The Power of Godliness, Book 5 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Of Petition. What it is. The Necessity, and unspeakable Benefits thereof. Divers Reasons to shew that we must pray to God alone. How we are to conceive of God in our minds, in Prayer. The Rules to be observed in our calling upon God.
Question: WHat are the Parts of Prayer?
Psal. 105.1. Isa 12 4. Moller. in hunc. loc. 1 Sam. 2.1. Jon. 2.1, 2. Psal. 90.1. 2 Sam. 7.27. Phil. 4.6. 1 Thes. 5.17, 18. Psal. 4….8. Psal. 50.15. Gen. 17.18. & 24.12. & 28.3. & 32.11. 1 Reg 8.15. Psal. 4.1. Psal. 19.14. Psal. 5.1, 2. Psal. 142.1, 2. & 143.1. & 140.7. Psal. 141.2. Psal. 79.11. Psal. 39.12. & 38.7. Psal. 21.2. Deut. 1.45. Mat. 26.38. Numb. 16.45. & 20 ….A. Petition and Thanksgiving.
Q. What is Petition?
A. It is a Prayer, wherein we crave of God the preventing or removing of things hurtful, and the obtaining of things needfull, either for this life or the life to come, and that of meer grace through Jesus Christ. This duty is known by the name of Prayer, Request, Meditation, Deprecation, Complaint, Supplication, Intercession, Desire, lifting up of the hands, sighing, weeping, the request of the lips and desire of the heart, and such like. And the godly when they prayed, are said to weep, to watch, to cast themselves upon their face.
Q. Why say you, that Petition is a craving of what we need?
A. We may ask that which is due debt unto us, but in craving we renounce all other titles, and fly wholly to his bounty and kindness, at whose hands we beg and intreat. When superiours will have inferiours do any thing, they may lay their command on them, and so bind them to it, by reason of that obedience which is owing to them from their inferiours: but when inferiours would have this or that from superiours, whom they cannot by any meanes bind to them (for the inferiour hath no authority or power over his superiour) then they fall to intreaty, not moving them otherwise then from hence, because it is fit their bounty and rich estate should supply their indigency, when they are humbly intreated.Dan. 9 8, 9, 19. Thus Daniel and all holy ones have come to God, not for our sakes, to us shame and confusion belongeth, but for thy name sake, thy mercy sake, do thus and thus. For indeed, in that we beg any thing, we confess we have no title in justice to it, and that it is most free for him we intreat, to give it or not to give it, if he please. If I think a thing due to me, and my own by right, I cannot beg it unfeignedly, as I would do a thing which is not mine, further then the bounty of him I intreat, shall bellow it on me.
Q. What Reasons may shew the Necessity of this duty?
A. The first may be taken from Satans malice, and our own dulness and indisposition to this duty; Satan knowing that when we send up our desires to God, it is to fetch supply against him, troubleth the soul, weak of it self, with a world of distractions. Where he cannot corrupt the Doctrine of Prayer with heresies and superstitious follies, there he laboureth to hinder the exercise of it. Wherein we should be so farre from being discouraged, that we should reason rather thus that must needs be an excellent duty which is so irkesome to the flesh, and which the Devil so eagerly sets against. The diligence that Satan useth to steale away the Word of life, that it might not take root in the heart, commendeth to us the excellency of that heavenly truth, Surely that envious one would never seek to hinder us from Prayer, to molest us in Prayer, if it were not an exercise of singular use and comfort. And we should never be so dull and untoward unto it, if it were not spiritual and heavenly. 2. Our great poverty and want should move us to crave without ceasing. Alas, what temptation can we resist, much less overcome without fresh succour? What cross can we endure without impatiency, if we have not new support? What success can we look for, yea, in common affairs, without his blessing? What good can we do, nay think of, without new strength? When we do any good by his power, do we not need pardon for the blemishes of our best performances? What good blessing can we enjoy, so as we defile not our selves in it, without a further blessing giving us with the thing, the holy use of it? Wherefore holy men knowing that God will be sought unto even for those things of which he hath given a Promise, in obedience to his Divine Order, desire to receive all from him as a fruit of their Prayers. And Gods manner is to keep many blessings from his Children untill they have begged them, as delighting to hear his Children speak. The consideration whereof moveth those that have nearest communion with God, to acknowledge him in all their waies, depending on him for direction, strength, success, whereupon he delighteth in shewing himself more familiarly unto them in the sweetest experiences of his love, guiding them by his counsell whilest they abide here, and after bringing them to glory. 3. This should encourage us to this exercise, wherein lyeth all our strength, that if in spite of Satans annoyance and our own indisposition, we will set upon this duty, we shall find our selves by little and little more raised up to Heaven, and our hearts more and more enlarged, God rewarding the use of that little we finde at the first, with encrease of strength and comfort. To him that hath (in the exercise of that he hath) shall be given more. As other graces grow in those that are in the state of grace: so this spirit of Prayer receiveth continuall increase upon more inward acquaintance with God and our own estates. 4. Petition is the Key of Heaven, a most excellent means of ob…aining every good thing. The things we want are of two sorts; such as we may by course of justice redeem, and get to our selves; or such which do meerly depend on the good will of persons, and cannot be gotten, but only by winning their good will: Thus there are two courses of getting things; for we may fetch those former things by commutative justice, by giving a penny for a penny-worth: but the latter things we cannot procure, but by humble intreaty only. Now all heavenly blessings are of this latter sort, such as cannot be gotten, but only from Gods grace and free favour, and therefore such as we cannot otherwise get, than by moving him for them with humble supplication. As this is a part of the Kings Prerogative, to have his subjects petition to him for grace, in regard of their temporall exigencies in which they are: so this is the Prerogative of that Heavenly King, that we should in all things seek to him. 5. The being of every thing teacheth it to pray after a sort to the Creatour: the earth weary with drought, will open the mouth and cry to him; the young Ravens will report their hunger,Psal. 147.9. Zanch. de Rev. lib. 1. in Praeo. de Invoc. and call to their Creatour for sustenance: Shall not we, if we be his Children, report all our wants to him, and seek all good things from him? Look as it is in nature, nothing which doth grow, but hath in it an appetite and attractive force, whereby it doth draw to it self such nourishment as it wanteth: so no soul ever took encrease of grace, but there was in it this appetite of heavenly desire, and attractive force of Prayer, by which it doth draw from the root, even from God in Christ, every thing needfull for it. Let all those that profess the Name of God be exhorted, not to conceive of Prayer as a thing arbitrary and indifferent, but as of a necessary duty. Are any afflicted, let them pray? Are any in prosperity, let them pray? In what condition or state soever ye are, pray: then shall your prosperity be blessed and comfortable, it shall be continued, yea encreased for your good: then shall ye be kept from afflictions, or be made able to bear them, or be made much better by them. In thus doing, ye shall have all such good things as be needfull for you with a blessing upon them, with contentedness without them. By Prayer ye shall obtain pardon of sinnes past, strength to resist temptations of sinnes to come; yea, ye shall keep Satan at the staves end, that he shall not be able to touch you. Pray, and ye shall be blessed with encrease of faith, enriched with plenty of grace, refreshed with comfort and peace in this life, made fruitfull in good works, and crowned with perfection of grace and glory in the life to come. Would we do good to our selves, to our friends, to our enemies? Would we be beneficiall to the Church and Common weale? then let us pray. Nothing so deep, but with this Bucket we may draw it up; nothing so high above us, or so farre from us, but with this hand we may reach it to us. He cannot be miserable, that doth open his griefs unto the Lord, who cannot but regard the voice of his own Spirit. Great is the force of Prayer, and cannot be withstood. He that wrestleth by the strength of Prayer, though he wrestle with the strong God, shall prevail as Jacob did.Hos. 12.4. Of all helps Prayer is the most effectuall, the readiest at hand in all places, and at all times: if we be not without hearts, we need not be without help. Prayer relieveth the distressed mind, strengtheneth the weak, reviveth the dull, enlargeth the straightned, enricheth the poor, preserveth the godly; procureth Divine blessing upon all his Ordinances, and our labours. It is the most universall help; it is good for all persons, at all times, in all things. Yea, which is more then all this, it procureth glory to God. But of all these more distinctly in their proper place. 6. The nature of love is to delight in communication with the beloved,Buc ibid. q 5. whereby it is more kindled and enflamed.
Q. To whom must we pray?
Joh. 16 23.A. To God alone in the Name of Christ Jesus. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you.
Q. Why must we pray to God?
A. He is the true Jehovah, great and terrible, abundant in goodness, infinite in compassion, rich in mercy, of absolute sovereignty: who hath made all things, in whose hands are the deep places of the earth, who only is able to help and succour in all distresses. He is our God and King by Covenant, he perfectly understands the thoughts of all hearts, and to him it belongs to hear all Prayers.Psal. 54.1. 2 Reg. 19.15. Psal. 95.3, 4. Psal. 86.15, 16 & 44.26. Psal. 119.68. Psal. 30.7. Psal. 70.5. Psal. 40.17. Apoc. 14.7. Psal. 95 6, 7 Psal. 119 73. Isa. …4.8. Psal. 138 8. Dan 3.29. Psal. ….2. Psal. 38.9. 1 Reg. 8.39 Psal. 65.2. In all these and many other respects, it is necessary we should call upon the Lord according to his Commandement. O Lord God of Israel, who dwellest beween the Cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the Kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made Heaven and Earth. The Lord is a great God, and a great King above all Gods: In his hands are the deep places of the earth. Thou O Lord, art a God full of compassion and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me and have mercy upon me. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy Statutes. With the Lord there is mercy: and with him is plenteous redemption. Thou art my help and deliverer, make no tarying, O my God. Worship him that made Heaven and Earth. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneele before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn thy Commandements. There is no other God, that can deliver after this sort. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God: for unto thee will I pray. Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee. O thou that hearest all Prayers, unto thee shall all flesh come.
Q. What Reasons are there to shew that we must pray to God alone?
A. 1. The Lord from Heaven hath warned us to take him only for our God,Psal. 81.9, 10, 11. Deut. 32.39. & 6.13. Jer. 17 7.8. Mat. 6.9. Luk. 11.2. Joh. 16.23. & 4..3. Rom. 8.15. Gal. 4.6. Judg. 13.16. Apoc. 14.7. & 19.10. Psal. 5.2. & 105.4. Isa 55.6. and to worship him alone: The Sonne of God teacheth us to say, Our Father which art in heaven; The voice of the Spirit within us is, Abba, Father. Let us ask the opinion of the Angels and Saints. If thou wilt offer a Sacrifice (say they) offer it to God; worship him, who made heaven and earth. And this is the voice of men converted, To thee do we cry. From all this its ready to be concluded, that God only ought to be called upon with joyfull belief: because the invocation of the true God only is commanded in the holy Scriptures, confirmed with Promises touching audience, and commended to us by the examples of Angels and holy men. 2. When Prayer doth not simply ask things, but ask them as meanes making for Gods glory and our salvation; and when no power but God can make inferiour things conduce to the Glory of his name, and the increase of grace in us: hence it is manifest, we cannot ask any thing religiously, but of God only. Even as a natural man cannot desire any thing according to nature, which doth not pertain to the continuing and well-being of nature: so a spiritual man cannot out of grace desire any thing religiously, which doth not some way profit to the conservation and perfection of that grace which is in him. 3. Prayer is a spiritual Sacrifice,1 Pet. 2.5. Psal. 141.2. Mal. 1.11. Rev. 5.8. & 8.4. Luk. 1.10. Exo. 22.20. Deut. 17.3. Act. 14.12, 14. or sweet smelling Incense. But Sacrifice must be offered to the Lord alone. When the Priest of Jupiter with the people would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas, they rent their clothes, and cryed out, Sirs, Why do ye these things? The Rhemists upon that place tell us, that externall Sacrifice may not be offered to man or creature, but to God only: as if Prayer were not more honourable and higher service and worship, then are Bullocks or Calves. For how much the figure is inferiour to the thing figured, and the shadow to the body: by so much is the offering up of Bullocks and Calves inferiour to the Oblation of Prayers.Psal. 50.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Psal. 50.15. & 44.20, 21. Mat. 4.10. Jer. 23.23, 24. Neh. 1.6. Psal. 65.2. & 66.18. Psal 57.2. Eph. 3.20. Jam. 1.5.17. 1 Joh. 5.14. 2 Chro. 6.30. Psal. 94.9, 10. Jer. 17.9. 1 King. 8.39. Act. 1.24. Psal. 7.9. & 44.21. Rom. 10. Jer. 17. De beat. Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 20. Vis. Jun. ani. in Bell. ibid. 4. Prayer to obtain grace or glory is a part of Divine worship. But Divine worship is proper to the Lord alone. 5. He to whom we pray must be able to hear all Prayers in all places, at one time; willing and able to give all good and perfect gifts, good for matter, good for use, and that alwaies; to search the secret corners of the heart, and to understand the thoughts. But God only is every where present, heareth all Prayers, is most willing and able to help, knoweth all hearts, and understandeth every imagination. As for mentall Prayers, the Angels often cannot know them; the Saints in Heaven have no meanes how to understand them for ought the Scripture teacheth. Had they knowledge, yet the other things are doubtfull; for they can do nothing which they will not, and they will not do any thing to which God calleth them not; they are so perfectly conformed to his pleasure, and attend his beckoning in all things. But we know it is the Lords will to be called on, and so to perform that he knoweth we want; and he is both willing and able to supply it unto us. 6. We cannot call upon any religiously, on whom we may not religiously believe. But we are to believe religiously in God alone; to derive faith from any creature is a thing accursed. Bellarmine shuffles to decline the force of this reason, thus; He cannot call upon the Saints, who doth not believe that there are Saints, and in a manner hope in them. But the Scripture sheweth we should believe in the Saints in no manner, but in the Lord alone. It is one thing to have faith of the Saints, another to believe in the Saints: He that denies the former, denies the communion of Saints in the unity of the Spirit; he that affirmes the other, hath neither learned Christ or Piety. Let us then make the Name of the Lord our strong Tower, to which we fly seeking salvation. Men love not to be sorted in any business but with their Peeres and equals; so neither shall the living God like to be matched with his creatures.
Q. Our Saviour teacheth us to pray, Our Father: must we not then pray to the Son, and the holy Spirit?
Mat. 28.19, 20. Joh. 5.23. Isa. 6.3. Joh. 12.41. Act. 28.25.A. As we are baptized into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, so are we to call upon the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: for they are one in essence, the object of religious adoration, and stand in such natural relation to each other, that when one is invocated, all are invocated. The Father excludeth all other persons that are pure creatures, not persons which have the same singular essence with him. But he is fitly named alone, because the Sonne by voluntary dispensation hath the part of a Mediatour,Joh. 14.6. & 16.23. through whom we go to the Father; and the Spirit of Christ the Office of a School-master, teaching what to pray, and as we ought.
Q. Is it necessary alwaies to name the Father, or the three Persons in Trinity distinctly when we call upon God?
A. It is necessary to conceive in mind the true God in Christ, though not distinctly to consider the three Persons. The reason is, because every act of religion doth require that we some way apprehend the object of it; and as there can be no sight without some visible object propounded: so no act of religious worship without this object in some wise conceived. But in wishing the effecting of things, it is not necessary to name any persons, nay, yet God indefinitely. Thus Jabez called on the God of Israel, 1 Chro. 4.10.saying, Oh that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast. Sometimes it is lawfull to name indefinitely, without express mention of any person.Act. 4.24. & 22.24. Psal. 17.1. 2 Thes. 3.5. Lord thou art God, who hast made Heaven and Earth, &c. Hear the right O Lord, attend unto my cry. Instances of this kind are every where in the holy Scriptures. It is lawfull also when we name persons, to name one only, two, or all the three, provided that we name not one as excluding the other two, nor yet two as excluding the third: for thus calling on one, we invocate all: and as naming no person distinctly, we do not dishonour the persons: so naming one and not others, doth no… breed any inequality of honour in our worship. This is confirmed by the approved practice of the Saints in the Scripture, sometimes naming one, sometimes two, sometimes all three persons in Trinity.2 Cor. 13.14. Rev. 1.4, 5. 1 Thes. 3.11. 1 Cor. 1.3. 2 Cor. 1.2. Gal. 1.2. 2 Joh. 3. Eph. 1.17. Act. 7.59. Phil. 4.23. 1 Thes. 5.28. Gal. 6.18. 2 Thes. 3.18. 2 Tim 4.22. Philem. v. 25. Rev. 1.4, 5. 2 Cor. 13.14. 2 Thes. 2.16. Paul shuts up his Epistle to the Corinthians thus; The grace of our Lord Jesus, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. The Apostles begin their Epistles thus, Grace and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Steven prayed when he was put to death, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Lastly, We may name the Spirit before the Sonne, and the Sonne before the Father. For as that precedency seemeth derived from priority of Order and inequality of Office, which is found amongst the Persons by voluntary agreement; so this latter naming of them, seemeth to be grounded on the equality of their natures. In the Revelation, the holy Spirit is named before the Sonne: and St Paul more then once nameth the Sonne before the Father: Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God even our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts.
Q What Rules are further to be observed in our calling upon God?
A. First, We must call upon God by those Titles, by which he hath been pleased to make himself known unto us in his holy Word. God hath revealed himself by certain Titles, Properties and Works, that we might know what he will be to us,Psal. 68.4, 5. and make use of his Name accordingly in our Petitions. Secondly, We must so consider of God when we come unto him in Prayer, as that we may see in him the things we desire.Eph. 1.17. The Apostle going to Prayer for the Ephesians, who had believed on Christ, and about to seek the glorious gifts of the Spirit, which might help them to know the glory reserved for them, he setteth God before him, as the God of that Christ, whom these had now received by faith into their hearts, and the Father of all glory, both of them strengthening his faith. For he could not think that God, the God of Christ, would be wanting to those who were Christs; or that the Father of all glory, would deny these glorious gifts, which he was about to entreat. Thus the Saints still set God before them, as having that in him for which they pray. The Church seeking courage against the rage of Persecutors, and that Wonders might be wrought, they set God before them, as the God of power,Act. 4.24. who had made Heaven and Earth. When David would beg remission of his sinne, he considers of God, as a God with whom there is plenty of redemption or forgiveness.Psal. 51.1.2. When he would have ease in misery, or deliverance from the cruelty of his enemies, he considers of him as a Father of mercy, and God of all consolation. Psal. 86.15, 16 & 79.8, 9. 2 Cor. 1.3, 4. Heb. 13.20, 21.Paul seeking the consummation or perfecting of the believing Hebrews, he doth set God before him, as who had from the lowest humiliation, brought the head of them to glory. This doth strengthen faith, and inflame devotion. When men come to ask of those who have enough of that they seek, and to ask it in such measure only as that it is not any thing for those they sue unto to vouchsafe, they easily perswade themselves that they shall speed. We seek things more securely, when we know them to be where we are in looking them, and we follow them more affectionately, when now we are gotten after a manner into the sight of them. Thirdly, We must call upon God by such Names, Titles, or Descriptions, as are most apt to enflame desires, stirre up reverence,1 Chro. 29.10. confirm faith, or encourage the heart, according as our necessity and disposition doth require. Majesty, Power, Bounty, and Love do shine in the Titles of God; and we are to make use of them especially, that are fittest to raise the heart in desire and faith, or to strike it with awe or reverence as occasion requireth. If many and general requests be to be put up, then such Titles and Names must be used that may perswade we shall be heard in all. If some particular Petition be to be preferred, then choice is to be made of such Titles or Names, as may help the heart in that particular. Abrahams servant being to pray for success in his Masters business, saith, O Lord God of my Master Abraham, Gen. 24.12.I pray thee send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my Master Abraham. When Peter did intreat God to make choice of an Apostle to supply the place of Judas, he saith, Thou Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, Act. 1.24.shew whether of these two thou hast chosen. When David prayeth against the enemies of God and his Children, he saith; O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, Psal 94.1.O God to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thy self. When Jehoshophat was in fear of the Moabites, Ammonites, and others that came against him, he cried unto the Lord, and said: O Lord God of our Fathers, Art not thou God in Heaven? and rulest not thou over all the Kingdoms of the Heathen? 2 Chro. 20.6.and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Nehemiah and Daniel praying for the people that were in distress, use this Preface;Neh. 1.5. Dan. 9 4 O Lord God of Heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth Covenant and mercy for them that love him, and observe his Commandements. If the heart be dejected in conscience of thine unworthiness, consider of God as a loving and mercifull Father, that is most ready to hear and help. If thou be in deep distress, it is good to adde the consideration of his power and goodness, who is able and willing to work thy enlargement. But now, O Lord, thou art our Father. Isa. 64.8.It is behovefull for every one that would make a good entrance into Prayer (without which he is not like to make a good proceeding) to acquaint himself with the true understanding of the manifold Names and Descriptions of God recorded in Scripture, and then to make choice of such Titles to Name him by, as are most fit to incite reverence, confirm faith, and are specially to be exercised in granting his requests.Deut. 4.16, 17 Exo. 20.4. Fourthly, The express Commandement of God forbiddeth to worship him by any Image or similitude, and he himself sheweth in many places, that he will severely punish the sinne of them that shall give his glory to dumb Idols. Fifthly, God best knowes himself, and those Titles are fittest which he hath manifested of himself; which are more clearly revealed in the New Testament, in the time of Christ, than in the Old.