would seeme holy And so instead of a blessing procure a curse vnto themselues for their hypocrisie Wee must consider that God is a iealous God holdeth none guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine as they manifestly doe that come neere him with their lips when their hearts are farre from him It is a kind of spirituall adultery outwardly to seeme wholy to be gods and yet inwardly to be meere worldlings Before we open our mouthes therefore to God we must cast out of the Temple of God which is our heart all buyers and sellers as Christ did out of the Temple of Ierusalem for as long as our hearts doe harbour the desires of worldly profits and carnall pleasures aboue the sincere seruice of God our heart the Temple of the liuing God becommeth a den of theeues that steales away all our godly affections to settle them on Belial Let vs looke vnto the man Christ Iesus crucified by whose blood wee are redeemed by whose mediation wee are sure to haue our prayers heard of God and granted especially if for our further and more perfect preparation we can truely obserue the rule of Christ to forgiue our enemies knowing that if we forgiue not our brother that offendeth vs God will not forgiue vs that farre more grieuously offend him And therefore Christ counselleth vs that if we bring our sacrifice to the Altar namely if we intend to pray and there remember that a brother hath ought against vs we ought to leaue our offering before the Altar that is forbear for the time to pray yet to continue our holy intention to pray and to goe first and bee reconciled to our brother and then to come to offer our gift namely our prayers freely vnto God in Christ for before we be vnburthened of all rancor malice enuie hatred and all other prophane desires it is not only not auaileable but lamentable that so many will as doe presume to come before God with hearts so fearefully fraught with these vnholy affections and stagger no more to presse into Gods presence nay not so much as some that come vnto God with most prepared peacefull and most sanctified consciences Let such cast-out the bond woman with her sonne namely the old man the works and lusts of the flesh and giue entertainment vnto the free-woman and her sonne the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnes and true holines And so recommend our prayers vnto God the obiect of our prayers in Christ the Mediator of our prayers by the holy Ghost the Author of all holy prayers Attention in Prayer Being thus prepared let vs endeuour to yeeld due and true attention in our prayers that is to giue â—eed to what we pray to whom we pray for what we pray and with what zeale we pray which are the truest tokens and greatest arguments that our prayers are liuely powerfull effectuall and of faith which properties can neuer be in lip-labour for there cannot be a more apparent discouery of a rancke Hypocrite then to make outward showes of Deuotion with the gesture and lippes and yet the heart to be busied in the cogitation of idle â—arthly and prophane things And nothing more discouereth an idle heart outwardly then the wandering of the eye in the time of diuine prayer for it is probable and often found by experience that the eye withdraweth the heart and if the eye be inconstant the prayer hath not nor can haue the due attention of the heart yet it doth not follow that although the eye bee fixed on any certaine obiect or be shut that therefore the heart is rightly set on God for oftentimes the eye followes the heart the cogitation of the heart making the eye to forget it obiect as when the heart is wandring in the fields of corne viewing the herdes of cattle and flockes of sheepe when it is in the ware-house in the shoppe in the chest minding bands payments ouercome with pride plotting reuenge oppressed with feare besotted with pleasure iâ—tangled with cares or otherwise peruerted by any prophane and vngodly cogitations Prayers made witls such an extraâ—agant heart be they in words neuer so holy they are imputed vnto vs as sin for shall wee thinke that God will heare our prayers to our profit or comfort when the thoughts of our hearts in the meane time dishonor him Many pray in their owne familiar language and yet consider no more what they speake for want of attention then if they spake in an vnknowne tongue and yet such men will hold themselues very deuout and to haue power in themselues to pray when they list as if true prayer werâ— of that facilitie and ease to vtter as is an idle tale and as it seemes by beggers that tumble out the Lords prayer with one breath at a doore and yet minde nothing but their almes Such men are to be pitied and to be wished better to aduise themselues before they attempt this seruice of God most holy for Prayer is not an easie worke it is of a deeper straine then a tale that is but from the tongue to the teeth from the teeth to the lips and so into the ayre True prayer is cordiall and of that force and efficacie as it constraineth the heart to sighes groanes and teares with such inward â—eâ—uencie of holy zeale as tenters the heart with such internall gripes as may bee truly said the râ—ting of the hart And the more we feele our hearts thus inwardly sharply touched so much the more comfort it yeeldeth to the soule of the faithfull petitioner yea such and so great consolation as he that feeles it cannot expresse it with his tongue be he neuer so eloquent neither can any conceiue or apprehend the sweetnes of it that is not exercised and experienced in the same for nature apprehendeth it not No man can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost and none can desire the Spirit of God but by the Spirit of God Flesh and bloud cannot as much as desire spirituall things spiritually for spirituall things are to be compared with spirituall things and spirituall gifts are obtained by spirituall meanes And therefore are words without the spirit as naked and bare incense without fire but being inkindled in the heart and sanctified by the holy spirit of God who is promised to assist our spirits they are as a liuely and acceptable sacrifice to God working so powerfully with him through Christs mediâ—tion as they neuer returne empty of what soeuer blessing we desire Prayer can neuer be effectuall 〈◊〉 there be sâ—me certaine spirituall obiect of the mind to moue the attention of the heart which obiect is God and we must consider that when we pray vnto him or yeeld him any other worship that we are not to conceiue him in the forme of any earthly or heauenly bodily or spirituall creature whatsoeuer for in that maner not to conceiue him is a degree of coÌ„ceiuing him a right according to Master Perkins
God must be conceiued of vs in our prayers as subsisting in the whole three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The vnitie in Trinitie and Tâ—initie in vnitie is to be worshipped retaining in mind the distinction and order of all the three persons without seuering or sundring them for as they are conioyned in nature so are they to be conioyned in worship And therefore he that prayeth vnto God the Father for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes must aske it of him for the merits of the Sonne and by the assurance of the holy Ghost and he that prayeth for the remission of sinnes to God the Sonne must pray that he would procure the Father to graunt him pardon and to assure it by his Spirit He also that prayeth for the same to God the holy Ghost must pray that he would assure vnto him the remission of his sinnes from the Father for and by the merits of his Sonne Thus must we apprehend the Trinitie in our prayers so shall we auoide that idolatrous conceiuing of him imbraced of some who cannot pray vnlesse they haue the figure of a humane creature to represent vnto their bodily eyes the shape of God the Father in likenesse of an olde man and a crucifixe figuring Christ suffring on the Crosse and the holy Ghost by a Doue whose worship cannot bee reputed spirituall but carnall and their prayers not heauenly but prophane Prayer is a spirituall action proper onely to the children of God who are Saints by calling sanctified in Christ And they and none other truely call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus prophane persons pray not though they seeme to pray But most happie is that man that commeth vnto God Father Sonne and holy Ghost truely prepared and duely attentiue he may boldly aske and confidently assure himselfe to receiue grace for grace and all blessings spirituall without limitation and all benefits corporall needfull If our prayers bee made in vs by him who hath promised and hath power to giue what we aske shall wee thinke hee will faile to performe The hope of hypocrites in deed shall perish and their prayers vanish as the smoake because they wait vpon lying vanities and desire carnall pleasures and worldly profits But the Lord will surely fulfill the desires of them that feare him because their prayers tend to the setting foorth of Gods glory to the good of the Church to the remission of their owne sinnes and other mens to the obtaining of Gods graces to the increase of the vnderstanding of heauenly things that they may walke before God and be vpright that they may doe the workes and bring sorth the fruits of the spirit These are the prayers that are the PENSIVE SOVLES DELIGHT These are the prayers that wound the Serpent that please God bringing peace to the conscience afflicted But which is to bee lamented all men are dull by nature And the very elect sometimes weakely disposed to pray And therefore is euery godly man to vse all holy meanes to inkindle their hearts to the right performance of this heauenly dutie And nothing more preuaileth therein then Meditation whereunto wee are also very vnapt by nature and know not how nor vpon what ground to lay the foundation therof yet if we can truly frame our hearts to a holy Meditation wee shal find that it is the very key that openeth our dull hearts lockt vp vnder griefe vnder feare vnder trouble vnder persecutioÌ„ misery and sendeth forth by litle and litle the fire of true zeale which at length becommeth a great flame of preuailing prayers which thing they easily find that are conuersant in this sacred exercise of Meditation and Prayer who yet many times finde themselues most dull and most vnapt to pray hauing yet an inward desire thereunto which desire they cannot containe but labouring a while in silence speaking inwardly to God in sighes and groanes at length they speake effectually with their tongues Seeing therefore that all men need motiues to stirre them vp to prayer let euery man addresse himselfe to the word of God or peruse some godly worke of religious men And although vocally he cannot reade by reason of his naturall dulnes yet if his heart can be but conuersant and duely attend the sence as the eye obserues the letter his minde by little and little shall mount it selfe from earth to heauen fixed on the Trinitie whence shall arise such spirituall fruits of faith and feruencie of spirit as shall fill the soule with more sweet consolation byinkindled praier then the tongue can vtter And to this end gentle Reader according to the small measure of mine vnderstanding I haue prefixed before euery prayer a Motiue or Meditation touching the substance and matter of the Prayer following Thankesgiuing after Prayer The third and last duty in this holy exercise is Thankesgiuing which cannot but follow sanctified praiers that with such ioy in the holy Ghost as it cannot but break forth into most vnspeakeable inward thaÌ„kfulnes to God who hath beene so graciously pleased not only to forgiue our sins but to helpe our infirmities by his holy spirit by whom wee haue had accesse vnto the throne of grace found such fauour with God in Christ as we haue obtained by the holy Ghost both the will and the power to pray Also we ought in all things to giue thankes to God for euery blessing and benefit wee receiue at his hands according to the counsell and precept of the Apostle who commands vs to giue thankes alwayes for all things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes. 5. 20. Thus much touching the admonition Great Britaines happines in regard of the free vse of the Gospell in respect of other Nations FInally I thinke it not impertinent altogether by way of comparison to consider of our happines in being partakers of the free vse of the Gospell in respect of the most vnhappie condition of many Nations and infinite people that either know not God at all or knowing him honour him not as God The Old and New Testaments haue beene freely opened vnto vs neere threescore yeares without Persecution and so it hath not been in any one Kingdom we reade of Some Kingdomes and Free States in their Iurisdictions haue and doe in a sort permit the Gospell but with the same tolerate contrary religions professions Where doth the freedome of the Gospell appeare as in Great Britaine In what Kingdome is it so publikely receiued so plentifully preached and so freely professed without danger or contradiction We haue heard and seene the troubles of the Netherlands and the Massacres of France and the persecutioÌ„s in other territories for the profession of the Gospell and we all this while haue quietly enioyed that for the profession wherof many haue perished May wee not therefore truely say with Dauid The Lord hath not dealt so with euery Nation Queene ELIZABETH restored Religion almost smothered by Queen
their better part the soule should so little regard the meanes by whom they receiue it the Ministers of the word of Saluation the Gospell of Christ Many will protest they loue Christ and yet the contrary appeareth when they not only regard not but despise his Ministers whom hee hath sent as Embassadors of his will We beseech you brethren saith Saint Paul to the Thessalonians that yee haue the Ministers of God in singular loue for their workes sake We should loue all men and pray for all men how much more for them that leade vs to the well of life The same Saint Paul willeth the Ephesians not only to pray in an ordinarie maner but in the Spirit with perseuerance and watchfulnes euen for him that vtterance might be giuen vnto him and that he might open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell And are we lesse bound to pray for them that haue the Spirituall charge ouer vs the care and cure of our soules that they may be able to deliuer the Word sincerely to open their mouths boldly to our edification and consolation in Christ And that they namely the Ministers may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for we know that Christ Antichrist Truth and Falsehood Christ and Satan cannot stand together And he that preacheth the word truely is the means to bring men out of darknesse to light from sinne to sanctitie from Satan to Christ. And therefore Satan will euer oppose himselfe and instigate euill men to encounter scandalize and persecute such as are truest and most painefull labourers in Gods Spirituall haruest whereby it commeth to passe that the word of God is oftentimes hindered the Church of Christ diminished Ignorance increased Religion despised Vice aduanced Faith decreased Obedience to God neglected and Truth among men meerely abandoned and cōtemned And al this where Prophecying Preaching faile God giueth not to man a more speciall blessing in earth then the preaching of the word which is as the net to catch men there were three thousand men so catcht at the first preaching of Peter and by his continuance in that spirituall fishing there were caught fiue thousand persons out of the snare of Satan Let all men therefore loue pray for them that thus fish to saue the soules of mē that haue the ouersight and rule ouer them they are the watch men of Christ and whoso loues Christ the Master and Lord cannot but loue his Ministers and pray for them not only as brethren but as men appointed by Corist to direct them the way of saluation And let no man thinke it is not their duetie to pray for them because they are appointed and ought to pray for others and not others for them as some prophanely affirme It is a needfull and required duetie to pray one for another especially for the Ministers who are or ought to be as Gods mouth vnto vs to teach vs his will as Gods hand to support vs by spirituall counsell as Gods eye to obserue our wayes and as Gods Ministers to reproue vs of sinne and to pronounce pardon in Christ to the truely penitent Pray therefore for them that the gifts of the holy Ghost may abound in them that men seeing their good workes may glorifie God our their Father which is in heauē A Prayer to be said for the Ministers of Gods word GRacious and mercifull O Lord our God art thou in all thy wayes and workes towards men and in nothing more gracious then in thy word preached vnto vs whereby thou doest open and reueile vnto vs the mystery of our saluation according to thy good pleasure in Christ our Lord. Thou teachest vs heauenly wisedome in earth by thy holy Spirit giuen vnto men whom thou doest set apart to that holy function as men chosen to winne men to thee And for as much as neither thy beloued Saints Peter nor Iohn nor Paul could preach or prophecie before they were sent neither were they sent before they were sanctified Sanctifie and send foorth Lord worthy Labourers into thine haruest and sanctifie and blesse them whom thou hast sent with such spirituall gifts and graces as may enable them to be instant in season and out of season that they may winue many vnto thee Inlighten their hearts with the light of true knowledge Touch their tongues with the coale from thine Altar that their lips may preserue knowledge and in their hearts may bee true zeale that they may still call vpon thy children to walk in the light of thy truth And as thou diddest send downe vpon thine Apostles the holy Ghost in fiery tongues to teach thē so instill into the hearts of all thy Ministers Preachers of thy word the fire of true zeale a godly boldnes to speake thy truth without respect of persons not to flatter the wicked nor to spare the rebuking of sin and let them comfort the weake harted let thē be able to bring them that erre into the right way that they may conuert liue that they may beleeue liue for Faith cōmeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of thy word Let therefore the beautiful fruit of thē plentifully appeare amongst vs that bring glad tidings of peace which thē the glad tidings of our saluation And let thē speak nothing but as thy word teacheth thē that they may be foūd good disposers of thy graces Let their conuersatiōs be vpright before thee let thē be as lights set on a hill that they may teach as well by the example of their owne liues as by preaching thy Word that thou in all things mayest be glorified through Iesus Christ to whom is praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the Church Uniuersall THe Church which S. Paul calleth the House of God 1. Tim. 3. 15. is the Congregation of the faithfull dispersed throughout the world and in regard of the vniuersalitie thereof is called the Church Catholike Of which Vniuersalitie are many and seuerall societies distinct by place vnited by faith And euery seuerall company professing one and the same truth confessing one and the same faith and holding one and the same forme of administration of the Sacramēts are one intire bodie which bodie is the vniuersall Church wherof Christ is the head one Spouse whereof Christ is the husband He hath begotten this dispersed congregation by vertue of his word and made them one by the vnity of his Spirit By which Spirit the Fathers belieued in Christ before the came in the flesh and were of the same mysticall bodie whereof we that beleeue his word being come are also members and whereof Christ Iesus hath bin is and shall be the euerlasting head The parable of the Sower which Christ propounded Matth. 13. 24. sheweth by the euill seede mixed with the good that this Church shall neuer be free from offences both in doctrine and manners vntill the day of the fina 〈…〉
keepe vs vnderthine obedience Lest our continuing tranquility prosperity should cause vs to forget thee Giue vs we beseech thee holy conuersations that we may euer walke before thee in all vprightnes that we may prosper in all our wayes by thy blessing grant that our children may grow vp in all goodnes vertues honesty religion to means whereby they may passe this their pilgrimage with much spirituall comfort in Iesus Christ. Increase according to thy good pleasure our stocke store multiply thy many blessed benefits vnto vs performe thy promises vnto vs and vnto our seed as thou didst to Abraham Isaac Iaacob and to their seed make vs our seed faithfull that we may be blessed with faithfull Abraham and as the house of Obed edom was blessed for the Arkes sake so Lord blesse vs with thine own presence that we the house wherin we remaine may be euer blessed and all that belongeth vnto vs Through Iesus Christ our only mediatour Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO Parents to stirre them vp to instruct and pray for their children THere can bee no stronger band of loue and mutuall affection betweene humane creatures then is or ought to bee betweene parents and their children being of one flesh blood But this loue appeareth in some by counterfeit markes as by their continual care carke toile in the world to get wealth to inrich their posterity Some in a doting maner pamper vp decke their children like peacocks making them admired guls for their vanities Some through a blind affection not only permit but incourage their children to take their vaine delights and pleasures in dycing carding company keeping drinking and in all kind of vnseemely riotous and irreligious courses and some Ignorants of the world commende such foolish and doting parents But not onely Religion but meere humane reason condemnes this kinde of loue and holds it rather madnesse then modestie rather wickednes then wisdome for Seneca saith It is impossible for that man to be of a vertuous disposition that is wantonly brought vp in rioting and pleasures Wise parents and religious care more how to bring vp their children in honestie vertue and in the feare of God then how to make them to liue wealthily pleasantly and gloriously in the world They consider that it is better for their children to be esteemed of the good for their vertues then to please the phantasies of their fond parents and others by their beautie brauery comlines and the liniaments of their bodies which are most graceful in their silly parents singular opinions yet is it a common course of worldlings to care more for the bodies then for the soules more for the wealth then for the wisdome more for the health then for the happines and more for the present prosperitie then for the future saluation of their dearest children A preposterous kinde of loue and contrarie to the counsell of the holy Ghost who teacheth parents to learne their children the lawes of God as Deut. 6. 7. Thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children shalt talk of them when thou tariest in thine house as thou walkest in the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp In all places at all times and by all meanes parents ought to instruct their children It is reputed a great glorie and a speciall blessing to haue many children but it is not the number but the vertues of them and the comfort parents take of their godly qualities that giueth the blessing Gideon or Ierubaal had 70. children and one of them Abimelech slew threescore and nine of them What comfort or consolation can parents looke for of prophane and irreligious children but griefe and vexation of spirit It behoueth parents therefore not only to take care of the instruction of their children and educating them in the feare of God but to pray for a blessing vpon them also For parents may teach and children may heare but without a blessing from God it little profiteth Paul may plant Apollos may water but it is God that giueth the increase Eli could say vnto his sonnes that were wicked Doe no more so my sonnes do no more so but they reformed not but were slaine by Gods iudgements and at the newes Eli their father fell backward from his seat and brake his necke Adramelech and Sharazer impious sonnes kild Senacherib their wicked father If euer there were a time of necessitie for parents to instruct exhort rebuke reprooue and pray for their children This corrupt age of necessitie requires it for there is none so ignorant but may obserue the irreligious vaine and vnbridled courses of children of both sexes who without the especial grace of God we see daily to fall into so grosse inormities as draw downe vpon them their swift confusion to the perpetuall shame intolerable griefe and deserued ignominie of their carelesse parents A prayer fit for parents to make vnto God in the behalfe of their children O Gracious Lord God father of mercy and louing kindnes I giue thee hearty thanks for thy goodnesse in blessing me with the gift of children Blesse me also with wisedom and vnderstanding to instruct them in the knowledge of thee to educate them in thy fear to confirme them in thy faith and to winne them to thy loue This dutie thou requirest at the hands of parents towards their children and punishest the neglect thereof as in Eli. Powre downe Lord therfore into the hearts of my children thy holy Spirit that they may become fit members of that mysticall bodie wherof Christ thy Sonne is the head leade them by thine own right hand in the way of knowledge faith and obedience that their obedience beginning at them it may extend vnto vs their parents and assist vs that we may teach them instruct them rebuke them reproue them and wish all goodnes vnto them which yet is altogether fruitlesse without thy blessing and grace fruitlesse in respect of our selues their parents vnlesse thou blesse vs with a holy and powerfull zeale to performe our parently duties towards them religiously faithfully in teaching them fruitlesse in respect of them vnlesse thou inable them by thy holy Spirit to learne and imbrace such religious wholesome documents as thou mayest be pleased to furnish vs with for their instruction Season my heart I humbly beseech thee with a holy desire to seeke their saluation and season their harts with an humble and holy inclination to obey thy truth All humane creatures are prone to sin against thee youth especially who are most apt to fall into many forbidden vanities and therefore need they not only continuall instruction in and to goodnes and debortation from sinne but continuall watchfulnes and careful diligence to obserue and follow the good and to preuent and auoid the euill which neither we their parents are able sufficiently to teach nor they our children to performe by nature furnish vs therfore most