imploy that ability whatsoeuer it be that he hath by nature or speciall gift Because God in wisedome hath appointed the preaching of his word to be the meanes of working Faith man must diligently vse that meanes and constantly attend thereupon not giuing ouer till hee find the blessed worke of Faith wrought in him A naturall man may goe to Church and with his outward eare hearken to the Word and wait vpon it And because prayer is a meanes to moue God to giue his Spirit and thereby to open mans heart to receiue the Word into it and to make his word powerfull and effectuall he must also as well as he can pray to God for his Spirit and for his blessing on his Word For a naturall man may pray though not in Faith and God doth oft heare the desire of such as he heareth the yong Rauens when they cry for want of their meat The other that we resist not any motion of Gods Spirit like the rebellious Iewes nor putte off from vs the promises of the Gospel as if they belonged not vnto vs and thinke our selues vnworthy of eternall life §. 25. Of Gods offering Christ FOr motiues to make a man bold to apply vnto himselfe the promises of the Gospel there are none at all in himselfe he must cleane goe out of himselfe and duely weigh these three points 1 The author of the promises of the Gospel 2 The cause of the promises of the Gospel 3 The extent of the promises of the Gospel For the first It is God that made the promises he it is that maketh offer of Christ Iesus and in him of all things belonging to life and happinesse GOD so loued the World that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne c. With what face may the creature refuse to receiue that which his Creator offereth Now that we may not doubt but be assured that he will make his word good we are especially to consider two properties of God 1. His Power 2. His Truth The one sheweth that hee is able to doe what he hath promised The other that he will not faile to doe it §. 26. Of Gods Power to make his offer good NO question can iustly bee made of Gods almighty Power for the Scripture expresly saith With God shall nothing be impossible Luk. 1. 37. All things are possible to him Mar. 10. 27. Which is to be noted against our deadnesse dulnesse and vntowardnesse to beleeue in regard whereof wee may thinke that a man naturally dead may as easily eate and drinke as we beleeue but when we consider the Power of Gods might how hee is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham wee may well thinke that hee is able to take away our stony heart and giue vs an heart of flesh Abraham looked to Gods power and thereby was moued to beleeue that God would performe his promise though I saacke in whom the promise was made were to be sacrificed He did not doubt of the promise being fully assured that he which had promised was also able to doe it This motiue taken from Gods almighty Power is in Scripture oft vsed to stirre vp men woemen to beleeue the promises of God It was vsed to Sarah to the Virgin Mary to Ieremiah to the Disciples of Christ And it is the rather to be thought of because we are very prone by nature to make doubt thereof for albeit in our iudgements wee are well perswaded of Gods Omnipotency and with our mouthes can professe as much yet when we are in great straits brought to a pinch and see no ordinary meanes for the effecting the thing which wee desire then we thinke that God himselfe is not able to doe it like the incredulous Prince and not he onely but the vnbeleeuing Israelites also though they had beene long nurtured vnder Gods speciall gouernement and seene many of his maruellous workes yea Moses himselfe was subiect hereunto §. 27. Of Gods truth in making good his offer NO more question can be made of Gods truth then of his power for he is the Lord God of truth with him is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Hee cannot lie it is impossible that he should for faithfull is hee which promiseth the Gospell in which his promises are made 〈◊〉 the word of truth his Sonne who declareth them 〈◊〉 faithfull and true witnesse His Spirit which sealeth them vp a Spirit of Truth This truth of God is to be meditated of in regard of the greatnesse of Gods promises for when man heareth of Christ and all his benefits offered in the Gospell hee will be ready to thinke and say Oh here are sweete and excellent promises but they are too good to be true I feare they are too great to be performed But if that man remember how faithful and true God is that made them it will make him thinke againe and say though they were much greater yet God who is able assuredly wil not faile to performe what he hath promised §. 28. Of Gods free offer ◠FOr the cause whereby God is moued to offer Christ and all his benefits it was his owne goodnesse and nothing else Now there are two things which doe highly commend Gods goodnesse First the freenesse of his grace Secondly the riches of his mercy Gods grace is euery way so free that the goodnesse which he sheweth to his creature is altogether of himselfe from himselfe God so loued the world that he gaue c. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God When there was none to mediate for vs God offered grace and gaue his Sonne to be a Mediator This is to be noted against mans vnworthinesse for he is ready to looke downe vpon himselfe and say Ah I am too too vnworthy to partake of Christ what can there be in me to moue God to beftow his Sonne on me and thus keepe himselfe from beleeuing But if we consider that God respecteth his owne goodnesse and not ours in giuing vs his Sonne and that his grace is euery way free that conceit of our vnworthinesse can be no iust impediment to Faith §. 29. Of the Riches of Gods Mercy AS for the Riches of Gods Mercy they are vnutterable vnconceiuable I may well crie out and say Oh the deepenesse of them how vnsearchable are they and past finding out According to Gods greatnesse so is his mercie it is infinite and reacheth aboue the Heauens so as God may well be said to be rich in mercy and abundant in goodnesse This is to be noted against the multitude and haynousnesse of our sinnes which because they are innumerable and infinite keepe many men from beleeuing the pardon of them But the consideration of the infinitenesse of Gods mercy which is as an Ocean sufficient to swallow them all vp though they were more
it and more highly esteeme the Preachers of it because they know it to be the truth of God Thus the Thessalonians receiued the Word preached In much assurance because they receiued it Not as the word of men but of God There can be no greater enemie to preaching and Preachers then ignorance instance the rude villages of the Countrie §. 24. Of Ignorance how hainous a sinne it is The deuotion which is pretended to come from ignorance is meere superstition or which is worse Idolatry So much the Apostle affirmeth When ye knew not God ye did sernice to them which by nature are not Gods For ignorance of Gods word is the cause of all error as Christ implyeth saying You erre not knowing the Scriptures Matth. 21. 29. Yea the Scriptures being They which testifie of Christ Ioh. 5. 39. vpon ignorance of the Scriptures must needs follow ignorance of Christ Now ignorance being in it selfe a most odious vice against which Christ will come in flaming fire to render vengeance and a mother sinne which bringeth forth many other notorious sinnes how can any good thing come from it Certainly this cauill which is raised against knowledge for ignorance hath sprung either from Enuie whereby men grieue at the knowledge and good parts which are in others or from Ambition whereby they seeke to be eminent aboue all other or from Policie seeking thereby a couer for their owne ignorance Moses who desired that all the Lords people were Prophets and Paul who wished that al that heard him were altogether as he himselfe was were otherwise minded §. 25. Answere to Satans suggestion of the non-proficiencie of many hearers 5. Sug. MAny who reade and heare much are not any whit the more freed from assaults the flesh world and Diuell beare as great a sway in them as in any other Answ It is certaine that many are most wrongfully blamed A more in their eyes who loue the Word is made a beame a mole-hill a mountaine If indeed there be any such as there are too many the fault is not in the Word but in themselues Though the Sunne shine neuer so hot and oft on a stone it softneth it nothing at all If it shine on clav it hardneth it Stony hearts are no whit bettered muddie claiey polluted hearts are made worse THE THIRD TREATISE Of the meanes to vse spirituall Armour aright THE FIRST PART Of Prayer in generall Ephesians 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints 19. And for mee that vtterance may be giuen vnto mee c. §. 1. Of the ioyning of prayer with the whole Armour of God AFTER that the Apostle like a good Captaine had sufficiently furnished the Christian Souldier from toppe to toe with all needfull spirituall Armour both defensiue and offensiue hee proceedeth to instruct him how hee may get and well vse this Armour The best generall meanes that hee could prescribe is prayer for that Armour being spirituall and heauenly wee fleshly and earthly we are as vnfit to vse it as a Childe to vse a Gyants Armour In setting downe this heauenly exercise of prayer hee so setteth it downe in the last place after all as it hath a reference to all and such a reference as implieth a ioynt vse of it with all the rest for he vseth the participle praying as if he had said put on the whole armour of God praying take Girdle Brest-plate Shooes Shield Helmet and Sword praying Hence I obserue that To all other meanes which are vsed for defence or offence Prayer must be added It must I say be added neither they nor this omitted but both ioyned together Excellently was this of old set forth by the Israelites manner of going to battell As the people were to goe armed and to fight so the Priests were to goe with siluer Trumpets and to sound this sounding with siluer Trumpets implyed hearty and earnest prayer Note the benefit hereof 2. Chron. 13. 14 c. Thus while Ioshua and the people were fighting with the Amalakites Moses stood lifting vp his hand and Aaron and Hur staied his hand This was an outward figure of their inward powerfull prayer When Moses let fall his hand and hee left to pray Amalek preuailed So while Israel fought against the Philistims Samuel prayed and while Ioab fought against Aram Dauid prayed The like I might instance in Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah and other Saints If in fighting against flesh and blood Saints were thus carefull in adding prayer to other meanes how much more ought wee so to doe in our spirituall combates against spirits Christ in his agony prayed and Paul when he was buffetted of the messenger of Satan praied God who hath appointed meanes of safetie will not crosse his owne ordinance without the vse of them hee will not protect any But of himselfe no man is able to vse the Armour aright it is God which enableth him Wherefore because God will do nothing without vs we must arme our selues and fight and because wee can doe nothing without God we must pray §. 2. Of the meane betwixt presuming and tempting God Vse BE carefull in keeping the golden meane betwixt two enormous extreames one of tempting God in neglect of the meanes which he hath appointed for our safetie the other of presuming against God in trusting so much to the meanes as we seeke not to him for helpe and succour Into both these extreames fell the Israelites one while they would not venture to fight and so tempted the Lord another while they would needs fight of their owne head without seeking helpe of the Lord and so presumed obstinately Rebellious are they who reiect the meanes they cleane cast themselues out of the protection of God Presumptuous are they who trust to the meanes and call not vpon God they prouoke God either to strip them of such things as they glory in or else to turne them to their owne destruction as hee did the strength of Goliah and wisedome of Achitophel The middle way betwixt the rocke of rebellon and gulâ—e of presumption is so to shew our obedience in vsing all the meanes which the Lord prescribeth as wee manifest our confidence in him by seeking strength of him Those things which God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder To all the forenamed graces adde prayer pray for Armour pray for strength wisdome and abilitie well to vse Armour pray for a blessing on the well vsing it bee vpright and pray righteous and pray patient faithfull sted fast in hope expert in Gods word and pray pray before the fight fight and pray without prayer no good successe can be expected through prayer we may be assured to be assisted §. 3. Of diuiding the Word aright IN laying downe this doctrine of Prayer
who said I am vile or rather Dauid who laveth his sinnes in order before God He that duely pondereth with himselfe how his sinnes for number are innumerable and for weight infinite and how all his righteousnesse is as filthy ragges defiled with that sinke of corruption which is in him cannot but vtterly deny himselfe and so bee of a lowly minde not puâ—t vp with any conceit of himselfe §. 13. Of holinesse in him that prayeth HOlinesse of life is also very needfull for true is that which the blind-man said God heareth not sinners Though yee make many prayers I will not heare saith the Lord to the wicked Wherefore the Apostle exhorteth to lift vp pure hands which Dauid professeth to doe Thinke of this all impious and prophane persons vncleane and cruell persons all impenitent sinners whatsoeuer God will not haue his holy name polluted in your polluted mouthes But the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much §. 13. Of praying with vnderstanding COncerning the things prayed for it is requisite that we haue 1 A true vnderstanding and sense of them 2 A true and earnest desire of them Vnderstanding and sence respecteth both good things and euill If we pray for good things we must both know they are worth the hauing and also sencibly feele the want of them Such are those poore is spirit whom Christ pronounceth blessed It we pray against euill we must both know that they are in themselues heauy burdens and also feele that they lie vpon vs as Dauid did otherwise we shall neuer pray heartily for the one or against the other §. 14. Of our desire in Prayer OVr desire in Prayer must bee both sincere and feruent euen an hungring thirsting longing desire Vnder these metaphors the desires of the faithfull are oft set forth Now hungry and thirsty persons and women that long doe both in truth and also with great earnestnesse desire that which they desire If in Prayer our desire be such it will pierce the Heauens and moue God to yeeld vnto it if it be not a true and sincere desire but complementall and hypocriticall it is no prayer of the heart but meere lip labour and so no whit acceptable to him who searcheth the heart If it be not feruent but a cold desire it cannot pierce so high as Heauen For as a bullet flieth no further then the heate and force of powder driueth it so Prayer no further then the feruour of spirit carrieth it Be therefore feruent in spirit We heard that the Prayer of a righteous man auatleth much but with this Prouiso If it be feruent Thus in generall we see what Prayer is whereby wee may be directed how to pray Now let vs see what motiues there be to stirre vs vp thereunto §. 15. Of the first motiue to Prayer Gods command I Might here vrge Gods expresse charge and commandement thereunto which is oft inculcated thorowout the Scripture a motiue sufficient though there were no other For Gods Precepts being wilfully contemned or carelesly neglected procure no lesse penalty then eternall destruction of body and soule It should seeme that this motiue preuailed much with Dauid for so soone as the Lord said Seeke ye my face his heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy face and much will it preuaile with all such as desire to approue themselues to God But because it is a generall motiue vnto all Christians whatsoeuer I will no longer insist vpon it Particular motiues haue respect either to God vnto whom we pray or vnto our selues who pray §. 16. Of the second motiue to Prayer Gods worship FOr God First Prayer is a part the most principal especiall and proper part of Gods worship Dauid ioyneth them together saying Let vs worship and fall downe c. That is by falling downe and calling vpon God let vs worship him 2 Among other parts of Gods worship the most reuerend gesture is applied and euen appropriated to this 3 The place of God worship was by an excellency termed The House of Prayer 4 Prayer is made an essentiall note of difference betwixt such as worship God and such as worship him not They are said to call vpon God These not to call vpon God §. 17. Of the third motiue Gods honour 2 IT is the best and chiefest meanes of honouring God that can be by it we acknowledge God 1 To be euery where present and in euery place to heare his children and on this ground euery where we call on him 2 To be the fountaine of all blessing and therefore when our selues or others want any blessing temporall or spirituall by prayer we aske it of God yea when we receiue any we giue the praise of it to God 3 To be a God full of pitty and compassion which maketh vs to lay open our griefes and distresses to him 4 To be an Almighty God able to giue whatsoeuer we desire 5 To be a bountifull God who giueth to all liberally and vpbraideth not 6 To be a God true of his promises and therefore we craue the accomplishment of them These and otherlike properties of God doth faithfull prayer set forth and so bring great honour to God in which respect God himselfe saith Call vpon me and thou shalt glorifie me §. 18. Of the fourth motiue the necessity of Prayer FOr our selues foure points there be which commend this holy exercise 1 The necessitie of prayer 2 The vtilitie of prayer 3 The efficacie of prayer 4 The dignitie of prayer 1 If any good thing be necessary to a Christian praier must needs be necessary because it is that meanes which God hath appointed to obtaine euery good thing Aske and it shall be giuen you saith the Lord which giueth all Ye get nothing because ye aske not saith his Apostle we haue no good thing in our selues or of our selues all is hid in God he is the fountaine of all blessing but he is a deepe well we must haue something to draw vp water the onely meanes is prayer Is it not necessary that a poore man that hath not of his owne a crumme of bread or drop of water should make his want knowne to such as can and will releeue him How much more necessary is it that Christians should make their wants knowne to God seeing otherwise there is no hope of receiuing reliefe from him §. 19. Of the things which men receiue without calling vpon God Obiect MAny prophane and wicked men who neuer call vpon God receiue many blessings from God He maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and sendeth raine on the vniust Ans 1. The things which such receiue are euen as nothing not to be spoken of because they tend not truly properly to their good al that they receiue are either temporal things or only restraining graces which tend rather to the good
glore Therewith especially blesse we God and therefore by an excellency it is called glory As Dauid speaking of his tongue saith My glory reioyceth And againe Awake my glory And againe I will sing and giue praise with my glory In regard of these three last reasons it is meet to vse words euen in priuate prayers when we are alone Prouided that it be not for ostentation to be known to pray for that is a note of hypocrisie condemned by our Lord in the Scribes and Pharisies §. 76. Of sudden prayer SVdden prayer is when vpon some present occasion the heart is instantly lift vp vnto God whether it be onely by some sighes of the heart or by some few words vttered It is likely that Nehemiahs prayer was some sudden desire of the hart For the King offring speech vnto him gaue him occasion to make a suit vnto the King which that he might obtain he presently lift vp his hart to God These sudden praiers are called ciaculations of the heart which are to be vsed as salt with meat with euery bit of meat we commonly take a little salt to season it So when we doe any thing when we confer of any thing when we goe any whether vpon all occasions we must lift vp our hearts to God This argueth an holy familiarity with God yea it manifesteth an heauenly mind euen as those things which are ready vpon all occasions to fly vpward appeare to be of a light aerial or fiery nature not earthly heauy weighty This kind of praier must so be vsed as it bee added to solemne and set prayers and not make them to bee neglected No man maketh a meale of salt alone and refuseth other solid meat because salt is now and then to be eaten Much lesse must these sudden praiers hinder solemne or composed prayers §. 77. Of composed prayer COmposed prayer is when a Christian setteth himselfe to make some solemn prayer vnto God whether it be in Church family closet field or any other place whether it be vttered with words or onely conceiued in hart as the morning and euening prayer which Christians vse to make or the praier at solemne assemblies with the like Such were the prayers that Daniel vsed to make three times a day God to whom wee make our praier is a great God of excellent Maiesty not lightly but with all due reuerence to bee regarded and therefore most meet that wee should compose our selues in a solemne manner to appeare before his glorious presence §. 78. Of preparation before prayer THat this kinde of prayer may bee the better performed preparation is very needefull which the Preacher implyeth saying Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to vtter any thing before God In preparation vnto prayer two things are to bee performed First we must empty our foules of al such things as may hinder prayer Secondly fill them with such things as may be helpfull thereunto The things that hinder are either wicked or worldly Wicked things are against God or against man Against God are all sinnes and transgressions of his Law These we must search out and hauing found them out set our selues with a full and honest purpose of heart vtterly to forsake them If we regard wickednes God will not heare our prayer Whereupon saith Dauid I will wash mine hands in inocency O Lord and compasse thine alter Against man are wrath anger malice and such like reuengeful affections in regard whereof the Apostle exhorteth to lift vp pure hands without wrath And Christ cōmanded to be reconciled before the gift be offered In a word then that we may empty our soules of al such wicked things both against God and man which would hinder our praiers these two things are needfull First repentance towards God secondly reconciliation with man Worldly things are such cares as concerne the things of this life our temporall estate earthly affaires which though at other times they may be warantable commendable and needfull yet may be an incumberance hinderance vnto praier This was prefigured vnder the Law by that rite of plucking off shooes when men appeared before the Lord. Shooes are lawfull to be worne yea very needfull yet in approching before the Lord they must be put off So moderate care concerning the businesse affairs of this world are lawfull and needful yet when we goe to prayer they must be laid aside and our soules emptied of them For they are as heauy burdens and clogs which will hold downe our hearts and keepe them from flying vp into heauen Now note the counsell of the Apostle Cast away euery thing that presseth downe If our soules be onely emptied of these things they are like that empty house which the vnclean spirit finding entreth into with seauen other spirits Wherfore that we may bee prepared to prayer wee must be filled with such spirituall matters as fit prayer which are concerning God and our selues Gods greatnesse is to be meditated of to strike our hearts with reuerence and his goodnesse to breed faith in vs. Yea also his blessings bestowed to fill our mouths with praise Our wretchednesse is duely to be weighed that wee may bee truely humbled and our wants are to be obserued that wee may know what to aske Thus are we to come prepared to composed praier § 79. Of conceiued praier COnceiued prayer is that which he who vttereth the prayer inuenteth conceiueth himselfe as are most of the praiers recorded in the Scripture This kind of prayer the Saints in al ages haue vsed It is very commendable expedient and needfull For 1 It manifesteth the gift and power of the Spirit who can giue both matter and manner words and affections who can suggest what to pray and how to pray 2 Euery day we haue new wants new assaults new sinnes Is it not needfull then that our praiers be conceiued and framed accordingly that our petitions be made according to our present wants our supplications according to our particular assaults our confession according to our seuerall sinnes 3 As God daily continueth and reneweth old blessings so also hee addeth new to them Is it not most meete that notice bee taken of those new blessings and accordingly thankes bee giuen in particular for them Obiect This present inuenting and conceiuing of prayer maketh prayer to bee confused and either very defectiue or very tedious Answ In them that haue not ability to pray or suddenly and rashly come vnto prayer it may bee so But if a man haue any competent ability if he premeditate before hand what to pray if hee set vnto himselfe any good method and order such defect tediousnesse and confusion as is supposed will bee easily auoided §. 80. Of prescribed prayer PRescribed prayer is when a set constant forme is laid downe before hand and either
conned by heart or read out of a booke or paper by him that vttereth it and that whether he be alone or in company Quest Is a set and prescribed forme of praier lawfull Answ Yea verily and that for these reasons 1 God prescribed a set forme of blessing for the Priests constantly to vse The 92. Psalme which is a Psalme of praise was prescribed a song for the Sabbath day and 102. Psalme prescribeth a prayer for the afflicted when he is ouerwhelmed and powreth out his complaint before the Lord. The 136. Psalme was sung after Dauids time Hezekiah the King and the Princes commanded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the words of Dauid and of Asaph the Seer If a prescribed forme of praise may be vsed then also of prayer for there is the same reason of both Besides Christ himselfe prescribed an excellent forme of prayer which hath been vsed in all ages of the Church since this time and is by an excellency called the Lords Prayer Saint Paul obserues a set forme of blessing in the beginning and end of his Epistles Thus we see prescribed prayer warranted by Gods word 2 Many weake ones who haue good affections but want inuention vtterance and such like parts are much helped by prescribed formes for when they reade or heare words fitting their wants and occasions their hearts can well goe with their words yet can they not inuent fit words 3 Prescribed formes of prayer in the publike worshippe is a good meanes to maintaine vniformity in seuerall Churches Obiect The spirit is stinted hereby neither can a man vtter that which the spirit moueth him vnto when hee hath a set forme prescribed Answ The spirit in him which prayeth by a set forme is no more stinted then the spirit is stinted in those which heare another pray for to them which heare others words are prescribed To the hearers it is all one whether hee that prayeth vseth a prescribed forme or conceiue and inuent his prayer for they goe along in their hearts with his words They who simply and altogether condemne prescribed prayer doe thinke too childishly of God and deale too iniuriously with Gods little ones They conceit God to be affected with variety and make the power of praier to consist in copie of words and nouelty of matter which is many times an hinderance to true deuotion for while the minde is too much occupied in inuention the heart cannot be so free to deuotion as otherwise it might bee Prayer is not like a nose-gay which is no longer sweete then the flowers are new and fresh For the sweete sauour of prayer consisteth in the sincerity of heart and ardency of affection whereby also the power of the spirit is manifested 2 The iniury which is done to Gods little ones is this that they seek to depriue them of an especial help whereby their weakenesse might be supported yea to hinder them of the benifit of prayer For many are not able to conceiue a prayer of themselues yet if they finde a forme answerable to their occasions they can pray heartily and earnestly Thus wee see that prescribed prayer is not onely lawfull but also needful So far forth as we finde it an helpe to deuotion we may vse it but yet wee may not alwaies tie our selues vnto it to say the least they are very weake Christians that cannot pray without a prescribed forme Now it is a shame for any Christian to be a weake one all the dayes of his life it is required at our hands to grow in knowledge iudgement discretion faith and other like graces §. 81. Direction to conceiue a Prayer IF the weakest Christians doe but carefully obserue the order that others vse and withall take notice of their owne sinnes in particular of their particular wants and of the particular blessings which God bestoweth on them they may with vse and practise come to conceiue a good Prayer And when once in any competent measure they can pray for themselues by degrees they come to pray for others also But many are too idle and sluggish in making triall they will not offer to make experience of the gift of Gods Spirit but rather vtterly quench it as a man may doe and too many so doe by tying themselues too much to set formes Though publike leiturgies for vniformity sake are to be constantly vsed in set formes prouided that there be seuerall prayers fit for diuers yea for all publike occasions so neere as may be yet it is not so meete for particular persons alwayes to tie themselues to one set forme For what can that argue but that they little obserue Gods different manner of dealing with them at seuerall times §. 82. Of publike Prayer and of the Ministers function therein PVblike Prayer is when an assembly of Saints publikely with one ioint consent call vpon God In publike prayer three things are requisite 1 Meete persons 2 A fit place 3 A right manner 1 The Persons must bee a publike Minister of the Word and People I shewed before that Prayer was a principall part of Gods publike worship Now in all publike worship there is required a Minister for one party and People for the other A Minister hath a double function one to stand in Gods roome and in Gods name to declare Gods minde and will vnto his people Another to stand in the Peoples roome and in their name to declare their minde and desire to God The former hee doth in preaching the Word and administring the Sacraments For God saith the Apostle Hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation now then are we Embassadors for Christ c. Expresly it is said that Ministers are Christs Embassadors which is in regard of the Word that also they are such in regard of the Sacraments is implied in that commission giuen to the Apostles Goe teach all Nations and baptize them in the name of the Father c. The latter hee doth in making Petitions and giuing thankes to God When the Prophet had exhorted the people to assemble together publikely to pray he saith Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord say spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine heritage into reproach c. Ministers therefore in publike Assemblies are to vtter the petitions of people so it is noted that when the people were assembled to giue thankes to God Ezra the Priest praised the Lord. The incense which vnder the Law was offered by the Priest to God did prefigure thus much Thus as in preaching a Minister is Gods mouth to the people so in praying the peoples mouth to God Wherefore also there must be people to ioine with him for if a Minister be alone his Prayer is but a priuate Prayer §. 83. Of the Peoples consent in publike Prayer THat which is required of people in publike Prayer is to testifie their consent to that which the Minister vttereth for the prayer of the
vpon an extraordinary occasion he prescribed a forme of prayer for them to vse In like manner saith Ezra I proclaimed a Fast that we might seeke of God a right way c. And accordingly they obserued his direction and ioined fasting and prayer together for saith he We fasted and be sought our God c. So saith Nehemiah of himselfe I fasted and prayed And of the Church in the new Testament it is said when they sent forth Paul and Barnabas they fasted and prayed and when they ordained Elders they Prayed and fasted Great reason there is to adde Fasting to extraordinary Prayer for when there is an extraordinary occasion of Prayer extraordinary ardency and continuance in prayer must be vsed as was before shewed Now fasting doth quicken our spirits and rowse vp our dull hearts and so both sharpen our prayers adding life and efficacy vnto them and also make vs able to hold out and continue the longer in Prayer For as fulnesse maketh a man drowsie in body and heauy in spirit so as he can neither pray ardently nor continue long in prayer so fasting maketh him fresh and cheerefull both in body and spirit Note the most ardent long continued supplications in Scripture and you shall find them supported by fasting Besides as fasting is an helpe to prayer so it is a testification of our vehement earnest desire of obtaining that which we pray for for by our voluntary abstaining from ordinary foode and other delights of our body we shew that we preferre the thing which we pray for before them The other duties which were reckoned vp among the ends of a Religious Fast as Examination humiliation and mortification as was before noted subordinate vnto Prayer and helpefull thereunto In that fasting therefore is vsed for the better performance of them in the vse of them it proueth to be a further helpe for prayer which will the better appeare if distinctly we consider how fasting maketh vs more fit to performe these duties §. 108. Of Examination another end of Fasting COncerning Examination of our selues we cannot be ignorant but that when any needfull extraordinary blessing is to be obtained or any iudgement to be preuented or remoued it is very requisite to search whether there be not any sinne in vs which may make our prayers to be reiected and not regarded That which the Lord said of the Army of Israel in Iosuahs time may be applied to particular persons namely that if they did not search and find out and take away the execrable and excommunicate among them the Lord would not be with them any more wherefore the Prophet exhorteth first to search and trie our wayes and turne to the Lord and then to lift vp our hearts with our hands vnto God in the Heauens Now by fasting we both gaine more time for examination euen that time which otherwise would be spent in sleeping eating drinking and other like things which in the day of a Fast are forborne and also make ourselues more fit thereto in that our spirits are cheered and our hearts rowsed vp thereby as was noted before This the Saints well knew and therefore were wont in the dayes of their Fast to enter into a serious and solemne examination of their owne and of others sinnes Reade the Prayer that Ezra made in the day of his Fast and in it you may obserue how he searcheth out the sinnes of the Iewes in his time which had prouoked the wrath of God and setteth them in order before God So did the Leuites in that Fast which was kept in Nehemiahs time §. 109. Of Humiliation a third end of Fasting COncerning Humiliation it is well knowne that they which looke to preuaile by Prayer with God must come before him with an humbled heart To him saith the Lord will I looke that is poore and of a contrite spirit Now by fasting wee manifest our vnworthinesse of the least of Gods blessings and so testifie great humiliation yea the very rites of a Fast are a means to humble the soule somewhat the more By laying aside our best apparell by our voluntary abstinence from Gods Creatures by forbearing some of our ordinary sleepe and by refusing in other respects to refresh our bodies we shew that we thinke our selues vnworthy of any outward delights yea of the least crumme of bread and drop of water In old time they were wont to weare sack-cloth in the time of a Fast to shew that the worst cloathing was good enough and to lay dust vpon their heads to shew that they thought themselues more worthy to be vnder the ground then to tread vpon it Againe when we fast because God is displeased for our sinne and as a token of his displeasure inflicteth some iudgement vpon vs we doe not only manifest our great griefe for displeasing God but also after an holy manner take vengeance of our selues which is an especiall point of humiliation commended in the Corinthians §. 110. Of Mortification a fourth end of fasting COncerning Mortification It hath been before shewed that the lusts of the flesh and the wanton affections therof are a great hindrance to feruent prayer being as birdlime to the fethers of a fowle which keepe it from mounting high Yea it is more cleare then needs be proued that they continually fight against the spirit and are a meanes to quench it so as the spirit is kept from making requests for vs so long as lust boyleth and domineereth in vs. Necessarie it is therefore that in this respect the body be beaten downe and brought into subiection But fasting is an especiall meanes to subdue our wanton flesh and corrupt lusts for as pampering our bodies addeth strength to the olde man so fasting mortifieth it and keepeth it downe The Apostle where he implieth that while man and wife giue themselues to fasting and prayer may the better abstaine intimateth that by fasting and prayer lust is subdued §. 111. Of fasting now vnder the New Testament BY that which hath hitherto beene deliuered in explication of a religious Fast we may well conclude that it is a warrantable commendable and needfull exercise Warrantable because commended Commendable because the practise thereof is commended Needfull because of the ends before Propounded It is therefore an exercise carefully and conscionably to be obserued of vs. Obiect It is no where commanded in the new Testament Answ 1. The Apostles and Churches practise thereof in the time of the Gospell sheweth that the Commandements of the old Testament concerning fasting were not as other ceremoniall ordinances of force only for the time of the law but of perpetuall vse so long as a Church should remaine on earth 2 The answere which Christ gaue to the Pharisies in defence of his Disciples not fasting in these words The daies will come when the Bridegrome shall bee
thanksgiuing many Psalmes he beginneth and endeth with praise yea euery verse of some Psalmes beginneth with an exhortation hereunto and euery verse of other Psalmes end with a thankfull acknowledgement of Gods mercie Diuers verses in many Psalmes both beginne and end with praising God There is nothing which that booke of Psalmes more tumbleth vp and downe repeating it very often againe and againe then this clause Praise yee the Lord yea his Psalmes of humiliation which hee beginneth with sobs and teares hee endeth with praise A worthy patterne to follow the more frequent we are in thanksgiuing the more doe we resemble the triumphant Church in heauen which cease not day nor night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almightie In the booke of Reuelation it is oft noted that the heauenly Spirits so soone as any occasion was offered presently fell on their faces and gaue glory to God They doe after an holy manner rebound vp and downe this word Hallelu-Iah one from another Thus doe they alwayes giue thankes It well beseemeth them how can it then but well beseeme vs wee must endeauor to be like them onely heere lieth a difference betwixt them and vs that all teares are wiped away from their eyes so as they haue not such matter of supplication as we haue we must mixe petition and thanksgiuing together so giue thankes alwayes as wee make supplication alwayes for to both these parts of prayer is this extent to be applied one must not exclude another neither must either of them exclude any other duetie THE FOVRTH PART The Ground of Prayer §. 126. Of the meaning of this phrase in the Spirit THe third general branch concerning praier is the ground from whence it ariseth and that is the Spirit Pray in the Spirit saith the Apostle Some heere vnderstand the spirit of man which is the soule and heart of a man and so is this phrase vsed where the Apostle saith I will pray with the Spirit or in the Spirit Others vnderstand the Spirit of God which is the holy Ghost and so is this phrase vsed f where the Apostle Iude saith Pray in the holy Ghost and where Saint Paul saith The Spirit maketh request for vs. I take it that they which exclude either of these come short of the Apostles meaning for I doubt not but he heere intendeth both the Spirit of God and also the spirit of man sure I am that both may stand together yea that both do alwaies concurre together and cannot be seuered for without the holy Spirit of God man cannot pray in his spirit and heart and whensoeuer the Spirit of God helpeth vs to pray hee stirreth vp our spirits and hearts to pray The spirit of man is that especiall place where the Spirit of God hath his residencie This clause then affordeth vnto vs these two instructions 1 True prayer is a worke of the holy Spirit of God and commeth from his motion 2 Prayer framed by the Spirit of God floweth out of the very spirit and heart of a man §. 127. Of the worke of the Spirit in prayer FOr the first note what the Prophet saith in Gods name to Ierusalem I will powre vpon them the spirit of supplications He calleth the gifts of prayer the spirit of supplications because it is Gods Spirit which worketh in vs this gift and inableth vs to call vpon God in a like respect Saint Paul vseth this phrase The Spirit of faith More plainely is this point proued by that phrase which Saint Iude vseth Praying in the holy Ghost but most euidently by Saint Paul who layeth it downe first affirmatiuely saying The Spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for vs then negatiuely saying Wee know not what to pray c. What may the Apostle meane by this phrase The Spirit it selfe maketh intercession Doth the holy Ghost truely and properly pray for vs as Christ our High Priest and Mediator or as one of vs for another Noe verily for then should the holy Ghost bee our Mediator which was one of Arrius his heresies an office which is neuer attributed to him but appropriated to Christ For there is one God and one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus Besides then also should God make request to God for the holy Ghost is God but not man also as Christ was The meaning then of the Apostle must needs bee this that the Spirit of God stirreth vs vp to pray quickning and putting life into our dead and dull spirits yea inwardly as it were suggesteth vnto vs and infuseth into vs such desires such sighes grones yea and such words as are acceptable to God which for the truth and sincerâ—â—â—e of them for the vehemencie and ardencie of them for the power and efficacie of them are vnutterable they pierce thorow the very heauens and enter vnto the glorious Throne of Gods grace and there make a loud crie in the eares of the Almightie Therefore in the next verse the Apostle addeth he that searcheth the hearts that is God the searcher of all hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit that is what desires what sighes and groanes what prayers proceed from the work of his Spirit being stirred vp thereby in our spirits for Gods Spirit informeth and instructeth our spirits to make prayers to God according to the will of God which otherwise were most impossible for vs to doe we neither could tell what to aske nor how to aske Thus plainely and clearely we see that true prayer commeth from the motion and worke of Gods Spirit which may yet further be confirmed by comparing Gal. 4. 6. with Rom. 8. 15. in that it is said the Spirit in our hearts crieth Abba Father in this by the Spirit we crie Abba Father The reasons why thus the Spirit prayeth yea why it is needfull that the Spirit should pray and so we pray in the Spirit are these 1 In regard of our naturall estate we haue no abilitie at all to pray a dead man can as wel craue help of another man as a naturall man in faith craue succour of God Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues Can we then be sufficient of our selues to pray aright 2 In our regenerate estate wee are no longer able to doe any good thing then the Spirit helpeth and assisteth vs. Though once we be inabled by the Spirit to pray aright vet if the Spirit leaue vs and continue not in vs his powerfull worke all our abilitie is gone as a wheele which is turned about with an hand if the hand be taken away the wheele will soone stand still it is needfull that vnto the first grace following grace be added for man after he is regenerate still needeth the present effectuall continual worke of Gods holy Spirit It is therefore said He that hath begunne a good worke in you will
performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ 3 Though we knew how to pray yet would not our prayer be acceptable to God except it came from his Spirit it is attributed as a proper worke to the Spirit that he maketh intercession according to the will of God that is so as is pleasing and acceptable to God for as God knoweth the meaning of the Spirit so the Spirit knoweth the will of God 1 Heere note how the whole Trinitie hath a worke in this holy exercise of prayer The holy Ghost frameth our requests The Son offereth them vp vnto his Father The Father accepteth them thus framed and offered vp 2 Note the reason why the prayers of the Saints are so acceptable and auaileable why they pierce thorow the clouds and haue accesse to Gods throne they are the groanes of Gods Spirit not that the Spirit groaneth but that our spirits are made to groane by Gods Spirit 3 Note what an admirable gift the gift of prayer is a singular gift peculiar and proper to the Saints who haue the Spirit of God if no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost surely no man can call vpon God as his Father but by the Spirit of God We haue therefore receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father 4 Note how we may know whether Gods Spirit bee in vs and whether we be Gods sonnes or no euen by the Spirit of prayer I meane not an outward formall vttering of words but true prayer comming from the heart §. 128. Of the meanes to pray aright in the Spirit THey who desire to pray aright so as their prayer should be acceptable to God must 1 Labour for Gods sanctifying spirit which is gotten by the ministery of the word as was set foorth by those extraordinary gifts which God bestowed on Christians while they were hearing the word preached as Saint Paul with great emphasis affirmeth saying receiued ye the the spirit by the workes of the law or by hearing of faith that is assuredly by hearing the Gospell which is the word of faith preached ye receiued the spirit in which respect the preaching of the Gospell is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Hauing the spirit we must goe along with him and follow his good motions powring forth those desires which he suggesteth vnto vs the fire which God would continually to burne vpon his Altar came out from the Lord. If sacrifices were offered vp with any other fire that fire was counted strange and the sacrifices no whit acceptable but abominable to the Lord the heauenly fire whereby our spirituall sacrifices of praier must be offered vp is that holy spirit which commeth out from God he carrieth the very image of God we must therefore giue vnto God that which is Gods 3 We must take heede we grieue not the holy spirit of God which is done by quenching the goog motions thereof thorow our carelesnesse or by resisting the spirit thorow our rebellion hence is it that many of the Saints are so dull and vntoward to this exercise by their security and carnality they haue grieued Gods spirit and he hath withdrawne his helpe and assistance Many hearing that the spirit maketh request for vs wil be ready wholly to giue ouer this duty vnto the worke of the spirit and so neuer rowse vp themselues but say when the spirit please it will make request for me These grieue the spirit because they stirre not vp the gift thereof §. 129. Of prayer comming from the spirit of a Man 2 FOr the second doctrine that Prayer framed by the Spirit of God floweth out of the very spirit and heart of a man it is also cleare by the forenamed place The spirit maketh intercession with groanes c. Now groanes proceede from the heart and spirit not from the tongue and lips but more expresly the Apostle saith that the spirit which crieth Abba Father is sent into our hearts Hence it is that they which pray in the spirit are said to powre out their soule and their heart to God The Virgin Mary who without all question praised God in the spirit saith My soule magnifieth the Lord my spirit reioyceth in God 1 The heart of man is as it were Gods chaire of state whereunto no creature can come it is proper to God alone it is his Pallace wherein he most delighteth wherefore Gods Spirit maketh his aboade there and stirreth that vp to pray 2 The heart is a fountaine whence commeth euery thing good or euill wherefore the Spirit doth especially purifie and sanctifie it Yea the heart is as a Queene shee hath a command of all the powers of the soule and parts of the body and therefore the Spirit giueth this gift of prayer to her §. 130. Of discerning when we pray in the Spirit Vse 1 HEreby may we iudge whether the Spirit of God be in vs and moue vs to pray or no. If our prayer come but from the teeth though it be neuer so well framed in regard of the forme of words and though our gesture be neuer so seemely sauouring of much reuerence and humility yet all is nothing the Spirit of God hath no part in this worke if thy spirit pray not Herein lieth a maine difference betwixt the manner of perswading God and man Man may be moued with faire speeches inticing words eloquent phrases as the people of Tyrus and Sidon with Herods eloquent Oration but all the eloquence in the World is no more to God then the lowing of an Oxe or the howling of a dogge if it come not from the spirit Hearty and vpright prayer is the best rhetoricke to moue God withall Vse 2 What matter of humiliation is ministred vnto most euen of them that are accounted the best how often doe such as heare others pray fall downe on their knees and so seeme to pray and yet know not what hath beene prayed Their thoughts haue beene vpon other matters Some manifest as much in that when the prayer is ended they testifie no assent thereunto by saying Amen Yea how often doe they who vtter the prayer Ministers in the Church other persons in other places tumble ouer words with their mouthes when their hearts are wandring so as little assent of spirit if any at all hath been giuen to their owne words Can such sacrifices be acceptable to God let vs be humbled for that which is past and be more watchfull ouer our hearts for the time to come THE FIFTH PART The helpe of Prayer §. 131. Of watching vnto Prayer THE fourth generall branch is concerning the helpe of Prayer Which is watchfulnesse noted in this clause Watch thereunto The originall word according to the proper notation of it signifieth to awake and abstaine from sleepe it is properly attributed to the body metaphorically and by way of resemblance vnto the
obseruance is to bee made of all things helpfull or hurtfull thereunto To this purpose tend those many exhortations which by Christ his Diciples are made to watch When Christ warned his Diciples of his last comming and when he was in his agony he bid them watch So Paul so Peter To this purpose also tendeth that patheticall speech of Dauid Awake my glory awake Viol and Harpe I will awake early §. 134 Of the causes of drowsinesse BOth body spirit are carefully to be rowsed vp because of our naturall pronenes to drowsines and heauinesse in body spirit two causes there be which cause bodily slumbering First debility and weaknesse of senses whence it is that young children and old folkes are more proane to slumbering then lusty strong persons Secondly abundance of vapours which stupifie the senses for fulnesse of meat and drinke whence those vapors arise make men sluggish and sleepy Answerable there be two causes which procure spirituall sleepinesse and slumbring 1 Weakenesse of the flesh as Christ implieth when he checketh his Disciples for their sluggishnesse saying The flesh is weake whereby it commeth to passe that by nature we are exceeding drowsie dull as to all good and godly exercises so especially to Prayer which is the best of all I neede not further proue this then by appealing to the conscience of euery one that vse this holy exercise Many are loath to goe about it many when they are at it fall fast asleepe as Eutichus I haue heard this direction prescribed when one cannot sleepe Say thy prayers and thou shalt sleepe it is commonly the direction of prophane persons spoken of sluggish prayers for if a man pray in the spirit with that earnestnesse which hee ought it will rather keepe him the longer from sleepe but yet it sheweth that men are commonly dull and drowsie in Prayer Our spirituall sluggishnesse maketh our hearts heauy and our eyes sleepy Againe our bodily sluggishnesse maketh our spirits more dull 2 Abundance of bye wandring vaine earthly wicked thoughts cares lusts and such other things which like vapours arise in our soules and which the Diuell also is very busie to cast into our hearts in time of prayer These adde much vnto our naturall dulnesse and drowsinesse so as in these two respects there is great neede of watchfulnesse §. 135. Of going drowsily to Prayer LIttle doe they consider the neede thereof who going to prayer are so farre from rowsing vp their spirits and bodies that they doe as it may seeme purposely set themselues to sleepe some compose themselues to such gestures as make them sleepe they hang downe their heads and leane them vpon their armes or hands they sit vpon seates or vpon the ground they close their eyes c Some neuer pray till they goe to bed and so sleepe preuenteth them some againe come immediatly from their pots and platters or from their worldly affaires and businesses and presently goe to prayers without any premeditation or cogitation of what businesse they haue in hand With what deuotion can such prayers be performed Is this to watch vnto prayer The truth is that such doe but mocke God §. 136. Directions for Watchfulnesse Vse 2 FOr auoiding of this and such like aberrations and for a better performance of this duty of watchfulnesse obserue these few directions following In regard of the body first choose such times as are freest from drowsinesse these are mornings for our bodies hauing rested all the night and by rest being refreshed are the more free ready and cheerefull to prayer Schollers find it the fittest times for their studies and so may Christians if they obserue a difference of times find it fittest for their prayer If for prayer sake we rise the sooner we watch vnto Prayer 2 Considering that it is so needefull that we pray at euening which is a drowsie time rowse vp thy selfe before prayer goe not to it halfe sleeping halfe waking Learne of the watchfull Bird the Cocke who when he is about to crow especially in the night time flappeth hiâ— wings and so beateth hiâ— body and rowseth vp himselfâ— to crow Doe thou something to driue away drowsinesse stirre thy body walke meditate sing a Psalme beforâ— prayer at euening Vse such gestâ—res as wiâ—l keepe thee from drowsinesse kneele vpright or to helpe thy weakenesse stand Hasten to prayer goe not to it too late Who doe these things for prayers sake Watch vnto Prayer 3 Moderate thine appetite and vse a temperate diet if after meate thou art to pray sobriety is often ioined to watchfulnesse as an especiall helpe thereof Christ hauing giuen a warning to take heede of surfetting drunkennesse and cares of this World inferreth this exhortation Watch and pray otherwise we cannot well watch pray Wherefore saith Saint Paul Let vs watch and be sober And Saint Peter Be sober and watching in prayer Who eate for prayer sake somewhat the more sparingly doe watch vnto prayer In regard of the soule 1 Take heed it be not too much distracted with worldly thoughts Cares of this World choake the Word much more will they choake the spirit of Prayer Hee that remembring the time of prayer disburdeneth his soule hereof Watcheth vnto prayer 2 Most especially be watchfull against sinne which as hath beene shewed before like birdlime wil so cling the feathers of the soule that it cannot flie vp to Heauen Nothing more dulleth the heart of man then sinne He that yeeldeth thereto can hardly recouer himselfe and reuiue his spirit againe in a long time It was three quarters of a yeere before Dauid was throughly recouered after his great fall for his child was borne before and an extraordinary meanes was vsed to recouer him the Prophet Nathan was sent vnto him It was an admirable and extraordinary thing that Peter was so soone recouered Sinnes doe grieue the spirit and quench his good gift in vs the Spirit being grieued and prouoked to withdraw his presence will not returne againe with a wet finger Especially be watchfull against such sinnes as by nature thou art most proane vnto for in them especially will Satan most attempt thee when thou art going to prayer If thou beest giuen to lust make a couenant with thine eye not to cast it vpon a strange woman auoide wanton company garish attire fulnesse of bread and whatsoeuer may prouoke lust so in anger voluptuousnesse couetousnesse c. This is an excellent point of wisdome and argueth great watchfulnesse vnto prayer if for prayer sake it be done 3 Take notice of Gods mercies and iudgements of his blessings bestowed on thee and of thy wants of the estate of others and of other points concerning the matter of prayer Reade also some part of Gods Word before Prayer Thus shalt thou come furnished to Prayer This is also to watch vnto Prayer Many complaine
in extraâ— e Mat. 16. 18. Bellarm. de Rom. â—ent lib. 1 ca. 10. f Gen. 3. 15. g Isa 52. 51. h Reu. 18. 4. The Word a sharpe sword i Heb. 4 13. k Exod. 7. 13. l Num. 22. 31. m Ephe. 4. 19. n 2 Pet. 3. 16. Gods word perspicuous o Psa 119 105 p 19. 8. q Pro. 1. 4. r 2 Cor. 4. 3. Scriptura omnibus accessibilis pauciffinis penetrabilis Aug. Epist 3. Å¿ Psal 119. 18. * 2 Pet. 3. 16. t Rom. 12. 3. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The maner of writing * §. 3. 3 The persons x 1 Cor. 2. 14. y 2 Cor. 44. z 1 Cor. â—2 15. * Ephe. 1. 17. Quomodo eris penetrator obscurorum contemptor mani festorum Aug. de Fast 4 Manner of searching a 〈◊〉 2. 4 5. Magnifice et salubriter Spiritus it a Scripturas modificauit vt locis apertiorihus fami oâ— curreret obscurioribus fastidia detergeret Aug. de Doct. Chr. lib. 2. ca. 6. Scriptura quasi amicus familiaris sine fuco ad cor loquitur indoctorum atque doctorum Aug. Epist 3 Greg. Epist ad Leand. b Pro. 1. 4. The word sharpens the wit of the simple Iohn 5. 39. Verbum est bâ—nus gladius cuius gladij bonâ—Ì„â— vulnus vulnerat dei verbum sed non vâ—cerat Ambr. de virg lib. 3. f 1. Cor. â— 1. Knowledge of the Scripture necessarie g 2. Pet. 1. 5. h Col. 〈◊〉 i 2. Cor. 8. 7. k Ost â—â—6 l 1. Cor. 8. 1. Knowledge maketh preaching to be had in esteem m 2. Pet. 1. 13. a 1. Thess 1. 5. b 2. 13. c Gal. 4. 8. Ignoratio Scripturarum ignoratio Christi est Hier. in proâ—eâ—â— in Isa d 2. Thess 1. 8. c Num. 11. 29. f Act. 26. 29. Mans dulnes can bee no blame to the Word How to get and vse the Christian Armour To all other graces adde Prayer Some take prayer to be a distinct part and piece of Christian Armour whereunto I agree not for two reasons First The forenamed pieces are so compleate for by them a man is armed from top to toe that there is no part wanting Secondly No outward piece of Armour is annexed to it whereunto it should bee resembled therefore I rather take prayer to be an especiall meanes to helpe vs well to weild and vse the forenamed Armour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser Oratione operatio operatione fulciaetur oratio Hier. in Lam. cap. 3. a Num. 10. 9. b Exod. 17. 9. c. c 1. Sam. 7. 9 10. d Psal 60. 1. e 2. Chr. 14. 11 f and 20. 6. g and 32. 20. g Mat. 26. 30. h 2. Cor. 12. 8. Reason i Num. 14. 2. k and 4. 4. l Ezech. 16. 15. 39. m 1. Sam. 17. 8 49. n 2. Sam. 17. 23. o Mat. 19. 6. Obs a 2. Tim. 2. 15. Reason b Rom. 12. 6. c 1. Pet. 4. 10. 1. Point What prayer is a 1. Sam. 1. 15. b Psal 62. 8. c and 142. 2. d Psal 5. 1. e and 123. 1. f Rom. 8. 26. Psal 79. 11. g 1 Sam. 16. 7. h 1 Chr. 28. 9. i Psal 38 9. Reasons k Mat. 4. 10. Ne quis audeat preces offerre nisi soli domino Deo c. Orig. contr Celâ— lib. 5. l Ier. 17. 10. m Ier. 23. 23. n Luke 1. 34. Why no creature is to be prayed vnto Difference betwixt diuine and ciuil prayer o Reu. 19. 10. p and 22. 9. q Acts 10. 26. a Psal 44. 21. b and 139. 2. Why it is needfull to make knowne our desire to God How to pray aright 1 Pray in the mediation of Christ c Esay 6. 2. d Deut. 4. 24. e Exod. 28. 29. f 1. Tim. 2. 5. Quid est dulcius quam genitorem in nomine vnigeniti innocare c. quem atium dirigam tibi intercesserem nescio nisi bunc qui. est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris Aug. med c. 5. g Heb. 4. 14. 2 Pray in feare h Lam. 3. 41. i Esay 29. 13. 3 Pray with seemely words a Psal 95 3 6. 4 Prayer with reuerend and humble gesture b Ezr. 9. 5. 6. c Ephe. 3. 14. d Act. 20. 36. e Mark 11. 25. f Luke 18. 13. 5 Pray in assurance of faith g Heb. 10. 22. Iam. 1. 6. h Mar. 11. 24. Iames 5. 15. i 1. 7. k 2. Sam. 7. 27 28. 6 Pray with lowlinesse of minde l Psal 143. 2. m Dan. 9. 8. How the mind is made lowly n Gen. 18. 27. o Iob. 39 37. p Psal 51. 3. c. 7 Be holy that pray q Psal 66. 18. Iohn 9. 31. r Esay 1. 15. Å¿ 1 Tim. 2 8. t Psal 26. 6. u Iames 5. 16. 8 Pray with sence of the things prayed for * Matth. 5. 3. x Psal 32. 4. 38. 4. 9 10. Pray in sincerity of heart with feruency of spirit a Rom. 12. 11. b Iam. 5. 16. Motiues to Prayer 1 Gods charge c Psal 27. 8 2 The most principall part of Gods worship * Kneeling d Esay 56 7. e 2 Tim. 2. 19 1 Cor. 1. 2. Acts 9. 14. f Psal 14. 4. 3 Nothing whereby God is more honoured f Psal 50. 15. 4 Absolutely necessary g Mat. 7. 7 h Iam. 4. 3 i Mat. 5. 45. k 2 Sam. 17. 23 l 1 Sam. 17. 9 m Acts 12. 23. n Luk. 11. 13. 5. Euery way profitable 1. To obtaine good things * Lege in Iust Martyris Apolog 2. Marci imperatoris epistola ad S. R. de precth Christianorum * Treatise 2 Part 6. §. 72 73 c. 2. To preuent or remoue euils d Ier. 2â— 19. e Iam. 5. 18 3 To preserue grace f Luke 22. 32. g Col. 1. 9 c. h 1 King 8. 47 4 To obtaine pardon i Acts 8. 22. 5 To subdue sinne k Psal 19. 13 119. 133. 6 To sanctifie the things we doe or vse l 1. Tim 4. 5. m Mat. 14. 19. 15. 36. 26. 26. m Ier. 15. 1. n Ezek. 14. 1 Iam. 4. 3 o Iohn 2 4. 7 p Mat. 15. 23 c. q Acts 1. 7 a 2 Cor. 12 8 9. b Mat. 26. 39 c Heb. 5. 7 d 2 Sam. 12. 16 c Verse 23. f 24 25. g Mat. 26. 39. h Mar. 1. 40. i 2 Sam. 15. 26 k Ezek. 14. 14 6. Very powerful Magna sunt arma oâ—atio ipsa bella deuicit c. Chrys in Hebr. hom 27. l Dan. 6. 22. m 2 Sam. 15. 31. 17. 23. n Gen. 32. 11. 33. 4. o Est 4. 16. 10. p 2 Kin. 19. 15 35. q Exod. 17. 11 r Mat. 17. 21. f Mat. 26. 35. t 2 King 6. 17. u Dan. 7. 10. * Ose 12. 4. x Gen. 32. 28. y ver 26. z Rom. 15. 30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 2 Kin. 20. 3. 4. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Exo. 14. 15 16. b Iof. 10. 12. c Isa 38. 2 8. d Iam. 5. 17. e Luk.
not praying for those who are apparantly reiected 382 44 Of iudging the sinne against the Holy Ghost 382 45 Of the persons who are to be prayed for 383 46 Of the order of praying for others 385 47 Of praying for Saints 386 48 Of praying for Magistrates 387 49 Of praying for friends 387 50 Of praying for strangers 388 51 Of praying for enemies 389 52 Of mens failing in prayer for others 389 53 Of the things which we are to pray for in the behalfe of others 392 54 That Gods will not knowne is no sufficient cause to hinder prayer for others 393 55 Of imprecations against ones selfe 394 56 Of the persons against whom imprecations may be made 396 57 Of the vnlawfulnesse of vsuall imprecations 397 58 Of the Popes manner of cursing 398 59 Of Thanksgiuing 399 60 Of the person to whom all thankes is due 400 61 Of the difference of thankes giuen to God and men 400 62 Of the Mediator in whose name thankes is to be giuen 401 63 Of the matter of Thankesgiuing 402 64 Of the spirituall blessings for which thankes is to be giuen 403 65 Of the temporall blessings for which thankes is to be giuen 404 66 Of giuing thankes for remouing euils 405 67 Of giuing thankes for crosses 406 68 Of the proofes of Scripture applied to particular occasions of thanksgiuing 407 69 Of the abundant matter of thankesgiuing 409 70 Of their blindnesse who can see no matter of thankesgiuing 415 71 Of mens failing in the extent of thankesgiuing 416 72 Of the time of giuing thankes 418 73 Directions for thankesgiuing 418 74 Of mentall prayer 421 75 Of vocall prayer 422 76 Of sudden prayer 423 77 Of composed prayer 424 78 Of preparation before prayer 424 79 Of conceiued prayer 426 80 Of prescribed prayer 427 81 Direction to conceiue a prayer 429 82 Of publike prayer and of the Ministers function therein 429 83 Of the peoples consent in publike prayer 431 84 Of the place of publike prayer 431 85 Of vnanimitie in publike prayer 433 86 Of vttering publike prayer with an audible voice 433 87 Of praying in a knowne tongue 434 88 Of the aberrations contrary to praying with vnderstanding 434 90 Of vniformitie in publike prayer 435 91 Of motiues to publike prayer 436 92 Of priuate prayer 437 93 Of prayer in a family 437 94 Of secret prayer 438 95 Of extraordinary prayer 440 96 Of the signes of extraordinary ardencie 441 97 Of teares in prayer 442 98 Of extraordinary continuance in praier 443 99 Of the occasions of extraordinarie prayer 445 100 Of the sundry kinds of Fasts 446 101 Of the difference betwixt a religious Fast and other Fasts 448 102 Of forbearing to eate and drinke in the time of a Fast 449 103 Of forbearing other things beside food in a Fast 451 104 Of the occasions of a Fast 454 105 Of set times of Past 455 106 Of the continuance of a Fast 456 107 Of Supplication the most principall end of a religious Fast 459 108 Of examination another end of Fasting 460 109 Of Humiliation a third end of Fasting 461 110 Of Mortification a fourth end of Fasting 462 111 Of Fasting now vnder the New Testament 463 112 Of Vowes 464 113 Of the things which concurre to the making of a lawfull Vow 466 114 Of publike and priuate Fastes and Vowes 467 115 Of motiues to extraordinary prayer 469 116 Of the neglect of extraordinary prayer 470 THE THIRD PART The time of Prayer § 117 OF praying alwayes pag. 471 118 Of praying euery day 473 119 Of the fittest times for daily prayer 474 120 Of constant keeping our set times of prayer 475 121 Of Canonicall houres 476 122 Of neglecting times of Prayer 477 123 Of praying in all affaires 478 124 Of continuall Eiaculations 479 125 Of giuing thankes alwayes 480 THE FOVRTH PART The ground of Prayer § 126 OF the meaning of this phrase in the Spirit pag. 481 127 Of the work of the Spirit in prayer 482 128 Of the meanes to pray aright in the Spirit 485 129 Of prayer comming from the spirit of a man 486 130 Of discerning whē we pray in the spirit 486 THE FIFT PART The helpe of prayer § 131 OF watching vnto prayer pag. 488 131 Of Popish Night-vigils 489 132 Of superstitious watching for Christs comming 490 133 Of watching both in body and in spirit 491 134 Of the causes of drowsinesse 492 135 Of going drowsily to prayer 493 136 Directions for watchfulnesse 494 THE SIXTH PART The meanes of preuailing by prayer § 1 37 OF perseuerance pag. 496 138 Of the things which we are to aske with all perseuerance 497 139 Of the difference betwixt praying alwaies and with all perseuerance 498 140 Of the difference betwixt perseuering and much babbling in prayer 499 141 Of holding out in prayer 500 142 Of the reasons of perseuerance 501 143 Of the damage of not perseuering and aduantage of perseuering 502 THE SEVENTH PART The persons for whom prayer is to be made § 144 OF desiring the help of others prayers pag. 503 145 Of motiues to desire others prayers 504 146 Of the difference betwixt desiring other mens prayers making them Mediators 505 147 Of those who vse or refuse to aske the help of others prayers 505 148 That none is too good to seeke the helpe of anothers prayer 506 149 Of praying to the liuing onely 507 150 Of the Papists arguments for praying to the dead 508 151 Of praying for Ministers 509 152 Of motiues to pray for Ministers 510 153 Of the things which are to be prayed for in the behalfe of Ministers 513 154 Of Ministers inability in themselues 513 155 Of praying for ability in Ministers 514 156 Of vtterāce what is here meant therby 516 157 Of a Ministers ability to vtter what he conceiueth 517 158 Of Pauls gift of vtterance 518 159 Of praying for gifts bestowed 519 160 Of opening the mouth 520 161 Of deliuering the Word distinctly and audibly 521 162 Of a Ministers boldnesse in preaching 522 163 Of the things wherein boldnesse is to bee shewed 524 164 Of ioying courage wisdom together 529 165 Of Ministers seeking to edify the Church 525 166 Of making knowne what we know 526 167 Of preaching the Gospell 528 168 Of the mystery of the Gospell 528 169 Of searching into the depth of the Gospell 530 170 Of the meanes of vnderstanding the mystery of the Gospell 531 171 Of the cause of errors about the Gospel 531 172 Of mans preferring other mysteries before the Gospell 532 173 Of well discharging a mans office 533 174 Of Ambassadors of the Word 535 175 Of the dignitie of the Ministery 537 176 Of the respect of due to Ministers 537 177 Of despising Ministers 538 178 Of the incouragement of Ministers against their despisers 539 179 Of Ministers walking worthy their place 539 180 Of Ministers faith fulnesse 540 181 Of holding close to Gods message 540 182 Of declaring Gods whole will
of others then of them which receiue them 2 Such persons were much better want all those things then haue them for because they call not on God God giueth them no grace well to vse them so as they abuse them to their owne destruction Achitophels wit Goliahs strength Herods eloquence were the cause of their ouerthrow in this World and though all haue not like ends in this World yet all heape vp wrath vnto themselues against the day of wrath Reade Rom. 2. 4. 5. 3 That spirit which commeth accompanied with all needfull sauing and sanctifying graces is not gotten without Prayer God giueth the holy Ghost to them that desire him §. 20. Of the fift motiue the profit of Prayer 2 THe vtility or profit of Prayer is much euery manner of way It is profitable 1 To obtaine euery good thing as is euident by the promise of Christ Ioh. 16. 23. Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Note the certainty of this promise in Christs vehement asseueration Note the generality of it Whatsoeuer The Heathen among whom the Christians liued after the Apostles dayes obseruing so much said There was nothing which Christians could not obtaine of God by Prayer I might here particularly exemplifie this by seuerall instances of all kinds of blessings spirituall and temporall publike and priuate for our selues and others concerning this life and a better and shew how Gods children haue by Prayer obtained them and also declare seuerall promises made by God for all these But I haue in part declared these before and I shall haue fitter occasion to handle them when I speake of the matter of prayer 2 To preuent iudgements threatned and remoue iudgements inflicted Note for this purpose the prayer of Salomon 1 Kings 8. 33 c. 3 To preserue nourish and strengthen in vs all spirituall graces by Christs prayer was Peters faith kept from failing whereby Christ sheweth that Prayer is an especiall meanes to be vsed to that end So the Apostle praied in the behalf of the Colossians that they might be filled with knowledg c increasing therin strengthned c. 4 To obtaine remission of sinnes for this is the sum of the fift Petition and for this end Peter saith to Simon Magus Pray God that if it be possible the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee whereby he implieth that if remission of sinnes may be obtained by any meanes Praier is that meanes 5 To subdue in vs the power of sin which Dauid well knowing praied that sin might not haue dominion ouer him I dare boldly auouch and I dout not but euery Christian soule that is acquainted with this holy exercise of prayer can by experience iustifie the truth of what I shall auouch that the more constant and powerfull a man is in prayer the lesse power sinne hath in him the more sin preuaileth the weaker is the spirit of prayer when Gods children fall into temptation and yeeld vnto sinne their soules are intangled thereby as a bird whose feathers are besmeared with birdlime or whose feete are caught in a snare they cannot flye vp to heauen If by prayer they keepe their hearts aloft they are the more free from being intangled by Satan Faithfull prayer and purpose to sin cannot stand together In this respect I may not vnfitly compare the spirit of prayer to that spirit and breath which commeth from the lungs of a man whereby that ouer-great heate which otherwise would drie vp all his radicall and naturall moisture is cooled and allayed for it is prayer which cooleth and allayeth in man the immoderate heate of lust anger malice enuy c. 6 To sanctifie all Gods creatures vnto our vse for as Gods word giueth a warrant for the vsing of the creatures which are needfull and a direction whereby we are taught how to vse them so prayer to God obtaineth a right vnto them and a blessing vpon them therefore the Apostle ioyneth both these together and saith that the creature is sanctified by the Word and prayer For this end Christ vsually prayed before he vsed the creature and all euen they who haue abundance must pray Giue vs this day our daily bread that they may haue a right vnto and a blessing vpon the creatures which they vse the like may be said of the callings wherein we are placed of the actions which we do and of al things which we haue or vse all are sanctified by prayer who without prayer doe or vse any thing are vsurpers and can looke for no blessing To conclude Prayer is profitable vnto all things §. 21. Of the respects wherein ones Prayer is not heard Obiect AGainst all that is said of the profit of Prayer some obiect that the Prayers of many are fruitlesse they obtaine not the things desired yea that God sweareth he would not heare Moses Samuel Noah Daniel Iob. Answer 1 Many pray amisse and so receiue not wherefore that out Prayers may be profitable we must learne to pray aright as we haue beene directed before 2 Though God alwaies grant not his seruants request instantly yet afterwards when there is a more seasonable time he doth for God is the Lord of times and seasons and best knoweth which is the fittest season both for his owne glory and his childrens good to grant their request For this end did not Christ at first grant his Mothers request when shee desired supply of wine nor the request of the Cananite which shee made for her daughter Note his answer to his Disciples It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power 3 Though he heare them not in that particular yet in as good or in a better thing will he heare them As when Paul prayed against a temptation God gaue him grace sufficient to resist it and when Christ praied to haue his bitter cup remoued God enabled him to drink it wherevpon it is said that he was heard in that which he feared Dauid prayed for his childe that died yet was not his prayer in vaine for first his prayer was a sacrifice acceptable to God Secondly God had mercy on the soule of his childe Thirdly God gaue him another sonne of the same mother a Salomon a Iedediah a Prince of peace beloued of the Lord whom God made King after Dauid God better knoweth what is good for vs then wee doe our selues accordingly though he heare vs not alwaies to our owne will and grant what wee suppose to be good yet alwaies he heareth vs to his owne will and granteth what he knoweth to be good for vs. 4 The Saints well know what God hath absolutely promised as all needfull sauing graces and saluation it selfe those absolutely they pray for and
consider how infinitely farre greater the diuine Maiesty is then any humane can be and this will shew how high a dignity it is to haue a free accesse vnto his glorious presence especially if withall we consider how full of grace and goodnesse he is to all that come before him The glorious Angels doe admire the Saints in regard of this honour vouchfafed vnto them §. 27. A Collection of the motiues to Prayer THus we see what strong motiues here be to vrge this duty If either Gods honour or our owne honour if to please God or to supply our own needs and necessities if our own profit benefit be any motiues hereunto motiues are not wanting What exercise on earth so heauenly and yet what whereunto we are more dull O that so rare and excellent a duty should so rarely and slightly be performed as commonly it is Doth not this argue as the great corruption of our nature so the subtill malice of the diuell For wel he knoweth the vantage that man gaineth and damage which cometh to him by Prayer Let vs be grieued and humbled for our dulnesse and carelesnesse herein Let vs rowse vp our spirits and pray that we may pray THE SECOND PART The kinds of Prayer With all Prayer and supplication §. 28. Of the generall heads whereunto the particular kinds of Prayer are referred HItherto of the duty it selfe whereunto we are exhorted we are now to handle the particular circumstances or branches of the Apostles direction The first is concerning the kindes of Prayer which are first intimated vnder that generall particle All and then exemplified by two particular instances 1 Prayer 2 Supplication That we may distinctly handle the seuerall kinds of prayer which are here in this Text comprised vnder this word All and in other places of Scripture more expresly set downe I will draw them into some order Prayer may first be distinguished according to the matter and manner thereof In regard of the matter the Apostle maketh foure seuerall heads 1 Supplications or deprecations which are for the remouall of euill 2 Prayers which are for the obtaining of good 3 Intercessions which are in the behalfe of others 4 Thanks-giuings which are for benefits receiued These foure he referreth in another place to two heades 1 Requests 2 Thanks-giuing Vnder Requests he comprehendeth supplication and Prayer vnder which also may be comprised intercession Againe in another place he mentioneth onely two heads 1 Prayer 2 Thanks-giuing By Prayer he meaneth petition For when this word Prayer is set alone it compriseth all the kinds vnder it when it is ioyned with thanksgiuing alone it compriseth all kinds belonging to request When it is ioyned with deprecation or intercession it is restrained to a desire of good things for our selues The most generall and vsuall distinction is grounded on 1 Thess 5. 17 18. which is Petition Thanksgiuing Petition may be distributed according to the things or persons in respect whereof it is made The things which it respecteth are either good to obtaine them which is most properly Prayer or euill to remoue them which is Supplication so called in English because when we are oppressed with any euill it maketh vs cast downe our selues as poore suppliants crauing helpe and redresse The persons are our selues or others The forenamed kinds respect our selues That which respecteth others is intercession and that is either for them or against them According to this distribution we shall handle vnder Prayer put for Petition 1 Petition for good things 2 Deprecation to remoue euill things 3 Intercession for others 4 Expostulation against others §. 29. Of the things to be asked in Prayer 1. FOr Petition I need not stand to proue the general that it is lawfull to craue good things for this of all others is the most principall kind of Prayer And this generall title Prayer is most commonly attributed to it I will rather more particularly shew 1 What things we are to craue 2 After what manner we are to craue them The things which may be asked must be lawfull and good for so much implyeth Christ where he saith that God will giue good things to them that aske him Now those things are lawfull and good which are agreeable to the good will of God for Gods will is not onely the rule and square of goodnesse but the very ground of goodnesse A thing is not first good and then willed of God but therefore good because it is willed of God so as Gods will giueth the very essence and being vnto goodnesse Wherupon the Apostle hauing prayed for the Hebrewes that God would make them perfect in all good wokes addeth by way of explanation to doe his will This general point of framing our petitions according to Gods will Saint Iohn expresly layeth downe saying If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Would we then know what are those good and lawfull things which may be asked Search the Scriptures for in them is Gods will reuealed If we haue our warrant from thence for the good things we aske then may we boldly aske and looke to receiue them §. 30. Of the Summe of the Lords Prayer BVt because this is a large field and a wide Sea Christ hath made an epitome a briefe collection of all such things as are good and lawfull to be asked and comprised them in those few petitions of the Lords Prayer Where we may obserue two seuerall heads of them 1 Gods glory in the three first petitions wherein praying to God we say Thy Name Thy Kingdome Thy will 2 Our owne good in the three last wherein speaking of our selues we say Our bread Our trespasses Lead vs not But deliuer vs. Gods glory is first of all and most of all to be desiredâ— nothing is to be craned but that which may make thereâ—unto If Gods glory and our saluation could come inâ— opposition that were to be preferred to this as Moses sheweth by his owne example Therefore that hath the first place in the Lords Prayer As we are to desire it so to desire the meanes whereby it may be effected and the manifestation of it In regard of our owne good we may aske all needfulâ— things whether they be temporall concerning these frailâ— bodies of ours while here wee liue or spirituall and that either respecting our Iustification the principall part whereof is a discharge of that debt wherein thorow sinne we are bound vnto God or our Sanctification in keeping vs from the pollution of sinne and preseruing vs safe from all euill vnto saluation The Scripture affordeth particular instances of all these things asked of God by the prayers of the Saints But this warrant of the Lords Prayer being so sufficient I neede no longer to insist vppon it §. 31. Of the diuers manner of asking things absolutely and conditionally promised HAuing seene what
teach other doctrine auouching that if any do he is proud and mad and therefore biddeth auoid such yea he denounceth a fearefull curse against them which preach otherwise then the Apostles had done Besides this being without warrant of the Word how can it be performed in faith i if not in faith how can it be acceptable to God To say the least against Prayers for the dead they must needs be vaine and fruitlesse for Gods determinate iudgement passeth on euery one so soone as they die If they die in the Lord blessed are they if they die in their sinnes they are irrecouerably cursed as is implyed in the parable of Diues being in hell to whom Abraham being in heauen thus saith They which would go froÌ„ hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to vs. Herein is the prouerbe verified Where the tree falleth there it lyeth for as life leaueth vs so iudgement findeth vs. Prayer therefore for the soules of the deceased is as physicke for the bodies of the dead §. 40. Of Purgatory AS for Purgatory which Papists make to be a middle place betweene heauen and hell where they say all such are as die not in mortall but in veniall sin and from whence by the Prayers of the liuing they may be released it is a meere fixion inuented of mans idle braine and maintained to increase Antichrists earthly treasures it is against the current of the Scripture which acknowledgeth but two sorts of people Children of the kingdome and children of the wicked faithfull and vnfaithfull and accordingly onely two places after this life heauen and hell The distinction likewise of mortall and veniall sinne as they vse it making some sinnes in their owne nature by reason of the smalnesse of them Veniall is against the Word which saith indefinitiuely of sinne excepting no sinne at all The wages of sinne is death Woe to them that after this life enter into any fire the Scripture no where mentioneth any temporary fire after this life but euerlasting and vnquenchable Obiect 1 The second petition compriseth the dead vnder it Answ That petition hath not any particular respect to any particular person departed so as it cannot iustifie any particular Prayers for a particular person deceased which is the question in controuersie Indeed that petition respecteth the whole body of Christ some of the members wherof are the Saints now dead but it followeth not thereupon that it is a Prayer for the dead for principally it respecteth the liuing and the dead onely by consequence Besides it implyeth no altering of the estate of the soules of the dead which is another point in question Obiect 2. Many prayed for their children and friends which were dead and had them restored to life Answ 1 This is nothing to the alteration of the estate of the soules which is the point in controuersie 2 Those were extraordinary examples done by extraordinary spirits and are no more exemplary then the Israelites passing through the red Sea or Moses Eliahs and Christs fasting forty dayes Vse This point is to be noted as against the erronious doctrine of Papists who maintaine Prayers for the dead â—o against their superstious practises who vse vpon Church-wals Church-windowes graue-stones and the â—ike to set this phrase Pray for the soule of A. B. and if any haue been bountiful to their Church they vse to offer vp Masses and to say dirige and to sing requiem for their soules from time to time All which to say the least are toyish and childish §. 41. Of vaine wishes for the dead NOt much vnlike is the practise of many ignorant and superstitious persons among vs who if mention be made of any of their friends departed vse presently to say God be with him the Lord be with his soule or God haue mercy on his soule with the like Marke the persons that most commonly vse these vaine wishes and you shall obserue them to be such ignorant and irreligious persons as neuer pray for their friends while they are aliue for if they knew how to pray aright for their friends they would not make such vnprofitable wishes for them Wherin note their preposterous course when true Prayer is warrantable acceptable honourable to God and may be profitable to him for whom it is made being commanded of God and agreeable to his will they impiously neglect it but when there is no warrant to make it no hope of doing any good by it they superstitiously vse it Obiect Marke their apology and ye shall find it as foolish as the thing it selfe is toyish For if any reprooue them for it presently they say what hurt is it Answ It is hurt enough that there is no good in it that it is vaine and idle Of euery idle word that men shalâ— speake they shall giue account at the day of iudgement Too many idle words passe from them who are most circumspect and watchfull ouer their words Is it not enough for men to let slip vnawares idle words but that they must also iustifie idle prayers All things must be donâ— in faith all to Gods glory all in loue Much more Prayeâ— which is the most excellent and heauenly action that can be performed But these wishes cannot be in faith because they haue no warrant nor to Gods glory because they are not agreeable to his will nor in loue because they can bring no profit Obiect 2. Were we not better say the Lord be with them then the Diuell take them Answ Is there not a meane betwixt extreames must ye needs be superstitious or impious seeing Gods determinate iudgement is passed vpon them and they are come to the place of their euerlasting abode why leaue ye not them to their own Master and pray for the liuing who may reape good by your prayers §. 42. Of not praying for such as sin against the Holy Ghost 2 COncerning those who sin against the Holy Ghost we haue an expresse inhibition not to pray for them and the reason rendred because it is a sin vnto death that is as Christ more plainly setteth it downe it shall not be forgiuen vnto men neither in this world nor in the world to come Their iudgment is as certain as if they were dead yea and by their sinne manifested to be certaine This sinne is very hardly discerned there is neede of more then any ordinary spirit to discouer it The ground of this sin is set and obstinate malice against Christ his truth made known vnto them by the spirit of reuelation The effect of it is an vniuersal apostasie an vtter renouncing of that truth and that with plaine blasphemy Now seeing no man can know what is the spirit and heart of another by an ordinary spirit who shall iudge a man to haue committed that sinne The Prophets and Apostles could discerne them as Paul discerned Alexander
Since their times we reade onely of one who by the Church hath been adiudged to haue committed that sinne which was Iulian called the Apostate §. 43. Of not praying for those who are apparantly reiected 3 FOr those of whom God hath giuen an expresse charge to the contrary and who are expresly and apparently reiected of God if any pray doe they not thwart and gaine-say the reuealed will of God we reade not that Samuel prayed for Saul after the Lord expresly forbade him Had Ieremiah prayed for the people after the Lord said to him Thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp cry or prayer for them neither intreat me for I will not heare thee he had transgressed §. 44. Of iudging the sinne against the Holy Ghost THough these two last restraints be expresly mentioned in the Scripture yet we must take heed how we iudge any either to haue committed that sin vnto death or to be reiected of God for the one there is need of an extraordinary spirit for the other of extraordinary reuelation from God Quest What if any shall professe themselues to bee such Answ That is no good ground for vs to iudge them to be such and to cease to pray for them For many weak ones in temptation will iudge themselues to haue sinned against the Holy Ghost and to be reiected of God and thereupon neither pray for themselues nor suffer others to pray for them These persons commonly haue in them great griefe of heart for that wretched estate wherein they conceiue themselues to be or if their heart be hardned they are greeued for that hardnesse they haue a longing desire to be out of that estate yea they haue a secret loue of God and zeale of his glory though they feele it not for they cannot endure to heare any blaspheme Gods holy Name and truth Now these are euident signes that they neuer fell into that vnpardonable sinne against the Holy Ghost The best aduice which is first to be giuen vnto such persons is to perswade them that they are more vnfit to iudge of their spirituall estate then a man deepely possessed with melancholly of his bodily health and that the iudgement of so weighty and intricate a matter as the sinne against the Holy Ghost is to be referred to the iudgement and censure of the Church and not of any one particular man except he had an extraordinary spirit But howsoeuer they like sencelesse patients seeke their owne ruine yet let vs like good physitions and faithfull friends be the more tender ouer them and afford them the best helpe we can both by wise counsell and feruent Prayer Thus much touching the negatiue who are not to be prayed for §. 45. Of the persons who are to be prayed for THe affirmatiue who are to be prayed for is very generall For except those before excepted all of all sorts are to be prayed for Indeed the Apostle in this Text nameth none but Saints yet simply he excludeth not all other but rather more forcibly vrgeth this duty for the Saints as if he had said whomsoeuer ye forget forget not any of the Saints let them especially aboue all be remembred In effect so much is here implyed as is expressed Gal. 6. 10. Let vs doe good vnto all men especially vnto them who are of the houshold of Faith If this place excluded all but Saints and implyed that none but they should be prayed for it would thwart and contradict many other places of Scripture which shall be declared when we proue that such as are not of the Church may be prayed for Wherefore because the two later sort who sinne against the Holy Ghost and who are reiected of God are not by ordinary spirits discerned I may for an ordinary direction say All men liuing on earth are to be praied for So much the Apostle himself expresly auoucheth For in direct termes he exhorteth that Praiers be made for almen All I say whether they be in the Church or out of it called or not called friends or foes publike or priuate persons rich or poore yong or old male or female bond or free of what estate or condition soeuer I will giue particular proofes of these particulars when I declare in what order they are to be prayed for In the meane while note these generall grounds and reasons 1 All are made after the same image of God that we are all are of the same mould all our owne flesh all our neighbours and therefore as other duties of loue so this which is the most common and generall duty of all is to be performed for all 2 Besides for ought we know all may belong to the election of God and so haue a right to the priuiledges of Gods elect Obiect Sure it is that euery one is not elected there alwayes haue been stil are and euer shal be a mixture of reprobats with the elect for this world is Gods field wherin are tares as wel as wheat a sea wherein are bad things as wel as good Yea sure it is that the greater sort are reprobates for few are chosen narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there bee that finde it but broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in thereat Answ Though this be most true yet can wee not say of any particular man that he belongeth not to Gods election If he be not now called he may hereafter Though he be now a wolfe he may become a lambe as Paul did Wherefore to resolue this point distinctly al men ioyntly together may not be prayed for because all belong not to Gods election Yet all men seuerally except before excepted may and must be prayed for So as there is not any one excepted There is not any Countrey any sort or condition of people any one man of whom we can say he is not to be prayed for Obiect The Pope of Rome is Antichrist and Antichrist is branded to bee that man of sinne which is a sonne of perdition Answ Wee may not conceiue any particular man to be Antichrist but rather that seate and State where the Pope sitteth or that Hierarchy the head whereof the Pope is or the succession of Popes one after another The ground of prayer is the iudgement of charity and not of certenty Now charity hopeth all things It hopeth that they which are out of Christs fold may in time bee called into it that very persecutors of the Gospell may proue professors of the same I doubt not but vpon this ground and in the forenamed respect that clause in our publike Leiturgy That it may please thee to haue mercy on all men is vsed §. 46. Of the order of praying for others FOr the order of praying for others prayer being one of the most proper and principall effects of loue followeth the order of
loue Now the proper obiect of true loue is God who by a propriety and excellency is called Loue the liker any are to God and the neerer they come to him the more dearely ought they to be loued and in loue to be preferred before others accordingly in our prayers ought they to be preferred as §. 47. Of praying for Saints 1 SAints who are here in this Text by name expressed to shew that they must most of all be remembred Thus did Christ pray especially for them which were giuen him out of the World And the Apostles remember the Saints by name in their benedictions Reason 1. Of all men these are neerest and dearest vnto God they doe most resemble him in diuine qualities and are best beloued of him 2 God is especially good vnto such for he is a Sauiour of all men especially of such as beleeue 3 They are knit vnto vs by the nearest and firmest bond that can be which is the Spirit of Christ For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body In this respect we are said to haue all one Father to be one Body one Spirit yea to be Christ 4 The promises which are the ground of our prayers doe especially belong vnto them so as with strongest confidence we may pray for them Vse Here see the priuiledge of Saints they especially and aboue all haue the benefit of the prayers of all their fellow Saints For this being commanded to all all the Saints will haue care to performe it yea the Saintâ— alone partake of the benefit of others prayers foâ— though many wicked ones bee prayed for yet thâ— benefit returnes into their bosome who make the prayer as Christ said to his Disciples Mat. 10. 13. If ye salute an house and if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you §. 48. Of praying for Magistrates 2 PVblike persons as Ministers of the Word of whom we shall more particularly speake on the 19. verse and Magistrates as Kings with all that are in authority whom by name the Apostle mentioneth where hee exhorteth to pray for others and Dauid by name prayeth for them saying Giue thy iudgements to the King O God and thy righteousnesse to the Kings Sonne Vnder these may bee comprised all that haue any publike charge ouer others 1 By reason of their office they stand in Gods roome and beare Gods image and in that respect are called Gods Sonnes yea Gods 2 They are of greatest vse and in place to doe most good and in that respect are as Dauids seruants said of him worth ten thousand others This reason alleageth Saint Paul to vrge this duty that wee may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty whereby he implieth that vnder God they may be an especiall meanes for vs to leade such a life §. 49. Of praying for Friends 3 SVch as God hath linked vnto vs by any outward naturall ciuill bonds as Kindred Alliance Neighbourhood Friendship Office or the like Now the nearer â—hese bonds be the more especially must we pray one for â—other The nearest outward bond is Matrimony therefore husbands and wiues must most especially pray one for another as Isack for Rebecca then parents and children as Abram for Ismael next brothers and sisters as Ioseph for Beniamin masters seruants as Abrams seruant prayed for his Master The blessing which God bestowed on Potiphar for Iosephs sake sheweth that Ioseph prayed for his Master likewise such kindred as are out of the family one for another and neighbour for neighbour friend for friend countryman for countryman c. God hath knit persons together by those outward bonds for the mutuall good one of another that they might be more helpfull one to another In which respect the Apostle calleth these bonds ioynts of furniture or bonds of ministration that is bonds whereby the seuerall parties that are knit together furnish one another by receiuing helpe one from another and conueighing helpe one to another Now prayer is the best meanes wherein and whereby we may be helpfull one to another §. 50. Of praying for strangers 4 STrangers euen those with whom wee haue no acquaintaÌ„ce to whoÌ„ we are bouÌ„d by no other bonâ— then that common bond which passeth betwixt man anâ— man whereby all Adams sonnes are knit together Thesâ— are comprised vnder that general particle all men Indâ—uers Psalmes are Prayers for the Gentiles Abram prayed for the Sodomites Loue extendeth it selfe so far For the Law expresâ— commandeth to loue the stranger to be helpful vnto 〈◊〉 And Christ excellently setteth it forth in the exampleâ— the Samaritan that succoured the wounded man whoâ— he found in the way §. 51. Of praying for enemies 5 ENemies euen those who hate curse hurt and persecute vs. This Christ expresly commanded himselfe also practised for when his enemies had spit out the venome of their malice against him and done what hurt they could vnto him he prayed for them and said Father forgiue them So did his Apostle both command it and practise it For to others he said Blesse them that persecute you Of himselfe he said We are euill spoken of and we pray While the enemies of Stephen were throwing stones at him as thicke as haile stones Hee kneeled downe and cryed with a loude voice Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Thus indeed shall wee manifest true Christian loue to be in our hearts for christianity teacheth vs to ouercome euill with goodnesse The Scribes and Pharises which followed the principles of nature taught to hate enemies So did the heathen in their best moral Philosophy Christians onely those true and sound Christians can attaine to his extent of loue it is impossible for a natural man to loue his enemie truly and intirely none euer did or can doe it but those who haue the spirit of Christ in them §. 52. Of mens failing in praying for others Vse IF in these points of praying for others we obserue how farre most goe we shall find how exceedingly most faile therein and come short of their dutie 1 Not onely Atheists but euen few of those that beare the title of calling vpon God come to this extent of loue to pray for their enemies Many can pray for their friends but who for their enemies I doubt not but many finding this point so clearely and euidently laid downe in the Scriptures are perswaded that it is a duty and thereupon sometimes when their blood is colde and the wrongs of their enemies somewhat out of their minds can say God forgiue them or for forme and custome sake when they heare the Minister vtter this clause of the Letany That it may please thee to forgiue our enemies persecuters and slanderers and to
turne their hearts can answer We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord but from the heart to pray for them euen when they wrong vs or while their iniuries are fresh in our memories as Christ and Stephen did is a rare matter so rare as few attaine vnto it witnesse that pronenesse which is in the best if not openly to curse and vse fearefull imprecations as the worser sort doe yet inwardly to wish and imagine many euils against them This desire of reuenge being one of the lusts of the flesh we must labour to maintaine a contrary lust of the spirit which is to loue our enemies and pray for them for The spirit lusteth against the flesh If we be led by the spirit we shal not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 2 If it be a breach of loue not to pray for our enemies how great a fault is it to refuse or forget to pray for those who neuer hurt vs because they are strangers vnknowne and as men thinke they no whit beholding vnto them Is this for Gods sake Christs sake conscience sake and loue sake without respect of persons to performe this duty If such knew the benefit of Prayer they would bee glad to pertake of the benefit of their prayers who neuer knew them Is it not then good reason that strangers whom they neuer knew should al 's pertake of the benefit of their Prayers 3 If to forget strangers be such a fault how monstrous inhumane and vnnaturall a thing is it to negle◠this maine duty of loue wherein we may doe so much good and not performe it for those to whom wee are bound by particular and peculiar bonds not onely some kinsfolke afarre off countrey-men fellow-citizens townes-men parishioners neighbours friends and such like but many which are very neere of blood of one and the same family bedfellowes with the like neuer pray one for another Not husbands and wiues parents and children brothers and sisters with the like many Parents other wise prouident for their children faile in this maine point whereby it commeth to passe that their prouidence faileth of the issue desired and expected The Apostle saith If there be any that prouideth not for his owne he denyeth the faith and is worse then an Infidel What is he then that prayeth not for his owne shall not Diues rise vp in iudgement against such who being in hell prayed that Lazarus might goe to his fathers house and to his brethren to testifie vnto them lest they also should come into that place of torment 4 The very heathen could say that a mans countrey is to be preferred before his family publike persons before priuate yet many who professe themselues Christians are very vnmindfull of the Church and Common-wealth where they liue neuer calling vpon God for Ministers and Magistrates May we not well thinke that this is one cause why there are so few good why such corruptions in both assuredly if God were faithfully earnestly instantly called vpon we should haue more store of better 5 In the last place what may we thinke of those who pray not for the Saints all of whom aboue al other ought to be prayed for can the loue of God be in such But then what of such as are so farre from praying for any of them as they curse them wish all euill against them in this respect because they are Saints and vpright in heart there be husbands that curse such wiues parents such children maisters such seruants Magistrates such subiects Ministers such people and so on the other side wiues such husbands children such parents c. So also brothers such brothers kinsmen such kinsmen neighbours such neighbours c. Well may wee thinke that they who thus hate whom God loueth and curse whom God blesseth are neither loued of God nor shall receiue blessing from him vnlesse they thorowly repent The Apostle saith pray for all Saints among Saints excluding none at all they curse all Saints euen those that are by outward bonds neerest knit vnto them This their bitter spite against Saints whom otherwise they could loue if they wee not Saints argueth that they haue no part or fellowship in the body of Christ nor in other priuiledges of the Saints §. 53 Of the things which we are to pray for in the behalfe of others FOr the things which wee are to aske in praier for others in generall they are whatsoeuer we may aske for our selues for proofe whereof obserue the forme of the Lords praier in euery petition where we aske any thing for our selues we include others we aske bread for others giue vs our daily bread so likewise forgiuenesse of sinnes freedome from temptation and deliuerance from euill Here therefore I might runne ouer againe al those particular points which were before deliuered concerning good things whether temporall spirituall or eternall to be praied for and euill things whether euill of fault or euill of punishment to be prayed against and apply them to prayers made for others but that heedeth not onely here obserue this generall rule that according to the needes of others are prayers to be made for them 1 If they be not called pray that they may be conuerted no doubt but Christs prayer on the crosse was the cause that so many Iewes after his death were conuerted The like may be said of Steuens praier 2 If they be called pray that they may be established and grow in grace as Saint Paul did 3 If they haue sinned pray that their sinnes may be forgiuen 4 If they be sicke pray that they may be raised 5 If they be wrongfully imprisoned that they may be deliuered and so according to other needs §. 54. This Gods will not knowne is no sufficient cause to hinder praier for others Obiect THus may wee crosse Gods determined purpose by praying for those things which God doth not purpose to grant as to pray for a mans life when his time of departure is come Answ 1. The same might be obiected against praier for our selues and then what praier should be made 2 Gods reuealed will is the rule and ground of our praiers we are not to search into his secret counsell but whatsoeuer we find warranted in the word to pray for 3 In all praiers for others we must pray with limitation and subiection to Gods will there is nothing for which we can pray so absolutely in the behalfe of others as in our owne behalfe for we cannot know the estate of others so well as of our selues §. 55. Of imprecations against ones selfe THe fourth and last branch of Prayer is Expostulation or Imprecation against others which is a kind of Prayer whereby iudgement and vengeance is desired In handling this point I will shew 1 What the persons be against whom imprecations may be made 2 In what respect they may be made For the persons No man may pray against
Minister is their prayer thogh for order sake to auoid confusion there be but one voice vttered yet the hearts of all present must goe along with that voice giue an inward assent not so only but also it is very expedient to testifie the same so as the Minister may heare their consent as well as they heare his prayer The ordinary way and the best way for people to manifest their consent is with a distinct and audible voice to say Amen Thus the people were commanded to say Amen Deut. 27. 15. c. And accordingly was it practised Nehe 8. 6. It is a sound well beseeming Gods publike worship to make the place ring againe as we speake with a ioint Amen of the people The Iewes vttered this word with great ardency and therefore vsed to double it saying Amen Amen Neh. 8. 6. §. 84. Of the place of publike Prayer 2 THe place must be publike such a place as all that ought to meet may know and haue liberty to come vnto at first this was in some Family yea afterwards when all the world almost forsooke God God chose out of the world some peculiar families who with their houshold worshipped God in their houses as Noah in his time so Abraham Isaac Iacob in their times But when Gods people increased in the wildernesse hee caused a Tabernacle to be built that then was their place of publike worship afterwards a Temple was built which because it was the place of publike worship was by a propriety called The house of Prayer To this place if the people could not come they would at least pray towards it for which they had their warrant from Salomons prayer After that Christ came by whom the partition wall betwixt Iewes and Gentiles was broken downe and both made one people to God all places were sanctified for Prayer in which respect Christ said The houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem worship the Father So as vnder the Gospell no one place is more holy then another Yet it being Gods will to be worshipped publikely needefull it is that there should be places fit for that purpose Thus the Corinthians had one place to worship God in In Kingdomes and Nations where Gods worship is maintained are Churches and Chappels built for that purpose These being set apart for Gods publike worship Ministers and people are to resort vnto them Yet I denie not but in times of persecution secret and vnknowne places secret I say and vnknowne to haters and persecutors of Religion but knowne to true professors may be vsed for publike prayer as certaine Inhabitants of Philippi went out to a Riuers side to pray on the Sabbath day Separatists which liue in this Land and other like places where are publike places for prayer appointed whereunto all haue liberty to resort commit a double fault one in abstaining from such publike places whereby they shew themselues contemners of publike Prayer the other that they seeke priuate places as houses woods and boates for publike prayer whereby to say the least they turne Gods publike worship into a priuate worship Too neer to these doe many Schismatikes come who though they frequent our Churches to heare the Word preached yet will they not be present in time of publike prayer wherby they depriue God of one part and that the most principall part of his publike worship §. 85. Of vnanimitie in publike prayer 3 FOr the manner of publike prayer two things are requisite Vnanimitie Vniformitie Vnanimitie respecteth the heart and affections that all which assemble together may continue in the Church as is noted of the Christians in the Primitiue Church with one accord For this end in publike worship a voyce is necessarie for how can there be a consent of heart vnlesse one know anothers minde how can that be knowne but by the voice it is the principall end of speech to make knowne a mans minde A voice vsed in publike prayer must be Audible Intelligible §. 86. Of vttering publike prayer with an audible voice 1 IT must be so lowde as all that are present if it bee possible may heare it For a voice not heard is as no voice to them which heare it not they can giue no assent and so pray not it is noted that Salomon Blessed all the congregation with a lowde voice It is a fault for a Minister in the Church to pray so softly as all the people cannot heare him some that are able to vtter a loud voice that preach loud inough in praier cannot be heard is there not as much reason that people should heare their Minister pray as preach other that are loud inough in the midle ending of their prayer cānot be heard in the beginning but euery word ought so to be vttered as it may be heard It is a fault also in people so to say Amen as they cannot be heard why should not the Minister as well heare the assent of his people as they heare his prayer it cannot but slacken the ardencie of a Ministers affection when he cannot perceiue any consent in people to that which he prayeth but a cheerefull and euident assent doth quicken and cheare vp his spirit §. 87. Of praying in a knowne tongue 2 IT must be such a kinde of voice and so vttered as all that heare it may vnderstand it for so saith the Apostle speaking of publike prayer I will pray with vnderstanding that is so as others may vnderstand me Otherwise a lowd voice is no benefit at all If a trumpet should be sounded and the sound not discerned who shall prepare himselfe to battaile thereby That a mans voice may be intelligible his language wherein hee speaketh must bee knowne and his speech distinct §. 88. Of the aberrations contrary to praying with vnderstanding IT is vtterly vnlawfull to pray in a strange tongue a thing against which the Apostle purposely and copiously disputeth To omit many other arguments which might be alledged against prayer in an vnknown tongue let this one be noted that an vnknown tongue depriueth a man of the sence of Gods fauour in hearing his prayer For how can he who knoweth not what he hath asked know when his petition is granted Prayer in a knowne tongue hath respect both to the party that vttereth the prayer he must vnderstand what he vttereth or else his prayer is but a lippe-labour euen meere babling which Christ condemneth and also to them who heare it their hearing if they vnderstand not is no hearing they cannot be edified thereby Papists offend in both these 1 They teach children women lay-men such as vnderstand not one word of Latin to make all their prayers in Latine 2 They prescribe their publike prayers whereof all the people partake to be made in Latine To affect in prayer such vncouth words and
in secret when and where no other man knoweth calleth vpon God surely maketh conscience of prayer and hath an honest heart though hee may haue much weaknesse and many imperfections or else hee would soone omit his course of praying in secret For what by-respect is there that should moue him to continue it vnlesse hee bee Popish and thinke that the saying of a few prayers in secret is a meritorious worke 3 This argueth a great familiaritie with God when a subiect vseth to goe alone to his Soueraigne it argueth much more familiaritie then when hee commeth with a petition in the company of others 4 It bringeth greatest comfort vnto a mans heart for such is the corruption of our nature that we cannot performe any holy exercise as we ought When we would do good euill is present with vs whereby it commeth to passe that the comfort of such holy exercises which wee performe in Church or house is taken away This maketh Christians to run to God in secret to humble themselues for the imperfections of their publike prayers Christians would much doubt and euen faint oftentimes if it were not for their secret prayers They which content themselues with Church and family prayers haue iust cause to suspect themselues 5 Such wiues children seruants and other inferiours which liue in any house vnder prophane gouernours that will not haue prayers in their families may by this kinde of prayer make supply thereof vnto their owne soules none can hinder secret prayer Obiect Wee can haue neither time nor place to pray secretly Answ Doe yee not finde many times and places to commit sinne so secretly as none can see you if you had as great delight in prayer as in sinne you would find time and place This kinde of prayer so neere as may be is to be performed so secretly as no other may know it lest the knowledge which others haue of it may minister occasion of inward pride Shut the doore saith Christ It is not meete to vtter secret prayer so lowde as any other should heare it §. 95. Of extraordinary prayer THe last distinction of prayer is ordinary and extraordinary All the forenamed kinds are ordinary therefore I shall not need to speake of it Extraordinary prayer is that which after an extraordinary manner euen aboue our vsuall custome is powred out before God This consisteth partly in ardencie of affection and partly in continuance of time The King of Niniueh required an extraordinary ardencie when hee commanded his people to cry mightily vnto God Wee haue a memorable example hereof in Moses who was so earnest in his prayer that rather then not haue his petition granted he desired to be rased out of Gods Booke Christs ardencie yet exceeded this it is noted that hee prayed earnestly with strong crying and teares Yea his ardency made his sweat to be as great drops of blood falling downe to the ground This ardencie is in Scripture set forth by diuers Metaphors as renting the heart crying striuing wrestling with God c. Though this ardency be an inward worke yet can it hardly containe it selfe within a man but as thunder which is an heate conceiued within a cloude because of the ardency of that inward heate bursteth forth and causeth lightning rumbling and raine so a vehement and earnest desire of the heart will some way or other manifest declare it selfe Many waies are noted in the Scripture whereby it hath beene manifested §. 96. Of the signes of extraordinary ardency 1 EXtraordinary distemper of the body Christs earnestnesse in prayer stroke him into an agony and caused his sweate to be turned into blood Nehemiahs ardency so changed his countenance as the King obserued it 2 Vnusuall motion of the parts of a mans body Annah so moued her lips as Eli thought shee had been drunken Salomon spread his armes abroad The Publican beate his breast Christ fell vpon the ground 3 Deepe sighes and grones My sighing is not hid from thee saith Dauid to God The sighes of the spirit are such as cannot be expressed 4 Loud crying Dauid roared all the day Christ cried with a loud voice 5 Often repeating and inculcating the same Petition Christ did once twice thrice returne to God in prayer saying the same words Paul prayed thrice that is oft against a temptation Note how Daniel doubleth and redoubleth his words O my God incline thine eares and heare open thine eyes and behold c. O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it Defer not c. Abram praied sixe seuerall times together for one thing namely for mercy on Sodom 6 Teares these Christ powred forth So did the sinfull woman and the Israelites in such abundant measure that shee washed Christs feete with her teares they are said to draw water and powre it out before the Lord Peter is said to weepe bitterly §. 97. Of teares in Prayer TEares are the most vsuall signes of earnest and ardent Prayer in which respect they are powerfull with God Iacob had power ouer the Angell and preuailed for why He wept and praied Christ was heard in that which be feared For why He also offered vp prayers with teares Hezekiah wept sore and was heard Peters teares the sinfull womans teares Annahs teares the teares of Gods children at all times haue beene regarded and accepted Yea it is noted that God hath a bottle wherein he putteth the teares of his Saints and with great Emphasis saith Dauid Are they not in thy Booke there recorded to be remembred Obiect Esaus teares were no whit regarded nor the teares of the Israelites when they went to fight against Beniamin no nor Dauids teares when he prayed fasted and wept for his child Answ 1 Teares simply in themselues are no whit acceptable vnto God but as they are signes of true prayer Esaus teares were not such they rose from griefe of a worldly losse and from anger malice and indignation against his brother Secondly If any continue in sinne and repent not their teares are not regarded The Israelites had not repented of their owne sinnes and yet would take vengeance of their brothers sinne they wept because they preuailed not but they wept not because they repented not of their owne sinnes Afterwards when in token of their repentance they fasted and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings vnto the Lord and so wept the Lord heard them and they preuailed against Beniamin 3 Though God grant not that particular which by teares is craued yet may the teares be acceptable to the Lord as Dauids were Then are teares most powerfull and effectuall when they arise from compunction of heart for sinne committed against God as the teares of the sinfull woman and of Peter Nothing more moues the true Christian heart to melt and eyes
soule Sleepe of the body is such a binding of outward sences as they can not exercise their seuerall functions as the eye cannot see the eare cannot heare and so in the rest Watchfulnesse is contrary hereunto a keeping of the sences free and loose so as readily they are able to performe their functions Thus by way of resemblance when the soule is so possessed and ouercome with security and spirituall sencelesnesse as it cannot performe the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse it is said to be asleepe when it rowseth vp it selfe and casteth away security it is said to watch in this sence saith the Apostle Let vs not sleepe as doe other but watch Most restraine this watching vnto prayer to the inward spirituall watchfulnesse of the soule which I will not denie to be here especially meant But yet I cannot thinke that the watchfulnesse of the body is excluded for if the body be drowsie the mind cannot be watchfull The Apostle by this clause would rowse vp both body soule vnto prayer The watchfulnesse of the body alone is nothing It is the spirit the vprightnesse ardency and cheerefulnesse of it which maketh prayer to be acceptable to God as we heard before §. 131. Of Popish Night vigils RIght watching vnto Prayer is to be noted against the Night-vigils of Papists who place an extraordinary great point of Religion and deuotion in the obseruing of them Vsually they make three vigils one at the closing vp of the day and beginning of the night Another at mid-night The third at the closing vp of the night and beginning of the day In some places they haue more vigils as some are more superstitious then others These vigils they ground on this and other like places where we are commanded to watch vnto Prayer as if they who waked to mumble ouer and ouer a few set prayers whilst others slept obserued this precept For in the outward babbling of a few prayers standeth the greatest part of their Religion I wot well those night prayers are oft performed so drowsily and sleepily that it were better they were fast asleepe in their beds then betwixt sleeping and waking so to mocke God Obiect Dauid saith that at mid-night he would rise to giue thankes vnto God Answ He did not make it a law euery mid-night to rise but occasion being offered hee would euen then rise And so ought euery Christian to doe for this is comprised vnder that particle Alwayes or in euery season Thus Paul and Silas being in prison Prayed at midnight and Paul afterward preached vntill mid-night Yet did they not ordinarily vse this nor appoint it a Law vnto themselues or others Extraordinary actions are not to be enioyned as ordinary things then should wee spend euery day in fasting I might further shew many differences betwixt Dauid paul Silas their praying at midnight papists praiers but of this I spake before in the point of Canonicall houres §. 132. Of superstitious watching for Christs comming 2 RIght watching vnto prayer is to be noted against a superstitious practise of many whom I haue knowne to vse to sit vp all night at certaine times of the yeere keeping themselues awake with talking one with another playing on instruments singing and the like vpon a conceit that Christ will come in iudgement on some of those nights of the yeere and they would not then be found asleepe but awake because Christ said Wake for you know not what houre your Master will come These erre many waies 1 In that they prescribe certaine set times for Christs comming Whereas no man knoweth it 2 In that they conceit hee shall come in the night which is vncertaine for he may come as well in the day time for ough any man knoweth Indeed Christ speaking of his comming to iudgement saith in that night but this word Night is taken senecdochically for day or night a part for the whole a little before he calleth it the day when the sonne of man shall be reuealed and implyeth that when he commeth men shall be eating drinking buying selling planting building which are works of the day time Yet I will not deny but that he may come in the night time 3 In that they imagine that they which are asleepe when Christ commeth cannot be well prepared to meet him Whereas in truth a man that hath repented him of his sinnes and with faithful prayer commendeth himselfe to God and so goeth to sleep is as fit in his sleepe to be awaked and taken vp to iudgement as if he were in the act of prayer 4 In that they interpret that precept of Christ wake of bodily waking and watching here in this text of bodily watching But waking and watching in these and such like places imply not onely a keeping of the eyes but of the heart also awake attentiue vpon that which is done §. 133 Of watching both in body and in Spirit TO let all these other like erronious conceits passe to returne to our matter As outward watchfulnesse of the body is nothing acceptable to God vnlesse the soule also be watchfull so the soule cannot possibly bee watchfull vnlesse it haue the helpe of the bodies watchfulnesse for the parts of the body are those instruments whereby the powers of the soule are exercised Wherefore both must bee ioyned together as easily may bee gathered out of Christs charge to his Disciples Watch and pray That hee speaketh of bodily watchfulnesse is cleare for he found them asleepe and therefore said Watch. As cleare also it is that he speaketh of spirituall watchfulnesse because he inferreth this clause that yee enter not into temptation it is not bodily watchfnlnesse alone that can keepe vs from temptation Yet further this metaphor of watching hath a large extent for it is a military word and the Apostle still holdeth on like a wise Captaine to instruct Christian souldiers what to doe In time of warre there are certaine appointed continually to watch in some sconce watch-towre or other like eminent place where they must rowse vp themselues throughly that they sleepe not and not onely remaine awake but prie and view vp and downe euery where and discry what may be hurtfull or helpfull to the army So as watching vnto prayer implyeth a diligent obseruing of all such things as may help vs or hinder vs therein In this sence the Apostle saith of Ministers that they watch for the soules of their people that is carefully obserue what may make to the good or what tend to the hurt of their soules I might out of the full meaning of this metaphor collect many particular duties and distinctly handle them all but for breuity sake I will drawe all to one doctrine which is this For the better performance of prayer both body and spirit of him who prayeth is to be rowsed vp and kept from inward and outward drousinesse and due
such like place of learning to gather more more knowledge and vnderstanding of diuinity but neuer exercise themselues in vtterance neuer pray nor vse any meane to attaine thereto no though they be admitted Ministers inducted into liuings and haue taken vpon them the cure of soules Though they may know much yet their people are not edified thereby But what may we say of such as want both knowledge and speech such as the Prophet complaineth of saying Their watchmen are blind they are dumbe dogs they cannot barke they lie and sleepe c. These are the very bane of our Church and the dishonour thereof they take vp the places of better then themselues they take the fleece of the flocke but feede it not they driue away many from our Churches and offend more that tarry in it good they doe to none but much hurt and heavy is that account which another day they are to make vnto the Lord of the Haruest it had beene better both for the Church and also for themselues that they had been made carters then Ministers of the Word §. 158. Of Pauls gift of vtterance TO returne to our Apostle had not he the gift of vtterance if he had why both he make this request Doe men pray for that they haue Answ No doubt but he had an excellent and admirable vtterance for when they preached at Lystrâ— the Gentiles called him Mercurius whom they accounted the God of eloquence The many Sermons of his and Orations and apologies which are recorded in the Acts are euident demonstrations of his elegant and powerfull vtterance as also of his boldnesse and freedome of speech Obiect Hee himselfe confesseth that hee was rude in speech Answ That was said not simply but partly by way of supposition as if he had said many may and doe take me to be rude in speech well grant it to be so yet none can imagine that I am so in knowledge and partly by way of comparison in regard of the foolish vaine thetoricall flourish and shew of eloquence which other â—alse Teachers and many heathen Orators made as if he had said In regard of that curious verball eloquence which many vse I denie not but I am rude in speech In this respect he plainely saith That he came not with excellency of speech and that his preaching was not with intioing words But for good and true vtterance none went beyond him Wanted he vtterance when hee made Felix and Drusilla tremble as hee reasoned of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come Or when he caused King Agrippa to breake out in the midst of his speech and say Almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian §. 159. Of praying for gifts bestowed YEt hee desired that vtterance should be prayed for in his behalfe not without good reason for well hee knew that 1 That which he had was not so perfect but it might be bettered 2 God could take it away whensoeuer it pleased him 3 Hee could no longer vse it then God continued to enable him 4 No blessing could bee expected by it vnlesse God made it powerfull From the practise of the Apostle from these weighty reasons thereof I gather Such gifts as God hath once bestowed are still to be prayed for Compare the eighth and seauenteenth verses of the first Chapter of this Epistle together and you shall finde how the Apostle saith that God hath beene abundant toward them in all wisdome and yet prayeth God to giue them the Spirit of wisdome Compare the 3. and 9. verses of Colos 1. and ye may gather as much Vse 1 Haue not those that are best furnished neede to pray themselues and haue the helpe of others prayers Suppose they should be destitute of no needfull gift yet we see prayer is needfull for the gifts we haue Vse 2 They are too insolent who hauing receiued some gifts trust to themselues and look not to God who gaue them Thus many ventring to swim alone are drowned Many that haue good gifts perish themselues and are a cause that others perish with them For sonne fall into grosse heresies some into a vaine kind of affectation some forget that which once they had some grow very sots and dolts By these and many other wayes doth God iustly punish the pride of Ministers §. 160. Of opening the mouth THe next point concerneth the manner of vtterance the first branch whereof is opening the mouth the second boldnesse which according to the originall may thus be set downe Pray for me that vtterance may be giuen me in opening my mouth boldly to publish c. Or thus With opening my mouth in boldnesse This opening of the mouth is not to be taken as a meere pleonasme or redundancy of speech as when we say I saw with mine eyes opened or hâ—ard with miâ—e eares 〈◊〉 but as a speciall emphasis implying a plaine distinct audible deliuery and that according to the literall meaning of the phrase This phrase is sometimes taken figuratiuely for a free and bold deliuery of a mans mind 〈…〉 is more plainely expressed in the next 〈…〉 againe for freedome and liberty to speake but that is set downe in the next verse Wherefore I take it in the literall sence opposed to an euill vnbeseeming shamefastnesse which maketh men speake whisperingly betwixt the teeth and lips as if they were loath to be heard §. 161. Of deliuering the Word distinctly and audibly FRom the meaning of this phrase I gather that Ministers ought to vtter the Word distinctly and audibly so as it may be heard and vnderstood the Prophets were commanded to cry yea to cry aloud and lift vp their voice to cry in the eares of the people Thus did Wisdome Shee cried without and vttered her voice in the streets This manifesteth an holy zeale in Ministers and sheweth that they are not ashamed of their function but desirous of the good of the people In this respect doth the Apostle vse this phrase where he saith O Corinthians our mouth is open vnto you Besides by this manner of deliuering the Word is the eare more pierced and the heart more affected Vse Heere then may such parents iustly be censured as hauing children whose speech is so weake as well it cannot be heard of many or so stuttering as well it cannot be vnderstood doe yet traine them vp to be Preachers Vnder which censure come they also who hauing such speech doe notwithstanding thrust themselues into the Ministry and not so onely but also affect and seeke to preach in spacious and populous places it cannot be but that many which come to heare must needs be depriued of the benefit of their preaching The voice is an especiall thing to be respected in such as are set apart vnto the Ministry If one that cannot bee heard or vnderstood should come vpon a stage he would be hissed oft againe why
forcible reason to vrge them to pray for those gifts in his behalfe 1. To make knowne so as they shall thereby attaine to knowledge 2 The mysterie a thing that is not easily knowne 3 Of the Gospell the best thing that can be learned In generall we may note that the end which the Apostle aymed at in desiring vtterance was for the edification of others for to make a thing knowne is to instruct and edifie others Heere obserue That which Ministers ayme at infitting themselues to the Ministery must be the edification of the Church they may and must desire and seeke the best gifts yea they may seeke to excell but to the edifying of the Church expresly the Apostle chargeth that all things be done to edifying For this end Christ ordained Ministers euen for the edifying of the body of Christ Vse Let them consider this whose end is onely their maintenance who studie hard and reade much and preach often and all for their owne profit and preferment as is euident by their manner of preaching which is as plausible as they can frame it to the liking of those whom they seeke to please and by whom they hope to attaine vnto their ends whereunto when they haue once attained they can bid adue to all paines and say it belongeth to them which follow them to take the pains which they haue done But let those who seeke to approue themselues to the highest Master follow this Apostle Who sought not his owne profit but the profit of many that they might hee saued Herein he followed Christ who pleased not himselfe §. 166. Of making knowne what we know MOre particularly in this end we may note 1 The action to make knowne 2 The obiect the Gospell 3 A qualitie thereof the mystery The first sheweth that It is the duty of a Minister to make knowne what he himselfe knoweth In the fourth verse of the third Chapter of this Epistâ—e the Apostle implieth that he had great vnderstanding in the mysterie of Christ which is the mysterie of the Gospell heere spoken of Heere wee see that his desire is to make it knowne Thus much he affirmeth of himselfe saying When it pleased God to reueale his Sonne in me immediatly I went to Arabia namely to preach Christ And Christ of himselfe saying All things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne to you As Christ put this in practise himself so also he commanded it to his Disciples saying What I tell you in darknesse that speake ye in the light and what yee heare in the eare that preach yee vpon the house â—ops And Saint Paul to Timothie saying What things thou hast heard of me the same deliuer to faithfull men which shall be able to teach other also All the vnderstanding of the Gospell which God giueth to his Ministers is a talent giuen them to occupy and imploy by making knowne what they know they improue their talent they approue themselues to their Master they profit their brethren Vse Take heed O Ministers that yee be not like couetous worldlings who are euer gathering but neuer spend though ye haue neuer so much learning if ye make it not knowne it is but as the talent hidden in the ground now remember the censure that was giuen of him who hid his talent he was counted an vnprofitable seruant and the sentence which passed against him which was this Cast him into vtter darknesse c. Let not vs through negligence conceale our knowledge like that seruant nor through enuie thinke much others should pertake thereof like Iosâ—ah but rather bee of Moses and Pauls minde who were willing all should know as much as themselues §. 167. Of preaching the Gospell THe second point sheweth that The Gospell is the proper obiect of preaching What the Gospell is I shewed before for further proofe of the Doctrine note the coÌ„mission which Christ gaue to his Apostles when hee sent them out to preach Goe and preach the Gospell in this respect are the feete of Preachers said to be beautiful because they preach the Gospel The end of preaching is the saluation of mens soules for it pleased God by preaching to saue those that beleeue But the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation if the Gospel then bee not the obiect of preaching preaching must needs faile of the maine and principall end Obiect The Law also is to be preached Answ It is so but as a preparatiue vnto the Gospell in which respect very fitly saith the Apostle of the Law that it was our Schoole-master to bring vs vnto Christ thus is the Law preached for the Gospels sake so as it remaineth firme that the Gospell is the proper and principall obiect of preaching Vse Let our studies and meditations bee exercised in it so as our selues may first learne it know it beleeue it obey it thus shall we better instruct others therein and make it knowne vnto them That which was before deliuered of the excellencie and benefite of the Gospell maketh much to the vrging and pressing of this point §. 168. Of the Mysterie of the Gospell THe third point euidently declareth that The Gospell is a mysterie very oft is this title and attribute vsed in other places it is called The mysterie of God the mysterie of Christ the mysterie of the will of God the mysterie of the Kingdome of God the mysterie of faith the mysterie of godlinesse For God is the Author Christ the matter of it it declareth the will of God and directeth man vnto the kingdome of God Faith beleeueth it and godlinesse issueth from it so as all these mysteries are but one and the same euen the Gospell heere spoken which is fitly called a mysterie for a mysterie is a diuine secret Now the Gospell is a secret for none of the Princes of this world knew it it containeth the things which eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither came into mans heart It is also a Diuine secret for first it could not be knowne but by diuine reuelation the Apostle expresly saith that God by reuelation shewed this mysterie vnto him and that it was opened vnto the sonnes of men by the Spirit and thus came it to be made knowne by the Church vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places so as it was aboue the conceit not of men onely but also of Angels 2 Being opened it seemed incredible vnto all whose hearts the Spirit of reuelation did not perswade of the truth thereof therefore the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians that God would giue them the Spirit of reuelation in the knowledge of Christ that the eyes of their vnderstanding might belightned c. In a word of all other things it is the most abstruse no humane inuention like it none of the Liberall Artes and
¶ The Minde of the FRONT THis CONSTANT compleat Souldier doth oppose The Failing World the Infecting Flesh the Diuell In Iesuited Angel-shape Three foes Deadly 〈◊〉 tempting men to Euill Christ comforts with his own name-ensign'd Ensigne And crowneth his owne victory in fine Back-sliding IVLIAN is at peace with Hell Conflicts with heauen the knowne truth doth despight Whom Christs victorious Banner doth compell To yeeld the glorious Conqueror his right Snares Swords Fire Brimstone are his fearefull lot He now feeles him whom earst he feared not Selfe-strangling Iudas and selfe-stabbing Saul Stand euerlasting Pillars of Despaire To warne Succession of their dreadfull fall Neuer to be repair'd by faithfull Prayer Yet Heau'ns three yeeres and six month congeal'd fâ—st Elias feruent prayer thaw'd at last THE Whole Armour of GOD. OR A Christians Spirituall Furniture to keep him safe froÌ„ all the assaults of Satan The second Edition corrected inlarged whereunto is added a Treatise of the Sin against the Holy Ghost By William Gouge Resist the Diuell and hee will flee froÌ„ thee Iam. 4. 7. Imprinted at London by Iohn Beale 1619. The reward of the righteous A CHRISTIAN ARMED In this victory The reward of the wicked AN APOSTAT CONFOVNDED By This confusion ☧ Of Salvation Of the Spirit Of Righteousneâ— Truth Of the Preparatioâ— Of the Gospel Of Faith CONSTANTINE Thou hast overcome a Galilean New Testament IVLIAN The power of prayer Deceiveth Faileth Infecteth Desparation To the right Honourable Sr SEBASTIAN HARVY Knight Lord Maior of the Honourable Citie of London and to the right Worshipfull Aldermen and Sheriffes his Brethren and to the right Worshipfull Mr Recorder together with the whole estate of the said City all true happinesse Right Honourable Right Worshipfull YOur Honour and Worships being by the good guiding prouidence of GOD the Generall Captaines and Liefetenants of this Metropolis this chiefe City Castle of the Kingdome wherein by the same Prouidence I am thogh one of the meanest yet one of the Watchmen To whom ought I rather to present these fruits of my Watchmans function then vnto your Honour and Worships As duty in regard of your places so gratefulnesse also in regard of your kindnesses requires as much My Father Grandfather and other Predecessors haue of old from time to time beene beholding to this Honourable City the kindnesse which they formerly receiued is still continued to mee Which as I doe with all humble thankfulnesse acknowledge so from my heart I desire the Almighty to remember your Honor and Worships together with the whole estate of this Honourable City in goodnesse and not to wipe out the kindnesse which is shewed to the Ministers of his Word and to poore distressed people Long hath the Gospell beene purely powerfully plentifully preached in this honourable City and great countenance and maintenance hath by many therein beene giuen thereunto Good orders haue within these later yeeres beene taken for the better sanctifying of the Lords Sabbath Much reliefe is from time to time giuen to the poore These and such like workes of Piety and Charity are the beauty honour strength and wealth of this City I denie not but that in the outward politicke gouernment of this great Corporation and the many seuerall Companies therein London may be accounted the glorie of the earth But the things which make it exceed in glory are the faire houses of Prayer and preaching the Word the great Assemblies of Gods people frequenting the same to worship God the spacious Hospitals and places of Charity together with the liberall prouision therein made for reliefe of poore children and orphants of aged and impotent men and women of lame and maimed souldiers and of many other like succourlesse persons the thrones of Iustice and Iudgement with the like wherein London may be compared to Sion the City of God whereof great and excellent things are spoken Right Honourable and Right Worshipfull goe on this way which is the onely right way to procure the peace and prosperity of your City Let the Ministry of Gods Word be more and more promoted Let the Lords Sabbaths haue their due obseruations let the poore be releeued and the oppressed be succoured let profane persons and all euill doers the enemies of Christian Policies be punished In a word let Gods Ordinances be aduanced and right iudgement executed and so shall London be accounted the City of the great King where he will delight to dwell and bestow his blessing For in these things is God highly honoured Now God who can and will performe it hath said it Them that honour me will I honour It lieth much in the power of Magistrates to procure or hinder the blessing of God in those Cities places ouer which they are set For they being publike persons their good deeds are by the wise God publikely rewarded and their euill deedes publikely reuenged Right Honourable and Right Worshipfull accept I pray you the duty and pardon the boldnes of your Watchman And O Lord of Lords doe good to this City of thine continue the peace and prosperity thereof so prayeth Your Honours and Worships in all duty for euer bounden WILLIAM GOVGE TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE RJGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND OTHER my beloued Parishioners Inhabitants of the precinct of Blacke-fryers London Grace in Christ Right Honourable Right Worshipfull Beloued AMong the many great blessings which the Lord hath beene pleased to bestow on me his poore seruant vnworthy of the least I account this to be an high Fauour that he hath put me in his Seruice and appointed me to be one of the Ministers of his Word Basely is this calling accounted of by the greater and vulgar sort of people but my conscience beareth me witnesse that I receiue such contentment therein and hold my selfe so honoured thereby as I preferre it to all other callings and am prouoked thereby to giue some euidence of my thankefull acceptance thereof which better I know not how to doe then by imploying and improuing to my poore power the Talent which my Master hath committed to my charge I am not ignorant how insufficient I am thereunto and that not onely in regard of the greatnesse of the worke whereunto who is sufficient but also in comparison of other Ministers whom God in great number hath raised vp in these our dayes Yet withall I know that the great Master accepted the imployment of two talents as well as of fine yea if he that receiued but one talent had imployed it euen he also should haue beene accepted for God the righteous Iudge neither exacteth nor expecteth more then he giueth If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that which a man hath and not according to that which he hath not This is it which moueth me as by Preaching so also by publishing some part of my labours in Print to seeke the edification of Gods Church I account Preaching the most principall part of my function for this
his head-peece Or if hee haue a brest-plate and want a girdle to knit it close or tassets and cushes to couer his belly Thus if faith or hope or righteousnesse or veritie or any other part of the Christian armour bee wanting the Diuell can thereby take his aduantage to destroy the soule so as not onely duetie to God but safety of our selues may moue vs to put on the whole armour 3. True triall of the truth of those graces which wee seeme to haue is made by the concurrence meeting of al together Single graces that is graces which stād alone are counterfeit graces Faith without righteousnes is presumption righteousnes without truth is hypocrisie so in the rest Al come from the same fountaine he that hath not all hath none at all How needful is it that we follow the counsel of Saint Peter Vse 1 which is to giue all diligence to ioyne one grace vnto another to knowledge faith to faith hope to hope righteousnesse to righteousnesse truth to truth patience and so in the rest Thus will it not repent the Lord to haue prouided whole armor for vs when we shall vse all Thus shall we giue no aduantage to our spirituall enemies thus shall we haue euident proofe of the Spirits abode in vs and be assured that indeed we are borne anew §. 8. Mans endeauour to be added to Gods assistance THe two generall parts of the Apostles direction haue hitherto beene distinctly handled now let vs consider them ioyntly together The first part is that wee bee strong in the Lord. The second that wee vse those meanes which God hath appointed for our safetie Whence obserue that Gods assistance and mans endeauour concurre together Doct. 7. they may not be seuered Without Gods mighty power man can doe nothing vnlesse man put on the whole armour of God God will doe nothing This the Church knew right well and therefore both prayeth vnto God to bee enabled by him draw me and also promiseth to doe her vttermost endeauour and follow his direction wee will runne after thee The like we reade of Dauid but most clearely is this point laid downe by Christ who hauing said No man can come to mee except the Father draw him wherby he sheweth that God must enable man to come to him addeth Euery man that hath learned of the Father commeth to mee whereby he sheweth that man enabled of God addeth his owne endeauour Why Gods powerfull worke is necessary hath beene shewed before on vers 10. namely because of our owne vtter inabilitie to doe any thing of our selues Before God quickeneth vs we are dead in sinnes no more able to doe any spirituall function then a dead corpse to doe any naturall function yea after we are quickned we are still supported by Gods grace which worketh in vs yet being quickned wee must do our endeauour because of that order which the Lord hath in wisdome appointed to bring vs to glory For this end doth God worke in vs both to will and to doe that we should worke out our owne saluation Phil. 2. 12. 13. God worketh not vpon vs as vpon stockes or stones but giueth to vs life and abilitie as when hee raised the Widdowes sonne the Rulers daughter and Lazarus he put life into them and inabled them to mooue rise vp walke eate and doe other functions of the liuing Vse 1 By this is discouered the error of proud presumptuous Papists on the one side and of secure carelesse Libertines on the other The Papists to establish their owne power and strength hold and teach that after the first motion and stirting of the heart which they acknowledge to bee of God only a man absolutely by his free will may doe well if hee will But Christ saith of the branches which were in the vine whose hearts were stirred vp Without me yee can doe nothing The care which the Apostle hath to direct them vnto the fountaine of strength the Lord euen then when especially hee vrgeth them to arme themselues argueth that without continuall strength supplied vnto them from the Lord they are not able to stand of themselues against the assaults of their enemies Libertines fall into another extreame they to pamper their flesh and pursue their carnall delights so referre all to the worke and power of God that they are altogether carelesse in vsing any meanes themselues vpon conceit that God is able of himselfe to saue them and that when God pleaseth he wil saue them do they in the meane time what they list But fondly they argue from Gods power who neglect the meanes which God hath appointed and reuealed wherein and wherby he wil manifest his power His reuealed will is the ground of our faith and obedience if we follow the direction of it then may we safely trust vnto the power of God otherwise in attributing all to the grace of God we abuse it and turne it into want onnesse Were it not necessary for vs to doe what God enableth vs to do as wel as trust to the power of Gods might the Apostle needed not haue been thus careful in stirring vs vp to arme our selues Vse 2 As wee presume not in trusting to our owne strength left we prouoke God to resist vs so neither tempt we God in neglect of the meanes which he hath appointed lest we cause God to forsake vs but as wee looke for helpe and strength from God so must we be carefull in well vsing all those meanes which God hath ordained for our helpe and safety To this purpose tend all the exhortations in the Scripture whereby any duety is required at our hands Note the complaint of our Lord against Ierusalem How often would I haue gathered thy children together and yee would not Be we not like to them lest wee be reiected as they were Know we this for certaine that God wil not with cart-ropes by force and violence against our wills draw vs to Heauen To this end doth God take out of vs that stonie and inflexible heart which is in vs by nature and giueth vs an heart of flesh which is flexible that it being made pliable by Gods Spirit should apply it selfe to Gods worke as Dauid did Psal 119. 112. The truth is that many Christians are wonderfully wounded and foiled by the Enemie because of their owne idlenesse and securitie in that they are backward in putting forth themselues and negligent in endeuouring to do what God inableth them to doe Loe here is compleate armour of God prouided for our defence and safetie be we careful in putting it on and well vsing it Thus much for the meanes to be vsed §. 8. The end and benefit of Christian armour THe end why this meanes is to bee vsed followeth in these words That yee may be able to stand c. In setting downe this end hee declareth the benefit of the fore named
temptation IN combates euen with flesh and blood wee haue especially to doe with Satan Flesh and blood is but Satans instrument he is the Generall he the Captaine he setteth flesh and blood on worke he assisteth flesh and blood so as he is the author and finisher of the euil which they doe they being but his vassals though they seeke to annoy vs yet wee wrestle not with them but with an higher power When the Serpent tempted Euah shee had to doe with the Diuell and therefore the Diuell is said to be a murtherer from the beginning The Sabeans and Chaldeans robbed Iob yet is the deed attributed to Satan Though a mayde and a man brought Peter to deny his Master yet therein Satan winowed him Christ saith to Peter who tempted him Goe behind me Satan The persecuting Iewes hindred Paul from comming to the Thessalonians yet he saith Satan hindred him Satan is said to cast some of the Smyrnians into prison yet men-persecutors did it In this respect he is called the god of this world the father of murtherers aspirit that worketh in the children of disobedience and false Apostles are called ministers of Satan That which is said of flesh and blood in regard of others soliciting vs to sinne or hindering vs from good may be applied to our selues in regard of our corruption and euill lusts which prouoke vs to euill Satan hath an hand in them yea hee is the author and finisher of the mischief which they do so as in those temptations which arise from our flesh we haue to doe with Satan Therefore the Apostle dehorting vs from anger saith Giue no place to the Diuell When couetousnesse moued Ananias to lye against his conscience Saint Peter said Why hath Satan filled thine heart When pride mooued Dauid to number the people it is said Satan prouoked him for as the spirit of God stirreth vs vp to euery good thing so the spirit of the Diuell suggesteth vnto vs euery euill thing Vse Learne wisdome of the men of Aram. In all combates whether against our owne corruptions or against euill men as persecutors seducers and the like striue to driue the Diuell away and that by spirituall armour yea pray to God to rebuke him Assuredly flesh and blood cannot much annoy vs if Satan be resisted and withstood Obserue in all histories of all ages the records of battels and yee shall finde that if the Generals and Captaines haue beene conquered the common souldiers haue soone yeelded or beene put to flight It is the Diuell which bloweth vp in vs the fire of lust pride couetousnesse and all other vices he layeth before vs euill baits agreeable to our nature and so seduceth vs he inrageth persecutors hee blindeth idolaters he seduceth heretikes c. If this were well weighed it would make vs pitie flesh and blood when it fighteth against vs rather then enuie it it would keepe vs from snarling like a dogge at the stone which is flong Vse 2 I might heere lay forth the wretched estate of all that fight against Christians and shew how they fight vnder Satans colours and shall receiue their wages of him which is death but hereof I shall haue fit occasion to speake hereafter on this word worldly-gouernours §. 11. Who cannot stand against flesh and blood can much lesse stand against principalities and powers THe affirmatiue part of the description of our assaulters followeth which is ioyned to the other part with an aduersatiue particle but not with flesh and blood but with principalities whereby is further confirmed that which we haue before proued and shall yet more euidently be demonstrated in handling the particular branches of this description that our enemies with whom wee are to wrestle are much more terrible then flesh and blood I will not stand to prooue the Doctrine againe in this place onely heere obserue one vse Vse 1 They who are qualed with that which flesh and blood can doe can neuer be able to stand against these spirituall enemies He that is terrified with the barking of a little whelpe will be much more with the roaring of a Lion he that in faith cannot say I will not feare what man can doe can neuer say I will not feare what Principalities can doe Let this be noted of those who are turned out of the wayes of righteousnesse and made to flie by mans threatnings reprochings and euill intreatings let them neuer looke to ouercome and reigne with Christ The Sabeans Chaldeans and all that flesh and blood could do preuailed not against Iob. Wherefore when flesh and blood maketh any assault let vs thus reason with ourselues There are sorer enemies then these with whom we must wrestle if we shrinke from these how shall we stand against them Let the consideration hereof make vs the more bold and confident against all that flesh and blood can doe §. 12. Exposition of words NOw consider we the particular branches of this description of our enemies There are foure distinct branches distinguished by this particle against Much ambiguitie and obscuritie is in this description I will therefore as plainely as I can cleare the meaning of the words From these seuerall branches many collect diuers and distinct orders of Diuells one subordinate to another as among men there be diuers orders some Kings some Dukes Earles Barons c. Thus they make the Diuell mentioned before the head and Monarch of all the rest Principallities vnder him powers vnder them and so in the rest For my part I thinke these distinctions in this place ouer-curious I deny not an order to be amongst Diuels euen as amongst theeues pirats conny-catchers c. There is an head and Prince of them For mention is made of the Diuell and his angels There may bee also distinct and seuerall offices among them as among the forenamed pirats as some to tempt some to accuse some to execute vengeance c. For if all should doe the same thing how should the other things bee done but that certaine bee alwayes tyed to one place person and function is both vncertaine and vnlikely Further that heere in this place there should be so many orders and ranckes of Diuels as are distinct branches is also vncertaine neither can any such thing by any iust consequence be collected I rather take these titles to bee vsed by the Apostle to set forth their conditions and effects The first title is Principallities or gouernments so termed because they haue great rule power and dominion not so much ouer other Diuells as ouer wicked men The second is powers to shew that their principallitie is not a meere titular matter but is armeed with power so as with their powerfull gouernment they are able to doe great matters These two titles principallities and powers are thus set downe rather then powerfull gouernours to amplifie both the
for those which haue fallen they neuer had a graine of Truth in their hearts all the shew they made was only a shew They fell because they had no Truth in them Had they beene vpright they would haue continued so for marke the vp right man the end of that man is peace §. 18. Of the pretended iudgements on the vpright Obiesct 3. FVrther he inferreth that the vprightest are plagued as much if not more then others How then can their vprightnesse be pleasing to God Answ Corections are not takens of Gods wrath but of his loue when they are laid vpon his children The vpright haue many iudgements inflicted on them for proofe of their vprightnesse as Iob and therefore for their good and for their glory yea also for the glory of God §. 19. Of others opinions concerning a mans sincerity Obiect Esides hee laboureth to perswade men that they deceiue themselues in thinking they haue truth of heart when they haue none because other men iudge not so well of them as they themselues Answ No other man can so well discerne the Truth of heart as a mans owne selfe For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him As other men may iudge an hypocrite to bee vpright when the hypocrite in his own conscience knoweth himselfe to be so so they may iudge an vpright man to be an hypocrite But another mans iudgement cannot make the hypocrite to be vpright why then should it make an vpright man an hypocrite the hypocrites conscience condemneth him though all the world acquite him and the vpright mans conscience will vphold him as Iobs did though all the world condemne him Beleued if our heart condemne vs not then haue we boldnesse towards God For euery one standeth or falleth to his owne master §. 20. Pretended hinderances of plaine-dealing 3 AGainst Truth in words and deeds are obiected I know not what hinderances and inconueniences Obiect 1. Truth is an hinderance in that it keepeth men from much gaine for some say there is no liuing without lying and vsing the common secrets of Trades Answ It were much better to want gaine then to get it by any deceit of word or deed The bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with grauell A curse remaineth vpon that gaine which is deceitfully gotten But this pretext of hinderance is a meere pretext vtterly false for there is not a more sure meanes of gaine then truth in word and deed and that in a double respect 1. Because most men desire to deale with such so as they shall haue the best custome no man is willing to be deceiued but all desire that others should truly and plainely deale with them howsoeuer they deale with others 2 Because Gods blessing which bringeth gaine and maketh rich goeth with the vpright §. 21. Pretended inconueniences of plaine dealing Obiect 2. THe inconueniences are that the vpright are laughed to scorne they are a by-word in euery mans mouth yea they are trodden vnder euery ones feete d they are made a prey Answ All these wee may put as flowers into our garland of glory and reioice in them as we heard of persecution for Christ maketh them kinds of persecution Thus we see that Truth notwithstanding all that can be obiected against it is worth the keeping all the cauils of the Diuell and his instrument are of no force to make vs little regard this girdle of verity or lightly to let it goe yea such is the vertue of Truth that like the Palme tree the more it is pressed downe the more it groweth §. 22. Of holding truth more stedfastly for opposition LEt vs doe with this and other peeces of spirituall Armour as men doe with their cloakes which couer their bodies if the wind blow hard against them they will so much the faster and closer hold their cloakes Euen so the more Satan striueth to depriue vs of our spirituall robes the more carefull and stedfast ought wee to be in keeping them In particular for this girdle of verity it is so much the more highly to be accounted of by vs who are the Lords faithfull souldiers by how much the lesse reckoning is made thereof by the greater number of people In these daies all is for shew little or nothing in truth As building wares apparell and the like are all of the sleightest stuffe but with the fairest glosse and shew that may be so our religion and all things else That religion which outwardly is most glorious and pompous is of most imbraced as being the best whereby it commeth to passe that Popery hath gotten such liking of many Who almost is carefull to set himselfe alwaies in Gods presence and as Enoch to walke with him Many who seeme very deuout at Church seldome or neuer haue any religious exercise at home in their Family much lesse in their closets before God For their words they shall be as faire as may be before a mans face but full of falsehood yea most bitter and virulent behind a mans backe And for actions all are to bleare the purblind eyes of men All the care is to keepe credit with men wherein while men thinke to deceiue others they doe most of all deceiue themselues and their owne poore soules which shall another day answere for this deceit THE FOVRTH PART Brest-plate of Righteousnesse Ephes 6. 14. And hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnesse §. 1. Of Righteousnesse m generall THe second peece of our Spirituall Armour is Righteousnesse compared to a brest-plate Fitly is this inferred vpon the former for truth is the mother of righteousnesse they cannot be seuered In handling this point I will shew first what righteousnesse is Secondly how fitly it is compared to a brest-plate Thirdly how this brest-plate is put and kept on Fourthly what is the benefit of it Fiftly what are the wiles of the Diuell to keepe vs from it Point 1 Righteousnesse is our conformity vnto Gods Law an holy quality wrought in vs by Gods Spirit whereby we endeauour to square and frame all our thoughts words and actions vnto the righteous rule of the Law of God It is that which wee commonly call Iustice a vertue whereby is giuen to euery one their due whether it be to God or man Righteousnesse is often restrained to that part of iustice which respecteth man and so is the summe of the second Table but then either some other word is ioined with it which hath reference to God as Holinesse Luke 1. 75 or else some circumstance of the place restraineth it to man as Deut. 24. 13. But otherwise when there is no other word or circumstance which restraineth it then it extendeth it selfe to the whole Law as here The Law of God is a right and perfect rule and declareth what is due
what way they are to walke to Heauen hee sets many prickes and crosses therein as reproaches disgraces troubles vexations persecutions by losse of goods liberties and liues yea many times grieuous torments and tortures now if our soules be not fenced with the preparation of the Gospell of Peace what hope yea what possibility is there of going on and holding out in that way §. 3. Of the ground of Patience Point 3 THe Apostle himselfe in the last words of this verse sheweth how this Preparation this fence and furniture of the soule namely patience may be gotten euen by the Gospell of Peace for it is such a preparation as the Gospell of peace teacheth and worketh whence it followeth that the Gospel of Peace is the onely true ground of this peece of Armour For the better clearing of this point I will distinctly shew 1 What the Gospel is 2 What Peace is here meant 3 Why Peace is thus attributed to the Gospel 4 How the Gospel of Peace effecteth this preparation §. 4. Of the Gospel GOspel according to the proper notation of the originall word signifieth a good message or glad tidings so it is sometimes translated as Rom. 10. 15. How beautifull are the feet of them which bring glad tidings c. The same notation may our English word Gospel admit for spell in ancient time signified speech Gospel then is a good speech The most elegant and learned languages retaine the Greeke word The good and glad tidings which this word implieth is that Christ Iesus the Sonne of God is giuen vnto the sonnes of men An Angel from heauen thus expounded this word for hauing said I bring you gla◠tidings he addeth that vnto you is borne a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Therefore the Histories which purposely write of Christ Iesus declaring his Diety and humanity his conception and birth his life and death words and deedes humiliation and exaltation c. are by an excellency and propriety termed Gospels or to speake as the Scots doe Euangiles and the penne-men of them Euangelists If it bee duely considered into what a woe-full estate man by sin had implunged himselfe how no creature in Heauen or earth was able to succour him what full redemption Christ hath wrought and vnto how excellent an estate he hath redeemed vs it will appeare that neuer the like glad tidings was or could be brought to man-kind then this that Christ a Sauiour was giuen vnto them so that this message may well be called a Gospel or Euangile In it is the very fulnesse of Gods fauour manifested §. 5. Of that Peace which the Gospel causeth THe Peace heere spoken of is our reconciliation with God In the beginning God made man after his owne Image by vertue whereof there was a sweet harmony and concord betwixt God and man God hauing reuealed vnto man what was his good will pleasing and acceptable vnto him man being both able and also willing to doe that which was acceptable to God But long this Peace did not last it was soone broken and that wholly and onely through mans default For man wittingly sinned against his Creator and thereby iustly prouoked his wrath thus came enmity betwixt God and man Such a breach was made by mans rebellion that all creatures in Heauen and earth were not able to make it vp Christ therefore the eternall true naturall proper onely begotten Sonne of God tooke vpon him to be a Mediator betwixt God and man Hee satisfied his Fathers Iustice pacified his wrath procured his fauour towards man whereby God was moued to offer reconciliation vnto man withall he gaue vnto man his sanctifiing Spirit to breed faith in him that thereby man might receiue and embrace this reconciliation In this respect God is called the God of Peace Rom. 16. 20. and Christ our Peace chap. 2. 14. Prince of Peace Isa 9. 6. And God is said in Christ to reconcile the world vnto himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 19. Thus through the mediation of Christ God offering and man accepting reconciliation a most perfect and inuiolable peace is made betwixt them and this is the peace here meant As fruits of this peace there flow from it remission of sinnes quietnesse and comfort of conscience ioy of heart willingnesse and ability to doe that which is pleasing vnto God freedome from the dominion of sinne from the power of the Diuell from the euill of all crosses from the sting of death and of the graue and from the feare and fire of Hell §. 6. Why it is called the Gospel of Peace THis Peace is so appropriated to the Gospel that it is called the Gospel of Peace and that in a double respect First of the matter Secondly of the effect 1 The subiect matter of this glad tidings is the forenamed Peace and reconciliation betwixt God and man The Gospel first declared and still continueth to publish the same neither the Law nor any humane writings can doe this therefore so soone as one Angel had declared this glad tidings an whole troope of heauenly souldiers cryed out Peace on earth It was the Gospel which declared peace to Adam Noah Abram and the rest of the Saints in al ages before and since Christs time They therefore which preach the Gospel are said to publish Peace 2 It is a powerfull effect of this Gospel to worke Peace in them that heare it and beleeue it For in and by the Ministery of the Gospel the Spirit of Christ is conueyed into our hearts in which respect it is called the ministration of the Spirit This Spirit first moueth vs to embrace reconciliation offered in the Gospel and then it quieteth our conscience and so worketh Peace therein How admirably doth this commend vnto vs the loue of God and of his Sonne our Sauiour he thought it not enough that at first he made al in peace though he might iustly haue reiected man for euer as he did the Diuels because man willingly and rebelliously broake this Peace yet to magnifie his mercy towards man he spared not his Sonne but gaue him to be our Peace who to vse the Scripture phrase slue hatred and made Peace yea not so onely but also gaue his Gospel thereby making open proclamation of Peace and inuiting men to imbrace it Excellently is this set forth in the parable of the Kings sonnes wedding if we doe as they who were inuited thereunto how iustly doe we deserue to be depriued of this Peace What a blessing is it to haue the Gospel preached among vs the Gospel of Peace such a Peace as passeth vnderstanding Is it not an heauy curse to want this Gospel this should be a strong motiue to stirre vp Ministers diligently and faithfully to preach the Gospel and to stirre vp people earnestly to giue heed and credence thereunto euen as they tender their Peace §. 7. Of the ground
in and by whom wee are iustified and sanctifying Faith because by it God purifieth our hearts §. 14. Of the definition of iustifying Faith THis true sound vnfained iustifying sanctifying sauing Faith whereof wee now speake I say this Faith is a beliefe of the Gospel whereby Christ and all his benefits offered therein are receiued In this definition note the two vsuall parts of a definition 1. The common matter of it A beliefe of the Gospell 2. The particular forme or difference whereby Christ c. The former sheweth wherein true iustifying faith agreeth with other kinds of faith the latter wherein it differeth from them 1 It is a beleefe this it hath common with all kindes of faith where there is no beleefe no credence no assent giuen there is no faith at all 2 Of the Gospell though the whole word of God bee the generall obiect of iustifying Faith yet the Gospell is the speciall obiect thereof by it is the heart of a beleeuer especially moued and affected and this is it which iustifying faith hath common with that kinde of faith that commeth nearest vnto it and is hardly distinguished from it namely a temporary faith What the Gospell is wee haue shewed before The summe of it is plainely and fully laide downe by Christ himselfe in these words God so loued the World that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 3 Whereby Christ and all his benefits offered therein Christ Iesus is the subiect matter and very substance of the Gospel and so the proper and peculiar obiect of iustifying faith Christ I say not barely and nakedly considered in himselfe for then were he no Sauiour but accompanied with all those benefits which as our Mediator and Redeemer he wrought and purchased for vs. The Apostle setteth downe foure of those benefits Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification Redemption vnder which the other may bee comprised These are said to bee offered in the Gospell 1 Because of the necessary relation betwixt receiuing and offering for receiuing presupposeth an offering 2 To shew the ground of our receiuing which is Gods free offer 3 To shew that all they who receiue not Christ plainly reiect him and so are iustly condemned for reiecting him 4 Are receiued In the act of receiuing the nature of iustifying faith especially consisteth for thereby is Christ made a mans owne in this the best temporary faith that may be commeth short of iustifying faith for all that ioy which temporary beleeuers conceiue ariseth not from any true possession of Christ but onely from some apprehension of those great and excellent things which in the Gospell are promised Iustifying faith is as it it were the hand of the soule a spirituall instrument framed in our hearts by the Spirit of God whereby we lay hold on Christ and apply or take vnto our selues and receiue those things which God in the Gospel offereth vnto vs. This word of receiuing fitly answereth that metaphor of eating and drinking so oft vsed in the Scripture to set forth the nature of Faith Ye know that all the benefit we receiue by food cometh from our eating drinking it though there be set before a man great plenty of dainty and wholesom cheare yet if it be not eaten where is the benefit of it so in vaine is Christ with all his benefits offered if he be not receiued Fitly also doth it answer another excellent metaphor namely of marriage which is oft vsed in the holy Scripture to set forth that neere vnion which is betwixt Christ and the faithfull God maketh offer of his Sonne in marriage to mankinde Christ came downe from heauen to be a suter and to bee espoused Ministers his friends intreat vs in Christs steed to accept him when in our hearts we accept this offer and receiue this Sonne of God to be our husband then in truth and indeed wee beleeue and not before Thus haue I opened this definition of Faith in the seuerall parts thereof out of it two especiall points are to be noted 1 That euery faithfull soule euery true beleeuer giueth a full assent in his mind to the truth of the Gospel that God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life so as heere is excluded a wauering opinion for beliefe is a strong perswasion and also a presumptuous conceit for the Gospel is the Word of Truth which cannot deceiue 2 That with the assent of the mind there goeth a consent of the will soas what the beleeuer conceiueth in his vnderstanding to be true he embraceth in his will to be good and so in his heart ioyfully receiueth that faâ—â—r which God freely offereth vnto him namely Christ Ie Iesus and in with him all things needfull to saluation Thus by Gods offer of his Sonne in the Gospel and our receiuing of him by Faith we come to be espoused to Christ as a Bride to her Bridegroome to be in graffed into him as sciences into a stocke to be of one body with him he the head we the members and so he and we to make one Christ By the Faith here spoken of Christ dwelleth in our hearts he is ours and we are his This and nothing but this is it wherewith we shal be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked §. 15. Of the resemblance betwixt Faith and a Shield NOw further marke how fitly this Faith is compared to a Shield A Shield is a generall fence for the whole body especially for the principall parts the head and heart There are sundry kindes of shields bucklers and targets vsed in warre some round and small some square some like an halfe moone some after one fashion some after another and accordingly they haue diuers names The Greeke word which heere the Apostle vseth is taken from a doore or gate so as it signifieth a long broad large shield wherewith the whole body was couered The vse of it is both to auoide handy blowes strokes foines pushes and the like made with Sword Halberd Spâ—are and such like weapons and also to keepe off Darts Arrowes Bullets Stones and such annoyances as were shot and flung afarre off so as it is a common defence against all sorts of weapons all kinds of assaults Of this vse is Faith able to defend the whole man from al sorts of temptations cast against him by any of his spirituall enemies the flesh world or diuell By Faith the beleeuer holdeth out Christ himselfe and the power and efficacy of his obedience and suffering against all spirituall assaults if this defend him not from all what can This will keepe vs safe from temptations taken from the corruption of our nature imperfection of our obedience
good seed of Gods word being cast into them taketh deepe rooting bringeth forth the blessed fruit of Faith The Apostle saith that his preaching was in demonstration of the spirit that their Faith might be in the power of God It is noted that the Lord namely by his Spirit opened the heart of Lydia that she attended vnto the things which Paule spake In respect hereof the Apostle termeth the preaching of the Gospel a ministration of the spirit yea he vseth this phrase the spirit of Faith because Faith is wrought inwardly by the Spirit §. 20. Of the Lawes worke towards Faith THe order which God vseth is this First hee worketh on the vnderstanding and then on the will The vnderstanding he inlighteneth by his Word as in all fundamentall necessary points of Christian Religion so in two especially First in the misery of a naturall man Secondly in the remedy thereof That the Law discouereth This the Gospell reuealeth Touching mans misery Gods Spirit by the Law informeth a mans iudgement both of his wretchednesse thorow sinne and of his cursednesse thorow the punishment of sinne The Law discouereth such an infinite multitude of sinnes as otherwise man could not possibly find out It discouereth not onely notorious sinnes of commission but many other transgressions which naturall men count no sinnes many sinnes of omission many sinnes of thought and heart yea the very seed of all sinne the contagion and corruption of our nature Saint Paule expresly saith I knew not sinne but by the Law for I had not knowne lust except the Law had said thou shalt not lust The Law also maketh knowne the hainousnesse and greeuousnesse of sinne how it is out of measure yea infinitely sinfull because it is committed against an infinite Maiesty and that also against his expresse will reuealed in the Law so as sinne being directly contrary to the pure holy and blessed will of God cannot but make vs more odious and abhominable before God then any venimous Toade Adder or any other poysonous creature is in our sight Further the Law manifesteth the punishment of sin which is Gods infinite wrath for the least breach of any one branch of the commandements for it saith Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of the Law Now the fruits of Gods wrath are all plagues and iudgements in this world both outward in our estates and on our bodies and inward in our conscience and soule in the and death which is exceeding terrible to a naturall man and after all the torment of hell fire which is intollerable and euerlasting neither doth it reueale vnto vs any remedy of helpe but rather sheweth that we are vtterly vnable to helpe our selues and that no creature in heauen or earth is able to afford vs helpe or succour but vile wofull wretches as we are so shall we continually remaine Thus the Law sheweth vs to be such creatures as it had been better for vs neuer to haue beene borne or if borne then to haue bene any other then such as we are wretched cursed men §. 21. Of the Gospels worke in Faith BVt yet by the preaching of the Gospel the Spirit further enlighteneth our vnderstanding in a remedie which God in the riches of his mercy hath afforded vnto vs and in the benefit thereof For the Gospel reuealeth Christ Iesus who being the true eternall Sonne of God euen euery God and so able to beare the infinite wrath of his Father and procure his fauour tooke vpon him into the vnity of his person mans nature wherein he subiected himselfe to the Law and both fulfilled the righteousnesse and also vnderwent the curse thereof This is the remedy The benefit hereof is that God is reconciled to the world his wrath being pacified his fauour procured that remission of sinnes and deliuerance from the punishment thereof both in this world and in the world to come are obtained that all needfull blessings for this temporall life all needfull graces for a spirituall life and eternal life and happinesse in the world to come are purchased Without knowledge of these points concerning the forenamed misery and remedy it is impossible for any man to haue Faith and yet may men haue and many haue this knowledge who neuer attaine vnto Faith so as this is not sufficient Wherefore the Spirit proceedeth further to worke vpon the will of man §. 22. Of Griefe going before faith TWo especiall workes are wrought vpon the will one in regard of mans misery the other in regard of the remedy The first is to be pricked in heart grieued in soule wounded in conscience and brought in regard of any hope in our selues or any other creature euen to dispaire yea and to tremble againe within and without in soule and body for our sinnes and the punishment due to them Thus were the Iewes pricked in their hearts and the Iaylor so terrified with Gods iudgements that hee trembled againe and thereby their hearts were prepared vnto Faith For the measure of griefe it is not alike in all in some it is greater in some smaller yet in all there must be as a sight of sin and of the misery thereof so a particular sence of that wretchednesse wherein we lie by reason of it an vtter despaire in our selues true griefe of soule and compunction of heart for it §. 23. Of Desire going before Faith THe second worke is to desire aboue all things in the World one drop of the infinite mercy of God and to be willing to giue all that a man hath for Christ accounting him more worth then all things beside in heauen and earth as the Merchant in the Gospell esteemed the pearle which he found This earnest desire is in Scripture set forth by hungering thirsting panting longing c. All which imply a very vehement and vnsatiable desire so as they which haue this desire wrought in them will giue no rest to their soules till they haue some sweet feeling of Gods loue to them in Christ and some assurance that Christ is theirs whereupon God who hath offered to satisfie the hungry and thirsty and to satisfie the desire of such as pant and long after him by his Spirit worketh in such as are so prepared such an inward assent of minde and credence vnto the promises of the Gospell that particularly they apply them vnto themselues and gladly accept the free offer of God and so receiue Christ with all his benefits This is that onely ordinary meanes and the order thereof which God for his part hath set downe to worke faith in man §. 24. Of mans endeauour to get Faith THe meanes required on mans part are next to be declared Here I will shew what man must doe that he may beleeue and what motiues there be to stirre him vp to beleeue Two things are to be done of man one that to his vttermost power he vse and well
Desire after Christ before we beleeue ariseth from that sence we haue of the want of Christ but after we beleeue partly from the sweet taste we haue felt of him and partly from the want we still feele of him so as we can neuer be satisfied Hereby is the couetous mans true desire of mony manifested because he can neuer be filled but the more he hath the more he desireth An vnsatiable desire of Christ is a good couetousnesse The Apostle exhorteth to desire the sincere milke of the Word to grow thereby not once onely to taste of it If euer a man be satisfied with Christ and begin to loath him he neuer truely beleeued in him For first Christ is not like corporall meates which with abundance may cloy the stomach the more he is tasted the better and greater will our appetite be Secondly no man in this world can receiue such a measure as to be filled thereby If therefore a man desire Faith and fall away that seeming desire which he had neuer bred Faith in him §. 46. Of ioyning the effects with the causes of Faith in the tryall thereof IF vpon that fore-named illumination of the mind and disposition of the heart the Spirit of God hath drawne vs to accept of Christ Iesus tendred in the Gospel then hath Faith been kindly wrought and by this manner of breeding Faith a man may haue good euidence of the truth of it especially if he also finde that his Faith doth kindely worke and bring forth the proper fruits thereof For Faith is operatiue euen as fire Where fire is there will be heat the more fire the greater heat if but a little heate there is a small fire if no heate at all surely no fire I deny not but fire may be so couered ouer with ashes that the heat will not sensibly appeare but yet heate there is within so as if the ashes be remoued the heat will soon be felt so surely where true and sound Faith is there will be some holy heate some blessed fruits thereof it may for a time through the violence of some temptation be so smothered and suppressed as it cannot be discerned but when the temptation is ouer it will soone shew it selfe if not I dare boldly say there is no true liuing iustifying Faith but a meere dead Faith I haue my warrant from an holy Apostle so to say Iam. 2. 20 26. It is a working Faith which is the true iustifying Faith and this is the constant doctrine of our Church taught in our Vniuersities preached in pulpits published in print by all that treat of Faith That which our aduersaries obiect against the orthodoxall and comfortable doctrine of Iustification by Faith alone that we make iustifying Faith to be a naked dead Faith without all good workes is a meere cauill and a most malicious slander for though we teach that in the very act of iustification Faith onely hath his worke without workes yet we teach not that this Faith is destitute of all workes but that it is a Faith which purifieth the heart and worketh by loue Thus in regard of the office of Faith we teach as wee are taught by Saint Paul that a man is iustified by Faith without works and in regard of the quality of Faith we teach as wee are taught by Saint Iames that of workes a man is iustified tha◠is declared so to be and not of Faith onely Wherefor◠for the sound proofe of Faith we must haue also recourse to the fruits of it §. 47. Of the fruits of Faith IT were an infinite taske to reckon vp all the fruits of Faith For all the seurall and distinct branches of piety and charity if they be rightly performed are fruits of Faith Faith is the mother of all sanctifying graces for by it we are ingraffed into Christ and so liue the life of God Euery sanctifying grace therefore is an euident signe of Faith But that I may keepe my selfe within compasse I will draw the principal effects of Faith wherby it may be best proued vnto two heads First a quiet conscience Secondly a cleare conscience This hath respect to that benefit which we receiue by Faith That to the author thereof §. 48. Of a quiet conscience proceeding from Faith A Quiet conscience is that which excuseth a man before God so farre it is from accusing that it excuseth whence ariseth an admirable tranquility of minde which the Apostle calleth The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding It is euident that Faith breedeth this for being iustified by Faith we haue peace toward God So soone as a sinner truely beleeueth he hath some peace of conscience the more his Faith increaseth and the stronger it groweth the more peace he hath in his soule From Faith then ariseth this peace and from nothing else For it cannot possibly come from any perfection in man Indeed Adams conscience in his integrity did excuse him before God because there was nothing in him blame-worthy but so could no mans since his fall for besides those palpable euill deeds whereunto euery mans conscience is priny whose conscience can excuse him in the best workes that euer he did Is not all our righteousnesse as filthy clouts this Dauid well knew when he thus prayed Enter not into iudgement c. but Faith assuring the conscience that We haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous that he is the propitiation for our sins purging our soules with his owne most precious blood pacifieth it so that where this peace of conscience is there must be a true iustifying Faith §. 49. Of the difference betwixt a quiet conscience and a not-troubling conscience Obiect THe conscience of many wicked men lyeth quiet and troubleth them not Answ Their conscience is improperly said to be quiet it is either a slumbring cōscience which though for a time it seeme to lie quiet yet when it is awaked roused vp it will rage and raue like a fierce cruel wilde beast as Iudas his conscience did or else which is worse a seared and dead conscience which will drowne men in perdition and destructiou before they be aware of it Such a seared conscience had the ancient Heretiques Now these two maine differences there are betwixt these not-troubling consciences and that quiet conscience First they onely accuse not this also excuseth Secondly they lie still onely for a time at the vttermost for the time of this life this is quiet for euer euen at the barre of Christs iudgement Seate §. 50. Of the difference betwixt conscience excusing and not-accusing 2 Obiect MAny wicked men in doing euill haue thought they ought to doe so yea that they did God good seruice therein their conscience therefore must needs excuse them Answ Nothing so for because they had no sure warrant out of Gods Word for that which they did their conscience could not excuse
Satan and our owne lusts as for a time he gaue Dauid ouer §. 62. Of the assurance of Faith THe ground of the latter extreame is that they feele the flesh in them they are very weake and prone to fall away and many in all times haue fallen away Answer These that are thus tempted must know that the cause of our assurance is not in our selues but in Christ our head as we lay hold of him so he fast holdeth vs for there is a double bond whereby we are knit vnto Christ one on Christs part the other on ours That is the Spirit of Christ Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit This is our Faith for Christ dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Now though our Faith should let goe her hold yet Christs Spirit wōld not let go his hold This ground of assurance the Scripture expresly declareth for saith Christ I know my sheepe I giue vnto them eternallife and they shall neuer perish now marke the reason There shall not any plucke them out of my hand My Father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Wherefore the Diuell and all his adherents can doe no more to put out the light of Faith and plucke vs from Christ then all Creatures on Earth can to extinguish the light of the Sunne For why The Sun from whence this light commeth is farre aboue all they cannot come at it So Christ on whom our Faith is founded is farre aboue all our enemies Christ must be plucked out of Heauen if true Faith vtterly fall away 2 Let the fore-named weake ones consider that as the flesh is in them to make them weake so also the power of Christs Spirit is in them to make them strong Though the spirit suffer the flesh sometimes to preuaile it is not because the flesh is stronger then the spirit or the spirit weaker then the flesh but because the Spirit in wisdome will haue vs see our weakenesse see in what need we stand of the power of God flie to God depend vpon him and at length the Spirit will preuaile and get full conquest 3 As for the fals of other wee know not what they were in truth §. 63. Of the grounds of Scripture for perseuerance TO be freed from this last temptation they which are subiect thereunto must seriously ponder those scriptures which set forth the certainty and perseuerance of Faith which are such as these He that beleeueth hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto life He that drinketh of the water that I shal giue him shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shal be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life This is the victory that ouercommeth the World euen our Faith Hee that beleeueth on Christ shall not be confounded They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be remoued but abideth for euer The grounds of this stability of Faith are in the Scripture noted to be these 1 The constancy of Gods loue mercy truth couenant calling gifts and the like which is set forth by these and such like promises as these be I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue With euerlasting kindnesse will I haue mercy on thee My mercy shall not depart away from him The Lord hath sworne in truth hee will not turne from it I will make an euerlasting couenant with them The calling and gifts of God are without repentance 2 The perpetuall efficacy of Christs intercession manifested in one particular example which is to be applied to all his Elect for what he said to Peter I haue praied that they Faith faile not he performeth for all 3 The continuall assistance of the Holy Ghost in which respect it is said That hee shall abide with vs for euer and that hee which hath begunne a good worke will finish it If well we weigh and apply these and such like testimonies of Scripture though we worke out our saluation with feare and trembling yet shall we not be fearefull and doubtfull of the issue §. 64. Of preseruing and encreasing Faith AS a preseruatiue against those two poysonous potions and as a meanes to keepe vs in the right way from falling into any of the two extreames diligent care must bee vsed to preserue and encrease this precious gift of Faith for if Faith be kept aliue so as it may beare sway in vs it will keepe vs both from boasting and doubting Two especiall points there be which make to this purpose 1 A conscionable and constant vse of the meanes which God to this end hath appointed 2 Faithfull and hearty prayer for Gods blessing on those meanes The meanes are two First the ministery of Gods Word Secondly the administration of the Sacraments §. 65. Of vsing the word for increase of Faith VVEe haue heard before how Faith was bred by the word now the word is like to a kind natural mother which giueth sucke to the child which shee hath brought forth whereupon saith the Apostle As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby He had said before That we were borne anew by the word of God Here hee sheweth that the Word hath a further vse namely to make vs grow For by the Word the promises of God which at first were made known vnto vs and whereby Faith was bred are againe and againe brought to our remembrance the tender and offer of them oft renewed so as thereby our Faith which otherwise might languish away thorow our own weakenesse and Satans temptations is not onely preserued but exceedingly quickened strengthened and increased Vse Our care therefore must be diligently to frequent the publike ministery of the Word for by it Christ is lift vp in the Church as the brasen Serpent was in the Wildernesse Yea also to reade and search the Scriptures in Families and with our selues alone We heard before that we must attend on the Word till we find Faith wrought in vs. Here we further learne neuer to giue ouer but so long as our Faith hath neede to be confirmed and increased which will be so long as we liue in this world to vse the Word Wee may not therefore thinke it sufficient that we haue had this benefit of the Word to beleeue we must labour for a further benefit to be established and confirmed thereby more and more in our most holy Faith §. 66. Of vsing the Sacraments for increase of Faith THe Sacraments are purposely added for this end to strengthen our Faith which they doe two wayes First they are Gods seales added vnto his word that by two immutable things Gods promise and Gods seale wherein it
not thus search the Scriptures insteed of Gods word wee may alleadge our owne conceits §. 3. Of the meanes to finde out the true sence of the Scripture FOr our helpe in finding out the true sence of Scripture there are diuers profitable meanes as 1 Vnderstanding of the originall tongues diuerse errors heresies haue been drawn from translations It is likely that the first thing that moued Papists to make mariage a Sacrament was the word Sacramentum which the vulgar translation vseth Ephes 5. 32. and which the Rhâ—mist translate a Sacrament But the originall signifieth a mystery or secret Besides euery language hath proper kinds of speeches which being translated word for word in other languages would seeme obsurd so that for the true vnderstanding of the propriety of many Scripture phrases knowledge of the originall tongues is needfull 2 Skill in the Arts whereby proper and figuratiue phrases may be discerned and distinguished and whereby the true construction of words and iust consequence of arguments may be obserued These especially are for the learned wherein the valearned must seeke the helpe of the learned 3 Knowledge of the Analogie of Faith that is of the fundamentall points of our Christian religion that no sence be made contrary to any of them The literall acceptation of these words This is my body and the heresie of Transubstantiation grounded thereon is contrary to the sixt article of our Creed He ascended into heauen and fitteth at the right hand of God c. 4 Obseruation of the scope of that place which is interpreted and of the circumstances going before and following after Thus may the true meaning of that parable touching the Samaritan which shewed mercy to the man wounded and halfe dead be easily found out 5 Comparing one place with another Thus the meaning of many types and prophesies in the old Testament may be vnderstood by the application of them in the New By comparing obscure places with perspicuous places the obscure will be made perspicuous 6 Prayer For thereby the Spirit of reuelation wherof the Apostle speaketh Ephes 1. 17. is obtained therefore Dauid prayeth vnto God to open his eyes that he may see the wonders of Gods Law Psal 119. 18. 7 Faith and obedience to Gods word so farre as it is made knowne God giueth ouer such to beleeue lies who receiue not or loue not the truth §. 4. Of the resemblance betwixt the word of God and a Sword A Sword whereunto the word is compared hath a double vse one to defend a man from the assaults of his enemies they who can well vse a sword find a great vse hereof euen in this respect The other is to annoy driue backe and destroy a mans enemy This double vse did Eleazar one of Dauids Worthies make of his sword which he vsed so long that it claue to his hand againe he defended himselfe and the Israelites and destroyed the Philistims therewith Thus the word of God is of great vse both to defend â—s from all the assaults of our spirituall enemies and also â—o driue away confound and destroy them It is profitaâ—le for doctrine and reproofe for instruction and correction 2. Tim. 3. 16. This is euident by Christs manner of vsing the Word â—n his conflict with Satan by it he did defend himselfe against the first and second assault and by it in the â—hird he draue the diuell away Thus he vsed it afterwards in his conflicts with Scribes Pharisees Sadducees â—nd others When any thing was obiected against Christ â—sually he defended himselfe with the Scriptures and with the Scriptures he confounded them so did Steâ—hen Apollos and all the Apostles By the Word also may all carnall and fleshly lusts be cut downe and subdued as flesh may be cut in peeces by a sword Wherefore as Gentlemen souldiers and trauellers alwayes haue their swords by their sides or in their hands ready to defend themselues and to spoile their enemies so ought we alwayes to haue this sword in readinesse Let vs shew our selues as wise and carefull for the safety of our soules as naturall men for their bodies §. 5. Why the Word is called a Sword of the Spirit Vse THis word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit as in regard of the Author of it which is the holy Spirit so also of the nature and kinde of it for it is Spirituall and so opposed to a materiall sword made of mettall which may be called the sword of flesh To this purpose the Apostle saith The weapons of our warfare are not carnall not carnall is in effect as much as Spirituall Hence is it that it is so liuely and powerfull sharper then any two edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of souâ— and spirit and of the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Were it not spirituall it could not possibly pierce so deepe it could not discerne the thoughts of the heart neither could it any way annoy the Diuell who is not flesh and blood as we haue heard but a spirit Behold Gods goodnesse and wisedome in furnishing vs with such a weapon as our greatest enemies euen they who are not flesh and blood do dread and that not without cause because it is of power to confound them So as if we be wise skillful and carefull in vsing iâ— we need not feare their feare nor be troubled but wee shall rather strike dread and terror into them §. 6. Of the meanes of well vsing the Word FOr the well vsing of this Spirituall Sword foure especiall graces are needfull First Knowledge Secondly Wisdome Thirdly Faith Fourthly Obedience 1 For Knowledge In all things that we doe we must by the Word vnderstand and know what God saith what is his good will pleasing and acceptable to him for which wee haue both the practice of the Psalmist Psal 85. 8 and the precept of the Apostle Rom 12. 2. Eph. 5. 17. For by the holy Scriptures onely and alone we may attaine to the knowledge of the whole will of God Without knowledge of Gods truth we shall be alwaies wauening and neuer established in any truth whether it concerne iudgement or practise nor yet with courage resist any contrary corruption §. 7. Of the meanes to attaine Knowledge by the Word FOr this obserue these directions Vse 1 Reade the Word diligently and frequently Giue attendance thereunto and that not onely with others but also alone with thy selfe that thou maist better obserue it Haue set times for this end and be constant in obseruing them if by any vrgent occasions thy taske be omitted at one time double it another time 2 Meditate of that which thou hast read Meditatiâ—n is an especial meanes to helpe both vnderstanding and memory A thing at first reading is not so well conceiued 〈◊〉 when it is seriously
two natures of Christ in one person with the like are vnconceiueable mysteries yet so plainly opened in the Scripture as we may well discerne these things to be so though we cannot fully conceiue how they should be so Secondly in regard of the manner of writing many abstruse phrases are therein as diuers Hebraismes which it may be were familiar to the Iewes but are obscure to vs and sundry Metaphors allegories and other tropes and figures Yet these by diligent study of the Scriptures and carefull vse of the meanes beforenamed may also be found out Thirdly in regard of the persons who reade or heare the Scriptures Naturall men are not capable of the things of the Spirit of GOD they cannot know them and the God of this world doth blinde the eyes of wicked men yet He that is spirituall discerneth all things for God giueth vnto him the Spirit of reuelation whereby the eyes of his vnderstanding are opened Many despise the Scripture because of the plainnes of it what maruel then that God hide frō them the great and diuine mysteries of his Word how should he conceiue that which is hard who despiseth that which is easie Fourthly in regard of the manner of searching for if men cursorily and carelesly reade the Scripture no maruell if they vnderstand little or nothing for the promise of finding is made to those who seeke as for gold and search as for treasures §. 20. Of the reasons why the Scripture is in some respects difficult IN these and such like respects the Scriptures are indeed hard which the Lord hath so ordered for iust and weighty reasons as First to declare vnto man his naturall blindnesse and to suppresse all selfe-conceit By the mysteries of the Word the wisdome of man is found to be foolishnesse Secondly to keepe holy things from Hogs and Dogs and so to make a difference betwixt the children of the kingdome and the wicked Thirdly to maintaine the diuine ordinance of preaching and expounding the Scriptures Fourthly to raise vp in vs an appetite after the Word and an high esteeme of it and to keepe vs from loathing it Deepe and profound matters are much desired and respected easie things are soone loathed Wherefore the holy Spirit of God hath so tempered the holy Scripture as by the perspicuity of it we are kept from staruing and by the difficulty of it from loathing it Fiftly to stirre vs vp diligently to study and search the Scriptures and carefully to vse the meanes whereby we may finde out the hidden Treasure in it Sixtly to make vs to call vpon him who is the Author of the Scripture to giue vnto vs the Spirit of reuelation and not to reade or heare the Word without faithfull and earnest prayer §. 21. Of the perspicuity of the Scripture BVt to returne to the point Though the word in the forenamed respects and for the forenamed reasons be difficult and obscure yet is it for the most part so perspicuous as with great profit and to good edification it may bee read and heard of the simple and vnlearned And as for all the fundamentall points of Christian Religion necessary to saluation they are clearely and plainly set downe so as the humble and obedient heart may distinctly without wauering and gainsaying conceiue and beleeue them Thus not vnfitly is the Scripture compared in regard of the perspicuity of it to afoard ouer which a Lambe may wade and in regard of the difficulty of it to a Sea in which an Elephant may swimme §. 22. Answer to Satans suggestion of the danger of suffering all sorts to reade the Scriptures 4 Sugg IT is indeed a two-edged Sword but too sharpe and keene for children It is not fit that Lay-men Woemen and such as haue not skill in Tongues and Arts should reade it they oft pierce and wound their own soules consciences with this Sword as children hurt themselues with kniues With this also are the Papists exceedingly beguiled Answ As the Word is sharpe in it selfe so hath it an inward power to giue sharpnes of wit that vnto the simple and to the child knowledge and discretion so as by the word they may learn wel to vse the Word How can that be thought to be vnfit for laymen womē to vse which God hath expresiy cōmanded thē to vse except question be made of his wisdome As the forenamed girdle brest-plate shooes shield helmet were prescribed to all of all sorts so this sword and Christ without exception of any saith to all Search the Scriptures God expresly commandeth That the Law bee read to all euen men women children strangers Deut. 31. 11. 12. And great reason there is for it for as euery one eateth for himselfe so he liueth by his owne faith but the Word is the ground of faith By it therefore must they know what they belieue As for those wounds in conscience which many receiue by the Word they are good wounds whereby such corruption as festred in them being let out the conscience is more soundly healed vp the wounds which it maketh turne not to festring sores §. 23. Answere to Satans suggestion of the hurt of much knowledge 5. Suggest TOo much knowledge is not good it puffeth vp it maketh people contemne their brethren neglect Ministers loathe preaching But ignorance is mother of deuotion These things hath Satan taught not only Papists but also many other which pretend an hatred of Popery to obiect against the Word Answ Knowledge in it selfe is a very good thing a dutie expresly commanded Ioyne with vertue knowledge saith Saint Peter yea Saint Paul goeth further and implieth that it is our duty to bee filled with knowledge and to abound therein and on the other side the Prophet complaineth that Gods people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge It is not knowledge but the abuse thereof which puffeth vp and so much doth the Apostle imply Now if the abuse of a good thing should make vs auoid it what good thing should not bee auoided The cause that Ministers or any other are contemned is not knowledge but that corruption which is in man euen as by the venome in a Spider the sweete iuice of a flower is turned into poison But the truth is that nothing maketh the preaching of Gods word to be more highly accounted of then knowledge for 1 They who know something of the great mysteries of godlinesse if they know it aright find such good therby that earnestly they desire to know more 2. They desire also to haue their affections wrought vpon and that which they know to be oft brought vnto their mindes for which end also the preaching of the Word is ordained This moued S. Peter to write 3. They who know that to be true which is preached doe in that respect the better attend vnto it with greater assurance beleeue
obtaine and what conditionally as all temporall things and such like as may make sometime to their aduantage and sometime to their damage These they pray for with a subiection of their owne wils to Gods as Christ vnto his Father Not as I will but as thou wilt and the Leaper to Christ If thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane and Dauid to God Behold here I am let him doe to mee as seemeth good in his eyes That which was obiected of Moses Samuel Noah Daniel Iob is but a meere supposition not a thing done besides it is said They should deliuer their owne soules so as their Prayers should not be without profit §. 22. Of the sixth motiue the efficacy of Prayer 3 SVch is the efficacy of Prayer as nothing can bee more powerfull for it preuaileth ouer all creatures whether reasonable or vnreasonable and of reasonable both visible as man and inuisible as Angels whether euill or good yea it preuaileth with the Creator himselfe 1 Daniel by Prayer stopped the mouthes of Lyons among whom he was cast 2 By Dauids Prayer was Achitophels wisdome turned into foolishnesse By Iaakobs Prayer was Esaus wrath allaied By Mordichaies Esthers Prayer was Hamans malice like Sauls sword turned into his own bowels By Hezekiahs Praier was the whole hoste of Senacherib ouerthrown One faithful maÌ„s prayer is more forcible theÌ„ the power of a whole army witnes the example of Moses who lift vp his hand while Israel fought against Amalek 3 By Prayer the Diuel when he hath gotten fastest hold and surest possession is cast out It is here in this Text laid downe as a meanes to subdue the forenamed principalities and powers 4 If Christ would haue prayed he might haue had more then twelue legions of good Angels to guard him At Elishahs Prayer a mountaine was full of horses and chariots of fire round about it Obiect If Prayer be thus powerfull with Angls it is good to pray vnto them Answ The Angels are prest onely to Gods seruice and alwayes behold his face when he sends they go and not when we call them Now our Prayer moueth God to send them and thus at our Prayer they come to guide vs. Vnreasonable creatures by Prayer are restrained from hurting vs and made seruiceable is it therefore reason that we should pray vnto them 5 By Prayer Iaakob had power ouer the Angel which was the Angell of the couenant Christ Iesus true God who therefore was called Israel because he preuailed with God Prayer so far preuaileth with God that it euen forceth a blessing from him whereupon we are saide â—o striue or wrestle in Prayer to God and * stayeth and holdeth him backe when he is going out in wrath and causeth him to repent and reuerse his sentence pronounced §. 23. In what respects men are said to preuaile with God by Prayer Obiect THis may seeme to impeach the immutability and omnipotency of God If man preuaile with him how is he almighty if he repent how is he vnchangeable Answ Those phrases of preuailing with God of holding him of his repenting and the like are spoken figuratiuely after the manner of men for our better vnderstanding Voluntarily God yeeldeth to all that he seemeth to be forced vnto yea he hath before-hand determined so to doe but as he appointeth the thing to be done so the meanes whereby it is done without the meanes nothing shall be done vpon a right vse of the meanes all things shall be effected now prayer being the meanes appointed by God of procuring blessing and auoyding iudgement Prayer may fitly be said in regard of that order which God hath voluntarily set downe to be of power with God §. 24. Of extraordinary effects of Prayer MAny admirable and extraordinary are the things which the Prayers of Gods faithfull children haue in all ages effected At Moses Prayer the red Sea was diuided asunder At Iosuahs Prayer the Sunne stayed his course At Hezekiahs Prayer it turned backward At Eliahs Prayer raine was stayed three yeeres and an halfe together infinite it were to reckon vp all particulars I wil bring to your remembrance onely one which among and aboue the rest is most remarkeable which is concerning Christs Prayer at his baptisme by the power wherof first the heauens were clouen Secondly the holy Ghost descended downe vpon him Thirdly the Father gaue an euident and audible testimony that Christ was his beloued Sonne whereby is declared that the Prayers of Gods children pierce the heauens make the holy Ghost to come into them and cause God to witnesse that they are his children though not so visibly and audibly yet as truely and effectually §. 25. Of the vse which we may make of efficacy of extraordinary Prayers Obiect THese are extraordinary examples of extraordinary persons who had an extraordinary spirit so as ordinary persons can looke for no such matters As for Christ he was the true naturall Sonne of God Answ 1 These things are recorded to shew the power and efficacy of Prayer To which purpose Saint Iames alledgeth that extraordinary example of the Prayer of Eliah And the argument will well follow from the greater to the lesse For if God heard his seruants in extraordinary matters will he not much more heare vs in such ordinary matters as we stand in need of and he hath promised to giue vs 2 Though Christ were the only begotten Son of God and the proper obiect of his loue yet in and thorow Christ God hath adopted vs to be his children and with that loue he beareth vnto Christ he loueth vs so as if we call vpon him in Christs name he will hearken vnto to vs as vnto his children and accept of our Prayers as if Christ had made them for he offereth them vp vnto his Father Thus we see that the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much §. 26. Of the seuenth motiue the honour of Praying 4 THere is no one thing wherein and whereby God doth more honour his seruants then by vouchsafing vnto them this high priuiledge and sauour to pray vnto him By prayer haue the Saints a free accesse vnto the glorious throne of Gods grace yea they haue a familiar acquaintance with him It is a great prerogatiue that God in his Word vouchsafeth to speake to man but not comparable to this that man should talke with God God by his Word speaketh to all euen to the wicked and rebellious but none but Saints by Prayer speake to him the Prayer of the wicked is no Prayer but meere lip-labour We know that it implyeth much more familiarity for an inferiour freely to speake to his superior then a superior to his inferior Esther though a Queene accounted it a great fauour that she was louingly and kindly accepted when she approached into the presence of a mortall Monarch Now
Of preuenting the sinne against the Holy Ghost TO returne to the point in hand wee haue heard what the sinne against the Holy Ghost is and what the issue thereof is namely Impossibility of pardon certaintie of eternall damnation Whose heart doth not tremble to thinke of their estate The very Diuels doe tremble to thinke of their owne doome and iudgement Diues is thought to be in a most miserable plight That which ministreth any comfort to sinners in this world is that they hope the due vengeance of their sinnes shal not be executed vpon them This hope can none haue that sinne against the Holy Ghost Though all sinnes as before we haue heard shall bee pardoned yet a man may so grow on in impudencie and obstinacie as to sinne against the Holy Ghost and make his sin irremmissible and himselfe certaine of eternall damnation Let vs therefore take heed of making any way to this sin and of prouoking God to cast vs cleane ouer into Satans power or rather to suffer vs to giue vp our selues wholly vnto Satan For the preuenting hereof let the directions heere following bee carefully obserued 1 Be watchfull against euery sin yea against the very beginnings of sinne Giue no place to the Diuell Take heed left there be at any time in any of you an euill heart of vnbeleefe in departing from the liuing God Especially let vs take heed of sinning against our owne iudgement and knowledge against the perswasion of our heart and conscience and against the reuelation and motion of Gods Spirit in vs. Sinne is deceitfull and Satan is subtill They allure men step by step to descend till by degrees they bring vs into this irrecouerable downefall of the sinne against the Holy Ghost 2 Haue the Gospell the Word of saluation in high account As we haue knowledge thereof so let vs set our heart and loue vpon it Loue of the Gospell will make men cleaue close vnto it and will keepe them from renouncing of it If men receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued God will send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lye and bee damned Through light esteeme of the Gospell men oft come to reiect it and to proue Apostates 3 Duely weigh the difference betwixt Christ and the world how Christ can vphold thee and preserue and protect and prosper thee against the world but all the world cannot shelter thee from his warth True knowledge of Christ of the benefits wee reape by him of the priuiledges we haue in him of the comfort and peace we receiue through him will make vs account all the things of this world in comparison of Christ but as dung and it will make vs also stand the more resolutely against all the assaults of the world and not suffer our selues thereby to be drawne from Christ Let vs oft call to minde that which Christ hath said to this purpose What is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule or what shall be giue in exchange for his soule 4 If at any time through his owne weakenesse or the violence of any temptation a man be so farre ouertaken as to deny the Gospell and to forsake Christ let him not persist therein but rather as Peter did vpon the first occasion offered to discouer his folly let him throughly humble himselfe and speedily repent The longer sinne continueth the stronger it groweth and the greater aduantage will Satan take thereby Deadly poison being speedily purged out may be kept from infecting the vitall parts 5 After once thou art recalled hauing before time denied Christ be the more watchfull ouer thy selfe that thou deny him not againe and againe If the Diuell being once cast out returne againe Hee will come with seuen other spirits more wicked then himselfe If after men haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of th◠Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ they are againe intangled therin and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 6 While thine heart is pliable pray earnestly instantly pray as against all sins so especially against presumptuous sinnes as Dauid did and in particular against this vnpardonable sinne Nothing more powerfull against sinne and Satan then faithfull prayer without this all other meanes are fruitlesse This meanes is to be vsed as for our selues so also for others as we haue before shewed There is nothing against which we ought more earnestly to pray then against this sinne for no estate more desperate then theirs who fall into this sinne §. 34. Of the persons who cannot fall into the sinne against the holy Ghost AS this Treatise was begun with declaration of Gods Mercy in forgiuing all manner of sins so it shall bee concluded with application of comfort to the elect and that in regard of the nature and issue of the sinne against the Holy Ghost That which maketh this sin to seeme as an hot fiery thunderbolt euen that which maketh it most terrible and dreadfull that I say ministreth matter of comfort to the elect namely that it is impossible it should be pardoned and that the committers thereof are sure to bee eternally damned The comfort is this that the elect are absolutely freed from it so as they cannot fall into it The Reasons are euident 1 When they come to bee inlightned together with their illumination regeneration is wrought in them Now they who are borne againe cannot so wholly giue vp themselues to sin and Satan as to sin against the Holy Ghost The Apostle in a more inferiour degree and kinde of sinning then in this kinde against the Holy Ghost saith Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne againe 2 All the sinnes of the elect in the issue and euent are Veniall such as shall be pardoned For though in the nature and kinde of sin euery of their sins are as the sins of all other mortall For the wages and due deserts of sin not any one sin excepted is death yet hath Christ by his death satisfied for all their sins All therefore shall be pardoned to them 3 All that are elected are elected to eternall life and being elected thereto they shall assuredly be made partakers thereof Gods purpose and decree remaineth firme and stable and cannot be made frustrate They are not therefore in danger of eternall damnation and so cannot fall into that sin Yet let no man be presumptuous or secure in this regard for first hee may bee mistaken in his election and thinke he is chosen when indeed he is not If hee be deceiued and mistake the markes of his election then is he not exempted from this sinne and the feareful issue thereof Againe though he be elected yet if hee be not watchfull ouer himselfe
he may fall into so great a gulfe of sin and be so neere the pit of eternall damnation as hee will haue cause againe and againe to repent his folly as wee haue * before shewed Let vs therefore worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Vnto which saluation that we may be kept blamelesse The Grace of the Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with vs all Amen FINIS AN Alphabeticall Index of the particular points contained in this Treatise A ADuersity a matter of thanksgiuing 406 The vse of faith in Aduersitie 268 AEdification to bee aymed at by Ministers 526 Affiance in God 558 All sorts of people must fight 51 All assaults must be held out 109 Christ offered to All. 228. 587 Ambassadors of God are Ministers 535 Apostles especiall Ambassadors 536 The dignity of Ambassadors 537 The duties of Ambassadors 539 Gods mercie in sending Ambassadors 544 Christs Ambassadors worst of all handled 547 Amen the vse of it 431 Amen to be vttered aloud 434 Apostasie 604 Apostates 605 Ardencie in prayer 353 Signes of extraordinary Ardencie 441 Armour of God why so called 19 Armour of God compleate 22 Be bould in the Armour of God 23 No safety without the Armor of God 33 They safe who well vse the Armour of God 35 Most part of it defensiue 118 Assurance of faith 261 Assurance a propertie of hope 297 B BAbling in prayer 499 Beleefe see Faith None sinne in Beleeuing 232 It is a sinne not to Beleeue 233 Blasphemie 576 What it is 577 How hainous a sinne it is 579 Blasphemies of Papists 580 Blasphemie to bee punished by Magistrates 581 Occasion of Blasphemie not to bee giuen 582 Blasphemie may bee pardoned by God 583 Blasphemie accompanieth the sinne against the Holy Ghost 598 Blessings of God reckoned vp as temporall c. 403 Why many Saints want outward Blessings 412 Boldnes needful for Ministers 523. 557 Wherein Ministers must shew boldnes 524 Ouer-secure Boldnesse 258 Brother a title of humility and gentlenesse 4. c. All Christians as Brethren 4 C CAllings which are peculiar to be most respected 114. 534 Canonicall houres 476 Charge euery mans Charge to be discharged 114. 534 Chiliasts arguments for redemption out of hell answered 618 Christs comming to iudgement whether in the day or night-time vncertaine 490 A superstitious waking for Christs comming ibid. Compunction see Griefe Confidence in Gods mighty power 15 Confidence in ones selfe vaine 11 Confidence in creatures vaine 11 Conscience what is the righteousnesse thereof 145 A cleare Conscience what it is 252 How it commeth from faith 253 The ground of it loue ibid. It is accōpanied with a pure hart 255 It extendeth it selfe to all duties 256 It endureth to the end 257 A quiet Conscience what it is 247 No wicked mans Cōscience is quiet 248 Constancie 110 Corrections of God in wisdome and loue 187 189 They are not simply tokens of wrath 139 Some despise them some faint vnder them 183. c. How kept frō those extreams 184. 185 Courage spirituall needfull 6. 114 Cursing Saints an horrible thing 392 D DAmnation eternall 618 They certainely Damned whose sinnes are not pardoned 621 Danger must make watchfull 45 Darknesse spirituall 76 Dead not to be prayed for 377 Dead not to be prayed vnto 507 Defence not in ones selfe 99 Most part of Christians armour Defensiue 118 Desire of Christ 223. 243 Notes of true Desire 244 Desire of performing ones functiō 558 Deprecation against euill 370 Despaire whence it ariseth 47 Temptations to Despaire are fiery darts 282 Yeeld not to Despaire 234. 284 DIVELL The Diuell our enemie 37 What Diuels were by creation and what they lost by their fall 37. 38 What maketh Diuels terrible 38. 81. 87. 89 The Diuels subtiltie wyles and shifts 39. c. The Diuell principall in all temptations 56 The Diuels haue a dominion 61 Diuels power 64. 65 They cannot doe what they wil. 66. 72 Nor doe any thing against nature 66 Nor worke miracles 66 Nor force mans will 68 Nor search mans heart 68. 69 Nor foretell things to come 69 Diuels extraordinary power wherein it consisteth 70 How far it is diminisht by their fall 71 Diuels rule onely in this world 75 Their vassals are ignorant and euill men 76 How men may come out of Diuels power 78 Diuels are spirits 79 Diuels are not qualities 80 Diuels extreamely euill 83. 84 Diuels many in number 86 Diuels haue an head 87 Their number makes them terrible 87 Comfort against the power and number of Diuels 87. 88 Diuels aduantage in place 89 Diuels fight to spoile men of heauenly things 92 Diuels malice 93 Diuels darts and fiery darts 281. c. Times wherin Diuels shal be loose 105 Diuels haue an hand in afflicting Saints 177 Diuels can euery way annoy vs. 280 Giue not place to the Diuell 63. 103 Resist and driue the Diuell away 313 Drousie praying 493 E EIaculations of heart 479 Elect cannot sinne against the Holy Ghost Endeauour of man must goe with Gods assistance 29 Euils what to be prayed against 370 Kindes of Euill 371. c. Euils from which Saints are freed are more then iustly they can feare 413 How Euils may prooue matter of thanksgiuing ibid. Examination to be vsed at a Fast 460 Experience vpholdeth hope 306 F FAinting in affliction 182 Saints subiect to Fainting 184 How kept from Fainting 185 Family-prayer 437 FAITH What Faith is 257 Diuers kinds of Faith 208 True iustifying Faith 210 Faith especially to be taught and learned 199 The excellency and necessity of Faith 198 Faith cōmendeth Gods properties 200 How Faith resteth on Gods iustice 202 Great is the need of Faith 284 And great is the worth of it 279. 285 Faith maketh the Word profitable 323 Faith and righteousnesse haue distinct vses 152 How Faith hope differ agree 298 How Faith and presumption differ 287 Faith fitly compared to a shield 214 Faith fitly compared to Balsom 283 How Faith is gotten The Author of it 216 The meanes of getting Faith 218 The order of working Faith 220 Faith presupposeth knowledge ibid. Faith ariseth from sence of misery and desire of remedy ibid. What man must do to haue Faith 223 Motiues to Faith 224 Faith not hard to the willing 289 Mans vnworthinesse no hinderance to Faith 227. 292 Triall of Faith It may be knowne 235 Imperfect Faith may be sound 292 True Faith may stand with doubting 238 Faith operatiue as fire 245 Faith the first grace A mother grace 202. c. Faith workes loue other graces 203 Faith causeth a quiet conscience 247 And a cleare conscience 252 Faith causeth a pure heart 255 Faith may be as a tree in winter 252 How farre Faith may be lost 259 Faith falleth not cleane away 293 How Faith may bee preserued and encreased 263 How Faith is well vsed 266 Two vses of Faith in prosperitie and two in aduersitie 267 Helpes of
bee in the day or Night 490 O OPENING OF Ministers Opening their mouths 520 P PApists abandoned by preaching 78. 79 Papists enemies to Gods people 326 Pardon of sinne 572. see Sinne. PATIENCE What Patience is 162 Patience resembled to shooes 163 Patience how it is gotten 164 How patience may bee rightly grounded in vs. 168. 170. 173 How men may bee perswaded to Patience 174 The necessity of Patience 174. 188 The benefit of Patience 178. 188 How Patience hath a perfect work 179 Two extreames of Patience 181. 182 Counterfeit Patience 172 Satans wyles against Patience 186 Patience maketh many crosses light It preuenteth and remoueth many It inableth vs to beare all 188. c. PEACE Why attributed to the Gospell 167 Peace of the Gospell what it is 166 Peace with God keepeth away many euils 191 Peace with God altereth the nature of all crosses 192 Peace with God procureth assistance in all troubles and full freedome from all 194 Persecution no matter of Shame 548 Persecution honored by the cause 549 Persecution no sufficient cause to make Ministers cease preaching 555 What are those causes 550 Perseuere 116 Perseuerance in prayer 496. c. How long we must Perseuere 497 Difference betwixt Perseuering and praying alwayes 498 Difference betwixt Perseuering and much babling 499 Perseuering in prayer extraordinary 443 Perseuerance requireth that prayers be oft renewed and long held out 500 Petition for good things 367 Place Euery one abide in his owne place 114. 534 Giue no Place 63. 103 Power of God a mightie Power 12 The mightie Power of God a prop to faith 13. 225 The benefit of trusting to Gods Power 15 God able to performe his word 225 Prayer 340 Prayer an admirable gift 484 What Prayer is 345 Difference betwixt ciuill and diuine Prayer 347 Prayer a worke of the Holy Ghost see Ghost 482 Prayer to be made only to God 346 How Praiers of mē are to be desir'd 503 Of them prayers may be desired 507 The dead may not be praied vnto ibid. Nor prayed for 377 Why needful by prayer to make known our desire to God 347 What requisite to the right manner of praying 348 Prayer to be made in the mediation of Christ 349 In feare and reuerence 350 In faith and humilitie 351 With holinesse sence and feeling 352 In sinceritie in hart in spirit 353. 486 In feruency 353. 441 Motiues to Prayer 353 1 Gods charge 353 2 By prayer God is worshipped 3. Honoured 354 4 Prayer is absolutely necessary 355 5 Prayer is profitable 1 To obtaine euery good thing 356 2 To preuent iudgement 3. Preserue grace 4. Subdue sinne 5. Sanctifie all things 357. 358 6 Prayer is powerfull with the Creator 362 Prayer is powerfull with the creature 361 7 Prayer is a matter of great dignitie 364 Why prayer is not alwayes heard 359 501 The kindes of prayer 365 1 Petition for good things 367 2 Deprecation against euill 370 3 Intercession for others 374 Who are not to be prayed for 377 Who are to be Prayed for 383. 509 All in generall to be Prayed for 384 1 Saints 2. Magistrates and Ministers 386 Why Ministers especially 510 3 Kindred and friends 387 4 Strangers 5. Enemies 388 What is to be Prayed for in the behalfe of others 392 4 Imprecation against others See imprecations 394 5 Thanksgiuing 399 Prayer mentall or vocall 421. 422 Prayer sudden or composed 423. 424 Prayer cōceiued or prescribed 426. 427 Prayer publike priuate or secret 429 c. Prayer in family 437 Prayer extraordinary Motiues thereto 440. c. Who are to desire others prayers 506 Gifts bestowed to be prayed for 519 The time of prayer 471 How we may pray alwayes ibid. Set times of prayer for euery day 473 Constancy in keeping those set times 475 Whatsoeuer is done pray 478 Hearts alwayes ready to pray 479 Perseuere in prayer see Perseuerance Watch to pray see Watchfulnesse Body and soule must be roused vp to prayer 491 Drowsie praying 493 Preparation before prayer 424 Preparation against triall 106 Preparation of the Gospell of peace 160. c. Preaching the most proper meanes of faith 219 The Gospell is the proper obiect of Preaching 528 Preaching must be distinct and audible 521 Presume not 30. 342 Confidence in Gods power no Presumption 15 Whence Presumption ariseth 46 Difference betwixt Presumption and faith 287 Principalities 59 Priuate prayer in family 437 Proofe to be giuen of grace in vs. 26 PROMISES Promises of God offered to all 228 Remembrance of Gods Promises an helpe to faith 268 Generall Promises why to be obserued 270 Particular Promises needfull 271 Promises for al things needful 270. 471 Promises absolute 273 And conditionall 274 The diuers manner of propounding Promises 276 To whom Gods Promises belong 277 The time of accomplishing Gods Promises vncertaine 302 PROSPERITIE The vse of faith in Prosperity 267 Publike prayer 429 What persons are required thereto 430 The place of Publike prayer 431 Vnanimitie and vniformitie in Publike prayer 433. c. Motiues to Publike prayer 436 Pure heart see Heart Purgatory a fiction 378 R RElapse dangerous 624 Religion Wee cannot bee saued in euery Religion 136 Remembrance of Gods promises an helpe to faith 268 Remission of sinne 572 See Sinne. Repaire of grace decayed 100 Spirituall wounds Restored and healed 285 Repent alwayes when men will they cannot 157 Repetition of the same things 95. 96 Reproofe of impudent sins to be sharpe 567 Resolution of the Apostle inuincible 558 RIGHTEOVSNES What Righteousnesse is 143 Righteousnesse Legall and Euangelicall 144 Righteousnes fitly resembled to a brest-plate 146 How Righteousnesse is put on 147 The benefit of Righteousnesse 148. 153 154 Mans Righteousnesse cannot be meritorious 149. c. Righteousnesse needfull to saluation 152 Righteousnesse and faith haue distinct vses ibid. Righteousnesse acceptable to God 155 The parts of Righteousnesse may not be seuered 156 Direction for the vse of Righteousnesse 159 S SAcraments a means to increase faith 265 Sanctified how farre we may be sanctified 410 Satan see Diuell Scripture see Word Scoffes of wicked 304 Securitie carnall 105 Securitie holy 249 SINNE Sinne infinite in nature 620 Nothing but Sinne can wound the soule 146 Difference betwixt Sinnes of the regenerate and others 157. 620 Sinnes of impudent sinners to be plainly discouered 567 Sinne may be forgiuen 572 All Sinnes may be forgiuen 574 Pardon of Sinne offered to all 587 Sinne against the holy Ghost 598 See Ghost Sinne cannot be forgiuen in the world to come 607 Pardon of Sinne to bee sought in this life 614 They whose Sinne is not pardoned are damned 621 The proportion betwixt Sinne and the eternall punishment thereof 620 A Sinners will to sinne is infinite 620 Difference betwixt Sinners 613 How Sinne may be turned to the good of the Saints 172 How farre wee are freed from Sinne. 410 Sinne against the Holy Ghost see Ghost Sinceritie 542 See Truth Sonne of man 588 Who so called 589 VVhy Christ is called Son of
man 590 How sinne is said to bee committed against the Sonne of man 591 SOVLDIERS Christians are Souldiers 16. 17 No easie thing to be a Christian Souldier 294 Speech needfull for Ministers 517 Spirit of God see Ghost The Diuell a Spirit 79 Spirits very terrible 81 The Spirit of Spirits terrible to Diuels 83 Strength of God 9 Supplication an end of fasting 459 Sword of Spirit 313 The temporall Sword an helpe to the spirituall 315 T TEares in prayer 442 Tempt not God 342 Thankesgiuing what it is 399 Thankes due onely to God 400 Thankes to be offered vp in the mediation of Christ 401 Thankes to be giuen for all things 402 For spirituall temporall and eternall blessings 403 For remouing euils 405 For aduersity and for euils 406. 414 More matter of Thankesgiuing then of petition 409 How blinde who see no matter of Thankesgiuing 415 Thankes to be giuen alwayes 480 Directions for Thankesgiuing 418 TONGVE A strange Tongue vnlawfull in Gods worship 434 TRIALS Many Trials and troubles to be passed ouer 107 175. 303 Prepare against Trials troubles 106 Troubles fall not out without God 177 TRVTH Foure kindes of Truth 121 Truth of opinion heart speech action 122 Truth as salt 123 Truth as a girdle 124 Truth an ornament and strength 125. c. Triall of Truth 127 How to get and buy Truth 130. 132 The excellency and necessity of Truth 131. c. Sell not Truth 134 Satans wyles against Truth 134. c. God protects defenders of Truth 137 Truth keepeth from despaire 138 Truth is easie and sweete 139 Truth the best meanes of gaine 140 Most men little regard Truth 142 God is True and will performe his word 226 V VEritie see Truth Vigils Night vigils of Papists 489 Vnanimity and vniformity in publique prayer 433 Vngratefulnesse of Man 586 Vngratefulnesse of man drieth not vp the spring of Gods goodnesse 593 Voice The Ministers voice must be audible 433 And intelligible 434 Vowes an helpe to prayer 464 Direction for making Vowes 466 Vowes publike and priuate 467 Vtterance needfull for Ministers 517 Saint Paul had excellent Vtterance yet prayed for it 518 W WArre The Christian war a fierce warre 49 Warfare Our life a warfare 17 Watchfulnesse caused by danger 45 Watchfulnesse an helpe to prayer 488 What it is to Watch vnto prayer 488. c. Directions for Watchfulnesse 494 Wicked men Satans vassals 76 Diuels extreamely Wicked 84 Wickednesse a diabolicall qualitie 85 Will. Papists attribute too much to mans Will 30 Wisdome needfull to apply the VVord 322. c. The Spirit of Wisdome to bee prayed for 563 WORD VVhat is the Word of God 316 Knowledge of it necessary 321. 337 The sence of the Word to be searched out 317 Meanes to finde out the sence of it ibid. The Word as a sword 319 A sword of the Spirit 320 A sharpe sword 332 Foure graces needfull to vse the Word aright 321 The benefit of wel-vsing the Word 324 The Word profitable to all things 325. 326 How many wayes the Word is neglected 326 They are enemies of Gods people who depriue them of the Word ibid. The Word perspicuous 333. 336 The Word fit for the simplest 336 In what respects the Word is difficult 333. c. No fault in the Word if men profit not by it 339 How to be resolued of the authoritie of the Word 328 No doubt to bee made of Gods Word 329 Cods Word a sure rule 330 Satans wyles against the Word 328 The VVord peruerted by Heretikes 331 The Word a meanes to beget faith 218 The Word a meanes to encrease faith 264 Gods Word to bee deliuered as Gods Word 541. 561 World The Diuell ruleth ouer the World 75. 76 y YEeld not to Satan 63. 103 FINIS 1 Sam. 2. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2. 16. Mat. 25. 23. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 8. 12. Mar. 16. 15. Vox audita perit littera scripta manet Bonum quo communius eo melius Aliquid novus adâ—cit Author 1 Pet. 5. 8. Church-court in Black-friers London December 31. 1618. Church-court in Black-friers London December 31. 1618. a Chap. 1 2 3. b Chap. 4 5 6. c From Chap. 4 vers 1. to Chap. 5. ver 22. d From Chap. 5. vers 22. to Chap. 6. v. 10. The suns The Resolution c Put on the whole Armor of God f That yee may be able to stand c. g Vers 14 15 16 17. h 1 Sam. 17. 39 i Vers 18. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser 1. The necessary of this Direction k Hebr. 21. l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser 2. The Apostles humilitie a Chap 4. v. 28 b Vers 5. 8. c Rom. 12. 16. d Mat. 23. 7 c. Reason e Mal. 2. 10. Ephes 4. 6. f 1 Cor. 12. 12. g Gal. 3. 28. Account all Brethren h Heb. 2. 11 14. i Matth. 11. 29 k Prou. 3. 34. l 1 Pet. 5. 5. This title brother not to be â—corned Obser 3. The Apostles mildnesse m 1 Cor. 15. 58. n Phil. 4. 1. o Gal. 4. 19. p 1 Cor. 4. 1â— Inforce exhor tations with euidence of loue f 2 Tim. 2. 24. Simil. Doct. 1. Spirituall valour needfull g Ios 1. 6. 7. h 1 Chr. 18. 10. i 1 Sam. 17. 45 k Acts 21. 13. l Luke 9. 51. m Mat. 16. 23. Reason 1. n Rom. 7. 18. 〈◊〉 c. Reason 2. a Zach. 3. 1. b 1 Thes 2. 18. c 2. Cor. 12. 7. d Matth. 4. 1. e Mat. 16. 22. f John 14. 30. Timerousnes taxed g Deut 21. 8. Judges 7. 3. a Iames 4. 7. b Phil. 1. 28. c Heb. 12. 2. d On verse 12. e Prou. 30. 30. f Prou. 28. 1. Obiect Answere Doct. 2. Our strength is in the Lord. a 2 Cor. 3. 5. b Iohn 15. 5. c Psal 18. 1 2. d Phil. 4. 13. e Col. 1. 11. Reasons 2. Cor. 12. 9. Renounce all confidence in the selfe a Psal 10. 3. b Prou. 27. 7. Rest on a sure ground c 1 Sam. 17. 45 d Rom. 8. 37. It is vaine to trust in ones selfe e 1 Sam. 17. 8. f Isa 36. 37 g 2 Sam. 14. 14 h Mat. 26. 35. a Iames 4. 6. Or in any other creature b Isa 30. 2 3. c Ezec. 29. 6. 7 Gregory 7. surnamed Heldebrand a very brand of hâ—â— a Necromancer a bloodie tyrant Boniface 7. 8. cruell oppressors and sacrilegious robbers Alexander 6. compaâ—â—ed with the diuelâ— to bee Pope an incestuous vnâ—aciable adulterer d Ier. 14. 3. a Chap. 1. vers 19. Doct. 3. Gods power is a most mightie power b â—Chap 1. â— 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason Gods mighty power a prop to faith a 1 Pet. 1. 13. b 2 Chr. 20. 12. 2 Chron. 20. 12. a 2. King 6. 15. b Psal 78. 19 20. c 2 Cor. 12. 9. d 1 Sam. 14. 6. 2 Chr. 34. 11. e Iudges 7. 2 c. f 2 King 6. 17. g Chap. 1.
innumerable number and infinite weight of our sinnes from prosperity aduersity or the like if at least it be well vsed Of the well vsing of it we shall afterwards heare §. 16. Of the meaning of the word Take THe next point to be handled is the Action whereunto we are exhorted in this word Take which is the very same that he vsed before verse 13. it is heere vsed in as large a sence both to take vp or to take vnto one and also to take againe and recouer a thing Souldiers let not their Shield lie on the ground but take it vp in their hands hold it our against their enemies mouing it vp and downe euery way where the enemy strikes at them if the enemy continue to fight or renew the fight they still hold it out againe and againe yea if by their owne weakenesse or thorow the violence of any blow they let it fall or slip they presently seeke to recouer it and take it vp againe Thus must we take vp and hold forth this spirituall Shield of Faith against all the temptations of Satan and if thorow our owne infirmity or our enemies fiercenesse we suffer it to faile and fall away then recouer it againe and continue to defend our selues with it so long as wee shall haue enemies to assault vs. This point of taking the Shield of Faith respecteth diuerse sorts of people 1 Them who haue it not they must labour to get it 2 Them who doubt whether they haue it or no they must proue it 3 Them who feare they may lose it they must seeke to preserue it 4 Them who are established therein they must well vse it I wil therefore in order shew how faith may bee 1 Gotten 2 Proued 3 Preserued 4 Well vsed §. 17. Of the Author of Faith FOr the first note first the Author of Faith Secondly the meanes whereby it is wrought 1 The Author of Faith is euen he from whom euery good giuing and euery perfect gift commeth Faith is the gift of God This is the worke of God that yee beleeue c. Now because this is one of those workes of God which are said to be without towards the creature it is in Scripture attributed to all the three persons and to euery of them To the first where Christ saith No man conâ—â—me vnto me i beleeue except the Father draw him To the second where the Apostle calleth Iesus the Author and finisher of our Faith To the third where the Apostle reckoneth Faith among the fruits of the Spirit §. 18. Of the motiue and end why God worketh Faith IN declaring why God worketh Faith obserue 1 What moueth him thereto 2 What hee aimeth at therein Nothing out of God can moue God to worke this precious gift in man It is his meere good will that moueth him as Christ expresly declareth in his thanksgiuing to God saying It is so O Father because thy good pleasure is such The end which God aimeth at in working this grace is principally in respect of himselfe the setting forth of his owne glory as we shewed before but secondarily the saluation of mankind Therefore Saint Peter termeth saluation the end of our Faith Vse These points I thought good thus briefly to note 1 To commend vnto you this precious gift of Faith For how much the more excellent the Author of any thing is and the end which he aimeth at therein so much more excellent is the thing it selfe 2 To take away all matter of boasting from them who haue this gift though it be a most precious grace yet it affordeth no matter of glorying to vs in our selues because we haue it not of our selues 3 To stirre vs vp to giue all the praise and glory thereof to God vpon this very ground doth the Apostle giue glory to God because of him and through him and for him are all things 4 To shew that it is not in mans power to haue it when he will that so ye may be the more carefull in vsing the meanes which God affoordeth and appointeth for the attaining thereto Is it not a point of egregious folly to be carelesse in vsing or negligently to put off those meanes of obtaining any excellent thing which he who onely can worke and bestow that thing hath appointed for the obtaining thereof §. 19. Of the meanes of working Faith IN laying downe the meanes which our wise God hath appointed to worke Faith I will shew 1 What God himselfe doth 2 What he requireth man to doe In considering what meanes God vseth let vs all note what order he obserueth in making the means effectuall The meanes are Outward Inward The outward meanes are either such as both worke and strengthen Faith as the word of God or onely strengthen it as the Sacraments Hereof I shall speake heereafter Concerning the Word the Apostle saith r How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and therevpon thus concludeth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 14 17. Of Gods word there be two parts the Law and the Gospel Both these haue an especiall worke for the working of Faith The law to prepare a mans heart for Faith in which respect it is called our schoole-master to bring vs to Christ that wee may be iustified by Faith The Gospell to worke further vpon the heart so prepared and to accomplish this worke of Faith whereupon he termeth the Gospel by a propriety The Gospel of Faith and saith of the Ephesians that they beleeued after that they heard the Gospel Quest Whether is the Word preached onely or the Word read also a meanes of working Faith Answ It may not be denyed but that the holy Scriptures themselues and good Commentaries on them and printed Sermons or other bookes laying forth the true doctrine of the Scripture being read and vnderstood may be the blessing of God worke Faith but the especiall ordinary meanes and most powerfull vsual meanes is the word preached this is it which the Scripture layeth downe How shall they beleâ—ue in him of whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a Preacher It pleased God by preaching to saue c. Yee receiued the Spirit by the hearing of Faith Thus we see that preaching is Gods ordinance wherevnto especially without question he wil giue his blessing Besides it is an especiall meanes to make people to embrace the promises of the Gospel when Gods Ministers to whom is committed the word of reconciliation and who stand in Christs steed as though God did beseech vs shall pray vs to be reconciled to God and make offer and tender vnto vs of all the promises of God The inward meanes or rather cause is the sanctifying Spirit of God who softneth quickneth openeth our hearts and maketh them as good ground so as the