things must be done decently and in order v. 40. But when publick prayers are made in an unknown language there happeneth much disorder and confusion like that of Babel The Minister though he speak Latine is a barbarian to the people and the people to the Minister v. 11. If I know not the meaning of the voyce I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me not simply but to me saith Chrysostome Hierome truly saith Omnis sermo qui non intelligitur barbarus judicatur All speech not understood is deemed barbarous So Ovid in banishment Barbarus hîc ego sum quia non intelligor ulli I am barbarous here because I am not understood by any 2. The minister and people meeting to publick prayer use not publick prayer but private for it is not the place but the congregation that maketh it publick But the minister praying in an unknown language his prayer is private and the people when they do pray at all betake themselves to their private devotions Hereunto adde examples and precedents For the Patriarchs and Prophets under the law the Apostles and Primitive Church did alwayes pray in a known tongue Neither can any sound testimonie or approved example be produced to the contrary for six hundred yeares after Christ. Vitalicus the Pope about the yeare 666 which is the number of the beast whose name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thought to have been the first authour of this ordinance concerning Divine service to be done in Latine Origen saith That every nation in their mother tongue make their prayers unto God and yield him due praises So Basil Epist. 63. ad cler Neocaesar And to the examples of the ancient Church we may adde the practice not onely of the reformed Churches but also of the Ethiopians and Egyptians Syrians Armenians Moscovites Moravians and Sclavonians all which at this day observe the ancient form of praying in their vulgar languages De Cyrillo Moraviorum praesule qui vixit 900 Aeneas Sylvius Hist. Bohem. cap. 13. scribit Ferunt Cyrillum cùm Romae ageret Pontifici supplicasse ut Sclavorum linguâ ejus gentis hominibus quam baptizaverat rem Divinam faciens uti posset De qua re dum in sacro senatu disputaretur esséntque non pauci qui contradicerent auditam vocem tanquam de coelo in hâ—…c verba missam OMNIS SPIRITUS LAUDET DOMINUM ET OMNIS LINGUA CONFITEATUR EI. Indéque datum Cyrillo indultum c. They report that Cyrill when he was at Rome sued unto the Bishop that executing Divine service he might use the tongue of the Sclavonians to the men of that nation which he had baptized About which when they disputed in the sacred senate and there were many that gainsaid it a voice sent as it were from heaven was heard uttering these words Let every spirit praise the Lord and let every tongue confesse unto him And so Cyrills suit was granted c. And yet will the Papists be counted Catholicks who in this point as in many more go against the practice and doctrine universall of the Primitive Church for six hundred yeares after Christ. But say they the Latine tongue doth better become the majestie of the Divine service which is diminished in vulgar languages The commendation of prayer consisteth not in the language whereof there is no difference to be made in respect of God but in the sense of the words and devotion of him that prayeth That which the Apostle speaketh against praying in unknown tongues is as much verified concerning the Latine tongue in respect of them which understand it not as concerning any other Yea but holy mysteries are not to be communicated to the vulgar nor precious stones are to be cast unto dogs and hogs But holy mysteries are to be expounded to the people of God who may not be compared to dogs or swine by whom are meant profane persons and scorners of religion But since prayers have been made in vulgar tongues devotion is waxed colder in those parts and religion decayed Many are made worse by the preaching of the Gospel and where best means are used the people if they be not the better are the worse In respect of them devotion is decayed but in respect of all sound Christians it flourisheth Neither was that true devotion or religion which they say by vulgar prayers is decayed but will-worship and superstition in which men are usually more fervent then in the profession of the truth For such is the common hypocrisie of men that when they think to satisfie the Lord with outward observations they will be forward in that kind Micah 6. 7. Now as touching private prayers in an unknown tongue it is certain that they which so pray do scarcely perform any dutie that is required or exercise any grace which is to be shewed in prayer For first he prayeth without understanding and therefore not as a man but rather as an unreasonable creature as Augustine saith Quid hoc sit quod in Psalmo dicitur AB OCCULTIS MUNDA ME intelligere debemus ut humanâ ratione non quasi avium voce cantemus Nam merulae psittaci pici hujusmodi volucres saepe ab hominibus docentur sonare quod nesciunt What this should be which is said in the Psalme Cleanse me from secret sins we ought to understand that we ought to sing with humane reason and not as it were with the voice of birds For even black-birds parrots pies and such like birds are often taught by men to sound that which they do not understand So Cassiod in Psal. 46. Nemo sapienter facit quod non intelligit No man doth wisely that which he understandeth not 2. Neither doth he pray in spirit but the prayer not understood is a mere lip-labour The sound of the soul is the understanding Neither is that any speech of the soul which it doth not understand neither can they pray but with continuall wandring thoughts For the mind will not attend that which it doth not understand or if they do they do but attend to the words and not to the matter which they do not understand 3. As he which prayeth before others in a language unknown to them his understanding is unprofitable to them neither are they edified thereby so when a man prayeth in a language which himself understandeth not his understanding is unfruitfull to himself And as he which praying in an unknown tongue to others is to them a barbarian so he which prayeth in a tongue which he doth not understand is a barbarian to himself 4. Neither can he pray with faith that his request shall be granted when he knoweth not what his request is 5. What reverence is here shewed to the majestie of God when men presume to babble before him they know not what And what conceit have they of God when
would call upon God seven times a day that is many times Psal. 119. 164. In another place he saith that he would pray in the morning in the evening and at noon And again for the morning Psal. 5. 3. and in another place that he would prevent the morning watch For the noon Acts 10. 9. For the night our Saviour gave us a precedent Luke 6. 12. where it is said that he spent the whole night in prayer unto God And to omit other speciall times There is none so unseasonable as midnight yet often in this time have the godly given themselves unto prayer Psal. 119. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee And so did Paul and Silas Acts 16. 25. So that we see no time excluded from private prayer But to apply the former distinction to private prayer also and first for statae That our infirmity may be helped and our backwardnesse in this duty relieved we are to appoint to our selves some certain houres in the day which we will not let passe without invocation on the name of God but yet so as we place no religion in one time more then in another as the Papists do in their canonicall houres as though God were more ready to heare one time of the day then another This practice which I have named the most holy men of God have used As David Psal. 55. 17. In the morning at noon and in the evening will I pray And Daniel chap. 6. 10. used to pray three times in the day Which practice of theirs we are thus to imitate 1. to pray in the morning before we go about the works of our calling 2. in the mid-day in the time of intermission of our works and thirdly at evening before we take our rest and besides whensoever we take meat we are to use both prayer and thanksgiving 1. Tim. 4. 4 5. 2. Concerning vagae We are to follow the advice of the Apostle Col. 3. 17. In every thing which we do in word or deed both to take it in hand by calling upon the name of the Lord and to end it with thanksgiving Not that we are alwayes to use the voice and gesture of the body for sometime it is sufficient to lift up the soul unto the Lord Which kind of short prayers among the ancient Fathers were called ejaculations And thus if we shall use statae vagae orationes stinted and unstinted prayers omitting no just occasions we shall perform the commandment 1. Thess. 5. 17. but otherwise we shall break the same and in so doing we shall incurre the wrath of God CHAP. XXVIII Concerning the place of prayer THirdly concerning the place To no one certain place is that promise made that then was made to the temple of Jerusalem viz. That whatsoever men in their extremitie should ask of God in it God would grant it in his holy habitation in the heavens Jesus the Messias then looked for whose presence was sought in the mercy-seat and between the Cherubims is now entred between the veil that is in the heaven and there abideth onely Mediatour for us unto whom from all the coasts of the earth we may lift up pure hands with assurance that we shall be heard Howsoever the Israelites under the Law were tyed to pray either in the temple and tabernacle Deut. 12. 5 14. Psal. 99. 6. or else towards the same 2 Chron. 7. 38. 1. Kings 8. 44 48. Psal. 138. 2. Dan. 6. 10. yet now all such distinction and difference of place being but ceremoniall is abolished For that one place of prayer and sacrifice was a type of Christ Jesus the alone altar and the praying in or towards the same did figure out thus much That onely in the mediation of Jesus Christ who is the onely Mediatour both of redemption and also of intercession we are to call upon the Lord Wherefore seeing these were but shadows and ceremonies of things to come and seeing the substance and truth it self Jesus Christ is already exhibited whereunto the shadows and ceremonies do and ought to give place we are not now tied to one place more then another as one being more typically holy then another In the 4. of John v. 21 22 23 24. our Saviour himself resolveth this doubt for when the Samaritane had demanded of him which is that place wherein God is to be worshipped the mount Gerizzim where the Samaritanes temple was or the mount Moriah whereon the temple of Solomon was built Christ giveth her this answer That now the time was come wherein all these differences of places being but ceremoniall were taken away that now the Lord was no more to be worshipped by ceremonies but in spirit and truth and therefore that it was lawfull to worship God not onely in Jerusalem or in mount Gerizzim but also in other places The Prophet Malachi seemeth to foretell the same chap. 1. 11. For so the Lord speaketh by him From the rising of the sâ—…nne to the going down of the same my name is great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered in my name c. But most plain is that 1. Tim. 2. 8. where the Apostle willeth that men should pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every place liâ—…ting up holy hands without wrath or doubting So that there is no such difference of place but that we may lawfully call upon God in any place Which also is confirmed unto us by the practice of Christ and his Apostles who did not onely pray in the temple but without distinction in other places as in the mountain in the desert in the garden in private houses on the house-top on the sea-shore and where not Hence appeareth the vanity of Pilgrimages Which were used either because the places were more holy to which they went then others or because the Lord was nearer to them there then elsewhere The former reason I have already confuted and the latter is more absurd For is the Lord present at Jerusalem and is he absent in England nay Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. And doth not the Psalmist say Psal 138. 8. If I ascend into heaven thou art there if I lie down in hell thou art there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea yea thither shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand hold me Seeing therefore that the Lord is every where present to heare us we may call upon him in any place and the rather because our bodies are the temples of God and we our selves priests and Christ Jesus dwelleth in our temples upon whom as being our onely altar we may offer up incense that is our prayers Revel 5. 8. Psal. 141. 2. So that wheresoever we are we have temples wherein to call upon the Lord. Now howsoever this which I have said be in generall true of Invocation both publick and private yet it is to
will send into her pestilence c. And chap. 38. 22 23. he threatneth to rain fire and brimstone upon Gog and Magog that is both the open and secret enemies of the Church c. Thus saith he will I be magnified and sanctified and known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. II. God doth sanctifie and glorifie his name when he doth remove the impediments of his glory as idolatry worshipping of false gods superstition ignorance and giveth a free passage to his Gospel when he taketh away the wicked Psal. 104. 35. III. By freeing it from the abuses pollutions of men and mainteining his own glory When Moses and Aaron at the waters of Strife did not sanctifie the Lord by believing and acknowledging his omnipotent power then the Lord did sanctifie his name himself Num. 20. 12 13. Lev. 22. 32. Neither shall ye pollute my holy name but I will be hallowed amongst the people of Israel So when Herod would not give the glory to God the Lord glorified himself in his destruction In the second place therefore we pray in zeal of Gods ' glory That howsoever men pollute and profane his holy name yet he would glorifie it and manifest the praise both of his mercy in blessing and preserving his Church and also of his justice in executing his judgements upon the wicked and enemies of his Church by removing the impediments by freeing it from the pollution of men and mainteining his glory Duties 1. Zeal of his glory that he may sanctifie it whatsoever become of me 2. Fear to profane his name seeing he will be sanctified c. V. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy kingdome come What Gods kingdome is THe first petition conteined the main scope of all our desires This and the next contein the way and means whereby that end is to be atchieved for then is God glorified when his kingdome is advanced and his will is performed The meaning of the words Thy kingdome come We must know that there are two kingdomes in the world ruling in the minds and hearts of men the one of darknesse the other of light the one of Satan the other of God Col. 1. 13. unto the one of which every man in the world is subject The kingdome of Satan and darknesse is whereby the children of disobedience being blindfolded and bewitched of the devil go on and continue in ignorance and sinne to their own perdition The prince of this kingdome is Satan the prince of the air Ephes. 2. 2. and God of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. John 12. 31. The subjects are all men by nature untill they be brought out of this kingdome of Satan into the kingdome of God and then is the kingdome of God said to come to them But in this subjection do none finally remain but the reprobate who are the children of disobedience in whom Satan worketh effectually Ephes. 2. 2. and blindeth their minds that the light of the glorious gospel of the kingdome of God shine not unto them 2. Cor. 4. 4. aâ—…d carrieth them away captive to the obedience of his will 2. Tim. 2. 26. The law of this kingdome whereby he ruleth is sinne Hujus regni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The law of this kingdome is to be without law This sin reigneth in the mortall bodies of men making them give up their members to be instruments of sinne unto iniquity Rom. 6. 12 13. untill it please God to let his kingdome come upon them ruling them by his word and spirit The end of this kingdome is endlesse perdition 2. Thess. 1. 9. and against this kingdome are we taught to pray in this place c. The other is the kingdome of God And this is either universall or speciall The universall is that whereby the Lord ruleth over all things even over his enemies whereunto all things are subject and from which subjection nothing can exempt it self This of Divines is called regnum potentiae the kingdome of power whereof the holy Ghost speaketh Psal. 99. 1 2. and 145. 13. and in the clause of this prayer For thine is the kingdome But most plainly Psal. 103. 19. The Lord hath established his throne in heaven and his kingdome is over all This kingdome nothing can resist nothing can hinder no not although all creatures should band themselves together against it The speciall kingdome of God is that whereby he ruleth not over all men in generall but onely over the Church that is the company of the elect And as there be two parts of the Church the one militant upon the earth the other triumphant in heaven so are there two parts of Gods kingdome the first of grace the Church militant the second of glory the Church triumphant The former is the blessed estate of Christians in whom he reigneth in this life for it doth not consist in meat and drink or in any temporall or worldly thing but it is righteousnes that is assurance of justification and peace of conscience arising from thence Rom. 5. 1. and joy in the holy Ghost a consequent of both the other Rom. 14. 17. The latter is the glorious and blessed estate of the faithfull after this life where they shall have the fruition of God in whose presence there is fulnesse of joy c. Of these two the former is the way to the latter therefore whosoever would be an inheritour of the kingdome of glory in heaven must first be a subject of God in the kingdome of grace in this life Luke 22. 30. and therefore out of the Church there is no salvation And on the other side whosoever is a true subject of God in the kingdome of grace shall be an heir of glory in heaven and therefore to them that be true members of the Church there is no condemnation And this David teacheth us Psal. 15. 1. Who shall sojourn c. both parts of that question concerning one and the same man The kingdome of grace is that government whereby the Lord doth effectually rule in our hearts by his word and Spirit working in us his own good work of grace and making us fellow-citizens and meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and of the houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. Saints in light Col. 1. 12. In this kingdome the Prince is the Lord who exerciseth this kingdome by his Sonne Psal. 96. 10. and 97. 1. and 110. 1. The people are the Church which is therefore called the kingdome of heaven Matth. 5. 19. and the particular subjects are all true Christians The sceptre of this kingdome is the word of God Psal. 110. which is also the law whereby he reigneth and is therefore called the word of the kingdome Matth. 13. 19. the gospel of the kingdome of God Mark 1. 14. The preaching of which word and gospel is also called the kingdome of heaven Matth. 13. 11.
which we in our selves are not able to give them So that the oration of an oratour is efficax in respect of the inward efficacie when therein is performed what art requireth in respect of the outward when it perswadeth and that efficacie dependeth on the hearers pleasure But prayer which is effectuall in it self alwayes prevaileth with God In particular that we pray in truth fervencie and faith In truth for to that is the promise restrained Psal. 145. 18. In fervencie Jam. 5. 16. In faith Mark 11. 24. Jam. 1. 5 6 7. Without the first prayers are dead without the second cold without the third uneffectuall for it is the prayer of faith which is effectuall Jam. 5. 15. For the end Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye might consume it on your lusts The end must be good or the prayer is bad The end must be that God may be glorified Psal. 50. 15. The third limitation is in respect of things God hath promised to give good things to them that ask Matth. 7. 11. But if the thing which thou desirest be not good either in it self as if it be unlawfull or not to thee as if it be unprofitable it is not within the compasse of the promise nor ought to be within the compasse of thy desire Or if it be good perhaps it is not yet good for thee to have it but in due time thou shalt find grace In the former case the Lord seemeth to denie in the letter to delay our suits and yet in both he doth grant our prayer if it be rightly conceived For first we must not circumscribe God or prescribe unto him the time and means but so desire that our request may be granted as he shall judge most fit both for his glorie and our good Secondly when as the good things which we ask are either necessarie to salvation or otherwise the former we are to ask absolutely and absolutely we are to believe that we shall obtein them Yea know this for thy comfort that if God hath given thee grace to ask spirituall and saving graces effectually thou hast alreadie obteined for the 〈◊〉 desire of any grace is the beginning of that grace which is so desired But those blessings which are not necessary to salvation whether spirituall or â—…emporall we are not to ask absolutely but with condition if the obteining thereof may be for Gods glory and our good So shall we be surâ—… to obtein our desires of the Lord who alwayes heareth his children if not ad voluntatem according to their will yet ad 〈◊〉 for their profit as wise parents deal with their children seeming many times to denie to his children in fatherly love that which in anger and indigâ—…ation he granâ—…eth to others Perhaps therefore as Augustine saith negat tibi propitius quod allis concâ—…dit iratus In mercie he denieth that to thee which in anger he granteth unto others And therefore the hearing of our prayers is not to be measured by sense but by faith CHAP. VII Of the profit of prayer THe third question Whether any further profit is to be expected from prayer besides obteining our requests The profit is twofold the one of reward freely bestowed by God on him that calleth on his name the other the increase of grace wrought in them by Gods Spirit who give themselves to prayer As touching the former Though by reason of our wants and imperfections in prayer the Lord if he should deal in rigour with us might justly reject our prayers yet such is his mercie that he doth not onely cover our wants and for the intercession of Christ accepteth our prayer but also granteth our desire and not onely that but because prayer is a dutie of pietie and a principall part of that worship whereby we gloâ—…lfie God he doth graciously reward it godlinesse having the promise of this life and that which is to come Our Saviour therefore promiseth Matth. 6. 6. that when we call upon God though it be but in secret and private prayers and much more in publick our heavenly Father will reward us openly The Lord is rich to all that call upon him for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 12 13. For the other By the frequent and religious exercise of this dutie our faith and affiance in God is increased our experience of his bountie and goodnesse towards us in hearing us confirmed our love to his majestie augmented Psal. 116. 1. our hope nourished our patience exercised By it we grow in acquaintance with God and tast how good and gracious the Lord is By it we learn being Gods daily suiters so to behave our selves as not to be ashamed to appear before him By it we elevate our minds above earthly cogitations to mind things that are above and to have our conversation in heaven By it we grow into assurance of our election because the same spirit which is the spirit of supplication is also the spirit of adoption whereby we cry in our hearts Abba Father and which testifieth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and if sonnes then also heirs c. But the Papists not content herewith ascribe two other fruits to their prayers that they are also Satisfactorie for their sinnes and Meritorious of eternall life Satisfactorie as being penal works and therefore both voluntarily undertaken and by their Priests injoyned by way of penance So that this exercise which is so honourable and so profitable as you have heard being also a chief prerogative to the faithfull to have free accesse to God is to them a punishment or work of penance to satisfie for sins But their prayers performed with these conceits of satisfaction and merit are sacrilegious and derogatorie to the all-sufficient satisfaction and merit of Christ though otherwise they were commendable But the impietie of their assertion will better appear if we take a brief survey of their prayers For first whereas our prayers ought to be directed unto the Lord alone they pray to Saints and Angels yea before images and crosses and by their prayers commit most horrible idolatry 2. Neither do they pray in the name and mediation of Christ alone but unto him joyn other mediatours of intercession by whose merits and intercession they desire and hope to be heard 3. The most of them pray without understanding for that which they utter in prayer as praying in an unknown language and consequently pray without attention or actuall intention which they say needeth not without faith or hope without reverence 4. They number their prayers upon beads oftentimes by most grosse â—…attologie repeating the same words perswading themselves that the more Pater nosters Ave Maries and Creeds for those also are prayers with them they shall mumble upon their beads the more satisfactory and meritorious their prayers be Now their prayers being thus every way abominable and odious
were a figure of Christs sacrifice that for the merit thereof the prayers of them which did offer the sacrifice might be accepted 3. Thirdly as the high Priest once a yeare entred the sanctuary bearing on his shoulders the names and on his breast twelve stones the tokens of the twelve tribes prayed for the people who stood in the courts of the house even so Christ being entred into the heavenly sanctuary maketh intercession for us Heb. 10. 19. Apoc. 8. 3 4. Therefore as Augustine saith If you require a priest he is above the heavens where he maketh intercession for thee who in earth died for thee He is the onely way by whom we have accesse unto God John 14. 6. he is the onely Mediatour by whom we have accesse with boldnesse Ephes. 3. 12. he alone in whom God is well pleased with us and appeased towards us Rom. 3. 25. so that coming in his name neither the sense of the dreadfull majestie of God nor the conscience of our own unworthinesse shall dismay us He is the altar Heb. 13. 10. on which the sacrifice of our prayer or praise being offered is thereby sanctified vers 15. He is as Ambrose saith our mouth by which we speak unto the Father our eye by whom we see the Father our right hand by which we offer our selves to the Father without whose intercession neither we nor the Saints have ought to do with God And herein especially the prayers of true Christians do differ from the prayers of others that we call upon God in the name and mediation of Christ alone The use of all is Heb. 4. 16. and 10. 19. that seeing we have such an high Priest who maketh intercession for us that we should with boldnesse and assurance of faith offer up our prayers unto God For 1. the Spirit of Christ helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. 2. God the Father justifieth and accepteth of us in Christ v. 33. Who therefore shall lay any thing to our charge who can condemn us seeing Christ died for our sinnes and rose again for our justification and now sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for us v. 34. and with the odours of his own sacrifice perfumeth our prayers making them acceptable unto God Revel 8. 3 4. CHAP. XVI Of the manner how we are to call upon God IN the fourth place we are to intreat of the manner how we are to call upon God The manner is set down Rom. 8. 27. according to God that is as S. John speaketh according to the will of God 1. John 5. 14. So I said in the definition That invocation is a religious speech of the faithfull made unto God in the name of Christ according to the will of God where by the will of God we are to understand not his secret will and counsel which we know not but his will revealed in his word Prayer is therefore made according to the will of God when in our prayer those things are performed which God in his word prescribeth to be performed in prayer This and the former point are of great moment for when a man prayeth and is not heard it is as Bernard saith because aut praeter verbum petis aut propter verbum non petis that is because thou prayest either beside the word or not for the word whereas on the other side we have this confidence in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1. John 5. 14 15. Now for the manner of prayer there are duties to be performed not onely in the action it self but also out of the action that is to say both before and after In the action of invocation the duties respecting the manner belong either to the internall form or externall The former are the inward duties of the soul the latter the outward speech and gesture of the bodie Unto the speech referre words quantitie qualitie voice In the soul we are to consider what is required first in generall and then in particular In generall it is required that our invocation be a speech of the soul and therefore as I said in the beginning some define prayer that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the communication of the soul with God Others that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the ascending of the mind unto God David expresseth his prayer to be a lifting up of his soul unto God Psal. 25. 1. and 86. 4. and elsewhere he calleth it a pouring forth of the soul before the Lord as Anna also speaketh 1. Sam. 1. 15. So that true prayer is not the lifting up of the voice of the eyes or hands alone but a lifting up of the heart with the hands unto God that is in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. To the same purpose in the Scriptures we are directed to pray in the heart Col. 3. 16. and in the spirit that is the soul Ephes. 6. 18. to pray with the whole heart Psal. 111. 1. that is with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. with unfeigned lips Psal. 17. 1. in truth that is in sinceritie and uprightnesse of heart Psal. 145. 18. The necessitie of this praying in truth appeareth 1. By testimonie of our Saviour Christ John 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth 2. By all those testimonies even now cited wherein we are stirred up to lift up our hearts and to poure forth oursouls c. 3. If the Apostle require servants to perform their duties to their masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto the Lord how much more is it our duty to the Lord himself to perform our service from our hearts 4. The uprightnesse and sinceritie of the heart is the soundnesse of all our worship and service of God without which it is hypocrisie therefore David professeth that he would call upon God with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. and with lips unfeigned Psal. 17. 1. and to the same purpose we are exhorted to seek the Lord with an upright heart Deut. 4. 29. Jer. 29. 13. 5. The promise of hearing our prayer is restrained to this praying in truth Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is near to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth for bodily exercise profiteth little 1. Tim. 4. 8. and the Lord respecteth especially the voice of the heart As for those that call upon him with their lips and not with their hearts the Lord abhorreth their prayer and taketh himself to be abused by them and therefore he reproveth them by his Prophet Isaiah chap. 29. 13. This people cometh near me with their lips but their heart is farre from me and elsewhere he complaineth of the hypocrites of his people that when they howled unto him they cried not with their hearts which he calleth speaking lies Hos. 7. 13 14. for what else doth a man but lie when he speaketh otherwise then he thinketh
speciall eye to some particulars whom perhaps we maligne Judg. 5. 31. Psal. 31. 17. Deut. 27. 15 c. to the end of the chapter 1. Cor. 16. 22. Anathema Maranatha Again those that are directed against particular men sometimes they are as Augustine saith verba praedicentium the words of those who foretell rather then vota imprecantium the wishes of them that imprecate as Gen. 9. 25. Psal. 109. 7 8. with Acts 1. 20. Jos. 6. 26. with 1. Kings 16. 34. And such are the words denounced by our Saviour to Chorazin and Bethsaida Matth. 11. 21. against the Pharisees Matth. 23. and Luke 11. 42 c. against Judas Matth. 26. 24. As touching the rest of the curses which the holy men of God in the Scriptures have denounced against the wicked wishing the ruine and destruction of their persons we are to hold that howsoever they were warrantable in them yet not imitable of us They by the spirit of God were inlightened certainly to know discern those against whom they make such imprecations to have been the desperate enemies of God appointed to destruction Secondly they were moved not with private hatred but with a pure zeal of Gods glory to which the love of our neighbour must give place desiring that God might be glorified in the confusion of his obstinate enemies But as for us who neither have the like certainty of knowledge nor the like purity of zeal our safest course is altogether to abstein from imprecations directed against the persons of men knowing that when curses do proceed from private hatred and malice they are most horrible profanations of the name of God whereby malicious men go about to make God the executioner of their malice and therefore we are charged not to curse but to blesse 1. Pet. 3. 9. even those that curse or persecute us Rom. 12. 14. Matth. 5. 44. Cursed therefore are they which use cursing Psal. 109. 17. especially if they curse any of the heirs of the promise to whom God hath made this promise Blessed be he that blesseth thee and cursed be he that curseth thee Gen. 12. 3. and 27. 29. CHAP. XXXIII Of the reall object of prayer or the things to be prayed for THe object reall or the thing which we do ask is either undetermined and not particularly expressed or else it is determined and expressed in particular The former when in generall or in indefinite terms we desire the Lord to heare us Psal. 4. 1. Heare me when I call have mercy upon me and heare my prayer Psal. 5. 1 2. and 28. 1 2. and 54. 2. and 55. 1 2. and 61. 1. and 86. 1. and 88. 2. and 102. 1 2. and 130. 1 2. and 141. 1 2. and 143. 1. The object determined is either the glory of God or our own good The advancement of Gods glory is to be asked both absolutely and first Absolutely I say without any condition or respect of our own good which we must subordinate to the glory of God and not the glory of God to it If therefore the glory of God and our own good come in comparison or in question whether should give place we ought to preferre the glory of God before our own salvation Example Exod. 32. 32. Rom. 9. 3. For the glory of God is the chief end and our good is no otherwise to be desired then it is referred thereunto But as we are to ask it absolutely so also first First both in order as our Saviour hath taught us this being the first petition of the Lords prayer and first in degree that is chiefly because the end is alwayes better and more excellent then those things which are referred to the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The things which we crave for our selves under which word I comprehend all men is either the bestowing continuing and increasing of some good or else deliverance or preservation from evil In which regard prayer is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precatio boni prayer for good or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprecatio mali deprecation of evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer is the desiring of good concerning holy things made unto God saith Basil. Phil. 4. 6. 1. Tim. 2. 1. It was said before that the matter or object of our prayer must be good how then can prayer admit a distinction in respect of good and evil The avoiding or taking away of evil is good Amotio mali habet rationem boni Removing of evil hath the reason of good And as the Oratour saith Bellum est cavere malum It is a good thing to shun evil And hereupon the benefits of God are distinguished into positive which are reall benefits and privative which is deliverance or preservation from evil The good things which we crave for our selves belong either to the obteining of a better life or for the mainteining of this life the former are commonly called spirituall blessings and the latter temporall The spirituall blessings I mean so many as are necessary to salvation we are to ask absolutely because such spirituall blessings are absolutely subordinated to Gods glory and mans salvation And secondly among those things which we crave for our selves they are first to be desired and sought Matth. 6. 33. And that order our Saviour observeth in the Lords prayer teaching us after the glory of God in the next place to seek our own chiefest good For by the kingdome of God we are to understand both the kingdome of glory and the kingdome of grace The kingdome of glory cometh to us in our glorification the kingdome of grace in our vocation whereby we are brought out of the kingdome of Satan into Gods kingdome and secondly in our justification whereby we are both indued with the priviledges of his kingdome which are the righteousnesse of God imputed peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and also intituled unto the kingdome of heaven And by doing the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven is meant the righteousnes of God so farre as it is by us to be performed or the righteousnesse of sanctification which is both the cognizance of all true subjects of the kingdome of grace and the proper note of all the heirs of the kingdome of glory Acts 26. 18. and 20. 32. As touching temporall benefits Some have denied that they are to be asked of God as the Marcionites and Manichees others have doubted concerning the same as Chrysostome and Basil as being unworthy either for us to seek and ask of God or for him to give unto us But our Saviour when he biddeth us first seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse implyeth that temporall things are to be sought also in a secondary respect For as Lyra saith Primum relativè dicitur ad secundum Cùm ergò dicit Primò quaerendum significavit quòd hoc posteriùs quaerendum non tempore sed dignitate id est secundariâ quâdam ratione
birds fowls of heaven and the wicked spirits in heavenly places Ephes. 6. 12. and 2. 2. The second is that heaven wherein the starres are which are called the host of heaven The third is the seat of the blessed and throne of God called Coelum empy reum because of the light 1. Tim. 6. 16. paradise 2. Cor. 12. 4. and the third heaven in respect of the two lower and in the same sense the heaven of heavens Psal. 115. 16. 1. Kings 8. 27. God is all in all But this place is especially to be understood of the third heaven which is the place of the Lords habitation 1. Kings 8. 30. How is God said to be in heaven seeing he is everywhere If God be everywhere then is he also in heaven But God is said to be in heaven not that he is included therein 1. Kings 8. 27. and therefore not circumscriptivè by circumscription as the body of Christ nor definitivè definitively as the finite spirits but he is there and everywhere repletive filling all places Jer. 23. 23. but yet so as he is every-where totus wholly But yet after a more speciall manner he is said to be in heaven Because there especially he manifesteth his glory there he is seen face to face there he communicateth himself thence he sendeth down his blessings judgements Rom. 1. 18. thence he speaketh to men thence Christ descended thence the holy Ghost Matth. 3. thither Christ ascended there he sitteth and thence he returneth to judgement And as the soul is said to be tota in toto tota in qualibet parte all in the whole and in every part all and yet in respect of the chief operations is said to be seated in the head as it were the heaven of this Microcosme so God who is everywhere wholly both in the world and out of it is said to be in heaven Heaven is his throne Isai. 66. 1. there he prepared his seat Psal. 103. 19. there he sitteth Psal. 2. 4. that is the habitation of his holinesse c. Isai. 63. 15. the place of his habitation 1. Kings 8. 30. Secondly when Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the heavens he meaneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly as Matth. 6. 26. And he is called heavenly because the shallownesse of our minds cannot better conceive of the unspeakable glory and excellent majestie of God then under this name For nothing more excellent and glorious is subject to our sense then the heaven Whereas therefore the Scriptures give this title to God they teach us to ascribe unto him majestie glorious essence omnipresent power infinite wisdome unspeakable mercy endlesse The sense therefore of these words is this Thou that sittest upon heaven as thy throne glorious in majestie infinite in essence power wisdome and mercy Vses concerning prayer I. THe adoration of images reliques condemned we are taught to lift up our mind eyes hands to God being in heaven We may therefore say as Psal. 121. 1. Should I lift mine eyes to images whence then should I have help my help is from God Therefore as Psal. 123. 1. To thee I lift up mine eyes O thou who dwellest in the heavens II. We are taught not to direct our prayer towards any certain place as the Jews towards the temple but we may turn any way towards God in heaven And if we are not bound to look towards any certain place much lesse to go on pilgrimage to it III. Neither must our minds go on pilgrimage whilest we are praying but above the earth and all earthly cogitations our minds with our hands are to be lifted up unto the heavens Lam. 3. 4. Psal. 25. 1. as at all times so especially in the time of prayer our conversation ought to be in heaven IV. When we are commanded to call God our heavenly Father we are taught to abandon all base conceits concerning God Psal. 50. 13. and to ascribe unto him incomprehensible glory and majesty infinite power and essence wisdome unsearchable mercy endlesse Majesty as sitting upon the heaven as upon his throne the earth being his footstool Isai. 66. 1. Which must teach us reverence and not rashly to utter any thing before God For God is in heaven full of majestie and glory and thou upon earth dust and worms meat Eccles 5. 1. Power that is Might infinite omnipotencie Right infinite and authority universall Potentia Power Psal. 115. 3. Our God is in heaven whatsoever he will he doeth Which must teach us to pray with affiance being assured that our heavenly Father is able to do for us according to yea above our requests yea above our thought Ephes. 3. 20. Thus Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 6. Art not thou God in heaven so as power is in thine hand which none can resist Potestas Authority So faith Jehoshaphat Art not thou God in heaven and dost not thou rule over all nations So Psal. 103. 20. The Lord hath established his seat in heaven and his kingdome is over all On him therefore our trust must be reposed by whose providence and power all things are governed in heaven and in earth For hereby we learn that the Lord is not onely able in respect of his might but hath right also to bestow upon us any good thing Audacter Deum roga nihil illum de alieno 〈◊〉 Beg boldly of God seeing thou canst ask nothing of him which belongeth to another Infinite essence and omnipresence for so is the heaven said to be his throne as that the earth also is his footstool and so is he in both as that he is also everywhere and in every place totus For we may not think that God is farre from us Acts 17. 27. because he is said to be in heaven as the wicked imagine Job 22. 13. but we must acknowledge that he is alwayes present with us Psal. 139. 7 8 9 c. and as it is Psal. 145. 18. Deut. 4. 7. near unto us when we call upon him yea where two or three are gathered together in his name he is in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. If therefore thou prayest in secret the Lord heareth thee Matth. 6. 6. if in the closet of thine heart without any speech he heareth the voyce and cry of the heart Exod. 14. 15. 1. Sam. 1. 13. Assure thy self therefore that thou speakest not into the air or utterest thy words in vain but that thou pourest forth thy requests into the bosome of the Lord. Wisdome unsearchable For as the heavens are high above the earth so are the Lords thoughts above ours Isai. 55. 9. We must therefore submit our selves to his will which is most wise and just neither let us circumscribe him but rather resigne our selves unto him who best knoweth what is fit for us Mercy unspeakable Whereby all these attributes are effectuall to our good For if earthly parents do know to give good things to their children much more doth our heavenly
repent hereafter as well c. If to amendment of life he telleth them that if they be elected they may live as they list if rejected they cannot be saved If to humiliation that it is a doctrine that belongeth to notorious sinners c. Moreover he opposeth himself to the Ministers and their ministery Zech. 3. 1. he suborneth false teachers and is a lying spirit in their mouthes Therefore we pray that the Lord would bind Satan dissolve his works and tread him under our feet Rom. 16. 20. The second is the world and the lusts thereof which choke the seed of Gods word Matth. 13. 22. the glorious shew of this world 1. Cor. 7. 31. By these Satan as by nails naileth men to the earth that they cannot mind heavenly things By them as baits he allureth to sinne as snares entangleth to perdition Which make men citizens of the earth and misse of their freedome in heaven which cause men place their paradise upon the earth and not to care for the kingdome of heaven For a man cannot serve God and Mammâ—…n or be a worldling and yet a subject of this kingdome which make worldly men sell their birthright with Esau c. therefore we pray that the Lord would deliver us from the evil world Gal. 1. 4. wain us from it that we may renounce all worldly lusts that we may use the world so as we abuse it not 1. Cor. 7. 31. that the world may be crucified unto us and we to the world Gal. 6. that by faith we may over come the world 1. John 5. 4. and that we may behave our selves not as worldlings minding earthly things but as pilgrimes on the earth and citizeâ—…s of heaven and fellow-citizens of the saints Ephes. 2. 19. whos 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversation is in heaven Phil. 3. 19 20. The third is our Flesh that is our own corrupt nature the wisdome whereof is enmity against God which lasteth against the spirit which sendeth out continuall lusts as it were sparkles out of a furnace which fight against our souls which the devil abuseth as his bawd to pollute us and to beget in us all manner of sinnes which bring forth death Therefore we pray that the Lord would reigne in us by his Spirit that we may not be carnall but spirituall that we may not walk after the flesh but after the spirit that as being pilgrimes on earth but citizens of heaven we may abstein from fleshly lusts c. 1. Pet. 2. 11. that we may crucifie the flesh and the lusts thereof Gal. 5. 24. In a word we desire that the Lord would confound the kingdome of darknesse whereby the devil ruleth in the hearts of men using for his instruments or souldiers the lusts of the world and of the flesh The outward enemies of Gods kingdome But these were spirituall enemies And we are not onely to pray against them but also against the outward enemies of the Church which is the kingdome of God And these are either open and professed enemies as the Turks and Infidels the great Turk being that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Abaddon that maketh havock of the Church Revel 9. 11. or else close and covert enemies which under the name and profession of Christ oppugne the kingdome of Christ as Antichrist his Synagogue that is the Pope and the Church of Rome For notwithstanding all their glorious profession that they and they alone are the Church of God yet these are they that say We will not have this man to reigne over us but having received the mark of the beast are in subjection to the Pope under penalty of dâ—…nation And he sitteth in or rather sets himself against the Church usurping sovereigne authority and sitting as God in the throne of Christ he deteineth the people in ignorance making them believe that their implicite faith will save them and so they lead them blindfolded after them as it were in a string to perdition For whose law reigneth amongst them Gods or their own The breach of whose law more severely punished To whose government are they subject Gods or their own What doctrine do they teach the word of God or the inventions of men The word of God which is his sceptre do they not suppresse this light of mens souls do they not hide it from the people under a strange language as it were under a bushel do they follow the Lambe that have received the mark of the beast and persecute with fire and sword all true professours c. Well against these enemies both secret and open covert and discovered that is Gog and Magog Revel 20. we are taught to pray that being subdued that is either converted or subverted the Church and kingdome of God may be advanced Besides these enemies there are also other impediments of the kingdome of God opposite to the outward means As to the preaching of the word 1. The insufficiency of Ministers not able to teach 2. Their negligence and idlenesse 3. Their causelesse non-residencie and covetous multiplying benefices with cure 4. The want of maintenance by impropriations and corruption of Patrones All these we are to pray that they may be removed and a free passage to his word granted Impediments opposite to government are either no government but confusion in the Church and Commonweal or else corrupt government the rulers hindring rather then promoting the kingdome of Christ. We see then what we desire when we pray that the kingdome of grace may come viz. That where it is not it may be erected and where it is it may be continued and enlarged That he would blesse preserve and protect his Church That the Lord would rule and reigne in us by his word and Spirit That he would effectually call those which belonging to his election are not called That he would justifie us by faith sanctifie us by the holy Ghost and make us and all his meet to be partakers with the Saints in light That we may more and more feel in our selves the fruits of this kingdome righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost and to this end That he would give a free passage to his word and send faithfull labourers into his harvest blessing them and their ministery and also the seed-plots thereof That he would establish an holy government in the Church and Commonwealth and blesse the governours c. That he would grant unto it the effectuall operation of the holy Spirit making the outward means profitable That he would confound the kingdome of darknesse sinne Satan and Antichrist That the devil may be trod under our feet the world crucified unto us and we to the world the flesh with the lusts thereof mortified That we may renounce and forsake according to our vow in baptisme the flesh the world and the devil That all other impediments of his kingdome of grace and our salvation being removed we may be preserved blamelesse to the coming of Christ
And also they who believe that Christ is their Saviour they will also desire his coming And as the creature earnestly waiteth for that time which Acts 3. 21. is called the time of the restitution of all things which now are subject to vanity Rom. 8. 20. for then the heaven earth shall be renewed 2. Pet. 3. 13. so we also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit sigh within our selves waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our bodies Rom. 8. 23. Then is the time of Christs marriage with his Church and of our conformation with him in glory 1. John 3. 2. For when he shall appear we shall be like unto him If then the second coming of Christ shall be a day of refreshing of full redemption of Christs marriage with his Church then those who hope to be partakers of these benefits are espoused unto Christ by faith will with as earnest desire expect his second coming as the loving bride doth the marriage-day Wherefore as it is Revel 22. 17. the Spirit and the bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and v. 20. Come Lord Jesu come quickly And so the Lord hath taught us here to pray And therefore if we will pray unto the Lord in truth we must labour to attein unto this assurance of faith that being assured of Gods everlasting love towards us in Christ we may earnestly desire the Lord that an end being put to these evil dayes he would hasten the coming of Christ. Neither let us think that we have well profited in the school of Christ untill we do with desire expect his coming Thirdly we must expect with patience For he that is saved in hope as all the faithfull are in this life expecteth with patience that which he hopeth for For hope is not of that which is seen If therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 25. we hope for that which we see not we do by patience expect it And surely in respect of this coming of Christ to our salvation we had need of patience Heb. 10. 36. For as Peter hath prophesied of these last dayes there are come mockers walking after their lusts who say Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3. 4. but the holy Ghost answereth Heb. 10. 37. Yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Dearly beloved saith the Apostle Peter 2. Epist. 3. 8 9. be not ignorant of this one thing that one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day The Lord is not slack as concerning his promise as some men account slacknesse but is patient towards us and would have none to perish but would have all men come to repentance viz. that the whole company of the elect may be fulfilled Therefore as Isaiah saith Qui crediderit nè festinet Let not him that believeth make haste For seeing the Lord in patience towards us deferreth his coming and the fulfilling of his promise we ought with patience to expect it Sustine ipsum saith Augustine sustinuit te If he waited patiently untill thou shouldest amend thy bad life then do thou also patiently wait untill he crowneth thy good life Fourthly we must expect the coming of Christ with vigilancie having our loyns girt and our lights burning like the vigilant servants Luke 12. 35 36 37 40. and the wise virgins Matth. 25 not like the ungodly servant who saith in his heart My master deferreth his coming c. Luke 12. 45. nor the foolish virgins who sleeping in securitie and contenting themselves with the shining lamp of an outward profession at the coming of the bridegroom were shut out III. The third duty So to live in this expectation as that neither prosperity nor adversity shall be able to remove us from the love of God being stayed with the anchor of hope Heb. 6. 19. apprehending and expecting the heavenly joyes set before us in respect whereof all the prosperity and pleasures of this life are to be contemned and all adversities patiently to be indured For those that have this assured expectation contemne all the prosperity of the world as mere vanity in respect of the glory that shall be revealed and therefore are crucified to the world and mind heavenly things c. Again this expectation swalloweth up the sense of all temporall afflictions as experience hath taught us in the martyrs For the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 18. Therefore as the Apostle exhorteth Heb. 12. 1 2. let us having such a cloud of martyrs with patience runne the race that is set before us looking to Jesus c. Jacob for the promised reward viz. the marriage of Rachel thought his seven yeares troublesome service to be but eaâ—…ie and short how much more ought we chearfully to bear all the afflictions of this life as light and momentany in respect of that superexcellent weight of glory And for this cause also we are to comfort our selves in all distresses in the expectation of a better life IV. We must walk worthy of God who hath called us to his kingdome and glory 1. Thess. 2. 12. and live as it becometh those that have this hope 1. John 3. 3. For every one that indeed hath this hope namely that he shall be like the Sonne of God purifieth himself as he is pure that he may be in some measure like to him in grace in this present world as he hopeth to be like him in glory in the life to come And let us remember that if we have hope for the end we must be carefull of the means as being the necessary forerunners of glorification faith repentance sanctification And in this expectation must the duties of piety justice and sobriety be performed Tit. 2. 13. V. We must so live as if we were alwayes ready to meet Christ Jesus in the clouds and to this end set before us continually Christ sitting in judgement that we may alwayes labour to be such as then we desire to appear that we depart not from Christ ashamed 1. John 2. 28. And surely what can be more forcible to draw men to repentance and to stirre them up to vigilancie then the meditation of the judgement to come a continuall expectation of Christ coming in the clouds Recordare novissima Remember thy end saith he Ecclus 7. 36. and thou shalt not sinne For where this cogitation is once settled that we shall appear before the judgement-seat of Christ it will not suffer a man to be in quiet untill he be settled in such a state as that he may with boldnesse appear before the Judge Therefore the coming of Christ to judgement is used as a forcible argument to draw us to repentance Acts 17. 30. 2. Pet. 3. 10 11 12 c. These things if we do we shall with chearfulnesse expect the coming of Christ and when
he cometh we shall appear with boldnesse 1. John 2. 28. but otherwise with unhappy Felix we shall tremble at the very mentioning of judgement so farre shall we be from truly desiring and at the sight thereof we shall depart from Christ ashamed desiring the mountains to fall upon us Revel 6. 16. Wherefore to conclude If we will truly make this petition in our daily prayers we must every day so behave our selves as if Christ were presently to come to judgement And in this behalf let us imitate S. Hierome So oft saith he as I consider that day my whole body trembleth for whether I eat or drink or do any thing else that terrible trumpet soundeth in mine eares Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Arise ye dead and come unto judgement VI. We must live as having our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversation in heaven from whence we look for a Saviour minding heavenly things and not being addicted to the world or the desires thereof but living as pilgrimes on the earth c. The hypocrisie of men is here detected who either 1. make this prayer having not this desire or 2. live as if they were out of hope as all those do that go on in their sinnes without remorse for how can he truly hope for the end that careth not for the means Doth not the holy Ghost say That without holinesse we shall never see God Heb. 12. 14. That without regeneration we shall never enter into the kingdome of heaven John 3. 3 5. Therefore we cannot hope that Christ his coming will be to our everlasting salvation if we continue in our sinnes neither can we truly and earnestly desire his coming except we have that hope neither can we truly make this prayer except we have this unfeigned desire 3. Those that are wedded to the world and are so farre from desiring the hastening of Christs coming that they do not onely desire to live here alwayes but also so behave themselves as if they meant alwayes to abide here placing their paradise upon the earth and not caring for the kingdome of heaven The third Petition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The order THis petition is a consequent of the former For then doth God reigne in the hearts of men when they subject and submit themselves to his will Therefore as in the former petition we desired that the Lord would reigne in us so here we pray that we may shew our selves to be his subjects by performing his will For these two are relatives if he our King then we his subjects And therefore hereby we may discern whether the Lord doth reigne in us if we have a true desire and endeavour to do his will And therefore our Saviour Christ Matth. 6. 33. as he doth bid us to seek first and principally the kingdome of God so also his righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will signifieth three things either 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which willeth or 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the â—…illing or 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing willed 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which willeth in the creatures is the faculty of the mind whereby it willeth But in God whose nature is most simple and in whom there is nothing which is not himself it is his essence In this sense 〈◊〉 Dei eâ—… esâ—…entia Dei vâ—…lens the will of God is the â—…ssence of God willing 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the williâ—…g in the creatures is the act or function of willing proceeding from the faculty But in the Lord both the act of willing and the faculty whereby he willeth is his essence Therefore as his essence is one and eternall so his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his willing is one and eternall and without succession And therefore whatsoever God hath willed doth or shall will that he willeth with one and the same everlasting act of willing For as uâ—… actu intelligendi unóque intuitu omnia intelligit so also uno actâ—… volendi omnia vult qua vult for as with one act of understanding and one view he understandeth all things so with one act of willing he willeth all that he willeth Out of which appeareth the unchangeablenesse of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his willing For whereas in ours there is a change when either we will that which before we did not or leave to will that which before we desired God by one eternall act of willing willeth all things and therefore neither beginneth to will that which before he did not nor leaveth to will that which once he willed The consideration whereof ought to be 1. A stay and comfort to Gods children in any distresse seeing there doth nothing happen unto them which the Lord hath not willed from everlasting and that for his glory and their good 2. An argument of thanksgiving unto the Lord who before we were willed so well unto us 3. A confirmation of faith in his promises because whâ—… he loveth he loveth to the end neither is he as man that he should repent For howsoever repentance be sometime ascribed unto him yet this and the like passions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are spoken after the manner of men but must be understood according to the majesty of God And as sometimes repentance is affirmed of God so also many times it is denied Where it is denied it is to be ascribed to the immutability of his will where 〈◊〉 is affirmed 〈◊〉 actiâ—…is to the efficacy of his action 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing willed which oâ—…tentimes in the Scriptâ—…re is called his will John 6. 39 40. 1. Theâ—… 4. 3. And in this sense the testament is called the will of the testatour The thing that God willetâ—… properly and per se is good howsoever unproperly by accidâ—…nt he willeth that which is evil non quidâ—…m faoere sed fieri not to do it but to 〈◊〉 it to be done as it is râ—…ferred to good ends viâ—… his glory and our good Bonum est esse malum It is good there should be evil that both the glory of Gods â—…cy in saving â—…s and of his justice in pâ—…ishing oâ—…r sinnes in Christ might appear But 〈◊〉 the Lord willeth not it but the end as when a man is content that some part of â—…is body should be seared he doth not properly desire the searing of the part but the health of his body The things willed are either God himself and those things which pertein to himself as his glory c. or the creatures and such things as belong unto them Himself he willeth most properly for if bonum cognitum known good be the proper object of will then primum supremum bonum the first and supreme good which is himself is most properly the object thereof His creatures he willeth and such things as concern them as means referred to this end Rom. 11. 36. Prov. 16. 4. Himself he willeth by
things apperteining to his glory and our good The phrase of invocating or calling upon the name of God sometimes signifieth the profession of the true religion whereby we take the name of God upon us and are called after his name as Gen. 48. 16. and 4. 16. Isa. 63. 10. Acts 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. And first as touching the name This part of Gods worship is usually in the Scriptures expressed by the phrase of calling upon the name of God and therefore is fitly called invocation that is calling upon God whether it be by way of praying or praysing In which generall sense the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tephillat is sometimes used 1. Sam. 2. 1. Psal. 86. 1. Isa. 56. 7. Domus orationis oratio and invocatio in Latine and by a Synecdoche prayer in the English tongue though properly it signifieth that species or kind of invocation whereby we crave any thing at the hands of God By a Metonymie of the signe it is sometimes called the lifting up of the hands Psal. 141. 2. and 44. 20. sometimes the lifting up of the eyes Psal. 123. 1. more properly a lifting up of thé heart unto God Psal. 25. 1. whereof the other are but signes Which must teach us when we pray to lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens as Jeremie speaketh Lam. 3. 41. So much of the name In the definition the nature of Invocation is set forth both the generall which Logicians call the genus and proper in that which is called the difference The generall in that I call it a religious speech For of religious speech there are two speciall sorts the one of man â—…nto man in the name of God and in the stead of Christ which is preaching the other of man unto God in the name and mediation of Christ which is prayer or invocation And both of them somewhere in the Scriptures are expressed by one and the same name of prophesying which for Preaching is used 1. Cor. 14. 3 4. and elsewhere for Invocation both in the sense of praying 1. Kings 18. 29. with 26. and of praysing 1. Chron. 25. 1 2 3. First I say it is a speech And because the religious speech is the chief speech which we can use therefore as preaching is called Sermo so prayer is of the Latines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called Oratio But where I say prayer is a speech you are to understand that whereas there is a twofold speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outward and inward the inward being also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech conceived in the mind the outward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech uttered with the voice prayer is not the outward speech chiefly or onely but the inward of the soul either alone when in prayer the voice is not used as Gen. 24. 45. Exod. 14. 15. 1. Sam. 1. 13. and is called oratio mentalis which is usuall in meditation and is sometimes so called or chiefly when the voice is used as most commonly it is Whereupon some define prayer to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the speech or communication of the soul with God others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ascending of the mind unto God In which respect the holy Ghost calleth it the lifting up of the heart unto God Psal. 25. 1. and the pouring forth of the soul before the Lord Psal. 62. 8. 1. Sam. 1. 15. As for that prayer which is onely the outward speech of the mouth without the inward of the heart it is not a prayer in truth but a meer lip-labour For to call upon God in truth is to pray with our souls and to call upon him with our hearts to lift up our hearts and to poure forth our souls before the Lord as I shall shew more fully hereafter But I adde that it is a religious speech to note that prayer is a part and indeed a principall part of that religious adoration and worship which we ow unto God and consequently to teach us that it is a dutie to be performed religiously and devoutly as intending thereby an holy and acceptable service unto God So that true prayer is not a bare reading or recitall of any form of prayer without understanding withou affection without devotion without faith but a religious service devoutly offered unto God out of an upright and pure heart 2. Tim. 2. 22. Psal. 119. 7. The proper nature of Invocation is described in the rest of the definition conteining six substantiall points necessarily required in all prayer viz. Quis Quem Cujus nomine Quomodo Cujus ope De quibus that is Who must pray Whom we must pray unto In whose name In what manner By whose help and For what For in all invocation that shall be acceptable unto God there is required 1. That the person which prayeth be faithfull 2. That the partie to whom we pray be the onely true God 3. That the prayer be made in the name of Christ For sinne having made a separation between God and us there is no accesse for us unto God in our own name 4. For the manner that it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God Rom. 8. 27. or as S. John speaketh more fully 1. Epist. 5. 14. according to the will of God that is that in our invocation or prayer we perform those things which God hath willed and required in his word to be performed in prayer 5. Because we are not able of our selves to perform any of those things which God hath required I adde that we are to call upon God by the help of the holy Ghost 6. And lastly I shew that the object of our invocation that is the things concerning which we do speak unto God in prayer are good things apperteining to his glorie and our good as namely and especially the benefits and blessings of God for which we do either pray unto him or praise him Of these six in order And first for the partie which is to pray When I say that prayer is a speech of the faithfull you are to understand 1. That we speak of prayer as it is officium viatorum a duty injoyned unto men living here upon earth as pilgrimes in the Church militant unto whom alone the doctrine of Invocation doth appeâ—…tein and not as it is exercitium spirituum beatorum the exercise of the Saints and Angels in the Church triumphant in heaven to whom neither the commandments injoyning this duty nor the promises made to prayer nor the directions which teach how to pray are directed For although the word of God hath revealed that they are conversant in the one part of invocation that is in praising glorifying God wherein we are to imitate them that we may do this will of God 1. Thess. 5. 18. as the Saints and Angels do it in heaven yet as touching the other part which is
prayer or petition for what or for whom they pray in particular the Spirit of God in the Scriptures hath not revealed and it is but foolish curiositie to seek to be wise above that which is written For herein especially is that verified Quae supra nos nihil ad nos that is Things above us belong not unto us much lesse ought we with the superstitious Papists upon an erroneous conceit of theirs I mean the Saints and Angels in particular that is such Saints and Angels praying for us in particular ground an idolatrous practice of our praying unto them But of this also more hereafter 2. Seeing we consider it as the dutie of the living Isa. 38. 19. we are more particularly to consider both who in this world are required to pray and also what is required in them that do pray This dutie is required of all men living without exception All are to call upon God And that their prayer may be accepted of God it is required of all that they should have faith For as much therefore as we are to define prayer as it is effectuall and acceptable for that cause I defined it to be the speech of the faithfull not but that all are bound to pray but that none pray effectually and acceptably but they onely that believe Concerning the partie therefore which is to call upon God I am to shew these two things 1. That it is required of all to pray 2. That it is required of all which do pray that they be faithfull The former I am the rather in this place to perform lest when I have defined Quid sit and so taught how we are to pray I leave place to the question An sit Whether we are to pray at all or not For howsoever it is a great honour and favour for a sinfull man who is but dust and ashes as Abraham upon this occasion confesseth Gen. 18. 27. that the Lord should admit him to familiar speech with his great and glorious Majestie For as Chrysostome saith Quis non admirarâ—…tur tantam benignitatem quam in nos declarat Deus qui nos mortales dignos habuerit qui cum ipso colloquamur nostráque vota apud ipsum deponamus that is Who would not admire this so great goodnesse which God declareth towards us who esteemeth mortalls worthy to talk with him and to lay before him all our suits and that he should be near unto us in all that we do call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. and therefore a thing greatly to be desired and highly to be esteemed of us yet naturally men abhorre from the performance of this dutie which caused the Prophet Isaiah to complain that there was none that called upon the name of the Lord. The reason is because sinne having made a separation between God and us the man whose conscience condemneth him of sinne unrepented of as not being reconciled unto God flieth from his presence as the guilty person or malefactour from the sight of the judge so farre is he from presenting himself voluntarily before the Lord as we see in the examples of our first parents Gen. 3. 8. in Peter before his effectuall calling who perceiving by the miraculous draught of fish the Divinitie of our Saviour Christ desireth him to depart from him for I saith he am a sinfull man in the Gergasines or Gadarenes who being strucken with fear at the miraculous dispossessing of the legion of devils besought our Saviour to depart out of their coasts Matth. 8. 34. Luke 8. 37. It shall be needfull therefore to use some reasons and motives to move us to the performance of this dutie CHAP. II. Reasons moving to the dutie of prayer FIrst therefore the law of nature teacheth all men this principle That there is a God and that this God is to be called upon and worshipped For which cause all nations being never so barbarous though they know not the true God yet by the instinct of nature think themselves bound to call upon that which they suppose to be God If therefore those nations which did not call upon the true God whom indeed they did not know are subject to the curse of God Psal. 69. 6. Jer. 10. 25. how shall they escape the curse of God who knowing him do not call upon him for by their not calling upon him they do deny him Tit. 1. 16. and therefore this is observed as a note of the foolish Atheist who saith that there is no God that he doth not call upon the Lord Psal. 14. 4. Secondly It is a principall part of that worship of God for which the nature of man was at the first created according to his image and for which it was redeemed viz. that we might worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse and therefore those who will not call upon him rob God of that honour that is due unto him and as much as in them lyeth go about to frustrate that end for which they were created and redeemed So principall that sometimes the duty of invocation is put for the wholâ—… worship of God as Gen. 21. 33. 26. 25. as if it were all in all In which regard the temple which was provided for Gods worship was called the house of prayer Esa. 56. 7. And no marvell for by this one duty of invocation we exercise and testifie our religion our faith our love both of God and man our affiance and hope c. Thirdly It is injoyned in the morall law of God which is generall and perpetuall and is therefore also required in the gospel And if you ask in what part of the law I answer In both tables as a duty of religion to God and of charity to our neighbour for whose good we either pray or give thanks In every commandment as the common means whereby we are enabled to peâ—… form the severall duties and to attein those vertues which are therein prescribed But chiefly it is commanded in the commandments of the first table the obedience wherâ—…of in a great part consisteth herein For hereby God is worshipped in the spirit or inwardly prâ—…cept 1. adored in the body or outwardly prâ—…cept 2. sanctified or glorified in the mouth praecept 3. and a good part of the sanctifying of the sabbath praecept 4. standeth in this Now if any man shall object That he is a sinfull man and that by his sinne he hath made himself unworthy to tread upon the earth or to look up unto heaven and much more unworthy to present himself before the Lord with hope to be heard and consequently that it were great presumption for him to call upon the Lord I answer That it were indeed greater presumption to come before God then it was to rush into the presence of the kings of Persia were it not that the Lord did in like manner hold out unto us the sceptre of his word therein by his manifold commandments injoyning us this duty and by his
known unto us so when we are commanded to pray for all we are bound in particular to pray for those whose wants are known unto us and especially for such as do any wayes belong unto us or do desire to be commended in our prayers unto God Rom. 15. 30. Jam. 5. 14. Ephes. 5. 19. 1. Tim. 2. 1 2. Thirdly whereas we are taught to say Our Father Give us c. we may gather that this prayer and those that are made to the like effect are the common voyce of the Church and of all the members thereof praying mutually for one another Which affordeth comfort to every one of us for although the sense of thy own wants weaknesse in calling upon God doth discourage thee yet this ought to comfort thee that this prayer and the like is the common prayer of the Church and of all the faithfull lifting up holy hands in every place and praying for thee if thou be a faithfull man as well as for themselves Now the prayer of the Church the Lord who is most gracious unto it is ready to heare Deut. 4. 7. Isai. 65. 24. and being most faithfull is also willing to perform Matth. 18. 20. Therefore this serveth as for instruction teaching us our duty in calling upon God for one another so also for our comfort assuring us that others in like sort pray for us and that we are partakers of all the prayers of the whole Church and all the members thereof Fourthly the hypocrisie of those is condemned who say with the Jews John 8. 41. We have all one Father God but neither have faith in God nor charity towards men nor any fellow-feeling of other mens wants nor any true desire of their good who say Every man for himself and God for us all Vses concerning our lives SEeing we have all one and the same Father Matth. 23. 9. therefore we ought to embrace one another with brotherly love Ephes. 4. 3 4 6. For if God be the Father of us all then are we all brethren Which word of love ought to tie us with the bond of love and break off all dissension Gen. 13. 8. Acts 7. 26. Mal. 2. 10. And surely if we love not our brethren the love of God is not in us For he which loveth him that begetteth loveth also those that are begotten 1. Joh. 5. 1. And Whosoever saith that he loveth God and hateth his brother he is a liar 1. John 4. 19 20. Therefore where is not brotherly love there is not the love of God where is not the love of God there is no faith and who hath not faith is not the sonne of God Therefore the Apostle saith 1. John 3. 10. In this the children of God are known and the children of the devil Whosoever doeth not righteousnesse is not of God nor he that loveth not his brother For if those that be the sonnes of God as all the faithfull are and we are to hope well of the most when we speak of particulars be not our brethren and so we esteem them then are not we the sonnes of God For if he be our Father then his children are our brethren If the sonnes of God be not brethren to us then are not we his children If therefore we shall hate the children of God how can we call upon him as our Father Secondly whereas all as well poore as rich are commanded to call God Father this ought to teach the rich comfort the poore The rich ought from hence to learn humility and not to despise the poorest Christian seing they are our brethren by the law of nature and of the same bloud Acts 17. the same flesh Isai. 58. and also by our redemption by Christ they are our brethren in him sonnes of the same Father and have as good part in Christ if they believe as the best for God is a Father that respecteth noâ—… persons Acts 10. 34 35. 1. Pet. 1. 17. And in Christ there is no difference of rich and poore bond or free but we are all one in him Gal. 3. 28. To which purpose Paul exhorteth Philemon to receive his servant Onesimus being now converted as a brother v. 17. Let therefore the rich follow the advise Rom. 12. 16. Example Job 31. 13 14 15. that of the wife 1. Pet. 3. 7. which is to be extended to all Christians viz. that they be coheirs Which doctrine doth not favour the Anabaptists for although in respect of our spirituall estate there ought to be no respect of persons Jam. 2. 1. neither is there difference of bond and free in Christ yet in respect of our outward estate the Lord hath ordained superiours and inferiours c. and hath established orders and degrees in the outward politie The poore also are to comfort themselves with this consideration that howsoever they be contemned in the world yet they are dear in Gods sight God is their Father as well or rather of them then of the rich Psal. 68. 6. and Christ their brother yea they are members of Christ to whom what is done Christ esteemeth as done to himself Matth. 25. The which is to be understood of the godly poore for otherwise as their estate is miserable now so a thousand times more miserable shall it be in the world to come Vses of reproof THey are condemned that call God their Father and yet hate the children of God because they are godly and deride the name of brethren 2. Schismaticks who call God their Father but denie his children to be their brethren For they which will have God for their Father must have the true Church to their mother And these words Our Father are the voyce of the Church and of all that be of the same brotherhood 3. Again when we are bid to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father c. we are taught to direct our prayers unto God immediately as being present with us Which confuteth the Papists who would not have us go directly to God but to desire Mary or Peter c. to pray for us whereas this priviledge have all the faithfull to come with boldnesse to the throne of grace by Christ Ephes. 3. 12. Secondly we are to believe that God who is in heaven is also present with us hearing our prayers and therefore so ought we to poure forth our prayers as into his bosome yea though we pray in secret Matth. 6. 6. Thirdly we ought to have the eye of faith to see him that is invisible Heb. 11. so shall we set God before our eyes and behave our selves as it becometh those that speak to so glorious a Majesty But most men because they see none present are touched with lesse reverence then if they spake to a mortall superiour Which art in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HEaven is all that space which is above the earth Of which are three parts Coelum Aereum Gen. 1. 8. Aethereum Empyreum The first Air in which are the