bee unarmed if it bee hee will present one lewd object or Job 31. 1. Deut. 16. 19. other to thy sight to allure thee if it bee thy eare he will make it listen after bad counsel Prov. 17. 14. if the tongue hee will make that a world of mischeefe if the hand hee will make it ready Jam. 3. 5. to act all sorts of mischeefe if the foote hee will make it swift Prov. 13. 4 to shed bloud if a Ship do but spring a little leake at any part of her she will in short time bee over-whelmed If thou dost but leave any part of thy soule ungarded sinne will presently enter in and being once in sinke thee into the nethermost pit of hell Stand therefore and watch when the howre of thy visitation cometh watch and see the kindnesse of Ps 17. the Lord be ready at all assayes to repell these grand and potent enemyes Lastly I will now shew thee being thus armed and prepared how thou must use and put on thy armes and that must bee with prayer praying alwayes with all prayer and Prayer to bee used at the putting on the Armor supplication for all saynts praying unto God that hee would send thee his spirit Prayer is the meanes and the manner how the weapons should bee used It will not bee amisse then to shew the use of prayer First how thou must pray Secondly when thou must pray Thirdly to induce thee the more to it I will shew the power and efficacy of prayer For the first of these how thou must pray and in this How to pray thou art commanded to use three motions Aske and you Math. 7. 7. shall have seeke and you shall find knock and it shall bee openeâ— unto you here is first Gods parâ— to thee secondly thy part to God thy part to God lyes in these words Aske Seeke Knock thus explaned aske with the mouth seeke with the heart knock with the hand First aske with the mouth God created the lippes and doth therefore require the lippes Joakin the Father of the Virgin Mary said cibus potusque erit mihioratio Prayer shall bee meate and drinke to mee If thou wouldst but make prayer to bee foode and meate and drinke to thee thou wouldst find it more excellent nourishment to thy soule then any corporall foode can possibly bee to thy body and as there is difference betwixt the soule and body the one being mortall the other immortall the one corporall the other spirituall Difference betwixt the foode of the body and the soule the one temporary the other eternall so there is a great difference also betwixt the foode of the one and the foode of the other the bodily or corporall foode goes in at thy mouth to nourish thee here in this world but the spirituall foode of the soule which is Prayer doth proceede out of thy mouth to keepe thee not only in this world but to bring thee to heaven in the world to come The Righteous mans prayer is his delight and of prayer Prov. 15. 8 there bee three kinds The first is Prayer meerely Three sorts of prayer mentall The second is Prayer meerely vocall The third is Prayer botâ— mentall and vocall These three sorts of Prayeâ— have reference to the three motions Aske Seeke Knock Prayer meerely vocall is to pray with the tongue without the heart this is that sort which God doth so much abhorre to mumble over a few prayers and yet not know what wee say our selves Appropinquant ore sue labiis suis honorant me cor autem à me procul amovent They come neere unto mee sayth God with theyr Esay 29. â—5 mouth and honour mee with theyr lippes but theyr heart is farre from mee they put that farre from God which he doth most love and that 's the heart Lip labour is nothing worth Lip-service to God abhominable in Gods eye without the heart â—hat makes the lip acceptable here are a sort of people â—hat make their lips theyr owne saying who is Lord over â—s but that 's not the way to â—ome acceptable to God to make theyr prayers to become as sweete smelling incense before him or to become so powerfull as to pull a blessing â—ut of Gods hand if thou desirest therefore to pray aright 〈◊〉 with the mouth seeke with the heart knock with the hand The second kind of Prayer Ps 12. 4. Second sort of prayer is prayer meerely mentall that is meditation to meditate or pray with the heart without the tongue this is allowed by God and approved by him in the practise of all the Prayer mentall by God approved saynts When the children of Israel were passing through the red Sea seeing Pharaoâ— hoast behind them and 〈◊〉 Sea before them murmureâ— agaynst Moses but what diâ— Moses hee cryed unto thâ— Exod. 14. 14. Lord. Cur ad me clamas whâ— cryest thou unto mee Saytâ— God whereas it is not expressed that Moyses sayd any thing at all only it was his inward and ardent prayers to God in the behalfe of the children of Israel pray then with thy heart and pray with thy understanding also and if place and time will admit 1 Cor. 14. 15. pray with thy heart and tongue together The third kind of Prayer is mixt Prayer both mentall and Third kind of Prayer mentall and vocall vocall included in the words Aske Seeke Knock for to aske with the mouth to seeke with the heart and to knock with the hand is that which God so much calls for wee will render sayth the Prophet Hosea the Calves of our lippes Hos 14. 2. that is both the heart and the tongue Thus I have breefely shewed thee what is thy part to God which is to aske and to aske aright now I will shew thee what is Gods part to thee and that is to give Petite vobis dabitur Aske and you shall have do but aske and he will give every one that asketh receiveth and every Math. 7. 8. one that seeketh findeth whatsoever you aske in prayer if Joh. 15. 7. you beleeve you shall receive it what then will this gift bee what is it that thou shalt receive blessings spirituall blessings temporall the gift of God is eternall life through Rom. 6. 23 Jesus Christ our Lord. The second branch or motion of Prayer is thou must Seocnd motion of prayer to seeke with the heart seeke with the heart for the asking of the mouth hath never prevayled without the seeking of the heart but the seeking of the heart hath oftentimes prevayled without the asking of the mouth let not then thy heart goe a wandring after the pleasures of the world when thou art at thy devotions God doth promise to bee found of those that seeke with the heart If thou wilt seeke Deut. 4. 19 him hee will bee found of thee as David instructed his sonne Solomon and agayne those
last great Idoll of the world how do men gape after it whence comes it It comes neyther from the East nor from the West nor from the South sayth the Psalmist but why did hee leave out the North Ps 75. 6 to shew that much might bee done by endeavour by use of meanes but for all that God would have one place to come in at seeke then after God for in having him thou hast all things I will now shew thee the third motion or particular of prayer and that is thou must knock with the hand as much The third motion of prayer is to knock with the hand Jam. 4. 5. as one should say doe as you say as thou sayst well so thou must doe well shew thy faith by thy workes let thy Religion shine through thy life and conversation Bee not like those that pray and practise not God will certaynely abhor such because their hands are embrued in blood If that a subject Esay 1. 15. should offer up a Petition to the king having his hands bloodâ—ly dyed in the blood of his sonne dost thou thinke that hee would accept of it by no meanes hee would surely bee so farre from acceptance that hee would make him feele the severity of law And thus it is if thou shouldst offer up thy prayers to the King of Kings with thy hands embrued in the bloud of his sonne the Lord of life still crucifying Heb. 6. him afresh by thy sinnes which are as so many speares thrust into his pretious side doest thou thinke hee would accept of it I trow not knock then with a Religious hand if ever thou desirest Math. 7. 8. God to open unto thee Aske and thou shalt bee sure of temporall things seeke and God wil give thee spiritual blessings so knock and hee will give thee eternall lifeâ— that is hee will open the gates of heaven and give thee everlasting happinesse more then thy heart can wish or thy tongue desire Now these three motions Aske Seeke Knock being put together make up that third kind of prayer which I have heretofore discover'd already But before I passe any further mee thinks I heare thee whisper this Objection Object which not only thou but many thousands object unto themselves viz. that there were some that did knock and yet they were not opened unto Luke 13. 24. Luk. 13. 24. To this I answer Answer they did not knock with a Religious hand not with the hand of faith they had no oyle in their Lamps It is not enough to say well but to do well not to have Religion only at the tongues end but to have it truly in the practise of it those had Lampes but no oyle Religion Math. 25. 1. without practise and that 's the Reason they were excluded they are not Nominals but Reals that are admitted into Gods Grammar There are some that shal knock and say Lord Lord have wee not prophesyed in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils Math. 7. 23 and in thy name done many wonderful things some agayne shall knock alowde and call strongly to the Lord saying Lord Lord open unto us Orationis instantia est pulsatio Luk. 13. 25 Prayer is indeed a spirituall knocking and this prayer of these damned ones was a well compacted one if it had come from beleevers for First thing they desired was Res optima the opening of heaven and prayer is able to doe it prayer is an excellent picklock thus did Eliah and the Theife on the Crosse open heaven Secondly theyr Prayer was modus optimus a Prayer of unity they all beganne to say and it was a prayer of fervency they were hot in the pursuite like the children of Israel in extremity they cry aloud to the Lord for releife there 's the unity of their prayer Thirdly it was scopus optimus the best object on which they could fasten themselves they go to the Fountayne-head they ingeminate the word Lord Lord and it is that word where all good men beginne their prayers Prayer is called a Conference with God if it hath not relation to God it hath not the definition of prayer they of Rome pray to Saynts and Angels but it is most sure that if it bee not Domine it cannot bee Domina if hee that cals out Lord Lord shall not enter then hee that prayes to my Lady wil hardly find admission therefore this prayer of theirs was well terminated and in that regard a good prayer But what of all this here 's goodly blossoms but no fruite at all these things are seemingly good but all these will not serve the turne that which doth follow poysoned all the rest which may bee reduced into these 4 heads First it was Oratio extorta the feare of Iudgment brought them to it in this life God often called unto them but they would not heare they thought as too many do that a Lord have mercy upon mee at their death would have done it but now to their ruine they behold hell open to receive them heaven shut upon them they there for cry out Lord Lord open c. Secondly it was Oratio hypocritica it had all forme but not the least power of Godlinesse in it a Godly man cals Lord and Piety doth ingeminate the word but these damned creatures could not say with David my Lord and my God but this prayer of theirs as it was verball so not cordiall as verball not reall they had despised Christ in this life they would not have him but Barrabas not his saving grace but their owne vile affections and now when their workes as fruits of their faith should have pleaded for them now it is that they belch out hypocriticall expressions for the obtayning of that which their owne incredulity had in this life forfayred Thirdly it was Oratio arrogans a most saucy arrogant Prayer what did they thinke that God would bee pleased with sounds they cry aloude unto God it is true if a man bee deafe wee stretch out our throates unto him but what presumption was this to call out thus unto God who is nigh unto all them that seeke Ps 34. 18. him hoc non est â—rare omnipotentem sed derogare but there is a worse thing in it then all this they came cloathed with their sinnes before him whose pure eyes can endure no uncleanesse they did dye in their sinnes and filthinesse and then were past washing or cleansing it was therefore Opus audaciae an audacious prayer Fourthly it was Oratio intempestiva an unseasonable Prayer when the gate is shut one minute is too late momentum est unde pendet aeternitas there is a moment of time whereon depends eternity but that must bee in this life for God heares prayers only in a time accepted here is the place and here is the time too hereafter is neyther place nor time serò levavit dives oculos prayer is a grace of the way not of the
Christ who by their oathes and wicked practices crucify the Lord of life againe Math 24. 25. These are the nobility or rather ignobolity of this great Princes Court subordinate unto these are many infernall Officers all children of disobedience too many have advanced Ephes 2. 3. his diabolicall throne in their hearts two shall be in a bed two in the feild two at the mill there 's halfe in half for the Devill one taken the Luke 8. 15. other forsaken Matth. 16. The seede of Gods sacred word fell upon foure sorts of ground and but one of them good that 's great oddes three to one three for that infernall Cur one for Gods kingdome The Devil hath too many Servants three to be tyed up in sheaves and burnt with fire unquencheable one to be gathered into Gods granary Luke 8. again there was tenne Lepers cleansed nine of them clave to their ingratefull Mr. one onely returned thankfully to his heavenly preserver here 's nine to one Luke 17. 15. Nay Solomon found not one in a thousand nay there was not found in all Jerusalem one man that executed Judgement and sought the truth Jerem. 5. 1. there was once but eight persons in all the world yet there was one that set up the Devils throne in that smal company Gen. 7. Nay the whole world lyeth in wickednes Joh 5. 19. So potent so great so large a jurisdiction hath this blacke prince of the aire this prince of the world and darknesse Ephe. 8. Lastly as the Devill is a roaring Lyon a Murtherer a Prince So he is also an accuser of the faithfull Rev 12. 10. The Devil an accuser of the faith full he spares no time from accusing for sinne but that which hee employeth in temptation to sinne or inflicting punishment on the sinne committed he is the first mover to sinne and the first accuser for sinne he busieth himselfe only in preferring bils of inditement against sinne to the Judge of heaven and earth who will not suffer it to go unpunishe how like an Informer doth he lye sculking and prying into the closest of mans heart that he might be able to lay that sinne to his charge which he himselfe tempted unto thus dealt he with our first parents and this is his dealing with all the world at this time thus did he accuse Job unto God Doth Job serve God for nought Job 2. There is none that can be free from his most unjust accusations Is it so then Is the Devill a roaring Lyon Doth he compasse the earth seeking whom he may devoure well for all that he is but can is eaten a ligatus a dogg tyed up in a chayne latrare potest mor dere non potest well may he barke bite I am sure he cannot All the world was indeede cowd out by his power till Christ first broke his head in the wildernesse but now the meanest Christian through Christ that helpes him is able to make a jest of him Phil. 4. 13 and hell too One of the sages of Greece said that it was better to have an army of sheepe with a Lyon for their Captaine then a Company of Lyons with a sheep for their leader what though thou art a filly sheepe thou hast the Lyon of the of Judah for thy Commander it is he that hath broken both the head of his power and policy at once I am sure he cannot hurt thee Is the Devill a Murtherer doth he by sinne seeke to take away thy life spirituall doth he by Scandalous defamatory reports go about to deprive thee of thy life morall doth he by some malicious plot or other labour to put out thy life naturall feare him not what though he kill thy body he shall not kill thy Math. 10. 28. Soule the Lord of life will deliver thee and blessed shalt thou bee when men speak al manner of evill of thee for his name sake Math. 8. 7. Is the Devill a Prince of the ayre God of Heaven is above him hath he a large power what though it be so it is for all that limited hath he many sworne slaves attendant on him doth he rule in the children of disobedience both he and they are at Gods command and when they have dominered to the height then will that King of Kings and Lord of Lords by his unlimited power clap them up in Everlasting chaynes of darkenesse Jud. 7. Lastly is the Devill an accusar of the faithful what though God is the God of truth he is a lyar Job 8. 44. cannot the children of God come to stand before the Lord but he must stand perking up amongst them ready to upbraide them Job 1. 6. Doth he never rest from Gods elbow to give information and to file up bills of accusation what of all this Christ sitteth at the right hand of God interceding for thee cancelling those hand writings of sinne and Sathan who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Marke 16 15. it is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 33. and for this accuser Col. 2. 14 Psalm 68. 8. prâ—jectus est he is cast out by the bloud of the Lambe Rev. 12 11. Death and the Devill are now swallowed up into victory 1 Cor. 15. captivity is now led captive that Leviathan who maketh the deepe to boyle Death Sinne and the Devill conquered by Christ like a pot hath now an bâ—oke cast in his nose and his jawes are pearced with the angle Job 40 21. Christs humanity was the bait which he nibled at many a time in the wildernesse and Isid Hispal Sent. lib. 1. elsewhere but not perceiving the hooke little thinking of his Divinity was catcht in the conclusion nay Christ did not leave him so but chaced him downe to those chambers of death the grave they are not now any longer prisons but dormitoryes sweete places of repose for the Saynts departed thus by the death of Câ—rist the last Enemy is destroyed too thou art not now captive to death the sting is taken out the death of Saynts 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 3. 14. Phil. 3. 11. Gen. 5. 24. Phil. 1. 23. is called a sleepe a change that of Enoch was a translation that of Eliâ—h an assumption S. Paul called it a dissolution every thing altereth its property where Christ sanctifyeth hee by the bitternesse of his death hath sweetned the extremity of ours the life gave himselfe to death where as men are usually buryed after they are dead Christ after his death layd death in the grave and hell in hell the lake was buried in the lake now hâ—ll where is thy victory thankes bee given to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57. I have now shewed thee what the Devill is how ravenous for his prey how cruell in his intendments how potent in mischeife and how false in his accusations what neede hast thou then to stand upon thy guard doe but guird
plague of pestilence in the yeare 1625 and in the last yeares 1636. 1637. besides many others so that now this kingdome sitteth like the Queene of nations every man in peace Rev. 17. 8. under his owne vine and under his owne figtree this is the Lords doings and it is wonderfull in our eyes but to come yet nearer home to our selves I appeale unto any man living that hath not at one time or other had a large taste of Gods protection and deliverance from some danger or other how many had beene swallowed up quick whilst men rose up against them if God had not beene on their side what shall I say then Our fathers saith David Ps 22. 4. trusted in God they trusted and hee delivered them they called upon him and were delivered they trusted on him and were not confounded goe thou thy wayes and doe likewise depend on Gods protection recount what he hath done for thy soule blesse the Lord god of thy salvation who leadeth thee thus with his benefits Ps 68. 19. blesse him in his infinite essence and power blesse him in his unbounded and just soveraignty blesse him in his preservations blesse him in his deliverances take heed of offering hollow observances to the searcher of hearts they that proclamed Christ at Jerusalem had not onely Advice to blesse God for al his deliverances Hosanna in their mouths but palmes in their hands too if thy hand blesse not the Lord thy tongue is an Hypocrite away with the vast complements of vaine formalityes let thy lowd actions drowne the language of thy words for God is thy deliverance hee is the God of thy salvation thus the bitter waters of Mara shall bee made as sweete as hony crosses shall bee made blessings corrections made instructions to fortifie thy selfe against all the deceipts of the world the flesh and the Devill when thou lookest to thy owne fleshly hands there is nothing but discouragement when thou lookest to thy Spirituall enemyes there is nothing but terror but when thou castest up thy eyes to thy mighty God there is nothing but confidence nothing but comfort comfort thee comfort thee therefore ô thou feeble soule send thy bold defiâ—nces to the Prince of Darkenesse heaven is high and hard to reach hell is steepe and slippery thy Flesh is earthly and impotent Sathan strong and rancorous sinne subtle the world aluring all those yet God is the God of thy salvation let those infernall Lyons roare and rampe upon thee let the gates of hell doe their worst let the world be a cheater thy flesh a Traytor the Devill a Tyrant faithfull is hee that hath promised who will also doe it God is the God of thy Salvation blessed bee his holy name world without end AMEN Thus having shewed the use of every peece of Armor belonging to the Christian warfare the furious assaults and subtle carriage of the severall Enemyes the time of their onset and the meanes how to come off with credit I will now use three motives that may stirre thee up to take armes and being in the field to lay about thee First the consideration of death that thou must dye then there wil be no time to fight Secondly to consider the cruell torments of hell that Motives to take up armes they may enforce thee to fight Lastly to consider the Crowne and Reward the joyes of heaven that they may allure thee to fight There is an Act of Parliament First motive in heaven never to be repealed Statutum est omnibus semel mori dye thou must death knocks equally at the hatch of a cottage and the gates of a Palace hee can top the highest Cedar as well as the lowest shrub there is no man but is naturally walking downe to the chambers of death every sinne is a pace thither only Death unavoyable the gracious hand of God stayes him every man living must bee reduced to the first principles of dust and ashes from whence hee was first taken dust thou art and to dust thou must return Is there not an oppoynted time Gen. 3. 19. for man on the earth yea but when is that time hora nihil incertius nothing more uncertaine that 's in Gods hand hee that is the Lord of life hath set the period of thine his omnipotence so contrives all events that neyther Enemy nor casualty nor disease can prevent the houre of his appoyntment there is no holding of the breath if God call for it a Nothing more uncertaine then the houre of death man may have some power over his outward members but none at all over the inward hee may command the eye to see the eare to heare the hand to worke but hee cannot command the heart to move the liver to sanguine the longues to blow breath hee may swallow downe meate but cannot make the stomack to digest it that 's Gods peculiar a payre of bellowes will fall of themselves but never rise to blow againe without assistance the houre glasse will God is the Lord of life runne out of it selfe but never runne againe except it bee turned a man may send out his breath at his pleasure but not take it in againe without God for in his hand is the breath of all mankind Job 12. 10. if that King of feare death bee charged with a warrant from God hee doth not returne with a non est inventus sometimes hee is sent in the night when man is most secure thus hee came upon all the first borne in the Land of Egipt at midnight Exod. 12. 29. sometimes in the height of power thus he came also upon the Egyptians in the midst of all strength whilst they were pursuing the poore Israelites even then when they were in the ruffe of all their glory their charriot wheeles drew heavy and they were all choaked in the red Sea Exod. 14. 27. Sometimes death comes whilst a man is at his Table he comes indeed to many great mens tables but he is welcome to a few thus did he salute Belshazar in the midst of his Cups quaffing in the bowles of the sanctuary Dan. 5. 3. as a surgeon hides his lancet in a sponge or his sleeve that he may the more secretly use it so death hides himselfe sometimes in meate other whiles in drinke sometimes Gen. 7. he lyes under the Table when they of the old world were eating and drinking then came the floud and overwhelmed them in the morning was the King of Israel destroyed Hos 10. 25. the shunamites child dyed at noone 2 King 4. 20. Ezekiels wife dyed in the Evening Ezek. 24. 18. Sometimes death comes as he did upon the Rich foole witha Stulte hac nocte so whether it be in the day or night in the morning or evening in prosperity or Adversity whether full or fasting the time is still uncertayne some are taken away sodainely many in their infancy some in their youth others in age many dye younge