A TRACT OF PRAYER. By He. Clapham. AT LONDON Printed by W. White, dwelling in Cow-lane. 1602. ❧ To the Right Woo. Mris. Grissel Sheffeild, all true happiness here, and in the world to come. RIght Woo. as I am much to praise God for your unvariable Christian favours (from the very entrance of my service) vouchsafed still unto me: So, I have never since lacked Will, though destitute of Means, whereby to testify my summisse duty. But having experienced the fruits of that divine spirit (which from Infancy is reported to have held his succession in you) I have adventured to offer some sign of gratitude. Homely is the Form, but heavenly is the Subject whereon my Pen runneth. What is lacking in the Manner, is countenanced in the Matter. And so this 2. of December 1602. I end: remaining Your Woo. wherein he shallbe able, Henoch Clapham. A TRACT OF PRAYER. An Introduction. What Prayer is. PRayer, is nothing else but a pouring forth of the soules-sense according to the instinct and motion of GOD his holy Spirit. And hereupon it is, that Moses is said to cry (Exod. 14. 15.) though he uttered no word: and Hannah to pray (1. Sam. 1. 12.) though she spoke only in her heart. And this is called Prayer Mental; as that which is by mouths utterance, is called Prayer Vocal. That I say this speech of the Soul must be according to the motion of God his Spirit: it is, because no utterance mental or vocal is true Prayer, otherwise than it is uttered by the Holy Ghosts direction: For his office it is to teach us what to pray. And hereupon it is, that the Apostle teacheth, not only that God sends forth his sons spirit into our hearts upon the very first action of our Adoption, (Gal. 4. 6. 9) for teaching us to Cry; that is, earnestly to Pray: but also to deny, that the most learned is able to pray without the direction of that Spirit. For thus he saith: The Spirit helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh request for us, with sighs which cannot be expressed. Rom. 8. 26. And lest any should object: Alas, we speak imperfectly, or sigh confusedly; he addeth: But he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the meaning of that Spirit: for he maketh request for the Saints, according to the will of God. So that no words or sighings are here reputed Prayer, otherwise than they receive their character of Christ's Spirit. Which observed, it convineeth the Papist and Brownist (two extremes) of extreme ignorance. The Papist thinks, The Papists error for Prayer. if so he say over some certain form of words prescribed in his jesus or ladies Psalter; or her etofore drawn by Pope Sixtus or some other idolatrous Worthy, he hath done very well; though (God knows) he is so far from following the instinct of Christ's Spirit therein, as ordinarily he Apishly imitateth some brutish invention: and (if it be Latin) his own Spirit (he being a common Papist) ignorant what his lips uttereth. For the Brownist, The Brownistes error for Prayer. he thinks on the other hand, that if he have uttered a number of words, not according to any written form, but of the abundance of his own heart, than he hath performed a worthy work: for no words borrowed from else where, he holds can be delivered for Prayer. And hereupon it is, that he denieth to utter the words in * Namely, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. Mat. 6. 9 etc. for Prays: as if the same words could not be used for Doctrine and Prayer. Thus condemning all the World for ignorance in Prayer, he shows himself to be ignorant what is Prayer. Prayer (as before) receives not his Being from Words: for one can pray truly that is dumb with Zacharie: but be they words or sighs, or Souls breathings; they be then true Prayer, when God his Spirit is one with our Spirit in the use thereof: And therefore to impute any thing to Words in that manner as they do, is flat Merit-mongry. And because in vocal Prayer, the self same words may again be used in the same and like case, our Saviour (who had more variety of words than any Brownist) he repeated the same words again, * Namely, Abba, Father all things are possible. etc. Mark. 14. 39 And the Apostle again and again in the entrance of his Epistles, * Namely, Grace be with you & peace from God. etc. Rom. 1. 7. 1. Cor. 1. 3. 2. Cor. 1. 2. Galat. 1. 3. Ephess. 1. 2. Philip. 1. 2. Coloss. 1. 2. 1. Thess. 1. 2. 2. Thess. 1. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 2. 2. Tim. 1. 2. Philem. 3. Thus far was S. Paul from acquaintance with Brownism. And yet I could prove unto them, that some of themselves both publicly and privately, have usually used a flat Form of Prayer con by heart. But who will easily dispute with Spirits of private interpretation? Nothing now said, that hath not been said afore. Prayer consisting in Sighs new or accustomed: in words old or new (Etiamsi nihil dictum quod non dictum prius) provided the same be form by the Holy spirit. Some ignorantly (it may be) will infer: Then the unsanctified (with judas Iscariot) pray not truly, seeing the Holy Ghost is not given them. I answer: the unsanctified person praying with and for others, may (as did judas Iscariot) pray truly; and may have glorious effects following the same, (as followed Iscariots ministery, so well as the others, Mark. 6. 13. and Luk. 9 10.) and this, because he prayeth according to the motion of the Holy spirit, though he enjoy not the same Spirit. For great is the difference between being Acted by him, (as Balaam was in his ministery) and having the Spirit dwelling in one; as he doth in the sanctified, Rom. 8. 9 This remembered, I will (as God shall enable) in the next place, deliver unto you an Exposition of the lords Prayer, and that also in form of prayer. AN EXPLICATION OF THE Lord's Prayer. The first Branch of the Introduction to Prayer. OUr Father: Our Father. For further explication hereof, the wise-spirited may under them words, relate to the first Commandment: Thou shalt not have other Gods before my face. Father by creation, as we were set out of thine hands in our foreparents Adam and Hevah: but more specially a Father through the work of Redemption: who as we voluntarily were cast away of the first man, hast recovered us to thyself again by the second Man, Christ jesus his glorious obedience. Twice a Father, (by Nature, and Grace:) but we utterly unworthy once of the name of Children: so great hath been our transgression, both against Nature and Grace. As thou teachest me not to cry My Father, as minding either my own particular only: or heretically judging better of myself then any others: but hast commanded me to cry, Our Father, as a feeling member of that Catholic Church, sparsed over the earth, to whom Christ jesus is only Head: so hereby thou callest me to join with Faith, Love: that so my Faith in thy promises, may declare itself to be true Faith by the works that issue therefrom: as in other things, so in the action of Prayer. For thou wouldst have us to know, that all Faith is but dead, which worketh not by Love: First towards the head of our Head, Christ jesus: Secondly, towards our fellow members, which is the corporation of true believers. The second branch of the Introduction. Our Father, Which art in Heaven: Which art in Heaven. This may relate to the second Commundement. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor, etc. and because in Heaven, therefore Almighty and all-sufficient for thy children. Being a Father, thou art willing: and being in Heaven, thou art able to effect whatsoever thou willest: and thou willest only that which shallbe good for thy children. This we believe; Lord help our unbelief. And as thou specially declarest thy glory in the Heavens, (for otherwise thy Essence & Being is beyond all place) because there are the Spirits Angelical; who are more capable of thy glory: so vouchsafe o heavenly Father, (for the sake of thy Son, through whom thou art become our Father) to enrich our hearts now and for ever with divine thoughts, beseeming the presenting ourselves before such a heavenly Father: That so by thy grace, we may pray in Faith: even in that Faith which worketh by Love, the bond of Peace, the fulfilling of thy Law, the external badge of thy sons disciples. The first direct Petition, Heavenly Father, Hallowed be thy name. Hereto the third Commandment may be applied: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for, etc. thy name in propriety, is thine own self: and so thou art JEHOVAH, the being of all beings, deryving thine own being from none: in which respect it is easier to say what thou art not, than what thou art: for being Infinite, thou so canst not in propriety fall within the compass of Definition. But as thou first assumedst the name Creator, in respect of the Creature: so therewithal thou after a sort, didst make thyself Comprehensible, who otherwise art Incomprehensible: which thou secretly taughtest Moses, when (for that he was in conceit finite) thou declardst thyself unto him by thy Backparts: for none can behold thy Face, and live. And hereupon it is, that thou declarest thyself; first in the common Creature (for the Heavens declare thy glory, the Firmament shows thy handy work; and the visible creature makes seen thy invisibles, as thine eternal power and Godhead:) Secondly, thou dost make thyself known by thy Written word and Sacraments: In thy Word, declaring thyself by that name of names, Father of our Lord Christ jesus: sealing up the same in the blessed Sacraments of Baptism and our lords Supper. Be it thy name essential or relative, (declaring thy Being, or the Divine properties in thy Being) vouchsafe the Grace unto us, of hallowing the same: for, though earthly Powers wink at it, thou wilt not hold him guiltless that takes thy name in vain. We were first Created into thy name, and secondly have been Baptised into the same: But we lost thy Image in the first, and have recovered in the second (by thy Grace) a new stamp thereof. Heavenly Father, infuse thy sanctifying grace into the hearts of all thy Children, that of the abundance of such a sanctified heart, the mouth may speak holily to the praise of thy name, and the edification of many. And so shall the pure sacrifice of Prayer and Praise, be offered up unto thee in all places. The second Petition. That thy Name may be so hallowed, Let Thy Kingdom come. Thy Kingdom come. This casteth eye back to the fourth Commandment. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbaoth day, to sanctify i●. etc. Thy Kingdom is of another nature than the world's Kingdoms be. They be as Nebuchadnetsars' Image, made of Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron and Clay: all which, the Cornerstone of our Salvation, (Christ jesus) dasheth to powder; melting before his Kingdom, as Wax before the Sun. Thy Kingdom is Spiritual, and specially inward: and therefore to the world invisible. This Kingdom of thine, thou dost 'stablish in the Body of thy Church: thy Holy Spirit taking up the Conscience for his Throne, there governing the heart of Man, by the Sceptre of thy word. Thence thou never departest, making whatsoever is at enmity with thee, thy footstool: casting down the haughty imaginations of men, and whatsoever is within, exalted against thee. Lord, let this Kingdom come? this Kingdom of Light, for chase away the power of darkness: this Kingdom of Grace, for driving every vile Canaanite forth of our Land. Let the strong man Sin, be taken and bound by Him that is stronger: and so take us up wholly, for thine own Glory. Unto which good purpose, vouchsafe (o heavenly Father) to bless thine own Ordinances Civil and Ecclesiastical. The Civil thou hast given specially for keeping the Body and Flesh of Mankind in due order: The Ecclesiastic, specially for subduing the Soul and Spirit. In the first, thou hast these forty four years & upward, ●endred our good, in the happy and blessed regiment of our dread Sovereign Elizabeth, deputed over us in all causes Civil and Ecclesiastical, our supreme Governess. In the second, thou hast for all the time of her gracious regiment, sought our salvation, coming unto us early and late by the ministry of thy Prophets: For all which, thy name be ever blessed. Heavenly Father, vouchsafe accordingly to continue the same mercy by Civil & Ecclesiastic government, not only to us, but also to our posterity. Dash the Image of Rome's Nebuchadnetsar a pieces. Let his union with Spain, prove but as a mixture of Iron and Clay: and his mixed Idolatrous government, let it quickly be consumed. Thou who in thy word haste promised to stir up all these Kings against that Bomish Harlot, who first subjecteth Crown and dignity thereto: Lord hasten the perfecting of that promise. Through thy blessing, it hath come so to pass with us, and some other our neighbours. Lord hasten the conversion of other Kings, (and namely of the King of Spain) that with a right royal resolution, they may arise, and like true Christian Princes, labour to consume that harlotry Synagogue, which before hath consumed them and their Kingdoms. Destroy the Turkish tyranny: Let the Kingdom of thy Son in his Dominious more and more flourish. Remove the ceremonial Veil of Moses from before the eyes of thy natural Israel. Gather into subjection all of jews and Gentiles, that appartaine unto thy Kingdom: That so thy Son Christ jesus may come unto judgement; he may so deliver the Kingdom into thine hands, and so GOD may be all in all. The third Petition. In the mean time, Thy Will be done in the Earth: Thy Will be done in Earth, etc. This relateth to the fifth Com. Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that [Iààricun] they may prolong thy days upon the earth which the Lo. thy GOD gives thee. and that in such sort, as it is done in the Heavens. The Angelical Spirits in the Heavens, are faithful and flightie in their Obedience: whereas they were created but once, retaining still their first state. And we, besides our natural creation, have put thee to a second business, to the re-creating of us again by thy Spirit and word: by so much the more we owe unto thee a greater obedience; Give us the grace therefore, together with the knowledge of thy Will, to be Doers thereof: that others so seeing our good works, they may thereby take occasion to glorify thee our Father which art in heaven. But when (by thy Grace) we shall have done any part of thy Will, let us not be destitute of that Grace, which is declared in thy Angels by covering their Face and Feet. Let us be humble in our own eyes, acknowledging our insufficiency for contemplating thy glory: the insufficiency of our affections for doing thy Will. Let us never be left to ourselves, that so we should forget the darkness of our Senses, the lameness of our Affections. With which consideration, give us not only therefore not to be idle, but also winged & speedy executors of thy gracious Will, revealed to us from thine own Word. And besides the common duties of Christianity, vouchsafe the grace unto us, duly to consider our particular place & calling: that so the Magistrate may have grace to govern rightly with his Sword: the Minister may be faithful in ruling by the Word: the Artificer and Tradesman may show himself a true Christian in the very particulars of their vocation: that Fathers and Masters, to children and servants: servants, children, and subjects to their superiors, may all be careful in these very places, to be faithful doers of thy Will; as the heavenly powers in their rooms, are ever priest to act thy divine pleasure. Heavenly Father, vouchsafe us the grace always to make such holy use of the Angels their glorious example, that so in word and deed, we may ever glorify thy name put upon us: first in Creation: secondly in Baptism: lastly in our Profession. The fourth Petition. Unto the (Father) it is best known what is necessary for the Day: to thee therefore we cry: Give unto us this day, our dayly-bread. Give us this day, our, etc. Hereto the sixth Commandment. Thou shalt not murder. If thou give it, it shallbe good for us, be it more or less, (for it is not in the quantity, but in thy blessing) & with little thou wouldst have us contented; in teaching us to crave only Bread. Nor can it be so little as the best of us deserve (for we merit not the Crumbs that fall from thy Table,) o how large then is thy mercy, who besides Bread, hast afforded many other Creatures often for our Tables, with variety of Raiment for our Bodies: Yea, how great is thy mercy, seeing we may say particularly with David: Thou hast prepared a table before me in the sight of mine adversaries: thou hast anointed mine Head with Oil, my Cup running over: For oft the adversaries of Godliness have laboured (so much as in them was) to deprive us of Nature's sustentation: but in mercy thou hast annulled their devices, giving us in their very sight (to the grief of their hearts) not only Food, but also sovereign delights of Nature, and that with inundation. Thou in mercy having given it, thou so (in Christ jesus) hast sealed it up for our own. Whereby hath fallen out, that in our much and little, we have a true peaceable conscience: Otherwise (O Lord) if we eat, drink, and clothed ourselves in judgement, what better were we, though we gained the world thereby? And the providence (o heavenly Father) which watcheth over our bodies nurture by this Bread, vouchsafe it may watch over our souls, by administering the Bread of eternal life, which is the Merits of thy Son, offered in thy word, and sealed up in the Sacraments. That being so fed in body and soul, we may both in body and soul cheerfully praise thee. The fifth Petition. We have trespassed against thee o heavenly Father: And forgive us our trespasses, etc. Herto the breach of all the Commandments may be referred. first, in not having Belief in thy Promises, who notwithstanding hast declared thyself to be not only a Father; but also, an Heavenly, all-sufficient Father. We have secondly sinned against thee, in not declaring the truth of our Faith by the wotkes of Love towards our fellow members. We have thirdly trespassed against thee in taking thy name in vain. We have trespassed four against thee in setting ourselves against the things of thy Kingdom. We have transgressed fifthly against thee in not doing thy will, when once it hath been revealed unto us. We have sinned against thee also in the abuse of Bread, and all other external necessaries. Our trespasses against thee are innumerable: neither are we able to answer for one sin amongst a thousand. Good Lord therefore be merciful unto us in the remission of all our sins: which remission, proceedeth of thine own free Grace, sealed up in Christ jesus: whereto man is not able to add one farthing by way of satisfaction. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. To whom thou sealest (by the testimony of thy Spirit) the forgiveness of sin, to them thou givest a true gift (though not absolute) of willingness to pardon the trespasses of their brethren. So that by our readiness to remit the offences of others, thou wouldst have us to take knowledge of the forgiveness of our sins, which thou hast remitted unto us. And seeing thou in the first place hast been willing to pass by our Offences, compared unto Talents: What are we in the second place, that we should take our brother by the throat for a few Pence, (trifles unto us, in regard of our debts to thy infinite Majesty) and so call upon him for satisfaction to the uttermost farthing? No (o heavenly Father) do rather vouchsafe unto us, a gentle, meek, humble, and loving heart, by the which we may be ready to lose much of our external right for Peace sake, rather than (by seeking our own) to kindle contention: by the which we may be willing to deal mercifully with others, even as we would be glad to receive mercy at thy hands. The sixth Petition. Finally, we beseech thee, not to lead us into tentation, but deliver us from evil. And lead us not into tentation, but. etc. Hereto all: but specially the tenth come. Thou shalt not covet. etc. It shallbe necessary (o Lord) that sometimes we be tempted inwardly (as were thy servants David, jeremy, and others:) but in such time of tentation, sweet Father deliver us from evil: Give us (as thou didst to thy servant Paul) a happy issue out of that tentation. Sometimes it shallbe necessare, that thou tempts us outwardly, as thou didst Abraham in offering his only beloved Son Isaac: as thou didst job in the loss of his Substance, Children, and bodies health. Yet (Heavenly Father) we beseech thee in such Tentation, to be merciful unto us, to rid us from the power of the Tentation, to deliver us from Evil. The Reason of offering Prayer only to GOD: The first branch. These our Petitions we offer up only to thee: because, Thine is the kingdom. For thine is the Kingdom. here may be remembered the kingdom of Egypt, from whence Israel is fetched. Sceptre, Government, Regiment, are all thine. As in the Church where every soul willingly bows before thee, as their fatherly King: so, in swaying of every creature, (even reprobate Men and Angels) causing them will they, nill they, to execute thy divine pleasure. In the first, for the declaration of thy mercy: in the second, for the manifestation of thy exact justice. The second branch of the Reason. Nor is it any marvel, seeing thine is The Power. The Power. Hereby that Power whereby that Church was delivered. All Power in Heaven and Earth is thine. Power of Devils and their instruments, is nothing else but a sparkle of thy Power, borrowed of thee, what time thou meanest to correct thy Children, or else to judge transgression in the reprobate. Till thou granted such Power, Satan could not touch job, either in his substance, children, or person: no, nor being discharged, could he enter somuch as into a Swine. Thou only hast the Power to help us; to thee therefore we direct our Prayers. The third Branch. And this the rather, because Thine is the Glory. And the Glory. here may be r●●●rdated the glory which God gained in overthrowing Egypt in the red Sea. And all this intimated in that preface to the Commandments. Exod. 20. 2. Part thy Glory with any other thou o God) wilt not. And this is a great part of thy Glory to have Prayer offered up unto thee: as being HE, who only can search the heart, can give to every one the thing is necessary, and gain Glory to thyself in all thy actions. The fourth branch in common with the third And this For ever and ever. And because Kingdom, Power, and Glory, is thine always: therefore at no time to be given wholly, or in part, to any Angel, Saint, or other Creature, be it otherwise never so excellent in our eyes: of never so high estimate in our mind. The subscription of Faith. Amen. Amen. This may relate to Israel's subscription unto the Law. Thus the Law sent people to Prayer: and Prayer respecteth the observation of the law, and the fulfilling of all in Christ through whom God is become Our Father. So it is: and, So be it (o Father of Heaven) for the sake of thy Son our only saviour and redeemer Christ jesus. To whom, together with thee and the sanctifying Spirit, be all kingdom, Power, and Glory: henceforth and for ever: Amen. A brief example how it may be reduced to the 10. Commandments. OUR Father:: and therefore a transgression for any of us To have any other Gods before thy face. Which art in Heaven: and therefore, not to be fashioned by or to any thing above or below, that hath existence amongst the Creatures. For as thou art a jealous GOD, so thou must needs punish thoroughly all such Idolatire. Hallowed be thy Name of all thy people: who hast commanded them at no hand To take thy name in vain. Thy Kingdom come: as, in the due sanctifying of the ancient Sabaoth day in Israel, till Christ his Kingdom was established to all nations: so now, in the holy observance of our lords day, the day of our saviours resurrection; the day wherein at several times, on several persons, (from morning to late night) he powered forth abundantly the first fruits of his Spirit. Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is done in Heaven; by all sorts of Fathers and Mothers Civil and Ecclesiastic: with due reference of duty from inferiors to such superiors; that so a better Blessing than that of Canaan (even of heavens Rest) it may be given unto them. Give us this day, our dayly-bread: that so by thy Grace, we may not only not murder, but also truly maintain life in ourselves and others. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. We have trespassed in thought, word, and deed, against all the former and other thy Commandments. Lord vouchsafe to seal perfectly to our souls the remission of them all, even as (by thy Grace) we find a true (though not perfect) readiness to forgive to others the●r trespasses. Led us not into tentation, but deliver us from evil.. Tempted we shallbe to break all thy Ten Laws: specially the very tenth, in coveting things which appertain to others. For thy sons sake deliver us from all such evil. For thine is the Kingdom, Power, and Glory, for ever and ever. Kingdom is thine, and therefore thou callest people out of the servitude of sin, to serve thee. Power is thine, and this thou showest by pulling thy Israel out of the hands of Hell's Pharaoh: and the Glory due to thee in all our obedience, thou wilt not part it with any other. For all homage of body and soul is due to thee; who hast purchased us, to the praise and glory of thy name. And this for Ever and ever. Amen. Heavenly father, It is so: and ever grant Grace to us all, that it may be so. Amen. 1. Thess. 5. 17. Pray continually. FINIS. Imprinted at London by William White. 1602.