understood by any 2. The minister and people meeting to publick prayer use not publick prayer but private for it is not the place but the congregation that maketh it publick But the minister praying in an unknown language his prayer is private and the people when they do pray at all betake themselves to their private devotions Hereunto adde examples and precedents For the Patriarchs and Prophets under the law the Apostles and Primitive Church did alwayes pray in a known tongue Neither can any sound testimonie or approved example be produced to the contrary for six hundred yeares after Christ. Vitalicus the Pope about the yeare 666 which is the number of the beast whose name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thought to have been the first authour of this ordinance concerning Divine service to be done in Latine Origen saith That every nation in their mother tongue make their prayers unto God and yield him due praises So Basil Epist. 63. ad cler Neocaesar And to the examples of the ancient Church we may adde the practice not onely of the reformed Churches but also of the Ethiopians and Egyptians Syrians Armenians Moscovites Moravians and Sclavonians all which at this day observe the ancient form of praying in their vulgar languages De Cyrillo Moraviorum praesule qui vixit 900 Aeneas Sylvius Hist. Bohem. cap. 13. scribit Ferunt Cyrillum cùm Romae ageret Pontifici supplicasse ut Sclavorum linguâ ejus gentis hominibus quam baptizaverat rem Divinam faciens uti posset De qua re dum in sacro senatu disputaretur esséntque non pauci qui contradicerent auditam vocem tanquam de coelo in haec verba missam OMNIS SPIRITUS LAUDET DOMINUM ET OMNIS LINGUA CONFITEATUR EI. Indéque datum Cyrillo indultum c. They report that Cyrill when he was at Rome sued unto the Bishop that executing Divine service he might use the tongue of the Sclavonians to the men of that nation which he had baptized About which when they disputed in the sacred senate and there were many that gainsaid it a voice sent as it were from heaven was heard uttering these words Let every spirit praise the Lord and let every tongue confesse unto him And so Cyrills suit was granted c. And yet will the Papists be counted Catholicks who in this point as in many more go against the practice and doctrine universall of the Primitive Church for six hundred yeares after Christ. But say they the Latine tongue doth better become the majestie of the Divine service which is diminished in vulgar languages The commendation of prayer consisteth not in the language whereof there is no difference to be made in respect of God but in the sense of the words and devotion of him that prayeth That which the Apostle speaketh against praying in unknown tongues is as much verified concerning the Latine tongue in respect of them which understand it not as concerning any other Yea but holy mysteries are not to be communicated to the vulgar nor precious stones are to be cast unto dogs and hogs But holy mysteries are to be expounded to the people of God who may not be compared to dogs or swine by whom are meant profane persons and scorners of religion But since prayers have been made in vulgar tongues devotion is waxed colder in those parts and religion decayed Many are made worse by the preaching of the Gospel and where best means are used the people if they be not the better are the worse In respect of them devotion is decayed but in respect of all sound Christians it flourisheth Neither was that true devotion or religion which they say by vulgar prayers is decayed but will-worship and superstition in which men are usually more fervent then in the profession of the truth For such is the common hypocrisie of men that when they think to satisfie the Lord with outward observations they will be forward in that kind Micah 6. 7. Now as touching private prayers in an unknown tongue it is certain that they which so pray do scarcely perform any dutie that is required or exercise any grace which is to be shewed in prayer For first he prayeth without understanding and therefore not as a man but rather as an unreasonable creature as Augustine saith Quid hoc sit quod in Psalmo dicitur AB OCCULTIS MUNDA ME intelligere debemus ut humanâ ratione non quasi avium voce cantemus Nam merulae psittaci pici hujusmodi volucres saepe ab hominibus docentur sonare quod nesciunt What this should be which is said in the Psalme Cleanse me from secret sins we ought to understand that we ought to sing with humane reason and not as it were with the voice of birds For even black-birds parrots pies and such like birds are often taught by men to sound that which they do not understand So Cassiod in Psal. 46. Nemo sapienter facit quod non intelligit No man doth wisely that which he understandeth not 2. Neither doth he pray in spirit but the prayer not understood is a mere lip-labour The sound of the soul is the understanding Neither is that any speech of the soul which it doth not understand neither can they pray but with continuall wandring thoughts For the mind will not attend that which it doth not understand or if they do they do but attend to the words and not to the matter which they do not understand 3. As he which prayeth before others in a language unknown to them his understanding is unprofitable to them neither are they edified thereby so when a man prayeth in a language which himself understandeth not his understanding is unfruitfull to himself And as he which praying in an unknown tongue to others is to them a barbarian so he which prayeth in a tongue which he doth not understand is a barbarian to himself 4. Neither can he pray with faith that his request shall be granted when he knoweth not what his request is 5. What reverence is here shewed to the majestie of God when men presume to babble before him they know not what And what conceit have they of God when they hope by such lip-labour to satisfie for their sinnes and to merit eternall life 6. How can men either ask with fervencie of spirit or give thanks with alacritie of heart when they do not so much as know whether they pray or give thanks 7. Bodily exercise profiteth little 1. Tim. 4. 8. for God respecteth not the mouth but the heart But this prayer in an unknown tongue is a mere bodily exercise and so in the church of Rome is usually injoyned to penitents as a penall work 8. Battologie is to be avoided in prayer Matth. 6. But this babbling and multiplying of prayers without understanding especially joyned with numbring of them on their beads as though by how much the more and longer
we are thus to pray in faith appeareth both by testimonies reasons Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is imposible to please God For as Bernard saith How shall he please God whom God doth not please for he that believeth not maketh God a liar 1. God is to be worshipped with a willing â—…ind and chearfull heart 1. Chron. 28. 9. which cannot be done in prayer unlesse we be perswaded that our prayers are accepted of God 2. There is no accesse unto God but by Christ John 14. 6. nor to Christ but by faith To come unto God Heb. 11. 6. and unto Christ is to believe in him John 6. 35. Through Christ we have boldnesse and entrance with confidence but it is by faith in him 3. What benefit we reap by Christ we receive by faith For which cause the same benefits which we have by Christ are ascribed to faith And therefore as without Christ we can do nothing John 15. 5. nothing belonging to a spirituall life which may be acceptable to God so without faith we can do nothing and much lesse pray as we ought For without faith we are without Christ and by faith we are ingrafted into him I believed and therefore I spake that is with faith I called upon God Psal. 116. 10. 4. It is the prayer of faith which is available and acceptable Jam. 5. 15 16. 5. The promises made to prayer are to be understood with the condition of faith Matth. 21. 22. If ye believe Which may be understood of this more generall faith or the speciall This is hard to be performed by a sinfull man c. impossible to be performed by a Papist without speciall revelation For he cometh in his own worthinesse yet knoweth not whether he be worthy or not Qualis â—…rit ista oratio O Domine ego quidem an exaudire me velis dubius sum sed quia anxâ—…etate premor ad te confugio si dignus sum mihâ—… succurras What a kind of prayer is this O Lord I am doubtfull whether thou wilt heare me or no But because I am pressed with anxietie I flie unto thee and if I be worthy help me Vide Calv. Instit. 3. 20. 12. But we know that in our selves we are unworthy and yet believe that in Christ we are accepted Our faith is grounded not on our own worthinesse in our selves but on the love and promises of God and on the merits and intercession of Christ. For though we be sinners in our selves yet believing in Christ God the Father justifieth us Though we know not how to pray or what to ask as of our selves yet God the Spirit maketh intercession for us in helping our infirmities and teaching us to pray according to God And though our praiers be unperfect and unworthy to be offered to God yet Christ our Saviour sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us Rom. 8. 26 27 33 34. and perfuming the incense that is the prayers of the faithfull with the odours of his own sacrifice Revel 8. 3. CHAP. XIX Of Humility required in prayer HItherto we have spoken of the mind Now we are to enquire what is required in the heart In the heart three things are requisite humilitie reverence and heartinesse The first respecting our selves the second God the third the things for which we do invocate For the first That properly is said to be humile which is even with the ground Where therefore it is required that we should humble our selves before the Lord when we call upon him it is meant that we should abase our selves as it were to the ground to which purpose the faithfull were wont in the Eastern Churches to cast themselves down to the ground when they called upon God laying aside all manner of conceit of our own worthinesse whereby we might be lifted up in our selves and acknowledging our own nullitie and unworthinesse in our selves to appear in the presence of God For compared unto God we are as nothing or as lesse then nothing Isa. 40. 17. And therefore when our Saviour took upon him our nature he is said as it were to have annihilated himself Phil. 2. 7. For this cause prayer in Hebrew is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath affinitie with the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which fignifieth to fall or cast down our sâ—…lves To teach us to humble our selves before God when we call upon him And to the same purpose Augustine defineth prayer thus Oratio est mentis devotio i. conversio in Deum per pium humilem affectum Prayer is the devotion of the mind that is a conversion unto God by an holy and humble affection How necessary and profitable this is to be indued with humility when we call upon God may appear both by the testimonies of Gods word and examples of the godly Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hearest the prayer of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt â—…ause thâ—…ne care to hâ—…are Psal. 7. 12. He forgetteth not the cry of the humble Luke 18. 9. our Saviour telleth us a parable of a Pharisee and a Publicane which went to pray The Pharisee cometh in a conceit of his own worthinesse the Publicane in conscience of his sinfulnesse The Pharisee in a brave manner thanketh God that he was not a sinner like other men the Publicane in most humble manner acknowledgeth himself to be a sinner and craveth pardon for his sin But what was the issue of their prayer Which speedeth better the humble sinner or the proud justitiarie The Publicane goeth home justified the Pharisee remaineth in his sin according to that John 9. 41. And the reason is because as our Saviour saith every one that exalteth himself shall be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted To this accordeth Psal. 138. 6. The Lord is high yet he beholdeth the lowly but the proud he knoweth a farre off Psal. 51. 17. The sacrifices of the Lord that is that which he esteemeth above all sacrifices are a contrite spirit a broken and contrite heart he will not despise meaning that he doth in speciall manner regard it Esa. 66. 2. To him will I look even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit Psal. 34. 18. The Lord is near to them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth â—…ternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy places with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of them that be contrite Esa. 57. 15. Ecclus 35. 17. The prayer of the humble pierceth the clouds and will not depart till the most High shall behold to execute judgement c. But to speak more particularly Humility
our Liturgie calling them shreds and wishing that in one continued prayer all our requests should be joyned notwithstanding the wisdome of those learned and godly men who out of the most ancient Liturgies compiled ours is to be commended who considering that our long continued prayer would to the greatest sort seem tedious and breed distraction and wandring thoughts have set forth many short prayers to avoid wearisomenesse and to keep the mind of the people attentive CHAP XXIII Of the qualitie of our speech in our prayer and of the form which is to be used AS touching the quality of our speech As we need not to be curious in respect of the style because God looketh to the uprightnesse of the heart rather then the elegancie of the speech so must we not be more carelesse negligent for the manner of speech then we would be if we were to speak to any mortall man And because we are but too carnall let us make use of Malachi's rule chap. 1. 8. Offer it to thy Prince that is Let us examine our selves whether we be as carefull to speak unto the Lord as we would be unto a Prince and herein also let us shew that reverence which we ow unto the Lord. The godly in the Scriptures have been very exquisite and accurate in those prayers and Psalmes which are recorded in the Scriptures Concerning the form it may be demanded Whether we may use a set form of prayer for that is denied by our Separatists insomuch that they hold it unlawfull to pray in that set form which Christ himself hath prescribed But they are plainly confuted by the words of our Saviour Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say Our Father c. unlesse they will persist in their contradiction against Christ himself forbidding us when we pray to say Our Father Besides that prayer of Christ there are other set forms in the Scriptures prescribed to be used in the Church of God The whole book of the Psalmes was penned and committed to Asaph and other musicians as is mentioned in divers of their titles to the end that they might be sung in the congregation More especially the ninety second Psalme was penned to be used on the Sabbath-day and the hundred and second Psalme is A prayer of or fâ—…r the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. But why may not a set form be used Because the faithful praying in the holy Ghost as Jude speaketh v. 20. must pray as they are moved by the Spirit and not as they are provided beforehand The assistance of the Spirit is seen not so much in helping our invention The gift of invention or conceiving a prayer is a gift of the Spirit but a common gift and not a proper grace of the sanctifying Spirit for a man of a present wit and good speech wanting the spirit of sanctification may do much that way especially if he be studied in Divinity as in these three 1. in rectifying our judgement teaching us to ask that which is good for us especially in time of affliction For we being led by sense know not what to ask but the Spirit helpeth our insirmities and teacheth us to pray according to God asking those things which tend to his glory and our good 2. His help is seen in inslaming our affections teaching us to pray with sighs and grones that cannot be expressed v. 26. And to the same purpose the Prophet Zacharie foretelleth that the faithfull by the spirit of grace and supplication shall be moved when they look upon him whom thâ—…y have pierced to mourn as one mourneth for his firsâ—…-born sonne Zech. 12. 10. 3. The spirit of Adoption crieth in our hearts Abba Father that is teacheth us to pray in faith and to call upon God as our Father in Christ Rom. 8. 15 16. Gal. 4. 6. Moreover where they say that they must pray as the Spirit moveth them they seem with the Enthusiasts to look for extraordinary inspirations and are in the number of those which tempt God for this conceit of theirs as well taketh away all meditation and preparation beforehand as set prayers But we are to follow the counsel of the Wise man Ecclus 18. 23. Before thou prayest prepare thy self and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. The promise made the faithfull that they should not need to study beforehand what they should speak but that they should speak as the Spirit should move them is to be understood of the extraordinary gift of Gods Spirit wherewith they were filled in inspiring them in their preachings apologies and prayers without their own study and industry Wherefore as in preaching to neglect study and to expect extraordinary inspiration of the Spirit that we may speak ex tempore as the Spirit moveth when a man is not upon some present exigent and necessity put to it is to tempt God so likewise in prayer And therefore we must not presume 〈◊〉 it be upon some present necessity to conceive a long prayer especially prayer ex tempore without some former study and meditation used either against the instant or in former times but we must come prepared either with some set form which notwithstanding with help of meditation we are to vary upon occasions or with such a form as we have conceived in our meditation that so we may with David call our prayer our meditation Neither do I doubt but that a good desire vow or promise made in prayer upon former deliberation is more accepted of God and is like to be more constant and may likewise be uttered with better fervency of affection and begged with more assurance of faith then that which is rashly uttered upon a sudden And therefore Salomon saith Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any word before God Eccles 5. 1. Neither do I condemn all that seem to pray ex tempore For as his faculty is to be commended that is so well studied in Divinity and exercised in preaching as that he is able to preach as it were ex tempore not that he casteth himself upon extraordinary inspirations but is inabled by the help of his former studies and exercise so is his faculty to be commended who is so well studied in Divinity and exercised in applying the severall parts of religion to the use of prayer that he is able as it were ex tempore to conceive a prayer not that in so doing he casteth himself upon the extraordinary inspiration of the holy Spirit but is inabled by the help of his former studies and meditations Now if I be asked the question Whether is better a set form of prayer or a prayer conceived I answer by distinction For if they speak of such a prayer as is conceived ex tempore without former study and meditation by such an one as expecteth extraordinary inspiration meaning to pray as the spirit shall move him I answer that a
faciat Which is not so to be understood that we should think the holy Spirit of God which in the Trinitie is God incommunicable and with the Father and Sonne one God should pray for the Saints unto one who is not that which God is But it is said He prayeth for the Saints because he inableth the Saints to pray as it is said Your Gâ—…d tempteth you that he may know whether ye love him that is that he may cause you to know it It is well said of Chrysostome Supravires hominis est facere cum Deo colloquium nisi adsit vis actus Spiritus sancti It is above the strength of man to conferre with God unlesse the vertue operation of the Spirit be present And therefore when we pray we are to crave the assistance of Gods spirit which is the spirit of grace and prayer Zech. 12. 10. which God hath promised to give to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. and in and by his holy spirit we are to call upon God Jude v. 20. For whereas many graces and duties are required in prayer all which are above our own strength the spirit of God which is the spirit of grace and supplication effecteth them all in the children of God It is he that prepareth our hearts to prayer Psal. 10. 17. that openâ—…th our lips that our mouth may shew forth his praise Psal. 51. 15. It is he that anointeth our blind eyes that we may see and toucheth our senselesse hearts that we may feel our misery and want that in true humility of soul we may poure forth our hearts before God It is the spirit of the fâ—…ar of God that maketh us to come with due reverence of his Majestie It is the spirit of supplications that maketh our frozen and benummed hearts to pray fervently with sighs that cannot be expressed It is the spirit of adoption who testifieth unto our spirits that we are the children of God by which we do cry in our hâ—…arts Abba Father Finally it is the spirit of grace which helpeth our infirmities and furnisheth us with those graces which be requisite in prayer and teacheth us to pray according to God And this is that which Paul teacheth us that we have accesse to the Father through the Sonne and by the holy Ghost Ephes. 2. 18. that is in the name and mediation of Christ by the help and assistance of the holy Ghost For being both unworthy in our selves and of our selves unable to call upon God as we ought if we come in the name of Christ craving the assistance of the holy Spirit in Christ we shall be accepted and by the holy Ghost enabled to pray according to God But here we are to take heed that we abuse not this doctrine concerning the help and assistance of the holy Ghost in prayer by neglecting our own indeavour and presuming of the extraordinary inspiration of the holy Ghost for that is to tempt God But in doing the uttermost of our own indeavour we are to crave the assistance of Gods Spirit who will not be wanting to those who are not wanting to themselves Now if it be demanded how these things may stand together that no man can pray without the spirit of God and without faith and yet both the spirit and faith is to be obteined by prayer I answer God by his preventing grace worketh in us a true desire of grace and of faith which desire of grace is the beginning of the grace desired And therefore the grace of the spirit and faith in order of nature go before prayer which is the effect of that desire and yet prayer goeth before the knowledge or feeling of either of both CHAP. XXVI Of the circumstances of prayer ANd thus much of the substantiall points of Invocation Now follow the accidentall which are the circumstances of Person Time and Place Prayer in regard of persons is either publick or private Publick invocation is the prayer of a congregation as of a parish or colledge Of publick prayer we are to make speciall account For if the prayer of some one man can avail so much as heretofore I have shewed what shall we think of publick where the prayers of so many ascend together unto the Lord As the flame of one faggot-stick to the flame of the whole faggot or bundle so is the prayer of one man to the prayer of the whole congregation for Vis unita est fortior force united is so much the stronger and a threefold cable is hardly broken Our Saviour Christ hath bountifully promised that where two or three be gathered together in his name there is he in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. Yea such is the presence of the Lord in publick assemblies that those which have been excluded thence have thought themselves banished from the presence of God and to be put away from his face It was the punishment of Cain and so he esteemed it Gen. 4. For when the Lord had banished him from that earth which had received his brothers bloud from his hand v. 11. which was the place of the visible Church v. 14. he saith that by reason of this punishment he should be hid from Gods face We see the same in the practice of David Who when he was in banishment desired nothing more then to have libertie to come into the assemblies of the saints when he had liberty he rejoyceed in nothing more For the first reade Psal. 27. and 42. and 84. In Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I require even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple Psal. 42. 1 2. As the hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appear before the presence of God c. And v. 4. he saith that his soul languished when he considered that had it not been for the tyrannie of his oppressours he might have gone with the rest of the assembly into the house of God Psal. 84. 1. O Lord of hosts how amiable are thy tabernacles My soul longeth yea and fainteth that I might come to the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cry out after the living God In the third verse he seemeth to envie the sparrows and the swallows which had liberty to lay their young ones there where he had no accesse And then he cryeth out abruptly with a wonderfull patheticall exclamation O thine altars Jehovah my King and my God! In the three next verses he pronounceth them happy not onely that dwell in the Lords house to praise him but also those who have liberty to come to the Church although it were by redious and troublesome journeys both in respect of the way and the weather thereby signifying that
not find themselves to stand in need of Gods help neither do depend upon the providence or blessing of God in the use of the means For such when they pray unto God for these things as namely to give them this day their daily bread they do not pray in truth because they do not unfeignedly desire that whereof they find no want II. In respect of spirituall things two sorts of men offend First those that are carnally secure who although they be wretched and miserable poore blind and naked yet being lukewarm with the Laodiceans Rev. 3. 17. feeling no want think they are rich and need nothing Secondly those who are righteous in their own conceit as Pharisaicall and Popish justitiaries For both these and the other feeling no want either pray not at all or if they do pray it is but for fashions sake and therefore praying usu magis quà m sensu out of custome rather then sense their prayer is not acceptable unto God and like lukewarm water to the stomach Wherefore it behoveth us to labour that we may have a true sense of our wants Which I speak especially in respect of spirituall graces for when we are pinched with bodily wants we are many times but too sensible thereof But of spirituall wants many have no sense and being miserable they feel no misery First therefore it is good to be perswaded that this sense of our wants is necessary for us For without it neither will we seriously seek unto the Lord neither will he seem to regard us We will not earnestly seek unto him for what we do not want we do not desire and what we do not desire that we do not ask except it be for fashion And how can we look that the Lord will compati that is have compassion on us when we do not pati or feel any want How can we desire him misereri to have mercy on us when we do not esteem our selves miseri to whom mercy belongeth for thence hath misericordia the name Yea if we be rich and full in ouâ—… own conceits the Lord will send us away empty Luke 1. 55. remaining in our sinne Luke 18. 14. exposed to his curse Luke 6. 24 25. Whereas on the other side if we be humbled with the sense of our want the Lord will have speciall regard unto us Isai. 66. 2. and 57. 15. and be near unto us in all our desires Psal. 34. 18. Yea such he calleth to him Matth. 11. 28. such he promiseth to heare Psal. 10. 17. John 7. 37. such he pronounceth blessed Matth. 5. 3 4 5. Secondly that we may attein to this sight and sense of our misery and wants we are to look into the glasse of the law which will reveal unto us our misery both in respect of our sins and also of the punishment due for the same c. Thirdly for as much as the sight and sense of our misery is the gift of God and work of his spirit we are to pray unto God that he will anoint the eyes of our minds with the eye-salve of his spirit Revel 3. 18. that we may see our sins and that he would touch our hearts with the finger of his spirit as he struck the rock in the wildernes that they may melt within us as the heart of Josias did at the reading of the law 2. Kings 22. 19. and be resolved into a fountain of tears by which we may bewail our sinnes whereby we have displeased and dishonoured God From this sense of our wants ariseth the second thing that is an earnest desire to have our wants supplyed And this is of such force in prayer that it seemeth to be nothing else but the expressing of our desire and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of such efficacie in prayer that some place the efficacie of prayer therein so reade the words of S. James ch 5. 16. The effectuall â—…ervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much others The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent But though it be not the onely cause of efficacy yet it is one of the principall for as Augustine saith Dignior sâ—…quitur effectus quem ferventior affectus praecedit A more worthy effect followeth which a more fervent affection precedeth This praying with earnest desire is commended to us in the word of God by divers significant phrases For besides that it is called crying unto the Lord and crying mightily Jon. 3. 8. lifting up of our prayer Isai. 38. 14. this is also to poure forth our souls before the Lord like water Lam. 2. 19. In which sense the Israelites are said 1. Sam. 7. 6. to have drawn water from the fountain of their hearts and poured it out before the Lord. This is to pray with grones unspeakable Rom. 8. 26. which the holy Ghost stirreth up in us and is therefore an evident token of the child of God indued with the Spirit of adoption which is also the spirit of grace and supplication making us when we look upon him whom we have pierced by our sinnes to lament and mourn as a man mourneth for his first-begotten Zech. 12. 10. For as Augustine saith Plerunque hoc negotium plùs gemitibus quà m sermonibus agituâ—… fletu plùs quam affatu For the most part this businesse is effected better with grones then words with weeping rather then speaking This is to pray with Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly 1. Thess. 3. 10. This is with Epaphras Col. 4. 12. as it were to wrestle with the Lord which the Apostle commendeth to the Romanes chap. 15. 30. By which kind of wrestling Jacob prevailed with God as Hosea teacheth chap. 2. 3 4. and was therefore called Israel Gen. 32. This is that prayer of the humble which pierceth the clouds Ecclus 35. 21. This fervent desire therefore is fervently to be desired of us and happy are they which have atteined to it Matth. 5. 6. The means to attein unto it are First because it is the work of Gods spirit to beg it of him by prayer Secondly to labour after a true sense of our wants Thirdly in our preparation to meditate on the excellency profit and necessity of those things which we crave that so our affections may be inflamed with a desire thereof as also of the necessity of Gods help that except the Lord heare us and help us our case is desperate So David prayeth Psal. 28. 1. and 143. 6 7. Heare me O Lord and hide not thy face else I shall be like to them that go down into the pit Fourthly we are upon extraordinary occasions to joyn fasting with our prayers as we are directed in many places of the Scripture For fasting as it causeth the hunger of the body 〈◊〉 it is an effectuall means to stirre up and increase the hunger of the soul. For which cause the Fathers 〈◊〉 fasting orationis alas the wings of prayer CHAP. XXX Of Faith
Chron. 14. Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 25. Hezekiah 2. Kings 19. overcame most mighty armies of their enemies which by their own strength they were in no sort able to resist But most remarkable is that example of Moses at the battel of Rephidim whereby it appeareth to be true which Chrysostome upon that occasion noteth Preces justorum plus valere quà m armâ—… the prayers of the righteous more prevail then arms For whilest Moses being on the hill with Aaron and Hur holdeth up his hands and is fervent in prayer Israel hath the better but when his hands fall down and he ceaseth to pray Israel hath the worse as if the welfare of Gods people did depend upon his prayer But what speak I of men That which subdueth all men giveth place unto prayer as sicknesse and death For the former Jam. 5. 15. The prayer of faith shall save or make whole the sick Examples Num. 12. 13. in Miriam Acts 28. 8. in the father of Publius but especially in Hezekiah who though he had received the sentence of death obteined by prayer the prolonging of his life 2. Kings 20. 2. For the latter we reade of many who by prayer have been restored from death unto life as namely the widows child of Sarepta 1. Kings 17. 21. the sonne of the Shunamite by Elisha 2. Kings 4. 35. Dorcas by Peter and all by prayer Yea the devils themselves who are said to have the power of death give place to prayer yea that kind of devil which by no other means can be cast out is cast out by prayer Matth. 17. 21. And yet we stay not here For the efficacie of prayer is not onely seen in and upon the creatures but the effectuall prayer of a righteous man availeth much with God Jam. 5. 16. For the Lord being omnipotent and of a most simple and pure nature and therefore not subject to passive power cannot properly be said to suffer any thing yet having by most gracious promises bound himself to grant the faithfull prayers of his children they are said to prevail with him both because they obtein such blessings at his hands as otherwise would not be granted and turn away such judgements as otherwise would have been inflicted For else when the Lord was ready to have destroyed the Israelites for their idolatry had not Moses stood up in the gap Psal. 106. 23. why did the Lord bid him let him alone Exod. 32. 10. but that Moses by prayer laid hold upon God as the Prophet speaketh Isa. 64 7. and staid his hand And why is Jacob said to have prevailed with God and thereupon is called Israel but that the Lord suffered himself as it were to be overcome by his prayer whereby he laid hold upon Christ who is meant by that Angel and would not suffer him to depart untill he had granted him a blessing Gen. 32. 26 28. And so the Prophet Hosea teacheth that when Jacob wrestled with the Angel he prevailed with him not so much by strength of body as by earnest and effectuall prayer He had power saith he chap. 12. 4. over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication to him c. And in this sense the Apostle exhorteth the Romanes chap. 15. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together with him to wrestle in their prayers for him And Epaphras in like manner is said Col. 4. 12. to have wrestled for the Colossians in prayer And what else meaneth the parable of the widow and the judge Luke 18. 2. and of the two friends Luke 11. 5. but that the importunitie of our prayers prevaileth with the Almighty And thus the woman of Syrophenicia Matth. 15. 22 28. having taken divers repulses yet at the length by the importunitie of her faithfull prayer prevailed with Christ. The use of this doctrine is 1. That by consideration of the great efficacie of prayer we should be moved upon all occasions to pray without fainting Luke 18. 1. Jam. 1. 16. 2. That we may be encouraged to pray with confidence and assurance to be heard And so much of the first question CHAP. VI. Whether by prayer we alwayes obtein our desire THe second Whether we do alway obtein our desire The promises are generall as you have heard Matth. 7. 7 8. John 16. 23. Notwithstanding some ask and do not receive Psal. 22. 2. some seek and do not find Cant. 3. 1. some knock to whom it is not opened Luke 13. 25. Wherefore the promises are to be understood with a threefold limitation in respect of the Person Prayer and Thing Of all which we are hereafter to speak more fully For first if the party be an impenitent sinner the Lord hath not promised to heare such John 9. 33. Examine therefore thy self whether thou dost lie in any sinne unrepented of for that doth make a separation between God and thee Isa. 59. 2. and that being repented of God will heare thee Isa. 1. 15 18. The second limitation in regard of prayer is That it be according to Gods will 1. John 5. 14. in regard of the manner or the end For the manner In generall it is required that it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 16. that is efficax effectuall To be effectuall and to avail is all one and so we shall make S. James say that prayer which availeth doth avail There is duplex actus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first inward as being the form or nature of a thing the second outward as the motion or effect And as in respect of the latter the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of an active signification as Gal. 5. 6. Ephes. 3. 20. Col. 1. 29. so in regard of the former it is passive as 2. Cor. 1. 6. In which sense they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are acted by a spirit either good or bad So prayer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it hath the inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being acted and effectuated by the Spirit of God who helpeth our infirmities and teacheth us to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. ingenerating this inward efficacie in our prayers which we in our selves are not able to give them So that the oration of an oratour is efficax in respect of the inward efficacie when therein is performed what art requireth in respect of the outward when it perswadeth and that efficacie dependeth on the hearers pleasure But prayer which is effectuall in it self alwayes prevaileth with God In particular that we pray in truth fervencie and faith In truth for to that is the promise restrained Psal. 145. 18. In fervencie Jam. 5. 16. In faith Mark 11. 24. Jam. 1. 5 6 7. With out the first prayers are dead without the second cold without the third uneffectuall for it is the prayer of faith which is effectuall Jam. 5. 15. For the end Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive
not because ye ask amisse that ye might consume it on your lusts The end must be good or the prayer is bad The end must be that God may be glorified Psal. 50. 15. The third limitation is in respect of things God hath promised to give good things to them that ask Matth. 7. 11. But if the thing which thou desirest be not good either in it self as if it be unlawfull or not to thee as if it be unprofitable it is not within the compasse of the promise nor ought to be within the compasse of thy desire Or if it be good perhaps it is not yet good for thee to have it but in due time thou shalt find grace In the former case the Lord seemeth to denie in the latter to delay our suits and yet in both he doth grant our prayer if it be rightly conceived For first we must not circumscribe God or prescribe unto him the time and means but so desire that our request may be granted as he shall judge most fit both for his glorie and our good Secondly when as the good things which we ask are either necessarie to salvation or otherwise the former we are to ask absolutely and absolutely we are to believe that we shall obtein them Yea know this for thy comfort that if God hath given thee grace to ask spirituall and saving graces effectually thou hast alreadie obteined for the sincere desire of any grace is the beginning of that grace which is so desired But those blessings which are not necessary to salvation whether spirituall or temporall we are not to ask absolutely but with condition if the obteining thereof may be for Gods glory and our good So shall we be sure to obtein our desires of the Lord who alwayes heareth his children if not ad voluntatem according to their will yet ad utilitatem for their profit as wise parents deal with their children seeming many times to denie to his children in fatherly love that which in anger and indignation he granteth to others Perhaps therefore as Augustine saith negat tibi propitius quod aliis concedit iratus In mercie he denieth that to thee which in anger he granteth unto others And therefore the hearing of our prayers is not to be measured by sense but by faith CHAP. VII Of the profit of prayer THe third question Whether any further profit is to be expected from prayer besides obteining our requests The profit is twofold the one of reward freely bestowed by God on him that calleth on his name the other the increase of grace wrought in them by Gods Spirit who give themselves to prayer As touching the former Though by reason of our wants and imperfections in prayer the Lord if he should deal in rigour with us might justly reject our prayers yet such is his mercie that he doth not onely cover our wants and for the intercession of Christ accepteth our prayer but also granteth our desire and not onely that but because prayer is a dutie of pietie and a principall part of that worship whereby we glorifie God he doth graciously reward it godlinesse having the promise of this life and that which is to come Our Saviour therefore promiseth Matth. 6. 6. that when we call upon God though it be but in secret and private prayers and much more in publick our heavenly Father will reward us openly The Lord is rich to all that call upon him for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 12 13. For the other By the frequent and religious exercise of this dutie our faith and affiance in God is increased our experience of his bountie and goodnesse towards us in hearing us confirmed our love to his majestie augmented Psal. 116. 1. our hope nourished our patience exercised By it we grow in acquaintance with God and tast how good and gracious the Lord is By it we learn being Gods daily suiters so to behave our selves as not to be ashamed to appear before him By it we elevate our minds above earthly cogitations to mind things that are above and to have our conversation in heaven By it we grow into assurance of our election because the same spirit which is the spirit of supplication is also the spirit of adoption whereby we cry in our hearts Abba Father and which testifieth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and if sonnes then also heirs c. But the Papists not content herewith ascribe two other fruits to their prayers that they are also Satisfactorie for their sinnes and Meritorious of eternall life Satisfactorie as being penal works and therefore both voluntarily undertaken and by their Priests injoyned by way of penance So that this exercise which is so honourable and so profitable as you have heard being also a chief prerogative to the faithfull to have free accesse to God is to them a punishment or work of penance to satisfie for sins But their prayers performed with these conceits of satisfaction and merit are sacrilegious and derogatorie to the all-sufficient satisfaction and merit of Christ though otherwise they were commendable But the impietie of their assertion will better appear if we take a brief survey of their prayers For first whereas our prayers ought to be directed unto the Lord alone they pray to Saints and Angels yea before images and crosses and by their prayers commit most horrible idolatry 2. Neither do they pray in the name and mediation of Christ alone but unto him joyn other mediatours of intercession by whose merits and intercession they desire and hope to be heard 3. The most of them pray without understanding for that which they utter in prayer as praying in an unknown language and consequently pray without attention or actuall intention which they say needeth not without faith or hope without reverence 4. They number their prayers upon beads oftentimes by most grosse â—…attologie repeating the same words perswading themselves that the more Pater nosters Ave Maries and Creeds for those also are prayers with them they shall mumble upon their beads the more satisfactory and meritorious their prayers bâ—… Now their prayers being thus every way abominable and odious what horrible impudencie and impietie is it to obtrude such prayers upon God not onely as acceptable service unto him but as satisfactory and meritorious by which they can merit nothing but damnation and for the wickednesse whereof they shall never be able to satisfie but with endlesse torments Let this suffice us that prayer is of so great profit and admirable efficacie that our prayers rightly conceived and made are alwayes heard and granted that besides the benefit of obteining our prayers have their reward with God and notable fruits conferring and increasing Gods graces in us CHAP. VIII Of a threefold necessitie of prayer NOw I come to the necessitie of prayer which is necessary by a threefold bond of necessitie 1. Necessitate praecepti necessitie of
whom we have accesse with boldnesse Ephes. 3. 12. he alone in whom God is well pleased with us and appeased towards us Rom. 3. 25. so that coming in his name neither the sense of the dreadfull majestie of God nor the conscience of our own unworthinesse shall dismay us He is the altar Heb. 13. 10. on which the sacrifice of our prayer or praise being offered is thereby sanctified vers 15. He is as Ambrose saith our mouth by which we speak unto the Father our eye by whom we see the Father our right hand by which we offer our selves to the Father without whose intercession neither we nor the Saints have ought to do with God And herein especially the prayers of true Christians do differ from the prayers of others that we call upon God in the name and mediation of Christ alone The use of all is Heb. 4. 16. and 10. 19. that seeing we have such an high Priest who maketh intercession for us that we should with boldnesse and assurance of faith offer up our prayers unto God For 1. the Spirit of Christ helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. 2. God the Father justifieth and accepteth of us in Christ v. 33. Who therefore shall lay any thing to our charge who can condemn us seeing Christ died for our sinnes and rose again for our justification and now sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for us v. 34. and with the odours of his own sacrifice perfumeth our prayers making them acceptable unto God Revel 8. 3 4. CHAP. XVI Of the manner how we are to call upon God IN the fourth place we are to intreat of the manner how we are to call upon God The manner is set down Rom. 8. 27. according to God that is as S. John speaketh according to the will of God 1. John 5. 14. So I said in the definition That invocation is a religious speech of the faithfull made unto God in the name of Christ according to the will of God where by the will of God we are to understand not his secret will and counsel which we know not but his will revealed in his word Prayer is therefore made according to the will of God when in our prayer those things are performed which God in his word prescribeth to be performed in prayer This and the former point are of great moment for when a man prayeth and is not heard it is as Bernard saith because out praeter verbum petis aut propter verbum non petis that is because thou prayest either beside the word or not for the word whereas on the other side we have this confidence in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1. John 5. 14 15. Now for the manner of prayer there are duties to be performed not onely in the action it self but also out of the action that is to say both before and after In the action of invocation the duties respecting the manner belong either to the internall form or externall The former are the inward duties of the soul the latter the outward speech and gesture of the bodie Unto the speech referre words quantitie qualitie voice In the soul we are to consider what is required first in generall and then in particular In generall it is required that our invocation be a speech of the soul and therefore as I said in the beginning some define prayer that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the communication of the soul with God Others that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the ascending of the mind unto God David expresseth his prayer to be a lifting up of his soul unto God Psal. 25. 1. and 86. 4. and elsewhere he calleth it a pouring forth of the soul before the Lord as Anna also speaketh 1. Sam. 1. 15. So that true prayer is not the lifting up of the voice of the eyes or hands alone but a lifting up of the heart with the hands unto God that is in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. To the same purpose in the Scriptures we are directed to pray in the heart Col. 3. 16. and in the spirit that is the soul Ephes. 6. 18. to pray with the whole heart Psal. 111. 1. that is with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. with unfeigned lips Psal. 17. 1. in truth that is in sinceritie and uprightnesse of heart Psal. 145. 18. The necessitie of this praying in truth appeareth 1. By testimonie of our Saviour Christ John 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth 2. By all those testimonies even now cited wherein we are stirred up to lift up our hearts and to poure forth oursouls c. 3. If the Apostle require servants to perform their duties to their masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto the Lord how much more is it our duty to the Lord himself to perform our service from our hearts 4. The uprightnesse and sinceritie of the heart is the soundnesse of all our worship and service of God without which it is hypocrisie therefore David professeth that he would call upon God with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. and with lips unfeigned Psal. 17. 1. and to the same purpose we are exhoâ—…ted to seek the Lord with an upright heart Deut. 4. 29. Jer. 29. 13. 5. The promise of hearing our prayer is restrained to this praying in truth Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is near to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth for bodily exercise profiteth little 1. Tim. 4. 8. and the Lord respecteth especially the voice of the heart As for those that call upon him with their lips and not with their hearts the Lord abhorreth their prayer and taketh himself to be abused by them and therefore he reproveth them by his Prophet Isaiah chap. 29. 13. This people cometh near me with their lips but their heart is sarre from mâ—… and elsewhere he complaineth of the hypocrites of his people that when they howled unto him they cried not with their hearts which he calleth speaking lies Hos. 7. 13 14. for what else doth a man but lie when he speaketh otherwise then he thinketh This divorce of the heart and the tongue in all speech even betwixt men is detestable Psal. 12. 2. it is called speaking with a heart and a heart But when men speak so unto God it is ridiculous and impious ridiculous because they go about to deceive God who beholding he heart as well as the tongue seeth them dance as it were in a net impious because it is not to lie unto men but unto God Both which folly and impietie the Psalmist noteth in the Israelites Psal. 78. 36. That when the hand of God was upon them slaying divers of them they sought him and called upon him neverthelesse they did flatter or go about to deceive him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their
private prayer of one alone it is more convenient to use the inward speech of the heart alone when the outward speech of the tongue cannot be used but that it shall be heard or perceived of others For private prayer must be made in secret as Christ commandeth Matth. 6. 6. lest we pray or at least seem to pray that we may be heard or seen of men When as therefore we are occasioned to pray by our selves alone in presence of others we must pray in the closet of our heart using no voyce nor making any outward shew of prayer and the Lord which seeth the secrets of the heart will reward openly Thus Abrahams servant standing at the well unto which was ordinary resort prayed in his heart Gen. 24. 45. and Moses being among the people Exod. 14. 15. and Nehemiah being in the Kings presence Neh. 2. 4. and Annah the mother of Samuel in the presence of Eli 1. Sam. 1. 13. Otherwise in private prayer it is most convenient and in prayer with others whether in the Church or family it is necessary that the voice in prayer should be used for otherwise those that are present cannot consent to our prayers and say Amen neither can they be edified thereby unlesse they heare and understand the prayer Our duty is as I have said before to worship God both in body and soul And as we are to glorifie God with all our members and powers so especially by our tongue and speech For therefore hath God given us the facultie of speeâ—…h above other creatures that we might not onely be the matter of his glory as they are but also the instruments to sound forth his praise And therefore is our tongue called our glory Psal. 16. 7. and 108. â—… because it is that instrument by which we are to set forth Gods glory Moreover as the gesture of the body so much more the voyce of the tongue doth serve both to stirre up the affections of the heart and also to contein the cogitations from wandring about other matters And of such moment is the voice in prayer as that first the voice or cry with the voice is put sometime for the prayer it self 1. Sam. 7. 8 9. Psal. 66. 17. and 77. 1. and 142. 1. Secondly the holy Ghost in many places where he speaketh of invocation is carefull to mention the voice as in the places even now cited out of the Psalmes and elsewhere as Psal. 71. 23 24. and 119. 171. my lips shall utter praise For which cause prayer and prayse are called the calves of our lips Hos. 14. 2. Thirdly David prayeth Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal. 51. 14 15. But here we must alwayes remember that with our voice we must lift up our hearts to God and that the cry of the voyce must proceed from the cry of the heart For the Lord respecteth the heart and if the cry come not from thence he will not heare it Hos. 7. 13 14. no though men should cry loud in his eares Ezek. 8. 18. The voyce used in prayer is either inarticulate or articulate The inarticulate is that which is uttered in sighing groning and weeping For the children of God many times do best expresse their desires by sighs and grones aâ—…d tears The which proceed from an humble and servent spirit and are wrought in us by the spirit of God which teacheth us to pray with sighs that cannot be expressed Rom. 8. 26. And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit v. 27. For as David saith Psal. 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groning is not hid from thee Thou tellest my wandrings put my tears into thy bottle are they not in thy book Psal. 56. 8. Plerunque hoc negotium plùs gemitibus quà m sermonibus agitur plùs sletu quà m affatâ—… For the most part this businesse is acted more with grones then with words more with weeping then with speech Hezekiah professeth that he did chatter like a crane or a swallow and did mourn like a dove Isai. 38. 14. The articulate voice is the externall speech it self whereby the prayer is expressed Wherein we are to consider two things the words which be uttered and the language wherein they are uttered In the words we are to conâ—…ider the quantitie the qualitie and the form For the quantity We must not affect prolixity as though for the multitude of our words we did look to be heard Neither may we use any superfluity of words or idle repetitions First because our Saviour Christ forbiddeth all battology in our prayers Matth. 6. 7. which Theophylact interpreteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 futilitie Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idle and unseasonable speech But the meaning may best be gathered from the notation for as the Etymologist saith the word is compounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Battus a certain Grecian who was accustomed to adorn images with long and tedâ—…ous inscriptions which were full of vain repetitions For so Ovid also speaketh of him Montibus inquit sc. Battus erant erant in montibus illis and therefore he saith it signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbosity Which agreeth with the exposition of Christ who is the best expounder of himself For in the words following he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the meaning of our Saviour is in pâ—…ayer to use multitude of words and idle repetitions with this conceit That for the multitude of our words we shall be heard Secondly For the reason which our Saviour giveth Christians in their prayer must not be like to the heathen The heathen affected prolixitie and used superfluity of words and idle repetitions with this perswasion that for their much babling they should be heard But why must not Christians be like the heathen Because the God on whom we call is most unlike The heathen might well imagine concerning their gods the best whereof were men deceased that by multitude of words they might be perswaded and that alwayes they did not hearken unto them as being otherwise imployed as Elias telleth Baals priests 1. Kings 18. 27. and therefore thought it needfull to repeat the same things oft that if they did not heare them at one time they might at another As we see those priests of Baal to call upon him from morning v. 26 29. untill the time of the evening sacrifice crying again and again O Baal heare us But the true God on whom we call he is our heavenly Father and therefore for his love most ready and willing to heare us even before we call upon him Isai. 65. 24. And for his knowledge he knoweth what we stand in need of before we pray as
holy manner we must stirre up our hearts as David doth in many places as Psal. 103. 1. that so we may call upon God with our hearts And if our knowledge be so small that we are notable to conceive a prayer of our selves but must be fain to use a form prescribed by others we must beforehand meditate thereof that we may be able both to understand it and to use it aright And that we may pray in faith we are to meditate on the promises of God made to our prayers and on the mediation and intercession of our Saviour Christ on which our faith is to be grounded Likewise we are to meditate on our own unworthinsse that so we may pray in humilitie of the glorious Majestie of God our heavenly Father that we may call upon him in reverence of the excellency profit necessitie of those blessings for which we either pray or give thanks that so we may pray with fervencie and give thanks with alacrity And further if we conceive a prayer before not used we are to meditate not onely of the matter but also of the manner and order of our speech that we may be able to say with David My heart is prepared so is my tongue I will now call upon the name of the Lord. And thus much of Preparation After the action there ought to be such a disposition as the severall kind of invocation doth especially require Whereof in due place In the mean time this admonition in generall may be given That when we have at any time called upon God we take heed that we do not end our prayers as we end epistles with a Vale bidding the Lord Farewell till the time of prayer come again as though we had then ended our task and had performed all the service we ow unto God in the mean time neither thinking of God or godlinesse but following our own corrupt wayes For howsoever we cease to speak unto God for a time yet we cease not to be in his sight and presence and therefore cannot do as untoward children and unchast wives who though in absence they have behaved themselves lewdly yet approve themselves to their parents and husbands by their demure carriage in presence But we are continually in Gods sight and presence and therefore if after we have called upon God we play the lewd children even in his sight and go a whoring after vanities in his presence how cannot this but greatly amaze us against we shall pray again and put us out of hope to be heard Wherefore the frequent exercise of prayer is a notable bridle to restrain us from sinne whether you respect that which is past or that which is to come For when a man is about to commit sinne let him call to mind his prayer past Am I that man who so lately called upon God making such shew of pietie pretending a zeal of Gods glory in advancing his kingdome and doing his will c. or that which is to come With what face can I appear before God guilty of such offenses with what affiance can I lift up these eyes unto God that behold vanities these hands unto God that commit such sinnes c. Let us therefore with David use to meditate If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal. 66. 18. following the advice of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquitie For not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven Matth. 7. 21. Inessicax est petitio cùm precatur Deum sterilis oratio i. sine operibus Petition is uneffectuall when we call upon God with a barren prayer that is without good works And thus much of the manner of Invocation CHAP. XXV Of the matter and subject of our prayers and wâ—…at is required thereunto namely that it be good and according to Gods will NOw followeth the matter or the subject that is the things for which we either do pray or give thanks Concerning which this is to be noted in generall That we have a sound perswasion grounded on the word of God that they be lawfull and good First because what is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. Secondly for what we do either pray or give thanks to God thereof we acknowledge God to be the authour but it is blasphemous to make God the authour of that which is wicked unlawfull Thirdly prayers must be made in faith viz. that God accepteth our prayers and will grant them unto us This faith must be grounded on Gods promise and God promiseth to give good things to them that ask Matth. 7. 11. Evil things are not within the compasse of Gods promise for the foretelling of that which is evil is rather a threatning then a promise Fourthly the assurance that we have to be heard is when we ask any thing according to Gods will 1. John 5. 14. but to ask evil things is not according to Gods will Fifthly they that call upon God for evil things are like the wicked Psal. 50. who think that God is like unto them Sixthly if we ask good things we have assurance to be heard Matth. 7. 11. 1. John 5. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For our direction in this behalf our Saviour Christ hath prescribed a most perfect form of prayer which is summa petendorum the summe of things to be desired So that whatsoever may be referred thereunto we may be assured is according to Gods will but what cannot be referred to some part of the Lords prayer that our Saviour hath not taught us to ask nor the Father promised to give There remaineth the last point For now it may be demanded How we being so corrupt and sinfull in our selves should be able to pray according to the will of God Of our selves indeed we are not able to think a good thought and much lesse to conceive an acceptable prayer Of our selves we cannot say that Jesus is the Lord and much lesse call upon God as our Father in Christ But the Spirit of God helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with gronings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercâ—…ssion for the Saints according to God Rom. 8. 26 27. Quodnon sic est intelligendum saith Augustine ut existimemus sanctum Spiritum Dei qui in Trinitate incommunicabilis Deus est cum Patre Filio unus Deus tanquam aliquem qui non sit quod Deus est interpellare pro sanctis Dictum quippe est INTERPELLAT PRO SANCTIS quia interpellare sanctos facit Sicut dictum est TENTAT VOS DEâ—…S VESTER UT SCIAT SI DILIGATIS EUM hoc est ut scire vos
into all truth c. mortifying sinne and corruption in us and renewing us unto holinesse of life The end of this kingdome is the kingdome of glory And therefore Christ saith to his Church Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock c. For therefore doth he pull us out of the kingdome of darknesse and bring us into the kingdome of grace that by faith we may have remission of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 26. 18. By reason of the certainty hereof it is said that those that believe have everlasting life John 5. 24. and are translated from death unto life that those whom God hath justified he hath also glorified Rom. 8. 30. The kingdome of glory in respect of us is the blessed estate of the godly in heaven when as God shall be all in all 1. Cor. 15. 28. where God hath prepared such things for them that love him as neither the eye of man hath seen nor eare heard nor c. 1. Cor. 2. 9. What this word come signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adveniat This word Come is diversly to be expounded according to the divers significations of the kingdome of God The universall kingdome or kingdome of power is said to come when it is manifested and made apparent that all things are guided by the power and providence of God Here therefore we are taught to pray That the Lord would vouchsafe to advance his kingdome bring all things into subjection under his feet and also that all men may acknowledge this universall kingdome of God ruling all things according to the counsel of his will and may willingly submit themselves to the government of this absolute Lord who hath placed his seat in heaven and his kingdome ruleth over all That he would subdue his enemieâ—… Psal. 110. 2. governing them with an iron rod Revel 12. 5. and 19. 15. and bruising them like a potters vessel Psal. 2. 9. That he would execute his holy and eternall decrees both in the generall government of the world and also in the saving of the elect and destroying the reprobate to his own glory working all things according to the counsel of his will And albeit this kingdome cannot be resisted or hindred maugre all the enemies thereof yet we are to pray that it may come and that he would exalt his kingdome as before glorifie his name not meaning thereby to move God but to shew the concurrence of our will with Gods will and our affection towards the advancement of Gods kingdome and zeal towards his glory Secondly the kingdome of grace is said to come unto us whenas it is either begun erected in us or continued and increased amongst us And in this behalf we are taught to pray not onely for the coming of this kingdome but also for the granting of the means whereby it cometh also removing the impediments of the coming I As touching the coming it self we are to note out of this word That we come not to this kingdome of grace of our selves but this kingdome cometh unto us and in coming preventeth us as our Saviour speaketh Luke 11. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is come upon you for we naturally are the bondslaves of Satan and subjects of the kingdome of darknesse out of which bondage we are not able to come except the Lord do pull us and as our Saviour saith John 6. 44. No man cometh to the Sonne but whom the Father draweth Wherein appeareth the undeserved mercy of God in preventing us in seeking that which was lost in being found of them that sought him not in coming to them that neither could nor would through their own default come unto him And secondly because there must be alwayes a daily progresse in this kingdome and work of grace in this life therefore we are taught to pray daily that this kingdome may come Now let us see how this kingdome cometh and what it is which here we ask Of the coming of this kingdome there be three degrees The first is the pulling and drawing us out of the kingdome of Satan and power of darknesse unto God which is our effectuall calling whereby we are brought from the spirituall bondage of sinne and Satan into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and are made fellow-citizens of the Saints domestici Dei of the houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. And this calling is wrought by this means First to us sleeping in our sinnes the word of God is sent to rouse us the law shewing us our sinnes and the punishments due for them the Gospel promising salvation upon the condition of faith and repentance Secondly the spirit of God concurring with the word inlighteneth our minds to understand the word of God inclineth our minds to attend thereunto mollifieth our hard and stony hearts in the sight and sense of sinnes and then travelling under the burden of them with wearinesse he stirreth up in us a hunger and thirst after the righteousnesse of Christ and reconciliation with God and teacheth us to pray with sighs which cannot be expressed Secondly when the Spirit of God applieth the merits and efficacy of Christs death and râ—…surrection to the justification of the sinner and by degrees worketh in him faith and assurance of the paâ—…don of his sinnes whereupon followeth peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost In which three tâ—…e Apostle saith that the kingdome of God doth consist Rom. 14. 17. Thirdly when Christ our King ruleth and reigneth in our hearts by his word and Spirit teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly justly and holily in this prâ—…sent world expecting the happy hope and glorious appearance of the great God our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2. 12 13. that is when by his Spirit he applieth the merits of his death to the mortifying of sinne in us and of his resurrection to raise us up to newnesse of life And this we desire not onely for our selves but also for the whole company of the elect That the Lord would from all sorts gather his Church electing them from the world engraffing them into his Son justifying them by faith and sanctifying them by his Spirit Thâ—…t he would confirm them by his grace that they may increase more and more and be inriched with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things and finally by the power of God through faith may be preserved unto everlasting life 1. Pet. 1. 5. And because the Church of God is as we have said the kingdome of God we desire not onely that God would gathâ—…r his Church but also that he would inlarge it more and more by the visible adding unto it those that are to be saved that hâ—… would prosper and preserve it Psal. 122. 6. protect and defend it from all enemies both corporall and spirituall that he would give all graces needfull and expedient unto them And thus we are to pray that the kingdome of Gods grace may
come uponus and upon all his chosen servants The means are to be prayed for of the coming of Christs kingdome II. Now because this kingdome cometh by means we are also to pray for them The means are either outward or inward The outward are the preaching of the word and Christs government by his minâ—…ters The preaching of the word which is the Gospel of the kingdome of God is such a notable means of the coming of the kingdome that it is called the kingdome of God For whereas there be three degrees of this coming our Vocation Justification and Sanctification every one of them ordinarily is wrought by the preaching of the word We are called outwardly by the Gospel We are justified by faith faith cometh by hearing of the word Rom. 10. 17. We are sanctified by the word of truth by the preaching of the word we are begotten unto God Therefore we are to pray that the word of God may have a free passage and be glorified 2. Thess. 3. 1. and also that the preaching of the word and Gospel be not taken from us or as Matth. 21. 43. that the kingdome of God be not taken from us but continued to us and our posterity And because there cannot be preaching of the word except there be preachers Rom. 10. 14. we are taught to pray Matth. 9. 38. that God would send forth labourers into his harvest that he would furnish them with Vrim and Thummim gifts sufficient Ephes. 6. 19. that he would clothe them with righteousnes Psal. 132. 9. that he would open unto theÌ„ a doore of the word that they may speak the mysterie of Christ Col. 4. 3. And because there cannot be ordinarily learned guides and scribes taught unto the kingdome of God except they be first trained up in good literature we are to pray also for the Universities and schools of the prophets which are the seminaries and seed-plots of the Church The second outward means is the government of Christ by his servants both in the Church and Commonwealth In the Church by the Ministers and governours exercising in the name of Christ admonition suspension excommunication For whom we are to pray That they may execute their offices according to the will of God as shall most serve for the advancement of the spirituall kingdome of Christ and defacing of the kingdome of sin and Satan That the people submit themselves to the censures of the Church and be reclaimed thereby In the Commonwealth by Magistrates who are Gods ministers also c. Rom. 13. whom God hath advanced that they might be nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers to the Church Isai. 49. 13. For whom also we are to pray 1. Tim. 2. 2. That after the example of David Josias Ezechias they may reform religion defend the truth profession of it suppresse idolatry and superstition punish sinne c. That the subjects may live in all obedience unto them as unto the ordinance of the Lord. The inward means is the operation of Gods Spirit in the souls of men For it is the Spirit of God which maketh the outward means effectuall and without which neither the preaching of the word nor the other means of government will any whit prevail 1. Cor. 3. 7. Deut. 29. 4. It is the Spirit of God who in the ministery of the word knocketh at the doore of our hearts and inlighteneth our minds to understand it John 16. 13. he leadeth us into all truth 1. John 2. 20 27. he teacheth us he openeth our hearts to listen unto it as he did the heart of Lydia Acts 16. 14. he maketh the word the savour of life unto life For without the Spirit the word is a dead letter the Scripture a sealeâ—… book without him we cannot say that Jesus is Christ without him we cannot pray c. He mollifieth our hearts and worketh in us that godly sorrow working repentance never to be repented of which stirreth up in us earnest desires and maketh us to call upon God with sighs unspeakable and is therefore called the Spirit of supplication He worketh in us the assurance of our reconciliation with God which we call faith and is therefore called the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father c. He sanctifieth us throughout mortifying sinne and raising us up into newnesse of life Ezech 36. 26 27. working in us all sanctifying and saving graces and is therefore called the Spirit of grace and so every grace is called by the name of the Spirit because it is a gift of the Spirit as the Spirit of wisdome and revelation Ephes. 1. 17. Isai. 11. 2. In this petition therefore we desire that the Lord would grant us his Spirit which he hath promised Luke 11. 13. and that by this Spirit he would rule and reigne in us and quicken us that being animated thereby we may behave our selves as members of Christ c. ruled and guided by his sanctifying Spirit The impediments of Gods kingdome to be prayed against III. Lastly because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let it come seemeth to import and presuppose some obstacles and impediments whereby this kingdome is hindered we do also pray that these may be removed The impediments are these First the three main enemies of our salvation are also the chief oppugners of the kingdome of grace the Devil World and Flesh. The devil seeketh by all means the ruine of the Church in generall Revel 12. and also of the particular members Whilest this strong man possesseth his hold that is every naturall man all things are at quiet but when the Lord by his word and Spirit draweth any out of the kingdome and power of darknesse then he bestirreth him and by all tentations both by himself and his instruments he seeketh to entangle him in sinne When the seed of the word is sown in the hearts of men he carrieth it away as the birds do the corn which fall on the wayes Matth. 13. 19. or he blindfoldeth them that they shall not see the light of the gospel Ephes. 4. 4. or if they understand it he carrieth them away captive to the obedience of his will If they be called to repentance he perswadeth them to deferre it They may repent hereafter as well c. If to amendment of life he telleth them that if they be elected they may live as they list if rejected they cannot be saved If to humiliation that it is a doctrine that belongeth to notorious sinners c. Moreover he opposeth himself to the Ministers and their ministery Zech. 3. 1. he suborneth false teachers and is a lying spirit in their mouthes Therefore we pray that the Lord would bind Satan dissolve his works and tread him under our feet Rom. 16. 20. The second is the world and the lusts thereof which choke the seed of Gods word Matth. 13. 22. the glorious shew of this world 1. Cor. 7. 31. By these Satan as by nails naileth men to the earth that
life and in the world to come In all which respects we must esteem our sinnes as a most heavy burden and being weary thereof we are by prayer to come unto the Lord that we may be eased thereof Matth. 11. 28. Neither are we to bewail our sinnes alone but as we are to pray for the pardon of other mens sinnes so are we also to mourn for the iniquities of the place and time wherein we live Ezek. 9. 8. Psal. 119. 136 158. 2. We are to bewail the hardnesse of our hearts that we cannot so bewail our sinnes as we ought 3. Our want of faith and assurance of the remission of our sinnes The graces which we desire are 1. Remission of sinnes and justification viz. that God would cancell the bill of debt Col. 2. 14. that he would take away our sinnes and cast them into the bottom of the sea Mich. 7. 18 19. that he would impute the merits and obedience of Christ unto us And secondly because we receive remission of sinnes and are justified by faith by which we apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ to our justification and without which the merits of Christ are not communicated unto us therefore we desire not onely that he would forgive us our sinnes but also that he would work in us a true faith whereby we may have assurance of the pardon of our sinnes and peace of conscience 3. Because our faith is weak therefore we are to pray for the increase thereof Luke 17. 5. and also that God would blesse unto us the means of the begetting and increasing of our faith 4. Because reconciliation and adoption are unseparable companions of justification we therefore must also pray that he would receive us unto his love and favour and give us his spirit of adoption that howsoever we be by nature the children of wrath yet being reconciled unto him in Christ we may have the testimony of his Spirit testifying to our spirits that we are the children of God 5. We pray not onely for righteousnesse and assurance of justification and peace of conscience arising from thence Rom. 5. 1. but also for the joy of the holy Ghost proceeding from them both Rom. 14. 17. Now that we may with fervencie beg these graces of God we must besides the sight and sense of our sinnes and the misery which they bring upon us consider the necessity of these graces First of remission of sinnes because sinne maketh a separation between God and us Isai. 59. 1. and maketh us subject both to the curse of God in this life and after and therefore above all things in the world we are to desire freedome from our sinnes without which our estate is most miserable c. and without which we cannot be saved Contrariwiâ—…e in remission of sinne consisteth happinesse Psal. 32. 1 2. Secondly of faith without which the benefits of Christ are not effectuall to our justification sanctification or salvation By it we are made partakers of all the benefits of Christ to our justification and salvation In which respect the same benefits in the Scriptures which proceed from Christ are also ascribed unto faith Upon which follow reconciliation peace with God and joy in the holy Ghost and the beginning of eternall life it self in this life As we must pray for the forgivenesse of our sins in fervencie so also in faith that as we unfeignedly desire pardon of sinnes reconciliation with God so we are truly to believe that the Lord will heare our prayer that he will receive us unto mercy and at the length grant unto us the certificate of his Spirit the Spirit of adoption For that which he hath commanded us to ask he hath promised to give He commandeth us to ask remission of sinnes justification the Spirit of adoption c. therefore consequently we are stedfastly to believe that we shall obtein them The forgivenesse of sinnes is a chief part of the covenant of grace Heb. 10. 17. The Spirit of adoption is expressely promised to those that ask him Luke 11. 13. There remaineth that we pray with perseverance never ceasing day by day to call upon God for the forgivenesse of our sinnes and certificate of the holy Spirit assuring us thereof untill the Lord say unto our souls I am your salvation and shed abroad his love in our hearts Neither are we then to cease from this prayer but as we sinne daily so are we daily to crave forgivenesse and as our faith is weak and mixt with doubting so daily to desire the increase thereof c. Duties to be performed in our lives If we would make this prayer with upright hearts or would either hope to obtein this request or assurance that our prayer is heard I. We must be adorned with humility 1. Pet. 5. 5. whereby we must acknowledge our selves so deeply indebted unto the Lord by reason of our manifold sinnes that he may most justly glorifie his name in our endlesse confusion and that in respect thereof we are not worthy to look up unto heaven or to breathe in the aire or to live upon the earth and that therefore it is the great mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed For if we have humble and contrite hearts the Lord will be ready to heare our prayer and to pardon our sinnes The Lord resisteth the proud but he giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and c. Psal. 51. 17. Psal. 34. 18. Example in the humbled Publicane Luke 18. 14. For Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Matth. 9. 13. Luke 4. 18. Matth. 11. 28. Whom doth he call with promise to ease them of the burden of sinne but those that trâ—…vail under the burden of sinne and are weary thereof If therefore God hath given thee an humble heart thou mayest be encouraged to come unto him for grace and pardon of sinnes For as it was said of the blind man so it may be said of every one that is poore in spirit Be of good comfort he calleth thee But as humility maketh us fit to receive Gods grace in the pardoning of our sinnes so is it also a good signe that our sinnes are pardoned For they onely are happy whose sins are forgiven but those that are poore in spirit are happy Matth. 5. 3. therefore their sinnes are forgiven Whereas contrariwise if we be proud and have a Pharisaicall câ—…ceit of our selves it is a fearfull signe that we remain in our sinnes John 9. 41. Luke 18. 14. II. If we would have forgivenesse of our sinnes we must believe in Christ. For by faith alone we have justification and remission of sinnes Acts 26. 18. because faith alone apprehendeth the merits and righteousnesse of Christ whereby we are justified Now this and the former must go together We must be cast down in our selves acknowledging our selves that we are no better
to be performed after prayer 144 25. Of the Subject matter of our prayers and what is required thereunto namely that it be good and according to Gods will 146 That being unable to pray we are assisted by the Spirit 147 Chap. 26 Of the circumstances of prayer 150 Of Publick prayer 151 Of Private prayer in the family and alone 154 27. Of the time of prayer 156 The Euchetae confuted 157 28. Concerning the Place of prayer 161 The vanity of Pilgrimages 163 29. Of Prayer or Petition and what is required unto it 164 Prayer and thanksgiving must be joyned 165 What things are required in prayer 167 We must pray in sight and sense of our wants 169 We must pray with fervency of deâ—…ire 172 30. Of Faith which is chiefly required in prayer 173 We must pray in faith and submission to Gods will 176 31. Of duties to be performed after prayer 178 32. Distinctions of prayer in regard of the object 181 For whom we must pray 184 Of prayer against others 188 Of Imprecations 189 33. Of the reall object of prayer or the things to be prayed for 191 We must pray for temporall blessings 193 34. Of Deprecation 195 Of Confession of our sinnes 196 How this Confession is to be made 197 35. Of Thanksgiving 201 What is required in Thanksgiving 202 36. Speciall duties required in Thanksgiving 206 37. Of the outward expressing inward thankfulnesse by praysing God 212 38. Duties to be performed before after thanksgiving 216 ¶ The chief things handled in the second part of this Treatise viz. The exposition of the Lords Prayer THe generals of Invocation applyed to the Lords Prayer 226 The Preface 231 How God is called Father ibid. Of the name Father and what duties it teacheth us 234 What is meant by the word Our 237 The meaning of these words Which art in heaven 244 The division of the Petitions 251 The meaning of the first Petition 252 How Gods name is sanctified by us 255 How Gods name signifying his Glory is sanctified by us 257 How it is sanctified signifying his Titles 259 How it is sanctified signifying his Word 263 How it is sanctified signifying the Doctrine of religion 264 How it is sanctified signifying his Works 265 How God himself sanctifieth his name 269 The second Petition handled 271 What Gods kingdome is 272 What it is for Gods kingdome to come 275 Christs kingdome cometh by means 279 The impediments of Gods kingdome to be prayed against 282 Uses concerning the coming of Gods kingdome 289 Of the coming of the kingdome of glory 293 We must expect and pray for the second coming of Christ 294 How we must expect the second coming of Christ 298 The third Petition explained 301 Of the will of God and things which he willeth 303 How Gods will is done on earth 307 How Gods will is done on earth as in heaven 310 The matter and manner of our obedience 314 315 Wherein our obedience resembleth that of the Angels 319 The exposition of the fourth Petition 324 Why we ask temporall blessings before spirituall 325 What is meant by Bread 327 What is meant by daily bread 330 How God is said to give us daily bread 333 c. Duties to be performed by them that ask daily bread 339 340 c. The fifth Petition expounded 350 We must be justified before we can be sanctified 352 That our sinnes are debts 355 What is meant by forgiving our trespasses 359 By this petition we are put in mind of our misery and Gods mercy 361 No man can satisfie Gods justice for his sinnes 362 Severall duties arising out of the fifth petition 368 369 Our forgiving no cause of Gods forgiving us 376 How we can be said to forgive 379 Reasons moving us to forgive 385 c. The sixth petition expounded 390 Those whom God pardoneth the devil tempteth 391 The necessity of this prayer Not to be lead into temptation 392 Of probations and trialls 1. by prosperity 2. by afflictions 394 395 Of divers sorts of temptations 396 1. Of the flesh ibid. 2. Of the world 397 3. Of the devil 400 Of the divers sorts of the devils temptations 401 c. How God may be said to tempt 406 Satan can neither tempt or overcome without Gods permission 409 That temptations are good for Gods children 410 How we must pray against the temptations of the flesh the world and the devil 413 414 415 c. The Conclusion of the Lords Prayer both authenticall and necessary 419 Our faith confirmed by this Conclusion 420 What is meant by thine is the kingdome 422 423 What is meant by the power and the glory 424 425 Everlasting kingdome power and glory belongeth to God 427 What the word Amen signifieth 429 CHAP. I. Of the definition of prayer and of the persons who are to pray AMong all the duties of Christianitie as there is not any more honourable in it self more glorious to God more profitable and necessary for us then the exercise of prayer and invocation so is there none wherein we do more need direction and instruction and consequently nothing wherein my labour in speaking and yours in hearing may better be imployed For as Chrysostome saith Pulcherrima est scientia veréque Christiano homine digna quae docet rectè precari That is the most excellent knowledge and truly worthy a Christian man which teacheth rightly to pray In treating whereof I purpose by the help of God to observe this order First I will set down the doctrine of invocation and then explain that absolute form or pattern of prayer prescribed by our Saviour Christ wherein the practice of the doctrine is conteined The doctrine must first be generall and common to both the sorts of invocation viz. prayer and thanksgiving and then speciall and peculiar to either The generall doctrine consisteth of such points as are either more substantiall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or accidentall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The substantiall points are all of them comprised in this definition Invocation or prayer is a religious speech of the faithfull directed unto God in the name of Christ framed according to the will of God by the help of the holy Ghost concerning good things apperteining to his glory and our good The phrase of invocating or calling upon the name of God sometimes signifieth the profession of the true religion whereby we take the name of God upon us and are called after his name as Gen. 48. 16. and 4. 16. Isa. 63. 10. Acts 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. And first as touching the name This part of Gods worship is usually in the Scriptures expressed by the phrase of calling upon the name of God and therefore is fitly called invocation that is calling upon God whether it be by way of praying or praysing In which generall sense the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tephillat is sometimes used 1. Sam. 2. 1. Psal. 86. 1. Isa. 56. 7. Domus orationis
called on the name of the Lord. But let us come to their objections To the first I answer That we do teach that remission of sinnes is obteined by prayer and that to that end our Saviour hath taught us to crave remission and hath acquainted us with the example of the Publicane who by prayer obteined justification as David Manasseh and the faithfull and penitent sinners in all ages have done which hindreth not but that we are justified by faith alone For it is not every prayer but the prayer of faith as S. James calleth it which is impetratory I say it is the prayer of faith which by prayer obteineth pardon To the second Where our Divines define faith to be a full and certain perswasion of Gods love towards us in Christ forgiving our sinnes c. they define it in the highest degree and perfection thereof whereunto we must alwayes aspire But there are two principall degrees of faith The first is an assent to the truth of Gods word and more especially to the promises of the Gospel assuring salvation to all that believe in Christ. This assent in the judgement to the Law and Gospel if it be true lively and effectuall worketh in the heart and will a lothing of our sinnes a resolution to leave them a desire of grace and a hungring and thirsting after Christs righteousnesse and a resolution to acknowledge Christ to be our Saviour and to rest upon him alone for salvation And howsoever those who have but this degree cannot say that they are assured of forgivenesse and salvation yet their desire of grace proceeding from this lively faith expressed in their prayer is acceptable before God and obteineth that which is desired Now they which have this degree must proceed to the second For seeing the promises belong to them concerning justification and salvation they ought to apply them to themselves And look how sure a man may be that he believeth that is giveth a tâ—…e and lively assent to the doctrine of the Gospel so sure ought he to be of the remission of sinnes and salvation by Christ. And of this assurance there are degrees according to the measure of grace received To conclude therefore this point We ascribe to faithfull prayer efficacie to obtein that which we desire in the name of Christ according to the will of God and by the Scriptures do demonstrate the efficacie of prayer which now we are to shew by the wonderfull effects which by prayer have been brought to passe CHAP. V. Of the great and wonderfull efficacie of prayer AS first in the elements the earth the water the aire the fire At the prayer of Moses the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Korah Dathan and Abiram with their families Numb 16. At his prayer also the hard rocks sent forth rivers of waters Exod. 17. Samson having slain a thousand Philistines with the jaw-bone of an asse Judg. 5. 18 19. whereupon the place was called Lehi which signifieth a jaw-bone and being ready to perish with thirst by prayer obteined a well of living water which continued to posteritie which the Lord opened unto him in Lehi not the jaw-bone but the place so called which for a perpetuall monument of the efficacie of prayer he called En-hakkore the fountain of him that prayed At the prayer of Moses Exod. 14. the waters of the red sea gave place to the Israelites and overwhelmed their enemies But come we to the aire Elias being a man subject to the like passions with us which the Apostle James noteth chap. 5. 17 18. that we might in like manner hope to be heard prayed a prayer that is prayed effectually that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth for three yeares and six moneths and he prayed again and the heavens that is the aire gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Concerning fire we have two examples of the same Elias the former 1 Kings 18. where by prayer he brought down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice the latter 2. Kings 1. where also by prayer he brought down fire from heaven to destroy the two captains with their fifties But leaving the elements let us in our cogitations ascend into heaven For most admirable is that example Josh. 10. 15. where at the prayer of Joshua for he is said to have spoken to the Lord and the Lord to have hearkened to his voice the sunne stood still in the middest of heaven for the space of one whole day untill the Israelites were avenged on their enemies And no lesse admirable is that example of the Prophet Isaiah 2. Kings 20. 11. at whose prayer not onely the shadow in the sunne-diall but the sunne it self in the firmament went back ten degrees Isa. 38. 8. Ecclus 48. 23. Neither is the efficacie of prayer seen upon those creatures alone which are without sense but upon those also which are indued with sense and reason Jonah when he was swallowed up of the whale and lay in the belly thereof as in a grave for the space of three dayes and three nights having cried to the Lord de profundis he was restored safe to land Jonah 2. As touching men the efficacie of prayer appeareth in the deliverance not onely of particular men but also of whole cities and countreys from the fury and force of their enemies were they never so mightie or so many When Peter was by Herod cast into prison and kept by foure quaternions of souldiers lying in the night before he should be put to death between two souldiers bound with two chains the keepers also before the doore keeping the prison at the instant prayer of the Church which effectually prayed for his deliverance the Lord sent his angel to set him at libertie Acts 12. 5. Elias the Prophet being armed with the spirit of prayer when Ahaziah the king had sent three captains of fifties one after another to apprehend him he not onely brought down fire from heaven to destroy the two first with their fifties as I said before but also he brought the third captain upon his knees humbly intreating him that his own life and the lives of all his companie might be precious in his sight 2. Kings 1. Elisha also upon whom the spirit of Elias was doubled when Ben-hadad king of Syria had sent an armie of men with horses and chariots to apprehend him the armie having by night environed the citie where the Prophet was and besieged it by prayer he had them in his power striketh them blind leadeth them to Samaria and having by prayer opened their eyes that they might see their present danger he victualleth them and sendeth them away as vanquished Now for the defense and deliverance of whole peoples and common-wealths such is the efficacie of prayer that those who are indued with the spirit of supplication may not unworthily with Elias and Elisha be called the horsemen and chariots of Israel By prayer Asa 2.
prayer made with such a proud conceit is abominable unto God CHAP. XX. Of Reverence required in prayer and Heartinesse THe second thing required in the heart is a reverence of the Majesty of God to whom we speak according to Davids both advice Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with reverence and rejoyce with trembling and practice Psal. 5. 7. I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercie that is trusting therein and in â—…he fear or reverence of thee will I worship towards thy holy temple That we are thus to call upon God I shall not need to prove For if when we are to speak to a Prince we are touched with great reverence of an earthly Majestie how are we to be affected when we speak unto God And if the blessed angels being in Gods presence and sounding forth his prayse are described in the Scriptures as having six wings whereof two pair serve to cover their face their feet Isa. 6. 2 3. thereby betokening their wonderfull reverence of God how much more should we who inhabit these houses of clay subject to infirmities and corrupted with sinne be strucken with an awfull reverence of God If therefore we did but seriously consider That we are to speak vnto God and did set him before our eyes who is in Majestie most glorious and therefore to be reverenced for power omnipotent and therefore to be feared Luke 12. for greatnesse or infinitenesse rather in every place and therefore present with us to heare what we say and to behold what we do for knowledge omniscient and a searcher of the heart and therefore throughly acquainted with what disposition and affection we do come before him for holinesse and justice a most pure Spirit and therefore will be worshiped in spirit truth finally who is as Malachi speaketh our Father and therefore to be reverenced our Lord and therefore to be feared chap. 1. 6. If I say we did set him before our eyes and our selves in his presence as we ought alwayes to do but especially when we call upon him it cannot be but that we shall be touched with great reverence of his glorious Majestie and therefore shall behave our selves accordingly doing speaking thinking nothing but that which may become his presence and whereof we may be bold to admit him to be the hearer and the judge all light behaviour all wandring thoughts being far removed and abandoned and we for the time being elevated above all earthly cogitations and having our conversation in heaven supposing as Chrysostome saith our selves to be in the midst of the Angels and performing the like exercise with them You see our duty But what is our practice Do no we vile wretches when we present our selves before the Lord behave our selves many times with lesse reverence or regard then if we were speaking to a mortall man that is our supeâ—…iour Insomuch that we hold it for good advice as indeed it is respecting our weaknes In such sort to speak to men as if God did heare us so to speak to God as if man did heare us And is not this an evidence that we are caâ—…nall that our hearts are affected with no more then our senses apprehend and that we want those eyes of faith which Moses had Heb. 11. 27. whereby we might be moved to behave our selves in the presence of God as seeing him that is invisible Now to move us both to humilitie and reverence let us consider as Solomon adviseth Eccles 5. 1 2. that God to whom we speak is in the heaven full of majestie and power which consideration our Saviour also teacheth us to have in the beginning of our prayer Matth. 6. 9. and we which do speak are on the earth base and vile not onely in respect of our mould being but dust and ashes but especially in respect of our sinnes whereby we have made our selves unworthy to appear in his presence And unto both these we are excited Psal. 95. which is prefixed as a preparative to our Liturgie v. 6. Come let us worship and fall down let us kneel before the Lord our maker For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hands The third thing is heartinesse devotion or ardour of the mind when we are throughly affected with those things whereof we speak calling upon God with our whole hearts For if that be good counsel which the wise Solomon giveth That what we do we do it with all our might Eccles 9. 10. it is especially to be followed in prayer wherein we are not to be cold or carelessâ—… This heartinesse in prayer is servencie or earnestnesse of desire in thanksgiving alacritie and chearfulnesse the former arising from the sense of our want the latter from the sense and experience of Gods goodnesse towards us And it is that which giveth wings to our prayers and causeth them to ascend before God This is called liâ—…ting up our prayer Isai. 37. 4. Jer. 7. 16. Here therefore two things are to be avoided The first is coldnesse when men call upon God without sense either of their wants in prayer or of Gods blessings in thanksgiving calling upon God for fashion or custome sake usu magâ—…s quà m sensu orantes praying rather out of use then sense Such a prayer wanting lively affections is dead and therefore counterfeit and hypocriticall and a mere bodily worship For this is to call upon God with our mouthes but not with our hearts this is to pray without desire and to give thanks without grace in our hearts The other is taedium in orando wearinesse in praying That is when mens hearts being set on other matters all time that is bestowed in prayer is thought too long and therefore the prayer as it is unwillingly begun so is it wearisomely performed the end of the prayer many times being more desired then the end for which prayer was ordained But our invocation must be as a free-will-offering and our service of God must be performed with a willing mind neither is that to be accounted a service of the soul which is without either the understanding as I said before or the will CHAP. XXI Of the Gesture to be used in prayer HItherto we have spoken of those things which in the action of Invocation are required in the soul. Now we are to speak of those things which are required in the body For though bodily exercise being severed from the inward worship is little worth yet being joyned with the inward it is of some moment For where the Lord commandeth any duty or forbiddeth any sinne there also he commandeth or forbiddeth the signes and appearances thereof and therefore where he requireth the inward worship of the soul in prayer as honorem facti the honour of the deed there also he requireth the outward of the body when it may be conveniently exercised as honorâ—…m signi the honour of the signe Now our bodies and members
he would think himself happy if he might have liberty to come to the assembly although he went through thick and thin and that no way or weather should hinder him And again v. 10. he saith that one day spent in the house of the Lord is better then a thousand â—…lsewhere and that he had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of iniquity Thus we see Davids affection to the assembly of the Saints when he might not enjoy them And as he placed happinâ—…sse therein when he wanted them so when he injoyed them his chief joy was therein Psal. 122. 1. I rejoyced when they said to me We will go to the house of the Lord. Reade 2. Sam. 6. 14 16. When the ark of the Lord was to be brought to the city of David David for exceeding great joy danced and leaped before the ark with all his might as if he had not been his own man insomuch as his wife despised him v. 20. derided him O how glorious was the king of Israel this day which was uncovered to day in the sight of the maids of his servants as a fool uncovereth himself If we were men according to â—…ods own heart as David was we would have the like estimation of the assemblies of the Saints both when we could not frequent them most earnestly to desire them and when we have liberty with wonderfull chearfulnessâ—… and alacrity to frequent the Churches as for other exercises of religion so for prayer In respect whereof it is called the house of prayer Isai. 56. 7. Neither must our private prayer exempt us from the publick For although it be an excellent exercise and in no case to be omitted yet if it come in comparison it must give place to the publick But the frequenting of the publick assemblies is especially to be understood on the Sabbath on which is mercatura animae the merchandise of the soul and the market-place is the Church Now as we are to frequent the publick assemblies so we must be carefull before we come thither to prepare our selves according to the counsel of the Wise man Eccles 4. 17. to look to our feet that is to our affections lest we offer the sacrifice of fools and to lift up holy hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without wrath or doubting 1. Tim. 2. 8. And also when we are there to behave our selves both in soul and body as I have shewed before labouring also inwardly for unanimity that we may call upon God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one mind and heart To unanimity is the promise made Matth. 18. 19. If two of you shall consent c. as the Primitive Church did Acts 1. 14. and 4. 24. and outwardly for uniformity so farre forth as it is joyned with decency and order and severed from superstition Concerning the voice which I said was alwayes to be used in publick prayer we are to know If it be uttered in one voice as in praier the mouth of the people ought to be the minister because it is part of prophecie and the Apostles Acts 6. 4. make it part of their function If by the voice of many as in singing For singing also is warranted in the word of God both by the example of Christ Mark 14. 26. by the commandment of the Apostle Col. 3. 16. Ephes. 5. 19. of James ch 5. 13. then such singing is to be used as we may sing with grace in our hearts and spirits with understanding to instruct and edifie both our selves and others But we may not so sing as that neither we our selves can attend to the matter nor they which heare us understand what is said That both unanimitie and uniformitie may be used it is fit that there should be set forms of publick prayer for then may the people best joyn their consent and desire of heart when they know before-hand the very form of the request Indeed to that which they understand they may at the end of the prayer say Amen but when they know before-hand what shall be asked there may be a better concurrence between the prayer of their heart and the speech of the minister who is the mouth Private prayer is either the prayer of a familie or of some one To the former doth the promise of Christ also appertein When two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. And it is so much to be preferred before the other as it seemeth to draw nearer to publick prayer And therefore it is the duty of an houshoulder to call his familie togetheâ—… and to pray with them The prayer of some one man is properly called private For privi with the ancient Latinists is the same with singuli That which properly is required in this prayer is this that it be private as that we be not heard to pray of any man This is done either when we are alone and ordinarily or in the sight of others upon occasions offered If when we are alone we must neither be heard nor seen of any but obey the commandment of Christ Matth. 6. 6. When thou prayest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And therefore we are to be carefull to contein our voyce within the compasse of the private place wherein we pray For otherwise we break the commandment of Christ and it is all one as if we prayed openly For as Tertullian saith petitiones suas quid minùs faciunt quà m si in publico orent What do they lesse in their petitions then if they prayed in publick Again if we so pray privately as that either we be seen or heard of men our prayers wil not be void of ostentation But as we are to avoid evil so we are to shun all appearance of evil Now to pray for ostentations sake is a thing simply evil and forbidden by our Saviour Christ Matth. 6. 5. And therefore we are to forbear not onely from it but also from the shew therof Is privately thou art to pray upon occasions offered in the presence of others then thou art to pray in the closet of thy heart without using the voice according to the example of Moses Exod. 14. of Abrahams servant Gen. 24. and Hannah 1. Sam. 1. Nehemiah chap. 2. 4. But this is not to be understood of him who praying in the company of others is as it were the mouth of the rest For we are to conceive of that as of the prayer of the family wherein the voice is necessary CHAP. XXVII Of the time of prayer NOw we are to enquire of the time of invocation when we are to call upon God The holy Ghost telleth 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. that we must pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is continually and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in
relation to the creatures So Deut. 32. 6. Isai. 63. 16. But howsoever the whole Trinity is our Father so to be worshipped of us yet this speech is more peculiarly directed to the first Person the fountain of the Godhead who is the Father of Christ Ephes. 3. 14. and in him our Father John 20. 17. yet so as in worshipping him we joyntly worship the other two who as they are all one in essence coequall and coeternall concurring also in all actions towards us so they are altogether to be worshipped O God thou Father of Christ and in him our Father who givest the Spirit of thy Sonne whereby we cry Abba Father to thee we present our prayers in the name of thy Son craving the help of the holy Ghost The second Person is called our Father Isai. 9. 6. so may the holy Ghost who doth regenerate us Deut. 32. 6. and to either of them may our prayers be directed Acts 7. 59. So that our prayer may be directed to any or to all the Persons 2. Cor. 13. 13. or to two of them 1. Thess. 3. 11. We are taught to whom to direct our prayers namely to God alone For seeing our Saviour hath commanded us when we pray to say Our Father it is evident that we break the commandment if we direct our prayers to any to whom we may not say Our Father c. Which title without blasphemy we cannot attribute to any but onely to the Lord who is our heavenly Father Jer. 31. 9. Sum Israeli Pater I am a Father to Israel Secondly whereas by nature we are the children of wrath and yet commanded to call upon God as our Father we are taught in whose name we are to come unto God Not in our own names or worthinesse Dan. 9. 18. for then we shall find him a Judge rather then a Father but onely in the name and mediation of Christ Eph. 3. 12. in whom he is our Father and in whose name he hath promised to grant whatsoever we ask according to his will It is well said of Calvine Cùm Deum Patrem vocamus Christi nomen praetendimus When we call God Father we pretend the name of Christ. 3. We are taught that the help of the holy Ghost is necessary in prayer For how should we which were children of wrath dare to call God our Father or be assured that we be his children By the holy Ghost who is the spirit of adoption beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God we cry in our hearts Abba Father Rom. 2. 15 16. For if none can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost then much lesse can a man call upon God as his Father in Christ except he be endued by the holy Ghost We must therefore as the Apostle teacheth us Ephes. 2. 18. call upon God the Father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost so shall we though unworthy and unable to call upon God in Christ be accepted and by the holy Ghost be enabled to pray according to God Here therefore first are they refuted who think they may lawfully direct their prayers either to Angels or Saints to whom the name Father is opposed Isai. 63. 16. or to their images saying to a stock or stone Our father Jer. 2. 27. If God be our heavenly Father who is more willing to give good things then any earthly parents and also all-sufficient why should we seek to any other unlesse we can either accuse him of unkindnesse or object want of power unto him Secondly if God be our Father in Christ then ought we with boldnesse to come unto the throne of grace through him Ephes. 3. 12. Neither do we need any other mediation then of the Sonne who is the onely Mediatour as of redemption so also of intercession 1. Tim. 2. 5. contrary to the doctrine of the Papists who teach men to use the mediation of Saints Whereas our Saviour John 16. 26. having commanded us to pray in his name addeth I say not that I will intreat the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you Duties in Prayer IF God be our Father we must come 1. In reverence as unto our heavenly Father 2. In dutifull thankfull and sonne-like affection acknowledging his mercy of Adoption who when we were by nature children of wrath adopted us to be his sonnes and if sonnes then heirs Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us that we should be called the sonnes of God 3. In faith and assurance not onely that we and our prayers are accepted in Christ but that our prayers shall be granted unto us of our Father as may be most for his glory and our good And that we may come in faith let us consider First that without faith we are no sonnes of his but children of wrath Ephes. 2. 3 12. and if we believe we are the sonnes of God John 1. 12. and of the houshold of faith Secondly that if God be our Father in Christ he will grant us what good thing soever we ask For 1. he is affected as a good Father towards his children yea his love towards us is so much greater then the love of earthly parents as his goodnesse and mercy is greater Isai. 63. 16. Psal. 27. 10. Isai. 49. 15. Matth. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. 2. In that he is our Father he hath given us the greatest gift that can be imagined and therefore will not deny the lesfe Pater quid negabit filiis qui jam dedit quòd pater est What will the father deny to his sons who hath vouchsafed already to be our Father For if he have so loved us that he gave his Son for us that in him we might be adopted his children how shall he not with him give us all good things Rom. 8. 32. 3. In that he hath vouchsafed us this great love to be our Father and that we should be his children he hath also made us his heirs provided us an inheritance in heaven For as he gave his Sonne in pretium for a price so he reserveth himself in praemium for a reward If therefore it be our Fathers pleasure to give us a kingdome we need not fear but that he will grant us matters of lesse moment Luke 12. 32. 4. In sonne-like submission we are to call upon God our Father c. Matth. 26. 39 42. And in this faith we are to rest in the will of our Father submitting our selves thereto knowing that he will dispose of us for the best Duties in our lives IF we call God our Father we must behave our selves as dutifull and obedient children 1. Pet. 1. 14. we must walk worthy our calling Ephes. 4. 1. For seeing we have these promises namely that God will be a Father unto us and that we shall be his sonnes and daughters we ought to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of
the flesh and spirit and grow up into all godlinesse in the fear of God 2. Cor. 6. 18. and 7. 1. Deut. 32. 6. Nonne ipse Pater tuus c. Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee We must honour him we must fear him 1. Pet. 1. 17. Neither ought we to fear any thing so much as to displease him We must love him and Christ his Sonne John 8. 42. and for his sake our neighbours as the sonnes of God and members of Christ and consequently as our brethren and fellow-members 1. John 5. 1. We are to imitate our heavenly Father Matth. 5. 45. Luke 6. 36. We must patiently and meekly bear afflictions as fatherly chastisements Heb. 12. 6 7 c. Otherwise we shew our selves to be bastards rather then sonnes We must trust in him Psal. 27. 10. Isai. 63. 16. Here therefore is reproved the hypocrisie of those who using these words do not call upon God in their prayers with sonne-like reverence faith affection submission nor in their lives behave themselves as Gods children For though we call upon God as our Father and yet do not obey him nor honour him nor fear him nor love him nor follow him nor submit our selves to his chastisements nor trust in him we shew our selves not to be the children of God but rather of the devil For our Saviour saith to the Jews affirming that God was their Father His sonnes ye are whose works ye do John 8. 39 48. And John also saith 1. Epist. 3. 8 9 10. He that committeth sinne is of the devil Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him c. In this the children of God are known and the children of the devil Whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother See Deut. 32. 5 6. Our WHen as our Saviour teacheth us to say Our Father Give us c. he may seem to some to have prescribed a form of publick prayer onely Otherwise why doth he not teach us to say My Father Give me c. But out of verse 6. it appeareth that he prescribeth this form as well for private as for publick prayer Now he teacheth us to say Our Father Give us c. that we may learn it to be our duty to call upon God not onely for our selves but also for others But for what others For all men 1. Tim. 2. 1. For God is the Father of all by creation but especially for the faithfull to whom Gâ—…d is a Father by grace of adoption and they also our brethren in Christ. We are therefore to pray for the whole brotherhood which is the universall Church and the whole company of the faithfull Psal. 122. 6. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem For the universall Church I say militant upon earth For unto the present estate of the Church militant our Saviour doth accommodate this prayer as that we may do the will of God upon earth as it is in heaven that he would give us our daily bread that he would forgive our sinnes and not lead us into temptation When as therefore this prayer is used amongst the Papists for the dead they shew themselves not impious onely but also ridiculous Vses concerning Prayer FIrst whereas Christ commandeth us to call God Father not onely of other faithfull and elect but also ours he requireth in us when we are to pray a true and justifying faith whereby we are perswaded that God is our Father in Christ and the spirit of adoption whereby we cry in our hearts Abba Father Therefore that speciall faith which the Papists call presumption whereby every Christian man believeth that he is adopted in Christ reconciled to God and justified by him and that for his sake both himself and his prayer is accepted of God Christ requireth in this place For unlesse I be perswaded that the Lord is not onely the Father of the rest of the faithfull and elect but also my Father I cannot in truth call him our Father Unto prayer therefore we must bring faith without which it is impossible to please God Secondly whereas Christ commandeth us to call upon God not onely for our selves but also in the behalf of the whole fraternitie which is the universall Church Our Father Give us c. he teacheth us to exercise the communion of Saints by mutuall prayers for one another Ephes. 6. 18. and not onely to have respect to our own good but also to the good of others 1. Cor. 13. 5. and withall informeth us how we are to be affected towards our brethren when we come to call upon God that we should desire the same good things for them which we ask for our selves that we should be touched with a fellow-feeling of their wants as it becometh those which are not onely the sonnes of the same Father but also members of the same body Heb. 13. 3. Therefore as we ought to bring faith towards God so also charity towards men that without wrath and dissension we may lift up pure hands unto God 1. Tim. 2. 8. But is it not lawfull to say sometimes My Father My God and to pray for our selves in particular or for some others It is lawfull in private prayers to call God thy Father so that thou dost not arrogate any thing peculiar to thy self besides or above other faithfull men For this is the voyce of justifying faith especially in the time of temptation when the faithfull man may seem forsaken of God to apply unto himself in particular that which commonly belongeth to all the faithfull Psal. 22. 1. Deus meus My God my God c. John 20. 28. Rom. 1. 8. The Lord instructeth his people thus to call him My Father Jer. 3. 4 19. and Christ his disciples Matth. 6. 6. Pray to thy Father and thy Father which seeth in secret c. It is lawfull also to pray for thy self and for others in particular so as thou forget not to pray for the whole brotherhood of Gods children For as when we are commanded to do good to all but especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. we are bound in particular to do good to those whose wants are known unto us so when we are commanded to pray for all we are bound in particular to pray for those whose wants are known unto us and especially for such as do any wayes belong unto us or do desire to be commended in our prayers unto God Rom. 15. 30. Jam. 5. 14. Ephes. 5. 19. 1. Tim. 2. 1 2. Thirdly whereas we are taught to say Our Father Give us c. we may gather that this prayer and those that are made to the like effect are the common voyce of the Church and of all the members thereof praying mutually for one another Which affordeth comfort to every one of us for although the sense of thy own wants weaknesse in calling upon God doth discourage
is discovered the hypocrisie of those men who calling upon God as their Father in heaven lift not up their hearts to heaven but let them lie groveling on the earth who imagine God to be like themselves who without reverence speak unto him or use vain babbling who trust not in his power nor acknowledge his presence with them unreverently behaving themselves because they see him not that submit not themselves to his fatherly wisdome nor rest in his mercy and goodnesse Vses in our lives First if our Father be in heaven who also hath begotten us to an heavenly inheritance then we who are the children of God are in this world pilgrimes from God and from our countrey and therefore ought not to mindearthly things but have our conversation in heaven Phil. 3. 19 20. Secondly if God our Father be full of maiesty and power we ought to fear him and to stand in aw Thirdly if omnipotent let us rest confidently under his protection neither let the fear of any danger draw us unto sinne for God is able to deliver us Dan. 17. And on the other side let us fear to sinne for he is able to destroy both body and soul in hell Matth. 10. 28. If God be omnipresent let us behave our selves as in his presence and walk before him in uprightnesse of heart If our heavenly Father be most wise and mercifull let us cast our care upon him in all our necessities depending on him As for those that are mere worldlings terrae filii who neither stand in aw of his majesty nor trust in his power nor waâ—…k as in his presence nor depend upon his fatherly goodnesse they cannot but in hypocrisie call God their heavenly Father Now if we joyn these two together of which we have spoken severally That God is our Father and therefore willing to heare us and also in heaven and therefore able to grant our desires there will be no place left to diffidence and distrust seeing God is both willing and able to grant our requests Therefore we ought not to be distrustfully carefull but with confidence and assurance that we shall be heard to make our requests known unto God Phil. 4. 6. seeing as Fulgentius saith Deus multus est ad ignoscendum in hoc multo nihil deest in quo omnipotens misericordia omnipotentia misericors est God is much in forgiving in this much nothing is missing in whom is omnipotent mercy and mercifull omnipotence The consideration of either of these may stirre up a man to pray but if he doubt of either I see not how he can pray in faith The leper Mark 1. 40. being perswaded of Christs power desireth him to make him clean the father of him that was possessed Mark 9. 22. having some good opinion of Christs willingnesse intreated his help for the dispossessing of the unclean spirit But because the one was not assured of his willingnesse the other of his power they make but doubtfull prayers If thou wilt thou canst make me clean If thou canst do any thing help us But we may be assured of both in our heavenly Father and therefore are to be encouraged to pray in faith c. The division of the Petitions HItherto we have spoken of the preface Now we are to proceed unto the petitions Which are in number six but yet in respect of the objects they may be distinguished into two sorts For either they concern more properly and immediately the glory of God without respect of our own profit or else our own good and mediately the glory of God For in the three former we say Thy name Thy kingdome Thy will in the three latter us and our c. Those that concern Gods glory are indeed most profitable for us for with his own glory he joyneth the good and salvation of the elect For if we glorifie the name of God he will glorifie us if we be subjects of the kingdome of grace we shall be inheriters of the kingdome of glory if we do the will of God upon earth we shall enter into the kingdome of heaven But in propounding these petitions we are not to respect our own profit but the glory of God Those which immediately concern our own good must also mediately respect the glory of God whereunto if our good be not referred it is not good Those which immediately concern the glory of God are set down in the first place By which order our Saviour Christ teacheth us to preferre Gods glory before our own good yea if they should come in comparison before our own salvation Exod. 32. 32. because Gods glory is the end and therefore better then those things which are referred thereunto For which cause not onely in order of petitions but also in the measure of our affections the glory of God must be preferred before our own good Ideóque in tribus primis petitionibus oratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est cùm posteriores conjunctionibus colligantur And therefore in the three first petitions there is no copulative when as the three latter are tied together with conjunctionâ—… In the three first petitions we desire either the glory of God it self as the end or else the means whereby his glory is procured the end in the first petition the means in the other two For then is God glorified when his kingdome is advanced and his will fulfilled This order teacheth us that the main end of all our desires and actions should be the glory of God I. Petition FIrst of the first petition Wherein we are to learn the meaning of the words and then to consider the uses which arise from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hallowed be thy name The name of God signifieth both God himself and his attributes which are himself and also that whereby he is named In the former sense the word name is often used to signifie the persons named as Acts 1. 15. and 4. 12. Revel 3. 4. and 11. 13. So the name of God is put for God himself Joel 2. 23. Deut. 28. 58. Hereupon the Hebrews use to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is His name is himself and he is his name And hereunto belong those places in which the name of God signifieth his attributes which are nothing but himself For the justice of God is the just God the wisdome of God is the wise God the mercy of God is the mercifull God c. And these also are the name of God as appeareth Exod. 33. 19. and 34. 5 6 7. For this is the name which he proclaimeth The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth c. Secondly the name of God signifieth that whereby God is named whereby he is either renowned or known The name of renown is his glory which is as it were his good name For so in great persons their good name is their glory and renown and therefore they are said in
the waters of Strife did not sanctifie the Lord by believing and acknowledging his omnipotent power then the Lord did sanctifie his name himself Num. 20. 12 13. Lev. 22. 32. Neither shall ye pollute my holy name but I will be hallowed amongst the people of Israel So when Herod would not give the glory to God the Lord glorified himself in his destruction In the second place therefore we pray in zeal of Gods glory That howsoever men pollute and profane his holy name yet he would glorifie it and manifest the praise both of his mercy in blessing and preserving his Church and also of his justice in executing his judgements upon the wicked and enemies of his Church by removing the impediments by freeing it from the pollution of men and mainteining his glory Duties 1. Zeal of his glory that he may sanctifie it whatsoever become of me 2. Fear to profane his name seeing he will be sanctified c. V. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy kingdome come What Gods kingdome is THe first petition conteined the main scope of all our desires This and the next contein the way and means whereby that end is to be atchieved for then is God glorified when his kingdome is advanced and his will is performed The meaning of the words Thy kingdome come We must know that there are two kingdomes in the world ruling in the minds and hearts of men the one of darknesse the other of light the one of Satan the other of God Col. 1. 13. unto the one of which every man in the world is subject The kingdome of Satan and darknesse is whereby the children of disobedience being blindfolded and bewitched of the devil go on and continue in ignorance and sinne to their own perdition The prince of this kingdome is Satan the prince of the air Ephes. 2. 2. and God of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. John 12. 31. The subjects are all men by nature untill they be brought out of this kingdome of Satan into the kingdome of God and then is the kingdome of God said to come to them But in this subjection do none finally remain but the reprobate who are the children of disobedience in whom Satan worketh effectually Ephes. 2. 2. and blindeth their minds that the light of the glorious gospel of the kingdome of God shine not unto them 2. Cor. 4. 4. and carrieth them away captive to the obedience of his will 2. Tim. 2. 26. The law of this kingdome whereby he ruleth is sinne Hujus regni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The law of this kingdome is to be without law This sin reigneth in the mortall bodies of men mâ—…king them give up their members to be instruments of sinne unto iniquity Rom. 6. 12 13. untill it please God to let his kingdome come upon them ruling them by his word and spirit The end of this kingdome is endlesse perdition 2. Thess. 1. 9. and against this kingdome are we taught to pray in this place c. The other is the kingdome of God And this is either universall or speciall The universall is that whereby the Lord ruleth over all things even over his enemies whereunto all things are subject and from which subjection nothing can exempt it self This of Divines is called regnum potentiae the kingdome of power whereof the holy Ghost speaketh Psal. 99. 1 2. and 145. 13. and in the clause of this prayer For thine is the kingdome But most plainly Psal. 103. 19. The Lord hath established his throne in heaven and his kingdome is over all This kingdome nothing can resist nothing can hinder no not although all creatures should band themselves together against it The speciall kingdome of God is that whereby he ruleth not over all men in generall but onely over the Church that is the company of the elect And as there be two parts of the Church the one militant upon the earth the other triumphant in heaven so are there two parts of Gods kingdome the first of grace the Church militant the second of glory the Church triumphant The former is the blessed estate of Christians in whom he reigneth in this life for it doth not consist in meat and drink or in any temporall or worldly thing but it is righteousnes that is assurance oâ—… justification and peace of conscience arising from thence Rom. 5. 1. and joy in the holy Ghost a consequent of both the other Rom. 14. 17. The latter is the glorious and blessed estate of the faithfull after this life where they shall have the fruition of God in whose presence there is fulnesse of joy c. Of these two the former is the way to the latter therefore whosoever would be an inheritour of the kingdome of glory in heaven must first be a subject of God in the kingdome of grace in this life Luke 22. 30. and therefore out of the Church there is no salvation And on the other side whosoever is a true subject of God in the kingdome of grace shall be an heir of glory in heaven and therefore to them that be true members of the Church there is no condemnation And this David teacheth us Psal. 15. 1. Who shall sojourn c. both parts of that question concerning one and the same man The kingdome of grace is that government whereby the Lord doth effectually rule in our hearts by his word and Spirit working in us his own good work of grace and making us fellow-citizens and meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and of the houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. Saints in light Col. 1. 12. In this kingdome the Prince is the Lord who exerciseth this kingdome by his Sonne Psal. 96. 10. and 97. 1. and 110. 1. The people are the Church which is therefore called the kingdome of heaven Matth. 5. 19. and the particular subjects are all true Christians The sceptre of this kingdome is the word of God Psal. 110. which is also the law whereby he reigneth and is therefore called the word of the kingdome Matth. 13. 19. the gospel of the kingdome of God Mark 1. 14. The preaching of which word and gospel is also called the kingdome of heaven Matth. 13. 11. and 22. 2 c. Where by the way we may note that where the word of God and gospel of the kingdome is truly preached there is the kingdome consequently the Church of God and therefore that may be also verified of us which our Saviour Christ speaketh of the Jews that the kingdome of God is amongst us Luke 17. 21. This preaching of the word is also called the arm of God Isa. 53. 1. whereby he pulleth men out of darknesse into light and out of the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. 18. But especially the Lord ruleth in our hearts by his Spirit drawing us unto his Sonne bending and bowing us to the obedience of his word inlightening our minds and sanctifying our hearts and leading us
he became the subject of Satan his mind darkened with ignorance folly in spirituall things his conscience impure his will not onely unjust but also unable to will that which is good his affections inordinate the inferiour faculties rebelling against the superiour the members of the body instruments of sinne unto iniquity We therefore that are bred and born in this state of disobedience have great need to pray that the Lord would rule in us that we may be renewed according to the image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse 2. Our spirituall servitude and bondage under sinne and Satan by reason whereof we are not able to come unto God but must desire that his kingdome may come unto us When we ceased to subject our selves to God we became the subjects of Satan when we left to be the servants of righteousnesse we became the servants of sinne when we left the image of God we got the image of the devil Naturally we are wholly carried away by the devil as captives to the obedience of his will doing nothing but sinne and pleasing our selves therein thinking our selves free as John 8. being most bond and therefore if we did feel the power of sinne and Satan reigning in us we would with great fervency and vehemency of affection desire that the Lord would pull us out of this power of darknesse and translate us into the kingdome of his Sonne 3. Our unthankfulnesse unto God that hath brought us out of this bondage into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God especially considering he gave himself for us to this end Luke 1. 74. Tit. 2. 14. 1. Pet. 2. 24. We had need therefore to pray that he would rule in us by his word and Spirit For professing our selves to be redeemed by Christ we behave our selves many of us as if we still were in the bondage of sinne For whom we obey his servants we are 4. Our neglect and contempt of the word 5. Our resisting the good motions of his Spirit and striving against the same our contristation or making heavy the Spirit of God 6. The remnants of the kingdome of darknesse or rather our heaps of sinnes and corruptions our continuall lusts and concupiscences 7. Our yielding to the temptations of Satan our worldly minds following after pleasure profit or preferment our not crucifying of the flesh but rather walking therein And as we are to ask good things for others so must we also bewail their wants As when we see men plunged in sinne and carried away headlong to their perdition as the swine were into the sea we ought to lament their desperate estate Psal. 119. 136 158. Ezech. 9. 4. We are to bewail all the impediments of the kingdome of Christ disorder in the Church confusion in the Commonweal the want of the word and causes thereof Our hearts ought to yern within us as our Saviours did Matth. 9. 36. when we see a people living in ignorance and sinne without means without God in this world and therefore for the supply of all these wants we are in sense thereof to pray fervently Let thy kingdome come Our duties in our lives 1. In respect of the kingdome of power That we acknowledge the Lord to be our absolute King That we submit our selves to his providence That we rest contented and well pleased with whatsoever he doth towards us who doth all things according to the counsel of his will 2. In respect of the kingdome of grace we ought to have an earnest desire of the advancement of Gods kingdome and zeal of the Churches good and more particularly that the Lord would reigne in us by his word and Spirit And unto this desire must be joyned an holy endeavour first in order and first in degree to seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse that is that the Lord would rule in us by his word and Spirit and that we may shew our subjection by bringing forth the fruits of righteousnesse 3. A carefull using of the means which God hath appointed to advance his kingdome to work our salvation to heare the word with submission reverence attention good conscience and desire to practiceit to nourish the good motions of the Spirit yielding our selves to be drawn thereby 4. Thankfulnesse to God that he hath made us subjects of his kingdome Col. 1. 12. Mark 11. 10. and care to behave our selves as subjects of this kingdome 5. Diligent endeavour in our severall places and callings to advance and further the kingdome of Christ. Princes and Magistrates must be nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers of the Church zealous by all good means to advance the kingdome of Christ and to remove the impediments thereof and to set themselves against the kingdome of darknesse of sinne Satan and Antichrist to root out all superstition and idolatry and the relicks thereof to reform religion where it is corrupt to be defenders of the faith to take order that there may be preachers in all places provided for and see them discharge their duties to punish sinners and reward the vertuous If we be Ministers we are by preaching of the word in season and out of season to do our endeavour to win men unto the Lord c. If private men we must live in obedience to superiours in Church and Commonwealth as to the ordinance of the Lord our King ruling us by them Whatsoever we are our dutie is to labour by all means 1. that we our selves may become subjects of the kingdome of grace and 2. that by all good means we may win others unto the Lord. 6. To oppose our selves against the enemies of the Church both spirituall and temporall to resist Satan and his temptations to be wained from the world and to mind heavenly things to walk not after the flesh but after the spirit to come out of Babylon into the Church of God to keep us therein to oppose our selves against Antichrist and his adherents as being enemies of the kingdome of Christ. But here the hypocrisie of very many is detected who ask this petition with their mouthes but desire it not with their hearts As first in respect of the universall kingdome those that will not submit themselves to the providence of God but desire rather that they were freed from all subjection unto God they abuse God in making their prayer and pray against themselves that God would advance his kingdome and make his enemies his footstool or break them with his iron sceptre like a potters vessel Secondly in regard of the kingdome of grace first those that will not have Christ to reigne over them by his word and spirit but cast off his yoke of subjection Luke 19. 14. Psal. 2. 3. sonnes of Belial such mock God when they say this prayer 2. Those who living in ignorance and sinne and consequently in spirituall bondage please themselves as if they were free John 8. 33. and therefore do not truly desire that Gods kingdome may come because they have
perficiantâ—…r All things are ordained unto an end that from the end they may be perfected So that he willeth and willeth well to his creatures for their good and not for his own which commendeth the riches of his love towards us But to proceed Those things that God willeth concerning his creatures are either quae fieri vult de creaturis aut quae fieri vult à creaturis the things that he will have done concerning the creatures or the things which he will have done of the creatures the knowledge of both which must be sought after so farre forth as it hath pleased him to reveal the same or promised to reveal it Deut. 29. 29. Rom. 12. 2. That which is voluntas beneplaciti concerning the creatures is the will of his good pleasure which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 11. 25 26. and decretum Dei the decree of God The which is partly secret which the Lord will not have foreknown and therefore we must religiously adore it not curiously search it Rom. 11. 33 34. Acts 1. 7. John 21. 23. partly revealed And this decretum Dei decree of God is either universall concerning the government of the world or more speciall concerning the salvation of the elect or damnation of the reprobate The former revealed in part both beforehand to the Prophets and also by the events the latter revealed by his Sonne in the Gospel John 6. 40. Eph. 1. 5. What this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure of God is not onely towards the elect in generall but also towards himself every Christian ought to know For besides that it is declared in the Scriptures sealed by the Sacraments confirmed by his daily benefits the holy Ghost also revealeth this knowledge unto us 1. Cor. 2. 10 12. Rom. 8. 39. Gal. 20. 20. 2. Tim. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 5. The will which God willeth to be performed of us is voluntas signi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is well-pleasing Col. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is acceptable Ephes. 5. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That will of God which is good acceptable and perfect Rom. 12. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This will we are bound to know Eâ—…h 5. 17. because he hath revealed it in his word because we are to practice it and according to it as the rule of justice are to frame and fashion our wills not onely to will the same things but also after the same manner with love unfeigned to the same ends seeking the glory of God and the good of our brethren And of this will doth our Saviour speak This in generall is whatsoever the Lord requireth of us either in the Law or Gospel But more specially there are some branches thereof recorded in the word of God As it is the will of God that so many as shall be saved being adulti come to age shall come unto knowledge of his truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. that a sinner should convert unto him Ezech. 33. 11. that we should believe in Christ 1. John 3. 23. that we should be thankfull unto him for his mercies 1. Thess. 5. 18. that we should be sanctified 1. Thess. 4. 3. and by weldoing stop the mouthes of the ignorant 1. Pet. 2. 15. that we should patiently and chearfully suffer affliction Matth. 16. 24 25. Unto this will of God are opposed the slesh which is enmity against God the desires of the world the will of Satan which is sinne and whatsoever is an enemie to the performance of this will And therefore as we are taught to pray that Gods will may be done so also that these things which be contrary and are impediments may be removed Thy will which is not onely just but also the rule of all justice Not our will nor the will of Satan or of the world For here we are taught to pray that our words and our lives may be framed according to the will of God which is the rule of justice and that we may have grace to deny our selves and our own will renounce the desires of the world resist the will of the devil that he would create new hearts in us and establish us by his free Spirit that we may will and desire such things as are acceptable unto him And surely if our Saviour Christ whose will was pure said Not my will but thine be done how much more ought we so to desire Fiat be done But here it may be demanded Whether the will of the Lord be alwayes performed or not and if it be to what end serveth this prayer and if not how can that be verified Isai. 46. 10. Consilium meum stabit omnem voluntatem meam faciam My counsel shall stand and I will do all my will The will of God is diversly taken in the scriptures For sometime it signifieth the decree of God whereby he willeth simply and absolutely Which is called voluntas Absoluta Beneplaciti Consequens Efficax Invicta the Absolute will of his Good pleasure Consequent Effectuall and Unresistable This will of God is alwayes performed Psal. 115. 3. Quaecunque vult facit he doth whatsoever he will and 135. 6. Isai. 46. 10. Omnis mea voluntas fiet All my will shall be done Neither is any thing able to resist this will Isai. 14. 26 27. Rom. 9. 19. Which also is proved by his omnipotencie And therefore we may truly say that voluntas Dei est omnium rerum necessitas the will of God is the necessity of all things and that in respect hereof all things come to passe necessarily howsoever in respect of secondary causes some things are necessary and some contingent And this will is so effectuall and invincible that whatsoever happeneth cometh to passe according to the will of God who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will Ephes. 1. 11. yea the very enemies of God when they do most oppose themselves against the will of God do unwittingly perform it Acts 4. 28. But hence arise two objections 1. If that which the wicked do happen according to the will of God how can they be said to sinne Sinne is not the transgression of the secret and hidden will of God which cannot be hindred but of the revealed will of God which he hath propounded as a rule to square our actions by and therefore sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of the law Ad legem testimonium To the law and testimony 2. If all things come to passe as God hath willed and decreed then sinne also and how then is not God the authour of sinne Some things God hath decreed to do some things he hath decreed to suffer to be done Of those things which he hath decreed to do his will is the efficient cause as of his creatures and all good things Of those things which he hath onely decreed should be effected by such and such causes his will is not
seâ—… form is to be preferred before such an extemporall prayer First because it wanteth due reverence of God when men dare speak to God quicquid in buccam venerit whatsoever first cometh into the mouth when as if they were to speak to their prince or any whom they reverenced they would use preparation and directly against the advice of Salomon Eccles 5. 1. Secondly because it is joyned with the presumptuous fansie of the Enthusiasts and tempting of God Thirdly because in prayers rashly and suddenly made many times things are uttered which beseem not the majestie of God nor are expedient for men Such sudden prayers are of the mind rather then of the heart Fourthly Though the thing uttered were good without exception yet that good which is uttered upon premeditation and mature deliberation is more acceptable unto God then that which proceedeth from a sudden motion If they speak of a prayer conceived upon due meditation I distinguish again in respect of private prayer of one and that which is common and publick For private prayers that course is to be followed for which most do find themselves best qualified being alwayes carefull to avoyd those inconveniences to which either a set form or a conceived prayer is more subject The set form is more subject to wandering thoughts and want of attention of mind the conceived to want of affection the powers of the soul being wholly occupied in invention But for the most this will be found the most behooffull course to have a set form or forms rather for the generall and the many blessings for which we are either to pray or to prayse God ordinarily whereunto extraordinarily something is to be added as occasion is offered I say forms rather for the avoyding of distraction and wandering thoughts And because our prayers are defective it shall be expedient to conclude them with that absolute form which Christ hath taught us As for prayers publick and common with others Though a conceived prayer be more commendable in the speaker if it be performed without spirituall pride and ostentation yet a set form or forms is more profitable for the hearers who with a known form may easily concurre in prayer with the speaker which in a conceived form unheard of before they cannot so well do All which I have the rather noted because I understand that in these times both many hearers do erroneously magnifie extemporall prayers contemning all set forms and also the oratours or speakers themselves in great ostentation and spirituall pride affect such variety of extemporall prayers as if they scorned to use the same form twice when as our Saviour in the garden is recorded to have prayed thrice and to have used the same form Matth. 26. 29 42 44. CHAP. XXIV Of things required out of the action of prayer HItherto we have spoken of such things as are required in the action of invocation Now we are to treat of those things which must be done out of the action that is to say both before and after Before there is required preparation For â—… if we ought to prepare our selves when the Lord is to speak unto us in the ministery of the word that we may be fit to heare as Exod. 19. Eccles 4. 17. then muâ—…h more are we bound to prepare our selves when we our selves are to be speakers that we may be fit to speak to so great a Majestie 2. If we will not speak to our superiours especially our Prince without preparation how much more ought we to come prepared when we are to speak to the King of kings and that concerning matters of great importance Thirdly we may not be rash with our mouthes nor let our hearts be hastie to utter any thing before God Eccles 5. 1. But as the sonne of Sirach adviseth Before we pray we ought to prepare our selves and not be as those that tempt God Ecclus 18. 23. Fourthly we have the example of David Psal. 108. 1. and 57. 7. O God my heart is prepared so is my glory I will fing and give praise Now this preparation consisteth partly in removing the impediments and partly in the using of the means For first We must look to our feet Eccles 5. 1. that is with what affections and dispositions we come to prayer and consequently are to lay aside all carnall thoughts and worldly cares which might distract our minds Quicquid ante orationis horam anima nostra conceperit necesse est ut orantibus nobis per ingestionem recordationis occurrat Quamobrem quales orantes volumus inveniri tales nos ante orationis tempuâ—… praeparare debemus Whatsoever before the houre of prayer the mind hath conceived it is necessary that whilest we are praying it offer it self by the ingestion of the remembrance Wherefore such as we would be found to be whilest we pray we must prepare our selves to be such before the time of prayer Secondly we must put off the shoes off our feet as Exod. 3. Jos. 5. that is our pollutions and corrupt affections as carnall lust which maketh the heart speak lewd things and anger as 1. Tim. 2. 8. 1. Pet. 5. 7. Matth. 5. 23 24. Thirdly we must not suffer our heart to be made heavie with surfeting and drunkennesse Luke 21. 34 36. but contrariwise with prayer upon extraordinary occasions to joyn fasting 1. Cor. 7. 5. and with the ordinarie a moderate diet Fourthly if we be guilty of any sin unrepented of we must repent thereof promising and purposing amendment for the time to come for sinne not repented of is as a wall of separation between God and us Isai. 59. 1 2. God heareth not impenitent sinners John 9. 31. Isai. 1. 15 16 18. therefore as Psal. 26. 6. we must wash our hands in innocencie and so come to the altar of the Lord to offer the incense of our prayers lifting up holy hands unto God 1. Tim. 2. 8. The means First because the Lord prepareth the heart Psal. 10. 17. we are to desire him to prepare our hearts unto prayer Secondly we must use meditation In which regard David calleth his prayer his meditation Psal. 5. 1. that is to say that which he had meditated of Psal. 142. 2. Effundam coram eo meditationem meam I will poure out my meditation before him There is such affinity between meditation and prayer that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either of both to meditate or to pray and therefore Gen. 24. 63. some reade that Isaac went out to meditate others to pray And it is likely that he did both first meditate and then pray Now the end of this preparation being to make us fit to perform such duties as are required in prayer our meditation must be referred thereunto And first if we find ourselves backward in the duty it self we may meditate on those reasons which before we used to this purpose And that we may perform it in an
thing to be tempted simply but rather to the children of God a good and a necessary thing James biddeth the faithfull rejoyce when they fall into tentations Jam. 1. 2. He that is not tempted saith the sonne of Sirach he knoweth but a little 34. 10. and as Augustine No man knoweth himself unlesse he be tempted Besides we are not souldiers under the banner of Christ unlesse we fight with the flesh the world and the devil and we sight not with them unlesse we be tempted of them neither must we look to be crowned unlesse first we strive Nay if we be not tempted it is a signe that he needeth not assault us Lastly all tentations turn to the good of those that love the Lord Rom. 8. serving either to humble them by the sight of their weaknesse 2. Cor. 12. 9. or to prevent sinne in them making them more wary and circumspect for the time to come or to manifest Gods graces in them that they may be found approved and so become happy For as James saith chap. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he shall be found approved he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to those that love him We do not therefore pray that we be not tempted but that we be not led into tentation that is That when we are tempted the Lord would not leave us unto our selves nor give us over to the tempter nor suffer us to be overcome in the tentation nor to be tempted above our power but that it would please him to stablish us by his free spirit and minister strength unto us giving with the tentations an issue that we may bear them And so our Saviour expoundeth himself in the words following But deliver us from evil Which as hath been said are the exposition of the former Tertullian Clausula haec interpretatur quid sit Nè nos inducas in tentationem hoc est sed erue nos a malo This clause interpreteth what this is Lead us not into tentation that is but deliver us from evil By evil we are to understand all the enemies of our salvation the flesh world and devil sinne and hell and all punishments of sinne but especially the devil who in the Scriptures is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliver signifieth two things 1. To keep and preserve to protect and defend from evil that we fall not into it In which sense Christ is said to deliver us from the wrath which is to come 1. Thess. 1. 10. And our Saviour making the same prayer useth in stead of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep or preserve John 17. 13. 2. Cor. 1. 10. Which argueth that of our selves we lie open and naked to our spirituall enemies unlesse it please the Lord to keep and to protect us from them 2. It signifieth to deliver and as it were to pull us out of the hands that is power of our spirituall enemies as the word is used Luke 1. 74. Matth. 27. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him deliver him Rom. 7. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will deliver me 2. Tim. 4. 17 18. Which teacheth us 1. that naturally we are in subjection to our spirituall enemies 2. that it is not in our power to free our selves out of this bondage but it is the mercifull work of the Lord of whom we are therefore taught to crave deliverance This deliverance which we crave is either inchoate in this life or perfect in the life to come both by Christ Luke 1. 74. Duties in prayer I. To pray against tentation Luke 22. 40. 2. Cor. 12. 8. to escape it II. To pray in fervencie and faith Wants to be bewailed I. The malice and power of our spirituall enemies that fight against us Ephes. 6. 12. The flesh sending forth concupiscences which fight against the soul the law of our members carrying us captive unto sinne The world by her enticements alluring unto evil and carrying us out of the way 1. Cor. 7. 31. by her terrours terrifying from good by bad example seducing us The devil our mortall enemie going about like a roring lion seeking whom he may devoure 1. Pet. 5. 8. II. Our weaknesse to resist our negligence in not preparing and arming our selves against tentations but rather by idlenesse and securitie sweeping and preparing a room for the tempter Luke 11. 25. III. Our pronenesse to sinne our quailing in tentations our running into tentations and seeking baits of sinne IV. Our subjection to sinne and Satan Rom. 7. 14. and exhibition of our members as instruments to the tempter V. The evil of sinne with which we are corrupted and the evil of punishment which we have deserved VI. Our inability in our selves to free us from these evils Contrary graces to be desired In sense of which wants we are with fervencie to crave the contrarie graces Which we are to distinguish according to the former distinctions of tentations and evils from which we desire to be preserved and delivered And first for the tentations of God or trials we do not pray against them but rather for them I. That the Lord would trie us Psal. 26. 2. and 139. 23. and II. That when he doth prove us we may be approved or if it please him by the tentation to discover unto us our weaknesse he would turn it to our good Deut. 8. 16. that both in respect of our former weaknesse we may be humbled and for the time to come be made more circumspect But as touching those â—…entations which are provocations unto evil we pray against them I. in generall That our hearts may not be inclined to any evil Psal. 141. 4. and therefore that the Lord would neither give us over to the tempter to be overcome nor suffer us to be tempted above our power neither leave us to our selves and forsake us in the tentation but that it would please him to stablish us by his free spirit Psal. 51. 14. and assist us with his grace which will be sufficient for us 2. Cor. 12. 9. that being confirmed and strengthened by him 1. Pet. 5. 10. we may not fall away in the time of tentation Luke 8. 13. but may be able to withstand our enemies in the evil day and having finished all things may stand fast Ephes. 6. 13. being kept by his power through faith unto salvation 1. Pet. 1. 5. And II. more specially 1. against the tentations of the flesh we are to pray That howsoever sinne dwel in us yet it may not reigne in our mortall body that we should obey it in the lusts thereof or give oâ—…r members as weapons of unrighteousnesse unto sinne Rom. 6. 12 13. And especially That he would not punish our sinne with sinne giving us over to our own lusts Psal. 81. 13. Rom. 1. 24. or to the hardnesse of our own hearts Ephes. 4. 18. or to â—… reprobate mind Rom.
1. 28. to commit sinne with greedinesse But contrariwise That he will give unto us his sanctifying spirit not onely to fight against the flesh but also to mortifie our earthly members Col. 3. 5. as our inordinate affections and evil concupiscence and to crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof Gal. 5. 24. and that being renewed by his spirit we may no longer be carnall men but spirituall walking not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. 2. As touching the world We also pray That we may not be carried away with the world or overcome thereby but that by faith we may overcome the world 1. John 5. 4. And whereas the world is said to tempt in respect either of the men or the things in the world and whereas the men tempt either to evil of punishment and danger by captious questions or to evil of sinne either by bad speeches inticing incensing counselling or lewd examples We therefore against their captions desire the spirit of wisdome that we be not insnared and against their offenses and scandals either in word or deed constancy perseverance that we do not stumble or fall nor be conformed to the world Rom. 12. 2. As for the things of the world they are either the desires thereof or the terrours and crosses In respect of the desires of the world which are the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1. John 2. 16. the world is said especially to tempt they being the baits of sinne and snares of the devil Against these we pray That we may have grace from above to renounce all worldly lusts Tit. 2. 12. to be wained from the world to use it as though we used it not 1. Cor. 7. 31. to be crucified to the world and the world to us Gal. 6. 14. to live as pilgrimes and strangers upon earth and citizens of heaven minding heavenly things and contemning all the desires of the world as mere vanities in comparison of heavenly joyes As touching the crosses and afflictions of this life which are worthily called tentations We are to pray That God will not suffer us to be tempted above our power c. 1. Cor. 10. 13. but that the Lord in his good time would either release us from them in whole or in part or else arm us with patience to bear whatsoever he shall lay upon us that we may endure tentation and being found approved we may receive the crown of life Jam. 1. 12. whereof the afflictions of this life are not worthy Rom. 8. 18. 3. As concerning the tentations of the devil We desire that the Lord would tread Satan under our feet Rom. 16. 20. or at the least that it would please him to arm us with the complete armour of God that we may be able to stand against the cunning sleights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the devil Ephes. 6. 11. and especially with faith whereby we may quench all the fiery darts of the devil Ephes. 6. 16. Now in all these we are to pray as our Saviour teacheth us both by his example John 17. 15. by his precept in this place O Lord we do not desire not at all to be tempted but that we may be delivered from evil that is from the tyranny of the flesh that it hold not us captive unto sinne from the allurements of the world that they do not draw us unto sinne from the assaults of the devil that he prevail not against us from the punishments of sin and judgements which by sinne we deserve so farre as our deliverance therefrom may stand with Gods glory and our good and lastly from the corruption of sinne it self in regard whereof we desire the Lord would endue us more and more with the Spirit of sanctification applying unto us the merits and efficacy of Christs death to mortifie our sinne and of his resurrection to restore us to newnesse of life wherein we are to proceed from faith to faith and from one measure of grace to a greater untill we come to a perfect man in Christ. And as there are two degrees of our deliverance from these our spirituall enemies the one begun and imperfect by sanctification in this life the other full and perfect in the life to come which is our full redemption and glorification So we pray not onely that we may be freed from our corruptions in part but also may be fully conformed to the glorious image of the Sonne of God and therefore pray that we may be delivered from every evil thing and be preserved to his heavenly kingdome 2. Tim. 4. 18. whereby it appeareth that as in the fifth petition we desired pardon of sinne and justification by faith so here we craâ—… strength against sinne freedome from the corruption and sanctification by Gods Spirit and finally the end of our faith which is the salvation of our souls For when we pray to be delivered from evil we desire deliverance also from hell and consequently salvation in heaven Now as these graces are to be asked in fervencie and affection so also in assurance of faith that we shall be heard For as the Apostle James chap. 1. 5 6. teacheth If any man desire wisdome of God wisely to endure tentation he must ask it in faith And to this faith the holy Ghost doth most notably encourage us in the Scriptures Prov. 18. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth unto it in edito collocatur and is placed on high The Lord saith Peter 2. Epist. 2. 9. knoweth to deliver the godly out of â—…entation And of our Saviour the Apostle saith Heb. 2. 18. In that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Christ hath overcome our enemies the devil Col. 2. 15. the world John 16. 33. and to this end gave himself for us that he might deliver us from the hands of our spirituall enemies He that is in us is stronger then he that is in the world 1. John 4. 4. Neither shall any be able to pull us out of his hands John 10. 28. Christ whose prayer is alwayes heard John 11. 42. hath prayed for us that our faith shall not fail Luke 22. 32. and that we may be kept from evil John 17. 15. The Lord hath promised and is faithfull to perform that he will not suffer us to be tempted above our power but with the tentation will give an issue that we may bear it 1. Cor. 10. 13. And finally Joel 2. 32. he hath promised that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Our faith therefore concerning assistance against tentation and deliverance from evil must be grounded not upon any conceit of our own strength or worthinesse but on the power mercy faithfulnesse and truth of God in his promises and on the mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ. Duties to be performed in our lives I. Generall 1.