be once stopt and a trade rightly carried on for eternity he will raise what storms he can and send out many pyrats either â—o surprize or draw it back again Many are the snares and temptations hinderances and impediments which the Saints do meet with in their way to heaven whereas hypocrits and formall professors go on in their course without opposition or difficulty But let none mistake as if hereby a pretence were ministred unto the laziness stoth and negligence of such as are in the right way certainly the zeal activity and diligence of those who are without shall stop thy mouth and make thee inexcusable in the great day if thou thus rest upon an orthodox profession and if thou be in Christ and art led by his Spirit (p) 1 Joh. 4.4 Stronger is he who is in thee then he who is in the world thou hast another kind of help and assistance for doing good then others O then let thy work be answerable If in any good motion we can discern one or moe of those wicked designs we may be jealous least Sathan have a hand in it and should guard against his devices which when espied may serve as so many marks and characters whereby we may know the print of his foot though he be disguised appearing in white rayment To which these few may be added 1. As to the matter If in prayer our desires be meerly or mainly selfish and natural Sathan may concur and blow up the coal of carnal heat within And thus there may be much enlargement of affections much fervency and importunity without the help of the Spirit as in that people Hos 7.14 when they assembled themselves and howled for corn wine Isa 26.16 and when they multiplied their prayers and sacrifices Isa 1.15 11. Esau may weep for want of an earthly blessing Gen. 27.34 though he undervalued and little minded the marrow of the blessing the love and favour of God But none can without the Spirit of God say with David one thing have I desired that will I seek after that I may behold the beauty of the Lord Ps 27.4 And with Asaph whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth I desire besides thee Ps 73.25 Who is able seriously to pray for help to pluck out the right eye and cut off the right hand and to part with his darling lusts and affections unless he be acted and strengthned by the Spirit of God Who can with Agar say give me not riches least they proven snare Prov. 30.8 9. unlesse the Lord breath into his heart such a desire Sathan will not help thee to (q) Mat. 6.33 seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and in thy desires to prefer holiness to riches heaven to earth and Gods glory to thy own self-interest 2. As to the end Sathan may stir thee up to (r) Jam. 4.3 ask that thou mayest consume what thou gettest upon thy lusts but who doth desire any thing from God that he may be (s) Ps 35.27 magnified and that what he giveth may be employed for his honour unless he get help from heaven Only the Spirit of God can elevate our desires to so high and noble an (t) Of the ends of prayer Part. 2. ch 1. end and make us honestly obey the exhortation 1 Cor. 10.31 He who must do all must also pray to the glory of God and this of our selves we cannot do 3. As to the maner Sathan can stir us up to pour out absolute and peremptory desires for outward things and faint lazy moderate and submissive desires for grace Sathan makes us invert the right order and method he will not protest though thou ask mercy pardon of sins c. that conscience may be stilled and satisfied but thou must not be too earnest and anxious concerning those things and thy desires must not be boundless and illimited a little of grace saith he will do the turn and any kind of desire though never so â—old and formall is sufficient 2. Sathan can move thee to ask the world for it self and to make self thy last end but the Spirit of God must enable us to deny our selves and to ask outward things in subordination and in relation to the great end If Sathan prescribe our lusts must reign and grace must be the hand-maid and be only so far sought as it is subservient to our carnall ends and for a quiet and peaceable fulfilling of our lusts 3. Sathan can beget in the heart a child-like expectation and confidence though thou be a stranger he can make thee expect the portion of a son he will not suffer thee once to question thy state and acceptance least if conscience were awakened thou shouldst seek after a change But it is the work of the Spirit to beget in us childlike affections and make us love God delight in a communion with him and be loath to grieve him and he only can enable us to call him in truth Abba Father Rom. 8.15.4 Sathan can move thee to what is good unorderly by making thee leave thy place and station and invade another mans office (u) 2 Sam. 15.4 Oh! that I were made Judge in the land said Absolom and mayest thou say prayer-wayes Thus also Saul would offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 13.9 and Vzziah burn incense 2 Chr. 26.16.19 They would go out of their own sphere and exercise the ministerial Function wherefore the Lord justly punished both the one and the other It was good and a commanded duty to offer sacrifice but it did not belong to Sauls office it was fit that supplication should be made to the Lord but it belonged not to Saul to do it in a publick and ministerial way as it would appear Saul then did v. 12 it was necessary that incense should be burnt before the Lord but it did not appertain to Vzziah as Azariah told him v. 18. but to the Priests the sons of Aaron who were consecrated to that office But the Spirit of Christ moveth orderly making us to contain within our own sphere and to abide in the same calling wherein we were called according to his commandment 1 Cor. 7.20.24 A heart acted by the Spirit can with David Psa 131.1 say when he maketh his supplication to God O Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great maters or in things too high for me The Lord will have all things done decently and in order and is not the author of confusion 1 Cor. 14.40.43 and as he leadeth not his children out of the way So neither doth he bring them to dark and unpassable paths it is not from him that weak Christians especially these of the female Sex do meddle and vex themselves with dark questions and intricat disputes or that the most strong and learned do dive too curiously in things not revealed and in the secrets of the Almighty He knoweth that to be an
complainest thou poor indigent and witless creature The owner (h) Rev. 3. vers 18. Is 55. vers â— 2. invits thee to come he points out thy way and discovers the door and thou hast the (i) There is no door so fast shut that Prayer will not get entrance vid. part 4. ch 1. keyes as it were hanging at thy belt for if thou wilt knock it shall be opened unto thee if thou wilt seek thou shalt find and if thou ask it shall be given thee Math. 7. vers 7. There is a well furnished table set before thee and it is left to thy choice to cut and carve what thou wilt and so if thou starve thou mayest know who should bear the blame O! saith an (k) Gerbard cont barm cap. 179. utilitas orationis tanta est ut nemo eam c. eminent and judicious Divine who is able to enumerat all the excellencies and advantages of Prayer What the heart is to the living creature What rest to the weary What joy to the sad What gold to the indigent What strength to the feeble What nerves to the body What spirits and blood to the life Prayer is all that to the afflicted soul It is as the Sun in the Firmament or rather the Glass by which light is communicat it's medicine to the sick a refuge to the opprest a sword against the devil and a shield to ward off his fiery darts It 's eye-salve to the blind it begetteth hope and confidence it inflameth the heart with love it worketh humility and filial fear it elevats the mind above the creature and sets the affections on things that are above it brings a taste of the hidden manna and sets the Supplicant before the Throne to behold the King in his glory and leads him into the (l) Song 7. vers 6. Galleries where he may familiarly converse with his Lord and Soveraign This is that golden chain which will hold the Almighty untill He blesse thee it is Jacobs ladder whereon thou mayest mount up to Heaven It is that Jaw-bone wherewith Sampson smote the Philistines This is Noah his dove which alwayes returns with an Olive leaf of comfort to the disconsolate This is Davids stone wherewith he smote Goliath and his Harp wherewith he drove away the evil spirit from Saul This is that Pillar of fire and cloud which directs the Saints and blindfolds their enemies This was that Bow the Promises being the Arrow and Faith the Hand whereby these Worthies Heb. 11. of whom the world was not worthy waxing valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens quenched the violence of the fire escaped the edge of the Sword subdued Kingdoms stopped the mouths of Lyons c. O! Who is able to enumerat all the noble and admirable (m) Vide infra pare 4. chap ult effects of Prayer What desolations it hath made in the earth what revolutions in the world and what astonishing deliverances it hath brought to the Saints O! That He who gave wisdom to (n) Exod. 31. vers 6.11 Bezaleel and Aholiah for making the Tabernacle according to the Pattern would teach us the heavenly art of sacrificing to our God in spirit and in truth The material Tabernacle and Temple where are they now Yet we must still bring our offering the Christian oblation must never cease we are Priests Rev. 1. vers 6. and we have an Altar Heb. 13. vers 10 12 15. But alas may we with Isaac Gen. 22. vers 7. say where as the Lamb for a burnt offering we have nothing to offer unless the Lord provide a Ram and instruct us how we should offer it up Rom. 8. vers 26. It is thought one of the most tolerable and easy tasks to pray and every one as they think is able and sit enough for such an employment and are busie enough in carrying on that trade and they were not worthy to live will such say who do not call upon God But ah Who are they that are acquainted with the mistery of Prayer Lip-labour is indeed an easy work the Popish devotion the whiting the out-side of the Sepulchre is no difficult task but it is not so easie to give life to the loathsom carcasse within thou mayest draw nigh the Throne and prattle some few words before the Lord and yet never put to one finger to the work if thou do not put out thy strength to draw up thy dead lumpish heart if thou find not a burthen pressing thee and it down and call not to heaven for help and for fire to kindle and enlive thy sacrifice Every key will not open the doors of Heaven every knock will not obtain an entrance nor every cry prevail Let us then look up to Him who can only give us that wisdom which is from above who can discover bring to our hands and help us to use that admirable piece of work that it may not only prove a key to open the Fountain the Store-house door and all our fathers Cabins but also for opening of our hearts and an hammer to break the hard rocks of corruption and the stone there Ah! But who is sufficient for such a task A word spoken on such a subject can never be unseasonable and though many have put in their Sickle here yet much of the harvest is un cut down But more hath been said then rightly improven though the Lord hath stirred up so many of His Messengers to point out the way to the Throne and how to carry on a safe trade with Heaven yet who hath believed their report And we shall not think our labour lost in bearing testimony against this sinning and prayerlesse Generation nor shall we stand upon an Apology for making choice of such a Theme Alas How often have (o) Is 37. vers 4 5. the children come to the birth and have stuck there for want of Prayers (p) That I may so speak with some eminent Divines Mr. Good-wine Mr. Gurnall c. Midwifry The Promise many times is big with child and is come to it's full reckoning and hath no longer to go with the desired Mercy then till thou run to the Throne of Grace and plead for it's deliverance it only waits for the obstetrication of the prayer of Faith that the Man-child may be brought forth The Lord deals not sparingly with us He hath many blessings to bestow None of His children need with (q) Gen. 27. vers 38. Esau complain that he hath not one to bestow on him But alas we are like a Kings Son in the cradle who knows not that he is Heir of a Crown and thus neither regards nor improves his Dignity and Priviledge Or like a Traveller who having many Bills of Exchange yet will not be at the pains to read them but undervalues them as so much un-written paper and will rather starve than bring them to the Exchanger and plead for the sums to which they give him a right Ah! Who
of a trench-man shall he who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins he who knoweth what is in man and needeth not that any should testifie of man Jer. 17.10 go to another and ask what are the purposes and desires of the heart Though then we deny not the concurrence of the understanding but wish that all that is within us may joyn and were imployed in this spiritual and solemn exercise yet all the faculties of the soul are as so many attendants to wait upon the heart till it draw nigh direct it's desires and present it's supplications to the great King But let none mistake as if we thought that the will by a new act did reflect upon it's desires and thereby did order and offer them to God 1. Such a reflexion will be found contrary to experience if any will descend into his own heart and look back upon his own actings he will not find it there or that he stood in need of any such new act And 2. it will be hard to shew what such a reflex act did import and to what kind of volition it should be referred The will then by one and the same act and in the same instant of time desireth and desireth from God as one and the same act is 1. the desire of the soul and 2. the desire of such an object So 3. from such an hand and fountain Yea some with (u) Scal. exercit 317. desiderium quasi de sideribus quod res desiderata expectetur de caelo Scaliger for which he is unjustly reprehended by (x) Theop. Raynand mor. discip dist 3. quaest 2. art 3. § 183. Raynandus do think this last respect to have occasioned the word so that according to the Etymon of it a desire is that which is expected from the starres which Pagans did think to be and worshiped as Gods from which conceit as some think did also arise the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus one and the same act of the will is extended of necessitie for it must have some matter about which it must converse 1. To its object 2. Directed to God And 3. referred to such and such an end And only to our apprehension and for distinctions sake these severall respects and formalities are differenced as to Prayer where they should be really united in one and the same act but yet there is ground for such a distinction and precision since every desire is not directed towards God nor doth aime at a right end And thus for explications sake we may affirm that in Prayer there is a kind of (y) no immaterial thing such as the will and its actings is capable of any proper and quantitative dimension and extension Extension and enlarging of desires 1. to the right fountain for a supply and 2. to the right end and marke And 3. to the right rule for bounding and limiting of it both as to matter and manner so that Prayer formally and as such doth import not the desire it self which is as it were the materiale and in it self considered is indifferent and determinable otherwise but this Offering and directing of our desires to God for thereby desires acted and powred out by way of Prayer are distinguished from all other desires which want this qualification and deserve not the name of Prayer But alwayes it would be remembred that this Christian sacrifice is not like the material and Leviticall oblations for every one as being a preist to God Rev. 1.6 may offer up his own sacrifice Christ indeed must be our Altar and high Priest and the holy Spirit must bring fire and incense but the heart it self must offer up its own desires it needs not run to another Priest nor employ the mind and understanding to take its offering and present it to God These things being premised for explication let us now collect from Scripture some few reasons not so much to stop the mouths of subtile disputers as to convince negligent worshipers of their sin and to minde them of that which is the life and main ingredient of this solemn performance Argument 1 Reas 1. That which God doth especially require and look for in these that draw nigh unto Him that must be the chief and principal part of Prayer whereby in a special manner we approach to Him But it 's the heart that God mainly requires and looks after in all those Jer. 12.2 Ps 34.18 Prov. 23.26 Argument 2 2. That must be the chief part of our worship for the want whereof the Lord is most provoked and specially complaineth But God is most provoked when our heart doth not joyn in the duty when we draw nigh to Him with our mouth and honour Him with our lips and keep our heart far from Him Is 29.13 Matth. 15.8 Argument 3 3. That without which our prayers are no prayers they deserve not the name that must be the prime of the duty But without the heart there may be a voice much crying and howling and yet no Prayer in Gods account Hos 7.14 If our heart be not right God will not value our requests Ps 66.18 Argument 4 4. That which answereth Gods call and invitation and promiseth to seek His face that must be the main agent and pleader at the Throne But the heart as the Master of the house undertakes in name of the rest offers to welcome Him invites Him to come in and tells Him that it will look up to Him and seek His face and how I would ask if not by Prayer and Praises Ps 27.8 Argument 5 5. That which God heareth and answereth that must be Prayer But it is the voice and cry of the heart its panting longing and desiring that He heareth and will satisfie Ps 10.17 and 145.19 Argument 6 6. That which mainly knits and unites us to God must be the main and principal thing in Prayer whereby in a special and solemn manner we ascend unto God close (z) Gen. 32.24.26 with Him and will not let him go till He blesse us But it is the heart and affections that especially do unite and knit us to God He regardeth not other bonds if these be wanting the distance still continueth so long as the heart is removed from Him Mark 7.6 Matth. 15.8 Argument 7 7. There may be much light in the understanding a great measure of knowledge of the promises and a great dexteritie to plead them with much eloquence and yet nothing of the life of Prayer nothing but the carcass or rather the picture and shadow of Prayer which God will not regard more then the cry of these foolish virgins who very pathetically and in much anguish of spirit said Lord Lord open to us not having had their hearts prepared to meet him while he came unto them Mat. 25.11 12 8. And on the other hand if the heart of a needy simple one can but sigh or groan if it can but chatter as a cran and mourn as a dove the
few things might also be mistaken in other things of greater concernment And thus we may see what a wofull snare the infallibility of the Roman Church hath proven and still will be to deluded Papists while they adhere to it 6. The Christian sacrifice must be 1. (x) Vid. Calvinum loco citando spiritual 1 Pet. 2.5 and will the tongue without the attention and concurrence of the spirit and mind be a fit Priest to offer such an oblation 2. It must be reasonable (y) Vid. Paraeum Bezam in locum qui docent hunc Textum optime interpretari à Petro 1 epist 2.5 Ergo includit orationem Rom. 12.1 and is it reasonable to do the work of the Lord negligently and while we are imployed in his worship not to attend what we say this were to run upon the curse Mal. 1.14 Ah! shall we having a male in the flock offer to God a corrupt thing hath he not deserved the best Ah! what have we to give and shall we think any thing too good and our hypocritical performance without heart and life to be acceptable service such deceivers are cursed but God will not be mocked Let us remember the sad threatning against that people Isa 29.13 14. for drawing near to God with their mouth and honouring him with their lips while their heart was removed and did not concur in the work and let us hearken to the exhortation Eccl. 5.1 2. Let us take heed to our steps and watch over our thoughts while we approach before the Lord that we may not offer up to him the sacrifice of fools the tongue is the hearts messenger let it not then run un-sent and go to God without an errand Let the lips saith (z) Dictent labia quod habet cor August in Psal 39. cum oratio spiritualis sit Dei cultus quid magis alienum est ab ejus natura quan à labiis tantum non autem intimo animo proficisci Calv. in 1 Cor. 14.14 Augustine speak what is in the heart though the tongue be imployed in the work yet it must not be the chief agent mens orat lingua loquitur the tongue can speak in prayer but it cannot pray lip labour is no devotion but a ready way to atheism and contempt of God if the heart were filled with suitable thoughts of his majesty excellency and goodness it durst not thus slight his worship and service and the longer we continue in thus dallying with his ordinances we grow the more bold and impudent till at length we cast off all fear and reverence It s a sad thing that any should be so careless and negligent as to suffer his mind to diverted while he is speaking to God and that any should be so foolish and irreverent as to entertain discourse with the servants while he is looking up to the King and presenting his supplication to him but yet it is more intollerable and scarce credible that amongst those who profess the name of Christ there should be found a generation so impudent as to plead and maintain that it is not necessary that we should know or attend to what we say in prayer Must not Sathan as (a) Unde discimus qualiter quam effraeni licentia grassatus sit Satan in Papatu nonne Paulum pro idiota habent Deum ex professo contemnunt videmus ergo quam impune apud cos Satan ludat in eo autem diabolica corum contumaâ—ia se prodit quod monati tantum absunt a paenitentia ut ferro igni tam crassam corruptelam tueantur Calvin in 1 Cor. 14.16 Calvin lamenteth have much power over these men O! but it is a dreadfull judgment to be given over to the Spirit of delusion But (b) Suar. loc cit cap. 5. sect 7. Suarez objecteth that it is difficult yea morally impossible to be so attentive in prayer as not to give way to some distractions and wandring thoughts And would God require of us a condition that could be so hardly performed Ans But it is more impossible to the holiest man on earth to keep the Law perfectly and not to sin against God and shall we therefore say that the Lord in his most holy Law doth not require perfect obedience of us and shall our sins thus become no sins The Lord once gave us power which through our own fault we have lost and disinabled our selves but shall the Creditor lose his right because the Debitor hath wasted the stock he intrusted him with Our ability cannot now be the rule and measure of our duty and what we owe to God And Suarez might as well have brought this argument against the spiritual performance of any duty as against attention in prayer for failings and infirmities will alwayes accompany our best way of performance what must we not at all then endeavour and shall we do nothing and albeit in prayer wandring and impertinent thoughts will now and then intrude themselves yet we may drive them away as Abraham did the fowls which came down upon the carcasses and watchfulness and attention is a good preservative for preventing and also a sit remedy for curing this evil and the greater the danger be we should the more diligently use the remedy and though some sits may still recur yet the disease may thus be kept from proving deadly if thou stir up thy heart to attend if thou set a guard and keep watch though impertinent thoughts may notwithstanding creep in yet they shall not be able to marre the acceptance and success of thy prayer as shall appear at greater length Part 3. where we shall speak to the case concerning wandring thoughts O! but if we give way unto and do not strive against them and if they be suffered to grow up and over-spread the whole duty and thus to choak the good seed what cropt can be expected How can we saith (c) Quomodo te a Deo audiri postulas cum te ipse non audias vis esse Deum memorem tui cum rogas cum tu ipse memor tui non sis Cyprian de orat domin 2. Fear and reverence Cyprian imagine that God will hearken when we our selves will not hearken and that he should hear and regard those prayers and requests which we our selves do not regard or attend unto It is unreasonable to desire and foolish to expect any good from or a gracious answer unto such irreverent unadvised and unsavoury supplications But 2 Albeit thus we must attend and be serious in the work of the Lord yet that is not enough we cannot serve God acceptably in any point of his worship far less in prayer unless we do it with reverence and godly fear Heb 12.28 This godly fear is so necessary that it is frequently put for the whole worship of God and a holy man is often described by it and as it is thus so excellent in it self and so necessary for us so it prevaileth
be enough bewailed these ravens have sucked all the marrow and fat out of thy sacrifice and have rendred it a vain and unprofitable oblation those (n) Eccles 10.1 dead flies cause thy ointment send forth a stinking savour They will overspread the whole duty command and captivate the man so that now they will not be repelled and thus they become constant abiding and universal these weeds over-grow and choak the good seed and what crop can be expected and thou willingly entertainest these robbers and evil guests and therefore thou art inexcusable This argument concerning wandring thoughts deserved a larger and more particular disquisition had it not been so fully and judiciously handled by others See Mr. Gurnal loc cit pag. 310. to pag. â—32 Morn Exerc. Serm. 19. Mr. Cobbet Part 3. Chap. 2. Only let us adn as in the like case Part 2. Chap. 3 some few passages from these modern Divines whose words may have weight with such disconsolate ones as are daily mourning under the burden of roving thoughts in holy duties Believe it Christian it is not thine (o) 2 Cor. 12.10 inevitable weakness nor thy (p) Mark 14.38 sensible dulness nor thy (q) Psa 73.21 22. lamented roavings nor thy (r) Gen. 15.11 opposed distractions nor thy (Å¿) 1 Joh. 5.13 mistaken unbelief it is not any nor all these that can shut out thy prayer if thou dost not (t) Psa 66.18 regard iniquity in thy heart Morn Exerc. Serm. 1. If we fail in the manner of our prayer and if it be a total failing if we pray without faith without any faith at all without zeal and the like farewell to the success of such petitions but if it be a partial failing and that failing strived against and prayed against the case is very different by the evangelical allay we do what we desire to do in Gods gracious acceptation our Advocate strikes in with us and begs his Father to regard the matter and not the manner of our prayers Mr. Newton on Joh. 17.24 pag. 499. Believers prayers pass a refining before they come into Gods hands did he indeed read them with their impertinencies and take our blotted coppy out of our hand we could not fear too much what the issue might be but they come under the correctors hand our Lord Jesus hath the inspecti-of them who sets right all our broken requests and misplaced petitions he washes out our blots with his own blood his mediation is the fine searse through which our prayers are boulted and all that is course and heterogeneal he severes from the pure what is of his own Spirits breathihg he presents and what our fleshly part added he hides that it shall not prejudice us or our prayers This was the sweet Gospel-truth wrapt up in the Priests bearing the sin of the holy offerings Exod. 28.38 Mr. Gurnal loc cit pag. 330. I have the rather added these testimonies because though it be too ordinary for the most part of titular Christians not to regard what they offer to the Lord though they come in their pollution and offer a corrupt thing to the great King yet their heart never smites them they rest in the work done not caring how it be done though the fowls come down upon their sacrifice and eat it up yet they will not be at the pains to drive them away nor do they lay their loss to heart nor mourn for it but though it be thus with the multitude yet the generation of the righteous will take heed what they offer to the Lord they know that their is no road more infested with thieves then that which is between heaven and earth and therefore when they pass that way they put on the whole armour of God imploring the conduct of the spirit and a convoy from heaven to guard them thither that they may with success carry on that precious traffick and they will follow their dull hearts as closely all the while as a Carrier will do the unruly Horse fearing least if for one moment they should not attend and drive their heart should stand still or start aside and yet notwithstanding all their care and diligence their hearts will mis-give them and those cheaters and robbers will draw on a parly and get advantage of them for the flesh will lust against the spirit so that they cannot do what and as they would Gal. 5.17 The law in the members will war against the law of the mind bringing us into captivity to the law of sin so that though to will be present with us yet how to perform we find not and thus the good that we would we do not but the evil that we would not that we do as the holy Apostle complained and lamenteth and where is the Saint on earth that may not take up the same complaint even when he is most spiritual and best employed in meditation prayer c Rom. 7.15 18 19 21 22 23 24. Though carnal hearts do not value a communion with God yet who knows what a sad affliction it is to the children of God to have their fellowship with him thus interrupted I verily believe saith (u) Mr. Burroughs gosp worsh pag. 281. a late Divine there are many that have already good assurance of Gods love in Christ that if God should speak to them as he spake to Solomon bidding him ask what he should give him who for themselves would put up this petition Oh! Lord that I may be delivered from a wandring spirit in holy duties and especially in the duty of prayer that I may thereby come to enjoy a more holy communion with thy self then ever yet I have enjoyed and such would account this to be a greater mercy then if God should give them to be Kings or Queens over the whole world O Christian is thy deadness and wandring thoughts thus thy burden and is it the great desire of thy soul to be rid of them and art thou striving and endeavouring against them I might tell you those glad tidings which one tendered to his friend in the like case who seing him oppressed with such distempers under such sad complaints came cheerfully to him said I can tel you good news the best that ever you heard viz. as soon as ever you are in heaven you shall serve Christ without interruption and weariness which words saith (x) Thomas Shiphard in a letter from new England pag mihi 39. my Author well thought on revived the man Though the Lord will not utterly y drive out these Canaanites out of the land that they may be for our trial exercise and humiliation yet it is through our fault and negligence if they be not brought under the yoke and are not already become tributaries (z) Judg. 3.4 and ere it be long the victory shall be compleat and they shall no more molest any true Israelite ah why should the Saints be too much discouraged they will not stay long in
help of the Spirit Page 332 There are no theandrick actions Page 37 What faith did Adam in innocency act Page 530 We should pray for all men Page 260 Christ our altar and Priest Page 324 To pray alwayes what it importeth Page 668 c. Whether the Angels and Saints in glory pray for us Page 78 We may not pray to Saints or Angels Page 106 Whether all good floweth from the suggestion of good and all evil from the suggestion of evil Angels Page 362 367 Angels why called Seraphims Page 446 Whether Angels may be said to pray and to pray in faith Page 531 The wicked receive nothing in answer to their prayers Page 704 721 A delay or denial may be a gracious answer to our prayers Page 711 Whether the Lord alwayes answers when he hears prayer Page 720 Rules for discerning an answer to our prayers Page 723. c. The appropriation of works and attributes to any of the persons of the glorious Trinity not exclusive except in the mystery of incarnation redemption c. Page 569 Aquinas his empty speculations Page 17 Our assurance confidence and boldness admitteth a latitud Page 345 The necessity of attention the impudence and tergiversation of the Popish Doctors Page 427 The Atheists great prejudice against prayer removed Page 701 B Mr. Baxter interpreted Page 336 The blasphemy against the holy Ghost unpardonable Page 239 Whether we may pray for such as are guilty of that blasphemy Page 249 C Calmness after prayer an evidence of faith in praying Page 525 There are not three first causes and principal Agents but one onely Page 569 Characters of such as will never be heard Page 763 c. Of the many that are called few only are chosen Page 767 Christ's intercession see the first Table Page 34 c. Whether Christ's prayer that the cup might pass was heard Page 70 Whether all Christ's prayers on earth were mediatory Page 75 Whether we should pray to Christ as Mediator Page 104 Whether we may ask any mercy in Christ's name to them for whom he died not Page 271 Christ hath removed from us a two-fold incapacity of drawing nigh to God Page 299 We must ask in Christ's name see the first Table Page 301 c. Some Gentiles knew Christ 312 Whether the Jewish Church and the Disciples before Christs death tendered up their prayers in Christ's name Page 318 When we pray for the Church how alwayes heard Page 486 The Saints prayers the Church treasure Page 295 Why the Lord will often rather make a compensation then give to his honest supplicants the mercy in kind which they askt Page 734 In what sense prayer is said to be conditional Page 194 What is askt conditionally is not askt if the condition fail Page 713 Whether confession of sin be a part of prayer Page 19 Confused knowledge a medium between ignorance and distinct or more perfect knowledge Page 309 Whether and in what sense we should be content with a small measure of grace Page 227 We should continue instant in prayer Page 456 541 Several motives to continue instant in prayer with an answer to objections Page 791 c. What copy should we set before us in working out our salvations Page 643 A voluntary covenant the ground of conveighance of all good to the Saints from the Father thorough the Son by the holy Ghost Page 577 Of cursing and imprecations Page 664 c. D Popish praying for the dead confuted Page 233 Deadness and indisposition in prayer it's kinds causes and cure see the first Table Page 602 c. Deadness excuseth not our negligence or ommission of duty Page 637 The decrees of God are not our rule Page 816 142 c. A delay or denyal sometimes a gracious answer of prayer Page 711 Why the Lord delayes to give what at length he will give Page 736 Sathans design in moving to good Page 369 The desire needs not an interpreter Page 23 We should said a Divine pray desperatly Page 449 Devâ—ls and the damned in hell cannot pray and why Page 83 A spiritual disposition necessary in prayer Page 409 Whether doubting believers may pray in faith Page 497 Prayer considered as a duty and as a means Page 9 E The efficacy effects and fruit of prayer Page 2 473 698 What end should we propose in prayer see first Table Page 415 c. An exhortation to pray for enemies Page 273 Whether we may pray for incorrigible enemies and haters of godliness Page 268 Enlargement in prayer an evidence of faith Page 521 Whether we may be too much enlarged in prayer Page 648 Whether the Saints use to be more enlarged in private or publick Page 650 Popish enthusiasme Page 648 Euchites confuted Page 669 Whether we may pray for any evil either of sin or suffering Page 652 Example a bad rule Page 150 The condition of expediency doth not diminish the fulness of the promise Page 483 The Saints experience of the success of prayer Page 513 The Popish explicit faith Page 313 F Whether the unconverted may pray in faith Page 99 Whether the Saints may pray for the reprobat in faith Page 255 We should especially pray for such as are of the houshold of faith Page 277 Of the Popish blind faith with four degrees of their explicit faith Page 313 What faith required in prayer see the first Table Page 460 If we walk not as children we cannot call God Father Page 519 It 's not presumption but a duty to call God Father Page 559 c. Five bonds whereby a child of light walking in darkness may lay hold on God as a Father Page 564 Why Christians most ordinarily address themselves to the Father Page 575 What kind of fear required in supplicants Page 435 Fervency required in prayer Page 442 Whether it be a mercy to have our formal and cold prayers answered Page 651 729 Of frequency it 's necessity and fruit Page 656 693 It's foolish to fret because of the prosperity of the wicked or the Saints afflictions Page 718 G We know not but the Lord may have mercy on all this generation Page 264 272 The Gentiles not left without a testimony concerning Christ Page 312 Prayer considered as a gift and as a grace Page 9 The Lord alwayes giveth what we ask in faith or what is better Page 477 The Popish glass of the Trinity Page 120 How we should conceive of God when we draw nigh to him in any Ordinance Page 553 c. We may worship God absolutely not actually minding the personal relations Page 581 Whether our prayers may be said to move God Page 822 Papists have made many new gods Page 107 Mr. Goodwins assertions concerning Christ's intercession considered Page 62 Grace how it should be askt Page 211 The measure and degree of grace must be absolutely desired Page 214 Whether grace may be abused Page 223 227 Whether we should submit and be content with a small measure of grace Page 227 Whether