two extreams it is not possible to pass from the one to the other in a moment or without some mediums that are appointed to rid us of the indisposition of the one and prepare us for the acceptance of the other It is for that good purpose that his Wisdom condescends to send us the assistance of his divine Graces by which our Souls are not only cleansed from the filthiness of our sinful habits but also enabled to this blessed Correspondency with God in Prayer the Fountain of all spiritual Joy and Comfort Let not therefore any Perswasion or discouragement hinder thee O Christian from visiting often thy God in Prayer Let not the sinfulness of thy Actions the vitiousness of thy Disposition the multiplicity of worldly business the Cares and Troubles of the World nor any mistake of God or of thy self cause thee to omit this beneficial Duty What if thou art sinful or naturally indisposed to so holy a Performance Remember Christ in Heaven sits at God's Right Hand to intercede for thee to render thy Prayers effectual to sanctifie thy Groans and offer them up to thy God What if thou makest thy Addresses to a glorious Being of an infinite Power and Majesty If thy disposition be suitable to the Duty thou mayest draw near with confidence to the Throne of his Grace for he is thine Heavenly Father he desires nothing more than to render thee happy and to bestow upon thee his Mercies Consider his gratious invitations and many encouragements in his holy Word Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden and I will refresh you Matth. 11.28 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50.15 The Lord is good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon him Psal 36.5 Before we call he will answer and while we are yet speaking he will hear Isaiah 65.24 To all that turn to him the Lord is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness Joel 2.13 He will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax Matth. 12.20 Shall his mercy be so ready to receive thee and wilt thou be so unworthy to draw back Shall his goodness long to bestow upon thee what thou wantest and wilt thou be so unreasonable to contemn it Shall his Love desire to be acquainted with thee by thy frequent Addresses and wilt thou be so ungrateful to slight his offered kindness Take notice of the just punishment of those ungracious Souls whom his Wisdom invites in vain to her self Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at naught all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof I also will laugh at your Calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me c. Prov. 1.25 26.28 Adversity may have that Power to awaken many who in prosperity from one year to another scarce think of praying to their God But what can such expect in reason from his Bounty which they in their flourishing Estate despise or neglect Those Services can never be thought real and sincere unto which necessity drives Men and those persons that make a mock of this Duty at any time cannot probably receive from it in their greatest urgencies the benefits they expect It is therefore Wisdom constantly to practice that which may stand us in good stead and without which we shall assuredly be at a loss Prayer may help and comfort thee O Man when all other helps and comforts forsake thee when thy Riches and thy Guards thy Treasure and thy Friends thy Power and thy Glory shall leave thee to be Tormented with the Pangs of a Disease or suffer thee to pass alone and naked through the dark and mournful Vale of Death In a word when all the World can yield thee no assistance Prayer alone may assist and relieve thee I cannot prescribe to any persons the times and moments for every one to make his Addresses to his God There is no hour of the day nor night but the divine goodness is ready to receive the humble Application of a dutiful Supplicant No wonder therefore that St. Paul adviseth us to pray without ceasing Which words we must not so understand as to spend all our time in this Duty leaving all other necessary Employments of Life as the antient lasie Hereticks sirnamed by the Fathers Euthicks taught by their Doctrine and Practice But this Command may admit of a threefold interpretation equally necessary for the observance of a Christian First We may go far to the compleating of the Apostles Counsel by sending up unto God without intermission our hearty desires our sighs and groans when we are busie in our daily works to implore his needful assistance and protection The constant business of this Life should not hinder thee from this preparation for the next nor the incumbrances of the World clog thy Soul from this elevation to its God with whom an uninterrupted correspondence will wonderfully advance our present affairs as well as dispose thee O Man for a more blessed Estate Secondly in imitation of David of Daniel and of other Religious Men mentioned in holy Writ we may pray always by a constant performance of Prayer at those times that chiefly require a divine assistance and an acknowledgment of Gods continual Mercies Evening Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my Voice saith David Psal 55.17 And Daniel could not be frighted with the sear of the Lions fury from praying three times a day to his God In the Morning when our Eyes are open again to behold the wonderful works of God's Power and Wisdom in the Creation and Preservation of the World it concerns us to praise his divine Attributes that shine as bright as the Sun over our Heads When we receive a fresh expression of God's goodness in keeping us safe from the dangers of the preceding Night in adding another day to our Lives and a continuance of all his Temporal Favours doth not Justice and Reason call upon us to be as mindful of God's Bounty as he is of our necessities and to be as liberal of our thanks as he is of his Riches When in the Morning thou art going about thine Employments and considerest that all thy labours will be to little purpose without God's Blessings that thou art going through a world of dangers Spiritual and Temporal a World of Enemies subtle malicious and powerful that besiege thee on all sides â—s it not thine Interest to beg the favour and Protection of that good Creator that thy Soul and thy Body may be preserved in the midst of all their envious attempts that thy designs and undertakings may be successful thy labours fruitful and all thy proceedings prosperous At Noon when thou
should cause us to set aside all other considerations Now in this case of Prayer here is considerable nay assured and unspeakable Benefits mentioned before arising from thence to our Bodies and our Souls The prosperity the Health the Riches the Honours Blessings and the very breath of the former with all other Temporal things relating to its good are in the Hands and at the disposal of our God they proceed from his Bounty and are commonly obtain'd by our zealous Prayer for God an unchangeable Truth hath promised in his holy Word to have a special regard to the Prayer of the Destitute to hear the groaning of the Prisoner to loose them that are appointed to Death That he will cause him that asketh to receive he that seeketh from him his Necessities shall find them in due time That he will grant whatsoever we ask in Christ's name That he will hear the Prayers of all Flesh and perform their desires That he will open the Treasuries of his Mercies to such as call upon his Name and grant them their requests In a word God promiseth that he will freely bestow upon us all those earthly advantages which Men so highly esteem and stand in need of in consideration of our devout and Constant Prayer together with the more lasting and more excellent Riches of the Soul Psalm 102.17 Luke 11.9 John 14.13 Psal 65.2 Jer. 29.12 and Jer. 33.3 Zech. 13.9 If some prophane Varlets that contemn God and Religion and neglect this Duty nevertheless seem to be so happy as to be loaden with these Temporal Blessings they enjoy them not with that deliciousness and content as a praying Soul That which to the latter is a real Benefit proves a present Curse to the former and an aggravation and the fâ—wel of their Vices Neither can they find that sweetness in good which naturally it yields and a good Christian tastes partly because the fears and apprehensiens which commonly attend upon a disorderly behaviour with the gripings of an awaken'd Conscience sour and poison all the Mercies of Heaven and partly because the secret Curse that accompanies the Wicked in the neglect of their Duty to God changes the very nature of the greatest Blessings Let therefore the Care Diligence and Frugality of our Fore-fathers make never so much provision for us Let God's Providence put into our hands a plentiful Estate Honours Power and Authority as soon as we are born Prayer is as needful in such a Condition as if we were daily to expect the continual Supplies of God's Bounty to entertain our beings as if we had no such assurance of a livelihood in the World Humane Greatness if not supported and animated by Goodness and Piety is like those unweildy Bodies the sooner brought to ruine for want of Vital Spirits required to keep them in motion and preserve them from the encroachings of the Diseases unto which their grossness and fatness are inclinable Worldly promotion can never be well maintain'd and continued but by that Providence from whence it first proceeds Reason as well as Religion obligeth us to seek from God's mercy the preservation of those Stores of good things which he hath bountifully bestowed upon us seeing that without it they must needs decay and shrink away to nothing Think not thy self O Man less indebted to thy God because he hath given thee by whole Sale all the Riches of the Earth which he distributes to others but by retail and that therefore thou dependest not so much upon his Power and needest not so much his continual assistance as others of the lowest rank of Men. Sooner may the Moon and glittering Stars yield their light and comfortable Influences without the Aspect of the Sun sooner may the Earth bring forth its variety of Creatures without the Celestial Globes than that Man tho' never so Rich and Powerful should subsist without his God When therefore Solomon the wisest of all the Kings of Israel built the famous Temple of Jerusalem he placed the King's Bed-Chamber near to God's Sanctuary and caused a door to lead into it whereof the Key was transmitted with the Crown and Scepter of Israel and always in the King's possession that this might mind him of his dependency upon his God and to seek from him those Blessings and the protection that he continually wanted in that lofty Station of Honour If therefore our Subsistance the preservation of our Estates in the highest degree of Power and the continual assistance of our God needful in the greatest abundance proceed from his bountiful hand and are obtainable by and promised to our Prayers should not this oblige us to draw near with Humility to the Throne of God's Grace to offer up this cheap Sacrifice always ready and at hand so acceptable to our good God I confess he is acquainted with our indigencies and his infinite knowledge needs not be informed of the things that we want in the World for he knows our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking He understands our most bosom thoughts He sees and foresees what is most useful both for our Souls and Bodies Tho' this Consideration may seem to render our Prayers frivolous and not so needful as if God were ignorant of our Wants Yet Christ and his Holy Apostles require and advise us both by their Examples and Commands to lay open our Necessities in Prayer to our gracious God and Nature it self calls upon us to seek from him a supply to our daily Wants For we must not look upon Prayer as a simple information of our desires and estate but as an open acknowledgement of God's Liberality and Riches not as an increase to his knowledge which is in it self Infinite and can admit no augmentation but as a means appointed by his Wisdom to increase and augment our happiness Neither must we look upon Prayer as an obligation laid upon God to commiserate our poor Condition but as a nâ—â—hod to dispose and render us fit to receive the Mercies of Heaven and as that unto which God's promises of Earthly and Spiritual Blessings are annexed Which the divine Wisdom hath so much the more cause to encourage and we sinful Men to practice because it is the most agreeable to God's magnificence and unlimited Bounty and to Man's weakness and poverty Because it is the most excellent Armour to strengthen us against the assaults of worldly Casualties the safest shelter where we may retreat when pursued by Storms and Tempests The best Pourveyor to procure us all things needful for our maintenance and beings And because it is the readiest means to entertain and increase that familiarity with our God which must of necessity precede that Eternal Union and Communion with him which we shall enjoy in the Estate of Glory God will have us draw nearer to him by degrees and not leap from our vile Fellowship with Sin and the World into an immediate fruition of his unspeakable Bliss As there is a vast distance between these
lying before me in their Tombs and have I not often felt Death knocking at my doors sending its usual Summons before hand to warn me for a preparation by frequent Aches and Weaknesses that have seized upon me O Lord as thou hast vouchsafed me health give me grace to preserve it by avoiding all those Vices that are apt to ruine it Let me never depend too much upon it but upon thy Sacred Will sanctifie all the means for my preservation keep me from falling into mischiefs and dangers O that I may employ this Body and Health in thy Service and to thy Glory Thou hast admitted this Body of mine to be a Member of the Mystical Body of thy Son the Lord Jesus Christ and it is now to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost Let me not therefore prophane what thou hast Consecrated to such an excellent purpose and design'd for a Glorious end to be a Vessel of Honour in thy Celestial Sanctuary O my God let me have always before mine Eyes my departure hence and the sinal Resurrection of my Body when thou shalt grant unto me a Health that shall never be interrupted a Strength that shall never decay a Life that shall continue for ever and these dark and infirm Bodies shall rise Immortal Splendid Spiritual Vigorous Transparent Incorruptible and Glorious Amen A Medittaion and Prayer useful in time of Sickness O My Merciful God and Preserver of my Being I acknowledge this Sickness to come from thy divine Appointment these Pains and Aches have their Commission from thee to torment my weak Body and render my present abode in this Life so uneasie I have justly deserved a severer treatment from thy Justice I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sins are ever before me my provocations are many and great I have now time to look back upon the sinful Extravagancies of my former Conversation I perceive how vainly and foolishly I have spent my days how wickedly I have acted in the World without any regard to thy Divine and Sacred Laws These Torments of Body inflicted upon these Members mind me sufficiently how I have employed them formerly to dishonour thy Glorious Majesty I see that thou hast taken notice of my Actions and dost punish me in that very part that hath offended most O ungrateful Creature that didst receive from thy God these entire and perfect Members and from his unwearied Liberality their Growth Support and Maintenance and wert thou so vile as to make them instrumental in serving the Devil and thy base Lusts against thy God in sinning against his Authority Well may thy Justice O my Creator take me to task and cast me into greater Tortures than these that I now suffer I have experienced thy Mercy and Forbearance in every moment of my days When I added one Transgression to another and multiplied my Crimes without number How many gracious Calls and Invitations had I from thy Goodness to repent and amend How mercifully hast thou always treated me And now this disorder of my Body proceeding from the irregularities of my life past might draw upon me an heavier Burden and more unsufferable Torments were it not for thy gracious forbearance I understand O my God this language of thy Mercy Thou art not willing to cast me into the bitter and everlasting Torments of that Lake that burns with Fire and Brimston therefore these gentle Flames are kindled in my Body to make me sensible of thy Justice that I may prevent it by a seasonable Repentance This Fever and these Aches admonish and speak to me in that manner that thou O my Heavenly Father usest to speak to thy dearest Children in that manner that is most proper for me and suitable to thy Grace and Wisdom Thou art willing to correct and not to destroy me Thou dost punish my Body that my Soul may be spared and live with thee for ever that the Sickness of the one may be the Health of the other I am content to bear all these strokes of thy Mercy O my God I submit with all humility to thy sacred Will Thou art my good and most skilful Physician Thou knowest what Corrosives and Remedies are best to be applied to my Soul and Body Vain is the help of Man without thy blessing and operation And though I seek for ease and for my recovery from these Pills Potions Cordials Recipe's and Medicines and from the skill of the Learned I must first look up to thee my God before I can find any benefit in these outward means I crave thine assistance to influence and sanctifie these methods appointed in thy Providence to restore me to Health again for I know that my Life depends wholly upon thy Will and Word and thou canst raise me again from the lowest Estate from the Gates of Death and when all other skill and means forsake me thou art my God my best Friend and most experienced Physician who hast in thy hands and power the issues of Life and Death able to relive heal and remedy all my Wants To thy Power and Mercy I flee in this time of my distress I have little other comfort but in thine unspeakable Goodness which I beseech thee not to deny to thy poor afflicted Creature and Servant Lay not upon me a greater burden than I can well bear and with these griefs of Body administer inward Comforts to my precious Soul Pardon and forgive all my Sins reveal to me some assurances of thy Favour discover to me some tokens of thy Love in these my bodily Sufferings Give me a real interest in my Redeemer who hath suffered much more for me Increase my Faith in his Merits and Promises However it shall please thee to dispose of this decaying Tabernacle of my Body have compassion upon my poor Soul which thou hast created after thine own image and purchased to thy self with the invaluable Blood of thy dear Son After so great an expression of thy tender Love for me let me not be disappointed in the future expectations that in Reason and Justice I ought therefore to entertain and have of thy divine Mercy O my God restore me to my former Health that I may yet live in my Generation to praise and serve thee Bless all the means used for my recovery direct my Physicians in prescrcibing Remedies and give power to the Physick to operate and do me good if thou art willing that I should continue any longer in this troublesom life But why should I be desirous to abide in this World of misery in this painful and sinful Estate seeing thou hast given me so clear a prospect of an immortal Life of a far better and a more glorious Estate provided for me with thee where none of these Distempers and Torments shall come to disturb my quiet and happiness O prepare me for this blessed Rest wean my heart and affections from this vain and troublesom World give me an entire resignation of my will and desires to thy good pleasure If