A Tractate to Further Christians in Prayer, Treatise

A Tractate to Further Christians in Prayer · Treatise

p. 1A TREATISE OF PRAYER.

JAMES 5.16.

—The effectual ferven… Prayer of a righteous man, availeth much.

THE Spring-head of this Scripture doth ariſe at the 13^th verſe of the Chapter, and the ſtreams run down to the 18^th. The general ſcope of the whole, is to give direction in a matter of no ſmall concernment, viz. how the Flock p. 2of Chriſt ſhould demean themſelves in every condition Divine providence might cut out for them in the preſent evil world. According to our Apoſtle, whoſe pen was held and ruled by the Spirit of truth, the ſtate of the Church, and as here deſcribed, is two-fold, Proſperity and Adverſity, happineſſe and miſery, frowns and ſmiles; like the Sun which ſometimes appears bright and glorious, but ſometimes is hid under dusky clouds; now in health, then in an Hectick: weeping and joy; a ſummers day and a winters night, as ſhe gives her own motto, Pſal. 102.10. Thou haſt life me up and caſt me down: an uncertain c…ndition, and ſuch as wants peculiar direction, eſpecially if it be conſidered how eaſie it is to miſcarry in both.

He that runs may read the purpoſe of the Apoſtle, to ballaſt the people of God in this unequal condition, to help them walk ſteadily both in their up-hill and down-hill way; Is any afflicted? then, let him pray: Is any merry? then, let him ſing Pſalms. Needfull it is for Chriſtians to be doing in each condition.

My Text is a branch of the firſt direction, p. 3and is laid down as a Motive and Encouragement to the duty, drawn from the excellent ſucceſſe of it, which he proves by induction of particular examples in the following verſe….

The words in themſelves are a good mans encouragement and teſtimoniall, ſubſcribed by God himſelf, which doth certifie, what he is, and what he muſt be, viz. Fervent in prayer.

They are eaſie in the ſenſe of them, clear and plain; it will be time and labour ſpent impertinently, to give account what Interpreters ſay of them, how they differ or agree; this were almoſt to ſtrike fire and light up a candle at noon-day, to ſeek for that which is neither hid nor loſt. As for part…, to prevent confuſion, and to clear our entrance, I ſhall divide the handling of them into three generals; In them we have to conſider,

Firſt, The foreign, or duty commended and directed unto, viz. P…ayer. A neceſſary and uſefull duty, which neither the decree of God in regard of its immutability, nor the promiſe of God in regard of its infallibility,Ezek. 36. v. 37.Ezek 36:37 nor the effectual interceſſion of Chriſt our Lord, who p. 4taught his Diſciples to pray, can diſpenſe with us for not doing it. The Goſpel commands it.

Secondly, The foreign, or quallification mentioned, which is two-fold, viz. Firſt, Of the duty; it muſt be fervent, ſuch as ſets the whole man on work, and ſuch as notes the moſt lively activity that can be. foreign, is ardens, 1. fervent, as Piſcator renders it; Efficax, i. effectual, as Beza. It is both, effectual-fervent, as in the text. Secondly, Of the perſon, he muſt be righteous, i. ſo made by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt by faith: juſtified by righteouſneſſe impured, called the righteouſneſſe of God; ſanctified by righteouſneſſe imparted, called ours, becauſe inherent in us. They muſt be men of penitent, renewed hearts, men of faith, evangelically righteous.

Thirdly, The foreign, or effect, ſucceſſe and good iſſue of prayer ſo quallified, and performed, It availeth much; they are prayers that carry force with them; thus quallified, they are a mighty engine to move heaven and earth, a key to open the door of the treaſury of God, to fetch mercies for our ſelves and others; p. 5a Panecaea, a receipt for every diſeaſe, and a ſoveraign one too, it brings preſent eaſe and future health. God never ſaid to the ſeed of Jacob, Seek ye my face in vain.

The parts thus ſet, we may …aſily read the meaning of the Spirit in them. Suppoſing the firſt, I ſhall handle the two later, and labour to condeſcend to the meaneſt capacity, and point out the full ſcope of the words in two uſefull Obſervations.

Firſt, That when we have to do with God in prayer, it is our duty to make uſe of ſtrength and fervency.

Secondly, That righteous m…ns prayers are powerfull and effectual.

Both theſe obſervations (God willing) I ſhall labour to explain, laying them as the foundation of my intended Diſcourſe.

For the firſt, viz. That when we have to do with God in prayer, it is our duty to uſe ſtrength and fervency. I ſhall prove this Doctrine, firſt, by Scripture preſidents and precepts. We muſt put to our ſtrength, as Abraham did in his interceſſion for Sodom, Gen. 18. and as Jacob in wreſtling with the Angel, p. 6Gen. 32. v. 26. who held with his hand, when his thigh was lamed. Moſes in praying for the people, craving leave for himſelf to enter Canaan, how earneſt was he with God? how doth he work it out? The woman in the Goſpel was full of this heat, Matth. 15.25. She will not be ſaid nay, like another Gorgonia, ſhe threatens heaven, and is modeſtly impudent; and I think it was for that end Chriſt held her off ſo long. We may ſee it enjoyned in general, Deut. 6.5. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy ſtrength; what we do to or for God, it muſt be done cum toto valdè, with all our might. Preſſed and practiſed in particulars, Iſa. 12.6. Cry out and ſhout thou inhabitant of Zion! Exod. 14.15. Moſes cried to the Lord. The Ninevites cry mightily to God, Jonah 3.8. It notes the ſtrength of affection. Elijah cried earneſtly to God, Jam. 5.17. Chriſt as Mediator ſent up ſtrong cries to his Father, Heb. 5.7. He prayed as he preached: He preached, foreign, as one having authority, and he prayed likewiſe powerfully and effectually. Paul adviſeth the Saints, p. 7foreign, to ſtrive together in prayer to God, Rom. 15.30. A military word he uſeth, noting ſuch fervency as is for life and de…th; as he teſtifieth of himſelf, that he prayed night and day. The Primi… Chriſtians at their ſervices and d…votions, with one ſhoulder were ſo earneſt, that they ſeemed to beſiege the Throne of grace, to raiſe a common force and ſtrength to invade and uſe violence with God in prayer; as it is related by Tertullian, Apol. 39.

In the proſecution of this point, I intend this method, viz. to …ew what prayer, and what fervent prayer i…, opening and applying the deſcription following:

Prayer is a fervent expreſſio… of holy deſires to God, only by Jeſus Chriſt.

This is to pray fervently, Orationi inſtare, & fortiter incumbere Col. 4.2. foreign, Continue in prayer, which implies both intention of minde, and aſſiduity in the exerciſe.

Firſt, I ſay, it is a fervent expreſſion] So much theſe ordinary tearms uſed in Scripture do import, as, calling out of the deep, pouring out of the ſoul, and p. 8crying to heaven; expreſſed alſo in other Scriptures: 2 Chron. 32.20. Hezekiah the King, and Iſaiah the Prophet prayed and cried to heaven, Luke 18-1. Men ought alwaies to pray, and v. 7. the elect cry day and night. I ſhall labour as fully as I can, to unfold what I have read and obſerved touching this fervour in prayer; and enquire.

Qu. 1 Firſt, What this fervencie is?

A. We may conceive the nature of it in theſe three following branches, Anſ. viz.

Firſt, It is the very h…at and height of all gracious affections, in a Zealous moving o… the ſoul to God in prayer, and for God after prayer; where there is no Zeal for him, there is little to him: and again, where there is none to him in our prayers, commonly there is none for him in our actions; he that is cold in prayer, is not hot in any good cauſe, except where ſelf is principle or end. Though I do confeſſe diverſity of Degrees in Zeal to God, and for God, which are diverſly manifeſted, and ſometimes eclipſed in Gods deareſt ſervants, beſt skill'd, and moſt exerciſed in prayer.

p. 9Secondly, Fervency, is the influence, and efficacy of the regenerating Spirit of Chriſt, helping his own needy members to pray, ſo as they may be he…d, Rom. 8.26. The ſpirit helpeth our infirmities, 1 Cor. 14.15. I will pray w… the Spirit: —Though you be we k, yet the Spirit is willing and ſtrong; And ſo much onelyonly as cometh in our prayers from the renewed part, findes accept…ce with God; If the motion be good, he will not accept it from an ill mouth, nor own theſe prayers, which … not indited by the Spirit of grace …nd ſupplication.

Thirdly, It is a reverently-Zealous manifeſtation of both; the former, in words ſutable, for matter and manner, to a renewed mind, as may be moſt beneficiall to the hearers, if it be publick; the heart is the fountain of this heat and life, the tongue is but an inſtrument, and God looks chiefly to the firſt; Moſes and Hannah prayed fervently to God, and yet ſpake little or nothing: The latter is for mans ſake.

Secondly, We enquire, when are Qu. 2 men ſaid to be fervent in p…er, and p. 10in dealing with God to uſe their ſtrength?

Anſ. I anſwer in the enſuing particulars.

Firſt, When they are moved by the Spirit of adoption, Rom. 8.15. and 26. compared: Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father, and, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities. Then a man prayeth with ſtrength, when the Spirit helpeth. The ſame word foreign, i. e. Spirit, is attributed both to the Spirit of man, and to the holy Ghoſt, or Spirit of God, becauſe as that gives motion and operation to the body, which of it ſelf could never performe; ſo doth the Spirit of God to thoſe that partake of it. Hence of Stephen and others, when they performed any notable exploit of grace, it is ſaid, they were filled with the holy Ghoſt. The heart of man indeed is but as ſo much cold earth, till the Spirit of adoption inflame it, and when this is gone, all the ſtrength is gone; as a wheel that is turned about with an hand, if the hand be removed, the wheel ſtandeth ſtill. The duty is we…k and empty till the Spirit overſhadow the ſoul, and then it is a living body. We know, of old, the Symboles of p. 11the Spirit were fiery tongues, and where this fire is, it melts the co… ice, its heavenly flame appears in …uty. As Eliahs body was carried up with a whirlwind, and a fiery Chariot to heaven, ſo are gracious ſouls moved by the Spirit of God in prayer: for as its motions are regular, in regard of the object, ſo they are vehement in regard of the manner.

Secondly, When men are inwardly heated with a ſenſe and feeling of what they pray for. Noahs Ark roſe higher, as the waters grew higher; want will adde ſticks to the fire and make the flame more fervent. Hence co…e groans unutterable, earneſt ejaculations, like darts ſhot up to heaven. David is an exact pattern for this, Pſal. 42.1, 2, 3. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee O God! my ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God, &c. As a child, as ſoon as it comes into the world, begins with cries and tears, becauſe of its indigency: ſo where there is any ſpiritual life and heat, the firſt diſcoveries of it, are by ſighs and groans. Beggars cry earneſtly from apprehenſion of want, as the blind man p. 12did, Luke 18.41. O thou ſon of David have mercy on me! And as the Apoſtles did, Lord ſave or we periſh! When a man praies as Rachel whilſt ſhe ſpake to Jacob, Give me children or I die! or as Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.13. who ſpake in her heart, then he is fervent. For as many beams of the ſun meeting in a glaſſe do beget a burning, ſo are the ſpirits and faculties conjoyned and heated in prayer.

Thirdly, When tongue and tears are the index of a melting heart, then men may be ſaid to be fervent in prayer. Thus David diſcovers his work in prayer, Pſal. 55.2. Attend to me and hear me; I mourn in my complaints and make a noiſe: he bent, as it were, all his nerves, and ſet up his note. So doth Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.10. when ſhe is ſaid to be in bitterneſſe of ſpirit, and prayed to the Lord and wept ſore. Mary Magdalen manifeſted her fervency, by thoſe ſtreams of tears that ran through her ſupplications. I do not ſay, that the ſtrength and work of prayer doth conſiſt in extenſion of the voice, or vehemency of pronunciation: Moſes and Hannah prayed fervently, and yet ſpake p. 13not a word;] neither do I judge tears unſeparable from effectual Prayer; But, this I ſay, that the voice may be much helpful to increaſe devotion and to move compaſſion, and when tears do accompany, they are good ſymptomes, as Calvin ſpeaks, Lachrymae non ſunt vera poenitentia, at affectus & ſymbola poenitentiae. They have ſtrength and a voice …s well as words, Pſal. 6.8. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping! (lachrymae, pondera vocis habent.) As muſick on the waters ſounds farther and more harmoniouſly then on dry land, ſo do prayers joyned with tears, cry louder in the ears of God, and make ſweeter melody, then when they be abſent.

Fourthly, When a man borroweth ſtrength, and getteth hands to joyn with him. Wo to him that is alone; Society is uſefull both in preaching and in praying. Therefore our Saviour ſent out his diſciples by two and two; (vis unita fortior:) as the gathering together of waters make the ſtream ſtronger, and the voices of many together, the louder ſound; So it is here, ſingle prayer is like the ſingle hair of Sampſon, but thoſe of a Congregation like the p. 14whole buſh. Deus pluris facit preces in Eccleſiâ quàm domi factas, non ob locum, ſed ob conſiderationem multitudinis fidelium, Deus communi conſenſu invocantium, as Rivet notes. As thoſe uſe to do who would fain ſpeed in their Petitions to great men, they get hands, others to joyn in pleading and ſpeaking for them, ſo it is here; yet underſtand this incluſively, you muſt pray your ſelves and for your ſelves: Not as Pharaoh and Simon Magus, who put it wholly on others, Orate pro nobis.

Fifthly, When men are frequent and conſtant in Prayer, ſo as to receive no deniall, diſcouragements and worldly impediments notwithſtanding. Importunity carrieth fervency in its bowels. Jacob would not let the Angel go till he bleſſed him, and will ſtand to it though upon one leg. Hannah multiplied to pray, 1 Sam. 1.12. Paul ſought the Lord thrice, 2 Cor. 12.8. i. e. frequently, fervently: He is adviſing men to pray continually; i. e. habitually, vitally. Coloſ. 4.2.Semper orat, qui bene ſemper agit. Wait upon prayer, perſevere with ſtrength; foreign: The word is attributed to the hunting of Dogs, which will not ceaſe following p. 15the game till they have got it: And Rom. 12.12. continuing, watching in prayer, it imports conſtancy with vehemency. And this was the practice of that poor woman, Mat. 15.22. Have mercy on me thou ſon of Daevid, &c. And after denials ſhe riſes higher, and locks her ſelf within the deniall, and pleads Gods truth and juſtice, if mercy will nor ſerve, let thy words be true, I am a Dog, and there is ſomething for Dogs, let me have a Dogs portion, crumbs, I crave no mo e. David and Daniel prayed thrice a day, and otherwhiles ſeven times: Of ſa…ous Bolton it is reported that he conſtan…ly prayed ſix times a day, viz. twice by himſelf alone, twice with his wife, …nd twice with his family. And of Theodoſius that pious Emperour, (Cujus regia non diſſimilis crat monaſterio) that his Court was like a Church for piety and devotion; Of Conſtantine the great, that he converſed more with God then with men. All men of might in Prayer. Conſtancy beſpeakes fervency.

Sixthly, When in Prayers men do heat others by the beauty and livelineſſe of a well-order'd working prayer. A living coal will inliven others, and one candle p. 16lighteth others. Grace where it is, endeavours to kindle where it is not: as where is life, there is alſo a ſeminary of propagation, and the more excellent the life is, the more pregnant is it to propagate in its kinde: like the glow-iron on the Smiths Anvill, c…ſting light and heat round about it. But becauſe this may be brought about by one who is not formally fervent, effectively (as the Philoſopher ſpeaks of the ſun) there are ſome cautions to be added to this mark: In ſuch a zealous petitioner, who heateth others with the fervency of his Devotion, there is required, Firſt, a ſenſe of that miſery which the voice deciphereth, both in confeſſion of ſin and deprecation of judgements. Secondly, A grounded hope of relief upon experience of ſome promiſes. Thirdly, Sincerity in the Petitioner: the truth ſpoken muſt be in the inward parts, that what is asked of God, be for God, for his ſervice and glory; as Hannah in her Samuel. There may be an inward coldneſſe and yet an outward heat, (the nature of the Amber-ſtone) as in hypocrites who know much of God, bur do little for him; this may heat and benefit others, p. 17though not themſelves. Again, there may be an inward hea…, and for ſome time in ſome duties, yet no audible expreſſions, as in Moſes and Hannah, they cryed to the Lord and yet ſaid nothing: their heat was as a flame kept in, encreaſing. This zeal in prayer is moſt acceptable to God, as the prime object of his eye, and ear, although no… ſo beneficiall to men; for unleſſe the Petitioner burn with zealous heat and expreſſe it, he ſhall never enflame the heart of the hearers nor quicken their devotion: as Auſtin ſpeaks, Enar. in Pſal.

Seventhly, When men joyn endeavours, and other things ſeaſonable and uſefull together with Prayer. As the wiſe mariner who hath not onelyonly an eye to the Star, but an hand to the Helm: and as the Plowmen of Sparta, who had one hand held up to Ceres, whom they feigned the Goddeſs of corn, and the other on the ſtilts of the plow: they joyned plowing and praying. The good man not onelyonly lifts up his heart to heaven, but puts his hand to the work, to compaſſe what he prayes for. The Heathen could ſay, admota manu, invocanda eſt Minerva: and they noted him for a fooliſh Carter, p. 18that when his Cart ſtuck faſt, cried to God, and moved his lips, but not his hands to help himſelf. Semper orare, eſt ſemper operari, Aug. If thou calleſt for knowledge (ſaith Solomon) and crieſt for underſtanding: there is Prayer to God; If thou ſeek her as ſilver, and ſearcheſt for her as for hid treaſure, there is mans endeavour in the uſe of means. Many things are requiſite to prayer, according to the nature of the bleſſing: if Spiritual, then faſting and almes, as Cornelius practiſed, Acts. 10. Repentance and Prayer, as the Ninevites did, Jon. 3.8. Hearing the Word and uſe of the Sacraments, which are inſtituted meanes for accompliſhing great and ſaving ends. And ſo, if the bleſſing be temporall; Vain are deſires not produced to action. Ariſtotle writeth of the Bathes in the Parthecuſian Iſlands, that they are fiery hot, but ſend forth no flames; that fervency cannot be commended, which is ſmother'd and pent up in the heart, gets no vent, hath no extrinſecall operation. Auguſtine relates it as a vanity of his youth, that he prayed God againſt ſome ſins whereunto he was ſtrongly addicted, but ſhould have been full ſorrowfull if God ſhould have heard p. 19him, becauſe he was loth to part with them; how much better was that prayer, Domine Deus fac me in conſequendis iis operam collocare, pro quibus obtinendis, ſoleo ad Te orare; i. O Lord help me to beſtow pains in getting thoſe things, for obtaining of which, I uſually pray unto thee.

Confeſſe ſin you muſt and not ſleight, pray for pardon and power, with deſire and longing after them; not as Auſtin did with a ſecret reſervation; or as Spira and the hypocrite, who pray for grace, but ſaw no beauty in it why it ſhould be deſired; ſaved without it they cannot be, that they only apprehend: But rather ſay with David, My heart is prepared, O God, my heart is prepared; and with Paul, I will pray with the Spirit and with underſtanding. This is to work in prayer, to uſe ſtrength and fervency. Now is the ſoul on the mount of transfiguration, this is to pray in prayer, and the ſecond Queſtion anſwered.

Thirdly, Why muſt men be thus Qu. 3 zealous and fervent in prayer?

I Anſwer, Firſt, Anſ. Not becauſe God (like men) ſtandeth in need of a Committee p. 20of Examination for diſcovery: nothing is hid from him: he is omniſcient: as he heareth without ears, ſo he underſtandeth without words. And yet it muſt be ſo for theſe reaſons, viz. Firſt, That you may acknowledge his Propriety (even as children do their fathers, when they come for food) in the good things you want, and receive them with more joy and thankfulneſſe. God will be owned, and have his Lordly-right acknowledged; If we take any thing that is our neighbours without asking them leave, we ſhall be accounted theeves, ſo, to take and poſſeſſe the things of God, without asking his leave, will be accounted felony of the higheſt nature. Secondly, That you may learn to diſtinguiſh between gifts of promiſe, and of common providence: the firſt are effects of ſpecial grace, requiring faith and prayer, (I will be ſought unto by the houſe of Iſrael:) the latter are fruits of common goodneſſe, flowing from that fountain according to his unchangeable purpoſe, for the ſupportance of creatures, till they attain their pre-ordained ends; the firſt are peculiar to the good only; the ſecond common (as the ſun) to good p. 21and bad. Thirdly, That by this familiar entercourſe between God and the ſoul, your graces may be both exerciſed and increaſed; that hereby, I ſay, we may have communion with God, and grow into acquaintance with him, whereby the ſtock of grace is much augmented; as good company doth increaſe it, ſo doth converſe with God much more: ſet this duty aſide, and man becomes a ſtranger to God, his graces decay, and he becomes cold and looſe. This is the firſt reaſon.

Secondly, Becauſe the Lord loves an importunate ſutor. Fervency, like roſin to the ſtrings of a muſicall inſtrument, makes the ſound pleaſant. Haec vis grata Deo eſt, ſaith Tertullian. It doth, as it were, charm God: it is a weapon well managed that overcomes the invincible: a cord that binds the Almighty, as Jerom phraſeth it. It is a ſtrength he hath promiſed to yield unto, Iſa. 45.11. Command ye me; as ſome gloſſe the place. As they write of Proteus, that when any came to conſult with, and to receive Oracles from him, he would firſt turn himſelf into a thouſand ſhapes and varieties of colours, but if they p. 22preſſed him with importunity, and held him cloſe to it, he then would give them ſatisfactory Oracles. God may indeed ſeem to ſlight the prayer of his people (as we ſlight a confuſed noiſe) and wind himſelf from them, but when they grow fervent, then he lets them to be their own carvers. It will bow down his ear, and pull the hand out of his boſom; to ſpeak with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 145.18. He is nigh to them that call upon him in truth. The Canaanitiſh woman is put off three times, and her fervency is crowned with ſucceſſe. It is recorded to the everlaſting renown of Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 31.37. that in every ſervice of God he acted with all his might, and he proſpered.

Thirdly, Becauſe he that asketh any thing coldly, doth but teach a deniall. Careleſſe, heartleſſe prayer, is one of the moſt unſavoury parts of formallity, diſhonourable, unpleaſing to God; as a body without a ſoul, as incenſe without fire, ſay the Jews. Yea and to men unprofitable: as a Diamond that is not right, and as a Picture not drawn to the life, are of no value. Formall cold devotion, like Caeſars heartleſſe ſacrifice, p. 23will never finde acceptance. Painted fire as it hath no heat, ſo it is of no uſe. We may as ſoon cleave a rock with a wedge of wood, graſp the winde in our hand, as make carnal cold affections to draw any thing from God. There is no great odds between the omiſſion of duty, and the careleſſe performance of it, man is loſer both ways. The Bow that is ſlack bent, carries not the Arrow to the mark; formality and coldneſſe deſtroy the very vertue of prayer, as doth Garlick the drawing vertue of the loadſtone, applyed to it. Therefore we muſt be fervent. We muſt be fervent ſeekers, before we can be happy enjoyers; God will have us Jacobs, before we ſhall be Iſraels.

Fourthly, The matter about which you are employed is weighty, and of great concernment; viz. to procure pardon and power over ſin, ſupportance under temptations; Giant-like corruptions, ſons of Anack to prevail over: removal of Judgments, renewed peace after much treachery and hoſtility. Now theſe are not matters of an inferiour alloy: they are things not to be obtained with a ſingle ſigh; oppoſition from p. 24earth and hell is not to be conquered with a ſleight breath. It is not a dull wiſh, a languiſhing velleity, an heartleſſe endeavour that will win the day. There muſt be paſſionate longings and breakings of heart, with continual deſires after God. Great ſtones (you know) are not to be turned over without great ſtrength: and great mercies are not to be obtained without great ſtrivings. The matters we pray for, require fired affections, enlarged petitions; as the Heathen ſaid, Imperia quolibet pretio conſtant lenè: a Kingdom cannot be bought too dear; Agrippina thought the Roman Empire a good penyworth, paying her life for it, though for her Nero. We cannot lay out too much ſtrength, in obtaining objects of ſo great worth.

Fifthly, There are many and prodigious ſins cry aloud to God, in your own breaſts, families, place and Country, ye…, Nation wherein you live; we are like the land of Egypt, which though it bring forth multa ſalubria, yet withall it brings forth plurima venena: in our Garden are many pleaſant Flowers, but withal more poiſonful, unſavoury p. 25weeds; if we look within or without, almoſt all things are to be ſound as the Phyſitians facies hypocratica of a dying man, very gaſtly, and tantum non deadly; the whole head is ſick; ſin cryes aloud, and, if you be not earneſt indeed, will out-cry your prayers.

Sixthly, By this means we declare at what rate we value Gods ſavour and mercies. A fervent requeſt doth advance the perſon and thing petitioned for. It is an argument we diſeſteem and undervalue the bleſſing, that we think may be obtained by ſlender peti…ns, as if the purchaſe we were about, would not quit the coſt, nor be worth the pains that is required for it. When Callidius the Roman Oratour pleaded a cauſe but faintly, and exp…eſſed little or no affection, Tully told him, that ſure he was not in earneſt, otherwiſe the tide of affection would have been up; in like manner, it is an argument we reckon not much the bleſſing, when we are faint in our purſuits after it.

Seventhly, Fervent prayer is beſt and moſt effectual: like an arrow ſhot with full ſtrength, and a ſhip carryed on with full ſails. Powder and ſhot in the p. 26Muſquet will do no execution, unleſſe the Souldier gives fire well: Prayers without fervency are but as powder and ſhot without fire, they will never go off ſo as to reach Heaven or our wants. Of all elements that of fire is neereſt Heaven, and the more fire in any thing, the higher it aſcends Heaven-ward; cold and ſluggiſh prayers have ſo much earth in them, that like the Graſhopper, if they mount a little upward, they are preſently down again, fall ſhort of Heaven. Of all warlike Engins, your Granadoes and Fire-works are of moſt force; and of all prayers, thoſe that have moſt fervency, are moſt effectual.

Laſtly, The Lord will have you to be fervent; Firſt, To the end you may ſo much the more anger and aſtoniſh the Devil, who is eaten up with envy to ſee God ſo much honoured; the inward heat and voice of the heart he cannot hear, divine at it he may: but outward expreſſions he doth note and obſerve. Secondly, To give good example to the Church, who are much moved and ſtirred up by prayer, eſpecially if it be fervent; as in the body of an Army, concurrent ſhoutings of Souldiers do as it p. 27were infuſe mutually ſpirits into one another. Thirdly, To bring the heart into a better temper, which is enlarged and made more capable of ſpiritual bleſſings by this fervency. A zealous petitioner is but preparing and enlarging his rooms to ſtore up the return of his holy adventures. Thus you may anſwer the queſtion of the rich man, What ſhall I do, becauſe I have no room to beſtow my fruit? A manifeſt ſign they were never gotten by prayer; it makes room before the bleſſing comes; he that is much in fervent prayer, ſhall never be brought into ſuch a ſtreight of vexing cares. And thus you have the third Quere diſpatched, and it ſhall now ſuffice, onelyonly a little to clear your judgments, and help you in practice by ſome preſidents.

I refer you to Moſes, Exod. 32.11, 12, 13. he doth as it were put God to it, to free himſelf: as if Moſes his Devotion were ſtronger then Gods indignation. To Joſhuah c. 7. v. 6, 7, 8, 9. he rent his cloaths, fell to the earth on his face before the Ark of the Lord, &c. there is fervency in the very manner, and ſo in the matter of his prayer; Alas, O Lord God, wherefore haſt thou p. 28at all brought this great people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites? What ſhall I ſay when Iſrael turneth their back before the enemy? What wilt thou do unto thy great Name? To David in moſt of his Pſalms. To Ezra c. 9.56. O Lord God of Heaven, the great and terrible God, &c. Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou maiſt hear the prayer of thy ſervant which I pray before thee day and night. And to Daniel c. 9. v. 3, 4. He ſet his face to ſeek the Lord by ſupplication and prayer, with faſting, ſackcloth and aſhes, ſaying, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping Covenant and Mercy, &c. we have ſinned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, &c. as you may farther read. I come to a fourth Quere, viz.

Qu. 4 Fourthly, How may a man keep his heart in this height of heavenly fervour, and that conſtantly, for ſometime it is ſo?

Anſ. I anſwer, Firſt, By ſoundneſſe and depth of ſpiritual union between Chriſt and the ſoul; (who is the Fountain of ſpiritual life and heat, as the Sun is the Fountain of all life and heat to ſublunary p. 29things) as alſo, between you and the members of Chriſt where you live: they pray moſt fervently, that love moſt entirely; therefore S. P…ter adviſeth men and their wives to live lovingly together, leſt their prayers ſhould be hindred. How much enmity and ſtrangeneſſe do hinder prayers, the common enemy of mankind knoweth well enough; he is buſie in ſowing cares, and glad to ſee men divided, for, then they cannot uſe this ſpiritual weapon againſt him, nor weild this inſtrument, one of the chiefeſt Engines to batter down the gates of Hell. To make much of thoſe that are godly, is a ready way by allurement to make others good: let this band be ſtrong, and your prayers cannot be weak.

Secondly, By dependance on the ſtrength of God, and not upon your own abilities or graces; this is to fetch fire from Heaven, becauſe no ſacrifice muſt be offered up with common fire. Our ſtrength is weakneſſe, and it is one of Gods names, the Strength of Iſrael, 1 Sam. 15.19. When the wheel is ſet on going, the ſoul ſet on work, how long will it hold to its motion? No p. 30longer then turned by the ſame hand that firſt moved it. We ſhall ſoon work out the ſtrength received; and therefore to maintain the vigour of a fervent courſe, there muſt be renewing ſtrength from Heaven every day. This David knew, and therefore when his heart was in good frame as ever he felt it, and his people likewiſe by their free-will-offering declared ſo much in themſelves; yet even then he prays, that God would keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of his people, and eſtabliſh their heart in them, 1 Chron. 29.18. He adored the mercy that made them willing, and then implores his farther grace to ſtrengthen them. Would a Chriſtian pray? Where elſe will he finde materials for his prayer? Alas! he knows not how, or what to pray for as he ought. God puts words into his mouth, and theſe would freeze there, and never vent, did he not by the ſame influence of ſome heart-heating affections prevail to thaw the tap. In a word, a Chriſtian hath not a ſpark of this fire on his own hearth, except ſome that is ſtrange fire, which will not ſerve the p. 31turn, he muſt fetch it from Heaven continually.

Thirdly, By a continual ſuppoſal that the preſent opportunity may be the laſt; how earneſt would you pray, how fervent would you be, were you to dye preſently? provided this be in earneſt, ſettled on a grounded knowledge of your mortality, the uncertainty of the laſt hour: elſe this alſo will degenerate into formality.

Fourthly, By weighing the cauſes moving unto and requiring this fervency; as, fear of Gods diſpleaſure, of the curſe, of the ſentence of death, and of Hell following. Want of Gods image and love of Chriſt, and his grace; imminent judgments hanging over our heads, ready to fall every moment, with ſome hope of ſpeeding in our requeſts, knowing who hath ſaid, Ye ſhall reap if you faint not.

Fifthly, By a true love unto that we pray for. Strong affections cauſe fervent prayers. True love makes weak things ſtrong: it is as an addition of fire to the flame. It was love to God that made Moſes ſo fervent: Mary Magdalen ſo earneſt. It hath a conſtraining p. 32vertue: it made the dumb ſon to ſpeak. Love if true, will make a man do that's be…ond his power; as the Corinthians, when they were poor in eſtate, yet were rich in liberality. Chriſt loving Lazarus well, wept and groaned in ſpirit, when he prayed for him: and ſo did David for his ſon. Where affection is wanting, there will be cold praying; we ſee it in ſutors among men.

Sixthly, By a propoſal of ſome moving preſidents; as of a poor man that comes to your door for an alms; hear how he cries, with hands and eyes lift up, he multiplieth and continueth Petitions, For the Lords ſake, for Chriſts ſake ſome relief! Of one naked and almoſt ſtarved, ſee and behold he will have no denial. Or of a condemned priſoner at the bar, his knees are bowed to the ground, as if his heart would touch the Judges feet, his hands elevated, his looks ruful, his eyes full of diſtilling tears, his words earneſt and conſtant, Mercy, O Merciful Judge, ſave or I periſh! Set theſe patterns before you, and make their caſe your own. Be earneſt, the matter is weighty, you muſt either p. 33ſpeed there, or no where, now or never.

I ſhall apply this in a few things. Uſe 1 Firſt, The Uſe may ſerve to condemn, as the ſociety of Rome, requiring and reſting in the work done; whether mighty or weak, hot or cold, they enquire not, ſo the number and tale be up: So, too many among our ſelves, that content themſelves with a cold and careleſſe form of praying, a bedulling ſtrain, like the pace the Spaniard is ſaid to ride. Let us take a character of them: Firſt, Such as are deſtitute of ſpiritual life and heat, who have no grounded hope in any promiſe of ſpeeding. How ſhould they pray lively that want life? When life goeth out of the body it groweth cold, and ſo where the life of grace is not, all is cold, no vigour, no zeal, in the diſcharge of duty. The dead do not praiſe thee, neither can they pray unto thee, O Lord! Secondly, They are meerly formal in Prayer, who ſay or repeat Prayers often, but without any zeal, or ſerious bent of minde to the paſſages thereof, as if they cared not whether they were heard or no. Negare docent, qui frigide rogant. Such perſons p. 34do far rather ſuggeſt a denial then move pitty; it was hinted before. Thirdly, All they who are wholly taken up with ſelf-ſeeking and variety of diſtracting employments, ſo that they ſpend moſt of their ſtrength about the periſhing comforts of this life; ſuch are the malicious, envious, covetous and voluptuous men and women. Moſes was fervent in Prayer, hot in the cauſe of God, but in his own, the meekeſt man on earth: his heat was not ſpent for himſelf, it was reſerved for God. Therefore our Saviour checks his Diſciples when they would pray down fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans, telling them, they knew not what ſpirit they were of. In our own buſineſſe and wrongs our heat ſhould be hid, and as it were wrapt up in the embers, but when Gods honour is endangered, or obſcured, then ſhould our fire break forth, (nay, it will, if we have any) as Cyril ſometimes adviſed Theodoſius. Fourthly, They are cold in prayer, who are oppreſſed with corruption, or are carried away with the violent ſtreams of worldly cares for the preſent, (they are all choaking and quenching, as water abateth the heat of p. 35the fire;) or elſe lie under deſertion, or a divine reſtraint, as Jeremiah was often forbid, if not diſabled to pray in ſome caſes, and for ſome people. Fifthly, They that are not in charity with their neighbours. Love …s the bond of perfection, and the heat of the ſoul; no love, no heat; ſo much want of heat as is want of love. Forgive, and it ſhall be forgiven; Confeſſe your f…ults one to another, and pray one for another, James 5.16. Be reconciled, then come and offer, Matth. 5.24. God will not appear to Abraham till Lot and he be agreed. Jacob being reconciled to hi… brother, firſt, builds an Altar. Prayer offer'd up with uncharitable hands, though otherwiſe moſt excellently accompliſhed, is but as ſounding braſſe and a tinkling Cymball.

Secondly, The Uſe ſerves, to adviſe, Uſe 2 excite and quicken you. When you pray, do it with all your might. Water runs moſt ſwiftly and ſtrongly, when it ſwells over its own banks, and is mounted above its chanel; ſo will our ſouls move and apprehend with moſt ſtrength, when they are lifted on high and tend to God. Be not like the glow-worm, p. 36fervent in appearance onelyonly, take you heed of Jehu's countenance, full of fluſhing heat, and Nabals heart as cold as the ſtone. Bid defiance to Laodicean luke-warmneſſe. Remember the ſweet perfumes under the Law, were burnt before they aſcended. Hoc agite! Attend on your ſelves, when you call upon God to attend you, leſt frequency diminiſh fervour, which ſhould encreaſe it: and cuſtome take away the ſenſe. When you are to go with a Petition to Chriſt, to be preſented to the Father, Firſt, Let the minde be withdrawn from all prevalency of luſt, though from the preſence it cannot. Of worldly employments, ſay as Abraham to his ſervant with the aſſes, Stay here, while we go yonder and worſhip. Theſe Birds would rob Abraham of his Sacrifice. Call in and concenter your thoughts as men do the Sun-beams into a burning glaſſe. Have your hearts at your right hand, with Solomons wiſe man; or elſe be ſure of this, that which is upmoſt will be out ever and anon, diſtracting, dragging downward, and cooling your prayers. Secondly, Be well verſt with that Divine Rhetorick in the holy Scriptures, p. 37to move attention, and to procure compaſſion: Setting forth your own miſery, and uſing arguments for mercy, out of Gods own Word. God loves to be ſued on his own bond. Thus did Heſter with the King, and ſo muſt we if we will ſpeed in Heaven. Produce Gods own words, and ſay, (as ſhe did to Judah) Whoſe are theſe? It is acceptable to God to be preſt with his promiſe; this David knew, and therefore cries, Unite my heart to fear thy Name, Pſ. 86.11. which is as if he had ſaid, thou haſt promiſed to give me one heart, behold, I find my heart divided, my thoughts diſſipated, and my ſelf diſabled for duty, (anima diſperſa ſit minor.) Unite it I beſeech thee. This is a ready way to have our prayers nigh to the Lord day and night. Thirdly, Though your own Conſcience ſhould trouble and check you, though Satan labour mightily to hinder you; yea, ſay the Lord ſeem to turn away his face from you, as he did once to David, and to ſhut the door of mercy againſt you, yet faint not, cry ſtill, plead free grace, and look on Chriſt againſt all replies; remember who ſaith, You ſhall reap if you faint not.

p. 38And great cauſe you have to improve your ſtrength this way: For, 1. The Lord is greatly incenſed againſt us, and others round about us; we may ſay as Moſes ſometime did in a caſe not much different, Numb. 16. v. 46. Wrath is gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun: it is a time now eſpecially, to be ſtrong in Prayer, the onelyonly way to heal the Land, 2 Chron. 7.14. Beſides, a multitude of ſins are between God and you, and therefore great need of fervent praying; the Lord will be intreated if you be earneſt; what father ſeeing his indigent childe, though a Prodigal, on his knees, with hands lift up, with tears in his eyes, can forbear to embrace him, and to grant him his requeſt? If you who are evil know how to give good things to ſuch children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask? 2. You may hear and ſee the poor Church of Chriſt, lying and languiſhing before you, withering in her cadency like a May-flower. Jeruſalem is become an heap of rubbiſh, our fair hopes of her eſtabliſhment almoſt blaſted, her enemies potent, and we cannot rationally conceive her ever able p. 39to wreſtle through her difficulties; and if the Church wither, the Commonwealth cannot grow; like Hippocrates his twins, they ſmile and weep, live and die together: the children of both have cauſe to pray, if either languiſh, yea, to pray fervently for both. Surely if we have any bowels of compaſſion, we cannot hold our peace for the miſery of Zion; the Gangrene of Hereſie hath overſpread her, more then the preſent ſickneſſe on the Nation: the raging billows of prophaneneſſe is ready to overwhelm her; hell and the bottomleſſe pit are open: home-bred vipers and forrain enemies, like the children of Edom, cry out and gape for her deſtruction: ſhe is in great bitterneſſe, and is it nothing to you that paſſe by? When one of Darius King of Perſia's Eunuchs ſaw Alexander the great ſet his feet on a low cable that had been highly prized by his maſter, he wept; and being asked the reaſon by Alexander, he anſwered, I mourn to ſee that thing my maſter ſo highly eſteemed, to be contemned, and made a foot-ſtool. What pious heart cannot bleed and weep to hear and ſee in theſe degenerate times, the deſpiſings of p. 40thoſe things which God ſo highly prizeth, (Jeruſalem the perfection of beauty, and joy of the whole earth) ſhould not this make a dumb man to ſpeak, to pray, to uſe ſtrong cries? Let every ſon of Zion conſider this. 3. You have many, and thoſe mighty enemies; within you, original ſin which never reſteth to draw you to evil in act; without you, Satan and his Agents, either to tempt, terrifie, or perſecute you; this ſhould make your hearts boil up in devotion. But be ſure to pray aright: Some of old cryed our (like a wind-inſtrument) loud enough on their beds, but could not be heard, and were turned off, with the cenſure of howling on their beds; like Balaam, who had words enough in his mouth, without any heat in his heart. A man may pray for pardon, as Joſephs brethren did, and yet not be ſorry for what is paſt, nor reſolve to amend for time to come. A man may pray for power over luſt, as Auſtine confeſſeth of himſelf, and yet fear as unwilling to be heard. A man may pray for removal of judgments, and when on the r…ck, roar out a confeſſion, as Pharaoh, Ahab and Simon Magus did, p. 41(like the mill-wheel driven by the force of waters) and yet not think of, much leſſe be ſorry for the cauſe, and perhaps, repent of their repentance, thawing in the Sun, and freezing in the ſhade. As the Hiſtorian relates of William Rufus, that in a great ſickneſſe he vowed amendment, to reform his hard laws and taxes, to give ſpiritual livings freely: but recovering, repented of his promiſe. And as the captivated Jews faſted and prayed for ſeventy years, but, to get off their chains, more then their ſins, and ſo like melted me…tal, held no longer then the fire laſted, Iſa. 26.16. They poured out prayer when thy chaſtening was upon them. A man may pray for grace, as Spira ſaid he did, and yet have no love to it for its excellency and beauty. All this men do, and yet not pray fervently to God. Pauci quaerunt Deum propter ſe, ſed propter aliud. He onelyonly that is mighty in Scripture, that is mighty in the Spirit, that is mighty by Chriſt to do all things, can thus pray; O God, create in me a clean heart, and renue a right ſpirit within me.

Object. Theſe fervent expreſſions are not alwaies ſucceſsful; a time may p. 42come, when a Moſes and a Samuel may not be heard.

A. 1. Fervent expreſſions, though they be one and chief, yet not the onelyonly means, ſomewhat elſe muſt be done, viz. ſubmiſſion in Petitioners, and reformation in thoſe for whom it is petitioned. 2. Theſe fervent expreſſions are alwaies, Firſt, According to the divine purpoſe, though not alwaies to your intents and ends. Secondly, For your ſelves and own good, though not alwaies for others; your prayers ſhall return into your own boſome. Thirdly, it may be your Petition is heard and granted, but the time of manifeſtation is not yet come; be conſtant and wait a while, you ſhall reap. Zacharies prayers for a childe were granted long before it was diſcovered to him. Fourthly, Elſe you may be out in the thing deſired; either for the matter, it may not be good in it ſelf, or not for you; or not for the meaſure, not ſo much as is deſired; or for the time, it may not be good now: and then no wonder if you be not heard; which is the ſecond branch in my deſcription of Prayer, viz. Fervent expreſſions.

p. 43Secondly, Of holy deſires.] Theſe are the feet on which the ſoul runs, the wings on which it mounts toward the object deſired.

Holy they muſt be for Perſon, Principle, Matter and End.

Firſt, The Perſon muſt be holy. Under the Law the Swan which was white in feathers, was yet reputed unclean and unmeet for ſacrifice, becauſe the skin under them was black. Religious workings ſtand in Gods account, according to the qualification of the workman, either for acceptance or rejection.

Theſe fervent expreſſions muſt come from an holy heart: they are not the childe of wit and phantaſie, but the rapture of an elevated ſpirit, the heavenly dew of a good heart, Pſal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer.

To explain this branch, we may enquire fitly,

Firſt, What this holy Heart is? Qu. 1

I Anſwer, 1. Anſ. It is in Scripture diſcovered to be a broken contrite heart, a ſelf-condemning, ſelf-crucifying, ſinne mortifying-heart. Prayer comes for p. 44mercy, and muſt bring a veſſel to hold it, and that is a broken heart; a paradox in nature but not in grace. Deus non infundit oleum miſerecordiae niſi in vas contritum; the ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit. An heart that by paſſing under the hammer of the Law, and through the melting fire of the Goſpel, is divided from the band of ſin, which is a fruit of that ſweet Spirit of grace promiſed, Zach. 12.10, 11, 12. The Spirit of grace and ſupplication; and whereby they ſhall look on him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn for him, &c. It hides nothing, like a broken veſſel, lets all run out; opens and ſpreads all its vileneſſe before the Lord: As water, mire, ſtones, heterogeneals, which were inſeparably congealed in a hard bound froſt, yet they all lie looſe when there comes a kindly thaw; ſo in the heart that was once congealed in the mire and dregs of ſin, &c. and with penitentiall brokenneſſe is kindly thawed and diſſolved, the ſins that before ſtuck faſt in the ſoul, now lie looſe, the ſpirit longs to be rid of them all, and ſo becomes more capacious. Broken language, if from a broken heart is acceptable. 2. It p. 45is an humble flexible heart, waiting for, and ready to receive divine impreſſions, like ſoftned wax; and as melted mettle, will run into any mould; an holy heart will be ready to bend and bow as God will have it: Acts 9.6. What wilt thou have me to do? As if he ſhould ſay, Lord, do but thou command me and I am ready to obey: Lord, give me ability to do what thou commandeſt, and then command me what thou pleaſeſt; as Auſtin once of himſelf. A carnal heart waits for, and embraceth the commands of ſin; and an holy heart waits for, and is ready to receive the commands of Chriſt; to ſtoop to that ſervice which bears Gods ſuperſcription on it. 3. It is a chaſte, clean heart, wholly dedicated to God, that loveth no evil in motion or action; Create in me a clean heart, Pſal. 51.10. Holineſſe is a cleanſing thing 2 Cor. 7.1. As a good wife is towards her huſband, ſuch is the holy heart to Chriſt; eſpouſed it is to him: The carnal heart hath many lovers, but the holy heart hath one whom it loveth, even Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11.2.4. It is an heavenly heart. Words, deeds, behaviour, not onelyonly in ſacred but in civil affairs, are heavenly, Phil. 3.20.Phil 3:20Our converſation p. 46is in Heaven: (i. e.) Habitually. Corpore ambulamus in terra, corde habitamus in co…lo, ſaith Auguſtine. The body is on earth, but our heart in Heaven; as the pearl that grows in the Sea, but ſhines as the sky. O the preciouſneſſe of an holy heart. A perſon thus rightly qualified for prayer, is more honourable, more excellent then his neighbour.

Qu. 2 Secondly, Why muſt Prayer come from an holy heart?

Anſ. Firſt, Becauſe a carnal heart deſtitute of renewing grace and ſpiritual life, cannot riſe to cloſe with ſuch a ſpiritual duty. A natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.14. Light and darkneſſe may as ſoon come together and agree. An holy heart may make a carnal prayer, but a carnal heart can never make an holy prayer, ſo as to aſcend high enough. Nothing can work beyond the activity of its own principle. A bullet flyeth no farther then the force of the powder carrieth it: and where prayers come from nature onelyonly, they go no farther then nature can carry them. Secondly, Reigning ſin in the heart, out-cryeth your prayers: eſpecially the ſins of pride p. 47and anger, Jam. 4.6. God reſiſteth the proud, 1 Tim. 2.8. I will that men every where pray, lifting up holy hands without wrath. If your ſins be hearty, your prayers cannot be hearty. If the ſin of one man may hinder the prayers and endeavours of many; how much more will many ſins hinder the prayers of one. Reigning ſin is like many great Ordnance charged and planted on high mountains, they make a great noiſe; like thunder which confounds and ſwallows up lower and ſmaller cries. Sin unto prayer is as Garlick to the Loadſtone, renders it flat and dead. Thirdly, The perſon muſt be accepted before the prayer, and none are accepted but ſuch as are ſanctified by faith in Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore prayers muſt come from an holy heart. John 15.5. He that abideth in me bringeth forth much fruit. Gen. 4.4. The Lord had reſpect to Abel, and then to his offering. Prayer from a wicked heart, is like a jewel put into a dead mans mouth, loſeth all its vertue**The Naturaliſt ſaith, a precious jewel put into a dead mans mouth, loſeth its worth and vertue; ſo doth prayer in the mouth of a man ſpiritually dead.. The prayer of the wicked is abominable, p. 48Prov. 21.27. But if the tree be good, the fruit will be good. You muſt be in Chriſt before you can do or obtain any good this way. Through him we have acceſſe with confidence unto the Father, Epheſ. 2.18. Fourthly, Becauſe the Lord is holy and cannot endure ſin, eſpecially in Petitioners. God hates ſin naturally where ever it is: (like as we hate poiſon, whether it be in a Toad or Princes Cabinet.) Yea, he hateth it more then the Devil. Can a Prince endure a Petitioner that ſhall bring his greateſt enemy with him in his hand, even into his preſence? Or can any Petitioner think ſo to prevail. No: As in a wound the plaiſter prevails not whileſt the iron remains within, ſo neither can prayer while ſin rankleth. God will not hear a good motion from a bad mouth. He will hide his eyes while your hands are full of blood. You love my profeſt enemies more then me, will God ſay, your boſome ſins above your requeſts. Therefore go and be reconciled, put away your ſins, and then come and offer. Thus much for the firſt branch, the Perſon muſt be holy. Again,

p. 49Secondly, The Principle muſt be holy. Your deſires muſt be the iſſues of grace, dictated by the Spirit of Christ; we know not how or what to ask without his aſſiſtance, Rom. 8.15, 26.

Here alſo may be profitably enquired two things.

First, Why our prayer muſt come Qu. 1 from a ſpiritual principle?

The Reaſons will appear to be ſuch as theſe; 1. Anſ. Becauſe it is directed to the Father of Spirits, who is delighted with ſpiritual ſervice, and accepts nothing in this kind from men, but what comes from a ſpiritual principle. It is therefore we hear the Apoſtle enjoining prayer in the ſpirit, Epheſ. 6.18. and praying in the Holy Ghoſt, Jude v. 20. This is the wind muſt ſet you… mill on work: and the poiſe that ſhould cauſe your clock to ſtrike. 2. It is to diſtinguiſh prayers, First, Becauſe many prayers are but natural deſires, or hypocritical expreſſions of counterfeit devotion. The Ravens call upon God, and ſome we read of, did howl on their beds, and were importunate for corn, wine and oil, but from a natural principle, which as the Graſhopper, hope p. 50not much above the earth, and as a vapour exhaled by the Sun doth ſoon fall down again; when ſelf doth ſeek and is ſought for, as the people did Chriſt for the loaves, and Judas for the purſe. And this not onelyonly in carnal perſons, I mean ſuch as for the preſent are deſtitute of actual grace, and the ſpirit of holineſſe: but even in the regenerate. Moſes his prayer was very earneſt to enter C…naan, and yet it was but a naturall deſire. Secondly, Becauſe men living under the means of grace, may go far by their own ſpirits; as, to read, repeat Sermons, and frame prayers very exactly, as if they were full of ſpiritual life and heat. We know great wants may and do produce earneſt entreaties; terrours of God, and frights of Conſcience may make men fervent: they may deſire pardon, and removal of judgments, merited, inflicted, or threatned; nay, they may pray for grace when they never heartily deſire it, becauſe they look upon it as a means of ſafety, (as a Bridge to help them to Heaven) not becauſe they love and deſire ſanctity, and ſo all this while may be deſtitute of a gracious principle.

p. 51Therefore Secondly, We may farther Qu. 2 enquire how prayers coming from the Spirit may be diſcerned?

The Anſwer may be thus, 1. Anſ. By that liberty, light and heat following the preſence of that Spirit. (See Luke 2.25. 2 Cor. 3.17.) Light to diſcern what to ask, Liberty and heat to order and ſend up your Petitions. It removeth impediments, freeth from the inviſible chains of the Kingdome of darkneſſe, enlargeth the heart, and helpeth to pray with fervency, ſuch ſighs and groans as cannot be uttered. 2. By an hearty, free and full ſubmiſſion of our ſelves and requeſts to the God of prayer…, for the matter and meaſure. Not my will, but thy will be done. As Heſter ſubmitted to the good pleaſure of the King in her requeſts. And as the mother of Chriſt doth not over earneſtly in words preſſe him to do that ſhe deſired, but onelyonly laies open the caſe, they have no wine, referring all to his diſcretion. It is reported of Socrates, that he …aught his Scholars to ask no more of God but this, that he would do them good: but how, and how much, they would leave that to him, as beſt underſtanding what is p. 52beſt and fitteſt for us. It comes not from the holy Spirit, to drive men upon indenting with God. 3. By a patient expectation in the uſe of all other means, till the Lord be pleaſed to manifeſt his anſwer in ſo…e gracious return. This diſpoſition flows from faith. He that believeth ſhall not make haſte, Iſa. 28.16. As the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth, and waits patiently, by a natural faith he ſeeth the h…rve…t in the ſeed, and ſo bears up himſelf by that faith in expectation of an harveſt. So much more doth a ſpiritual faith enable ſouls to do much more; waiting is nothing elſe but faith ſtretched out into patience. 4. By ſpiritual cheerfulneſſe after prayer, with care to improve and apply all you get by prayer to ſome ſpiritual ends, 1 Sam. 1.18. Hannah prayed for a ſon, and went away and was no more ſad, and after, dedicated her Samuel to the ſervice of God. Thus the principle muſt be holy.

Thirdly, Deſires muſt be holy for the matter of them. [Whoſoever ſhall ask any thing according to his will believing, 1 John 5.14.] And that 1. In the ground: You muſt have a promiſe for p. 53what you ask, in particular, or at leaſt in general, diſtinctly apprehended, and rightly applied; no way repugnant to the Analogy of faith, nor to any paſſage of Divine Providence; otherwiſe we can have no hope to be heard; For, no faculty can or ought to extend it ſelf beyond its adequate and proper object: it is limited by peculiar rules. He that prayeth without a promiſe, denieth his own requeſt. To make our fancy the higheſt rule is a preſumptuous folly: and to ask according to our own luſts, is an implicit blaſphemy. 2. Prayer muſt be holy in the matter, this muſt alſo bear the ſtamp of God. Whenever, your Cenſers are fired, the coal muſt be taken from the Altar, nor from the Kitchin. The matter muſt be ſpiritual, or ſpiritually deſired. For inſtance: Firſt, You may and muſt pray for the apprehenſion of Gods love, promiſed Hoſ. 14.4. I will love them freely. Secondly, For pardon of ſin, promiſed Iſa. 43.25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tra…ſgreſſions for my own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins. Thirdly, For ſanctification of nature, promiſed Deut. 30.6. And the Lord thy God will circumciſe thine heart, p. 54and the heart of thy ſeed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart. Ezek. 36.25. Then will I ſprinkle clean water upon you, and you ſhall be clean. Fourthly, For the removal of judgments, ſpiritual or corporal, promiſed Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, &c. At leaſt for the ſanctification of them, and ſupportation under them.

Q. May not we pray for temporal bleſſings?

A. Yes; As ſome men pray for ſpiritual things in a carnal way: So others may pray for carnal bleſſings in a ſpiritual manner. Provided 1. It be done in order, and that they have their due place. Spiritual things muſt be firſt and principal, theſe ſecondary and ſubordinate. Matth. 6.33. Firſt ſeek the Kingdome of God and the righteouſneſſe thereof, &c. 2. Upon condition that you ſubmit to God, both the things themſelves, and the meaſure and time. John 12.27, 28. Save me from this hour— Father glorifie thy name! It is enough to a gracious heart, if God will glorifie his own name; carnal hearts are impetuous and impatient of a check, p. 55delay, or denial: Rachel muſt have children or die. 3. With caution, that you deſire and uſe them to the Lord. Whatever you deſire for this life, make it ſerviceable towards the ot…er; deſire not mercies for, nor abuſe them to exceſſe, revenge, luxury. Luſt is an earneſt craver, but when it rece…veth any comfort, it conſumeth it in eaſe and pleaſure. This muſt be obſerved, elſe you may ask and receive not, becauſe you ask amiſſe, Jam. 4.3. Your requeſts may not terminate in ſelf. That was but a brutiſh requeſt which we find related, Exod. 17.2. Give us water that we may drink: A beaſt can aim at ſelf-preſervation. This branch of Prayer muſt have an ordination to God. Therefore,

Thirdly and Laſtly, Deſir…s muſt be holy for the end. As may well be collected from the beginning and end of the Lords Prayer; the beginning is, Hallowed be thy Name: the end is, For thine is the Kingdome, Power and Glory, for ever! As the ſuperiour Orb carries all the inferiour about with i…s own motion: So muſt this great and noble end wheel about all our deſires, and, though loweſt actions.

p. 56Enquire we may for the clearing of this laſt branch after two things. Firſt, When is a mans end holy? Secondly, Why our ends muſt be holy?

Qu. 1 For the firſt, When is a mans end holy?

Anſ. The Anſwer ſhall lie in theſe two things: 1. When neither himſelf, nor any other creature is the laſt end of a mans prayer: For either of them make it eccentrick, irregular. The motion muſt needs be lame, when a man ſhall make God a meer ſervant to himſelf, and move wholly on a private center of his own: and is viſibly for God, but underhand for himſelf. The Phariſees were glorious in prayer, but what they did was foreign, to be admired by others. The Spring was not Gods grace, and the end was not Gods glory. Glorious actions without holy and pure ends, are like ſweet herbs on a noiſome dunghi…l. 2. When God is the end (ultimus, though not proximus) laſt, though not the very next or immediate end of our deſires: As in Jacobs, and Hannahs prayer, 1 Sam. 1.11. When men aim at his glory, the enl…rging of Chriſts Kingdome, and reſolve p. 57what they get in prayer to ſpend for God, and the good of his Relations, with the ſanctification and ſalvation of their ſouls: then the end is holy. The want of this, was that did ſo diſcolour the (otherwiſe) excellent works of the Heathen, which are almoſt incredible, they looked not to God in their great ſervices and brave exploits. So that …heir actions were good Bullion (as one ſpeaks) but carried not a good ſtamp upon them, and therefore would not paſſe with God. So that it is well maintained by our Divines, yea, ſome of the Schoolmen, that their works were not morally good, becauſe though the proxime end might be good, yet they knew not the ultimate end which was Gods glory.

Secondly, Why muſt our ends be holy? Qu. 2

Divers Reaſons may be rendred. Anſ. Some Philoſophical, and ſome Theologicall. Of the firſt, I will mention theſe three, viz. 1. Becauſe every operative intellect doth begin with the end; that is firſt in intention, and that which doth both move the agent and denominate the action. Which appeareth to be truth from two reaſons. Firſt, Becauſe the end ſupplieth the room and p. 58place of the form, in all thoſe agents and acts whoſe eſſential perfection conſiſts in operation. Secondly, Becauſe the laſt end doth perfect both the actor and the action; juſtly therefore doth it begin with the end, and take denomination from the end. 2. The end muſt be holy, becauſe the laſt end eſpecially doth give beauty and amability to all the means conducing thereunto: and becauſe the appetite is terminated and quieted in the laſt end. Needs muſt his deſires be holy whoſe end is holy. 3. Becauſe the end and the means leading thereunto, are proportioned and diſpoſed together; Poſito ſine ponuntur & diſponuntur media omnia, &c. if a mans end be not holy, the means leading thereunto cannot be holy.

The ſecond ſort of Reaſons are Theological, I ſhall give theſe two; viz. Firſt, Becauſe the Lord looks mainly to the end, and ſpecially no…es wherefore we pray. He regards not ſo much the Arithmetick of Prayers, how numerous they are: nor the Rhetorick of them, how neat they are: nor their Geometry, how long they are; not ſo much their Muſick, how melodious, nor their p. 59Logick, how methodical; but their Divinity, how heart-ſprung they are, how they tend to his glory, how much holineſſe is twiſted about them.

Secondly, The end if it be holy, will ſtrengthen the Petitioner to pe…ſevere in the uſe of all good means. When a man with a free Conſcience can ſay, Lord, thou knoweſt my ends, they are not meerly ſelf, nor biaſſed with carnal intereſts, but holy and ſpiritual, according to the beſt of my knowledge and power, (as did Hezekiah, I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done th…t which is good in thy ſight) is a good ground to reſt faith upon, for a gracious …nſwer in due time.

This may be uſeful to us all, by way Uſe 1 of correction and inſtruction. Firſt, For correction: there be many among us that pray, at leaſt that read or ſay prayers, (like the Parrot at Rome, that could repeat the whole Creed.) but very few that ſend up fervent expreſſions of holy deſires. Some know no… what it is to pray, they cannot diſtinguiſh between oro and credo. Others think not of it, that they are going into Heaven, p. 60into the Preſence-Chamber, before the Throne of a great and glorious God, when they do pray. And too many there are who reſt on the work done, numbring rather then weighing their prayers. So it cometh to paſſe, that moſt are indiſpoſed for this holy exerciſe, in all or ſome of theſe following caſes; 1. If your hearts be impure; which may be diſcerned by your thoughts, now good, and then bad, and both diſregarded; by your words, the very off-ſpring of the heart, Matth. 12.34. falſe, corrupt impertinent; by your companions choſen for intimacy, and that you moſt delight in; and by your life, if that be impure, through the reign of any one ſin: You regard iniquity in your heart, and the Lord will not hear. But obſerve, there is a two-fold impurity, one in the dominion, another from the inheſion of ſin, underſtand the firſt here. 2. If you have and bring nothing but natural deſires, (ſufficient knowledge, a good memory, a quick invention, and eaſie elocution) ſo th…t your praying is nothing but a mat…er of wit and parts, rather for oſtentation then devotion; which may be thus diſcerned, Firſt, If your heads are better p. 61then your hearts, you have more abilities then will, to do good and glorifie God. Secondly, By ſuch prayers the head may be better'd but not the heart. It is a clear caſe, the more any man prayeth ſpiritually, the more is Gods image renewed in his heart and ſoul, the heart is more benefited then the head. Thirdly, If the matter o… manner of your prayers be carnal; as, if you ſhould crave bleſſings of the le… hand only, for corn, wine and oil, meat that periſheth, the bona ſcabelli, …nd not throni, as Auſtine ſpeaketh; o… ſhould ask theſe things in the firſt plac…: the matter and manner is then carnal. Fourthly, if your ends be evil which move you to pray; and may be known from theſe three companions, F…rſt, Hypocriſie, when men neither o…it the duty wholly, nor go through with it, in an hearty and chearful performance. Secondly, Vain-glory, praying to be heard and praiſed, Matth. 6.5. A thing hateful among Heathens. T…lly taxed Gracchus for this, that he referr'd all his actions, not to the rule o… vertue, but to the favour of the people, that he might have their eſteem and applauſe. p. 62And as Pliny telleth, the Nightingale ſingeth far longer and ſweeter, when men are by, then at other times. Thirdly, Self-love, which keeps men at home to look only or chiefly to their own good. If thus you pray, ſee what follows; Your outward groſſe ſins are daily increaſed, by this addition of ſpiritual ſins. An unprepared, irreverent Petitioner takes Gods Name in vain. Beſides, your pains and labour upon the matter are loſt, the Lord will not heat ſuch prayers; the grunting of Hogs in the ſtye, ſaith Hierom, is as pleaſing to God, becauſe he expects no more then he hath given or offered.

Uſe 2 The ſecond Uſe is for Inſtruction… 1. Know then, every kind of praying will not ſerve the turn. Every ſound is not Muſick. The followers of Baa… called on his name from morning even until noon, but there was no voice, nor any thing that anſwered, 1 Kings 26.28. Yea, and they cryed aloud, and cut themſelves aft…r their manner, &c. and no voice, nor any to anſwer, &c. Papiſts ſay over abundance of compoſures which they call prayers, in ſo much as they need beads to help them keep nu… ber, p. 63yet Saint James his Praye… is to be deſired among them. So too many among our ſelves, who reſt on the Idol opus operatum, or, work wrought. If they be frequent in ſome common forms, they think themſelves boon-Chriſtians, though they do nothing leſſe then pray. Take heed of this, God is in Heaven and thou on earth, Eccleſ. 5.2. …et your expreſſions be heated with reve…ent fervency. 2. Learn the Art of Praying. He is a good Chriſtian that can pray well, not contenting himſelf with the form without the power. My Brethren! It is not the labour of the lips, but the travel of the heart. Common beggary is the eaſieſt and pooreſt trade, but this beggary is the richeſt and the hardeſt. Then to the work, redeem the time. It is obſerved of the Camel, that having long travell'd through ſandy deſart… without water, impletur cum bibendi eſt occaſio, & in praeteritum & in futurum: (i. e.) drinks for the time paſt, and for the time to come; ſo do you: for paſt neglects, act with more diligence; now, do for what is paſt and to come. And for your direction herein, know, that he that would pray well, muſt have, firſt, Ability, conſiſting in knowledge of his own p. 64wants, and Gods treaſury in his word and promiſes. Blind devotion cannot pleaſe God. I will pray with underſtanding. In aſſent, not only to the verity, but alſo to the equity and congruity between the deſire and the offer. In a fiducial reſting on the fidelity of the promiſer, with reference to his own caſe. All which is ordinarily got, by hearing of the Word, and former experience of Gods goodneſſe. An humble hearer, is alwaies a zealous Petitioner. Secondly, He muſt have flexibility, or a bending of the mind to or with the duty. He muſt not be content to be down on his knees, if his heart be not up: to have his hand in the work, if his ſoul be not alſo in it. It was the ſaying of holy Bradford, that he would never leave a duty, till he had brought his heart into the frame of the duty. He would not leave confeſſion of ſin, till his heart was broken for ſin. He would not leave Petitioning for grace, till his heart was quickned in deſire. A property of a good, honeſt, ſoft and humble heart, which is a jewel, an ornament of great price in the ſight of God. Thirdly, He muſt have dignity or worth, both for compoſition and preſentation. The Spirit p. 65of Prayer to compoſe it, and the perſonal merit of Chriſt to preſen… it. Pray alwaies with all ſupplication in the Spirit, Epheſ. 6.18. 3. Be inſtructed: when you are about to pray, call theſe things to mind: Prayer is a fervent expreſſion of holy deſires: holy for perſon, principle, matter and end. And ſo I come to the laſt part of the deſcription, that theſe holy deſires with ſpiritual fervency, muſt be preſented

Unto the only true God by Jeſus Chriſt.] To God only, Prayers muſt be directed, not to creatures, Angel or Saint. In every thing by prayer and ſupplication with thanksgiving, let your requeſts be made known to God, Phil. 4.6. This will be cleared with a little labour. For, firſt, he only can hear and relieve you, Pſal. 65.11. O thou that heareſt prayers, to thee ſhall all fleſh come. Iſa. 63.16. Doub…leſſe thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Iſrael acknowledge us not: thou art our Father, O Lord, our Redeemer. Look as nature teacheth our children to come to their parents for every thing, and to give thanks to them; ſo grace teacheth the children of God, to cry Abba, Father, to reſort to him in p. 66every condition (as they did to Joſeph in Egypt) and to praiſe him for every bleſſing. As it is one of the Royalties of the King to be petitioned unto as a common parent for grace in ſundry caſes, ſo is this a divine Royalty of God, that all fleſh ſhould come to him in their ſeveral neceſſities, abaſing themſelves in confeſſing their indignity, exalting him with whom is all fulneſſe of good things, and uncontrolable power to effect for us, whatever is good according to his own pleaſure. Secondly, For this you have a command, Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble. Acts 8.22. Pray God if perhaps, &c. Yea, and a promiſe, Whatſoever ye ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you. And God complains of ſuch who forſake the fountain of living waters, and dig to themſelves pits that can hold no water. Thirdly, We have preſidents for it. The Church directs her prayer to God, Lam. 5.1. And herein ſhe is like to John Baptiſt, a ſhining and a burning light. She ſhines as knowing the rich ſtorehouſe where, in her exigence to fetch relief, and ſhe goes to none below God. She burns, the fire of her zeal is kindled in p. 67her breaſt, and therefore goes not with cold, luke-warm affections. In that Prayer our bleſſed Saviour taught his diſciples, we are taught the ſame; Look over the form, obſerve the phraſes, and ſee whether you can imagine, that prayer ſhould ever be directed to any other. Read through all the Records of the world, and ſhew if you can, where any Saint of God made ſupp…ica ion unto any but to God only! You cannot; no, not to the Virgin the Mother of Chriſt, nor to any other Saint or Angel. And in all the preſidents recorded in the ſacred Scriptures, not only in the Old Teſtament, (while the Fathers are fondly ſuppoſed to be in Limbo, as Bellarmine gives the reaſon why we do not then read of any praying to Saints.) but in the New, after our Saviours aſcenſion. And if there be neither command, promiſe nor preſident in the Old or New Teſtament for invocation of Saints, is it not a wonder, it hath been ſo much preſſed and practiſed. To the contrary we have, viz. Matth. 4.10. Coloſ. 2.18. Rev. 19.10.22.9. Alas all other perſons are rather praying to God, then to be prayed to, as God. God is the authour of every p. 68perfect gift, and to ſeek it from any other is flat idolatry; and to give the praiſe thereof to any but God, is ſacriledge.

Further we add, By and through Jeſus Chriſt.] We cannot mount to Heaven on our own wings: nor reach God by our own ſtrength: as ſoon may we ſcale Heaven with ladders. And beſides, how terrible and horrible is it to think of God, much more to come to him, without Chriſt. The holineſſe and juſtice of God were before Chriſt as two flaming ſwords to keep off ſouls from coming to him: but by Chriſt, they both look on the ſoul with a lovely and aimable countenance. And, whatever you ask the Father in Chriſts name, believing, ye ſhall receive.

For the farther benefit of Practitioners in this holy Art, here will be enquired, 1. What it is to offer up Prayers by Chriſt? 2. Why they muſt be ſo offered up?

Qu. 1 Firſt, What is it to offer up Prayers by Chriſt?

Anſ. I anſwer: 1. It is to have them compoſed by the Spirit of Chriſt. I name this the oftner, leſt you ſhould truſt to p. 69your own ſpirits, & content your ſelves with meer natural deſires. And further to move you, both to prize and to procure and cheriſh the ſpirit of prayer. 2. It is to direct Prayers to Chriſt, aſcending by his glorious humanity towards the Deity, that ſo the gift may be ſanctified by the Altar. It is Chriſts office to pray the Father for his Saints, and it is their priviledge to call upon him ſo to do, and direct their holy deſires to him, Joh. 14.16. Thirdly, It is to have Prayers preſented by Chriſt to the Father, and taken as immediately from him, who is heard in all his ſuits. John 11.42. I know that thou heareſt me alwaies. This …s to offer up Prayers by Chriſt.

Secondly, Why muſt Prayers be offered Qu. 2 up by him?

I Anſwer: 1. Anſ. Becauſe of the Covenant is made with him; all the promiſes are in him yea! Yea, indeed, all the promiſes are made to him firſt, and by him to us. Heb. 9.15. He is called the Mediator of the Covenant. No intercourſe now between God and man, but by and through him. The keys of the houſe of David are laid on his ſhoulders. He is the only door, and through him we p. 70have boldneſſe of acceſſe to the Father: and confidence to enter into the Holieſt, by the blood of Jeſus, by a new and living way, Heb. 10.20. 2. He is both the Prieſt and Altar for his Church. No other Prieſts or Altars now properly but Chriſt: Since Prieſt, Altar and Sacrifice met in one, in him. No more Prieſts, Altars or Sacrifices but Metaphorical. As then, all Sacrifices were to be brought to the Prieſt, and offered on the Altar appointed, ſo it muſt be now. We have an Altar upon which all our ſpiritual Sacrifices muſt be offer'd, even the Lord Jeſus, Heb. 13.10. If we go and offer without him, the Altar, and in our own name, the ſacrifice will be loathed. It is not becauſe we perform a duty in the moſt excellent manner, that it is accepted, but becauſe Chriſt our high-Prieſt preſents both us and our performances to the Father. So that if a man ſhould offer as many Sacrifices as were at the dedication of Solomons Temple, and all without blemiſh, and that all the qualifications did meet in the perſon that did offer: yet all theſe are accurſed, if offer'd in their own name. As the leaſt things that were offer'd, even an Epha, or a Gomer, p. 71a pair of Turtle Doves, or a mite, were accepted from the hand of the high-Prieſt, when rivers of oil ſhould be refuſed, if preſented otherwaies. We muſt do therefore in this caſe, as the Country of Tyre and Sidon, having need of Herods favour, made ſuit to Blaſtus his Chamberlain, that was gracious with him. And as Themiſtocles being to make a great requeſt to King Philip of Macedon, took with him young Alexander, Philips beloved ſon. We can then hope to ſpeed with God, when by faith we take Chriſt Jeſus with us to be our Interceſſour, to preſent and offer our prayers to God. Thirdly, Becauſe the beſt prayers of the Saints here, as they proceed from men, are tainted and unſavoury; yea, to go farther: the moſt gracious actions which they are enabled to do by Gods Spirit, are coming through them ſo imperfect, (as pure water running through a foul pipe, getteth ſome ſoil upon it: and excellent generous wine will taſte of the cask, if it be not ſweet.) ſo vitiated, as they become very unfit for the Lords holy and pure preſence. And therefore we read of the ſmoak of the incenſe coming with the prayers of the Saints. They muſt p. 72be dipped in his blood, perfumed with his odours, otherwiſe they will ſtink worſe in Gods noſtrils, then ever did the Onions and Garlick of Egypt. It was the fault of King Uzziah to burn incenſe upon the Altar without a Prieſt: he was reſiſted by eighty valiant Prieſts of the Lord, and ſtruck with Leproſie, to make you fear to do the like, by offering up prayers to God without Chriſt. The work cannot be accepted, where the perſon is not: and the perſon is accepted in and for Chriſt's ſake.

Now ſtand ſtill, look back, lay all together, and conclude two things, by way of Application.

Uſe 1 Firſt, The miſery of graceleſſe perſons (though indowed with many naturall abilities) in that they cannot pray, in beſt health and proſperity, much leſſe in ſickneſſe and danger. They have no ability, skill nor will to pray with any power and life. The Painter can give external lineaments and outward repreſentations, but he cannot give that which is the actus primus, life to them; the hypocrite may give outward colours and ſhades, but he wants this Principle. As the Satyre in Plutarch, who p. 73ſtrove to make a dead man ſtand upright, but could not, ſaid, Deeſt aliquid intus: there wants a principle within to enable him to ſtand. So may we ſay, the carnal man that praies, wants a principle within to put forth ſpiritual prayer. He is that like a ſhip that is wind-bound. No ſtirring without the Spirits gales. There is great difference between praying and reading or ſaying over a prayer; theſe have no fervent expreſſions, their heat goeth another way; no holy deſires can come from ſuch impure, proud, prophane ſpirits; either they go to the creature as the end, or by the creature as the mean, and what ſucceſſe can be expected? That's a true rule: Bonum eſt ex integris cauſis, malum è quolibet defectu: Good, like harmonious Muſick, if one ſtring jar, the h…rmony is marred; and like beauty which is compleated of the Symmetry of parts, if one part be deformed, the beauty is vitiated; thus it is in any good action, let it be never ſo admirable for the matter of it, if there be any failing or crack in the principle, manner or end, the man loſeth the comfort and the reward of the duty. You ask and have not, becauſe p. 74you ask amiſſe. Let ſuch conſider two things: Firſt, That all their hope, ſuch as it is, themſelves confeſſing, is upon their prayers, good meaning and good deeds; now, without grace and Chriſts Spirit, you can do none of theſe; (he that wants the Spirit of Grace, muſt needs be deſtitute of the Spirit of Supplication.) You hope to be ſaved by your good prayers, and cannot pray: by your good deeds, and can do none: without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. In what condition are you then? Secondly, None can ſtead you but God; not friend, not wit, not wealth, were you ſet as the Caliph of Babylon once was in the midſt of a golden treaſure, and yet ſtarved: in the midſt of all theſe and cannot pray, in what a miſerable caſe are you? The dead pra…ſe not God, they that are in the pit call not upon him: and without prayer no good thing can be had.

Uſe 2 Secondly, Let all learn their duty, to amend your praying; elſe, you may howl upon your beds, and call loud upon him, and not be heard. It is not ſpeaking or babling, but praying that hath the promiſe. Pſal. 50.16. Matth. 7. See wherein p. 75you have been faulty, apprehend and acknowledge it; for time to come, number not, meaſure not the length of your prayers, weigh them in Chriſts ballance, viz. by the heat and holineſſe of your deſires, by the merit of Chriſt, and by the reverent fervency of expreſſion.

And thus from the deſcription of fervent-working prayer, I proceed to Objections, Caſes, Conditions and Motives; ſo to cloſe this Doctrine. Obj. 1

It may be objected, firſt, What need of this ado? Will not leſſe pains ſerve the turn? God knows our wants already, he will do what ſeemeth good in his ſight. His Decrees are immutable, and cannot be alter'd by all our e…rneſtneſſe and endeavours.

Thus indeed argued Maximus Tyrius an Heathen. Anſ. And thus many Libertines in our daies. But to the Anſwer. Prayer is not for Gods information, but the creatures ſubmiſſion, we pray for his leave; yea, when he will do any thing, he ſtirreth up thoſe that are his to deſire that which otherwiſe he would have done, to the intent that for honours ſake, he might attribute the ſame unto their prayers. Beſides, Gods Decrees do not p. 76exclude the duty of the creature, and the work of ſecond cauſes, Jer. 29.11, 12. I know the thoughts of peace I have toward you, yet yee ſhall call upon me, and I will hear you. This, Moſes and Elias knew, and the former, turned Gods predictions, and the latter, his promiſes into prayers. Finally, We pray not in any caſe to the intent that God ſhould be changed, which thing ſhould be attempted in vain: for he is immutable; but rather, that we our ſelves ſhould be changed, for ſo much as in praying we are made capable of the divine benefits. By vertue of Gods Ordination, a ſpiritual holy prayer caſteth the ſoul into a better diſpoſition, ſo that now he is made capable of ſpiritual bleſſings, which before it was not. So that we draw not God neerer to us by our arguments, but we draw neerer unto him.

Obj. 2 2. Some ſay they cannot pray, or at leaſt not according to that deſcription of Prayer?

Anſ. I Anſwer, 1. If you cannot pray at all, then you are ſpiritually dead. The blinde man may juſtly ſay, he cannot ſee, the deaf man, that he cannot hear, the ſame man, that he cannot go: but p. 77nemo vivens poteſt dicere, non poſſum orare. No living man can ſay, cannot pray. The blinde, the lame, the deaf, if they have any grace, any jo… of ſpiritual life, may pray: the dead only praiſe thee not, O Lord! Neither can any man pray acceptably without the Spirit. 2. It is true, you cannot pray of your ſelves, by natural abilities, or any innate principle. Pray that you may pray, for you know not what you ſhould pray for, as you ought, but the Spirit helpeth your infirmities. As a poor hungry man craves an alms, or a condemned priſoner a pardon, ſo, humbly and earneſtly ſeek of God, the aſſiſtance of his bleſſed Spirit, the Spirit of Prayer, eying what is written for your comfort, Luke 11.13. If you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more ſhall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask. 3. S…ir up thoſe gifts and abilities connatural and acquired, whatever they be, though never ſo few or weak, and do what you can with them. If you can but look up and ſigh out your wants, and with ſilent motions of the heart (where words and other skill is wanting) ſend up your complaints p. 78to Heaven. The Ravens call upon the Lord, he hears and feeds them: you are better in Gods eſteem then Ravens. 4. By timely and ſtirring endeavours, remove the impediments of Prayer. As are ignorance, pride, diſtraction, through variety of evil motions, or earthly employments, difuſe and the like; Theſe clip the wings of the ſoul, and are to it as lead to the net, bear it down; they are the ruſt of the ſoul and do mightily ſtreighten and render it uſeleſſe. Many complain of power, when will is wanting. They ſay they cannot do this or that, when through ſpiritual ſloth they never tried. 5. Hear and join ſometimes as conveniently you may, with ſuch as can pray fervently. Thoſe that have any ſparks of heavenly fire in their breaſts, may be a means to inflame others, as a dead coal catcheth fire being caſt among living coals: and green wood taketh fire when it is laid with the dry; at leaſt to give a good preſident and great encouragement to the duty. I heartily wiſh you knew the benefit of good company. The communion of Saints is the perfection of beauty and joy of the whole earth; No better help to Prayer then p. 79the ſociety of thoſe who can and do pray with frequent fervency. Eſpecially be careful to note your enemies which go about, yea, often hinder you from this duty. And they are ſuch as theſe viz. Firſt, Your ſleighting of the duty, that it is an eaſie thing to pray. And ſo it is indeed, as moſt go about it, not diſtinguiſhing between reading and ſaying over a prayer, and prayer indeed. Commonly, men, yea, good men and women put not their ſtrength to it, but haſtily run over it as a task; inſomuch that frequency doth allay fervency, and cuſtome doth turn prayer into a fruitleſs formality, indeed, vain babling. Secondly, Living in ſome ſecret ſin, eſpecially, pride, (God reſiſteth the proud,) and enmity with your neighbours. This is one of the worſt ſigns in the world, eſpecially to be out with the people of God. Yet ſuch broils Satan laboureth to foment, and chiefly for this end, to hinder prayers, or to ſlack the fervency of them, if he can, between man and wife, Miniſter and people; the Devil well knows, guilt to be a tongue-tying thing; Great ſins to be great gags. David on this account prays, Pſal. 51.14, 15. p. 80Deliver me from bloods, O Lord, then my tongue ſhall ſing aloud of thy righteouſneſſe: Open my mouth! Guilt had put a padlock on Davids mouth, and he could not ſpeak to God, whom he had ſo much offended. Sin approved, makes the Lord deaf, and the ſinner dumb. Thirdly, Variety of worldly buſineſſe and multiplicity of oppreſſing cares; theſe are the birds that would rob Abraham of his Sacrifice, and ſwarms of Egypt, which annoy the beſt; coming neceſſarily, they prove a cumber, but when men voluntatarily thruſt themſelves upon, and delight to be in them, as a fiſh in water, they choak the ſeed, and thruſt duty out of doors, Matth. 13.22. Luke 21.34. Oh how quickly will theſe thorns overtop the corn! Fourthly, Satan and wicked company, which unlooſe a man, and diſreliſh ſpiritual employments, labouring to caſt a beclouding miſt upon the bleſſed beauty of holineſſe, and to vail the ſpiritualneſſe of this exerciſe from the eye of the minde. Either they indiſpoſe men wholly and keep them off from it, as forgetful or fearful to come into Gods preſence; or elſe, to keep them contented with a meer form; ſo p. 81that men may go to Hell praying in that manner, Iſa. 1.15. Hoſea 7.14.

3. But many that have uſed thus to Obj. 3 be fervent in praying, as you now teach, have afterwards proved counterfeits? Ergo, &c.

Will you therefore diſlike it, Anſ. and not pray fervently at all? Suppoſe ſome coin be counterfeit, will you therefore keep no ſilver in your purſe? I think you will not ſo eaſily be perſwaded: Some abuſe good callings, will you therefore caſt off all? How can tha… be reaſon in Religion, which …is a kinde of madneſſe in civil matters? If an abuſe of ſome ſhould merit an aboliſhment of all good things of that natur…, what would have become of us by this time? But to anſwer more punctually. Firſt, All thoſe have not proved counterfeits, that have been thus fervent in prayer. God forbid, that you ſhould ſo think. Moſes, Joſhuah, David, Hannah, Daniel, Paul, with many hundreds of bleſſed ſouls, have held out in a growing fervency, and proved beſt at laſt. Secondly, In thoſe that have falen, the fault was not in their fervent praying, o… any other part of Religion, but their falſe p. 82hearts, blame unſoundneſſe only, and give zeal, her due praiſe. Thirdly, Let their example make you affraid, of any, eſpecially, ſelf-deceiving-hypocriſie. Keep truth in the inward parts. Labour mainly for ſincerity. Let the greateſt heat be inward, in the intention of the ſpirit this way. Fourthly, Regard not ſo much what the common ſort ſay, as what God and your need requires. If others deride it, the Scriptures commend it. Remember Joſhuah; let all others do and be what they pleaſe, go you and pray fervently, with all your ſtrength. It is ſad to ſee, how careleſſe, indevout, cold and irreverent the generality of people are amongſt us! if by their publick we may judge of their private devotion. Mend this, and the reſt of your ſpiritual maladies will be eaſily cured.

Obj. 4 But many we ſee have bleſſings of all ſorts, who yet never could, nor did pray thus for them; there appears then no ſuch neceſſity of fervency in prayer.

Anſ. You muſt diſtinguiſh of bleſſings, and then anſwer your ſelves. 1. For the nature of them, they are alwaies bleſſings, either of common Providence, or of ſpeciall favour and promiſe. The former are p. 83and may be enjoyed without any prayer, and therefore without fervency, coming from God as a Creatour, to ſupport his creature in being, till the pr…ordained end be obtained. The latter, which are bleſſings indeed, ſweet, full and laſting, muſt be ſued out with ſtrong cries, and fervency of devotion. I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael, to do it for them, Ezek. 36.37. Many rich favours promiſed in the former verſes, but they muſt be fetcht by Prayer. 2. For the end of them, ſome are beſtowed on men for their everlaſting good, as are ſaving graces, and a ſanctified uſe of common favours; effects of Prayer in adult perſons. Other bleſſings are beſtowed not ſo much for themſelves as for the good of others; Such are functional abilities, for the good of humane ſocieties: as Saul called to be King had …nother heart given him, without prayer for it. 3. For the uſe and continuance; that ſhews whether they be the perſons of devout Prayer or no. Men may have bleſſings with a curſe, Hoſea 13.11. I gave them a King in mine anger, &c. as he once gave them quails to choak them. Like Achans wedge, Gehezies ſilver, Je…oboams p. 84Crown, (all were gifts of God, but yet giftleſſe.) Ahabs Vineyard taken from Naboth, becauſe convenient for him. Some things are lawful, but not convenient; this was convenient, but not lawful: it had been better for him and his, had he ſuffered ſome inconveniencies to have enjoyed things lawful. Poſſeſſion without right, and proſperity without prayer frequent and fervent, is the bane and ruine of all.

Obj. 5 It is again objected, If we ſhould practiſe this duty every day, as is preſſed, it would ſpend and waſte our ſpirits, hinder us in our callings, and expoſe us to the deriſion of others?

Anſ. I Anſwer, 1. I have read of ſome men who have been ſomewhat hurt in their bodily health, by faſting, watching, and much kneeling; [James ſirnamed the juſt, Chriſts kinſman, had his knees made as hard as Camels knees, with much praying; as Euſebius relateth. Father Latimer during his impriſonment, was ſo conſtant and frequent in prayer, that he was much impaired in his bodily ſtrength, as is related by Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments.] But I never read or heard, nor conceive p. 85it poſſible, that ever any man was hurt by fervency in prayer. This heat, I ſpeak of, conſumeth no radical moiſture, an heavenly dew goeth with it as a cordial, to cool, refreſh and make glad men in prayer. 2. I demand, Can your time and ſtrength be ſpent in a bette… emploiment? No man ſpends ſo much as he gains in prayer. You are miſtaken, and ſlander this ſweet communion with God, while you lay ſuch blame, upon ſecret or private-devotion in family-duties. Doth not the ſatisfying of your luſts ſpend you? Do not evil company and riot conſume you? Doth not your neglect and backwardneſſe in ſowing (Charity is ſo called by the Apoſtle, 2. Cor. 9.6.) beggar you? it is not prayer. 3. How can you after deliberation account it an hinderance of you or yours in their work? Firſt, It is a matter of greateſt weight and concernment, for comfort, credit and profit; and to matters of greateſt importance we account all other things but lets, but not them as lets to any thing of a ſubordinate nature. If the King or ſome ſpecial Favourite ſhould come to your Place, and publiſh a will to admit any p. 86to his preſence, that you might confer with him an hour or two, about your wrongs and wants: would you ſo plead, Alas, we have not the leaſure, it would hinder us in our callings? I trow not: but rather put off all occaſions, attend this: So judge in the Caſe now in queſtion. Secondly, It doth much further you in all your worldly affairs. You know, the baiting of the horſe doth not hinder the journey, nor the whetting of the ſythe, the work, but further them. The bleſſing of the Lord maketh rich, and fervent prayer is the ſouls meſſenger ſent up to fetch it down, on ſervants, cattle, grounds, and the whole day and night. Therefore is prayer called by one of the Fathers, the lock of the night, and the key of the day: to ſhut up from harm, and to let in the Sun, even the Sun of righteouſneſſe in his glorious beams and raviſhing influence, into every ſad, dark and drooping ſoul. 4. Grant all you ſay; Suppoſe it ſome hinderance; will you be at no charge to wait upon God, and to prefer your Petitions to him? You can hardly expect ſo eaſie and ſuch cheap audience in any earthly Princes Court, to have your Petitions p. 87preſented and anſwered without fees, or moving gratuities. And, will you part with nothing for God, not ſo much as hazard a pretended loſſe? David was of another minde, when called to build an Altar, 2 Sam. 24. He would not offer that to God which coſt him nothing. It is true God is not won thus, our good extends not to him; yet he would have us willing to part with all for the purchaſe of the pearl: to account all things but dung in reſpect of communion with him, and the fruition of Chriſt; he can give you a rich dew upon your labours much more then this, and infinitely recompence your ſuppoſed hinderance. A whet is no let, you ſay: and for all the haſte of work and buſineſſe, you will have time to eat your meat, three or four times a day, that you may do your work both better and ſpeedier; O fools and unwiſe! to judge prayer a loſſe, a hinderance, while it refreſheth the ſoul of poor Pilgrims, ſetteth edge on all our ſpiritual implements, and calleth in the Lord to be and help you in your buſineſſe! Many thouſands now in Heaven are bleſſing God for the benefit of Prayer. No time can p. 88be ſpent better. But I am ſenſible of a Digreſſion; my aim is to aſſure you, (my Beloved in the Lord, for whoſe ſake this is written) that Prayer is the beſt way to thrive. To ſuch as reſted on the Lords day according to the command, did not the Lord give a double portion of Manna the day before? And to ſuch as paid their Tythes for the maintenance of the Sanctuary, did not the Lord promiſe to open the windows of Heaven, Malac. 3.10? Abraham had this promiſe of abundance performed to him; So had Conſtantine the firſt Chriſtian Emperour, the Churches great Benefactor, ſo many temporal bleſſings, as never any man durſt to wiſh. Aug. de Civit. Dei. Laſtly, Where you mention fear of Deriſion, it is of all other the leaſt diſcouragement. If others laugh, do you mourn; if they ſcoff, do you counſel; if they curſe, do you bleſſe and pray. The beſt things do hear ill from the worſt men. They know not what they do. Let Dogs bark, or mad men ſhoot arrows to the Lights of Heaven, they with their radiant light and motion do ſtill ſerve their Creatour. So ſay you, If this be to be vile, I will be more p. 89vile then thus. Chuſe you, whether you will pray or no, as for me, I will pray fervently to God, who only is able to ſave us from ſin and Hell.

From Objections, we proceed to ſome Caſes of Conſcience.

Firſt, What ſhould a man do that Caſe 1 cannot utter his minde, he wants fit words for ſuch a preſence?

1. Let ſuch a one know, Anſ. that an unfeigned fervent deſire of the heart is to God an acceptable prayer: and broken language coming from a broken heart, avails more then affectation of well-couched words, without affection of prayer. I ſay, the buſineſſe of prayer is more diſpatched by ſighs, then ſpeeches, by inward groans, more then outward garniſhes. As the Lord heareth without ears, ſo he underſtandeth without words. Sighs and breathing… to God are articulate. There is great diſpute among the Schoolmen, about the ſpeech of Angels: but this they agree in, that one Angel ſpeaketh thus to another, when any one hath a conceit in his minde of any thing, with a will that another ſhould underſtand it, and that God ſhould alſo, that is enough for the p. 90expreſſion of it; So it is with the ſpirit of man, in ſpeaking to God, for the ſpirit of man agreeth with Angels. Though it is our duty to ſtrive to pray in fit words, and to be enriched in all utterance and knowledge, Hoſea 14.1. 1 Cor. 1.5. Therefore 2. Let him for a time uſe the help of godly mens prayers, compoſed to his hand, by the ſame Spirit, and purpoſely intended for ſuch, as want knowledge, memory or utterance, till the Lord further enable the willing minde to make its requeſts known in a reverent and ſober manner, as ſavouring more of grace then art. Young beginners may finde great help in the matter, fit words, good method, from ſuch a form, and which being applied to particular occaſions, do not a little quicken, revive and enlarge the heart. If you ſhould ſay, Is it lawful ſo to pray? I ſhall anſwer by asking this queſtion; Where is there any law againſt it? And where there is no law, there is no tranſgreſſion. I can finde no command againſt it. This we finde in Scripture, that Prayer is an Ordinance of God; but whether to be conceived only in the heart, or uttered by words, p. 91whether in our own, or in others words, by pronunciation or reading that is not appointed. Why then may not a godly man, and in ſome caſes eſpecially, (as when the ſoul cannot put forth its operations) do as Chriſt did, pray oft in the ſame words to God; and that, though compoſed by another? Neither is there any thing hinders, but that a man thus doing, may pray by the Spirit; the work of the Spirit being rather 1. To teach us what graces to pray for. 2. To raiſe fervent and devout deſires after the things we pray for, (groans that cannot be expreſſed) then to give in words, which a man may want, and yet not want the Spirit of Prayer. Nor that I deny that the Spirit of God doth at all help, as to words and expreſſions: for he doth it mediately by ſtirring up the affections; which being raiſed, are ſome advantage to expreſſion. However we finde that through ſlowneſſe of phantaſie, baſhfulneſſe, unreadineſſe of ſpeech, men that have good affections, may yet need forrain helps, as to words. 3. Let ſuch a one read, or hear to get by heart, ſuch paſſages of Scripture as being orderly joined, will make an excellent p. 92Prayer. It is beſt praying in the Lords own words. The Scripture is a Magazine of matter. Many complain they have a great dearth of expreſſions, when the cauſe is in themſelves, they do not ſtudy the Word of God, the moſt genuine off-ſpring of expreſſions.

Caſe 2 Secondly, What ſhall he do that findes his heart unfit and altogether indiſpoſed for Prayer, eſpecially ſuch Prayer, with holy fervency.

Anſ. For Anſwer to this, 1. Let him conſider whence that indiſpoſition is: whether from ſome prevailing corruption, which muſt be mortified, or from omiſſion of ſome duty, which muſt be bewailed and redeemed; or, from a temptation which muſt be reſiſted; or elſe, from a deſertion, in which caſe there muſt be a waiting and earneſt ſeeking for the Lords return. 2. In this danger and damp of the ſoul, know, there is moſt need of praying to bring the heart into temper, and to free it from thoſe preſſing weights, which do ſo clog and keep it down. The only way to fit a ſoul for this duty, is to fall preſently upon it, and the very doing of the duty doth fit to the duty: As one expreſſeth it; for p. 93as all actions of the ſame kinde encreaſe the habit; ſo prayer will make ready for prayer. By ſetting a mans ſelf on the work, he ſhall gather diſpoſedneſſe, though unfit before: as joints benummed, get life being uſed. 3. Know, ſuch is your condition here below: like a watch, though it be brought in order, yet ere long it will be out again: like the houſe that is ſwept, and the childes face that is waſhed, gathers duſt, and is fouled again. Yet let not this diſcourage you, but rather excite you to reſolution and diligence in keeping the ſoul Heaven-ward: and like the Palm-tree, which by how much the more weight is laid upon it, gathers the more ſtrength, the more to encounter Aſſailants. Eſpecially take heed of living in any beloved ſin, and thinking to pacifie Conſcience, and ſatisfie offended Juſtice, by a task of daily prayer; a wile of Satan …eigning among Papiſts, who hearing the Maſſe, and confeſſing their ſins once a year audibly, think they may live as they liſt, and ſpend the day as they ple…ſe, as if they had taken a new licence to commit iniquity; a practice too too common amongſt ourſelves, reſting on a cold performance p. 94of ſome duties, without truth of grace, or any thought of a neceſſity of univerſal obedience.

Caſe 3 I am diſtracted with vain thoughts, and terrified with ſtrange fears, eſpecially while alone and in the dark; what ſhall I do?

1. Conſider whence they come; from without, Anſ. as injections; or from within, as corruptions prevailing through negligence, or meer weakneſſe; judge and ſhame thy ſelf for ſuch diſtractions, ſtrive to do better, ſo ſhall they never be imputed. To be wholly freed from them is a priviledge proper to the ſtate of perfection: as ſome diſeaſes cannot, will not be cured neer home, but men muſt repair to the Bath, or to the City for help; this infirmity is not to be quite healed, till we come to Heaven. 2. Admit not ſuch vain and hurtful thoughts while you are in your civil emploiments, at leaſt play not with them as children uſe to do with motes in the air; for there begins your bane: You admit them at other times, and they will be admitted at prayer. If once the minde is let looſe, to rove idly, it will hardly be brought in to attend upon God wholly in the duty p. 95of Prayer, or otherwiſe: as the trifling fellow that wanders up and down, will not eaſily be tied to work. The beſt way to keep the heart from gadding, is to keep it as much as may be in …une, and rightly diſpoſed before; as when a man is to uſe his horſe he will have him under bridle. 3. Though you be ſet with terrors and fears, yet flie not upon ſuch imaginations, but reſiſt, and the enemy will yeeld: leave not the place where you are, but buckle ſo much the cloſer to the duty in hand. When Chriſt ſweat drops of blood, he prayed moſt fervently. Remember Satan is chained, he hath no enforcing power, (Diſtruſtful fear giveth advantage:) and that you are in Gods preſence, who hath power over the Devil. 4. Know, that theſe defects and diſpleaſing thoughts, do diſturb and diſcomfort the praying ſoul, but cannot evacuate your prayers. This is the priviledge of a true Chriſtian, his ſpotty and defiled prayers (as other ſervices) are waſhed in the Foun…in opened for ſin and uncleanneſſe: he corrects, interlines, and paraphraſes them, puts them into the method and language, and expected conſtitution of the p. 96Court of Heaven, that what goes from us with ſincerity is immediately taken and entred on the File, and become ſtanding Records of that Office.

Caſe 4 But I finde not any ſucceſſe in my prayers, but am rather croſſed in them: therefore I fear it is in vain to pray?

Anſ. 1. If you pray amiſſe, for matter, manner, or end, no marvail; in the matter, as Moſes in his deſire to enter into the promiſed Land; the matter of prayer being temporal, we have no abſolute promiſe to obtain; Spiritual mercies indeed are bona abſoluta, & bona bonum habentem facientia, ever good to him that hath them, and therefore we have an abſolute promiſe to ſpeed in our requeſts for them; he will never deny good things to them that ask, Luke 11.13. But outward bleſſings, are onelyonly bona reſpectiva, good in reference to a certain end, and our expectations may fail with reference to them. In the manner; as the Church in the Cant. 5.3. She would and ſhe would not. There is it may be a kinde of wambling willingneſſe and velleitie, but it boils not up to a full height of reſolution for God, and utmoſt endeavours after the thing deſired. Now, affection p. 97without endeavour, is like Rachel, beautiful, but barren. Or, Laſtly, Your prayers may miſſe in the end, either of intention or of duration. They draw not neer him with true heart, that is contented either to wait for, or to want the thing deſired, being heartily willing that God ſhould be glorified, though themſelves be not anſwered. They that ask aright may have any thing, Mat. 5.6. 2. Prayers may be ſucceſſeful and yet not found or felt. The grant may be paſt, and you not know it, for it is made to Chriſt firſt, who by the worth of his Interceſſion merits a return of Prayers, to himſelf, and after to his Saints; beſides, ſomewhat equivolent, or better for you, then that which you requeſted, may be given, and you not diſcern it, for the vehement intention of your eies upon your own will; or, the ve…y thing may be granted, though not for the time, manner, means and meaſure, by you, to your ſelves propounded and from God expected. 3. I grant, the Lord may juſtly and mercifully for your good, either deny or croſſe you: And that for theſe Reaſons, Firſt, Becauſe of the indiſpoſition of your heart to receive p. 98ſuch a bleſſing, or ſo much. Paul prayed thrice, and had this anſwer in the end, My Grace is ſufficient for thee, to uphold and give thee victory, better then thy deſired freedome. Time may come when you will kneel down and adore the wiſdome and ſeaſonableneſſe of ſuch croſſes. Poſſidonius in the life of Saint Auguſtine gives a memorable example: the good Father being to viſit and inſtruct the people of a certain place, and having a guide to direct him, did notwithſtanding miſſe the way, and ignorantly fell into a by-path, by which means he eſcaped the bloody hands of ſome cruel Donatiſts, who lay in wait for him, to take away his life. I have read another paſſage of a godly man, that as he was going to take ſhipping for France, he brake his leg, and it pleaſed Providence ſo to order it, that the ſhip whe…ein he ſhould have gone was that time caſt away, and not a man ſaved; thus may God lead you beſides your expectations and intentions, to preſerve you from ſome danger, which otherwiſe lyeth in wait for you. The ſick patient is never better ſerved, then when he is denied, and God denieth our will ſometime, p. 99that we may have our will. Secondly, It may be to quicken your zeal, which delay and denial doth enflame. Our zeal if it be true is like lime, which groweth hotter by how much more water is caſt upon it. Before you were moderate in your deſire and requeſts: and God likes not that temper: …herefore he delaies. Let the infant faſt, it will know the dug the better, and ſeek it the faſter. Stop the Lure and the Flawk will mend her pitch, and fly the higher; and if God deny or delay faithful prayers, it is to encreaſe them, to exerciſe his gifts, your graces, that ſo you may ſearch and trie your waies more throughly, be more ready to open your ears to the cries of the poor, and for ever after more love and prize the favour of God. 4. However, pray ſtill, caſt not away your anchor, pray for bleſſings abſolutely promiſed, although you could never be aſſured of having your particular requeſt; granted; wait upon God, and eye the promiſes; hold out faith and patience; reſt aſſured, holy deſires can never finally be loſt; the longer he holdeth ſouls in u… pence, it argues God will give more abundantly. Great engines move ſlowly, p. 100ſmall things are quickly wheeled about. Great ſhips that go long Voyages, before they come home are uſually richly laden; an Oak is long growing, but proves a great tree and long-lived, whereas a Gourd which grows up in a night, in another is ſmitten with a worm and dieth; a bleſſing that is long a coming, is ordinarily a great one when it doth come. God intendeth not your hinderance, no, no; go on, bre…th after him, make up a good and great treaſure againſt another day. In the communion of Saints (O bleſſed Society!) there is a ſtock of Prayers continually going on and growing. He is a rich man indeed, that is rich in Prayer.

Caſe 5 What ſhould a man ſettle his minde upon, while he is framing and directing his Prayer?

Anſ. 1. Take heed of fancying any form or ſhape, as the object to terminate your thoughts. Give not the active intellect too much liberty, to p…ie into things not yet reve…led; or to preſent and apprehend them in another notion then reve…ed. Sorutator Majeſtatis opprimetur à gloria. Your eyes will be dazeled by looking on this Sun. To frame p. 101the Divine Nature in any imaginary likeneſſe is bold Idolatrie: it is to ſeek that, which in that vaſt Oce…n of infinite Being cannot be found, but in mans imagination, preſenting wh…t is not, and ſo making an Idol. 2. Begin with, and aſcend by the now glorious Humanity of Chriſt, towards the Deity, let that ſerve you inſtead of Jacobs Ladder. 3. Be well acquainted with, and eſpecially mindeful of the Divine Attributes, wherein the Lord hath deſcribed himſelf to Abraham, Moſes, and the Prophets. Majeſty, power, bounty and love do ſhine in the Attributes of God, and we may make uſe of them eſpecially that are fitteſt to raiſe the heart in deſire and faith, or to ſtrike it with awe and reverence, as occaſion requireth. …. When you have done that you can, by reading and meditating: conceive an excellency of glory, not to be fadom'd by humane reaſon; and ſo quiet the minde till you be qualified for the beatifical Viſion. Caſe 6

But when I do ſo, my-thinks my own unworthineſſe doth ſo much the more preſent it ſelf, and makes me ready to ſink through fear?

True it is, Anſ. Oppoſita juxta ſe p…ſita magis p. 102eluceſcunt: Contraries do illuſtrate one another; the glorious day diſcovers the blackneſſe of the night: the ſweeteſt Muſick rendreth jarring ſounds more unacceptable: and the neerer we draw neer into Gods preſence, the better we ſee him in the Word, ſo much more doth our vileneſſe appear, Job 42.5, 6. But be ye well aſſured, 1. That this doth not encreaſe your unworthineſſe (no more then the light of the Sun encreaſeth deformity,) but onelyonly unvail it ſo much the more; the Looking-Glaſſe doth not augment the ſpots in the face, but diſcovers them to the eye, to the intent, they may be loathed and waſhed off, ſo it is here. 2. The more unworthy you are in your own eyes, by that reflexion: the more worthy are you in the account of God, who judgeth not as man judgeth. 3. Your worthineſſe for which you are accepted by God, is not in your ſelves, but in Chriſt, the Righteouſneſſe of the Saints. Keep your eye upon him, who is a cloud, a skreen, or ſhelter for poor guilty man, againſt thoſe pure and piercing beams; So that God ſeeth not iniquity in Jacob. 4. Know and conſider, that Prayer is not onelyonly a p. 103duty, but a means to procure worthineſſe and acceptance. Ask of me and I will give, &c. Ask and yee ſhall receive. Ask that your joy may be full. Therefore as they might boldly come …nto the inner Court of the King of Perſia, to whom he held forth the golden Scepter: So may we confidently ſpeak to God; his commands, and ſweet promiſes, his bountiful invitations, and aimable titles, with the effectual Interceſſion of Chriſt, muſt be oppoſed to the ſenſe of our unworthineſſe.

And ſo from Caſes we proceed to Conditions required, that your prayers may be acceptable, viz. The Perſon muſt be rightly qualified, and all the graces muſt be ſet on work, as about a matter of greateſt importance.

Firſt, The Perſon muſt be rightly qualified: and that as ſtanding in a threefold relation: 1. To God. 2. To men. 3. To himſelf.

1. To God, he muſt acknowledge God, and be acknowledged of God, by vertue of the Covenant, and of the Mediatour, intitling Petitioners to the promiſes, Heb. 11.6. He that cometh to God muſt believe that he is, and that he p. 104is the rewarder of thoſe that diligently ſeek him; this you muſt be well ſettled in, that he is ſuch in himſelf, and ſuch towards you as he ſtands deſcribed in his Word; and be acknowledged of God: or elſe the anſwer will be, I have no pleaſure in you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, neither will I accept an offering at your hands, Malac. 1.10. I care not for your perſons, I reſpect not your performances.

2. To men, whether friends or enemies, to be in love and charity, Matth. 5.23, 24. Matth. 6.14, 15. Gods bounty to us requires our obedience to him, he will not give, except we forgive: if you forgive men their treſpaſſes, your heavenly Father will alſo forgive you. Though our love to men be not a cauſe of our acceptance with God, yet it is a neceſſary antecedent; yea, foraſmuch as he hath made us this promiſe here, our forgiving others ſeemeth to have the nature of an intervenient cauſe, a cauſe ſine qua non, of his forgiving us. How can we look our Father in the face, or ask him a bleſſing, when we are conſcious that he knows, hatred or heart-burning between us and our brethren.

3. Towards himſelf; he muſt be an p. 105hater of ſin (if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer) ſo as to purſue it with a ſerious intent and hearty deſire to have it taken and killed; he muſt be a lover of Gods image where ever it truly appears; it was the expreſſion of a good man, I dare not but love him, in whom I ſee any thing of Chriſt. If thou love not thy brother whom thou haſt ſeen, how canſt thou l ve God, whom thou haſt not ſeen? As Dalilah ſaid to Sampſon, ſo it may be ſaid to moſt men, how can yee ſay, yee love God or good men, ſeeing your heart is not with them. Now that you may not be miſtaken, take along with you ſome properties of men and women thus qualified, viz.

Firſt, They will be ready to part with any thing for Chriſt, Matth. 13.46. to ſell all and purchaſe this pearl. Phil. 3.8. I count all things but dung, &c. Now I know that thou loveſt me, ſaith the Lord to Abraham, ſeeing thou art content to part with thy onelyonly ſon at my word! Chriſt hath taken up their ſouls unto the top of Piſgah, and diſcovered to them the Land of Canaan, and hath given them ſuch more then ordinary taſtes of p. 106the world to come, that the whole lower world, though vailed with the moſt glorious and gliſtring temptations, is all ſcorned as too low a bribe to draw off the ſoul from Chriſt. Theodoſius will value his Chriſtianity above his Empire. Luther would rather be Chriſtianus ruſticus, quàm Ethnicus Alexander, (i. e.) a Chriſtian clown then an Heathen Emperour. Secondly, They are not long angry, but eaſily entreated in the matters of God, or in their tranſactions with men, ready to any good office: Like the waters at the foot of Sion, that run ſoftly: 1 Cor. 13.4. Charity ſuffereth long and is kinde; Charity envieth not, it doth not behave it ſelf unſeemly. James 3.17. The wiſdome that is from above, is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle and eaſie to be entreated, full of mercy and good works. A good garment for a Chriſtian, without which he is naked before God. Thirdly, They are open-ear'd and handed towards any in miſery. They reſent the miſery of others, their hearts do yearn over the Brethrens calamities. As Pharaohs daughter, when ſhe ſaw the childe in the Ark of Bull-ruſhes, (a very ſad Cradle!) and that the babe wept, the p. 107Text ſaies, She had compaſſion on him, Exod. 2.6. And ſo in the good Samaritan, when he paſſed by the poor man who had fallen among thieves, and ſaw him ſtripped of all, wounde…; this good man had an eye and an hand toward him: So it is in this caſe. F…urthly, They are wondrous cheerful, in ſee…ing heavy conditions: eſpecially in afflictions for the truth's ſake, rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.2. Which hope holds them above fears; ſo that they are not moved with love or fear, (as the Romans wrote on their Targets) though at firſt they may be daunted, yet at length they look up and gather ſtrength. Hannah was much troubled for want of a childe, ſhe went to God by fervent prayer, an… was no more ſad. With thi… David was wont to cheer himſelf in the depth of troubles, the Lord hath heard my prayer! Fifthly, They can deny themſelves whom God cannot deny, in their fervent ſuits, being divorced from their own will by an over-powering work of the Spirit in Legal convictions; they le… not to their own underſtandings. Thus muſt the perſon be qualified fo… Prayer.

p. 108Object. Then it ſeems a wicked, unrighteous perſon may not pray? Or if he may, his prayer will be to little or no purpoſe, ineffectual?

A. Prayer is conſiderable two waies, 1. In a large ſenſe, as a commanded duty and part of Gods worſhip, in its ordinary uſe, whereby we give God the glory of his Omniſciency, Mercy, Power, and Wiſdome. 2. In a more ſtrict ſenſe, for the putting up of a formal requeſt or petition to God, which may conſiſt in an exerciſe of the ſoul, and of the graces in it, whether common or ſaving. And the Anſwer to the Objection I ſhall lay thus before you. Firſt, Prayer conſidered as a duty muſt be performed by unrighteous men: and a great ſin it is to neglect it; it is the worſt thing can be ſaid of any man, that he reſtraineth prayer before God; in Job 15.4. it is joined with caſting away the fear of God, i. e. with profeſſed Atheiſme and prophaneneſſe. Mans defects as he now ſtands, can give no excuſe to a wilful neglect: his impotency cannot prejudice Gods authority, or diminiſh his own duty. Prayer is a thing good in it ſelf, and not evil propter fieri, becauſe p. 109it is done, but by accident, vitio perſonae, by reaſon of ſome defects cleaving unto it; In which ſenſe only it is, that the Scriptures cry down the prayers of wicked men, as an abomintion, as Pro. 15.8. & 28.9.Cartwright on the Text gives that ſame gloſſe. not that it is ſo as to the ſubſtance of the duty, but becauſe, whatever it be they pray for, they reſolve to go on in their wicked practiſes, as the latter Scripture expreſſes in the beginning of it, He that turneth his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer ſhall be abomination. And beſides, though prayer, not made in faith, cannot pleaſe God, as the prayers of holy …en do; yet being good for the ſubſtance of it, giving glory to God of ſundry Attributes of his, it may probably avail for procurement of a temporal bleſſing: as the Phariſees prayers had the reward of mens praiſes. Ahabs humiliation, and the Ninevites repentance procured a delay of puniſhment. Secondly, Prayer conſidered as a formal requeſt in the exerciſe of the ſoul, and of ſome common graces in it, eſpecially argumentative prayer, may perhaps avail through the help of Gods Spirit, bringing the ſoul into a better temper and frame, and ſo p. 110making it capable of ſpiritual and outward b…eſſings. Prophane Eſau could go to his father for a childes portion, and ſo could the Prodigal, and had it.

I come to the ſecond qualification of acceptable effectual prayer, viz. all the Graces muſt be ſet on work: faith, repentance, humility, the very lungs whence prayer is bre…thed.

Firſt, Faith, (for where it lives, it will breath in devotion) in the Divine Hiſtory, touching what is there revealed, to be true, becauſe he hath ſaid it. Faith, in Gods Providence, concerning his wiſe and ſtable government of the world: that he can and will provide for bodies and ſouls, out of the rich Magazine of infinite tre…ſures laid up in Chriſt. If an Elijah want, the Ravens will come at Gods command, and bring him mea… morning and evening: Faith, in Gods promiſes, (which are the air and elements wherein faith breaths) touching free juſtification, ſanctification and acceptation of you unto life and glory for Chriſts ſake. If any want wiſdome, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally unto all men, but let him ask in Faith, nothing wavering, James 1.5, 6. And again, the p. 111Apoſtle willeth men to pray—without doubting, 1 Tim. 2.8. (the more doubting the leſſe faith.) For he that cometh unto God muſt believe, &c. as before. He that wants this ingredient, doth no more then deny his own requeſts, and ſhuts up the door of Heaven.

Q. How may a man know when he praies in faith?

A. 1. By an hearty reſiſtance, with ſome comfortable power and gaining ſtrength, againſt fears, doubts and diſtractions that do oppoſe. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith, it overcomes a world of enemies, 1 John 5.4. It is a victorious grace, and it acts by purifying the heart, and mortifying luſts. And though a man may be foiled now and then in a skirmiſh, when very hotly charged, and over-born by violence, yet theſe foils tend to hi… further eſtabliſhment, and like the tree, ſtands the firmer for ſhaking. This …s a fruit of praying in faith. 2. By ſt…adineſſe of the heart, at leaſt in deſire and endeavour, upon the right object God in Chriſt. Moſes his hand being underpropt and ſtayed by Aaron and Hur (as by the Spirit and faith) were ſteady unto p. 112the going down of the Sun, Exod. 17.12. Chriſt continued all night in prayer to God, Luke 6.12. But take heed of the error of the Heathen, Matth. 6.7. that thought to be heard for their much ſpeaking; and of the hypocriſie of the Scribes, Matth. 23.14. who made long prayers for the praiſe of men. Carry an equal minde in the duty; they are not gifts, but graces that God looks for in prayer, 3. By that calmneſſe of minde after, truſting God with the ſucceſſe, and reſolving patiently to wait. When Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.18. had made her ſupplication to God for a childe, it is ſaid, She went her way and did eat, and her countenance was no more ſad. Which alteration hapned through an inward comfort of Gods Spirit, which ſealed in her heart, that her prayers were heard. This is an effect of the witneſſing of the Spirit together with ours, Rom. 8.16. A refreſhing of the heart after duty, with a ſecret content, with an hidden approbation. If our hearts condemn us not, then we have confidence towards God, 1 John 3.21. 4. By due care in the uſe of appointed means, not to cleave to any particular means, with a ſinful reſolution p. 113to have mercy that way, or not at all. This is to limit a moſt free agent, to circumſcribe Gods will, and to ſtreighten our ſelves in a narrow path, Pſal. 78.41. 5. By conſtancy, even when the Lord ſeems to frown, and turn away his face. A notable inſtance you have in the woman of Canaan, Matth. 15.22. ſhe cried earneſtly after Chriſt, Have mercy on me, O Lord, &c. One Copy hath it, and cried behinde him, which implies that Chriſt had turned his back on her, ſeeing her now coming towards him; well, the Diſciples intercede, he tells them, He was not ſent but to the lost ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael. She comes again, but receives a rough anſwer, It is not meet to take childrens bread and caſt it to dogs; out of all we may conclude, great faith to act that poor woman. View her temptations in that doubtful caſe (it is Mr. Boltons Obſervation in his Treatiſe Of the Nature and Roialties of ſaith.) Firſt, There was tentatio taciturnitatis, the trial of ſilence, ſhe prayes, and not a word comes. Secondly, Tentatio particularitatis, firſt nothing, and then worſe then nothing, I am not ſent, but, &c. as if he had ſaid, thou doſt not belong to p. 114the election of grace: thou art not in Covenant; I came onelyonly to my own, not to thee, therefore I will not help thee. Thirdly, Tentatio indignitatis; the trial of indignity, It is not meet, &c. And yet ſee the ſtrength of her faith, Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs: if ſhe may not have a childes, yet a dogs portion, if not childrens morſels, yet childrens crumbs, but ſuch as fall from the table, ſuch as they have no need of. She was that well reſolved Chriſtian, whoſe part is (as Luther ſometime ſaid) to believe things inviſible, to hope for things deferr'd, and to love God when he ſeems moſt angry with, and oppoſite to him. With this meaſure of faith Chriſt is overcome: Oh, woman, great is thy faith! Such force there is in faithful-fervent prayer.

A Second Grace to be ſet on work in prayer is Repentance. Waſh ye make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well, &c. then come and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 1.16, 17, 18. I will waſh mine hands in innocency, and ſo will I compaſſe thine Altar, O Lord, was Davids practice. Typified in Aarons p. 115waſhing of his feet, befo…e he went into Sacrifice: and continued as a borrowed rite among the Turks, to waſh and put off their ſhoes before they enter on their idol-worſhip. A plain doctrine that Saint James teacheth, ch. 4. v. 8. Draw nigh to God, &c. cleanſe your hands ye ſinners, &c. And the reaſon is, becauſe in prayer, you crave pardon of ſin and removal of judgements, with the favour of Gods bleſſed preſence, which cannot be without repentance. Conſcience of ſin unrepented of will clip and dull the wings of prayer, ſet a damp on the petitioner, ſeparate between him and God; but the blood of Chriſt will cleanſe, cheer and elevate the ſoul, as the waters did No…hs Ark, far above all danger. Repentance is a Rain-bow, which if God ſee ſhining in our hearts, when we come before him, he will not drown the ſoul.

Q. How may true penitency in gracious hearts, be diſcerned from ſeigned ſorrow in graceleſſe perſons, tha… ſin, and after ſay they repent, yet ſin again?

A. 1. A truly gracious ſoul, though it ſin, yet it makes no league o… peace with ſin, but keeps the war on foo… ſtill. p. 116As Hannibal took an Oath to his father to maintain perpetual hoſtility with Rome: So have gracious ſouls covenanted with …od, to wage a perpetual war with ſin; though it ſometime receives a foil and loſſe, yet thereby it is more enraged againſt the adverſary. Carnal counterfeit perſons once foiled, ſeldome come on again: but the true penitent riſeth and fights moſt valiantly, doubles his guard after unwarineſſe, ſtrengthens the battle after a blow, laying on more ſtrongly, after ſin hath been too hard; as we ſee in Peter and Paul, and many other Scripture-examples. 2. True grace gets advantage by the ſtirring and ſometimes prevailing power of ſin, which meer nature cannot do: it alwaies loſeth, the heart is made worſe, ſin loved, holineſſe loathed ſome degrees more, and ſecurity ſurpriſeth the ſoul. When as in gracious hearts, every thing falleth out otherwiſe; the heart is made better, ſin more loathed, holineſſe prized ſome degrees more, & the ſoul ſtrengthned; like the Giant Anteus, who in his wreſtling with Hercules, is ſeigned to get ſtrength by every fall to the ground.

The Third Grace required to be acted p. 117in prayer is humility: which may ſerve as the pins of Jacobs Ladder, whereby the ſoul climbeth up to He…ven. He that would leap higheſt muſt ſtoop loweſt. God exalteth the humble, whilſt he reſiſteth the proud and ſends them empty away. As men uſe to lay up the richeſt wine in the loweſt Ce…lars, ſo doth God the choiceſt mercies in humble and lowly hearts. Chriſt when he was upon the earth did moſt for thoſe that were humble, and ſo continues to do. The truly humble ſoul is Gods ſecond Heaven, I will dwell with the cont…e ſpirit. The Valleys ſhall laugh with ſatneſſe, when the Hills are barren. And this Grace may be diſcerned thus;

Firſt, By a grateful diſpoſition for former favours. Of old, a pe…ce-offering was appointed to be joine… with the treſpaſſe-offering: to teach the Church ever to join praiſe with prayer. But the proud heart hath never enough, is ever unthankful. Secondly, By a mean and low conceit of your ſelves, and your own unworthineſſe before God. Like that of Abraham, Gen. 18.27. that am but duſt and aſhes: or of David, …o fooliſh was I, as a beaſt before thee: and Agur, p. 118Prov. 30.2. I am more brutiſh then any man; or as that Martyr, who cried out, Gehenna ſum Domine, &c. Lord, thou art Heaven, but I am as bad as Hell. Tantillitas noſtra, ſaid Ignatius of himſelf and his Colleagues; the humble man like Paul, doth not elevate, but aggravate his ſins againſt himſelf, vails all the top-ſails and ſits down in the duſt, Job 42.6. Mine eye ſeeth thee, therefore I abhorre my ſelf in duſt and aſhes; when he had a glorious apparition of God, he vaniſhed into nothing in his own thoughts. The ſtars vaniſh when the Sun appears: and our poor Candle vaniſheth into a diſappearance, when the glory of God ariſeth in the thoughts of the humble. Thirdly, By this, when heavenly Objects appear in our eye great and beautiful more and more. As in David, Pſal. 4.6. who preferred Gods favour to all things; and in Paul, Phil. 3.8. who counted all things but dung, in compariſon of the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt. He undervalues a whole sky full of ſtars, to one Sun of Righteouſneſſe. And as holy Lambert, None but Chriſt, none but Chriſt. To them that believe he is precious, they can ſee p. 119thoſe beauties and excellencie… in him, that are not diſcovered to others. To unbelievers, heavenly objects are as orient pearls in an heap of ſand, and a Mine of gold covered over with rubbiſh and earth. Fourthly, By meekneſſe and readineſſe to yield in all your own cauſes, but reſoluteneſſe in the cauſe o… God, in behalf of his truth. Moſes, one of the meekeſt men on earth, yet who more hot and zealous in the ſervice of God? The three children, Dan. 3.16. are well reſolved in the like caſe, and will not ſuffer truth to fall for them. Luther regards not himſelf nor the rich preſents, but is eaten up with the zeal of Gods houſe. Fifthly, By a patient waiting upon God, till the time appointed, He that believeth will not make haſt: to ſtep aſide through indirect means to obtain what is prayed for or promiſed, not ſorcery, charms, witchcraft to finde things loſt, to obtain health or grow rich; who art thou that feareſt God and obeyeſt the voice of his ſervants, and yet walkeſt in darkneſſe, wait upon God and ſtay thy ſelf on the Lord. We re…d of Zachary, that he prayed for a childe heretofore, while there was any ordinary ground of p. 120hope, but after (as it is probable) left off that ſuit, but not waiting, what God would do for him, and he had his requeſt at laſt. Prayers are often granted, long before manifeſted. Thus muſt grace be exerciſed in acceptable prayer: it is the Palaeſtra, the Arena, the Artillary-yard of all our graces in which they muſt ſhew their activity. And thus much may ſuffice for the diſcovery of the Conditions required in prayer.

In the laſt place we come to the Motives, not to the reading, or repeating, ſaying over of prayers onelyonly, not to a cold, careleſſe performance of this duty at all; but to fervent praying: this is praying with power, whereof that paſſage is fitly verified, and rightly to be underſtood, Acts 9.11. Behold he prayeth. Saul ſtruck to the ground remained three days without ſight, and did neither eat nor drink: but, behold he prayeth, (i. e.) with all his might, as one that taketh no denial. To pray fervently, is the point in hand, firſt undertaken, and hitherto proſecured. And to this there are ſeve…all Motives: and they may be taken, …irſt, From the Lord, to whom we muſt pray. Secondly, From men. Thirdly, …rom prayer it ſelf.

p. 121Firſt, From the Lord; and then you may take into conſideration, ſuch Motives as theſe: 1. He commands that you ſhould pray to him as you love him, (i. e.) ſtrongly, vehemently, and conſtantly. My ſon, give me thy hea…. It is a ſpecial part of Divine worſhip, and if you make conſcience of any duty, you will of this eſpecially, Hoſ. 14.2.2. He delights in earneſt and zealous prayers and petitioners, (God is not a man, who may be tired with unceſſant ſuits, and frequent viſits, (Prov. 25.17.) as was the unjuſt Judge, and the Diſciples with the poor womans cries, repeating the ſame requeſt over and over) Such were Moſes and David, highly commended of God, for their skill & art in praying; one, the meekeſt man on earth, th… other, a man after Gods own heart; and he can deny them nothing; provided they referre the time, and meaſure to him. As men take delight in the deep-mou…h'd hound, and the ſhrill ſound of the Trumpet, and the loud report of the Piec…; ſo doth God take delight in the fervent reports of his people. 3. He is ready to return anſwer to ſuch fervent prayers; hi… ears are open to the cries of his people. The Aediles p. 122among the Romans, had ever the door ſtanding open to all that had occaſion, for requeſts or complaints: Even ſo are the doors of Gods mercy open unto fervent ſuppliants. He is that friend ſpoken of in Luke 11. Ready to hear when any friend doth knock. God is not like that Idol Baal, 1 Kings 18.27. Of whom Elijah ſaid to his Prieſts (when with much clamour they cried unto him, but had no anſwet) Cry aloud, for he is a God, either talking, or purſuing, or in a journey, or peradventure he ſleepeth; Or like the Heathen Jupiter, who when the Grecians and Trojans were by the ears, was gone to viſit his old friends, Oceanus and Tethis: The Lord is alwaies nigh at hand to all that call upon him fervently. It was never known that God ſaid to any ſuitor as Philip of Macedon, foreign, i. e. I have no leaſure; or go away, and come to morrow, if it were convenient and ſeaſonable for him to grant the requeſt at preſent. He is as ready to beſtow mercy, as a mothers breaſt is to give milk, he waits but for drawing. It was the commendation of Theodoſius his clemency and ſweet diſpoſition, that it was to him as if he p. 123received a benefit, if he might have opportunity to forgive an injury; and ſuch is the excellent freeneſſe of Divine bowels, that the Lord waiteth to …e gracious, and mercy pleaſeth him! 4. He hath made many ſweet and precious promiſes to ſuch as pray to him with ſupplication and thankſgiving, Pſal. 50.…5. Call upon me, and I will hear. God will hear: But upon what terms? upon condition that you call, ſeek and knock, Mat. 7.7, 8. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Yea, Whatſoever ye ask the Father in my Name believing, he will do it for you. There is a promiſe for whatſoever you have need to pray for. Who then is ſo dull, that will not be quickned by thoſe allurements? ſo ſtubborn, as not to be won? ſo timorous, as not to be encouraged by them? who will not ask, when his requeſt is ſo graciouſly accepted, ſo eaſily granted? 5. Chriſt hath taught you how to pray, Mat. 6.9. He putteth words as it were to your mouths, and tels you what to ask. He died and roſe again, to make way for your p…rſons and prayers into Gods preſence, calling you to come unto him with your petitions, and he will preſent them to the Father. p. 1246. The Divine Attributes ſhould move you, whether abſolute or relative: Abſolute, as his Omniſciency, Omnipotency, Mercy, Truth and Faithfulneſſe, his bounty and Glory, all magni…ied by petitioners, and excerciſed by granting requeſts. Relative, ſo he is called an husband, a Father, a gracious Lord; as it was ſaid of Auguſtus, that he that dared to approach his preſence, ſeemed not to know his greatneſſe, and he that durſt not, ſeemed not to know his goodneſſe. All of God ſhould encourage the houſhold of Faith to come unto him, in all zealous humility and devout reverence. 7. The honour to be admitted his preſence, and to have conference with him. Men account it a great honour to ſtand before a great Prince of the earth (who is but a man in a greater letter) and to conve…ſe with him. The Queen of Sheba pronounced them happy men, happy ſervants, which could ſtand continually befo…e Solomon, and to hear his wiſdom, 1 Kings. 10.8. The Perſian Kings made it a part of their great condeſcention, to manife…t themſelves unto their Subjects: But what honour is this, to ſtand in the pre…ence chamber of the King of Kings, p. 125that Glorious Lord of all the earth, to converſe and have fellowſhip with him? Conſider it is a favour given only to a few, even ſuch as the Lord ſhall call, and they are but few, compared with the numbers that ſit in darkneſſe, and call not upon the Name of the Lord. This ſhould move you to pray often, and ever in earneſt; he is eaſie to be entreated and upbraideth not, the oftner we come, the more welcome, and the more we acquaint our ſelves wi…h him, the more good cometh to us, Jo… 22.21. Our often addreſſes and requeſts …o men, may ſoon receive a repulſe, but cannot weary infiniteneſſe.

The Second ſort of Motives may be taken from men, and ſo 1. From a conſideration of your ſelves. 2. Of others. 1. Conſider your ſelves. Firſt, What danger and loſſe growes upon omiſſion of prayer, as 1. Your outward eſtate lieth open to the curſe of God, to be ſpoiled by all, or any of the Creatures. It is the preſence of God that muſt preſerve our outward eſtates, and make up a peace with us and the Creatures. Rebellis enim facta eſt quia homo numini, creatura homini. The creatures rebell aga…nſt man, becauſe p. 126he rebelled againſt God: Now as Noble mens ſervants will draw in defence of their Lord, and as Souldiers fight for their General, ſo it is here, God is the Lord of Hoſts, and they continue to this day according to his Ordinance, for they are all ſervants ready preſt to ſeize a ſinner, and to do execution on him and his, as a Traitor and Rebell to higheſt Majeſty. Now it is Gods preſence that can only aboliſh this enmity; And how ſhall we confine God amongſt us without fervent praying? Prayer is like the Golden chain with which the Tyrians (when Alexander beleagur'd them) bound faſt their tutelar God Apollo, that he might not leave their City. Secondly, Your inward parts and faculties run all out of order, like a wide wilderneſſe whereon comes neither Sun or dew; or as a Clock that no man looks unto, will ſoon be out of order, and at a ſtand, and as a ſore wound which is not dreſſed, or plyed with freſh ſalves, will corrupt and feſter; ſo it is with men that neglect or omit prayer. Thirdly, It is one of the worſt ſignes can be, that men are and continue ſtrangers to God, that they depend on themſelves, and p. 127like the ſwine, who eat the …corns, but never look up to the tree that bare them. What dammage likewiſe comes upon a cold careleſſe performance of it? for ſo you miſpend precious time, lay your ſelves open to the enmity of the world, who take you to be zealous men indeed, and under that notion hate and trouble you, and all this without any recompenſe from God, becauſe you are not ſuch indeed. And ſo often you pray, or rather repeat a prayer, in this cold formal manner, you take Gods Name in vain.

Secondly, Conſider the benefit comes to the ſoul, and ſociety of Chriſtians, by fervent prayer, which can hardly be imagined or uttered. For 1. I… is ever a bleſſed means to mitigate or remove judgments, what ſpiritual burdens the ſoul lieth under, by reaſon of ſin remaining within, or enemies without. It was Davids Catholicon in all his troubles and trials: When you have none to complain to, or eaſe you, think what an happineſſe it is to have ſuch a boſom open. 2. A means it is richly to ſupply all your wants. Prayer, like the Heavens, hath influence on all things below it; as p. 128appears from the Prophetick Prayer of Solomon, 1 Kings 8. And the practiſe of David in the book of Pſalms, and of Agur, Prov. 30.8. It brings and keeps the heart in good temper, and fills it with Spiritual joy and ſweetneſſe, John 16.24. Ask and your joy ſhall be full: No ſorrow can ſtand before the God of conſolation. Davids heart was more oft out of tune than his harp, he prayes, and then cries, Return to thy reſt O my ſoul. In many of the Pſalms, the beginnings are ſull of trouble, but by that time he hath prayed a while, the ends are full of joy and aſſurance, Pſal. 6.22. & 51. It faſtneth on us as with Spirituall buckles, all our Spiritual armour, and ſets God on work for us. It is a lock for the night, and a key for the day, to open Gods treaſury, and let in the beams of the Sun of righteouſneſſe upon us.

Thirdly, Conſider what need you have to pray to God fervently. If you knowingly weighed, what a great work you have to do, in a ſhort time, and in what danger you are, upon the brink of Eternity, and Satan goes about ſeeking to devour you, ſay then, have you not cauſe in reſpect of your ſelves to work in prayer?

p. 1292. Motives may be taken from conſideration of others, whether …nemies or friends. Enemies you have many, to your perſons, profeſſion and practice in cloſe following the Captain of your ſalvation Jeſus Chriſt. Pſal. 3.1. Many there are that riſe up againſt me. 2 Chron. 20.12. O our God, wilt thou not judge them, we have no might againſt this great company that cometh againſt us, neither know we what to do, but our eies are upon thee. Your friends are ſick in body, or troubled in minde, with fears, doubts, deſertions, and ſuggeſtions, carnal or Satanical; as Paul was, 2 Cor. 12.9. Perſecuted and impriſoned as Peter was, Acts 12.5. or lying under heavy rods, one way or other; perhaps imployed about weighty matters by ſea or land, tending eſpecially to unthrone Satan, to root out Anti-Chriſt, and to enlarge the Kingdom of Chriſt: Such moving objects you have enough at home, and you may hear of more abroad! The great dangers we are ſenſibly in, by reaſon of ſin and enemies, ſhould move and awaken us to improve all our intereſt in Chriſt, to ſave us, or elſe we periſh, and ſo be made the woful'ſt ſpectacle that was ever yet beheld. p. 130A fruitfull land makes he barren for the ſins of the people that dwel therein. May not we tremble to think what will befall us? To cloſe this, Can you ſee God diſhonour'd, Satan advantaged, to domineer, a flouriſhing Church endangered, a dear Country like a mother bleeding to death, a brother, nay, many brethren oppreſſed, diſtreſſed, and yet be ſilent? Can you hear of what is preached on houſe-tops, without ſighing? Can you look on the dolefull face of things with dry eyes? O hard-hearted! Chriſt hath ſome great work in hand: a great and effectual door is opened, and there are many adverſaries; and will you not ſo much as pray to God for help? They are curſed with a bitter curſe which come not in to help the Lord againſt the mighty.

A third and laſt ſort of Motives are taken from Prayer it ſelf; ſuch kind of praying, Firſt, It diſtinguiſheth between the gracious and the graceleſſe ſoul; it declares the ſacrifice to be more excellent. Cain offered a ſacrifice as well as Abel, but ſaith put the difference. As faith puts a difference, between the works of Heathens and the works of Chriſtians, though not for the matter, p. 131yet for the manner; ſo do faithfull fervent prayers, between the ſound and the rotten Chriſtian. It puts a difference betwixt the Abba-fathers of a child, and the Ave-Maries of a ſuperſtitious Papiſt; betwixt the devotion of a Saint, and the devotion of a ſinner; the crie: of a Saint, and the howlings of an hypocrite; theſe make a great and long noiſe, the other only ſend up ſtrong cries, as well, and more in private then in publique. Secondly, It is ever effectual, and hath been moſt ſucceſsfull. Vitus The…dorus ſpe…king of the prayers Luther made in reference to a Diet at Ausburg, wherein matters were like to go againſt the Proteſtants, wrote thus, Non dubito quin illius preces, magnum momentum ad deſparatam hanc cauſam comitiorum ſint allaturae; he doubted not but Luthers prayers would go near to turn the ſtream. No man ever thus ſought help of God in vain. Witneſſe Abraham, Moſes, Joſhuah, Elijah, a man ſub…ect to like paſſions with us; Hannah, Daniel, with thouſands more, who were ſent away as Ruth from Boaz, with their boſom full of bleſſings; as Mephiboſheth from David, with a royall revenue; as Achſah, Calebs daughter p. 132from her father, with upper and neather ſprings: or as Moſes from the mount, with their faces ſhining. A Chriſtian cannot want ſupplies, ſo long as he can pray for them; as they were wont to ſay of the Pope, he could never want money, ſo long as he could hold a pen in his hand to write for it. When the man can find a fervent-praying heart, God will find a pitying heart and a ſupplying hand. The Ark and the Mercy-ſeat, were never, nor ever ſhall be ſeparated.

Obj. But ſuch as you inſtance for ſucceſſe of prayer, were all extraordinary, eminent men, good and holy, while I am mean, poor, vile, and cannot hope to prevail as they?

Anſ. 1. I would know, who they are that have moſt need of mercy, and are ſo preſt to uſe ſtrength and fervency with God, as penitent ſinners, throughout the whole book of God. Paenitens loco juſti, apud Deum; a penitent ſinner is juſt in Gods account. As Manaſſes, the Publican, Mary Magdalen, the thief on the Croſs, ſinners in grain, yet humbled and accepted. As for Abraham, and Moſes, and the like, they were holy men indeed, p. 133as there are many in the world now, though not ſo eminent, yet as acceptable to God, and as powerfull in praying as they were. 2. I ſay, that the ſucceſſe and effectualneſſe of p…ayer, is not ſo much from the faith and fervency of the Petitioner, as from the mercy of God, and merit of Chriſt: Cry and pray fervently unto God, and reſt on the promiſes.

Obj. But I am ſtreightned and want time to pray morning and evening, as you direct?

Anſ. 1. Have you time for other buſineſſe, to eat, drink, ſleep, labour, and take your pleaſure, and none to pray? Have you time to game and drink, to buy and ſell, and none to pray? This is the part of a worldling, of the man of this life. 2. Wiſely improve your time, and beware of contracting upon your ſelves that burden of oppreſſing varieties, which keep men down, and imploy them in ſuch an exceſſe of matters in the earth, as with that Duke of Alva, they have no time to mind or look up to heaven. 3. Redeem at one time, what is inevitably loſt at another; You may be aſſured in the word of truth and experience, p. 134there is no hinderance of work nor loſſe of time in continuing this exerciſe. Gods bleſſing doth more then recompen…e ſuch expences. A whet is no let.

I come now to the ſecond Doctrine, viz.

That righteous men are very prevalent in prayer.

While mens hands are full of blood, the Lord will not he…r, Iſa. 1.15. If I regard iniquity in my heart, &c. Pſal. 66.18. Impenitent perſons, ſuch I mean as are ſo in act or diſpoſition, either they pray not at all: they that have done evil hate the light, leſt their deeds ſhould be reproved, Joh. 3.20. The guilt of ſin redounding and reſting on them, doth diſcourage ſuch from prayer, and makes them willing to grow ſtrangers to God; as a treſpaſſer of his neighbour uſeth to ſay, I have done ſo or ſo againſt you, and am aſhamed to look you in the face: Or elſe, they pray in a cold f…int manner, for form, rather then out of love; and ſuch prayers aſcend not. Now for the penitent righteous perſons, they are fervent in prayer, wreſtling, with Jacob, ſtriving with Paul, and ſwe…ting with Chriſt. As the tribes, Acts 26.27. are p. 135ſaid to ſerve God foreign, which ſignifies a ſtretching forth themſelves with all their might. And their prayers are worth ſomething: Witneſſe the prayers of Moſes, Joſhuah, Elijah, Davi…, Daniel, Paul, no ſuch extraordinary preſidents but that a true penitent, skilled in prayer, and cloſing with the promiſes, may prevail as much with God now, a… they did then. Coldneſſe and infidelity are the main cauſes of ſo much fruitleſſe praying: and want of skill to obſerve returns, when they are fruitfull, doth occaſion unthankfulneſſe, and uncheerfulneſſe in good men.

For a further illuſtration of this Doctrine, it will do well to enqu…re, Firſt, Wherein are the prayers of the righteous ſo prevalent? Secondly, Why▪

Firſt, Wherein are they ſo effectual? A. The anſwer may be thus. They are effectual both to remove judgements and procure mercies. The work of prayer in the former will diſcover the later. It is effectual to remove judgements, and conſequently to bring mercies. Amos 7.1. to the 7. It removed the judgements of the graſhoppers and the fire: as Jonah prayed and removed a double death that p. 136had ſeized on him. It is the beſt Lever at a dead lift. It looſed the iron chains, and opened the iron gates; unlocked the windows of heaven. Eſt clavis inſtar quâ Dei penetralia aperiuntur. Jamblicus. Inſtead of a key wherewith Gods Cabinet is opened. The Prophet Amos knew this full well, and therefore ſets to work in good earneſt: as when a Cart is in a quagmire, if the horſes feel it coming, they'l pull the harder, till they have it out: ſo he. Prayer overcomes enemies; Achitophel withers before the prayer of David. The huge Army of a thouſand thouſand Ethiopians, ran away like cowards before the prayer of Aſa. Luther having prayed earneſtly to God in his chamber for the Churches ſucceſſe, came down ſaying, We have overcome, we have overcome! And ſo accordingly it proved. Marcus Aurelius being in the field with his Army, and in a great ſtreight for water, commanded his Chriſtian band to pray unto their God in that diſtreſſe; they preſently fall down where they ſtood, and behold a plentifull ſhower followed immediatly, with thunder and lightning upon the enemy; called by him therefore from that time, Legio fulminatrix, the p. 137lightning Legion. Conſtantine would have his Effigies made kneeling, (whenas other Emperours had theirs ſtanding, triumphing) to ſhew that he got all his Victories by prayer. Euſeb. lib. 2. cap. 12. reports of him, that he never took any war in hand, but firſt preſented his earneſt prayers to God; Statis temporibus quotidiè ſolus cum ſolo D…o loquebatur. Fox in Martyr. relateth that the victory againſt Cedwell and Penda in the time of the Saxons, was aſcribed to the prayers of Oſwald; and the like of Allured againſt the Danes. What was ſaid of the wicked, Pſal. 57.5. Their tongue is a ſharp ſword, ſwords are in their lips, may be truly ſaid of the tongues and lips of Gods people in prayer, they are as two-edged ſwords in their hands, to execute vengeance. Of all weapons, there is …one like to this.

Again, prayer is effectual to heal the ſick, 2 Chron. 7.14. If my people which are called by my Name, ſhall humble themſelves and pray, and ſeek my face, &c. then I will hear from Heaven, forgive their ſins, and heal the land. Gen. …0.17. We find that Abraham prayed, and the Lord healed Abimelech. Jam. 5.15. The prayer p. 138of Faith ſhall heal the ſick, and if they have committed ſins, they ſhall be forgiven them. And ſo ſhall be healed on both ſides. Anointing will not do it, prayer will not do it, but the prayer of faith ſhall. The ſtory of Luther is well known, how by his pr…yers he recovered Theodorus Vitus of a conſumption, after the Phyſitians had given him up for dead. Such ſtrong breathings, like ſtrong winds, whilſt they are up keep great ſhowers from falling, and can blow away the blackeſt cloud; yea, blow the moſt ſmarting wounds whole. Such ſweet lips are ever dropping balm into the wounds of a people. You ſee the prayers of the righteous are effectual to procure bleſſings, for the well-being of the common body. It is this that raiſes ſtorms to drive away enemies, and proſperous gales to bring mercy and relief. It was the prayer of England that ſcatte…ed the Spaniſh Armado like a miſt. I have read of Theodoſius, who being once dangerouſly beſet with enemies, turned himſelf to God by prayers, faſting, and tears, the Lord was entreated to raiſe a tempeſt in the face of the enemy, to their diſcomfiture, and to turn Arbiti…, one of their C…ptains to p. 139his ſide, as Socrates relates it. Herein are the prayers of the righteous effectuall.

Secondly, Why are their prayers ſo effectual?

Anſ. Firſt, Becauſe all righteous perſons are in houſe and Covenant with God; and therefore powe…fully-effectuall: They are neer to him, dearer than Heaven and Earth. Now a domeſtick Attendant can ever prevail more with the Lord, than a retainer only. Their prayers go up as pillars of Incenſe, and come before the Lord, as the ſound of many waters. Sozomen reports of Apollonius, that he never asked any thing of God, but obtained it. Hic homo potuit apud Deum quod voluit, re…orded of Luther, he could have what he would of God. What Zedekiah ſai… to his Courtiers hypocri…ically, God ſaith to his ſervants ſeriouſly, The King c… deny you nothing. The Courtier that is a f…vourite, gets more of his P…ince many times with one requeſt, than an hu…bandman or tradeſman can attain unto by twenty years labour. So doth the righteous man obt…in at the hands of Go…, having the Royalty of his e…r. Hen… that tranſcendent p. 140rapture of Luther, in a certain prayer of his, fiat voluntas mea Domine! Lord let my will be done! And hence that requeſt of Bernard to his friend, whom he had adviſed for ſtrict and holy walking, & cum talis fueris, memento mei. i. e. When thou art ſuch a one, remember me in thy prayers. All Gods family-ſervants are Iſraels, prevailers with him. Secondly, They have the Spirit of prayer, whereby they are enabled to cry powerfully, Abba, Father. As the Spirit wrought powerfully in thoſe men, who were foreign, moved by the holy Ghoſt to ſpeak the Word of God to men, ſo it works powerfully in all righteous men ſpeaking to God. The Spirit doth both diſponere and excitare, give the habit and the act alſo, brings the fuel of good deſires into the ſoul, and there ſets it a burning; ſo that in a ſenſe they are the prayers of Chriſt indited by the Spirit, put up in his Name, and preſented by …his mediation. And it cannot otherwiſe be, but that they ſhould find the way back again, and reach that boſom whence they came. Theſe waters will riſe as high as the fountain, eſpecially being conveyed by ſuch p. 141a Conduit-pipe. If the holy Spirit be the Inditer, the Son the Advocate, & the Father the Regiſter of the Saints prayers, whatever weakneſſes there be, if not wilful, they cannot non-ſuit them in that Court. He cannot diſlike the petition which himſelf hath framed: Prayer is the counterpane and reflection of his own good pleaſure, and he can no more reſiſt it, than his own will. Thirdly, They have diſpoſed and enlarged hearts, though not alwaies alike. Utinam eodem ardore orare poſſim! ſaith Luther. The more they pray, the better it is with them in that regard: The Lord doth enlarge their hearts, that they may pray, and then by prayer, that enlargement is encreaſed, that they may be fitted to receive more bleſſings. Prayer doth not merit mercy, but ſits us for mercy: empties the heart of ſelf, and takes in the more of God. Fourthly, There is nothing that can totally and finally hinder them: whilſt Chriſt, Heavens Favourite and Maſter of requeſts is their friend, and husband: whilſt the bleſſed Spirit is their aſſiſtant, and no ſin beloved. Diſtracted and weakned they may be, but wholly diſappointed and kept off they cannot be.

p. 142The Uſe followes. And it may ſerve,

Firſt, To let us ſee what to expect from the prayers of too many among us… thoſe birds without wings, and meſſengers without feet, good for nothing at all. Divide us into four ſorts, viz. Prophane, Civil, Formal and penitent: We find the firſt ſort pray not at all; the ſecond, repeat a prayer; the third ſort make a prayer; but the laſt ſort only pray in Faith and power. The prayers of unrighteous perſons are little worth; confundunt opera ſermonem; their works confute their words, ſ…ith Hierom. And as Tacitus ſpeaks of ſome words of Tiberius, Preclara verba, &c. They are good words, but not ſutable to him; and the reaſon he gives, is, becauſe, ad haec caetera non conveniunt; his other words and actions are not of the ſame ſtamp. This we may read in many Scriptures, Iſa. 1.15. When you make many prayers, I will not he…r, your hands are full of blood Jer. 7.9.16. Will ye ſteal, murther, &c. and come before me? Jer. 14.10, 11, 12. See the place.

Secondly, What you muſt do that you may be powerful and effectuall in prayer, viz. 1. Get this qualification, be righteous p. 143men: You muſt lay aſide all your ſins, not for a time only, as 'tis ſaid of the ſnake, that ſhe laies aſide her poyſon whilſt ſhe drinketh. Or as the Perſians, who kill all their venomous creatures one day in the year, and after that, ſuffer them to ſwarm as before, nor blot out the old ſcore, to begin a new one; as 'tis ſaid of Lewis the eleventh of France, that when he had done evil, he would kiſſe his crucifix, and then God and he were good friends, as he thought, and ſo might go to his old work again; but for ever, in deſire and endeavour. Is not this the faſt that I have choſen, to looſe the bands of wickedneſſe, and to undo heavy burdens, and to let the oppreſſed go free? that ye break every yoke. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? &c. Iſa. 58.7.55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, &c. Then ſhall thy light break forth as the morning, &c. Then thou ſhalt call and the Lord ſhall anſwer, thou ſhalt cry, and he ſhall ſay, here I am. Your ſtubbornneſſe and pride muſt ſubmit, or elſe never hope to ſpeed; all your time and ſtrength is ſpent in vain. When you ſpread forth your hands to me, I will not hear, I will hide mine eies from you (while) your hands are full of blood. Sin p. 144is a devil in the air to hinder the aſcending of prayer; a thick cloud to ſtop the Sunſhine of mercy. That which was noted of Co…ſar, may be here applied; when one that was up in Arms againſt him, yet at the ſame time ſent him a Crown; Coeſar ſends back the Crown with this meſſage, Let him return to his obedience, and then the Crown may be accepted. Certainly whatever means we uſe to obtain favour, and prevail with God, remaining in our ſins, had we Crowns to dedicate to his honour, all would be in vain; Then turn from ſin. 2. You muſt pray in a time, while he will be found, Iſa. 55.6. and call upon him while he is neer. In giving you peace and liberty in the Ordinances, while the Spirit ſtrives lovingly, and the Angel moves the water. God cals, waits, Grace is diſpenſed, the door is open; whilſt the day continues, a time may come, when he may not be found; a black night may come, and hide his gracious preſence, the Sun and the Stars may be turned into blood. Loſe not opportunity; be gathering Manna, whilſt it fals; call upon him: Say, his own beauty, mercy, goodneſſe moved you.

p. 145Where theſe are joined, there is a promiſe of good ſucceſſe: they neve… yet failed; this better deſerves then any, an affix of probatum eſt ſaepiſſimè. 1. When they are join'd in Perſons, ſo that the petitioner be penitent, and the penitent a petitioner; ſuch as ſee their ſ…ns convictingly and diſtinctly, ſuch as bewail, and flie to the fountain opened for ſin and for uncleanneſſe, may run and re…d comfort, Iſa. 1.18. Matth. 21.22. Jo…n 15.7. A penitents prayer doth preſuppoſe a promiſe, though not alwaies in particular, yet alwaies in general, which is ſufficient. 2. When they are general in a Nation, when thoſe that ſit in the throne, as ſtars in the ſuperiour Orb, le…d the way, and give light and influence, in the power of godlineſſe, ſplendour of grace, and gracious performances: to deny themſelves in all hurtful vanities, and pr…y fervently, as did Jehoſaphat, 2 Chron. 20.3, &c. When there is a Court-reformation, and a Country-reformation; when young and old, in City, Church, and State, reform and cry fervently to God; when all join in acting as well as in ſpeaking of repentance; when men ſee and leave their whoring, ſwearing, exceſſive drinking, their covetouſneſſe, idleneſſe, gaming p. 146and conformity to this world; when women leave their pride and vain-talking, &c. when both bring forth fruit meet for repentance, and walk in that humility and ſoundneſſe, as is moſt comely for the Goſpel, then expect good ſucceſſe from prayer, and religious drawing nigh to God.

Ob…. But when will this be? It is a thing hath been long expected, ſpoken of, exhorted to by all ſorts, both Magiſtrates and others, but yet to be acted?

I Anſwer: Firſt, So much is this time**A ſolemn day of humiliation, 1657. ſolemnly profeſſed, and this day invited unto; viz. to repent and turn from our evil waie…; and they muſt be groſſe hypocrites, which afterward do not join them, ſeeing they have repreſented the perſons and acted the parts of humble penitents, and profeſſed Reformiſts. Secondly, Thi… is the way; whereby thoſe that belong to God among us, may be brought in. Children of many prayers cannot periſh. Prayer and f…ſting, can caſt out Devils, and work mighty cures. However it fall out to others, it cannot but be ſucceſsful to your ſelve…. You that labor to join them, ſhal not miſs a return. You ſhal have he…lth in ſ…ckne…, plenty in penury, pe…ce in war; and who knoweth, p. 147how far you may be accepted for others?

Say then, What is the cauſe why your prayers with reference to your ſelves and the Nation, to this preſent ſeaſon, are no more ſucceſſeful? Is it not becauſe Firſt, Theſe things are not joined, in perſons, nor general in our Nation, as with grief we ſee and hear? It is true, we have had, and ſtill have much praying, but we have little doing; much ſpeaking to God, little or no reforming among men; no wonder that ſo many prayers are made and not heard, whilſt mens hands are full of blood; howle and cry, and yet rebel againſt God: pray, and yet grow worſe and worſe; thus this excellent engine of a Nation is marr'd, and proves to a people, like the Ark to the Philiſtims, provoke God to anger, and does the people more hurt. Praying without reforming, is but howling, Hoſ. 7.14. They have not cryed unto me with their whole heart, when they …owled on their beds, they aſſembled themſelves for co…n, wine and oyl, and they rebel againſt me, i. e. They conſume it on their luſt, and ſight againſt God with his own weapons; or, they aſſembled themſelves, and made no ſmall ſhew of devotion, but when the duty was over, they go to their old courſes again. See Iſa. 1.15.58.4, 5. Jer. 7.9, 10.14.11, 12. Wh…t Saint Hierom ſpeaks of luxurious Clerks in his time, that the grunting of hogs in the ſlye, was more pleaſing to God, then their ſinging of prayers in the Church; may warrantably be applied p. 148here. To the wicked God ſaith, What haſt thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth, Pſal. 50.16. Such devotion is but beautiful abomination. Secondly, Is it not becauſe ſuch as do join them for, and to the good of the Land, are ſome way o… other diſco…ntenanced and troubled in moſt places? and can we think to prevail with God? what diſſembling is this, to ſpeak him fair to his face, both privately and publiquely, and ſtrike him in his fr ends after, with words, deeds, and neglect of them? If thou wilt take from the midſt of thee, the yoak, the putting forth of the finger, (i. e. any way of diſgracing, contemning, deſpi…ng the people of God) and ſpeaking vanity, (great ſins in moſt places) then call and cry, and I will anſwer, ſaith the Lord. Jobs friends dealt unkindly with him, but to him they muſt be reconciled, before they can be accepted. Juſtin Martyr and Tertullian in their Apologies for Chriſtians, tell the Emperours plainly, what was the cauſe of thoſe plagues and judgements inflicted, becauſe Gods people, the poor Chriſtians were perſecuted. They may be heard for you awhile, but you cannot be heard for your ſelves, nor all of us for the whole, ſo long as the beſt are proſcribed, and by mens tongues (who think they have a Law for it) ſo bitterly purſued. Thirdly, Is it not becauſe of the cry of diviſion and backſliding among us, from God and one anot…er. 1. From God and the purity of his wo… ſhip p. 149and ſervice, truths and commands! what incongruity is it to cry unto God, and run from him. No wonder if he ſay, Go now to your idols, &c. Is not this the ground of his dividing from our prayers? As ſmoak drives away the Bee from his Hive, ſo doth this ſin drive God from his habitation. 2. From one another. We are broken in minutula fruſtula, (as Auſtin of the Donatiſts in Africa) little, little pieces; little love and unity to be found; ſo ne cry out for them, but they mean by it their own wills. And how many caſt oyl inſtead of water upon the …lames of contention? Few ſtudy to be quiet, and of an healing ſpirit; ſome are for God and further reformation, that Chriſts government may be advanced, and eſtabliſhed in his own houſe, and ſeen among his peop…e; others are for Ba…l and Romiſh Superſtition, a Samaritan Religion, to introduce and burniſh the filthy rags of the ſcarlet whore, though unde… better pretences. Some few are for truly good men; others and the moſt in number, are for wicked temp…rizing for…aliſts, whoſe beſt piety is policy, and faith fantaſ e; and too many halt as neuters, till they ſee which is, that they may ſide with the ſtronge…t. Now a divided multi ude, either pray not at all, or not for one thing, and one another; how can Chriſtians ſight and prevail, when they are in ſo many divided troops? If they do pray, the… are ſlight, weak, and interrupted; ſome cry one thing, and ſome p. 150another, for the aſſembly was confuſed (Act. 19.32.) and the greater part knew not wherefore they were come together; as it was once in the Apoſtles time, is often in ours. This is the mors in olla, like to the Colliquintida that ſpoiled all the pottage; theſe turbulent waves overthrow the veſſel of prayer, and we ſee no return of our adventures. Fourthly, Is it not from our unthankfulneſſe for mercies received, and ſhameful barrenneſſe in improving them? Becauſe mercies have been fuel to feed our corruptions? Spiritual ſhowers have made the weeds of ſin to grow the faſter. Such dunghilly hearts are in mortals, that many times, the more God ſhines on us with his mercies, the more they putrifie; the better he is to us, have we not been the worſe to him? the more he loved us, hath he not the leſſe been loved by us? As the Ocean takes in all the freſh rivers, but is not a jot the freſher for it, ſo are we inſenſible of what we have received; and think we not this an intolerable provocation? Unthankfulneſſe is an helliſh ſtop to future mercies. A man that is about to pour oyl into a glaſſe, if he ſee it crackt, he ſtaies his hand and ſaith, I will pour no more oyl into this glaſſe. The unthankful heart is the broken glaſſe, not fit to receive any more bleſſings. Unthankfulneſſe was the ſin for which God gave over the Heathens to a reprobate mind, Rom. 1.21, 27. It is related of the Romans that they made a law, that if a maſter did free a p. 151ſervant from bondage, and afterward that ſervant prove unthankful; the maſter had power to re-inſlave him. The great God hath beſtowed many mercies upon the Nation, he hath delivered us from Babylon, Egypt, and thoſe that had evil will to us: innumerable are the mercies heaped upon England; now if we prove unthankful, we may not expect otherwiſe to be dealt with, then to want an anſwer to our beſt prayers, yea, be re-inſlaved, and brought under former hazards. Unthankfulneſſe is a ſin that makes the times perilous, 2 Tim. 3.1.

Q. What may be done that we may prevail more?

A. To what hath been already ſaid, I ſhall add here two things more, viz. Conſtancy and Regularity. 1. Conſtancy, till you have gone through the work; be not ſlight and careleſſe, nor weary in ſeeking God, as ſluggards in wo…k, or cowards in war. Prayer muſt be re-doubled, and re-inforced like thoſe arrows of deliverance, 2 Kin. 13.19. As the woman of Canaan when denied, and ſhews her ſelf a woman of a well-kni… reſolution. And Jacob, who holds with his hand, when his thigh is lamed; thus the Iſraelites overc…me Go…, Judg. 20.18.23, 26. They go up and ask who ſhall go up to Benjamin firſt, (a very careleſs and formal behaviour, their multitude made them preſume to ask rather Gods direction for the thing, then his lewe and preſence;) then they came again, they wept and asked him leave (which was ſomewhat p. 152more ſubmiſſive, and yet not enough.) Laſtly, all the people came unto the houſe of God, there they ſate and wept before the Lord, and faſted that day until evening, and offered burnt-offering, &c. thus they went through the work and prevailed. As Dali…ah overcame Sampſon, ſo may we overcome God; where neither love, nor reaſon, nor deſert will gain, conſtancy will. 2. Regularity, under which I compriſe, Firſt, Order; that reformation go before your petition; firſt, amend, & then pray. Reformation is the wing of the ſoul to fly heaven-ward; one leg to help the ſoul to walk & run to Chriſt. As a man cannot run with one leg, nor a bird fly with one wing, no more can we get to Heaven by prayer without reformation. This being done, nothing remains to hinder, or queſtion your entrance at the door of mercy. If you regard iniquity in your heart, the Lord will not hear. They do wel that reform though it be after; they do better that reform & pray together; but they do beſt, that lay aſide their filthy garments, before they come into Gods preſence. Davids reſolution is an excellent copy for us in this caſe to write after, Pſ. 26.6. I will waſh mine hands in innocency, and ſo will I compaſſe thine Altar, O Lord! Secondly, Rule; what you do, muſt be like good builders, who firſt lay a good foundation, and afterward aſcend by line and directions from the maſter-builder; For help herein, is the intent of the whole diſcourſe.

Gloria Deo, mihi condonatio!

End of the text · William Crompton, A Tractate to Further Christians in Prayer (1659)