take that liberty when alone which would be unseemly in the presence of others They may now kneel and anon stand 〈…〉 6 〈◊〉 41.11.14 and then walk and so turn from one gesture to another as they find it will be more helpfull to them for the end already mentioned Yea I doubt not but in case of great straitness upon their spirits they may make a stand or pause till they have by meditation recovered some new matter to continue the Duty They may turn from Prayer to Reading and from Reading again to Prayer from Prayer to Meditation and from Meditation again to Prayer as they see good Jerome doth somewhere relate how that finding himself sluggish and dead in Prayer he left speaking to God and fell a speaking to his own heart Think O my soul says he did Daniel thus pray when he was in the Lions den or Jonah when he was in the Whales belly Did the penitent Thief thus pray when he was upon the Cross c. And then he tells us that he went to Prayer afresh when he had first roused up himself by these and such like considerations 2. Choose such a place to pray in as is most convenient for this Duty Find out such a place if thou canst where thou mayest not be disturbed by any noise in thine ears nor be diverted by any object before thine eyes When thou prayest says Christ enter into thy Closet This counsel of Christ doth intimate That Christians when they pray should have respect to the place in which they pray the more close the more convenient He adviseth further to shut the door lest the wind of Vain-glory should come in thereat Our secret seeking of God should not be open or visible to any else but God 'T is true when Daniel prayed he see his window open but it was to shew his Faith as one observes not his pride Some may say This Rule doth not reach us we have no variety of Rooms to retire into poor people and servants and such like will be ready to say as it is in the Proverb We have Hobsons choice But to such I would reply Is there no garden nor grove nor field near you into which you may with-draw Why cannot you with Isaac go forth at eventide or in the morning to meditate and to pray x V. Luâ— 5.16 6.12 22.41 Matt. 14.23 Read what Christ did Mark 1.35 and surely t is recorded for our imitation t is said That in the morning a great while before day he arose and departed into a solitary place to pray 3 It may conduce to the quickning of thee to use thy voice in secret Prayer Not that God is taken with words a few sincere sighs from the heart do more affect him then the most Rhetoricall expressions of the tongue But though words do not move God in Prayer yet experience teacheth they sometime move him that prayes The Church says in the Lamentations that her eye did affect her heart the same can many a Christian say of his y Verbis â—â—us est inâ—â—r orandum ad excitaudos nos alioquin Deus verbis non indiget Aretius Vox interdum non absque fructu ' adhibetur quoniam in precibus nonnunquam langue cimus animus ipse desatigatur unde vor interposita nos excitat quodammodo resicit Pet. Mart. loci communes Clas 3. cap. 13. tongue that it serves to affect and quicken his heart in this duty Here I had need to give this caution That as Christians should not pray to be seen of men so they should not speak in Prayer to be heard of men If such are not Hypocrites yet they will hardly escape the censure of Hypocrifie These ten are the principal helps and directions according to the knowledge and experience that I have for the lively performance of this great duty of secret Prayer I might offer more but that I have already exceeded the ordinary limits of a Letter Onely remember this to be thorowly senfible of those things for which thou makest thy prayer unto God This alone may quicken thee How affectionately do they ask an almes who see they must starve without it Deadness in Prayer ariseth from want of a deep sence of thy wants Remember also to set their examples before your eyes who have performed this duty with life enlargement and importunity Think you saw Jacob z Gâ—n 32.24 Hos 12.3 wrestling with God and putting forth all his strength in Prayer Think you saw Elias praying earnestly and a 1 King 18.42 putting his face between his knees Imagine you saw Christ groveling upon the ground in the garden b Hâ—b 5.1 offering up supplications with strong cryes and tears repeating that request again and again c Mat. 26.34 Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me Call to mind the poor Widdows importunity or impudency as the word signifies who would have no nay d Magis ducimue exemplâ—s quam praeceptis Examples sway with us more sometimes then any rules or precepts If none of all this will help thee then fall down before God bewailing thy deadness confessing thy sluggishness say as they in Isiah e Isa 64.7 I have not call'd upon God nor stirred up my self to take hold of him O how like a dead Dog am I before the Lord Will the living God accept of such dead duties as mine are On how justly may God be angry with and shut out my Prayers f â—â—ui friâ—ide rogaâ— docet ne gare by my coldness in asking I even prompt God to deny me Yea not onely bemoan but chide thy self say Why art thou so dead O my Soul and why art thou so sottish within me Rowse up thy self g Judg. 5. â—â— as ' Deborah did Say Awake awake O my soul awake awake Bespeak thy self as the Shipmaster did the Prophet Jonah h Jonah 1.6 What meanest thou O sluggard arise call upon thy God Lastly Lift up strong cryes mingled with tears if thou canst unto God that he would lend his helping hand as David did Psal 80.18 Quicken me O Lord to call upon thy Name Send thy quickning Spirit unto my heart How i Ten times oft doth David make this request in the 119 Psalm ever now and then this request comes in Quicken me O Lord Quicken me according to thy Word Quicken me according to thy righteousness Quicken me for thy names saâ—e c. 'T is not a vain repetition but a plain manifestation both of his great need and of his earnest desire of this blessing Thus you see how large a Letter I have written to you with mine own hand If by these hints you are any way helped to pray you are the more obliged to remember him in your Prayers who is Yours in any Christian Office R. M. Books Princed for and sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Three Growns at the lower end of Cheapside over against the great Conduit THe Christian mans Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones Business wherein the Nature and Necessity of it is discovered as also the Christian directed how he may perform it in Religious Duties Natural Actions his Particular Vocation his Family Directions and hâ—â— own Recreation to be read in Families for their Instruction and Edification The first Part. Likewise the second Part of the Christian mans Calling directing Christians how to make Religion their Business in the Relations of Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants in Prosperity in Adversity The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration or a Treatise containing the Nature Necessity Marks and Means of Regeneration as also the Duty of the Regenerate The Beauty of Magistracy in an Exposition of the 82 Psalm where is see forth the Necessity Vtility Dignity Duty and Mirality of Magistrates The Fading of the Flesh and the Flontishing of Faith or one Cast for Eternity with the onely way to throw it well Heaven and Hell Epitomized or the true Christian Characterized There is coming to the Press the Third and last Part of the Christian-mans Calling wherein the Christian is directed how to make Relig on his Business in his dealings with all men in the Choice of his Companions in his carriage in Good Company in Bad Company in Solitariness or when he is alone on a Week-day from morning to night in visiting the Sick on a dying Bed as also the Means how a Christian may do this and some Motives to it All written by George Swinnock M. A. late of Great Kimbol in Buckingham-shire
ΚΡΥΠΤΕΥΧΟΛΟΓΙΑ Or A Plain ANSWER To this Practical Question What course may a Christian take to have his Heart quickned and enlarged in the Duty of Secret Prayer By RICHARD MAYO late of Kingston upon Thames Psalm 80.18 Quicken us O Lord and we will call upon thy Name LONDON Printed by D. Maxwel for Thomas Parkhurst at the Sign of the Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1664. To the Reader Reader I Was the more willing to print this Letter though penn'd at first for the closet of a particular friend and not in a fit dress to come abroad because it contains an Answer to a Question that every Christian is ready to ask and none so far as I can learn did ever yet undertake to resolve or if any have obliquely touched it never any did directly handle it A small Structure must not have a great Porch I shall onely suggest these two praeliminary Exhortations 1. Be much in the duty of secret Prayer be as constant at it as at your a Morning evening and noon-daye So David Joachim the father of the Virgin Mary used to say That Prayer was his meat and drink See Daniels practice Dan. 6.10 meals Amongst many motives this is one 'T is a Duty wherein God doth ordinarily make the greatest discoveries of himself Joseph and his brethren were alone when he made himself known to them The secrets of the Lord are usually revealed unto his people when they are seeking him in secret then 't is that he gives them his b O anima sancta sola esto anne nescis verecundum te habere sponsum loves when they fall down upon their knees unto him he falls upon their necks and kisseth them c Nunquam 〈◊〉 solus quam 〈◊〉 solus They are never less alone then when alone 2. Be warm and lively in the Duty A dead Prayer is no more accepted with God then of old the offering up of a beast that was found dead in a ditch The Ass under the Law was not to be offered unto God but his neck must be broke not that God was angry with that creature which was the workmanship of his hands but to shew how distastfull a dull and a dead heart is to him in his service Sometimes Christians go to Prayer as sick persons to their meals because they must eat and 't is dinner-time and the like not that they desire or delight in their food or find any refreshment thereby If it be thus with thee in reference to Prayer thou art greatly distempered thy condition is very dangerous therefore look out speedily for help May this following Letter contribute something thereunto the Lord set in with it for that end A Plain ANSWER To this Practical Question What course may a Christian take to have his heart quickned and enlarged in the Duty of Secret Prayer Christian Friend YOur Question savours of a Spirit truly gracious It supposeth you already convinced of and perswaded to the practice of that necessary though neglected Duty of Secret Prayer It shews you do not take up with a bare performance of Duty as too many do not caring how or in what manner it be performed It argues you would present God with the male of your flock and not put him off with a corrupt thing These are good signs of sincerity I could heartily wish that all Christians would follow your example to propose such profitable questions as may promote piety and to avoid such a 〈…〉 foolish questions as do engender strifes I would not be wanting to you in so pious a request as this is And oh that I could say that b 1 Joh. c. 3. What I here declare unto you I have seen and felt my self that what is here exprest is the same which I my self have experienc'd It is besides your desire and my design to write concerning the duty of secret Prayer at large to open the nature of it to shew the necessity of it to lay down Arguments to move you to it to advise in what manner you should manage it namely with faith with servency with humility with sincerity with constancy with watchfulness in the Spirit and the like this work is done to my hand in many Treatises and those extant some of them c Cobbet his practical discourse of Prayer Philip Goodwin his Family Religion revived from pag. 149 to p â—15 in our own Language I shall therefore strictly keep to the Question propounded which I acknowledge is of greatest concernment God is a living God and they that worship him must worship him with warmth and d Ejusmodi cultum probat Deus qui ejus naturae congruit Cal. in Joh. 4 23. life such supplaints he seeketh after Meet helps then in this case are such as follow 1. Remember to observe the fittest seasons for the performance of this duty Though a Christian is to pray at all times yet at all times he is not alike sit for Prayer This you find by experienceâ— As many a fair Child is lost by an untimely birth so many a good duty is marr'd by an undue timing of it Of many apt seasons I shall mention these three 1. When you meet with any new occurrence of Providence Every fresh dispensation of Providence is a provocation unto Prayer When any affliction befals thee then fall down before God and humble thy self under his afflicting hand e Jam. 5.13 Praesâ—â—tim cuâ—andum est quoties alâ—quá rerum anâ—ustia aut ipsi premimur aut premi alioâ— videmus ut ad Dâ—um citatis non pedibus sed animis recurrâ—mus Dâ—inde ae quam aut nostram aut aliorum prospcritatem praeterire simamus quin laude ac gratiarum actionâ— manum ejus agnoscere nos testemur Cal. Instit lib. 3. Is any amongst you afflicted let him pray says the Apostle that is let him then do it more especially then there is a fit opportunity for it Again when any fresh mercy is conferred upon thee then it is a fit season to go aside and to acknowledge thine unworthiness and to express thy thankfulness See an excellent instance for this in 2 Sam. 7.18 the words are these Then went King David in and sat before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Mark that particle then Why when was it See the foregoing Verse When God by Nathan had made many promises and that of great mercies to him then he went in and sat before the Lord and said Who am I c. The Reader may dilate his thoughts upon this and the following particulars I intend onely brief hints 2. When you find the Spirit of God moving upon your Soul and exciting you to the duty then it is a fit season for it Now God calls upon you to come and converse with him he invites you now to communion with himself Think at such a time that the Lord bespeaks you in
conceive of him as he is and as he hath revealed himself in his Word to be This will greatly conduce to the quickning of you Conceive of him 1. As of an Omnipresent God that he is really though not visibly present in all places and in that place where thou art a Praying more particularly that he sees thy heart as plainly as thou canst see thine own hands that he observeth thee as narrowly as if thou only wert alive in all the world or as if thou alone of all the children of men wert making thy supplication to him When ever thou settest about this duty a How would you Pray if men were present to see and hear you Sic loquere cum Deo quasi Homines ad starent Seneca set God before thine eyes as David did and represent him to thy self under this notion of an Omnipresent all-seeing God 2. Conceive of God as one that is full of Majesty and Greatnesse That passage in Mich. 6.6 Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God doth intîmate what apprehensions we should have of God when we come into his presence viz. that he is a High God infinitely above any of his creatures betwixt him and the Holy Angells or the highest of the children of men there is a wider difference then betwixt the Potter and his Clay Oh how would this apprehension both quicken and awe us in Prayer 3. Conceive of God as one that is exceeding gracious and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon him That known Scripture Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him doth hint what conceptions we should have of God in Prayer as of one that is exceeding bountifull we must believe not only his being but his bounty he gives not only what we ask but more yea b Eph. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supra quam redundanter abundantly more then we can ask Oh what quickning and confidence doth this notion of God afford To apprehend God in his greatnesse doth c Vitus Tâ—cod says of Luther that he Prayed with such reverence is became one that pake to he great God and with confidence as became one that spake to his Father or Friend stir up feare and godly reverence To apprehend God in his goodnesse doth stir up Faith and holy boldnesse God who is our father likes that we his children should come before him in this manner he gives us leave so we doe it awfully to d Eph 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie est libertas dicendi ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictio speak all our minds to him T is said of Flavius the Emperour that he would not that any man should present a petition to him as if he were offering meat to a Lyon or Elephant with a trembling hand God likes that we should lift up our hands to him as without wrath so also e 1 Tim. 2.8 without doubting 4. Conceive of God in Prayer as one God f â—id Dr. Hall Deca 3 Ep. 7. not divided and yet distinguished into three Persons the Father Son and Spirit This is a great mystery fitter for admiration then humane conception and yet all along this duty God must be thus apprehended as one substance in three subsistances as one essence in three relations all which do concur to the Prayers of Believers and have a different office about them there is the Father hearing the Son interceding and the Spirit helping their infirmities Lastly conceive of God not g Luther was wont to say Nolo â—â—um absolutum Heb. 12. ult absolutely but in Christ God in himself is a consuming fire but in Christ he is a mercifull Father h Heb. 7.25 Themistocl understanding that â— Admettus was angry with him took his young son in his armes and treated with the father holding that his darling in his bosome and thereby he appeased the Kings wrath There is no coming to God but by him I might enlarge upon this head but I forbear only remember this you will never pray to any purpose unlesse you carry along with you in your minds a right notion and conception of that God to whom you pray 5. Entertain and maintain very honorable thoughts of the Duty of Prayer it self this will both move you to the Duty and marvellously quicken you in it What the i Ps 87.3 Psalmist says of the City of God that may I say of the Duty of Prayer Great and glorious things are spoken of it If any should ask me as that King did the Prophets servant k 1 Kin. 8.4 What great things hath thy Master done So what great things hath Prayer done it would require more lines then I intend in all to return a full answer I might easily write a large history of the great exploits that Prayer hath done in the world You read Heb. 11. of many wonderfull effects of faith the effects and fruits of Prayer are as many and as great It hath l Dan. 9.2 3 4. Isa 37.15 16 c. Ion. 2.1 2 c. Josh 10.12 14. Act. 12.5 Dan. 2.18 2 Sam. 15.31 Est 4.16 Obtained promises subdued Kingdoms turned to flight the armies of aliens it hath raised the dead stopt the Suns course yea made it to go back It hath opened prison doors and unlockt such secrets as have puzzled the Divell himself it hath disappointed the plots of adversaries and rumbled those into the pit themselves which they have maliciously digged for others What shall I say more it hath m Jam. 5.17.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. c. 〈◊〉 affectionibus obnoxius opened Heaven and shut it again These and such like memorable things have been brought to passe by the Prayers of such sinfull and infirme creatures as we our selves are Let me add this it hath said hold on God himself and put him as one says to a mercifull retreat when he hath been marching in his anger against persons or people Jacob by Prayer n Hos 12.3 had power with God and by wrestling with him o Caelum tundimus 〈◊〉 miserecordiam extorquemus Tertull. wrested mercy from him God speaks as if his hands were held and tyed up by Prayer Let me go saith he to Jacob and to Moses p Auâ— on Exod 32.10 thus glosseth Domine quis tenet te c. Let me alone q Manton on James 5.86 One observes that God in Exod. 32.10 doth indent as it were with Moses and offer him composition if he would hold his peace Let me alone saith he and I will make of thee a great people Wonderfull is that passage r Some read it interrogatively thus Concerning the works of my hands command ye me if we read it right in Isa 45.11 there God sayes Concerning the works of my hands command ye me These and the