THE CHARIOT and Horsemen of ISRAEL A Discourse of Prayer shewing what it is as also the meanes to attaine to the practise of it AN EXERCISE SO RARE in the world and yet so requisite as few vse it aright and none may omit it By HENRY LANGLEY Minister of the Word of God at Treswell in the County of Nottingham IAM 4.2,3 Ye fight and warre yet ye haue not because ye aske not Yee aske and receiue not because yee aske amisse AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Edmund Weauer 1616. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE EDMVND Lord SHEFFEILD Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter Lord President of his Maiesties learned Counsell established in the North and Lord Lieutenant there Grace and Peace in Iesus Christ THere be two points Right Honourable as witnesseth that worthie Oratour a Cic. Offic. lib. 2. to bee obserued in committing things to publique view That they bee not satis nota sufficiētly knowne before and that they bee Cognitione digna worthie to bee knowne If the first they are tedious If not the second they are odious If either idle at the least if not naught If both both idle and naught I hope this little Treatise need feare iust exception on neither part Many I confesse haue written on this Subiect and iustly may it bee asked what I haue found which in their learned labours hath not alreadie been brought to light yet dare I professe that this small Tractate absit inuidia verbo will affoord vnto the illiterate some things for manner at the least if not likewise for matter worth the reading And for Prayer The nature of it is high it being a peculiar fruite of the Spirit the Immunities great the power wonderfull and the profit incomparable As did not this succeeding discourse shew it I could discouer at large In a word It is the Chariot and Horsemen of Israel Why want wee necessaries for soule and body seeing the earth is the Lords yea the Heauens and the Heauen of Heauens and our God is abundant in goodnesse and truth Wee pray not Why are we with Ephraim in crosses as a cake vnturned b Hos 7.8 We pray not Why are the Heauens as brasse and the earth as yron Why is there such decay frō yeere to yeere in our stocke and complaining in our streetes We pray not For could the carnall man pray and did the man already regenerate vse this dutie as hee ought mercies would be more plentifull iudgements not so vsuall and the rod of the wicked would not bee suffered to lie so long vpon the lot of the righteous Requisite is it therefore and of speciall consequence that wee learne this great lesson taught so carefully of Iohn to his disciples and begged so instantly of Christ by his dis◅ples I meane How to pray The Doctrine is here handled the which out of my thankfull remembrance of the many fauours receiued from your Lordship for my quiet libertie in my Ministrie and preferment as also in respect of the reuerend opinion which the Church of God hath a long time and I hope shall haue occasion to doe no lesse vnto the end conceiued of your Lordshippes Christian affection towards God and godlinesse I do humbly dedicate vnto your Honour Now the God of peace c Heb. 13.20,21 that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the euerlasting couenant make you perfect in euery good worke to doe his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glorie for euer and euer Amen Your Honours in the Lord most humbly HENRY LANGLEY The particulars of this Discourse CHAP. I. I. The definition shewing what prayer is II. The Notation whence the terme is fetched in Hebrew III. The Genus of Prayer viz. Inuocation and what Prayer hath in commō with the other kinds of Inuocation the which are An Oath A Vow IV. What it chalengeth to it self in speciall noted here handled after in the doctrine of the forme more at large V. How God is our Father considered as the Obiect of Prayer CHAP. II. The Causes of Prayer or the things whereby Prayer commeth to be that which it is And they are foure I. The Efficient and therein 1. The maine efficient and that in respect of both the Forme of prayer Matter of prayer Where is handled the state of Adoption in which euery one that prayeth is of necessitie to stand because otherwise God becommeth not fit to bee prayed to Man fit to pray nor the things wee want fit to bee prayed for 2. The Motiues working from Within Without 3. The meanes of performance and they such as doe Fit vs before Serue in performance Further. II. The Matter whereon our prayers are made and of praying or of exhibiting our prayers to God III. The Forme the soule of prayer ministring life vnto it And therein is considered Faiths two-fold worke 1. The one whereby wee are assured that the promises as they are true in Christ so doe they concerne vs. 2. And wee shall haue these requests put vp according to his will IV. The Ends or wherefore wee doe pray and they are considered 1. Either simplie 2. Or in respect of God the father Christ The holy Ghost The Word Our selues Prayer The things our prayers doe concerne CHAP. III. The Effects of prayer considered in regard of 1. God 2. The things aimed at 3. Our selues CHAP. IV. The Subiect of Prayer and that I. Receiuing the which is Mentall Verball Locall II. Whereabout Prayer is exercised consisting in Things Persons Where is handled For whom we are to pray Through whom we are to pray To whom we are to pray And there withall is shewed how we are 1. To conceiue of God in prayer 2. To direct our prayers to him CHAP. V. The Adiuncts of Prayer considered I. Simply II. In respect of these foure things viz. The person praying The Ends of praier The Subiect The Time CHAP. VI. The distribution of Prayer into I. The parts the which are Confession Petition Thankesgiuing II. The kinds considered in respect of the Effects of Prayer Subiect of Prayer Obiect of Prayer THE CHARIOT and Horsemen of ISRAEL The Preface MAster say the Disciples to our Sauiour teach vs to pray a Luke 11.1 as Iohn also taught his Disciples Whence it appeareth that though the Holy Ghost be our schoolemaster teaching vs what to pray as we should yet for the guiding our desires in things warrantable expressing our mindes in fitting termes and the cōtriuing our matter in order and forme In a word for the doctrine of prayer we may and should bee helped wherein wee are defectiue by ordinarie meanes I haue therefore aduentured vpon it A Subiect as worthie to bee well knowne so no lesse weightie to be throughly handled My purpose is not to enter into any large discourse but summarily to runne ouer these sixe heads following namely
d Gen. 31.24 for Iacob Labans hand and e Gen. 32.9.10 c. asswaged Esaus wrath II. It remooueth the euils that we feele When Israel groaned vnder their taske-masters in Egypt the Lord remooued their shoulder from the burthen f Ps 81.6 and their hands were deliuered from the pots Psal 32.4.5 III. It procureth what wee desire Elias saith Iames g Iam. 5.17.18 Was a man subiect to like passions as wee are and hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths And hee prayed againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruite And if any man lack wisdome h Iames 1.5 he biddeth that we aske of God IV. It sanctifieth what we haue Euery creature of God is good saith the Apostle i 1. Tim. 4.4.5 and nothing to be refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer To bee short it can doe any thing Phil. 4.6 Quest Whence commeth it that prayer is so powerfull Answ Not from any thing in the work simply But I. As it is that meanes which the Lord hath appoynted to be vsed by his word of commaund II. As he hath pleased to annex gracious promises vnto it III. As it is perfected and hath all the wants supplied by the incense of that Angel of the eternall couenant Christ Iesus and so made the worthie meanes according to Gods commaund whereby hee may conueigh vnto vs thorough Christ the good blessings which he hath promised IV. And as that God to whom wee pray is abundant in goodnesse and truth and rich to all that call vpon him §. 2. Effects considered in regard of 3. Our selues The Effects of Prayer in respect of our selues may bee referred to two heads I. The Commodities II. The Symptomes Touching the good and profitable worke of Prayer in vs. I. It is a most speciall exercise for the stirring vp the graces of God in vs. II. It nourisheth as all the graces of God in vs so especially hope and patience 1. Sam. 1.15,18 III. It fulfilleth our ioy Ioh. 16.24 The Effects of Prayer which as symptomes and signes doe demonstrate true feeling prayer are three I. It causeth a holy heate in our affections Whereby a man findeth himselfe after a while much more heauenlily affected then in the beginning of his prayer II. A weaning from the thoughts of the world for the present immediatly after his prayer As hee that beholdeth the Sunne hath not his eyes instantly fit to looke vpon earthlie things And therefore he that can presently after prayer thinke and speake of worldly affaires with as much ease and delight as if hee had but come from a worldly exercise it is much to be doubted to say no worse that he prayed not heartily III. It giueth a man a heauenlie aspect for the present making him looke like one that hath had conuerse with God CHAP. IV. The Subiect of Prayer THE Subiect of Prayer is twofold I. Receiuing II. Whereabout Prayer is exercised Subiect I. Receiuing 1. Mentall 2. Verball 3. The two former may considered in another relation be called Adiuncts 3. Locall considered in respect of 1. Place 2. Prayer The Subiect receiuing is I. Mentall II. Verball III. Locall First I say it is mentall which consisteth in the cogitations of our mindes For wee may conceiue a prayer though it bee not vttered And those which are vttered in words were first in thought Secondly it consisteth in the words whereby wee expresse the motions and desires of our hearts And they are of great vse in prayer I. That the Lord as hee hath created redeemed regenerated both might also be glorified by both II. They are meanes of Christian communion in prayer when two or three or more are gathered together in the name of God III. They further much him that prayeth though he bee alone For 1. They doe represent more matter still before his mind 2. The vttering and mentioning of the promises and threatnings c. is a means to make the matter worke vpon vs. 3. They keepe the minde more attent And the altring and changing of our words are herein of great vse The last subiect-receiuing is the place The which is to be considered in regard of I. The place it selfe II. Prayer All places as places may serue for prayer Beleeue mee saith our Sauiour to the woman of Samaria a Ioh. 4.21 c. the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Ierusalem worship the Father But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worshippe the Father in spirit and truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him And the Apostle willeth b 1. Tim. 2.8 that men pray euery-where Reas 1. The Lord is euery-where II. All places are Gods and for his glorie III. Respect of place was ceremoniall pointing at Christ our spirituall Temple in whom alone God will accept vs. But yet the Lord is the God of order and so all things are to bee done decently and in order In respect therefore of prayer I. Publike prayer should be in a publike place Reason 1. That all might more cōueniently assemble II. In more fitting manner to make a publike profession of our faith and obedience III. For the more liuely manifestation of the libertie which by Gods blessing wee enioy II. More priuate praier I meane of a familie in euery familie apart As for me and my house saith Iosuah c Ios 24.15 we will serue the Lord. III. Most priuate that is of euery particular person in a secret place When thou prayest saith our Sauiour d Matth. 6.6 enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy Father which is in secret Reas I. To auoide imputations of hypocrisie II. For the more libertie in both word and iesture §. 2. II. Occupying or where about praier is exercised the which is 1. Reall 1. What they are 2. How obiects 3. How farre The subiect whereabout prayer is exercised which is properly the Obiect followeth And it is I. Either Reall II. Or Personall Touching the things which are the obiects of Prayer wee may consider I. What they are II. How they are obiects of our Prayers III. How farre These things are I. Such as concerne either this life or the life to come For 1. All must come from God e Iam. 1.17 2. Righteousnesse hath the promise of both f Heb. 13.5 3. We are commanded to goe to God g Iam. 1.5 Matth. 6.9.10.11 c. for both II. They are simply good or being euill in themselues the considerations respected in Prayer are good For good things we desire The continuance of what we haue and the bestowing of what wee want And of euill things wee desire their preuention profitable vse and remouall and are answerably thankefull III. As all good
vse of all may bee referred to two heads I. To let vs see why carnall men for we will begin with them are not heard in their prayers It is not possible they should That a man may bee heard at any time these six things must ordinarily concurre I. He must speake II. To some III. His words must bee intelligible IV. His voyce must be audible V. The meane betweene the speaker and the hearer must be indifferent VI. And lastly the hearer must set himselfe to heare as well as the speaker doth to speake These doe not concurre spiritually no not one of them can bee found in the praiers of carnall men I. They speake not For though their lips walke and their mouthes vtter many words yet are none of them true words of praier Because they doe not expresse that spiritual feeling and gracious affection of the heart which is required II. Those superficiall and liuelesse words which they vtter are not spoken to God Because eyther they know him not at all and so make an idoll of him or rather an idoll like him Or knowing how he is reuealed in the Word they cannot apply him to themselues as their God and Father in Christ and otherwise hee is not the obiect of prayer III. Their words are not intelligible Because 1. Either they come not neere themselues and their owne estate as confessing sinne they lay not theirs open desiring mercies they conceiue either not at all or not aright of their owne wants c 2. Or if they doe in termes yet carelesly or sensually in a word neuer ayming at the right ends of any thing IV. Their voyce is not audible wanting the proiectiue power of Faith and Zeale to send it into the Lords eares V. The meane betweene the Lord and a carnall man is not indifferent For looke how wide the East is frō the West so far are they separated yea further For the Lord is infinitely displeased with him VI. Lastly the Lord doth not set himselfe to heare nay hee turneth away his eare and hee will not heare As hee saith by Isaiah h Esa 1.15 When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare Vse 2 II. The other vse of this discourse is to teach vs how to pray Touching which these sixe things are to be considered I. He that would pray must be regenerate Otherwise he hath no accesse to God nor abilitie to call vpon God neither shall he finde acceptance with God II. Labour for an order and method Of which something hath beene spoken before III. For matter we must daily take a suruay of our estate For our confession must bee exercised about either those things wherein the Lord is good vnto vs or about those euils wherinto we haue fallē or whereunto wee are subiect c. And this suruey must bee by the helpe of Conscience IV. For words and termes wee must search the Scriptures and reade the Formes of Prayer set forth to the same purpose And referre them to their proper heads As for example Concerning God in himselfe we finde him thus set forth 1. God i Rom. 16.27 onely wise 2. God k Act. 15.8 which knoweth the harts 3. Whose is euery beast of the forrest l Ps 50.10 and the cattell vpon a thousand hills 4. From whom m Iam. 1.17 commeth euery good gift and euery perfect gift 5. Who onely hath immortality n 1. Tim. 6.16 dwelling in the light which no man can approach vnto which no man hath seene nor can see c. Concerning what he is vnto vs in Christ he is said to be 1. Mercifull and Gracious o Exod. 34.6 long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands c. 2. The God of peace p Rom. 16.20 3. The God of our Lord Iesus Christ q Ephe. 1.17 the Father of glory 4. The Father of our Lord Iesus r 2. Cor. 1.3.4 Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comforts who comforteth vs in all our tribulation 5. God euen our Father ſ 2. The. 2.16 which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace c. Concerning sins they are contained in the Decalogue or tenne Commandements except those against the Euangelicall commandement Repent and beleeue the Gospell and are laid open euery-where in the Scriptures And especially we may finde a multitude of them heaped vp together by inductions in these places Psal 15. 1. Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.19.20.21 Ephes 4.25.26.27.28.29.30.31 Coloss 3.5.8.9 Iam. 3.14 Reu. 22.15 All which or any to know how they concerne vs we must lay them to our liues For the guilt of sinne wee are taught to confesse 1. That we are wretched t Rom. 7.14 2. Yea wretched u Reuel 3.17 and miserable poore blind and naked 3. O my God * Esra 9.6 I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our guiltinesse is growne vppe vnto the heauens c. For the punishment 1. Thou our God x Esra 9.13 hast punished vs lesse then our iniquities deserue 2. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed y Lam. 3. because his compassions faile not 3. The wages z Rom. 6.23 of our sinnes is death c. For pardon 1. Hide thy face from my sinnes a Ps 51.9 and blot out all mine iniquities 2. That he would blot out b Esa 44.22 as a thicke cloud our transgressions and as a cloud our sinnes To goe ouer euery head and at large were too much for so small a Treatise V. We must digest these termes into the order and forme propounded to our selues VI. Then the Spirit putting into them the life of faith maketh a prayer A Three-fold Analysis of the Lords Prayer A three-fold Analysis of the Lords Prayer HAuing Finished this short discourse because the Lords Prayer is both the complete treasury as likewise the absolute patterne of prayer I haue annexed this three-fold Analysis following And First This is common to them all That the prayer consisteth of I. A Preface II. The body of Prayer III. The Conclusion The Preface is contained in these words Our Father which art in Heauen Wherein is prefixed the Obiect of Prayer God described by that which he is I. Relatiuely II. Simply Relatiuely to his Church apprehended in generall Father and applyed particularly Our Simply in himselfe Iehouah that keepeth mercy and couenant and El-shaddai God all-sufficient both being inferred by that hee is said to be in Heauen In the body of the prayer are laid downe I. The Petitions the speciall obiects of our affections II. The Reasons The speciall obiects of our Faith Not the reasons simply but that which may be conceiued of God in them For onely God is faiths obiect And these reasons are three
case is with vs. First we doe confesse how wee doe conceiue of the Lord. O Lord of boasts saith Hezekiah a Esa 37.16 God of Israel that dwellest betweene the Cherubims thou art the God euen thou alone of all the Kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heauen and earth so Gen. 32.9 Psal 51.6 In the second place we doe confesse how the case is with vs. And this consisteth in the confession I. Of our wants viz. I. Sinne as Dauid b Ps 51.4 Against thee thee only haue I sinned II. The inconueniences troubles arising from sin As the same Dauid else-where c Ps 6.2.3 Haue mercy vpon mee O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed my soule is also sore vexed And againe d Ps 25.16.17 Turne thee vnto me and haue mercy vpon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of my heart are inlarged III. How short wee are of what the Lord requireth of vs. Behold saith the Psalmist e Psal 51.5.6.7 I was shapen in iniquitie and in sinne did my mother conceiue mee Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts II. Of Gods goodnesse considered as I. bestowed on vs II. or promised to vs. And both in I. spirituall things As in that thanksgiuing of our Sauiour f Luk. 10.21 I thanke thee O father of heauen and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes euen so father for so it seemed good in thy sight 2. Or in temporall things as Iacob g Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant for with my staffe I passed ouer this Iorden and now I am become two bands This our Confession as I said must be free namely I. In our confession of the Lord shewing 1. A heart disclaiming all other helpes as vaine 2. A resolute setting-vp of the Lord to bee our God sole and all-sufficient 3. A comfortable conceit of his gracious disposition towards vs in his Christ Wherefore we will not hide from our God how the case is with vs. II. In our confession of our wants shewing 1. Our vnfained hatred of sinne which we will in no-wise conceale 2. Our loue of good things for which cause wee will acknowledge our defects 3. Our zeale of Gods glorie euerie way exalting him by all meanes debasing our selues III. In our confession of mercies receiued shewing 1. An acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse to haue the least of them 2. Inabilitie to get them were not our good God so bounteous and free-hearted toward vs. 3. The great neede wee haue of them and consequently the exceeding benefit and sweete that wee haue found by them Insomuch that our soules are filled by reason of them h Psal 63.5 as with marrow and fatnes §. 2. II. The second part of prayer which consisteth in I. Petition 1. Supplicatiō 2. Precation 3. Intercession How intercession is vsed in that 1. to Tim. the 2. The other part is a dealing with God concerning the things confessed in the two latter places And that by way of I. Petition II. Thankesgiuing These strictly accepted are kinds of prayer and not parts Supplicatiō Petition and Intercessiō being seuerall praiers but we vsing them ioyntly I so call them The first is agreeable to our confession of our wants The other to the confession of good things receiued The acknowledgement of God in the first place what he is in himselfe and to vs is the propounding of God and placing him as our obiect and the ground of our dealing with him in both these cases I meane both in petition thanksgiuing Let vs come to the particulars Petition is a calling vpon the name of God as a Father desiring reliefe in respect of our wants And it is subdiuided by the Apostle to Timothie i 1. Tim. 2.1 into three branches I. Supplication II. Precation * Called also Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 III. Intercession Supplicatiō is an humble request vnto God for remission and reconciliation vpon the conscience of that state wherein we stand by reason of sinne Precation is a suite exhibited to the Lord for his good blessings and fauours concerning both soule and body Intercession is vsually taken for a request put vp for others And so indeed it is ordinarily vsed in the Scriptures But it seemeth to be otherwise taken here My reason is because that if this be the proper acception of it in this place giuing it the difference from supplication and precation then they two are to be performed for others respecting onely euery mans owne particular But the Apostle commandeth that supplication and precation be performed for others also In a word hee willeth that all the foure duties be performed for all men Againe Intercession seemeth to bee taken heere for such a dutie as may bee performed of a man for himselfe For the Apostle doth not here command the duties simply but he inlargeth them in respect of the obiect willing that they should performe them not only for themselues and some few others to wit beleeuers but that withall they ought to remember all men and as Persons of most speciall respect Kings and all that are in authoritie To shew briefly then what I thinke I take it to be a dutie to be performed in the case of iudgements and corrections For Intercession is a comming betweene as partie and partie so part and part As to interrupt a man in his speech is intercession And onely in the case of iudgement wee labour to interrupt the Lord stepping with our repētance and humble inuocation betweene his threatnings the accomplishment or betweene the desert of sin iustly prouoking him and the punishment or when hee hath entred into iudgement with vs by holy interpellation betweene the beginning and consummation of his punishments thereby labouring to breake off the course of those proceedings And the Apostles method seemeth to fauour this exposition For hee setteth supplication in the first place which is a dealing with the Lord in the case of forgiuenes c. Then precation whereby we desire blessings whereof daily and hourely wee haue neede And in the last place intercession whereby wee deale with the Lord but now and then The which is in the case of iudgement when the Lord pleaseth to correct §. 3. II. Thanksgiuing The vse of thanksgiuing Reasons to moue vs to the performance of it The other branch in generall to be considered is thankesgiuing added by the Apostle in that former place to Timothie And that it is a part of prayer howsoeuer many make it a distinct thing from prayer as appeareth both in the new Testament and the old In the old in that song of Hannah k 1. Sam. 2.1 where it is said that she prayed and yet as is plaine to be seene it was a song of thanksgiuing