knows not how or what to pray for as he ought God puts words into his mouth and these would freeze there and never vent did he not by the same influence of some heart-heating affections prevail to thaw the tap In a word a Christian hath not a spark of this fire on his own hearth except some that is strange fire which will not serve the turn he must fetch it from Heaven continually Thirdly By a continual supposal that the present opportunity may be the last how earnest would you pray how fervent would you be were you to dye presently provided this be in earnest settled on a grounded knowledge of your mortality the uncertainty of the last hour else this also will degenerate into formality Fourthly By weighing the causes moving unto and requiring this fervency as fear of Gods displeasure of the curse of the sentence of death and of Hell following Want of Gods image and love of Christ and his grace imminent judgments hanging over our heads ready to fall every moment with some hope of speeding in our requests knowing who hath said Ye shall reap if you faint not Fifthly By a true love unto that we pray for Strong affections cause fervent prayers True love makes weak things strong it is as an addition of fire to the flame It was love to God that made Moses so fervent Mary Magdalen so earnest It hath a constraining vertue it made the dumb son to speak Love if true will make a man do that 's beâ—ond his power as the Corinthians when they were poor in estate yet were rich in liberality Christ loving Lazarus well wept and groaned in spirit when he prayed for him and so did David for his son Where affection is wanting there will be cold praying we see it in sutors among men Sixthly By a proposal of some moving presidents as of a poor man that comes to your door for an alms hear how he cries with hands and eyes lift up he multiplieth and continueth Petitions For the Lords sake for Christs sake some relief Of one naked and almost starved see and behold he will have no denial Or of a condemned prisoner at the bar his knees are bowed to the ground as if his heart would touch the Judges feet his hands elevated his looks ruful his eyes full of distilling tears his words earnest and constant Mercy O Merciful Judge save or I perish Set these patterns before you and make their case your own Be earnest the matter is weighty you must either speed there or no where now or never I shall apply this in a few things Use 1 First The Use may serve to condemn as the society of Rome requiring and resting in the work done whether mighty or weak hot or cold they enquire not so the number and tale be up So too many among our selves that content themselves with a cold and carelesse form of praying a bedulling strain like the pace the Spaniard is said to ride Let us take a character of them First Such as are destitute of spiritual life and heat who have no grounded hope in any promise of speeding How should they pray lively that want life When life goeth out of the body it groweth cold and so where the life of grace is not all is cold no vigour no zeal in the discharge of duty The dead do not praise thee neither can they pray unto thee O Lord Secondly They are meerly formal in Prayer who say or repeat Prayers often but without any zeal or serious bent of minde to the passages thereof as if they cared not whether they were heard or no. Negare docent qui frigide rogant Such persons do far rather suggest a denial then move pitty it was hinted before Thirdly All they who are wholly taken up with self-seeking and variety of distracting employments so that they spend most of their strength about the perishing comforts of this life such are the malicious envious covetous and voluptuous men and women Moses was fervent in Prayer hot in the cause of God but in his own the meekest man on earth his heat was not spent for himself it was reserved for God Therefore our Saviour checks his Disciples when they would pray down fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans telling them they knew not what spirit they were of In our own businesse and wrongs our heat should be hid and as it were wrapt up in the embers but when Gods honour is endangered or obscured then should our fire break forth nay it will if we have any as Cyril sometimes advised Theodosius Fourthly They are cold in prayer who are oppressed with corruption or are carried away with the violent streams of worldly cares for the present they are all choaking and quenching as water abateth the heat of the fire or else lie under desertion or a divine restraint as Jeremiah was often forbid if not disabled to pray in some cases and for some people Fifthly They that are not in charity with their neighbours Love â—s the bond of perfection and the heat of the soul no love no heat so much want of heat as is want of love Forgive and it shall be forgiven Confesse your fâ—ults one to another and pray one for another James 5.16 Be reconciled then come and offer Matth. 5.24 God will not appear to Abraham till Lot and he be agreed Jacob being reconciled to hiâ— brother first builds an Altar Prayer offer'd up with uncharitable hands though otherwise most excellently accomplished is but as sounding brasse and a tinkling Cymball Secondly The Use serves to advise Use 2 excite and quicken you When you pray do it with all your might Water runs most swiftly and strongly when it swells over its own banks and is mounted above its chanel so will our souls move and apprehend with most strength when they are lifted on high and tend to God Be not like the glow-worm fervent in appearance onely take you heed of Jehu's countenance full of flushing heat and Nabals heart as cold as the stone Bid defiance to Laodicean luke-warmnesse Remember the sweet perfumes under the Law were burnt before they ascended Hoc agite Attend on your selves when you call upon God to attend you lest frequency diminish fervour which should encrease it and custome take away the sense When you are to go with a Petition to Christ to be presented to the Father First Let the minde be withdrawn from all prevalency of lust though from the presence it cannot Of worldly employments say as Abraham to his servant with the asses Stay here while we go yonder and worship These Birds would rob Abraham of his Sacrifice Call in and concenter your thoughts as men do the Sun-beams into a burning glasse Have your hearts at your right hand with Solomons wise man or else be sure of this that which is upmost will be out ever and anon distracting dragging downward and cooling your prayers Secondly Be well verst with that Divine Rhetorick in the
repent yet sin again A. 1. A truly gracious soul though it sin yet it makes no league oâ— peace with sin but keeps the war on fooâ— still As Hannibal took an Oath to his father to maintain perpetual hostility with Rome So have gracious souls covenanted with â—od to wage a perpetual war with sin though it sometime receives a foil and losse yet thereby it is more enraged against the adversary Carnal counterfeit persons once foiled seldome come on again but the true penitent riseth and fights most valiantly doubles his guard after unwarinesse strengthens the battle after a blow laying on more strongly after sin hath been too hard as we see in Peter and Paul and many other Scripture-examples 2. True grace gets advantage by the stirring and sometimes prevailing power of sin which meer nature cannot do it alwaies loseth the heart is made worse sin loved holinesse loathed some degrees more and security surpriseth the soul When as in gracious hearts every thing falleth out otherwise the heart is made better sin more loathed holinesse prized some degrees more the soul strengthned like the Giant Anteus who in his wrestling with Hercules is seigned to get strength by every fall to the ground The Third Grace required to be acted in prayer is humility which may serve as the pins of Jacobs Ladder whereby the soul climbeth up to Heâ—ven He that would leap highest must stoop lowest God exalteth the humble whilst he resisteth the proud and sends them empty away As men use to lay up the richest wine in the lowest Ceâ—lars so doth God the choicest mercies in humble and lowly hearts Christ when he was upon the earth did most for those that were humble and so continues to do The truly humble soul is Gods second Heaven I will dwell with the contâ—â—â—e spirit The Valleys shall laugh with satnesse when the Hills are barren And this Grace may be discerned thus First By a grateful disposition for former favours Of old a peâ—ce-offering was appointed to be joineâ— with the trespasse-offering to teach the Church ever to join praise with prayer But the proud heart hath never enough is ever unthankful Secondly By a mean and low conceit of your selves and your own unworthinesse before God Like that of Abraham Gen. 18.27 that am but dust and ashes or of David â—o foolish was I as a beast before thee and Agur Prov. 30.2 I am more brutish then any man or as that Martyr who cried out Gehenna sum Domine c. Lord thou art Heaven but I am as bad as Hell Tantillitas nostra said Ignatius of himself and his Colleagues the humble man like Paul doth not elevate but aggravate his sins against himself vails all the top-sails and sits down in the dust Job 42.6 Mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhorre my self in dust and ashes when he had a glorious apparition of God he vanished into nothing in his own thoughts The stars vanish when the Sun appears and our poor Candle vanisheth into a disappearance when the glory of God ariseth in the thoughts of the humble Thirdly By this when heavenly Objects appear in our eye great and beautiful more and more As in David Psal 4.6 who preferred Gods favour to all things and in Paul Phil. 3.8 who counted all things but dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ He undervalues a whole sky full of stars to one Sun of Righteousnesse And as holy Lambert None but Christ none but Christ To them that believe he is precious they can see those beauties and excellencieâ— in him that are not discovered to others To unbelievers heavenly objects are as orient pearls in an heap of sand and a Mine of gold covered over with rubbish and earth Fourthly By meeknesse and readinesse to yield in all your own causes but resolutenesse in the cause oâ— God in behalf of his truth Moses one of the meekest men on earth yet who more hot and zealous in the service of God The three children Dan. 3.16 are well resolved in the like case and will not suffer truth to fall for them Luther regards not himself nor the rich presents but is eaten up with the zeal of Gods house Fifthly By a patient waiting upon God till the time appointed He that believeth will not make hast to step aside through indirect means to obtain what is prayed for or promised not sorcery charms witchcraft to finde things lost to obtain health or grow rich who art thou that fearest God and obeyest the voice of his servants and yet walkest in darknesse wait upon God and stay thy self on the Lord. We reâ—d of Zachary that he prayed for a childe heretofore while there was any ordinary ground of hope but after as it is probable left off that suit but not waiting what God would do for him and he had his request at last Prayers are often granted long before manifested Thus must grace be exercised in acceptable prayer it is the Palaestra the Arena the Artillary-yard of all our graces in which they must shew their activity And thus much may suffice for the discovery of the Conditions required in prayer In the last place we come to the Motives not to the reading or repeating saying over of prayers onely not to a cold carelesse performance of this duty at all but to fervent praying this is praying with power whereof that passage is fitly verified and rightly to be understood Acts 9.11 Behold he prayeth Saul struck to the ground remained three days without sight and did neither eat nor drink but behold he prayeth i. e. with all his might as one that taketh no denial To pray fervently is the point in hand first undertaken and hitherto prosecured And to this there are seveâ—all Motives and they may be taken â—irst From the Lord to whom we must pray Secondly From men Thirdly â—rom prayer it self First From the Lord and then you may take into consideration such Motives as these 1. He commands that you should pray to him as you love him i. e. strongly vehemently and constantly My son give me thy heaâ— It is a special part of Divine worship and if you make conscience of any duty you will of this especially Hos 14.2.2 He delights in earnest and zealous prayers and petitioners God is not a man who may be tired with uncessant suits and frequent visits Prov. 25.17 as was the unjust Judge and the Disciples with the poor womans cries repeating the same request over and over Such were Moses and David highly commended of God for their skill art in praying one the meekest man on earth thâ— other a man after Gods own heart and he can deny them nothing provided they referre the time and measure to him As men take delight in the deep-mouâ—h'd hound and the shrill sound of the Trumpet and the loud report of the Piecâ— so doth God take delight in the fervent reports of his people 3. He is ready to return answer
paying her life for it though for her Nero. We cannot lay out too much strength in obtaining objects of so great worth Fifthly There are many and prodigious sins cry aloud to God in your own breasts families place and Country yeâ— Nation wherein you live we are like the land of Egypt which though it bring forth multa salubria yet withall it brings forth plurima venena in our Garden are many pleasant Flowers but withal more poisonful unsavoury weeds if we look within or without almost all things are to be sound as the Physitians facies hypocratica of a dying man very gastly and tantum non deadly the whole head is sick sin cryes aloud and if you be not earnest indeed will out-cry your prayers Sixthly By this means we declare at what rate we value Gods savour and mercies A fervent request doth advance the person and thing petitioned for It is an argument we disesteem and undervalue the blessing that we think may be obtained by slender petiâ—â—ns as if the purchase we were about would not quit the cost nor be worth the pains that is required for it When Callidius the Roman Oratour pleaded a cause but faintly and expâ—essed little or no affection Tully told him that sure he was not in earnest otherwise the tide of affection would have been up in like manner it is an argument we reckon not much the blessing when we are faint in our pursuits after it Seventhly Fervent prayer is best and most effectual like an arrow shot with full strength and a ship carryed on with full sails Powder and shot in the Musquet will do no execution unlesse the Souldier gives fire well Prayers without fervency are but as powder and shot without fire they will never go off so as to reach Heaven or our wants Of all elements that of fire is neerest Heaven and the more fire in any thing the higher it ascends Heaven-ward cold and sluggish prayers have so much earth in them that like the Grashopper if they mount a little upward they are presently down again fall short of Heaven Of all warlike Engins your Granadoes and Fire-works are of most force and of all prayers those that have most fervency are most effectual Lastly The Lord will have you to be fervent First To the end you may so much the more anger and astonish the Devil who is eaten up with envy to see God so much honoured the inward heat and voice of the heart he cannot hear divine at it he may but outward expressions he doth note and observe Secondly To give good example to the Church who are much moved and stirred up by prayer especially if it be fervent as in the body of an Army concurrent shoutings of Souldiers do as it were infuse mutually spirits into one another Thirdly To bring the heart into a better temper which is enlarged and made more capable of spiritual blessings by this fervency A zealous petitioner is but preparing and enlarging his rooms to store up the return of his holy adventures Thus you may answer the question of the rich man What shall I do because I have no room to bestow my fruit A manifest sign they were never gotten by prayer it makes room before the blessing comes he that is much in fervent prayer shall never be brought into such a streight of vexing cares And thus you have the third Quere dispatched and it shall now suffice onely a little to clear your judgments and help you in practice by some presidents I refer you to Moses Exod. 32.11 12 13. he doth as it were put God to it to free himself as if Moses his Devotion were stronger then Gods indignation To Joshuah c. 7. v. 6 7 8 9. he rent his cloaths fell to the earth on his face before the Ark of the Lord c. there is fervency in the very manner and so in the matter of his prayer Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought this great people over Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites What shall I say when Israel turneth their back before the enemy What wilt thou do unto thy great Name To David in most of his Psalms To Ezra c. 9.56 O Lord God of Heaven the great and terrible God c. Let thine ear now be attentive and thine eyes open that thou maist hear the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee day and night And to Daniel c. 9. v. 3 4. He set his face to seek the Lord by supplication and prayer with fasting sackcloth and ashes saying O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping Covenant and Mercy c. we have sinned and committed iniquity and have done wickedly c. as you may farther read I come to a fourth Quere viz. Qu. 4 Fourthly How may a man keep his heart in this height of heavenly fervour and that constantly for sometime it is so Ans I answer First By soundnesse and depth of spiritual union between Christ and the soul who is the Fountain of spiritual life and heat as the Sun is the Fountain of all life and heat to sublunary things as also between you and the members of Christ where you live they pray most fervently that love most entirely therefore S. Pâ—ter adviseth men and their wives to live lovingly together lest their prayers should be hindred How much enmity and strangenesse do hinder prayers the common enemy of mankind knoweth well enough he is busie in sowing cares and glad to see men divided for then they cannot use this spiritual weapon against him nor weild this instrument one of the chiefest Engines to batter down the gates of Hell To make much of those that are godly is a ready way by allurement to make others good let this band be strong and your prayers cannot be weak Secondly By dependance on the strength of God and not upon your own abilities or graces this is to fetch fire from Heaven because no sacrifice must be offered up with common fire Our strength is weaknesse and it is one of Gods names the Strength of Israel 1 Sam. 15.19 When the wheel is set on going the soul set on work how long will it hold to its motion No longer then turned by the same hand that first moved it We shall soon work out the strength received and therefore to maintain the vigour of a fervent course there must be renewing strength from Heaven every day This David knew and therefore when his heart was in good frame as ever he felt it and his people likewise by their free-will-offering declared so much in themselves yet even then he prays that God would keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of his people and establish their heart in them 1 Chron. 29.18 He adored the mercy that made them willing and then implores his farther grace to strengthen them Would a Christian pray Where else will he finde materials for his prayer Alas he
of greatest weight and concernment for comfort credit and profit and to matters of greatest importance we account all other things but lets but not them as lets to any thing of a subordinate nature If the King or some special Favourite should come to your Place and publish a will to admit any to his presence that you might confer with him an hour or two about your wrongs and wants would you so plead Alas we have not the leasure it would hinder us in our callings I trow not but rather put off all occasions attend this So judge in the Case now in question Secondly It doth much further you in all your worldly affairs You know the baiting of the horse doth not hinder the journey nor the whetting of the sythe the work but further them The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and fervent prayer is the souls messenger sent up to fetch it down on servants cattle grounds and the whole day and night Therefore is prayer called by one of the Fathers the lock of the night and the key of the day to shut up from harm and to let in the Sun even the Sun of righteousnesse in his glorious beams and ravishing influence into every sad dark and drooping soul 4. Grant all you say Suppose it some hinderance will you be at no charge to wait upon God and to prefer your Petitions to him You can hardly expect so easie and such cheap audience in any earthly Princes Court to have your Petitions presented and answered without fees or moving gratuities And will you part with nothing for God not so much as hazard a pretended losse David was of another minde when called to build an Altar 2 Sam. 24. He would not offer that to God which cost him nothing It is true God is not won thus our good extends not to him yet he would have us willing to part with all for the purchase of the pearl to account all things but dung in respect of communion with him and the fruition of Christ he can give you a rich dew upon your labours much more then this and infinitely recompence your supposed hinderance A whet is no let you say and for all the haste of work and businesse you will have time to eat your meat three or four times a day that you may do your work both better and speedier O fools and unwise to judge prayer a losse a hinderance while it refresheth the soul of poor Pilgrims setteth edge on all our spiritual implements and calleth in the Lord to be and help you in your businesse Many thousands now in Heaven are blessing God for the benefit of Prayer No time can be spent better But I am sensible of a Digression my aim is to assure you my Beloved in the Lord for whose sake this is written that Prayer is the best way to thrive To such as rested on the Lords day according to the command did not the Lord give a double portion of Manna the day before And to such as paid their Tythes for the maintenance of the Sanctuary did not the Lord promise to open the windows of Heaven Malac. 3.10 Abraham had this promise of abundance performed to him So had Constantine the first Christian Emperour the Churches great Benefactor so many temporal blessings as never any man durst to wish Aug. de Civit. Dei Lastly Where you mention fear of Derision it is of all other the least discouragement If others laugh do you mourn if they scoff do you counsel if they curse do you blesse and pray The best things do hear ill from the worst men They know not what they do Let Dogs bark or mad men shoot arrows to the Lights of Heaven they with their radiant light and motion do still serve their Creatour So say you If this be to be vile I will be more vile then thus Chuse you whether you will pray or no as for me I will pray fervently to God who only is able to save us from sin and Hell From Objections we proceed to some Cases of Conscience First What should a man do that Case 1 cannot utter his minde he wants fit words for such a presence 1. Let such a one know Ans that an unfeigned fervent desire of the heart is to God an acceptable prayer and broken language coming from a broken heart avails more then affectation of well-couched words without affection of prayer I say the businesse of prayer is more dispatched by sighs then speeches by inward groans more then outward garnishes As the Lord heareth without ears so he understandeth without words Sighs and breathingâ— to God are articulate There is great dispute among the Schoolmen about the speech of Angels but this they agree in that one Angel speaketh thus to another when any one hath a conceit in his minde of any thing with a will that another should understand it and that God should also that is enough for the expression of it So it is with the spirit of man in speaking to God for the spirit of man agreeth with Angels Though it is our duty to strive to pray in fit words and to be enriched in all utterance and knowledge Hosea 14.1 1 Cor. 1.5 Therefore 2. Let him for a time use the help of godly mens prayers composed to his hand by the same Spirit and purposely intended for such as want knowledge memory or utterance till the Lord further enable the willing minde to make its requests known in a reverent and sober manner as savouring more of grace then art Young beginners may finde great help in the matter fit words good method from such a form and which being applied to particular occasions do not a little quicken revive and enlarge the heart If you should say Is it lawful so to pray I shall answer by asking this question Where is there any law against it And where there is no law there is no transgression I can finde no command against it This we finde in Scripture that Prayer is an Ordinance of God but whether to be conceived only in the heart or uttered by words whether in our own or in others words by pronunciation or reading that is not appointed Why then may not a godly man and in some cases especially as when the soul cannot put forth its operations do as Christ did pray oft in the same words to God and that though composed by another Neither is there any thing hinders but that a man thus doing may pray by the Spirit the work of the Spirit being rather 1. To teach us what graces to pray for 2. To raise fervent and devout desires after the things we pray for groans that cannot be expressed then to give in words which a man may want and yet not want the Spirit of Prayer Nor that I deny that the Spirit of God doth at all help as to words and expressions for he doth it mediately by stirring up the affections which being raised are some advantage to
common graces in it especially argumentative prayer may perhaps avail through the help of Gods Spirit bringing the soul into a better temper and frame and so making it capable of spiritual and outward bâ—essings Prophane Esau could go to his father for a childes portion and so could the Prodigal and had it I come to the second qualification of acceptable effectual prayer viz. all the Graces must be set on work faith repentance humility the very lungs whence prayer is breâ—thed First Faith for where it lives it will breath in devotion in the Divine History touching what is there revealed to be true because he hath said it Faith in Gods Providence concerning his wise and stable government of the world that he can and will provide for bodies and souls out of the rich Magazine of infinite treâ—sures laid up in Christ If an Elijah want the Ravens will come at Gods command and bring him meaâ— morning and evening Faith in Gods promises which are the air and elements wherein faith breaths touching free justification sanctification and acceptation of you unto life and glory for Christs sake If any want wisdome let him ask of God who giveth liberally unto all men but let him ask in Faith nothing wavering James 1.5 6. And again the Apostle willeth men to pray without doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 the more doubting the lesse faith For he that cometh unto God must believe c. as before He that wants this ingredient doth no more then deny his own requests and shuts up the door of Heaven Q. How may a man know when he praies in faith A. 1. By an hearty resistance with some comfortable power and gaining strength against fears doubts and distractions that do oppose This is the victory that overcometh the world even your faith it overcomes a world of enemies 1 John 5.4 It is a victorious grace and it acts by purifying the heart and mortifying lusts And though a man may be foiled now and then in a skirmish when very hotly charged and over-born by violence yet these foils tend to hiâ— further establishment and like the tree stands the firmer for shaking This â—s a fruit of praying in faith 2. By stâ—adinesse of the heart at least in desire and endeavour upon the right object God in Christ Moses his hand being underpropt and stayed by Aaron and Hur as by the Spirit and faith were steady unto the going down of the Sun Exod. 17.12 Christ continued all night in prayer to God Luke 6.12 But take heed of the error of the Heathen Matth. 6.7 that thought to be heard for their much speaking and of the hypocrisie of the Scribes Matth. 23.14 who made long prayers for the praise of men Carry an equal minde in the duty they are not gifts but graces that God looks for in prayer 3. By that calmnesse of minde after trusting God with the successe and resolving patiently to wait When Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 had made her supplication to God for a childe it is said She went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad Which alteration hapned through an inward comfort of Gods Spirit which sealed in her heart that her prayers were heard This is an effect of the witnessing of the Spirit together with ours Rom. 8.16 A refreshing of the heart after duty with a secret content with an hidden approbation If our hearts condemn us not then we have confidence towards God 1 John 3.21 4. By due care in the use of appointed means not to cleave to any particular means with a sinful resolution to have mercy that way or not at all This is to limit a most free agent to circumscribe Gods will and to streighten our selves in a narrow path Psal 78.41 5. By constancy even when the Lord seems to frown and turn away his face A notable instance you have in the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22 she cried earnestly after Christ Have mercy on me O Lord c. One Copy hath it and cried behinde him which implies that Christ had turned his back on her seeing her now coming towards him well the Disciples intercede he tells them He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel She comes again but receives a rough answer It is not meet to take childrens bread and cast it to dogs out of all we may conclude great faith to act that poor woman View her temptations in that doubtful case it is Mr. Boltons Observation in his Treatise Of the Nature and Roialties of saith First There was tentatio taciturnitatis the trial of silence she prayes and not a word comes Secondly Tentatio particularitatis first nothing and then worse then nothing I am not sent but c. as if he had said thou dost not belong to the election of grace thou art not in Covenant I came onely to my own not to thee therefore I will not help thee Thirdly Tentatio indignitatis the trial of indignity It is not meet c. And yet see the strength of her faith Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs if she may not have a childes yet a dogs portion if not childrens morsels yet childrens crumbs but such as fall from the table such as they have no need of She was that well resolved Christian whose part is as Luther sometime said to believe things invisible to hope for things deferr'd and to love God when he seems most angry with and opposite to him With this measure of faith Christ is overcome Oh woman great is thy faith Such force there is in faithful-fervent prayer A Second Grace to be set on work in prayer is Repentance Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well c. then come and let us reason together saith the Lord Isa 1.16 17 18. I will wash mine hands in innocency and so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord was Davids practice Typified in Aarons washing of his feet befoâ—e he went into Sacrifice and continued as a borrowed rite among the Turks to wash and put off their shoes before they enter on their idol-worship A plain doctrine that Saint James teacheth ch 4. v. 8. Draw nigh to God c. cleanse your hands ye sinners c. And the reason is because in prayer you crave pardon of sin and removal of judgements with the favour of Gods blessed presence which cannot be without repentance Conscience of sin unrepented of will clip and dull the wings of prayer set a damp on the petitioner separate between him and God but the blood of Christ will cleanse cheer and elevate the soul as the waters did Noâ—hs Ark far above all danger Repentance is a Rain-bow which if God see shining in our hearts when we come before him he will not drown the soul Q. How may true penitency in gracious hearts be discerned from seigned sorrow in gracelesse persons thaâ— sin and after say they
bosom open 2. A means it is richly to supply all your wants Prayer like the Heavens hath influence on all things below it as appears from the Prophetick Prayer of Solomon 1 Kings 8. And the practise of David in the book of Psalms and of Agur Prov. 30.8 It brings and keeps the heart in good temper and fills it with Spiritual joy and sweetnesse John 16.24 Ask and your joy shall be full No sorrow can stand before the God of consolation Davids heart was more oft out of tune than his harp he prayes and then cries Return to thy rest O my soul In many of the Psalms the beginnings are sull of trouble but by that time he hath prayed a while the ends are full of joy and assurance Psal 6.22 51. It fastneth on us as with Spirituall buckles all our Spiritual armour and sets God on work for us It is a lock for the night and a key for the day to open Gods treasury and let in the beams of the Sun of righteousnesse upon us Thirdly Consider what need you have to pray to God fervently If you knowingly weighed what a great work you have to do in a short time and in what danger you are upon the brink of Eternity and Satan goes about seeking to devour you say then have you not cause in respect of your selves to work in prayer 2. Motives may be taken from consideration of others whether â—nemies or friends Enemies you have many to your persons profession and practice in close following the Captain of your salvation Jesus Christ Psal 3.1 Many there are that rise up against me 2 Chron. 20.12 O our God wilt thou not judge them we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eies are upon thee Your friends are sick in body or troubled in minde with fears doubts desertions and suggestions carnal or Satanical as Paul was 2 Cor. 12.9 Persecuted and imprisoned as Peter was Acts 12.5 or lying under heavy rods one way or other perhaps imployed about weighty matters by sea or land tending especially to unthrone Satan to root out Anti-Christ and to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ Such moving objects you have enough at home and you may hear of more abroad The great dangers we are sensibly in by reason of sin and enemies should move and awaken us to improve all our interest in Christ to save us or else we perish and so be made the woful'st spectacle that was ever yet beheld A fruitfull land makes he barren for the sins of the people that dwel therein May not we tremble to think what will befall us To close this Can you see God dishonour'd Satan advantaged to domineer a flourishing Church endangered a dear Country like a mother bleeding to death a brother nay many brethren oppressed distressed and yet be silent Can you hear of what is preached on house-tops without sighing Can you look on the dolefull face of things with dry eyes O hard-hearted Christ hath some great work in hand a great and effectual door is opened and there are many adversaries and will you not so much as pray to God for help They are cursed with a bitter curse which come not in to help the Lord against the mighty A third and last sort of Motives are taken from Prayer it self such kind of praying First It distinguisheth between the gracious and the gracelesse soul it declares the sacrifice to be more excellent Cain offered a sacrifice as well as Abel but saith put the difference As faith puts a difference between the works of Heathens and the works of Christians though not for the matter yet for the manner so do faithfull fervent prayers between the sound and the rotten Christian It puts a difference betwixt the Abba-fathers of a child and the Ave-Maries of a superstitious Papist betwixt the devotion of a Saint and the devotion of a sinner the crie of a Saint and the howlings of an hypocrite these make a great and long noise the other only send up strong cries as well and more in private then in publique Secondly It is ever effectual and hath been most successfull Vitus Theâ—dorus speâ—king of the prayers Luther made in reference to a Diet at Ausburg wherein matters were like to go against the Protestants wrote thus Non dubito quin illius preces magnum momentum ad desparatam hanc causam comitiorum sint allaturae he doubted not but Luthers prayers would go near to turn the stream No man ever thus sought help of God in vain Witnesse Abraham Moses Joshuah Elijah a man subâ—ect to like passions with us Hannah Daniel with thousands more who were sent away as Ruth from Boaz with their bosom full of blessings as Mephibosheth from David with a royall revenue as Achsah Calebs daughter from her father with upper and neather springs or as Moses from the mount with their faces shining A Christian cannot want supplies so long as he can pray for them as they were wont to say of the Pope he could never want money so long as he could hold a pen in his hand to write for it When the man can find a fervent-praying heart God will find a pitying heart and a supplying hand The Ark and the Mercy-seat were never nor ever shall be separated Obj. But such as you instance for successe of prayer were all extraordinary eminent men good and holy while I am mean poor vile and cannot hope to prevail as they Ans 1. I would know who they are that have most need of mercy and are so prest to use strength and fervency with God as penitent sinners throughout the whole book of God Paenitens loco justi apud Deum a penitent sinner is just in Gods account As Manasses the Publican Mary Magdalen the thief on the Cross sinners in grain yet humbled and accepted As for Abraham and Moses and the like they were holy men indeed as there are many in the world now though not so eminent yet as acceptable to God and as powerfull in praying as they were 2. I say that the successe and effectualnesse of pâ—ayer is not so much from the faith and fervency of the Petitioner as from the mercy of God and merit of Christ Cry and pray fervently unto God and rest on the promises Obj. But I am streightned and want time to pray morning and evening as you direct Ans 1. Have you time for other businesse to eat drink sleep labour and take your pleasure and none to pray Have you time to game and drink to buy and sell and none to pray This is the part of a worldling of the man of this life 2. Wisely improve your time and beware of contracting upon your selves that burden of oppressing varieties which keep men down and imploy them in such an excesse of matters in the earth as with that Duke of Alva they have no time to mind or look up to heaven 3. Redeem
at one time what is inevitably lost at another You may be assured in the word of truth and experience there is no hinderance of work nor losse of time in continuing this exercise Gods blessing doth more then recompenâ—e such expences A whet is no let I come now to the second Doctrine viz. That righteous men are very prevalent in prayer While mens hands are full of blood the Lord will not heâ—r Isa 1.15 If I regard iniquity in my heart c. Psal 66.18 Impenitent persons such I mean as are so in act or disposition either they pray not at all they that have done evil hate the light lest their deeds should be reproved Joh. 3.20 The guilt of sin redounding and resting on them doth discourage such from prayer and makes them willing to grow strangers to God as a trespasser of his neighbour useth to say I have done so or so against you and am ashamed to look you in the face Or else they pray in a cold fâ—int manner for form rather then out of love and such prayers ascend not Now for the penitent righteous persons they are fervent in prayer wrestling with Jacob striving with Paul and sweâ—ting with Christ As the tribes Acts 26.27 are said to serve God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a stretching forth themselves with all their might And their prayers are worth something Witnesse the prayers of Moses Joshuah Elijah Daviâ— Daniel Paul no such extraordinary presidents but that a true penitent skilled in prayer and closing with the promises may prevail as much with God now aâ— they did then Coldnesse and infidelity are the main causes of so much fruitlesse praying and want of skill to observe returns when they are fruitfull doth occasion unthankfulnesse and uncheerfulnesse in good men For a further illustration of this Doctrine it will do well to enquâ—re First Wherein are the prayers of the righteous so prevalent Secondly Why First Wherein are they so effectual A. The answer may be thus They are effectual both to remove judgements and procure mercies The work of prayer in the former will discover the later It is effectual to remove judgements and consequently to bring mercies Amos 7.1 to the 7. It removed the judgements of the grashoppers and the fire as Jonah prayed and removed a double death that had seized on him It is the best Lever at a dead lift It loosed the iron chains and opened the iron gates unlocked the windows of heaven Est clavis instar quâ Dei penetralia aperiuntur Jamblicus Instead of a key wherewith Gods Cabinet is opened The Prophet Amos knew this full well and therefore sets to work in good earnest as when a Cart is in a quagmire if the horses feel it coming they 'l pull the harder till they have it out so he Prayer overcomes enemies Achitophel withers before the prayer of David The huge Army of a thousand thousand Ethiopians ran away like cowards before the prayer of Asa Luther having prayed earnestly to God in his chamber for the Churches successe came down saying We have overcome we have overcome And so accordingly it proved Marcus Aurelius being in the field with his Army and in a great streight for water commanded his Christian band to pray unto their God in that distresse they presently fall down where they stood and behold a plentifull shower followed immediatly with thunder and lightning upon the enemy called by him therefore from that time Legio fulminatrix the lightning Legion Constantine would have his Effigies made kneeling whenas other Emperours had theirs standing triumphing to shew that he got all his Victories by prayer Euseb lib. 2. cap. 12. reports of him that he never took any war in hand but first presented his earnest prayers to God Statis temporibus quotidiè solus cum solo Dâ—o loquebatur Fox in Martyr relateth that the victory against Cedwell and Penda in the time of the Saxons was ascribed to the prayers of Oswald and the like of Allured against the Danes What was said of the wicked Psal 57.5 Their tongue is a sharp sword swords are in their lips may be truly said of the tongues and lips of Gods people in prayer they are as two-edged swords in their hands to execute vengeance Of all weapons there is â—one like to this Again prayer is effectual to heal the sick 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face c. then I will hear from Heaven forgive their sins and heal the land Gen. â—0 17 We find that Abraham prayed and the Lord healed Abimelech Jam. 5.15 The prayer of Faith shall heal the sick and if they have committed sins they shall be forgiven them And so shall be healed on both sides Anointing will not do it prayer will not do it but the prayer of faith shall The story of Luther is well known how by his prâ—yers he recovered Theodorus Vitus of a consumption after the Physitians had given him up for dead Such strong breathings like strong winds whilst they are up keep great showers from falling and can blow away the blackest cloud yea blow the most smarting wounds whole Such sweet lips are ever dropping balm into the wounds of a people You see the prayers of the righteous are effectual to procure blessings for the well-being of the common body It is this that raises storms to drive away enemies and prosperous gales to bring mercy and relief It was the prayer of England that scatteâ—ed the Spanish Armado like a mist I have read of Theodosius who being once dangerously beset with enemies turned himself to God by prayers fasting and tears the Lord was entreated to raise a tempest in the face of the enemy to their discomfiture and to turn Arbitiâ— one of their Câ—ptains to his side as Socrates relates it Herein are the prayers of the righteous effectuall Secondly Why are their prayers so effectual Ans First Because all righteous persons are in house and Covenant with God and therefore poweâ—fully-effectuall They are neer to him dearer than Heaven and Earth Now a domestick Attendant can ever prevail more with the Lord than a retainer only Their prayers go up as pillars of Incense and come before the Lord as the sound of many waters Sozomen reports of Apollonius that he never asked any thing of God but obtained it Hic homo potuit apud Deum quod voluit reâ—orded of Luther he could have what he would of God What Zedekiah saiâ— to his Courtiers hypocriâ—ically God saith to his servants seriously The King câ—â— deny you nothing The Courtier that is a fâ—vourite gets more of his Pâ—ince many times with one request than an huâ—bandman or tradesman can attain unto by twenty years labour So doth the righteous man obtâ—in at the hands of Goâ— having the Royalty of his eâ—r Henâ—â— that transcendent rapture of Luther in a certain prayer of his fiat voluntas mea Domine Lord let
speaking of repentance when men see and leave their whoring swearing excessive drinking their covetousnesse idlenesse gaming and conformity to this world when women leave their pride and vain-talking c. when both bring forth fruit meet for repentance and walk in that humility and soundnesse as is most comely for the Gospel then expect good successe from prayer and religious drawing nigh to God Obâ— But when will this be It is a thing hath been long expected spoken of exhorted to by all sorts both Magistrates and others but yet to be acted I Answer First So much is this time * A solemn day of humiliation 1657. solemnly professed and this day invited unto viz. to repent and turn from our evil waieâ— and they must be grosse hypocrites which afterward do not join them seeing they have represented the persons and acted the parts of humble penitents and professed Reformists Secondly Thiâ— is the way whereby those that belong to God among us may be brought in Children of many prayers cannot perish Prayer and fâ—sting can cast out Devils and work mighty cures However it fall out to others it cannot but be successful to your selveâ— You that labor to join them shal not miss a return You shal have heâ—lth in sâ—ckneâ— plenty in penury peâ—ce in war and who knoweth how far you may be accepted for others Say then What is the cause why your prayers with reference to your selves and the Nation to this present season are no more successeful Is it not because First These things are not joined in persons nor general in our Nation as with grief we see and hear It is true we have had and still have much praying but we have little doing much speaking to God little or no reforming among men no wonder that so many prayers are made and not heard whilst mens hands are full of blood howle and cry and yet rebel against God pray and yet grow worse and worse thus this excellent engine of a Nation is marr'd and proves to a people like the Ark to the Philistims provoke God to anger and does the people more hurt Praying without reforming is but howling Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their whole heart when they â—owled on their beds they assembled themselves for coâ—n wine and oyl and they rebel against me i. e. They consume it on their lust and sight against God with his own weapons or they assembled themselves and made no small shew of devotion but when the duty was over they go to their old courses again See Isa 1.15.58.4 5. Jer. 7.9 10.14.11 12. Whâ—t Saint Hierom speaks of luxurious Clerks in his time that the grunting of hogs in the slye was more pleasing to God then their singing of prayers in the Church may warrantably be applied here To the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth Psal 50.16 Such devotion is but beautiful abomination Secondly Is it not because such as do join them for and to the good of the Land are some way oâ— other discoâ—ntenanced and troubled in most places and can we think to prevail with God what dissembling is this to speak him fair to his face both privately and publiquely and strike him in his fr ends after with words deeds and neglect of them If thou wilt take from the midst of thee the yoak the putting forth of the finger i. e. any way of disgracing contemning despiâ—ng the people of God and speaking vanity great sins in most places then call and cry and I will answer saith the Lord. Jobs friends dealt unkindly with him but to him they must be reconciled before they can be accepted Justin Martyr and Tertullian in their Apologies for Christians tell the Emperours plainly what was the cause of those plagues and judgements inflicted because Gods people the poor Christians were persecuted They may be heard for you awhile but you cannot be heard for your selves nor all of us for the whole so long as the best are proscribed and by mens tongues who think they have a Law for it so bitterly pursued Thirdly Is it not because of the cry of division and backsliding among us from God and one anotâ—er 1. From God and the purity of his woâ—ship and service truths and commands what incongruity is it to cry unto God and run from him No wonder if he say Go now to your idols c. Is not this the ground of his dividing from our prayers As smoak drives away the Bee from his Hive so doth this sin drive God from his habitation 2. From one another We are broken in minutula frustula as Austin of the Donatists in Africa little little pieces little love and unity to be found so ne cry out for them but they mean by it their own wills And how many cast oyl instead of water upon the â—lames of contention Few study to be quiet and of an healing spirit some are for God and further reformation that Christs government may be advanced and established in his own house and seen among his peopâ—e others are for Baâ—l and Romish Superstition a Samaritan Religion to introduce and burnish the filthy rags of the scarlet whore though undeâ— better pretences Some few are for truly good men others and the most in number are for wicked tempâ—rizing forâ—alists whose best piety is policy and faith fantas e and too many halt as neuters till they see which is that they may side with the strongeâ—t Now a divided multi ude either pray not at all or not for one thing and one another how can Christians sight and prevail when they are in so many divided troops If they do pray theâ— are slight weak and interrupted some cry one thing and some another for the assembly was confused Act. 19.32 and the greater part knew not wherefore they were come together as it was once in the Apostles time is often in ours This is the mors in olla like to the Colliquintida that spoiled all the pottage these turbulent waves overthrow the vessel of prayer and we see no return of our adventures Fourthly Is it not from our unthankfulnesse for mercies received and shameful barrennesse in improving them Because mercies have been fuel to feed our corruptions Spiritual showers have made the weeds of sin to grow the faster Such dunghilly hearts are in mortals that many times the more God shines on us with his mercies the more they putrifie the better he is to us have we not been the worse to him the more he loved us hath he not the lesse been loved by us As the Ocean takes in all the fresh rivers but is not a jot the fresher for it so are we insensible of what we have received and think we not this an intolerable provocation Unthankfulnesse is an hellish stop to future mercies A man that is about to pour oyl into a glasse if he see it crackt he staies his hand and saith I will pour no more oyl into this glasse The unthankful heart is the broken glasse not fit to receive any more blessings Unthankfulnesse was the sin for which God gave over the Heathens to a reprobate mind Rom. 1.21 27. It is related of the Romans that they made a law that if a master did free a servant from bondage and afterward that servant prove unthankful the master had power to re-inslave him The great God hath bestowed many mercies upon the Nation he hath delivered us from Babylon Egypt and those that had evil will to us innumerable are the mercies heaped upon England now if we prove unthankful we may not expect otherwise to be dealt with then to want an answer to our best prayers yea be re-inslaved and brought under former hazards Unthankfulnesse is a sin that makes the times perilous 2 Tim. 3.1 Q. What may be done that we may prevail more A. To what hath been already said I shall add here two things more viz. Constancy and Regularity 1. Constancy till you have gone through the work be not slight and carelesse nor weary in seeking God as sluggards in woâ—k or cowards in war Prayer must be re-doubled and re-inforced like those arrows of deliverance 2 Kin. 13.19 As the woman of Canaan when denied and shews her self a woman of a well-kniâ— resolution And Jacob who holds with his hand when his thigh is lamed thus the Israelites overcâ—me Goâ— Judg. 20.18.23 26. They go up and ask who shall go up to Benjamin first a very careless and formal behaviour their multitude made them presume to ask rather Gods direction for the thing then his lewe and presence then they came again they wept and asked him leave which was somewhat more submissive and yet not enough Lastly all the people came unto the house of God there they sate and wept before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt-offering c. thus they went through the work and prevailed As Daliâ—ah overcame Sampson so may we overcome God where neither love nor reason nor desert will gain constancy will 2. Regularity under which I comprise First Order that reformation go before your petition first amend then pray Reformation is the wing of the soul to fly heaven-ward one leg to help the soul to walk run to Christ As a man cannot run with one leg nor a bird fly with one wing no more can we get to Heaven by prayer without reformation This being done nothing remains to hinder or question your entrance at the door of mercy If you regard iniquity in your heart the Lord will not hear They do wel that reform though it be after they do better that reform pray together but they do best that lay aside their filthy garments before they come into Gods presence Davids resolution is an excellent copy for us in this case to write after Ps 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocency and so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord Secondly Rule what you do must be like good builders who first lay a good foundation and afterward ascend by line and directions from the master-builder For help herein is the intent of the whole discourse Gloria Deo mihi condonatio