which is chiefly required in prayer BUt the chief thing which maketh prayer effectuall is Faith whereof Fervency it self is a fruit And therefore our Saviour attributeth the earnestnesse and importunity of the woman of Syrophenicia's prayer to the greatnesse of her faith Matth. 15. 28. For that prayer which S. James chap. 5. 16. calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 15. verse he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prayer of faith Now in prayer there is a double faith required The one more generall apprehending the promises of the Gospel concerning salvation by Christ by which we are in some measure perswaded that we and our prayers are accepted of God in Christ Of which I have spoken before in the general doctrine Rom. 10. 14. Heb. 11. 6. Ephes. 3. 12. The other more speciall giving speciall assent to the promise made to our prayer whereby we are perswaded that our particular requests shall be granted unto us according to Gods gracious promise in this behalf Matth. 7. 7 8. John 14. 13 14. and 16. 23 24. To pray effectually therefore is to pray faithfully For what things soever saith our Saviour ye desire when ye pray believe that ye shall receive them and ye shall have them And it is usuall with our Saviour Christ to disâ—…isse his suiters with this answer As thou believest 〈◊〉 be it unto thee On the other side he prayeth not effectually who doubteth whether he shall be heard or not Wherefore as S. James saith chap. 1. 5. If any man want wisdome let him ask it of God and it shall be given him But let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed to and fro Neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. So S. Paul 1. Tim. 2. 8. would have men pray without doubting Examples Psal. 4. 3. and 55. 16 17. And the Apostle S. John saith This is our confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him 1. John 5. 14 15. Wherefore seeing in Christ we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him Ephes. 3. 12. we ought as we are exhorted Hebr. 4. 16. to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtein mercy and find grace to help in time of need and draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 10. 19 22. But here a distinction is to be used In matters spirituall necessary to salvation as we are to ask them absolutely as being perswaded that God hath subordinated our salvation to his own glory so are we absolutely to believe that the Lord will grant them unto us Yea this may be added for our comfort that if God hath given us grace unfeignedly and earnestly to desire any saving grace the same grace is begun in us In matters temporall or spirituall which are not necessary to salvation as 2. Cor. 12. as we are to ask them conditionally so far forth as they may stand with Gods glory and the good of our selves and our brethren so are we to believe that he will so far forth grant them and therefore that he will either grant our desire or that which is better For which cause in such requests we are most willingly with our Saviour Christ to submit our will and desires to the will and pleasure of God Matth. 26. 39 42. who as he knoweth what is good for us better then our selves so he is most ready to give good things unto us Matth. 7. 11. and therefore we are alwayes to believe that our requests being rightly conceived shall be granted unto us I would believe that I should be heard were it not for mine unworthinesse and my wants in prayer Indeed thou mayest be such an one and such may be thy prayers as thou canst have no hope to be heard that is if thou be an impenitent and unbelieving sinner God will not heare thee or if thou pray in hypocrisie and dissimulation the Lord will not heare thy prayer But if thou art a penitent and believing sinner yea if thou dost unfeignedly desire to believe and repent and dost pray unto the Lord in truth with unfeigned lips thou oughtest to pray with assurance to be heard and this thy faith and assurance must not be grounded on thine own worthinesse or dignitie of thy prayer but on the undoubted promises of God and on the merits and mediation of Christ in whom both we our prayers are accepted of God As for the sense of thine unworthinesse if it be in truth and joyned with unfeigned desire of grace it ought to make thee the rather to pray in faith for such as I have shewed our Saviour calleth with promise to heare and help them And such he pronounceth blessed Matth. 11. 28. John 7. 37. Matth. 5. 4 5 6. Now for the helping of our faith we are in our preparation to meditate of these things especially First of the power of God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we do ask or think Eph. 3. 20. Secondly of his fatherly good will who will deny us nothing that is good Matth. 7. 11. The consideration of both which our Saviour hath prefixed before the Lords prayer when he teacheth us to call upon God as our Father therein noting his love good will which is in heaven therein noting his power Psal. 111. 3. that being perswaded that God is both able and willing to grant our requests we might pray in faith and assurance that our prayer shall be heard Thirdly of his gracious promises made unto prayer as Matth. 7. 7 8. John 16. 23 24. which if we cannot find in our hearts to believe we are not to pray for in not believing we make God a liar Lastly and especially of the merits and mediation of our Saviour Christ who sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us Though our prayer must be fervent and confident yet with submission to the will of God Quid Quale Quantum Quomodo Quando Vbi what of what kind how much after what manner when and where he is pleased to give knowing that he is able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding abundantly We are not to limit God or to circumscribe him by circumstances It is reckoned Psal. 78. 41. among the faults of the old Israelites that they circumscribed the holy One of Israel and is effectually reproved by Judeth chap 8. 11 16. in the governours of Bethulia who appointed to the Lord the term of five dayes to deliver them otherwise they would give up their city Not that it is simply unlawfull to mention circumstances so it be done with submission to the will of God
May the things which we desire be referred to these petitions then may we boldly ask them Can they not be referred then do we not pray according to Gods will and therefore can have no assurance that we shall be heard Secondly whereas Christ teacheth his disciples to pray herein he giveth an example to be imitated of Ministers sc. that as they teach other things so also to pray John Baptist Luke 11. 1. taught his disciples to pray whereupon Christs disciples desire him in like manner to teach them Wherein also they are to be an example to be imitated of all learners As the Father in the family or the Pastour in the Church ought to teach so the child in the house the hearer in the Church ought to be desirous to learn how to pray Thirdly it sneweth that of our selves we know not how to pray For if we should be left to our own affections and desires we should ask many times those things which would tend to Gods dishonour and our own hurt As appeareth by Socrates who wanting this direction of our Saviour Christ knew not what to ask but groping in darknesse desired in generall terms that those things which are good he would give them whether they asked them or no and would deliver them from evil things although they should ask them Plato in Alcib 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Jupiter King give unto us good things whether we ask or ask them not but put away from us evil things though we pray for them And therefore our Saviour Christ thought it necessary to teach us how to pray Again hence ariseth great comfort to Gods children For whereas the word of God assureth us whatsoever we shall ask according to his will it shall be given us 1. John 5. 14. we may assure our selves that we so pray when we follow Christs direction Neither need we doubt but the Lord acknowledging the voice of his own Sonne as Cyprian saith our prayers shall be acceptable unto him Lastly seeing our Saviour Christ hath commanded us to pray and taught us how we are unexcusable if we neglect this duty One thing further is to be considered in the words as they are set down by Luke When ye pray say Whether speech in prayer be alwayes necessary There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either inward or outward speech and prayer is either vocall or mentall And the Lord heareth the cry of the heart and our secret grones are not hid from him Psal. 38. 10. Howbeit the voyce is to be used so oft as it may conveniently both for the attention of the mind and intension of the affections c. NOw let us come to the Lords Prayer it self In which is lively though summarily set down unto us the practice of that doctrine which heretofore we have learned concerning prayer For as we have been taught that Prayer and Thanksgiving are to be joyned together so here with the Petitions is joyned a Thanksgiving wherein we are taught to ascribe unto the Lord eternall kingdome power and glory which words almost David useth in his solemn thanksgiving 1. Chron. 29. 11. Again whereas we have been taught that unto prayer are required duties before we pray and also in prayer it self both here are prescribed Before we are to use preparation wherein we are to meditate of such things as are fit to stirre up those graces in us which in prayer are to be expressed In prayer two things are to be expressed an hungring and thirsting desire of grace and the speciall assent of faith For the stirring up of both which it is fit to meditate upon the fatherly love and almighty power of God which our Saviour hath taught us to prefix before the prayer it self In prayer two things especially are to be expressed 1. An hungring and thirsting desire of the grace and blessing of God 2. A speciall assent of faith that our request shall be granted Therefore the prayer it self is divided into Petitions and Conclusion the desire being especially expressed in the Petitions the Conclusion conteining 1. a confirmation 2. a testification of our faith in the word Amen Of the Lords prayer therefore there be two parts the Preface and the Prayer it self consisting of Petitions and the Conclusion conteining a Confirmation of our faith joyned with the praysing of God and also a Testification both of our faith and the truth of our desire in the word Amen In expounding the Lords Prayer we will observe this order First we will expound the words and shew the true meaning of thē then we will inferre the uses of Doctrine Confutation Instruction in the duties of prayer and of our lives and lastly of Reproof whereby shall be detected the hypocrisie of worldly men who using these words do not pray in truth Whereas our Saviour doth not abruptly propound the Petitions but prefixeth a solemn Preface we are taught before we call upon God to use some preparation The preface conteineth a description of God to whō we pray taken 1. from his relation to us that he is Our Father 2. from the place wherein his majesty doth especially appear that he is in heaven the former signifying especially his love the other his power Of which two if in our preparation we do duly meditate our desire will be kindled and our faith confirmed considering that he to whom we pray is both able and willing to grant our requests Our Father SOme do expound these words as though they were a rhetoricall proeme which we use to win Gods favour But we use words in our prayer not that God but that we may be moved and affected First we call him Father whereof we are first to seek the meaning and then the use By the name of Father God alone is understood For as our Saviour saith Matth. 23. 9. we must call no man father because we have but one Father who is in heaven Joh. 8. 41. We have one Father which is God A good profession if it had bene uttered with a good conscience Now God is said to be a Father two wayes by Creation and Adoption By creation as Isai. 64. 8. So Adam is said to be the sonne of God Luke 3. 38. and the Angels Job 1. By adoption in Christ Fphes 1. 5. So every believer is born of God 1. John 5. 1. For to so many as believe in Christ God hath given this priviledge to be the sonnes of God John 1. 12. And in this sense is every faithfull man to call God Father But here it may be demanded Whether the whole Trinitie is called upon in the name of Father or the first Person alone The word Father is attributed unto God two wayes either essentially or personally Essentially when he is so called in respect of the creatures 1. Cor. 8. 6. Personally when it hath relation to the other Persons the Sonne and the holy Ghost In this place it hath
to satisfie for the least of our sinnes our Saviour hath taught us to say not with that servant Matth. 18. 26. Have patience Master I will satisfie but Lord remit takâ—… away and blot out our offenses Furthermore we are taught to pray that the Lord would remit our debts that is not onely forgive the fault but also remit the punishment in respect whereof sinnes are called debts And therefore it cannot be truly said that God forgiveth the fault and reteineth the punishment for which we our selves must satisfie either in this life or in purgatory For if God should requiâ—…e of us satisfaction for those sinnes which he pardoneth in Christ it would follow necessarily that either the sufferings of Christ were unsufficient or else that the Lord is unjust Moreover it is absurd that sinne being remitted the punishment should be reteined For sinne is the cause of punishment and the cause being taken away the effect also is removed And again whereas sinne is infinitely increased in respect of that infinite Majestie and justice of God which is violated sure it is that we cannot satisfie for it before we have endured endlesse punishment which will never be Whereas therefore our Saviour Christ teacheth us thus to pray he sheweth that we cannot be discharged from these our debts by our own satisfaction or merits or any other means but onely by the free remission of them and imputation of Christs righteousnesse And this is to be understood not onely of our great and grievous sinnes but also of our lesse offenses which the Papists call veniall and erroneously hold not to be mortall neither need the death and merits of Christ for their expiation but may by the holy-water-sprinkle or by episcopall benediction or by knocking of the breast be taken away As therefore every sinne great or small deserveth death and is also punished with death either in Christ or in the sinner himself and as the bloud of Christ doth purge us from all iniquitie 1. John 1. 7. so that by him we have remission of all our sinnes so are we to pray that the Lord would for the precious merits and righteousnesse of our Saviour Christ remit all our sinnes both more and lesse from which we could by no other means be delivered but by the merits of Christ. But here it may be objected Our sinnes were forgiven in baptisme Acts 2. 38. therefore we need not now the forgivenesse of them Some answer That because we sinne after baptisme therefore we ought after baptiâ—…me to pray that the Lord would forgive our sinnes But this answer is not sufficient considering that in baptisme is sealed the remission of sinnes not onely past but also for the time to come during the whole course of our life For otherwise baptisme had need to be reiterated I answer therefore That we feeling the burden of our sinnes pray that the forgivenesse of sinnes which was represented and sealed unto us in baptisme may indeed be granted unto us and that we may feel in our selves the fruit and effect of our baptisme For we must not think that the Sacraments absolutely conferre grace to every receiver but onely upon those conditions which are conteined in the promises of the Gospel whereof baptisme is a seal Now the Gospel promiseth remission of sinnes and salvation onely to them that believe and therefore the Sacrament sealeth and assureth remission onely to them that believe For we ask forgivenesse onely for the righteousnesse of Christ but the righteousnesse of Christ is there imputed to righteousnesse where it is apprehended by faith In which sense we are said to be justified by faith alone and by faith to have remission of sinnes And therefore in this petition we desire that the Lord would work in us true faith that being united unto Christ and made partakers of his merits we may have not onely forgivenesse of sinnes but also assurance thereof by the anointment of the holy Ghost the Spirit of adoption crying in our hearts Abba Father c. And because none attein to that measure of assurance but that it is mingled with some doubting therefoâ—…e all had need to pray that the Lord would increase their faith and more and more assure them of the pardon of their sinnes Vs. This teacheth us to pray not onely for the remission of our own sins but also of our brethren it being a duty of charity to desire and to further the salvation of our brethren And this duty as it belongeth to all so especially to those that are governours of others either in the Church or Commonwealth Examples of Moses who oft stood in the gap Psal. 106. 23. Exod. 32. 21 32. Num. 14. 19. Samuel 1. Sam. 12. 23. Neither are we to pray for our friends and well-willers alone but also for them that hate and persecute us according to the precept and practice of our Saviour Matth. 5. 44. Luke 23. 34. and the holy martyr Stephen Acts 7. 60. And as we are to pray the Lord to forgive them so must we as willingly forgive them as we desire to be forgiven of the Lord neither can we in truth of heart desire God to forgive them if we do not Duties in prayer The duties which here we are taught to perform in prayer are either more peculiar to this kind of deprecation or common The former is Confession which must concurre with Deprecation of pardon and goeth before pardon as appeareth Psal. 32. 3 5. Prov. 28. 13. 1. John 1. 9. Num. 5. 7. Examples 2. Sam. 12. 13. Luke 15. 21. Now this confession is to be made of unknown sinnes generally as Psal. 19. 12. of known sinnes particularly Isai. 59. 12 13. And to this end it will be profitable to examine our hearts and our lives by the law of God taking a view of the duties therein commanded and vices forbidden that we may particularly see and acknowledge what duties we have omitted and what vices we have committed The common duties That we pray in fervency faith and perseverance That we may pray in fervency we must have both a true sense of our wants and earnest desire to have the same supplyed The wants which we are to bewail are 1. our manifold sinnes and transgressions for which we are to be grieved that we have by them displeased and dishonoured God And to increase this godly sorrow in us we are First to consider and meditate of Gods manifold benefits undeservedly bestowed upon us and our unthankfull behaviour towards him c. Secondly we are to desire the Lord that he would poure upon us the spirit of deprecation that we may with bitternesse bewail our sinnes whereby we have so violated the justice of God that nothing could be found sufficient to appease or to satisfie the same but the death of Christ whom we by our sins have pierced Zech. 12. 10. Thirdly we are to consider the misery whereunto our sinnes make us subject both in this
to be performed after prayer 144 25. Of the Subject matter of our prayers and what is required thereunto namely that it be good and according to Gods will 146 That being unable to pray we are assisted by the Spirit 147 Chap. 26 Of the circumstances of prayer 150 Of Publick prayer 151 Of Private prayer in the family and alone 154 27. Of the time of prayer 156 The Euchetae confuted 157 28. Concerning the Place of prayer 161 The vanity of Pilgrimages 163 29. Of Prayer or Petition and what is required unto it 164 Prayer and thanksgiving must be joyned 165 What things are required in prayer 167 We must pray in sight and sense of our wants 169 We must pray with fervency of deâ—…ire 172 30. Of Faith which is chiefly required in prayer 173 We must pray in faith and submission to Gods will 176 31. Of duties to be performed after prayer 178 32. Distinctions of prayer in regard of the object 181 For whom we must pray 184 Of prayer against others 188 Of Imprecations 189 33. Of the reall object of prayer or the things to be prayed for 191 We must pray for temporall blessings 193 34. Of Deprecation 195 Of Confession of our sinnes 196 How this Confession is to be made 197 35. Of Thanksgiving 201 What is required in Thanksgiving 202 36. Speciall duties required in Thanksgiving 206 37. Of the outward expressing inward thankfulnesse by praysing God 212 38. Duties to be performed before after thanksgiving 216 ¶ The chief things handled in the second part of this Treatise viz. The exposition of the Lords Prayer THe generals of Invocation applyed to the Lords Prayer 226 The Preface 231 How God is called Father ibid. Of the name Father and what duties it teacheth us 234 What is meant by the word Our 237 The meaning of these words Which art in heaven 244 The division of the Petitions 251 The meaning of the first Petition 252 How Gods name is sanctified by us 255 How Gods name signifying his Glory is sanctified by us 257 How it is sanctified signifying his Titles 259 How it is sanctified signifying his Word 263 How it is sanctified signifying the Doctrine of religion 264 How it is sanctified signifying his Works 265 How God himself sanctifieth his name 269 The second Petition handled 271 What Gods kingdome is 272 What it is for Gods kingdome to come 275 Christs kingdome cometh by means 279 The impediments of Gods kingdome to be prayed against 282 Uses concerning the coming of Gods kingdome 289 Of the coming of the kingdome of glory 293 We must expect and pray for the second coming of Christ 294 How we must expect the second coming of Christ 298 The third Petition explained 301 Of the will of God and things which he willeth 303 How Gods will is done on earth 307 How Gods will is done on earth as in heaven 310 The matter and manner of our obedience 314 315 Wherein our obedience resembleth that of the Angels 319 The exposition of the fourth Petition 324 Why we ask temporall blessings before spirituall 325 What is meant by Bread 327 What is meant by daily bread 330 How God is said to give us daily bread 333 c. Duties to be performed by them that ask daily bread 339 340 c. The fifth Petition expounded 350 We must be justified before we can be sanctified 352 That our sinnes are debts 355 What is meant by forgiving our trespasses 359 By this petition we are put in mind of our misery and Gods mercy 361 No man can satisfie Gods justice for his sinnes 362 Severall duties arising out of the fifth petition 368 369 Our forgiving no cause of Gods forgiving us 376 How we can be said to forgive 379 Reasons moving us to forgive 385 c. The sixth petition expounded 390 Those whom God pardoneth the devil tempteth 391 The necessity of this prayer Not to be lead into temptation 392 Of probations and trialls 1. by prosperity 2. by afflictions 394 395 Of divers sorts of temptations 396 1. Of the flesh ibid. 2. Of the world 397 3. Of the devil 400 Of the divers sorts of the devils temptations 401 c. How God may be said to tempt 406 Satan can neither tempt or overcome without Gods permission 409 That temptations are good for Gods children 410 How we must pray against the temptations of the flesh the world and the devil 413 414 415 c. The Conclusion of the Lords Prayer both authenticall and necessary 419 Our faith confirmed by this Conclusion 420 What is meant by thine is the kingdome 422 423 What is meant by the power and the glory 424 425 Everlasting kingdome power and glory belongeth to God 427 What the word Amen signifieth 429 CHAP. I. Of the definition of prayer and of the persons who are to pray AMong all the duties of Christianitie as there is not any more honourable in it self more glorious to God more profitable and necessary for us then the exercise of prayer and invocation so is there none wherein we do more need direction and instruction and consequently nothing wherein my labour in speaking and yours in hearing may better be imployed For as Chrysostome saith Pulcherrima est scientia veréque Christiano homine digna quae docet rectè precari That is the most excellent knowledge and truly worthy a Christian man which teacheth rightly to pray In treating whereof I purpose by the help of God to observe this order First I will set down the doctrine of invocation and then explain that absolute form or pattern of prayer prescribed by our Saviour Christ wherein the practice of the doctrine is conteined The doctrine must first be generall and common to both the sorts of invocation viz. prayer and thanksgiving and then speciall and peculiar to either The generall doctrine consisteth of such points as are either more substantiall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or accidentall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The substantiall points are all of them comprised in this definition Invocation or prayer is a religious speech of the faithfull directed unto God in the name of Christ framed according to the will of God by the help of the holy Ghost concerning good 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
not onely so but they invocate also the Saints as they do Christ to bestow good things upon them and to aveit evil from them substituting them as I have shewed before into the room of the tutelar gods of the heathen But let us see whether there be any mediatours of intercession who are not also of redemption We denie not but that in a large sense they may be câ—…lled mediatours and intercessours who are medâ—…i inter namely between God and man So Moses is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 19. Deut. 5. 5. and 27. 31. Pastours likewise and preachers who are both the mouth of God to the people in preaching and of the people to God in prayer But they are not in that sense intercessours as we acknowledge Christ and the Papists do esteem the Saints that we for their merits intercession should hope to be heard In like manner the Saints upon earth who in mutuall charity do pray and make intercession one for another as they are required 1. Tim. 2. 1. Jam. 5. 15 16. may be called intercessours but such as whose intercession dependeth wholly upon the intercession of Christ and whose prayers are alwayes made in his name Why then may not the Saints in heaven be esteemed intercessours For the intercession of Saints departed there is no testimonie of Scripture It is not to be doubted but that they do use to invocate the name of God by praise and thanksgiving bearing a part as it were in the quire of Angels And it is not unlikely but that they pray for that which is wanting unto them whilest their bodies sleep in the dust that is their full redemption that the number of the elect being accomplished the Lord would hasten the second coming of Christ for their full redemption In which prayer also they pray for us as we also do for them and in regard thereof we are as well intercessours for them as they for us It is also probable that they being members of the same mysticall bodie indued with perfect charitie do in generall pray for their fellow-members upon earth But that in particular they pray for any of us it is improbable because they know not our persons nor heare our prayers nor understand our particular wants or if they did yet would it not follow that either we should pray to them as I have shewed before or that we should desire the Lord for their merits and intercessions to grant our desires Neither is it to be doubted but what praises or prayers they utter unto God they offer them onely in the name and mediation of Christ desiring that for his merits and intercession their invocation may be accepted And in this sense Christ alone is the Mediatour of intercession So Augustine speaking of those words of S. John 1. Epist. 2. 1. saith John doth not say You have an advocate for so should he separate himself from sinners nor doth he say You have me for a mediatour as Parmenianus in a certain place maketh the Bishop a mediatour between God and the people for then what good and faithfull Christian could indure him who would look upon him as an Apostle of Christ and not as Antichrist And again All Christians do mutually commend themselves unto God in their prayers pro quo autem nullus interpellat sed ipse pro omnibus hic unus ver úsque mediator est that is but for whom none intercedeth but he for all he alone is the true Mediatour Now that Christ is the onely Mediatour of intercession as wel as of redemption it is evident because these being the two parts of his mediation and not two sorts of Mediatours the latter of intercession dependeth on the other of redemption as being the representation of it unto God and the application thereof to the faithfull the dignitie I say efficacy and vertue of his intercession dependeth on the merits of redemption For had Christ not been the Mediatour of redemption he could not have been the Mediatour of intercession For when it is said that Christ maketh intercession for us in heaven we are not thus to understand it that he falleth down upon his knees and prayeth to God for us John 16. 26. I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you but that sitting at the right hand of his Father he representeth his own merits unto him and offereth the prayers of the faithfull unto God perfumed with the odours of his own sacrifice as he is described Revel 8. 3 4. So Anselme in Rom. 8. Vnigenitum Filium pro hominibus interpellare est apud coaeternum Patrem seipsum hominem demonstrare The onely begotten Sonne is said to make intercession for men when he sheweth himself man before his coeternall Father And the Apostle describeth his intercession to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his appearing in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. The holy Ghost therefore joyneth both the parts together 1. Tim. 2. 5. where speaking professedly of prayers and saying that Christ is the onely Mediatour between God and man he addeth who gave himself a ransome for all So 1. John 2. 1 2. If any man sinne we have an advocate Christ Jesus the righteous he is the propitiation for our sins He onely is the advocate because he onely can plead his merits for us He onely is perfectly fully just he onely is the propitiation for our sinnes And as he is the onely Intercessour because he is the onely Saviour Acts 4. 12. so is he the perfect Saviour because he ever liveth to make intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. For whereas they ordain other intercessours for whose sake they desire to be heard they do it altogether without warrant of Scriptures wherein there is no doctrine no precept no promise no example to warrant it and consequently such prayer cannot be made in faith neither can it please God And with what forehead can they take from Christ his office and the honour thereof which he purchased with his bloud and without any warrant from him assigne it to others as though Christ having for a short time exercised the office of mediation should to the end of the world have resigned it to his servants But the holy Ghost teacheth the contrary Heb. 7. 25. that Christ is therefore able perfectly and fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save those which by him do come to God because he liveth ever to make intercession for them Yea the Scripture every where directeth us unto Christ and to no other mediatour and therefore to no other must we slie Ephes. 3. 12. Heb. 4. 16. and 7. 19. Christ is the onely way and the onely accesse unto God Those that leave this way and this accesse they have no way nor accesse to God with hope or comfort or if any will go to God any other way in stead of a throne of grace they shall find a tribunall of justice and terrour and
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 haec 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 they hope by such lip-labour to satisfie for their sinnes and to merit eternall life 6. How can men either ask with fervencie of spirit or give thanks with alacritie of heart when they do not so much as know whether they pray or give thanks 7. Bodily exercise profiteth little 1. Tim. 4. 8. for God respecteth not the mouth but the heart But this prayer in an unknown tongue is a mere bodily exercise and so in the church of Rome is usually injoyned to penitents as a penall work 8. Battologie is to be avoided in prayer Matth. 6. But this babbling and multiplying of prayers without understanding especially joyned with numbring of them on their beads as though by how much the more and longer
all things to give thanks and not in that place alone but also in divers others as Luke 18. 1. that we must pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes and 21. 36. as also Ephes. 6. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all seasons What then will you say must we do nothing els in the whole course of our life but pray I say not so This was the phantasticall opinion of the fanaticall hereticks the Euchetae which thought they might do nothing else but pray and grounded their hersies upon these places of Scripture But for the answering of them and informing our selves in the truth first we are to search out the true meaning of those places of Scripture First therefore where it is said 1. Thess. 5. 17. that we must pray continually it may be fitly expounded by that in the 18. verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things for the sense would be the same if we should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things pray and continually give thanks that is upon every just occasion pray and give thanks Now that these cannot be understood of perpetuall continuance in prayer excluding all other actions and duties it is plain by this Paul in divers places of his epistles doth professe of himself that he did pray and give thanks alwayes continually without ceasing Rom. 1. 9. Col. 1. 3. 1. Cor. 1. 4. Ephes. 1. 16. Col. 1. 9. 1. Thess. 1. 2. 2. Thess. 1. 3. and yet notwithstanding he neither denied to obey the necessities of nature neither omitted the duties either of his calling or of a godly life Nay he laboured in his calling more then all the rest of the Apostles The like may be said of Cornelius of whom the Scripture doth testifie Acts 10. that he prayed alwayes which is all one with in all things and yet by his calling a Centurion and therefore sometimes in fight and for the duties of a godly life it is said that he was a just man v. 22. and therefore exercised the duties of the second table and gave alms Secondly as touching the place in Luke 18. 1. where it is said that Christ spake a parable to this end that we ought alwayes to pray the holy Ghost expoundeth his meaning in the next words by removing the contrary that we should pray alwayes and not saint So that to pray alwayes in this place is not to saint in prayer Which in other places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to persevere in prayer as Rom. 12. 12. that is with some pertinacie if I may use this word in the good sense to persevere in prayer And that this is the meaning of the words it appeareth by the scope of the parable it self which is nothing else but this That when we have prayed unto God and he seemeth not to heare us we must not faint and give over but stedfastly persevere untill we have an answer Thirdly for the other places Luke 21. 36. and Ephes. 6. 18. it is not said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every time but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every sâ—…son that is upon every just occasion whensoever opportunity is offered To confirm this exposition this reason may be used The Lord in his word inioyneth us a great sort of duties besides Invocation which if we do omit for the omission of them although we should do no hurt we shall be condemned Matth. 25. 42. the sentence of condemnation is pronounced against the wicked for the omission of certain duties which necessarily must be omitted if we should do nothing else but pray Again it is a received distinction That the negative commandments of God do bind both semper ad semper to the absteining froÌ„ those things which are forbidden but the affirmative commandments howsoever they do bind us semper yet for the most part they do not bind us ad semper And therefore although we be alwayes bound to the performance of this duty and never exempted from it yet we are not bound to do it alwayes So that these commandments of continuing in prayer are to be understood of the whole life and not of every moment of time Now that we are alwayes bound to this duty appeareth both by our continuall necessitie to pray in regard first of our necessities and wants both spirituall and temporall secondly of the continuall rage of our spirituall enemies who are never at truce with us except we be at league with them thirdly of innumerable dangers which are alwayes imminent from which by Gods continuall mercy and goodnesse towards us we are delivered for which we must return thanks unto him For if there were no other cause of thanksgiving as there are many but onely this that he hath spared us and not confounded us for our sinnes this were matter sufficient Lam. 3. 22. It is the mercy of the Lord that we are not confounded Now that we may perform these commandments of continuance in prayer it is requisite that we call upon God both ordinarily at set times and extraordinarily as occasion and opportunity is offered And therefore in respect of time prayer is thus distinguished Preces sunt statae vel vagae which distinction belongeth both to publick and private prayer For publick prayer What set houres in the day-time are to be appointed for Divine service it is to be left to the discretion of every Church Onely in the night-time it seemeth inconvenient in the flourishing and quiet estate of the Church that publick assemblies should be held but in time of persecution it is otherwise For vagae They are so often to be used publickly as occasion is offered either by any publick danger and calamity to pray or by some publick blessing of God to give thanks But concerning private prayer there is no time of day naturall which may not be imployed thereunto It hath been the practice of the godly to call upon God both night and day So did David Psal. 22. 2. Annah Luke 2. 37. and not onely she but all right widows of whom Paul fpeaketh 1. Tim. 5. 5. So did Paul himself 2. Tim. 1. 3. 1. Thess. 3. 10. But more specially for the day David saith that he 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
necessity of faith in Christ and repentance towards God Again those which give thanks must be joyfull and rejoyce in the Lord but the wicked cannot rejoyce in the Lord neither ought they whilest they continue in their sinnes to be joyfull yea our Saviour denounceth a wo to such laughers Luke 6. The faithfull therefore alone are exhorted as to rejoyce alwayes so in all things to give thanks 1. Thess. 5. 16 18. Psal. 132. 9 16. and 149. 2 3 5 6. and 33. 1. Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righteous for prayse is comely for the upright Secondly as prayer so also thanksgiving is to be offered unto God alone as the authour and principall giver of all good things Jam. 1. 17. Psal. 50. 14. Col. 3. 17. Ephes. 5. 20. We may and ought to be thankfull unto men as unto the instruments of God as Rom. 16. 4. And to be unthankfull is a great fault 2. Tim. 3. 2. But if neglecting God we give thanks unto men as the authours we commit sacrilegious idolatry in robbing God of his honour and giving it unto men In this sense prayse and thanksgiving is a sacrifice which must be offered to the Lord alone and in this sense his name alone is to be exalted Psal. 148. 13. and therefore they which so give thanks to men or rest in the means they sacrifice unto them and make them their God they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their drag Hab. 1. 16. Eph. 5. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto God and the Father Thirdly Thanksgiving as well as Prayer is to be offered unto God in the name of Christ Ephes. 8. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christ Jesus Ephes. 3. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ Jesus Rom. 1. 8. 7. 25. Col. 3. 17. Heb. 13. 15. For we are an holy priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 2. 5. Revel 8. 3. Fourthly for the manner There is required in the soul 1. in generall that our thanksgiving be a speech of the soul and not of the lips alone David therefore in some places stirreth up his soul to prayse God Psal. 103. 1 2. and 104. 1. And elsewhere he professeth that he would prayse God with his whole heart Psal. 9. 1. and 86. 12. and 111. 1. that is with an upright heart Psal. 119. 7. To which purpose Paul also exhorteth us to sing in our hearts unto God Ephes. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. To little purpose serveth the outward melody of the voyce unlesse there be a concent thereof with the heart We must therefore be carefull to sing Davids Psalmes with Davids affections but we may not sing or praise God either with feigned lips or with wandring thoughts 2. In the mind there is required first Understanding Psal. 47. 7. Col. 3. 16. and secondly Fâ—…ith whereby we are to be perswaded that this our service and sacrifice of praise is acceptable unto God in Christ without which our thanksgiving cannot be as it ought chearfull unlesse we be perswaded by faith of Gods goodnesse towards us how can we be thankfull to him 3. In our heart it is required that our praise or thanksgiving be humble reverent and hearty Humble that we may ascribe the whole praise unto God unto whom alone it is due and assume no part thereof unto our selves Psal. 115. 1. Reverent for without reverence we cannot give unto the Lord the praise that is due unto his name Psal. 29. 2. nor ascribe unto him eternall kingdome power and glory We must in our thanksgiving rejoyce in God but we must rejoyce in reverence Psal. 2. 11. and 95. 2 6. performing therein a religious service and worship to God Hearty with all our heart and that in particular with thankfulnesse and chearfulnesse without which our thanks will be either cold or counterfeit See Psal. 68. 26. And as for bodily duties The voyce in more speciall manner is required in thanksgiving Therefore our tongue is called our glory because by it we are to glorifie God We are not by silence to smother Gods prayse but as we are inwardly thankfull so must we testifie our inward thankfulnesse by our outward thanksgiving And in this kind of Invocation especially is singing warranted and commended unto us in the Scriptures not onely of the Old Testament but also of the New Jam. 5. 13. Ephes. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Matth. 26. 30. Acts 16. 25. Fifthly this invocation also is to be performed by the help of the holy Ghost For naturally we are tongue-tied in Gods prayses but it is the spirit of God that doth open our lips that our mouth may shew forth his prayse Psal. 51. 15. It is the spirit of grace which maketh us to sing with grace in our hearts Sixthly and lastly our thanksgiving must be for good and lawfull things otherwise we go about to make God the authour of evil CHAP. XXXVI Speciall duties required in thanksgiving THe duties specially required in Thanksgiving do concern either the manner how or the time when or the object for which we are to give thanks For the manner there are duties required both in the action it self and out of it that is before and after In the action there are duties required both inward and outward The inward are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thankfulnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chearfulnesse The former is required Col. 3. 16. that we should sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with grace in our hearts For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gratia do signifie both the benefit and the thanks as when we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratia gratiam parit A good turn begetteth thanks And in this sense the word grace is used for Thanksgiving at meals The grace therefore that is required in the soul is Thankfulnesse For outward thanksgiving without inward thankfulnesse is counterfeit and hypocriticall There is no doubt but that habendae sunt gratiae quas agimus we must have thankfulnesse when we give thanks And as prayer is the expressing of our desire so thanksgiving is the testifying of our thankfulnesse And therefore as they play the hypocrites which pray for that which they do not desire so likewise they which give thanks for that for which they are not thankfull either because they have it not or do not think themselves beholding to God for it Luke 18. And as in prayer the Lord especially regardeth the desire of the heart so in thanksgiving the thankfulnesse of the soul. Now unto this thankfulnesse there is required grata recordatio mindfulnesse in the soul agnitio acknowledgement in the soul affectio affection in the heart For first if we be not mindfull of Gods benefits non habemus gratias we bear them not in mind we are not thankfull And therefore we are often stirred up to remember Gods benefits and straitly charged that we do not forget them for to forget them is to 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 repletivè filling all places â—…er 23. 23. but yet so as he is every-where totus wholly But yâ—…t 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 infinitâ—… wisdome unspeakable mercy endlesse The sense therefore of these words is this Thoâ—… 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 saith 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 alteno rogaturus 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 whâ—…n we call upon him yea where two or three are gatherâ—…d together in his name he is in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. If theresore 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 carth 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 Father Matth. 7. 11. This therefore must not discourage us that he sitteth above in heaven in the high throne of his majestie for though he dwelleth above â—…t he mercifully abaseth himself to behold the things which be in heaven and in earth Psal. 113. 5 6. He looketh down from the high place of his holinesse even from heaven doth the Lord look down upon earth that he might heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliver the children of dâ—…th Psal. 102. 19 20. Neither ought his power to terrifie us for he useth it to our good Deut. 33. 26. Herideth or sitteth upon the heavens for our help Him therefore let us exalt who rideth on the highest heavens Psal. 68. 4. Here therefore
is discovered the hypocrisie of those men who calling upon God as their Father in heaven lift not up their hearts to heaven but let them lie groveling on the earth who imagine God to be like themselves who without reverence speak unto him or use vain babbling who trust not in his power nor acknowledge his presence with them unreverently behaving themselves because they see him not that submit not themselves to his fatherly wisdome nor rest in his mercy and goodnesse Vses in our lives First if our Father be in heaven who also hath begotten us to an heavenly inheritance then we who are the children of God are in this world pilgrimes from God and from our countrey and therefore ought not to mindearthly things but have our conversation in heaven Phil. 3. 19 20. Secondly if God our Father be full of maiesty and power we ought to fear him and to stand in aw Thirdly if omnipotent let us rest confidently under his protection neither let the fear of any danger draw us unto sinne for God is able to deliver us Dan. 17. And on the other side let us fear to sinne for he is able to destroy both body and soul in hell Matth. 10. 28. If God be omnipresent let us behave our selves as in his presence and walk before him in uprightnesse of heart If our heavenly Father be most wise and mercifull let us cast our care upon him in all our necessities depending on him As for those that are mere worldlings terrae filii who neither stand in aw of his majesty nor trust in his power nor waâ—…k as in his presence nor depend upon his fatherly goodnesse they cannot but in hypocrisie call God their heavenly Father Now if we joyn these two together of which we have spoken severally That God is our Father and therefore willing to heare us and also in heaven and therefore able to grant our desires there will be no place left to diffidence and distrust seeing God is both willing and able to grant our requests Therefore we ought not to be distrustfully carefull but with confidence and assurance that we shall be heard to make our requests known unto God Phil. 4. 6. seeing as Fulgentius saith Deus multus est ad ignoscendum in hoc multo nihil deest in quo omnipotens misericordia omnipotentia misericors est God is much in forgiving in this much nothing is missing in whom is omnipotent mercy and mercifull omnipotence The consideration of either of these may stirre up a man to pray but if he doubt of either I see not how he can pray in faith The leper Mark 1. 40. being perswaded of Christs power desireth him to make him clean the father of him that was possessed Mark 9. 22. having some good opinion of Christs willingnesse intreated his help for the dispossessing of the unclean spirit But because the one was not assured of his willingnesse the other of his power they make but doubtfull prayers If thou wilt thou canst make me clean If thou canst do any thing help us But we may be assured of both in our heavenly Father and therefore are to be encouraged to pray in faith c. The division of the Petitions HItherto we have spoken of the preface Now we are to proceed unto the petitions Which are in number six but yet in respect of the objects they may be distinguished into two sorts For either they concern more properly and immediately the glory of God without respect of our own profit or else our own good and mediately the glory of God For in the three former we say Thy name Thy kingdome Thy will in the three latter us and our c. Those that concern Gods glory are indeed most profitable for us for with his own glory he joyneth the good and salvation of the elect For if we glorifie the name of God he will glorifie us if we be subjects of the kingdome of grace we shall be inheriters of the kingdome of glory if we do the will of God upon earth we shall enter into the kingdome of heaven But in propounding these petitions we are not to respect our own profit but the glory of God Those which immediately concern our own good must also mediately respect the glory of God whereunto if our good be not referred it is not good Those which immediately concern the glory of God are set down in the first place By which order our Saviour Christ teacheth us to preferre Gods glory before our own good yea if they should come in comparison before our own salvation Exod. 32. 32. because Gods glory is the end and therefore better then those things which are referred thereunto For which cause not onely in order of petitions but also in the measure of our affections the glory of God must be preferred before our own good Ideóque in tribus primis petitionibus oratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est cùm posteriores conjunctionibus colligantur And therefore in the three first petitions there is no copulative when as the three latter are tied together with conjunctionâ—… In the three first petitions we desire either the glory of God it self as the end or else the means whereby his glory is procured the end in the first petition the means in the other two For then is God glorified when his kingdome is advanced and his will fulfilled This order teacheth us that the main end of all our desires and actions should be the glory of God I. Petition FIrst of the first petition Wherein we are to learn the meaning of the words and then to consider the uses which arise from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hallowed be thy name The name of God signifieth both God himself and his attributes which are himself and also that whereby he is named In the former sense the word name is often used to signifie the persons named as Acts 1. 15. and 4. 12. Revel 3. 4. and 11. 13. So the name of God is put for God himself Joel 2. 23. Deut. 28. 58. Hereupon the Hebrews use to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is His name is himself and he is his name And hereunto belong those places in which the name of God signifieth his attributes which are nothing but himself For the justice of God is the just God the wisdome of God is the wise God the mercy of God is the mercifull God c. And these also are the name of God as appeareth Exod. 33. 19. and 34. 5 6 7. For this is the name which he proclaimeth The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth c. Secondly the name of God signifieth that whereby God is named whereby he is either renowned or known The name of renown is his glory which is as it were his good name For so in great persons their good name is their glory and renown and therefore they are said in
the Scriptures to be men of name Gen. 6. 4. In this sense the word name is used Gen. 11. 4. That we may get us a name Gen. 12. 2. I will make thy name great Jer. 13. 11. name praise and glory Deut. 26. 19. The name of God therefore signifieth that whereby he is renowned and acknowledged to be glorious that is his glory So Exod. 9. 16. Psal. 8. 1. Again the name of God signifieth that whereby he is known to wit not onely his Titles which more properly are called his name and by which he is known but also the Means whereby he is known The titles are the names of the Godhead of the attributes and of the Persons Of the Godhead as Jehovah Lord God c. Exod. 3. 15. This is my name Exod. 6. 3. Psal. 83. 18. Attributes as Wisdome Mercy Justice Majesty c. Persons as Father Christ Jesus Saviour holy Ghost c. The means whereby God is known are either peculiar to the Church or common unto all Of the first sort are his word and religion therein prescribed The word of God is called his name as Acts 9. 15. to carry my name c. and 21. 13. 1. Tim. 6. 1. with Tit. 2. 5. Rom. 2. 24. Psal. 22. 22. Heb. 2. 12. So is the doctrine of religion and worship of God Mich. 4. 5. We will walk in the name of our God 1. Kings 5. 3 5. to build a house unto the name of God The common means are the works of God The works of Creation Psal. 19. 1. Rom. 1. 19 20. In respect where of he is called the Creatour of heaven and earth As also of Administration as his blessings and judgements In respect where of he is called the Governour and Judge of the world Exod. 34. 7. All these doth the name of God signifie To sanctifie signifieth either to make holy or to acknowledge declare holy In the first sense things are said to be sanctified and in themselves being not holy to be made holy which are set apart to holy uses as the Sabbath the Temple Priests Christians consecrated and set apart to the worship and service of God In which sense the name of God which is most holy Psal. 111. 9. cannot be said to be sanctified 2. To sanctifie is to acknowledge declare holy as wisdome in the like phrase of speech is said to be justified Luke 7. 35. and God to be magnified and glorified And thus the name of God is sanctified either by us or by God himself Num. 20. 12 13. By us I mean our selves and others for whom also we pray when as the name of God is most holy and reverend so we in our hearts acknowledge and that effectually in our tongues professe in our deeds use it as most holy reverend By God himself his name is sanctified when either he manifesteth the glory of his mercy and justice or else freeth it from the pollutions of men especially when men neglect it and removeth the impediments Num. 20. 12 13. First we pray that Gods name may be sanctified of us that is That God would vouchsafe unto us his grace that we may give unto the Lord the honour due unto his name Psal. 29. 2. that as his name is most excellent holy glorious and reverend so his prayse may be unto the ends of the earth Psal. 48. 11. We sanctifie the name of God which is most holy and reverend and glorious Deut. 28. 5â—… whenas in our hearts words and deeds we do use it holily and reverently But to speak more especially according to the significations of the name of God The names of God first signifie himself and his attributes which are himself which we desire in this prayer that we may sanctifie in our hearts tongues and lives In our hearts we sanctifie God as Peter exhorteth 1. Epist. 3. 15. when as 1. we do acknowledge and that effectually That there is a God That this God is such an one as he hath revealed himself in his word most wise most just most mercifull infinite in power essence and continuance c. 2. When in our minds we think and conceive nothing of God but that which beseemeth his glorious majestie that is when we alwayes think and conceive of God most holily and reverently In our mouthes 1. When we confesse and acknowledge and professe God and his attributes c. Rom. 10. 10. 2. When we speak of God and his attributes holily and everently In our lives when the knowledge of God and his attributes is effectuall to bring forth in us a conversation answerable thereunto Knowest thou there is a God worship him That he is a Spirit worship him in spirit and truth That he is just fear him That he is mercifull love him That he is omnipresent behave thy self as in his presence That he is omnisufficient repose thy trust in him That he is omniscient and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sâ—…archer of the heart approve thine heart to him c. Thus then we desire that the name of God in the first sense may be sanctified by us The uses 1. Concerning prayer THat we may pray fervently we must have a feeling of our want as our ignorance of God here we pray for knowledge of God without which we cannot acknowledge him the vanity of our minds thinking amisse of God Job 1. 5. our irreverent speech of God our not sanctifying of God in our lives a fault incident to the best Num. 20. 12. For who can say that he hath loved and feared God c. as he ought and behaved himself alwayes as in Gods presence 2. Concerning our lives The use concerning our lives That as in our prayers we desire so in our lives we endeavour thus to sanctifie God For if we our selves will not endeavour thus to do it sheweth that we have no true desire hereof but pray in hypocrisie with feigned lips Their hypocrisie therefore here is detected who desiring with their mouth that they may sanctifie God will think that there is no God Psal. 14. 1. will think basely of him Psal. 50. 21. or deny his providence mercy and justice Psal. 10. 11. who use to speak unreverently of God and his attributes to murmure against his justice c. Psal. 78. 19. who live as if there were no God Tit. 1. 16 that say he is a Spirit but desire not to worship him in spirit that he is just and yet desire not to fear him c. II. How Gods name signifying his glory is hallowed by us SEcondly the name of God signifieth his glory Which we do sanctifie whenas we glorifie God in our hearts mouthes and lives And this is the most principall signification of this petition We glorifie him in our hearts 1. When in the affections of our hearts we desire the procuring and advancement of Gods glory above all things as being more dear unto us then our own good 2. When as in the purpose of our hearts we
4. To labour by all means to walk worthy our calling even as it becometh the saints Ephes. 5. 3. Otherwise if our practice be and we continue therein either not to mention God at all which the Scriptures call the forgetting of Goâ—… and it is a signe that God is not in their thoughts in whose mouthes he is not seeing out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh or else by mentioning his name to pollute it either in respect of the matter mentioning it in jests and ridiculous matters And in the name of God O God O Lord Good God Jesu Lord Mercy God c. or of the manner either by carelesse light and unreverent using of Gods name without fear or conscience sense or regard of God or by superstitious using of the titles doing more reverence to the words then unto God himself and sticking not to blaspheme his name by wicked swearing like to the souldiers Matth 27. 39. Or in respect of the end when the name of God is mentioned to wicked yea to devilish ends as inchantments c. or by cursing which is a most horrible profaning of Gods name or by wicked swearing or by living unworthy their calling for so they take the name of Christ upon them in vain and profane it Considering Luke 1. 73. Tit. 2. 14. 2. Tim. 2. 19. In vain therefore they professe themselves the sonnes of God whilest they behave themselves as the sonnes of men Gen. 6. 2. or rather as the sonnes of the devil And besides they cause the holy name of Christ to be blasphemed If this I say be our practice and we continue therein and yet pray that we may sanctifie the name of God we play the hypocrites IV. How the name of God as it signifieth his Word is sanctified FOurthly the â—…ame of God doth signifie his word whereby he is especially known Which is sanctified by the Ministers when it is purely powerfully and profitably taught by the people when it is heard with reverence attention good conscience and purpose to practice it by all when in our hearts we do holily meditate thereon and are inflamed with a desire of practicing it Psal. 119. In our tongues when we apply it to those uses whereunto it is profitable 2. Tim. 3. 16. In our lives when we knowing it do perform it Vses in prayer Wants to be bewailed 1. The want of preaching where it is wanting 2. The neglect and contempt of the word a capitall sinne of these times 3. The little practicing of it where it is known especially in these dayes ubi scientiae multum conscientiae parùm where there is much science little conscience Vses in our lives In our lives we are to endeavour to sanctifie the word of God if Ministers by dividing it aright if people by saving hearing thereof by meditating on it by desire to do it by applying it to its right uses by yielding simple obedience unto it Otherwise if we desire it may be sanctified and yet we profane it and please our selves in so doing eitheâ—… preaching it unprofitably or hearing it without reverence attention or purpose to prâ—…ctice it if neither in our hearts we care to know nor have desire to practice it if we abuse it to confirm errours and confute the truth to impenitencie jests superstition and charms c. if we profane it either by neglect or contempt Mal. 1. 12. Amos 2. 7. Prov. 30. 9. Levit. 22 31 32. in word we desire to sanctifie it but in deed profane and pollute it V. How the name of God is sanctifiâ—… as it signifieth the Doctrine of religion FIfthly it signifieth the doctrine of religion and the worship of God In which respect his name is sanctified when as we walk in his name Mich. 4. 5. For religion is the way by which we go to heaven Isai. 30. 21. and therefore in the Scriptures is often called the wâ—…y When as therefore we walk in this life so as that our life doth answer to our profession it is in this sense said to signifie the name of God As we professe the Christian religion so our life is answerable to our profession if denying all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2. 12 13. Our religion is the truth in Christ which if we be truly tâ—…ught we must put off the old man Ephes. 4. 20 c. Our religion is the light and we professe our selves children of the light and so must we walk Ephes. 5. 8 10 11. In this way we must walk in respect of God uprightly in respect of men inoffensively Duties in prayer Wants to be bâ—…wailed 1. Our backwardnesse in religion 2. Our hypocrisie 3. Our scandalous conversation Duties in our lives In our lives we are to desire and to endeavour that we may adorn the profession of religion by renouncing all ungodlinesse c. to set God before our eyes that we may walk uprightly as in his sight to walk inoffensively Heb. 12. 13. Otherwise if we professe religion and renounce not our sinnes nor put off the old man if we call our selves the children of the light and yet walk in darknesse we profane the name of God and his religion And this is done 1. In respect of God by hypocrisie 2. Tim. 3. 5. when as the profession of religion is pretended to worldly or wicked respects 2. In respect of men by the profane and dissolute life of common Christians and by the falls and scandals of them that would seem the best professours If we continue in this course and please our selves therein we cannot make this prayer in truth c. VI. How the name of God signifying his works is hallowed SIxthly the name of God signifieth his Works whereby he is known and that both of creation and administration The creatures are sanctified First by an holy and religious meditation and mentioning of them 1. To the glory of God acknowledging in them the wisdome justice power and goodnesse of God glorifying him being known in his works as God Rom. 1. 21 22. 2. To our good when we imitate and slie such things in them as the holy Ghost hath appointed Secondly by a holy and sanctified use The creature is sanctified by the word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 5. Col. 3. 17. Duties in prayer Wants to be bewailed 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the hardnesse and senselesnesse of our hearts in not seeing and acknowledging the goodnesse wisdome and power of God in his creatures Mark 6. 52. 2. Our jesting at some of his works as at the form or countenance of some man c. 3. Our suffering of the brute creaturâ—…s to go beyond us as the crane and swallow in knowing their times and seasons the ant in diligence the trees and plants in bringing forth fruit 4. Our irrâ—…ligious use of
no sense of their own misery c. 3. Those that seek not the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse but set themselves to seek their own carnall and worldly desires 4. Those magistrates ministers people that seek not the advancement of Christs kingdome in themselves contemning the word quenching the spirit nor yet in others As for those Magistrates who in stead of cherishing the Church do persecute it in stead of advancing Gods kingdome do deface it erecting superstition and idolatry suppressing vertue advancing vice or those Ministers that deprive the people of the food of their souls and like dry nurses hunger-starve them or those men whosoever that labour to withdraw men from allegeance unto God all those oppose themselves to the kingdome of grace and therefore being enemies in making this prayer do ask their own confusion For our Saviour Christ sheweth himself to be a King as well in subduing his enemies as in preserving his subjects Psal. 110. 1. Psal. 2. 6. 5. Those that follow the temptations of the devil the desires of the world and lusts of the flesh and please themselves in so doing they are not guided by the Spirit of Christ but are enemies to his crosse Phil. 3. 19. and souldiers in Satans camp As therefore we desire the kingdome of grace so let us seek it c. Of the coming of the kingdome of glory which we here desire Thirdly we desire that the kingdome of glory may come that is that the number of the elect being accomplished and all Gods enemies subdued Christ would hasten his coming to judgement to our full redemption and glorification that God may be all in all Here therefore we pray 1. That God would hasten the coming of Christ unto judgement and to that end would accomplish the number of the elect and subdue all his enemies under his feet 2. That this kingdome may come unto us and that it may be possessed of us and to that end would make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and would free and keep us from all evil unto his own everlasting kingdome 2. Tim. 4. 18. and would by his power through faith preserve us unto everlasting life 1. Pet. 1. 5. Vses 1. Dutie in our lives We must earnestly desire the coming of Christ and believe that it shall come and that to our salvation 2. Wants to be bewailed First the want of faith by reason of the conscience of our manifold sinnes which make a separation between God and us and make the remembrance of the judgement terrible unto us so that we cannot desire the coming of Christ to judgement as we ought Secondly the worldlinesse of our minds in that we are all more or lesse overtaken of the desires thereof and not so wained from the world as becometh pilgrimes on earth so that many of us are so farre from desiring another life that they could be content to live here for ever Thirdly our sinnes must be as an heavie burden unto us that being weary we may earnestly desire to be dissolved and so disburdened of them Rom. 7. 23 24. Phil. 1. 23. Fourthly we must bewail and be weary of the sinnes of the world whereby Gods name is dishonoured his kingdome hindred his will neglected that so we may truly desire that an end may be put to these evil dayes and may say How long Lord holy and true Revel 6. 10. We must believe 1. That Christ will come to judgement and that there will be a kingdome of glory after this life for these two articles of our faith are here presupposed For if we be in the number of those mockers of whom Peter foretold 2. Epistle 3. 4. that believe not this second coming of Christ c. we shall but mock God if we make this petition 2. That Christ will come to our salvation and that we shall be inheritours of that kingdome for we cannot else truly desire his coming c. Duties in our lives I. We must give all diligence to make our calling and election sure For by this means an entring shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of the Lord c. 2. Pet. 1. 10 11. II. If we pray in faith that our request may be granted we must expect Christs second coming And we must expect it with faith fervency patience and vigilancie With faith that is with perswasion assurance that Christ will come to our full redemption For wheÌ„ a man can truly say by faith that our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversation is in heaven he will also adde with the Apostle from whence we look for a Sâ—…viour Phil. 3. 20. and consequently expect it with chearfulnesse and not with unhappy Felix tremble at the mention of judgement For howsoever it shall be a day of unspeakable terrour to the wicked yet to the godly it shall be a day of singular comfort For then the Lord shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Revel 7. 17. For which cause it is called the time of refreshing Acts 3. 19. And therefore our Saviour Christ Luke 21. 28. biddeth the faithfull to lift up their heads c. because the day of their full redemption both body and soul draweth near Secondly we must expect with earnest desire 1. eternall life 2. the coming of Christ Tit. 2. 13. For how can a man faithfully expect and certainly look for happinesse who doth not also earnestly desire it therefore the Apostle saith that we who have the first-fruits of the Spirit do sigh within our selves expecting the adoption that is the heavenly inheritance whereunto we are adopted and the redemption of our body at the second coming of Christ Rom. 8. 23. Secondly we are with desire to expect the second coming of Christ looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God 2. Pet. 3. 12. But there are many who with Balaam desire salvation but how few that desire the second coming of Christ Yet this is made a note of a true Christian to love and desire it 2. Tim. 4. 8. For as Th. Aquinas saith Qui diligit amicum cum desiderio exspectat eum He that loveth his friend expecteth him with longing desire 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
thing to be tempted simply but rather to the children of God a good and a necessary thing James biddeth the faithfull rejoyce when they fall into tentations Jam. 1. 2. He that is not tempted saith the sonne of Sirach he knoweth but a little 34. 10. and as Augustine No man knoweth himself unlesse he be tempted Besides we are not souldiers under the banner of Christ unlesse we fight with the flesh the world and the devil and we sight not with them unlesse we be tempted of them neither must we look to be crowned unlesse first we strive Nay if we be not tempted it is a signe that he needeth not assault us Lastly all tentations turn to the good of those that love the Lord Rom. 8. serving either to humble them by the sight of their weaknesse 2. Cor. 12. 9. or to prevent sinne in them making them more wary and circumspect for the time to come or to manifest Gods graces in them that they may be found approved and so become happy For as James saith chap. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he shall be found approved he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to those that love him We do not therefore pray that we be not tempted but that we be not led into tentation that is That when we are tempted the Lord would not leave us unto our selves nor give us over to the tempter nor suffer us to be overcome in the tentation nor to be tempted above our power but that it would please him to stablish us by his free spirit and minister strength unto us giving with the tentations an issue that we may bear them And so our Saviour expoundeth himself in the words following But deliver us from evil Which as hath been said are the exposition of the former Tertullian Clausula haec interpretatur quid sit Nè nos inducas in tentationem hoc est sed erue nos a malo This clause interpreteth what this is Lead us not into tentation that is but deliver us from evil By evil we are to understand all the enemies of our salvation the flesh world and devil sinne and hell and all punishments of sinne but especially the devil who in the Scriptures is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliver signifieth two things 1. To keep and preserve to protect and defend from evil that we fall not into it In which sense Christ is said to deliver us from the wrath which is to come 1. Thess. 1. 10. And our Saviour making the same prayer useth in stead of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep or preserve John 17. 13. 2. Cor. 1. 10. Which argueth that of our selves we lie open and naked to our spirituall enemies unlesse it please the Lord to keep and to protect us from them 2. It signifieth to deliver and as it were to pull us out of the hands that is power of our spirituall enemies as the word is used Luke 1. 74. Matth. 27. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him deliver him Rom. 7. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will deliver me 2. Tim. 4. 17 18. Which teacheth us 1. that naturally we are in subjection to our spirituall enemies 2. that it is not in our power to free our selves out of this bondage but it is the mercifull work of the Lord of whom we are therefore taught to crave deliverance This deliverance which we crave is either inchoate in this life or perfect in the life to come both by Christ Luke 1. 74. Duties in prayer I. To pray against tentation Luke 22. 40. 2. Cor. 12. 8. to escape it II. To pray in fervencie and faith Wants to be bewailed I. The malice and power of our spirituall enemies that fight against us Ephes. 6. 12. The flesh sending forth concupiscences which fight against the soul the law of our members carrying us captive unto sinne The world by her enticements alluring unto evil and carrying us out of the way 1. Cor. 7. 31. by her terrours terrifying from good by bad example seducing us The devil our mortall enemie going about like a roring lion seeking whom he may devoure 1. Pet. 5. 8. II. Our weaknesse to resist our negligence in not preparing and arming our selves against tentations but rather by idlenesse and securitie sweeping and preparing a room for the tempter Luke 11. 25. III. Our pronenesse to sinne our quailing in tentations our running into tentations and seeking baits of sinne IV. Our subjection to sinne and Satan Rom. 7. 14. and exhibition of our members as instruments to the tempter V. The evil of sinne with which we are corrupted and the evil of punishment which we have deserved VI. Our inability in our selves to free us from these evils Contrary graces to be desired In sense of which wants we are with fervencie to crave the contrarie graces Which we are to distinguish according to the former distinctions of tentations and evils from which we desire to be preserved and delivered And first for the tentations of God or trials we do not pray against them but rather for them I. That the Lord would trie us Psal. 26. 2. and 139. 23. and II. That when he doth prove us we may be approved or if it please him by the tentation to discover unto us our weaknesse he would turn it to our good Deut. 8. 16. that both in respect of our former weaknesse we may be humbled and for the time to come be made more circumspect But as touching those â—…entations which are provocations unto evil we pray against them I. in generall That our hearts may not be inclined to any evil Psal. 141. 4. and therefore that the Lord would neither give us over to the tempter to be overcome nor suffer us to be tempted above our power neither leave us to our selves and forsake us in the tentation but that it would please him to stablish us by his free spirit Psal. 51. 14. and assist us with his grace which will be sufficient for us 2. Cor. 12. 9. that being confirmed and strengthened by him 1. Pet. 5. 10. we may not fall away in the time of tentation Luke 8. 13. but may be able to withstand our enemies in the evil day and having finished all things may stand fast Ephes. 6. 13. being kept by his power through faith unto salvation 1. Pet. 1. 5. And II. more specially 1. against the tentations of the flesh we are to pray That howsoever sinne dwel in us yet it may not reigne in our mortall body that we should obey it in the lusts thereof or give oâ—…r members as weapons of unrighteousnesse unto sinne Rom. 6. 12 13. And especially That he would not punish our sinne with sinne giving us over to our own lusts Psal. 81. 13. Rom. 1. 24. or to the hardnesse of our own hearts Ephes. 4. 18. or to â—… reprobate mind Rom.