the duetie that God commands to make heauenly friends with their earthly Mammon Therfore our Sauiour pronounceth such impossibilitie for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heauen euen because of his couetousnesse and oppression and because of his securitie and seldome or neuer faithfully seruing the liuing God and againe denounceth woes against them for that they haue their consolation in this world not for that they oppresse the poore and get their goods by vnlawfull meanes but because they haue their coÌ„solation namely their carnall delights and pleasures and not their spirituall ioy and inward comfort of the holy Ghost heere in this life Therefore behoueth it rich men to beware they place not their hearts consolation vpon these worldly fleeting vanities but according to diuine counsaile If riches encrease not to set their mindes vpon them but to vse them as they vsed them not For it is not meerely riches that maketh the vser but the abuser of them vnhappie And therefore as there may be a poore man proude and couetous euen in his small portion so may there be a rich maÌ„ poor in his owne conceit and so bestowe and distribute his goods as not onely not a woe but a blessing shall be pronounced vnto him as to the poor beleeuing in God for our Sauiour to encourage all as well poore as rich rightly affected and to stirre them vp to obedience and prayer saith Reioyce be glad for I haue prouided for â—ou a Kingdome CHAP. VI. The force of liuely faith and how hard a thing it is truly to apprehend the misterie of Christ and how easie historically to discourse thereof THE promises of future happinesse are able to stirre vp the dullest heart to waite and worke out his saluatioÌ„ with fear trembling with loue and obedience in faith prayer and yet it seemeth Not manie wise not many mighty not many rich beleeue this promise They seem rather to be leue a bond a statute a pawn or the promise of a rich maÌ„ then they wil giue credit vnto God vpon his oath who yet neuer was found to promise any thing but what he performed to the good of euery one that beleeuing asketh any thing fit for him to receiue he deceiueth no man that trusteth his bare word Abraham might haue cast many doubts being in a profane and Idolatrous countrey brought vp without the written will of God being called thence by an inuisible power to repaire into a remote country vnknowne and the conditions of the people strange vnto him But he contrarily cast off all difficulties and confidently resolued against his owne naturall reason and will of all his friends and familiars and betooke him to the iourney and ceased not till he came to Canaan Who would not haue consulted with his kinsfolks frends Who would not haue looked for better assurance of good successe before hee would haue aduentured to forsake his countrey and friends and betake himselfe to the hazard of such an attempt But he knew that he that called him was iust and what hee had promised hee was able to performe and would neither faile him nor forsake him Hee wauered not as the most of vs do touching heauen and heauenly things promised how can we affirm we beleeue it and yet giue our selues ouer to the world It is not indeed euery mans case to know the mysterie of Christ but in a kinde of generall apprehension as hee is deliuered in the outward word according to the Historie But to beleeue that he came in the flesh without man to containe two natures vnder one visible forme that hee was God equall with the father and man like vnto vs that he cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs that in him we are reconciled again to God the father that he sits at God's right hand a mediator for vs and that all beleeuers shall ascend and rest with him in glorie that our bodies that are corrupt shall either die and putrifie or be changed and in fine be glorified in the heauens And to apply all this to our owne selues through faith cannot but goe so farre beyond the ordinarie capacities of naturall men as the God of heauen is aboue the God of the ayre For as Christ said vnto Peter flesh and bloud reueiled not vnto him what Christ was neither can the natural man apprehend this heauenly mysterie and therefore cannot beleeue the promise of saluation to the comfort of his own soule and consequently cannot pray to God in Christ. He can speake of and dispute and beleeue the whole Historie of Christ both how he was promised and prophesied how he was crucified and can relate euery Article of Christian beleefe And so farre the diuels know beleeue and tremble But this is the peculiar portion of Gods children truly to depend vpon Christ thorough faith grounded vpon knowledge as beleeuing that heauen is his portion is the gift of God in Christ who being the liuely image of God the father teacheth vs to know God in the Trinitie and the Trinitie in vnitie whom who so knoweth not and by knowing him loueth him and in louing him obeyeth him and in oâ—beying him beleeueth him and in beleeuing him dooth not pray vnto him howsoeuer they seeme to vpholde their knowledge defend their obedience and bragge of their prayers they are all but counterfeit For no truly spirituall exercise can bee performed or diuine grace obtained but by a man spiritually qualified and beloued of God and who loueth God for vnlesse we feele in our selues the loue of God towards vs wee can neuer loue God for he loueth vs first and by the third person of the Trinitie worketh loue in vs towards him and loue being the band of obedience and obedience the marke of our election and coÌ„sequently the seale which hath the image of our Redeemer whereby our adoption to bee the sonnes of God is confirmed to euery one that beleeueth Not to euery one that pretendeth to loue obey and serue him but to him only whose heart is right before the Lord who heareth the word beleeueth the spirit that wrote it and bringeth forth the fruits of it namely to doe what is therin commanded and to auoyde things forbidden therein he euen he is the vndoubted adopted sonne of God and whatsoeuer he asketh the father by the spirit in the sonne hee shall receiue it for he hath the promise of the blessings of this life and the life to come Contrariwise such as neither yet haue nor desâ—re to haue thiâ— feeling this faith and this dependance on God howsoeuer they pretend that they are the sonnes of God for that they can only talke like and performe some outward duties as the true sonnes of God do yet let them not deceiue themselues they are not yet out of the lees of their originall neither haue they remission of their actuall sins but the Bond is yet against them depending vncancelled though they associate the
what time soeuer he asketh hee receiueth whensoeuer hee seeketh he findeth and when soeuer he knocketh he is admitted into the presence of God And whatsoeuer misery befalleth him in this life hee feeleth it not so vnsauorie to himselfe as other men conceiue it that beholde and obserue it in him As our Sauiour told his Disciples that hee had meate to eate which they knew not of so hath euerie sanctified regenerate man comfort that carnall men know not of which giueth him such sweete feeling of present happinesse through the assurance of his future promised glorie that he seemeth through the abuÌ„dance of his consolations rapt as it were alreadie out of this earthly Tabernacle into the heauen of heauens where he hath his conuersation in the spirit with-God though hee corporally remaine in this inferiour world CHAP. XV. True contentment not gotten by nature but by grace which produceth prayer the onely meane to obtaine all good SPiritual coÌ„tentmeÌ„t none can attaine vnto by his owne naturall powers and therefore there is a spirituall meane to be vsed for the obtayning thereof which the Apostle reaches saying Let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer And Who so lacketh wisedome let him ask of God which giueth to al men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This wisedome is not the wisedome of the world but the knowledge how when and what to ask to conform vs to the likenes of him that hath begotten vs anew who hath left vs an example that wee should follow as deare children If then we be the children of God Co-heirs with him of that heauenly Kingdom shal we not with him walke as becommeth children of such a father Shal our head weepe and lament for our sinnes Shall be suffer for our transgressions and shall wee laugh and reioyce in the vanities of this life and yet think to partake with Christ of his purchased Kingdome Hath he so farre purchased for vs as we need neyther suffering nor patience faith nor prayer Shall we think our selues like that vnspotted Lambe of God and yet defile our bodies soules by committing sinne vpon sin How can we then come vnto our father which is in heauen where no profane thing can haue any being If God heareth not sinners where shall the sinfull mans prayers appeare And how can he haue his conuersation in heauen as S. Paul had or walke with God as Henoch did whose soule and spirituall part which ought to ascend by the wings of faith towards heaueÌ„ is pressed downe by a most vgly and filthy dunghill the bodie clogged with the masse of sinne Cast off therefore all carnall and vncleane affections purifie clense your hearts by liuely repentance that the sauing bloud of the Lambe being sprinkled vpon the dore posts of our beleeuing hearts the holy spirit of God may enter and teach our spirits rightly to crye Abba father So shall wee apprehend that sacred renewing grace that shall breede this most sweet and heauenly change namely to make vs of the children of wrath the children of loue of the children of disgrace the childreÌ„ of glorie which change is not nor can be where faith faileth which faith is not obtained in respect of our prayers or any desert of our selues but only and altogether of the free fauor and good will of God in Christ in whoÌ„ for whom and by whom we haue promise to obtaine the fulnesse of spirituall contentment CHAP. XVI God being wisedome it selfe knowes how to deal with vs for our best aduantage and his own glorie which aboue all things wee must respect in all our prayers GOd being wisedome it selfe knoweth better then we what is fiâ—test for vs to receiue and for him to giue in both which his glorie must goe with our desires as it will of necessitie in his giuing And if wee seeke not his glory in all our demands we breake the order prescribed namely to doe all to the glorie of God much more then should our prayers which are the highest seruice wee can doe vnto God tend to the honour of his Maiestie beyond the desire of supply in our owne necessities and that is in making our prayers vnto him to be confident that he is iust and will according to his promise satisfie our iust desires so farre as may bee most for our benefite For we cannot truly iudge what is most expedient for vs we may aske for and think that best for vs which God in his wisedom knoweth most inconuenient and that to bee hurtfull euill for vs which hee seeth to be most for our good It is therefore agreeable to the right rule of true faith to subiect our wills to the wil of God and to frame all our petitions according to the rule of his word which teacheth vs to aske corporal things with condition that he be pleased therewith and spirituall heauenly things as the graces of the spirit with a full assurance to receiue And the more constant and earnest we be and the more we presse God to giue them so much the more it pleaseth him as to importune him to giue vs power to mortifie our corrupt affections to kill sinne both in our harts and members to begge the increase of faith obedience loue towards God and our neighbours peace in our selues and with all men patience in suffering Gods corrections gentlenesse meekenesse temperance To aske these absolutely and constantly is pleasing vnto God is acceptable vnto him wherein yet we are to beware that wee aske not spirituall gifts to carnal ends as did Simon the Magician but to Gods glorie as Salomon asked wisedome For the holy Scriptures teach vs that God suffereth many profane men to vsurpe spiritual functions as preaching prophecying and casting out Diuels to whom yet God wâ—â—l say Depart from me I know you not The like may be said of praying namely of meere babling with the tongue without the consent of a feeling faith full heart And in all these to shew more outward sinceritie then to haue inward sanctity is meere hypocrisie CHAP. XVII Three principall motiues to stirre vp men to pray wherof the chiefest is necessitie THere bee three principall motiues to stirre vp Christians to prayer first Gods commandement Pray continually 1. Thess. 5. 17. secondly the promise And ye shall receiue Matth. 7. 7. The third and last motiue is our owne necessities and they are infinite Daniel prayed â—o be preserued among the Lyons the three children froÌ„ the fire Hezekiah from death Ionah to bee deliuered from the bowels of the Whale Susanna to be freed from the vniust accusation of the lasciuious and false Iudges Dauid to be deliuered from the malice of Saul Necessitie hath so manie branches as men are subiect to seuerall dangers which are infinit and therefore a motiue of great force and yet without Gods assistance they can obtain no ease For the more a man strugleth to free himselfe from
Foâ— it argueth in vs a great defect of faith And yet these words are not so to be expounded as if we should bee altogether carelesse of future times or for our children but that wee should not bee too solicitous and carefull and thereby argue an absolute distrust that God either can or will giue vs with our true obedience all thinges necessary in this life to enioyâ— and to our faithfull children If riches increase set not your hearts vpon them If pouertie oppresse thee cast thy care vpon God for hee careth for thee Wee pray that God will forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue And yet we seeke to take aduantage of euery small iniurie done vnto vs by our neighbour or brother and couet to reuenge it by the extremest violence of force or Law Our hatred sometimes growes so deadly as wee cease not to persecute and prosecute our enemies to death euen by our own death and yet we pray for equall measure at Gods hands And this petition they shall bee sure to haue granted aboue all other For as they craue to be forgiuen as they forgiue they shal be sure as they forgiue not neither shall they bee forgiuen We desire also not to be ledde into temptation And yet som leaue not to seek all occasioÌ„s to fal therinto coueting idle euil lewd lasciuious coÌ„panies hearing reading profane wanton bookes singing and hearing songs of ribaldrie and filthinesse delighting in drunkennesse whoredome pride couetousnesse enuie gluttoâ—ie scurrilitie and all kinde of forbidden wickednesse Is this the holy vse that they make of this most sacred prayer And yet doe they thinke that it is deuotion of such acceptation with God as dischargeth Christian dutie in prayer Surely God heareth these but regardeth them not but by way of condemnation And therfore let all men learne to know God aright in his word to beleeue him faithfully in his promises and to pray vnto him contiâ—ually according to knowledge so as this holy praier began with a desire that God might bee glorified so shall wee to his glorie and our comfort conclude the same And let vs know that as many petitions as are in this most heauenly prayer so many holy heauenly aduertisements instructions they administer vnto vs to liue heauenly for our Sauiour by teaching vs how to pray for so many seuerall blessings doth therein teach vs also how to performe our duties towards God and our neighbours the summe of both the Tables so as in praying vnto God with a faithfull and an vnderstanding heart we cannot but inform our selues in the course of a godly conuersation also thereby CHAP. XXXVI Praier much increaseth diuine knowledge whereby men of meane carnall learning exceede many literat Doctors WHo then among the company of Christians is there that will not be aduised or so backward that will not be stirred vp or so peruerse and peeuish that will not be perswaded to practise this holy duetie considering that it is found by holy experience that the continuall vse of faithfull prayer much encreaseth the knowledge of all other duties tending to the obtayning of our saluation in Christ nay further it is found by experience that faithfull often vse of prayer is a most effectuall meane to increase diuine knowledge such knowledge as some learned and great Doctors notwithstanding their deepest Schoole-learning haue not attained vnto For there is not a little difference betweene humane learning and spirituall knowledge so much difference between carnall deuotion and holy zeale the first may be in a reprobate the secoÌ„d in none but in the child of God The Scribes and Rabbies of the Iewes were great Doctors yet they apprehended not the mysterie of Christ as did the Apostles who receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God The spirit which Gods children receiue lifteth vp their spirits vnto God teacheth them heauenly things that we may know the things that are giuen vs of God So that it is not the deepest carnall learning that can search the secret things of God but God reuealeth them vnto the poore and humble by his spirit which searcheth the deepe things of God The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned TheÌ„ is not the facultie of vnderstanding spirituall things giuen but by grace not by humane vnderstanding bee it neuer so deepe Therefore saith the Apostle Not manie wisemen after the flesh nor many mightie nor many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake things of the world to confound the most mightie It followeth theÌ„ thaâ— he that hath the spirit of God knoweth how to performe all spirituall dueties among which none taketh place aboue faithfull prayer which is of that force as it obtaineth all things especially knowledge of things tending to the saluation of the soule the sweetnesse of true prayer none knoweth nor can apprehend but he onely that hath it the carnall man vnderstandeth it not beeing told it Some will say they cannot pray they finde no aptnesse in themselues therunto onely they can say the Lords praier but to say they doe it withâ— that feeling of coÌ„fort that they haue heard some men say they feel they cannot and how to amend it they know not yet are they content to be let alone loth to bee awaked out oâ— their deadly slumber and to die in that most fearefull traunce It is a greeuous sickenesse and a dangerous disease that such men are in it cannot but argue that they haue no true knowledge of God so long as they liue in this obscure yet a kind of voluntary darknesse For it cannot be that a man can heare the word preached Gods promises pronounced and his threats denounced but if there bee any feeling in him hee cannot but apprehend mercie or feare iudgement if neither of these can prouoke him to pray with feeling he is doubtlesse farre gone in a deadly Lethargie and no carnall medicine can cure him nor mortall Physitian heale him he only must doe it that cast out the seuen Diuels out of Marie hee must cast out the diuellish affections out of the man make him wise vnto saluation But if he be like vnto the deafe Adder and stoppe his eares wilfully refusing the relieuing charme there is no help or hope for such a man CHAP. XXXVII Although no man by nature knoweth how to pray none is to despaire for the word heard and prayer vsed teacheth it and increaseth the knowledge of it NO man by nature I coÌ„fesse knoweth how to â—ray as hee ought it is the spirit of God that helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed And therefore let no man despaire of beeing enabled There is a seed in all men a