carelessely and customarily formally and for fashion only idly or indecently faintly or faithlessely sinfully and not sincerely pray Since God heareth not sinners Iohn 9. 31. neither can abide their prayers who live in their sinnes Isa 1. 15. Since the prayers of wicked men are abomination to the Lord Pro. 15. 8. And if wee regard iniquity in our hearts God will not heare us Psalme 66. 18. Shall wee I say so sleightly superficially and sinfully so carelessely corruptly and unconscionably practise this pious duty of prayer as to displease and dishonour God to disgrace and damnisie our selves and not rather by a serious sound and sincere performance of the same purchase and procure honour to God happinesse to our selves glory to God grace and goodnesse to our owne soules 5. Pray we therefore First With premeditation taking unto us words Hâ—s 14. 2. and powring out our meditations before the Lord Psal 102. 1. As meditation ought to goe before speech in preaching so ought it in prayer also The heart ought to proceede and goe before the mouth in pious performances Psal 19. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart c. Matth. 12. 25. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things As filling goeth before emptying of vessels so the heart soule minde and spirit in prayer must first bee filled with good thoughts motions desires meditations and affections Prayer therefore is no lip labour nor a lasie worke but painefull even a breaking up of a mans heart and a powring out of his soule Whether wee pray or preach saith one wee ought not to come wildly and unadvisedly to those sacred workes beating the a 〈…〉 with empty words and seeking our matter up and downe as Saul his fathers asses but furnished and prepared to our businesse with sufficient meditation I never shall perswade my selfe that the exactest industrie which either tongue or pen can takâ— in the handling of his workâ—s can displease God Have we therefore such fore-hand thinking meditations which concerne 1. Our miseries pressures and distresses 2. Our manifold sins and iniquities occasioning the same yea deserving all Gods judgements threatned or inflicted That from these two may flow contrition for sin hatred and indignation against the same 3. Gods anger arising of them and his strict justice provoked by the same these meditations procuring and producing feare dread and reverence of the divine Majesty 4. Gods mercifull promises and gracious properties these forcing and filling the faithfull and feeble soule with faith hope joy and comfort Psal 77. 6 7 8. Secondly With those necessarie ingredients of purity Society of Saints p. 141. c. for tainted affections will marre good Orisons of which I have spoken in my Discourse of the Society of Saints Thirdly And with a dutifull and diligent marking and observing the fruit and event of our prayers not dealing with our petitions as fooles and children doe with stones and such like toyes darting and slinging them into the ayre not regarding what becomes of them or how they fall But like wise and wary suiters in Kings courts who oft renue againe and againe their petitions and alwaies waite and expect whether they shall speed And if not why 1. That not finding such desired successe as wee wished and expected our prayers not prevailing as we supposed we may imitating the Saints of God in like case 1. Be feelingly sensible of such repulse and mournefully grieve and sorrow for the same Psal 28. â— least if thou hearâ— not I become c. 2. Submissively discusse and humbly desire to know the cause of the Lords forsaking us Psal â—2 1. My God my God why c. 3. Diligently siâ—t our selves and search out the cause with Saul imitable in this why God doth not graciously answer us 1. Sam 14. 28. 4. Resolutely resolving to renounce and for ever to relinquish that make-bate betweene God and us though it be a darling delightfull Ionathan 1 Sam. 14. 39. 5. And having found out this troubler of our peace and hinderer of our prayers mortifie the same without mercy or compassion v. 44. Iosh 7. 25. Thus searching and trying our waies as to turne againe to the Lord Lament 3. 40. And that perceiving by experience our poore petitions and weake prayers to find gracious and favourable acceptance at the throne of grace and to have prospering successe we may be instigated enlivened and inflamed 1. To glorifie and give honour to our good and gracious God Psal 50. 15. 2. To forsake and for ever to abandon the service yea slavery of sin and the Satanicall society of sinfull sonnes of Beliall Psal 6. 8. the profest enemies of the Lord Iehovah 3. To love the Lord who hath beene so favourable as to heare our voice and our supplications Psal 116. 1. 4. And to be more resolute and ready to pray good pay encourageth to worke cheerefully and constantly Liberall and bountifull benefactours win and allure constant and continuall cravers The Lords readinesse to heare did animate David and should us likewise to persist resolutely and constantly in prayer Psal 116. 2. SECT 2. Why we should pray for Kings and all that are in authority and for what why for Pastours and for what why for our Children and why also for enemies THus pray we not onely for our selves but also for all men 1. Tim. 2. 1. namely which are capable of such gifts graces and good things which we pray for Three sorts are uncapable of the graces Gods people petition principally for To wit The damned in hell The dead in Christ and the desperate impenitent sinner who sins the sin against the Holy Ghost and therefore these are not to be prayed for 1. The damned are capable of no grace no good no mercy no favour Dives desired but one drop of water to comfort and coole his tongue burning and broiling in those intollerable and infernall flames and could not obtaine so small a favour 2. The dead in Christ are destitute of no grace goodnesse freedome favour honour or happinesse they enjoying to all eternity such and so many glorious blessednesses that the heart of man cannot conceive or imagine much lesse can the tongue of men and Angels expresse and declare the same To pray for the first sort of these is frivolous and fruitlesse To pray for the latter is needlesse and unnecessary and impossible to doe good to either To pray therefore for either is sinfull and unlawfull because unnecessary and unprofitable because it is not of faith for faith and every article of faith must be grounded upon Gods Word and Canonicall Scripture But to beleeve that the dead are to be prayed for is not grounded on the sacred Word of God there being in the Canonicall Scripture to warrant the same neither Testimony or precept Example or practise Promise of reward nor punishment threatned for the neglect thereof Therefore such prayer is Impious because no where
neither will it ever be free from misery in this world and therefore to what purpose should wee pray for that which we cannot obtaine But flee to the consideration Answ of Gods nature and properties and let them animate and encourage us constantly to continue our prayers for his perplexed people 1. For God is mercifull pitifull and tenderly affected towards his Church and chosen even as a father towards his only son as a mother towards her sucking infant yea and infinitely much more 2. For God is faithfull and true in all his promises who also hath promised to repaire the ruines and build up the breaches of his Church 3. For God is the onely wise God best knowing when and what to doe 4. For God is jealous of his owne glory and of his Church which is his Spouse He therfore neither can nor will forever beare the wrongs and injuries done unto the same But reason and resolve thus or after the like manner as followeth 1. Is it a sin against the Lord to cease to pray for his peculiar people 1 Sam. 12. 23. 2. Doe the Prophets and Apostles presse and perswade exhort and excitate to lay to heart and lament bitterly to bewaile and bemoane the miseries and maladies of his Church and chosen yea to pray and petition in their behalfe to our good and gratious God Lam. 2. 18 19. Rom. 12. 15. Ephes 6. 18. And shall we neglect it 3. If Iacob sorrowed so much for his sonne Ioseph a long season and would not bee comforted although all his sonnes and daughters laboured to consolate him How much more ought we to bewaile and lament yea and labour to remove the miserable and grievous pressures and persecutions not of one Ioseph but of many thousands Gen. 37. 34 35. 4. Have good and gracious men beene continually and commendably conversant in such Christian courses Psal 123. 2 3. Lam. 3. 48 49 50. and shall we degenerate and digresse out of a way so pious and a path so trodden in 5. Is constancy and importunity so important and prevailing Luk. 11. 5 6 7 8. 18. 1 2 5 6 7 8. and shall we surcease to sollicite our gracious and good God 6. Have the faithfull and fervent the sincere and zealous prayers of pious people procured liberty and enlargement to Saint Peter although bound with two chaines and kept with foure quaternions of souldiers Acts 12. 2 10. Refreshing raine and fruitfull seasons to the distressed Israelites when the heavens were as iron and the earth as brasse the raine having beene restrained the space of three yeares and six moneths Iames 5. 17. And hath a refreshing raine to the Romane army whose men and horses died with thirst and thunder with lightning by which the Marcomanni or Moravians Quadi or Silesians were discomfited and had a successefull and unexpected victory for which cause the Emperour Marcus Antonius called the legion of Christian souldiers the thundering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legion and did abrogate the many bloudy and barbarous decrees which then were of force against Christians And shall we omit a duty so prevalent and prevailing 7. Is it the will of God that wee should pray alwaies 1 Thess 5. 18. And shall not we dutifully and obediently doe this it being so just and equall God forbid March we on therefore being armed with prayer we can never pray truly except we be armed neither can we rightly use our weapons without prayer A souldier of the Lord harnesseth himselfe and goeth on praying beseeching God for helpe assistance and continuance First Pray therefore with our hearts like Abrahams servant Gen. 24. 27. like that man of God Moses Exod. 14. 15. like gratious Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 13. good Nehemiah Noh 2. 4. and distressed Ionah Ionah 2. for God is not onely Deus non vocis sed cordis auditor a hearer of the voice but of the heart He searching and seeing the secrets of the same Secondly Pray with our voice this being necessarily required except there be some cause of weight and importance to the contrary 1. For our tongues are given and granted to us to praise and glorifie God as well as our hearts and they are of all other parts of the body the most proper and excellent instruments of Gods glory Psal 57. 8. 108. 1. 2. For words are not onely declarers demonstrating and shewing but also stirrers up strengtheners and increasers of the affections of the heart for as the reflection of heate comming from the chimney maketh the fier hotter which before hath heated it even so words in prayer makes the heart more fervent the ardency whereof having before occasioned the same 3. For words in prayer are a prime and principall prop a markable and speciall meanes to prevent interruptions and distractions to keepe the minde from wavering and wandring and to hold and keepe it close to the matter in hand Pray in publique with the Church or Congregation 1. For such prayers which are most publique are most powerfull united prayers make a lowder cry and moove God sooner to open his eares 2. For such prayers manifest our mutuall communion and are an effectuall meanes of mutuall edification stirring up the zeale and inflaming the affections of each other 3. For such prayers are most honourable and acceptable to God the Lord most delighting in the joynt consent of his people praying unto and worshipping him Pray in and with our families like good Cornelius Act. 10. 30. for not only is it needfull thus to do to sanctifie our callings and Gods creatures but also this bringeth both honour and profit to our householdes Pray in secret thus may we pray in the field Gen. 24. 63. in our journey Gen. 28. 20. in a prison c. But the most secret place is for this the most convenient Mat. 6. 6. such places being freest from fleshly inticements agreeable and answerable to Christs precept and practise Pray therefore in secret this being a good triall and touchstone of our sincerity and uprightnesse This arguing and augmenting our familiarity with God This bringing most comfort and consolation And in these we most freely and plainely may make knowne our whole minde to the Lord. Pray we whensoever we enterprise or goe about any thing This sanctifying every thing place person and performances neither can we expect a blessing in any thing except we crave it by prayer Psal 127. 2. Pray without failing and intermission morning and evening Let this be our Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending of our actions Psal 55. 17. 1 Thess 5. 17. Dan. 6. 10. 1. For as the Iewes solemne sacrifices were both morning and evening so should this of ours 2 The day and night ought to be and by this they are seasoned and sanctified 1 Tim. 4. 4. 3. Each of these needs a supply of fresh favours and mercies 4. And in both day and night we want Gods gratious and speciall protection to support and strengthen to preserve and
of judgement heart tongue and action is this girdle wherewith the Christian souldier must be girded And all these must concurre to make up the strength and beauty of the same Without the first we run into absurd opinions erronious heresies Without the second we are guilty of grosse damnable hypocrisie odious abominable to God and good men Without the third men are but loth some lyars speaking against their mindes consciences And without the last diabolical deceivers and odious dissemblers But by the first our opinions are seasoned and made sound By the second our affections are reformed and rectified By the third our communication is ordered and directed By the last our conversations are guided and governed All which conjoyned make up the first piece of the Christian mans armour the girdle of truth 1. So great an ornament to the Christian souldiour that it honoureth and graceth him before God man for what greater beauty to religion which the more true the more excellent theâ— soundâ—es evidence of truth what greater ornament to a Saint then truth singlenes of heart winning approbation commendation from God Act. 13 22. What Angelicall eloquence or rhetoricall discoursing so gracefull praise-worthy as to speake truth yea and what doth crowne and commend a man so much as honest plaine and faithfull dealing 2. And such an excellent means of strength that it links holds fast couples other graces of Gods spirit together and so upholds the Christian souldier Nothing so strong as truth to confirme settle the judgement of man Truth of heart was the ground of Iobs courage constancy Chap. 27. 5 6 gave an edge quickniâ—g to Hezekiahs prayer Isa 38. 3. and made David bold to appeale from mens and refer himself to Gods tryall examination Ps 26. 1. Truth in communication flowing from sincerity of heart not any by-respects being in all a mans speeches concerning matters of greatest consequence and those which are sleight and triviall And truth in conversation proceeding from a right ground and extending to all and every action of a man are notable encouragements and strong supporters to pious men Iob 31. 5. And undeniable demonstrations that the heart is a good fountaine the sincerity whereof keepes the tongue from lying and the whole cariage of a man from deceitfull dissimulation This girdle of truth being both beautifull and beneficiall honorable and helpfull adorning and assisting for strength and ornament 1. You who are not furnished with this defensive ornament do you buy it Pro. 23. 23. Buy the truth But what must we give A diligent painefull and constant endeavour to obtaine this holy and heavenly trafique 1. Search the sacred Scriptures diligently frequent the Word preached conscionably with a care to beleeve conscience to obey Is 55. 1 2. hide treasure up the word in your hearts carefully Ps 119. 11. Let it dwel in you pleÌ„tifully richly in al wisdom Col. 3. 16. Let Gods heavenly word be alwaies a light to your feet and a lanthorne unto your paths Psal 119. 105. And your continuall constant counsellours Psal 119. 24. That you may be cleane through this word Ioh. 15. 3. Being purged By the word of exâ—ortation from slothfull idlenesse and negligence in all holy and sacred duties By the word of remembrance from sinfull forgetfullnesse By the word of consolation from dreadfull despâ—ration and diâ—fident distrustfullnesse in Gods mercies and Christs merits By the word of commination from presumptuous and obstinate rebellions By the word of reprehension from open actuall transgressions in word or deed By the word of admonition from inclination unto evill or entrance into the same By the word of confutation from dangerous and damnable errours By the word of knowledge or instruction from spirituall blindnesse darknes and ignorance in those things which ought to be knowne That you may be wiser then your enemies Psal 119. 98. have more understanding then your teachers Ver. 99. And understand more then the ancient Ver 1â—0 And that you may get this truth in judgement the true doctrine of holy writ This being amiable and lovely beyond expression Psal 119. 97. Sweet and luscious beyond comparison Ver. 103. precious and profitable beyond imagination 105. 162. comfortable and cordiall beyond apprehension Ver. 143. This being truth yea the word of truth Ioh. 17. 17. 8. 31 32. Colos 1. 5. It containing the firme and sure doctrine and teaching the true way to attaine eternall salvation So that Would you know what and how to beleeve That will instruct you Would you know how to live That will teach you Would you discerne errours That will enlighten you Would you amend your lives That will perswade and prescribe how Would you find Consolation That will affoord it This being the fountaine of truth from whence flow forth the blessed streames of sacred truth by the Ministery of the Word This being also part of this girdle of truth strengthening and adorning the soule of a Christian as a girdle doth the body of a souldier in warre 2. Consider how vengeance unconceiveable pursues as his proper guerdon the glorying hypocrite He shall not come before God Iob 13. 16 He heapes up wrath 36. 13. And he is most wofull Matth. 23. And how mercy inestimable and ineffable attends the sincere and upright man See one place for instance Psal 84. 11. The Lord will give grace and glory c. Where five speciall prerogatives and priviledges of such men are set downe Two metaphorically Sun and Shield and three other familiarly Grace and Glory and every good thing The Lord who is resembled to a Sun in regard of 1. The purity of the Sun for although there be many compound and mixed lights in the Church yet is there but one perfect and pure although many dimme and obscure yet one onely cleare and without darknesse 2. The singularity and soveraignty of the Sun compared with the starres He being that one and onely originall essentiall and authenticall light and spirituall Sun though there be many secondary and inferiour or instrumentall lights and starres in the Church of God 3. The sufficiency He alone and onely he being able to give sufficient light to the whole Church 4 The liberality of the Sun He and he alone gives light or shine to all 5. The brightnesse for though the Sun be more beautifull bright and glorious than all other starres yet the Lord is thousands of degrees brighter than the Sun 6. The stability For although the light of the Sun be of long continuance yet the light of the Lord lasteth longer even for ever 7. The efficacy For although the Sun have great power over mens bodies and workes upon them both by his light heat and influence yet the Lord himselfe hath greater power over their soules I say the Lord who thus is resembled to the Sun is their Sun that is illumination direction consolation therefore 1. Such cannot want light either understanding
Psal 119. 98. So that they are not able to resist the wisdome and spirit by which he speaks Acts 6. 10. 1. For this is the hand and arme of the omnipotent Iehovah Isa 49. 2â— 53. 1 2 2. This is the rod of his power Psal 110 2. sustaining us against the Divels violence and forcing him to flee 3. This is his rod and staffe Psal 23. 4. Thy rod and thy staffe Namely His chastising rod wherewith he doth correct and rule his children as a Father or a Schoole-master his schollers His revenging rod of iron to bruise and breake in peeces kill and destroy the stubborne and rebellious 4. This is his staffe to shield safeguard and defend his sheepe and servants to keepe and beare off the bitter blowes and buffetings of their spirituall enemies dogs and Divels And to support and uphold their weake soules and hearts 5. This is his axe Luke 3. 9. Which pierceth pareth killeth and cutteth downe men of Belial like rotten and barren trees and tormenteth them before their time Revelation 11. 10. Which fitteth and fashioneth every stone in the spirituall building for his proper place Which cutteth and pareth off the corruption of the soule and conscience 6. This is a hammer breaking the rockes in peeces Ier. 23. 29. namely the stony hardnesse of our hearts and bruising them as it were to powder that they may become soft humble and contritâ— 7. This is fire Ier. 2â— 29. To purge out the filthy drosse of mans corrupt nature To heat his cold heart with love and zeale To thaw his frozen affections To guide and enlighten his dark and blind mind to warme and comfort his sorrowfull spirit to consolidate and bind his broken heart 8. This is a shaft and arrow in the heart of the Kings that is Christs enemies flying and going swiftly wounding and killing afarre off 9. This is light to drive away darknesse to cleanse the mind understanding and judgement 2 Pet. 1. 19. 10. This is a sacrificing knife to cut the throat of sinnes and corruptions Rom. 15. 16. 1. What and if those barbarous and bloudy soule-murderers those horrible and hideous homicides the Papists deale impiously and unjustly with their people depriving them Philistine-like 1 Sam. 13. 19. of this weapon wherewith they should defend themselves and offend their enemies robbing them of this forcible prevailing sharpe two-edged sword and giving them in lieu thereof a weake and woodden sword of mens traditions and humane inventions and the pawltrie painted leaden weapons of unholy water dirty reliques graines and agnus Dei wholly unavaileable Conspiring with the Divell himselfe to hinder people of safety and salvation and to crosse and contradict the Lord himselfe For he saith Take the sword of the Spirit they say no. For the Scriptures are dangerous True to discover and dissipate Object 1 Answ the massie mists of the damnable darknesse of Popish pestiferous superstitions For Heretiques alledge Scripture True for themselves and Object 2 Answ 1 other heretiques alledge the letter of the Scripture yet misse of the Word of God because of the sense and meaning But what and if the Word of God is many and diverse wayes abused being mistaken maliciously misalledged wittingly by purposely omitting or adding something to alter the sense and meaning or overthrow the drift and purpose of the Holy Ghost or misapplied purposely namely to corrupt the mind or heart to prove untruth or errour to perswade to sin or to some other evill end or use shall the abuse of Scripture take away the right use thereof God forbid We all use fire though some maliciously others negligently wast therewith and consume many excellent and desireable things We may lawfully and comfortably enjoy our meats and drinks though gluttons and drunkards sinfully and shamefully misuse them The honest traveller doth so much the more fence and furnish himselfe with a sword because theeves and robbers doe the same The abusing of Gods ordinances by lewd and wicked men should not occasion the pious and godly man to refuse them dislike or lesse to love them And Christ Iesus alledged Scripture although the Divell did the same 2. What though many fleering Ishmaels scorne and scoffe at that knowledge which others have in Gods Word and at those who carie the Scripture to the Church to get and increase the same terming them in reproach Bible-bearers 3. What though some through covetousnesse will not help forward some through worldlines will not attend unto some through negligence will not frequent some through blindnes will not esteem the continuall and ordinary the constant and conscionable preaching of the Word and so neglecting to gird the sword about them are guilty of their owne destruction adventuring to go naked and weaponlesse without this sword amidst so many and such violent enemies Yet let us who are the souldiers of Christ Iesus 1. Not onely have Bibles to lie in our houses and to carie to the Church For what good doth a sword hanging on the wals to the souldier in the field 2. Not onely read the Scriptures regardlesse of the sense For what advantageth a sword if we cannot unsheath it out of the Scabbard 3. Not onely search for the true sense of sacred writ to maintaine discourse confute gaine-sayers to determine differences not caring to have sin thereby mortifled and our selves edified in the faith for what will it availe a souldier to have a sword onely to flourish But also 1. Let us Ministers who are or ought to be the chariots and horsemen of Israel with Apollos Acts 18. 24. be mighty in the Scriptures that so we may not onely teach sound and saving doctrine instruct and encourage in good manners But also refute and refell errours and heresies kill and cut downe sin and Sâ—tan yea depresse and destroy whatsoever makes against Christ or his glorious Gospell 2. Let us all dearely-beloved fellow-Christian souldiers desire and delight in no book so much as in Gods Word let us run and resort duly and daily to the absolute armory of the Scripture to furnish our selves thence against all our enemies execrable enterprises and excursions 1. Let us be well acquainted with and verst in the Scripture that so we may have it in continuall readinesse against the exasperate assaults of Satan 2. Let us be able to judge and discerne as of the Divels terrible temptations so of the severall sorts of remedies or replies out of Gods Word 3. Let us be apt and able to convict and convince any yea all frivolous or furious gainsaying contradictors as well by undeniable testimonies as by venerable examples 4. Let us fortifie and furnish our selves so with the Word of God 1. That our darke and blinded understandings may be inlightened with this light to our feet and lanthorne to our paths Psal 119. 105. We taking heed to it as to a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-starre arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. and delighted
in the saving knowledge therof more than in gold yea than in fine gold Ps 119. 127. more than in hony and the hony-combe Psal 19. 10. 2. That our wandring and erroneous judgements may be setled and established in the true way how to attaine eternall salvation by this Word of truth Ioh. 17. 17. Col. 1. 5. 3. That our consciences misled may be convinced erring may be conducted drooping may be comforted and tormenting may be quieted thereby 4 That our stubborn wils and rebellious affections exalting themselves against the knowledge of God and obedience of Christ may be subdued pulled downe and brought into subjection thereto 2 Cor. 10. 5. 5. That our cold frozen luke-warme and dead hearts may be warmed heated inflamed and enlightened with and made insatiable thereof 6. That our minds may be satisfied and content therewith more than with treasure Psal 119. 97. more than with thousands of gold and silver Ver. 72. 7. That our precious faith 2 Pet. 1 1. being much more preciâ—us than golâ— 1 Pet. 1. 7. may be quickened and nourished strengthened and increased 1 Pet. 2. 2. this oft bringing to our remembrance Gods precious promises and frequently renewing the off 1 of them 8. That our loose and licentious lives wandring out of the way of Gods commandements may be reformed rectified and amended Psal 119. 9. 9. And that we may be inabled to vanquish and overcome temptations strengthening our selves against sinne by hiding this Word in our hearts Psal 119. 11. and overcomming the wicked one by this Word abiding in us 1 Ioh. 2. 14. 1. This being a warlike rod and staffe Psal 23. 4. Mica 6. 9. 7 14. in regard of its sharpnesse strength streightnesse and warlike use To stay and support us against the force and violence of the Divell To beat buffet and put to flight Satan To correct and cure our soules being delinquent 2. This being a sharpe and piercing keen and cutting axe Luke 3 9 To fit and fashion stones for the Lords building to vexe kill and torment gaine-sayers to pare and cut off the corruption of the soule and conscience 3. This being the sword of the Spirit whereby the wicked are subdued whereby our selves are defended and Satan put to flight Say not beloved brethren you are not Schollers not Object Answ Preachers therefore you will not gird this sword about you nor weare this weapon upon you For although you are not learned Lawyers yet will you with all sedulity and diligence get and gather sufficient skill to compasse and keep your lands livings and inheritance Although you are not professed fencers captaines or chiefe commanders yet will you guard and fortifie your selves with swords of proofe to safeguard and preserve your lives and goods from theeves and murderers And therefore although you are not Preachers by profession yet see that you get sufficient skill in the Word of God that may not onely deck and garnish but also defend and guard your peerelesse and precious soules This being an excellent meanes to purge and purifie Motive 1. 1. Religion of errors heresies prophanesse and hypocrisie 2. Zeale of ignorance passion and selfe-love tempering it with charity and discretion causing it not to seeke its owne but Gods glory 3. Profession of Christ and Christianity of righteousnes and holines which is a necessary fruit of faith Ps 116. 10. Rom. 10. 9 10. Isa 44. 5. a thing not to be ashamed of Rom. 1. 16 tending to Gods glory Mat. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 12. Causing others to give thanks for us to God 2 Cor. 9. 11 12. And some to tread in the same steps 1 Thess 1. 6 7. Having a rich promise to be owned and acknowledged in the number of Gods elect before his Father which is in heaven Mat. 10. 32. 1. Of faint-hearted pusillanimity this assuring us of the truth of those cutting condemnations Mar. 8. 38. Of him shall ashamed Luke 9. 26 Rev. 21. 8. The fearefull c. 2. Of vicious prophanenesse this certifying all forgetters of God and contemners of Gods worship who professe that they know God but in workes deny him being abominable disobedient and to every good worke reprobate Tit. 1. 16. Who have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. 5. And who take Gods covenant in their mouthes yet hating to be reformed that God will reprove them set these things in order before their eyes teare them in peeces and none shall deliver them Psal 50. 17 22. 3. Of vaine-glorious Pharisaisme that forbidden fruit Gal. 5. 26. that fruitlesse fome and brittle blazing bubble which Christ Ioh. 8. 50. 54. and the best Christians disesteemed Acts 10. 25. 14 14. Rev. 19. 10. and for which vaine-glorious persons have severely smarted Witnesse Nebuchadnezzar turned into a beast Dan. 4. 30 31. and Herod buried in a moment in the contemptible intrals of base vermine Acts 12. 23. This assuring us that we have nothing in us whereof to glory 1 Cor. 4. 7. Ioh. 15. 5. That boasting braggards lose their reward with God Mat. 6. 1 2. whereas secrecie and sincerity procure acceptance with God and open reward Vers 4. 4. Weldoing or the doing of good workes of all sorts to God and man even the whole practice of godlinesse particularly liberal distributing and mercifull communicating to needy Christians and painefull Preachers of wearisomnesse namely of carelesnesse slacknesse and fainting Gal. 6. 9. This Word of truth telling us that in due season we shall reap if we faint not 5. And suffering of afflictions of which we must all look to partake since the way to salvation is through suffering the way to pleasure is through paine the way to happinesse is through misery the way to comfort is through griefe the way to gaine is through losse the way to honour is through dishonour the way to exaltation is through humiliation the way to life is through death or in a Word the way to the crown is the crosse Acts 14. 22. of impatience grudging fearfulnesse and fâ—inting This perswading us 1. That though we are in danger and distresse yet we have a Father omnipotent almighty able to rescue and deliver us Though we are in misery our Father is a God of mercies and of all comforts who doth not only comfort each of his faithful afflicted children but also in each of their troubles and afflictions 2 Cor. 1. 2 3. lo. 14. 17 18. Yea giving the greatest courage to the greatest conslict the greatest comfort to the greatest crosse So that when Ioshua is to encounter with those many magnanimous gyants and gyant-like nations an Angell of the Lord appeared to him with his sword drawne in his hand as a Captaine of the host of the Lord Ios 5. 13 14. when Elisha and his servant were besieged in Dothan the mountaine was full of horses chariots of fire round about Elisha 2 Kin. 6. 16. when the Church was in the bottome Christ Iesus is present with them not only
prayed to God for protection and prevailed Gen. 32. Thus Iehosaphat prayed saying O our God we have no might against this great company that commeth against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2 Chron. 20. 6 7 10 11 12. Thus Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord saying O Lord of hosts God of Israel c. Isâ— 37. 16 17 18 19 20. Thus while Ioshua and Israel fought with Amalek Moses prayed Exod. 17. 9. If in such concordant conflicts wherein men and men combat together like in nature and for number instature and for strength in prowesse and for policy being equally instructed in martiall discipline to manage their warlike proceedings being equally furnished with all manner furniture needfull and fitting for fight If I say in fighting against fraile and feeble flesh and bloud prayer must be added unto and accompany other preparations and the people of God have with care and conscience continually conjoyned prayer to other Witnesse Moses Exod. 17. 9. Samuel 1 Sam. 7. 5. Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 3 c. and diverse others They well knowing that meanes although many preparations although profitable and puissant to be of no use Psal 127. 2. Except the Lord build c. Therfore they would not trust in their bowes knowing that their swords could not save them Psal 44. 6. and that through God they could push dowâ—e their enemies and tread them under c. V. 5 7 8 9. And they well knowing that prayer is sanctified by God to obtaine his help and blessing that prayer is exceeding powerfull and prevailing yea so that whether other meanes failed or abounded they would never neglect this which makes supply where and when they are wanting and makes them powerfull and successefull if fervently used When one told Numa saying O Numâ— the enemies prepare warre against thee he cheerfully answered but I sacrifice implying that the forces of enemies are withstood and overcome more by the help of God than our own forces How much more I say ought we to pray in our spirituall combats against enemies which are innumerable namely the world and all wicked men the flesh and all its filthy lusts the Divell and all evill angels The world being malicious cruell crafty vaine evill the flesh being rebellious wanton and deceiptfull and the Divell malignant mighty fierce and fraudulent and our selves being such whose weaknesâ—es are wonderfull whose wants are many whose miseries are great and whose necessities are continuall Pray therefore that we may prevaile 1. For without God we can do nothing Ioh. 15. 5. It is God Reasons which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phi. 2. 13. We can do all things through Christ strengthening us Phil. 4. 13. All our hope is in and help from God and Aug. â—e lib. aâ—â— cap. 6. Gods help is obtained by prayer There is nothing so hard but with Gods help it may be made easie on him therfore let us depeÌ„d of him let us seek help so accomplish our purposes saith S. Augustine Hence it is that S. Chrysostome hath these pregnant passages Chrys aâ— Pop. A 〈…〉 71. There is nothing stronger than a man rightly praying for if a womaÌ„ could appease that furious governor which neither feared God nor reverenced man much more shal he provoke God to love who doth stand by him continually He doth over-master the bellâ— chase away delights c. Again There is nothing more powerfull Id 〈…〉 Hon. 58. â—n Mâ—â— 1â— than a man wisely praying for if a woman could turn the cruell judge which neither feared God nor honoured man much more shal he make God favourable to him who sticks to continual prayer he doth overcome the belly contemn delicious dainties 2. For prayer is of such force and efficacy in this our Christian warfare that S. Chrysostome saith Prayers are weighty weapons if they be established with necessary wisdome and that you may understand the force therof continuall prayer doth vanquish shamelesnes wrong cruelty and rashnes and that which friendship hath not done prayer doth performe and constant prayer hath delivered her worthy which was unworthy For these are great weapons if they be founded with fervency of spirit if without Chrys in Heb. 10. Sponte peâ— cantib Tom. 4. false and vaine glory if with a sincere mind and a contrite heart This doth break off warres this hath made an unacceptable and unworthy nation delectable and gratefull Againe Although God moved with mercy doth something yet here also prayer doth afford much helpe you helping together in prayer neither doth he attribute the whole to them lest he should puffe up their minds neither againe doth he wholly remove them from the praise of this benefit that he might encourage them and make them more chearefull and that he might bind them fast in friendship amongst themselves prayer was made without ceasing by the Church to God for him Acts 10. And it had such force that Idem Hom. 1. iâ— 2 Cor. 1. although the doores were shut and chaines did binde the Apostle and the keepers did sleepe on both sides at his side yet it brought him out and delivered him from all perils Againe Truly all kinds of heavenly weapons are comprised in divine Hom. de preâ— Tom. 5. prayers which alone are able to preserve those which have committed themselves to God But prayer is an invincible dart a secure fortresse which doth put to flight as well as one souldier many thousands for honourable David beat downe that Goliah furiously running upon him like some formidable Divell not with weapons not with sword but with prayer Prayer is the most necessary Tom. 5. de incompreh Dei nat weapon That which riches nor the multitude of helpers nor physicall skill nor Prince-like haughtinesse of mind could not effect that the prayer of one poore and needy one was able to doe prayer I say not that slender and slothfull but that which is earnest and doth come from a mind grieving and a contrite heart The force of prayer hath quenched the force of fire hath repressed Ibid. the rage of lions hath appeased wars hath removed battels hath taken away tempests hath chased away Divels hath opened the doores of heaven broken the chaines of death turned away sicknesses removed displeasures made strong cities shaking by means of earthquakes abolished or removed judgements falling from heaven the subtilties of men and all evils Againe Such force as Tom. 5. dâ— preâ— waters have in trees the same have the prayers of holy men in this life S. Paul with these by night did refresh his mind did easily vanquish dangers did offer his backe as a stone to stripes in such sort he shooke the prison in Macedonia even so as a liâ—n he brake the fetters by prayers so he delivered the Iailor froâ— errour so he destroyed and dissolved the tyrannie of Divels by prayer And that which this
pleasing paths of irreligious atheisme and ungodlinesse Let sottish and secure yea all corrupt and carelesse Christians seized upon and seduced by Satan sensually sleight this serious service using it as a matter of no moment and as a customary complement cursorily mumbling over a few words when they have nothing els to do or pattering over some certaine sentences dreamingly betwixt sleeping and waking Let deluding and deceiptfull dissemblers preposterously pretermit this pious performance to our Father in secret practising it only proudly pharisaically in publike to be seen of men as an engine to scrue themselves into peoples affections as a stalking horse to catch and inclose popular applause and as a ladder to mount themselves aloft that they may seem to be men of singular and surpassing devotion Thus manifesting themselves in the judgment of S. Chrysostome men dead in sinnes and trespasses and not well in their wits his words are these Whosoever doth not pray unto God daily neither doth desire Tom 5. de prâ—cat to use this heavenly communication it dead and doth wholly want soule and sense for that is the greatest conjecture of foolishnesse and unsensiblenesse seeing that the noblenesse of the dignity of this is not knowne seeing that prayer is not loved seeing that it is not esteemed the death of the soule not to honour God by prayer for as this our body I weene when the soule is absent is dead and stinking so the soule except it doth raise up it selfe to prayer is dead miserable and stinking And that we are to judge it more grievous than death to be berearved of prayer The Prophet Daniel teacheth us who was more willing to die than to be hindered three dayes from prayer for neither did the King of the Persians command to do any thing against piety but did endeavour to get a rest of three dayes when therefore I see any to faile from the exercise of prayer neither to be delighted with a vehement and earnest love hereof I know for a surety forthwith that nothing honourable or pâ—ssing excellent is possessed by him And these his sayings are autheâ—ticall and of avowable authority being consonant to that â—â—erring ca 〈…〉 of soveraigne and absolute authority the Word of God this openly publishing and proclaiming such perverse and prophane persons to be those fooles who say in their heâ—rts there is no God workers of iniquity which have no knowledge they not calling upon the Lord Psal 14. 1 4. and therefore godlesse and irreligious Atheists To cast off the feare of God Iob 15. 4 therefore they have forsaken the Lord which is an evill and biâ—ter thing Ier. 2. 19. and therefore the Lord will come to them to judgement and be a swift witnesse against them Mal. 3. 5. To want the spirit of grace Zach 12. 10. or the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. and therefore not to belong to Christ Rom. 8. 9. 2. Yet let us fellow Christian souldiers Pray First But to whom should we pray God onely blessed for ever ought to bee the object of our prayers minely Father Son and Holy Ghost 1. For hee onely is omniscient searching and trying the hearts and reines and therefore he onely can discerne and distinguish whether our prayers be sincere sound and from the heart or not Ier. 17. 10. 2. For he only is omnipresent at all times and in all places Psal 139. 7. to heare the suites and supplications of all pious petitioners 3. For he onely is omnipotent able to give and grant whatsoever we ask to gratifie and glad those which pray unto him Gen. 17. 1. 4. For he onely is the object of our faith Ioh. 14. 1. therefore of our prayer Rom. 10. 14. 5. For religious worship is due onely to him Deut. 10. 20. Mat. 4. 10. But such is prayer Mat. 15. 25. 6. For wee must pray according to Gods spirit Romanes 8. 16. which teacheth us onely to pray unto the Father Galat. 4. 6. Away therefore with saint prayer 1. Which robs God of that divine honour which is onely due to him Mat 6. 9. 2. Which robs Christ of that office of Mediatorship which is peculiar and proper to him 1 Tim. 2. 5 6 8. 1 Ioâ— 2. 1 2. for hee onely is Mediatour of intercession as well as salvation 3. Which is frivilous and fruitlesse for they can neither heare our prayers know our wants and wishes Isa 63. 16. nor give and grant what we desire Iam. 1. 17. 4. Which is idle and superfluous Christ being a mercifull High-Priest Heb. 2 17. touched with our infirmities 16. to whom we may goe boldly 7. 25. and God through the alone mediation of Christ being reconciled and exceeding mercifull unto us 2 Cor. 1. 3. 5. Which is no where warranted in sacred writ either by divine precept practise or promise all which directly crosse and thwart this Antichristian doctrine And pray we to God 1. Which is the searcher of the hearts and reines Psal 139. 23. a divine spirituall effence declaring unto man his thoughts Amos 4. 13. privie to all our steps and stations waies and wandrings Psal 139. 2. and therefore acquainted with the secret plots and projects of Sathans cursed complices And therefore he knowes how to frustrate their intendments to turne their consultations into foolishnesse or cause them to worke our greater good 2. Who is almighty and all-sufficient for he removeth the mountaines commandeth the Sun shaketh the earth c. Iob 9. 5 6 7 8. for he created all things with his word of nothing Gen. 1. to him nothing is impossible Gen. 18. 14. to him all things are as nothing the inhabitants of the â—â—rth as grasse-hoppers c. Isa 40. 12 17. from him none can deliver Isa 43. 13. Like to him there is none amongst the mighty Ex. 15. 11. Therfore able to defend and deliver save and succour in the depth of danger and from the most dreadfull distresses 3. Who is faithfull standing to his words and performing his promises made to us 1 Cor. 1. 9. 10. 13. Being unchangeable Iam. 1. 17. and alwaies the same Therefore ready to performe all his promises made for our protection preservation and the like Secondly To this God therefore let us pray For what 1. Not for such things in generall which are against Gods glory the good and edification of Gods Church or the salvation of our owne soules and bodies 2. Not for such things which are noisome and nought being evill by nature or accident Such was the petition of the Israelites to Samuel for a King 1 Sam. 8. 5. To the Lord for flesh Psal 78 30. 3. Not for things unseemely for God to grant or contrary to his nature 4. Not for things already obtained and enjoyed except 1. To have those good things in possession which wee have already in perswasion re which wee have spe 2. To have those in fuller measure which we have already in some part 3. To have that inuse which we have
but might the more honour God the giver and highly value the benefits bestowed it is the good will and pleasure of our gracious God to have us waite when wee have prayed for his gracious performance 3. To exercise our graces faith patience hope and constancy are tried imployed and improved by Gods delaying and our expecting These make us cry louder and knocke harder at the gates of mercy and pray more unto our heavenly father Hee holds off to give that wee his fraile and feeble weake and stammering children by often petitioning may by exercise become more expert that his gifts and graces in us may bee more manifested to our selves and others Matth. 15. And because hee loves and likes desires and delights in the prayers of his people As therefore those who are delighted in and ravisht with harmonious melody pay not presently least they should bee gone but deferre to reward the musitians that they might delight them longer Even so the LORD of heaven and earth much delighting in the humble and hearty faithfull and fervent prayers of his people deferres to grant yet so that wee are no loosers by our waiting Hannah Elizabeth and Sarah prayed earnestly and waited long the first had a Samuel the second a Iohn Baptist and the third an Isaack for her staying Iacob wrestled all night and in the end hee got a blessing 4. To prove our faith whether wee will seeke unlawfull meanes by gadding to the witch at Endor or the Idoll of Ekron 5. To make us throughly privie to our owne infirmities that wee may the more heartily embrace his strength 6. To strengthen our devotion towards him for delay extendeth our desires Thirdly Or in regard of God himselfe namely to make knowne and manifest his 1. Wisedome as best knowing what is fittest for us 2. Iustice being offended and correcting us hereby for our transgressions 3. Love denying that wee demand that hee may give us better or when wee are better fitted for such favours 4. Liberty he not being bound but free to give what and when himselfe pleaseth Say not beloved brethren God is not ignorant therefore Object 3 wee need not tell him hee is not forgetfull wee need not therefore remember him of our wants Hee is not carelesse we need not call upon him For Though he is not ignorant yet he will have us tell him Answ that which hee knowes that wee may acknowledge his omniscience and give him that part of his glory Though hee is not forgetfull yet hee will have us put him in remembrance that so wee may acknowledge his mindfullnesse of us and stirre us up to remember his promises Though he is continually carefull of us yet hee will bee often and earnestly called upon and sollicited with our suits that so we may exercise our faith hope patience and other like gladsome graces Say not beloved brethren God hath determined what Object 4 to doe decreed what to give therefore prayer is bootlesse and unprofitable 1. For wee are to walke according to the revealed will Answ of God which enjoynes us often and earnestly to pray and not to peepe and prie into the hidden and inscrutable secrets of the Almighty 2. Though his decrees are not changeable yet wee see and sensibly know that his dealings are changeable in divers things as in turning of blessings into curses c. 3. Though his everlasting decree is unchangeable yet his temporary conditionall decree may be altered 4. Though wee cannot perhaps obtaine the benefit wee desire yet we shall get as good or a better and so be no loosers but gainers But reason and resolve thus or after the like manner 1. Is our GOD so good and gracious as to give good things to them that aske him Matth. 7. 11. Is hee so omnipotent and almighty that hee can doe what hee will Psalmâ— 115. 3. Doth his providence dispose and order all things even to the haires of our heads and the falling of Sparrowes Hath hee strictly enjoyned and straightly commanded us to pray Psalme 50. 15. Hath hee gratiously promised that those who aske shall have seeke shall finde Matth. 7. 7. Is hee so willing to grant that his eares are open to heare the cry of the righteous Psal 34. 15. And is he ready to grant before wee aske Isa 65. 24. 2. Is prayer acceptable with GOD in the courts of heaven 1 Timothy 2. 1 2. Is it availeable even so to admiration that it shields and succours and safe-guards us against the Divell Ephesians 6. That it obtained victories remooved Leprosies cured Plagues recovered health stayed the Sunne in the firmament c. That it sanctifieth every thing takes away the hurt of evill sweetneth all distresses is a sure refuge in time of danger and brings salvation First Then surely wee will not with the prophane praverlesse Atheist neglect this sweet and soveraigne sacrifice of profitable and prevailing prayer for in so doing wee should leave our selves without excuse we should demonstrate an absence of grace and GODS spirit in our hearts wee should loose all faculty of prayer and deprive our selves of innumerable comforts in troubles and of conquests over our corruptions and Sathans conflicts Secondly Then surely wee will not dare to perplexe and persecute GODS peculiar people whose prayers yea whose groanes and sighes are so forcible and effectuall with the LORD of heaven who is both able willing and ready prest to deliver and defend them from the depth of distresses and to execute vengeance upon their persecutours Thirdly Then surely wee will not dread nor bee dismayed with the terrible assaults furious attempts and dreadfull temptations of Satan nor with the frownes furious rage and irefull menaces of his instruments Since prayer is so powerfull finde wee a heart to pray God hath an eare to heare and a hand to helpe Hee heard rebellious and disobedient Israel asking a King Egiptian 1 Sam. 8. Hagar for her scoffing Ishmael Moses his servant intreating Gen. 21. 17. for rebellious slubborne and hard-hearted Pharoah The Prophet praying for cruell contradicting Exod. 7. 8. and contemning Ieroboam And will hee not heare mee 1 King 13. a Saint a Sonne and for my selfe Certainely hee will Fourthly Then surely wee will be carefull and circumspect that wee pray not amisse for otherwise wee may aske and not receive Iames 4. 3. What man except strangely foolish if not strongly frantique knowing that a petition rightly penned or pronounced to his dread Soveraigne was of force to frustrate all his enemies malicious machinations against him to procure and purchase more mercies then his tongue could crave or his heart wish to winde himselfe into and linke himselfe fast for ever in his Princes favour would not prepare to put up the same with premeditation and advisement least by his precipitate inconsideratenesse hee not onely loose all those transcendently excellent expected clemencies and kindnesses but also incense with insatiable rage and fury his displeased Soveraigne And shall we
his spirit into the indissoluble incorruptible incomprehensible and incredibly gladsome embracings of his blessed Saviour whom hee saw standing on the right hand of God So for them that benigne and beneficiall benediction Thus doing wee shall demonstrate and manifestly shew the abiding and abounding of true Christian love in our hearts this teaching and enabling us thus to overcome and recompence and repay evill with goodnesse Rom. 12. 21. Thus doing we may be a meanes of their happy conversion so of inlarging the kingdome of Christ of weakening the power and lessening the number of Satans side so of our enemies Saint Ambrose thinkes that Saint Stevens prayer was a meanes of Saint Pauls comfortable and Christian change saying therefore was Paul lifted up from Ambros lib. 1. cap. 9. de paenitentia the earth because Steven was bowed downe on earth and heard And why may not we more probably conjecture if not conclude that Christs pitifull and patheticall prayer on the Crosse was the cause of the conversion and calling of many thousand Iewes after his death and resurrection Fifthly Pray for all men 1 Tim. 2. 1. of what estate degree condition or calling soever be they friends or foes good or bad pious or prophane If bad that they may be called and converted If good that they may be strengthened and established in this warfare Col. 1. 9. We must not despaire of those that August in Psal 36. be evill but we must more earnestly pray that they may be made good for alwaies the number of Saints is enlarged out of the number of the wicked saith Saint Augustine 6. Pray extraordinarily with more then ordinary ardency of affection so as to cry mightily unto God Ionah 3. 8. more earnestly then at other times Luk. 22. 44. with strong crying Hebrewes 5. 7. so as to wrestle with God in prayer Gen. 32. 24. 1. At the point of death Thus that pious Proto-martyr Saint Steven Acts 7. 60. cryed with a loud voice Thus that unparaleld Convert the penitent thiefe upon the Crosse Luke 23. 42. And our blessed Saviour Matth. 27. 46. cryed with a loud voice for usually the tempter is then most troublesome and truculent with his last encounters and most laborious onsets Then are we our selves most disabled and unfitted to hold up head and hold out against those direfull and dismall darts of the destroyer And then our night hastingly approacheth when we cannot worke any longer but we must rest from our labours Rev. 14. 13. when we cannot so praise God Ps 6. 5. as to benefit the Church and chosen of God by our prayers and other performances It therefore behoves us That God may have the greater honour and glory our selves obtaine more solace strength and support against the fierce and formidable farwells of our furious foes and that we may do all the good we possibly may or can before we rest from our labours then to double our diligence in praying unto our good and gratious God with vehement and violent vigour with earnest and unexpressable desires of the heart 2. In the time of dreadfull desertions disasterous distresses direfull discomfitings or any more then ordinary and usuall dolorous occurrences The fittest time for prayer being when men are in the greatest necessities agonies and perplexities And amongst all other duties of afflicted and assaulted soules this of prayer being the most needfull This is the first the last the best and surest weapon for weake saints souldiers and Christians and the most soveraigne salve for all sores and saddings of body and soule Hence was it that those pious pilgrims accompanied with many miseries and divers dangerous difficulties as wearinesse wandring and want of harbour hunger thirst faintnesse trouble and distresse Psal 107. 4 5 6. Hence was it that those many perplexed prisoners who sate in darkenesse and in the shadow of death being bound in affliction and iron whose hearts were brought downe with labour so that they fell downe without any to helpe them v. 10 11 12. Hence was it that sick folke whose soule abhorred all manner of meates and themselves drawing neare to the gates of death v. 18. Hence was it that seafaring men whose soule melted in them because of trouble they reeling to and fro staggering like a drunken man being at their wits end v. 26 27. Cryed unto the Lord in their troubles v. 6. 13 19 28. and obtained deliverance Hence is it that the Lord commands us to call upon him in the time of trouble Ps 50. 15. Iames 5. 15. Is any afflicted leâ— him pray And the people of God have powred out their soules and meditations before the Lord Iehovah Psal 102. 1. The time being then fittest and most seasonable for man to powre out his heart in prayer when he is in the greatest griefes pinching pressures and oppressing necessities 1. For then he is most sensible and hath the greatest feeling of Gods wrathfull displeasure and his dreadfull indignation 2. For then hee therefore will be more fervent with the Lord in prayer to have those great and grievous fadding and suppressing burdens released remooved or sweemed and sanctified 3. For then is prayer most needfull most seasonable Ps 50. 15. and usually most fervent Iosh 7. 6 2 Sam. 12. 16. 1 Sam. 1. 10 4. For then is Gods helpe nearest at hand to his people in mercy to minister unto them the greatest hope and assurance of safety and salvation when they are in the most dreadfull and dangerous distresses Ionah 2. Dan. 3. and 6. Exod. 14. Ester 4. for God is with them Ps 2â— 4 His eyes are upon them He watcheth over them He also keepes and preserves them 5. For then deliverances are of a sweeter rellish more acceptable and amiable to the faithfull petitioners who after the feeling of Gods rod and ferula upon themselves and others have faithfully and fervently fled to the throne of grace and not beene like to wicked and gracelesse men senselesse sullen or swallowed up of sorrow Iob 14. â—2 Pro. 23. 35. Thirdly In the time of the Church her misery and the Saints calamities we ought to lament their languishing to bewaile their ruines and pray continually confidently and compassionately for their solace and safety Say not beloved brethren the time is not yet come It is not Object 1 therfore seasonable to pray for their deliverance from dolours and distresses It being every day safe and seasonable to pray Answ for the advancement of Christ his Kingdome and the good of his subjects Say not beloved brethren The enemies of the Church are Object 2 mighty and the most of men It is therefore vaine and fruitlesse to pray for them There being more and mightier for the Answ Church and chosen of God then against them namely all the blessed Saints and holy Angels yea the Lord of hosts himselfe and all his armies which are innumerable Say not beloved brethren The Church cannot be in such Object 3 purity as in prime times
soules the beauty of old men the Schoolemaster of young men the teacher of the continent which adorneth every age and sex as with a diadem 6. Herby the Saints of God have been and are better enabled to all holy and heavenly pious practises and divine duties Matth. 17. 21. by fasting and prayer 2 Cor. 7. 6. Saint Chrysostome Hom. 15. in Matth. therefore calls it the mother of all good workes the mistresse of modesty and all other vertues the helper of prayer because prayer without fasting is slender and weake for that prayer is strong which is made with an humble spirit and a contrite heart but he cannot have a lowly spirit and a broken heart who eates and drinkes and enjoyes his pleasures whereas fasting adds fervous and force gives wings unto and nourisheth prayer Our Homilies excellently make three ends of fasting The chastising of the flesh To testifie our humble submission and That the spirit may be more servent in prayer 7. Hereby we may be encouraged against Satans execrable exploits and encounters this being a meanes to extirpate and expell the Divell Matth. 17. 21. Vpon which place Saint Hom. 58. iâ— Matth. Chrysostome saith He who prayeth fasting hath two wings by which in flying he is carryed over the windes for he neither doth sleâ—pily gaspe neither doth he deferre neither is he dull or slow in prayer which things many indure but he is more burning then fire above the earth and therefore is made a terrible enemy to the divell The same holy Father calleth fasting our armour and weapons against our adversaries saying They who goe to battaile Hom. 13. in Marke doe diligently furnish themselves before hand he seeth that he hath his helmet if he hath his sword if he hath his speare if he hath his arrowes if his horse be refreshed and that he may fight before hand he makes ready his armour your weapons Serm de uno legislatore Tom. 1. are fastings Againe he saith It is better to â—ast the fast of affection than of hunger The fast of love is better than of necessity Our Saviour saith of Divels this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting Prayer and fasting do put to flâ—ght the Divels and shall they not overthrow churlish Barbarians The same Father in a Sermon of fasting alledging the same Serm. 2. de â—ejunio Scripture saith Fasting ought not to be terrible to you for it is ordained against the nature of Divels So that if any be possessed with an uncleane spirit and shall behold the countenance of fasting if he were an unmoveable stone he shall be quickened But if thou addest to it the sister of fasting that is if he shall behold its companion prayer with it therefore Christ saith this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Since therefore it doth weaken and repell the enemy of our salvation and smite feare of such terrour in our enemies where fasting hath beene affected the difficulties of cruelty are released the bonds of captivity are loosed the rights of liberty are restored wholly Since therefore fasting doth resist our adversaries will reject the yokes of bondage and restore the security of freedome wilt thou heare what a safety how great a succour is brought forth to mankind by fasting And since abstinence hath beene a necessary buckler to us before the conflict to resist our wilfull sensualities much more must we desire the helpe of fasting in our fight it selfe to our victory 2 Sam. 11. 12 26. Dan. 9. 3. Esther 4. 16. Mar. 9. 29. Luke 2. 37. Acts 10. 13. 13. 3. 14. 23. This duty of fasting therefore being although not an essentiall property of prayer yet often necessarily to be joyned with and accompany the same as a prime and principall means to protect and safeguard our selves against the asperate assaults and sharpe attempts of our assiduous adversaries and audacious enemies and to propugne and prostrate the fierce and furious fraud and force of Satan and his assistants We therefore fellow Christian souldiers ought to our other pious performances to add and conjoyne this of fasting 1. I do not meane that naturall or physicall fast which is for healths sake and therefore often prescribed by learned Physitians for the recovery and continuing of bodily health 2. Nor that civill abstinence whereby men forbeare meats and drinks the better to accommodate themselves to accomplish some worke of waight or businesse of speciall importance more seriously setting and more firmely hereby fastening their minds to prosecute and effect with greater earnestnesse and forwardnesse the businesse intended 1 Sam. 14. 24. Acts 23. 14. 3. Nor a constrained fast when mens for bearance of food is from a forcible compulsion they would eat but either want meat or appetite Mat. 15. 32. 2 Cor. 11. 27. 4. Nor that Christian sobriety whereby men use the good creatures of God soberly and temperately not so often nor so plentifully as is usuall 1 Cor. 9. 27. Which is pious praise-worthy and profitable for the poore the common-wealth the health of our bodies the good of our soules This deading and diminishing fleshly and filthy lusts bridling and battering down unruly affections and fitting and framing the mind to holy and heavenly duties 5. Nor that spirituall fast whereby we abstaine from sinne Isa 58. 6. This abstinence and freedome from filthinesse and vice as to have our eyes fast from wantonnesse and vanity our eares from fables fraud and flatterie our tongues from wicked words and all evill speaking our hands from godlesse works and gracelesse actions our soules from sinfull thoughts and vaine imaginations ought to be constantly continued in the whole course of our lives 6. Not that miraculous fast whereby Moses Eliah and Deut. 9. 9. 1 King 19. â— Matth. 4. 1. our Saviour Christ abstained from all manner of fustenance for many dayes together without being at all hungry For this fact of our Saviour is not for our imitation we may not presume to do miraculous workes and acts because our Saviour did such Christ was baptized so ought we Christ confuted Satan with the Scripture so ought we Christ lasted so ought we But as we do not therefore desire to be baptized in Iordan as we do not desire to be placed on the pinacle of the Temple to resist Satan so neither in all circumstances Hom. 48. in Mat. must we imagine in our fasting to imitate our Saviour Christ Thus S. Chrysostome saith Our Saviour doth not say his fast is to be imitated although he might have propounded those forty dayes But learne of me because I am meeke and lowly in heaâ—t Neither doe those Papists who presse so much their ungrounded fasts consisting in an abstinence from certaine kinds of meates prohibited by the Romane Church as our learned * Pag. 68. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—â—llict the soule with abstinence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—asting nothing at all Bishop White Although they glut