Peters Enlargement, Title page – To the reader
PETERS ENLARGEMENT VPONUPON THE PRAYERS OF THE CHVRCH.
BY Maſter HARRIS.
Pſal. 34.17.
The Righteous cry and the Lord heareth and deliuereth them out of all their troubles.
LONDON. Printed by I. D. for Iohn Bartlett, and are to be ſould at the golden Cup in the Goldſmiths Rowe in Cheapſide. 1624.
❧ To the Reader.
THis Sermon (thus made vp with mine owne and others notes) I now ſubmit to Authority and Cenſure, for ſubſtāce, I yeelde heere is no more then what was deliuered, whether no leſſe I hauehave not now to ſay, for circumſtance (I yeeld to the allegation) I acknowledge it ſeaſonable. The times ſhall euer bee cleared by prayer whenſoeuer they looke ſadly vponupon vsus. Our Brethren abroad cry ſtil in the Churches words. Ier. 8.20.The harveſt is paſt, and the Summer is ended, and we are not holpen, and wee (methinks) ſhould add with Ieremie verſe 21. I am ſore vexed for the hurt of the daughter of my people, I am heauie, aſtoniſhment hath taken me; Is there no balme at Gilead &c, At home, howſoeuer the Lord hath beene gracious to vsus in the ſcarcitie, yet we may in moſt places, Hag. 2.20.take vp the Prophets words in another ſence, Is the ſeede yet in the Barne? as yet the Trees hauehave not beene deliuered of their burthen? Looke into the 65 Pſalme, Pſal. 65.9. 10.11.and thou ſhalt find that it is the Lord that finds both ground and ſeede, that giues both growth and ripening to the Corne, and therefore wee ſhould waite vponupon him with our preſents of praiſe & prayer, this were enough to make vsus pray, but this is the leaſt of many motiues, for Reader thou ſeeſt the times, the World is now all eare and tongue, the moſt giuen with the Athenians to little els then to heare and tell newes, (vncertaine newes, Demonol. l. 3 c. 1. ad finem.the Authour of all lies as his Maieſtie hath told vsus) the reſt are willing alſo to heare, and to heare Gods Truth, not Fables, and therein they doe but as S. Iames would hauehave them, ſo as they would add doing to hearing as hee commaunds. But alas, whilſt we only profeſſe and diſcourſe of Religion, we driue the practiſe of Religion out of the world, as one too iuſtly complaines. Sir W. Ral. prefaceIt is lamentable to conſider the little vſe that is made of Gods Ordinances in moſt places; Preachers too often (I tremble to ſpeake it) be vſed like poſt horſes, ſpurd on till they be ſpent, and then a freſh is called for, in the meane the world ſits ſtill and thinks to be ſaued for hearing. Reader, Mourne for this, weepe for this, for this boades a Iudgement, the Lord will reckon for the blood of his Prophets ſpent as well as ſhed. To theſe reaſons, it will not be hard for thee to add more, looke within thee, and round about thee, and ſo ſtirre vp thy ſelfe to this exerciſe of Prayer, an exerciſe (I can aſſure thee) of vnſpeakable ſtrength and comfort, an exerciſe without which thou canſt not liue, and by which thou mayeſt liue in the mouth of death. Beleeue it, wert thou in an eſtate, more deſperate then death, in a place worſe then hell, yet if there thou couldeſt pray truely, thou ſhouldſt find comfort and ſtrength beyond hope, for Prayer is better then our hopes, and yet God is better to vsus then our prayer. Firſt, for that which is publique, follow him who was no time-ſerver, make no ſmall account of publique prayers. Secondly, for priuat, pauſe before thou ſpeak, remember who ſpake it, if a man would not deliuer an Oration to a Prince extempore and ſo dainely, it will not become vsus to open our mouths raſhly before our maker, ſecondly, keepe touch with God: firſt, for extraordinary and incidental occaſions, be ſure to keepe thy ſelfe in ſuch a ſtate and condition of ſoule, as that euer thou canſt recollect thy ſelfe, and call in all the powers of ſoule for this buſineſſe vponupon a ſhort warning: ſecondly, for ordinary times, ſo neare as may bee, faile not of thine houre, when the Clocke ſtrikes the Schollar runs to his booke, thou muſt to God leauing al, there tender thy ſelfe, though not alwaies alike fit, and ſo be in the way and place of preferment, if words will not come, ſigh, God heares the ſighing of his priſoners, if thou canſt not ſigh, breath, God hath an eare for that, Lam 3.56. However, there be, there ſtand, and the child that ſtands before his father and appeares in his place at ſupper time with his trencher in his hand, ſpeakes with his countenance, and ſpeeds accordingly: he was wiſe who ſaid, M. Gr.they pray not altogether of faſhion, who ſee their infirmitie in praying and are grieued for it, the worſt prayers that wee make(to our owne ſence I meane) ſpeede euer beſt, and then wee pray moſt happily, when wee ariſe moſt humbled.
Thirdly, when thou haſt prayed, do not as children, who neuer looke after their arrow; but as Daniell cap. 9.1. take notice of thine enlargements in prayer and of thy ſucceſſe after, write downe time and place as the Prophet doth, and ſo helpe thy ſelfe in future times by former experiments, I ſee this Porch growes wide, and therefore I wil conclude, if thou be acquainted with prayer, thou knoweſt there is more in it then can be expreſſed, if thou bee not acquainted, grow acquainted, and thou ſhalt find me true, if thou wanteſt furtheſt motiues and directions, I commend (in this haſt) to thee who art but a poore Engliſh priuate man. Firſt, for the promiſes (whereof the heart muſt chew before prayer) the Treatiſe of faith. ſecondly, for motiues, the Epiſtle to the key Heauen. thirdly, for caſes of Conſcience and directions after prayer, 2. Treatiſes on Ephe 6. viz. the ſpiritual Armour, and now after directions and exhortations, what remaines but practiſe, in ſtead of others prailing and enter dealing in State-buſines, do thou pray, pray for thy Soveraign, for his ſeede, for the Churches, for thy ſelf, for thy charge, and vſe no more words againſt mens ſinnes, then thou wilt make prayers for their ſoules in ſecret, if thou wilt hauehave comfort in thy wordes: Thus much of this, Now Reader to thee, if theſe plaine notes paſſe the Preſſe, know that I neither did entēd their publiſhing before I preached them, nor can intend notwithſtanding their refining ſince; if the world may be bettered by them, or by any thing I can doe, I hauehave enough, onelyonly I deſire mercy and equitie from my friends, thoſe notes of mine which they hauehave, I will my ſelfe (after my publique Miniſterie) now ſhortly reviſe, let no man doe ſo ill an office as to thruſt out other mens notes without their privitie, eſpecially his, who can doe nothing worthy this Age.
RO: HARRIS.