deserved sore sicknesses and of long continuance and to fall by the Arrow of the deadly Pestilence Thou mightest make the Heaven as Iron and the Earth as brass and curse the Land that it shall not yeeld her increase and break the staff of bread whereby our lives are sustained Thou mightest bring the Sword that should avenge the quarrel of thy broken Covenant and cause them that hate us to rule over us We have deserved spiritual Judgments that the golden Candle stick should be removed out of its place that the light of the Gospel should be put out in obscurity and that the Sun of Righteousness should go down at Noon-day Thou mightest curse such barren Trees as we have been and say Never fruit grow on you more Thou mightest give us up to our own hearts lusts and say because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged therefore thou shalt not be purged any more until I cause my fury to rest upon thee The very Vengeance of eternal fire is no more than our due We have deserved Hell and one of the hottest places there For Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah had they heard what we have heard had they enjoyed what we have enjoyed would have repented long ago in sackcloath and ashes 3. A third part of prayer is Deprecation of punishment It highly concerns us to pray against the evils that we fear and have merited by our sins Lord enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity O Lord who should stand but there is forgiveness with thee and plenteous redemption that thou mayst be feared Let not thy anger wax hot let not thy jealousy smoak against us We lye at thy foot and lay down our weapons and cry out for mercy The returning Prodigal was embraced by his Father he rejoyced saying This my Son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found O let the arms of thy Love O Lord be open to embrace us though we are not worthy to be called thy Children We pray against outward Calamities and if these are brought upon us let them be sanctified and then they may be reckoned among our choycest mercies But especially we deprecate spiritual judgments Do not punish sin with sin do not say let him that is filthy be filthy still let him that is unjust be unjust still Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Do not give us up to blindness of mind to hardness of heart to a reprobate sence to strong delusions to vile affections Do not swear in thy wrath that we shall never enter into thy rest O Lord leave us not for woe unto us when thou shalt depart from us Do not abhor us O God for as thy loving kindness is better than life so thy displeasure is more bitter than death it self Oh deliver from future wrath which is most of all intollerable How shall we dwell with devouring fire how shall we be able to inhabit everlasting burnings How shall we be able to stand before the Lord when he shall be revealed with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and disobey the Gospel who shall be punished with overlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Oh Lord grant that we may find mercy of thee in that great approaching when the wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Thou that hast the keyes of Hell and of Death Oh unsting death and suffer me not to fall down into that lake which burns with fire and brimstone Let me never feel the gnawings of that Worm that dyes not nor be tormented in that flame that never shall be quenched Oh be not angry if I am importunate to have thy anger removed an eternity of misery is astonishing Oh save me from everlasting Damnation 4. A fourth part of prayer is Petition for Grace and Mercy Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been ever of old Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me thorowly from my Iniquities and cleanse me from my sins Take away all our Iniquities and receive us graciously heal our back-slidings and love us freely and let thy anger be turned away from us Though we have made thee to serve with our sins and wearied thee with our Iniquities yet according to the Word that thou hast spoken blot out our Transgressions for thy own sake and remember our sins no more For thy name sake O Lord pardon my iniquity for it is great O Lord behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way but thou hast laid on him the iniquities of us all He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him Oh that by his stripes we may be healed He poured out his Soul unto the death and made intercession for the Transgressors Oh let transgressors be received into favour Justify us freely by thy grace through the Redemption of Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood Our sin has abounded let thy grace much more abound Beg for Adoption Oh that thou wouldst become a God in Covenant with us and a Reconciled Father to us and let us be the Sons and Daughters of the Lord Almighty Let us be no more Strangers and Forraigners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Send forth the spirit of thy Son into our hearts crying Abba Father Deliver us from fear and bondage and seal us up unto the day of Redemption Say unto us Souls I am your Salvation There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Satisfy us early with thy mercy Let thy spirit bear witness with our spirits that we are the Children and not only Children but Heirs Heirs of God joynt-Heirs with Christ unto the Inheritance that is undefiled and will never fade away reserved in Heaven for us Intreat that Repentance unto life may be granted Oh take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh Let thy goodness lead us to Repentance Let us not only have space but also grace to repent of the evils of our ways and doingâ— Cause us to remember them so as to loath our selves and turn to thee Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and so shall we be turned draw us and we shall run after thee Renew us in the spirit of our minds and help us to put on that new man
prayer strength is obtained for the performance of every Duty I have added a short treatise concerning the gift of prayer be-because many are weak and unexercised in this Duty and I have furnished them with Scripture expressions which are without controversy the best of all and by practise and diligence their ability may be increased These Sermons were beggd from Heaven I follow them with prayer that from thence they may be effectual not only to those that have desired the publishing of them but unto all others unto whose hands the providence of God shall bring them Nathanael Vincent Pray before you Read Correct these ERRATAES PAge 2. lin 31. for dart r. darts p. 9. l. 18 for vow r. voice l. 19. blot out and those things onely must be directed unto God alone p. 12. l. 22. for God ever r. Gods ear p. 18. l. 6. for in our directory r. is our directory l. 9. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 21. l. 4. blot out and. p. 26. l. 11 for price r. prize p. 33. l. 3. for which r. that p. 37. l. 14. for or the rock r. for the rock p. 62. l. 29. for innumeration r. ennumeration p. 69. l. 19. for thee r. this p. 72. l. 25. for carnal desires r. carnal designs p. 73. l. 10. for veins r. reins p. 77. l ult for Spirti r. Spirit p. 97. l 19. for hirado r. hirudo p. 100. l. 9. for emfulness r. Sinfulness p. 122 l. 10. for is r. are p. 110. l. 7. for exalted r. excelled p. 146 for night r. nigh p. 167. l. 13. for court r. coasts Eph. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and Watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints THe Apostle looking upon the Ephesians as militant Saints and fighting not against Flesh and Blood but against the Principalities and Powers of Darkness he instructs them towards the latter end of this Chapter how they might become more than Conquerors To this end he tells them first of all where their strength lay they must be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might v. 10. and then gives them a compleat Armour which being put on and the several pieces of it skilfully used the wiles of Satan will be frustrated and themselves enabled to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand 1. They must be girded about with the girdle of Truth By Errour Satan has great advantage how many like Children are tossed too and fro by every wind of Doctrin but a judgment rightly informed and well settled that buys the Truth and will by no means sell it has a great influence unto a Christians stedfastness and growth in Grace 2. They must have on the Breast-plate of Righteousness they must be Righteous in heart Righteous in sincerity A Conscience purged from dead works is a better defence than a wall of Brass Satan cannot so easily disquiet them that are sincere neither is he able to corrupt them their holiness being true sin is hated the allurements unto sin are contemned and God is followed hard after 3. Their Feet must be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace They must be encouraged by that Peace which the Gospel publishes to run the way of Gods Commandments and that though those ways are never so difficult and unpleasant to flesh and blood they must hold fast the profession of their Faith and depart from Evil and go in the path that is called holy though by thus doing they never so much expose and make themselves a prey 4. Above all they must take the Shield of Faith whereby they may quench the fiery dart of the Wicked Satans Temptations are Darts he does design our wounding our pain our death in shooting of them And these Darts may well be called fiery they are shot from Hell and an Hell in the Conscience they make if they are not quenched but Faith is a shield to repel and beat them back Faith makes application of the Righteousness and strength of Christ and by this means not only former wounds are asswaged and healed but the soul is more secured for the future 5. The Helmet of Salvation must cover their heads in this day of Battel with evil Angels A lively hope of salvation is very encouraging both unto patient continuance in well-doing and also unto suffering for the sake of Righteousness 6. The Apostle tells them that the Sword of the spirit which is the Word of God must be made use of If this word be understood believed thought on loved stood in awe of if it thus abide in us we shall be strong and overcome the evil one These are the pieces of the Armour of God But in this Combate with the Devil is there not need of Auxilary forces certainly there is a necessity of succour from Heaven The Captain therefore of our Salvation must be looked unto and divine aide continually implored and begged for By prayer we have power with God and power against our spiritual Enemies No wonder that the Apostle enjoyns Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit c. The Text may be divided into these parts 1. Here is a Duty commanded in the performance of which lies safety and that is Praying 2. The extent of this Duty it must be always and it must be with all Prayer 3. The due qualifications of this Duty which are these following 1. It must be in the Spirit 2. It must be with Watching 3. It must be with all perseverance 4. It must be with a publick spirit we must pray for all Saints as well as for our selves since they are engaged in the same War That these words may be the better understood I shall answer these several questions 1. Is there any difference between Prayer and Supplication I answer The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated Prayer does intimate we have to do with God in Prayer to him we are to direct our Petitions as an Hearer as an Helper The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated Supplication does intimate that there must be an acknowledgment of our own indigency and wants and a looking to the Alsufficient Lord for supply 2. Another question is this What is meant by Praying always I answer the Greek phrase which the Holy Ghost useth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies To pray every opportunity that is offered This Text does give no encouragement unto the fond Sect of the Euchites who thought that prayer was to be their whole business No no there are other Duties which God calls for and which this of Prayer must not justle out But all those opportunities which are afforded for Prayer must be heedfully observed joyfully laid hold on and diligently improved This is to pray always It s said of Mephibosheth that he did eat always or continually at the Kings Table 2 Sam. ◠13. What shall we from hence infer
Father but by him Joh. 14. 6. Christ must be by faith received as the Gospel offers him that is as a Prince and Saviour and by this Faith being united to him God looks upon believers as the Brethren of Christ as the Spouse of Christ nay which is nearer as Christs Members and will deny them nothing Those that belong to Christ God is a God to them and a Father to them as he is to Christ himself and loves them as he loved Christ Joh. 20. 17. Joh. 17. 23. surely he will then grant them their requests 3. They that pray must by Faith rely upon the Promises that God has made of Hearing He has said that they that ask shall receive that they which seek shall find and to them that knock it shall be opened Mat. 7. 7. And for further encouragement because the Spirit teaches what to ask and how to ask Christ assures us that God will more readily give his Spirit to those that ask him than earthly Parents Bread unto their hungry Children Luk. 11. 13. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit unto them that ask him How comprehensive a promise is the promise of the Spirit His work is to apply that Salvation which Christ has purchased and is sent on purpose that he may endite such Petitions for the Saints as will find audience How plainly has the Lord said that his Eye is upon the Righteous and his Ear open to their Prayers Psal 34. 15. such words should be rested on when we engage in this Duty 4. The more confidently they that pray conclude the performance of Gods Promises the more certainly they will be accomplished Therefore we are commanded to ask in Faith nothing wavering Jam. 1. 6. and we are encouraged to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith Heb. 10. 22. and hearken to our Lord himself Mar. 11. 24. Therefore I say unto you what ever things ye desire when ye Pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them If we did but more firmly believe that God according to his Covenant for his Sons sake has pardoned sin and will heal our Souls of their distempers and will give grace sufficient and make us to grow and increase with the increases of God verily his promises would appear to be real and according to our Faith it would be to us Thus you see how those that pray must be Believers 5. In Prayer things must be asked for according to the will of God 1 Joh. 5. 14. And this is the conâ—idence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us Christ tells his Disciples Joh. 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my Words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be don to you the Word abiding in us declares the will of God and regulates our wills and then what we will we shall have Luther said Fiat voluntas mea Let my will be don because my will O Lord is the same with thine I do not wonder that many of the Heathens reasoned against Prayer they being unacquainted with the mind of God knew not what to ask for But in the Scripture God has declared his mind to us and that in our Directory Dissertat 30. Maximus Tyrius tells us that if you take away Phylosophy out of the world you take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which alone knows how to pray For says he the Philosophers pray'd for Vertue for tranquility of Conscience for an unblamable Life And a Death full of good Hope But how much more truly may this be said concerning Christianity 'T is the Christian Religion that informs many degrees beyound Philosophy concerning the Will of God and what he is willing to bestow on us There is a threefold Will of God which we are to regard in Prayer his Will of Purpose of Precept and of Promise 1. His Will of Purpose Gods Purpose concerning his People is Wise and Gracious therefore 't is called the good pleasure of his Goodness by the Apostle 2 Thes 1 â—1 and 't is but reason that this Purpose should be submitted to We may ask sometimes for that which it may not be fit for us to receive In Temporals especially we are at a loss and are not able to determine what measure of such kind of Mercys is most meet for us When therefore we beg for the continuance of Life the prolonging or restoring of Health the enjoyment of outward Comforts All must be done with this Proviso that the Will and Purpose of God may stand and be accomplished for we may conclude that when the Lord denies outward Mercys which we with submission begg for he intends kindness in that very denyal 2. In Prayer Gods Will of Precept is to be regarded whatever he commands us to do we may with boldness go to him for strength which may enable us for the performance The Lord calls and commands Israel to turn Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O House of Israel Ephraim turns this into Prayer Jer. 31. 18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God God commanded David to keep his Precepts diligently David takes hold of this and cries out Oh that my ways were directed that I might keep thy Statutes Psal 119. 4 5. He requires that we should love and fear him vve may without presumption beg that he would circumcise our Hearts to love Him and put his fear into our hearts that we may not depart from him 3. In Prayer Gods Will of Promise is also to be eyed And though the Promises of the life that now is belong to believers yet especially they prize and plead the promises of spiritual and everlasting Blessings These we are to look upon as exceeding great and precious and sure promises and to beg that by them we may be made partakers of the Divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through Lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. What can the Lord promise more than he does Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly When we intreat him to make good his promises we do in effect but intreat him to glorifie his power and love his truth and faithfulness 6. Prayer must be in the name of Christ what name more prevalent Job 16. 23. Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you When we make use of the Mediation of Christ we go the way to speed The Papists make use of the Mediation of Angels and Saints departed But the Apostle tells us as of one God so of one Mediator between God and Men the man Christ Jesus Saints indeed on Earth may
Heaven they should be begun ended followed after with Prayer And if you that are hearers would but help us herein by prayer 't would be in effect to help your selves If there were but more praying before you come to the Sanctuary that you might be taught to profit so many sermons would not be lost so much seed would not be sown in vain Prayer sets an edge upon the Word and makes it quick and powerful to kill Sin and keep off Satan Prayer works the Word into the Heart and being hid there 't is a mighty preservative against iniquity There is a Spiritual instinct in Believers to joyn Prayer with every Ordinance of God Because they know that Ordinances cannot secure or benefit them except the Lord concur and work along with them I have proved that a Christians security lies in Prayer In the fourth place I am to give you some Reasons why we ought to pray always 1. We should pray always because God is always ready to hear The Lords Ear is not heavy that it cannot hear Esa 59. 1. He hearkens after Prayer and looks down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there be any that understand and seek God Psal 14. 2. The Father is said to seek for right worshippers namely those that worship him in Spirit and in Truth Joh 4. 23. we have therefore encouragement as at all times to trust in him so at all times to poure out our Souls before him God is a Refuge for us Selah Psal 62. 8. Verily seeking of God in sincerity never was yet in vain and never will be God has heard sinners then when they perhaps have little thought he minded them When Ephraim bemoaned himself was as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak was ashamed and confounded because of his evil ways and cry'd Turn thou me and I shall be turned says God I have heard him I have surely heard Ephraim Jer. 31. 18 19. â— and gives him to understand that he was a dear Son a pleasant Child and that he would surely have Mercy on him There is not a Tear but God has a Bottle to put it in nor a sigh but God observes it nor a true desire but he is ready to satisfy 2. We should pray always because Christ always intercedes 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 The prayers of Believers will be vvell seconded This Angel of the Covenant has incense sufficient to perfume and to make the Prayers of all the Saints at all times acceptable Christ in Heaven is alvvays presenting to his Father his Sufferings and by his Sufferings all that we pray for has been purchased His Blood therefore is said to speak in Scripture and it speaks better things than that of Abel Heb. 12. 24. The Blood of Christ cryes in Gods Ears on the behalf of those that pray which the Curse that Christ has born may be removed from them that the Sins for which Christ was wounded may be forgiven them and that out of the fulness of Christ they may receive and Grace for Grace 3. We should pray always because the Spirit is always ready to help our infirmities This Spirit Christ promised and according to his promise sent him and this Spirit is styled the Spirit of Grace and of Supplications Zach. 12. 10. for he gives grace and ability to make supplications acceptably And this Spirit abides with Believers alwaies Joh. 14. 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter which shall abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you The Spirit is ready to instruct us what to pray for to remove the load of indisposition to this Duty to quicken our deadness therein to enlarge our hearts in desires after the God of all Grace to strengthen us to wrestle for a Blessing And truly God is not to be prevailed with but by the mediation of his Son and by the strength of his own Spirit 4. We should pray always because Satan is always forward to assault us Satan is compared to a Lyon in Scripture And Elian observes concerning the Lyon that if at any time he is beaten back he retires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his face towards you as being readyupon the least encouragement to make another attempt In like manner Satan watches has his Eye always upon us and is ever forward to tempt and should not we be ever forward to pray Our whole Life is a time of Temptation Wicked Spirits are continually engaged against us We wrestle sayes the Apostle with Principalities and Powers with the Ruters of the darkness of this World with spiritual wickednesse in high places These Enemies are invisible so 't is more dificult to withstand them they are too subtile and too strong for us We had need therefore to pray without ceasing since they cease not endeavoring to bring us both to sin and ruine 5. We should pray always because corruption will quickly recruit and recover strength upon the least neglect of prayer Had David been praying when he was sleeping so long in the day time or after his nap had been ended had he gon to the throne of grace instead of idlely walking upon the roof of his palace nay when first he cast his eyes upon Bathsheba if he had then immediately lookt up to Heaven and cryed that that spark of concupiscence might have been extinguish'd before it set him in a flame his foul fall and the dolefull consequents of it might have been prevented But duty was neglected and lust took the advantage of that neglect and he was hurried into two as heinous Sins almost as can possibly be committed 2 Sam. 11. Experience shews us that if we omit or are slight in Prayer that day our passions are more easily stirred and our lusts get ground Thus Amaleck prevail'd when Moses hands began to hang down but when they were held up towards Heaven Israel had the better In the fifth place I am to Answer the Objections that are made against this duty of Prayer Obj. 1. The first Objection is this God knows our wants and dangers without our telling him What need is there then that we should make them known by Prayer Ans I Answer God may be said to know our Wants and Dangers two wayes 1. By the eye of his Omniscience and with this eye he sees all things and whether we pray or no he perfectly understands us and all the circumstances we are in He 〈◊〉 our path knows our thoughts after off and is acquainted with all our wayes Psâ—l 139 2 3. 2. God may be said to look upon our wants so as to have compassion upon us and without intreating this compassion how can it be expected Heark unto David
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
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
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
within you blesse the Lord upon every manifestation of his goodness as well as desire blessings from him And thus have I gon over the parts and kinds of Prayer much work indeed I have told you of but the more work the better for the more grace is to be expected in order unto the performing of what is required I shall conclude with a very brief Application in two words 1. How sharply are they to be reproved that instead of praying with all prayer use no prayer but live in the almost total neglect of this duty 2. Be perswaded to pray with all Prayer All prayer that God has appointed he is ready to hear in all prayer the name of Christ may be used and the promises of God which are sure exceeding great and precious may be pleaded and how glad may we be that the Lord has appointed so many successful wayes of seeking him wherein he has consulted the variety of our conditions and necessitys So much for the second Doctrine That all Prayer is to be used D. 3. Prayer when rightly performed is Supplication in the Spirit Indeed all our worship of God who is a Spirit must be in Spirit and in truth Joh. 4. 24. else 't is in truth no worship As the body without the Spirit is dead so dutys without Spirit are dead also In the handling of this point I shall first open to you what 't is to pray in the Spirit Secondly Lay down the reasons of the Doctrine Thirdly Answer some cases of conscience about praying in the Spirit Lastly make application First What 't is to pray in Spirit This as I have already intimated refers both to the Spirit of him that prays and also to the Spirit of God who helps to pray 1. This praying in the Spirti refers unto the spirit of him that prays and several things are here included 1. To pray with our spirit implies to pray with understanding I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with understanding also 1 Cor. 14. 15. we must not only understand the words that are spoken but also and that principally the worth of those things which we Petition for we must likewise in some measure be acquainted with the All-sufficiency and Faithfulness of that God whom we pray to and with our own indigency that are the Petitioners The Athenians had an Altar dedicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God Act. 17. 23. and they are said ignorantly to worship him and truly all their worship degenerated into superstition We must know the Lord and our selves what his promises and our own Needs are else prayer will be of no account 2. To pray with our spirit implies to pray with judgment discerning between things that differ There is as vast a difference between Sin and Holiness as there is between Deformity and Beauty There is as vast a difference between the Creature and the Creator as there is between the broken Cistern that can hold no water and the Fountain of living waters Jer. 2. 12 13. Be astonished O ye Heavens at this be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord for my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of living waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water There is as vast a difference between a state of Grace and a state of Wrath as there is between Heaven and Hell Now he that prays must be apprehensive of all this and a believing apprehension of it will make him earnest for the loving kindness of the Lord and that he may taste more and more of the Fountain of living waters and be cleansed from all defilements 3. To pray with our spirits implies to pray with intention of mind Abraham drove away the fowls that did light upon his Sacrifice Gen. 15. and so should we drive away the impertinent and sinful and troublesome thoughts that arise or are injected into our hearts when we engage in sprayer Our hearts cannot wander in the least but they are espied by him whose name is jealous We should therefore desire that the Lord himself who holds the wind in his Fists would seize upon our more unruly hearts and keep them close to himself in duty especially considering there are some kind of distractions that nullifie and make void prayer distractions that are not regarded not lamented not watched or striven against 4. To pray with our spirits implies to pray with spiritual affections The affections are the wings of the Soul and the Soul is carried either to or from any thing according as the affections are inclined The Apostle exhorting to seck the things that are above presently adds set your affection on things above Col. 3. 1 2. intimating we shall never seek the things above in good earnest unless our affections be placed on them Those affections that have evil for their object must spend their strength upon sin which is the worst of all evils Sin must be hated most perfectly sin must cause the deepest sorrow sin must be most feared and against sin the heart should rise with the greatest indignation Those affections that have good for their object as love desire and the like should run with a full stream towards God and those great things that are brought to light by the Gospel and promised in the covenant of grace The stronger and more spiritual our affections are in prayer the better success will follow 2 Chron. 15. 15. 'T is said of Judah that they sought the Lord with their whole desire and he was found of them 2. This praying in the spirit refers to the Spirit of God who helps to pray The Apostle Jude exhorts to build up our selves on our most holy Faith and to pray in the Holy Ghost Jud. 20. and so to keep our selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Now the operation or working of the spirit of God in prayer I shall explain in these particulars 1. The Spirit of God teaches Believers for what to pray he opens their eyes to understand the Word and to know what the Will of the Lord is W know not says the Apostle what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit makâ—th intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Rom. 8. 27. 2. The spirit removes impediments to prayer he turns that love that naturally is in the heart to sin into hatred he causes the World that was Idolized to be contemned he cures that infidelity in reference to the excellency of spiritual things that the unrenewed Soul is full of as also that enmity against God and Holiness which was in the mind all the while 't was Carnal Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. the Fetters are knockt off the Clogs removed the Soul is brought out of Prison and is made free both unto the performance of duty and free in the
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
request he will not let him alone till he has a pardon and that pardon Sealed He will not let him alone till his lust which are the worst of Spiritual enemies are kill'd till more grace is granted of which he cannot have too great a measure Take notice of Davids importunity Psal 119. 145 146 147. I cryed with my whole heart hear me O Lord I will keep thy statutes I cryed unto thee save me and I shall keep thy testimonies I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed I hoped in thy word my eyes prevent the night-watches c. He cryed and cryed and cryed again before the dawning of the morning and in the night watches Behold how urgent he was in prayer 4. This perseverance in Prayer implies an holy insatiableness after God and desiring still more though never so much be obtained Indeed there is a great obligation upon us to be thankful for the least measures of grace but we are not to be contented with the greatest but still longing for more Though David enjoyed so much of God and had such a sense of his loving kindness which was better then life and experienced that communion with the Lord which was more satisfying then marrow and fatness Yet we find him still following hard after God Psal 63. 8. My Soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me And indeed the more we taste and see how gracious the Lord is it cannot but increase our longing and raise our thirst to a greater vehemency The Apostle Paul though he had attained to so much Yet he says I forgot those things that are behind and reach forth unto those things that are before and presse towards the marke for the prize of the high calling of God Phil. 3. 13 14. 5. This perseverance in Prayer implies a continuing to engage in all the kinds of Prayer There should be a constant and daily course of Prayer even unto the end of life and if at any time by weakness or otherwise the course be necessarily interrupted Our hearts at least then should be working towards God as being sensible that He is our all all our hope is in him and all our help is from him 'T is an happy thing so to habituate and accustom our selves to prayer as to make it become natural to us and to esteem it as necessary as our very breath In the Second place I am to tell you what kind of perseverance is required 1. In this perseverance there should be no interruptions Daniel rather then his course of praying before his God and giving thanks should be interrupted chose to adventure the losse of dignity his Princes favour and his own life besides And that God whom he served continually did deliver him Dan. 6. Daniel resolves to open his mouth in Prayer God sends his Angel and stop the mouths of the Lyons that they did not hurt him And as carnal fear should not cause the omission of prayer so neither any prevailing corruption and deadness Still the Lord is to be sought unto and served 2. In this perseverance there should be a continuaâ— endeavour to excel and do better to pray with more and more Spirituality and liveliness 'T is a sad sight to see children as weak now as they were several years ago We conclude there is some bad humour that oppresses nature and causes that Weakness and is an impediment to their growth 'T is thus and more Sad to see Christians stand at a stay and perform duties no better now then some years ago they used to perform them If there is still the same deadness the same unbelief the same wordly-mindedness distractions which were wont to be it argues the Spirit is kept under by the flesh its prevalency We are not only to do more then others but to do more then our selves The Lord requires us and truely gives ample encouragement to be not only stedfast and unmoveable but also to abound in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. The path of the just should be like the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. All our duties are motions homeward and Heaven is our home And the nearer home the swifter should our Spiritual motions be In the Third place follow the Reasons why prayer should be with perseverance 1. Divine commands are very expresse not only to perform the duty but to continue in the duty In the text not only praying is injoyned but praying always and with all perseverance and 1 Thes 5. 17. Pray without ceasing Gods word of command should cause us perpetually to stand in awe we must not dare to cease doing that which he would have us without ceasing employed in 2. The Lord perseveres in attending and enencouraging therefore we should persevere in praying His eye is continually upon his people eye and ear and heart and hand are all open and if we open our mouths wide we shall be filled Psal 81. 10. 3. The Lord is as worthy to be sought unto still as sought to at all therefore we should continue in seeking him Though our expectation from other things be never so high yet upon trial we shall discover their emptinesse and vanity but the more we know God and the greater experience we have of him the more we shall behold his fulnesse and how good 't is to draw near to him Israel went a Whoring after other lovers but found her mistake and resolves to return to her first husband for then 't was best with her Hos 2. 7. Gods service is such as no fault at all is really to be found therein and therefore to leave that Service is very unreasonable 4. We are far from attaining all that is attainable by Prayer Clearer discoveries there may be of God there may be much larger communications of Grace there may be more of peace and joy therefore it concerns us to wait on the Lord still and not to grow weary of our attending 5. This present world is full of enemies and snares Therefore we should continually have recourse to the God of all Grace that grace may be proportioned to our work and to our danger The world is evil and the evil one is very active to draw us to evil and he has a strong and numerous party within our own Souls even all the remainders of corruption surely unlesse we persevere in prayer and thereby engage him for us who is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Jud. 24. we shall not persevere to the end and be saved The Application follows Use 1 of reproof which belongs 1. To them that pray in a time of distresse and affliction but after that is removed and their slavish fear allayed they quickly give over Thus the children of Israel when God slew them then they sought him they returned and enquired early after God they remembred that God was their
Rock and the high God their Redeemer but as soon as the Lord ceased smiting they ceased crying they flattered with their Tongues and were unstedfast in his Covenant Psal 78. 34 37. This is the way to have affliction quickly return again and that with more of Gall and Wormwood or to have spiritual Judgments which are a great deal worse succeed temporal 2. Reproof belongs to them that pray for a little while while the Conviction is fresh and strong and the exhortation to this duty is still sounding in their ears but by degrees the Conviction wears off and the Exhortation is forgotten and then oh how do their hearts depart from God and what a task and tedious thing is Prayer to them But those foregoing convictions will very much aggravate their after omissions these omissions being given way to especially at first with such violence offer'd to their own consciences and resisting of the Holy Ghost who strives to make them persevere in Supplication 3. Reproof belongs to Apostates that somewhile made a great Profession none more forward to Pray than they but now they have thrown off this and other Ordinances of Christ being carried away either by a prophane or by an erroneous spirit 1. Many are carried away by a prophane spirit and having restrained Prayer even restraining Grace is taken from them they run out to all excess of Riot they are abominably vitious intemperate unclean unrighteous they declare to all that seven unclean spirits are entered into them and that their last end is likely to prove worse than their beginning They once indeed did know the Holy Commandment but are now turned from it and 't is happen'd to them according to the Proverb The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to to her wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2. 21 22. 2. Many are carried away from Prayer by an Erronâ—ous spirit These not onely break the Lords Commands but perswade themselves they do well in it and endeavour to draw others to the like Transgression and hereby their guilt and danger is the greater Every one that speaks against Prayer or any other Ordinance of Christ as he strikes at Christs Authority who is King of the Church so he is deceived and made use of by the Devil to injure Souls by drawing them away from God and their Duty But it may be Objected that the Apostle himself sayes Col. 2. 20. Why are ye subject to Ordinances I answer the 21 ver following shews what Ordinances the Apostle speaks of namely the Ceremonial Ordinances Touch not Taste not Handle not he is not to be interpreted concerning the Ordinances of Christs Institution for in this very Epistle he does command that the Word of Christ should dwell richly in them Col. 3. 16. and that they should Sing â—salms with Grace in their Hearts to the Lord and that they should continue in Prayer Col. 4. 2. 4. Reproof belongs to them that limit God and conclude if they are not heard presently that they shall never be answered and so in effect say why should we seek the Lord any longer Vile and sinful creatures should not be so quick with God What if we tarry some time before we have the grace and comfort we beg If it comes at last is not the Lord gracious to a wonder Besides the Lord knows when 't is fittest to answer Prayer therefore it becomes us patiently to wait for his rightly timeing of his benefits is not the smallest part of them Use 2. of Direction how you may persevere in Prayer 1. Be exceeding jealous and afraid whenever you find deadness and formallity seizing upon you You know not whether it may grow The prognostick signs of an approching distemper easily perswade you to take preventing Physick Oh when you find your hearts out of order fear and go to your Physician to heal your hearts and reduce them to the right praying frame 2. Take heed of quenching the Spirit let your Ears be open to hear what he sayes to the Churches Rev. 2. ult Deliver up your selves wholly unto the Spirits conduct and guidance be lead by him from what wayes and in what wayes he pleases else he will be grieved and withdraw and if he does so alas your helper will be gon and your infirmities will hinder your perseverance in Prayer 3. Be sensible that all your prayers will be lost if now you should totally and finally give over that righteousness will be reckoned as none at all that is but like the morning Cloud and as the early dew vanishes away pray on therefore that all may not be in vain 4. Labour to be acquainted with the sweetness of prayer that you may have experience of those quickenings those enlargements those supports those ravishing delights that the Saints have found sometimes in prayer and then you will like the duty so well that you will not easily be drawn off from it 5. Depend upon Him that gives power to the faint and increases strength in them that have no might Isa 40. 29. He faints not neither is he weary and he alone can keep you from being weary in wel-doing As he only can help you when you cry so he alone can help you to hold on in crying 6. Cheer up your selves with this consideration that if you persâ—vere in prayer but a little while longer in Heaven all your prayers will be fully answered Remember that if prayer lasts as long as time lasts time will quickly be succeeded by Eternity and prayer will end in everlasting praises So much for the fifth Doctrine That prayer must be with all perseverance D. 6. The sixt and last Doctrin is this Our spirits must be so publick as to supplicate for all Saints as well as for our selves therefore the Apostle adds in the Text and supplication for all Saints Here I shall first shew what Saints the Apostle speaks of and secondly why we should pray for them all and then give you the Uses First What Saints the Apostle speaks of The Saints are of two sorts Triumphant in Heaven Militant on Earth 1. Triumphant in Heaven and these do not need our prayers We need not pray that they may be eased of their loads for their burthens are removed and they are entred into perfect rest we need not pray that God would manifest himself to them for they see him as he is and not as here in a glass darkly nor that they may be freed from sorrow and defended from Enemies for their joy is full all tears are wiped away and they are past all danger They are made Pillars in the Heavenly Temple and they shall go no more out Rev. 3. 12 In all the Bible we find not one Petition for departed Saints They are with the Lamb Crown'd above and are above our supplications 2. Militant Saints on Earth and of these the Text speaks and to these the words are to be confined and truly all of them claim a
which after God is created in Righteousness and true â—oliness Make our hearts just after thy own heart and let them be inclined to keep thy Testimonies Put thy laws into our minds and write them in our hearts and be to us a God and make us a willing people in the day of thy power Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Pray for Faith Faith is the gift of God Oh let us obtain precious Faith from thee which is much more to be valued then gold that perishes Strengthen my assent unto every word that thou hast spoken that I may as firmly believe every threatning every promise every part of thy revealed will as I believe when the Sun sets 't will rise again the next morning Let me tremble at thy threatnings and not dare to venture upon any thing thou hatest Let my heart stand in awe of thy Word and let it be my constant inquiry Lord what wouldst thou have me to do Open my heart to give entertainment to the Lord of life and glory Oh that I may look unto Jesus as the Israelites stung in the Wilderness did unto the brazen Serpent and looking may be healed and saved Let me hear and be taught of the Father and come to Christ and receive him to be a Prince and Saviour to me Oh that Christ may be truly precious to me that I may count all things but loss that I may win the Lord Jesus Help me to value the exceeding riches of thy grace in thy kindness through Christ Jesus Be earnest for Love and other graces of the spirit Let my faith work by love and love constrain me to live unto thee Give me an heart to know thee more and circumcise my heart to love thee above all Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee Let not my heart run a Whoring from thee thou art infinitely worthy of my strongest love That I may love thee let me know I am beloved of thee Vnite my heart to fear thy name Oh that I may set thee alwayes before me and have an awful sence of thy power and presence and holiness and goodness upon my heart Never turn away from me O Lord to do me good and put thy fear into my heart that I may not depart from thee Fire my heart with zeal for thy glory let me stand up for God in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation let me never live either to be a shame to the Gospel or ashamed of the Gospel Deliver me from lukewarmness in Religion let me take heed of being neither hot nor câ—ld least I provoke thee to spew me out of thy mouth Make and keep me good even in bad times and because others dishonour thee without fear let me be the more careful to do that which pleases thee Thou didst preserve Lot in Sodom Noah in the old world the Saints that were in Nero's houshold Oh help me to keep my self unspotted from the world and let me chuse rather to go to Heaven with a few then to go in the broad way that leads to destruction with the greatest multitude Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Lord make me Sincere and keep me Sincere and without offence until thâ— day of Jesus Christ Let me be upright before thee and keep my self from mine Iniquity Oh help me to lay aside every weight and the Sin that does so easily beset me Let this be our rejoycing even the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversations in the World In all Estates let us learn therewith to be contented Let us consider that Godliness with Contentment is great Gain Oh that we may know how to want and how to abound how to be sick and how to be well how to Live and how to Die Let us be able to do and suffer all things through Christ strengthening of us Let our Conversations be as becomes the Gospel help us to follow thee as dear Children to Live as the Redeemed of the Lord and to glorifie thee in our Bodies and in our Spirits For we are not our own but are bought with a price We profess Christ let us depart from Iniquity and walk even as he walked Not contenting our selves with the Form of Godliness without the Power of Godliness Let us not profess to Know thee and in Works deny thee but make us Zealous of good Works considering we are Created unto good Works which God has before oâ—dained that we should walk in them Help us to do Justly and to love Mercy and to walk Humbly with God Cleanse us from all Filthiness both of the Flesh and Spirit and help us to perfect Holiness in thy Fear Make us Consciencious in all our Relations and let it be our continual Exercise to keep a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Man Arme us against the Evil day let us never faint in Adversity nor be discouraged from following God by Persecution Let Christ and Truth be Dearer to us than our very Lives and let us count it both Wisdom and our Interest to throw all our outward Enjoyments Over board rather than make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience Petitions in reference to the Word O let thy Word be a Light unto my Feet and a Lamp unto my Path When I go let it lead me when I sleep let it keep me when I awake let it talk with me Give me the seeing Eye the hearing Ear the understanding Heart Make thy Word like Fire and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces Oh let thy Word he powerful to kill sin and to Convert the Soul unto thee Give the Preacher the Tongue of the Learned and let him divide the Word aright and let the Pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand Let Sinners be startled and converted and let Saints be edified and comforted and built up by the Word of thy Grace Let thy Spirit accompany Prophesying that dead Bones may live and they who have Life may have it more and more abundantly Make us Doers of thy Word and not Hearers only deceiving our selves Petitions in reference to the Sacrament We were given up to thee when Baptized in thy Name Oh break our Hearts for our Vnfruitfulness and help us now to be stedfast in thy Covenant We have been baptized with water Oh that we may be washed and sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Let the Ordinance of the Supper be earnestly desired let not thy Table be Contemptible Oh that we may prize that Bread of God that comes down from Heavâ—n and gives Life unto the World let us not labour for the Meâ—t thâ—t perisheth Wherefore should we spend our Money for that which is not Bread and â—uâ—
Labour for that which cannot satisfie Let uâ— look uâ—to Christ whom we have peirced and moâ—rn Let us â—tâ—rnally fall out with Sin bâ—holâ—ing it bâ—smeâ—red wiâ—h the Bloud of Jesus Help us to bâ—lieve that Christ was made sin and bear the Curse that was due to us and to conclude that the Lord Jesus is as really given to us as the outward Elements Make us eager to Receive whole Christ and all his Benefits and to give up our selves wholly and immediately to him O thou God of all Grace make us perfect establish strengthen settle us and cause us to cleave unto the Lord with full Purpose of Heart Let Sabbaths be prized and improved le ts rejoyce when they come for then we have Opportunity to enter thy Sanctuary and approach thy Table Petitions for Perseverance Vphold me with thy free Spirit Hold thou me up and I shall be safe so shall I have Respect unto thy Precepts continually Thou art the Author be the Finisher of my Faith Fulfill all the good pleasure of thy Goodness and the work of Faith and power Thou givest Power to the Faint and to them that have no Might thâ—u â—nâ— easeth Strength Oh strengthen me with strength in my Soul that I may Run and not be weary that I may Walk and not Faint Preserve me by thy mighty Power through Faith unto Salvation Let us not be of them that draw back unto Perdition but of them that Believe unto the Saving of the Soul O Lord who art of Power to establish us keep us from Falling and present us Faultless before the Presence of this Glory with exceeding Joy Petitions for Temporal Mercies Give us this day our Daâ—ly Bread Give â—e neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with Food convenient for me Let not our Table be a Snare and that which should have been for our VVelfare let it not become a Trap unto us O that thou wouldest Bless me indeed and enlarge my Court and that thy Hand may be with me and that thou wouldest keep me from Evil that it may not grieve me Make me in all my ways to Acknowledge thee and do thou direct my Paths 'T is in vain to rise up Early to sit up Late and eat the Bread of â—rrows Thy Blessings O Lord maketh Rich and thou addest no Sorrow with it Be a Sun to Enlighten a Shield to Defend me and no good Thing with-hold from me Make thy Light to shine upon my Tabernacle and set an Hedge about me and cause the VVork of my Hands â—o prosper and let me have an Heart to Honour thee with the Substance thou hast given me and to make a Friend of the Mammon of Varighteousness Watch over me perpetually and that none may hurt me O Lord keep me nigâ—t and â—ay Preserve my going out and my comming in lead me not into Temptation but deliver me from evil and especially from sin which is of â—ll the greatest Petitions in reference to Death Oh that we were wise to consider our latter end Teach us so to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisedom All the dayes of our appointed time let us wait till our change comes let us die dayly to sin and to the world and live to God through Christ Jesus Help us to make sure work for Eternity living the life of the Righteous that we may also die the death of the Righteous Oh that we may pass the time of our sojourning here in fear and as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our Souls What is our life 't is even a vapour which appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away let us not defer our beleiving and repentance but while 't is called to day hear thy Voice and not harden our hearts any longer Let death be ours as well as life and let the sting of death be taken out before we feel it Deliver us from the fear of death and suffer us not all our life time to be subjected unto bondage Put us in mind of our great account for shortly we must be no longer stewards Let us act as those that believe God will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Here we have no continuing City therefore let us mind that City that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Let our Heart and Treasure be above let our Loyns be girded about and our Lights burning and our selves as those that are watching and waiting for our Lords appearing Let the prize of the high calling be in our Eye that we may press towards the mark and more and more abound in the work of the Lord. Let us groan to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven desiring nothing more than to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. And labour exceedingly that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him 5. The fifth part of Prayer is Intercession for others The Church is to be prayed for Save thy People bless thine inheritance rule them also and lift them up for ever Be a wall of fire round about Mount Sion that it may stand fast continually Preserve that little Flock unto whom thoou hast promised to give the kingdom Let thy delight be in Jerusalem grave her on the palms of thy Hands let her walls be continually before thee let her builders make hast and cause her destroyers to depart from her Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy Pasture look down from Heaven the habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory Where is thy zeal and thy strength and the earning of thy bowels and of thy mercies are they restrained Awake awake put on strength O Arm of the Lord Awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old Art not thou he that hast broken Rahab and wounded the Dragon Shew thy marvellous loving-kindness O thou that savest by thy right hand those that put their trust in thee from them that rise up against them Vnite thy people together let them not bite and devour one another but endeavour by all lowliness and meekness longsuffering and forbearing one another in love to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Let Truth shine forth and mistakes be discovered Oh let the light of the moon be as the light of the Sun and the light of the sun seven-fold as the light of seven dayes and at last bind up the breach of thy people and heal the stroke of their wound Bring home Jews and Gentiles that belong to the election of thy Grace Make thy way known upon earth and thy saving health among all Nations Raise up the Tabernacle of David which is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and be gracious to the remnant of Joseph and let the kingdoms of the world become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Bring in those sheep that are not yet of
thy fold and cause them to hear the voice of the great Shephard As the mountains are round about Jerusalem so be thou round about thy people from henceforth and for ever And let not the gates of Hell ever be able to prevail against them Petitions for the Nation in which we live Let Truth and Peace be in England Scotland and Ireland Let the Gospel be continued and be made effectual to the turning of many unto righteousness Let Souls fly as a Cloud to the Lord Jesus and as Doves to the Windowes Let judgments be all sanctified let not Sword and Plague and Fire be all in vain but oh let our uncircumcised hearts be humbled and help us to accept of the punishment of our iniquities and to turn unto him that has been smiting us that thou mayest send abundant plenty and prosperity Let the King and our Rulers be blessed and Favour Religion and thy People and under them let us live quiet and peaceable lifes in all godliness and honesty Petitions for relations and those that are afflicted Oh that our brethren and kindred according to the flesh may have an interest in that love which thou bearest to thy people 'T is terrible to think of Children or yoak-fellowes or brethren their miscarrying to Eternity Oh therefore give grace where there is none and work more and more where thou hast already in some degree wrought it Sanctify outward affliction to all that are exercised thereby let them know thou chastizest them because thou lovest them and let it be their principal desire to be made partaker of thy Holiness Let them cast all their burthens upon thee and do thou sustain them Let the Fatherless find mercy with thee and make the widows heart to sing for joy because their Maker is their Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name Binde up the broken in heart and heal the Wounds which sin has made Do not contend for ever neither be alwayes wrath lest the Spirit fail before thee Succour them that are tempted and sho ten the chain of the evil One Shine into the souls of them that refuse to be comforted that sit in darkness and see no light and are ready to say will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Many are the afflictions of thy people O Lord deliver them out of them all Suffer none to be tempted above what they are able Petitions for them to use that are wounded in their Spirits How long wilt thou forgot me O Lord forever Oh do not still hide away thy Face from me Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses Oh that my griefes were throughly weighed and my calamities lay'd in the ballances together for now they would be heavier then the sand therefore my words are swallowed up for the arrowes of the almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my Spirits the terrours of God do set themselves in array against me Oh do not cast me quite away from thy presence but heal those wounds which thou hast made and cause a calm where now the storm is so exceeding dreadful I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men Oh do not set me as a mark against thee do not make me a burthen to my self Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Let not thy wrath still lie hard upon me do not afflict me with all thy waves Oh draw a weary and heavy laden Soul to the Lord Jesus who alone can give rest unto me Lord encourage my hope and help one to believe Christ was wounded that I might be healed he was bound that I might be set at liberty he was forsaken and deserted that thou mightest return to me He was exceeding sorrowful even unto death that I might partake of the joy of thy Salvation I fly not unto carnal means to divert and remove my sorrows the pleasures of the world and the advantages of it I perceive are empty and low things I mourn after God I long for God as the chased hart after the water brooks Oh satiate a weary Soul and replenish a Sorrowful Soul that will certainly sink unlesse thou support and dye away unlesse thou speak comfort 6. The Sixt part of Prayer is Imprecation against others Let the works of the Devil be destroyed and the Kingdom of the prince of darkness be thrown down Why should Satan lead captive at his pleasure the greater part of mankind and command so great a multitude of those Souls that are capable of honouring and serving thee Hast thou not spoyled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly triumphing over them Oh let not conquered enemies insult and prevail but let the Prince of this world be judged and cast out and let Souls by thousands and by millions be made free indeed Let Satans instruments have a rebuke given them and let no weapon prosper that is formed against Zion We desire not the woful day for thy enemies but we intreat that their hands may not be able to perform their enterprize against thy people and all their counsels may be carried headlong O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self lift up thy self thou Judg of the earth render a reward to the proud Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long shall they utter and speak hard things and all the workers of Iniquity boast themselves They break in peices thy People O Lord and afflict thine heritage The plowers plow upon thy peoples backs and make long their furrows O Thou that art the righteous Lord break asunder the cords of the ungodly Let great Babylon come into remembrance and give that Scarlet-colour'd whore who has been drunk with the blood of Saints blood to drink for she is worthy Her sins have reached unto Heaven Oh remember her iniquities She sayes in her heart I sit as a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow therefore let her plagues come in one day Death and mourning and famine and let her be utterly burnt with fire for thou art strong O Lord that judgest her Let not Popery prevail but all abhor that Religion which pleads for Idolatry and that is so exceeding bloody Oh when shall that prophecy be fulfilled Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul Spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird When shall the heavens rejoyce over her and the holy Apostles and Prophets because God hath avenged them upon her Let enemies to thy people become friends both to thy people and their own selves but if they are implacable make them to know they are but men and