d Gen. 31.24 for Iacob Labans hand and e Gen. 32.9.10 c. asswaged Esaus wrath II. It remooueth the euils that we feele When Israel groaned vnder their taske-masters in Egypt the Lord remooued their shoulder from the burthen f Ps 81.6 and their hands were deliuered from the pots Psal 32.4.5 III. It procureth what wee desire Elias saith Iames g Iam. 5.17.18 Was a man subiect to like passions as wee are and hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths And hee prayed againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruite And if any man lack wisdome h Iames 1.5 he biddeth that we aske of God IV. It sanctifieth what we haue Euery creature of God is good saith the Apostle i 1. Tim. 4.4.5 and nothing to be refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer To bee short it can doe any thing Phil. 4.6 Quest Whence commeth it that prayer is so powerfull Answ Not from any thing in the work simply But I. As it is that meanes which the Lord hath appoynted to be vsed by his word of commaund II. As he hath pleased to annex gracious promises vnto it III. As it is perfected and hath all the wants supplied by the incense of that Angel of the eternall couenant Christ Iesus and so made the worthie meanes according to Gods commaund whereby hee may conueigh vnto vs thorough Christ the good blessings which he hath promised IV. And as that God to whom wee pray is abundant in goodnesse and truth and rich to all that call vpon him §. 2. Effects considered in regard of 3. Our selues The Effects of Prayer in respect of our selues may bee referred to two heads I. The Commodities II. The Symptomes Touching the good and profitable worke of Prayer in vs. I. It is a most speciall exercise for the stirring vp the graces of God in vs. II. It nourisheth as all the graces of God in vs so especially hope and patience 1. Sam. 1.15,18 III. It fulfilleth our ioy Ioh. 16.24 The Effects of Prayer which as symptomes and signes doe demonstrate true feeling prayer are three I. It causeth a holy heate in our affections Whereby a man findeth himselfe after a while much more heauenlily affected then in the beginning of his prayer II. A weaning from the thoughts of the world for the present immediatly after his prayer As hee that beholdeth the Sunne hath not his eyes instantly fit to looke vpon earthlie things And therefore he that can presently after prayer thinke and speake of worldly affaires with as much ease and delight as if hee had but come from a worldly exercise it is much to be doubted to say no worse that he prayed not heartily III. It giueth a man a heauenlie aspect for the present making him looke like one that hath had conuerse with God CHAP. IV. The Subiect of Prayer THE Subiect of Prayer is twofold I. Receiuing II. Whereabout Prayer is exercised Subiect I. Receiuing 1. Mentall 2. Verball 3. The two former may considered in another relation be called Adiuncts 3. Locall considered in respect of 1. Place 2. Prayer The Subiect receiuing is I. Mentall II. Verball III. Locall First I say it is mentall which consisteth in the cogitations of our mindes For wee may conceiue a prayer though it bee not vttered And those which are vttered in words were first in thought Secondly it consisteth in the words whereby wee expresse the motions and desires of our hearts And they are of great vse in prayer I. That the Lord as hee hath created redeemed regenerated both might also be glorified by both II. They are meanes of Christian communion in prayer when two or three or more are gathered together in the name of God III. They further much him that prayeth though he bee alone For 1. They doe represent more matter still before his mind 2. The vttering and mentioning of the promises and threatnings c. is a means to make the matter worke vpon vs. 3. They keepe the minde more attent And the altring and changing of our words are herein of great vse The last subiect-receiuing is the place The which is to be considered in regard of I. The place it selfe II. Prayer All places as places may serue for prayer Beleeue mee saith our Sauiour to the woman of Samaria a Ioh. 4.21 c. the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Ierusalem worship the Father But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worshippe the Father in spirit and truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him And the Apostle willeth b 1. Tim. 2.8 that men pray euery-where Reas 1. The Lord is euery-where II. All places are Gods and for his glorie III. Respect of place was ceremoniall pointing at Christ our spirituall Temple in whom alone God will accept vs. But yet the Lord is the God of order and so all things are to bee done decently and in order In respect therefore of prayer I. Publike prayer should be in a publike place Reason 1. That all might more cōueniently assemble II. In more fitting manner to make a publike profession of our faith and obedience III. For the more liuely manifestation of the libertie which by Gods blessing wee enioy II. More priuate praier I meane of a familie in euery familie apart As for me and my house saith Iosuah c Ios 24.15 we will serue the Lord. III. Most priuate that is of euery particular person in a secret place When thou prayest saith our Sauiour d Matth. 6.6 enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy Father which is in secret Reas I. To auoide imputations of hypocrisie II. For the more libertie in both word and iesture §. 2. II. Occupying or where about praier is exercised the which is 1. Reall 1. What they are 2. How obiects 3. How farre The subiect whereabout prayer is exercised which is properly the Obiect followeth And it is I. Either Reall II. Or Personall Touching the things which are the obiects of Prayer wee may consider I. What they are II. How they are obiects of our Prayers III. How farre These things are I. Such as concerne either this life or the life to come For 1. All must come from God e Iam. 1.17 2. Righteousnesse hath the promise of both f Heb. 13.5 3. We are commanded to goe to God g Iam. 1.5 Matth. 6.9.10.11 c. for both II. They are simply good or being euill in themselues the considerations respected in Prayer are good For good things we desire The continuance of what we haue and the bestowing of what wee want And of euill things wee desire their preuention profitable vse and remouall and are answerably thankefull III. As all good
The particulars of this discourse The 1. Definition 2. Causes 3. Effects 4. Subiects 5. Adiuncts 6. Distribution of Prayer CHAP. I. The definition of prayer The Definition of prayer Prayer is a calling vpon the name of God as a Father THis may bee the definition of prayer Wherin two things are to be considered I. The thing defined II. The definition it selfe 1. The thing defined The thing here defined is Prayer which in Hebrew commeth of a word which signifieth iudgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For a man apprehending the wrath of God due for sinne and denounced against sinners runneth to the Lord as we may see in Dauid b Psal 32.5 I acknowledged saith he my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquitie haue I not hid Againe comming to intreatie it sheweth plainly that hee can aske nothing as of due In like manner giuing thankes for blessings receiued it argues mercie and secludes merit For to him that worketh saith the Apostle c Rom. 4.4 the wages are not counted by fauour but by debt Lastly Prayer is a pleading before God If saith Eli to his sonnes d 1. Sam. 2.25 one man sinne against another the Magistrates shall iudge him but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreate for him or pleade for him Now in prayer wee pleade three things I. The Fathers gracious promises in his Sonne Christ As Dauid e Psal 89.49 Lord where are thy former louing kindnesses sworne to Dauid in thy truth II. The great Charter purchased by Iesus Christ for all his members If ye shall aske any thing saith Christ f Ioh. 14.14 in my name I will doe it III. The graces of the Spirit as the tokens and signes of those to whom all the former belong Remember now O Lord I beseech thee saith Hezekiah g Isai 38.3 how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight Quest But Prayer was required of Adam And how could he pray hauing neither sinne to confesse because hee had not falne nor Christ to plead Answ Yet Adam euen in his innocencie should haue iudged himselfe to haue been but a creature for workmanship dust and ashes for matter and for place a subiect and whatsoeuer good thing his good God bestowed vpon him it came out of his speciall grace and bountie And his plea then was the couenant of workes And thus much for the thing defined §. 2. What prayer hath in common 2. The definition it selfe The Definition it selfe followeth Wherein wee may consider two things I. The Genus II. The Forme That is in these words A calling vpon the name of God This in the words following As a Father The former it hath common to it with both an oath and a vow The latter it doth chalenge to it self in proper Prayer then is an inuocating or calling vpon Many and great priuiledges hath the Lord bestowed on his Church whereof this is not the least that fraile man may haue accesse vnto his God and he not be molested with his many and rude requests For which cause doubtlesse Dauid glorieth in his tongue aboue all his other parts it being an instrument of so glorious a worke as conference with God O God saith he h Psal 108.1 my heart is fixed I will sing and giue praise euen with my glorie So Psal 30.12 Inuocation consisteth in I. A lifting vp of the minde vnto God II. A fixing of the minde vpon God III. A pouring out our minde before God The kindes of Inuocation are three I. Prayer II. An Oath III. A Vow Prayer is a calling vpō the name of God as a Father As hath been before defined An Oath is a calling vpon the name of God as supreme Iudge A Vow is a calling vpō the name of God as dread Soueraigne §. 3. What it chalengeth to it selfe in proper That which Prayer chalengeth to it selfe in proper is that it is a calling vpon the name of God as a Father Obiect But Prayer commeth of a word which signifieth iudgement how then can it bee a calling vpon the name of God as a Father Answ I answere The Lord is herein to be considered in his both mercie and iustice In regard whereof hee is in a diuers respect that frō which we appeale and to which And so by confession cleering his iustice we appeale from iustice to mercy which admitteth vs in our Mediatour In whom we finde the Lord not a Iudge but a Father Before whom we plead as I haue in part shewed before the promise in his Christ our elder-brother shewing him our hands i Gen. 27.22 couered with the skinne of the spotlesse Lambe euen the graces of his Spirit the liuely tokens of our birth-right But vpon this may bee made a double reply Reply 1 It seemeth then may some say that part of praier namely confession is made to God as Iudge Answ No Euen whiles wee confesse our sinnes and vnworthinesse wee consider the Lord as a Father Whē the prodigal sonne cried I haue sinned he called Father Father saith he k Luk. 15.21 I haue sinned Reply 2 But when we confesse our sinnes and misery we consider the Lord in his iustice Answ We confesse to God in his mercie in his Christ our gracious Father what hee might bee vnto vs in his iustice Namely that if hee should lay iudgement to the rule and righteousnesse to the balance wee were not able to answere one of a thousand euils committed against him by vs euen vs who haue this free and hopeful accesse to come before him and crie Abba Father In a word To haue what to confesse wee consider the Lord in his iustice but as wee doe confesse these things wee consider him in his mercie euen our Father Obiect 2 But yet you will say when wee pray against our aduersaries wee consider the Lord and so pray to him as supreme Iudge as Dauid in the Psalmes l Psal 35.1 Plead my cause O Lord with them that striue with me fight against them that fight against me Answ Wee consider the Lord in such petitions in a twofold respect I. Of our wrongs and wrongers And so wee conceiue him as a Iudge to whom all vengeance belongeth II. As wee doe by prayer commit this case of wrong to him And so we conceiue him as a Father We pray to him then as a Father desiring that hee as a Father hearing our prayer would as a Iudge m 2. Chro. 6.39 plead our cause §. 4. How the terme Father is taken in the definition Let vs now come to the acception of the terme Father And the Lord God is a Father in three respects of relation I. By generation II. By Creation III. By Adoption By Generation hee is onely the Father of Christ his onely begotten euen as his type Isaac was the onely lawfull-begotten of Abraham by Sarah
And therefore hee saith not to his Disciples ioyntly I goe to our Father but distinctly I goe to my Father n Ioh. 20.17 and to your Father A Father to both but in diuers respects to him by generation to them by adoption By Creation God is a Father to all his creatures One God and Father of all saith the Apostle o Ephes 4.6 And Adam p Luk. 3. is called the sonne of God But Father is not so taken here The couenant is broken on our parts and his image is defaced And there is no specialtie of creation that will hold plea but all make directly against vs. Therfore in the third place God is a Father by adoption viz. to that peculiar companie which is according to the election of grace who hold all things by vertue of the Euangelicall couenant hauing disclaimed the vnwarrantable right of Creation and sued out a fine of recouerie from God in Iesus Christ by heartie prayer and faith vnfained Adoption is to make choice of another mans child to be ours and so to make him our heire or ioynt-heire Now wee were all estranged and cut off from God in Adam and became the bastards of that grand-Fornicatour the Diuell and old Strumpet the world Insomuch that wee must all confesse that our first Father was an Amorite and our Mother a Hittite q Ezek. 16.3 But it pleased the Lord to chuse out of this forlorne companie a number to himselfe to make them a holy nation a royall Priesthood a peculiar people euen partakers of the adoption of Sonnes Here then by Father is meant God in Christ who hath in him I. Chosen vs before time II. Redeemed vs in time III. And made vs in part personally partakers of both abounding toward vs in all wisedome and prudence r Eph. 1.8.9 hauing made knowne vnto vs the mysterie of his will CHAP. II. The causes of Prayer The Causes of prayer THe Causes of Prayer are foure I. The Efficient II. The Matter III. The Forme IV. The End I. Efficient The maine Efficient in respect of 1. The Forme 2. The Matter Euery one that praieth must stand in the state of election the which maketh 1. The Lord fit to be praied to 2. The person fit to pray 3 The things fit to be praied for c. The Efficient or cause making prayer is Principall or lesse-principall The lesse-principall is either Impulsiue or adiuuant Here then are three things to bee handled in generall I. The Main-efficient II. The Motiues III. The meanes of performance The Principall or maine-efficient of Prayer in respect of the Forme is the Spirit of God by his grace teaching and enabling yea praying in vs Rom. 8.26 The Principall Efficient in respect of the matter is the Person praying Who in respect of the Lawes exaction is euery man All are bound to pray Want of grace doth disable but exempt none But in respect of ability it is only the elect called iustified and sanctified In a word The adopted ones of God In which state that euerie one must stand which prayeth we may see if we consider the vse of it in respect of I. The Obiect God to whom we pray II. The Person praying III. The Things desired in Prayer For the First Not God simply but God a Father reconciled and made at one with vs is our obiect And therefore not being within Adoption there is no right relation betweene God and vs. This was intimated by the vaile a Exod. 24. which excluded the people of the Iewes out of the Holy of Holies Into the which saith the Apostle b Heb. 10.16.20 Wee haue liberty to enter in the bloud of Iesus by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is to say his flesh Heere wee may take notice of three faults in prayer I. Many pray to the Lord but put no difference betweene his being in himselfe and what hee is to his Church in Christ But so they pray to God it serues II. Many conceiuing aright of God in generall as a Father are not perswaded neither labour to be perswaded in speciall that he is their Father They hope well but naught can they beleeue They but goe to God by heare-say III. Some doe perswade themselues that God is their Father Not from the earnest of the Spirit but rather from the ignorance of sinne want of due examination and from carnall presumption Againe This Adoption is of absolute vse in respect of the Person praying Because I. Hence ariseth his abilitie to call God Father and poure out his heart aright before him For otherwise as there is an antipathy betweene the Lord and his heart so likewise hee wanteth that new tongue requisite in euery one that would cal vpon the Lord without which his wordes are barbarous and not of the right dialect of Canaan For which cause the Lord calleth the Iewes crying howling c Hos 7.14 II. Without this Adoption his Person is in disgrace and his offering must needs be reiected as d Gen. 4. Cains was III. Heereby wee are made fit obiects of Gods blessings The which we are not vnlesse we be his adopted ones called c. For I. Otherwise the Lord hath made no promise to vs. If ye abide in mee saith Christ e Ioh. 15.7 and my words abide in you yee shall aske what yee will and it shall be done for you II. Otherwise we haue no part in Christs Prayer I pray for them saith Christ f Ioh. 15.7.20 I pray not for the world and who they are wee may see after Neither saith hee pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue on mee through their word III. The Lord giueth all things for the glory of his name Now wouldst thou not willingly giue a man a staffe to strike thy selfe with And canst thou looke that GOD will giue thee any good thing to dishonour him withal whiles thou art out of Christ called and like a distempered stomacke turns wholsome meat into noysome humors Lastly by the vertue of this adoption the things wee desire and want are made fit obiects to bee prayed for being all of them parcels of our spirituall inheritance as also such as with comfort we may be thankefull for §. 2. The Impulsiue or mouing cause worketh from within or from without The Motiues working 1. Frō within 2. From without Those which worke from within inciting and mouing vs to praier are I. Conscience of our duty as prayer is commanded vs by God II. Loue of God as it is a conference with God III. Zeale as it is a sacrifice to God IV. A Christian loue of our selues as by it we receiue supply from God V. Hope as we haue a promise to be heard of God Quest How commeth it to be peculiar to grace to moue vs to pray and that nature hath no hand in it Answ I answere I. Nature in our wants
in a diuers respect God in his Essence and all-being is the obiect of thy presence in his word and promises is the obiect of thy prayer and in heauen is the obiect of thy actions and gestures I. For the first setting thy selfe to prayer thou art to present thy selfe before the essence and all-being of God who filleth heauen and earth and is beyond al heauens before whom thou art to acknowledge thy selfe to stand naked thy most secret thoughts being manifest in his sight II. Touching thy Prayer thou art to consider how the Lord hath reuealed himselfe in his word as to be iust mercifull c. In regard of which or any of which as they concerne thee being considered as in this al-being God or God in them thou art to be conuinced and affected accordingly III. And lastly thy gestures as kneeling holding vp thy hands c thy actions of speaking sighing c as also thy humbling thy selfe in thy heart and thy desires of what thou wantest c are all to be directed towards heauen not a representation of Gods essence but because I. There sitteth the Manhood of Christ our Head and Mediatour II. Heauen is the Lords store-house and from thence commeth euery good giuing and euery perfect gift III. And there the Lord reueales his glorie The child sitteth on the mothers knee and looking her in the face asketh beere pointing with the finger to the glasse or buttrie doore I. The childe is with the mother so wee present our selues before God in his omni-presence II. The childe doth looke the mother in the face euen so our spirituall eyes behold God in the face of his Christ as hee is manifested in the word III. The childe maketh signes to the place where that is which hee would haue So doe wee towards heauen The Papist because hee would haue somthing sensibly before him to kneele looke and speake to hath inuented Images the worke of the craftsman which haue eyes and see not eares and heare not neither speake they through their throte But the Lord hath prouided for vs a better obiect euen God-in-Heauen And I. Whether should the instinct of our renewed nature leade vs but towards Heauen where sitteth our Lord and Head in whom doth rest our fulnesse II. Whether should our affections draw vs but to that place where our inheritance lies and our good things are laid vp III. How can wee prostrate our selues so fitly as towards Heauen where the Lord reuealeth that glorie which maketh the very Angels to couer their faces Here we may take notice of many defects in prayer and errours touching the conceiuing of God I. Some place him onely in Heauen Others onely in the Church-top Chamber or place where they pray II. Some but suppose God to be before them and so pray to a fained God And so whilest they pray they doe indeed but play acting like Interluders on a stage III. Some acknowledging God his both presence and all-presence conceiue him of many fashions All which proceedeth I. Partly from our ignorance being not rightlie instructed in the knowledge of God II. Partly from our finitnes of capacitie which must consider one thing after another And so whiles we are busied about one we forget another III. And partly because our nature cannot conceiue a thing to be but conceiueth it of some fashion For in naturall things the forme giueth the being Forma dat esse Whence it commeth that we are euer cloathing the Dietie with some shape or other These things must be helped I. By instruction to learne aright II. By Meditation afore-hand to conceiue aright III. By raising vp our selues in prayer from these low earthly conceits so oft as they doe offer themselues to the true and right considerations spoken of before §. 7. How to direct our praiers to God Quest 2 It may bee asked in the second place How wee are to direct our prayers to God whether to the Father Sonne or holy Ghost Answ I answere The Lord is one God in vnity distinguished in three Persons in Trinitie And answerably all things that we do are to be considered I. Simply as an act II. Respectiuely in regard of the doing As to insist vpon this dutie in hand Our prayer simply respecteth God in vnitie but in regarde of putting it vp the Trinitie For by the gracious assistance of the Holy Ghost through the mediation of the welbeloued Sonne wee exhibite our prayers to the eternall Father As in euery ordinarie petition put vp to a man The petition simply respecteth him to whom it is to be presented But in regard of the putting it vp there must bee I. A drawing II. A presenting III. A receiuing So likewise in our prayers simply we put them vp to God But for the manner I. The Holie Ghost draweth them teaching vs what to pray as we should Likewise saith the Apostle d Rom. 8.26 the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot be vttered II. The Sonne doth perfect perfume and present them And another Angell saith Iohn e Reu. 8.3 came and stood at the altar hauing a golden censer and there was giuen vnto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden altar which was before the throne III. The Father doth receiue them And the smoake of the incense saith Iohn f Reu. 8.4 which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended vp before God out of the Angels hand And thus much for an answer to the first part of the Question In the second place we may direct our prayers to any Person in the Trinitie I. To the Father as to the Ephesians g Ephes 3.14 15. For this cause saith the Apostle I bow my knees vnto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. II. To the Sonne as to Timothie h 2. Tim. 4.22 The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy spirit c. And Steuen cried i Act. 7.59 Lord Iesus receiue my spirit III. To the Holy Ghost as to the Romanes k Rom. 15.5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded c. Yet not exclusiuely but inclusiuely in any one vnderstanding al. For euery of their working doth argue one anothers manner in the Trinitie and all one matter in the vnitie Touching which we may consider three things further I. When we alter II. How farre III. Wherefore For the first we are to know that the three Persons are distinguished in their proprieties and manner of working as also that these three generall Effects Creation Redemption and Regeneration are attributed though inclusiuely yet distinctlie to the three Persons Creation to the Father Redemption to the Son Regeneration to the Holy Ghost As we may see in the Creed Now as our matter doth alter in any of these regards so may we