A Practical Discourse of Prayer, Discourse · Part 3 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V About time time ſpent in Prayer.
HAving briefly diſpatched this Caſe, about the uſe of means with praier, we ſhal go on to ſpeak to a fifth Caſe, namely, concerning the time to be ſpent in prayer, Queſt. 5, How long, or how ſhort we may be in prayer?About time in prayer. Much time to be ſpent in prayer. For
To which I anſwer, more generally, That the ſpace of time is not fixed, or limited but the Text plainly ſheweth, that much time is to be ſpent in prayer: Pray without ceaſing, implieth, be much in praier; ſpend much time about it. For 1. The heart is not ſo ſuddenly or eaſily gotten upon the wing; yet 1. The heart is not ſoon elevated.in that doth the nature and life of prayer conſiſt. It is a lifting up the heart, I lift up my heart to thee; that is, I pray, Pſa. 25. 1. We pray indeed when our hearts are elevated in praier. Many weights are oft-times upon our ſpirits to preſs them down, which are not ſo eaſily removed; many bonds, yea knots in theſe cords, ſtraitning our ſpirit, which are not not eaſily unloſed, we need enlargment of our hearts to run any ſuch way of Gods Commandments. We would, as men ſometimes in their ſleep, faine cry, but there is ſuch a weight upon our breſts that wee cannot; deadneſs ſeizeth upon us, and much rubbing is needful ere life is recovered: dulneſs annoieth us, and much whetting is requiſite ere our hearts get a ſpiritual edg upon them: we may ſay with the Church, Quicken us, ſo will we call upon thee, Pſa. 81. 18. and as Eccl. 10. 7 If the iron be blunt, the more pains is taken to ſharpen it, ſo it is here with our blunt ſpirits in prayer.
2. The neceſſities of the ſouls of the beſt, 2. The ſouls weighty neceſſities call to it.are ſo many and weighty, that a little time wil not ſuffice to expreſs them; yea it being the trade of a gracious ſoul to be thus merchandizing, his work and buſineſs being to be thus pleading, his calling as a Saint being to call upon God; ſurely a little time ſhould not be taken up in this his proper imployment.
3. As the time in prayer is managed and improved, all the reſt of our time is either 3. As time is husbanded in prayer, other times are better ſpent.bleſſed or blaſted to us. That morning that the ſoul ſpeeds well, that day all goeth the better; and on the contrary, if Jacob ſee Gods face in prayer the night before, he is confident to ſpeed well the next morrow, Gen. 32 30. If the Inſtrument of a Chriſtians ſpirit be not wel tuned in prayer, truly he wil make but bad muſick of it all the day after in his calling and imployments. If we ſpeed not wel at heavens Court, we ſhal not do ſo wel in earths Country: If at this holy Mart and Port we get not wel ſtored, and full lading, we ſhal make but poor Markets elſewhere.
But to anſwer more particularly. Sometimes We are to be long in prayer in caſein ſpecial ſort wee are to bee long in prayer; other times there are, when its meet to be but ſhort. We are to be long in praier.
1. When ſome extraordinary occaſion of 1. Of more then ordinary occaſions.the Church or Commonwealth, or of our own or other Chriſtians cal for it. Prayer of eight hours long was made on that Faſt day Neh 9. 3. Nehemiah himſelf ſpends whole daies in prayer and faſting, Neh. 1. 4. Praiers ſtretched out upon the Tenters (as the Gr. word is Act. 12. 5.) was made by the Church for Peters inlargement. Upon the calling of Chriſts twelve Diſciples, he ſpent a whole night in praier, Luk. 5. 12, 13. and ſo in Families, Chriſtians for a time are to be as only ſequeſtred to prayer and faſting, ſometimes 1 Cor. 7. 5. Abſtain with conſent for a time that you may give your ſelves to prayer. Ezra 8. 21.
2. When ſtrong and long temptations 2. Of ſpecial temptations.are upon us, Luk. 22. 44. Jeſus Chriſt in that ſtrong and bloody conflict in his ſoul, being in an Agony he prayed, foreign; in a more extended manner: Then the Pſalmiſt cryeth himſelf hoarſe with long crying, when in theſe quagmires, that deep pit, thoſe deep waters, Pſal. 69. 1. 2, 3. I ſink in the mire, I am weary with crying, my throat is dry? Lord in trouble they have poured out a prayer to thee, Eſa. 26. 16. They do not onelyonly barely drop, but plentifully pour out prayers. Then Pſal. 102. Title A prayer of the afflicted, when in diſtreſs he poureth out his complaint, &c. and that prayer following is longer then others. When Satan, foreign the Law Adverſary doth extend his Pleas againſt us, its meet that we ſhould enlarge our Counter Pleas for our own ſoules; as the powers of darkneſs do lengthen and multiply their wreſtlings, ſo muſt we our counter wreſtlings of Prayer. Eph. 6. 12. 18. We wreſtle with principalities, and powers, and rulers of the darkneſſe of this world. Praying with all manner of prayers. &c.
3. When ſome ſad trials and ſufferings 3. Of Eminent trials.are Eminent and approaching, then will Jeſus Chriſt ſpend night after night in prayer, not long before his bitter ſufferings. Compare Luk. 21. 37. with chap. 22, 23. For my love they are my Adverſaries. (ſaith he Pſa. 109. 4.) but I pray, or I give my ſelf to prayer, whileſt they are treacherouſly plotting my ruine. We muſt lay in a ſtock, a ſtore, a magazine of prayers, againſt ſuch a ſpiritual ſeige, and ſoreſt ſufferings; wherein, if not then ſo fit to pray, we may have the benefit of former prayers.
4. When we are in any ſpecial ſpiritual 4. Of ſpiritual Frames.Frames, then ſpread out your ſails and hoiſe them up to receive and improve the wind, as long as any ſpiritual gales laſt. When liberty of ſpeech is granted and given us, then ſpeak on. When the Cloud filleth the Temple, now is a time if ever, for Solomon to make his long prayer there, 1 Kings 8. 10, 11, 12. 22. when we are filled with the ſpirit, we may well continue pouring out prayer.
5. When we are not like to live long: Chriſt knowing he had but few dayes to 5. Of death not far off.live, ſpent the more time in prayer. Luke 21. & 22. compared with 1 Pet. 4. 7. now the end of all things is at hand (at leaſt to us in particlar) therefore be ſober, and watch unto prayer. If Heavens pleaders have but a little while allotted them, they had not need looſe any of that little time to plead in. When ſuch ſpirituall Merchants are ſhortly to go out of this country of trading ſo by prayer, they had need beſtow themſelves to purpoſe. When theſe travailours are ſo ſhortly to take their long journey home, they had need improve every ſand of Times hour-glaſs, for the diſpatch of the remaining part of their prayer-buſineſſe here. Sickneſſe alloweth but little reſpit and free ſpace for prayer. Other work of the poor ſoul is ſo various then, and perplexing, that it taketh up the whole man to diſpatch that. And indeed when ſincere ones have not long to live, they are the fitter for prayer. When the Saints are neer the Ocean of Eternity, then the Rivulets of Grace in their ſoules wax ſtronger. Weakly perſons which are Godly, are ſo often minded of Eternity, and Perpetuity, as times ſucceſſours, that they bare an Image of Perpetuity; it is deeply Inſtamped upon them in their Spirituals.
Obj. But ſome will ſay, ſhall not Suppliants then wander and vaniſh into forbidden Repetitions, if they are long in prayer?
Anſw. 1. The Saints are and may be Repetitions in prayer lawful.helped with ſuch holy variety, that unlawful Repetitions may be avoyded, as might be evinced by many Reaſons, if need were.
2. We diſtinguiſh of Repetitions in prayer: ſome are lawful, ſome are unlawful: The Scripture frequently giveth us inſtances of lawful Repetitions, as Amos 7. 2. 5. It is twice repeated, by whom ſhall Jacob ariſe, for he is ſmall. And in Solomons prayer, 1 Kings he oft repeateth this clauſe: then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, &c. verſ. 30. 39. &c. of this ſort of lawful Repetitions in prayer, are theſe.
Firſt, ſuch which are wrung from the ſtrength of pinching neceſſities, or temptations: as when Chriſt was ſo hard beſtead Firſt which are wrought from extremities.in the Garden, he oft, even a third time ſpake the ſame words, Intreating his Father, that if it were his will, that the Cup might paſs, Mat. 26. 39. 42. 44. and chap. 27. 46. Eli, Eli, Lamaſabachthani, My God, My God, why haſt thou forſaken me. So Paul in a like ſort beſought God thrice in the ſame manner, 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8. For this thing I beſought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me: like children in great pain, when they are to tell where it is, they iterate and reiterate this cry, O here, here, here, O here: or like men in a ditch, or among thieves iterating this out cry, help, help, help; or as priſoners in ſtraits, crying, bread, bread, for the Lords ſake bread, a little bread for Chriſts ſake; or as it is with men, when their houſe is on fire in the night, they cry fire, fire, fire.
Secondly, ſuch Repetitions wherein the heart is carried out with equall Secondly, wherein the heart is lively.ſtrength, of feeling and holy affections. at a third, as at a firſt time; ſo was Chriſt in his Iterated cryes. He made ſupplication with ſtrong crying and teares. So Dan. 9. 17, 18, 19. often Iterateth, O Lord hear: when there is in a gracious ſupplicant ſo much ſtrength of love, deſire, and eſteem, and ſutable wreachings after mercies begged, that the ſoul is not content to ſpeak once, but it muſt ſpeak it over and over againe. As friends when commending ſome buſineſs of greateſt weight to their friends care, they will be often repeating, be ſure you forget me not in ſuch or ſuch a thing. So is it here in making known our requeſts to God. Or as it is with a cry uttered with greateſt ſtrength, it cauſeth the Iteration of a like Echo: ſo is it here when repetitions in prayer, are the Echoes of ſtrong cryes of ſpirit; as it is when a Ball is banded with great ſtrength, it maketh many rebounds: ſo is it when the heart is carried out with great ſtrength of holy affections, it is apt to make theſe holy rebounds of ſuch repetitions; or as a Bell which having been but then ringing, doubles and redoubles its knoles, from the ſtrength put forth in its ringing; So will the gracious heart be giving many reiterated lifts, and thoſe ſounding out in like expreſſions of the lips in prayer. Hence that reiterated deſire of the Saints, Pſal. 72. 19.Amen and Amen.
3. Such Repetitions in prayer are lawful, 3. Which ſpring from ſaith exerciſedwhich ſpring from ſome ſtrong workings of ſaith, in the expectation of mercies: ſuch was that Iterated cry and prayer, Amen, even ſo (which is the ſence o… the ſame) Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, as believing Chriſts word then mentioned, Loe I come quickly, Revel. 22. 20. So Pſal. 89. 50, 51. the Pſalmiſt concluding that God had heard his prayer, ſaith, Bleſsed be the Lord, Amen, and Amen. ſuch was that frequent repetition of Davids in his prayer to God to bleſſe his houſe, as building upon the truth of his promiſe for that end: of which ſee 2 Sam. 7. 25, 26, 27, 29: thus is faith letting down the ſame bucket into the well, which is preſented to it when the believing ſoule heareth aſſuredly that its friend, the Lord is within hearing, It knocketh thus again and again, in the ſame ſort as before.
4. Such repetitions in prayer which 4 Which ſpring from love.ſpring from love, or are accompanied with ſpeciall delight and ſpirituall ſtirring of heart in the very mention thereof: ſuch was their reiterated cry in ſolemn worſhip of God, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty; Revel. 4. 8. ſuch ſtraines of love and holy delight may often be reiterated in holy muſicall diviſions (as I may call them) albeit there be little variation. Look as where a ſpeech is pleaſing, a motion is wont to be made to heare that over again; ſo here, the ſpirit of Chriſt liking to hear us ſpeak ſo very favourly and ſincerely in this or that paſſage in prayer, may bid us ſpeak that again. In ſundry paſſages of the Saints prayers, the holy Ghoſt in ſpeciall manner ſpake in them and with them, and ſuch like double ſpeeches of Gods Saints and Spirit ſpeaking together, may well be repeated.
But yet there are Repetitions in prayer Repetitions in prayer unlawfull. 1 When affected.which are unlawfull, as,
1. Such which are affected: as, ſtreines of eloquence, uttered in a Rhetoricall way. Such were thoſe of the Gentiles, Matth. 6. 7, 8. Ʋſe not repetitions as the Heathens. Theſe may pleaſe mens eares; but in prayer, whereas ſuppliants ſhould be moſt humble and ſelf-denying, they are loathſome to the Lord.
2. Such Repetitions which are vain, 2 When vain.Matth. 6. 7. Ʋſe not vain repetitions: vaine, that is, empty, frothy, impertinent, unprofitable repetitions, wherein is no ſpiritual life, heat, vigour, nor yet ſolidity nor integrity.
3. Such repetitions which are Idolized, 3 When Idolized.Matth. 6. they think they ſhall be heard for their much babling: to conceit that God would not, or could not take notice of our wants, unleſſe we ſhould word it in that ſort with him, is a great diſhonour to his free and rich grace, and to his faithfull and watchfull care and reſpect to his ſuppliants: or to reſt and truſt in our Repetitions, that God will the rather regard us, is to make God like a mortall man.
4. Such Repetitions which ſpring from 4 When from hypocriſie.hypocriſie, namely from ſecret deſire to ſeem to be fervent in prayer, or to be thought of others to ſpend much time in prayer, or to ſtop the mouth of an accuſing conſcience, which would elſe be quarrelling at perſons if too briefe in prayer: and therefore to fill up times, men will be making ſuch repetitions of the ſame things and phraſes, in their prayers; ſuch like repetitions as theſe are ſinfull and heatheniſh: men thereby take Gods name in vaine, abuſe his holy eare, willing to draw him to liſten to bablings, they derogate from the glory of Gods wiſdome, would make God to be one that is dull of hearing or conceiving, as childiſh as the ſonnes of men; like an Idol Baal, 1 King. 18. needing long and loud crying to awaken him by a vain reiteration, O Baal heare us. Such caſt diſparagement and diſhonour upon the renowned Ordinance of Prayer, making it to be but as empty expence of time in aiery, vain, and vaniſhing expreſſions. So much for the anſwer to the former part reſpecting length of prayer: Now conſider in what caſes, and with what Cautions we may be ſhort in prayer.We may be ſhort in prayer in caſe of bodily Ayls.
We may be ſhort in prayer, 1. in caſe of bodily ſickneſſe, pain, Faintneſſe, and death▪ approaching, Dan. 10. 16. 17. How can thy ſervant talk with this my Lord, there remaining no ſtrength in me. Sick Hezekiah and Jacob were ſhort in prayer, Eſay 38. 1, 2. Heb. 11. 21. Jacob worſhippeth God leaning on his ſtaffe.
2. In caſe of preſſing occaſions, unavoydable 2 Of preſſing occaſions.by ordinary prudence or providence: when the Philiſtims came ſuddenly upon Samuel and upon Saul in prayer they ſoon diſpatch, 1 Sam. 7. 14.
3. In caſe of prevailing indiſpoſedneſſe 3 Of prevailing indiſpoſedneſs.of heart to pray; after much ſtrivings to pray, yet diſtempers and hurries of ſpirit abate not: better then be ſhort, then multiply words in any ſenſeleſs and tumultuous manner, and take Gods Name in vain.
4. In caſe a Chriſtian be perſonally perſecuted, 4 Of perſonall perſecution.and may not ſtay long in one place.
5. In caſe the prayer to be made be 5 Of Occaſionall prayer.onelyonly occaſionall, above that of our ordinary courſe. In ſuch a caſe Hezekiah is ſhort, 2 Kings 19. 14. to 20. and 2 Chro. 30. 20, 21. OnelyOnly in ſpending ſo little time in prayer, take we theſe Cautions.Cautions touching ſhort prayer. 1 That it be not uſuall.
1. That it be not ordinary and uſuall with us ſo to doe, but rather occaſionall: to be ordinarily ſo brief in prayer, would argue ſtrangeneſſe and unacquaintedneſſe with the Lord, men not uſing to hold any long diſcourſe with ſtrangers. It would manifeſt ſuſpition and diſtruſt, and ſleighting of God; as men that uſe to ſpeak either ſeldome, or but little at once, with perſons they ſuſpect, or dare not truſt, or who are not regarded. Beſides, it would evidence a ſelf-full ſpirit; they have little buſineſſe with the Lord, and therefore will not exchange many words before him: however, it will be an argument at beſt, of ſlender abilities and weakneſſe of mind, that they cannot hold any long diſcourſe with God.
2. That it be not out of a worldly 2 That it be not ſo from a worldly ſpirit.ſpirit, ſo earneſt and intent upon the world, as affording ſcarce time for God or good; family and cloſet ſervices of God, muſt therefore be diſpatched uſually in haſte and a hurry: there are ſo many that call upon ſuch perſons without, that they have not leiſure or liſt to be with God in prayer, within: they are ſo familiarly and fully imployed with theſe new friends, that they ſpeak but by ſnatches with God. They are ſo much abroad, that they can be but little at home: when theſe choaking weeds of the world ſpread ſo faſt, & ſo far, that they croud and thruſt the good grain, hearbs and fruits into a very narrow room and compaſſe.
3. That it be not from negligence 3 It be not from ſleightneſſe.or ſleightneſſe, yea or from prophaneneſſe of ſpirit, ſuppoſing that ſuch a ſhort good-morrow, or good-even will ſerve the Lords turn wel enough.
4. That it be not out of improvidence, 4 That it be not from improvidence.when by the uſe of godly foreſight, wiſedome, and prudence, ſuch ſtreights of time for prayer might have been prevented: for that will ſadly afflict and abaſe a Chriſtian, if he be indeed gracious and tender-hearted.