action If these most impious consorts enterprise not their wicked acts but in the shew of calling mutually on God were it not a shame to professed Christians to attempt any matter lawfull of greatest moment without touch of any consideration of the necessitie or vtilitie of faithfull prayer If the children of darkenesse can point out their more then heathenish attempts by the outward tokens and termes of deuotion to their assured condemnation what will become of cold Christians that so little regard the holy duty of prayer in all their actions to their soules saluation CHAP. XIII Euery faithfull Christian findeth comfort in praier the neglect whereof admits many euils WHo is that faithfull Christian that hath practised this holy exercise and hath not found comfort to his conscience and helpe in his occasions Whosoeuer findeth the continuance of inward vexation of the mind let the cause arise from spirituall or corporall occasions he may assâ—re himself it proceedeth most ordinarily at least from his seldom or neuer praying vnto God Griefe oftentimes procureth teares which seem somthing to asswage the sorrow but it is as it were the slacking of the band that gripes the wound too hard but teares passing from the heart through liuely prayer doe not onely ease the griefe for a while but heale it altogether and keep the wounded parts sound so long as the plaster of true prayer is applied with faith thereunto The teares that wee spend must bee spent before God who hath promised to receiue them as they fal from a liuely feeling heart and to put them in the bottle of his remeÌ„brance reseruing them as witnesses of our true repentance that the sinnes in sorrow whereof we shedde them may be washed away by the bloud of Christ and not to rise vp in iudgement against vs. And these teares are of themselues as so many petitions vnto God who hath bound himselfe by promise to register them as so many preuayling requests wherby he giues oftentimes what inwardly we desire as soone as the first teare falls from a broken and contrite heart Dauid affirmeth that God pardoned his sinne as soone as he had any motion to craue it God requireth not our prayers because hee hath neede of them as a seruice beneficiall or profitable vnto him but because wee hauing neede of his graces and blessings and that hee loueth vs in his beloued son hee willeth vs to pray vnto him for euery spirituall and corporall blessing And although it be true that hee knoweth wherof we haue need yet in common reason hee that wanteth and disdaines to aske he is not worthy to receiue that whereof he hath neede CHAP. XIV The most happiest men in the world are they that most often communicate with God in prayer and not the most glorious worldly men whose miserie is to come and what consolation remaineth for the godly THe men that haue greatest shewes of happinesse in this life are not the blessedst men but the poor in spirit that haue their continuall recourse vnto God they that communicate often with and truly pray vnto him althogh their estates bee neuer so vnpleasant to flesh and bloud yet theirs is the promise of this life and the life to come The Church of Corinth in the bâ—ginning consisted as appeareth for the most part of the poorest and meanest of the people and such as appeared to the world fools and Idiots and they that seemed more wise more mightie more noble were left out of the number of them that were called Yet God preferred not the base in the world before the noble to make them proud of their calling but that they might be constrained as it were to reioyce in the Lord by whose mercie they had obtained in Christ wisedom and all things necessarie to saluation before the more glorious in the world although they were the most base and abiect of all others and to moue them so much the more readily willingly to serue God in thankefulnesse and prayer to testifie their loue to him for his mercies towards them And heauily it will befall them who hauing receiued so many blessings at Gods hands are no whit the more moued to loue him and so many threats for their vnbeleefe and ingratitude and yet not moued to feare him Will they not bee drawne then from their deceiuing vanities will they rather then for lesse then an apple or a messe of pottage disclaime their birth-rights and loose that Kingdome and Crown so dearely pâ—rchased for the faithfull Nay were the losse of it all it were not so horrible If a man missing of the good promised could avoid the dangers threatned it would somthing mitigate the despayring conscience and ease the troubled mind If after death there were neither life nor death if a man might haue no bâ—eing nor feel or endure tormeÌ„t thogh he had no comfort it were a kinde of ease to the carnall mind that knoweth no other heauen then the profits and pleasures of this life nor feareth other hell then the miserie penurie and afflictions of the same But the case is otherwise they that misse the kingdome of heauen by not beleeuing the promise of God by not praying vnto God for direction in the course of their liues may assure themselues thogh they seeme not yet to beleeue it that there remaines for them and attends them the God of darkenesse and the Angels of horror and torment And therefore they that are wise in Christ enlightned with the sanctifying spirit of God obserue the difference between sinne and sanctity betweene the carnall and the spirituall betweene the olde and the new man and finde that the pleasing vanities of this life and the reioycing of the worldly minded haue no solid or sound assurance of continuance no not for a day and after commeth the seueritie of iudgement But the spirituall man vndergoing with patience the bitter miseries incident to a religious and godly life considereth that the continuance of it is but a spanne long and there attendeth him mercie and consolation perpetuall And therfore beareth he the yoake without grudging spending his time not in wantonnesse and chambering not in vanities and carnal pleasures but in all temperance and humblenesse of minde neuer so cheered neuer so full of consolation and alacritie as when hee is hearing God speake vnto him by his word as by preaching or hearing of the same and finding himselfe truely and aptly prepared and zealously exercised in the most holy dutie of praier and heauenly meditations wherein hee speaketh vnto God This is his comfort herein are his ioyes and nothing is so sweete vnto him as heauenly continuall contemplation whereby hee passeth by both the pleasures and penurie of this life as things of that weakenesse to moue loue to the one or feare of the other as hee respects them not but placeth all his affections on God with whom he knoweth that his prayers doe at all times so farre preuaile as at
prepensed custome vsing onely the Lords Prayer the Beliefe and the Salutation of the blessed Virgin and otherset prayers in an vnknowen language with so many superfluous iterations and needlesse repetitions as the heart busied with retayning the number of the prayers seldome or neuer apprehendeth what the mouth vttereth neither truly vnderstand they what they speake praying in a language they know not And so turne their deuotions into sinne being made without vnderstanding and consequently not of faith Moreouer they vse in their prayers a kind of humblenesse which God requireth not superstitiosly pretending the auoyding of presumption in going immediately to God and therefore they came to God in the name of strange mediatours namely to the blessed Virgin to Angels and to Saints departed prying them by their merits to intercede for them to Christ that he may pray to his father for them What a needlesse circumstance is this Hath not Christ our Sauior louingly willed vs to come immediatly and freely to him who is the sole and onely mediatour vnto God our heauenly Father for all that faithfully and immediatly come vnto him There is none in and by whom we can be saued releiued or defended but in and by the man Christ Iesus He willeth vs not to vse that kind of humblenesse which should imply pride or any breach of promise in himselfe as it followes if wee think it too much presumption to come immediatly to him but first to goe and to pray vnto his blessed Mother Angel or Saints as if he himself were of the cōceit and humour of earthly Princes It is far from him his children may freely come to him he disdayneth them not for their basenes and therefore desireth not to bee sued vnto by more glorious persons whom they pretend he loueth better But this doth argue that we thinke He will not bee as good as his wrod where he saies Come vnto me all yee that are heauy laden and I will refresh you Which is to make God a Iyer and Christ to haue died in vaine Hee saith not come to me by the meanes of my blessed Mother holy Saints or Angels And therfore this is but a forged humblenesse and a falselie coyned meane to come to Christ but faith onely is the meane to assure vs that hee is our onely Aduocate to the father to whom wee come by Christ only and alone That praier that men make to God in the name of any besides Christ is not only no prayer but a meere derogation of the principal part of his office of being our only Mediatour Moreouer to goe to any besides Christ argueth a doubt that either he cannot or wil not be as good as his promise where he saith Whatsoeuer ye aske my father in my name shall be giuen you These kinds of prayers are grounded vpon a zeale without knowledge and consequently without faith and so become sinne vnto them that thus superstitiously pray And I can not but confesse also that the most religious praiers that godliest men haue made nay the very praier that Christ himselfe hath taught vs although most hard in it selfe may become vnprofitable vnto them by proceeding from an vnbeleeuing vnfeeling or vnreformed heart or proceeding onely from the lippes passing from the mouth into the Ayre and vanishing with the soud Such prayers as they proceede from vnbeleeuing hearts are like vnto Cayns offering howsoeuer foolishly accounted deuotion these are but the sacrifices of fooles who would be seene to offer acceptable incensce and behold hypocrisie they would seeme to glorifie God and behold blasphemy There is a kinde of prayer which God requireth and accepteth and is onely proper to the truly godlie And that is made somtimes in words sometimes by sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed and sometimes in silence without vttering any sound yet all very auailable with God who seeing and serching the heart knoweth what we inwardly desire and seeth wherof we haue need And these secret and silent prayers proceeding from a faithfull heart are far more effectuall then the verball praiers which the vnbeleeuer may vse with the like words as the godly do and to the same seeming ends And yet the same prayer is not to them both the selfe same praier the one hauing but the shadow the other the substance the one praying but with the lippes the heart estranged the other with the spirit and vnderstanding Therefore is the one of no force and the other truly effectuall These two kindes of prayers may be resembled vnto two pieces of Ordnance whereof the one is charged with powder onely The other with powder and a bullet Eyther of them takes fire a like and that which hath no bullet giues as great an outward and audible report as the other But the first batters not as doth the second although they seeme to ayme both at one mark So hee that hath not vnderstanding and faith may haue the like fire of necessity to enkindle the powder of desire but can neuer perse the cloudes the throne of grace with the bullet of liuely faith though the tongue thunder out as loud and clamorous acclamations as the other yet the other carries with it both powder and bullet both voice of the tongue and deuotion of the heart powerfully to worke the intended effect with God And the force of the other perisheth with the sound CHAP. II. It is vaine to vse many words in Prayer without spirituall feeling and great arrogancy to presse into the presence of God without premeditation with a definition of prayer HE that duly and with true vnder-standing considereth the force and effect of faithfull prayer and how vaine and vnprofitable it is to powre forth a multitude of words without spirituall feeling of his owne necessities As the causes mouing him to pray the matter wherefore hee praieth the parties to whom and in whom hee prayeth and with what zeale and affection he praieth without◠consideration of these hee may feare to presse into Gods presence presuming without premeditation deliberation holy preparation to approch the maiesty of God Wee shame to approch a King or great personage without recounting before hand how to behaue our selues as touching our gestures and how to place our speech to be seene formall in all the circumstances of our behauiour fearing least we should be obserued vnciuill rash or defectiue in our cariage How dare wee then thrust our selues abruptly into the presence of the King of kings without diuine preparation◠Our words and gestures must be agreeable to a holy and sanctified affection our hearts must be humble otherwise wee cannot come as petitioners but rather as insolent and proud vsurpers although our words seeme neuer so milde For if the heartfrom whence ought to proceed our requests be not truely humbled and rightly qualified God will neuer haue respect vnto our prayers And therefore if wee duly consider That Prayer is an humble request made vnto God in Christ with
the liuely and feeling affection of the heart faithfully beleeuing to receiue what we religiously desire we cannot but blush to come vnto God as the Pharisie did arrogating vnto our selues such perfection as if God were rather beholden to vs for our fasting tything almes and prayer then that wee needed to bow our hearts in humblenesse before his maiesty crauing pardoÌ„ for our sin when we pray therefore we must leaue behind vs all presumption and conceit of self-merit And in al humility aske beleeuing to receiue otherwise our praier wll become vnprofitable in not obtayning and sinfull in not beleeuing And therefore the Prophet Esay forewarneth vs to take heede that wee come not neere vnto God with our lippes namely to vse many and good words and yet our hearts wherein consisteth the force or frailty of faiâ—h and prayer be far from him CHAP. III. How we ought to approch before God in praier depending on Gods promises and not on carnall means which howsoeuer the vnfaithful respect not yet are the godly moued thereby THat praier is not true prayer which is not grounded vpon a liuely faith in the promises of God in Christ. It is promised to all beleeuers that if they aske they shall receiue yet for the merits in the mediation of Christ in whom if we beleeue not wee may seeme to send forth as many sighes and poure forth as many verball prayers and appeare in our gestures outwardly as deuout and zealous as any man and yet be as farre from being heard and come as farre short of obtayning what we desire as he that praieth not at all the very Publican will preuent vs. If we had not the promise of obtaining for our faithfully asking what would become of Faith Prayer If we rested as doubtfull vncertain to receiue our requests at the hands of God as many a poore begger is that asketh almes of mortal men in his Name should we not passe by more houres in a day more dayes in a weeke nay many weekes in a yeare neuer remember our duties of beleeuing and praier For it seemeth notwithstanding the promise by our generall slacknesse in praier that we hardly beleeue Christ vpon his promise nor God vpon his oath For as long as the carnall man hath worldly meanes to supply his wants or to free him from danger he will hardly seeke God by praier for earthly things because hee feeles no present neede of them nor for spirituall because he is a stranger vnto them Many seeme as miserable of offring praiers to God as they are of giuing him of their goods in his members But as they keepe their goods to the time of necessitie so their praiers they wil spend none but vpon meere extremitie Pharoh neuerentreated Moses to pray for him as long as he felt not some plague but when the extreme hand of the powerfull God was vpon him then called he for Moses to pray to God for him And yet that zeale continues but as do his plagues the one ceasing the other are staied Carnall men make their praiers as the water mooues the Mill-wheele when the water ceaseth the wheele staieth so when troubles faile faith praier cease Man by nature trusts rather his owne present worldly meanes then Gods promises his owne wealth then Gods word as he that obserues the rules of carnall reason cannot but collect how far the confidence men repose in worldly meanes ouersway their trust in God namely as farre as the earth is distant from the heauens For according to the portioÌ„ of euerie earthly blessing hath euerie carnall man trust in his means Golâ—ah in his strength Pharoh in his greatnes Senacherib in his Armie Achitophel in his policy Haman in his fauor with the King Nebuchadnezzar in his greatnes Belteshatzer in his vain-glorie and infinite others trusting in their own seuerall means long since gone to their places but haue not carried hence with them this vaine confidence froÌ„ mortal men For euery carnall man in his owne nature extendeth his confidence onely so farre as he hath visible and carnall meanes Quantum habet nummi tantum habet fidei We trust so farre as we see probable carnall meanes in naturall reason fit to be depended vpon which failing Faith faileth The couetous man is called an Idolater because he puts his trust in his riches so may euery man be truely called that trusteth in carnall means whether it be riches strength friends or other the like And the reuerence that men naturally yeelde vnto these meanes differeth not much from that they doe vnto God onely what they pretend towards God is opeÌ„ but what they do towards their earthly meanes is secret They seeme not visibly to kneele nor verbally to pray to the meanes but they in their hearts preferre that they see and enioy aboue that they haue but heard of the promises of the inuisible God And therefore rather then they will diminish their wealth to doe good vnto Gods people as God hath commanded as touching their abundance they will be bolde to straine a point of Christian obedience and rather giue ouer their following of Christ and abandon his presence with the Gergesites then to lend vnto God though they shall be assured not only ten of the hundred but one hundred-fold more then they disburse And therfore no maruell though they neuer or seldome pray vnto the inuisible God Their soules are not so deare vnto them as their liues and their liues not so pretious as their wealth nay liues and soules are of smal value with them in comparison of their worldly riches and carnall pleasures Tell a rich worldling that he ought to make his praiers vnto God hee will in his heart aske you for what hee should pray hee hath wealth at will as the rich man in the Gospell he hath health at his hearts desire his cattell prosper his corne oile wine abound for what should hee pray It is a strange exercise you would draw him vnto that concerneth not his worldly profit or carnal delight The like may be also said of euery meere carnall man bee hee poore or rich who rather then hee will embrace the promises and faithfully depend vpon the prouidence of God hee will aduenture the most vnlawful and vniust attempts against the lawes both of God men wheras if they could or would incline their eares to hear and their hearts to vnderstand the word of truth they could not but abandon all vniust deuises the rich would pray vnto God for direction to dispose of their wealth to Gods glorie and their owne soules health and the poore for supplie of all their corporall necessities and relie vpon Gods promises and prouidence bending al their powers to serue the liuing God in obedience and praier The godly and faithfull poore man beeing pâ—nched with penurie visited with sicknesse in feare of enimies and in whatsoeuer danger flieth vnto one onely God
our most comfort and spirituall contentment it is the last matter thought vpon they beginne at the wrong end they first seek the world and worldly things and then as leisure will serue they will seeke heauen holy things where we should seeke heaueâ— and the kingdom thereof first and then by diuine promise all things els shold be administred vnto vs. But the reason why som men are so backward in seeking God to bee guided by him in these high occasions may seeme to grow from a conceit that if they should vnfolde their desires to God who seeth all their hidden and polliticke equiuocations he would find that their outward prayers to him and their inward hearts towards him would appeare so farre vnlike as he would haue no respect vnto their offerings and therefore couet rather to conceale their counsailes from God and climbe vp to the obtaining of their high purposes by the scale of their owne deuises saying in their hearts How doth he know it Thou foole if thy heart condemne thee is not God greater then thy heart and knoweth al things But if thy heart conâ—demne thee not thou hast then boldnesse towards God If then thou haue boldnesse thou mayest freely repaire to the Throne of his grace and as he hath communicated vnto vs all his counsaile shall we bee scrupulous to let him know ours What is it that the poorest and basest seeming childe of God may not freely speake vnto him Who of the ancient godly fathers did not discouer their own imperfectioÌ„â— Peter blushed not to acknowledge the deniall of his Master with bitter teares Dauid was not ashamed not onely to confesse but to inroll the acknowledging of his sins with his owne hand to the end that all his godly posteritie might learne not to hide their faults from God but to make them knowne to men S. Paul likewise thought it not any disparagement to his credite being an Apostle that Hee was a man solde vnder sinne that hee was buffeted of Sathan that hee did what hee would not and could not doe what he would None diuinely enlightned by taâ—â—ing of and beleeuing the good word of God that euer coueted to conceale their imperfections from God knowing assuring themselues that he is mercifull and forgiueth the sinnes of the truely penitent Against thee against thee onely saith Dauid I haue sinned and done euill in thy sight Hee was a great King chosen after Gods owne heart yet not ashamed to acknowledge a greater King whom hee as much feared to offend as the most dutifull child the most stern and seuere father and therefore was bold with the confession of his sinnes to ioyne prayer for the remission thereof and obtained it I am but dust and ashes saith Abraham I am not worthy the least of Gods mercies saith Iacob my fathers house saith Gideon is the least of all Israel I am not worthie saith S. Paul to bee called an Apostle yea he confessed himselfe the chiefest of all sinners These examples of humilitie may be preuayling motiues to moue vs to imitate them and to beware how wee follow their contraries in pride as Nabuchadnezzer Senacherib Pharaoh and such like imps of insolencie who althogh they were Kings of greatest greatnes we the meanest of men yet if wee imbrace not humilitie wee may bee found as hautie as the hautiest of them For they had their pride but according to the measure of their greatnesse and so may the meanest exceed in pride beyond the measure of his best means They thought themselues not onely not inferiour but equall nay aboue God in power and therefore had none aboue them to obey and consequently none to whom they were bound to pray And whosoeuer exalteth himselfe aboue that which he is be he the highest or the basest among men hee equalizeth the proudest of the former in their vnlimited desires For as the former rebellious Potentates banded themselues against God in their impious blasphemies and as Nimrod threatned to scale the heauens by his haughtie Babel so no doubt but the meanest proud man that ambitiously aduanceth his heart aboue that which indeed he is and to attain vnto heauen without obedience and prayer vnto God hee is as high a rebell in his heart as eyther Nabuchadnezzar Senacherib or Pharaoh and his reward in the wrath of God shall be as great as was theirs or Nimrods CHAP. XII Murtherous hearts hautines and pride may lurke vnder the habit of outward humblenesse MAny such rancke and rebellious spirits walk in the habite of outward humblenesse as that Dominus Dominantium that calls himselfe Seruus seruorum Dei hee that saith he is the seruant of the seruants of God and yet Antichristianlike endeuours to set vp and supplant Princes And his Votaries of pouertie and voluntarie beggerie are not many of them fit and inclinable to any impious and most treasonable actions how haue their handes in shew lifted vp towards heauen bin imbrued in the bloud of Princes in the earth If their couert and concealed workes of darknes were discouered if their infernall stratagems were reuealed and their desires knowne to mortal men as they are found out and seene by God they could not appeare but meere monsters such as was Balthazer the murtherer of the Prince of Orange the Frier that miscreant Reualiack that foiled their fists in the bloud of the two last Kings of France and yet had euery of them his pretence of great deuotion in attempting and perpetrating these capitall villanies They pray they receiue their sacrifice and haue promise of they beleeue to bee registred and canonized among the Saints in heauen and yet fellow-murtherers with Iudas with whom they shall partake their euerlasting reward without more serious sorrow and truer repentance for their villanies then any of them seemed at their deaths to professe Are these the instruments that are vsed by the Pope the pretended Vicar of Christ to support his humble ambition and ambitious humblenes Must these be the Axes and Hammers to cut and break down Princes and to confound Kings and Kingdomes not concurring with his vsurped Antichristian insolencie Where is then the effect of their great penance much fasting many praiers and infinit sectaries and their deuotions Are these their meritorious workes Cannot they defend their Antichristian superstitions without the murthering of Gods owne annointed without treasons rebellions massacres sheddings of bloud Who doth not then abhorre their impieties And who obserueth the least of these committed by any true member of that Church which this malignaÌ„t Church holdeth hereticall And yet all men see how it hath been defended from all their diuellish complotments by no other meanes but by faith in God and prayer to God Haue not their most hellish attempts many pretences of a holy beginning A set coÌ„uocation of preaching and prayer imposition of hands vowing of helpes conioyning of forces and whatsoeuer else may serue to the perpetration of any bloudie
forth the Doue of true contrition out of the Arke of our repenting hearts it may bring vs the Oliue branch of reconciliation and peace with God Prayer preuenteth perils and howsoeuer some misconceiue that there are but few truely religious faithfully zealous yet no doubt God hath his seuen yea seuentie thousand that cease not to solicite him not only in publique but in their priuate clossets not for themselues alone but for the king kingdome people whose praiers haue promise to preuaile And therefore it cannot be said that the prayers of the faithfull are either none or few or little or not auaileable as some men thinke because as they affirme they respectiuely precede not euery vnknown or vndiscouered danger As if God knew not whereof Nations Kingdomes and people haue neede eyther of things wanting to be supplied or things dangerous to be preuented If he be truly called vpon in one danger he deliuereth from many as if in Famine a people bee relieued by their faithfull praiers vnto God hee in regard of their humiliation and repentance doth free them froÌ„ the plague which hee purposed should haue followed the Famine and of Warres that should haue followed the Famine and Plague As he did with the people of Samaria whom he did not only relieue with plentie after their famine but from their enemies also And this holdeth not in generall multitudes only but with priuate men fearing and faithfully seruing GOD in constant perseuerance CHAP. XXIV Deuotion lately hote is now become more colde which may presage some consequent danger but the practise of the word and prayer preuaileth with God the neglect whereof maketh men senselesse of sinne IT is to be lamented to obserue how the coldnes of Christian deuotion encreaseth especially considering how zeale flourished within these few yeares and how fruitfully it wrought in the hearts of many insomuch as there seemed a kinde of religious emulation in yong and old who could be most forward in hearing the word preached in the Churches in reading the same and praying together not only in the Church but also in their Families but now many are slack in that Christian duty and some hold it a sufficient seruice of God to visite the Church once a weeke on the Sabbath day to heare the word to conioyne in concluding the ordinary prayers saying Amen and somtimes to receiue the outward signes of the Sacraments neglecting in the meane time to meditate vppon the word of God which they haue heard to confirm the beleeuers faith And faith begetteth all other graces especially prayer which preuaileth with God aboue all other duties if it be feruent and is as it were the life of al other vertues the life mouing of the soule The neglect whereof may bee well compared to the foolishnes of a man voluntarily staruing himselfe for as the neglect of moderate receiuing food doeth by degrees macerate and in fine consume the bodie and it perisheth so the contempt of prayer workes in the soule a loathing of the word whereon vnlesse the soule doe feed it cannot but wax feeble in faith the want whereof is the absolute confusion of the soule which as the Fish cannot liue out of the water the Salamander out of the fire nor the Camelion out of the ayre cannot liue out of it owne element the word of God by which it was created the word profits not without meditation and praier hearing reading and often ruminating the same For as the seede sown though in a good soil if it haue not the former and latter raine it will not grow to perfection so the word vnlesse it bee watered as it were by continuall practise and prayer fructifieth not although the carnall man growing from ill to worse feeleth it not nor findes how he decayeth but as one in a consumption dieth spiritually The regenerate man by the Word the Sacraments and Prayer perceiueth in himselfe a daily increase of liuely effects working in his heart more and more assurance that all things shall worke together for the best in this life and after this life his endlesse glorie Moreouer the spirituall man apprehendeth in himselfe the lest motion of sinne hee perceiueth when the flesh or his corrupt thoughts begin to rebell in the least measure then beginneth hee to encounter them by abstinence and prayer But the carnall man sold vnder sinne is of another more obdurate temper hee feeleth nothing to be sinne But as a man may make what corosiue or incision he will in a dead member without feeling or pain as in a gangrine or the like so when the soule of a man is dead in sinne and his conscience seared vp nothing can be felt to be sinne Contrarily as the least pricke of the point of a needle annoieth the liuely flesh so the least prick of Sathans temptations is felt and auoyded by the regenerate man CHAP. XXV Beasts foreseeing flye danger more then reasonable men besorted with securitie and the pleasures of this life THere is no creature in the world so dul and insensible but can foresee and by natures instinct endâ—uor to preuent and flie danger and yet a carnall man endowed with reason oftentimes runneth wilfully into his owne ruine As while he with the foolish flie soareth about the vaine pleasures of this world scorcheth the wingâ— of diuine obedience and falleth into endlesse destruction He may be compared to Esops Hart who while hee beheld his beautifull head in the water forgetting the perrils which follow securitie is suddenly surprised by death euen while hee is foolishly admiring his owne vaine pride and worldly delights in the glasse of vulgar admiration Such men therefore that thus loose themselues in the wood of worldly contentments seldome or neuer finde the Temple to pray in with profit but for fashion and depart not iustified at all but rather condemned When theeues assaile or enemies approch to beleager a Citie euery man betakes him to his weapons and he that endeauours not to preuent the danger cannot but be held an enemie How stands it then with vs who haue permitted the house of our soules to bee robbed Are wee not enemies to our owne soules The pleasures of the world the lusts of the slesh haue stolne away our hearts from the liuing God the vanities of our minde the riches and pleasures of the world and the pride of life haue not only besieged but entred and surprised our vnderstandings captiuated our wils they haue depriued vs of our defensiue weapons stript vs of our spirituall ornaments they haue disarmed vs of the sword of the Spirit taken from vs the shield of faith the buckler of patience despoyled vs of the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the helmet of saluation haue they defrauded vs of Thus haue our theeuish delights and our enemies sinnes of all sortes dealt with vs and yet such is our sottish senselesse condition as being left naked of all goodnes wee feele not our
Religion liue like the Pagan It is a sweete contentment to bee in the protection of the liuing God but most feare full to fall into his handes Wee haue beene long in the first let vs beware lest we fall into the second these differ as much as doe mercie and iudgement life and death heauen and hell Christ and Mahomet in the first we obey in the second we rebell in the first we trust in the second we despaire in the first wee pâ—ay in the second wee blaspheme Let vs consider therefore how farre wee are falne from the first and how farre we are from falling into the second and nothing more discouereth the same then to behold our conuersations in the glasse of the word wherein euery man in particular may see his owne and by obseruation the blemishes of the general multitude and none that hath religious eyes but may behold a generall deformitie Wee ought to haue no other Gods but one but we make vs as many as we haue worldly dependancies namely reposing our confidences on any besides the liuing God as is said before We shold not take the holy name of GOD into our polluted moutâ—es in vaine yet what is more common then the idle speaking of and the heedles praying vnto God Wee should loue our neighbours as our selues and performe the rest of our dueties required and auoyde things forbidden by the laws of the two tables but if we shal be examined by the letter and iudged by our obedience we would seeke to hide vs from the iudgement to com But none can fulfill the law and therfore not I if any be saued then so shall I. This is the carnall mans sophistry whereby he frameth to himselfe syllogismes against his owne saluation prouing it needlesse to heare the word preached nay dangerous Some will not sticke to say that they may heare too much consequenly know too much for according to their knowledge is their obedience and practise required and therefore if they know good and doe it not their condemnation is the more iust if they know little they may sinne the more yet are they the more excusable And though they seldome or neuer pray they offend not so much as if they pray and forgiue not their brother whoÌ„ they hate and therefore the lesse they pray the lesse shall their hatred of their brother be laid to their charge Here is the doctrine of the Diuell professed by some kinde of people and held as sound religion as they neede to build their faith vpon as by such as refuse to partake of the holy communion beecause they are not in charitie As the diuel said to Heuah Yea hath God said ye shall die if ye eate of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill No no ye shall not only not die but ye shall be like God himselfe so he perswadeth these kind of men Hath God commanded you to search the Scriptures to seeke knowledge to beleeue the word and to pray partake of the sacraments No no beware the more ye know the more ye haue to answere ye need take no such paines Though some more curious theÌ„ they need make much ado and spend their time in hearing the Word preached in reading the same beleeuing in God and praying vnto him they haue much to answere for He to whom much is giuen of him much shall bee required and therefore take heede ye couet not to know much and yet ye shall prosper fare as well and haue all things at wil as wel as they that are most religious This doctrine of the Diuell is pleasing to the carnally minded and more follow the rules of the power of darkenes then there follow Christ the guide vnto grace and giuer of all goodnes which causeth sinne so infinitely to abound and euery man to run a race according to his own hearts lust seldome or neuer reprehended or condignly punished But howsoeuer man neglecteth the punishment God no doubt wil punish vs vnlesse we meet him by repentance as Abigaile met Dauid we must fall beâ—fore him on the knees of relenting harts and appease him with the presents of faith obedience and praier wee may else feare that God will come vpon vs as Dauid intended vpon Nabal and take from vs that vnspeakeable pearle the vse of the Gospell which hee hath so long lent vs and continued amongst vs notwithstanding so many millions of impediments Let not our sinnes increase as they seem to beginne All places are too full of them who little regard the Gospell such as despise gouernement whose hearts are ouergorged with sinne We haue been so long fed with this spirituall Manna that many seeme to bee glutted therewith whose soules yet famish and they feele it not Other Nations haue beene denied to taste of that whereof many of vs are wearie Will we needes put out our Lampes now the Bride-groome is so neere Will we needes cast wilfully off our wedding-garments the Master of the feast being readie to suruey his guests Are we willing to bee taken from the blessed banquet of saluation and to be cast into vtter darkenesse Shall such as passe by shake their heads at vs seeing vs naked that erst were so decked with the knowledge of Christ and beautified with the sacred ornaments of obedience and loue Shall we now beginne to crucifie Christ anew God forbid What remaineth then Onely let vs become more warie watchfull let vs not follow the multitude to doe euill let euery man rather retire himselfe into the secret closet of his heart and let him bewray vnto God his owne sinnes and confesse them to bee part of the cause that God is angrie with his people let euery man pray as well in priuat as in publike beating our breasts wherin do lodg our corrupted hearts with the fists of true repentance and new obedience let vs pray earnestly for pardon remission of our former transgressions let vs cast ofâ— the ragges of the old man and seek by humble and vnfained submission and praier to be clothed with the more glorious garments of pietie and the rich and right robe of innocencie let vs redeem our furniture of true Châ—istianitie that our sinnes haue stolne from vs and arme vs againe wâ—th the shield of faith the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the helmet of saluation let vs be feruent in faith constaint in hope frequent in prayer let vs not be ashamed to lay open and vnlap our sores before the Physitian of our soules let vs take vnto vs the sword of the spirit and constantly encounter Sathan and sinne who haue wounded vs euen to the death let vs repaire vnto that heauenly Samaritan hee will poure the oyle of mercie into our wounds and heale vs. Our disease of sinning is common let there be a common consent in seeking remedie and let vs all with one hart and one mind humble our selues before God in fasting and prayer Thus must we seek
Foâ— it argueth in vs a great defect of faith And yet these words are not so to be expounded as if we should bee altogether carelesse of future times or for our children but that wee should not bee too solicitous and carefull and thereby argue an absolute distrust that God either can or will giue vs with our true obedience all thinges necessary in this life to enioyâ— and to our faithfull children If riches increase set not your hearts vpon them If pouertie oppresse thee cast thy care vpon God for hee careth for thee Wee pray that God will forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue And yet we seeke to take aduantage of euery small iniurie done vnto vs by our neighbour or brother and couet to reuenge it by the extremest violence of force or Law Our hatred sometimes growes so deadly as wee cease not to persecute and prosecute our enemies to death euen by our own death and yet we pray for equall measure at Gods hands And this petition they shall bee sure to haue granted aboue all other For as they craue to be forgiuen as they forgiue they shal be sure as they forgiue not neither shall they bee forgiuen We desire also not to be ledde into temptation And yet som leaue not to seek all occasioÌ„s to fal therinto coueting idle euil lewd lasciuious coÌ„panies hearing reading profane wanton bookes singing and hearing songs of ribaldrie and filthinesse delighting in drunkennesse whoredome pride couetousnesse enuie gluttoâ—ie scurrilitie and all kinde of forbidden wickednesse Is this the holy vse that they make of this most sacred prayer And yet doe they thinke that it is deuotion of such acceptation with God as dischargeth Christian dutie in prayer Surely God heareth these but regardeth them not but by way of condemnation And therfore let all men learne to know God aright in his word to beleeue him faithfully in his promises and to pray vnto him contiâ—ually according to knowledge so as this holy praier began with a desire that God might bee glorified so shall wee to his glorie and our comfort conclude the same And let vs know that as many petitions as are in this most heauenly prayer so many holy heauenly aduertisements instructions they administer vnto vs to liue heauenly for our Sauiour by teaching vs how to pray for so many seuerall blessings doth therein teach vs also how to performe our duties towards God and our neighbours the summe of both the Tables so as in praying vnto God with a faithfull and an vnderstanding heart we cannot but inform our selues in the course of a godly conuersation also thereby CHAP. XXXVI Praier much increaseth diuine knowledge whereby men of meane carnall learning exceede many literat Doctors WHo then among the company of Christians is there that will not be aduised or so backward that will not be stirred vp or so peruerse and peeuish that will not be perswaded to practise this holy duetie considering that it is found by holy experience that the continuall vse of faithfull prayer much encreaseth the knowledge of all other duties tending to the obtayning of our saluation in Christ nay further it is found by experience that faithfull often vse of prayer is a most effectuall meane to increase diuine knowledge such knowledge as some learned and great Doctors notwithstanding their deepest Schoole-learning haue not attained vnto For there is not a little difference betweene humane learning and spirituall knowledge so much difference between carnall deuotion and holy zeale the first may be in a reprobate the secoÌ„d in none but in the child of God The Scribes and Rabbies of the Iewes were great Doctors yet they apprehended not the mysterie of Christ as did the Apostles who receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God The spirit which Gods children receiue lifteth vp their spirits vnto God teacheth them heauenly things that we may know the things that are giuen vs of God So that it is not the deepest carnall learning that can search the secret things of God but God reuealeth them vnto the poore and humble by his spirit which searcheth the deepe things of God The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned TheÌ„ is not the facultie of vnderstanding spirituall things giuen but by grace not by humane vnderstanding bee it neuer so deepe Therefore saith the Apostle Not manie wisemen after the flesh nor many mightie nor many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake things of the world to confound the most mightie It followeth theÌ„ thaâ— he that hath the spirit of God knoweth how to performe all spirituall dueties among which none taketh place aboue faithfull prayer which is of that force as it obtaineth all things especially knowledge of things tending to the saluation of the soule the sweetnesse of true prayer none knoweth nor can apprehend but he onely that hath it the carnall man vnderstandeth it not beeing told it Some will say they cannot pray they finde no aptnesse in themselues therunto onely they can say the Lords praier but to say they doe it withâ— that feeling of coÌ„fort that they haue heard some men say they feel they cannot and how to amend it they know not yet are they content to be let alone loth to bee awaked out oâ— their deadly slumber and to die in that most fearefull traunce It is a greeuous sickenesse and a dangerous disease that such men are in it cannot but argue that they haue no true knowledge of God so long as they liue in this obscure yet a kind of voluntary darknesse For it cannot be that a man can heare the word preached Gods promises pronounced and his threats denounced but if there bee any feeling in him hee cannot but apprehend mercie or feare iudgement if neither of these can prouoke him to pray with feeling he is doubtlesse farre gone in a deadly Lethargie and no carnall medicine can cure him nor mortall Physitian heale him he only must doe it that cast out the seuen Diuels out of Marie hee must cast out the diuellish affections out of the man make him wise vnto saluation But if he be like vnto the deafe Adder and stoppe his eares wilfully refusing the relieuing charme there is no help or hope for such a man CHAP. XXXVII Although no man by nature knoweth how to pray none is to despaire for the word heard and prayer vsed teacheth it and increaseth the knowledge of it NO man by nature I coÌ„fesse knoweth how to â—ray as hee ought it is the spirit of God that helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed And therefore let no man despaire of beeing enabled There is a seed in all men a
holy and diuine sparke and if a man wilfully quench it not this seed being watered by hearing and reading of the word by faith and prayer may take roote bud and bear fruit howsoeuer weakly in the beginning As an infant at the first quickening in the womb of the mother which time brings to more maturity and perfection and commeth into the world felt and sâ—en so this diuine seed by degrees commeth to be liuely in operation and the small sparke becommeth a flame and in fine enkindleth an admirable weight of zeal For to him that hath to him shall be more giuen and by continuance and practise he shall finde himselfe a new man more and more euerie day furnished with diuine gifts Nothing is perfected the first day that hath growing and increase All spirituall graces haue their beginnings weake and among al the other fruits of the spirit of God none is more excellent more sweet more auailable to saluation then is continuall faithfull prayer which is not the first day in perfection but by little and little it becomes more and more feruent and as it increaseth so draweth it with it a wonderful increase of the knowledge of all things necessarie to saluation So that I may conclude to the comfort of all true Christiansâ— That he that can pray faithfully hath all things both in heauen and earth lacking nothing necessarie for hee hath God and he that cannot nor will endeauour to learne how to pray hath nothing yet that he ought to haue 1. CHRON. 28. 9. The Lord searcheth all harts and vnderstandeth al the imaginations of thoughts If thou seeke him hee will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer FINIS A MORNING PRAIER TO BEE VSED IN PRIVATE FAMILIES O Lord who takest euermore charge of thy people giuing them euer in due time what in thy wisedome thou knowest necessary for them we acknowledg thy great goodnesse toward vs O Lord in deliuering vs this night from dangers and in giuing vs competent reâ—â— Thou hast of thine aboundant mercie raised vs this morning in safetie Looke not wee beseech thee vpon our pollutions the printes whereof through our corruptions we haue left behind vs in our beds Take from vs and from euery one of vs we beseech thee the filthie garmens of sinâ—e shame and confusion wherewith wee were conceiued and borne and cloth vs with thy rightteousnesse and saluation in Iesus Christ. Blesse vs and we shall be blessed teach vs wisedome to choose what is good and to auoid euil and all the occasions of sinning this day Thou Lord hast pleasure in righteousnesse And they are only blessâ—d in whose hearts are thy wayes take away from vs stonie hearts and giue vs heartes of flesh Let our heartes cleaue vnto thee and neuer be estranged from thee for Sathan malitiously goeth about to draw vs from thee by his continuall practises suggestions temptations and raiseth his instruments to intrap vs and snare vs. But bee vnto vs O Lord a strong defence And howsoeuer our Aduersarie indeuoureth to blemish vs and to pollute vs with his inchantments transforme vs wee beseech thee into thy owne Image from glorie to glorie by thy spirit And as thou hast banished the night and darkenesse and giuen vs corporall light So Lord giue vs the light of truth Thou giuest sight to the blind banish our spirituall darknes Thou makest the Lame to goe take from vs all impediments which this day may offer themselues to hinder our found and holy walking before thee in sincere conuersations Thou turnest a barraine wildernes into a fruitfull Land and againe thou makest a fruitful LaÌ„d barrain for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Make fruitful our barraine heartes in al goodnesse and spiritual graces sow the good seed of liuely faith aud true obedience in vs and water it by thy holy Spirit that wee may bring forth the fruites of a holy and sanctâ—fied life Turne the Wildernes of our profane conueâ—sations into a Garden of godly vertues Thou hast raised vs from the deadnesse of our corporall sleepe this morning breath now into our dull drowsie soules thy sacred spirit that we may be so reuiued and spiritually cheered that wee may with holy and heauenly ioy and comfort betake vs to our corporall businesses giue vs strength of bodie the vse of our limbes senses giue vs vnderstanding hearts to performe our duties diligently faithfully and truly in our callings And let all thinges prosper vnto vs this day that wee shall take in hand for we acknowledg that it is thy goodnesse that hath kept vs this night past for which wee yeeld thee all humble thankes beseeching thee to bee with vs this day guard keep vs whatsoeuer thou hast giuen vs for wee recommend our selues our souâ—es our bodies and goods into thy holy protection keeping this day And remooue from vs Lord that curse that in seeing we shuld not see and in hearing wee should not vnderstand but quicken vs according to thy louing kindnesse that wee may loÌ„g for thy word make it sweet vnto vs by a sanctified desire to heare and a holy zeale to practise this day and euer the testimonies of thy mouth AMEN Our Father c. Lord increase our faith An Euening Prayer for priuat Families MOst gracious merciful euerliuing most louing Lord God wee are heere gathered together before thee to yeeld thee thaÌ„ks for thy goodnesse mercies this day past vouchsafed vnto vs weake and vnworthy of so great a fauour at thy hands by reason of our manifold sins offences committed against thee For by nature Lord we can doe nothing but displease thee By the transgression of the first man Adam wee haue all sinned now by the merits of the second man Christ let vs be made righteous let the perfection of his obedience satisfie for the imperfection of ours Our disobedience hath beene intollerable our rebellions horrible and our seruing of thee this day past punishable The thoughts of our hearts haue been sinfull the wordes of our mouthes deceitfull the workes of our hands hatefull Such and so euill haue we euer been that what we should haue done we haue left vndon what we shold not haue don we haue don it with eagernes greedines and thus profanely haue we passed this day now come to an end O remeÌ„ber not Lord our offences reward vs not according to our euil imaginations mark not what we haue spoken amisse nor punish vs according to our workes this day Create in vs wee beseech thee cleane hearts renew right spirits within vs fill our heads with fountains of teares that we may night day recount bewaile our sinnes in the bitternes of our harts Let this be the last day the last houre the last momeÌ„t of our wilfull offending thy Maiestie and let vs not carrie thine indignation for our sinnes to our beddesâ— but let vs instantly cast off our