delivered from the wrath of his Brother Esau Jonah by prayer out of the Whales belly and the three Children out of the seaven-times heated Babylonish Furnace By prayer David stayed the Plague so that it seized not on Jerusalem and caused the Sword of the destroying Angel to be put up into the Sheath again By prayer Elias stayed the Rain for three years and six moneths and by the same means opened the Bottles of Heaven that the Earth brought forth her Fruit By prayer he brought down fire which consumed the two Captains and their fifties that came to take him By prayer Joshua commanded the Sun and it stood still in Gibeon and the Moon in the Valley of Aijalon for the Lord hearkened to the voyce of a man and fought for Israel By prayer Daniel stopped the mouths of Lyons and came untouched out of the Den and by prayer Peter and Paul and Silas were delivered out of Prison Shackles Iron gates being but weak things to the power of supplications And what shall I more say for time would fail me as the Apostle speaks if I should tell of Samuel of Sampson of Jehoshaphat of the Prophets also and of the Apostles who by prayer procured thunder to destroy their Enemies out of weakness were made strong turned to â—â—ight the mighty Hosts of Adversaries the Dead they raised to life again made the Lame from the Womb to walk and leap healed Discases beyond the skill of art of Cure Behold prayers efficacy though performed by men of like passions with our selves this should perswade us to the love and practice of the duty 3. Who is it that would hinder you from prayer Who stands at your right hand to resist you certainly 't is an Enemy who is unwilling you should draw nigh to God because he knows 't is so good for you Psal 73. ult Your own hearts also are ready to draw back but this argues their egregious folly and desperate wickedness 4. What has followed upon the omission of prayer Has not this Omission ushered in sins of Commission have you not when you have neglected to cry for strength in your souls found your selves like Reuben unstable as water have you not easily been induced to do that which has fill'd the face of God with frowns and the mouth of Conscience with Reproaches On the other side has not prayer been with success sometimes have you not found encouragement grace at the mercy seat Oh do that which both bitter and sweet experience prompts you to 5. Prayer is an honourable employment in this duty you have admittance to the ear of the King of Heaven how high is your Company your fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 2. Though the Lord be high yet he hath respect unto the lowly he will regard the prayer of the most destitute and not despise it he allows you a freedom to pour out your complaints and to make known before him your troubles And what honour is this to have to do immediatly with God to have him so nigh to you in all that you call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. 6. Frequency and fervency in prayer will be a great evidence of your Regeneration and Adoption The Child when born crys and the Sinner when born again prays Of Paul 't was said as soon as he was Converted behold he prayeth Act. 9. 11. 'T is the Spirit of Adoption that makes us cry Abba Father If we cannot be satisfied unless we approach unto God and value his favour and fellowship above all Earthly things and are chiefly desirous of those blessings which he never gives in wrath and having given never takes away again we may conclude from our spiritual breathing our spiritual life Now a good evidence of Regeneration what will it be worth in a day of trouble in a dying hour The last Use shall be of Encouragement to Believers 1. Their prayers are Gods delight Prov. 15. 8. The Sacrifice of the Wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight so Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rock in the secret place of the stairs let me see thy Countenance let me hear thy Voyce for sweet is thy Voyce and thy Countenance is comely We are pleased with the talk and requests of our Children though their language be lisp'd and broken And God is infinitely more indulgent then earthly Parents are or can be and much more willing to give good things than they Mat. 7. 11. 2. There are many reasons why the God whom Believers pray to should secure them 1. They are his chosen ones God pitch'd his love on them before the foundation of the world was laid 2. They are his Sons purchase he has bought them with a price shed his Blood for the Remission of their sins gave his Life for their Ransom 3. They are in Covenant with God he has engaged to be their God and surely he will be their Guard also 4. They are Vessels of mercy in whom he does design to glorifie his grace and love for ever Surely then he will heed these when they pray he will give them the good they need and save them from the evil which makes them flye to him for shelter I have done with the first Doctrine That a Christians security lyes very much in Praying Always D. 2. All prayer is of concernment to be used praying always with all prayer says the Text. Prayer is a duty of very great extent and the parts of it are admirably suited unto the present State and condition of a Christian and the divers kinds of prayer very well agree with the various circumstances wherein we are All the ways of seeking God shall be to purpose if he be but sought diligently and according as he himself has appointed for he tells us plainly that he sayes Not to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Esa 45. 10. Two things I shall here insist on First I shall speak concerning the parts of prayer and shew you how all these parts are to be used Secondly I shall give you the several kinds of prayer and so perswade and direct you unto each kind that this duty may be performed in its utmost latitude I begin with the parts of Prayer and they are these 1. One part of Prayer is an humble compellation or naming of God Those titles that are given him in Scripture we must be acquainted with and such should be used as are most suitable unto the matter of our prayers and which have the greatest tendency to excite those gracious and spiritual affections which are required in our Supplications If we consult the prayers of Saints which are recorded in the Bible we shall find that God is called sometimes Lord sometimes Father sometimes the great and mighty and terrible God sometimes the King of Glory sometimes the high and lofty one that inhabits eternity whose Name is
deserved sore sicknesses and of long continuance and to fall by the Arrow of the deadly Pestilence Thou mightest make the Heaven as Iron and the Earth as brass and curse the Land that it shall not yeeld her increase and break the staff of bread whereby our lives are sustained Thou mightest bring the Sword that should avenge the quarrel of thy broken Covenant and cause them that hate us to rule over us We have deserved spiritual Judgments that the golden Candle stick should be removed out of its place that the light of the Gospel should be put out in obscurity and that the Sun of Righteousness should go down at Noon-day Thou mightest curse such barren Trees as we have been and say Never fruit grow on you more Thou mightest give us up to our own hearts lusts and say because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged therefore thou shalt not be purged any more until I cause my fury to rest upon thee The very Vengeance of eternal fire is no more than our due We have deserved Hell and one of the hottest places there For Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah had they heard what we have heard had they enjoyed what we have enjoyed would have repented long ago in sackcloath and ashes 3. A third part of prayer is Deprecation of punishment It highly concerns us to pray against the evils that we fear and have merited by our sins Lord enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity O Lord who should stand but there is forgiveness with thee and plenteous redemption that thou mayst be feared Let not thy anger wax hot let not thy jealousy smoak against us We lye at thy foot and lay down our weapons and cry out for mercy The returning Prodigal was embraced by his Father he rejoyced saying This my Son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found O let the arms of thy Love O Lord be open to embrace us though we are not worthy to be called thy Children We pray against outward Calamities and if these are brought upon us let them be sanctified and then they may be reckoned among our choycest mercies But especially we deprecate spiritual judgments Do not punish sin with sin do not say let him that is filthy be filthy still let him that is unjust be unjust still Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Do not give us up to blindness of mind to hardness of heart to a reprobate sence to strong delusions to vile affections Do not swear in thy wrath that we shall never enter into thy rest O Lord leave us not for woe unto us when thou shalt depart from us Do not abhor us O God for as thy loving kindness is better than life so thy displeasure is more bitter than death it self Oh deliver from future wrath which is most of all intollerable How shall we dwell with devouring fire how shall we be able to inhabit everlasting burnings How shall we be able to stand before the Lord when he shall be revealed with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and disobey the Gospel who shall be punished with overlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Oh Lord grant that we may find mercy of thee in that great approaching when the wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Thou that hast the keyes of Hell and of Death Oh unsting death and suffer me not to fall down into that lake which burns with fire and brimstone Let me never feel the gnawings of that Worm that dyes not nor be tormented in that flame that never shall be quenched Oh be not angry if I am importunate to have thy anger removed an eternity of misery is astonishing Oh save me from everlasting Damnation 4. A fourth part of prayer is Petition for Grace and Mercy Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been ever of old Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me thorowly from my Iniquities and cleanse me from my sins Take away all our Iniquities and receive us graciously heal our back-slidings and love us freely and let thy anger be turned away from us Though we have made thee to serve with our sins and wearied thee with our Iniquities yet according to the Word that thou hast spoken blot out our Transgressions for thy own sake and remember our sins no more For thy name sake O Lord pardon my iniquity for it is great O Lord behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way but thou hast laid on him the iniquities of us all He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him Oh that by his stripes we may be healed He poured out his Soul unto the death and made intercession for the Transgressors Oh let transgressors be received into favour Justify us freely by thy grace through the Redemption of Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood Our sin has abounded let thy grace much more abound Beg for Adoption Oh that thou wouldst become a God in Covenant with us and a Reconciled Father to us and let us be the Sons and Daughters of the Lord Almighty Let us be no more Strangers and Forraigners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Send forth the spirit of thy Son into our hearts crying Abba Father Deliver us from fear and bondage and seal us up unto the day of Redemption Say unto us Souls I am your Salvation There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Satisfy us early with thy mercy Let thy spirit bear witness with our spirits that we are the Children and not only Children but Heirs Heirs of God joynt-Heirs with Christ unto the Inheritance that is undefiled and will never fade away reserved in Heaven for us Intreat that Repentance unto life may be granted Oh take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh Let thy goodness lead us to Repentance Let us not only have space but also grace to repent of the evils of our ways and doingâ— Cause us to remember them so as to loath our selves and turn to thee Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and so shall we be turned draw us and we shall run after thee Renew us in the spirit of our minds and help us to put on that new man
eye of dependance for all their expectation of Grace and Peace and Life is through Him alone 3. They that have the Spirit of Prayer are earnest for the fruits and graces of the Spirit that Love â—oy Peace Long suffering Gentlenesse Goodness Faith Meckâ—â—sse Temperance All which the Apostle enumerates Gal. 5. 22. 23. may be in them and abound and they are restless in prayer for the mortification of the deeds of the flesh for they consider what is said Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live 4. They that have the Spirit of prayer are enabled to go unto God as unto a Father Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Not but that doubts and fears may be in those that have the Spirit witnesse the Psalmist who cryed out will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more is his mercy clear gon for ever And doth his promise fail for evermore hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercyes Psal 77. 7. 8. 9. But at length and truly it may be long first â—aith gets the better of unbelief Many that are the Children of God cannot always call him Father yet even then they go to him and are noâ—quite beat off from him and there is a Secret Trust that he has some gracious respect to them and by this they are encouraged still to persist in prayer Use 3 of Exhortation Prize and value the Spirit of Prayer as without his help you cannot pray to any purpose so he can make prayer mightily pravailing The Spirit will create an holy boldness in your accesse to the throne of grace he will enlarge your hearts in this duty which enlargements are not without sweetness and great satisfaction The Spirit will draw up and indite such petitions for you as will not be denyed and give some encouraging intimation of your being accepted and answered in the beloved Now if you would have the Spirit of Prayer follow these directions 1. Rest not in the bare gift of Prayer let it not satisfy you that you have a praying tongue and no more all your Supplications are but a flattering the Lord with your lips and a lying unto him with your tongues while your hearts are not right with him Psal 78. 36 37. 2. Be sensible of your need of the Spirit light and liberty life and liveliness are the effects of the Spirit good motions holy affections are his off-spring without him you will be like Pharaohs Chariots when the wheels were taken off and drive on heavily but he can make your Souls like the Chariâ—ts of Amminadib Cant. 6. 12. 3. Part with every thing that grieves the Spirit foster not any lust or inordinate affection that may render your hearts an unpleasant habitation to him 4. Frequently beg for the Spirit and Especially in secret this will be a sign that you indeed desire him Plead the promises which you find Luk. 11. 13. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit unto them that ask him And what God has promised Christ died that he might purchase nay Christ has prayed that the Spirit might be bestowed Joh. 14. 16. And therefore you may pray with the greater encouragement and assurance Thus concerning that third doctrine that Prayer when rightly performed is Supplication in the Spirit D. 4. In Prayer Watching is a necessary ingredient Watching is a duty which the great Prophet Christ himself frequently pressed and the injunction is general What I say unto you I say unto all Watch Mar. 13. 37 He knew that a Spiritual Lethargie is a disease most incident But if at any time surely in holy duties this heedlesness and sleepyness does discover it self we had need therefore to rouse up our Spirits that are so sluggish naturally Deborah speaks to her self four times Awake awake Deborah Awake awake utter a Song Judg. 5. 12. We have need thus again and again to call upon our Souls to Awake and be Watchful when about to utter a prayer Watching and praying are joyned in Scripture and not only so but Watching is required in Prayer Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and Watch in the same with Thanksgiving so 1 Pet. 4. 7. But the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore Sober and Watch unto Prayer In the handling of this doctrine I shall first shew what we are to Watch against in Prayer Secondly What we are to Watch over Thirdly What we are to Watch for Fourthly What manner of Watching is required in Prayer Fifthly Give the reasons why Watching is so necessary Lastly make Application In the first place I am to tell you What we are to Watch against in Prayer 1. We must watch against indwelling corruption There is a Law in our Members that wars against the Law of our minds and this Law in our members commands quite contrary to the Law of God This Law says pray not at all but especially forbids seriousness and fervency in Prayer and if not watchful this Law will sway and over-rule us and bring us into captivity to the Law of sin VVe had need look to our selves for when we have thoughts of doing good evil will be present with us Rom. 7. 21. and if care be not taken the evil will hinder our doing of the good Oh how deep is the corruption of our Nature How desperatâ—ly wicked is the heart of man How great are the remainders of sin in those that are most renewed And since the remaining Flesh still does lust against the Spirit this Flesh is to be narrowly eyed that it may be weakned checked else 't will spoil all our services 2. When praying we must watch against the evil One. Satan likes not to see us at the Throne of Grace because he knows has felt the sufficiency of that grace that believers obtain there I besought the Lord says the Apostle when buffeted by the messenger of Satan 2 Cor. 12. 8. and the power of Christ so rested upon him that Satan had no power unless it were full sore against his will to keep him humble and to hinder his being exalted above measure The Devil therefore might and main withstands us in Prayer and how many are his wiles that he may keep us off from this most advantagious Duty Sometimes he objects the difficulty of Prayer somtimes he says 't is needless to spend so much time therein sometimes 't is fruitless and that little comes of all our Cryes and Tears sometimes he proposes other business to be don that we may be diverted sometimes he threatens to appear to us that he may affright us from the Mercy Seat How busy is our adversary the Devil we should be acquainted
Father but by him Joh. 14. 6. Christ must be by faith received as the Gospel offers him that is as a Prince and Saviour and by this Faith being united to him God looks upon believers as the Brethren of Christ as the Spouse of Christ nay which is nearer as Christs Members and will deny them nothing Those that belong to Christ God is a God to them and a Father to them as he is to Christ himself and loves them as he loved Christ Joh. 20. 17. Joh. 17. 23. surely he will then grant them their requests 3. They that pray must by Faith rely upon the Promises that God has made of Hearing He has said that they that ask shall receive that they which seek shall find and to them that knock it shall be opened Mat. 7. 7. And for further encouragement because the Spirit teaches what to ask and how to ask Christ assures us that God will more readily give his Spirit to those that ask him than earthly Parents Bread unto their hungry Children Luk. 11. 13. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit unto them that ask him How comprehensive a promise is the promise of the Spirit His work is to apply that Salvation which Christ has purchased and is sent on purpose that he may endite such Petitions for the Saints as will find audience How plainly has the Lord said that his Eye is upon the Righteous and his Ear open to their Prayers Psal 34. 15. such words should be rested on when we engage in this Duty 4. The more confidently they that pray conclude the performance of Gods Promises the more certainly they will be accomplished Therefore we are commanded to ask in Faith nothing wavering Jam. 1. 6. and we are encouraged to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith Heb. 10. 22. and hearken to our Lord himself Mar. 11. 24. Therefore I say unto you what ever things ye desire when ye Pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them If we did but more firmly believe that God according to his Covenant for his Sons sake has pardoned sin and will heal our Souls of their distempers and will give grace sufficient and make us to grow and increase with the increases of God verily his promises would appear to be real and according to our Faith it would be to us Thus you see how those that pray must be Believers 5. In Prayer things must be asked for according to the will of God 1 Joh. 5. 14. And this is the conâ—idence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us Christ tells his Disciples Joh. 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my Words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be don to you the Word abiding in us declares the will of God and regulates our wills and then what we will we shall have Luther said Fiat voluntas mea Let my will be don because my will O Lord is the same with thine I do not wonder that many of the Heathens reasoned against Prayer they being unacquainted with the mind of God knew not what to ask for But in the Scripture God has declared his mind to us and that in our Directory Dissertat 30. Maximus Tyrius tells us that if you take away Phylosophy out of the world you take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which alone knows how to pray For says he the Philosophers pray'd for Vertue for tranquility of Conscience for an unblamable Life And a Death full of good Hope But how much more truly may this be said concerning Christianity 'T is the Christian Religion that informs many degrees beyound Philosophy concerning the Will of God and what he is willing to bestow on us There is a threefold Will of God which we are to regard in Prayer his Will of Purpose of Precept and of Promise 1. His Will of Purpose Gods Purpose concerning his People is Wise and Gracious therefore 't is called the good pleasure of his Goodness by the Apostle 2 Thes 1 â—1 and 't is but reason that this Purpose should be submitted to We may ask sometimes for that which it may not be fit for us to receive In Temporals especially we are at a loss and are not able to determine what measure of such kind of Mercys is most meet for us When therefore we beg for the continuance of Life the prolonging or restoring of Health the enjoyment of outward Comforts All must be done with this Proviso that the Will and Purpose of God may stand and be accomplished for we may conclude that when the Lord denies outward Mercys which we with submission begg for he intends kindness in that very denyal 2. In Prayer Gods Will of Precept is to be regarded whatever he commands us to do we may with boldness go to him for strength which may enable us for the performance The Lord calls and commands Israel to turn Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O House of Israel Ephraim turns this into Prayer Jer. 31. 18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God God commanded David to keep his Precepts diligently David takes hold of this and cries out Oh that my ways were directed that I might keep thy Statutes Psal 119. 4 5. He requires that we should love and fear him vve may without presumption beg that he would circumcise our Hearts to love Him and put his fear into our hearts that we may not depart from him 3. In Prayer Gods Will of Promise is also to be eyed And though the Promises of the life that now is belong to believers yet especially they prize and plead the promises of spiritual and everlasting Blessings These we are to look upon as exceeding great and precious and sure promises and to beg that by them we may be made partakers of the Divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through Lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. What can the Lord promise more than he does Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly When we intreat him to make good his promises we do in effect but intreat him to glorifie his power and love his truth and faithfulness 6. Prayer must be in the name of Christ what name more prevalent Job 16. 23. Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you When we make use of the Mediation of Christ we go the way to speed The Papists make use of the Mediation of Angels and Saints departed But the Apostle tells us as of one God so of one Mediator between God and Men the man Christ Jesus Saints indeed on Earth may
sometimes to try whether we duly esteem mercies and if we do we shall think them worth our while to pray still for them and wait till they are given 5. To pray always implies Not to give over praying while we are on Earth This Ordinance we must never be above for we always need to engage in it Our life is a continual warfare we have need to pray for defence and victory our knowledge and grace is imperfect we have need to pray for the increase of both and that we may be helped to press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God Phil. 3. 14. In the third place I am to tell you Why a Christians security lies in prayer 1. Prayer engages God on a Christians side He promises to hear the cry of the Righteous ones and hearing their cry implies the engaging of his power and goodness for their supply and safety In prayer there is an acting of holy desires unto which satisfaction is assured and there is an acting of trust and faith and God will shew himself strong in the behalf of them that flie unto his Name as to a Tower of defence and rely upon his everlasting Arm. He that believes and has his expectation from the Lord shall not be ashamed The Apostle sticks not to say Whosoever calleth on the Name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 12. that is whosoever calls with faith and fervency Such calling engages God for us if He be for us who can be against us Rom. 8. 31. Our Iniquities though never so strong he can easily subdue the world and the God of the world are weak compared with the Almighty He can deliver from the evil world from the evil one from every evil work and preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdom 2. Prayer Weakens the flesh with the affections and lusts of it Our great danger is from these homebred Enemies Our Lusts do war against our Souls 1 Pet. 2. 11. And the Apostle threatens Believers If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8. 13. What course does David take to obtain the Victory over his Corruptions he prays against them Cleanse me from secret faults Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins Let no Iniquity have the dominion over me Create in me a clean heart and uphold me with thy free Spirit These and such like were his crys and he did not cry in vain The Believer in prayer pleads that 't is for God's Honour to kill Corruption that 't is His declared Will even man's Sanctification that 't is His work to Sanctifie that He has promised to Sanctifie throughout in body Soul and spirit and he is faithful and therefore will do it 1 Thes 5. 23 24. He pleads that Christ died that he might Redeem and Purifie from Iniquity that he might cleanse his Church and present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it might be holy and without blemish Eph. 5. 27. and such pleas are effectual to the obtaining of grace and mortifying the deeds of the body 3. A Christians security lies in prayer for prayer obtains better things than the world can boast of Let the world allure by its strongest baits and present unto the Christian the greatest gains the sweetest pleasures yet Blessings more valuable are to be gotten at the Throne of Grace The heart in prayer is taken up with the thoughts of and eagerly desires after the priviledge of Reconciliation and Adoption Communion with God and the Communications of his Grace and Spirit an eternal weight of glory a Crown of life an enduring substance fulness of joy and pleasures for ever-more Psal 16 ult These are the things above that in prayer are sought and what are things below in comparison The heart that is placed on these is the better armed against the world as long as spiritual and eternal blessings are sEcured the world is neither desired nor dreaded by it 4. Prayer is an underminâ—ng of Satan The powers of Hell have felt the force of this duty Christ commands his Disciples to pray when he perceived the Devil about to winnow them Luk. 22. 40. Pray that ye enter not into Teâ—ptaâ—ion If as oft as we are assaulted by the Tempter we did but look unto the Lord for grace to help in the time of need temptation would be very unsuccesful Two things are done in prayer against Satan By our confession of sins this Accuser is silenced by Petition Grace is obtaâ—ned â—o withstand him 1. By confession of sin this Accuser is silenced Satan is styled the Acâ—user of the Brethren and to shew how malicious and eager he is in his Accusations he is said to accâ—se them day and night before God Rev. 12. 10. But in prayer Believers bring bills of Indictment against themselves not only all that Satan can truly lay to their charge do they also lay to their own charge but also all that God has against them they acknowledge they cover not their sins but confess and aggravate them they blame and judge themselves and how earnest are they that sin confessed may be pardoned and purged away by the blood of Christ Now Satans mouth is stopt his charge signifies nothing for thus confessing sin and looking unto Jesus for Clensing as well as Atonement God is faithful and just to forgive them their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness 1 Johâ— 1. 9. 2. By Petition Grace is obtained to withstand Satan The Apostle Paul when buffeted by the Devil falls to prayer and what answere has he The Lord said unto him my Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness And the Apostle is satified in this that the power of Christ did rest upon him 2 Cor. 12. 9. Prayer brings us to the God of Peace who has promisEd to tread Satan under our Feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. By Prayer Wisdom is derived from God and the more wise the Father of Lights makes us the better we understand the Devils wiles and his design is seen thorow which is to deceive to defile and at last to murther Souls And as Wisdom is increased so Faith and Love and Fear and other Graces by Prayer and the more we believe God the less credit shall we give the evil one the more we love God the more we shall hate that evil which we are tempted to The more we fear the Lord the more will our hearts be united to him and 't will be a matter of the greater difficulty to perswade us unto a departing from him 5. A Christians security lies in Prayer for Prayer is a great means to make every other Ordinance effectual for our safety and spiritual advantage The word of God and prayer are coupled together Acts. 6. 4. But we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word Our Sermons which we preach unto you should be beggâ—d from
Heaven they should be begun ended followed after with Prayer And if you that are hearers would but help us herein by prayer 't would be in effect to help your selves If there were but more praying before you come to the Sanctuary that you might be taught to profit so many sermons would not be lost so much seed would not be sown in vain Prayer sets an edge upon the Word and makes it quick and powerful to kill Sin and keep off Satan Prayer works the Word into the Heart and being hid there 't is a mighty preservative against iniquity There is a Spiritual instinct in Believers to joyn Prayer with every Ordinance of God Because they know that Ordinances cannot secure or benefit them except the Lord concur and work along with them I have proved that a Christians security lies in Prayer In the fourth place I am to give you some Reasons why we ought to pray always 1. We should pray always because God is always ready to hear The Lords Ear is not heavy that it cannot hear Esa 59. 1. He hearkens after Prayer and looks down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there be any that understand and seek God Psal 14. 2. The Father is said to seek for right worshippers namely those that worship him in Spirit and in Truth Joh 4. 23. we have therefore encouragement as at all times to trust in him so at all times to poure out our Souls before him God is a Refuge for us Selah Psal 62. 8. Verily seeking of God in sincerity never was yet in vain and never will be God has heard sinners then when they perhaps have little thought he minded them When Ephraim bemoaned himself was as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak was ashamed and confounded because of his evil ways and cry'd Turn thou me and I shall be turned says God I have heard him I have surely heard Ephraim Jer. 31. 18 19. â— and gives him to understand that he was a dear Son a pleasant Child and that he would surely have Mercy on him There is not a Tear but God has a Bottle to put it in nor a sigh but God observes it nor a true desire but he is ready to satisfy 2. We should pray always because Christ always intercedes Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them The prayers of Believers will be vvell seconded This Angel of the Covenant has incense sufficient to perfume and to make the Prayers of all the Saints at all times acceptable Christ in Heaven is alvvays presenting to his Father his Sufferings and by his Sufferings all that we pray for has been purchased His Blood therefore is said to speak in Scripture and it speaks better things than that of Abel Heb. 12. 24. The Blood of Christ cryes in Gods Ears on the behalf of those that pray which the Curse that Christ has born may be removed from them that the Sins for which Christ was wounded may be forgiven them and that out of the fulness of Christ they may receive and Grace for Grace 3. We should pray always because the Spirit is always ready to help our infirmities This Spirit Christ promised and according to his promise sent him and this Spirit is styled the Spirit of Grace and of Supplications Zach. 12. 10. for he gives grace and ability to make supplications acceptably And this Spirit abides with Believers alwaies Joh. 14. 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter which shall abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you The Spirit is ready to instruct us what to pray for to remove the load of indisposition to this Duty to quicken our deadness therein to enlarge our hearts in desires after the God of all Grace to strengthen us to wrestle for a Blessing And truly God is not to be prevailed with but by the mediation of his Son and by the strength of his own Spirit 4. We should pray always because Satan is always forward to assault us Satan is compared to a Lyon in Scripture And Elian observes concerning the Lyon that if at any time he is beaten back he retires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his face towards you as being readyupon the least encouragement to make another attempt In like manner Satan watches has his Eye always upon us and is ever forward to tempt and should not we be ever forward to pray Our whole Life is a time of Temptation Wicked Spirits are continually engaged against us We wrestle sayes the Apostle with Principalities and Powers with the Ruters of the darkness of this World with spiritual wickednesse in high places These Enemies are invisible so 't is more dificult to withstand them they are too subtile and too strong for us We had need therefore to pray without ceasing since they cease not endeavoring to bring us both to sin and ruine 5. We should pray always because corruption will quickly recruit and recover strength upon the least neglect of prayer Had David been praying when he was sleeping so long in the day time or after his nap had been ended had he gon to the throne of grace instead of idlely walking upon the roof of his palace nay when first he cast his eyes upon Bathsheba if he had then immediately lookt up to Heaven and cryed that that spark of concupiscence might have been extinguish'd before it set him in a flame his foul fall and the dolefull consequents of it might have been prevented But duty was neglected and lust took the advantage of that neglect and he was hurried into two as heinous Sins almost as can possibly be committed 2 Sam. 11. Experience shews us that if we omit or are slight in Prayer that day our passions are more easily stirred and our lusts get ground Thus Amaleck prevail'd when Moses hands began to hang down but when they were held up towards Heaven Israel had the better In the fifth place I am to Answer the Objections that are made against this duty of Prayer Obj. 1. The first Objection is this God knows our wants and dangers without our telling him What need is there then that we should make them known by Prayer Ans I Answer God may be said to know our Wants and Dangers two wayes 1. By the eye of his Omniscience and with this eye he sees all things and whether we pray or no he perfectly understands us and all the circumstances we are in He 〈◊〉 our path knows our thoughts after off and is acquainted with all our wayes Psâ—l 139 2 3. 2. God may be said to look upon our wants so as to have compassion upon us and without intreating this compassion how can it be expected Heark unto David
performance of it 3. The Spirit encourages unto prayer he lets Believers understand that now is the accepted time that now is the day of Salvaâ—ion 2 Cor. 6. 2. Wherefore he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted in a day of Salvation have I succoured thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of Salvation Though the Lord should have been sought much sooner yet 't is not too late to seek him now he will be found by the hearty seeker such seeking shall not be in vain Deut. 4. 29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul 4. The Spirit enables Believers to act those graces that are required in prayer There are four graces especially that should be exercised in our supplications Humility Faith Love Patience 1. Humility The Lord has a special regard to the Humble whereas the Proud he knows afar of and has threatned to resist the Proud The humble soul has high and awfull apprehensions of God in prayer and mean very mean thoughts of it self Abraham was humble when he said Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Jer. 18. 27. Job was humble when he said Mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self The good Angels themselves are humble though never in the least offenders the Cherubins cover their faces with their wings and cry out holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is filled with his glory How vile then should we be in our own eyes who by our guilt are so obnoxious who have so many soul spots and stains upon our souls which are the effects of sin nay whose very Righteousnesses are but as filthy raggs Isa 64. 6. 2. Faith is to be acted in prayer and truly we may come with confidence to the Throne of Grace if we consider the power of God which is not only most Mighty but Almighty I am God Almighty saith the Lord to Abraham the Father of the Faithful He can do more for us than we can desire should be done for us Nothing is too hard for him and although all other helps fail he needs them not his Arm when alone can bring Salvation Isa 59. 16. This power of God may safely be relyed on for he is also full of mercy Psal 62. ult God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth unto God also unto thee belongeth mercy David was encouraged by this in his supplications Psal 25. 6. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been ever of old And we have not only an intimation of Gods merciful nature but in his Covenant he has promised to shew mercy for this he delights in and Christ is the Mediatour of this Covenant so that 't is most sure Hark to the Apostle Heb. 8. 10. 12. This is the Covenant that I will make saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their minds and write them in their hearts I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people for I will be merciful to their Unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more 3. Love is to be acted in prayer there must be a love to our Neighbour and they must from the heart be forgiven that have Tres-passed against us shall we think much of a few Pence when we are Debtors many thousand Talents But principally there must be love to the Lord expressed in prayer his favour and fellowship with him must be longed for the sâ—ul must thirst for God for the liviâ—g God as the chased Hart after the water-brooks 42. 1 2. And when he does manifest himself he must be rejoyced and delighted in and his grace admired whatever is received 4. Patience is also to be acted in prayer there must be a patient waiting in this duty a right understanding of Gods Wisdom and Faithfulness that he knows what and when to give and will do it in the best both time and measure will be a great means to cure our over-hastiness David is to be imitated who said I waited patiently for the Lord and he lost nothing by it for it follows He inclined his ear unto me and heard my cry Psal 40. 1. These are the graces which the Spirit enables Believers to act in prayer 5. The Spirit directs Believers unto Christ as the alone prevailing Advocate We are said to have access to the Father by the Spirit and through the Son Eph. 2. 18. The Spirit leads us to Christ as the Mediator who is the way unto God The Spirit shews that God having given Christ has opened through him the treasurâ—s of his grace and for his sake will give freely all things The Spirit still is turning the eye of the Believer towards the Lord Jesus and in prayer instructs us how to improve his relation to us who is bone of our bone flesh of our flesh and is become an Head and Husband to us How to improve his sufferings by which all that we need has been procured How to improve his Intercession which as 't is incessant so 't is never denyed and finally How to improve his Power and Authority for he can do what he will both in Heaven and in Earth He is the Prince of Peace and the Lord of Life and Glory he can give Peace and Life and Glory to whom he pleaseth 6. The Spirit makes Believers sincere in their aimes when they pray They design the Hallowing and Honouring of Gods Name as well as their own welfare They beg for pardon and grace not only because 't is good for themselves to have these but likewise because the Lord glorisies his grace and mercy and goodness in forgiving and healing and saving those that cry and fly to him Thus you see what 't is to pray in the Spirit and consequently it does not lye barely either in fluency of utterance or in variety of expressions or in multitude of words Now follow the Reasons of the Doctrine and they are of two sorts First Why our own spirits should engage in prayer 1. Because God is a spirit our Lord assigns this as a Reason why worship should be in spirit because God is a Spirit who is worshipped 2. He principally requires our spirits My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. And truly he does narrowly observe where our hearts are when we are at prayer and no wonder for our spirits are most capable of serving him To admire fear love trust in him these are the principal ways of worshipping him and this is done with the heart 3. Without our spirits prayer is but a mockery If when the Lord is honoured with the mouth the heart be far from him God says in vain do they worship me and I will not hold them guiltless And this you may observe that when our hearts are not engaged