The Young Mans Guide, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Containeth Directions how to live a godly and gracious Life.
BEtake thy self to live a godly and gracious Life.
For thy help therein take these Directions.
I. Direction, At thy first awaking in the morning lift up thine heart to God in a thankful acknowledgement of his mercy to thee the night pass, in giving thee such quiet rest and sleep, whereby thy body is refreshed, and thou inabled for the duties of the day. And beg of God that he would so assist thee with his Grace and Holy Spirit, that all the thoughts of thy heart, and words of thy mouth, and works of thy hands, the day following, may be acceptable in his sight.
And in regard the Devil, at thy first awaking, is very watchful to take possession of thine heart, by casting in some wicked, worldly, wanton thoughts; it will be thy wisdom to prevent him, by fixing thy heart on some spiritual subject; as on God, his Word, or Works, his Providence, or Properties. Good thoughts in the Morning will so season thine heart, that thou shalt retain the favour of such a gracious beginning all the day after.
II. Direction, to a godly life.
So soon as thou art ready, before thou goest about the works of thy Calling, withdraw thy self into some private place, and there pour out thy Soul unto God by fervent and effectual prayer. Be sure to open thine heart to God, before thou open thy Shop to men. This secret prayer we find commended by Christ himself, Matth. 6. 6, When thou prayest, enter into thy Closet; and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father that is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. And we find that what he commanded, himself practised? for Mark 1. 35. it is said, In the Morning Christ went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. How careful the servants of God have been therein, none will question, who are acquainted with the Scriptures.
Besides all the Benefits of prayer in general, secret prayer hath these:
1. It will be some testimony of the sincerity of thine heart. A man may joyn in Publick and Family-prayer meerly in hypocrisie, to gain the applause and commendation of men: But he that maketh Conscience of praying in secret, and that in obedience to the Command of God, with a desire to approve himself unto him, hath some good evidence of the truth and sincerity of his heart.
2. It is in our secret prayers that God doth ordinarily give the greatest discoveries of his love▪ Iacob met with the blessing when he wrestled with God in secret. As Cornelius was praying by himself alone, a Man in bright cloathing, or an Angel, appeared to him, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, Act. 10. 30, 31. When Peter was praying alone upon the House, he saw a Vision, and heard a Voice from Heaven speaking unto him, Act. 10. 9, 10, &c. The secrets of the Lord are usually revealed unto his people, when they are seeking him in secret. Christ giveth his sweetest kisses, and dearest imbraces to his Spouse when she is alone.
Yet how is this duty of secret prayer generally omitted, especially by the younger sort of Citizens, whose heads, and hearts, and time are so taken up with sensual pleasures, and worldly businesses, that they can scarce allow themselves any time to spend with God in secret. Surely such do plainly demonstrate, that they love the World, and the pleasures thereof, more than God himself. Nay, how can such say, that they love God at all in truth and sincerity, when they delight not in communion with him? nor love to have any intercourse with him in secret?
Oh young men, that I might prevail with you for the time to come, to be more constant in this duty; that you would not go into your Shops, till you have been with God in private, and there offered up your morning Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving: I beseech you for the sake of your precious souls, plead no excuse from worldly businesses. The Devil, and your own corrupt hearts, will find many occasions to divert you from the duty; but say to them as Abraham to his servants, Stay you here while I go, and worship the Lord yonder.
Shouldst thou omit thy Morning Devotions for any worldly businesses, thou wouldst thereby hazard the loss of thy precious Soul, for the gaining of a little worldly wealth, which can yield thee no true comfort. And what will it avail thee to gain the whole world, and lose thine own Soul, Mark 8. 36.
Friend, let this my Counsel be accepted of thee, and prevail with thee; set upon a constant course of serious secret prayer, or else never talk of Christianity, or Religion in thee, thou hast nothing of it. A Christian without prayer, is a man without breath: Prayer is the very breathing of a Christian soul.
In the performing thy secret devotions, observe these Rules.
1. Beware of doing them in a cursory, careless, and formal way. He who serves God carelesly, is like to bring a curse upon himself instead of a blessing: For cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently, Jer. 48. 10. So it is in the letter of the Hebrew, though the new Translators of our Bible render it, Deceitfully. Which two words may very well interpret one another. For he that doth a work negligently, doth it deceitfully, he doth as if he would deceive God, but at last he deceiveth his own Soul. Such prayers as are performed coldly, and negligently, they are as if they had not been done in Gods account, and a man is never the better for them; yea, he is the worse for such prayers, for they leave the Heart more worldly and covetous, more hard and obdurate than it was before, and more guilty before God.
2. Let thy prayers be fervent, performed with earnestness of Spirit and affection. Set thy self in good earnest to seek the Lord, which is the only means to prevail with him; for it is the fervent prayer only that is effectual, Jam. 5. 16. To this end be sure thou give not way either to drowsiness of body, or distractions of mind, unto which we are all naturally too too prone; but stir up thy self to the duty, putting forth all the strength thou canst therein. Though thy strength be but weakness, yet if thy strength be in the work, God will accept thereof.
As when a Father sets his Child about such or such a work, though the Child be very weak and insufficient for the same, yet if it put forth its strength therein, to do it as well as it can, the Father will accept thereof, as if it were done after the best manner. So it is between God and us, though we are very weak, and insufficient for the performance of any spiritual duty, yet if we put forth our strength therein, God will accept thereof.
Among other directions which might be given to drive away wandring thoughts in prayer, and to raise up thine affections therein, take notice of these two.
1. Make choice of such a place for the performance thereof, where thou mayst use thy voice, and not be heard of others. The Voice in prayer will be found very effectual, both to keep thine heart close to the duty, and to quicken thine affections therein.
2. If notwithstanding thou findest thy mind hath been wandring in prayer after worldly matters, it will be a good course, in thy Closet Devotions, to pray those heads over again, which thou deliveredst without any Observation, labouring as to keep thine heart closer to the duty, so to perform it with more fervency, and earnestness of affection.