ful or dangerous to no man. Secondly, we must consider whether our petitions extend to spiritual or corporal things.

Spiritual things, such as are deliverance from impiety, remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and of life everlasting, we should desire absolutely, without any condition, by Jesus Christ, in whom alone all these are promised. And in asking hereof, we should not pray thus, "O Father! forgive our sins if Thou wilt," for His will He hath expressed, saying, "As I live, I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he convert, and live," which immutable and solemn oath who calleth in doubt, maketh God a liar, and, as far as in him lieth, would spoil God of His Godhead. For He cannot be God except He be eternal and infallible verity. And John saith, "This is the testimony which God hath testified of His Son, that who believeth in the Son hath eternal life" (1 John v.), to the verity whereof we should steadfastly cleave, although worldly dolor apprehend us; as David, exiled from his kingdom, and deprived of all his glory, secluded not himself from God, but steadfastly believed reconciliation by the promise made, notwithstanding that all creatures on earth had refused, rejected, and rebelled against Him. Happy is the man whom Thou shalt inspire, O Lord!

In asking corporal things, first let us inquire if we be at peace with God in our consciences, by Jesus Christ, firmly believing our sins to be remitted in His blood. Secondly, let us inquire of our own hearts if we know temporal riches or substance not to come to man by accident, fortune, or chance, neither yet by the industry and diligence of man's labor, but to be the liberal gift of God only, whereof we ought to laud and praise His goodness, wisdom, and providence alone.

What Should be Prayed for.-And if this we do truly acknowledge and confess, let us boldly ask of Him whatsoever is necessary for us; as sustentation of the body, health thereof, defence from misery, deliverance from trouble, tranquillity and peace to our commonwealth, prosperous success in our vocations, labors, and affairs, whatsoever they be; which God willeth we ask all of Him, to certify us that all things stand in His government and disposal, and also, by asking and receiving these corporal commodities, we may have taste of His sweetness, and be inflamed with His love, that thereby our faith of

reconciliation and remission of our sins may be exercised and take increase.

But, in asking such temporal things, we must observe, first, that if God deferreth or prolongeth to grant our petitions, even so long that He doth apparently reject us, yet let us not cease to call, prescribing Him neither time, neither manner of deliverance, as it is written, "If He prolong time, abide patiently upon Him," and also, "Let not the faithful be too hasty; for God sometimes deferreth, and will not hastily grant, for the probation of our continuance," as the words of Jesus Christ testify; and also that we may receive with greater gladness that which with ardent desire we long have looked for, as Hannah, Sarah, and Elizabeth, after great ignominy of their barrenness and sterility, received fruit of their bosoms with joy.

Secondly, because we know the kirk at all times to be under the cross. In asking temporal commodities, and especially deliverance from trouble, let us offer to God obedience; if it shall please His goodness we be longer exercised, that we may patiently abide it. As David, desirous to be restored to his kingdom, what time he was exiled by his own son, offereth unto God obedience, saying, "If I have found favor in the presence of the Lord, He shall bring me home again. But if He shall say, Thou pleasest me no longer to bear authority, I am obedient; let Him do what seemeth good to Him" (2 Sam. xv.). And the three children unto Nebuchadnezzar did say, We know that our God whom we worship may deliver us; but if it shall not please Him so to do, let it be known to thee, O king, that thy gods we will not worship" (Dan. iii.).

66

Better it is to obey God than Man.-Here they [children] gave a true confession of their perfect faith, knowing nothing to be impossible to the omnipotence of God; affirming also themselves to stand in His mercy, for otherwise the nature of man could not willingly give itself to so horrible a torment. But they offer unto God most humble obedience, to be delivered at His good pleasure and will, as we should do in all afflictions; for we know not what to ask or desire as we ought-that is, the frail flesh, oppressed with fear and pain, desireth deliverance, ever abhorring and drawing back from obedience-giving. (O Christian brother, I write by experience!) But the Spirit of God calleth back the mind to obedience, that albeit it desires and abides

for deliverance, yet should it not repine against the good of God, but incessantly to ask that it may abide with patience. How hard this battle is no man knoweth but he who in himself hath suffered trial.

The Petition of the Spirit.—It is to be noted that God sometimes doth grant the petition of the spirit, while He yet deferreth the desire of the flesh. As who doubteth but God did mitigate the heaviness of Joseph, although He sent not hasty deliverance in his long imprisonment; and that as He gave him favor in the sight of his jailer, so inwardly also He gave him consolation in spirit? (Gen. xxxix.) And moreover, God sometimes granteth the petition of the spirit, while He utterly repelleth the desire of the flesh. For the petition of the spirit always is that we may attain to the true felicity, whereunto we must needs enter by tribulation, and the final death, both of which the nature of man doth ever abhor. And therefore the flesh under the cross, and at the sight of death, calleth and thirsteth for hasty deliverance.

The Flesh striveth against the Spirit.—But God, who alone knoweth what is expedient for us, sometimes prolongeth the deliverance of His chosen, and sometimes permitteth them to drink, before the maturity of age, the bitter cup of corporal death, that thereby they may receive medicine and cure from all infirmity. For who doubteth but that John the Baptist desired to have seen more the days of Jesus Christ, and to have been longer with Him in conversation? or that Stephen would not have labored more days in preaching Christ's Gospel, whom, nevertheless, He suffered hastily to taste of this general sentence? And albeit we see therefore no apparent help to ourselves, not yet to others afflicted, let us not cease to call, thinking our prayers to be vain; for whatsoever come of our bodies, God shall give unspeakable comfort to the spirit, and turn all to our commodities [advantages], beyond our own expectation. The cause I am so long tedious in this matter is that I know how hard the battle is between the spirit and the flesh, under the heavy cross of affliction, where no worldly defence but present death does appear.

Impediments come of the Weakness of the Flesh.-I know the grudging and murmuring complaints of the flesh; I know the anger, wrath, and indignation which it conceiveth against God,

calling all His promises in doubt, and being ready every hour utterly to fall from God. Against which remains only faith, provoking us to call earnestly, and pray for assistance of God's Spirit, wherein, if we continue, our most desperate calamities He shall turn to gladness, and to a prosperous end.

To Thee, O Lord, alone be praise! for with experience I write this and speak.

Where, and for whom, and at what time, we ought to pray, is not to be passed over with silence.

Private prayer, such as men secretly offer unto God by themselves, requires no special place, although Jesus Christ commandeth, when we pray, to enter into our chamber, and to close the door, and so to pray secretly unto our Father (Matt. vi.). Whereby He wills that we should choose for our prayers such places as might offer least occasion to call us back from prayer, and also that we should expel forth of our minds in time of our prayer all vain cogitations; for otherwise, Jesus Christ himself doth observe no special place of prayer, for we find Him sometimes praying in Mount Olivet, sometimes in the desert, sometimes in the temple, and in the garden. Peter desireth to pray upon the top of the house (Acts x.). Paul prayed in prison, and was heard of God, who also commandeth men to pray in all places, lifting up unto God pure and clean hands, as we find that the prophets and most holy men did, wheresoever danger or necessity required.

Appointed Places to Pray in may not be Neglected. But public and common prayers should be used in the place appointed for the assembly of the congregation, whence whosoever negligently withdraweth himself is in nowise excusable. I mean not that to be absent from that place is sin, because that place is more holy than another; for the whole earth created by God is equally holy. But the promise made, that "wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name, there shall I be in the midst of them," condemneth all such as despise the congregation gathered in His name. But mark well this word "gathered." I mean not to hear piping, singing, or playing; nor to patter upon beads or books whereof they have no understanding; nor to commit idolatry, honoring that for God which indeed is no god; for with such will I neither join myself in common prayer, nor in receiving external sacraments. For in

so doing, I should affirm their superstition and abominable idolatry, which I, by God's grace, never will do, neither counsel others to do, to the end.

What it is to be Gathered in the Name of Christ.—This congregation which I mean should be gathered in the name of Jesus Christ; that is, to laud and magnify God the Father, for the infinite benefits they have received by His only Son, our Lord. In this congregation should be distributed the mystical and last supper of Jesus Christ, without superstition or any more ceremonies than He himself used, and His apostles after Him, in distribution thereof. In this congregation should inquisition be made of the poor among them, and support provided till the time of their next convention; and it should be distributed amongst them. Also in this congregation should be made common prayers, such as all men hearing might understand, that the hearts of all subscribing to the voice of one might with unfeigned and fervent mind say, Amen. Whosoever withdraw themselves from such a congregation (but alas! where shall it be found?) do declare themselves to be no members of Christ's body.

For Whom and at What Time we should Pray.-Now there remaineth for whom and at what time we shall pray. For all men, and at all times, doth Paul command that we shall pray (1 Tim. ii.), and principally for such as are of the household of faith as suffer persecution; and for commonwealths tyrannously oppressed, incessantly should we call, that God of His mercy and power will withstand the violence of such tyrants.

God's Sentence may be Changed.-And when we see the plagues of God, as hunger, pestilence, or war, coming or appearing to reign, then should we with lamentable voices and repenting hearts call unto God, that it would please His infinite mercy to withdraw His hand. Which thing, if we do unfeignedly, He will without doubt revoke His wrath, and, in the midst of His fury, think upon mercy, as we are taught in the Scripture, by His infallible and eternal verity. As in Exodus God saith, “I shall destroy this nation from the face of the earth." And when Moses addresseth himself to pray for them the Lord proceedeth, saying, "Suffer me that I may utterly destroy them." And then Moses falleth down upon his face, and forty days continueth in prayer for the safety of the people, for whom, at the