that he spent day and night in nothing but eating no such matter but when the season or meal-time came he was present So to pray always is to pray whenever prayer is seasonable 3. A third question is What is meant by all Prayer Bullinger refers this to the intension of the mind saying that in this Duty there must be all possible devotion and intentness and servency of heart But Musculus understands Prayer of every sort and indeed all kinds of Prayer which God has appointed are needfull and the Lord is ready by the Communications of his Grace to encourage to the practice of this Duty in the full extent and latitude of it 4. Anotherquestion is this What are we to understand by prayer in the spirit Some refer this clause to the things asked as if we should slight all worldly enjoyments and ask only for those blessings that are spiritual 'T is confessed that spiritual blessings are to be most prized and to be begged with the greatest importunity but yet temporal mercies may also with submission be desired Daily Bread we are allowed to ask for and that Bread is sweetest and most blest that is the fruit of Prayer Others observe and rightly that this passage Praying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Spirit may have relation both to the spirit of God and the spirit of him that prays 1. It may have relation unto the Spirit of God The Holy Ghost makes intercession for Believers according to the will of God he helps their infirmities who of themselves know not what to pray for as they ought Rom. 8. 26 27. 2. It may have relation unto the spirit of him that prays Prayer must be the off-spring of the heart or else 't will In Religione non sit quod cor non facit not be of any value or efficacy The spirit of a man must understand what and the worth of what is prayed for and the affections must be stirred in order to the attainment of it 5. A fifth question is what are we to understand by watching unto prayer with all perseverance We must watch over our hearts and watch for God and this must be with continuance unless we continue to watch and pray we may quickly enter and fall into temptation And since all militant Saints are in danger as well as we and stand in so near a relation to Christ and to us we should be much concerned for them so as to desire their safety and well-fare as our own There are six Doctrins which these words afford us 1. A Christians security lyes very much in praying always 2. All prayer is of concernment to be used 3. Prayer when rightly performed is supplication in the spirit 4. In prayer Watching is a necessary ingredient 5. We must persevere if we would speed in prayer 6. Our spirits must be so publick as to supplicate for all the Saints as well as for oâ—r selves D. 1. I begin with the first of these Doctrines That a Christians security lies very much in praying always Although he be Armed from head to foot with the Armour of God which if any in the world is Armour of Proof yet he is not safe without prayer Saints in Scripture have lookt upon the Throne of Grace as their Asylum and Sanctuary and have come hither for refuge and strength in their troubles and temptations David when he perceived the deceit and hatred of his Adversaries who fought against him without cause says 't was his course and truly 't was a wise one to give himself to prayer Psal 109. 4. When his soul was among Lyons and he dwelt among those that were set on fire he then crys unto God most high unto God that performed all things for him Psal 57. 2. When the Apostle Paul was buffeted by the Messenger of Satan he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him and had this answer my grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12. 7 8 9. Nay the very Captain of our Salvation Christ himself not only used the word of God in temptation and overcome the Devil by Scripture-weapons but also he was wonderfully servent in prayer Heb. 5. 7. In the days of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared I shall speak unto this Doctrin in this following order First give you a definition of prayer that you may know what ' t is Secondly Inform you what it is to pray always Thirdly Shew you why a Christians security lies in prayer Fourthly Give you some reasons why he should be always praying Fifthly Answer some Objections that are made against this Duty Lastly Make Application In the first place I am to give you a definition of prayer that you may understand the nature of it Damascen l. 3. de orth Fid. c. 24. give this description 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer is an assention of the mind unto God and asking those things which are convenient from him The mind must ascend as well as the voâ—â—â— and both must be directed unto God alone and those things only must be directed unto God alone and those things only must be desired which the wise and gracious God sees Oratio est actus rationis practicae voluntatis desiderium explicantis ab a liis aliquid postulantis Aquin in 2. 2. qu. 83. art 1. convenient Aquinus defines prayer an act of the practical understanding explaining the desire of the will and requesting something from another which being applied unto God amounts to thus much that both the mind and will do act in prayer the mind makes known what the will desires Psal 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thoe and my groaning is not hid from thee and then likewise there is an earnest craving to have this desire satisfied Psal 90. 14. Oh satisfie us early with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our days But a more full definition of prayer is this Prayer is a Duty performed unto God by sensible and believing Souls in which they ask for things according to his will in the name of Christ with thanksgiving for what already has been received This definition I shall take in pieces and explain the parts of it 1. Prayer is a Duty 't is part of that homage and worship which we owe to God this is evident by the light of nature the Heathen Marriners cryed unto the Lord for preservation in a Storm Jon. 1. but 't is more evident by Scripture light commands to pray are frequent And he that does restrain prayer casts off the fear of God and says unto the Almighty Depart from me Job 21. 14 15. Prayer is a Duty for we are obliged to it by a precept and that precept is for our profit we need help from Heaven and our wants that are of greatest concernment to be supplied can be supplyed by none
because he hath heard my Voyce and my supplication because he hath inclined his ear to me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live I have shewed you what we are to watch for in prayer In the fourth place I am to shew what manner of watching is required 1. Our watch must be very strict and this strictness will be acknowledg'd reasonable if we consider that prayer is a business of weight Life or Death Blessing or Cursing will follow according as we speed well or ill in prayer VVhen we come to the Throne of Grace we entreat for no less then the forgiveness of millions of offences the least of which if unpardon'd is sufficient to expose us to eternal condemnation we entreat for no less then grace and glory we deprecate no less then the anger of the Almighty and everlasting torments Surely we should be watchfull and full of care by all means to speed in a duty of such vast concernment 2. Our watch must be continued it must be before and in and after Prayer and all little enough 1. We must watch before prayer that every thing may Dimidium facti qui coepit habit Hot at be avoided and removed that may hinder the heart from preparing to have to do with God 't is not easie to enter rightly upon this duty 2. We must Watch in prayer Prayer is expressed in Scripture by the Metaphor of wrestling If the Wrestler watch not he prevails not but is easily foyld If we are not very vigilant all the while we are praying God whom we wrestle with will withdraw and we shall miss of the blessing and Satan that wrestles against us will presently fling us 3. We must watch after prayer We must trace our hearts and mark how they have behaved themselves we must observe and bemoan our failings and be thankful for assisting grace we must be the same upon our Leggs that we were upon our Knees and live according to our prayers In the fifth place follow the reasons why Watching is so necessary in prayer 1. God watches how this duty is performed and has denounced a Curse on those that do the work of the Lord negligently He narrowly observes where the thoughts are and how much of the heart and affection is in every prayer Hark to the Apostle Heb. 4. 13. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things even the thoughts and intents of the heart where of he had spoken in the verse fore-going are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do 2. Satan Watches in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isider Pelus l 2. Epist 24. a time of War there is the stricter watch Now our life is a warfare therefore we should be ever vigilant 1 Pet. 5. 8. Our Adversary the Devil goes about endeavouring to do all the mischief and to hinder all the good he can possibly Satan is very busie about us in prayer and if our unwatchfulness gives him but the least encouragement and advantage he presently spyes and takes it 3. Vnless we watch our hearts will deal treacherously they will start aside from God like deceitful Bows and the Arrow of Prayer will be far from hitting the mark but our Supplications will degenerate into meer formality whereas if we are intent and serious and do hoc agere mind our business while we are at prayer we shall undoubtedly make something of it I come at last to the Application Use 1. is of Reproof Two sorts of persons deserve and highly need as well as deserve a reprehension 1. The careless Hypocrite is to be Reproved The Scripture which has this preheminence above all other Laws that it binds the very Heart and Conscience does speak very terribly against Hypocrisy which is the hearts dissimulation and going away from God even when the external part of devotion is yeilded to him The folly of the praying Hypocrite will appear in these things 1. His Conscience is fast asleep in prayer and lets him even do what he pleases but this sleeping Lyon will at length awake at farthest Hell will awaken his Conscience and then 't will bitterly reproach him and never cease reproaching 2. The Hypocrite regards not the God he is praying to he is not awed by the Lords Majesty nor affected with his Mercy neither is he afraid of provoking him to jealousy but presumes upon God as if he were altogether such an one as himself Psal 50. 21 22. These things hast thou done and I kept silence and thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver 3. The Hypocrite regards not the things he is praying for nor himself that is concerned in prayer He is not Animus cujusque est quisque concerned for his soul which is most truly himself and though he prays for the favour of God for the Kingdom of God and deliverance from everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels yet he is so cold and heedless as if he were indifferent whether Heaven or Hell were his eternal abode 2. The drowsie and declining Saints are also to be reproved These having been once so thorowly awakened are more without Apology if they grow again unwatchful 1. The prayers of unwatchful Saints have very bad mixtures Oh the forgetfulness and fearlesness and weariness and mocking of the Lord that Believers under their declinings are to be charged with How neer do they come to the borders of unregeneracy how like are they to the unsound-hearted 2. The prayers of unwatchful Saints are very unprofitable Children they are but alas they improve not their Relation nor make serious application to their Father The Spirit is in them but they accept not of his strength and grace Prayer is not totally laid aside but little comes on 't because they do not vigorously engage in it 3. The prayers of unwatchful Saints are uncomfortable The Spirit is grieved by their carelesness and how can it be expected he should be a comforter to them Conscience is dis-satisfied and is continually grudging because they do not stir up themselves to lay hold on God when they call upon him Isa 64. 7. Much fear much bondage many secret gripes of spirit follow upon careless praying 4. The prayers of unwatchful Saints are so offensive that they may justly fear some stroke from God some smarting Rod to awaken the spirit of prayer in them Hos 5. 14. I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the House of Judah I even I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue him Now what was the reason of this severity it follows v. 15. In their affliction they will seek me early He thrust the Spur into their side and made them bleed to
unto prayer By the Word God speaks to you as by prayer you speak to him if you regard not Gods voyce how can you expect he should mind yours If you will not hear and obey â—he will not hear and grant what you request of him The Word should dwell richly in you Col. 3. 16. your delight should be in the Law of the Lord and in that Law should you meditate day and night Psal 1. 2. The Scriptures should be searched which shews they are a depth and all is not at first looking into them discovered you must seek here as for silver and search here as for hid treasure if you would understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Prov. 2. 4 5. How enlightning how enlivening how cleansing and transforming is the word of God How sweet and desirable are the Lords testimonies When the Spirit becomes the expositor of Scripture and opens the eyes too to behold wondrous things out of Gods Law and affects the heart oh then there is such efficacy profit and sweetness as is beyond comparison 4. Be liberal in this duty of secret prayer Pray with a forward and with a free spirit grudg not the time you spend here for this is the best way of turning time unto a good account Be sensible how good it is to draw nigh to God for the promise is if you draw nigh to God he will draw nigh to you Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye Sinners purifie your hearts ye double-minded Now Gods drawing near implies his being reconciled to us his manifesting his power and grace for our help and supply Oh theâ—â—fore go unto God with an holy eagerness who is so ready to meet you and to satiate the weary soul and to replenish every sorrowful soul Jer. 31. 25. We must be much and often with God for this is the way to come to an acquaintance with him and the better we are acquainted with him the more we shall love him and be sensible of his love to us Hark to what is said Job 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee 5. In secret prayer be very particular ease your Consciences by a particular innumeration of your Iniquities and the aggravations which have heightned them Make known all your wants before that God who has styled himself God All-sufficient fear not that the Lord will be weary of hearing or be backward to give a gracious return When you are alone with God you may use the greater freedom of speech this being particular will contribute much unto your brokenness of heart with which the Lord is well-pleased and also unto your own sensing of your manisold wants and making of you meet to be supplied 6. Look after secret prayer Stand upon your Watch-Tower and observe what answer is given The Merchant hearkens after the Ships that he sends to Sea When a Petition is presented to a Prince you wait what Answer will be returned Be thus wise in prayer if you speed not find out the Impediment if you do speed be encouraged by answers to act Faith in God and to persist in prayer Because he has inclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live says David Psal 116. 1. And let answers of prayer be matter of praise that Satan and Conscience may not accuse you of and God may not be angry at your ingratitude Thus of the Rules concerning secret prayer Now follow the Arguments to perswade unto it 1. Consider God sees in secret in secret places God sees for he fills both Heaven and Earth his Omnipresence is an evident demonstration of his Omniscience as he cannot be confined to any place so neither can he be excluded All things are open and naked before him Heb. 4. 13. And as his seeing in secret is matter of terrour to the Ungodly so of joy unto the Righteous David speaks both with wonder and with gladness Psal 139. 7 8 9 10. Whithef shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me In what secret corner soever you are God is with you all your sighs and groans your complaints and desires are taken notice of 2. Frequency in secret prayer is a great argument of Uprightness and Sincerity 'T is a sign you seek God himself when none but God knows of your seeking him What the Apostle speaks of the Jew may be applied unto the Christian He is not a Christian that is one outwardly but that is one inwardly not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much openly as in secret Rom. 2. 28 29. The praise of such is not of men but of God 3. Secret prayer is a marvellous way to thrive in grace and to grow rich towards God By this means Faith will grow exceedingly Love will abound and our Souls will prosper Some Trades-men keep a Shop and drive a Trade there and gain thereby but they have a secret way of trading which is not observed and by this they grow wealthy in a short space A Christian that is much in secret with God O how much does he gain such an one how good does he find the Lord how ready both to forgive and to give and he can set his Seal unto that truth that God is plentious in mercy unto all that call upon him Psal 86. 5. 4. Secret prayer is a means to fit for publick Ordinances They that are most upon their knees in the Closet will get most benefit in the Sanctuary The preparation of the heart is from God and he must in secret be sought unto to fit our spirits for solemn worship Those that before they come to hear pray that Gospel may come to them not in word only but in power also and the Holy Ghost and much assurance these are likely to find the Gospel working effectually and that 't is the power of God to their Salvation Rom. 1. 16. Those that before they come to the Table examine themselves alone beg that God would search them and are importunate for strength against every Corruption for all the fruits of Christ's sufferings for all the graces of the spirit are not likely to be sent away empty 5. Secret prayer is a means to keep the impression of publick duties upon the heart after the duties themselves are ended Your work is not over when publick Ordinances are over Has any sin been discovered and reproved you must go in secret and bewail it and cry out Lord let not this nor any iniquity have the dominion over me Psal 119. 133. Has any duty
We match Laodicea in Luke-warmness and what was said of langushing Sardis may be applied to us that we have a name to Live but are Dead Rev. 3. 1. In many Families all are stark stone Dead and there is a most impious and gross neglect of God and Duty and in other Families all are ready to dy lively services are rarely to be found Oh 't is high time to awake and vigorously to endeavour that in our houses the Lord may be served by all and that with all their Heart and all their Soul and all their mind and all their Strength I have done with Family-Prayer 3. Prayer in the publick Congregation and Assembly is to be spoken to Gods Temple of old was styled the House of Prayer Luk. 19. 46. because there his people met together to seek his Face Publick prayer is a great Ordinance and when rightly managed of great efficacy Now the Rules concerning publick prayer are these 1. These Prayers must be performed in a known Tongue that all may understand and be edified 1 Cor. 14. and they should be well expressed nothing that is raw unseemly or that borders upon nonsence or Blasphemy should be brought forth in the Assembly 2. Come at the very beginning To come late is both offensive to God and to serious Spirits and 't is to cheat and defraud your own Souls and when you are here let your gesture be reverent for God expects Worship and adoration from your whole man internal from Soul and external from the Body 3. Take heed of distraction when there are so many objects to divert you and your hearts are so exceeding slippery Remember Gods jealous Eye is fixed upon you and as he cannot be deceived so he cannot endure to be mocked by you Gal. 6. 7. 4. Take head of carnal desires in your publike Duties Let not your supplications be like â—hose of the Pharisees and Scribes of whom Christ sayes they made prayers onely for a pretence shew Luke 20. 47. The hypocrite is like the Birds of Prey which though they sore never so high towards Heaven yet their eye is still downward that they may catch something Be not seemingly devout in the Congregation that you may the more unsuspectedly be unjust in shops and secretly intemperate and unclean But be very sincere in your publick addresses unto God as knowing you have to do with him that sees not as man sees that judges not according to outward appearance but tries the heart and veins And to perswade you to this publike Prayer consider 1. God is hereby Acknowledged and Honoured His people hereby testify to the World that there is a Lord in Heaven whom they worship and from whom they have their expectation And indeed this is one reason of publick institutions that we may make a profession to the world whose we are and whom we serve 2. The Lord vouchsafes something to his people in the Sanctuary that elsewhere is not to be found David was in an admirable frame when he was in the Wilderness of Judah God was liberal to him both of Grace and Comfort but he is not satisfied because deprived of publick ordinances that were administred in the tabernacle therefore he crys out My Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psal 63. 1. 2. 3. The united prayers of many Saints togegether is stronger and more apt to pravail Uis unita fortior much fire together gives the greater heat and many waters joyned run with more violence and in like manner when a great congregation joyns together as one man to wrestle with God in prayer how Successful are they like to be Abraham alone had like to have prevail'd for Sodom but put the case there had been an assembly of righteous ones belonging to Sodom that had joyned with Abraham in prayer surely the City had been spared I have dispatched vocal Prayer which I divided into three kinds secret family and publick 2. In the second place I come to speak of Mental Prayer when the heart alone without the tongue is engaged Now this Mental prayer is two fold first more Solemn Secondly more Sudden and Ejaculatory 'T is lawfull and possible to pray alone with the heart in a more solemn manner truly in some places and in some circumstances words may not be so convenient to be uttered but where 't is convenient words should be used because 't is difficult to pray any while only in the heart and do it without roaving But Mental prayer that is more sudden and ejaculatory I shall a little dilate upon In this kind of prayer the Soul lifts up it self to God in some short desire and request Thus Moses cryed unto God Exod. 14. 15. and yet we read not of a word uttered Thus Nehemiah prayed when King Artaxerxes was speaking to him Neh. 2. 4. These holy ejaculations are the very breathings of the new creature they mightily help to keep down the lustings of the Flesh and to preserve us unspotted by the world or the unclean God of it but the heart hereby is kept close to the God of heaven Concerning this mental ejaculatory Prayer let these directions be observed 1. Let the heart frequently be sending up desires to God all true desires are observed are pleasing to him and shall be satisfied let these desires therefore be strong and principally after the greatest that is to say Spiritual blessings 2. In all your civil employments let your hearts ever and anon be thus engaged this will make and keep you Spiritual 't wil hinder your estrangment from God and your being ensnared by the unrighteous Mammon 3. Let every temptation at the very first be resisted by this kind of prayer thus watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation Mat. 26. 41. Oh sigh and groan to the God of all grace when you find Satan assaulting and a sinful and deceitfull heart ready to yeild that you may have grace to help in the time of need Heb. 4. ult 4. Let this sort of Prayer begin and end every duty sigh before for assistance and sigh afterwards for acceptance and that infirmities through Christ Jesus may be passed by and that you may obtain some Spiritual advantage by every ordinance 5. Begin and end every day with mental Prayer assoon as ever you awake there are many watching for your first thoughts Satan and sin and the world will have them if your Souls are not lifted up to the Lord. Let him be last likewise in your thoughts this is the way to lie down in Peace and Safety Psal 4. ult 6. Especially upon the Sabbath day ejaculatory prayer should be abundant you must not then think your own thoughts nor find your pleasures Holy desires should issue forth continually Sabbaths would be gainful seasons indeed were they but thus improved 7. Mix mental Praise and Prayer together Let your Souls and all that is
Gospel and also promises to bestow 4. In prayer we are to watch over our Consciences that they perform their Office faithfully Their Office is to observe and condemn every miscarriage to urge unto a more spiritual manner of praying and to be restless and unquiet if prayer be omitted upon any slight pretence or the Male in the Flock be not offered to the Lord but a corrupt thing A tender Conscience is a blessing that can never be sufficiently valued this will cause the best to be given unto God this will not be satisfied till God approves and commends and what a Heaven follows upon prayer when the Lord himself and his Officer Conscience are both pleased But if you grow unwatchful over our Consciences and suffer them to fall asleep and become feared a thousand faults in prayer will be winkt at nay we shall be but little reproached for the total omission of it 5. In prayer we are to watch over our affections the more of affection in prayer the more pleasing the duty will be to God and the more pleasant to him that performs it There is enough in the Lord to draw forth the very strength of our affections How great is his goodness how able and powerful is his Hand to save how unsearchable are the riches of his grace Eye has nâ—t seen ear has not heard neither has â—â— entred into the heart of man what he has prepared for those that wait upon him Isa 64. 4. We are inexcusable if all this move not our affections We should watch and observe when our affections do but begin to incline towards former Lovers and then compare those Lovers and the Lord together that other things may be contemned and our souls may even break for longing after God 6. In prayer we are to watch over our outward man our tongues and sences must be lookt to our tongues must speak reverently considering God is in Heaven and we on Earth Eccles 5. 2. and we must have warrant from Gods own word for the words we utter before him Our sences must be guarded else at the ear or eye especially something or other may enter that may disturb prayer and hinder it from being so fervent and effectual You see what we must watch over In the third place I am to shew what we must watch for in prayer 1. We must watch for fit seasons to pray There are some times and seasons in which God is neerer than at others and more ready to be sound of them that seek him this the Prophet intimates Esa 55. 6. Seek â—e the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near These seasons of grace and love are carefully to be observed and improved to the uttermost When the Lord came so near to Jacob as to suffer him to take hold of him that was a special season and Jacob was sensible of it and wrestles lonâ— and with an holy vigour he keeps his hold and would not let go till he had got the blessing Gen. 32. 29. That also was a special opportunity when the Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend Exod. 33. 11. Moses improves this and beggs for the Lords presence with him and with the people of Israel and having prevailed for this he adds further Lord I beseech thee shew me thy glory v. 18. Hereupon the Lord made his goodness to pass before him and proclaimed The Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering abundant in goodness and in truth keeping mercy for thousands fâ—rgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin 2. We must watch for Admonitions from Conscience unto Prayer When Conscience says Thou hast not yet prayed in secret now go and pour out thy heart before him that sees in secret Thou hast not yet pray'd in thy Family Call all of thy Houshold together and joyn in begging that the Lord would have mercy upon all Conscience is by no means to be dis-regarded but its admonition should be taken The Authority which the Lord allows to Conscience is great and its office is of a large extent Conscience is a Witness and a Judge and a Monitour As a Witness it takes notice of the evil which we do of the good which we refuse to do and likewise observes when we are careful of our duty As a Judg it acquits or condemns according as we have been either good and faithful or evil and sloathful Servants As a Monitour it tells us before hand of our duty and as we would avoid its Accusations and Reproaches we should not venture upon any sin which it crys out against nor neglect prayer or any other duty which it charges us to perform as we will answer it before God 3. We must watch for the motions of the spirit unto prayer When the Holy Ghost moves to this duty and his motions are heeded and obeyed we are to conclude that the same spirit which moves to prayer will assist in prayer 'T is a wonderful priviledge that the Spirit is sent unto the Churches and is speaking and striving for their good Every one should have an ear to hear what the spirit says Rev. 3. ult When the Spirit speaks concerning sin this is not the way therefore avoid it Oh do not this abominable thing which God haâ—es we must by no means consent to evil When the Spirit says concerning duty this is tâ—e way walk in it Esa 30. 31. we must by all means yeild unto that which is good If the Lord by his Spirit says Seek my Face with the greatest forwardness we should reply Thy Face Lord will we seek and he will not then hide his Face from us nor put his Servants away in anger The motions of the Spirit unto prayer are twofold Ordinary Extraordinary 1. There are more ordinary motions unto prayer 'T is the mind and will of the Spirit that our usual times for prayer of all sorts should be observed and though deadness and indisposition be never so great and our hearts draw back from the Throne of Grace yet we must go thither Experience teaches that where deadness at the beginning of prayer has seemed invincible yet of a sudden it has been removed and the duty has been carried on and concluded with more than ordinary enlargements The Israelites were commanded to go forward when they came to the red Sea they might have answered what would you have us march into the water and be drowned Well but forward they go and the water is dried up before them Exod. 14. So truly many times when about to pray there is great listlesness and many discouragements Yet we must go forward and engage in our duty and the Sea is dryed up before us these discouragements are removed 2. These are more extraordinary motions of the Spirit unto Prayer Upon some remarkable Providence either cross or kindness upon the hearing of some more than ordinary affecting Truths upon some special manifesttions by way of quickning and peace
pray one for another because God has commanded it it maintains love among them and the Strongest need the prayers of the Weaker How earnestly does the Apostle Paul beseech the believing Romans that they would strive together with him in their prayers to God for him Rom. 15. 30. But not a word of prayer directed to any departed Saint in Scripture And when Jacob was in distress and the Angels of God met him and he said this is God's Host but he begg'd nothing of them but wrestles with God himself and as a Prince prevailed 'T is a silly Objection that we use the mediation of great men when we have to do with Princes and therefore the Mediation of Angels and Saints is to be used when we have to do with God for the Lord grants free access unto all if they use Christ as a Mediatour and therefore the Mediation of Angels and Saints is needless We must pray you see in the Name of Christ and there are four things which we are to have an eye to 1. The satisfaction of Christ he has been wounded for Transgression he bare the Curse so that we may beg with confidence to be delivered from it He has made Peace by the blood of his Cross we have encouragement to beseech the Lord to be reconciled and that he would no longer be a Foe but a Father to us 2. We are to eye the purchase of Christ He has purchased all the blessings of the new Covenant Heaven it self is called a purchased Possession Eph 1. 14. Christ payd a price for it that it might be ours 'T is not only an act of Grace but an act of Righteousness in God considering what Christ has paid for to forgive Sin and to give Salvation 3. We are to eye the intercession of Christ Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them Our great high Priest is passed into the Heavens and his work is there to pray for Believers and his Father hears him always How can prayers miscarry that are backt with the intercession of such a one 4. We are to eye the strength of Christ and his assistance Rightly to pray is a matter of difficulty Christ by his Spirit is ready to help the infirmities of Believers so that notwithstanding all discouragement and opposition from within and from beneath they shall make something of this duty of prayer and obtain the blessing 7. In prayer there must be Thanksgiving for what has been already received Praise is the sublimest part of prayer Praise is a debt and how vast is the debt if we consider the multitude greatness freeness and continuance of mercies Praise sweetens prayer nothing more pleasing to God nothing more pleasant to our selves And to give thanks for benefits received is as effectual a way to prevail for more mercy as the most vehement and strongest cryes Oh therefore that all who pray would also praise the Lord for his â—oodness and for his wonderful works to the Children of men Psal 107. 8. Thus have I explained the definition and opened the nature of prayer to you In the second place I am to inform you what 't is to pray always this I have touched upon already but shall more fully speak to in these particulars 1. To pray always implies being always in a disposition and frame to pray when God requires it The heart must be reconciled to this duty and fall in love with it go to the Throne of Grace with alacrity much may be gotten at the mercy seat the unsearchable riches of Christ are unlocked and we may take as much as the hand of faith can grasp without being checked or upbraided The God whom we have to do with gives liberally and like himself Jam. 1. 5. The heart should be forward to pray and be weary of and through grace subdue move and more that evil which alas is present when good is about to be performed Rom. 7. 21. 2. To pray always implys laying hold of all opportunities to pray that are graciously vouchsafed to us Whenever there is a meet season and a motion to pray we should catch such an occasion by the fore-lock for when once 't is past 't is past recalling Stated times of prayer ordinarily should in no wise be neglected and when there are extraordinary calls to this duty they should by all means be heeded But here you must take heed of being imposed upon by Satan He is clearly for wearying you by spiritual extortion and pressing you to more of the external part of duty then God requires 'T will not be amiss to shew you the difference between Satans motions to pray and the Lords calling you thereunto 1. Satans motions are unseasonable when God calls to other duty When we in obedience to the Divine command are diligent in our calling of a sudden Satan will move to pray but by the unseasonableness of the motion we may discern whence it comes but the Spirits motions are regular 2. Satans motions to pray are unmerciful he would fain have Sinners not pray at all but if they will needs fall upon the duty he urges them to over doing and exacts so much as is apparently to the wasting and expending and destruction of nature and his design is to render prayer burthensome and at last to make it totally neglected But the Lord is merciful in his motions he requires that which is infinitely beneficial to the Soul and destructive austerities towards the body he no where requires 3. Satans motions to pray are commonly followed with some direful injections if they are not obeyed and what he injects has no Scripture-foundation He tells souls that they are Reprobate and will be damned if they do not what he unreasonably perswades whereas the word of God speaks no such matter Well then Satans motions are not to be minded 3. To pray always implies praying in every state and condition in Sickness in Health in Prosperity in Adversity prayer is to be used without prayer Sickness will be unsanctified and an uncomfortable load and if it be taken off 't will be in anger without prayer Health will be a judgment and only serve to encourage a neglect of the soul and another world Without prayer Adversity will be intolerable and Prosperity will be a snare and occasion forgetfulness of God and a daring to rebel against him No condition should cause a cessation of prayer for the Apostle says Pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5. 17. 4. To pray always implies Not to let fall any holy suite till it be granted We must not faint in prayer nor give over though we do not presently speed Luk. 18. 1. He spake a parable to them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Impor tunity prevailed with an unrighteous Judge surely then 't will be prevalent with the Father of mercies God does not presently grant
sometimes to try whether we duly esteem mercies and if we do we shall think them worth our while to pray still for them and wait till they are given 5. To pray always implies Not to give over praying while we are on Earth This Ordinance we must never be above for we always need to engage in it Our life is a continual warfare we have need to pray for defence and victory our knowledge and grace is imperfect we have need to pray for the increase of both and that we may be helped to press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God Phil. 3. 14. In the third place I am to tell you Why a Christians security lies in prayer 1. Prayer engages God on a Christians side He promises to hear the cry of the Righteous ones and hearing their cry implies the engaging of his power and goodness for their supply and safety In prayer there is an acting of holy desires unto which satisfaction is assured and there is an acting of trust and faith and God will shew himself strong in the behalf of them that flie unto his Name as to a Tower of defence and rely upon his everlasting Arm. He that believes and has his expectation from the Lord shall not be ashamed The Apostle sticks not to say Whosoever calleth on the Name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 12. that is whosoever calls with faith and fervency Such calling engages God for us if He be for us who can be against us Rom. 8. 31. Our Iniquities though never so strong he can easily subdue the world and the God of the world are weak compared with the Almighty He can deliver from the evil world from the evil one from every evil work and preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdom 2. Prayer Weakens the flesh with the affections and lusts of it Our great danger is from these homebred Enemies Our Lusts do war against our Souls 1 Pet. 2. 11. And the Apostle threatens Believers If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8. 13. What course does David take to obtain the Victory over his Corruptions he prays against them Cleanse me from secret faults Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins Let no Iniquity have the dominion over me Create in me a clean heart and uphold me with thy free Spirit These and such like were his crys and he did not cry in vain The Believer in prayer pleads that 't is for God's Honour to kill Corruption that 't is His declared Will even man's Sanctification that 't is His work to Sanctifie that He has promised to Sanctifie throughout in body Soul and spirit and he is faithful and therefore will do it 1 Thes 5. 23 24. He pleads that Christ died that he might Redeem and Purifie from Iniquity that he might cleanse his Church and present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it might be holy and without blemish Eph. 5. 27. and such pleas are effectual to the obtaining of grace and mortifying the deeds of the body 3. A Christians security lies in prayer for prayer obtains better things than the world can boast of Let the world allure by its strongest baits and present unto the Christian the greatest gains the sweetest pleasures yet Blessings more valuable are to be gotten at the Throne of Grace The heart in prayer is taken up with the thoughts of and eagerly desires after the priviledge of Reconciliation and Adoption Communion with God and the Communications of his Grace and Spirit an eternal weight of glory a Crown of life an enduring substance fulness of joy and pleasures for ever-more Psal 16 ult These are the things above that in prayer are sought and what are things below in comparison The heart that is placed on these is the better armed against the world as long as spiritual and eternal blessings are sEcured the world is neither desired nor dreaded by it 4. Prayer is an underminâ—ng of Satan The powers of Hell have felt the force of this duty Christ commands his Disciples to pray when he perceived the Devil about to winnow them Luk. 22. 40. Pray that ye enter not into Teâ—ptaâ—ion If as oft as we are assaulted by the Tempter we did but look unto the Lord for grace to help in the time of need temptation would be very unsuccesful Two things are done in prayer against Satan By our confession of sins this Accuser is silenced by Petition Grace is obtaâ—ned â—o withstand him 1. By confession of sin this Accuser is silenced Satan is styled the Acâ—user of the Brethren and to shew how malicious and eager he is in his Accusations he is said to accâ—se them day and night before God Rev. 12. 10. But in prayer Believers bring bills of Indictment against themselves not only all that Satan can truly lay to their charge do they also lay to their own charge but also all that God has against them they acknowledge they cover not their sins but confess and aggravate them they blame and judge themselves and how earnest are they that sin confessed may be pardoned and purged away by the blood of Christ Now Satans mouth is stopt his charge signifies nothing for thus confessing sin and looking unto Jesus for Clensing as well as Atonement God is faithful and just to forgive them their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness 1 Johâ— 1. 9. 2. By Petition Grace is obtained to withstand Satan The Apostle Paul when buffeted by the Devil falls to prayer and what answere has he The Lord said unto him my Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness And the Apostle is satified in this that the power of Christ did rest upon him 2 Cor. 12. 9. Prayer brings us to the God of Peace who has promisEd to tread Satan under our Feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. By Prayer Wisdom is derived from God and the more wise the Father of Lights makes us the better we understand the Devils wiles and his design is seen thorow which is to deceive to defile and at last to murther Souls And as Wisdom is increased so Faith and Love and Fear and other Graces by Prayer and the more we believe God the less credit shall we give the evil one the more we love God the more we shall hate that evil which we are tempted to The more we fear the Lord the more will our hearts be united to him and 't will be a matter of the greater difficulty to perswade us unto a departing from him 5. A Christians security lies in Prayer for Prayer is a great means to make every other Ordinance effectual for our safety and spiritual advantage The word of God and prayer are coupled together Acts. 6. 4. But we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word Our Sermons which we preach unto you should be beggâ—d from
119. 132. Look thou upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name Now though God be acquainted with our wants without our mentioning of them yet he will not look upon them so as to pitty and supply them unless we beg this pity unless we beg this supply When Israel groaned by Prayer unto God says he I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt that is I have lookt upon it with Sympathy and compassion and it follows I am come down to deliver them Act. 7. 34. Obj. 2. A second Objection is this Why should we pray since the God whom we have to do with is unchangeable can we work any alteration in him by our requests No the Scripture sayes with him is no variablenesse neither shaddow of turning Ans I answer Prayer makes not a change in God but a change in us it does not make him more mercifull and bountifull but disposes us for the receiving of his mercy and grace This notion you must all well understand that the design of prayer is not to make any alteration in God but to make an alteration in us that we may be fitted and made meet for those blessings which God has promised to give When God pardons any the change to speak properly is in the person pardoned he that before was an enemy is become a child Gods wrath is the same that 't was and his love the same that 't was only the person that before was out of Christ is now in Christ and is now loved whom before wrath did abide upon When we pray for grace and holynesse hereby we are more fitted for the receiving of it God alters not but we are altered oh much for the better when we are Sanctified This matter may be made more plain by this similitude Suppose a man ready to be drowned in the Sea a rope is cast out to him from a rock on the shore the man does not pull the rock nearer to himself or the rock stirs not but he pulls himself nearer to the rock and hereby he is saved God is our rock Prayer is our cord whereby we are drawn to him from whom alone Salvation is to be expected Obj. 3. A third Objection against prayer is this God has decreed what he will give and his decrees shall certainly stand firm and be accomplished He being infinitely wise in making them there cannot be imagined a reason why he himself should alter them and they cannot be altered by any other Ans I answer It must needs be granted that Gods decrees shall stand unmoveable but withall I add that he who has decreed to give grace and mercy has appointed prayer as a means to obtain them The means is subordinate to the end and comes under a decree as well as the end Therefore we are said to be elected or chosen to Holiness which does include the dutys of Holiness Eph. 1. 4. as well as to be ordained to eternal Life If God decrees a man shall live till he is 60 years of age he decrees that he shall use those means as food and the like which are necessary to the prolonging of his days And so God that does decree to give grace and pardon and glory decrees and appoints prayer and other duties to be performed After the Lord had promised much and declared his gracious purpose towards Israel to pardon renew heal and restore them He adds For all this will I be enquired of by the House of Israel to do this for them Ezek. 36. 37. You shall find that God's decree has not made the Saints esteem prayer needless but encouraged them to fervency therein Daniel understanding by Jeremiahs Prophecy that after seventy years Judah should be brought back from the Babylonish Captivity prays the more earnestly that they might be set at liberty and that the Sanctuary might be shone upon which lay desolate Dan. 9. 2 3. And David when he understood that God purposed to build him an Hous pray'd that God would do as he had spoken Obj. 4. Another Objection is this Wicked men have small encouragement to pray since their prayers are styled an abomination Ans I Answer 1. Wicked men are blamed for not pâ—aying however Psal 14. 4. Have all the workers of Iniquity no knwoledge who eat up my People as they eat Pread and call not upon the Lord. Prayer is a duty which Wicked men have an obligation to and they sin in the omission of it 2. If Wicked men totally cast off Prayer 't is apparent whether they are going they are going further and further from God and making hast in the broad way that leads unto destruction 3. While they are praying though they pray sorriâ—y yet they are using God ' Ordnance and there is the greater likelihood that God may pitty them and give his spirit to work upon them Object 5. Another objection is this God himself says I am found of them that sought me not I am made manifest to them that asked not after me Rom. 10. 20 â—ns I Answer 1. This place is to be understood concerning the Gentiles call to whom without their seeking the Apostles were sent to publish the glad tidings of Salvation 2. Though the Lord does prevent us by his goodness and does first offer himself to us yet always when he gives himself he gives an heart to desire after himself First He makes us to open our mouths wide and then fills us Psal 81. 10. First He causes a spiritual thirst and then he gives us to drink of the water of Life freely Ho every one that thirsteth come to the Waters come buy Wine and Milk without money and without price Isa 55. 1. No price is required only prayer and entreaty is to be used I come in the last place to the Application And if the Christians security lies so much in Praying Always The first Use is of Instruction concerning the extreme danger that Prayerless Souls are in 'T will be faithfulness and kindness to make such sensible of their danger therefore I shall a little stay upon it and manifest their peril in these particulars 1. Those that are strangers to prayer God is against them O dreadful what is God! and who are they who can stand before his indignation who can defend himself against that Arm that is Omnipotent The Mountains quake the Hills melt the Devils tremble before this God the whole world compared with him is but as the drop of the Bucket and the small dust upon the ballance and all the Inhabitants of the world are nothing less then nothing and vanity Esa 40. 15 17. Surely 't is fearful to have so glorious and great a God an Enemy But an Enemy he is unto all that count not his love and favour worth the praying for Those that will not intreat him to be reconciled 't is a sign they neither value his love nor fear his wrath and under wrath they are
unquestionably 2. Those that are strangers to prayer their mercies are not mercies indeed to them that threatning is fulfilled upon them Mal. 2. 2. I will send a Curse upon you and will Curse your Blessings Prayer will turn Curses into Blessings afflictions are part of the Curse inflicted because of sin but prayer alters the nature of them for the Sanctification of them being beg'd and granted they work together for the good of them that feel them Affliction yeilds the peaceable fruits of Righteousness to them that are exercised thereby says the Apostle On the other side where prayer is not blessings are a snare and the good things which are received work together for the harm and ruine of those that do enjoy them There is a spirit of slumber which has seized on them in the midst of their enjoyments and their Table their plenty their abundance becomes a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompence to them Rom. 11. 8 9. 3. Those that are strangers to prayer Satan is endeavouring their Ruine and there is none to hinder him Satan is said in Scripture to fill the hearts of the ungodly to keep possession of them and to work in the Children of disobedience The Devil is come down with great wrath and like a roaring Lyon he walketh about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. and truly he finds abundant prey for most watch not at all pray not at all against him Those that pray not are led Captive by Satan at his pleasure and they do not care or desire to have his snare broken nor themselves recovered 4. Those that are strangers to prayer how certain is it that continuing as they are they will miss of those great things revealed in the Gospel since they count them not worth their seeking The Gospel informs us of the one thing necessary of the Pearl of price of the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and this is the Law that is established that they who would have these things must seek them They that seek them not understand not their worth nor their own need and therefore certainly and justly go without them 5. Those that are strangers to prayer are in danger of meeting with a deaf ear when crys are extorted by Calamity Oh read and tremble Prov 1. 26 27 28. I will laugh at your Calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as â—â—hirl-wind when distress and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me The meaning is this that when crys are extorted meerly by distress and only the removal of Calamity is desired there being no true humiliation for sin nor desire to be reformed all such crys will be neglected If you will not seek the Lord while he may be found nor call upon him while he is near Isa 55. 6. when you cry in extremity he may be far off from you 6. Those that are strangers to prayer should consider that quickly the accepted time which they improve not will be past and then they shall beg but most certainly be denied We read in Scripture of Calls that no heed was given to When the foolish Virgins came after the door was shut and said Lord Lord open unto us Alas they speak too late the door was not opened but the reply is I know you not whence you are Mat. 25. 10 11 12. When the Rich man beg'd for a drop of water to cool his tongue being tormented in the flame this was not granted Luk. 16. 24 25 26. to intimate that not the least mitigation of torment in Hell is to be lookt for All at last will be ready to pray Lord open the door that lets into thy Kingdom and Glory Lord vouchsafe a little ease and respite in the midst of our excessive agonies and sorrows Oh but then God's ear will be shut eternally as well as Heaven gate and his mercy clean gone for ever What madness is it then to wast all our accepted time and not to come to the Throne of Grace before the day of grace comes to an end The second Use shall be of Caution Two things you are to be cautioned about 1. Take heed of resting in prayer it self in thâ— bare duty done Prayer is your security not in it self considered but because it leads you to the Rock that is higher then you Psal â—â— 2. Prayer puts you under the Lord's Wing and you are covered with his Feathers and his Truth becomes your Shield and Buckler They that rest in opere operato vainly imagining that speaking the words of prayer will help them they use prayer like a Charm and are unacquainted with the right manner of praying 2. Take heed of thinking that any kind of prayer will secure you and engage God for you Unbelieving prayers where Christ is not relyed on for Audience cold and careless prayers where the things pray'd for are not prized Hypocritical prayers where the heart is not indeed engaged will not reach God's ear will not fetch the blessing Sins bow will abide in strength notwithstanding these prayers nor will the strong holds of Satan be thrown down by them The third Use shall be of Exhortation unto this duty of prayer The Arguments to perswade you are these following 1. Scripture-Commands are very frequent which require this duty How often is prayer called for And not only the Lords Authority in these commands is to be regarded but also his goodness he does not require prayer that he may receive from us for he is so much above us that he needs us not nor our performances and so infinitely perfect that there can be no addition to the perfection of his being or his blessedness but therefore Lord call us to pray always Luk. 21. 36. to pray every where 1 Tim. 2. 8. to continue instant in prayer Rom. 12. 12. in every thing by prayer and supplication to make our requests known unto God Phil. 4. 6. because he is willing to give what we need and to communicate that mercy without which we must needs be miserable 2. The efficacy of prayer should perswade to prayer He that bids you seek his face if your hearts eccho back Thy face Lord will we seek will in no wise hide his face from you nor put you away in anger Psal 27 8 9. By prayer you may prevail with God for his love and being interested in that nothing will be denyed That the efficacy of prayer may be evident I shall imitate the Apostle speaking concerning Faith Heb. 11. and reckon up the wonders that have been the effects of prayer By prayer Abraham had saved Sodom though the cry of their sins was so loud and great if there had been ten Righteous persons in it by prayer he obtained a Son from God when his Wife Sarah was past Child-bearing By prayer Jacob was
delivered from the wrath of his Brother Esau Jonah by prayer out of the Whales belly and the three Children out of the seaven-times heated Babylonish Furnace By prayer David stayed the Plague so that it seized not on Jerusalem and caused the Sword of the destroying Angel to be put up into the Sheath again By prayer Elias stayed the Rain for three years and six moneths and by the same means opened the Bottles of Heaven that the Earth brought forth her Fruit By prayer he brought down fire which consumed the two Captains and their fifties that came to take him By prayer Joshua commanded the Sun and it stood still in Gibeon and the Moon in the Valley of Aijalon for the Lord hearkened to the voyce of a man and fought for Israel By prayer Daniel stopped the mouths of Lyons and came untouched out of the Den and by prayer Peter and Paul and Silas were delivered out of Prison Shackles Iron gates being but weak things to the power of supplications And what shall I more say for time would fail me as the Apostle speaks if I should tell of Samuel of Sampson of Jehoshaphat of the Prophets also and of the Apostles who by prayer procured thunder to destroy their Enemies out of weakness were made strong turned to â—â—ight the mighty Hosts of Adversaries the Dead they raised to life again made the Lame from the Womb to walk and leap healed Discases beyond the skill of art of Cure Behold prayers efficacy though performed by men of like passions with our selves this should perswade us to the love and practice of the duty 3. Who is it that would hinder you from prayer Who stands at your right hand to resist you certainly 't is an Enemy who is unwilling you should draw nigh to God because he knows 't is so good for you Psal 73. ult Your own hearts also are ready to draw back but this argues their egregious folly and desperate wickedness 4. What has followed upon the omission of prayer Has not this Omission ushered in sins of Commission have you not when you have neglected to cry for strength in your souls found your selves like Reuben unstable as water have you not easily been induced to do that which has fill'd the face of God with frowns and the mouth of Conscience with Reproaches On the other side has not prayer been with success sometimes have you not found encouragement grace at the mercy seat Oh do that which both bitter and sweet experience prompts you to 5. Prayer is an honourable employment in this duty you have admittance to the ear of the King of Heaven how high is your Company your fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 2. Though the Lord be high yet he hath respect unto the lowly he will regard the prayer of the most destitute and not despise it he allows you a freedom to pour out your complaints and to make known before him your troubles And what honour is this to have to do immediatly with God to have him so nigh to you in all that you call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. 6. Frequency and fervency in prayer will be a great evidence of your Regeneration and Adoption The Child when born crys and the Sinner when born again prays Of Paul 't was said as soon as he was Converted behold he prayeth Act. 9. 11. 'T is the Spirit of Adoption that makes us cry Abba Father If we cannot be satisfied unless we approach unto God and value his favour and fellowship above all Earthly things and are chiefly desirous of those blessings which he never gives in wrath and having given never takes away again we may conclude from our spiritual breathing our spiritual life Now a good evidence of Regeneration what will it be worth in a day of trouble in a dying hour The last Use shall be of Encouragement to Believers 1. Their prayers are Gods delight Prov. 15. 8. The Sacrifice of the Wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight so Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rock in the secret place of the stairs let me see thy Countenance let me hear thy Voyce for sweet is thy Voyce and thy Countenance is comely We are pleased with the talk and requests of our Children though their language be lisp'd and broken And God is infinitely more indulgent then earthly Parents are or can be and much more willing to give good things than they Mat. 7. 11. 2. There are many reasons why the God whom Believers pray to should secure them 1. They are his chosen ones God pitch'd his love on them before the foundation of the world was laid 2. They are his Sons purchase he has bought them with a price shed his Blood for the Remission of their sins gave his Life for their Ransom 3. They are in Covenant with God he has engaged to be their God and surely he will be their Guard also 4. They are Vessels of mercy in whom he does design to glorifie his grace and love for ever Surely then he will heed these when they pray he will give them the good they need and save them from the evil which makes them flye to him for shelter I have done with the first Doctrine That a Christians security lyes very much in Praying Always D. 2. All prayer is of concernment to be used praying always with all prayer says the Text. Prayer is a duty of very great extent and the parts of it are admirably suited unto the present State and condition of a Christian and the divers kinds of prayer very well agree with the various circumstances wherein we are All the ways of seeking God shall be to purpose if he be but sought diligently and according as he himself has appointed for he tells us plainly that he sayes Not to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Esa 45. 10. Two things I shall here insist on First I shall speak concerning the parts of prayer and shew you how all these parts are to be used Secondly I shall give you the several kinds of prayer and so perswade and direct you unto each kind that this duty may be performed in its utmost latitude I begin with the parts of Prayer and they are these 1. One part of Prayer is an humble compellation or naming of God Those titles that are given him in Scripture we must be acquainted with and such should be used as are most suitable unto the matter of our prayers and which have the greatest tendency to excite those gracious and spiritual affections which are required in our Supplications If we consult the prayers of Saints which are recorded in the Bible we shall find that God is called sometimes Lord sometimes Father sometimes the great and mighty and terrible God sometimes the King of Glory sometimes the high and lofty one that inhabits eternity whose Name is
himself and Christ his Son We are to beg that His Name may be Hallowed from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same that his Kingdom may come And that all on Earth may do his Will and submit unto the Scepter of his Word 6. Another part of Prayer is Imprecation Some are such that we are to desire the Lord would fight against them The evil Angels we may pray that the Lord will rebuke them and pull down that Kingdom of darkness under which the most of men are held in Bondage In reference to men we must be more sparing in our imprecations or wishing evil to them David and the other Prophets are not examples for us to follow in this matter for they knew by a prophetick Spirit Gods intensions concerning the persons that they pray'd against The general Rule which we ought to follow is this Mat. 5. 44. But I say unto you love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you this is to resemble God Who maketh his Sun to rise on the Evil and the Good We are to beg rather the conversion than the confusion of our Enemies and supposing they are implacable and incorrigble we must desire rather that they may be hindered from doing harm by their designes and power than that harm may come to them even when we pray against Antichrist whom we find devoted in Scripture to destruction we must have no private grudg against the persons of any but our Eye must be at Christs Honour that in Popery is so much struck at and at the advancement of the Gospel and of Zion 7. A seventh part of Prayer is Thanksgiving The Lords prayer ends with a doxology or giving Honour unto God Mat. 6. 13. for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for Ever To praise is to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Tongues of Angels All the Creatures that are visible are mute besides man He is the Worlds high Priest that should offer this Sacrifice of praise for all He is the Tongue of the Creation which should be sounding forth Gods goodness towards all How much does the Lord let forth unto us And shall we deny him the revenue of praise His Mercys are without number and his Love without motive and without measure When praise is offered he accounts himself Glorified Psal 50. ult therefore in every thing we should give Thanks for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us 1 Thes 5. 18. Thus have I gon over the parts of Prayer and none of these parts are needless In the second place I am to give you the several kinds of Prayer prayer is twofold Vocal when the Voice and Heart are joyned together Mental when the heart only is engaged 1. I shall speak of Vocal prayer when Tongue and Heart go together in this Duty There are several reasons why the Tongue is to be made use of in Prayer 1. With our Tongues we are to honour God and when they are thus employed speaking to him or of him or for him then they are our Glory As there are sins of the Tongue so duties of the Tongue too and as the Tongue of the Swearer Blasphemer filthy and foolish Talker is harsh and hateful to God so the Tongue of him that prays sincerely is pleasant Christ tell his Spouse that her Voice was sweet and her countenance comely 2. In praying with others words are necessary Some must be the mouth of the rest unto God 3. Words especially Scripture Language help to excite and stir up our affections and they serve to keep the Heart more intent upon the Duty This Vocal Prayer is threefold first Prayer in the Closet secondly Prayer in the Family thirdly Prayer in the publike Congregation and Assembly Of all these I shall speak in order 1. Prayer in the Closet That secret Prayer is the Lords Ordinance is very evident Mat. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut the Door pray unto thy Father which is in secret And as our Lord gave this Precept so he is our example in regard of secret Prayer Mar. 1. 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before Day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed Jacob was left alone and wrestled with God and had the name of Israel given him for as a Prince he had power with God and prevailed Gen. 32. 24 30. Now if you would be fully informed what this wrestling was compare the forecited place with Hos 12. 3 4. By his strength he had Power with God yea he had power over the Angel i. e. the Angel of the Covenant and prevailed He wept and made Supplication to him Now for the better managing of this sort of prayer lot these rules be observed diligently 1. Affect privacy be as secret as possible though we are not to be ashamed of any duty and though our light is to shine before men that they seeing our good works may glorifie our Father in Heaven yet a Christian is to do much out of the sight of others As long as God's Ear is open to the most whispering prayers what need is there that any other ear should hear a word which we speak When there is a desire that men should take notice of our prayers God takes no notice of them unless of the Hypocrisie in them to abominate them therefore we have that caution from the Lord Jesus Mat. 6. 5. And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the Streets that they may be seen of men verily I say unto you they have their reward 2. Take the fittest time for secret prayer the morning especially is to be chosen though once more in a day at least it should be your ordinary practice to pour out your hearts in private before the Lord. My Voyce shalt thou hear in the Morning says David In the Morning O Lord will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Psal 5. 3. If the Soul be serious in its address unto God in the beginning of the day 't is likely to have the more grace and strength to resist temptations and to walk with God all the day long 'T is better to be shorter in the Evening duties and larger in the Morning then the spirits are fresher and more abundant and the soul has not such clogs in its actings as it meets with when the body is spent and tyred But if something unavoidably fall out that you cannot pray at the time you desire and were wont be sure lay hold of some other opportunity and neglect not the duty altogether 3. Let the Word of God be lookt into and meditated on when prayer is made The Word will direct you quicken and encourage you
been made manifest you should go in secret and cry Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and make me to go in the path of thy Commandments Psal 119. 35 36. Have any gracious and holy resolutions by the motions of the spirit with the word been made you must go alone and beg Keep this O Lord for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of my heart and establish my heart unto thee 1 Chron. 29. 18. 6. Secret prayer is the way to have special tokens of Gods love and those joys that a stranger does not intermeddle with Oh the sweet meltings and thawings of the heart for sin as 't is an abuse of mercy that are experienced in secret prayer Oh the visits that then the great Physician of Souls does make How suitably and gently does he deal with the wounded spirit what assurance does he give that he will in no wise cast out but give rest unto the weary and heavy-laden Mat. 11. 28. Oh what peace is spoken to the Saints in answer to prayer what sweet intimations are given and sometimes a plerophory and full perswasion of their interest in that love which is unchangable and everlasting Surely the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psal 25. 14. 7. Consider God will reward openly This Argument Christ uses to enforce secret prayer Mat. 6. 6. Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly As all secret wickedness shall at last be detected and punished so all secret piety and godliness shall be made manifest before the whole world at the Judgment day and the reward will be exceeding great and everlasting So much be spoken concerning prayer in the Closet 2. Prayer in the Family is to be insisted on And that Family-prayer is a duty may be evidently proved by these Arguments 1. The Apostle in the Text enjoyns all prayer and Family-prayer is one kind that holy men have used Joshua resolves that he and his House would serve the Lord Josh 24. 15. and prayer is so principle a part of Divine Service that in Scripture 't is sometimes put for the whole Gen. 4. ult Then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord that is in a more publick manner to worship him So of Cornelius 't is said that he feared God with all his House and pray'd unto the Lord always Act. 10. 2. 2. Families of Believers are styled Churches in Scripture and in a Church there is a joyning together in prayer other exercises of Godliness The Apostle Paul wishes grace and peace to the Church in Philemons House Phil. 2. 3. and v. 22. speaks of their joynt-prayers through which he trusted he should be given to them 3. The Family stands in need of blessings which they are together to beg for and to deprecate Family evils And for encouragement Christ has promised that where two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them Mat. 18. 20. Now in Families-duties two or three are gathered together in Christs Name and his prefence may without presumption be expected 4. Wrath is threatned upon prayerless Families Pour out thy Fury upon the Families that call not upon thy Name Jer. 10. 25. I grant indeed that the word Families is of such a Latitude that it extends unto Countries and Kingdoms but if there be an obligation upon Countrys and Kingdoms to joyn in calling upon God surely then Familys more strictly taken are in no wife Exempted Having proved Family-Prayer a Duty I shall lay down some directions as to the performance of it 1. Be sensible that Prayer is a business of greater concernment than any wordly business whatsoever You are indeed to be diligent in your Callings that are particular but your general Callings is of greatest weight The general Calling is that which all are called to and what are all called to They are called to serve and glorifie God and to work out their own Salvation Prayer is a part of your Homage to the King of Heaven Much Spiritual and Eternal benefit is to be obtained by it therefore do it not as a by-business neither let every small matter cause the omission of it 2. Believe that success in your Callings depends upon the Lords Blessing the blessing of the Lord maketh Rich says Solomon and he addeth no Sorrow with it Prov. 10. 22. without thee t is in vain to rise up early and to sit up late and to eat the Bread of carefulness Now Prayer for this blessing is the way to fetch it I grant indeed that many thrive in the World without Prayer but then Wealth is a Curse and a Snare to them 't is a weight that hinders them from ascending into the Hill of the Lord and helps to sink them into destruction and perdition 3. Let Prayer ordinarily be twice a day as under the old Law there was a morning and evening Sacrifice and let the whole Family joyn in it if it be possible since there are none but need prayer and may receive advantage by it 4. Let the Word of God be read when Prayer is made that not only you but your housholds after you may be acquainted with the Misterys of the Gospel and with the will of God Abraham communicated what he had learned from the Lord unto his Family he used his Authority and commanded his Children and his Houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18. 19. 5. Take heed of customariness and formality in family-Worship engage always with a serious Spirit and in every Duty stir up your selves to take hold on God I conclude with the motives to perswade you to Family-Prayer 1. You that are Governours have a charge of the Souls that dwell under your Roof and must answer for them Therefore you are to pray with them to pray for them Else you will incur the guilt of the Blood of Souls and that will lie heavy You provide food for your Housholds for you are unwilling it should be said you are so much worse than Infidels as to suffer any to starve that dwels with you Oh what unmercifulness is it patiently to suffer those of your Houshold to go on in the way that leads to Damnation And not to call upon the Lord in their hearing that they may be saved 2. Families are the Seminaries both of Church and State And therefore as you desire the Church may be pure and the State Righteous look well unto your Families and let Religion flourish in them Reformation indeed must begin at Persons and if every one would mend one all would be reformed But from persons it must proceed to houses And if these were but once leavened with godlyness what holy Citys and what an happy Nation would there be 3. Consider Family-Worship has wofully been neglected of late in these declining times How many large consciences loose principles and loose practises are there to be found among us
performance of it 3. The Spirit encourages unto prayer he lets Believers understand that now is the accepted time that now is the day of Salvaâ—ion 2 Cor. 6. 2. Wherefore he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted in a day of Salvation have I succoured thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of Salvation Though the Lord should have been sought much sooner yet 't is not too late to seek him now he will be found by the hearty seeker such seeking shall not be in vain Deut. 4. 29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul 4. The Spirit enables Believers to act those graces that are required in prayer There are four graces especially that should be exercised in our supplications Humility Faith Love Patience 1. Humility The Lord has a special regard to the Humble whereas the Proud he knows afar of and has threatned to resist the Proud The humble soul has high and awfull apprehensions of God in prayer and mean very mean thoughts of it self Abraham was humble when he said Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Jer. 18. 27. Job was humble when he said Mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self The good Angels themselves are humble though never in the least offenders the Cherubins cover their faces with their wings and cry out holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is filled with his glory How vile then should we be in our own eyes who by our guilt are so obnoxious who have so many soul spots and stains upon our souls which are the effects of sin nay whose very Righteousnesses are but as filthy raggs Isa 64. 6. 2. Faith is to be acted in prayer and truly we may come with confidence to the Throne of Grace if we consider the power of God which is not only most Mighty but Almighty I am God Almighty saith the Lord to Abraham the Father of the Faithful He can do more for us than we can desire should be done for us Nothing is too hard for him and although all other helps fail he needs them not his Arm when alone can bring Salvation Isa 59. 16. This power of God may safely be relyed on for he is also full of mercy Psal 62. ult God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth unto God also unto thee belongeth mercy David was encouraged by this in his supplications Psal 25. 6. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been ever of old And we have not only an intimation of Gods merciful nature but in his Covenant he has promised to shew mercy for this he delights in and Christ is the Mediatour of this Covenant so that 't is most sure Hark to the Apostle Heb. 8. 10. 12. This is the Covenant that I will make saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their minds and write them in their hearts I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people for I will be merciful to their Unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more 3. Love is to be acted in prayer there must be a love to our Neighbour and they must from the heart be forgiven that have Tres-passed against us shall we think much of a few Pence when we are Debtors many thousand Talents But principally there must be love to the Lord expressed in prayer his favour and fellowship with him must be longed for the sâ—ul must thirst for God for the liviâ—g God as the chased Hart after the water-brooks 42. 1 2. And when he does manifest himself he must be rejoyced and delighted in and his grace admired whatever is received 4. Patience is also to be acted in prayer there must be a patient waiting in this duty a right understanding of Gods Wisdom and Faithfulness that he knows what and when to give and will do it in the best both time and measure will be a great means to cure our over-hastiness David is to be imitated who said I waited patiently for the Lord and he lost nothing by it for it follows He inclined his ear unto me and heard my cry Psal 40. 1. These are the graces which the Spirit enables Believers to act in prayer 5. The Spirit directs Believers unto Christ as the alone prevailing Advocate We are said to have access to the Father by the Spirit and through the Son Eph. 2. 18. The Spirit leads us to Christ as the Mediator who is the way unto God The Spirit shews that God having given Christ has opened through him the treasurâ—s of his grace and for his sake will give freely all things The Spirit still is turning the eye of the Believer towards the Lord Jesus and in prayer instructs us how to improve his relation to us who is bone of our bone flesh of our flesh and is become an Head and Husband to us How to improve his sufferings by which all that we need has been procured How to improve his Intercession which as 't is incessant so 't is never denyed and finally How to improve his Power and Authority for he can do what he will both in Heaven and in Earth He is the Prince of Peace and the Lord of Life and Glory he can give Peace and Life and Glory to whom he pleaseth 6. The Spirit makes Believers sincere in their aimes when they pray They design the Hallowing and Honouring of Gods Name as well as their own welfare They beg for pardon and grace not only because 't is good for themselves to have these but likewise because the Lord glorisies his grace and mercy and goodness in forgiving and healing and saving those that cry and fly to him Thus you see what 't is to pray in the Spirit and consequently it does not lye barely either in fluency of utterance or in variety of expressions or in multitude of words Now follow the Reasons of the Doctrine and they are of two sorts First Why our own spirits should engage in prayer 1. Because God is a spirit our Lord assigns this as a Reason why worship should be in spirit because God is a Spirit who is worshipped 2. He principally requires our spirits My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. And truly he does narrowly observe where our hearts are when we are at prayer and no wonder for our spirits are most capable of serving him To admire fear love trust in him these are the principal ways of worshipping him and this is done with the heart 3. Without our spirits prayer is but a mockery If when the Lord is honoured with the mouth the heart be far from him God says in vain do they worship me and I will not hold them guiltless And this you may observe that when our hearts are not engaged
with and watch against his wiles and do our duty without crediting or regarding his instigations 3. When praying we must watch against the cares of this world Our Lord cautions against over solicitousness What we shall eat what we shall drink wherewithal we shall be clothed as that which would hinder us from secking the kingdom of God and his Righteousness Mat. 6. 32 33. Earthly care will allow but little or no time to Prayer and does very much distract the Heart in that duty Worldly projects make bold to come into the thoughts and secular business and imployments are minded even then when the Lord seems to be Worshiped Surely t is our wisdom to heed the Apostle Phil. 4. 6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Prayer is an Antidote against Preces hirado curarum Luther this care as this care is an impediment unto Prayer 4. When Praying we must watch against the pleasures of this Life there is a strange proneness to those pleasures wherewith the senses are gratified to bewitch the heart and if these are loved and admired prayer will be irksome and unpleasant and we shall easily be drawn wholly to neglect that which we do not at all like She that continued in prayer and supplication was not one that lived in pleasure 1 Tim. 5. 5 6. Watch against pleasures which are but for a season and when they are ended Torments follow that will never end We read of that rich man in the Gospel that was clothed in Purple and fine Linnen and fared sumptiously and diliciously every day we read I say that he feasted but not that he prayed till be was in the place of torment Pleasure before hindred prayer torment forced him to pray but alas it was then too late Despise sensual pleasures and when they are presented to entice thee scorn them In the Lord and Prayer infinitely truer and more solid delight is to be found 5. When praying we must Watch against deceitful Riches Christ sayes we cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6. 24. If the Love of Money be the root of Evil as the Apostle affirms then it must needs be an hindrance to Duty Moses had low thoughts of the Treasures of Egypt nay lookt upon the very reproach of Christ as greater Riches Heb. 11. if any are deceived by such treasure and grow eager after it 't will certainly hinder them from seeing him that is invisible and from diligently seeking him One great reason why many pray so seldom and so coldly is worldly mindedness they are altogether for growing rich in the world so their desires are simall of growing rich towards God Luther was a man much and mighty in prayer he spent three hours a day constantly herein But he was also eminent for his contempt of riches And therefore when one said Why dont ye stop Luthers mouth against the Pope by some preferment 't was answered That German-â—east Melc Adamus in vitâ Lutheri he should have said that German-Saint does not care for Silver 6. When praying we must watch against the sins that do most easily be set us The sin of our Constitution the sin of our Calling the sin which has naturally the greatest interest in our love is the Arch-rebel against God and our chief Enemy and upon the least unwatchfulness this sin will prevail and upon its prevailing backwardness to prayer and deadness in it will be the consequent and not only the sin that doth so easily beset us but every weight must be laid aside Heb. 12. 1. If we would with freedom converse with God in prayer every Iniquity allowed of defiles the soul and separates between the Lord and us and unfits for communion with him therefore we must Watch and strive against all sin without exception In the second place I am to inform you what in prayer we are to Watch over 1. In prayer we are to watch over our thoughts 'T is a Proverb but none of Solomons nor a wise one that thoughts are free God sees the thoughts and the wicked must forsake not his way only but his thoughts if he will return to the Lord and partake of mercy Esa 55. 7. If the thoughts are not watched over there may be so many thoughts so many sins and guilt hereby vastly increased Thoughts are very quick and fleet things and great is the natural Vanity Impertinency and Confusedness and â—infulness of them If there be no eye to them nay if the eye be not very careful prayer may be made and the God pray'd to not thought on all the while Right prayer is hard labour and the labour lies very much about the thoughts in fixing them upon God in keeping out vain imaginations and expelling them as soon as notice is taken of their intrusion 2. In prayer we are to watch over our reasoning faculty There are certain reasonings which the Apostle calls high things that exalt themselves against the knowledg of God which must be brought into Captivity 2 Cor. 10. 5. We must not be peremptory in arguing determining that this and that and t'other is good for us but refer our selves to his Wisdom and good pleasure who does all things for his people bene sapienter both well and wisely And as we must not lean to our own understandings in judging what temporal mercies are most convenient so neither are we to grow so bold and presumptuous as to reason against any of the attributes or promises of God nor any part of his will which he has revealed The Lord has proclaimed himself gracious to his People terrible to his Enemies we must pray on and believe this though Enemies are high and his Church never so much oppressed though providences do seem never so much to thwart Gods promises yet we must believe that God is faithful in his promises and pray and wait for their accomplishment Finally we must not reason against any part of his will but though his commands are never so strictly holy we must approve of them and beg grace to keep them 3. In prayer we are to watch over our hearts Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4. 23. Heed must be taken that there be no jarring between our wills and the Will of God for his Will is holy just and good ours therefore should always comply with his As the Eccho answers and returns the Voyce so should our wills complying answer Gods Will commanding This you may observe in David a man after Gods own heart Psal 27. 8. The Lord says seek ye my face Davids heart ecchoes back Thy face Lord will I seek so Psal 119. 4 5. the Lord Commands to keep his precepts diligently Davids eccho is Oh that my ways were directed that I might keep thy Statutes We must see to our hearts in prayer that they be sincere in hating what the Lord abhors and in chusing what he offers in the
good work Reprobate Mercies do not melt them judgments do not break them and Oh how little have all the means of Grace mended them There is so much of pride of atheisin infidelity impurity earthlyness hatred of the Lord and Holiness stubornness obstinacy by nature in our hearts that we are not able to mention or conceive the thousandth part of it Oh what cause have we to be earnest for that new heart and that new spirit which is promised in thy new new Covenant We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousness are but filthy Raggs the corruption of our natures defiles our very best Duties Satan is not to be blamed so much for tempting as our hearts for yeilding unto his Temptation The best of us have as sinful natures as the worst of men Actual sin is to be confessed after this manner VVho can tell how oft he has offended who can understand his errours O Lord I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee for my iniquities are increased over my head and my trespass is grown up unto the Heavens VVho can number the Stars of the Sky the sands of the Sea or the days of Eternity or reckon up his sins in order before thee I was an early sinner a transgressor from the VVomb and have not left off sinning to this very day I have broken thy Laws though they are so holy just and good I have counted the yoak heavy though thy Commandments are so far from being grievous that they are more to be desired than the finest Gold and sweeter than the Hony and the hony Comb. How far have I been from loving the Lord with all my heart with all my soul with all my mind with all my strength Nay insteed of this I have been an hater of God and secretly wished there were no God to punish sin that I might have sinned with greater freedom I have been a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God Be astonished O ye Heavens at this for I have committed two great evils I have forsaken the Fountain of living waters and have hewn out unto my self Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water I have not worshipped thee in Spirit and in Truth without fear of thy jealousie I have mocked thee to thy Face I have been a meer Idolater for I have idolized the world and the things of the world which are vanity and have forgotten the alsufficient God days without number I have taken thy Name in vain and prophaned thy Sabboths which thou hast so strictly commanded I should remember to keep holy I have wofully failed in my Duty to my Neighbour though I ought and was bound to love him as my self I have sinned against the Gospel it self though it contain the best tidings that ever were brought unto the sons of men How shall I escape who have neglected so great Salvation I have out-done the very Devils themselves they never rejected mercy for 't was never offered to them they never refused a Saviour for no Saviour was ever sent to visit and recover them Lord I have not believed as I ought the report of the Gospel though it be so faithful and worthy of all acceptation How long have I lived without Christ without Hope and without God in the world Thou hast out-bid all others and hast offered infinitely better things than the world can thou hast offered pardon grace nay glory honour and Immortality and yet the offer has been despised I have been apt to count the Gospel foolishness though it be the wisdom of God and a Mystery which the Angels admire and desire to look into I have not hearkned to the Voyce of the great Prophet I have not reverenced thy Son who has spoken to me and therefore deserve to be cut off from among thy people Thy Son is a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconcilation for the sins of the people He has called upon me to come to him for rest but I would not come that I might have life His Righteousness is a perfect and everlasting Righteousness yet I have gon about to establish my own righteousness and have not submitted my self to the righteousness of God I have placed a carnal confidence in my own strength though it be but meer weakness and relied upon my duties though God might damn me for the best of them if he should be extream to mark what 's amiss in them The Lord Jesus is incomparably the best master but I have refused to obey I have called him Lord Lord but have not don the things that he sayes I have refused to take his Yoak upon me though his yoak be an easie yoak and his burthen so light a burthen his service I have not liked though 't is perfect freedom I have broke his bands asunder and cast away his cords from me I deserve to be dash'd in peices by his iron Rod who refused to submit unto the scepter of his word I have been called to repent and encouraged thereunto but have remained impenitent I have made my heart like an adamant stone and refused to be ashamed Sin was the cause of Christs sufferings it makes the whole creation groan 't is that which has murthered millions of Souls 't is the cause of all the horrour and despair and sorrows and torment which the damned undergo and yet how light a matter have I esteemed it Ah! fool that I have been to make a mock of sin and count it a pastime to do wickedly My sins O Lord are highly aggravated Light is come into the world but I have loved darkness more then light because my deeds are evil Thy will has been plainly told me and I have known my duty and yet have done the contrary and deserves to be beaten with many stripes I have had experience of the riches of thy goodness and forbearance and long suffering and yet all has not lead me to repentance When fair means prevailed not thou hast tried foul But though then hast smitten me I have not grieved thou hast even consumed me but I have refused to receive correction I have made my Face harder than a Rock and have refused to return The Spirit has striven with me but like a stifnecked wretch I have resisted the holy Ghost and thou mightest justly resolve he should strive no more with me We judg O Lord and condemn our selves in thy presence Thou really and truly hatest sinne in us as well as others Thou sparedst not the Angels that sinned against thee Thou sparedst not the Old World but didst bring the Floud upon them Thou didst turn the Cities of Sâ—dom and Gomorrah to ashes Nay thy Son himself was not spared when sin was laid to his charge Oh what a wonder of mercy is it that we are spared to this day We deserve the sorest of temporal Judgments Thou mightest appoint over us Terrour Consumption and the burning-Ague we have