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
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
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. brotherly- Helps to pray for others 1 brotherly-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
ver 18. Come now and let us reason together c. And then onely it is seasonable to pray when wee lift up our hands and hearts Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayers Josh 7. 10 11. Wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned Job 11. 13 14. If thou preparest thy heart and stretchest out thy hand toward heaven if iniquity be in thy hand put it far away else all that is to no purpose God heareth not sinners h. e. imponitent ones John 9. 31. It is no fit season for us to goe a wooing to Christ if not clear of privy leagues with any of our lusts not is it seasonable to trade with the Lord in prayer if we have any kind of traffique with his proclaimed enemies 3. When wee are under any special 3 When under special hurries of lusts power of passions and distempers and as then not seeing the sinne of them to lift up wrathfull hands is unacceptable and so unseasonable 1 Tim. 2. 3. Lift up pure hands without wrath It is not seasonable to offer up our sacrifice with such common yea wild-fire Such leaven of wrath and malice is apt to sowre our very Mincah and maketh it come as out of due season Such was the petition of James and John to Christ Lu. 9. 54 55. Wilt thou that wee command fire to come down from heaven to consume them Such were Jobs petitions Job 3. from verse 3. to verse 11. Such was that of Jonah chap. 4. 3. Take away my life from me Look as it is in a strong blustring time knocks at the doore are scarce heard if at all so is it here the noyse of our distempers outsoundeth the voice of our knocking 's in such like prayers It were better to pause a while till the blustering noise be abated And as Revel 9. 1 3. Silence was made a while before that the holy incense was offered so should it bee here 4. When our heads and hearts are over-full 4 When under hurries of occasions and even sore charged with carnal occasions and inordinate thoughts about them it is not so seasonable to go abruptly from such a crowd and throng into the holy presence of the Lord without some pause It is most unseasonable to enter upon so holy a discourse with God with so many batlers attending us when there should be but one speaker Eccles 5 1 2 3. Such rashnesse is irregular and therefore unseasonable such a foolish seekers prayer will be no better then a dreame arising from multitude of businesse stuffed with multiplicity of unseasonable impertinent and independent expressions 5. When we come to pray in remediless 5 When praying in remediless cases cases or for persons past recovery Jer. 11. 14 Pray not for this people for I will not hear them when they cry unto me for their trouble 1 Sam. 16. 1. How long wilt thou cry for Saul seeing I have rejected him 6. When wee will be praying at such 6 When praying whilst other ordinances cal for our attendance times wherein other ordinances doe call for our attendance As when we will be praying at home when we should rather bee in the publick assembly or praying in our closets when religious family-exercise requires our presence Now let us consider of prayer-seasons Most seasonable to pray offered by the Lord which hee requireth us to take These opportunities are either generall or special The general opportunity 1 When God is near us more generally by his word of prayer is that general Season of grace held forth in the offers of the dispensations of the Gospel Isa 1. 5 6. Seek him whilest he may be found Whilst God may be found it is a season to seek him Isai 21 12. If you will inquire returne come Whilst the Prophets incourage to come 't is a season to inquire Our calling and cry is but the echo of the Lords call Psal 27. 8. When thou saidst seek my face my heart answered thy face Lord will I seek Its the season of the echo to wait upon the voice a demand of grace upon a former offer of it it s very seasonable This blessed day work is most sutable to the day time of the Gospel and grace of God But besides this general opportunity there are some more special praying seasons Ps 31. 8. For this shal every one that is godly pray unto thee in a finding time as it is in the Hebrew As bountifull Princes have their so the Lord hath his special seasons for petitioners to come in with their suits and have each their dayes of audience Our blessed Father hath his set dayes of paying to each child his portion of mercy blessing upon demand and suit for it Now these special seasons of prayer are of three sorts 1. When God in special sort is near to us Or secondly we in special sort near to him Or thirdly in case of emergencies or special necessities calling for speedy help First when God in special is near to 1 When more specially God is near us â—A us then call upon him while he is near Is 55. 6. The Lord as our gracious king goeth his holy progresse and now he is nearer this people and such and such subjects and now againe he is nearer to others Let each accordingly take and observe their particular seasons of holy approaches to him with their suits If the loadstone be near the very iron moveth the approaches of the Lord to us have or should have this holy magnetical attractive vertue to draw us near to him in Prayer 1. Now the Lord is thus in special 2 By some special act of mercy sort near to us by some special mercy vouchsafed to us as when answering to former prayer or the like Psal 34. 18. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart Yea but wherein or whereby doth he shew that he is nigh to them It followeth He saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Gods ordering some special favour to his people by his providence is called his visiting of his people The Saints repairing to the Lord with earnest fervent Prayer is called their visiting of the Lord. Isai 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee how tbey have powred out a prayer to thee c. When God first beginneth to give us a gracious visit it is seasonable and sutable for us to give him prayer-visits Exod. 33. 17. And the Lord said unto Moses I will do this thing also which thou hast spoken verse 18. And Moses sayd I beseech thee shew me thy glory Moses made Gods time of giving to bee his opportunity of begging mercy If ever the Saints hearts are filled with love it is when they partake of manifest tokens of the Lords love to them and if ever it be a season of this friendly talking with God or praying 't is then when in such a friendly
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
sins we are sensibly apprehensive of his Purity and Majesty offended thereby of his Goodnesse and Patience abused therby of his privity to them all in their circumstances of his sin-revenging Justice due thereto of his sole prerogative to pardon the same of his readinesse in Christ to do it We are seriously apprehensive of the vilenesse of such sins of our owne loathsom nature whence they did arise and our hearts rise up in holy indignation and detestation of them and our selves for them whilst we mention the same we bleed over them in our spirits could even tread upon our selves and take a holy revenge on our selves for the same and all the meltings and breathings of our spirits in the mention of our sins they are stil as to God When we mention such and such wants of such and such mercies we crave all is carried as to God We have sutable workings in our minds we eye him as full of all grace and mercy as treasuring up all that fulness in the Lord Jesus as willing and free to communicate the same as real in his Promises of the same and the like might be said in the rest Psalm 5. 3. David saith he will direct or orderly settle prepare and adress his prayer to the Lord. And Christ would have such as pray to pray to their Father which seeth in secret Matth. 6. 6. Job would order his cause before the Lord Job 23. 4. 2 In carrying on the whole business of 2. In doing it as from God prayer as from God as praying in the Spirit Eph. 6. 18. Praying in or by the dictate direction of the holy Ghost Jud. 20. Christians are to drive this holy trade with God but yet as with his owne talents and commodities Luke 19. 16. Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds saith the good servant Wee should wrestle in and by prayer with God but as in and by his strength Hosea 12. 3. By the Lord will his people make mention of his name in prayer or any other ordinance of his Isai 26 13. 3. In carrying on the whole work of 3 In doing it as for God prayer as for God alone The Suppliants of God bring their prayer not as their offering so much as Gods offering Zeph. 3. 10. they do indeed lift up their prayer as did the Prophet Isai 37. 4. and their heart in prayer yet so as withal exalting God in both Hee is extolled with their tongue in their crying to God with their voyce Psal 66. 17. The Saints confesse their sins that God may be cleared in his proceedings Psalm 51. 4. Expresse his mercies in prayer not to set forth their owne praise and commendation as did the Pharisee Luke 18. 10 11 12. But that the Lord rather may be glorified and that the heart in the mention thereof may be awakened to give him glory and therefore they use in the mention thereof sensibly to immix the mention of their own vilenesse and wretchednesse If they request of God such and such mercies yet it is that the Lord may occasionally be the more honoured in granting the same to them whether the mercies bee of a spiritual or temporal nature Albeit the mercies they crave and immunitie from the miseries which they complaine of to the Lord bee the matter of their prayers yet not the sole motive Selfe is not the great wheel which setteth all the wheels of their hearts going nor is self the center in which those many lines of their spirits and prayers doe end and meet but rather the respect to the Lord and his name favour and presence these are all in all They are a generation not of falseseekers in their prayers but of seekers of the face of the God of Jacob. Psal 24. 6. and having pure hearts therein they doe not lift up their soules to vanity ver 4. The maine of their desires is that the Lord Jesus the man of Gods right hand may be glorified and that the mighty hand of God may be with him in his government and if he be exalted that shall and will ingage them the rather to bee thankfull to God for it Psal 80. 17 18. The making of the refused stone the head-stone of the corner is that wonder of grace in which they thankfully rejoyce Psal 118. 22 23 24. David wisheth that guilt removed not meerly because it lay as so sore and heavy a burden upon his conscience or that he would have ease of the terrours thereof but that in being eased and freed thereof he might bee the freer to sound forth the prayses of God Psal 51. 14. Hee would have his former joy againe not because he made any idol of his comforts and was all for comfort in his spirit for he is as earnest for a cleare and sound heart verse 10. But that he may be more active for God in giving some honour to him in other sinners conversion whom he had haply hardned by his sin c. verse 12 13. Hee would have his mouth opened verse 15. Not to bee more free and chearfull of speech but that his lips might set forth Gods praise The sons and daughters of God pray for preservation from or deliverance out of temptations and afflictions inward and outward as in the petition of the Lords Prayer but with a first and maine respect and desire that the name of God may bee hallowed sanctified honoured therein they pray for the remission of their sinnes and the comfortable manifestation thereof not meerly because they are damning but because detestable to them not because terrours to them simply but that God in his gracious and free pardon of them may have his name hallowed and for that cause doe they pray for all temporal blessings for them in their callings and conditions under the notion of dayly bread The Godly powre out prayers not so much as expressions of their desires of observance thereof from God as of obedience therein unto God Nor meerly as helping meanes of future but also as an homage of love for past mercy David will call upon God because hee loveth not himselfe but him Psal 116. 1 2. 4 In being as ready pressed to a serious 4 In like conscience of use of means use of all other meanes to obtain mercies prayed for and avoid miseries bewayled as to pray for the one and against the other Abel bringeth himselfe with his offering both are equally at the beck and service of God so did not Cain Gen. 4. 4. They offer themselves in with their prayers and such like service as the maine sacrifice willing to prove what is the holy and acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12. 1 2. And therefore no wonder they are pressed to use any holy meanes to further what they ask of God Their heart and hand is as I may say combined to and joyned with their tongues If they cry for wisedome they bring their instruments to dig and search for the precious mines thereof
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
any at any time dare to double with God in speaking to him making God like to man which might be mocked and deluded with goodly words and pretences and not to bee a searcher of their heart and reines else men durst not make so bold with him to baffle with him to his face David one that had made too bold to affirme that of his integrity of his hatred of Gods enemies Psal 139 22 23. qualifieth it with a plaine hearted motion to him whom he knew was privy to his spirit to search it and see whether there were any way of wickednesse in him and to steer his course for him in the right way Where faith is love will attend and shew it selfe love useth still to be candid and cordial and intire in all its speeches to him whom the soule loveth the more that aboundeth the more sincere When the Apostle prayeth that the Philppians may be sincere in all their words and walks respecting God themselves or others hee prayeth that their love may abound then will they approve the most excellent things The best way of praying to God serving of God and walking with God Philip. 1. 9. 10. Motives to sincerity in prayer may bee Motives to sincerity It will argue Gods effectual speaking to us and ours to him such as these In that it will be an argument of a saving and sound fruit of Gods speaking unto us and of our effectual speaking to him The former is evident when our prayer language is sincere surely God hath turned unto us some pure lip some soul-saving ministry Zeph 3. 9 10. Such of the Cities of Egypt as should bee converted savingly the Prophet saith they should as a fruit thereof speak the language of Canaan Isai 19. 18. Especially in worshipping God in prayer there they should not speak halfe the language of Ashdod as it were and halfe the Jews language like those Nehem. 13. 24. halfe carnal language natures sins the worlds language but at least in the desire and indeavour of their soules they speak the language of the holy Ghost pray in the holy Ghost And the latter is as evident truth in our seeking of God and mercy in Gods answers will surely meet together as in other cases they doe Psal 85. 10. The Lord himselfe maketh it an argument of his respect to his peoples desires in that they are children that will not lye Isai 63. 8. and giveth it as a pledg when they may expect infallibly that he will answer their prayers namely when they are cordial and intire in seeking of him when they seek him with all their heart Jer. 29. 11 12 13. And the Psalmist maketh his cordial and intire seeking of God to which his very conscience was privy and the Lord much rather as an argument with God to pray for respect to his desires Psal 119. 10 94. Sincerity and integrity in our speeches is amiable to men to all sorts of men Proverb 16. 13 and 24. 26. and the God of truth is not lesse but more delighted in the words of truth Hence it is that upright hearted Supplicants they are and well they may be freest and boldest of all others with the Lord. Such as come with true hearts come with much confidence Heb. 10. 21. they can and dare walk at liberty when conscious to their integrity that they seek the statutes of God Psal 119. 45. Consciousnesse of secret guile it will appall a man when to deale with an all-seeing God Hypocrites are afraid Isai 33. 14. but are perswaded that such as speak uprightly may come near to God boldly and converse with him safely albeit in respect of his justice a consuming fire verse 15. But amongst them who may or dare come near him with such stubble verse 14. and if they durst be fool-hardy as senslesse ones are yet it would be to no purpose salvation which they might desire would bee far from such persons as seeking not God but themselvs Ps 119. 155. 2 In that God will cover a great deal 2 Where this irs God wil cove many failings of weakness in their persons and in their Prayers where yet there is sincerity in the bent of their desires True it is that their sincerity in their prayers is a special preservation against any ruling evils in them They that seek God with their whole heart they do no iniquity Psalm 119. 2 3 God is engaged to protect and preserve them from such swervings Hence that plea Psalm 119. 10. 94. When Christians do not deale cordially and plainly with God and their own souls in the request they put up against their sins and for Gods grace they do but strengthen then the part of sin pretending to speak against it and not doing it cordially it provoketh God to leave them to such lusts and to receive a due recompence of such spiritual Treachery from such secret Traitors but as for the Saints that are cordial with God in Prayer albeit they escape that mischief of ruling evils yet are they perplexed and molested with indwelling distempers which haunt them and pursue them hard at heels even to the very door of Grace to which they repaire in prayer and herein is the kindnesse and compassion of God to them that he overlooketh these their distempers in prayer and owneth the meaning of his Spirit in theirs therein Rom. 8. 26. and Psal 34. Title with verse 45. God looketh at the bent of such a heart and by that measureth out to them mercy 1 Kings 8. 39. Do according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest God searcheth the heart both of sincere and false Christians in all their doings to give to every one according to his wayes Jerem. 17. 10. to the false heart indignation and wrath but to them that are sincere eye and aim at and seek for glory to them he giveth honour and immortality Rom. 2. 7. For of all others upright ones have the successful influences of all others prayers with them and with their prayers each sincere one prayeth that God would do good to them Psalm 125. 4. As for others they are left to be discovered and left to such courses at the length as shall declare them to bee evil doers verse 5. The Many are the evils of hypocrisie in praier continuance of Gods faithfulnesse to sincere ones is the joint request of all that are godly and the several Petitions of each of them Psal 36. 10. 3 Consider of the evils of hypocrisie in prayer God esteemeth basely of such prayers as but drosse of some Silver Prov. 26. 23. It is but as a stinking savour and steam rising from a dead rotten person Matth. 23. 27. He eyeth us then as speaking lies rather then uttering prayers because we pretend to pray and worship and serve God but do indeed therein but serve our own base lusts become Petitioners for them Hos 7. 13 14. and James 4 2 3. and that we speak against God rather then for God They lyed
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
earnestly begged and endeavoured yet rests quiet in Gods answer My grace is sufficient for thee saying 2 Cor. 12. 9. 10. Most gladly therefore will I rejoice in my infirmities 7 When means have been thus used with 7. If meanes prosper not search out the cause prayer and yet do not succeed search out the Cause be humbled for it and redress it find out the Achan that troubleth Israel and execute holy vengeance upon him Josh 7 and be not discouraged then to go on using means as Joshuah useth stratagems to take Ai and the men thereof who had the better but then of Israel Josh 7. 8. compared So did Israel after their twofold defeat by Bejamin humble themselvs greatly before God enquire his counsel and use stratagems against Bejamin and prospered Judg. 10. So Paul hiadred oft from going to the Romans to do good among them albeit he prayed and endeavoured it yet was ready to it still Rom. 1. 10 11 13 15. CHAP. V About time time spent in Prayer HAving briefly dispatched this Case about the use of means with praier we shal go on to speak to a fifth Case namely concerning the time to be spent in prayer Quest 5 How long or how short we may be in prayer About time in prayer Much time to be spent in prayer For To which I answer more generally That the space of time is not fixed or limited but the Text plainly sheweth that much time is to be spent in prayer Pray without ceasing implieth be much in praier spend much time about it For 1. The heart is not so suddenly or easily gotten upon the wing yet 1. The heart is not soon elevated in that doth the nature and life of prayer consist It is a lifting up the heart I lift up my heart to thee that is I pray Psa 25. 1. We pray indeed when our hearts are elevated in praier Many weights are oft-times upon our spirits to press them down which are not so easily removed many bonds yea knots in these cords straitning our spirit which are not not easily unlosed we need enlargment of our hearts to run any such way of Gods Commandments We would as men sometimes in their sleep faine cry but there is such a weight upon our brests that wee cannot deadness seizeth upon us and much rubbing is needful ere life is recovered dulness annoieth us and much whetting is requisite ere our hearts get a spiritual edg upon them we may say with the Church Quicken us so will we call upon thee Psa 81. 18. and as Eccl. 10. 7 If the iron be blunt the more pains is taken to sharpen it so it is here with our blunt spirits in prayer 2. The necessities of the souls of the best 2. The souls weighty necessities call to it are so many and weighty that a little time wil not suffice to express them yea it being the trade of a gracious soul to be thus merchandizing his work and business being to be thus pleading his calling as a Saint being to call upon God surely a little time should not be taken up in this his proper imployment 3. As the time in prayer is managed and improved all the rest of our time is either 3. As time is husbanded in prayer other times are better spent blessed or blasted to us That morning that the soul speeds well that day all goeth the better and on the contrary if Jacob see Gods face in prayer the night before he is confident to speed well the next morrow Gen. 32 30. If the Instrument of a Christians spirit be not wel tuned in prayer truly he wil make but bad musick of it all the day after in his calling and imployments If we speed not wel at heavens Court we shal not do so wel in earths Country If at this holy Mart and Port we get not wel stored and full lading we shal make but poor Markets elsewhere But to answer more particularly Sometimes We are to be long in prayer in case in special sort wee are to bee long in prayer other times there are when its meet to be but short We are to be long in praier 1. When some extraordinary occasion of 1. Of more then ordinary occasions the Church or Commonwealth or of our own or other Christians cal for it Prayer of eight hours long was made on that Fast day Neh 9. 3. Nehemiah himself spends whole daies in prayer and fasting Neh. 1. 4. Praiers stretched out upon the Tenters as the Gr. word is Act. 12. 5. was made by the Church for Peters inlargement Upon the calling of Christs twelve Disciples he spent a whole night in praier Luk. 5. 12 13. and so in Families Christians for a time are to be as only sequestred to prayer and fasting sometimes 1 Cor. 7. 5. Abstain with consent for a time that you may give your selves to prayer Ezra 8. 21. 2. When strong and long temptations 2. Of special temptations are upon us Luk. 22. 44. Jesus Christ in that strong and bloody conflict in his soul being in an Agony he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a more extended manner Then the Psalmist cryeth himself hoarse with long crying when in these quagmires that deep pit those deep waters Psal 69. 1. 2 3. I sink in the mire I am weary with crying my throat is dry Lord in trouble they have poured out a prayer to thee Esa 26. 16. They do not onely barely drop but plentifully pour out prayers Then Psal 102. Title A prayer of the afflicted when in distress he poureth out his complaint c. and that prayer following is longer then others When Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law Adversary doth extend his Pleas against us it s meet that we should enlarge our Counter Pleas for our own soules as the powers of darkness do lengthen and multiply their wrestlings so must we our counter wrestlings of Prayer Eph. 6. 12. 18. We wrestle with principalities and powers and rulers of the darknesse of this world Praying with all manner of prayers c. 3. When some sad trials and sufferings 3. Of Eminent trials are Eminent and approaching then will Jesus Christ spend night after night in prayer not long before his bitter sufferings Compare Luk. 21. 37. with chap. 22 23. For my love they are my Adversaries saith he Psa 109. 4. but I pray or I give my self to prayer whilest they are treacherously plotting my ruine We must lay in a stock a store a magazine of prayers against such a spiritual seige and sorest sufferings wherein if not then so fit to pray we may have the benefit of former prayers 4. When we are in any special spiritual 4. Of spiritual Frames Frames then spread out your sails and hoise them up to receive and improve the wind as long as any spiritual gales last When liberty of speech is granted and given us then speak on When the Cloud filleth the
hearts desire Davids teares its likely first spake ere he uttered his heart and his teares called out expressions his expressions did not provoke and urge his teares Psal 6. 8 9. Jacob wept and prayed Hos 12. 4. he was weeping ripe even as he went about to pray his heart was so full that it issued out at his eyes before his mouth could utter forth his desires and ayles 3. When they are most spirituall things 3. When the most spiritual expressions melt us most or straines in prayer which most affect and melt us therein Here nature is purblind and deaf and senseless as above its element Or when such passages be in prayer wherein nature and selfe is most vilified and the Lord and his grace is most exalted then we are usually most melted then feare not any force of expressions or strength of a naturall melting temper to be chiefe in such meltings Such was Ezra's weeping in his prayer Ezra 10. 1. And how much he exalted God and his rich grace and abased man and selfe in his expressions the ninth Chapter vers 8 9 10 13 14 15. will make it appeare 4. When they are no sudden starts of 4. When more tears then words meltings here or there as some affecting or nature-moving matter is mentioned nor are they some light flitting vanishing dew but they are more continued and abundant their prayers which melt kindly albeit they are not alwaies so spirituall yet sometimes are sealed with tears so that their prayers at some such times are rather weeping then words Psal 6. 8. Hezekiah said little but wept sore or much 2 Kings 20. 2 3 5. Ezra began and ended meltingly Ezra 10. 1. 9. 5. compared 5. When such meltings are not land-floods 5. When meltings are more usuall rare unusuall things as are all forced things which are not naturall to regenerate spirits cōsidered as regenerate but they are more frequent and constant therefore they are joyned in Jer. 3. 21. 31. 9. weeping and supplications as if inseparable in a manner and led with weeping and supplications as in the usuall way which the Lord guideth them yea when such meltings are opportune and seasonable holding some gracious proportion to the occasions which are offered and which fall into teares and meltings as in Ezras more then ordinary weeping when a more then ordinary cause thereof was given Ezra 10. 1. So in Nehemiahs weeping with his prayers sundry daies which he set apart for fasting and prayer for the calamities of the people of God in his native Countrey It is the trade of the Saints a part of their spirituall calling and husbandry to be ever and anon sowing such seed teares Psal 126. 5 6. They are mourning beggers Matth. 5. 3 4. Blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are the mourning 6. When such meltings are not meerly 6. When heart droppings rain-dews and distillations as I may call them when they are not meer notionall fleeting things but they are heart-drops the heart is poured forth in and with them they proceed from and are joyned with a melting tender contrite heart as in Josiahs request which he made and God heard 2 Kings 22. 19. I have heard thee saith God yea but his prayer is not there recorded true but a prayer its likely he made when his heart melted so before God else what was it which God heard or wherein is it said that God heard him when all suitable workings in spirit doe accompany such meltings in prayer when there is strength and savour of spirit suitable to meltings in prayer then are they right as in Christ Heb. 5. 7. He made supplications with strong crying and teares 7. When they are not unprofitable meltings 7. when like seed-teares fructifying but seed-teares there comes much good fruit after them as fruitfull upright even walkings with God and men Conscientiousnesse and tendernesse of the least blunders in or at the wayes of God or any path thereof these are fruits of Gods covenant of grace he useth to lead his own in such sort with such weepings in their supplications as that they keep the closer to and the more directly and inoffensively in the way that he hath appointed Ierem. 31. I will lead them with weeping and supplications in a strait way Lastly when they are meltings of faith 8. When meltings of faith and love and love when the Lord Christ would shew the rise and root of the womans weeping in presenting her secret desires of his mercy he instanceth in her love She loved much Luke 7. 48. in her faith v. 50. Thy faith hath saved thee Compare that with v. 38. She stood behind him weepping and washed his feet with her teares Thus that poore man when in a believing frame in his prayer to Christ then he cried out with teares Mark 9. 24. When in prayer the Saints are apprehensive by faith that notwithstanding their unworthinesse and rebellions and backslidings yct the Lord is willing to heare them and accept of them or return to them and the like then are their hearts full then what with griefe and shame in sense of their own vilenesse and joy in the intimations of the favour of God in Christ towards them they are dissolved into teares CHAP. X. In what way we are to conceive of God in prayer A Tenth Case is about the thoughts which we are to have of God when About conceiving of God in prayer we doe pray it being requisite that such as worship God in prayer should in some measure be apprehensive and able to conceive of God whom they worship Iohn 4. 22. We know what we worship Now for answer hereunto observe these Rules 1. Look we doe not conceive of God under any shape or resemblance as God 1. Think not of him under any likenesse or shape gave rules of worship to his people of old by voice but in giving the same he represented no similitude of himselfe unto them so are his people in like manner to perform obedience to those Commandements of his without framing to themselves either inwardly or outwardly any similitude of God Deut. 4. 12. 15. v. compared In seeking the Lord we ought not so much as to think that the Godhead can be resembled any way to any other thing Acts 17. 27. 29. verses compared This was one main rise of Idolatry in practice to make a mentall Idol of God when men would not glorifie God in worshipping of him as such a one as he made himselfe known in his very works even as an Almighty one but would strain to fancy things of him beyond his revealed wil to seem to be men of a deep search and reach and of profound and exquisite understandings and capacity then did they vanish in such imaginations touching the nature of God and were more and more dazeled and darkned and in the just judgement of God given up to mis-shaped apprehensions and idolatrous practices Rom. 11. 21 22.