Answere.

It is true: but not in such manner, and for such ends, as hee heareth his owne chil­dren. First, he granteth the wicked, and rebellious their requests and desires of in­dignation and wrath. The Israelites be­ing weary of Manna, because that to feede [Page] alwaies of one dish, became wearisome and loathsome vnto them, wished that they were in Egypt againe, where they had varieties, and change of meates, as Fish, Cucumbers, Pepons, Léeks, Onions & Garlicke, therefore they required flesh of the Lord, and they were not disappointed of their lust, Psal. 78. 30. They did eate, and were wel filled; for he gaue them their owne desire: But, while the meate was yet in their mouthes, the heauy wrath of God came vpon them, and slew the weal­thiest of them, yea, and smote downe the chosen men that were in Israell. The rich man, Luke 12. had his desires granted: for he desired and sought for wealth all his life long, and that his worldly estate might prosper and flourish, and so it did, hée was not disappointed of his lust. But as hee withdrew his heart from the Lord, and set his affections on earthly things, therein putting his confidence; euen so the Lord withdrew his grace from him, and for his reward, left him in the hand of hell. To this purpose the wise man saith, Eccles. 5. 12. There is an euill sicknesse that I haue seene vnder the Sunne; to wit, riches re­serued to the owners for their euill. The [Page] like to this we sée in that miserable caitife, Eccles. 48. that had neither sonne nor bro­ther, nor any kinseman that néeded his wealth, yet was there none end of his tra­uell, neither could his eye be satisted with riches. Wherein we may sée that the Lord granted his couetous desires, but in his wrath doth withdraw his grace from him.

For hée had not power giuen him of God to eat, drinke, and to delight his soule, and to reioyee in the good vse of his goods, but to liue in continuall labour, sorrow, gréefe, trouble, feare, despayre, and drudgery all his life. And héerein is the witty, and wic­ked worldling deceiued all way, that whiles hee thinketh to make a friend of the world, it becommeth his enemy in the end. For thus the goulden Idoll Mammon rewar­deth his seruants: He leaueth them at the last in the hand of hell, from which he is not able to deliuer them. The world like a stickering whore deceiueth them, causing them by her manifold allurements to com­mit fornication with her. But as Dalilah hauing bound Sampson (who doted too much on her) forthwith cryed, the Phili­stimes be vpon thee Sampson: euen so de­ceitfull and louely Mammon hauing tyed [Page] and bound downe to the earth, the plunged hearts of her muddy Mammonists, calleth for the Diuells to prey vpon their soules. Examples héereof are the rich man, and Diues.

Secondly, God granteth those things that the wicked desire, wish, and pray for­yet he heareth not the wicked. The rea­son is, his owne children request the same, whom he heareth, and so the vngodly are made partakers of their desires, through the prayers of the godly, amongst whom they liue. The men of the earth desire earthly things, and they obtaine the same for the godlies sake, whom notwithstan­ding they hate, and despise. In Pauls dan­gerous voyage, both Paul and the marti­ners desire safety, and for his sake were they saued, which otherwise should haue perished, yet the Souldiers would haue killed Paul, Acts 27. 42. Whiles faithfull Iacob dwelt with churlish Laban, his sub­stance multiplyed, and prospered, yet when God blessed Iacob also with great increase, Laban and his sonnes murmured, and hung downe the countenance, enuying his prosperity. For this is the malice of the wicked, that whereas they enioy the fat [Page] of the earth, and the good of the land for the godlies sake that are mingled among them, yet they hate the godly, snatching and catching all things from them; yea, they iudge them vnworthy of any thing, and if it were in their power, would make them their slaues and drudges: yea, and would depriue them, not onely of goods, but also of life.

And héerein obserue the darkenesse of their hearts, yea, their extreame madnesse: for if the godly were taken from amongst them, as iust Lot was taken from among the Sodomites, then should fire and brim­stone suddenly raine downe vpon their heads. When as the wicked Iewes had crucified Christ, chased away the Apostles, and wéeded the Christians out of Ierusa­lem, then came fire, sword, famine, and vtter destruction vpon them: Euen so, if all the godly were taken out of the world at this instant, the day of iudgement in a mo­ment should necessarily follow. For as soone as the wheat is shorne, then the tares must presently be cut downe. For they haue done harme to the wheat, and doe harme in the land. There is no profit in their growth, but in their burning.

[Page] And héere let all flowters, worldlings, disdainefull persons, polliticke catchers, despisers of the word, and them that are good, know, that God doth not maintaine the world, and preserue all things therein for their sakes, but for his owne children, from whom they snatch, and catch all that they can, to dishonour God and his children therewith.

They are the children of Abaddon, or Apollyon the destroyer, that abuse all things to the dishonour of God, the disgra­cing and harming of the godly, and to their owne condemnation? And this is the king­dome of the Deuill héere on earth.

Goe to now you cunning catchers, you flouting politicians, you proud and wan­ton damsells, you lustfull and Epicurish Gluttons, and thou muddy Mammonist, on whom haue yee ieasted? vpon whom haue ye gaped and thrust out you togue? Are ye not rebellious children and a false seede? Bastards and not Sonnes? Are ye not witches children? the seede of the A­dulterer, and the Whoore? Esay 57. 3. 4. You boast your selues to be the children of God, and the true members of Christ: As for others, you make mocks on them [Page] with your mouthes, and you deuise terms for them to make them sectaries, and hypo­crites: they are your gazing stocks, and taunting Prouerbs: But where is your Deuotion? Where is your Zeale? Where is your Feruency? Sobriety? Prayer? Thanksgiuing? Humility? What fruits of the Spirit appeare in you? What loue of God in the zealous exercises of Gods worship? What contempt of the worlds pompe, pride, vanity in your moderate li­uing, and sober conuersation? What re­gard of the afflictions of Ioseph? Yea, your bodies are your Idolls, and your soules like drudges doe homage to your bodies. This appeareth in your excessiue fare, in your excessiue apparell, in your excessiue varieties of fashions, in your excessiue curi­osity in the putting on thereof.

In these excesses ye compare one with another, emulate one another, and striue to goe beyond one another. Your backes and bellies are grown to be so chargeable, & require so great maintenance, like to the Idoll Bell, as that the land is hardly able to beare you. You grow so insupportable that the earth groneth vnder you. I would ye knew (but mockers pleasing themselues [Page] in their owne fancies will know nothing till they be made sober, & taught by iudge­ments) that these are no fruits of the spi­rit, but of a sensuall appetite, they are no signes of Christianity, but of a dissem­bling and proud heart, and of lust that reigneth in your mortall and corruptible members.

It is to be feared that as God giueth you your hearts desires in all these things so some heauy iudgements hang ouer your heads, to purge this shamelesse corruption, and filthy rottennesse out of this land, that hath had rest for many yeares. It is a shame, and an abhomination to sée what priding and decking there is of these cor­ruptible carkasses, how this earthly masse of mortality, this lumpe of sinne and death, doth magnifie and exalt it selfe.

It is a wonder to sée what pride in ap­parell, what curiosity in the fashion, and putting on of the same is to be séene on the Lords day, a day of humility and de­notion: but such fleshly shewes and swaggering seruice the Lord abhorres. For a penitent, humble, lowly, and de­uout heart, doth not shew foorth it selfe [Page] in such flourishes. Such were the conditi­ons and practises of the Iewes in Esayes time, Esay 3. and in Ezech. 33. 30. to the end. They come to thee as the people vse to come, and my people sit before thee, and heare thy words but they will not do them; for with their mouthes they make ieasts, and their hearts goeth after their couetous­nesse. And loe, thou art to them as a iea­sting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce: for they heare thy words, but do them not. Ciuility swallowes vp Chri­stianity in this present age, and pride de­uoureth hospitality, the very name where­of is worne out of mans memory.

Thirdly, God granteth the withes, de­sires, enterprises, and indeauours of the wicked, as they are instruments of his iu­stice, and rods of correction. For by them, as by asword, a fire, a rod, the Lord doth chastise his children, and punish the hypo­crites. Yea, by their wickednes, the Lord doth effect those things which may be for his owne glory, and the good of his children, they not knowing what they doe. Fire na­turally desireth nourishment or fuell, & wée giue it the same, that we may do our works with it: yet fire intendeth not the doing of [Page] our worke, but the consuming of it: There­fore wée call it a good seruant, but an euill master. The Deuill and the wicked are as fire in their owne natures, destroyers, yet by accident (as I may say) they are builders and repayrers, for such is the power, wisedome, and goodnesse of God, as that hée doth his owne worke by con­trary meanes. In this respect the Lord calls Nabuchadnezzar his seruant, in that by him he punished the rebellious Iewes. Nabuchadnezzar did this out of his coue­tousnesse, and pride of his heart, magnify­ing himselfe against God, and his people, yet he executeth the Lords iudgements on the rebellious, and mercy on the obedient. But what was the reward of this his ser­uice? what he did out of his own euil heart was one thing; what the Lord did out of his power and wisedome, is another thing. His wages was according to his owne worke, Esay 33. Woe to thee that spoylest, and wast not spoyled, and dost wickedly, and they did not wickedly against thee: when thou shalt cease to spoyle, thou shalt be spoyled: when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedly, they shall doe wicked­ly against thee, Esay 45. 1. In this respect [Page] is Cyrus called comparatiuely the annoin­ted of the Lord. The Lord will by him exe­cute iustice on Nabuchadnezzar for his ty­ranny, pride, couetousnes, cruelty, & by him shew mercy on his people in their deliue­rance out of their seauenty years captiuity. Thus Iudas, the high-Priests, & Pharises had their desires, they were not disappoin­ted of their wicked proiects, & crafty plots, but the end and proofe thereof was the buil­ding of Christs kingdome, which they thought to ouerthrow, and the destruction of their owne kingdome, which they sought to establish by this meanes, Ioh. 11. 48. If we let him thus alone, all men will beleeue in him, and the Romaines will come, and take away both our place and the nation.

The vse of this. Hast thou power? hast thou wisdome & policy? hast thou a iudici­ous, contriuing & plotting head? hast thou a searching imagination, & strong memory? hast thou learning and eloquence? hast thou wealth and friends? hast thou a healthfull and strong body? these things are much de­sired, & admired of the world. But consider what thou art, not what thou hast. How dost thou vse thy power, to build the king­dome and Church of Christ therwith, or to [Page] build vp thy selfe in the destruction thereof to thy power, how little soeuer it be? How dost thou vse thy poli [...]y and wisedome, and wherein are these gifts exercised? wherein art thou iudicious, & what is the ground and end of thy proiects? what vse dost thou make of thy learning? in what matter, and what causes dost thou practise thy eloquence? what dost thou with thy wealth, & what vse dost thou make of thy friends & assistants? what doth thy soule work with those instru­ments, the members of thy body? Let not the sword boast it selfe of the good mettall, the curious workmanship, and sharp edge, but rather who doth vse it, and to what end: Whether the Magistrate doth vse it to the terrifying of the wicked, and the comfort of the godly, in their preseruation; or the tyrant doth vse it to shedde innocent bloud therewith, as King Manasses did. Whether the true man doth weare it for his defence, or the robber to spoyle and kill. If thou beest an vngodly person, and settest thine heart to doe mischiefe, then all these excellent parts are but as a sharpe edge, or whetting, whereby Sathan spoyleth and deuoureth; but yet so as the will of the Lord, which is cleane contrary to thy [Page] will, and Satans will shall be executed by thée, and him, to the punishment of the wic­ked, to the triall of the godly, to the destru­ction of thy selfe, and to the glory of God, and good of his elect.

Fourthly, the Lord doth grant the wic­ked their desires, as they are vessels of wrath. Because he will magnifie his pow­er and iustice in their iust ouerthrow, which is altogether their owne séeking. For all that they desire, aske, wish, and séeke for, is is against themselues, and so they bring e­uill vpon their owne heads. Rom. 9 22. 23. What and if God would, to shew his wrath, & to make his power knowne, suffer with long patience, the vessell of wrath prepa­red to destruction, and that hee might de­clare the riches of his glory vpon the ves­sels of mercy, which hee hath prepared to glory? An example hereof in the Amorites, Gen. 14. 13. 16. The Amorites and Canaa­nites, &c. must be spared 400. yeares, till their wickednesse and strength were come to the full. They must be strong for their multitude, the Giant-like Anakins must be multiplied, their walls must be mounted vp to heauen, their munition good, the land af­fording store of iron and brasse: and then [Page] will God magnifie his power and iustice, in casting them out by a weake people, that were but as Grashoppers in comparison of them; and his mercy in planting them in, and the glory of his name in both. So Go­liah must be a strong Giant, trained vp in feates of warre from his youth, bold and couragious, able to handle a speare and to tosse a pike as thicke as a Weauers beame, and therefore so confident in his strength and skill, as that hée durst oppose him­selfe against the whole host of Israell, and euen bid defiance to all men. Contra­rily, Dauid must be a Shepheard, the yon­gest and meanest of all his brethren, not a­ble to handle speare, shield, or sword, or to weare harnesse; but with a little stone in a sling must hee deliuer the people of God, and destroy their enemies, that the power of God might be made manifest in the ouer­throw of his enemies, and his mercy in the deliuerance of his seruants. The like wee sée in Nebuchadnezzar, in Senacherib, in the foure Monarchyes, in Antichrist, in our owne obseruation euery where.

The vse. If thou dost excell other men in naturall gifts, and worldly prerogatiues, and that the world, and all things concurre [Page] together for thy desired aduancement, looke well to thy heart, and to thy affections, what thou aymest at, what thou séekest for, and feare, take héede that thou op­pose not thy selfe inwardly, or outwardly against God, his Church, his Gospell, and professors thereof, least thou proue a ves­sell of wrath, on whom God will shew forth his power and iustice, when thou art at the height, and in most safety, trusting in thine owne strength, and his mercy in deli­uering his out of thy oppressing hand. Ex­amples hereof wée haue in Pharaoh, Ha­man, Antiochus, and others before mentio­ned. For it is the glory of the Lord to catch the wise in their own craftines, 1 Cor. 3. 19. To bring downe the high lookes of the proud, to cast downe Princes from the Throne into the dust, and to raise the poore out of the dust, to sit with Princes. Psalm. 113.

Therefore, if thou béest high and emi­nent in the world, be humble and lowly in heart, disrobe thy selfe of all earthly royal­ty, and set the Lord alwaies before thine eyes, that so thou maist with Dauid be e­minent in the Church and kingdome of Christ. Then mayest thou, and shalt thou [Page] with ioyfulnes, and with a good conscience inioy the blessings of God.

Moreouer, séeing that God suffereth the wicked to waxe great, that in their humilia­tion, & deiection the glory of his name may be more manifested to all people, that they may feare him, and praise him: this teach­eth the godly being oppressed by their might, to be patient till the Lord come, which is a sure deliuerer of his Seruants: for, as Dauid saith, The patient abiding of the meeke shall not alway be forgotten.

The consideration heereof also affoor­deth great comfort to them that feare God, that whiles the vngodly triumph, saying, who is Lord ouer vs, who shall controll vs, wée will tread downe on euery side all that withstand vs; that whiles they are thus digging pittes to bury the chil­dren of God in, and with Haman making gallowes to hang them on, themselues shall fall into the same destruction. Marueile not therefore if one be made rich, or if the glory of his house be increased, as Dauid saith.

III. He illustreteth his doctrine by the contrary.

[But if any man be a worshipper of God, [Page] and doth his will, him he heareth.] Héere he sheweth whom God heareth, to wit, the godly, which is opposed to the sinner. The godly man hee describeth by his fruits of sanctification. He is a godly man, that is, a worshipper of God, and doth his will. Herein obserus two things.

First, he saith not that (doth worship) but that is a [worshipper] which word im­plieth a continuance in worshipping, or ha­bite, whereas hypocrites worship God by constraint, by fits, and in outward shew, and are therefore vnconstant, not being firmely setled on the foundation, as the graft is vnited to the stocke, growing to­gether with it, but rather loose and totte­ring, as things ioyned together called con­tigua, and not as things vnited called con­tinua, which haue one spirit. or common forme. He that worshippeth God in spirit without hypocrisie, and in truth without will-worship is one spirit with the Lord, and there is none vnrighteousnesse in him. 1 Ioh. 3. 9.

Secondly note that these words must be taken collectiuely, not distributiuely, that is, they must not be parted, but goe together. The reason is, because that worshipping of [Page] God without obedience, is formall hypocri­sie, & obedience without workes, is but ciuill honesty, and both are sinnes. The former is false worship and hypocrisie, for disobedi­ence discouers it to be so; the latter are false workes, or beautifull abhominations, for prophannesse shewes it, and God will heare neither the false worshipper, nor pro­phane liuer.

Concerning the former, worship with­out workes is counterfeit, and hypocrisie, the Lord cannot abide it, Esay 1. The Lord saith that their sacrifices, burnt offerings, incense, are abhominations; that their new Moones, Sabaoths, solemne feasts, so­lemne dayes, and assemblies, are a but then and wearisomnesse, neyther will he heare their prayers. But they must be washed, they must be purged, the euill of their workes must be taken away, they must cease to doe euill, they must learne to doe well. This was the sinne of Saul, he would séeme to be a true worshipper of God, offe­ring sacrifice, and therein was he diligent enough, but hée was slow enough in doing the will of the Lord, when hee was commaunded to slay the Amalekites man, woman, childe, beast, &c. he spared [Page] the King, and brought of the best of the things to sacrifice with, 1 Sam. 15. 21. 22. There be aboundance of Sauls in these dayes. Therefore S. Iames teacheth: Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers one­ly; deceiuing your owne selues, Iam. 1. 22. Hee that looketh in the perfect Law of li­berty, and continueth therein, he not being a forgetfull hearer, shall be blessed in his deede. And the whole second Chapter throughout. Therefore Worship without Obedience is flat hypocrisie.

Againe, concerning ciuill honesty, or mo­rall life, wherein the common Protestant resteth himselfe with contentment, is odi­ous in the sight of God without sincere worship. For the frame of mans heart is euill continually, Gen. 8. 21. how good soe­uer he séeme to be to himselfe, and others that cannot discerne betwéene naturall and spirituall life, but make a confusion of both vnder an outward profession, or rather bare name and title.

All our righteousnes is as a menstrous cloth, Esay 64. 6. and Iob saith, Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse? Iob 144 vaine therefore are the supposed good works of Papists, séeing that they worship [Page] not God rightly, and as vaine are the workes of vaine-glorious worldlings, sée­ing that they worship not God truely. Therefore worship and obedience must go together, procéeding from a right foun­taine, that is, from an humble and obedi­ent heart, purged from hypocrisie by a working faith, and vnfeigned repentance, from sanctified affections, and a good consci­ence. This is onely acceptable to God, and those actions & obedience that procéed from this fountaine, though stayned with many wants and imperfections, God ac­cepteth as pure, the impurity not being im­puted, Psal. 32. 1. 2.

Furthermore, there be sundry reasons why that God heareth the godly: namely, those that worship him sincerely, and doe his will.

First, because that they being redéemed from the bondage of sinne, are the sonnes of God, they haue the spirit of adoption, or of ingenuous and frée-borne sonnes, by which they both know God, acknowledge God to be their God, and loue God their Father, and consequently call vpon him. Prayers procéeding from a prophane heart doe not pierce the heauens, but those which [Page] come from Gods owne spirit, therefore S. Paul saith, Ephes. 6. 18. Pray alwaies with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit. And Rom. 8. 26. The spirit maketh request for vs, with sighes that cannot be expressed. Such holy motions and rauish­ments doth the spirit of God worke in our hearts, as that wée are not able to expresse the same in words, but with sighes, euen as when words faile vs, wée vse to declare our mindes by gestures. Such prayers come as it were, immediately from the spi­rit, with little vse of mans discourse, and phantasie, and no vse of the tongue. Esau prayed with wéeping eyes, but with a pro­phane heart, therefore he is not heard. The Pharises make long prayers with an hy­pocriticall heart, therefore they are not heard. But Moses prayed onely in minde, and his desire is heard, Exod. 14. 15. Yea, the Lord accepted his prayer as much as if he had earnestly cryed: therefore the Lord sayd to him, Why cryest thou? Goe for­ward with the people. So Anna prayed in her heart with submisse and vnperfect words, which caused Eli to thinke that shée was drunke, 1 Sam. 1. 13. Therefore the Lord heard her. And hence it is that the [Page] Apostle bids vs pray continually, 1 Thes. 5. 17. For with the heart, minde, or spirit, a man may pray alway. This teacheth vs in praying to pray for the spirit of Prayer.

Secondly, the Lord heareth the godly, because they alone, being taught by the word and spirit, doe pray aright. As Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the heart, knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit; for hee maketh request for the Saints, according to the will of God, both teaching them what to pray for, and how to pray. Which prayers the Lord accepteth, as S. Iohn teacheth. This is the assurance that wee haue of him, that if we aske any thing ac­cording to his will, hee heareth vs. An ex­ample héereof, 1 King. 3. 9. 10. Because Sa­lomon prayed not for riches, nor for long life, nor the life of his enemies, but that a wise and vnderstanding heart might be gi­uen him, to iudge the Lords people righ­teously, therefore it pleased the Lord, and he granted his prayers. Thus our Saui­our Christ prayed. Not my will, but thy will be done.

Thirdly, the Lord heareth the godly, because they are truely penitent and sor­rowfull for sinne, and therefore come into [Page] the presence of God, clad with the righte­ousnesse of Christ, Psalm. 51. 17. The sacri­fice of God is a contrite spirit, a contrite, and broken heart, O Lord wilt thou not despise. Psal. 28. 7. Praised be the Lord, for he hath heard the voyce of mine hum­ble petitions. Our Sauiour Christ calleth onely such vnto him, Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are heauy laden, and I will ease you. For the Lord hath annoin­ted mee to binde vp the broken hearted, Esay 61. 1. Therefore the poore Publicane confessing his sinnes with a penitent and sorrowfull spirit, is heard before the Pha­risée iustifying himselfe by his workes. Luke 18.

Fourthly, the Lord heareth the godly, because they pray feruently, I am. 5. 16. The praier of a righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent. Heereby two things are specially necessary in Prayer.

First, a man must be a righteous man. Hée is righteous that by faith is ingraffed into the righteous (Iesus Christ) and in him bringeth forth fruits of thankefull obe­dience to God.

Secondly, he must pray feruently, that is to say, seriously, or with earnest desire. [Page] For this feruency argueth that a man prai­eth in the spirit, which ouercommeth the dulnes and drowsines of the flesh, which quencheth and oppresseth the spirit.

This wée may sée in the heauy and slée­py Disciples, Matth. 26. 40. though they had a willingnesse, and desire to watch, and to pray, yet the flesh quelled and dul­led the spirit. Secondly, feruency argu­eth the necessity of the thing that wée pray for. Wée most of all, and most earnest­ly pray for that which wée haue most néede of. Thirdly, feruency argueth Faith in Gods power, that hée is able to helpe, and in his goodnesse, that hée is willing and ready to helpe. For this wée doe know in common reason, that it is against rea­son to request earnestly a thing of a man that wee know hee is no way able to doe for vs.

But it may bée obiected: if a man be willing and ready to helpe vs, when we haue occasion to vse him, accordingly as hée hath formerly promised vs, what néede wée be so earnest? So God hath promi­sed that hée will helpe vs when wée come vnto him: why is feruency then so ne­cessary.

[Page] To the former part or proposition I an­swer, that good manners require so much: For otherwise, 1. We should séeme rather to aske a thing of him, than to intreat him, as though for some respects hée were as much beholding vnto vs, when there is no such matter. 2. Wée should séeme rather to require a thing of him, then to desire it. 3. We should cause him to thinke that wée haue no great néede of that which wée request. Hence it is that the humble beg­gar which craueth earnestly, doth spéede better than hée that asketh carelesly, and much better then hée that asketh comman­dingly.

To the second part or reddition I answer, that we must come vnto God as a poore harmeles beggar comes to a King to craue almes, in whose presence we must estéeme our selues as but a flea, as Dauid termes himselfe before Saul, 1 Sam. 24. 15. Yea as dust and ashes, as Abraham termes him­selfe, approaching néere to the Lord. The Lord will haue vs to call, and crye, and as it were, clamourously to follow after him, when he séemes to turne his backe, euen as the beggar doth, and as the poore wid­dow in the Gospell did, that claue to the [Page] vniust Iudge like a Burre, till she had her petition granted. And this is indéed a spe­ciall fruit of true faith, and an euident signe of trust in God. For hereby wée acknow­ledge him to be our onely helpe, and none other, and therefore we cleaue fast vnto him, as being otherwise destitute, helplesse, and hopelesse. This was the continuall practise of Dauid on this manner, to pray. This was the practise of the Cananitish Woman whose daughter was possessed with a Deuill, Matth. 15. 22. which Christ there taketh for a speciall argument of her faith.

Wherefore was Balaak so earnest with Balaam to come and curse Israell? Euen because he was the onely man in his king­dome, on whose helpe he relyed, and wher­in he most trusted. I know (saith he) that he whom thou blessest, is blessed, and hee whom thou cursest is cursed, Num. 22. 6. Vpon this knowledge and confidence was hée so earnest with him. Likewise vpon our knowledge, acknowledgement, and confi­dence in God, are wée earnest with him; otherwise our prayers are cold, and drou­sie, heartlesse, and lippe-labour, yea almost saying in our harts with the wicked: what [Page] profit shall wee haue, if we pray to the Al­mighty? A special example of this feruency in Prayer, sée Psalme 143. 6. My soule gaspeth to thee as a thirsty land. Like­wise, 2 Chron. 32. 20. Ezechias and Esay pray to heauen against Senacherib, and were heard. Thus Anna prayed, 1 Sam. 1. Thus the faithfull in afflictions pray, Psal. 123. 2. The Iewes in captiuity are taught by Ieremie to pray after this manner. La­mentations 2. 18. 19. O wall of the daugh­ter of Sion, let teares runne downe like a riuer, day and night. In the beginning of the watch powre out thine heart like water before the Lord.

Thus the Lord commaundeth them to pray in the day of their visitation, Ierem. 29. 12. 13. Then shall they cry vnto mee, and I will heare you, and yee shall seeke mee, and finde mee, because ye shall seeke me with all your heart.

Fiftly, the Lord heareth the prayers and supplications of the godly, because they are not wauering minded, but con­stantly relie on the promises of GOD in the vse of those lawfull meanes, that in his prouidence hée hath appointed for them. Therefore that our prayers may [Page] bée heard, wée must pray. First, in the spirit. Secondly, according to Gods will. Thirdly, in Humility; Fourthly, with feruen­cy. Fiftly with constancy.