A Guide to Godliness, Book 3 · Chapter 15
CAP. XV.
Of the circumſtances of Prayer, and of their quantity and quality.
§. Sect. 1 Of our geſture and voyce in prayer.
ANd theſe are the eſſentiall duties belonging vntounto prayer, beſides which, there are others which are circumſtantiall and 1. Cor. 14. 40.accidentall, of which, there cannot for the moſt part be giuen any general and certaine rules, but that they be done in order, after a decent & comely maner, and ſo as ſhall be moſt fit and conuenient for the ſtirring vp of our deuotion, and the furthering of thoſe internall duties before ſpoken of, which are eſſentiall and alwayes neceſſary. The firſt, is the geſture of the body, which ought to be ſuch as may further our inward humility, reuerence, and feruency of deuotion; wherin we are to imitate the example of Gods Saints in former times, & the cuſtome of the Church and Country where we liue, vſing thoſe geſtures which are vſed in them, to expreſſe externall worſhip, humility, and reuerence. As among vsus, ſtanding, kneeling, vncouering of the head, lifting vp of the eyes and hands; and in extraordinary and greater humiliation, proſtrating our ſelues vponupon the ground, caſting down our eyes, as being aſhamed to looke towards heauen, and knocking of the breſt, as bewayling the ſinfull corruption therein contained. In all which, our chiefeſt indeuour muſt be, that the inward affection and diſpoſition of the heart, do anſwere vntounto the outward geſtures of the body, without which they are but hypocriticall ſhewes. The ſecond, is the voyce which is to be vſed in prayer, ſo often as conueniently Pſal. 51. 14, 15. & 71. 23, 24. & 119. 171. Hoſ. 14. 2.we may, ſeeing it is one ſpeciall end, for which God hath giuen it vntounto vsus, that we might by it glorifie him, both in our prayers, and our praiſes and thankſgiuings. Not that he himſelfe needeth it, for he ſearcheth the ſecrets of the heart and reines, but for the example and edification of others, as in publike prayer, and for the intention of our owne affections, the attention of our mindes, and ſtirring vp of our deuotions in our priuate prayers; which notwithſtanding muſt be done with this caution, that ſeeing priuate prayer muſt be made in ſecret, we muſt not ſpeake alowd in our Cloſet or Chamber, ſo as others may heare and vnderſtand vsus, or at leaſt, we muſt not Matth. 6. 6.doe it to this end, ſeeing it is but groſſe hypocriſie, which we muſt not only auoide, but euen the very ſhew and appearance of it, ſo farre foorth as it doth not croſſe Chriſtian apologie and profeſſion, nor that rule of piety and charity giuen by our Sauiour Chriſt; Let your light ſo ſhine before men, Rom. 10. 10. Dan. 6. 10.that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. For we may eaſily fall (as diuers doe) into the contrary extreme, who ſo ſhun the ſhew of hypocriſie, that they auoyd all profeſſion of Religion, and are as much aſhamed to bee taken in the exerciſe of prayer, or ſuch like pious duties, though it be at vnawares, eſpecially by thoſe who are not as forward in profeſſion as themſelues, as if they were doing ſomthing which is faulty and vnlawfull. But this vſe of voyce is neceſſary only in ſuch priuat prayers as are ſet and ſolemne, ordinary, and in a priuate place; for as for thoſe ſhort prayers & eiaculations which are to be vſed vponupon all occaſions, and in all companies, it is ſufficient that we lift vp our hearts vntounto God, without vſing the voyce, eſpecially in the preſence of others, whē the thing we pray for concerneth not them, but our ſelues; and leaſt of all, when as 1. Sam. 1. 13. Nehem. 2. 4.they do not ioyne with vsus in the ſincere profeſſion of the ſame truth, as before wee ſhewed when we ſpoke of theſe ſhort prayers and eiaculations.
§ Sect. 2 That we muſt not affect prolixity and ſuperfluity of words in our prayers.
And theſe are the things to be obſerued in prayer, in reſpect of our geſture and voyce. In reſpect of the ſpeech it ſelfe, or words whereby our prayers are expreſſed, diuers things are to be conſidered. Firſt, in reſpect of the quantity and continuance of them: wee muſt auoyd affectation of prolixity, ſuperfluity of words, vaine babbling and idle repetitions, which proceed not from any feruency of affection, and earneſtneſſe of deſire to obtaine the things we pray for, ariſing from the ſight and ſenſe of our wants, (for in this caſe it may be lawfull and requiſite to repeate often the ſame things, as preſſing our ſuits with ſuch importunity as will admit of no deniall: according to the example of Daniel, O our God, heare the prayer Dan. 9. 17, 18, 19.of thy ſeruant; O my God, incline thine eare and heare, O Lord heare, O Lord forgiue, O Lord hearken and doe, &c. And of our Sauiour Chriſt himſelfe, Mark. 14. 39.praying often in the ſame words, that if it were poſſible, the bitter cup of his Paſſion might paſſe from him;) but out of an opinion that we ſhall be the rather heard for the length of our prayers, or out of an oſtentation of our holineſſe and deuotion, or our extraordinary gift aboue others, inabling vsus to continue long in this exerciſe. For this our Sauiour ſtraitely forbiddeth: When ye pray, vſe not vaine repetitions, as the Heathen doe, for Mat. 6. 7, 8, 9.they thinke that they ſhall be heard for their much ſpeaking; preſcribeth the contrary practice, in propounding that ſhort and moſt pithy forme for our imitation: and condemneth as hypocriticall in the Phariſes, who vnderunder pretence of long prayers, deuoured widowes houſes. And Salomon likewiſe: Math. 23. 14. Eccleſ. 5. 2.Be not raſh with thy mouth, and let not thine heart bee haſty to vtter any thing before God, for God is in heauen, and thou vponupon the earth, therefore let thy words be few: Of which our Sauiour giueth this reaſon; Becauſe our Father knoweth what things we hauehave need of, before we aske him: that is, being infinite in wiſedome, he needeth not that wee ſhould expreſſe our mindes in multitude of words, for he vnderſtandeth the deſires of our hearts, and being our gracious Father, our wants ſerue as a loud cry, and eloquent Math. 6. 8.oration to moue him to ſupply them; and therefore hee needeth not that wee ſhould vſe multitude of words to giuegive him notice of thoſe wants which he already knoweth before we aske, nor to perſwade him to grant our ſuits, being more ready to giuegive, then we to craue. And Salomon rendreth another; Becauſe in the multitude of words there wanteth not ſin: which Pro. 10. 19.as it is generally true, ſo eſpecially in the exerciſe of prayer: ſeeing, through our naturall corruption, we are ſo auerſe vntounto this duty, and in the performance of it, ſubiect to ſuch coldneſſe, dulneſſe and wearineſſe, that long prayers are often performed with much negligence, and ſubiect to the interruptions and diſtractions of worldly cogitations and wandring thoughts. And yet we are not ſo to vnderſtand Salomon, and our Sauiour, as though they ſimply commended ſhort prayers, and condemned thoſe that are long: for the Wiſe-man himſelfe, at the conſecrating of the 1. King. 8. 22. to 54.Temple, made one of the longeſt prayers that wee reade of in the Scriptures: and our Sauiour is ſaid to hauehave continued whole nights in prayer. And the Apoſtle exhorteth vsus to pray continually, and with all manner of 1. Theſ. 5. 17. Epheſ. 6. 18. Col. 4. 2.prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perſeuerance. But they onelyonly forbid and condemne hypocriticall oſtentation, and ſuperfluity of words, vaine repetitions, and opinion of meriting to be heard for them: or when our words exceed our matter, in their multiplicity and much babbling, or both our words and matter, our zeale, deuotion, and attention. Neither are ſuch prayers to be condemned for their prolixity, but rather much to be commended, when as there is no ſuperfluity in our words, to expreſſe our matter and mindes, nor any negligence or want of zeale and attention in powring them forth before God: for if we hauehave with the length of our prayers, variety of good matter, attention, and feruency of affection, we cannot be too long in this holy exerciſe. And therefore the beſt rule of direction in this behalfe is, that wee fit and proportion our words to our matter, and both matter and words to our minds and hearts, our faith and feruency, deuotion and attention. For if there be ſtore of this diuine fire to kindle it, the more fuell we caſt on, the greater the blaze and heate will be; whereas if there be but ſome little fire and ſmall ſparkes, too much of this fuell caſt on at once, will not helpe to kindle it, but rather extinguiſh and put it cleane out. In which regard wee are not alwaies to ſtint our ſelues to the ſame proportion and length of prayer, but to watch the beſt opportunities, and to diue our ſelues deepeſt in this Poole, when the Spirit of God hath deſcended and moued the waters. More ſpecially we are ordinarily moſt fit for long prayers, when our ſoules are prepared thereunto, either by extrordinary afflictions, when as our hearts are full of ſorrowes, and need a large vent to let them out, and powre out our complaints into Gods boſome; and repleniſhed with feruent deſires for helpe and deliuerance; or by extraordinary benefits, when as they are full of ioy and thankfulneſſe, and ſo make vsus to become earneſt and vnwearied, in rendring vntounto God praiſe and thankeſgiuing: when as we obſerue a ſolemne faſt, and keepe vntounto God a Eſa. 26. 16.day of humiliation, conſecrating it wholly to the exerciſes of religion and charity, eſpecially prayer and meditation. And finally, at all other times, when we are fitted thereunto by Gods Spirit, and ſufficiently qualified with the former graces. The which notwithſtanding is to be vnderſtood of priuate prayer by our ſelues, and not when we pray in the company of others; for then we are by the rule of charity to hauehave reſpect vntounto them, and not to tyre their zeale and deuotion, and cauſe them to ſinne (through our tedious prolixity) by wearineſſe and wandring thoughts, although we our ſelues hauehave a good appetite to this exerciſe; for this were to force them to ſit long at the table who hauehave quickly dined, to cloy the weake of diſgeſtion, with variety of diſhes, becauſe wee who beare them company hauehave good ſtomackes; and to conſtraine young beginners and children in Chriſt, to hold out with vsus in our pace, who are come to a ripe age, and ſo to tyre for wearineſſe, before they come halfe way to their iourneyes end. Which if it deſerueth to be iudged vnequall, how much is our practice worthy to bee condemned, if in our meetings wee contend to outvie one another, ſtriuing who ſhall exceed in length of prayers, and variety of choyce words, for the apt expreſſing of our minds; heereby making prayer like vntounto a maſtery or race, wherein we contend for the prize of praiſe, which they are to win who are ſwifteſt and beſt at length?
§. Sect. 3 Of the quality of our prayers.
The ſecond thing to be conſidered, is the quality of our ſpeech, which ought to be ſuch in our prayers, as is fitteſt both to ſtirre vp and expreſſe our zeale and deuotion. Wherein we are to auoyd two extremes; the firſt is, curious affectation of words, ſeeing the Lord reſpecteth not the eloquence of our ſpeech, but the ſincerity of our hearts, and the feruency of our deſires, which are as loud cries, and moſt perſwaſiue orations in his eares, when wee are moſt barren in words. The ſecond is, rudeneſſe of ſpeech, without any fit words, or good ſenſe, order or coherence, which is cauſed through negligence, want of preparation, and of due reuerence and reſpect of Gods glorious Maieſty, before whom wee ſtand, and vntounto whom we ſpeake, not caring what, nor how wee babble in his preſence, though for our credit ſake, wee would be more carefull in ſpeaking to mortall man not much ſuperiour vntounto vsus. For otherwiſe, if it proceed not from careleſneſſe, but from naturall infirmity and want of vtterance (which we may iudge of, if we be ſo in other diſcourſes, and vponupon other occaſions) our prayers notwithſtanding proceeding from vpright hearts, and being ioyned with zeale and deuotion, will be acceptable vntounto God; yea euen our imperfect ſpeeches, ſighes and grones, will as effectually moue him to heare vsus, and grant our ſuits, as the moſt eloquent ſpeeches which hauehave all the helpes and ornaments both of nature and art.