THE GROANES OF THE SPIRIT OR THE TRIALL of the Truth of PRAYER 1 Ioh. 3. 21. 22. Beloved if our hearts condemne us not then have we confidence towards God and whatsoever wee aske we receive of him Cor in thuribulo Oratio pura OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield are to be sold by Iohn Allen in Lecester An Dom. 1639. TO THE NOBLE AND much honoured Company of HIERVSALEM'S ARTILLERY all increase of skill Successe and Valour AS the Saints were not after the flesh so the weapons of their warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to bring downe all the strong holds and mighty imaginations of divels and men plotted cunningly against the Israelites of God yea all the forces of the flesh and the world must faint and fly upon the use of these Armes Of this compleate glorious Armature Prayer is a speciall part yea it is the very evergetical manifestatiō of the pow-of all the rest Jt putteth on all the other parts it keepeth the whole armature close to a man it sanctifieth all the rest to their several uses it guardeth all the rest of the golden furniture from theeves and robbers it daunteth the Divell and the Divels limbs it carrieth the armed Souldier through out all forces and furies as a victorious Conquerour And hence is that saying of the Ancients Supplications and Teares are the Armes of the Saints As the power and excellency of this spirituall peece is unexpressible by tongues of men or Angels so am I the least of all to be called of so high heavenly a faculty but since it hath pleased him that hath mercy on mee to teach mee the use of it though in much weaknesse and to guide mee as a weake pensill in his draught of the truth of it to whom should J then commend it both for the Touch Tuition but to the Military Forces of the new Hierusalem who are experimētally acquainted with this peece of proofe To you then my deare thrice noble Fellow-Souldiers the Trained Band of heaven the Artillery men of the most High I dedicate my selfe and this litle Treatise accompting it my only happinesse if I be but a door-keeper of the Company bear with the feeblenesse of my hands in the unsheathing of this Sword man you it with a holy and undaunted courage and it will maintain you Times call you all to the breach stand close one to another hold fast what yee have and let no man take your Crowne Lay about you with this fiery shaking blade upon all within you without you that oppose Christ his Kingdome Walk worthy of so high a gift make not this good commodity to be ill spoken of part not with your Armes and you shall overcome If these my poor pains may adde any thing to your skil the greatest recōpence I crave is to have a share in your cūning Your fellow-Souldier and Servant in love GEORGE FOXLE TO THE READER AS there was never more sleight in venting bad commodities under false glosses nor never more falsehood in counterfeiting of coine to make it goe currant then in these our daies so never more cheating tricks in the venting of shews and shapes of holy performances under the colour of true and essentiall duties in this selfe-cosening age of ours Instance in this duty of prayer under the shadowes and shew whereof the Divell masketh himself even as an Angell of light All that are of any religion wil seem to pray but a few pray indeed It is an easie thing under the meanes especially of quick wits to drawe a faire picture or dumbe shew of prayer but the Spirit only can make a living prayer As nothing is liker true friendship then flattery so nothing liker Piety then Hypocrisie nothing liker Prayer then painted words but words without quickning power of the Spirit are no prayer at all All that are of any knowledge within the pale of the Church will acknowledge the indigested prayer of the brutish ignorant to be but babling and also the prayers of such as worship a strange God or the true God after a false manner to bee but sin but that a man may have fit wordes a fluent phrase patheticall expressions yet no prayer that seemeth a Paradox but that so it may be I have shewed at large in this Treatise wherein I have endeavoured to cleare by proper and distinct notes the true Being of Prayer from all Semblances of prayer And where the comfort in prayer ariseth from the sense of the spirit in prayer I have delivered as I may the meanes of attaining the sense of the Spirit together with incouragements and motives to goe on in prayer though sense be not present And lastly I give directions how they that want the Spirit of supplication shall labour for it Though my insufficiency in every particular may appeare to an Artist in the faculty yet to Gods glory bee it spoken I have gone along by the light and feeling of some sparkles of the Spirit but with matter of much sorrow for my shallownesse in the duty Take heed then Christian Reader how thou prayest for it is Sathans main imposture to get thy heart to deceiue thee in this duty which is the lock and key of all other duties read and consider impute the failings to me and give God the Glory if any thing pleaseth Yours to use in Christ G. FOXLE THE CONTENTS of this Treatise WHat Prayer is 2 How a man may know when hee prayeth in the Spirit 3 How the sense of the Spirit in Prayer may be attained 4 How a man should hold on in the duty without the sense of the Spirit 5 How they that want the Spirit of Prayer should labour for it THE GROANES OF THE SPIRIT 1. What Prayer is AS there is no evill of sinne nor plague of punishment more feareful dangerous then the Spirit of slumber so there is no better preservation against it and medicine for the cure of it then the Spirit of Prayer The best of Gods people are taken with some dregs of this I sleepe saith the spouse but my heart waketh All had need therefore to be awaked and there is no better meanes to awake us then to hear God speaking to us and to set our selves a talking to God These be the two meanes indeed that abandon all that breake off familiarity with God and keepe and increase acquaintance with God let that counsell of our Saviour ever be with us watch and pray It is the best meanes for watchmen to keepe themselves awake by talking and so rouse their Spirits by conference This Prayer is the best medicine the safest refuge the truest messenger and the most mighty prevailer with God To stirre us up then to so excellent and necessary a duty in so dangerous secure and backsliding time I have made bold to hang out a litle light that they that have erred from the way as who doth not may returne they that are in
as the Apostle saith neglect not or be not carelesse of the gift that is in thee If ever then thou wouldst have comfort from the sense of prayer dig thy selfe out of thine own security dull not neither drowne thy pretious thoughts in cares pleasures worldly joyes or sorrowes be ever bringing the dispersed sparkles of the Spirit together and like a good workmā look well to the fire and then the Lord will not onely take notice of thy prayer as he did of Pauls but hee will also give thy soule to know that it is such a prayer as he taketh notice of so that thou maist cōfidently averre with David I have called upon thee maist urge it with an argument let mee not bee confounded 2 The second Mean of procuring sense is the removing of hinderances as the distemper of the body by intemperancy the distemper of the soule by passion dividing cares or loose and unprofitable company these bee the rubbish of our ruinous disposition that keep us frō the view of the straine of prayer in us These be the ashes that cover the sparkles of the Spirit keep us from the sensible heat of them Away then with these if thou desirest the sense of the vigor of the Spirit First the soule followeth the temperature of the body thou must labour as much as may be for a sound minde in a well tempered body The over-wearied and over-toyled bodies whereunto most men reserve their families and secret duties are unfit to organize the soule or to vent the soul's desires in prayer It is good therefore to ply the duty in health strength of body that hence comfort may arise in time of sicknesse and weaknesse As for the Passions or Perturbatiōs of the mind if they be the symptomes of evill affected bodies the body must be brought in frame but if they bee the more spiritual perturbations or such turbulent commotions as wee call properly the sicknesse of the minde as anguish slavish feare sadnesse the like these being of an aëreall and subtile nature doe trouble and miscarry the temper as the winde doth carry the calmest ayre and smoothest water against the rocks So that for want of smooth waters to move on if you will a well-composed minde the evidence of the Spirit can neither be seen nor heard Therefore these perturbations must be alayed by their opposite Graces as I have shewed not quite taken away with the Stoicks but they must bee so tempered and alaied by grace above the temper of the Platonists that they may be as sinews to the motion of the Spirit whereby evidence may bee furthered and not hindered As for instance an angry or wrathfull disposition is like choler distasting or distempering the rellish of the Spirit or as the unnaturall heat doth wast and consume the naturall active heat that commeth from the heart so the devouring heat of anger eateth up the evidence of the Spirit The minde as one saith must be at peace in it selfe if it look towards God But if the heat of anger be turned into a holy zeal tempered with discretion it will consume that rubbish that lyeth in the way of sense and will be like a coach to carry the evidence or feeling of the Spirit to our Spirit in the time of prayer Secondly And so a habit of dulnesse or pensive heavinesse dulleth flatteth the sense of the spirit in prayer but a well set or moderate mournfulnesse is that sowing in teares which maketh us sensible in prayer to reap in joy Lastly distracting and slavish feare doth weaken the sense of Gods love towards us but a reverent awe of the Majesty of God in prayer will give thy soule assurance that he is thy Father and that by the power of the spirit thou callest him so Thirdly As for the removeall of any reigning sin I have spoke of it before for continuance in that cannot stand with the Spirit of prayer yea I am of that minde that though David lost not the Spirit by his sin it is probable that he prayed not scarce all the time that he lay in his sin A third Mean to attain sense of the Spirit in prayer is in thy disposition to the duty and desire to bee guided by the spirit and not by the flesh blood In thine indisposition or averse disposition it will disswade thee from praying at all and that upon some shew of probable ground as that thou hast not the Spirit thou canst not pray God will not entertain it If any bee by thou maist shame thy self and bewray thee to bee a man of no gifts So thou hadst best let it alone till thou be fitted God will accept of thy good intention and better not pray at all then not to pray excellently But these the like be sophisticall suggestions whereunto if thou hearknest thou neglectest thy duty thou weaknest thy prayer by thy neglect thou disacquaintest thy selfe with God thou bewraiest a doting on thine own ability thou interceptest Gods opportunity of manifesting his strength in thy weaknesse thou givest advantage to Sathan thou indangerest the very habit of prayer as much as in thee lyeth for from frequency of neglect thou maist derelinquish the duty or bring it to a bare presumptory performance Lastly there is nothing that weakneth depriveth and opposeth sense more then this for as a sedentary life or sleeping after meat bringeth a fat cold body to a Palsie or Lethargie wherein sense and motion is often weakned or deprived so the neglect of duty may indanger sense to a mans dying day Therefore if thou canst not pray as thou wouldest or as thou shouldst pray yet as thou canst God may bee there and thou not aware of it and when thou art least able thou art most able when thou art most humble thou art fittest for sense take this as the direction of the Spirit in many places besides the practice of the Saints Pray alwaies Continue in prayer Watch and pray alwaies The meaning of which places wee must not mistake after the example of Euchytes the Psallian that we must doe nothing but pray for many evills would then arise but that upon all occasions wee should have something to say to God especially as both ancient and modern observe at the stinted times of duty which though wee change yet we must not neglect or omit whether private or secret In a word that of the Apostle in another case though often by sin abused will serve well here Be instant in season and out of season that is whether it please or please not So whether thou art disposed or not disposed goe to and doe it the Lord hath bidden thee The fourth Meane in Prayer to obtaine sence is the labouring in Prayer to bring home Christ sensibly to the soule This is the Spouses desire I would lead thee I would bring thee into my mothers house And thus she doth indeed I held him and would not
peremptorily condemneth but this sacred fire of fervency cleareth the clouds of the understanding so that the formes of divine motions are more quickly and purely framed in the passive faculty thereof and are more soundly and judicially wrought on by the active faculty so the fire be compact so that you see this fire is of a heavenly operation and from heaven well may it bee compared with that divine fire which came out from before Iehovah and consumed the burnt offering upon the Altar But the strange fire in the seeming zealous hypocrite is nothing like for first it is but a supernaturall cōmon gift of the spirit at the most againe it is rather an inflāmation of the brain arising from the rapture of some vainglorious conceipt deceiving the heart and running all along like a devouring wild-fire rather I say then any true fire warming and quickning the life of supplication Secondly this true celestiall fire hath no fuell but the spirit but the strange fire hath either private injury or publike applause for the fuell Thirdly this true fire hath for the end or object Gods glory and the salvation of those that are heated with it cōsuming every thing that stands in the way of either of these The spouse speaking of the nature of this zeale telleth us that the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame Of this David saith the zeale of thy house hath eaten me up and in another place my zeale hath consumed me or suppresseth me because mine enimies have forgotten thy words But counterfeit zeale in prayer hath for its end or object the ravishing of mens conceipts the glory of applause the gaining of some worldly commodity so far as the sun shine of Gods glory is adored by the times and state so much will hypocrisie seem to advance it like cloudes they will follow the Sun and seem to carry Gods glory right on before them but when the current crosseth it they goe no further with it but like a running hound they cast up and with an open mouth they run another way Fourthly this true fire though it set all on fire within and without and turneth all that it toucheth into the nature of fire carrying all upward with it according to the proportiō of fire yet it humbleth the soul exceedingly and maketh it vile in its own eyes for by this true fervency the stubble and rubbish of mens corruptions and interposition being removed and consumed Gods excellēcy mans meanes Gods mercy and mans misery the more appeareth which be the meanes and motives of mans humiliatiō But with the strange fire-workmen it is not so for as Cookes by unnaturall heat of the fire extinguishing the naturall heat and exhausting the radicall moisture and by excesse of drinking become hydropicks so these are puffed up with a swelling conceipt of themselves by the unnaturall or adventitious heat of this strange fire crying in effect with Iehu come with me and see my zeale for the Lord yea if these counterfeits of true zeal be not admired they are all off the hinges they count their charges and paines to be lost Their zeale is like to the vertues of the Heathens from which if you separate as one saith the splendor of glory vertue it selfe will goe bitter to them So take from the zeal of seeming zealous Hypocrites the swelling cloud of puffing up applause their fervency falleth presently into an atrophie or pining away under abūdance of means so that their pride not maintained with applause either like a handfull of gun-powder carrieth fire and fuell and all that lieth in the way out of the chimney top or like a dropsie by peecemeale it consumeth the naturall heat and drinketh up the radicall moisture But the heat of the truly zealous is like the harth of the Altar hallowed by humility for the receit of Gods fire and for the keeping and increasing of the heat thereof Fiftly and lastly the true fire of fervency is never extinguished it is for divers causes more intense or remisse higher or lower in the best of Gods children yea the sparkles may lye very low overlaid with ashes notwithstanding it is true fire though it be never so litle or never so weake in nature alwaies like the fire upon the Altar which burneth continually and shall not bee put out to the which the spirit affordeth the fuell stirring blowing it up for the consuming of the sacrifice But the strange fire is but a flash quickly out and unorderly kindled like a fit of an Ephemera or diary feaver and is as quickly extinguished either by the oyle of prosperity or by the water of adversity yea like a rotten sulphurous fiery squib it cracks and flashes stinks and dieth Let every soule examine its own fervency in prayer by the particulars by which examination if they can finde in the least measure these notes of fervency they may assure themselves to their exceeding great comfort that they can pray in the holy Ghost But some distressed soule will say they can finde no life of fervency in their prayers they are takē in the duty with syncopes or many fainting and sounding fits of the heart many a cold sweat goeth over them they are taken with many Lethargies of the understanding mad melancholy aberiations in the imagination much forgetfulnesse in the memory yea with a cold astonishing stupefaction of the whole man what fire of the Spirit can be here Surely say they none at all Conclude not so for true fire may be raked up in the ashes of neglect or distemper though it doe not appeare Againe the sence and sorrow of and for the overswaying suppressmēts must needs arise from the light and heat of true fire be it never so weake or litle for the common gifts and most glorious excellency in counterfeit Prayer cannot truly and ingeniously discover an essentiall defect in Prayer Againe the sparkles of life that the most distressed and daunted of Gods people finde in Prayer now and then make the strongest kind of demonstration that the Fire of Gods Spirit inlivens their Prayer For where there is action there is life and where is life there is heat for life consisteth in heat As the Spirit of faith in the Disciples was very weake when they counted the relation of the Resurrection but as an idle tale so that they would not believe it yet the Spirit of faith was not extinguished witnesse the burning of their hearts within them while he talked with them in the way to Emaus which arose from the quickning of the Spirit which lay as it were quenched in them even so the fervency of the Spirit of Prayer may seeme to be quenched yet the flames bursting out now and then in sighs and Groanes that cannot be expressed argueth heavenly fire to inspire thy Prayer howsoever thou wilt not be perswaded of it Lastly observe thy earnest desire
fooled and ashamed Christian by relying too much upon subordinate means recalleth his wits chideth himself for his foolery resolves for ever to make more accompt of Prayer then all meanes that the whole world can afford him And thrice happy were the people of God at this time if wee could now at length fall upon the second and sounder thoughts for wofull experience hath taught how our more relying upon other meanes than Prayer hath made God's Inheritance every where a prey to the enemy When the troubles first began wee took them to heart wee began togather our forces together and importune God but God denying his eare it may be not only for the faults of our persons and Prayers but also to try our perseverance we quickly give over leaving the cause and the persons as buried in oblivion caring litle or nothing what become of them or our selves It is no evidence of the Spirit to begin to run and to break off in the mid way Naturall motions are the swifter the nigher they come to their end Is not Prayer as powerfull as ever it was to prevaile with God Have wee not to doe with the same God that heareth Prayer Desireth he not to heare the voice of his own as much as ever he did Are not suppliants now the men of his desire Hateth hee not his enemies as much as ever he did Have wee not the same command the same promise And shall it not find the same entertainment Yes verily What is the cause then the Lord is so farre from us Even because wee are so farre from him we follow not to the mark wee turne backe in the day of battaile wee endeavour not by wrestling to stay the Lord and not to let him goe til he give us a blessing And how should the Lord be intreated of us We are like to Iohas King of Israel in our Prayers who smote the ground as the man of God cōmanded with his arrowes but not often enough therefore the man of God was wroth with him for if hee had smitten often enough he should have smitten the Assyrians till he had consumed them So had wee followed the businesse in the power of the Spirit smitten often enough wee should have smitten the Babylonians til we had consumed them but wee have not done it therefore they prevaile The breaking off of Prayer and the negligent performance of it is a fearfull evidence that God wil never honour us with being the means of their deliverance But to leave them in the pit for there they are like to be for us what shall wee say of our selves or what shall wee doe for our selves Wee look indeed for peace as the Prophet saith and for a time of health and behold trouble And to use Moses his words Is not the day of our calamity neere And doe not the things that are threatned make hast And what remedy namely this to cry mightily to God by continuance in Prayers Iohas though a wicked man knew reasonable well the worth of Prayer when he gave the Prophet this testimony on his death-bed weeping bitterly that hee should depart O my Father the Charriots and horse-men of Israel By which speech what other meant the King then that the Prophet and his Prayers were of more worth for the good of the state then all the forces of the Kingdome One of the Learned telleth us that the sincere Prayers of an old weak godly woman will prevaile more with God for helpe from heaven against the enemy then thousands of armed Souldiers in the field But with woe and griefe of soule we may say where be the men that stand up in the gappe to turne away the wrath Who with Moses offereth that violence to God that God should say to him let me alone Who will stay by the Lord as he did and will not off nor goe one foote till hee have the Lord to goe with us O how that complaint of the Prophet may pierce us to the very heart There is none that calleth upon thy Name nor stirreth up himselfe to take hold on thee And what followeth even that which partly is upon us and partly like to come upon the Thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities Who is it now with the Spouse in the Canticles that laieth hold upon Christ till hee have brought him into his Mothers house Whereby is meant both the Heart and the Church which is the house of God For there indeed is Gods dwelling Let us awake then since now is the trouble some time and draw nigh to God yea let us stay our selves upon the Tower and stand upon the watch to see what the Lord will say unto us Though he be angry with our Prayers let us not give over but let us pray continually not returning againe to folly and wee may be sure it shall goe well with us in the day of tryall Another Evidence of the Spirit on Prayer is a due respect had to the Matter and Order of Prayer As to the former when they pray for nothing but that which is pleasing to God We know not indeed of our selves what to pray for nor how to pray but the Spirit teacheth us in both against that old and new Pelagian Heresie of mans abilility in both duties the Spirit teacheth us to aske that and nothing but that which is agreeable to his Will for that hath the promise and confidence in the promises annexed unto it And this is the confidence that we have in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth us So that the Will of God must be the Rule and Square of our Prayers God gave Salomon his choice to ask what hee would yet Salomon knew very well as appeareth by his choice that that was included according to will So that place in Matthew is to be understood Aske and it shall be given you c. For wee must take heed as it there followeth that instead of bread wee aske not stones nor a Scorpion instead of fish that is hurtfull and not lawful things instead of usefull and lawful The man destitute of the Spirit of God asketh ever amisse as S. Iames saith either for quantity or quality or for ill ends hee asketh there that which is naught in it selfe or if it be good it is not fit for him or if it might be fit for him if hee were such as he should be yet hee is not fitted for it because he is not such as he should be I must confesse upon wofull experience that the Children of God in their Lunatick fits fall often foul upō these shelves or sandes As for asking things unlawfull the Dilciples would have fire from heaven Zebedees sons would sit on the right hand and on the left of Christ David would have the wings of a Dove that he might
humbled for their neglect The third evidence that we pray by the Spirit is a sensibility of our owne inability As the Spirit helpeth our infirmities so it discovereth the infirmity of the understanding the will the memory the affections yea the Spirit discovereth all indisposition sloathfulnesse impatiency inconstancy and too much making hast flesh and blood cannot discover these Indeed flesh blood will discover want of readinesse or of an outward frame of words or for want of some supernaturall heate to inliven the outward action which the hypocrite may take for the true heate of the Spirit but the want of that coelestiall heate or true quickning motion of the Spirit it neither discovereth nor bewaileth But the godly out of knowledge of these infirmities are exceeding humbled whereupon there is roome made for the Spirit to rest in for repairing of those ruines yea the child of God by the knowledg of these his wants commeth to speed best when in his owne conceipt he prayeth worst yea when he can say nothing with Moses and is to himselfe as it were breathlesse and speechlesse yet out of the sensibility of his prolixity he cryeth hardest of all and God is nighest to him when he conceiveth him to be farthest off If then thou findest or feelest not in Prayer that comfort that thy heart desireth be not discouraged but rather comfort thy selfe upon the feeling of thy wants and humiliation for them because it is a worke of the Spirit goe on then and rather then thou pray not at all cast thy selfe before the Lord look up to heaven if thou canst but cry like a litle child cease not till thou make the Echo of the Rock to resound The fourth evidence of the guidance of the Spirit is a sensible helping of us in some measure against the aforesaid infirmities of Vnderstanding Will Memory and Affections The Spirit helpeth our infirmities It teacheth for what and how to pray It strengthneth memory with motives out of the which the understanding frameth arguments as judgments mercies precepts promises renuednesse ranking every one in his due place and causing the soule to pick some good out of of every one of them So the Spirit bringeth the wil in Praier contrary to its disposition to be subject to the Will of God and to make choice of that which God willeth as the very best in this our Saviour Christ is a perfect patterne in his heavy and dreadfull conflict saying often and againe Not as I will but as thou wilt Father The Spirit doth not only correct and change the aversenesse and deadnesse of the affections as feare love joy and sorrow but it sets them on with a high and heavenly temper upon their proper objects As that the soule in Prayer should love nothing in comparison of God and his countenance hate nothing so much no not the Divell or Hell it selfe as his owne sinne grieve at nothing so much as the grieving of God fear nothing as the God of his feare Lastly the Spirit helpeth the stupidity and benummednesse of the conscience making it tender and pliable and also impartiall in the applying home of the particulars to the present seate of the soule which is the proper function of the conscience As for instance it either excuseth by application of mercy the fruit whereof is present peace or accuseth by application of Iudgment the present fruit whereof is trouble and terror yet it bringeth forth and begetteth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse for upon the judging of our selves by the afflicting of our selves God ceaseth to judge us Try then what helpe thou findest of the Spirit in strengthning thy weaknesse in the seeking of his face for assuredly wee all find the lesse helpe for want of this triall But some will say wee find no helpe at all Our understanding is darker our memories weaker our wills more perverse our affections deader our consciences heavier then ever they were I answer first there may be a neglect of the triall of the performance by the severall notes and also such a carelessenesse to walke by the rule of Prayer that the duty is fallen into a custome so that because we look not to take the Spirit along with us and cast not our selves and the duty upon the helpe of it we come to want the helpe thereof when we would because we looked not for it when we should Againe it may be answered for some that sence is no true Iudge For as some may conceive of help from the Spirit that never had any and conceipt of sound and well ordered parts in Prayer that have nothing but rottennesse in their inward parts for all their painted oratory glozing words so some may be unsensible of the aforesaid helpe for some mistakings or some disorder in the course yea by Gods hiding his presence of sence and yet he helped mightily by God which may be instanced and proved by these two particulars First the sence of those infirmities in Prayer is the worke and evidence of a praying Spirit Secondly the going on with sighes and groanes under the burden of these infirmities is word for word to take us up as it were by the hand and to goe with us against our infirmities If the spirit in these two be with us it is not want of sense that can nullifie his presence Elisha's servant while his eies were shut could not see the armies of the Lord but his eyes being open he saw clearely that there were more with him then against him So let the soule of such goe on and wait upon the Lord without censuring the Lords work for want of feeling and let them for their better stay view and try all the points of the evidence for if one hold all the rest will in some measure make for them Yea but others will say they are so farre from help against their infirmities that the infirmities of earthly and idle thoughts doe strive into the very duty whereby the worke of the Spirit for the time is quenched the soul beaten off and the heart stoln away For answer I must confesse it is a shrewd incounter and a dangerous infirmity arising out of the loosenesse of the heart the atheisme of the mind the deadnesse of the conscience the corruption of the memory and earthly condition of the affections whereby wee let slip forget with whom we have to deale and what we have to doe Here is want of devotion want of attention It is mad folly saith one to thy selfe great iniury to another when thou wilt neither attend him nor look to thy selfe yet for all this it is no other temptation but such as may and doth overtake the children of God but with this difference from that vagrancy in the hearts of the unregenerate men be they never so smooth First the same spirit whose worke for a time recoileth at length like a great sole conquering
of fervency striving endeavour to goe on though thou feelest but litle or no comfort these be true flames of the Spirit which were never kindled in the least measure in the breast of any Hypocrite will an Hypocrite with all his painted flames hold out No they will murmure if God heare them not but the godly will trust in him though hee slay them Let every one then stirre up the gift that is in him whatsoever it be and the Lord will be with us ere we be aware The sixt evidence of the Spirit of Prayer is that godly traine of all-saving graces garding it strengthning it and attending upon it Hee that can doe an errand to God is destitute of no gift as Paul saith of the Corinthians that Embassie is guarded with all the graces of God in some measure as first it ariseth from that impregnable pallace of faith which ascendeth like a Cloud with Prayer in it never ceasing but still increasing the motion till it come to heaven In and from this Pallace Prayer is armed with an irresistible violence and commeth forth like a valiant Champion beating all down-right before it that standeth between God it Innumerable instances of this in Gods servants put that immediate principle of the Spirit out of all Question Whatsoever yee shall aske in Prayer believing yee shall receive David and all the Saints make ever this foundation of their Prayer Vnto thee will I pray Iehovah thou shalt heare my voice Secondly as Prayer is grounded from faith so it is under-propped by Hope I will looke unto the Lord saith Micha and I will waite for the God of my Salvation My God will heare me This place expresseth also the Christian patience wherewith the Prayer of the Saints is seasoned and also that perseverance whereby the Charriot of faith is drawne These set the soule upon the watch-Tower as Habacuk speaketh and maketh her waite and hearken what the Lord will answer David's Praier in his distresse was thus qualified I will looke out saith the Prophet Further Prayer made in the Spirit is attended with Preparation Opportunity and Diligence Preparation maketh ready the Charriot of faith awaketh Prayer attireth it with a holy disposition of heavenly position Opportunity as a guide taketh it the nighest way and Diligence as the driver of the Charriot driveth more nimbly then Iehu the sonne of Nimshi All these attend David's Prayer I will direct my Prayer unto thee or I will orderly addresse unto thee there is his Preparation In or at the morning that is early there is his opportunity I will looke out or else espy there is his diligence or I will pray that is still doe pray and cease not Try then or let thy Prayer be tried by these clouds of witnesses whether it be of the spirit or no for the Prayer of the Hypocrite hath none of these witnesses or attendants as it is said of faithlesse hearers that the Word heard did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith They may make a faire shew in seeming to lay hold on God deceiving others their own hearts they will leane upon the Lord saith the Prophet and say is not the Lord among us c. But they build upon the sand and hence are their ruines neither is their hope any better then Hypocrites hope which shall perish as for their patience wherwith their Prayer should be seasoned If God attend not their pleasure in answering of their desires it is quickly turned into murmuring In this they are like that gracelesse servant of that godlesse King because this evill is of the Lord why should I waite for the Lord any longer As for the attendants of Prayer namely Preparation Opportunity and Diligence the Hypocrite is not acquainted with them the counterfeit shews or shadowes of these he may have but the things themselves in the true nature of them he neither hath nor desireth to have The Hypocrite rusheth into Gods presence without premeditation of Gods most glorious presence and without consideration of his own vilenesse and unworthinesse to speake to so glorious and great a God His best Preparation is but a vizard of Prepation or outward shew of seeming holinesse in the position of the body Their best opportunity is base and by respect and their diligence carrieth the duty no further then customary performance or so farre as it is in request with the times So never an Hypocrite you see can be an Embassadour to God for he wanteth both the Commission of the Spirit and that traine of attendants that doe accompany the Commission It is no-wonder then that their Prayer be converted into sinne for they are Traytors to God in taking upon them his Embassie without his Cōmission Let them pray then that can pray yea it standeth us all upon to looke to it whether we pray or prate or bable For Lord Lord a multitude of faire words and faire shewes will not serve An Embassadour with a gilded coach of temporary faith will not serve the turne yea though it were full of miracles attended with a many imbrodered Lackeyes of smooth words courtly complements and eare-pleasing musick shall never have admittance to God nor audience of God look to it then that thou be an Embassadour indeed that thou hast thy Commission sealed and art sent by the Spirit and that thy traine be such as may be heartily welcome to God and make thee welcome In the first place make triall of thy faith and that by the inward acts of purifying the heart uniting it to God by victory over temptations casting thy selfe upon the Lord by contentment of thine estate also by the extensive worke of love first to God for himselfe then to thy neighbour in him and for him The heart so purified by faith is a fit lymbeck for Prayer Out of this the Prophet David was bold to presse his Prayer upon God Hearken to my Prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips or without lips of deceipt by which is meant the syncerity of the heart agreeing with the words of the mouth Nothing so much adorneth the heart as faith nothing commendeth faith more then Prayer and nothing graceth Prayer more then syncerity This with the proud Pharisee all Hypocrites want drawing nigh God with their mouth and honouring him with their lips but their hearts be far from him or as the Psalmist they flatter or flatteringly allured him with their mouth with their tongue lied to him for their heart was not right with him or not firmly prepared with him And this especially maketh the Praier of the Hypocrites of an evill savour in Gods Nostrills for as he is the hearer of the heart as one saith and not of the voice so he loveth the syncerity of the heart and hateth the hollownesse and rottennesse thereof in Prayer above all things because they