A Guide to Go to God, Petition 6 · Section 202 – Section 203
§. 202. Of the matter of humiliation gathered out of the laſt Petition.
Q. VVHat are the things to be bewailed by reaſon of the Sixt Petition?
A. 1. Our firſt Parents yeelding to the Diuell. 2. Cor. 11. 3.This is the originall ground of all that ſpirituall ſlauery wherein we are, and of that need wee hauehave ſo earneſtly to pray againſt temptation.
2. The power, 1. Pet. 5. 8.malice, ſubtiltie, and ſedulitie of Satan. For Satan is the chiefe Tempter, who hath a finger in all temptations; in which reſpect the more powerfull, malicious, ſubtill, and ſedulous he is, the more dangerous is temptation. Not without cauſe therefore did the diuine voice cry,Reu. 12. 12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the Sea, becauſe the Diuell is come downe to you, hauing great wrath.
3. The many ſtumbling blockes in the world. Math. 18. 7.In regard of theſe Chriſt cryeth,Heu me, quot obſtacula ſeparant, quot prohibent impedimenta? Bern. In Quadr. Serm. 6. Woe to the world. Theſe are ſo much the more to be bewailed by reaſon of the deceitfulneſſe of the world which ſo bewitcheth many, as it draweth them to thoſe ſtumbling blockes, and maketh them to ſtumble and fall thereat, as Demas did. Yea on this ground our louelove, euen too too inordinate louelove,2. Tim. 4. 10. of this world is to be bewailed.Iam. 4. 4.
4. The prauitie of our nature. Gen. 6. 5.God himſelfe doth much complaine hereof. This is it that maketh all manner of temptations, much more dangerous then otherwiſe they would be.
5. Our ſpirituall blindneſſe. Reu. 3. 17.By reaſon hereof we cannot diſcerne the temptations wherewith we are aſſaulted, but are eaſily led into the midſt of them,2. Kin. 6. 18, 20. as the Aramites were into the midſt of Samaria,
6. Our fooliſh pro…eneſſe to yeeld to eueryevery temptation, Pro. 7. 7, 8, &c.as the fiſh to ſnatch at eueryevery bait. Thus are we oft taken.
7. The rebellions of ou… fleſh. This maketh vsus refuſe all the meanes which are ſanctified to keepe vsus from temptation, and to take part with the tempters, and ſo to become captiues and ſlaues vntounto them.Rom. 7. 23. 24. This rebellion, and this thraldome doth the Apoſtle much bewaile.
8. Preſumption in our ſtrength. Reu. 3. 17.This is bewailed in the Church of Laodicea. Math. 26. 35.And not without cauſe. For it is the cauſe of many ones fall. Inſtance Peter, and the other Diſciples.
9. Inabilitie to ſtand againſt temptations. Of this weakeneſſe of the fleſh doth Chriſt complaine where hee willeth his Diſciples to pray againſt temptation.Math. 26. 41.
10. Timorouſneſſe, 2. Tim. 4. 16.or immoderate feare of man. This is the cauſe that by perſecution, yea by threatnings, and reproaches many are drawne from their holy profeſſion.
11. Impatiencie. Many croſſes which might eaſily bee borne by a patient ſpirit, thorow impatiencie proue very hurtfull temptations.
12. Prouocations of Gods wrath. Our onelyonly hope, and confidence of being freed from temptations, or ſo helped againſt them as they ſhall not ouercome vsus, is in God. If God then be prouoked to wrath, and ſo moued to deny vsus his aſſiſtance, and to giuegive vsus ouer to the power of Tempters, how can wee ſtand? VnderUnder this head,Act 7. 52, 52. as all manner of ſinnes, ſo abuſing his mercies, grieuing his Spirit, deſpiſing his Meſſengers, and ſuch like, are compriſed.
Theſe twelue are moſt directly againſt the firſt part of the last Petition. The other that follow are againſt the other part.
13.aReu. 2. 4. Loſſe of firſt louelove.
14.b2 Pet. 2. 18. &c Back-ſliding from the truth.
Theſe two, and others like to theſe are directly contrary to the maine intent of adding the latter clauſe of the laſt Petition to the former: which is Recouerie from euill. If recouerie from euill be to be prayed for, is it not a matter much to be bewailed, that ſuch as are recouered ſhould relapſe, and makecLuke 11. 26. their laſt eſtate worſe then the firſt?
15.dMar. 3. 5. Hardneſſe of heart.
16.eIſa. 53. 1. Infidelitie.
17.fEzek. 2, 5. Impenitencie.
Theſe three, and others like vntounto them, make men vncapable of recouerie. So much the more therefore to be bewailed.
Q. What other particulars are to be bewailed, vnderunder the laſt Petition, in relation to others?
A. 1.gProu. 7. 21. Inticing others to ſinne.
2.hIer. 23 14, 17. Encouraging them in ſinne.
3.iEzek. 34. 4. Diſcouraging the weake.
4.kGen. 21. 9. Scoffing at grace.
By theſe and ſuch like meanes men are ſorely tempted.Gal. 4. 29. Now if wee ought to pray for others that they be not led into temptation, to leade others into temptation giueth iuſt and great cauſe of humiliation.
5.lIob 19. 13. 14, 15. Leauing them that are fallen.
6.mLuk. 7. 39. &c Reiecting the penitent.
Theſe two branches of vnmercifulneſſe are contrarie to the deſire and duty of recouering others, intimated in the laſt Branch of the last Petition, and on that ground to be bewailed.
Q. What doth the inference of this Sixt Petition vponupon the Fift ſhew to be bewailed?
A. 1. A dead and naked faith. Iam. 2. 14, &c.In the former Petition faith in Chriſt for pardon of ſinne is profeſſed. In this Petition a manifeſtation of the truth of that faith by forſaking ſinne, and by performing all duties of righteouſneſſe, is intimated. To profeſſe faith, and not to declare it by the fruits thereof, is much to be lamented, as a thing diſhonourable to God, diſgracefull to the Goſpell of Chriſt, aduantageable to Satan, and damageable to the ſoules of ſuch vaine Profeſſors. S. Iude doth much bewaile them.Iude. verſe 4. 12, 13.
2.n1. Ioh. 1. 8 A vaine-glorious conceit of perfection. oLuke 16. 15.Chriſt doth oft vpbraid this to the Phariſies. This Petition is in vaine preſcribed to ſuch.
3. Vngratefulneſſe. When they who dayly ſeeke mercy of God, take part with the enemies of God: likepHoſ. 2. 2, &c. Iſrael of whom the Prophet Hoſea much complaineth.
Hitherto to the firſt part of the ſubſtance of Prayer, which is Petition, in the ſixe branches thereof hath beene handled. The ſecond followeth, which is Praiſe.
§. 203. Of preſsing Prayer with weighty Reaſons.
Q. VVHichWhich is the forme of Praiſe?
A. For thine is the Kingdome, and the power, and the glory for euer.
Q. How are theſe words to be conſidered?
A. 1. In relation to the Petitions.
2. Singly by themſelues.
In relation to the Petitions this clauſe reſpecteth him who maketh the Petitions to ſtrengthen his faith, and to enlarge his deſire. But ſingly conſidered by it ſelfe it reſpecteth God to whom the Petitions are directed to ſet out the glory of his name.
Q. How is the forenamed relation manifeſted?
A. By this Particle of connexion,foreign Quia. FOR or BECAVSE, which implyeth a reaſon of all the Petitions: Not as if God were drawne by reaſons to yeeld to that which otherwiſe hee would not yeeld vntounto. For what God doth, he doth of himſelfe, becauſe he will do it.bExod. 33. 19. I will be gracious (ſaith the Lord) to whom I will be gracious; and I will ſhew mercy on whom I will ſhew mercy. cEpheſ. 1. 11.He worketh all things after the counſell of his owne will. For our ſakes therefore is this reaſon added to the Petitions: and that partly to put andIoel. 2. 13. edge vntounto our Prayers, and to ſharpen them: and partlye2. Chro. 14. 11. to put ſtrength vntounto our faith, and to make vsus without doubting to expect a gracious grant of them.
Q. What doctrine may bee raiſed from the addition of this reaſon.
A. Prayer is to be preſſed with reaſons. Take a view of the Prayer of Saints recorded in Scripture, and you ſhall find this aboundantly proued: for example read the Prayer offExo. 32. 11. &c. Moſes, gIoſ. 7. 7, 8, 9Ioſua, h2. Chro. 14. 11.Aſa, i—20 6, &c.Iehoſaphat, k2 Kin. 19. 15. &c.Hezekiah and others.
Grounds and reaſons of Prayer being rightly ordered demonſtrate a neceſſitie of making the Prayer, and great equity for obtaining the things prayed for: and in that reſpect they put life, vigour, and feruencie into the ſpirit of him that prayeth, whereby the prayer commeth to be much more acceptable and auaileable.
I earne we hereby to ponder our prayers before wee poure them forth, and duely to conſider what we aske, why wee aske that which we aske, what grounds we hauehave of obtaining our deſire, that ſo wee may with the greater feruencie of deſire and ſted…aſtneſſe of faith, yea and importunitie and conſtancie hold out: and that though God ſeeme at firſt not to heare or regard our prayer. They who know that their prayers are grounded on good, iuſt, and weighty reaſons willmLuke 18. 7. cry day and night vntounto him, andnIſa. 62. 1. not hold their peace nor reſt; They willoExo. 32. 10. not let the Lord alone, butpGen. 32. 26. hold him till he bleſſe them.