between a Man and a Brute because there is something in Brutes which say they may pass for Reason to be sure it looks very like it but there is nothing like Religion in them and I would fain know what there is or at present can be of Religion in that Man or Woman who lives without Prayer and how unworthy is such an one of the name Man The late Learned Bishop Wilkins in his treatise concerning the Principles and Duties of Natural Religion hath these passages In the Actions of many brute creatures there are discernable some footsteps some imperfect strictures and degrees of Ratiocination such a natural sagacity as at least bears a near resemblance to Reason From whence it may follow that it is not Reason in the general which is the form of humane nature but Reason as it is determined to actions of Religion of which we do not find the least signs or degrees in Brutes Man being the only creature in this visible World that is formed with a capacity of worshipping and enjoying his Maker And he adds This is not any new Opinion but what several of the Ancient Writers Philosophers Orators and Poets have attested to who make the notion of a Deity and Adoration of him to be the true difference betwixt Man and Beast Thou then who hast hitherto lived without God and Prayer in the World own thy degeneracy take unto thy self both the name and shame of a Brute and now begin to act the part of a Man in falling â—pon thy knees before God and with an humble blush crying out as good Asaph did when once got from under the power and fury of an hideous temptation Psalm 73. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Besides this I would have you to consider the disingenuity you discover in living at such a rate and in such a neglect and contempt of God as this what will you not so much as thank God for all that good he doth you will you own him in none of the footsteps of his Providence and evidences of his care doth he step in between you and your dangers hold your Souls in life lade you with benefits direct your affairs assist you it business succeed your endeavours doth He day unto day shew his bounty and night unto night his goodness and is it not worth the owning Wilt thou not make any thankful acknowledgment nor pay him any tribute of praise wouldst thou carry thus to thy Fellow-creature or wouldst thou thy self bear it from another Think again how unnatural you are to your own Souls if a poor Creature wants bread how will he go out into the Fields and Streets and ask of every one he thinks able to give and continue upon his knees hours together dost thou not see them While thou dost thou hast reason to reflect upon thy self with indignation and abhorrency will he beg for a penny and wilt not thou pray for a Kingdom and a Crown of Glory far better than those of Gold When a Criminal hath a Sentence of death past upon him he will plead hard for his life and leave no stone unturn'd Benhadad though a great King when in danger sent his Servants in a most submissive manner with Ropes about their Necks to beg for his life Thou art a Criminal the Sentence is past upon thee and none can tell how soon execution may be done thou canst not promise thy self an hours respite how unnatural then art thou how hard is thy heart and how cruel to thy self who goest day after day and year after year without sending up a Petition for the life of thy Soul though thou hast often heard that the King of Heaven is a merciful King and that there are forgivenesses with him What shall I say if you are resolved to go on at this rate and persevere in this inhuman neglect thou mayst e'ven as well renounce thy Allegiance to God disown thy being any of his Creatures deny any dependence which thou hast upon him Call not thy self from henceforth a Man a Woman indued with reason or acting according to the principles and dictates thereof but acknowledge thy being sunk down and degenerated into a Beast and truly thou deservest to be sent with Nebuchadnezzar to graze among them till thou art made better to understand both God and thy self What O Man O Woman what dost thou mean live and not pray live merely upon God's mercy and patience and not pray live upon his goodness and his cost and not pray must thou one day dye and go into the other World and not send any prayers thither before thee Must thou go to God in order to thy being judged by him and sentenced as to thy everlasting state and yet not pray Surely thou hast lost thy reason and art chargeable with egregious folly and madness Oh that I could do something in order to thy cure and bringing thee to thy self and upon thy knees and that God would by his Spirit and Power accompany what I shall to that purpose offer to thy most serious and repeated consideration First That man who spends his days altogether without Prayer is dead while he lives though he hath a natural life yet he hath nothing of the life of Grace nothing of that divine life of which the Lord Jesus was the Purchaser and is the Principle but is to this very day alienated from the life of God thorough the ignorance and perverseness which is in him and dead in trespasses and sins New-born Children cry What! can a person be born spiritually born of God and brought forth unto God and yet not cry not pray It is a thing impossible it cannot be The work of Prayer indeed may be for a while interrupted sometimes through inward weakness and oppression as that holy man complained in Psalm 77. 4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak sometimes through violence offer'd him by temptation the Enemy of God and Man comes and stops his mouth otherwise the very nature which a Saint hath been made a partaker of doth carry him out hereunto and that holy fire which is kindled in his Soul will be ascending up in such a flame 2 Cor. 4. 13. It is written I believed therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak that is to be understood of speaking in a way of confession but it is true also speaking in a way of supplication In Acts 9. 11. The Lord said unto Ananias Arise go into the street which is called Straight and enquire in the House of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth Poor Ananias was startled at the Order and not very willing to be sent upon such an Errand and began to object Lord this man hath got a very bad name I have heard of him by many He is the talk both of Town and Countrey as having been a mischievous Instrument he hath done much evil to thy Saints at Ierusalem and now
my Ministry as any in London and not like many given to change wandering up and down from place to place by means whereof their itching Ears have been more tickled that their precious Souls advantaged yed some of them running from the Flock to which they-belong and not keeping the place in which God by his Providence had set them have fallen into the hands of Seducers who have led them out of the way Everlasting and then robbed them of their Light and Heat the precious Truths of God and their Zeal for him leaving them wounded both in Head and Heart and wallowing in the Blood of their Apostacy I was in a prudent and very modest Letter desired to preach upon that excellent Duty of Secret Prayer by one of your number who had with grief taken notice what strangers some Professors are to the practice of it yea how some do live in the total neglect of it as if it were altogether unnecessary and unprofitable The motion being made did meet with a very ready and chearful entertainment I stood not debating but presently closed and buckled to the business and the very next Lord's Day begun it A single Sermon only was desired and I intended no more but having once engaged my thoughts they multiplied and grew up into four As soon as I knew the person that sent me the Letter and made the Motion I gave her my Thanks and I do here repeat them because I find that many through the Blessing of God have got good by it When I had finished the Discourses a Letter subscribed by several was presented me desiring That what had been Preached might be Printed which was granted as soon as asked though the Great Work which lieth upon me doth render Printing very tedious to me and alloweth me not that exactness which I delight in and should otherwise endeavour But I am Yours and take pleasure in being so and know not how to deny you any thing And now I wish That what is here sent abroad into the open World might find acceptance there and meet with a kind reception from Others as it did from You and also That it may bring forth much fruit and accomplish that for which it hath been designed even the good of precious Souls the awakening to and quickening in this great piece of practical Godliness those who have totally neglected it or been exceeding remiss Little do Men and Women think how greatly they prejudice themselves by carelesness touching matters of this nature they had better act by halves and triâ—le in the Affairs of this World than in those of Religion How can any think to be supplied fresh that Stock which is laid up in the hand of Christ or to be enriched by his inexhaustible fulness if they do not seek him How can any expect the performance and making good of the Promises to them unless they put them in suit How can any rationally hope that they shall with Ioy draw Water out of the Well of Salvation when they will not take so much pains as to let down their Bucket into it Though great and glorious things be in the heart and purposes of God concerning his People and he hath passed his Word for them which is better than Man's Bond Security sufficient yet he will be enquired of by them to do them for them Well whoever they be who undervalue God making him the Object neither of their Love nor of their Fear whoever they he that say unto God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways nor to maintain any fellowship with thy Majesty whoever they be that taste no sweetness in holy Exercises and see not that God is necessary but hope to pick up a satisfaction for themselves out of inferior and transitory Goods Let your wants drive you to God and your love draw you to him do you seek the Lord and his strength yea seek his face evermore lay hold upon all opportunities of meeting with him bearing from him and pouring out your Souls before him go with Zacheus into the High-way that there you may get a sight of Christ and with the Spouse into the secret places of the stairs and there let him hear your voice Certainly all those that are born of God have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost are entitled to the Glory above and Ioint-heirs with Christ have received and are acted by the Spirit of Adoption which is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication and puts them upon going to him in all cases as to their Father in Christ their God in Covenant They are in the Scripture called The Generation of them that seek him And let men say what they will it will be found That the most praying Christians are the most thriving Christians They are the persons that now get most of Heaven and make the happiest progress in the way thither Do you therefore in the morning direct your Prayer to God and look up do you present Him with the First-fruits so will the whole be sanctified by that means you will secure to your selves his direction in the difficulties of the day his defence against the temptations of it his support under the afflictions of it his assistance in the work and duties of it together with his blessing upon your endeavours to succeed them and upon your enjoyments to sweeten them to you When the evening comes end your day with God make him the Omega as well as the Alpha pay him the tribute of Praise for the Mercies you recieved beg the continuance of his favour so may you lie down in peace and comfortably expect a being shadowed with his wing and having sleep given you as to his beloved Ones while the Hedge of his Protection is set about your Persons Families and all that you have Upon the Lord's day get alone and do all you can to pray your selves into an holy and heavenly frame fit for the Duties and Ordinances of it beg his Presence with you and in them and a sight of his Power and Glory and that there he would give you of his Loves and Kiss you with the Kisses of his mouth Never dare to come to the publick Assemblies till you have been with the Great Master of them who alone can bless his Provisions to your refreshing and nourishment and fasten his Truths in your Heads and Hearts as a Nail in a sure place Pray that he who hath the Key of David would open the Minister's mouth and your hearts giving him the Tongue of the Learned and you the Ear of the Obedience both prepare the Seed and likewise fit the Soil And when you return from the Congregation to your own Houses there set upon Prayer again and so cover the Seed that is sown and earnestly desire of God That as he did enable you to mingle Faith with the Word that was delivered so he would grant you to live and practice it The Life in Heaven will be a Life of
me put the Question to â—hee again Art thou a Christian hast thou been baptized into Christ hast thou â—ut on Christ hath he got the possession â—f thine heart and the supreme power and â—ommand in it If thou art a Christian be â—niform let thy whole life be of a piece â—insey-woolsey Christians bear with the â—xpression are abominable both to God â—nd Men. What thou art that be in all â—laces having put Christ on keep him on â—nd walk up and down every-where as a â—an in Christ expressive of Christ making â—im visible in thy life and all the passages of it Do not thou carry like a Christian in the Congregation and like an Heathen in the Closet Since God is so very gracious as to admit thee into his House to tread in his Courts to sit down at his Table to feast it with his Children upon marrow and fatness dainties and spiced wine be not thou so disingenuous and ungrateful as to shut him out of thy Chamber when thou lettest in the World and Sin Holy Paul speaking of himself and others of the true Apostles he saith 2 Cor. 2. 14. That God made manifest the savour of his knowledge by them in every place that was a very great and excellent work they were not moral Preachers but Gospel-preachers They did not preach Plutarch but Iesus The Spouse had said Cant. 1. 3. That the name of her Beloved was as an ointment poured forth Now said Paul I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified and all the Apostles were acted by the same Spirit and inflamed with the same love to Christ they took his name as a box of most precious Ointment and whereever they came they opened it and made Christ known and whereas the Gentile World was exceeding unsavoury and all places did stink most wretchedly of their Idolatry the Apostles perfum'd and sweetned and brought into them the most delightful savour of the knowledge of the true God in Christ. Now accordingly I would have you act if you be professors make every place where you come to savour of Religion let all your Discourses have a savour of it carry that savour with you into your Friends Houses and publick Houses of entertainment and be sure that in your own Houses in your Chambers and Closets you do make manifest the savour of that knowledg which you have of God and of that true sincere love which you have for God If you be Christians be uniform practice Christianity always every-where Secondly I would seriously propound this Question to thee Dost thou make Religion thy business I have not lived above Threescore Years in the World without making some Observations and getting some knowledge of it and I must needs say I know a great deal more than is good I have read many Books and I have read Men too though indeed many of them are crabbed pieces not easie to be understood But this I have found and still do to my sorrow and to their shame that many Persons among us do make a profession of Religion who never indeed took it up nor buckel'd to it as their Trade they are not altogether strangers but will be doing something but here 's the mischief it is only as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 business by the bye their thoughts and cares and studies are carried another way their main work doth lie somewhere else namely in the World that is the thing they are devoted to and set their hearts upon and spend their time and strength in the pursuit of how they should get it how they shall increase it how they shall secure it and how they shall inebriate themselves with the comforts delights and pleasures of it Whereas the gracious Soul that is sound at the bottom and that in truth which he would go for in the account and esteem of men makes his Religion his great and principal work David said Psal. 109. 4. I give my self unto prayer others give themselves over to sin God gives them up to a reprobate mind and to vile affections and to their own hearts lusts and they give themselves up one to his drunkeâ—ness and another to his uncleaâ—ness Now David gave himself to prayer and what he saith of Prayer in particular is true as to Godliness in general a godly Man gives himself up to it he is addicted and devoted to it he is all for that and the truth is none but such an one will do good upon it Believe it O Professors for your own experiences will in the end make my words good none but such as do indeed make Religion their Trade will thrive upon it and grow rich toward God Now then if thou dost indeed make Religion thy business thou wilt heartily study and do all thou canst to promote it as you know the promoting of Trade is the matter of common discourse among men and they are greatly set for it they are glad to hear of any thing that will contribute thereunto Now there is nothing in the World that doth forward a Christian more in this his great business and that doth more promote the Trade of Godliness and Religion than Secret Prayer doth I am not willing to compare one Duty with another or one Ordinance with another â—â—ir they are all of God they are all stampt with his Authority they are all greaâ— advantages to them that walk uprightly God is more wise and gracious than to set his Servants about any unnecessary 〈…〉 You know that many Persons who are wâ—llâ— moneyed men have a stock going with others as in the African and East-India Company but not satisfied with that they will have their Secret Stock also and will trade by themselves So here the Saints and People of God should be trading and have a great deal going in the common Stock in publick Worship in the Assemblies and Congregations of the Saints Psal. 42. 4. Holy David did reckon it a brave time when he went with the multitude to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day Psal. 122. 1. He was glad when they said unto him Let us go into the house of the Lord. And it is prophesied and promised as a choce and singular blessing Isa. 2. 3. That many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths But it is not to be expected that they should thrive amain and grow very rich toward God unless they have a Secret Stock going too and will be trading by themselves in private and keeping up that communion correspondency and intercourse with God and Christ which others do not know of David was very much for Sanctuary sights and enjoyments when he was deprived of them he did seek and thirst and long for them Psal 63. 1 2. but still