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
THE SPIRIT of PRAYER OR A DISCOURSE WHEREIN The Nature of Prayer is Opened the Kinds of Prayer are Handled and the Right Manner of Praying Discover'd Several Cases about this Duty are Resolved From EPH. 6. 18. Praying Alwayes with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and Watching thereunto with all Perseverance and Supplication for All Saints Unto which is Added A Direction for the Attaining the Gift of Prayer That Family-Duty may not be Omitted nor Secret Duty discouraged through Inability of Utterance and Expression BY Nathanael Vincent M. A. Minister of the Gospel London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and at the Bible on London-Bridge near the Gate 1674. To the Truly HONOURABLE LADY Hester LADY BLOVNT Mercy and Grace and Peace be Multiplyed Much Honoured Madam WHen I had the happiness to belong unto your Noble Family the Favours I received were Weighty ones and have left too deep an impression upon me ever to be worn off I never lived more free from Care Trouble then when I lived with your Ladyship Your Civility your Bounty your being so much concerned when I went away I must Remember while I have Memory 'T is very pleasing to me to reflect upon the Opportunities I had when I lived at Tittenhanger your Stately House not only of studying but of performing those Secret duties of Prayer and Meditation wherein Communion with God is so exceeding sweet that all sensual delights and pleasures are contemptible in comparison At that time the World was presented to me in the Gayest dress Your House Large and bravely Furnished your Gardens Delighful your Park and Walks hardly to be Matched your Table abundantly sumptuously Furnished Yet I must needs tell You That God was ten Thousand times more to me than all this When I sought him with my whole Heart and found him when I begg'd his Grace and had the Grace I begg'd for This This was it which made my life happy This made me Cheerful indeed onely I was sorry to see others take up and be so much transported with lower Pleasures Believe me Madam nay believe the Lord himself Religion and Joy are not inconsistent The wayes of Wisdom are wayes of Pleasantness and all the paths thereof are paths of Peace Though David had a Crown of pure Gold on his Head though he was Lord of such a Country which was then the glory of all Lands yet we find that God was his Joy and that was his Language Whom have I Heaven but Thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides Thee Whereas Solomon his son indulging his Flâ—sh and too much forgetting God did but hereby contribute to his own disquiet He made him great Works he built Houses and planted Vineyards he made Gardens and Orchards and planted Trees in them of all sorts of Fruit he made Pools of Water that the Trees might be the more Flourishing He had Servants Maidens Possessions of great and small Cattel above all that were before him in Jerusalem He gathered Silver and Gold and the peculiar Treasure of Kings and of the Provinces He had Men-singers and Women-singers and the Delights of the Sons of Men and Musical Instruments of all sorts Nay whatsoever his Eyes desired he kept not from them neither did he withold from his Heart any Joy How large an Inventory is here of what is gratifying to the Senses Yet in the midst of all he cryes out Behold all is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit and there is no Profit under the Sun Eccles 2. 4 11. Madam I earnestly desire your Eternal welfare and also your present Joy And truly there must be Godliness not in the Form only but in the Power also or else you will be a Stranger to the pleasure of Christianity God is the Souls centre Rest is elsewhere in vain expected The more you acquaint your self with Him the more perfect your peace will be thereby good will come unto you These ensuing Sermons concerning Prayer I hope through the blessing of God may be a means to make Devotion much more servent And 't is not in vain to seek Him that is so willing to be sound and whose Sufficiency is such that he can satisfie your desires when they are most Enlarged That the Lord of Heaven would bless You and all the Branches of your Illustâ—ious Family and make all eminent for Piety and Holiness which will be your truest Honour and greatest Dignity is the Prayer of Madam Your Ladiships most humble and most obliged Servant Nathanael Vincent To the Readers especially them that were Hearers of these Following Sermons Beloved Brethren BEing about to Read a Book concerning Prayer how convenient is it you should begin with Prayer that you may read with profit Lift up therefore your hearts unto God and desire Grace to do what is made known to be your duty Gods Precepts are for your profit He is not capable of being advantaged for he is infinitely and eternally self-sufficient but you your selves will be benefited by your Obedience He requires you to come to the throne of Grace that he may impart his Grace and Mercy unto you that so much stand in need of it 'T is the property of Good to be communicative of it self And the Lord who is the Summum Bonum highest and chiefest Good does give most of all liberally Prayer is an Ordinance that He has appointed and 't is a great priviledge we are allowed to pour out our Souls before him His Hand is not shortned His Ear is not heavy we shall not be straitned in Him if we are not straitned in our own Bowels You that never have pray'd with any seriousness of Spirit should cry now with the greater fervency You have not one Sin pardoned not one Corruption mortified not one saving Grace wrought in your Hearts you have not the least part of your main work don no provision at all made for Eternity and another World It concerns you therefore to begg as for your Lives that God would reconâ—cile you to himself in Christ and make you new Creatures and become a Father and a Portion to you Now is the accepted time Now the Father of Mercies is upon the mercy Seat Now the Lord Jesus is willing to be your Advocate and to intercede for you Now the spirit of Grace is ready to help our infirmities Now forgiveness of sin and life and Immortality are freely offer'd nay you are intreated to accept them But it will not be thus alwayes shortly God will be inexorable the Advocate will be a judg to condemn and the spirit will withdraw for ever and the day of grace will be ended Oh therefore pray now for then 't will be to late to pray And for you that make conscience of this duty wrestle still with greater Vigour Those are the strongest Christians that are mightiest in praier He that prayes well will do all wel besides for by
but by him that is Alsufficient and when we cry to him we give him glory for it argues we believe his power and mercy which prove him able and ready to succour and relieve us 2. Prayer is to be performed unto God and to him only Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Unto Thee my God and my King will I pray says David Psal 5. 2. and v. 3. I will direct my prayer unto Thee and will look up Gods Hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither is his Ear heavy that it cannot hear He is able to do not onely to the uttermost of our desires but exceeding abundantly above all that we can either ask or think Eph. 3. 20. The Papists dangerously corrupt holy worship by their sinful prayers to Angels and Saints and especially to the Virgin Mary Cardinal Bonaventure has blotted out the name of Lord in the Book of the Psalms and put in the name of Lady and teacheth Christians to ask the same things of the Virgin Mary which David asked for at the hands of God himself Under the old Testament we find that Believers directed their supplications to God himself and found him ready to hear and save and under the Gospel where the manifestation and communication of his Grace are more full and plenteous is there need to go to any other No no One God can supply our needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Psal 4. 19. 3. Those that pray must be sensible Ignorance and unbelief and hardness of heart make the words of prayer a Mockery and Abomination They that pray therefore must be sensible of their sins of their needs of their unworthiness to have those needs supplyed finally they must be sensible that none can help them but the God they are praying to 1. They must be sensible of their sins I acknowledge my Iniquities says David and my sin is ever before me Psal 51. 3. so Esa 59. 12. For our Transgressions are multiplyed before thee and our sins testifie against us for our transgressions are with us and as for our Iniquities we know them Sin must be acknowledged with shame and sorrow else 't will separate between God and us and prove a Cloud through which our prayers will never pass There must be such a sense of sin as implies an hatred and weariness of it for if the heart out of love and liking of it has a regard to sin God ever will be deaf and his mercies restrained Psal 66. 18. If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer 2. They that pray must be Sensible of their needs All the posterity of Adam are needy how rich and full soever they conceit themselves The first man being a publick person had the whole stock in his own hand and having lost it has beggard his whole Progeny we are all come shore of the glory of God as descended from Adam we are flesh and in our Flesh dwelleth no good thing This must be understood and believed poverty of Spirit Christ commends and pronounces those that are thus Poor Blessed Mat. 5. 3. For they that perceive they are Wretched and Miserable and Empty and Naked will cry the louder to the Lord for gold try'd in the fire to enrich them and white raiment that they may be cloathed The poor man that is ready to starve for hunger how does he cry out Bread for the Lords sake Bread for he sees his need of it The condemn'd Malefactor how does he roar out for a Pardon because he sees his life must quickly go without it And were we but better acquainted with our wants Oh what strong crys would come from us that Sin might be forgiven that Grace might be wrought that Peace might be Spoken that Spiritual Maladies might be healed We all need these things as much and more then the hungry stand in need of Bread 3. They that pray must be sensible of their unworthiness to have their need supplyed Paul crys out he was less than the least of all Saints and Jacob that he was less than the least of mercies Job says Behold I am vile and I abhor my self We cannot lay claim to any thing as our due but Wrath and the Curse What-ever God bestows it must be reckoned given not of debt but of pure and free Grace Rom. 4. Daniel in prayer disclaims all merit in his Righteousness acknowledges that Confusion of face belonged to him and to Israel because of their Rebellions and says expresly we do not present our supplications to thee for our Righteousness but for thy great mercies Dan. 9. 18. We may beg indeed for the greatest mercles and the greater the surer we are to speed for God is most liberal of the greatest but at the same time must be sensible that the least mercy is too good for such evil ones as we are 4. They that pray must be sensible that none can help them but the God they are praying to Jer. 3. 23. Truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the Hills and multitude of Mountains the firmest things on Earth will fail and deceive our hopes Truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel Therefore David lays this charge upon his Soul to wait only upon God and to have all its expectation from him God will be seriously sought unto when we are under the power of this Conviction that no other helper can be found 4. It followes in the definition that those that pray must be believing Souls Faith is a Grace that is required in all their Duties if this be wanting God will not be honoured by our Duties nor our selves advantaged Though we hear never so often If the Word be not mixed with Faith it will not profit us Heb. 4. 2. and unless our Prayers are Prayers in Faith they will not be effectuall Those that pray indeed must be Believers 1. They must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. they must have right apprehensions of his gracious Nature and of his good Will towards men He is willing to be reconciled and has himself without being sought unto contrived a way how Sinners Peace may be made He sends Embassadours to them to treat about it And intreats those that have offended him that they would be no longer enemies by wicked Works He has declared that fury is not in him towards those that are desirous of Mercy and that he does delight in nothing more than in Compassion and that if any do understand and seek him he is more willing to be found than they can be eager to find him These things being rightly conceived encourage Prayer and Satan by suggesting the clean contrary staves off many from this Duty 2. They that pray aright must by believing be interested in Christ the Mediatour Christ is the Way and no man commeth unto the
Holy sometimes the God and Father of Christ and likewise the Father of Mercys and God of all Comfort 'T is not amiss to add unto Gods Title those Attributes the consideration whereof may help towards such a frame of Spirit as becomes Prayer Would we have our heart in an holy awe and fill'd with reverence and Godly fear mention then his omnipresence greatnesse his holyness and his jealousy Would we have our hearts broken for sin Mention his anger and hatred of Iniquity and withall his goodness and forbearance and readiness to be reconciled for the riches of his goodness and long-suffering strongly lead unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. finally would we in our requests have our desires enlarged and our faith encouraged and be also forward to praise Mention then the freeness of Gods love the Superabundance of his grace as he is the Father of Jesus Christ As of old he was stiled The Lord that brought Israel out of Egypt and afterwards the Lord that delivered Judah from the north Country namely out of the Babylonish Captivity so likewise in the new testament he is called the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 3. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Christ is the only prevailing advocate in Prayer and his relation to God the ground of our hope and expectations 2. A Second part of Prayer is acknowledgment and confession of sin This confession God requires Jer. 3. 13. Only acknowledge thy Iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God To confesse sin has been the practice of the Penitent God has been honoured when offending of him has been acknowledged most unreasonable and heinous and confession has had a great influence unto the making of Sinners humble and ashamed and upon it how quickly has forgiveness followed Psal 32. 3 4 5. While I kept Silence i. e. while I excused and extenuated my sin and refused ingenuously to acknowledg it my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture was turned into the drought of Summer Selah I acknowledged my sin unto thee my iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou for gavest the iniquity of my Sin Selah This confession of sin in Prayer should be Particular generall acknowledgments move but little The very root of sin must be dug unto and bewailed Paul crys out he was a Blasphemer and Persecutor and Injurious 1 Tim. 1. 13. and laments the law in his members the body of death that made him so forward unto evil Rom. 7. David particularizes his uncleannesse and blood-guiltiness and traces these abominable streams unto the fountain whence they issued forth the Corruption of his Nature Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me Our despising the remedy which Christ offers in the Gospel should also be confessed with Special Sorrow for herein we go beyond the very Devils who never had one offer of pardon and grace made to them And finally as there is abundant cause we should fall to Judging and Condemning of our selves One that is truly penitent is as Guiliel Pariciensis says Fidelis Dei orator contra Seipsum a faithful pleader for God against himself We must unclasp the Book of Conscience and Spread it before the Lord we must hold up our hands and cry Guilty guilty and say we can lay claim to nothing as our due but severity and Punishments 3. A third part of prayer is Deprecation or praying against what we have deserv'd and are afraid of We ought with great solicitousnesse to pray against the anger and hatred of God He even he is to be feared who can stand in his sight when once he is angry Psal 76. 7. The anger of God expresse it self Several ways the lightest expression of it namely in temporal and outward calamities are sometimes very terrible Pestilences Famines the sword of War which devours flesh and drinks blood how intolerable are they lookt upon but spiritual judgments are worse than these and argue hotter displeasure when the Lord gives sinners up to blindness of mind searedness of conscience strong delusions vile affections hardness of heart this shewes he is exstreamly angry The other may but these judgments especially should be deprecated But the worst of all is to come in the other World and that 's the vengeance of Eternal Fire Oh how importunate should we be to be delivered from Wrath to come That we may not be sentenced to depart with a Curse at the great Day that Hell may not be our Eternal home How importunate should we be that we may not in utter Darkness be gnawed by the Worm that never dyes that we may not dwell with devouring Fire nor inhabit Everlasting Burnings 4. A fourth part of Prayer is Petition here God gives us leave to be bold and large and when we have asked never so much he is ready to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or has entred into the heart of Man to conceive Pardon we should petition for for we highly need it And the Lord has said though we have made him to serve with our sins and wearied him with our iniquities yet he will blot out transgressions for his own sake and remember our sins no more Esa 43. 24 25. Till a Pardon be obtained nothing else can be expected but when once God in Christ is reconciled and become a Father nothing will be denied His Love therefore and the sence of it should be intreated with our whole heart And since the Lord has promised to give both Grace and Glory Psal 84. 11. we may be bold to be petitioners for both We should be earnest that grace and holiness may be wrought in truth in our hearts that Grace may be continually increased and that we may persevere and be faithful to the very Death and at length uttain that Glory Honour and Immortality which is promised unto patient continuance in well doing Temporal Blessings also we have leave to ask for the Lord considers our frame and every way is ready to encourage us unto our Duty 5. A fifth part of Prayer is Intercession for others Not only those should be remembred by us that stand in a near relation to us But we should be concerned for the whole City for the whole Nation nay for the whole Church of Christ militant upon Earth We should prefer Jerusalem before our chief joy we should not keep silence we should give the Lord no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Esa 62. 6 7. we should in no wise hold our peace till the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness And the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth That is till the Church is both reformed and delivered from oppressing adversaries In Prayer we are to have regard to our selves to others nay to the Lord
unto prayer By the Word God speaks to you as by prayer you speak to him if you regard not Gods voyce how can you expect he should mind yours If you will not hear and obey â—he will not hear and grant what you request of him The Word should dwell richly in you Col. 3. 16. your delight should be in the Law of the Lord and in that Law should you meditate day and night Psal 1. 2. The Scriptures should be searched which shews they are a depth and all is not at first looking into them discovered you must seek here as for silver and search here as for hid treasure if you would understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Prov. 2. 4 5. How enlightning how enlivening how cleansing and transforming is the word of God How sweet and desirable are the Lords testimonies When the Spirit becomes the expositor of Scripture and opens the eyes too to behold wondrous things out of Gods Law and affects the heart oh then there is such efficacy profit and sweetness as is beyond comparison 4. Be liberal in this duty of secret prayer Pray with a forward and with a free spirit grudg not the time you spend here for this is the best way of turning time unto a good account Be sensible how good it is to draw nigh to God for the promise is if you draw nigh to God he will draw nigh to you Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye Sinners purifie your hearts ye double-minded Now Gods drawing near implies his being reconciled to us his manifesting his power and grace for our help and supply Oh theâ—â—fore go unto God with an holy eagerness who is so ready to meet you and to satiate the weary soul and to replenish every sorrowful soul Jer. 31. 25. We must be much and often with God for this is the way to come to an acquaintance with him and the better we are acquainted with him the more we shall love him and be sensible of his love to us Hark to what is said Job 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee 5. In secret prayer be very particular ease your Consciences by a particular innumeration of your Iniquities and the aggravations which have heightned them Make known all your wants before that God who has styled himself God All-sufficient fear not that the Lord will be weary of hearing or be backward to give a gracious return When you are alone with God you may use the greater freedom of speech this being particular will contribute much unto your brokenness of heart with which the Lord is well-pleased and also unto your own sensing of your manisold wants and making of you meet to be supplied 6. Look after secret prayer Stand upon your Watch-Tower and observe what answer is given The Merchant hearkens after the Ships that he sends to Sea When a Petition is presented to a Prince you wait what Answer will be returned Be thus wise in prayer if you speed not find out the Impediment if you do speed be encouraged by answers to act Faith in God and to persist in prayer Because he has inclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live says David Psal 116. 1. And let answers of prayer be matter of praise that Satan and Conscience may not accuse you of and God may not be angry at your ingratitude Thus of the Rules concerning secret prayer Now follow the Arguments to perswade unto it 1. Consider God sees in secret in secret places God sees for he fills both Heaven and Earth his Omnipresence is an evident demonstration of his Omniscience as he cannot be confined to any place so neither can he be excluded All things are open and naked before him Heb. 4. 13. And as his seeing in secret is matter of terrour to the Ungodly so of joy unto the Righteous David speaks both with wonder and with gladness Psal 139. 7 8 9 10. Whithef shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me In what secret corner soever you are God is with you all your sighs and groans your complaints and desires are taken notice of 2. Frequency in secret prayer is a great argument of Uprightness and Sincerity 'T is a sign you seek God himself when none but God knows of your seeking him What the Apostle speaks of the Jew may be applied unto the Christian He is not a Christian that is one outwardly but that is one inwardly not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much openly as in secret Rom. 2. 28 29. The praise of such is not of men but of God 3. Secret prayer is a marvellous way to thrive in grace and to grow rich towards God By this means Faith will grow exceedingly Love will abound and our Souls will prosper Some Trades-men keep a Shop and drive a Trade there and gain thereby but they have a secret way of trading which is not observed and by this they grow wealthy in a short space A Christian that is much in secret with God O how much does he gain such an one how good does he find the Lord how ready both to forgive and to give and he can set his Seal unto that truth that God is plentious in mercy unto all that call upon him Psal 86. 5. 4. Secret prayer is a means to fit for publick Ordinances They that are most upon their knees in the Closet will get most benefit in the Sanctuary The preparation of the heart is from God and he must in secret be sought unto to fit our spirits for solemn worship Those that before they come to hear pray that Gospel may come to them not in word only but in power also and the Holy Ghost and much assurance these are likely to find the Gospel working effectually and that 't is the power of God to their Salvation Rom. 1. 16. Those that before they come to the Table examine themselves alone beg that God would search them and are importunate for strength against every Corruption for all the fruits of Christ's sufferings for all the graces of the spirit are not likely to be sent away empty 5. Secret prayer is a means to keep the impression of publick duties upon the heart after the duties themselves are ended Your work is not over when publick Ordinances are over Has any sin been discovered and reproved you must go in secret and bewail it and cry out Lord let not this nor any iniquity have the dominion over me Psal 119. 133. Has any duty
within you blesse the Lord upon every manifestation of his goodness as well as desire blessings from him And thus have I gon over the parts and kinds of Prayer much work indeed I have told you of but the more work the better for the more grace is to be expected in order unto the performing of what is required I shall conclude with a very brief Application in two words 1. How sharply are they to be reproved that instead of praying with all prayer use no prayer but live in the almost total neglect of this duty 2. Be perswaded to pray with all Prayer All prayer that God has appointed he is ready to hear in all prayer the name of Christ may be used and the promises of God which are sure exceeding great and precious may be pleaded and how glad may we be that the Lord has appointed so many successful wayes of seeking him wherein he has consulted the variety of our conditions and necessitys So much for the second Doctrine That all Prayer is to be used D. 3. Prayer when rightly performed is Supplication in the Spirit Indeed all our worship of God who is a Spirit must be in Spirit and in truth Joh. 4. 24. else 't is in truth no worship As the body without the Spirit is dead so dutys without Spirit are dead also In the handling of this point I shall first open to you what 't is to pray in the Spirit Secondly Lay down the reasons of the Doctrine Thirdly Answer some cases of conscience about praying in the Spirit Lastly make application First What 't is to pray in Spirit This as I have already intimated refers both to the Spirit of him that prays and also to the Spirit of God who helps to pray 1. This praying in the Spirti refers unto the spirit of him that prays and several things are here included 1. To pray with our spirit implies to pray with understanding I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with understanding also 1 Cor. 14. 15. we must not only understand the words that are spoken but also and that principally the worth of those things which we Petition for we must likewise in some measure be acquainted with the All-sufficiency and Faithfulness of that God whom we pray to and with our own indigency that are the Petitioners The Athenians had an Altar dedicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God Act. 17. 23. and they are said ignorantly to worship him and truly all their worship degenerated into superstition We must know the Lord and our selves what his promises and our own Needs are else prayer will be of no account 2. To pray with our spirit implies to pray with judgment discerning between things that differ There is as vast a difference between Sin and Holiness as there is between Deformity and Beauty There is as vast a difference between the Creature and the Creator as there is between the broken Cistern that can hold no water and the Fountain of living waters Jer. 2. 12 13. Be astonished O ye Heavens at this be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord for my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of living waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water There is as vast a difference between a state of Grace and a state of Wrath as there is between Heaven and Hell Now he that prays must be apprehensive of all this and a believing apprehension of it will make him earnest for the loving kindness of the Lord and that he may taste more and more of the Fountain of living waters and be cleansed from all defilements 3. To pray with our spirits implies to pray with intention of mind Abraham drove away the fowls that did light upon his Sacrifice Gen. 15. and so should we drive away the impertinent and sinful and troublesome thoughts that arise or are injected into our hearts when we engage in sprayer Our hearts cannot wander in the least but they are espied by him whose name is jealous We should therefore desire that the Lord himself who holds the wind in his Fists would seize upon our more unruly hearts and keep them close to himself in duty especially considering there are some kind of distractions that nullifie and make void prayer distractions that are not regarded not lamented not watched or striven against 4. To pray with our spirits implies to pray with spiritual affections The affections are the wings of the Soul and the Soul is carried either to or from any thing according as the affections are inclined The Apostle exhorting to seck the things that are above presently adds set your affection on things above Col. 3. 1 2. intimating we shall never seek the things above in good earnest unless our affections be placed on them Those affections that have evil for their object must spend their strength upon sin which is the worst of all evils Sin must be hated most perfectly sin must cause the deepest sorrow sin must be most feared and against sin the heart should rise with the greatest indignation Those affections that have good for their object as love desire and the like should run with a full stream towards God and those great things that are brought to light by the Gospel and promised in the covenant of grace The stronger and more spiritual our affections are in prayer the better success will follow 2 Chron. 15. 15. 'T is said of Judah that they sought the Lord with their whole desire and he was found of them 2. This praying in the spirit refers to the Spirit of God who helps to pray The Apostle Jude exhorts to build up our selves on our most holy Faith and to pray in the Holy Ghost Jud. 20. and so to keep our selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Now the operation or working of the spirit of God in prayer I shall explain in these particulars 1. The Spirit of God teaches Believers for what to pray he opens their eyes to understand the Word and to know what the Will of the Lord is W know not says the Apostle what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit makâ—th intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Rom. 8. 27. 2. The spirit removes impediments to prayer he turns that love that naturally is in the heart to sin into hatred he causes the World that was Idolized to be contemned he cures that infidelity in reference to the excellency of spiritual things that the unrenewed Soul is full of as also that enmity against God and Holiness which was in the mind all the while 't was Carnal Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. the Fetters are knockt off the Clogs removed the Soul is brought out of Prison and is made free both unto the performance of duty and free in the
in prayer they are commanded by the Lords Enemies Sin the world and Satan do detain them The second sort of Reasons are why we must pray by the help of the Spirit of God His assistance is necessary 1. Because of our darkness we of our selves know not God nor his Will nor our own greatest Needs nor wherein lyes our great interest and truest happiness 2. Because of our deadness active we are as to sin but unto prayer indisposed the dead man must be lifted and carried for of himself he cannot stir We that naturally are without strength nay without life cannot lift up our souls to God unless the spirit lift them up to him 3. Because of the opposition that is made by the evil one When we come to the Mercy-seat the Devil makes nothing of taking the right hand of us he is ready to resist us as he did Joshua the high Priest Zach 3. 1. and we are not able to withstand him unless the Spirit of God who is infinitely stronger rebuke him for us 4. The Spirits assistance is necessary in prayer because of that natural aversness iâ— our own hearts unto what is good whereas we should hate the evil and love the good we hate the good and love the evil nay in the very best there is a law in the members which wars against the law of the mind and evil is present If the Spirit were not also mightily and graciously present there would be an utter inability as to prayer or any duty which God requires In the third place I am to answer some Cases of Conscience concerning the Spirit of Prayer 1. Whether all Believers have the Spirit of Prayer I answer that all true Believers have this Spirit For the spirit of Grace which all Saints have received is also a spirit of supplication Zech. 12. 10. and the Apostle expresly sayes if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his 2. Whether only Believers have the spirit of Prayer I answer The spirit of prayer is peculiar to Believers for where the holy Ghost does help the heart to pray he cleanses the heart from what before defiled it and turns the heart and the desires of it towards God so that that 's now the Language Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee 3. Whether the Spirit of Prayer may not be lost I answer that the Spirit may be grieved by our corruptions when they prevail and when we grovv slothful and heedless hovv vve enter into Temptation and being grieed may withdraw his quickning and assisting influences But the Spirit is never quite lost by those that have been truly renewed by him He abides for ever where he has conseccrated any to be his Temple Joh. 14. 16. David after his fall says Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation to shew that his joy was lost but he prayes Take not thy holy Spirit from me to signifie that the Spirit was not quite departed though that departure was deserved and feared 4. May not persons excel in the gift of prayer that yet are void of the Spirit I answer in the affirmitive The gift of prayer may only serve to puff up professours with Pride how are such pleased in reflecting upon the repute they have gained by their enlargedness in expression And this pride is not checked is not abhorred The words of prayer may be used and a carnal worldly designe carried on Hypocrites aime at an eminency in gifts that they may pass for godly and under the cloak of Religion cover their wickedness and in their most enlarged supplications they aime at their own profit fame and are prodigiously destitute of the fear of God 'T is certain the gift of Prayer may be in the unsound hearted for even the gift of Prophesie which the Apostle prefers before other gifts we find in wicked men Mat. 7. 22 23. many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name Then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity 5. May not some that have the Spirit of Prayer be very weak in the gift of utterance I answer yes There was much of the spirit of prayer in Hezekiah when he chattered like a Crane or Swallow and mourned like a Dove Esa 38. 14. The Lord regards not so much the expression as affection and the heart may be sincere in its desires when not onely because of the strength of those desires but also through confusion there wants utterance Let not those therefore that are but weak in expression be discouraged for the heart may highly value Mercy and Grace and obtain both when prayer is but lisped and stammered forth by the Tongue Now follows the Application And Use 1. is of reproof which belongs 1. To them who pray indeed but their Hearts and Spirits pray not with them They put the Lord off with the bended knees the stretched forth hands the lifted up eyes the labour of the lips the fruit of their invention but all this while their hearts are not with him and their affections run a whoring after their vanities and iniquities The prayers of such dissemblers are dead prayers and truly are to be numbred among their dead works and their prayers being not minded by themselves how should God have regard to them unless it be to hate and punish them 2. They are to be reproved who make light of the Spirit of God and of his assistance in this duty of prayer They account the aid of the holy Ghost a needless a notional and imaginary thing Such never knew what 't is to wrestle with God what 't is to sigh and groan and be as it were in Travel till the blessings beg'd for are obtained Oh how impossible is it that Nature should rise thus high till the Spirit do renew and elevate it Use 2. Of Trial whether we have the Spirit of Prayer or no And this may be discerned by these following signs 1. Those that have the Spirit of Prayer by the Spirit have been convinced of sin Joh. 16. 8. he has discovered sin broken their hearts for it and 't is now become a load to them though before they loved it never so extreamly Before they hid sin now they lay it open in prayer before they excused it now they aggravate it and judg themselves worthy of Hell and Wrath because of it 2. Those that have the Spirit of Prayer are made to look unto Christ crucified Zach. 12. 10. I will pour out upon the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of supplication Then shall they look upon him whom they have peirced and mourn for him and be in bitterness as one is in bitterness for the loss of a first born Christ crucified is lookt upon by such with a weeping Eye because their sin was the cause of his sufferings and with an
Gospel and also promises to bestow 4. In prayer we are to watch over our Consciences that they perform their Office faithfully Their Office is to observe and condemn every miscarriage to urge unto a more spiritual manner of praying and to be restless and unquiet if prayer be omitted upon any slight pretence or the Male in the Flock be not offered to the Lord but a corrupt thing A tender Conscience is a blessing that can never be sufficiently valued this will cause the best to be given unto God this will not be satisfied till God approves and commends and what a Heaven follows upon prayer when the Lord himself and his Officer Conscience are both pleased But if you grow unwatchful over our Consciences and suffer them to fall asleep and become feared a thousand faults in prayer will be winkt at nay we shall be but little reproached for the total omission of it 5. In prayer we are to watch over our affections the more of affection in prayer the more pleasing the duty will be to God and the more pleasant to him that performs it There is enough in the Lord to draw forth the very strength of our affections How great is his goodness how able and powerful is his Hand to save how unsearchable are the riches of his grace Eye has nâ—t seen ear has not heard neither has â—â— entred into the heart of man what he has prepared for those that wait upon him Isa 64. 4. We are inexcusable if all this move not our affections We should watch and observe when our affections do but begin to incline towards former Lovers and then compare those Lovers and the Lord together that other things may be contemned and our souls may even break for longing after God 6. In prayer we are to watch over our outward man our tongues and sences must be lookt to our tongues must speak reverently considering God is in Heaven and we on Earth Eccles 5. 2. and we must have warrant from Gods own word for the words we utter before him Our sences must be guarded else at the ear or eye especially something or other may enter that may disturb prayer and hinder it from being so fervent and effectual You see what we must watch over In the third place I am to shew what we must watch for in prayer 1. We must watch for fit seasons to pray There are some times and seasons in which God is neerer than at others and more ready to be sound of them that seek him this the Prophet intimates Esa 55. 6. Seek â—e the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near These seasons of grace and love are carefully to be observed and improved to the uttermost When the Lord came so near to Jacob as to suffer him to take hold of him that was a special season and Jacob was sensible of it and wrestles lonâ— and with an holy vigour he keeps his hold and would not let go till he had got the blessing Gen. 32. 29. That also was a special opportunity when the Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend Exod. 33. 11. Moses improves this and beggs for the Lords presence with him and with the people of Israel and having prevailed for this he adds further Lord I beseech thee shew me thy glory v. 18. Hereupon the Lord made his goodness to pass before him and proclaimed The Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering abundant in goodness and in truth keeping mercy for thousands fâ—rgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin 2. We must watch for Admonitions from Conscience unto Prayer When Conscience says Thou hast not yet prayed in secret now go and pour out thy heart before him that sees in secret Thou hast not yet pray'd in thy Family Call all of thy Houshold together and joyn in begging that the Lord would have mercy upon all Conscience is by no means to be dis-regarded but its admonition should be taken The Authority which the Lord allows to Conscience is great and its office is of a large extent Conscience is a Witness and a Judge and a Monitour As a Witness it takes notice of the evil which we do of the good which we refuse to do and likewise observes when we are careful of our duty As a Judg it acquits or condemns according as we have been either good and faithful or evil and sloathful Servants As a Monitour it tells us before hand of our duty and as we would avoid its Accusations and Reproaches we should not venture upon any sin which it crys out against nor neglect prayer or any other duty which it charges us to perform as we will answer it before God 3. We must watch for the motions of the spirit unto prayer When the Holy Ghost moves to this duty and his motions are heeded and obeyed we are to conclude that the same spirit which moves to prayer will assist in prayer 'T is a wonderful priviledge that the Spirit is sent unto the Churches and is speaking and striving for their good Every one should have an ear to hear what the spirit says Rev. 3. ult When the Spirit speaks concerning sin this is not the way therefore avoid it Oh do not this abominable thing which God haâ—es we must by no means consent to evil When the Spirit says concerning duty this is tâ—e way walk in it Esa 30. 31. we must by all means yeild unto that which is good If the Lord by his Spirit says Seek my Face with the greatest forwardness we should reply Thy Face Lord will we seek and he will not then hide his Face from us nor put his Servants away in anger The motions of the Spirit unto prayer are twofold Ordinary Extraordinary 1. There are more ordinary motions unto prayer 'T is the mind and will of the Spirit that our usual times for prayer of all sorts should be observed and though deadness and indisposition be never so great and our hearts draw back from the Throne of Grace yet we must go thither Experience teaches that where deadness at the beginning of prayer has seemed invincible yet of a sudden it has been removed and the duty has been carried on and concluded with more than ordinary enlargements The Israelites were commanded to go forward when they came to the red Sea they might have answered what would you have us march into the water and be drowned Well but forward they go and the water is dried up before them Exod. 14. So truly many times when about to pray there is great listlesness and many discouragements Yet we must go forward and engage in our duty and the Sea is dryed up before us these discouragements are removed 2. These are more extraordinary motions of the Spirit unto Prayer Upon some remarkable Providence either cross or kindness upon the hearing of some more than ordinary affecting Truths upon some special manifesttions by way of quickning and peace
good work Reprobate Mercies do not melt them judgments do not break them and Oh how little have all the means of Grace mended them There is so much of pride of atheisin infidelity impurity earthlyness hatred of the Lord and Holiness stubornness obstinacy by nature in our hearts that we are not able to mention or conceive the thousandth part of it Oh what cause have we to be earnest for that new heart and that new spirit which is promised in thy new new Covenant We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousness are but filthy Raggs the corruption of our natures defiles our very best Duties Satan is not to be blamed so much for tempting as our hearts for yeilding unto his Temptation The best of us have as sinful natures as the worst of men Actual sin is to be confessed after this manner VVho can tell how oft he has offended who can understand his errours O Lord I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee for my iniquities are increased over my head and my trespass is grown up unto the Heavens VVho can number the Stars of the Sky the sands of the Sea or the days of Eternity or reckon up his sins in order before thee I was an early sinner a transgressor from the VVomb and have not left off sinning to this very day I have broken thy Laws though they are so holy just and good I have counted the yoak heavy though thy Commandments are so far from being grievous that they are more to be desired than the finest Gold and sweeter than the Hony and the hony Comb. How far have I been from loving the Lord with all my heart with all my soul with all my mind with all my strength Nay insteed of this I have been an hater of God and secretly wished there were no God to punish sin that I might have sinned with greater freedom I have been a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God Be astonished O ye Heavens at this for I have committed two great evils I have forsaken the Fountain of living waters and have hewn out unto my self Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water I have not worshipped thee in Spirit and in Truth without fear of thy jealousie I have mocked thee to thy Face I have been a meer Idolater for I have idolized the world and the things of the world which are vanity and have forgotten the alsufficient God days without number I have taken thy Name in vain and prophaned thy Sabboths which thou hast so strictly commanded I should remember to keep holy I have wofully failed in my Duty to my Neighbour though I ought and was bound to love him as my self I have sinned against the Gospel it self though it contain the best tidings that ever were brought unto the sons of men How shall I escape who have neglected so great Salvation I have out-done the very Devils themselves they never rejected mercy for 't was never offered to them they never refused a Saviour for no Saviour was ever sent to visit and recover them Lord I have not believed as I ought the report of the Gospel though it be so faithful and worthy of all acceptation How long have I lived without Christ without Hope and without God in the world Thou hast out-bid all others and hast offered infinitely better things than the world can thou hast offered pardon grace nay glory honour and Immortality and yet the offer has been despised I have been apt to count the Gospel foolishness though it be the wisdom of God and a Mystery which the Angels admire and desire to look into I have not hearkned to the Voyce of the great Prophet I have not reverenced thy Son who has spoken to me and therefore deserve to be cut off from among thy people Thy Son is a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconcilation for the sins of the people He has called upon me to come to him for rest but I would not come that I might have life His Righteousness is a perfect and everlasting Righteousness yet I have gon about to establish my own righteousness and have not submitted my self to the righteousness of God I have placed a carnal confidence in my own strength though it be but meer weakness and relied upon my duties though God might damn me for the best of them if he should be extream to mark what 's amiss in them The Lord Jesus is incomparably the best master but I have refused to obey I have called him Lord Lord but have not don the things that he sayes I have refused to take his Yoak upon me though his yoak be an easie yoak and his burthen so light a burthen his service I have not liked though 't is perfect freedom I have broke his bands asunder and cast away his cords from me I deserve to be dash'd in peices by his iron Rod who refused to submit unto the scepter of his word I have been called to repent and encouraged thereunto but have remained impenitent I have made my heart like an adamant stone and refused to be ashamed Sin was the cause of Christs sufferings it makes the whole creation groan 't is that which has murthered millions of Souls 't is the cause of all the horrour and despair and sorrows and torment which the damned undergo and yet how light a matter have I esteemed it Ah! fool that I have been to make a mock of sin and count it a pastime to do wickedly My sins O Lord are highly aggravated Light is come into the world but I have loved darkness more then light because my deeds are evil Thy will has been plainly told me and I have known my duty and yet have done the contrary and deserves to be beaten with many stripes I have had experience of the riches of thy goodness and forbearance and long suffering and yet all has not lead me to repentance When fair means prevailed not thou hast tried foul But though then hast smitten me I have not grieved thou hast even consumed me but I have refused to receive correction I have made my Face harder than a Rock and have refused to return The Spirit has striven with me but like a stifnecked wretch I have resisted the holy Ghost and thou mightest justly resolve he should strive no more with me We judg O Lord and condemn our selves in thy presence Thou really and truly hatest sinne in us as well as others Thou sparedst not the Angels that sinned against thee Thou sparedst not the Old World but didst bring the Floud upon them Thou didst turn the Cities of Sâ—dom and Gomorrah to ashes Nay thy Son himself was not spared when sin was laid to his charge Oh what a wonder of mercy is it that we are spared to this day We deserve the sorest of temporal Judgments Thou mightest appoint over us Terrour Consumption and the burning-Ague we have
which after God is created in Righteousness and true â—oliness Make our hearts just after thy own heart and let them be inclined to keep thy Testimonies Put thy laws into our minds and write them in our hearts and be to us a God and make us a willing people in the day of thy power Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Pray for Faith Faith is the gift of God Oh let us obtain precious Faith from thee which is much more to be valued then gold that perishes Strengthen my assent unto every word that thou hast spoken that I may as firmly believe every threatning every promise every part of thy revealed will as I believe when the Sun sets 't will rise again the next morning Let me tremble at thy threatnings and not dare to venture upon any thing thou hatest Let my heart stand in awe of thy Word and let it be my constant inquiry Lord what wouldst thou have me to do Open my heart to give entertainment to the Lord of life and glory Oh that I may look unto Jesus as the Israelites stung in the Wilderness did unto the brazen Serpent and looking may be healed and saved Let me hear and be taught of the Father and come to Christ and receive him to be a Prince and Saviour to me Oh that Christ may be truly precious to me that I may count all things but loss that I may win the Lord Jesus Help me to value the exceeding riches of thy grace in thy kindness through Christ Jesus Be earnest for Love and other graces of the spirit Let my faith work by love and love constrain me to live unto thee Give me an heart to know thee more and circumcise my heart to love thee above all Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee Let not my heart run a Whoring from thee thou art infinitely worthy of my strongest love That I may love thee let me know I am beloved of thee Vnite my heart to fear thy name Oh that I may set thee alwayes before me and have an awful sence of thy power and presence and holiness and goodness upon my heart Never turn away from me O Lord to do me good and put thy fear into my heart that I may not depart from thee Fire my heart with zeal for thy glory let me stand up for God in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation let me never live either to be a shame to the Gospel or ashamed of the Gospel Deliver me from lukewarmness in Religion let me take heed of being neither hot nor câ—ld least I provoke thee to spew me out of thy mouth Make and keep me good even in bad times and because others dishonour thee without fear let me be the more careful to do that which pleases thee Thou didst preserve Lot in Sodom Noah in the old world the Saints that were in Nero's houshold Oh help me to keep my self unspotted from the world and let me chuse rather to go to Heaven with a few then to go in the broad way that leads to destruction with the greatest multitude Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Lord make me Sincere and keep me Sincere and without offence until thâ— day of Jesus Christ Let me be upright before thee and keep my self from mine Iniquity Oh help me to lay aside every weight and the Sin that does so easily beset me Let this be our rejoycing even the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversations in the World In all Estates let us learn therewith to be contented Let us consider that Godliness with Contentment is great Gain Oh that we may know how to want and how to abound how to be sick and how to be well how to Live and how to Die Let us be able to do and suffer all things through Christ strengthening of us Let our Conversations be as becomes the Gospel help us to follow thee as dear Children to Live as the Redeemed of the Lord and to glorifie thee in our Bodies and in our Spirits For we are not our own but are bought with a price We profess Christ let us depart from Iniquity and walk even as he walked Not contenting our selves with the Form of Godliness without the Power of Godliness Let us not profess to Know thee and in Works deny thee but make us Zealous of good Works considering we are Created unto good Works which God has before oâ—dained that we should walk in them Help us to do Justly and to love Mercy and to walk Humbly with God Cleanse us from all Filthiness both of the Flesh and Spirit and help us to perfect Holiness in thy Fear Make us Consciencious in all our Relations and let it be our continual Exercise to keep a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Man Arme us against the Evil day let us never faint in Adversity nor be discouraged from following God by Persecution Let Christ and Truth be Dearer to us than our very Lives and let us count it both Wisdom and our Interest to throw all our outward Enjoyments Over board rather than make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience Petitions in reference to the Word O let thy Word be a Light unto my Feet and a Lamp unto my Path When I go let it lead me when I sleep let it keep me when I awake let it talk with me Give me the seeing Eye the hearing Ear the understanding Heart Make thy Word like Fire and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces Oh let thy Word he powerful to kill sin and to Convert the Soul unto thee Give the Preacher the Tongue of the Learned and let him divide the Word aright and let the Pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand Let Sinners be startled and converted and let Saints be edified and comforted and built up by the Word of thy Grace Let thy Spirit accompany Prophesying that dead Bones may live and they who have Life may have it more and more abundantly Make us Doers of thy Word and not Hearers only deceiving our selves Petitions in reference to the Sacrament We were given up to thee when Baptized in thy Name Oh break our Hearts for our Vnfruitfulness and help us now to be stedfast in thy Covenant We have been baptized with water Oh that we may be washed and sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Let the Ordinance of the Supper be earnestly desired let not thy Table be Contemptible Oh that we may prize that Bread of God that comes down from Heavâ—n and gives Life unto the World let us not labour for the Meâ—t thâ—t perisheth Wherefore should we spend our Money for that which is not Bread and â—uâ—