The Christian Combat, Sermon
A SERMON of Prayer in time of Affliction.
Psalm. 50.15.
Call vponupon mee in the day of trouble, I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me.
THe scope and end of our hope is, to be one day ioyned to our God, and to inioy his presence. This life is a moment, wherof dependeth the eternity.
But in waiting for this happy Day, God leaues vsus not without communication, to entertaine vsus in this expectation. This communication is done by two wayes; namely, by his Word, and by the inuocation of his Name: for by his Word hee speakes with vsus, and by prayer wee speake with him. By his Word God saith to vsus, Thou aHos. 2.23.art my people: and by prayer we say to him, Thou art our God.
There is nothing sweeter then this Dialogue, nothing more to saluation then this communication. For without the Word of God, wee should bee without knowledge, plunged in deepe darknesse, and without prayer, wee should bee without hope, and without comfort.
How much an important part of the seruice of God prayer is, it appeares manifestly, for that the holy Scripture, vnderunder the word of Inuocation and Prayer, comprehends often the whole seruice of God, saying, bAct. 2.21.Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saued. And our Lord Iesus Christ calls the Temple, cMat. 21.13.the house of prayer: as if it had beene made onelyonly for prayer.
Wee must well thinke, that prayer is a well-beseeming, holy, and a well necessary action; seeing that the Sonne of God hath been so frequent in it, dMat. 14.23.passing ouer many nights in it, and withdrawing himselfe into a Mountaine apart. If hee that had all fulnesse of goods, prayed to his Father with such feruor and assiduity; should wee bee cold to presse God with prayers, wee that are poore, and hauehave nothing but by the grace of God in Iesus Christ?
Wee must thinke that prayer is a great matter, and of importance, seeing that therewith eueryevery faithfull man ought to finish his life, and render his soule vntounto God in calling vponupon him, and saying, ePsal. 31.5Into thy hand I commit my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me.
Prayer is the hand, which wee stretch out vntounto God, to receiue his benefits: it is the key wherwith we open his treasure. It is it which vncouers our sores vntounto God, which powres out our sighes, which speakes vntounto God with an holy familiarity, which makes his rods to fall out of his hand, and diuerts his iudgements, and stirres vp his fatherly affections.
Prayer is in families well gouerned, the ordinary sacrifice, and the Incense of the morning and euening, as it is said by the Psalmist, fPsa. 141.2.Let my prayer bee set forth before thee as Incense, and the lifting vp of my hands as the euening sacrifice.
Prayer is a spirituall exercise, which the tyrants, how inuentiue and fraught with deuices soeuer their cruelty hath been, hauehave neuer had the power to hinder it; when they hauehave gagged the Martyrs, or hauehave cut their tongues out of their mouthes, their hearts spake vntounto God, and their comfort in the deepe dungeons was, to conuerse with God. For being chained vp and shackled with Iron, their faith was not fettered. Let a Towne, where the Church is gathered together, bee besieged with armies, and all the passages taken by the enemy; then diuers propositions are set on foot concerning the meanes of her defence, or of her deliuerance. Reason will propound these difficulties, and say, What meanes to escape, seeing we are inclosed on eueryevery side by the enemy? What meanes to hauehave any helpe without, seeing that all the passages are taken? and whom could we send out to cause some succour to come, and vndertake so dangerous a message? Thereupon Faith presents it selfe, and propoundeth an expedient: I hauehave (quoth she) a messenger, which wee call Prayer, who passeth without let, whom the enemies know not, who goeth to the gates of heauen; that way is not stopped, that Messenger is knowne in the Court of the King of heauen, it strikes boldly at the doore of his Closet, it prostrateth it selfe at his feet, it snatcheth the thunderbolts out of his hands, it obtaineth a quicke and speedy succour from his Maiesty. And Iesus Christ is at the right hand of God his Father, who accompanyeth it with his intercession.
If euer we hauehave had occasion (my brethren) to imploy this Messenger, it is in this so rough a time, and in the oppression of the Church of God. It is that which hath mooued vsus to expound this passage of the Psalme, where Dauid in few words, but very significant, represents vntounto vsus the fruit & profit of prayer, saying, Call vponupon mee in the day of trouble, I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me.
Heere wee hauehave three poynts to consider.
I. The Commandement of God, who will be called vponupon.
II. His promise, that he will heare vsus.
III. And the fruit that comes thereby, is, that God will therein be glorified.
I. Of the Commandement of calling vponupon God.
TOuching the Commandement to call vponupon God, the Scripture is full of it, g1. Thes. 5.17.Pray without ceasing; hMat. 26.41.Watch and pray, that ye enter not into tentation.
As we admire the goodnesse of God, in that hee vouchsafeth to speake to vsus by his Word; so surely it is his great goodnesse, that he will hauehave vsus speake to him, and addresse our selues to him in our necessities, and that we after a sort hang on his eare by an importunity, that is acceptable to him; & is not contented to say, Call vponupon me, but also he fashioneth our prayers, and prescribes to vsus the tearmes and words. He that admits our prayers, is the selfesame that frames them, and that giueth his holy Spirit, who iZach. 12.10.is the Spirit of supplications; for as Saint Paul saith, kRom. 8.26.The Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for wee know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercessions for vsus with gronings, which cannot be vttered.
This Commandement was needfull for vsus. For we being malefactors and guilty, durst not present our selues before our Iudge, if he himselfe had not inuited vsus with so much gentlenes. And being called of God, wee could not know what we should say to him, if he had not afore-hand instructed vsus; yea and after that he hath instructed vsus touching that which we hauehave to say to him, wee could not bring that disposition, nor that reuerence, nor that needfull assurance, if himselfe did not touch our harts with his Spirit.
II. Of his promise to heare vsus.
IT is no maruell therfore, if prayer hath such efficacy with God, and if hee promiseth to heare vsus, saying, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie mee. And, lMa. 7.7Aske, and it shall bee giuen you; Seeke, and ye shall finde. And, mIoh. 14.14.Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name, I will doe it.
And though we had not so many promises, notwithstanding this one commandement, Call vponupon mee, includeth a promise. For God calles vsus not to him, to send vsus empty away: hee commands vsus not to stretch out our hands to him, to put nothing in them.
Touching this efficacy of prayer, ye hauehave many memorable examples in the Word of God. The example of Moses, who often stood at the breach, to stay Gods indignation against his people. Of Ioshua, at whose prayer the Sunne stood still. Of Ionas, whose prayer from the bottome of the gulfe, and from out the belly of the Whale, mounted vp vntounto heauen. Of Elias, of whom Saint Iames saith, nIam. 5.17, 18.that hee was a man subiect to the like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths. And hee prayed againe, and the heauen gaue raine. Of Daniel, whose prayer stopt the mouth of the Lions extraordinarily an hungry. The Ancient Christian History makes mention of a Legion of Christian souldiers, which was called the thundering Legion, because that by prayer it caused a showre of raine to fall vponupon the armie of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius, that was athirst, and caused thunder, lightening and tempests to fall on the army of the enemies. God himselfe declareth, that he feeles himselfe forced and compelled by the prayer of his children. So the Spouse saith to his Spouse, oCant. 6.5.Turne away thine eyes from mee, for they hauehave ouercome mee. And God saith to Moses and Aaron, pNum. 16.45.Get yee vp from among this Congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. Therefore he forbids q1. Sam. 16.1.Samuel to pray any more for Saul: and rJer. 11.14.Ieremiah to pray for the people, because being resolued to punish them in his anger, he would not that the prayer of his seruants should be vnprofitable, and hee should hauehave beene sorry not to grant them their request. Yea, before the prayer bee ended, he declares, that hee heares effectually his children: for he speaketh thus, sEsa. 65.24.And it shall come to passe, that before they call, I will answere; and whiles they are yet speaking, I wil heare. And I dare boldly affirme, that there is no man that taketh pleasure in this holy exercise, and delights to speak to his God, but hath had experience of his helpe, and hath carried away some comfort. For if God heares the beasts tPsal. 104.27.that call vntounto him for food, as the Psalmist saith; if hee giueth to the beast his food, and uPs. 147.9to the young Rauens which cry; what would he not heare those to whom he saith, Call vponupon me, and that call vponupon him in faith, grounded on his Commandement? If the vniust Iudge xLuk 18.5, &c.did right to the poore Widow, & dispatched her, to deliuer himselfe from her importunity: How much more shal God auenge his owne Elect, which cry day and night vntounto him?
I but some one will say in himselfe, I feele not that, and I hauehave often prayed to God, since that hee hath heard me. How often hauehave wee asked of God the recouery of our childrens health, and notwithstanding they are dead? How often hauehave wee asked for victory in battels, and yet after that, wee hauehave been beaten? Saint Paul himselfe, hath hee not besought the Lord thrice, that y2. Cor. 12.8.the messenger of Satan, that thorne in his flesh might be taken away, but God granted him not his request?
If I spake to persons that had but little, or not at all the feare of God, I would answere with the words of the Apostle Saint Iames, zIam. 4.3.Ye aske, and receiue not, because ye aske amisse, that yee may consume it vponupon your lusts. I would say also, that God not hearing you, heares you the more, because yee aske hurtfull things, and which God knowes yee would abuse: and I would send you to Platoes prayer, who said, O God, giuegive vsus good things, though we aske not them; and giuegive vsus not euill things, yea though wee should demand them of thee. Or rather to the sentence of Saint Iohn, a1. Ioh. 5.14.This is the confidence that we hauehave in him, that if wee aske any thing according to his will, he will heare vsus. I would also say, that God heares you not, because your hands are ful of blood, and your hearts full of euill desires, and your prayers ful of hypocrisie.
But because I presume I speake to persons that feare God; I answere otherwise and say, that if those things which we aske of God, are necessary to saluation, God will hauehave vsus beleeue, that hee will heare vsus: because that saluation is the obiect of our faith, it is necessary to demand it with faith, and with full assurance, according to the commandement of the Apostle to the Hebrewes, bHeb. 10.22.who wills, that wee draw neere God with a true heart in full assurance of faith: And, cHeb. 3.6.that wee hold fast the confidence, and the reioycing of the hope firme vntounto the end.
Condemning those, that by a prophane humility, and an impudent modesty, doe teach men to doubt of their saluation, and indeuour to bee incredulous with reason, saying secretly to God, O Lord, I feele my selfe vnworthy to trust in thy Word; making the doctrine of the Gospell to be a doctrine of distrust, in lieu that it is a doctrine of faith. Notwithstanding, seeing that they ground their hope on their owne merits, I hold that their diffidence is iust, and that they hauehave reason to doubt of their saluation. As for vsus, we put our trust in the promise of God, which is more firme then heauen or earth, wherby he promiseth, that dIoh. 3.15.whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesus, shall hauehave eternall life.
But if the things which ye demand, are things that concerne this present life, or not necessary to saluation; we hauehave no promise of God that he will giuegive vsus all that wee aske of him; but that onelyonly hee will not forsake vsus, and will not leaue vsus Orphanes, and that hee will giuegive that which hee knoweth to bee expedient for our saluation: and therfore these requests ought to bee conditionall, as that of the poore Leper, who said to Iesus Christ, eMar. 1.40Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane.
But here commonly we deceiue our selues, esteeming that God grants not our request, and notwithstanding hee hath granted our requests. For wee aske of God to bee protected and preserued from whatsoeuer danger, by such and such meanes: but God wall preserue vsus by other means. We desire that the Church bee preserued by victories and battels, and by humane aydes, and wee expect from farre Countries some imaginary succour; but God will preserue vsus by other meanes: hee will strike the enemies with astonishment, or hee will put diuision amongst them, or he will diuert their counsels. He will cause that the powers of this world strike against some weake place, and break themselues in pieces, and stop at small obstacles, as a starting horse that starts and stops at a straw; or he will cause our sufferings to be of good sauour; and amidst the persecution, he will giuegive efficacy to the doctrine of the Gospell; ye shall bee beaten downe, but afterwards raised vp. With the Iaw-bone of an Asse, with a Goad, God will strike the aduersaries, and you shall subsist, not by your power, but by his fauour, that the glory of your subsisting, may appertaine to him alone. Then will you say, I thought that God had not heard me: but now I acknowledge the contrary, and hauehave experience of the truth of his promise, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliuer thee.
Sometimes wee thinke that God hath not heard vsus, because wee are impatient, and cannot waite for the time of deliuerance: but God will try you for a time; he seeth that wee are not enough puld vnderunder and humbled: He seeth that we are not low enough to bee lifted vp by miracle, and to cause his enemies to admire his vertue, and acknowledge his worke in our preseruation. Besides that, as the showres that fall drop by drop, doe soke the earth better, then those that come in a tempest, and boysterously; so the graces of God giuen little by little, doe much better fauour, and stirre vp our prayers, and exercise our faith. But when the time of the delinerance shall come, then you will say, I was too impatient and too delicate, and too much rash in my iudgement. I see now that God hath heard me, and I acknowledge the fulfilling of that promise, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me.
Item, wee thinke that God hath not heard vsus, because hee taketh not away the euils that presse vsus; but hee giueth you force to beare them, hee increaseth your faith, hee hardeneth your courage; that ye may the easier beare that which you thinke to be vnsupportable, and will cause you to glory in the bearing of the Crosse of Christ, and with alacrity to goe forth after him fHeb. 13.13.without the Campe, bearing his reproch.
Such is (my brethren) the efficacy of prayer towards God. But it is also of maruellous efficacy towards our selues.
I. For first, that thought, that it is before God that we present our selues, and that it is to God we speake, ought to seaze vsus with feare and reuerence, and make vsus to quake, and our haires to stare with a religious horrour, by setting before our eyes, that the creature appeares before his Creator; dust and ashes, before the Soueraigne God, who dwelleth in the light which no man can approch vntounto; a poore sinner, before a Soueraign Iustice. For as those that speake often vntounto Kings, doe clothe themselues more ciuilly, and hauehave a greater heed to that they say: So he that speaketh often to God, feeles himselfe bound to liue honestly and ciuilly, and to looke neerer, not onelyonly to his words, but also to his life.
II. Prayer will also draw you to eschew hypocrisie, because you appeare before God, who knoweth your hearts, who knoweth your requests before you present them to him, who is not contented with gestures, who pierceth with his eyes the darknes, and the thickest cloke of hypocrisie.
III. Item, prayer will binde you to doe no wrong to any man, and to empty your hands of other mens goods, and of extortion, vsury, and oppression. For God saith by his Prophet Isaiah, gEsa. 1.When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea when ye make many prayers, I will not heare; your hands are full of blood. Without it, we cannot follow the Apostles counsell, that willeth h1. Tim. 8.8vsus to lift vp to God our hands pure, and holy; nor follow the example of Dauid, who saith, that iPsa. 26.6.he will wash his hands in innocency, before he compasseth the Altar of the Lord.
IIII. Besides, prayer will oblige you secretly to be almes-giuers, and charitable to the poore. For you will say in your selfe, In my prayer I aske an almes of God, will he giuegive it me, if I refuse it to my neighbour? Will he heare my voyce; if I stop mine eare at the cry of the afflicted? For behold what God saith, kPro. 21.13.Who so stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore, hee also shall cry himselfe, but shall not bee heard. And in Saint Matthew, lMat. 5.7Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy. Therefore wee are taught to aske in the plurall number our daily bread, as asking it for many; but the couetous reserues it to himselfe, and imparts nothing to his brother.
V. Prayer also will tye you to hearken attentiuely to the Word of God: for you will say in your selfe, Will God heare my prayer, if I harken not to his Word? will he receiue my prayers, if I reiect his commandements?
VI. Prayer also doth binde vsus to the peace, and to concord with our neighbours. For this thought will come in your minds, Can I seeke for peace with God, while that I hauehave in my house warre and discord? m1. Tim. 2.8.Lift vp holy hands without wrath and doubting; before thou nMat. 5.23, 24.bringest thy gift to the Altar, go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother. And truly where there are quarrels betweene man and wife, obserue it, and you shall finde that the euill commeth, because they hauehave not bowed their knees together before God. For this one action would hauehave reunited them together, and hauehave quenched their quarrels. Being well with God, they would hauehave beene well together. It is a thing that rarely happeneth among men, that two enemies present themselues before a Prince, to present to him together one and the selfesame request.
Nay which is more, in fashioning our prayers, eueryevery word that we speake, is a lesson to vsus. For wee cannot desire of God, that his Name bee hallowed, and that his will be done, but that thereby wee are warned to labour to glorifie his Name, and to subiect our selues to his will. In asking the bread which is ours, wee learne not to couet other folkes bread. In asking the forgiuing of our sinnes, wee bind our selues to the forgiuing of those, that hauehave trespassed against vsus. In demanding not to bee led into temptation, wee learne to flie the temptations of the deuill. So that in speaking to God, wee speake also to our selues; and so many requests are as many exhortations to the feare of God.
And if prayer containes so many instructions to godlinesse, it brings no lesse comfort and refreshings in our griefes. Wherefore God saith to vsus in this Psalme, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble.
For if to powre ones griefes in the bosome of a friend, giues some ease, although that friend can giuegive no remedie: How much more ease shall wee finde, when wee disburden our sorrowes on our God, seeing he is hee alone that both can, and will giuegive remedie? Whereupon Dauid saith, that oPsal. 100Prayer was his refuge in aduersity, and the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians, pPhil. 4.6.to be carefull for nothing, but in eueryevery thing by prayer and supplication with thankes-giuing, let your request be made knowne vntounto God. Declaring thereby, that prayer deliuereth the spirit from anguish and feare. The which appeareth plainely in the Psalmes of Dauid, in the which often wee see the beginnings full of anguish and perplexitie, but the end full of assurance; as if in the middest of prayer his affaires were changed, or as if one had brought him the best newes. For by how much he did conferre with God, by so much hee felt a refreshing, and his hope strengthened, and his courage increased.
Besides that, prayer fashioneth vsus to patience, because it enureth vsus to looke towards God, and to turne our eyes frō men, who doe afflict vsus, towards God, who doth imploy them; and not to be like the dogge strucken, that bites the sticke, or shappes at the stone.
Yea, I say, that though wee should not obtaine of God the helpe we aske in affliction; notwithstanding, there is some contentment, to hauehave amiddest ones griefe, so sweet a diuersion as to speake with God. Such ought to bee the entertainment of our solitarinesse, and of our thoughts in the night. Being wearie to speake to men, who commonly speake of bad things, or of things to no purpose; let our occupation be to entertaine our selues with God.
Now although GOD commands vsus to call vponupon him in the day of our trouble, it followeth not that wee should not call vponupon him also in prosperity. For there is alwayes matter of feare and of apprehension; we are alwayes exposed to the ambuscadoes of the world and the deuill. At all times wee hauehave inward maladies and infirmities; there is alwayes meanes to profit; alwayes occasion to aske forgiuenesse. Yea, also it is certaine, that prayer in prosperity hath, I know not what more seemlinesse and grace then it hath in affliction, because it is not drawne out by the force of griefe, but suggested by louelove and a filiall affection; it being no maruell, if we cry to God when he hath strucken vsus.
But because that in time of peace and prosperity, we are negligent in this dutie, God sends vsus afflictions; He kindleth this heate by his contrarie, as when one kindleth lime, by powring water vponupon it. Few feruent prayers mount vp to God during prosperity, and the spirits slackened with ease, doe conceiue but languishing thoughts, and prayers indited by custome. Griefe is the mother of that eloquence, by the which God is perswaded. It draweth out feruent prayers, pushed forth by necessity. And that is true which men say, that prayer is more affectionate on the sea then on the land, because there the danger is continuall, and there is but two or three inches off betweene vsus and death.
Here I doubt not, but that too many amongst you, that hauehave the feare of God rooted in your hearts, this thought comes in your minde, and that you say in your selues, I know that as Saint Iames saith, that qIam. 5.16.the effectuall feruent prayer of a righteous man auaileth much. But this is my affliction, that in my prayer my minde wandereth often, and my attention is misse-led, and there come other thoughts in my minde. How often being distracted, hauehave I renued my prayer, and am falne againe to the selfe-same straying! If I speake to a man, my thought is settled, and I thinke not elsewhere; why therefore in speaking to God, can I not hauehave the like attention? Surely my brethren, prayer is a taske, whereof the greater part of men doe acquit themselues very slightly, and more by custome then by affection. How will wee hauehave God to heare vsus, if we heare not our selues? And who is the Prince? yea, the man of meane condition, that would suffer one to speake to him, thinking on another thing, or looking else-where? Those prayers by the which wee aske the forgiuenesse of our sins, are sins thēselues, of the which we must aske pardon; and must make other prayers to amend the former. It were necessary to say to many, Hold your peace, speake not to God, lest hee heare you, and you prouoke him to anger. Truly, God dealeth with vsus very gently, if hee pardoneth our prayers, and layeth not to our charge our good workes.
Now touching this difficulty of staying ones thoughts in prayer, we will shew you first the causes thereof, and afterwards we will seeke the remedies.
Foure things doe contribute to this euill. The first is, the naturall lightnesse of our spirits, that hauehave much adoe to stay themselues, and to keepe themselues a long time in one state. The second is, because the diuine things are farre off from our selues, and from our apprehension. Now they are the sences that tye the attention. Is it not true, that you hauehave much adoe to heare a Sermon, when you behold not him that speaketh? Therefore the Israelites sayd to Aaron, rExod. 32.1.Ʋp, make vsus gods which shal goe before vsus. The third cause is in our lusts, that is to say, that hee that makes his prayer, beares a hatred, or hath a quarrell against some, or burnes with couetousnesse, or hath a burning ambition to attaine vntounto some state or honour. Is there any meruaile, if these longings so quick to moue themselues, and so rooted in, doe trouble our spirits, and doe distract our attention in prayer? The fourth cause is in the deuill, who if he seeth that you are telling of a tale, or speaking of the affaires of this world, hath no intention, I warrant you, to trouble you, because that it doth no preiudice to his Kingdome, and troubleth him not at all. But when he beholds a man bending his knees to pray to God, he saith in himselfe, This man goeth to his prayers, and in his prayer will aske that Gods Kingdome come; that is against mee, and against my Kingdome. Hee will pray that God deliuer him from euill; thats also against me, and to beate backe my temptations. Therefore let vsus indeuour to cause some vaine thought to glide easily in his minde, and to distract his attention, that euen his prayer it selfe may be a sinne, and that euen by prayer he may fall in the hands of the deuill.
Whosoeuer knoweth mans frailty, knoweth that there is no body that is freed from this infirmity, and that the best are troubled with it; and therefore those are mockers and hypocrites, who retyring themselues in the desarts, and leading an Hermites life, say that they giuegive vncessantly their mindes to prayer and to meditation. That is an abuse. Doubt not, but that in solitarines, and in that retired life, they burne with temptations, and that a presumptuous fretfulnesse makes them to frowne, because they hauehave no body with whom to compare but themselues, and that amiddest these hollow and shallow meditations, the deuill hath faire play.
This euill cannot be remedied with certaine tricks which they imploy to oblige their attention, namely, to say fiftie times the same Orisō in a barbarous or vnknowne tongue, in turning certaine beads, or in saying certaine Orisons which they call Iaculatories, as if they whisked or squirted prayers towards heauen: Or in composing certaine meditations with words puft vp with an extrauagant deuotion, as if they would prattle like Iayes to God.
Therefore wee must come to the remedies of this euill, and know by what meanes we may stay our spirits in prayer, without any idle digression. Of these remedies, there are some that are slight, and are rather counsels of prudence then of godlinesse, which notwithstanding are not to be despised; and others, stronger and more necessary.
Therefore to begin with the lesser remedies: I say, that to keepe the spirit attentiue, the gesture of the body composed to reuerence, the lifting vp of the hands and eyes, and the bowing of the knee doe serue. Besides, the voice: for the thought alone is the easier distracted. Item, the darkenesse, and the remoouing of all obiects that may ingender a diuersion. It is also a good counsell for those that cannot stay their spirits and thoughts, and that hauehave the carriage of their attention short, to accustome themselues to short prayers, & to returne to them the oftener.
But these remedies are weake, in comparison of those that follow; whereof the one is, that seeing they are the burning lusts and desires which in awaking & stirring themselues, come to trouble our spirits, and disorder our thoughts, and breake their flight when they are mounting vp to God; wee must labour to quiet them, and to strippe off our hatred and quarrels, to heale ones enuies, to bridle our couetousnesse, our choller, our wantonnesse: for as long as these peruerse affections make a tumult within vsus, they will trauerse our prayers, and disturbe our holy meditations. This is the true and soueraigne remedie. The remedies are, as when to heale an ague, one applieth on the wrist some hearbes, or some liquid medicine on the flankes and soft parts vnderunder the short ribbes. But this remedy which is to range the desires vnderunder the feare of God, is as it were a phlebotomy, or a purgation, which purgeth that which is within, and tempereth the inward heate.
Wee must adde to this remedy a wholesome counsell, which is, that when question is to pray to God, to stay a little, and not to bow so soone the knee, but to meditate a little in himselfe afore, on the greatnesse of him, before whom you goe to appeare; what are his eyes which pierce into our hearts; what horrour of his iudgements; what our miserie and weaknesse is, and the greatnesse of our sinnes; to the end ye neuer begin to pray, but being possessed with a religious feare, and touched with reuerence. Dauid did thus, as it appeareth in the beginning of a Psalme, sPsal. 73.1Truly God is good to Israel. Which is a broken speech, and a sequell of a long meditation. It is no maruell therefore, if our mindes doe stray, and if their attention is slacke, seeing that we goe to prayer heedlesly and without preparation.
By this a man may know, whether these remedies hauehave profited him; if after prayer done, the same thoughts doe continue in him a while, and if his spirit hath much adoe to apply it selfe presently after, to any other action.
But what care so euer you take, there will be alwayes some defect. This perfection, to thinke alwayes on God without any distraction, is reserued for the life to come; where we shall hauehave but one obiect that will fill our vnderstanding, content all our desires, and where God shall be all in all.
III. To glorifie God.
THe end of all this discourse, and the last fruit of our prayers is, that God is thereby glorified, as it is added, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me.
For when wee hauehave our refuge to God, wee acknowledge him the Author of all good, and testifie that we acknowledge him true in his promises, inclined to louelove vsus, and powerfull to doe vsus good. Chiefly in the publike prayers which the Church offers vntounto God with one accord, God is glorified, in that these prayers are the agreement of diuers spirits, and a spirituall harmony whereby he is magnified; there being but that on earth, which is an imitation of the accord of heauenly spirits, that are continually attentiue, and bandied to glorifie him.
Now the Scripture willeth, that as our prayers, so all our actions tend to glorifie God, as St Paul saith, Whether t1. Cor. 10.31.ye eat or drinke, or whatsoeuer ye do, do all to the glory of God. In a word, all things are made for his glory.
God hath created the world, & men, & Angels, to picture himself in his work, and to manifest the greatnesse of his glory; for nothing merits so much to be represented, as that which is soueraignly faire. Now the light is the first of beauties, and God is Light, and the Father of lights.
That God may be glorified, he hath sent his Son into the world; for therby he hath declared his louelove towards men, and his truth in fulfilling his promises; & the hatred he beares against sin, in that he had rather strike his owne Sonne, then leaue sin vnpunished. He hath also thereby manifested his Wisedome, in finding a meanes to satisfie fully his Iustice, without preiudice to his Mercy. Hee hath shewed his Power, in making vse of the flesh of a weake man, to ruine the empire of the diuell.
To the end hee be glorified, hee will send his Sonne to iudge the quicke and the dead, that at the sight of all creatures, his righteousnesse may bee knowne and acknowledged, the louelove he beareth to his children, and the Empire hee hath giuen to his Sonne aboue all things: for it is written, As uRom. 14.11.I liue, saith the Lord, eueryevery knee shall bow to mee, and eueryevery tongue shall confesse to God.
That he may be glorified, he throwes down Kings, and ouerthrowes Empires in his anger, as God saith vntounto Pharaoh, xRom. 9.17.Euen for this same purpose hauehave I raised thee vp, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my Name might bee declared thorow all the earth.
That he be glorified, he punisheth ye iniquity of his people, and of his seruants; as in the book of Numbers, hauing declared, that not one of that rebellious assembly shall enter in the Land of promise; he addes, yNum. 14.21.But as truly as I liue, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. And in Leuiticus, hauing sent out fire to deuoure Nadab and Abihu, I zLeu. 10.3will bee sanctified (saith he) in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified.
Because hee is iealous of his glory, hee will be alone serued, saying, aEsa. 42.8My glory will I not giuegive to another, nor my praise to grauen Images. Not that God hath need to be glorified by men, or that hee feeleth himselfe tickled as it were with our prayers; for before that man was created, he inioyed a soueraigne glory. And if he had need of glory, hee hath his Angels that glorifie him in another fashion: for our prayers doe debase his greatnesse, and our seruice is a kind of dis-seruice: our thankes-giuings are secret requests. The louelove wee beare to God, is guided by our interest, and grounded on the louelove of our selues; but hee will be glorified of vsus, because there is no reason that we should receiue vncessantly his goods, without making him some acknowledgement. Because it is also a meanes to draw new benefits, when we burie not the precedent benefits, either with obliuion, or ingratitude.
Therefore God will hauehave vsus sensible of the outrage done to his glory, and that in the affliction of the Church we lament, not the losse of our goods, not our banishment from our houses, not the perill of our liues; but the abasing of his glory, the blaspheming of his holy Name, and the reestablishing of the kingdome of the sonne of perdition. Therefore Moses making intercession for the sinne of the people, doth not alleage the misery of that Nation, nor the ruine of so many persons; but (saith he) What wilt thou doe to thy great Name? bNumb. 14.16.The Egyptians will say, Because the Lord was not able to bring this people vntounto the Land which hee sware vntounto them, therefore he hath slaine them in the Wildernesse. We hauehave also a singular example of this in the Prophecie of Ieremiah, where God denounceth against the King Iehoiakim this iudgement, cIer. 36.23, 29.that his house shal be rooted out, and his dead body shal be cast out in the field, because that after the reading of three or foure leaues of the Prophecie of Ieremiah, hee suffered the Secretary to cut the leaues with the Penknife, and to cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, vntill all the roll was consumed in the fire, that he was not afraid, nor rent his garments.
To this purpose may bee applyed that which the naturalists say, that all naturall things hauehave two diuers inclinations; the one to preserue themselues, the other to preserue the world; as the water glideth downewards to preserue it selfe, for it seeketh after the place of her rest, but sometimes it mounteth vp on high to fill the empty place, because that the vacuum impugneth the lawes, and the conseruation of the vniuersall world; and the particular inclination ought to yeeld to the vniuersall Law, and the generall good. So the faithfull hath these two inclinations; the one, to seeke for his rest and commodity; the other, to procure the glory of God, which is a generall good, and wherunto all things ought to tend and serue it. When these two inclinations doe iustle together, and are incompatible, the preseruation of our goods, and of our liues, ought to bee set apart and left behinde, that God may be glorified.
But thereupon you will aske; But is it lawfull or possible to desire to bee reprooued and cut off eternally from the grace of God, that God may be glorified, and others saued? Not to hold you long in this point: I hold it, that that is neither lawfull, nor possible. For he should bee ill instructed, that should thinke that his damnation could be a sufficient and fit ransome to redeeme or saue others. It were an vniust thing to desire, that a man who loueth God, and feareth him, should be punished for the guilty, and to will that God should commit an iniustice: but the strongest reason is, that if any, pusht on with the louelove of God, desired to bee eternally damned, that God might bee glorified; hee should desire to bee an enemy vntounto God, and to hate him eternally: now they are things incompatible and contradictory, that a man should bee set on by Gods louelove, to desire to hate him; and that with louing him much, he desireth to be his enemie; for all the damned hate God with a soueraigne hatred, and are his enemies for euer.
Therefore when Moses speaketh thus to God, dExod. 32.32.Yet now if thou wilt, for giuegive their sinne; and if not, blot mee, I pray thee, out of thy Booke, which thou hast written. Hee speakes not of the Booke of life, nor of the roll of eternall Election, out of the which hee knew that none can be blotted; but he desireth to bee blotted out of the booke of the liuing; that is to say, to dye, rather then to see the destruction of the people. Of which booke of the living, the Psalmist speaketh, ePsal. 69.28.Let them bee blotted out of the booke of the liuing, and not be written with the righteous: that is to say, Cause them to dye, and extirpe them from off the face of the earth, that they may hauehave no more a place in Gods Church; for that in the two and thirtieth of Exodus, where is mention made of a book, out of the which God blots men; God himselfe declareth, saying in the same place, fExod 32.33.Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee, him will I blot out of my Booke.
For the same reasons, wee say that the Apostle Saint gRom 9.3Paul may hauehave wished, that himselfe were an Anathema, and an execration among men, and separated from Christ as concerning the outward communion; but he could not, nor ought not to hauehave wished to bee a reprobate, and damned eternally. God forbid that any one of vsus should hauehave such an irregular zeale, as to will to bee damned, that God might bee glorified: in that consisteth all the contentment of the faithfull, that hee knoweth that God will bee glorified in doing vsus good.
To conclude, yee are called (my brethren) to glorifie God: this is the taske of the faithfull in this world.
Now you must glorifie God, first, in words, not speaking of him without reuerence, and flying all hypocrisie and false-hood. For as Ioshuah said vntounto Achan, that to hIosh. ….19speake the truth, is to giuegive glory vntounto the Lord.
Besides, you must glorifie God in trusting in his promises; for it is to acknowledge and to assure ones selfe that God is true, as Saint Paul saith, that iRom. 4.20Abraham staggred not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe, but was strong in faith, giuing glory to God. kIoh. 3.33.Whosoeuer hath receiued his testimony, hath set to his seale, that God is true.
Item, you are to glorifie God by good workes, as Iesus Christ saith, lMat. 5.16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen.
You ought to glorifie God in humbling your selues: for there is nothing that is so opposite to Gods glory, as mans glory; as Christ said to the Pharises, How mIoh. 5.44can ye beleeue, which receiue honour one of another, and seeke not the honour that commeth from God onelyonly? For this cause God casteth downe the proud, because that in glorifying themselues, they hauehave not giuen glory vntounto God.
Finally, yee must glorifie God in maintaining his cause, and being mooued with the zeale of his glory; in lieu that wee are quicke to stirre vp our selues for our owne interest, and wee are prickt and moued with a crosse word.
How many persons doe you thinke there are like vntounto Lot, whose soule was n2. Pet. 2.7vexed with the filthy conuersation of Sodom? Or that are mooued as Saint Paul was oAct. 17.16.at Athens, whose spirit was stirred in him, when hee saw the City wholly giuen to Idolatry? Seing yt if one cōmits adultery, others laugh at it: If any one blaspheme, the others heare without being moued, as if Gods quarrell were not ours: Notwithstanding, the truth is, that we are not onelyonly guilty of the sinnes wee commit, but also of those that wee approoue in others.
Notwithstanding, brethren, seeing that all things are made for Gods glory, yea euen pProu. 16.4.the wicked for the day of euill; it is impossible but that ye glorifie God in some sort: for hee that will not glorifie him willingly, shall glorifie him perforce. If he bee not glorified by you, hee shall bee glorified in you; if yee are not the Heralds of his glory, ye shall bee examples of his iustice.
But wee hope better things of you. For God hath not called you and honoured you with his Couenant for nought, but that you may be saued. Labour therefore to glorifie God by worke, and by word; in life, and in death; glorifie God in your life, that hee may glorifie you in your death.
Yea euen in this life hee will make you feele the effect of this promise, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie mee: And will manifest his glory in the deliuerance of his Church. There is yet Balme in Gilead. There are yet some wholesome consolations and remedies with God. His compassions are not quenched: the Lord will not leaue his people, nor forsake his inheritance. For feeing the world hath been made for the Churches sake, it is certaine, that as Satan cannot ouerturne the world, so can hee not ouerturne the Church. The Lord that hath deliuered vsus from the Iawes of the diuell, and from the power of hell, will deliuer vsus also from the hands of men, conspiring against the Church; and hauing made vsus to see his deliuerance here on earth, he will make vsus see his riches in heauen, and receiue vsus in his Kingdome.
Now vntounto the King eternall, immortall, inuisible, the onelyonly wise God, be honour and glory, for euer and euer.
Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Peter du Moulin Jr, The Christian Combat (1623)