principall part of Gods worship and the propertie of a true child of God wheras it is the propertie of a wicked man not to pray Therefore it is not a thing indifferent or arbitrarie left in our choyse to pray or not to pray but it is a matter of meere necessitie absolutely enioyned euery Christian vpon paine of damnation and yet it is a wonder to see how this dutie is neglected by many who passe ouer daies and yeres prophanely and Atheistlike neuer calling vpon God in prayer as if either there were no God or no necessitie of worshipping this God by prayer Thus much of the necessitie of prayer or that we must pray Seeing then this dutie of prayer must bee performed for the practising thereof these two circumstances must be considered The time and the place of prayer for euery action must be done in time and place First of the time The time is threefold 1 When we must pray Time of prayer 2 How oft we must pray 3 How long we must pray First circumstance of the time is When. VVhen we must pray The Apostle saith Pray continually 1. Thes 5.17 Which must not be vnderstoode as some heretikes haue deemed called Euchitae that a man must doe nothing but pray but the meaning of it is that there must neuer a day ouerpasse vs but therein certaine times we must pray more plainely and distinctly thus 1. Pray at the enterprising and ending of all thy affaires pray vpon all occasions 2. Pray vnto thy liues end neuer cease praying till thy soule part from thy body Now although this bee generally true that a man must pray vpon all occasions yet it is not needefull that a man should vpon euery seuerall occasion fall downe vpon his knees and vtter a long prayer to the spending of time and hindering his affaires but a man must from his heart send vp prayers to heauen if it be but a wish or sigh or groane of the spirit or such a short prayer as the publicane vsed or the theefe vpon the crosse vpon all our occasions This we see warranted by the practise of Nehemia who before he made his petition to the King for the repayring of Ierusalem prayed vnto the God of heauen Nehem. 2.4 no doubt this was inwardly with a sigh of the spirit vnto the Lord who knoweth the heart as may be seene in the text Furthermore and specially we are to vnderstand that the principall occasions and times of prayer are these following 1. The time of religious exercises 2. The time of affliction 3. The time of eating and drinking and vsing physicke 4. The time of sleeping and waking 5. The time of working and labour 6. The time of recreation and sporting The truth of all these appeareth by that which the Apostle writeth 1. Tim. 4.4 5. that euery creature or appointment of God is sanctified by the word of God and prayer and thankesgiuing Gods word warranteth vs the lawfull vse thereof prayer obtaineth the blessing from God in the vse of it thanksgiuing returneth the praise to God who gaue the blessing The second circumstance of time is How oft we must pray how oft we must pray Daniel prayed three times a day Dan. 6.10 Dauid prayed seauen times a day Psal 119.164 euen so oft as we alter our affaires and enterprise new busines as hearing or reading the word working and laboring in thy speciall calling eating and drinking sleeping c. also vpon all extraordinarie occasions as iudgements and blessings all which are things of seuerall condition and the condition of our affaires being changed our prayers are to be repeated and renewed The false Church of Antichrist hath deuised certaine houres which they call Canonicall which are in number eight as Father Robert rehearseth them which must be obserued euery day and cannot be omitted without deadly sinne as he teacheth but we are to know that Christians must stand fast in that libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free Galath 5. and seeing that we are redeemed with a price we must not be the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7. much lesse of times only thus much the Lords day of conscience being Gods commandement must be kept as oft as it commeth and seeing the Church for order and conueniencie hath appointed certaine houres when all the Church publikely may come together to worship God therefore we cannot breake that holy custome and constitution without confusion and scandall and breach of charitie for priuate prayer or priuate necessities occasions and opportunities may afford a godly heart sufficient instruction alwayes remembring that there is no time vnfit to worship God in How long we must pray The third circumstance of time to be considered is how long we must pray Our Sauiour Christ giueth vs this instruction generally by way of parable that we ought not to waxe faint in prayer the Apostle willeth vs to pray with all perseuerance and to watch thereunto Luk. 18.1 Ephes 6.18 as Christ said to his disciples Watch and pray This then is the ftrst rule for the length of our prayers that we be not wearie The second rule is that we are to pray so long as the spirit of God feedeth vs with matter of prayer for otherwise we should stint the spirit of prayer Christ prayed till midnight our infirmitie will not beare that wherefore it is better to cease praying when the spirit ceaseth to minister matter than to continue still and babble yet notwithstanding here we must know First it is our dutie to striue against our corruption Secondly it is our dutie to strengthen our soule before prayer with premeditate matter that so comming to pray and hauing our hearts filled with matter we may better continue in prayer for as a man that hath filled his belly with meate is better able to holde out at his labour than being fasting euen so he that first replenisheth his soule with meditations of his owne sinnes and wants of Gods iudgements and blessings vpon himselfe and others shall be better furnished to continue longer in hartie and feruent prayer than comming sodainly to pray without strengthening himselfe aforehand thereunto To conclude this point all prayers are either long or short a long feruent prayer is best a short feruent prayer is better than long babling a short prayer containing all thy grace and matter in thy soule is acceptable to God The second circumstance to be considered needefull for practise of prayer is the place where we must pray Thâ— place whâ—re we must pray As was said before there is no time vnfit to pray so there is no place vnfit for prayer The world and euery place in the world is fit for a Christian to call vpoÌ„ the name of the Lord. Ioh. 4.20 Paul wisheth men in all places to lift vp pure hands 1. Tim. 2.8 that is to pray Christ prayed vpon the mountaine in the garden in the wildernes Peter vpon the house top
rather allowed to young Christians that want the gift of conceiuing and vttering an orderly prayer or to those that want audacitie and boldnes to speake before others than to strong and exercised Christians vnto whom God hath vouchsafed the gift of knowledge and vtterance and boldnes 3. It is safer to conceiue a prayer than to reade a prayer for a man may reade a prayer and neither vnderstand it nor consider the matter thereof nor affect or desire the petitions therein contained hauing his minde pestred with wandring thoughts but hee that conceiueth a prayer though perhaps hee doe not desire the things he conceiueth yet at the least he must haue attention and so be free from many wandring thoughts he must haue also memorie and knowledge and consideration needfull all for the inuenting of matter and so there is lesse feare of babling in conceiuing a prayer than reading one 4. An vniforme order of publike prayer in the seruice of God is necessarie 2. Chro. 29.30 Thus the Priests and Leuites in the old Testament praised God with the Psalmes of Dauid and Asaph which Psalmes were framed of those holie men and sent to the Musitions to bee sung vpon Instruments Thus all the reformed Churches vse thus the Church immediatly after the Apostles time vsed yea thus in the time of the Apostles vsed the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 14.26 as may probably bee gathered by that which Paul speaketh concerning the bringing of a Psalme into the publike assemblie of the Church 5. Lastly notwithstanding in priuate prayer when a Christian being alone calleth vpon the name of God it seemeth most expedient and profitable that he powre out his soule vnto God with such a forme of words as hee can for there and then the edification of other is no end of his prayer as it is of publike prayer 1. Cor. 14.26 and the Lord hee regardeth the heart and hee knoweth the meaning of the spirit though thy speeches bee neuer so ragged and broken though thy sentences bee neuer so short and imperfect though thy words be rude and barbarous and yet a man ought to labour to glorifie God with the best of his lippes also But here certaine obiections must be answered which are alleaged against the vsing of read prayers Obiection For they say it is to quench the spirit to limit the spirit of God that teacheth vs to pray For answere whereof we are to know that as he cannot be said to quench the spirit that readeth a chapter of holy Scripture and no more or that preacheth a sermon which he hath premeditate so also he cannot bee said to quench the spirit that pray th a portion of holie Scripture as the Lords Prayer or the salutation of Paul or a Psalme of Dauid or any other prayer agreeable to the word which hee hath premeditate before and committed to memorie for the spirit is not limited though kept within the bounds of holy Scripture as it ought to be Againe in a prayer which a man readeth though a man doe not speake euerie thing that the spirit of God putteth into his heart yet hee quencheth not the spirit for to quench the spirit is to oppose â—gainst the voyce of the spirit Neither is it to limit or stint the spirit if a man pray it with his soule though hee speake not the words For example sake I say the Lords Prayer yea when I speake these words Giue vs this day our daily bread there commeth into my soule by the motion of Gods spirit this petition Grant me grace to be content with the mediocritie thou hast giuen me If I pray this in my heart though I doe not vtter these very words yet I cannot bee said to stint the spirit for the substance of that petition is comprehended in that fourth petition of the Lords Prayer So likewise reading any prayer agreeable to holy scripture and hauing attention to the matter read though many motions come into my minde vpon consideration of the words of that prayer which I vtter not in particular speeches yet I vtter them in gâ—nerall for they are all comprehended in the matter of that otherwise they may iustly bee termed wandring thoughts though good prayers at other times Lastly publike wants are alwaies knowne and may bee expressed in the publike Liturgie also priuate wants and blessings are for the most part knowne as at meate labour rest recreation Physicke c. Secret wants and blessingâ— may be acknowledged in secret prayers if any extraordinarie occasions occurre extraordinarie prayers accordingly may bee had They alleage also against set prayers the speech of the Apostle Obiection Rom. 8. We know not what to pray but in a set prayer a man knoweth what to pray therfore set prayers are not prayers warrantable For answere wherof the speech of the Apostle in another place must be remeÌ„bred 1. Cor. 2.14.15 the naturall man cannot discerne spirituall things but the spirituall man can discerne them so may we say the naturall man cannot tell what to pray but the spirituall man can tell what to pray Flesh and blood reuealed not the knowledge of Christ vnto Peter but God the Father Matth. 16. so flesh and blood cannot reueale vnto vs what wee ought to pray but the spirit of God helpeth our infirmities which spirit was in our Sauiour Christ that taught the Lords prayer and in the rest of Gods seruants that wrote prayers wee are not able of our selues to thinke any good but God giueth vs abilitie 2. Cor. 3. so of our selues we are not able to pray but God giueth vs the spirit of prayer which teacheth vs to pray with sighs and groanes which cannot be vttered when we haue this spirit of God then wee know what to pray and can teach others also This may suffice for the answere of their maine obiections against set prayers To conclude then Christ hath not commanded vs to vse these words and no other neither hath hee forbidden vs to vse these words or any other holy forme of prayer but hee hath left it indifferent and arbitrarie to vse them or not to vse them as was said Hitherto of the precept of prayer in the two general points thereof first that we must pray secondly how wee must pray Now followeth the prayer it selfe In handling whereof we will first propound some generall considerations after descend to the particular exposition of the words thereof In the generall consideration of the Lords prayer wee may obserue three things Generallâ— of the Lords prayer 1. The abuse of the prayer 2. The true and holy vse thereof 3. The qualities and conditions of it And first to entreate of the abuse of this prayer How the Lords prayer is abused and so of any other godly prayer for this prayer is all prayers in vertue and largenes seeing that all prayers must be framed of the matter and affections herein expressed it is abused especially by foure sorts of
they speake this prayer to God they are neuer a whit bettered thereby and so it is in vaine to them also they vse it without feare and reuerence as euery part of holy Scripture should bee vsed and therefore abuse it Esa 66.5 whereby it appeareth euidently that wicked and hard harted and impenitent persons that purpose to continue stil in their sins doe abuse this prayer though peraduenture they vnderstand it when they vtter it in the worship of God Thirdly the papist also abuseth this prayer and that three wayes especially 1. They say it in Latin a tongue vnknowne to the common sorte of people 2. They say it in number vpon their beades 3. They say it as satisfactory and meritorious 1 First they abuse it because they say it in Latin How papists abuse prayer a tongue which for the most part is not vnderstoode of them that say it and hardly well pronounced by the multitude but vnderstanding is necessarily required in prayer 1. Cor. 14.26 as was said before and whereas the Iesuites auouch that God vnderstandeth Latin or any language and prayer is directed to God and that instruction of the hearer is no end of prayer but of preaching we answere that the Apostle saith flatly that all things must be done to edification therefore prayer also which is some thing nay a chiefe and principal part of the publike seruice of God hence we reade that the title of some of the psalmes which are prayers is to giue instruction as Psal 74. and 89. That therefore is but a forgerie of man contrarie to the word for prayer is an excellent meanes of edification it being as a whetstone to sharpen the grace of God in vs especially if it proceed feruently from the heart and lips of the Minister it doth rouze the drousie spirits of dull Christians for there is no difference betwixt preaching and praying but this that preaching is directed to men from God prayer is directed from man to God both preaching and prayer is the word of God or ought to be so Wherefore as preaching or reading the word are excellent meanes of edification and instruction so likewise conceauing or reading prayer is a worthie meanes appointed of God to edifie the people of God and prayer is a second hammer or a second stroke with the hammer to beate the naile to the head that is to say to fasten the holy doctrine exhortation admonition reproofe consolation or what else deeper in the conscience or vnderstanding and this is the edification of prayer Therefore herein the Iesuites are greatly mistaken that they thinke instruction and edification no end of prayer 2 Secondly our Sauiour Christ requireth and it is the very summe of the first table of the law Deut. 6.5 Matth. 22.37 Luk. 10.27 Psal 103.1 that we loue God with all our heart our soule our mind our thought our strength and all that is within vs must praise his holy name But as was said before prayer is commaunded in the first table and is therefore a part of loue we owe to God hence then it followeth as a necessarie conclusion that we must testifie that we loue God with our minde and with all our minde in prayer when our minde is busied about the vnderstanding and consideration of that holy matter which we vtter to God but that cannot possiblie be if wee vnderstand not what we spake as they doe not that speake their prayers in an vnknowne language as Latin they therefore abuse prayer that pray in Latin not vnderstanding it 3 Lastly as hath been said it is plaine babling to speake any thing with the lips in the presence of God which a man vnderstandeth not or desireth not in the heart and minde 1. Cor. 6.20 for we must glorifie God with the body and with the spirit both for they are both Gods by creation and redemption now to pray to God is a principall part of the glorifying of God therefore we must pray with the spirit as well as with the tongue which is a part of the body For whereas the schoolemen teach that actuall attention is not needefull in time of prayer but it sufficeth to come with a holy purpose to pray it is as vaine a forgerie as the former of the Iesuites that held instruction no end of prayer for whereas they alledge for confirmation of their opinion that our heart is not in our owne power and therefore we are not able to keepe it from wandering surely we must needes graunt it to be so and yet notwithstanding it is sinne for vs to suffer our hearts to wander and who durst goe speake to his prince his minde either not vnderstanding his matter or wandering from it which in effect are all one Wherefore if babling be abusing of prayer and they babble which vnderstand not or attend not their prayers no doubt they that say the Lords prayer in Latin not vnderstanding Latin abuse it Thus then the papist abuseth this prayer by saying it in Latin a tongue vnknowne to the people Secondly the papists abuse this prayer especially by saying it in number and numbering it vpon their beades and hence it is that they say a whole beadrole of prayers as for example 30. prayers Pater nosters aue maries creedes c. which will be proued to be a manifest abusing of the Lords prayer For first this is to babble for it cannot bee that euery mans deuotion should last so long as the number of the prayers lasteth for some weake Christians feruencie and zeale will not indure longer than the saying of the prayer twise or thrise ouer at which time he must cease saying it for if he still continue saying it without feruencie and deuotion and attention in a word without sense and feeling his saying is babling onely a liplabor which is abominable in the sight of God Matth. 6.7 Eccles 5.1.2 2 Againe our Sauiour Christ condemneth vaine repetitions and the wise Preacher requireth that our words should be few because God is in heauen and we are vpon the earth therefore we must not rashly and hastely huddle ouer ten or twentie prayers as a post horse runneth his post miles but if in any action surely in this holy and reuerent action the calling vpon Gods name our prouerbe is true Hast makes waste for God is in heauen that is to say a heauenly God most wise most holy most iust most mightie and euery way most glorious and therefore must be worshipped after the best manner we can possibly afford againe we are vpon the earth that is to say men dust and ashes subiect to sinne in the best actions improuident and vnwise persons especially in our affaires which are done sodainely and hastily therefore we are not either with our heart to conceiue or with our tongue to vtter a matter rashly and speedily before God but we must be well aduised before hand and in the action vse al solemne decencie but to racket ouer the
persons 1. By the ignorant persons that vnderstand it not 2. By impenitent persons that practise it not 3. By Papists that attend not the matter of it 4. By witches wise women or charmers How ignorant persons abuse prayer The ignorant person abuseth it for that he thinketh the very saying of the words though hee vnderstand not the matter signified in the words to be a good and acceptable seruice of God which is very absurd For first hee that prayeth must pray in faith if hee will haue his prayer granted Iam. 1.6.7 Iam. 1. for that man that wanteth faith shall not receiue any thing of the Lord but where there is no knowledge of the maine articles of faith there can be no faith Rom. 10.14.15 for faith commeth by hearing learning and knowing of the word of God expounded in the ministerie thereof Seeing then hee wanteth knowledge hee wanteth faith and wanting faith hee shall not obtaine that he asketh and obtaining not he prayeth not aright and so abuseth this prayer for that hee vseth it not in faith and knowledge as is required 1. Cor. 14.26 2. It is expressely set downe by the Apostle that a man must pray with the spirit and with the vnderstanding that is so that another may vnderstand him when he prayeth if so as other may vnderstand then much more must he vnderstand himselfe if a man therefore pray not vnderstanding the prayer hee saith hee abuseth it but ignorant persons pray without vnderstanding wherefore they abuse both this and all the rest of their prayers Therefore it were better for them to say fiue words with knowledge than to say their Pater noster or any other prayer tenne times as long without vnderstanding Matth. 15.8 Esay 29. 3. Finally our Sauiour Christ out of the Prophet Esay reprooueth the hypocriticall Iewes for that they did draw neere with their lips but their hearts were a farre off and requireth that they draw neere both with heart and lippes when they come to worship God but a man cannot draw neere with his hart except the vnderstanding and the mind goe before as the leader of the heart wherefore the vnderstanding is compared to the wagoner or coachman that directeth and guideth the horse with whip and bridle that is restraineth the headstrong and vntamed affections and ordreth then aright by reason rightly ruled they therfore that want vnderstanding of their prayers although they may say they haue a good heart and affections yet it cannot be that the hart should be right except the vnderstanding bee right which is by knowledge wherefore all is wrong and amisse and therefore thou abusest thy prayer except thou vnderstand what thou prayest To end this first point prayer is the labour of the minde and heart not of the lips and all they that make it a lip-labour onely as all ignorant persons doe abuse this and all other prayers For foure things are necessarie to pray this prayer or any other prayer in speech 1. Thou must vnderstand it as alreadie hath bin said 2. Thou must affect and desire the prayers 3. Thou must vtter the words 4. Heart tongue and minde must accord in euery prayer and euery seuerall matter wherefore the tongue must not runne before our wits as wee say in our common prouerbe but first our hearts must indite good matter Psal 45. 2. Cor. 4.13 and then our tongues must be as the pen of a readie writer we must first beleeue and then wee must speake Thus then is this prayer abused by ignorant persons Secondly How impenitent persons abuse prayer the impenitent person though he haue knowledge and so be freed from that kind of abuse of this prayer yet abuseth it as bad if not worse in another kinde for 1. God heareth not them that liue in sinne vnrepented of for their prayers and sacrifices Psal 66.18 Ioh. 9 3â— Prou. 15.8 Esay 1. and all their seruice of God is abominable and is no better than iniquitie it selfe in Gods sight for though God hath commanded prayer and sacrifice and incense as was accustomed in the old Testament yet he required that they should be offered by persons that were meete and fit for that purpose and so though God now require that wee should pray and heare the word and communicate in the Sacraments actions answerable to the former of the old Testament yet God will not accept these actions performed by any man but first a man must leaue his sins and then pray repent and then heare the word examine himselfe and finde himselfe worthie before he eate otherwise his praying hearing and eating are turned into sinne If then the prayer of an vnrepentant person be abominable if God heareth it not if it bee iniquitie surely the wicked man doth abuse it and make it so for God would accept that of vs which hee commaundeth vs if we would performe it as he requireth 2. Againe impenitent persons abuse prayer because they doe not practise that which they pray for euery prayer must be practised otherwise there is hypocrisie and dissimulation For if a man pray that Gods name may be hallowed if hee by swearing vainly or falsely prophane the name of God it is double dealing for his heart and tongue accord not in one nay his tongue contradicteth it selfe for he asketh with the tongue that he may not dishonor Gods name and yet with a vaine or false oath his tongue doth dishonour Gods name this his tongue speaketh contradictions or else hee neuer meaneth to practise that which hee prayeth and so his heart and tongue are at variance which is hypocrisie an impenitent person then doth abuse prayer for that he neuer prayeth with his hart though with his tongue he speake it 3. Furthermore the man that liueth in his sinnes which he repenteth not of doth curtoll and as I may so speake libbe this prayer and so abuse it for if we pray this prayer aright we must pray euery petition thereof but an impenitent person cannot pray euery prayer therein contained for a swearer cannot pray hallowed be thy name a persecutor cannot pray thy kingdome come the impatient person cannot pray thy will be done the couetous person cannot pray for his daily bread and so foorth of the rest for how can they pray against those sinnes wherein they haue resolued with themselues as it were to liue and die And therefore if the minister or any other Christian shall reproue them of those seuerall sinnes which they practise they will hate him and persecute him for it which argueth plainely that they neuer pray against them for they cannot abide to heare of them 4 To end this point they abuse this prayer for that liuing in sinne notwithstanding they take this prayer a part of holy scripture and so Gods name in vaine for they haue nothing to doe to meddle with Gods word Psal 50.16 seeing they hate to be reformed and cast Gods word behinde them For whereas
must not yeelde to our corruptions Wherefore prayer being one of Gods commaundements all men therefore must pray or are bound in conscience to pray though now it be impossible to pray aright Thus we see the first point who must pray VVho may pray The second followeth which is who may pray Though the commaundement of prayer be directed to all men and therefore all men are bound to pray yet notwithstanding there are some men which may not pray for if they doe their prayer is turned into sinne Incense is abomination vnto me saith the Lord by the Prophet Esa 1.13 Psal 141.2 Pro. 15.8 it is iniquitie now in the old Testament incense was a type of prayer and was commaunded by God as a part of his outward worship so also the sacrifice of the wicked man is abominable that is Pro. 28.9 all the worship of the wicked for the part is put for the whole and yet God had commaunded the sacrifices he that turneth his eare from hearing of the law his prayer is abominable and yet prayer is Gods commaundement whence it is necessarily collected that there are some sects of men who if they pray sinne in their prayer and therefore though they must pray yet notwithstanding they may not pray they are bound to pray yet if they pray they sinne These two propositions seeme to be contradictorie Obiection and therefore cannot both be true as nature it selfe teacheth All men must pray and this Some men may not pray How can these things agree Here we see that which the Apostle speaketh in another sense that sinne is out of measure sinfull Answere Rom. 7. sinne peruerteth the whole order of nature causeth contradictorie propositions to be both true for certaine it is that all men are bound in conscience to pray and therefore must pray and this is certaine also that all men may not pray for if they doe they sinne and breake the law of God Now the Lord of his goodnes hath found out a meanes to dissolue this absurditie and breake the contradiction wherefore he commaundeth to repent and forsake our sinnes and then to pray And here we may note into what an intricate labyrinth or maze sinne hath brought mankinde consisting of three bywaies First we must pray that we may keepe the second commaundement Secondly we liuing in our sinnes must not pray lest wee transgresse the third commaundement Thirâ—ly we must repent and that is a thing altogether impossible to flesh and blood before we pray aright We being thus included in the maze the Lords sheweth vs the way out by the power of his spirit in the preaching of his word working repentance in the hearts of his children that they may pray aright and so all his commaundements are made easie vnto vs which before were impossible and so that sentence of the Father is verified da quod iubes iubes quod vis giue me power to doe thy commaundements and then commaund what seemeth good vnto thee Thus also the second point is handled who may pray VVho can pray The third is who can pray or who can pray aright They onely can pray aright that haue the spirit of prayer which teacheth vs to cry Abba Rom. 8.15 that is father which is the spirit of adoption and sanctification But for the further cleering of this point a distinction is to be admitted betweene three things which the world thinketh either to be all one or very neere of kindred namely first saying a prayer secondly wishing a prayer thirdly praying a praier VVhat it is to say a prayer For the first we must remember that all men can say prayers there is not any man so ignorant so impenitent or so wicked but he can and doth sometime say his prayers and this is no better than the prating of a parret in Gods eares VVhat it is to wish a prayer Secondly to wish prayers is one thing and to pray is another for a wish is a sodaine earnest wandering inordinate desire of hauing something which a man either greatly regardeth not or is not perswaded to obtaine VVhat it is to pray a prayer Thirdly a prayer is a continuall setled ordered and feruent desire of obtaining that which a man both greatly prizeth and is perswaded in some measure he shall haue A wish is sodaine as a flash of lightning or the stay of a ball cast at a wall which reboundeth backe so soone as it toucheth so a wish quickly shineth in the affection and by and by is extinct but a prayer is continuall which doth so possesse the heart that a man neither can nor will be voyded of it hence we reade of some that prayed all night A wish is earnest and vehement out of measure especially in temporall blessings when the affection is caried as it were with a whirlewind for the present yet in spirituall matters there is an exceeding great coldnes and frost of affection but a prayer is feruent in spirituall matters and moderate else where yea and in spirituall matters there is not that snatching vehemencie in prayer as in wishes but rather a sober and moderate equability permanent and increasing A wish is wandering and rouing for a wicked man would haue that he wisheth howsoeuer he come by it whether by hooke or crooke he care not and therefore when he wisheth his heart is not set vpon God nor knit vnto him hence it commeth to passe that his wishes are either wicked euen the transgression of the tenth commaundement or else God must worke wonders for the graunting of them as hee will wish to haue a thousand pound land by the yeare here there is a secret implication either of iniurie to some man from whom it must be had he coueting another mans goods or else God must miraculously create so much new earth or space of ground in the world c. But a prayer is setled and grounded vpon God and his word hauing patience and expiration waiting Gods leasure without the aforesaid rouing and runagate wishes A wish is inordinate for the wicked man he neither will vse the meanes to obtaine that he wisheth nor referre the thing wished to the right end for example a wicked man may wish heauen but he wil neuer vse the meanes to come to heauen as Balaam he may wish to haue the gifts of the holy Ghost as Simon Magus but he would haue vsed or rather abused them to his owne gaine and he would haue bought them with money But the prayer of the godly man is ordered aright intending Gods glory the good of others his owne edification carefully vsing the good meanes which God hath sanctified for that purpose hence it is that Iames saith that many aske and receiue not Iam. 4.3 seeing they aske amisse for the satisfying of their lusts A wicked man sometime wisheth grace by fits but he doth not greatly ragarde it therefore it is with him as with a woman that longeth for
duleuâ—in but this quircke hath bin so sufficiently answered by diuers of our learned countrimen that I dare scarse attempt any thing in it The second reason therefore followeth which may be collected out of the Apostles word Rom. 14. how shall they call vpon him on whom they haue not beleeued which may be framed thus To him only we must pray on whom we beleeue but we onely beleeue in God therefore we must only pray to God for seeing prayer hath two parts desire and faith if faith be wanting prayer is imperfect Now I doe suppose that there is no papist dare say that we may trust in the Saints or Angels which were flâ—t idolatrie and cursed is he that putteth his trust in an arme of flesh Wherfore for conclusioÌ„ of this fourth point seeing we are only to beleeue in God and to serue God therefore we must onely pray to God Furthermore this fourth person to whom we must make our prayers which is God is expressed vnto vs two waies First by a name of relation in that he is intituled Father Secondly by the place he inhabiteth Heauen VVhether Father be a word of nature or person For this title Father which is here mentioned it is to be enquired whether it is Naturae or Personae nomen that is to say whether it is to be referred to the first person in Trinitie or to the whole Trinitie whether we speake to God the Father of his onely begotten sonne Christ or to God the Father and maker of all his creatures for answere whereof thus much it seemeth that there is no absurditie to take it either way or both waies rather if Christ prayed this prayer as it is probable he did then without doubt it was directed to the first person in Trinitie and it signifieth personally if Christ prescribed it to his disciples for a forme of prayer then in all likelihoode it signifieth the whole Trinitie who is to be called vpon by the creature Now as I coniecture for that Christ did both pray it and prescribed it to others for a forme of prayer therefore I incline to thinke that there is a compound meaning of the word signifying both the first person in Trinitie and the whole Trinitie which affordeth vs this instruction That when we pray we are so to direct our prayers to the Father as that we do not exclude the other persons of Trinitie who with the Father are equally to be worshipped being God equall with him And here it shall not be impertinent to consider how we are to conceiue of God in prayer which ariseth partly out of the title which is giuen to God partly out of the place where he dwelleth this point may be comprehended in fiue positions which followe First we must not think God like any creature as the Papists haue painted him for in the fourth of Deuteronomie Moses expresly forbiddeth the Israelits so to doe Hoâ— we must concâ—iue of God in prayer Deut. 4.15 and he rendreth a reason in that place because they saw nothing when the law was deliuered and therefore the practise of many now adayes is reprouealbe who though they will not paint God yet they paint two hands giuing the two tables one to Moses and another to Aaron which is false monstrous and idolatrous false because the tables were giuen onely to Moses monstrous because there are hands without a body idolatrous because there are hands whereas God hath no shape at all any way sensible Secondly although in the holy Scripture figuratiuely there are hands armes feete face eares and other manly parts attributed to God yet we must not thinke that God hath any of these parts properly indeede God hath something answerable to these parts or rather something whereunto these parts in the creatures are sutable for God made man not onely according to his image which consisteth in holines and righteousnes but also according to his similitude for the words may aptly be distinguished so that man is a similitude of God Gods armes and hands and fingers argue his power and actiuitie his feete argue his vbiquitie his face eyes and eares declare his wisedome and fauour c. and proportionable to these attributes of God there is a configuration of the lineaments of the body in man wherein man is like God Psal 115. wherefore we may say and so we must conceiue of God contrarie to the gods of the heathen They haue eyes and see not but God seeth and yet he hath no eyes they haue feete and walke not but God walketh euery where and yet hath no feete and so of whatsoeuer other part may be applied to God which figure is called Anthropopathia being a speciall metaphor Thirdly we must conceiue of God as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word and workes namely most mightie iust mercifull wise true holy simple and euery way infinit eternal and blessed Creator Redeemer Sanctifier and Sauiour of all his creatures c. Fourthly we must so direct our prayers to one person as that we doe not exclude the other for that is idolatrie to diuide the persons which are onely distinct Lastly for order sake we must pray to the Father directly and primarily and that through the merit and mediation of the Sonne with the instinct and inspiration of the holy Ghost yet it is not vnlawfull to direct our prayers to the Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 13.13 or to the holy Spirit personally according to the example of the Apostle who blesseth the Corinthians from the Father Sonne and holy Ghost which blessing is a prayer Genes 48.16 and by the example of Iacob who prayeth that the Angell which deliuered him from all euill which Angell was Christ would blesse the sonnes of Ioseph We see then to which person of Trinitie our prayers are primarily to bee directed with the manner how we are to conceiue of God in time of prayer This may serue for the title Father Now followeth the place which God inhabiteth which is the second argument descriptiue and that is vttered in these words which art in heauen which also doth impart vnto vs his condition that hee is heauenly of which two points a little in order How God is in heauen First God is in heauen not circumscriptiue as though he were included within the compasse of heauen for he is infinit and therefore euery where neither is he in heauen definitiue as though when he were in heauen he were no where else for he is euery where at once for God is in euery place and yet not included in any place he is out of euery place and yet excluded from no place but God is in heauen first because that in heauen he doth especially manifest himselfe in his mercie grace and glorie to the elect Angels and Saints through the humanitie of Christ Iesus which is exalted in heauen secondly because that from heauen he doth visibly manifest himselfe to the creatures in the works of his
Paul on the sea shore Ionas in the Whales belly in the bottom of the sea but the superstitious papists will haue some place more holy than others hence come there pilgrimages to such a holy place hoping thereby sooner to obtaine their petitions therefore also they thinke the church-yard holy ground the Church holyer than the Church-yard the Chancell then the Church and the high altar more holy than the rest of the chancell True it is indeed that when the Church of God is assembled in the Church the place is more holy but not for any inherent holines in the ground but because of Gods presence among his people and because of holy actions there performed in regard whereof it is sacriledge to offer violence to such places or any way to prophane them yet God will assoone heare thy prayer at home in thy closet as in the Church though the publike prayers are more effectuall than priuate Finally to shut vp this point in regard of place prayers are publike or priuate The place of publike prayer is the assembly of the Saints wheresoeuer it be which sometime in persecution was in priuate houses or in caues of the earth or the wildernes or mountaines Act 1.13 Heb. 11 38. The place of priuate prayer is the house or the closet or some such fit place in secret not the market place nor the corners of the streete though I doubt not but a man may sigh and groane to the Lord walking in the streete and making his markets Mat. 6.5.6 but the outward signes of prayer priuate must then be concealed from the sight of men least wee appeare to men as hypocrits Hitherto of the necessitie of prayer with the time and place of performing that dutie The second generall thing to be considered in the dutie which Christ enioyneth his disciples is the manner how we must pray How we must pray which is expressed in these words After this manner pray ye The meaning of which words must needes be one of these things following that is to say Pray either 1. These words onely or 2. This matter onely or 3. In this method onely or 4. These words and matter or 5. These words and method or 6. This matter in this method or 7. These words and this matter in this method Now which of these things our Sauiour Christ doth enioyne shall appeare by the seuerall consideration of euery one of these seauen things First Christ doth not commaund vs to pray these words onely for then we should offend if we vsed any other words and words without matter is babling and Christ spake in the Hebrew tongue the Euangelists wrote in the Greeke tongue but Christ will not haue vs speake Greeke and Hebrew only when we pray therfore it is euident that Christ commaundeth not to say and so tyeth vs not precisely to these words onely Secondly he doth not enioyne vs to pray onely in this order or method for then whosoeuer vseth any other order should sinne and Christ commaundeth vs Matth. 6. First to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Matth. 6. â—3 before our daily bread but in this prayer Christ doth set the prayer for daily bread before remission of sinnes and imputation of Gods righteousnes wherefore aâ—so this is plaine that Christ doth not commaund vs to vse onely this method Thirdly he doth not commaund vs to pray this matter in these words onely for then Paul and Daniel and Dauid should sinne that pray this matter in other wordâ— â— Cor. â—â— 1â— Dâ—n 9. Psal 119. and all the Churches that euer haue bin which haue vsed other words in prayer though they haue alwaies kept themselues to this matter but it were impietie and blasphemie to say so therefore Christ here doth not binde vs to this matter in these words onely Fourthly he doth not commaund these words and method as hath been prooued in the second and third parts Fiftly he commaundeth not this matter in this method as is proued in the second and third parts Sixtly he commandeth not these words matter and method as may appeare by all the former parts wherefore in the last place it followeth necessarily this being a sufficient enumeration of parts that he commandeth vs to pray only this matter as if when Christ said thus After this manner pray hee should haue said pray 1. the matter herein contained and 2. with the affections here expressed This then is the meaning of these words and here Christ tieth vs to the matter and affections of this prayer To proceed Although Christ commandeth not these words and matter and method yet he doth not forbid them for in the whole Scripture there is no such prohibition wherefore Christ leaueth it arbitrarie vnto vs as a thing indifferent when we pray to say this prayer or not to say it so be that we say it in faith and feeling or if wee say it not VVhether a sâ—t forme of prayer be lawfull yet to pray according vnto it and this I suppose no indifferent man will denie yet there are some whom we wil account brethren though they doe not so reckon of vs seeing they haue separated from vs which thinke it vnlawful to vse the Lords Prayer as a set prayer or any other prescribed forme of prayer but that they are in a manifest error it may appeare by these considerations ensuing For if it bee lawfull to vse the salutation of Paul the Psalmes of Dauid and the blessing of Moses then wee may lawfully vse the Lords Prayer or any other prayer in holie Scripture agreeable thereto for a prayer For Paul himselfe vsed alwaies one manner of salutation our Sauiour Christ as is very probable vsed one of Dauids Psalmes with his Disciples after the first institution and celebration of his Supper Psal 92. and the 92 Psalme was vsually in the church of the Iewes sung vpon the Sabbath day and Moses alwaies vsed one manner of prayer at the remouing of the Tabernacle Numb 6.24.25.26 and 10.35.36 and another at the pitching thereof which euidently serueth for the ouerthrow of that opinion which they of late haue deuised contrarie to the practise of the ancient Church and all the reformed Churches in Christendome who haue an vniforme order of publike prayer one and the same almost in the very forme of words and plainly confirmeth vs in the present truth wee hold that it is lawfull to vse the prayers in Scriptures or any other prayers made by the Saints of God to our hands consonant to the Scriptures and yet notwithstanding here are some cautions to be remembred 1. That wee labour to insinuate our selues as much as may be into the grace and affections expressed in the prayers by the makers thereof that so wee may pray with the same spirit they did indite and vse them hauing by diligent consideration and vnderstanding of them as it were made them our owne 2. This vsing of other mens prayers is
God an heauenly Father for children come into their parents presence with reuerence so also is behoueth vs religiously to reuerence before so great a Maiestie as he is who though he be a father yet is also a consuming fire to fall into whose hands is a thing most dreadfull This honourable estimation Heb. 12.29 10.31 and reuerent feare the Lord challengeth by veâ—tue of his Fatherhood as the Prophet Malachie pleading the Lords cause Mal. 1.6 reporteth which will arise in our hearts vpon these grounds duly prepondered 5. Of holy med â—â—tions Psal 95.6 Genes 18.27 First if we consider that God is the Creator of vs all and that it is hee that hath made vs and we are his workmanship then as Abraham confessed so shall we let not the Lord be offended that we are bold to speake vnto him being but dust and ashes Iob 39.37 and as Iob saith Behold we are vile when wee speake vnto the Lord that maketh answere out of the whirlewinde Secondly if wee seriously weigh with our selues that God knoweth the inward disposition of the soule that he searcheth the hearts Heb. 4.13 and trieth the reines and that the bowels of the soule are seene of him and requireth spirituall seruice of vs Iob. 4.24 himselfe being a spirit it will work in vs religious feare and reuerence with sinceritie which is opposed to pride rashnes and dissembling with God Thirdly if wee consider with our selues the wonderfull attributes of God as his heauenly omnipotencie his exquisite iustice his incomprehensible Maiestie and glorie euery way infinite it may cause in vs rather astonishment and horror than a bare and naked feare But of this doctrine ariseth a reproofe of their practise that come into Gods presence A reproofe of carnall affections and thoughts in time of Prayer Eccles 4.17 either with common ordinarie affections or with vile and base estimations vpon whom the censure of irreligious and prophane persons may in some degree be charged for that they look not vnto their feete when they come into Gods house for there are some that come before God as men that goe to the market to buy or sell or to dispatch other ciuill businesses Thoughts of ciuill matters reprooued or it may bee with lesse circumspection for worldly men for the most part follow worldly affaires with great diligence desire and warines but wee must be otherwise affected for seeing prayer is a matter of religion and directed to God our heauenly father for our euerlasting good therefore we must put on reuerence and religion in regard both of God of our selues and of that holy action and doffe off ordinarie and common affections as it were a paire of foule shooes of our feete with Moses Exod. 3.5 when wee come to talke with God who is in the midst of the fire Others there are more vile and base in their estimations who bring before God the price of a dogge Vile and wicked thoughts reprooued or of an harlot for this is the practise of many who come to pray as the theefe to steale the drunkard to the Ale the leacher to the stewes or as men that come from stealing drinking and whoring for when they haue wearied themselues with these sinnes then they drop out of the stewes or Ale-house into the Church to prayer these men say as the Priests and people said in the Prophet Malachies time Mal. 2.7.8.13 The table of the Lord is not to be regarded wherefore before we appeare before the Lord some time must bee spent in preparing our hearts to prayer Preparitiue before Prayer needfull that all carnall and fleshly affections may be set apart and wee throughly possessed with an honourable and reuerent regard of that holy busines wherefore the Prophet exhorteth the true Iacob or Israelite to lift vp the heads of the euerlasting doores that is Psa 24.6.7 the cogitations and affections of the soule which is eternall that Christ the King of glorie may come in for sensuall and worldly thoughts and desires doe barre and lock the doore against him And in the next Psalme the Prophet himselfe practiseth his exhortation like a good Teacher lifting vp his soule vnto the Lord when hee speaketh vnto him in prayer Psal 25.1 for seeing we pray to God our Father which is in heauen and heauenly therefore wee must haue heauenly affections and meditations in time of prayer Christ saith Mat. 6.21 where our treasure is there will our hearts be If God bee our treasure who is in heauen our hearts and mindes will be there also wherefore wee must pitch our affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are below Collos 3.2 VVanderings reprooued so that here falleth to the ground all wauing and gadding thoughts and desires in time of prayer besides or contrarie to the matter vttered in prayer as about our dinner our money our cattell our pleasures our suites and aduersaries and a thousand of like qualitie so that if our prayers were written as wee conceiue them and our by-thoughts as parentheses interlaced they would be so ridiculous as that wee might very well bee ashamed of them and yet alas God must haue such prayers of vs or he must haue none for wandrings will creepe into the prayers of the most godly and vigilant though in time of prayer they watch their hearts with double diligence which ineuitable infirmities being disliked and bewailed shall not be imputed to Gods children And thus the fourth affection viz. reuerence is requisite by occasion whereof the fifth holy disposition also hath been handled which is as hath been said heauenly meditations and affections seuered from the world and worldly matters Now therefore the sixth and last of these holie dispositions is Faith 6. Of Faith which is grounded vpon the former foundation for seeing God is our Father therefore wee may be assured of his loue and seeing hee is in heauen or heauenly we need not doubt of his power Foure grounds of faith loue power wisedome truth of God and seeing he is so in heauen as that hee is euery where else as hath been said wee may bee sufficiently perswaded of his presence adde hereto his truth and fidelitie which will assure vs of performing his promises and wee may haue full assurance of faith which may thus be singled out 1. First God is euery where and so knoweth our wants 2. Secondly God is powerfull and omnipotent and so able to doe whatsoeuer he will 3. Thirdly God is louing and mercifull and therefore hath will to doe for vs what is best 4. Lastly God is true and therefore performeth his promises and keepeth his fidelitie for euer So that if these meditations frequent our mindes our faith will marueilously bee confirmed which is thus grounded out of this preface And these are the persons affections of prayer Hauing thus discussed the preface which is the first part
passe that much of Gods honor and glory fell to the ground vnrespected of the Prophet but then God is dishonored when he is not honored in that measure as the meanes affoord and our grace may permit Hauing hitherto intreated how Gods name is inwardly profaned in our mindes and hearts Prophane speeches dishonor God it followeth now in the next place to speake how by our words and actions we dishonor God and for our speeches which is the fourth generall head we must remember that they are especially of sâ—xe kindes Frst to speake of Gods workes or word without reuerence and feare and attentiue respect to the matter 1 Vnreuerent â—peeâ—â— of Gods vvord or vvorkes dishonor God 1. Cor. 24.13 whether it be in prayer or preaching or conference or howsoeuer else for Gods word being so reuerend and honorable a name of God must with proportionable reuerence and honor be handled and therefore the Apostle would haue Preachers so deliuer the word as that the matter and words be of the same nature for sanctified matter must haue sanctified words and spirituall matter spirituall speeches otherwise the matter is dishonored by the words therefore the Scriptures phrase and rhetoricke is to be obserued of Preachers that their sermons may sauor of them as much as is possible Here also they are to be reprooued that make prayer a lip-labor onely for they speake to God of his word and adde no attention and reuerence which is to dishonor that graue and solemne exercise of inuocation Hither also appertaine those curious schoole-disputes interlaced with philosophicall quiddities whereby Gods word is miserably stretcht and rackt and rent in peeces and disfigured as Christ was vpon the crosse by the souldiers in summe whatsoeuer vndecent homely and vnmannerly metaphors or comparisons whatsoeuer false glozes and expositions whatsoeuer railings and reuilings shall be vsed in disputations sermons or tractats vpon the word fall within the compasse of abusing the holy word of God and the Apostles counsell is reiected who willeth 1. Pet 4.10 that if any man speake he should speake as the words of God 2 Approbation o◠〈…〉 writing dishonoreth God Next to vnreuerent speech are such as giue approbation to error or false worship whether by word or writing as subscription to poperie Mahometisme or any other false doctrine or superstition For if it be alleadged that though they by word or writing may seeme to approoue that profession whereto they subscribe yet they keepe a pure heart free from any assent or allowance thereto The answere is 1. Cor. 6.20 Ioh. 4.24 1. Cor. 8.10.11 that God will be glorified with the whole man and not with the spirit onely though that be chiefely regarded of him himselfe being a spirit as Christ teacheth the Samaritane The reason which the Apostle vseth to disswade the Christian Corinthians from presenting their bodies at idolatrous feasts least thereby the weake be enboldned to doe so likewise is sufficient to enforce this conclusion that no outward approbation must be giuen to superstition least others be deceiued thereby and so Christ be dishonored For that which may be alleadged of Elishâ—es approbation to Naaman the Syrian 2. King 5.18 is altogether impertinent if the place be truely translated for Naaman doth not desire indulgence from God for idolatrie which he purposeth to commit as though hee spake in the future tense but for that idolatrie which he had formerly committed for indeede the words may aswell be translated in the time past and so they are directly in the originall So then whatsoeuer may be alledged to the contrarie it is manifest that all outward approbation of false doctrine or worship by word or deede is dishonorable and scandalous to our weake brethren Let vs take heede therefore how wee receiue the marke of the beast in our foreheads Apoc. 13.16 or our right hands that is that we by our gestures or subscription doe not approue the doctrine and superstition of the Pope or the Turke Vers 3. least by this meanes we worshipping the beasts and dishonoring God our names be not found in the booke of life After superstitious subscription or approbation of false worship 3 Scoffing speecâ—â—s about Gods wo d or wâ—rkes d shonor God follow mocking and iesting at or with Gods workes or word a thing very common now adayes for euery wittie or rather indeede witles braine wil be deuising and belching out the scum of their wit in iesting and scoffing at Gods workes or with Gods word or other holy writings agreeable to the word and consecrated to the worship of God These men in truth mocke God himselfe in that they mocke Gods workemanship for the disgrace of the worke tendeth to the dishonor of the workeman for the world hath Nick-names for euey one that hath either a great head or wry necke or long nose or crooked backe or lame legge or that wanteth a hand or an eye or so forth these deformities should stirre vp in vs humiliation as being so many prints of Gods wrath in man and if we be free from them to acknowledge with thankfull memorie the mercie of God to vs that haue desâ—â—ued as much that so wee might glorifie God in his iustice and mercie also the world and especially the stage which is a little world of wickednes is full of Scripture iests it would cause a mans hayre to stand vpright to heare how some please themselues in this kinde of Rhetoricke which the diuel deuised and suggested into the mindes and mouthes of mocke-gods 2. King 1.24 We reade how seuerely God punished young children that mockt the Prophet for his infirmitie of baldnes and his ministerie of prophecie and the Apostles condemneth iesting which notwithstanding the heathen man counted a morall vertue Now if it be a fault for one man to mocke another it is likewise a fault and much more for a man to mocke with the word of God it is a great sinne also for vs to make our selues merâ—y with the simplicitie of a naturall borne fooles in all which Gods workes and word and so God himselfe is dishonored 4 Vaine swearing dishonoreth God Furthermore vaine oathes diminish Gods glory when men vpon no necessitie hauing no calling in vaine toyes vsurpe the name of God or the name of Gods workes as by this light fire salt bread or the name of false gods or worship as the Masse our Lady Saint Anne c. In al which God is dishonored either directly or immediatly Matth. 5.34 as in vsing Gods titles or attributes or the parts of Christs body or soule Matth. 23.16.17.18.19 20.21.22 Psal 16.4 Exod. 23.13 idlely and fruitlesly or indirectly and by consequence in calling to witnes the workes of God which are so many memorials and testimonies of God as faith troth c. Or lastly in calling to witnes false gods or false worship which is to rob God of his honor and giue it to another which
vs to obey his will First God must erect his Kingdome in our hearts and we must be his subiects before we can yeeld obedience to his lawes from which order ariseth this instruction That a man can neuer obey Gods will till he haue Gods grace or a man can neuer keepe Gods lawes till he be Gods subiect and God be his Lord and King to rule and ouerrule him Heb. 11. Rom. 14. 1. Tim. 1. or which is all one in effect good workes proceede from grace or without faith which is the roote of grace it is impossible to please God or whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne or the end of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained and the necessarie consequence of this doctrine is Pro. 15.8 Esa 1.13 Matth. 7.22 that whatsoeuer a man doth wanting grace is sinne whether they be actions naturall ciuill or religious for some Preachers and Prophets in the day of iudgement shall bee found workers of iniquitie Here notwithstanding wee must remember to distinguish betwixt the action and the manner of preforming the action the agent the ouerseer Fiue things in euery action 1. Actio 2. Agens 3. Modus agendi 4. Res mota 5. Patiens and the matter the action is naturall the manner of performing the action morall the agent is terminus á quo the efficient cause the obiect is terminus ad quem or the patient vpon whom the action falleth Now to all those must be added the matter or the thing moued This destinction being remembred let vs take for examples preaching and almes The vttering of the voyce in preaching is action Hovv preaching is good or bad good in it one nature the matter of preaching is good the holy word of God The obiect whereupon the action is occupied is a godly man the hearer of the word all which make the action so farre forth good but the agent and the manner of performing the action may turne it to sin for if the agent that is the Minister or Preacher be a man out of Christ wanting faith and grace being no member of Christ nor subiect of his Kingdome he cannot possibly obey his wil but the fountaine being vncleane the streame flowing from the fountaine is vncleane also Againe if the Preacher erre in the manner of doing the action though he be in Christ as if he preach Christ of contention or malice and so forth his preaching may proue sinne sinne I say not to the godly and carefull hearer nor in it selfe but onely to the Preacher How almes is good or bad In like manner the reaching faith of the hand in giuing almes is good in nature the money or matter giuen is Gods creature the person to whom the almes is offered a godly man but if either the person that giueth the almes or the manner of distributing be vitious as aforesaid as if the proud Pharisie should cause a trumpet to be blowne for ostentation and vaineglorie he being not qualified with the foundation and forme of a good worke all his almes if it were all his substance were abominable in the sight of God 1. Cor. 13. as it came from him and as good as nothing as the Apostle teacheth This distinction then being remembred will cleere this doctrine that the good deedes of wicked men are sinne from whence the conclusion also will follow that the wicked in the day of iudgement shall be condemned for their good deedes This besides that it thwarteth the doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth good workes before grace and their merit of congruitie it teacheth vs further to labour for two things 1. Tim. 1.5 1. Cor. 13.1.2.3 first that we haue the foundation of a good worke which is faith in Christ by and through whom our persons and actions are accepted of God Secondly that in all our good workes we haue the forme and manner of doing which in generall the Apostle calleth loue not onely to God ayming at his glory which excludeth vaine-glorie and hypocrisie but also to man intending the benefit of him to whom the good worke is extended And this is the doctrine and vse which ariseth from the order of this petition before the third The sense and meaning 2 The meaning of the second petion which is the second thing to be obserued followeth wherein these two things are to be considered as before in the first petition viz the obiect and the action that is to say First what Gods Kingdome is Secondly how Gods Kingdome is said to come Gods Kingdome which is the first point VVhat Gods Kingdome â—s is the heauenly politie or regiment which God through Christ exerciseth in the hearts of the faithfull by his spirit and word in this life and by glory and blisse in the life to come in regarde whereof the Kingdome of God is called the Kingdome of grace when it is begun in the consciences of the faithfull and continually cherished and increased by all the holy meanes of saluation and it is called the Kingdome of glory when it is consummate and perfectly accomplished the Saints yeelding absolute obedience to the will of God in heauen whence issueth the glorious happines of the creature For better vnderstanding of this point what the Kingdome of God is consider shortly these twelue points which followe Who is the King Christ Iesus as he is God and man where we must know that the Father and the holy Ghost are not excluded but all the creatures of what excellencie soeuer Heb. 2.5 Who are the subiects They are of two sorts true subiects who are the whole companie of beleeuers wheresoeuer and counterfeit subiects who though they be in the Church yet are not of the Church which distinction is grounded 1. Iohn 2. What are the lawes They are the law of nature which is the decalogue and the lawe of grace the summe whereof is contained in the Gospell namely faith and repentance and obedience which is the summe of the decalogue Who are the enemies They are these ten following First Sathan secondly sinne thirdly death fourthly hell or the graue fifthly damnation sixtly the world seauenthly the flesh eightly the Pope and all Papists and heretikes ninthly the Turke and all Pagans tenthly the hypocrits Atheists and all prophane and professed wicked men What rewards to the subiects They are in this life all good things that may profit them and freedome from all euill which may hurt and in the life to come euerlasting happines in heauen What punishments or chastisements The punishments are all taken away in Christ who hath vndergone them for vs yet there remaine corrections of diuers sorts to nurture and discipline vs and to keepe vs in awe and so forth What weapons to resist our enemies The weapons are spirituall Ephes 6. namely faith hope loue righteousnes the word prayer What is the time of this kingdome It lasteth so long
22.2 The duties of our speciall callings must bee performed in conscience to Gods commandements Ephes 6.1 After actiue obedience Submission a part of Gods will which consisteth in doing Gods commandements followeth passiue obedience in suffering his chastisements which generally may be termed submission that is when the creature is content to resigne himhelfe ouer wholy to the will of the Creator and to say as Dauid said 2. Sam. 15.26 Behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes this vertue doth especially respect the time to come and the Lords secret will that if the Lord haue in his secret counsell determined such and such euils and afflictions to befall vs we can be content with patience to beare them how many and how great soeuer they be so be that thereby God may be glorified After the kinds of obedience follow the qualities of obedience viz. cheerefulnes or willingnes and sincerity or perfection Cheerefulnes in obedience a part of Gods will 2. Cor. 9.7 Iam. 1.5 Ioh. 4.34 Cheerefulnes or willingnes is highly regarded of God and accordingly endeuored of the children of God God loueth a cheerefull giuer saith the Apostle and God himselfe giueth freely and vpbraideth no man saith Iames and he liketh that in his children which himselfe practiseth Christ saith that it was meate and drinke to him to doe the will of his heauenly father yea and in suffering for our sinnes he protesteth great willingnes for he did willingly lay downe his life and it was not taken from him against his liking and therefore Dauid prophecieth of him Psal 40.8 that seeing it was written of him in the volume of the booke that he should doe Gods will therefore he was content to doe it And this is that eccho which Dauids heart gaue to Gods voyce Psal 27.8 God said seeke ye my face Dauids heart answered Lord I will seeke thy face and although it cannot bee denied but that the flesh is very weake yea repugnant and refractary yet the spirit is willing Rom. 7.22 and the children of God do delight in the law of God according to the inner man Sinceritie in obedience a part of Gods will Psal 119.106 Finally perfection or sinceritie also is required as another necessarie qualification of obedience which consisteth in a true purpose of the heart ioyned with an earnest endeuour to the vtmost of grace to obey euery one yea the very least of Gods commaundements making conscience of idle words 1. Cor. 4.4 Rom. 7.24 and vaine thoughts yea of the stirring of concupisence and which is most of all of originall sinne and Adams transgression imputed This vertue of sinceritie is much despised and persecuted by the world when men intitle it by straunge names as humor spiced conscience precisenes puritanisme alas that euer the diuell should so preuaile For example take a man that is very well content with the state obeying the Magistrate ciuill and ecclesiasticall in al the ceremonies of the Church yet if he doe not sweare and drinke and quarell and so forth but reproue the swearer the dronkard the hackster and the rest This man is as odious to the multitude as the veriest disciplinarian in the land and he shall partake as well in the foresaid titles of disgrace as the other Now in the fourth place follow the things which in this petition are to be prayed against The deprecation of this petition Obstinacie opposed to Gods will Pro 23.35 whereof the first is obstinacie which is a purpose and resolution to continue in the course of wickednes wherein a man liueth the sinne of the drunkards of whom the wise man speaketh which are resolued still to seeke after drunkennes also the sinne of the Shepheards and Watchmen of Israel of whom the Prophet Esay speaketh Who say Esay 56.12 To morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant in wine and strong drinke and couetous oppression Ierem. 44.16.17 The extremitie of this sinne is recorded in the rebellious Iewes by the Prophet Ieremie who being admonished of their sinnes and of obedience to Gods commaundements made answere that they would not heare the word of the Lord which Ieremie spake but they would doe what themselues listed The Apostle calleth this sinne a hard and irrepentant heart Rom. 2.4.5 and the despising of Gods bountifulnes patience and long suffering which is directly opposite to the obedience of the Gospell In the second place followeth disobedience Disobedience opposit to Gods will which is euery transgression of the morall law or of any other speciall precept Disobedience hath foure specialties 1. Vngodlines irreligion or prophanenes when men regarde not Gods worship but liue as if there were no God no heauen no diuell no hell no conscience of such Atheists the world hath millions who make no more account of Gods Sabbaths than of the market or faire no more reckoning of a sermon than of a fable of Esop that for gaining a peny sweare and forsweare and what not those impious wretches are more fearefull and damnable sinners than the world esteemeth them seeing they by their practise declare themselues directly to forget God who is then especially remembred Rom. 1.18 when hee is worshipped Against this sinne Gods wrath is reuealed from heauen 2. Vnrighteousnes or iniustice which is when any violence or wronge is offered to our neighbours person or gifts as his dignitie goods life or chastitie 3. Rebellion when men peremptorily resist Gods will knowne particularly and euidently vrged vpon their conscience or performe not obedience to a speciall precept Example hereof wee haue in Saul who was commaunded by God vtterly to destroy the Amalekites and all their goods now he saued Agag the King and the fattest of the sheepe and oxen and so flatly rebelled against this precept the punishment of this sinne was most fearefull vpon him which argueth the fearefulnes of the sinne And the Prophet Samuel saith 1. Sam. 15.23 that it is a sin as great as witchcraft or idolatrie and although now the Lord giueth no speciall precepts to men yet hee doth particularly vrge vpon the conscience of some men generall commaundements as when in the Ministerie of the word the spirit of God cryeth aloude in the heart of the drunkard to forsake his drunkennes and for that sinne hee is prickt in conscience and perswaded to forsake it the which sin if he still practise and doe not forsake then he rebelleth flatly against God and is obnoxious to a fearefull punishment 4. Vnfaithfulnes when men in their speciall callings doe not seeke Gods glory 1. Cor. 4.2 1. Cor. 10.31 nor the benefit of the Church or common-wealth or the good of some societie or when men liue idly or negligently This sinne the Apostle taxeth in the Thessalonians that they liued disorderly and in the Ephesians 2. Thes 3.6 â— Ephes 4.28 whom he termeth theeues for that they did not
as we forgiue our debtors But because all these particulars though to another end and after another manner haue been already discoursed in this treatise here of purpose I omit their further handling 4 The deprecation of this petition And this may suffice for the supplication comprehending the things we pray for in this petition now followeth the fourth thing which is the deprecation containing those things which we pray against and they are these sixe following Blindnes of minde 2. Cor. 4.4 1 Blindnes of minde which is when men continue in sinne without any consideration thereof either banishing the thought of it out of their mind or slubbering the matter ouer with a negligent conceit as that we are all sinners and the best man hath his infirmities Againe vnto blindnes of minde as neere of kinne may be added a reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 when men are bereft of all difference of good and euill neuer making bones as we say of sinne against nature which the Apostle calleth things not conuenient or not agreeing with the light of nature 2 Hardnes of heart which is a fruit of the former Hardnes of heart when men are neuer troubled in their consciences for most fearefull sinnes this was that fearefull iudgement which befell Pharaoh who had a heart more hard than the Adamant Exod. 5 6. c. neuer trembling at all that fearefull wrath which God executed vpon Egypt Ezech. 11.19 Act. 2.37 Contrarie to this is a soft and fleshie heart as the Prophet calleth it a heart prickt with the feeling of sinne a heart that doth tremble at Gods word Both these sinnes may bee intitled with one generall name the spirit of slumber or securitie Securitie eyes that doe not see eares that doe not heare a heart that doth not vnderstand as the Prophets prophecie 3 Opinion of our owne righteousnesse Opinion of our owne iustice Rom. 10.3 a matter very common with the naturall man and the ignorant multitude who therein iumpe with the Iewes in Pauls time who were taught by the Pharisies the patrons of that heresie and with the Papists in our time Luk. 18.21.11 Mark 10. Apoc. 3.17 whereas the Lord Iesus Christ reproueth the Angell of the Church of Laodicea for that very fault who said he was rich being indeede poore and ignorant of his pouertie These are proud iusticiaries who as they are blind so are they bolde in their blindnes saying they can see and therefore their sinne remaineth Ioh. 9.41 whereas if they would confesse themselues to be blind they should haue no sinne for Christ would take it away 4 Vpon this conceit of our owne righteousnesse Neglect or contempt of Christ Rom. 10.3 followeth necessarilie either a contempt or light estimation or no regard at all of Christs righteousnesse and his merits Christ saith the whole haue no need of the Physitian that is to say they that iudge themselues to be in good health that thinke they are righteous will neuer regard Christ who is the Physitian of the soule and the physick also After this followeth vnbeleefe or infidelitie Vnbeleef infidelitie presumption despaire with the opposite pride and presumption which when they haue a long time wrought vpon the heart of a carnall man if the Lord at length open the eyes of that wretch to see his sinnes Genes 4.13 Mat. 27.4 then despaire rusheth vpon him which is the next neighbour to vnbeleefe Hatred Malice Reuenge 6 Hatred not forgiuing others that iniurie or wrong vs hereto appertaineth malice and a desire of reuenge things too common in the world some say I may forgiue but I will neuer forget others I will pray for him but I will neuer trust him some malefactors when the rope is about their necke proclaime their eternall hatred to all the executioners of iustice Hitherto also appertaineth the discouering of our neighbours infirmities 1. Pet. 4.8 Prou. 10.12 whereas Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes that is of priuate infirmities which thou knowest in thy neighbour 5 The thanksgiuing of this petition This may suffice for the deprecation the thankesgiuing now followeth which may easily be collected out of the former by induction of particulars before mentioned Thus the petition for grace is handled Now followeth the last petition which is for perseuerance And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill 1 Order of the last petition The order of this petition after the former is very due and iust for perseuerance followeth grace and is a necessarie consequent thereof here the doctrines mentioned in the order of the former petition are to be handled Grace and perseuerance inseparable First that grace and perseuerance are inseparable for no temptation no sinne no affliction shall be able to ouerthrow the grace of God in the man that is indued therewith Mat. 7.24.25 for hee hath built his house vpon the Rocke like a wise man and therefore though the raine fall and the floods come and the windes blow and beate vpon the house yet the house shall not fall for it is builded vpon the Rocke Christ And Christ telleth Peter that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church that is built vpon this Rocke Mat. 16.18 and certainely if God should once giue grace to a man and after should take it away then this absurditie would follow that God should repent that he should alter and change for God truely loueth him that hath grace and he truely hateth him that falleth away finally and totally from all grace and so God should be as man mutable and changeable which is blasphemous to Gods infinite perfection Iam. 1.17 with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing for the strength of Israell will not lie nor repent for hee is not a man that hee should repent 1. Sam. 15.29 Againe this would follow as absurd as the former that it might be said God hath from eternity Elected and Reprobated the same man Christ hath both redeemed and not redeemed the same man the same man is flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone and a limme of the diuell the same man is a member of the Catholike Church and no member of the Catholike Church which things because they haue no congruitie with themselues and with the course of the Scriptures are therefore to bee reiected as grosse absurdities and the trueth remaineth firme That grace hath perseuerance as necessarily annexed to it as the Sunne hath light or the fire heate Secondly this doctrine ariseth from the former He that hath grace resisteth the temptation that he which hath grace can in some measure resist temptation and if so be that sometime through the violent whirlewinde of a temptation he take the foyle by the temptor yet after hee recouereth himselfe and gathereth more strength and courage to the next encounter and at the length giueth his enemie the ouerthrow
was in Dauid who continued in his murder and adulterie three quarters of a yeere in which time there was a spirituall mist of carnall securitie which couered his minde and heart which afterward was dispersed and thus the Lord is said actually to blinde and harden men as we see in the kingdome of Antichrist and in the old Iewes and in Pharaoh the King of Egypt 2. Thes 2.11 Esay 6.10 Exod. 4.21 whose eyes the Lord blinded and whose heart the Lord hardened Here a scruple may arise viz. that seeing God blindeth men and hardeneth their hearts he therefore may be said both to be the author of sinne and to tempt to sinne both which neuerthelesse the Scripture peremptorily denieth to be in God as being contrarie to his infinite goodnes Psal 5.4 Iam. 1.13 For answere whereof wee must remember that God may bee said to harden and blinde and tempt God is not the author of sin and yet neither is the author of sinne nor a tempter to sinne First God tempteth man especially foure waies 1 By afflictions which are therfore called temptations Iam. 1. 2 By a commandement speciall as that of Abraham Genes 22.1 3 By prosperitie and abundance of outward things Prou. 30.9 4 By occasioning obiects as Genes 3. God obiected the apple to Adams and Eues eye and 2. Thess 2. God sent vpon them strong delusions which is to be vnderstood in regard of the obiect entising and deluding True it is therefore that God doth tempt but he doth not tempt to sinne the Lords temptation may more properly be called a probation than temptation hee rather doth trie what euill is in vs than moue vs to euill rather he proueth what we wil doe than stirreth vs vp to doe any thing wherefore wee are to distinguish betwixt these two words Dokimazein Peirazein temptation and probation howsoeuer they may perhaps sometime admit one and the same signification Secondly and more fully to the purpose God hardeneth Man hardeneth and Satan hardeneth in diuers considerations 1 Man hardeneth his owne heart by refusing the grace offered in the meanes of saluation How man hardeneth his owne hart and thus Christ complaineth that when hee would haue gathered the Iewes together they would not And thus in the Psalme the Prophet exhorteth the people not to harden their hearts Psal 95.7.8 as their fathers did at Massah and Meribah but to heare the voyce of the Lord to day How Satan hardeneth mans hart Heb. â— 13 2 Againe Satan hardeneth mans heart by perswading and tempting to refuse grace to continue in the practise of sinne in impenitencie and so by consequent there is such a callion or hardnes brought vpon a man through the daily custome of sinne by the subtiltie of Satan that all the meanes of grace rebound backe againe as a ball cast against a stone wall How God hardeneth mans heart Mat. 20.15 3 Lastly when a man is come to this passe God hath his worke also for he withholdeth his grace which he is not bound to giue except it please him he being the absolute Lord of his owne and hauing left vs to the swinge of our owne corruption hee notwithstanding euery day or very often smiteth our hard harts with his word with his iudgments with his blessings with the motions of the spirit or of our owne conscience the which not breaking our stony hearts to contrition as the stone is broken by the hammer of the workman which is the proper effect of Gods word Ierem. 23.29 by accident the heart is hardened as the stiddie the more strokes lighteth vpon it the more it is beaten together the faster is the substance and so the harder and so in his iustice and iudgement punisheth one sinne with another casting occasions and obiects whereupon the corruption that is in man worketh to the committing of most vile abominations Rom. 1. 2. Thes 2. as the Gentiles fell from idolatrie to sins against nature they in the seate of Antichrist neglecting the loue of the truth were strongly deluded by the occasion of entising obiects to beleeue lies as namely all those lying signes and fables mentioned in their Legends And thus God hardeneth and in the same sense he blindeth Summarily therefore God doth thus harden the heart and blinde the minde and tempt the creature and so leade into temptation but is not the author of sinne or tempter to sinne Thus much for temptation which is the first enemie of grace and impediment of perseuerance now followeth the second which is euill But deliuer vs from euill Here also we are to consider two things VVhat is good and euill 1 What is euill 2 What is to deliuer from euill or how God deliuereth from euill First therfore to know what euill is we must know what good is that by the opposition of contraries the matter may be more euident Good is of three sorts for there is a naturall good a morall good and a good instrument and so by contrarietie there is a naturall euill a morall euill and an euill instrument A natural good is whatsoeuer God hath at the first creared so the Lord saith that all his works were good A naturall good Genes 1.21 which must needes be vnderstood of that naturall goodnes that is of the good essence and qualities wherewith God indued his creatures for the beasts and the plants the foules and fishes the heauens and meteors the earth and metals are onely good in respect of their essence and qualities for they are not capable of vertue or vice seeing that God neuer gaue the law morall vnto them A morall good is whatsoeuer qualitie is in the reasonabe creature agreeable to the law morall A morall good Genes 1.21 Micah 6.8 commonly called the tenne commandements as also whatsoeuer qualitie is in man agreeable to the Gospell the summe whereof is repentance and faith which are qualities supernaturall infused into man A good instrument is whatsoeuer God in his mercie and loue to his children vseth as a meanes to procure the good of his Church though it be the diuell A good instrument though it bee sinne than which there is not a greater euill yet it is not summum malum Rom. 8.28 for that God vseth sinne as an instrument of good and therefore sinne is not absolutely euill for it hath a respect of good It is euery way euill in it selfe but God which is infinitely good turneth euill to good 2. Cor. 4.6 and bringeth light out of darknes yea further whatsoeuer God vseth as an instrument of his glorie in his mercie and iustice is instrumentally good and so there is no summum malum though there be summum bonum We see the kindes of good let vs see also the kindes of euill A naturall euill A naturall euill is whatsoeuer is opposed to a naturall good and that is commonly called malum poenae the euill of punishment namely whatsoeuer serueth for the
that we are neither to pray for them nor against them but to commit our selues to Gods prouidence and will to bee ordered as hee thinketh best and if afflictions befall vs with temptations to sanctifie them by prayer for our sanctification 3 Lastly others are directly of opinion that it is lawfull yea needfull sometime to pray for temptations and afflictions for that they are both a part of our daily bread though not of the body yet of the soule In this diuersitie of opinions it is very hard to finde out the trueth by keeping a meane betwixt them which must bee done otherwise the doubts cannot be dissolued we must know therefore for euidence sake that we reade in the Scriptures that Gods seruants haue alwaies prayed against temptation and affliction 2. Cor. 12.7.8 Prou 3â— 9 Psal 11â— 71 94.12 Iam. 1.2 so the Apostle prayed against the pricke of the flesh so the wise man prayed against pouertie wee reade also on the other side that the Prophet Dauid reckeneth affliction good for himselfe and the man blessed whom the Lord correcteth and the Apostle Iames willeth vs to account it a matter of all ioy to bee tempted and afflicted and it is probable if that Adam had neuer fallen from grace he might haue been assaulted with temptation and why may not the diuels sometime tempt the good Angels as well as they tempted Christ Especially if temptation be onely the propounding of an euill obiect to the vnderstanding with a reason to enforce it There being then a kind of repugnancie in these two practises of the holy men in Scripture some praying against temptation and affliction others accounting affliction good for them and exhorting to reioyce in temptation they must be reconciled by the change of the respect for howsoeuer in the Scripture there may be a shew of repugnancie yet indeed there is none Therefore in one respect Gods children prayed against temptation and affliction in another respect they accounted it a blessed and ioyfull thing to bee tempted and afflicted Gods purpose in temptation Sathans intent in temptation Temptation is to be considered according to Gods purpose and according to the diuels intendment God purposeth temptation to our good Sathan intendeth our hurt Againe temptation must be considered with the effect that the diuell produceth through the temptation and with the effect which God worketh thereby Sathan by the temptation produceth sinne the Lord he effecteth grace vpon sinne therefore we must and the seruants of God did pray against temptation according to the diuels intent and worke and intreate the Lord to turne the diuels effect produced to our good as God intendeth and worketh Affliction is a punishment Affliction is a correction Againe affliction is to be considered as God first inflicted it and as he afterward corrected it he inflicted it as a punishment for the destruction of the creature but he hath since in mercy to his children altered it for the correcting and bettering of them in the former consideration the seruants of God prayed against it in the latter they reioyced in it and accounted themselues blessed by it To make answere therefore directly wee may in some sense pray against affliction and temptation but in no respect pray for them yet when we are exercised by them finding in our selues the markes of election we may reioyce vnder them pray God to worke his worke in vs by them and so labour to become blessed by meanes of them for it will not follow by good consequence that because good redoundeth to vs by them that therefore wee must pray for them for by like proportion it should bee concluded that seeing through sinne God worketh out our good we should pray that we might fall into sinne which is a thing most absurd and irreligious In briefe whatsoeuer is properly the meanes of our good wee are bound to pray for but that which is the meanes of our good by accident we are not to pray for but hauing reaped good by it through Gods mercy to blesse him for it and when we are exercised by it to intreate his blessing by meanes of it And thus in some measure these doubts are cleered whether it be lawfull and how farre forth to pray for or against affliction and temptation Now we are to proceede in the deprecation 3 Desertion Gods forsaking the creature Against desertion is a thing that wee especially pray against in this place that God would not withdraw second grace from vs. 4 Lapse into sinne Against lapse into sinne which followeth vpon Gods forsaking of vs for then we being in the hands of the diuell and our owne lusts they will tyrannise ouer vs. 5 Gods hardening the heart and blinding the minde Against Gods blinding the minde and hardning the heart Against apostasie Heb. 3.12 Esay 1.5 which is a spirituall iudgement inflicted by God vpon them that customably liue in sinne 6 Apostasie or backsliding which is when a man reuolteth from a former measure of knowledge or grace or profession Apostasie is either partiall or totall Partiall Apostasie is when a man in some poynt of doctrine erreth whereas before he held the trueth or when a man leeseth some grace or measure of the same grace wherewith before he was indued or when a man falleth away from the profession of the trueth to Gentilisme c. Hymeneus and Philetus Alezander 1. Tim. 1.20 2. Tim. 2.17.18 were Apostataes in part erring concerning the resurrection Dauid fell from some measure of grace receiued and therefore he prayeth that God would restore to him ioy and gladnes which he had lost Psal 51.8 12. Demaâ— he imbraced the present world and fell from his profession to be a Gentile againe 2. Tim. 4 10. thus did diuers in the Primitiue Church Totall Apostasie is when a man falleth away from all the trueth and grace and profession of the trueth as Iulian the Apostata did hitherto appertaineth the sinne against the holy Ghost Aâ—ainst punishment of all sorts 7 Punishments of sinne of all sorts whether temporall and bodily or spirituall and eternall euill conscience Hell and so forth Against hurt of all sorts 8 Hurt through iugdements 9 Hurt through lapse into sinne 10 Hurt through the meanes of saluation and prosperitie Against Satan 11 Diuell that God would tread Sathan vnder our feete that hee would restraine and limit his power and malice Against the world 12 World which is the euill examples of the world the flattering intisements and fearefull threates thereof Against the fâ—â—sh 13 Flesh which is the lust and concupiscence of our heart which continually stirreth it selfe vp and fighteth against the spirit that God would represse it mortifie it and so subdue it that it preuaile not against vs. VVhether it be lawfull to pray against death Heb 9.27 Here a question is to be handled whether it be lawfull to pray against death The Apostle answereth It
else it is not made in due and right manner as it ought to bee wherefore this conclusion must bee vnderstood in euery petition as must also the preface Feruency is the summe of the conclusion Iam. 5.16 The manner of making and ending our prayers expressed in this conclusion may bee vttered in one word Feruencie as S. Iames saith The feruent prayer of the righteous auaileth the word which the Apostle vseth signifieth such a prayer as is effectuall Energoumene operatiue working for the inner man must not be idle in time of prayer Feruencie therefore is the inward operation of the soule in the time of prayer VVhat feruencie is euen as a pot boyleth and seetheth by reason of the fire put vnder so the soule of a man moued through the spirit of God as it were a hot fire within his bowels must conceiue inwardly such sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 which maketh a feruent and effectual prayer This feruencie then is when all the faculties of the minde and reasonable soule are occupied about the matter of the prayer the vnderstanding conceiueth matter and inditeth the memorie remembreth things needfull the will hartilie wisheth things necessary the affections stirring themselues according to the seuerall matters conceiued in the prayer sometime reioycing sometime mourning sometime fearing sometime hoping sometime hating sometime louing and so foorth as the matter varieth this in generall is feruencie Parts of feruencie faith desire which hath two parts here expressed The first is faith and assurance and confidence Fiducia The second is earnest and vehement and ardent desire Votum The first is the principall worke of the vnderstanding the second is the principall worke of the will the other two parts of the soule being the handmaides of these for the memorie ministreth to the vnderstanding and the affections are seruiceable to the will the conscience is compounded of them all Faith the first part of feruencie Of faith in prayer is expressed in the conclusion by certaine arguments which shall be handled afterward something first in generall of faith Faith is necessarily required to make a feruent prayer Faith is necessarie in prayeâ— Iam 1.6.7 the Apostle therefore calleth it the prayer of faith and further auoucheth that the man that doubteth shall obtaine nothing at Gods hands not as though any man could pray without some doubting and vnbeleefe but the Apostles meaning is of such doubting which raigneth in the heart as may appeare by the text also our Sauiour Christ requireth faith plainly if wee will obtaine Mark 11.24 and wee shall obtaine if wee haue faith Now wee must alwaies remember that faith is grounded vpon Gods word Faith is grounded vpon Gods will and Gods word is his will and so our faith must be grounded vpon his will wherefore if wee aske any thing in faith according to his reuealed will we shall obtaine 1. Ioh. 5.14 Now Gods will is in generall this to grant vs euery thing that is good if it bee euill it is not his will nor promise to giue it Psalm 34.10 and many things are good for vs which seeme euill vnto vs and many things are euill for vs which seeme good vnto vs wherefore we must not define good and euill after our owne fancies but as the truth is A diâ—tinction of good euil God knoweth best what is good for vs and what is euill for vs herein therefore we must submit our wils to Gods will alwaies being faithfully perswaded that God will graunt at our prayers euery thing good for vs. And although the new supporters of Poperie the Iesuites I meane auouch that such a faith is not needfull yet the word of God 1. Tim. 2.8 which is the ground of euery sound doctrine teacheth vs thus much and therefore wee ought to build our house thereupon Mat. 7. as on a sure and stedfast rocke rather than vpon the sandie conceits of popish teachers For whereas it is alleaged by them that Dauid when hee prayed for the life of his childe â— Sam. 12.22 doubted whether God would giue him life yea or nay it may bee answered two waies Vers 14. First Dauid did not well to pray for the life of the childe seeing it was expressely signified to him before of Nathan that the childe should die for so doing his prayer was against Gods will reuealed Secondly it being a temporall blessing Dauid ought to aske it conditionally if it were good and so his assurance might be certaine to obtaine it but Dauid seeing it not good for him presently after the death of the childe is comforted as hauing obtained all that he askt It appeareth therefore that faith is requisite in prayer namely such a faith as doth assure a man certainly to obtaine euery good thing hee asketh Faith to â—btaine our prayers ariseth from iustifying faith Rom. 8.32 This faith ariseth from iustifying faith and is a necessarie consequent thereof for a man beleeuing in Christ Iesus for the pardon of his sinne is also assured that God will giue him all other good things so the Apostle reasoneth If God giue vs Christ how shall he not giue vs with Christ all other things that shall be good for vs so Christ promiseth that the kingdome of God and his righteousnes shal bring all other things with it as appurtenances This may suffice for the generall view of faith Gods kingdome Now more specially faith is supported by one argument principally thine is kingdome which may be framed after this forme Euery good king will prouide not onely for the aduauncement of his kingdome for the obedience of his lawes and for his honour and glorie but also for the good and welfare of his subiects in soule and body But thou Lord art a good King for the kingdome is thine Thou therefore wilt prouide c. This argument doth either directly or indirectly confirme our faith for the obtaining of all the sixe petitions as may easily be perceiued directly it confirmeth our faith in the second but indirectly and by consequent in all the rest This kingdome of God which is the ground of the argument is amplified by three arguments 1 It is a powerfull kingdome thine is power 2 It is a glorious kingdome thine is glorie 3 It is an euerlasting kingdome for euer And so there are three other arguments whereby our faith is supported for obtaining the petitions The second argument therefore which is taken from the power of God is added necessarily as an answere to an obiection which might be opposed thus Power of Gods kingdome though God be a king yet except he haue power to subdue his enemies the aduauncement of his kingdome shall be hindered the answere whereof is that as God is a king so he is omnipotent able to conquer all his enemies that shall rebell against him and so this argument taken from Gods power may thus be
yet if it be said that the word Father may be either proper to the father or common to all the three persons or both there will no absurditie follow and the obiection is answered Againe if it be obiected further that Christ should pray for the pardon of sinnes he hauing committed no sinne thereby giuing occasion to thinke that he had sinne the answere will be very indifferent that Christ might vse that petition as an instrument of intercession for vs and not as a petition for pardon of his sinne prescribing it neuerthelesse vnto vs for a prayer of remission who had sinned or else it might be answered that Christ being the suretie might intreate God to pardon his sinnes not the sinnes which he had committed but the sinnes which were to him imputed or the petition being deliuered plurally forgiue vs it may bee Christ prayed for both and there was no doubt of misconceit in his Disciples to whom hee priuately expounded doubtfull matters and if the matter bred any misconceit in the other auditors it was through their own corruption and ignorance and therein the Lords iustice might appeare in blinding their mindes and hardening their hearts as himself teacheth who oft times spake obscurely and ambiguously 2 How oft Christ vsed the Lords prayer and how How oft Christ vsed the Lords prayer and how The answere of this question is partly certaine partly probable It is certaine that Christ vsed the Lords prayer twice first he vsed it when he taught the doctrine of prayer and so Matthew hath propounded it as a part of the sermon in the mount Secondly he vsed it when he taught his Disciples a forme of prayer according to the example of Iohn who taught his Disciples a paterne of prayer and this was presently after Christ had ended his prayers in a certaine place as Luke reporteth whence in all probabilitie it may be collected that Matthew prescribeth this prayer one way and Luke another for in Matthew Christ taught the doctrine of prayer and so it is dogmaticall in Matthew Luke saith Christ taught a prayer for his words are When ye pray say and so it is practical so that Christ taught it both for a prayer which his Disciples might vse and for the doctrine of prayer which his Disciples might teach Againe it is probable that Christ neuer vsed this prayer but twice although it cannot be demonstratiuely proued onely this coniecture we haue that whereas Christ maketh diuers prayers to his Father in the Euangelists this is not mentioned nor any petition of it in so many words and the Euangelists neuer name it elsewhere by any speciall name and the Apostles in their writings neuer make mention of it but when they pray in their writings vse other formes though still they keep themselues within the compasse of the matter and affections of this prayer which we call the Lords prayer both for that it was composed by Christ and vsed by him hence therefore it followeth probablie that the Apostles neuer tied themselues to the words of this prayer but varied vpon occasion Briefly then Christ vsed this prayer twice but it cannot certainly be determined whether he vsed it oftner neither can it be proued that the Apostles vsed it often VVhether Christ spake all and onely the words of the Lords prayer 3 Whether Christ spake all and onely the words of the Lords prayer The answere is onely coniecturall for it cannot be proued that he vsed the very words set downe by the Euangelists the reason is for that the Euangelists vse to set down not all and onely the words which Christ spake but the summe and substance of them and if it be graunted that the Euangelists haue done it in other places why may they not doe it in this place especially seeing the Euangelists doe differ in words in reciting many of Christs speeches as namely of the Beatitudes Mat. 5.3 Luk. 6.20 Matthew maketh eight Luke reciteth but foure and Luke expresseth the contrary woes and Matthew doth omit them whence this may in al likelihood be collected that Christ vsed diuers other words by way of exposition to the Beatitudes and so by consequent to the petitions of the Lords prayer and wee see directly that Christ expoundeth one petition viz. the fifth and why might he not also expound others seeing that other petitions are as hard to bee vnderstood as that and this doth not any whit call into question the truth of Canonicall Scripture but doth rather commend vnto vs the spirit of wisedome and truth wherewith they spake in that diuers writers differing in words still agree in matter and substance of doctrine Vpon this question and answere dependeth another like vnto it viz. 4 How the Euangelists Matthew and Luke differ in rehearsing the Lords prayer Matth. 6. Luk. 11. 〈◊〉 â—nce beâ— Matthew â—nd Luke 〈◊〉 â—atâ—ng the Lords prayer For answere whereof wee are to consider what the Papists say They make a very great difference for in the vulgar Latin translation there are these three clauses in Matthew which are wanting in Luke First in the preface which art in heauen is wanting Secondly the third petition is wholie wanting Thirdly the last petition wanteth one halfe Deliuer vs from euill Yet they say all these things are included in the other petitions or else may necessarily bee deduced from them but let the Popish dreames goe and let vs see the true differences which are three in words but the substance is all one The first difference in words is of the fourth petition for Matthew saith sémeron Luke cath ' eméran The second difference in words is in the fifth petition for all the words in the originall differ except two or three The third difference is in the conclusion which Matthew hath and Luke wanteth Now by this difference betwixt Matthew and Luke which is verbal not material this coÌ„sequence ariseth either that the Euangelists did not precisely bind themselues to the words that Christ vttered or else that Christ vttered the Lords prayer in diuers words at the two seuerall times when he vttered it 5 Who prayeth best he that saieth the Lords prayer VVho maketh the best prayer or he that saieth not the Lords prayer For answere of this question thus much The Lords prayer is the best forme of prayer that euer was deuised The Lords prayer is the best prayer that euer was deuised He that prayeth the Lords prayer in words and matter prayeth well Hee that prayeth the Lords prayer in matter onely prayeth well though he vse other words as Christ vsed other words Iohn 17. It is one thing to say the Lords prayer another thing to pray it It is one thing to vse the Lords prayer aright another thing to abuse it for a good thing may be absurdly abused He that vseth a deuised forme of prayer aright prayeth more acceptably to God than he that abuseth the Lords prayer It is likely that he which can say nothing but the Lords prayer when he prayeth cannot pray but abuseth the Lords prayer It seemeth that that man doth not sinne which neuer vseth the words of the Lords prayer for a prayer for that Christ did neuer intend to bind vs to the forme of words but of matter He that in particular hath conceiued his wants and accordingly made his petitions to the Lord in a conceiued prayer may neuer the lesse end and conclude his prayer with the Lords prayer Diuers other doubtes concerning the vse of the Lords prayer may bee propounded but it is not profitable to make doubts except that they could well be dissolued only thus much for a conclusion of this treatise of prayer I had rather speake fiue words to God in prayer from vnderstanding faith and feeling than say the Lords prayer ouer a thousand times ignorantly negligently or superstitiously FINIS