abundantly encrease according to that promise Job 8.7 Though thy beginning was small yet thy latter end shall greatly encrease And that of our Saviour Mat. 25.29 For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance He that faithfully improves that little grace he hath in an humble constant seeking of God for more grace he shall have grace for grace or grace upon grace John 1.16 one grace after another a daily encrease of grace until he hath abundance of grace Thirdly 3. Encourag God is more ready to answer his people then they are to ask more forward to grant then they are to crave For if any with an upright heart resolve to seek God and in their hearts are studying how to seek him God will hear them before they pray and will answer them when they pray according to that promise Isa 65.24 Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear Our Heavenly Father knoweth what things we have need of before we ask him Mat. 6.8 And therefore before we call while we are yet thinking to speak he will hear and answer us by giving us assistance in speaking to him so as while we are speaking he will also hear and answer us according to that promise also in Isaiah Then shalt thou call Isa 58.9 and the Lord will answer thou shalt cry and he shall say here I am Upon thy cry he will readily hear and help thee Psal 46.1 For he is a very present help in time of trouble The fourth and last Encouragement I shall mention Lastly is this God is so well pleased with Prayer as that he maketh his readinesse to hear his peoples Prayers and to pardon their sinnes upon humble acknowledgement thereof a ground of Encouragement to quicken them to the duty Saith David I acknowledge my sinne unto thee Psal 32.5 6. and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou maiest be found As if he should have said because thou hast been so merciful to me in hearing my Prayer and pardoning my sin therefore shall every godly man be encouraged to pray unto thee for the like mercy What an encouragement is this to Prayer when we hear that every one that went to God humbly acknowledging their sinnes Prov. 28.13 obtained mercy according to that Promise Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall have mercy And that of the Apostle 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confesse our sinnes he is faithful and just to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse For this shall every one that is godly pray unto God in a time when he may be found This argument of God so readily hearing others will undoubted be an Encouragement to every godly man to pray unto God But as for wicked and ungodly men neither this nor any other argument I have used in all my several Sermons on this subject will in the least move them to the performance of this duty of Prayer I have shewed you what Prayer is The several kindes of Prayer The Preparations to Prayer The Duties in Prayer The Gestures of Prayer The Motives to Prayer The Times of Prayer And I have answered divers Objections about Prayer I have also gone through the several Uses of Information Reprehension Consolation and Exhortation In all which I have used my uttermost endeavour to perswade you to this so necessary a duty And shall all my labour be in vain I hope better things of you and such as accompany Salvation Wherefore I beseech you for the Lords sake For the Churches sake For your own Souls sake Pray You that have not heretofore prayed Pray You that have formerly prayed pray more That which was the conclusion of a godly Martyrs Letters John Careless shall be the Conclusion of my Sermon and this subject Pray pray pray
sluggish in Prayer Some never pray till they be in bed others compose themselves to such Gestures as make them sleepy in Prayer Mat. 26.41 Is this to watch and pray Is not this lasie sluggish praying a negligent doing of Gods work And can you ever think God will be pleased with such kind of service No no in stead of a blessing it will bring a curse upon thee Saith the Prophet Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully That is Jer. 48.10 that doth it negligently slothfully slowly God is much provoked by lasie slugish Prayers Thirdly Thirdly Those are to be reproved that have evil ends in their praying Ye ask and receive not Jam. 4.3 because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it upon your lusts When a mans ends in Prayer are bad his Prayer cannot be good Fourthly Fourthly those are to be reproved that pray for light and slight things As for example when men are at play to pray to God to win the game or the like These kind of prayers are very displeasing to God and is a taking his Name in vain Fifthly Fifthly Those are to be reprehended that are Formal and Hypocritical in their Prayers that pray without any delight in the work that seek God by fits and not in sincerity Iob speaking of the Hypocrite saith Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him Job 27.9 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwayes call upon God No he will not For he that serves not God out of the love he bears to him cannot delight in Gods service neither will he be constant therein But the Hypocrite and meer Formalist doe not serve God out of the love they bear to him therefore they cannot delight in Gods service neither will they be constant therein neither doth God accept of them or their Prayers Sixthly Sixthly Those are to be reproved that Pray without judgement or understanding or for things unlawful A man may pray with good affections and yet sinne because he prayes not with judgement he understands not what he prays for And therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with understanding also I will understand and know what I pray for And Christ blameth the mother of Zebedees as children for asking she knew not what Mat. 20.22 O what a sad thing is it that any should be so sottishly ignorant as to think they pray to God when they are saying the Ten Commandements yet I fear there are such amongst us If there be I pray let me ask you these two things 1. Whom do you pray to 2. What do you pray for First Whom do you pray to when you say the Ten Commandements If you say you pray to God as all our Prayers ought to be directed to him then tell me Is it not horrid Blasphemy to say Thou shalt have no other Gods but me c that thou shouldest speak to God and tell him what is contained in the Ten Commandements thinking while thou art so doing thou art praying to him O what a sad thing is this For in the Ten Commandements God speaks to us and therein teaches us our duties to him Secondly Tell me what doe you pray for in the Ten Commandements can you tell me surely no For all our requests we make to God are reduced by the Apostle to these four Heads 1 Tim. 2.1 Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks 1. Supplications for the removal of Evils 2. Prayer for the obtaining of good things 3. Intercession in the behalf of others 4. Thanksgiving for benefits received Now tell me if any of you can apply any one of these to any of the Commandements If not then learn to understand them and teach them to your children that you and they may know your duties to God and your Neighbour but use them not as Prayers For in Prayer we speak to God in the Ten Commandements God speaks to us And those that use the Creed as a prayer deserve also to be reproved the Arguments before used may be sufficient to prove they pray without judgement An other sort that pray without judgement are those that pray for unlawful things as those who would have fire from Heaven to destroy their enemies but saith Christ to them Luke 9 54 You know not of what spirit you are Seventhly Those are to be reproved that pray but yet resolve to go on in their sinnes Gods service is pretended but the Devils work is performed by them You that regard not Gods Lawes and Commands but are lewd and ungodly cruel and unmerciful do you think God will hear your voice when you will not hearken to his voice Prov. 28.9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the Law even his Prayers shall be an abomination It is just with God Prov. 1.24 c. that when we refuse to hear him he should refuse to hear us Saith David If I regard iniquity in my heart Psal 66.18 the Lord will not hear me If thy heart incline to sinne Gods ear will not incline to thy Prayer If thou sinnest with delight God will not delight in thee nor in thy Prayers Jer. 14.10 11 12. Thus saith the Lord unto this people thus have they loved to wander they have not refrained their feet therefore the Lord doth not accept them and it follows pray not for this people for their good when they fast I will not hear their cry You see that those that delight in sinne God will neither hear their Prayers for themselves nor others for them Saith the Lord Pray not thou for this people Jer. 7.16 neither lift up a cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee And also if thou beest unmerciful to others God will not hear thy Prayers nor shew mercy unto thee Prov. 21.13 Who so stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor he shall also cry himself but shall not be heard He shall have judgement without mercy Jam. 2.13 that hath shewed no mercy Eightly and lastly Lastly All those deserve to be reproved that pray without Faith and fervency He that prays doubtingly Jam. 1.6 7 prays sinfully and shall get nothing by praying He that hath not Faith in God can never prevail with God in Prayer Mark 11.22 23 24. For Faith is the condition upon which the promise of answer of prayers is made To which also must be added Fervency Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much And therefore those that have neither Faith nor Fervency in their prayers deserve to be reprehended So much for this Use I come now to the third Use 2. Use Consolation and that is for Consolation And that for all those that are faithful and fervent constant and frequent in this duty of Prayer That pray
every day in their Family or in secret or both in their Family or secretly For your Comfort go along with me in these eight or nine things following First There is no Family where Prayer is constantly used Morning and Evening but God usually blesseth those Families As God blessed the house of Obed Edom 2 Sam. 6.11 because the Ark was in his house So God blesseth those Families where prayers are daily used Secondly There are no secret prayers made unto God but shall be answered Saith Christ When thou Prayest enter into thy closet Mat. 6.6 and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Thirdly If thou canst pray in Faith it is a certain signe thou haft the truth of Grace thou art a child of God and shalt be saved 1. It is a signe of the truth of grace Saith the Lord I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplication Zach. 12.10 He that hath the spirit of Supplication hath the spirit of Grace first otherwise he could not have the spirit of Supplication 2. It is a signe thou art a child of God Saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father If thou wert not a sonne thou couldest not call upon God as a Father 3. It is a certain signe thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.13 For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved He that by Faith calls upon God may misse of the particular mercy he begs for here but he may be assured he shall not misse Eternal Salvation hereafter For the spirit of Supplication is a certain signe of Salvation 4. If thy heart be sincere in thy Prayers to God God will accept of thee although thou hast many failings For if there be first a willing minde 2 Cor. 8.12 it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not God accepts not of our service according to the worthinesse of the work but the willingnesse of the mind in the work So as he that unfainedly prays for and earnestly desires Faith Repentance and other graces he hath these graces in Gods esteem because God accepts of the will for the deed 5. If thou in the want of ability to utter words to God as thou desirest canst weep before the Lord and sobbe out thy complaints with sighs and groanes These thy desires is a certain signe thou hast the spirit of Prayer for these sighes and groanes could not be in thy prayers to God but from the Spirit of God helping thy infirmities in the duty as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with greanings which cannot be uttered These unutterable groanes proceed from the supernatural motion of Gods Spirit in thee Sixthly If thou canst sincerely seek God by Prayer thou maiest have comfort in all afflictions and trials that befal thee You shall find David complaining of the unkind dealing of his Adversaries Psalme 109. but saith he ver 4. I give my self unto Prayer Psa 109.4 As if he should have said I use no unlawful meanes against them but my onely refuge and defence is prayer unto God So did Job Job 16.20 My friends scorne me but mine eyes poureth out tears unto God I weep in my prayers and wait upon God to right my case And doubtlesse those that accustome themselves to a constant course of seeking God shall have cause to rejoyce and magnifie God in the greatest trials that can befal them according to that prophetical prayer of David Psa 40.16 Let all those that seek thee rejoyce and be glad in thee let such as love thy salvation say continually the Lord be magnified Seventhly If thou keepest thy heart in a constant course of praying unto God It is a certain signe that the sinne or judgement thou prayest against shall be removed or the mercy thou prayest for shall be granted Exod. 17.11 While Moses held up his hands in Prayer Israel prevailed There was no fear of enemies Conquering while Moses was praying And you shall find Moses devotion prevented Gods indignation against his people Exodus 32.10 to 15 verse saith the Lord to Moses Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them But Moses would not let God alone but continued praying for them His Prayers are answered the Judgement is diverted Verse 14. Exod. 32 14. And the Lord repented him of the evil which he thought to doe unto his people And Jacob Gen. 32.26 29. who continued wrestling for a blessing obtained it If Prayer be not slackned mercy shall be speeded If thou continuest in a constant course of praying against sinne for grace and for the removal of judgements or afflictions know for thy comfort thy sinnes shall be pardoned grace shall be conferred and the judgements or afflictions shall be removed from thee or sanctified to thee for thy good Eightly It is certain That that God that calleth thee to the duty of Prayer he is able ready and willing to hear and help thee When Bartimeus went to Christ for his eye-sight and it was told him Be of good comfort Mark 10.49 arise he calleth thee Out of all question at this report the heart of Bartimeus leapt within him and he was confident that seeing Christ called him he intended to grant his request in restoring his sight So beloved you may be confident that God that calls you to the duty of Prayer he intends to hear and answer you For he is able to help you Psa 115.3 Our God is in Heaven and he doth whosoever he pleaseth And he is willing to help and comfort you For like as a Father pittieth his children Psal 103.13 so the Lord pittieth them that fear him Ninethly and lastly Lastly All the Prayers of Gods faithful servants on earth shall undoubtedly be heard and answered in Heaven This is alwayes true with these three Cautions First That thou beest a Righteous person that doth the will of God Jam. 5.16 The Prayer of the Righteous availeth much Saith Christ Joh. 15.7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Secondly If ye ask in the Name of Christ For so saith Christ Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he shall give it you Thirdly If your Prayers be according to the will of God Saith the Apostle This is the confidence that we have in him 1 John 5.14 that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Onely know this That although the Prayers of Gods servants shall be
answered yet it may be not presently You must not exspect the Mercies you pray for when you will no but ye must wait Gods time which is the best time Saith the Prophet Isa 28.16 He that believeth maketh not haste He is content to stay himself upon God and wait his leasure So did David Psal 40.1 I waited patiently upon the Lord and he enclined unto me and heard my cry And so did the Church in Isaiah I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him I shall conclude this Use with that in Isaiah 30.18 Isa 30.18 And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious to you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgement Blessed are all they that wait for him So much for the third Use which hath been for Consolation I come now to the fourth and last Use 4. Use Lastly which is for Exhortation Is it so Exhortation that it is the Duty of all the people of God to Pray Then I beseech you be exhorted to the performance of the Duty In the prosecution of this Use I shall First give you divers directions in the Duty of Prayer Secondly I shall answer two material Questions concerning Prayer Thirdly and lastly I shall lay down some Encouragements to the Duty of Prayer First Directions in Prayer of the first I shall lay down nine or tenne Directions in the duty of Prayer First Labour to be reconciled to Christ that your person may be accepted and you may be in favour with God Till this be done your Prayers will not be answered God accepted of Abel first Gen. 4.4 then he accepted of his Sacrifice His Faith in the promised Messiah was that which made both his person and Sacrifice accepted with God Heb. 11.4 So by Faith get an interest in Christ and then both thy person and thy Prayers shall be accepted Secondly For the matter of your Prayers be sure they be for such things as are agreeable to Gods will Thou hast no warrant to ask what God hath not promised to give For this purpose it is requisite you should be well versed in the Scriptures And then turn the Promises into Prayers so shall you speak to God in his own language your requests shall be according to his will 1 John 5.14 and then you may be confident you shall be heard Thirdly Approach to God in Prayer with a contrite and broken heart for sinne As God will not despise a contrite and broken heart Psal 51.17 so neither will he despise the Prayers that proceed from such a heart When the heart is broken for sinne God will also break that heart from sinne and satisfie the desires of that soul Fourthly Take heed of wandring thoughts in Prayer and let thy heart and thy tongue goe alwayes together Wandring thoughts or vaine thoughts are bad at any time worst of all in Prayer God complaines of them Jer. 4.14 How long shall vaine thoughts lodge within thee Doe thou complain of them to God And seek not that with thy tongue which thy heart doth not desire for if thou dost God seeth thy hypocrsie and will hate thee for it Heb. 4.13 For all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe in Prayer Fifthly Take a Catalogue of and bear in minde all the sinnes thou art to pray against and all the graces thou art to pray for Mind also the mercies and blessings thou art to pray for And think also of the mercies and blessings thou hast received to be thankfull for them The serious thoughts and meditations of these things will furnish thee with sufficient matter for Prayer Sixthly in all thy Prayers have a high esteem of God Saith Soloman Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words be few Think seriously what a God it is thou speakest to these thoughts will make thee reverent and serious in the duty Seventhly In all your Prayers to God be as ready to be thankful to God for what you have received as to seek him for what you want I fear it is a sinne too common amongst Gods children to be so mindful of what they want as to forget to be thankful for what they have But take heed of this the way to obtain new mercies is to be thankful for the old Saith David Psal 116.12 13. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. As if he should have said I will be thankful to God for what I have and I will call upon him for more blessings Eighthly When you have ended your Prayers Take heed you rest not in the Duty but mourn for the sinnes of the Duty and look up to God for an Answer So did David Psal 5.3 In the morning I will direct my Prayer unto thee and I will look up He doth not rest in the duty done but continued praying and looking up to God for an answer So doe you take heed you rest not in the duty neither let the work be tedious to you For as painfulnesse of speaking argueth a sick body so doth irksomnesse in praying a sick soul Ninethly Let Gods glory be your utmost aime in all your Prayers Seek not your selves nor your own ends in your Supplications but the glory of God onely Saith Christ John 8.50 I seek not my own glory Neither should we seek our own glory in any thing we doe much lesse in Prayer For if Gods glory be not our ends and aimes in Prayer it will render our prayers odious unto God Tenthly and lastly Lastly Take heed of a selvish spirit in Prayer Pray not onely for your selves and your Friends but as the Apostle exhorts for all men of all degrees 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Magistrates and Ministers c. Pray not onely for your friends that pleasure you but also for your enemies that despitefully use you as our Saviour exhorts Mat. 5.44 The more publick our spirits are in the duty of Prayer the more pleasing are our Prayers unto God It is good to have a publick spirit in private duties Take heed therefore of a selvish or private spirit in the duty of Prayer Thus by way of Exhortation I have given you divers directions in the duty of Prayer observe them for your good I come now in the second place to Answer two material Questions concerning Prayer The first is this 1. Quest. I cannot tell how to pray I want utterance Whether or no is not my reading a Form of Prayer acceptable with God in this case It is farre better to use the
in Pauls Church-yard MYsteriorum Medulla Bibliorum The Mystery and Marrow of the Bible viz. Gods Covenants with man in the First Adam before the Fall and in the Last Adam Jesus Christ after the Fall From the beginning to the end of the World by Francis Roberts M. A. in fol. The Communicant instructed or practical directions for the worthy receiving the Lords Supper in octavo The Believers Evidences for eternal life in octa An Alphabetical Table of the chief things handled in this Treatise A Ability to pray shall not be wanting to him that goeth on in the duty pag. 118 Anguish of mind the cause why Gods people regard not answer of prayers pag. 73 Answer of prayers five wayes pag. 66 Answer of prayers sometimes as a judgment pag. 70 Asa's sin in seeking to the Physitian and not to God pag. 54 Ask in the name of Christ according to the will of God and thou shalt be answered pag. 100 What it is to ask in the Name of Christ pag. 13 No warrant to ask what God hath not promised to give pag. 103 God is more ready to answer than we are to ask pag. 120 B Better with him that prayeth than with him that prayeth not pag. 56 Benefits that come by prayer pag. 35 Blessings of God not to be expected without prayer pag. 46 Bodies as well as souls must worship God pag. 19 C Call of God to prayer a sign God intends to answer pag. 98 A Catalogue of sins of graces and of blessings will furnish thee with matter of prayer pag. 105 Cautions in reading forms of prayer pag. 112 Commandments no prayers pag. 85 Constant seeking God a certain sign God will answer pag. 96 Continual praying what is meant by it pag. 40 Creed no prayer pag. 87 D Daily prayers a means to obtain grace and to persevere and increase therein pag. 46 Dead dull formal heartlesse prayers are not pleasing unto God pag. 75 Delayes of God are no denials pag. 72 Directions in the duty of prayer pag. 102 The Divel is conquered and daily sins prevented by daily prayers pag. 47 48 Doubting in prayer sinful pag. 90 E Earthly things must be sought conditionally pag. 14 Ends bad in prayer spoil the duty pag. 83 Esteem highly of God in prayer pag. 106 Examples of frequent prayer See Epist to read Examples of five in Scripture that went to God in the sense of sin and obtained mercy pag. 64 Eyes lift up to God in prayer examples for it pag. 22 F Faith the condition upon which the promise of answer of prayers is made pag. 90 Faith may be when thou feelest it not pag. 59 Faithful praying is a sign of one that hath grace that is a child of God and shall be saved pag. 92 Family prayers bring a blessing upon the family pag. 91 Forms of prayer lawful pag. 110 G Gestures in prayer pag. 18 God must first speak to the heart before the heart can speak to God pag. 5 God must be sought in the use of means pag. 54 Gods goodnesse a motive to prayer pag. 37 Gods ready hearing others an encouragement to prayer pag. 121 Gods time the best time for answering prayers pag. 100 Gods glory only to be sought in prayer pag. 108 Grace in the heart will enable a man to pray without reading forms pag. 113 H Hands as well as hearts must be lifted up to God in prayer pag. 20 Hands lift up in prayer what it signifies pag. 21 Hate the sin you pray against pag. 16 Heart broken for sin shall be broken by God from sin pag. 104 Heart to pray where given God will lend an ear to hear pag. 115 Heavenly things must be sought absolutely pag. 14 Hypocrites serve not God out of the love they bear to him pag. 84 Humility requisite in prayer pag. 10 I If thy heart incline to sin Gods ear will not incline to thy prayers pag. 89 Incouragements four to the duty of prayer pag. 117 Instructions in the right manner of prayer pag. 75 Interest in Christ makes both our persons and our prayers accepted pag. 102 K Kneeling a part of divine worship pag. 18 Kneeling in prayer examples for it pag. 19 Knowledge requisite in prayer pag. 9 L Labours to no purpose without Gods blessing pag. 55 A lasie posture in prayer is not to be used pag. 28 Lasie and sluggish prayers provoke God pag. 82 Love to our brethren requisite in prayer pag. 10 Love not long prayers pag. 15 Love the grace you pray for pag. 17 M Meditation a help to prayer pag. 8 Men to be uncovered in prayer pag. 23 Mental prayer pag. 6 Morning and Evening the fittest times for prayer pag. 44 Motives to prayer pag. 33 N Needs of Gods people God is able and willing to supply pag. 38 Necessity of prayer in four respects pag. 33 O Objections against prayer answered pag. 50 Order in prayer required pag. 14 Outward gestures when they may be omitted pag. 25 P Power of prayer in divers examples pag. 77 Prayer what it is pag. 4 Prayer several definitions thereof See the Epistle to the Reader Pray that you may pray pag. 7 Prayer several requisites in it pag. 9 c. To pray for light and slight things a taking Gods Name in vain pag. 83 Prayers five several wayes answered pag. 66 Prayers answered as a judgment and denied as a mercy pag. 70 Prayer gives comfort in all afflictions pag. 95 Prayer may be effectual when a man is indisposed to it and distracted in it pag. 59 Prayer is the Bucket by which we draw water out of the Wells of salvation pag. 34 Prayer neglected exposes a man to all sins and temptations pag. 81 82 Pray aright and be sure to speed pag. 35 Preparations to prayer pag. 7 Pride keeps men from prayer pag. 65 Priviledges of the praying Christian see the Epistle to the Reader Promises to prayer pag. 39 He that turns the promises into prayers speaks to God in his own language pag. 103 Q Questions two concerning prayer answered pag. 110 R Reasons six for daily prayers pag. 45 Reproof for those that pray without judgment or understanding pag. 85 Reproof for those that use irreverent gestures in prayer pag. 29 Rest not in the duty of prayer pag. 107 Reverence in prayer exhorted to pag. 31 Reverence in prayer an effect of faith pag. 27 S Sacrifices under the Old Law morning and evening figured out the Christians daily prayers pag. 44 Secret prayers shall be answered pag. 91 Sense of sin should not keep us from prayer pag. 63 Sighs and groans a sign of the spirit of prayer and accepted with God pag. 94 Sincerity in prayer accepted with God although there be many failings pag. 95 What sinners God will not hear pag. 62 Sitting in prayer not found in Scripture pag. 32 Not greatnesse of sinne but want of faith keeps men from seeking Gods mercy pag. 5 T Tears have a voice in Gods ears pag. 60 Temporal things must be
conditions For want of observing these things and so using a due order in Prayer many times instead of a blessing God makes a breach upon them for seeking him disorderly as it is acknowledge 1 Chron. 15.13 The Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order Twelthly Take heed of loving long Prayers and think not to be heard because your Prayers are long Saith Christ When you pray Mat. 6.7 use not vain repetitions as the Heathen doe For they think they shall be heard for their much speaking Long prayers can hardly maintain their vigour commonly there will be vain repetitions as you see it was with the Heathen Know that God takes not mens Prayers by tale but by weight It is not gifts but Grace that moves God to hear prayers He that is fervent in Prayer prays much though he speak but little Let not your words and matter exceed your affections and then pray and spare not otherwise break off the sooner the better Lastly Lastly Hate the sinne you pray against and love the Grace you pray for First Hate the sinne you pray against a man cannot pray hearttily for the pardon of and strength against those sinnes that he does not hate but when the sinne of his heart is the grief of his soul now may he exspect pardon 1 Kings 8.38 39. When every one shall know the plague of his own heart then hear thou in Heaven c. When every one shall know his own fore 2 Chron. 6.29 30. and his own grief then hear thou in Heaven c. When a man may pray for pardon of sinne with inward hatred of it and heart grief for it then may he with comfort expect pardon Secondly Love the Grace you pray for A man cannot pray fervently for that he doth not love heartily Saith our Saviour to the woman of Samaria Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God c. thou wouldst have asked c. If thou hadst known me and the worth of the Grace that I give this would have quickned thy desires to have asked of me and then I would have given thee living water The sence of the worth of grace draws love to it and these strengthen the desires of it And so much for this fourth thing propounded the duties or graces requisite in Prayer Fifthly Fifthly I shall shew you the gestures that are to be used in Prayer And I finde in Scripture principally these four Kneeling sifting up and spreading forth the Hands lifting up the Eyes and for men to uncover their Heads First Kneeling This is commanded O come let us worship Psal 95.6 and bow down and kneel before the Lord our Maker Here we see that religious kneeling is part of Divine worship It is but equity that he that made the body should be worshipped by or with the body And for as much as Jesus Christ hath redeemed our Bodies as well as our Souls he ought to be worshiped with our Bodies as well as Soules And so the Apostle argues 1 Cor. 6.20 For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God Our bodies and soules are Gods not onely by right of Creation but also by right of Redemption therefore we must glorifie God by worshiping of him with our bodies as well as our souls And we finde in Scripture divers examples for kneeling in Prayer David he kneeled in prayer Psal 95.6 1 King 8.54 Dan. 6.10 and Solomon his sonne he kneeled on his knees in prayer Daniel he kneeled on his knees in prayer Stephen Acts 7.60 he kneeled down and prayed Peter Acts 9.14 he kneeled down and prayed Saint Paul Acts 20.36 he kneeled down and prayed he bowed his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes 3.14 and he in Mark 10.17 Mark 10.17 came kneeling to our Saviour And we find that all the people men women and children kneeled down and prayed Acts 21.5 All these Examples you have for kneeling in prayer Take one more who is the Pattern of all patternes our blessed Saviour himself Luke 22.41 He kneeled down and prayed A second Gesture used in Prayer is lifting up and spreading forth of Hands We must not onely lift up our hearts but also our hands to God in Prayer Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary Psal 134.2 and blesse the Lord 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray every where lifting up pure hands And for this gesture also we have several Examples Moses Exod. 17.11 12. he held up his hands to God in prayer And David desired that the lifting up of his hads to God in Prayer may be acceptable as an evening sacrifice Psal 141.2 2 Chron. 6.13 Solomon he spread forth his hands to God in prayer and so did Ezra And I conceive this lifting up of the hands in Prayer is to be used to signifie these two things First that the heart is lift up to God saith the Prophet in the Lamentations Lam. 3.41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens That is let let your hearts be lift up as well as your hands Some lift up their hands while their hearts hang down in Prayer but doe you lift up your hearts first and then lift up your hands to signifie your hearts are also lift up to God Job 11.13 If thou prepare thine heart and streach out thine hands towards him Streach out thy hands to him to signifie thou hast already given thy heart to him in Prayer Secondly lifting up the hands in prayer it signifies our depending upon Gods power to help and assist us in time of need As a Child that is in danger of falling he stretcheth out his hand to his Father for help So in Prayer the hands are lift up to God as a signe of expecting help from him Saith David Hear the voice of my supplication Psal 28.2 when I cry unto thee when I lift up my hands towards thy holy Oracle By stretching forth our hands to God in Prayer we doe as it were tell him that we depend wholly upon him for help favour mercy and pardon and that unlesse he help and deliver us we are lost and undone for ever A third gesture in Prayer is lifting up of the Eyes For this we have the example of our blessed Saviour John 11.41 Joh. 17.1 Psal 123.1 2.3 He lift up his Eyes and prayed And so did David Unto thee lift I up mine Eyes This lifting up of the Eyes in prayer it hath the same signification with the former of lifting up of the Hands Lifting up the Eye it signifies the eye of Faith and Hope depending upon Gods help and assistance The fourth and last Gesture in prayer Lastly is for men to have the Head uncovered This the Apostle teacheth where he saith 1 Corin. 11.4 Every man praying or prophesying having his head
of the body expresse the inward reverence and humility of the heart Use all the reverence that is sutable to the duty unlesse age or extream weaknesse of body disinable thee Ezek. 33.31 We finde examples in Scripture of sitting to hear the Word but throughout the whole Book of God I remember not any example of sitting in Prayer Wherefore I beseech you use as much reverence in the duty as you can And so much for this fifth thing propounded Sixthly Sixthly I come to lay down some Motivies to presse you to the performance of the duty of Prayer and they shall be of two sorts 1. The necessity of the Duty 2. The benefit that comes by the performance thereof First of the necessity of the duty of Prayer First It is necessary in these four repects First it is necessary because God hath commanded it In the Text and in several places throughout the Book of God I shall not need to mention them It is necessary we should manifest our obedience by yeilding to Gods commands therefore Pray Secondly it is necessary because without Prayer we can have no sanctified use of the Creatures For every creature of God is good 1 Tim. 4.4 5. and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving For it is sanctified by the Word and Prayer It is one thing to have the Creature an other thing to have a Sanctified use of the creature this is not obtained but by Prayer Thirdly it is necessary because there is no drawing water out of the wells of Salvation but by the bucket of faithful Prayer Isai 12.3 With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation Gods Ordinances are the wells of Salvation and faithful Prayer is the bucket that fetcheth the water of Consolation out of these wells Fourthly Lastly and lastly Prayer is necessary because without it we cannot obtain Gods blessing but are exposed to Gods curse ler. 10 25. Psal 79.6 Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name A second sort of Motives to Prayer Secondly shall be taken from the benefits that come by Prayer and they are many First If you pray aright to God you shall not lose your labour but you shall be sure to speed Ask and ye shall have c. Mat. 7.7 I said not to the house of Jacob seek ye me in vain To be sure Isa 45.19 if you labour in this or in any work of God your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58 Secondly Prayer is a signe of true Conversion by this the Lord would manifest unto Annanias that Saul was converted and he might safely goe to him For behold he prayeth Acts 9.11 Thirdly Prayer is alwayes accompanied with Salvation Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord Rom. 10.13 shall be saved Fourthly Prayer it is sweet and pleasant in Gods ears Saith Christ to the Church Cant. 2.14 Let me hear thy voice Psal 141.2 Rev. 5.8 chap. 8.3 4. for sweet is thy voice The Prayers of the Saints are unto God as Incense and sweet Odours for so they are called in Scripture Fifthly When nothing else can give comfort and ease the heart of grief yet Prayer will Saith David Psal 31.22 I said in my haste I am cut off before thine eyes neverthelesse then thou heardest the voice of my supplication when I cryed unto thee It is good to have a bosome friend and the very opening of our grief to such is an ease to the heart Sixthly Prayer is the onely way to get the heart filled with spiritual Graces as Joy John 16.24 c. Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Let those that seek thee rejoyce and be glad in thee Psal 40.16 The Apostle uses Prayer as a means by which all Grace should be wrought in the Ephesians Ephes 3.14 16. to 20 ver Seventhly By prayer we approach into Gods presence Psal 95.2 God will not hide his face from his praying servants Psal 22.24 But of an Hypocrite it is said Job 13.16 He shall not come before him A rogue may beg without the gate but he may not be suffred to come within doors The upright soul that seeks God Psal 140.13 shall dwell in his Presence The eighth and last Motive that I shall use to presse you to the duty of Prayer Lastly it shall be taken from the goodnesse and power of God And that doth appear in these four things First he hath stiled himself a God hearing Prayer Psal 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come And of the righteous that seek him 1 Pet. 3.12 it is said his ears are open to their Prayers Secondly God is able to supply all his peoples needs So saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 9.8 God is able to make all grace to abound towards you He is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think Ephes 3.20 But may some say If God be able to supply my need if he be not willing what encouragement is this to Prayer And therefore in the third place Gods is as willing to hear and help his people as he is able And this doth appear in that he saith He delights to exercise loving kindnesse Jer. 9.24 He waits that he may be gracious Isa 30.18 He is very pittiful Jam. 5.11 and of tender mercy Psal 103.13 As a Father pittieth his children No sooner do Gods people in their distresse cry unto him but he being nigh at hand he readily hears and helps them The righteous Psal 34.17 18. cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart Fourthly and lastly Lastly God hath made many promises to hear and help those that pray unto him and these you shall find in several places throughout the whole book of God I shall onely mention two Isa 65.24 Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him Psal 145.18 19. to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them Thus you have heard divers Motives to the duty of Prayer Now I beseech you let them take impression upon your hearts whereby you may be moved to set upon and be constant in the duty of Prayer So much for the sixt thing I come now to the seaventh thing propounded to be spoken to and that is The times of Prayer Saith the Apostle in the words following my Text Without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 or continually I shall 1. Shew you what is meant by praying continually or without ceasing 2. I shall shew
Saith Solomon Prov. 1.32 The prosperity of fooles shall destroy them They have no right to it they shall be the worse for it But lest I should be mistaken when I say wicked men that pray not have no right to the outward things they doe enjoy my meaning is they have no right to them by the vertue of any promise neither can they have a sanctified use of them but they have a right to them in regard of Gods free bounty Psal 17.14 for he giveth them the things of this world as their portion and it is all the comfort they shall ever have Son Luk. 16.25 remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things You see the things of this world are called the wicked mans portion his good things therefore they have a right to them and no man ought in the least to wrong or injure them in them But on the contrary Gods faithful servants that pray unto him they have a right too and a sanctified use of all the blessings they doe enjoy First they have a right to them saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All things are yours and ye are Christs And secondly by Prayer every creature is sanctified unto them for their good 1 Tim. 4.4.5 It must needs therefore be farre better with him that prays than with him that pray not But may some say 4. Objection I am unable to pray I would pray but I want Faith and the Spirit of Prayer I Answer Answ It is a good signe in the sense of the want of Grace to desire it Let not this therefore detain thee from the Duty For first thou maiest have Faith though thou feelest it not In Christs feeling his Father had forsaken him Mat. 27.46 If thou mournest for nothing more then the want of Faith it is a signe thou hast it In the Gospel Mar. 9.24 The Father of the Child cryed out with tears Lord I believe help thou my unbelief If thou desirest nothing so much as to believe it is a signe thou hast Faith For as lusting after a woman is Adultery Mat. 5.28 so lusting after Christ is Faith because God accepts of the will for the deed therefore let not this discourage thee Secondly a man may have the Spirit of prayer and pray effectually and acceptably when in his own feeling his heart is utterly indisposed to prayer Thus it was with Asaph in Psal 77.2 3 4. My soul refused to be comforted I remembred God and was troubled c. I am so troubled that I cannot speak Psal 77.1 Yet for all this verse the first God gave ear unto him And saith David I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart And yet in the next Verse he saith Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 38.8 9. O how sadly did Hezekiah mourn Isa 38.14 ver 5. and chatter in his Prayers yet God heard and answered him It is not the brokennesse of our expressions that hinders the answer of our Prayers if the heart be throughly broken for sinne No no when words fail tears will speak and they have a voice in Gods ears Saith David The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping Psal 6.8 Psal 39.12 Hold not thy peace at my tears Thou tellest my wandrings Psal 56.8 put thou my tears in thy bottle are they not in thy book Yes yes beloved all the tears that Gods servants shed before him for their sinnes they are all put into his Bottle and recorded in his Book Therefore let not the sense of thine own weaknesse and inability keep thee from thy duty but goe to God mourn for thy wants and begge supply of him and he will answer thee Fifthly I would fain pray 5. Objection but I am so sinful and unworthy a wretch I dare not I know God heareth not sinners John 9.31 yet such a one am I and therefore I dare not pray I Answer Answ Take heed thou dost not mistake the Text nor thy condition If God heareth no man that sinneth then no man should be ever heard of God For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good Eccles 7.20 and sinneth not And therefore for the meaning of the Text know that the sinners that God will not hear They are such as live and lie in their sinnes without repentance rejecting the worship and will of God such sinners as these God heareth not he will not accept of a good motion from such a bad mouth but as it followeth in that place John 9 31. If any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth In every Nation Acts 10.35 he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him But for a further and fuller answer to the Objection know First the sense of thy finfulnesse and unworthinesse should not keep thee from thy duty of praying Psal 40.12 13. David cryed out of his sinnes that they were more then the haires of his head yet he prayed And Ezra Ezra 9.6 by reason of his sinnes was ashamed to lift up his face to God yet he prayed Saint Paul had a deep sense of his sinnes 1 Tim. 1.15 Ephes 3.8 Acts 9.12 he said he was the chief of all Sinners and lesse then the least of all Saints yet behold he prayeth Secondly The more heinous our sinnes are the more need have we to seek to God for mercy They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick Thirdly The sense of sinne makes us more capable of mercy none more welcome to God then they that are most sensible of their sinnes See it in five examples in Scripture First The woman that was cured of her bloody issue she came behind Christ as being ashamed to look him on the face and she desired but to touch the hem of his garment Mat. 9.20 21 22. yet she was cured Secondly The Centurion who thought himself not worthy to come to Christ or that Christ should come under his roof Luke 7.6 7 10. yet his request was granted Thirdly The Prodigal who acknowledged to his Father his sinnes and unworthinesse to be called his sonne Luke 15.20 21 22. yet his Father embraced him and entertained him Fourthly The Publican who in the sense of his own unworthinesse durst not lift up his eyes to Heaven and to shew his indignation against himself for his sinnes he smote upon his breast yet was he justified Luk. 18.13 14. acquitted for his sinnes and received to mercy The fifth and last example is the woman of Canaan she acknowledged her self to be a Dog Mat. 15.27 28. yet her prayer was answered By all which examples you see that those that are most sensible of their sinnes are most welcome to God It is not so much sinne as
privy pride that keep men from the duty of Prayer As a begger he is in want and would fain have relief but pride keeps him from begging Fourthly and lastly Lastly Know it is not so much the greatnesse of thy sinnes as the want of Faith that keep thee off from seeking Gods mercy And this sinne of unbelief is a greater sin then all thy other sinnes thou art guilty of because it makes thee to lie under the guilt and condemnation of all thy other sinnes Joh. 16.9 chap. 3. 36. Heb. 3.12 It is the root of all other sinnes It is such a sinne as rejects the remedy of Christs blood by which they should obtain pardon of sinne Therefore have Faith in God and let not the greatnesse of your sinnes hinder you from the performance of your Duty Sixthly 6. Objection Answ I have prayed but I can find no answer In answer to this I shall shew you how many ways God answers his peoples Prayers that so you be not mistaken in thinking God doth not answer your Prayers when they are answered and you take no notice of it First God answers prayers when he grants the thing that is begged in Prayer And thus God answered Hannah when she prayed for a child 1 Sam. 1.27 And thus God answered Solomon when he prayed for wisdome 1 King 3.9 12. It may be God hath not thus heard thy prayer Secondly God answers prayers when what is asked is denyed and a better thing is granted So Abraham begged Ishmael Gen. 17.19 20. and he gave him Isaack So the Disciples asked when the kingdome should be restored to Israel Christ deny them that Acts 1.6 7 8. and gives them power to be witnesses to him So the Cripple he asked an Almes Acts 3.3 6. and he had his limbs restored to him So God many times denies the thing is asked but gives a better thing Thirdly God answers prayers when nothing at all is granted and yet God strengthens the Soul with his grace to bear the want of it Such an answer had David Psa 138.3 In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me with strength in my soul And thus Christ was heard in his sufferings Heb. 5.9 when he prayed he was supported And thus the Apostle was answered when he prayed to be delivered from Satans buffetings 2 Cor. 12.8 9. The grace of God was sufficient for him If God answer thee thus say not thou hast lost thy labour in praying for this is a gracious answer of Prayer Fourthly God answer prayers although thy particular request be not granted yet if thou feelest thy heart after prayer cheered and thy inward comfort and assurance of Gods favour increased thereby This is such an answer as is best of all when spiritual joy is increased by prayer Joh. 16.24 Ask saith Christ that your joy may be full Although Davids prayer was not answered for the good of his enemies Psal 35.13 yet his prayer returned into his own bosom he had the inward comfort of it And this is the meaning of that promise to prayer Phil. 4.6 7 Let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Your hearts and mindes shall be kept stayed upon Christ And this is a sweet answer of Prayers Fifthly and lastly Lastly God answer prayers when he does not grant the things we have prayed for or those inward comforts of his spirit yet he make us able to continue praying this strength is a work and fruit of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.26 27. The spirit helpeth our infirmities c. So long as thou canst pray with such strivings it is impossible God should neglect thee Yet further know That God sometimes grants our prayers as a Judgement and sometimes he denies them as a Mercy First God sometimes answers prayers as a Judgement and so he gave the Israelites their own desires Psa 78.29 30 31. and withall his wrath seazed on them to their destruction Secondly God sometimes denies to answer prayers as a Mercy Job 6.8 9. And so he denied Jobs request when he desired God would destroy him and cut him off Jona 4.8 And so Jonah he wished he might die God denies his request as a Mercy The seventh and last Objection is this 7. Objection I can find no good by praying but I find I am rarher the worse I Answer Answ Thus we find in Scripture Gods servants complaining Job 30.20 21. saith Iob I cryed unto thee and thou regardest me not thou art become cruel to me And David saith Psal 69.3 I am weary of my crying my throat is dryed mine eyes fail while I wait for my God Psal 80.4 How long wilt thou be angry with the prayers of thy peoples And Habakkuk he cryed out Hab. 1.2 O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hears But for further answer know that God may doe thus and it may be out of love to thee As First It may be God seeth it better for thee to want that thou prayest for then to have it the promise is Psa 30.10 Mat. 7.11 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing If thou shouldest have it it may be God seeth it not good for thee Secondly It may be God seeth it not good for thee to have it yet Eccles 3.11 every thing is beautiful in his time Luke 1.7 13. or season Zachary prayed for a child but God granted not his request till he was old that so God might have the more glory by it John 11.3 6 15 40 ver So Christ delayed to answer Mary and Martha's request concerning their brother Lazarus that so God might have the more glory in the close Isa 30.18 The Lord waits that he may be gracious Gods delayes are no denials his time is the best time 3. And lastly It may be God heareth thee but thou perceivest it not Dan. 10.12 So it was with Daniel the first day he prayed his prayer was answered but he did not know it till afterwards And the causes why men perceive not Gods answer of prayers may be these First It may be they are heedlesse of Gods answers Saith David I will hear what the Lord will speak Psal 85.8 I will attentively mark what God will say and for want of this God hears many times and they observe it not Secondly sometimes God answer prayers but anguish and trouble of mind is the cause why men take no notice of it So it was with Iob If I had called Job 9.16 17. and he had answered me yet would I not believe that he had harkned to my voice For he breaketh me with a tempest c. As the people of Israel Exod. 6.5 They hearkned not to Moses for anguish of spirit So many times God answers his