The strong helper, offering to beare euery mans burthen. Or, A treatise, teaching in all troubles how to cast our burden vpon God but chiefly deliuering infallible grounds of comfort for quieting of troubled consciences. By Iohn Haivvard.

CHAP. XXV.

ALL that is hitherto spo∣ken cannot giue peace to this troubled minde; but as one waue followeth an∣other in the sea, so one feare followeth another in his heart, and

new feares afford new obiections. Now he pleadeth thus against himselfe, I haue no reason to hope for mercy, for I haue no heart to pray for mercy. I want all things that pertaine to true praier.

First I haue no God to praie vnto, that will lend any care to my praiers. I find this saying of Gods, recorded by Esay, When you shall stretch out your hands, I will hide mine eies from you: and though ye make many praiers, I will not heare, for your hands are full of bloud. By bloud he meaneth soule and bloudie sinnes, my hands are full of this bloud, for my sins are many, therefore if I should lift vp my hart with my hands vnto god in the hea∣uens, he will neither behold the stretch∣ing out of my hands, nor heare the de∣sires and grones of my heart. Also I find this saying of the Prophet, set down as a rule, that shall stand. Your iniquities haue seperated betweene you and your God, and your sinnes haue hid his face from you, that he will not heare. Iniquitie seperateth be∣tween God and vs; I am full of iniquitie, therefore there is a wall of seperation shutting him out from mee, and mee from him. And sinne causeth him so to

turne away his face that hee will not heare, but I am guiltie of innumerable sinnes, therefore God hath hid his face from me, and •…•…ee will not heare. How then can I pray, seeing I haue no God that will lend any eare to my praier?

Secondly, I haue no mediator in whose name to pray, and for whose sake I may hope to be heard when I pray. For men and Angels, whom some do make their mediators, are no mediators: the Apostle saith, There is one God, and one mediator betweene God and man▪ which is the man Christ Iesus. This saying exclu∣deth all other mediators. And the on∣ly mediator, the man Iesus is no media∣tor for me: for I haue denied him, and he hath said, Whosoeuer shall denie me before men, him will I also denie, before my father which is in heauen. And I am sure that I haue denied him before men, if not in words, because these daies of peace haue giuen me no cause so to doe (which I know I should haue done, if da•…•…es of persecution had vrged me) yet I haue denied him by my deedes. The Apostle hath this saying of the men of his time, which is most true in mee, They professe

they know God, but by workes they denie him. Hee may bee denied by vngodly workes, but I am ful of vngodly workes, therefore haue I denied him before men. And hauing thus denied him, hee must and will denie me before God. So haue I no mediator.

Thirdly, if I should offer to pray, I must pray without any promise: but so to doe were to pray idly, for then only doe men pray according to the will of God, and with comfort to be heard in their praiers, when they ground their praiers vpon the promises of God. But I neuer tooke heede to the promises of God, and at this time I cannot call them to remembrance, and if I could call them to remembrance, I were neuer the better, for God is not bound to per∣forme his promises to any, but to them alone, that out of their loue to him striue to keepe his commandements. For Mo∣ses thus speaketh of him, Thou maiest know, that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithfull God, which keepeth couenant and mercy vnto them that loue him and keep•…•… his commandements, euen to a thou∣sand generations. If any loue not the

Lord, out of his loue to keepe the com∣mandements of the Lord, hee can make no claime to the couenant of God, or to any promise of his; neither is God bound in his truth and faithfulnesse to performe any promise to him: but such a one am I, that haue not loued the Lord, nor out of loue studied to keepe the commandements of God, but haue bro∣ken them all, therefore I haue no pro∣mise to ground my praiers vpon, and for that cause I cannot pray.

Fourthly, I know not how to pray, how to begin, and how to make any proceeding: and if at any time I incline my heart to pray, I am disturbed I know not how, and other thoughts draw away my minde. While I thinke to aske for∣giuenesse of sinnes, my minde runneth out into a wilde remembrance of my sinnes, with much pleasure to thinke vp∣on them. While I thinke to pray for grace to assist mee against the power of sinne▪ the lusts of my heart call backe my thoughts, and I am deuising how I may compasse it to commit sinne, and my will wholy inclineth that way. While I thinke to pray for the inheritance of

heauen, my loue to this world carieth away my minde, and I am studying how I may winne the pleasures and prefer∣ments thereof. And euer my good de∣sires that should lead my minde, are crossed and put downe by my bad de∣sires, and I cannot raise vp, or if I raise it, I cannot hold vp my heart to God and holy things with any staiednes, I know what is requisite vnto praier by the A∣po•…•…les words. Pray alwaies with all ma∣ner supplication in the spirit, and watch there unto with all perseueranc•…•…. If I pray, it is with my lips, I doe not make suppli∣cation in the spirit; and to watch vnto praier, that is diligently to attend with all the powers of my soule, without ei∣ther drowsinesse, fainting or wandering of my thoughts, is most farte from me. And being so vnskilfull, and so vnable to pray, how can I pray, to preuaile by my praiers?

And lastly (which is my greatest mis∣chiefe) when I thinke to pray, or when I doe pray, or when I haue praied, there is something within mee, that giueth mee my answer, assoone as I haue praied, and sometime before I haue praied, and I am

farre from attending vpon God, till hee doe giue mee answer, as if I did not pray vnto God, but rather vnto my self. The Prophet Dauid saith, Wait patiently vp∣on God, and hope in him: the meaning whereof I take to be this, when we haue shewed our desire vnto God in praier and supplication, that then we should hope in him to receiue a gracious an∣swer, and wait patiently for that an∣swer, till it please God to shew vs mer∣cy in his appointed time. I doe not so, I haue neither hope nor patience to wait vpon his hand, but mine owne heart ma∣keth answer without God; And that an∣swer is alwaies a negatiue answer, a flat deniall, a plaine repulse. So that I haue lesse hope, and lesse comfort in and after my praier, then before I praied, and where others finde themselues much ea∣sed in heart, after they haue by praier powred out their desires into the lap of God, I am much more troubled, estee∣ming euen my praier to be turned into sinne: all these things together make me most vnable to pray.

This is a grieuous obiection: but in framing this obiection the troubled sin∣ner

fareth like a blinde man in an vn∣knowen house, who wandering without •…•…guide, goeth hee knoweth not whe∣ther, and stumbleth often vpon the same threshold: so doth he in seuerall bran∣ches of this obiection stumble at the same offences that haue beene answered and taken away before. But let vs lend •…•…and to bring him into the way.

First he ▪a•…•…th he cannot pray, because he hath no God to pray vnto, that will lend an eare of hearing to the praier hee makes, because hee hath sinned against God. And yet hee was taught before, that leaue was giuen him, yea that hee was commanded to pray vnto God, e∣uen for the forgiuenesse of those sinnes, that made the separation betweene him and his God: and also that God had promised to forgiue those sinnes yea all sinnes without exception. And whereas he obiected against the commandement of praying for forgiuenesse, that it per∣tained not vnto him that could not call God his father; and against the promise of forgiuing, that it pertained not vnto him, that was no Israelite. These things were answred and remoued, and it was

clearely proued vnto him that God was his father, and therefore hee might and ought to pray for forgiuesse: and that he was an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, and of the houshold of faith, and there∣fore God had promised vnto him for∣giuenesse of sin. And while these things stand good, how can he say that he hath no God that will heare him, because hee hath sinned against him. Let him remem∣ber what Dauid saith vnto God in one of the Psalmes, Against thee, against thee onely haue I sinned, and done euill in thy fight, that thou maiest be iust when thou speakest, and pure when thou iudgest. Here is a true confession, that he had sinned a∣gainst God. Doth hee therefore thinke that he hath no God to pray vnto, that will lend him an eare of hearing? What is that whole Psalme but a praier vnto this God? In the first verse hee praieth thus: Haue mercy vpon mee o God accor∣ding to thy louing kindnesse, according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities. In the second verse hee praieth thus, Wash mee throughly from mine iniquity, and clense me from my sinne. In the seauenth verse hee praieth thus,

Purge me with Hisop, and I shal be cleane, rash mee and I shall be whiter then snow. And so in many other parts of this Psalme. So that it appeareth by Dauids practise, that our sinners rule faileth, pleading that hee hath no God to pray •…•…nto, that will lend an eare to heare his praier, because hee hath sinned against •…•…im; for Dauid praied vnto that God, •…•…ot doubting of gracious hearing, a∣gainst whom he freely confessed that he •…•…ad sinned, and sinned grieuously. And whereas in some places of scripture by our afflicted sinner remembred, and in diuers other, the holy Ghost telleth vs that God will not heare sinners, and hi∣deth his face from them; they are to be vnderstood, as spoken of impenitent sinners, that take pleasure in sinne, and continue in it, refusing to turne from their sinne vnto God, and yet presume that all shall be well, and that God can∣not deny their requests. Like them spo∣ken of by leremy the Prophet, Will you •…•…eale, murder, and commit adultery, and s•…•…tare falsly, and burne incense vnto Baal, and walke after other Gods whom ye know 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and come and stand before mee in this

house, whereupon my name is called, and say we are deliuered, though we haue don•…•… all these abominations. And like them spoken of by the Prophet Micha, Heare this I pray you, ye heads of the house of Ia∣cob, and Princes of the house of Israel, they abhor iudgement, and peruert alle∣quity: they build vp Sion with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquity the heads there∣of iudge for rewards, and the Priests ther∣of •…•…each for hier, and the Prophets thereof prophecy for mony: yet will they leane vpon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among vs? no euill can come vpon vs. Such men there are in the world, that flatter them∣selues in their sinnes, and when they heare the iudgements of God denoun∣ced against sinne, yet for the pleasure they take in sinne, and for the gaine they make of sinne, they will continue in it, and not leaue it, and thinke with praiers and some other outward humiliations to blow away as a fether or some light thing, the iudgements and wrath of God, These are the men that haue no God, because they depart away from God by their owne wickednesse; these are the sinners whom God will not

heare, because they delight more in sin then they do in God. But the humble, the penitent, the broken-hearted sinner, to whom his sins are his burden, a dis∣pleasing burden, from which hee desi∣reth to be deliuered, as our sinner doth this day. He that is grieued for his sins, that hateth and abhorreth them, and if •…•…ee might once get cleere from his sins past, intendeth no more to be acquain∣ted with them, and esteemeth them as his plague and his death. Him the Lord most willingly, and with delight heark∣neth vnto. The Prophet saith, The sacri∣fices of God are a contrite spirit, & a con∣trite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. So that thou wert neuer so fit indeede to pray, as now thou art with thy contrite and broken heart; thy praiers now will be a sweet and pleasing sacrifice to him. He is thy God, and wil most readily heare thee.

Secondly, hee saith hee hath no Me∣diator, in whose name to pray, and for whose sake hee may hope to bee heard. And yet remembreth the words of Scripture that call Iesus the Mediator betweene God and man. Those verie

words prooue thou hast a Mediatour, e∣uen the same Iesus, except thou wilt de∣ny thy selfe to be a man; for hee is Me∣diator betweene God and man, and therefore mediator betweene God and thee, if thou be a man. So that to say thou hast no mediator in whose name to pray, and for whose sake thy praier should be accepted, is but an vnthank∣full speech put into thy head without a∣ny good ground; for Paul saith of Iesus, that hee euer liueth to make intercession for vs. Yet our afflicted sinner thinketh he hath reason to say so, because he hath denied Iesus before men. And did not Saint Peter deny the Lord Iesus before men? and yet hee after praied and was heard in the Mediators name, because hee stoode not in his deniall, but repen∣ted. Yet thou hast not denyed him in words before men as Peter did. That thou thinkest to bee no aduantage to thee, and referrest it to the daies of peace, not vrging thee, rather then to the constancie of thine own heart (thou louest to bee thine owne accuser) and what thou hast not done in words, thou thinkest that thou hast done in workes,

by them thou hast denied him, while thou didst not liue like á Christian. But must it therefore follow, that he is now •…•…o Mediator for thee, and will deny thee before his Father in heauen? Kno∣west thou not what Iohn the Baptist faith of him; Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world. He himself when as an vnspotted Lamb he was sacrificed for thee, tooke away, and by the vertue of that sacrifice, still taketh, and euer taketh away thy sinne: where is now that reall deniall of thine, when those sinnes, in which thou didst deny him, are done away? Yea thy sins are so farre from making him no Medi∣ator, no Reconciler, that for thy sinnes he is thy Mediator and thy Reconciler. The Euangelist Iohn saith, If any man 〈◊〉〈◊〉, wee haue an aduocate with the Fa∣ther, Iesus Christ the iust, and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes, and not for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sinnes onely, but also for the sinnes of the whole world. Wee haue an aduocate with the Father to pleade our cause. When? If any man sinne. And he is our reconciliation that brings vs againe in∣to fauour, and makes our peace. For

what? For our sinnes. And who is this Aduocate with God the father? who is this reconciliation for our sinnes? Ie∣sus Christ the Iust. Where is now the deniall of thy workes, that should make Iesus Christ to be no Mediator for thee, that should make him deny thee before his Father in heauen? Hee taketh away those sinnes: Hee is thy reconciliation for those sinnes. Repent of those thy sinnes, and feare not to pray to God in the name of Iesus.

Thirdly, he saith hee hath no promi∣ses where on to ground his praiers. And without promise to pray vnto GOD, were to make idle and vnstable praiers, That is most true. But who told him that Gods promises, which are made to all, belong not vnto him. This point was handled before, when he obiected, that Gods promise for the forgiuenes of his sinnes, belonged not to him that was no Israelite. And it was then prooued, that all Gods promises belong to the seed of the righteous: the Apostle Pe∣ter saying, The promise is made vnto you, and to your children. So that if it were a prooued trueth, that thou thy selfe wert

vnrighteous, and in thine owne right, thou couldest make no claime to any promise of God: yet seeing thou art a child of the righteous, a child of belee∣•…•…rs, in the right of thy parents thy progenitors, thou maiest make claime to the promises of God, and vpon thy repentance and conuersion they shal be performed to thee. And if this title con∣tents thee not, claime them in the right of Iesus Christ, of whom the Apostle saith; All the promises of God, in him are yea, and are in him Amen. That is, to euery one that commeth humbly and reuerently vnto GOD, in the name of Iesus Christ, seeking mercy and grace, mercy and grace shal be granted accor∣ding to the promises of God, whose truth pertains to them that are in Christ Iesus, and come vnto God by him. But thou dost not now remember any of Gods promises, neither didst thou here∣tofore take heed vnto them, when thou •…•…rdst them, to lay them vp in the trea∣sury of thy heart, against the times of need. Indeed this was thy fault, which being now seene, must heereafter be a∣•…•…ended. Hence foorth hearken vnto

them, and when thou hearest, lay hold vpon them, and treasure them vp more carefully, for hee is the happy man and blessed, that heares the word of God and keepes it. But though thou hast them not in the store-house of thine heart, and canst not find them there: yet there is an other store-house wherein they are laied vp, and where thou mai∣est readily finde them, and that is the booke of holy Scriptures. Iacob in Ca∣naan had his priuat store-house where∣in prouision was laid vp for him, and his familie: and other men likewise had their priuate store-houses, for their pri∣uate prouision: but when the yeares of famine came, and prouision failed in mens priuat store-houses, then the pub∣lique store-houses of Ioseph in Egypt were opened, and al men fetched thence what they needed, and especially Iacob and his family was from thence suppli∣ed. Euen so for euery mans priuate comfort, his owne heart is his store∣house, in which he that is wise wil trea∣sure vp the promises of Gods mercie to saue the necessities of soule in times of fea•…•…e: but if there come such yeares of

famine, such daies of distresse, that the •…•…ouision in the priuat store house of the •…•…eart will not serue the turne, send to the store-houses of the Scripture. The Lord Iesus saith, Search the Scriptures, for in them you thinke to haue eternall life, •…•…d they are they that testifie of me. There •…•…lt thou finde the large promises of Gods mercie, vpon which thou maiest with much comfort ground thy praiers, all holie Scripture is written for our in∣struction and comfort, and it should be thy sinne and vnthankfulnesse to God, a•…•…d treason against thine owne soule, to •…•…eglect in this time of feare to search for these promises in the Scriptures. And whereas thou saiest that Gods promi∣ses belong to them that loue him and keepe his commandements, and to no other: and thou hast not loued him, •…•…ou hast not kept his commandements: learne to amend this errour of thine heart and of thy life. Amend the error of thy heart and loue the Lord, amend the error of thy life, and keep the com∣mandements of God; so shall all this feare weare away, and thou shalt with •…•…uch strength of faith ground thy

prayers vpon Gods promises.

Fourthly, he saith he knowes not how to pray. I beleeue it; oft-times Gods deare children are so astonished with the burden of their trouble, and euen with this burden of sinne, affirighting their soule, that they know not how to pray. Hezekiah saith of his astonished soule, in the time of his sicknesse: Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter, I did mourns as a Doue: mine eies were lift vp on high: O Lord it hath oppressed mee; comfort mee. The sorrow of his heart did so oppresse his soule, that though he re∣membred God, and looked vp vnto him, and had all his desires waiting vp∣on the hand of God, yet he was not able to pray in any distinct manner like a wel aduised man, his praying was all out of order, it was more like the mourning of a Doue, and more like the chattering of a Swallow, then like the holy and order∣ly praiers of a wise and godly man. And Saint Paul doth affirme it to be a more common thing and vsuall withall the seruants of God in times of affliction; saying: Wee know not what to pray as wee ought; They know not what to aske nor

in what order to aske. And this being so common among Gods children, shalt thou bee afraid to be a suitor vnto God, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thou knowest not how to pray? shalt thou therefore be out of comfort? if thou canst not pray distinctly and or∣derly; yet (lifting thine eles vp on high) with Hezekiah charter like the Swal∣low; mourne like the Doue: Weepe with the Apostle Peter: We read not in what words hee praied, but wee read in what bitternesse of heart hee wept. Let thy teares flow where thy words can finde no free passage. Saint Barnard calleth the teares of sinners the wine of Angels. And concerning the true vi∣gour of praier, Saint Augustine in one place saith it stands more in tearee then in words; for instructing a certaine rich Widdow how to pray vnto God, a∣mong other words hee h•…•…th this saying. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hoc negocium plus gemitibus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sermonibus agitur, plus fleti•…•…quam •…•…fatu: This businesse of praier for the most part is performed rather with gronings then with words, with weeping then with speech. Let God therfore heare thy sighes and grones, let him see thy teares, when

thou canst not shew him thy desire in words: water thy couch with teares, as did the Prophet, and God will gather vp and put euery drop into his bottell; thus doing, when thou thinkest that thou hast not praied, thou hast praied most powerfully. For as Saint Ier•…•…mi saith: Oratio deum lenit, lacr•…•…na cogit: Praier gently moueth God, teares forcibly compell him. He is allured as it were and won with the words of praier to heare vs, but with the teares of a contrite heart he is drawen and inforced to heare and helpe, where otherwise hee would not. And in this affliction growing vpon thy heart, because thou knowest not how to pray, heare a notable comfort that the Apostle giues thee, saying, The spirit helpeth our infirmities, for wee know not how to pray as wee ought, but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed. Where thin•…•… owne strength and wisdome faileth in this ser∣uice of praying vnto God, there the wis∣dome and power of Gods spirit kindlet•…•… in thee strong desires, and earnest long∣ings after the mercy of God. And the meaning of those desires and longings

God perfectly vnderstandeth, and needs not to bee informed by thy words. So 〈◊〉〈◊〉 though thou canst not pray as thou •…•…oghtest to doe, yet that seruice goeth forward well, while thou hartily desirest Gods fauour. Of which desire in thee, •…•…ere needeth no other argument, but •…•…en the griefe of thine owne heart, seeing in thy sin cause of Gods displea∣s•…•…re and that other thoughts come in∣to thine heart, when thou bendest thy selfe to pray, maruaile not at it, neither therefore be so farre discomforted, that thou shouldest giue ouer praying, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the more to pray, and to watch thereunto in the attendance of thy thoughts, and lift vp thine heart vnto God, and keepe it with all thy care, looking still to him. These thoughts of thine heart partly arise from thine owne weaknesse and corruption, that art more fit for any thing, then to attend with set∣•…•…ed reuerence vpon God. And partly they are mustered together, and thrust •…•…o vnseasonably into thine heart by the wicked enimy, that would not haue thee pray, because he knoweth that the mer∣cy of God is most easily obtained by

harty and constant praier: therefore hee seekes to hinder thee in that businesse, that thy mind being, occupied about o∣ther cogitations thou might est let f•…•…ll to the ground the petitions that thou are offering vnto God▪ but the more hee seeketh to trouble thee, the more ear∣nest be thou in praier▪ remembring that saying of our blessed Sauiour, giuen for a warning to his Discip•…•…es, Wate•…•… and pray, that yee enter not into temp∣tation.

Lastly▪ hee is offended and discoura∣ged in his praying by an intruded an∣swer that offereth it selfe presently after his praier, and sometime before his prai∣er be either ended or begun, not suffe∣ring him to wait patiently vpon God, and to hope in him: and this intruded answer is alwaies vncomfortable, It comes euer in the negatiue and •…•…pul∣siue forme, whatsoeuer hee hath praied for, or intendes to pray for, it tels him, he shall not haue, he cannot haue, hee i•…•… not worthy to haue, hee must not looke to haue, the iustice of God will neuer grant it vnto him: Which answer is no∣thing else, but (if I may so speake) the

smoke of those fiery dartes of Sathan, wherby he hath set the poore mans con∣science in combustion, bringing his sins •…•…o remembrance, setting before him the •…•…ath of God kindled by those sinnes, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from hence extracting and drawing this heauy conclusion, looke for no •…•…rcy where thou hast deserued so •…•…ch wrath. It is no other then a very 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his disease, the fruit of his owne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ouer hastily answering himselfe, •…•…ot •…•…arying to receiue answer of God; t•…•…s he must take especial heed off, that for as much as hee maketh praier to God and not to himselfe, he waite for his an∣swer from God, and receiue none from himselfe, and if his heart will be foolish to suffer any such vncomfortable answer vnto him, that hee reiect it, and wait on the hand of heauen. About this point the sonnes of men er•…•…e very dangerous∣ly, and faile in extremities, and few or •…•…one can keepe the right meane, to ex∣pect and receiue their answer from God. While men liue carelesly in sinne, and prouoke God euery day, if they chance to offer any petition to heauen, or by a∣•…•…y meanes be occasioned to thinke vp∣on

answer of their hopes from heauen, they euer boldly answer themselues with promise of all prosperity, though in iustice it cannot be, like vnto the man whom God complaineth of saying, that Hearing the words of the curse, blesseth himselfe in his heart saying, I shall haue peace, though I walk according to the stub∣bornnesse of mine owne heart. God giues no such answer to such men. It follow∣eth in the same place; The Lord will not be mercifull vnto him. Blessings be∣long to them that feare God, not to them that conte•…•…ne him. He that inqul. reth for Gods will reuealed in his word, shall finde another answer belonging to the petitions and hopes of such men. The threatnings of Gods iudgemēts are all denounced against them, as in the fore-remembred place of Deuterono∣my; The wrath of the Lord, and his lea∣lousie shall smoke against that man, and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him, and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen. On the other side, when men are humbled in the sight of their sins, and haue great remorse in their hearts, if they powre

out any sighes and grones vnto God in their praier, and by any meanes be oc∣casioned to thinke vpon answer of their desires from heauen, they euer fearefully answer themselues, like those men spo∣ken of by the Prophet Ezechil, that say, If our transgressions, and our sins bee vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and we are consumed because of them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall we then liue? That is, our sins deseruing death, and those being now •…•…id to our charge, and the hand of God being heauy vpon vs for them, there is no hope of life. God giues no such an∣swer to contrite hearts, and to humbled spirits, he doth not so reiect the deiected man. He that inquireth for Gods will reuealed in his word, shall finde another answer of comfort and health appoin∣ted for them, the promises of mercy runne all vpon their side. The Prophet Moses speaketh these words vnto the people, When thou art in tribu∣lation, and all these things are come vpon thee, at the length, if thou returne to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lord thy God, and bee obedient to his voice (for the Lord thy God is a mercifull God) he will not forsake thee, neither de∣stroy thee, nor forget the couenant of thy

fathers, which hee sware vnto them. Vn∣to this I might ad many promises of like nature, assuring health and comfor vnto humbled spirits, that seek•…•… mercy at the hands of God with teares, and sighe•…•…, and grones, their hearts refusing to take ioy and delight in any thing, till they may recouer againe Gods fauour, and once againe see the light of his counte∣nance. Dauid commendeth God by this gracious propertie of comforting such deiected creatures, saying. The Lord vp∣holdeth all that fall, and lifteth vp all that are readie to fall. And in another place. He healeth those that are broken in heart, and bindeth vp their sores. Pray thou therefore vnto God in the name of Iesus Christ, and pray with comfort of heart: and when thou hast made request vnto God, accept no answere but from God. First hee answereth comfortably in his word, to all such as thou art, comming vnto him. With that first answere ap∣pease thy troubled minde, till God in his rich mercy, by his deed of deliuerance, giue thee a further answer. Obserue these rules, and if thou wert at this pre∣sent in as bad taking as the Ephejians

were at the first, of whom Paul speaketh 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Ye•…•… were at that time without Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were alines from the commonwealth of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and were strangers from the coue∣•…•… of promise, and had no hope, and were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God in the world. Yet thou shalt •…•…ortly become as they became after∣ward, of 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 is said in the next •…•…ords, But now in Christ Iesus, yee which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were far•…•… of, are made neare by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Christ. And a little after, Yee are no more strangers and foreners, but Ci∣tizens with the saints and all the houshold of God, and are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Iesus Christ himselfe being the cheefe corner stone. Here i•…•… a change worthy to be obserued, they which were without God, without Christ, without hope, and strangers from the communion of Saints, are made the sonnes of God, the Disciples of Christ, the heires of the promises, and Citizens of heauen, filled with all hope, & groun∣ded vpon that foundation of trueth a∣gainst which the gates of hell shall ne∣•…•…er preuaile. Put away therefore all these offences, the Lord is thy God his eare will harken vnto thee: Iesus Christ is

thy mediator, pray in his name: the pro∣mises of God in him are, Yea, and Amen: thou shalt find them in the scriptures. And when thou, knowest not to pray, powre out thy heart vnto God in sighe•…•… and teares and grones: repell wandring thoughts when thou praiest, and lift vp thy mind vnto God 〈◊〉〈◊〉 trust in him when thou hast praied, waiting patiently for his answere. These things doe with all cheerefulnes as thou art able, and the God of peace shall send thee peace.

Notes

• A ninth ob∣iection. He cannot pray therefore shall not speed.
• Esay. 1. 15.
• Esay. 59▪ •…•….
• 1. Tim. 2. 5.
• Mat. 10. 33
• Titus. 1. 16.
• Deut. 7. 9.
• Eph. 6. 18.
• Psal. 37. 7.
• Answer to the ninth obiection.
• That hee hath a God to pray vnto.
• Psal. 51. 4.
• vers. 1.!
• vers. 2.
• vers. 7.
• •…•…er. 7. 9.
• Mich. 3 9.
• Psal. 51. 17.
• That bee hath a me∣diator in whose name to pray.
• Hebr. 7. 25
• Iohn 1. 29
• 1. Iohn •…•…. 1.
• That hee hath the promises of God to ground his praier vpon
• Act•…•…. 2. 39.
• 2. Cor. 1. 20
• Ioh. 5. 3•…•….
• Hee is taught how to pray.
• Esa. 38. 14.
• Rom. 8. 26.
• Ser. 30. in cantica.
• Ad 〈◊〉〈◊〉 epist, 121. capit. 19.
• Ier. in •…•…sa▪.
• Rom. 8. 26.
• Mat. 26. 41
• Wārning to take heed of giuing himselfe any answer.
• Deu. 29. 19.
• Verse 20.
• Deu. 19. 20
• Eze. 33. 10.
• Deu. 4▪ •…•…0
• Psal. 145. 14
• Psal. 147. 3.
• Ephe. 2. 12
• Ephe. 2. 19