Holy rules and helps to devotion both in prayer and practice In two parts. The fourth edition. Written by the right reverend father in God, Bryan Duppa, late Lord Bishop of Winton, in the time of his sequestration.

AS Prayer therefore is a Wrestling with God, we look not upon this op∣position as an hindrance, but as an advantage to Devoti∣on. The true Enemies of Prayer exercise a more dan∣gerous Hostility, where the Van is led by those damned Spirits, who being fallen from Heaven themselves, endeavour the more envi∣ously to obstruct the ways that may lead us thither; and because nothing condu∣ceth more to this than Prayer, they order all their Temptations to this end chiefly, either to divert us

from it, or disturb us in it: If they tempt us to excess in Meats and Drinks, their aim is not only to make us guilty of Intemperance, but by it to render us the more unfit for Prayer: Or if they prompt us to Anger and Im∣patience, their design ter∣minates not in that sin, but rather makes use of it to a further end, that the mind being thus disquieted, may not be able easily to compose and settle it self to Prayer. For the effecting this, they make daily use of the humors of the body, the distempers of the mind, the weakness and weariness of the flesh, the injuries and oppressions of the Time, the cares and

distractions of the World. Of these they make their Engines to assault us, and weave their Nets to entan∣gle us. And as S. Bernard observed by his own experi∣ence, they are never more earnest to disturb us, than when they see us most earnest in this duty. As it was said therefore of the Chri∣stians, That that Religion could not but be very good, which Nero persecuted; so we may very well conceive of Prayer, that it must needs be some divine and heavenly thing which the Devil with all his Engines so violently opposeth. And the truth is, he hath so much the more reason to set himself against

it, for nothing is more de∣structive, nothing more ter∣rible to him, than a Soul armed with Prayer; for he trembles at the sight of it, saith St. Chrysostom. When St. Paul therefore, having first shewn us what Enemies we were to deal with, that we were to wrestle with Prin∣cipalities, with Powers, with the Rulers of the Darkness of this World, with spiritual wickedness in High places; when (I say) after this fearful Muster-Roll, he adviseth us to arm our selves with the whole Armor of God, with the Breast-plate of Righte∣ousness, * 1.1 the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit; he adds

in the last place, Pray always, with all manner of Prayer and * 1.2 Supplication in the Spirit; as if all the rest were nothing without Prayer. And this the Apostles themselves found to be true, who being * 1.3 not able to cure the Luna∣tick, and to drive the evil Spirit out of him, our Savi∣our shewed them wherein they failed, by telling them, That this kind is not cast out * 1.4 but by Prayer and Fasting. For though they might have so much Faith as to remove Mountains, yet without pray∣er that Faith could not re∣move the Devil. For this only is that perfume whose smoke will make him fly as far as did that unclean Spi∣rit * 1.5

whom Tobias his perfume did drive away.

But there is an Hostility more dangerous than this, because being more inward and domestick, it makes the heart the seat of the War, and opposeth Prayer in the proper place and bed of the conception of it, which the Devil immediately and di∣rectly cannot do. Of these inward and intestine Ene∣mies to Prayer, St. Bernard reckons up four kinds; For there are our past sins to wound us, our present cares to distract us, our distemper∣ed Passions to disorder us, and a whole swarm of loose and floating imaginations to mo∣lest us. And of these In∣gredients

is that cloud made up, which the Prophet Iere∣miah * 1.6 complains of, That God was covered with a Cloud, that our Prayer could not pass through to him. For as gross Vapors ascend from the Earth, and being in the upper Region of the Air, condescend into Clouds, hin∣der us from seeing of the Sun, and enjoying the heat and splendor of it: So (saith St. Gregory) out of our earth∣ly hearts arise those several Vapours, which being join∣ed and cast into a Cloud, beats back our Prayers, and intercepts the Beams of the Sun of Righteousness from shining on us. St. Austin likens a Soul in this conditi∣on

to a man that is unhap∣pily married; for as he ha∣ving spent the day in mana∣ging his affairs abroad, trem∣bles at the very thought of coming home at night, be∣ing sure to meet with no∣thing but bitterness and dis∣quiet there: So the troubled Sinner being haunted with these ill Guests, entertains his Thoughts contentedly enough with objects abroad, but trembles to call them home, and fix them upon Prayer. But there is no remedy, home we must come, and sweeten as well as we can the Discontents we find there: Though the mind be clouded and troubled, this must not make us cast aside

our Prayers, but cry out the more earnestly, as David did, Save me, O God, from the great Waters that are come even into my Soul; Deliver me from mine enemies, for they are too mighty for me: Cast out these Temptations that come about me like Bees, quiet my thoughts, compose my mind, so that I may not fear to look home, or find that to be a torment to me, which was made to be my com∣fort.

But to consider these Ene∣mies of Prayer apart, we shall find in the first rank of them our unrepented sins: When our Conscience stands up against us, and cries out to us, First make peace with

me, or else never think to make peace with God. For he accepts of no unclean, no unwashed Sacrifice; and if Repentance usher not in, Prayer will never find ad∣mittance. Holy David deep∣ly apprehended the Conse∣quence of this: If (saith he) I incline my heart unto wicked∣ness, God will not hear me: For what an impudence were it to expect pardon for those sins which I am yet so far pleased with, as I am not re∣solved to leave; or to look for Mercy, when that Lust is not yet cool'd with which I have offended? Bring therefore * 1.7 no more vain Oblations, your Incense is an Abomination to me, saith God to that people of

his, who honoured him with their lips, when their hearts were far from him: Your ap∣pointed Feasts my Soul hates; * 1.8 they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them: When you spread forth your hands, I will * 1.9 hide mine eyes from you; yea, though you make many Prayers, I will not hear. Would you know why? The very next words will satisfie you: Your hands are full of blood; you have not washed them in the waters of Repentance, you are yet in your sins, there∣fore you are not heard.

But what is to be done then in this case? God tells you by his Prophet, Wash you, make you clean, put away your evil do∣ings * 1.10 from before mine eyes, cease

to do evil: And when you have done this, Come, saith the Lord, and let us reason to∣gether: * 1.11 As if he should say, You are now qualified for a Conference with God, your Prayers will be seasonable; and for your sins which hi∣therto have hindered you: Do but confess, and resolve to leave them, Though they be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like Crimson, they shall be white us Wool.

The Enemies of Devoti∣on in the second Rank, are our Passions, which though they are not in their own nature sins, yet quickly slide into them, and being prone to be irregular, are like cross

winds to hinder us, unless we can allay and temper them. For unmortified pas∣sions at the time of Prayer, is like loud musick at a meeting of Friends, which suffers them not to hear one the other. When God appear'd in the flaming Bush to Moses, on purpose to be seen by him, yet he would not suffer him to make any near approach to him, till he had put off his shoes, which signifies * 1.12 something more than is in the Letter, and relates ra∣ther to the heart, than to the feet: As if he should say to thee, Here I am, even I thy God; but come not near me, till thou hast put off thine earthly Affections, till thou hast devest∣ed

thy self of whatsoever is dis∣pleasing in my sight; if not, take heed: No man can see me, and live: that is, saith St. Gre∣gory. None can see me spiri∣tually, that lives carnally.

It was an high expression of him who was so great an Admirer of Euripides, that he was wont to say, That if he were sure there were any sense in death, he could be content to die, only that he might see Eu∣ripides: But then to see God, who would not mortifie him∣self? Say therefore with that earnestness as St. Austin did, Moriar ut te videam.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ephes. vi. 12.
• * 1.2

  18.
• * 1.3

  Matth. xvii. 16.
• * 1.4

  21.
• * 1.5

  Tob. viii. 3.
• * 1.6

  Lam. iii. 44.
• * 1.7

  Isa. i. 13.
• * 1.8

  14.
• * 1.9

  15.
• * 1.10

  16.
• * 1.11

  18.
• * 1.12

  Exod. xxxiii. 20.