good is not in us for as the Wiseman saith A man may well purpose a thing in his heart but the answer of the tongue commeth from the Lord Prov. 16.1 Whereof we have often experience They that have the office of teaching in the Church albeit they do before-hand prepare what to say yet when it comes to the point are not able to deliver their mind in such sort as they had purposed as on the other side when God doth assist them with his spirit they are inabled on a sudden to deliver that which they had not intended to speake Fifthly as the ability of effecting was attributed to God so is the will Phil. 2.14 Sixthly for understanding the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. For the wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God Rom. 8.7 Seventhly the power of thinking the thing that is pleasing to God is not in us so farre are we from understanding or desiring it as the Apostle in this place testifieth And therefore where the Prophet speaketh generally of all men Psal 94. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine the Apostle affirmeth that to be true of the wise men of the world that are endued onely with the wisedome of the world and the flesh that their thoughts are vaine also 1 Cor. 3.19 20. Secondly that we should not thinke that the want of abilitie standeth onely in matters of difficulty and weight the Apostle saith not we are unable to thinke any weighty thing but even that without the speciall grace of Gods spirit we cannot thinke any thing So Augustine understandeth Christs words Joh. 15. where he saith not Nihil magnum difficile but sine me nihil potestis facere This is true in naturall things for we are not able to prolong our owne life one moment the actions of our life are not of our selves but from God in whom we live move and have our beeing Act. 17. Therefore upon those words of Christs Ego à meipso non possum facere quicquam nisi quod video Patrem I of my selfe can do nothing but what I see my Father doe c. Joh. 5.9 Augustine saith Ei tribuit quicquid fecit à quo est ipse qui facit But the insufficiencie of which the Apostle speaketh is not in things naturall but in the ministration of the Spirit So he saith that God of his speciall grace hath made them able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit his meaning is that no endeavour of men can endue us with the grace of repentance with faith hope and Christian charity except the inward working of Gods spirit As the Apostle speakes of the gift of tongues of the understanding of secrets and of all knowledge without charity Nihil miht prodest 1 Cor. 14. So all our endeavours are unprofitable to us unlesse God by his spirit do co-operate with us for He that â—abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.5 that is the fruit of righteousnesse the end whereof is eternall life Rom. 6.22 Thirdly the persons whom he chargeth with this want of ability are not the common sort of naturall men that are not yet regenerate by Gods spirit 1 Cor. 2. but he speakes of himselfe and his fellow-Apostles So these words are an answer to that question 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto these things who is sufficient he answereth himselfe Not we for we are not able of our selves to think a good thought much lesse are we fit of our selves to be meanes by whom God should manifest the favour of his knowledge in every place So that which Christ spake Joh. 15. he spake it to his Disciples who albeit they were more excellent persons then the rest of the people yet he telleth them Sine me nihil potestis facere The negative being generall we may make a very good use of it If the Apostles of Christ were unable how much more are we If Jacob say I am unworthy of the least of thy blessings Gen. 32. If John Baptist say I am not worthy Mat. 3. If S. Paul confesse I am not worthy to be called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15. much more may we say with the Prodigall sonne that had spent all I am not worthy to be called thy sonne Luk. 15. and with the Centurion I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roofe Mat. 8. The reason of this want of ability is for that the nature of men cannot performe that which the Apostle speakes of neither as it is in an estate decayed through the fall of Adam and that generall corruption that he hath brought into the whole race of mankind nor as it is restored to the highest degree of perfection that the first man had at the beginning Adam himselfe when he was yet perfect could not attaine to this for he was but a living soule the second Adam was a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. And it is not in the power of nature to elevate and lift it selfe up to conceive hope of being partakers of the blessednesse of the life to come to hope to be made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. and of the heavenly substance if men hope for any such thing it is the spirit of God that raiseth them up to it As the water can rise no higher then nature will give it leave and as the fire giveth heat onely within a certaine compasse so the Perfection which Adam had was in certaine compasse the light of nature that he had did not reach so high as to stirre him up to the hope of the blessednesse to come that was without the compasse of nature and comes by the supernaturall working of grace As we are corrupt it never commeth into our minds to hope for the felicity of the life to come for all the thoughts of mans heart are onely evill and that all the day long Gen. 6. That is true which the Apostle witnesseth of the Gentiles Rom. 2.13 That they by nature do the things of the Law if we understand it of morall duties for the very light of nature doth guide us to the doing of them But as the Prophet saith Ps 16.2 My goodnesse doth not extend to thee So whatsoever good thing we doe by the direction of naturall reason it is without all respect of God except he enlighten us before Therefore in our regeneration not onely the corruption of our will is healed but a certaine divine sparke of fire and zeale of Gods Spirit is infused into us by which we are holpen to do those duties of piety which otherwise naturally we have no power to do Now followes the qualification of this generall negative sentence For where the Apostle hath said We are not able to thinke any thing of our selves the Scripture recordeth divers good purposes that came into the hearts of Gods servants The Lord
ever had never wanted that he ascribes to himselfe of common things we have the like thoughts Later it could not conveniently have beene given for then it could not have beene over the World before the comming of Christ and then men might have pleaded ignorance being no time for the divulging of it To shew that in this written law of Moses be those foure parts that are in all lawes 1. Psal 19.7 The Law of God is a perfect rule for all duties and actions vers 11. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome unto the simple 2. The manners 1. that we may be whole observers of it 1. Toti All the whole of all men we must doe it with all our whole soule and body For we consist but of two parts of a soule and body The soule hath but two partes mind and heart God must be scopus perfectus metae the perfect scope we aime at There must be plena intentio Dei a full intention of God The heart the will must be tota inflammata wholly inflamed For the body with all the strength every member must be an instrument of righteousnesse Deut. 6.5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God 2. Totum The whole Law with all thy heart soule and might 2. For all the law it is the wish of God Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my Commandements alwaies that it might goe well with them and with their children for ever And the contrary were very absurd for whereas God is perfectly wise if some of his precepts were needlesse then might God be arraigned of folly in not leaving out that which is superfluous as also Gods wisedome is impeached if any thing beside the law were to be kept then that added to the law would make the whole which we should doe and the law it selfe should be but part of our Agenda things to be done and so imperfect and the Lord should be an unwise Law-giver but this is impossible Therefore doth the Lord justly say Whatsoever I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought there-from 3. Toti tempore at all times Deut. 12.32 3. For continuance totâ vitâ alwaies all the daies of our life Deut. 12.32 And though the place includeth not the time yet the time includeth the place alwaies without dispensation If this law be perfect 3. Pramium The reward 〈◊〉 it carrieth with it a reward 1. Tim. 4.8 There are two rewards of this life and that to come Deut. 28. à vers 3. to 9. in the soule from the 9. to the 11. Levit. 26. à vers 3 For the life to come Levit. 26.3 expounded Dan. 12. some to everlasting life c. Christ Iohn 5.29 saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall come forth that have done good to the resurrection of life but they that have done evill unto the resurrection of condemnation Acts 26.6 7. Paul answered before Agrippa that he rested in the expectation of the just and the opinion of the Sadduces was very odious among the Jewes 4. Pâ—na The punishment Againe on the contrary if they be not kept or not after this manner 1. Toti not wholly but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a double heart Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and that keepeth backe his sword from blood And so for the whole law Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them and all the people shall say Amen For the other that continueth not in every part of the law he is cursed This curse of the Lord was pronounced by the Priest and all the people said Amen These curses are Gods curses and when he saith benè well it will be well indeed And there is a full blessing to them that can keepe it so the fulnesse of his wrath is to the breakers of it A curse without blessing and a blessing without curse In this life Deut. 28.15 But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord to keepe and to doe all his Commandâ—ments and Ordinances which I command thee this day then all those curses shall light on thee and overtake thee Levit. 26.14 But if ye will not obey me nor doe all these Commandements c. In the life to come Psal 21.9 Their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not on them Esay 66.24 For their worme shall not die nor their fire be quenched and they shall be an abomination to all flesh So that this law of Moses in summe agreeth with that of nature And as the Proconsull said in the Acts so say we This law is open the good universall and without end whereof the one taketh away feare the other filleth the desire The law is open any man that will may lay claime to it But Paul Gods Atturney from Rom. 1.18 to Rom. 7.13 laieth his accusation 1. To the Gentiles 2. To the Jewes proveth both to have forfeited after he excludeth the regenerate and withall himselfe for though the spirit were willing yet the law of his members was disobedient children guilty by reason of originall sinne as cockatrise egs All men guilty of prevarication and doing against their owne knowledge But Pauls owne argument is sufficient because the stipend of sinne hath taken hold on all and the stipend of sinne is death God being just therefore sinne also must needs take hold on all David confessed this Delict a quis intelligit Who can understand his faults Salomon confessed he could lay no clame to it What then If all offend it should seeme God commanded an impossible thing to be kept It is sure that God is just Therefore we must thinke that there is no injustice in the dealings of God though the matter be never so untoward yet the rule must be streight not as a Lesbian leaden rule 2. It cannot be otherwise for God being perfectly just his rule also must be perfectly just Why then were we not made to it Adam received strength to fulfill it in that perfection that was required but he was like the evill servant who receiving money of his master to accomplish his businesse spendeth it and so maketh his excuse that he hath no money to lay out or being sent about his masters businesse in the way is drunken and so is not able to discharge that businesse that is justly required at his hands And thus of the law generally A preparation to the exposition of the Law PSalm 119.144 The Law of the Lord is from everlasting Genes 1.26 Let us make man according to our Image and likenesse Colos 3.10 The likenesse of God is said to be in all knowledge And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him A preparation
eris amicus Caesaris if thou dost it not thou art not Caesars friend So he will accept persons This must not move him And then as the Eunuch will have him make a lye for the Prince I pray you lye for the King As he must not accept a face so neither a gift nor bribe in the bosome It was Acts 24.37 Faelix his fault he called Paul the oftner because he hoped to receive some reward but when none came verse 28. willing to pleasure the Jewes he left him bound still There was acceptio personarum accepting of persons And the man that will take Bribes Prov. 29.4 there is no trusting of the Common-wealth in his hands he will destroy it He must judicare justiciam justiciae id est justiciam justissime that is if there be one juster point in it then other he must judge by that And Psal 94.20 he must make inquiry for solum aerumnarum if any grievance or injustice be obtruded upon the people it must be withstood and complained off as in an house Luke 16.1 the Steward is complained off for wasting his Masters goods and put out of his Stewardshippe So there must bee complaints carryed And this is the griefe Let there be a complaint carryed that is never so just and then our state shall bee as Pauls Acts 25.19 you shall see what cold comfort he had there to the end of the Booke though he were an innocent yet was hee never delivered Now for the obedience due this way that rule is good latitude jurisjurandi sumenda est ex latitudine faederis it must be acccording to the degrees of the Law that we are governed by If the Queene command not to eate flesh on the Monday there being but three dayes in the week for it Wednesday Friday and Saturday She commandeth out of the latitude of the Statutes We sayd in the beginning that it was a generall rule That any duty which belongeth to any propter rationem peculiarem is referred hither and plainer when we distinguish the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the excellencie of the person from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and principality some are in office and have them some are without them yet because honour is nothing else but testimonium excellentiae of that excellencie they have therefore they are to be honoured though they want the other two Dignitas signifieth both the Dignity it selfe and the worthinesse of it If he have the excellency of the gift he is in the later signification though he be not in the present estate and want the other And according to these two parts dignitas debitum The Canons make two degrees of debitum first legis of the Law to be given to Fathers Masters c. Secondly debitum honestatis the other of Honesty in which there is no compulsion yet if we will be such as we ought to be we ought to doe it This being well understood we come to them that have excellencie separated from dignity which because of their excellencie are to be honoured In this kinde there is a threefold excellencie of the three kinds of good viz. of the 1. Minde which they call excellentiam doni 2. Body as Age. 3. Outward estate as Nobility wealth c. And fourthly the applying of any of these to our selves it is called well doing or to bee a Benefactor as we receive the gift of the mind from one that hath it or a benefit from wealthy men or Rulers of experience from the aged or we bestow a benefit 1. For the gifts of the mind Juball Gen. 4.20 and the rest to whom God had given gifts of inventing crafts were therefore called Fathers In no other respect Gen. 45.8 is Joseph called Pharaohs Father but onely because there was a greater portion of wisedome in him otherwise he was Father to the people Then this which the Schoolemen call Gratiae gratis datae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free gifts of God not gratia gratum faciens these are they which wheresoever they fall into any man are to be honoured and he for them because they be the effects and gifts of Gods spirit 1 Cor. 12. And they are given to men verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the profit of the whole body And though that this be not the Feare of God that is gratia gratum faciens and so consequently the more sufficient man though not so holy nor the more religious yet a company may use the benefit of it These comming from God must have honour and the vessell wherein he putteth them for the gifts sake must have some honour Concerning the reverence we owe to him The first part is the acknowledgement of the excellencie that is in him we freely confesse it to be in him and in that degree and measure that it is in him And we must commend ir and praise God for bestowing it on him even as if he had bestowed it on us and desire and pray that he would encrease it and make it as fruitfull in him as any gift in us or that is be bestowed on his Church The Prophet Ezek. 28.3 though Daniel lived at the same time with him yet he giveth him an honourable title ot testimonie saying Art thou wiser then Daniel If he had thought as others doe that he that auget alienam famam detrahit suae he that adds to another mans fame detracts from his owne he would not so much have impaired his owne credit by commending another 2 Pet. 3.15 he confesseth there is a greater measure of wisedome in Paul and in his Epistles and yet in those Epistles Paul telleth them that he had reproved him to his face And we see in Paul Gal. 2.9 For there speaking of James John and Peter he calleth them Pillars of the Church and of the Apostles It is that that Saint John Baptist said of Christ Mat. 3.11 That he was not worthy c. And Joh. 3.31 Hunc oportet crescere c. he must increase c. The similitude is as the light of the morning starre when the Sunne is up This is not onely betweene our selves but even to evill men Judges 8.2 Gedeon plainely confesseth his insufficiencie to the Ephraimites that a Gleaning of Ephraim is better then a whole Vintage of Abiezer And not onely in outward matters but in inward also 2 Sam. 16.23 Davids testimony of Achitophels wisdome Davids enemy that his counsell was as the Oracle of God Then this is the first 2. And the contrary to this we doe commonly being moved by Sauls evill spirit 1 Sam. 18.8 we cannot abide that any mans thousands should be more then our owne And because Saul had but his thousands and David his ten thousands Saul had but a squint eye at David from that day forward So we must not deny the gift of God that is in him to be in him And secondly we must not extenuate that which is in him indeed as to say but
knew not what Luke 9.32 we cannot receive the truth But if as Moses speakes we seeke the Lord with all our heart Deut. 4.29 If we doe with Paul orare spiritu orare mente 1 Cor. 14. then we may conceive hope to be heard for the commandement to aske is given Cordi non pulmoni to the heart not to the lungs Id quod cor non facit non fit that which the heart doth not is not done Secondly touching the manner as with fervencie so we must pray with reverence not having our heads covered as we see many doe which behaviour how rude and unbeseeming it is we may easily discerne as the Prophet speakes Offer this kinde of behaviour to thy Lord or Master and see whether he will accept it Mal. 1. If thou having a suite to an earthly Prince darest not speake but upon thy knees with all submission how much more ought we to reverence the Lord God in comparison of whom all the Princes in the earth are but Crickets and Grashoppers Esa 40. Therefore the manner of our prayer to God must be in all reverence Solomon prayed upon his knees 2 Chron. 6. Daniel fell downe upon his knees Dan. 6. So did Saint Peter Acts 9. So Paul Ephes 3.14 And not onely men upon earth but the glorious spirits in Heaven cast themselves and their crownes downe before him that sits upon the Throne Apoc. 4. Yea Jesus Christ the Sonne of God fell downe upon his knees and prayed to his Father Luke 22. exauditus propter reverentiam Heb. 5. So did Paul serve God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 20.19 Secondly If we would obtaine any thing at Gods hand we must not onely aske it but seeke for it He that having prayed sits still without adding his endeavour shall not receive the thing he prayes for for he must not onely orare but lahorare pro quibus enim orandum pro eis laborandum est to this end the Apostle would have us to pull up our faint hands and weake knees Heb. 12. And when we have asked grace we must be carefull that we our selves be not wanting unto grace as well as we were carefull that grace should not be wanting unto us This diligence is noted in the word petite which as it is used in the first place so also it signifieth to goe to or to hit and knocke so that it containeth all the three vertues that are required unto prayer but for our instruction our Saviour hath expressed them in three severall termes Thirdly having found the way we may not rest there there is a dore whereby we must enter and that shall not stand open for us against we come we must knocke at it It pleaseth God to entreate us 2 Cor. 5. to seeke and finde us when we are lost Luke 15. He stands and knockes at our dore Apoc. 3. Therefore as Moses speakes in Deut. We are to consider what he doth require at our hands The service that we owe him is likewise to entreate him to seeke for grace at him to knocke continually till he open the gate of his mercie If God heare us not so soone as we aske we may not cease to knocke as Saul did who because that God answered him not neither by dreames nor by Urim nor Prophet asked counsell of a Witch 1 Sam. 28. Importunity as our Saviour speakes Luke 11. is a meanes whereby often times men obtaine their suites The unjust Judge will be content to heare the Widowes cause at length even because he would bee rid of cumber if she be earnest with him she shall at last obtaine her suite by importunity So howsoever God be not inclined to doe us good and have his eares open to our prayers yet he is much delighted with our importunate suites If the unjust Judge that neither feared God nor reverenced man may be overcome with importunate suite much more will God revenge them which give not over their suites but cry to him night and day Luke 18. Let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not These conditions being performed that we seek in the desire of our heart and in humility secondly that we be not wanting to grace but worke with it thirdly if we doe it with continuance not giving over then we shall finde it true which Christ saith Omnis qui petit accipit The summe is as when God said Seek ye my face David answered Thy face O Lord I will seeke Psal 27. So when Christ saith to us aske our answer must be we will at least dispose our selves thereunto especially seeing he doth not onely praeire exemplo but dicere ut petas seeing he doth not onely by his commandement permitiere but praecipere ut petas Lastly seeing by his promise he doth not onely allure them ut petani but doth minari si non petas threaten if thou aske not for if we aske of any but from him he is angry as he was with the King of Israel that required of Baal-zebub when he should recover 2 Reg. 1. Is there not a God in Israel And Christ was offended with his Disciples for the neglect of this duty Hitherio ye have asked nothing Iohn 16. And when we come to aske of God we must not cease our suite if he grant us not our suite at the first but say with Iacob Non dimittam te Gen. 32. We must be instant as the Canaanite was Mat. 15. We must be earnest as he that came at midnight to borrow bread Luke 11. and importunate as the Widow with the Iudge Luke 18. and then we may assure our selves of a comfortable effect of prayers THE FOVRTH SERMON ROM 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for us with sighs which cannot be uttered OUt of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3. we may see first that of our selves we are not sufficient at all to do good and that all good comes from the Father of lights Jam. 1.17 and that in that regard we must aske and receive at his hands from whom it comes Matth. 7.7 Now the Apostle meeteth with another difficulty which is how we may pray for as we cannot performe any good thing of our selves unlesse God minister power so we know not how to aske this grace at his hands Therefore to answer that question of the Disciples which desired that Christ should teach them how to pray Luk. 11. the Apostle saith that because we know not what to pray for as we ought therefore the Spirit doth helpe our infirmities The Apostle begins at our infirmities which he laies downe in such sort as wee may plainly see that our defects and wants are many for as there are infirmities of the body which the Scripture calls the infirmities of Egypt Deut. 7.15 Whereunto the Saints of God are subject as well as other as the Apostle speakes
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
will and as Christ saith willingly deny our selves Matth. 16.24 We must oppose Gods will to the will of the flesh and the will of man Iohn 1.13 We must pray unto God Converte meum nolle in tuum velle convert my froward and unwilling will into thy will and because thy will is the true will Insereolem voluntatis tuae oleastro voluntatis meae ingraft the true Olive of thy will into the wilde Olive of my will If our will be contrary unto Gods will and will not be subject unto it then we must scatter it and pull it up by the rootes Psal 32.9 In chamo fraeno constringe maxillas meas sayes an ancient Father and upon the words of Christ Compell them to enter that my house may bee full Luke 24. saith he Compelle me Domine intrare si vocare non est sais Secondly that Gods will may be done in us we must be possessed with a base conceit of our will and have an high and reverent opinion of Gods will we must be perswaded that our owne will is blinde and childish and perverse and therefore Solomon saith Ne innitaris c. Doe not leane to thine owne wisedome Prov. 3.1 Every man is a beast by his owne knowledge and to expresse the fault of mans will Iob saith that man is tanquam pullus asini like an wilde Asses colt Iob 11.12 which of all other beasts is most foolish But be hee never so wise naturally yet he is but a foole in heavenly things as Saint Paul witnesseth 1 Cor. 2.14 Men speake evill of things which they know not yea even in those things which they know naturally they are but beasts Iudg. 10. All our reason and understanding hath not in it selfe sufficient direction for our will and therefore Christ saith of Saint Peter that flesh and bloud did not reveale to him that knowledge that is attained by Gods Spirit Matth. 16. and in spirituall things Saint Paul he counselled not with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 Lastly our will is wholly enclined to that which is evill Ier. 4. wherefore one saith truly Tolle voluntatem tuam ego extinguam inferaum take away thine owne will and I will quench hell fire They that are given over to Satan as the Incestuous Corinthians 1 Cor. 5. may be restored but those whom God giveth over to their owne will Rom. 1.24 their case is desperate and therefore wee have the more cause to thinke the more humbly of our owne will and willingly submit our selves to the holy will of God Touching both Saint Paul saith The Law is holy and the Commandement is holy and just and good and the Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne Rom. 7.14 But we must thinke honourably of Gods will and this we cannot but doe if we consider that his will is so perfect as it needeth no rule to be guided by but our will being crooked and perverse must of necessity be directed by the rule of his holy will or else we shall swerve out of the way Our will is blinde and foolish but his will is full of counsell and wisedome our will is crooked and perverse and froward but his will is full of all goodnesse which we are to understand hereby that he sheweth himselfe a Father to us if a child be left to his owne will it is as much as his life is worth therefore with-hold not correction but strike him with the rod and he shall not die Prov. 22.13 and our will being childish we must be abridged of it or else wee shall fall into danger therefore we doe pray that we may not onely submit our will to Gods but that we may utterly deny our owne will being foolish that Gods most holy will may take place in us but we doe not onely pray that we may have a will and desire to doe Gods will but also ability and power for of our selves we have no strength to doe it that appeareth by the petition it selfe Nam quid stultius quam petere id qâ—od penes nos est What is more foolish then to aske those things that are in our owne power and the Apostle saith We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke a good thought 2 Cor. 3. Such is our corruption That though God will yet we will not Matth. 23. We cannot speake unto God for no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. We doe not finde either will or ability but it is God that giveth both Phil. 2. and though the Spirit be willing yet the flesh is but weake Matth. 26.41 Therefore we are petitioners for the grace of God and for power from him without which we cannot doe Gods will so that our desire is to obtaine something from God whereby his will may be accomplished in us for it is not said faciamus or fac tis tuam voluntatem let us doe or doe thou thy will but fiat voluntas tua thy will be done Wherein we are to consider a quo per quem fiat from whom and by whom it is to be done we pray not that we of our selves may doe the will of God for no man can rise up to Heaven unlesse hee first receive a grace from Heaven He that is of the earth speaketh of the earth Iohn 3. Therefore our suite is not onely for good thoughts and heavenly desires but also for ability of grace but this grace is either passive or active The passive grace is that which proceeds from God towards us which standeth in offering grace as God is said to doe 1 Pet. 1.13 or when he causeth his grace to appeare to all men Tit. 1.2.11 and that is not enough unlesse we be made capable of it as it is invaine that light doth shine unlesse we have eyes to see it and therefore as hee offers grace so he must give us grace and enable us to draw grace from him Prov. 12.2 That he would powre grace into us Zach. 12. That he would sow in our hearts good thoughts change our affections and make them conformable to his will and so though the thoughts of his heart seeme hard to flesh and bloud may for all that please us And last our desire is ut induamur viriute ex alio Luke 24. and he doth offer his grace and doth powre it into us Then we must have that active grace by which the will of God may be done in us of which the Prophet saith Omnia opera nostra operatus es in nobis Thou Lord hast wrought all our workes in us Isa 26. God must not onely sanare cogitationem mutare affectum heale the thought and change our affection but perducere ad actum that is he must bring to passe that as he gives us ability to doe his will so his will may be done by us we must say with the Prophet Psal 27. Thou art my helpe for sake me not O God of my salvation As