Prayer into our mouths vnreuerently inconsideratly and without faith or feeling and without due conceiuing and rightly vnderstanding what euery Petition concerneth and importeth as some doe But wee must especially in priuate or publike Prayer vnto God and aboue all other vse this most heauenly Prayer with a sincere and truely sanctified zeale About the vse of this praier there hath beene of late a friuolous needlesse question raised by men of too precise an opinion who affirme it not necessarie to vse this praier in the bare words as Christ set it down A conceit without reason or religioÌ„ Others hold it verie sufficient of it selfe without eyther any other Prayer or enlarging the same according to the measure of the spirit that the man that praieth hath Which last opinion although more tollerable then the first I holde erronious For we know that the Apostles themselues the Disciples of Christ after they had learned this Prayer prayed often in other words albeit the Lords Prayer bee the rule and the sum of all other Prayers And so no doubt it is not only not vnlawfull but an especiall fruit and effect of faith to pray according to our occasions and to frame words as the Spirit of God shall giue vtterance who although we know not teacheth vs how to pray but this must alwaies be done according to the tenour of the Lords Prayer And therefore howsoeuer weake and imperfect our Prayers may seemâ—e to bee vnto our carnall part in respect of the phrase yet our spirits being directed by Gods Holy Spirit powreth forth Prayers truely vnderstood of him by whose spirit wee are enabled to pray And GOD granteth our requests according as hee seeth fit for vs. The vse of this Prayer of Prayers is farre more common then commonly rightly vnderstood For euery word therein implieth matter of great importance yet passeth the lips oftentimes before it come at much lesse before it bee truely digested in the heart and therefore witâ—ereth without fruit as plants without natural soile and van sheth in the aire euen with the sound Others in like sort like Parrots patter forth Pater noster c. know no more what the words import theÌ„ the senselesse Parrot And yet they thinke it a worke of great deuotion to tumble out a set number of such fruitlesse faithlesse prayers not vnderstood as were the time spent in cordiall and heartie prayers indeed could not be but much profitable Such are to be pitied and prayed for if they would but yeilde their eares to heare their hearts to vnderstand and indeuour to practise CHAP. XXXV The summe of the lords prayer briefly explained HOW many doe duly consider the efficacie of the word Our And yet it carrieth in it as it were the seale of our adoption in Christ for if God bee our Father then are we his children but by adoption If his children then are we to loâ—â— and obey our faâ—â—er If we obey him we acknowledge his Commaundements iust who hauing commanded vs to loue our brethren how can we come vnto our Heauenly father but bee put in mind by this word Our that our brethren haue also an interest in oâ—r Prayers whom if we forget we cannot but acknowledge that wee also forget who is our Father Againe how can children loue their father and not hate what he loueth not If wee loue what hee misliketh as the workes of the flesh the vanities of the World and the pleasures which our Father hath forbidden how and with what face can wee come cal him Our Father Or beg any thing with hope to receiue it at his handes whom wee cannot but confesse wee rather flatter then feare or loue The wordes which art in heauen intimate vnto vs that we call not vpon any earthly Prince or mortall Monarch but vpon the inuisible and immortall God whose dwelling is in the Heauens at his hands only we seeke whatsoeuer we need both heauenly and earthly thinges And as hee our Father is in Heauen whome wee loue so should â—ur minds and cogitations mâ—unt vp aboue the earth vnto the heauens where our beloued sitteth in glorie And although we bee in bodie in the earth our soules in an earthly Tabernacle yet should that our spiritual part be euermore conuersant as it were with him in the heauens as children of our heauenly Father For hee that findeth not here in himselfe such spirituall motions as may assure him that hee in some measure partaketh of a kind of felt heauenly blessednesse shall neuer hereafter partake of our heauenly Fathers glorie And therefore as we are bold in Christ our elder brother to present our selues before his Maiestie rendring vnto him his owne namely the lesson that he himselfe taught vs let vs not come to him as Trewants nor able to yeeld a reason vnto our selues of euery branch of the lesson hee gaue vs to learne But let vs set it before the eyes of our vnderstandings eyther as a glâ—sse to see our ignorance and deformities or to make it a law vnto our selues to shape all our prayers to him and our conuersations thereby to Gâ—ds glorie and our owne internall comfort What a lesson doe these words Hallowed bee thy name teach vs what occasion may wee hereby take to reproue our selues for many with the â—lippâ—s pronounce Hallowed be thy name that thinke or doe nothing lesse profaning the name of God by their sinnes which they should seeke by all meanes to glorifie as by obedience to his lawes by louing him for his own sake by praying vnto him and beleeuing in him But contrarily we disobey his will wee loue not his word we beleeue not his promises wee seeme to pray vnto him with the lips our hearts farre from him Also wee pray that his Kingdome may come namely that his Word may worke and take effect in euery mans heart to the sauing of their soules And yet most of vs are as farre from regarding it as wee rather contemne it and resist it seeming as it were vnwilling that the Spirit of God should dwell and rule in our heartes as may appeare by our common disobedience vnto the Scepter of his Kingdome the Gospell of Christ. Wee pray likewise Thy will be done And yet we do nothing lesse then obey it We begge our daily bread at the hands of God And yet wee trust him not but rather our owne prouisions our wit and policies our friendes and carnall meanâ—s coueting to lay vp in store for many yeares as the rich man did mentioned in the Gospell Arguing thereby that wee thinke in our hearts that if our owne care in getting were no surer meane of prouision of our daily necessaries then the promise and prouidence of God wee should want manie thinges and not obtaine sufficient meanes to maintaine our estate leaue vnto our children merely contrarie to the counsell of Christ who willeth vs not to be ouer-carefull for tomorrow
what time soeuer he asketh hee receiueth whensoeuer hee seeketh he findeth and when soeuer he knocketh he is admitted into the presence of God And whatsoeuer misery befalleth him in this life hee feeleth it not so vnsauorie to himselfe as other men conceiue it that beholde and obserue it in him As our Sauiour told his Disciples that hee had meate to eate which they knew not of so hath euerie sanctified regenerate man comfort that carnall men know not of which giueth him such sweete feeling of present happinesse through the assurance of his future promised glorie that he seemeth through the abuÌ„dance of his consolations rapt as it were alreadie out of this earthly Tabernacle into the heauen of heauens where he hath his conuersation in the spirit with-God though hee corporally remaine in this inferiour world CHAP. XV. True contentment not gotten by nature but by grace which produceth prayer the onely meane to obtaine all good SPiritual coÌ„tentmeÌ„t none can attaine vnto by his owne naturall powers and therefore there is a spirituall meane to be vsed for the obtayning thereof which the Apostle reaches saying Let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer And Who so lacketh wisedome let him ask of God which giueth to al men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This wisedome is not the wisedome of the world but the knowledge how when and what to ask to conform vs to the likenes of him that hath begotten vs anew who hath left vs an example that wee should follow as deare children If then we be the children of God Co-heirs with him of that heauenly Kingdom shal we not with him walke as becommeth children of such a father Shal our head weepe and lament for our sinnes Shall be suffer for our transgressions and shall wee laugh and reioyce in the vanities of this life and yet think to partake with Christ of his purchased Kingdome Hath he so farre purchased for vs as we need neyther suffering nor patience faith nor prayer Shall we think our selues like that vnspotted Lambe of God and yet defile our bodies soules by committing sinne vpon sin How can we then come vnto our father which is in heauen where no profane thing can haue any being If God heareth not sinners where shall the sinfull mans prayers appeare And how can he haue his conuersation in heauen as S. Paul had or walke with God as Henoch did whose soule and spirituall part which ought to ascend by the wings of faith towards heaueÌ„ is pressed downe by a most vgly and filthy dunghill the bodie clogged with the masse of sinne Cast off therefore all carnall and vncleane affections purifie clense your hearts by liuely repentance that the sauing bloud of the Lambe being sprinkled vpon the dore posts of our beleeuing hearts the holy spirit of God may enter and teach our spirits rightly to crye Abba father So shall wee apprehend that sacred renewing grace that shall breede this most sweet and heauenly change namely to make vs of the children of wrath the children of loue of the children of disgrace the childreÌ„ of glorie which change is not nor can be where faith faileth which faith is not obtained in respect of our prayers or any desert of our selues but only and altogether of the free fauor and good will of God in Christ in whoÌ„ for whom and by whom we haue promise to obtaine the fulnesse of spirituall contentment CHAP. XVI God being wisedome it selfe knowes how to deal with vs for our best aduantage and his own glorie which aboue all things wee must respect in all our prayers GOd being wisedome it selfe knoweth better then we what is fiâ—test for vs to receiue and for him to giue in both which his glorie must goe with our desires as it will of necessitie in his giuing And if wee seeke not his glory in all our demands we breake the order prescribed namely to doe all to the glorie of God much more then should our prayers which are the highest seruice wee can doe vnto God tend to the honour of his Maiestie beyond the desire of supply in our owne necessities and that is in making our prayers vnto him to be confident that he is iust and will according to his promise satisfie our iust desires so farre as may bee most for our benefite For we cannot truly iudge what is most expedient for vs we may aske for and think that best for vs which God in his wisedom knoweth most inconuenient and that to bee hurtfull euill for vs which hee seeth to be most for our good It is therefore agreeable to the right rule of true faith to subiect our wills to the wil of God and to frame all our petitions according to the rule of his word which teacheth vs to aske corporal things with condition that he be pleased therewith and spirituall heauenly things as the graces of the spirit with a full assurance to receiue And the more constant and earnest we be and the more we presse God to giue them so much the more it pleaseth him as to importune him to giue vs power to mortifie our corrupt affections to kill sinne both in our harts and members to begge the increase of faith obedience loue towards God and our neighbours peace in our selues and with all men patience in suffering Gods corrections gentlenesse meekenesse temperance To aske these absolutely and constantly is pleasing vnto God is acceptable vnto him wherein yet we are to beware that wee aske not spirituall gifts to carnal ends as did Simon the Magician but to Gods glorie as Salomon asked wisedome For the holy Scriptures teach vs that God suffereth many profane men to vsurpe spiritual functions as preaching prophecying and casting out Diuels to whom yet God wâ—â—l say Depart from me I know you not The like may be said of praying namely of meere babling with the tongue without the consent of a feeling faith full heart And in all these to shew more outward sinceritie then to haue inward sanctity is meere hypocrisie CHAP. XVII Three principall motiues to stirre vp men to pray wherof the chiefest is necessitie THere bee three principall motiues to stirre vp Christians to prayer first Gods commandement Pray continually 1. Thess. 5. 17. secondly the promise And ye shall receiue Matth. 7. 7. The third and last motiue is our owne necessities and they are infinite Daniel prayed â—o be preserued among the Lyons the three children froÌ„ the fire Hezekiah from death Ionah to bee deliuered from the bowels of the Whale Susanna to be freed from the vniust accusation of the lasciuious and false Iudges Dauid to be deliuered from the malice of Saul Necessitie hath so manie branches as men are subiect to seuerall dangers which are infinit and therefore a motiue of great force and yet without Gods assistance they can obtain no ease For the more a man strugleth to free himselfe from
A LOAD-STARRE To Spirituall Life OR A CHRISTIAN FAmiliar motiue to the most sweet and heauenly exercise of Diuine PRAYER With Prayers for Morning and Euening Written to stir vp all men to watchfulnesse and reformation of their carnall and corrupt liues By I. NORDEN LVKE 21. 36. Watch therefore and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things thâ—â— shall come to passe and that ye may stand 〈◊〉 fore the Sonne of Man LONDON Printed by William Stansby 1614. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR IVLIVS CAESAR Knight Chancellor of his Maiesties Exchequer and of his Maiesties most honourable Priâ—â—e Counsaile Right Honorable I Am bolde to present vnto you and vnder your Honourable countenance these vntimely and green fruits of my idle 〈◊〉 which I gained in and without 〈◊〉 of his Maiesties seruice wherein I haue been employed fearing yet lest my forwardnesse in attempting and especially in publishing a matter so farre aboue the course of my ordinarie calling should deseruedly purchase vnto my selfe condigne reproofe For that it may be right well obiected That it had better besitted mee to haue retained my selfe within the 〈◊〉 of and to haue with more diligence imploied myself vnto the purport of my ordinarie Commission And so I doe acknowledge had I beene negligent in performing the last And I acknowledge it commendable and a sufficient discharge for a man of whatsoeuer profession sincerely to performe the same without thrusting his sickle into another mans haruest But no man is ignorant that there is a two-fold calling in euerie Christian a corporal and a spirituall and they differ in themselues as darknesse light the effects of the first are visible of the second hidden as touching the internal and mentall working the outward actions coÌ„mon to both But our Sauiour faith Man liueth not by bread that is by corporall meanes onely but by a kind of spirituall norishment For the life that dependeth vpon the creatures is alike commoÌ„ to men and beasts The spirituall life onely proper to the children of God who yet partake of the corporall bread in no other outward manner then doe they that know not God Christ had meat to eate that his Disciples knew not of so haue Gods children a nourishment that carnall men know not of and some other labors and endeuors wherof the world taketh little or no knowledge The outward mysterie function or calling doth neither discouer nor can they hinder this heauenly food be their calling neuer so super-eminent neither pleasure nor profite nor wearinesse of bodie can hinder or preuent the holy meditations of well affected spirit Carnall men feed onely vpon the seeming good they enioy in this life Pleasure and Profit al their endeuours tend to these or to one of them They know no better and therefore seek these as best principall◠〈…〉 And what euery man affecteth most is his summum borum But they onely are happy of what ranke soeuer who haue learned to obserue and do truely follow the counsaile of the Apostle Not to repose too much confidence in worldly meanes for Bodily exercise which includeth all carnall appetite profiteth little but Godlinesse is profitable to all things hauing the promise of this life and of that which is to come Godâ—inesse consisteth of spirituall exercise not altogether in outward labour though the second bee sanctified by the first and without the first there is no blessing promised to the second No vocation function office place exercise or endeuour in Church or Common-weale can truely prosper in the meere carnall man 〈…〉 may seeme to beâ—â—â— with glorie and continue a while in seeming grace it neuer endeth but with griefe The coÌ„sideration whereof moued mee to a more serious meditation how much it concerned my selfe and other men to intermix with my corporall some spirituall â—â—ercise At length mentâ—â— meditation brake into actual inuocation on God to sanctifie my labors to moderate my desires of carnall things to order my will to season mine affections and to blesse mine endeuors to this end I was bolde to borrow some oportunities of my other employments which I recompenced with the more serious diligence when occasion required my retire vnto mine enioyned seruices And hauing thus rudely heaped together stubble and straw for the building vp of mine owne meditatioÌ„s touching the sweetnesse necessitie of praier for mine owne priuat comfort I imparted the same to some of my learned and religious friends by whom I was encouraged to recommend it to the publique which I haue done vnder the title of 〈◊〉 Load-starre to spirituall life importing an effectuall motiue to praier and aduentured it vnder your Honourable fauour to the view of all that loue that spirituall exercise humbly entreating pardon for my boldnes which if I obtaine I hold me richly rewarded At my house at Henâ—en this 24. of Iune 1614. At your Honours command euer IO. NORDEN TO THE CHRIstian Reader IF thou consider good Reader the worth and in estimable value of the grace to praye truly and faithfully to God thou â—â—â—st not but embrace the meanest worke of the weakest in Gods Church tending to moue thee thereunto for such is the force of 〈◊〉 that whatâ—â—euer a man loueth it inclineth the eare to heare the eye to behold the hand to handle the mind to consider and the will to embrace yea euery small appearance resemblance of the thing it affecteth When thou therefore lookest vpon the Title of this weake Treatise and findest it to tend to a Motiue to holy prayer thou canst not cast it by if thou bee truely affected to that most diuine exercise but couet to looke farther into the body of the matter for thy better satisfaction and censolation how weake soeuer thou find it I haue entitled it A Load-starre to spiritual 〈◊〉 because no act or exercise of the minde can 〈◊〉 effectually leade the soule to a spirituall communication with God the highest grace and glory that men can enioy in 〈◊〉 life then faithfull prayer Let slip therefore no opportunities wherein thou mayest pray the occasions are infinite the time euer the benefit great At thy leasure peruse endeuour to practise and neuer omit so heauenly an exercise Fare thou well in the Lord. Thine in Christiaâ— good will IO. NORDEN THE SVMME OF THIS WHOLE Treatise is contained in the Chapters following Chap. I. THe neglect of prayer condemâ—â—â— the sweetnesse of prayer prayer to an 〈…〉 prayer Chap. II. To 〈…〉 prayer 〈…〉 To presse into 〈◊〉 presence without premeditation is arrogancie A definition of prayer Chap. III. How wee ought to approach before God in prayer to depend on God not on carnall meanes though some depend more on the last then on the first Chap. IV. The faithfull mans God is the only liuing God and in him is his chiefe good the carnall men haue manie gods the ends of both Chap. V. The world is inconstant the difference betweene diuine and carnall wisdome betweene the seeming
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