A Guide to Godliness, Book 3 · Chapter 16
CAP. XVI.
Of the forme and method which are to be vſed and obſerued in our prayers, &c.
§. Sect. 1 Of formes of prayer ſet downe by others.
THe laſt thing to be conſidered, reſpecteth the forme and manner of powring forth our ſoules in prayer vntounto God, which is either by vſing ſet formes, or contriuing of prayers according to preſent occaſions, as we are inabled therunto by the Spirit of God. The former ſort are either ſuch as are inuented by others, and learned by hearing, or reading their bookes and writings: or elſe by our ſelues vponupon due ſtudy and meditation. Both which may bee lawfully and commendably vſed of Chriſtians according to their ſeuerall ſtates and gifts. Written and printed formes by thoſe who want ability to pray in their owne words, or to frame their ſuits and petitions, and expreſſe their minds in any good manner and order. The which was one end of penning Dauids Pſalmes, that they might by skilfull Muſicians be ſung in the Congregation, and vſed alſo in priuate, both in families, and by our ſelues alone. And our Sauiour preſcribed that perfect forme of the Lords Prayer, not onelyonly as a rule according to which we are to frame our prayers, but alſo as a prayer to be vſed it ſelfe; and therefore as it is ſaid in one Euangeliſt, After this Math. 6. 9. Luk. 11. 2.manner pray ye; ſo in another, When ye pray, ſay, Our Father. And therefore as children, before they can goe, are not ſuffred to ſit ſtill, but are trained and taught by others that hold them by the hand: ſo though wee want ſpirituall ſtrength and skill to performe this exerciſe by our ſelues, yet wee muſt not neglect it altogether, but yeeld our ſelues to bee trained by others (as the Diſciples did deſire of our Sauiour Chriſt) and (as it were holding them by the hand) to vſe the helpe of their meditations. But wee are not to reſt in this as ſufficient, without any further proceedings; for though it be fit for a child in Chriſt, that he may be thus trained to goe alone, yet when wee come to a riper age, and in reſpect of our meanes ſhould be able to teach others, it is a ſhame for vsus, and argueth either great impotency and lameneſſe in Religion, or elſe negligence, ſloth, and want of exerciſe, if we cannot goe alone, but ſtill like children, need leading by others. Beſides, we cannot by others meditations vnburthen our ſelues of our owne particular ſinnes, of which God and our owne conſciences onelyonly are witneſſes, nor expreſſe thoſe ſpeciall wants which moſt pinch vsus, and which we moſt deſire ſhould be ſupplied, nor fit our occaſions to their prayers, nor their prayers to our occaſions; but wee muſt, as God requireth by the Prophet, when we come vntounto him as ſuiters, take words vntounto our ſelues, and frame our petitions and thankſgiuings according Hoſ. 14. 2.to our owne wants and occaſions. Neither let any that hath beene long trained in the ſchoole of Chriſt, obiect his want of gifts and abilities, ſeeing if he ſpeake true, he proclaimeth his owne ſhame and non-proficiency. For if we had any ſenſe of our wants and ſinnes, wee might finde ſome words to expreſſe them, that we might craue a ſupply of the one, and pardon for the other; eſpecially to our heauenly Father, who is ſo gracious and willing to beare with our infirmities, and who better accepteth of ſuch imperfect prayers as are indited by our ſelues, and vttered with zealous deuotion of honeſt hearts, then of ſuch as are in the beſt manner penned for vsus by others. Euen as eueryevery wiſe father better accepteth of an Epiſtle inuented and written by his owne ſonne himſelfe, though full of imperfections, becauſe it is the meanes to traine him vp to more perfection, then that which is done to his hand by one of his fellowes of an higher forme, though much more exact for matter and manner, becauſe it is the tricke of a trewant, and argueth not onelyonly inability and want of skill, but alſo ſloth and extreme negligence.
§. Sect. 2 Of formes of prayers inuented by our ſelues.
Formes of prayer inuented by our ſelues, are ſuch, as vponupon due meditation and ſound deliberation we hauehave compoſed, out of the ſight and ſenſe of our ſinnes and wants, and Gods mercies multiplied vponupon vsus, not onelyonly generall, but alſo ſpeciall and particular, framing confeſſions, petitions and thankeſgiuings, ſo as they may be moſt fitting for our owne peculiar vſe. The which are neceſſary for ſuch as are not thorowly grounded in knowledge, nor perfected in this duty by much experience and practice; and for ſuch alſo as being well qualified in theſe reſpects, are notwithſtanding defectiue in memory and vtterance, hauing no liberty of ſpeech to expreſſe their mindes without much meditation, and for ſuch alſo as are defectiue in courage and boldneſſe, when they are to pray in the preſence of others: And very profitable for all, if wee tye not our ſelues too ſtrictly to words, but hauehave variety of formes for ordinary vſe, and by helpe of meditation, doe vponupon extraordinary occaſions, conceiue new words for new matter, as the neceſſity and profit of our ſelues, our brethren, or the Church ſhall require; making particular confeſſions of ſinnes which are lately committed, and doe moſt burthen the conſcience, and ſpeciall petitions for thoſe ſpeciall graces wherein wee finde our ſelues moſt defectiue, and whereof wee hauehave preſently moſt vſe, and ſpeciall thankſgiuings, for Gods ſpeciall mercies and fauours renewed vponupon vsus. The which variety of formes will take away that ſatiety and wearineſſe, which alwayes accompanieth the daily and continuall vſe of any thing, though neuer ſo excellent; and helpe much to keepe our mindes and hearts cloſe to this holy exerciſe, which are apt to bee carried away with wandring thoughts, if, without any variety, wee tye our ſelues to one onelyonly forme; like a man that goeth on in a way which he is accuſtomed to trauaile, and neuer thinketh on the paſſages and turnings that are in his iourney; or that ſingeth a tune familiar vntounto him by much vſe, and neuer thinketh of that he ſingeth.
§. Sect. 3 Of conceiued prayers, and how far foorth they are commendable.
Prayers conceiued, are ſuch as vponupon meditation we fit to all preſent occaſions, not vſing any ordinary forme of words, but expreſſing our ſelues Gen. 32. 9. 2. Sam. 22 2. 1. King. 8. 23. Dan. 9. 4. Act. 4. 24. Ioh. 17. 1, 2, &c.with ſuch as come to our mindes; of which, we hauehave many examples in the Scriptures, both in the Patriarkes, Prophets, Apoſtles, and our Sauiour Chriſt himſelfe. The which, I acknowledge aboue all other kinds to bee moſt excellent, if God hauehave thorowly furniſhed vsus with gifts fit for it, both becauſe it is moſt free from diſtractions and wandring thoughts, and from ſatiety and wearineſſe, this variety bringing with it much delight, and alſo becauſe it is moſt opportune and ſeaſonable, being fitted to the time, perſons, and occaſions. But heere the Prouerbe is verified, that things excellent are moſt hardly attained, there being few that hauehave this gift and ability, and thoſe few not alwayes in like meaſure, although there are many that are willing to make ſhew of it. For there are diuers things which ought to concurre in him that is to conceiue a prayer, which if any bee wanting, it cannot be done without much weakeneſſe and imperfection. Firſt, he muſt be diligent in meditation, before he thus ſpeake vntounto God, calling to memory the ſinnes which he is to confeſſe, the wants which he deſireth ſhould be ſupplied, and the bleſſings for which hee intendeth to giuegive thankes; that ſo he may with Dauid call his prayer a meditation, humble his ſoule in the ſight of his vnworthineſſe, inflame his heart with feruent deſires, and not ſpeake any thing raſhly with his mouth vntounto his Eccl. 5. 1.God, as the Wiſe man aduizeth. In which reſpect, I cannot commend extemporall prayers, which are performed without any meditation going before, and am ſo farre from extolling them as moſt excellent, that I thinke them ſcarce tolerable or lawfull, vnleſſe ſome vnexpected occaſion and preſent neceſſity, doe thruſt vsus into extraordinary ſtraights, ſo as wee may not deferre our prayer, nor hauehave for the preſent, opportunity to meditate, nor yet hauehave any former meditations fit for the preſent occaſion, and the circumſtances that attend vponupon it. Secondly, he that thus prayeth muſt be grounded in knowledge, that he may frame his prayers according to Gods will. And therefore they who being children in knowledge, doe take vponupon them this taske, they muſt needs faile much in this holy duty, asking according to their vngrounded conceits, and not Gods will, of which they are ignorant. And as children who will venture to runne alone, before they can goe in anothers hand, muſt needs catch many falles; and they alſo who will ſpeake much, before they hauehave knowledge and wiſedome to rule their tongues, muſt needs ſpeake many things vaine and impertinent: ſo muſt it of neceſſity befall them in this caſe who are children in knowledge, and not well acquainted with Gods will and waies. Thirdly, he muſt be well experienced and practiſed in this duty; neither can we without much vſe attaine to this perfection. Fourthly, beſides a great meaſure of ſanctifying grace, he muſt hauehave diuers common gifts of the Spirit, which are neceſſary to the well-performing of this duty, as a good memory, vtterance and liberty of ſpeech, and boldneſſe alſo when others ioyne with him: which will inable him to expreſſe readily what his mind conceiueth, and rather intend & inflame, then quench or coole the feruency of his deſires. But if we want theſe, though our knowledge, and faith, and zeale, and all other ſanctifying graces bee neuer ſo great, yet ſhall we faile much in prayer in this kind, becauſe the powers of the ſoule will be ſo wholly occupied about memory, and inuention of fit matter, and words to expreſſe it, that there will little place be left to zeale, devotion, and feruency of affection. Laſtly, it is neceſſary that hee who prayeth on this manner do carefully auoyd ſpirituall pride, and oſtentation of his gifts, to which the greateſt excellencies, through the malice of Satan and our owne corruption are moſt ſubiect; and alſo curious affectation of variety of words to expreſſe the ſame matter, as though it were a note of barrenneſſe to vſe twice the ſame phraſes to expreſſe the ſame things. But the maine thing which we are to aime at, is to bee feruent and deuout in our prayers, and to this end to vſe ſuch words and phraſes as may moſt conueniently lay open vntounto God the ſincere deſires of an vpright heart, whether it be in new variety, or in ſuch words as wee hauehave often vſed to expreſſe the ſame things.
§ Sect. 4 What method is beſt to be obſerued in diſpoſing the parts of our prayers.
VntoUnto the forme of prayer, we may adde ſomething of the method and right diſpoſing of the parts. The parts of prayer to be vſed ordinarily of vsus are three: confeſſion, petition, and thankſgiuing. In our priuate confeſſions of our ſins, we are (hauing firſt a true ſenſe and feeling, hatred & deteſtation of thē) to acknowledge them, & bewaile them, not only generally, but alſo ſpecially and particularly, and thoſe aboue the reſt which we hauehave laſt committed, and with which we hauehave moſt often and grieuouſly diſpleaſed and diſhonoured God, and wounded our owne conſciences, according to the example of Dauid, in the one and fiftieth Pſalme; and withall aggrauate them by their ſeuerall circumſtances, eſpecially the conſideration of the perſon againſt whom they were committed, our glorious God and gracious Father in Ieſus Chriſt; adiudging and condemning our ſelues in regard of them, to bee leſſe then the leaſt of Gods mercies, and worthy of his greateſt plagues and puniſhments. VntoUnto which we are to adioyne petition, and firſt, that God for his mercies ſake, his promiſe ſake, and his Chriſts ſake, will forgiue vsus all our ſinnes, and neuer lay them to our charge, ſeeing our Sauiour hath fully ſatisfied his Iuſtice for them; and ſo, that being iuſtified and freed from the guilt and puniſhment of our ſinnes, he will be reconciled vntounto vsus, and receiue vsus into his louelove and fauour. Secondly, that God will be pleaſed to ſeale vp the aſſurance hereof in our hearts and conſciences, by the gracious teſtimony of his holy Spirit, and giuegive vntounto vsus the ſpirit of Adoption, crying in our hearts, Rom. 8. 15.Abba Father, and witneſſing to our ſpirits, that wee are his children by adoption and grace. Thirdly, that he will ſanctifie vsus by the ſame Spirit, mortifying and crucifying in vsus more and more our ſinfull corruptions, ſo as they may not rule and raigne in vsus, as at former times, and that he will alſo quicken vsus vntounto holineſſe and newneſſe of life, and inable vsus to yeeld obedience to his holy and heauenly will. Fourthly, that he will to theſe ends graciouſly vouchſafe vntounto vsus the meanes which may inable vsus vntounto them, and make them effectuall by his good bleſſing vponupon them. Eſpecially, that he will indue vsus with the ſanctifying gifts and graces of his holy Spirit; as ſauing knowledge, a liuely faith, vnfained repentance, firme affiance, feruent louelove, and ardent zeale, hope, patience, humility, the true feare of God, and the reſt. Fifthly, that God will daily increaſe his graces in vsus, and our ſtrength and ability to ſerue him, that wee may grow from one meaſure to another, vntill we come to a perfect age in Chriſt. Sixthly, that he will eſtabliſh vsus with his free Spirit, that we may conſtantly perſeuere in the profeſſion and practice of true godlines, vntounto the end, and in the end; and that he will thereby ſo aſſiſt and ſtrengthen vsus againſt all the aſſaults of our ſpirituall enemies, that we may hauehave victory ouer them, and not be hindred by their tentations, from proceeding in our courſe of godlineſſe, or from finiſhing the great worke of our ſaluation. Seuenthly, we muſt heereunto adde petitions for ſpeciall benefits, whereof wee ſtand in neede, concerning things either temporall, or ſpirituall and eternall; and particularly ſuch as are neceſſary and profitable for the well paſſing of the day following, eſpecially preſeruation from all dangers, direction in all our courſes, our thoughts, words, and actions, and the bleſsing of God vponupon all our labours, with a right vſe of all Gods benefits and chaſtiſements. Finally, we muſt pray for the good eſtate of the whole Church, of that in which wee liue, and for all the principall members of it; for our friends and benefactours, for the afflicted, for thoſe of the ſame family, and ſuch vntounto whom wee are bound by any ſpeciall bond of duty. And laſtly, we muſt from petition deſcend to thankſgiuing, prayſing God for all his bleſsings, both corporall, ſpirituall, and eternall; and eſpecially for thoſe peculiar benefits which he hath vouchſafed vntounto vsus in the whole courſe of our liues; for thoſe of late receiued; and namely, the night paſt in our preſeruation and quiet reſt. And this I hold to bee the beſt method and order to bee obſerued in our prayers ordinarily, although I would tye no man vntounto it, but that he may herein vſe his diſcretion, beginning with confeſsion, thankſgiuing, or petition, as his heart leadeth him, and fit occaſion ſhall be offered.
§. Sect. 5 What duties are to be performed after wee hauehave prayed.
And theſe are the duties which are to bee daily performed in this holy exerciſe of prayer. Now after wee hauehave thus prayed, there are certaine other things required of vsus. Firſt, a liuely faith, whereby we doe not onelyonly giuegive our vnfained aſſent vntounto our prayer made, but alſo reſt perſwaded, that the Lord hath heard vsus in the things for which we hauehave prayed, and will aſſuredly accept of our humiliation and thankſgiuing, and grant all our ſuites and requeſts, as it will beſt ſtand with his owne glory, our ſpirituall good, and eternall happineſſe. And this our Sauiour requireth, What Mark. 11. 24.things ſoeuer yee deſire when yee pray, beleeue that yee ſhall receiue them, and ye ſhall hauehave them. Secondly, hope, patience, and humility, whereby we make no haſte, nor preſcribe vntounto God any time of doing the things which we hauehave deſired, but meekely acknowledging his infinite wiſedome in himſelfe, and goodneſſe towards vsus, doe reſigne wholly our ſelues and ſuites vntounto his good pleaſure, expecting with all patience his leaſure, when as he ſhall thinke it fitteſt to beſtow vponupon vsus thoſe gifts and graces which wee hauehave begged at his hands. Thirdly, there is required of vsus after prayer, an earneſt indeuour in the vſe of all good meanes, whereby we may obtaine thoſe things which wee hauehave prayed for: whereby wee ſhall ſerue Gods prouidence, and be his inſtruments to further the accompliſhment of his promiſes, and alſo make it manifeſt, that in our hearts we ſincerely deſired thoſe things which we begged with our mouthes. For example, after we hauehave prayed for the pardon of our ſinnes, we muſt vſe carefully all good meanes whereby we may be further aſſured that God hath forgiuen them; after we hauehave craued ſanctification, we muſt labour and indeuour that we may be ſanctified, and exerciſe our ſelues in the duties of holineſſe; after we hauehave deſired ſpirituall and ſauing graces, we muſt vſe all the helpes and meanes whereby we may attaine vntounto them. For otherwiſe we ſhall diſcouer our ſelues to be but meere hypocrites, who with our lips hauehave prayed for thoſe things which we hauehave neither eſteemed in our iudgements, nor affected in our hearts; and therefore receiue nothing at Gods hands, who giueth his gifts not to idle loyterers, but vntounto ſuch as purſue them with thirſting deſires, and earneſtly labour and indeuour in the vſe of all good meanes whereby they may obtaine them.
§. Sect. 6 Of the time in the morning when we are to vſe priuate prayer.
The laſt direction which I will ſet downe for our priuate prayer in the morning, reſpecteth the time when it is to bee performed; of which, though I can giuegive no neceſſary rule, becauſe all mens occaſions and opportunities are not alike, yet for the greateſt part it is moſt conuenient that we doe it betimes, as ſoone as we are ready, before wee vndertake any worldly buſineſſe, and hauehave our mindes taken vp with any earthly thoughts: Becauſe wee ſhall then bee moſt free from all incumbrances which may diſtract vsus in this holy exerciſe, and make vsus leſſe fit to performe it as wee ought; as alſo, becauſe if we offer vntounto God the firſt fruits of our thoughts and affections, they will ſanctifie all our following indeuours, and ſeaſon them ſo with holineſſe, that they will become more acceptable vntounto God. Or if ſome extraordinary occaſion and waighty buſineſſe hauehave cauſed vsus to deferre it, our ſecond care muſt bee, that wee doe not neglect it altogether, but ſequeſtring our mindes and affections from all earthly thoughts and wordly imployments, wee muſt take the next and beſt opportunity which ſhall bee offered vntounto vsus; and thinke no excuſe or buſineſſe ſo important, as may make vsus vtterly to omit it.
§. Sect. 7 Of prayer with the reſt of the family.
The next duty of piety after our priuate prayer, is prayer with the reſt of the family; which is to be performed ordinarily by the maſter and gouernour, who is to be the mouth of the reſt to commend them and their ſuits vntounto God. For, according to the example of the Patriarches and holy men in times paſt, he ought to be not only a gouernour to rule them, and a Prophet to teach and inſtruct them, but alſo a Prieſt to offer the ſacrifice of prayer and thankeſgiuing, not onelyonly for himſelfe, but alſo for all thoſe that are committed to his charge: neither ought any man to thinke that he may be exempted from this duty, or that in reſpect of his honour and greatneſſe, he may be priuiledged from this holy ſeruice vntounto God, and as an inferiour duty, delegate it to his deputy, if he himſelfe bee able to performe it; but rather with the holy Patriarches to eſteeme it an honourable prerogatiue, which he will no more put off from himſelfe to another, then he will the regiment and gouernment of his houſe and family. Much leſſe muſt we thinke it ſufficient, that wee hauehave prayed alone, or content our ſelues with our priuate deuotions, if we hauehave others vnderunder our gouernment, and committed to our charge: ſeeing we are to take no leſſe care of their ſoules then of their bodies; nor that they ſerue vsus in the duties of their callings, then that they ſerue God in the duties of piety and Chriſtianity, without which we can expect no bleſſing vponupon their labors. For if Ioſhua, though a great Captaine and Commander, and ſo greatly imployed both in warres and gouernment, would not hereby excuſe himſelfe, but vndertaketh for al in his family, that he and his houſhold would ſerue Ioſh. 24. 25.the Lord: if Dauid, though a King, would not content himſelfe with his Pſal. 101. 3.integrity in the gouernment of the State, but voweth alſo that hee would performe all domeſticall duties with a perfect heart: And if Salomon, though a mighty Monarch in the height of his honour, thought himſelfe more honoured in being the mouth of the whole people to commend their ſuits vntounto God; let not any man thinke himſelfe ſo great, that hee is too good to performe this duty. But alas, the neglect hereof is growne ſo ancient among honourable perſonages, that it now pleadeth preſcription; ſo that theſe family duties are wholly neglected, or elſe put off from themſelues to be performed by a deputy. And little hope I hauehave that my writings and reaſons ſhould be ſo powerfull as to infringe this cuſtome, which hath in it almoſt the ſtrength of a law, and reuoke the practice of family duties vntounto ancient perfection; and yet I thought it fit to ſpeake the truth, and leaue the ſucceſſe to the authour of it: neither thought I it conuenient in ſetting downe the rules of piety, that I ſhould fit the ſtraight ſquare to the generall crookedneſſe of the worke, but to leaue it in its perfection, that the worke in Gods good time may be reduced vntounto it. Let therefore all maſters of families know, that it is their duty which God will require of them, not onelyonly to pray by themſelues, but alſo to call together all their family, and to ioyne with them in this holy exerciſe: vntounto which they may be incouraged by Gods gracious promiſe, that where two or three be gathered together in Chriſts name, there hee will be in the Math. 18. 20.midſt of them. Secondly, becauſe by making their houſe a houſe of prayer, they ſhall make it a little temple, which God will fill with his preſence, and repleniſh with his bleſſings, both temporall and ſpirituall. Thirdly, becauſe nurturing their children and ſeruants in the feare of the Lord, and exerciſing them in this duty of Gods ſeruice, they ſhall make them more faithfull and conſcionable in performing all duty and ſeruice vntounto themſelues, not onelyonly formally and in outward appearance, but cheerfully and from the heart. Fourthly, becauſe it is the chiefe meanes of the preſeruation of the whole houſe and family from ſinne and from danger, and of deriuing Gods manifold bleſſings vponupon the whole ſociety. Laſtly, becauſe they can no otherwiſe expect that God will proſper their labours, Pſal. 127. 1, 2.to the good of the maſter, and the whole houſe and family, vnleſſe they vſe the meanes which he hath ordained, and obtaine his bleſſing by their daily prayers; without which they ſhall not thriue in their labours, but ſpend their indeuours and ſtrength in vaine. Now for the time of the morning when this duty is to be performed, no certaine rule can bee preſcribed; only this in generall, that it be then done, when as all, or the moſt of the family may, in reſpect of their common occaſions, moſt conueniently aſſemble together. And although it were to be wiſhed, that it may be betimes in the morning, before they goe about their worldly buſineſſe, that they may be free from diſtraction, and ſanctifie all their following labours by theſe good beginnings: yet becauſe the imployments are diuers in almoſt all the members of the family, and require that ſome ſhould goe about them ſooner, and ſome later; and becauſe it often falleth out that the gouernours, by reaſon of age, weakneſſe, or other infirmities, cannot riſe ſo ſoone as others, becauſe they muſt hauehave regard to their health; therefore if in theſe reſpects this time cannot be allotted to this ſeruice, ſome other which is moſt conuenient may be choſen: which if it can bee no ſooner, in regard of the common meeting together of the whole houſehold, it will be fit that it be done before dinner. Of which, the leſſe inconuenience will follow, if eueryevery one in the family, and the gouernours for all the reſt, hauehave betimes performed this duty priuately by themſelues.