not find themselves to stand in need of Gods help neither do depend upon the providence or blessing of God in the use of the means For such when they pray unto God for these things as namely to give them this day their daily bread they do not pray in truth because they do not unfeignedly desire that whereof they find no want II. In respect of spirituall things two sorts of men offend First those that are carnally secure who although they be wretched and miserable poore blind and naked yet being lukewarm with the Laodiceans Rev. 3. 17. feeling no want think they are rich and need nothing Secondly those who are righteous in their own conceit as Pharisaicall and Popish justitiaries For both these and the other feeling no want either pray not at all or if they do pray it is but for fashions sake and therefore praying usu magis quà m sensu out of custome rather then sense their prayer is not acceptable unto God and like lukewarm water to the stomach Wherefore it behoveth us to labour that we may have a true sense of our wants Which I speak especially in respect of spirituall graces for when we are pinched with bodily wants we are many times but too sensible thereof But of spirituall wants many have no sense and being miserable they feel no misery First therefore it is good to be perswaded that this sense of our wants is necessary for us For without it neither will we seriously seek unto the Lord neither will he seem to regard us We will not earnestly seek unto him for what we do not want we do not desire and what we do not desire that we do not ask except it be for fashion And how can we look that the Lord will compati that is have compassion on us when we do not pati or feel any want How can we desire him misereri to have mercy on us when we do not esteem our selves miseri to whom mercy belongeth for thence hath misericordia the name Yea if we be rich and full in ouâ—… own conceits the Lord will send us away empty Luke 1. 55. remaining in our sinne Luke 18. 14. exposed to his curse Luke 6. 24 25. Whereas on the other side if we be humbled with the sense of our want the Lord will have speciall regard unto us Isai. 66. 2. and 57. 15. and be near unto us in all our desires Psal. 34. 18. Yea such he calleth to him Matth. 11. 28. such he promiseth to heare Psal. 10. 17. John 7. 37. such he pronounceth blessed Matth. 5. 3 4 5. Secondly that we may attein to this sight and sense of our misery and wants we are to look into the glasse of the law which will reveal unto us our misery both in respect of our sins and also of the punishment due for the same c. Thirdly for as much as the sight and sense of our misery is the gift of God and work of his spirit we are to pray unto God that he will anoint the eyes of our minds with the eye-salve of his spirit Revel 3. 18. that we may see our sins and that he would touch our hearts with the finger of his spirit as he struck the rock in the wildernes that they may melt within us as the heart of Josias did at the reading of the law 2. Kings 22. 19. and be resolved into a fountain of tears by which we may bewail our sinnes whereby we have displeased and dishonoured God From this sense of our wants ariseth the second thing that is an earnest desire to have our wants supplyed And this is of such force in prayer that it seemeth to be nothing else but the expressing of our desire and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of such efficacie in prayer that some place the efficacie of prayer therein so reade the words of S. James ch 5. 16. The effectuall â—…ervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much others The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent But though it be not the onely cause of efficacy yet it is one of the principall for as Augustine saith Dignior sâ—…quitur effectus quem ferventior affectus praecedit A more worthy effect followeth which a more fervent affection precedeth This praying with earnest desire is commended to us in the word of God by divers significant phrases For besides that it is called crying unto the Lord and crying mightily Jon. 3. 8. lifting up of our prayer Isai. 38. 14. this is also to poure forth our souls before the Lord like water Lam. 2. 19. In which sense the Israelites are said 1. Sam. 7. 6. to have drawn water from the fountain of their hearts and poured it out before the Lord. This is to pray with grones unspeakable Rom. 8. 26. which the holy Ghost stirreth up in us and is therefore an evident token of the child of God indued with the Spirit of adoption which is also the spirit of grace and supplication making us when we look upon him whom we have pierced by our sinnes to lament and mourn as a man mourneth for his first-begotten Zech. 12. 10. For as Augustine saith Plerunque hoc negotium plùs gemitibus quà m sermonibus agituâ—… fletu plùs quam affatu For the most part this businesse is effected better with grones then words with weeping rather then speaking This is to pray with Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly 1. Thess. 3. 10. This is with Epaphras Col. 4. 12. as it were to wrestle with the Lord which the Apostle commendeth to the Romanes chap. 15. 30. By which kind of wrestling Jacob prevailed with God as Hosea teacheth chap. 2. 3 4. and was therefore called Israel Gen. 32. This is that prayer of the humble which pierceth the clouds Ecclus 35. 21. This fervent desire therefore is fervently to be desired of us and happy are they which have atteined to it Matth. 5. 6. The means to attein unto it are First because it is the work of Gods spirit to beg it of him by prayer Secondly to labour after a true sense of our wants Thirdly in our preparation to meditate on the excellency profit and necessity of those things which we crave that so our affections may be inflamed with a desire thereof as also of the necessity of Gods help that except the Lord heare us and help us our case is desperate So David prayeth Psal. 28. 1. and 143. 6 7. Heare me O Lord and hide not thy face else I shall be like to them that go down into the pit Fourthly we are upon extraordinary occasions to joyn fasting with our prayers as we are directed in many places of the Scripture For fasting as it causeth the hunger of the body 〈◊〉 it is an effectuall means to stirre up and increase the hunger of the soul. For which cause the Fathers 〈◊〉 fasting orationis alas the wings of prayer CHAP. XXX Of Faith
the waters of Strife did not sanctifie the Lord by believing and acknowledging his omnipotent power then the Lord did sanctifie his name himself Num. 20. 12 13. Lev. 22. 32. Neither shall ye pollute my holy name but I will be hallowed amongst the people of Israel So when Herod would not give the glory to God the Lord glorified himself in his destruction In the second place therefore we pray in zeal of Gods glory That howsoever men pollute and profane his holy name yet he would glorifie it and manifest the praise both of his mercy in blessing and preserving his Church and also of his justice in executing his judgements upon the wicked and enemies of his Church by removing the impediments by freeing it from the pollution of men and mainteining his glory Duties 1. Zeal of his glory that he may sanctifie it whatsoever become of me 2. Fear to profane his name seeing he will be sanctified c. V. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy kingdome come What Gods kingdome is THe first petition conteined the main scope of all our desires This and the next contein the way and means whereby that end is to be atchieved for then is God glorified when his kingdome is advanced and his will is performed The meaning of the words Thy kingdome come We must know that there are two kingdomes in the world ruling in the minds and hearts of men the one of darknesse the other of light the one of Satan the other of God Col. 1. 13. unto the one of which every man in the world is subject The kingdome of Satan and darknesse is whereby the children of disobedience being blindfolded and bewitched of the devil go on and continue in ignorance and sinne to their own perdition The prince of this kingdome is Satan the prince of the air Ephes. 2. 2. and God of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. John 12. 31. The subjects are all men by nature untill they be brought out of this kingdome of Satan into the kingdome of God and then is the kingdome of God said to come to them But in this subjection do none finally remain but the reprobate who are the children of disobedience in whom Satan worketh effectually Ephes. 2. 2. and blindeth their minds that the light of the glorious gospel of the kingdome of God shine not unto them 2. Cor. 4. 4. and carrieth them away captive to the obedience of his will 2. Tim. 2. 26. The law of this kingdome whereby he ruleth is sinne Hujus regni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The law of this kingdome is to be without law This sin reigneth in the mortall bodies of men mâ—…king them give up their members to be instruments of sinne unto iniquity Rom. 6. 12 13. untill it please God to let his kingdome come upon them ruling them by his word and spirit The end of this kingdome is endlesse perdition 2. Thess. 1. 9. and against this kingdome are we taught to pray in this place c. The other is the kingdome of God And this is either universall or speciall The universall is that whereby the Lord ruleth over all things even over his enemies whereunto all things are subject and from which subjection nothing can exempt it self This of Divines is called regnum potentiae the kingdome of power whereof the holy Ghost speaketh Psal. 99. 1 2. and 145. 13. and in the clause of this prayer For thine is the kingdome But most plainly Psal. 103. 19. The Lord hath established his throne in heaven and his kingdome is over all This kingdome nothing can resist nothing can hinder no not although all creatures should band themselves together against it The speciall kingdome of God is that whereby he ruleth not over all men in generall but onely over the Church that is the company of the elect And as there be two parts of the Church the one militant upon the earth the other triumphant in heaven so are there two parts of Gods kingdome the first of grace the Church militant the second of glory the Church triumphant The former is the blessed estate of Christians in whom he reigneth in this life for it doth not consist in meat and drink or in any temporall or worldly thing but it is righteousnes that is assurance oâ—… justification and peace of conscience arising from thence Rom. 5. 1. and joy in the holy Ghost a consequent of both the other Rom. 14. 17. The latter is the glorious and blessed estate of the faithfull after this life where they shall have the fruition of God in whose presence there is fulnesse of joy c. Of these two the former is the way to the latter therefore whosoever would be an inheritour of the kingdome of glory in heaven must first be a subject of God in the kingdome of grace in this life Luke 22. 30. and therefore out of the Church there is no salvation And on the other side whosoever is a true subject of God in the kingdome of grace shall be an heir of glory in heaven and therefore to them that be true members of the Church there is no condemnation And this David teacheth us Psal. 15. 1. Who shall sojourn c. both parts of that question concerning one and the same man The kingdome of grace is that government whereby the Lord doth effectually rule in our hearts by his word and Spirit working in us his own good work of grace and making us fellow-citizens and meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and of the houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. Saints in light Col. 1. 12. In this kingdome the Prince is the Lord who exerciseth this kingdome by his Sonne Psal. 96. 10. and 97. 1. and 110. 1. The people are the Church which is therefore called the kingdome of heaven Matth. 5. 19. and the particular subjects are all true Christians The sceptre of this kingdome is the word of God Psal. 110. which is also the law whereby he reigneth and is therefore called the word of the kingdome Matth. 13. 19. the gospel of the kingdome of God Mark 1. 14. The preaching of which word and gospel is also called the kingdome of heaven Matth. 13. 11. and 22. 2 c. Where by the way we may note that where the word of God and gospel of the kingdome is truly preached there is the kingdome consequently the Church of God and therefore that may be also verified of us which our Saviour Christ speaketh of the Jews that the kingdome of God is amongst us Luke 17. 21. This preaching of the word is also called the arm of God Isa. 53. 1. whereby he pulleth men out of darknesse into light and out of the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. 18. But especially the Lord ruleth in our hearts by his Spirit drawing us unto his Sonne bending and bowing us to the obedience of his word inlightening our minds and sanctifying our hearts and leading us
called on the name of the Lord. But let us come to their objections To the first I answer That we do teach that remission of sinnes is obteined by prayer and that to that end our Saviour hath taught us to crave remission and hath acquainted us with the example of the Publicane who by prayer obteined justification as David Manasseh and the faithfull and penitent sinners in all ages have done which hindreth not but that we are justified by faith alone For it is not every prayer but the prayer of faith as S. James calleth it which is impetratory I say it is the prayer of faith which by prayer obteineth pardon To the second Where our Divines define faith to be a full and certain perswasion of Gods love towards us in Christ forgiving our sinnes c. they define it in the highest degree and perfection thereof whereunto we must alwayes aspire But there are two principall degrees of faith The first is an assent to the truth of Gods word and more especially to the promises of the Gospel assuring salvation to all that believe in Christ. This assent in the judgement to the Law and Gospel if it be true lively and effectuall worketh in the heart and will a lothing of our sinnes a resolution to leave them a desire of grace and a hungring and thirsting after Christs righteousnesse and a resolution to acknowledge Christ to be our Saviour and to rest upon him alone for salvation And howsoever those who have but this degree cannot say that they are assured of forgivenesse and salvation yet their desire of grace proceeding from this lively faith expressed in their prayer is acceptable before God and obteineth that which is desired Now they which have this degree must proceed to the second For seeing the promises belong to them concerning justification and salvation they ought to apply them to themselves And look how sure a man may be that he believeth that is giveth a tâ—…e and lively assent to the doctrine of the Gospel so sure ought he to be of the remission of sinnes and salvation by Christ. And of this assurance there are degrees according to the measure of grace received To conclude therefore this point We ascribe to faithfull prayer efficacie to obtein that which we desire in the name of Christ according to the will of God and by the Scriptures do demonstrate the efficacie of prayer which now we are to shew by the wonderfull effects which by prayer have been brought to passe CHAP. V. Of the great and wonderfull efficacie of prayer AS first in the elements the earth the water the aire the fire At the prayer of Moses the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Korah Dathan and Abiram with their families Numb 16. At his prayer also the hard rocks sent forth rivers of waters Exod. 17. Samson having slain a thousand Philistines with the jaw-bone of an asse Judg. 5. 18 19. whereupon the place was called Lehi which signifieth a jaw-bone and being ready to perish with thirst by prayer obteined a well of living water which continued to posteritie which the Lord opened unto him in Lehi not the jaw-bone but the place so called which for a perpetuall monument of the efficacie of prayer he called En-hakkore the fountain of him that prayed At the prayer of Moses Exod. 14. the waters of the red sea gave place to the Israelites and overwhelmed their enemies But come we to the aire Elias being a man subject to the like passions with us which the Apostle James noteth chap. 5. 17 18. that we might in like manner hope to be heard prayed a prayer that is prayed effectually that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth for three yeares and six moneths and he prayed again and the heavens that is the aire gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Concerning fire we have two examples of the same Elias the former 1 Kings 18. where by prayer he brought down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice the latter 2. Kings 1. where also by prayer he brought down fire from heaven to destroy the two captains with their fifties But leaving the elements let us in our cogitations ascend into heaven For most admirable is that example Josh. 10. 15. where at the prayer of Joshua for he is said to have spoken to the Lord and the Lord to have hearkened to his voice the sunne stood still in the middest of heaven for the space of one whole day untill the Israelites were avenged on their enemies And no lesse admirable is that example of the Prophet Isaiah 2. Kings 20. 11. at whose prayer not onely the shadow in the sunne-diall but the sunne it self in the firmament went back ten degrees Isa. 38. 8. Ecclus 48. 23. Neither is the efficacie of prayer seen upon those creatures alone which are without sense but upon those also which are indued with sense and reason Jonah when he was swallowed up of the whale and lay in the belly thereof as in a grave for the space of three dayes and three nights having cried to the Lord de profundis he was restored safe to land Jonah 2. As touching men the efficacie of prayer appeareth in the deliverance not onely of particular men but also of whole cities and countreys from the fury and force of their enemies were they never so mightie or so many When Peter was by Herod cast into prison and kept by foure quaternions of souldiers lying in the night before he should be put to death between two souldiers bound with two chains the keepers also before the doore keeping the prison at the instant prayer of the Church which effectually prayed for his deliverance the Lord sent his angel to set him at libertie Acts 12. 5. Elias the Prophet being armed with the spirit of prayer when Ahaziah the king had sent three captains of fifties one after another to apprehend him he not onely brought down fire from heaven to destroy the two first with their fifties as I said before but also he brought the third captain upon his knees humbly intreating him that his own life and the lives of all his companie might be precious in his sight 2. Kings 1. Elisha also upon whom the spirit of Elias was doubled when Ben-hadad king of Syria had sent an armie of men with horses and chariots to apprehend him the armie having by night environed the citie where the Prophet was and besieged it by prayer he had them in his power striketh them blind leadeth them to Samaria and having by prayer opened their eyes that they might see their present danger he victualleth them and sendeth them away as vanquished Now for the defense and deliverance of whole peoples and common-wealths such is the efficacie of prayer that those who are indued with the spirit of supplication may not unworthily with Elias and Elisha be called the horsemen and chariots of Israel By prayer Asa 2.
in our selves then the firebrands of hell and yet withall we must relie upon Christ and his merits being perswaded that notwithstanding our manifold sinnes yet the Lord will receive us into his love and favour imputing unto us the righteousnesse of his Sonne and covering us therewith as with a garment If thus we believe in Christ we need not doubt of the pardon of our sins because Christ having satisfied the justice of his Father for all the sinnes of them which believe in him the remission therefore of sinnes to them that believe is a work not onely of mercy but also of justice 3. If we would truly make this prayer viz. in hatred of sinne have any assurance to our own souls that our sinnes are forgiven we must repent of those sinnes which we desire to be remitted and forsake those sinnes which we would have the Lord forgive Ezek. 18. 21 22. At what time soever c. Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth his sinnes and forsaketh them c. And therefore as Isaiah exhorteth chap. 55. 7. let the wicked forsake his way c. If therefore we would effectually crave the pardon of our sins we must have a true purpose of heart and resolution to forsake them And if we would have assurance that according to our prayer our sinnes be forgiven we must have a true endeavour to leave them and to perform the contrary duties If therefore we have neither purpose in our hearts nor endeavour in our lives to forsake our sinnes we may not look that the Lord will pardon them If in my heart I regard wickednesse c. Psal. 66. 18. For the Lord heareth not sinners that is who do not repent of their sinnes nor have a true purpose to leave them John 9. 31. Prov. 28. 13. 4. If we make this prayer in faith and truly believe in God for the forgivenesse of our sinnes this perswasion will have this effect in us to make us fear to sinne and by sinne to displease and dishonour God There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal. 130. 4. The bounty of the Lord must draw us to repentance Rom. 2. 4. Nay further those that believe their sinnes are forgiven them and are perswaded of Gods love and favour shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost they cannot choose but love him much who hath forgiven them much Luke 7. 47. and shew forth their love in keeping his commandments 5. If in prayer we unfeignedly desire faith and assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes then we will be most carefull in our lives to use and to use aright the means of begetting and increasing this faith as the hearing of the word receiving of the Sacraments c. 6. If we truly desire reconciliation with God in Christ then will we seek in all things to please him For if we please our selves in displeasing him as the very nature of sinne is to displease God how can we perswade our selves that we are reconciled unto God or desire so to be 7. If we would have any assurance that our sinnes are forgiven we must be ready to forgive our neighbours the offenses which they commit against us For if ye saith Christ Matth. 6. 14. forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye do not c. But of this more in the reason Here therefore is discovered the hypocrisie of those men 1. who crave pardon of sinne in a Pharisaicall conceit of their own perfection freedome from sinne 2. who have no true hatred of sinne nor purpose to leave it 3. who please themselves in displeasing God and yet would seem to desire reconciliation with God 4. who desire faith and yet neglect and contemne the means 5. who with the ungracious servant looking to have pardon of ten thousand talents of his master would not remit a small debt to his fellow-servant Matth. 18. 28. whom he ought to have loved for his Masters sake c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words are a solemn profession unto God of our brotherly love serving both to confirm our faith in obteining pardon and also to testifie our love to God who hath forgiven us much in the love of our brethren for his sake For whereas divers men making this prayer for pardon of sinne either do not believe at all the pardon of their sinne or else deceive themselves with an opinion of faith not loving him of whom they look for pardon nor their brethren for his sake but with the ungracious servant Matth. 18. 28. exact small debts of their brethren and revenge offenses committed against them as though they could love God and yet hate their brother therefore our Saviour teacheth us to adde to the petition this protestation that if we be able to make it in truth we may be assured of the forgivenesse of our sinnes and not be deceived as many are in our assurance First therefore because we are so full of infidelity and diffidence that we are hardly brought to believe in particular the forgivenesse of our own sinnes and consequently to make this prayer in faith our Saviour teacheth us to use this notable argument not so much to move God as to confirm our selves drawn from the lesse to the greater As we also forgive c. or as it is more plainly set down in Luke For even we also forgive c. And the reason standeth thus If we who have not so much pitie in regard of thine abundant mercy as is a drop of water in comparison of the Ocean sea if we I say be readie to forgive the offenses and injuries done against us then no doubt thou wilt forgive our offenses which we from the bottom of our hearts confesse unto thee with deprecation of pardon But even we Lord whose mercy is as nothing in comparison of thine are readie to remit offenses committed against us and therefore as we earnestly crave pardon so we do unfeignedly believe that thou wilt forgive us our sinnes The connexion of the proposition is necessarie For as we say Quod in minori valet valet etiam in majori That which is of force in the lesser is of force also in the greater If a drop of pity in us doth wash away the offense of our brother how much more shall the multitude of his mercies wash away our offenses And our Saviour reasoneth elsewhere Matth. 7. 11. If yee which are evil can give good things to your children how much more c. If therefore our consciences do testifie unto us the truth of the assumption That we are readie to forgive them that offend us we may also be assured of the truth of the conclusion That God also forgiveth our sinnes 2. Whereas many abuse the mercy of God whereof they presume for the pardoning of their sinnes dealing unthankfully with God in cruelty revenge exercised upon their brethren and so deceive