The Whole Armor of God, Exegesis · Treatise 3 · Part 2 · Section 80 – Section 96
§. 80. Of preſcribed prayer.
PReſcribed prayer is,6 Preſcribed prayer. when a ſet, conſtant forme is laid downe before hand, and either conned by heart, or read out of a booke or paper by him that vttereth it, and that whether he be alone, or in company.
Queſt. Is a ſet and preſcribed forme of praier lawfull?
Anſw. Reaſons.Yea verily, and that for theſe reaſons:
1iNum. 23. 24. God preſcribed a ſet forme of bleſſing for the Prieſts conſtantly to vſe. The 92. Pſalme, which is a Pſalme of praiſe, was preſcribed a ſong for the Sabbath day: and 102. Pſalme preſcribeth a prayer for the afflicted when he is ouerwhelmed, and powreth out his complaint before the Lord. a2 Chr. 20. 21.The 136. Pſalme was ſung after Dauids time.band 29. 30. Hezekiah the King, and the Princes commanded the Leuites to praiſe the Lord with the words of Dauid, and of Aſaph the Seer. If a preſcribed forme of praiſe may be vſed, then alſo of prayer: for there is the ſame reaſon of both.
Beſides, Chriſt himſelfe preſcribed an excellent forme of prayer which hath been vſed in all ages of the Church ſince this time, and is by an excellency called the Lords Prayer. Saint Paul obſerues a ſet forme of bleſſing in the beginning and end of his Epiſtles. Thus we ſee preſcribed prayer warranted by Gods word.
2 Many weake ones who hauehave good affections, but want inuention, vtterance, and ſuch like parts, are much helped by preſcribed formes: for when they reade or heare words fitting their wants and occaſions, their hearts can well goe with their words, yet can they not inuent fit words.
3 Preſcribed formes of prayer in the publike worſhippe is a good meanes to maintaine vniformity in ſeuerall Churches.
Obiect. The ſpirit is ſtinted hereby: neither can a man vtter that which the ſpirit moueth him vntounto, when hee hath a ſet forme preſcribed.
Anſw. The ſpirit in him which prayeth by a ſet forme, is no more ſtinted, then the ſpirit is ſtinted in thoſe which heare another pray: for to them which heare others, words are preſcribed. To the hearers it is all one whether hee that prayeth vſeth a preſcribed forme, or conceiue, and inuent his prayer, for they goe along in their hearts with his words.
They who ſimply and altogether condemne preſcribed prayer, doe thinke too childiſhly of God, and deale too iniuriouſly with Gods little ones. They conceit God to be affected with variety, and make the power of praier to conſiſt in copie of words, and nouelty of matter, which is many times an hinderance to true deuotion: for while the minde is too much occupied in inuention, the heart cannot be ſo free to deuotion, as otherwiſe it might bee. Prayer is not like a noſe-gay, which is no longer ſweete then the flowers are new and freſh: For the ſweete ſauour of prayer conſiſteth in the ſincerity of heart, and ardency of affection, whereby alſo the power of the ſpirit is manifeſted.
2 The iniury which is done to Gods little ones is this, that they ſeek to depriue them of an eſpecial help, whereby their weakeneſſe might be ſupported, yea to hinder them of the benifit of prayer. For many are not able to conceiue a prayer of themſelues, yet if they finde a forme anſwerable to their occaſions, they can pray heartily and earneſtly.
Thus wee ſee that preſcribed prayer is not onelyonly lawfull, but alſo needful. So far forth as we finde it an helpe to deuotion, we may vſe it: but yet wee may not alwaies tie our ſelues vntounto it: to ſay the leaſt, they are very weake Chriſtians that cannot pray without a preſcribed forme.
Now it is a ſhame for any Chriſtian to be a weake one all the dayes of his life: it is required at our hands to grow in knowledge, iudgement, diſcretion, faith, and other like graces.
§. 81. Direction to conceiue a Prayer.
IF the weakeſt Chriſtians doe but carefully obſerue the order that others vſe, and withall take notice of their owne ſinnes in particular, of their particular wants, and of the particular bleſſings which God beſtoweth on them, they may with vſe and practiſe come to conceiue a good Prayer. And when once in any competent meaſure they can pray for themſelues, by degrees they come to pray for others alſo. But many are too idle and ſluggiſh in making triall: they will not offer to make experience of the gift of Gods Spirit: but rather vtterly quench it; as a man may doe, and too many ſo doe, by tying themſelues too much to ſet formes.
Though publike leiturgies for vniformity ſake are to be conſtantly vſed in ſet formes (prouided that there be ſeuerall prayers fit for diuers, yea, for all publike occaſions ſo neere as may be) yet it is not ſo meete for particular perſons alwayes to tie themſelues to one ſet forme. For what can that argue but that they little obſerue Gods different manner of dealing with them at ſeuerall times.
§. 82. Of publike Prayer, and of the Miniſters function therein.
PVblike Prayer is when an aſſembly of Saints publikely with one ioint conſent call vponupon God.7 Publike Prayer.
In publike prayer, three things are requiſite.
1 Meete perſons.
2 A fit place.
3 A right manner.
1 The Perſons muſt bee a publike Miniſter of the Word and People. 1 The perſons who make publike prayer.I ſhewed before that Prayer was a principall part of Gods publike worſhip. Now in all publike worſhip there is required a Miniſter for one party, and People for the other. A Miniſter hath a double function; one to ſtand in Gods roome, and in Gods name to declare Gods minde and will vntounto his people. Another to ſtand in the Peoples roome, and in their name to declare their minde and deſire to God.
The former hee doth in preaching the Word and adminiſtring the Sacraments. For God (ſaith the Apoſtle) a2 Cor. 5. 19, 20.Hath committed to vsus the word of reconciliation: now then are we Embaſſadors for Chriſt, &c. Expreſly it is ſaid, that Miniſters are Chriſts Embaſſadors, which is in regard of the Word that alſo they are ſuch in regard of the Sacraments, is implied in that commiſſion giuen to the Apoſtles, bMat. 28. 19Goe teach all Nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, &c.
The latter hee doth in making Petitions and giuing thankes to God:cIoel 2. 16, 17 When the Prophet had exhorted the people to aſſemble together publikely to pray: he ſaith; Let the Prieſts, the Miniſters of the Lord ſay, ſpare thy people O Lord, and giuegive not thine heritage into reproach, &c. Miniſters therefore in publike Aſſemblies are to vtter the petitions of people: ſo it is noted thatdNeh. 8. 1. 6 when the people were aſſembled to giuegive thankes to God, Ezra the Prieſt praiſed the Lord. eExod. 30. 7The incenſe which vnderunder the Law was offered by the Prieſt to God, did prefigure thus much.
Thus as in preaching a Miniſter is Gods mouth to the people, ſo in praying, the peoples mouth to God. Wherefore alſo there muſt be people to ioine with him: for if a Miniſter be alone, his Prayer is but a priuate Prayer.
§. 83. Of the Peoples conſent in publike Prayer.
THat which is required of people in publike Prayer, is to teſtifie their conſent to that which the Miniſter vttereth: for the prayer of the Miniſter is their prayer: thogh for order ſake to auoid confuſion there be but one voice vttered, yet the hearts of all preſent muſt goe along with that voice & giuegive an inward aſſent, & not ſo only, but alſo it is very expedient to teſtifie the ſame, ſo as the Miniſter may heare their conſent, as well as they heare his prayer.
The ordinary way,Amen, is originally an Hebrew word, yet vſed in all languages: it ſignifieth Truth or Faith: the vttering of it, after a Prayer, in plieth an aſſent vntounto the Prayer, and faith for obtaining that which is praied for. and the beſt way for people to manifeſt their conſent, is with a diſtinct and audible voice to ſay Amen. Thus the people were commanded to ſay Amen. Deut. 27. 15. &c. And accordingly was it practiſed. Nehe. 8. 6. It is a ſound well beſeeming Gods publike worſhip, to make the place ring againe (as we ſpeake) with a ioint Amen of the people.Ad ſimilitudinem caelectis tonitrui, Amen reboat. Hier. proaem. in 2. lib. cōment. ad Gal. The Iewes vttered this word with great ardency, and therefore vſed to double it, ſaying, Amen, Amen. Neh. 8. 6.
§. 84. Of the place of publike Prayer.
2 THe place muſt be publike:2 The place of publike Prayer. Gen. 4. 26. ſuch a place as all that ought to meet may know, and hauehave liberty to come vntounto: at firſt this was in ſome Family, yea, afterwards when all the world almoſt forſooke God, God choſe out of the world ſome peculiar families, who with their houſhold worſhipped God in their houſes; as Noah in his time, ſo Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, in their times. But when Gods people increaſed in the wilderneſſe, hee cauſed a Tabernacle to be built; that then was their place of publike worſhip, afterwards a Temple was built, which becauſe it was the place of publike worſhip, was by a propriety called,lIſa. 56. 7. The houſe of Prayer. To this place if the people could not come,mDan. 6. 10. they would at leaſt pray towards it: for which they had their warrant fromn1 Kin. 8. 44. Salomons prayer.
After that Chriſt came, by whom the partition wall betwixt Iewes and Gentiles was broken downe, and both made one people to God,o1 Tim. 2. 8. all places were ſanctified for Prayer: in which reſpect Chriſt ſaid;pIoh. 4. 21. The houre commeth when ye ſhall neither in this mountaine, nor at Ieruſalem worſhip the Father. So as vnderunder the Goſpell no one place is more holy then another. Yet it being Gods will to be worſhipped publikely, needefull it is that there ſhould be places fit for that purpoſe. Thusq1 Cor. 11. 20 the Corinthians had one place to worſhip God in.
In Kingdomes and Nations where Gods worſhip is maintained, are Churches, and Chappels built for that purpoſe. Theſe being ſet apart for Gods publike worſhip, Miniſters and people are to reſort vntounto them.
Yet I denie not but in times of perſecution, ſecret and vnknowne places (ſecret I ſay, and vnknowne to haters and perſecutors of Religion, but knowne to true profeſſors) may be vſed for publike prayer:rActs 16. 13. as certaine Inhabitants of Philippi went out to a Riuers ſide to pray on the Sabbath day.Separatiſts taxed. Separatiſts which liue in this Land, and other like places, where are publike places for prayer appointed, whereunto all hauehave liberty to reſort, commit a double fault: one in abſtaining from ſuch publike places, whereby they ſhew themſelues contemners of publike Prayer: the other, that they ſeeke priuate places, as houſes, woods, and boates, for publike prayer: whereby (to ſay the leaſt) they turne Gods publike worſhip into a priuate worſhip. Too neer to theſe doe many Schiſmatikes come, who though they frequent our Churches to heare the Word preached, yet will they not be preſent in time of publike prayer, wherby they depriue God of one part, and that the moſt principall part of his publike worſhip.
§. 85. Of vnanimitie in publike prayer.
3 FOr the manner of publike prayer,3 The manner of publike prayer. two things are requiſite
Vnanimitie.
Vniformitie.
Vnanimitie reſpecteth the heart and affections,1 Vnanimitie. that all which aſſemble together, may continue in the Church (as is noted of the Chriſtians in the Primitiue Church) ſActs 2. 46.with one accord. For this end in publike worſhip a voyce is neceſſarie: for how can there be a conſent of heart, vnleſſe one know anothers minde? how can that be knowne but by the voice? it is the principall end of ſpeech, to make knowne a mans minde. A voice vſed in publike prayer muſt be
Audible.
Intelligible.
§. 86. Of vttering publike prayer with an audible voice.
1 IT muſt be ſo lowde as all that are preſent (if it bee poſſible) may heare it.The Miniſters voice muſt be audible. For a voice not heard is as no voice to them which heare it not: they can giuegive no aſſent, and ſo pray not: it is noted thata1. King. 8. 55 Salomon Bleſſed all the congregation with a lowde voice.
It is a fault for a Miniſter in the Church to pray ſo ſoftly, as all the people cannot heare him: ſome that are able to vtter a loud voice, & that preach loud inough, in praier cannot be heard: is there not as much reaſon that people ſhould heare their Miniſter pray, as preach? other that are loud inough, in the midle & ending of their prayer, cānot be heard in the beginning: but eueryevery word ought ſo to be vttered, as it may be heard. It is a fault alſo in people ſo to ſay Amen, Amen to be vttered aloud.as they cannot be heard: why ſhould not the Miniſter as well heare the aſſent of his people, as they heare his prayer? it cannot but ſlacken the ardencie of a Miniſters affection, when he cannot perceiue any conſent in people to that which he prayeth: but a cheerefull and euident aſſent doth quicken and cheare vp his ſpirit.
§. 87. Of praying in a knowne tongue.
2 IT muſt be ſuch a kinde of voice,The Miniſters voice muſt be intelligible. and ſo vttered, as all that heare it may vnderſtand it: for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of publike prayer,b1. Cor. 14. 15 I will pray with vnderſtanding, that is, ſo as others may vnderſtand me. Otherwiſe a lowd voice is no benefit at all. If a trumpet ſhould be ſounded, and the ſound not diſcerned,c1. Cor. 14. 8. who ſhall prepare himſelfe to battaile thereby? That a mans voice may be intelligible, his language wherein hee ſpeaketh muſt bee knowne, and his ſpeech diſtinct.
§. 88. Of the aberrations contrary to praying with vnderſtanding.
IT is vtterly vnlawfull to pray in a ſtrange tongue:Vnlawfull to pray in a ſtrange tongue. c1. Cor. 14. 6. &c.a thing againſt which the Apoſtle purpoſely and copiouſly diſputeth. To omit many other arguments, which might be alledged againſt prayer in an vnknown tongue, let this one be noted, that an vnknown tongue depriueth a man of the ſence of Gods fauour in hearing his prayer. For how can he, who knoweth not what he hath asked, know when his petition is granted. Prayer in a knowne tongue hath reſpect both to the party that vttereth the prayer (he muſt vnderſtand what he vttereth, or elſe his prayer is but a lippe-labour, euen meere babling, which dMatth. 6. 7.Chriſt condemneth) and alſo to them who heare it, their hearing if they vnderſtand not,e1. Cor. 14. 17, 23. is no hearing, they cannot be edified thereby.
Papiſts offend in both theſe.
1 They teach children, women, lay-men, ſuch as vnderſtand not one word of Latin, to make all their prayers in Latine.
2 They preſcribe their publike prayers, whereof all the people partake, to be made in Latine.
To affect in prayer ſuch vncouth words,2 To vſe curious phraſes in prayer. and curious phraſes as exceed the capacitie of the vnlearned, is little better then to pray in a ſtrange tongue.f1. Cor. 4. 16. The Apoſtle ſheweth that prayers muſt be ſo vttered, as the vnlearned may ſay Amen.
Contrary to diſtinct praying,3 To tumble ouer a prayer too faſt. it is for a Miniſter to mumble and tumble ouer his words too faſt: it argueth want of reuerence, it hindereth deuotion and affection of heart (for when a prayer is too faſt poſted ouer, what time can there be for the heart to worke) it alſo hindereth attention, and vnderſtanding in the hearer.
§. 90. Of vniformitie in publike prayer.
VNiformity reſpecteth the outward carriage and geſture in prayer. Of reuerend and humble geſture I ſpake*§. 11. before. The point now to be noted is, that al which aſſemble together in one place to pray, doe vſe one & the ſame ſeemly geſture,gNeh. 8. 5. which is noted of the people in Ezraes time, when he opened the booke to reade, all ſtood vp, hverſ. 6.and when he praiſed the Lord, they al bowed thēſelues, &c. This outward vniformity preuenteth a prepoſterous cenſuring of one another, & may be a meanes of ſtirring vp one anothers affections: for when one ſeeth others humbly to kneele down, his hart may be ſo ſtruck, as he wil be moued with reuerence to humble his owne ſoule: but diuerſity of geſtures may cauſe diſtractions, and hinder deuotions: vniformity in that which is lawfull & warrantable is an eſpeciall part of good order: diuerſity of geſtures cauſeth a kind of confuſion. Nowi1. Cor. 14. 33 God is not the author of confuſion: whereforekVerſ. 40. all things are to be done decently and in good order. The beſt generall rule that we can obſerue to keepe order, is, to yeeld to ſuch commendable, and warrantable geſtures as the Church wherein wee liue preſcribeth and practiſeth.
§. 91. Of motiues to publike prayer.
THus hauing giuē ſome directions for publike prayer,Motiues to publike prayer. I will lay downe ſome motiues to ſtirre vsus with conſcience to performe it.
1 The more publike prayer is,1 It is more honorable and acceptable. the more honorable & acceptable it is to God. If it be an honor to God for one to pray, the more do ioyne together therin, the more honorable it muſt needs be: it is the more acceptable, becauſe God delights in the ioynt conſent of his Saints worſhipping him: whereupon God promiſed,lMat. 18 20. Where two or three were gathered together in his name, to be in the midſt of them.
2 It is alſo the more powerfull:2 It is more powerfull. the cries of many ioyned together make a lowde crie in Gods eares, and moue him the ſooner to open his eares. Hereupon when there was a iudgement in the Land,mIoel. 2. 16, 17 the Prophet calleth all the people to aſſemble together to pray: and ſo didnIohn 3. 8. the King of Niniueh, when the ruine thereof was threatned.
3 It is an outward ſigne whereby wee manifeſt our ſelues to be of the choſen and called flocke of Chriſt.3 It is a ſigne of communion.
4 It is an eſpeciall meanes of mutuall edification: for thereby we mutually ſtirre vp the zeale,4 It is a meanes of edification. and inflame the affection of one another.
5 The neglect of it is a note of prophaneneſſe, from which blame Separatiſts,5 The neglect of it, is a note of prophaneneſſe. and Schiſmatiques though they would ſeem very religious, cānot well acquit themſelues…
Theſe and ſuch other like reaſons madeoPſal. 122. 1… Dauid reioyce when he ſaid, Wee will goe into the houſe of the Lord; and mourn when he could not come into the houſe of Praier.p& 84. 1. &c.
§. 92. Of priuate Prayer.
PRiuate prayer is that which is made by ſome few together,Priuate prayer. or by one alone: by few, as when two or three friends goe together into ſome ſecret place (asa2. King. 4. 33 when Eliſha and his ſeruant were alone in a chamber praying for the Shunamites childe, andbLuke 9. 28. Chriſt tooke Peter, and Iohn, and Iames, and went into a mountaine to pray) or an whole houſhold pray together in the family, ascActs 10. 30. when Cornelius prayed in his houſe. This charge eſpecially belōgeth to the maſter of the family. For as he is in his family a Lord to gouerne, and a Prophet to teach, ſo alſo a Prieſt to offer vp the ſacrifice of prayer: as a Miniſter in the Church, ſo hee in the houſe muſt vtter the prayer (or at leaſt prouide one to performe that dutie) and withall, cauſe his whole houſhold to be preſent thereat.
§. 93. Of prayer in a family.
1 THe family hath need of peculiar bleſſings,Reſons for prayer in a family. which by prayer are to be ſought, beſides the publike and common bleſſings which in the Church are prayed for:1 The need of it. yea it receiueth many bleſſings, for which peculiar thankes are to be giuen in the houſe.
2 A Chriſtians houſe is made Gods Church,2 The honor of it. if Gods worſhip (a principall part whereof is prayer) bee there from time to time performed, which is a great honor vntounto a family. Wherefore, for honors ſake, Saint Paul mentioneth dRom. 16. 5.the Church in the houſe of Priſcilla and Aquila, andePhil. v. 2. of Philemon.
3 By prayer a Chriſtian bringeth Gods bleſſing into3 The profit of it. his houſe (which is a matter of great profite) for where God is called vponupon, there is he preſent to beſtow his bleſſing, asf2. Sam. 6. 11. he bleſſed Obed-edom, and all his houſhold, while the Arke was in his houſe. Prayer then bringeth both honor and profit vntounto a Family.
Vnworthy they are to be gouernours of a family,Vſe. Reproofe of thoſe who neglect prayer in their families. who omit this duetie therein. They cauſe Gods curſe to lye vponupon their houſe, and depriue themſelues of a iuſt right vntounto all the goods which are therein. For by prayer they are all ſanctified: he that vſeth any thing without prayer, is an vſurper and a robber; and ſhall another day dearely anſwere for it. They who frequent publike prayer at Church, and neglect priuate prayer at home, are either ſuperſtitious, or hypocriticall perſons.
§. 94. Of ſecret Prayer.
THe prayer which is made by one alone,9 Secret prayer. none being preſent but God and he which prayeth, I may call Secret prayer. This may be ingMat. 6. 6. a cloſe chamber, or cloſet, hMarke 1. 35.or on a deſolate mountaine,iGen. 24. 63. or in a ſecret field, orkAct. 10. 9. on any houſe top,l1. Tim. 2. 8. or in any other place.
It is very needfull that ſecret prayer bee added both to publike prayer at Church,Reaſons for ſecret prayer. and priuate prayer in Family, for theſe reaſons.
1 Hereby we may more freely powre out our whole hearts vntounto God:1. In it we may moſt freely make knowne our whole minde. it is not meete that any other perſon ſhould know many things which are knowne to God, and cannot be concealed from him. EueryEvery one is guiltie of ſuch particular ſinnes, as are to be acknowledged alone before God, and eueryevery one hath particular wants to bee prayed for by himſelfe. Hereby alſo wee may by name mention in our praiers to God our deareſt friends, which is not ſo meete to doe in company. I thinke Saint Paul meant ſuch Secret prayers, when he ſaid,mRom. 1. 9, 10 I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers.
2 This kind of prayer affordeth the trueſt triall of the vprightneſſe of a mans heart:2 By it trueſt triall of our vprightneſſe is made. for a man may long continue to pray in the Church and in a family, and his prayer be meere formall, euen for company ſake: but he that alone in ſecret, when and where no other man knoweth, calleth vponupon God, ſurely maketh conſcience of prayer, and hath an honeſt heart (though hee may hauehave much weakneſſe, and many imperfections) or elſe hee would ſoone omit his courſe of praying in ſecret. For what byreſpect is there that ſhould moue him to continue it, vnleſſe hee bee Popiſh, and thinke that the ſaying of a few prayers in ſecret is a meritorious worke?
3 This argueth a great familiaritie with God,3 It argueth familiaritie with God. when a ſubiect vſeth to goe alone to his Soueraigne, it argueth much more familiaritie, then when hee commeth with a petition in the company of others.
4 It bringeth greateſt comfort vntounto a mans heart:4 It bringeth much comfort. for ſuch is the corruption of our nature, that we cannot performe any holy exerciſe as we ought (nRom. 7. 21. When we would do good, euill is preſent with vsus) whereby it commeth to paſſe that the comfort of ſuch holy exerciſes, which wee performe in Church or houſe, is taken away. This maketh Chriſtians to run to God in ſecret, to humble themſelues for the imperfections of their publike prayers. Chriſtians would much doubt, and euen faint oftentimes, if it were not for their ſecret prayers. They which content themſelues with Church and family prayers, hauehave iuſt cauſe to ſuſpect themſelues.
5 Such wiues,5 By it ſupply is made in want of other prayers. children, ſeruants and other inferiours, which liue in any houſe vnderunder prophane gouernours, that will not hauehave prayers in their families, may by this kinde of prayer make ſupply thereof vntounto their owne ſoules: none can hinder ſecret prayer.
Obiect. Wee can hauehave neither time nor place to pray ſecretly.
Anſw. Doe yee not finde many times and places to commit ſinne ſo ſecretly as none can ſee you? if you had as great delight in prayer as in ſinne, you would find time and place.
This kinde of prayer (ſo neere as may be) is to be performed ſo ſecretly,Direction. as no other may know it, leſt the knowledge which others hauehave of it, may miniſter occaſion of inward pride,oMat. 6. 6. Shut the doore, ſaith Chriſt. It is not meete to vtter ſecret prayer ſo lowde as any other ſhould heare it.
§. 95. Of extraordinary prayer.
THe laſt diſtinction of prayer, is ordinary and extraordinary. All the forenamed kinds are ordinary, therefore I ſhall not need to ſpeake of it.
Extraordinary prayer, 10 Extraordinary prayer.is that which after an extraordinary manner, euen aboue our vſuall cuſtome, is powred out before God This conſiſteth partly in ardencie of affection, and partly in continuance of time.qIoh. 3. 8. The King of Niniueh required an extraordinary ardencie, when hee commanded his people to cry mightily vntounto God. Wee hauehave a memorable example hereof in Moſes, who was ſo earneſt in his prayer, thatrExod. 32. 32. rather then not hauehave his petition granted, he deſired to be raſed out of Gods Booke. Chriſts ardencie yet exceeded this; it is noted that hee prayedſLuke 22. 44. earneſtly, tHeb. 5. 7. foreign.with ſtrong crying and teares. Yea his ardency made his ſweat to be as great drops of blood falling downe to the ground.
This ardencie is in Scripture ſet forth by diuers Metaphors, asuIoel. 2. 13. renting the heart, xExod. 14. 15crying, yRom. 15. 30.ſtriuing, zGen. 32. 24wreſtling with God, &c.
Though this ardency be an inward worke, yet can it hardly containe it ſelfe within a man: but as thunder, which is an heate conceiued within a cloude, becauſe of the ardency of that inward heate burſteth forth, and cauſeth lightning, rumbling, and raine; ſo a vehement and earneſt deſire of the heart will ſome way or other manifeſt & declare it ſelfe. Many waies are noted in the Scripture, whereby it hath beene manifeſted.
§. 96. Of the ſignes of extraordinary ardency.
1 EXtraordinary diſtemper of the body.aLuke 22. 44 Chriſts earneſtneſſe in prayer ſtroke him into an agony, and cauſed his ſweate to be turned into blood.bNeh. 2. 2 Nehemiahs ardency ſo changed his countenance, as the King obſerued it.
2 Vnuſuall motion of the parts of a mans body:c1 Sam. 1. 13 Annah ſo moued her lips, as Eli thought ſhee had been drunken. d1 King 8. 22Salomon ſpread his armes abroad.eLuke 18. 13 The Publican beate his breaſt.fMar. 14. 35 Chriſt fell vponupon the ground.
3 Deepe ſighes and grones.gPſal. 38. 9 My ſighing is not hid from thee, ſaith Dauid to God.hRom. 8 26 The ſighes of the ſpirit are ſuch as cannot be expreſſed.
4 Loud crying.iPſal. 32. 3 Dauid roared all the day.kMat. 27. 46 … Chriſt cried with a loud voice.
5 Often repeating and inculcating the ſame Petition. lMat. 26. 39, 42, 44Chriſt did once, twice, thrice, returne to God in prayer, ſaying the ſame words. m2 Cor. 12. 8Paul prayed thrice, that is, oft, againſt a temptation. Note hownDan. 9. 18, 19 Daniel doubleth and redoubleth his words, O my God, incline thine eares and heare, open thine eyes and behold, &c. O Lord heare; O Lord forgiue, O Lord conſider, and doe it. Defer not, &c. oGen. 18. 24.Abram praied ſixe ſeuerall times together for one thing, namely, for mercy on Sodom.
6 Teares, pHeb. 5. 7theſe Chriſt powred forth.qLuke. 7. 38 So did the ſinfull woman, andr1 Sam. 7. 6 the Iſraelites in ſuch abundant meaſure, that ſhee waſhed Chriſts feete with her teares, they are ſaid to draw water, and powre it out before the Lord; ſMat. 26. 75Peter is ſaid to weepe bitterly.