Of the Commandments. (28) to Of the Commandments. (30)

Of the Commandments. (28)

Resp. It is a setting up a Court in Conscience, and keeping a Register there, that by a strict Scrutiny a Man may see how Matters stand between God and his Soul. Self-examination is a Spiritual Inquisition, an Heart-Anatomy, whereby a Man takes his Heart as a Watch, all in pieces, and sees what is defective there. It is a Dialogue with ones self. Psal. 77.7. I commune with my own Heart. David call'd himself to Account, and put Interrogatories to his own Heart. Self-examining is a critical Descant or Search; as the Woman in the Parable did light a Candle, and search for her lost Groat, Luke 15.8. So Conscience is the Candle of t[gap] Lord. Search with this Candle what thou canst find wrought by the Spirit in thee?

Quest. 3. What is the Rule by which we must Examine our selves?

Resp. The Rule or Measure we must Examine our selves by, is, the Holy Scripture: We must not make Fancy, or the good Opinion which others have of us, the Rule by which we judge of our selves: But as the Goldsmith brings his Gold to the Touch-stone, so must we bring our Hearts to a Scripture Touch-stone: To the Law, to the Testimony, Isa. 8.20. What saith the Word? Are we divorced from Sin? Are we renewed by the Spirit? Let the Word decide whether we are fit Communicants or no. We judge of Colours by the Sun; so must we judge of the state of our Souls by the Sun-light of Scripture.

Quest. 4. What are the cogent Reasons why we must Examine our selves before we approach to the Lord's Table?

Resp. 1. It is a Duty imposed; Let him examine himself. The Passover was not to be eaten Raw, Exod. 12.19. To come to such an Ordinance slightly, without Examination, is to come in an undue manner, and is like Eating the Passover Raw.

2. We must examine our selves before we come, because it is not only a Duty imposed, but opposed. There is nothing the Heart naturally is more averse from, than Self-exemination. We may know that Duty is good, which the Heart opposeth. But why doth the Heart so oppose it? Because it doth cross the Tide of Corrupt Nature; 'tis contrary to Flesh and Blood. The Heart is guilty; and doth a guilty Person love to be examined? The Heart opposeth it, therefore the rather set upon it. That Duty is good which the Heart opposeth.

3. Because Self-examining is so needful a Work; as appears: (1.) Without Self-examination a Man can never tell how it is with him, whether he hath Grace or no; and this must needs be very uncomfortable. He knows not if he should die presently, what will become of him, or to what Coast he shall sail, whether to Hell or Heaven. As Socrates said, I am about to die, and the gods know whether I shall be happy or miserable. How needful therefore is Self-examination, that a Man by Search may come to know the true state of his Soul, and may guess how it will go with him to Eternity.

(2.) Self-examination is needful in respect of the Excellency of the Sacrament. Let him eat de illo Pane, Of that Bread, 1 Cor. 11.28. That excellent Bread, that consecrated Bread, that Bread which is not only the Bread of the Lord, but the Bread the Lord. Let him drink de illo Poculo, Of that Cup; that precious Cup which is perfum'd and spic'd with Christ's Love; that Cup which holds the Blood of God Sacramentally. Cleopatra put a Jewel in a Cup, which contained the price of a Kingdom. This Sacred Cup we are to drink of, enriched with the Blood of God, is above the Price of a Kingdom: It is more worth than Heaven. Therefore

coming to such a Royal Feast, having whole Christ, his Divine and Humane Nature to feed on, how should we examine our selves before-hand, that we may be fit Guests for such a Magnificent Banquet!

(3.) Self-examining is needful, because God will examine us. That was a sad Question, Matth. 22.12. Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a Wedding Garment? Men are loth to ask themselves the Question, O my Soul, art thou a fit Guest for the Lord's Table? Are there not some Sins thou hast to bewail? Are there not some Evidences for Heaven that thou hast to get? Now when Persons will not ask themselves the Question, then God will bring such a Question as this to them, How came ye in hither to my Table not prepared? How came ye in hither with an unbelieving or profane Heart? It will be such a Question as will cause an Heart-trembling. God will examine a Man as the chief Captain did Paul with Scourging, Acts 22.24. 'Tis true, the best Saint, if God should weigh him in the Ballance, would be sound defective. But when a Christian hath made an impartial Search, and hath laboured to deal uprightly between God and his own Soul, Christ's Merits will cast in some Grains of Allowance into the Scales.

(4.) Self-examining is needful, because of that Secret Corruption in the Heart, which will not be found out without searching. There are in the Heart Plangendae Tenebrae, Aug. Hidden Pollutions. It is with a Christian, as with Ioseph's Brethren, when the Steward accused them of having the Cup; they were ready to swear they had not the Cup in their Sack, but upon Search it was found there. Little doth a Christian think what Pride, Atheism, Uncleanness is in his Heart till he searcheth. Therefore if there be such hidden Wickedness, like a Spring that runs under Ground, we had need examine our selves, that finding out our secret Sin, we may be humbled and repent. Hidden Sins, if not searched out, defile the Soul. If Corn lie long in the Chaff, the Chaff defiles the Corn; hidden Sins layn long in, defile our Duties. Needful therefore it is before we come to the Holy Supper, to search out these hidden Sins, as Israel searched for Leaven before they came to the Passover.

(5.) Self-examining is needful, because without it we may easily have a Cheat put upon us. Ier. 17.9. The Heart is deceitful above all things. Many a Man's Heart will tell him, he is fit for the Lord's Table. As when Christ asked the Sons of Zebedee, Matth. 20.22. Are ye able to drink the Cup I shall drink of? Can ye drink such a Bloody Cup of Suffering? They say unto him, We are able. So the Heart will suggest to a Man, He is fit to drink of the Sacramental Cup, he hath on the Wedding Garment. Grande profundum est homo, Aug. The Heart is a Grand Impostor. It is like a cheating Tradesman, which will put one off with bad Wares. The Heart will put a Man off with [gap]eming Grace in stead of saving. A Tear or two shed is Repentance, a few lazie Desires is Faith. Blue and red Flowers that grow among the Corn look like good Flowers, but they are beautiful Weeds. The foolish Virgins Lamps looked as if they had had Oyl in them, but they had none. Therefore to prevent a Cheat, that we may not take False Grace in stead of True, we had need make a thorough Disquisition and Search of our Hearts before we come to the Lord's Table.

(6.) Self-examining is needful, because of those False Fears the Godly are apt to nourish in their Hearts, which make them go sad to the Sacrament. As they who have no Grace for want of Examining, presume; so they who have Grace, for want of Examining, are ready to despair. Many of God's Children look upon themselves through the black Spectacles of Fear. They fear Christ is not formed in them, they fear they have no Right to the Promise; and these Fears in the Heart cause Tears in the Eye: Whereas would they but search and examine, they might find they had Grace. Are not their Hearts humbled for Sin? And what is this but the bruised Reed? Do they not weep after the Lord? And what are these Tears but Seeds of Faith? Do they not Thirst after Christ in an Ordinance? What is this but the New Creature crying for the Breast? Here are, you see, Seeds of Grace; and would Christians examine their Hearts, they might see there is something of God in them, and so their false Fears would be prevented, and they might approach with Comfort to these Holy Mysteries in the Eucharist.

Mark XIV.22.

Iesus took Bread, &c.

(7.) Self-examining is needful, in respect of the Danger in coming unworthily without Examination, 1 Cor. 11.27. He shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Par facit quasi Christum trucidaret. Grotius.—i. e. God reckons with him as with a Crucifyer of the Lord Iesus. He doth not Drink Christ's Blood, but sheds it, and so brings that Curse upon him as the Jews, His Blood be upon us and our Children. The Vertue of Christ's Blood nothing more comfortable, the Guilt of it nothing more Formidable.

4. We must examine our selves before the Sacrament, in respect of the Difficulty of Self-examining Work. Difficulty raiseth a Noble Spirit. Self-examining is difficult: (1.) Because it is an Inward Work, it lies most with the Heart. External Acts of Devotion are easie: To lift up the Eye, to bow the Knee, to read over a few Prayers, this is as easie as for the Papists to tell over a few Beads. But to examine a Man's self, to take the Heart as a Watch, all in pieces, to make a Scripture-Trial of our Fitness for the Lord's Supper, this is not easie. Reflexive Acts are hardest: The Eye cannot see its self but by a Glass. We must have the Glass of the Word and Conscience to see our own Hearts. 'Tis easie to spy the Faults of others, but it is hard to find out our own. (2.) Self-examination is difficult in regard of Self-Love. As Ignorance blinds, so Self-love flatters. What Solomon saith of Love, Prov. 10.12. Love covereth all Sins, is most true of Self-love. A Man looking upon himself in the Glass of Self-love, (that flattering Glass) his Vertues appear greater than they are, and his Sins lesser. Self-love makes a Man rather excuse himself, than examine himself. Self-love makes one think the best of himself; and he who hath a good Opinion of himself, doth not suspect himself; and not suspecting himself, he is not forward to Examine himself. The Work therefore of self-Examination being so difficult, it requires the more Impartiality and Industry. Difficulty should be a Spur to Diligence.

5. We must examine our selves before we come, because of the Beneficialness of Self-examination. The Benefit is great which way soever things turn. If upon Examination we find that we have not Grace in Truth, then the Mistake is discovered, and the Danger prevented. If we find that we have Grace, we may take the Comfort of it. He who upon Search finds that he hath the Minimum quod sic, The least Degree of Grace, he is like one that hath found his Box of Evidences, he is an happy Man, he is a fit Guest at the Lord's Table, he is Heir to all the Promises, he is as sure to go to Heaven as if he were in Heaven already. These are the Reasons why we must examin our selves before we approach to the Lord's Table.

Quest. 5. What must we Examine?

Answ. 1. Our Sins.

2. Our Graces.

First, Our Sins. Search if any dead Fly might spoil this sweet Oyntment. When we come to the Sacrament, we should do as the Jews did before the Passover; they searched for Leaven, and having found it did burn it. 1. Let us search for the Leaven of Pride: This sowres our Holy things. We are born with a Spiritual Tympany. Will an humble Christ be received into a Proud Heart? Pride keeps Christ out—Intus existens prohibet alienum—"Pride swells the Heart; and Christ cannot come into the Heart if it be full already. To a proud Man Christ's Blood hath no Vertue, 'tis like Dioscordium put into a dead Man's Mouth, which loseth its Vertue. Let us search for this Leaven of Pride and cast it away. 2. Let us search for the Levaen of Avarice. The Lord's Supper is a Spiritual Mystery, it represents Christ's Body and Blood; what should an earthly Heart do here? The Earth puts out the Fire. Earthliness quencheth the Fire of holy Love. The Earth is Elementum Gravissimum, it cannot ascend. A Soul belimed with Earth cannot ascend to

Heavenly Cogitations. Col. 3.5. Covetousness which is Idolatry. Will Christ come into that Heart where there is an Idol? Search for this Leaven before you come to this Ordinance. How can an earthly Heart converse with that God which is a Spirit? Can a Clod of Earth kiss the Sun? 3. Search for the Leaven of Hypocrisie. Luke 12.1. Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees, which is Hypocrisie. Aquinas describes it, Simulatio Virtutis. Hypocrisie is a counterfeiting of Vertue. The Hypocrite is a living Pageant, he only makes a show of Religion: He gives God his Knee, but no Heart; and God gives him Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, but no Christ. Oh let us search for this Leaven of Hypocrisie, and burn it!

Secondly, We must examine our Graces. I shall instance only in one, Our Knowledge.

• 1. Whether we have Knowledge.

• 2. Whether it be rightly Qualified.

(1.) We are to examine whether we have Knowledge, else we cannot give God a reasonable Service, Rom. 12.1. Knowledge is a necessary Requisite in a Communicant. Without Knowledge there can be no Fitness for the Sacrament. A Person cannot be fit to come to the Lord's Table who hath no Goodness, but without Knowledge the Mina is not good, Prov. 19.2. Some say they have good Hearts, tho they want Knowledge. As if one should say, His Eye is good, but it wants Sight. Under the Law, when the Plague of Leprosie was in a Man's Head, the Priest was to pronounce him unclean. The ignorant Person hath the Plague in his Head, he is unclean. Ignorance is the Womb of Lust, 1 Pet. 1.14. Therefore it is requisite before we come, to Examine our selves what Knowledge we have in the main Fundamentals of Religion. Let it not be said of us, that to this Day the Vail is upon our Heart, 2 Cor. 3.15. But sure in this Intelligent Age we cannot but have some Insight into the Mysteries of the Gospel. I rather fear, we are like Rachel, who was fair and well-sighted, but barren: Therefore,

(2.) Let us examine whether our Knowledge be rightly Qualified. 1. Is it Influential? Doth our Knowledge warm our Heart? Claritas in intellectu parit ardorem in affectu. Saving Knowledge doth not only direct, but quicken: 'Tis Lumen Vitae, the Light of Life, Iohn 8.12. 2. Is our Knowledge Practical? We hear much; do we live the Truths we know? That is the right Knowledge which doth not only adorn the Mind, but reform the Life.

Secondly, This solemn preparing for the Sacrament, as it consists in examining our selves, so in dressing our Souls before we come. And this Soul-dress is in two things.

1. Washing in the Laver of Repenting Tears: To come to this Ordinance with the Guilt of any sin unrepented of, makes way for the further hardening of our Heart, and giving Satan fuller possession of us. Zech. 12.10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for him. The Cloud of Sorrow must drop into Tears. We must grieve as for the Pollution, so for the Vnkindness in every sin: To sin against Christ's Love who died for us. When Peter thought of Christ's Love, who call'd him out of his Unregeneracy, made him an Apostle, and carried him up to the Mount of Transfiguration, where he saw the Glory of Heaven in a Vision, and then to think of his Denying Christ, it broke his Heart, he wept bitterly, Matth. 26.75. To think before we come to a Sacrament of our sins against the Bowel-Mercies of God the Father, the bleeding Wounds of God the Son, the blessed Inspirations of God the Holy Ghost, it is enough to broach our Eyes with Tears, and put us into an Holy Agony of Grief and Compunction: And we must be so distressed for sin, as to be divorced from sin. The Serpent before he drinks casts up his Poyson. In this we must be wise as Serpents; before we drink of the Sacramental Cup, we must cast up the Poyson of sin by Repentance. Ille verè plangit commissa, qui non committit plangenda—He doth truly bewail the sins he hath committed, who doth not commit the sins he hath bewailed. And this is the Dressing our Souls before we come, washing in the Waters of true Rpentance.

Of the Commandments. (29)

2. The Soul-dress is the exciting and stirring up the Habit of Grace into a lively Exercise. 2 Tim. 1.6. I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the Gift of God which is in thee: i. e. The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit. The Greek Word to stir up, [gap], signifies to blow up Grace into a Flame. Grace is oft like Fire in the Embers, which needs blowing up. It is possible that even a good Man may not come so well disposed to this Ordinance, because he hath not before taken pains with his Heart to come in Due Order: He hath not stirred up Grace into its vigorous Exercise, and so, tho he doth not eat and drink Damnation, yet he doth not receive Consolation in the Sacrament. Thus you see what this Dressing of our Souls is, before we come.

Thirdly, This Solemn preparing for the Sacrament is, in begging a Blessing upon the Ordinance. The Sacrament is not like Physick, which hath an inherent operative Vertue: No, but the Efficacy of the Sacrament depends upon the Co-operation of the Spirit, and a Word of Blessing. In the Institution Christ blessed the Elements. Iesus took Bread and blessed it. In the Text, the Sacrament, will no further do us good, then as it is blessed to us. We ought then before we come, to pray for a Blessing on the Ordinance, that the Sacrament may be not only a Sign to represent, but a Seal to confirm, and an Instrument to convey Christ and all his Benefits to us. We are to pray that this great Ordinance may be Poyson to our Sins, and Food to our Graces: That as it was with Ionathan, when he had tasted the Honey-Comb, his Eyes mere enlightned, 1 Sam. 14.27. So that by our receiving this Holy Eucharist, our Eyes may be so enlightned, as to discern the Lord's Body. Thus should we implore a Blessing upon the Ordinance before we come. The Sacrament is like a Tree hung full of Fruit; but none of this Fruit will fall, unless shaken by the Hand of Prayer.

(2.) That the Sacrament may be effectual to us, as there must be a Due Preparing for it, so a right partaking of it: Which right Participation of the Sacrament is in Three Things:

1. When we draw nigh to God's Table in an humble Sense of our Vnworthiness. We do not deserve one Crumb of the Bread of Life; we are poor Indigent Creatures who have lost our Glory, and are like a Vessel that is Shipwrack'd: We smite on our Breast as the Publican, God be merciful to us Sinners. This is a right Partaking of the Ordinance. 'Tis part of our Worthiness to see our Unworthiness.

2. We rightly partake of the Sacrament, when at the Lord's Table we are fill'd with Anhelations of Soul, and inflamed Desires after Christ, and nothing can quench our Thirst but his Blood. Matth. 5.6. [gap], Blessed are they that thirst. They are blessed not only when they are filled, but while they are thirsting.

3. A right participation of the Supper is, when we receive in Faith. Without Faith we get no good. What is said of the Word Preached, It profiteth not, not being mixed with Faith, Heb. 4.2. is as true of the Sacrament. Christ turned Stones into Bread: Unbelief turns the Bread into Stones, that it doth not nourish. Then we partake aright when we come in Faith. Faith hath a two-fold Act, an adhering and an applying. By the first Act we go over to Christ, by the second Act we bring Christ over to us, Gal. 2.20. This is the great Grace we must set awork, Acts 10.43. Philo calls it, Fides Occulata, Faith is the Eagle Eye that discerns the Lord's Body: Faith causeth a virtual Contact, it toucheth Christ. Christ said to Mary, Touch me not, &c. Iohn 20.17. She was not to touch him with the Hands of her Body. But he saith to us, Touch me, Touch me with the Hand of your Faith. Faith makes Christ present to the Soul. The Believer hath a real Presence in the Sacrament. The Body of the Sun is in the Firmament, but the Light of the Sun is in the Eye. Christ's Essence is in Heaven, but he is in a Believers Heart by his Light and Influence. Eph. 3.17. That Christ may dwell in your Heart by Faith. Faith is the Pallat which tastes Christ, 1 Pet. 2.3. Faith makes a Concoction; it causeth the Bread of Life to nourish . Faith causeth a Coalition, it makes us one with Christ, Eph. 1.23. Other Graces make us like Christ, Faith makes us Members of Christ.

Fourthly, Then we partake aright of the Sacrament, when we receive in Love.

(1.) Love to Christ. Who can see Christ pierced with a Crown of Thorns, sweating in his Agony, bleeding on the Cross, but his Heart must needs be endeared in Love to him? How can we but love him, who hath given his Life a ransom for us? Love is the Spiced Wine and Juyce of the Pomgranate which we must give Christ, Cant. 8.2. Our Love to this Superiour and Blessed Jesus, must exceed our Love to other things; as the Oyl runs above the Water. Tho' we cannot with Mary bring our costly Oyntment to anoynt Christ's Body, yet we do more than this, when we bring him our Love, which is sweeter to him than all Oyntments and Perfumes.

(2.) Love to the Saints. This is a Love-Feast. Tho' we must eat this Supper with the Bitter Herbs of Repentance, yet not with the bitter Herbs of Malice. Were it not sad, if all the Meat one eats should turn to bad Humours? He who comes in Malice to the Lord's Table, all he eats is to his hurt: He eats and drinks Damnation to himself, 1 Cor. 11.29.—Come in Love. It is with Love as it is with Fire: You keep Fire all the Day upon the Hearth, but upon special occasions you draw the Fire out larger. So tho we must have Love to all, yet to the Saints who are our Fellow-Members, here we must draw out the Fire of our Love larger; and we must show the Largeness of our Affections to them, by prizing their Persons, by chusing their Company, by doing all Offices of Love to them; counselling them in their Doubts, comforting them in their Fears, supplying them in their Wants. Thus one Christian may be an Eben-ezer to another, and as an Angel of God to him. The Sacrament cannot be effectual to him, who doth not receive in Love. If a Man drinks Poyson, and then takes a Cordial, the Cordial will do him little good. He who hath the Poyson of Malice in his Soul, the Cordial of Christ's Blood will do him no good: Come therefore in Love and Charity. And thus we see how we may receive the Supper of the Lord, that it may be Effectual to our Salvation.

Vse I. From the whole Doctrine of the Sacrament, learn, How precious should a Sacrament be to us! It is a Sealed Deed to make over the Blessings of the New Covenant to us, [Justification, Sanctification, Glory.] A small piece of Wax put to a Parchment is made the Instrument to confirm a rich Conveyance or Lordship to another: So these Elements in the Sacrament of Bread and Wine, tho in themselves of no great value, yet being consecrated to be Seals to Confirm the Covenant of Grace to us, so they are of more value than all the Riches of the Indies.

Vse II. The Sacrament being such an Holy Mystery, let us come to this Holy Mystery with Holy Hearts. There's no receiving a crucify'd Christ but into a consecrated Heart. Christ in his Conception lay in a pure Virgins Womb, and at his Death his Body was wrapped in clean Linnen, and put in a new Virgin-Tomb never yet defiled with Rottenness. If Christ would not lie in an unclean Grave, sure he will not be received into an unclean Heart. Isa. 52.11. Be ye clean that bear the Vessels of the Lord. If they who did carry the Vessels of the Lord were to be holy, then they who are to be the Vessels of the Lord, and are to hold Christ's Body and Blood, ought to be holy.

Vse III. Consolation. Christ's Body and Blood in the Sacrament is a most Sovereign Elixir, or Comfort to a distressed Soul. Christ having poured out his Blood, now God's Justice is fully satisfied. There is in the Death of Christ enough to answer all Doubts. What if Sin is the Poyson, here is the Flesh of Christ an Antidote against it? What if Sin be red as Scarlet, is not Christ's Blood of a deeper Colour, and can wash away Sin? If Satan strikes us with his Darts of Temptation, here is a precious Balm comes out of Christ's Wounds to heal us, Isa. 53.5. What, tho we feed upon the Bread of Affliction, as long as in the Sacrament we feed upon the Bread of Life? So that Christ received aright Sacramentally, is an universal Medicine for the healing, and an universal Cordial for the cheering of our distressed Souls.

III. The Benefits of our Redemption are applyed to us by Prayer.

Psalm 109.4.

But I give my self to Prayer.

I shall not expatiate upon Prayer at large, being to speak more fully to it in the Lords Prayer. But to the words,

I give my self to Prayer. It is one thing to Pray, and another thing to be given to Prayer. He who prays frequently is said to be given to Prayer; as he who often distributes Almes, is said to be given to Charity. Prayer is a glorious Ordinance, it is the Souls trading with Heaven. God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by Prayer.

Quest. 1. What Prayer is?

Answ. It is an offering up of our desires to God, for things agreeable to his Will, in the Name of Christ.

1. Prayer is an offering up of our Desires]: Therefore it is called a making known of our Requests, Phil. 4.6. In Prayer we come as humble Petitioners, begging to have our Suit granted.

2. 'Tis offering up our Desires to God.] Prayer is not to be made to any but God. The Papists pray to Saints and Angels, but they know not our grievances. Isa. 63.16. Abraham is ignorant of us. And all Angel-worship is forbidden; Col. 2.18, 19. We must not pray to any but whom we may believe in; Rom. 10.14. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? But we cannot believe in an Angel, therefore we must not pray to him.

Quest. Why must Prayer be made only to God?

Resp 1. Because he only hears Prayer. Psal. 65.2. O thou that hearest Prayer. Hereby God is known to be the true God, in that he hears Prayer. 1 Kin. 18.37. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that the people may know that thou art the Lord God.

2. Because God only can help We may look to second Causes, and cry as the Woman did, 2 Kings 6.26. Help my lord, O king. And he said, if the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? If we are in outward distress God must send from Heaven and save; if we are in inward agonies, he only can pour in the Oyl of Joy, therefore Prayer is to be made to him only.

3. For things agreeable to his Will. When we pray for outward things, for Riches or Children, perhaps God sees these things are not good for us; our Prayers must comport with Gods Will. We may pray absolutely for Grace; For this is the will of God, our Sanctification. 1 Thess. 4.3. There might be no strange incense offered. Exod. 30 9. When we pray for things which are not agreeable to Gods Will, it is offering strange Incense.

4. In the Name of Christ. To pray in the Name of Christ is not only to mention Christs Name in Prayer, but to pray in the hope and confidence of Christs Merit. 1 Sam. 7.9. Samuel took a sucking Lamb and offered it, &c. We must carry the Lamb Christ in the arms of our Faith, and so we prevail in Prayer. When Vzziah would offer Incense without a Priest, God was angry and struck him with Leprosie. 2 Chron. 26.16. When we do not pray in Christs Name, in the hope of his Mediation, we offer up Incense without a Priest, and what can we expect but to meet with rebukes, and to have God answer us by terrible things.

Quest. 2. What are the parts of Prayer?

Answ. 1. There is the Confessory part, which is the acknowledging of Sin. 2. The Supplicatory part, when we either deprecate and pray against some evil, or request the obtaining of some good. 3. The Gratulatory part, when we give thanks for Mercies received, which is the most excellent part of Prayer. In Petition we act like Men, in giving of Thanks we act like Angels.

Quest. 3. What are the several sorts of Prayer?

Resp. 1. There is Mental Prayer, in the Mind, 1 Sam. 1.13. 2. Vocal, Psalm 77.1. 3. Ejaculatory, which is a sudden and short elevation of the heart to God. Neh. 2.4. So I prayed to the God of Heaven. 4. Conceiv'd Prayer; when we pray for those things which God puts into our heart. Rom. 8.26. The Spirit helps us with sighs and groans. Both the expressions of the tongue so far as they are right, and the impressions of the heart are from the Spirit. 5. Prescribed Prayer: Our Saviour hath set us a pattern of Prayer. God prescribed a set Form of Blessing for the Priests▪ Numb. 6.23. 6. Publick Prayer; when we pray in the audience of others. Prayer is more powerful when many joyn and unite their forces. Vis uni[gap]a fortior: Matth. 18.19. 7. Private Prayer; when we pray by our selves. Mat. 6.6. Enter into thy closet.

Quest. 4. What is that Prayer which is most like to prevail with God?

Resp. When Prayer is rightly qualified. That is a good Medicine which hath the right ingredients. That Prayer is good, and is most like to prevail with God, which hath these seven ingredients in it:

1. Prayer must be mixed with Faith; Iam. 1.6. But let him pray in faith. Believe God hears and will in his due time grant: Believe Gods Love and Truth. Believe that he is Love, therefore will not deny you; believe that he is Truth, therefore will not deny himself: Faith sets God a work. Faith is to Prayer as the Feather is to the Arrow. Faith feathers the arrow of Prayer, and makes it fly swifter, and pierce the Throne of Grace. Prayer that is faithless is fruitless.

2. A melting Prayer; Psal. 51.17. The sacrifices of God are a broken heart: The incense was to be beaten, to typifie the breaking of the heart in prayer. O saith a Christian, I cannot pray with such gifts and elocution as others; as Moses said, I am not eloquent: But canst thou weep? Doth thy Heart melt in Prayer? Weeping prayer prevails. Tears drop as pearls from the eye. Iacob wept and made supplication, and had power over the Angel. Hos. 12.4.

3. Prayer must be fired with zeal and fervency: Iam. 5.16. Effectual fervent Prayer prevails much. Cold Prayers like cold Suitors never speed. Prayer without fervency, is like a Sacrifice without Fire. Prayer is called a pouring out of the Soul, 1 Sam. 1.15. to signifie vehemency. Formality starves prayer. Prayer is compared to Incense; Psal. 141.2. Let my prayer be set forth as incense. Hot Coals were to be put to the Incense to make it odoriferous and fragrant; fervency of Affection is like Coals put to the Incense, it makes prayer ascend as a sweet perfume. Christ prayed with strong cryes; Heb. 5.7. Clamor iste penetrat nubes. Luther. Fervent prayer, like a petard set against Heaven gates, makes them fly open. To cause holy fervour and ardency of Soul in prayer, consider; 1. Prayer without fervency is no prayer; it is speaking not praying. Lifeless prayer is no more prayer, than the picture of a Man is a Man. One may say as Pharaoh, Gen. 41. I have dreamed a dream: It is dreaming not praying. Affectus operi nomen imponit. Ambr. Life and fervency baptizeth a Duty, and gives it a name. 2. Consider in what need we stand of those things which we ask in prayer. We come to ask the favour of God, and if we have not his love all we enjoy is cursed to us. We pray that our Souls may be washed in Christs Blood, and if he wash us not we have no part in him, Iohn 13.8. When will we be earnest if not when we are praying for the life of our Souls. 3. It is only fervent prayer hath the promise of Mercy affixed to it; Ier. 29.14. Then shall ye find me when ye search for me with all your heart. 'Tis dead praying without a promise; and the promise is made only to ardency. The Aediles among the Romans had their doors always standing open, that all who had petitions might have free access to them. Gods heart is ever open to fervent prayer.

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4. Prayer must be sincere. Sincerity is the Silver-thread, which must run through the whole Duties of Religion. Sincerity in prayer is when we have gracious holy ends in prayer. Our prayer is not so much for Temporal Mercies as Spiritual. We send out our prayer as a Merchant sends out his Ship, that we may have large returns of Spiritual Blessings: Our aim in prayer is, that our Heart may be more holy, that we may have more Communion with God. Our design is that by prayer we may encrease the stock of Grace. Prayer which wants a good aim, wants a good issue.

5. Prayer that will prevail with God must have fixation of mind: Psal. 57.7. O God my heart is fixed. Since the fall the mind is like Quick-silver which will not fix; it hath principium motus but non quietis: The thoughts will be roving and dancing up and down in prayer: Just as if a Man that is travelling to such a place should turn out of the road, and wander he knows not whither. In prayer we are travelling to the Throne of Grace, but how often do we by vain cogitations turn out of the road, which is rather wandring than praying.

Quest. But how shall we cure these vain impertinent thoughts, which do so distract us in Prayer, and we may fear hinder the acceptance.

Answ. 1. Be very apprehensive in Prayer of the infiniteness of Gods Majesty and Purity. Gods eye is upon us in Prayer, and we may say as David, Psal. 56.8. Thou tellest my wandrings: The thoughts of this would make us hoc agere, mind the Duty we are about. If a Man were to deliver a petition to an Earthly Prince, would he at that time be playing with a feather? Set your selves when you pray as in Gods presence: Could you but look through the key-hole of Heaven, and see how devout and intent the Angels are in their worshipping God, sure you would be ready to blush at your vain thoughts and wild impertinencies in Prayer.

2. If you would keep your Mind fixed in prayer, keep your Eye fixed; Psalm 123.1. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the Heavens. Much vanity comes in at the eye. When the eye wanders in prayer the heart wanders. To think to keep the heart fixed in Prayer, and yet let the eye gaze, is as if one should think to keep his house safe, yet let the windows be open.

3. If you would have your thoughts fixed in Prayer, get more love to God. Love [gap] a great fixer of the thoughts. He who is in love cannot keep his thoughts off the Object. He who loves the World his thoughts run undisturbedly upon the World. Did we love God more our minds would be more intent upon him in Prayer. Were there more delight in Duty there would be less distraction.

4. Implore the help of Gods Spirit to fix our minds, and make them intent and serious in Prayer. The Ship without a Pilot rather floats than sails: that our thoughts do not float up and down in Prayer we need the Blessed Spirit to be our pilot to steer us; only Gods Spirit can bound the thoughts. A shaking Hand may as well write a line steadily, as we can keep our Hearts fixed in Prayer without the Spirit of God.

5. Make holy thoughts familiar to you in your ordinary course of Life. David was oft musing on God; Psal. 139.18. When I awake I am still with thee. He who gives himself liberty to have vain thoughts out of Prayer, will scarce have other thoughts in Prayer.

6 If you would keep your Mind fixed on God, watch your Hearts; not only watch them after prayer, but in prayer. The Heart will be apt to give you the slip, and have a thousand vagaries in prayer. We read of Angels ascending and descending on Jacobs Ladder: So in Prayer, you shall find your Hearts ascending to Heaven, and in a moment descending upon Earthly Objects: O Christians, watch your Hearts in prayer. What a shame is it to think, that when we are speaking to God in prayer, our Hearts should be in the Fields, or in our Compting house, or one way or other running upon the Devils errand.

7. Labour for more degrees of Grace. The more Ballast the Ship hath the better it sails; so the more the Heart is ballasted with Grace, the steadier it will sail to Heaven in Prayer.

6. Prayer that is likely to prevail with God must be Argumentative: God loves to have us plead with him and use Arguments in Prayer; see how many Arguments Iacob used in Prayer; Gen. 32.11. Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother. The Arguments he useth are, 1. From Gods Command, ver. 9. Thou saidst to me; return to thy Country: As if he had said, I did not take this Journey of my own head, but by thy direction, therefore thou canst not but in honour protect me: And he useth another Argument; ver. 12. Thou saidst I will surely do thee good. Lord, wilt thou go back from thy own promise? Thus he was Argumentative in Prayer, and he got not only a new Blessing, but a new Name; ver. 28. Thy name shall no more be called Iacob but Israel; for as a Prince hast thou had power with God and prevailed. God loves to be overcome with strength of Argument. Thus when we come to God in prayer for Grace be Argumentative; Lord, thou callest thy self the God of all grace, and whither should we go with our Vessel but to the Fountain: Lord, thy grace may be imparted yet not impaired: Hath not Christ purchased grace for poor indigent Creatures? Every dram of Grace cost a drop of Blood. Shall Christ dye to purchase Grace for us, and shall not we have the Fruit of his purchase? Lord it is thy delight to milk out the Breast of Mercy and Grace, and wilt thou abridge thy self of thy own delight? Thou hast promised to give thy Spirit to implant grace. Can truth lye? can faithfulness deceive? God loves thus to be overcome with Arguments in prayer.

7. Prayer that would prevail with God must be joined with reformation: Iob 11.13. If thou stretch out thy hands towards him; if iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away from thee. Sin lived in makes the heart hard and Gods ear deaf. 'Tis foolish to pray against Sin, and then Sin against prayer. Sin fly-blows our prayer; Psal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. The Load-stone loseth its vertue when bespread with garlick; so doth prayer when polluted with sin. The Incense of Prayer must be offered upon the Altar of an holy Heart.

Thus you see what is that Prayer which is most likely to prevail with God.

VSE I. It reproves, 1. Such as pray not at all; 'tis made the note of a reprobate, he calls not upon God, Psalm 144. Doth he think to have an Alms who never asks it? Do they think to have Mercy from God who never seek it? Then God should be friend them more than he did his own Son. Heb. 5.7. Christ offered up prayers with strong cryes. None of Gods Children are born dumb; Galat. 4.6.

2. It reproves such as have left off prayer, a sign they never felt the fruit and comfort of it: He that leaves off Prayer, a sign he leaves off to fear God; Iob 15.4. Thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. A Man that hath left of prayer is fit for any wickedness. When Saul had given over enquiring after God, then he went to the Witch of Endor.

VSE II. Of Exhortation: Be persons given to prayer, I give my self (saith David) to prayer. Pray for pardon and purity; Prayer is the golden Key that opens Heaven. The Tree of the Promise will not drop its Fruit unless shaked by the hand of prayer. All the benefits of Christs Redemption are handed over to us by prayer.

Object. But I have prayed a long time for Mercy, and have no answer? Psal. 69.3. I am weary of crying?

Answ. 1. God may hear us when we do not hear from him; assoon as Prayer is made God hears it, though he doth not presently answer. A Friend may receive our Letter, though he doth not presently send us an answer of it. 2. God may delay prayer, and yet not deny.

Quest. But why doth God delay an answer of Prayer?

Resp. 1. Because he loves to hear the voice of Prayer; Prov. 15.8. The prayer of the upright is his delight. You let the Musician play a great while ere you throw him down Money, because you love to hear his Musick. Cant. 2.14. 2. God may delay Prayer, when he will not deny, that he may humble us: perhaps God hath spoke to us a long time in his Word to leave such Sins, but we would not hear him, therefore he lets us speak to him in Prayer, and seems not to hear us. 3. God may delay Prayer when he will not deny, because he sees we are not yet fit for the Mercy: perhaps we pray for deliverance, we are not fit for it; our scum is not boil'd away: We would have God swift to deliver, and we are slow to repent. 4. God may delay prayer, when he will not deny, that the Mercy we pray for may be the more prized, and may be sweeter when it comes: The longer the Merchants Ships stay abroad, the more he rejoyceth when they come home laden with Spices and Jewels; therefore be not discouraged, but follow God with prayer; though God may delay, he will not deny. Prayer vincit invincibilem, it overcomes the Omnipotent: Hos. 12.4. The Tymans tyed fast their God Hercules with a golden Chain that he should not remove: The Lord was held by Moses prayer as with a golden Chain, Exod. 32.10. Let me alone: Why what did Moses, he only prayed. Prayer ushers in Mercy. Be thy case never so sad, if thou canst but pray thou needst not fear, Psal. 10.17. therefore give thy self to prayer.