shop as I may say It is bootlesse they perceive and in vaine for them to pray any longer Mal. 3. 14. 3. Many have some secret wounds or 3 Secret wounds and distempers diseases yet unhealed they are annoyed with some malignant distempers of heart with some predominant lusts and so come to faint and give out They began this holy course and set out with others in this spiritual way but cannot hold out with them their hearts not being sound and right within them they draw back and that to perdition their heart is lifted up and not upright within them and so cannot make any spiritual living of it In this way of exercise of faith Hab. 2. 4. whereas the just hold on living by faith these draw back Heb. 10. 38. Their hearts being not sound in Gods statutes they sustaine the shame of Apostasie Psal 119. 80. 4. Many doe not conscionably receive 4 Letting slip the words of God and retaine the holy food of their souls the word of God which should and would keep us and preserve the spirits of their soules in running this path of a Christians course and race and way Carelesse and unprofitable hearers will not cannot hold on long or with any life a course of prayer Whilst Christians are lively and fruitfull in hearing the word they are lively fruitfull and constant in prayer but they that give the bare hearing to the Prophets words minding other matters whilst they are hearing Ezek. 33 31 32. They are heartless and listless altogether in seeking unto God that they might live v. 10 If our iniquities bee upon us and wee pine away in our sinnes how should wee then live They think it loathsome to look or speak to God about it CHAP. IV. Touching the Conditions required to such manner of praying without ceasing and first of Faith in Prayer HAving spoken of the nature of the duty of prayer here injoyned and of that which is implyed in the notion of praying without ceasing We come now to the third thing at first propounded to consideration namely the conditions which are required in such praying importunely opportunely or constantly Now these conditions of incessant prayer are four 1. Faith 2. Humility 3. Sincerity 4. Watchfulnesse First then concerning Faith in prayer this is a principle requisite to prayer it is even all in all in it without this prayer is in effect no prayer unto the Lord hence acceptable prayer is called the prayer of faith Jam. 5. 15. The prayer of faith shal save the sick It s not so much a Christians prayer as his faith in prayer which prevaileth with God for a gracious answer Whatsoever yee ask believing yee shall receive Matth. 21. 23. It is faith which maketh a mans person first acceptable and no wonder then if such an ones prayer prevaile Cain and Abel both sacrifice hypocrites as well as upright ones pray God had respect unto Abel and unto his offering yet not to Caine. Gen. 4 4. But it was by faith that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice then Cain Faith is The necessity of faith in prayer the instrument whereby the spots and stains which else might blast us and our prayers are removed both from our persons and prayers God purifies our hearts by faith Act. 15. 9 We are sanctified by faith Act. 26. 19. Faith is a meanes to make the holinesse of Christs person and prayers ours and that must needs be acceptable to the Lord. My beloved is mine all his holinesse and righteousness is mine saith the believing Church Cant. 2. 16. Faith interested the saints in all the succouring attributes and titles of God or offices and titles of Christ in the covenant of grace and all the particular promises which we need to improve in prayer what then more needfull or usefull in praier then faith Faith sheweth a godly soule where all its succour lyeth and where all its strength and life is to be had and after that maketh the utmost improvement of all in prayer It s faith which maketh the Saints keep their due distances in prayer Giveth God and Christ their due grace and mercy its due our selves and our spiritual enemies which we complaine of their due It setteth and as I may say placeth God and Christ in his proper place seat and throne putteth us into an holy Athletique plight ordereth the bounds proportions and motions of prayer and then taketh its best season and holy advantages both of God and of our selves to effect and bring about the desires which spring from our faith Faith is a lively spark indeed and putteth life both into the suppliants and into their supplications Bee wee never so dead dumb saplesse and listlesse in spirituals if faith begin once to be stirring it putteth life into the businesse Now for the better handling of this principall requisite to incessant prayer Consider 1. What faith in prayer is required and why so 2. What is the work of faith in praier 3. What helpfull means and incouragements are usefull to further faith in prayer 4. What are the marks of faith in prayer Touching the first we say that faith as There is requied in prayer Faith requisite acting in prayer either respecteth God more generally both in his absolute and relative nature or Jesus Christ more specially or the promises or providences of God more particularly 1. Faith in Gods nature and in God absolutely considered is required as in all other approaches to God so in this of prayer Hee that cometh to God must believe Heb. 11. 6 that he is and so must believe in God absolutely considered and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him and so believe in him relatively considered But let 's instance in some particulars herein 1. Faith in the immensity and omnipresence 1 In Gods immensitie of God is required in prayer True it is faith in prayer doth and must look at God as in heaven in respect of his more glorious manifestation and communication of himselfe Hence that Our father which art Matth. 6. in heaven c. 2 Chron. 20. 6. Art not thou God in heaven And 2 Chron. 6. 21. Hear in heaven thy dwelling place It is a great help to an heavenly spirit in prayer and to high and holy aimes It is a notable curb to restraine carnall desires and thoughts in prayer to eye God as in heaven But yet albeit faith with its eager eye pierce the clouds and behold the Lord as above all yet also as in all and through all Hee conceiveth of God as comprehending heaven it selfe and not comprehended either of heaven or earth So did Solomon by faith in that prayer 1 King 8. 27. eye God as one whom the heaven of heaven could not containe Wheresoever the Saints are praying they are praying as before God Dan. 6. 10. Daniel prayeth and giveth thanks before God So did Nehemiah chap. 1. 4 Neither is any frame more sutable
will farther his gracious audience of his servants prayers What will not love grant 5 Consider what account the Lord makes 5 What esteem he hath of his Saints prayers of his peoples prayers They are his delight Prov. 15. 8. as sweet musick in his ears Revel 5. 1. They are memorials before him ever in his eye minding him of what is meet to be done for his people Acts 10. 4. They are as a Recompence to him he liketh to be paid in his dues in prayers also Psal 116. 12 13. he thinketh we never pray enough John 16 13 14. Hitherto you have asked nothing namely in comparison open thy mouth wide Psal 81. Mercy accompanieth prayer if the Lord would turne away the one yet not the others pleas Psalm 66. 20. 6 Consider what measures the Lord 6. What measures he keepeth in his respects to praier keepeth in his respects to prayer He heareth sometimes before we call preventeth his people with goodnesse Isaiah 65. 24. Sometimes even whilst praying they have answers of grace ibid. Sometimes when his people seek him for pardoning grace and the manifestation thereof he sheweth mercy even above their thoughts Isaiah 55. 6 7 8 9. giveth them as above what they ask so beyond their thoughts and expectations Eph. 3. 20. Wherefore raise up our expectations in this way of seeking the face of God touching his gracious disposition to hear and help us and when we have got up our thoughts therein to the highest yet believe it he hath mercy and answers of grace for us above our thoughts 7 Consider what method God continually and infallibly useth in his respects to 7. What method he observeth in his respects to praier prayer namely first to incline hearts to be cordial and serious in prayer and then to give his promised mercies Psalm 10. 17. Jerem. 29. 11. 12. The nearer and surer mercies are the more praying motions and workings there are then in our hearts Both are to the same mercy as one works to help to pray and to hear prayer Mercy would not be at work with us in the one if the other part of God's mercies work were not to be effected Lastly That we may clear up our fainting 8. Consider the Parable Luk 18 1. to 9. spirits and drooping hearts in expectation of faith that our prayers shall not fail of good successe from God consider of that Parable of our Lord Jesus which he for this purpose propoundeth Luke 18. 1. ad 9. A Judge a man comes off to hear a poor suppliants request and will not God a Father do much more for his An unjust Judg hears and will not a just and righteous God hear the cryes of his poor ones One that was a hater and disregarder of men and of his own name yet hears and will not God and Christ hear whose delight is to be with men Prov 8. One that was utterly averse from hearing He would not hear one to whom asking was a trouble This widow troubleth me yet at length grants the request of her which sought to him How much more will the Lord to whom prayer is a delight and whose property it is to be hearing even ready to hear prayers surely he will hearken to his suppliants requests much more One that while he denyed and delayed his Petitioner considered it not till afterward Then he considered with himself and he cometh off How much rather will the Lord who wisely weigheth all circumstances and inconveniences in case of too long delay to hear Isai 57. 17. He will surely fulfil his peoples desires One that in granting his Petitioners desire meerly to avoid disquiet Lest she should weary him out with her out-cryes he hearkens and will not God who delighteth in mercy do much more for his precious ones One that is solicited by a certain widow one no way allyed to him coming to him without any other Intercessour to plead her cause yet he cannot deny her Petition and can or will the Lord deny his own deare children which come to him in the name of him in whom he is well pleased yea and have the Lord himselfe to intercede for him Touching the last thing propounded very briefly The Marks of one praying in faith Marks of praiing in faith are these 1 When a soul is borne up and carryed 1. Praying amidst discouragements on in praying amidst discouragements to pray If he pray without ceasing when yet there are so many things sometimes which may seem to occasion ceasing to pray save that he prayeth in faith When we are hindred and opposed in it by Satan and others yet a Joshuah stands before the Angel notwithstanding Satans resistance Zach. 3. 1. or like him in Mark 10. 47 48 51 52. we continue crying Jesus have mercy on us even when others would forbid us when we are delayed and held off from our desired answers and left in some deeps of affliction in the interim and yet trusting in the Lord in Prayer We will wait Psalm 136. 1 2 3 4 5. When the Lord is long silent yet we will not be silent but plead How long Lord Psal 13. 1 2. When denyed of God as the woman of Canaan as if we had no part in the mercy we ask it were not for us yet we continue asking Matth. 25. 25. 26 27. Surely there is faith emboldning thereunto verse 28. When we seem to be curbed and silently rebuked as the friend wished not to trouble his friend yet will not give over his suite Luke 11. Surely he thinks he speaks to a friend within or else he could not would not then continue asking 2 When we pray with some more then 2 Praying with boldnesse usual boldnesse and liberty of speech as sometimes in an awful and spiritual manner we are wondrous free to plead with God more then at other times now is faith stirring in such a Prayer 1 John 3. 21 22. Eph. 3. 12. 3 When we pray with a kind of delightful 3 Praying with heart calmness calmness and stilnesse of spirit not tossed like waves in prayer through the power of unbelief Jam. 1. 6. 4 When in setting our selves sometimes to pray to the Lord and petition him 4. Prayers turned into praises we are even ready to make a holy digression and diversion and turning our intended Petition into melting admiring praises of God as oft times spiritual Christians have experiences thereof surely then faith is stirring So Christ turning himselfe to approach to God John 11. 41 42. saith I thank thee Father that thou alwayes hearest me CHAP. V. Of Humility required in Prayer WE have entred upon the discourse of things propounded touching the conditions required for the incessant performance of the duty of prayer and have dispatched the first namely Faith And now we are to speak of the second condition thereto required and that is Humility It is the desire of the humble which the Lord heareth Psal 10. 17.
and his people that pray are to humble themselves and then the Lord promiseth them hearing 2 Chron. 7. 14. But Humility in prayer consisteth for our better proceeding in handling this condition of prayer Let us consider 1. Wherein that Humility which is required in prayer doth consist 2. When Humility expressed in prayer may be discerned to be saving 3. Why this Humility is required to prayer 4. What are usefull helps and means furthering such humility in prayer To the first we say Humility required in prayer consisteth in these six or seven things 1. In low thoughts of our selves to attempt 1 In low thoughts of our selves as unmeet to pray or set about such a duty When wee are going about it we judge our selves most unmeet and unworthy in our selves to speak to the Lord as we are imployed in praying still the serious and sensible thoughts of our owne worthlesnesse dwells with us and works on us That justified suppliant mentioned Luke 13. 13 14. standeth a far off and would scarce lift up his eyes to heaven he thinks he is not worthy to come nearer let others goe as high as they please as for himselfe hee will take the lowest roome in Gods house It is more then he is worthy of to be admitted to come there at all and heaven is too glorious a place in a manner for him a wretch as hee hath been to be so bold he hath sinned against heaven it is better for him to look on the dust yea to kisse and lick the dust In the words which the wiseman speaketh prayer-wise unto Christ that Itheil he that was his God and that Vcall that mighty one Prov. 30. 1 7 8 9. You see how humbly hee prefaceth in his speech so far as directed to him in way of prayer as verse 2 3. hee professeth hee is more bruitish then any man and hath not the understanding of a man so unfit and unworthy doth he see himselfe to speak either of Christ in an instructive way as verse 4 5 6. or to Christ in a supplicating way ver 7 8 9. The Disciples having been at praier with Christ they see so much weight in the duty and so much excellency in the due exercise of the gift and grace of Christ in prayer that they look at themselves as most unfit to pray as they ought and therefore intreat his help and direction Lord teach us to pray Luke 11. 1. The Psalmist beginneth his prayer in a kind of expostulation with God Psal 22. 1 2. and pressing of God with examples of his mercy to others in like cases verse 4 5. But if thou think hee is too bold with God and keepeth not his due distance hee will professe that for his owne part he is a worm and no man verse 6 7. he judged himselfe as infinitely unworthy to stand upon termes with God so even unfit to make comparison with others verse 5 6. But I am a worm and no man what ever our fathers were yet I look at my selfe as fitter to creep on the earth and feed onely upon the dust in respect of the guilt of sinne laid upon me for if you apply it to Christ the antitype God laid upon him the iniquity of us all Isai 53. 6. but we intend it of the Psalmist rather himselfe then as a man to lift up my selfe to heaven and therefore am justly made the reproach of men ibid. No sooner do the Saints essay to draw near unto God but the beames of the glory of God reflect upon the faces of their souls which doe thus awe and abase them they see in the glasse of that excellency their owne vilenesse 2. In abased thoughts of our selves 2 In low thoughts of our selves when heard when we do get any thing of the Lord by prayer True it is humble ones do speed best of all others in prayer but yet as mercyes of prayer found them so they leave them humble When Abraham hath gained upon the Lord by prayer Gen. 18. 26. yet then nay then especially is Abraham lowest and vilest in his owne esteeme then verse 27. he saith and seeth he is dust and ashes He then considereth what he is in himselfe whence he came and whither he must notwithstanding the favour which hee findeth with the Lord he knoweth no cause which should move the Lord to give any answer of mercy to so meane an one as himselfe but his rich grace What is in dust to move respects in God to it and secretly presenteth it as a plea to continue such undeserved mercy to such an one from that which moved the Lord to begin to respect his prayer Thus David Psal 34. 4 when hee had gained by his prayer and God was found of him yet verse 6. hee putteth an humble Emphasis upon the matter this poore man cryed That they verse 5. even better men then he such as had walked worthy of God and of his grace looked unto the Lord in prayer and were incouraged by answers of favour was no wonder but that this poor man that he poor wretch as he esteemeth himselfe one that as in the title of the Psalm saith he changed his favour and was not like himselfe in that case at Gath 1 Sam. 21. 13 yet he to cry unto the Lord and be heard this is a wonder of grace to him After Ephraim hath prayed for turning grace from God Jer. 31. 18. and is answered v. 19. then is he abased yea more abased in his own sight then before When the Church upon her request is drawn unto her beloved Cant. 1. 4. then she cryeth out of her blacknesse verse 5. Humblest Christians are the soundest and healthiest in spirit and as showres and blasts of affliction and temptation doe not much annoy them so neither doe warming gleames and shines of mercy distemper them still they are humble they are square men nothing comes amisse to them they will fall right which way ever they are cast if lowly Look as vessells whose sayls are filled if well ballasted they run a more steady course so is it here with the Saints when they pray with full sayled joy of faith yet when this holy ballast of humility is in the hold of the heart and not meerly aloft in shew above decks appearing to men they are not soon lifted up with every good successe they meet with but keep low and deep and carry it evenly with the Lord as humbly if not more humbly then before The Saints know well they are but beggers and stand in need of much they prayse not their good prayers but their good Master for the almes of grace which they get Not unto us and because once was too little to set forth their owne unworthinesse of any mercy they repeat it againe not unto us but to thy Name give glory c. Psal 115. 1. Liitle cause to be proud of a trade or art of such holy begging albeit through the bounty of God it proves
time approaches when the promised mercies to the poor blinded Jewes shall be accomplished and what more seasonable work of love can we do for the Lord or them then to be now much in praying Oh that the salvation Psalm 14. 7. of Israel were come out of Zion In a word Let all the enemies of England old or new to Commonwealth or Church know that Churches of praying Believers are terrible as so many Armies with Banners as so many thundring Legions Let them tremble to think that what ever breaches they have occasioned amongst the Lords people yet that there is a considerable stand of resolute ones left right bred Israelites notable good wrestlers and as special prevailers with God I believe that the Churches enemies the Prelates and others of Englands enemies to their Civil State have been forced to see or feel the force of Saints Prayers We may set God to work pardon the expression in these dangerous times to Church and Commonwealth by our Prayers as hee did of old in like case Psalm 119. 126. It is time for thee Lord to work for they make void thy Law Wherefore Christian Reader albeit others have written worthily about this Subject of Prayer in their times yet let it not seem unseasonable to thee or bee unaccepted by thee that I also though the most unfit and unworthy to attempt so great a work do at this time likewise bring in Evidence with other Witnesses to the same Truth concerning the Nature Necessity Excellency and Efficacy of holy and spirituall Prayer and that I also according to that small measure of Light and Grace received of the Lord doe hereby endeavour to stir up thy pure mind by way of Remembrance that thou mayest bee mindfull not alone 2 Pet. 3. of their Writings but especially of the words before spoken both by the Prophets and Apostles concerning this Subject of Prayer that as in Preaching upon it here the Lord was pleased to blesse that Discourse of Prayer to sundry Souls so if it may be his gracious pleasure it may bee of lively and effectual use to thy souls welfare and peace Which shall bee his prayer who is Thine in the Lord Jesus THOMAS COBBET Lyâ— in New-England the 24. of October 1653. The Heads of the Chapters the particular Contents whereof stand in the Margin of the Book at their proper places which they refer to PART I. Chapt. 1. THe several Reasons of prayer taken from God Christ and the Holy Spirit and from Saints themselves also from the necessities of and engagements unto prayer Chap. 2 Ejaculatory prayer is described the excellency of it is showen in that it is the Saints first and last holy breathing the Alpha and Omega of Solemn prayer Chap. 3. The Requisites unto publick prayer are handled Chap. 4. The duty of family-Family-prayer is handled Chap. 5. Handling the duty of Closet-praier Chap. 6. The Rules about praying for others is handled and also of prayer of Imprication against others PART II. Chap. 1. Is shewne wherein Importunity in prayer consisteth Chap. 2. Handling the Opportunities of praier Chap. 3. Sheweth what it is to pray indesinently and not to give out in prayer Chap. 4. Touching faith in prayer and the necessity of it and what faith is required in prayer Chap. 5. Sheweth wherein Humility in prayer consisteth Chap. 6. Sheweth wherein Sincerity in praier consisteth Chap. 7. Sheweth a threefold watchfulnesse in praier is required and wherein it consisteth PART III. Chap. 1. Touching unregenerate persons prayer and that they are bound to pray Chap. 2. Touching distraction in prayer and the causes thereof and what distractions nullifie prayer Chap. 3. Shewing that things materially good suggested in prayer may be delusions Chap. 4. Shewing what means are to be used in praier Chap. 5. About the time that is to be spent in prayer which is to be much Chap. 6. Shewing the necessity of pleading in prayer Chap. 7. Shewing the causes of straitnings in prayer Chap. 8. About inlargements in prayer which are saving Chap. 9. About meltings in prayer which are from saving principles Chap. 10. Shewing how to conceive of God in prayer Chap. 11. In what order we are to direct our prayers to God GOSPEL INCENSE OR A DISCOURSE About PRAYER Delivered in sundry Lecture Sermons from 1 Thes 5. 17. Pray without ceasing PART I CHAP. I. Touching Prayer in General NOT to spend time in analysing the Chapter In this Text you have two parts 1. The Duty enjoyned Pray 2. The modification of the Duty Without ceasing In the former also you have 1. The Soveraign commanding this Duty even God the Father yea Jesus Christ his Son who by his Spirit sent Paul his Apostle to deliver this piece of Message 1 Thess 1. 1. 2. The Subjects injoyned this Duty the Church of Thessalonica jointly and severally and so in in them all other Churches of Christ and Members of them yea all Christians whatsoever whence observe That Incessant Prayer or Prayer without Doctr. ceasing is a duty which the Lord requireth of all and every one of his people in a special manner Luk. 21. 36. Pray alwaies Luke 18. 1. He spake a Parable to the end that men ought alwayes to pray Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer Eph. 6. 18. Praying alwayes c. For the better and fuller handling of this weighty service of Prayer consider 1. Of the Duty it self Prayer 2. Of the Modification of the performance of it scil Without ceasing 3. Of the conditions required to such incessant Praying 4. Of some cases of Conscience respecting that incessant exercise of our selves in it Touching the Duty it self Prayer let it be considered 1. More Generally in the nature of it both as held forth in several names given to Prayer in Scripture and in a short definition thereof 2. More Particularly 1 In the sorts and species of it as 1. Sudden or ejaculatory Prayer 2. Set and solemn Prayer and that either publick or Church Prayer private or family Prayer secret or closet Prayer 2. In the parts of Prayer which albeit many yet wee shall briefly only consider of Prayer 1. Of Intercession 2. Of Imprecation Prayer is a duty very many wayes enobled and honoured of God and his people and as that which is of large use and extent whose worth is not knowne nor easily decyphered whose nature is not readily conceived or described and yet that which should be most familiar to the Saints it is set forth in Scripture by many names Let us then read over the Titles of this royal work It is called an Offering Zeph. 3. 10. My 1 Prayer an Offering Suppliants shall come and bring mine Offering or they shal in a solemn reverent and cheerful manner pray unto the Lord even as the Godly use to bring the Lords Offering to him Isaiah 19. 21. The converted Egyptians will do Sacrifice and Offering make Prayer their spiritual work and businesse And Prayer
Stevens ejaculatory praier at his death Lord lay not this sin to their charge And assuredly many of the blinded Jews who ignorantly crucifled the Lord of glory fared the better for the ejaculatory prayer of Christ Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Luk. 23. 34. Witnesse the conversion of thousands of those who had a hand in crucifying the Lord Jesus Acts 2. 36 37 38 39 40 41. verses compared Other Saints likewise fare the better for this that the ejaculatory prayers of others of their brethren for them are acceptable prayers to God Onesiphorus will fare the better for the short prayer of Paul at the very day of judgment 2 Tim. 1. 18. The Lord grant that he may find mercy at that day How well then is it in all respects that God will have his Saints praying continually with ejaculatory prayer also 2. In that it is a service which the Lord Second Motive It is that upon which the spirit putteth us often by special motion of his Spirit put his saints upon oft times as well as by general command requireth the same Let me hear thy voice saith Christ to his people Cantiâ— 2. 14. To which the Church answereth in an ejaculatory prayer verse 17. Turne my beloved and be thou like a Roe So Cantic 8. 13. The Lord putteth them upon speaking to him Let me hear thy voice to which they returne an ejaculation ver 14. Make haste my beloved now it will not bee safe to neglect any such motions made by the Lord and by his spirit lest being grieved he withdraw from us 3. In that the most spiritual persons Third motive it is that which the choysest Saints practise much have been and are thus exercised in those holy ejaculations as was Christ as Luke 3. 21. When he was baptised he so prayed when those Disciples returned with that successe he lifts up his heart Luk. 20. 21. I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth So John 2. 27 28. Father glorifie thy name And so Luke 23. 31. Father forgive them for they know not what they doe So Matthew 26. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So Luke 23. 46. When to leave the world Father into thy hands I commit my spirit Thus David and Nehemiah and Moses and others who were most spiritual how oft were they thus praying 4. In that ejaculatory prayer hath prevailed Fourth Motive it s very prevailing with God with God for great things persons have been healed of plagues As upon such a prayer of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30. 18 19 20. verses God hearkned and healed the people Wonders have been done by it as when upon such a Prayer of Isaiah the Sun goeth backward 2 Kings 20. 11. Isaiah cryed unto the Lord and the Sun went back ten degrees Such wonders were done hereby at the red Sea Nehem. 9. 9. as formerly was shewed Now in the second place consider of some Helps to pray thus 1 Heavenly mindedness Helps to help us this way 1 Get and maintain a spiritual frame of heart walk much with God in Meditation and the like and frequent occasion will be offered of such like talking with him A heavenly heart will be often lifted thus heavenward When Simâ—on was in such a frame then Lord lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace Luke 2. 29. So when John is in a like frame then Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Revel 22. 20. One Ejaculation or other ariseth out of the heart in such a frame and as a branch thereof get our hearts weaned from the things of the world be as one leaving the world and then an old Jacob will be mounting thus Gen. 49. 18 Lord I have waited for thy Salvation David who was a weaned child was much in holy Ejaculations so was Davids Lord who was so much above the world such have most to do in Heaven and therefore so oft moving that way 2 Get a humble soft heart sensible of sins and self emptinesse Broken hearts will bee often breathing out Ejaculatory sighs and requests The humbled Thief upon the Cross and Publican in the Temple had their Ejaculations 3 Keep in life and light as much as may 3 Sense of Gods love be the sense of the love of God in Christ when the Church is in Christs armes and as in his bosome then she hath her Ejaculatory request Set me as a seal upon thy arm c. Cant. 8. 5 6. This stirreth up holy love in us to God and that will be making ever and anon abrupt expressions of its desire to him Touching the third thing consider of these Cautions Cautions 1. That it bee not too seldom 1 Content not our selves that more rarely wee have some one lift this way but be ever and anon sending up some short requests unto the Lord foure times in one Chapter is Nehemiah doing thus upon several occasions 2 Look that we do it not in a Petitionary 2. That it bee not only in a Petitionary way way only but praising way as well So David Psalm 8. 3 4 5. When I see thy Heavens c. I said What is man that thou art thus mindful of him So Jesus Christ I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes Luke 10. 21. and John 11. 41 42. Father I thank thee that thou alwayes hearest me 3 Look that be not a bare formal cry 3. That it be not in an affected way for fashions sake a customary Lord have mercy upon me or Lord blesse me or the like in a morning or at going to bed resting therein as if now some goodly service were done or that sufficeth or a more forced out-cry to God occasioned from sudden terrors or distrusts and the like or an hypocritical semblance of a heart lift to heaven by an affected lifting up the eys when in others company or in a seemed squeezing out a hollow hearted sigh in stead of such cordial Ejaculations to which we have been all this while exhorting Lastly Look that none under this pretence 4 That it thrust not out Solemn praier lay aside the due and constant exercise of publick or private Praier in a more continued way Let not one duty justle out another Continued Praier in solemn manner is our duty as well as Ejaculatory Prayer as God willing we shall see in the following part of this Discourse we are the rather to make conscience of Ejaculatory Praier that we may be sit for solemn Prayer and we are so to pray in a continued Prayer as it may leave us sending up our after Ejaculations unto heaven CHAP. III. Touching more solemn and continued Prayer and particularly of Publick Prayer WE have spoken of Ejaculatory Praier proceed we now to consider of Solemn and continued Praier which is either Publick or Church Praier Private or Family Prayer Secret or Closet Prayer Begin
speedily to pray before the Lord say the Gentiles and to seek the Lord I will go also 2. It is a scandalous evil it offendeth the 2. It s matter of just offence to others godly part of the assembly which are there seasonably to joine in the duty And the officers also whose spirits they are not to grieve Heb. 13. 17. For the unseasonable coming in of some and then of others disturbeth Ministers and people present and occasionally hindereth their continued fervency and interrupteth attention upon that worship in hand it occasionally hardneth luke-warme and back-sliding Christians in their neutrality of respect to the parts of publick worship and profaner persons in their grosser neglects and contempts thereof When they see Professours haply of note and name bee so slack and slighty in their attendance thereon 3. The ordinary practise of such carelesse coming 3. It s a symptom of a bad estate to joine in publick prayer before other publick worship performed in the assembly is a speaking symptome of an evill estate in persons guilty of it Christ hath had little power on their hearts who are no more ready and forward sacrifices Psalm 110. 3. Such upon whom he hath power being willing and forward that way it strongly argueth that such want a publick spirit love to the publick good through sense of publick evils and that they have little love to publick ordinances or delight in publick fellowship with the Saints as being so constantly carelesse of seasonable addressing themselves to publick prayer wherein all those are to the life expressed 4. Such cannot so groundedly expect a 4. Strips us of a publick blessing blessing upon other Publick ordinances then dispensed as the word preached or the like which regard not to joyne in Publick Prayer for the same Wherefore let all such who professe the feare of God be afraid any more to grieve his spirit or the spirits of his Saints by any such remissnesse and slacknesse in attending upon an ordinance so precious and prevailing with the Lord yea let them blush that in Popish times of superstitious blindnesse so many should from blind zeal bee so forward in awaiting Latine service to say nothing of other service Common-Prayer lately discarded in attending whereupon too many have placed their main Religion and Christians in these precious times of Gospel light and liberty should bee no more forward to improve that liberty of pure worship of God as other wayes so in Publick Praier which both Christ hath purchased so dearly and for which the Saints have wrestled so much with God and conflicted with so many difficulties with men The second Use therefore may serve to The second use of exhortation to attend upon publick prayer exhort all the people of God to seasonable conscionable attendance upon Publick Prayer presented in an holy manner in his Churches by such as the Lord calleth thereunto let not God have any cause to complain that Publick calling upon God is out of request with us Esay 43. 22. he accounteth we are weary of him if neglectful of that Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel Surely the Lord hath magnified his faithfulnesse in bringing us strangers into his holy mountain according to Isaiah 56. 7. and is as ready to make us joyfull in his house of Prayer if we are not wanting to our owne soules God honours this part of his worship before others and therfore by a synechdoche putteth it for his whole worship his house of worship he calls an house of yrayer as being a choice part of his worship Neglect that neglect all as being that which instrumentally putteth life and lustre into all other parts of worship their burnt offerings saith God there shall be accepted For my house shall be called an house of Prayer Look then that wee put special honour upon this ordinance Yea these instrumentally occasion more honour to God Prayers made in Zion have their answers God is a God honouring Church-Prayer also and therefore hath Church-Prayses too Prayse waiteth for him in Zion Psal 65. 1 2. As gifts are bestowed by occasion of many so thanks come to be given by many 2 Cor. 1. 11. And who would not then if they love the Lord bee ready to give a lift to such honour of his name Yea wee shall come to have more abundant honour by it in the eyes of others to be stiled and owned as under God helpers to them in the attaining of such and such begged blessings you also helping by your Prayers saith Paul to the Church of Corinth In a word it is the priviledge of the Saints purchased at a deare rate by Jesus Christ by whose cause it is that their enmity being slaine Eph. 2. 16. both such as were nigh and such as were a farre off verse 17. through him have both an accesse by one spirit unto the Father verse 18. and are fellow-Citizens verse 19. And as such they trade with God publickly as well as privately in praier for the furtherance of the whole Cities good and every part thereof There is a City treasury of Prayers from which oft times even other decayed Citizens instrumentally get relief Many a decayed Parish as I may call it in the great City of God in the Church universal is raised againe by it and many a back-sliding Christian raised up againe by it as others keep that blessed stock going for us so should we for them And as a means the more to farther us this way let every gracious person make conscience to quicken up each other to this duty So these converts do Zach. 8. 21. Come let us go speedily to pray before the Lord I will goe also CHAP. IIII. Of Private or Family Prayer HAving spoken of the first branch of continued Prayer even Publick Prayer we must now speak of Private or Family Prayer required also implicitely in this undefinite injunction Pray without ceasing respecting the families in the Church Family prayer distinguished of Thessalonica as well as the whole Church collectively considered Family Prayer is either extraordinary or ordinary both are dutyes in their seasons Of extraordinary Family Prayer such as to which fasting is joyned is that 1 Cor. 7. 5. That ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer namely considered as members of the family privately as of the Church publickly whether upon occasion of removal which may and must be done by one family alone sometimes as well as by many families joyning together at other times Ezra 8. 25. That we may seek a right way for us and our little ones c. upon occasion also of publick losse of some pious rulers as those of the Jews did for Josias 2 Chron. 34. 24 25 26. unto which allusion is made Zach. 12. 11 12. And many other occasions might be instance on this way Ordinarie private Praier in families is either occasional or more properly oeconomical occasional Private
Praier is when divers godly acquaintance of sundry families doe meet in some one family to pray and to edifie one another unto which such places look Mal. 3. 16. Jude 20. Col. 4. 12. James 5. 13 14 15 16. of which I might declare the manifold precious uses and benefits but I forbear that which we intend chiefly to speak to as our duty implicitely here injoined is not that which is Praier in the family but that which is properly oeconomical or Praier of the Christian family Eph. 6. 18. Pray with all Family prayer proved to be a duty Rom. 16. 3. 5. Col. 4. 15. manner of Prayer reacheth also this manner of Praier by the family Christian families are or should be Churches wherein the Master of the family should offer up acceptable Praiers and Praises to God Paul writing to Philemon in his Epistle verse 19. mentioneth not his Praier alone but others with him I trust through your prayers I shal be given to you ver 22. and ver 2. hee mentioneth the Church in his house Cornelius is commended for his prayer alwaies or upon all occasions Acts 10. 2. He prayed to God alway viz. as in his house alone so with his family hence such care had that the prayers of man and wife bee not hindred 1 Pet. 3. 7. meaning their joint praiers together in the family as well as those severally made in their closets Pour out thy wrath upon the families which call not on thy Name Jer. 10. 24. Which notion of families comprehendeth housholds as Joshuah 7. 14. The families shall come by housholds and a sad curse then is upon the houshold which are not conscionable of this duty of houshold or family praier God would have the houses of his people dedicated Deut. 20. 5. namely to holy uses and this of houshold prayer especially and Psalme 30. Title David therefore mentioneth the dedication of his house hence such care also in the godly Patriarchs in the removals of themselves and houshold still to be building Altars to call upon God so Abraham Gen. 12. 8. 13. 18. And thus did Isaak Gen. 26. 25. Thus did Jacob. Gen. 33. 20. and 35. 1. God chargeth Jacob to goe up to Bethel and there make an Altar to him and verse 2. 3. Jacob applyeth the charge to his houshold saying Let us arise and goe up to Bethel and as a godly man Jacob must pray alone and did Gen. 32. 25 26 27 28. with Hos 12. 3. 4. he made supplication but considered as a Master of a family it is not enough to send away his houshold over Jabbock and make supplication alone but he must pray and offer up sacrifice with his family yea in that sense Jacob rightly expoundeth the charge of God bidding him to arise and goe up to Bethel to refer to his houshold too let us goe up to Bethel Gen. 35. 1 3. compared his whole houshold wives children sojourners servants all must goe up to Bethel and joine in the worship none must be absent Reasons inforcing this duty 1. Because Gods promised actual respects Reasons why 1. From Gods acceptance acceptance of his peoples praiers indifinitely are extendable to his peoples praiers with the family as well as congregation or those in their closets while they speak there also he will heare Esay 65. 24. His eares are open to their cryes there also Psal 34. 11. Cornelius his prayers then also came up in remembrance before God Act. 10. 1 2 3 4. Paul is given to the prayers of Philemon and his houshold-Church Philem. 1 2 22. compar'd 2. Because the Lord poureth out a spirit of grace supplication to be exercised with the several housholds in their Tribes as well as alone by the husbands and wives apart Zach. Reas 2. From Gods fitting his Saints for that service 12. 11 12. They shall mourne in their prayers which with contrite hearts they poure out the families apart and their wives apart whether in an extraordinary way of prayer with fasting or in an ordinary 3. Because family occasions being also sanctified by prayer 1 Tim. 4. call for it as Saul with his militarie family would first Reas 3. seek God for good successe 1 Sam. 13. 11 From family occasion 12. So should the guides of other families before their families set about their occasions Yea family sins call for this plaister to be as large as the sore out of fear Job would sanctifie his family day by day when to go abroad a feasting Job 1. 5. Hee sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all for Job said it may be that my sonnes have sinned and cursed God in their hearts Thus did Job continually 4. Because family prayer is a special Reas 4. meanes to season the family with a religious fear and respect to God and his ways Act. 10 From family piety promoted 2. Cornelius a devout man and one that feared God with all his house he prayed to God alway Godly Onesiphorus house is a very seminarie to the Church He who is so much exercised this way hath a Church in his house as before shewed A godly praying Abraham the Master will come to have a gracious praying Eleazar the servant who is the fittest for choicest service Gen. 24. 12. 5. Family Praier is a special means to Reas 5. prevent family disorders and to keep every one therein in their station and duty When the Apostle Col. 3. 18 to Chap. 4. 1. had From family disorders prevented injoined husband wife father child Master and servants the several parts of the family their general duties he closeth all with this as an help and means to all the first Colos 4. 2. Continue in Prayer c. When each one in the family heareth their several sinnes confessed pardon thereof begged grace against them pleaded for it is a quickning admonition and help against them It helps to wean their hearts from inordinacies in matter of cares fears or desires the like respecting worldly matters or occasions Let your moderation appeare to all men Bee careful for nothing saith Paul Phil. 4. 5 6 But what meanes should wee use for that end In every thing by prayer make your request known to God ver 7. The peace of God shall guard your hearts and minds These are sacred fruits of prayer in the family as well as congregation or closet 6. Because servants Reas 6. usually want frequent opportunities of From want of opportunities to servants secret praier and this way by the advantage of family prayer they are much helped 7. Because Christ himselfe is a patterne Reas 7. herein of whom as we read that hee was From Christs example oft exercised in secret Praier alone So twice it is recorded of him as thus praying with his family privately or with his Disciples which ordinarily abode with him Luke
9. 18. As he was alone in a certaine place praying when he had done one of his Disciples said to him Lord teach us to pray c. It is a signe that his Disciples were with him then in private at his Praier and that his praying in such sort was a lively means to doe them more good and to quicken and enamour them with holy desires to pray in like sort Now let us proceed to consider of some cases and questions touching this Quest Who must pray in the family Quest 1 Answ The Master of the familo in special Who must pray in family It s the Masters duty wise Husbands must dwell with their wives as men of knowledge that their prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3. 2. Namely by any defects of theirs in the businesse of praying with them as well as otherwise for want of abilities that way Coloss 4. 1. The Apostle writing to Masters of their duty Coloss 4. 1. adjoineth in the next place as nextly concerning them as heads of the family Continue in prayer Onely Cornelius of all the house who feared God is mentioned as praying alwayes Acts 10. 2. If the rest feared God surely they prayed oft alone But in the family Cornelius himselfe was more constantly imployed as the mouth of the rest For indeed every gracious Master of a family is an holy Priest to God Revel 16. not as a gracious man only For he is or should be an holy Priest to offer for himselfe but as a gracious Master also in relation to his family to offer up sacrifice of praier and praise on their behalfe And the Priests of old as Masters of families had their offerings for themselves and families Levit. 21. 11. as well as officers to the Church they had their offerings for the Congregation verse 15. 2. In that prayer being one special part 2. To undertake in matters for God for the family of Gods service and worship a godly Master undertakes for himselfe and houshold to attend it Josh 24. 15. But as for me and my house wee will serve the Lord namely jointly as well as severally and so to pray together as well as asunder And if the Master be the chiefe undertaker that way it is fit he should be the chiefe actor in it 3. In that Masters of families ought to 3. He is to be a Prophet in his family teach their children diligently the word and precepts of God and speak of them in their house when they ly downe and when they rise up namely the first that they do dayly at morning and the last thing at evening Now if to be so in instructing their family then to be a praying too for a blessing on that and other exercises and endeavours Deut. 6. 7. Yea practically they will instruct them in obedience to the first and fift commandements when they give such good examples to their families of praying to the Lord with them and for them Abraham had both wayes instructed his family Gen. 18. 19. And so had Christ and John Baptist also their respective families Luke 11. 1 2. Teach us to pray as John taught his Disciples practically as well as doctrinally Quest May not yea must not the wife in some cases pray with the family Quest Answ Yes In case of absence or sickness In what cases the wife must pray in the family even in cases 1 Of husbands absence or sicknesse of her husband for she is to be a help like him Gen. 2. 18. Namely in all such communicable duties and services respecting the family So is the law of kindnesse to bee in the good wifes mouth to instruct them as occasion is offered Prov. 31 26. In which as in sundry other respects her husband may and must trust to her verse 11. If God call him from home hee hath a gracious wife to whom he can safely leave the trust of his family for matters of Religion such as family worship of God is as well as those of this life If that an adulterous wife can pretend this as a part of her religion that when the Goodman was not at home she had payed that day her vowes Prov. 7. 14. Godly Matrons should really make conscience of that which the other doth hypocritically pretend The godly wife will look well to the wayes of her houshold Prov. 31. 27. that they be well exercised this way as well as any other way The wife is compared to the Moon the husband to the Sun Gen. 37. 9. So Jacob and his family are represented Now the wife then as the Moon may and must chiefly give forth her spiritual light and influence in the family in the absence of her husband who is as the Sun thereto 2. In case of the unregeneracy and spiritual inabilities of the husband she is to supply his defects Quest Whether may not a godly servant performe this duty of prayer Quest 1 Answ Yes first in case of the absence or sicknesse of both the family guides A A godly servant may also do it in some cases godly Onesimus may this way amongst many others be profitable to his Master Philem. 11. Secondly in case of special praying abilities given such an one and denyed the guides of the family In this respect also such a servant may be owned and improved as a brother Philemon 16. This way also God may and often doth make such of his Saints a blessing to the places and houses where they are Ezek. 34. 26. Zach. 8. 13. Quest May not one not of the family bee occasionally desired to pray in it Quest 2 Answ Yes every ones spiritual gift being given of God with respect to others A godly stranger may do it in some cases good as well as their owne and members being to lend help to the rest as occasion is offered yea as Pauls and Cephas and Apollos gifts are the Saints to improve occasionally so are other gifts likewise Many were met together praying Acts 12. 12. Now one and then another of other Families prayed by course in Marks mothers Family Only as the Church in that case intimateth her case to those shee would have seek the Lord for her Cant. 5. 8 10. some hints would be given to such of some special things respecting the family which they should in prayer with them commend to the Lord. Who must be present at family prayer Quest with the Master thereof praying All the whole family must joyn with the All of the family should be present at praier Master of it as wife children servants or sojourners none should ordinarily be absent All Jacobs houshould were to join with him set themselves to worship God with him in Bethel Gen. 35. 1 2 3. only he is principally to act therein ver 3. Arise let us go up to Bethel and there I will build an Altar to the Lord c. Reasons hereof 1. From the care of all and each of their souls which lyeth
haply can or will do as they do So Chemnitius Cartwright Aretius and Musculus upon Matth. 6. 6. they expound this of prayer in retyred places And albeit the intent of Christ be not meerly to prescribe closet Prayer in that Scripture as each Christians proper duty and much lesse to prescribe it as all the prayer which he calleth for from his people yet we may safely conclude that hee therein commendeth and commandeth closet praier of each Christian alone by himself as one special way of praying to him who seeth in secret and as that wherein they shall give a special testimony of their sincerity and avoid that vain-glorious affection of mens praise which the Lord Jesus there blameth in the Scribes and Pharisees Touching this Duty then consider we 1. Who must pray thus alone 2. Why And 3 What use wee are to make thereof Touching the first we say none are excepted Each one must pray alone who are of understanding to know what they are to do therein whether younger or elder high or low rich or poor bond or free Male or Female as they are all one in point of dignity and priviledg in Christ Jesus Colos 3. 11. Gal. 3. 27 28. as they have and professe each of them an interest in him who is and seeth in secret as their Father Matth. 6. 6. Pray to thy Father which seeth in secret c. Every one severally apart as well as jointly together is to cry in secret also Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. the very wives apart must be improving their spirit of Supplication in an humble and contrite manner as well as together with their family yea sometimes in an extraordinary manner must they thus mourn even pray and fast apart and therefore much more may they must they pray contritely in an ordinary way when apart from the rest of the Family the wives who have so many occasions more then others from little ones and other houshold affairs to take up their time above others yet are not exempted from this holy exercise and therefore by proportion none else are exempted from it Touching the second The Reasons enforcing Reasons why 1 Gods promise undertaking and encouraging it this duty are 1. Taken from the Promise of God partly undertaking that it shall be so that his people shall be enabled to pray apart by themselves and shall exercise themselves therein as Zach. 12. 10 11 12 13. he promiseth to pour upon them the spirit of Supplication and that they should mourne or pray in an humble and contrite manner by themselves alone and partly from his promise to his people when at any time thus exercised in secret prayer when none else sees them when or how or how long they pray he will reward them openly partly in this life All shall see and manifestly perceive by the fruit thereof that Isaak Hannah and Zacharias did pray alone to their heavenly Father for the fruit of the womb The Holy Ghost recordeth it in the Scriptures and thereby holdeth it forth to the view of every eye to whom the Word shall come how honourably God hath accepted and rewarded secret praier All shal see that Moses is wont to be with God alone by his manifest and notable prevailing with God if he but go aside and pray to the Lord blinded Pharaoh himselfe shall do it and therefore is often entreating his prayers for him and his people Exod. 8. and 9. and 10. so the Jewes could not but perceive it whence they recourse oft to him to pray for them Numb 11. 1 2. and 21. 7 8 9 and the places shew a manifest reward of that his praying granted and given out thereupon How openly did God reward Daniel who was wont to pray to his God in secret Dan. 9. 10. with manifest deliverance from so great a death ver 23. and with the notable ruine brought upon those who would have forbidden and hindred him from that holy exercise of his but three dayes together verse 5 6 7. and 10 11 12 24. compared The more the Saints do thus secretly also acquaint themselves with God the more notable good shall come to them the very light of God shall shine upon the wayes of such the very Iland where they are shall fare the better for them Job 22. 21 27 28 30 compared And as in this life so in that which is to come will God reward them openly when God will bring every secret work to judgment of remuneration Eccl 12. 14 when the Saints shall receive according to the good they have done in the body 2 Cor. 5. 10. Then shall their secret seeking of Gods face also come to light It shall be shewed before the whole world how many many a time such and such of Gods hidden ones have been serving him with their spirits and that they have been and now fully are thus and thus graciously rewarded not a tear of theirs shed in their pouring out their souls thus before God but he bottled up Psalm 56. 8. and at that day it shall appear they were not lost their waters at that wedding day will be turned into wine The second Reason is taken from divine providence ordering Closet occasions fit 2. Closet occasions only for secret expressing and opening them before the Lord as some secret personal heart-plague 1 Kings 8. 38. Some secret snares layed for this or that Saint of God by men or divels as by so many cursed Fowlers But in the use of this means of calling thus personally and particularly upon God he delivered both Christ the Lord and his members in particular Psal 91. 3. He shall deliver thee from the snare of the Fowler c. and ver 15. He shall call upon me and I will answer him c. The Saints by secret prayer do countermine the secret stratagems of their subtle enemies Psalm 9. 13 15 16. The third Reason may be taken from the approved examples of the choicest of Gods 3. Examples of the Saints so exercised Saints this way exercised As that of Daniel three times a day Dan. 6. 10. that of David as oft Psalm 55. 17. that of Isaac using daily to go out into the fields alone there to meditate or pray as the Geneva Bible reads it Gen. 24. 63. That of the Lord Jesus Mark 1. 35. Early in the morning before he healed the Leper he was praying alone in a secret place And Luke chap. 5. 12 13 14 15. compared with verse 16. instanceth in a like practise of his after that cure which he wrought He withdrew himselfe and went into the wilderness and prayed yet not much space of time betwixt the one and the other Luke 6. 12. He went out into a Mountain and continued all night in prayer and he was then alone for verse 13. When it was day he called unto him his Disciples Matth. 14 22. he sendeth away his Disciples first by ship and verse 23. He goeth apart into the Mountain to
by special stirrings of faith and love such times sometimes the Saints here met withall They are as in Christs lap upon their spouses knee in their beloveds bosome Cantic 8. 5. and would yet be nearer to him The Church is leaning upon her beloved yet saith set me as a seale upon thine arme and upon thy brest and then makes that gracious motion to her beloved verse 8. We have a little sister and shee hath no brests what shall we doe for her in the day she shall be spoken for As she is ready to do her part so shee would have him doe his part for the others good when the daughters of Jerusalem find Christ when he meeteth them then they must in their prayers tell him of the Churches sad case that shee is sick of love Cantic 5. 8. Moses will take the advantage of Gods being so near him and speaking to his heart Exod. 33. 13 14 15 16. to speak for his presence with the rest of Gods people If thy presence goe not with us carry us not hence And Exodus 34. 8. 9. And Moses made haste and bowed himselfe to the earth and worshipped and said O Lord I pray thee if I have found favour in thy sight that the Lord would now go with us and pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for thine inheritance It were pity that the Saints would not improve their waiting months upon the king of Saints to move him as well for others as for their owne good The King at Esthers banquet expecteth Esthers requests for her people so doth the Lord at such time especially look â—hat some should make intercession Isai 59. He expecteth that some should aske him of â—hings to come concerning his Sons and his daughters Isai 45. and pray for the peace â—f Jerusalem Psal 122. 6. 2. When others are under any special Pray for them whe 2 deserted tempted or afflicted desertions or temptations or in any helpâ—ess desolate disconsolate conditions as when the Lord is withdrawn from them My â—eloved had withdrawne himselfe Cantic 5. â— 8. Tell him that I am sick of love When under reproaches and indignities offeâ—ed the Saints from others which by their â—rofession and place should doe better ofâ—ices for them as when the Church is smitâ—en and wounded by the watchmen and her â—aile taken away by the keepers of the walls â—hen tell My beloved I am sick of love saith â—he When others are deeply sensible of their â—eed of Christ and nothing else will conâ—ent them but Christ then they are sicke of â—ove then tell Christ of it ibid. When â—he displeasure of God himselfe is breaking or broken out against Gods owne people â—hen if Moses have interest in God he must downe on his knees for Israel Exodus 34. 13 14 15. c. and Exodus 34. 8 9. then Aaron must haste to offer incense Numb â—6 Then Job must offer for his friends Job 42. 8. When enemies are ready to swallow up the Lords heritage then Isaiah must lift up his prayer for the remnant of God Isaiah 37. 4. When persons of choicest use are in greatest hazards through the rage of persecutors then prayer is made without ceasing for Peter by the Godly Acts 12. 5. When people want a fruitfull ministery like brests pray for them especially Cant. 8. 8. Matth. 9. 36 38. Pray then that the Lord would thrust forth labourers into his harvest in divers other like sad cases of the saints 3. Be we serious and not slighty in pleading for others Lift up thy prayer for the 3 Pray for them with fervency remnant that is left Isai 37. Wrestle together in prayer for me Rom. 15. 30. if wee should seeme therein to get a foyle yet get up againe and trye it out a little more with God for them especially in difficult cases Abraham followeth Christ with prayer upon prayer even for Sodome Gen. 18 the end Isai 62. 6 7. Give the Lord no rest until hee make Jerusalem a praise in the earth 4. Take we advantage of the least may-be 4 Take the advantage of a may-be of mercy and possibility of speeding to set up upon this service of love for others in any case whatsoever though not alwayes desired thereto by others but especially when thereto moved by them Isai 37. 4. It may be the Lord hath heard Rabshecahs word in ver 5. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left Exod. 32. 30. Moses said unto the people yee have committed a greivous sinne but now I will goe up to the Lord peradventure I may pacifie him c. Helps to pray for others 1 Brotherly-love Touching the second even helps to further us in this duty 1. Cherish we brotherly love and kindness and charity Love the Church and people of God his Jerusalem and you will pray for them Psal 122. 6. Love your enemies and you shall pray for them Matth. 5. 44. The Centurion will be suing to Christ for his servant who is very deare to him Luke 7. 2. If we love others wee will every way seek not our own things so much as theirs 1 Cor. 13. It s Jonathan who loveth David will bee a petitioner to his father for him 1 Sam. 19. 4 6. and 20. 30. And Esther who loved her people will not bee content to ask her owne life but theirs also of the king Esther 4. 11 16. and 5. 1 2 3. So it is in this case in our requests to the Lord for others if we love them Moses will have no greatness of his founded in his peoples ruine nay hee refuseth an offer thereof so hee may bespeak mercy for his people Exodus 32. 10 11. and Numb 14. 11 12. True suppliants can sometimes be earnest for others when more sparing in suing for themselves 2. Be as much acquainted with and 2 Knowledge of others conditions especially of the good in them well informed in other estates as you can especially espy and inquire out all the good which is in them The knowledge of others miseries as the eye affecteth the heart openeth those sluces then whereby it cometh to be poured out for them this brought good Nehemiah upon his knees when hee had certain information of Jerusalems calamities He sate downe and wept and fasted and prayed Nehem. 1. 1 2 3 4 5 c. Hence the direction confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another James 5. 14 15 16. The best of us are much lead by sense others cases of which wee have but some general informations doe not so affect as those of whose particular cases wee have better knowledge knowledge also or hope at least of the good of grace which is in others doth much quicken us to pray for them From the day that Paul heard of the faith of the Colossians and Ephesians how importunate is he in prayer for them Col. 1. 3 4. Ephes 1. 15 16. The report of Philemons
no extraordinary inspired prayer he prayeth against blaspheming Senacharib 2 Kings 19. 5 16 c. and verse 20. God heard his prayer which appeared ver 35 by the strange hand of God against him and his Army of 185000. who are cut off by an unusual stroak or plague of the angel and he himselfe in an unheard of manner is killed by his owne sons whilst he is worshipping in the house of his God verse 37. 2. When God bringeth upon such enemies speedy and untimely deaths and 2 Speedy and sudden judgements come on them not long after imprecations of the Saints made against them as that night after Hezekiah had so prayed the angel wrought that unheard of slaughter of the Assyrians and soon after that parricide is committed upon Senacharib himselfe Doubtlesse the Saints which made such earnest request for Peter did not forget Herod that bloodyman to intreat God to convert him or else to cut him off if ripe for it and Acts 12. 5. 23. you see it is not long after that in that unwonted way he cometh to his end by the stroak of an angel when the very next day Arius dieth by voiding his bowels as he went to ease himselfe it is a sure token that the prayer of that godly Bishop of Alexandria which hee made against him the night before did speed him Theodoret. Eccles hist lib. 1. cap. 4. When within five or six dayes after that fasting and prayer of the Jews wicked Haman is unexpectedly brought to his end surely God hath respect to his peoples requests in their mournings and this their enemy came to fal before them Hester 4. 7. compared according as the very night after Hesters feast that unexpected way was made by God in the kings heart for Hamans fall Chap. 6. When Achitophel within a day or two after David had prayed Lord turne the counsell of Achitophel into foolishnesse 2 Sam. 15. 31. compared with chap. 17. 1. 23 cometh to his end it evidenceth the same to be an issue of Davids imprecation it s a sign that God heard that cry of Moses against the Egyptians when that very day the Lord in a wonderfull manner overthroweth them Exodus 14. 13 15. 33. compared So when Jehoshaphat and his people solemnly and humbly request the Lord to judge those inhumane ingratefull enemies of theirs 2 Chron. 20. 2 3 4 5 10 12 13. and the very morrow after Grd doth in an unwonted manner bring ruine upon those enemies verse 16 17 22 23 24 25. compared all may safely conclude that those prayers speed them 3. When the manner of the ends which God bringeth upon such enemies against 3 Reproachfull ends befall them which his pray is reproachfull and shamefull as when a wicked Haman which a little before was the greatest in the kingdome cometh to be hanged upon a gallows Esther 7. 9 10. When the great Oracle of the people and Counsellour of state Achitophel cometh to so shameful an end as to dye by an halter yea to hang himselfe When that deputy King or Governour Herod hee cometh to so base an end as to bee eaten of basest vermine of lice so when wretched Arius cometh to so base an end it argueth that some godly Alexander hath told his errand to the Lord. 4. When the judgements God bringeth 4 When the very same judgements prayed for follow upon his enemies are the very same which his people desired against them in their prayers God doth not indeed alwayes hear his people in the very particular but in something equivolent yet sometimes he doth and when he doth so it the rather argueth the same to be an answer of prayer As when not alone a Prophet extraordinarily inspired prayeth against Judas in another enemy like him and the things desired are inflicted as Psal 109. and Acts 12. 18 19 20 compared But Jotham an ordinary man hee prayeth that five may come from Abimelech and devoure the men of Sechem and againe that fire may come from the men of Sechem and devour Abimelech and the issue presently afterwards answereth the same for both were instruments of each others ruine it is a sign that Jothams prayer sped them both Judges 9. verse 56 57 compared 5. If when persons prayed against are 5 They perish without being desired swept away without any desiring even of their associates to the contrary even they pity them not there is none no not of their companions in evill to shew them mercy all blessing from any hand almost is far from them Psal 109. 12. 17. The very wicked which drew them which counselled them to such treacherous enemy-acts against God and Christ cast them off without pity as the Priests and Scribes did cursed Judas in his saddest out-cries and troubles What is that to us they will not owne him nor his acknowledgement look thou to it Matth. 27. 4. Nay such enemies prayed against if the prayers be effectual will like those Ammonites help forwards one anothers ruines 2 Chron. 20. 10 11 12. with verse 22. c. Such bloody Shechemites so prayed against will help forward murtherous Abimelechs death and misery as he did theirs Judges 9. 56 57. PART II. 1 Thess 5. 17. Pray without Ceasing CHAP. I. Touching the modification of the exercise of Prayer and therein of Importunity in Prayer HAving dispatched the Discourse about the nature sorts and parts of Prayer We come to consider of the modification of the exercise of Prayer injoined and implyed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyeth praying importunely opportunely and indesinently Some Interpreters make account that Paul hath reference herein unto that speech of Christ Luke 18. 1 that men ought to pray always and not to faint namely through spiritlesness sluggishness or slightnesse so here pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without giving out giving over leaving off or intermitting any space of time which must needs imply importunate praying as that of the widowes plying that unjust Judg with earnest Suites for Justice notwithstanding any seeming discouragements or denyals And indeed such as pray importunately earnestly and servently when they do pray they in Gods intent and account do pray continually or without ceasing Now for our better handling this Duty of praying importunately consider we 1. Wherein importunity of Prayer consisteth 2. The Qualifications of it 3. The Reasons inforcing it 4 Some Helps furthering it 5 Some Marks discovering that importunity of Prayer which the Lord meaneth Touching the first Quere Wherein importunity Importunity of praier consisteth 1. In the utmost improvement of mind heart and the gifts and graces of the Spirit therin in Prayer of Prayer consisteth I answer It consisteth 1. In the extensiveness and intensiveness of the mind and heart and of each praying Grace of a godly Suppliant in his prayer Our new Translation rendreth that in Acts 12. 5. by a like phrase as this in the Text Prayer was made without ceasing but the word
even upon our lawful occasions when our spirits are 2. Too much eagernesse upon lawfull things or occasions even rivited to our occasions they wil not be easily got free for prayer they must be even filed off againe no ordinary pulling at them will doe when we are too too busy all the day long in speech with such occasions they will be calling even in prayer for a word with us 3. Inconsiderate rovings of minde 3 A wandring minde before in the interims betweene our praying seasons when wee let our fleet thoughts flie hither and thither without restraint they will not be so easily lured by us and come at our call to become fixed in prayer 4. Admission of wandring thoughts in prayer and too easie yieldings to sleightinesse 4 Distraction in prayer therein they grow unmannerly bold when in the least entertained 5. Resting in graces and comforts 5 Resting in grace received received in and by prayer we are sure to become remisse in praying the next time if wee seed our thoughts too much upon what we got the last time we prayed or if sleighty once in prayer because secretly thinking to make amends the next time we shall be then also the more sleighty 6. Misgiving Apprehensions touching Diffidence God and his grace That thought Job 21. 15. What profit should we have if we pray to him maketh them carelesse of coming near the Lord. A petitioner must needs be heartlesse in his suit if he think that the King is wroth with him And a beggar hath no minde to stand begging at a known churles doore Quest To the last querie touching Quest 5 the markes of right and acceptable importunity in prayer Answ I answer wee may discerne Answ our importunity in prayer to be acceptable Marks of acceptable importunity 1 Selfe abasement in prayer when our importunnity is the importunity of a suppliant of a beggar in spirit when it is attended with much selfe abasement as the importunate Canaanite who looked upon her selfe as a dog Matth. 15. 26 27. Truth Lord yet the dogs take of the crummes under the table Importunate Abraham looketh at himselfe as dust and ashes Genesis 18. 27 29. 2. Answ When our hearts in prayer are Answ 2 well warmed fire hot then the end of prayer 2 Holy warmâ—h in prayer fervent prayer is attained when our hearts wax warme by it and the meanes is acceptably used then Gods ends in the use thereof are attained 3. When we are in speciall wise attent as to the work wee are in hand with 3 Holy waiting for an answer so to the successe thereof as that woman that besought Christ in an acceptable way of importunity you may see she lay at catch for she picketh out something for her holy advantage out of even that word which Christ let fall in way of Answer Matth. 15. It is not meet to take childrens bread and give it to dogs truth Lord yet the dogs take of the crums falling from their masters tables that prayer was full of holy pleas and so are importunate prayers Psalme 58. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. And the Prophet beleeveth it was acceptable verse 8. He will speak peace unto his people but withall he was in a lifting posture after his answer I will hear what God the Lord will speak 4. When we are as earnest and serious 4 Hearty prayses afterward in returning praises for mercies received and begged as we were in begging for them Luke 17. 12 13. The Samaritan among the other leapers he also lifted up his voyce with them saying Jesus Master have mercy on us and verse 15 16. he is as earnest and loud in his prayses and one of them when he saw he was healed turned back and with a loud voice glorified God and fell down at Jesus feet giving him thanks and he was a Samaritane and verse 19. Christ himselfe justifieth his importunity as a fruit of his faith Goe thy way thy faith hath made thee whole CHAP. II. Touching Opportunity of Prayer VVE come now to the second thing included in the Modification of this duty of prayer that it bee without ceasing Namely that we pray opportunely When Paul saith that without ceasing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had remembrance of Timothy in his prayers night and day 2 Tim. 1. 3. He meaneth that upon all occasions and as he had any opportunity hee did remember him in his prayers Hee taketh all opportunities offered by the Lord to pray and omitteth them not he praieth without ceasing It is then the duty of all the Lords people to pray opportunely or to take all holy opportunities to pray unto the Lord. For the better handling of this duty consider these particulars First that it is seldome that any time is unseasonable for prayer Secondly that yet there is a time when the Lord will not listen to prayer no not of his owne people Thirdly that in mercy the Lord useth to offer unto his people opportunities and seasons of prayer Fourthly that the Lords people are bound to take or improve all such opportunities of prayer Touching the first very briefly that it is Prayer is rarely unseasonable at any time very rare that any time is unseasonable for prayer it appeares in this that the Saints are injoyned to pray alwayes Luke 21. 36 Ephes 6. 18. And this that the title of God is to be a God hearing prayers Psal 65. 1 2. O thou that art hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers He is alwayes hearing the prayers of some of his people and ready to hear the rest Touching the second a little more largely Sometimes prayer is not so seasonable that there is a time when the Lord will not listen to prayer no not of his people so that praying at such times they pray out of due season It is not then so fit a time for them to pray As 1. When they are under offences unrepented 1 When the persons praying are under just offences of Matth. 5. 24. First be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift It is not seasonable for Jobs freinds to come to offer to God until reconciled to injured Job Job 42 78. If we are out with the favourites of the King of Saints it is not seasonable to come to the King with petitions It is not a season to seek peace with Christ the head when peace with his members is not sought If our heavenly Father should not hold off his respects to childrens requests who offend their brethren they would never seek to be reconciled 2. When any of them doe too willingly 2 When under some guilt of sin not actually repented of and contentedly remaine under the guilt of some known sinne against the Lord. Isai 1. 15. When you make many prayers I will not heare your hands are full of blood ver 16. wash you make you cleane put away the evil of your doings c.
of it it is high time to draw a solemne petition to our gracious King to take some effectuall order to suppresse it 3. In case of some weighty service of God 3 Difficult service which we look at as above our strength Now must young Solomon that thinks himselfe but a child for such imployment ask of God 1 Kings 3. 5 6 7 c. 4. In case of greatest danger impendings 4 Danger impending as when Yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed Jonah 3. 4. Now if ever poor Ninivites must call mightily to the Lord and verse 10. God saw their works and repented him of the evil Exod. 32. 10. Gods hand is up against Israel with his slaughtering weapon Now pray Moses or never and he did so v. 11 14. God repented of that evill also Touching the last particular that wee are bound to take these opportunities of prayer it is undenyable we are bound to pray without ceasing and therefore to bee taking all opportunities to pray And wherefore else doth the Lord put such a talent of opportunity of Motives prayer into our hands but that he expecteth the faithful and fruitful improvement thereof to be made by us or else he will assuredly take his time to expresse his displeasure against us for so grosse a neglect of his grace and of our own souls advantage But that we may be quickned up to pray opportunely or to take all opportunities of prayer Consider 1. That opportunity is the very cream and This Opportunity is the best and all of Time flower and spirits yea the very All of time Hence this Pray continually i. e. opportunely he that prayes as oft as he hath opportunity prayeth alwayes 2. That opportunity of asking offered 2 'T is an ingagement to the Lord to hear by the Lord doth as I may say ingage the Lord to answer Why should the Lord set out such almes-dayes and audiencedayes and some way signifie it to his people if hee meant not to heare and help them Friends in such a case stand upon their credit if they appoint times to meet and to entertaine a friendly discourse with their friends they are not wont to faile them so here opportunity of asking given us by the Lord it imboldneth us to ask and to expect a seasonable answer 3. That opportunity of Prayer it 3 It is the grace and beauty of prayer doth grace and beautifie our Prayers As every thing else is beautifull in its season Eccles 3. 11. So is Prayer in its season opportunity is a wheele to the chariot of prayer which safely strongly and swiftly carryeth it in before the Lord. A word spoken in season to men is in the Hebrew phrase a word spoken upon the wheeles Prov. 25. 11. So is it in these words spoken to the Lord in their season yea opportunity helpeth to carry our praier also in an holy state before the Lord as upon a royall Chariot-wheele Opportunity of Prayer greatly furthers their acceptance in Christ These fruits of our lips also are then best and most welcome to the Lord when brought forth in their season 4 It useth to succeed well 4. That seasonable prayer is ever speeding prayer Psal 5. 13. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning namely praying in the season of prayer 5. That opportunity of seeking and 5 It is beg'd for us by Christ getting grace by prayer and other means is begged for us by Christ In an acceptable time have I heard thee as saith the blessed Father to the Mediatour Isai 49. 8. And thence it is that the members of this head of the Church have any such time of acceptance 2 Cor. 6. 2. For hee saith in an acceptable time have I heard thee Now is the acceptable time 6. That great will bee our disadvantage by letting such holy opportunities of Prayer slip for besides the losse of such jewels and of what wee might have gained by trading with the same our spirits will come to bee very much straitned and hardned as sad experience in the Saints themselves witnesseth CHAP. III. Of Constancy in Prayer WE come now to the third and last thing held forth in the modification of the practise of this duty of prayer that it be without ceasing i. e. Indesinently or constantly It is then our duty to pray indesinently or constantly Now for this Consider 1. What it is to pray indesinently or Tâ— pray constantly is 1. Not to give out from prayer constantly or what is implyed in it and why we must so pray and then make we one briefe Use of it Touching the first To pray indesinently or constantly is Not to give out from praying not to let God alone untill hee doe blesse us To pray and not to faint Luke 18. 1. Not to give God rest Esa 62. 61. To look to him in prayer untill he shew us mercy Psal 123. 1 2. Quest May any true childe of God give off prayer for a season Quest Answ Yea verily Gods own dear Saints may be weary in praying though Answ 1 not so weary of prayer The duty it selfe is to them very desirable in it selfe but the discouragements may be such in tempted times that they may be even afraid to goe to God to seek his face sometimes Psal 6. 6. I am weary with my groaning and 69. 3. Godly ones may give out from prayer for a little season I am weary of my crying yet hee gave not off wholly or not long verse 13. But as for me my prayer is unto thee If they give out for a spurt from solemn Prayer they cease not to be darting up ejaculatory prayers Jonah 2. 4. I sayd I am cast out of thy sight yet will I looke unto thy holy Temple When God in deserted times seemeth to turne his back upon his Saints or they through distrust and distempers are as if turning their back upon him yet they give many of these love-casts of the eyes of their souls towards God desires will be ever and anon stepping out of such a gracious heart to look after the Lord. That holy fire within the heart albeit it blazeth not out yet will be ever and anon sending out these sparks There are times wherein the Saints are so spiritually sick of sinne and of temptations that their very speech faileth them even they have their spiritual swounds and may lye a while speechlesse yet either they are making these holy signes in their fainting fits or some of this holy breath is stirring If Hezekiah cannot speak out in solemne prayer yet can he chatter and make these shorter holy mutterings of his heart and these dove like moanes of his spirit Isai 38. 14. I am oppressed O Lord undertake for me Quest How cometh it to passe that any Quest such sad silence or speechlesnesse in respect of solemn Prayer doth at any time or for any shorter space befall Gods owne people Answ Sometimes through some dangerous fall
as I may say a musical ear an attentive discerning spirit and can tell when their spirits are prepared or unprepared and how far forth prepared or not prepared to seek the Lord. David had not only a forelook to that that his heart might bee prepared to praise God but hee had a reflect look upon the same and giveth his censure upon it that as far as hee could judge his heart was in indifferent good tune to praise God Psalm 57. 7. And the like observation did the Church make of her heart when to seek the Lord strong and lively desires of God and his favour were stirring in her and she is resolved to improve them that way to the utmost How many people which pretend to be seekers of God are utterly carelesse in making these observations and being thus heart awaked for this duty which I leave to their own consciences seriously to consider But the people of God ought thus to watch unto prayer it appeareth We ought to watch unto prayer because 1 It s a special help to Pray 1. In that it will be a special help to pray pertinently awfully seriously and sensibly If wee would pray in the spirit with the help life and power of the holy Ghost in a spiritual and heavenly manner we had need watch unto prayer Eph. 6. 18. praying in the spirit watching thereunto c. 2. In that it will much help spirituall 2 It helpeth inlargements in prayer inlargements and continuance in the act of prayer and prevent straitnings and inconstancy praying alway with all manner of prayer and watching thereunto are joyned yea it will help our skil in prayer we shall pray in the spirit in that sense even in and with the skil thereof The best students are or may or will be the best pleaders in this way of prayer 3. In that it will be a special meanes to 3 It helpeth successe in prayer make our prayers more availing and successeful both in the exercise of our faith and hope and patience such watching unto prayer Ephes 6. 18. Helpeth to farther that mentioned ver 15 16 17. as might be evinced in many particulars if need were 4. Watching in prayer consisteth in 4 Watching in Prayer consisteth in a wakeful spirit throughout the duty the general in a wakeful spirit throughout the duty When the eyes of those which see are not dim in this ordinance as not in others but are increased in a right carrying on of the duty and making holy observations therupon Isai 32. 3. So far as any sluggishnesse stealeth upon us we are ready to shake it off and to rowse and raise up our spirits in this holy work Look as the good Prophet even whilst the Angel talked with him was as one in a sleep and stood in need to bee waked to attention Zech. 4 1 2. So may it be with our spirits whilst we talk with the Lord in prayer we should indeed bee of wakefull spirits therein but oft times wee are watchlesse and spiritually sluggish 1. In a careful heeding and ordering Particularly 1 In heedfull ordering prayer expressions our expressions in prayer As not in vowing so neither in praying we are not to be rash with our mouth carelesse what expressions we use unto the Lord. Eccles 5. 2. As men that speak to Kings and Princes weigh all their words heedfully lest while they seeking to request his favour provoke him to displeasure by any unseemly and disorderly expressions so ought men to heed what they speak to the great God of heaven It is an argument of a stupid and in a manner athiestical spirit not to heed what we utter before God in Prayer so we fill up time with words It is a high provocation and contempt of the holy One when men will make so bold with his pure ear and eye as to use such expressions in speaking unto God which they would be loath yea would blush to speak in the hearing of mortal men If of every idle or frothy impertinent unprofitable unnecessary word spoken at other times and that unto men we must give account at the day of judgment Matth. 12. 36. And that we must be justified or condemned according to the savourinesse solidnesse and spiritualness or the contrary unsavouriness and unsutablenesse of our words verse 37. What may we think will be the censure of idle unsavoury impertinent expressions used in prayers if not soundly repented of if we judge not our selves for them if we reforme not the same by a more watchfull regard what and how we speak unto the Lord When David is to pray Ps 141. 2. He desires the Lord himself to set a watch before his mouth and to keep the doore of his lips The Saints are very tender and awful and sollicitous of what they speak in prayer to the Lord they are sensible of such weight in this duty of watching in prayer that they think it is a work which requireth the skil and wisdom of God to help therein David is very sensible that he runs many hazzards if rash and heedless therin yet seeth that he hath no sufficiency to set or keep this holy watch at the doore of his lips to take due care what expressions came out of that doore and how many or how few to restrain and keep in a doors any unseasonable and unsutable words which with the first would be coming forth even then when he should be most savoury and spiritual The Saints in prayer they are shooting and darting upwards and had need to keep their eye on the work as well as on the mark they had need observe what darts they direct thither and how they levy them 2 In attending carefully to the manner of the working of our hearts and spirits 2 In observing the workings of our spirits in Prayer in prayer David observed his whole heart to be stirring in his prayer Psal 119. 58. 145. and what strength of desires he had therein verse 131. Psal 17. 1. He observed how intire and sincere his heart was in his prayer a watchfull Christian will observe whose hands are to the souls petition whether the several affections the mind c. do joyne therein And as Musicians improve their musical eare in tuning to play so whilst playing they listen what strings sound harmoniously and which are not touched and sound not at all so it is here in praying 3. In observing carefully and seasonably what want there is of meet stirring of 3 In minding what is wanting or amisse in prayer heart in prayer and what impediments and unmeet thoughts and suggestions or affections are stirring therein the Church and people of God observed that their spirits were hardned streightned and wandring and complaine thereof Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy feare Hezekiah observed what distrustful thoughts were working with him in his sicknesse albeit he prayed then for recovery Isai 38. 2 3. compared with ver 9 10 11.
c. Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously c. chap. 2. 12 saith I will stand upon my Watch-Tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me He will use all pains patience and vigilancy to observe the issue of his requests and verse 2 he hath some answers The Lord said unto me Write the Vision c. verse 3 The vision is yet for an appointed time though it tarry wait for it and verily sooner or later faithful prayers do speed Isai 45. 19. I said not to the seed of Jacob Seek my face in vain Psalm 85. 8. I will hearken what God the Lord will speak for hee will speak peace to his Saints Micah 7. 7. I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will bear me God hath wisely appointed hearing times when answers are most sutable and grateful to his Saints and honourable to him and to his Grace therefore we may well attend the same Psalm 5. 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning that is seasonably and in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will â—ook up None are Iosers by being the Lords waiting men or women The expectation of the poor shall not perish or fail for ever Psal 9. 18. 3 In that such watching and waiting 3. It s a sign of mercy towards us and of grace in us after our prayers it is a comfortable pledg of Mercy to us and Grace in us Answers of prayer are assuredly neer us when wee have hearts to wait for them earnestly and attentively Habakkuk standeth and sitteth not long upon his Watch-Tower is not long in that waiting posture without his answer as before shewed from Hab. 2. 12 13. The speaking Vision will come if we wait for it and they only whose faith telleth them that God will hear and will speak peace to his Saints they hearken they wait for him Micah 7. 7. Psalm 85. 8. It is a sign that we do truly and fensibly feel the pinching wants of mercy and that the desires of grace have some strength as well as truth in them when we are so industriously heedful and attentive in listning for answers of prayer they come not idling to mercies doors or as men who have no weighty soul businesses to dispatch for them well they might stay there as men do in a formal course of prayer but they would not wait Waiting Christians make not light of their prayers but look at them as precious in that they in such sort look after their returnes and the answers of such Messengers 4. In their answers of prayer which by this holy watch are met withall and 4. It s many wayes helpful to us in our praises faith and courage observed They are of all others most precious and useful to us they greatly inlarge to praise God and walk worthy of him Continue in prayer watching therein with thanksgiving Col. 4. 2. Who more thankful then such watching Suppliants who observe how and wherein God hath heard them Psalm 22. 24. When the afflicted cryed to him he heard verse 25. My praise shal be of thee and Psalm 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice c. Answers of prayer heeded and observed greatly strengthen and arm a gracious person against Satans wily cavils and rebukes Hab. 2. 1. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what I shall answer when I am reproved It s pity to see how many precious soules which out of ignorance or mindlesnesse of this duty of Watching or out of improvidence and negligence in oft reading over these lines of Gods love written and sent in are foiled in temptations Answers of prayer attentively observed they strengthen our faith for the future and much encourage us to pray in greatest straits and saddest hours Psalm 6. 9. The Lord hath heard my Supplication the Lord will hear my prayer Psalm 118. 56. I called upon the Lord in distresse and he answered me the Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me When we look not after our prayers both we and others also lose much of the benefit thereof Answers of Prayer are in Gods intent of publick use God spake with us say they when yet he spake with wrestling Jacob Hos 12. 4. Gods hearing of the prayer of the destitute concerneth all others in like case Psalm 102. 17 18. He will regard the prayer of the destitute ver 18 This shall be written for the generation to come Much sadder would the case of many an afflicted soul have been if godly David and others had not been watchful had not observed and by the Spirits guidance had not recorded the varieties of their prayer cases carriages conflicts comforts answers and issues 5 In that its the part of the more wise 5. It s our wisdom means of increase of experimental knowledge and judicious of the Saints so to do and that by doing whereof they grow most in experimental knowledg of the Lords giving As the wisest men with men are those that take most heedful observations of the carriages and issues of humane Transactions so are they the wisest and experimental knowing Christians who most attentively mind these holy Transactions betwixt them and God and God and them Hence the Psalmist among other passages speaking of manifold answers of prayer in Psal 107. 6. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivereth them so ver 13 19 28. he closeth the Psalm with this Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. To conclude we would have God to mind our prayers and desires of answers wherefore look that we heed our answer of praiers if worth the waiting for Prov. 13. 12. When the desire cometh it is a tree of life Harvest answers of seed prayers will fully recompence our pains and patience and therefore as other seeds-men we may well wait for the precious fruit thereof Now for the third thing propounded Helps to such holy watching The Helps of such holy Watching are 1. Sobriety which is joyned to prayer 1. Sobriety watchfulness 1 Pet. 4. 7. Be sober and watch unto prayer Spiritual drunkards distempered persons with Lusts they regard not what they say even to God himself Such as are most moderate and mortified in their thoughts about common matters here below have little else to mind then their souls how they prosper in their holy converse and commerce with the Lord. 2. Bodily watchfulness both are aimed 2. Bodily watchfulnesse at under that Mat. 26. 40 41. Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation The eyes of the mind are hardly watching when the eyes of the body are scarce waking Now for this end use seasonable hours for prayer neither too early nor too late 3. An heavenly frame of spirit Angels are 3. An heavenvenly frame very vigilant Mat.
18. 10. Their Angels are always beholding the face of my heavenly Father A godly mans Watch-Tower is a sublimer station and condition then is usual earthly sensual worldly spirits are not fit to keep this holy watch 4. A wise and awful frame of heart apprehensive 4. Holy prudence of the weight and worth of prayer of the glory and greatness of God an holy ability and skil to espy discern and judg of things that differ whether workings or motions the wiser Christians as I said are most observing of such things Psal 107. 4. 5. Composedness of mind and thought together with earnestness of desires and deep 5. Composedness of mind sensibleness of our present pinching and pressing necessities David praying in deeps brings in a night Watchers case often exposed to extremities is in a night watchers posture watcheth for morning break of gracious answers and items from God Psal 130. 15. 6 An holy keeping our selves in a constant 6. Keep up this holy watch in other things and general watch of spirit in other things and passages of our Christian work and way Watch unto in and after hearing the Word and reading of it conference about it meditation upon it and practising of it c. Deut. 6. 25. We must observe all the Commandments of the Lord. PART III. 1 Thes 5. 17. Pray without ceasing Cases of Conscience respecting PRAYER CHAP. I. Touching unregenerate Persons Prayers HAving handled the two former parts respecting the duty it selfe of prayer and the modification and qualifications thereof we now come to the last part of this discourse about prayer namely to speak to some cases of Conscience considerable in the incessant practise of this duty of prayer The first case respecteth the persons Quest 1 which are to obey this indefinite injunction whether onely regenerate persons are bound thus to pray or that it be not also a duty which lyeth even upon unregenerate persons to indeavour obedience to this injuction Pray without ceasing or if such persons should indeavour the practise of this duty how far forth they may come up to it and be carryed out in the obedience thereof and likewise what successe may come thereof whether their praiers may not be heard and answered of God or how far forth at least God may heare and answer even their prayers The case it selfe doubtlesse may lye sad upon some spirits which either suspecting or concluding out of some dismall horrours of heart their estate to be but of the estate of meere naturall persons they question whether the injunction doe lay a bond upon them to obey it albeit it may be they would desire to come up to the obedience of it especially considering that the Scripture requireth that such as pray should pray in faith and believe that they shall receive what they ask Mark 11. 24. Whatsoever yee ask believe that yee receive them and yee shall have them And this they cannot doe finding no assurance of any interest in God nor being able to perswade themselves that Christ died for them in particular and through this mistaken fancy that there can be no true faith without such a firme perswasion and assurance that Christ is theirs which is rather a reflect then direct act of faith and which rather followeth after some time and strength of faith acting upon Christ in a holy casting the soule upon Christ alone for mercy and leaving upon him all the help and salvation which they desire thus are they kept off and scarce dare to pray conceiting that they are not qualified and fitted yet for it they cannot lift up pure hands without doubting Besides God saith that the prayer of a wicked man is an abomination to the Lord. Proverb 15. 8. And they think that they are such wicked ones in themselves and can or will God take a prayer in good part from such wicked ones as they are Surely no. Neither will Satan the enemy of prayer neglect the opportunity to present to them the strictest of the qualifications required of such as seek God by praier and that unlesse they could come up to that strictnesse of the rule which is laid strait that the people of God may by little and little come as near to it as they can and that forthwith at first setting about the work c. it is not for such as they are to attempt the same and better were it for them to sit still and be silent and so would if possible take them off from using meanes to be better and make them resolve never to seek after a better estate then what they are in already the devill knowing right well that God who ordereth such or such an end of good to his people ordereth such and such good means to be used for attaining of that end But such suspicions of tender hearts being most what groundlesse surmises need not must not discourage any from prayer in whom the Lord hath wrought a pliablenesse of heart to the mind of God therein and a desire to obey his injunction thereof this is to them as an inward call and invitation of God to call upon him The more tremblingly they set about this duty with sense both of their owne unworthinesse and unfitnesse to performe it the fitter they are for it And suppose the worst that their surmises are grounded yet verily the more sad they see or suspect their estate to be the more need have they to seek God by prayer When wicked Simon Magus did discover the naughtinesse and falsenesse of his heart Simon Peter doth not now forbid him to pray but he injoyneth him to pray God if perhaps the thought of his heart may bee forgiven him If there be any possibility of a mans salvation if there bee but a perhaps left of pardon and that of one at present in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity as such a one is bound to repent so also to pray Acts 8. 21 22 23. Some will be ready to put off these injunctions of prayer as such as concern Puritans but as for such as they are what boot is it for them to pray It was reckoned among the prophane speeches of them of old Job 21. 14 15. What profit should we have if we pray to him Yea but some now adayes hold it as their judgement that it is to no purpose for unregenerate persons to pray because indeed they are got bound to pray They were as good joyne in the rest of the speeches there condemned and branded for prophaneness and stand up against the holy Ghost charging the prophane speeches of those unregenerate ones and maintaine them in it that they ought not to desire the knowledg of Gods ways they ought not to serve him they ought not to pray to him and therfore may say to God depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways and what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit is it if we pray to him
the unregenerate Jew and Gentile to bee under sin Rom. 3 9. he proveth it ver 11. by this out of Psalm 14. 2. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God And Psal 14. 4. The workers of iniquity have it charged upon their very consciences as that which they cannot but know to be their sin that they call not upon God Do not the workers of iniquity know that they eat up my people as bread They call not upon God and Psal 10. 4. It s charged as the pride of the wicked The wicked is so proud that he seeketh not God The like charge see Jer. 10. 21. Hos 7. 7. Zeph. 1. 6. and Job 27. 10. The hypocrite that is blamed for ceasing to call upon God Will he alwayes call vpon God should rather have been blamed for calling upon God at all if it had not been any duty of his to pray To like purpose we might argue That the neglect of it by the Unregenerate as well as Regenerate Jewes is bewayled by Daniel as their sin ergo the contrary was their Duty Dan. 9. 13. All this is come upon us yet made we not our prayer to God Besides also if it had not been in it self good and a duty even for an Unregenerate person to pray but had been in it selfe sinful the Psalmist never need to have made that Imprecation against him in Psal 109. 7. Let his prayer be turned into sin Besides the Psalmist would never have urged God so to affright and persecute his enemies by his judgments that they might at length be forced to seek his name if it had been in it self sinful Psal 83. 15 16. Obj. Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Answ So is the Plowing of the wicked sin Prov. 21. 4. Not simply in themselvs for then an unregenerate man should not plow nor labour in his Calling yea he should not eat his meat nor sleep c. For to the impure and unbelieving is nothing pure Titus 1. 15 16. But it is so in respect of the defects of other qualifications required to the holy use and exercise of such things namely want of faith love to God repentance for sin c. Their Sacrifices were an abomination to the Lord Isaiah 1. 11 12 13 14 15. yet in themselves commanded duties and enjoyned to every Jew whether he were Unregenerate or Regenerate God once inabled Adam and in him all his posterity to call upon him and though hee and we in him are become Bankrupts and disabled to do that service and homage yet our Lord and Master may and doth require it of us and accounteth it our sin to neglect it It is every ones duty to understand and so to believee in God as well as to seek him but the omission of that Duty of understanding and believing God hindereth not but that the omission of that other duty of seeking God becometh a sin to every one Rom. 3. 9. 11. 2. An Unregenerate man may be strongly and largely carryed out in prayer as it s Unregenerate persons may be large in prayers said of them Psal 78. 36 37. who did but flatter God with their mouth for their heart was not right with him They sought God early ver 34. namely when he slew them when they were in fear of their lives So may profane Mariners be very earnest in prayer then Psal 107. 28. Cry unto the Lord. So Prov. 1. 27 28. When your fear cometh c. then shall you seek me early but shall not find me Those in Isai 58. 2 3. they joyned long and large prayers with their Fasts An hypocritical Pharisee could not spend his time in his Fasting dayes unlesse enlarged in prayer Matth. 6. 16. Those hypocrites that devoured widowes houses they had such a gift in prayer that they could be very large and long in prayers Matth. 23. 14. And for a pretence make long prayers 3 Unregenerate persons may bee full of praising and thankful expressions in their They may be large in praising God prayers The unjustified Pharisees prayer was rather a Thanksgiving Luke 18. 10 11 He prayed thus God I thank thee I am not as other men c. Those unregenerate ones among the Jewes also which cryed so earnestly Exod. 14. 10. they did sing as loud as Moses and Aaron Psal 106. 12 13. Then believed they his words and sang praises to him but not rightly for verse 13 but incontinently they forgat his works and waited not for his counsel verse 15. They lusted in the wildernesse and tempted God in the Desert of whom the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 10. 9. Onely lest what is now said may raise some doubt in the hearts of any truly Regenerate the example of the Differences betwixt the thanksgivings of the Unregenerate and those of the Regenerate Pharisees thankful Prayer will yeild matter of distinction and differencing of the Unregenerate person in his praises from the Regenerate 1 The Unregenerate person in his thanksgiving before God pretending to lift up God in his praises doth intend to lift up or exalt himself Hence Christ who knew the spirit of this Pharisee in his praises of God rendreth him thus Luke 18. 14. Whosoever exalteth himself 2 The main in their eyes and so in their thanks is some inherent excellency not those imputed mercies not Christ and his Righteousnesse and propitiation and the pardon of sin Gods favour acceptance c. No word of these in the Pharisees thanks but that I am not as others unjust I fast I pay Tithes c. They are the Saints whose hearts being most affected with those mercies do break out into cordial praiers for them 3 Such men use to rest in some common eminencies and excellencies above others The Pharisee passeth others he is not as other men and that sufficeth him no word of a serious petition for the supply of such or such wants of this or that grace or for the increase thereof or for the subduing of such or such corruptions Hee grounds his rejoycing upon anothers falling short of him upon others falls into such sins from which he is restrained as Gal. 6. 4. He shall have rejoicing in himself and not in another 4 Such men respect more the gift then the Giver and trust more in that then in him They trust in themselves that they are righteous when they say God we thank thee Luke 18. 9 11. compared They make the gifts their God and they adore and admire the Giver onely for the gifts sake and do not admire the gifts for the Givers sake as true Converts and Spouse like spirits use to do but harlot like they do otherwise 5 Such men are very ambitious in their thankful acknowledgments They make Gods praises but as a stirrup to get up into mens esteemes and as a bridg by which to convey to themselves humane praises Hence this Temple acknowledgement and in the most conspicuous
A PRACTICAL DISCOURSE OF PRAYER Wherein is handled The Nature the Duty the Qualifications of Prayer the several sorts of Prayer viz. Ejaculatory Publick Private and Secret Prayer With the Necessity of and In. gagements unto Prayer Together with sundry Cases of Conscience about it By THOMAS COBBET Minister of the Word at Lyn in New-England Psal 141. 2. Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the Evening Sacrifice Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY London Printed by T. M. for Joseph Cranford at the Phoenix in Pauls Church yard 1654. TO THE READER Courteous Reader I Have adventured twice already into the Presse in matters controversall and through grace what I have written hath found good acceptance in the eyes of the godly wise and now upon the earnest perswasion of godly and worthy friends here unto the Lord and unto me I am sending forth this discourse which respecteth a matter practical It s not a little exercise unto godly minds and much more grievous is it in the sight of the God of truth and peace that there is so great and confused a noyse of axes and hammers now adayes in the Lords Temple and ah when will that blessed time come when unto all the Lords people whatsoever there shall bee but Zech 14. 9. one Lord and his Name one Verily its strange to see that in these dayes the Lord according to his promise should so graciously afford to his people the meanes even turne to the people a pure lip a pure Zeph. 3. 9. Ministry and yet the promised end thereof is not attained namely the serving of the Lord with one shoulder or with one consent I know there are many lets thereunto but surely this is not the least that the word held forth by the purer Ministry thereof hath not had such effectual force upon their hearts who injoy the same as to bring them to be conscionable in calling upon the Name of the Lord which is the more immediate end of such a Ministry For so saith the Lord I will turne to the people a pure lip or language that they may call upon the Name of the Lord for then the next effect would follow which there also is promised they would come to serve the Lord with one consent But the subtle enemy to all purity and power of godlinesse he bestirreth himselfe what in him lyeth to heighten increase as many differences in judgment in Christians as may be and that way breed and feed distances in affection and so undermine any such nnanimous attending to serve the Lord. The heads and hearts both of Preachers and Professors shall be so busily and continually taken up with endless disputes that they shall have little leisure or list to attend the practicals of Religion wherein the life and power of pure Religion doth mainly consist Disputing times about the Speculatives of Religion are wont to be declining times in the Practicals and Vitals thereof Witness former ages wherein the Schoole-men and their notions flourished but purity and power of Religion withered And ah that this present age which yeildeth so many Scepticks in Religion had not withall increased the Spitals of decaied unsound spiritually sick lame blind deaf dumb yea dying and twice dead Christians Surely If christians had maintaineâ—â—cquaintance with God in praier they 〈◊〉 never fallen in thus with so many delâ—â—â—ve fancies and so come to have fallen out with the weightier matters of God so as to be at such distances from them in their Spirits If they had faithfully repayred to the Lord for his counsel their ears and hearts had not been so open to Satanicall whisperings How much was that man of God in prayer to be kept sound in the faith witnesse his frequent requests this way mentioned Psal 119. 10. O let me not wander from thy commandments and verse 29. remove from me the way of lying doctrinally as well as practically considered and grant me thy law graciously Ve. 43. Take not away utterly the word of truth out of my mouth so shall I keep thy law continually Ver. 66. Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have believed thy commandements Ver. 80. Make my heart sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed The corrupt prophets and priests of old who seduced the people from the truth were persons that made no conscience of prayer Jer. 10. 21. The Pastours are become brutish and have not sought the Lord. Those Apostatizing Newters in Religion of old they were men that were careless of seeking of God and counselling with him in their prayers Zeph. 1. 6. And them that are turned back and those that have not sought the Lord nor inquired for him The like may be wel feared in Christians in these Apostatizing times from the truths and wayes of God that they doe not talk much with God in prayer and hee as little delighteth to speak to their hearts They grow loose-hearted and strangers to God and Satan espying this distance betwixt them and God falleth in with them entereth other delusive discourses with them and at length withdraweth them yet further from the Lord. But thou Christian Reader plye it with the Lord in prayer that hee would draw thee after him and he will bring thee into his Chambers Cantic 1. 4. Hee will bring thee into the secret of his Counsels presence and protection where thou shalt hee kept safe in judgement heart and life in the worst times Fervent and faithfull prayers would also help very much to cast out the uncleane spirit out of the land and to dispossesse the spirits of many Christians who are even possessed by an erring spirit If there were also but more men of God who might Moses like continue holding up their hands in prayer no doubt but Amalakite spirited seducers would soone be put to the worse yea though Philistine-like they had even routed the Churches of Christ yet a few such blessed worthies of God who are mighty with God in prayer would like so many Shammahs or Eleazers soon prevail for a blessed day over them If Jonathan had not wrought with God in Prayer 1 Sam. 14. 45. Israel had never had so glorious a day as they had against tbose Philistins If men had even given themselves to the Divel as too many now have to spirits of Error yet if Luther-like we were more in prayer there might be help that way and they rescued and those Spirits discarded And what gracious heart can bear it to see so many poor Christians even drawn to death and forbear crying to the Lord for their deliverance Mystical Babylon devoted to ruin hastneth to its downfal and shall not we be up and doing in prayer now to help dispatch her as they of old did that other Babylon Jerem. 51. 35. The violence done to me be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitants say My blood upon the Inhabitants of Chaldea shal Jerusalem say namely in their earnest prayers The
improved and honoured And secondly from Christ 2 From Christ whose office it is to take these sufferings from his people and present them before his Father and who hath through many difficulties made this way for his people that they may freely and familiarly thus talke with God and open their wants to him Thirdly from the Spirit of God whose office 3 From the Spirit among other things it is to help and inable the Saints to the conscionable performance of this duty Fourthly from 4 From the Saints the Saints themselves 1. Their necessities call for it 1 Their necessity 2 Their ingagements 2. Their manifold ingagements to the Lord require it 3. They have praying graces inabling 3 The praying graces as 1 Faith them to it as 1. Faith prayer is in this respect also the prayer of faith Jam. 5. 15. Faith is an emptying grace giveth the most sensible and lively veiw of the souls wants and nothingnesse to supply them otherwise presenteth the Lord in all his freenesse fulnesse and faithfulnesse for the souls sutable supply Secondly Love Psal 116. 1. I love the 2 Love Lord therefore will I call upon him or pray Love of the Lord filleth the soule with desires and breathings after union and communion with him whom the soule loveth Cantic 3. 1. and 4. 16. Let my Beloved come into his garden Love is open hearted would unbowell the soule to her Lover Jesus Christ and to the Father by him love is fruitfull and in holy wise eloquent in its gracious expressions to him Thirdly zeal this is attended with vehement 3 Zeal desires 2 Cor. 7. 11. yea what vehement desire yea what zeal that blessed fire will cause such holy smoak in the weakest Christian Isay 42. 3. and that will soon sparkle out in holy supplications that will be mounting upward spiritualizing and lifting up the heart thus heaven-ward Fourthly holy jealousie and fear of God 4 Jealousie we may put them together thou castest off fear thou restrainest prayer unlesse feare be thrust out of doores that will put the soule upon prayer other jealousie fills mens heads and hearts with motions so doth holy jealousie with praying motions and matter The more wee suspect our selves the more are wee in these holy inquiries of God Holy jealousie is an utter enemy to carnal security presumption self-fulnesse and confidence the very bane of prayer 4. Their spiritual calling as Saints calleth 4 Spiritual calling for their drawing thus near to God for their offering up these spiritual sacrifices and offerings acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. As being spiritual Preists yea as sonnes and children they must thus owne their Father in crying Abba Father Gal. 4 6. and as subjects honour their blessed King by becoming his humble petitioners the believing penitent thiefe upon the Crosse performed this as his homage to Jesus Christ as King of Saints hee prayeth Lord remember mee when thou comest intâ— thy Kingdome Luk. 22. 43. The fifth Reason may be taken from thâ— enemies of prayer the devill flesh thâ— 5 From the enemies of prayer world which oppose the same upon all occasions and seek in speciall sort to hindeâ— the conscionable practise of it as mighâ— be shewed in many patticulars so thaâ— it the more concerneth us to attend it elsâ— would not they bee so busie to divert uâ— from it or distract or discourage uâ— in it The sixth Reason may bee taken from 6 From prayer it self prayer it selfe as spiritually performed in that it is so acceptable to the Lord so prevailing with him unto admiration for any thing which is according to his will as might be abundantly shewed in particular instances But in as much as in handling the particular kinds of prayer wee have more occasion to presse upon the conscience we shall here but name such things as might inforce to the duty Let us onely now make one use of what Vs Reproving neglect of prayer hath been said and that in way of reproofe of Gods owne professing people who are too ready also to neglect and omit this duty of prayer Isay 43. 21 23. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob that was very greivous to God when a people whom he hath severed into Church estate with an aime at his praise as verse 21. yet they should neglect to honour him in conscionable calling upon him Such as we are are looked upon by others as a praying people but ah that the world were not mistaken in us what wonder is it if many professors excell no more in the things of God if they are not much in prayer One of the Ancients used to say if I see a man not delighting in prayer I conclude he is one of no inward excellencies nay is it any wonder to see many Congregations rather Spitals of poor decrepit decaied diseased Christians then gardens where are goodly fragrant thriving plants As the body without the soul is dead unserviceable yea stinketh in others nostrills so are we as loathsome in Gods sight without the true exercise of prayer which as some have called it is as it were the soule of our soules some of the Ancients have called prayer the physick of the soule and truely such it is it will by the blessing of God purge heale recover quicken and strengthen a very weakly Christian as experience witnesseth But what will become of other distempered relapsed professours who use not this holy course of physick is it wonder that such dye become twice dead Some have called praier the sun and light of the soule and truely in a sense it is so but how darkely and sadly must they needs walk and how often will they be stumbling and falling dangerously How little spirituall work will they do for Christ in whose Horison this sun of prayer is setting if not already set and from whom this lightsome and life-giving ordinance is removed Others have called prayer the nerves and sinews of the soule and truely so it is prayer holdeth altogether in us keepeth all in due place and strength and they must needs grow loose and weak who make not continual use thereof upon all occasions But that this admonition bee not as an arrow shot at Rovers let us shew first some symptomes of this spiritual evill of omission of prayer and so who are the persons concerned herein and shew some particular branches of the evill of it Touching the former first such are surely Signes of neglect of Praier 1 Disobedience carelesse of drawing neer to God who are not pliable to the whole will of God Zeph. 3. 2. She obeyed not the voice she drew not neer to her God Conscionable praying would inure us from our hearts to say Thy will be done and accordingly in heart to endeavour it 2 Such omit prayer who walk not humbly 2 Impatience in afflictions such as are full of impatience discontent tumultuousnesse of
love thee be like the Sun in its might If the Lord breath upon our hearts at his table or in his word the spirit of God draweth out our hearts to send some ejaculatory lift of praier either in way of petition or thanksgiving or the like When the Lord Jesus speakes effectually to Johns heart I come quickly thence springs his ejaculatory Amen even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Revel 22. 20. Christ effectually preaching that hard lesson of brotherly forgivenesse It caused that ejaculation from them Lord increase our faith Luk. 17. 1 2 3 4. with 5. If David hear that word twice that all power belongs to God Psal 62. 11. his spirit is elevated to make this short hearty speech verse 12. Also to thee O Lord belongeth mercy From the Angels lively discourse with Mary about Christ who was to be incarnate and to be formed in her her heart being warmed shee turneth her speech to the Lord who sent that his angel Be it to thy servant according to thy word Luke 1. 38. So then holy ejaculations are the very spirits of the spiritual workings of God or at the least wise from the Lords spiritualizing of his Saints in his providences or ordinances and therefore great in their excellency Let us add another infallible Argument of the excellency of this duty of ejaculatorie It s of choice respect with God praier and that is from the high esteem and real respects which God himselfe hath expressed thereof Habbacucks discourse chap. 3. though most what doctrinal and onely something mentioned in a short way of petition verse 2. and of praising God verse 18 19. yet as from the most excellent part in Gods account it is all called his prayer ver 1. The penitent thiefs ejaculation Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome is graciously owned and answered by Jesus Christ This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 41 42. The Publican ejaculatorily praying Lord be mercifull to me a sinner goeth away justified Luk 18. 13 14. yea that ejaculatory Apostrophe of Moses to God Ex. 5. end Why hast thou so evilly intreated the people yet hath its gracious returne from the Lord chap. 6. 1. Then said the Lord Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharoah The Israelites at the red sea were so afraid with a distrustfull fear that Moses bids them not to feare Exod 14 13. yet being thus afraid they cryed unto the Lord verse 10. 12. and both Nehemiah chap. 9. 9. and Joshua chap. 24. 7. testifieth that God heard that crie of theirs and put darknesse betwixt them and the Egyptians and drowned the Egyptians in the red sea David when in such a hurry of distrust that he said to God I am cut off from thy sight yet saith neverthelesse thou heardest the voyce of my supplications Psal 31. 22. the many short prayers which he then made Ejaculations are but short breathings of the Saints spirits but being breathed once they scarce ever expire in respect of the efficacies and issues of them These short speeches are as I may say best remembred their memorials are of a very long date with the Lord. That grey-headed ejaculation of Noah God perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem hath had now hath and still will have its answer in the Gentiles of Japhets coming into the fellowship with the Church Gen. 9. 27. The day of judgement that day although not a season of praying yet of full answers of such like praiers made with respect to the day Pauls short prayer 2 Tim. 1. 18. The Lord shew mercy to the house of Onesiphorus at that day shall have then a full return At that day when the Saints treasures layd up in heaven shall bee opened these lesser peices shall have their weight worth and use when it shall bee said these and these have been the prayers of such and such of the Saints and these and these are the issues and fruits of them to such and such Thus much touching the excellency of The necessity of ejaculatory prayer by reason of Sudden straits such ejaculations now of the necessity thereof The Saints sudden straits require prayer but will not afford time for continued prayer Room now then for ejaculatory praier At this dead lift now Moses his cry will doe well Exod. 14. 15. Then Jehoshophat must hye to heaven when begirt with blood thirsty men in continued prayer hee cannot but by ejaculatory prayer he may 2 Chron. 18 31. Then Jehoshaphat cryed to the Lord. Scrabling is but a poore shift for David when known in the presence of the King of Gath 2 Sam. 21. 10 11 12 13. and when no place or space for solemne prayer then welfare ejaculatory prayer Psal 32. title with verse 4 6. I sought the Lord and he heared me this poore man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him Asa when to join battel thus cryed unto the Lord his God with marvellous successe 2 Chron. 14. 11. David in that strait prayeth against Achitophels counsels Lord turne Achitophels counsel into foolishnesse 2 Sam. 15. 31. and the issue sheweth it took 2 Sam. 17. 23. Moses among a company of murmurers Exod. 15 24. hath none fit to joyne in prayer in a more solemne way yet verse 25. though he spake nothing vocally hee cryed thus effectually he cryed to the Lord and he shewed him a tree to make the bitter waters sweet Philistins are upon the Israelites then is onely roome for Samuels ejaculatory crye 1 Sam. 8. 7 8 9. and Samueâ— cryed unto the Lord and he heard him Hezekiahs deadly sicknesse will onely give him leave to pray thus 2 King 20. 1 2 3 7. heâ— turned his face to the wall and prayed Oâ— Lord remember me c. Sudden and strong tentations disable David to make such continued prayer but hee will then make manâ— Tentations of these ejaculatory requests Psal 30. 22 Neverthelesse thou heardest the crye of â—â— supplications when I cryed to thee Great griefs and presages fill the Saints hearts and lay their speech but then their hearts burst forth into inutterable sighs groans whose meaning the Lord knoweth Rom. 8. 26. Surely Saints as men of tender consciences ever and anon offending indeed but Failings as frequently smitten in their hearts for it cannot but bee often put upon it in the interims of continued prayer to bespeak mercy and pardon whilest their hearts are thus afflicted 2 Sam. 24. 10. And Davids heart smote him for numbring the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned c. I beseech thee take away the iniquity of thy servant And as sudden faults of ours so sudden stroaks of God put the Saints upon this 2 Sam. 24. When David saw the Angel smiting the people he said It is I that have sinned what have these sheep done Sudden injuries from men cause an injured Injuries Jepthah to make his short appeale to the Lord saying The
closer with God Take two Professors the one careless in this the other conscionable in attending to it Alas what sad rushes bruises and falls upon the very shadow of a temptation if he get some kind of hold of a Promise this sword of the Spirit hangs loose and dangling as it were like Amasa's sword 2 Sam. 20. 8. yea all the rest of his Spiritual armor is answerable yea but the other keepeth himself that the evil one toucheth him not enters not into temptation He hath Gospel Promises made known and made over to him to use at any time he hath them by him he keepeth a holy edg upon them by which he cutteth asunder many temptations He hath his faith and hope in its strength his bow abides in his strength and his armes are not broken Gen. 48. If temptations to unrighteous or guileful dealings begirt him his heart cryeth out God forbid O Lord how dare I so sin against thee If foiled at any time he presently cryeth O Lord ah my vile heart Lord Lord help or if unexpected afflictions be ordered to him he hereby tyeth his shooes of Peace ever and anon closer Patience Lord do me good hereby and so is not galled or grieved as the other when meeting with such stubby and hard wayes Paul was much that way with God learned contentment in all conditions knew how to be full and how to be hungry to abound and to want and to glory in infirmities 2 It is a special means to fit us for more solemne and continued Prayer They 2 To sit us for solemn Praier are ever good Proficients in that holy Art of Pleading they are ever and anon thus plodding upon it their minds thus exercised in it upon all occasions Such as wil be ever and anon thus whetting their praying spirits and graces will make work of it when they come to it They that are good at these running pulls and trips are surely good wrestlers with God It is no new or strange work to such to pray that when they come to pray more solemnly they know not how to set about it their hearts are not so out of kilter as we say as it is with idle Professors No these that have been so oft in a day at work with God this way have not their Tooles to seek but at hand and all in good plight fit for use Praying thoughts and desires are in a holy readinesse they familiarize with them 3. It is a meanes to meet oft with God 3 To meet oft with God If Abrahams servant be thus walking with God in his journey God will be with him he will meet him No sooner hath he done speaking to God in his heart but he discerneth that God is with him and accordingly blesseth him that being in the way he led him c. Gen. 24. 12 27 45 47. God is oft with the Minister in his Study who is thus praying oft in his heart for good speed in his work oft with the labouring man in the field whilst at his work if thus employed spiritually Now let us make some brief Use hereof and close this with some Cautions Let it humble us that we are so careless and barren in lifting up such Ejaculatory Vse Praiers to the Lord upon every occasion Evils of the neglect hereof Strangeness to God What strangeness groweth oftentimes betwixt God and our souls for want of these more transient and occasional talkings with the Lord How many precious things in private communion of Saints and edifying Loss of many holy advantages in the Ordinances discourses are lost for want of some forelifts and present lifting up of our hearts for the presence of God therein and blessing of God thereupon How many precious words of grace spoken by God to us will warm and affect us at present hearing of them yet are lost in respect of the abiding light and life of them for want of serious and thankful committing of them to the Lord by such short Ejaculatory Prayer that he might keep them for us Moses did otherwise when God spake home to him he hasteth to bow before him and by a short praier improveth that particular spoken that God was one pardoning iniquity Exod. 34 6 7. Let my Lord pardon our iniquitie and our sin ver 8 9. He presently retaileth and putteth to holy use that blessed treasury of Grace delivered of God to him But wee oftentimes intending haply to tell God of it more solemnly in the meane time lose it for want of present improving of it this way Yea many affecting providences respecting In providence our selves or others which are unexpectedly ordered lose their kindly work upon us for want of a present lifting up of our hearts in some sutable though short Ejaculations How much of God in our particular Callings In our particular Callings how many quickning motions of the Spirit suggested to us therein are in a manner lost for want of maintaining hereby an holy discourse with the Lord yea how many snares in want hereof doe wee meet with and are intangled thereby even in our lawful labors and recreations In the night season also how much precious time In the night season and advantage of conversing thus with God which is even cast and forced upon us for want of sleep or the like yet is all even lost Whilst we are lifting and revolving our selves too and againe in our beds and yet seldome or never lifting up our hearts thus unto the Lord And surely all these things seriously considered may justly humble us A second Use serveth for Exhortation Vse to stir us all up to make more conscience of Be wee stirred up to it this Dutie of Ejaculatory Praier those groundless pretences against continued and solemn Prayer Such as expence of too much time let of other occasions c. have No loss of time hereby here no place Boaz his harvest men may work hard and yet lift up their hearts for a blessing upon Boaz and the like Ruth 2 4. Nehemiah amidst his weighty imployments may be often at this holy work Lord remember me concerning this c. chap. 13. 13 14 21 22. Isaiah amidst his Ministerial exercises may make such holy Apostrophes in way of appeal to the Lord or the like as Isai 53. 1. Lord who hath believed our report So may Ezekiel chap. 20. 49. Ah Lord God they say Doth he not speak Parables Many occasions of it As intricate passages and occurrents Yea do not they as well as others in their way meet with such intricacies as by way of holy Apostrophes they must say as Zachary to Christ that Angel What meane these Zach. 7. 4. Do not they then with Amos in his work hear of or behold more unwonted unexpected judgments approaching and had need make such holy Apostrophes Unwonted judgments as Amos did on like occasion Amos 7. 1 2 4 5. O Lord God Forgive Arise we beseech thee
by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small or as the sudden stroak of God upon Pelatiah whilst Ezekiel was prophecying turneth his speech to the Lord Ah Lord God wilt thou make a ful end of the remnant of Israel Ezek. 11. 13. Yea will not variety of afflictions some outward Variety of Afflictions some inward which once in every foure and twenty houres are wont to befall us put us upon it to cry as sometimes the Church did in hers Behold O Lord See and consider Lamentations 1. 9 11 20. As Jesus Christ did in his when inwardly loaded as well as outwardly afflicted Matthew 26. 47. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And whither also will our spirits wander betwixt our solemn praying in the morning and that at evening if we doe not now and then each day trie whether our hearts be gone out of call after vaine objects will they not else be too fast wedged in worldly affairs unlesse now and then hereby loosened a little But for the fastning of this exhortation and the right managing of the duty exhorted unto let us lay down 1. Some motives to it 2. Some Motives helps and means for it 3. Some cautions about it Touching the Motives consider 1. That this precept and duty injoyned 1. It s well for the Saints that God requireth and owneth this duty of God is a very precious priviledge to the Saints they of all others may well be forward to this duty in that it is well for them that ejaculatory prayer is acceptable prayer a choice service which the Lord himselfe appointeth and delighteth in it is well for us brethren and sisters that we may thus speak and converse with our God when none either thinketh or knoweth of it wee may ever and anon talke thus with our heavenly and gracious Soveraigne and others in our very company neither heare nor mark it As Nehemiah did in the kings presence he prayed to the Lord of heaven and the king not privy to it Nehemiah 2. 4. As we walke in the way with others wee may exchange a few of these holy speeches and yet keep our way and discourse with them little doe carnall persons think how many of these holy lifts sometimes gracious and spiritual persons occasionally cast into their company have whilest they are with them It is meat and drink which they know not of communing with one that is invisible They may have sweet answers and returnes also thereof which fill their hearts with heavenly joy wherewith a stranger doth not intermeddle Yea in their sleep the Saints may thus bee talking with God 1 King 3. 9. it was in a dreame when God said unto Solomon ask what I shall give thce verse 5. and he did so verse 15. and he awakened and behold it was a dream a sign then that hee was that while as in a sleep when praying and yet so graciously accepted and answered ver 10 11. And alas what else would have become of Gods Asahs and Jehoshaphats Davids c. of whom you heard if this were not prevailing prayer what should desolate Jonah in the whales belly also doe Jonah 2. 1. He prayed but in this sort What shall poor Jeremiah in the dungeon doe but hereby you see hee doth well enough Lam. 3. 55 56. I called upon the name of the Lord out of the low dungeon and thou heardest my voice c. Some freinds would sometimes give a world to exchange a word or two with a choice freind of theirs in their extremity If I could but send or speak with such a one will such say I need not I should not lye here thus If my Father if my Brother did but know of it I am sure they would relieve mee in my straits though I am now a Turks slave yet I have such and such friends in such a countrey which would ransome mee c. Yea but the Saints need not say so the Saints are never so hard put to it but if they want opportunity more solemnly yet this way they may be telling their heavenly Father and friend Jesus Christ how it is with them And is not this well for them yea verily Alas what should dumb ones doe whose tongues the enemy cut out or if not gag them if yet there were no means left of speaking with their heavenly Father but blessed be God there is this way left to such It may bee malicious persecutors will be throwing the saints into a Jayle amongst a company of rogues which will scoffe at the very mention of prayer now welfare this part of Gods revealed wil injoyning ejaculations for prayers also the poore Saints may then poure out these prayers to their God in which such a hellish crue cannot well interrupt them they may hear them sigh it may be or see them weep but judge that as arising from other causes which indeed and in truth is some sigh of love holy longing admiration or the like a precious melting of faith in their hearts amidst these short heart speeches with the Lord. Sometimes the Saints are like Hezekiah as well oppressed inwardly as outwardly that they cannot in a continued way pray but onely in an abrupt and broken way chatter and that within themselves and at length get out Lord I am oppressed undertake for me and they are like babes in Christ and can but brokenly stammer out their mindes to the Lord or like the Publicane not daring in a manner to speak much but in short to bespeak mercy as to chiefe of sinners is it then not well for such that O Lord bee mercifull to me a sinner is such an acceptable prayer with God yea verily it is well for the Saints when to leave the world when neither they can speak to be understood of any friend nor their friends to them albeit both may desire it with their mindes and spirits and have audience and acceptance and indeed if this were not so acceptable a duty many a blessed soul sylloqui with God of the Saints living and dying were made null and uselesse And is it not well then for the Saints that ejaculatory prayer is acceptable prayer yea it is very well in these and other respects and truly though it be as I may say ill for some notorious enemies of God yet this is so for the Saints can soon do their errand and in a very few words too As David did Achithophels 2 Sam. 15. 31. It is well also for many a man who is yet in his sinnes or at least under captivity to some distemper that ejaculatory prayer of the Saints is of such a nature they at Taberah had been consumed else when once the fire of God was kindled amongst them if Moses his ejaculatory cry had not been a prayer of the right stamp and full weight to passe for currant with the Lord Numb 11. 12. Moses cryed to the Lord and the fire was quenched sundry think Paul fared the better for
we now with the consideration of Publick or Church Praier which is also included in this indefinite Precept written to the Church of the Thessalonians collectively as wel as distributively considered 1 Thes 1. 1. Whence also in this Chapter hee exhorteth them to due esteem of their Officers vers 12. and vers 20 of the Ordinance of the Ministerial Dispensation of the Word So then Publick or Church Prayer is a Duty also which we ought conscionably to attend in the season thereof 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Paul exhorts that in the first place Prayers Act. 16. 13. be made for all sorts of men namely Publick Prayers and maketh the same very good and acceptable in the sight of God It is emblematically set forth under the notion of four living Creatures and four and twenty Elders met in way of worship of God Rev. 4. 8. 5 8 10. For our better proceeding herein consider 1. Of the requisites to Publick Praier 2. Of the Reasons of it 3. Of some Use of it Touching the first Some things are Things required of such as are to pour out publick praier required to such as are to bee the mouth of the Church in Praier some things in such as joine with them Of the former sort of requisites are 1. A publick Call So it was of old Deut. 1. A publick Call 21. 5. The Priests the sons of Levi shall come neer for them hath the Lord thy God chosen to minister to him and to bless in the name of the Lord which was in Prayer-wise as Num 6 23 24. c. On this wise shall ye blesse the children of Israel saying The Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious to thee c. Now this Call to become the peoples mouth to God as it respecteth God so it is amongst other things Gods fitting them with abilities as for Preaching so for Prayer and his sequestring them accordingly thereunto as to their work whence that Acts 6. 4. We will give our selves to Praier and to the Ministry of the Word namely as we are Ministers and in an Authoritative way both alike are Ministerial acts and gifting for the one as well as for the other is a choice part of a Ministerial Call That which we render consecrate Aaron and his Sons namely for their work Exod. 29 9. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Lev. 8. v. 22. The Ram of Consecration of the Levites is in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ram of Fulness or as it is in the Hebrew Fulnesses As if such men by their Calling were very full men of all Abilities for their Ministerial works yea as if it were one maine part of their Call to be that way as complete as may be Hence also the Annointing of the Priests Exod. 28 41. In taking of the holy unction of the spirit and the gifts thereof in them Joshuah the Priest must have as the garments of Righteousness and Holiness through Christ with other Saints Zach. 3. 4. so a fair Mitre upon his head ver 5. as one honoured above all others in a manner for his head Ornaments and Abilities in his Ministry The Elders in the Apostles dayes called to that Office they were gifted upon any occasion to make an inwrought Prayer James 5. 14 Let them send for the Elders and let them pray over him and vers 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inwrought Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much Both the Officers yea and Members also of pure Churches in the dayes of the Gospel as those four living Creatures and twenty four Elders graver Christians are represented as gifted for Prayer Having Vials filled with odours of Prayers Rev. 5. 8. And surely such as are to be the Chosen constant Speakers of the Assembly to the Lord they had need have choice skil in all holy and heavenly praying-oratory such as are to be the chosen champions as I may say of the Congregation to wrestle it out with God on their behalf they had need have the art of holy wrestling or prayer Such as are the chosen Solicitours for this or that corporation as they had need to bee acquainted with the people well that they may be able to make every ones prayer and plea and complaint and the like So had they need to have the choice skil and holy art of pleading with the Lord as cause shall require This call of such as are to be the officers and more constant mouth of the Congregation in prayer consists in their free Election and full Approbation for that and other ministerial work some way manifested and expressed by the people together with their owne free consent thereunto Thus the Levite set apart of God to the ministry of old and amongst other things therein to blesse in the name of the Lord or to pray and praise God publickly Deut. 10. 8. The Elders of the Congregation on the congregations behalfe are to impose hands upon them Num. 8. 9 10. in testimony of their solemne call of them to ministerial work God will have no one to bee the mouth of any Church who shall be a burthen or grievous to it he will have none forced upon it but rather have such a mouth as the body shall desire gladly thereby to breath out its requests and desires to the Lord. Nor was the Lord more tender of old of the orderly administration of his publick worship then he is now then the peoples call was Gods call he set the Levites apart to bless in his name in their setting them apart for that end And so it is now publick prayer is the publick act of the Church there should then bee a publick hand in it not onely in joynt consent to the petitions but by solemne call of him which preferreth the same in their names to the Court of heaven It is of great concernement to every one in the church as what words and how so by whom the same are spoken in the Lords ears as their words They who draw so near to the Lord to deal in Christs name for so many others had need be approved of God for that end and that they are not if not approved of his people In a word it is no small incouragement to such so called against all inward and outward discouragements and tentations which they meet with in their work that as they are in Gods way so in the place and about the work in special to which the Lord by his people did call them A second requisite to him who is to 2d Requ 2 Praying in the spirit pray as the mouth of the assembly is that he pray in the spirit Eph. 6. 18. praying with all manner of prayer and so with publicke prayer also in the spirit not alone with our hearts or spirits but praying in the holy Ghost Jude 20. Or by a gift and by the immediate help of the holy Ghost Even
in the Congregation and said O Lord c. or mostly kneeling 1 Kings 8. 54 The King rose up from kneeling on his knees Acts 20. 36. Paul kneeled down and prayed and so chap. 2. 5. He kneeled down and prayed and in secret prayer it was his constant gesture Hence putting bowing of his knees for prayer For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father c. that is I pray and lesse reverence should not be expressed in publick prayer 4 In that in publick prayer we should all edifie one another by our reverence in gesture as being too apt naturally to commonness and slightness therein Hence Gods people are presented as calling one upon another to bow downe and kneel before the Lord their Maker Psal 95. 6. 5 In that all care should be had by the Saints that they give no occasion of stumbling to others who savingly know not the Lord Jesus Christ Our unreverent gestures before them will harden them in their careless yea haply affected unreverent gestures and carriages David sate before the Lord 2 Sam. 18. Object That was private Prayer of himself alone Answ 1 none else that we read of joyning with him therein and in sundry cases more liberty may be used in our gestures in private then in publick prayer 2 The Hebrew word is oft used for staying and abiding and so it may seeme here to hold forth rather the time of his continuance in Prayer then his gesture Of the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Gen. 22. 5. and 24. 55. and 27 44. and 38. 11. and 29. 14. Exod. 24. 14. Levit. 14 8. Numb 20. 1. and 22. 19. 1 Sam. 20. 19. and 2 Sam. 10. 5. and 11. 12 1 Kings 15. 16. and 2 Kings 22. 46. and 14 10. Judges 6. 18. Psalm 101. 7 and elsewhere 3 It is not probable that he who professeth Psalm 109. 24. that his knees were weak through fasting or praying on Fast dayes that he did now sit in prayer At the best then this instance of Davids sitting is but a may be and no other instance that I know of of the like in Scripture but both rules and examples of the other gestures are clearly set down in Scripture therefore these are most safe and sutable gestures in ordinary course in publick prayer extraordinary cases of bodily infirmities wherein mercy pleaseth God rather then the strictness of this or that gesture in sacrificing or praying not varying or nullifying the ordinary Rule Come we now to the Reasons enforcing Reasons for publick praier this Duty of publick prayer Publick Ordinances being sanctified also Reas 1 as are other things by prayer 1 Tim. 4. 4 Publick Ordinances sanctified by it Call for Publick Prayer Wherefore Gods House of publick Worship is called an House of Prayer as if that were one most choice part thereof Isaiah 56. 7. Acts 2. 42. They continued as in the Apostles Doctrine attending upon preaching and breaking of Bread partaking of the Lords Supper and in prayer sanctifying the rest Because publick occasions call to it Reas 2 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 The cases of publick persons Publick occasions call to it in Commonwealths of Churches c. call thereto Publick wants call for publick Petitions publick sins for publick confessions The plaister must be as large as the sore the Land must repent Jer. 18. 7. so every Congregation in it must down on their knees to ask the Lord forgiveness Members of Congregations must somtimes give themselves to Church fasting and prayer as well as Family or Closet fasting and prayer 1 Cor. 7. 5. Because gracious persons are of a publick Reas 3 spirit God be merciful to us was the Churches Gracious persons are of publick spirits Prayer of old Psalm 67. 1. 2 wherein Make thy way knowne to all Nations Cant. 8. 8. The Church moveth Christ to do something for her sister Church being ready for her part for them otherwise what shall we do for our sister c. Christ teacheth all to pray plurally Give us this day forgive us our trespasses and lead us not into temptation c. As holy Priests in Christ Rev. 1. 5 6. they offer up severally and jointly Sacrifices of Prayer and praises respecting oothers the publick good By the blessing of the upright on the prayer of the upright pleading and prevailing for a blessing that way the City is exalted Prov. 11. 11. Now in publick prayer there is a holy confluence of the breathings of such publick spirits and the Lord in Wisdome Faithfulnesse and Mercy to all sorts will have this for a stated Ordinance that such gracious dispositions in his owne may be exercised and exerted 4. Because publick prayer is a publick Reas 4 profession and confession of God of the 4 A publick profession and confession of God onely true God and that one Mediatour Jesus Christ yea of the onenesse of the Saints with each other in the same Father and Saviour When the Apostle Rom. 10. 10. had spoken of confession to the Lord with the mouth ver 12 13. hee instanceth in calling upon God as one special branch of it Nor is it the least honour to the Lord as a great King to have so many several companies of subjects waiting on him with petitions for his royal favour it is an holy joynt homage and service for many to joyne as one man in prayer Calling upon the name of the Lord and serving him with one shoulder are joyned Zeph. 3. 9. Publick prayer is a publick profession and expression of one and the same faith of many in one and the same Father in one and the same Mediatour of the covenant and in one and the same covenant of grace it is a joynt cry of one and the same spirit in and from many childrens hearts calling one Abba Father it is a common meeting of the several desires of several good hearts in this one common center It is a holy burning-glass wherein the several bright and warme rayes of the faith of many suppliants being in an holy wise contracted in one point as it were breaketh forth into a holy fire of love-expressions to the Lord and their own and others soules welfare it is a joynt out-cry by reason of a serious sense of the same grievances of many if others sorrowes sufferings wants burthens be not the same with thine or mine yet in praying thus wee make each ones ayls ours as they doe make ours theirs Wee come to pray in publick with variety of cases differing from each other in sundry respects but in publick prayer each ones soule is put as it were in anothers stead publick prayer is a publick hue and cry made out by the joynt consent of this or that imbodied people against some common enemies of their soules and dangerous enemies to their blessed King his crowne and his dignity Publick prayer it is a publick condemnation therefore voiced by our owne mouths against any private discords
and divisions if any such should be amongst us Reason 5 5. Because publick prayer is in a special 5 It s very delightfull to the Lord. sort delightful to the Lord hee putteth his people in special wise upon it Psal 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide in prayer and I will fill it hee is therefore troubled if publick prayer as well as private be neglected Esay 43. 22. Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob Jesus Christ is very ready to present and perfume publick as well as more private prayers of his Saints Rev. 8. 3. The Lord is ready to reward it in his people Let all the people or Gentiles prayse thee was the Churches prayer Psal 67. 5. and verse 6. Then shall God even our God blesse us they praying for a blessing upon others triumph for a blessing as upon others so upon themselves It is good and acceptable to him that publick prayer bee made for all Saints 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Christ took it kindly that the multitude opened their mouthes to beseech mercy for one that had an imperfection in his speech and beseech him to lay his hands upon him Mark 7. 32. Vpon which he cured him verse 33 34 35. Reason 6 6. Such manner of approaches of Assemblies 6 It s a fruit of Christs death and represents his publick spirit to the Lord are a fruit of Christs purchase that way to Gods throne i◠made by the rending of the vaile of Christs flesh Heb. 10. 19 20 22 25. compared it represents the very spirit of Christ which is all for the publick good of his people There are in publick prayer the special influences of the spirit which were scattered in many compacted and gathered as it were in one the waters of various graces running in several gracious hearts as in sundry channels doe here disburthen themselves as in one pleasant and mighty streame One instrument alone well tuned will make good musick in Gods eares but he delights much in these praiers in consort where sundry two or three symphonize in what they ask it shall be done Matth. 18. 19. For there is Christ in the midst of them when thu◠gathered together in his name verse 20. Reason 7 7. Because publick prayer is a publick It s a publick ingaging and uniting of hearts engaging and compacting of the hearts and spirits of Gods faithful ones Acts 2. 42. They continued stedfastly in prayers ver 44 And all that believed were together and hal◠all things common Zeph. 3. 9. That they may all call upon him to serve him with one consent or one shoulder as it is in the Hebrew As if the former were meanes of the latter The joynt exercises of mutuall graces in the common work breedeth and feedeth love and mutual respect As it is with any two or three Ministers or other godly persons using to pray most together they love and cleave most together as Musicians that use to play often in consort together they use to be most friendly to each other So is it in an assembly of persons conscionably exercised in publick prayer Let us now apply the consideration of this of publick prayer as our duty First in way of reproofe of such who Vse 1 come not constantly or if they doe they Evils of not or late coming to publick prayer come not seasonably to publick praier but they come dropping in when the duty is halfe or almost finished These write not after their copy set them in that representative of pure worship in Gospel-Churches Revel 4. 8 9 10. When the foure living creatures representing the officers are to lead the rest and to begin and carry on the publick worship the rest of the Congregation represented by twenty four Elders for their gravity and experience in matters of the Gospel they are also present ready to fall downe in testimony of their joynt accord in the worship And observe it none of the number are wanting There is not a third or fourth part or half or three parts of the company as too oft with us when to give glory to God in prayer and thanksgiving but there are the whole assembly of Gods spiritual Priests by profession and holy calling the whole twenty foure This also is not according to the expresse pattern of the Primitive Church and the members there they continued stedfastly as in other parts of worship so in praier and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth their ready attendance upon the same as well as their continuance therein The same word is used Acts 10. 7. for the Souldiers waiting upon Cornelius and of Rulers attending on their work Rom. 13. 6. But for the further whetting and sharpning this admonition Consider First that it is a sinne of omission such 1. It is a sin of omission doe not joine in a duty of publick worship to which each of the assembly are bound being therefore publick as that which concerneth all such doe not give the Lord this holy sacrifice in the time of it God is not now lesse interested in the time of his worship as well as in the worship it selfe then of old Numb 28. 2. You shall observe to offer them in due season The very Prince who of all other hath weightie occasions lying upon him to withdraw or delay his coming into the assembly in the time of publick worship under the Gospel allusively represented under notions proper to that of the Law yet Ezek. 46. 10. And the Prince in the midst of them when they goe in shall goe in and when they goe forth shall goe forth He is to be there with the first and stay till the last all the professed subjects and lovers of Jesus Christ are to watch dayly at his gates and wait at the posts of his doors Prov. 8. 33 34. They are therefore to be in readinesse as those who watch and wait for any holy opportunitie of Christs publick ordinances and worship and so of this of praier among the rest or else they break rule neglect their duty How unsutably doe such walk to the example of other godly people abroad mentioned in Luk 1. 21. The people were there al waiting til Zachary had done offering incense and Exod. 35. mention is made of troops of women assembling at the doore of the Tabernacle 1 Sam. 2. 22. Yet women in regard of family occasions of children and the like if any might have been excused Peter and John went to the Temple at the houre of prayer The Tabernacle and Temple then where they were wont to assemble had publick prayers offered up among other services And not less diligence in ready attending publick worship prayer among the rest is prophecied of as in these dayes of the Gospel witness that Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall bee willing or free and forward sacrificers in the day of thy power Esay 60. 8. Who are these that flye like doves to the windowes Zach. 8. 21. Let us goe
to the Wars Deut. 2. 1 5. 4. When it is occasioned from necessary Travels and journeying as in that Parable of the Noble man journying far off and leaving Matters to his servants Luke 19. 12 13 and Matth. 24. 46 47 48. So Jacobs sons go into Egypt once and again from their wives and their children to buy corn Gen. 42 and 43. So upon more weighty occasions of publick Messages from States 2 Sam. 20. 2 or of changes as Epaphroditus Teacher at Philippi Phil. 2. 25. yet sent to Rome to minister to Pauls necessities Phil. 4. 18. 22. So others 2 Cor. 8. 23. The Cautions are two First That all wise and lawful means be used for a seasonable compacting of the family in such sort that neither they nor we live too solitary lest that befal us which did Lot and his daughters in the Mountaine Gen. 19 30 31 33. 2 Let us appoint some godly servants or sons over that part of the family where neither of the Guides can bee usually present When is family Prayer to bee performed Concerning the time of family praier morning and evening Morning and Evening as of old they had their daily Sacrifice respecting the household morning and evening Numb 28 3 4. the two special seasons of houshold instruction fittest to be so sanctified and honoured Deut. 6. 4. The widows which shew their piety at home in Prayers there also as well as otherwise are to do it night and day 1 Tim. 5. 4 5. Quest Quest Whether should not family Prayer be first performed in the morning as much as in us lieth before any other thing bee done Answ Yes when we rise up its best doing Answ 1 of it Deut. 6. 7 For first 't is meet that God and not our selves or others should have the first of our daily time and the first fruits of the services of our souls and bodies daily which are given and preserved and daily loaden with his blessings by him The first day of the week is now his day and the first of each day should be as much as may be devoted in this sense to him And if it cannot be so soon in the family yet let them have it in the closet David would not put off God till noon as too many of us do and make no morning of it for prayer in family as wel as closet But at morning and evening and at noon he wil be praying and praising of God Psal 55. 17. 2. That at our uprising the family is unscattered which haply severed is not easily gathered in any season 3 Then if at all before heads and hearts are actually busied in and on outward occasions and imployments are minds and hearts fittest for God 4. It is most seasonable sanctifying and begging thereby of a blessing upon the days occasions before we have begun to meddle with them 5. In the interim of some few hours space wherein morning family prayer is deferred some sad disasters may befal some of the family which then must needs be the more grievous Job fearing this through some miscarriages of his children at their Festivals sends for them each day and as it is day by day sanctified them Job 1. 5. Let us now wind up all in a word of Exhortation to a conscionable performance Vse of this duty and attendance thereupon and Motives to it the rather 1 In that the Lord hath honoured family prayer also as well as other prayer with special 1. Blessings got by it respect as to those of Cornelius his prayers with his houshold as well as to those in his house alone Act. 10. 2 4. whence he and his got more clear knowledge of Jesus Christ as that promised Messiah in whom they more confusedly believed before Besides the gift of the Holy Ghost which they also attained as the sequel in the Chapter sheweth 2. Even family Prayer hastens ruine upon the Churches enemies bent to destroy them 2. Enemies ruine hastned by it When God will seek to destroy Nations which will come up against Jerusalem Zachary 12. 9. there is a mighty spirit of prayer shining in good families He then poureth out upon Jerusalems Inhabitants such a spirit of grace and supplication as that they are mourning in prayer before him both privately and secretly families apart and wives godly persons apart Zach. 10. 11 12. 3 Family prayer is a very good meanes 3. It helps to keep off any curse to clear even the very house from any secret curse which as a Leprosie by reason of sin may take hold as it were of the very timber and walls thereof as Lev. 34. 34 35 Zach. 5. 4. Prov. 3. 33. Let us hereby dedicate the house to God but in the practise hereof observe these things Rules about it 1. Rid the family of grosse sins 1. Look that the houshold be before-hand cleansed of any known and grosser evils which may lye upon it or any in it as Jacobs houshold-Gods must bee put away before hee go up to Bethel with them there to worship the Lord Gen. 3. 2 3. 2 Let the Guides of the family as 2. Let husband and wife carry it wel to each other the Husband and Wife look to it that their mutual carriage each to other be amiable and regular that so the family Prayers be not hindred 1 Peter 3. 7. 3 Let there be some little space of withdrawing 3 Take a little time to prepare for it from other words or works before we set about the duty with one breath to be speaking and carnally or to be but then talking of a very Swine and forthwith without any more ado rudely and unpreparedly to begin so solemn a speech to the great God it is very unseemly and very irreverent CHAP. V. Touching Closet Prayer VVE come now to the third branch of solemne and continued Prayer namely Secret and Closet Prayer the injunction reacheth as the Church of Thessalonica collectively considered as a Church and the families there as Christian families so each particular Christian there personally considered what hee is to do apart as well as what he is to do as a member of the Congregation or Family and by Analogy every other Christian is bound and concerned in this precept to pray alone also and that without ceasing Mat. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut to thy door pray to thy Father which seeth in secret c. he saith not when you pray but thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet c. as speaking not so much of a joynt Duty of many together as of a duty which each person is to do alone as in the other verse 3. When thou doest thine Almes c. It is an injunction not so much of what the godly are to do in some joint way of Charity but what each gracious person is to do apart and alone as occasion is offered even when or where none else
pray Luke 21. 27. when he had been imployed in the day time in preaching in the night time he went apart into the Mount of Olives namely to pray and meditate Luke 22. 41. He was withdrawne from his Disciples about a stones cast and prayed and verse 44. He prayed more earnestly c. and verse 45. He rose up from prayer and came to his Disciples And how he prevailed by these very solitary but strong cryes and tears in these dayes of his flesh or humane infirmity is testified Heb. 5. 7. He was heard The fourth Reason is taken from the sutableness 4. The sutable presence of God in secret of the presence and favour of God which he is wont in secret to exhibit to them unto their aimes and desires Their desire is Psal 4. 7. Lord lift up thou the light of thy countenance upon us And when is the Lord more with his Saints then when in secret When Jacob is alone praying then Jehovah the Son of God that Angel is in such a glorious manner with him Gen. 32. 23 24 28 30 and Hosea 12. 3 4 compared This being one special way of the Saints walking with God he cannot but be much in company with them the neerest and dearest acquaintance and fellowship with God is mentioned by these secret communings with God and holy wisperings in his ear the secret chamber is the most sutable and freest place for these Spouses of the Lord to be telling their secrets to him and there is the place where most ordinarily and usually he is wont to meet and greet and secretly embrace them Now let us come to such Objections as Objections against it answered are made against this holy exercise for we may perceive by Job 21. 15. that mans carnal heart is ready to cavil against it and to object cui bono to what purpose it what needeth what profit is it if we pray to him Verily it is an ordinance wherein the Lord is wont very graciously to communicate himself to his Saints and therefore so long as Satans wily head and mans deceitful heart can find out cavils and quarrels against it it shall not want for Objections Many a deadly wound is given to sin and Satan by these prayer-darts which the Saints thus secretly cast at them besides it s a most spiritual service requiring a special measure of sincerity and self-denial and no wonder that of all other Duties mans heart be so backward to this In prayer with others there is more to bribe even the carnal heart to be speaking but here is little or nothing to move from mans applause or the like It is a duty very costly if rightly performed in secret are the choice wrestlings and weepings and the like and mans carnal heart would take the easiest and cheapest way rather we are too apt to be objecting against our maine spiritual foundations and no wonder then if against this building work We are too apt to failings and falls and no wonder if so backward to this closer closet way of making up personal and particular accounts unto the Lord. It were rather a wonder if there were not then that there are so many Objections against this If we must both pray with the Assembly Object 1 and with the Family and yet also in our We must labour six dayes closets too alone will not this too much prejudice our ordinary callings and occasions and intrench upon that charge of labouring six dayes The Lord indeed will not have now any Answ 1 more solemn dayes in the week to be ordinarily True yet pray also set apart onely for his service besides the Lords day but yet as of old when the Jewish Sabbath was in force the Saints made conscience of constant seeking of God in secret and are commended for it by the Lord as Daniel chap. 6. 10. David Psal 55. 17. So now the Jewish Sabbath is abolished and the Lords day appointed of God in its stead yet Cornelius is commended and graciously rewarded for his conscionable praying to God alone day and night for as he was praying in his house namely by himself alone a man in bright cloathing or an Angel appeared to him and said Cornelius Thy Prayer is heard Acts 10. 30 31. not that prayer alone which he made in that day of Humiliation but as ver 2 3 4. shew his prayers his Prayers which he made alone whether with his houshold or by himself alone none else were with him praying then as it seemeth for he only saw that man in bright cloathing to him alone the Angel addressed his present speech saying Cornelius thy Prayers are heard ver 4. 31. God would not have the hand-maid to perk above the Mistris or ordinary particular callings to thrust Religion out of doors or so to straiten it that scarce any leisure is afforded to worship God in publick private and secret Nay rather clean Christians typed by those clean Beasts must rightly part the hoof Lev. 11. 3. rightly divide their time giving a due share thereof to God in matters of his Worship and a meet proportion of it to God in their particular calling 2 It is the express charge of God that we We must buy out time for prayer reedeem or buy out time and that for prayer as well as other holy exercises Col. 4. 2 3 4. the Lord wisheth us to continue in prayer and ver 5. biddeth us redeem the time which Exhortation is directed to all sorts husbands wives parents children servants and Masters as the Context sheweth from chap. 3. 18. to chap. 4. 6. All and every of them are to buy out time for instant prayer as al together in the family so apart in secret as occasions are offered the charge is not limited to Church or Family prayer only Yea but how shall we get so much time will they say Redeem the opportunity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith God If the Lord offer you any opportunity to pray together or asunder be at any cost for it Christians must be wise and frugal Market men and women of praying opportunities Let not the Divel or world outbid us for such seasons which are so gainful to our souls A wise Daniel will be willing to hazard the losse or parting with either honor or pleasure or profit yea life it self rather then be debarred from taking his times this way for God and for his soul to satisfie the wretched desires of the wicked therein or to seem to yeild to Satans wily suggestions and plots in his instruments for that end Dan. 6. 10. 3 This is a maine part of our spiritual We must ply this as our holy Trade trading with God by improvement this way of the Talent of the gift of prayer also Matth. 25. 16 17 This is as part of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our City Imployment Ephes 2. 19. Phil. 3. 20. Having hereby commerce and converse with God in Christ and it is a rich
Trade God is rich in Mercy to all that call upon him in secret apart as wel as to others that pray together in Assemblies and Families Psal 86. 5. Gods Saints and Suppliants which often come alone to the door of Grace and most frequently doe thus knock by prayer speed best God alloweth them this private key that they may freely get in and take of all his precious Treasures of Grace as they need the same Knock and it shall be opened ask and it shall be given Matth. 7. Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name I will do John 14. 13. be it publickly privately or secretly that you ask the same If others have not it is because they ask not 4 Prayer in secret by our selves as well It expediteth our other affairs as that with others it doth expedit our weightiest temporal affairs Jacob did more this way to issue his great affairs respecting his families welfare and safety when to meet his brother Esau with his warlike Troops then if he had an equal or greater warlike power or military skil to have managed the same Thou hast prevailed with God and with men thou shalt prevail Gen 32 82 c. it is the way to have the beauty or glorious blessing presence and protection of God upon us and the prospering of our handy work to set God thus on work for us by prayer whence it was that they of old were taught to pray for that end as Psalm 90. 17. Let thy beauty be upon us prosper thou the work of our hands This oyles the wheels for any work quickens and quieteth our spirits Philip. 4. 6 7. sanctifieth our works 1 Tim. 4. 4 5. If we can but pray well before hand we may be sure we shall study well or preach well or work well as our calling requireth yea and speed well afterward Some may object their condition as being Object 2 servants and so think themselves excused We are servants and exempted from this Duty of Closet Prayer The charge of the Text is indefinite not Answ 1 limited to any sort of persons no more This is the work of any servant of God as such than that verse 15. Render not evil for evil but ever follow that which is good or that verse 16. Rejoice evermore or that ver 18 In every thing give thanks c. in which godly servants also as well as others are concerned A godly servant considered as his Masters servant is faithfully to attend his Masters business but as he is the Lords servant so this is one part of his servantly businesse When David had said Psal 116 6. I am thy servant Lord thy servant c. verse 17. he addeth I will call upon the name of the Lord. 1 Cor. 1. 2. To them that are called to be Saints in Corinth with all such as call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus in every place that is the Saints character bee they of what calling or condition soever or where ever they call upon the Lord God is no respecter of persons every one who calleth him Father is to do this service and honour of a child to him Thou whoever thou art bond or free when thou prayest enter into thy closet or into some retired place and pray to thy Father which seeth in secret Matth. 6. 6. 2 Every one whether bond or free they have this part of the new man resembling Each Saint is this way gifted more or lesse Christ the Creator of it even this holy knowledg also Col. 3. 10 11. to know how to call upon God as a Father in secret as hee also did and to cry in solemne wise themselves alone Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. 3 Godly servants also who have the Godly servants also must bee Christs peculiar ones Grace of God which bringeth salvation appearing to them are as well as others to be peculiar ones unto the Lord zealous of all good works and so of this also wherein Gods choicest servants have been wont to be conscionably exercised Tit. 29 10 11 12 13 14. compared Other servants will go to praier with their Masters in publick and private yea but Godly ones must doe somewhat more they must improve their peculiar interests in the Lord in such a way of peculiar serving of him with their spirits 4 Bond as well as free being alike interested Their dignity is alike with others and so is this their duty in the dignity and priviledges of Saints as Saints Col. 3. 11. they are alike concerned in such Duties as these are which respect and lye upon the Saints as Saints in which respect also godly servants are the Lords freemen 1 Cor. 7. 22. they must not abridge themselves nor may be abridged by others of this liberty of retired repairs to the Throne of Grace as the Lord affordeth them opportunity To be meer servants of men so to attend their Masters commands as to neglect this or any other command of God they ought not verse 23. yea observe it that the Apostle speaketh of servants to infidel Masters also verse 21 22. Either then they must not pray at all which were to make them as profane as their infidel Masters which to them would bee matter of disdain or distaste or they must content themselves alone with publick prayer in the Congregation of Christians which none will affirm or they must as holy Priests to God offer as the Priests did theirs this holy Incense to God in a retired place from view of others Yea suppose forbidden by an Infidel Master to pray in secret yet they are no more to forbear then Daniel King Darius his servant did forbear it upon his Decree to inhibit the same Dan. 6. 10. 5 Be that child bond or free who prayeth Bond or free so praying are rewarded thus in secret and not before others to his Father he will reward him openly Matth. 6. 6. 6 Godly servants are to sanctifie their work by Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 4. Albeit Abraham Servants must sanctifie their work by prayer had prayed for his servants Eliczars good successe in his businesse about which he sent him Gen. 24. 7 8. yet Eliezar himself alone praieth for good successe that day ver 12. 7. The work which godly servants do Their work then speeds best sanctifie by prayer though more short is wont to speed best as did that business of Eliezar so sanctified Gen. 24. 12. as the issue declared And surely godly Masters which are to expresse special love to such servants will not refuse to encourage them to take some seasonable time to pray thus knowing how profitable such servants wil be to them Philem. 6 11. compared Some will object That they are apt to meet Object 3 with temptations when alone Tempted if alone 1. You may and will be annoyed with temptatious when not conscionably imploied Answ 1 in your general or particular callings as David No hurt by temptations if in Gods
way 2 Sam. 11. 2. had he been praying alone it had been well for him And though Joshuah praying alone was assaulted by Satan Zach. 2. 1. yet the issue was good Christ the Angel took part with him pleaded for him ver 2. put more honour upon him verse 3. 4 5. Christ himself men with many temptations from Satan when alone in the wildernesse but came out as a glorious Conqueror and full of the Spirit he went thither full of the Spirit Luke 4 1. and verse 14. he came out full he lost nothing thereby in the close no more do his Members proportionably Satan would that way debar us from 〈…〉 â—e could 2 It is Satans slight to present such scarebags in our way of drawing neer to God in Praier but we must resist him in them Jam. 4 7 8 It is a sluggards trick to fancy such Lions in the way to deter us from the same Prov. 26. 13. 3. Prayer of it self is rather an occasion Praier prevents or removeth temptations to prevent and remove then to raise up temptations Matth. 26. 41. Pray least ye enter into temptation It helps us to put on and improve our spiritual Armor against them Ephes 6. 18. Some will object their want of ability to pray alone Object 4 1 If children of God you have in you a Inability to pray childs spirit enabling and putting you upon Answ 1 praying to God as to a Father Gal. 4. 6. If children then crying to God The particular daughters of Jerusalem though not so fully acquainted with Christ yet the Church looketh at them as able to pray in some measure and therefore commendeth her case to their prayers Cant. 5. 8 If yee find my Beloved tell him namely in your prayers that I am sick of love 2 In case of great inabilities and infirmities The Spirit will help our infirmities yet the Spirit will help the Saints to groan out their complaints to the Lord in such sort as the Lord will accept Rom. 8. 26. 3 Let the weakest of the Saints so far Exercise will encrease abilities as their minds and hearts are apprehensive of this or that failing lust defect and spiritual ayle or evil put that into as good expression as they can in secret before the Lord and though at first their tongue can but stammer out their soules cases yet in a short time that tongue of the stammerer shall be able to speak plainly Isai 32. 4. At first you may be timorous but within a while you shall attain that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liberty of speech and spirit in prayer Ephes 3. 12. As young Scholers at first are timorous to speak without book and apter to stumble and stammer in it but in a little time by exercising themselves to it wax more able and bold exact and large therein So it is here in the matter of praying as I may say without book As walking with wise men increaseth wisdom Prov. 13. 20 so walking with the wise God in secret calling upon him encreaseth our holy skil and abilities of talking with him in prayer Some will object especially in this Object 5 Countrey want of conveniency of Inconveniency of place a place to bee retyred in solitary Prayer 1. God required the Jewes of old to Answ 1 build their houses with battlements which as they were places of safety Deut. 22. 8. so secrecy fit for retirednesse in Prayer whence it was that Peter in that house at Joppa getteth him in thither to pray alone Acts 106. 9. Such as are able are supposed The able must get a fit closet by Christ Matth. 6. 6. to have a convenient closet with a door to shut it for secrecy in Praier And it would be a shame for Christians to have private places for their very Swine to sheep or their Cattle to feed in free from anoyances of wind or weather that they should not make some shift to get some retired place to seek the face of God therein 2 If it were supposable which hardly is that Christians cannot have such a place within doors at home or abroad yet Isaac can get him into the field to pray Gen. 24. 63. Christ can go apart into a Mountaine to pray Luke 6. 12. any solitary place in a Wilderness will serve Christs turn to be alone praying Luke 5. 16. The Lord can and sometimes doth make any solitary place when his Saints are praying to be to them a very corner of Heaven as Jesus Christ when praying in the Mountain was transfigured Luke 9. 28 29 30. Many a precious meeting may and doth the Lord sometimes give his poor Suppliants when all alone praying under some solitary Rock or by some swamyside or thicket or the like Let us now apply what hath been said touching this Duty of Secret Prayer 1. Let this serve for Reproof to such Professors which are shamefully to blame in Vse 1 the neglect of Closet Prayer by themselves Neglect of closet prayer reproved alone How many are so surcharged with worldly cares and employments that they will scarce afford themselves time to attend upon either Church or Family Prayer but if they sometimes be praying there yet seldome or never take time solemnly to seek the Lord alone How do many here in New England though able to do otherwise if but willing build their houses so as if they intended to shut Closet Prayer out of doors How do many look at Closet Prayer to be at the best but a Free-will-Offering as they term it which they offer if they will but look not at it as a Duty which they must attend upon all occasions Surely such are little sensible of their heart-plagues for Such as neglect it are senseless of heart-plagues then would they alone one by one make Prayers and Supplications 1 Kings 8. 38 39 How little do such love the Lord that they are afraid to talk too much or too secretly Have little love to God with him Surely such have at most but some few drops of the promised spirit of Supplication for if they had plenty of that Have little of the spirit of prayer spirit poured out upon them they would be exercising the same apart Zech. 12. 10 11 12 13. No wonder if such are not led in a way of Supplication in secret as well as otherwise that they are ever and anon stumbling in matters of judgement or practise Are oft falling into sin Jer. 31. 9. Nor is it wonder that we have so many lukewarm Professors amongst us if so few that make conscience of calling upon Are lukewarm God even in this sort also Hosea 7. 7 8 9. Such as make not conscience of calling upon God publickly privately and secretly either are or will soon prove as a cake halfe baked Such are not led by rivers of water into a fruitful way who are not led in a way Are unfruitful of weeping and supplications Jerem.
31. 9. Such have little love to others who are little with God apart in praier If we had more Have little love to others of Cornelius his spirit to be conscionably exercised in praying alone also we should have more love to Professors Full of Prayers and Alms fruits of Charity was his commendation Act. 19 2 4. And it is well if the Spiritual Chaldees the souls enemies are not gotten into such mens hearts as of old they did into the Temple yea and that God himself be not Ly open to desertion departed from such as of old from the Temple when this daily Sacrifice and Offering of holy prayer unto God ceaseth with them Surely Daniel was not of these mens temper who though he had such vast Imploiments Imitate not best examples as to take the accounts of the other Princes of the several Jurisdictions and many other State affaires to dispatch yet would not no not for one day no nor one time in the day omit this his constant exercising himself in secret prayer yea when it cometh to a matter of hazard of his life and all his worldly honours yet to forbear this his course of daily seeking of God in secret prayer he had not such a thought Why I need not thus hazard my self I may forbear praying thus to God in my chamber for a while It is but a matter of my own liberty I may pray thus but I am not bound to pray thus by any command of God No verily he saw more in Gods command then so which was of more Soveraignty with him then any earthly Monarchs command He will not only deny to pray to the King as a God which had been a sin of commission but he will not forbear for the Months space praying to the God of Heaven in his chamber which had been a sin of omission Isaac who had such weighty matters as the change of his condition to have occasioned some omission of his retired converses with God yet then also will not leave his usual work of going out into the field to pray Gen. 24. Nor will Jesus Christ whose example is a forcible Argument to urge our imitation of his holy practise he will not omit this holy businesse of secret prayer albeit he had many others of great moment to attend in their seasons hee will rather borrow time from his natural rest in the night if so fully imployed in the day Luke 21. 37 he will get up the earlier in the morning before day rather then want an opportunity for this holy exercise Mark 1. 35. yea when the multitude came together to hear him and be healed of him he will not omit this work but withdraweth for that end and they must stay the while Luke 5. 15 16. yea his chiefest Followers must be dismissed whilst be attends this holy practice Matth. 14. 22 23. And to conclude this Use It would be a shame Are worse then Papists that blind Papists and superstitious Votaries should be more zealous in their way of secret Devotions then we in our secret addresses in prayer to the Lord in the name of Christ Let it then in the second place serve for Exhortation to the conscionable practise of Vse 2 this Duty of secret Prayer If such an one as Let all be exhorted to this Duty Cornelius who had so many Martial occasions to with-draw him who also knew so little of Jesus Christ as that Messiah promised yet was so constant this way wee that enjoy far more helps and spiritual advantages may much rather do it Yea say too many now a dayes should Apostatize as did such like in Davids time Psal 55. 12 13 16. yet let us be the more resolute this way as he was verse 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and truly if ever it were a time to be much with God in prayer together and asunder now is a time for it All the Saints hands in a manner are up in all places and doing exploits for God and it were a shame if ours only should be down especially when the Saints of God in other places think that we in special ply it hard in prayer together and asunder Let Civil Rulers ply it thus as that Magistrates President Daniel did as King David himself did as we heard Psalm 109. 4. hee saith he is Prayer as being more in that then in any other work but I prayer or I will give my self to prayer Constantine the Great as Eusebius telleth us would have this as his Portraiture a man on his knees praying to shew that was his usual practise and posture How oft was Moses the Magistrate with God alone in Prayer Let Ministers whose special Calling lyeth in Ministers this also to give themselves to prayer Acts 6. 4. Be much in it How often is Paul described as thus employed Rom. 1. 9. Ephes 1. 15 16. Philip. 1. 4 2 Timoth. 1. 3. Epaphras the Colossian Minister is commended for this also Colos 4. 12. Eusebius telleth us of James called Justus that his knees were growne hard and brawnie with being so much and oft this way employed And do not Ministers closet sins as vanity of mind vaine glorious reasonings of spirit listlesnesse sometimes to their holy work call upon them for closet study-prayers Doth not their weighty closet work call for this Is not Prayer as once Luther said the best Book in our Study Doth not Satan oft-times come into our studies to assault us in our work as sometimes hee did Joshuab the Priest in his and had we not then more need then others to bee found oft praying there The Lord vouchsafes oft-times to be talking in friendly sort with us in our Studies and it were pity and shame if hereby we should not maintain holy conference with him Who are more potent with God in publick prayer then such Ministers as wrestle it out most with God in secret praier The gracious language which there they learn from the Spirit of God and the choice lively and spirituall prayer-passages and expressions and pleas wherein the Lord breaths upon their hearts when alone are those wherein he is wont to breath upon the peoples hearts in publick prayer Who more prevalent with God then Paul and Peter this way exercised we as the friends of the Bridegroome as Eliezar was of old speed the better in our work of gaining some spouse for Christ that day for which we have been most earnest in secret prayer before hand The defect hereof too oft maketh our ministeriall work so unsuccessefull as it did that of the Disciples assaying to cast out a devill without praying before hand for it Matth. 17. 21. A Minister need not feare but hee shall preach well afterwards if the Lord help him to pray well before hand as Ministers have more advantage of privacy sc their people make account they improve it this way witnesse their frequent commending their cases to them to
spread them before the Lord in their prayers and therefore let them bee much with God in secret And let all our brethren and sisters All sorts for Christ brings us into his Chambers and every of them make conscience also of this duty of secret prayer the Lord Jesus bringeth us my brethren into his chambers where he delighteth most to be and rest and shew himselfe and secrets to his Saints Cantic 1. 4. and shall not wee hereby bring him into our chambers also the Lord hideth us in the secret place of his Hideth us in his secret place presence the secret chambers of his providence and protection are our chambers for our safety and honour Psal 31. 20. Esay 26. 20. and shall not our chambers be his for his use that wee there meet and talke with him in secret prayer and he with us by his gracious presence and answers Each particular Saint of God hath his Each Saint hath his chamber or mansion-house in Glory chamber as I may say his mansion-place of glory in which to praise God for ever Joh. 14. 2 3. Why shall not each Saint of God of what condition soever have here his retired oratory and place for secret praying unto God each of them are by their calling Gods hidden ones whilst here Psalme 83. 3. and let them be so in this Each Saint Gods hidden one Set apart for Gods Gods friends respect also by their secret repayres to the Lord in praier Each godly man in particular is set apart unto God Psalme 4. 3. and why then not more apart to pray to him we are his friends James 2. 8. John 15. 15 16. Cantic 5. 1 and let us then be his friends in a corner tell him our minds bee oft doing him this service of love in secret We are his spouses Hos Spouse 2. 19 20. now as Canticles 7. 10 11 12. The Church would have Christ goe aside as it were in private and there she will give him her loves so let us in secret give him this spouse-like love fruits of our lips in secret and there tell him all our hearts The spirit which is in the Saints is a free spirit Psal 51. 12 and truely there is the most free use and employment of that spirit in prayer when sequestred as from all occasions so from all other company Friends are most free and bold when alone so wee with the Lord when alone A gracious person is never more himselfe as gracious then when praying Psalm 109. 4. But I prayer saith he and truely never more seen to be such an one then whon praper or given to prayer in secret Hypocrites may and will pray and haply in private too but we must pray as most desiring privacy When the Lord would demonstrate to Ananias that Paul was converted he doth it by this argument for behold he praieth Acts 9. 11 it was alone in secret that hee Wicked ones have and serve their idols in â—ecret did thus he must inquire him out for hee was got into some corner of the house Let not wicked ones be more forward to set up an idoll in secret or to set up a false Christ in the chambers Ezek. 8. 8. Matth. 24. 26. then we to honour the true God and Jesus Christ thus in secret And that wee may yet a little further presse this so weighty a duty consider that it is indeed our priviledge in many respects ordered by the Lord in much wisedome and faithfulnesse for our good also as well as his glory that hee will have us thus to seek him by our selves alone in prayer For 1. Hee therein tendreth the very credit of his people They need not uncover their spiritual nakednesse before any man whatsoever nor all their personal plagues need be unbared before men it sufficeth that they have this priviledged precept to pray to their Father who seeth in secret and tell him all their hearts In Best for opening all their secrets some cases of personal sins against brethren personal confession of such sins is requisite and sometimes in case of some oppressing burthen upon our hearts wee are to goe to some faithfull Minister or experienced Saint of God and tell them our secret ayles but in ordinary course it sufficeth that wee tell the Lord in secret all our personall and particular failings and wants 2. If solitary Praier were not Gods Best for our necessities ordinance what should Gods solitary ones doe in sundry cases incident to them But now Jeremiah in a solitary loansome prison is encouraged Call upon me and I will answer thee Jer. 33. 13. Sometimes the Saints are like Pelicans and Owls in the desert Psal 102. 6. Well may they make their moans to the Lord but are of all others respect destitute Others would be like other birds fit to ho wt at them and make a wonder of them now welfare solitary prayer Sometimes the Lord worketh upon some one of the family a sonne or daughter or servant or the like the rest remain opposite to all good saying What profit should we have by praying unto God as they say Job 21. 15. nay now will such say of the other person we shall have him a precise foole a mopish sot father now is against child as Luke 12. 35. Now it is well that prayer in a corner where none seeth or heareth but the Lord is an acceptable service and ordinance The poor slave in the infidels family is now the Lords freeman for this business 1 Cor. 7. 21 22. So the poore Christian wife with whom her infidel husband liked to dwell though he yet like not her religion 1 Cor. 7. 13. she may pray alone with acceptance Banished John in Patmos may thus been in the spirit by himselfe alone Revel 1. 10. Manasseh in his fetters yet hath liberty all alone to make his praier to his God 2 Chr. 33. 11 12 13. If this had been no ordinance of God to what purpose had Davids couch-prayers been which yet prevailed Psalm 6. 6 7 8 9. Or how else had his cave-prayers ever come to be available as Psalm 142. title with verse 1 2. 3. If this had not been an acceptable ordinance there had not been such honorable records thereof kept by and with the Lord as 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. this is singled out amongst all that Manasseh did in his loathsome state in captivity as most notable and honourable and therefore is twice Best for the Saints honour repeated and his prayer and his prayer So Cornelius his prayers are as memorials before the Lord Acts 10. 2 4. 4 It is well for the Saints that this is an Ordinance in point of honour that God herein and hereby is wont to put upon them singly and severally as that hereby they come to have Testimonials from the Lord himself of the good of Grace which is in them and of their prevailing with him for desired mercyes Thus when Jacob is all
great miscarrying 5. When we are not willing to waite 5 Hastinesse for getting things desired the Lords leasure for the affecting of what we ask of him but will be asking of him in wayes full of hazard or with meanes of our own devising to attaine our desires As Rachel who wrestled in prayer for a child Gen. 30 8. but whilest delayed gave her maid to Jacob to attain her desire of a childe or like David desiring the waters of Bethlehem which could not be had without the life-blood of such as fetcht it 2 Sam. 23. 15 16 17. Like feverish persons flying out of their beds for the drink they ask the Israelites desire to goe up to Canaan then when God said nay was a lust Numb 14. 40 41. 44. There were lusts in that Kings extraordinary seeking of God for supplies of bread by fasting and prayer 2 Kings 6. 30. That in delayes of supplie le ts drive at the Lord himselfe verse 33. Behold this evill is of the Lord what should I waite on the Lord any longer Isa 58. 3. Wherefore have we afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge those breathings that are so short winded they are not divine inspirings 6. When wee keep not due proportions in our desires being more importunate 6 Inequality in desires in corporall matters and those of lesse consequence then in those soule matters of greatest concernment like those in Hosea 7. 14. Who can howle upon their beds for corne and wine and yet without heart to seeke reconciliation with God verse 10 11. Lukewarme at the best in spiritual matters a cake halfe baked verse 8. Like foolish children hardly ever speaking of choice matters and yet ever and anon filling the house with cries for rattles and baubles 7. When we flie in the face of this or that Creature lay causelesse blame upon 7 Quarrelling with instruments such or such persons or things if not answered of God in things that we crave of him thus Rachel wrastled with God for a childe but whilst delayed quarrells with Jacob Give me children or else I dye Gen. 30. 1 2. 8. compared Like distemper'd patients angry with their attendants because they may not have such or such things albeit forbidden by their Physician or like children falling out with the executors of their fathers will because they doe not at their times in their wayes and proportions pay them in what they desire 8. When our desires in prayer tend to a lust and the service of it they spring 8 Asking for a lust from a lust and if lust be last in execution of our desire it is the end of them and so the first in Intention Our prayers are in their Genesis as they are in their Analysis when their resolution and dissolution is into Inordinacies their beginnings were asuredly some inordinacy Such prayers and desires as have earth and flesh for their Center were assuredly earthly and carnal in their principles Such as their Omega is such was their Alpha. The Prodigall who spent what he asked of his father upon harlots surely had some inordinate lust which set him on worke to aske the same of his father Luke 15. 12 13. For this it is that the Apostle James condemneth these professors Ye aske amisse that you may James 3. 3. consume it upon your lusts 9. When the fruition of the things so earnestly desired proveth afterwards some 9 A blast upon the thing desired way burdensome to us Genesis 19. 20. How earnest is Lot for Zoar Is it not a litle one and my soule shall live but verse the 36. He is weary of Zoar Lot went up from Zoar thus the Israelites quailes over earnestly asked become loathsome to them Numb 11. 18 20. So did they at length cry out as much upon a King as ever they did cry out for one 1 Sam. 1. 8 18. This passing from one extreame to another argueth Inordinacy in the heart Now we come more briefly to answer affirmatively 1. Then look that your importunity Importunity in prayer must be in prayer be caused and guided by faith so it was with the importunate Petitioner 1. From faith Matth. 15. 25. 28. compared He saith not oh woman great is thy importunity and yet it was such but great is thy faith faith doth ballast the heart aright in prayer and keeps the swift sailing desires thereof in their due course 2. Look that it be with filial meekness 2 With meeknesse and submission submission Christ offered up prayers with strong cryes and teares Heb. 5. 7. but annexeth not my will but thine be done Matth. 26. 39 42. and Luk. 22 42 44. compared 3. Look it be done with sutable earnestnesse 3 With like earnestnesse in use of means and seriousnesse in holy indeavours in the use of lawfull meanes to attaine our spirituall desires Canticles 3. 1 2 3 4. Touching the third thing the Reasons calling for importunity in prayer though we might name many as the Lords importunity in calling upon us the fiery fervent nature of the spirit of God in us the importunity of the wicked in their desires the prevailing force of such holy importunity with the Lord. Yet wee shall insist upon this one Reason taken from the evil of carelesnesse remissenesse or slightinesse in prayer which is crosse to importunity in the same which may suffice to awaken us all to the contrary duty of importunity in prayer Let us onely hint some particulars of the evils Evils of sinne in slightinesse in prayer both of sinne and sorrow which attend such slightinesse and remissenesse in prayer Consider we first of the evils of sinne in such slightinesse in prayer 1. A slighty prayer is a blind sacrifice the 1 Inconsideratenesse in prayer mind of such a one that so praieth is not wont to consider or observe what he doth therein He that is carelesse of the manner of his approach to God looketh not to his feet considers not that he doth evil Eccles 5. 1. 2. It is a lame sacrifice it is not a compleat praier Like the sacrifices of those carelesse 2 Incomplâ—â—â—nesse in praier slighty Jewish Priests of old Mal. 1. 8. such a ones affections to God and good are corrupted Such an ones expressions in prayer are very unfit and unsutable oftentimes unto what he is speaking of Prayer in such an ones mouth is as a parable in a fools mouth which in expression is very unequal Prov. 26. 7. The Prayer-expressions of a drowsie slighty spirited professour are like the speeches of one halfe asleep halfe awake full of impertinences The mind also of such one is cripled halteth witnesse the many distractions constantly accompany such an ones prayer The mind of such being not serious in prayer and taken up in talking with God will easily admit speech with other objects which will be calling the mind forth to mentall discourses about them whilst praying As it is in seeking of
is done mostly by Meditation upon Gods word and works daily meditation whereby we doe in a holy wise sit and dwell upon and draw out the sweet and sap which is in Gods words and works Psal 5. 1. Consider my meditation he meaneth his prayer What David suck't and brought into the retired corners of his soul by holy contemplation he dropped it out in prayer Meditation filleth the vessel of a gracious heart and prayer broacheth it openeth the heart letteth and poureth out the precious things therein By meditation we beat the spices and cut the offering to pieces and lay them in order fit to be offered and then we are the fitter to offer the same up in prayer Meditation diggeth and searcheth and findeth out the precious mettals and materials which being ready at hand are the sooner and the better minted in prayer 2. Let such be improving all praying 2 Improvement of motions to prayer motions and stirrings We shall never hold on in prayer without ceasing 1 Thes 5. 17. and in continual praysing ver 18. unlesse we attend that counsell verse 19. Quench not the spirit even in any strong warme and lively motions also which he may make that way in our hearts David who saith Psal 109. 4. That he gave himselfe to prayer or as it is in the Hebrew I prayer As if made up of prayer and doing little else but praying he saith also Psal 27. 8. When thou saydst seek my face my heart answered thy face Lord will I seek hee did not slight or put off or put by any strong motions of the spirit in his heart to seek the Lord but made faithfull and fruitfull improvement thereof Christ putting the Church upon it to let him hear her voice Cantic 2. 14. she verse 17. hath a request ready for him And so Chap. 8. 13 Cause me to heare thy voice saith Christ to the Church verse 14. She speaketh prayer-wise Make haste my beloved c. 3. Let such be oft and much in ejaculatory 3 Frequency in ejaculations praier we may be sure to find our hearts in elevated frames when we have been oft heaving and lifting at them When wee have been dealing with God just before and have made so many short essayes we are the fitter to deale with him more solemnly Moses was as I may say tampering and catching at the Lord thus before he spake out so solemnly as Exod. 32 11 12 13. Lord why doth thy wrath waxe hot against thy people c. For God verse 10. saith to Moses let me alone When we have so oft whispered thus with God beforehand we are the fitter to talk and speak out before him Psal 61. 1. Hear my cry attend to my prayer yet nothing expressed what hee sayd he was at it in ejaculatory crying and praying and thence is so bent for more solemne prayer expressed in the verses following From the end of the earth will I cry to thee c. These running grasps and trips do much help our holy wrestling praying-art and skill and courage when we do in ejaculatory prayers oft sally out upon our spiritual enemies sinne Sathan and the world we are the fitter to maintaine a solemne fight against them in our more solemne prayers 4. Let such maintaine in their soules 4 Poverty of spirit that precious frame poverty of Spirit That will teach us praying eloquence help us much with praying Arguments and quicken up in us all praying desires as we see persons pinched with extreame wants and penury of all others the poore oppressed ones as the Hebrew is Psal 10. 17. have their hearts set and fitted by God for prayer Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore thou wilt prepare or fix their heart namely to pray thou wilt cause thine eare to heare namely their prayer 3. To pray indesinently is to be very 3 To pray very often frequent in prayer so we use to say you are alwayes doing thus or thus wee meane you are very often doing so Joh. 16. 23 24. Ye have asked nothing i. e. but very seldome Aske that is more frequently frequent prayer keepeth every grace active frequent uttering our wants and Ayles keepeth us humble the often opening of our spirituall wounds keepeth us tender the more wee trade with God about heavens Commodities the more it keepeth up the price of them in our hearts wee then vend and utter them readily in other parts of our holy conversation and making quicker sale that way we make the quicker returne againe to God for more Quest How oft must we pray Quest Answ As oft as opportunity is offered Answ as was said before yet twice a day at the least must bee to us a time of praying How oft we must pray Henâ—â— that morning and evening sacrifice of old unto which the Prophet alludeth and calleth it a seeking of God evermore as held out in his Tabernacle Psal 105. 4. The very Birds morning and evening and some also as the Nightingale in the night also are in their manner lifting up their notes unto their maker and maintainer Give us this day our daily bread must needs imply a daily prayer for it and as twice a day at least our bodies need supply of bread so is it sit that both body and soule be imployed twice a day in solemn seeking of the Lord about that and all other things which we need or the blessings of the Lord thereupon Quest Suppose a Christian take the Quest seasons of morning and evening for family prayer must he likewise take the same seasons for closet prayer also Answ Yea we should as much as Answ in us lyeth and the providence of God ministreth opportunities of it indeavour the same one duty may not willingly bee omitted because of the other It hath been proved that both are duties and the Saints will have respect to all and every of Gods Commandements As a Christian is considered singly and absolutely so closet secret retired prayer apart lyeth upon him but as in relation to others so also prayer with others is his duty as his estate is so is his bond of duty doubled The carnall heart of man will more cavill and startle at secret prayer by our selves alone then at that with others our natures will lesse easily be strangers to services to which others are privie as we see in Hypocrites and Familists than to such as the Lord onely beholdeth but no wiles or slights of our hearts or Satan should draw us from a commanded duty in Scripture And indeed we under the Gospel should not be lesse in holy serving of God with our spirits than those under the Law but rather more Hence it is that the wooden or Incense Altars for the incense of prayer is in Ezekiel Typically represented to be much larger under the times of the Gospel than ever under the Law That under the Law was a Cubit in length a Cubit in breadth and two Cubits in height
reach out thy hand open thy mouth wide inlarge thy self O Desire to crave these and these mercies which the soul needeth which the Lord is ready to give And Love do thou the like never a more lovely object presented to thee from one who so dearly loveth the soul wherein thou art Zeal be thou fervent put an edge upon Desire and Love the case so requireth the mercies are neer its pity they should be lost for want of putting to a little more strength to wrestle for them Humility stoop thou the heart fall down be low and vile before one that is so glorious Fear awe thou the heart let it tremble in the presence of the holy One of Israel Joy do thou enlarge the heart in the sense of mercies already gotten by prayer and more mercies are at hand Hope stand thou on tiptoe and look up and look out for verily mercy is not far off the Lord is neer such secret motives and whispers of faith that are in the souls of Gods suppliants their spirits are incouraged and moved variously to act in prayer from that faith which they have in the Lord when it is exercised Look as Davids faith in the love of God towards him occasioned made that speech in his soul when to praise God so that David from the strength of his faith therein speaketh to his soul And all that is within him to praise his Name Psalm 103. 1. The like speech doth faith occasion in a gracious heart when to pray requiring all within the same to be imployed in furthring the work So when David is to make his prayer to the God of his life in faith that God will command loving kindness to him Psalm 42. 8. here is a charge given in his heart to attend it patiently and hopefully and distempers are commanded to stand by the while v. 11. 3 Faith in Prayer is a moderation to regulate 3. It doth regulate and rectifie the souls pleas yea to dictate Arguments to back those holy pleas Prayers of Faith use to be pleading prayers filled and carryed on in lively reasonings with the Lord. And because oft-times the spirit of a Suppliant may be even non-plust almost and not know how to carry it on by reason of secret cavils raised in the heart whether from Satan or distrust or otherwise Faith then stepping forth and whispering some spiritual and sutable answers cleareth up the mist upon the Spirit and the mistake and sophisme and so the soul is a fresh carryed on in his pleading with God Psalm 77. 7. Will the Lord cast off c. this was secretly whispered by distrust as if God would cast him off but will he do it for ever and so ver 8 9. David his spirit was pinched in these reasonings and cavils at present he could not positively answer that God would not do so the cavil of distrust became a real question to his tempted deserted spirit by reasoning so much with that whilst he was crying to the Lord ver 1 but faith gave light to the case and upon discovery hee perceived that these were but cavils of an infirm spirit of his own ver 10. The case is resolved and determined through the help and light of Faith exercised and acted and standing up which before sate silent and he concluded this was his infirmity Faith is a Second to the soul in its holy wrestlings and pleadings with God to succour it in its suits both in point of assistance perswading with the heart that the Lord will prepare the heart to seek him and so the rather to prevail Psal 10. 17. And in point of Assurance 1 John 5. 15. it is the speech of faith We have what we ask of God It is as sure as if it were already granted And so in point of Acceptance ver 14. We know he heareth ver 7. Now when at any time the spirit of a Suppliant beginneth to give out when any fainting fit is upon it then faith reneweth the charge upon the Lord taketh up the holy weapons which the spirit of the Saints began to lay by the Arguments which it was ready to forgo and now the soul gathers up it selfe afresh and plyeth the Lord with renewed strength of holy requests at this passe was Jonah chap. 2. 4 7. he said he was cast out yet would look again to the Lord and ver 7. when fainting and when faith minding him afresh of something in the Lord he is revived and sends up many Supplications to him What give out wil Faith say nay fie for shame It claps the soul on the back as I may say and bids it chear up wrestle one bout more pursue once again it may be nay it is likely thou wilt prevail nay thou shalt indeed prevail 4. Faith in prayer is an Agent for the 4. It pleadeth soul to improve and plead all the foregoing principles and spiritual Topick places mentioned That of Gods gracious disposition it is a large field and very fruitful in prevailing Arguments when improved by faith so is that of God his All-sufficiency All-mightiness Eternity Immutability and so is that of Christ considered in his Offices Merit Mediation and Intercession the Promises of God likewise are several heads of holy pleas Faith improveth them wisely and seasonably and sutably as the cases of the same require It would bee improving them all in and through the Lord Jesus for the souls succour and support in this Ordinance of Prayer verifying that Isai 12. 3. Drawing water out of the wells of Salvation 5 Finally Faith in prayer becometh as it were the common pledge between the 5. It undertaketh Lord and the Suppliant that each shall do right in all that hath been pleaded Faith undertakes to become bound and to be a pawne to the soul that the Lord for his part will do what is meet and what becometh him for the soul And againe it ingageth it selfe to the Lord that by his help the soul shall attend to its duty which concerneth it See Psalm 55. 3. Davids faith you see there pawneth its credit that the Lord will not shall not say him nay My voice shalt thou hear O Lord and then faithfully promiseth on Davids behalf that he will and shall rightly order his prayer and so wait and leave it with the Lord and unto thee will I direct my prayer and look up 3. In the third place we come to consider of some useful Helps unto sincere Suppliants Helps to saith in prayer Faith in prayer The Helps and Encouragements to faith in Prayer may be such as these 1 Let us take and make all holy advantage of the least may be of Mercy where on 1. Improve every may be of mercy we may ground an expectation of a gracious successe and answer of our prayers We may yea must do thus Meek ones must seek the Lord hoping for his mercy when there is but a may be of being hid from the Lords anger Zeph.
our selves and thereby furthereth such humility 2 Get our hearts filled with love to the Lord. Love is a stooping grace it will 2. Love to the Lord. make a Christian think meanly of all he saith or doth in behalf of Christ whom he loveth that he never speaketh nor doth enough for him Love will make a man amplifie his worth and excellency and glory and even be speaking well even the best of him and that wil surely make him carry it submissively to him as very loath to displease or dishonor him and when at any time a Christian wrongeth or offendeth the Lord Oh how will love occasion self-loathing and displeasure and distaste and trouble for it The Lord Jesus in giving that answer in that poor womans hearing Luke 7. 47. Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much sheweth that love also set her on work in such humble and melting sort to expresse the secret desires of her soul unto him touching the conserving and clearing of her Justification ver 38. 3 Be we sincere in heart in our prayers 3. Sincerity which we make The sincere hearted Publican will humble himself in seeking of Gods favour by prayer when the leaven of hypocrisie will heave and puff up that Pharisee whilst he is praying Luke 18. Sincerity will make us in prayer speak all freely and ingenuously on the part of God and Christ in way of good and on our own part in way of our evil and emptiness it will make men of yeilding and flexible tempers and cause persons to be open and plain hearted with the Lord and that they shall not refuse or be unwilling to take any shame before God 4 Improve we the thoughts and serious 4. Thoughts of our need and Gods greatnes considerations of our needy conditions as likewise of the greatnesse of God The Saints are stiled such as are beggers in spirit Matth. 5 3. hungry ver 6. Luke 1. 53 Destitute ones Psal 102. 17. such as whose best habilements are rags Isaiah 64. 6. Clay vessels the Lord our potter ver 8. Dust Gen. 18. 27. and such like the consideration whereof kept those Saints of God as Abraham and the rest humble in their praiers When we look at this ragged condition of ours it will make us remember our selves and keep us humble in our Supplications 5 Spread we much our own and Ancestors 5. Thoughts of our Ancestors sins sins before the Lord when we are to pray And thus did Daniel chap. 9. thus did Ezra chap. 9. The very serious mention and meditation of an offence of a child of God against his Father will make a Regenerate nature begin to work and then will issue such holy blushes in the face of an ingenious Christian If through the wily slights of Satan and our deceitful hearts we should begin to gaze on our goodly feathers and have some risings of spirit in way of pride yet at the sight of this black foot of ours we should then assuredly fall in our spirits 6 Take we all holy advantages of such 6. Taking advantage of melting workings in our selves melting weeping plights in which we are sometimes above others Davids heart being in that humble plight upon occasion of a good word of the Prophet sent to him from God then David goeth in and prayeth and then he carryeth it so humbly 2 Sam. 7. 18 19 c. When Ezra upon the hearing of the evils among them was put into that abased frame Ezra 9. 3. then he falleth into that humble sort to pray before the Lord ver 5 6. c. So whilst Nehemiahs heart was even broken at the present hearing of the sad newes he forthwith setteth himself in solemn wise to pray and weep before the Lord Nehem. 1. 2 3. compared with verse 4 5. c. Albeit such melting desires and inclinations should haply be raised from other causes or spiritual miseries yet being stirring already they may the better be spiritualized There are times when we are so strangely stupified that scarce any thing will affect us but when affected seriously with any thing it is an advantrge if improved wisely to turn such waters the sluces being now opened into the right channel 7 In our secret approaches to the Lord 7. Premeditation spend some time in serious premeditations it will help to put us into a more serious frame of spirit and that is the next neighbour to an humble and sensible plight It will add plummets to fleety lofty spirits especially if we seriously consider of his Majesty and Soveraignty before whom wee come surely that will help to bring us on our knees The sight of the Kings Colours will doubtlesse make all but some presumptuous carelesse stout spirits to lower their sails even when they are going on full sail'd in prayer CHAP. VI. Of Sincerity required in Prayer HAving spoken in part of the third general thing propounded touching the conditions required to the incessant practice of this Duty of Prayer and therein handled two of those conditions required namely Faith and Humility we come now to a third namely Sincerity or Purity or Integrity The approved Suppliants are such as call upon God out of a pure heart 2 Tim. 2. 22. such as call upon him in Truth Psal 145. 18. The prayer of the upright is a delight to the Lord Prov. 15. 8. Prayer that is pure Job 16. 17. For our better handling of this Requisite to prayer consider we 1 Wherein this Purity Integrity and Sincerity required in prayer doth consist 2 Why the Lord requireth it 3 What are the Marks of it 4 What Meanes and Helps there are to it 5 And lastly what Motives may stir us up to indeavour it To the first we answer That such Sincerity consisteth in these six or seven Sincerity consisteth things 1 In carrying on the whole business of 1. In praying as to God prayer as to God Whether we confesse our sins and miseries or crave redresse of them whether we ask such or such blessings or favours for our selves or others or whether we blesse the Lord for Grace already vouchsafed us for what else we do in Prayer we are to carry it with such awe and reverence as those which are speaking to God and with such intention and attention and observance as those that are now to deal with God and to keep our true distance neither heartlesly distrustful and dismayed and yet not heedlesly and presumptuously or malepertly bold with God Afraid of him yet not terrified by him sollaced in him therein yet trembling before him satisfied in him yet unsatisfied in continued desires of mercy from him resting on him yet restlesse and albeit restlesse as pressing upon him for mercies we need yet resting on him quietly for the same Having such apprehensions of God in the duty as befitteth him and as are sutable to us to the Duty to the present work and workings therein If we confess our
frequent and fervent 5. When most frequent and fervent in secret praier in secret prayers of all other prayers As it is said of grief so is it true of prayer He prayeth most truly and sincerely that prayeth most secretly Hence our Saviour doth oppose secret prayer to hypocritical praying Matth. 6 5 6. Slye false dealers will be careful and very exact in what they speak when witnesses are by but honest men will be as exact in what they speak to another all alone So is it here many it may be which carry it with much Zeal and circumspection before others yet in their Closets if they do pray at all it is so flatly so drouzily so curtly so carelessely that it is as good as no prayer at all Let such look to their spirits whether all be right within Whatsoever false hearted spouses may seem to speak so and so lovingly loyally to their Spouses before others that such as are by would take them to bee very chaste and faithful and kind yet if in secret they carry it otherwise their honesty may well be suspected So is it here if Christians should carry it in expressions in prayer with others as if very loyal to the Lord Jesus but in secret it is quite otherwise their hearts are not so intire and honest as becometh their profession Verily sincerity is plain and open hearted and surely never more then when alone with God its friend Sincerity in prayer is simplicity and singlenesse in prayer and therefore will be the same every where If praying with others striving still to speak with such life and power and holinesse as is meet and if alone praying it will put us upon the like seriousness of attentiveness and intentiveness in and on the duty in hand 6 When we can in prayer be as earnest 6 When as earnest in prayer for others 〈◊〉 for enemies as for our 〈◊〉 for others as for our selves yea we can be very serious in wrestling with God for such as have injured us and that not so much that we may be lesse molested by them as that the Lord Jesus may be magnified in them The very thoughts what a mighty conquest the Lord would work in their conversion what a glorious name he might get thereby what a foil it would be to the Divels kingdome power and policy c. this putteth spirits into their prayers for them David albeit he had many things lay heavy upon himself as appears in the whole 51. Psalm yet vers 18. he prayes for and is mindful of Zion and of the Churches good Self hath lesse ground work and foot hold in prayers for others then those which are for our selves The Lord Jesus maketh account that they had need be perfect as their heavenly Father is in their measure and proportion of perfection that love and wish so wel to their very enemies Mat. 5. 44 48. Lastly When we are as ready to praise 7. When as ready to praise God as to pray to him God for mercies received as to pray to him for what we want Godly Esther and Mordecai are as solicitous and careful that they and others with them may have their solemne Thanksgiving dayes for the gracious deliverance for which they had prayed and fasted as ever they were of the dayes of Prayer and Fasting Esther 9. 22 29 31. verses compared Self will be sometimes prayer full and so will hypocrise because its good and sutable to both satisfying the desires of both and furthering the ends and aimes of both may come in thereby But sincerity is that which is and will be praiseful and thankful An honest and poor man will scarce ever forget a speciall kindnesse shewed to him by another at his request in a time of his necessity when ever he meeteth his friend he will be thanking him a long time after and when he is with others he will be thankfully acknowledging the same to the great commendation of that his freind But a Counterfeit a Vagabond a Rogue for whom you do any office of love you shall hardly ever see or hear of him more when he hath gotten his penny-worths of you he is gone unlesse he need you again he returns not to acknowledge it albeit at the present he give you good language So is it here a Christians grace and sincerity thereof is more tried when he getteth prayer blessings then when he wanteth the same Self being empty prayeth but self when full looketh but to his own satiety but self-denyal the daughter and hand-maid of Sincerity will not be so circled within the compasse of selfe in his prayers Look as it is in a Prospective glass if you turne the wrong end formost great things will seem very small and things that are nearest will appear as a far off and small things will hardly be discerned So is it here when self and hypocrisie are to look upon mercies of prayer great ones are but little and small mercies none at all c. but sincerity taketh the truest survey of them all in their dimensions colours and therefore no wonder if it be thankful sincerity will bear such true and full witnesse to our extreme misery in our selves that the light and white of mercy compared with this darkness and black will prove very amiable and praise-worthy Sincerity will truly and faithfully compare our worthiness and utter unworthiness at our best with Christs glorious merit and worthinesse that the eye of the soul that looks on cannot but discerne praise worthy glory therein Greatness and absolute Soveraignty and independency in the Lord and unutterable nearness and dependency in us shall truly be presented and compared in a sincere hearted Suppliant and can he be other then very thankful Selfe which prompteth a false hearted Christian to speake for blessings will be Judge too of the same And there is little likelihood of right judgment to proceed from so bloody and ungrateful an Umpire and if not rightly judged of what thanks to be expected But sincerity judgeth of divine blessings by the Rules of the Spirit and Word of God The spring of Sincerity in Prayer riseth from God and therefore it will assuredly return to God in praises which are sutable Luke 17. 13 15 19. The sincere Samaritan Supplicant is as loud in his praises of God as ever he was in his prayers but so were not the other Let us now briefly speak to the two last things propounded first of the Means and Helps to further Sincerity in prayer and then of the Motives to stir us up to the same Helps to Sincerity and Purity in prayer Hâ—lps to sinceâ—â—â— in prayer may be such as these 1 Labour to be sincere in other passages 1 Be sincere in 〈◊〉 other acts of our lives and practices of our life to Godward and to manward When Sincerity is interwoven in this whole piece of our lives and conversations it will shew it self in this part of it Sincerity
against me saith God Hos 7. 13. yet in pretence cryed to him but in truth they did not cry to him when they howled on their beds their ends were carnal ibid. and they make God a God that were as carnal as they a God that would further the desires of lusts else why do they petition him thereto and this is to bely the Lord and the Lord useth to answer such according to their heart desires according to their heart Idols and not their lip hypocrisies Ezek. 14. he giveth them up to their lusts they secretly chuse Delusions notwithstanding other pretences of sacrificing Isaiah 66. 3. and the Lord chuseth to let them have their choice verse 14. and at length taketh away that good that they seem to have and to prayer they become as speechlesse outed of all their ability to pray Math. 22. 11. CHAP. VII Of Watchfulness required to Prayer HAving handled three of the Conditions required to the incessant practice of this Duty of Prayer we come now to speak of the fourth and last Requisite thereto namely Watchfulnesse which is threefold 1. Watching unto prayer Ephes Praier watching threefold 6. 18. 2. Watching in prayer Coloss 4. 2. 3. Watching after prayer Psalm 130. 1 2 5. In which let us consider severally three things 1 The Nature of the Duty in the three forementioned branches thereof 2 The Reasons and Motives urging to the practice thereof 3 Some Helps furthering the performance of the same Watchfulnesse unto prayer consisteth Watching unto praier consists 1. In readiness to take all praier seasons in these four particulars 1 Being of a wakeful spirit ready and fit to take the due seasons of prayer as the Lord requireth Isaiah 55. 6. Call upon him while he is near as the Saints usual practice is and that is a part of their special priviledge for to do They call upon God in a time wherein he may be found Psalm 32. 6. There is a morning of opportunity which David will take for prayer Psalm 5. 3. True it is that God is up before us he is stirring early for his peoples help as soon as the face of the morning or season of shewing mercy to them appeareth he helpeth them Psalm 46. 5. but yet wee may not be up in our spirits we had need rowze up our hearts as being too oft drowsie at such times and not watching for the first day-break of a season of mercy So that look as David did when to praise God that are we to do when to pray to him Awake early Psal 57. 7 8. There is much spiritual sluggishnesse cleaveth to the spirits of the best in spiritual services as sometimes the eyes of their bodies were covered with sleep when they should have prayed Mat. 26. 4. so is it too oft with our spirits when they are not in wakeful plight That Godly Matron when to utter a Song of Praise to God see how she doubleth and redoubleth the word Awake Awake awake Deborah Awake awake utter a Song Judg. 5. 12. It is not a little calling that will awake our slumbring heavy eyed spirits Sometimes they call up a sleeping Jonah to arise and call upon his God Jonah 1. 6. Zachary must be rowsed out of his sleepinesse to observe the Vision by the Angel Zach. 4. 1. When the Lord Jesus would hear his Doves voice in prayer Cant. 2. 14. see how oft he calleth to her to arise and come away verse 10 13. Sometimes the Spirit of God in their consciences and spirits themselves calleth them up to attend this holy imployment if any morning light of approaching grace peepeth forth or season of doing the Lord service in prayer is observed as in Deborah and David and others of the Saints If ever our spirits had need be up and ready they had need be so when we are to pray A sleepy spirit will scarce speak sense as I may say to God in prayer It is burthensome to a friend to stand listning to a sleepy broken discourse consisting of half words and sentences indistinctly placed and uttered in his ears albeit it be by his friend So is it in a like spirituall disorderly drowsie praying and speaking to the Lord as men in a sleepy fit rather lose something they got in their hand then get more unto the same by craving it in such a drowsie sort So is it here we are losers and not gainers by prayers whereunto our spirits are not wakened to be fit to speak to the Lord as becometh him us 2 In heeding to make use of all holy and 2 In taking all prayer advantages special advantages unto prayer that Divine Providence offereth When Christians wait for such items of Providence such speaking invitations to Prayer then they watch unto prayer indeed As at other posts of the doors of Christ so at this are the Saints to watch and wait Prov. 8. 33. 34. Albeit the Lord in respect of his own disposition to mercy be alwayes ready to hear and help his people yet he is not alwayes to be spoken withal for that end neither are we so fit to speak to him At sometimes againe it is in our hearts to pray to the Lord as David said he found in his heart to pray that prayer to God 2 Sam. 7. 27. At other times that advantage was to seek It requireth much holy skill and care to espie and discern advantages to praier A wandring watchlesse spiritlesse sluggish eye observeth them not espieth them not discerneth not the same 3 In observing narrowly distinctly what In minding all praier occasions necessary weighty occasions of praier we have searching our wayes for that purpose and then lifting up heart and hand in praier Lam. 3. 40 41. Like Pleaders Saints ought to be good Students that they may bee the fitter to plead we are to study our hearts and lives and the cases of both before wee plead them Or look as Trades men do look over and set their marks upon their parcels ere they do retail them so in this case ought the Saints to look over the particulars of their hearts and lives before they do trade with God in prayer about the same 4 In observing wisely the frame of spirit In minding the plight of our spirits when to pray in which we are when wee are to addresse our selves to prayer how fit we are or unfit for prayer how far lively or listlesse or dead hearted how far tender or otherwise senselesse how far serious or slighty what faith is stirring or what distrusts doubts or temptations and like other Musicians which when they are to play as they are about to tune their Instruments they make use of their musical ear attending how far each string is in tune or no too high or too low too sharp or too flat So is it here in the Suppliants of God which are Harpers as wee have shewed it is their peculiar property and gift above other men they have
An unregenerate heart who of it selfe is averse from any way of God and would not be subject to the law of God would gladly have such a Tenent to hold up against God and his servants to excuse them from seeking unto God by prayer as not bound to do it Let us therefore give answer to the several branches of the case propounded and shew 1. That an unregenerate person Unregenerate Persons are bound to pray â—ecause is bound to pray 2. That such a one may be strangely carryed out in prayer 3. That God may heare and answer his prayer 1. Then that an unregenerate man is bound to pray is evident from this indefinite injunction Pray without ceasing whether regenerate or unregenerate The wicked man who Isai 55. 7. is charged to forsake his evil wayes and thoughts is first charged verse 6. to seek the Lord whilst he may be found to call upon him whilst he is near Psal 65. 2. All flesh shall come to thee whether they are good or bad persons For First it is a duty which lyeth upon 1 Prayer is natural worship required of all sorts in the first commandement all men as created and made by God It is a naturall worship It is that which the law of nature as well as that of the word of God doth put men upon Hence even the most Pagan people all doe call upon some God Jonah 1. 5. The mariners cryed every man to his God Isai 45. 20. They pray to a God that cannot save Among other things contained in the Law they do this also by nature Rom 2 14. If they omit calling upon God their naturall conscience will accuse them for it or if they do call upon God it will so far excuse them and incourage them in it v. 15. other naturall men which live under the light of the word if they neglect it they sin both against the light of nature and the light of the word of God Heathens and other naurallmen will be damned for this sin of not calling upon God Hence are they twice imprecated against as under that consideration of not ho nouring of God so of not calling upon him as highly sinning in the one as well as in the other Psal 79. 6. and Jer. 10. 25. Powre out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not and the Families that call not on thy Name Unregenerate persons as well as others are bound by the first commandement to have no other Gods but God and therefore bound to worship the Lord onely and no other God but him alone and therefore to love him and no other God to fear him and no other God to trust in him and no other God to pray to him and no other God beside him c. as they are bound to make no graven images of God to worship the true God onely with his owne instituted worship and not any other of mens inventing and as they are likewise bound not to take Gods name in vain c. 2. Prayer is a meanes ordered by the Lord even for the obtaining of regenerating 2 It is an instituted means of Grace and Blessing to them grace Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart wil I give you c. compare this with verse 27. Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be sought or inquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them God will give even first grace in the use of his own appointed meanes and that is in a way of seeking for it Hence also God owneth this as his own appointed meanes for obtaining other blessings of his as deliverance from dangers supplies of wants and the like albeit the persons which pray are unregenerate So when Sea-men of all sorts whether ungodly or godly are in stormes and dangers they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresse Psalm 107. 23. 28. If it were simply sinful in them being unregenerate to cry and pray to God he would never thus incourage them or others in their case to cry then unto him 2 Chron. 26 5. Vzziah sought God in the dayes of Zechariah and when he sought the Lord God made him for to prosper if he had been downright godly he had sought God all his dayes yet though an hypocrite so unregenerate as long as he doth that which is for the matter of it right in Gods sight ver 4. which is expounded ver 5. He sought God God prospereth him Vzziah did what was right in Gods sight as Amaziah his father did which was not with a perfect heart for the manner of doing it 2 Chron. 25. 2. yet seeking of God even by such a one whose heart is not perfect with God is in it self considered that which is right in Gods sight and a due and direct means to prosper in what such a one taketh in hand Exod. 22. 27. When he So Exod. 21. 22. 23. Deut. 15. 9 24. 15 cryeth unto me namely as one oppressed as one in necessity be he who he will be Regenerate or Unregenerate I will hear him for I am merciful That scoffing lad Ishmael was an Unregenerate person yet when in distresse and crying to God Gen. 21. 17. Fear not saith the Angel to Hagar his mother for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is if it had been simply sinful and that which Ishmael ought not to have done the Angel would never have encouraged Hagar from such an Argument as Gods hearing Ishmaels cry 3 God may and doth bestow praying abilities 3. God may doth give them praying abilities to be improved upon Unregenerate persons Hee giveth to some the gift of prayer to whom he never vouchsafeth the spirit of prayer The gift of prayer is as common to hypocrites as the gift of Prophesie Not every one that saith to me Lord Lord is large and earnest in prayer to me shall enter into heaven Matth. 7. Unregenerate Ministers Magistrates Parents Masters Tutors may have such a gift of Prayer by the use whereof others may be instructed helped and encouraged in a way of Prayer yea in a right way of prayer and if he give such a gift surely he requireth the use of it That slothful servant albeit a Reprobate yet having such a like gift and Talent he is damned for not improving it Matth. 25. 30. 4 That practice or religious performance 4. The omission and neglect thereof is charged on them as their sin must needs be a Duty even of unregenerate persons the omission or neglect whereof is charged by the Lord upon them for their sin for if it were not an Anomy or Transgression of some rule of God it could not be sin but the omission or neglect of prayer or calling upon God even by Unregenerate persons is charged upon them by God as their sin therefore the performance of that service of calling upon God was their Duty The Assumption is evident when the Apostle would prove
so assured that another with whom we would pray is regenerrte and so a man must now turne an absolute separatist indeed As for other praiers which do more personally Praying by themselves also respect themselves and are uttered by themselves albeit the parties be unregenerate yet the Lord may heare the same the Lord as a Master grants the request of that hypocritical servant though not as a Father Matth. 18. 26 17. and verse 32. O thou wicked servant I forgave thee the debt because thou prayedst me c. So those rude They are then heard mariners crying in distresse are heard of the Lord. Psal 107. 28. So was mocking Ishmael heard in his cry Gen. 21. 17. God may and doth put forth wonderfull workes for persons which cry to him as they are the children of men albeit not as the children of God many of them Psal 107. 15 21 31. O that men would praise him for his wonderful works which he doth for the children of men Though those that sought him when hee slew them had not hearts right with God Psal 78. 34 36 37. compared yet he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity i. e. as to the punishment deserved by it even utter ruine he passed over that he destroyed them not utterly verse 38. God liketh also to owne the righteous causes even of unrighteous persons and to set himselfe against their affliction Job 34. 27 28. They have caused the cry of the poore to come to him and he hath heard their cry So Exod. 22. 22 23. Though many of the children of Abraham of Isaak and Jacob in Egypts bondage were themselves unregenerate yet they crying also were heard out of respect to their godly Ancestors and the covenant of God made with them Exod. 6. 5. I have heard the groanings of the children of Israel and have remembred my covenant Sometimes God heareth such persons prayers the rather that they may afterwards bee instruments of his peoples good and sometimes that he might the rather incourage all sorts to pray to him Psal 65. 2. O thou that hearest prayers to thee shall all flesh come Sometimes the persons at present unregenerate yet are elect and God in hearing them will look to his owne thoughts of prayer which hee hath towards them and so will be found of those which sought him not aright But in case the parties bee reprobates what hearing God doth afford to any prayers of theirs It is first in common things and such which at least are not properly In common not in things properly saving saving mercies unto them for so God heareth not sinners if any object that evil servants pardon granted upon his request Matth. 18. 32. I answer the Master forgave him the debt not simply but in respect of the consequent vassalage and imprisonment presently deserved by it Matth. 18. 25. or as some interpret the place to be spoken in reference onely to the maine intent of Christ that if a man forgive not his neighbour offending and begging his mercy God will never communicate to him any saving benefit of his mercy in Christ An implacable spirited Christian is at present in a state of damnation 2. The hearing which the Lord doth By God as a Master not as a Father lend to such is from his general providence and pity and rather as a Soveraigne and Master then from any particular grace and as a Father for so he heareth not sinners yea he heareth them rather to leave them without excuse and to take a fuller blow at them afterwards as in the case of that evill servant Matthew 18. the end 3. The Lord useth not to give any sutable They receive not Grace answerable grace as the success of their prayers so he heareth onely Saints and not sinners especially reprobates he changed not the servants heart with his condition Mat. 18. nor theirs Psal 78. 37 38 39. 4. God sometimes heareth them in They are heard in wrath displeasure and anger Hosea 13. 10 11. I gave them a king in mine anger Psal 106. 15. He gave them their desire but sent leannesse into their soule their soule is blasted they were hardned in pride and security thereby and the thing it selfe given is blasted to them in the use of it becoming a snare and vanity and in the deprivall of it vexation of spirit CHAP. II. Touching Distractions in Prayer VVE are now to proceed to other cases of Conscience arising in the incessant carrying on of the weighty duty of prayer The second case now to be handled is touching Distractions or Impertinent thoughts and workings of spirit which disturb and molest us in prayer wherein demand will be made of three things Touching 1 The Causes 2 The Cure Quest or remedy thereof 3 The successe of such prayers wherein such distractions are found Touching the first we say the causes General causes of distractions in prayer of such distractions are either such as are more generall or more particular The more general causes are two 1. Satan that enemy to prayer the Authour of all confusion and so of this confusion Satan of the spirit in prayer that fowle who stealeth away what is spoken to the heart by God in the word he is as busie to steal away the good motions of the spirit stirring us up to speak to God in prayer Satan is at hand to tempt when we are in hand with prayer If we will draw near to God in prayer we may expect the tempter to approach some way or other to disturb us by some sinister subtle suggestions or other Wee must resist the devil in such like distracting motions when we are drawing nigh to God Jam. 4. 7. Resist the devil and he will flee from you And verse 8. Draw near to God c. If wee will pray with all manner of prayer we had need be armed against such like wily assaults of Satan which tend to annoy us therin Eph. 6. 11 18. compared Look as Act. 16. 16 17 18. still when the Apostle and his company were to go to prayer the devil in his instrument the maid possessed maketh a disturbance with her impertinent speeches so is it here if the devil can help it some thing or other shall be set on work to breed distraction or occasion disturbance to us in prayer or he himselfe will be suggesting something to molest us 2. The unregenerate part of man When 2 The unregenerate part in man at any time we should doe any good whether it be to pray or the like evil will bee present with us as he complained Rom. 7. 21. When I would do good evil is present with me that sink of natural corruption will then especially cast out its unsavory smels when so raked into by holy humble acknowledgments and deprecations this dunghill will then be sending out his vapours even when the heart is heated and warmed in prayer by the spirit when a commanding power of
the dayes of such aflicted ones are evil Prov. 15. 15 Discontent as a mighty vapour in the heart that is pent in and there hath lyen long will at length be breaking out and will cause Earthquakes in the heart of long continuance which will strangely vary the motions of the heart this way and that way and oft-times rend it It will make a man mentally ever wandring and so lyable to all sorts of temptations at all times and in the best Ordinances Prov. 27. 8. As a bird wandring from her nest so is a man wandring from his place Discontent taking off the mind from its basis and center of quiet submission to Gods mind and will the mind knoweth not where to fix A discontented Christian is neither pleased with himselfe nor any thing he hath or doth no not with his very praying and no wonder then if so distempered in it The ground of discontent is distrust and what is of a more wavering nature then that It maketh a man like the troubled sea when it cannot rest so long as such blasts are upon his mind It maketh the workings of his mind like the waves of the sea very independent and sometimes thwarting each other Jam. 1. 6 Nothing wavering that is nothing doubting or distrusting which is indeed the wavering of a troubled Sea wave 4 Inordinacy of affection whether of 4. Inordinacy of affection desire or fear or love or joy or grief or anger c. The Lord Christ when to raise Tabithae he will put out the Minstrels and the Mourners which made a confused noise no good to be done unlesse these be stilled No raising up of a dead spirit in prayer unless all such inordinacies be secluded Such inordinacies in the heart will hurry the mind with them and make that inordinate too If they give respit to the mind to be busied a little in any Ordinance yet they cannot spare or forbear its service long They carve and cut out so much work for the mind that it can scarce have leisure for more spiritual Imployment Yea the very mouth and tongue which should be in any Ordinance as the pen of a ready writer shall be ever and anon jogged by them yea they will be inditing suggesting and inserting ever and anon their matters whilst the spirit of a sanctified Christian is inditing the more weighty messages of the soul to be dispatched to heaven by this sure and speedy Messenger Prayer and it s well if through the tumultuous noise of these distempers the mind be not so disturbed that men sometimes in prayer speak non-sense And as in Feaverish distempers the Patients thoughts are slippery slighty and independent and their discourses accordingly as full of impertinencies So is it here amidst those feaverish distempers of the soul Inordinacies of Affection they are the souls Diseases and a Christian sick of such Diseases wil be followed ever and anon with impertinencies of thoughts in best services 5 Any spirit of Lust This maketh Christians of good hopes as clouds which are 5. Lust driven hither and thither of contrary winds Jude calleth those lascivious professors Clouds carried about of winds Jude 12. also wandring Stars their minds cannot be fixed and intent in any Duty of piety They do not cannot keep in the right Eclyptick Line but wander from that constant course which Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness constantly kept That wild-fire wil be burning whilst the Incense of prayer is offering and burning Look as it is with the boiling pot the scum of it will be rising up together with the meat therein So is it here even when a Christians heart is or should bee boyling up good matter in prayer such a filthy scum as this is will be rising up in the spirit together with it Or as it s said of the Harlot She watcheth her times to call and intice passengers to her which were going right on Prov. 9. 15. So is it here these Bawds and Panders in the soul they wil be inveagling and inticing the mind and heart to withdraw the same from their intent going on in prayers or any other good way of God to the end that they may be nought with them As it s said of that old Beldam and grand Strumpet Concupiscence A man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed So is it here in this daughter of that mother of Fornications it will be inticing the soul and drawing it away from any way of God and then tempt it 6 A spirit of Error This maketh Christians 6. Error also like clouds as Jude speaketh of erring persons Jude 8 12 13. Unclean Opinionists they are or will be Dreamers as Judes phrase is These are filthy Dreamers dreaming continually in every thing they say or do Their thoughts wil be incongruous in their best imployments As it is with persons benighted they are aptest to wander from any right path wherein they were going so is it with a mind benighted and bemisted with darknesse of error that mind will hardly keep on its way in prayer or any other Ordinance long but wil have his sinful vagaries Or as a man whose head is filled with wine or strong drink his head being giddy he goeth reeling along So is it with Christians besotted with error their giddy braines will not suffer them to be solid distinct exact and intent in their thoughts in the good wayes of God they will be stumbling with their feet and stammering with their tongue making at best but rude and broken work of it in their prayers and performances Such persons are ever unstable souls They beguile unstable souls 2 Pet. 3. Their very minds are unstable in any thing that is good They are vain in their imaginations Rom. 1. Belial the spirit of confusion of mind heart and way is where a spirit of Error dwells 7 Family contention It is a continual 7. Family contention dropping Prov. 19. 13. It will make breaches into the very spirit also of the other yoak fellow yea divide and distract it in prayer as well as other services 1 Pet. 3. 7. to orderly dwelling together of Christian yoak fellowes this is adjoyned That your prayers be not hindred neither by distempering your spirits who are to joyne in prayer nor by distasting the Lord so as he will not give a ready answer thereto It s hard for him who is in the Family to mind the cases of each one therein but in minding the contentions therein some distemperrd thoughts will be arising in him If the very repetition of an offensive matter passing 'twixt two friends is so apt to breed a fresh distance by renewing the former apprehensions of the offensiveness thereof whence that Prov. 17. He that repeateth a matter separateth chief friends then in the best men and in the best duties it is a wonder if reminding and rementioning family contentions there be not found some tang and touch of distempered movings and
musings 8 Spiritual drowsinesse sluggishnesse 8. Sluggishness and slightiness of heart When heart and mind is of a drowzie temper it is of a dreaming temper full of impertinent fancies even when to be imployed in prayer or the like yea if both body and soul be not in a waking and watching plight the soul wil be apt to be hurried with impertinencies temptations Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray lest yee enter into temptation Now touching the second thing propounded Remedies against distractions in praier even the Remedies of such distractions in prayer Let but diligent heed be taken and conscionable indeavour used against each of the former occasions and causes thereof and it will help to redresse the same Espy out and bewaile the secret guile and wilinesse of heart get your heart rid of those distrustful cares of that Disconcontent and inordinacy of affection banish that spirit of Lust and of Error from your souls beware of that family contention and that spiritual or corporal supineness and you wil in a good measure get rid of such distractions in prayer But yet for our better help herein 1 Make conscience of holy and due Holy â—â—â—paration unto prayer preparation of our selves unto prayer Exod. 34. 3. Moses must come alone to God and leave the flocks Jacob ferrieth over all belonging to him on the other side of the river before wrestleth with the Angel Gen. 32. Abraham leaveth the servants and the Asses at the foot of the hill when to goe to sacrifice to the Lord. Gen. 22. David had got his heart into a very serious and fixed frame for that praising part of his prayer and yet as thinking that all too little saith hee will yet rouse himselfe up to that work Psal 57. 7. O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise and verse 8. I my selfe will arise right early So good Deborah rowseth up herself amain to powr out prayses to the Lord Jud. 5. 12. Awake awake Deborah awake utter a song A gracious heart should think it self never enough awaked to such holy work experience of Saints will prove it and when they can by grace get their minds and hearts a little sequestred to consider seriously of the work they are going about and of God and Christ before whom they come and of themselves who are to come before the Lord and the like before they actually addresse themselves to solemne prayer how intently and spiritually and strongly they are wont then to bee carryed through the duty and all other times when they more suddenly and inconsiderately set upon prayer how unprofitably they are wont to spend such a time and how many hurries of spirit this way and that way they are cumbred with and much adoe to make any thing of it at such times 2. Spiritual wisedome is another help 2 Godly wisedome Godly wisedom will choose places for prayer which are freest from any distracting occasion Hence Christ so often repaires to the mountaine to pray Wisedome will seasonably discern a deluding cheating thought yea though it come with its vizard or with its painted face wearing in view the very livery of our heavenly Father and much readier will it espy other thoughts which would slyly withdraw our minds by little and little from the present businesse of our souls Wisedome is before him that hath understanding Prov. 17. 24. whilst the fools eyes are wandring in the corners of the world The wise Christian keeps his eye from gadding after vaine objects and keeps it rather intent upon wisedomes works and wayes The heart of the wise is at his right hand the instrument of action Eccles 10. 2. He hath his heart and spirit at an holy beek to be imployed as wisedom shall direct as there is need of the exercise of thoughts or desires or griefe or joy or feare or anger in an holy way or work a truely wise Christian hath them at hand to do their several homage to the Lord being thereto commanded by his spirit The wise mans eyes are in his head Eccles 2. 14. The truely wise Christian hath the ready and seasonable use of the eyes of his mind and understanding holy thoughts and apprehensions are not to seek when the Lord calleth for the use thereof as in prayer or the like but they are then active and so ready to keep out worse or unjust thoughts A wise Christian being also privy to his owne inability to keep his heart close to God he betaketh himselfe to the Lord as he did Psal 86. 11. Vnite my heart to fear thy name He would have the Lord to keep his heart close to any part of his fear or worship that it scatter not wander not therefrom Intruders cannot get in unseene and untaken notice of whilst this lightsome watchful grace is imployed as they will in darker places This skilfull Pilot at the helm by keeping its eye upon Gods compasse avoids many yawes and much lee-way in a gracious Christians course in prayer or otherwise which other unwise Christians make 3. Wathfulnesse which is the seasonable 3 Watchfulnesse and practical use of that holy wisedome upon every occasion This will bee examining such as knock at the door of the heart whilst the spirit is talking with God in prayer Those godly Church-officers described Revel 4. 6 8. with their eyes before and behind and within also to observe all without and as well also within themselves they goe on uninterrupted in the worship of God as though their cry was but one and the same continued cry night and day They rest not night nor day saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which is and was and is to come This pondering the path of our feet is a help to going right on in this or any other way of God without diversions from it or stumbling in it Prov. 4. 26 27. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be established Turn not to the right hand nor to the left the former is the meanes to the latter A good watch at the City gates the out-lets and inlets of suggestions to the mind or motions from it will keep us from trouble-Cities such trouble-souls as are these distractions and help rid them of such Vagrants as they are Such holy careful oversights of the banks will prevent the dividing of the streams and issues of our minds even our thoughts that they run in no other channel and way then is meet for them When we go to prayer we are assaying by the ladder Jesus Christ to climb up to heaven and this holy care of our feet keeps them from slipping and us from falls Look to thy foot when thou goest into the house of God namely to worship God in prayer or otherwise Eccles 5. 1. When wee go to pray we go spiritually to plow and this holy minding of our work and our hand helpeth to keep us in our right furrow 4 Holinesse and
lesse run so sturdily in this or any other way of God but will be blundring and staggering in mind and heart whereas peace and joy in God they fit and free us for a steady and speedy motion in this or any other way of God Psal 119. 32. I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou hast inlarged my heart 7 Faith is a help against distractions in 7. Faith prayer That preserveth from wavering in mind or heart in prayer James 1. 6 8. But let him ask in faith nothing wavering c. especially if a Christian stir up himself to act and exercise his faith in such promises wherein the Lord undertaketh for his poor servants to help them against such distractions Jerem. 31. 9. With suplications wil I lead them in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble Isaiah 30. 21. Thou shalt hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left and so be speedily set to rights in mind or heart in Gods waies when at any time starting aside Isaiah 40. 31. They shall mount up with wings as Eagles soar aloft with winged thoughts and affections in Gods holy wayes Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and to keep my Judgments and do them his Spirit shall keep his peoples minds and hearts intent and attent in his wayes 8 The fear and awe of God Which as 8. Fear of God it helps to make through work in the things of God whence that Phil 2. 12. Workout your salvation with fear and trembling So in this it maketh us full of holy jealousie lest we should any way come short of what God requireth of us in it or in stead of pleasing him therein carry it so as to displease him And as other fears call in and confine all the thoughts to be exercised about the objects which are in their view as matters of dread so in this holy fear lest we should sin against the Lord in our approaches to him it fastneth the mind to attend to that end This is a jealous Grace and therefore will be suspecting every impertinent thought and examine it and awaken the soul to take notice of it and to take speedy order with it Hence is it that by the fear of the Lord men come to depart from all manner of evil of sin 9. Lastly Love of God of Christ and of the duty it self Love it self is glue and 9. Holy love bond and all a very strong ingaging and indearing tye it is an overcoming delightful affection so that the mind will not so soon wander from its pleasing objects and actings Love of God and good is so unsatisfied an affection that the exercise of all the thoughts in their utmost intentness at such praying times seemeth unto love too slender short and narrow for its Imployments Hence that speech of Love Psalm 63. 7. Thou hast been my help and in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice and yet ver 8. as not having enough saith My soul followeth hard or cleavingly after thee Psalm 116. 1. David professeth I love the Lord and ver 16. Truly Lord I am thy servant thy servant and ver 17. I wil call upon the name of the Lord. Love maketh him wholly for God and that in a way of prayer also so in love to the Duty of Prayer it self if that David can say Psa 119. 30 I have chosen the way of Truth he can also say ver 31. I have stuck to thy testimonies If the soul make choice of Prayer for a lovely Ordinance it will not be loose in it or from it but cleave close to that holy exercise when called to it As love of Christ will constrain Paul to attend to speaking of Christ so as others may have soul benefit 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ saith he constraineth me so will this work the like holy attention to the work of this holy speaking to God in the name of Christ As it is with the burning glass by it the scattered beames of the Sun being more united come to kindle upon combustible matter so is it here it cometh to pass through this grace of love that the scattered dartings motions and thoughts like beams of the mind are so gathered and kept in one and so set and fixed upon the hearts desires expressed in prayer that our hearts come to be even fired and inflamed spiritually or as other heat it doth congregare homogenea and disgregare Heterogenea So is it with this heat of holy love in prayer It is an active instrument and means to compose and compact the good thoughts and stirrings of the mind and heart which are sutable to the expressions in prayer but to scatter and remove impertinent and unsutable motions and workings of our spirits therein Touching the third thing propounded The success of prayers pestered with distractions Distractions nullifying the force of praiers namely the successe of such prayers which are pestered with distractions I answer 1. That some kind of distractions in prayer are such as do sorely undermine if not wholly overturne the saving issue of any such prayers which they do accompany and these are of four sorts 1. Such as are constant and commanding 1. When constant commanding and general distempers usually and in a manner constantly carrying all gainsaying motions before them yea such distractions as are universally overspreading as the duty of prayer so all other Duties These argue ruling hypocrisie and an Unregenerate estate When the eyes of the mind of any person which is to have to do with any of the wayes of wisdom are so constantly and prevailingly wandring in the corners of the earth that person is a fool a natural man Prov. 17. 24. The eyes of the fool are in the corners of the earth namely when he should have to do with wisdom as the opposition sheweth but wisdom is before him that hath understanding Jerem. 12. 2. They are sheep for the slaughter of judgment whose trade and way that is there mentioned Thou art neer in their mouth but far from their reins When their mouth maketh the godliest mentions of God in prayer or the like of Gods nearnesse to them yet even then hee is far from their hearts and thoughts 2 Such distractions as are despised in the 2. When despised and constantly neglected persons eyes in whom they abound he is careless of them This verifieth that Prov. 19. 16. He that despiseth his ways shall dye be they the wayes of his mind or heart or lip or life if he never regard whether they be regular or irregular he is a child of death When such words get up grow fast yea and overgrow his better things and he regardeth it not surely such a professors end will be miserable Prov. 24. 31 33. The sluggards vineyard is covered over with nettles and
Instruments when they make their voice gracious as the Hebrew hath it Prov. 26. 15. If Satan could not or did not set a good face upon his Treacheries to mens souls and cover all with the mantle of good and pious motions he would not so properly be said to deceive the whole world Rev. 12 9. But to come to the Marks of distinction Marks of such like motions when delusive and of discerning of this highest straine of the sophistication of our spiritual enemies through suggestions materially good 1 Such motions materially good which 1. When they do but steal away the heart from prayer steal away the heart from the duty of praier in hand though possibly the Duty be carryed on but in an overly manner by reason of those motions such are Satanical on the contrary motions which tend to farther intentnesse and attentnesse thereon they are of God The Spirit of God is a faithful and wise guide and useth not to lead the Saints about or in by wayes but in strait paths right on by all his motions The Spirit of God leadeth the sons of God in a direct way of crying Abba Father For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God And ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 14 15. Isaiah 30 21. Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left The Spirit moveth nothing to draw us out of the way of God but to put us into it and being in it to move us to keep on When a man in prayer hath his imagination working and exercised about good notions for godly discourse for expatiating on some good subject of meditation or preaching and that in such sort as he cannot and doth not mind scarcely what hee is saying or doing before God in prayer these thoughts and motions are delusive 2 Such motions as come into the heart 2. When they are too violent with such violence that they occasion inward hurries of spirit by them and thereby breaking off the very duty sometimes these though materially good yet are delusive and satanical As when in prayer strong motions are suggested pretending to put us upon being affected with sorrow for some past evil or fear about some evil imminent yet so as the same are pressed and followed with such violence that they bend and tend to amazement and swallowing up of spirits these are delusive Such were those motions in Asaphs heart whilst seeking God which so troubled him that he was overwhelmed Ps 77. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought God and verse 3. I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Such were the motions to the humbled Corinthian when so violent that he was like to be swallowed of overmuch heavinesse about his sinful and sad estate 2 Cor. 2. 7. Satans divices were in it for his own advantage ver 11. Lest Satan get advantage for we are not ignorant of his devices The Lord never useth to maintain contention to cause the spirits of his people to fail Isaiah 57. 16. I will not contend for ever lest the spirit should fail before me nay rather the Spirit of God useth when such troublous motions grow strong and very heavy to put under his hand to revive the Saints spirits when ready to give out through such hurries of sad pressures of heart Isai 57. 15 16. To revive the spirit of the humble for I will not contend for ever lest the spirit should fail before me Hence that Psalm 94. 18 19. In the multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of my wretched thoughts thy comforts delight my soul The Spirit of the Lord will indeed suggest motions of fear but not such as tend to make us break off through their violence but sweetly rather to draw us to hold on in the way of God Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me he gently leadeth his flock as a shepherd Isaiah 40. 11. Yea if the motions were to confidence in God or joy in God but with such violence as to drive men into strange extasies they are to be suspected So in motions puting upon just anger for the ground of it but with so much violence as not to be kept within bounds of godly moderation and temperature of compassion so in motions putting upon desires of something in its time way and proportion very desirable but so all upon the spur and with so much imperiousnesse upon the spirit as though all present service of God and all other thoughts must forthwith give room and place to this motion which is enough to prove the same to bee delusive the Spirit of God using to work regularly and calmly even when he worketh most strongly Sure it is that it is not one and the same Spirit that speaketh to a mans spirit which whilst it was but then called upon to speak to the Lord about such a businesse of weight it is now in such haste and hurry called off to run a long tract of mental discourse so hotly and so closely with some other matter but Cheater like rather coming galloping to overtake the honest Traveller and falling in with him he must all on a sudden be over intreated to step aside to take his kindnesse and then he shall be told he shall on again and dispatch his business in time good enough when it proveth rather to the poor Travellers loss in the close on every hand 3 Such motions which are empty notions carrying a shew of Scripture language 3. When they are but empty notions but are not Scripture haply some piece of Scripture joyned with something else whereof the main is left out So the Divel at first sight seemed to suggest that Scripture Psalm 91. 11 12 He shall give his Angels charge over thee c. Matth. 4. 6. but look it over again and you shall see the main limitation of the Promise To keep thee in all thy wayes is left out as something is added of the Divels owne in bringing this to back the temptation of Christ Cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge over thee c. Thus here is chaff mingled with Gods Wheat Yea here is a pretence of a Scripture when in the terms of it there was no such Scripture Scripture in the divel or in his Instruments mouth is as the Parable in the fools mouth Prov. 26. 7. Like to the legs of the lame which are not equal but halting It is pretended Thus saith the Lord by the false Prophets Jer. 23. 17. They say The Lord hath said c. but ver 28. God counts it all but chaff a meer empty husk What is the chaff to the wheat The like may be said of Jerem. 28. 13. and 1 Kings 22. 11. they did but pretend the word and counsel of God
Heathens These may please mens eares but in prayer whereas suppliants should be most humble and self-denying they are loathsome to the Lord. 2. Such Repetitions which are vain 2 When vain Matth. 6. 7. Vse not vain repetitions vaine that is empty frothy impertinent unprofitable repetitions wherein is no spiritual life heat vigour nor yet solidity nor integrity 3. Such repetitions which are Idolized 3 When Idolized Matth. 6. they think they shall be heard for their much babling to conceit that God would not or could not take notice of our wants unlesse we should word it in that sort with him is a great dishonour to his free and rich grace and to his faithfull and watchfull care and respect to his suppliants or to rest and trust in our Repetitions that God will the rather regard us is to make God like a mortall man 4. Such Repetitions which spring from 4 When from hypocrisie hypocrisie namely from secret desire to seem to be fervent in prayer or to be thought of others to spend much time in prayer or to stop the mouth of an accusing conscience which would else be quarrelling at persons if too briefe in prayer and therefore to fill up times men will be making such repetitions of the same things and phrases in their prayers such like repetitions as these are sinfull and heathenish men thereby take Gods name in vaine abuse his holy eare willing to draw him to listen to bablings they derogate from the glory of Gods wisdome would make God to be one that is dull of hearing or conceiving as childish as the sonnes of men like an Idol Baal 1 King 18. needing long and loud crying to awaken him by a vain reiteration O Baal heare us Such cast disparagement and dishonour upon the renowned Ordinance of Prayer making it to be but as empty expence of time in aiery vain and vanishing expressions So much for the answer to the former part respecting length of prayer Now consider in what cases and with what Cautions we may be short in prayer We may be short in prayer in case of bodily Ayls We may be short in prayer 1. in case of bodily sicknesse pain Faintnesse and death approaching Dan. 10. 16. 17. How can thy servant talk with this my Lord there remaining no strength in me Sick Hezekiah and Jacob were short in prayer Esay 38. 1 2. Heb. 11. 21. Jacob worshippeth God leaning on his staffe 2. In case of pressing occasions unavoydable 2 Of pressing occasions by ordinary prudence or providence when the Philistims came suddenly upon Samuel and upon Saul in prayer they soon dispatch 1 Sam. 7. 14. 3. In case of prevailing indisposednesse 3 Of prevailing indisposedness of heart to pray after much strivings to pray yet distempers and hurries of spirit abate not better then be short then multiply words in any senseless and tumultuous manner and take Gods Name in vain 4. In case a Christian be personally persecuted 4 Of personall persecution and may not stay long in one place 5. In case the prayer to be made be 5 Of Occasionall prayer onely occasionall above that of our ordinary course In such a case Hezekiah is short 2 Kings 19. 14. to 20. and 2 Chro. 30. 20 21. Onely in spending so little time in prayer take we these Cautions Cautions touching short prayer 1 That it be not usuall 1. That it be not ordinary and usuall with us so to doe but rather occasionall to be ordinarily so brief in prayer would argue strangenesse and unacquaintednesse with the Lord men not using to hold any long discourse with strangers It would manifest suspition and distrust and sleighting of God as men that use to speak either seldome or but little at once with persons they suspect or dare not trust or who are not regarded Besides it would evidence a self-full spirit they have little businesse with the Lord and therefore will not exchange many words before him however it will be an argument at best of slender abilities and weaknesse of mind that they cannot hold any long discourse with God 2. That it be not out of a worldly 2 That it be not so from a worldly spirit spirit so earnest and intent upon the world as affording scarce time for God or good family and closet services of God must therefore be dispatched usually in haste and a hurry there are so many that call upon such persons without that they have not leisure or list to be with God in prayer within they are so familiarly and fully imployed with these new friends that they speak but by snatches with God They are so much abroad that they can be but little at home when these choaking weeds of the world spread so fast so far that they croud and thrust the good grain hearbs and fruits into a very narrow room and compasse 3. That it be not from negligence 3 It be not from sleightnesse or sleightnesse yea or from prophanenesse of spirit supposing that such a short good-morrow or good-even will serve the Lords turn wel enough 4. That it be not out of improvidence 4 That it be not from improvidence when by the use of godly foresight wisedome and prudence such streights of time for prayer might have been prevented for that will sadly afflict and abase a Christian if he be indeed gracious and tender-hearted CHAP. VI. About pleading in Prayer WE have already spoken to some Qu. 6 Cases of conscience considerable About pleading in prayer in the incessant practise of this duty of prayer A sixth Case commeth now to be spoken to namely touching holy pleading with God in our prayers Wherein let us consider and cleare 1. That we must use holy pleas in prayer 2. What pleas we may use therein 3. What Rules we are to attend unto in our pleading with God in prayer Now first that we may and must plead That we must plead in prayer with God in prayer Esay 1. 18. God saith to penitent ones Come let us reason together God reasoneth with us by his word and providences outwardly and by the motions of his spirit inwardly but we reason with him by framing through the help of his Spirit certain holy arguments grounded upon allowed principles drawn from his nature name word or works And it is condemned as a very sinfull defect in professours that they did not plead the Churches case with God Jer. 30. 13. There is none to plead thy cause that thou mayest be bound up If you persue the examples of the most famous prevailing suppliants of God recorded in Scripture roules you shall finde them using holy pleas in their prayers for themselves or others Thus did Abraham Gen. 18. 25. Shall not the judge of the whole earth doe right So Jacob Gen. 32. 9 12 13. Which saidest return to thy Fathers house And saidest surely I will doe thee good Which is as if he had
audience Fourthly the integrity of our hearts The integrity of our hearts and waies and waies in former workings after God and service for God may by faith in Christ as all in our justification be also pleaded Esay 38. 3. Remember that I have walked before thee in sincerity c. Psal 71. 17 18. O Lord thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray headed O God forsake me not Psalm 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thy Commandements The Lord himselfe maketh it to himselfe a motive to shew mercy to his people Esay 63. 8. They are children that will not lye so be became their deliverer Jer. 2. 2. I remember thee the kindnesse of thy youth c. onely we must use this plea more rarely and sparingly in a self-denying way in faith in Christs righteousnesse as made ours The like also may be said of our integrity with men which in some cases as of reproach slander or injurious dealing from men may be by way of appeale pleaded before the Lord. Jer. 15. 15. Know O Lord that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke Psalm 26. 1. Judge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity Fifthly we may plead our sufferings Our sufferings especially those that are most directly and properly for God and his cause Other sufferings also may be pleaded as Nehem. 9. 32 33. Let not all the trouble seem little to thee which hath come upon us Howbeit thou art just in them Psalm 90. 15. Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou hast afflicted us But especially plead those which are undergone for the Lords sake Psalm 44. 22 23. For thy sake are we killed all the day long Awake why sleepest thou Sixthly our former experiences of mercy Our former experiences in like cases may be pleaded as Esay 63. 15. Where is the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained Which is as much as to say Lord thou hadst wont to be a compassionate God I have had experience in various conditions and cases of thy bowels how commeth it to passe that they are so shut up now So Psal 71. 17 18. Thou hast taught me from my youth up forsake me not now when I am old Psalm 61. 23. Lead me to the rock that is higher then I For thou hast been a shelter to me Lastly the great good which we might both get and doe may be also pleaded The good that we might get and doe God put that plea in their mouthes Hos 14. 2. Take away iniquity and receive us graciously why so so will we render the calves of our lips And Vers 3. We will no more say to the works of our hands ye are our Gods Psalm 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes and I will keep it to the end V. 34. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law Psal 51. 12 13. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation Then will I teach sinners thy way And as the Saints may plead the good which they may do if answered so that good of inward quickning encouragement and enlargement which they may thereby receive Psal 90. 14. O satisfie us early with thy mercy why so so shall we rejoyce and be glad before thee all our daies A third sort of pleas are those respecting Pleas respecting others As their experience of a like help others which are these 1. Others experiences of the like mercy in like cases as Psal 119. 132. Be mercifull to me as thou usest to doe to those that love thy name Lord doe not change thy wont doe to me as thou hast ever done to others in my case Let not me be the first Anomalon 2. Others discouragements or encouragements Their discouragements or incouragements in ours in ours Psal 69. 6. Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed for my sake 29. Let thy salvation O God set me up on high why so vers 32. The humble shall see this and be glad If thou heare me others wil be encouraged or if not they wil be ashamed 3. The subtle and malicious desires of Enemies plots and desires ours and Gods enemies Ah Lord our miseries snares feares straits temptations and falls they are that for which they plot and wait and are ready to reproach us with and therefore the rather tender our case Thus may we plead as others have done Psal 27. 11. Make my way plain because of my enemies Ps 38. 16. I said hear me lest otherwise they rejoyce over me Psal 39. 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions make me not a reproach to the foolish Now touching the last thing propounded namely the rules which we are to attend to in pleading in prayer they are these 1. Look that we plead in faith yea with some strength of faith acted suitably Believingly to our pleas Esay 53. 15 16 17. Where are thy bowels towards me Doubtlesse thou are our Father Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear 2. Look that we doe it with holy skil Improving those promises or Attributes Skilfully of God which are most suitable to our present cases which are most strongly speaking most apt to move at least our selves to believe and such as used to prevaile that way formerly So did the Church Esay 63. 15 16 17. 3. Look we be submissive in our pleas and not inordinate impatient or distempered Submissively Moses was somewhat distempered in those pleas Exod. 5. 22 23. Wherefore hast thou evil-entreated this people why hast thou sent me and Numb 11. 12 13 15. Whence should I have flesh for so many I am not able to beare the burden alone If thou deale thus with me kill me 4. Look that we be humble and self-denying Humbly therein and come not to God to stand upon terms with him or to chop Logick as we say with the holy one Job was too blame herein Iob 23. 4 5. and so were they Esay 58. 3. Wherefore have we fasted and thou regardest it not So Matth. 7. 21. Have not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name done wonderfull works 5. Look that we be sincere in our pleas Sincerely that there be nothing lurking with us and too well approved by us which may be counterpleaded against us and that justly by our own consciences As Esay 58. 3 4. Behold ye fast for strife So Matth. 7. 22 23. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity CHAP. VII About straitnings in Prayer and their Causes Cures and Differences HAving spoken of sundry cases of Conscience touching the incessant practice of this duty of prayer we come now to speak of the seventh Case considerable therein namely concerning straightnings incident to the Saints in prayer and therein we shall enquire of Quae. 7 About the Saints
no nor when in the most danger Matth. 26. 40 41. Yea albeit there were some stirrings in their spiritual part to the contrary fain they would have prayed but could not their spirit was willing the Lord gave leave to Satan to hamper them a little and to correct their former prefidence pride and carnalnesse Luke 22. 24. Matth. 26. 8 9 10 35. Sometimes the Saints are Just Captives under the hands of their spiritual enemy Esay 49. 24. Sometimes the divel layeth a snare for them and so they are entangled and straitned thereby namely by raising carnall fears or cares in them or by increasing or strengthning them being raised 1 Tim. 6. 9. Prov. 29. 25. or he doth peradventure hurry them into some slowes of temptation in which they sinke and stick fast and cannot scarce speak or stir Psal 69. 2 3. The Psalmist was so hampered and bemudded through temptation that he had no list to cry or pray I sink in the mire I am weary of my crying 3. Our selves and so our straitning in 3 Our selves prayer is caused 1. From some lust or sinne unto which by some lust our hearts are let out some deceit of sin causeth such benumming and stupifying of the sinews and spirits of the soule of a Christian that he cannot bestir himselfe in any such holy service as prayer is Heb. 3. 13. Lest any be hardned by the deceitfulness of sin And look as it is said of the wicked that he is bound by the cords of his own sin Prov. 5. 21. so is it true in part in the Saints themselves and as it was with Simon Magus he being under the bond of iniquity under the binding power of covetousnesse and pride he could not pray for his heart himselfe but beggeth Peters prayers Acts 8. 23 24. So is the same in part verified in respect of some degree of straitnings occasioned from like sins in them albeit not in like power such sinnes will bind both by their hardning power as before was said and by their terrifying perplexities which they may occasion in the soule for as legal terrours in the strength of them are imbondaging and binding to the spirits of men under the power of them hence that of the spirit of bondage to feare Rom. 8. 25. So any other feares occasioned by sin which are not so properly legal yet they are in this sense binding to the Saints ofttimes Hence Asaph is so troubled with perplexing feares in the sight and sense of his sinne that he cannot speak to God namely with that freedome and liberty of spirit and speech which formerly he did Psal 77. 4. 2. From some carnal distempered griefs which doe contract our spirits as spiritual as griefs doe the natural spirits as we are naturally such in sufferings we cannot utter our minds Rom. 8. 18 26. When a discouraging sinking fainting frame of spirit seizeth on us it is with us as it was with Daniel we are not able to speak to the Lord Dan. 10. 16 17 19. the Disciples under that frame could not pray although enjoyned by Christ Luke 22. 40 45. Aaron could neither speak nor doe ought before God that day when too much oppressed with griefe about his sons death Levit. 20. 19. 3 From our straitning of God and of his Saints or servants When we straiten 3 Straitning of God or of his Saints and servants the spirits motion in meditation or otherwise then cannot wee hold on either in praying to God or praysing of him they cannot pray indefinitely or in every thing give thanks which quench the spirit Hence when the Apostle exhorteth to these hee dehorteth from this 1 Thes 5. 17 18. as a bar thereto when the spirit is pent up in us then doth he leave us Hee is a free spirit and will be at liberty where he dwelleth and abideth and when wee allow not room to him he will be gone and then our spiritual liberty goeth away with him or if we are straitned toward Gods poor afflicted Saints truely God will leave us to straitnings in prayer Hence if those the Prophet spake to will inlarge their bowels to the poor draw out their souls to the needy he promiseth in the name of the Lord that their spirits shall be free and ready to pray and that the Lord will be as free and as ready to answer Isai 58. 9 10. else if otherwise with them no wonder that they set times apart to fast but are not inabled to pray sutably ver 3. They were like tonguelesse bulrushes in comparison of true Suppliants they could bow down the head but not sincerely open the mouth in prayer to the Lord verse 5. 4 From distrust and strength of unbeliefe 4 Distrust an unbelieving Zachariah shall bee dumb Luke 1. 22 20. Men under the power of unbeliefe are wholly shut up Rom. 11. 32. he hath shut them up in unbeliefe so is it partly manifest in this businesse of prayer None are so free to powre out their hearts upon all occasions in prayer as they that trust in God Psal 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times and powre your hearts to him when faith is not stirring in the soul to take hold of God a praying spirit is not stirring to call upon God Isai 64. 7. When a professed people of God through distrust secretly think that Gods hand is shortned it is no wonder then that even God by his spirits motions doth call on them and invite them to prayer or the like that they have no list to that nor are they free to make a sutable answer therein unto the spirit in their prayers whence that complaint and expostulation of God Isai 50. 2. Wherefore when I called was there none that answered Distrust doth limit confine and straiten the power mercy and truth of God the merit and mediaion of Christ the latitude and vertue of the covenant of grace which should bee the foundation of the souls inlargement in prayer Psal 78. 41. they limited the holy one of Israel It is by faith only that we comprehend those dimensions in the Lords love c. Eph. 13. 18 19. without which the soul cannot see or conceive any such height or length or breadth or depth and know the love of Christ as passing knowledge That hee may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye may comprehend with all Saints what is the height and length and breadth and depth and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge 5 From an unsetled and unstable frame 5 An unsetled and unsutable spirit of spirit whether in respect of the practise of the duty or in respect of the place of our abode Proverb 17. 24. When a man is as it were upon journeying still his prayers are sutable to those travellers whose spirits use not to bee inlarged in prayer through the many occasional hurries of their spirits 6 From resting in former inlargements 6 Resting in former inlargements or present
meek or submissive to any course that God would take with them Isai 6. 1 2. And they make it the maine of their begging then then in a manner that they might be inlarged and free to speak to God especially to his prais in their freedom Open thou my mouth c. Psal 51. 15. 142. 7 But the other are in a manner wholly sottish and senselesse and speechlesse Mat. 22. 12. and therefore doomed to a place and state of weeping afterwards verse 13. 6. Those are prisoners of hope and 6 Is not finall now and then suffered to walk abroad yea to come into their Lords gracious presence Zech. 9. 12. But these are for ever thence forward excluded Gods gracious presence They are taken away cast out Mat. 22. 13. Heb. 10. 26 27. Those have sometimes some crevices and glimpses of light yea of the light of Gods countenance as through the grates at least Cant. 2. 9 But these are cast into utter darknesse therein to reside and abide Matth 22. 13. CHAP. VIII About inlargements in prayer when saving WE are God willing to dispatch the handling of some other cases in carrying on this weighty duty of prayer The eighth case now to be considered of is touching inlargements in prayer how Case 8. About inlargements in prayer which are saving when they are for the manner they are discerned to be from saving and peculiar principles of grace and differenced from those which are but from natural carnal or common causes In answer whereunto we must premise that persons may be strangely inlarged in prayer sometimes from principles that are not saving The Pharisees made long praiers Mat. 13. 14. But from a principle of hypocrisie ibid. From carnal and sinfull aymes ibid. And for a pretence make long prayers From pride as in those rhetorical ingeminations Matth. 6. 7. from errour as trusting to such inlargements thinking to bee heard for their much speaking ib. id And for those in Is 1 15. they made many prayers or multiplied petitions as the Hebrew phrase imports some from carnal emulation of some famous men in the Church will straine this way some from delusive raptures may be wonderfully inlarged in their expressions in prayer yet none of these in the right Now saving inlargements in prayer may be discerned from those that are common 1. They are free not forced or strained 1 Free Cant. 4. 11. As the droppings of the hony-comb not needing squeezing or as the powring out of water or oyle which runneth downe naturally and freely Isai 26. 16. They powred out a prayer to thee So Psal 102. the Title Not but that such inlargements doe ofttimes issue from foregoing struglings and conflictings with much opposition and many intervening lets yea and are not also without sundry present difficulties yet the spirit is free at such times and as far as it is spiritual it is delightfully drawne forth therein 2. They are sweet solid sappy lively 2 Lively strengthning inlargements as hony or milk Cant. 4. 11. and that not onely to us but to others that joyne with us The Churches lips when exercised in prayer as well as preaching run downe like the best wine causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak 3. They are seasonable inlargements 2 Seasonable As when God in his providence calleth to them in speciall sort whether in way of confession of sins or of Gods mercie or in a way of petition for mercies for our selves or others Thus Solomon Ezra Daniel and Christ were then in special wise inlarged These fruits of the lips of the Saints are brought forth in season Psal 1. 3. 4. They are most what secret closet-inlargements 4 Secret There David prayeth and cryeth aloud there doe they powre out largely their secret whispers Isai 26. 16. in the Hebrew the same word with 2 Sam. 12. 19. as hath been formerly shewed Zech. 12. 10 12 13. 5. They are contrite melting inlargements Zech. 12. 10. Not some few drops 5 Contrite of either but abundance of such a spirits influences it is powred out they are led as with supplications so with weepings adjoyned to their inlarged prayers such were those of Christ his strong cryes were with teares likewise Heb. 5. 7. His lips in praier dropped sweet smelling myrrhe betokening some holy bitternesse or brokennesse 6. They are obediential inlargements 6 Obediential David as he offereth a multiplied free-will offering Accept the free will offering of my mouth so he desired to be taught his further duty and teach me thy judgements Psal 119. 108. As he opens his mouth to expresse his inlarged desires largely so is it out of obediential longings to doe the will of God ver 131. I opened my mouth and panted for I longed for thy commandements Lastly they are thankfull inlargements 7 Thankfull Psal 51. 15. Open thou my lips that my mouth may shew forth thy praise if his mouth be opened it wil appear in his prayses and Psal 71. 8. the Psalmist's mouth is filled with prayse his prayse is a fruit and concomitant of the delivery of his imprisoned spirit Psal 142. 7. 2. By the matter of them 1. The most 2 By the matter 1 Respecting our sins acceptable inlargements being mostly and best seen in sensible aggravations of our own wretchednesse as in Ezra and Daniels examples Ezra 9. Daniel 9. Jer. 3. 21. the choice matter of their supplications and inlarged prayer is touching the perverting of their way and their forgetting of the Lord Oh how long will a contrite Suppliant be here in making sad commentaries upon his own wretched heart what large declamations will he make against his own sins 2. In sensible amplifications of Gods 2 Gods grace grace and mercy to us as in David of which his Psalmes are a plentifull proofe The love of God maketh him eloquent in setting out the beauty and excellency thereof to the life 3. In spiritual pleas especially for spi-spritual 3 Spiritual mercies mercies of which the prayers of David and of other Gods servants are full 4 In the cases of afflicted tempted ones especially of afflicted Churches Oh! 4 The afflicted or tempted ones cases how large and unwearied is a gracious Nehemiah in such a case hee will spend dayes in dilating upon so sad a theame in the ears of the Lord. Nehem. 1. 3 4. The substance of the largest prayer that is recorded to be made by Solomon concerneth most what the cases of afflicted ones in some kind or other 1 Kings from the 31. verse to 54. 3. By the occasionall rise of them 3 For the occasion of them The inlargement of the Saints in prayer being occasioned 1 By afflictions Afflicted Hannah 1 Afflictions was large and long in prayer insomuch that Eli observing her moving her lips so long saith how long wilt thou be drunken 1 Sa. 1. 14 15. When Davids spirit is so hard bestead then doth he powr
3. We are to believe in the Sonne and 3. We are to believe in Christ particularly so in the Holy Ghost as well as in the Father and that personally and particularly and therefore so are to pray to either Iohn 14. 1. That which the Apostle expoundeth of the Gentiles trusting in Christ Rom. 15. 12. the Prophet expressed of their seeking to him Esay 11. 10. so that they are inseparably due to one and the same Christ upon one and the same ground See Rom. 10. 13 14. before-mentioned It is supposed that he on whom men call he must be believed on or else he cannot be called upon by any and when the Apostle in the vers 13. mentions the Name of the Lord as that which is called upon he in vers 14. expoundeth it to be meant of the Lord himselfe to call upon the Lords Name is to call upon himselfe 4. The Lord Christ promiseth that he himselfe will doe what we aske Iohn 12. 4. Christ promiseth to hear our prayers 13 14. and therefore he may be sought to doe the same and indeed he thereby proveth himselfe in that Chapter to be equal with the Father by this argument because petitions shall not onely be granted in his name but by him neither doth he make account that this is any disparagement to the Father but a glorifying of him Ibid. I will doe it that my Father may be glorified What we have said to prove that in our prayers we may single out the Sonne of God may serve to prove the same may be done to the Holy Ghost and more arguments might have been added if need were Against this which we have spoken it Object may be objected we are to ask all we doe ask in the name of Christ and therefore how can we be said to aske him or pray to him Iohn 16. 2. To which I answer 1. The Lord Christ Answ is asked or prayed unto in that prayer 1. Christ is prayed to in the prayers made to God that is put up to the Father in his Name Iohn 16. 23. Christ speaking of the time after his Resurrection and Ascention saith In that day ye shall ask me nothing or which he makes all one Verily ye shall ask the Father nothing in my name but he will give it you He is glorified as God in that all is done with God in his Name and for his Father For albeit it be sometimes said for Abraham and Davids sake God will doe this or that yet this is meant in reference to Gods covenant of grace with them and so to Christ properly in whom that Covenant is ratified Gal. 3. 17. They called on the Name of the Lord Iesus in all places 1 Cor. 1. 2. Yet surely they brake not that rule Iohn 16. 23. they called on the Father in Christs Name also yet are said to call on Christs Name even in their calling upon God in his Name and Christ as God is also called upon in that his Father as God is also called upon 2. In all externall worship of God one 2. The Trinity undivided in worship person of the Trinity being named the other are understood and are not to be excluded 3. If Christ be considered as the Sonne 3. Christ is prayed to as God not as man of God in Essence the same with the Father He is he to whom we come c. comming in prayer to the Father if considered as Mediator God incarnate God and man He is he by whom we come to the Father Heb. 7. 25. 1 Tim. 2. 5. and look as it is another part of his divine glory ascribed to him Phil. 3. 21. which is true of him as the Sonne of God he by his divine power doth subject all to himselfe and yet in another consideration and respect namely as Mediator he hath all things subjected to him of the Father 1 Cor. 15. 28. so it is here in this part of his glory as the Son of God he may be he must be prayed to which is God and man in one person but is not prayed to as man but as God So much be spoken to this weighty duty of prayer and to the incessant practise thereof FINIS