his hope stay and all Right Prayer sees nothing substantial worth the looking after but God And that as I said before it doth in a sincere sensible and affectionate way Again It is a sincere sensible affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God through Christ. This through Christ must needs be added or else it is to be questioned whether it be Prayer though in appearance it be never so eminent or eloquent Christ is the way through whom the Soul hath admittance to God John 14. 6. and without whom it is impossible that so much as one desire should come into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath If you ask any thing in my Name whatsoever you ask the Father in my Name I will do it Joh. 14. 13 14. This was Daniels way in praying for the People of God he did it in the Name of Christ Now therefore O our God hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lords sake Dan. 9. 17. And so David for thy Names sake that is for thy Christs sake pardon mine iniquity for it is great Psal. 25. 11. But now it is not every one that maketh mention of Christ's Name in prayer that doth indeed and in truth effectually pray to God in the Name of Christ or through him This coming to God through Christ is the hardest part that is found in Prayer A man may more easily be sensible of his works I and sincerely too desire mercy and yet not be able to come to God by Christ. That man that comes to God by Christ he must first have the knowledge of him For he that comes to God must believe that he is Heb. 11. 6. And so he that comes to God through Christ must be enabled to know Christ. Lord saith Moses Exod. 33. 11. shew me thy Way that I may know thee This Christ none but the Father can reveale Mat. 11. 27. Mat. 16. 16. And to come through Christ is for the soul to be enabledoâ— God to shroud it self under the shadow of the Lord Jesus as a man shroudeth himself under a thing for safeguard Hence it is that David so often terms Christ his shield buckler tower fortress rock of defence c. Psal. 18. 2. Psal. 27. 1. Psal. 28. 1. not only because by him he overcame his enemies but because through him he found favour with God the Father And so he saith to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. Fear not I am thy shield c. The man then that comes to God through Christ must have faith by which he puts on Christ and in him appears before God Now he that hath Faith is born of God John 3. 5. 7. born again and so become one of the Sons of God John 1. 12. by virtue of which he is joyned to Christ and made a member of him Ephes. 5. 30. And therefore Secondly He as a member of Christ comes to God I say as a member of him so that God looks on that man as part of Christ part of his Body flesh and bones united to him by election conversion illumination the Spirit being conveyed into the heart of that poor man by God so that now he comes to God in Christ's merits in his blood righteousness victory intercession and so stands before him being accepted in his beloved Ephes. 1. 6. And because this poor creature is thus a member of the Lord Jesus and under this consideration hath admittance to come to God therefore by vertue of this union also is the holy Sprit conveyed into him whereby he is able to pour out himself to wit his soul before God with his audience And this leads me to the next or fourth particular 4. Prayer is a sincere sensible affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God through Christ by the strength or assistance of the Spirit For these things do so depend one upon another that it is impossible that it should be Prayer without there be a joynt concurrence of them for though it be never so famous yet without these things it is only such Prayer as is rejected of God For without a sincere sensible affectionate pouring out of the heart to God it is but lip-labour and if it be not through Christ it falleth far short of ever sounding well in the ears of God So also if it be not in the strength and assistance of the Spirit it is but like the Sons of Aaron offering with strange fire Levit. 10. 1 2. But I shall speak more to this under the second head and therefore in the mean time That which is not petitioned through the teaching and assistance of the Spirit it is not possible that it should be according to the will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. But to proceed 5. Prayer is a sincere sensible affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God through Christ in the strength and assistance of the Spirit for such things as God hath promised c. Mat. 6. 6 7 8. Prayer it is when it is within the compass of God's word and it is blasphemy or at best vain babling when the Petition is beside the Book David therefore still in his prayer kept his eye on the Word of God My soul saith he cleaveth to the dust quicken me according to thy word Psal. 119. 25 28. And again Psal. 119. 41 42 58 65 74 81 82 107 147 154 169 170. My soul melteth for heaviness strengthen me according to thy Word And Remember thy word unto thy servant on which thou hast caused me to hope And indeed the holy Ghost doth not immediately quicken and stir up the heart of the Christian without but by with and through the word by bringing that to the heart and by opening of that whereby the man is provoked to go to the Lord and to tell him how it is with him and also to argue and supplicate according to the Word Thus it was with Daniel that mighty Prophet of the Lord. He understanding by Books that the Captivity of the Children of Israel was hard at an end Then according unto that word he maketh his prayer to God I Daniel saith he Dan. 9. 2 3. understood by Books viz. the Writings of Jeremiah the number of the years whereof the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem And I set my face to the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes So that I say as the Spirit is the helper and the governour of the Soul when it prayeth according to the Will of God so it guideth by and according to the Word of God and his Promise Hence it is that our Lord Jesus Christ himself did make a stop although his Life lay at stake for it I could now pray to my Father he should give me more than twelve legions of Angels but how then
must the Scripture be fulfilled that thus it must be Mat. 26. 53 54. As who should say were there but a word for it in the Scripture I should soon be out of the hands of mine enemies I should be helpt by Angels but the Scripture will not warrant this kind of praying for that saith otherwise It is a praying then according to the word promise The Spirit by the Word must direct as well in the manner as in the matter of Prayer I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the Understanding also But there is no understanding without the Word For if they reject the Word of the Lord what wisdom is in them Jer. 8. 9. 6. For the good of the Church This clause reacheth in whatsoever tendeth either to the honour of God Christ's advancement or his Peoples benefit For God and Christ and his People are so linked together that if the Good of one be prayed for to wit the Church the glory of God and advancement of Christ must needs be included For as Christ is in the Father so the Saints are in Christ John 17. 23. And he that toucheth the Saints toucheth the Apple of God's Eye Deut. 32. 10. Psal. 17. 8. Zach. 2. 8. And therefore pray for the Peace of Jerusalem and you pray for all that is required of you Psal. 122. 6. Psal. 51. 8. Isa. 62. 6 7. For Jerusalem will never be in perfect peace until she be in Heaven and there is nothing that Christ doth more desire than to have her there That also is the place that God through Christ hath given to her He then that prayeth for the peace and good of Sion or the Church doth ask that in prayer which Christ hath purchased with his Blood and also that which the Father hath given to him as the price thereof Now he that prayeth for this must pray for abundance of Grace for the Church for help against all its temptations that God would let nothing be too hard for it and that all things might work together for its good that God would keep them blameless and harmless the Sons of God to his glory in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation And this is the substance of Christ's own Prayer in the seventeenth of John And all Paul's Prayers did run that way as one of his Prayers do eminently shew in Ephes. 1. 16 to the 21. and Chap. 3. ver 14 to the 19th with Col. 1. 9 10 11 12 13. And Phil. 1. 9 10 11. he saith And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in all knowledge and in all judgement that ye may approve things that are excellent that you may be sincere and without offence until the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God But a short Prayer you see and yet full of good desires for the Church from the beginning to the end That it may stand and go on and that in the most excellent frame of spirit even without blame sincere and without offence until the day of Christ let its temptations or persecutions be what they will And because as I said Prayer doth submit to the will of God and say Thy Will be done as Christ hath taught us Matth. 6. 10. therefore the People of the Lord in humility are to lay themselves and their prayers and all that they have at the foot of their God to be disposed of by him as he in his heavenly wisdom seeth best Yet not doubting but God will answer the desire of his People that way that shall be most for their advantage and his glory When the Saints therefore do pray with submission to the Will of God it doth not argue that they are to doubt or question Gods love and kindness to them But because they at all times are not so wise but that sometimes Satan may get that advantage of them as to tempt them to pray for that which if they had it would neither prove to God's glory nor his Peoples good 1 John 5. 14 15. Yet this is the confidence we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us And if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petition that we ask of him that is we asking in the Spirit of grace and supplication For as I said before that Petition that is not put up in and through the Spirit it is not to be answered because it is beside the Will of God For the Spirit only knoweth that and so consequently knoweth how to pray according to that Will of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. But more of this hereafter Thus you see first what Prayer is Now to proceed II. I will pray with the Spirit Now to pray with the Spirit for that 's the praying man and none else so as to be accepted of God It is for a man as aforesaid sincerely and sensibly with affection to come to God through Christ c. which sincere sensible and affectionate coming must be by the working of God's Spirit There is no man nor Church in the world that can come to God in Prayer but by the assistance of the holy Spirit For Eph. 2. 18. through Christ we all have access by one Spirit unto the Father Wherefore Paul saith We know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God And because there is in this Scripture so full a discovery of the Spirit of Prayer and of mans inability to pray without it therefore I shall in a few words comment upon it Rom. 15. 16. For we Consider first the person speaking even Paul and in his person all the Apostles We Apostles we extraordinary Officers the wise Master-builders that have some of us been caught up into Paradise 1 Cor. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 4. We know not what we should pray for Surely there is no man but will confess that Paul and his Companions were as able to have done any work for God as any Pope or proud Prelate in the Church of Rome and could as well have made a Common-Prayer-Book as those who at first composed this as being not a whit behind them either in grace or gifts For we know not what we should pray for We know not the Matter of the things for which we should pray neither the Object to whom we pray nor the Medium by or through whom we pray none of these things know we but by the help and assistance of the Spirit Mat.
it as such neither did they admonish others so to do Search all their Epistles Yet surely they both for knowledge to discern and faithfulness to practise were as eminent as any He ever since in the World which would impose it But in a word Christ by those words Our Father c. doth instruct his People what Rules they should observe in their Prayers to God 1. That they should pray in Faith 2. To God in the Heavens 3. For such things as are according to his Will c. Pray thus or after this manner Object 4. But Christ bids Pray for the Spirit This implieth that men without the Spirit may notwithstanding pray and be heard See Luke 11. 9 10 11 12 13. Answ. 1. The speech of Christ there is directed to his own vers 1. 2. Christ his telling of them that God would give his holy Spirit to them that ask him is to be understood of giving more of the holy Spirit For still they are the Disciples spoken to which had a measure of the Spirit already for he saith When ye pray say Our Father ver 2. I say unto you vers 8. And I say unto you vers 9. If ye then being evil know how to give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Christians ought to pray for the Spirit that is for more of it though God hath endued them with it already Quest. Then would you have none pray but those that know they are the Disciples of Christ Answ. Yes 1. Let every soul that would be saved pour out it self to God although it cannot through temptation conclude it self a Child of God And 2. I know if the Grace of God be in thee it will be as natural to thee to groan out thy condition as it is for a sucking Childe to cry for the breast Prayer is one of the first things that discovereth a man to be a Christian Acts 9. 12. But yet if it be right it is such Prayer as followeth First To desire God in Christ for Himself for his Holiness Love Wisdom and Glory For right Prayer as it runs onely to God through Christ so it centers in him and in him alone Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none in Earth that I desire long for or seek after besides thee Psal. 73. 25. Secondly That the soul might enjoy continual Communion with him both here and hereafter I shall be satisfied when I awake with thine Image or in thy likeness Psal. 17. 15. For in thee we groan earnestly c. 2 Cor. 5. 2. Thirdly Right Prayer is accompanied with a continual labour after that which is prayed for My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning Psal. 130. 6. I will arise now and seek him whom my soul loveth Cant. 3. 2. For mark I beseech you there is two things that provoke to Prayer One is a detestation to sin and the things of this life The other is a longing desire after Communion with God in an holy and undefiled state and inheritance Compare but this one thing with most of the Prayers that are made by men and you shall finde them but mock-prayers and the breathings of an abominable spirit for even the most of men either not pray at all or else only endeavour to mock God and the world by so doing for do but compare their prayer and the course of their lives together and you may easily see that the thing included in their prayer is the least looked after by their lives Oh sad Hypocrites Thus have I briefly shewed you 1. VVhat Prayer is 2. What it is to pray with the Spirit 3. VVhat it is to pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding also I shall now speak a word or two of Application and so conclude with 1. A word of Information 2. A word of Encouragement 3. A word of Rebuke USE I. A Word of Information For the first to inform you That as Prayer is the duty of every one of the Children of God and carried on by the Spirit of Christ in the soul So every one that doth but offer to take upon him to pray to the Lord had need be very wary and go about that work especially with the Dread of God as well as with hopes of the Mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Prayer is an Ordinance of God in which a man draws very near to God and therefore it calleth for so much the more of the assistance of the Grace of God to help a soul to pray as becomes one that is in the presence of him It is a shame for a man to behave himself irreverently before a King but a sin to do so before God And a a King if wise is not pleased with an Oration made up with unseemly words and gestures So God takes no pleasure in the sacrifice of fools Eccles. 5. 1 4. It is not long discourses nor eloquent tongues that are the things which are pleasing in the ears of the Lord but a humble broken and contrite heart Psal. 51. 17. Isa. 57. 15. that is sweet in the nostrils of the heavenly Majesty Therefore for information know that there are these Five Things that are obstructions to Prayer and even make void the requests of the creature First When men regard iniquity in their hearts at the time of their Prayers before God If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer Psal. 66. 18. For the preventing of temptation that by the misunderstanding of this may seize thy heart when there is a secret love to that very thing which thou with thy dissembling lips dost ask for strength against For this is the wickedness of man's heart that it will even love and hold fast that which with the mouth it prayeth against and of this sort are they that honour God with their mouth but their heart is far from him Ezek. 33. 31. O how ugly would it be in our eyes if we should see a beggar ask an alms with intention to throw it to the dogs Or that should say with one breath Pray you bestow this upon me and with the next I beseech you give it me not And yet thus it is with these kind of persons with their mouth they say Thy Will be done and with their hearts nothing less With their mouth say Hallowed be thy Name and with their hearts and lives they delight to dishonour him all the day long These be the prayers that become sin Psal. 109. 7. and though they put them up often yet the Lord will never answer them 2 Sam. 22. 42. Secondly When men pray for a shew to be heard and thought some body in Religion and the like These prayers also fall far short of God's approbation and are never like to be answered in reference unto eternal life There are two sorts of men that pray to this end 1. Your