Saint Paul in his twelfth chapter to the Romans, teacheth us a reasonable service of God Here he seems to enjoin us an unreasonable service of God, For who did ever pray continually! Or if we should pray continually, when should we hear, or Preach? or when ⟨p. 871⟩should we study, or when should we work, so one service seems to hinder all services: but indeed it doth further all services, and therefore we are commanded to pray continually, because we can do nothing without Prayer. But if you imagine that this commandment is broken if your lips be not always going, which was the heresy of the Messaliant, or if you dwell not always in the Church like the golden Candlesticks, then you are out of Pauls mind, for Paul did not pray continually with his lips, and therefore he doth not mean a lip-prayer: neither did Paul live day and night in the Temple, and therefore he doth not mean a Church-prayer: and further, it seems that the Jews were not appointed to pray at all times, for they had set times of prayer, and therefore we read how Peter and John went up to the Temple at the time of prayer, therefore to pray continually, is to lift up our hearts continually unto God,1 & to pray in our thought, as Moses did though we open not our lips, and so we may pray continually. As when a good man is to answer before the persecutor, a thought prayeth in his hart that he may answer wisely: when he is to give Alms a thought prayeth in his heart that it may do good, when he is to give counsel, a thought prayeth in his heart that it may prosper: when ⟨p. 872⟩he is to hear a Sermon, a thought prayeth in his heart, that he may be edified, and sanctified by it. Thus we may pray and hear, pray and speak, pray and eat, pray & study, pray and work together, as the Jews built and fought together, and therefore praying seems a harder thing than it is, for if it had been irksome for any to pray, Paul would not have joined praying & rejoicing together.2 It is not hard which a man may do & rejoice too. If a man love entirely, he hath no such delight as to talk often and to confer daily with him whom he loveth, for by this his love is increased, and his joy is doubled, but the seldomer we commune together by little & little our affections abate, till at last we become strange one to the other, as though we had never been acquainted.
Saint Paul in his twelft chapter to the Romās, teacheth vs a reasonable seruice of God Here hee seemes to inioine vs an vnreasonable seruice of God, For who did euer praie continually! Or if wee should pray continually, when should we heare, or Preach? or when ⟨p. 871⟩should we studie, or when should we worke, so one seruice seemes to hinder all seruices: but indeede it doth further all seruices, and therefore we are commanded to praie continually, because we can doo nothing without Praier. But if you imagine that this cō mandement is broken if your lips be not alwaies going, which was the heresie of the Messaliant, or if you dwell not alwaies in the Church like the golden Candlestickes, then you are out of Pauls minde, for Paul did not praie continually with his lips, and therefore he doth not meane a lip-prayer: neither did Paule liue day and night in the Temple, and therefore he doth not meane a Church-prayer: and further, it seemes that the Iewes were not appointed to praie at all times, for they had set times of praier, and therefore we reade how Peter and Iohn went vp to the Temple at the time of praier, therefore to praie continually, is to lift vp our hearts continually vnto God,1 & to praie in our thought, as Moses did though wee open not our lips, and so we may praie continually. As when a good man is to answer before the persecutor, a thought praieth in his hart that he may answer wisely: when he is to giue Almes a thought praieth in his heart that it may doo good, when he is to giue counsel, a thought praieth in his heart that it may prosper: whē ⟨p. 872⟩he is to heare a Sermon, a thought praieth in his heart, that he may be edified, and sanctified by it. Thus we may pray and heare, praie and speake, praie and eat, pray & studie, pray and woorke together, as the Iewes built and fought together, and therfore praying seems a harder thing than it is, for if it had beene irksome for any to pray, Paule woulde not haue ioined praying & reioycing together.2 It is not hard which a man may do & reioyce too. If a mā loue intirely, he hath no such delight as to talke often and to conferre daily with him whō he loueth, for by this his loue is increased, and his ioy is doubled, but the seldomer we cōmune together by little & little our affections abate, til at last we become strange one to the other, as though wee had neuer beene acquainted.
- 1Act. 3. 4.
- 2Nehe. 47.
