such a manner as he doth the Spouse Cant. 2.10 Rise up my love my fair one and come away Or as 't is Vers 14. Come let me hear thy voice for it is sweet To pray at such a season is to hoise up sail before the wind it is like rowing both with wind and tide Being thus excited by the Spirit you may expect the assistance of it if Prayer be now neglected the Spirit of God is quenched and I 'le pronounce him a novice in Religion or rather a stranger to it altogether that doth not confess it necessary to the lively performance of this Duty that the Spirit of God doth act and quicken him therein Our motions are exceeding dull and heavy in holy Duties when the Spirit of God doth not help our infirmities Whensoever therefore God says by the secret whisperings of his Spirit f Ps 27 6. Seek ye my face our hearts should answer and eccho back as Davids did Thy face O Lord we will seek Yet here I would have it remembred I do not say a Christian should never pray but when he finds the Spirit of God egging him forward this hath been the gross mistake of some who hereupon have discontinued the duty for several days together because they have not perceived the Spirit moving them thereunto No let this be thy practice to wait upon God in his way and it may be the Spirit of God will meet thee therein Know this though the Spirit of God should not put forth his hand to lead thee yet the Word of God holds forth a precept to command thee and set thou about the Duty out of pure obedience to the command of God It may be ere thou art aware thou wilt find Him whom thy soul desires Though the Spirits assistance be never unwelcome to a Child of God yet many times it comes unexpected Abraham saw not the Ram for the sacrifice till he was in the Mount Often in the Mount in the time of Prayer the Spirit of the Lord is seen and felt Mariners have put forth to sea in a calm when they have made but little way and anon they have met with fresh and unexpected gales of wind that have brought them with full sail to their desired haven I leave you to apply it Again I do not deny but the evil spirit who is Gods Ape may sometimes transform himself into the likeness of Gods Spirit and may excite a Christian to this duty but then his motions are irregular and unseasonable they tend to the hindering of him from another and for that time a more seasonable duty suppose it a work of mercy to himself or others or such like Christian exercises must be wisely subordinated one to another whereas the Devil desires to make them interfere and to set them at variance 3. When we find our hearts in a setled and composed frame then also it is a sit season for secret Prayer when g Ps 57.7 as David's our hearts are fixt and not pre-occupied with any secular matters To pray at another time is like playing upon an Instrument that is out of tune what harsh and unpleasing melody doth it make Many when they go to seek God they have their heart to seek Few can say with David that h 2 Sam. 7.27 In the Hebrew t is onely the found to pray they have sound their hearts to pray We render it he found in his heart but it may be read he found his heart to pray a prayer unto God i It was the custome of the Heathens to address themselves in the morning early to their Idols vid. Herod l. 10. The Primitive Christians were wont to be early at their devotions Vid. Pl. ep 57. ad Trajan Tertul Apol. c. 2. See Christs practice Marc. 1.35 Qui mene surgit precandi causa dicit manicare Deum Drus Usually in the morning the mind is most composed then a man meets with least diversions in duty the evenings repose hath in great part discharged the mind of all that did distract it and it were well if we would be with God as soon as we awake if we did offer up to him the first-fruits of every day if as soon as we lift our bodies off our beds we did in Prayer lift up our souls to God This was Davids manner Psal 5.3 Under this Head I will suggest these three cautionary Rules 1. Do not take Prayer in hand when you have any other matter in hand if so you attendance upon God must needs be with distraction and your heart will be stollen from you do what you can Set by all worldly occasions when you set about this duty say to them as k Gen. 22 5 Abraham did to his young men Stay you here while I go aside to worship God 2. Do not ordinarily go to prayer when your anger is stirred and your mind full of perturbations if you do t is ten to one but you will offer up the sacrifice of a fool and speak unadvisedly with your lips The l 1 Tim. 2.8 Apostles advice is that we lifts up to God holy hands without wrath m 1 King 19.11.12 God was not in the Wind nor in the Earthquake nor in the fire that passed by Elijah but in the still small voice And you must be of still and quiet spirits if you will see or find him 3. Do not usually engage in Prayer when you are enclin'd to sleep drowsinesse if so you are like to make but dull and drowsie work of it n Mat. 26.40.41 The rebukes of Christ could not awaken his Disciples to Prayer when there hearts were heavy and asleep You must be wakefull when you pray if you would watch unto Prayer 2. A second Help is this Allot and set out a due proportion of time for this Duty It is not enough to choose a sit time for Prayer but you must allow sufficient time to Prayer No service whether secular or spiritual can be done well unless you allow a due proportion of time for the doing of it How is Prayer huddled and slubbered over many times for want of this you think of making an end as soon as you begin you are straightned in your prayers because you are straightned in your time Qu. If you should ask How much time must a Christian set apart in a day for secret Prayer Ans In my answer I must have respect to the callings and conditions of Christians that time is sufficient for one which is not sufficient for another 'T is observable that under the Law there were different sacrifices for the rich and for the poor God required that mens sacrifices should hold some proportion with their abilities And by parity of reason God looks that the rich and those that have little else to doe should double the time of the poor in Prayer and of those whose callings call for their continuall attendance And yet I must add this too let a mans condition be
take that liberty when alone which would be unseemly in the presence of others They may now kneel and anon stand 〈…〉 6 〈◊〉 41.11.14 and then walk and so turn from one gesture to another as they find it will be more helpfull to them for the end already mentioned Yea I doubt not but in case of great straitness upon their spirits they may make a stand or pause till they have by meditation recovered some new matter to continue the Duty They may turn from Prayer to Reading and from Reading again to Prayer from Prayer to Meditation and from Meditation again to Prayer as they see good Jerome doth somewhere relate how that finding himself sluggish and dead in Prayer he left speaking to God and fell a speaking to his own heart Think O my soul says he did Daniel thus pray when he was in the Lions den or Jonah when he was in the Whales belly Did the penitent Thief thus pray when he was upon the Cross c. And then he tells us that he went to Prayer afresh when he had first roused up himself by these and such like considerations 2. Choose such a place to pray in as is most convenient for this Duty Find out such a place if thou canst where thou mayest not be disturbed by any noise in thine ears nor be diverted by any object before thine eyes When thou prayest says Christ enter into thy Closet This counsel of Christ doth intimate That Christians when they pray should have respect to the place in which they pray the more close the more convenient He adviseth further to shut the door lest the wind of Vain-glory should come in thereat Our secret seeking of God should not be open or visible to any else but God 'T is true when Daniel prayed he see his window open but it was to shew his Faith as one observes not his pride Some may say This Rule doth not reach us we have no variety of Rooms to retire into poor people and servants and such like will be ready to say as it is in the Proverb We have Hobsons choice But to such I would reply Is there no garden nor grove nor field near you into which you may with-draw Why cannot you with Isaac go forth at eventide or in the morning to meditate and to pray x V. Luâ— 5.16 6.12 22.41 Matt. 14.23 Read what Christ did Mark 1.35 and surely t is recorded for our imitation t is said That in the morning a great while before day he arose and departed into a solitary place to pray 3 It may conduce to the quickning of thee to use thy voice in secret Prayer Not that God is taken with words a few sincere sighs from the heart do more affect him then the most Rhetoricall expressions of the tongue But though words do not move God in Prayer yet experience teacheth they sometime move him that prayes The Church says in the Lamentations that her eye did affect her heart the same can many a Christian say of his y Verbis â—â—us est inâ—â—r orandum ad excitaudos nos alioquin Deus verbis non indiget Aretius Vox interdum non absque fructu ' adhibetur quoniam in precibus nonnunquam langue cimus animus ipse desatigatur unde vor interposita nos excitat quodammodo resicit Pet. Mart. loci communes Clas 3. cap. 13. tongue that it serves to affect and quicken his heart in this duty Here I had need to give this caution That as Christians should not pray to be seen of men so they should not speak in Prayer to be heard of men If such are not Hypocrites yet they will hardly escape the censure of Hypocrifie These ten are the principal helps and directions according to the knowledge and experience that I have for the lively performance of this great duty of secret Prayer I might offer more but that I have already exceeded the ordinary limits of a Letter Onely remember this to be thorowly senfible of those things for which thou makest thy prayer unto God This alone may quicken thee How affectionately do they ask an almes who see they must starve without it Deadness in Prayer ariseth from want of a deep sence of thy wants Remember also to set their examples before your eyes who have performed this duty with life enlargement and importunity Think you saw Jacob z Gâ—n 32.24 Hos 12.3 wrestling with God and putting forth all his strength in Prayer Think you saw Elias praying earnestly and a 1 King 18.42 putting his face between his knees Imagine you saw Christ groveling upon the ground in the garden b Hâ—b 5.1 offering up supplications with strong cryes and tears repeating that request again and again c Mat. 26.34 Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me Call to mind the poor Widdows importunity or impudency as the word signifies who would have no nay d Magis ducimue exemplâ—s quam praeceptis Examples sway with us more sometimes then any rules or precepts If none of all this will help thee then fall down before God bewailing thy deadness confessing thy sluggishness say as they in Isiah e Isa 64.7 I have not call'd upon God nor stirred up my self to take hold of him O how like a dead Dog am I before the Lord Will the living God accept of such dead duties as mine are On how justly may God be angry with and shut out my Prayers f â—â—ui friâ—ide rogaâ— docet ne gare by my coldness in asking I even prompt God to deny me Yea not onely bemoan but chide thy self say Why art thou so dead O my Soul and why art thou so sottish within me Rowse up thy self g Judg. 5. â—â— as ' Deborah did Say Awake awake O my soul awake awake Bespeak thy self as the Shipmaster did the Prophet Jonah h Jonah 1.6 What meanest thou O sluggard arise call upon thy God Lastly Lift up strong cryes mingled with tears if thou canst unto God that he would lend his helping hand as David did Psal 80.18 Quicken me O Lord to call upon thy Name Send thy quickning Spirit unto my heart How i Ten times oft doth David make this request in the 119 Psalm ever now and then this request comes in Quicken me O Lord Quicken me according to thy Word Quicken me according to thy righteousness Quicken me for thy names saâ—e c. 'T is not a vain repetition but a plain manifestation both of his great need and of his earnest desire of this blessing Thus you see how large a Letter I have written to you with mine own hand If by these hints you are any way helped to pray you are the more obliged to remember him in your Prayers who is Yours in any Christian Office R. M. Books Princed for and sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Three Growns at the lower end of Cheapside over against the great Conduit THe Christian mans Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones Business wherein the Nature and Necessity of it is discovered as also the Christian directed how he may perform it in Religious Duties Natural Actions his Particular Vocation his Family Directions and hâ—â— own Recreation to be read in Families for their Instruction and Edification The first Part. Likewise the second Part of the Christian mans Calling directing Christians how to make Religion their Business in the Relations of Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants in Prosperity in Adversity The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration or a Treatise containing the Nature Necessity Marks and Means of Regeneration as also the Duty of the Regenerate The Beauty of Magistracy in an Exposition of the 82 Psalm where is see forth the Necessity Vtility Dignity Duty and Mirality of Magistrates The Fading of the Flesh and the Flontishing of Faith or one Cast for Eternity with the onely way to throw it well Heaven and Hell Epitomized or the true Christian Characterized There is coming to the Press the Third and last Part of the Christian-mans Calling wherein the Christian is directed how to make Relig on his Business in his dealings with all men in the Choice of his Companions in his carriage in Good Company in Bad Company in Solitariness or when he is alone on a Week-day from morning to night in visiting the Sick on a dying Bed as also the Means how a Christian may do this and some Motives to it All written by George Swinnock M. A. late of Great Kimbol in Buckingham-shire
ΚΡΥΠΤΕΥΧΟΛΟΓΙΑ Or A Plain ANSWER To this Practical Question What course may a Christian take to have his Heart quickned and enlarged in the Duty of Secret Prayer By RICHARD MAYO late of Kingston upon Thames Psalm 80.18 Quicken us O Lord and we will call upon thy Name LONDON Printed by D. Maxwel for Thomas Parkhurst at the Sign of the Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1664. To the Reader Reader I Was the more willing to print this Letter though penn'd at first for the closet of a particular friend and not in a fit dress to come abroad because it contains an Answer to a Question that every Christian is ready to ask and none so far as I can learn did ever yet undertake to resolve or if any have obliquely touched it never any did directly handle it A small Structure must not have a great Porch I shall onely suggest these two praeliminary Exhortations 1. Be much in the duty of secret Prayer be as constant at it as at your a Morning evening and noon-daye So David Joachim the father of the Virgin Mary used to say That Prayer was his meat and drink See Daniels practice Dan. 6.10 meals Amongst many motives this is one 'T is a Duty wherein God doth ordinarily make the greatest discoveries of himself Joseph and his brethren were alone when he made himself known to them The secrets of the Lord are usually revealed unto his people when they are seeking him in secret then 't is that he gives them his b O anima sancta sola esto anne nescis verecundum te habere sponsum loves when they fall down upon their knees unto him he falls upon their necks and kisseth them c Nunquam 〈◊〉 solus quam 〈◊〉 solus They are never less alone then when alone 2. Be warm and lively in the Duty A dead Prayer is no more accepted with God then of old the offering up of a beast that was found dead in a ditch The Ass under the Law was not to be offered unto God but his neck must be broke not that God was angry with that creature which was the workmanship of his hands but to shew how distastfull a dull and a dead heart is to him in his service Sometimes Christians go to Prayer as sick persons to their meals because they must eat and 't is dinner-time and the like not that they desire or delight in their food or find any refreshment thereby If it be thus with thee in reference to Prayer thou art greatly distempered thy condition is very dangerous therefore look out speedily for help May this following Letter contribute something thereunto the Lord set in with it for that end A Plain ANSWER To this Practical Question What course may a Christian take to have his heart quickned and enlarged in the Duty of Secret Prayer Christian Friend YOur Question savours of a Spirit truly gracious It supposeth you already convinced of and perswaded to the practice of that necessary though neglected Duty of Secret Prayer It shews you do not take up with a bare performance of Duty as too many do not caring how or in what manner it be performed It argues you would present God with the male of your flock and not put him off with a corrupt thing These are good signs of sincerity I could heartily wish that all Christians would follow your example to propose such profitable questions as may promote piety and to avoid such a 〈…〉 foolish questions as do engender strifes I would not be wanting to you in so pious a request as this is And oh that I could say that b 1 Joh. c. 3. What I here declare unto you I have seen and felt my self that what is here exprest is the same which I my self have experienc'd It is besides your desire and my design to write concerning the duty of secret Prayer at large to open the nature of it to shew the necessity of it to lay down Arguments to move you to it to advise in what manner you should manage it namely with faith with servency with humility with sincerity with constancy with watchfulness in the Spirit and the like this work is done to my hand in many Treatises and those extant some of them c Cobbet his practical discourse of Prayer Philip Goodwin his Family Religion revived from pag. 149 to p â—15 in our own Language I shall therefore strictly keep to the Question propounded which I acknowledge is of greatest concernment God is a living God and they that worship him must worship him with warmth and d Ejusmodi cultum probat Deus qui ejus naturae congruit Cal. in Joh. 4 23. life such supplaints he seeketh after Meet helps then in this case are such as follow 1. Remember to observe the fittest seasons for the performance of this duty Though a Christian is to pray at all times yet at all times he is not alike sit for Prayer This you find by experienceâ— As many a fair Child is lost by an untimely birth so many a good duty is marr'd by an undue timing of it Of many apt seasons I shall mention these three 1. When you meet with any new occurrence of Providence Every fresh dispensation of Providence is a provocation unto Prayer When any affliction befals thee then fall down before God and humble thy self under his afflicting hand e Jam. 5.13 Praesâ—â—tim cuâ—andum est quoties alâ—quá rerum anâ—ustia aut ipsi premimur aut premi alioâ— videmus ut ad Dâ—um citatis non pedibus sed animis recurrâ—mus Dâ—inde ae quam aut nostram aut aliorum prospcritatem praeterire simamus quin laude ac gratiarum actionâ— manum ejus agnoscere nos testemur Cal. Instit lib. 3. Is any amongst you afflicted let him pray says the Apostle that is let him then do it more especially then there is a fit opportunity for it Again when any fresh mercy is conferred upon thee then it is a fit season to go aside and to acknowledge thine unworthiness and to express thy thankfulness See an excellent instance for this in 2 Sam. 7.18 the words are these Then went King David in and sat before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Mark that particle then Why when was it See the foregoing Verse When God by Nathan had made many promises and that of great mercies to him then he went in and sat before the Lord and said Who am I c. The Reader may dilate his thoughts upon this and the following particulars I intend onely brief hints 2. When you find the Spirit of God moving upon your Soul and exciting you to the duty then it is a fit season for it Now God calls upon you to come and converse with him he invites you now to communion with himself Think at such a time that the Lord bespeaks you in
never so mean and let his imployment be never so urgent it it will not be a sufficient Apology for his neglecting or curtailing the duty of Prayer o Col. 4.2 comp with 5. Time must be redeem'd and that for this very end to hold communion with God in this Duty This premised I come to the Question wherein I may not be positive that would be an unwarrantable presumption I have often thought that one hour in four and twenty is as little as any one can set apart for secret Prayer p Luther spent 3 hours in Prayer every day see Vitus Theod. in vita ejus Judge Cooâ— advised to 4 in a day Sex horas somno totidem des legibus aequis quatuer orabis des Epulisque duas Quod superest sacris ultro largire camoenis K. Alfred divided every day into three parts he allowed eight hours to his devotion-eight to his employment and eight to his sleep and refection And if this should seem to any a hard saying I desire they would consider whether they don't spend two every day about things lesse necessary Let them cast up the time they cast away more then they need in sleeping eating and drinking then let them add thereunto the time they spend in sports or recreations in idle visits in unprofitable studies or musings and in empty chat or conference with friends and neighbours and see if the product will not be so much or more and will any that name the name of Christ grudge an hour in a day for Prayer when they can spend two or it may be more in the meer pleasing of the flesh is this consistent with Christianity Won't such be filled with horror as many q One dreadfully schriecht out on her death-bed these words A world of wealth for an inch of time Another when friends comforted her as she lay a dying said Call time again no comfort unlesse you can call time again Chrysorius prayed Inducias Domine usque ad mane others for the same reason have been at the hour of death Can they answer it at that day when God will reckon with them for every talent he hath entrusted them with and for that of time in particular If this letter should fall into the hands of any person who hath resolved or doth resolve to redeem an hour or more every day for secret Prayer let him consider whether it would not help to quicken and enlarge his heart if he did morning or evening or when he finds himself best disposed thereto enter into his Closet and turn up an hour-glasse and purpose within himself to see the last sand run out before he gave out or left Praying I do not propose this as an every days practise but at some certain seasons only It hath I confesse its inconveniences but withall it hath its advantages hereby the heart is engaged more firmely to the worke Now it will not put by the present opportunity by propounding another If thy heart be as mine it is apt to say to thee when at Prayer as Felix said to Paul Goe thy way for this time and come again at a more convenient season And further thou wilt fall to the duty with the more servency for thus thou wilt reason with thy selfe So much time I am resolved to spend in this service and I were better spend it in wrestling with God then in trifling with God and with Prayer I were better doe the businesse in hand with all my might and stir up my selfe to call upon God for during such a space of time I resolve to do nothing else I know t is the opinion of r Dicuntur sratres in Egypto crebras orationes habere eas brevissimas ne illa vigilantia erecta quae oranti plurimum necessaria est per productiores moras evanescat atque hebetetur intentio Aug. ad Prob. Cassian makes mention of some in his time qui utilius censebant breves quidem orationes sed creberrimas fieri many that as some persons do by their meales they eat little and often so Christians should do by their Prayers And in case of great indisposition I judge it advisable when they have toiled a while and can catch nothing they may take up their nets and mend them against another season and yet I will not discommend such a one that resolves he will catch something or he will toile all night that purposeth in his heart as Å¿ Nunquam abs te absque te discedam Paulus Aimilius being to fight with the Mâ—cedonians would never give over sacrificing to his God Hercules till he had some signe of Victory one once did that he will not go from God without God 3 Another Help to this Duty is to take pains with your heart before-hand to prepare it thereunto 't is usually from the neglect of preparation that we find such deadnesse and indisposition in secret Prayer Alas the heart is not all on a sudden lifted up into heaven many times the Prayer is almost ended before we begin to pray There is no Religious Duty but it must have some praevious preparation this is evident both by the light of t Ps 26.6 Exod. 19.10.11.12 The Books of Levit. and Num. are full of Scriptures to the same purpose Scripture and of u Tu Genitor cape sacra manu patriosque penates me bello e tanto digressum caede recenti attractare nefas donec me flumine vivo abluero Virg Aenead 2. Procul binc precul esse prophani conclamat vates totoque absistite luco Nature but Prayer requires it in a more especial manner see how those two Preparation and Prayer are conjoyned Job 11.13 This is a trite Theam and often inculcated therefore I shall passe it only let me advise you when ever you go to Prayer if your leisure will permit to read first one or more Chapters in the Bible and do not gallop over the Scripture when you read it as the most doe but pause a little at the end of every verse or sentence and whilst you pause x Lecttionem frequenter interrumpat oratio animum jugiter adhaerentem Deo grata vicissitudo sanctae oporationis accendat Hieron in Ep. Pray the Scripture as you read it will put words into your mouth and suggest meditations which are fit matter for Prayer unto your minds though some parts of Scripture especially the Psalmes are more apt for this purpose then others and if any passage be obscure put a marke upon it and propose it to the next able Minister or Christian thou meetest with to be resolved and for the present pray in Davids language or to that purpose that z Psal 119.18 God would open thine eyes to see and to understand the wondrous things of his Law y A good course to prevent idle and unprofitable discourse 4. A fourth and further Help is this to have right conceptions of God all along the Duty to
conceive of him as he is and as he hath revealed himself in his Word to be This will greatly conduce to the quickning of you Conceive of him 1. As of an Omnipresent God that he is really though not visibly present in all places and in that place where thou art a Praying more particularly that he sees thy heart as plainly as thou canst see thine own hands that he observeth thee as narrowly as if thou only wert alive in all the world or as if thou alone of all the children of men wert making thy supplication to him When ever thou settest about this duty a How would you Pray if men were present to see and hear you Sic loquere cum Deo quasi Homines ad starent Seneca set God before thine eyes as David did and represent him to thy self under this notion of an Omnipresent all-seeing God 2. Conceive of God as one that is full of Majesty and Greatnesse That passage in Mich. 6.6 Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God doth intîmate what apprehensions we should have of God when we come into his presence viz. that he is a High God infinitely above any of his creatures betwixt him and the Holy Angells or the highest of the children of men there is a wider difference then betwixt the Potter and his Clay Oh how would this apprehension both quicken and awe us in Prayer 3. Conceive of God as one that is exceeding gracious and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon him That known Scripture Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him doth hint what conceptions we should have of God in Prayer as of one that is exceeding bountifull we must believe not only his being but his bounty he gives not only what we ask but more yea b Eph. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supra quam redundanter abundantly more then we can ask Oh what quickning and confidence doth this notion of God afford To apprehend God in his greatnesse doth c Vitus Tâ—cod says of Luther that he Prayed with such reverence is became one that pake to he great God and with confidence as became one that spake to his Father or Friend stir up feare and godly reverence To apprehend God in his goodnesse doth stir up Faith and holy boldnesse God who is our father likes that we his children should come before him in this manner he gives us leave so we doe it awfully to d Eph 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie est libertas dicendi ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictio speak all our minds to him T is said of Flavius the Emperour that he would not that any man should present a petition to him as if he were offering meat to a Lyon or Elephant with a trembling hand God likes that we should lift up our hands to him as without wrath so also e 1 Tim. 2.8 without doubting 4. Conceive of God in Prayer as one God f â—id Dr. Hall Deca 3 Ep. 7. not divided and yet distinguished into three Persons the Father Son and Spirit This is a great mystery fitter for admiration then humane conception and yet all along this duty God must be thus apprehended as one substance in three subsistances as one essence in three relations all which do concur to the Prayers of Believers and have a different office about them there is the Father hearing the Son interceding and the Spirit helping their infirmities Lastly conceive of God not g Luther was wont to say Nolo â—â—um absolutum Heb. 12. ult absolutely but in Christ God in himself is a consuming fire but in Christ he is a mercifull Father h Heb. 7.25 Themistocl understanding that â— Admettus was angry with him took his young son in his armes and treated with the father holding that his darling in his bosome and thereby he appeased the Kings wrath There is no coming to God but by him I might enlarge upon this head but I forbear only remember this you will never pray to any purpose unlesse you carry along with you in your minds a right notion and conception of that God to whom you pray 5. Entertain and maintain very honorable thoughts of the Duty of Prayer it self this will both move you to the Duty and marvellously quicken you in it What the i Ps 87.3 Psalmist says of the City of God that may I say of the Duty of Prayer Great and glorious things are spoken of it If any should ask me as that King did the Prophets servant k 1 Kin. 8.4 What great things hath thy Master done So what great things hath Prayer done it would require more lines then I intend in all to return a full answer I might easily write a large history of the great exploits that Prayer hath done in the world You read Heb. 11. of many wonderfull effects of faith the effects and fruits of Prayer are as many and as great It hath l Dan. 9.2 3 4. Isa 37.15 16 c. Ion. 2.1 2 c. Josh 10.12 14. Act. 12.5 Dan. 2.18 2 Sam. 15.31 Est 4.16 Obtained promises subdued Kingdoms turned to flight the armies of aliens it hath raised the dead stopt the Suns course yea made it to go back It hath opened prison doors and unlockt such secrets as have puzzled the Divell himself it hath disappointed the plots of adversaries and rumbled those into the pit themselves which they have maliciously digged for others What shall I say more it hath m Jam. 5.17.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. c. 〈◊〉 affectionibus obnoxius opened Heaven and shut it again These and such like memorable things have been brought to passe by the Prayers of such sinfull and infirme creatures as we our selves are Let me add this it hath said hold on God himself and put him as one says to a mercifull retreat when he hath been marching in his anger against persons or people Jacob by Prayer n Hos 12.3 had power with God and by wrestling with him o Caelum tundimus 〈◊〉 miserecordiam extorquemus Tertull. wrested mercy from him God speaks as if his hands were held and tyed up by Prayer Let me go saith he to Jacob and to Moses p Auâ— on Exod 32.10 thus glosseth Domine quis tenet te c. Let me alone q Manton on James 5.86 One observes that God in Exod. 32.10 doth indent as it were with Moses and offer him composition if he would hold his peace Let me alone saith he and I will make of thee a great people Wonderfull is that passage r Some read it interrogatively thus Concerning the works of my hands command ye me if we read it right in Isa 45.11 there God sayes Concerning the works of my hands command ye me These and the
like expressions are to be admired says the same Author not strained lest our thoughts degenerate into rude blasphemy certainly they are mighty condescensions wherein the Lord would signifie to us the great power and efficacy of Prayer I might bring many Scriptures and arguments to evince the prevalency of Prayer but this is a common argument and therefore I shall decline it Only consult Mat. 21.22 where Christ says that all things whatsoever we aske in Prayer believing we shall receive This one promise is enough of it self to quicken the deadest soul that is in Prayer and Christs manner of speaking here is observable it had been one would have thought enough to have said All things ye ask in Prayer ye shall receive but here he adds all things whatsoever It seems to be a tautology we don't speak in our ordinary discourse I will give you all things whatsoever you ask But this is not without its signification All things Å¿ 'T is Mr Burroughs his glosse in one of his Books sayes one is a promise of generals and whatsoever relaâ—es to particulars 'T is as if he had said Not onely all things in generall but every perticular thing that you ask you shall receive for though it be true that generals include particulars yet such is the unbeliefe of our hearts that though we assent to promises in the generall yet when it comes to particulars we hold off and fear they will not be made good to us Hereto I might add that speech of Christ to the woman of Canaan t It was said of Luther Isâ—e vir apud Deum potuit quod voluit 〈◊〉 Pâ—â—â—se that full Scripture â— John 5. 1 â— 15. Be it unto thee as thou wilt he seemes to give her a blank and bids her write down what she pleaseth But enough of this My advice is That you digest this notion well and carry it along with you all the while you are at prayer and it cannot but quicken you As he must needs pray heartlesly who thinks 't is a bootless exercise who is ready to say in his heart What profit is it that I pray unto God so he must necessarily u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.17 pray in Prayer as 't is said Elias did who thinks that Prayer like Jonathans bow doth w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menander never return empty but oftentimes as the Eccho doubleth the voice so doth Gods answer our prayers Rest assured of this That every petition a believer puts up on Earth is read and fil'd in Heaven x So was Solomons 1 Kâ—n 8.59 and so is every believers 'T is nigh God and in his view night and day he gives the thing desired y Nemo parvi pendat onationem suam dico enim vâ—bis quod ipse ad quâ—m oramus non parvi pendit cam Postquâ—m egressa est ab ore nâ—stro ipse scribit eam in libro suo unum in â—uobus indubitanter expectemus aut dabiâ— quod petimus aut quod novit utilius Greg. in Hom. super Evang. or something that is better 6. Be much in the use of ejaculatory Prayer Reader if thou shouldst not understand the word I will suppose thee acquainted with the thing 't is a short yet serious lifting up thy soul in desires unto God upon any occasion whatsoever These ejaculatory Prayers are either vocal or mental onely If you read the Scripture z Gen. 43.14 49.18 Nch 2.4.5 Judg. 16.28 2 Sam. 15.31 Lâ—ke 23.42 Jâ—h 12.26.27 Luke 20.21 23.34 36. 〈◊〉 if this be not intendâ—d by Dâ—vid when he says Psal 119.164 Seven times a day do I praise thâ—e you shall find this way of praying very familiar with the best of men yea with Christ himself I could offer many things to commend it you as thus 1. 'T is very acceptable to God he hath testified his accepting by his answering such ejaculations as these Davids vocal ejaculâ—tion Turn O Lord I pray thee the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness And Nehemiah's mental ejaculation Neh. 2.4 5. had present audience 2. 'T is very easily performed all times and places are alike to it whether you are alone or in company at home or abroad you may in this way make known your requells unto God 3. 'T is an excellent means to keep the heart always in a heavenly frame It helps you also to improve every Ordinance and Providence of God But lastly which makes to our purpose 't is of special use to dispose us for solemn and a Vid. Mr. Gurnalâ— 3 Part of 〈◊〉 Câ—mpleat Christian Armour p. 387. It was a speech of a dying Saint that he was going to change his place but not his company A Christian that is frequent in these ejaculations when he goes to Pray more solemnly he goes from God to God from a more transient view of him to a more fixed c. continued Prayer They that often in the day are thus lifting up their hearts to God have them in tune when they betake themselves to that more solemn service Praying thoughts and desires are with them in a readiness these short breathings do prepare them for a longer race They that are good says one at these running pulls and trips must needs wrestle well with God A candle that is just now put out is soon lighted again whilest the heart still glows and is warm with these short ejaculations 't is readily kindled and quickned in solemn secret Prayer My advice is That you would accustome your self to these holy Apostrophe's to these heavenly ejaculations And yet I would caution you against doing this in a customary way Formality if you have not a care will fly-blow and corrupt this and every other good duty 7. Another Help is this Keep your heart close to the Duty and suffer it not to stray or wander A straying bea rt must needs be a straightned and a dead heart in Prayer How can a Christian have a lively and enlarged heart in a Duty when he hath no heart at all there but that is b Quâ—si nobis 〈◊〉 seâ—mo cum homine â—ulgari inter orandum omisso Deo huc vel illuc transvolamus Calv. Instit l 4. stragling in this and that corner of the earth whilst he is speaking to God his heart is conversing with the world insomuch that he forgets many times in Prayer what he spake last c Magnaâ— injuriam Deo sacio cum precont mtas preces exaudiat quas ego qui fundo non exaudio Deprecor 〈◊〉 ut mi 〈…〉 â—go vero 〈◊〉 mihi nec illi inâ—â—â—do Oh what an indignity is offered unto God and how is he mockt by such praying as this We would have him attend to our prayers when we do not attend to them our selves Vain thoughts in Prayer are occasioned partly by the desperate wickedness and deceitfulness of our own hearts thence they do proceed as Christ shews and that as freely as
water from a sountain and partly by the subtilty and malice of Satan he being a Spirit hath ready access to thy spirit and thou never goest aside to pray but he follows thee at the heels and seeing he cannot divert thee from his desire is to distract thee in the duty Sometimes he injects such thoughts as are directly sinfull or if he finds that these affright thee as many times a Christian starts at these as at some ghostly apparition then he casts in such as are at other times allowable and lawfull or if he sees that these are unwelcome then he injects such thoughts as are in themselves good and usefull onely they are impertinent these he steals our of the heart again for the most part before the Prayer is ended though at other times he would oppose them yet now he puts them forward as those that are most likely to find entertainment in thy soul I suppose thy experience will let thee set thy seal to this as true Now if thou wouldest have thy heart enlivened and enlarged in Prayer remember to repel every vain or impertinent thought that comes in to thy disturbance resist it rise upon it call in help from Heaven against it This is one sence we are to put upon the Apostles d Eph. 6.18 watching unto Prayer If at other times then much more in Prayer we must keep our hearts with all keeping or else do what we can they will give us the slip e 'T is Mr. Gurnals comparison in Lib. praedict As you do with your Children so you had need to do with your Childish minds happily they go along with you to Church but when you are set if not awed by your eye they steal sorth and are gone and it may be are playing all Sermon time or a good part of it and you miss them not To prevent this you set them before you and have an eye to them You can apply it Remember this advice whenever you go to Prayer renew your resolution to watch against vain thoughts think how many Prayers they have f Sâ— vâ—geâ—â—â— mens nostra nullâ—m 〈◊〉 preâ—â—â—â—â—s utilâ—tatem â—â—rcipiâ—â—â—s imo potius maâ—â—â—m dam 〈…〉 Vel. Maâ—l marr'd already resolve that through grace they shall not spoil this also 8. Let the guilt of no one sin ly upon thy Conscience that will so clog disquiet and check thy spirit in Prayer that thou wilt never be able to proceed with any life or enlargement Guilt makes a Christian shy of coming into the presence of God as a faulty Child playes least in sight and steals away to bed before the time being loath to come where his Father is So it is with a Christian that is conscious to himself of any fault or sin that he hath knowingly committed against God and as he is listless to come to Prayer so he is lifeless in the duty his sin flies in his face so that he cannot lift it up with any g Tunc eor siduciam in oratione occipit qâ—um sibi vitae nulla pran it as contradiert Greg. in mor. confidence his heart upbraids him and falls a quarrelling with him and says What hast thou to do to take Gods Name into thy mouth c If therefore thou wouldest pray as thou desirest preserve thy Conscience pure and peaceable Take heed of known sins h Psal 18. â—1 of departing wilfully or wickedly as Davids phrase is from God There is i Peccata quotidianae incu simis vastantia conscientiam a sinning weakly or through weakness this doth not ordinarily interrupt a Christians peace and there is a sinning wickedly or through wickedness so k Jude 15. Jude speaks of committing ungodly deeds ungodlily this lays waste the Conscience this destroys a Christians peace and deadens his heart in duty Oh beware of sinning after this manner if thou must abstain from every appearance of evil then much more from every apparent evil Oh fly from it when it comes near thee in a temptation as thou wouldest do from a venemous Serpent shake it off as thou wouldest do an ugly Toad that is cravvling up upon thee Observe l Job 23.22 with 26 27. Eliphaz his advice to Job which is to put iniquity far from him not to come near it and then says he thou shalt lift up thy face to God and make thy prayer unto him Thou shalt make many and mighty Prayers as the m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multiplicavit proprie verba fortia in oratione 〈◊〉 multae cogia fudit word there signifies thou shalt not onely use words in Prayer but words cloathed with power thou shalt be able to pray and to pour strong Prayers in abundance unto God Quest But if sin hath already wounded my Conscience and broken my Peace am I now to refrain Prayer till it be healed again Ans No for this is not to mend the matter but to make it worse You cannot heal the wound of one sin by another you must to Christ by Faith and to God by Prayer and though there be a present deadness yet ply the Throne of Grace till the Lord speak peace to thy soul and remember to do this presently the sooner the better let not the Sun go down upon the breach betwixt God and thee New breaches are made up better then long quarrels and green wounds are healed easier than old sores 9. It will not a little help in this case if you are provided beforehand both with matter and a method in Prayer I observe that Christians are streightned in this duty not onely from the naughtiness of their hearts but from the emptiness of their heads as sometimes like Zebedees Children they ask they know not what so at other times they know not what to ask They are often word-bound if I may so speak and at a loss they cannot tell how to go forwards and therefore they go backwards and vent themselves in vain repetitions Now this great evil will be in part prevented if they be stor'd beforehand with matter for Prayer and if they do observe a method in the duty Possibly upon the first reading of this direction you may reject it as that which shuts out the immediate suggestions of the Spirit and tends to formality but weigh it well and you will be of another mind Take it upon the word of one that hath prov'd it it is of admirable use to quicken and enlarge the heart in Prayer because from hence there is a continual supply of fresh matter for want of which your experience tells you that you are exceedingly dulled and straightned T is true sometimes and oh that it were so always we have such abundant assistance such ravishing incomes from the Spirit of God that we stand in no need of any such help as this here offer'd our spirits are so raised our affections are so up we are carryed out so beyond our selves that we cannot be bounded by any premeditated
matter or method but our hearts are not always like the Chariots of Aminadab but too often like the Chariots of Pharaoh we drive on but heavily for the most part in this duty and at such times this direction may have its use In order to storing our selves with matter and method for Prayer it would not be amiss if you had heads and common places in your mind or rather in writing to which you might refer such Scriptures and consideratious as do occurr in meditation by your selves in conference with others in reading or hearing the Word of God Hitherto also you might refer the sins you have committed the mercies you have received the wants you would have supplied the lusts you would have subdued c. It should be some part of every days work to collect fit matter for Prayer This is another way of watching thereunto what Ministers do to fit themselves for Preaching that all Christians should do to fit themselves for Praying They put all things they meet with which may be of use under their proper heads in books which they have for that purpose that they may readily have recourse thereto whenever they have occasion And so your collections must not be set down confusedly but methodically and in order else you will be to seek when you should make use thereof It would do well also if Christians would observe a method in their Prayers throughout this is of singular use to those who pray with others because confused repetitions and disorderly digressions cannot but dislike and deaden those that joyn with them and it is not altogether useless in secret Prayer for now a man can never be at a stand but still there will be an orderly succession of matter which serves greatly to quicken and excite the heart and affections as I have already hinted n Dr. Gouge his guide to go to God Lambertus Danaeus de oratione dâ—minica c. Consult Dr. Wilkins his discourse concerning the Gift of Prayer there you will meet with an exact method to be observed in Prayer Prayer by him is divided into two parts 1. Less principal viz. A Preface apt transitions and the conclusion 2. More principal 1. Confession 2. Petition 3. Thanksgiving There you will find also scheams of these three more principal parts of Prayer The Lords Prayer which is the standard or standing pattern of Prayer is very excellent as many have observ'd for method as well as matter and hereby doubtless Christ would intimate to us that the one is usefull as well as the other Obj. You 'l say This advice cannot be put in practise without great pains and care and to me there seems no such need of it for doubtless God is not taken with method or words in Prayer his eye is upon the heart and he observes its motion more then the motion of the tongue Answ This is most true and therefore it is not propounded as that which will affect or take with God but as a means to quicken and enlarge our selves And yet I must tell you too that though the words we speak and the method we use do not affect God yet to bespeak him in a consused careless empty manner cannot but offend him I am sure it is very unbecoming the solemnity of the Duty and contrary to that reverence we owe unto the Divine Majesty He that requires us to take heed how we hear when he speaks to us doth look that we should take as o Nèscit poenitendae loqui qui proferendae prius suo tradidit examini Cassiodor l. 10. â—p 4. great heed what we say when we speak unto him Weigh Solomons caution Eccl. 5.2 Let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before the Lord. 'T is you know the tongues office to utter and the heart's is to conceive why is it then said Let not thy heart be hasty to utter Because the heart should not suffer the tongue to utter what it had not first conceived and concocted The reason of this caution is taken from the consideration of that infinite distance betwixt God and us He is an High and holy God that inhabiteth Eternity and thou as p Eâ—palude sud procedâ—ns repens vilis ranuncula Bernard expresseth it a vile Toad creeping and crawling out of its ditch He is in heaven and thou upon the earth therefore thy words should be few Why should our words be few what is God against long Praying No surely he is not tyred with the length nor taken with the shortness of our Prayers but the reason of the clause is this Because they who speak but little do ponder what they say Our tongues when we speak to men much less when we speak to God should not run before our wit We should choose out words to reason with God as q Job 9.14 Job speaks As we must beware of curiosity so also of careleslness in those words which we utter before God in Prayer God ponders our words and therefore we have reason to do it our selves 10. The tenth Direction shall consist of three or four particulars which are prudential onely and may seem till prov'd little profitable 1. Choose and use that gesture of body which may serve best to quicken and excite thy Spirit in this service And here I must premise that there is no bodily gesture in secret Prayer commanded by God he hath left that to the prudence and piety of his people therefore if you read the Scripture you shall find the Saints of God to have used all the postures of the body in this duty indeed Kneeling hath been most in practice that is a posture of great reverence and it is put r Psal 95.6 Eph 3.14 A siâ— no rem denotat non quod oratio semper requiâ—at genuflexioaem sed qâ—oaâ—am hoc reverentiae signum communiter adhibeatur praesertim ubi non perfunctoria est sed seria oratio Cal. in loâ—uâ— sometimes for the duty of Prayer it self not that it is essential to it for you shall see the people of God in other postures at Prayer sometimes you read of their Å¿ Mat. 26.39 Josh 7.6 2 Sam. 12.16 prostrating themselves or lying with their faces upon the ground sometimes again you read of their t 2 Sam. 7.18 sitting sometimes of their u 1 Kin. 8.22 2 Chron. 20.9 standing and sometimes of their w Gen. 24.63 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies as to medltate so to pray Vid. Chald. and Genev. Translat and Tremell walking This last gesture though least in use yet some have found it usefull Kneeling doth often dispose to sleep and drowsiness which standing or walking doth prevent and surely that gesture is most eligible which is found most effectual to keep off indisposition or to dispose and fit a person for duty Nay my opinion is that variety of gestures may be both lawfull and usefull at sometimes in this exercise Surely Christians may