The Christians Daily Sacrifice, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
THE necessity and right vse thereof you hauehave before;Of Family and priuate praier.
OnelyOnly here obserue these points for direction herein: As
First, That howsoeuer this duety of praier in famil…es be neglected,Sect. 1. It necessity. and not esteemed necessary, yet the not vse thereof at all, argueth irreligion, and contempt of God. Psal. 14. 4.
Secondly,Sect. 2. Often to be performed, and by whom. That not once, but oftentimes in the day wee must performe the same. Daniel 6. 10.
Thirdly, And that not onelyonly in priuate in our closets, &c. but publiquely with our families. Genes. 18. 19. Iob 1. 5.
Fourthly, That the Master of the familie is fittest to be the mouth of God▪ for his people, as beeing therein their Priest and Prophet. Reuel. 1. 6.
Fiftly, That to this end, set times are to be appointed and kept constantly, vnlesse by sickenes or other more inuincible occasions wee be interrupted.
Sixtly,Sect. 3. The manner how. That we keepe our selues in an holy temper, and peace of minde by a constant course in all occurrents, and so prepare our selues to prayer.
1 Fixing our hearts on God, and meditating of his power and Maiestie, to worke reuerence in vsus.
2 Looking vntounto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith, to breede affiance. Heb. 12. 2.
3 Considering and examning our wants, to breede humilitie and patience. Psal. 39. Psal. 4. 6.
4 Excluding worldly …ares which may hinder deuction. Luke 8 Mat. 6.
5 Not fretting at the prospertity of the wicked. Psal. 37. 1.
6 In patience, bearing the wrongs of enemies, and leauing reuenge to God. Rom. 12.
7 Doing al things as in Gods presence.
8 Auoyding euill for conscience sake.
9 Meditating still on the day of iudgement, lest we be vnfitted or interrupted in prayer. 2. Pet. 3. 2. Cor. 5. 11.
7 Consider wee the manifold blessings wee hauehave …eceiued from God to prouoke vsus to thankesgiuing, without which our prayers are ineffectuall. Ephes. 6. &c.
8 Here it is requisite that wee also quicken our hearts by reading, and meditating twice, or oftner in the day on some part of the Scriptures, either
First, Taking the Scripture in order before vsus. Nehemiah 8. Acts 13. Or els
2 VponUpon extraordinarie occasions, making choice of fit Scriptures.
9 Bewaile wee seriously our neglect of closet prayer, and condemne wee our selues for our liplabour and customarie deuotions, our wearisomnesse in wel-doing, our contentment with little feelings.
10 Renue wee our vowes for more often & conscionable performance hereof.
11 Rest we especially vponupon the continuall intercession of our blessed Aduocate, Iesus Christ, who continually maketh intercession for vsus, and is now both praying for vsus, and readie to present our prayers to the throne of grace, and to couer all the infirmities and failings of them.
12 Stirre wee vp the blessed Spirit (as before) which may helpe vsus with sighes and groanes vn…peakeable. Rom. 8.
13 And be wee well aduised of the particular thing we desire, that it may be fit for God to giuegive vsus, and vsus to aske for our present occasion. Matth. 6. Iames 4. 2.
Being thus prepared, we must powre out our prayers (as before.) Auoyding here especially:
1 Constraint, and ceremoniousnesse.
2 Customarinesse, praying rather for the times sake,Sect. 4. What to be auoyded therin then for Gods glorie. Psal. 119. 108.
3 Conceit of the wel-doing hereof in regard of the thing done.
4 Pride and ostentation in the opinion of our wel-doing. Matthew 6.
5 Lip-labour and idle repetition of words.
6 Confusion and disorder, praying for earthly things before hea…enly. Mat. 6. 33.
7 Carnalnesse, when wee praie more for earth than heauen.
8 Hypocrisie, doing it to bee seene of men. Mat. 6.
9 Vncharitablenes, praying for re…enge, &c. of priuate wrongs. Eccle. …0. 20. Iam. 4. 7.
10 Wearisomnes and dulnesse. Gal. 6. Exod. 15.
11 Hastinesse and rashnesse, as …we would faine hauehave done.
12 Presumption, begging such …ings as are not seasonable. Luke 54. or beseeme vsus not.
13 Impietie, praying for indulence in sinne; or indenting with God, and limiting him to our will, …helpe vsus at such a time, or in such manner. Act. 1. Dan. 4.
14 Infidelitie, when wee pray without the assurance of the acceptance of our persons, which is the case of all popish deuotion. Iac. 1. 6.
Obseruing well:
1 That as well for the least blessing,Sect. 5. Directions for prayer. as for the greatest wee sue to God in prayer, and so bee thankefull vntounto him, left otherwise we denie God the giuer, and so hinder our receiuing.
2 That wee measure not the prayer by the outward successe, because an euill prayer may bee heard in anger, Osee 13. and a good deferred in merciemercy: Yea a good prayer, though in much weakenesse, may be granted in louelove, Matthew 6. to keepe vsus from despaire; and yet a more strong and feruent prayer may be denied in greater louelove, both to humble vsus that wee put not confidence in the meanes, and to encourage vsus to constancie therein, assuring our selues that the …ssue of our prayers shall be gratious.
3 That in the greatest feeling of Gods merciemercy, we pray against tentations. Matth. 16.
4 That we especially commend vntounto God the afflicted state of the Church, and desire our welfare in the prosperitie thereof. Psalme 122. 6. Psal. 126.
5 That we redouble our sighes and prayers, not suffering any repulse. Psal. 119. 164. Matt. 15. Gen. 32. Gen. 18, &c. Ephes. 6.
6 That wee highly efteeme of the thing wee pray for. Matth. 5. 6.
7 That we finde as much comfort in abiding long at prayer, as at hearing the word.
8 That we be as readie to praise God for his mercies receiued, as to sue for the obtaining of them. Psal. 116. Luke 17. 12, 18.
9 That we rebuke our selues in our prayers, and relie onelyonly vponupon Christ.
The benefit hereof is manifold:Sect. 6. The benefit thereof,
1 We renue our right in the day. 1. Tim. 4. 4.
2 Wee arme our selues against tentations. Ephes. 6. 14. 15.
3 We are readie for any good that shall be offered vsus, as consolation of the sick, conference. &c.
4 We are prest to do al things in the sight of of God.
5 And so very much fitted and furthered to set vponupon our callings.