4.oz OfPrayer andMeditation. becaufeweare coldin prayer, or truft toomuchto ourownewifdome orfuck like. There forein what matter foeuer wehaue in hand,ifwe do firft feeketo Godbyprayerin fettle:. cie asdid the menofGod herein,then tha11 wepreuaileas well as euerthey did. x3 Thofe things which weheare and readeiareother mens,vntill byapplying them to ourfelues byMeditation they bemadeours. Whatextra- 14 As reading, hearing, and conferringof theword, doemore encreafe knowledge fes inreafe then feeling : So praying, finging and meditating, doe moreencreafe feeling thenknow. knowledge ledge. moll; arid feeling. 5 e It is not certaine howlong afterhis facrificeand prayerracob receiued comfort, and ',Oat e Gef.46. therefore wefeethat the comfortof thefpirit dothnot alwayes depend vpon thesweanes, neither is bound thereunto,but fometime cornmeal long afterthe vGngofthem.As Chrift faith ofthe husbandmen,that they fowe, and looke long afterforthe fruites ofthe earth: which mayteachvs comforyfor that ourprayers are néuer in vaine,butalwayesgraunted though fometimelong after : and here are thofe corrected whichlooke for comfort,imme. diately vpon their requefts, not knowingthat finneis the canfewhy wereceiue-not when we aske,and for thatwevfe not the meanesaright thisalfo triethourobedience, ifwewill with patiencecontinue vfing the famemanes, though prefentlywe feele not the fruitof them,and learnewith MarkeandtheApoftles,to lay vp things inourhearts : to triewhat Gen.I,.3. will come ofthem afterward.Mobsvition is nota bare and mute thing,but is ioyned with the word, and teacheth that allconìfort muff come out oftheword: andtherefore what Maack. comfort by Sacraments,vifions,apparitions, and fuck like, clothnotleade vsto theword, nor worke in vs greater obedience tothe fame,nor giuethvs fomevibtorieover finne,that Fdi comforts. is vaine andproceedeth oferror. It isfaith in the promifes, that worked) invs obedience : andthereforeincurry commandement there is apromife,either vnderftood or exprelfed : for the law is fpiriruall,and required) afpirituall obedience,which wecannot perfonne be- conkwe becarnall,and bynature difubedient,except the Lord dominifter gracevnto vs. x6 Violence (as it were) muffbe vied in tile heart,when wepray: becaule isa ththen- 7'rbaUpidiere uie judgement ofGod,that verbal!prayers bring vs togreat blocksfhnes. boson fdQSg` 17 It is good toreadebefore prayer,to thebetter preparingofour heartsthereunto. Temptation,. 18 Whereprayer wanteth,theaélionoffinneisasreadieasthetemptation. x9 Generally, wemulldefireGods merciesgreedily: but particularly, wemull aske them conditionally,and with affediiou as wellto leaue the thingasked as to haueit. Sarrenin ao Manyarebarren ingrace,becaufe they are barren inprayer. We cannot bedriein gracefor wan thegrace ofGod fo longas weretort to Chriflbyprayer, who hath the feauenViallesof sfprmJer gold trill offeuen-foldmercies. singingof z x In tingingofPfahneswithoutfome fpeciai occafion,he would fay in company,fpe- Pfalmes. dailyof fischas were of fornegenera!linffrukcon: althoughprittatlyfor himlelfe, actor- dingtohisgriefe,ioy,oraffeaion,he wouldfing proper Pfalmes ; yet,he thought they that did molt rexoyce,might fingthe Pfalmes ofgreateffgriefe,to put them inminde whatwas, ormay bein them ; as alto, to feafon their 'oyes with the remembrance oftheforrowe of fame ofthe Saints.Agaiue,thofethat aremolt thrownedowne, might reape fruit in cling thePfalmes ofgreatett comfort, that they mayfee what bath been, and what is belonging tothem, afterthat they haue fo in teares, and mourned with that holy repentance which is not tobe repented of. au There betwo extremities of fingers.Some hearing tisea5lion tobegood, vfeitof cuftome. Somehearing thatwee snuffvie it, withprepared hearts, flay fo long forfitting themfeluesthereunto,that theyleaueit often vndone.Othersvfe it fo often,andyet fo vn- fruitfullie, that their cultomabletingingbreedeswearilomenes wearifomenescaufeth te- dioufnes,and tedioufnescaufetli to leaue all. Then weeare indeed prepared to lingwhen theword dwelsfo plentifullie invo,andwe be io filled with thefpirit, that theatfuranceof our finespardoned; the perfwafionofGains fauour; the hatred offinne,theloue ofthe life to come,andfilch likeprouokesys thereunto. CHAP.
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