he comes armed with Authority from the Chief Priests to bind all that call on thy Name Well Ananias do what thou art bidden for though it is true that he hath been a vile Wretch a cruel and malicious Enemy fear him not the Wolf is turned into a Lamb It is no matter what formerly he was he is now quite another thing and is acted by a far better Spirit He is a new man and thou mayst take this for a certain and undoubted evidence of it He is a Praying-man He that before spake nothing but blasphemies and outrages against Christ and breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord did now that he was converted and sanctified speak supplications It is the fashion of a great many when the Lord's day comes they will go out to hear and they are for variety this man and that and twenty more possibly three Sermons upon a day peradventure four and I do not blame any for being swift to hear it is an excellent thing to see Christians hungry and of good appetites so that they do but allow themselves necessary time for concoction and be not wanting to personal and Family duties but Conscience do thou speak and that loud enough to make guilty Persons hear and feel too be there not some of these who at home are never upon their knees before God If a man could look into their Houses and into their Chambers he would find that Prayer is quite shut out from thence And for my part I cannot but tell you That let these Persons hold their heads never so high and have obtained never so great a name I can look upon them as being no better than a company of walking Ghosts such as do really want an inward vital principle and are carried up and down from one Congregation to another by some external consideration Prayer is a breathing in Heaven's Air it is the breathing of the Soul in the bosome of God it draws in spirit and life from him and then again it pours out and empties it self into him and it is full out as possible for a man to live a natural life without natural breathing as it is for him to live a spiritual life without spiritual breathing I mean without Prayer You know when God promiseth his Spirit Zechar. 12. 10. he doth it in these Expressions I will pour out upon the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplications Wheresoever the Spirit of God comes and dwells in the Soul as a Spirit of Grace there he doth certainly act as a Spirit of Supplications and the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 8. 15. That the Sons of God receive the Spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba Father Which imports a filial boldness and confidence in dealing with him by fervent Prayer I remember what you may meet in 1 Cor. 13. 1 c. Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels though I have the gift of Prophecy and understand all Mysteries and all knowledge though I have all faith so as to remove mountains though I bestow all my goods on the poor and give my body to be burned yet if I have not Charity it profits me nothing I am nothing but as a meer sounding brass and â—inkling cymbal What he there speaks of Charity or Love which doth indeed make Actions lovely in the sight of God and men and puts a lustre and beauty upon them the very same may be affirmed concerning Prayer Let a man be never so well accomplished never so raised in his attainments never so fluent and warm in his discourses never so eminent for his profession never so frequent and attentive in his hearing never so abundant in acts of Charity yet if he be a prayerless Person he is nothing nothing in Religion nothing to purpose all his parts and performances though many and specious will amount to nothing in Heaven's Arithmetick they will be of no more significancy than so many Cyphers without a Figure to put a value into them That which I have said amounts to thus much To live without Prayer is utterly inconsistent with a gracious and holy frame and all that such an one doth will never turn him to a good account You may as soon live a spiritual life without Faith as live by Faith without Prayer for as was before observed they that believe will speak When God hath kindled a spark of Grace in the Soul it will be working in a way of Prayer that spark will fly upward and carry the Soul along with it Thus we find it in Psal. 39. 3. My heart was hot within me while I mused the fire burned then spake I with my tongue What did he speak Prayers Lord make me to know my end and the measure of my days Therefore my advice is that you would either take up Prayer and follow it as a principal part of a Christians work or else lay down your Profession boast not of a filial Relation to God while thou art not possessed with a filial spirit and disposition Never talk of your being acquainted with God and some of his Friends when in all your lives you never spake one serious hearty word to him If you are resolved to live without Prayer be so just and reasonable as to put off the honourable name Christian which doth by no means belong to you and call your selves Heathens Beasts nay which is worse though not too bad for you down-right practical Atheists Secondly Your Condition at the present is very miserable though you know it not so long as you live without Prayer you live without a blessing whatsoever may light upon you the blessing of God is the portion of a praying People If you will look into the Book of God which I believe you seldom do for those that will not beg his mercy will not labour to know his will you may see how much it cost Esau to get a blessing from his Father Isaac he shed many tears and lifted up loud cries Gen. 27. 33 34. Isaac told him that one had brought him Venison which he had eaten of and he blessed him and he should be blessed It is said When Esau heard the words of his Father he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry and said unto his Father Bless me even me also O my Father and when Isaac answered vers 37. Behold I have made him thy Lord and all his Brethren have I given to him for Servants and with corn and wine have I sustained him and what shall I do now unto thee my Son Vers. 38. Esau said unto his Father Hast thou but one blessing my Father Bless me even me also O my Father and Esau lifted up his voice and wept What art thou so poor O my Father as that in giving one blessing thou hast given away all Hast thou not reserved one And all this he was fain to do before he could obtain Yea and it
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
the little things which did speak the unsoundness of their hearts so what shall we think of them who spend all or the greatest part of their care and heat about those things which come not under any express command of the Divine Law They that are most curious about their Bodies are as it is to be feared most careless about their Souls they spend so much time at their Glass that they have none for the Bible they are so careful that a Pin be not stuck amiss in their Cloaths that they leave every thing amiss in their Hearts by the Garbs and unreasonable Dresses in which some sillily proud persons come into the Assemblies it is easie for Spectators to determine how they spent and profan'd the Morning of the Sabbath at home and we may apprehend and fear the same in the present case that those persons who are so much set for such things as this are at least very apt and prone to bestow none of their care about that which deserves most they are so much for the place that they forget and neglect the heart they are so thoughtful where they pray that they do not mind how they pray they are so set for a form they do not mind nay possibly they hate the Power But by the way letâ—me whisper this in the ear of these persons That the Altar will not Sanctify a corrupt thing If you bring dead formal lifeless Prayers though you offer them up in your Consecrated Churches nay at your adored Altars they will not come up with a sweet smelling favour and acceptance before God I would not have any body think that I do God forbid that I should say A Form of Prayer and Formality of Heart are inseparable Companions I do not doubt but meer formal Professors are most for forms but I dare not affirm that all those who make use of Forms are meer formal Professors I do not doubt but some looking upon Forms as lawful and out of modesty and an humble sense of the lowness of their own parts do make use of Forms when they pray with others and are conscientious in the use of them and they do accompany the Petitions Confessions and Thanksgivings contained in them with sincere affections and do meet with a gracious acceptance with God and do enjoy a communion with his Holy Majesty But this I will also be bold to say and if any be offended at it upon them be it That constant stated forms of Prayer and Formality are borderers upon one another they live at no such great distance but that they frequently yea commonly meet together in the same Service and in the same Persons And really I am of the mind that it stands them in hand who make use of forms to be very cautious and look warily to themselves lest they do even before they are aware fall into formality that indifferency and lukewarmness of Spirit which God cannot endure When in the forequoted Scripture the Woman of Samaria fell into discourse with Christ about the place of Worship whether it ought to be at Ierusalem or in that Mountain viz. Gerizim our Saviour did wisely and graciously take her off from that as a matter not so momentous as to deserve either her Enquiry or his Resolution and fell to acquainting her with directing her to and putting herâ— upon the Spirituality of that Worship which is to be performed as that which she and every one ought principally to attend unto because it is that which the heart of God is most for and upon which his pure eyes are chiefly set 4 Iohn 23 24. The hour cometh and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Spiritual Worship is most congruous and agreeable to God Childish Toys please Children who have no more wit outward Pomp and Ceremonies please vain men who have not so good hearts as they should but spiritual Worship is acceptable to that God who is himself a Spirit such Worshippers he seeks others he rejects when he finds them therefore you must be such if you would find favour or receive a Blessing And to shut up this particular I will only add That if men were once set as they should be for the spirituality of Worship they would not be so unreasonably eager as they are for nor so tetchy froward and contentious about Places Modes and Forms which can fetch their pedigree and original no higher than meer human Invention and Appointment Enough of that and it will be well if some persons do not think this a little too much VSE In the third and last branch of this Use of Reprehension my work will be to awaken rouze and startle to convince and bring those to judge and condemn themselves who live without secret Prayer I hear from some and I do more than partly believe it That there are many Professors and those too of some Name and Eminency who live under the dreadful guilt of this sinful omission and if there be some such how great may we suppose the total number to be of them who are this way chargeable tho' let them be never so many every one of them Man Woman and Child is known to that God who observes our down-lying and our up-rising and is acquainted with all our ways There are those that will come to publick Ordinances that they may not be counted Heathens nor suspected to be Papists which Party now blessed be God is under great infamy and reproach tho' not greater than they do deserve upon account of the very Principles of that cursed Religion which they have embraced and do profess Yea and they will attend upon those Ordinances which they think are most purely administred and also join themselves in Communion with those Churches which they look upon as being of the most Scriptural Constitution that so they may be reckoned among Christians of the highest Form and chiefest Rank yea and peradventure they will set up Family-duties they will call their Children and Servants together and all under their â—oof and Charge to seek the Lord lest upon a discontent or remove some-body within doors should tell tales by means whereof their reputation should be blasted and the truth of their Religion called in question by any of those to whom they are desirous yea ambitious of approving themselves But wretches as they are as for Prayer by themselves either in Chamber or in Closet or any where else they do lay it aside altogether God himself will be a swift Witness against them that He and they never so met together They find much other work and can do many other things when they are alone They can spend a great deal of time at the Glass viewing and dressing themselves they can tell their Money and read over their Bills and Bonds but as for Soul-searching