help of a good Prayer Book Answ then not to pray at all onely be sure that the Prayers you read be sutable to your condition And take heed the spirit of Grace and Supplication be not wanting in him that reads the Prayer nor in them that hear it The best Reformed Churches hath and doth read Set-formes of Prayer It is Objected Object To read a Sermon is not to Preach therefore to read a Prayer is not to Pray I Answer Answ the reason is not alike in both For the gift of Preaching is not shewed in reading therefore reading a Sermon is not preaching but the grace and gift of Prayer may be shewed in reading of a Prayer Again it is Objected Object If we read Formes of Prayer then we stinct the Spirit I Answer no. Answ For if we joyn with another that prayes without a Form his prayer is a Form to us For although our hearts be more enlarged yet we must stick close to the words of him with whom we joyn in Prayer So as this is no stinting of the spirit For when thou art alone thou maist enlarge thy self Yet further know that the enlargement of the heart stands not so much in the multitude and variety of expressions as in the extent of the affections So that although you be tyed up in words yet there is no tie upon the affections they may be enlarged in putting up the same petition when an other is straightned Thus you see a man may read and use Formes of Prayer onely take these two Cautions First 1. Caution Take heed you do not rest in this way For although reading is a help to Prayer yet must you labour to pray without it A child that cannot goe alone may be helpt to go but ye must not be alwayes children not alwayes doe thus Secondly 2. Caution Take heed you neglect not to use and exercise the grace God have given you For know this there is no man that hath any work of Grace upon his heart but is able to pray without reading or using a Set-forme of Prayer There was never any man in extreme need but he could tell how to expresse his wants to those that could relieve him without reading them I come to answer the second Question which is this 2. Quest. I cannot read and I know not how to pray What shall I do in this case I Answer Answ Go to God with David and say O Lord open thou my lips Psal 51.15 and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Put into my mouth what I shall speak unto thee And then doubtlesse that God that bids his people take unto them words Hos 14.2 and hath promised his spirit shall help their infirmities Rom. 8.26 will undoubtedly give them words to seek him with For God never puts a man upon a duty but he will help him in it As you may see in the example of Moses he complaines of his inability to speak God bids him go and promiseth to be with his mouth Exod. 4.10 11 12. and to teach him what he shall say And Moses by Gods help was mighty in words as well as in deeds Acts 7.22 Let a man be never so full of words and matter he cannot bring it forth in Prayer without Gods assistance he cannot utter his own conceptions without Gods help Prov. 16.1 Saith Solomon The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. A man can neither prepare his heart to speak nor speak what he hath prepared without Gods assistance And therefore go to God to give thee a heart and words to speak to him with and doubtlesse that God that hath promised to give a mouth to his children Mat. 10.19 Luk. 21.15 to speak before their enemies He will not deny to give them words when they come by Prayer to speak before himself For a full answer to this question take these two Conclusions First God never gives a man an heart to pray Psal 10.17 but he lends an ear to hear Secondly He that hath an heart to pray will seek God to give him words And he that with a sincere heart seeks God to give him words shall never want words to seek him with Hast thou then a heart go to God and he will give thee words Psa 19.14 Pray with David Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer And then God will make thy words acceptable in his sight For there is no mouth into which God cannot put fit words to seek him with When God puts forth his power the weakest instrument shall be enabled to do his will As appeared Num. 22.27 to 32 verse when God enabled Balaams Asse to convince his Master And so much for the Answer to the two Questions Lastly I come now in the third and last place to lay down some encouragements to the Duty of Prayer I have already given divers in the use of Consolation To all which in the close let me adde these three or four following First 1. Encourag God is so well pleased with Prayer that he hath heard the Prayers of men for temporal things that had no grace You may see this in the example of King Ahab 1 King 21.24 to the end who sold himself to work wickednesse in the sight of God Yet when he heard the judgement threatned against him he humbled himself by Fasting and Prayer and although it was not the humiliation of a true Penitent for he turned not from his sinnes yet see what God saith to the Prophet concerning him 1 King 21.29 Seest thou how A hab bumbles himself before me I will not bring the evil in his dayes but in his sonnes dayes will I bring the evil upon his house If God be thus moved with the humiliation and prayer of a wicked man as to put off or deferre a temporal judgement how can God deny the Prayers of those that have the truth of grace when they seek him for pardon of sinne and spiritual blessings If external humiliation prevail thus with God O how prevalent are the Prayers of tender broken-hearted sinners 2 King 22.19 such as good King Josiah was Secondly 2. Encourag There is no man that hath set upon this duty of Prayer with a sincere heart resolving to go on in the practice thereof although he hath been never so weak and unable to the work at the first yet in time he hath found God carrying of him on in it beyond expectations and hath found a daily growth and increase of Grace and abilities to Pray God despiseth not the day of small things Zach. 4.10 Though grace in the soul of him that humbly seeks God be at the first but as a grain of Mustard seed Mat. 13.1 31. yet afterward it shall
discourse of the soul with God It is a conversing with God by which Gods love to us and our love to God is encreased It is an humble hearty and holy request made according to Gods will and offered up by Faith to God in the Name of Christ Elton on the Lords prayer for things needful for the body or soul It is a putting up of our requests to God according to his word Perkins on the Lords prayer from a contrite heart in the Name of Christ with assurance to be heard It is the breathing of the Spirit of God Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.14 28. and a proper action of the sonnes of God You see what the duty is It is a work of Gods Spirit Therefore beg the Spirit that thou maist pray Ps 51.12 Luk. 11.13 It is a free Spirit because it is freely promised to those that ask it Rom. 8.26 And it so helpeth us in the duty of Prayer that it makes us which before we streightned to be free in the work 2 Cor. 3.17 For where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And from hence it is that Gods Children are so frequent in the Duty which is the second thing I propounded to speak too Believe it God hath never a Child but it is ever craving They pray continually 1 Thes 5.17 because they find continual need of Gods grace and help and they find continual supplies thereof as an answer of Prayers I read That Constantine the Great made his Court a Church where Prayers were made Jerom lived four years with Watchings Fastings and Prayers Bernard prayed day and night till his knees were so weary with fasting and prayer that they could not uphold his body Latimer many times continued so long in fervent Prayer that he was not able to get up without help And I read that Clemens Alexandrinus prayed thrice a day Luther let no day passe over his head in which he spent not three hours at least in Prayer Master Robert Bolton prayed constantly six times a day twice with his Family twice with his Wife and twice in secret Master John Bruen prayed seven times a day And why are Gods servants thus frequent in prayer Surely it is because they find no trade that hath so quick and gainful returnes as this and therefore they follow it so hard And this leads me to the third and last thing I propounded to speak to and that is the excellent and great priviledges that belong to Gods people that are frequent and constant in this Duty O! praying Christian how great are thy priviledges Although thou maiest be slighted and dis-esteemed by man yet thou hast free liberty to conferre with the King of Heaven Cant. 2.14 who not onely delights to hear thy voice but inviteth thee to come unto him and promiseth to give thee whatsoever thou askest of him Mat. 7.7 As long as thou constantly acquaintest thy self with God by prayer thou shalt be sure to have him thy constant friend Job 22.21 24. who will never fail Heb. 13.5 nor forsake thee but will abundantly supply unto thee the want of all unfaithful and unconstant friends that desert thee where prayer is not wanting grace and comfort cannot be wanting John 16.23.24 Thou that art a child of God and dost the will of God let the desires of thy heart to God in Prayer be never so much enlarged God will satisfie all thy desires Joh. 15.7 Psal 37.4 And it must needs be thus for that God that is able to do for his children and many times doth for them exceedingly above all that they ask or think Eph. 3.20 He will not and for his promise sake he cannot deny any of those needful things his children ask of him Ps 81.10 By prayer Gods people not only obtain all the good things they pray for 1 Tim. 4.5 but also a sanctified use of all those good things Whatsoever is given by God to man in a way of mercy is given him as an answer of his Prayers 1 Joh. 5.14 15. Prayer is the key that open all the Treasures of God 1 Kings 8.33 35. It is the great instrument of removing all evils from the soul and the body It is the Character of the Saints It is the condition of Gods promises Ezek. 36 37. the forerunner of Gods performances Jer. 31.9 The happy priviledges of the praying Christian are beyond expression They have a constant Communion with God They have dayly supplies of grace from God 1 Joh. 1.3 whereby they are enabled to serve and please God while they live here Heb. 4.16 and they shall be made everlastingly happy with God hereafter Rom. 10.13 No greater priviledges can be obtained then these yet these are the priviledges of the praying Christian Would you be happy pray pray that your joy may be full John 16.24 He deserves to be miserable that might be made happy by praying and yet will not set upon the Duty But I shall pray and hope that these my labours may be succesful for the ends intended in directing in and exciting to the Duty those that have not used it in comforting and encouraging those in the Duty that dayly practise it And in whomsoever either of these ends be promoted let God have the glory and forget not to pray for him who is to his power Thine in all Christian services for thy souls good Sampson Tounesend July 1. 1658. A TABLE OF THE Contents DOct. It is the duty of the people of God to pray pag. 3 1. What prayer is It is 1. A work of Gods Spirit pag. 4 2. It floweth out of the spirit and heart of man or it is a talking of the heart and soul with God pag. 5 2. The several kinds of prayer Are 1. Mental pag. 6 2. Vocal Publick Private 3. The preparations to prayer Are 1. Prayer 2. Meditation pag. 8 Meditate upon 1. Gods infinite greatnesse 2. The promises 3. Thine own wants and vileness pag. 9 4. The duties or graces requisite in prayer are 1. Knowledge pag. 9 2. Faith 3. Humility pag. 10 4. Purity of heart 5. Love to our brethren 6. Zeal and fervency pag. 11 7. Unwearied constancy 8. We must pray in the Holy Ghost pag. 12 9. In the name and mediation of Jesus Christ pag. 13 10. For things agreeable to Gods will 11. We must use a due order in prayer pag. 14 12. Take heed of loving long prayers pag. 15 Lastly hate the sin you pray against and love the grace you pray for pag. 16 5. The gestures in prayer are 1. Kneeling pag. 18 2. Lifting and spreading forth the hands pag. 20. 3. Lifting up of the eyes pag. 22 4. For men to be uncovered pag. 23 In what case gestures may be omitted pag. 25 Reprehension for these that neglect the forementioned or use contrary gestures pag. 29 Exhortation to use more reverence in prayer pag.
peoples prayers but anguish and trouble of mind is the cause why they regard it not And thus I have gone through the eight things I propounded at first concerning Prayer I have shewed you 1. What Prayer is 2. The several Kindes of Prayer 3. The Preparations to Prayer 4. The Duties in it 5. The Gestures of Prayer 6. The Motives to Prayer 7. The Times of Prayer 8. And lastly I have answered divers Objections concerning Prayer I come now to make Use and Application of all that hath been said And the Uses shall be 1. For Instruction 2. For Reprehension 3. For Consolation 4. And lastly For Exhortation The first Use shall be for Instruction 1. Use Instruction And what hath been said may Instruct us 1. Concerning the right manner of praying 2. Concerning the power and efficacy of Prayer 1. We may be instructed in the right manner of Prayer 1. Instruct Ye heard in the Definition of prayer that it is a pouring out of the heart and soul to God c. First then It lets us see that dead dull formal heartlesse Prayers are not pleasing unto God If we lift up our hands and eyes to God and not our hearts and soules we can have no comfortable hopes of being answered This was that which gave David confidence of being answered in his Prayer For I lift up my soul unto thee Psa 14.38 Rejoyce the soul of thy servant Psa 86.4 for unto thee O Lord doe I lift up my soul Cold heartlesse prayers are sinful prayers Observe this evermore as a certain truth in prayer the colder the sutour the greater thr sinner Secondly It lets us see that wicked men that have not the Spirit of God cannot please God in their praying True prayer is a work of Gods spirit and so floweth from the spirit and heart of man as ye have heard Prov. 15.8 And therefore the heartlesse prayers of wicked men are abomination unto God Their cryes are no better in his esteeme then the howlings of beasts Saith the Lord They have not cryed unto me with their heart Hos 7.14 when they howled upon their beds Their cryes in Gods ears are no better then the cryes of a Dog when they cut off his neck Isa 66.3 Thus odious are the Prayers of wicked and ungodly men in Gods esteeme A second Use of Instruction Is to let us see the power of Prayer Instruction I told you in the Motives to prayer That by prayer we obtain whatsoever we ask at the hands of God I shall now shew you several Examples in Scripture of the power of Prayer 1. Jam. 5.17 18. By prayer Elias staied the Rain 3 yeers and again obtained rain 1 King 17.21 22. By Prayer also he restored to life the Widowes sonne And by Prayer he obtained Fire from Heaven to destroy the Captains 2 King 1.10 to 13. and their Fifties 2. 2 King 2.9 10. By Prayer Elisha had the spirit of Elias doubled upon him By Prayer he raised from death the Shunamites sonne And he prayed 2 King 6.17 18. and his Servants eyes were opened and his Enemies smote with blindnesse 3. Gen. 21.17 to 20. By Prayer Hagars eyes were opened whereby she saw a Well to refresh her and her son And by Prayer Sampson had water out of a Jawbone to strengthen and revive them Judg. 15.18 19. 4. 1 Sam. 12.18 By Prayer Samuel procured Thunder to punish the Israelites 5. Iosh 10.12 13. By Prayer Joshua caused the Sunne and Moon to stand still a whole day 2 King 20.11 And by Prayer Isaiah caused the sunne to goe back tenne degrees 6. Gen. 19.19 c. By Prayer Lot saved Zoar when the Cities of Sodom and Gomorah were burnt with fire from Heaven 7. Job 42.8 9 10. By Prayer Iob pacified the Wrath of God being kindled against his Friends and obtained a double Portion of that he lost 8. Exod. 8 9 chap. By Prayer Moses moved God to take away many Plagues that were brought upon the Aegyptians Lastly That I may not be too tedious I shall mention some of the multitude of Deliverances that are mentioned in Scripture which were procured as an answer of Prayer By Prayer Iacob was delivered from the wrath of Esau Gen. 32.11 12. By Prayer the Israelites were delivered out of Aegypt Exod 3.7 8. By Prayer Iossiah was delivered from the Plagues threatned to come upon him 2 King 22.19 21. By Prayer Iehoshaphat was delivered from the Moabites and Amorites 2 Chron. 20.12 22. By Prayer the three Children were delivered from the Fiery Furnate Dan. 3. By Prayer Daniel was delivered from the Den of Lyons Dan 6.22 By Prayer Ionah was delivered out of the Whales belly Jona 2.10 By Prayer Nineveh was delivered from the Judgement threatned Jona 3.10 By Prayer Iehoahaz was delivered from the oppressing hand of the King of Syria 2 King 13.4 5. By Prayer Manasseh was delivered from the Babylonian Captivity 2 Chron. 33.11 12 13. By Prayer Peter was delivered out of Prison Acts 12.5 c. And by Prayer also Paul and Silas were delivered out of Prison Acts 16.25 26. O the Power of Prayer O the many Miraculous things that have been done by Prayer I could instance in many examples that I have read in History but I forbare to mention them let those formerly mentioned be sufficient And so much for this first Use which hath been for Instruction 2. Use Reprehension I come now to the second Use which is for Reprehension It is the duty of the people of God to pray and that constantly every day in the manner that hath been before mentioned Then here come divers persons to be reprehended First those that pray not at all First Certainly it is a most grievous sinne to be ever in the neglect of this duty It is given as a note of a most wicked and ungodly person not to call upon God Psal 14.4 5. Wicked men will have nothing to doe with God and God will have nothing to doe with them They cast off God and God will cast off them Whosoever they be that goe on in the constant neglect of this duty they are exposed to Gods wrath and curse Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name They who neglect Prayer expose themselves to all manner of sinnes and temptations for Prayer is the onely remedy to prevent sinne Saith Christ Luk. 22.46 Pray lest ye enter into temptation And therefore he that neglects to pray often will lie open to all assaults of Satan and be in danger of utter falling away from all goodnesse into all manner of sinne and lewdnesse and hereby expose himself to Gods eternal Curse Secondly Secondly Those are to be reproved that are lasie and
every day in their Family or in secret or both in their Family or secretly For your Comfort go along with me in these eight or nine things following First There is no Family where Prayer is constantly used Morning and Evening but God usually blesseth those Families As God blessed the house of Obed Edom 2 Sam. 6.11 because the Ark was in his house So God blesseth those Families where prayers are daily used Secondly There are no secret prayers made unto God but shall be answered Saith Christ When thou Prayest enter into thy closet Mat. 6.6 and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Thirdly If thou canst pray in Faith it is a certain signe thou haft the truth of Grace thou art a child of God and shalt be saved 1. It is a signe of the truth of grace Saith the Lord I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplication Zach. 12.10 He that hath the spirit of Supplication hath the spirit of Grace first otherwise he could not have the spirit of Supplication 2. It is a signe thou art a child of God Saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father If thou wert not a sonne thou couldest not call upon God as a Father 3. It is a certain signe thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.13 For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved He that by Faith calls upon God may misse of the particular mercy he begs for here but he may be assured he shall not misse Eternal Salvation hereafter For the spirit of Supplication is a certain signe of Salvation 4. If thy heart be sincere in thy Prayers to God God will accept of thee although thou hast many failings For if there be first a willing minde 2 Cor. 8.12 it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not God accepts not of our service according to the worthinesse of the work but the willingnesse of the mind in the work So as he that unfainedly prays for and earnestly desires Faith Repentance and other graces he hath these graces in Gods esteem because God accepts of the will for the deed 5. If thou in the want of ability to utter words to God as thou desirest canst weep before the Lord and sobbe out thy complaints with sighs and groanes These thy desires is a certain signe thou hast the spirit of Prayer for these sighes and groanes could not be in thy prayers to God but from the Spirit of God helping thy infirmities in the duty as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with greanings which cannot be uttered These unutterable groanes proceed from the supernatural motion of Gods Spirit in thee Sixthly If thou canst sincerely seek God by Prayer thou maiest have comfort in all afflictions and trials that befal thee You shall find David complaining of the unkind dealing of his Adversaries Psalme 109. but saith he ver 4. I give my self unto Prayer Psa 109.4 As if he should have said I use no unlawful meanes against them but my onely refuge and defence is prayer unto God So did Job Job 16.20 My friends scorne me but mine eyes poureth out tears unto God I weep in my prayers and wait upon God to right my case And doubtlesse those that accustome themselves to a constant course of seeking God shall have cause to rejoyce and magnifie God in the greatest trials that can befal them according to that prophetical prayer of David Psa 40.16 Let all those that seek thee rejoyce and be glad in thee let such as love thy salvation say continually the Lord be magnified Seventhly If thou keepest thy heart in a constant course of praying unto God It is a certain signe that the sinne or judgement thou prayest against shall be removed or the mercy thou prayest for shall be granted Exod. 17.11 While Moses held up his hands in Prayer Israel prevailed There was no fear of enemies Conquering while Moses was praying And you shall find Moses devotion prevented Gods indignation against his people Exodus 32.10 to 15 verse saith the Lord to Moses Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them But Moses would not let God alone but continued praying for them His Prayers are answered the Judgement is diverted Verse 14. Exod. 32 14. And the Lord repented him of the evil which he thought to doe unto his people And Jacob Gen. 32.26 29. who continued wrestling for a blessing obtained it If Prayer be not slackned mercy shall be speeded If thou continuest in a constant course of praying against sinne for grace and for the removal of judgements or afflictions know for thy comfort thy sinnes shall be pardoned grace shall be conferred and the judgements or afflictions shall be removed from thee or sanctified to thee for thy good Eightly It is certain That that God that calleth thee to the duty of Prayer he is able ready and willing to hear and help thee When Bartimeus went to Christ for his eye-sight and it was told him Be of good comfort Mark 10.49 arise he calleth thee Out of all question at this report the heart of Bartimeus leapt within him and he was confident that seeing Christ called him he intended to grant his request in restoring his sight So beloved you may be confident that God that calls you to the duty of Prayer he intends to hear and answer you For he is able to help you Psa 115.3 Our God is in Heaven and he doth whosoever he pleaseth And he is willing to help and comfort you For like as a Father pittieth his children Psal 103.13 so the Lord pittieth them that fear him Ninethly and lastly Lastly All the Prayers of Gods faithful servants on earth shall undoubtedly be heard and answered in Heaven This is alwayes true with these three Cautions First That thou beest a Righteous person that doth the will of God Jam. 5.16 The Prayer of the Righteous availeth much Saith Christ Joh. 15.7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Secondly If ye ask in the Name of Christ For so saith Christ Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he shall give it you Thirdly If your Prayers be according to the will of God Saith the Apostle This is the confidence that we have in him 1 John 5.14 that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Onely know this That although the Prayers of Gods servants shall be