The Whole Armor of God, Exegesis · Treatise 3 · Part 3
THE THIRD PART.
The time of Prayer.
§. 117. Of praying alwayes.
THe next branch is concerning the Time, How wee may pray alwayes.which by the Apoſtle is limited with no diſtinct time, but indefinitely ſet downe vnderunder this generall particle Alwayes.
If this circumſtance be ſimply taken without any limitation, it implieth not only a great inconuenience, but alſo a plaine impoſſibility. For is it not inconuenient that we ſhould attend wholly and onelyonly on prayer; and ſo neglect the Word, Sacraments, and other duties of piety? yea, alſo all duties of iuſtice, and charity to our neighbours? Is it poſſible that alwayes we ſhould pray, and not eate, drinke, ſleepe, and doe ſuch other things as nature neceſſarily requireth?
Anſw. If the true meaning of the Apoſtles phraſe be obſerued, no ſuch incongruity or impoſſibility will follow vponupon it. In the originall it is thus ſet downe word for word,mforeign In eueryevery ſeaſon.
The Greekes make a difference betwixtnforeign. Time, and ſeaſon: andoActs 1. 7. in the Scripture they are alſo diſtinguiſhed, Time is more generall,1 Theſ. 5. 1. Seaſon implieth that part of time which is fit for doing a thing. This phraſe then being tranſlated in eueryevery ſeaſon, implieth that as any iuſt occaſion is offered, we muſt pray.
Obiect. The Euangeliſt vſeth the word which properly ſignifiethpforeign. …. Luke 18. 1. Ephe. 5. 20. Alwayes, and ſo doth the Apoſtle in laying downe the point of thankſgiuing, and another phraſe of the like extent, ſaying,q1 Theſ. 5. 17 foreign. Pray without ceaſing:
Anſw. 1. Generall phraſes muſt bee expounded by particular and diſtinct phraſes.
2 Thoſe Generals doe ſometime ſignifie no more then very often: ſo arer1 King. 10. 8. Salomons ſeruants ſaid to ſtand euer, or continually before him. So wee ſay of a Student that is much in his ſtudy, he is alwayes or continually there: ſo of a woman that tarrieth much at home, ſhee is euer in her houſe. But more diſtinctly to ſhew the meaning of this circumſtance,
1 It is to be taken incluſiuely, including eueryevery part of time, and excluding none, neither day nor night, whether wee are alone or in company, in the middeſt of buſineſſe, or free from buſineſſe, at what time ſoeuer occaſion is giuen, we muſt pray.
2 It ſignifieth a daily and conſtant performing of this holy exerciſe: thus this ſacrifice which vnderunder the Law was conſtantly offered vp eueryevery day, morning and euening, is ſaid to bee offered vpaEx. 29. 38, 42 continually, and called a continuall burnt offering.
3 It implieth that beſides our ordinary and ſet times of prayer, we muſt take extraordinary occaſions to call vponupon God.
4 It intimateth a continuall preparation of the heart alwayes, euen eueryevery moment readie to be lift, vp to God in prayer. As the ayre with the leaſt blaſt of winde is moued, and a feather with the leaſt motion of aire is lifted vp, ſo muſt our hearts in petition and thankſgiuing.
Thus this phraſe being rightly taken, affordeth no iuſt ground to thoſe heretikes called*foreign ab orando ſic appellati, iſti ita nimis orant, vt hinc iudicentur inter haereticos nominandi. Aug. haer. 57 Euchitae, who would ſeeme to ſpend ſo much time in prayer, as they neglected all other duties: like to whom were the Heretikes called *Lege Theodoret. hiſt. lib. 4. cap. 11. de Meſſalianis.Meſſalians. But it affordeth vntounto vsus many good inſtructions for prayer.
§. 118. Of praying eueryevery day.
1 CHriſtians ought to hauehave ſet times of prayer eueryevery day.1 EueryEvery day pray. This is implied in the fourth Petition, where this day, is expreſſed, to ſhew that the next day wee muſt pray againe, and eueryevery day ſay, this day. This is alſo prefigured by that continual burnt offering, wherof I ſpake*§. 117. before. bPſal. 96. 2.Dauid exhorteth hereunto ſaying, Sing vntounto the Lord, praiſe his name from day to day: and promiſeth to performe as much himſelfe, ſaying,c& 145. 2. I will bleſſe thee daily, and praiſe thy name for euer and euer.
1 We daily ſtand in need of Gods bleſſings,Reaſons. both of the continuance of his old bleſſings, and alſo of beſtowing new bleſſings. Needfull it is therefore, that eueryevery day we ſhould pray for them.
2 The graces of God in vsus are ſubiect eueryevery day to decay: now prayer is as food, whereby thoſe graces are preſerued, reuiued and increaſed. Daily wee take bodily food? Daily alſo let vsus vſe this ſpirituall food.
3 EueryEvery day we are ſubiect to aſſaults of our ſpirituall enemies, who are neuer wearied: and vntounto many dangers of ſoule and bodie. But prayer is the moſt principall meanes to keepe vsus ſafe from all.
There are alſo like reaſons for thankeſgiuing alwayes, day after day.Pſal. 68. 19. For God ladeth vsus daily with his bleſsings: eueryevery day, yea eueryevery houre, both Gods former bleſſings are continued and renewed, and alſo new bleſſings beſtowed. Is thy life, health, libertie, or any other bleſſing, matter of thankſgiuing this day? Then if the ſame be renewed the next day, it is alſo matter of thankſgiuing the next day, and ſo day after day. Continuall matter of thankſgiuing, requireth continuall thankſgiuing.
§. 119. Of the fitteſt times for daily prayer.
Queſt. HOw often a day is it meete we ſhould pray,Singulis diebus qui amplius non poteſt, faltem duabus vicibus oret mane ſcil. & veſpere Concil. Conſtantinop. 6. cap. 7. Vide Cryſ. exhort. ad matutinas, & veſp. orationes. Hom. 14. in Rom. 8. and at what times?
Anſw. Not to ſpeake of ſudden eiaculations, which we ſhall touch by and by, it is meete that ſolemne prayers be made at leaſt twice a day. The fitteſt time for which is the morning and the euening. In the morning to praiſe God for our reſt the night before, and to craue his protection ouer vsus, and his bleſſing vponupon vsus the day following. In the euening to praiſe him for the bleſſings receiued that day, and to craue his protection in the night when we ſleepe. Thus ſhall this ſpirituall ſacrifice of theeOſe. 14. 3. Calues of our lippes be anſwerable to thatfNum. 28. 4. daily outward ſacrifice of lambes, vnderunder the Law, whereof one was to be offered in the morning, the other in the euening. This timegPſal. 92. 2. Dauid preſcribeth ſaying to God, It is a good thing to declare thy louing kindneſſe in the morning, and thy truth at night: yeah& 55. 17. Dauid went further, and ſaith, Euening and morning, and at noone will I pray. Which times it is likely that Daniel obſerued, for hee prayediDan. 6. 10. three times a day. Dauid yet further ſaith,kPſal. 119. 164. Seuen times a day doe I praiſe thee. But that I take to be meant of ſom extraordinary occaſions, becauſe his ordinary courſe was ſet downe before: or elſe aſet number for an vncertaine, ſeuen times, that is, oftentimes, and ſo meant of ſudden prayers.
Againſt this doe they offend, who neuer pray but at Church vponupon Sabbath daies, or ſome other ſolemne daies, or if euer at home, onelyonly then when ſome extraordinary occaſion is offered, as if they, or ſome of theirs be ſicke, if they feare ſome iudgement, or want ſome great bleſſing. What hope can ſuch hauehave to bee heard in their great needs, who otherwiſe would not call vponupon God.
§. 120. Of conſtant keeping our ſet times of prayer.
2 SVch ſet times as are appointed for daily prayer, 2 Be conſtant in keeping ſet times.would conſtantly be kept. Elſe we doe not in eueryevery ſeaſon alwayes without intermiſſion pray. The Lord ſaith of the fore named daily ſacrifice vnderunder the Law,lNum. 28. 2: Yee ſhall obſerue to offer vntounto me in their due ſeaſon mine offering, &c. implying thereby, that they ſhould not faile nor miſſe of their due ſeaſon and accuſtomed time. Feare of death could not turne Daniel from his courſe: he prayed (notwithſtanding the Kings contrary decree) three times a day, as he did afore-time. This phraſe, as afore-time, implieth a conſtant courſe.
Great reaſon there is that we ſhould be conſtant, for
1 There is in vsus a naturall proaneneſſe to waxe cold and faint in prayer.Reaſons. Water is not more proane to be cold, nor an heauy weight to fall downward, then we to waxe dull in this heauenly exerciſe. Wherefore as fire muſt conſtantly be put vnderunder water to keep it hot, and a weight muſt cōſtantly be wound vp to keep it from the ground, ſo muſt wee by conſtant prayer quicken vp our ſoules, and keepe them aloft.
2 The Diuel wil take great aduantage by once omitting it, and moue vsus to omit it againe and againe; and ſo by degrees bring vsus to an vtter …iſ-vſe of it. Aſſuredly they which once omit their courſe of praying, ſhall finde the next time they come to pray, a more then vſuall dulneſſe thereto: which is partly thorow Gods iuſt iudgement, who thus puniſheth our neglect of this duty, partly thorow our naturall indiſpoſition thereto, and partly thorow the ſubtilty and malice of the Diuell, who thus ſeeketh to diuert vsus cleane from our courſe.
§. 121. Of Canonicall houres.
Queſt. VVHat difference is there betwixt this conſtant obſeruing ſet times, and Popiſh canonicall houres of prayers?
Anſw. Reaſons why Canonicall houres vnlawfull.1. Their canonicall houres are grounded on ſuperſtition, as the reaſons which they themſelues alledge doe ſhew: for they appoint ſeuen houres of prayer for eueryevery day.1. They are grounded on ſuperſtition. The firſt before day, becauſe Chriſt was then taken. The ſecond at the firſt houre, becauſe then hee was led to Pilat. The third at the third houre, becauſe then he was mocked. The fourth at the ſixt houre: becauſe then he was crucified. The fift at the ninth houre, becauſe then he gaue vp the Ghoſt. The ſixt in the euening, becauſe then hee was taken from the Croſſe. The ſeuenth in the completory, becauſe then he was buried. Theſe reaſons are ſuperſtitious, no good grounds. In other houres wee may finde other things done to Chriſt, as his bringing to Annas, to Caiphas, to Herod, his accuſations, ſcourging, &c. and ſo make eueryevery houre a canonicall houre for prayer. Wee hauehave better reaſons, as I ſhewed*§. 120. before.
2 They place Religion in the very obſeruing of ſet times.2. Religion is placed in them. We doe not ſo: for we ſet not the ſame continuance for all, ſome may hold out an houre, ſame halfe, ſome but a quarter, ſome longer, ſome ſhorter. Neither doe we tye all to the ſame houre. A ſtrong able perſon that vſeth to riſe betimes, may pray at three or foure, or fiue of the clock in the morning, as ſoone as heriſeth. Another that is weake, and notable to riſe ſo ſoone, may when he can riſe.
3 They content themſelues with ſaying ouer ſo many prayers as may bee in ſuch a ſet time,3. They are ſtinted with time. though their hearts goe not with one word: for their prayers being in lattin, many cannot vnderſtand what they pray. We account ſuch prayers meere lip-labour. Neither doe wee meaſure our prayers by a ſet time, but wee meaſure our time by our deuotion and affection in prayer.
4 They appropriate their canonicall houres to eccleſiaſticall perſons onelyonly,4 They are appropriated to certaine perſons. as Prieſts, Munks, Nunnes, &c. Wee make our dayly times of prayer common to all Chriſtians: becauſe prayer is a duty belonging to all.
5 Some of their houres,5 They are vnſeaſonable. namely, at mid-night, are very vnſeaſonable to be ordinarily and daily performed: they are neither meet for the health of mā (that being the moſt ſeaſonable time to reſt in) nor for the worſhippe of God, which muſt needes at that time bee drouſily performed. Our times are the moſt ſeaſonable that may be.
6 Their houres are ſo many,6 Too much time is ſpent in them. that other neceſſary buſineſſes muſt needs be omitted: they affoord not time enough for Miniſters to ſtudy, and performe other miniſteriall functions belonging to their place. Our times are ſuch as may well bee affoorded to prayer, by thoſe that hauehave the moſt and greateſt imployments.
7 They are ſo ſuperſtitious on the one ſide in keeping their number and ſtinted houres,7 Too great ſtrictneſſe in fulfilling the time. and on the other ſide ſo careleſſe in the due time, that they giuegive tollerations to obſerue all the ſeuen houres in one part of the day, and none in the other part. Wee affood no ſuch tollerations. Euening prayer would not be performed in the morning, though a double taske of the Word may bee read at once.
§. 122 Of neglecting times of Prayer.
Vſe LEt vsus bee carefull and conſcionable as in ſetting vntounto our ſelues fit times of prayer, ſo alſo in keeping of them. Many ſuffer eueryevery ſmall occaſion, the leaſt buſines, a matter of little gaine, yea, a matter of pleaſure and ſport to interrupt their courſe: They are farre fromaDan. 6. 10. Daniels minde. If they could truly feele and diſcerne the ſweetneſſe and comfort of prayer, they would bee otherwiſe minded then they are. For our parts let vsus preferre it to all things, and let all things whatſoeuer giuegive place to it. Thus ſhall wee manifeſt our reuerend and high account of God, of his worſhippe, and of his bleſſing. If in the morning neceſſary buſineſſe bee to be performed, let vsus riſe ſo much the ſooner to pray, rather loſe of our ſleepe then omit that exerciſe: ſo at night, if extraordinary buſineſſe hold thee vp late, ſit vp a little the longer for prayer ſake. They who conſcionably and conſtantly vſe it, think not themſelues ſafe in a morning, till they hauehave commended themſelues by prayer to God: they are much diſquieted, if by any occaſion it bee omitted: ſome dare not eate, nor drinke in a morning till they hauehave prayed, nor at euen goe to bed till they hauehave prayed againe. A good religious minde.
§ 123. Of praying in all affaires.
3 VVHatſoeuer we goe about, 3 Whatſoeuer ye doe, or whitherſoeuer ye goe, pray.or whereſoeuer we are, we muſt pray. If we goe about any religious exerciſe, any work of our calling, any duty of louelove, any honeſt & lawful recreation, we muſt pray: when we goe to meat, to ſleep, to walk abroad, to ride a iorney pray, at home, in the field, in our Inne, in priſon, on the ſea, in a forren country, in time of proſperity, in time of aduerſity, in ſeaſon, at our times appointed, out of ſeaſon, at other times, night and day pray. So much implieth the Apoſtleb1. Tim. 2. 8. where he willeth men to pray in eueryevery place, and theſe phraſes, alwaies, at al times, cōtinually, without ceaſing, imply as much.
1 Prayer ſanctifieth eueryevery thing,Reaſons. eueryevery place, as wee ſhewed in the fift branch of the neceſſitie of prayer.
2 We cannot expect a bleſſing in any thing, except by prayer we craue it.*Pſal. 127. 2. It is in vaine to riſe early, aud to lye downe late without prayer. Thereforec& 90. 17. Moſes prayeth that God would eſtabliſh the workes of their hands.
Vſe No maruell wee proſper ſo little in the holy and ciuill things we take in hand, and that eueryevery where in eueryevery thing we meete with many croſſes and vexations. The means of making things proſper, and of preuenting croſſes is rarely vſed. No maruell alſo that God oft with-holdeth many good things from vsus; due praiſe is not giuen for ſuch good things as he giueth.
§. 124. Of continuall Eiaculations.
4 OVr hearts ought eueryevery moment to be ready, 4 Hearts alwayes ready to pray.and prepared to be lift vp to God: euen when we hauehave not opportunity of time and place to vtter any prayer with our mouthes, in heart we muſt pray, as*Exod. 14. 5. Nehem. 2. 4. Moſes and Nehemiah. This is that mentall and ſudden prayer whereof I ſpake before. Concerning this kind, if any ſhall aske (as Peter in another caſe did) how oft ſhall I pray in a day; ſeuen times,Pſal. 119. 164. as Dauid did? I anſwer (as Chriſt did to Peter) I ſay not to thee vntounto ſeuen times, Matth. 18. 22.but vntounto ſeuentie times ſeuen times: euen eueryevery moment, as the leaſt occaſion is offered, and ſo often as the Spirit of God moueth. If we obſerue our ſelues or others to ſtand in need of any bleſſing, inſtantly let our hearts be lift vp to God: when any of Gods bleſſings come to our minde by the relation of others, by our owne cogitation, by any preſent fruition, or by any other meanes, preſently (in heart at leaſt) bleſſe God: learne of the little birds, which lift vp their bils to heauen, ſo oft as they take a little water into them.
§. 125. Of giuing thankes alwayes.
VVEE hauehave an excellent patterne hereof in that man that wasaAct. 13. 22. A man after Gods owne heart, that b2. Sam. 23. 1.ſweet Singer of Iſrael: as he was very frequent vponupon all occaſions in making petition to God, ſo alſo in thankſgiuing: many Pſalmes he beginneth and endeth with praiſe: yea eueryevery verſe ofcPſal. 150. ſome Pſalmes beginneth with an exhortation hereunto: and eueryevery verſe of dPſal 136.other Pſalmes end with a thankfull acknowledgement of Gods merciemercy:ePſal. 135. 19, 20, 21. Diuers verſes in many Pſalmes both beginne and end with praiſing God. There is nothing which that booke of Pſalmes more tumbleth vp and downe (repeating it very often againe, and againe) then this clauſe, Praiſe yee the Lord: yea his Pſalmes of humiliation, which hee beginneth with ſobs and teares, hee endeth with praiſe. A worthy patterne to follow: the more frequent we are in thankſgiuing; the more doe we reſemble the triumphant Church in heauen,fReu. 4. 8. which ceaſe not day nor night, ſaying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almightie. g& 5. 13. & 7. 12.In the booke of Reuelation, it is oft noted that the heauenly Spirits, ſo ſoone as any occaſion was offered, preſently fell on their faces and gaue glory to God.h& 19. 1, 2, 3, 4 They doe after an holy manner rebound vp and downe this word,foreign Hallelu-Iah is an Hebrew compoūd word, which ſignifieth Praiſe yee the Lord. Hallelu-Iah, one from another. Thus doe they alwayes giuegive thankes. It well beſeemeth them: how can it then but well beſeeme vsus? wee muſt endeauor to be like them: onelyonly heere lieth a difference betwixt them and vsus, that all teares are wiped away from their eyes, ſo as they hauehave not ſuch matter of ſupplication as we hauehave: we muſt mixe petition and thankſgiuing together: ſo giuegive thankes alwayes, as wee make ſupplication alwayes: for to both theſe parts of prayer is this extent to be applied: one muſt not exclude another: neither muſt either of them exclude any other duetie.