The fourth question is, with what affection a man must pray. Answer. ⟨p. 10⟩Prayer must proceed from a broken and contrite hart. This is the sacrifice which God accepteth. Psalm. 51. verse. 17. When Ahab abased himself, though he did it in hypocrisy, yet God had some respect unto it. 1. King. 21. verse 29. Saith the Lord to Elijah, seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? This contrition of heart stands in two things. The first of them is a lively feeling of our own sin, misery and wretched estate; how that we are compassed about with innumerable enemies, even with the Devil and all his Angels, & within a bound, even with huge seas of wants and rebellious corruptions, whereby we most grievously displease God, & are vile in our own eyes. Being therefore thus beset on every side, we are to be touched with the sense of this our great misery. And he that will pray aright, must put on the person, and the ⟨p. 11⟩very affection of a poor wretched beggar: and certainly not being grieved with the rueful condition in which we are in our selves, it is not possible for us to pray effectually. Psalm. 130. verse 1. Out of the deeps I called upon thee, O Lord: that is, when I was in my greatest misery, and as it were, not far from the gulfs of hell, then I cried to God. Isai. 26. 16. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee: they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. 1. Sam. 1. 15 I am a woman (saith Anna) of an hard spirit: that is, a troubled soul, and have poured out my soul before the lord Hence it appeareth, that the ordinary prayers of most men grievously displease God, seeing they are made for fashion only, without any sense and feeling of their miseries: commonly men come with the Pharisee, in ostentation of their integrity, and they take great pains ⟨p. 12⟩with their lips, but their harts wan der from the Lord. The second thing required in a contrite hart, is a longing desire and hungering after Gods graces and benefits, whereof we stand in need. It is not sufficient for a man to buckle as it were, and to go crooked under his sins and miseries; but also, he must have a desire to be eased of them, & to be enriched with graces needful. Thus Hezekias the king, and the Prophet Isaiah the Son of Amos prayed against Sennacherib, and cried unto heaven, 2. Chron. 32. 20. Where we may see what a marvellous desire they had to obtain their request.
The fourth question is, with what affection a man must pray. Answer. ⟨p. 10⟩Prayer must proceed from a broken and contrite hart. This is the sacrifice which God accepteth. Psalm. 51. verse. 17. When Ahab abased himselfe, though he did it in hypocrisie, yet God had some respect vnto it. 1. King. 21. verse 29. Saith the Lorde to Eliah, seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? This contrition of heart stands in two thinges. The first of them is a liuely feeling of our own sinne, miserie and wretched estate; howe that we are compassed about with inumerable enemies, euen with the Deuill and all his Angels, & within a bound, even with huge seas of wants and rebellious corruptiōs, whereby we most grieuouslie displease God, & are vile in our own eies. Being therefore thus beset on euerie side, wee are to be touched with the sense of this our gret miserie. And he that wil pray aright, must putte on the person, and the ⟨p. 11⟩verie affection of a poore wretched begger: and certainely not being grieued with the rufull condition in which we are in our selues, it is not possible for vs to pray effectually. Psalm. 130. verse 1. Out of the deepes I called vpon thee, O Lord: that is, when I was in my greatest miserie, and as it were, not far frō the gulfes of hell, then I cried to God. Isai. 26. 16. Lord, in trouble haue they visited thee: they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. 1. Sam. 1. 15 I am a woman (saith Anna) of an hard spirite: that is, a troubled soule, and haue powred out my soul before the lord Hence it appeareth, that the ordinary praiers of most mē greuously displease God, seing they ar made for fashion only, without any sense and feeling of their miseries: commonly men come with the Pharisie, in ostentation of their integritie, and they take greate paines ⟨p. 12⟩with their lips, but their harts wā der from the Lorde. The second thing required in a contrite hart, is a longing desire and hungring after Gods graces and benefites, whereof we stand in need. It is not sufficient for a man to buckle as it were, and to go crooked vnder his sinnes and miseries; but also, hee must haue a desire to be eased of them, & to be enriched with graces needefull. Thus Hezekias the king, and the Prophet Isaiah the Sonne of Amos praied against Senacharib, and cried vnto heauen,
