on the n9.7'¡u?ne. 569 which asit istheend offacrifices,which being ioynedwithdoinggood, is theonlyoffring lef to Chtiflians,and only ispleating vnto God.For as ourfathers mightknow,thac their f acrifices were not accepted,butas the Lord (hewed fauou ,fo ourprayer isnot accepted,butas the Lord in free mercies (lothgraciouflie receiueit. Wherefore it isfaid The Lordbadregard toAbel and hisOblation, thatis,heacceptedfauourabliethefacrifceof Abel. Thusweealfo vie todealein our fuitesco noble perfons, if itpleafe you to accept my feruice, or ifyou will vouchfafe ro re- ceive myfuite,andto confiderof myfupplication:foherethe manof God faith inefte6;Looke vpon thismy prayer with a pitifull eye,and a merciful countenance.We are then to know, how We by our prayers,get nocredit with theLord;but theLord giuethcredit toour prayers. If then God benot delighted with our prayers,which areour bell things, how muchleffethen will bee bepleafed withother things?ThePapiíf s then areemail, andas our Sauiour Chrill laid of re- ter(wlwm they follow; infaults,andnorin graces)they fauour notof thethingsofthe fpirit.Well weare to lcarne,that if God to dealeth in ourprayers,hevvill fo deare in all other things, vvhich are thebetter by them. Thefreewilloffring, &c. We arehere alto taughr,to giuevnto the Lorda freeoffring, for her fouetha cheerefuil gmer,and cannot abide vs to comeveto him byconllraint. The Lord in the oldtìme,would haue thefattell ofthefiockes, and the purefl, andwhy? becaufe he would that by triehis people,wherherhis peoplewould offercheerefrdly and willinglyor no;and byfomuch oJJ4 ng. it wasvntohim more acceptable ,by how muchitwasoffred more freely.SoAbel Gen,q.offred e5oiirm oldie fatoftheflock,that isof theheft. Amens facrificemayberefuted, becaufeofhiscorrupr.- on inhim,and there is no grace inman withoutfaith in Chrifl, whichmay Nand himinflecde, to snakehis facrifice acceptable beforeGod. We mull then pray vnto God, that wemayofferour prayersfreely,that they maynot be cuflomable,but that there may be in vs a lufl,a fpirit, a delire rrryer. ropray, remembrint,t this (eyingoftheProphet ,acceptthefreewilloffring ofmylippes. His osea" ningthen ofhis wordsbrieflie,ts this much, I doe not thisO Lord conlrainedly, or againft my " will,bui witha freegood will,andcheerefullheart,I make toy prayer voto thee. Wefee then our dulnes andwearienes inourprayer,which wemullbewaile in our felues, as that which hindreth vsfrom thefauour of God. Would wedearefovvitha Prince,as wafervino him themil things us faith Malachy,cap. s.8. andifye offer theblinde forfacrifice,isit not mill?and ifyee offer tl3e lame,&fclt,isit noteuill?offer itnowmnto thyPrince,will be becontentwith thee,oraccept thyper- fon?faiththe Lordofbolts. Ifwehadafupplicatióto Our Prince,would tve come foluggifhly,fo vnreuerenly,focarelcfiæ,as wecome topray?not eemembr,Ingher M aicair, neyther leelingour ro%ir vp enr wants,nordelringourrequefls, norfearingtherepulfe,wouldwenot fhakeoffal)thisfiuggifb./ erin Proÿ- neffe, and deadneffe? then let vs tranfiate this to the feeingofGod by faith, andcommingbe- `r forehis prefence by prayer, doewecomebeforehis Maieflie,as pricked with aheart thereof?are weprefed with feelingour wants? doe we frate therepulfe? oh let vscrane byprayer, that wee may notcome infafìlion,but in feare,notoncullome, butofconfcience, and witha free fpirit. If the fpirit makevsfree faith John,then arewe free indeede: weeare fo captivatedof our fettles, " spirit of that we cannótbe free, butby the fpirit. When then wee fee in vs this dulncfle, and cull onie in hearing,reading,orpraying, we muffpray withDauid.Pfal. y 1. to. Createin meaclean heart zach.tu.to. O God,and revuea rightfpirit withinmer la. Reflore to meethe coy oftboPalmation, andflabloJl one withthyfreefpirir, Wherehe hatingtoff asit were,the freedomeofthe1puii,thecleanneffe of his heart, andthe ioyofhisminde,prayetbto hauethem all reflored againe. And thus touch for ouradmonition,now forour comforts. Iamforeaffliiled,acceptmyfreeoffrings. Howcould heebe fore al:illed, and yetfree? vvhen rooJfervp hedefired to be quickned,he felt not this treedome,neuertheleffehe reefed not toofferhis facri. ourpayerr fice: vvhereby wee aretatightto offerourprayerstoGod,although through preplcaitieoffpirit,,,roGod,otbe. we knownot how topray,norwhat tofay,butfpeake fighingandgroning; forthisisafacrffice,,itmparplen- acceptableto the Lord . For though weecannot pray withcomfort , yetwee mull crane of the unre aJJprr:t Lord,euenby mourningand complayningof ourowneellate,and bewailing our cafe, this alfo' Vuehovto 'isanacceptablefacrifice. Forafacrihceoffacrificesisacont riteheart,faiththeProphet.Andas' pray. we laidbcfore,out ofthe lafofEfay,to án bumble heartmillIlooke, faith theLord. When wecannot then finde free ioy,letvscome withfree forrow, and when wee knownot howtopray,God; fpirit will teachvs how tocraue, howtofgh,andhowtopray,andtheLordaOm'8.r, Ccc 3 will
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=