A Guide to Godliness, Book 5 · Chapter 27
CAP. XXVII.
Wherein is ſhewed, that prayer is a ſingular meanes of a godly life.
§. Sect. 1 That nothing more then prayer, maketh vsus godly and religious.
HItherto we hauehave ſpoken of thoſe priuate meanes of a godly life, which are to be vſed by our ſelues alone: and now it remaineth that we intreat of thoſe which wee are to vſe both by our ſelues, and alſo together with others. The firſt whereof is prayer, the which we hauehave before handled in the chiefe parts and poynts thereof: onelyonly here we are to ſhew, that it is a powerfull and effectuall meanes, whereby we are furthered in all the duties of a godly life. To which purpoſe let vsus know that nothing can be more auaileable to this end, ſeeing there is not any thing which maketh vsus more godly and religious, more like vntounto God, and partakers of the diuine nature, then this daily communion and intercourſe which wee hauehave with him. For as friendſhip, familiarity and neere ſociety, ariſeth amongſt men, out of ſimilitude of natures and manners; and contrariwiſe, likeneſſe of manners and conditions groweth by degrees out of friendly acquaintance, and common conuerſing one with another; ſo that if wee vſually keepe company, and entertaine conference with wicked men, wee are made wicked like them, by their ſociety and corrupt communication, which poyſoneth our manners; but if we delight to conuerſe and talke with thoſe which are godly and religious, wee increaſe thereby in godlineſſe and piety: ſo much more, if wee often hauehave this communion and conference with God by prayer, who is infinitely good in himſelfe, and the Authour and Fountaine of all goodneſſe which is in the creatures, wee ſhall daily increaſe in all piety and holineſſe, and by conuerſing with him (like Moſes) ſhine in his light: whereas the further wee withdraw our ſelues from this Fountaine of light and heate, goodneſſe and perfection, the more frozen ſhall we be in the dregs of our ſins, the more ſtony-hearted, and muddy-minded, and vtterly vnlike the diuine nature. Prayer (ſaith one) cauſeth maruellous effectually an holy life, and worthily fit for Gods Piam vitam, ac Dei cultu dignam, miris modis oratio conciliat, conciliatam auget, ac ceu theſaurum recondit in animis, &c. Chryſ. lib. de orando Deum, Tom. 5.ſeruice, and what it cauſeth, it increaſeth, and like a treaſure, layeth it vp in our mindes. For if a man indeuoureth to doe any thing appertaining to a godly life, prayer being his guide, and preparing the way, hee is ſure to finde a commdious and eaſie paſſage, &c. It is a ſigne of madneſſe, not to be perſwaded that it is the very death of the ſoule, if wee doe not often proſtrate our ſelues at Gods feet, who is the Authour of life. For as our body ſeuered from the ſoule, is but a dead carcaſe; ſo the ſoule is dead and miſerable, if it approch not often vntounto God by prayer. And this the common experience of all times hath plainly proued; ſeeing thoſe who (with Dauid) hauehave been moſt exerciſed in this religious duty, hauehave been alſo moſt holy, and men according to Gods heart; thoſe who hauehave neglected it, moſt prophane; and ſuch as hauehave vtterly contemned it, no better then wicked Atheiſts, God eſteeming it all alike, not to hauehave him at all, and not to call vponupon him. And therefore the Pſalmiſt deſcribeth the Atheiſticall foole, that ſaith in his heart, There is no God, by this outward Pſal. 14. 1, 2, 4.marke, that he neuer calls vponupon his Name; for if he acknowledged a God that were able to helpe him, he would ſue vntounto him when he needed his helpe.
§. Sect. 2 That prayer is the meanes of obtaining all Gods gifts and graces.
Secondly, heereby it appeareth, that prayer is a moſt excellent and neceſſary helpe vntounto a godly life, in that we are able to doe nothing without Gen. 6. 5. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13.it, but are inabled by it, to doe in ſome meaſure whatſoeuer good thing we can deſire. For of our ſelues we are weake and impotent vntounto all duties, and all the imaginations of our hearts being continually euill, wee are not able to thinke a good thought, or to entertaine a holy deſire; but it is the Lord onelyonly who beginneth, continueth, and perfecteth his worke of grace and ſanctification in vsus, and inableth vsus to returne vntounto him thoſe workes of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, which in reſpect of ability to performe Phil. 1. 6.them, we hauehave firſt receiued from him. So that if wee tender vntounto him any good duty, we may ſay with Dauid, Of thine owne hauehave wee offered 1. Chro. 29. 14.vntounto thee. Now the meanes which God hath ordained and ſanctified for the obtaining of any grace or helpe at his hand, whereby wee may bee ſtrengthened vntounto all duties of his ſeruice, is feruent and earneſt prayer, Mat. 7. 7. Joh. 16. 23.which he hath appointed to be the hand of the ſoule, to receiue from him all gifts of grace and goodneſſe. And though like a bountifull Prince, he offereth liberally vntounto vsus whatſoeuer we can lawfully deſire, yet he will not deliuer his rich gifts to thoſe who hold their hand in their boſome, and will not vouchſafe to put it foorth, that it may receiue them. We are dry and empty ciſternes, who hauehave naturally in vsus no drop of grace and goodneſſe, but what we receiue from God, who is the inexhauſtible fountaine of eueryevery good and perfect gift, as the Apoſtle telleth vsus. Now as hee Iam. 1. 17.hath appointed Chriſt to be the Conduit head, ſo prayer to be (as it were) the Pipe, whereby he will conuay vntounto vsus theſe waters of Life, which, if we intermit not, hee will richly repleniſh vsus with all his graces; but if we neglect this holy duty, and yet imagine to receiue any grace or ſpirituall ſtrength from him, it is all one, as if we ſhould cut off the pipe, and yet imagine to fill the empty ciſterne.
§. Sect. 3 That all the parts of prayer are ſingular helpes to a godly life.
Finally, all the parts of Prayer ſeuerally ſerue as ſpeciall meanes to further vsus in the duties of a godly life. For firſt, the confeſſion of our ſinnes will withhold vsus from the committing of them, whileſt aggrauating, bewayling, and adiudging our ſelues for them to thoſe fearefull puniſhments which they hauehave iuſtly deſerued, our hearts are wrought vntounto a true hatred of them, when as we ſee and acknowledge the miſerable fruits which ſpring from this curſed roote. Secondly, becauſe wee cannot for ſhame commit thoſe ſinnes willingly, which we hauehave humbly confeſſed, and God hath graciouſly pardoned. For what malefactour is ſo impudent, as to commit thoſe crimes againe, which his Prince of meere louelove hath lately remitted, and whileſt he hath (as it were) his pardon in his hand, eſpecially when he knovveth that he muſt the next day againe be arrained for them, and ſtand at the barre at his Soueraignes mercy? Thirdly, becauſe by often confeſſion vve ſearch out our hidden ſinnes, and ranſacke our hearts and conſciences, ſo as they cannot lye lurking in them, but are apprehended, condemned, and dravvne out to execution. Laſtly, becauſe vponupon our confeſſion, receiuing at Gods hands aſſurance of pardon, Pro. 28. 13. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Luk. 7. 47.according to his gracious promiſes; wee cannot but intirely louelove him, who hath forgiuen vsus ſo great a debt, whereby wee ſhall bee made loth to doe any thing which may diſpleaſe him, and ready to performe all good duties which may bee acceptable in his ſight. By petition alſo wee hauehave no leſſe helpe, ſeeing thereby wee come to a more thorow ſight of our wants, which worketh in vsus an hungring and thirſting deſire, that they may bee ſupplied, and of our imperfections in our beſt duties, that wee may ſtriue and labour after more perfection, carefully and conſcionably vſing all good meanes whereby our deſires may bee ſatisfied, ſeeing if wee ſhould neglect them, after wee hauehave made theſe earneſt ſuites, we ſhould both tempt the Lord, and diſcouer our owne groſſe hypocriſie, in asking thoſe things which wee care not to obtaine. Againe, by theſe ſuites and requeſts made vntounto God, according to his Luk. 11. 13.will, wee receiue the gift of his holy Spirit, which inableth vsus to all good duties, by regenerating and ſanctifying vsus, ſeeing God hath promiſed to giuegive him vntounto thoſe that aske him; and together with him wee obtaine all Gods ſanctifying gifts and graces, which by the ſame meanes are daily confirmed and increaſed in vsus, and hauehave ſuch a quickning power, vertue, and vigour added vntounto them, that they inable vsus to the conſtant performance of all Chriſtian duties; which otherwiſe lying dull and dead in vsus, wee ſhould become like a body without ſpirits, lumpiſh and lazie in Gods ſeruice. Finally, by theſe ſuites and requeſts our louelove is inflamed, vponupon our aſſurance that they are heard and granted; which ſtirreth vsus vp to yeeld vntounto God cheerefull obedience, our faith is confirmed, and our affiance and hope ſtrengthened, in aſſured confidence and expectation of Gods helpe and aſſiſtance, which will vphold vsus when we are ready to faint, inable vsus to ouercome all difficulties, and to performe all the duties of a godly life with much comfort and delight. Laſtly, thankſgiuing is a ſingular helpe to the ſame end, whileſt we recount and call to minde Gods manifold bleſſings and rich mercies, which of meere grace, without any deſert of ours, he hath from time to time multiplied vponupon vsus. All which (if we be not too too vngratefull) will bee ſo many ſtrong bands of louelove, to tye vsus vntounto obedience, and to make vsus cheerefull in all Chriſtian duties, ſeeing by them we ſerue ſo bountifull a Maſter, which if we neglect to doe, we ſhall play the notable hypocrites, in profeſſing that thankfulneſſe with our lips, which we neither hauehave in our hearts, nor take any care to expreſſe in our liues.