Lo XIX. BAD AT BEST. ORD, how come wicked thoughts to perplex me in my prayers, when I desire and endeavour only to attend thy service? Now I perceive the cause thereof; at other times I have willingly entertained them, and now they entertain themselves against my will. I acknowledge thy justice, that what formerly I have invited, now I cannot expel. Give me hereafter always to bolt out such ill guests. The best way to be rid of such bad thoughts in my prayers, is not to receive them out of my prayers. XX. COMPENDIUM DISPENDIUM. POPE OPE BONIFACE the Ninth, at the end of each hundred years, appointed a jubilee at Rome, wherein people, bringing themselves and money thither, had pardon for their sins. But centenary years returned but seldom, popes were old before, and covetous when they came to their place. Few had the happiness to fill their coffers with jubilee-coin. Hereupon, Clement the Sixth reduced it to every three and thirtieth, Paul the Second and Sixtus the Fourth to every twentyfifth year.* Yea, an agitation is reported in the conclave, to bring down jubilees to fifteen, twelve, or ten * Examen con. Trident. p. 736. col. 2. years, had not some cardinals (whose policy was above their covetousness) opposed it. I serve my prayers as they their jubilees. Perchance they may extend to a quarter of an hour, when poured out at large. But some days I begrudge this time as too much, and omit the preface of my prayer, with some passages conceived less material, and run two or three petitions into one, so contracting them to half a quarter of an hour. Not long after, this also seems too long; I decontract and abridge the abridgment of my prayers, yea (be it confessed to my shame and sorrow, that hereafter I may amend it), too often I shrink prayers to a minute, to a moment, to a Lord have mercy upon me! my SCRIPTURE OBSERVATIONS. I. PRAYER MAY PREACH. ATHER, I thank thee (said our Saviour, being ready to raise Lazarus), that thou hast heard me. And I know that thou hearest me always, but because of the people that stand by, I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.* It is lawful for ministers in their public prayers to insert passages for the edifying of their auditors, at the same time petitioning God and informing their hearers. For our Saviour glancing his eyes at the people's instruction, did no whit hinder the steadfastness of his looks, lifted up to his Father. When, before sermon, I pray for my sovereign and master, king of great Britain, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, in all causes, and over all persons, &c. some, who omit it themselves, may censure it in me for superfluous. But never more need to teach men the king's title, and their own duty, that the simple may be informed, the forgetful remembered thereof, and that the affectedly ignorant, who will not take advice, may have all excuse taken from them. Wherefore in pouring * John, xi. 41, 42. forth my prayers to God, well may I therein sprinkle some by-drops for the instruction of the people. II. THE VICIOUS MEAN. OPHAR, the Naamathite, mentioneth a sort of men, in whose mouths wickedness is sweet, they hide it under their tongues, they spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still in their mouths.* This furnisheth me with a tripartite division of men in the world. The first and best are those who spit sin out, loathing it in their judgments, and leaving it in their practice. The second sort, notoriously wicked, who swallow sin down, actually and openly committing it. The third, endeavouring an expedient betwixt heaven and hell, neither do nor deny their lusts; neither spitting them out nor swallowing them down, but rolling them under their tongues, epicurising thereon, in their filthy fancies and obscene speculations. men. If God at the last day of Judgment hath three hands, a right for the sheep, a left for the goats, the middle is most proper for these third sort of But both these latter kinds of sinners shall be confounded together. The rather because a sin thus rolled, becomes so soft and supple, and the throat is so short and slippery a passage, that insensibly it may slide down from the mouth into * Job, xx. 12, 13. the stomach; and contemplative wantonness quickly turns into practical uncleanness. JOB III. STORE NO SORE. OB had a custom to offer burnt-offerings according to the number of his sons; for he said, It may be that my sons in their feasting have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.* It may be, not it must be, he was not certain, but suspected it. But now, what if his sons had not sinned? was Job's labour lost, and his sacrifice of none effect? Oh no! only their property was altered; in case his sons were found faulty, his sacrifices for them were propitiatory, and through Christ obtained their pardon: in case they were innocent, his offerings were eucharistical, returning thanks to God's restraining grace, for keeping his sons from such sins, which otherwise they would have committed. I see in all doubtful matters of devotion, it is wisest to be on the surest side, better both lock, and bolt, and bar it, than leave the least door of danger open. Hast thou done what is disputable whether it be well done? Is it a measuring cast whether it be lawful or no? So that thy conscience may seem in a manner to stand neuter, sue a conditional pardon out of the court of heaven, the rather because our self-love is more prone to flatter, than our godly jealousy to suspect, ourselves * Job, i. 5. |