all the guilt and punishment be satisfied in Christ it must not bee thought that God will at a punish any that are saved by Christ Reason 2 Forgivenesse is no forgivenesse if there be not remisseâ— of punishment Ob. God pardoned Davids adulterie and murther yet reserved for him temporal punishment and the like may be observed in Gods dealing with many others wherefore sinne may be pardoned yet as punishment not remitted Sol. It must be granted that temporall evils did befall David after his sinne was pardoned and the like doth befall other of Gods children but it must be knowne that those afflictions were not satisfactorie punishments or had any respect unto the justification of those that were therewith exercised but they onely had respect unto their further sanctification The same evils in different persons namely the godly and the reprobate are of different natures and are sent of God for different purposes in the wicked they are signes of his wrath but to his children they are signes of his love Heb. 12. they are to the wicked plagues and fore-runners of destruction but they are unto the godly corrections unto instructions they are onely Gods physicke to purge out the corruption and to abate the power of sinne and are meanes leading to sanctification as I said but have no respect of satisfaction in any degree unto justification Vse 1 This confuteth Popish doctrine of satisfactions of Gods justice by temporall punishments either in this life or in Purgatorie They will acknowledge that Christ satisfied for all eternall punishment but not for temporall Which distinction was not knowne in Christs time it was onely invented to lay a foundation for Purgatory and the appurtenances thereof which being razed by this and like truths of Scripture will when Antichrist shall bee revealed by the spirit of Gods mouth be discovered to be but a fable It were little for the honour of Christ that he should pay so great a price for the redemption of man from eternall punishment and yet should leave him to himselfe to satisfie for temporall The hearts of all that beleeve Vse 2 in Christ should rejoyce at this to consider that they are not onely freely redeemed but that they are also fully redeemed from all punishment temporall and eternall If temporall chastisements be inflicted God doth send them in love either as trials of his graces wherewith he hath endued them or as physicke to prevent or remove the corruption of sinne which yet remaineth in them they do onely serve to shew what grace they have or prepare and make way for that grace they shall have Crosses are not curses to them but blessings for Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth and teacheth him out of his Law Psal 94.12 Vs that is the Disciples as well as others The Disciples were alreadie justified yet by Christs direction even they must every day make this petition even as oft as for daily bread whence learne Doct. 5 The best of Gods children notwithstanding they be alreadie justified must everie day aske forgivenesse of their sinnes Daniel prayed every day Dan. 6.10 and in his prayer he confessed and asked forgivenesse for his owne sinnes and the sins of the people Dan. 9.19 Reas 1 The best men are clothed with infirmities Iam. 3.2 and in something or other do sinne daily therefore had need to aske forgivenesse daily Reas 2 If pardon of a sinne bee not asked that day in which it is committed the guilt lying upon the conscience it doth benumme the conscience and so it is forgotten altogether or else when it is put off till many sinnes be committed either the heart is discouraged with multitude of offences that it is afraid to present it selfe before God or if it doe come into Gods sight those many sinnes are confessed and prayed against but confusedly and in grosse for the most part In asking forgivenesse a man Reas 3 doth not aske onely that universall and absolute justification of his person before God but also continuance of that his gracious acceptance of him into favour also he asketh under that word forgive new applications to the conscience of pardon of the sinnes which daily he doth commit with a further ratification of assurance of salvation unto his heart It is not enough that the pardon of mans sinne be actually passed with God but this pardon must be sued out that the same may also be passed in a mans conscience and this must be renewed daily even as the conscience is blurred and stained with sins daily else a man shall have little fruit or comfort of that generall and originall pardon which standeth upon record for him in the heavens The Lord hath in most excellent wisedome ordered that the justification of a sinner should be in this manner namely though it be a perfect and absolute act of God whereby the person of every membere Christ in the very instant of actuall ingrafting into Christ standeth acquitted of all sinnes yet in respect of the application of it by the worke of the holy Ghost and in respect of the full execution of it hee will that it shall be made knowne to man by parts and degrees and that he shall waite for the full execution of it untill the day of the Lord. For this maketh a man conceive more hainously of sinne and to be more circumspect that hee doe not commit it it maketh him more earnest to pray that it may be forgiven and it maketh him more heartily thankefull when it is forgiven If any dreame of perfection Vse 1 in this life this doctrine may serve to awake them out of it for if the best men need forgivenesse daily then without question the best doe sinne daily By this it appeareth that sins Vse 2 committed after Baptisme and relapses and backesliding after conversion are pardonable else our Saviour would not have framed this petition of asking forgivenesse for the use of Peter and the rest of the Church in case of their failings And if God require that one man forgive another not onely every day but seven times in one day then God will much more forgive his children if they sinne oft in one day if they doe but confesse their sinnes and aske him forgivenesse Vse 3 This reproveth those that put off the seeking of forgivenesse of sinne either untill the hand of God be upon them Danger of deferring to obtaine forgivenesse of sinnes or untill some especiall cause of humiliation be offered then through disuse they are much to seeke for time hath caused many sinnes to be forgotten and custome of lying long in sinne doth harden the heart that it doth not distaste sinne as it might have done when it was first committed Hence for the most part commeth slight generall and confused confessions and prayers or if they set themselves more carefully to search out their sinnes it having beene long since they made their peace with God the multitude of their sinnes come so thicke
obstinate to instruct his wife children and servants Gen. 9.27 But the Lord must perswade else words are but winde It concerneth all children Vse 6 and servants to consider what charge God hath laid upon their Governours learning thereby that it is as well Gods will that all under houshold governement should suffer themselves to be taught as that any householders should teach You must therefore willingly be present at times appointed to catechise or to talke of good things and being present attend and learn with all diligence yea sometimes give the father or master occasion to teach you by asking some good question as the Disciples did aske Christ saying What might this parable be Luke 8.9 and by moving him as the Disciple which said Lord teach us to pray Luke 11.1 And when you have received instruction of father or mother forsake it not for they will make you beautifull before God Pro. 1.9 being ornaments of grace to your heads and chaines about your neckes But if you be stubborne and will not bee taught by them then know that as he that will not eate is a murtherer of his body so are yee that refuse instruction murtherers of your soules for the eare that heareth the reproofe of life abideth among the wise Pro. 15.31.32 he that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule Therefore Our Saviour inferreth this exhortation to pray aright upon consideration that many prayed amisse whence learne Doct. 2 The more subject any duty is to be performed amisse there is the more cause that Christians doe learne and indeavour to performe it aright The more waies a good duty may be ill done the more care should be had how it may be well done Vpon this very ground the Lord directeth his Disciples to the right manner of giving almes verse 2. and of fasting verse 16. c. Our Saviour reasoneth in like manner for hearing the word aright that because many heard amisse scil some received the word as the high way doth seed not understanding what they heard some as the stonie ground the word tooke not deepe root some as the thorny ground they gave entertainement to worldly cares and pleasures together with the word and so all three sorts became fruitlesse Take heed therfore how you heare saith our Saviour Luk. 8.18 For to the pleasing of God Reason it is not enough that the matter of the thing done be good but the manner how Bonum consistit ex causis integris and the end why and all circumstances in the doing it must be good also so that failing but in one thing doth marre the action Man is subject to faile in prayer many waies Now if there be many by-waies man is in more danger of going out of his way then if there were but one And as mans nature is prone to erre and take the worst so Satan is very cunning and diligent by setting goodly apparences upon by-waies to cause man to mistake the right Wherefore the more subject man is to runne out into by-waies the more heed he should take that he doe not goe aside out of the right way of serving the Lord. Vse 1 Hereby is reproved the rashnesse of many who will rush headily into a religious exercise as into prayer preaching hearing the word receiving the Sacrament fasting c. and never looke to the right manner as if there were no way but one and that they could not doe amisse though they never wash their hands from filthinesse nor hearts from wickednesse nor yet so much as thinke before hand how they may bee rightly performed whereas they may and doe faile many waies Thus these good workes being ill done become so abhominable unto God that he saith Isa 1.12.14 Who requireth this at your hands my soule hateth them I am weary to beare them It therefore behoveth all Vse 2 that would serve God in sinceritie to bee very circumspect taking heed how they pray how they heare the word and how they performe all other exercises of religion for they may be and are performed by many in a very sinfull manner Salomons counsell should alwaies be sounding in our eares whensoever we begin any service of God Eccl 5 1.2 Keepe thy foote when thou goest to the house of God c. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to utter any thing before God That we may the better observe this counsell sith it concerneth a preparing a mans self before he speake unto God I will shew first whether preperation be needfull Secondly what that preparation is Preparation to prayer needfull Iob 11.13 First know that preparation to prayer is needfull according to that in Iob If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him c. Thou wilt prepare their heart saith the Psalmist and wilt cause thine eare to heare Psal 10.17 My heart is prepared O God Psal 57.7 my heart is prepared saith he I will sing and give praise The very first words of the Lords Prayer teaching us to begin with Our Father which art in heaven doe argue that wee should have our spirits composed and our whole man rightly disposed unto this holy duty For first God before whom Reason why a man should be pâ—epared before he pray Eccles 5.2 Hâ—b 1.13 and to whom we speake is a great God of glorious majestie and God as Salomon reasoneth is in heaven wee on earth He is most holy of purer eyes then to behold uncleanenesse Levit. 10.3 He will be sanctified in all that draw neere unto him to offer this sweet incense of prayer If we doe not sanctifie him by an holy performance of his service hee will be sanctified him selfe upon us in the just punishment of our hypocrisie superstition or prophanenesse Besides God to whom wee pray is privy to all our behaviour yea to the most secret intentions and dispositions of our hearts It concerneth us therefore that wee be prepared to come before him in sort as beseemeth the presence of his holy Majesty Were we admitted to speake to an eâ—â—thly King we would before 〈◊〉 prepare both what and how 〈◊〉 speake and how to demeane our selves in his presence much more then ought we the King of Kings not onely admitting but graciously inviting us to pray unto him Secondly prayer is a most excellent and a most holy worke of the greatest consequence that can concerne man and of great difficulty to be performed aright I come now to the second case to shew what this preparation unto prayer is This preparation is twofold A twofold preparation to prayer The one generall to be made before hand inabling and fitting a man to pray in an instant whensoever he shall be moved to pray The other preparation is particular and to be made immediately before prayer that it may the better be performed Vnto that generall preparation is required that a man be indued with the spirit
Ob. If they say we pray to living men to make praiers and intercessions for us why not rather to the Saints departed who are more perfect Sol. I answer when we desire the living to pray for us we do not give any religious honour unto the living but they do properly give religious worship in praying to the dead which honour is due to God onely Besides the living know what we need the dead do not and in using the living we do not make them mediatours betweene the Father and us that he should helpe us for their worth and merit thus Christ onely is Mediatour but we onely request them to intreat the Father for Christs sake to helpe us Lastly Iam. 5.14 the Scripture doth warrant men to request the prayers of the living and doth acknowledge onely one Mediatour betweene God and man even there where it requireth that living Saints should make prayers and intercessions for all sorts of men 1. Tim. 2.1.5 All which think they know Vse 3 God but yet are altogether ignorant of the distinction of the persons must hereby know that they do not yet know God distinctly and if they worship God without any consideration of Christ by whom and of the holy Ghost through whose helpe they pray in the spirit if they do not expresse or imply thus much in prayer they do notwithstanding they professe the true God turne him into an Idol For in all true worship the unity is worshipped in Trinitie and Trinitie in unity without dividing the Godhead or confounding the Persons Vse 4 Every one that would worship God aright must therfore first learne to know him to be one only true God distinguished into the Father Sonne and holy Ghost but herein much warinesse and sobriety must be observed that none seeke into this mysterie of mysteries to understand above that which is meete namely above that which the Scripture hath revealed it being an object of faith to bee beleeved and not possible by reason to bee fully comprehended In conceiving of the distinction of persons take heed of two extremities first we must not conceive that there is an essentiall difference betweene them as if all the three had not one and the same nature Secondly we must not imagine that there is onely a rationall or imaginarie distinction whereas their different order and manner of subsisting and different manner of working declareth that there is a reall or true difference betweene them So that the Father as Father is in no respect the Sonne and the Sonne as Sonne is in no respect the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost as holy Ghost is in no respect either the Father or the Sonne When God is thus conceived of and knowne aright then in the same order as he doth subsist he must ordinarily be worshipped according to the direction of our Saviour in this patterne Stephens directing of his prayer to Christ was upon the beholding of Christ Iesus standing at the right hand of God Act. 7 â—â— it being a speciall and extraordinary occasion This argueth that it is not unlawfull to direct prayer to the second Person or third Person upon especiall cause but yet ordinarily this rule and order in worshipping GOD must be observed First we must direct prayer unto the Father of lights the giver of every good and perfect gift Secondly we must offer up praier and praise by Christ Iesus who offereth up incense with the prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.3 by whom wee have accesse to the throne of grace Heb. 4.15.16 to finde grace and helpe in time of need Thirdly wee must use all meanes to obtaine the holy Spirit of grace and supplications We must pray for it and heare the Gospell which is the ministerie of the Spirit preached Then we must cherish stirre up the good motions thereof taking heed that wee doe not grieve it or quench it by any evill conversation Let us get an holy acquaintance with it that it may make heartie requests for us For prayers cannot be sweet incense if they be not mingled and anointed with holy oyle which is the anointing of the Spirit which as it teacheth all things 1 Ioh 2.27 as Iohn speaketh so especially it must teach us to pray aright Wherefore whensoever you pray enter into consultation with the inward man what you should aske and how consult with the word denie carnall reason and presumption of your owne abilities in prayer then shall the Spirit make your requests for you which by you must be seconded and 〈…〉 and truth put up to the Father by Christ Whosoever shall in this manner direct his praier to the Father by the Sonne through the Spirit albeit I cannot promise him that his heart shall be so inlarged that he shall satisfie himselfe in prayer yet I can assure him he shall alwaies be able to offer up such sighes and desires as shall please God and prevaile more with him then shall the praiers of others who without the spirit of prayer by the meere helpe of nature art can command both words and varietie of matter at their pleasure Vse 5 This directing of prayers unto the Father in the name of the Sonne through the holy Ghost may remove the greatest discouragements that any Christian can meet with when he goeth about to pray It is not majestie nor infinite justice in God nor greatnesse or multitude of sinnes in man nor any unworthinesse of his person nor yet his insufficiencie to thinke a good thought nor yet the feeling of himselfe that many times hee knoweth not either what or how to pray can dishearten him if hee doe but consider that hee prayeth to God who is God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and that he may pray in this order namely hee prayes to the Father of Christ who is his Father he prayes in the name of Jesus Christ who hath satisfied his Father for all his sinnes and daily doth make intercession for him and hee praieth in the Spirit who helpeth his infirmities and maketh requests for him though it bee sometimes but with sighes and groanes which are not distinctly uttered Rom. 8.26 By this meanes there is life and spirit in our prayers and God doth and will accept them for he knoweth the meaning of his Spirit and will accept the worke of his Spirit in us through Christ though wee bewray our many imperfections Father in the second place hath through Christ relation to all the members of Christ who are here willed to say Our Father whence note Doct. 6 All true Christians have the Lord of heaven and earth to their Father J ascend to my Father and your Father saith Christ Ioh. 20.17 I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.18 Reason 1 They have received the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4.5 and are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26 Reason 2 They are all
resolution to will in all things to live honestly When the heart is thus made sure for God and for our selves the next care must be that the understanding the watchman and intelligencer of the soule bee rightly informed by the Scriptures of all such things that do belong unto its office in the Christian warfare First it must bee able to discerne between good and evill between things not sinfull and sinfull of good things to discern which are good but in part which every way good what things are good onely to sense and in appearance and what is good in truth also what is but in part evill and what is wholly evill and what is evill onely to sense and in appearance and what is evill in truth that the baites to draw unto sinne taken from the gaine pleasure and glory of this world may not move us because we shall know they are but uncertaine transitorie and not the true riches pleasure and glory and that on the other side the bug-beares to fright us from doing good may not remove us because they are but uncertaine momentanie and light evils in comparison of the certaine true riches of grace and of the everlasting true pleasures and glory which is laid up for those that bee constant in keeping faith and a good conscience to the death When the understanding is thus enlightened wee must alwayes set the true danger of sinning and the true good and glory that followeth upon well-doing before our eyes and it will cause the heart to chuse the good and refuse the evill Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season the reason was because his judgement was sound in discerning betweene good and bad for it is said Heb. 11.25.26 He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt for he had respect to the recompence of reward If we can but judge aright of the joy that is set before us in the course of holinesse Heb 12 2. it will make us with our Saviour Christ endure the crosse and despise the shame which in this world doth accompanie Christianity and we shall with speed runne the race that is set before us notwithstanding the impediments that we shal meet withall Now when the heart is established and armed with grace and the mind with knowledge and judgement there must be a continuall watch set and faithfully kept wherefore the eye of the minde must be alwayes awake to see and observe what particular temptations do arise against us either from within or without Therefore the Apostle Peter saith 1. Pet. â— 8 Be vigilant for your adversary the devill as a roaring Lion 1 Cor. 16.13 seeketh whom he may devoure Watch saith the Apostle Paul else there will be no standing fast in the faith nor quitting our selves like men Our Saviour saith unto all Watch Mark 13.17 When by watchfulnesse the temptation is discovered then we must buckle all the Christian armour about us scil Sinceritie righteousnesse Eph. 6. patience hope faith and the sword of the Spirit the word of God And being thus armed we must animate and fill the heart with courage and resolution to resist even unto the death For which cause we must make an oration unto it such as wise and valiant leaders will make to encourage their souldiers wee must minde our hearts of the odiousnesse and hurtfulnesse of that thing to which wee are tempted how that it is a lust of the flesh and of the devill how it is enmity to our God and a deadly enemie unto us how that we must kill it or else it will kill us Let us minde our hearts with this that it will be to the dishonour of our King and countrey to be overcome that to yeeld to any temptation is contrary to our vow of allegiance which we entred into when we first professed to fight under Christs banner Lastly let us tell our selves of the equitie of our cause how that our war is just thinke also of the wisedome valour of our captaine our Lord Iesus Christ assuring our selves that how hard soever our conflict may be yet if wee do not yeeld in the end wee through him shall overcome and be more then conquerours Rom. 8.37 Having thus wonne the heart to resolution then let us as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.16 Stand in the faith quit our selves like men In the conflict we must avoide two evils First we must not trust to our owne wisedome for then sinne will be too craftie for us Secondly we must not resist in the power of our owne might for then the principalities and powers will be too strong for us We must therefore resist by the wisdome of the holy Scriptures being able to say with our Saviour Christ It is written Mat. 4. I must not commit that sinne to which I am tempted and with Joseph Gen. 39.9 shall I commit this great wickednesse and sinne against God Resistance of sinne in this sort is not onely a defending of our selves but a wounding of our adversaries We must also be sure in our conflict to intreat Gods aide that in the power of his might wee may prevaile When we resist by the wisedome of the word and power of God if we submit unto God and be earnest and constant in resisting we shall put Satan to flight for God saith Iam. 4 7. Resist the devill and hee will flie from you But remember alwayes that his departure will be but for a season Luk. 4.13 we must therefore alwayes keepe on our armour and keepe our watch and let our experience of over-mastering former temptations give fresh courage unto us to resist all that are to come But deliver us Here our Saviour will have his Disciples to aske to be delivered out of their sinne into which they are fallen as well as to bee kept from falling Whence observe Doct. 7 It must be every mans desire and endevour if he be fallen into any sinne to be delivered out of it by repentance and that he may walke before God in new obedience Ier. 31.18 Turne us Lord and we shall be turned saith the Prophet The Church of Ephesus is bid to remember from whence she is fallen Revel 2.5 and repent And the Minister must waite when God will give repentance and recover evill men out of the snare of the devill 2. Timoth. 2.25.26 Which place sheweth that repentance is deliverance out of sinne and doth intimate that it must be desired Vntill a man have repented Reas 1 his prayers are not accepted of God for that cause God commanded the Iewes to repent saying Isa 1.26.18 19. Put away the evill of your doings cease to do evill and learne to do well and then they might come to God and hee would respect them Vntill sinne be repented of a Reas 2 man is as it were manacled
the things asked This sense of Amen may be thus rendred O heavenly Father now that I have asked all these petitions according to thy will in the name of Christ I do heartily wish and desire againe and againe that thou wouldest grant them and I am perswaded and do expect that in the best time they shall be granted Amen As it signifieth assent of heart unto what was asked doth necessarily presuppose the understanding of what was asked Whence we may collect Doct. 1 Prayer must be made with understanding Whosoever praieth must know what it is that he prayeth for Sing ye praises with understanding saith the Psalmist Psal 47.7 I will pray with my understanding saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 14.15 meaning he would pray so that both he might understand himselfe and that others might understand him also Reason Every man must say Amen to his owne petitions as well as to the petitions that others do make for him for this Lords prayer is to be said in the closet as well as in the Church Now the Apostle saith he that occupieth the roome of the unlearned cannot say Amen at the giving of thanks if he understand not what is said by another There is the same reason why a man cannot say Amen to his owne prayers if he do not understand what he hath said This confuteth the Popish Vse 1 divinity which requireth no more in prayer then a generall good intention of the heart which is sufficient though it be not understood what is asked and though a particular attention of the minde be not added and I would it were onely the Papists errour This confuteth the Papists Latin service wherto the unlearned people cannot say Amen Whereas they say God understandeth Latin and doth like of devotion I answer he must understand what the heart saith as well as what the tongue vttereth and as for blind devotion such as that is which is without understanding hee doth abhorre it Yet this is a common fault not only among Papists but of the common sort of ignorant professors of the true religion for even many of them if they have said over their prayers doe thinke they have served God well and and are blest for that day when poore soules they do not vnderstand one halfe of what they speak Let all before spoken of understand that all uttering of words of prayer without understanding are but bare repetitions of words they are no prayers but mere babling which God detesteth Vse 2 Whensoever any man doth pray unto God let him bee sure that if he pray alone he do understand what it is that he uttereth before God and if hee bee the mouth of others that he expresse his desires in such words that those that heare him may understand him that both himselfe and others may indeed say Amen unto his prayer Amen This implieth intention and assent of heart unto all the petitions before mentioned Whence note The minde and heart must alwaies Doct. 2 bee conjoyned with the tongue or thought in prayer There must be truth and intention of heart in all prayers David saith his prayer did not go out of fained lips Psal 17.1 The Apostle saith Hee would pray and sing with the spirit as well as with the understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 The Lord did dislike the prayers of Israel because when they prayed they cryed unto him not with their heart Hoseah 7.14 He did likewise abhorre the praiers of the Pharisees because they onely drew neere unto God with their mouth and seemed to honour him with their lips but their heart was farre from him Mat. 15.8 Reas 1 Truth of heart and true intention of the minde unto the requests or thanks which a man doth offer is the very life of prayer without which words or thoughts in prayer are but an outside and carkasse of prayer and are mere hypocrisie Reas 2 The promise of hearing and granting requests is made only unto hearty and unfained prayers Yee shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart saith the Lord Ierem. 29.13 And Christ saith whatsoever ye desire when ye pray beleeve that ye receive them and yee shall have them Mark 11.24 Vse 1 This is to discover and reprove much faultinesse in the prayers of many men of whom albeit it cannot alwayes bee said they pray not in understanding for they know what they say yet they may be charged with this fault that they do not pray in the spirit for they do not alwayes mind what themselves or others do utter in prayer or if they minde it do not heartily desire it or not desire all that is asked they will say Amen to the petition for dayly bread but say not Amen to thy will bee done or lead us not into temptation These offenders are of two sorts One sort never take notice of this their slightnesse and hypocrisie and are so farre from being humbled for their faylings that even for their hypocriticall service they expect God should respect them Thus did those Iewes Isaiah 58.3 who said Why have we fasted thou seest us not all such are in the power of hypocrisie who except they repent must expect to have their portion with hypocrites There are another sort of offenders in this kinde that through drowsinesse of body wandering of their thoughts and through an evill custome of slight and heedlesse praying alone or with others do not minde the things which they seeme to pray for but either have their thoughts suspended that they thinke on nothing or else have their thoughts on some other things than what are uttered in prayer but these either take themselves in the manner in the time of prayer whereat they grieve and presently call in their thoughts and fix their heart upon the present worke or at least when they have made an end of praying they will call their faylings to minde and humble themselves before God for them Albeit this latter sort are Gods children for the best are subject to slightnesse hollownesse and many wandring thoughts in prayer yet they must judge this manner of praying to be sinfull and must sufâ—er themselves to be reproved and must reprove themselves and take paines to avoid this evill of heedlesnesse and hypocrisie in prayer else how can they say Amen to their owne or other mens prayers when they did not give heed or attend unto prayer their prayers must needs be without spirit and life and therefore displeasing unto God This calleth upon every one Vse 2 which would make an acceptable prayer unto God to have a care that not onely the matter of his prayer be good and lawfull and that he also do understand what he uttereth but that his heart and spirit likewise do joyne in the uttering of every request and thanks that he offereth unto God The heart must be lift up unto God and be kept steady upon him and upon every confession petition and thanksgiving from the beginning of prayer
and evill thoughts when he should pray Reas 2 Guiltinesse of conscience especially upon the committing of some grosse sinne together with ignorant conceits of God that his thoughts are like mens thoughts Isa 55.8 implacable and unapeazeable this maketh many a man afraid to looke God in the face This was Davids case Many because they have praied Reas 3 long and as they think have not beene heard hence they are discouraged and out of heart to pray any more So many things as hath before Reas 4 beene shewed are required to make a praier acceptable that it is hard to observe them all when we pray Satan doth Spite nothing Reas 5 more then heartie and faithfull prayer for by it his kingdome is undermined overthrowne and by it he himselfe is cast out of his possession and kept out wherefore it standeth him upon to use all his methodes and devices to hinder a man and either altogether put him by the duty it selfe or so distemper him with evill suggestions doubts false feares presumptions or some other hindrance that he shall be heartlesse faithlesse or meerely formall and hypocriticall in prayer making him content himselfe with the worke done but altogether carelesse how it be done Vse 1 This truth justly reproveth all such as thinke it an easie matter to pray therefore never prepare themselves before nor yet are watchfull over themselves when they are in the act of prayer but patter over certaine words of prayer thinke they shall go to heaven by their good prayers Indeed it is an easie matter to say our prayers you may teach a childe to say them but to pray our prayers aright as hath beene taught before out of the Lords Prayer is found by all experienced Christians to be no easie thing Ob. This doctrine touching the difficultie of prayer is enough to discourage men altogether from prayer Sol. By no meanes for prayer is a necessarie dutie and must bee done and withall it is a most profitable duty and will quit all a mans paines Besides it is not so hard to be done but that it is possible nay certaine that by the help of the Spirit of prayer it may be done in an acceptable manner In these cases knowledge of the difficulties do whet on desire and resolution and doth stirre up care and circumspection it is farre from discouraging any from the worke Wherefore the next use is let Vse 2 none be discouraged from praier because of the hardnesse of the worke Breake through all lets for pray you must Gen. 32.26 Hos 12.3.4 Jacob by much and strong wrastling did prevaile at last Do in the matter of prayer as men use to do in difficult workes Set to it with all care and watchfulnesse Set to it with all the strength which you have and which you can get We must do like those which whet and sharpen their tooles which are blunt and dul We must fetch prayers as David used to do out of meditations If wee shall raise up our mindes to heavenlinesse and get our faith in God strengthened and if we pray for the spirit of prayer and if wee will joyne with the spirit in prayer then much of the difficultie will be taken off The principall helpe to prayer next that of Gods help by his Spirit is the strength exercise of our faith Yea the Spirit of God doth both worke it and worke by it in prayer Means to strengtheÌ„ faith in prayer We may strengthen our faith in prayer by these considerations First from Gods generall goodnesse to every creature He is good to all Psa 145 9. and his tender mercies are over all his workes He giveth the beasts their food he feedeth the young ravens that cry Psa 147.9 Will hee not much more heare man when hee prayeth unto him He hath heard wicked men such as Ahab Manasses and others Secondly consider that God is all-sufficient and able to help Thirdly consider the universality of his promise made to them that pray and the extent of his mercie towards them He saith every one that asketh receiveth Thus David strengtheneth his faith in prayer saying Be mercifull to me O Lord for I crie unto thee daily Psal 86.3.5 for thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to whom even to all that call upon thee This warrant to pray and these grounds of faith everie man as he is a creature hath in common with all men whereby he may be encouraged to pray and to expect a gracious audience But every childe of God who beleeveth in Christ in whom is the Spirit of God to sanctifie and cleanse the heart causing him to will and to endeavour in all things to please God all such have more peculiar grounds of faith expectation to be heard when they pray These may and must looke into the evidences of their adoption and sonne-ship They must consider whether they do not beleeve in Christ by such a faith which worketh by love but they must not say they have not this faith when their conscience can tell them that it is their desire that it may workby love and that it is their griefe when they faile in their duties of love to God or man now if they by faith have interest in Christ then they may know they are the sonnes and daughters of God Now when we can make good our title to God that we can call him by the spirit of adoption Rom 8.15.16 Father when we can with sonne-like affection call him our Father which art in heaven we may hereby strengthen our faith and assure our selves that he will both enable us to pray and will graciously heare and grant our prayers Is it so difficult a thing to Vse 3 pray aright then is it thus with any man or woman that in prayer they have found that their hearts have beene enlarged their spirits raised up their thoughts gathered in and composed their mindes intentive and attentive their faith strengthened and their conscience eased upon this their heartie and devout powring out their soule unto God O then let them blesse God for it for by his grace they have done a great and difficult worke they have done a blessed and most happie worke It is our great faults that we can onely complaine of our defects in prayer and not also take notice of and be thankfull to God for his helpe in our prayers Which fault if wee would amend we should finde lesse defect and more helpe from God in our prayers hereafter One thing yet remaineth to bee spoken of in a word or two before I conclude which is to answer this question Quest What are wee to doe after we have endevoured to pray aright Answ I answer first wee must not bee carkingly carefull aboâ—â— those things concerning which we have prayed Thus much the Apostle implyeth when he saith Phil. 4.6.7 Be carefull in nothing but in every thing by prayer and