The Saints Daily Exercise, Sermon 1

The Saints Daily Exercise · Sermon 1

p. 1THE FIRST SERMON.

1. THES. 5. 17.

Pray continually.

THe Apostle here, in the latter end of this Epistle, heape… vp many precepts together, and therefore, we shall not need to seeke out the dependance of these words vponupon those that go before, or those that follow after. Reioyce evermore (…aith he) Pray …, in all things gi… p. 2thankes: for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus to you wards.

Wee are … this Text▪ … this duty of of prayer … co… ended to vsus, and it is a commend from God himselfe delivered … to be with our any great premises▪ and reasons, and indeed, having therefore the more authority in it.

Pray Continually.

IN the handling of which we will do these three things.3 Things considerable, for opening of the wordes.

First, we will shew you what Prayer is.

Secondly, why the Lord requires this at our hands; for a man might obiect, The Lord knowes my wants well enough, he knowes my mind, and how I am affected▪ I, but yet the Lord will hauehave vsus to pray, and to aske before hee will bestow it upon vsus.

And lastly, what it is to pray continually.

For the first. If we should define prayer in generall to you, I would giuegive you no more but this … What prayer is … In generall:description of it. It is an expression of the mind to the Lord; Sometimes by words, sometimes without words, but yet there must …, and some opening of the will to him; I … is the generall.

But now to know what a rig… … is, what such a prayer is, as God accepts; … hauehave another … In speciall:… which must hauehave … ingredient… into …, and so, Prayer is, nothing else but an …, … …ering of th…se holy, …d good dispositions p. 3to God, that …rise … ▪ … spirit; … the …generate part, in the … of … Christ▪ Where you are to obserue this; That the prayers, that wee Division of prayers into 2: ….make, a…e divided into one of these two sorts:

First: Some are such prayers … are the expression 1of our owne spirits, the voice of our owne spirits, and there i… nothing but flesh in them; such prayers as any naturall m…n may make to the Lord. And these the Lord regards not, hee Note▪ Rom: 8: 27:knowes not the meaning of them, that is he do…h not accept them.

Secondly, There are prayers that are the voice 2of Gods own Spirit, that is, such as arise from the regenerate part which is within vsus, which is quickened and inlarged to pray from the immediate helpe of the holy Ghost; These prayers are onelyonly accepted; And of these it is said, he knowes the meaning of the Spirit▪ That is, hee so knowes it, and sees it, that also he accepts it. Therefore you shall see in Hosea 7. 14. when they prayed, and Hosca▪ 7. 14:prayed earnestly, yea they set a day a part for prayer, they called a solemne Assembly. And kept a fast, yet, saith the Lord plainly, yee did not call vponupon me when you howled vponupon your bedd…; for (saith he you assembled your selues for corne, and for mine, which any naturall man may doe; And therefore, (saith he) …t is but a …wling. It is the voice of beasts to seeke for wine, and oile, and …, but he saith plainely, you called not vponupon …e; when, notwithstanding, they spent a whole day in prayer: But the meaning is; that the Lord regard… this as no prayer a… all.

p. 4And therefore …o open a little this description The … of the descriptio… opened.vntounto you: for it is one … wee hauehave to doe, in the handling of this Text, to describe to you the meaning of this precept what the nature of prayer is, that you may know what kind of prayer it is, that prevailes with God. I say, it is an expre… of holy and good …. 1 Why …ee vseth the word disposition…) rather, then desiresI vse that expression, rather of dispositions then desores, because the…e is some part of prayer that stands in thanksgiving when you desire nothing at Gods hands, but giuegive thanks for that you hauehave receiued; mark, first, that they must be holy, & good the desires & dispositions must be good: for that i… … rule; all the affections and desire… are good, or When the de… … dis… of … goodevill, according … their obiects … these that … fixed vponupon good … ▪ … good desires.

… ▪ what are the good things … the desi…s, and dispositions of the … good:Que….

They are temporall things and spiritual both. A man may pray for temporall thing… in a spirituall A…s. … temporal rhings may be desired i… a …, and … things i… a spi… … how.manner, and the desire may be good; And … he may pray for spirituall things in a carnall manner, and the desire may bee naught. Therefore that must be observed withall, that it is not simply the obiect, but there is a certaine manner of …. For example, if a man pray for … things, for o… … comforts, … things … belong to the present … of his body …: If he pray for them with these condi tions, that he prayeth for that which is convenient p. 5for him, he prays for such a measure a… God se… to be … … ▪ … with … Prov. 31. … Tim. 6 9.Prov 31… for me, This prayer is good. Bu… (if a… 1. Tim. 6. If any … will be rich) it is an inordinate desire when men wil hauehave excesse of these outward things, and more then is … for them. And agai…, if you desire that which is conveient, and spend it vponupon your …; If you desire health▪ and long life, that you may liue more pleasantly; If you desire wealth, that you may liue more deliciously, and not simply that which the creature may desire, and …o the …nd that you may hee the more enabled to se…e the Lord in these things, your desire is not good. So I say, first it must bee for that which is convenient; secondly, you must not spend … vponupon your …, but in Gods service.

And lastly, wee must pray for them in a right method, First the Kingdome of God, and … other things, that is, set a price on them, as you ought, not too high a price, but value them aright. We should so pray for outward things as our prayers may be spirituall. On the other side, a man may pray for spirituall things in a carnall manner, as for temporall things in a spirituall manner. A naturall man may pray …rnestly for saith and for grace, and repentance, not out of any beautie that he sees in them, not out of any taste and relish▪ that he hath of them, but because hee thinkes them a bridge to leade him to heaven and that hee cannot come thither with out them: when he considers in his heart that hee cannot be …ved without these things, I say, then hee may p. 6desire th…m, and desire t…em …. It was the …, who cryed so earnestly for grace, that hee might hauehave but a d…p of it, because he could not be saved without it, bee giues the reason himselfe, he said withall, hee saw no excellencie in it, he desired it not for it selfe; and therefore he thought his prayers should not bee heard. Thus you see that prayer is an expression of holy and good desires, and it is an offering them vp to the Lord.To God.

I will not stand vponupon that (you are well enough instructed in it) that whatsoever petition is made to the creature, it is not a prayer, they must … be offered vp to the Lord.

Then I adde, they a… such as … are so from the regenerate part, this is, looke how much there is of the … part in a prayer, look how much Arising from the spirit or regenerate part… holy Spirit hath to doe in it, looke how much … from that which is called the … …; so … as it is sanctified, so farre that prayer is accepted and no further. But, that wee may open this a little more fully, wee will shew you it by some other expressions of prayer, that we finde in the Scriptures.

It is called a l…ft … of the …eart to God, a po… ring forth of the soule to the Lord, 1. Sam. 1. 15. A … of him i… spirit, so Paul calleth it. Now if we open these p…rases vntounto you a little, you shall 1 Sam: 15: 1:know more fully wherein the nature of right praying to God co…s. That phrase the Apostle …seth, who… … i… my spirit (it is the same … the original that … fo… fasting and …) p. 7A…t: 13▪ 2:Now what i… that to pray to God in the spirit; for a man may say, … cannot make a prayer, but there is an act o… hi… mind goes to it, (and everie man what service soever he performe, his spirit must needes hauehave a hand in it, so it cannot be performed without the mind.

I take this to be the meaning of it, the Apostle his scope, is to distinguish the true and holy services of God from those that are but shadowes, and counterfeit, that are but the body and carcasse of right service. Therefore, when he saith. I serue the Lord in my spirit, or I pray in the spirit. The meaning is this, when the prayer of a man is not onelyonly that which the vnderstanding dictates to him, but when the whole soule, the will and affection… goe together with his petition, and whatsoever the petition is, a mans heart is affected accordingly. As, for example, if a man come to confesse his sinnes, and yet sleights them inwardly in his heart; If a man pray for reconciliation with God, and yet hauehave no longing and sighing in his heart after it, if hee earnestly aske grace, and the …ortification of sinfull lusts, when the heart doth not inwardly seek it, now he praies not in the spirit. To pray in the spirit is as that in Iohn 4. 24. He will be worshipped in spirit and in truth. The m…ning is, so to pray, that the heart Iohn 4. 14John 4:14goe together with our petition, also, this is the meaning of th…t … …owreth forth his soule before the Lord. So … saith of her selfe; I am a woman troubled, &c. And po…re …t my soule before the Lord. That is when a man deliuers p. 8to God that which the vnderstanding and mind ha… devised (for prayer is not a worke of …, or of memory,) but when a man powteth foorth his whole soule (that is) his will, and affections, when they goe together, when there is no reservation in his mind; but when all within him is opened and explicate, and exposed to the view of the Lord, not as … saith of himselfe, when hee came to pray for the mortifying of his lusts, saith he, I had a secret inward desire that it should not bee done. Therefore when the soule is po…red …rth, the meaning is, that all …e opened to him; so that when a man wi… make an acceptable prayer, hee must make this accompt, hee must then call in all … thoughts and affections, and …collect them together …, o… … the s…ne Si…le.…, …nd that makes prayer …; wheras otherwise, it is but … thing that hath no strength … it.

Now with all, this you must know, that when wee say the whole soule must goe together with the petition, the meaning …, that not onelyonly the will, and affections be imployed (… i… … naturall man, in his desire of health, when hee is sicke, or w…th assistance, …d guidance in difficult cases, not onelyonly the vnderstanding, but the will and affections are … …gh, it is likelie) and therefore we adde …, that … which is called the spirit, which is … in the whole …, that … be s… a work in the performance of this …, whensoever we seek to him in prayer.

p. 9For this you know, that there are two things in a regenerate man (for that you must take for granted by the way that no naturall man is able to make a prayer acceptable to God, seeing there is no spirit in him, but in the regenerate man) there is I say flesh and spirit, now when we come to powre forth our hearts to the Lord, that which lyes vppermost will be ready to be powred forth first; and that which is spirituall, it may be, lyes in the bottome, and that is kept in, and so a man may make a carnall prayer, though he be a holy man; that is, when the flesh hath gotten the vpper hand; as in some fits it may, when the mind is filled with worldly sorrow and wordly reioycing, and worldly desires, and these would bee expressed to the Lord; it is a prayer that the Lord regards not, though the man bee holy, from whence it comes, but right prayer is this, when the regenerate part is acted and stirred vp, and the flesh that hinders, is remooved. For you must know this, that wheresoeuer there is a regenerate part in any man, there is a regenerate aptnesse in that to call vponupon God; and it cannot bee disioyned from it, but that is not alwayes in act. As we see a fountaine, it hath alwayes an aptnes Simile.to powre forth water, it is ready to breake into a current, but, if it be stopped with stones & mud, and other impediments, it cannot breake out, so he that is a regenerate man, that hath a holy part in him, there is an aptnesse to prayer. Which is that which our Saviour saith, Math. 26. 41. The spirit is willing, that is, there is alwayes a willing p. 10Mat… 26. 41.Matt 26:41nesse that followes the spirit, or the regenerate part in a holy man, but saith he, The flesh is backeward, that is, it stops this fountaine, and therefore Rom. 8. 27. The spirit is said there to helpe our infirmities, Rom. 8: 27.Rom 8:27and to make requests for vsus; that is, even as a man remooues stones from a …ountaine with his hands, and when he hath done that, it breaks out into a current, so the holy Ghost removes this flesh, that stops vp the current, the spirit takes away those carnal impediments that are in vsus. And not onelyonly so, but stirreth vp the regenerate part, and when that is done, we are able to make a spirituall prayer to God in Christ Iesus; So that is the thing, that you are now to obserue, That the spirit must h…lpe our infirmities, when we come to call vponupon God, and our prayers bee so farre acceptable as they bee the fruits of the regenerate part; now we want but one thing to adde in the definition.

They are such prayers as are offered to God in the name of Iesus Christ.

This is a thing that you all know, that those Offered vp in the name of Iesus Christ:prayers that are not offered vp in Christ, are not acceptable, because the person is not regarded. It was the sinne of Vzzi… in the 2. Chron. 26. he 2 Chron: 26.would goe to the Temple himselfe being a King on the throne, and hee would offer incense without a Priest. Wee doe the very selfe-same thing, whensoever we goe to offer vp any prayer to God without Christ Iesus▪ In the old … men might bring their sacrifices, but still the Priest must off… them; so must w…e here▪ and the reason is given, p. 11Reu. 8. because the prayers that come from Rev. 8:Rev 8vsus …auour of the flesh, from which they come, and the Angell of the Couenant mingleth much incense with them, and makes them sweet and acceptable to God, with much incense, that is, as the flesh is more, so there needes more incense, that they may be made acceptable to God the Father. So that we hauehave indeed a double intercessour: one is, the spirit that helpes our infirmities, that helpes vsus to make our petitions, that quickens, and enlargeth our hearts to prayer: The other is the intercessor to make them acceptable to God, that he may receiue them, and not refuse & reiect them. So much shal serue for the first thing, to shew you what the duty is, what a right, true, and acceptable prayer is.

Now for the second, Why we must pray (for 2 Why the Lord▪ will hauehave vsus to pray.that obi…ction a man may make) the Lord knowes my minde well enough, and what needes such an expression of it by prayer? The reasons briefly why the Lord will hauehave vsus to pray are taken:

Partly from himselfe.

And partly from vsus.

1. From himselfe, though he be willing to bestow 1 In respect of himselfe.mercies vponupon vsus, yet he will hauehave vsus aske his leaue before he doth it. As, you know▪ fathers doe with their children, though they intend to 1. Simile.bestow such things vponupon them, as are needfull, yet they will hauehave their children to aske it; & as it is a common thing among men, though they be willing a man should passe through their ground 2. Simile.yet they will hauehave leaue asked, because by that p. 12meanes the propertie is acknowledged, otherwise it would be taken as a common high way, so the Lord will hauehave his servants come and aske, that they may acknowledge the propertie he hath in those gifts he bestowes vponupon them: Indeede, otherwise we would forgetin what tenure we hold these blessings wee enioy, and what service wee owe to the Lord, as you know, there is a homage 3. Simile.due to the Lord, that the Lord might bee acknowledged; so the Lord will hauehave this duty of prayer performed that we may acknowledge him, that we hold a…l of him, and that we might remember the service that we ought to doe to him, to rise and goe at his command, that is, to doe his service, which we would be ready to forget, if wee were not accustomed to the duty of calling on him.

Likewise he will hauehave it done for his honours sake, hee will hauen en call vponupon him, that they 2▪may learne to reuerence him, and likewise that oothers might be s…irred vp to reverence him, and to honour him, and to feare him. The servants of a Prince doing honour and reverence to their Simile.Lord, they stirre vp those that are lookers on: And as the Schoolemen say of glory. Glory is Glory what.properly this, not when a man hath an excellencie in him, (fo… that hee may ha…e and yet bee without glorie) but glory is an ostentation, a shewing out of that excellencie. It is the phrase that is vsed in the Sacrament; you shall celebrate the Sacrament, that you may shew forth the Lords death; so the Lord will hauehave vsus come and call vponupon p. 13his name to shew forth the duty of prayer, and that we may shew forth his glory. This is for the Lord himselfe.

Now for our selues, we are to doe it, partly, … In respect of our selues.that the graces of his spirit may bee increased in vsus: for prayer exerciseth our graces; every grace 1is exercised in prayer, and they being exercised are increased. See an excellent place for this in Iude 20. That you beloved edifie your selues in the Iude 20.Jude 1:20holy faith praying in the holy Ghost, as if hee should say, The way to edifie your selues, and build vp your selues is to pray in the holy Ghost; that is, spirituall prayer made through the power, and assistance, and strength of the holy Ghost. Every such prayer it builds vsus vp, it increaseth. Every grace in vsus, faith, and repentance, and louelove, and obedience, and feare, all are increased by prayer.

Partly, because they are exercised and set a 2worke in prayer: for the very exercise increaseth them.

And partly also, because prayer brings vsus to Communion with God. Now, if good company 3increase grace, how much more will Communion with the Lord himselfe quicken and increase it.

Moreouer, this duty is required, that we may 4be acquainted with God: for there is a strangene, betweene the Lord and vsus, when wee doe not call vponupon his name. It is the command which you sh…l finde i… Iob 22. 21. Acquaint thy selfe with the Iob 22. 2….Job 22:2Lord … th… ma…st hauehave peace with him, and th…u shalt hauehave prosperitie. Now, you know how acq…intance p. 14growes amongst men; it is by conversing together, by speaking one to another. On Simil… ▪the other side; wee say when that is broken off, when they salute not, when they speake not together, a strangenes growe…; so it is in this: when wee come to the Lord; and are frequent, and …ervent in this du…y of calling vponupon him, we grow acquainted with him, and without it wee grow strangers, and the Lord dwells a…arre off, we are not able to behold him, except we be accustomed to it, and the more wee come into his presence, the more we are acquainted vvith hi…. Therefore that is another reason why wee should vse this, that wee may get acquaintance with the Lord.

Likewise, that vve may learne to be thankfull to him for those …ercies vve hauehave received from 5hi…; for, if … should bestow mercies vponupon vsus, vna…ked, we vvould forget them, his hand would not be acknowledged in them, and vvee would not see his providence in disposing those blessings that vve doe enioy, but vvhen vve come to aske every thing before him, vve are then readie to see his hand more, and to prize it more, and vve are disposed to more thankefulnesse. So that it is a …ure rule commonly▪ vvhat vv…e vvinne Note.vvith prayer, that vvee vve…re vvith thankefulnesse, and that vvhichwhich vvee get vvithout praier, vvee spend, and vse without any lifting vp of the heart to God, in praising him, and acknowledging … hand, in b…wing it vponupon vsus, …o you see what … duty is. And,

p. 15Secondly, why the Lord will hauehave this duty performed.

Novv, thirdly (in a vvord) vvhat is it to pray 3. What it is to pray contin… ally.continually, The word in the originall signifieth, such a performance of this duty, that you doe not cease to doe it, at such times as God requires foreign.it at your hands. Compare this vvith that in 2. Tim. 1. 3. The Apostle saith there, that hee 2 Tim. 1…3.2 Tim 1:3hath him in continuall remembrance, praying for him night and day, vvhence the same vvord is vsed that is here. Novv vve cannot thinke that the Apostle had Timot…y in continuall remembrance, that he vvas never out of his thought, but the meaning is, vvhen he did call vponupon God, from day to day, he still remembred him. So that to pray continually, is to pray very much, to pray at those times vvhen God requires vsus to pray. For it is the definition that Philosophers giuegive of idlenesse. a Idlenes, what.man is then said to bee idle when hee doth not that which he… ought, in the time when it is required of him. Hee is an idle man that workes not, when hee ought to worke; So hee is sayde not to pray continually that prayes not when hee ought to pray. So that I conceive this to bee the meaning of the Apostle, R…ioyce …rmore (sayth hee) but when hee comes to this exhortation of prayer, hee contents not himselfe to say pray very often, but pray continually, as wee vse … expresse ourselues when wee would hauehave a thing frequently done, wee say, see that you be alwayes doing of this. So the … is to shew that it should be exceeding often, and that it should be very much done. Hence we gather this by the way, that we are bound to keepe Obs. A constant course of prayer, at least twice a day as a duty:our constant course of calling vponupon God; at the least twise a day, whatsoever we doe more.

But you will say what ground hauehave you for that, why doe you instance in that twice a day.Quest

The ground of it is this, when the Apostle bids vsus pray continually, doe it exceeding much, Answ. The grounds of it.doe it very often, the least we can doe it is twice a day, we may doe it oftner, but that, I say, is the 1 From the textleast. When wee hauehave such a command … this, when we hauehave such a precept as this, Pray continually, and this rule illustrated by such examples as we t…ue in the scriptures, why is it recorded, if it 2 From examples:be not true of eueryevery example in that kind that is said of the generall example, 1 Cor. 10. They are written for our learning? when it is said that David prayed oft, and Daniel expresly in the 6. Dan. 3. He prayed three times a day, that was his constant Dan. 6: 3.Dan 6:3course. I say, we may thinke we are bound to doe it at the least twice a day. Consider a little, the reason of it why we are bound to doe it. In the (Temple, you know, the Lord was worshipped twise 3 From reasonsa day, there was …, … sacrifice. What was the ground of that commandement… there was no reason of it, but that the Lord might be worshipped, and that was the … it done … a day, morning and evening: but besides that, it vvas not onelyonly p. 17that the Lord might be vvorshipped, (wherein we should follow that example of worshipping him morning and evening.) But likewise our occasions are such, that that is the least we can doe to 2call vponupon him constantly morning and evening: for there is no day but we vse many blessings, and vve take many of his creatures. Now vvee may not take any of them without his leaue; so that thou art bound to aske for them before thou take them, and pray for a blessing vponupon them; or else thou hast no right to them, thou hast no lawfull vse of them, that place is plaine, 1. Tim. 4. Everie 1 Tim: 4:Creature of God is good, and ought not to bee refused, if it be receiued with thanksgiuing: for it is sanctified by prayer. So that, if you take common blessings eueryevery day, and doe not seeke them at the Lords hands before you take them, they are not sanctified vntounto you, you hauehave not a lawfull vse of them, you hauehave no right vntounto them.

Besides, my beloued, It is that which the Lord commands in every thing, Make your requests 3knowne in every thing, that is, vvhensoever you need any thing, make your requests knowne; so in every thing giuegive thankes. And therfore the least we can doe vvhen vve have received, and do need so many mercies, is to give thankes, and to seek to him so often, from day to day.

Moreover, doe not our hearts need it, are they not ready to goe out of order, are they not ready to contract hardnesse, are they not ready to goe from the Lord, and to bee hardned from Gods feare. Therefore this duty is needfull, in that regard, p. 18to compose them, and bring them backe againe into order.

More ouer, doe not the sinnes we commit daily, put a necessity vponupon vsus, of doing this, that they 5may be forgiuen, and done away, and that wee may be reconciled to God againe? Therefore do not thinke that it is an arbitrary thing to call vponupon God twice a day, because there is no particular expresse command; for, if you consider these places that I hauehave named, and the reasons, wee shall see there is a necessitie lyes vponupon vsus to doe it. So much shall serue for that, I come novv to make some vse of this that hath beene deliuered.

First, in that such prayers, as the Lord accepts, are an expression of holy desires, such desires as rise Vse 1.from the regenerate part of a man; Hence then we see that all natural men are in a miserable condition, when times of extreamitie come; and when the day of death comes, when there is no helpe in the world, but seeking to the Lord, when all the creatures forsake them, and are not able to helpe them; and there is no way to goe to the Lord but by prayer; if prayer bee an effect, and fruit of the regenerate part of a man, a carnal man is not able to helpe himselfe, hee is in a miserable condition. Therefore let men consider this that put all off to times of extreamitie. Put the case, thou hast warning enough, at such a time. Put the case thou hast the vse of thy vnderstanding, yet thou art not able to doe any good without this: For, if there be not grace in the heart, thou art p. 19not able to make a spirituall prayer to the Lord, that the Lord accepts. Therefore take heede of deferring, and putting off. Labour to bee regenerate, to hauehave your hearts renewed, while you hauehave time, and if thou bee not able to call vponupon God in the time of health, how wilt thou doe it when thy wits, and thy spirit are spent, and lost, and in the times of sicknes and extreamity: therfore let that be considered, which we do but touch by the way briefly.

Secondly, if the Lord command this, if it bee the command of God: Pray continually: Then Vse 2.take heed of neglecting this duty, rather bee exhorted to be frequent and servent in it, to continue therein, and watch there to with all perseuerance. Eph. 6:Eph 6It is a common fault amongst vsus, either wee are ready to omit it, or to come to it vnwillingly, or Motiues to prayer:else we performe it in a carelesse, and negligent manner, not considering, what a command lyeth vponupon the sonnes of men to performe it constantly and conscionably. I beseech you consider this, that it is a priviledge purchased by the blood of Iesus Christ, Christ dyed for this end, it cost him the shedding of his blood, That wee through him, Mot. 1.might hauehave entrance to the throne of grace, and will you let such a priviledge as this lie still? If you doe, so farre as is in you, you cause his blood to be shed in vaine: for, if you neglect the priviledges gotten by that blood, so farre you neglect the blood, that procured them; but to neglect this duty is to neglect that. Besides, if wee aske you Mot. 2.the reason; why you abstaine from other sins, why p. 20you steale not, why you commit not adulterie, and murther; The reason that you giuegive, i…, because the Lord hath commanded you. Hath not the Lord commanded you to pray constantly, at all times?

If you make conscience of one commandemēt, why doe you not of another? consider Daniel in Dan: 6:this case, Dan. 6. hee would not omit a constant course of prayer, he did it 3. times a dayes, & that was his ordinary custome. If he would not omit it to spare his life, if he would not omit it in such a case of danger as that, why will you omit it for businesse, for a little aduantage, for a little gaine, for a little wealth or pelie, or pompe or pleasure, or whatsoever may draw you from that duty? doe but consider what an vnreasonable, and how vnequall a thing it is, that when the Lord giues vsus meate and drinke, and cloathes, from day to day, when he giues vsus sleepe, euerie night, when hee prouides for vsus such comforts, as wee hauehave neede of (as there is not the least creature that doth vsus any service, but as farre as he sets it a worke to doe that service) for vsus to forget him, and not to giuegive him thankes, and not to ask these things at his hands, not to seeke vntounto him, but to liue as without God in the world, as we do, when we neglect this duty. I say, it is a profession Eph: 2:of living without God in the world; wee are strangers to him, it is open rebellion against him. Therefore take heed of omitting it, take heed of neglecting it.

p. 21Besides all this, wee should doe it for our 3. Mot.owne sakes, if wee consider what vse we hauehave of this duty for our selues. Is it not the key that openeth all Gods treasures? when heaven was shut vp, was not this the key that opened? when the wombes were shut vp, was not this it that opened? you know, Eliah prayed for raine, so wee may say for every other blessing. All Gods treasures are lockt vp, to those that doe not call vponupon his name, this opens the doore to them all, whatsoever they be that we hauehave occasion to vse, this is effectuall; it doth it better then any thing besides. If a man be sicke, I will be bold to say it, a faithfull prayer is more able to heale his disease then the best medicine, The prayer of faith shall heale the sicke. Iam 5. you know, the woman that Iames 5:Jas 5had the bloody issue, when she had spent al vponupon Phisitians, and could doe no good; Then shee comes to Christ, and offered faithfull prayer to him, that did it, when so many years phisick could not do it, beloued, if there be a Prince or a great man, whose mindwe would hauehave turned towards vsus, a faithfull prayer will doe it sooner then the best friends. So it was with Nehemiah; you know Nehem:: 12:his request, That the Lord would giuegive him favor in the fight of the man, if we be in any strait, as it was in Iosephs case, if we hauehave any difficult matter to bring to passe, this prayer and seeking to the Lord will expedite, and set vsus at libertie sooner, it will finde a way to bring it about more then all the wittes in the world; because it set… God on work. You hauehave no power to do any Certainely a praying Christian that is prevalent and potent with God (that seekes to him) hee is able to doe more then all the riches in the world, they set the diuell a worke; but prayer sets God a worke, it sets him a worke to doe vsus good; and to heale vsus, and to deliuer vsus out of extremities, and therefore, I say for our owne sakes, even out or selfe. louelove; and for common comforts, you hauehave need to vse this. Certainely, if these things were beleeved (but you heare them, you giuegive vsus the hearing for the time; but if they were beleeved,) many would be more frequent in this duty, they would not be so negligent in it, or come in so carelesse a manner to it.

Besides this, I beseech you to consider this, every 4 Mot.man desires ioy, and comfort, & commonly one thing that keepes vsus off from this duty, is sports and pleasures, one thing or other, that we take delight in, which dampe and hinder vsus in these things, in spirituall performances, Prayer is the best way of al other to fil thy heart with ioy, as we see in Ioh. 16. 24. he saith there, In my name Iohn …6: 24:John 6:24you hauehave asked nothing hitherto, but now aske that your ioy may be full. This is one motiue that Christ vseth to exhort vsus to bee frequent in this duty, that our ioy may be ful: that I take to be the meaning of that of Iames the 5. If any be sad, let him Iames 5, 13:Jas 5:13pray; not onelyonly because prayer is …eable to such a disposition, but likewise it wil cheere him vp, it is the way to get comfort, if any be sad, let him pray. So it is in the 4th to the …. … Phil: 4: 6:make your requests known: and the peace of God … p. 23keepe you in the Communion of Iesus Christ. That is it, that brings peace, and quietnes; and therefore there is much reason, why we should be constant in this duty, it is that which quickens vsus, it is that which fills vsus with ioy, and comfort, and with peace, which is that that eueryevery one desires.

Moreouer, consider it is thy buckler, prayer is the helmet that keeps thee safe: when a man neglects 5. Mot.it, when he ceaseth to go to God by prayer, when he once shewes himselfe to be a stranger to the Lord by neglecting this duty, then he is out of the pales of his protection, like the conies that goe out of their burrowes: for so is the Lord to those that pray, The Lord is a protection to those that call vponupon his name. The very calling vponupon his name is a running vnderunder Gods wings, as it were, that is a putting our selues vnderunder his shadow, but when thou neglectest that, thou wandrest abroad from him. Now do we not need protection from outward dangers, from day to day? doe wee not need to be kept from the inward danger of sinne and temptation? surely prayer is one part of the spirituall Armor, as we see in the 6. of the Ephes. In the compleat armour of God, prayer is reckoned vp Eph: 6:the last, as that that buckles vp all the rest, saith the Apostle, Continue in prayer, and watch to it with perseuerance. And you hauehave the more reason to doe it, because it is not only a part of this armor, but it inables you to vse all the rest, To vse the word, and to vse faith: for prayer stirs them vp all. What is it to hauehave Armour, and not to hauehave it ready? now prayer makes it ready. Therfore you see Christ prescribes the same rule in the 26. … 4. Pray that ye enter not into tentation, as if that were the way to secure vsus, and to shelter vsus, and Mat: 26: 4…:to keepe vsus safe from falling in to temptation. It is a thing I would advise you to, to pray and to seeke to the Lord continually. Therefore, if wee should vse onelyonly this reason to you, to bee constant in this duty, because it is for your safetie, it were sufficient. You know when a man is as a Citty whose walls are broken downe, when hee lies exposed to temptation, he is in a dangerous case. So I may vse this Dilema, to you if you hauehave a good disposition, if you thinke thus I hope I am well enough; I hope my heart is in a temper good enough, I am not now exposed to any temptation, I feare nothing, make this argument against thy selfe; why doe I neglect so good a gale, if my heart be so well disposed to pray, why Note this.doe I then omit it? Againe, if there be an indisposition in me, why do I hazard my selfe? what if Sathan should set vponupon thee, what if the world should set vponupon thee, what if a sutable temptation agreeable to thy lusts be offered, art thou not in danger? and therefore a constant course should be kept in it, we should take heed of being negligent in it. And will a man now professe that hee hopes he is the servant of God, and in a good estate, although he do not pray so much as others, (we speake not of frequency simply, but of such a performance as is required) I say, to professe that thou art a servant of Christ, and that thou louest …, and that he is thy husband, and that thou p. 25art his servant, and yet thou callest not upon him from day to day, this is an idle thing, it is impossible; if thou didst louelove him, thou wouldst express thy self in calling vpō his name. Shal a friend that is but an acquaintance to vsus, in whom we delight come to vsus, and we are willing to spend many houres with him, and shall we professe our selues to be friends of God, and him to be a friend to vsus, and that we delight in him, and yet neglect this duty? this is a common thing amongst you, when you see a man that meditates all his matters himselfe, or, if he doe open his mind, and tell them to somebody else, it must be such a one as professeth to be a friend to him, now if this friend should never heare from him, nor hee should never speake to him, or if he doe, it is in such a negligent manner, as it may appeare, hee doth not trust him, he doth not regard what hee can doe for him, and he doth it so shortly, that hee can scarsely tell what the businesse is, I say, in such a case, would you not reckon his profession of friendship to be an idle, and emptie profession? now apply it to thy selfe, those that say they hauehave communion with God, and they hope their estate is good enough, they stand in good tearms with him, but yet, if they …e in any necessitie, for all the matters and occasions that fall out from day to day, either they thinke of them in themselues, or they are apt enough to declare them to man, or if they goe to God, they doe it negligently, they post ouer the matter, so as they p. 26hauehave scarce leisure to expresse themselues and their doings; doe you thinke hee will take such for friends? and do you thinke, that this is a true sound and hearty profession? Therefore (to end this) I beseech you consider it, and take heede of being remisse, and negligent in it, you see it is a command from the Lord, Pray continually.

And so much for this time.

FINIS.