the way may goe on with comfort and they that never came into the way who yet suppose themselves to be in the way may if it be possible be brought into the way For Method and memories sake the subject of this litle Treatise containes in it or divideth it selfe into these particulars In the first there is a description of Prayer In the second are discovered the marks of the Spirit of Prayer The third directeth us how to attaine to the sence of the Spirit of Praier The fourth sheweth how a man should hold on the duty of Prayer without the sence of the Spirit The fift and last directeth men that want the Spirit of Prayer how to labour for it Of these and of their proper particulars in order and first briefly of the first because the manner of true Prayer doth discover fully the nature of Prayer The School-men and Fathers have diverse Descriptions in which for me to be curious standeth neither with the nature of the Treatise nor with the scope or my intent And for my owne part as one said in another case I had rather pray powerfully then define Prayer accurately The summe of all these The summe of all Descriptions may be comprised in this namely That Praier is a spirituall Ability infused into the heart whereby the soule expresseth it selfe familiarly and immediately to God in the name of Iesus Christ with confidence in the promises It is called by some the pious affection of the speaker to God by others the manifestation of the heart to God and the assent of the soul to God This definitiō is made good by diverse places of the Scripture compared together First the Spirit maketh intercession for us with Groans Secondly the heart is the seate c. Lord before thee is all my desire and my sighing is not hid from thee This must be done immediately to God for thou that hearest Prayers saith the Psalmist unto thee shal all flesh come and that in the Name of Christ If yee aske any thing in my name I will doe it Neither doth Christ his Mediatourship make ours not to be immediate for he is God as well as man and is appointed our Mediatour as the place quoted testifieth I will doe it Lastly with confidence in the promises and this is the confidence that we have in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth us First that Prayer is not an naturall acquired ability Secondly it cōsisteth not in words though they be ornat or well set forth with seeming holynesse but in the powring out of the heart by sighes and groanes inexpressible Thirdly It is no Prayer at all that is not made in and by Christ Fourthly Lastly without faith it is impossible to pray Of these Conclusions more fully in the second particular to which now I proceed 2 How a man may know when hee prayeth in the Spirit AS Prayer is the special gift of God so all men have it not that can talk well or that seeme to have it I will poure out my Spirit saith the Lord upon all flesh that is upon all his own he promiseth no such thing to the wicked Pray alwaies saith the Apostle Try we therefore whether wee have this or not for good words except they be the words of the Spirit will not serve Would you then know whether you pray by the Spirit or no try your Prayer by these particular evidences The first evidence of the Spirit of Praier is our Adoption or Sonship wherein wee are interrested Bastards and strangers yea meere servants cannot pray they learne not nay cannot learne the language of the house as children can doe they cal not upon God they may get some broken language or termes of Art wherewithall to serve their necessities as for meat prefentment and esteeme among Gods people yea for some words they may come to be admired but in the true pronounciation of Shiboleth they are to seeke and so they come short of that language But the sonnes and daughters be they never so weake yea but babes or Infants in Christ yet they can speake the language of their Father truly though not througly nor eloquently All this the Apostle proveth in that Phrase to the Romans Yee have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby yee cry Abba Father Where observe first who cryeth namely Sonnes and they only Secondly what they cry namely Father which if they can speake truly if with litle children they can say litle more yet they pray truly speaking the language of the Spirit A second note that one prayeth by the Spirit is an earnest desire and endeavour to take the Spirit along with them They will not goe willingly without the evidence of the Spirit witnesse the same Apostle the Spirit maketh request for us Where wee must understand that the Spirit is said to make request for us after an other manner then the sonne is said to make request for us v. 34. namely by the vertue and power of his merit But the Spirit maketh request by stirring us up and putting us on to make request The Spirit as one saith by that annointing power teacheth and frameth us to frame our petitions In this wee must be like Moses If the Lords presence goe not with us let us not goe from hence The best of Hypocrites can be content to have an Angell goe before them give the Angellicall stile cōming from lips touched with a coale of strange fire moved by no internall principle except it be from some common gift at the best it is enough and in this they please themselves and gaine admiration from others but their praise is but of men and not of God but this will not serve the children of Prayer they will not stirre without the Spirit of their Father neither can they doe it Wee know not saith the Apostle what to pray as we ought we have neither thought to conceive nor will to consent nor art to perfect of our selves As the Spirit of God did move or flutter upon the waters for the inclining of that vast body by a powerfull and procreative heate so the heate of Gods Spirit must either quicken us to the duty or wee and it are no better then a deed Carcasse or at the fairest but like a specious Picture The people of God doe now and then neglect I must confesse this duty the taking their guide with them they weigh not so attentively nor watch so seriously after this first mover as they should As a man forgetteth to set his watch or to take his guide with him And this is a main cause why they seek and find not yea why they walke not in the strength of the Spirit Againe the people of God may be without the sence and feeling of the Spirit yet the Spirit be there they not being aware howsoever they are very sensible of their insensibility and much
as the Apostle saith neglect not or be not carelesse of the gift that is in thee If ever then thou wouldst have comfort from the sense of prayer dig thy selfe out of thine own security dull not neither drowne thy pretious thoughts in cares pleasures worldly joyes or sorrowes be ever bringing the dispersed sparkles of the Spirit together and like a good workmā look well to the fire and then the Lord will not onely take notice of thy prayer as he did of Pauls but hee will also give thy soule to know that it is such a prayer as he taketh notice of so that thou maist cōfidently averre with David I have called upon thee maist urge it with an argument let mee not bee confounded 2 The second Mean of procuring sense is the removing of hinderances as the distemper of the body by intemperancy the distemper of the soule by passion dividing cares or loose and unprofitable company these bee the rubbish of our ruinous disposition that keep us frō the view of the straine of prayer in us These be the ashes that cover the sparkles of the Spirit keep us from the sensible heat of them Away then with these if thou desirest the sense of the vigor of the Spirit First the soule followeth the temperature of the body thou must labour as much as may be for a sound minde in a well tempered body The over-wearied and over-toyled bodies whereunto most men reserve their families and secret duties are unfit to organize the soule or to vent the soul's desires in prayer It is good therefore to ply the duty in health strength of body that hence comfort may arise in time of sicknesse and weaknesse As for the Passions or Perturbatiōs of the mind if they be the symptomes of evill affected bodies the body must be brought in frame but if they bee the more spiritual perturbations or such turbulent commotions as wee call properly the sicknesse of the minde as anguish slavish feare sadnesse the like these being of an aëreall and subtile nature doe trouble and miscarry the temper as the winde doth carry the calmest ayre and smoothest water against the rocks So that for want of smooth waters to move on if you will a well-composed minde the evidence of the Spirit can neither be seen nor heard Therefore these perturbations must be alayed by their opposite Graces as I have shewed not quite taken away with the Stoicks but they must bee so tempered and alaied by grace above the temper of the Platonists that they may be as sinews to the motion of the Spirit whereby evidence may bee furthered and not hindered As for instance an angry or wrathfull disposition is like choler distasting or distempering the rellish of the Spirit or as the unnaturall heat doth wast and consume the naturall active heat that commeth from the heart so the devouring heat of anger eateth up the evidence of the Spirit The minde as one saith must be at peace in it selfe if it look towards God But if the heat of anger be turned into a holy zeal tempered with discretion it will consume that rubbish that lyeth in the way of sense and will be like a coach to carry the evidence or feeling of the Spirit to our Spirit in the time of prayer Secondly And so a habit of dulnesse or pensive heavinesse dulleth flatteth the sense of the spirit in prayer but a well set or moderate mournfulnesse is that sowing in teares which maketh us sensible in prayer to reap in joy Lastly distracting and slavish feare doth weaken the sense of Gods love towards us but a reverent awe of the Majesty of God in prayer will give thy soule assurance that he is thy Father and that by the power of the spirit thou callest him so Thirdly As for the removeall of any reigning sin I have spoke of it before for continuance in that cannot stand with the Spirit of prayer yea I am of that minde that though David lost not the Spirit by his sin it is probable that he prayed not scarce all the time that he lay in his sin A third Mean to attain sense of the Spirit in prayer is in thy disposition to the duty and desire to bee guided by the spirit and not by the flesh blood In thine indisposition or averse disposition it will disswade thee from praying at all and that upon some shew of probable ground as that thou hast not the Spirit thou canst not pray God will not entertain it If any bee by thou maist shame thy self and bewray thee to bee a man of no gifts So thou hadst best let it alone till thou be fitted God will accept of thy good intention and better not pray at all then not to pray excellently But these the like be sophisticall suggestions whereunto if thou hearknest thou neglectest thy duty thou weaknest thy prayer by thy neglect thou disacquaintest thy selfe with God thou bewraiest a doting on thine own ability thou interceptest Gods opportunity of manifesting his strength in thy weaknesse thou givest advantage to Sathan thou indangerest the very habit of prayer as much as in thee lyeth for from frequency of neglect thou maist derelinquish the duty or bring it to a bare presumptory performance Lastly there is nothing that weakneth depriveth and opposeth sense more then this for as a sedentary life or sleeping after meat bringeth a fat cold body to a Palsie or Lethargie wherein sense and motion is often weakned or deprived so the neglect of duty may indanger sense to a mans dying day Therefore if thou canst not pray as thou wouldest or as thou shouldst pray yet as thou canst God may bee there and thou not aware of it and when thou art least able thou art most able when thou art most humble thou art fittest for sense take this as the direction of the Spirit in many places besides the practice of the Saints Pray alwaies Continue in prayer Watch and pray alwaies The meaning of which places wee must not mistake after the example of Euchytes the Psallian that we must doe nothing but pray for many evills would then arise but that upon all occasions wee should have something to say to God especially as both ancient and modern observe at the stinted times of duty which though wee change yet we must not neglect or omit whether private or secret In a word that of the Apostle in another case though often by sin abused will serve well here Be instant in season and out of season that is whether it please or please not So whether thou art disposed or not disposed goe to and doe it the Lord hath bidden thee The fourth Meane in Prayer to obtaine sence is the labouring in Prayer to bring home Christ sensibly to the soule This is the Spouses desire I would lead thee I would bring thee into my mothers house And thus she doth indeed I held him and would not
the third place if ever thou wouldst pray to break off thy sins and to part with thy prophanesse for as I have shewed a sinfull course familiarity with God cannot consist or stand together A corrupt tongue or leprous throat maketh a harsh noise in the eare of God remēber that the Lord is far from the wicked and though they cry to him he wil not harken to them Fourthly thou must avoid and abandon all prophane idle and unprofitable company for as thy living in a corrupt ayre or with contagious bodies will increase the habit of thy corrupt disposition till thou be utterly consumed so lewd and wicked company will more and more contaminate thy soule and spirit so that thy breath shall stink worser and worser in the nostrills of God As the soule in the Law that touched any abominable unclean thing and ate of the sacrifice was to bee cut off from Gods people so the conversing and familiarity with unclean cursed company cutteth a soule off keepeth it off from familiarity with God in prayer Therefore saith the wiseman Enter not into the path of the wicked and goe not into the way of evill men The Prophet David washing his hands in innocēcy that he might compasse the Altar of the Lord abandoneth all vain persons resolveth not to sit or converse with the wicked for as thou must avoid evill company and hate them that regard lying vanities so thou must associate thy selfe to the godly Hee that walketh with the wise shal be wise hate the evill saith the Prophet and love the good The meerely moral man doth counsel thee to converse with such as will make thee better as men by constant conversing with natives of a Nation doe learne the language of the nation so by sorting thy self with beggers thou maist happily learne to beg Fiftly thou must intreat the godly earnestly to pray for thee and to beg thee of the Lord esteem much of their praiers which be of that efficacy to convert a sinner from his waies and to save a soule from death hiding a multitude of sinnes If thus thou dost and God affecteth the hearts of his people to pray for thee there is good hope that thou shalt come to pray for thy selfe and for others also for the Sonne of many prayers cā hardly perish but so long as thou dost scoffe mock at the prayers of the Saints or hast them in light esteem the spirit of prayer or supplication will not come nigh thee Yet with this begging of the prayers of the Saints thou maist learne to beg thy selfe The people of Israel desired Samuel to pray for them when they had sinned but they praied also for themselves but Pharaoh desired Moses to pray againe and againe for him but hee would never learne to pray for himselfe neither did he at all desire Moses his prayer till the hand of God was the second time upon him for at the first he did not A great many doe never desire the praiers of Gods people if they desire them at all it is not till Gods hand be so heavy upon thē that they know not what to doe Sixtly thou must attend the meanes of the word read preached and conferred upon for thou shalt never learne to speak to God except thou hearest God speak unto thee hee that turnes away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination It is not a set manner in a secret corner nor the best penned praier that thou canst get by hart without a diligent attendance on the word especially preached that ever will teach or inable thee to pray For faith commeth by hearing And because wee believe therefore we speak As the lame man in the Gospell lay still by the Poole of Bethesda which was the meanes appointed for recovery till the power of God had wrought upon him so thou must still attend the meanes till God smite the heart unvail the eyes touch and untie the tongue to this duty of prayer Seventhly and lastly enquire learn of God's people and they can tell thee what unvaluable profit what sweet pleasures what unspeakable consolation what peace-passing understanding what height of honour what heaven of happinesse they find in this familiar conference with God aske and they will tell thee as a Father observeth that of all vertues they can find none but this compared to incense Secondly they can tell thee on experience that it is the best guard against all assaults of Sinne and Sathan All kind of Divels are kept out and cast out by this When the evill Spirit came upon Saul David alayed and abandoned it by playing on his harpe that harpe saith one was devout Prayer Thirdly if thou wouldst know what is the best trading Gods people will tel thee there is none like Prayer For no state time place person or opposition can intercept thrift if thou art disposed to pray thou maist ever be imploying thy stock and that with the returne of encrease thou maist gain more by Prayer in one houre as one saith well then all the Merchants in the world in a thousand yeares Fourthly wilt thou know what is the very best physick Gods people can tell thee by experience that none is like Prayer It healeth the infirmities of the body and the diseases of the soule and the Praiers of the faithfull shall save the Sicklie and the Lord shall raise them up and if he have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven him Fiftly if it be enquired what is the greatest honour that mortall man can obtaine unto Is it not this for a man to talke familiarly with God as with his friend And such honour have all the Saints and they only What honour were it for a poore meane despicable man to come to be so inward with a great Monarch to have his eare at his pleasure and to goe into the bed-chamber when hee list without repulse or interruption of any So is it with Gods favorites how despicable and despised soever they be amongst men Hee that will be inward with God saith one let him pray frequently let him read diligently for when we speak with God when wee read or heare God speaketh to us Sixtly if thou wouldst be provided of the best armes against thine enemies of the best safest refuge in distresse the speediest deliverance out of trouble the Saints can assure thee upon experience that there is none like this witnesse Moses Hester Iehosaphat and the rest Seventhly wouldst thou command all the armes of creatures as heaven earth and all the creatures therein yea even the Angels themselves the people of God wil teach thee that Prayer is the only word of command By this Elijah did open and shut the heavens By this Moses tied and untied the hands of the Almighty by this Iacob made the Lord to stay with him so that hee could not depart till hee had blessed him Eighthly and lastly
humbled for their neglect The third evidence that we pray by the Spirit is a sensibility of our owne inability As the Spirit helpeth our infirmities so it discovereth the infirmity of the understanding the will the memory the affections yea the Spirit discovereth all indisposition sloathfulnesse impatiency inconstancy and too much making hast flesh and blood cannot discover these Indeed flesh blood will discover want of readinesse or of an outward frame of words or for want of some supernaturall heate to inliven the outward action which the hypocrite may take for the true heate of the Spirit but the want of that coelestiall heate or true quickning motion of the Spirit it neither discovereth nor bewaileth But the godly out of knowledge of these infirmities are exceeding humbled whereupon there is roome made for the Spirit to rest in for repairing of those ruines yea the child of God by the knowledg of these his wants commeth to speed best when in his owne conceipt he prayeth worst yea when he can say nothing with Moses and is to himselfe as it were breathlesse and speechlesse yet out of the sensibility of his prolixity he cryeth hardest of all and God is nighest to him when he conceiveth him to be farthest off If then thou findest or feelest not in Prayer that comfort that thy heart desireth be not discouraged but rather comfort thy selfe upon the feeling of thy wants and humiliation for them because it is a worke of the Spirit goe on then and rather then thou pray not at all cast thy selfe before the Lord look up to heaven if thou canst but cry like a litle child cease not till thou make the Echo of the Rock to resound The fourth evidence of the guidance of the Spirit is a sensible helping of us in some measure against the aforesaid infirmities of Vnderstanding Will Memory and Affections The Spirit helpeth our infirmities It teacheth for what and how to pray It strengthneth memory with motives out of the which the understanding frameth arguments as judgments mercies precepts promises renuednesse ranking every one in his due place and causing the soule to pick some good out of of every one of them So the Spirit bringeth the wil in Praier contrary to its disposition to be subject to the Will of God and to make choice of that which God willeth as the very best in this our Saviour Christ is a perfect patterne in his heavy and dreadfull conflict saying often and againe Not as I will but as thou wilt Father The Spirit doth not only correct and change the aversenesse and deadnesse of the affections as feare love joy and sorrow but it sets them on with a high and heavenly temper upon their proper objects As that the soule in Prayer should love nothing in comparison of God and his countenance hate nothing so much no not the Divell or Hell it selfe as his owne sinne grieve at nothing so much as the grieving of God fear nothing as the God of his feare Lastly the Spirit helpeth the stupidity and benummednesse of the conscience making it tender and pliable and also impartiall in the applying home of the particulars to the present seate of the soule which is the proper function of the conscience As for instance it either excuseth by application of mercy the fruit whereof is present peace or accuseth by application of Iudgment the present fruit whereof is trouble and terror yet it bringeth forth and begetteth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse for upon the judging of our selves by the afflicting of our selves God ceaseth to judge us Try then what helpe thou findest of the Spirit in strengthning thy weaknesse in the seeking of his face for assuredly wee all find the lesse helpe for want of this triall But some will say wee find no helpe at all Our understanding is darker our memories weaker our wills more perverse our affections deader our consciences heavier then ever they were I answer first there may be a neglect of the triall of the performance by the severall notes and also such a carelessenesse to walke by the rule of Prayer that the duty is fallen into a custome so that because we look not to take the Spirit along with us and cast not our selves and the duty upon the helpe of it we come to want the helpe thereof when we would because we looked not for it when we should Againe it may be answered for some that sence is no true Iudge For as some may conceive of help from the Spirit that never had any and conceipt of sound and well ordered parts in Prayer that have nothing but rottennesse in their inward parts for all their painted oratory glozing words so some may be unsensible of the aforesaid helpe for some mistakings or some disorder in the course yea by Gods hiding his presence of sence and yet he helped mightily by God which may be instanced and proved by these two particulars First the sence of those infirmities in Prayer is the worke and evidence of a praying Spirit Secondly the going on with sighes and groanes under the burden of these infirmities is word for word to take us up as it were by the hand and to goe with us against our infirmities If the spirit in these two be with us it is not want of sense that can nullifie his presence Elisha's servant while his eies were shut could not see the armies of the Lord but his eyes being open he saw clearely that there were more with him then against him So let the soule of such goe on and wait upon the Lord without censuring the Lords work for want of feeling and let them for their better stay view and try all the points of the evidence for if one hold all the rest will in some measure make for them Yea but others will say they are so farre from help against their infirmities that the infirmities of earthly and idle thoughts doe strive into the very duty whereby the worke of the Spirit for the time is quenched the soul beaten off and the heart stoln away For answer I must confesse it is a shrewd incounter and a dangerous infirmity arising out of the loosenesse of the heart the atheisme of the mind the deadnesse of the conscience the corruption of the memory and earthly condition of the affections whereby wee let slip forget with whom we have to deale and what we have to doe Here is want of devotion want of attention It is mad folly saith one to thy selfe great iniury to another when thou wilt neither attend him nor look to thy selfe yet for all this it is no other temptation but such as may and doth overtake the children of God but with this difference from that vagrancy in the hearts of the unregenerate men be they never so smooth First the same spirit whose worke for a time recoileth at length like a great sole conquering
of fervency striving endeavour to goe on though thou feelest but litle or no comfort these be true flames of the Spirit which were never kindled in the least measure in the breast of any Hypocrite will an Hypocrite with all his painted flames hold out No they will murmure if God heare them not but the godly will trust in him though hee slay them Let every one then stirre up the gift that is in him whatsoever it be and the Lord will be with us ere we be aware The sixt evidence of the Spirit of Prayer is that godly traine of all-saving graces garding it strengthning it and attending upon it Hee that can doe an errand to God is destitute of no gift as Paul saith of the Corinthians that Embassie is guarded with all the graces of God in some measure as first it ariseth from that impregnable pallace of faith which ascendeth like a Cloud with Prayer in it never ceasing but still increasing the motion till it come to heaven In and from this Pallace Prayer is armed with an irresistible violence and commeth forth like a valiant Champion beating all down-right before it that standeth between God it Innumerable instances of this in Gods servants put that immediate principle of the Spirit out of all Question Whatsoever yee shall aske in Prayer believing yee shall receive David and all the Saints make ever this foundation of their Prayer Vnto thee will I pray Iehovah thou shalt heare my voice Secondly as Prayer is grounded from faith so it is under-propped by Hope I will looke unto the Lord saith Micha and I will waite for the God of my Salvation My God will heare me This place expresseth also the Christian patience wherewith the Prayer of the Saints is seasoned and also that perseverance whereby the Charriot of faith is drawne These set the soule upon the watch-Tower as Habacuk speaketh and maketh her waite and hearken what the Lord will answer David's Praier in his distresse was thus qualified I will looke out saith the Prophet Further Prayer made in the Spirit is attended with Preparation Opportunity and Diligence Preparation maketh ready the Charriot of faith awaketh Prayer attireth it with a holy disposition of heavenly position Opportunity as a guide taketh it the nighest way and Diligence as the driver of the Charriot driveth more nimbly then Iehu the sonne of Nimshi All these attend David's Prayer I will direct my Prayer unto thee or I will orderly addresse unto thee there is his Preparation In or at the morning that is early there is his opportunity I will looke out or else espy there is his diligence or I will pray that is still doe pray and cease not Try then or let thy Prayer be tried by these clouds of witnesses whether it be of the spirit or no for the Prayer of the Hypocrite hath none of these witnesses or attendants as it is said of faithlesse hearers that the Word heard did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith They may make a faire shew in seeming to lay hold on God deceiving others their own hearts they will leane upon the Lord saith the Prophet and say is not the Lord among us c. But they build upon the sand and hence are their ruines neither is their hope any better then Hypocrites hope which shall perish as for their patience wherwith their Prayer should be seasoned If God attend not their pleasure in answering of their desires it is quickly turned into murmuring In this they are like that gracelesse servant of that godlesse King because this evill is of the Lord why should I waite for the Lord any longer As for the attendants of Prayer namely Preparation Opportunity and Diligence the Hypocrite is not acquainted with them the counterfeit shews or shadowes of these he may have but the things themselves in the true nature of them he neither hath nor desireth to have The Hypocrite rusheth into Gods presence without premeditation of Gods most glorious presence and without consideration of his own vilenesse and unworthinesse to speake to so glorious and great a God His best Preparation is but a vizard of Prepation or outward shew of seeming holinesse in the position of the body Their best opportunity is base and by respect and their diligence carrieth the duty no further then customary performance or so farre as it is in request with the times So never an Hypocrite you see can be an Embassadour to God for he wanteth both the Commission of the Spirit and that traine of attendants that doe accompany the Commission It is no-wonder then that their Prayer be converted into sinne for they are Traytors to God in taking upon them his Embassie without his Cōmission Let them pray then that can pray yea it standeth us all upon to looke to it whether we pray or prate or bable For Lord Lord a multitude of faire words and faire shewes will not serve An Embassadour with a gilded coach of temporary faith will not serve the turne yea though it were full of miracles attended with a many imbrodered Lackeyes of smooth words courtly complements and eare-pleasing musick shall never have admittance to God nor audience of God look to it then that thou be an Embassadour indeed that thou hast thy Commission sealed and art sent by the Spirit and that thy traine be such as may be heartily welcome to God and make thee welcome In the first place make triall of thy faith and that by the inward acts of purifying the heart uniting it to God by victory over temptations casting thy selfe upon the Lord by contentment of thine estate also by the extensive worke of love first to God for himselfe then to thy neighbour in him and for him The heart so purified by faith is a fit lymbeck for Prayer Out of this the Prophet David was bold to presse his Prayer upon God Hearken to my Prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips or without lips of deceipt by which is meant the syncerity of the heart agreeing with the words of the mouth Nothing so much adorneth the heart as faith nothing commendeth faith more then Prayer and nothing graceth Prayer more then syncerity This with the proud Pharisee all Hypocrites want drawing nigh God with their mouth and honouring him with their lips but their hearts be far from him or as the Psalmist they flatter or flatteringly allured him with their mouth with their tongue lied to him for their heart was not right with him or not firmly prepared with him And this especially maketh the Praier of the Hypocrites of an evill savour in Gods Nostrills for as he is the hearer of the heart as one saith and not of the voice so he loveth the syncerity of the heart and hateth the hollownesse and rottennesse thereof in Prayer above all things because they
goe about to deceive him denying him in effect to be the discerner of the heart otherwise they would never deal so with him Try also thy hope in Prayer namely by clearing of thy Author and casting it within the vaile The nature of hope is to keepe thee from shame by the repulse of thy desires because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost in such abundant measure and unspeakable manner that he cannot deny us the things hoped for Try also thy Prayer by patience waiting on the Lord and going on in Prayer in the time of distresse This an Hypocrite as I have shewed cannot nor will not doe In the time of affliction they wil set very freshly upon the duty so farre as great words will carry it but if they be brought to any strait or put to any hard shift like white-livered souldiers they die down-right in their owne ayre or element or else fling away their arms and run from their Colours It is much to be feared that our nations woefull experience shall teach the truth of this in one as wel as the other But God giveth his owne another heart namely to overtop the height of their affections with the height of their Prayers and never give over till by patience and importunity they possesse the gates of their enemies and become more then Conquerors The Scripture to this purpose affordeth abundance of remarkable instances for a touch whereof take these two Steven the first Martyr being cast out of the City and stoned for his worthy Sermon as the stones were flying about his eares in the midst of all the mischiefe that they could doe him by the power of the holy Ghost called upon God and that with cryes kneeling upon his knees This lesson no doubt hee learof his Master Christ the best and only pattern that any man can follow He though a Sonne learned obedience by afflictions in the dayes of his flesh offered up Prayers and Supplications withstrong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death was heard in that he feared where observe what force feare and afflictions added to our Saviours Prayers which as swelling seas make well growne fish and thundring and lightning cleereth the ayre and the nipping frost maketh the fire the hotter So the afflictions of the Saints addeth force to their Praiers they cry more mightily to God then ever they did yea where they could not speake before now they cry and that day and night saith the Spirit though he beare long with them where observe the patience of the Saints they beare long in Gods bearing with their enemies Then observe their instant continuance they cry day and night to the same effect the Lord speaketh by his Prophet I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as gold is tryed they shall call upon my name and I will hear them Affliction maketh the wicked impatient driveth them from God because they are a burnished blade of terror in the hand of the Almighty as the pearle in oysters by thunder vanisheth so doth the Prayer of the Hypocrite by affliction but the triall of the godly bringeth forth patience driveth them nigher to God because their afflictions are but trialls indeed and at the worst they are but as a rod in the hand of a loving Father In a word as the Saints extremities are Gods opportunities so the same extremities are whetstones to the Saints importunities Lastly as for preparation labour to set thy heart in frame consider what thou art about and with whom thou hast to deale As God bid Moses put off thy shooes from thy feet for the place where thou staÌ„dest is holy ground whereby is meant the putting off of earthly and carnal affections preparing the mind to spiritual and heavenly duties Endeavour to come before the Lord with a simple and naked heart and with affections duly prepared for so great a presence As for Opportunity endeavour alwaies to be fit upon every occasion and feaâ—â— to choose the best occasion not omitting it at any hand for Diligence know this that use maketh an Artist or Tradesman To conclude this particular If thou callest upon the Lord in truth that is in faith syncerity earnestnesse and constancy the Lord will be nigh unto thee which is both the cause and evidence that thou prayest by the Spirit The seventh evidence of Prayer made by the Spirit is the guidance of the Spirit in all other actions For as he that is born of the Spirit is Spirit so he is spirituall in all his parts faculties and actions because the Spirit is of an all renuing nature though many remainders of the flesh and much reluctation be intermixed therewith throughout all the parts faculties and actions To this effect is that of the Apostle As many as are led by the Spirit they be the sonnes of God where observe hee saith not they that have received the Spirit or live by the Spirit or pray by the Spirit or doe any other action as he saith other where but that they are led by the Spirit intimating thereby the inclining disposition and ever-ruling power of the Spirit whereby the whole spirituall man is guided in all his waies as a ship by a pilot or a horse by his rider the place alludeth to a blind man or a man wanting strength who is wholly guided or carried by another so Gods supplicants as they pray by the spirit so they wholly resign themselves over in all their waies to the guidance of the spirit The guidance of the spirit in all a petitioners waies doth manifest it selfe in these two particulars First in the subdueing of the whole body of sin for though the remnans of sin remain in the best of Gods Saints yet no sin beareth dominion in theÌ„ for then should they not be led by the spirit who are led by the spirit saith one but they whose counsells and actions have nothing to doe with sin Sathan according to that of the Apostle Hee that is borne of God sinneth not or commiteth not sin viz. he serveth not sin hee delighteth not in sin he maketh not a trade of it nor lyeth not in it giveth not way to it but resisteth it and hateth it it is an intolerable burthen to him he cannot beare it But on the contrary he that committeth sin is of the Divel that is he that loveth sin loveth and obeyeth it in the lusts thereof Now where this sin-subduing power of the spirit beareth sway there the prayers bee the prayers of the spirit For as divers gifts come from one spirit so where there is one true gift of the spirit there bee all the gifts of the spirit but on the coÌ„trary where one sinne beareth sway there is not the guidance of the spirit and where the spirit is not the guide there the prayer is not the prayer of
Iob He shall call upon God and he will be favourable to him and hee shall see his face with joy For he will render unto man his righteousnesse False and forged then is that glosse of the Doctors of Doway upon that place of Nehemiah Ajust man that hath merited by good works may pray with great confidence of reward Further if any object If Prayer depend upon promises what need men pray since God will acknowledge his promises without our Prayers for all his promises are Yea and Amen For answer briefly he that hath promised to heare hath commanded us also to pray and without praying no promise to heare yea the Son of God himselfe who doubted not of his glorification did notwithstanding pray Father glorifie thy Son Try then thy interest to the promises by the laying hold or desiring to lay hold on the promises thereby thou maist know whether thou praiest in the Spirit or no keep alwaies thine eye upon the promises for as the load stone keepeth alwaies the point of the needle towards the north-pole so the load-stone of Gods promises keepeth alwaies the point of the Prayer touched therewith directly towards the Mercy seat of God But as the unregenerate man hath no portion in the promises so the promises are no point of that Compasse whereby his Prayers are guided It is true indeed that a wicked man out of the darknesse of his thoughts may charge God with such a promise as God never made by misconstruing of the promise as for instance Call upon me in the day of distresse and I will release thee This promise a wicked man may thus urge Thou hast bound thy selfe by promise Lord to deliver all those that are troubled and call upon thee but I am in trouble and call upon thee therefore thou hast bound thy selfe by the promise to deliver mee and so from thee I seeke for deliverance The Argument is a sophisme as wee speake from the homonumie or diverse significations of the word all which in the former proposition must be taken for calling upon the Lord in truth but in the later in cannot be so taken for the wicked may prate and bable but hee calleth not upon the Lord as I have shewed therefore he hath no interest in the promise Hee leaveth out the maine evidence namely the Glorifying of God which a wicked man never doth so that he presumeth himselfe to doe that he doth not and God to promise that which he never meant Againe a wicked man may obtaine that which he payeth for as successe honour wealth temporall deliverance and the like whereupon hee presumeth of some interest to the premises but it doth not follow For as God heareth not in every thing or alwaies the children of the promise because they are not fitted or it is not good for them or the the time is not come so he often giveth the wicked things they crave in his wrath they having no ground to aske or receive any thing from him as a promise to them for they are none of the children of the promise They have neither promise of the things of this life nor a better neither doe they with patience waite the Will of God that they may receive the promise but the childrens only care is to make good to themselves some interest to the promises and that by cleansing themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and by doing the Will of God waiting with patience for the promises endeavouring to bring them home by faith and supplication without ceasing The ninth Evidence of the Spirit of Prayer is the directing of Prayer to God in the name of Christ we are commanded thus to doe for what is it to seek the Face of God according to his owne appointment but to seeke him in the Face of his anointed Drawing neare unto God in Christ hath only the promise of hearing witnesse Christ himselfe binding it with an asseveration Verily verily I say unto you what soever yee shall aske the Father in my name that will I doe By no other nor in no other can wee speed but in and by him what other can appease the wrath of God against us Dare man by any other shew his face in Gods presence In the worth of Christ only our Prayers find acceptance with God in him as in a golden Censor all the Prayers of the Saints come to be fragrant and sweet-smelling odors He is the only mediatour as well of Intercession as Redemption He is the Priest the golden Altar by whose vertue our Prayers come to be a Sacrifice Did there ever any prevaile with God but in his name Is there any way or accesse but by his name Hee is that high Priest going into the Sanctuary carrying on his shoulders and also on his breast the twelve precious stones representing the twelve Tribes or all the faithful Hence it is cleare that Papists goe not to God going in the name of Saints and Angels sometime in the name of Traytors and godlesse persons In the name I say of their own worth and merit neither doth any reprobate goe to God in the name of Christ for Christ is no Intercessor for him I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast granted me for they are thine A great rabble of the unregenerate as Hypocrites carnall Gospellers meere civill men will tell you they defie Popery they hold it foolery and madnesse to pray to Saint or Angell and also robbery to goe to God by them and therefore they scorne it they acknowledge no other mediatour of Intercession but Christ Iesus All this is wel spoken but what availeth this them They will tell you further in Christ his name they dayly make their Prayers to God This is not so for they have no interest to take his name in their mouths or to make mention of it hating to be renued It is true they may speake of his name and so egregiously abuse it as they that will alleage it in the great day that they prophesyed and cast out Divels in his name of whom he will professe that is openly proclaim he knew them not viz. he never acknowledged thē for his yea he detesteth them and biddeth them away as workers of iniquity so shall it bee with all corrupt pleaders usurping the name of Christ They onely that know this name as the Psalmist saith can trust in it and fly unto it as a strong tower They know the Lords name the Lord knoweth theirs My people saith the Prophet shall know my name c. And because hee hath set his love upon me or cleaveth to mee as the Psalmist speaketh therefore I will deliver him I will set him on high because hee knoweth my name He shall call upon me and I will answer him Look then to it in all thy supplications to look towards God in Christ As Moses desiring to see the face of
flie from his colours and so they aske things not fitting for thē though to good intent and often they are not fitted for the things they aske But thus they doe in their hast the Word of God checketh them Gods Spirit their owne cōscience diverteth them from this course and they endeavour to square their desires according to the Will of God But the wicked are like to Elies sonnes They will have what they will if they perish for it Try thy Prayer then by the object of thy desires if thou canst heartily submit thy self to the Will of God in all things then thou hast assurance of the guidance of the Spirit but if thou wilt be both begger and chooser thou art too saucy to be guided by the Spirit Secōdly as for the Matter so they have due respect unto the Order The Spirit whereby they are guided is a spirit of Order not of confusion They first seeke heaven and heavenly things because they are heavenly minded according to that rule of our Saviour Seek yee first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you where by the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse is meant heaven and all the means of Gods appointment that bring us to heaven which both for excellency and order we must seeke and esteem above before all things not but that wee may and must seeke earthly things for there is a necessity of them we have the promises for them but it must be as they are necessary helps to the better things giving them their due time and place A pattern for this our Saviour giveth us in that perfect patterne of Prayer wherein he teacheth us first to pray for heavenly things and then for earthly things Where if any object That the asking of dayly bread is prefixt to the asking of forgivenesse of sinnes the former being earthly the later heavenly I answer it is not needfull with some of the Fathers and others to expound this bread of the sacramentall bread for the temporall bread is the bread of the children as one of them well observeth as well as the spirituall bread but the petition for Bread is put before the petition of Remission of sins as some think because the former of petitions is for good the later is in the number of the deprecations for evill Others that from the sight of our necessities of earthly things we are led to a sight of our necessity of heavenly things According to this patterne is the practice of the Saints Salomō makes first choice for Wisdome and letteth other things follow in their course David first desireth the light of Iehovah's face or countenance and letteth the corne and the wine and the oyle follow in their order But it is nothing so with the wicked they desire earthly things in the first place because they are earthly minded as for heavenly things they never question the attaining of them Give Esau first his red pottage and let him deale afterward for the birth-right as hee can let Saul be honoured before the people and hee will take his venture of the honour from God Againe wee must aske heavenly things absolutely I meane in their kinds not in any particular measure or quantity but for earthly things wee must aske them conditionally for so they are promised In some sort namely so farre as they are absolutely necessary for the maintaining us in Gods service and making good of his promises so farre wee may crave them absolutely for as wee crave the end so we may crave the meanes that lead to that end Then try thy selfe by the right ordering of thy heart towards the object of thy desires if thy heart pant and thy soule thirsteth after the living God and the promises of God Christ Iesus Doest thou desire the loving kindnesse of the Lord more then Life it selfe then let this assure thee though thou want other assurance that thy desires are the desires of the Spirit for every desire is of the nature of the thing desired Beasts affect only sensuall objects because their desires are meerly sensuall and the naturall man desireth naturall things as the adequat object of his desires though by some sparkle of common instinct he may glance at better things which he neither knoweth nor truly affecteth So the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse is the adequat object of the spirituall mans desires although the stomach may be affected with the maukin or such a disease as women with-child and men also labour of arising from an excrementious or venemous humour whereby they long extremely for things hurtfull like the humour it selfe and desire them more then holsome food But as this is cured by vomiting so the Lord by some crosse or other purgeth out his malignant menstrous humour after which they come to hate their owne desires David was taken with a longing desire for the water of Bethlem but not when hee perceived it to be the price of blood by hazarding the lives of his worthies hee would not give it to his desires So when the Saints perceive their inordinate desires to hazard their esteeme desire of Chirst they say to them as Ephraim to his Idols get you hence what have I to doe with you Look to it then for if thou set thine ease profit pleasures honour or any thing else before Christ thy desire is not of Christ The last note of Evidence of the Spirit is the looking for an answer from him to whom wee pray The end of every action is first in intention A man can never intend that which hee lookes not to see in execution the end of Prayer is to be heard Heare O Lord the Praier of Iudah and bring him unto his people To heare is no other thing but to answer he who prayeth then intendeth to have answer looketh for an answer it will follow then by conversion that he that looketh not for an answer prayeth not at all That speech of the blind man God heareth sinners carririeth these two things in it First as I have shewed the living in any sinne cannot stand with the Spirit of Prayer This hath been the course of all the Saints Iacob looked for a blessing and hee would not away without a blessing The Canaanitish Woman will not away til she have somewhat though it be but crummes David will look out that is as I have shewed he will waite for an answer My soule waiteth for Iehovah more then a watch-man for the morning As the eyes of servants are unto the hand of their Masters or as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistresse So our eyes are toward Iehovah our God untill that he be gracious unto us The leadeth us unto this duty by the very instinct of brutish creatures The eyes of all looke attentively to thee and thou givest them their meat in due season The