Gods Three Arrows, Section 29 – Section 31
§. 29. Of manifeſting our inward deſire by our outward geſture.
III. *See §. 26. Flexo corpore mens eſt erigenda ad Deum. Bern. medit. devo c. 6INward devotion of heart muſt be manifested by the outward diſpoſition of body. As the many geſtures which in Scripture are recorded and approved, being uſed by Saints in prayer (whereof before, §. 22.) do afford good proofe to the point, ſo alſo the manifold expreſſions of prayer by ſundry geſtures proper thereto: as ſuch as theſe, bPſal. 123. 1.I lift up mine eyes: cEph. 3. 14.I bow my knees, that is, I pray. dPſal. 95. 6.Let us lift up our hands: eLam 3. 41.Let us kneele, that is, let us pray. fPſal. 141 2.Let Animus in geſtu corporis apparet, Geſtus corporis ſignum eſt mentis. Corporis geſtu animus proditur. Bern. de modo benè viv. Scr. 9. Benefits of outward geſtures in prayerthe lifting up of my hands be, that is, let my prayer be. So here in this place, I will ſtand, that is, I will pray.
As in other caſes, ſo alſo in prayer, the mind appeareth in the geſture of the body: for this is a ſigne of that. So as by the manifeſtation of our inward devotion by our outward geſture, God is more honoured, others are made like minded, and our owne ſpirits are quickned.
1. For God, he is by that means glorified both in ſoule and body: as we ought in both to glorifie him, 1 Cor. 6. 20.
Ob. God is a Spirit, and they that worſhip him must worſhip him in ſpirit and truth, Ioh. 4. 24.
Anſw. True. But what then? Is he not therefore to be worſhipped in body? Fie on ſuch a conſequence. Indeed God is moſt eſpecially to be worſhipped in Spirit. All outward worſhip without it is altogether in vaine, Iſay. 19. 13. But Gods delight in the ſpirit doth not imply a diſlike, or no liking of a manifeſtation thereof by the body. He that ſaid in regard of an upright manner of performing the things which we do, Take heed that ye do them not before men to be ſeene of them, Mat. 6. 1. ſaid alſo in regard of our zeale to Gods glory, Let your light ſo ſhine before men as they may ſee your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heaven, Mat. 5. 16. What therefore God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder, Mat. 19. 6.
2. For others, our outward geſture manifeſting our inward affection, they may be brought to adde their prayers alſo, and joyne with us, (as they who ſaw the company of Prophets propheſying, propheſied alſo among them, 1 Sam. 19. 20.) or at leaſt ſay Amen to our petitions, and deſire God to grant them, as old Elie did, when he underſtood how Annah had powred forth her ſoule before God, 1 Sam. 1. 17.
3. For our ſelves, by the outward geſture of the body our owne ſpirits within us are much affected. For there is a ſympathy betwixt ſoule and body. Bowing the body in prayer, as it teſtifieth the humiliation of the ſoule, ſo it maketh the ſoule to ſtoupe ſomwhat the lower. Beating the breaſt doth ſomwhat the more breake the heart; lifting up eyes or hands raiſeth up the heart; ſpreading the armes abroad enlargeth the deſire of the heart; ſtanding erect maketh the ſoule the more ſteddy.Exhortation to uſe ſeemely outward geſture in prayer.
Let us on theſe grounds both declare and helpe the inward faith and fervency, devotion and contrition of our ſoules by the outward geſtures of the body. There needs no great labour after outward, geſture, if at leaſt there be true devotion in the heart. The parts of the body are ſo commanded by the ſoule, as they will ſoone declare the intent thereof. This is evident by the private prayers which perſons truly devoted do make. For when they are alone, and no creature preſent to take notice of the outward geſture, according to the affection of the heart, when it is indeed fervent, the eyes wilbe caſt up, or caſt downe, the armes ſpread abroad, the hands lift up, or beating the breaſt, the body caſt proſtrate upon the ground, and other like geſtures performed. They who uſe to pray privately and fervently, know this to be true.
I urge not this outward geſture, to make men play the hypocrites. Farre be ſuch intents from my mind. Men are too prone to make ſhew of more then is in them: they need no provocations thereto. Beſides hypocriſie is ſo odious in Gods ſight, as it makes our beſt works abominable: Iſa. 66. 3.But that be referred to him who ſearcheth the heart, and knoweth the inward thoughts of men: and to every ones conſcience, that will excuſe or accuſe him. I urge a manifeſtation of inward affection, and that by ſuch outward geſtures as areGeſtures in prayer how ordered.
1. Warrantable by Gods Word.
2. Agreeable to the action in hand.
3. Anſwerable to the inward affection.
§. 30. Of ſeeking helpe of God in time.
IIII. *See §. 26.SVccour muſt be ſought of God in ſeaſon. aZeph. 2. 2.Before the decree bring forth, before the day paſſe as the chaffe, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, &c. ſeeke the Lord. bIſa. 55. 6.Seeke the Lord while he may be found: call upon him while he is neare. cAmos 4. 12.Prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. Meet him before he is gone, meet him before he have cauſed his wrath to fall. dGen. 32. 9.So ſoone as Iacob heard that his brother was comming againſt him, he makes his prayer to God. He put it not off to the evening. Yet e—24.when the evening was come, and ſo he freed from diſtractions, he returned to prayer againe, and more earneſtly wreſtled with God. f2 Chro. 14 11.Before Aſa began to fight with the Ethiopians, he ſought aſſiſtance of God. So did g—20. 3.Iehoſaphat, and other pious princes. So ſoone as hExo. 32. 11.Moſes heard God ſpeake of wrath, before he went downe to ſee the cauſe thereof, he fell downe before the Lord, to turne it away: and i—31.when he had ſeene the cauſe thereof, he went againe unto the Lord.
Thus, much evill may be prevented, which otherwiſe De occurrendo periculis in tempore, lege Chryſ. in initio orat. 1. adverſ. ſud.could not be redreſſed. A fire when once it begins to flame out, cannot ſo eaſily be quenched, as it might before hand have beene kept from flaming and burning. A breach, which might with ſmall coſt and paines have beene prevented, when it is made, oft proves irrecoverable. Great was the folly of the Iſraelites in the time of the Iudges, who uſed not to cry to the Lord, till they were ſorely oppreſſed by their enemies. And this was the cauſe that ſometimes they received (when they called upon God) ſuch an anſwer as this, Goe, and cry unto the gods which ye have choſen, let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.Iudg 10. 14.
O that we were wiſe to marke the opportunity and to take it! Commonly (like fooles) we thinke of our cloakes when we are well wet: and thinke of ſhutting the ſtable doore when the ſteed is ſtolne, or of making our houſe ſafe and ſure from theeves when we have loſt our goods. Many ſeeke not to God till neceſſity forceth them. When the enemy hath got the day, when the plague rageth and hath deſtroyed many, when people die every where for want, then (it may be) ſolemne prayer ſhalbe made, and a faſt proclaimed. Hereby as the folly of men is diſcovered, ſo too juſt cauſe is given for their prayers to be ſuſpected in regard of the ſoundneſſe of them: yea God is hereby provoked to leave men without ſuccour, becauſe they ſought it not in time.
§. 31. Of praying in any place.
V. *See § 26. Omnis locus ad meditandum cō. gruus eſt. Bern Medit devot, c 6.ANy place may be fit for prayer. This doctrine is to be limited according to the occaſions of prayer. For, for publique prayer, at leaſt in times and places where liberty is granted to frequent publique aſſemblies, aSee The whole armour of God, on Eph. 6. 18. Treat 3 §. 84.publique Churches ſet apart for Divine Service, are fitteſt. But where juſt occaſions are offered of praying in other places, in any place may that divine duty be performed. b1 Tim. 2. 8.I will (ſaith the Apoſtle) that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands. The charge of cLuk. 18. 1.praying alwaies, and d1 Theſ …. 17.without ceaſing, implieth as much. If occaſions of prayer being offred, we forbeare to pray, becauſe we are not in this or that place, thoſe precepts can hardly be kept. But in particular, we read of approved prayers made, as eAct. 31.in Churches, ſo f—10. 30.in houſes, g—9. 39, 4.in chambers, hMat 6. 6.in cloſets, iAct. 10. 9.on houſe-tops, kGen. 24 63.in fields, lLuke 6. 12.on mountaines, mAct 16. 13.by riversſides, nIon 1. 14.in ſhips, o—2. 1.in a whales-belly, p1 King 19. 4in the wilderneſſe, and where not?
qMat. 18. 20.Whereſoever prayer is rightly made, there God after an eſpeciall manner is preſent: now rExo 3. 5. Magis valet petentis affectus quam petitionis locus. Aug de unit. Eccleſ. c. 16.Gods ſpeciall preſence makes any place holy, and in that reſpect fit for prayer.
And ſuch reſpect hath God to the true deſire of his Saints, as whereſoever by prayer they make it knowne, there will God moſt graciouſly accept it. Inſtance the fore-mentioned inſtances. His promiſes for hearing prayer are without any limitation of place: ſo as, in any place we may expect the accompliſhment of them.
What a dotage is it therefore ſo to dote on any one kind of place, as never to pray but in ſuch a place. Or ſuperſtition blindeth ſuch mens eyes, or prophaneneſſe poſſeſſeth their hearts. It is much to be feared that the prayers which they ſeeme to make in the places which they pretend moſt to affect, are but cold prayers. If the Spirit of ſupplication had'any heat in them, it would be like that hot vapor that is compaſſed in a cloud, or got into hollow places of the earth, which rather then not find a vent, will rent the cloud aſunder with a thunder-clap, or make the earth to quake. They loſe much holy acquaintance and familiarity with God, that are ſo nice, as not offer to meet with him except in ſuch or ſuch a place.
Wiſe Chriſtians will rather ſanctifie every place with this heavenly duty. Their houſe, their chamber, their cloſet, their bed, their table, and other like places ſhalbe ſanctified Vbicun que fueris intra temetipſum ora. Si longè fueris ab oratorio, noli quaerere locum, quoniam tu ipſe locus es. Si fueris in lecto, aut in alio loco, ora: et ibi eſt templū. Bern. Medit. devot. c. 6.therewith. If they be in a journy, their Innes and places of repaſt ſhall therewith be ſanctified. So their ſhip, and cabin, if they be on the ſea. So their tent, or the field, if they be in warre. So every place according to the preſent occaſion. By a pious mind well devoted to Godwards, and by a conſcionable performance of this principall duty of piety; it may be ſaid of any place what Iacob ſaid of the place where he ſaw his viſion, This is none other but the houſe of God, and this is the gate of heaven, Gen. 28. 17.