accompany and secure our Exit out of this Life and the bowing of his Head to us at that time is an Invitation to us to lift up our Hearts to him Inclinato capite emisit spiritum Ah my dearest Saviour I receive with the most profound Submission possible with the greatest Veneration thy Holy thy Divine Spirit I embrace it as bequeath'd me by my most tender Master I 'le cherish this sacred Depositum this divine Pledge of an infinite Love I 'le carefully preserve it to the end of my days for 't is then I desire to die when I cease to Pray 2. If Prayer came from Heaven as we must needs allow since it was brought us from thence by the Worlds Redeemer it glories in a Prerogative more to our advantage that is it leads and conducts to us Heaven 'T is the property of Water to remount to a Level with its Sourse or Origin Prayer therefore taking its rise in Heaven we must attribute to it an Excellency common to it and Grace Omnis qui bibit ex aqua hac fiet in eo fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam If any one drink of that delicious Spring which pious and religious Souls so frequently refresh themselves with in the holy Exercise of Prayer it shall become in him a Fountain whose Waters shall reascend as high as their Origin as high as Heaven to that inexhaustible Ocean of ever-living Waters Quid est oratio says to this purpose the great St. Augustin nisi ascensio animae de terrestribus ad coelestia inquisitio supernorum invisibilium desiderium For what is Prayer but an elevation of the Soul from terrestrial to celestial Cogitations an inquisition or search into supernatural Concerns a fervent desire of purchasing that Happiness which is as yet out of sight 'T is for this Reason that Prayer is compar'd to the Ladder Jacob the Patriarch saw in a Vision As that gave an ascent from Earth to Heaven as those mysterious Rounds bore the mounting Angels to their Sovereign Lord so Prayer wings our earthly lumpish Nature that we can soar aloft to the Region of Spirits and to this purpose it refines our Humanity from all dregs of Mortality As our Lord was seen leaning upon the utmost Rounds of this mystick Ladder or rather as the Septuagint give a more congruous Construction as the Ladder was seen leaning upon our Lord that supported it so Prayer derives its efficacy its vigour and force from the gracious assistance of an all-powerful God who both raises and draws its Votaries to himself Finally as there were in Jacob's Vision seen ascending and descending Angels they are yet upon the same Concern for Christians devoted to Prayer They carry our Petitions as St. Hilary saith to the Throne of Glory they return to minister for us in the great work of our Salvation The Soul likewise upon the Wings of Prayer takes her flight to Heaven she enters into the Palace of her Lord without controul or disturbance Prayer being the Key of Paradise saith S. Augustin which gives her admittance into the Royal Bed-Chamber where she freely entertains her self with an infinite Majesty she becomes familiar with her God she not only obtains his Blessing as her Father disarms his just Indignation against her own and the Worlds Offences atones for her self and others but addresses her self to him as her dearest Friend appropriates him to her as her Beloved with the Spouse in the Canticles Dilectus meus mihi ego illi Insomuch that our Sovereign infinitely delighted with such familiar Addresses invites encourages and engages the Soul to continue her languishing Desires Fac me audire vocem tuam Let me hear thee speak Vox enim tua dulcis For thy Voice is sweet and charming Labia tua sicut vitta coccinea Eloquium tuum dulce Thy Lips are like a Thred of Scarlet thy Speech is sweet and grateful Such was the Prayer of Moses upon the Mount where he made up to God as to his best of Friends Discoursed with him face to face so much to the advantage of the glorious Saint that one would have thought the Almighty had interchanged Properties with him for he seems to tie the Hands of an Omnipotent God that was ready to dart his revenging Thunder at the criminal Heads of the rebellious Jews Dimitte me saith the Almighty ut irascatur furor meus Let me alone that I may give way to my anger As if he were unable to resist the Influence of the Prayers of Moses 3. But we have not only the advantage of being conducted to Heaven by Prayer 't is also blessed with a singular Priviledge that it makes us find Heaven upon Earth To evidence this Truth let us settle our serious Consideration let us fix our Regards upon such devout Christians as are given to Prayer We see they are disencumbred from the Bustle or troublesom Concerns of this World we see they are intirely divorc'd from the Creature totally united to the Creator we see they are dead to the Life of the World living a divine or supernatural Life dead to themselves animated with the Life of God Ah happy Death Happy end of a Life well lost Thrice happy beginning of a Life that must never end The union of Body and Soul is the Life of a Man the separation of the Body and Soul is the Death of a Man The union of the Body and Soul with the World is the Life of a Worldly Man the Death of a Christian The separation of the Body and Soul from the World is the Death of a Man as to the present World but the Life of a Man in reference to the World to come Men living with the Life of the World are dead to Heaven Men living or leading their Lives in Prayer find Heaven even in this World inasmuch as they are dead to the World to live with God to live with the Angels with the Life of God they are penetrated with God they are absorpt in God they are chang'd by a thrice happy Transformation into God himself But this Death to the World ought rather to be stil'd a Resurrection then a Death A Resurrection with their divine Original Christ Jesus from the Grave of this World Those that are risen with Christ have their Affections taken off from the things here below they savour nothing but what 's above Those by consequence that are devoted to Prayer are risen with Christ have a Heaven upon Earth with Christ not yet ascended will mount with Christ from Earth to Heaven If the Angels our Guardian-Angels to whose care and custody Man as yet a Traveller is recommended by God if they that keep us in all our ways that direct our steps through the Mazes of this World if they that are so much taken up with our Concerns as that they are continually upon the Watch upon the Guard to secure us from that roaring Lyon the Devil seeking to devour
us if they notwithstanding are at the same time bless'd with the beatifical Vision if they see God enjoy Heaven upon Earth certainly there is some proportion between Souls in Prayer and Spirits upon Duty betwixt Souls rais'd above themselves upon the Wings of Devotion and Spirits below themselves upon Matters of Obedience if we have regard to the Concern they are engag'd in their Heaven must be upon Earth If we look upon the Soul as confin'd to the Body she has at least an Antipast of that Bliss these Spirits are perfectly possess'd with since she commences here an Exercise that must never end She beholds the face of God by Prayer who is to be the Object of her Happiness for all Eternity Do not we thus enjoy Heaven upon Earth do not we thus partake of the Happiness of Angels Prayer comes from Heaven Prayer leads to Heaven Prayer makes us happy with Heaven upon Earth O quam suavis est Domine Spiritus tuus in nobis O my Lord and Saviour Christ how sweet is thy Spirit How beneficial is the Spirit thou hast left us the Spirit of Prayer which thou hast recommended to us From the Excellency of Prayer and the Advantages we reap by it 't were easie to conclude the Obligation incumbent on us as we tender our eternal Welfare of having a constant recourse to so Religious an Employment But because among variety of Motives it may so fall out by the Order of Providence that some of them at least may conduce as well to stir up those that will not yet grant themselves so much leisure even as to think of future Happiness as to encourage those that are already bent upon the Inquiry I shall now proceed to shew the Necessity we have and the Manner how we are to Pray which is the Subject of my Second Part. Saint John Damascen defines Prayer to be an Elevation of the Mind to God in which we either beg to be deliver'd from Evil or invoke his assistance upon our selves or Neighbours to embrace what 's Good or pay to him our Homage as our Supreme Lord our Sovereign King 'T is evident from the First Part of the Discourse that the Mind is elevated to God by Prayer the Explication therefore of the Sequel of this Definition shall be a pregnant proof of the Necessity we are in of making such Addresses to him as that we may alleviate the Burden of our Troubles in this World we may invite the celestial Influence of his Grace upon our selves and Neighbours we may acknowledge him as we ought as we are oblig'd to be our chief Good our ultimate or last End We are not I am fully persuaded unacquainted with the Miseries we as mortal Men are liable or subject to Homo brevi vivens tempore repletur multis miseriis said Job who had found the truth of his Assertion by experience Man living but a short time is full of many miseries We know there are Miseries that oppress the Soul Miseries that afflict and torment the Body The Miseries of the Soul are many She is blind erroneous ignorant in the Operations of her Understanding she is deprav'd in her Will which is bent upon Evil which is obstinate perverse malicious at the best more prone to acquiesce to the Suggestions of Sin then comply with the previous Motions of Grace She is corrupted in her Judgment decay'd in her Memory she is weak and feeble in all her Faculties Add to these domestick Evils these in-born Miseries those she suffers from abroad those she suffers from the World from the Allurements of the Flesh from the Suggestions of the Devil She is betray'd to the World by the Concupiscence of the Eyes she is a Slave to Sensuality by the Concupiscence of the Flesh The Devil Lords it over her by engaging her through his Wiles into Pride of Life What must she do to be deliver'd from this intolerable Oppression Whose assistance must she call upon Whose help She is closely besieg'd by her Enemies without she is treacherously betray'd by her Domesticks within Inimici hominis domestici ejus To whom shall she have recourse for Succour or Relief To whom but to the King her Supreme Lord her Sovereign her God To whom shall she send her devout Sighs her penitential Tears her assiduous and fervent Prayers The Almighty gave her Orders to call upon him in the day of Affliction He promis'd her his Aid and Assistance upon Condition she would attribute to him the Glory of the Victory she would return him her Acknowledgments and Homage Invoca me in die tribulationis eruam te Honorificabis me The Apostle grievously infested with an intestine War from the Concupiscence of the Flesh cries out for help to crush the Rebel Infaelix homo quis me liberabit de corpore mortis hujus Unhappy unfortunate Man what Friend will deliver me from the Body of this Death He do's not desire here as in another place a separation betwixt Body and Soul he begs to be freed from the vicious Inclination of a deprav'd Appetite which he calls Corpus peccati the Body of Sin from whence as from a noxious and pernicious Root spring up so many destructive Branches of inordinate Desires Quis me liberabit Who is it that will destroy this Body this Body of Sin Corpus peccati He calls to mind the Promise of his Lord and expects relief from the Grace of Jesus Gratia Domini Jesu Christi Invoke his Assistance therefore beg he would extinguish the Rebellion of the Flesh Ter Dominum rogavi I have Petition'd thrice replies the afflicted Soul Vt auferretur a me stimulus carnis meoe Neither were his Petitions unregarded the Grace he receiv'd at the Instance of his Prayers enabled him couragiously to withstand all Assaults repel all Temptations to triumph over the Enemies that aim'd at his Ruine Sufficit tibi Paule gratia mea If Prayer prove so necessary to the relief of the Soul in the midst of Troubles incompass'd or rather oppress'd with the intolerable weight of Miseries and Afflictions 't is as absolutely requisite against the Miseries that fall upon the Body the Miseries of the Body being as grievous as afflicting in some proportion as those of the Soul I need not call upon any other Witness then our own Experience to manifest the truth of this Assertion Since that Sin that was unfortunately hatch'd in the Garden of Eden Man that was before Lord of this Universe the Master of the World has now the Universe the whole World against him Nature shook him off as no longer her Darling when once he had revolted from the Allegiance due to her Sovereign and Creator The Heavens ever since have prov'd his Bane in their malignant Influence The Elements that jarr and wrangle with one another meet in the Composition of disloyal Man not to end but to continue their Quarrel that they like Samson may draw after their own the Ruine
into Heaven and prepare us to entertain that supreme Author of all Sanctity and Grace the Third Person of the ever Blessed Trinity who descended upon the Apostles in fiery Tongues and will come to enflame our Souls with the fire of Love but during also the series or continuance of your Days to the end that by addicting your selves to an Employment as necessary as advantageous to a Christian your joy may be full Vt gaudium vestrum sit plenum To this purpose I design God willing this day to set before you in the First Part of my Discourse the Excellency of Prayer together with the Advantages you may reap from it In the Second the absolute Necessity of Prayer with a short Method how to Pray as we ought Amen Amen si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine meo dabit vobis c. Amen Amen I say to you if you shall ask the Father any thing in my Name he will give it you Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full But that God may bless and crown my Endeavours that he may seal this solemn Promise of granting what we ask and make it good in My behalf I must desire you to joyn your Prayers with mine that what I shall say may be to his Honour and Glory to the good of all our Souls And to this end let us with our best Devotion implore his Divine Assistance by the Intercession of the most Holy Virgin-Mother AVE MARIA c. I Am throughly persuaded D.A. that there cannot be given a more elevated Idea of the Excellency of Prayer then by shewing 1. That it came from Heaven 2. That it conducts us to Heaven 3. That it makes us find Heaven upon Earth 1. It came from Heaven where it was even before the Heavens before those material Orbs that now rowl over us were call'd from the dark and profound Abyss of unessential Nothing Before the Angels were establish'd in Glory God himself was taken up with Prayer not as the word commonly signifies with us Petition or Impetration in as much as that Supreme and Independent Being could neither Pray in this Sense to others or make such Addresses to it self His Prayer was the Contemplation of his own Divine Essence His Prayer was that Expression or Consubstantial Word which from all Eternity as an Eternal Coeternal Beam shone from the Father His Prayer was and is a Reflection upon his own unlimited Perfections in that compleat Resemblance of himself his Son When this Word descended from the Bosom of his Eternal Father without either Change or Separation to cloath himself with our Flesh in the chast Womb of the Virgin-Mother I find he came among us to teach us what he put in practice himself the holy Exercise of Prayer It is written of his House that it is to be Consecrated to Divine Service or Prayer Domus mea Domus Orationis vocabitur And which was his first House but the Womb of his Virgin-Mother where he dwelt nine Months in that divine Employment The first Chapter of his Prayer-Book or first Lesson he read was to comply with the sacred Decrees with the holy Will of his Eternal Father as the Royal Prophet says of him Psal 40.10 In capite Libri scriptum est de me c. In the beginning of the Book it is written of me that I should do thy will I 'le follow thy Orders my God I 'le engrave thy Law in the middle of my Heart When he came into the World at the appointed time he employ'd in that holy Exercise of Prayer the space of Thirty Years This Light of the World shed not a Beam upon benighted Man he broke not from the sacred Cloud whereinto he had retir'd Nubes latibulum ejus till the Revolution of that time was ended And as if he thought it not enough to spend whole Thirty Years under the Roof of Mary he repairs to a Desert a lonely and melancholly Desert where for Forty Days and Forty Nights not granting his Body the satisfaction of the least Repast free from the noise and bustle of the World he is totally addicted to Contemplation Our B. Saviour was as well God as Man he needed not by consequence a private House or Desert to become more recollected more retir'd 't was to give us an Example to teach us where we ought to Pray that he chose those solitary Places 't was to encourage us to an imitation of his holy Life to render our Prayers more efficacious more meritorious he selected such Conveniences as might be an help to our Prayers Methinks he acquaints us with his divine Intentions from the Desert with an Exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an Example that you do as I have done Ah! my Lord 't is too much honour for such poor Creatures as we are to be permitted to address our Prayers to thee but what a happiness is it to be invited to Pray in Company with our God When he left the Desert he left not the practice of Prayer he quitted not this sacred Employment in the midst of the most pressing Concerns of his Mission And altho' he equally Pray'd in all Places and at all Times the Evangelists have taken a particular care to acquaint us that after he had labour'd and toyl'd all the Day in Preaching Teaching and inviting Sinners to a sincere Repentance he employ'd the most part of the Night in the Practice of Prayer Erat pernoctans in oratione Dei As he liv'd in a continual Exercise of Prayer he expir'd upon the Cross as we may say in the Arms of Prayer he consecrated to that purpose the three last hours of his Life he drew the Curtains of the Night upon the face of this World he shrowded it with darkness more seasonable more proper for Prayer Ah what comfort must a serious Meditation upon those three last mysterious Hours our B. Saviour was dying in upon the Cross bring to the Soul of a repenting Sinner He made there an Application of his most bitter Passion of his most dolorous Crucifixion of his most painful Death to the Distempers of our diseased Hearts He Prayed then that as the whole Series of his Life was spun out for our Good for our Instruction so his Death for our sakes might conduce to the entire Remission of our Sins He offer'd the infinite Price of his inestimable Blood for the Redemption of Mankind He begg'd of his Eternal Father to cancel the Debts we had contracted to blot out of his remembrance our Transgressions at the same time that he interceded at the Throne of his Mercy for the blind and ungrateful Jews Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt Nor may we doubt but as he pour'd forth his Soul in Prayer with his last Breath saying to his Eternal Father Into thy hands I commend my spirit so he bequeathed the Spirit of Prayer as a Legacy to us both to
of this Philistine The Beasts created for his use and service over whom he was appointed Lord and Master revolt by a joynt Instinct that seems to transcend the reach of a Creature guided only by the blind Impulse of Sense The Beasts revolt the Beasts rebel against him those that haue not Strength in proportion to their Hatred do all they can to shun the detestable Object those that are able to master this common Enemy never meet him but they devour him Were this the Non plus ultra of his Misery it might be said his Enemies were only such as were void of Reason But ah unfortunate Man thou art an Enemy to thy self thou hast Man thy Enemy One levels his Endeavours at the destruction of another In iâ—ineribus saepe Often upon the Road says St. Paul Periculis Latronum thy Life 's in danger Periculis in Civitate as often in the City If thou fliest to the Deserts Periculis in solitudine the wild and unhospitable Groves harbour thy Enemies Put to Sea Periculis in mari thou hast Enemies at Sea If thou return to thy Friends thy Friends are false thy Friends are Flatterers thou art likewise in danger there Periculis in falsis fratribus Devil with Devil firm Concord holds Men only disagree of Creatures rational As if they were not assail'd by Enemies enough besides they do their utmost to ruine one another Where therefore must Man miserable unfortunate Man seek for refuge against the united force of so many pernicious and malignant Enemies Where shall he find a shelter from a Storm that menaces his Destruction on all sides Whither shall he run for succour To God saith St. Chrysostom born up upon the Wings of Prayer Let him flie to the Throne of the Almighty far above these material Orbs that surround us far above the reach of an Invasion either from the Heavens Elements Beasts or Men. Let him enter In locum tabernaculi admirabilis usque ad domum Dei Let him enter into the place of the admirable Tabernacle let him enter into the House of God Vsque ad domum Dei Oratio humiliantis se penetrat nubes non discedet donec altissimus aspiciat The Prayer of the humble penetrates the Clouds and it shall not depart till the Almighty hath granted the Petition Do the Heavens molest him Prayer saith St. Chrysostom has been a sure Fence against their malignant Influence Plagas coeli irruentis delevit Oratio Prayer has appeas'd the anger of the Elements Tempestates sustulit Prayer has tam'd the savage Beasts Impetum Leonum cohibuit Prayer has compos'd the Differences of Men Bella composuit praelia removit Prayer has discover'd the Snares Men have laid to entrap one another Insidias hominum mala denique omnia delevit Oratio But now again as our Prayers are beneficial to our selves so also are they to others As they are a powerful Engin by which we draw down Blessings upon the Soul against the Miseries of the Soul upon the Body against the Miseries of the Body they likewise are efficacious for the good of our Neighbours whether Enemies or Friends To instance in the First as a more pregnant assurance of the efficacy of Prayer Who was a greater Enemy to Christians then St. Paul before his Conversion You are not I suppose ignorant of the Persecutions he rais'd against the Church in its Infancy when he bore the Name of Saul with the Nature of a greedy and ravenous Wolf that thirsted after the Blood of the Lambs and Sheep of that tender and loving Pastor Christ Jesus You know the bloody Designs he was bent upon when our B. Saviour appear'd to him in the Way with a Saul Saul Quid me persequeris Saul Saul why dost thou persecute me Never Tyrant the most inhumane Tyrant was more violent against Christians then Saul The Fury he was animated with answer'd the Cruelty of his Intentions He was full of Menaces in his Mouth of Rancour in his Heart of Fire in his Eyes of Weapons in his Hands Saulus spirans minarum caedis He travell'd from one City to another to seize upon Christians whom he loaded with Irons whom he dragg'd before the Magistrates whom he cast into Prisons against whom he became as well Executioner as Witness Rapiebat vastabat saeviebat says the great St. Augustine I do not exaggerate or enhance his Crimes when I affirm they were without Bounds or Limits Saul wag'd a bloody War not against Christians only but against Christ himself As Herod sought his Death amongst thousands of Innocents Saul aim'd at Christ amongst thousands of Christians tho' neither could meet with the Saviour of the World He escap'd Herod by his flight into Egypt He could not be assaulted in Person by Saul as being now risen from the Dead as being at this time ascended into Heaven And yet O Crime never to be paralell'd Saul not satisfi'd with that ignominious that painful Death the Jews had lately put our Saviour to extends his furious Rage even beyond the Grave insomuch that our Saviour not brooking the Outrage breaks even from Heaven into unusual Complaints and dispensing no longer with that sacred Silence he had so strictly observ'd in this World in the midst of his greatest Afflictions reproaches Saul's unheard of Cruelty from the Throne of his Glory Saul Saul Quid me persequeris Thus stands Saul a Criminal before us a Criminal of the blackest die Thus I have represented him wich these Iniquities about him to make a deeper Impression in your Souls of the prodigious Efficacy of Prayer and by consequence of the great Obligation we have of Praying as well for our Neighbours as our selves as well for our Enemies as Friends Saul however here so black with Crimes is for all this a glorious Saint is in full possession of an eternal Kingdom is reigning with Christ is an illustrious Member of the Church Triumphant is an Honour to the Church Militant Whence proceeds so miraculous a Change a Change of Name a Change of Nature A Change from Saul to Paul from an extraordinary Sinner to an extraordinary Saint From the Prayers of a Christian from the Sighs Tears and Prayers of a persecuted Christian a Christian persecuted by Saul himself a Christian expiring under a Mountain of Stones thrown at him at the Instance of Saul To the Prayers of St. Stephen we owe this prodigious Conversion While the Jews animated and encourag'd by Saul who ston'd St. Stephen with all their Hands by taking care of all their Clothes were answering to the cruelty of his intentions the Saint lifted up his Hands and Eyes to Heaven rais'd his dying Voice in a lamentable but engaging Accent and as if he had been the Eccho of his Lord upon the Cross cry'd out to Him as he did to his eternal Father Ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt His Prayers were heard in Heaven Jesus saw the Supplicant Jesus stood visible