sonnes of God and not only in humane affairs conuerse but in diuine dueties communicate with them as in hearing the word preached in the sacraments and in publique prayer They are yet but bastards no children they neuer truely tasted of the milke of Christs spouse nor euer drew the life of grace out of her breasts no more then did Cham in the Arke with Noah Ismael in the house with Abraham Esau in the company of Iacob who inwardly did not partake of their fathers vertues of obedience faith and continual praier vnto God the God of their fathers CHAP. VII Naturall fathers cannot beget children good or euill of their owne wils but they that are begotten anew of God are only good and like vnto God before whom the vnregenerate howsoeuer seeming holy are hypocrits EArthly fathers coÌ„monly beget childreÌ„ of their owne corporall likenes but the godliest father cannot propagate in his children the graces of the spirit neyther can profane fathers by their sinnes make their children sinners For it is found by experience that good fathers haue often wicked and wicked fathers godly children But the children of God begotten anew by the holy Ghost can neuer fall from being like vnto him that begat him And therefore doe they much dishonour God who in wordes professe they are his sonnes and yet in their actions they resemble the image of Sathan It were a great blemish vnto a godly man to be wrongfully supposed the father of a wicked sonne much more is God dishonoured by such as would seeme to be but are not of his seed For they that are of God indeed cannot but in some measure resemble him in being righteous as he is righteous that is By casting off the olde man which is corrupt through deceiueable lust and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines This casting off and putting on doeth teach vs that there is in vs somthing that befits vs not to retaine if we will be the true sonnes of God not by reputation among men but by imputation in Christ. What is to be cast off and what to bee put on is plainly expressed in the Apostles wordes before mentioned namely to cast off all deceiueable lusts which includeth all things forbidden and to put on righteousnesse which implieth a spirituall indowment of al heauenly graces among which none is of that singular force vertue and effect as is zealous and heartie prayer in faith vnfained which none can effectually make but such as haue put on this new man for the olde man knoweth not how to pray being clothed with corruption and blinded with the mist of ignorance The new man only shaped in holinesse knoweth to whom when in whom for what and how to pray all which circumstances are duly to be considered in prayer and yet neither of these dooth the naturall that is the old man truly apprehend and consequently the lip-labor that he pretendeth to bestow in prayer is not onely not profitable but sinfull CHAP. VIII Carnall wisedome hath not chiefe place of counsell in the regenerate man he dependeth on God and not on the meanes in any enterprise FRiends we obserue do most vsually communicate together not by way of dissimulation but by sincere affection and one is ayded and comforted of another according to the occasions each propoundeth to other And shal we think that that man that loueth God will estrange his occasions from the counsaile of God Will hee deliberate of any matter of importance but will first consult with the Oracle of Gods mouth And will hee not impart his occasions by powring them forth vnto him in praier assuring himselfe that God againe will answer him by his holy spirit and by him certifie his spirit what he shall doe and what course hee shall take both for the atchieuing of the good he desireth for the auoyding the danger he feareth No carnall counsel whatsoeuer not warranted by the word shall be admitted to that consultation or resolution he will abandon all carnall respects and onely holde himselfe to diuine direction hee will not vse humane wisedome but as it were a hand-maide to diuine prudence It may serch and find out such wants and corporall necessities as are fit in spiritual vnderstanding to be supplied but leaueth the execution to diuine wisdome which produceth faith and faith prayer for the obtayning thereof at the hands of God And as Abraham left his seruants and Asses behinde him when he went to offer vp his sonne so doth this heauenly wisedome leaue all carnall respects behinde when it approcheth towards God to offer the sacrifice of prayer or praise Contrariwise it is too manifest that the most carrie their carnall vanities with them eueÌ„ to the Altar making their petitions partly in the flesh and partly in the spirit in part beleeuing and in part doubting halting before God and yet seeming to walk vprightly before men who iustifie or coÌ„demne the outward action not seeing the inward heart To pray vnto God with the lippes for any corporall benefit and yet to haue the eye of the hart fixed in confidence vpoÌ„ naturall means is a kinde of spirituall adultery For what man is hee that hauing a wife outwardly affable vsing wordes of loue vnto him and yet her heâ—rt set vpon another man will not thinke her a faithles and vnchaste wise And is God lesse iealous think we who craueth our hearts when we shall worship him in words and outward shew of works when our consciences cannot but tell vs that we aske that of God which we inwardly beleeue more probable and possible to be obtained by meanes without him Is not this a falsifying of our faith and dissembling of our prayers Is not this a manifest breach of the law that saies we shal haue no other Gods but Iehouah as also not to take his name in vaine as they do that call vpon him with the lips their hearts farre from him The Iewes thinking to make themselues strong by the Egyptians and other carnall meanes left their dependancie on God therfore did God denounce his iudgements against them Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh any kind of carnal meanes his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord hee shall not see when any good commeth How can he then attribute praise or prayer vnto God for whatsoeuer successe when he groundeth his hope on earthly meanes and not on God Nay though hee pray vnto God and yet dependeth more and puts more hope on secondarie meanes if he find that come to passe that hee desired how can hee but yeeld part of the praise vnto the mediate cause wherein hee in part trusted and so derogate the praise due vnto God who is eyther all or no part of the cause of that wished successe For although God vse naturall instruments to effect his will not onely in relieuing his children when they pray vnto
the liuely and feeling affection of the heart faithfully beleeuing to receiue what we religiously desire we cannot but blush to come vnto God as the Pharisie did arrogating vnto our selues such perfection as if God were rather beholden to vs for our fasting tything almes and prayer then that wee needed to bow our hearts in humblenesse before his maiesty crauing pardoÌ„ for our sin when we pray therefore we must leaue behind vs all presumption and conceit of self-merit And in al humility aske beleeuing to receiue otherwise our praier wll become vnprofitable in not obtayning and sinfull in not beleeuing And therefore the Prophet Esay forewarneth vs to take heede that wee come not neere vnto God with our lippes namely to vse many and good words and yet our hearts wherein consisteth the force or frailty of faiâ—h and prayer be far from him CHAP. III. How we ought to approch before God in praier depending on Gods promises and not on carnall means which howsoeuer the vnfaithful respect not yet are the godly moued thereby THat praier is not true prayer which is not grounded vpon a liuely faith in the promises of God in Christ. It is promised to all beleeuers that if they aske they shall receiue yet for the merits in the mediation of Christ in whom if we beleeue not wee may seeme to send forth as many sighes and poure forth as many verball prayers and appeare in our gestures outwardly as deuout and zealous as any man and yet be as farre from being heard and come as farre short of obtayning what we desire as he that praieth not at all the very Publican will preuent vs. If we had not the promise of obtaining for our faithfully asking what would become of Faith Prayer If we rested as doubtfull vncertain to receiue our requests at the hands of God as many a poore begger is that asketh almes of mortal men in his Name should we not passe by more houres in a day more dayes in a weeke nay many weekes in a yeare neuer remember our duties of beleeuing and praier For it seemeth notwithstanding the promise by our generall slacknesse in praier that we hardly beleeue Christ vpon his promise nor God vpon his oath For as long as the carnall man hath worldly meanes to supply his wants or to free him from danger he will hardly seeke God by praier for earthly things because hee feeles no present neede of them nor for spirituall because he is a stranger vnto them Many seeme as miserable of offring praiers to God as they are of giuing him of their goods in his members But as they keepe their goods to the time of necessitie so their praiers they wil spend none but vpon meere extremitie Pharoh neuerentreated Moses to pray for him as long as he felt not some plague but when the extreme hand of the powerfull God was vpon him then called he for Moses to pray to God for him And yet that zeale continues but as do his plagues the one ceasing the other are staied Carnall men make their praiers as the water mooues the Mill-wheele when the water ceaseth the wheele staieth so when troubles faile faith praier cease Man by nature trusts rather his owne present worldly meanes then Gods promises his owne wealth then Gods word as he that obserues the rules of carnall reason cannot but collect how far the confidence men repose in worldly meanes ouersway their trust in God namely as farre as the earth is distant from the heauens For according to the portioÌ„ of euerie earthly blessing hath euerie carnall man trust in his means Golâ—ah in his strength Pharoh in his greatnes Senacherib in his Armie Achitophel in his policy Haman in his fauor with the King Nebuchadnezzar in his greatnes Belteshatzer in his vain-glorie and infinite others trusting in their own seuerall means long since gone to their places but haue not carried hence with them this vaine confidence froÌ„ mortal men For euery carnall man in his owne nature extendeth his confidence onely so farre as he hath visible and carnall meanes Quantum habet nummi tantum habet fidei We trust so farre as we see probable carnall meanes in naturall reason fit to be depended vpon which failing Faith faileth The couetous man is called an Idolater because he puts his trust in his riches so may euery man be truely called that trusteth in carnall means whether it be riches strength friends or other the like And the reuerence that men naturally yeelde vnto these meanes differeth not much from that they doe vnto God onely what they pretend towards God is opeÌ„ but what they do towards their earthly meanes is secret They seeme not visibly to kneele nor verbally to pray to the meanes but they in their hearts preferre that they see and enioy aboue that they haue but heard of the promises of the inuisible God And therefore rather then they will diminish their wealth to doe good vnto Gods people as God hath commanded as touching their abundance they will be bolde to straine a point of Christian obedience and rather giue ouer their following of Christ and abandon his presence with the Gergesites then to lend vnto God though they shall be assured not only ten of the hundred but one hundred-fold more then they disburse And therfore no maruell though they neuer or seldome pray vnto the inuisible God Their soules are not so deare vnto them as their liues and their liues not so pretious as their wealth nay liues and soules are of smal value with them in comparison of their worldly riches and carnall pleasures Tell a rich worldling that he ought to make his praiers vnto God hee will in his heart aske you for what hee should pray hee hath wealth at will as the rich man in the Gospell he hath health at his hearts desire his cattell prosper his corne oile wine abound for what should hee pray It is a strange exercise you would draw him vnto that concerneth not his worldly profit or carnal delight The like may be also said of euery meere carnall man bee hee poore or rich who rather then hee will embrace the promises and faithfully depend vpon the prouidence of God hee will aduenture the most vnlawful and vniust attempts against the lawes both of God men wheras if they could or would incline their eares to hear and their hearts to vnderstand the word of truth they could not but abandon all vniust deuises the rich would pray vnto God for direction to dispose of their wealth to Gods glorie and their owne soules health and the poore for supplie of all their corporall necessities and relie vpon Gods promises and prouidence bending al their powers to serue the liuing God in obedience and praier The godly and faithfull poore man beeing pâ—nched with penurie visited with sicknesse in feare of enimies and in whatsoeuer danger flieth vnto one onely God
the duetie that God commands to make heauenly friends with their earthly Mammon Therfore our Sauiour pronounceth such impossibilitie for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heauen euen because of his couetousnesse and oppression and because of his securitie and seldome or neuer faithfully seruing the liuing God and againe denounceth woes against them for that they haue their consolation in this world not for that they oppresse the poore and get their goods by vnlawfull meanes but because they haue their coÌ„solation namely their carnall delights and pleasures and not their spirituall ioy and inward comfort of the holy Ghost heere in this life Therefore behoueth it rich men to beware they place not their hearts consolation vpon these worldly fleeting vanities but according to diuine counsaile If riches encrease not to set their mindes vpon them but to vse them as they vsed them not For it is not meerely riches that maketh the vser but the abuser of them vnhappie And therefore as there may be a poore man proude and couetous euen in his small portion so may there be a rich maÌ„ poor in his owne conceit and so bestowe and distribute his goods as not onely not a woe but a blessing shall be pronounced vnto him as to the poor beleeuing in God for our Sauiour to encourage all as well poore as rich rightly affected and to stirre them vp to obedience and prayer saith Reioyce be glad for I haue prouided for â—ou a Kingdome CHAP. VI. The force of liuely faith and how hard a thing it is truly to apprehend the misterie of Christ and how easie historically to discourse thereof THE promises of future happinesse are able to stirre vp the dullest heart to waite and worke out his saluatioÌ„ with fear trembling with loue and obedience in faith prayer and yet it seemeth Not manie wise not many mighty not many rich beleeue this promise They seem rather to be leue a bond a statute a pawn or the promise of a rich maÌ„ then they wil giue credit vnto God vpon his oath who yet neuer was found to promise any thing but what he performed to the good of euery one that beleeuing asketh any thing fit for him to receiue he deceiueth no man that trusteth his bare word Abraham might haue cast many doubts being in a profane and Idolatrous countrey brought vp without the written will of God being called thence by an inuisible power to repaire into a remote country vnknowne and the conditions of the people strange vnto him But he contrarily cast off all difficulties and confidently resolued against his owne naturall reason and will of all his friends and familiars and betooke him to the iourney and ceased not till he came to Canaan Who would not haue consulted with his kinsfolks frends Who would not haue looked for better assurance of good successe before hee would haue aduentured to forsake his countrey and friends and betake himselfe to the hazard of such an attempt But he knew that he that called him was iust and what hee had promised hee was able to performe and would neither faile him nor forsake him Hee wauered not as the most of vs do touching heauen and heauenly things promised how can we affirm we beleeue it and yet giue our selues ouer to the world It is not indeed euery mans case to know the mysterie of Christ but in a kinde of generall apprehension as hee is deliuered in the outward word according to the Historie But to beleeue that he came in the flesh without man to containe two natures vnder one visible forme that hee was God equall with the father and man like vnto vs that he cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs that in him we are reconciled again to God the father that he sits at God's right hand a mediator for vs and that all beleeuers shall ascend and rest with him in glorie that our bodies that are corrupt shall either die and putrifie or be changed and in fine be glorified in the heauens And to apply all this to our owne selues through faith cannot but goe so farre beyond the ordinarie capacities of naturall men as the God of heauen is aboue the God of the ayre For as Christ said vnto Peter flesh and bloud reueiled not vnto him what Christ was neither can the natural man apprehend this heauenly mysterie and therefore cannot beleeue the promise of saluation to the comfort of his own soule and consequently cannot pray to God in Christ. He can speake of and dispute and beleeue the whole Historie of Christ both how he was promised and prophesied how he was crucified and can relate euery Article of Christian beleefe And so farre the diuels know beleeue and tremble But this is the peculiar portion of Gods children truly to depend vpon Christ thorough faith grounded vpon knowledge as beleeuing that heauen is his portion is the gift of God in Christ who being the liuely image of God the father teacheth vs to know God in the Trinitie and the Trinitie in vnitie whom who so knoweth not and by knowing him loueth him and in louing him obeyeth him and in oâ—beying him beleeueth him and in beleeuing him dooth not pray vnto him howsoeuer they seeme to vpholde their knowledge defend their obedience and bragge of their prayers they are all but counterfeit For no truly spirituall exercise can bee performed or diuine grace obtained but by a man spiritually qualified and beloued of God and who loueth God for vnlesse we feele in our selues the loue of God towards vs wee can neuer loue God for he loueth vs first and by the third person of the Trinitie worketh loue in vs towards him and loue being the band of obedience and obedience the marke of our election and coÌ„sequently the seale which hath the image of our Redeemer whereby our adoption to bee the sonnes of God is confirmed to euery one that beleeueth Not to euery one that pretendeth to loue obey and serue him but to him only whose heart is right before the Lord who heareth the word beleeueth the spirit that wrote it and bringeth forth the fruits of it namely to doe what is therin commanded and to auoyde things forbidden therein he euen he is the vndoubted adopted sonne of God and whatsoeuer he asketh the father by the spirit in the sonne hee shall receiue it for he hath the promise of the blessings of this life and the life to come Contrariwise such as neither yet haue nor desâ—re to haue thiâ— feeling this faith and this dependance on God howsoeuer they pretend that they are the sonnes of God for that they can only talke like and performe some outward duties as the true sonnes of God do yet let them not deceiue themselues they are not yet out of the lees of their originall neither haue they remission of their actuall sins but the Bond is yet against them depending vncancelled though they associate the
prepensed custome vsing onely the Lords Prayer the Beliefe and the Salutation of the blessed Virgin and otherset prayers in an vnknowen language with so many superfluous iterations and needlesse repetitions as the heart busied with retayning the number of the prayers seldome or neuer apprehendeth what the mouth vttereth neither truly vnderstand they what they speake praying in a language they know not And so turne their deuotions into sinne being made without vnderstanding and consequently not of faith Moreouer they vse in their prayers a kind of humblenesse which God requireth not superstitiosly pretending the auoyding of presumption in going immediately to God and therefore they came to God in the name of strange mediatours namely to the blessed Virgin to Angels and to Saints departed prying them by their merits to intercede for them to Christ that he may pray to his father for them What a needlesse circumstance is this Hath not Christ our Sauior louingly willed vs to come immediatly and freely to him who is the sole and onely mediatour vnto God our heauenly Father for all that faithfully and immediatly come vnto him There is none in and by whom we can be saued releiued or defended but in and by the man Christ Iesus He willeth vs not to vse that kind of humblenesse which should imply pride or any breach of promise in himselfe as it followes if wee think it too much presumption to come immediatly to him but first to goe and to pray vnto his blessed Mother Angel or Saints as if he himself were of the cōceit and humour of earthly Princes It is far from him his children may freely come to him he disdayneth them not for their basenes and therefore desireth not to bee sued vnto by more glorious persons whom they pretend he loueth better But this doth argue that we thinke He will not bee as good as his wrod where he saies Come vnto me all yee that are heauy laden and I will refresh you Which is to make God a Iyer and Christ to haue died in vaine Hee saith not come to me by the meanes of my blessed Mother holy Saints or Angels And therfore this is but a forged humblenesse and a falselie coyned meane to come to Christ but faith onely is the meane to assure vs that hee is our onely Aduocate to the father to whom wee come by Christ only and alone That praier that men make to God in the name of any besides Christ is not only no prayer but a meere derogation of the principal part of his office of being our only Mediatour Moreouer to goe to any besides Christ argueth a doubt that either he cannot or wil not be as good as his promise where he saith Whatsoeuer ye aske my father in my name shall be giuen you These kinds of prayers are grounded vpon a zeale without knowledge and consequently without faith and so become sinne vnto them that thus superstitiously pray And I can not but confesse also that the most religious praiers that godliest men haue made nay the very praier that Christ himselfe hath taught vs although most hard in it selfe may become vnprofitable vnto them by proceeding from an vnbeleeuing vnfeeling or vnreformed heart or proceeding onely from the lippes passing from the mouth into the Ayre and vanishing with the soud Such prayers as they proceede from vnbeleeuing hearts are like vnto Cayns offering howsoeuer foolishly accounted deuotion these are but the sacrifices of fooles who would be seene to offer acceptable incensce and behold hypocrisie they would seeme to glorifie God and behold blasphemy There is a kinde of prayer which God requireth and accepteth and is onely proper to the truly godlie And that is made somtimes in words sometimes by sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed and sometimes in silence without vttering any sound yet all very auailable with God who seeing and serching the heart knoweth what we inwardly desire and seeth wherof we haue need And these secret and silent prayers proceeding from a faithfull heart are far more effectuall then the verball praiers which the vnbeleeuer may vse with the like words as the godly do and to the same seeming ends And yet the same prayer is not to them both the selfe same praier the one hauing but the shadow the other the substance the one praying but with the lippes the heart estranged the other with the spirit and vnderstanding Therefore is the one of no force and the other truly effectuall These two kindes of prayers may be resembled vnto two pieces of Ordnance whereof the one is charged with powder onely The other with powder and a bullet Eyther of them takes fire a like and that which hath no bullet giues as great an outward and audible report as the other But the first batters not as doth the second although they seeme to ayme both at one mark So hee that hath not vnderstanding and faith may haue the like fire of necessity to enkindle the powder of desire but can neuer perse the cloudes the throne of grace with the bullet of liuely faith though the tongue thunder out as loud and clamorous acclamations as the other yet the other carries with it both powder and bullet both voice of the tongue and deuotion of the heart powerfully to worke the intended effect with God And the force of the other perisheth with the sound CHAP. II. It is vaine to vse many words in Prayer without spirituall feeling and great arrogancy to presse into the presence of God without premeditation with a definition of prayer HE that duly and with true vnder-standing considereth the force and effect of faithfull prayer and how vaine and vnprofitable it is to powre forth a multitude of words without spirituall feeling of his owne necessities As the causes mouing him to pray the matter wherefore hee praieth the parties to whom and in whom hee prayeth and with what zeale and affection he praieth without◠consideration of these hee may feare to presse into Gods presence presuming without premeditation deliberation holy preparation to approch the maiesty of God Wee shame to approch a King or great personage without recounting before hand how to behaue our selues as touching our gestures and how to place our speech to be seene formall in all the circumstances of our behauiour fearing least we should be obserued vnciuill rash or defectiue in our cariage How dare wee then thrust our selues abruptly into the presence of the King of kings without diuine preparation◠Our words and gestures must be agreeable to a holy and sanctified affection our hearts must be humble otherwise wee cannot come as petitioners but rather as insolent and proud vsurpers although our words seeme neuer so milde For if the heartfrom whence ought to proceed our requests be not truely humbled and rightly qualified God will neuer haue respect vnto our prayers And therefore if wee duly consider That Prayer is an humble request made vnto God in Christ with
for all but the carnall man hath many Gods the Monie in his Chest his Friends that his Mammon hath got him his Corne in his Barnes his Cattle in the Fields his Plate and Iewels his Wit and Pollicy are the Gods of worldly men in them they trust and by som or one of them they hope to be relieued or steeded in whatsoeuer desperate occasion and therfore seeke they not the helpe of the inuisible God by fruitlesse Prayer as they deeme it But the faithfull man in deede knoweth these to be deceiuing Gods flattering Gods like vnto Ionahs Gourd that seemed faire for a day and when it should most haue sheltred him it withered by the worme at the roote So haue all these vain-glorious Gods their wormes that worke at their roote who wither when they that trust in them haue most neede of their helpe like the Manna that the Israelites gathered ouer night and kept till morning which withered stank when they thought to eat it Euen so do Friends faile Riches Strength and Pollicie deceiue them that trust to them or in thē And it is to bee admired that so many men not onely instructed by the Word of God but also by so many experiences which they euery day see that all the glorie of the world and vanities thereof are but deceiuing dreames and yet that they should suffer themselues to be bewitched with their flatteries inchantments like the followers of Vlysses transformed into beasts by the charmes of Circes who honour that which is to bee contemned and contemne God who aboue all friends riches whatsoeuer means is to bee loued embraced beleeued and praied vnto CHAP. IV. The faithfull mans God is the onely liuing God and in him is his chiefe good the carnall men haue manie Gods the ends of both THE friends the riches and whatsoeuer good the faithfull man hath or hopeth for is in heauen The Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost one Al-sufficient God the Angels heauenly societie these are will be for euer his and will neuer faile nor forsake him He that created him he will keepe him he that redeemed him he will iustifie him hee that sanctified him hee will reach him to pray to the Father in the Sonne hee will assist our spirits who know not how or for what to pray he will help our infirmities enkindle our godly desires he will make such a sacred vnion between himselfe and our spirits as wee shall become one with him and God the Father and the Sonne being one with the Holy Ghost shall in the consent of the sacred Trinitie beget vs anew giue vs new hearts new affections new loue liuely faith and furnish vs with all the graces of right regeneration yea wee shall become like vnto our elder brother and euen here in earth partake of heauenly consolation The Angels shall administer vnto vs all holy aide and support vs in all our waies walkings according to the good pleasure of GOD who giueth them charge ouer his children These are the goods of the godly Oh the sweet operation of liuely faith begotten by the promise of God in Christ made in his word it begetteth Praier and Praier truely powred forth by lippes vndefiled in the affection of a right qualified heart vnto God the Father in his Son doth truly assure vs of Gods presence and present reliefe in all our necessities more fully and more truely then all the false Gods and vaine goods of carnall men and their meanes What worldly or carnall aide had the three children in the Furnace What arme of flesh deliuered Daniel from the Lions What earthly helpe had that great God to ouerthrow the Armie of Senacherib Many in like dangers haue beene saued relieued and deliuered without humane aide The examples are infinite in Scriptures wherof the miracles done in leading the children of Israel out of Egypt through the Wildernesse their plantation in and vpon the borders of Canaan and the life of Ioseph may serue to satisfie any beleeuing man For neither were friends nor wealth nor strength nor pollicie aiding this great God in his works of greatest wonder Who then will preferre these base earthly deceiuing Gods and flattering goods before the good God of Israel Or who will trust any God but the God of Hoasts Haue any of the Gods of the Nations deliuered his land out of the hands of the King of Ashur Where is the God of Hamath and of Arpad Where is the God of Sepharnaim Hena Iuah Which of the Gods of worldly carnall men haue deliuered their most humble suppliants out of any their troubles or rid them or preuented any of their dangers It is a most execrable blasphemie against the God of heauen to preferre worldly goods and carnall meanes before the helpe loue and fauour of the God of Gods and of goodnesse as manie do testified by their works though they would seeme to shew the contrarie How did wicked Rabshakeh raile vpon the liuing God from Senacherib his master And did not the Angell of the Lord that night destroy one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand men of the Hoast of Ashur Here was the force of flesh confounded and Senacherib himself was slain by Adramelech and Sharazer his owne sonnes as hee was worshipping Nisroche his God in the Temple of the Idoll Who then seeing the successe of mans carnal confidence Idolatrous zeale will not seeke the God of heauen for succor in danger for reliefe in want and for comfort in all distresses what man of common sense obserueth not manie precedent examples of the weaknes and vncertaintie of carnall meanes And yet how many are there to be found in these times of common carnall securitie that do seek their helpe at God by humble and faithfull Praier doe they not rather depend vpon the broken Reede of their owne felt outward meanes and therfore despise the seruice of God and contemne his weake children The Glutton would not pitty Lazarus the false Iudges did accuse Susanna the rich will striue to wrong the poore and wrest Iustice vniustly by the meanes of their corrupting Mamon seldome or neuer considering that there is a God that careth for the poore who is able to raise vp a Daniel to cleere Susannaes innocencie a Salomon to decide the doubts arising by false pretences There is great difference betweene the pretended happinesse of the rich and poore And so much differ the felicitie of the one and other the one is great and fearefull to the poore and hath his felicitie in this life the other is despised of the rich and hath his miserie here but the first passeth from his mirth to mourning from his wealth to want from his glorie to griefe from a glorious life to an eternall death But the second is taken frō his basenesse to glorie from miserie to comfort from griefe to grace and from a kinde of worldly death to celestiall and endlesse life For it is
not permitted in diuine iustice that the children of GOD should line heere in carnall pompe to withdraw them from diuine obedience nor the wicked to partake heere of inward heauenly consolation setting their hearts and affections vpon worldly things Wee cannot enioy light and darknes together we cannot feede and fill our hearts with the pleasures of this life and yet thinke wee shall not taste of the bitternesse of the second death To the end therfore that we deceiue not our selues in our iudgments touching the spirituall and carnall men wee must beware that wee ground not our opinions vpon outward appearance of mens estates high or low for there are rich religious men and irreligious poore men but we must iudge all men and all things by the word of God the right ruleâ— and infallible to discern and distinguish the perfect from the counteâ—feit And therin wee must lay aside naturall reason carnall vnderstanding which are enmitie to God and commonly iustifieth what he condemneth coÌ„demneth what he approueth Loue not the world saith Saint Iohn nor the things that are of the world for if any man loue the world the loue of God is not in him Yet saith carnall reason Loue the world and the things of the world for that thou mayest doe and loue God too But how hang these together For he that loueth God loueth righteousnes holinesse meekenes patience obedience and prayer but he that loueth the world loueth the contrarie liuing in vnrighteousnesse disobedient to God ouercom with the desires of the flesh the desires of the eies and the pride of life CHAP. V. The world is inconstant the difference betweene diuine and carnall wisedome betweene the seeming deuotion of the irreligious rich the religious poore man SAlomon speaking of the World saith that when hee had well considered all things that the world afforded hee could not but obserue it very inconstant and mens mindes very variable and often distracted staggering whereunto to applie themselues wherein yet hee found by experience that al men for the most part embraced that which they should shunne and shunned that which they should embrace changing their counsels as worldly occasions offered mutabilitie in their affaires extolling dispraysing louing hating hoping fearing beleeuing distrusting and finally following and forsaking all things as they were led by carnall vnderstanding wherein they worshipped the creature in steed of the creator leauing the seruice of God and praying vnto God and inclining themselues to those courses wherunto their owne appetites sway them and the Diuell inforceth them wherby it commeth to passe that some couetously pursue to be rich among men which often with-holdeth them from seruing God as appeareth by many of them that content them rather to violate a good conscience forgetting not only pietie but meere humanitie to accomplish their desires mingling and confounding good entended with euill acted estranging themselues from all religious affections and inward holy desires associating themselues with such as will applaude their vanities and reiect the society of the good of whom they might learne to serue the liuing God by obedience prayer How can you beleeue saith S. Iohn seeing yee receiue glory one of another and seek not after nor pray for the glory which commeth from God alone Almost euerie man seeketh to outstrip another in carnall but not in diuine wisedome And therfore can they not attribute the praise of obtaining what they seeme to enioy to the right cause for they begin at their owne apprehension of what is good and therevpon build their weake wisdome whereas they should beginne in the world to bee fools to the world that they might be wise to God as the Apostle counselleth that If any man seeme to be wise let him be a foole that he may be wise For as Christ came not to call the righteous such as reputed themselues pure to repentance but sinners such as acknowledged their own imperfectioÌ„s so surely God giueth not wisedome to the wise namely to such as thinke the worldly wisdom sufficient but to such as thinke themselues fooles wanting the true knowledg of diuine things For the wisdom of the world is foolisbnesse with God and hee catcheth these kinds of wisemen in their owne craftinesse Although worldly pollicie may as it doth circumuent the innocent yet cannot God be deceiued for such is his deep and iust iudgement high wisedome that he knoweth and iudgeth he discerneth and condemneth or approueth farre aboue the reach of mortall man Man may deceiue man not onely by visible actions of earthly and worldly deuises but euen in spirituall exercises for they may seeme to beleeue because they so brag of themselues and to pray because they may be seene to kneele at a piller to lift vp the eies to strike the breste and to moue the hand and lips as if they were verie deuout And yet may their hearts be full of gall and bitternes and their affections be set like Demas vpon the world and worldly things wherin God is not deceiued But the hypocrite that seemeth to bee and is not religious godly faithfull and truly zealous deceiueth himselfe thinking that God will content himself with the chaffe that hath no corne with the leaues without fruit and with the show without the substance of faith obedience and praier And therefore the rich man and the worldly wiseman as cousen germans may not look for any applause at the hands of God as they vsurpe it from men but to receiue according to the inward disposition of their hearts and soules God respecteth not the person of the rich nor wise according to the world nor reiecteth he the person of the poore but according to the measure of grace in eyther hee approueth or reproueth theÌ„ yet in the more dangerous estate is the rich man as appeareth by the wordes of Christ himselfe who obserued how riches wrought with men in the world how it choaketh the word of God in them working to the lust of all forbidden things and against the desire of all diuine wisedome which is the life of faith And faith being the life of prayer is quenched thereby and consequently prayer which is the life of our soules waxeth cold and withereth Yet cannot this extend to euety rich man for the Wiseman saith that That rich man is blessed which is found without blemish and hath not gone after gold nor trusted in money and treasure adding Who is he and we will commend him for wonderfull things hath he done among the people hauing beene tried and found perfect let him bee an example of glorie who might offend and hath not offended or doe euill and hath not done it By which wordes he intimates vnto vs that rich men haue many and more motiues by their meanes to offend then the poorer sort haue and that it is a strange thing to find a rich man so qualified by diuine grace as he wil bestow his goods and performe
him but also in punishing the wicked when they offend yet are these meanes onely of and by God working not as man willeth but as God foreseeth fit for the good of the one punishment of the other God vsed clay to cleere the eies of the blinde man if the blinde man had yeelded the thanks to the clay as the cause of his sight though hee had likewise giuen praise vnto God hee had robbed God of his right For to allow vnto God a fellow-helper were to argue him of himselfe insufficient as som most fearfully belch forth a most superstitious praier saying God and our Lady do this or that or preuent this or that whereby they eyther make God no God or a God not absolute in power nor without a cooperator complete which cannot bee but most horrible blasphemie I hereby yet inferre not that it is vnlawfull to giue reuerence vnto the means which God vseth for our good as Dauid did to Ionathan yet no further but as to the instruments without which God might haue effected his worke eyther by other meanes or without any meanes nay against means as not tied to any secondary meanes of necessitie Hezekiah being healed with a cluster of figges did not perswade himself that nothing else could haue done the cure but that whatsoeuer God had made the mediate cause howsoeuer contrarie to the opinion that man might haue of the thing it would haue wrought the same effect For he is able by weakest means to performe the greatest worke as it appeared by the ouerthrow of the wals of Iericho with the sound of Rams hornes And as he worketh by meanes so sometimes without meanes euen by his word as in healing the Cananitish woman and the Centurions seruant nay such is his absolute power as he worketh as familiarly and easily against meanes as in bringing water out of the hard drie Rocke making the waters to diuide as the red Sea and Iordan in making the Sunne to stand still in Gâ—beon and the Moon in the valley of Aialon at the prayer of Iosuah and causing the Sunne to goe backe in his sphere contrarie to and against his naturall motion at the prayer of Hezekiah The holy Scriptures are full of such sweete examples of the absolute power of God who to effect them requires necessarily no other human meanes but faithfull praierâ— not the praier which passeth onely the lips the affections of the heart being extrauagant but that prayer which proceedeth from the sanctified soule well and rightly tuned in all her faculties the vnderstanding thinking on nothing but on God the will onely louing him the memory coueting to retaine nothing but him the desire aspiring to no other happinesse but what he hath promised vs in his word In this maner were our holy fathers qualified and in this sweete consent of the affections poured they forth the concordant harmonious praiers that wrought these former most admirable supernaturall effects in altering the naturall course of those creatures which he himselfe set in the firmament neuer to be moued to the end of the world CHAP. IX It is a dangerous thing to pray vnto God vnprepared but most safe sweet vpon diuine premeditation arising of grace not of nature HOw can this but moue a kind of feare in men who presume to thrust themselues into the presence of God vttering praiers in wordes their vnderstandings being carried from God through the vanities of this life their wills beeing besorted with the loue of carnall things and their desires thirsting after worldly aduancements Are these mens prayers of force to cast downe holdes to alter the natural course of things or can they obtaine any thing at the handes of God but reproofe But men that are wise in Christ enlightned with the diuine spirit feele motiues in themselues of another kinde not staying below their affections set vpon the golden Calfe at the foot of mount Sinai but they aâ—cend vp in their harts to the holy mount of Grace and there conuerse they familiarly with the true God leauing the flesh pots the Onyons and Gourds of Egypt and feede on the heauenly Manna Angels bread the bread of life whereby they becom so rapt vp from earth and earthly things as they haue their conuersations alreadie in the heauens by their heauenly communication with God in their spirits Their prayers sweet conference with God for the time ended they then returne to the performance of their lawfull affaires and therein walke as it were with God liuing so sincerely with and among men in the feare and loue of God as if they were in the reall presence of God To this degree of perfection none can attaine by his naturall vnderstanding or will but by the administration of the spirit of God only who teaches vs how to pray God commaundeth all men to pray and yet giueth not all men the gift of true praier and therefore euerie man is bound to aske of God power to aske although it may seem strange to a carnall man to aske power to performe the selfe-same thing that hee performeth in asking But it is to be considered that there is a verball and lip-kind of asking and there is a cordiall heartie praying and he that doeth it not from the heart may vtter it with the lippes and in words may seeme to pray and yet the heart remaine estranged and full of rancor and euill affections But such is the force of â—iuely faith that it cannot conceale it selfe for if it bee in the heart it will shew it selfe in the efficacie of prayer which praier onely hath the promise to obtaine beeing made in the name of Christ to God hath the promise to be granted for his sake by God For in Christ are the promises made vnto vs both of spirituall and corporall blessings and in him and by him sealed vnto vs and confirmed so as there is no cause of doubting left vnto the faithfully asking alwayes prouided that he ask not the thing the graunting whereof is not warranted in the word of God that hath made vs a generall warrant of granting whatsoeuer wee aske with restriction yet that it bee agreeable to his wil which also includeth all things that he seeth best for vs to receiue For such is the wisedome prouidence and loue of God towards vs that like a father he will not giue vnto his children a Scorpion in stead of Fish he will not giue them hurtfull things instead of helpfull And therfore it behoueth vs to inform our selues by his word what is consonant and what dissonant to his will that we may auoide to aske forbidden things with boldnes aske things lawfull In the prayer which Christ taught vs we pray Thy will be done wee must not therefore wilfully attempt to aske much lesse to do any known thing to the contrarie But such is our corruption as howsoeuer we seem willing that the will of God should be done we yet retaine a
action If these most impious consorts enterprise not their wicked acts but in the shew of calling mutually on God were it not a shame to professed Christians to attempt any matter lawfull of greatest moment without touch of any consideration of the necessitie or vtilitie of faithfull prayer If the children of darkenesse can point out their more then heathenish attempts by the outward tokens and termes of deuotion to their assured condemnation what will become of cold Christians that so little regard the holy duty of prayer in all their actions to their soules saluation CHAP. XIII Euery faithfull Christian findeth comfort in praier the neglect whereof admits many euils WHo is that faithfull Christian that hath practised this holy exercise and hath not found comfort to his conscience and helpe in his occasions Whosoeuer findeth the continuance of inward vexation of the mind let the cause arise from spirituall or corporall occasions he may assâ—re himself it proceedeth most ordinarily at least from his seldom or neuer praying vnto God Griefe oftentimes procureth teares which seem somthing to asswage the sorrow but it is as it were the slacking of the band that gripes the wound too hard but teares passing from the heart through liuely prayer doe not onely ease the griefe for a while but heale it altogether and keep the wounded parts sound so long as the plaster of true prayer is applied with faith thereunto The teares that wee spend must bee spent before God who hath promised to receiue them as they fal from a liuely feeling heart and to put them in the bottle of his remeÌ„brance reseruing them as witnesses of our true repentance that the sinnes in sorrow whereof we shedde them may be washed away by the bloud of Christ and not to rise vp in iudgement against vs. And these teares are of themselues as so many petitions vnto God who hath bound himselfe by promise to register them as so many preuayling requests wherby he giues oftentimes what inwardly we desire as soone as the first teare falls from a broken and contrite heart Dauid affirmeth that God pardoned his sinne as soone as he had any motion to craue it God requireth not our prayers because hee hath neede of them as a seruice beneficiall or profitable vnto him but because wee hauing neede of his graces and blessings and that hee loueth vs in his beloued son hee willeth vs to pray vnto him for euery spirituall and corporall blessing And although it be true that hee knoweth wherof we haue need yet in common reason hee that wanteth and disdaines to aske he is not worthy to receiue that whereof he hath neede CHAP. XIV The most happiest men in the world are they that most often communicate with God in prayer and not the most glorious worldly men whose miserie is to come and what consolation remaineth for the godly THe men that haue greatest shewes of happinesse in this life are not the blessedst men but the poor in spirit that haue their continuall recourse vnto God they that communicate often with and truly pray vnto him althogh their estates bee neuer so vnpleasant to flesh and bloud yet theirs is the promise of this life and the life to come The Church of Corinth in the bâ—ginning consisted as appeareth for the most part of the poorest and meanest of the people and such as appeared to the world fools and Idiots and they that seemed more wise more mightie more noble were left out of the number of them that were called Yet God preferred not the base in the world before the noble to make them proud of their calling but that they might be constrained as it were to reioyce in the Lord by whose mercie they had obtained in Christ wisedom and all things necessarie to saluation before the more glorious in the world although they were the most base and abiect of all others and to moue them so much the more readily willingly to serue God in thankefulnesse and prayer to testifie their loue to him for his mercies towards them And heauily it will befall them who hauing receiued so many blessings at Gods hands are no whit the more moued to loue him and so many threats for their vnbeleefe and ingratitude and yet not moued to feare him Will they not bee drawne then from their deceiuing vanities will they rather then for lesse then an apple or a messe of pottage disclaime their birth-rights and loose that Kingdome and Crown so dearely pâ—rchased for the faithfull Nay were the losse of it all it were not so horrible If a man missing of the good promised could avoid the dangers threatned it would somthing mitigate the despayring conscience and ease the troubled mind If after death there were neither life nor death if a man might haue no bâ—eing nor feel or endure tormeÌ„t thogh he had no comfort it were a kinde of ease to the carnall mind that knoweth no other heauen then the profits and pleasures of this life nor feareth other hell then the miserie penurie and afflictions of the same But the case is otherwise they that misse the kingdome of heauen by not beleeuing the promise of God by not praying vnto God for direction in the course of their liues may assure themselues thogh they seeme not yet to beleeue it that there remaines for them and attends them the God of darkenesse and the Angels of horror and torment And therefore they that are wise in Christ enlightned with the sanctifying spirit of God obserue the difference between sinne and sanctity betweene the carnall and the spirituall betweene the olde and the new man and finde that the pleasing vanities of this life and the reioycing of the worldly minded haue no solid or sound assurance of continuance no not for a day and after commeth the seueritie of iudgement But the spirituall man vndergoing with patience the bitter miseries incident to a religious and godly life considereth that the continuance of it is but a spanne long and there attendeth him mercie and consolation perpetuall And therfore beareth he the yoake without grudging spending his time not in wantonnesse and chambering not in vanities and carnal pleasures but in all temperance and humblenesse of minde neuer so cheered neuer so full of consolation and alacritie as when hee is hearing God speake vnto him by his word as by preaching or hearing of the same and finding himselfe truely and aptly prepared and zealously exercised in the most holy dutie of praier and heauenly meditations wherein hee speaketh vnto God This is his comfort herein are his ioyes and nothing is so sweete vnto him as heauenly continuall contemplation whereby hee passeth by both the pleasures and penurie of this life as things of that weakenesse to moue loue to the one or feare of the other as hee respects them not but placeth all his affections on God with whom he knoweth that his prayers doe at all times so farre preuaile as at
what time soeuer he asketh hee receiueth whensoeuer hee seeketh he findeth and when soeuer he knocketh he is admitted into the presence of God And whatsoeuer misery befalleth him in this life hee feeleth it not so vnsauorie to himselfe as other men conceiue it that beholde and obserue it in him As our Sauiour told his Disciples that hee had meate to eate which they knew not of so hath euerie sanctified regenerate man comfort that carnall men know not of which giueth him such sweete feeling of present happinesse through the assurance of his future promised glorie that he seemeth through the abuÌ„dance of his consolations rapt as it were alreadie out of this earthly Tabernacle into the heauen of heauens where he hath his conuersation in the spirit with-God though hee corporally remaine in this inferiour world CHAP. XV. True contentment not gotten by nature but by grace which produceth prayer the onely meane to obtaine all good SPiritual coÌ„tentmeÌ„t none can attaine vnto by his owne naturall powers and therefore there is a spirituall meane to be vsed for the obtayning thereof which the Apostle reaches saying Let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer And Who so lacketh wisedome let him ask of God which giueth to al men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This wisedome is not the wisedome of the world but the knowledge how when and what to ask to conform vs to the likenes of him that hath begotten vs anew who hath left vs an example that wee should follow as deare children If then we be the children of God Co-heirs with him of that heauenly Kingdom shal we not with him walke as becommeth children of such a father Shal our head weepe and lament for our sinnes Shall be suffer for our transgressions and shall wee laugh and reioyce in the vanities of this life and yet think to partake with Christ of his purchased Kingdome Hath he so farre purchased for vs as we need neyther suffering nor patience faith nor prayer Shall we think our selues like that vnspotted Lambe of God and yet defile our bodies soules by committing sinne vpon sin How can we then come vnto our father which is in heauen where no profane thing can haue any being If God heareth not sinners where shall the sinfull mans prayers appeare And how can he haue his conuersation in heauen as S. Paul had or walke with God as Henoch did whose soule and spirituall part which ought to ascend by the wings of faith towards heaueÌ„ is pressed downe by a most vgly and filthy dunghill the bodie clogged with the masse of sinne Cast off therefore all carnall and vncleane affections purifie clense your hearts by liuely repentance that the sauing bloud of the Lambe being sprinkled vpon the dore posts of our beleeuing hearts the holy spirit of God may enter and teach our spirits rightly to crye Abba father So shall wee apprehend that sacred renewing grace that shall breede this most sweet and heauenly change namely to make vs of the children of wrath the children of loue of the children of disgrace the childreÌ„ of glorie which change is not nor can be where faith faileth which faith is not obtained in respect of our prayers or any desert of our selues but only and altogether of the free fauor and good will of God in Christ in whoÌ„ for whom and by whom we haue promise to obtaine the fulnesse of spirituall contentment CHAP. XVI God being wisedome it selfe knowes how to deal with vs for our best aduantage and his own glorie which aboue all things wee must respect in all our prayers GOd being wisedome it selfe knoweth better then we what is fiâ—test for vs to receiue and for him to giue in both which his glorie must goe with our desires as it will of necessitie in his giuing And if wee seeke not his glory in all our demands we breake the order prescribed namely to doe all to the glorie of God much more then should our prayers which are the highest seruice wee can doe vnto God tend to the honour of his Maiestie beyond the desire of supply in our owne necessities and that is in making our prayers vnto him to be confident that he is iust and will according to his promise satisfie our iust desires so farre as may bee most for our benefite For we cannot truly iudge what is most expedient for vs we may aske for and think that best for vs which God in his wisedom knoweth most inconuenient and that to bee hurtfull euill for vs which hee seeth to be most for our good It is therefore agreeable to the right rule of true faith to subiect our wills to the wil of God and to frame all our petitions according to the rule of his word which teacheth vs to aske corporal things with condition that he be pleased therewith and spirituall heauenly things as the graces of the spirit with a full assurance to receiue And the more constant and earnest we be and the more we presse God to giue them so much the more it pleaseth him as to importune him to giue vs power to mortifie our corrupt affections to kill sinne both in our harts and members to begge the increase of faith obedience loue towards God and our neighbours peace in our selues and with all men patience in suffering Gods corrections gentlenesse meekenesse temperance To aske these absolutely and constantly is pleasing vnto God is acceptable vnto him wherein yet we are to beware that wee aske not spirituall gifts to carnal ends as did Simon the Magician but to Gods glorie as Salomon asked wisedome For the holy Scriptures teach vs that God suffereth many profane men to vsurpe spiritual functions as preaching prophecying and casting out Diuels to whom yet God wâ—â—l say Depart from me I know you not The like may be said of praying namely of meere babling with the tongue without the consent of a feeling faith full heart And in all these to shew more outward sinceritie then to haue inward sanctity is meere hypocrisie CHAP. XVII Three principall motiues to stirre vp men to pray wherof the chiefest is necessitie THere bee three principall motiues to stirre vp Christians to prayer first Gods commandement Pray continually 1. Thess. 5. 17. secondly the promise And ye shall receiue Matth. 7. 7. The third and last motiue is our owne necessities and they are infinite Daniel prayed â—o be preserued among the Lyons the three children froÌ„ the fire Hezekiah from death Ionah to bee deliuered from the bowels of the Whale Susanna to be freed from the vniust accusation of the lasciuious and false Iudges Dauid to be deliuered from the malice of Saul Necessitie hath so manie branches as men are subiect to seuerall dangers which are infinit and therefore a motiue of great force and yet without Gods assistance they can obtain no ease For the more a man strugleth to free himselfe from
Sodom how God in iustice is readie to shewe merâ—ie Lâ—â—an his house-hold and cattle prospered for Iacobs sake and Potiphers for Iosephs And therfore wee cannot say but that the prayers of the faithful be they of many few or one auaâ—le much with God And impietie it were to think the contrarie And as God blesseth so hee punisheth manie for one as the whole Host of Israel for the trespasse of Achan yet we cannot but confesse that God in his wisdom oftentimes concealeth his purposes of shewing mercie or sending iudgements to make his dearest children the more watchful and more earnest in prayer and in more and more hardening vnbeleeuers hearts to their deeper condemnation and often delayeth the granting of the requests of his children giueth them in stead some other thing more fit which they asked not He retayneth somtimes things necessary in our opinions lest we shold presume too much vpon his bountie in giuing corporall things crossing our desires lest wee should by the readie successe build too much vpon our vaine vnderstandings as if we knew rightly what were good and what were ill and that we needed but to aske and haue at the handes of God what we would It is enough for the most faithfull Christian to lay downe his request before God to continue his oblation and to waite and attend the leisure of God and rest content with his holy dispensation assuring himselfe that not one thing only but all things whatsoeuer shall worke to the best to them that feare God The faithfull man often exercised in this diuine duty of prayer cannot but acknowledge that things oftentimes fall out better and succeed more to his comfort and true consolatioÌ„ then he required not by chance as many most foolishly conceiue but by the meer mercie and prouidence of God who as he granted vnto Salomon more then hee asked so doeth hee euen in these dayes to his obedient children And yet they cannot truely obserue by any outward or visible working how it should so come to passe no deuice of their own nor instrument of their owne procuring working it to their handes God raised Ionathan to loue Dauid and moued the Rauen to feed Eliah I do my selfe acknowledge Gods vnsearchable goodnesse and prouidence to haue the chiefe place in the working of infinit my deliueries from many dangers and his relieuing me in many and infinit wants And who so denieth that GOD hath his working now both in mercie and in iustice beyond the naturall course or operation of his creatures for the good of his children and punishment of the wicked hath neither spirituall vnderstanding nor true faith Such yet there are whom I haue heard to maintain that they can obserue no difference betweene the reputed religious and the supposed Atheist for they cannot see but either of these haue their fortunes alike he that prayeth hath no better nor hee that prayeth not the worse share in this life whereby they raise an argument that all things succeed to all men at all aduenture Let a religious man willing to moue a carnall man to serue God tell him what happy and wished successe he hath had by his prayers to God what continuall comforts he findeth thereby how hee hath beene deliuered from apparent iminent perils how he hath bin prouided for in his greatest wants how hee hath escaped the things hee feared and how all things worke to his good contentment will not the carnall man say Tush this befalls all men without respect of the ones vertues or the others vices Will he not affirme that the Cattell Corne and all earthly blessings fall as well vpon the Drunkard Whoremonger Blasphemer and whatsoeuer irreligious as vpon the most zealously religious and deuout person And do they not hereby shew that in their hearts they say that either there is no God or that he is a God that maketh no difference betweene the good and the euill between the religious profane betweene the faithfull and the infidell Yet indeede it cannot bee denied but God in mercie keepeth vnder his children whom he will saue exercising them with fatherly crosses and gentle corrections and in iustice permitteth the Reprobate to haue their portions in the fulnesse of pleasures and delights of this life But who so obserueth the ends of both cannot but see the carnall man leaue this life with horror and his goods with griefe and the other in peace who expiring his last breath recommends his soule into the hands of God aspiring in a liuely faith vnto the Kingdome promised with most holy and heauenly alacritie CHAP. XX. The naturall man misconceiueth of true happinesse whereby hee runneth into many absurdities by the suggestion of Sathan THe sottishnes of mans nature and mans misconceiuing of good and euil things is such as it thinketh nothing heauenly but pleasure and profit nothing to befal by a diuine prouidence but by chance and therfore they that pray or pray not are equally rich strong wittie healthfull and alike happie Oh more then blind ignorance palpable Atheisme peruerting the harts of men supplanting Religion and quenching faith condemning prayer the prop of all mens happines which without faith is yet of none effect Infinit are the absurdities whereinto such as know not God plunge themselues for being once ledde out of the way which is Christ they cannot but follow Sathan For there are but two principall spirituall powers that haue dominion ouer al men and they haue their seuerall Kingdomes opposit as light and darkenesse truth falshood heauen and hell And as their Dominions are spirituall so leade they their subiects spiritually the one by grace to the performance of all spirituall dueties in heauenly obedience the other by all possible illusions deceits and spirituall wickednesse in this corporall life This latter gaineth more meÌ„ by his plausible suggestions then Christ by his true and infallible word the reason is for that he first preuayled to betray man euen the father of men by whom and in whom all men by nature are subiect to the same falling from God who made him to the diuell that seduced him And no maruell thogh he lay baits to betray vs now hauing so long practised his treacheries preuailed so much leading men into a thousand by-wayes he careth not how menwalk so they follow not Christ hee cannot beare with patience that men should beleeue the promises of God in Christ nor his threats for disobedience and for not belieuing the Gospel of Christ. And therefore casteth hee a mist before the eies of mens vnderstandings that they may not apprehend Gods mercies towards them that doe well nor his iudgments towards them that doe euill But as GOD cast Adam in a slumber when hee tooke out his ribbe to make a woman so doth he couet to lull men asleepe when he purposeth to steale their hearts from GOD to make them reprobates And as he turneth himselfe into an Angell
owne euils and therefore few or none thus falne couet to rise all or the most are so ouer-mastered by the old as they couet not the new man that is shaped in holinesse and righteousnes Who laboureth to become wise in the Lord But contrarily it is com to passe that euery sort of sinners presume to defend their vices A man cannot bee a good fellow saith the Drunkard and be merrie swinish with his friend but hee is censured a beast A man cannot shape his apparell saith the Peacock like proude man and fashion his garments in cost and colours as other proper men doe but he is held to be vaine and proud A man cannot shew his valorous spirit saith the swaggerer in the braue termes of a Souldier but he is termed a Blasphemer A man in the heate of his wantonnesse saith the Whoremonger cannot lie with a woman but hee must be branded with the mark of a lasciuious person aâ—d so lying stealing swearing forswearing bribery extortion respect of persons partiall iudgment haue their colourable defences and impious pretexts with wicked men Is there none that will take vp a lamentation ouer so many thus inchanted and metamorphosed some into Swine some into Goats som into Lions some into Beares Wolues Foxes Camelions Peacockes Vultures and the like who liuing in the shapes of men and women doe harbour the humours affections conditions and qualities of the most vile and abhorred creatures and yet will bee readie to raile vpon and reuile him that shall reproue them and endeuor to reforme them They will affirme that they are as sure of saluation as the best of a thousand that according to the commaundement of the Apostleâ— they pray continually and liue religiously Can the tongues of men and Angels prophesie what will becom of this obdurate age or can they with all their spirituall eloquence diuine gifts by deliuering Gods mercies or denouncing his iudgments reclaim these bewitched men Can any crosse vexation misery or calamitie worke in them contrition returning vnto God by repentance and prayer The God of this world hath blinded them they see not their owne errours nor foresee their dangers nor feele their own miseries Neyther can the promises of heauens glorie nor the threats of hells torments asswage the heat of their rebellions against God Peace and plentie health and securitie shaddowes of true happinesse argue against these men that they say in their hearts by their deedes that there is no cause of feare But when danger approcheth we will pray say they and prouide meanes to preuent the perill why should curious Preachers seeke to torment vs before the time Who can denie but all wicked men say thus in their hearts by the fruits of their liues denying God as it were to be God his promises to bee true or his threats of any force faith to be but an idle conceit and prayer a fruitlesse labour CHAP. XXVI If Gods word cannot awake vs he will send his rod to correct vs and nothing can appease him but our humiliation and prayer and not the glorie of our vaine-glorious pride IT behooueth vs to bee warie and watchfull in prayer and sith the Trumpet of Gods word cannot awake these deafe Snakes the rod of his iudgements cannot bee farre off for drunkennes is intollerable pride abhominable blasphemie horrible And God it is to be feared hath entred a plaint against vs and summoned vs by his Ministers to answere and by default of our appearing submissiuely before him appealing vnto him hee hath determined to punish our offences albeit he hath long forborne vs according to his nature of being patient and long suffering But let vs know that he is iust and if wee agree not with him quickly hee being our aduersarie too mightie for vs wee cannot but looke for the Sergeant who will deliuer vs to the Iudge the Iudge to the Gaoler and he cast vs into prison there to remaine without baile or maine-prise neuer to be released How shall we then make league with this offended God Shall wee flatter him as the Pharisie did Shall we bribe him as Sathan would haue done Shall we threaten him as Senacherib presumed The first was reproued the second repulsed the third confounded What can then appease his displeasure Onely repentance Not as Pharoh seemed but as the Niniuites did Dauid and Peter are patternes of true returning to God and are examples for offeÌ„ding Christians to follow God is not as man hee putteth not the controuersie which hee hath against man to be tried by man Althogh hee recommended the quarrell which he had against the rebellious Israelites to bee considered but not to be determined by man he put the case to man by way of agrauation of their disobedieÌ„ce but reserued both the iudgement and punishment to himselfe affirming that if Moses Elias Abraham Iob should stand vp and pray for such a rebellious people they should but saue themselues His wrath being enkindled yea but a litle none can abide or endure it but beeing highly incensed against a people or peculiar person it is most hard to appease him For he will be auenged on him on whom he will be auenged There is no attonement to bee made with him but by serious and true repentance no pardoning without faith faithfull prayer People Nations Tongues and Men offending him must soone repent or perish The glory of Belteshasher the fury of Pharoh the pride of Nehuâ—hadnezzer the vaine-glory of Herod the high mind of Haman the policie of Achitophel preuailed not against God but the poore offending Publican falling on his face praying pardon obtaytained it And this and none other way submission and prayer appeaseth our offended God Kingdoms Countries Cities Parishes Families and priuat men must by true humiliation and faithful prayer obtaine remission Sackcloth and ashes testified Niniuies repentance and shall our Silkâ—s and sutes deâ—ised by Sathan the deformities of men and women appease God The pride insolencie of these times so farre exceede the pride and insolency of old as the greatest of the sonnes of Anaek exceeded the meanest Pigmey in stature and strength Our men women are becom robbers of all Nations neuer Camelion changed his colour as wee doe our sutes fashions of changing varieties It is a high dignity to holde one fashion two moneths or to weare one weede two dayes Surely howsoeuer they may please the eie of their fauorites and delight their owne foolish fantasies God is not pleased with their fashions or fansies They studie not the word the sauing truth but the word of euery new and vpstart stuffe and their praier is seldome or not at all to God but to the monster-maker to fit their attire netely of a new or the newest cut that came last out of the Diuels shop Husbands must dis-mannor and dis-money themselues to make their wiues to glitter in the world Esdras declareth what the excesse
of these presageth Many miseries calamities saith he remaine for them that shall liue in the latter time because they shall walke in great pride 2. Esd. 8. 50. Doth not God by Esay threaten the people for the arrogancie and pride of the women Because the daughters of Sion saith hee are haughtie and walk with stretched out necks and with wandering eyes walking and minsing as they goe and making a tinckling with their feete therefore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Sion balde Looke into the third of this prophecie and behold as in a glasse the end of your pride change your glasse of wantonnesse and lay it by a while and looke into the word of God which shall better discouer your beautie or deformitie by far then your materiall glasses And if you finde your sures to sute well with the word weare them and where you haue now an inch take an ell of excesse and still the more happy shall ye be but if you find them contrary vnto the word of God cast them off from you Many execrations hath God denouÌ„ced against this sinne of sinnes this mother-sinne the original cause of our fall and the cause of his fall that caused our fall and therfore more to be abhorred if I may so say then the Diuel himself but more to be feared I dare speak theÌ„ the Diuell himselfe for that he may be resisted by faith But Pride entertained with it is couertly entertained him that seekes to confound as many as entertaine him Pride once possessing the heart and the heart embracing this vnholy habite looseth all faculties that should expresse loue or obedience to God or men for it is so fraught with idle and vnholy affections as faith in God loue towards God and praier to God haue no place in the vnderstanding neyther agree they with that will that Pride possesseth Light and darkenesse sinne and sanctitie humilitie and pride of life neuer concurre in one mind Let then the sword of ciuill iustice vnsheath to cut downe this and other grosse sinnes and common enormities What an infinite masse of treasure is spent vpon silkes and vanishing ornaments and the most of it within one yeare cast to the dunghill euery man exceedeth and yet the lawes inhibit it If the law of right religion bare rule in our harts as we would be seen to professe it with our lips no law of seueritie needed to curbe our excesse But it seemeth the law of true loue to God is not written in or is blotted out of our hearts wee regard the law of man so litle And yet the Iewes in their best loue were not better beloued of the Lord then wee haue been to whom according to the greatnesse of his loue he freely gaue his greatest blessings opening as it were the doore of the Treasure-house of his goodnesse to vs which hee shut against many other Nations gaue vs free libertie to take and vse the most pretious Iewels of his loue his Word and Sacraments And as hee gaue vnto Salomon with his wisedome riches and honor so hee gaue vnto vs with Religion peace and plentie and so deare and precious was his word vnto vs for a timeâ— as men sought it with greater perill then Dauids men fetcht water for him with the danger of their liues and many sealed their loue vnto it with their dearest bloud which woâ—d we still enioy as touching the freedom of the vse but the fruits wee produce do rather argue a carelesse neglect then a constant embracing thereof in verie many No maruell therefore if wee disobey man in breach of the ciuill institutions sith wee so little regard the lawes of God But shall we recompence God for his blessings so manifold with such a high hand of vnthankfulnesse CHAP. XXVII The bringing in of true Religion was of great difficultie effected by God by his instruments wee must beware lest we neglect it and so loose it againe THe rooting out of Idolatrie in the time of K. Henry the eight was an attempt of highest difficultie the state of the time then coÌ„sidered wherin few or none durst open their mouthes against the grossest errours of the Synagogue of Rome but God stirred vp the King and gaue him courage and withall stroke the strongest aduersaries with such a fear and enfeebled their powers so as they durst not lift vp their tongues or handes against that which God had decreed to bring to paste for our saluation Hee opened the bookes of his owne will vnto vs the olde and new Testaments which were before shut vp vnder the locke of an vnknowne language The word was freely preached and read the Sacraments truly administred and the diuine seruice of God truly solemnized vntill God againe to trie whether it were truely embraced or fainedly professed shut vp the books again for a time that none could partake of the truth nor publish his allowance thereof by word or work but it cost him his life yet continued the light to shine euen in darkenesse albeit it was still sought to be quenched by the death of many most worthy Martyrs whose deaths gaue life againe to the light and it resplended and faith praier beganne againe in strength to giue glorie to God that had so wonderfully brought a matâ—er of that difficulty to passe euen by his owne power the diuell roared the enemies raged all in vaine God protected his people and ledde them by that gracious Queene and by his godly Ministers as by the hands of Moses and Aaron and now by preuayling Ioshuah vnder whom by whose wisedome pietie and diuine vertues if we resume retaine and practise our first loue if we bring forth the effectuall fruits of that true religion we seeme to professe we shall yet liue and possesse the word maugre the Diuell and his instruments But if we waxe cold in our profession if the Word become loathsome and harsh vnto vs if we thinke the sacred sacraments needlesse and holy prayer fruitlesse then will God assuredly depriue vs of our glorie hee will remoue the Arke of the couenant as from a gracelesse and most vnworthy people and place it with a Nation that neuer heard of it And we that haue beene so long and wonderfully admired for our Religion more generally more freely and truely professed then in any Kingdom of the world haue been more plentifully blessed and more powerfully defended by God against so many and strong enemies shall become a by-word to al neibour-Nations CHAP. XXVIII God loueth vs no more then the Turkes and Pagans if we liue like Turks and Pagans our manifold Idoll-gods the carnall mans sophistrie the long vse of the word hath made vs weary of the word nothing can preuent danger but repentance and prayer WEe may not thinke that God is more in loue with vs then with the Turk nor respecteth vs more then the Pagan if we hauing the Gospell liue like the Turke and professing
Religion liue like the Pagan It is a sweete contentment to bee in the protection of the liuing God but most feare full to fall into his handes Wee haue beene long in the first let vs beware lest we fall into the second these differ as much as doe mercie and iudgement life and death heauen and hell Christ and Mahomet in the first we obey in the second we rebell in the first we trust in the second we despaire in the first wee pâ—ay in the second wee blaspheme Let vs consider therefore how farre wee are falne from the first and how farre we are from falling into the second and nothing more discouereth the same then to behold our conuersations in the glasse of the word wherein euery man in particular may see his owne and by obseruation the blemishes of the general multitude and none that hath religious eyes but may behold a generall deformitie Wee ought to haue no other Gods but one but we make vs as many as we haue worldly dependancies namely reposing our confidences on any besides the liuing God as is said before We shold not take the holy name of GOD into our polluted moutâ—es in vaine yet what is more common then the idle speaking of and the heedles praying vnto God Wee should loue our neighbours as our selues and performe the rest of our dueties required and auoyde things forbidden by the laws of the two tables but if we shal be examined by the letter and iudged by our obedience we would seeke to hide vs from the iudgement to com But none can fulfill the law and therfore not I if any be saued then so shall I. This is the carnall mans sophistry whereby he frameth to himselfe syllogismes against his owne saluation prouing it needlesse to heare the word preached nay dangerous Some will not sticke to say that they may heare too much consequenly know too much for according to their knowledge is their obedience and practise required and therefore if they know good and doe it not their condemnation is the more iust if they know little they may sinne the more yet are they the more excusable And though they seldome or neuer pray they offend not so much as if they pray and forgiue not their brother whoÌ„ they hate and therefore the lesse they pray the lesse shall their hatred of their brother be laid to their charge Here is the doctrine of the Diuell professed by some kinde of people and held as sound religion as they neede to build their faith vpon as by such as refuse to partake of the holy communion beecause they are not in charitie As the diuel said to Heuah Yea hath God said ye shall die if ye eate of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill No no ye shall not only not die but ye shall be like God himselfe so he perswadeth these kind of men Hath God commanded you to search the Scriptures to seeke knowledge to beleeue the word and to pray partake of the sacraments No no beware the more ye know the more ye haue to answere ye need take no such paines Though some more curious theÌ„ they need make much ado and spend their time in hearing the Word preached in reading the same beleeuing in God and praying vnto him they haue much to answere for He to whom much is giuen of him much shall bee required and therefore take heede ye couet not to know much and yet ye shall prosper fare as well and haue all things at wil as wel as they that are most religious This doctrine of the Diuell is pleasing to the carnally minded and more follow the rules of the power of darkenes then there follow Christ the guide vnto grace and giuer of all goodnes which causeth sinne so infinitely to abound and euery man to run a race according to his own hearts lust seldome or neuer reprehended or condignly punished But howsoeuer man neglecteth the punishment God no doubt wil punish vs vnlesse we meet him by repentance as Abigaile met Dauid we must fall beâ—fore him on the knees of relenting harts and appease him with the presents of faith obedience and praier wee may else feare that God will come vpon vs as Dauid intended vpon Nabal and take from vs that vnspeakeable pearle the vse of the Gospell which hee hath so long lent vs and continued amongst vs notwithstanding so many millions of impediments Let not our sinnes increase as they seem to beginne All places are too full of them who little regard the Gospell such as despise gouernement whose hearts are ouergorged with sinne We haue been so long fed with this spirituall Manna that many seeme to bee glutted therewith whose soules yet famish and they feele it not Other Nations haue beene denied to taste of that whereof many of vs are wearie Will we needes put out our Lampes now the Bride-groome is so neere Will we needes cast wilfully off our wedding-garments the Master of the feast being readie to suruey his guests Are we willing to bee taken from the blessed banquet of saluation and to be cast into vtter darkenesse Shall such as passe by shake their heads at vs seeing vs naked that erst were so decked with the knowledge of Christ and beautified with the sacred ornaments of obedience and loue Shall we now beginne to crucifie Christ anew God forbid What remaineth then Onely let vs become more warie watchfull let vs not follow the multitude to doe euill let euery man rather retire himselfe into the secret closet of his heart and let him bewray vnto God his owne sinnes and confesse them to bee part of the cause that God is angrie with his people let euery man pray as well in priuat as in publike beating our breasts wherin do lodg our corrupted hearts with the fists of true repentance and new obedience let vs pray earnestly for pardon remission of our former transgressions let vs cast ofâ— the ragges of the old man and seek by humble and vnfained submission and praier to be clothed with the more glorious garments of pietie and the rich and right robe of innocencie let vs redeem our furniture of true Châ—istianitie that our sinnes haue stolne from vs and arme vs againe wâ—th the shield of faith the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the helmet of saluation let vs be feruent in faith constaint in hope frequent in prayer let vs not be ashamed to lay open and vnlap our sores before the Physitian of our soules let vs take vnto vs the sword of the spirit and constantly encounter Sathan and sinne who haue wounded vs euen to the death let vs repaire vnto that heauenly Samaritan hee will poure the oyle of mercie into our wounds and heale vs. Our disease of sinning is common let there be a common consent in seeking remedie and let vs all with one hart and one mind humble our selues before God in fasting and prayer Thus must we seek
bodie may bee occupied in whatsoeuer lawful function But when wee are for that purpose retired and are free both from bodily exercise and from the view of men wee must then conforme our gestures in a mâ—râ— reuerend and more humble outward manner as kneeling vpon our knees and lifting vp our handes and the like giuing our holy desires best satisfaction in so sacred an exercise O happie is that soule that sends forth continuall holy sighes and desires at all times and in all places which are as lowd cries vnto the Lord which God heareth vnderstandeth and answereth and alloweth this kinde of holy deuotion as a forsaking of earthly thinges for a moment to aspire vnto Heauenly contemplation conuersation for euer And this cannot proceede but from a heart full of the loue of heauenly thinges of God especially who hath as wee may thereby truly feele the superior power in vs ouer vs and in his loue draweth our affections from earthly to heauenly cogitations altogether alone for our saluation And happy is he that with Dauid delighteth therein CHAP. XXXI The helpes and hinderances of prayer how Sathan striueth to hinder prayer for nothing woundeth him as faithfull prayer in the name of Christ. Wee must bee watchfull and strong to resist him PRayer both priuate and publik haue their helpes and hinderances their motiues and mortifications To stirre vp the heart thereunto nothing more availeth then the often hearing and reading of the word of God which begetteth faith that begetteth prayer sundrie selected Psalmes of Dauâ—d diuers of the writings of S. Paul besides many other Scriptures consideratly read duly meditated are forceable motiues to this diuine dutie The consideration of our sinnes and of the promises of the forgiuing them in Christ The feeling of our spirituall wants The consideration of Gods continuall fauour prouidence and protection in releiuing defending and helping others through faithfull prayer Examples whereof are infinite in the Scriptures doe much further this diuine and heauenly exercise by applying our faith and prayer to God in our like occasions On the contrarie prayer is much hindred and our zeale mortified by the neglect of practise by seldome or carelesse hearing of the Word of God or reading the Diuine Scriptures or some godly workes of good and religious men Not to beleeue that God heareth or respecteth our prayers That he is not able to giue what we aske or to doe what we desire if it bee for his owne glorie and our good To thinke that which hee doth is not for our best To wauer in our prayers or to haue our mindes carried away with by-thoughts that are not answerable concurring with that wee pray for To pray for fashion and without feeling of any necessitie to pray To presume that God will heare our prayers for our owne sakes without the merits and mediation of Christ To faint giue ouer our prayers when we cannot receiue what we would when we would To pray openly and to be seene of men To thinke that wee are not bouÌ„d to pray for our brethren These and manie other like hinderances of prayer are often thrust into our hearts by the policie of Sathan who commeth to hinder all good and godly actions But wee ought not to giue place to his inticements nor yeild to his temptations The most faithfull men haue not only continuall warre with flesh and bloud namely with their owne corrupt affections to keepe them vnder but with Sathan himselfe with spiritual wickednesse When Iehoshua was doing the Office of the High Priest standing before the Angell making his prayers vnto God The Deuil stood at his right hand to hinder him And shall wee thinke that he will be lesse readie to hinder and resist vs in our Diuine excercises He tempted Christ the Lord and will hee forbeare his seruants Hee desired to winnow the verie Apostles of Christ how much more will hee seeke to distract vs in our deuotest prayers which hee thinketh will bee most auailable with God There is nothing vnder the Sun that giues him a more deadly wouÌ„d then our faithfull prayers to God And therefore in his impious policie he endeuoureth to hinder this heauenly exercise in the deerest childreÌ„ of God lest that the righteous soule should so farre preuaile with God as to procure his fauor and grace by prayer and consequently his ayde and holy assistance to encounter this most malicious aduersary It is written that the Lion is afraid at the crowing of a Cocke but nothing maketh Sathan so much afraide as faithfull prayer to Christ whose very name is terrible vnto him hauing tried his force and skill against him in the Wlldernesse vpon the pinacle but especially vpoÌ„ the Crosse where Christ so farre triumphed ouer him as that now howsoeuer malignant he seemeth to be towards Gods children he dareth not to encounter them face to face that vse the sword of the spirit and the shield of faith against him Although through the abundance of his malice to Christ and his elect he leaueth not to tempt them yet it is but by starts and snatches as hee findeth them colde in their spirituall exercises as hee found Dauid idle or thorough weakenesse apt to be drawne into some back-sliding as hee did Peter But what got hee by betraying those innocents It was not long ere they renewed their spirituall strength and then they gaue him such an ouerthrow as afterwards hee could neuer preuaile against the force of their faith It therefore behoueth euerie Christian to be very watchfull that he admit none of these suggestions of Sathan to take away preuent or resist this sacred and diuine dutie of faithfull prayer and to stand fast in the faith to quit them in all his encounters like men Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell for wee wrestle not against slesh and bloud against weake men that haue as we haue their breath in their nostrils but against Principalities against powers and against the Princes of the darkenesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse which are in the high places These are the enemies of our peace with God and therefore endeuor they to steale away our hearts from the liuing God these are they that seeke to resist our prayers to peruert our hearts in prayer to estrange our affections from heauenly things and by no meanes can we repell them but with spirituall weapons as they are spirituall enemies And therefore wee must vse the counsell of the Apostle that is to take vnto vs the armor of God not a part but the whole furniture namely an vpright conscience a godly and holy life knowledge of the Gospel faith vnfained and continuall prayer not for our selues onely but for the Church of Christ and for euery member of the same For the particular weapons of this complete munition wherewith euery Christian ought to be armed
Prayer into our mouths vnreuerently inconsideratly and without faith or feeling and without due conceiuing and rightly vnderstanding what euery Petition concerneth and importeth as some doe But wee must especially in priuate or publike Prayer vnto God and aboue all other vse this most heauenly Prayer with a sincere and truely sanctified zeale About the vse of this praier there hath beene of late a friuolous needlesse question raised by men of too precise an opinion who affirme it not necessarie to vse this praier in the bare words as Christ set it down A conceit without reason or religioÌ„ Others hold it verie sufficient of it selfe without eyther any other Prayer or enlarging the same according to the measure of the spirit that the man that praieth hath Which last opinion although more tollerable then the first I holde erronious For we know that the Apostles themselues the Disciples of Christ after they had learned this Prayer prayed often in other words albeit the Lords Prayer bee the rule and the sum of all other Prayers And so no doubt it is not only not vnlawfull but an especiall fruit and effect of faith to pray according to our occasions and to frame words as the Spirit of God shall giue vtterance who although we know not teacheth vs how to pray but this must alwaies be done according to the tenour of the Lords Prayer And therefore howsoeuer weake and imperfect our Prayers may seemâ—e to bee vnto our carnall part in respect of the phrase yet our spirits being directed by Gods Holy Spirit powreth forth Prayers truely vnderstood of him by whose spirit wee are enabled to pray And GOD granteth our requests according as hee seeth fit for vs. The vse of this Prayer of Prayers is farre more common then commonly rightly vnderstood For euery word therein implieth matter of great importance yet passeth the lips oftentimes before it come at much lesse before it bee truely digested in the heart and therefore witâ—ereth without fruit as plants without natural soile and van sheth in the aire euen with the sound Others in like sort like Parrots patter forth Pater noster c. know no more what the words import theÌ„ the senselesse Parrot And yet they thinke it a worke of great deuotion to tumble out a set number of such fruitlesse faithlesse prayers not vnderstood as were the time spent in cordiall and heartie prayers indeed could not be but much profitable Such are to be pitied and prayed for if they would but yeilde their eares to heare their hearts to vnderstand and indeuour to practise CHAP. XXXV The summe of the lords prayer briefly explained HOW many doe duly consider the efficacie of the word Our And yet it carrieth in it as it were the seale of our adoption in Christ for if God bee our Father then are we his children but by adoption If his children then are we to loâ—â— and obey our faâ—â—er If we obey him we acknowledge his Commaundements iust who hauing commanded vs to loue our brethren how can we come vnto our Heauenly father but bee put in mind by this word Our that our brethren haue also an interest in oâ—r Prayers whom if we forget we cannot but acknowledge that wee also forget who is our Father Againe how can children loue their father and not hate what he loueth not If wee loue what hee misliketh as the workes of the flesh the vanities of the World and the pleasures which our Father hath forbidden how and with what face can wee come cal him Our Father Or beg any thing with hope to receiue it at his handes whom wee cannot but confesse wee rather flatter then feare or loue The wordes which art in heauen intimate vnto vs that we call not vpon any earthly Prince or mortall Monarch but vpon the inuisible and immortall God whose dwelling is in the Heauens at his hands only we seeke whatsoeuer we need both heauenly and earthly thinges And as hee our Father is in Heauen whome wee loue so should â—ur minds and cogitations mâ—unt vp aboue the earth vnto the heauens where our beloued sitteth in glorie And although we bee in bodie in the earth our soules in an earthly Tabernacle yet should that our spiritual part be euermore conuersant as it were with him in the heauens as children of our heauenly Father For hee that findeth not here in himselfe such spirituall motions as may assure him that hee in some measure partaketh of a kind of felt heauenly blessednesse shall neuer hereafter partake of our heauenly Fathers glorie And therefore as we are bold in Christ our elder brother to present our selues before his Maiestie rendring vnto him his owne namely the lesson that he himselfe taught vs let vs not come to him as Trewants nor able to yeeld a reason vnto our selues of euery branch of the lesson hee gaue vs to learne But let vs set it before the eyes of our vnderstandings eyther as a glâ—sse to see our ignorance and deformities or to make it a law vnto our selues to shape all our prayers to him and our conuersations thereby to Gâ—ds glorie and our owne internall comfort What a lesson doe these words Hallowed bee thy name teach vs what occasion may wee hereby take to reproue our selues for many with the â—lippâ—s pronounce Hallowed be thy name that thinke or doe nothing lesse profaning the name of God by their sinnes which they should seeke by all meanes to glorifie as by obedience to his lawes by louing him for his own sake by praying vnto him and beleeuing in him But contrarily we disobey his will wee loue not his word we beleeue not his promises wee seeme to pray vnto him with the lips our hearts farre from him Also wee pray that his Kingdome may come namely that his Word may worke and take effect in euery mans heart to the sauing of their soules And yet most of vs are as farre from regarding it as wee rather contemne it and resist it seeming as it were vnwilling that the Spirit of God should dwell and rule in our heartes as may appeare by our common disobedience vnto the Scepter of his Kingdome the Gospell of Christ. Wee pray likewise Thy will be done And yet we do nothing lesse then obey it We begge our daily bread at the hands of God And yet wee trust him not but rather our owne prouisions our wit and policies our friendes and carnall meanâ—s coueting to lay vp in store for many yeares as the rich man did mentioned in the Gospell Arguing thereby that wee thinke in our hearts that if our owne care in getting were no surer meane of prouision of our daily necessaries then the promise and prouidence of God wee should want manie thinges and not obtaine sufficient meanes to maintaine our estate leaue vnto our children merely contrarie to the counsell of Christ who willeth vs not to be ouer-carefull for tomorrow
holy and diuine sparke and if a man wilfully quench it not this seed being watered by hearing and reading of the word by faith and prayer may take roote bud and bear fruit howsoeuer weakly in the beginning As an infant at the first quickening in the womb of the mother which time brings to more maturity and perfection and commeth into the world felt and sâ—en so this diuine seed by degrees commeth to be liuely in operation and the small sparke becommeth a flame and in fine enkindleth an admirable weight of zeal For to him that hath to him shall be more giuen and by continuance and practise he shall finde himselfe a new man more and more euerie day furnished with diuine gifts Nothing is perfected the first day that hath growing and increase All spirituall graces haue their beginnings weake and among al the other fruits of the spirit of God none is more excellent more sweet more auailable to saluation then is continuall faithfull prayer which is not the first day in perfection but by little and little it becomes more and more feruent and as it increaseth so draweth it with it a wonderful increase of the knowledge of all things necessarie to saluation So that I may conclude to the comfort of all true Christiansâ— That he that can pray faithfully hath all things both in heauen and earth lacking nothing necessarie for hee hath God and he that cannot nor will endeauour to learne how to pray hath nothing yet that he ought to haue 1. CHRON. 28. 9. The Lord searcheth all harts and vnderstandeth al the imaginations of thoughts If thou seeke him hee will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer FINIS A MORNING PRAIER TO BEE VSED IN PRIVATE FAMILIES O Lord who takest euermore charge of thy people giuing them euer in due time what in thy wisedome thou knowest necessary for them we acknowledg thy great goodnesse toward vs O Lord in deliuering vs this night from dangers and in giuing vs competent reâ—â— Thou hast of thine aboundant mercie raised vs this morning in safetie Looke not wee beseech thee vpon our pollutions the printes whereof through our corruptions we haue left behind vs in our beds Take from vs and from euery one of vs we beseech thee the filthie garmens of sinâ—e shame and confusion wherewith wee were conceiued and borne and cloth vs with thy rightteousnesse and saluation in Iesus Christ. Blesse vs and we shall be blessed teach vs wisedome to choose what is good and to auoid euil and all the occasions of sinning this day Thou Lord hast pleasure in righteousnesse And they are only blessâ—d in whose hearts are thy wayes take away from vs stonie hearts and giue vs heartes of flesh Let our heartes cleaue vnto thee and neuer be estranged from thee for Sathan malitiously goeth about to draw vs from thee by his continuall practises suggestions temptations and raiseth his instruments to intrap vs and snare vs. But bee vnto vs O Lord a strong defence And howsoeuer our Aduersarie indeuoureth to blemish vs and to pollute vs with his inchantments transforme vs wee beseech thee into thy owne Image from glorie to glorie by thy spirit And as thou hast banished the night and darkenesse and giuen vs corporall light So Lord giue vs the light of truth Thou giuest sight to the blind banish our spirituall darknes Thou makest the Lame to goe take from vs all impediments which this day may offer themselues to hinder our found and holy walking before thee in sincere conuersations Thou turnest a barraine wildernes into a fruitfull Land and againe thou makest a fruitful LaÌ„d barrain for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Make fruitful our barraine heartes in al goodnesse and spiritual graces sow the good seed of liuely faith aud true obedience in vs and water it by thy holy Spirit that wee may bring forth the fruites of a holy and sanctâ—fied life Turne the Wildernes of our profane conueâ—sations into a Garden of godly vertues Thou hast raised vs from the deadnesse of our corporall sleepe this morning breath now into our dull drowsie soules thy sacred spirit that we may be so reuiued and spiritually cheered that wee may with holy and heauenly ioy and comfort betake vs to our corporall businesses giue vs strength of bodie the vse of our limbes senses giue vs vnderstanding hearts to performe our duties diligently faithfully and truly in our callings And let all thinges prosper vnto vs this day that wee shall take in hand for we acknowledg that it is thy goodnesse that hath kept vs this night past for which wee yeeld thee all humble thankes beseeching thee to bee with vs this day guard keep vs whatsoeuer thou hast giuen vs for wee recommend our selues our souâ—es our bodies and goods into thy holy protection keeping this day And remooue from vs Lord that curse that in seeing we shuld not see and in hearing wee should not vnderstand but quicken vs according to thy louing kindnesse that wee may loÌ„g for thy word make it sweet vnto vs by a sanctified desire to heare and a holy zeale to practise this day and euer the testimonies of thy mouth AMEN Our Father c. Lord increase our faith An Euening Prayer for priuat Families MOst gracious merciful euerliuing most louing Lord God wee are heere gathered together before thee to yeeld thee thaÌ„ks for thy goodnesse mercies this day past vouchsafed vnto vs weake and vnworthy of so great a fauour at thy hands by reason of our manifold sins offences committed against thee For by nature Lord we can doe nothing but displease thee By the transgression of the first man Adam wee haue all sinned now by the merits of the second man Christ let vs be made righteous let the perfection of his obedience satisfie for the imperfection of ours Our disobedience hath beene intollerable our rebellions horrible and our seruing of thee this day past punishable The thoughts of our hearts haue been sinfull the wordes of our mouthes deceitfull the workes of our hands hatefull Such and so euill haue we euer been that what we should haue done we haue left vndon what we shold not haue don we haue don it with eagernes greedines and thus profanely haue we passed this day now come to an end O remeÌ„ber not Lord our offences reward vs not according to our euil imaginations mark not what we haue spoken amisse nor punish vs according to our workes this day Create in vs wee beseech thee cleane hearts renew right spirits within vs fill our heads with fountains of teares that we may night day recount bewaile our sinnes in the bitternes of our harts Let this be the last day the last houre the last momeÌ„t of our wilfull offending thy Maiestie and let vs not carrie thine indignation for our sinnes to our beddesâ— but let vs instantly cast off our
corrupt affectioÌ„s and by truly and vnfeinedly repeâ—ting obtaine remission in the merits and mediation oâ— Iesus Christ the rightâ—ous who is a propitiation for ouâ— sinnes Giue vs grace Lord to dâ—aw neere vnto thee for thou hast promised to preserue the state of the righteous and all that forsake thee shal be coÌ„founded Be thou therfore our strong rocke wherunto we may alwaies resort Haue mercie vpon vs O L. haue mercie vpon vs giue vs helpe in trouble for â—ain is the helpe of man Giue vs a holy feare of thy great and glorious Name for great O Lord is thy goodnes which thou hast laide vp for them that feare thee Knit our hearts vnto thee through faith in loue that we may be of the number of them that shall partake of thy glorie with Christ that where thou art there we may bee to behold thy glorie Increase our faith open the eyes of our dimme and dull vnderstanding that wee may â—ee the wonderfull workes of thy mercies towards vs euen in the darknesse of our corporall liues when our naturall eyes shall bee shut vp with the feeblenesse of our bodies by sleepe thou sleepest not nor slumberest but waâ—chest ouer thine and sufferest no man to doe them violence thou preseruest them in thy prouidence thou defendest them vnder the shadow of thy wings not onely in their corporall employments and bodily labours but when they are in their deepest forgetfulnesse of their owne dangers and of weakest abilitie to helpe themselues in the deadnesse of sleepe Preserue vs Lord be watchfull ouer vs let thy holy Angels attend about our beddes let them be thy ministers of our safetie let not our sleepe be dangerous but comfortable vnto vs let not our delight be set on that sluggish ease and slothfull wallowing in our beds as breedeth diseases and corrupt humors But as sleepe is the fruite of our corrupt nature which without rest cannot continue so let vs vse it as matter of necessitie not of wantonnesse carnall contentment Saue vs from that curse of the wicked that we should wax worse and worse and that though wee haue liued long after the vanities of the flesh let vs not end in the same though we haue not as wee ought brought forth the fruits of the spirit let vs now begin to liue in him and our spirits be ruled directed salted and seasoned by thy holy and sanctifying spirit so though our mortall bodies sleepe our sanctified spirits may watch for the comming of the bridegroome that we be not found like the foolish Vâ—rgins with emptie and blind Lamps but prepared to meete the Lambe in the cloudes with ioy among the rest of thy Saints In the meane time keep vs we recommend our selues and all that we haue into thy gracious keeping in that thy deerest Sonne our Sauior Christ Iesus to whom with thee thy holy Spirit bee praise eternally Amen Our Father c. Lord increase our faith The neglect of true prayer much to be condemned 1. Cor. 14. 15. Prayer in an vnknowne tongue not onely not auayl-able but sinfull Mat. 6. 7. Needlesse humblenesse Zeale without knowledge The prayer which God accepteth The deffinition of prayer How the carnal man commeth vnto God and how and when he prayeth The confidence of worldly men a 1. Sam. 17. 51. b Exod. 14 11. c 2. King 19. 35. d 2. Sam. 17. 23. e Est 7. 9. f Dan. 4. 29. g Dan. 5. 6. The spirituall maÌ„ hath but one the carnall many Gods The carnall mans gods wither like Ionahs Gourd Sweet is the operation of faith in God God workes without humane meanes Great difference betweene the happines of the godly poore and wâ—cked rich Not to iudg of men by their states rich or poor 1. Cor. 4. 7. 8 True and false wisedome 1. Cor. 3. 9. Iob 5. 13. The hypocrite only deceiueth himselfe What rich man deserueth commendation and admiration Whâ— it is hard for a rich man to be saued The force of beleeuing God vpon his promise Euery man beleeueth not the mysterie of Christ. Who is truly adopted in Christ to be the childe of God and 〈◊〉 not Eph. 4. 22. What we ought to put on and cast off Carnall wisedome a hand-maide to diuine prudence To pray to God and to beleeue in meanes is spirituall adulteriâ— Esa. 2. 21. A curse on them that leaue God to depend on other meanes Ier. 17. 5. God works by meanes without against meanes How the soule must be qualified in time of prayer Nature teacheth vs not to pray but the spirit of God The will peruerts the mind 1. Ioh. 3. 20. Act. 20. 27. We ought to vnfold our imperfections to God yea and to men vpon occasion The basest may be as proude as the most arrogant Murtherers of Kings haue a shew of humblenesse and deuotion Psal. 32. 1. Cor. 1. 26. The most glorious in the world are not alwayes the most godly The true comfort of a Christian. Phil. 4. 6. Iam. 1. 5. 1. Pet. 2. 21. Eph. 5. 1. God is best pleased with fâ—ithfull râ—ligious importunitie Necessitie hath many branches and man hath no pâ—wer to help himselfe in any The woÌ„derfull effects of faith and how it fares with them that faint Prayer performeth greater things by weakest meanes and incredulitie preuenteth most easie things God blesseth and punisheth many for one God denieth what we aske and giueth vs better in fleed It is enough for a Christian to referre the issue of his petitionsâ— vnto God Rom. 8. The faithfull man exercised in prayer findeth things succeed better then he expected 1. Kin. 17. 4 The grosse opinion of some who acknowledg no differeÌ„ce between the godly and the wicked Men not fearing God run into many absurdities by the suggestion of Sathan Esa. 31. If a word of conditioÌ„ Esa. 45. Ingratitude will rise in iudgement against vs. We forget Gods goodnesse in giuing vs worthiest King Iames The powder-treason As the cause of the Church is generall so should our prayers be generall wher praier is neglected there cannot but follow punishment The carnall man feeleth not sinne to be sinne Man is enemie to himselfe permitting the house of his soule to be robbed Men are become defenders of their grossest sinnes The strange metamorphosis of some men of this age to be lamented None can foretell what will become of this obdurate age God hath a iudgement against vs for sinnes God will not be appeased by any carnall meanes God wil not put his cause to be determined by man The deformities of mens and womens attires Pride more to be abhorred then the Diuell to be feared As God hath loued vs so must we loue him againe In the time of Q Marie Q. Eliz. Carnall sophistrie Repentance the â—â—eanes to please God being angry for sinne 1. King 9. 8. 9. How wee ought to appease God 2. Chro. 20. 3 Priuate praier Meditation the bellowes to enkindle prayer Nehem. 2. 4. Luc. 19. 2. A preposterous kind of prayer Hindrances to praier 1. Thes. 2. 18 3. 5. Eph. 4. 27. Eph. 6. 11. Zech. 3. 1. Mat. 4. Luc. 22. 31. Nothing more wouÌ„deth SathaÌ„ then faithfull praier and therefore he coueteth to hinder it 1. Cor. 16. 13. Ioh. 14. Sathan beleeuâ—th that hee would haue other men to doubt of It is a dangerous thing to abandon the assemblies of Gods people Publique prayer why so called Fathers Masters of Families reproued for their neglect of prayer with their families Not to serue God but on the Sabbath day is wilfull ignorance and negligence 1. Cor. 15. 34 Mat. 26. 41. The Saboth prophaned more then other daies 1. Pet. 4. 8. We should especially serue God for that we liue in the last age of the world Opinions about the vse of the Lords Prayer The Lords praier the rule of all other praiers The Lords prayer is to be rightly vnderstood What the Word Our importeth Which art in Heauen Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done Giue vs our daily bread Forgiue vs our sinnes as we forgiue Leade vs not into temptation As many petitions as are in the Lords prayer so many instructions wâ— haue by them to liue godly Prayer increaseth 〈◊〉 knowlâ—dge 1. Cor. 2. 12. The spirit of God teacheth al â—aithfull duâ—â—es the 〈◊〉 whereof is 〈…〉 prayer Som affirm they cannot pray with comfort The force of prayer increaseth by degrees