Babington - Houston-Packer Collection BV4655 .B23 1615

profitable Expofatiot et away out pfthe vfe of men by shefeconclufons, let vs try an other way tomake it vain amino one y f to our felxes, but euen hatefull and abhominable to the Lord. Let vs af- cribe wriestmerit pf rem #on of finnes, w ffification with God, many maruelloua vertices .M4r 9.29 abeue the digratie allowed in the word, andfinaly to faluarion. And to this essd let vs al- P .il. 55.17 !cadge allthe placetpf Scripture wherein Prayer it commendedhighly , an if they meant 1. rhiu highly. Indeed you fay very true, fuch there are, and thus Satanperfwadeth. But a- las what Mould we Rand vppon it It is one thing tobee a meanes, and another thing to bee a cáufe of faluation and merde. Gods children acknowledge no caufe oftheir life with God, but Chrifllelinonely in whom freely the Lord hath I.Cer.t.3r loued vs : but meanes many, as hearing,reading, falling, andwhat wee fpeakeof, z. (r.5, I8 Praying. Our Praiers areacceptable to our God, but neuer for themfelues; but for Chrifi. They are auailable alto with God , but by and for faith is ChtilJ, whereofearnef Prayer ioynedwith fatling is a token. And therefore if wee ob- tame of God never fo great matters by Prayers , our Prayer yet is no caufe of that, but onely a meanes. So then a fooli(h and falfe arguaenr it is to cut it off; that thus reafoneth ofa caufe that is not a caufe indeed. I fee we! thefarmdation of Prayer caen in natoere. I fee the neceility of it in reffeihef Clod, our farms, and oar brethren : I fee the maruadous and exceeding profite of it, and laflÿ the asoliçe of Satan ag ti4 it in both extremities, either feeking to deface it as not re_ quire!: ;rifles. cannot that tlee, in afcribingvntoitaboue that which is lawful!, thereby to makestfruitlef fe with God. Willyon now adioynearymore ? It (hall not be amilfe alfo for vs to confider thofe other points which bevfually confidered in thefe treatifes, and comprifed formemorie in an old verfe, towit: 4lffeílm,caufe, quia, perquem, quidgae petendum. That is: With what affeftion we mua pray: Forwhat caufes. To whome. 5 Through whome. For what. ei1 eEíion And concerning the lira, the Scripture teacheth vs,that wee muff pray with a red in zealous fpirit, with heart, with foule, and with. all the powerwithin vs, not with re q cold affectionand lip labour. The Apoliles fpeech of the Spirit may giue this Prgycr. rule of Prayer in it diet toheobferued, Beferment inPrayer. The Lord himfelfe getF. 12' by his Prophet complaineth, that the people cried not in their hearts vntohint, F ofe. 7..i4. that is, with this affeFliat that weefpeake of.. And the. ancient Ceremonies of r. Sam, r. lifting vpof the hands remembrethvsthereof. The fpiritof God witnetfethit o. r ; 'her his children, as of Anna, the prayed and wept fore, troubled in her mind that t Exo r r he lips thooke withaU, albeit the fpake in her heart. Of c)Wofes that bee cryed veto the Lord,& yet he fpake neuer a word,but fo vehement was his fpirit andfv feruent his inward powers of Soule and heart, that it was like a thrdlibrike in the cares of the Lord. This bean of heart, it is glorious before the Lord,and pro- fitable to vs : but it is not at our commandement, wee cannot haue it when wee `will, the Lórd bath referued it to himfelfe to giue, when, and where,and to whom, and inwhat meafure it pleafeth him. As it is witnelfed vnto vs by the Apoale karts.s 6 faying : Thefpirit helpethaur, infirmities: for we know not what to pray we ought: bat theSpirit itfelfe maketh respell for vswithfghes, which cannot deexpref ed, That is, we are not able of out felues to pray with that feruentnes of Spirit, that heat of heart, fuch motion of mind, fuch trull, fuck faith, fisch lighes, fuch power,fuch ae:lion, in a word,euery way-as isconuenient to the Maieflie of God, vnletl we be inabled by his Spirit: and therefore in merde hefupplieth with the fame as çafeth him. Neuerthelelfe, meanes there are in the word noted vnto vs ,which worke

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