The Substance of Christian Religion, Lecture 45
The forty fifth Lords day.
On Ephes. 6. 18.
Praying alwayes with … prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication f…r all Saints.
THe Apostle after explication of our spiritual armour, which every Christian ought to furnish himself with, addes exhortations to prayers, by which this spiritual armour is taken up, put on, strengthened, made sure, and of proof, and is encreased. In the Exhortation it self several things are expounded as the Duty of praying▪ which duty is declared, 1. By a distribution, with all prayer and supplication; 2. From the adj…nct of time, alway, or at all times. 3. From the ob…ect, unto whose good these prayers are to serve; to wit not onelyonly for our selves, but for all Saints 4. From the efficient cause, by the Holy Ghost. 5. From its singular manner that must accompany it, which consists in watching and in perseverance.
Doct. 1. Prayer is amongst those p…incipal duties, which ought to be had a care of by us.
It is hence gathered from the Text; because the Apostle so carefully urgeth it.
Reas 1 Because it gives very great glory to God; for God in all our prayers is acknowledged the principle and fountain of all our good.
Reas. 2. It contains mans greatest subjection and homage to God. 1. Because it seeks all things of free▪ gift and grace. 2. Because the soul and conscience themselves are prostrated before God, and cast at his feet as it were, when we pray.
Reas. 3. Because by prayer, we receive all the spiritual gifts of God.
Reas. 4 Because by the same, we sanctifie to our selves all the corporal gifts of God.
Reas. 5. Because by Prayer we flie unto God, that in him we may be secured from all evill.
Reas. 6. Because we have most sweet communion and communication of the grace of God in the exercise of Prayer.
Reas. 7. Because in Prayer either expressely, or implyed we give up our selves unto God, so as after and from prayer, we rise more obliged and bound to God than we were before; because all Prayer hath alwayes adjoyn'd to it some promise of thankfulnes, for hearing our prayer and granting our desires.
Use Is of of Exhortation, that we may more and more give our selves to this holy exercise of Prayer, as well in publick as in private Unto which care many considerations ought to stir us up: As first, That holy Prayer is so acceptable to God, that in Scriptures it useth to be called Incense, or Perfume, and Sacrifice. 2. In that it is so proper to the godly▪ that in Scriptures godly men, and such as call upon the name of God, are without difference put for the same. 3. In that it is so inseparable a fruit of the holy spirit dwelling in the heart of a believing man, that from thence it is called the spirit of Prayer; and Prayer is almost the same to spiritual life, as breathing is to naturall or animal life. Moreover that by prayers we best resist all sort of temptations; whence also it is, that we are bid resist the Devill by Praying; and to pray and watch, that we fall not into temptation: Lastly, in that all grace is stirred up, and increased by the exercise of Prayer.
Doct. 2. In prayer we ought to exercise our selves in all the kindes and sorts of it.
This is hence gathered in that the Apostles exhorts us here, to all prayer, and supplication, and thanksgiving.
Reas. 1. Because our manifold necessities, as well in respect of evils, wherewith we are pressed; as in respect of good things that we want, or for receiving whereof we ow thanks; as also the necessities and occasions of others, unto whom we ow this▪ duty of Prayer, do require manifold sorts of Prayer.
Reas. 2. Because by this means, not one onelyonly, or another, but all the graces of God are put forth and exercised in us, according to their proper objects and natures.
Reas 3. Because God by this means is many ways glorified of us.
Use Is of Direction, that we rest not on forms of Prayers, as if the saying over of such were enough, for the fulfilling of our duty in general; because according to divers occasions, we ought to betake ourselves to divers manners or wayes of Praying.
Doct. 3. In Godly prayers the holy spirit exercises a speciall power of his own.
From the words, by the holy spirit.
Reas. 1. Because we of our selves know not, neither how, nor what to pray for: And although we be taught about such things in the word of God, yet for the practise it self, a special direction of the holy spirit is requisite.
Reas. 2. Because our weaknesses are so many, in the exercise of Prayer, that they must be helped by the holy spirit.
Reas. 3. Because no prayers can be holy and acceptable to God, unlesse they come from the holy Spirit.
Use, Of Direction, that in making our prayers, we trust not to our own wit, and volubility of gifts, and to our own strength; but that we rely alwayes on the grace and help of the Holy Spirit.
Doct. 4. In some sort or other we ought alwayes, or at all times to be praying.
From the words, Praying alwayes.
Reas. 1. Because we ought always to have a praying disposition of minde, or a mind ready to pray: For in this consists the right disposition and ordering of our minde.
Reas. 2. Because we ought to take all just occasion of this exercise of Prayer.
Reas. 3. Because we ought not to passe over our set and established times of prayer.
Use Is of Reproof against such, as are so far from this exercise, that they cannot onelyonly passe over whole dayes, but weeks also without any serious thoughts of Prayer.
Doct. 5. The manner of Praying, is as much to be taken care of, as prayer it self.
This is here gathered, in that watching unto prayer is commanded in the same manner with prayer. Now watching unto Prayer, belongs unto the manner of Praying, and in some sort it contains all things, that belongs unto it. For,
First, We ought to watch before prayer, that we may so prepare our selves thereto, as all hinderances may be removed, and we our selves get a fit disposition of mind and spirit.
Secondly, In prayer we must watch against lukewarmnesse, want of reverence, wandring thoughts, and the like.
Thirdly, After prayers we must be watchfull, against forgetfulnesse and slothfulnesse, whereby we come short of the fruit of our prayers; neither indeed for our carelesnesse ought we to expect any.
Reas. 1. Because in every moral action the manner of doing is of greatest weight, by which it onelyonly is, that we not onelyonly do that which is good, but do it well.
Reas 2. Because in prayer, after a special manner we are in Gods presence, in whose sight, how we behave our selves is a matter of no small concernement.
Reas. 3. Because a corrupt manner of praying, sometimes not only blasts the power of our prayers, but also makes them to be turned into sin to us.
Use, Of Direction, that we may have a care of all such things, as make for the right manner of praying; such as are Faith, Humility, Zeal, or Fervour, and Constancy.