to affirm that allgiaces are in Christ as the subject and none in us so that Christ beleeves Christ loves c. and so they agree with familists in denying our concurrence Familists foundly dream so the work of the Spirit that it is not our work also the spirit doth not pray in us or for us but helpeth us to pray for our selves (r) Vna sub levet Beza ad juvat â—ulgata auxiliatur Erasmus una capessit Scapula in voc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partâ—cula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad nos laborantes refertur Bez. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.26 he concurreth and addeth his assistance to our work which subjectively is terminated in us and denominats us and can we work without strength and untill first an active principle of life be breathed into us hence Interpreters by the phrase praying in the spirit Eph. 6.18 do affirm to be held forth both the spirit of him who prayeth viz. the new nature which frequently is so called in the Scripture and the Spirit of God which helpeth and assisteth us in that work But though habituall grace be thus so necessary yet it is not sufficient its true the spirit of regeneration is also the spirit of supplication therefore these two are conjoyned in the promise Zech. 12.10 A gracious soul must pray there is no blind nor dumb children in Gods family all of them as they must look up to their Father and depend on him so they must speak to him and lay out their wants and necessities before him but yet there is not such a inseparable connexion but there may be and often is a separation a gracious heart at some seasons and occasions may want the assistance of the Spirit when he would draw nigh to God so that he may pour out naturall and carnall desires yea and when as to the matter the desires are spirituall yet they may be so weak and faint so remisse and destitute of that life that attention high estimation fervency seriousness c. which the quality and worth of the object and the nature of that solemn and heavenly exercise requireth that it were a great in sign ty to the holy Ghost to fâ—ther such prayers upon him While then the pious and learned Mr. (f) Mr. Baxter mâ—th for a settled peace of conâ—cience direct 29. doubt 9. Baxter saith He â—eâ—â—â—veth there is never a prayer that ever a Beleever did 〈◊〉 up to God for things lawfull and usefull but it was put up by the help of the Spirit I would think this judicious Divine doth not speak universally of all prayers put up by Beleevers but only of all such prayers as have some life and seriousness in them some measure of attention c. which are the proper effects of the Spirits assistance and while the Lord is thus (t) Ps 145.18 called upon in truth though there be much weakness and manifold infirmities yet I grant and this may be all that this Author aimeth at that the Lord in mercy covereth and for Christs sake pardoneth these imperfections and accepteth the duty Yet there may be such carnal ends such deadness indisposition and wâ—nt of attention that the beleever after he hath done cannot give an account what he hath askt at least as to some p titions and it were very grosse to â—ffiâ—â—â— that such prayers were put up by the help of the Spirit there being nothing of that life truth and other qualifications which alwayes accompany the Spirits work and assistance And with what shame and confusion do Beleevers many a time come from the Throne while they reflect upon their work and the dishonour they have done to God for â—â—king â—iâ— name thus in vain and profaning such a solerâ—n ordinance through their negligâ—â—â—â— and giving way to carnal and distracting thoughts and such (u) An objection from that author obviated prayers cannot be said to contain good desires for where â—â—â—re is no atten iâ—â— and seriousness there no dâ—siâ—â— caâ— be kindled enlivered and sâ—â—ctâ—fiâ—d and so though 〈◊〉 â—â—re never so good â—nd â—â—â—â—ent yet the prayer mâ—st â—â—â—ght (x) Except in that sense in which Phylosophers affirm that graviâ— levia moventur à gâ—nerante Toâ—et 8. phys quaest 2. Conâ—â—br Râ—vius ibid. cap. 4. quaest 2. Suâ—â— metâ—ph dl p. â— sect 2. Sâ— much for the habituâ—◠〈…〉 is pre-suâ—â—osed 〈…〉 previous unto 〈…〉 pâ—â—â—ing 〈…〉 â—he 〈◊〉 is self and 〈…〉 upon iâ— bu◠〈…〉 â—ffâ—ct viz tha◠〈…〉 preserved by the Spâ—â—â— and whâ—ich â—â—â—â—g actuâ—â—ed by the spirit doth concur with the Spirit in all our spirituall performances 3. Then that assistance which directly and properly is held forth by the help of the Spirit must be some actual influence and work upon the soul and concurrence with it in it's actings which we may branch forth in these few particulars and speak of a four-fold act of the Spirit by way of actual assistance beside that constant and continual supply and influence whereby the new man and weak principle of life is conserved and supported against the mighty assaults of old Adam within and the strong man without 1. To actuat and exuscitat 2. To strengthen and corroborat 3. To instruct direct and regulat And 4. to encourage embolden and make us draw nigh to God with confidence 1. Then the Spirit exciteth quickneth and bloweth up the (x) Ps 3 â—â— fire though there be a principle of heat within yet the spirit must blow upon these coals and dispell the embres before they will burn the habits of grace do stand in need of quickning and stirring up otherwise they cannot act they lose their vigor and activity unless the Spirit draw us we will not run Cant. 1.4 Unless the wind blow upon our garden the spices thereof will not flow out But 2. we must not think that we stand in need of no more but of this quickning and exciting motion as if the man were strong and able enough to walk if once awakned nay unless the Spirit concur and assist unless he bring furniture and provision and put new strength in us the work will be marred though he did set uâ— upon our feet we would quickly go to the ground and fall asleep again though you would draw a paralitick man after you yet he could not follow though you did lift him up yet he would instantly fall back again unless you would add strength to his muscles and joints but I said that the Spirit must not only concur but also strengthen and corroborat the spirit must supply our weakness and inability So that here we may take notice of a twofold act 1. to concur with the new man according to the measure of its strength and activity 2. since the new creature is weak and not able to go of its self the nurse must take it by the sleeves and uphold it we have not a sufficiency in our selves for one good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 If the Lord hold
Lord will encline his ear he will hearken and give an answer of peace Ps 12.5 Is .. 38.5.14 Argument 8 8. That summary and comprehensive abridgement that brief re-capitulation and conclusion of Prayer Amen as it doth expresse our confidence so also the desire of the heart It is an adverb of wishing and hath the same sense saith (a) Edw. Leigh Cri. sac nov Test verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum per modum orationis seu precis Pagu in rad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leigh with utinam fiat Mat. 6.13 Rev. 22.20 21. And by us it is indifferently used for and hath the same signification with So be it And therefore since the abrigement and close of Prayer doth thus import the wishing and desire of the heart we must judge the same of the whole unlesse we will make Prayer become like that monster described by the (b) Horatius de arte Poet. humano capiti cervicem pictor equinam c. Poet whose members were so disproportioned unlike and dissimilar that they could not except it were by Poets and Painters who have liberty to feign and devise what they will be joyned together Argument 9 9. If we will rest on the apostle Paul his exegesis and exposition Rom. 10.1 If by Prayer we understand the same thing which he did we must affirm that the hearts desire and Prayer are as synonyma holding out one and the same thing or I would rather think that these words contain a description of Prayer that it is the hearts desire poured out to God But what need we disput while the Lord Himself so clearly and in terminis resolves the question and tells us what he who well knows how to give things their right names calls and will acknowledge to be Prayer Jer. 29.12 13. Then shall ye call unto me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seek me and find me when and never till then ye shall search for me with all your heart O! then take heed when thou approachest the Throne that thy heart be not to seek that it be not gadding abroad after this or that trifle while thou art speaking to the King if thou bring not thy heart with thee thou hast not a tongue thou canst not speak if the heart be absent if it be silent there can be no voyce that He will hear and answer and therefore as at all times so specially when thou art praying thou shouldst keep thy heart with all diligence that what comes out of it may prove the issues of life Prov. 4.23 CHAP. V. Of the subject of Prayer Who should and who may not pray Jam 1.6 If any of you lack let him ask of God who giveth to all men c. Is 45.22 (a) look with the eye of faith with tears in your eyes and your eyes and your supplications in your hand Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth THis question may be extended to three ranks of persons 1. To these who are altogether uncapable of this exercise 2. To these who once were capable but now are not And 3. to those who now are but e're it belong shall no more be called to the performance of this duty And accordingly this Chapter may be divided in three parts Sect. 1. Who may not be said to Pray How (b) Heb. 7.25 Christ and the holy (c) Rom. 8.26 Spirit are said to interceed for us Each of these three members may be sub-divided into other two As to the first one may be said to be uncapable of this exercise either because it is below him or because it is above him thus it is below God to pray and it is above the reach and sphere of unreasonable creatures to pray 1. Then it were not worth the while to confute the foolish (d) Figmentum anile Turcarum Judaeorum qui nugantur Deum certas habere precum formulas quas certis horis singulis diebu◠recitet Gerhard har cap. 179. pag. mihi 1116. damnamus Thalmudistas Mahumedanes qui affirmant Deum ipsum quotidie orare Tilen disp 49. Thes 52. conceit of those dreamers who imagined that God had set forms of Prayer which he rehearsed so often every day But I would ask to whom and for what should God pray hath He any Superior or equall whom He should supplicat and can He be said to want any thing Himself being the only fountain of all good and happinesse But here it may be objected that the holy Ghost doth pray and interceed for the saints Rom. 8.26.27 And thus he is called their Advocat (e) Which while applyed to Christ 1. Ioh. 2. ◠is rendred Advocat and why not also here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 14.16 And Ioh. 26.7 Ans The learned Gerhard having called it a ridiculous fancy to imagine that God doth pray harm Evang. Cap. 179. yet Cap. 176. affirms that the holy Ghost whom he acknowledgeth to be God equall with the Father doth interceed and pray for us yea with groans Postulare (f) Gerh harm Evang. cap. 176 pag. mihi 930. gemitus suos pro nobis interponere albeit we cannot think that he would so far mistake as properly and truly to ascribe to the Spirit groans and sighs that were blasphemous yet he doth so fully and plainly expresse himself as to the praying and intercession of the Spirit that there is no ground left for doubting of his judgement in that particular But 1. I would ask whether that intercession be an act of worship or not It were blasphemous to imagine that one person of the blessed Trinity doth worship another and yet it cannot well be conceived how this intercession can be performed without a religious adoration 2. If the Spirit interceed for us it must be by some act of his blessed will he must offer some (g) according to the definition of Prayer Ch. 3. desire to the Father and thus since there is one will and the same acts of the will in the Father Son and holy Ghost that intercession may as truly be ascribed to the Father as to the Spirit and so the Father must pray to himself 3. If the Spirit be a supplicant he cannot be said to hear and grant there must be a difference between the asker and the giver can one be said to ask from himself 4. If the holy Ghost doth interceed for us then he must be first pacified and reconciled with us he must be more compassionate and tender hearted then the Father and he must be willing and (h) not that prayer can change him who is in one mind Job 23 13. yet it is something previous a mean for obtaining a grant to Gods hearing and answering which is some actuall emanation and result of Gods eternal purpose See conclusion of this Tract desirous we should have before the Father yeeld there must be some bowells and tendernesse some
God to purifie our hearts by faith and love 1 Tim. 1.14 Eph. 6.23 and to sprinkle them from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ (e) See Diodat on the place Heb. 10 21. As to that which more properly and principally is called and should be the last and ultimat end of all our prayers and performances viz. the glory of God it is above the reach of corrupt nature to aim at such a noble mark but every one while in that state must with them Phil. 2.21 seek their own and not the things of Christ Ah! our ease honours pleasures and wealth naturally are our idols these are our great end and we cannot desire or ask any thing from God unlesse with a design to (f) Jam. 4.3 consume what we receive upon our lusts and thus we are too apt to desire God to help us to sin against him to put a weapon in our hand whereby we might fight against him and to provide fewel for our lustâ— (g) Jam. 3.6 which are set on fire of hell Nay self is the last and great aim of our most refined desires of grace and glory untill the Spirit purifie our affections and elevate them to a more high and noble end and enable us to obey the exhortation 1 Cor 10 31. and honestly to seek the glory of God and to propose it as our scope in all our actions and performances doing whatsoever we go about heartily as to the Lord and not to men whether our selves or others Col. 3.23 3. As to the manner what 1. reverence 2. tenderness 3. importunity 4. fervency 5. watchfulness 6 sincerity c. is in our prayers must (h) Quia autem persunctorie vulgo oramus addit in spiritu ac si diceret tantum esse pigritiaâ— tantum que srigus carnis nostrae ut rite orare nemo queat nisi spiritu Dei exâ— citatus nam hinc solicitudo hinc â—rdor vehementia hinc alactitas hinc fiducia c. Calvin in Jud. 20. come from above our barren ground cannot yield such fruit what cold and dead performances what loathsom and abominable sacrifices have we to offer to the Lord untill the Spirit of Christ who is our life Col. 3.4 breath in some life and heat into our (i) When the Spirit comes it is a time of life the Christians affections spring iâ— his besome at bis voice as the babe in Elizabeth aâ— the salutation of the Virgin Mary or as he strings under the musiciâ—ns hand stir and speak harmoniously so do all the Saints affectionâ— at the secret touch of the Spirit Gurn. spir arm part 3. pag. 580. affections those who have the naked gift but want the Spirit of prayer though they may have matter enough and plenty of words yet they want a heavenly desire which is the soul of prayer there is meat enough before them but they want an appetice there are bullocks and rams enough for sacrifice but where is the fire a lifeless carrion is not such an object of pity as a dead formal prayer I do not deny that (k) Numb 23.10 Balaam may (l) Every desire of grace is not spiritual and saving nor an evidence of grace desire to dye the death of the righteous carnal men may have some velleities and wouldings some lazy languishing and selfish desires after grace and happiness but no man ever did or is able without the help of the Spirit to come to the length of 1. a permanent and habituall 2. an operative efficacious and prevailing over corruption vigorous and restlesse till it be satisfied and 3. a pure and spirituall desire of grace and holynesse of Christ for himself because of his excellency of a crucified and persecuted of a naked and despised Christ of holynesse because of its beauty and conformity to the Law and will of God Nay but there was so much drosse in the best refined desires and prayers of the most Saint-like formalist as did not only obscure but consume the Gold so that the most expert artist was never able from thence to extract the least grain that could abide the triall though alas there be too many mountebanks and boasting chymists who therewith are deluded and would cozen the world with such brasse and counterfeit mettall with the shadow in stead of the substance condemning all these as too precise who do not think such coyn good enough for carrying on a trade with heaven and for eternity Thus the blessed Spirit worketh sutably to his name and maketh us in some measure (m) Rom. 8.29 conformable to his own image he Spiritualizeth our carnall earthly and selfish desires or rather in stead of these doth (n) Coloss 3.10 Eph. 10. creat in us new and heavenly affections which being offered up to God are our spirituall Sacrifice and therefore (o) 1 Pet. 2.5 acceptable to God through Jesus Christ they are spirituall not only in respect of the principall efficient the holy spirit and 2. in respect of the subject a renewed spirit put in us but also 3. in respect of the object 4. in respect of the motive principle and end and 5. in respect of the maner of performance Now we come to third act of the Spirit whereby he enlightneth the blind eye and regulats directs and pointeth out the right object of our desires ah we know not what to ask we are ready to ask a stone instead of bread till the Spirit come with his help and teach us to ask what is good and expedient for us and agreable to the will of God Rom. 8.26 27. Unlesse the Spirit 1. anoint our eyes that they may behold and discerne 2. present the object 3. manifest and discover its beauty andexcellency and 4. stay our wandâ—ing eye and hold it to the object nor suffering it to stray and slip we will not think on spirituall things nor are we able to contemplat their excellency and so they will not become amiable and desirable to us and though we get a flight view of them yet we soon weary in beholding such an Object till the Spirit stay our unstable spirits and maâ—â— us ponder more seriously and still presse the honey-comb till it drop sweetness unlesse the Lord be our pilot and guid unlesse he direct and order our thoughts we neither know what to desire nor how to ask What need have we then with the Apostle 2 Thes 3.5 to pray that the Lord would direct our hearts not only unto the love of God which is one of the particulars there instanced but also to the love and desire of every thing whereby our communion with God may be promoved and our happinesse in enjoying of him for our portion may be secured and evidenced to our hearts 4. The Spirit filles the heart with reverentiall boldness and confidence in its adresses to God the sense of guilt may make the holiest Saint on earth with p Adam be afraid of God and tremble at his
and his free grace in Christ held forth in the promises adventuring soul and a l upon it this may prove a sufficient ground of acceptable confidence and boldness which will prevail and will not be sent away from the throne of grace empty Here we may reach a word 1. to the proud Pharisee 2. to the mocking Atheist 2. to the disconsolat 4. to the enlivened and strong Saint First then from this point I may reach a rebuke to him who presuming on his parts and eloquence or with that boast ng hypocrit Luk. 18.11 on his own worth and goodness doth thiâ—k that he hath at home provision enough for the work and so mindeth nor neither seeketh help from above but dare draw nigh to God in his own strength Ah! what doth the Almighty regard the acting of parts and the moving of the tongue though with much art and elegance He knoweth the mind of the Spirit the meaning of the least sigh and groan poured out in his strength Rom. 8.27 26. but will not acknowledge or hearken to the voice of thy spirit it is too weak whatever conceit thou mayest entertain concerning its might and excellency to wrestle with and overcome the Almighty but (t) Isa 41.14 worm Jacob was strong he got power from above and in it he wrestled with God and at length prevailed and carried the day Câ—n. 32.25 he prevailed by weeping and supplication Hos 12.4 What strange weapons were these for a conquerour and durst the potsheard strive wiah his Maker the Angel of the covenant appearing in a created shape Ans Yes the Lord alloweth us to fight and wrestle with such weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 4.12 to strive as it were in an agony and not to faint nor give over till we get the victory Nay but we must not dare to wrestle with God but by his own strength Deus in Jacobo fuit seipso fortior God did lend Jacob more strength then he did fetch against him he did saith (u) Dicitur ergo Deus vinci a nobis quando virtute spiritus sui nos confirmat reddit in exâ—ugnabiles inâ—o facit ut trium phum agamus de tentationi bus si singula reputamus talis est tunc partitio ut Deusmajoreâ—â— partem suae virtuâ—isa parte nostra staere velit tantum sumat partem magis infirmam ad nos tentandos vel experiendos aâ—qui si Iacob suo marte pugnassâ—t non poterat ferre umbram ipsius Dei quin conciâ—eret redactus suisset in nihilum nisi opposita fuisset major virtus quam bominis hanc similitudinem inquit adducere soleo quando loquor de lucta quotidianis â—ertaminibus quibus Deus exercet pios quod pugnet nobiscum sinistra manu quod nos tueatur dextra sua c. Calvin comment in Hos 12.3 4. Calvin uphold Jacob and continually upholdeth the Saints in all their tryalls and combats with the right hand and fought against him only with the left But you will say Iacob is said by his strength to have power with God Hos 12.3 Ans There can be as (x) Nulius est melior titulus quam donationiâ—ut vulgo dicunt Deus solet in nos transferre quicq uid conâ—ulit ac si nosirum esset distinguere ergo prudenter necesse est hic inter viâ—tutem bominis quam habet aseipso id est a naâ—ura eam quam Dominus in ipsum contulit Calv. ibid. Calvin saith no better title then donation what strength the Lord out of his free mercy had bestowed on Iacob during the combat was Iacobs strength the Lord had freely given it to him and doth allow that it be called his O! but there is no prevailing over the omnipotent but by his own strength if thou draw nigh to him in thy pride thou mayest fear his hand he resisteth the proud and will not yield he is angry with them and they shall not be able to stand before him Secondly A word to the blasphemous Atheist who dare mock the Spirit of God rather then the Saints while he upbraideth them with having and being led by the Spirit and if any infirmity be espied in such that must be reckoned in the first place amongst the works of the Spirit It s true there is a generation of vile deluded sectaries who father all their wicked and enormous actings upon the holy Spirit I plead not for such monsters let them bear their own just punishment ignominy and reproach but for any upon this pretence to mock and flout humble self-denied and circumspect Christians who dare not brag of their having the Spirit but labour to maintain and prize his presence and to bring forth these fruits of the Spirit mentioned Ephes 5.9 Gal. 5.22 these mockers do evidence that they have not Spirit for if they had they durst not make a jeer of having it and if thou hast not the Spirit of Christ thou art none of his Rom. 8 9. thou art a dead man the sentence of death is already past upon thee and thou art destitute of the Spirit of life ver 13.10 and thy mocking the Saints is as if the dead could mock the living because they do live and have a principle of life I will not say with a learned (y) Mr. Baxter Divine that to mock the Spirit and to attribute his work as the Pharisees did Christs to the devil is that unpardonable sin against â—he holy Ghost but certainly it is near in kin to it and from thence our blessed Lord took occasion to speak of that sin Mat. 12.31 32. compared with ver 24. and let such mark that this unpardonable blasphemy is there called speaking against the holy Ghost O! but all those who live in the Spirit walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 let the fruits of the Spirit appear in your conversation let your goodness righteousness and truth (x) Eph. 5 9. stop the mouth of mockers dare ye also reproach his holy name all the balsphemies of Atheists do not so much (a) Heb. 6.6 put the blessed Spirit as it were to an open shame as the miscarriages of the Saints and these often prove and are called 2 Sam. 12.14 a great occasion to the enimies of the Lord to blaspheme Thirdly Rejoyce O ye (b) Zech. 9.12 prisoners of hope cast off your fears and complaints and do not say my sins are so many my deadness and indisposition for duty so great and my spiritual enemies so strong and fierce that my hope is cut off I have no strength to wrestle with such mighty adversaries and to remove such great mountains of impediments I grant if thou wert Helpless thy condition were Hopeless but all thine enemies are not able to stop the way and to intercept thy supplie from heaven what though creature-help did fail what though those pools were dried up yet thou mightest run to the full fountain the Lord himself is thy helper his Spirit will
in dispensing of mercies to us and that eternal covenant and transaction whereby in time all good is conveyed to us and which we should eye and make use of in our addresses to God And thus we may hearken to the voice of the Father as from all eternity saying How do my bowels yern towards the sons of men I am willing to pardon all their iniquities and receive them graciously (a) Joh. 3.16 Behold I so love the world as to give my only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life I pity poor foolish self-destroying sinners and I will (b) Hos 14.4 heal their back-slidings (c) Is 53.5 with the blood of my dear Son and will love them freely (d) Is 63.7 according to the multitude of my loving kindnesses And we may behold the Son himself concurring and consenting to that blessed motion and saying O! let the ungrate rebel have a pardon though it should be subscribed with my blood let bankrupt sinners have a discharge and all their debts be laid on me I am willing to lay down my life that they may live Lo I (e) Ps 40.7 8. 1 Joh. 4.10 come to be the propitiation for their sins I delight to do thy will O Father and to (f) Tit. 2.14 give my self for them to redeem them from all iniquity and to purifie by my blood a peculiar people zealous of good works And we may hear the holy Spirit saying Behold I am willing and ready to tender to them the gracious offer of peace and reconciliation to perswade and allure them to embrace that offer and to convince and (g) Cant. 1.4 draw them after thee to (h) Jer. 31.33 write thy Law in their hearts to (i) Joh. 14.26 comfort and strengthen them and (k) Rom. 8.26 help their infirmities to defend and keep them from all evil and to fit prepare and (l) Joh. 14.16 preserve them unto eternal life But it would be remembred that though virtually and as to our apprehensions these several steps may be distinguished in that gracious transaction yet properly there cannot be such a stipulation such conditions offers consenting and as it were consultation where there is but one nature will and understanding but that there was such a Covenant having eminently these things in it cannot be denied by any who acknowledge our salvation to be carried on according to an eternal Covenant between the Father and the Son and when we shall understand that conference and as it were consultation concerning the creation of man Gen. 1.26 we shall be more able to comprehend this transaction concerning the salvation of man but now let none from thence imagine the love of the Father to be really different from the love of the Son and holy Ghost and that they did not contrive and had no hand in predestinating us to life but as consenters and approvers of the Fathers free purpose of love For albeit predestination be ascribed to the Father by some sort of appropriation as being according to that mysterious order in the Trinity the first person yet we must not think that there is such a priority or distinction of persons as doth import a distinction of nature or a real difference among the essential attributes as they are in these glorious persons and so conceive that there is another will power and understanding in the Father then in the Son and holy Spirit and accordingly different acts flowing from these different principles O! let us not rob these blessed persons of the honour of being (m) Phil. 2.6 equal with the Father and having the same nature and divine properties because they of their meer good pleasure have stoopt so low to exalt us and do us good and because voluntarily and of their free accord they have undertaken an economy and dispensing of offices for us to make us happy and have received as it were a commission the Son to redeem us and lay down his life for us and the holy Spirit to sanctifie and prepare us for the heavenly inheritance and have thus undergone a sort of (n) Inaequalitat officiorum non tollit aequalitatem naturae aut personarum inferiority dependance and subordination in being sent to execute these offices which they undertook in mercy and love to us O! who is able to (o) Eph. 3.18 19. comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height of this love of the Son and holy Spirit which passeth knowledge O! let us praise and magnifie God the Son and God the holy Ghost for undertaking an economy and as it were ministry for us now unto the ever glorious and blessed Spirit of grace and unto him that (p) Rev. 1.5.6 1 Pet. 2.5 loved us and washed us in his own blood and hath made us Kings and a royal Priest-hood be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen And O! let us thankfully and diligently improve this noble and and admirable way of conveyance of all good to us and let us in all our adresses to God desire and wait for every mercy from the Father through the Son and by the holy Spirit looking upon Christ as the inexhaustible treasure and (q) Col. 1.19 store-house of all blessings and depending on the Spirit as the great dispenser giver and disposer of all that fulness and riches that is in Christ from the (r) 2 Cor. 1.3 Father of mercies and God of all comfort of (Å¿) 1 Cor. 8.6 whom are all things as the fountain and first person of the Trinity who laid the foundation of our redemption and who is the Father of our blessed Lord and Saviour We cannot perform any duty acceptably we cannot praise God nor pray to him unless we come in the name of Christ as our Mediator and Advocat and wait for the help of the Spirit and depend on him as our shield strength leader and guide and yet we must look over that economy and dispensation and close with the Father Son and holy Spirit as that one God to whom in every part of worship we should come as to the chief and ultimat object to which primarily it is directed and in which it doth rest Here we will stand we can go no further and praise be to his name who hath brought us this length albeit our light be darkness in respect of the light of glory yet the light of the ancient Church was but like the morning star before the Sun (t) Mal. 4.2 which now shineth before our eyes And O! when will that day come when we shall behold so much in this mystery as shall ravish our hearts and fill our mouths with songs of joy admiration and pâ—aise to all eternity when we shall not see through a glass darkly but face to face when we shall not know in part but as we are known when we shall be like him and see him as he is 1 Cor.
work and engagement herein Page 515 Some directions Page 518 Marks of the prayer of faith as first negatively if we walk not as children we cannot call God Father Page 519 Secondly positively 1. enlargement in prayer 2. frequency 3. calmness and composure of spirit after prayer 4. watching for an answer 5. thankfulness though the particular be not given 6. some intimation of love made to the heart Page 521 We have reason to be humbled for our unbelief Page 529 What faith did Adam in the state of innocency act in prayer and whether he then knew the mystery of incarnation Page 530 If we suppose the Saints in glory to pray whether may they be said to pray in faith Page 531 Whether the unbelief of the promises or of the threatnings be the greater sin Page 533 CHAP. III. Some consequent conditions of prayer first after prayer we must wait and look up to God for an answer Page 535 Secondly we must watch and look in to our selves Page 539 Thirdly we must renew our requests and continue instant at the throne of grace adding prayer to prayer Page 541 Fourthly we must use the means for obtaining what we ask from God our prayers ought not be pretended as a cloak for idleness ibid. Fifthly when the Lord answers our prayers we must return the sacrifice of praise Page 544 What our praise and thanksgiving importeth Page 545 Whether all these qualifications which should go before accompany and follow our prayers be essentially necessary to its acceptance and audience and what be more what less necessary Page 547 Some grounds of encouragement to weak Saints with the concurring testimony of some practical Divines Page 549 PART III. Some practical cases What cases belong to this place Page 552 CHAP. I. How we should in prayer conceive of God and of the persons of the glorious Trinity Page 553 Sect. I. How we should conceive of God when we draw nigh to him Page 553 Humility and reverence necessary here ibid. Concl. 1. Beware of mental idols for representing Gods infinit nature Page 555 Concl. 2. It s no small part of our knowledge to know what God is not ibid. Concl. 3. Yet he calls us to behold his positive perfections Page 556 Concl. 4. In prayer we may select and make choice of such divine attributes and perfections as are most sutable to our condition Page 557 Concl. 5. We may not draw nigh to God but in Christs name Page 558 Concl. 6. But in Christ we may draw nigh with confidence as children to a father able and ready to hear and answer Page 559 It s not presumption but a duty to call God Father ibid. What if we be not assured of our adoption Page 560 Is it not a mocking of God to call him Father when he is not and while we are not in the state of adoption Page 562 Some evidences of adoption ibid. Though we be children yet if we know not our state whether may we in truth and without a a lye call God Father Page 564 Five bonds whereby a child of light walking in darkness may lay hold upon God as a Father ibid. Sect. II. After what maner and order should we direct our prayers to the persons of the glorious Trinity Page 566 The Trinity a great mystery yet clearly revealed as to the thing it self though not as to the maner Page 567 Concl. 1. There is a natural order among the persons of the Trinity Page 568 Concl. 2. There are not three first causes and principal agents but one Page 569 Concl. 3. There is an appropriation of works and attributes but not exclusive ibid. Only in the work of redemption there be something peculiar to the Son Page 571 Concl. 4. We must not so direct our prayers to any one person as to exclude the other two Page 572 Concl. 5. Yet we may so direct our prayers to one as not actually to meditate on the other two Page 573 Concl. 6. In singling out any one of those glorious persons we may reflect upon and improve the appropriation of works and attributes ibid. Concl. 7. Yet we are not so limited thereto as that upon occasion fix upon any one ibid. Whether as we may put up several petitions to several persons So also one and the same petition to several persons Page 574 Concl. 8. Yet usually Christians address themselves to the Father Page 575 Concl. 9. That noble way of conveighing all good to the Sants from the Father through the Son and by the holy Ghost doth not by any natural result flow from that original order that is among those glorious persons Page 577 A voluntary covenant the ground of this dispensation Page 578 The School-distinction of mission not full it wants the most usefull member Page 581 Concl. 10. We are not so oblieged to conceive of God under these personal relations that we may not worship him absolutely as the alone Jehovah ibid. A word of warning caution and exhortation Page 582 CHAP. II. Of the with-drawing of the Spirit deadness wandering thoughts c. Page 586 Sect. I. Of the with-drawing of the Spirit Page 587 How far the Spirit may withdraw from the Saints ibid. Whether the Spirit alwayes worketh as to the conservation of grace so also to it's operations increase and growth Page 588 There may be a total suspension of gracious influences as to prayer and other particular performances Page 589 This suspension may fall under a two-fold consideration 1. as our tryal 2. as our correction and punishment Page 589 The Lord doth not alwayes with-draw for sin but sometimes for c. Page 590 And thus the suspension of grace is either 1. medicinal or 2. monitory or 3. probatory or 4. castigatory Page 591 Yet it is alwayes our duty to examine our hearts and wayes lest c. Page 592 We would distinguish between the comforting and the quickening or assisting presence of the Spirit Page 593 The Spirit may be provoked to depart either more directly and immediatly or more mediatly and indirectly ibid. How the Scriptures express the more direct affronts and indignities offered to the Spirit Page 594 The Spirit may be said to be quenched either positively or negatively by commission or omission ibid. Negatively 1. by not yielding to his motions 2. by not welcoming him nor prising his presence 3. by a decay of love respect reverence c. Page 594 Positively 1. when we prostitute his gifts to our carnal ends 2. when we undervalue and entertain base low thoughts of them 3. when we contemne his Authority and obey Sathan and welcom his temptations notwithstanding the contrary motions and warnings of the Spirit 4. so much of illumination and light so much of conviction and conscience as is choaked so far the Spirit is dishonoured and provoked Page 566 How the Spirit is provoked by every reigning sin Page 597 A word of exhortation Page 598 The Saints danger when the Spirit with-draweth Page 599 How we may
which is the subject I shall now only offer some few advertisements concerning the Treatise it self And 1. since few or none whom I had seen or could hear of have handled at any length those questions that belong to the nature of Prayer I have insisted on these the more largely not leaving them without some practical application Part first and as to the rest of the Tractat I have but briefly touched such particulars as have been more fully prosecuted by others And thus 2. since a great part of Mr. Cobbets discourse of Prayer is spent upon the qualifications of that spiritual Sacrifice I have Part second only in a word named those be insisteth on adding some few with a more full explication of that faith required Jam. 1.6 since I conceived not only him but others who had spoken to that case not to insist on that which is the main importance thereof 3. As to the cases propounded Part third these are but few and I have only insisted on the first two as being most usefull and material and the third I might also add the second as belonging to this head yea and the first also except what the learned Mr. Cobbet hath offered for clearing of it hath scarcely been named by any practical Divine I have perused As to the kinds of Prayer such as ejaculatory and more continued closet Prayer and publick extraordinary and ordinary set-forms and extempore c. I have not descended to these as for other reasons so because the judicious Mr. Curnal in his Christian Armour Part 3. hath lately handled these except the last we named very accuratly As to the fourth Part concerning the success and answer of Prayer the first Table will give thee an account of the particulars there handled but what these two great Divines Mr. Gee and Mr. Goodwin have at so great length delivered in two compleat Treatises the one Concerning the return of Prayer the other Concerning the reasons of Gods hiding himself from his peoples prayers grounded on his promises and of his seeming by his providences to answer the prayers which are contrary thereunto I have in few words summed up propounding the chief heads of their large Discourse with some additional observations in six or seven Pages it is then far from my thoughts to render the labours of others who have written before me on this excellent and most comprehensive head useless but their Works will be necessary to supply my defects and weakness yet I have not altogether omitted any thing I conceived necessarily to belong to the present Subject If it be askt whether I now offer these Sermons as they were preach'd Ans There will be found no considerable alteration as to the practicall part except that I did then enlarge some particulars and insist longer upon them when I conceived the need of this people so to require but that defect is here supplied with addition of several polemick Questions especially Part 1. and Citations which had not been pertinent for such an Auditory nor from such a place however usefull School-debates may be to the learned and judicious yet to the multitude they prove but a beating of the air and therefore though they may invite and delight an intelligent Reader and the unlearned may pass them over and go to that which is more profitable yet the Preacher would minde all his hearers especially the most rude and ignorant for others might better provide for themselves that when he is to give an account of his stewardship he may be able to say with the Apostle That his preaching was not with the inticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 and That in the Church he did rather speak five words to the capacity of his hearers then ten thousand they did not understand 1 Cor. 14.19 As to the errors in printing these I observed by a cursory view are so many that I dare not under take to give a perfect catalogue but let me intreat thee before thou read to correct with thy pen these which I have here set down as being most material especially that blasphemy in the Preface Page 2. where in stead of justice thou wilt find injustice ascribed to the holy One of Israel As to to the marginal citations I had not time to compare them with the Authors and I did the rather forbear that task because there be several Authors I perused in writing which I have not now beside me for this small Treatise hath lyen in the Press these two years almost the Printer having met with some diversions therefore I have only corrected some few errors or shall I say non-sense in the matter but as to the places cited thou wilt find one and the same passage made use of some few pages only interjected with a divers citation and the Authors names sometimes so mangled that hardly wilt thou be able to conjecture who they be as Pet. art 8. Jos de for Pet. a S. Jos I de habet for Bernard Aug. just for August Calv. for Clavius Ramerius for Rainerius thou wilt also find some imperfect citations the Author named but no place designed or the Book but not the chapter or question sometimes also there is no letter in the page to direct thee to the citation in the margin and at other times it pointeth out the wrong place which the judicious Reader will easily perceive and may correct As to the numberal figures on the several pages there are so many mistakes that it were not easie to sum them all up but the most observable is that from page 544. to page 649. there is an hundred less then the just number but to prevent confusion I have in the tables supplyed what was wanting and have followed the number wherewith the page ought to have been marked Thou wilt also now and then find some mistake in the inscription of the pages and that the designation of the Part Chapter and Section is wanting and that in the page the several purposes are not distinguished with their proper paragraphs Thou wilt moreover often find least for lest and in the first seven or eight sheets the particle to once and again superfluously added in which the Printer made use of that coppy having two I did not write nor revise As for literal mistakes wrong pointing c. the (b) Horat. de art poet Poets apology may have place Sunt delicta tamen quibus ignovisse velimus Nam neque chorda sonum reddit quem vult manus mens Poscentique gravem persaepe remittit acutum Nec semper feriet quodcunque minabitur arcus ERRATA PAge 1 Line 23 thus o read this O page 2 line 36 injustice read justice page 9 line 15 the last particular is made the penult page 15 line 25 Joh. read Jon. p. 29 l. 8 Joh. 26. r. Joh. 16. p. 45 l. 25 dele here p. 46 l. 25 this is the fourth ground of consolation
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
want his armour and having his quiver so full of (b) The Promises are these arrows which the bow of Prayer discharges arrows he cannot want his bow give me children else I die said she in her impatience Gen. 30.1 O! But may the Christian well say let me pray or I cannot live What can the poor Pilgrime do if he have no provision Prayer is our money that answereth all things what though we be far from home yet the treasure followeth us it 's within a cry and Prayer can bring from thence what we can stand in need ask whatsoever ye will it shall be given unto you Joh. 16.23 c. Ah! How should a Christian live without his God and without his Saviour and how shall he live without his life that 's impossible O! but our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 And can there then be a distance and separation of him from God Nay pray he must he must look up 〈◊〉 God and lift up his soul to the Throne And thus some of the (c) Veteres cum Damaesceno de Fid. orth lib. 3. cap. 24. definiunt precationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient Doctors have defined Prayer a lifting up of the soul to God Vnto thee O Lord saith the Psalmist while he is presenting his supplication to God Ps 25.1 do I lift up my soul O! but the distance is great and where shall this holy man find a ladder to reach the Heavens O! but he was well acquainted with such a voyage and how quickly as with wings doth he mount up and approach the Throne and close with the King wrestle with him and at length prevail v. 2. c. v. 15. c. And as Prayer is thus so necessary and usefull for us so it is well pleasing and acceptable to God it is his delight Prov. 15.8 Yea sometimes it is put for the whole worship of God one particular because of it's excellency in place of the general as Gen. 4.26 Is 64.7 Mat. 21.13 O! How should we then blush at the impudence of the Roman Clergy who with their Patron (d) Thom. 2.2 quast 83. art 2. 3. Less Swar loc citand alii Sholastici ad locum Thomas Aquinas will question and dispute for and against in these points that are so certain and undenyable As 1. If it be convenient to pray 2. If Prayer be a Religious act and begin their disputes with a videtur quod non as if their trifling objections could render the negative any wayes probable or to have the least appearance of truth Yet herein they carry themselves suteably to their own principles For upon good ground it may be inquired if the Popish Devotion be convenient and if their lip-labour and moving of the tongue without attention and affection as we shall (e) Set part 2. chap. hear themselves confess yea and without understanding while they pray in an unknown language be a Religious act and deserve the name of divine Worship and we may confidently affirm that to dally thus in Gods service and to teach others to do so is a notable injury against the infinite Majesty of God an impious and blasphemous mockrie of the Omni-scient and holy One who must be worshiped in spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 and with the whole heart as too little to offer unto Him if we had more to give and too naughty to be imployed in His worship Nay this doth not only savour of the pagan and heathenish delusion that much babling is acceptable to God Mat. 6.7 but also of the Satanicall superstition of Witches and Charmers who are well acquainted with such sort of prayers as fit engines for accomplishing their hellish designes that kind of prayer being as it were the Devils A. B. C. which he first teacheth his schollars which he will indeed answer because they are abominable to God and that thus he may delude and allure these miserable wretches and keep them in his snare What kind of teachers then must these be that dare affirm that God will hear and accept such Prayers These must be the seducing spirits of whom the Apostle warneth us whose lot hath fallen in the latter times to beware 1. Tim. 4 1. who teach the doctrine of Devils having their conscience seared with a hot iron O! but you will then say what is the Prayer that God will hear and accept For answer we might bring many emphatick sentences and expressions of the ancient Doctours of the Church who in their meditations have rather been taken up with its excellency sweetness and usefulness then its nature and theorie which though they may suffice for stopping the foul mouths of Popish Casuists and Schoolmen yet they are rather Rethoricall commendations then descriptions of this great duty but of late since learning became more polished every one almost who hath spoken to this point hath given as it were a new definition and it were no difficult task in us to do the like But since all the diversitie is rather in words and phrases then in the matter we could wish that all would rest on that which doth most fully and clearly explain the thing and thus as we conceive in our Catechisme Prayer is excellently well (f) Joyning together what is said both in the larger and shorter Catechisme described an offering up of our desires to God for things agreable to his will in the name of Christ by the help of his spirit with confession of our sins and thankfull acknowledgment of his mercies Here 1. we have the act it self specified 2. The subject 3. The matter and object whereabout it is employed 4. The rule 5. The object to which it it directed 6. The incense that perfumes our duty and makes it acceptable And. 7. our help and assistance in this great work or thus In this our christian sacrifice we have 1. the oblation it self 2. The preist that offereth it 3. The thing we sacrifice and offer up 4. The person to whom we present this oblation 5. The manner how the rule whereby we are directed to make choyce of what we should offer 6. The altar And. 7. our guid leader and assistant Of these severally as the Lord shall enable purposing to add a word concerning the end and scope we should aime at in this performance in the qualifications part 2. Chap 1. As to that which followeth in the last words of this description concerning 1. Confession of sin 2. The return of praise for mercies It s certaine these must be joyned and intermixed with our petitions We must confess and then beg pardon and thankfully remember mercies already received that they may be blessed to us in the use and that by our ingratitude we obstruct not the bestowing of future and desired mercies And thus they belong to the compleating and as (g) Per â—â—ulationem intellig iâ— Apostolus 1. Tim. 2.1 orationem prepriissimesum ptam pro petitione quia vero
him with his free Spirit and that he would not utterly take away his holy Spirit from him that his mouth which for want of the breathing of the spirit for a while was slopt might be opened again Psal 51.12.11.15 What we are now to say concerning the help and assistance of the Spirit may be comprehended under thâ—â—â— three â—cads 1. We will bring some reasons holding forth its â—â—â—ssâ—ty 2. We will show how and after what maner the Spirit helpeth us to pray 3. How the motion of the Spirit may be distinguished 1. From satanicall suggestions 2. from the naturall motions of our own spirit sometimes pressing and drawing us to the Throne adding a word of application but reserving severall practicall questions to the cases Part 3. As for the first The necessity of divine help and assistance may appear 1. from our ignorance 2. from our impotency and inability 3. from our unwillingnesse and aversnesse and 4. from Gods justice and holinesse which otherwise would obstruct our accesse and acceptance 1. Then we are naturally blind and ignorant we know not spirituall things those most excellent and necessary things nay they are foolishness unto us untill the Spirit discover their excellency and our misery without them 1 Cor. 2.11 12 13 14. and therefore without the light and direction of the Spirit we cannot love and desire them nor pray for them what we (c) Ignotinulla cupidâ— know not we cannot love or prize Yea as to temporalls we are ready also to mistake and to ask a (d) Mat. 7.10 serpent in stead of fish and we are ready to be too peremptory in those foolish destructive desires We know neither what nor how to ask and therefore we stand in need of the help of the Spirit that he may teach us to pray as we ought and according to the will of God Rom. 8.26 27. 2. As we are thus foolish and ignorant so we are weak and impotent nay dead and without strength and cannot move one step towards God without his help untill he (e) Ezek. 37.6 blow upon those dry bones and put a new principle of life into them and then draw our heavy and dull though a little quickened and enlivened hearts up to the Throne of grace Eph. 2.1 Rom. 5.6 Ioh. 6.44 we are not able and sufficient of our selves to think one good thought 2 Cor. 3 5. nor to speak a right word none can beleevingly and with affections sutable to such an object say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Cor. 12.3 such corrupt trees as we naturally are can bring forth no good fruit Mat. 7.18 unto the defiled and unbeleeving nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 his heart and conscience being polluted his best things his prayers and sacrifices are naught and loathsom they are an abomination to the Lord Pro. 21.27 and 28.9 and therefore unlesse the Almighty stretch forth his arme for our help we cannot look up to him we have no oblation which we can offer to him not a thought or word sutable to his Majesty and greatnesse and the nature of that heavenly exercise nay though we were translated from death to life yet still we labour under so much weaknesse and infirmity that we neither know nor are able to ask what or as we ought unlesse the Spirit (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a metaphore taken from him who goeth to lift a great weight which he is not able to meve from the ground and another stands over against him withwhom joyning hands they tak up the weight together see Edw. Leigh in vec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 Prayer is too great a weight for our weak armes to lift but when we are pulling and tugging to no purpose then the Spirit cometh and (g) Particula enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad nes laborantes refertur quorum tomen vis omnis ab eo spiritu proficiscitur qui sicut nos penituscollapsos erexit ita etiam erectos regit Beza in Rom. 8.26 takes up the heaviest end and also upholdeth and strengthneth our hands for lifting the lightest and thus maketh the work sweet and easy to us the Spirit helpeth saith (h) Leigh loc cit Leigh as the nurse helpeth the little child who by it self can neither stand nor walk and thus by the hands of the nurse taking it by the steeves it is inabled to go as she directeth so weak Saints c. But 3. as we are thus blind and weak so we are unwilling wicked and obstinat We have much enmity against God and aversnesse from a communion with him the carnall mind is enmity in the abstract against God and spirituall things it is not subject to his Law and Ordinances neither indeed can be Col. 1.21 Rom. 1.30 Rom. 8.7 and how shall this enmity be removed and the foolish self-destroying potshard be made be made to submit to its maker and the rebel subject to make his supplication to the King only the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us can make us yeeld and lay down our weapons and resolve to fight no more against God the Spirit of adoption of enemies can make us sons and beget filiall affections in us that we with confidence may draw nigh to God and call him Abba Father v. 9 14 15.16 Gal. 4.6 4 Our acceptance and welcom depends upon the help and concurrence of the Spirit as weare enemies to God so children of his wrath haters and hated of God wa'king contrary to him and he to us Eph. 2.3 Lev. 26.23 24.27 28. Psa 18.26 O! but the Lord knoweth the mind of the Spirit and will accept those desires that are breathed in the heart by him Rom. 8.27 The Lord knoweth not our howling and crying he regards not our tears and prayers they are an abomination to him Prov. 28.9 Though all the spirits of just men made perfect and all the Angels in heaven would joyn with us yet they could not purchase accesse to us by one Spirit saith the Apostle Eph. 2.18 we have accesse unto the Father and â—â—ere is none beside him that can obtain an entrance for us It s true Christ is the door Joh. 10.7 but the Spirit must open the door and get us accesse he must take us by the hand and bring us to the Father and put acceptable words in our mouth yea after he hath made our peace with God and breathed in us the Spirit of life yet if he do not constantly actuar and quicken that principle our prayers will want life and â—eat and can no more â—e called spiritual sacrifices then the levitical offering untill (i) Lev. 9.24 sire which was of a heavenly descent was brought from the Altar to burn it 'T is true there may be much fervency and heat there may be much fire brought from natures furnace but that common fire is strange fire though it be brought from our own châ—mney yet it is extraneous and unfit for
presence (h) Gen. 3.10 O! but the Spirit removeth that terror and dread and faith to the fugitive and trembling sinner what Christ by an audible voyce to the paralitick Math. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee and if thou be a Son what needs discourage thee if a child then an heir an heir of God and joynt heir with Christ Rom. 8.17 and so you may ask what you will it will be given to you will the Father withhold any part of the portion from the heir or needs the son be afraid to draw nigh to his kind Father Thus the Spirit of adoption by discovering and witnessing our relation doth enable us to come with 1. boldnesse 2. confidence and 3. importunity crying which is a token as of seriousnesse so of boldnesse and who but the Kings son and child dar cry in his presence (q) Abba is a Syriack word signifying Father coming from the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which it only differeth in the termination it may be thought strange that the learned Augustin did herein so grossly mistake as to say that Abba was graecum Vocabulum August epist 178 where we have his dispute rather then an epistle with Poscentius the Arrian Lamentius being arbiter Abba which sheweth the familiarity and confidence which every son hath not the liberty to use but must make choyce of another kind of compellation importing greater distance and reverence Abba Father thus doubling the word to be an evidence of fervency and importunity Rom. 8. 15. Galat. 4.6 It s true this confidence and boldnesse admitteth a latitude but every step and degree of it must come from the Spirit by 〈◊〉 only we can have accesse Eph. 2.18 and therefore that accesse with any measure of boldnesse and confidence mentioned Ch. 3.12 But though it must come from the Spirit yet not alwayes by that witnessing act whereby he testifieth to our Spirits that we are the sons of God Rom. 8.16 but by applying other grounds and making some sort of confidence arise from thence as 1. Sense of our need and wants will banish shame and fear yea and sometimes modesty necessiâ— as non habet legem necessity shakes off all bonds it made those lepers 2 Kings 7.3 5. venture to go to the camp of the Syrians and Esther go to the King with her life in her hand Esth 4.16 Extreamity will make a dumb man speak will it not open a mouth morally shut while once it opened the mouth of Craesus son which nature had closed I am ashamed to beg saith the unjust steward while he lived in abundance Luk 16.13 but stay till he was stripped naked of all and he can see no remedy his (r) Durum telum necessitas extreamity would banish away his shame If the conscience were once awakned as in the Saints to see our guilt and misery and our need of Christ though we wanted the immediat light of Gods countenance and manifestation of his favour yet would we venture and go boldly to the Throne resolving if we should perish to perish if it were posible there This is the first and lowest step and rather of our boldness to pray then boldnesse in prayer which may 2. be promoved from the sense of our obligation flowing from the command conscience of duty may pull and strongly draw us to the throne in obedience to him who hath commanded us to call upon him and pay him this homage though we be not assured of the successe of our work But 3. and more properly this boldnesse may arise from hopes of successe which though grounded upon certainties viz. the command of him who never said to the seed of Iacob seek ye my face in vain his gracious attributes his mercy compassion forbearance c. his invitations intreaties expostulations promises threatnings and judgments upon the disobedient who will not call upon his name the success that others have met with c. Though the soul doth not doubt of these in the general and as to others yet as to thee while thou sittest in darkness and wants the light of assurance flowing from the inward testimony of the Spirit these can only beget a probable hope and thereby raise up the heart to a proportionable boldness and confidence banishing slavish fear despondency of spirit and such discouragments as may draw off the heart or weaken the hands and thus 1. negatively viz. by removing obstructions the foundation-stone of confidence is laid 2. and positively enlivening and quickning the soul by a rationall expectation of success But betwixt this probable hope and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 There is a middle and third kind of confidence arising from divine argumentation the Spirit breathing upon and sealing all the propositions of the practical Syllogisme but especially the minor by discovering to us the reality and sincerity of our graces and thus enabling us to assume and say I love and fear God keep his commandments c. From which supposing the knowledge faith of these general discoveries held forth in the major the conclusion concerning our state and condition doth clearly and necessarily flow You will say if the conclusion do clearly follow it must beget as full an assurance as the immediat testimony of the Spirit Ans We will not now compare the immediat and direct irradiation and evidence of the Spirit with the mediate and argumentative reflex by a practical Syllogism in which the word is applyed and from thence a conclusion drawn concerning our state and condition or compare as I may speak the Spirit 's wit-nessing to our spirit and (Å¿) Rom. 8.16 bearing witness to our spirit But to the question we grant that a great measure of confidence and boldness may be had both wayes and whensoever the soul can say with her Cant. 6.3 I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine by whatsoever means this assurance be attaiâ—ned h may draw nigh to God in full assurance of faith grounded upon this particular interest in him but often by reason of the small measure of irradiation from the Spirit the assent given to the minor is so weak that it diffâ—reth not much from a meer opinion having much fear and jealousie mixed with it so that albeit an assent be given to the assumption yet cum formidine partis oppositae and thus the conclusion as the effect must be in part tainted with that imperfection as of the cause and so cannot be the foundation of such a measure of confidence and boldness as mâ—ght arise from a clear evidence and full assurance But here there is a great latitude concerning which we shall now say no more but that if there be such a measure of assent as doth banish and calm the storm boistrous winds of dispair distrust unquietness anxiety c. and doth carry the soul to trust and stay it self upon God and to adhere rely and depend upon him
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
apply most of the characters brought for clearing the former quaeree concerning Sathans suggestions which here will be as discriminative as they are there as 1. if these motions be spiritual as to the motives and end they cannot flow from nature for no (b) Nihil agit supra sphaeram activitatis agent can act beyond its own sphere 2. If they stir us up to do in a right maner c. we will not resume the several particulars only let us presse the last a little further Now the motions of the Spirit do manifestly differ from our natural motions as to their effect upon the heart For 1. they being weak as we have shown Chap. 3. they can make no lively impression upon the heart nor engage the affections and thus they are often choaked and repelled yea albeit when they as in Jehu are animated by self-interest and base carnall ends Sathan also obstetricating and putting his to hand to help forward the work albeit thus they become violent and impetuous yet they are helplesse though they presse the heart to yield yet they furnish no strength for doing in a sutable and spiritual maner though they may add vigour to the outward man in its natural actings and thus also there may be a habit facility and gift acquired for producing the like acts hereafter yet the heart is no whit bettered nor thereby made to fall in love with the beauty of holiness the doing of one duty thus doth not fit and prepare the heart for doing better and more spiritually hereafter but rather indisposeth it by habituating it to do in a formal carnal maner O! but the Spirit of God is the Spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 who as he exciteth us to do so also assisteth us in doing and enableth us to do well and in an acceptable maner he helpeth our infirmities and supplieth our weakness Rom. 8.26 1 Pet. 5.10 Colos 1.11 He maketh us beleeve and then speak he will stir up faith to act and thereby fit and prepare the heart to pour out its desires to God Ps 116.10 It s true the Saints may meet with streitnings and ly under much deadness when the spirit begins to move but even then they meet with secret strength and assistance whereby they are supported to hold our and not give over nor to yield to the contrary suggestions of Sathan and the flesh and therefore we should not alwayes measure the Spirits help by sense feeling but when thus it cannot be so sensibly discerned though it truly be afforded yet we cannot make use of it as a mark and sign for clearing the present case till in the issue this mist and darkness be dispelled 2. Then wait and the vision shall come it shall not tarry ere it be long ye shall discern his hand to your comfort and find a sweet sent and savour left upon the heart behind him when he cometh he will leave some myrrh upon the handles of the lock which will make our fingers drop sweetly Cant. 5.5 Lastly as natural motions do not positively amend and make the heart better so neither do they negatively amend it or make it less evill as they add no good to it so they take no evil out of it though the acts of sin may be restrained yet the habits are not debilitated though the streams be stopt yet the fountain still abideth full though some branches be cut off yet the bulk and root suffereth not prejudice but may be all the while growing and enlarging it self O! but the Spirit helpeth with might in the inner as well as in the outward man he helpeth us to do not only some outward acts but also to pull down the strong holds of Sathan and every imagination and high thing that would exalt it self against God Eph. 3.16 2 Cor. 10.4 5. When the Spirit once beginneth to breath upon us then sin in root and branches must like the house of (c) 2 Sam. 3.1 Saul after David did come to the throne daily wax weaker and weaker Vse 1. You have need to (d) 1 Joh. 4.1 try by what spirit ye are acted and led Use 1 and from whence the fire is brought that burneth your sacrifice all is not gold that glisters if your treasure be filled with brass in stead of good coyn you are undone the most miserable have something that looketh like current money wherewith they rest satisfied but when they bring it to the market they are sent away empty the worst of men have not only had some good motions some light and pressing convictions but also good affections some pangs of sorrow and repentance and some flashes of zeal joy and holy desires carnal men will have their fits of seeming devotion and their good moods you may look upon Cain complaining and lamenting his misery Esau weeping for the blessing Ahab humbling himself Felix trembling Judas repenting and confessing his sin Jehu in his zeal for the Lord destroying idolaters Herod and the stony ground hearing the Word gladly Balaam desiring to die the death of the righteous c. And therefore as ye would not be deceived in a business of such concernment put the matter to the tryal 2. Here is matter of praise to God unto all eternity Use 2 O! let us (e) Ps 103.1 call to our soul and summon all that is within us to joyn in this work let us invite the holy Angels to assist us yea let (f) Ps 69.34 heaven and earth sea and land with all their hosts if they had a tongue to speak joyn with us in praising our God for this his mervellous loving kindness towards the sons of men that he will give his Spirit to be our leader and guide our helper and comforter to awaken and quicken us when we are dull to corroborat and strengthen our fainting spirits to help and assist us in our work to comfort and refresh us when we grow weary and thus every way to help our infirmities O ye dull faint weak and disconsolated ones consider what a master ye serve and turn your complaints into songs of praises But remember that abused mercies exceedingly provoke the nearer the Lord draws to us in his kindness if we prove unthankfull our punishment will be more heavy and grievons Let us then look on the warning to the people of Israel concerning that Angel the great Angel of the Covenant who should conduct them to the promised land as if to day it were made to us in reference to this our blessed leader and guide to the heavenly Canaan Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not least he pardon not your transgressions for my (g) In quo nomen Dei veraciter est quia verus Deus est Gloss interlin in loc name is in him saith the Lord Exod. 23.21 PART II. Of the qualifications of an acceptable prayer ALbeit the levitical Priesthood and material sacrifices did cease and those shadows (a) Heb. 8.13 evanish
aliis collectis hanccertaem conclusionem confirmat Durham in Apocalyp pag. 11 12. alike 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said (a) Nazianz. orat 37. Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While we adore one we must and ought adore all the three if we exclude any of the persons of the Trinity from the object of worship we deny him to be God And since their names are relative let the naming of the one lead us in to remember the other two and thus the Apostle while he requireth some conditions in those who call on the Father mentioneth the knowledge of the Son and sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19 22. As if he had warned them in their acts of worship not so to mind the Father as to forget the Son and holy Spirit and accordingly the Saints in the close of their prayers yea and frequently also in the beginning (b) Vid. Voet sel disp 26. Forbes loc cit use expresly to mention all the three persons of the Trinity and though only in the close they did name those glorious persons ascribing glory and praise to the Father Son and holy Ghost yet thereby they declare that while in any part of that worship they did name any one of the persons yet they included the other two at least as to their habitual intention Concl. 5. But though it be fit that thus the meditation of the one should lead us in to contemplat the other two and though we must at no time in any point of worship so fix our heart upon any one as to exclude the other two from that act of worship yet we may upon occasion so look upon one as not (c) Peculiarl distincto mentis conceptu religionis actu tendimus in unam aliquam personam ut codem illo actu tunc directe explicite non tendamus in aliam quia preces gratiarum actiones distincto scorsim diriguntur ad Spir. sanctum aut ad Filium aut ad Patrem quod docet univer salis consensus devotio omnium fidelium Act. 7.60 Apoc. 22.20 2 Cor. 13 14. Voet. ubi supra disp 28. pag. 478. actually to meditate and think upon the other two The limited nature of our thoughts which cannot at one and the same instant of time seriously contemplat and be taken up with many different objects yea or different considerations of one and the same object and the experience of all Saints in their meditations doth show the necessity of this limitation Yet 1. that same divine nature that is in the other two is in this case the object of worship and therefore they being considered essentially and as God they may thus be said to be expresly worshiped no less then the glorious person that was named 2. Then and alwayes there must be in us an equal respect to all the three persons of the blessed Trinity habitually intentionally and as to the inclination and general bent of the heart Concl. 6. In singling out any one person of the blessed Trinity we may look upon and be directed by that appropriation of works and attributes and the different order of subsisting and working and accordingly fix our eyes upon that person to whom the Scripture in a special maner doth ascribe those attributes and dispensations as are most suitable to our condition and the present exigence according to that pattern 2 Cor. 13.14 Concl. 7. Yet we are not so limited by that appropriation or order that is among those holy persons that upon any occasion we may not indifferently name and particularly fix upon any or that in the contemplation of them severally we may not first fix upon any one thus the Son is invocated before the Father in that place now cited 1 Cor. 13.14 and the holy (d) The holy Spirit there is called the seven Spirits communi saith Parae us metalepsi effectorum pro ou aâ— He is called so not form â—â—y â—ut effectively and in reference to the seven Churchs and his spiritual gifts dispensed to each of them and since no created spirits can be the objects of worship from whom grace and peace may be askt as there these seven spirits must be the holy Ghost See Durham on Rev pag. 4.5 Ghost before the Son Rovel 1.4 5. Whereby is clearly held forth to us that notwithstanding there be a priority of order among those glorious persons yet no priority of dignity and perfection And thus as we may first fix upon any one So we may particularly make our address to any one not expresly men ioning the other two Thus Stephen and the penitent Thief do supplicate the Son Act. 7.59 Luk. 23.42 And the Apostle doth particularly wish and ask of the holy Ghost to the Corrinthians his communion whereby they might be united and have fellowship with Christ their Head and among themselves as members of his Body 2 Cor. 13.14 And as the Spirit particularly speaketh to the Church Rev. 2.7 why may not the Church particularly speak and pray unto the Spirit and accordingly Christians from time to time in their prayers meditations and ejaculations have particularly named and fixed upon any one of those glorious persons But here it may be askt whether or not as we may put up several petitions to the several persons of the Trinity So we may put up one and the same petition to several persons Ans Our learned antiquary (e) Forb loc cit cap. 23. sect Dr. Forbess denieth this to be a fit and decent maner of worship but 1. if we may ask several things from them continuedly and without interruption as 2 Cor. 13.14 why may we not as well ask one and the same thing from them severally the hazard of altering dividing and varying the object of worship which is the only inconvenience he objecteth is no less in that case then in this 2. If we may joyntly praise all the persons why may we not joyntly pray to them but I think none will scruple to praise them joyntly naming all the three particularly and it is most usual to close our prayers ascribing praise to the Father Son and holy Ghost for all and every one of our mercies and may we not as warrantably pray for mercy from all those glorious persons as to praise them for it while they give it 3. Since while we pray to God we understand and include all the three persons and must exclude none as hath been shown why may we not particularly name them all 4. Is not grace and peace particularly ask't from (f) By him which is which was and which is to come Diodat Mr. Durham and not a few learned Expositoâ—s will have the Father to be circumscribed and his eternal being all these blessed persons Rev. 1.4 5. according to the interpretation of several judicious Divines Yet here we do not reject Mr. (g) Mr. Durham loc cit pag. 12 15. Durham his caution Viz. Since our imagination
given to him and the holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and Son carrieth on the work of salvation in all them whom the Father hath elected unto life and for whom the Son hath laid down his life thus in time effectuating what the Father from eternity had decreed and applying the medicine the Son hath purchased and prepared for us 2. While it s ask't what the Spirit worketh by virtue of this economy Ans When thou comest home to thy fathers house and seest his face either thy curiosity shall be silenced or satisfied but now if thou only askest what we may rather ask what not Are not all the gracious actings of the Spirit and the whole work of sanctification first and last the sweet fruit of this economy covenant and transaction and without which our case had been as bad and desperate as the devils and now the Spirit by virtue of that covenant not only works but creates grace in subjecto inhabili where there was no inclination fitness or preparation till he began to work and not only actuatch grace where he hath wrought it and concurreth with it but also supplieth the defect of the cause and principle it self which still remaineth incompleat till he perfect it in glory which is another kind of providence nor what is afforded to natural agents And holiness sanctification and illumination being the third great work of God which by virtue of that voluntary transaction remained to be wrought towards the sons of men that did lie upon the third person of the blessed Trinity and thus by this eternal covenant holiness was fitly appropriated to the holy Spirit And thus we may see that there is not a full enumeration in the three-membred distinction of mission so often ininculcated in the Schools 1. per imperium or by command which supposeth the subjection of him who is sent 2. per consilium or by counsel and advice which supposeth weakness and ignorance in him who is sent 3. per originem or by natural descent as trees send forth their branches and this say they kind of mission only hath place among the persons of the Trinity but we may doubt if any where in the Scriptures the word mission or sending is put to signifie the natural procession of any of the persons of the Trinity but however from what hath been said it may appear that this three-footed distinction doth halt and wanteth one of its legs ye◠and that member which is most usefull and necessary and which as we conceive only hath place in the Scriptures viz. by mutual consent agreement and covenant and none can question that this sort of mission may have place among equals Before we come to the application Concl. 10 let us add this tenth Concl. We are not so limited to conceive of the divine nature under one or more personal properties and distinct subsistences that in prayer or any other point of worship we may not draw nigh to him as the alone Jehovah and true God we are not so obliged to conceive of the divine nature relatively and as subsisting in the Father Son and Spirit as that we may not apprehend him absolutely as God abstracting as it were from the different subsistences of the God-head though not excluding them And thus the Jewish Church used to worship him and for ordinary made their adress to him as that one true and living God laying hold rather on his essential and glorious attributes then on his personal properties or relations But (u) A word of warning and caution 1. It were to be wished now under so full a discovery of this mysterious unity and Trinity that in beholding the infinite nature of the one Jehovah and true God we might adore the glorious Trinity of persons yet not suffering our thoughts so to expatiat and be scattered in musing on three as distinct objects of worship but still fixing our eye upon the unity of the divine nature and God-head which is the formal object of worship and which is not multiplied nor divided in the several persons for as (x) Vna est enim Patris Filii Spiritus sancti essentia quam Graci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant in quâ non est aliud Pater aliud Filius aliud Spiritus sanctus quamvis personaliter fit alius Pater alius Filius alius Spiritus sanctus Aug. tom 3. de fid ad Pet diac cap. 1. fol 48. Austin saith albeit in the Trinity there be alius alius yet not aliud though there be a distinction of persons yet not of natures nor a distinct object of worship but the same God-head is in all the persons and therefore whether one or mo or none of the persons be named the object of worship is the same and we should in the unity of nature (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autor expos apud Forhes loo cit cap. 33. behold the admirable Trinity of persons and in that Trinity the glorious unity of nature without division or confusion multiplication or alteration But 2. Albeit we may name any one of the persons particularly as being the true God and a fit object of worship yet we must not imagine any special respect and honour thereby to be given to him as if the other two were less worshiped in that act of worship and therefore albeit the Saints do frequently make their adress to the Father yet 1. they do not exclude the Son and holy Ghost nor 2. imagine that the Son and holy Spirit hath not an equal hand with the Father in all their mercies and thus 3. they do not come to the Father as another and greater God to whom more honour and reverence were due then to the Son and Spirit and 4. they do not apprehend that thereby the Father is engaged more to help them then the other two which are not named 3. As we should not stumble at the Arrian and Socinian cavils against the mystery of the Trinity which is an object of faith so far beyond the reach of our dark-sighted reason and apprehension and is such a depth as our shallow understanding and short measure is not able to sound So on the other hand we would beware least our belief of the Trinity make us encline towards the pagan conceit of plurality of Gods that it tend not nor lead that way as too freqently it doth in the rude and stupid multitude contrarily to the dictates of (z) Vide Scot in 1. sent dist 2. quaest 3. reason it self which hath convinced many Pagans of the impossibility of mo Gods then one which necessary point is so clearly held forth in the Scriptures of truth that he who runs may read Deut. 6.4 Mark 12.32 1 Cor. 8.4.6 c. But hoping that sober Christians will abominat these and such like gross conceptions of God that which we would mainly here take notice of and improve is that gracious economy of the glorious persons of the ever blessed Trinity
13.12 1 Joh. 3.2 CHAP. II. Of the withdrawing of the Spirit of deadness indisposition and wandring thoughts in prayer their causes and remedy ALL our light and strength our activity life and zeal being the fruit of the free Spirit of grace as hath been shown Part. 1. Chap. 9. We not being of our selves sufficient to think far less to do as we ought all our sufficiency coming from God alone 2 Cor. 3.5 If the Lord withdraw his Spirit and if the Spirit of (a) Rom. 8.10 life do not quicken and enable us for our our duty what deadness and indisposition must there be upon our spirit and how unfit and unable must we be for the work of the Lord and for any part of his worship We shall not then here separate the cause and the effect but we not being meer patients but by our folly and unkindness provoking the Spirit to depart yea and not only thus procuring this sad dispensation but also joyning and actively concurring and taking as it were the hammer in our hands for hardning our own heart shutting our own eyes that we might not see and casting water upon the fire that it might not burn we shall enquire after both sort of causes adding some few things for curing and remedying this evil and for our direction whilewe are under this sad tryal Sect. 1. How far the Spirit doth withdraw and why Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Psal 5.11 12. Take not thy holy Spirit from me uphold me with thy free Spirit WE shall not now speak of the case and state of desertion in the general what it is what be its kinds what are the causes what the symptoms and marks what the effects and wofull consequents of that malady and what should be done by way of cure and remedy that were a large field hath been the subject of several excellent (a) Mr. Boltons instructions for a right comforting c. Mr. Goodwins child of light c. Mr. Symonds desert souls case and cure c. Treatises but we shall only meddle with so much of that case as concerneth the present subject and now enquire how far the Spirit doth withdraw his help and assistance from the Saints in reference to their prayers and shall but in a word and very briefly speak to that and to the rest of the particulars in this and the following Sections because they fall in here occasionally and as in the by as also since they very much depend upon the case in the si of which now we cannot speak and the general grounds and purposes which belong to that head As to the first question here propounded how far the Spirit doth withdraw Let us 1. suppose against Socinians Papists and Arminians that the Spirit doth neither totally nor finally leave and forsake any of the Saints 1 Joh. 3.9 Joh. 10.28 29. Jer. 32.39 40. Heb. 13.5 c. 2. From the constant presence of the Spirit we may well collect his constant work and operation there is a necessary influence of the Spirit whereby the Saintâ— are supported and upheld the life of the new man is preserved and the (b) 1 Joh. 3.9 seed of God is kept from corruption and that influence is never denied or withheld from the Saints when they are at the lowest and in their worst and weakest condition when they have been sadly buffeted by Sathan and dangerously wounded by their lusts and after that little of life which yet (c) Rev. 3.2 remaineth in them is ready to die yet there is a secret hand that supporteth them so that they shall never perish Joh. 10.28 But 3. it is more diffâ—â—ult to determine whether as the Spirit alwayes worketh to the conservation of spiritual life So also to its operation acting and exercise and the work of the Spirit as to the former may be called upholding and conserving grace and as to the latter assisting and concurring grace Ans Albeit we did joyn with an (d) Mr. Symonds case and cure ch 4. pag. mihi 36. excellent modern Divine while he thus resolveth this question God never wholly denieth his assistance to a faithfull soul though some degrees of divine help be withheld so that the soul languish in a sort and sink into a state of deadness and auâ—ness yet there is life and that both habitual and actual Gods clock never stanos there is no such deliquium gratae no such swoun of the new man in which all acts do cease though a Christian may do less yet still he doth something and though he may lose some help from God yet not all Albeit I say we did grant what is here asserted yet these actings may be so weak and faint that it will be hard to discern and put a difference between them and our natural motions they may be so cold and liveless as if no fire had come from heaven and as if the Spirit of life had never breathed upon the soul nay though something of the new life and of grace might be discerned in those actings yet we could not assent to what is said by this (e) As the Spirit worketh alwayes to the conservation of spiritual life So it worketh ever to the growth of graces A Christian is over growing yea then when he seemeth to himself and others to stand at a stay yea to decline he groweth alway really though nor apparently nor equally idid pag. 26. Author concerning the constant growth of grace unless by growth he understand no other thing but the bringing forth and bearing some fruit though nâ—ver so small and little but this cannot be the importance of the word while we are exhorted to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 And thus a man may be said to grow while he is lying on his death bed and while he is in the most languishing condition for even then he can elicit some vital acts and bring forth some fâ—uits of life and yet it would be thought a strange paradox to affirm that such were in a (f) And the instance of plants under the nipping blasts of the winter when the fruit and leaves fall off brought by that Author overturneth his conclusion for though then there be a tendency to growth yet there is no acttual growing but a dâ—cay growing condition there is no proper growth but when the habit fountain and principle doth receive an addition and increase But 4. what ever be said as to a total cessation from all acts of spiritual life and to an universal withdrawing of all assisting grace though a Saint under the most dreadfull storms and while he is at his lowest were never such an empty vine as to bring forth no fruit and though at no time he were so far deserted as to have all measure of assistance for every spiritual duty withheld yet there may be a total suspension of influence and assistance in reference to some particular performance and that it may be
ye durst ye speak so irreverently to a man like your self if in any eminent place and having authority far less to â— King Ah! let us be humbled for our unmannerly shameless and impudent boldness or rather desperat carelesness and negligence in the worship of the great God We might here also add somewhat concerning the use of the voice yea sometimes the elevation and extension of it may be helpfull to quicken the heart and then thou may'st retire to a solitary place where thou may'st use the greater freedom and not be liable to mis-construction But if yet thou findest thy deadness and indisposition to continue notwithstanding thou hast used the means for removing of it I shall further add by way of advice but these few particulars 10. Whetever abuse may be of a set form yet then thou may'st have recourse to it perhaps thou may'st be brought so low and be so far straitned as to want both matter and words and might not a Saint be helped in such a strait if he had some materials at hand drawn up by holy men or by himself from the Scriptures and fitted for his case and use but yet not so as to stint and limit himself precisely to these words or purposes but if he find his fetters to fall off and the wind to blow he may use his liberty I must saith Mr. (y) Mr. Zach. Bogan pref to his help to pr. and edis Bogan who yet pleads very much for a form needs say if I would go by mine own experience the heart that is warmed and enlarged with the sense of the love of God and joy in the holy Ghost although sometimes under a damp and some violent straitning it should be driven to a form yet as soon as the heat comes and the bands slaken would fied a form to wring and long to be at liberty When one is weak and sickly he will make use of crutches which after he hath recovered his strength he will cast away And on the other hand the judicious Mr. Ford who is very severe against the abuse of forms (z) Mr. Ford spirit of adoption cha 48. pag. 526. comparing it to a custome which he calleth a ridiculous absuraity and at another (a) Ibid. cha 52. pag. 546 547. time prescribing this as a mean how to recover out of deadness in prayer not to rest in forms of prayer nor to bind our selves to the same series and frame of words yet once and again (b) Le is citatis protesteth that he is not so severe as to condemn or forbid the use of a good form either of our own or others framing or to deny that young beginners may find help in the matter method and language of a good form and that under extraordinary deliquies and swoundings of spirit in which the soul cannot put forth its operations as before that a godly man may not as Christ in his agony Mat. 26.44 go and repeat to God thrice and more the same forme of words And that we may not only at the same time repeat but also at different occasions make use of the same form of words is evident also from Davids soliloquy and meditation in the case of his soul-trouble and dejection in which he thrice and in two different Psalms repeateth the same words viz. Ps 42.5 and ver 11. Ps 43.5 And thus on all hands it s agreed that as a form may be abused for I (c) As for the excellency of conceived prayer wherein the devous Christian out of the abundance of his heart pours out his requests to God none but a profane spirit dares open his mouth against it Mr. Gurn. loc eit pag. 438. know none who plead that beleevers should be precisely stinted and bound to a set form in their private devotion so it may be lawfully used in case of extraordinary weakness or indisposition neither may we now meddle with what is here controversal 11. While deadness and indisposition continueth let frequency supply the want of continuance come often but stay not long at the throne till thou be more able and till the Lord arrest thee by the sweet breathings of his free Spirit The famous (d) Dicuntus fratres in Egypte crebras quidem babere orationes sed eas tamen brevissin as raptim quodammodo jaculatas ne ills vigilon ter erecta quae oranti pluri mum necessaria est per productiores meras evanescat atque hebetetur intentio ac per hoc etiam ipsi satis osteâ—dunt banc intentionem fiout non est obtundenda si per durare non potest itae si per duraverit non cito esse rum pendam Absit enim ab oratione multa loquutio non desit multa precatio si fervens perseverat intentio non intentio ut mendose scribitur passim in hoc capite nam c. August epist 12. ad pob cap. 10. Austin speaking of the Saints in Eygpt who were eminent for holiness affirmeth that they used to pray often but not long at a time approving that practice as limited to the case held forth in this direction nay the reverend Mr. (e) Mr. Gurn. loc cit pag. 477. Gurnal speaking generally of the duty prescribeth the same advice and direction with this (f) Which Austin also addeth verbis citatis caution only that we give no check to the Spirit of God in his assistances nor interrupt the duty while we find the Spirit enlarging the heart and pressing us forward We need not now speak to the general but the book of the Psalms affords us many instances of short prayers poured out by the Saints while their Spirits were overwhelmed and straitned and that one hundred and second Psalm which was penned to be as it were a directory in such a case if we look only upon the petitory part of it will not be thought to be of any considerable length 12. Do not faint nor weary in waiting upon the Lord put a good interpretation on all Gods dealings and dispensations towards thee and though thou meet with no sensible manifestation gain and advantage yet follow the (g) We spake particularly of prayer and now again while we recommend the use of the ordinances though we think none either publick or private may be neglected yet let me adviâ—e thee to make secret prayer thy daily and constant refuge go and say with him Psa 80.18 quicken me and I will call upon thy name thou mayest reiterate and dwell upon this petition for in one Psalm the servant of God eight several times renews the same request and prayeth for quickning viz. Psa 119 25 37 88 107 149 154 156 159. ordinances diligently knowing that at length he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 Praise God that ye may bear his voice though ye do not see his face ye have a sure word of promise labour to live upon it and in due time ye shall reap if ye
less Nam licet ex duobus malis culpa neutrum paenae tamen minimum est eligendum All the controversie then seems to stand in this Whether we may pray for any evil either of sin or suffering for to one of those two heads may every evil be referred relatively and in reference to some good and necessary end That though neither of these two be good and desirable of themselves yet since God by them and from them may bring good to us and may make them means to humble us and to cause us walk more circumspectly may we not desire and pray for them in so far as they may be subservient to such an end Ans We needed not have moved such a question were it not that some weak Saints upon a mistake may be ready to pray thus for some rod or affliction and that the great school-man (d) Non est intrinsece malum petere hujusmodi mala vel sibi vel aliis nam haec mala erunt simpliciter bona si honesta ratione propter finem simpliiâ—ter bonum appetantur Fatetur tamen hunc mâ—dum orandi fortasse non esse omnibus consulendum cum ipso Paulus ter Dominum rogaveritue stimulo carnis affligeretur Suar. loc cit lib. 1. cap. 19. Suarez affirmeth that we may desire and ask thus not only evils of suffering both to our selves and others but also temptations As for his arguments they deserve no reply and he makes it his work neither to prove nor vindicat but to explain and illustrat this his assertion But for establishing a right directory of prayer and for preventing a mistake of the weaker we shall 1. bring some arguments for confirmation and then 2. answer such objections as we conceived might readily occur or become an occasion of errour and because the main question will be concerning afflictions for few or none I think will be so impudent as to affirm that we should desire or pray for strength to sin albeit Suarez doth mention temptations to sin amongst those evils he affirmeth we may pray for and speaks of Pauls temptation 2 Cor. 12. as a thing he might have desired therefore we shall speak at greater length of suffering and affliction and only add a word concerning sin and temptations to sin Arg. 1 First As for reasons 1. that which we may deprecat and pray against that can be no fit material and object of prayer but we may deprecat rods and afflictions and pray according to that perfect pattern Mat. 6.13 that we may be (e) How we may and should deprecat evils both of fin and suffering See Mr. Gurnal loc cis pag. 491. seq delivered from evil of whatsoever nature whether of sin or suffering and our Lord Jesus who knew well what to ask what to deprecat not only thus teacheth us by his doctrine and that copy he hath left us but also by his example to deprecat the cup of suffering and affliction Mat. 26.39 I deny not that the Lord can and often doth sanctifie the furnace to his children but they themselves must not choose nor cast themselves into that furnace but if the Lord determine their particular trial and call them in his wise providence to encounter it they should not faint nor repine but should submit to the dispensation and look up to God for the right and sanctified use of it and for some good of and fruit by the trial but that not being the proper and inseparable effect of the rod and the Lord being able by mercies to work the same yea and without any outward dispensation by the immediat operation of the Spirit on the heart why should we make choice of such a rough and troublesom way and take a bitter potion and draw blood when pleasant cordials will do the turn Hence Arg. 2 2. That which is of it self bitter and evil and frequently accompanied with a bad effect and driveth the soul farther from God and to take wicked and desperat courses that cannot be an object of a regular and reasonable desire and as it must flow from inconsideratness So it would appear to take its rise from our pride and a conceit of our own strength to improve the rod aright and to make a better use of it then others who have miscarried under it but humble and considerat Christians would remember how the rod made that King immediatly after his sackcloth 2 King 6.30 to fall upon this desperat conclusion ver 33. this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer How it sent Saul once (f) 1 Sam. â—0 9.10 among the Prophets to the witch at Endor and at length made him fall upon his own sword 1 Sam. 28.8 1 Sam. 31.4 And how often it made the people of Israel in the wilderness to murmur and rebel against the Lord nay as many rods and tryals as they were exercised with so often did they miscarry and provoke the Lord. Arg. 3 3. Arg. 3. For with-holding and removing of which we should praise and give thanks to God that we may not desire and pray for but it is our duty to praise God for with-holding deserved judgments and keeping our (g) Job 5.24 tabernacle in peace and accordingly the Saints from time to time have made conscience to perform this duty and it is a provoking sin not to acknowledge his bounty nor ascribe to him the praise of these outward mercies and for which he is often provoked to remove them in wrath Hence Arg. 4 4. That which is a token of divine displeasure and of it self the bitter fruit of sin ought not be made the object of our desire and prayer but rods and afflictions are such and do call us to fasting and mourning and to run to the Lord by fervent prayer entreating that he would remove those tokens of his wrath according to the exhortation Psa 50.15 Jam. 5.13 c. And when the Saints remember their former enjoyments Job chap. 29. they look upon them as great mercies and their present affliction as a sore and sad tryal and oh saith Job that I were as in moneths past as in the dayes when God preserved me c. 5. That which we may not procure nor bring on but on the contrary should labour and strive against and use all lawfull means for with-holding when it 's feared and removing when it 's felt Arg 5 and causeth (h) I think few will joyn with Mr Collings in his cordials Part 2. Serm. 11. where he seemeth to candemn all disquietment of spirit all sorrow and trouble for external and temporal things as sinfull unless by sorrow he understand the excess and distemper of that affection which was acted by Christ purely and without sin Mat. 26.38 as for his reason viz. that our nature is so corrupt that we cannot act such a sorrow but we shall sin If it were concludent here it would as well conclude the acting of
stand thus that either they or the magistrate must fall we are warranted to pray that rather they meet with the stroke of justice then that the magistrate and those who are with him should be overthrown in the discharge of their duty yet abstracting from such an alternative we should not desire the suddain death and ruin of enemies but rather that they may be scattered and taken captives and have time to repent the rejoycing of the Saints is not their ruine but in the deliverance of the people of God and the manifestation of the glory of God in helping his servants and making the (e) Ps 76.10 rage of man to praise him c. And there is no question but that comparatively and rather we may desire and pray that enemies may fall and be ruined then that they should prevail and oppress the Church and blaspheme the holy name of God Again 2 Obj. it may be objected ½ that there be many instances recorded in the word of curses and maledictions uttered by the Saints against their enemies and on the wicked as Deut. 27.14 c 2 Sam. 3.29 Psa 59.12 13 14 15. Psa 69.22 c. Psa 83.11 c. Psa 109.6 c. Psa 143.12 Jerem. 17.18 Lam. 3.64 Hos 9.14 Act. 8.20 c. Ans We will not say with (f) August contra Faustum lib 1. deserm Domini in morte cap. 42. optativo inquit modo usi sunt pro indicatiro Austine that these were verba sive praedicantium sive praedicentium non vota imprecantium And that these holy men did speak so either by way of prophesie prediction or by way of commination and denounciation of Gods righteous judgments against implacable enemies for the words are so clear that they will admit no such gloss But we answer that all that is recorded in the Scriptures concerning the Saints is not for our imitation 1. not their sins and infirmities which are set down rather to be our warning and copy and as to the present case who will justifie (g) Numb 11.15 Job 6.9 1 King 19.4 Jer. 20.15 17. Jon. 4.3 Moses Iob Eliah Ieremiah and Ionah their praying against themselves and cursing the day wherein they were born and the man who brought tidings of their birth c. 2. Neither what they did upon some special occasion or warrant as in the present case they might not only 1. know who were implacable enemies and devoted to destruction but also 2. have some particular command or some special impression and impulse upon their spirit moving and warranting them to pray for such and such judgments to be poured out upon such and such enemies and then we may suppose that such prayers poured out by such eminent Saints and Prophets upon such grounds and motives did flow from a pure zeal to the glory of God without any mixture of carnal passion malice and revenge O! but its hard for us to pray against Gods enemies especially if they be our enemies and have wronged us unless our hearts burn with wrath envy and rage and therefore it would appear to be safest for us not to follow such extraordinary practices but to walk by the rule commanding us to bless and not to curse especially since 1. we can expect no revelation concerning the final state of any and so may be ready to curse some elect ones whom the Lord purposeth to bless and 2. we cannot expect any extraordinary motion and impulse upon our spirits unless it come from hell or from our lusts ye know not saith our blessed Lord to some of his disciples who out of a preposterous zeal to imitate Elias would have called for fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans for not receiving their Master what manner of spirit ye are of Luk. 9.55 Let such then as will take upon them to imitat the Prophets in their extraordinary actings be sure that they are led by the same spirit and that they can produce the like warrant But as for humble Christians who dare not (h) Ps 131 â—â— exercise themselves in things too high for them they would consider that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God Jam. 1.20 Our wrath and malice against men may provoke the Lord to become as an enemy to us and may hinder the execution of his righteous judgments against them but it can do us no good and them no hurt O! but if we render good for evil and blessing for cursing then will the Lord bless us and do us good 1 Pet. 3.9 and it may be no small comfort to us when we are suffering by them if with the Prophet we can say remember O Lord that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them who had digged a pit for my soul Jerem. 18.20 Nay according to the son of (i) Eccles 21.27 Sirack we must not curse Sathan and who curseth him curseth his own soul and the Scriptures of truth tells us that Michael the Archangel durst not bring against him a railing accusation and shall we then dare to bring any railing accusation against our brethren and neighbours When saith (k) Tu quis es qui non diligis utique tu qui oras ut homo moriatur malus or as contra malum facti est is duo mali ille male agendo tu male orando tu malus orando incipis esse quando dicis Deus occide malum te facis judicem Deum quaeris esse tortorem respondet tibi Deus nonue me in tuis malis operibus irritasti c. quare si voluntatem tuam haberem te prius occiderem antequam venires si tunc te occidissem inimicum quià ergo male orande deces me quod non feci in te c. August de sanctis serm 4. tom 10. fol. 256. Austin thou prayest for evil to thine enemy thou thy self becomest evil as he was evil by doing wrong So thou now by praying wrong and now thou takest to thee Gods office and becomest a judge pronouncing the sentence and wouldst have him to be the executioner and lictor but if the Lord had thus dealt with thee when thou wronged him and became his enemy thou had not now been to complain of thy brother ah why dost thou desire the Lord to do that to others which he hath not done to thee were it not better to imitate our Saviour on the cross pitying and praying for his enemies c. CHAP. V. When how often and how long or how much time should be spent in prayer 1 Thes 5.17 Pray without ceasing WE shall speak to the first two branches of the question joyntly (a) When and how often both being determined by the Apostle while he exhorteh us to pray continually (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indesinenter sine interusissione or without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 And our blessed Lord Jesus propoundeth a parable to this very
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