Works, Part 2 · Treatise 13
A SHORT TREATISE OF PRAYER, VPONUPON THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET IOEL, chap. 2. 32 alleaged by Peter, Act. 2. 21.
WHosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord, shall be saued, Ioel. 2. …2▪ By calling on the name of God in this place, which is but one and a particular part of God his worship, are meant and vnderstood the other parts of the worship of God. Thus the Scriptures sometime ascribe to this one other parte of God his worship: as Genes 3. Then began men to call on the name of the Lord: and Gen. 12. Abraham builded an Altar▪ and called on the name of the Lord, that is, worshipped God. Againe, Psalme 50. Call vponupon me in the time of trouble, and I will heare thee. In the new Testament we shall see the same. For this place is alleaged Rom. 10: and 1. Cor. 1. the Apostle wisheth grace to all thē that shal call on the name of God that is, worship God 2 Timoth. 2. Whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord, that is, worshippeth God, let him depart from iniquitie. So that vnderunder this one part of inuocation, we see vnderstood all other parts. And in our English tongue, we rather vse this phrase; We will goe to prayers, or, Are prayers done, than, we goe to the word of God to heare it, we goe to receiue the Sacraments, and such like; when notwithstanding we frequent other actions of religion in the congregation besides prayer. And both Ieremie, and our Sauiour Christ calleth the Church an house of prayer, as Matth. 21. 13. Mine house shall be called the house of prayer, &c. It is an house of hearing the word, of receiuing the Sacraments, of executing discipline, as well as of prayer: but yet this one name comprehendeth all.
Now before we shew the reason of it, how commeth it to passe that few care for the word, fewer for the Sacraments, and fewest for discipline, yet all shew themselues friends to prayer; yea and Heretikes, which in the other things will depart from vsus, will acknowledge this thing? This is God his goodnes, that none doe forsake this. That by prayer is meant all parts of God his worship, it is manifest Matth. 24. 13. where our Sauiour Christ saith: But he that endureth vntounto the end, he shall be saued. Now the meanes to auoide these iudgements come after, The Gospell of the kingdome must be preached to all nations. Iohn 3. Christ by the preaching of the Gospel must be lift vp, that who so hearkeneth to the word, should be saued. These are ioyned both together, Rom. 10. where it is s…id, Whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord, he shall be saued▪ and a little after, But how shall they call on him, on whom they hauehave not beleeued? and how shall they beleeue, vnlesse they doe heare? So that as faith saueth, so faith commeth by the word of God. And Eccles▪ 4. 17. and 5 1▪ When then entrest into the house of God, looke vntounto thy feete, &c. In which place the holy Ghost first teacheth men to heare, & then to pray, because as they came into the Temple to pray, so also to heare. Likewise Psal. 95. first the Prophet saith, O come let vsus worship and kneele donne exhorting to prayer, and after, To day if ye will heare his voyce, harden not your hearis, making mention of the word, because these must be ioyned together▪ That the Ministers of God are ioyned to come to the one, and to the other, the Scriptures shew, as Deut. 33. where the Leuites dutie is first to teach Iacob, & then to offer incense, that is, to pray, as Psalme 141. and 2. Sam. 12. where the people acknowledging their sinnes, request Samuel to pray for them: who answered them, that he would not onelyonly pray vntounto God for them, but that he would also preach God his word vntounto them, threaten God his iudgements, and proclame God his mercies to them, if they would repent. Act. 6 whē the Apostles found themselues troubled with the ordinarie ministerie of tables, they ordained new meanes, and they would giuegive themselues to the word and prayer. 1. Timoth. 1. and 2. Paul teacheth Timothie first, how he should preach to the people, then how he should pray for them: and so the Lord would hauehave the people as well to come to heare the word preached, as to pray. We shall see this the better, if we consider what the Lord requireth of vsus in praying. First, a man cannot be heard, vnlesse hee doe the will of God. Matth. 7. Not eueryevery one, that saith vntounto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of he…uen, but he that doth the will of my father that is in heauen. Matth. 15. 8▪ 9. This people draweth neere vntounto mee with their mouth, &c. But in vaine doe they worship me, teaching for doctrine mens precepts. Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is neere to all that call vponupon him, yea to all that call vponupon him in truth. And it is saide in the Prouerbs, that the sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, and his prayer is his sinne. Psal. 34. 15. 16. The eyes of the Lord are vponupon the righteous, and his eares are opon vntounto their crie. But the face of the Lord is against them that doe euill, &c. But notable is that place Psal. 66 18. If I regard wickednes in mine heart, the Lord will not heare me. Now, if we cannot call on God without faith, because Iam. 2. 6. saith, we must aske in faith, and wauer not: for he that wauereth, is like a waue, &c. and as Christ saith, whatsoeuer wee aske beleeuing, wee shall obtaine, seeing he taught his Disciples so to pray, Lord increase our faith: and Iam. 5. 15. the prayer of faith shall saue, because it is grounded on God his promises and infallible truth: and seeing with faith the Lord would hauehave vsus ioyne repentance, because 2. Timot. 2. 19. eueryevery one that calleth on the name of the Lord, must depart from iniquitie; we must labour in all our prayers to come with faith and assurance, that in Christ we shall bee heard, waiting on the Lord in newnes of life. If such faith, feare, and holinesse is required of vsus in prayer, seeing both faith and repentance, are begun, continued, and increased by the word, it is meete that the ministerie of the word should be ioyned with prayer. Therfore where it is said, Whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord, it is as much as, whosoeuer worshippeth and serueth God, although great calamities come, yet if hee be a true worshipper, beleeuing God his promises, repenting of his sinnes, and giueth himselfe to serue the Lord aright, he shall be preserued from all plagues; and either he shall be taken away in merciemercy, if the Lord seeth him to be weake: or else if he liue, hee shall hauehave strength to passe thorow them, and by them take his voyage to heauen, euen as the wicked by them make a way to the hels. We stand on this point the rather, because most men nowadaies are of this mind, that, if they come to the Church to pray a little, all is wel, they hauehave bin very religious, not thinking it in the meane time so necessarie a thing to come to the word preached, which may breede in them faith and repentance. And therefore in that all will graunt prayer, some few forlorne persons excepted; we say there is no true prayer, where is no faith, and no faith without the word: and therefore without the word neither faith, nor prayer, nor repentance. Now, if wee will aske on the contrarie, why the Lord rather nameth prayer, than hearing of the word: I answere, that naturally men had rather heare than pray, and then wee are fit truly to pray, when wee hauehave reuerently heard, because the hearing of the word inferring prayer, when we hauehave heard, we are most readie to pray. We shall see, that ignorant and superstitious persons much commend prayer, but not preaching: but come to them that hauehave knowledge, and they on the contrarie are more readie to heare, than to pray, and they will longer continue in hearing than in praying. The holy Ghost then not respecting Turkes, Papists, or such like, but professed Christians, which will bragge of their worship to Godward, teacheth vsus, that all is nothing without prayer, knowing that neither foundation, nor continuance of repentance can be without prayer, the word and Sacraments are vnfruitfull without prayer, without which wee are vnworthie of any thing, because wee will not vouchsafe once to aske it of the Lord. I appeale to the consciences of God his children, who, that I might passe by other lothsome persons loth for to pray, know, that prayer is not a thing of the mouth, but of the minde; not a sounding of the voyce, but a yerning of the spirit; not a labour of the lips▪ but a trauailing of the heart: and therefore will confesse, giuing God the glorie to their owne shame, that they had rather heare the word two houres, than thus seriously striue in prayer one quarter of an houre. And why? It is a small thing to lend the eares in hearing, it is easie to feede our delight with hearing a man renewing our knowledge: but to set on worke the eye, the eare, the hands, to trauell with the heart to set the whole bodie in a frame of subiection, as becommeth them that pray to the Lord (which sheweth, that prayer is a thing both painfull and laborious) we shall proue it to be a very hard thing. Prayer bringeth the experience of the things which wee know, and without it we hauehave as little proofe of our knowledge▪ as they hauehave vse of an hidden treasure, which neuer are the better for it. The word maketh knowne to vsus the treasures of God his wisedome: but faith bringeth the experience of them, by applying and appropriating these mercies of God to our selues, & prayer is the instrument, whereby this faith is continued in vsus. The word telleth vsus, that God will plague sinners, prayer brings an experience of this: The word telleth vsus, that God careth for vsus, prayer proueth this: the word sheweth, that the Lord hath both power and merciemercy to shew to his people, prayer obtaineth the triall of this: the word reuealeth to vsus the wisedome, prouidence, maiestie, and goodnes of God, prayer conueieth the certaintie of these things into vsus. God will bee glorified wholy and onelyonly, and cannot abide that wee should be fellowpartners with him therein. If a man come by knowledge, faith, and repentance by hearing, it is rather an infusion into a man than an action from a man, and it is the great merciemercy of God: but when the Lord brings a man on his knees, and humbles him in prayer, and constraineth him to aske all of God, that wee might heare rightly, and so vse the things heard, this breaketh the heart of a man, and makes him to say, Great is the Lord. This, I say, humbles a man to acknowledge his wants, this calleth downe many blessings both spirituall and corporall from the Lord. We know, that though a father is readie and fully hath purposed to leaue an inheritance vntounto his children, yet to acquaint them with obedience, he will hauehave them aske things of farre lesse value at his hands: so God, notwithstanding he hath purposed to giuegive vntounto vsus an heauenly inheritāce, which in Christ is purchased, yet to continue vsus in faith and obedience, he will hauehave vsus to aske it of him. If mans wisedome can come thus farre, shall we not hereby gather the wisedome of God▪ If man hath this pitie, shall we doubt of merciemercy in God? and as prayer bringeth experience of God his louelove, so also it proueth our knowledge, faith, and repentance. For if we will be suiters at God his hand, wee must not willingly displease him. For we see, that when we would obtaine a suite of a man, we will be carefull not to offend him, least we should suffer repulse: and likewise when we pray, we must addresse our hearts to obedience: and therefore the Scripture speaketh of clensing our hearts of hypocrisie, and vnfaithfulnes. If this care be had in suites for things corruptible, that willingly we will not offend him, to whom we sue; then must wee know, that God is Lord of the spirits: and therefore to pray vntounto him without auoyding things displeasing him, and doing things pleasing him, is but grosse by pocrisie. Hee must needes be a godly man then that prayes often, and if wee be so bold to pray, nourishing some sinne in vsus, besides that we are dull in prayer, wee are inwardly both accused and accursed. Hereof comes such plentifull acknowledging of our sinnes in prayer, with a purpose to auoide them, hereof come such vowes and protestations of obedience: so that prayer doth not onelyonly continue repentance, but also breedeth thankfulnes. For it is our corruption, when we know that we obtaiened a thing any other waies than by prayer, that then we ascribe it to the meanes: but when we see God hath heard our prayers, it sealeth our faith, it confirmeth our thankfulnes. True it is, that God giueth many mercies without praying: yet this must the more make vsus thankfull, and nothing slacke vsus in vsing the meanes which God hath appointed. That prayer further confirmeth louelove to God, it is manifest alreadie: now we must shew how it worketh louelove euen to our brethren. When a man comes to pray, and hath this choake-peare, that he must forgiue, or else not be forgiuen, he must needs be either an hypocrite in his prayer, or cease from prayer, or forgiue his enemies. It is palpable hypocrisie to desire God to forgiue vsus many and great sinnes, and we will not pardon our brother a few and light offences. If we will take a view of the weight, height, length, depth, and breadth of our sins, we will confesse it hypocrisie to craue pardon for so many sinnes, being hardly brought to forgiue others a fewe trespasses. And for this cause the Scripture saith: If yee forgiue not others, yee cannot be forgiuen. If then Prayer be such a thing, as nature doth least entertaine, if it brings such experience of God his louelove towards vsus, if it so confirmeth Faith, continueth repentance, and causeth louelove both to God and man, it is good cause that this is set to inferre the other, and to make all other parts of God his worship the more effectuall.
Hee shall be saued. That is, in the midst of diseases he shall not be taken away, in the time of iniquitie he shall not be ouertaken: but in all these he shall suffer with Faith and a good conscience. Besides, by the word of sauing, is meant the obtaining of all graces, as pledges of our saluation, and gages of our inheritance: so that it doth not barely betoken an exempting of vsus from the former iudgements threatned. Will a man then escape the wrath menaced, and enioy the grace promised, let him vse true and heartie prayer, which hath it fruite commended vntounto vsus both in the chapter going before, in the election of an Apostle, and also in the beginning of this chapter, in that being gathered together in prayer, the holy Ghost was sent downe. Now let vsus speake a little of the circumstances. First, of the persons, it is said, Whosoeuer: Secondly, for the extremitie of the time, it is said, shall be saued, that is, from those iudgements, and endued with those graces, that euen then when there shall be so many opinions, that we shall not bee able well to discerne the truth, when wickednes shall abound eueryevery where, examples of godlinesse be no where, when wee shall be able to finde no comfort either in our selues or in others; we shall be so gouerned, that wee shall not onelyonly auoide euill, but coldnesse in well doing; and looke what is detracted through the iniuries of times, it shall be added in inward graces, and recompenced in the kingdome of heauen. When we shall then in extremitie of offences say, Good Lord, what shall we doe? whither shall wee goe to heare a good Preacher▪ what may wee doe to goe to some good man and zealous professor? Remember then, if thou wilt stay on the Lord, and fall to Prayer, thogh thou art troubled with Papists, or Heretikes, or monstrous liuers, then leane to God, trust in his word, and vse prayer. When thou shalt see no good neither in Church nor in Common wealth, then hauehave recourse to prayers, and thou shalt not onelyonly bee preserued from daungers, but also thou shalt enioy God his spirit with his graces. Thus wee shall see in the volume of God his booke, not onelyonly what deliuerances the godly hauehave had by prayer, but also by what meanes they were deliuered. Noah calling on the name of GOD, was saued in the Arke, from perishing in the waters. Lot was deliuered out of Sodome: the Israelites obtained meate from heauen, water out of the rocke, passage through the Seas, and many other righteous persons were not onelyonly deliuered, but greatlie ioyed. But if we should passe them, and looke to the daies of persecution vnderunder Queene Mary, when the Sun seemed to be changed into darknes, the Moone to lose her light, then Christians were not onelyonly many deliuered, but also in the prisons, in cabbins, in bushes, in flame and in fire, they euer had sweete dreames, heauenly visions, and wonderfull consolation: so as they were not onelyonly comforted, but at the stake they would prophecie of the restoring of the Gospell, and they presently would reioyce, as foreseeing the truth should come vntounto their posteritie.
And it shall come to passe. This importeth the time of the Gospell, and here is shewed a difference betweene the time of the Law, and of the Gospell. If our fathers were heard vnderunder the Law, if they receiued not the repulse in the dawning of the day; what may we hope for vnderunder the Gospell, what boldnes may wee receiue now, when the sunne shineth out at the fulnes? Looke what proofe they had, we may hauehave more; see what experience they had, we may hauehave it in greater measure, because what they had confirmed, we hauehave confirmed. The Lord requireth of vsus now to trust in him the more, & we must remēber that saying of our Sauiour Christ, Ioh. 16. 24. Hitherto hauehave yee asked nothing in my Name, aske, and yee shall receiue, that your ioy may be full▪ If our fathers prayed feruently, why doe not wee? hauehave not wee mo deedes of God his fauour? hauehave not we mo promises? hauehave not wee mo examples? all which accuse vsus of want of zeale in prayer. In the old Testament they named not Christ, we are bold to looke vponupon God in Christ his Sonne. Woe then be to vsus, if these things do not moue vsus, seeing Christ standeth on the right hand of God the Father, who is not now in the loynes of Abraham, or in the wombe of the Virgin, or in the bowels of the earth; bu… …o, as … …euen we may see him sitting in heauen on the right hand of GOD. The circumstance remaining is in this word, whosoeuer: which sheweth that whether it bee man or woman, master or seruant, young or old, Iew or Gentil, no age, no sexe, no estate, no cōdition is excluded. True it is, that there be priuiledges of the man aboue the woman, of the master aboue his seruant, of the elders aboue the yonge…: but this is in some things, not in all. For in the worship of God, in the matter of God his glory, and our saluation, there is no respect of persons with God; but, whos…euer calleth vponupon the name of the Lord, he shall be saued. In respect whereof we are to be exhorted, that if we will reioyce in this priuiledge, we must vse the means due to them that are within the precincts of it, we must not excuse our selues, and say; I am a woman, and the weaker vessell, I am a young man and rechlesse, I am an old man & forgetfull, I am a seruant, and am not at mine owne libertie. For if wee looke for the grace offered, wee must vse the meanes proposed. But yet here is a further thing than this, that not only the righteous shalbe saued, but also the poore sinner, if now he will repent, and hauing a pure purpose to please God, call on the name of the Lord. Behold, ô repenting sinner, the Theese on the Crosse; the Sunne was darkened, the vale of the Temple rent, earthquakes, and troubles, confusion was an ong men, terrors were in himselfe, and yet hee calling on the name of the Lord, and saying: Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome, receiued this comfortable answere: This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise. Peter seeing Christ, was pardoned. If we behold Dauids miserie, in the troublesome estate both of Church and Common-wealth, when he had not one of his owne children to comfort him, but to the increase of his griefe, one brother murthered another, one of his sonnes being a traytor, was through God his iudgement hanged by the haire of the head, his chiefe friends rebelled against him; hee was not onelyonly in all this mightily preserued of God, but also receiued plentifull graces of the Spirit. When Manasses had caused Ierusalem to swimme with blood, when the Citie was neere destruction, and hee himselfe in chaines; what hope was there either of the Kingdome or Prophecie to continue? and yet calling on God his name, hee was heard and helped. If such great things were for poore sinners before Christ, what comfort is there for them, since Christ is come? If the wretched man was so helped of CHRIST, euen when he was on the crosse; what comfort may afflicted consciences hope for in him, being aduanced to the Throne & Kingdome? Nay, I will adde more, euen very hypocrites by Prayer, hauehave escaped outward perils, as A…ab, and such like. Yea, and marke them that are in warres or in some great distresse, how praying to the LORD, they are helped. The same we shall obserue sometimes either in worldlings, or in God his children vnregenerate. All which will graunt, that after they hauehave prayed but in their manner, the Lord hath strangely deliuered them. If wicked men hauehave had this benefite, how much more shall the godly hauehave it? If God his children hauehave found such grace, before they knewe God; what grace shall they hauehave, when they know him, beleeue in him, and call vponupon him? Here then is all doubting to be taken away, and we must cease to say: Oh I am a sinner, I cannot be helped, mine vnworthines makes me ashamed▪ Consider the tenour of this runneth in an vniuersall point to all, thou ca…st not be excluded, if thou exclude not thy selfe. And why? It is said, that all shall be saued: which point is necessarily to be noted: For the diuell will tell vsus, Christ died for others, but not for vsus▪ True it is, that all repentant sinners, compared with the number of the vnrepentant, are but few: Howbeit, if I truely abhorre my sinnes, and my selfe for my sinnes sake, if I purpose to leaue sinn…, and trauell in the wayes of righteousnes, if I louelove GOD and hate …niquitie and depart from it, although I want all these solen ne preparations, yet I am perswaded I shall be saued. And yet remember, that here is no such libertie for hard-hearted sinners; neither is the Sea of merciemercy denied to sorrowfull sinners. For, as no sinner shall be damned that will repent, and it truth desireth to be saued: so the Lord will not iustifie the wicked and obstinate sinner. Whosoeuer therefore hath eares, let him heare, who so hath eyes let him see, who so hath an heart, let him consider of this bountifull merciemercy of God, whether hee be in miserie outward, or trouble inward; and know from the Lord his owne mouth, that, Whosoeuer calleth on the Name of the LORD, hee shall be saued.
FINIS.
THE THIRDE PART OF THE WORKES OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST, MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM, MINISTER AND PREAcher of the Word of GOD containing seuenteene Sermons, the Titles and Texts whereof appeare in the next Page following.
PROV. 10. 7.
The memoriall of the iust shall bee blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rotte.
VERS. 11.
The mouth of the righteous is as a welspring of life.
VERITAS VIRESSIT VVLNERE
TC
AT LONDON, Imprinted by Thomas Creede for William Welbie, and are to be solde at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne. 1611.
THE SERMONS FOLLOVVING ARE THESE.
1 OF quenching the spirit. 1. THES. 5. 19.
2 Of murmuring. EXOD. 16. 2.
3 Of zeale. REVEL. 3. 19.
4 Of a good name. PROV. 22. 1.
5 Of humilitie. PROV. 18. 12.
6 Of the education of children. PROV. 17. 21.
7 Of repentance and true sorrow for sinne. ACT. 2. 37. 38.
8. 9. Three Sermons of the heauenly purchase on the 13. of
10. Matthew and the 44 verse.
11 Of Christian warfare on EPHES. 6. vers. 10. 11. 12.
12 Of diuers Christian instructions. PSAL. 16.
13 Of flying euill company, Idolatrie, &c. on GEN. 42. vers. 9. 12. 14. 15. 21.
14 Of the mutuall duties betweene the Ministers and people on HEB. 13. vers. 17.
15 Of the confession of sinne and the necessarie vse thereof, on PROV. 28. 15.
16 Of the effects of Christ his Crosse, &c. in two sermons
17 on GALAT. 6. vers. 14. 15.