of Timothy that he had Crebras infirmitates 1 Tim. 5. So the soule also hath certaine infirmities and that is the infirinity whereof the Apostle speaketh for albeit our soule be the stronger part as our Saviour speaketh when he saith The spirit indeed is strong Matth. 26. yet it is subject to many infirmities and weaknesses when it doubteth of Gods mercies saying Will the Lord absent himselfe for ever hath God forgotten to be gracious which the Prophet acknowledgeth to be signes of his infirmities Psal 77.10 And as the spirit is weake so there is a weaknesse of conscience 1 Cor. 8.7 and no marvel if there be such infirmities in the bodies also for life it selfe is but weake in regard whereof it is said of God that hereby hee is content to spare us for that hee remembreth that wee are but dust Psal 103. and considereth that we are but even as the wind that passeth away Psal 78. The difference is that as Christ saith Haec infirmitas non est ad mortem Joh. 11. and the dropsie palsie and such like diseases and infirmities of body are not mortall The second thing which the Apostle teacheth is that howsoever we be as the Apostle speaketh compassed with infirmities Heb. 5.5 yet they are not past cure for the Spirit helpeth our infirmitie◠so that albeit we are subject to fall through weaknesse yet there is hope concerning this thing Esay 10.2 and our errour may be healed Dan. 4. For there is balme in Gilead Jer. 8. which serveth to cure all our spirituall diseases Now the cure of the infirmities of our soule is not performed by any strength of our owne nor by our owne spirit but by the Spirit of God for so long as our infirmities are but bodily the spirit of man will sustaine them and there is helpe to be found but when the spirit it selfe is wounded then who can help it Prov. 18. The spirit of man must have helpe from a higher thing then it selfe as from the Spirit of God which onely is able to minister helpe The Apostle ascribeth to the Spirit of God two benefits first in regard of the life to come secondly in respect of this present life For the one as he is the Spirit of Adoption assures us of our estate in the life to come namely that as God hath adopted us to be his children so we shall be fellow-heires with his owne Sonne of his heavenly kingdome Touching the other because we are subject in this life to fall through infirmitie we have this benefit from him that he stayes and upholds us and therefore is called spiritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As our infirmities are manifold whether we respect the body o◠the soule so the weaknesse and defects of our souls appeareth not onely in good things which wee cannot do because the flesh ever lusteth against the spirit so that we cannot do the things that we would Gal. 5. but in evill things which we should beare and are not able The evill things that we should beare are not onely afflictions and the crosses which we are subject to which the Apostle proveth to be more tolerable because they are not worthy of the glory to come but dilatio boni wherein we need the vertue of magnanimity because it is a great crosse as the Wiseman saith Spes quae differtur affligit animam◠Prov. 13. Touching which affliction and crosses because in this life we cannot obtaine that which the Prophet wisheth namely to fly away as it were with the wings of a dove that sowe might be at rest Psal 55. therefore we must betake our selves to the mourning of the Dove Esay 38. waiting patiently when God will give us time to escape The meanes and wayes whereby the Spirit doth helpe us are many but he onely meaneth prayer to teach us that howsoever it be not esteemed as it ought yet it is the chiefe prop and principall pillar which the holy Ghost useth to strengthen our weaknesse Therefore when the Apostle willeth that first of all prayers and supplications should be made for Kings and all in authority 1 Tim. 2. the reason is as Augustine noteth because both mans salvation the honesty of life knowledge of the truth quietnesse of kingdomes duties of Kings and whatsoever tendeth to the publique benefit commeth by and from Prayer So that not onely the Church and spirituall matters but the common-wealth and temporall things are stayed upon the pillar of Prayer Wherefore as prayer is aspeciall helpe so we are not onely exhorted by religion to use it but nature it selfe binds us unto it for so long as we can either devise any help of our selves or receive it from any other so long we leane upon our owne staffe but when all help failes then we flie to prayer as our last refuge and therefore when God is said to feed the ravens that call upon him Psal 147. that cry of theirs is the voyce of nature so that albeit men for a time leane to their staies and help yet there is a day when all flesh shall be made to come unto him who onely it is that heareth prayer Psal 65. that is when they lye howling upon their beds Hos 7. then they shall be faine to call upon God for help so howsoever Pharaoh in the pride of his heart say Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce Exod. 5. Yet he made him come to him when he plagued him with thundring and raine and haile which made him send to Moses and Aaron that they might pray unto God for him Exod. 9.28 But here the Apostle meaneth the prayer of the spirit which alwaies reckons prayer to be the first and chiefest help in all trouble and not the last as the prayer of the flesh doth Therefore as we must discerne simulacra virtutum from vertues themselves and that which is naturall from that which is of grace so we must distinguish the prayer of the spirit from the carnall prayer and be sure that the vertues which we have if they be any are not naturall as those in many of the Heathen but that they proceed from grace and the working of Gods Spirit To the right framing of our prayer it is required that we do not onely orare mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. but as the Psalmist saith of the praising of God so we pray to God with understanding Ps 47. Both our heart our understanding our affection must concurre in making intercession to God For a second point if prayer be a stay to us in our infirmities then we must be carefull that our prayers be not faint and weake but that they proceed from the fervencie and vehemencie of the spirit for as Christ saith If the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. If our prayer be nothing else but infirmity as it is for the most part how great is our infirinity But the Apostle sheweth our weaknesse in prayer in
desire to have remission of sinne no otherwise then as we forgive our brethren whereby the love of our brother is continually increased And this prayer is breviarium fidei it teacheth us to beleeve those things which we pray for Lastly our perfection in obeying the Law and in beleeving those things which we ought to intreat with such a hope by prayer Legem implendi legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi THE SIXTH SERMON LUKE 11.2 And he said unto them When yee pray say Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come Let thy will bee done even in earth as it is in Heaven c. IT is the answer of our Saviour Christ to that Disciple of his which in the name of the rest desired to be taught a forme of prayer Concerning prayer among other things already noted we te to know that it is the doctrine of the Fathers that God not prayed unto on our parts and his holy Spirit not yet possessing our soules hath notwithstanding promised that he wâ—ll poure his Spirit upon all flesh Ioel 2. as it was poured upon the Apostles after Christs Ascension Acts 2. Namely that Spirit which he cals the Spirit of Grace and Prayer Zach. 12.10 When he thus vouchsafeth to send the Spirit of Grace into our soules then from thence there doe runne two streames into the two severall faculties of our soule that is the Spirit of Grace hath a working on our Vnderstanding by the light of Faith and secondly in our Will by inspiring us with holy desires of which holy desires the interpreter betwixt us and God is Prayer For that as the Apostle speaks Our requests are made knowne to God by prayer and supplication Phil. 4.6 Now as prayer is properly the effect of Grace so whatsoever wee obtaine of God by prayer it is the gift of Grace which prayer is therefore our reasonable service of God because we doe therein acknowledge not onely our owne wants and unworthinesse but also that as God hath in his hands all manner of blessings to bestow upon us so if we sue to him for them he will with hold no good thing from us Psal 84.12 Before we can pray for good things it is required that we doe conceive a love of them which if it be in us then we shall not onely bee inflamed with a desire of them which is an effect of love but shall be stirred up to pray for them But it is the peculiar worke of the holy Ghost to shed in our hearts the love not onely of God Rom. 5. but of all other good things which work he performeth not in all in differently for he is compared to the Wind that bloweth where it will Ioh. 3. But those whom it pleaseth the holy Ghost to inspire with a love and affection towards good things they doe not onely desire them but withall doe pray earnestly for them unto God for as it is the worke of Jesus Christ the eternall Word to enlighten every one that commeth into the world so it is the office of the eternall Spirit to inspire our hearts with holy desires In this answer of our Saviour we are to consider three points first a time limited for prayer secondly the contents of the word Oratio thirdly what is to be noted out of the word Discue Touching the time limited for prayer we have heard already that there are three uses of prayer one was the use of dignity and persection when men doe converse and enter into familiarity with God by abstracting their mindes from humane affaires and sublevating them into Heaven by a continuall meditation of God and things pertaining to the life to come which because it is peculiar to them that have already attained to some perfection we must say of it as Christ did of another matter Qui poâ—est capere capiat Matth. 19. Our weaknesse is such as cannot by any meanes come to this use yea the infirmity of the Disciples themselves was so great that albeit Christ had so many other things to tell them of yet they were not able as yet to beare them Iohn 14. Therefore we are to consider the two other uses which doe more neerely concerne us whereof the one is the Vse of necessity which standeth either upon feare or upon want and when necessity lyeth upon us in either of these respects they are so forcible that they make all flesh to come unto him that heareth prayer Psal 65. Of feare the Prophet saith Lord in trouble they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thychastening was upon them Isa 26.16 And the want of outward things is so vehement a motive as when nothing else can move men to prayer yet they will assemble themselves before the Lord for corne and oyle Hos 7.14 These two the one being as Solomon termeth it Plaga cordis 1 Reg. 5. the other Defiderium cordis Psal 5. doe point to us two times of prayer namely when either we are oppressed with misery as the effect of sinne or disquieted with our selves with the conscience and guilt of sinne it selfe which is the cause of all our miseries Touching sinne the Prophet saith While I held my tongue my bones consumed away but after he had confessed his sinnes unto the Lord and craved pardon he forgave his wickednesse And because it is not his case onely for as much as we have all sinned his counsell is in this behalfe pro hoc orabit omnis pius Psal 32. Which being done as the Prophet speaketh the weakest of them that is every sinner shall be as David Neither are we of necessity to pray that God will forgive the guilt of our sinnes past but that he will prevent us with his grace against temptations of sinnes to come for in this regard our Saviour Christ would have his Disciples occupie themselves in this holy duty Orate Pray ye that ye enter not into temptation Luke 22. For the effect of sinne which is adversity Then is prayer necessary in the time of affliction when outwardly through the malice of our enemies we are in misery In which case the Prophet saith when the ungodly for the love he bare to them requited him with hatred Then he gave himselfe to prayer Psal 109.3 Or else inwardly by reason of crosses which it pleaseth God to bring upon us against which the onely remedy is to use prayer as the Apostle exhorts Iames 5. Is any afflicted let him pray A timore iuo concepimus spiritum salutis Esa 26.8 That is for feare And when we consider our owne wants the troubles that are upon us though for a time we hold our tongues and speake nothing yet a fire will kindle in us we cannot long be silent but the desire of our heart must have a vent by prayer as the Prophet had experience in himselfe Psal 39. So that as well the feare of danger to come as present want and affliction will leade us to prayer But
head so there is a fleeting hope when a man thinkes he hopeth and doth not it may be tried thus 1. The first is Hezekiah his signe 2 King 20.3 when he was in the time of his sicknesse he prayed Remember Lord I pray thee how in my prosperity I have walked with an upright heart c. this is a signe that our hope is good this maketh us cheerefull that in the time of affliction and danger we may say that we have beene mindfull of him in our prosperity 2. The second is Saint Iohns signe 1 Iohn 3.3 it is a purger not like the presumers hope which is a very sinke to receive and maintaine whatsoever corruption our hands our eyes our hearts or any other member hath But it must be resident in the conscience So the Fathers say that conscientia est custos spei conscience is the preserver of hope and if that be cleane kept then our hope is true if not then there is no true hope 3. The third is of David Psal 37.3 hope thou in the Lord and be doing good The Heathen call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour the husband of hope there is hope the harlot and hope the married woman we shall know hope the wife from hope the harlot by her husband for she is alwayes with her husband Psal 4.5 sacrificate sacrificium justitiae sperate in Domino offer the Sacrifice of righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord there must be a travelling and striving to doe good 4. The fourth is Rom. 5.3 And not so onely but we rejoyce in our afflictions knowing that affliction worketh patience and Esa 33.15 there must be tribulation to bring a proofe of our hope in sileâ—tio spe erit fortitudo vestra in quietnesse and in confidence shall be your strength Such as we are in adversity such we are in deed such as our hope was in adversity such it is if you faint in adversity thy hope is fainting and thererefore the heathen call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tribulation the bud or blossome of hope which you must passe through if that be not nipt there will be fruit of it otherwise if it bring forth no fruit it is spurium vitulamen a bastard joy The 6. rule for the provoking of it in others Rule â— not onely to have it in our selves but as Psal 40.3 that many may see it and feare and trust in the Lord and as it is Psal 62.8 that all the nations may put their trust in him so farre as it is possible and Psal 115.9 that the house of Israel 10. the house of Aaron 11. and all that feare the Lord may trust in him An encouragement endeavour thereto Ps 51.13 Davids promise to the wicked to sinners that he would teach them to hope and Ps 75.5 to the presumers that he would plainly tell them that they should not be so foolish so mad and set up their horne Invocation The necessity and use of prayer VNto every affection there is an action as the action of faith is hope so the action of hope is prayer spei operatio oratio so to come backe againe as the fruit of faith is hope and of hope prayer and as the property of hope is prayer Interpres spei oratiâ— so the property of prayer is to be interpres spei to make plaine the desire of the hope conceived In which respect as the Articles of our faith are summa credendorum the summe of our beliefe and the Law summa agendorum the summe of our actions so the Lords prayer is summa sperandorum the summe of our hope for the soule of man by considering and beleeving the judgments of God being humble and brought downe to the dust and as it were dead and buried by it hath some life againe put into it by conceiving an hope in his mercy for which mercy wee must goe to God and Prayer becommeth suiter for it Aug. Precibus non passibus itur ad Deum therefore that hope may be made pertaker of her object â— mercy we must know that Psal 13.5 mercy is of God And not onely prayer of words with the lips but it must be from the heart that it may ascend Austin writes on the 66. Psal ut descendat miseratio ascendat oratio that mercy may descend prayer must ascend and so there shall be a blessed exchange betweene our prayer and his mercy When we speake of prayer lest there should be an errour it is not to be conceived that the intreaty is made concerning that prayer in the Congregation which with lips and outward gesture we deliver such prayer Hosea 14.3 calleth vitulum labiorum the sacrifice of our lips that commeth not into the compasse of the first Commandement which is only inward but in the 1 Cor. 14.15 Orabo spiritu orabo mente I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also * * * The growing of the inward man when the spirit commeth to God which howsoever it be not heard of men by the outward eare how vehement it is yet we know it hath its effect with God for so Exod. 14.15 we read that Moses made so fervent intercession to God though there be no mention nor signe of any word he spake yet the Lord saith Why cryest thou thus unto mee So that this being the especiall part and the soule of every prayer to God without this inward prayer the lips prevaile not as Matth. 15.8 there is a drawing neere with the lippes Matth. 7.21 a doubling of Lord Lord it prevaileth nothing neither will it gaine him the Kingdome of Heaven And therefore Aug. Hoc negotium plus gemitibus constat quam sermonibus the worke of prayer consists more in grievance than words And Rom. 8.26 The spirit groaneth for us with sighs inenarrable as Esay 38.3 And so conceiving of it as of an inward oblation or speech of soule to God then whether it be of persons without the Church as Act. 10.2 of Cornelius or of those that are within the Church and have cast themselves out of Gods favour by their sinnes and so as Psal 130.1 be in the depth whether it be of an Heathen or of a sinner it is no lesse acceptable to God in substance though not in degree then the prayer of a just and righteous man Now the applying of this to Hope to the maine scope and end of it i. Gods glory as Psal 123.2 it pleaseth God by the Prophet to account it a speciall honour done to him that even as the servants eyes are alwaies on the hands of his Master and the eyes of the handmaiden are on the hands of her Mistresse so that our eyes should wait upon the Lord till he have mercy on us Or as Austin in his fifth Sermon de verbis Domini Magna est gloria Dei ut nos simus mendici God accounts it great glory done unto him when we become beggers
Joshuah both the Sunne and Moone stood still For putting to flight of earthly powers Exod. 17.11 When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed but when he let his hand downe Amaleck prevailed The examples be infinite but these seeme lesse because it hath power on spirituall powers on death and hell on death Esay 38.5 in Hezekiah I have heard thy prayer and seene thy teares behold I will adde to thy daies 15. yeares on hell Mat. 17.21 the Apostles being to deale with strong devils and being not able through their unbeliefe to cast them out Christ saith to them This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting But that that drowneth all is that in Exod. 32.10 where there was no violence done of Moses but he onely gave himselfe to prayer and yet we see a strange speech of God Dimitte me let mee alone as that violence had beene done him and he had beene mastered by Moses his prayer and if it be able so to worke on God much more will it prevaile in every thing else And this is for the necessity and use of Prayer The promises made unto prayer Now for the Commandement but first we will consider as it standeth on Gods behalfe both how willing he is and what promises he hath made to it True it is as it is in Gen. 18.27 as Abraham spake of himselfe so wee being nothing but a handfull of dust and ashes it were infinite presumption once to presume to speake to him being so excellent a God without his warrant and promise therefore Gen. 32. Jacobs prayer to God 1 King 8. Solomons prayer for a piece of earth to speake they fence themselves with a promise whereupon one saith non mea praesumptione sed tua promissione For the promise and for the Commandement we spake before Psal 50.15 Call upon mee in the time of trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt praise mee He commandeth it with abjecting externall sacrifices so Joel 2.32 But whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved For in mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call alleaged also Act. 2.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved As on the other side Jer. 10.25 the curse of God is on all those that call not on him There is nothing can be more required then that Ps 91.15 God saith He shall call upon me I will heare him deliver him and save him But the joyning together of those two places Mat. 7.7 Petite dabitur vobis Aske and it shall be given unto you and Joh. 16.23 wherein the one place i. Mat. 7.8 is Omnis qui petit accipit Every one that asketh receiveth and in the other Quaecunque petieritis à patre meo in nomine meo dabuntur vobis Whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name he shall give it you This is very much there can no more be required then these that omnis qui petit accipit and quaecunque petitis accipietis But we will expound it after And as he is ready to promise so he is ready to performe But that is the strangest Esay 65.24 Etiam antequam invocaveritis before ye pray I will heare you so ready is hee on his part And to testifie this indeed Exod. 30.6 in the Law hee erecteth a Mercy seat or if first Esay 56.7 he causeth a Temple and that he giveth this name as of the speciall exercise The house of Prayer and 1 King 8.41 it is for the stranger also Esdr 7.3 so defined by the King the house of the God of heaven and in this he sets a Mercie seat before which in the 7. v. are Priests and Levites and Singers and Nethimins and the 1. part of the service Incense often as Psal 141.2 interpreted Prayer and that in the time of the Law And so is it meant Luk. 1.10 that the people without were at their prayers while the Priest within was at the Altar at the typicall worship i. burning of incense And proportionable to this is that Heb. 4.16 that God as here he hath set a seat of mercie so in heaven he hath set up a Throne of grace from whence si ascendat oratio descendet gratia if prayer ascend gtace shall descend Now because we our selves have no accesse unto it therefore Rom. 5.2 order is taken that wee should have accesse per alium by another he Heb. 7.26 that was Heb. 5.7 in his flesh and offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares not onely for his Apostles but also for all that beleeve in him Joh. 17.20 and not onely then but now also Rom. 8.34 He maketh still intercession for us and his intercession is from himselfe not from another but Revel 8.3 he is figured by an Angell where the prayers of the godly are received by the Angell and there is incense put into them to season them withall that the smell of them may be acceptable to the Lord and then offereth them up to his Father so he not onely prayeth himselfe but maketh our prayers accepted of God and therefore Revel 1.6 every one shall be a Priest to God and every priest must offer sacrifice and there is no other sacrifice in the new Testament but praise and thansgiving so he hath promised Zach. 12.10 spiritum gratiae the spirit of grace and that is accomplished Gal. 4.6 because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father And Rom. 8.26 We have not any power to call upon God neither do we know what to pray for or how to pray but the Spirit asketh for us with sighes and groanes that cannot be expressed therefore there can be nothing required but we shall have it Thus we see that all is performed on Gods behalfe Now to the duty The duty of Pâ—aâ—er commanded The duty commanded it is of two sorts but first in gererall Invocation containeth them both so Hilary and Austin 59. Epâ—st taketh Invocation We understand it by these two things the first is Psal 25.1 a lifting up of our soule i. a sixing of our minde on God who is the author and giver of all good secondly as Psal 6â— 8 a pouring out of our hearts i. a full declaration of our desire and that we require Psal 142.2 expounded to be our thoughts and meditation These two in generall concurre to the making of Invocation This Invocation as it is 1 Tim. 2.1 doth receive a fourfold division for it is divided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deprecation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—eâ—aâ—ion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interaction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thanksgiving The first we may divide into Prayer Thanksgiving The other three are thus divided prayer is made either for Our selves Others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
desirous to be occupied as the Angels are occupied this is the meanes Now as this is a way to lift us up so it is a way if we walk not in it to cast us down Psal 19.1 2 3 4. Psal 148. sheweth that the creation of the world the duty of the creatures is nothing else but to declare the glory of God in so much as we see Psal 148.10 he called the very worms and basest creatures to their function and duty and Chrysostomes note upon it is that that man that is ingratefull and a sinner his state is worse and more vile then the worme the basest vilest creature in so much as he will not vouchsafe himselfe to come into their number to sing praise to God This for the creatures But for the Church Psal 29.9 there in the Temple every man speaketh of his praise the naturall duty of it What is preaching praedicare but a declaring of his creation and his benefits of his owne free mercie then in electing us of our Saviour and his redemption and the shutting up of these per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom with the Son and the holy Ghost be honour c. as the Fathers use is And for the Sacraments the Sacrament of perfection it sets down to us so much that it is called Eucharistia a thanksgiving and it ends with Gloria Glory be to God on high c. And for prayer this is the complement of prayer So all the exercises of the Church did tend to this Psal 133.1 Where the unity is not onely called a good but also a pleasant thing the Fathers say that many things are good but not pleasant and many things pleasant and not good but this hath an excellent commendation that it hath both and Psal 147.1 there is a third thing a thing may be pleasant and good but not comely but there it is said that it is a good pleasant and comely thing to praise the Lord and be thankfull Profit we see is a great mover if profit be not all excellencie else is contemned and Act. 20.35 Beatius est dare quam accipere It is more blessed to give then to receive this is the onely thing and there is nothing else that a man can give to God And August saith here If we will we may be beatiores but the Lord he hath called it magnification glorification sanctification c. as if we made him greater or more glorious or holier then he is by it and there is never this given but something is received Luke 17.15 Ten Leapers were cleansed nine came not backe to give God thankes he which commeth back and giveth God thankes receiveth againe the second time that is forgivenesse of his sins so that it is never given gratis but as there is first ascension of prayer then decursus gratiae a descending of grace so as Bernard saith after there is recursus gratiarum actionis a sending backe of thankes and then a new decursus gratiae a comming downe of benefits so there is decursus gratiae recursus cesset recursus gratiarum actionis cessabit decursus gratiae a comming downe of grace and a returne of thankes if thy thankes be not returned grace will no more come downe and if that come not then as it is compared to water so it receiveth the quality of water which if it have not perperuall succession it standeth still and stinketh so this standing still it rotteth the gifts of God bestowed on us and those graces that wee have received before Bernard on the seventh of the Acts in his book of minores sermones hath this question Wherefore the excellent gifts and rare examples of all vertues and good things in the Primitive Church and in the times before are not now seene We have the same beginnings that they had but we if a man continue as hee hath begunne wonder at it but they did not onely continue as they begunne but went forward and therefore they had the greater gifts and he saith It is not because Gods hand is shortned or his will altered but because skant and thinne is our thanksgiving sowen and therefore our harvest and our reaping must needs be skant and thinne and therefore Vae aetati nostrae propier ingratitudinem Woe to this age of ours even for its unthankfulnesse and there is no other reason else why there is not the same progressus of graces with us that was before with them Prosper in his second booke de vocatione gentium Gratiae nullum cerâ—ius est signum quam gratiae there is no surer signe of Grace then thanksgiving There is one reason more That worke must needs be excellent that must not be left though God willeth it this though God should forbid it should be done yet it must be done Luke 5.14 Marke 5.20 there was a plaine Inhibition to him that he should tell it no body but he went and proclaimed it and it is there set downe for his great commendation though Christ was no way proud yet this disobedience was a godly disobedience and it was but a commandement to trie him but nothing must hinder us So for agenda the parts of prayer to be performed by us the next is modus the manner how we must performe them 2. For the manner of praying right and giving thankes 1 it is required that our thanksgiving be animata alive a common fault amongst us that our thankes and prayers be exanimes without life David he chargeth his soule My soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within me prayse his holy name that it may have not a tongue but soule and we have a powring out of our lungs not of our hearts In 1 Sam. 7.3 there is a direct commandement that in their prayer they should direct their hearts unto the Lord. In the 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also I will sing with the spirit I will sing with the understanding also else it is dead and returneth empty that Bernard saith of himselfe nihil in mundo est fugacius corde meo they alleadge Psal 40 1â— cor meum dereliquit me not so properly said as our common translation hath it but yet it is Ieromes the ascending thoughts come up so thicke that they will not suffer our prayers to come to God the plaine duty to civill men and to our superiours not to turne away our minde till our tale be done may teach us how God in justice may judge of our dealings and esteeme of them This is much augmented by an humour of men in our age that are delighted with long prayer and so fall into a great offence praying above the measure of their faith and of praying sundry times and to sundry purposes Aug. in the 10. chap. of his epistles speaking of the gods of Egypt and their worships saith dicuntur in Aegypto crebras habere orationes sed brevissimas habere quidem orationes sed raptim
Synagogue which may necessarily be gathered to be the Sabbath day Then we see here Christ for the meanes of sanctification tooke order first beginning with Prayer For the exercise thereof that is Prayer it hath two parts either it is before or after Before either private as of the faithfull Psal 111.1 and Mark 6.46 of Christ Or publick Acts 16.13 that even the Heathen themselves went out to pray at the rivers side But especially by 1 Cor. 14.16 that to the prayers of the Congregation every one should joyne his owne Amen And secondly After Numb 6.24 because as before we be not fit to receive so after wee have received unlesse God cover his spirit which he hath given unto us the enemie will seeke power against us to take it away as Luke 8.12 except we desire the Lord that his word may remaine with us still and bring forth his worke 2. After that succeedeth the use of the word that is sanctified for sanctification Esay 42.21 more plainely Deut. 4.10 Gather me the people together for this end and I will cause them to heare my words Therefore the end is to heare the word The word in that day hath a double use First as it is read or heard read onely Secondly as it is Preached or heard preached 1. The first the Church in great wisedome alwayes thought best and most necessary that it should goe before that men might not be estranged when the word was read that the other should not be strange to them But it is a strange thing that we at the hearing thinke we have done enough if wee can apprehend it whereas if before we would meditate well of it when it is reade wee might make better use of it and at the hearing afterward might be confirmed in the same The ordinary course and time of reading the Scriptures among the Jewes was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preparation to the Sabbath at the ninth houre at rhree of the clock and was told them before that they might be acquainted with it the better 2. To come to the publick reading in the congregation it is warranted by Acts 13.17 and 15.21 by the Gospell 1 Thes 5.27 I charge you that this Epistle bee reade to all the Brethren the Saints Then for private reading after the congregation is broken up because Christ sheweth plainely that his witnesses be the Scriptures and therefore will have the Scriptures to be searched because they were Prophecies of him and Esay 8.20 for threatning and Esay 34.16 Seeke in the booke of the Lord and reade none of all these things shall faile none shall want her mate for his mouth hath commanded and his very spirit hath gathered them And for the examination of that that is taught Revel 3. a practise Acts 17.11 for the acquainting of the Berreans to examine the Apostles doctrine There are two more uses in reading Revel 1.3 There is a blessing pronounced to them that reade or heare the words of the Prophecie because it exciteth men to praise God Men seeing the Prophecies fulfilled and executed they may not doubt but consent to God For which cause these were monuments of the Church of the fulfilling of any promise or threatning yea they suffered in the old Church the Monuments of the Warres of God for the Israelites Num. 21.14 their liber bellorum Dei and their verba dierum of Nathan Gad Shemajah c. they suffered them privately in an holy use to be read that seeing his promises with the denouncing of his threatnings they might be excited to the greater praise and feare of God Another use is as they gather by the Analogie of Daniel 2.2 and Acts 8.28 Daniel was occupied in the exposition of the Prophet Jeremie so the Evnuch reading Esay asked the exposition of it of Philip and no doubt if Philip had written on that day he might have had use of his writing as of Preaching Therefore God hath ordained Expositors such as the booke of Iasher Ios 10.13 a commentor of the Law his workes being for this end to make knowne the hard texts of Scripture and expound them unto us The second part in the meanes of sanctification is the Word preached that is it that Rom. 10.15 the Apostle speakes of For Sanctification which is the ordinary meanes of Faith and Christ in his Prayer Iohn 17.17 Sanctifie them in thy truth and thy word is truth Christ himselfe Luke 4.16 by his Preaching hath sanctified it and the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.21 hath pronounced not to receive any other alteration to the Worlds end 3. The third followeth the pondering of that that wee have heard read or preached as Luke 2.19 according to the example of David Psal 119.97 O how love I thy Law it is my meditation continually the occupying of our mindes and meditations to apply it hereafter and make fruit of it Beside the meditation of the word that wee shall heare read or preached the 92. Psalme which was a Psalme made for the Sabbath and is sung as on that day and if credit may be given to the Jewes traditions they tell us that the two first verses came from Adam and hee used to sing them in Paradise giveth three further points to consider First vers 4. which is indeed that which God here urgeth the consideration of the workes of his hands the making to our selves a contemplative use as we have made all the week long an active of them so wee should have a spirituall And the second is vers 7. a meditation of the judgements of God The third is vers 10. and 12. a meditation of the mercies of God of the mercies and visitations taking judgements for the genus to both These whether they extend to our owne persons or come on our Fathers house or the place wherein we live or the Church round about us there is none of these but they afford us an object of meditation and as we see the meditation of the creatures of God of the wild Asses Sparrow Crane Lillies c. they yeeld still meditation from tha lesse to the greater if they be thus thankfull how much more are wee bound to him So Rom. 2. he sets downe his judgements to move us to repentance and his mercy to move us to thankfulnesse and thus when we are wearied with prayer and reading and preaching is ceased our meditation remaineth to continue the whole day and stil findeth matter to worke upon 4. The fourth Which is not a beating within our selves in our counting house of any great calamitie but the examining of it betwixt us and others and that is done three manner of wayes 1. With them that have taught us as Luke 2.42 it appeareth plainly that after the solemnitie in the eight day the last of the feast it was the manner the teachers sate them downe at the Table and the Auditors propounded Doubts and Questions to bee resolved of them And so was CHRIST no doubt not an apposer but as in
knew not what Luke 9.32 we cannot receive the truth But if as Moses speakes we seeke the Lord with all our heart Deut. 4.29 If we doe with Paul orare spiritu orare mente 1 Cor. 14. then we may conceive hope to be heard for the commandement to aske is given Cordi non pulmoni to the heart not to the lungs Id quod cor non facit non fit that which the heart doth not is not done Secondly touching the manner as with fervencie so we must pray with reverence not having our heads covered as we see many doe which behaviour how rude and unbeseeming it is we may easily discerne as the Prophet speakes Offer this kinde of behaviour to thy Lord or Master and see whether he will accept it Mal. 1. If thou having a suite to an earthly Prince darest not speake but upon thy knees with all submission how much more ought we to reverence the Lord God in comparison of whom all the Princes in the earth are but Crickets and Grashoppers Esa 40. Therefore the manner of our prayer to God must be in all reverence Solomon prayed upon his knees 2 Chron. 6. Daniel fell downe upon his knees Dan. 6. So did Saint Peter Acts 9. So Paul Ephes 3.14 And not onely men upon earth but the glorious spirits in Heaven cast themselves and their crownes downe before him that sits upon the Throne Apoc. 4. Yea Jesus Christ the Sonne of God fell downe upon his knees and prayed to his Father Luke 22. exauditus propter reverentiam Heb. 5. So did Paul serve God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 20.19 Secondly If we would obtaine any thing at Gods hand we must not onely aske it but seeke for it He that having prayed sits still without adding his endeavour shall not receive the thing he prayes for for he must not onely orare but lahorare pro quibus enim orandum pro eis laborandum est to this end the Apostle would have us to pull up our faint hands and weake knees Heb. 12. And when we have asked grace we must be carefull that we our selves be not wanting unto grace as well as we were carefull that grace should not be wanting unto us This diligence is noted in the word petite which as it is used in the first place so also it signifieth to goe to or to hit and knocke so that it containeth all the three vertues that are required unto prayer but for our instruction our Saviour hath expressed them in three severall termes Thirdly having found the way we may not rest there there is a dore whereby we must enter and that shall not stand open for us against we come we must knocke at it It pleaseth God to entreate us 2 Cor. 5. to seeke and finde us when we are lost Luke 15. He stands and knockes at our dore Apoc. 3. Therefore as Moses speakes in Deut. We are to consider what he doth require at our hands The service that we owe him is likewise to entreate him to seeke for grace at him to knocke continually till he open the gate of his mercie If God heare us not so soone as we aske we may not cease to knocke as Saul did who because that God answered him not neither by dreames nor by Urim nor Prophet asked counsell of a Witch 1 Sam. 28. Importunity as our Saviour speakes Luke 11. is a meanes whereby often times men obtaine their suites The unjust Judge will be content to heare the Widowes cause at length even because he would bee rid of cumber if she be earnest with him she shall at last obtaine her suite by importunity So howsoever God be not inclined to doe us good and have his eares open to our prayers yet he is much delighted with our importunate suites If the unjust Judge that neither feared God nor reverenced man may be overcome with importunate suite much more will God revenge them which give not over their suites but cry to him night and day Luke 18. Let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not These conditions being performed that we seek in the desire of our heart and in humility secondly that we be not wanting to grace but worke with it thirdly if we doe it with continuance not giving over then we shall finde it true which Christ saith Omnis qui petit accipit The summe is as when God said Seek ye my face David answered Thy face O Lord I will seeke Psal 27. So when Christ saith to us aske our answer must be we will at least dispose our selves thereunto especially seeing he doth not onely praeire exemplo but dicere ut petas seeing he doth not onely by his commandement permitiere but praecipere ut petas Lastly seeing by his promise he doth not onely allure them ut petani but doth minari si non petas threaten if thou aske not for if we aske of any but from him he is angry as he was with the King of Israel that required of Baal-zebub when he should recover 2 Reg. 1. Is there not a God in Israel And Christ was offended with his Disciples for the neglect of this duty Hitherio ye have asked nothing Iohn 16. And when we come to aske of God we must not cease our suite if he grant us not our suite at the first but say with Iacob Non dimittam te Gen. 32. We must be instant as the Canaanite was Mat. 15. We must be earnest as he that came at midnight to borrow bread Luke 11. and importunate as the Widow with the Iudge Luke 18. and then we may assure our selves of a comfortable effect of prayers THE FOVRTH SERMON ROM 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for us with sighs which cannot be uttered OUt of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3. we may see first that of our selves we are not sufficient at all to do good and that all good comes from the Father of lights Jam. 1.17 and that in that regard we must aske and receive at his hands from whom it comes Matth. 7.7 Now the Apostle meeteth with another difficulty which is how we may pray for as we cannot performe any good thing of our selves unlesse God minister power so we know not how to aske this grace at his hands Therefore to answer that question of the Disciples which desired that Christ should teach them how to pray Luk. 11. the Apostle saith that because we know not what to pray for as we ought therefore the Spirit doth helpe our infirmities The Apostle begins at our infirmities which he laies downe in such sort as wee may plainly see that our defects and wants are many for as there are infirmities of the body which the Scripture calls the infirmities of Egypt Deut. 7.15 Whereunto the Saints of God are subject as well as other as the Apostle speakes
that he denyeth men two things first that we know not what to pray for secondly that we know not how to pray for both these defects we have a double supply for Christ as he is the light of the world Joh. 8. hath directed us what to pray for by that forme of prayer which he hath prescribed unto us and the holy Ghost who is compared to the wind that bloweth where it will instructeth us how to pray for that it stirreth up our affections so that we pray with fervencie of spirit and utter our desires unto God with sighes that cannot be expressed for as a man that travelleth must have a knowledge of his way so he cannot take a journey in hand except he have a good wind to set him forward to this end we are taught not onely by the wisedome of God the Father what to pray for but from the power of his Spirit we have those motions kindled in us whereby our prayer is made fervent Touching the persons whom the Apostle chargeth with this twofold ignorance they are not the common sort of men but even the Apostles themselves for he includes himselfe in the words We know not So Christ said not to the Heathen men Nescitis quid petitis Matth. 20. but to his Disciples James and John so that this is generally true of all men that they know not what to aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ought except Gods Spirit help them It is true that we have a diffused knowledge of good and evill and a desire to be partakers of the one and to be delivered from the other for Ignoti nulla cupido but we must have a distinct knowledge that is whether the thing we desire be good or no There is an estate of life which is contemplative and another Active and our infirmity is such as we know not which of them to take our selves unto but oftentimes we thinke that course of life to be good for us which albeit it be good in it selfe yet turns to our overthrow so that when we desire of God to place us in any such course of life we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. taking it for a contented course for our selves whereas it falls not out so This will appeare more plainly both in things temporall and spirituall The sonnes of Zebedee in their suit to Christ Matth. 10. had a desire to obtaine some good thing at our Saviours hands and they could not bethinke themselves of any thing better than to be exalted to some place of honour and therefore desired that one of them may fit at his right hand and the other at his left hand but Christ told them they asked they knew not what for honour it not fit for all men they were the Disciples of Christ and were to drinke of the cup of affliction and therefore willed them to be mindfull of it and not to affect that which was not for their good Likewise in spirituall things we may erre and hereof we have example in Saint Paul whom a man would thinke to have knowledg enough so that he would not aske the thing that was not good for him he had the messenger of Sathan sent to buffet him and hee prayed that it might be removed from him which seemeth to have have beene a reasonable petition but God answered him that hee asked he knew not what it was more necessary for him to be exercised withthe temptations then not and vvhereas he desires to be so pure as not once to be driven to evill God told him that his grace was sufficient for him for it was his will to perfect his strength in his weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. Therefore if vve have any revelation from flesh and blood Matth. 6. that persvvadeth us that this or that is good for us vve must know that all such are false and that we must suffer our selves to be directed by Gods Spirit who knoweth better what is good for us then we our selves But to the end that we should not erre the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us and therefore we may be sure that although we know not how to pray in such sort as may please God yet the Spirit of God who knoweth the secrets of the counsell of God will make that prayer for us which shall be both for our good and also according to Gods will 1 Cor. 2. It cannot be verified of the holy Ghost which is God that hee either prayeth or groaneth but the Apostles meaning is that he makes us to make intercession and hath that operation in our hearts that he makes us to groane So when the Apostle Galat. 4.6 sayes that the Spirit cries Abba Father his meaning is that by it wee cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Againe the Spirit is said to make intercession for us because it sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. for from the love of God proceeds this love and affection in us that we desire him and all his blessings and therefore make our prayers to him to that end which is nothing else but explicatio desiderii so that we do not so soone desire any good thing but we are ready to pray for it So sayes the Prophet Lord thou knowest my desire and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 36. Likewise when our desire is delayed so that we obtaine not the thing wee would have then wee are cast into sorrow which is wrought in us by the Spirit which is in us and by prayer for it is the Spirit of God which kindleth this fervencie of desire in prayer as Augustine saith Tepida est omnis oratio quam non praevenit inspiratio every prayer is luke-warme which is not prevented with inspiration The first thing that the Spirit of God workes in us is that he inclineth our hearts to pray to God for the good which wee lacke which is a thing not in our owne power and therefore David thankes God that he found in his heart to pray 2 Sam. 7. for when we would settle our selves to pray Nihil tam longè abest à nobis quà m orare ut decet Now being thus untoward in our selves the Spirit of God comes and helps our infirmitie and as the Psalmist saith He opens our hearts to pray By this meanes it comes to passe that a man having his affections cold shall on a sudden feele in himselfe a desire to pray and shall say Domine paratum est cor meum Psal 108. Secondly whereas the Lord saith Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 87. We find this infirmity in our selves that when wee have found an heart to pray yet we cannot open our mouthes and therefore David sayes Open thou my lips Psal 51. and so must we sue to Christ that he will give us words to speake for God hath a key both to our tongue and will Thirdly having begun to pray that falls out many times which David complaines of Cor meum
dereliquit me Psal 40. So our heart will be gone and our mind will be wandring abroad not regarding what our tongue speakes It falls out often that as Abraham had his sacrifice ready he was no sooner gone from it but the fowles of the aire did light upon it Gen. 15. So while we offer up to God the calves of our lips Hos 14. and our course is past Psal 141. it comes to passe through our wantonnesse many foule thoughts be got upon our sacrifice and dispoyle it and the remedie that the spirit of God affords us against this infirmity is that it calls us home and tels us we are kneeling before the Majesty of God and therefore ought to take heed what we speake in his presence Therefore Bernard to keepe his mind in the meditation of God when he would pray began thus Let God arise and let all his enemies be scattered Psal 68. and Augustine to the same purpose began thus Save mee O God for the waters over-flow Psal 64. Fourthly though we have our meditation still on God yet wee shall find in our selves that our spirits are dull and heavie and have no manner of vigour to help our infirmity herein the Spirit helps and puts these meditations in our hearts whereby it kindleth as the Prophet saith a fire burning within us so that God shall be faine to say to us as he did to Moses Dimitte me let mee alone Exod. 32. Fifthly albeit we pray but faintly and have not that supply of fervencie that is required in prayer yet we have comfort that ever when we most faint in prayer there are of Gods Saints that pray for us with all instancie by which it comes to passe that being all but one body their prayers tend to our good as well as their owne for the faithfull howsoever they be many and dispersed into divers corners of the world yet they are but one dowe and as they are the members of one body so they pray not privately for themselves but for the whole body of the Church so that the weaknesse of one member is supplyed by the fervent and earnest prayer of the other Therefore when the Apostle saith The Spirit maketh intercession for us gemitibus inenarrabilibus Augustine asketh what groanings are these are they thine or mine no they are the groanings of the Church sometime in Mee sometime in Thee and therefore Samuel to shew that the Ministers of God do the people no lesse good when they pray for them then when they teach them said God forbid I should cease to pray for you and so sinne against God 1 Sam. 12.23 for he was an help to them not onely in preaching to them but in offering burnt offerings for them Therefore the people pray to Esay Lift thou up thy prayer for us For as the offering of the Minister is to put the people in mind 2 Pet. 1. so they are Gods remembrancers they are Angels as well ascending upwards by their prayer in the behalfe of the people as descending to teach them the will of God But if the Spirit that quailes in us do quaile also in the whole Church yet we have a supply from the teares which our head Christ shed on his Church Luk. 19.41 and from the strong cries which he uttered to God his Father in the daies of his flesh Heb. 5.7 by which he ceaseth not to make request to God still for us so that albeit the hardnesse of our heart be such as we cannot pray for our selves nor the Church for us yet we may say Conqueror tibi Domine lachrymis Jesu Christi Lastly because we cannot pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have two helpes also in that behalfe from the Spirit first that the Spirit teacheth us to submit our will unto Gods will because as we are men so we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. This submission we learne from the example of Christ his prayer to God his Father Transeat calix isle à me Let this cup passe from mee yet not my will but thy will be done Matth. 26. So David qualified his desire If I have found favour with the Lord he will bring mee againe but if not let him do what seemeth good to himseife 2 Sam. 15. Secondly when wee looke backe upon our prayer and see that by reason of want of fervencie and zeale it is but smoaking flaxe then the Spirit stirreth us up to desire God that according to his promise Esay 42. He will not quench it but that his grace may be sufficient for us and that he will make perfect his strength in our weaknesse 2. Cor. 12. The other thing wherein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities is that he worketh in our hearts certaine groanes that cannot be expressed which is a plaine opposition to drousie and sloathfull prayer for a devout prayer plus constat gemitibus quà m sermonibus it is not fine phrases and goodly sentences that commend our prayer but the fervencie of the spirit from whom it proceeds It is well if wee doe orare mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. but if our prayers do draw out sighs and groanings from our hearts it is the better fâ—r then it appeares that our prayer is not a breath comming from the lungs but from the very depth of the heart as the Psalmist saies of his prayer De profundis out of the deepes have I cryed to thee O Lord Psal 130. What the Apostle meaneth by groanings which cannot be expressed is plaine for when the griefe of the heart is greatest then are wee least able to utter it as appeares by the Shunamite 2 Reg. 4. Notwithstanding as it was God that wakened in us the desire of good things so though we be not able to utter them in words yet hee doth heare etiam vocem in silentio There are mutae preces tamen clamantes such as are the silent prayers of Moses which he made in his heart to God though hee expressed it not in words to this God said Cur clamas ad me Exod. 14. Now as Martha was loath to serve alone and therefore would have Mary to helpe her Luk. 10. So the spirit doth not pray alone but doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beares together or helpes us whereby the Apostle gives us to understand that man must have a co-operation with Gods Spirit So we see the Saints of God albeit they acknowledge prayer to be the work of Gods Spirit in them for as much as we are not able to call Jesus Lord but by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. Yet they are not themselves idle but do adde endeavour as David Lord open thou my lips So he affirmes of himselfe I have opened my lips and drew in my breath Psal 119. But that we may have the help of Gods Spirit without which our endeavour is but vaine wee must still thinke upon our owne weaknesse and humble our selves in the sight of God as the Publican did Luk. 18. So the
Spirit of God will rest upon us as the Lord promiseth Esay 66. For this end fasting is commended to the Church for it hath beene an use alwaies among the faithfull to humble their soules with fasting Psal 35. Secondly as we must pray in faith so we must also be charitably affected to our brethren first by forgiving them if we will have forgivenesse at the hands of our heavenly Father Mar. 11.25 Secondly by giving them that need this commended Cornelius his prayer that he gave almes Act. 10. If our prayer be thus qualified we shall have Gods Spirit to assist us in prayer whose help if we obtaine and unto our prayer adde a patient expectation so that we be not in hast to obtaine the thing we crave but we wait upon Gods leasure as the Prophet saith Qui crediderit non festinabit Esay 28. He that beleeveth makes not hast thus we shall find that the Lord will not cast out our prayer THE FIFTH SERMON LUKE 11.1 And so it was that as he was praying in a certaine place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Master teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples WHich words do bring us to that forme of invocation to which by degrees wee have beene approaching for first out of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3. we learned that of our selves wee are not able so much as to thinke a good thought much more unable to do that which is good Secondly from Saint James that albeit we have no power in our selves yet our want may be supplied by the Father of lights Thirdly that therefore to the end we may obtaine this ability we are to seeke for it by prayer as Christ counselleth Petite dabitur vobis But then wee meete with another difficulty and that is as Paul confesseth Rom. 8. that albeit grace may be obtained at the hands of God by prayer yet we know not how or what to aske except the Spirit of God supply our infirmities and therefore as then it was said that as the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us so here the same Spirit doth move the Disciples to seeke for a forme of prayer of Christ whereby we are taught that if we know not how or what to pray for our duty is to repaire to Christ with the Disciples that he would direct us This Text hath two parts first the Petition of the Apostles secondly Christs answer thereunto vers 2. In the first part we are to consider first the occasion of the Petition secondly the petition it selfe Domine doce nos Touching the first point the Disciples tooke occasion of this petition from Christ praying for seeing him not onely pray now but at sundry other times presently they conceived thus within themselves that doubtlesse prayer was a matter of great inportance and a meanes of no small benefit otherwise Christ would never have prayed so often Before we considered two speciall motives to prayer The first was Christs commandement the second Christs promise Matth. 7.7 Aske and it shall be given you and here againe we have other two motives first the provocation of Christs example whom the Disciples found praying in a certaine place secondly the mould and set form of prayer which he hath given us for our better direction in this duty Say Our Father c. Concerning the first of these no doubt the examples of holy men ought to move us to pray much more when Jesus Christ himselfe who is the Holy of Holies Dan. 9.24 doth by his owne example stirre us up hereunto King David when he had his Crowne pulled off his head by his owne sonne and was driven out of his Kingdome said to the Priest If it please God he can bring mee againe and shew mee both the Arke and the Tabernacle 2 Sam. 15.25 Declaring hereby that he was more carefull to have the liberty to come into the house of prayer to powre out his supplication before the Lord as hee was wont then to be restored to his Crown so great account did he make of prayer The like account did the holy Prophet Daniel make for when by the commandement of the King it was proclamed that whosoever made any petition to God or men save onely to the King should be throwne into the Lyons Denne he chose rather to adventure his life then not to pray Dan. 6. Whereby we may gather both how acceptable to God and also how necessary for us this duty of prayer and invocation is So that these examples of these holy men ought to be of no small efficacie to perswade us hereunto and especially if we consider the example of our Saviour Jesus Christ who is greater then either David or Daniel Of whom it is reported that he went into a solitary place alone not onely in the morning Mark 1. but also in the evening Joh. 6. not for an houre but to spend the whole night in prayer Luk. 6.12 he prayed not onely in deserto which was a place of distresse but in horto Joh. 18.2 which was a place of pleasure as hee prayed when hee was in his agony Luk. 22.46 so also when he was to be made King Joh. 6. to teach us that as well in prosperity as in adversity we have need to pray for hereunto our Saviour doth exhort us in plaine words not onely by precept Matth. 7. Luk. 21.40 Pray that yee enter not into temptation because prayer is a meane to keepe us from evill both à malo culpae à malo poenae as well from sinne as from all manner of plagues which are the effects of sinne as one saith there would none adversity come upon us unlesse there were perversity in us but secondly by promise of reward Pray unto your Father in secret and he will reward you openly Matth. 6.6 We think it sufficient if earthly Princes will vouchsafe to hearken to our prayer but God promiseth us more he will reward us for the same Therefore seing God both commands us to pray and promiseth to grant us that we pray for seeing he doth not only by his example teach us that Prayer is requisite but prescribes us also a Form of Prayer we ought not to be negligent in this duty Besides out of this occasion we are to consider this That Christ prayed though he needed nothing as hee was the onely begotten Sonne of God he was full of grace and truth Joh. 1.16 Hee had received the Spirit without measure Joh. 3. Yet for all that he prayed There are three uses of prayer First there is an Use of Necessity for God hath left prayer to be our City of resuge to the end that when all meanes faile wee should slie unto God by prayer In which regard the Wise man saith Prov. 18. Turris altissima est nomen Domini But Christians should have a further use of this duty for unreasonable creatures as Lyons and Ravens are provoked in regard of their necessity to call upon God Secondly
the Use of Duty for prayer is an offering The Prophet compareth it to Incense Psal 41. a Reasonable service Rom. 12. Our Spirituall sacrifice 1 Pet. 2. It is compared to Incense which giveth a sweete smell to all our workes words and thougths which otherwise would stinke and be offensive to the Majesty of God This use of prayer we have not onely for the supply of our wants in the time of adversity but at all times as Job saith Chap. 27. Thirdly there is the Use of Dignity when a man doth abstract himselfe from the earth and by often prayer doth grow into acquaintance and familiarity with God for this is a great Dignity that flesh and blood shall be exalted so much as to have continuall conference with God Now as Christ was the Sonne of God he had no cause to pray in any of these three respects but as he was Principium omnis creaturae Col. 1. as he was the head of the Church Eph. 1. he had use of prayer in these three respects as he was a creature he stood in need of those things which other creatures of God were wont to desire Againe as he was a creature though the chiefe of all creatures hee ought this duty of Invocation unto God his Creator and as hee called on God in these two respects so he was heard as Christ speakes I know thou hearest mee alwaies Joh. 11.41 But as he was in the state of a Creature the last use doth most of all concerne him for which cause having told Martha that one thing was needfull Luk. 10. because the obtaining of the same is not in our power hee presently withdraweth himselfe unto prayer in the beginning of this Chapter teaching us to do the like Before we come to the Petition these words ut cessavit are to be considered for there are some with Saul will call for the Arke and will presently cry Away with it 1 Sam. 14. that is will begin their prayers and will breake them off in the midst upon any occasion but the Spirit of God doth teach us to be of another mind when he willeth us to avoid whatsoever may be a meanes to interrupt our prayer 1 Pet. 3. The Disciples forbare to make their petitions to Christ till hee had done praying and therefore from their example we are to learne so to settle our selves to prayer as that nothing should cause us to breake off and so to regard others that are occupied in this duty as by no meanes to interrupt them In the Petition we are to consider first the thing that they desire secondly the reason why they make this Petition First whereas they make request that Christ would teach them how to pray they do by implication acknowledge as much as Saint Paul speaks of Rom. 8. that they know not what to aske not that they were without that generall institution which we have from nature that is to desire that which is good but because they know not how to limit their desire as in temporall things they know not whether it were good for them to be the Chiefe men in a Kingdome that was the ignorance of the sonnes of Zebedee Matth. 20. In spirituall matters they will be like Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12. who thought it good for him to be saved from the temptation whereas God told him that his grace was sufficient for him and yet that the temptation should continue still As James and John made a request ignorantly for themselves Matth. 20. So they make another in the behalfe of Christ Luk. 9. Lord wilt thou that wee command that sire come downe from Heaven and therefore were reproved by Christ for it and as we see both by examples of Christs owne Disciples that we may pray amisse Jam. 4. So in the old Testament David saith We may pray so as prayer which is a part of Gods service shall be turned into sinne Psalm 109. For prayer is nothing else but an interpreter of our desire as one saith Ea petimus quae appetimus and as our desires are many times not onely vaine and unprositable but dangerous and hurtfull so it fals out likewise that our prayers are vaine and so are turned into sinne The Disciples therefore being privie to their owne infirmities in this case are stirred up by Gods Spirit to seeke for a perfect forme of prayer of Christ in whom all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid Col. 2. And this they do to the end they might not faile either in the matter or manner of their prayers and that having received a platforme of prayer from Christ they might use it as a patterne and complement of all their petitions The Pharisees were great prayers Mat. 6. but they under a pretence of long prayers did devour Widows houses Matth. 23. and therefore their prayers turned into sinne The Heathen used also to make long prayers Matth. 6.7 but they erred for they thonght that they should be heard for their long babling Therefore the Disciples that they might not pray amisse do make their request to our Saviour Lord teach us to pray which Petition was therefore acceptable to Christ because profitable for themselves for thus he professeth of himselfe Ego Dominus Deus tuus docens te utilia Esay 48.17 Not subtilia saith August So Saint Paul confirmeth that he with-held nothing from the Church that was profitable for them to know Act. 20. The world is full of curious questions The Pharisees move questions totching matrimony The Sadduces asked what should come to passe after the end of the world whether we shall know one another Matth. 22. These were unprofitable and curious the inventions of flesh and blood not those that proceeded from the holy Ghost The Disciples question is here how they may serve God and how they may performe that duty for which they came into the world Curious things are those abscondita which belong to God with which we may not meddle Deut. 29. we must enquire of things which concerne us Of the sons of Cain and Abell who were inventors of tents some devised to worke in brasse and copper others found out Musicke as they thought it most profitable for the publique-weale The trade that the sons of Seth used and professed at the same time that they thought to be most profitable was the calling upon the name of the Lord Gen. 4. and they were occupied therein as an Art no lesse profitable then the building of houses or making of armour and ever since howsoever the worldido addict themselves to other things that serve to make most for their private profit yet the Church and City of God are busie in studying how they may by prayer receive mercy and obtaine grace to help them in time of need Heb. 4. The reason whereby they urge their suit is as John taught his Disciples which reason in the judgement of flesh and blood might seeme of small efficacie for whereas John confessed himselfe unworthy to
Psalmist extendeth this part of Gods service to all places generally of his Dominion Psal 103. Howbeit though it be not to be neglected in no place yet especially wee must offer this sacrifice of prayer and prayse in the assembly among the faithfull in the congregation Psal 111. and so we must learne to distinguish the Liturgy and the publike service of God in the Church from that private devotion which our Saviour would have us to performe daily when he saith when thou prayest enter into thy chamber Matth. 6. For God hath promised to accept that worship which we tender unto him in the place consecrate for that purpose In every place where I put my name thâ—ther will I come and blesse thee Exod. 20.24 Non solum quod cratis sed quod ibi oratis that is the publike place whither the Saints of God from time to time assemble themselves to call upon God together In his Temple doth every man speake of his praise Psal 29. Our Saviour Christ did therefore tell them that it was domus orationis Isa 56. to teach us that the chiefe end of our meeting there should be not to make it a pub like schoole of Divinity and instruction but to powre out our prayers to God for private prayers were not enough unlesse at times appointed we meete together to pray publikely So the Apostle Saint Peter doth teach us by his example who not onely when he was at home went up to the top of his house to pray Acts 10. but to the Temple also Acts 3. Saint Paul did not content himselfe to bow his knees to God when he was at Rome and Ephesus and other places but he went to Ierusalem and prayed in the Temple Acts 22.11 which thing as he did for himselfe so no doubt he did it in the behalfe of the Church of God to which he was sent to preach and it were to be wished that in the Church there were minus oratorum plus orantium The second generall point is touching the contents of the word Oratis Our necessities are manifold and the grace of God which we sue for to God is multiformis gratia 1 Pet. 4. Besides the Apostle saith Pray with all manner of prayer Ephes 6. therefore it is meete that wee should take notice how many kinds of prayer there are wherein the Apostle guides us when he saith Let supplications prayers thanks-giving and intercessions be made 1 Tim. 2. These foure containe all those sorts of prayer which are contained in the body of this word Orate Prayer or Invocation consists of Confession and Petition Confession is divided into confessionem fraudis which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the confession of sinnes whereunto they adde supplication to God for pardon like that of the Publican Luke 18. God be mercifull to me a sinner The other kinde of Confession is Confessio laudis that is Thanksgiving to God for his goodnesse in pardoning our sinnes and bestowing his benefits upon us which kinde of Confession is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This also is a part of prayer and ought to goe with it as appeares Phil. 1.3 Col. 1.3 where the Apostle doth thanke God alwayes for the Churches in his prayer Both these the Iewes gather from the words Iudah and Israel for Iudah is Confession and Israel is the name of prevailing in wrastling with the Angel as the faithfull doe strive with God in prayer Rom. 13. The one they call Tehillah the other Tephillah They had both these Hosanna and Hallelujah Petition stands upon Comprecation and Deprecation Deprecation is when we desire that evill may be removed which kinde of prayer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Techinah Comprecation is when we would have our want supplyed with good things which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Tephillah Intercession is in another kinde of prayer proceeding from charity as the other came from faith when we doe not onely confesse our owne sinnes but the sinnes of others when we pray not onely for our selves but for others when we praise God not onely for his goodnesse on our selves but for others So it was the charge which God gave by his Prophet to them in captivity not onely to pray for themselves but to pray for the prosperity of the City where they were prisoners Ier. 29.7 As they were to have a care of the Common wealth so the like is to be had of the Church Therefore when Peter was in prison there was prayer made continually of the Church to God for him Aâ—â—â— 12.5 Pray for all Saints saith the Apostle Ephes 6. and for me especiâ—lly that utterance may be given to me c. and as for them that have any speciall place in the Church or Common-wealth so we are bidden to pray for all such as are in misery as David teacheth us by his example who when his enemies were sicke ceased not to pray for them no lesse then for himselfe but put on sack-cloth and humbled his soule with fasting Psal 35. Unto these kindes of prayer some adde two more the first is when upon condition that God will grant us our desire wee vow that we will faithfully serve him afterwards as Iacob prayed Gen. 28. The other is a simple prayer or petition uttered in short words as Lord have mercie on me and such like which are nothing else but sparkes of that fire which kindleth within us whereof David spake Psal 39. Heare me Lord and that right soone for my spirit faileth 143. In regard of this our weaknesse our Saviour hath in a short prayer comprehended whatsoever is needfull for us which brevity hee used lest if he had set a large forme of prayer our spirit should bee dead and our devotion key-cold before we could come to the end and for the same purpose the Church hath prescribed collects prayers answerable to that short petition of our Saviour Christ All these kindes of prayers were used by our Saviour Christ in the dayes of his flesh as he tooke our nature and was the head of a body Factus pro nobis peccatum 2 Cor. 5. and so did not onely confesse himselfe a sinner but suffered the wrath of God for it which made him cry Deus mi Deus mi My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 26. The rebuke of them that rebuked thee fell on me Rom. 15. Psal 69. Also he was an example to us of thanksgiving I thanke thee O Father c. Luke 10.21 I thanke thee that thou hast heard me Iohn 11. For Deprecation as he was a man Let this Cup passe from me Matth. 26. The good he prayed for at the hands of his Father was Pater glorificame ea gloria quam habui apud te c. Iohn 17. Touching Intercession he prayeth Pater ignosce eis Luke 23. I pray not for them onely but for all them that shall beleeve by their preaching Iohn 17. As he used all these kindes of prayer
yee call him Father without respect of persons c. Then passe the time of your dwelling here in feare 1 Pet. 1.13 Our is a word of hope as Father is a word of faith for he that saies noster our includes himselfe and by hope applyeth Gods favour in particular to himselfe which by faith he apprehends to be common to all neither doth appropriate it to himselfe saying My Father but includes them with himselfe and so the word our is also Vox charitatis the voyce of Charity As the first word did teach us the Father-hood of God so the word our implyeth the fraternity we have one with another for God to shew what great regard he hath of the love of our neighbour hath so framed and indited this prayer that there is neither Ego nor mi nor meum nor mea neither I nor mine nor my but still the tenor of it is Our Father our bread our trespasses us from evill Therefore one saith that prayer is not onely breviarium fidei an abridgment of our faith but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mutuall pledge of our love towards our brethren which is then especially testified when we pray to God for them For this prayer which our Saviour sets downe for us and all Christians prayers are not the prayers of nature pro se orat necessitas necessity stirreth up men to pray for themselves but the prayers of charity when we are to commend the state of our brethren to God as well as our owne quia pro ali is charitas for charity prayeth for others for in this prayer there is matter not onely of supplication for the avoyding of evill and comprecation for the obtaining of good in our owne behalfe but of Intercession also to teach us that whether we desire that evill be rëmoved or good be bestowed upon us we should desire it for others as well as for our selves The use of this doctrine is of two sorts first against Pride for if God be not the Father of one man more then another but all in common doe call him Our Father why then doth one man exalt himselfe above another Have we not all one Father Mal. 2. and the Apostle saith Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. and our Saviour saith Vos omnes fratres estis Yee are all brethren Mal. 2.3.8 Therefore we are not onely to love one another as brethren but to honour one another because we are the sonnes of God for this end the Apostle exhorteth In giving honour to one before another Rom. 12. So farre ought we to be from despising one another Cur enim non pudeat aspernari fratrem quem Deus non aspernatur filium Why are we not ashamed to scorne him to be our brother whom God scorneth not to be his sonne Secondly it serveth against malice wēe were all in the loynes of Adam when he fell and all one in the body of Christ so that whatsoever he as our Head hath done or suffered the same all men doe and suffer in him And lastly we are all included in this word to teachus that wee ought to wish the same good to others which we doe to our selves for this is that which Christ commendeth in our Christian practise in the duty of prayer Vt singuli orent pro omnibus omnes pro singulis that each should pray for all and all for each other He hath taken order that no man can pray this prayer but he must pray for others as well as for himselfe and so doe good to all and the mends that is made him is that they also for whom he prayed doe likewise at another time pray for him and though we cannot alwayes pray in such fervencie of Spirit as is required in prayer yet the holy Ghost doth supply our infirmity by stirring up others to pray and make intercession in our behalfe cum gemitibus inenarrabilibus with unspeakable groanes Rom. 8. even then when we cannot doe for our selves and this is a speciall benefit which the faithfull have in the Communion of Saints The Apostle saith that God to assure us that hee takes us for his sonnes hath sent his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. the one of these words hath respect to the Iewes the other to the Gentiles teaching that it is our duty to pray both for Iewes and Gentiles and so for all though they be strangers to us Secondly we are to pray for sinners be their sinnes never so great in hope that God will give them the Grace to repent and to come out of the snare of the Devill 2 Tim. 2. and that he will translate them out of the state of sinne into the state of grace for this life as long as it lasteth is tempus praestitutum poenitentiae a time ordained for repentance Thirdly as for our brethren so for our enemies as our Saviour willeth Matth. 5.44 for they also are comprehended under the word noster For God hath shut up all in unbeliefe that hee may have mercie upon all Neither are we to pray in generall for all but for some in particular as neede requireth Not in generall for all good things but for some speciall blessings As we are to pray generally that Gods will may be done so for that this is Gods will our sanctification 1 Thes 4. we may pray in particular for those things that we have neede as to be delivered from all temptations generally so specially from those sinnes whereunto the corruption of our nature is most inclined THE EIGHTH SERMON Which art in Heaven WHich words containe the second part of this invocation for as in the word Father we call upon the bowels of Gods mercy so by these words Which art in Heaven we do invocate the arme of his power for so it is termed by the Prophet in the Old Testament Stirre up thy strength and help us Psal 80.2 Rise up thou arme of the Lord Esay 51.9 So that as the Lepers doubt Matth. 8. is taken away by the consideration of Gods fatherly goodnesse so that when we know that this our Father hath his beeing in heaven it takes away that doubt which we use to make of his power Domine si quid potes Lord if thou canst do us any good Mark 9. For the stile of God in respect of our necessities consists of his goodnesse and greatnesse which as they are both expressed by the Heathen in the title Optimus Maximus so the power of God in these words which they use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dwelling in heavenly habitations Christ willing to expresse the greatnesse of Gods power doth it by that place where his glory and power are most manifest and that is heaven whereof the Prophet saith The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke Psal 19.1 For when we see a poore cottage we presently ghesse that the dweller is no great person but if
our Saviour faith Heaven and Earth shall passe but one joy of my word shall not passe Matth. 5.18 that is in regard of his power and ability For the other part of his faithfulnesse which is his will and readinesse he is said to be a faithfull Creator that will have care of the soules committed to him 1 Pet. 5. and to this purpose serveth that which S. Iohn affirmeth Behold what love the Father hath showed us that we should bee Sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. There is in God that faithfulnesse that is in a mother towards her children for as a woman cannot but pity her owne child and the son of her womb so the Lord will not forget his owne people Isa 45.15 As his arme is not shortned but is still able to helpe so his affection towards us is such that he is most willing to helpe In this regard as hath beene observed he is both a King and a Father the one shewing his power the other his willingnesse and good-will towards us upon both these we doe ground our Amen and doe learne not onely Credere vero beleeve God which is true but fidere fideli trust him which is faithfull upon this faithfulnesse we may ground all our Petitions if we seeke forgivenesse of our trespasses as Christ teacheth us to pray then God is faithfull to forgive us our sinnes 1 Iohn 1. If we will pray against tentation the Apostle saith God is faithfull and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to beare 1 Cor. 10. If to be delivered from evill which is the last Petition the Apostle tels us The Lord is faithfull and will stablish us and keep us from all evill 2 Thes 3. Thus we see both what is our Amen and whereupon it is grounded The last thing is the right saying of this word which is a thing to be inquired for the Apostle as though he tooke care for the right saying of it saith How shall the unlearned say Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 Teaching us that it is not enough to say Amen unlesse it be said in right forme and manner The right saying is reduced to foure things First that as the Apostle sayes We pray with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. For of the foure evill Amens which the Hebrewes note one is when our Amen doth not come from an earnest desire We must powre out our hearts before him Psal 62.8 So our Amen must come from the heart we must be so disposed that we may say As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so thirsteth my soule after thee O God Psal 42.1 My soule thirsteth for thee and my flesh longeth for thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Psal 63. without this Amen our Amen is evanime a dead Amen Secondly a man may desire a false thing so did the Prophet give his Amen to the false prophecie of Hananiah Ier. 28. but wee must bee carefull that it be true that we pray for therefore the Apostle saith He will not pray with the Spirit onely but with his understanding also 1 Cor. 14.25 So our Saviour tels us We must worship God not in Spirit onely but in Spirit and Truth That is we must have understanding that our Petitions be true and agreeable to Gods will Ioh. 4. for as in thanksgiving it is requisite that we sing praise with understanding Psal 47. So the like must be done in prayer they are both good both to pray with the Spirit and with the mind therefore it is better to pray with both then with but one alone Therefore it is a marvell that any should thinke it enough to pray with the Spirit though they doe not know in their mind what they pray for but pray in an unknown tongue as the Church of Rome doth seeing the Apostle saith He will pray both with the Spirit and with the understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 and this understanding is not of the words onely but of the matter that we pray for We may understand the words wherein the prayer is made and yet not understand the thing that is prayed for The sonnes of Zebedee prayed in their owne Language and yet our Saviour tels them Yee know not what yee aske The Eunuch that was reading the Prophet Esay no doubt understood the Language of the Prophet and yet when Philip asked him Vnderstandest thou what thou readest he answered How can I except I had a guide Acts 8.31 Therefore we must pray not onely Intelligenter but Scienter we must know what we aske wee must be carefull that whatsoever we aske be according to his will for then may we be assured that he will heare us 1 Iohn 5. we must aske in Christs name Iohn 16. Lastly to a good end for otherwayes our prayers shall not be heard Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse Iames 4. But this is not all that is required that we may pray with the Minde and Vnderstanding for we must intend the thing that wee pray for with out heart that the Lord may not have cause to complaine of us as of the Jewes that honoured him with their lips while their heart was farre from him Isa 29.14 That we may with more attention of heart addresse our selves to pray our Saviour bids us to gather our selves from all things that may carry away or distract our minds and to enter into our chamber there to pray to our â—ather which is in Heaven Matth. 6.6 This did not Saint Peter observe when he prayed Master let us make here three Tabernacles and therefore the Evangelist saith He knew not what he said Lake 9.33 Thirdly that we may say Amen aright we must not onely understand in our mind and desire in our spirit the thing that wee pray for but must confidently looke for the performance of that we desire for unto this confidence there is a promise made on Gods part of whom the Prophet saith That the Lord is nigh to all that call upon him in truth Psal 145. that is in faith and confidence that they shall obtaine the thing that they pray for therefore our Saviour saith whatsoever yee pray for belâ—eve and it shall be done Marke 11.24 and the Apostle saith If we will obtaine our requests we must aske in faith without wavering or else we shall be like the waves of the sea that are tossed with the wind and carried about with violence Iames 1.6 And we shall not need to doubt but we shall be heard if we pray in a right manner if we pray for a right end that we may say Tua est gloria This confidence and trust hath certaine Limitations first wee may assure our selves that God will grant our requests if it be expedient for us and therefore we must not limit God nor appoint him his time but as the Psalmist saith We must direct our prayers early to him and wait for his pleasure Psal 5.3 We must tarry our Lords leasure Psal 27.
quis peregre profectus vidisset procul a patriâ desertam regionem de ea apud alios referret aliquanâ—o nâ—que ei crederetur quid afferre possâ—t nisi a testibus vel historia prâ—beâ— impossibile est ejus detur demonstrativa ratio Atque haec de necessi ate credendi Iâ— any man travelling into farre countries had seene farre from his countrey a desert region and should afterward make mention of it to others and they should not belâ—eve him what could he bring unlesse he could prove it by witnesse or history It is impossible a demonstrative reason should be given of it And thus farre of the necessity of beleeving In faith foure things to be noced Now for this word Beliefe note 4. things 1. The heathen themselves have set downe in every art oportet discentem credere a leâ—rner must beleeve whatsoever we first receive we receive it from our teachers This principle hath his ground Actio perfect in imperfecto recipitur primò imperfectè tum perfectè the action oâ— one perfect is received in one imperfect 1. imperfectly 2. perfectly Wood 1. warmeth tum habet imperfectum alienum calorem then it hath an imperfect and strange heate then it burneth habetque prorium sie discentes prius ab aliena recipâ—unt â—ide quam ipsi ad perfectioâ—em aspirent cognitionem and it hath its owne proper heat so learners first receive from the faith of others which they themselves bring to a more perfect knowledge Confirmed by Esay 7.9 Nisi credideritis non stabiliemini If ye will not beleeve surely ye shall not be established 2. After we have received by beliefe then may we seeke for it by demonstrations aut à priori aut à posteriore either from the former or from the latter to confirme our beliefe Ratio quia ut artium reliquarum ita religionis principia nobis innata habemus the reason is because as of other arts so have we also the principles of religion naturally bred in us The principles of Divinity alwaies agree with true reason truth disagreeth not with truth the principles of religion are not contrary for if we should never come to any certainety or knowledge Warrant that reason agreeth with religion Acts 17.24 c. The true worship of God proved by naturall reason True reason an helpe to faith and faith to it the uncorrupt judgement of man choaketh not religion Rom. 1.19 By the principles of nature we may come to that which may be known of God Acts 17.24 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearely seene being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead c. 1. De partibus animalium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if though in a small measure we attaine to the knowledge of the Gods that knowledge is worth all other knowledges If God had made contrariety it had then beene unpossible we should come to an end 3. When we have yeelded our selves to beliefe and have strengthened it by reason yet we must looke for an higher teacher and though faith be an unperfect way and we unperfect yet may we walke in it We are therefore to pray to God that by the inspiration of his spirit he would keepe us in this way Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine inspiration is given to those in whom religion is sealed Arist in his metaph De iis quae supranaturam sunt soli Deo credendum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning those things which are above nature we must beleeve God above and his divine inspiration is to be sought with sacrificings 4. The meanes of contemning order in these three 4. Because this inspiration commeth not at the first we must wax perfect by little and little and be sure that we build on the rule and stay till it please him that will send it Festina lente Hasten leasurely No greater enemy to knowledge then to be a hasty beleever The avoyding of praepropera consilia overhastie counsels doth agree with Esay 28.16 qui crediderit ne festinet he that beleeveth shall not make hast A man therefore is not to ground of presumptions and presupposings but by little and little goe forward till he come to the rocke Therefore this part is spent 1. in receiving it i. beliefe 2. in seeking to strengthen it 3. in expecting of an higher teacher 4. that we be sure to proceed by little and little sed certo tramite but in a sure path The first daies station Foure degrees of Satans tentations what they be and how they depend each on other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Selfe-deity The third part 1. The first daies journey or the first station that a man is to goe is to beleeve that there is a God For preparation to this point note foure things they are Satans proceedings 1. Heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-deity when as man was in the state of his first perfection it was impossible to perswade that either himselfe was God or to worship any creature as God or to beleeve that there were no God or to worship the divell as God Therefore the divell sought to put into mans mind that he himselfe was God Therefore he perswaded Adam that his eyes should be opened and that he should be like unto God Therefore as man departed from God by unbeliefe and presumption so was he to come to him by beliefe and humiliation but this opinion he left the same day for he was confuted so soone as he had eaten of the apple and after by hiding himselfe behind the bush Alexandri excepto in obsidione vulnere hic sanguis hominem esse denotat Claudii qui sibi se Deum esse persuasisset quoad audito tonitruin tentorium consugiens dixisset hic Deus est Claudius autem non est Deus That of Alexander is observable at a besieging having received a wound this blood saith he sheweth me to be a man And of Claudius who perswaded himselfe he was a God till hearing the thunder he fled into his tent and said This is God Satans way of bringing man to the ignorance of the true God Claudius is not God So you see that these who were given to this Heresie are soone confuted as Adam was 2. Because God Genes 4. was an helper to man after his fall as in making him garments the divell by a false conversion strooke this into the minds of his posterity that whatsoever did them good was to be worshiped as God ut ille 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A conceit of many Gods whatsoever nourisheth me that I count a God By this confounding the profit that came of the instrument with that which is of the principall and so were brought unto a great company of Gods into a
will turne to you we must pray Convert thou us O Lord and we shall be converted Lam. 4. If he say to us Make you cleane hearts Ezek. 18 Because that is not in us we must pray Create in me a cleane heart and renew a right spirit in mee Psal 51.10 When Christ saith Beleevest thou this Joh. 11. for as much as Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. we are to pray with the Disciples Domine adde nobis fidem Luk. 17.5 When the Apostle exhorteth Perfecte sperate 1 Pet. 1.13 we should say with the Prophet Lord my hope is even in thee Psal 39. And where our duty is to love with all our hearts because we cannot performe this without the assistance of Gods Spirit we are to pray that the love of God may be shed in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 THE SECOND SERMON JAMES 1.16 17. Erre not my deare brethren Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning AS Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3.5 tels us that we are not sufficient to thinke a good thought but our sufficiencie is of God So the Apostle saith â—t is God onely from whom every good giving and every perfect gift commeth And that we shall erre if we either thinke that any good thing which we enjoy commeth from any other but from God or that any thing else but good proceedeth from him so that as well the ability which man had by nature as our enabling in the state of grace is from God He is the Fountaine out of whom as the Wiseman saith we must draw grace by prayer which is Situla gratiae the conduit or bucket of grace Therefore he promiseth in the old Testament To poure upon his Church both the Spirit of grace and of prayer that as they sue for grace by the one so they may receive it in by the other Zach. 12.10 Unto this doctrine of the Apostle in this place even those that otherwise have no care of grace doe subscribe when they confesse themselves to be destitute of the good things of this life and therefore cry Quis oftendit nobis bona Psal 4. As before the Apostle shewed that God is not the cause of any evill so in this verse he teacheth there is no good thing but God is the author of it If he be the Fountaine of every good thing then he cannot be the cause of evill for no one Fountaine doth out of the same hole yeeld sweet and bitter water Iam. 3.11 Secondly if every good thing be of God onely then have we neede to sue to him by prayer that from him we may receive that which we have not of our selves Wherefore as this Scripture serves to kindle in us the love of God for as much as he containes all good things that we can desire so it is a speciall meanes to provoke us to the duty of prayer This proposition hath two parts first an Vniversall affirmative in these words Every good giving secondly a prevention for where it may be objected that howsoever some good things come of God yet evill things also may successively come from him even as the Heathens say that Iupiter hath divers boxes out of which hee doth powre both good and evill the Apostle preventeth that objection and saith that with God there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing So that as the meaning of these words in the Prophet Hosea 13.9 Salus tua taniummodo ex me is both that salvation is onely of God and that nothing else but salvation commeth from him so the Apostles meaning in these words is both that God is onely the cause of good and that he is the cause of nothing else but good lest when we are tempted unto evill we should make God the Author of all such temptations The former part of the proposition called subjectum is Every good giving c. The latter part called praedicatum is descendeth from above Where the heathen call all vertues and good qualities which they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of having the Apostle calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of giving to teach us that whatsoever good quality is in any man he hath it not as a quality within himselfe but he receiveth it from without as it is a gift Esau speaking of the blessings bestowed upon him saith I have enough Gen. 3.3 And the rich man Luke 12. Anima soule thou hast much good as though they had not received them from God but the Saints of God spake otherwise Iacob saith These are the children which God hath given me Gen. 33.5 Againe when Pilate without all respect of God of whom the Apostle saith There is no power but of God Rom. 13. said Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie and to loose thee our Saviour said againe Thou shouldest not have any power over me except it were given thee from above Iohn 19.10 The consideration hereof serveth to exclude our boasting Rom. 3. That the Wise man boast not of his wisdome Ier. 9. seeing wisdome strength and whatsoever good things we have it is the good gift of God as the Apostle tels us Quid habes quod non accepisti 1 Cor. 4. Secondly this division is to be marked that of the good things which come from God some are called Donationes others Dona and to these two substantives are added two adjectives whereof one doth answer to the givings of Gods goodnesse the other to the gifts of God ascribeth perfection The first errour the Apostle willeth them to beware is that they thinke not that God is the cause of any evill because every good thing commeth from him the second errour is that they should not conceive this opinion that the maine benefits are from God and the lesser benefits are from our selves not so for the Apostle tels us that as well every good giving as every perfect gift is from above That which the Apostle cals Donatio is a transitory thing but by gift he meaneth that which is permanent and lasting Ioseph is recorded to have given to his brethren not onely corne but victuals to spend â—y the way Gen. 45.21 So by giving the Apostle here understandeth such things as we neede in this life while wee travell towards our heavenly Countrey but that which he calleth gifts are the treasures which are laid up for us in the life to come and thus the words are used in these severall senses Of things transitory the Apostle saith No Church dealt with me in the matter of giving Phil. 4.15 there the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but speaking of the good things that come to us by Christ he saith The gift is not as the fault Rom. 5.16 where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Givings he understandeth beauty strength riches and every transitory thing whereof we stand in neede while we are yet in our journey
unloose Christs shooe Mat. 3. he might have tooke it in scorne that the Disciples of John should teach him his duty after the example of John but Christ to commend his humility is content both in his preaching and praying to follow John John said Every tree that brings not forth good fruit Matth. 3. And Christ though he were the wisedome of God and furnished with all manner of doctrine yet was content to borrow that sentence from John Baptist as appeareth in his Sermon Matth. 7. So he was content to follow him in prayer So that the example of Johns diligence in teaching his Disciples that duty was a motive to him to do the like unto him Whereas the Disciples of Christ tell him that John was wont to teach his Disciples to pray they speake by experience for divers of them were before-time Disciples unto John as appears Joh. 1.37 The ordinary prayer that was used in the Synagogue among the Jewes was that prayer which is intituled the prayer of Moses Psal 90. and as Christ saith The Law and the Prophets were untill John Luk. 16. So that prayer of Moses continued in the Church of the Jewes untill Johns time when he was come he used another forme of prayer which endured to the comming of Christ who having taught his Disciples a third forme of prayer Johns prayer ceased the reason was because as the Apostle speaketh of Moses Heb. 3. Albeit both Moses the Prophets and John were faithfull in the house of God yet they were but servants but Christ was that Sunne of righteousnesse and the day-starre that was long before promised and therefore seeing he being come hath taught a more perfect forme of prayer hee beeing onely wise all other formes ought to give place to his Secondly according to the rule of John Baptist a man can receive nothing except it be given him from above Joh. 3.2 Then if wee will obtaine any thing we must put up our supplications to God for it but in making our prayers we may offend for he that is of the earth is earthly and speakes earthly things Therefore John according to his owne confession may mingle some corruption with his prayer But Christ that is from heaven is above all Joh. 3. and therefore if he teach us to pray it shall be in such sort as God shall accept it and for this cause Christs prayer doth excell the prayers both of Moses and John and all the Prophets Touching which forme of prayer as before he had given them an abridgement of that obedience which the law requireth Luk. 16. So here he doth briefly set downe a forme of prayer As it is said of him that grace and truth is by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. so when in the other Chapter he had shewed them the truth of the Law so now he tels them that grace must be sought for of God by prayer whereby wee may be able to obey that Law The suit of the Disciples being both profitable to themselves and no subtile question Christ is content presently to grant their request and therefore his answer is When yee pray say c. Wherein we are to observe two things first whereas there are certaine practicke spirits that crosse that saying of our Saviour and tell us we may not use this prayer which Christ gave saying Our Father but that we are to frame our prayers of our owne as our state shall require these words are a contradiction to their ne dicite Christ himselfe hath commanded us to use this forme of prayer and therefore we may be bold to say Our Father whatsoever prayers we make of our selves they have some earth because wee our selves are of the earth but the prayer instituted by Christ is free from all imperfection because it was penned from him that was from above Joh. 3. In this prayer there is not one word wanting that should be put in nor any word more then ought to be Therefore both in regard of the Author of it and the Matter we may safely use this forme of Prayer Secondly these words are an opposition betwixt Cogitate and Dicite It is not enough to thinke in our minds this prayer but our prayers must be Vocal so that as in this Christ casteth out the dumbe devill so here he casteth out the dumbe prayer It is true that the life of prayer and thanksgiving standeth herein That we sing praises with under standing Psal 47. that we do or are mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. Herein stands the soule of prayer but as we our selves have not onely a soule but a body also so our prayer must have a body Our tongue must be the penne of a ready writer Psalm 45. We must at the time of prayer bow our knees as our Saviour Christ did Luk. 22.41 We must lift up our hearts with our hands Lam. 3. Our eyes must be lift up to God that dwelleth in the heaven Ps 123. And as David sayes Psal 135. All our bones must be exercised in prayer The reason why we must use this forme of prayer is taken from the skill of him that hath penned it and from his favour with God We are not acquainted with the phrases of the Court and we know not what sure to make unto God But Christ who is our Advocate in whom all treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid Col. 2. He can forme us a bill and make such a petition for us as shall be acceptable at the hands of God None knowes the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. So none knowes what pleaseth God but Christ who hath received the Spirit from God and in this regard as he knowes Gods will best so he is best able to frame a forme of prayer so as it may be agreeable to Gods will Secondly touching the Authority which Christ hath with God his Father it was such as God proclamed from Heaven This is my beloved Sonne and Christ saith Thou hearest mee alwayes Joh. 11. So greatly was he respected with God In both these respects we may be bold to say Our Father c. We have the promise that if we aske any thing in the name of Christ he gives it us Joh. 16.17 Much more may we have confidene to be heard Si non modo in nomine ejus sed verbis ejus The Apostle saith If I had the tongue of Men and Angels 1 Cor. 13. His meaning is that the tongues of Angels were more glorious then the tongues of men and therefore that song of the Angels Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. is magnified in the Church But this prayer was formed by the tongue of Christ who is the Lord of Angels The Cherubims hid their faces before th◠Lord of Hosts Esay 6. And he that made this prayer was the Lord of Hosts of whom it is said Os Domini exercituum locutum est This prayer as one said is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ingaging of our charity and love for we
so he set them all downe in this forme of prayer The Confession of sinne and the supplication for remission is in the five petitions The thanksgiving is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thine is the Kingdome power and glory and the good which he desireth is the sanctification of Gods name the accomplishment of his Kingdome and fulfilling of his will as also a continuall supply of all things needfull for this present life The evill from which he prayes to be delivered is first from sinne it selfe secondly from the temptations of sinne thirdly from evils which are the effects of sinne The third and last point in this Text is that we observe something in this word Dicite whereof the first is that here Christ doth not say Say thus as Matth. 6. whereof some gather that we may frame prayers after the forme of the Lords prayer but not use the words themselves But he saith to his Disciples Dicite Pater noster c. that is wee may boldly use the very words of this prayer and albeit to set forth the desire of our hearts we use other formes of prayer and that in more words yet we must conclude our prayers with this prayer of Christ Secondly when he sayes Dicite he doth not say cogitate or recitate or murmurate but intus dicite cum ore for there is a mouth in prayer non est oratio sine ore therefore he alloweth vocall prayer and as he will have us expresse the desire of our hearts in words so the chiefe thing is that our prayers be from the heart for invocation is a spirituall sacrifice 1 Pet. 2. A reasonable service Rom. 12. So both the understanding and reason must be occupied and also the spirit or inward affection of the heart Our Saviour requireth both in expresse words Worship him in spirit and in truth Iohn 4. Sing with understanding Psal 47. I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also 1 Cor. 14. We must not onely have a spirituall servencie and zeale but also must know what we pray for which is belonging to the understanding So that if both doe not concurre our service is not reasonable nor our sacrifice of praise spirituall As for that prayer that comes onely from the lippes it may be said of it as God spake of hypocrites Is that the Fast that I required Isa 58. So assembling to heare the word as a people useth to doe Ezech. 33. Is that this which God requireth Is this to eate the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. It is not enough to make long prayers and use many words there is a spirituall prayer which God will have with our vocall petitions and therefore that we may pray with understanding we have neede to be instructed in the sense of the Lords prayer The excellencie of this prayer is in regard of him that made it who is come from above who hath mixed nothing with this petition that savoureth of the earth for they are all heavenly as hee himselfe is heavenly Secondly in respect of the forme which is a most perfect forme it was compiled by him who was the wisedome of God and therefore cannot be but perfect quia perfecta sunt opera Iehovae Deut. 33. Thirdly in regard of the excellent benefits that are procured to us by it which are so many as can be desired at the hands of God Fourthly for the order which Christ keepeth If man did make a prayer he would beginne at daily bread but Christ in this prayer teacheth us first to seeke the Kingdome of God Matth. 6. Our first petition must be for the glory of God and then for our owne welfare chiefly in the world to come and also in this life for as we may not pray at all for things that are evill so in things that are good and lawfull we must take heed that we aske not amisse The petitions being seven are divided thus The first concerne God himselfe the other sixe concerne us They concerne us in a three-fold estate first of Glory secondly of Grace thirdly of Nature In these petitions that concerne us the evill that we would have removed from us is first sin secondly temptation thirdly evill The good we desire to be granted us is first that Gods Kingdome may be in our hearts secondly that his will may be performed of us thirdly that he will give us things necessary for this present life THE SEVENTH SERMON LUKE 11.2 Our Father THis Prayer penned by our Saviour Christ in the behalfe of his Disciples and his Church unto the end of the world standeth first upon an Invocation then upon certaine Petitions The invocation is the stile or word of salutation wherein we call upon the Majesty of God The Petitions containe the sum of those things we seeke for at the hands of God That which we have generally to note out of this Preface is that this is one benefit which God vouchsafeth us that we may pray unto him and be heard whereby we are to conceive of him that hee is not like the great Monarches to whom no man might presume to speak except he hold out his golden Scepter to him as it is in Est. 4. The heavenly Majesty vouchsafeth every man this honour to speak to him and the Golden Scepter of his word doth allure us thereunto Secondly it is a greater benefit to pray to God on this manner that is by the name of Father and therefore by that which he promiseth the faithfull Isa 65. Before they call I will heare them wee are taught that we are so assured of Gods good will and favour towards us even before we open our mouthes to aske any thing of him that we doubt not to call him Father from whence we may reason as the Apostle doth Rom. 8. Seeing he hath given us his Sonne how shall he not with him give us all things So seeing God taketh us for his children how shall he deny us any thing whereby he may shew himselfe a Father In the first we consider the perfection of Gods goodnesse in these words Our Father In the second the excellencie of his power expressed thus Which art in Heaven Both these are attributed unto God not onely of the Christians but even by the Heathen that are strangers to the Church for they attribute this unto God that he is optimus maximus and therefore where these two doubts arise in our hearts Domine si vis Lord if thou wilt Matth. 8. and Domine si quid potes Marke 9. they are both taken away by these two attributes By that terme which setteth out the perfection of Gods goodnesse he assureth us that he is willing and by that which expresseth the excellencie of his power we are taught that he is able to performe our requests His goodnesse giveth us fiduciam that in regard of it we may boldly come to the throne of grace Heb. 4. The consideration of Gods power breedeth in us
but to thy name give the glory Psal 115. So that all men are no lesse desirous of their owne honour and glory then the builders that built Babell that said Let us get us a name Gen. 11. But such as are thus affected and carried with the love of themselves are not fit to sanctifie the name of God as our Saviour speakes How can yee beleeve seeing yee receive glory one of another and seeke not the glory which is of God Joh. 5.44 As we may not usurpe Gods honour for our selves so we may not defie Princes for we see how ill that voyce was taken Vâ—x Dei non hominis the voyce of God and not of man Act. 12. neither may we give divine honour to the Apostles and Prophets of God The Heathen people said of Paul and Barnabas Gods are come downe to us in the shape of men and they would have sacrificed unto them but the Apostles not willing to admit this sacriledge rent their cloathes and cryed We are men subject to the same passions that you your selves be Act. 14. for we are desirous to give honour if not to our selves yet to others but here Christ tels us that no other name is to be sanctified but the name of God whereof we should be so carefull that we ought to pray that Gods name may be sanctified by others if not by our selves though we in our owne persons cannot hallow it yet sanctificetur nomen tuum Let thy name O Lord be sanctified Hereby as we pray for the gift of the feare of God which is one of the seven vertues which are set downe Esay 11. because wee do truly sanctifie God when we make him our Feare and Dread Esay 8.13 So wee pray against the vice of pride which is the contrary to the vertue of Feare so shall we obtaine the blessings Matth. 5.23 Blessed are the poore in spirit c. And upon this petition is grounded not only whatsoever Hymne or Psalme is sung of the Congregation but even the end of all Assemblies is to ascribe Holinesse to God and to sanctifie his Name for his benefits bestowed upon us And in this they acknowledge first their owne unworthinesse secondly they blesse him for his goodnesse extended toward them thirdly they do not acknowledge it in themselves but do tell it forth as the Psalmist speaketh O come hither and hearken all yee that do feare God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soule Psal 66. Fourthly to this end they lift up their voyces in singing to the end they may make the voyce of his praise to be heard Psal 66. And among other benefits we are to praise and blesse his name for the benefit of Sanctification which we have in the name of the Lord Jesus secondly for the Meanes whereby this Sanctification is offered and wrought in us which is the Word as Christ saith O Father sanctifie them in thy truth Joh. 17.13 For the perfection of sanctification that we shall have after this life when we shall be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 when we shall continually sing with the heavenly Angels Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Esay 6. And howsoever when we desire of God that his name may be sanctified we seeme like naturall children to forget our owne necessities in respect of the care we have to Gods glory yet even then we pray no lesse for our selves then for God for the Lord hath promised Them that honour mee I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 and Christ saith That if the Name of the Lord Jesus be glorified in us we also shall be glorified in him 2 Thess 1.12 Et sanctificando nomen adveniet Regnum In sanctifying his name his kingdome shall come as the next Petition is If while we remaine on earth our whole desire be to sanctifie Gods name we shall at length come to the place where we shall day and night sing as the Cherubims do Esay 6. And with the heavenly Host of Angels sing Glory to God on high Luk. 2. we shall fall down before his Throne saying alwaies Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and praise for ever Rev. 4.11 THE TENTH SERMON Thy Kingdome come HAving intreated of the first petition touching the holy estimation of Gods name we are consequently to speake of those sixe that concerne our selves whereof the first three are spent in praying for that which is good in the other three we pray for the removing of evill The first two petitions or the summe of them is excellently expressed by the Propher Psal 84.11 And by our Saviour Matth. 6.33 for agreeable to the words of David and of Christ our Saviour in the first petition wee aske for glory and seeke for the Kingdome of God in the second for grace and righteousnesse in the third for the good things of this life which shall not be withheld from them that leade a godly life but shall be ministred unto them that upon earth doe seeke Gods Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof Wherefore as of things which concerne our good the first both in order and nature is the Kingdome of God for the first thing in our desire ought to be the Kingdome of God according to the commandement of our Saviour and we are to account all things but dung in respect of it Phil. 3.9 Hereunto is required the spirit of Wisedome and Vnderstanding Isa 11.2 that may teach us to contemne all earthly pleasures in respect of the heavenly Kingdome Here our Saviour condemneth that capitall vice that reignes in those men which in the world live of their owne and take no further care but to establish for themselves a Kingdome upon earth But if according to his direction we fixe our desire upon the Kingdome of Heaven and by despising the world doe labour for the vertue which consists in the purity of the heart then shall we have the blessing that is promised to the pure in heart Matth. 5.8 that is they shall be exalted to see God Now when he saith None shall see my face and live Exod. 33. they that truly make this prayer shall behold his face in the Kingdome of glory These two first petitions have relation to the Invocation for as God by the word Father doth expresse his love to us and for that he is in Heaven doth give us hope for an heavenly estate so we in these petitions doe first desire that whereby our love towards him may appeare while we prefer the sanctifying of his name before the regard of our owne good secondly we declare our heavenly Hope that may come of being partakers of his heavenly Kingdome Howsoever God will not have any mans name Hallowed or Glorirified but his owne as he speakes of himselfe Esa 42. My glory will I not give to another yet he will communicate his Kingdome to us and therefore in our owne behalfe weare taught to pray Thy Kingdome come In the
petition we are to consider two things First the Kingdome it selfe secondly the Comming of his Kingdome Touching the first point it may be objected how it is that Christ teacheth us to make this petition for Gods Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion endureth throughout all ages Psal 145.13 How then is it said to come For the answer of this doubt the Kingdome of God must be distinguished First God hath an Vniversall Kingdome such a Kingdome as ever was and for ever shall be of which it is said The Lord is King be the people never so impotent he ruleth as King be the people never so unquiet Psal 99. Secondly there is a Kingdome of Glory that whereof our Saviour speaketh Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you c. And the thiefe upon the Crosse said Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Luke 13. and this is the Kingdome which in the first place Christ teacheth us to pray for we pray for this Kingdome that it may come we pray for our owne good for it is a Kingdome of power and therefore able to defend us and therefore our Saviour in the conclusion of his prayer addeth this For thine is the Kingdome Matth. 6. According to which the Prophet David saith Thy Saints give thankes to thee they shew the glory of thy Kingdome and talke of thy power Psal 145.11 The government of his Kingdome is committed to Christ of whom it was said by God I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Psal 2. In which regard he doubteth not to affirme of himselfe Matth. 28 Data est mihi omnis potestas c. All power is given â—e in Heaven and in Earth And notwithstanding God reigneth as King yet that is verified which the Prophet complaineth of Isa 26.13 O Lord God other gods besides thee have ruled over us for Sathan taketh upon him to be King and hath played the Tyrant and hath prevailed so farre as that the greatest part of the world are subdued unto him in which regard our Saviour calleth him the Prince of the world Iohn 14.30 And by the Apostle he is termed the God of this world for that he blindeth mens eyes and maketh them subject to the Kingdome of darknesse 2 Cor. 4. Secondly there is a Kingdome of sinne against which the Apostle exhorteth Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Rom 6 â—2 which he meaneth when he saith That sinne hath reigned unto â—â—â—ath Rom 5.21 Thirdly the Apostle sheweth that Death hath a Kingdome when he saith that by meanes of sinne death reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 These are enemies to the Kingdome of God for while the Devill reighneth by meanes of sinne as he doth so long as he worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 4. he taketh away the glory of Gods Kingdome and Death takes away the power of it And in regard of Sathans Kingdome he is said to be a King over all the children of pride Iob 41.34 For he makes the whole world rebell against God so that they are not ashamed to deny him to his face and that is true not onely of the common sort of the world but even of a great many of the Church of which number are those that sticke not to say We will not have Christ to rule over us Luke 19.14 Againe there are many stumbling blocks for the hinderance of Gods Kingdome Matth. 13.41 that the Kingdome of God cannot come and therefore we doe worthily pray as well that the Kingdome of Sathan and sinne may be overthrowne as for the removing of those offences God having exalted his Sonne into the highest Heaven saith unto him Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Psal 110. The last enemy that is to be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.16 Wherefore our desire is that there may be such a Kingdome as wherein the Law of God may be exactly kept and that it would please God in this Kingdome to tread downe Sathan under our feete Rom. 16. that not only death it selfe but he that hath the power of death being destroyed Heb. 2.14 God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 When we behold the state of the world and see that good men are trodden under feete and the vessels of wrath and sinne are exalted and prosper then we may know that that is not the true Kingdome and therefore we pray that God will set up his Kingdome in our hearts and governe us by his Spirit And therefore this point doth not onely concerne our selves but also God for unlesse his Kingdome come his name cannot be sanctified of us As there are temporall Kingdomes so there is a spirituall Kingdome called the Kingdome of Grace whereof our Saviour speaketh The Kingdome of God is within you Luke 17.21 As before we prayed for the Kingdome of Glory so now for this Kingdome of Grace for without this we shall never bee partakers of that other Kingdome The glory of other Kingdomes is the reformation of things that were before amisse but the glory of the Kingdome of Grace is that as during the tyranny of Sathan Sinne raigned unto death so now under this Kingdome Grace may raigne through righteousnesse by Iesus Christ Rom. 5.21 That we may have interest in both these Kingdomes wee must hearken to that which Christ proclaimeth Matth. 4.27 Repent for the Kingdome of God draweth neare as it draweth neare to us so wee must draw neare to it else we shall never enter into it for except a man be borne againe he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3.2 And that we may beginne to draw neare to it there is an outward regiment to be used which is a token of the grace of God bearing rule in our hearts we must by the Kingdome of God within us cast out Devils Matth. 8. We must intreate God by the power of his Spirit to plant in our hearts that which is good and to roote out and remove out of them that which is bad Matth. 13.48 We must displace Sathan and sinne that they set not up their thrones in our hearts and in stead of it we must set up Gods Kingdome ruling in us by his Spirit for the Kingdome of God stands in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 If we finde these vertues in us they are sure pledges of the Kingdome of Grace and we may assure our selves that after this life is ended we shall be received into the Kingdome of Glory And how soever he hath appointed Kings and Rulers over us for our outward safety and defence yet they have their Scepter from him and the end of their rule is to further Gods Kingdome as the Apostle speaketh That we may live under them in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. Touching the comming of his Kingdome it may be demanded why we pray that it may come to us seeing that
remaineth for us in the flesh after the will of God 1 Pet. 4.3 Then may wee assure our selves that God will be mercifull unto us and will remember our sinnes and iniquities no more And that which we are to performe in this behalfe is the second part of Remission which is opposed both to retention and intention that is as we would have God not to retaine our sinnes but freely to pardon them so our care must be that sinne be more remisse in us for whereas in the last Petition wee considered a Double debt one of Duty another of Forfeiture our desire was not to have both forgiven but we desired to be forgiven quia non prestitimus non ne praestemus because we performe it not not that wee might not at all performe it Howsoever our prayer to God is that he would not lay upon us the penalty which we have runne into by not keeping his Law yet we are still bound to doe our duty Now whereas the Prophet saith Hic est omnis fructus ut auseratur peccatum Isay 27. We may not thinke that sinne is taken away when God for his part doth remit the guilt of our sinnes past for sin consists not onely of an offence or guilt but of an issue or inclination to sinne so that our care must be as well that wee pray that this running issue may be stopped as that punishment due to us for sinnes past be remitted and to this end both parts of repentance are required of us that is Sorrow for sinnes past and a provident care to avoid sinne to come we must by prayer seeke for grace of God non modo qua deleatur debitum sed ne contrahatur debitum not onely that our debts may be done away but that it may not be contracted as the widow by the blessing of God had sufficient oyle not onely to pay her Creditors withall but also to live upon afterward 2 King 4. So we must seeke of Christ the oyle of his grace both for the discharging of our sinnes and for an holy life As we would be glad to heare this voyce from Christ Remissa sunt tibi peccata Luke 7. So we must be content with this Vade noli amplius peccare Goe thy way and sinne no more Iohn 8. As God on his part doth covenant with us that he will remember our sinnes and iniquities no more Ier. 31. So that which he requireth of us Haec est via ambulate inea Isa 30.21 For it is not enough for us to confesse our sinnes and be sorry Psal 38. nor yet to performe our active mercy by giving and forgiving except we have a resolute purpose to forsake the sinnes we have heretofore committed for if being washed from our old sinnes we shall wallow in the mire like swine and return to our vomit then shall our latter end be worse then our beginning 2 Pet. 2. This is one reason why this copulative conjunction is set before this Petition Another is in regard of the ficklenesse of our estate wee may not thinke our selves secure when we have forgivenesse of our sinnes The Apostles of our Saviour Christ having received the Sacrament which as Christ told them was a seale of the remission of sinnes purchased by the shedding of his bloud fell into a sleepinesse so as they were not able in time of greatest perill to watch with their Master one houre therefore he was faine to warne them Pray that yee enter not into tentation Matth. 26. the reason is because the Devill is most malicious against them that are recovered out of his thraldome For when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he is never quiet till he returne againe and that he may he will use all the meanes he can Mat. 12. So that they of all others are in most danger and most subject to the malice and rage of the Devill that are restored out of the state of sinne into the state of grace and therefore we pray that as God in his mercy doth vouchsafe to pardon our sinnes past so it will please him to strengthen us with his grace that we may withstand the temptations of Satan The Petition hath two things to be considered the Temptation and the Leading Temptation that we may know what we aske Matth. 20. is a Triall or Proofe and is of two sorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one good the other evill the one is made by God the other by Satan God is said to tempt us when he maketh triall of our faith which triall is more precious then gold 1 Pet. 1.7 as in Abraham or when hee trieth our patience Iames 1. as in Iob for while wee live in this world we are spectaculum Angelis hominibus 1 Cor. 4. God therefore in his wisedome thinkes it good to trie our faith and patience by laying affliction upon us that albeit hee know us sufficiently yet that both Men and Angels may have a proofe of our faith he trieth us for as the drosse is consumed with fire and the pure gold remaineth behinde so the purenesse of our faith is tried with the fire of affliction this is that Fan which Christ is said to have in his hand whereby he purgeth his floure and separateth the good Corne from the Chaffe Matth. 3. The other proofe or tryall is that which Satan makes for as God tempteth Abraham Gen. 22. for his good so Satan tempted Adam Gen. 3. but not for his good but onely to draw him away from his God as Christ hath his Fan so Satan hath his Luke 22. Satan hath desired to sift and winnow you The difference is that whereas God by affliction thinketh good to prove how stedfastly we beleeve in him and how willingly we will undergoe the crosse for his sake The Devils purpose is that by all meanes he may quench our faith and dash our patience The Devils triall therefore is tentatio ad detrimentum non ad experimentum Gods tentation maketh us happy Blessed is he that endureth temptation Iames 1. but the Devils temptation brings us to misery and this latter is that against which we pray and it is of two sorts first that which the Apostle cals tentatio humana such as is incident to the nature of man secondly tentatio Satanica Humane temptations are such as are hecessary and cannot be avoyded by reason of the corruption of nature of which the Prophet speaketh when he prayeth Libera me de necessitatibus meis Psal 25.16 The Apostle doth more plainely expresse it when he cals it the infirmity of the flesh Rom. 6. and the sinne that dwels in us Rom. 7. which causeth this necessity that while we remaine in the body the flesh will ever lust against the spirit Gal. 5. But there is another kinde of temptation which is Devillish when we doe not sinne of infirmity or through the necessary weakenesse of the flesh but of malitious purpose that whereof the Prophet
kingdomes of this world for both power and glory may be ascribed to an earthly Prince and it is certaine that Solomon had them all and therefore as hee is distinguished from earthly fathers for that he is said to be in heaven so he differs from earthly Kings in that his Kingdome is said to endure for ever and ever There is another difference implyed in the Article earthly Princes have a Kingdome a Kingdome of power and a certaine glory in this world but it is not the Kingdome This prepositive Article imports two things a Generality and a Superiority for the first point he that hath but a peece of the earth to beare rule in is not an universall King but God is King over all the earth Psal 47. Therefore if wee be so carefull to behave our selves aright in the presence of an earthly King whose Kingdome is limited within certaine bounds which if hee exceed he is no more King much more ought we to praise and glorifie him whose Kingdome is universall Secondly for the superiority of Gods Kingdome there are a great number of Kings on earth but of this Kingdome it is said All Kings shall fall downe before him all Nations shall worship him Psalm 72. For hee is said to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. Touching the other difference signified by the word for ever Though a man had all the earth for his Kingdome yet it could not be a Kingdome for ever and ever no Prince ever raigned the whole age of a man and so long time as a man naturally may live which the Philosophers say is the space of an hundred yeares but his Kingdome indures not onely the age of a man but In seculum For ever Thy Kingdome Power and Glory endureth for ever and ever whereas mans Kingdome Power and glory lasteth but a few yeares and sometimes but a few dayes Jezabel had a glorious Kingdome but within a few yeares it was said of her Ubi est illa Jezabel 2 Reg. 10. when it was fulfilled which the Prophet Jeremiah foretold 13.28 Tell the King and Queene Humble your selves for your dignity shall be taken away and the crowne of your glory shall fall downe And the like is the greatnesse of all earthly Kingdomes and therefore Christ teacheth us to direct our Petitions to him whose Kingdome is everlasting Psalm 145. whose power endureth for ever and ever not to a mortall King but to God Qui solus habet c. which onely hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. who being himselfe an everlasting King and incorruptible is able to bestow upon us both a Crowne 1 Pet. 5. and an inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not 1 Pet. 1.4 This is our hope and the perfection of our desires and therefore as the Creed hath his period in Life everlasting so last of all we are taught to pray for Glory everlasting THE NINETEENTH SERMON Amen WE are now come to the last word of the Lords Prayer the power and efficacie whereof at this time is to be considered for there is in it every way matter worthy of our consideration and wee cannot perfectly accomplish our duty in prayer except we understand this word aright For after we have laid out our severall petitions to God and made our allegation to God why we desire to be respected by him namely because we are of his Kingdome and Jurisdiction for that we have no power of our selves to do any thing Lastly because that we confesse that all glory is to be ascribed to him then it remaineth that we desire of God that those Petitions and allegations made by us may by him be ratified which is done in the word Amen Wherein the ancient Writers consider two things First Jerome saith it is Signaculum consensus nostri that by it we acknowledge that whatsoever we can desire is contained in this forme of prayer Secondly as S. Cyprian saith it is votum desiderii nostri that as wee allow of this forme of Prayer and the Petitions made therein so we desire that it will please God to performe and accomplish them so in this word is implyed the consent of our minde to allow of the things which we are taught to pray for in this Prayer and secondly the desire of our heart for the obtaining of the same The one is the seale of our faith in as much as wee acknowledge those things to be true The other is the seale of our love whereby we testifie our desire for the accomplishment of these Petitions The one is referred to Truth the other to the fervencie of the spirit in which two things as our Saviour affirmeth Joh. 4.24 the right worship of God consisteth concerning which word to be added in the end of our supplications there is an absolute commandement not only in the old Testament Let al the people say Amen 1 Chron. 16.33 Ps 106. but in the New as appeareth by S. Pauls question 1 Cor. 14.16 who to shew the necessity of this word he saith How shall the unlearned say A men to thy thanksgiving for indeed it concerneth every one as he will answer the transgression of dicet omnis populus all the people shall say which is a flat commandement not to be omitted to adde this word to their prayer The word it selfe is originally Hebrew but used by the Evangelists and retained still in every language and tongue without translation or alteration either in Greeke Latine or any other the reason of the retaining of it is that is might appeare that the Synagogue of the children of Israell and the true congregation of the Church of Christ gathered out of all Nations is but one mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the same we are given to understand by this that the Spirit of Adoption is said to cry non onely Abba in the hearts of the Jewes but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Father in the hearts of the Gentiles Rom. 8.20 Therefore our Saviour would not have his name to be either intirely Hebrew as Jesus Messias or intirely Greeke as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the one in Hebrew the other in Greeke Jesus Christ to shew that he is our peace who of two hath made one that hath reconciled us both in one body and that he is the corner stone whereby the Church consisting both of Jewes and Gentiles is coupled together and groweth to be one holy Temple to the Lord Eph. 2.14 Though they be as the Apostle speakes Congregatio primogenitorum Heb. 12.23 yet we are the Church of God as well as they we I say that are borne after them we that are of the Gentiles have none other law for our direction then that which the Jewes had as the Apostle saith I write no new commandemem but an old commandement which you have heard from the beginning 1 Joh. 2.7 Wee have no other faith but as the Apostle saith eundem spiritum fidei habentes 2 Cor. 4. The same grace is offered
Secondly though he grant not the same thing we desire yet he will grant us a better The Apostle prayed Christ that the pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan might be taken from him but he had another answer My grace is sufficient for thee that was better then if God had said Apage Satanas 2 Cor. 12. For if we pray to God in such manner and sort as he requireth we may assure our selves our prayers shall not returne into our own bosomes Psal 35.3 But he will either grant the thing we desire or else that which shall be better for us Fourthly that our Amen be indivisible that is we must say Amen to every Petition of the Lords prayer for naturally our corruption is such that we can be content to desire the accomplishment of some of them but not of others we doe willingly say Amen to Thy Kingdome come but as for Hallowed be thy name we give no Amen to that as appeares by the whole course of our life which is nothing else but a profaning and polluting of Gods most glorious and fearfull Name We would gladly pray for daily bread but as for doing of Gods will and obeying his Commandements we agree not to that We like well of the last Petition Deliver us from evill but as for that goes before it Lead us not into temptation we will not subscribe to that for we doe seeke by all meanes to tempt our selves and to draw our selves unto sinne We can be content to pray that he will forgive us our trespasses but as for the condition which is the forgiving of those that trespasse against us we give no Amen to that as is cleere by the wrathfull and revenging spirit that carrieth most men into all manner of outrages while they will not learne to put up wrong as they are taught by Gods word Therefore in regard of this Petition and the condition annexed our Saviour saith Take heed ye say Amen to this intirely except ye forgive one another your heavenly Father will not forgive you Matth. 6.15 Therefore we must have a care as well to hallow Gods none in this life as to be partakers of his Kingdome in the life to come we must labour as well for the fulfilling of his will as for the obtaining of daily bread If we will be freed from evill which is the effect of sinne we must take heed that we doe not tempt our selves and as we would be forgiven of God so we must forgive our brethren Lastly we must say Amen to the reason which our Saviour useth in the conclusion of the prayer As the Apostle saith How shall the unlearned say Amen to thy thanksgiving 1 Cor. 14. For there are many that will say with the Leapers Iesus Master have mercie upon us but being cleansed few or none will returne to give God thankes and to say as our Saviour teacheth Thine is Kingdome Power and Glory Luk. 17. We must not onely pray to him when wee lie sicke upon our beds that it would please him to comfort us and to make our bed in our sicknesse Psal 41.3 but to sing praises to him when he saveth us from adversity and delivers us out of our enemies hands Psal 106.129 Our Hallelujah must be sounded as loud as Hosanna The Saints in Heaven have no other prayer but Thanksgiving they cry Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisedome and Honour and Power be to God Revel 7.12 All their song is Amen Hallelujah Revel 19.4 Therefore if we will come where they are wee must sound out the praises of God as they doe If we will be like the heavenly Angels we must speake with the tongue of Angels If we say Amen to his praise and honour he will ratifie his word towards us so that his promise to us shall be Yea and Amen FINIS SEVEN SERMONS ON THE VVONDERFVLL COMBATE for Gods Glory and Mans Salvation BETWEENE CHRIST AND SATHAN DELIVERED By the Reverend Father in God Doct. ANDREWES Bishop of Winchester deceased JAMES 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised them that love him 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes 1642. SEVEN SERMONS VPON The Temptation of Christ in the WILDERNESSE The first SERMON MATTH 4.1 Then was Jesus led aside of the Spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the devill OUR Saviour Christ by his Nativity tooke upon him the shape of man Gal. 4.4 by his Circumcision hee tooke upon him Phil. 2.7 and submitted himselfe to the degree of a servant By the first he made himselfe in case and able to performe the worke of our Redemption By the second he entred bound for the performing of it All was to this end that he might restore the worke of God to his originall perfection In the bringing of which to passe it was decreed by God in the beginning as a thing necessary that the head of the Serpent by whose meanes it was violated and defaced should be bruised And For this cause saith John appeared the Sonne of God 1 Ioh. 3.8 that hee might loose the workes of the Devill whereof this was the first For in Gen. 3. we read that his first worke after his fall was enviously to tempt our first Parents and thereby to overthrow all man-kinde And here straight after our Saviour was baptized hee with like envy setteth on him Christ therefore first beginneth with the overcomming of that and for that purpose he is here led forth to be tempted that so being tempted he might overcome Our Saviour makes this question Matth. 11.7 upon their going out to see John Baptist What went yee out to see As if hee should have said They would never have gone out into the Wildernesse except it had beene to see some great and worthy matter and behold a greater and a worthier matter here If there be any thing in the Wildernesse worthy the going out to behold this is a matter much worthy of it Or if there be any matter worthy the hearing it is worthy our attention to heare not Michael the Archangell disputing about the body of Moses with the devill Jude 9. but our owne matter argued by two such cunning adversaries to see the combat betwixt our grand enemy who goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking to devoure us 1 Pet. 5.8 and our Arch-duke for so hee is called Heb. 12.2 to see our King of old Psalm 74.12 the pawne of our inheritance and our Prince of new or Prince by usurpation the Prince of this world John 4.30 enter the lists together to see the wisedome of the new Serpent Iohn 3.14 match the craftinesse and subtilty of the old serpent Rev. 12.9 to see the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah combating with the roaring Lyon 1 Pet. 5.8 If any thing be worthy the sight Apoc. 5.5 it is this Though there should come no profit to us by the victory yet were it
not the devill left Christ he departed not for altogether but went to come againe as appeateth in Luke 4.13 He departed for a time Christ was too cunning for him in disputing he meant therefore to take another course for as James noteth chap. 1. ver 14. there be two sorts of temptations one by inticement as a Serpent another by violence as a Lyon if he cannot prevaile as a Serpent he will play the Lyon He had also another houre at Christ in the garden the houre of darkenesse Luke 22.53 there he bruised his heele III. Thirdly we are to consider the leader He was led by the Spirit In which we are to note five things not making any question but that it was the good Spirit for so it appeareth in Luke 4.1 First that the state of a man regenerate by Baptisme is not a standing still Matth. 20.6 He found others standing idle in the market place and he said to them Why stand ye idle all day We must not only have a mortifying and reviving but a quickning and stirring spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 which will move us and cause us to proceed we must not lye still like lumpes of flesh laying all upon Christs shoulders Phil. 3.16 We must walke forwards for the Kingdome of God consists not in words but in power 1 Cor. 4.19 Secondly as there must be a stirring so this stirring must not be such as when a man is left to his owne voluntary or naturall motion wee must goe according as we are led For having given our selves to God we are no longer to be at our owne disposition or direction whereas before our calling we were Gentiles and were carryed into errors 1 Cor. 12.2 we wandred up and downe as masterlesse or carelesse or else gave heed to the doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 1.4 or else led with divers lusts 2 Tim. 3.6 But now being become the children of God we must be led by the Spirit of God For so many as be the Sons of God are led thereby Rom. 8.14 We must not be lâ—d by the Spirit whence the Revelation came Matth. 16.22 from whence revelations of flesh and blood doe arise but by the Spirit from whence the voyce came This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased It came not by the spirit that ministred wife counsell but by that which came downe upon them Thirdly the manner of leading is described to be such a kinde of leading as when a Ship is loosed from the shore as Luke 8.22 it is called launching forth so in the 18. of the Acts the 31. verse Paul is said to have sailed forth The Holy Ghost driving us is compared to a gale of winde Joh. 3.8 which teacheth us that as when the winde bloweth we must be ready to hoyst up saile so must we make us ready to be led by the Spirit Our hope is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6.19 which must be haled up to us and our Faith to the Saile we are to beare as great a saile as we can We must also looke to the closenesse of the vessell which is our Conscience for if we have not a good conscience we may make shipwracke of Faith Religion and all 1 Tim. 1.19 And thus are we to proceed in our journey towards our Country the spirituall Jerusalem as it were sea-fating men Act. 20.22 Now behold I goe bound in spirit to Jerusalem to which journey the love of Christ must constraine us 2 Cor. 5.14 Fourthly that he was led to be tempted His temptation therefore came not by chance nor as Job speaketh chap. 5. v. 6. out of the dust or out of the earth nor from the devill not onely over Jobs person but not so much as over his goods Job 1.12.14 He had no power of himselfe no not so much as over the Hogges of the Gorgashites who were prophane men Mat. 8.31 Hence gather wee this comfort that the Holy Ghost is not a stander by as a stranger when we are tempted Tanquam otiosus spectator but he leads us by the hand and stands by as a faithfull assistant Esay 4.13 He makes an issue out of all our temptations and will not suffer us to be tempted beyond our strength 2 Cor. 10.13 And he turneth the worke of sin and of the devill too unto our good Rom. 8.28 so that all these shall make us more wary after to resist them and hell by fearing it shall be an occasion unto us to avoid that might bring us to it and so they shall all be fellow-helpers to our salvation So that temptations whether they be as the Fathers call them rods to chasten us for sinne committed or to try and fist us Mat. 3.12 and so to take away the chaffe the fanne being in the Holy Ghosts hand or whether they be sent to buffet us against the pricke of the flesh 2 Cor. 12.17 Or whether they be as matters serving for our experience not onely for our selves that we may know our owne strength Rom. 5.3 and to worke patience in us but to the devill also that so his mouth may be stopped as in Job 2.3 Hast thou marked my servant Job how upright he is and that in all the world there is not such an one Howsoever they bee the devill hath not the rod or chaine in his hands but the Holy Ghost to order them as they may best serve for his glory and our good and as for the devill he bindeth him fast Rev. 20.2 Fifthly by the Greeke word here used is set forth the difference betweene the temptations of the Saints and Reprobates In the Lords Prayer one Petition is Lead us not into temptation but there the word importeth another manner of leading than is here meant We doe not there pray against this manner of leading here which is so to lead us as to be with us and to bring us backe againe Heb. 13.20 but we pray there that he would not cast or drive us into temptations and when we are there leave us by withdrawing his grace and holy Spirit as he doth from the reprobate and forsaken IV. The fourth point is the end that is the Conflict as it concerneth Christ insomuch that he was led to be tempted In which temptation Augustine saith Habemus quod credenies veneremur quod videntes imitemur There be two things for faith to adore and two things for imitation to practise First for faith that the temptations of Christ have sanctified temptations unto us that whereas before they were curses like unto hanging on a tree now since Christ hath beene both tempted and hanged on a tree they be no longer signes and pledges of Gods wrath but favours A man may be the childe of God notwithstanding and therefore he is not to receive any discouragement by any of them Secondly besides the sanctifying it is an abatement so that now when we are tempted they have not the force they had before for now the Serpents head is bruised so