A Practical Discourse of Prayer, Title page – Table of contents
A PRACTICAL DISCOURSE OF PRAYER.
Wherein is handled, The Nature, the Duty, the Qualifications of Prayer; the ſeveral ſorts of Prayer; viz. Ejaculatory, Publick, Private, and Secret Prayer.
With the Neceſſity of, and In. gagements unto Prayer.
Together, with ſundry Caſes of Conſcience about it.
By THOMAS COBBET, Miniſter of the Word at Lyn, in New-England.
Pſal. 141. 2. Let my Prayer be ſet forth before thee as Incenſe, and the lifting up of my hands as the Evening Sacrifice.
Imprimatur,
EDM. CALAMY.
London, Printed by T. M. for Joſeph Cranford at the Phoenix in Pauls Church yard. 1654.
TO THE READER.
Courteous Reader,
I Have adventured twice already into the Preſſe, in matters controverſall, and (through grace) what I have written hath found good acceptance in the eyes of the godly wiſe; and now upon the earneſt perſwaſion of godly and worthy friends here, unto the Lord, and unto me, I am ſending forth this diſcourſe, which reſpecteth a matter practical. Its not a little exerciſe unto godly minds, and much more grievous is it in the ſight of the God of truth and peace, that there is ſo great and confuſed a noyſe of axes and hammers now adayes in the Lords Temple; and ah when will that bleſſed time come, when unto all the Lords people whatſoever, [there ſhall bee but Zech, 14. 9.one Lord, and his Name one?] Verily, its ſtrange to ſee, that in theſe dayes the Lord according to his promiſe, ſhould ſo graciouſly afford to his people the meanes; even turne to the people a pure lip, a pure Zeph. 3. 9.Miniſtry; and yet the promiſed end thereof is not attained, namely, the ſerving of the Lord with one ſhoulder, or with one conſent. I know there are many lets thereunto, but ſurely this is not the leaſt, that the word held forth by the purer Miniſtry thereof, hath not had ſuch effectual force upon their hearts who injoy the ſame, as to bring them to be conſcionable in calling upon the Name of the Lord, which is the more immediate end of ſuch a Miniſtry. For ſo ſaith the Lord, I will turne to the people a pure lip or language, that they may call upon the Name of the Lord; for then the next effect would follow, which there alſo is promiſed, they would come to ſerve the Lord with one conſent. But the ſubtle enemy to all purity and power of godlineſſe he beſtirreth himſelfe what in him lyeth, to heighten & increaſe as many differences in judgment in Chriſtians as may be, and that way breed and feed diſtances in affection, and ſo undermine any ſuch nnanimous attending to ſerve the Lord. The heads and hearts both of Preachers and Profeſſors ſhall be ſo buſily and continually taken up with endleſs diſputes, that they ſhall have little leiſure or liſt to attend the practicals of Religion, wherein the life and power of pure Religion doth mainly conſiſt. Diſputing times about the Speculatives of Religion are wont to be declining times in the Practicals and Vitals thereof. Witneſs former ages, wherein the Schoole-men and their notions flouriſhed, but purity and power of Religion withered. And ah, that this preſent age, which yeildeth ſo many Scepticks in Religion, had not withall increaſed the Spitals of decaied, unſound, ſpiritually ſick, lame, blind, deaf, dumb, yea, dying, and twice dead Chriſtians. Surely, If chriſtians had maintaine… …cquaintance with God in praier, they … never fallen in thus with ſo many del…ve fancies, and ſo come to have fallen out with the weightier matters of God, ſo as to be at ſuch diſtances from them in their Spirits. If they had faithfully repayred to the Lord for his counſel, their ears and hearts had not been ſo open to Satanicall whiſperings. How much was that man of God in prayer to be kept ſound in the faith? witneſſe his frequent requeſts this way mentioned, Pſal. 119. 10. O let me not wander from thy commandments: and verſe 29. remove from me the way of lying, (doctrinally, as well as practically conſidered) and grant me thy law graciouſly. Ve. 43. Take not away utterly the word of truth out of my mouth, ſo ſhall I keep thy law continually. Ver. 66. Teach me good judgement and knowledge, for I have believed thy commandements. Ver. 80. Make my heart ſound in thy Statutes, that I be not aſhamed. The corrupt prophets and prieſts of old, who ſeduced the people from the truth, were perſons that made no conſcience of prayer. Jer. 10. 21. The Paſtours are become brutiſh and have not ſought the Lord. Thoſe Apoſtatizing Newters in Religion of old, they were men that were careleſs of ſeeking of God, and counſelling with him in their prayers. Zeph. 1. 6. And them that are turned back, and thoſe that have not ſought the Lord, nor inquired for him. The like may be wel feared in Chriſtians in theſe Apoſtatizing times from the truths and wayes of God, that they doe not talk much with God in prayer, and hee as little delighteth to ſpeak to their hearts. They grow looſe-hearted, and ſtrangers to God; and Satan eſpying this distance betwixt them and God, falleth in with them, entereth other deluſive diſcourſes with them, and at length withdraweth them yet further from the Lord. But thou, Christian Reader, plye it with the Lord in prayer, that hee would draw thee after him, and he will bring thee into his Chambers, Cantic. 1. 4. Hee will bring thee into the ſecret of his Counſels, preſence and protection, where thou ſhalt hee kept ſafe in judgement, heart and life, in the worſt times. Fervent and faithfull prayers would alſo help very much to caſt out the uncleane ſpirit out of the land, and to diſpoſſeſſe the ſpirits of many Chriſtians who are even poſſeſſed by an erring ſpirit. If there were alſo but more men of God, who might, Moſes like, continue holding up their hands in prayer, no doubt but Amalakite ſpirited ſeducers would ſoone be put to the worſe; yea, though Philiſtine-like, they had even routed the Churches of Chriſt, yet a few ſuch bleſſed worthies of God, who are mighty with God in prayer, would like ſo many Shammahs or Eleazers, ſoon prevail for a bleſſed day over them. If Jonathan had not wrought with God (in Prayer) 1 Sam. 14. 45. Iſrael had never had ſo glorious a day, as they had againſt tboſe Philiſtins. If men had even given themſelves to the Divel, as too many now have to ſpirits of Error, yet if Luther-like, we were more in prayer, there might be help that way, and they reſcued, and thoſe Spirits diſcarded. And what gracious heart can bear it, to ſee ſo many poor Chriſtians even drawn to death, and forbear crying to the Lord for their deliverance! Myſtical Babylon devoted to ruin, haſtneth to its downfal, and ſhall not we be up, and doing in prayer now to help diſpatch her, as they of old did that other Babylon? Jerem. 51. 35. The violence done to me be upon Babylon, ſhall the Inhabitants ſay, My blood upon the Inhabitants of Chaldea, ſhal Jeruſalem ſay; namely, in their earneſt prayers. The time approaches when the promiſed mercies to the poor blinded Jewes ſhall be accompliſhed; and what more ſeaſonable work of love can we do for the Lord or them, then to be now much in praying? Oh that the ſalvation Pſalm 14. 7.of Iſrael were come out of Zion. In a word, Let all the enemies of England, old or new, to Commonwealth or Church, know, that Churches of praying Believers are terrible as ſo many Armies with Banners, as ſo many thundring Legions. Let them tremble to think, that what ever breaches they have occaſioned amongſt the Lords people, yet that there is a conſiderable ſtand of reſolute ones left, right bred Iſraelites, notable good wreſtlers, and as ſpecial prevailers with God. I believe that the Churches enemies, the Prelates, and others of Englands enemies to their Civil State, have been forced to ſee or feel the force of Saints Prayers. We may ſet God to work, (pardon the expreſsion) in theſe dangerous times to Church and Commonwealth by our Prayers; as hee did of old in like caſe, Pſalm 119. 126. It is time for thee, Lord, to work; for they make void thy Law.
Wherefore, Chriſtian Reader, albeit others have written worthily about this Subject of Prayer in their times, yet let it not ſeem unſeaſonable to thee, or bee unaccepted by thee, that I alſo (though the moſt unfit and unworthy to attempt ſo great a work) do at this time likewiſe, bring in Evidence with other Witneſſes to the ſame Truth, concerning the Nature, Neceſsity, Excellency, and Efficacy of holy and ſpirituall Prayer; and that I alſo, according to that ſmall meaſure of Light and Grace received of the Lord, doe hereby endeavour to ſtir up thy pure mind by way of Remembrance, that thou mayeſt bee mindfull, not alone 2 Pet. 3.of their Writings, but eſpecially of the words before ſpoken, both by the Prophets and Apoſtles concerning this Subject of Prayer; that as in Preaching upon it here, the Lord was pleaſed to bleſſe that Diſcourſe of Prayer to ſundry Souls, ſo (if it may be his gracious pleaſure) it may bee of lively and effectual uſe to thy ſouls welfare and peace: Which ſhall bee his prayer, who is
Thine in the Lord Jeſus. THOMAS COBBET. Ly… in New-England, the 24. of October, 1653.
The Heads of the Chapters, the particular Contents whereof ſtand in the Margin of the Book at their proper places which they refer to.
PART I.
Chapt. 1. THe ſeveral Reaſons of prayer, taken from God, Chriſt, and the Holy Spirit, and from Saints themſelves, alſo from the neceſſities of, and engagements unto prayer.
Chap. 2 Ejaculatory prayer is deſcribed, the excellency of it is ſhowen, in that it is the Saints firſt and laſt holy breathing, the Alpha and Omega of Solemn prayer.
Chap. 3. The Requiſites unto publick prayer are handled.
Chap. 4. The duty of Family-prayer is handled.
Chap. 5. Handling the duty of Cloſet-praier.
Chap. 6. The Rules about praying for others is handled, and alſo of prayer of Imprication againſt others.
PART. II.
Chap. 1. Is ſhewne wherein Importunity in prayer conſiſteth.
Chap. 2. Handling the Opportunities of praier.
Chap. 3. Sheweth what it is to pray indeſinently: and not to give out in prayer.
Chap. 4. Touching faith in prayer, and the neceſſity of it: and what faith is required in prayer.
Chap. 5. Sheweth wherein Humility in prayer conſiſteth.
Chap. 6. Sheweth wherein Sincerity in praier conſiſteth.
Chap. 7. Sheweth a threefold watchfulneſſe in praier is required, and wherein it conſiſteth.
PART. III.
Chap. 1. Touching unregenerate perſons prayer? and that they are bound to pray.
Chap. 2. Touching diſtraction in prayer, and the cauſes thereof, and what diſtractions nullifie prayer.
Chap. 3. Shewing that things materially good ſuggeſted in prayer, may be deluſions.
Chap. 4. Shewing what means are to be uſed in praier.
Chap. 5. About the time that is to be ſpent in prayer, which is to be much.
Chap. 6. Shewing the neceſſity of pleading in prayer.
Chap. 7. Shewing the cauſes of ſtraitnings in prayer.
Chap. 8. About inlargements in prayer, which are ſaving.
Chap. 9. About meltings in prayer, which are from ſaving principles.
Chap. 10. Shewing how to conceive of God in prayer.
Chap. 11. In what order we are to direct our prayers to God.