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
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
Answ and these they have uncertainely without a blessing with them They have them but as fruits of his common goodnesse providence Psal 36.6 Psal 145.9 God knowing what imployments he hath for them amongst men and not as fruits of his speciall love promise and mercy God giveth them oft-times in wrath with a curse Tit. 1.15 they are impure unto them they make leane soules increasing their sin Psal 92.7 fatting them but it is to the slaughter it is that they may bee destroyed for ever whereas on the contrary all that pray aright shall in the best time have what is best for them with Gods blessing as a token of his speciall love unto them Vse 1 It is therefore a great fault in all those that shall under any pretence omit and neglect prayer then which fault I know none more common For except it be when all other helpes faile and they bee in a desperate extremitie who in comparison seeketh unto God by prayer When they be sicke to the Physitian or to the Surgeon onely but not to God by prayer yea some runne to Witches and Wizards to charmes to the divell to any thing rather then unto God If they be in want then they betake them to their friends to their hands to their wits yea to câ—asening and shifting but never looke up to God and the like in all other cases The same course they take for their soules If the comming to Church and formall hearing the word receiving the Sacraments and the prayers of others will save them they will not alwaies be wanting in these externall devotions but as for prayer any more then a little lip-labour which indeed is no prayer they are meere strangers to it Causes why men call not upon God This neglect of prayer commeth from prophanenesse and pride of heart from confidence in the creature and from selfe-dependance which causeth them to be unwilling to come into the presence of the holy God or to be beholding to him For this cause God in justice casteth them into want They have not Iam. 4.2 because they aske not or if he give unto them without asking he giveth it with a curse it is impure unto them Tit. 1.15 as before you heard There are some so prophane that they omit prayer in contempt and with deriding all which conscionably performe it But as for those which have got into the scorners chaire and have made themselves unworthy the pearle of a reproof I leave them to the considerations following They carry in their faces the very brand of an Atheist for it is his guise not to pray himselfe but would shame him which maketh God his refuge Psal 14 4 6. And how can they be called Christians to whom the description of the heathen doth so properly agree Ier. 10 25. The Prophet Ieremie describeth the heathen by this that they were families that call not on Gods Name and these he holdeth to be meete persons upon whom God should poure out his fury and fiercenesse of his indignation But I leave these and come Vse 2 to speake to Gods owne children who even in this point of prayer are much to blame For many of them make too little account of this pretious dutie How seldome doe they set about it how loath to come to it how cold and livelesse in it and how soone wearie of it Is it any marvell if they be full of crosses and be impatient under them Is it any wonder that the world doth so oft overcome them and the divell so oft foile them when they are so seldome and so weake in prayer This failing proceedeth from want of faith in God from too much confidence in the arme of flesh and meanes here below and from poring too much upon the prosperitie of those Psal 73.7 who without prayer have more then heart could wish and by laying their owne crosses in which they lie notwithstanding they have praied too close unto themselves From these and the like causes as lying in some sinne unrepented of or the like it is that you are unwilling to pray and when you doe pray your edge of praier is quite taken off But enter I pray you into Gods sanctuarie that you may see confesse and bewaile your folly and learne with that Psalmist to say Psal 73.28 It is good to draw neere to God and to put your trust onely in the Lord. Vse 3 Let all that professe the name of God bee exhorted not to conceive of praier as a thing arbitrarie and indifferent but as of a necessarie duty as hath beene proved in the Doctrine Are any afflicted Iam. 5.13 let them pray Are any in prosperitie let them pray and praise God In what condition or state soever ye are pray For besides that it is Gods command and his immediate worship Manifold motives unto prayer we by prayer injoy an holy communion with God taking sanctuarie under his wings We edifie our selves also in our most holy faith and in all other the saving graces of Gods spirit when we pray in the Holy Ghost for by it all the weapons of our Christian warfare all the good gifts of God and meanes of our salvation become usefull and good unto us By prayer either we shall prevent Gods iudgements and corrections or bee made able to beare them and be made much better by them By prayer wee shall obtaine pardon and repentance of sins past and strength to resist temptations of sinnes to come In thus doing we shall have all such good things as be needfull for us with a blessing upon them or with contentednesse without them grace and peace in this life perfection of grace and glory in the life to come Would wee doe good to our enemies and to our friends and would we doe our selves good would we be beneficiall to the Common-weale and Church then let us pray 2 Chron. 30.20 Gen. 25.21 Mark 9.25 Mat 15.28 Mat. 8.13 Gen. 24.12 For Kings have prayed for their subjects husbands for their wives fathers for their sonnes mothers for their daughters masters for servants servants for masters and all have beene heard in that which they praied Prayer because it is ordained by God and hath his promise calleth in and ingageth Gods power truth for him that maketh it and so through God becommeth omnipotent What hath beene or can be too hard for Prayer Exod 14.15.16 It hath caused the Sea to divide it selfe and become an high way to Gods people also together with the Whale Ionah 2 1.1.10 Iosh 10.12 to give up Ionas alive and set him ashore It caused the Sunne to stand still yea to goe backe It hath loosed chaines and unlocked Prisons Act. 1â— 5.7.11 and iron gates and delivered the prisoners What hath not prayer done what will it not doe in the behalfe of the Church or of any of Gods chosen Nothing so deepe but with this bucket we may draw
most apt to enkindle the desires and helpe the faith of them that do pray If many and generall requests be to be put up then such titles and names must bee used that may perswade them they shall be heard in all If some particular petition be to be pressed then such names and descriptions of God are to be used as may helpe the heart in that particular Abrahams servant being to pray for successe in his masters businesse saith Geâ— 24 12. O Iehovah God of my master Abraham I pray thee send me good speed this day and shew kindnesse unto my mâ—â—tâ—er Abraham When Peter did intricate God to make choice of an Apostle to supply the place of Iudas hee saith Thou Lord Act. 1.24 which knowest the hearts of all men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen When David prayeth against the enemies of God and his children hee saith O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth Psal 94.1 O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy selfe And when hee doth magnifie Gods name and would incire all people to pray unto him and praise him he speaketh to him in this description of God O thou that hearest prayer Psal 65.2 unto thee shall all flesh come For a wise choice of apt names Reason 1 titles to represent God with doth argue knowledge of God and wisedome to make use of his different attributes both which knowledge wisdome being mixed with faith doth much please and delight God to behold in his children The representing of God to Reason 2 the minde in convenient and meet names and notions is verie needfull for it will set the heart and keepe it in good plight working aw and reverence fervencie uprightnesse and confidence all which are requisite in prayer Vse It behoveth therefore every one that would make a good entrance into prayer without which he is not like to make a good proceeding to acquaint himselfe with the true understanding of the manifold names and descriptions of God recorded in Scripture and then let them make choice of the fittest titles of God to name him by according as there shal be especiall cause or use of his power wisedome mercie truth or justice c. Then to use such names as may best expresse those attributes which are especially to bee exercised in the granting of their requests Thus much of the whole description of God being coÌ„sidered joyntly now followeth the consideration of each part of the description Father hath relation first to Christ the second person in Trinity whereby our Saviour directeth us unto a consideration of the three persons in Trinity and to the order of directing of prayers ordinarily viz. to the Father whence the doctrine is In prayer God is to be known Doct. 5 and conceived of in the distinction of persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost to whom prayer must be directed ordinarily in this sort scil to the Father by the Sonne through the helpe of the holy Ghost Christ saith Ioh. 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall aske my Father in my Name he will give it you The Apostle giveth thanks to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephe. 5.20 We call God Abba Father by the Spirit which maketh our intercessions for us Rom. 8.15.27 For such is the divine dispensation of God the Father Reason Son and holy Ghost that though they are but one indivisible essence and whatsoever any one doth out of himselfe the very same doth the other also Ad extra yet they sustaine different persons and offices that I may so speake and do the same things in a different and distinct order yet so as the naming of one doth not exclude but necessarily include the other In prayer the Father sustaineth the person and place of him that is offended by sinne that must be appeased and doth heare and grant requests If we sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Which sheweth plainly that the Father in especiall sort must be appeased and sought unto The Sonne supplieth the place of a Mediator and intercessour by whom requests ascend and become acceptable to the Father He is that golden altar Ioh. 16.23 upon which the prayers of all Saints are offered and caused to ascend as incense Revel 8.3 No man can come to the Father but by him Ioh. 1â— 6 He is appointed of God to be a Mediatour and being God and man is both a fit and all-sufficient Mediator between God and man Without him no mans person or best actions can be acceptable because of the many imperfections Wherefore all prayers must be offered up by Christ Iesus The holy Ghost doth supply the office of a teacher and of one that helpeth our infirmities and in us Rom. 8.26 to make our intercessions and requests for us that they may be offered to the Father by the intercession of the Sonne For we know not what we should pray for as we ought and if the Spirit do not worke together in our prayers there would be no goodnesse at all in them no not so much as truth and uprightnesse without which Christ Iesus will not offer them to his Father for us Therefore prayers must bee made in the Spirit through the helpe of the Spirit Now because of this order of persons in the Deitie the Father being first and because of the different places they sustaine in the worke of our salvation the counsell and will of all three is that the Father should be prayed unto and worshipped in the onely mediation of the Sonne through the Spirit and therefore it is that the Father is here named not the Sonne or holy Ghost But because of the indivisible essence of the Godhead the naming of the Father doth necessarily imply the calling upon both Sonne and holy Ghost also If God must be known and Vse 1 worshipped in the distinction of the persons in Trinitie then it is impossible to represent God by any image as the Papists do For by what visible likenesse can an invisible Spirit which is truly not imaginarily distinguished into three persons and different manner of subsisting be likened or resembled The Papists that come to Vse 2 God by the mediatioÌ„ of Christ but in part joyning to Christ the mediation of Saints are hereby confuted For there is no Mediatour but that one person by whom God is our Father They come a distinction saying Christ is onely Mediatour of redemption but not the onely Mediatour of intercession that so they might leave a roome in which they might place the mediation of Saints but this is to sever what God hath joyned For the Scripture knoweth no Advocate or Intercessour but him who is the Redeemer 1. Ioh. 2.12 scil Christ Iesus the righteous who is the propitiation for our sinnes And it is as proper to the Mediatourship that Christ onely should make intercession at the right hand of God as to die and rise againe for the elect Rom. 8.34
true and adding of false Sacraments may be abandoned It must also be desired that the censures and keyes committed to the Church may be exercised with such discipline that the good may be encouraged the evill may be shamed and cut off from communion with the Church and that to the working of true awfull credit of the Church and advancement of the kingdome of Christ Iesus And that this authoritie may not bee abused for the maintaining of error disgracing or thrusting the best members out of the Church as did the Pharises who made and executed this Canon Ioh 9 2◠That if any did confesse that Iesus was the Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue Or as Diotrephes who did cast men out of the Church 3. Ioh. 10. for receiving the brethren The other externall meanes of establishing and governing this kingdome are the officers both civill and Ecclesiasticall The civill are the King or supreame Magistrate in any place and such as have lawfull authoritie under them whose office is to countenance and order whatsoever things or persons may promote Christs kingdome Isa 49.23 Therefore they are called nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers of the Church which office David and the godly kings of Iudah did performe Prayers must bee made for them but especially for our owne King and governours under him that they may so governe that their subjects may live in all godlinesse 1. Tim. 2.2 and honestie that like zealous Nehemiahs they may rule for the praise of them that bee good Rom 13. and for the terror of them that do evill that they set up and maintaine the onely one true religion among their subjects We must pray likewise against Anarchie when none reigne but every man liveth as he lusteth Iudg. 21.25 Also against evill government when Magistrates maintaine false religion or irreligion or else do tolerate them to the corrupting of the true The Ecclesiasticall officers whose office is to dispence the Word to administer the Sacraments and to have the chiefe ordering of the censure of the Church also such assistants as may help the other in their government Touching these it must bee requested that God would send forth labourers into his harvest Mat. 9.38 that he would increase their number that hee would give them gifts and skill to divide the word of truth aright Psal 132.9 that he would give them grace and will to feede their people with knowledge that he would deliver all such from unreasonable men that they may have liberty to preach the Gospel of the kingdome Lastly that they may bee of unblameable conversations ensamples to their flocks in good works Prayer likewise must bee made for all other that beare office in the Church that they may also have the mysterie of faith in pure conscience that they may also be diligent in discharging their office Contrariwise we must pray against having no ministerie government in the Church also against a false ministerie as that of Pope Cardinals Priests Iesuites c. Also against evill Ministers and officers Ezek. 34.3 Isa 56.16 which either cannot or will not teach or governe according to their place or teach idly rule remisely or teach erroniously or rule amisse Now albeit the kingdome of God may be come in respect of the externall meanes thereof yet if the internal means which is the holy Ghost and the effectuall working thereof be not come neither can the Magistrate with his sword nor the Minister with the word availe any thing to the converting of any one Christian or winning of one soule to this kingdome Wherefore it must be desired that the holy Spirit of God would effectually accompanie the outward meanes of gathering and building up the elect to the enlightening and translating them from the power of darknesse into the kingdome of his deare Sonne and that they may increase in knowledge and everie good grace according to the mightie working of his glorious power that the Word Sacraments and Discipline the weapons of this warfare may be mighty through God to pull downe strong holds and cast downe imaginations and high things which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and may bring into captivitie every thought to the obedience of Christ In respect of subjects of this kingdome praier must be made that their number be increased and perfected that the fulnesse of the Gentiles may come and that the Iews the two sticks Iudah and the children of Israel his companions Ezek. 37.22.24 and Ephraim and the children of Israel his companions may bee united and gathered into Christs sheepfold and may have one King the Lord Christ the sonne of David that so all Israel may be saved as it is written Ro. 11.26 Isa 59.20 Also that being gathered they may be loyall to their King and at peace and loving one to another that there be no Schismes and divisions in this kingdome As for enemies to this kingdome not only Satan and sinne the chiefe which stand in direct opposition to Christ and the Spirit but all such men as are slaves to sinne and Satan and confederates with them are to be prayed against whether they be open foes or false friends which by force or fraud go about to undermine and resist the kingdome of Christ The most notorious of these are Antichrist the arch-enemie of the Church of the Gentiles Ezek. 38.16 and Gog and Magog the arch-enemie of the Church of the Iews All locusts which warre under their king Abaddon Rev. 11.9 All false Christs and false Prophets spoken of Matth. 24.24 which shall endeavour to seduce the Iewes and hinder their conversion Also everie member of the kingdome of darknesse must be resisted and prayed against Here is onely the place for imprecation and praying against men The case of imprecation But because Christians are commanded to love their enemies and to blesse them that curse and pray for them that persecute them speciall care must be had how any man pray against another Wherefore it shall bee needfull to observe some distinctiōs from whence rules of imprecations may be observed 1 Praier is made against enemies of Christs kingdome either in generall or against particular persons 2 Distinction must be put betweene the persons of evill men and their evill acts 3 Distinction must bee put betweene one evill person and another by their acts some sin the sinne unto death irrecoverably some who now are enemies yet are curable and belong to Gods election 4 Difference must be put betweene a mans owne private cause and the cause of God 5 Difference must be put betweene evils temporall and eternall 1 These things observed rules of direction doe follow First that every Christian may and must pray against the enemies of the Church in generall so David Psal 104.35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth 2 The sinnes acts and counsels of the enemies of grace are alwaies
of Christs governement much lesse to enter a combination against him Let no man dare either by force or craft to oppose the comming of the kingdome of God whether it be by opposing any of his ordinances or of his people such a one cannot goe unpunished for all that make faithfull prayers in saying thy kingdome come doe pray against him It is hard kicking against prickes Act. 9.5 Follow the counsell of the Lord Psal 2 1â— Kisse the Sonne left he be angry and you perish make your peace with him else you must feele that sentence executed Luk 19.27 Those mine enemies which would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and slay them before me Vse 2 Let all men consider the Doctrine in hand in each particular thereof and let him pray accordingly And as GOD hath given unto any man place gifts and meanes they must improve them to the utmost of their power to further the comming of Gods kingdome The Magistrate must doe what lieth in him the Minister what belongeth to him Every one as they to the building of the Tabernacle must bring his gift and doe his part And when ye can doe nothing else yet for your owne particulars open the everlasting doores of your hearts that the King of glory may come in and dwell in your hearts by faith and rule in your hearts by his Spirit And you must also doe as Christ here commandeth pray heartily and say Thy kingdome come In thus doing wee shall honour God and approve that we prayed Hallowed be thy Name unfainedly we shall advantage our selves and our brethren Psal 122.6 Rev. 1.6 Rev. 5.10 For they shall prosper that love and pray for the peace of Ierusalem and we shall be a kingdome of Kings and Priests to God the Father for ever The third Petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven That the Name of God might be hallowed it was needfull that God should make his holy Name knowne therefore request was made that he would make himselfe knowne by the comming of his kingdome Secondly to the hallowing of his Name it is requisite that it be acknowledged to be holy which is done when men doe his will on earth Ioh. 17.4 For then God is glorified on earth when those under him finish the worke he hath set them to doe Which is when the wils of all the subjects of his kingdome are subject to the will of their Lord and King Wherefore that this subjection may bee yeelded prayer is made in this third petition Concerning which subjection this petition directeth unto the matter of it Thy wil be done in earth the manner how as it is in heaven In the matter of subjection the thing to which and the persons who and the place where they must be subject is expressed The thing to be submitted unto is Gods will implyed in a speciall emphasis in the particle thy importing thus much not the will of Satan or the will of men but of God whose will is secret this pertaineth not to us to prie into onely thus much wee are to pray concerning it in generall that he will bee pleased to do whatsoever hee hath determined to do and that we may submit to it and give him the glory of it when it is done revealed this belongeth to us and to our children Deut. 29.29 That we may do all the words of his Law Will doth here chiefly signifie all his revealed will Deu. 12.32 be it revealed by his word or by the event of things by his worke whether it be of things to bee done or suffered The act desired touching Gods will is That it be done as if he should say Let thy truths bee beleeved thy Commandments obeyed and whatsoever thou doest let it be acknowledged and submitted unto as unto that which must needs bee best done because thou Lord didst it Gods will is done by man two wayes in two degrees truly and in endevor ayming at perfection this is Evangelicall obedience perfectly this is Legall obedience This latter is aymed at and is the white and rule of obedience The former is prayed for as the meanes of following after and attaining more and more to the perfection of the Law which is the rule of obedience pressing hard after that obedience in this life which hereafter shal perfectly be done in heaven The persons who should do this will are noted forth by the place where they live where this will must be done viz. all men on earth must desire that Gods will may bee done on earth For be done is put impersonally importing thus much Let it bee done both by me and by all other persons whosoever The manner of doing this will is taken from a patterne and sampler of the heavenly persons manner of doing Gods will These persons are pointed at by the place where they are and where they do Gods will viz. heaven which can bee meant of no other but of the Angels and spirits of Saints departed who do in heaven shew readie faithfull and constant subjection unto God The particle as in which the force of this sentence doth lye is not here a note of paritie equalitie or like quantitie of degree but a note of similitude and likenesse of qualitie His meaning then is Psal 103.20 21. Thy will be done by men on earth readily faithfully unfainedly as the heavenly Angels and spirits do it in heaven The sense of this petition may be thus expressed O Lord and King sith that unfained obedience to thy holy will doth truly honour and glorifie thy Name and doth manifest that thy kingdome is come and is a due debt to be performed of all thy people may it please thee to cause me and all thy people to know thy wil and to submit their wils to the same in all things alwayes in all faithfulnesse upon earth as thy holy Angels and Saints do thy commandments in heaven And farre be it from me or any other to rebell or mutine against thee Thy will be done The doctrine which followeth from the matter of this petition is this Every Christians desire unto God and endeavour in this life must be that Gods wil be obeied and submitted unto in all things 1. Sam. 3.18 2. Sam. 15.26 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God saith David Psalm 143.10 When the Christians of Casarea saw that Paul was not to be disswaded from going up to Ierusalem they said The will of the Lord be done Act. 21.14 Our Saviour saith Ioh. 5.20 I seeke not mine owne will but the will of my Father which hath sent me And elsewhere in his prayer he said O my Father if this cup may not passe away from mee except I drinke it thy will be done Reason 1 God is an absolute Soveraigne good reason therefore that his will should be the law of his creature especially of his familie Mal. 1 6. If I be
in their mindes hee will write them that is hâ—e will give them faith repentance and their sinnes and iniquities hee will remember no more Here we see that God promiseth to give knowledge of him and faith in him as well as to forgive their sinnes nay therefore hee giveth faith and the knowledge and feare of him that in a way of mercy mixed with justice he may forgive that so as he saith 〈◊〉 righteousnesse being ou◠〈◊〉 faith Rom. 3.26 God might be just 〈◊〉 justifier of him which beleeveth in Iesus Christ elsewhere is said to have given himselfe for us Tit. 2.14 that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity which cannot be meant by satisfying Gods justice onely that so God if hee pleased might forgive iniquity and that man if hee pleased might beleeve as the diefiers of mans free will would have it but that he might purifie us to himselfe which he worketh by his spirit in the exercise of our * Act. 15.9 faith to be a people zealous of good workes This is the very end why God raised Christ and exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour namely to give repentance as well as forgivenesse of sinnes He doth not say Act. 5.32.32 to give forgivenesse of sinnes to the Israell of God if they will beleeve and repent but he saith absolutely to give repentance that is faith and amendment of life that their sinnes past might actually be forgiven Though faith be not in the text named yet it is understood in the word repentance faith being the first part of repentance whereby an unbeleever turneth from his unbeliefe and becommeth a beleever from whence followeth the whole change of a man by repentance to new obedience In this sense repentance is also taken Acts 2.28 as will appeare if we compare Saint Pauls answer to the Iaylours question Acts 16.31 with that of Saint Peters both answering to one and the same question in effect Peter saith Repent and be baptized Paul saith Beleeve and be baptized So that if Christ dyed and rose againe to give repentance and remission of sinnes he dyed and rose againe and was exalted to give faith and forgivenesse of sinnes Faith considerable in and about forgivenesse of sinnes is either primary or secondary The first is a beleeving in Christ that through him our sinnes may be forgiven and that we through him may bee saved The second is a beleeving that our sinnes are forgiven and that by Christ we shall be saved The first is a single and direct act of the soule Ioh. 1.12 receiving Christ and relying upon Christ and upon the promise of forgivenesse and salvation by him by vertue whereof a man is united to Christ and is ingrafted into him and before God is justified The second is a reflect act of the soule whereby in a mans conscience he hath some spirituall sense that he doth beleeve in Christ and that God hath forgiven him his sinnes and hath justified him through Christ by which act God doth by his spirit speake peace and comfort to a mans soule which is not that faith whereby wee stand just before God but that whereby we are assured our sinnes are forgiven and that we are in state of grace through Christ The primarie faith is that which is to bee chiefly prayed for in the behalfe of our selves and others before conversion The secondary faith is chiefly to be prayed for in the behalfe of our selves and others after we beleeve and are in state of grace and salvation Christs righteousnesse wherby a man is justified before God in that it was performed by Christ for man unto God is virtually and in way of right mans righteousnesse even before he doth actually beleeve and that because by the decree of God the Father and in the purpose of Christ it was performed for all that should through him beleeve But this righteousnesse of Christ is not accounted to a man nor yet is his in possession and use untill he doe indeede beleeve I speake of men of yeeres by that primary faith before spoken of nor yet is Christs righteousnesse ours in any comfortable sense of it to our selves untill we beleeve by that secondary faith before mentioned Now secondly I am to shew what it is to have sinnes to be forgiven Forgivenesse in proper speech is an act of Gods mercy in not imputing or accounting to a man his sinnes and thereupon in not punishing him for sinne Which act is called also in Scripture a taking away sinne A covering of sinne a blotting out of sinne a casting it behind his backe and the like To forgive sinne not to impute sinne and to be justified and discharged from the guilt and punishment of sinne is all one Act. 13 38.39 Here the sense of forgivenesse of sinne is to be inlarged and taken synechdocically for our whole justification and salvation that is not onely for freedome from guilt and punishment of sinne unto eternall death but also for acceptation unto favour by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto eternall life In this justification these two things are to be considered First the very act of forgivenesse of mans person in respect of Gods not accounting him a sinner Secondly the application and manifestation thereof unto a mans selfe wherby a man hath assurance that his sinnes are pardoned and doth actually injoy the benefits that follow forgivenesse Forgivenesse in both these respects are here meant That this may bee fully and plainely understood consider the whole order of justification It is first in the gracious purpose of the Father to forgive and justifie a sinner wherefore with the Sonne and holy Ghost he did fore-appoint him thereunto Secondly it is in the Sonne who being God and man did actually by his death and resurrection purchase this forgivenesse Thirdly it is in the holy Ghost who doth actually apply the grace and merit of Christ and so maketh a sinner capable of the favour and mercy of the Father through the merit of the Son When this application is made Christ actually by way of intercession presenteth the sinner unto his Father who thereupon doth actually receive him into favour Now after this act of acceptance of a man into favour is passed with GOD through Christ then the holy Ghost doth make application of it unto the conscience of him that is accepted In the justification of a sinner there is a blessed concurrence of the speciall acts of the three Persons in the blessed Trinity God the Sonne having made satisfaction doth also make intercession for him God the Father having imputed his sinnes to his surety Christ ceaseth to account them unto him and accounting Christs righteousnesse to him hee accepteth of him as most righteous The holy Ghost having made an inseparable union betweene Christ and the sinner he doth seale and ratifie this his justification unto him It must be diligently observed that though justification be but one individuall
act in respect of the Father Son holy Ghost in the first act of Faith and conversion of a sinner whereby the person of a man stands justified before God and shall without intercision of justification and losse of this favour of God stand before the barre of Gods tribunall and is and alwaies shall be absolutely justified and acquitted from all sinnes past present to come because all obligations hand-writings against him are in that act cancelled and blotted out he forgiving all trespasses Colos 2.13.14 Yet it must be knowne that of this act there is as it were a double sentence First in Court of heaven at which time the elect in Christ have their names inrolled in the booke of Gods effectuall calling and are numbred among the just which sentence can never be revoked or blotted out this is that which was passed with God that I may so speake after the manner of men in the first act of conversion Secondly this sentence of forgivenesse is passed in the court of the conscience of him that had the former sentence pronounced for him in heaven This sentence is the second act of the holy Ghost wrought in this manner First after that a sinner is cōvinced of his guiltines of sin and of his damnable condition because of his sinne then forgivenesse is offered and pronounced to the eare in that gracious promise of salvation to all that beleeve in Christ Iesus which promise is proclaimed in the ministerie of the Gospell in which light of the Gospell he sheweth unto a man possibility of salvation setting before him I speake of men of yeeres and understanding Christ the meanes of salvation and by this meanes the holy Ghost worketh faith in Christ then confession and griefe for sinne then prayer to aske forgivenesse and grace to live godly and then doth witnesse to his spirit that he is accepted of God Thus sentence is pronounced in the conscience from whence ariseth sense of Gods love which is called the shedding abroad of the love of God in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 also sense of the loving countenance of God Psal 4.6 7. which is the signe of his loving kindnesse and is that speech of God by which he doth say to our soules he is our salvation and then ariseth in our hearts peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost This sentence of forgivenesse unto the conscience hath different degrees it is sometimes more cleare in the apprehension of the soule somtimes more dimme yea sometimes quite blotted out in the counterpane of our release or copie of our acquittance as it was with David Psal 51. so that a person perfectly just before God hath sometime little or no sense or apprehension of it in his owne conscience but doubteth whether he be in state of grace or no. Which happeneth because of the staine and guilt of new sinnes which guilt abideth in the conscience untill a man do confesse his sinnes repent and aske forgivenesse and by a renewed faith apply forgivenes by which meanes the evidence of his pardon is againe by the holy Ghost exemplified and sentence by this new application is againe pronounced in his conscience whence ariseth new assurance of salvation and renewed joy in the holy Ghost This is that justification which for distinction sake Divines call justification by parts or continued or repeated justification or new application of one and the same justification which justification though in respect of the sentence pronounced in heaven is one individuall act whereby a man standeth alwayes just before God yet in respect of the pronouncing of that sentence to the heart it is not actually applyed neither can a particular sinne be said to be everie way actually forgiven untill after it have beene committed is confessed and repented of nor untill forgivenesse be asked and until the holy Ghost hath made new application thereof unto the conscience through renewing of faith by which a man doth againe and againe as new sinnes are committed apply the merits of the bloud of Christ unto his soule Also it must be knowne that the sentence of pardon which is passed in heaven with God is not fully executed untill the last degree of it when sentence of absolution shall be pronounced by Christ Iesus Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matt. 25.34 It must moreover be conceived and held that notwithstanding this distinction of justification betweene an absolute justification in respect of God and a justification by parts in respect of application to mans conscience there are not two kindes of justification a first and a second as the Papists hold but one and the same justification considered in different respects In respect of Gods actuall acceptation of a mans person justification is absolute but in respect of the actuall application and manifestation of Gods acceptation unto a mans conscience justification is by parts and degrees When a man alreadie justified asketh forgivenesse he doth not ask a new justificatiō but a second or new application of pardon unto the conscience of those particular sinnes which are daily committed together with continuance of Gods favour and more cleare evidence that he is sealed up unto the day of redemption The third thing to be spoken of for the better understanding the word forgive concerneth the effects following the apprehension thereof these are Peace of conscience Rom 5.1 Ro. 14.17 and joy in the holy Ghost These things touching justification and remission of sinnes being opened we may understand what is prayed for when we say Forgive sinnes Wee pray first that those which belong unto Gods election but are not yet converted may be accepted of God through Christ Iesus God not imputing their sinnes to them but unto Christ whereby they are freed from the curse We pray likewise that Christs righteousnes may be imputed to them that they beleeving in Christ might bee saved and for that cause pray that they may beleeve Secondly wee pray that our selves and others being justified and accepted into favour it would please the Lord to continue this his favour and that he would signifie and make the same knowne to our hearts and consciences daily by a new testification of the holy Ghost accompanied with a new application of pardon for new sinnes daily committed and that wee may have more and more assurance of our perfect redemptiō at the day of judgement and that we may have peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost in the meane time The particular circumstances in this Petition come next to bee laid open which are three First the connexion of this Petition by this copulative and that is As well forgive sinnes as give daily bread The second is the person who is to forgive that is God the Father through the satisfaction and mediation of the Sonne by the application of the holy Ghost Thus much is implyed in forgive in which
pardoned But when a man by a lively faith doth lay hold on Christ for pardon the same faith doth draw vertue from Christ whereby 〈◊〉 doth kill sinne and is quicknâ—â— in the inward man And nothing maketh man so fearefull to offend and carefull to please God for time present and to come as a firme perswasion of Gods love to him in pardoning his sinnes past Now this pardon must be sought for in Christ and must be applied by faith because Christ Iesus is the Mediator who hath satisfied for sinne and hath made a way for Gods mercy and faith is the onely instrument on mans part to apply this remission and redemption The particulars comprehended in this point may easily be gathered by that which hath beene said in the interpretation of forgive namely that in asking forgivenesse wee aske freedome from the guilt and punishment of all sinne wee aske eternall life together with reference to the meanes namely Christ therefore wee 〈◊〉 faith to apply Christ and a daily certificate by the spirit that our sinnes are pardoned Also wee aske assurance and the fruits of assurance of forgivenesse in this life viz. peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost The particulars being remembred the uses follow If forgivenesse of sinnes bee Vse 1 so desireable they are then to be held extreamely foolish and beyond measure sinfull that of all things care and look least after forgivenesse and the making of their salvation sure unto them If they have offended and are in danger of punishment by the lawes of man then if by petition or bribe satisfaction or by any other meanes they can procure either commutations releasements or pardons they will spare no paines this way Or if they can make sure to themselves and to theirs large temporall estates it is all that they doe labour to make sure in this life but they are altogether negligent in seeking remission of sinnes by Christ Iesus they have no thoughts of making their calling and election sure Nay because they would be thought to have reason for what they doe in not seeking for assurance of salvation they would make themselves and others beleeve that it is impossible to be attained and that to be sure of salvation is high presumption If they can provide for their bodies they will trust God with their soules they hope that he that made them will save them they confesse they bee sinners and who are not Thus sleightly they passe over their Iustification a matter of the greatest consequence of any thing that can concerne them But what doth this argue but that they are ignorant senslesse of their miseries for if they knew they were cast and condemned they would as in case of life and death begge pardon as a prisoner at the barre would beg for his life If these men did not love their sinne and flatter themselves presuming of God that he will be mercifull notwithstanding their abhominable sinnes they would never neglect that invaluable benefit of remission of sinnes But let them not catch hold and rest on these presumptuous hopes they will deceive them for they be but the hypocrites hopes like spiders webs the Beesome of death putteth an end to them all Then God will shew that he can be mercifull to the vessels of mercy and yet be just in the damnation of all that neglect so great salvation offered by such gracious meanes as by 〈◊〉 pardon if they would heartily aske it This should move all men to Vse 2 pray and used all means to obtaine remission of sinnes and assurance thereof to their conscience He that is in danger of an execution upon his body to imprisonment or to death or that hath not evidence for his lands and possessions cannot rest nor have any quiet untill he have a pardon and have gotten better evidence Motives inducing to the asking forgivenesse Were we but spirituall to apprehend the miseries that abide men untill sinne be pardoned namely that we are exposed to Gods eternall wrath and if we did prize heaven at so high a rate as it deserveth it being an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the heavens and if we did but well consider that if the pardon of the sins even of Gods people be not made knowne and sure to their hearts though their sins shall not damne them indeed and for euer Psal 32. Psal 51 yet they damne them in their owne sense and feeling for a time through horror of conscience as it was with David And if we did but consider that the peace of God passeth all understanding and that there is nothing would make us so comfortable to our selves nor so fruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ as assurance of salvation and if we held him to be onely the blessed man whose transgression is forgiven Psal 32.1 and whose sinne is covered wee would use all meanes to have faith in Christ we would importune God and give him no rest untill hee had pardoned our sinnes and sealed the pardon to our conscience by his Spirit which is the seale of our redemption Forgive The person of whom Forgivenesse is asked is our Father which is in heaven wherefore it followeth It is God that forgiveth sins Doct. 2 Yea because our Saviour directeth us to aske forgivenesse of none but of God wee may conclude that it belongeth to God onely to forgive sinnes I Isa 43.25 even I am hee saith God which blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes Daniel saith To the Lord our God belongeth mercies and forgivenesses Dan. 9.9 With the Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption Psal 130.7 And it was a true position among the Iewes that none could forgive sinnes but God onely Mark 27. Reas 1 To forgive iniquitie transgression Exod. 34 7. and sinne is a branch of his name therefore peculiar to God Reas 2 Every sinne is committed against God yea those sinnes which are committed against our neighbour David when hee had committed adultery and murther Psal 51.4 said Against thee onely have I sinned Reas 3 Sinne is of an infinite nature being committed against a perfect and most holy law and against an infinite God so that there must be infinite merit in the Mediator and infinite mercy in him which through the Mediator shall pardon sinne which infinitenesse is onely to be found in God Men are to forgive their brethren Ob. therefore not GOD onely Distinction must be made Sol. that in one and the same act there may be a trespasse against man because it wrongeth him also there is offence against God because it is sinne namely a transgression of his Law Men may and must forgive the wrong and trespasse against themselves but must not nay cannot forgive the sin against God Ministers are allowed by God himselfe to remit sinnes Ob. Ioh. 20.23 Sol. Ministers remit sinnes ministerially in Christs name pronouncing onely Gods forgiving of sinne as Nathan said to
David 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath put away thy sinne But they doe not forgive sins authoratively as from themselves Vse 1 This condemneth the abhominable presumption of the Pope who daily taketh upon him to forgive sins Vse 2 This must teach all that would have pardon of sinne to seeke onely unto God and not to any creature living or dead Vse 3 This is comfortable to all that need and desire remission It is well for them that GOD doth not put them over to others but reserveth this power of pardoning of sinnes to himself they that come to him may be assured that he will and can forgive them Psal 86.5 for David saith He is plenteous in mercy unto all them that call on him What though our sinnes have abounded both for greatnesse and number The grace of him that pardoneth aboūdeth much more For with God is plenteous redemption Psal 130.7 All that beleeve this have Vse 4 had their sinnes pardoned must admire and praise the name of God saying with heart and voyce Who is a God like thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Micah 7.18 And with David Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name who forgiveth all thine iniquities Psal 103.1.3 Forgive this implieth a free gift wherefore if justification be by forgivenesse of sinne we may conclude Salvation is by the free grace Doct. 3 of God The Apostle saith We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 3.24 Also he saith And you hath he quickened being dead in your sinnes having of his grace forgiven you all trespasses so the word forgive there signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.13 And God himselfe saith I even I blot out thy transgression for mine owne sake Isaiah 42.25 Either salvation must be of grace Reason or of works for it cannot be of both Rom. 11.6 for then grace were no grace or works were no works But salvation is not of works therefore of meere grace according to that of the Apostle By grace are ye saved through faith not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Ephes 2.8.9 Quest But it may bee demanded how salvation can be said to be of Gods grace when as full satisfaction was made by Christ unto the justice of God whereby it was purchased and merited for us I answer Answ That the justification and salvation of a man to whom God hath given faith should be of Gods grace and yet of merit and therefore of justice herein is no contrarietie if we distinguish and consider different respects In respect of Christ our justification and salvation is of merit and is an act of Gods justice but in respect of us it is of grace and is an act of Gods mercy It is true that salvation is purchased for us but who did it was it not God the Sonne Man did not nor yet can he purchase his owne redemption And though we be saved by that purchase of Christ how were we ordained thereto How was Christ ordained and became a purchaser for us How came we to have the Gospell preached and to have faith by the preaching thereof and the earnest of the Spirit joyned to our faith Is not all this of Gods free grace Therefore the Apostle when hee speaketh of redemption through Christs bloud hee addeth through his rich grace Eph. 1.4.5.6.7 Had man stood in equall tearmes with God when he entred into covenāt with him and the tenour of the covenant had beene that he must keepe the Law or be damned except he himselfe could procure a sufficient suertie to suffer and be damned for him If man had then procured for himself such a suertie and the same suertie had made satisfaction in this case Gods aquitting the offender had beene a meere act of justice But Adam stood bound alone without a suertie and he having sinned both the new covenant and the suertie in whom it was established and all the meanes whereby a sinner is saved are of Gods gracious appointment accomplishment and acceptance he glorifying himselfe by saving sinfull man in a way as well of infinite mercie as of infinite justice Hence it is sith the price was of Gods gracious ordination and was payed by Christ as well very God as very man the greater the price and satisfaction was the greater is the mercie and grace of God in pardoning by such a meanes So that free grace in God and such a purchased redemption by God for man can stand well together Indeed our salvation in respect of Christ is purchased for he hath paid deare for it Therefore when hee doth mediate for us to his Father hee can and doth hold forth his merits and satisfaction for us that his Father may see that now the Law is satisfied he may without impeachment of his justice bee mercifull to such whom Christ doth present unto him But in respect of us salvation is everie way of Gods free grace Vse 1 This doth evidently overthrow all doctrine of merit of works both before and after conversion Before conversion all men are dead in sinnes and trespasses without faith and cannot please God After conversion if a man could do the will of God in all things it were but his due debt The paiment of rent orderly in time to come is no sufficient discharge and payment of debts rents or arrerages behind unpaid but alas when we have done all that is commanded the best must say Luk 17.10 he is an unprofitable servant Vse 2 How comfortable is this to afflicted and burdened sinners that see no worth in themselves and finde that they have nothing in them to pay for a release or ransome here yet they may see grace yea free grace in God If we will but aske forgivenesse 2. Cor. 5.20 and accept forgivenesse for God sueth to us by his Ministers to be reconciled to him and if we would bee thankfull for forgivenesse his name and nature is to be gracious hee must deny himselfe if he do not of his free grace forgive and save us Forgive doth import remitting of guilt and punishment of sinne Whence sith justification is by forgivenesse this followeth All that are truly justified are Doct. 4 freed from all guilt and all punishment of their sinnes The Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 He saith likewise Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 Reason 1 Christ Iesus bare all the guilt and punishment which was due unto man Isa 53.4.5.6 for it is said He bare our griefes and carried our sorrows And he was wounded for our transgressions and the Lord laid on him the iniquitie of us all And Christ is said By himselfe to have purged our sins Hebr. 1.3 Wherefore if
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
absolutely necessary to salvation or not necessary and according as Gods promise the ground of our faith and hope is absolute or conditionall Our prayer for things needfull bee they things spirituall or temporall must be particular and absolute because a generall petition namely that God should doe with us as hee pleaseth as may bee for his glory and for our good is properly no petition for in saying so a man asketh no certaine thing neither doth hee know what he doth aske So likewise a conditionall petition is no petition Wee may and must truly and particularly desire the things lawfully asked yet as wee aske temporall things with lesse earnestnesse and intension of minde and spirituall things with more fervor and intension of minde so our expectation of the one is absolute and more firme our expectation of the other is lesse firme and alwayes with submission either expressed or understood unto the will of God In resolving this Case 2 Cases whether a man may aske temporall things absolutely Whether a man may aske temporall things absolutely I will with it propound and answer another Case to wit Whether when a man hath asked temporall things he may expect them absolutely Whether when a man hath asked temporall things he may absolutely expect them I answer difference must be put between asking a thing absolutely and expecting a thing absolutely when it is asked There are some things may bee asked absolutely which yet may not absolutely bee expected Gods command is the ground of our asking this command to pray for temporall things is absolute for we are as well bid to aske our daily bread as to aske forgivenesse of sins Gods promises are the ground of our faith and expectation of receiving the things asked Now all Gods promises are not absolute his promise of temporall things and of such spirituall things as are not necessary to salvation doth admit of reservations and exceptions that is hee will give temporall things to us so farre as they may well stand with our enjoying of those good thing which are spirituall and eternall Likewise his promises which concerne the giving a specialty of grace and of comfort over and above what is necessary to salvation upon our asking are to bee understood with this exception unlesse hee holdeth it best 2 Cor. 12.8.9 to keepe us humble hungry and thirsty watchfull and prayerfull under the sense of our infirmity and want of what we desire which in some cases is farre better for us than to have our desire Namely when if we had such or such grace and comfort we should bee exalted above measure and should despise them that had not the like or should grow presumptuously secure Wherefore when wee shall aske for spirituall things absolutely necessary for Gods glory and mans good such as hallowing of Gods name comming of his kingdome and doing of his will also forgivenesse of sinnes and grace to convert repent and to live godly these things being asked in the truth of our heart we must say Amen unto them with a full and absolute assurance that our petitions are granted for of these things the promises are absolute But as for petitions concerning our outward man state of life and concerning such and such degrees and measure of grace and concerning the feeling of comfort in the assurance of our forgivenesse all which are lawfull and needfull to bee prayed for though we must say Amen to these also with true assurance that God heareth and is well pleased with those our Petitiōs yet we must not say Amen with that absolute expectation of enjoying the things asked For these are asked with a reservation still unto Gods will both when he shall please and in what measure he shall in his gracious pleasure thinke good For my part therefore upon the former grounds I conceive that though temporall good things as health libertie peace life and the like may be absolutely asked that is distinctly and particularly without condition yet those things so asked are not absolutely to be expected in the very particulars to be granted Onely this we may and must absolutely expect when wee pray even for these things that either we shall have them or that which is better at least that we shall have grace sufficient to sustaine us without them 2. Cor. 12.9 so as to have matter of comfort in God in this life and of hope of salvation in the life to come For in that we have prayed in faith this should stay our hearts That we may attaine this assurance our care must be that we make and keepe our peace with God and that we do get and cherish the spirit of prayer Luk. 11.13 that we may alwayes pray according to his will in the name of Christ Iesus Ioh. 14.13.14 then we may build upon his promise and upon his almightie power and fidelitie and we may confidently say with Saint John 1. Ioh. 5.14.15 that we know that God heareth us and that we have the petitions that we desired of him But to conclude this point suppose that when you have done what you can in prayer yet you do not feele nor finde that you have a comfortable answer to your prayers yet be not discouraged nor give over as your troubled heart and your malicious adversary will oft suggest unto you but pray daily and sith you have a promise of audience beleeve and hope even above your feeling and above hope For it will not be in vaine that you still pray Prayer is a dutie to God now if you pray though for the present you have no other benefit but this the discharge of a good conscience in obedience to God this will give some secret support to the soule But bee you assured Gal. 6 9. as in all other well-doing so you shall finde in this be not weary and in due season you shall reape if you faint not and give not over Thus I have with Gods assistance finished this Treatise upon the Lords Prayer in which amongst many other things we may see the necessity of prayer the excellency of it and also how to pray I will adde a word or two touching the difficultie of praying aright This doctrine of the difficultie of praying aright I gather partly from the need that Christs owne disciples had to be taughe to pray Luk. 11.1 and partly by the many things required in prayer of which you have heard before And for proofe hereof consider that the Apostle Paul professeth of himselfe and other beleevers Rom. 8.26 saying We know not what we should pray as we ought The causes of the difficultie are many Reas 1 First prayer is a spirituall service and some men are altogether carnall and the best men are in part carnall wherefore a man 's owne inbred and indwelling evill will alwayes be present when a man prayeth to cause deadnesse and unaptnesse also to fill him full of feares and doubts full of impertinent
borne againe by the Spirit of adoption whereby they have the image of God renewed in righteousnesse and true holinesse and so are become his children by the regeneration of his Spirit wherewith he hath sealed them for his owne Whereas the men of the Vse 1 world doe entertaine in them a base opinion of all that indeavour to keepe a good conscience in all things therein approving themselves to bee Christs Disciples indeed and the very children of the most high hereby they may see their errour their insolencie and their extreame malice and folly Can there be a more notorious folly and madnesse then this when the children of the bond-woman Ioh. 8.44 nay of the devill for herein they doe his lusts shall account of and use the children of the free-woman yea of the everliving God as the filth of the world and the of-scouring of all things 1. Cor. 4.13 How doe these men by defaming the children therein despise God their Father But let them take heed how they despise or misuse the least of those little ones that have indeed given their names to Christ Iesus It is hard kicking against pricks Act. 9.5 It is not safe touching the Lords anointed Psal 105.15 Zach. 2.8 the very apple of his eye And know as base as they be Their Angels and ministring spirits doe alwaies behold the face of their Father which is in heaven Mat. 18.10 Vse 2 Hereby all men should learn of whom to esteeme most honourably whom to make choise of for their yoke-fellowes their servants or their companions also in whom they should most delight and to whom they should shew most love and goodnesse even to true Christians whom David calleth The Saints that bee upon the earth Psal 16.3 and the excellent and well hee might for they have the God of excellencie to their Father If true Christians have God Vse 3 to their Father this should move all men to become Christians indeed to beleeve and to order their conversation aright for such onely the Doctrine meaneth It is the highest advancement and honour that man is capable of to bee called and to bee indeed the sonnes and daughters of God Almighty Iohn doth admire such love in God and such advancement of men that men should be called the sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3.1 All Christians should be like Vse 4 God Holy as he is holy for it becommeth children to be like their father They should honour and obey him If I be a Father where is mine honour saith God Mal. 1.6 As obedient children they must not fashion themselves according to the former lusts of their ignorance but as hee which hath called them is holy 1 Pet 1.14.15 so they should be holy in all manner of conversation Disobedience of children to their Parents was in the law of the Iewes punishable with death disobedience therefore unto our heauenly Father is much more dangerous They should likewise submit themselves unto his fatherly chastisements Heb. 12.5.7.10 they must neither despise them nor faint under them but must indure them patiently because God therein dealeth with them as with sonnes for their profit that they might be partakers of his holinesse They need not carke and care but in all things they may and must with boldnesse and assurance of helpe repair to God being assured of his fatherly affection towards them for to whom doe children flie in their need but to their Parents We have seene those that bee evill give good gifts unto their children how much more will our heavenly Father give good things even his holy Spirit Luk. 11.13 to them that aske him Lastly it is the joy and comfort Vse 5 of every Christian to consider that they have this honor that they may call God Father and aske him blessing What manner of love hath the Father bestowed in this saith Iohn 1 Ioh. 3.1 that wee should bee called the sonnes of God That wee the sonnes of men of meane men of mortall men of sinfull men yea the very children of the divell should be advanced to bee the sonnes and daughters of God Almighty While vainglorious foolish men vaunt and brag of their gentry and earthly Parentage let us with an holy exultation of spirit rejoyce in this that wee have God to our Father This doth comfort the heart in povertie sickenesse paine disgrace and in all distresses when we know wee have a Father that will not forsake us though our naturall Parents should Psal 27.10 that though tender mothers may forget their sucking children and sonnes of their wombe yet God will not forget his Isa 49.15 hee is wise and almightie and will helpe in the best time he alwaies knoweth what we have need of If wee be children then heires of God and joynt heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 When we duely thinke of this no afflictions can dismay us for we hold them not worthy the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 wee shall by this helpe our selves against heart-eating cares for we have a father and wee know it belongeth to Parents to provide and lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12 13. When we think of this that we are Gods heirs it will keepe us from grieving at and enuying the prosperity of the wicked we will be well content God should give his moveables where he please so long as the birth-right and inheritance is ours for we are begotten to a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens for us 1. Pet. 1.3.4 Whatsoever our estate be in the world we may and ought to comfort our selves with these thoughts Which art in heaven God is described by his being in heaven not onely to shew where he is for he is a God at hand and a farre off Ier. 23.23 24. and filleth heaven and earth but as the majestie of Kings may be set out by their glorious palaces and thrones so heaven Gods most glorious throne doth here set forth his majectie and the perfection of all his infinite excellencies Whence learne Doct. 7 God to whom prayer is made who is Father to all true beleevers is an heavenly majestie invisible perfect and infinite in power goodnesse and all other heavenly excellencies one whose dwelling is in the heavens When God would set forth his owne greatnesse and goodnesse at once Isa 57.15 he saith Thus saith the high and loftie one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy I dwell in the holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble c. The Church doth helpe her faith by casting her thoughts upon heaven the habitation of Gods holinesse and of his glory and thereby gathereth arguments of Gods perfect love to them and power for them when she saith Where is thy zeale and thy strength c. and from the same consideration doth preferre Gods