The Christians Daily Walk in Holy Security and Peace, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of beginning the day well, walking with God.
SECTION I.
VVHen you are thus awake, and are riſen out of your bed, that you may walke with GOD the remainder of the day: It will be needfull that you first renew your peace with God, and then keepe it, by doing thoſe workes of pietie, equitie, mercy, and ſobrietie, which any way may concerne you that day. For aAmos 3. 3how can two walke together ſafe…y (eſpecially a weake one with him that is ſtrong) except they be agreed? And how can any walke with God, if hee be not holy in …ll his converſation? You have as much cauſe to beware of him, and to obey his voice and not provoke him who goeth before you in the wilderneſſe of this world, to guide and bring you to his heavenly kingdome; as the Iſraelites had,Exod 23. 20, 21, 22 to beware of him who went before them to keepe them in the way, and to conduct them unto the earthly Canaan, the place which he had promiſed and prepared for them. It was for this, that Ioſuah told the people, thatIoſh. 24. …4. 1… except they would feare the Lord and ſerve him in ſincerity, and put away their ſtrange gods, they could net ſerve God, they could not walke with him. For he is (ſaith he) a holy God: he is a iealous God: hee will not forgive your tranſgreſſions, nor your ſinnes.
For this cauſe (if unavoydable neceſſity hinder not) Begin the day with ſolemne bPſ. 92. 1, 2 Pſal 88 13prayer and How to begin the day with prayer.thankſgiving. Before which (that theſe duties may bee the better performed) it wil be convenient, if you have time, that you cPſ. 57. 7. Lam. 3. 40, 41. Iob 11. 13.prepare your ſelfe by meditation▪ the matter whereof ſhould be an enquiry into your preſent eſtate, how all things ſtand betweene God and you. How you have carried your ſelfe ſince you laſt prayed and renewed your peace with God, what ſinnes you have committed, what graces & benefits you want, what freſh favours Pſa. 116▪ unto 13.God hath beſtowed on you ſince laſt you gave him his Tribute of thankes, and how much prayſe and thanks you doe owe to him alſo for continuance of the old. Thinke alſo what imployments you ſhall have that day; Conſider likewiſe what ground and warrant you have to approach to the Throne of Grace, to aske …ardon, and to aske, and expect …avour and helpe of God. VponUpon …heſe conſiderations rightly pro…ecuted, you muſt worke your …eart to a reſolution through Gods grace, to reforme whatſoever Iob 11. 14.you find to be amiſſe: And that you will flie unto, and only relie upon Gods mercy in Chriſt; that you will acknowledge him in all things; and that you will now ſeeke grace and helpe of him, whereby you may walke as in his ſight in all well-pleaſing, all that day.
To further you herein, doe thus:
Firſt, lay a peremptory charge upon your conſcience to deale unpartially, plainely, and fully in this examination and judging of your ſelfe.
Secondly, you ſhould be ſo well acquainted with the summe Deu. 6. 8, 9and meaning of the Law, that you may bee able to carry in your head a Catalogue or Table of the principal duties, and vices, required, and forbidden in each Commandement: whereby you may try your obedience paſt, and may ſet before you a rule of your life for time to come.
Thirdly, (leſt the calling to minde the multitude and greatneſſe of your ſinnes by the Law, ſhould make you deſpaire of Gods favour) you ſhould be ſo well exerciſed in the Articles of the Chriſtian faith, and in the principall promiſes and precepts of the Goſpell, that you may be able alſo quickly to cal them to mind for the ſtrengthening of your faith and hope in God. The patterne of wholeſome words ſhould2 Tim. 1. 13 be familiar unto you for theſe purpoſes.
All this need not take up1 Reaſons of due preparation before praier much time: you will finde it to bee time well redeemed. For, firſt, by ſuch preparation you ſhall keepe your ſelfe from that rude and raſh thruſting yourſelfe into Gods holy preſence, whereof …ou are warned in the Scrip…ures, Eccleſ. 5. 1, 2.
Secondly, when by this meanes …ou have well humbled, ſofte…ed,2 ſeaſoned, and ſet ſtreight your heart to God-ward, ſo that you can ſay, you *Pſ 66. 1… Ioh. 9. 31.regard no iniquity in your heart: and when hereby you have called your thoughts in from ſtragling, and have gotten compoſedneſſe of minde, and inward ſtrength of ſoule, without which the arrow of prayer can never flye home to the marke; then you may approach unto Gods ſpeciall preſence with more faith and boldneſſe; you ſhall be more able to utter before him apt confeſſions, lawfull requeſts, and due thankeſgivings, more underſtandingly, more distinctly, more humbly, more devoutly, more feelingly, more fervently, and with more aſſurance of a gracious hearing▪ (all which are requiſite in prayer) then poſſibly you could ever be able to doe without ſuch preparation.
Thirdly, this due preparation 3to prayer doth not only fit you to pray▪ but is an excellent furtherer of a godly life. For it maketh the conſcience tender and watchfull over you, by the daily exerciſe of the knowledge of the precepts and threats of the Law, and of the precepts and promiſes of the Goſpell: And it being enforced to examine, accuſe, judge, and paſſe ſentence, yea, to doe a kind of execution upon you for your ſinne, ſmiting your heart, and wounding it ſelfe with godly feare, griefe, and ſhame (a worke to which the cōſcience is loth to come, till it muſt needs:) wherefore to prevent all this trouble, vexation, and ſmart, it will rather give all diligence in other acts which are more pleaſing, namely, it will direct you in the wayes of God, check and warne …ou before-hand, leſt you ſhould ſinne; to the end that when you come to examine your ſelfe againe, it might finde matter, not of grieving and tormenting, but of reioycing & comforting your heart, which is the moſt proper, 2 Cor. 1▪ 12and moſt pleaſing worke of a ſanctified conſcience. He that knoweth that he himſelfe muſt (and none for him) be at much paines to make himſelfe whole and cleane when hee is wounded and defiled, will take the more heed leſt he wound and defile himſelfe.
Fourthly, this due preparation to prayer, taken up in good part with examining, judging and reforming your ſelfe, doth prevent Gods iudging of you; for when you iudge your ſelfe, you ſhall not 1 Cor. 11. 31.be iudged of the Lord, ſaith the Apoſtle.
Being rightly prepared, youHow to be diſpoſed in the act of prayer. muſt draw neare into Gods ſpeciall preſence, dPſal 55.falling low at his footſtoole, repreſenting him to your thoughts in the apprehenſion of one who is in himſelfe, and of himſelfe, the onelyonly heavenly, all-knowing, and All-mighty Maieſty Mat. 6. 9.and Deity: now become your loving and mercifull Father through Chriſt his Sonne, your Lord. Then you muſt c1 Sam. 1. 15powre out your ſoule before him in confeſſing your ſinnes, and in making fPhil. 4. 6.your deſires (through the ſpirit) knowne unto him in the name of Chriſt, for your ſelfe and others in all lawfull petitions, and ſupplications, with thankeſgiving; And all this with p1 Cor. 14 15underſtanding, with the intention and full bent of the ſoule hIam. 5. 16with ſervor, and iMarke 11. 2…expectation of being heard, in due time and meaſure, and in the beſt manner.
The rule and boundary to you for all things required in prayer, is the Lords Prayer. If you would have reaſons to perſwade you to this dutie of prayer, and would have further information, touching the fore-pointed-at particular requiſites in prayer, I refer you to that which I have already *publiſhed upon the Lords Prayer. The Key of Heauen.And touching the chiefe impedients to prayer, with their removals, I referre you to the Epiſtle of my loving and reverend friend, Maſter Dr. Sibbs, written before the ſaid Treatiſe.
SECTION 2. Cautions and advertiſements about Prayer.
UNto the DirectionsCautions to be obſerved in preparation to prayer, and in prayer. both for preparation to prayer, and concerning prayer it ſelfe, take theſe Cautions:
Firſt (if it may be) Omit neither the one, nor the other, and let them be the kPſa. 5. 3.firſt worke after you are up. But if that cannot be, becauſe of ſome neceſſary let, yet performe them ſo ſoone as you can, and as well as you can: though you can doe neither, either ſo ſoone, or ſo well as you would, yet omit them not altogether. Breake thorow all ſeeming neceſſities, which will daily caſt in themſelves to hinder and thruſt out theſe duties. The Devill, knowing that nothing doth undermine & overthrow his kingdome more than theſe duly performed; knowing alſo that this ſpiritual performance of them is tedious to corrupt nature, hee will thruſt upon you ſeeming neceſſities, ſo many, and ſo oft, that if you bee not watchfull to gaine, and to take time, breaking thorow all ſuch lets as are not truly neceſſary; you ſhall ofttimes by the circumvention of the fleſh, and of the Devill, be brought to an omiſſion of Preparation, or Prayer, or both. VponUpon which will follow like occaſions, together with a proneneſſe to the like neglect, and a greater indiſpoſition to theſe duties afterward.
Secondly, lay not too great a taske upon your ſelfe in this preparation to prayer, I meane, ſo much as will take up more time than the workes of your calling, and other needfull affaires will permit: but contrive and husband your time ſo, that every lawfull buſines may have his lEccle. 3. 1owne time. God hath ſubordinated the works of your generall and particular calling in ſuch ſort, that, ordinarily, the one ſhall not drive out the other.
If through taking too much time in preparation to prayer, and in prayer, either of them grow neceſſarily tedious & burthenſome; Satan will circumvent you by this meanes, cauſing you out of a true wearineſſe of too much (even before you are aware) to omit them altogether.
Thirdly, (whereas when you prepare your ſelfe to pray, and when you doe pray, it is lawfull to thinke of your worldly buſineſſe, to the end that you might pray for direction and for good ſucceſſe therein; for you may aske your mMat. 6. 11daily bread) you muſt take heede when you thinke on theſe things, that your thoughts be not worldly through nLu. 12. 29distempers and distractions about the ſame. For theſe will abate your ſpiritualnes and ſtrength in praier, and will ſhut the eares of God againſt your prayer.
I remember you deſired mee to ſhew you the ſignes and remedies of distempers and distractions about worldly things in your preparations to prayer. By distempers, I meane inordinate trouble about the meanes, and by distractions, I meane a vexing trouble about ſucceſſe.
You may know that your mind is diſtēpered with world lineſſe (euen in thinking on …wfull buſineſſe) when you pre…re your ſelfe to praier, by theſe …rkes.
Firſt, when (except in caſe of …ceſſitie in their apparent dan…r) your worldly affaires are …ſt in your thoughts to bee the …atter of your meditation. For …oughts how to hallow Gods …me, and how his kingdome may …e, and how you may doe his …ll, ſhould ordinarily be in your …inde, before thoſe that con…rne your daily bread.
2. When they interpoſe themſlves, interrupt and iuſtle out …oſe good thoughts whereon you …ere thinking before, before …at you have thought of them …fficiently.
3. When your thoughts of …orldly buſineſſe are with grea…r intention of minde, than the …oughts of things ſpirituall and …eavenly.
4. When they laſt longer than …ch as immediately concern the glory of God, and the good of your ſoule; or hold you too long upon them.
5. You ſhall know it by theSignes of diſtēpred thoughts through worldlines in preparations to prayer. ends which you propound to your ſelfe in your thoughts of worldly buſineſſe; Are the ends you propound, onelyonly, or chiefly that you may prevent povertie, or that you may have wherewith to ſatisfie your naturall deſires? If you propound not other, and more ſpirituall ends, your thoughts of them at that time, are worldly: but if your thoghts of your worldly buſineſſe, be to the end that you may lay them to the rule of Gods Word, that you may not offend him in your labour and care about them; or that you might crave Gods direction and bleſſing upon your ſaid care and labour, you being ſpiritual in thoughts of worldly buſineſſe, then your thoughts of lawfull buſineſſe are not diſtempered with worldlineſſe.
To remedie theſe diſtempered thoughts; Firſt, get a ſound Remedies againſt diſtempered thoughts in preparation to prayer.and cleare iudgement to diſcerne of what is good, what is bad, alſo what is beſt, and what is leaſt good; preferring things ſpirituall, heavenly, and eternal, incomparably before thoſe which are corporall, earthly, and temporary. Make thoſe beſt things oMat 6. 21your Treaſure, then your heart will bee chiefly ſet, and your thoughts will chiefly run on them: and will be moderate in thinking of thoſe things which are leſſe needfull.
2. Doe as a wiſe Counſellor at Law, and as a Maſter of Requests, who muſt heare many Clients, and receive and ſpeed many Petitions. Conſider whoſe turne it is, and what is the moſt important ſute, and diſpatch them firſt. Let thoughts of worldly buſines be ſhut out, and made ſtand at doore, till their turne be to be thought upon, and till the more excellent, and more needfull be diſpatched.
3. If thoughts of the world will impudently intrude themſelves, and will not be kept out; rebuke them ſharply, give them no hearing, but diſhearten them, and rebuke the porter and keeper of the doore of your heart, ſmite, wound, and checke your conſcience, becauſe it did not checke and reſtraine them.
4. In all lawfull buſineſſe, inure yourſelfe hoc agere, pEccleſ. 9. 10fully and ſufficiently to intend that one thing which you have in hand for the preſent; and at all times reſtraine wandring thoughts as much as may be. Let your Reaſon get ſuch power over Phantaſie, that you may bee able to thinke of what you pleaſe, when you pleaſe You will ſay, to a ſickle brain this is hard, if not impoſſible. To this I anſwer, If you wold not nouriſh and entertaine evill flying, & unſeaſonable thoughts when they ariſe; and would (as oft as they offer themſelves) be much diſpleaſed with them, and with your ſelfe for them; then in time you ſhall finde it poſſible, and not exceeding hard to think of what good things you would, and not of what evill things you would not.
5. Laſtly, when the time and turne of thinking and doing of your worldly buſineſſesis come, then thinke thereof ſufficiently, and to good purpoſe▪ for then they will be the l…ſſe troubleſome in thruſting themſelves in out of place, becauſe it is known that in their place, they ſhall be fully regarded. Idleneſſe and improvidence about theſe things, puts a man into ſtreights many times, and into diſtempers about his worldly buſineſſe, more then, cls, needs, or would be.
*How to know that thoughts about ſucceſſe in worldly buſines are diſtractiōs in preparation to prayer, with the remedy.You would alſo know when your thoughts of ſucceſſe in your worldly affaires are diſtractions in your preparation to prayer together with a remedy againſt them.
To thinke, that, if you be not provident and diligent in your calling, and▪ that if God doe not bleſſe your diligence, you may doe the works of your calling in vaine, and that you may looke for ill ſucceſſe; thus to thinke is lawfull and uſefull. For it will raiſe up in you a reſolution to be provident & diligent; and when you hauehave done all you can, theſe thoughts alſo will quicken you to prayer unto God for ſucceſſe. But if your thoughts of thriving, or not thriving, be other then theſe, and doe bring forth other effects; namely, if deſire of ſucceſſe drive you to thinke of uſing unlawful meanes, from doubting that you cannot ſo ſoon, or ſo certainly, or not at all, ſpeed by the onelyonly uſe of lawfull: if it make you full of anxietie and feare, that though you uſe what good meanes you can, all will be in vaine: if you be yet doubtfull and qMat. 6. 25take thought about what you ſhall eate, what you ſhall drink, and what you ſhall put on, or how you & yours ſhall live another day, then your thoughts about ſucceſſe in worldly buſines, are worldly, and diſtractfull.
I ſhall let this ſinne with its remedy appeare morefully when I ſhall write againſt taking care in any thing, cap. 13.
Yet for the preſent, know: All the fruit you ſhall reape through eating up your heart with feare and diſtruſt, doubting of ſucceſſe, will be nothing elſe, but a farther degree of vexation of heart. For all the carking in the world cannot bring good ſucceſſe. Beſides, nothing provoketh the Lord to give ill ſucceſſe ſooner, then when you ſhall nouriſh diſtruſtfull care.
Secondly, conſider the ability and faithfulneſſe of GOD, who hath taken care of the ſucceſſe of your labour upon him: commanding you not to care, but to r1 Pet. 5. 7caſt all the care on him. If you would reſt upon this, you might be ſecure of good ſucceſſe in …our outward ſtate, even according to your deſire; or elſe God will more then recompence the want thereof, by cauſing you to thrive, and to hauehave good ſucceſſe in ſpirituall things, which is much better, & which you ſhould deſire much more.
4. A fourth caution to be obſerved in your preparation to prayer, and in prayer, is, Be not ſleight and formall herein, which is, when curſorily, and out of an overt cuſtome, you only cal your ſins, your duties, Gods favours and his promiſes unto a bare and fruitleſſe remembrance. For if the heart be not withall affected with anger, feare, griefe, and ſhame for ſinne. And if it be not affected with ioy, and with an acknowledgement of being beholding to God for his favours. Moreover, if it be not affected with hope and confidence in God at the remembrance of his bleſſed promiſes. And if withall, the heart be not gained to a renowed reſolution for to reforme what is faulty, and to cry earneſtly to God for grace and mercy, and for the time to come to endevour to live a godly life; all your preparation is nothing▪ Nay, this ſlight and fruitleſſe eal…ing of vice and vertue to remem…rance, and no more, is a great …holdner and ſtrengthner of ſinne; …nd a great weakner and quencher …f the Spirit. For ſinnes are like to …dle vagrants, and lawleſſe ſub…ects; If Officers call ſuch before …hem, and, either ſay nothing to …hem, or onelyonly give them threat…ing words, but doe not make …hem ſmart, they grow ten times …ore bold, more inſolent, and …wleſſe. Good thoughts are like … dutifull ſervants and loyall …bjects, ſuch as are ready to …ome at every cal, & offer them…lves to be imployed in all good ſervices: now if ſuch be not cheriſhed in their readineſſe, they (ſ2 Sam. 19 3. like Davids people) returne diſ-heartned, and their edge to future readineſſe is taken off. Beſides, this curſorie performing of holy duties, is the high way to an habit of hypocriſie, that curſed Marre-good.
5. My laſt caution is▪ that if in your meditations, and in your prayers you finde a dulneſſe and want of ſpiritualneſſe, I would hauehave you to be humbled in the ſenſe of your impotency and infirmity; yet, Be not diſcouraged▪ nor yet give them over: but rather betake your ſelfe to theſe duties with more diligence▪ & earneſtneſſe. When you want water, (your Plumpe being dry) you, by powring in a little water, and by much labour in plumping, can fetch water; ſo, by much labouring the heart in preparation, and by tLuk. …1. 13.prayer, you may recover the gift of prayer. And as when your fire is out, you, by laying on fuell, and by blowing the ſparke remaining, doe kindle it: ſo by meditation whereby you muſt u2 Tim. 1 6▪ſtirre up the grace that is in you, and by the breath of prayer, you may revive and inflame the ſpirit of grace and prayer in you. Yet, if you finde that you have not time to prepare by meditation, or hauing time, if you finde a confuſion & diſtraction in your meditation, then it wil be beſt to breake through all lets, & without further preparation fal upon the duty of prayer, onelyonly with premeditation of God to whom, and of Chriſt by whom through the Spirit you muſt pray.
If for all this you doe not ſatisfie your ſelfe in theſe holy exerciſes, yet give them not over: for God is many times beſt pleaſed with your ſervices, when, through an humble ſenſe of your failings, you are diſpleaſed with your ſelfe for them. Yea, if when you have wrastled and contended with God in praier, you are forced to xGen. 32. 25. 31.goe halting and limping away with Iacob, in the ſenſe of your infirmities; yet be not diſmaied, for it is a good ſigne that you hauehave prevailed withHoſ. 12. 4. God, as yGen. 32. 28Iacob did.
God uſeth, when hee is overcome by praier, to work in them that do overcome ſome ſenſe of weakeneſſe, to let them know, that they prevaile with him in prayer, not by any ſtrength of their own, or by any worthines of their prayer (when they have praied beſt) but from the goodneſſe of Gods free grace, from the worthineſſe of Chriſts interceſſion, by whom they tender their praiers, and from the truth of his promiſe made unto them that pray. If it were not thus, many, whē they hauehave their harts deſire in prayer, would aſcribe all to the goodnes of their praiers, and not to the free grace of God; and would be proud of their owne ſtrength, which in truth is none at all.