rather allowed to young Christians that want the gift of conceiuing and vttering an orderly prayer or to those that want audacitie and boldnes to speake before others than to strong and exercised Christians vnto whom God hath vouchsafed the gift of knowledge and vtterance and boldnes 3. It is safer to conceiue a prayer than to reade a prayer for a man may reade a prayer and neither vnderstand it nor consider the matter thereof nor affect or desire the petitions therein contained hauing his minde pestred with wandring thoughts but hee that conceiueth a prayer though perhaps hee doe not desire the things he conceiueth yet at the least he must haue attention and so be free from many wandring thoughts he must haue also memorie and knowledge and consideration needfull all for the inuenting of matter and so there is lesse feare of babling in conceiuing a prayer than reading one 4. An vniforme order of publike prayer in the seruice of God is necessarie 2. Chro. 29.30 Thus the Priests and Leuites in the old Testament praised God with the Psalmes of Dauid and Asaph which Psalmes were framed of those holie men and sent to the Musitions to bee sung vpon Instruments Thus all the reformed Churches vse thus the Church immediatly after the Apostles time vsed yea thus in the time of the Apostles vsed the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 14.26 as may probably bee gathered by that which Paul speaketh concerning the bringing of a Psalme into the publike assemblie of the Church 5. Lastly notwithstanding in priuate prayer when a Christian being alone calleth vpon the name of God it seemeth most expedient and profitable that he powre out his soule vnto God with such a forme of words as hee can for there and then the edification of other is no end of his prayer as it is of publike prayer 1. Cor. 14.26 and the Lord hee regardeth the heart and hee knoweth the meaning of the spirit though thy speeches bee neuer so ragged and broken though thy sentences bee neuer so short and imperfect though thy words be rude and barbarous and yet a man ought to labour to glorifie God with the best of his lippes also But here certaine obiections must be answered which are alleaged against the vsing of read prayers Obiection For they say it is to quench the spirit to limit the spirit of God that teacheth vs to pray For answere whereof we are to know that as he cannot be said to quench the spirit that readeth a chapter of holy Scripture and no more or that preacheth a sermon which he hath premeditate so also he cannot bee said to quench the spirit that pray th a portion of holie Scripture as the Lords Prayer or the salutation of Paul or a Psalme of Dauid or any other prayer agreeable to the word which hee hath premeditate before and committed to memorie for the spirit is not limited though kept within the bounds of holy Scripture as it ought to be Againe in a prayer which a man readeth though a man doe not speake euerie thing that the spirit of God putteth into his heart yet hee quencheth not the spirit for to quench the spirit is to oppose â—gainst the voyce of the spirit Neither is it to limit or stint the spirit if a man pray it with his soule though hee speake not the words For example sake I say the Lords Prayer yea when I speake these words Giue vs this day our daily bread there commeth into my soule by the motion of Gods spirit this petition Grant me grace to be content with the mediocritie thou hast giuen me If I pray this in my heart though I doe not vtter these very words yet I cannot bee said to stint the spirit for the substance of that petition is comprehended in that fourth petition of the Lords Prayer So likewise reading any prayer agreeable to holy scripture and hauing attention to the matter read though many motions come into my minde vpon consideration of the words of that prayer which I vtter not in particular speeches yet I vtter them in gâ—nerall for they are all comprehended in the matter of that otherwise they may iustly bee termed wandring thoughts though good prayers at other times Lastly publike wants are alwaies knowne and may bee expressed in the publike Liturgie also priuate wants and blessings are for the most part knowne as at meate labour rest recreation Physicke c. Secret wants and blessingâ— may be acknowledged in secret prayers if any extraordinarie occasions occurre extraordinarie prayers accordingly may bee had They alleage also against set prayers the speech of the Apostle Obiection Rom. 8. We know not what to pray but in a set prayer a man knoweth what to pray therfore set prayers are not prayers warrantable For answere wherof the speech of the Apostle in another place must be remeÌ„bred 1. Cor. 2.14.15 the naturall man cannot discerne spirituall things but the spirituall man can discerne them so may we say the naturall man cannot tell what to pray but the spirituall man can tell what to pray Flesh and blood reuealed not the knowledge of Christ vnto Peter but God the Father Matth. 16. so flesh and blood cannot reueale vnto vs what wee ought to pray but the spirit of God helpeth our infirmities which spirit was in our Sauiour Christ that taught the Lords prayer and in the rest of Gods seruants that wrote prayers wee are not able of our selues to thinke any good but God giueth vs abilitie 2. Cor. 3. so of our selues we are not able to pray but God giueth vs the spirit of prayer which teacheth vs to pray with sighs and groanes which cannot be vttered when we haue this spirit of God then wee know what to pray and can teach others also This may suffice for the answere of their maine obiections against set prayers To conclude then Christ hath not commanded vs to vse these words and no other neither hath hee forbidden vs to vse these words or any other holy forme of prayer but hee hath left it indifferent and arbitrarie to vse them or not to vse them as was said Hitherto of the precept of prayer in the two general points thereof first that we must pray secondly how wee must pray Now followeth the prayer it selfe In handling whereof we will first propound some generall considerations after descend to the particular exposition of the words thereof In the generall consideration of the Lords prayer wee may obserue three things Generallâ— of the Lords prayer 1. The abuse of the prayer 2. The true and holy vse thereof 3. The qualities and conditions of it And first to entreate of the abuse of this prayer How the Lords prayer is abused and so of any other godly prayer for this prayer is all prayers in vertue and largenes seeing that all prayers must be framed of the matter and affections herein expressed it is abused especially by foure sorts of
principall part of Gods worship and the propertie of a true child of God wheras it is the propertie of a wicked man not to pray Therefore it is not a thing indifferent or arbitrarie left in our choyse to pray or not to pray but it is a matter of meere necessitie absolutely enioyned euery Christian vpon paine of damnation and yet it is a wonder to see how this dutie is neglected by many who passe ouer daies and yeres prophanely and Atheistlike neuer calling vpon God in prayer as if either there were no God or no necessitie of worshipping this God by prayer Thus much of the necessitie of prayer or that we must pray Seeing then this dutie of prayer must bee performed for the practising thereof these two circumstances must be considered The time and the place of prayer for euery action must be done in time and place First of the time The time is threefold 1 When we must pray Time of prayer 2 How oft we must pray 3 How long we must pray First circumstance of the time is When. VVhen we must pray The Apostle saith Pray continually 1. Thes 5.17 Which must not be vnderstoode as some heretikes haue deemed called Euchitae that a man must doe nothing but pray but the meaning of it is that there must neuer a day ouerpasse vs but therein certaine times we must pray more plainely and distinctly thus 1. Pray at the enterprising and ending of all thy affaires pray vpon all occasions 2. Pray vnto thy liues end neuer cease praying till thy soule part from thy body Now although this bee generally true that a man must pray vpon all occasions yet it is not needefull that a man should vpon euery seuerall occasion fall downe vpon his knees and vtter a long prayer to the spending of time and hindering his affaires but a man must from his heart send vp prayers to heauen if it be but a wish or sigh or groane of the spirit or such a short prayer as the publicane vsed or the theefe vpon the crosse vpon all our occasions This we see warranted by the practise of Nehemia who before he made his petition to the King for the repayring of Ierusalem prayed vnto the God of heauen Nehem. 2.4 no doubt this was inwardly with a sigh of the spirit vnto the Lord who knoweth the heart as may be seene in the text Furthermore and specially we are to vnderstand that the principall occasions and times of prayer are these following 1. The time of religious exercises 2. The time of affliction 3. The time of eating and drinking and vsing physicke 4. The time of sleeping and waking 5. The time of working and labour 6. The time of recreation and sporting The truth of all these appeareth by that which the Apostle writeth 1. Tim. 4.4 5. that euery creature or appointment of God is sanctified by the word of God and prayer and thankesgiuing Gods word warranteth vs the lawfull vse thereof prayer obtaineth the blessing from God in the vse of it thanksgiuing returneth the praise to God who gaue the blessing The second circumstance of time is How oft we must pray how oft we must pray Daniel prayed three times a day Dan. 6.10 Dauid prayed seauen times a day Psal 119.164 euen so oft as we alter our affaires and enterprise new busines as hearing or reading the word working and laboring in thy speciall calling eating and drinking sleeping c. also vpon all extraordinarie occasions as iudgements and blessings all which are things of seuerall condition and the condition of our affaires being changed our prayers are to be repeated and renewed The false Church of Antichrist hath deuised certaine houres which they call Canonicall which are in number eight as Father Robert rehearseth them which must be obserued euery day and cannot be omitted without deadly sinne as he teacheth but we are to know that Christians must stand fast in that libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free Galath 5. and seeing that we are redeemed with a price we must not be the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7. much lesse of times only thus much the Lords day of conscience being Gods commandement must be kept as oft as it commeth and seeing the Church for order and conueniencie hath appointed certaine houres when all the Church publikely may come together to worship God therefore we cannot breake that holy custome and constitution without confusion and scandall and breach of charitie for priuate prayer or priuate necessities occasions and opportunities may afford a godly heart sufficient instruction alwayes remembring that there is no time vnfit to worship God in How long we must pray The third circumstance of time to be considered is how long we must pray Our Sauiour Christ giueth vs this instruction generally by way of parable that we ought not to waxe faint in prayer the Apostle willeth vs to pray with all perseuerance and to watch thereunto Luk. 18.1 Ephes 6.18 as Christ said to his disciples Watch and pray This then is the ftrst rule for the length of our prayers that we be not wearie The second rule is that we are to pray so long as the spirit of God feedeth vs with matter of prayer for otherwise we should stint the spirit of prayer Christ prayed till midnight our infirmitie will not beare that wherefore it is better to cease praying when the spirit ceaseth to minister matter than to continue still and babble yet notwithstanding here we must know First it is our dutie to striue against our corruption Secondly it is our dutie to strengthen our soule before prayer with premeditate matter that so comming to pray and hauing our hearts filled with matter we may better continue in prayer for as a man that hath filled his belly with meate is better able to holde out at his labour than being fasting euen so he that first replenisheth his soule with meditations of his owne sinnes and wants of Gods iudgements and blessings vpon himselfe and others shall be better furnished to continue longer in hartie and feruent prayer than comming sodainly to pray without strengthening himselfe aforehand thereunto To conclude this point all prayers are either long or short a long feruent prayer is best a short feruent prayer is better than long babling a short prayer containing all thy grace and matter in thy soule is acceptable to God The second circumstance to be considered needefull for practise of prayer is the place where we must pray Thâ— place whâ—re we must pray As was said before there is no time vnfit to pray so there is no place vnfit for prayer The world and euery place in the world is fit for a Christian to call vpoÌ„ the name of the Lord. Ioh. 4.20 Paul wisheth men in all places to lift vp pure hands 1. Tim. 2.8 that is to pray Christ prayed vpon the mountaine in the garden in the wildernes Peter vpon the house top
pardon of sinne and for all manner of good things for bodie and soule so that whatsoeuer good thing wee aske Hâ—b 11.30 wee may certainly resolue our selues wee shall obtâ—ine for if God the Father hath giuen vnto vs Iesus Christ Rom. 8. Pâ—al 34.10 how shall he not with him giue vs all things els that are good If he giue vs the greater hee will giue vâ— the lesser also for temporall blessings are additions and dependants of heauenly blessings Matth 6. More shall be said of this point afterward in the conclusion of the prayer whither the reader is to be referred The third thing requisite for the true and holie vse of prayer is Repentance Repentance necessarie for the holy vse of prayer Ioh. 9. Psal 66. Prouerb for God heareth not sinners that liue in sinne vnrepented of that regard wickednes in their hearts that purpose to liue in knowne sinnes al their prayers are abominable for that they turne their eares from hearing of the law as the Wiseman testifieth Wherefore he that will haue his prayer heard must in his hart bewaile his sinnes hate them renounce them studie and striue to forsake them pray against them and then the Lord will gratiously graunt his petitions Indeede sometime God graunteth wicked men that which they aske or wish to haue from God but that is in wrath and vengeance for that which hee giueth them shall turne to their woe and miserie another day And as it may be said of a godly man that God heareth him by denying that he asketh so also may it be said of a wicked man that God heareth him not by granting that he asketh the godly man is heard by denying the euill he asketh and granting the good he asketh not the wicked man is not heard by granting the euill he asked and withholding the good he asked not for though none of Gods creatures are euil in themselues yet through the abuse of the wicked and Gods curse 1. Tim. 4. they may be euill vnto the euill man Againe though God heare what the wicked man saith when hee pray and grant him that very selfe same thing hee asketh yet God cannot properly bee said to heare his prayer and grant his request for the wicked mans prayer is not a means of obtaining neither doth God graunt him any thing by meanes or through instancie of his prayer but God is truly said to heare the prayer and graunt the request of the godly seeing that he graunteth that which they aske through the instancie of their prayers they being the onely meanes of obtaining Deuotion necessarie for the true vse of prayer The fourth thing necessarie for the holy vse of prayer is Deuotion which is the due regard and religious estimation a man ought to haue of Gods Maiestie and his owne miserie in time of prayer which deuotion hath a speciall signification in this place and containeth these foure things in it principally 1. Attention in time of prayer 2. Reuerence in regard of Gods presence 3. Feeling of our sinnes and wants 4. Desire to obtaine that we aske Attention a part of deuotion Attention is opposed against wandring thoughts which vsually in the time of prayer creep into the minds of men for expelling and auoiding whereof it behoueth euerie carefull Christian to watch ouer his vnderstanding and affections that by-thoughts either rush not into the minde or if they do that then presently they be thrust out againe This attention is threefold 1. Attention to the words of prayer 2. Attention to the matter contained in the words 3. Attention to God to whom prayer is directed Attention to the words is when a man doth so watch ouer his tongue that no words vnsanctified or vnfit for the holy matter of prayer doe vnawares breake out of his mouth Attention to the matter is when a man doth so busie his vnderstanding in conceiuing and affections in pursuing the substance of his petitions as that by-matters take not place to disturbe the course of his prayers 1. Cor. 7. Attention to God is when a man doth so conceiue of God as the words of prayer affoord according to the seuerall names titles attributes properties and workes wherewithall in time of prayer wee intitle God according to his holy word as Father mercifull iust c. Reuerence is opposed against either a common or base estimation of Gods excellencie and glorious maiestie Reuerence a part of deuotion before whom wee appeare when wee come to pray When a man commeth to make a supplication to a Prince he is striken with a reuerent feare of so excellent a person as the Prince is much more ought wee so to bee affected comming before the Prince of all the Princes in the world wherefore the Psalmist counselleth vs to feare when wee serue God and to tremble when we giue thankes Psal 2.11 This reuerence will be increased if we consider who God is before whom we come and what we are that come before God God is in heauen and we are vpon the earth Eccles 4.1 Gen. 18 27. Psal 95. Iob 42. Dan. 9. wee are dust and ashes as Abraham spâ—ke to God and God is the Creator and maker of vs all we are vile and to be abhorred to whom appertaineth shame and confusion of face but God is excellent admirable and glorious If these things possesse our affections throughly a holy reuerence also wil enter vpon our soules Gen. 28.17 And as it befell Iacob when he slept at Bethel which is by interpretation Gods house that hee was afraid saying it was a fearefull place and no other but the house of God and the gate of heauen euen so ought we to bee affected by faith seeing God spiritually present which is a spirit and inuisible searching the hearts and knowing the thoughts of all the sonnes of men Feeling of sin is opposed against hardnes of heart Feeling of sin a part of deuotion both that generall obduration which is contrarie to repentance and a more speciall which the children of God sometime are cumbred with for want of a continuall renouation of repentance and growing by occasion of lapse into some sinnes whence issue hardnes of heart and a carelesse securitie and affections benummed for the time This feeling of sinne is called by our Sauiour Christ a heauie load Matth. 11.28 and wearisome burthen For as a man that hath a burthen or load vpon his backe doth sensiblie feele it and is thereby greatly wearied oppressed and compelled to bow and stoope through the waight thereof his strength being not sufficient to match and ouercome the weight of his load euen so the man that once feeleth the heauie burthen of sinne which is the wrath of God euery way intolerable and insupportable of man is thereby so surcharged and oppressed Psal 40.12 as that hee cannot looke vp and then his heart beginneth to faile as a man in a swoune and therefore the Prophet
some vnholesome thing as tar c. desiring it eagerly for a fit and afterward abhorring it but the godly man he prayeth and prizeth grace inualuable for obtaining whereof he will sell all that he hath and separate himselfe to seeke it Matth. 14.44 Pro. 18.1 and occupie himselfe in all wisedome A wicked man wisheth but hath no assurance to obtaine for his wishes are driuen away with deâ—ire as the dust by the winde but the godly man prayeth and saith in some measure with the man in the Gospell I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Thus wee see how a wish differeth from a prayer and that there is a great distance betweene wishing a prayer and praying a prayer and that they onely can pray that are qualified as is aforesaid And thus we see who are to pray For whom we must pray The second sorte of persons to bee considered in our prayers are for whom we are bound to pray the summe of the doctrine that concerneth this second sort of persones shall be comprehended in certaine propositions following whereof some are affirmatiue some negatiue the propositions affirmatiue are these sixe ensuing First we are to pray for all the seruants of God for all them that in present beleeue in Iesus Christ and repent of their sinne Secondly we are to pray for all the elect that as yet do not actually beleeue nor repent and these two propositions are confirmed vnto vs by the example of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 17. who hath gone before vs in the practise of them both though he prayed in another kinde namely as the onely Mediator of redemption and intercession betwixt God and vs his prayer being satisfactory and meritorius ours onely dutifull and charitable Thirdly we are to pray for all the members of the visible Church whom in the iudgement of charitie we are to account Saints by calling Rom. 1.7 so the Apostle writing to the Romanes in his salutation prayeth for them Fourthly we are to pray for all men that is for all sorts or states and conditions of men 1. Iam. 2.1 according to the Apostles counsell Iewes and Gentiles bond and free rich poore Magistrate and subiect man and woman and if there be any other distinction of states and conditions of life Fiftly we are to pray for any one particular person that shall be noted out vnto vs as standing in need of our prayers as an excommunicate person the Turke the Pope heretikes and schismatikes and vitious pers ns of all sorts so wee reade that Christ prayed for his persecutors so did Steuen the first Martyr For although wee must not pray with them as being persons out of the communion of Saints yet nature bindeth vs to pray for them they being of our owne flesh and we know not how God hath disposed of them for their finall and futuer estate and it may be that our prayers shall be meanes of obtaining at Gods hands remission of their sinnes and their conuersion and saluation as it is probable Steuens prayer did further Pauls conuersion Sixtly and lastly we must pray for our very enemies that wish euill vnto vs and deuise mischiefe against vs Matth. 5.44 Rom. 12.20.21 according to the precept of Christ and the practise of all the Saints that so we may do good for euill and heape coales of fire vpon their heads Thus we see â—ffiâ—matâ—uely for whom we are to pray Now negatiuely we must also consider who they are for whom we must not pray For whom we must not pray and they are comprised in fiue propositions following First we are not to pray for all mankinde that is to say for all the men that haue liued do liue and shall liue in the world For al hough wee may pray for any particular person that is nominateâ— and pointed out vnto vs yet to pray for all that proceed of the roote of Adam is against Gods will Fâ—â— Christ did not pr y for the world Ioh. 17. neiâ—her is it Goâ—s will that all that issue from Adam should be conueâ—ted and saued yet beâ—â—use we know not which man is reprobate therefore by the generall rule of charitie wee may pray for any particular man excepting some which afterward shall be excepted Secondly wee are not to pray foâ— the dead for wee will take it graunted for this present that there is no purgatorie there being here no fit opportunitie to dispute the question for all the dead are either in heauen and so thy prayers cannot mend them or in hell and thence thy prayers cannot fetch them wherefore seeing prayer auaileth not there is no reason it should be vsed for the dead I will not discusse the quidditie that some of late haue deuised that wee may pray for the dead thus farre foorth that their bodies at the last may bee ioyned to their soules to their full and perfect blisse Thirdly we are not to pray for the diuels Fourthly wee are not to pray for them that sinne the sin against the holy Ghost Fiftly we are not to pray for them that are reprobates if we could know them the reason of all these things is most apparant for that therein wee resist Gods râ—uealed will hence we reade that God rebuketh Samuel for praying for Saul 1. Sam. 16.1 howsoeuer some may thinke that Samuels prayer was onely for enioying the kingdome and not for the pardon of Sauls sinne which hath little probabilitie hence it is that we pray against the diuell by the example of the Apostle Rom. 16.20 that God would tread Satan downe vnder our feet hence it is also that Dauid in the Psalmes by the spirit of prophecie oft times prayeth against his enemies whom he knew were reprobates or irrecouerable from their sinnes and if the Church hath the spirit of discerning one that sinneth the sinne against the holy Ghost and hath adiudged that person so to haue sinned we are not onely not to pray for him but to pray against him for his vtter ouerthrow and present damnation yea though it were Iulian himselfe the Emperour Thus negatiuely also we vnderstand for whom wee are not to pray Against whom we may pray onely there remaineth this point neere vnto the former against whoÌ„ we may pray which being shortly handled this second sort of persons also is limited Generally therefore we may pray against al the enemies of our saluation absolutely against the diuell the world the flesh and all reprobates whether sinning the sinne against the holie Ghost or otherwise if they may bee knowne Also we may pray against wicked men these cautions obserued First that our prayer be in concreto non in abstracto as the Logicians speake that is to say we must direct our prayer not against the creature of God but against the creature corrupted with sinne and rebelling against God Secondly in our prayers wee are not to intend the destruction of the creature which God hath made but the execution of iustice in
others our friends and our enemies 1 For our selues yea though we know we are the children of God and haue already obtained pardon at Gods hands for our sinnes for Christ teacheth his disciples to make this prayer who no doubt had their sinnes pardoned before but it may be obiected that it is needles to aske that which a man hath alreadie and will it not be accounted mockerie to deale thus with God This knot is dissolued two waies first some answere that Christ teacheth vs to aske forgiuenes not as it commeth from God which is graunted already to Gods children but as it commeth to vs and as we apprehend and applie the merit of Christ for forgiuenes as if this should be the meaning Lord giue me grace more effectually to apply to my soule by faith the righteousnesse of Christ for the pardon of my sinne others and that more fully answer secondly thus that it is in the worke of iustification or remission of sinne as in the worke of creation for as when God had created Adam he was continually present with him by his prouidence to support his being Act. 17.28 and to stay and preserue his substance and nature which prouidence is nothing else but as it were a continuall creation euen so when God hath iustified a sinner and forgiuen him his sinnes he continually is assistant to the partie iustified vpholding his iustification this cannot be termed properlie a second iustification but a continuall supporting of iustification no more than preseruation can be termed a second creation Now further this continuall supporting of iustification is performed by the application of the salue to the sore Esay 53.5 of Christs righteousnes to the wounded soule of the sinner which application is the worke of Gods holy spirit principally and not of faith onely instrumentally For further declaration of this poynt we are to know that when God iustifieth a sinner he giueth him whole Christ and all his merits for euer so that the partie iustified cannot possiblie leese Christ yet the Lord doth onely applie Christ and his merits as it were the salue to those sinnes and sores that are alreadie in his soule burst out for the which he seeketh the salue and for which he asketh pardon and is humbled afterward as new sinnes and sores grow and hee espieth them feeleth them and asketh the salue for them the Lord applieth Christ the salue vnto them Wherefore directly and fully to answere the obiection Gods children aske at Gods hands that which they haue not for although in the counsell of God in the redemption of Christ in the donation of Christ to the partie iustified by the Father at the very first moment of iustification it may truly bee said that all his sinnes are forgiuen past present and to come yet in regard of the particular application of Christs stripes to the sores of sinne in the soule it cannot be said that the godly mans sinnes are pardoned or forgiuen or cured or couered till they be committed till they be espied till the pardon thereof be asked Gods children therefore doe not aske a primarie iustification but a secondarie application they doe not desire to be made righteous of persons wholly vnrighteous but to bee made righteous from some particular vnrighteousnesse As a man that is desireth God still to preserue his being by daily bread so a man that is iustified desireth God still to support his iustification by a continuall application of the salue to the sore Wherefore to conclude Gods actions in iustification are two first the donation and gift of Christ secondly the application of Christ giuen As a Chirurgion giueth a boxe of salue to a wounded person and after applieth plaisters of the salue to the wounds as they breake out in the bodie And sometime the Lord doth deferre and suspend the application of the plaister of Christs blood to the sores of sin in the soule that he may prouoke vs the more earnestly to consider of the hainousnes of sinne more seriously to bewaile sinne more carefully to auoide future sinnes seeing the smart of former sinnes is so sharpe more feruently and with greater perseuerance to pray vnto God for pardon thereof and with greater ioy and thankfulnes to receiue the pardon of sinne from our gratious God The vse of this doctrine then in briefe is thus much to teach vs daily to obserue our sinnes and particular lapses and accordingly to descend to a particular confession and penitencie for them Psal 51. and particularly to desire forgiuenes with the application of Christs righteousnes according as we doe euery day desire bread for our nourishment Pardon for others 2 Thus we pray forgiuenes for our selues we pray also pardon and forgiuenes for others yea euen for our enemies according to the example of Christ Stephen c. but this point hath alreadie been handled in the preface of the Prayer to which place the reader is to bee referred onely thus much wee are here to learne pitie and compassion to them that pitie not themselues that seeing it is vnknowne vnto vs how the Lord will deale with men that liue in impenitencie and grosse sinnes wee are therefore to hope the best in charitie and seeing they are of our owne flesh to haue commiseration of them it may bee that the Lord will at the instance of a godly mans prayer Iam. 5.16 which auaileth much haue mercie vpon them as it is supposed hee had mercie vpon Saul at Stephens prayer and the Centurion at Christs The fourth point followeth which is For whose sins vve aske pardon ours whose debts and sinnes they are whereof wee aske pardon They are called ours in a double respect first for that they are ours properly wee hauing committed them against the Maiestie of God and for that we cannot lay our sinnes vpon God the diuell or other men for God hee doth not compell vs to commit sinne neither doth hee inspire wickednes into vs Iam. 1.13 seeing he tempteth no man to sinne and howsoeuer the diuell or wicked men may tempt vs yet wee willingly and freely yeeld to the temptation and take a delight and pleasure in the committing of sinne and though a wicked man be a seruant and slaue to sinne and Satan yet hee is so willingly and he selleth himselfe for a slaue as it is said of Ahab 2 Sinne is called ours emphatically Ezech. 18. Gal. 6.4.5 to signifie thus much that seeing the soule that sinneth shall die and that euery one shall beare his owne burthen therefore we especially seeke for the pardon of our owne sinnes howsoeuer wee are not to neglect our dutifull and charitable prayers for other men The last point is For whose sake we aske pardon Christs through whose merits we aske forgiuenes which is implied in the word pardon or forgiuenes for which purpose we must know that God is a iust God and therefore he will be satisfied wherein his iustice is violated
and triumpheth ouer him and this power and grace is communicated vnto vs from Christ our head who was therfore tempted and ouercame the temptor Mat. 4. Heb. 2.18 Iam. 4.7 Apoc. 3.21 that when we are tempted we might resist and preuaile being succoured by him Hence it is that the Apostle willeth to resist the diuell and he will flie from vs and Christ promiseth vs a place in his throne if we ouercome all which doe import thus much that as it is a thing possible to resist the diuell to put him to flight to ouercome him so the children of God haue this facultie communicated vnto them from Christ that broke the serpents head 1. Cor. 10.13 Now followe two other doctrines collected by contrarie viz. that if perseuerance follow grace then no grace no perseuerance A wicked man cannot resist temptation though he may refraine from sinne Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7. First therefore hee that wanteth grace cannot resist a temptation for although peraduenture a wicked man may be solicited to commit some sinne whereto he hath an indisposition yet he cannot properlie be said to resist the temptation but only to refraine the sinne for in resisting a temptation there is the spirituall combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit each of them lusting against other which is not in a man destitute of grace who is all flesh and no spirit and so the will of a wicked man and his affections may resist the motion of his vnderstanding or his conscience may terrifie his will and affection but there is not an opposition of grace and sinne in one and the same facultie or affection Luk. 11.12 for the strong man hath the possession of the castle and he ruleth there as it pleaseth him without contradiction The wicked fall into euill Secondly the wicked man wanting grace and perseuerance must of necessitie fall into euill according to the prouerbe of the wise man Prou. 24.16 A iust man falleth seuen times and riseth againe but the wicked fall into mischiefe but this doctrine shall more euidently appeare afterward in the whole discourse of the meaning of this petition which is the second generall now following 2 The meaning of this last petition We are to vnderstand that there are two great enemies of grace which continually lay siege against vs. 1 The first is Temptation 2. The second is Euill Against both these our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs to pray in this petition The first enemie of grace and impediment of preseruation is Temptation in these words Leade vs not into Temptation Here we are to consider two things 1 What Temptation signifieth 2 What it is to leade into Temptation First What it is to tempt and what is temptation Affliction is temptation Iam. 1.2 temptation in the Scripture hath diuers significations sometime it signifieth affliction so the Apostle Iames saith that wee should account it all ioy to fall into manifold temptations meaning afflictions this is not the signification of the word in this place for that is included in the next clause Secondly To tempt God Psal 95.9 temptation signifieth that triall which man taketh of God so the word signifieth in the Psalme whereas the Prophet vbraideth the Israelites for tempting God in the wildernes Thus the diuell perswaded Christ to cast himselfe vpon the immediate prouidence of God Mat. 4.7 in casting himselfe down from the temple which was to tempt God and this is not the meaning of the word in this place Thirdly To tempt or intrap a man Matth. 22.18 temptation signifieth that triall which man taketh of man to intrap him and bring him into daunger of law so the Pharisies and Herodians tempted Christ and thus was Christ tempted diuers times in the Gospell and this is not the meaning of the word in this place neither Fourthly To trie what is in man temptation signifieth that triall which God taketh of man to manifest to himselfe and others what is in him So God tried Adam in the estate of innocencie Genes 3. Genes 22.1 so God tried Abraham in commanding him to sacrifice his sonne and thus God daily trieth his children for diuers ends Neither is this the meaning of the place Lastly To solicite man to sinne temptation signifieth that triall which the diuell taketh of man to cause him to commit sinne by his entisements who in this respect is called the tempter Mat. 4. How man is prouoked to sinne by Satan and thus the diuell tempteth man 1. by prosperitie 2. by aduersitie 3. by example 4. by suggestion though for the most part suggestion is the generall affection of all the other three for that in time of prosperitie and aduersitie and by euill examples the diuell infuseth his temptations into our mindes though sometime he inspireth his temptations suddenly by occasion of no obiect at all as we may sometime haue experience by some fearfull blasphemies which suddenly without any dependance of former cogitations or obiects rush into our mindes and according to this latter signification temptation is taken in this place VVhat it is to lead into tentation Further we are to consider what it is to leade into temptation for which point we must know it containeth these foure particulars Desertion or the forsaking of the creature 1 The leauing of the creature or forsaking the creature not as though God ceased to support and sustaine the nature or naturall powers of the creature but for that he ceaseth to supplie a second grace to the first he withdraweth his second grace this the Prophet Dauid feared and therfore prayeth God not to forsake him ouerlong or ouermuch Psal 119.8 Psal 51.11 and to this sense the Prophet intreateth the Lord to confirme him with a strong spirit after his lapse into sinne for preuenting of future lapses This first part is called Desertion Deliuering the creature to his owne lusts 2 Deliuering ouer the creature to his owne lusts when God hath withdrawne his second grace the first grace is not of abilitie to encounter the lusts of the flesh but the lusts of the flesh doe fight against the spirit and ouermaster it for the present This phrase of deliuering vp the Apostle applieth to the Romanes in regard of the repressing or refraining grace Rom. 1.24.26.28 saying God gaue them ouer to vile affections to a reprobate minde c. And after this The efficacie of Satan 1. Chro. 21.1 3 The creature is in the power and hands of the diuell in a certaine measure so as he may tempt him and preuaile ouer him to the committing of most fearefull sinnes as he did preuaile with Dauid and Peter and others Excecation induration blindnes of mind hardnes of heart 2. Sam. 10.5 12.16 4 Vpon this followeth a kinde of excecation and induration when the seruant of God maketh little conscience of sinne and doth not sensiblie feele and perceiue Gods displeasure against sinne This