The Valley of Vision, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
Hoſea. 14.2.
Take to you words, and turne to the Lord, ſay unto him, take away all iniquitie, &c.
THERE is no commendable vertue, but it is beſet with extreames on both hands, one on the right hand, and another on the left. For morall vertues it is evident; and for naturall habits, whether they be outward, or inward, we may inſtance but in one for all; that is, The gift of ſpeech, it hath extreames that hedge it in both wayes: There is one extreame in the defect, that is, Silence; and of that it is that the Prophet accuſeth the Shepheards of Iſrael that they did betray the ſalvation of the people by their ſilence, they were as dumb Dogs that could not bark. And the other extreame is, in exceſſe, and that is called much ſpeaking, and of that Solomon tells us in the Proverbs, in multiloquio, &c. In the multitude of words there never wants ſin: It is ſo in naturall language, and in civill kinde of ſpeech; and it is ſo alſo in the ſpirituall language, and in the conference we have with God. Prayer is the language of the heart, and it hath extreames on both hands: For the extreame that is in exceſſe, Chriſt toucheth it in the Goſpell, he tells us of the Phariſees, that thought they ſhould be heard for their long prayers, and much babling; that is one fault. And for the extremity in the defect, we have it in Job 21. and Job 32. where he complaines of prophane perſons, thoſe that God was not in their thoughts, and ſo not in their tongue, to ſpeak of him with reverence, Who is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve him? or what helpe is there in the Lord that we ſhould pray to him? The Children of Iſrael were guilty of both theſe extreames, and that kept them that they could not hit the mediocrity, to obſerve a good decorum in prayer to God: For the multitude of their words, the Prophet Malachy ſets it down, Chap. 3. they were come to that height, they durſt reaſon with God: Yee have robbed me, ſaith God: They reply, Wherein have we robbed thee? Yee have ſpoken ſtoutly, ſaith God: They reply, Wherein? They had words whereby to diſhonour God, and none to pleaſe, or to pacifie him. And for the defect of ſpeech in the grace of prayer, the Prophet Iſaiah tells us, Chap. 64. that hee looked about and found none, that did apply themſelves to call upon God, or to lay hold of him.
It is not uſuall for a man to be guilty of both extreames in the ſame kinde of ſin; becauſe that extreams are contrary one to another; yet they had a double guilt upon themſelves, they were full of words in worldly matters, but altogether ſilent and dumbe towards ſalvation. To ſpeake againſt God, ſo they abounded with words, and yet to ſpeak to him to pacifie him, ſo they wanted them. Therefore it is this infirmity the Prophet Hoſea here labours to cure in this people. He obſerved their defect, he ſaw how they turned aſide; but they would not lay hold on the meanes of pacification; therefore now he directs them to ſee the right way, whence they ſhould take their beginning to work attonement, and reconciliation with God. He ſpeakes Ephata, he puts his finger (as it were) to their mouths to open them, to unbowell their hearts with the acknowledgement of their ſins, with the in larging of their petitions to God; and thus he counſells them, Take with you words, and turne to the Lord, and ſay, thus and thus.
You may remember how I divided the words, they containe two things:
The forme of an excitement:
And a forme of direction.
The forme of excitement in the firſt part, that is to two duties.
One to the duty of action, Turne to the Lord.
Another to the duty of elocution, Take to you words, and ſpeak to him.
Of the former I ſpake in the Forenoone, reading the words ſo, Turne to the Lord, and in turning, take to you words: And there I ſhewed you what was the occaſion of this exhortation; what was the reaſon he preſſeth the exhortation twice upon them, of turning to the Lord, what are the duties he aimes at: To ſtirr them up to the work of prayer, that is one kinde of turning; to ſtirr them up to the work of repentance, that is another kinde of turning to the Lord: An univerſall turning in reſpect of the ſubject, a totall turning in reſpect of the act; a finall turning in reſpect of the time, never to look on ſin againe. What the propoſitions were that aroſe hence, That there is no diverſion of judgements without turning to God by prayer, and turning to God by repentance; there is no true repentance without caſting away ſin. This is the ſumm of that I delivered in the forenoone.
Now I goe on, that is, to the ſecond excitement, to which here the Prophet would provoke and ſtirr them, and that is, to the duty of elocution: In the former he ſhewed them the way, what courſe they muſt take to God, Turne to him: In this he ſhewes them the way, what courſe they muſt take for repentance, Take words to themſelves.
Take to you words.
There is no difficulty in the meaning of the phraſe, there can be nothing more familer to us then that phraſe, which intreats of ſpeech, and taking of words, which is onelyonly proper to man: Yet I finde that Interpreters make a little difference in the expoſition of them.
For ſome will have this to be the meaning that the Prophet here excites them to a duty of obedience, Take to you words: Here me now when I ſpeake to you in theſe words: That is the expoſition of Mercer and Zanche, liſten to my words when I exhort you to repent and turne to the Lord; that is the meaning of that phraſe: But others better, that the Prophet excites them here to a duty of expreſſion of their repentance, that that would kindle in them the flame of all good deſires, by getting a wholeſome forme of ſpeech to come before God: So the meaning is, Take to you words; humble your ſelves before God, flye to him by prayer, ſeeke reconciliation at his hands; but take heed that you come not unprepared, unprovided; fit your ſelves well before, and ſtudy how to ſpeak to him, Take words, and then goe to him, and turne: This I take to be the more proper expoſition, more genuine: For if we inſiſt in the other, the phraſe of ſpeech will not beare it, it offers violence to the Text; it is not onelyonly diverſe, but repugnant; for if that were the meaning, Take to you words, that is, heare my words; the Prophet would not have exhorted them to have gotten lips, but eares, not words, but attention: He doth not here exhort them ſo much to liſten to him, as to open their owne mouthes to God. Therefore of neceſſity we muſt take it as the words lye, for the procurement of the language of prayer and repentance, which will be moſt fit for the expreſſion of their repentance to God: So taking this thus, there are theſe two things to be conſidered in this part.
One is the getting of words.
Another is for the uttering and expreſſing of them.
The firſt, in thoſe words, Take to you words.
The ſecond, in the other, And ſay to God.
And I ſhall onelyonly ſpeak of the former at this time; that is, of the words they ſhould take to themſelves.
Take to you words.
It hath reſpect to the former duty I ſpake of in both the acceptions, Turne to the Lord, turne by prayer, turne by repentance, both wayes it looks: When you pray to God, then get words, when you repent of your ſinnes, then get words: It is the obſervation both of Cyrill, and Chryſoſtome, he ſtirres them up that they ſhould bring with them, Non aurum, non argentum, non oblationes, ſed preces; he calls to them not to bring their Gold, or Silver to Gods Treaſury, not to bring their Sheep, or Oxen to his Altar; God was weary of thoſe Sacrifices, he looked for repentance, it was onelyonly to bring words of prayer in humbling themſelves and ſeeking mercy, and words of repentance in acknowledging their ſins; this was the ſcope the Prophet aymed at: So, I will conſider in it two things.
The motives that induced the Prophet to make this exhortation, he calls upon them for words, get you words.
And the ſcope he propounded to himſelfe in it, what is the duty he would excite them to.
Firſt, the motive that induced the Prophet to make this exhortation here, for we have not the parallell to it in Scripture, Take to you words: It ſhould ſeem they were brought to a very low ebb for piety, that they knew not the firſt elements and principles; that they could not goe ſo farr as wicked Iſrael that would flatter God with their mouth: that they were ſo farr from true contrition, that they could not ſo much as bring words of confeſſion to acknowledge their ſins, though it were but from the teeth outward.
We know they were a people of another temper, the Pſalmiſt deſcribes them, they were a people given too much to words, the Iſraelites: In Pſal. 10. Their mouth is full of curſing and bitterneſſe, miſcheife and vanity is under their tongue. Pſal. 59. the Pſalmiſt ſaith, they uſed to belch out their words againſt God, Swords were in their mouthes; that is, they had all kinde of words but thoſe that they ſhould have, words of cruelty, Swords were in their tongues; words of deceit, the poyſon of Aſpes was under their lips; words of miſcheife, words of rebellion againſt God, and yet for words of devotion, and words of repentance, there their hearts were barren. It was their backwardneſſe to this duty the Prophet obſerved, and that made him frame this exhortation; they were backward to the worke of repentance, they hardly knew what it meant; ſome generall hints they had, that God was diſpleaſed, and was to be pacified, but they had forſaken the Fountaine of living water: They knew how to bring words to Aſhtaroth, but not to come with words of repentance to the true God. There were many impediments that kept them from uſing words in prayer.
Partly, they were afrayd by reaſon of their ſins.
Partly, they were ignorant, they knew not how to endite their prayers, to frame their bill, when they ſhould preferr their ſuits to God.
Partly, their hearts were hardened, they were not touched within; out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh. Where there is not repentance within, there are no words without: The Prophet obſerved all theſe defects, their backwardneſſe to this duty, that made him frame this exhortation, Take to you words.
That this was their caſe, before, and after, and then, we may ſee it out of diverſe places of Scripture. Before the time of this Prophet, ſee it in Job, ſee it in David: After the time of this Prophet we may ſee it in Jeremiah, Chap. 8. I hearkened and heard, but there was none that turned to the Lord: He tooke a Candle to looke about him, and could not finde a man that knew how to pray to God: That it was ſo in the time of this Prophet, ſee it in Iſaiah, Chap. 64. he lived in the ſame time with Hoſea, There is none that calls upon God, there is none that layes hold on him by prayer: The Prophet obſerved this well, that here was their errour and defect; hee might have ſayd of them, as Job ſaith concerning his Freinds, I waited and expected if they would ſpeake to God, but I found they were all ſilent: The Prophet had long expected to ſee, if after all thoſe excitements they would yet turne, if they would yet learne to make but one forme of prayer, to humble themſelves but in the eyes of men; but afterward finding that yet they would not returne of themſelves, he could hold no longer, but provokes them to the practice of the duty of repentance, that they might now ſhew the language of repentance and prayer, Take to you words: It is as much as if he had ſayd, How long will ye abſent your ſelves? Are ye not yet ſenſible? Neyther the judgements that are inſticted, nor the evills threatned, will not they yet move you? If yet they cannot ſtirr you up in your mindes to ſeek God, becauſe he is gracious, yet look to your ſelves, ſeek to him for your ſelves, becauſe you are miſerable: If you cannot come to him of your ſelves, come to me, I will learne you; if it be feare that keeps you back, I will embolden and encourage you; though your ſins be many, God is gracious; though they be great, God is mercifull; if ignorance keep you back, come, hearken to me, I will teach you the feare of the Lord: Little Children, I will teach you to pray, and ſet you a forme of confeſſion; though you cannot bring repentance in perfection, bring it in the principles; though the name of teares be yet unpleaſant to you, yet the name of words is acceptable; what more eaſie then this? I call not now for the plowing up of your fallow ground, and the rending of your hearts, though God expect that, that you may come to that in time: All that I now require is, that you take words, and ſpeak to the Lord in this forme, Take to you words.
So now in this part we may ſee there are two things commendable in this carriage of the Prophet.
The firſt thing that is commendable is this, that hee watcheth over them in their deficiencies, he hath an eye upon them, he ſtudyed where their imperfections lay, that he might apply himſelfe to cure them, that hee might lay on the ſalves: A Phiſitian who knowes not the cauſe, and the nature of the diſeaſe, cannot apply a remedy. The Prophet ſearcheth, and diggs for hardneſſe of heart in Iſrael, and having found it, he applies the remedy; he watcheth over them in their ignorance and back-ſlyding. See Jeremiah, he tooke a Candle to ſee if there were a man; I hearkned and heard, ſaith he. It was the courſe that the Apoſtles took: See Paul, Heb. 5. how he ſtudies the condition of the Churches he wrote to. Some were ſtrong, and he propounds the Oracles of God to them; ſome were weaker, and thoſe he comes to in elements, and principles of Chriſtian Doctrine: He comes to the Hebrews bringing the Milke of principles, and teaching them againe which were the firſt elements of Faith: It is the courſe that every good Miniſter takes; we ſhall never know the ſtate of our people, unleſſe we ſtudy their imperfections, and watch over them: How ſhall we know what Doctrines to deliver to you? It is a thing you deſire, to walke in clouds that we might not obſerve you in your imperfections; but that you may be raiſed out of ſin, give us leave to pry into them, to be diligent to watch over our Flocks and Heards, to watch which way they walke, and how they thrive, and live, that we may know which is diſeaſed, which is wandring, and which is ſound, and which keeps in the Fold: That is the firſt thing in the Prophet.
The ſecond thing commendable is, he doth not onelyonly watch over their weakneſſe, but condiſcend to their infirmities, he applyes himſelfe to their temper: So the Apoſtle Paul dealt with the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 3. And I brethren, when I came to you, I could not come to you as ſpirituall, but as carnall; babes in Chriſt: therefore I brought not ſtrong meat, but milke, becauſe you were not able to beare meat, nor are not yet: The Apoſtle condiſcends to their capacity, he ſaw the ſtate of their ſtomack what meat they could beare, and what they could not digeſt, and he comes to them accordingly: So Hoſea here, hee obſerved that the people were not able to beare this ſtrong Doctrine of the depth of repentance; therefore he comes to them in the firſt principles, hee reads to them the Alphabet of repentance; he would firſt teach them to ſpell repentance: For teares, and ſighes, and groanes, and rending of the heart, and beating in peices of the ſpirit, he knew theſe things were requiſite to repentance, but theſe were harſh ſymptomes, he propounds not theſe now, but onelyonly that thy bring words. It is not now, take to you teares, but words. That is the ſecond thing commendable in the Prophet; and that ſhall ſerve for the motive that induced him to make this excitement.
The ſecond thing, is the excitement it ſelfe, Take to you words, words of repentance, and words of prayer. He would inſtruct them in two languages at once: For every grace of the ſpirit hath a peculiar language; Faith hath its language, and charity hath her language, repentance hath her language, Prayer hath language for all the reſt: The Prophet at once would inſtruct them in the language of repentance and of prayer.
Firſt, in the language of repentance, and that is confeſſion of ſin; that is the tongue of repentance: Take to you words of turning, turning words, words that beſeem converts, words of remorſe, words of contrition, words of humiliation; take to you words that you may lay open your ſins before God: So, hee ſhewes them two things concerning the duty of confeſſion of ſin.
One is the neceſſity of the confeſſion of ſin to the duty of repentance, no repentance without confeſſion of ſin, nor no pardon where there is no repentance.
The other concernes the forme of this confeſſion, what manner of confeſſion men muſt bring to God: Take to you theſe words, and turne.
The firſt is concerning the neceſſity of the grace; Take to you words, confeſſe your ſins to God; that is the effect of it, becauſe the Prophet would draw them into a courſe of diverſion of Gods judgements; there is no diverſion of judgement without the pardon of ſin, and there is no pardon without confeſſion, therefore hee preſſeth this duty: It is the interpretation that all take in. Confeſſe your ſins to God, and ſo turne to him; becauſe without confeſſion there is no pardon, no forgiveneſſe. Solomon ſets it downe ſo, Prov. 17. Hee that covers his ſins ſhall not proſper; that is, he that would hide them from God; he that will not open them by confeſſion ſhall not proſper, as not in other courſes of his life, ſo eſpecially, he ſhall not proſper towards God, and Heaven, towards ſpirituall comfort; to have any comfort of pardon of ſin; for God hath ſet this condition, if we will have him cover our ſins, we muſt open them; if we will have him cover them, we muſt diſcover them: if we will have him ſhut his eyes on them, wee muſt open our eyes upon them, and lay them open to God that knows them; there is no repentance, and no forgiveneſſe without confeſſion.
On the other ſide, where there is an humble acknowledgement, and confeſſion of ſin to God, there pardon ſtill follows: See it in the Theſis, He that covers his ſins ſhall not proſper, ſaith Solomon, but he that confeſſeth, and forſakes them ſhall finde mercy: So in the Theſis: See it in the Hypotheſis in David, I ſayd I will confeſſe my ſins, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin, Pſal. 32. It was not onelyonly ſo in the time of the Law, but in the Goſpell; in Davids time, and in Johns time, 1 John 2. If we confeſſe our ſins, he is faithfull and juſt to forgive us our ſins: If we confeſſe them, he is faithfull and juſt, he is not only mercifull, but faithfull: A man would have thought it ſhould have run thus, If we confeſſe our ſins he is gracious, and full of loving kindneſſe to forgive them; no, but hee is juſt: Why? Becauſe God hath promiſed pardon to the confeſſion of ſin; it is not onelyonly grounded upon his mercy, but upon his truth, and therefore upon juſtice: God were not juſt if he ſhould not pardon ſin to Penitents: If we confeſſe our ſins, he is not onelyonly gracious and mercifull, but faithfull and juſt to forgive ſin: He hath bound himſelfe, that hee that makes a humble confeſſion to God in Chriſt, and comes with a penitent heart by Faith in Chriſt, he is faithfull and juſt to forgive ſin. We ſee upon the hiding of our ſinnes, pardon is excluded, upon the opening of our ſins, pardon is aſſured. So it ſtands, ſaith Tertullian, both wayes, Cum accuſat excuſat, cum condemnat abſolvit, &c. When we accuſe ourſelves, God acquits us, when we condemne our ſelves, God abſolves us: Here is the ready way to get abſolution, for a man to caſt downe himſelfe. He that takes no glory to himſelfe, but all ſhame, and gives glory to God, God will give grace to ſuch a ſoule; otherwiſe, let us never think that God will pardon thoſe that we labour to hide from him, Si faves tu peccato, &c. ſaith Auſtin ſweetly; if thou take upon thee to be the advocate of thy ſins, to plead for them, how ſhall God be the acquitter, and abſolver? Therefore that God may free thee from them, condemne thy ſelfe, lay the bond, and obligation and weight of thy ſins upon thine owne conſcience; that is the way to have God to eaſe them, that is the way the Prophet preſcribes.
Beloved, we need not be diſcouraged at this Doctrine, it is not in the wit of man; and it were too bold a word to ſay that God himſelfe could not invent a more eaſie way, we know not how farr God can goe, but we cannot ſee that God could have found a more facile way then for men to confeſſe and finde mercy, confeſſe, and have mercy: The true confeſſion of the lips, out of contrition of ſpirit by Faith in Chriſt is moſt ſure to meet with pardon and forgiveneſſe. Let any tell me whether there be a more compendious way to remiſſion then this: It is but an eaſie way that is preſcribed in the other word, Turne to the Lord, and the Lord aſſures the removing of judgements upon that. But confeſſion of ſin is more eaſie, it is that that is concurrent with the other, it is that that waites on it; nay, it is that that goes before; and if there be this humble acknowledgement made, if it be not out of diſſimulation, and hypocriſie, God hath aſſured pardon to it: So different are the conditions of the Covenant at the firſt, and now; the precept that God gave to Adam was harder, Thou ſhalt not commit ſin, but the commandement he gives us is eaſie, If thou ſin, confeſſe thy ſins to God, and he will have mercy: Confeſſion is the ſalve; as God alone is the Phyſitian, ſo here he preſcribes by the Prophet the ſalve for ſinne. Nazienzen calls it ſo ſweetly: It is the Potion that the ſoule takes, it is the Plaſter that is to be applyed to the ſore of ſin. Chryſoſtome enlargeth it, by making the proportion in the other part: Sin, that is the diſeaſe and ulcer; and repentance, confeſſion of ſin, and the renouncing of our ſin, that is the remedy: The remedy, ſaith Gregory well, becauſe it is the opening of the wound: Saith Origen, it is as the Vomit that is taken into the ſtomack, that cleanſeth the ſtomack; ſo repentance unloads the conſcience; confeſſion, and caſting out ſin by the mouth, it is the Vomit of the ſoule, ſaith he well. Confeſſion it is the phyſick, that healing Medicine that God hath preſcribed to us: Auſtin ſumms up many vertues in a ſhort compendium of words, ſpeaking of this excellent grace of confeſſion of ſin to God. Confeſſion of ſin to God, is that which is the hope of Beleevers, the glory of ſinners, the expeller of all vice, and all iniquity; the Tether to keep a man in compaſſe of due obedience, the ſweet bond to the ſoule; it is that that ſhuts the pit of Hell, it is that that opens the gate of Paradiſe, becauſe it opens the way to the mercy of God; confeſſion of ſin is the language of repentance.
That when I conſider, I cannot but wonder that men that are ſenſible of ſin, and of Gods diſpleaſure, ſhould be ſo backward to this worke, not onelyonly of repentance, but of acknowledgement of ſin. It is a common fault we all labour of. Firſt, we commit a ſinne, and then with Adam we hide our ſelves, and get Fig-leaves, not onelyonly to hide our ſelves from men, but from God. It is true, I cannot but wonder that men are loath to make their ſins knowne to God; there is impious ſhame that keeps men from confeſſing their ſins to men, becauſe unleſſe we tell them there are corner ſins of darkneſſe that men cannot finde out; but is it ſhame to confeſſe them to God? God knowes them all before, why ſhould men goe about to hide that which he knowes before it is committed? Why ſhould I hide them from thee, O Lord, ſaith Auſtin, ſince thou knoweſt mine owne heart better then I my ſelfe? Yet ſo vaine we are, we thinke if no earthly eye ſee us in the commiſſion of ſin, neyther doth the eye of Heaven looke upon us: When we ſee not our ſelves, we thinke God ſees us not; we deſire to walke in Miſts and Clouds, it is the caſe of every man: Tertullian ſets it downe well, concerning this duty of confeſſion.
Every may hath forehead enough for the committing of ſinne, their foreheads are harder then an Adamant to commit ſinne, but then they have no forehead to confeſſe: It is ſhame that keeps them from men, and it is ſhame that keeps them from God. Et ſic, &c. ſaith he, no marvell if they periſh with that ill ſhame, and pudor, ſince they are more mindfull of ſhamefaſtneſſe then ſalvation; for if there be any ſhame in confeſſing ſins to God, there is a great deale more in hiding them. But it is ſo farr from ſhame, that it is the onelyonly grace, it is the firſt fruits of repentance, confeſſion. Children when they are firſt borne, cry; it is the firſt expreſſion of life, crying; and hee that is borne and begotten to God againe, that is, a new borne babe, the firſt manifeſtation of life is from the mouth, by confeſſion of ſinne.
O Beloved, let us not be ſo inured to hide our ſins from God that muſt onelyonly pardon them, not to hide them from him, that will call us to account: If wee hide them now, the time will be that he will lay them open. Chriſt ſaith in the Goſpell, that that is done in ſecret ſhall be publiſhed on the houſe top: that that is now done in corners ſhall then be layd open, when all fleſh ſhall be layd open before Gods tribunall: If now it be a little ſhame, what will it be then? If there be ſhame in ſin now, what confuſion will there be when it ſhall be the forerunner of damnation and Hell? If any thing in the World will move a man to lay open his heart, to d…vide his heart, and make all naked before God, it is this conſideration that all muſt be layd open after, the ſecrets of all hearts muſt be diſcloſed: And in the meane time if he would have any comfort of the pardon of ſin, now, hee muſt repent of them, and confeſſe them. Wee need not be aſhamed to come to God; I ſhewed before, hee hath annexed pardon to confeſſion: See it in inſtances and examples, the Publican he comes with the language of confeſſion, they were not many words, it was but a breife confeſſion of ſin, O God be mercifull to me a ſinner. There is the petition in the firſt part of the words, and confeſſion in the next, I am a ſinner, therefore O Lord be mercifull; ſee the iſſue, He went away juſtified, ſaith Chriſt; he ſayd little, Peter ſayd leſſe, Peter went out, and wept bitterly: Lego, &c. ſaith Ambroſe, I read that Peter wept, but not that he ſpake any words of confeſſion; there was the confeſſion of the heart; and though we read not of it, yet no doubt the voyce of the mouth went with the cry of the eye; Peter wept, and confeſſed his ſinne: And marke, Peter was received againe to favour, and to the honour of Apoſtleſhip, yet we read not of the words that he ſpake. Every man ſuppoſeth, that he that comes to confeſſe ſin, brings words with him, yet we ſee not his words.
If not that example, ſee David, Nathan comes to him, he makes a Parable, and then comes with a compendium, Thou art the man; David multiplies not words againe; there are but three in our language, there is but one in the Latine, and in the Originall; Peccavi, I have ſinned: before the word was out of Davids mouth, Nathan from God gives him a publication of pardon, that hee had pardoned his ſin: It could not be a ſhower confeſſion then that that is made in one word, he could not ſpeake more compendiouſly: Yes, we ſee in Pſal. 32. he makes a ſhorter confeſſion, he had but a thought, a purpoſe of confeſſion, and God pardoned him, I ſayd I will confeſſe: God ſaved him a labour of further expreſſion, becauſe he ſaw the integrity of his heart; before he ſayd, I have ſinned, I ſayd I will confeſſe, upon the reſolution of repentance, there is a reſolution of forgiveneſſe: So gracious is God, not onelyonly to meet us, but to prevent us: It was a ſincere acknowledgement and confeſſion that he made, and it was in that very purpoſe of confeſſion.
Nay, goe further; for the Children of Iſrael went not thus farr as to come to a purpoſe of repentance, yet God was pleaſed to pardon them as farr as concerned outward puniſhment, Pſal. 78. as ſtrong a place as I know in the Scripture; David reckons up their rebellions, then after many mercies that God had ſhewed them, he ſaith, They flattered God with their lips, and lyed with their tongues; they made a confeſſion, but it was an hypocriticall confeſſion, it was out of diſſimulation, they flattered God with their tongues: They ſayd, becauſe of the neceſſity of puniſhment, Wee have ſinned, but their hearts were not touched with their ſins, They flattered God with their tongues, and lyed to him with their lips: And it followes, Out of the abundance of his loving kindneſſe he pardoned their ſins, and deſtroyed them not: Not that God is pleaſed with ſuch confeſſions; it is ſuch a confeſſion as never prevailes: Hypocriſie ſets a man further from pardon, becauſe it is a double ſin, yet at that time when they would not be brought to a formall confeſſion, God forbeares to puniſh, to encourage them after, hee forbeares the puniſhing of them for a time. As Ahab for his counterfeit humiliation, God diverts the judgement to encourage us to true humiliation. So Jehoahaz a wicked King, he continued in the ſins of Jeroboam, yet when he was affticted and humbled himſelfe before God, although it were a counterfeit humiliation, he diverted the judgement: If he ſhew mercy to the confeſſions of Hypocrites that are full of hypocriſie and diſſimulation, what will he doe to thoſe that doe it ſincerely; I ſay, God loves not hypocriſie, and hypocriſie is fartheſt from pardon; though it be, yet becauſe they were ſo farr from true repentance that they would not be brought to an outward forme, when they brought that forme, God encouraged them to goe on further that he remitted the judgement temporall upon their fained, forced, humiliation.
Is it not then a great encouragement for us to repent, and confeſſe our ſins? Confeſſion is a grace that ſhines in all Chriſtian vertues: There is no vertue that can be practiſed without confeſſion of ſin; whether a man doth well or ill, confeſſion comes in, as Auſtin ſaith ſweetly, If I be ill, this is to confeſſe to the glory of God that my ſin is of my ſelfe, if I doe good, this is to confeſſe to the glory of God that all grace is from him. In evill, there we bring confeſſion, that is, the confeſſion of our miquities: In good we bring confeſſion, the confeſſion to Gods praiſe, and of Gods grace; ſo every way confeſſion is neceſſary, In bono fact a tuo, &c. If wee doe any thing well God muſt have the glory, becauſe he workes it; if wee doe any thing ill, then wee muſt confeſſe to take ſhame, becauſe all our confuſion and ſhame is from the iniquity of our owne heart. That is the firſt thing the Prophet would have them bring, the language of repentance; the language of repentance is the confeſſion of ſin, by acknowledging them to God,
That is the firſt thing, Take with you words of repentance, confeſſe your ſins to God, he ſhewes the neceſſity of confeſſion.
The ſecond thing he ſhewes not onelyonly the neceſſity of the duty, but hee gives them direction; they are ſweetly couched here, Take with you words, and goe, and confeſſe, that is, Take ſuch words as become Converts, and Penitents. What are thoſe words the Prophet bids them take, concerning the duty of confeſſion? We will reduce them to foure heads.
Firſt, Humble words, pride will not ſtand with repentance, I gat me to God right humbly. Looke upon all the confeſſions of prayer or ſin in Scripture, they were all ſeaſoned with the grace of humility; I am leſſe then the leaſt of thy mercies, ſaith Jacob, I am unworthy that thou ſhouldeſt come under my roofe, was the confeſſion of the Centurion; I am leſſe then the leaſt of Saints, becauſe I perſecuted the Church, ſaith Paul. Look upon the confeſſions of the Old Teſtament, how they are ſeaſoned with humility. Ezra, Ezra 9. he confeſſeth in the name of the people, and he begins it ſo, O Lord I am aſhamed, and bluſh to come before thee, &c. It is the very ſame words that Nehemiah takes, in confeſſing the peoples ſin when he was the mouth of the people, Nehem. 9. We lye under ſhame upon the ground, confuſion covers our faces, wee and our Princes, and Preiſts, and our Fathers, have all been rebellious againſt thee: It is the forme of words that Daniel uſeth too in the confeſſion of ſin that he makes for the people, O Lord, to thee belongeth righteouſneſſe, but to us confuſion. Here is then the humble ſtraine of repentance and confeſſion of ſin, to give glory to God, and to take ſhame to our ſelves. Here is the proper dialect, the true Idiome of the language of repentance: Thoſe are the firſt words he bids them take, take humble words; the confeſſion of pride, a Phariſaicall confeſſion will not doe it.
Secondly, They muſt be mournfull words: Teares are the lav…r in which confeſsion of ſin bathes it ſelfe. When a man is to frame the words of confeſsion of ſin to God, the eye gives Inke, and the heart gives accents; teares are the oyle in which the words of confeſsion are ſteeped, and ſighs and groanes are the compaſſe, and point, whereby the line of confeſſion is drawne to God, they muſt be mournfull words; the cry of the eye, and the voice muſt goe together. If the heart melt, the eye will weep; if the voice houle, the eye will have ſympathy; that was the forme of Davids confeſſion, I roare through diſquiet, I goe mourning all the day long. So we ſee the confeſſion of Aaron that he made before Moſes, Alas my Lord; there is not onelyonly a word of humiliation, but a word of lamentation, Alas my Lord, for I have ſinned, and done fooliſhly: And the Children of Iſrael, 1 Sam. 7. that they might expreſſe their humble confeſsion of ſin in ſuch language, it is ſayd that they were aſhamed at Mizpeh; and what did they, they wept, and drew water, and poured it on the ground, and then they confeſſed to God that they had ſinned. A man would wonder at ſuch a ceremony, the pouring of water on the ground: What is of leſſe moment then water ſpilt upon the ground? The Scripture uſeth that phraſe to expreſſe a thing of no eſteeme; and they were aſhamed for that purpoſe, to ſhew that they could not weep enough themſelves, they would by this, expreſſe the deſire of their ſoules, that if they could, they would poure out Pailes and Rivers of teares: they wiſhed that their heads were Rivers of waters; becauſe they could not ſhed teares enow, they bring Buckets, and poure them out to the Lord. Take to you humble, and mournefull words, that is the ſecond.
Thirdly, Take with you, ſimple, naked words, the words of integrity and ſimplicity a man muſt bring when he comes before God in the naming of his ſin: It is not enough to confeſſe them in generall, becauſe God knowes them in particuler; but God lookes that wee ſhould ſearch into our hearts, and dive into our ſoules, and fetch up all, and leave no dreggs of ſin under, but evacuate all; if there be but the leaſt behinde, it will turne to poyſon: We muſt not come before God with a heart and a heart, and a tongue and a tongue, as we muſt bring ſimplicity of heart, ſo ſimplicity of ſpeech: So we finde the forms of all confeſſions in Scripture run thus. They contented not themſelves to ſay they had ſinned, Pharoah, and Saul, and Judas could goe ſo farr, I have ſinnod, they could not ſpeake leſſe, if they ſayd any thing, yet they that ſayd leſſe found it made good from the heart, David ſayd no more; but they had not true repentance, becauſe they had one tongue in their hearts, and another in their tongue; God looks to the language of the heart. As we muſt bring naked open hearts, ſo we muſt bring ſimplicity of ſpeech: All the confeſſions in Scripture run thus, with naming the ſins, not in generall onelyonly, but in particuler. So the Iſraelites, Numb. 21. We have ſinned in that we have ſpoken againſt the Lord, and his ſervant Moſes; they name their ſin: So in 1 Sam. 12. when Samuel preſſeth them home, and layes to their heart all the ſins that they had committed, then they make confeſſion, in naked ſimple words, We have ſinned, and added this to all our ſins, to aske a King: They did not onelyonly confeſſe in generall, we have ſinned; but in particuler, this is that ſin that wee have provoked God by. As Davids heart ſmote him when he had numbred the people, preſently he tells God hee had ſinned in this ſinne of numbring the people; while his heart was hott, and the ſinne lay upon him, hee opens it to God in ſimple, naked words. That is the third ſort.
Laſt of all, There is another, bring with you forcible words, weighty words, aggravating words; ſuch words as may exagerate your ſins againſt your ſelves, ſuch words: Lay them not onelyonly open, but make them more if it were poſſible; though it be a ſinne to lye to God, but though a man ſay with Paul, Of whom I am cheife, it is farr from diſsimulation; he that knowes his owne heart, is able to ſay, hee is the cheife of ſinners, though the World be able to lay nothing againſt him, becauſe every man knowes the ſinne of his owne heart: Therefore he that comes to confeſſe will not bring cold words, but aggravating words: So run all the formes in Scripture, becauſe when we aggravate, God extenuates, and when we make more, God makes leſſe; but we cannot make them more, but aggravate our ſins in confeſſion. Looke to that in Nehemiah, how he aggravates with words after words, We have dealt proudly and ſtoutly with the Lord. So ſaith Ezra, Wee have hardned our hearts, and refuſed to obey; wee have not hearkned to his Commandements, we have rebelled againſt him, we and our Kings, our Princes, our Preists, and our Fathers. And Daniel in his confeſſion adds, The men of Judah, and the people of Iſrael. There are all aggravations againſt the perſons, and againſt the ſins, Wee have dealt proudly, wee have hardned our hearts, we have not hearkned to Gods Law, we have rebelled againſt him. And ſuch were the confeſſions that David made, one we have in Pſal. 106. We have ſinned, and dealt wickedly, and committed iniquity; as if he wanted words to expreſſe himſelfe, and it is the very ſame words with Daniel, and Ezra, in their confeſſions. David in Pſal. 51. My iniquities are gone over my head, and are as a burthen too heavy to beare: See, how could he exagerate more? they are over my head, above my reach, I cannot compaſſe them; as the flood that overwhelmes a man in the bottom of the water, and he ſees nothing but deſtruction; ſo my ſins are gone over my head, I cannot look to the top, or bottome, or reach them; and they are too heavy a burthen, I cannot beare them; thou alone muſt eaſe me of them. Daniel and Ezra, aggravate ſin in the ſame words, Our ſins are increaſed up to Heaven; here was a high pitch he tooke to himſelfe; not onelyonly in the knowledge of them (ſo every ſin grows up to Heaven, becauſe God knows them) but for multitude and increaſe, we have piled ſin upon ſin. As the Giants of old, ſet Pelion upon Oſſa, and Parnaſſis upon both; ſo we have ſet one ſin upon another, that they are heaped up to Heaven, the Earth is weary with bearing of them, they reach to Heaven: So, here is the form of words, bring naked, ſimple, humble, forcible, aggravating words.
And after all this, when wee looke upon all theſe formes of confeſſion, and ſee the practice of the Saints of old, and ſee the burthen of ſin, and of the commands, are we not all ſtirred up? are we not all ready to burſt? Is it poſſible to hold, but to caſt off ſuch ſhame almoſt, and in the middeſt of much people to acknowledge wee have ſinned. Lord, we have ſinned, and for our iniquities and tranſgreſſions theſe troubles are come upon us: If wee want words of our owne, let us borrow of thoſe confeſſions in Scripture. We have need to take all helps, ſin lyes cloſe, all helpes of diſcovery, of removall, and of comfort; ſo we ſhall be able to expreſſe our ſelves, when we ſee thoſe formes that they expreſt themſelves in, that was the end, when the Prophet bids them take words, that is, get the language of repentance, goe humble your ſelves and your ſoules to God, take words, and goe, and confeſſe to him; that is the firſt thing.
I ſee the time is ſpent, and the weather is hot, yet points that are depending one upon another, are beſt applyed when the heart is warme; and ſometimes the dependance adds ſo much grace to a point, that the grace of it is loſt, if the ſeaſon be not taken.
Take to you words.
The language of confeſſion and the language of prayer, Take words to you, when you turne to the Lord by repentance, then take words; and when you turne to the Lord by prayer, then take words. Theſe two goe together, confeſſion and prayer. In Nehem. 1. there they be joyned, I prayed before thee for the Children of Iſrael, and confeſſed to thee the ſins of the Children of Iſrael. And in Dan. 9. I prayed to my God, and made my confeſſion before him. There muſt be no prayer made to God, where there is no confeſſion of ſin; for if we multiply our prayers, and pray every houre, yet there goes ſin betweene, and though it be a ſin repented of, and though it be a ſin that is pardoned before, yet David confeſſed his ſin after it was pardoned: nothing moves ſo much to confeſſion, as the knowledge of pardon. Prayer will not availe without confeſſion, therefore I firſt ſpake of the other: Prayer without confeſſion, ſaith Chryſoſtome, it is as if a Bird ſhould have her wings at liberty, and her feet be tyed: Confeſſion is as the feet, and prayer as the wings; if a Bird have the wings free, and the feet in a ſnare, it cannot get up: ſo, though the heart pray, yet if the foot of confeſſion be in a ſnare, there is no hope that the heart ſhould flye to God, it is as a Bird that hath the wings at liberty, and the foot is in a ſnare; therefore theſe muſt goe together, take to you words of confeſſion and prayer. I muſt be breife, therefore I will reduce them to three heads.
There are three things the Prophet aimes at in this exhortation, Take to you words of prayer.
He ſhewes the neceſſity of vocall prayer, Take to you words.
He ſhewes the neceſſity of preparation to prayer, Take words: It is not onelyonly uſe words and pray, but take them, think before hand.
Thirdly, He ſhewes what kinde of words the humble ſoule brings before God in prayer.
Theſe three things I will breifly touch.
Firſt, The neceſſity of vocall prayer, Take to you words. Thinke it not enough to turne your hearts to God: It is true, importunity of affection moves God more then importunity of ſpeech, for he looks to the heart and reines, and requires truth in the inward parts: But though the heart be principall in the ſacrifice, yet it is not the ſole agent. All prayer is not included in conceived prayer: God will have honour of the lips, as well as of the heart; he did not make man all ſoule and ſpirit: as he made him part body, and part ſoule, ſo he will have honour of both. Honour him in the heart, that is the cheife, elſe the other will not prevaile, when we draw neere him with our lips, if our hearts be farr from him: But the heart is not the onelyonly thing, though it be the cheife; get words to your ſelves, get a good expreſſion. For this purpoſe, God hath given man the uſe of ſpeech, not onelyonly that he ſhould converſe with Men, but wi…h God; he converſeth with men by intercourſe of ſpeech, with God by prayer: Prayer is the language of the heart, God is delighted with that; God is delighted with the language of prayer, or elſe hee would not have ſet us ſo many formes in Scripture, and all thoſe dictates. God could worke grace in the heart without Preaching, but he uſeth outward meanes, becauſe men have bodies and ſoules, and God can accept the prayer of the heart; but God will have both parts. Seek to God with the inward man and with the outward man. David calls his tongue his glory, for that end; for the tongue is the interpreter of the heart, the tongue is the Secretary of the minde, it is that Ambaſſador that every poor contrite ſoule ſends to God.
Thoſe words that flye to Heaven, and paſſe the Clouds, are delivered and dictated by the tongue: Therefore it is that God hath made ſome part of the body the interpreter to all the duties of piety. Mourning is one part of repentance; the interpreter of that affection of ſorrow, is the eye; if the heart mourne, the eye will weep: Humiliation and dejection of ſpirit, the caſting downe of the ſoule, that is another grace, within, and there is another interpreter without, the knee is the interpreter of that grace; if the heart be caſt downe, the body will, the knee will bow. Charity is another grace of the heart within; the interpreter without is the hand; if the heart be inlarged to wiſh well, the hand will be inlarged to give to the poore: And if the heart be inlarged with devotion, the hands will ſpread; the hand and eye move as the heart dictates, and the knees bow as the heart dictates, every part of the body is the interpreter of the ſoule.
Laſtly, Prayer it is a grace of the heart, but it hath an interpreter without, the tongue is the interpreter; it is the Angell or Meſſenger of the underſtanding. Clemens Alexandrinus calls it the Trumpet of the ſoule: The tongue, it is not onelyonly the interpreter, but the ſollicitor: The tongue is the ſollicitor that the heart ſends to Heaven; God requires not the prayer of the lips, becauſe he cannot heare the prayer of the heart, God forbid we ſhould think ſo, he knowes our thoughts before they are. A mans ſilence is a cry to God; he heard Moſes when hee ſaid nothing; he heares the ſilence of prayer, as well as the voice. Tertullian well expreſſeth it, he is not onelyonly the beholder of the heart, but the hearer of the heart: The heart hath its language, and every part of the body hath its language; the eyes language is weeping, and the hands language is lifting up, and the knees language, it is bowing, and all comes from the language of the heart: God underſtands the language of each part; if the heart ſpeake, though the tongue be ſilent, he underſtands that. When a man lyes upon his death-bed, and his ſpeech is gone, the hands are lifted up, God heares that: A man may pray with his eyes, with his hands, with his knees, but he muſt not confine his prayer to theſe; he may pray with his heart, but hee muſt not confine prayer to the heart: God will not onelyonly have us ſay we pray within, we pray to God, and we wiſh well, and never conſider that God is over our heads, we ſend up ejaculations; but take to you words; where is the witneſſe of your mentall prayer? Take to you words.
The point is this, I will but name it: Vocall Prayer is a great helpe to the ejaculations of the minde.
It hath great advantage, in publike, and in private prayer.
In publike prayer it is ſimply neceſſary; there cannot be a combination of affections, except there be vocall prayer: we cannot read the language of the heart one of another. There cannot be union of affections, except there be one voice for all: Nothing commends prayer more to God, then unity, if it be the prayer of unity; the harmony of prayer cannot be preſerved in a Congregation without vocall prayer, except it be expreſſed by words, and formes, they are neceſſary, that I ſhall ſhew after. There muſt be vocall prayer uſed, that the Congregation may be joyned together: Therefore we pray in the laſt prayer, We make our common ſupplications. I take occaſion, becauſe people take occaſion to miſtake, it is not common, becauſe they are ordinary ſupplications, but thus, common ſupplications that concerne us all.
It is needfull alſo in private prayer, it hath theſe three advantages.
Firſt, Prayer of the tongue, it makes prayer a perfect burnt Sacrifice, when the tongue joynes in words: Prayer is a dart, zeale points it, and words feather it; when it is poynted by zeale, and feathered by words, it flyes home; when the inward and the outward man agree together, when the ſtrings of the heart, and the language of the tongue ſpeake one thing, then there is a perfect Sacrifice offered to God. Pray to him with the heart, and with the lips.
Secondly, The language of prayer is needfull to be expreſt by the lips; becauſe words are as bellows to the affections, they are a meanes to kindle good affections. Words reſtraine affections that they ſhall not rove; they confine the affections to holy and heavenly deſires, they not onelyonly confine, but as I ſayd, they kindle affections. They are as bellows. Prayer is as Incenſe, zeale puts to the fire in prayer, and words are the bellows that blow it up to make it flame; they make this Incenſe not onelyonly ſume but flame. If words be wanting, prayer will coole of it ſelfe; it is impoſſible that a man ſhould continue and perſevere in prayer, except he uſe words; becauſe the affections will rove: The heart is able to expreſſe pious ejaculations; but to perſevere in prayer, without conſining to formed words, or where there is a habite of prayer without words, it is impoſſible to continue.
Thirdly, It is the meanes to glorifie God more: In prayer we glorifie God in body and ſoule: It is not enough that we glorifie God within, we may doe it within, but who knowes it? Then it is onelyonly to our ſelves; but when it is with the lips, we doe it to others: Even the Saints in Heaven uſe language in the glorifying of God; they ſing to the glory of God, Halelujah, that ſong of praiſe to God, and expreſſe it by words, becauſe there may be a common participation, that they may make an eccho: Therefore David though he were a man that had a mentall gift of prayer, yet he confined not himſelfe to it: I called to God with my voice, and he heard my prayer; I will ſing of thy kindneſſe for ever, and with my mouth I will declare it: Marke, I will ſing of it, and declare it with my mouth, and call to God with my voyce: Therefore becauſe there is a neceſſity of Vocall prayer to glorifie God, that is the firſt reaſon the Prophet ſaith, Take words, that is the firſt duty.
Secondly, He ſhewes the neceſſity of preparation: It is not onelyonly uſe words; the Heathen that thinke to be heard for much babling, they uſe words, but they take not words. What is that? To ſtudy, to ſingle, and cull out words before, to caſt about where to get words. Looke into the cloſet of your heart, and ſee what things you want; ſee what acceptable formes the Saints uſed, then come, and humble your ſelves before God, but take to you words: The neceſſity of preparation in the duty of prayer is briefely layd downe by Solomon, in Eccleſ. 5. Be not raſh to utter a thing before God, for he is in Heaven. That is, Ruſh not upon prayer, goe not into Gods preſence before thou be fitted, there muſt be holy preparation, not onelyonly before publike, but private prayer. Beloved, we come to pray, and the reaſon why our petitions are denyed, is, becauſe our hearts rove. He will never come into Gods preſence with reverence one day, that prepares not ſomewhat the day before, that ſets not worldly things aſide the day before. As in publike, ſo in private prayer, prepare before you come to Church, and after: How ever ſome would ſcare Chriſtians out of piety, they ſhall not ſcare Chriſtians from their duty. They ſay, it is ſuperſtition for a man to humble himſelfe before God when hee comes to the Church, and Congregation: they ſay, hee muſt joyne with the Congregation, there muſt not be a ſequeſtration, though it be never ſo ſhort to fit himſelfe: It is true, a man humbles and prepares himſelfe before, but now he comes to the performance of it. I humble my ſelfe before, but now I come to the performance, give me ſuch a heart as I may joyne with thy Servants to confeſſe our ſins, and to make knowne our wants: And this muſt be ſuperſtition in their interpretation, becauſe we doe not joyne with the Congregation: They make no conſcience of it, if they did, they would not keepe their owne poſture at the Creed, they to ſit, and others ſtand: I will be bold to ſay, it is fancie. The hearts of Chriſtians muſt not be troubled, whereby there comes a great deale of offence; they run out of the Church if a Miniſter humble himſelfe before God in the Pulpit, what they pleaſe muſt be ſuperſtition. No, when we come before God, there muſt be preparation. David prayed before he prayed, Let the lifting up of my hands be as Incenſe. Micah ſtudyed before he prayed, Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord, and make my ſupplication? What geſture ſhall I uſe? and what preparation ſhall I make? So ſhould every good Chriſtian; and the reaſon is good, prayer is weighty, the tongue is ſlippery, and the affections roving; a man had need to hedge in his heart with all preparation: If a man ſpeak to men, as I come to ſpeak to you, yet I dare not come without due preparation, and yet I ſpeak to men, as my ſelfe; much more when a man comes before God. If a man when he ſpeaks to men, labours to ſhun Shelves and Soliciſmes of ſpeech, and to ingratiate his perſon, and preſſe it home upon the hearts of his hearers, how much more when he ſpeaks before God, that reads the language of the heart, who is a God that heares prayer, to whoſe preſence all fleſh comes. Moſes, when he was to ſpeak to Pharaoh, durſt not goe, becauſe he wanted words, and was a man of flow ſpeech, and ſo Jeremie; yet they were but to ſpeake to men. If any man ſay there was a neceſſitie, becauſe they went on Gods errand; that was not the reaſon, looke back to humane oratours, Demoſthenes, Tullie, ſee what preparation they made to ſpeak before humane auditorie; yet they would correct their errours, and ſet every word in due place; they would get words, pick up phraſes, if any tittle of pronunciation were more advangious then other; they would get that, meerely to prevaile in civill cauſes for men; how much more when we come to God in prayer, and not only be orators, but petitioners, and for the beſt of his mercies, for grace, the richeſt jewell in all his Store-houſe; and God that ſearcheth the heart, and ſees if the heart and Spirit be anſwerable to the tongue, and hand; a man had need to be prepared before-hand: Therefore Abraham, a man that had heavenly acquaintance with God, he fitted himſelfe before he would come in prayer; ſee how many prefaces he uſeth, ſix times he prayes, and every prayer hath a preface, Let not my Lord be angrie, and I will ſpeake. Behold I have taken upon me to ſpeake, that am but duſt and aſhes. He uſeth thoſe holie prefaces to ingratiate himſelfe with God: knowing how great an honour it is, for God to vouchſafe a mortall creature to ſpeake to him: ſo will we, if we conſider the greatneſſe of Gods majeſtie, we will pray, that we may pray, ſearch, and examine, and ſee what bleſſings God hath beſtowed, and then we ſhall know what to give thankes for, ſee what evill we have committed, and then wee ſhall know what to mourne for; ſee what judgements and temptations God hath removed, and then wee ſhall know how to bleſſe him, what ſinnes we are prone to, that wee may know what to pray againſt and ſee what temporall things wee need, and then we may know what to beg; this the Prophet would have, Take words, ſtudie words before you come, take not perfunctorie words, uſe not ſuch as come firſt to hand; deale not ſo boldly, and familiarly with the glorious preſence of God: ſpeake to God as if you did ſpeake to men, nay as if you were to ſpeake before the judge of all men.
Laſtly, here he gives a direction what words to uſe in prayer. The language of prayer is of a great extent: looke how many our wants are, ſo many ſeverall formes and dialects our prayer hath; and looke how various mens hearts are, ſo various is prayer, but for our direction, confine it to theſe particulars.
Firſt, Take to you words, that is, holie, and heavenly words, ſuch as becomes that glorious Majeſtie: therefore our bleſſed Saviour hath taught us to pray to Our Father in Heaven, intimating that when we come to God, we muſt not only bring heavenly affections, but heavenly word: what are thoſe? words that reliſh of heaven; words that have the coyne and ſtamp of the Spirit of God on them, he that brings a earthly heart and carnall, earthly words to God, cannot ſpeed: Prayer hath a dialect proper to it ſelfe: bring words; that is, heavenly words.
Secondly, bring with you words; that is, forcible, fervent, powerfull words; (come not to God with a cold temper) they are ſuch words that muſt prevaile: for there is a language that ſpecially prevailes with God; that is, bring ſuch words as may importune God. It is not a cold muttering of a forme of prayer that is acceptable to God; no, but pray with the heart, not only ſpeake but call, nor call but crie, ask, and ſeeke, and knock; if asking will not ſerve, ſeeke, if that will not doe, knock. There is a delight in God, to be not only ſpoken to, but forced, the violent take heaven, and there is no violence, but of faith, and prayer; faith by one violence, and prayer by another. The prayer of the fervent heart breakes through the Clouds; no impediment can keep it from Gods throne, take fervent words, wooe God, intreate him, importune him, to ſee if he will be intreated to turne from his wrath.
Thirdly, take intelligent words, underſtand your ſelves what you ſpeake, uſe not ſuch words as doe not expreſſe your mind. It is a mocking of God to come to God in an unknowne language. That is the great deluſion of our adverſaries of Rome, the great manner of cogging to delude the people, to keepe them in ignorance, from knowing the word of God, and what they ſpeake to God; that as they believe by an implicite faith, ſo they muſt pray by an implicite devotion, that if the Prieſt that ſets them the forme of prayer, or if the Church ſhould goe about to deceive them (as they doe too too much, they might ſet a forme of curſing as well as praying, and how can they underſtand it? and they muſt take it upon truſt. Theſe are not intelligible words, but I cannot proceed further.