A Guide to Godliness, Book 3 · Chapter 14
CAP. XIIII.
Of ſuch things as are required as eſſentiall vntounto prayer.
§. Sect. 1 That we muſt pray in truth, with attention, and not with wandring thoughts.
IN reſpect of the action, many things are required, both in regard of the ſubſtance, and circumſtances. Of the former 1. Iohn 5. 14. Iam. 4. 3.ſort are the eſſentials of prayer: as 1. in generall, that it bee according to Gods reuealed will; for if wee frame not our prayers according to this rule, we ſhall goe awry, and asking amiſſe, obtaine nothing. More eſpecially, there is required, that wee worſhip God internally with our hearts, as well as externally with our bodies, and that we powre forth our ſoules vntounto him in our prayers as Hannah 1. Sam. 1. 15. Pſalm. 25. 1. Lam. 3. 41.did, ſo as we may ſay with Dauid, VntoUnto thee, (O Lord) I lift vp my ſoule; and with the afflicted Church, Let vsus lift vp our heart, with our hands vntounto God in the heauens. For God is a Spirit, and will be worſhipped in ſpirit and truth; Ioh. 4. 24. Prou. 23. 26. Ier. 29. 13.and aboue all other ſeruice, he requireth the ſeruice of the heart; ſeeing all other without it, is but meere hypocriſie. Neither can we hope to obtaine any thing at Gods hands, vnleſſe our prayers proceed from ſincere and vpright hearts, ſeeing he hath limited his promiſe of hearing only to ſuch, according to that of the Pſalmiſt; The Lord is neere vntounto all that call vponupon Pſal. 145. 18.him, to all that call vponupon him in truth. Let vsus therefore take heed, when wee call vponupon God, that our prayer be in truth, and not onelyonly the words of the mouth, but the prayer of the ſoule. And to this end, that we doe with like care auoyd praying with a lying tongue, and deceitfull lips, when as wee Pſal. 17. 1. and 119. 7.aske thoſe things with our mouthes, which wee deſire not in our hearts; like thoſe hypocriticall Iſraelites of whom the Lord complaineth, that they had ſpoken lies againſt him, not crying vntounto him with their heart, when Hoſ. 7. 13, 14.they howled vponupon their beds. Secondly, praying with wandring thoughts, hauing, when we direct our ſpeech in prayer vntounto God, our mindes and hearts rouing about worldly vanities, and our earthly affaires, without either reſpect to Gods preſence, or the ſuits that we hauehave in hand. For this is a groſſe abuſe of Gods Maieſty, which wee are aſhamed to offer to our ſuperiours, yea euen to our equals, ſpeaking vntounto them, and yet not minding what we ſay. It diſcouereth great irreuerence and neglect of Gods glorious preſence, who beholding the ſecrets of our hearts, ſeeth how far they and our tongues are one from another. It argueth great ſecurity and hardneſſe of heart, when as we thus approch into his preſence, and offer vntounto him ſuch heartleſſe ſacrifices, not fearing that dreadfull ſpeech, ſealed and confirmed by ſuch a terrible example, that the Lord will be ſanctified and glorified in them that come nigh him, either in his mercies, or in his Leuit. 10. 2, 3.iudgements. It makes prayer to bee no prayer, but lip-labour, and the wind of words, which is, not the language of the mouth, but the ſpeech of the heart. It cauſeth vsus to ſpend our labour in vaine, when as we minde not what we ſay. For how ſhall God vouchſafe to vnderſtand our ſuits, when as we our ſelues will take no notice of them? Or how ſhall he giuegive vsus his rich graces of greateſt value, when as wee ſo meanely eſteeme them, that we can coldly and careleſly aske them at his hands, and not thinke them worthy the minding and affecting in our ſoules and hearts?
§. Sect. 2 That we muſt with all diligence baniſh out of our minds all wandring thoghts, and the means hereof.
And yet ſeeing through the malice of the diuell and our owne corruption we are, euen at our beſt, apt to fall into this foule infirmity, let vsus with Jer. …2. 40. Pſal. 86. 11.all care and diligence looke to our hearts when wee performe this duty, and earneſtly deſire the Lord to tye them faſt vntounto himſelfe in the bonds of his feare, that they may not, in this holy exerciſe, ſlip aſide and depart from him. And if wee finde our ſinfull fleſh ſo ſluggiſh and ſecure, ſo worldly and earthly-minded, that it dulleth our deuotion, and ſtealeth and carryeth, eueryevery hand while, our hearts away after things impertinent, if not worldly and carnall: I think it a good courſe, in our priuate prayer, to repeate that againe in which wee were diſtracted, labouring in our repetition to call our hearts backe to ioyne with our voyce; ſeeing heereof commeth a double benefit: firſt, that wee ſhall hauehave our ſuites more powerfully offered vntounto God, when as they are propounded in this hearty manner. And ſecondly, hereby we ſhall tame the fleſh, and make it not ſo eager to interrupt vsus in theſe holy duties, when as the ſpirituall part impoſeth vponupon it this puniſhment by way of reuenge, for its ſloth and worldlineſſe, to make it to continue ſo much the longer at this exerciſe, vntounto which naturally it is ſo backward and auerſe; and not to feed it ſelfe vponupon any worldly thoughts, wherein it wholly delighteth, till it hauehave firſt waited on the Spirit, and ſuffered it, without interruption, to refreſh it ſelfe with this heauenly breakfaſt. Let vsus meditate alſo on that glorious preſence before whom we ſtand, who looketh not ſo much to the phraſe of our words, and the well-running ſtile of our ſpeech, as to the diſcourſe of our ſoules and hearts; which being ſo full of diſtractions and ſenſeleſſe rauings and rouings from the matter; one while ſpeaking to God, and (as it were) with the ſame breath, and in the middeſt of a ſentence breaking off, and ſpeaking to the world; iumbling, and confuſedly mingling things ſpirituall and carnall, heauenly and earthly, holy and profane; how can it be but vgly and miſ-ſhapen in his ſight? being like Anticke-worke, conſiſting of monſtrous compoſitions, wherein the body of a bird, and the taile of a ſerpent; the face and fore-part of a man, and the hind-part and legs of a beaſt, or the taile of a fiſh are ioyned together? Let vsus thinke vponupon the excellency, profit, and neceſſity of thoſe gifts and graces, which in our prayers wee deſire of God, and how infinitely they excell thoſe worldly vanities, which Satan and our owne fleſh doe caſt into our minds to diſtract vsus in our ſuites. VntoUnto vvhoſe ſuggeſtions it is no leſſe folly to liſten, then for a malefactour vvho is ſuing vntounto his Prince for a pardon that concernes his life, to turne from him in the middeſt of his ſpeech, and to hearken vntounto the motions of his lewd companions, ſolliciting him to returne to his former courſes; or for a child, who being ſuing vntounto his father for his inheritance, and by him imployed about writing and ſealing his Euidences; doth leaue all this waighty buſineſſe, and runneth away with his play-fellowes, to hunt after Butterflies. Finally, let vsus meditate on that griefe and diſcontentment which followeth thoſe prayers which are made with theſe diſtractions, and how with ſorrow and late repentance vvee vviſh, that vvhat vvee hauehave done, had beene done othervviſe; and contrarivviſe, of the ioy and comfort vvhichwhich accompanieth and vvaiteth vponupon the vvell-performance of theſe holy duties, out of the aſſurance that they giuegive vsus of Gods louelove, of the dvvelling of his Spirit in our hearts, vvhichwhich hath thus helped our infirmities, and that our prayers being acceptable vntounto God, are ſurely granted; and then thinke vvith our ſelues, that it vvill not ſtand vvith our vviſedome to gaine all this griefe, and loſe all this comfort and ioy, becauſe vvee vvould not repell theſe vvorldly thoughts and diſtractions; nor ſo much as force them to a ſhort abſence, vvhen as vvithin leſſe then the leſſer part of an houre, our hearts and they might lavvfully meete together.
§. Sect. 3 That we muſt pray with our vnderſtandings.
And theſe are the things generally required, that our prayers vntounto God may be the ſpeech of the ſoule; now wee are to ſpeake more ſpecially of 1. Cor. 14. 15. 1. Chro. 28. 29.thoſe things which are required hereunto, both in our minds and hearts. In our minds it is required, that we pray with vnderſtanding: vntounto which, knowledge is neceſſary, both of the true God, vntounto whom we pray; and of his will reuealed in his Word, according vntounto which wee are to frame our prayers. Wee muſt know God in his owne nature and perſons, and in his Sonne, Ieſus Chriſt, in whom onelyonly wee can know him aright. Iohn. 17. 3. & 1. 18. Matth. 11. 27. Eſa. 65. 24. Dan. 9. 23. Pſal. 65. 2.Wee muſt know him in himſelfe, and in his ſauing attributes towards vsus, as that hee is a God all-ſufficient, moſt mercifull, bountifull, and gracious, and our moſt louing Father in Ieſus Chriſt, who liſteneth vntounto our ſuites before wee make them; a God that heareth prayers, and is more ready to giuegive, then wee to aske. Secondly, wee muſt hauehave knowledge of Gods reuealed will, which ought to be the rule of all our ſuites; from which if wee ſwerue, we ſhall erre in our owne inuentions, and Rom. 8. 26, 27.aske we know not what. We ſhall not pray in the Spirit, which teacheth vsus to pray according to the will of God; and wanting this guide, and not knowing of our ſelues how to pray as wee ought, wee ſhall aske things hurtfull as well as profitable, and ſuch as tend rather to the ſatisfying our carnall luſts, then the furthering of our eternall ſaluation. We ſhall aske Iam. 4. 2, 3.amiſſe, and ſo obtaine nothing at Gods hands, ſeeing though we like fooliſh children aske things euill and hurtfull, yet our heauenly Father, onelyonly Matth. 7. 11.wiſe, knoweth to giuegive good things alone vntounto his children that aske him; neither hath he made any promiſe at large, that he will grant whatſoeuer we aske (which, becauſe through our ignorance, wee are apt to aske that which is euill as well as that which is good, would be in this caſe a threatning 1. Iob. 5. 14.rather then a promiſe) but that our ſuites ſhall be heard, if we pray according to his will.
§. Sect. 4 That we muſt pray in faith.
Secondly, it is required that we pray in faith; for we cannot come vntounto God, before we beleeue that God is; and as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, How ſhall Heb. 11. 6.we call vponupon God, in whom we hauehave not beleeued? ſeeing no man is willing to pray, vnleſſe it be for forme and faſhion ſake, but he who is perſwaded that God will be gracious vntounto him and giuegive eare vntounto his requeſts. Secondly, without faith our perſons are not accepted of God, and they can no otherwiſe be accepted but in Chriſt, nor we be in Chriſt but by faith: and conſequently our actions cannot pleaſe him, when our perſons doe not, yea being tainted with our corruptions, they are turned into ſinne. Thirdly, Rom. 14. 23.we can hauehave no acceſſe vntounto God, but through Chriſt our Mediatour, being naturally dead in ſinne, and the children of wrath as well as others; Eph. 2. 18.neither hauehave we any intereſt in Chriſt, till by a liuely faith we be ingrafted into him. Fourthly, without faith we hauehave no hope to be heard, ſeeing the prayer of the faithfull man onelyonly auaileth with God, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, and as we beleeue, ſo it ſhal be vntounto vsus. For we hauehave no aſſurance but from Jam. 5. 16.Gods promiſes, which are alwayes made vponupon the condition of faith, bringing foorth the fruits of vnfained repentance. In all which reſpects, it is moſt neceſſary that we ioyne faith with our prayers, and firſt a iuſtifying faith, which applieth vntounto vsus in generall, the promiſes of the Goſpell, Chriſt Ieſus and all his benefits, and aſſureth vsus of the remiſſion of our ſinnes, of reconciliation with God, and that both our prayers and perſons are accepted of him; whereby wee are imboldened to approch vntounto the Throne of grace, that we may obtaine mercy, and finde grace to helpe in time of Heb. 4. 16. & 10. 22.neede. And ſecondly, ſome more ſpeciall acts and branches of this faith, which perſwade in particular, 1. That our prayers in their ſeuerall parts are agreeable vntounto Gods will and Word; that the things we pray for be good and lawfull, tending to the aduancement of Gods glory and our owne ſaluation, and ſuch as the Lord hath promiſed to beſtow vponupon vsus. Secondly, that thus praying according to Gods will, he will heare vsus graciouſly, and grant vntounto vsus euen thoſe particular bleſſings and benefits which wee hauehave Mat. 7. 7. Ioh. 16. 23.craued, and God hath promiſed to beſtow vponupon vsus; namely, in that manner which he hath promiſed to giuegive them: that is, when we begge ſpirituall graces and heauenly glory, which God hath abſolutely promiſed without any condition, in ſome degree, as in his wiſedome hee ſeeth fitting for vsus, we muſt accordingly abſolutely beleeue that we ſhall receiue them; but when we craue temporall benefits which God hath promiſed conditionally, ſo farre foorth, as they will ſtand with his glory, and our ſpirituall good and euerlaſting ſaluation, we muſt beleeue that wee ſhall obtaine them ſo farre foorth as they will ſtand with theſe conditions. And thus in both kinds we muſt pray in faith, and as much as in vsus lyeth, baniſh wauering and doubting; for he that wauereth, is like a waue of the ſea, 1. Tim. 2. 8. Iam. 1. 5, 6, 7. 1. Ioh. 5. 14, 15.driuen with the winde, and toſſed to and fro: neither let that man thinke that he ſhall receiue any thing of the Lord. Now the beſt meanes to ſtrengthen this our faith, when we come to pray, is vtterly to deny our ſelues and our owne righteouſneſſe, and caſting away all opinion of our owne workes and worthineſſe, to ground our faith wholly vponupon Gods power and all-ſufficiency, his truth in his promiſes, his infinite mercies, louelove and goodneſſe towards vsus, & the perfit merits & mediation of Ieſus Chriſt. Neither muſt we looke to the meaſure of our repentance, and other graces neceſſarily required in thoſe that pray with hope to be heard, but to their ſincerity and truth, nor vponupon faith it ſelfe, in reſpect of the excellency and degree of it, as thinking thereby that we ſhall be accepted of God, but as it is the condition, vponupon which all the promiſes are made, and the alone inſtrument whereby Chriſt and all his benefits are applied vntounto vsus. But of the meanes of faith we hauehave ſpoken before, and therfore referre the Reader to that which hath bin ſaid.
§. Sect. 5 That we muſt pray in humility, and with reuerence and feruencie.
In reſpect of our hearts there are diuers things required. Firſt, humility, whereby wee abaſe our ſelues in the ſight and ſenſe of our owne vileneſſe and vnworthineſſe, vnfainedly acknowledging, that we are not worthy to tread vponupon the earth, or to looke vp vntounto heauen, much leſſe to appeare in Gods glorious preſence, or to make any ſuites and ſupplications vntounto him. And therefore reiecting all Phariſaicall conceit of our owne workes and worthineſſe, we are to confeſſe with Abraham, that wee are but dust and aſhes; with Iacob, that we are leſſe then the leaſt of Gods mercies, Gen. 18. 27. & 32 10. Pſal. 22 6. Eſa. 6. 22. Luk 15. 21. Luk. 18. 13. 1. Tim. 1. 15.with Dauid, that wee are wormes, and no men; with Eſay, that we are men of polluted lips; with the prodigall Sonne, that we are not worthy to be called Gods children; with the Publican, that wee are miſerable ſinners; yea with the Apoſtle Paul, that of all ſinners we are the chiefe. And this humility will be a notable meanes to confirme our faith in this aſſurance, that we ſhall be receiued into grace and fauour with God, and that he will heare and grant all our Petitions. For he will looke vntounto him that is poore and of a contrite ſpirit; Eſa. 66. 2. Pſal. 34. 18. Eſa. 57. 15. Pſal. 51. 17. Pſal. 9. 12. & 10. 17.he is neere vntounto him, and will dwell with him; with this ſacrifice of a broken and contrite heart, wherein he chiefly delighteth, he is made propitious, and will be ready to heare his ſuites; for he forgetteth not the cry of the humble, but he heareth their prayer, and will prepare their heart, and will cauſe his eare to heare, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh. The ſecond thing required in our hearts, is reuerence, vntounto which Dauid exhorteth: Serue the Lord with reuerence, Pſal. 2. 11:and reioyce with trembling; and performed in his owne practice; In Pſal. 5 7.thy feare (ſaith he) will I worſhip towards thy holy Temple. The which reuerence may be wrought in vsus, by the conſideration of Gods glorious preſence before whom we ſtand, who being preſent with vsus, ſeeth all our actions, and how wee behaue our ſelues in his ſeruice, and is infinite both in Iuſtice and power, to puniſh vsus, if we take his name in vaine, and abuſe his holy Ordinances, in performing vntounto him a formall, cold, and careleſſe ſeruice: and alſo in mercy, goodneſſe, and bounty, if wee worſhip him aright. And ſecondly, if we conſider withall, our owne baſeneſſe and vileneſſe, vntounto whom notwithſtanding, God, of his infinite grace and mercy vouchſafeth this high honour and ineſtimable prerogatiue, to come into his glorious preſence, and to make our ſuites knowne vntounto him. The third thing required, is feruency of affection, and zealous deuotion, whereby we do with all earneſtnes deſire to hauehave all our ſins pardoned, & our wants ſupplied, & with all hearty cheerefulneſſe, without dulneſſe and drowſines, coldneſſe and wearineſſe, continue in this exerciſe: VntoUnto which wee attaine, by comming vntounto a true ſight and ſenſe of our ſinnes and wants, which inferre an vrgent neceſſity to hauehave them pardoned and theſe ſupplied, and by conſidering the excellency, neceſſity, and profit of this action, and the fruits that come of it, which are farre to bee preferred before all things in the world.