awaken vs with smart enough Vse 2 Instruction Secondly this doth teach vs that we must stirre vp our spirits in the action of praier vse contention shake off such chilnesse as wil run through vs crying to him that is the quickning spirit not being quiet till wee get some warmth into our spirites and these bee the winged prayers that flie beyond all the visible heauens these bee the prayers of smoake in which the Church ascendeth to God out of this world a barren wildernesse Doct. Fourthly watching therunto Whence marke that as vvee must pray so vvee must vse watchfulnesse for furtherance of prayer Not that wee should sit vp late as in Nocturnes or wake before day as in morning Mattens But vvee must all day long haue a wakening soule that carrieth the dutie of prayer in remēbrance Watch pray Mat. 26.41 Col. 4.2 Continue in praier and watch in the same with thankesgiuing 1. Pet. 4.7 The end of all things is at hand be yee therefore sober and watching in prayer Where we may see it is the mindes waking which is principally meant though this wil keep the bodie frō drowsinesse in performing the exercise The primitiue Christians this is recorded of them that they did eate their meate as remembring they were to call on God by the night season More particularly there must be watchfulnesse brfore prayer 2. In it 3. After it Now our watchfulnesse before stands in preuenting the impedimēts in marking that in the course of the day which may fit vs for prayer First this watchfulnes will make a man so cast and make such riddance of businesse that he may not haue hinderāces when he shall goe to his dutie God prefixeth a Memēto before the Sabbath teaching that if one doe not lift vp his minde to it and in the six dayes dispatch his businesse hee cannot keepe it when it commeth so there is a mindfulnesse to be had of him that will not this way be encombred with distractions Secondly Wee must watchfully keepe our selues from sinne Let him that calleth on the name of Lord depart from iniquitie For if we be in the day time indulgent to our lusts it will be a dampe to our prayers and when wee yeeld to sinne it is a token our Watch is downe vve think not of prayer For if wee meant to make suite to a man at night wee would be watchfull in the day not to lose his fauour by giuing him offence lest hee should refuse vs in our request 2. We must obserue our wants in the day time as how prone we are to runne into worldly mindednesse in wrath in voluptuousnes in foolish and vnfruitfull speaking and therefore what need wee haue to cry Lord keepe thou the door of our lips Again we must labour as to haue a sense of wants so to haue a feeling of the good things God giueth of the euils hee keepeth from vs for vvithout the one wee cannot bee poore in spirit nor beg vnfainedly without the other wee cannot be truely thankfull and offer vp our praise hartily Now we must watch in praier against indeuotion and wandrings c. So Esay complaineth 64.7 And there is none that calleth on thy Name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hould on thee After praier wee must marke how God hath answered vs in this or that wee haue entreated Psal 5.3 Early in the morning will direct my praier vnto thee and vvill wait stand as in a watch-tower and see how the Lord will deale with mee and remember mee in my requests Psal 130.5 I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word ver 6.7 Vse 1 Reprehen ∣ sion This doctrine checketh many such as when their Watch hath beene downe rush vpon praier euen from pots to praier when they haue supped giuen thanks though they haue let their hearts loose eat drunke without fear sobriety profaned their mouthes with light vnfruitfull speech yet then before parting of friends call for a praier But though they may after a feast go to praier who eat and drinke before the Lord as Hannah 1 Sam. 1. after shee had exceeded with a double portion went and praied deuoutly yet you that haue let fal your Watch in feasting you profane Gods Name when you call for a praier and many are so farre from remembring themselues all day that they cannot keep their eyes open while they are a-praying they are so affected as if it would cast them into an ague to bee kept awhile in praier This want of watchfulnes is a cōmon euill and doth vs great hurt This maketh vs such poore Orators that when we come to God wee are barren of praise and request because we doe not obserue in the day matter for this purpose this though we knowe it not doth make vs complaine of such mists rouing thoughts indisposition because wee walke all day long forgetfull If one should eat codlings gooseberries pease would you wonder if at night hee were wrung in his belly would you not bid him mend his diet if hee meant to see it otherwise so when wee let our hearts loose all day feed vpon earthly vanity how should they bee heauenly-minded on a sudden vvhen bed-time calleth on vs to praier Vse 2 Exhortati ∣ on Let vs stir vp our selues to keepe this watch that wee may see and walke in the strength of our praiers If one be to make an oration in the schooles hee will not venture ex tempore how much more should wee meditate on the orations wee are to make before the Lord So if we should deuise any thing by way of petition would wee not wait how it is receiued what is said to it would we giue vp our petition and carelesly depart never thinking on it how much more should we wait to see what will becom of our requests to GOD With perseuerance Doct. VVhence marke that wee must hold out in our daily course of praier VVhat if God delay we must not giue in but like Iacob not let God goe till hee giueth vs the blessing and like those remembrancers of Sion in Esay giue him no rest till hee accomplish our desire This our Sauiour by two parables calleth vs vnto one of a friend importuning his friend in the night Luke 11.5.6.7.8 another of a widow dealing with the vnrighteous Iudge Luke 18.2.3.4.5 This perseuerance is a thing so louely that therefore God doth delay to see how we vvill be instant and importunate vvith him For he doth not seeme to reiect prayers that hee doth not heare grant them nay as seed which is the longest couered riseth the first with most increase so doe those prayers which God seemeth to bury in forgetfulnes a long time if we perseuere they shall spring out vvith the greatest blessing Vse Instruction VVherefore vvee must stirre vp our selues strengthning our feeble knees erecting our fainting hearts we must not let delay beate vs out Shall we stint God presently to heare vs Let hypocrites say Esay 58 VVee haue fasted and thou regardest not Are we better then Paul vvho praied thrice yet vvas glad to rest in this that Gods grace vvas sufficient better then those that haue said Hovv long Haue not vve vvhen God hath called and knocked often neglected to ansvver Let vs consider these things and though God seem to turne a deafe eare tovvards vs let vs continue our praiers with patience Finis
doth not hinder vs from being heard Marke 9.22 But if thou canst doe any thing help vs. Mat. 14.31 Oh thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Ob. 5 Fiftly From our long asking and not receiuing It is in vaine for him to pray that asketh and receiueth not Ans Ans First we must examine whether our continuing in som lust doe not hinder the effect of our prayer Iames 4.3 Yee aske and haue not because ye aske amisse Wee must knowe that God doth deferre vs to try how we will perseuere in prayer as a friend when hee meaneth to doe this or that doth detract it at the first to see if the other will importune him Thirdly that we may knowe the worth of things and haue our ioy doubled in receiuing them Fourthly It is a token God will giue vs more aboundantly the longer hee doth holde vs in request the wider one openeth any thing it is a token vvee meane to put the more in It is not in vaine therefore to aske though wee be not presently answered seeing God doth on so good occasions delay vs in our suits And let vs be sure of this that he that bottleth vp our teares files vp our prayers putting them on record before him Mal. 3.16 Then spake they that feared the Lord euery one to his neighbour the Lord harkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought vpon his name Ob. 6 Sixtly the Diuell by tempting vs to sinne and distempering of vs in the course of prayer 1. Pet. 3.7 Likewise yee husbands dwell with your wiues as men of knowledge giving honour vnto the woman as vnto the weaker vessell euen as they which are heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not interrupted For when the conscience is defiled wee are so pricked in the foote that we cannot goe to God in prayer and are not able comfortably to discharge it wee either neglect them or profane Gods name in rushing vpon them we must therefore take heede of sin as wee would with comfort return to prayers But here is a question Quest I haue beene ouertaken with infirmitie the time of prayer draweth on what shall I doe Answ Ans First thou must not neglect it for this is to heap one sinne vpon another Mat. 5.24 Leaue there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Secondly thou must not when thou hast offended God rush boldly on him Exod. 33.10 They worshipped euery man a farre off in the door of his tent but Num. 12.14 There is a worthy example If a mans parent should be so offended as to spet on him durst hee appeare before him for seauen dayes And shall wee bee so bolde hauing offended the father of spirits presently to come into his sight In the third place a man must gather himselfe together let his heart smite him in that hee hath done the rather to think what streights hee hath brought himselfe vnto either in neglecting his dutie or profaning the name of his God If the partie bee at hand as the man and wife let there bee mutuall confession if otherwise let there be a purpose of it and hauing this purpose and being in any measure touched though nothing so well as wee wish and were meet wee may come to God and he will accept vs and heale vs. 2. Chron. 33.19 And his prayer and how God was intreated of him c. Seauenthly Ob. 7 The Diuell will labour to preuent vs and breake vs off in this dutie by distractions this thing and that calling vs away by difficulties in the while of prayer such mists of darknesse such swarmes of wandering idle thoghts cōming before our mindes that wee are much discomforted Answ Ans Wee must be resolute against distractions First seeeke the kingdom of God c. Mat. 6.33 If wee promise at this or that houre to meet a man when the Clock smiteth whosoeuer wee are with wee craue pardon wee are to goe Make not more bolde with God then you would with man For the second we must enquire whether letting loose our hearts all day doe not cause this vnfitness at night and if it be so we must help the matter with watchfulnesse Secondly wee must knowe that the Saints haue felt both these things darknesse and wandrings For there is a double wandering of the minde one is of carelesnesse and contempt such as is in many in the Church that pray and their mindes are a wool-gathering they say Amen but know not to what There is another wandering of the minde which is through infirmity it being felt is grieuous to vs though we cannot ouercome it Thirdly this is a rule We must not cease to doe any commandment because of our imperfection in dooing it And to strengthen vs euery vvay Let vs come to the fourth consideration how to strengthen our selues that we may cōstantly cary forth this duty First to consider that this is a commandemēt and that necessity doth lie vpon vs. Secondly to consider the promise of God Ask and yee shall haue seek c. Thirdly to muse often on the stile of God Psal 65.2 Hee is a God that heareth praier looke the vvhole Psalme If Princes will not lose any part of their Royall Title God vvill maintaine his Fourthly to consider it is our selues that gaine by praier and if we lay it down wee shall haue the losse of it Iob 35.7 If thou be righteous what giuest thou vnto him c Yea we must be so far from beeing offended at Gods not answering at our want of comfort and liberty that wee must hould euen this such a prerogatiue as wee are vnworthy of 1. Chron. 22.14 What am I or my people that we should offer thus what are we that wee should speake to God or haue accesse to the highest Maiesty Fiftly to consider against all wants that wee are accepted according to that vvee haue when there is a ready minde 2. Cor. 8.12 Hee spares vs as a father doth his children Mal. 3.17 They will heare with delight the lisping and stāmering voice of their children yea because the soule is sicke the seruice is twice welcome If a sicke childe reach vs vp a thing wee count it more then to send another of laborious arrands Lastly from all wants and discouragements labour to see that thou canst not pray if God by his spirit help thee not the more thou comest to bee poore in spirit the more freedom and strength thou shalt haue in performing thy duty Now thus we see in generall that Christians must by this exercise of prayer strengthen themselues Doct. Euery where wee haue precepts Call on mee in the time of trouble c. Psal 50.15 And precedents Dauid Asa Iehosaphat Hezechiah when the armies of the Heathen did assaile them by prayer preuailed against them This is the
refuge of the Saints in all troubles The Name of the Lord is a tower of defence Psal 18.10 This is that iust mans practice Psal 32. the whole Psalme Vse Which doth rebuke such Christians as vse not themselues to prayer It is with vs as in the time of Esay 60.7 And there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hould on thee And as with the Disciples Iohn 16.24 Hitherto haue yee asked nothing in my Name We haue all things so cast vpon vs that wee vse not prayer but take heed for the Lord will draw back his hand and rather strip you that are his owne of all then leese his honour Hos 5 I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their fault and seeke mee in their affliction they will seeke mee diligently If wee will not seek him hee will make vs cry after him therfore do not whatsoeuer condition you are of shift it off Wiues thinke the husband must doo it but his neglect will not discharge thy duty Seruants thinke if their masters vse none they are bouÌ„d to none Why should we need motiues to this If we might bee familiarly admitted to the Kings presence vvee would easily accept it in faithfull praier thou maist commune with God Again how worthy are we to misse good things that will not open our mouths for them Spare to speakâ— vvee say and spare to speed When GOD biddeth vs aske and haue hovv vnthankfull and vnvvorthy vvretches are vvee that neglect such kindnesse and vvill not prooue him that is so gracious Againe there is no duty so acceptable to God for that prayer is to grace as povvning is to svveete spices it maketh grace as faith reuerence pouerty of spirit thankfulnes c. cast a fragrant smell as vvhich indeed is nothing but the chafing of them Secondly vvee see Doct. that day by day when it shall bee most fitting our condition and occasion wee must returne to this duty Pray alvvaies That vvee are said to doo continually vvhich vvee are said to doo at fit times daily as Numb 28 That vvas a continuall sacrifice vvhich vvas daily offred morning and euening only And that we are daily to take vp this exercise it appeareth by Dauid Ps 55. 17 Euening and morning and noone vvill I pray and make a noise and hee shall heare my voice Dan. 6.10 He kneeled vpon his knees three times a day and praid and praised his God as hee had done aforetimes Secondly by Christs instruction vvho vvould haue vs begge euery day the things that belong to this temporall life much more to the spirituall And by many reasons as first our decay of grace vvhen it is not renevved or sundry vvants and nevv appearances of euil vvhich daily shevv themselues before not discouered vvhich must bee supplied by praier as the decay daily of bodily streÌ„gth by sustentation Secondly the daily malice of Satan against vs. Thirdly the benefit of daily prayer it is as a hedge to vs. When we haue brought our selues to this custome it beeing vvith the soule as vvith the body it vvill not goe quietly vvithout that to vvhich it is accustomed Vse First therefore from the right vnderstanding this phrase vve see it doth not enioyne vs those canonicall hovvers for besides that their institution vvas not knovven in the Apostles time this precept tieth all Christians vvhereas their hovvers of praier bind their clergie onely vvho of office are to pray and there discourse that way would haue these things marked that wee doe not deny that the Church hath liberty to appoinâ— houres with caution of edification But the first erre in this that they make lawes for all times of some example which particular men did freely vpon some occasion extraordinay 2. That they multiply their foria's and houres abundantly aboue that the Church of God can attend vnto yea contrary to Gods institution who hath that we might keepe his worshippe on the Sabbath giuen vs six dayes 3. That they make them publike prayers of the Chur. which are performed by the Clergie wheras the Clergie are not the Church but the ministers with the people to whom it is ministred Vse 2 Secondly this doth conuince many who think that time lost that is deuoted to prayer who thinke it is enough to pray at Church as if Gods publike seruice did iustle forth the priuate Many who by fittes sometime will pray leauing off another while Many who though they pray in euening with their houses yet in the morning euery man must bee for him selfe and God for them all but wee must pray alwaies euening and morning day by day it is most requisite that wee Christians may offer vp a continuall spirituall sacrifice to our God though every one cannot in the like measure performe these duties for the circumstances of callings and conditions of liues do make them differ Doct. 3. In the spirit Which doth teach vs that the inward man of our hearts must chiefly be occupied in prayer In all our seruice wee should say as Ro. 1.9 That we serue God in our spirites but especiallie in prayer it being not the warbling of words but the yearning and panting of the heart after God and the things of our peace Such was Christs prayer Heb. 5.7 which in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp praiers and strong cries vnto him c. From his soule they came for they were offred vp with lowd cries and many tears And the ardent desire is the thing which God heareth though there be no voyce annexed as appeareth in Moses Exod. 14 15 Why cryest thou vnto me 2. The prayer outward of the lippes without the request of the heart is abhominable in his sight Maâ— 15.8 Cursed is hee that draweth neere with his lips but his heart is farre from mee The spirit is the rise of true prayer if it proceed not thence it is an empty ring which God regardeth not And this maketh prayer laborious because the spirit is to trauaile in it and the Saints in this regarde can endure better to heare an houre then pray a quarter whereas the world they think the out warde repeating of words with a generall intention to suffice This Popery is naturall they cry for praying rather then preaching Vse Reprehension It doth serue to conuince such prayers as are nothing but vain babbling wordes without spirit as with many the minde is running on twenty things while the bodie boweth to prayer Yea it doth check the indeuotion and want of spirit that doth creep vpon vs that are the Lords And let vs take heed for a powerlesse prayer if it come not from meer feebleness which is accompanied with an abiectnesse of heart but as it doth the most times from a spirit of sloath ioyned with presumption If we from these grounds shuffle vp our prayers without powâ—r life God wil certainely punish our profaning his name with letting vs fall into some sinne which shall
glorious spirituall forces In this eighteenth verse and the two following are set downe three things concerning prayer First the dutie it selfe Pray alwaies with all manner of prayer c. Secondly the manner partly from a vertue that must accompanie it and partly from a property of perseuerance Thirdly the obiect or parties set downe generally in this verse particularly in the verse following This is the summe of the verse The dutie hath his amplification from the generality of it with all prayer which is all the kindes of prayer which are opened 1. Tim. 2.1 I exhort therefore c. First deprecatiue or prayers that aske remooueall of euils 2. Petitions or wishes of good things 3. Intercâ—ssion for others 4. Thankesgiuing Secondly the dutie is set downe for circumstance of time alwaies which doth not note that wee should bee daily or vncessantly occupied in praier but that ever and anon in fit opportunities we should betake our selues to prayer Wee haue else-where the same manner of phrase 1. Thes 5.16 Reioyce alwaies not that wee should bee like Democritus alwaies laughing but when occasion is offered shewe that reioycing as otherwhiles wee must weepe with them that weepe The like phrase 2. Samuâ—l 9.7 Mephibosheth did alwaies eate bread at Dâ—uids table that is dayly at the houres of eating hee did remaine at the Kings board Thirdly in the spirit signifying the fountain whence it must spring from our spirits mooued by the spirit of God which is the inditer of prayer These are opened as having in them some difficulty Now to returne First to the generall handling of this 18. verse Secondly to the particular Prayer is an opening of the heart to God in making requests and offering thankes thorough Christ For the nature of it is nothing but a motion of the soule in desire and thankesgiuing called the lifting vp of or the rearing vp of the soule The vse of it is not to satisfie or merit Beggers pay no debts but confesse insufficiency Dan. 9.5 It pleadeth all guilty and vnworthiness and how can hee demerit with prayer that cannot requite ought hee hath receiued Wee are lesse then the least of his mercies as Dauid Psalm 116.12 What shall I giue the Lord for all his benefits vnto mee The vse of it may bee branched out In regarde of God It doth glorifie him by acknowledging him the father of lights the fountaine of all good wee haue and would haue In regarde of men the helping of them thorough loue by being futers at the throne of grace for them through Christ Secondly in regard of our selues the vse is manifold but heere those vses of prayer are most pertinent which doe respect the warfare wee haue in hand First it doth make vs winne the day without striking a stroake For it keepeth the Diuell out that hee cannot haue leaue to throwe a dart against vs. Matth. 26.41 Pray that yee enter not into temptation Luke 21.36 Pray that you may escape these things that shall come to passe and that you may stand before the Sonne of man Secondly it doth get vs supply of strength if vvee come to the encounter For Exod. 17.11 Moses prayer was stronger then Iehosuahs sword Pray and the peace of God shall like a watch-tower kâ—epe your hearts Looke how Captaines fighting abroad for their Countrey send their Letters and so haue men munition victuals mony c. So prayer is the messenger of a faithfull soule and fetcheth euery thing from God Thirdly Prayer doth strengthen vs in faith and hope For look as if we commune often and familiarly with a man wee haue more confidence towardes him so If wee by often prayer speak with our God it doth imbolden vs and breed more liberty and confidence towards him then if we were estranged 4. Prayer getteth all our other armour fitted about vs we being not able to buckle it on further theÌ„ our heauenly father doth helpe vs on with it Now for the third thing How the Diuell doth labour to weaken vs in the performance of this dutie Ob. 1 First from this that prayers doe not alwaies speed and therefore are in vaine 2. Cor. 12.8 For this I besought the Lord thrice yet hee missed of that hee sought much more we in temporal things Ans Ans That is not in vaine which doth nâ—t alwaies get the thing wee would haue about which wee must learne three things First that prayer often doth obtaine what wee would as Moses for victory and had it Hanna for a sonne and had him Secondly when it doth not obtaine the things themselues it gets somthing that may be worth our seeking as though it doth not quite remooue evils yet it preuaileth so farre as to haue mercy mingled with iudgement our evills asswaged Though wee get not the things wee wish it getteth some grace proportionable as in Paul 2. Cor. 12. My grace is sufficient for thee Thirdly though it get not deliuerance ad voluntatem yet it alwaies procures issue ad salutem Ob. 2 Secondly from this that praiers are needlesse Esay 65.24 Yea before they call I vvill ansvver and vvhilest â—hey speak I vvill heare And Iohn 16.24 Henceforth you shall ask mee nothing Ans Ans The later is but a doubt from the phrase of speech for asking there is questioning as they had done before vvhich they should not need to doo vvhen they had the spirit to lead them into all truth for the other it follovveth not God is ready to forgiue vs therfore we need not aske for although it is not needful to stirre vp mercy in him vvho is the bovvels of mercy or to informe him vvho is the searcher of hearts yet they are necessary as meanes vvhich God vvill haue vsed that vvee may receiue the things vvhich hee of free mercy giueth Gen. 25 21 Isaac knevv he should haue seed before yet he prayed Elias knevv and had told Ahab God would certainly giue raine yet both prayed and they are meanes to prepare vs holily to enioy the things receiued The creature is sanctified by prayer for things receiued by prayer encrease our loue to God our thankefulnes Psal 116 What shal I render vnto the Lord for all his benefites maketh vs ready to part with them for Gods glory Ob. 3 Thirdly from our vnworthinesse God heareth not sinners Iohn 9.31 And also if I regard wickednesse the Lord will not heare mee Answ Ans There are repenting and vnrepenting sinners the later kinde of sinners nay their very prayers are an abhominatioÌ„ when they loue to liue in some sin and hate to bee reformed The other God heareth Ob. 4 Fourthly God heareth not such as doubt of his mercy Iam. 1.5 Ans Ans There is a raigning vnbeleefe and there is a doubting and vnbeliefe which is a weaknesse left in the Saints for their exercise The first is in heathens and vnbeleeuers the later which is a doubting which is in a soule that would be rid of it and prayer by faith fights against it