Shame will come to these that pray not shame and disgrace will come vpon thee yea thou l Psal 109. 29 shall be clothed with shame and covered with confusion as with a cloake may not the Almightie who i Iob 12. 21 poureth contempt on Princes and maketh the strength of the mightie weake soone set a k Genes 4. 1â— marke of infamie on thee to thy everlasting woe and miâ—erie who hath despised the riches of his mercie Consider now of two thinges Cause of shame 1. Thou hast great reason to bee ashamed 2. That this shame is a grievous punishment thou hast cause of shame 1. For thy nakednesse 2. For thy filthinesse 3 For thy vnthankfulnesse 4. For thy wickednesse and wretchednesse 1. Our first parents were ashamed of their nakednesse m Genes 3. 8 therefore they hid themselues from the presence of the LORD amongst the trees of the Garden 2. Iacobs sonne Iudah was ashamed of his whoordome and desired rather to want his seale n Genes 2â— 3â— his cloake and his staffe then to be blotted with that note of ignominie 3 The prodigall son was ashamed of his ingratitude and vnkindnesse when hee confessed that o Luke 15. 19 hee was no more worthie to be called his sonne 4 Daniel himselfe was ashamed for the sinnes of his people and the lamentable estate vnder the thraldome and captivitie he p Dan. 9. 7 with sackcloth fasting and ashes prayed protested that righteousnesse belonged to GOD and to them open shame and confusion Thus if thou pray not to the Almightie thou q Psal 49. 12 shall not continue in honour and dignitie but shame and disgrace will abide with thee seeing thou despiseth thy GOD so vnduetifully Againe Remember that sinne Sinne it is a great plague is a great iudgement which appeareth evidently both in this life and in the life to come not only by the testimonie of godly and wise men who as Salomon saith haue r Eccles 2. 14 their eyes in their head and Å¿ Eccles 10. 2 their hearts in their right hand who t Iam. 3. 13 are endued with true wisedome and knowledge and are u Prover 8. 10 prudent to vnderstand their owne way for David himselfe did thus pray remoue x â— Cor. 4. 13 Hisp magâ—â—s Ten 3. cap. 10 Livius from me shame u Psal 119.22 and contempt and the holy Apostle with all the Sainctes did truely complaine that y wee are made as the filth of the world the ofscourings of all things Thus Origen sonne to Leonides so renowned and respected in his life for many gifts which hee hadde receiued esteemed shame more heavie and grievous than death for from his childhood hee desired to die and to losse his life for the loue of CHRIST But hee so feared and eshewed shame that rather than his chast bodie should bee defiled with a filthie Ethiopian hee chose to offer incense to an Idoll which brought great sorrow and lamentation to him afterward But also of civill Ethnicks for Cato a naturall wise man choose rather to kill himselfe than render himselfe vnto Caesars power or with shame and Tullius 1. offic ignominie looke on his face which fact Cicero labours to defend albeit with little reason yea Saul desired rather to bee killed then by his enemies z 1 Sam. 31.4 mocked Also Decius a Romane Emperour a pitielesse persecuter a cruell monster being in battell vanquished by the Sâ—ythians and fearing to come vnder the reverence of the proud Barbarians to eshew that shame hee cast himselfe into a deepe pit where hee endâ—d his miserable life and wanted the honour of buriall Againe shame and ignominie is a great punishment in the life to come for the wicked shall rise to a Daniel 12. â— sâ—ame and perpetuall contempt Fifthly If thou pray not thou art a stranger from GOD and as They are spiritualy possessed who pray not an abominable atheist will be most severely punished for GOD not only will giue b Rom. 1. 24 thee vp to thy hearts lust but also will deliuer thee to the Devill to bee if not Augustin bodilâ— yet spiritually possessed Qui â—ult possidere terram videat ne â— ter ra possideatur A judicious father adviseth men to bee circumspect lest they bee possessed of the earth as it is certaine that the estate of that man who was c Math. 9. 32 dumbe and could not speake to man being bodily possessed by a devill was verie miserable but the case of that caâ—ine who is inwardly dumbe and can not speake to GOD being possessed by a devill spiritually is farre more pitifull lamentable thinkâ—st thou that bodily possession is very fearefull and a great plague assure thy selfe that spirituall possâ—ssion by the evill spirit is farre more grievous and fearefull Punishment for barrennes Sixtly If thou pray not thou art a fruitlesse corrupt d Math. 7. 17 tree and sâ—relie thy imminent judgment shall bee great and terrible iâ— shall bee inevitable and remâ—dilesse First Thy punishment will be very grievous much more heavie indeed then thou conceivest for the LORD hath a scepter c Psal 2. 9 of iron to crush thee hee f Isaiah 27. 1 hath a sore and great and mightie sword to smite thee Yea he g Math. 3. 10 hath an axe to hew thee downe Yea he h Ieremi 18. 7 will speake suddenly against a Nation or against a Kingdome to plucke it vp or to rootte it out If thou pray not he hath a i Revel 21 8 lake which burneth with fire and brimstone where he will for ever toâ—ment thee hee will not so deale with thee as he dealeth with the godly who doe incall vpon his name and pray to his Majestie for he will chastiâ—e them with a fatherly affection Though for k Isaiah 58. 7 a litle while hee forsâ—ke them if for a little season or for a moment he hide his face from them yet with great compassion hee will gather them and with everlasting mercy he will pâ—ttie them Certainly There l Ieremi 30. 12 bruising is not incurable their wounds are not for ever dolorous GOD will apply a plaster and there are medicines and helpe for them He will m Iere. 30. 11 correct them by judgement and not vâ—terly cast them off Hee will n 2 Sam. 7. 14 chasten them with the rod of men but his mercy shall not departe from them Secondly If thou neglectest this exercise of prayer thy punishment which is great wiâ—â— come vpon thee suddainly for iâ— thou o Genes 4 7 doest not well sinne lyeth at thy doore If p Luk. 3. 9 thou bringst not foorth fruite worthie of amendement of lyfe the axe is laide to the roote of the tree Nadab and Abihâ— were incontinently destroyed a q Levit. 10. 2 fire went from the LORD and destroyed them Nebuchadnezar r Daniel
Malach. 1.6 Master If Absoloms e 2 Sam. 13.29 servants obeyed him an evill Master in an vnlawfull and wicked action farre rather art thou oblished to obtemperate thy good Master in a lawfull dead Absolom commanded that his brother Amnon should bee slaiâ—e GOD commandeth this service that thy soule may bee saved and therefore absolutely ought to bee obeyed Seeing moreover he is King Almightie who e Math. 10.28 is able to destroy both soule and bodie in hell eternally and to giue thee a great reward for thy obedience and loyaltie when King David but desired to drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem three f 1 Sam. 25.15 of his subjects brake through the hoast of the Philistims and brought vnto him that water longed for thus they ventred their liues for Davids sake and for his plâ—asure And shouldest not thou much more willingly hazard thy life to giue vnto GOD obedience to doe his Majestie acceptable service Who Gods promise maketh also vnto thee most sweet and comfortable promises to deliver g Psal 50 1â— thee to h Psal 91. 1â— glorifie thee to satisfie thee with long life and to show thee his salvation He perfitly performed his promise given of a Kingdome not only to i 2 Sam. 5. â— David whom hee loved but also to k 1 King 11. 3â— Ieroboam an idolator whom hee hated l Iosh 23. 14 all his promises shall in due tyme vndoubtedly come to passe nothing shall faile thereof So hee promiseth if thou pray m Ierem 29.12 to him to heare thee if thou seeke him to be found of thee Againe when thou considerest CHRIST IESUS thy Saviour thou shall confesse that thou hast good CHRISTS example cause of prayer Consider thy redemer remaining in this earth hee n Math. 14.23 went vp into a mountaine alone to pray for a long-space of time In o Heb. 5. 7 the dayes of his flesh hee offered vp prayers and supplications with strâ—ng crying and teares Quòd si ille orabat qui sine pecato crat quantò magis peccatores oportet orare If hee prayed who was without sinne how much more behoueth it sinners for to pray His precept also and promises Christ his precept and promise is cause of prayer may cause thee to call vpon GOD Aske p Math 7. 7 saith Hee and it shall bee given you seeke and you shall find knock and it shall bee opened vnto you Moreover Seing hee q Heb. 9. 24 is entred into Heaven himselfe to appeare CHRISTS intercession now in the sight of GOD for thee to make continuall request and intercession for thee Hast not thou great reason to make request for thy owne selfe When the r Levit. 16. 17 high Priest went into the holy place to make atonement then the whole multitude of the people stood without in Å¿ Luke 1. 10 prayer while the incense was in burning Seing therefore thou hast t Hebr. 4. 14 a great high Priest which hath entred into Heaven even IESVS the Sonne of GOD who now is at the u Ephes 1. 20 right hand of the FATHER to make request and intercession for thee to procure thy peace and reconciliation hast thou not who are without in this earth great reason to continue thy selfe in earnest prayer and supplication to the end thou mayest obtaine eternall salvation Furthermore If thou desirest The desire of the grouth of the graces of Spirit a cause of prayer an increase of the graces of the holy Spirit that they may the more abundantly bee bestowed vpon thee thou hast cause to pray for the same more earnestly for thy Heavenly Father x Luke 11. 13 will giue the holy Ghost a greater measure of his gifts to thee that desireth him for the same Spirit is both the cause and effect of our prayer Scultet cap. 3 de precatione and petitions Secondly If thou take heede Cause of prayer Sathans power to the Devill thy mortall enemie thou will pray to GOD most fervently hee thy deadly adversarie y 1 Pet. 5. 8 like a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking to devore thee Hee is stronger than z 1 Sam. 17.4 Goliah desirous to destroy with firie a Ephes 6. 16 darts 2. He is much more craftie than b 2 Sam. 16.23 Achitophell by his wicked counsell and machinations plotting to supprise thee 3. Hee is more false than c Ierem. 41. 6 Ishmael promising to pleasure thee but will punish thee for ever 4. Hee is more cruell than Herod who slew d Math. 2. 16 the male children that were in Bethlehem but he would kill body and soule eternally 5. Sathan is more malitious than e Esther 3. 6 Haman who purposed to put to death Mordecay and all the people of his country So desireth the Devill to destroy thee and all thy of-spring and posteritie 6. Sathan is much more treacherous than Saul who albeit hee f 1 Sam. 18.29 verse 21 became alwayes Davids enemie yet in appearance of loue and familiaritie he gaue his daughter to him in marriage for to be a suare to him So Sathan although hee would giue the whole world to thee and although hee spake to thee the trueth and veritie yet it is ever his minde to hurt thee to ensnare thee and altogether to overthrow thee 7. He is restlesse and g Iob. 1.7 never ceasseth but with shamelesse impudencie with continuall celeritie and agilitie hee accuseth thee hee persueth thee for thy perdition and endlesse torment and destruction Seing then such is the strength craft crueltie deceate malitiousnesse The estate of the Church is a cause of prayer treacherie and vigilancie of thy spirituall enemie thou hast great cause to pray most earnestly and vncessantly Thirdly if thou consider other Christians of the familie i Galat. 6. 10 of faith thou knowing some yea too manie molested and vexed on everie side with k Zach. 1. 14 the foure hornes of persecution thou then shouldest bee sorie l Nehem. 1. 4 for Iosephs affliction and with Nehemiah fast and pray for the reproach and miserie of Hierusalem Certainly seeing thou art a member of Christs body the Church militant it is thy duetie to m Psal 1â—2 6 pray for the peace of Hierusalem when thou shalt see the graces of GOD multiplyed vpon thy brethren and them walking n Ephes â— 1 worthy of their Christian calling and living an holy life and godly conversation thou shouldest aske of GOD that thou thy selfe may become an earnest imitator of tâ—eâ—r good courses and true religion that GOD alwayes may bee more and more glorified his kingdome enlarged Satan and his power confounded and thy selfe surely perserved yea that the whole p Ephes 5. 23 spirit soule and body of all Saints may bee kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord IESVS CHRIST Fourthly when thou shall behold
The wickednesse of the world is a cause of Prayer the multitude of the wicked and vngodly sinners if Davids q Psal 119 130 eyes gushed out with rivers of water because they transgressed Gods commandement and did not keepe his holy Lawe then thou hast cause to powre foorth thy prayers when thou seest sinners continually offending God 2. When thou perceivest them desirous to defile and destroy thy selfe thou hast reason to beseech GOD to r Act. 2. 40 saue thee from the froward generation 3. When thou seest them walking in the Å¿ Math. 7. 13 broad way and working their owne destructions without remorse of conscience beeing t Ephes 4. 19 past all feeling thou hast cause with pitie and commiseration to pray for their amendement conversion and eternall salvation that their soule u Iob. 33. 30 may bee preserved from the pit and they illuminated in the light of the living that they x Psal 106. 5 may see the felicitie of his chosen and glorie with his inheritance Fifthly y Act. 20. 28 take heede to thy self Consider thy selfe and haue a respect to thy owne safeguard and happinesse if thou feare spirituall deadnesse thou hast cause to beseech GOD to quicken thee according to his loving kindnesse if thou knowest thy selfe to bee z Revel 3. 17 blind and ignorant thou hast reason to entreat God to open a Ephes 5. 18 the eyes of thy vnderstanding and b Psal 146. 8 to giue sight to thee who art blind if thou think thy selfe that thou art weake c Rom. 14. 1 in faith then call vpon GOD to increase the same if thou iudge thy selfe d Iob. 39 37 vile and filthy pray to God to wash e Psal 51.2 thee throughly and to clense thee from all thy iniquitie if thou be prosane poore e Revel 3. 17 naked diseased and in deformitie hast thou not verie great neede to pray for holinesse riches the white raiment of Christs righteousnesse health and that thou mayest ever appeare before the LORD in holie beautie Thou hast iust cause truelie to send vp thy supplications vncâ—ssantly if thou shalt arightly consider of thy danger and jâ—opardie thou remainest in as great danger spiritually as Isaac Daniel and Peter were into bodily The Patriarch Isaac being young was f Genes 22. 9 bound to the Altar vnder him was the wood to bee fire aboue his head the knife of his father to kill him no person was neere him to deliver him without question hee was then praying to God making earnest supplicatioÌ„ But thou by nature art bound and holden by g Prov. 5. 22 the cordes of thy owne sinne vnder thee is that everlasting fire g Isa 66. 24 which never shall bee quenched to torment thee aboue thy head is the sharpe h Ezech. 21. 9 sword of GODS justice ready to kill thee if thou looke about thee there is none neere thee to i Isaiah 63. 5 helpe thee thine owne arme cannot saue thee thou then in such perill hast cause to crye vnto GOD most instantly that it would please his goodnesse to deliver thee And as Daniel when hee was in danger in k Dan. 6. 16 the den of Lyons did pray earnestly vnto GOD by whom hee was preserved and his accusers punished â—o thou who may protest with the Prophet saying l Psal 57. 4 My soule is among Lyons seeing thou art in danger to bee devoured continually hast thou not great cause to pray fervently LORD deliver m Psal 35. 17 my desolate soule from the Lyons which would cruelly destroy mee Though thou art like n Math. 14. 30 Peter walking on the water when hee saw a mightie winde hee was affraid and as hee began to sinke hee cryed Master saue mee thou art now come vnto o Psal 69. 2 deepe waters the streames runne over thee thou art in danger of spirituall drowning thou art sinking in the sea of sinne thou will perish certainly both soule and body vnlesse thou crie and pray tymouslie that thy Master would be pleased to saue thee Sixtly If thou thinke wisely of The world is a cause of payer the worlds vanitie that all in this earth Vanitie p Eccles 1. 2 of vanities sayeth the Preacher vanitie of vanities all is vanitie thou hast occasion to pray earnestly that thou bee not bewitched with the vaine pleasures and allurements of the same that thou loue q Ioh. 2. 15.16 not the world neither the things that are in the world If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of the life is not of the Father but of the world which passeth away and destroyeth most fâ—arefully and certainly Thou hast most just cause to craue of GOD that thou be not filthily defiled nor polluted by the filthinesse thereof seing it is pure religion q Iam. 1. 27 and vndefiled before GOD to keepe thy selfe vnspotted of the world And that thou r Philip. 2. 15 may bee blamelesse and pure and the sonne of GOD without rebuke into the middes of a naughtie and crooked nation amongst whom thou mayest shine as a light in the world Lastly The necessitie dignity and vtilitie of prayer and that thou may walke Å¿ Ephes 4. 1 worthie of the vocation wherevnto thou art called may forcibly moue thee to perpetuall practising of this holy duetie OF THE NECESSITIE OF PRAYER The fourtenth Chapter GReat indeede and vnspeakable is the necessitie of Prayer which by some comparisons will clearly appeare and become manifest As the Samaritâ—nes had neede Prayer compared to a bucket of a bucket or some other vessell to draw a Iohn 4. 11 water out of Iaakobs deepe Well so all Christians haue neede of prayer to bring to them the living water of refreshing grace from that b Iohn 13. 1 fountaine odened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Hierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse As a ladder is necessare for one that would climâ—e over a wall or that c Math. 5. 30 would assault to take a To an ladder sort so is prayer requisit for every one who desireth to ascend to Heaven by it one will take hold on the true ladder by whom hee may haue accesse to the Father Thirdly They that d Genes 28.12 goe downe to the sea in ships and occupy by great waters doth soone know To an anker how needfull an anker is to a shippe so as needfull is prayer to the soule The most sure anker in the Anchora â—utissima in tempeâ—tatibus fortunae est precatio quae defigitur sursum in Coelo vâ— anchoâ—a figitur deorsum in fundo maris tempests of estate is Prayer which is fixed aboue in Heaven as a materiall anker is cast downward in the ground