to it Wicked men say indeed What profit is it that we Pray unto God so thy are brought in speaking Job 21. 15. what is the Almighty that we should serve him what profit should we have if we pray unto him Therefore they do not Pray But this implies that if they did believe they should have profit by it then they would do it Now as for you ye see what profit you shall have if you Pray with Ejaculatory Prayer and therefore let that move you Though wicked men make a question of it yet you do not at least should not and therefore to quicken your affections to this Duty be frequently telling your selves what you shall gain by it You have heard of the gains of Ejaculatory Prayer in divers particulars Do not forget As arrows in the hand of the mighty man so saith the Psalmist are children of the youth Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them Psal 127. 4 5. The like may be said of Ejaculatory Prayers They are as arrows in the hand of the mighty man happy is he that hath his quiver full of them None shoot such shafts as these none throw such darts These fly up to Heaven hit the mark win the prize wound the Enemy quench all the fiery darts of Sathan and if they return into a mans bosome they return not empty as 't is said of the Bow of Jonathan and the Sword of Saul From the bloud of the slain from the fat of the mighty the Bow of Jonothan turned not back and the Sword of Saul returned not empty 2 Sam. 1. 22. Oh therefore be in love with this Duty be much in this Duty of Ejaculatory Prayer Thus in respect of your good 2. In respect of God's Glory Ejaculatory Prayer is much for the Glory of God He hath a special income and revenue of Glory by it as you have heard in several particulars Now though respect to your own good should prevail much with you yet respect to the glory of God should prevail much more The glory of God is your supream end your good is but the subordinate Think then with your selves how much hereby God shall be glorified Indeed as you cannot sufficiently act for your own good so neither for the glory of God without it Thus you see how much there is to move you to the practice of this Duty of Ejaculatory Prayer Labour therefore to be much in the practice of it Upon all occasions in every opportunity see that ye remember to be praying with Ejaculatory Prayer It is necessary upon all occasions but upon some more especially Some of which therefore I shall in this place mention to you Neither I nor any other can possibly number all they be so many there being no case no state or condition that possibly you can be in wherein there is not an occasion in some respect or other for the performance of this Duty I shall therefore mention only some Special Occasions whereupon it will be needful to be much in the practice of it As I. When you go into Special Occasions of mens Praying with Ejaculatory Prayer for themselves Company When you go into Company you should consider how many things there may be to irritate and provoke your Corruptions damp and quench your Graces discompose and distemper your Spirits so that you may neither Speak nor Act as becomes you to do but shamefully miscarry to the dishonour of God the grieving of his Spirit and the Spirits of good men or the hardening and prejudicing of the wicked according as the Company is into which you come And therefore at such a time having a call from God to goe be much in Ejaculatory Prayer 1. That God would be with you say Lord go along with me into this Company I would not be there without thee O Lord and therefore would not go thither without thee 2. That he would set a watch before the door of your lips that you may speak nothing that you would wish unspoken afterwards that no idle word nor corrupt communication may proceed out of your mouth 3. That he would open your lips that so you may speak to Edification so as to administer grace to the hearers You will find that as your mouths are apt to be open to what is evil unless God shuts them so they are apt to be shut to what is good unless God open them Therefore Pray to him that shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth Rev. 3. 7. that as he would shut the door of your lips when you are forward to speak any thing that is evil so he would open it when you are backward to speak any thing that is good Pray with David O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal 51. 15. 4. That he would keep down Pride and Passion and remove Prejudice and all that may any way disorder your Spirits 5. That you may profit by what you hear and see and make a right use of it to your spiritual advantage and therefore if any good de spoken or done beg of God that your hearts may close with it 6. If any thing be said or done that begins to be a temptation then presently send up an Ejaculatory Prayer for the preventing of it As if there be any foolish talking or jesting which is not convenient Ephes 5. 4. then that you may have no fellowship with it but that your spirit may be in a serious frame or if there be any stories told of any thing that is to the dishonour of God which possibly may provoke laughter then that your hearts and countenances may be composed so as not to discover any liking thereof but the contrary remember to fly presently to God by Ejaculatory Prayer 7. If any good thing be spoken or done which may possibly provoke to Envying or Judging and Censuring or Contradicting then fly to God by Ejaculatory Prayer Say Lord what a vile heart have I that I should be thus offended at that which is good Oh help against this Pride this Envy this Self-conceit c. Thus when you go into Company II. In the Beginning of any Special Work or Service for God either in your general or particular Calling Indeed in the beginning of every Work and Duty you should endeavour as much as possibly you can to remember to lift up your hearts unto God by Ejacuculatory Prayer for the more frequently and ordinarily you do so the better it is But the more concerning the Work or Business is the more especially careful you should be of beginning it in this manner When therefore you are entering upon any special Employment engaging in any special Business you should consider your wants and weakness and wickedness of your hearts by reason whereof you are lyable to many failings and miscarriages in the doing of it so that either God will not succeed it or if he doth he will not accept of it
that I might but find now that God accepteth my Work See Psal 19. 14. 3. If any good hath been done Beg that God would enable you to do so still and to do so more See 1 Thes 4. 10. 4. If any good hath been gotten Beg that it may not be lost Say Lord keep these thoughts these affections c. in the heart of thy Servants for ever 1 Chron. 29. 18. Thus of this fourth Particular V. When you come unto any of the Ordinances As I. When you come to the Hearing of the Word Preached Oh then is a special Season for Ejaculatory Prayer And that 1. For your Ministers that a door of Utterance may be given that a sutable word may be spoken Say Lord now be with thy Servant that he may speak as he ought to speak Let his tongue be touch'd with a coal from the Altar Let him have a double portion of the spirit a fresh anointing that he may speak a word in due season a sutable and seasonable word c. 2. For your selves that a door of Enterance may be given Say Lord not only open his mouth but mine ear Let mine ear now be boared Let my ear be opened that I may not only hear but hearken not only understand but obey And for this end seek unto God by Ejaculatory Prayer both against that that may let and hinder you and for that that may help and further you in the sanctifying of God's Name in Hearing 1. Against that that may let and hinder you As 1. Vain thoughts thinking upon impertinent things Say Lord let not vain thoughts now lodg within me Deliver me from those sinful outgoings and wanderings of heart which I am wont to be subject to in hearing thy word 2 High and lofty thoughts Let the Word be mighty through thee O God to the casting down of imaginations and of every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 3. The Suggestions of Sathan Let Sathan now be chained up Lord rebuke Sathan Let him not steal away my heart from the word or the word from my heart 2. For that that may help and further you As 1. Real Apprehensions of the presence and Majesty of God whose word it is Say Lord Reason tells me that thou art every where present but thy word tells me that thou art in an especial manner present in the Preaching of thy Word oh help me to believe this Strengthen my Faith now that I may not only set my self to hear the voice of Man but of God that I may hear what the Spirit hath to say to the Churches Rev. 2. 7. 2. Composedness of spirit that your hearts may be composed into an awful frame and temper sutable to the holyness and awfulness of the Presence of God before whom you stand You will find you have vain and distracted minds they ought to be composed therefore lift up your hearts to God by Ejaculatory Prayer pray that he would fix them that so you may attend unto him and upon him without distraction 3. Quickness of Apprehension You are dull of hearing Heb. 5. 11. Beg of God that he would make you of quick understanding Isa 11. 3. that he would destroy the face of the covering cast over you and the vail that is spread upon you Isa 25. 7. 4. Livelyness of Affection that you may not sit like stocks and stones before your Ministers but that you may be easie to be moved and stirred up by the Reproofs and Counsels they dispense unto you And then for all these be earnest with God for the workings and influences of the Spirit 3. As you are hearing all along be lifting up your hearts by Ejaculatory Prayer unto God sutable to the nature of the Matter Preached that as the Minister is Preaching you may be Praying Therefore 1. When any thing is difficult then pray Lord give me to Understand this 2. When any thing is reproved Lord affect my heart to loath this and to leave it 3. When any thing is enjoyned and pressed as a Duty Lord incline my heart that I may practice it Thus when you come to the Preaching of the Word II. When you come to the Administration of the Ordinance of Baptisme See Ford's two Treatises of the Practical use of Infant-Baptism Then likewise is a special season for Ejaculatory Prayer Then Pray that your faith may be strengthned to believe the warrantableness of Administring the Ordinance not only to Believers but to their Seed also their Infant-Seed Say Lord hast thou not taken them into Covenant with thy self Thou hast declared that thou hast And wilt thou then deny them the Seal of it I believe that thou wilt not Hast thou not said That to Believers and to their Children the Promise is Act. 2. 39. And is not the Seal of it to them also Lord may not Saints be Baptized And hast thou not said 1 Cor. 7. 14. that the Children of a Believer are Saints Lord hast thou not made known 1 Cor. 10. 2. they were Baptized under the Old Testament And why should any think then that it should be otherwise under the New Testament Were not the Children of Unbelieving Jews broken off by the unbelief of their Parents and may I not thence infer that the Children of Believing Gentiles are by the faith of their Parents graffed in in their stead to partake of the fatness of the Olive in this Ordinance of Baptism Lord I believe help my unbelief Thus pray that your Faith may be strengthned to believe the warrantableness of Administring Baptism to the Children of Believers Then for the Child that is to be Baptized Pray that the Ordinance may be made effectual to him Say Lord this Child Ezek. 16. 20. that was born unto thee is now brought unto thee Oh take away all iniquity and receive him graciously Lay thy hand upon him and bless him Joyn the inward Baptism of the Spirit to this outward Baptism of Water that it may be indeed a Baptism of Regeneration to him Let his Soul be washed in the bloud of Christ as his flesh shall be washed with this water the sign of it Let him be buryed by Baptism in the likeness of his death that he may be also raised with him in the likeness of his Resurrection Lastly for your selves Pray that you may be humbled for that you have no more improved your Baptism for time past And that you may be quickned and stirred up to make Rom. 11. 19 20. a better improvement of it for time to come And beg earnestly that it may be more and more effectual to you Say Lord have I all the Grace that was sealed to me by Baptism is there no more forth-coming to me Lord is the efficacy of the Ordinance tyed only to the present Administration Thou hast declared that it is not Therefore let it be more and more effectual to me Thus
c. So Eli's Ejaculatory Prayer for Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 26. in granting her Petition he granted his which he made on her behalf So the Lord heard Elisha's Ejaculatory Prayer for his Servant The Lord opened the eyes of the Young man and he saw 2 King 6. 17. So Stephen's Christ's Now as the Command and the Examples lay an obligation upon you so this Experience of God's hearing it is and should be an encouragement to you to be much in it As David Psal 32. 5. telling of God's hearing him c. Saith For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found Fourthly You cannot Pray for so many in particular in your Set-prayers as you may in your Ejaculatory Prayers It is your Duty not only to Pray for others in the general but in particular also The Apostle tells that when he Prayed for others he mentioned them particularly by name in his Prayers So Rom. 1. 9. I make mention of you in my Prayers And so he tells the Ephesians Ephes 1. 16. So the Thessalonians 1 Thes 1. 2. So Philemon Philem. v. 4. He made mention of particular Churches by name and of particular Persons by name So Abraham made mention of his Son Ishmael by name and Job when he Prayed for his Children did not only Pray for them all in the general but for every one in particular He offered a Sacrifice 't is said according to the number of them all Fifthly You cannot Pray so suddainly and speedily for them in your Set-prayers as you may in your Ejaculatory Prayers Many times their necessity is so urgent that there must be Prayer for them presently without any delay But that cannot be always in Set-prayer because that requires a certain time which is not always coincident with others occasions Sixthly You cannot Pray so much with them in Set-prayer as you may in Ejaculatory Prayer 'T is but seldome in comparison that you can be with them in Set-prayer so as to Pray for them in their presence and yet that is your Duty But you may when ever you be with them Pray for them in Ejaculatory Prayer To Pray for them and with them that is in their presence in their hearing will the more convince them of your love to them direct and quicken them to their Duty and provoke them to Pray for you with Ejaculatory Prayer too and so there will be a mutual exchange of Ejaculatory Prayers with each other As Ruth 2. 4. For these Reasons you ought to be much in Ejaculatory Prayer for Others and so you have the first Particular Why you should Pray with Ejaculatory Prayers for Others The Second is 11. When you should Pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others or what are the special seasons of performing this Duty of Ejaculatory Prayer for Others 1. When you go to Visit them or do occasionally meet with them Gen. 47. 7. And Joseph brought in Jacob his Father and set him before Pharaoh and Jacob blessed Pharaoh that is Prayed by Ejaculatory Prayer for a Blessing upon him 2. When they are going from you So when Jacob went from Isaac Isaac Prayed for him with Ejaculatory Prayer God Almighty bless thee and make thee fruitful and multiply thee c. Gen. 28. 3. 3. When you are going from them So Jacob when he went out from Pharaoh Gen. 47. 10. 4. When you do occasionally think of them when they come to your reremembrance So Paul Phil. 1. 3. I thank God upon every remembrance of you always in every Prayer of mine for you all making request with joy Then remembring the condition they be in or are like to be in accordingly let your Prayer be 5. When suddain danger unawares doth surprize them then dart up some suddain Ejaculatory Prayer for them Ejaculatory Prayer is especially useful upon suddain occasions both for our selves and others Herein lies one special excellency of it Then pray that the Lord would be a present help in time of trouble that he would make speed to help that he would interpose c. 6. When they are undertaking any difficult and hazardous Service So when David was going to fight with the Philistine Saul said Go and the Lord be with thee 1 Sam. 17. 37. 7. When you receive any special kindness from any Thus Naomi when Ruth told how kind Boaz had been Ruth 2. 19 20. When she saw what she had gleaned she said where hast thou gleaned to day Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee v. 19. And when Ruth had told her she said Blessed be he of the Lord who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead So Paul speaking of Onesiphorus's kindness takes an occasion to pray for him with Ejaculatory Prayer 2 Tim. 1. 16 18. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesyphorus for he oft refreshed me the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord at that day 8. When they are actually at work in their particular Callings Then say The blessing of the Lord be upon you Then bid them God speed Then say We bless you in the name of the Lord or Lord be with thy Servants Prosper the work of their hands Thus Boaz when he came into the field to the Reapers Ruth 2. 4. said The Lord be with you 9. When they desire you to pray for them when they beg your Prayers then presently dart up some Ejaculatory Prayer for them When your Children come and say Pray to God to bless me then say The Lord bless thee my Child or Lord bless this Child 10. When they utter any Ejaculatory Prayer for you So when Boaz prayed for the Reapers The Lord be with you they answered The Lord bless thee Ruth 2. 4. 11. When they are entering into a new Relation or changing their condition So when Boaz Marryed Ruth all the people that were in the Gate and the Elders said The Lord make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah which two did build the house of Israel Ruth 4. 11 12. 12. When you are giving any good Exhortation or Counsel then say The Lord bless this to you The Lord grant you may not forget it c. And thus you have the second Particular When you should pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others The Third is III. For Whom you should pray when you pray with ejaculatory Prayer for Others 1. The Text saith for all Saints that is for all Saints living here upon Earth For you are not to pray for those that are dead And therefore David left off praying for his Child as soon as he knew that he was dead 2 Sam. 12. 23. This I note because 't is ordinary for ignorant persons though not to make Set-prayers they being out of use since Popery hath expired yet to make Ejaculatory Prayers for the dead As when they speak of such an one that is dead to say God be with him
see that nothing can succeed and prosper without God thine eyes would be upon him thy thoughts thy desires would be ever and anon ascending unto him How is it then that God is so seldome in thy thoughts from morning to evening That thou art busied about other things but God is not in all thy thoughts Thou speakest to one for Counsel to another for Comfort to another for Support but seldome speakest for any thing unto God Whereas if thou didst depend upon God thou wouldst be continually speaking to him thou wouldst be ever and anon speaking to him by Ejaculatory Prayer When thou findest thou lackest Wisdome thou wouldest say Lord give me Wisdome Let me not miscarry in this Affair Bless the Means c. When thou lackest Peace thou wouldest say O Lord speak Peace Create the fruit of the lips viz. of thy Messenger to be Peace And so whatever thou lackest if thou didst depend upon God thou would'st be still seeking to him for it For as much then as thou seldome or never seekest unto God it 's an evidence that thou dost not depend upon God Now what a vile thing is this that thou should'st see more need of any thing than of God! that thou should'st depend upon any thing every thing more than upon God! Read that dreadful Curse denounced against such Jer. 17. 5 6. Fourthly It argues Sinful forgetfulness of God Suppose it doth not argue any distrustfulness of God yet when a man shall go all the day long and never so much as once or but seldome lift up his heart unto God for any thing he stands in need of it must needs argue a very great unmindfulness of him Though usually they go together and the one is the cause of the other As Psal 78. 34 35. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And they remembred that God was their Rock and the most high God their Redeemer Why did they not seek God before Why it was because they did not remember that God was their Rock So when men are not frequent in seeking to God by Ejaculatory Prayer it 's a sign they do not remember that God is their Rock Now see what a vile thing this is This forgetfulness of God is virtually all sin whatsoever And therefore they are charged Deut 32. 17 18. to have sacrisiced to Devils and not to God but to Gods that they knew not to new Gods that came newly up whom their Fathers feared not Because of the Rock that begat them they were unmindful and had forgotten the God that formed them See then the evil of neglecting Ejaculatory Prayer in this respect in that it argues a sinful forgetfulness of God Fifthly It argues that the Spirit is much quenched For if it were not quenched it would be stirring up to Ejaculations It would enable us to cry with Sighs and Groans which cannot be uttered The Spirit in Scripture is compared to fire and as the Sparks fly upwards when the fire is blown so do Ejaculatory Prayers when the Graces of the Spirit are stirred up and blown into a flame When therefore there are no Ejaculations no dartings up of Prayer and Supplication unto God though there be never so much occasion it 's a sign the fire of the Spirit is very much quenched And what an Evil that is I have shewn at large * See my Book of Quenching the Spirit elsewhere Lastly It argues a Resting in Set-Prayer that when men have Prayed in the Morning they think they have done enough for all the day As I have read of one that would constantly Pray every Morning and then say Now Devil do thy worst and then never mind God all the day after but as there was ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the opportunity of Temptation Ink◠8. 13. opportunity run to all excess of Riot Oh if men did not rest in their Set-prayers if they did not think them enough they would follow God with their Ejaculatory Prayers As some when they have delivered a Petition to a Great Man thinking it not enough do therefore follow after him speaking to him and soliciting him by reiternated requests to grant it to them The neglecting then to follow God with Ejaculatory Prayer argues a resting in Set-prayer And what an Evil thing is this that the doing of one Duty should be the cause of neglecting another But so it is when men rest in their Duties And thus you see what Evil there is in it Consider farther what Evil there comes by it As much evil is in it so much comes by it As 1. Hereby there grows a strangeness betwixt God and his Soul whereas you should maintain an holy Familiarity with him which is done by often visiting him and by often speaking to him as Acquaintance and Familiarity amongst men is as hath been said The neglect of this therefore loseth your Acquaintance with God And losing your Acquaintance with him it loseth likewise your Peace with him Acquaint now thy self with him saith Eliphaz and be at Peace q. d. Otherwise there will be no Peace Job 22. 21. And also your boldness in approaching to him for when once there grows a strangness there will be a loathness to speak 2. Hereby you expose your selves to manifold Temptations Therefore saith Christ Watch and Pray lest ye enter into Temptation thereby intimaing that if Prayer be neglected viz. Ejaculatory as well as Set-prayer you will enter into Temptation presently And it must needs be so for besides that God may justly let loose Sathan upon you in this Case Corruption will get an advantage so that tho Sathan should not tempt yet you will be in danger of being drawn away of your own Lust and enticed and so carryed into many sins which otherwise might be avoided 3. Hereby you are unawares surprized not only with Sins but Sufferings Hence it is that you meet with so many cross Accidents in the course of your lives 4. Hereby you are deprived of many Blessings Comforts You have not because you ask not with Ejaculatory Prayer 5. It hinders the prevailing of Other Prayers looseth the benefit of your Set-prayers For then we shall know saith the Prophet if we follow on to know the Lord viz. when we have Prayed with Set-prayer if then we follow on with Ejaculatory Prayer Hosea 6. 3. And thus you see the Evil that comes by it Many other Particulars might be mentioned but these may suffice to shew what an Evil the Neglect of Ejaculatory Prayer is Labour therefore to be sensible of it and humbled for it that so you may continue to neglect it no longer Consider Sirs If you could not tell where to find God If he were a God afar off not nigh at hand it were another matter Or if you might not come to him when you find him if you might not speak to him so often Or if there were any thing to hinder you from speaking so
And therefore then lift up your hearts in Ejaculatory Prayer 1. For Wisdome and Discretion to direct you that so you may not lean to your own understandings Say Lord thou hast said that if any man lack Wisdome he should ask it of thee and so do I therefore I come unto thee Be thou Wisdome to me 'T is not in man to direct his steps therefore teach me the way that I should go Order my steps in thy Word Suffer me not to lean to my own understanding My Wisdome is but Folly and will misguide me c. Thus Pray for Wisdome to direct you 2. For Plyableness and Tractableness of Spirit to incline you that so you may not lean to your own wills but follow the Dictates of Wisdome and not fulfil the desires or ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2. 3. wills of the Flesh and of the mind You shall find such an unruliness of Spirit oft-times if not most times that tho your Convictions tell you you should do so and so according to the rule of the Word yet you cannot bring your minds to it but will do it your own way according to a rule of your own quite contrary to your Convictions Oh then for the preventing of this fly unto God by Ejaculatory Prayer Say Lord not my will but thine be done Deliver me from the unruliness the frowardness and perverseness of my spirit that I may not affect to do what is good in mine own eyes so as to please my self but what is good and acceptable in thine eyes so as to please thee Lord shew me what thy good and acceptable will is and give me an heart to do it Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not unto Coveteousness not unto Pride not unto Vain-glory c. Psal 119. 36. 3. For Power and Strength to effect and bring to pass I will cry unto God most high saith the Psalmist unto God that performeth all things for me Psal 57. 2. And so do you Say Lord I have no power to do any thing of my self therefore I seek to thee He that Planteth is nothing and he that Watereth is nothing 't is God that gives the the increase Except the Lord build the House Man laboureth but in vain So unless thou blessest me Lord I shall act but in vain Lord thou art he that giveth power to get wealth therefore do thou succeed me do thou prosper me Prosper thou the work of thy hands Thus in the works of your particular Calling And so likewise in the works of your general Callings when you are entering upon a Duty of Worship Say Lord I have not sufficiency for the least good thought Let me have Grace to help Let me have Grace whereby I may serve thee acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear Let thy Grace de sufficient for me c. Thus in the beginning of a Work III. In the Progress of any work or Business While you are working or acting in any Duty or Employment you should be much in Ejaculatory Prayer For first then you are apt to forget Your hearts are like broken Bows starting aside continually Though you have begun with God and that upon most serious consideration in the enterance upon the Duty yet you will find it difficult to hold on with God in the progress of it Your hearts will be stealing away turning aside going back Therefore that you may continue to be with God in the Duty from the beginning to the end of it be ever and anon seeking to God by Ejaculatory Prayer Again Secondly Corruptions will be stirring so that instead of filling up the work with the actings of Grace there will be danger of filling it up with the Actings of Corruption Oh how little Grace is acted in most Duties Thirdly Sathan will be tempting he will be labouring to joyn his Temptations with your Corruptions And both will have a powerful influence Either First to make you weary Or Secondly to hold you too long at it Or Thirdly to make you do amiss in it either by way of Omission or Commission either by not doing what should be done or by doing what should not be done in the doing of it Therefore be frequently seeking to God by Ejaculatory Prayer And that 1. For Mindfulness Say Lord when I am ready to turn aside then let me hear a voice saying This is the way walk in it Lord let me not forget what I am now about Let not my heart start aside let it not steal away c. 2. For Renewed Strength Lord thou hast said They that wait upon thee shall run and not be weary walk and not faint Answer me therefore and strengthen me with strength in my Soul Let me not be weary and faint in my mind 3. For Self-denyal Lord enable me to withstand these evil workings of my corrupt heart Oh that I may not please my self so as to displease thee in the doing of this work Teach me to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts c. Let me not please my self in doing this work so as to displease thee in not doing the other to which thou dost now call me IV. In the Close of any Duty Then you 'l be apt to overlook God's Assistance and to be attributing to your selves or to means To your selves as Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 30. The King spake and said Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the House of the Kingome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty Hence that Caution Deut. 8. 17. and thou say in thy heart My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth Oh how apt are men to reflect upon themselves when they have done any thing and to ascribe to themselves So likewise to the Means As they Habak 1. 16. That Sacrificed to their own Nets and burnt Incense to their own Draggs Secondly You will be apt to neglect Gods Acceptance only considering whether it be acceptable to your selves or to others either as Self-pleasers or Man-pleasers If you find it satisfies your own Consciences so that there is no clamouring there it is enough Or that Men like of it and applaud it though it be no way pleasing or acceptable to God it matters not Therefore in the Close of every Duty lift up your hearts by Ejaculatory Prayer 1. Acknowledging Gods Assistance Say Not unto us not unto us O Lord but to thy Name be the Glory Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God saith Moses for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth Deut. 8. 18. Say therefore Lord I have nothing but what I have received and received from thee Lord of thy own have I given thee I have laboured yet not I but thy Grace O God that was with me 2. Begging God's Acceptance O that what I have now done might be accepted of thee Lord though men like it and applaud it never so much yet unless thou likest it it is nothing Oh