better But for evident reasons we will not be bound to stand unto the Testimony of those men although they shall not here be pleaded In the mean time we know that from him which hath not is taken away that which he had And it is no wonder if Persons endowed sometimes with a Gift of Prayer proportionable unto their Light and Illumination improving neither the one nor the other as they ought have lost both their Light and Gift also And thus suitably unto my design and purpose I have given a delineation of the Work of the Holy Ghost as a Spirit of Grace and Supplication promised unto and bestowed on all Believers enabling them to cry Abba Father CHAP. IX Duties inferred from the preceding Discourse THE issue of all inquiries in these things is How we may improve them unto Obedience in the Life of God For if we know them happy are we if we do them and not otherwise And our practice herein may be reduced unto these two heads 1. A due and constant returning of Glory unto God on the account of his Grace in that free Gift of his whose Nature we have enquired into 2. A constant Attendance unto the Duty which we are graciously enabled unto thereby And 1. We ought continually to bless God and give Glory to him for this great priviledge of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication granted unto the Church This is the principal means on their part of all holy entercourse with God and of giving Glory unto him How doth the World which is destitute of this fruit of divine bounty grope in the dark and wander after vain imaginations whilst it knows not how to manage its convictions nor how at all to deal with God about its concerns That World which cannot receive the Spirit of Grace and Truth can never have ought to do with God in a due manner There are by whom this Gift of God is despised is reviled is blasphemed and under the shades of many pretences do they hide themselves from the Light in their so doing But they know not what they do nor by what Spirit they are acted Our Duty it is to pray that God would pour forth his Spirit even on them also who will quickly cause them to look on him whom they have pierced and mourn And it appears two ways how great a Mercy it is to enjoy and improve this priviledge 1. In that both the Psalmist and the Prophet pray directly in a Spirit of Prophecy and without limitation that God would pour out his fury on the Families that call not on his name Psal. 79. 6. Jer. 10. 25. and 2. In that the whole work of Faith in Obedience is denominated from this Duty of Prayer For so it is said that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 13. For Invocation or Prayer in the Power of the Spirit of Grace and Supplications is an infallible evidence and fruit of saving Faith and Obedience and therefore is the Promise of Salvation so eminently annexed unto it Or it is placed by a Synecdoche for the whole Worship of God and Obedience of Faith And it were endless to declare the benefits that the Church of God and every one that belongeth thereunto hath thereby No Heart can conceive that Treasury of Mercies which lye in this one priviledge in having Liberty and Ability to approach unto God at all times according unto his Mind and Will This is the Relief the Refuge the Weapons and assured Refreshment of the Church in all Conditions 2. It is a matter of Praise and Glory to God in an especial manner that he hath granted an Ampliation of this Priviledge under the Gospel The Spirit is now poured forth from above and enlarged in his dispensation both intensively and extensively Those on whom he is bestowed do receive him in a larger measure than they did formerly under the Old Testament Thence is that Liberty and boldness in their access unto the Throne of Grace and their crying Abba Father which the Apostle reckons among the great priviledges of the Dispensation of the Spirit of Christ which of old they were not partakers of If the difference between the Old Testament State and the New lay only in the outward letter and the Rule thereof it would not be so easily discerned on which side the advantage lay especially methinks it should not be so by them who seem really to preferr the Pomp of Legal worship before the plainness and simplicity of the Gospel But he who understands what it is not to receive the Spirit of Bondage to fear but to receive the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father and what it is to serve God in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter understands their difference well enough And I cannot but admire that some will make use of Arguments or a pretence of them for such helps and Forms of Prayer as seem not compliant with the Work of the Spirit of Supplication before described from the Old Testament and the practice of the Church of the Jews before the time of our Saviour though indeed they can prove nothing from thence For do they not acknowledge that there is a more plentiful effusion of the Spirit on the Church under the New Testament than of the Old To deny it is to take away the principal difference between the Law and the Gospel And is not the performance of Duties to be regulated according to the supplies of Grace If we should suppose that the People being then carnal and obliged to the observation of carnal ordinances did in this particular stand in need of Forms of Prayer which indeed they did not of those which were meerly so and only so nor had that we know of any use of them doth it follow that therefore Believers under the New Testament who have unquestionably a larger portion of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication poured on them should either stand in need of them or be obliged unto them And it is in vain to pretend a different dispensation of the Spirit unto them and us where different fruits and effects are not acknowledged He that hath been under the Power of the Law and hath been set free by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus knows the difference and will be thankful for the Grace that is in it Again it is extensively enlarged in that it is now communicated unto Multitudes whereas of old it was confined unto a few Then the dews of it only watered the land of Canaan and the Posterity of Abraham according to the Flesh now the showrs of it are poured down on all Nations even all that in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours In every Assembly of Mount Zion through the World called according to the mind of Christ Prayers and Supplications are offered unto God through the effectual working
were contented to be at Rest freed from that Labour and Travel of mind which are required unto the constant Exercise and Improvement of spiritual Gifts This Imposition was the Grave wherein they were buried For at length as it is manifest in the Event our Lord Jesus Christ being provoked with their sloth and unbelief did withhold the Communication of such Gifts from the Generality of those who did officiate in Divine Worship And hereby they lost also one great Evidence of the continuance of his mediatory Life in Heaven for the preservation of the Church It is known that this was and is the State of things in the Roman Church with reference unto their whole Worship in their publick Assemblies And therefore although they have indulged divers Enthusiasts whose Revelations and actings pretended from the Holy Spirit have tended to the confirmation of their Superstitions and some of them have ventured at Notions about Mental Prayer which they understand not themselves Yet as unto Free Prayer by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost in the Church Assemblies or otherwise they were the first and continue to be the fiercest opposers of it And it is their Interest so to be For shake this Foundation of the Imposition of an Entire Systeme of Humanely devised Prayers for the only way and means of the Worship of the Church and the whole Fabrick of the Mass with all the weight of their Religion if vanity and Imagination may be said to have any weight which is laid thereon will tumble into the Pit from whence it came And therefore I must here acquaint the Reader that the first occasion of writing this Discourse was the perusal of Mr. Cressies Preface to his Church History wherein out of a design to advance the pretended Mental Prayer of some of his Enthusiasts he reflects with much contumely and Reproach upon that Free praying by the Aids of the Spirit of God which we plead for And he will find that all his pretences are examined in the latter part of this Discourse But notwithstanding these things those of the Roman Church do at this day boast themselves of their Devotions in their Prayers private and publick and have prevailed thereby on many disposed unto a compliance with them by their own Guilt Ignorance and Superstition The vanity of their pretence hath been well detected by evincing the Idolatry whereby all or the most of their Devotions are vitiated and rendred unacceptable But this also is of weight with me that the provision of the Systeme and order of their whole Devotion and its Exercise is apparently composed and fitted unto the Exclusion of the whole Work of the Spirit of God in Prayer And yet do they continue under an incredible Delusion as to oppose revile and condemn the Prayers of others who are not of their Communion on this consideration that those who make them have not the Holy Spirit nor his Aids which are all confined unto their Church But if any Society of men in the World maintaining the outward profession of Christian Religion can do more to exclude the Holy Ghost and all his operations in Prayer and Divine Worship than their Church hath done I shall acknowledge my self greatly mistaken It is nothing but Ignorance of him and his whole Work with all the Ends for which he is promised unto the Church that I say not an Hatred and Detestation of them that causeth any to embrace their ways of Devotion But to return The Things pleaded for may be reduced unto the ensuing Heads 1. No Persons no Churches are obliged by vertue of any Divine Constitution Precept or approved Example to confine themselves in their publick or private Worship unto set or Humanely devised Forms of Prayer If any such Constitution Precept or Example can be produced which hitherto hath not been done it ought to be complyed withal And whilst others are left unto their Liberty in their use this is sufficient to enervate all Pleas for their Imposition 2. There is a Promise in the Scripture there are many Promises made and belonging unto the Church unto the End of the World of the Communication of the Holy Spirit unto it as unto peculiar Aids and Assistances in Prayer To deny this is to overthrow the foundation of the Holiness and comfort of all Believers and to bring present Ruine to the Souls of men in Distress 3. It is the Duty of Believers to look after to pray for those promised Aids and Assistances in Prayer Without this all those Promises are despised and looked on as a Flourish of Words without Truth Power or Efficacy in them But 4. This they are commanded to do and have blessed Experience of success therein The former is plain in the Scripture and the latter must be left unto their own Testimony living and dying 5. Beyond the Divine Institution of all the Ordinances of Worship in the Church with the Determination of the Matter and Form which are essential unto them contained in the Scripture and a due Attendance unto Natural Light in outward Circumstances there is nothing needful unto the due and orderly Celebration of all publick Worship in its Assembly If any such thing be pretended it is what Christ never appointed nor the Apostles ever practised nor the first Churches after them nor hath it any Promise of acceptance 6. For the preservation of the Unity of Faith and the communion of Churches among themselves therein they may express an Agreement as in Doctrine by a joynt Confession of Faith so in a Declaration of the material and substantial parts of Worship with the Order and method thereof on which foundation they may in all things communicate with each other as Churches and in the practice of their Members 7. Whereas the Differences about Prayer under consideration concern Christian practice in the Vitals of Religion great respect is to be had unto the Experience of them that do believe where it is not obstructed and clouded by prejudices sloth or adverse Principles and Opinions Therefore the substance of the greatest part of the ensuing Discourse consists principally in the Declaration of those concernments of Prayer which relate unto practice and Experience And hence it follows 8. That the best Expedient to compose these Differences amongst us is for every one to stir up the Gift and Grace of God that is in him and all of us to give up our selves unto that Diligence Frequency Fervency and Perseverance in Prayer which God requireth of us especially in such a season as that wherein we live A time wherein they who ever they be who trouble others may for ought they know be near unto trouble themselves This will be the most effectual means to lead us all into the acknowledgement of the Truth and without which an Agreement in Notions is of little Use or value But I confess Hopes are weak concerning the due Application of this Remedy unto any of our Evils or Distempers The Opinions of those who
used by the Apostle in this matter whereby the general Nature of the Work of the Spirit herein will further appear In this place he saith God hath sent forth into our Hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of his Son crying Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. He saith we have received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of Adoption the Spirit of the Son given us because we are Sons whereby or in whom we cry Abba Father His acting in us and our acting by him is expressed by the same word And the enquiry here is how in the same Duty he is said to cry in us and we are said to cry in him And there can be no Reason hereof but only because the same Work is both his and ours in divers Respects As it is an Act of Grace and Spiritual Power it is his or it is wrought in us by him alone As it is a Duty performed by us by virtue of his Assistance it is ours by him we cry Abba Father And to deny his actings in our Duties is to overthrow the Gospel And it is Prayer formally considered and as comprizing the Gift of it with its outward Exercise which is intended The mere excitation of the Graces of Faith Love Trust Delight Desire Self-abasement and the like animating Principles of Prayer cannot be expressed by crying though it be included in it Their actual Exercise in Prayer formally considered is that which is ascribed unto the Spirit of God And they seem to deal somewhat severely with the Church of God and all Believers who will not allow that the Work here expresly assigned unto the Spirit of Adoption or of the Son is sufficient for its end or the discharge of this Duty either in private or in the Assemblies of the Church There is no more required unto Prayer either way but our crying Abba Father that is the making our Requests known unto him as our Father in Christ with Supplications and Thanksgivings according as our State and occasions do require And is not the Aid of the Spirit of God sufficient to enable us hereunto It was so of Old and that unto all Believers according as they were called unto this Duty with respect unto their Persons Families or the Church of God If it be not so now it is because either God will not now communicate his Spirit unto his Children or Sons according to the Promise of the Gospel or because indeed this Grace and Gift of his is by men despised neglected and lost And the former cannot be asserted on any safe grounds whatever the latter is our interest to consider This two-fold Testimony concerning the Promise of the Communication of the Holy Spirit or a Spirit of Supplication unto Believers under the New Testament and the accomplishment of it doth sufficiently evince our general Assertion that there is a peculiar Work or special gracious operation of the Holy Ghost in the Prayers of Believers enabling them thereunto For we intend no more hereby but that as they do receive him by vertue of that Promise which the World cannot do in order unto his Gracious efficiency in the Duty of Supplication so he doth actually incline dispose and enable them to cry Abba Father or to call upon God in Prayer as their Father by Jesus Christ. To deny this therefore is to rise up in contradiction unto the express Testimony of God himself and by our unbelief to make him a Lyar. And had we nothing farther to plead in this cause this were abundantly sufficient to reprove the petulant folly of them by whom this Work of the Holy Ghost and the Duty of Believers thereon to Pray in the Spirit if we may use the despised and blasphemed expressions of the Scripture is scorned and derided For as to the Ability of Prayer which is thus received some there are who know no more of it as exercised in a way of Duty but the outside shell and appearance of it and that not from their own Experience but from what they observed in others Of these there are not a few who confidently affirm that it is wholly a Work of Fancy Invention Memory and Wit accompanied with some Boldness and Elocution unjustly fathered on the Spirit of God who is no way concerned therein And it may be they do perswade many no better skilled in these things than themselves that so it is indeed Howbeit those who have any Experience of the real Aids and Assistances of the Spirit of God in this Work and Duty any Faith in the express Testimonies given by God himself hereunto cannot but despise such fabulous Imaginations You may as soon perswade them that the Sun doth not give Light nor the Fire Heat that they see not with their Eyes nor hear with their Ears as that the Spirit of God doth not enable them to pray or assist them in their Supplications And there might some probability be given unto these pretences and unto the total Exclusion of the Holy Ghost from any concernment herein if those concerning whom and their Duties they thus judge were generally Persons known to excel others in those Natural Endowments and acquired Abilities whereunto this Faculty of Prayer is ascribed But will this be allowed by them who make use of this pretence namely that those who are thus able to pray as they pretend by virtue of a Spiritual Gift are Persons excelling in Fancy Memory Wit Invention and Elocution It is known that they will admit of no such thing but in all other Instances they must be represented as dull stupid ignorant unlearned and brutish Only in Prayer they have the advantage of those natural Endowments These things are hardly consistent with common Ingenuity For is it not strange that those who are so contemptible with respect unto natural and acquired Endowments in all other things whether of Science or of Prudence should yet in this one Duty or Work of Prayer so improve them as to out-go the Imitation of them by whom they are despised For as they do not as they will not pray as they do so their own Hearts tell them they cannot which is the true Reason why they so despitefully oppose this praying in the Spirit whatever Pride or Passion pretends to the contrary But things of this nature will again occurr unto us and therefore shall not be here further insisted on Having therefore proved that God hath promised a plentiful dispensation of his Spirit unto Believers under the New Testament to enable them to pray according unto his mind and that in general this Promise is accomplished in and towards all the Children of God It remaineth in the second place as to what we have proposed that we declare what is the Work of the Holy Ghost in them unto this end and purpose or how he is unto us a Spirit of Prayer or Supplication CHAP. IV. The nature of Prayer Rom. 8. 26. Opened and Vindicated PRayer at present I take to be a Gift Ability
private or publick whereof we speak is the uttering of our Desires and Requests unto God called The making of our Requests known unto him Phil. 4. 6. This Utterance is a Gift of the Holy Ghost so also is Prayer as to the manner of the performance of it by words in Supplication And if any one say he cannot so pray suitable unto his own occasions he doth only say that he is a stranger to this Gift of the Holy Ghost and if any one will not by him it is despised And if these things are denyed by any because they understand them not we cannot help it Thirdly It is the Holy Spirit that enables men to discharge and perform every Duty that is required of them in a due manner so that without his enabling of us we can do nothing as we should As this hath been sufficiently confirmed in other Discourses on this Subject so we will not always contend with them by whom such Fundamental Principles of Christianity are denyed or called into question And he doth so with respect unto all sorts of Duties whether such as are required of us by vertue of especial Office and calling or on the more general account of an holy conversation according to the Will of God And Vocal Prayer is a Duty under both these considerations For 1. It is the Duty of the Ministers of the Gospel by vertue of especial Office Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Giving of thanks are to be made in the Assemblies of the Church 1 Tim. 2. 1. Herein it is the Office and Duty of Ministers to go before the Congregation and to be as the mouth of the Church unto God The nature of the Office and the due discharge of it with what is necessary unto the Religious Worship of publick Assemblies manifest it so to be The Apostles as their Example gave themselves continually unto Prayer and the Ministry of the Word Acts 6. 4. It is therefore the Gift of the Holy Ghost whereby these are enabled so to do For of themselves they are not able to do any thing This is one of those good Gifts which is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights Jam. 1. 17. And these Gifts do they receive for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4. 12. Utterance therefore in Praying and Preaching is in them the Gift of the Holy Ghost with respect unto their Office And that such a Gift as those who are utterly destitute of it cannot discharge their office unto the Edification of the Church Let men pretend what they please if a spiritual Ability in praying and preaching belong not necessarily unto the office of the Ministry no man can tell what doth so or what the office signifies in the Church For no other Ordinance can be administred without the Word and Prayer nor any part of Rule it self in a due manner And to deny these to be Gifts of the Holy Ghost is to deny the Continuance of his dispensation unto and in the Church which at once overthrows the whole Truth of the Gospel and the sole Foundation that the Ministry of it is built upon 2. The like may be spoken with respect unto Duties to be performed by vertue of our general vocation Such are the Duties of Parents and Masters of Families I know not how far any are gone in ways of prophaneness but hope none are carried unto such a length as to deny it to be the Duty of such Persons to pray with their Families as well as for them The Families that call not on the name of the Lord are under his Curse And if this be their Duty the performance of it must be by the Aid of the Spirit of God by vertue of the general rule we proceed upon Fourthly The Benefit Profit Advantage and Edification of particular Persons of Families but especially of the Church in its Assemblies in and by the use and exercise of this Gift are such and so great as that it is impious not to ascribe it to the operation of the Holy Spirit Men are not of themselves without his especial Aid Authors or Causers of the principal spiritual benefit and Advantage which the Church receiveth in the World If they are so or may be so what need is there of him or his Work for the Preservation and Edification of the Church But that it hath this blessed effect and fruit we plead the experience of all who desire to walk before God in sincerity and leave the determination of the question unto the Judgment of God himself Nor will we at present refuse in our Plea a consideration of the different condition as to an holy Conversation between them who constantly in their life and at their death give this Testimony and theirs by whom it is opposed and denyed We are none of us to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ nor of any effect of his Grace It must therefore be said that the Experience which Believers of all sorts have of the spiritual benefit and advantage of this Ability both in themselves and others is not to be moved or shaken by the Cavils or Reproaches of such who dare profess themselves to be strangers thereunto Fifthly The Event of things may be pleaded in Evidence of the same truth For were not the Ability of praying a Gift of him who divideth to every one according unto his own will there would not be that difference as to the participation of it among those who all pretend unto the Faith of the same Truth as there is openly and visibly in the World And if it were a matter purely of mens natural Abilities it were impossible that so many whose concern it is in the highest degree to be interessed in it should be such strangers to it so unacquainted with it and so unable for it They say indeed it is but the meer improvement of natural Abilities with confidence and exercise Let it be supposed for once that some of them at least have confidence competent unto such a Work and let them try what success meer Exercise will furnish them withal In the mean time I deny that without that Illumination of the mind which is a peculiar Gift of the Holy Ghost the Ability of Prayer treated of is attainable by any And it will be a hard thing to perswade Persons of any ordinary consideration that the difference which they do or may discover between men as to this Gift and Ability proceeds meerly from the difference of their natural and acquired Abilities wherein as it is strenuously pretended the advantage is commonly on that side which is most defective herein Some perhaps may say that they know there is nothing in this Faculty but the exercise of natural endowments with boldness and elocution and that because they themselves were expert in it and found nothing else therein on which ground they have left it for that which is
of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication unless he be despised And this is done in the accomplishment of that great Promise Mal. 1. 11. For from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure Offering for my name shall be great among the Heathens saith the Lord of hosts Prayer and Praises in the Assemblies of the Saints is the pure Offering and that Sacrifice which God promiseth shall be offered unto him And this Oblation is not to be kindled without the Eternal Fire of the Spirit of Grace No Sacrifice was to be offered of old but with fire taken from the Altar Be it what it would if it were offered with strange fire it was an Abomination Hence they were all called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the firings of the Lord. And this was in a Resemblance of the Holy Ghost Whence Christ is said to offer himself to God through the eternal Spirit And so must we do our Prayers In the fruits and effects of his Workslyes all the Glory and Beauty of our Assemblies and Worship Take them away and they are contemptible dead and carnal And he carrieth this Work into the Families of them that do believe Every Family apart is enabled to pray and serve God in the Spirit and such as are not do live in darkness all their Dayes He is the same to Believers all the World over in their Closets or their Prisons They have all where ever they are an Access by one Spirit unto the Father Eph. 2. 18. And for this enlargement of Grace God justly expects a revenue of Glory from us 3. It is assuredly our Duty to make use of the Gift of the Spirit as that which is purchased for us by Christ and is of inestimable advantage unto our Souls There are two ways whereby men may be guilty of the neglect of this heavenly favour 1. They are so when the Gift it self is not valued nor sought after nor endeavoured to be attained And this is done under various pretences some imagine that it is no Gift of the Spirit and so despise it others think that either by them it is not attainable or that if it be attained it will not answer their labour in it and diligence about it which it doth require and therefore take up with another way and means which they know to be more easy and hope to be as useful By many the whole Duty is despised and consequently all Assistance in the performance of it is so also None of those do I speak unto at present But 2. We are guilty of this neglect when we do not constantly and diligently on all Occasions make use of it for the End for which it is given us yea abound in the exercise of it Have you an Ability to pray always freely given you by the Holy Ghost why do you not pray always in private in Families according to all occasions and opportunities administred Of what concernment unto the Glory of God and in our Life unto him Prayer is will be owned by all It is that only single Duty wherein every Grace is acted every Sin opposed every good thing obtained and the whole of our Obedience in every instance of it is concerned What difficulties lye in the way of its due performance what discouragements rise up against it how unable we are of our selves in a due manner to discharge it what Aversation there is in corrupted nature unto it what Distractions and Weariness are apt to befall us under it are generally known also unto them who are any way exercised in these things Yet doth the Blessedness of our present and future Condition much depend thereon To relieve us against all these things to help our Infirmities to give us Freedom Liberty and Confidence in our Approaches to the Throne of Grace to enable us as Children to cry Abba Father with Delight and Complacency is this Gift of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication given unto us by Jesus Christ. Who can express how great a folly and Sin it is not to be found in the constant exercise of it Can we more by any means grieve this Holy Spirit and endamage our own Souls Hath God given unto us the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and shall we be remiss careless and negligent in Prayer Is not this the worst way whereby we may quench the Spirit which we are so cautioned against Can we go from day to day in the neglect of Opportunities occasions and just seasons of Prayer How shall we answer the Contempt of this gracious Aid offered us by Jesus Christ Do others go from day to day in a neglect of this Duty in their Closets and Families blame them not or at least they are not worthy of so much blame as we They know not how to pray they have no Ability for it But for those to walk in a neglect hereof who have received this Gift of the Holy Ghost enabling them thereunto making it easy unto them and pleasant unto the inner man how great an Aggravation is it of their Sin Shall others at the tinkling of a Bell rise and run unto prayers to be said or sung wherein they can have no spiritual interest only to pacify their Consciences and comply with the prejudices of their Education and shall we be found in the neglect of that Spiritual Aid which is graciously afforded unto us How will the blind Devotion and Superstition of multitudes with their diligence and pains therein rise up in Judgment against such negligent Persons We may see in the Papacy how upon the ringing of a Bell or the lifting up of any Ensign of Superstition they will some of them rise at Midnight others in their Houses yea in the Streets fall on their knees unto their Devotions Having lost the conduct of the Spirit of God and his gracious Guidance unto the performance of Duty in its proper seasons they have invented ways of their own to keep up a frequency in this Duty after their manner which they are true and punctual unto And shall they who have received that Spirit which the World cannot receive be treacherous and disobedient unto his Motions or what he constantly inclines and enables them unto Besides all other Disadvantages which will accrew hereby unto our Souls who can express the horrible Ingratitude of such a Sin I press it the more and that unto all sorts of Prayer in private in Families in Assemblies for that end because the Temptations and Dangers of the daies wherein we live do particularly and eminently call for it If we would talk less and pray more about them things would be better than they are in the World at least we should be better enabled to bear them and undergo our portion in them with the more satisfaction To be negligent herein at such a Season is a sad token of such