Lawes Psal 105. If we fulfill them we discharge our duty to God and are free from all penalty but if we doe it not there is an obligation Deut. 27. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written to doe them If he place us in the Vineyard he will looke to receive fruit of it Matth. 21. If he give us Talents he will have us so to imploy them as that he may reape gaine thereby Luke 19. The gifts and graces that God bestowes upon us must bee imployed in hallowing his name in enlarging his Kingdome in accomplishment of his will if we fulfill this the penalty of the Law takes no hold on us but if we doe not onely not use them to his glory but abuse them and turne them to the breach of the Law by serving sinne then are we in a double sort indebted to God and make our selves guilty of his wrath Et quis intelligit c. Who understandeth the power of his wrath Psal 90. If we consider how grievous plagues God threatned for the breach of the Law we would be more carefull and heedfull that we doe not offend him which because we consider not we become indebted to God We are debters to the flesh to provide for it onely so much as is meete for the releeving of it Rem 8.12 And the rest of our care must be for the spirit but because all our care is for the flesh to satisfie it in fulfilling the lusts thereof and are carelesse of our spirits therefore we become indebted to God in a third sort by breaking his Commandements in that which concernes our selfe but this the Apostle saith I am debter to the wise and the unwise Rom. 1.14 That is we must be carefull of others as God said to Caine Where is thy brother Gen. 4. But because omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt all seeke their owne Phil. 2. and seeke not the good of others therefore they grow further indebted to God These debts or sinnes are properly said to be ours because they proceed from us for there is no member of our body that is not guilty of some sinne and not in that sense that bread is said to be ours which commeth to us and is made ours by Gods gift and when wee pray forgive us our debts we learne that it is our duty to crave forgivenesse for others as for our selves for as the Apostle by these words The rebukes of them that rebuked thee fell upon me Rom. 15.5 sheweth that Christ was carried with the same zeale against sinne committed against God as if it had beene against himselfe so he teacheth that we must be moved with the like compassion towards others when we consider their sinnes that we find in our selves for our owne and that we ought no lesse to pray for them then for our selves and to suffer others to passe over the bridge of Gods mercie as well as we In the words debts three things are to be noted first where Christ teacheth his Apostles that were baptized and the most perfect Christians that ever were to pray for remission of sinnes it should work in our nature an humiliation for they in making this prayer acknowledge themselves sinners much more ought we The Apostle Peter confesseth of himselfe Luke 5.3 I am a sinfull man Saint Paul saith of himselfe peccatorum primus sum ego I am the chiefe of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Saint Iames including himselfe and the rest of the Apostles saith in multis offendimus omnes In many things we sinne all Iames 3.2 Saint Iohn saith If we say we have no sinne we deceive our selves 1 Iohn 1.9 He saith not exaltamus nos as the Apostle spake of modesty or non humiliamus nos wee doe not humble our selves but decipimus nos and if we deny it the truth is not in us Seeing it is so we must not say with the Pharisee I am not as this man but with the Publican God be mercifull to me a sinner Luke 18.13 Secondly we are not onely sinners but daily sinners as appeareth by this that vve are taught no lesse to pray daily for forgivenesse of our sinnes then for bread To confirme this Solomon saith Septies in die cadit justus the just man fals seven times a day Prov. 24. and
to us that was offered to the Fathers for we beleeve to be saved by the faith of Jesus Christ as well as they Act. 15.11 and wee have no other Sacraments then those which the Jewes had of whom Saint Paul saith They all did eate the same spirituall meat and dranke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10. and therefore it is meete likewise that we should make the same prayer that they made and indeed there is no Petition in the Lords Prayer which is not found in the Old Testament used by the Church of the Jewes For that which the Prophet prayeth Psalm 57.6 Lift up thy selfe O God above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth Psal 67. That thy way may be knowne upon earth c. is nothing else but the hallowing of Gods Name Secondly Remember mee O God that I may see the felicity of thy chosen Psal 106. It is nothing else but an exposition of the second Petition where we pray Thy Kingdome come Thirdly these words of the Prophet Psal 143. Teach mee to do the thing that pleaseth thee is a full comprehension of the third Petition where we desire that his will be done Fourthly the eyes of all things do looke upon thee and thou givest them meat in due season Psal 145. and the prayer of Solomon Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food meete is a full expressing of the fourth Petition Fifthly My misdeeds prevaile against mee O be mercifull to our sinnes Psal 65.3 is a summe of the fifth petition and the condition of this Petition is found Psal 7. wherein the Prophet saith If I have done any such thing or if there be any wickednesse in my hands If I have rewarded evill to him that dealt friendly with mee yea I have delivered him that without a cause was my enemy then let my enemy persecute my soule whereby he desireth no otherwise to be forgiven of God then as he doth forgive his brother Sixthly that which the Prophet prayeth Psal 119.37 Turne away my eyes that they behold not vanity and Psal 143. Set a watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips is that which Christ teacheth us to pray Lead us not into temptation Seventhly Redeeme Israel from all trouble Psal 25.20 in affect is as much as Deliver them from all evill which is the seventh Petition Lastly looke what reason Christ teacheth us to use here the same doth David use 1 Chron. 29. Therefore having the same prayer that the Jewes had it is meet that wee should have the same conclusion that they had and the same is they said Amen and so do wee Touching the use of this word it is found in Scriptures to have two seats or places and accordingly two severall expositions to wit in the beginning and in the end before and behind In the beginning as in the doctrine of the Sacrament of Baptisme concerning which our Saviour saith Amen Amen except a man be borne of the water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. And touching the Sacrament of the holy Eucharist Verily verily except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee have no life in you Joh. 6.33 And touching the effect of prayer Christ saith also Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall aske the Father in my name hee will give it you Joh. 16. In those places the word Amen is used and thereby our Saviour laboureth to expresse the truth of that which he doth teach In the end likewise it is said as Psal 41.13 Psal 72. Psal 87.50 Praised be the Lord for evermore Amen Amen And in the New Testament when the Apostle sheweth That of the Jewes according to the flesh came Christ who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.5 Here the word is used and set behind to signifie that wee desire that that may be performed which God before by his Amen hath affirmed to be true Therefore David having received promise from the Lord by the hand of Nathan saith Let the thing that thou hast promised be Amen Let there be an accomplishment of the same 1 Chron. 17.25 So when the Prophet Hananiah had prophesied in the name of the Lord I have broken the yoke of the King of Babell and after two yeares will I bring againe into this place all the ornaments of the house of the Lord Jeremy the Prophet said Amen the Lord do as thou hast said Jer. 28.6 As in the beginning it ratifieth the truth of Gods promise so being set in the end it signifieth the desire of our hearts for the accomplishment of the same and this desire alwaies followeth and is grounded upon the promise of God and the truth thereof In which regard the Prophet saith Remember me O Lord concerning thy word wherein thou causest me to put my trust Psal 119. and therefore to Christs A non in the beginning where he promiseth Verily verily whatsoever ye aske in my name Iohn 16. we may boldly adde our Amen in the end that his Amen may be performed and by right doe we ground our Amen upon Gods Amen for he is called Amen that is truth Esa 65.16 So the Apostle expresseth it when speaking of Jesus Christ he saith Thus saith Amen the fault fall and true witnesse Revel 3.14 Therefore S. Paul saith of Christ that in him all the promises are made to us yea in the beginning and Amen to us in regard of the certaine accomplishment 2 Cor. 1. The reason of our Amen is because not onely faith but trust and confidence doth proceed from the truth of God fides hath relation to Gods truth but fiducia or confidence is setled upon Gods faithfulnesse and both are affirmed of God Moses saith of God that he is verus and fidelis Deut. 32. and Esay The Lord is faithfull Esa 49.7 8. Paul in the new Testament Hee is faithfull that promised Heb. 10. He deemed him faithfull that promised Heb. 11. For there are two things required in faithfulnesse without the which a man cannot be said to be faithfull the one is ability of which Abraham doubted not of Gods faithfulnesse being fully perswaded That what he promised he was able to performe Rom. 4.21 the other is will and readinesse to doe touching which the Apostle saith Faithfull is he that called you ipse faciet 1 Thes 5.24 These are the parts of faithfulnesse and they are both found in God and therefore not onely God the Father is true but Christ is said to be the truth Iohn 14. and the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of truth 1 Iohn 5.6 So that albeit men deale so untruly that it is verified of them ad men are lyers Rom. 3. Yet God abides faithfull and cannot denyâ—h myselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 So much the Prophet teacheth when he saith the mountaines shall be removed but the thing which be hath spoken shall not faile Esa 58. And
our Saviour faith Heaven and Earth shall passe but one joy of my word shall not passe Matth. 5.18 that is in regard of his power and ability For the other part of his faithfulnesse which is his will and readinesse he is said to be a faithfull Creator that will have care of the soules committed to him 1 Pet. 5. and to this purpose serveth that which S. Iohn affirmeth Behold what love the Father hath showed us that we should bee Sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. There is in God that faithfulnesse that is in a mother towards her children for as a woman cannot but pity her owne child and the son of her womb so the Lord will not forget his owne people Isa 45.15 As his arme is not shortned but is still able to helpe so his affection towards us is such that he is most willing to helpe In this regard as hath beene observed he is both a King and a Father the one shewing his power the other his willingnesse and good-will towards us upon both these we doe ground our Amen and doe learne not onely Credere vero beleeve God which is true but fidere fideli trust him which is faithfull upon this faithfulnesse we may ground all our Petitions if we seeke forgivenesse of our trespasses as Christ teacheth us to pray then God is faithfull to forgive us our sinnes 1 Iohn 1. If we will pray against tentation the Apostle saith God is faithfull and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to beare 1 Cor. 10. If to be delivered from evill which is the last Petition the Apostle tels us The Lord is faithfull and will stablish us and keep us from all evill 2 Thes 3. Thus we see both what is our Amen and whereupon it is grounded The last thing is the right saying of this word which is a thing to be inquired for the Apostle as though he tooke care for the right saying of it saith How shall the unlearned say Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 Teaching us that it is not enough to say Amen unlesse it be said in right forme and manner The right saying is reduced to foure things First that as the Apostle sayes We pray with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. For of the foure evill Amens which the Hebrewes note one is when our Amen doth not come from an earnest desire We must powre out our hearts before him Psal 62.8 So our Amen must come from the heart we must be so disposed that we may say As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so thirsteth my soule after thee O God Psal 42.1 My soule thirsteth for thee and my flesh longeth for thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Psal 63. without this Amen our Amen is evanime a dead Amen Secondly a man may desire a false thing so did the Prophet give his Amen to the false prophecie of Hananiah Ier. 28. but wee must bee carefull that it be true that we pray for therefore the Apostle saith He will not pray with the Spirit onely but with his understanding also 1 Cor. 14.25 So our Saviour tels us We must worship God not in Spirit onely but in Spirit and Truth That is we must have understanding that our Petitions be true and agreeable to Gods will Ioh. 4. for as in thanksgiving it is requisite that we sing praise with understanding Psal 47. So the like must be done in prayer they are both good both to pray with the Spirit and with the mind therefore it is better to pray with both then with but one alone Therefore it is a marvell that any should thinke it enough to pray with the Spirit though they doe not know in their mind what they pray for but pray in an unknown tongue as the Church of Rome doth seeing the Apostle saith He will pray both with the Spirit and with the understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 and this understanding is not of the words onely but of the matter that we pray for We may understand the words wherein the prayer is made and yet not understand the thing that is prayed for The sonnes of Zebedee prayed in their owne Language and yet our Saviour tels them Yee know not what yee aske The Eunuch that was reading the Prophet Esay no doubt understood the Language of the Prophet and yet when Philip asked him Vnderstandest thou what thou readest he answered How can I except I had a guide Acts 8.31 Therefore we must pray not onely Intelligenter but Scienter we must know what we aske wee must be carefull that whatsoever we aske be according to his will for then may we be assured that he will heare us 1 Iohn 5. we must aske in Christs name Iohn 16. Lastly to a good end for otherwayes our prayers shall not be heard Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse Iames 4. But this is not all that is required that we may pray with the Minde and Vnderstanding for we must intend the thing that wee pray for with out heart that the Lord may not have cause to complaine of us as of the Jewes that honoured him with their lips while their heart was farre from him Isa 29.14 That we may with more attention of heart addresse our selves to pray our Saviour bids us to gather our selves from all things that may carry away or distract our minds and to enter into our chamber there to pray to our â—ather which is in Heaven Matth. 6.6 This did not Saint Peter observe when he prayed Master let us make here three Tabernacles and therefore the Evangelist saith He knew not what he said Lake 9.33 Thirdly that we may say Amen aright we must not onely understand in our mind and desire in our spirit the thing that wee pray for but must confidently looke for the performance of that we desire for unto this confidence there is a promise made on Gods part of whom the Prophet saith That the Lord is nigh to all that call upon him in truth Psal 145. that is in faith and confidence that they shall obtaine the thing that they pray for therefore our Saviour saith whatsoever yee pray for belâ—eve and it shall be done Marke 11.24 and the Apostle saith If we will obtaine our requests we must aske in faith without wavering or else we shall be like the waves of the sea that are tossed with the wind and carried about with violence Iames 1.6 And we shall not need to doubt but we shall be heard if we pray in a right manner if we pray for a right end that we may say Tua est gloria This confidence and trust hath certaine Limitations first wee may assure our selves that God will grant our requests if it be expedient for us and therefore we must not limit God nor appoint him his time but as the Psalmist saith We must direct our prayers early to him and wait for his pleasure Psal 5.3 We must tarry our Lords leasure Psal 27.