The Nature Parts and Kinds of Prayer, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of the time of Prayer.
Sect. 1.
ORder will require that I now ſpeak of the time of prayer: concerning which we may ſay with Baſil, Baſil.Orandi tempus tota vita, the whole …ife of a Chriſtian is the time of prayer; the Apoſtle exhorts the Epheſi…ns to pray alwayes, with all manner of prayers and ſupplications in the spirit, Eph. 6.18, 19. and bids the Theſſalonians to pray continually, 1 Theſſ. 5.17. or without ceaſing: but by theſe places we muſt not underſtand, that we muſt do no thing elſe but pray; for that is an impoſſibility; nor is it convenient and requiſite, that we ſhould wholly attend to this duty, and neglect all other duties of Religion, and that we ſhould alway pray, and not eat, drink, or ſleep, and do ſuch other things as nature neceſſarily requireth: there were a ſort of hereticks in Auſtin's time, called Meſſalians, and Euchitae, who would ſeem to ſpend ſo much time in prayer, as to neglect all other duties whatſoever.
Now the Greek word [foreign] ſignifies ſuch a performance of the duty, as that we ceaſe not to do it, at ſuch times as God requires it at our hands; ſo then
1. A man is ſaid to pray continually, when he prayeth, when he ought to pray: the Philoſophers judg a man idle, when he doth not what he ought, in the time wherein he ſhould work: ſo a man may be ſaid not to pray continually, when he neglects praying when he ought to pray; when we would have a …ing frequently done, we uſe to ſay, …e that ye be alwayes doing of it: …oſe phraſes of praying alway and …aying without ceaſing, do com…only ſignifie no more than very …equently: as Solomons ſervants are …id to ſtand ever before him, or …ntinually, 1 Kings 10.8. as we ſay … a tradeſman that keeps much at …ome, that he is ever in his ſhop: … this purpoſe the Apoſtle exhorteth …e Coloſſians to continue in prayer, …loſ. 4.2.
2. Prayer is to be conſidered, as reſpecteth the cauſe which is a cer…in vehement deſire of charity; and …in mind and ſpirit it is perpetuall, Quia fide, ſpe, & charitate, continu…i deſiderio ſempèr oramus, becauſe … faith, hope, and charity, with a …ontinued deſire, we do alwayes …ny; as Auſtin ſaid, cited by Urſi…s: Ʋrſin Catech.The ſpirit helpeth our infirmities, …d maketh interceſſion for us, with …oans which cannot be expreſſed: and …us every Chriſtian man may ſay, …ith the Church in the Canticles; I …ep, but my heart awaketh; for though a Chriſtian doth not alway pray with his tongue, yet his deſires do alwayes ſpeak unto God; The deſire o… his ſoul is to his name, and to the remembrance of him, Iſai. 26.8. and therefore we ſay,
Aliud eſt ſermo multus,
Aliud eſt diuturnus affectus.
it is one thing to ſpeak alway, an… another thing to deſire continually and it is one thing to pray in voic… and tongue, another thing to pra… in mind and ſpirit, for that in hear… and affection we ſhould be alwa… crying in the ears of God; but i… voice and tongue we are not enjoyned alway to pray, but to keep ou… appointed times both in publick an… private prayers, and as often as a… extraordinary occaſion ſhall be offered, to betake our ſelves to our extraordinary prayers: our heart ſhould always be in a praying frame we ſhould be evermore diſpoſed an… fitted thereunto, and exerciſe it upo… every occaſion, either by words, o… ſighs, or groans ſent up to God.
Sect. 2.
Queſt. BUt here it may be demanded, How ſhall a man keep … heart in a praying frame?
Resp. 1. Be much in meditation; deditation is a great advantage …ereunto; when the ſoul (like the …e) is alwayes ſucking honey out … the ſweet flowers of Gods promi…, when it can dwell upon the con…mplation of Gods word, works …d attributes, then will his lips …ke thoſe of the Spouſe) drop as the …ney-comb. What we digeſt by me…ation, is drawn out by prayer: …e reaſon why moſt people are ſo diſpoſed to prayer, is, becauſe they …e ſtrangers to meditation; Let the …rds of my mouth, and the meditati… of my heart be acceptable in thy …ht, O Lord, Pſal. 19. ult. ſaith Da…l; his prayers were the products of …us meditations.
2. Obey all impulſes of ſpirit un… prayer: when the wind of the ſpi… blows upon thy ſoul, than hoiſe … ſails Heaven-ward, Quench not the Spirit in his motions and excitations unto prayer: This was Davids courſe, to anſwer every impulſe to prayer, Pſal. 27.8. When thou ſaidſt, Seek my face, my heart anſwered, thy face Lord will I ſeek: it was a motion upon his heart, and his hear… eccho's to it again. One obſerveth, That ſuitors at Court obſerve, Molliſſima fand. …empora, their times of begging, when they have the Prince in a good mood which they will be ſure to take the advantage of: but eſpecially if they ſhould find the Prince of himſel… begin to ſpeak of the buſineſſe which they would have of him that ſeaſon they lay hold of, and ſeldome come off, but with good ſucceſſe: Thus when God by hi… Spirit ſecretly ſpeaks to the heart to pray, obſerve ſuch a time, and neglect it not; ſtrike while the iron is hot, for thou knoweſt not whereve… thou maieſt have the like again when God prepares his peoples heart he will cauſe his ear to hear, Pſalm 10.17. ſuch a time muſt needs be th… beſt time of prayer, when God put holy deſires into his peoples hearts; …rſt they are derived from him, and …hen preſented to him, then they ſhall …e accompliſhed by him.
Queſt. Here a Queſtion will ariſe, Whether or no a man may not pray, …at when the Spirit moves him to …ayer; what ſhall a child of God do …hen the Spirit of God doth not …ve, but ſeems to withdraw from …im?
Resp. 1. I anſwer with ſome di…inctions: we are to diſtinguiſh be…ween the ſenſible motions of the …pirit, and the ſecret motions of the …pirit: the Spirit ſometimes moves, …nd we perceive it not: as Jacob ſaid, …he Lord was here, and I was not ware. It is ſometime with the im…ulſes of the Spirit, as with the pul…es of the body; ſometime they beat …enuouſly, and ſometime ſo ſlow…, as if not at all: ſo the motion of …e Spirit, is ſcarce perceptible by us, …cauſe we do not enquire after it: …ere be ſome ſtrong motions in the …ul, which yet are not the motions …f the Spirit; there may be a wind, …nd yet the Lord not in it; a fire, and yet the Lord not in that fire; the Lord may be in a ſtill and ſoft voice, in ſecret motions of the Spirit which are hardly diſcerned.
2. We muſt diſtinguiſh between the preventing and ſubſequent motions of the Spirit, between thoſe that go before duty, that bring on the ſoul to the performance of it, and thoſe that appear in duty: the heart many times hangs the wing, and drives on heavily before it comes to prayer, but in praying finds much enlargement, even beyond imagination. It is in this caſe with a Chriſtian, as with a veſſel putting forth to Sea, it gets out of the Haven with much tugging, rowing to and fro; but when once it comes into the main, the wind takes it, and away it goes.
3. We muſt diſtinguiſh betwee… the conſtant and arbitrary influence of the Spirit: ſome motions of th… Spirit are alwayes moving to keep the main work going on, though with a flower pace, and it is neve… ſo withheld from any true Chriſtian, but it ſtrengthens and keep… the grace of God alive in him, al…eit to ſuch an altitude it may be ſu…pended.
4. We are to know that the Spirit … to be conſidered; Firſt, As the …uthour of duty; Secondly, as the …bject of duty. We may ſometime …ray by the Spirit, and ſometime …ray for the Spirit: beſides, there is double performance of this duty …f prayer, both for comfort, and in …bedience.
Theſe things being premiſed, con…der, 1. That it is a great advan…ge to the ſoul, to be carried with …ind and tide in this exerciſe of …ayer. 2. It is a great diſadvantage …hen the Spirit withdraws, when either wind moves, nor ſtarre ap…ars, and the Spirit that ſhould aſ…t us moves us not: Yet, 3. In ſuch …ithdrawings of the Spirit, a Chri…an is to ſet upon the exerciſe of …ayer, and this he is bound to … at ſuch times, for theſe Rea…ns:
1. Becauſe we are commanded to …re up the grace of God in us, Reaſ. 1.foreign, 2 Tim. 1.6. it is an alluſion to the Prieſts that were to ſtirre and keep in the fire that came from Heaven; grace lies hid ſometime like fire under aſhes, which with blowing revives again. A Chriſtian muſt work upon his heart, ſtirring up his whole man, and awakening it to the exerciſe of prayer, as David ſtirreth up himſelf to praiſe the Lord, Pſalm 103.1. Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me, praiſ… his holy Name: for want hereof the Prophet complaineth, There is non… that ſtirreth up himſelf to take hold o… thee, Iſa. 64.7.
2. Without this there were n… difference between a regenerate, an… an unregenerate man; if a livin… Chriſtian by an intrinſecal activit… had no power to pray, nor to ſtirr… up himſelf to lay hold of God. No… it is ſaid of unregenerate men, Th… they are dead, and without ſtrength Rom. 5.9. but the regenerate ar… quickned, have vital graces in them and therefore have ſtrength to pray the faculties of the ſoul are not d… ſtroyed in the new creation, as if th… Spirit of God ſhould act and mov… inſtead of them: for though Chriſt …ke down the old frame, and raiſe a …ew ſtructure for himſelf; yet the …ones of that edifice are ours; the …atter is ours, but the workmanſhip … Gods: indeed in the firſt work we …e meerly paſſive, in the renewing … our minds and altering of our …ils, but afterwards we are agents …l our dayes, therefore we muſt …ir up our ſelves to lay hold on God.
3. There is the ſame reaſon for …e duty as for all, and the ſame …eed of the Spirits aſſiſtance in all …ties, as in any: for if we are not … pray but when the Spirit moves …; then may we not hear the Word, …or meditate, nor perform any other …ty of Religion, nor withſtand any …nne, nor reſiſt any temptation, but …hen the Spirit moves us: and I …uſt no man will ſay, that a man …ay blaſpheme, oppreſſe, commit …ceſt or Sodomy, lie, or be drunk, …hen the Spirit is ſuſpended, with…ut fault of his own, what ground …hen has any man to neglect prayer, …hen the Spirit ſeemes to be with…rawn?
4. This is no other than a carnal and fleſhly principle; for, firſt, it leads men to live by ſenſe, and not by faith. Secondly, it ſerves for little other uſe than for a poor excuſe to a lazie heart; whereas he is willing to ſerve God at as poor a rate as he can, and therefore to ſave his pains, and muzzle his conſcience, he cries; the Spirit is gone, and I cannot pray without the aſſiſtance of the Spirit; but there is no entring in at the ſtreight gate without ſtriving, and no crowning without fighting, and what hath a Chriſtian to fight withall, but Satans temptations, and the incumbrances of his own ſpirit? And when you ſay, you cannot pray without the Spirit; this I am ſure ye can do, ye may go into your cloſets, and fall upon your knees, and ſigh and groan after a praying Spirit, and though there be ſome ſtiffneſſe upon a living man when he firſt begins to move, yet a little motion makes him more agile. If a man, (ſaith a learned Divine) were to runne a race,Dr Preſton Sermon on … Theſſ. 5.17. or to do any bodily exerciſe, there muſt be ſtrength of body, he muſt be well fed, that he may have ability; but the uſe of the very exerciſe it ſelf, the very particular act which is of the ſame kind with the exerciſe, is the beſt thing to fit him for it: So in this duty of prayer; it's true, to be ſtrong in the inner man, to have much knowledge, to have much grace, makes a man fit and able for the duty: but if you ſpeak of the immediate preparation for it, I ſay, the beſt way to prepare us for it, is the very duty it ſelf, as all actions of the ſame kind increaſe the habits, ſo prayer makes it fit for prayer. Thus he. Therefore when the Spi…it ſeems to be withdrawn, ſet thy ſelf to prayer, and what knoweſt …hou, oh man, but when thou art …n the way of God, and about the work of God, but the Spirit may meet thee there? Iſa. 64.5. And to encourage thee hereunto, conſider, …hat although you have not the preventing motions of the Spirit, yet you may have the ſubſequent motions of the Spirit, though you come ſadly on, you may go ſweetly off from the performance of this duty of prayer; and though you cannot ſe… about the duty comfortably, yet this will comfort you when you do it in obedience to Gods command. A Chriſtian may ſerve God acceptably, when he cannot ſerve him comfortably.
Sect. 3.
Queſt. IF now you ſhall ask me, how often we muſt pray.
Resp. I anſwer, Twice a day at leaſt. This was ſhadowed out under the Law, by offering up the morning and evening Sacrifice in the Temple, 2 Chron. 13.11. Thus God commanded the children of Iſrael, Numb. 28.2. Ye ſhall obſerve to offer unto me mine offerings in their due ſeaſon, and what this ſeaſon was that God requireth as his due, is expreſſed, verſ. 3, 4. Two Lambs of the firſt year day by day, for a continual burnt-offering; the one Lamb ſhalt thou offer in the morning, and the other in the evening, and this is called, a continual burnt-offering, verſ. 6. God hereby limited every Sacrifice to his proper day and ſeaſon, which if it …ere let ſlip, that oblation might …ot at any time be offered: therefore …e Jews had a common Proverb,Gnabar Zeban, Gnabar Corban. …f the time be paſt, the oblation is paſt. …ow this typeth out unto us, that …e ſhould at leaſt morning and eve…ing come before the Lord in pray…, to offer up our morning and eve…ing Sacrifices of prayer and thankſ…iving. The very Birds twice a day, …oth morning and evening are ſing…ng and lifting up their notes unto …heir maker: Evening and morning, …nd at noon will I pray, and make a …iſe, and he ſhall hear my voice, ſaith David, Pſalm 55.17. Tertullian …rayed three times a day, at the …hird, ſixth and ninth hours. Au…in's uſual wiſh was, That Chriſt when he came, might find him, aut precantem, aut praedica…tem, either praying or preaching. S… Ber…ard was ſo frequent in prayer day and night, that his knees grew ſo …eeble, that they were ſcarce able to uphold his body: And Vitus Theodorus thus wrireth of Luther, That no day paſſed him, wherein Luther ſpent not three hours at leaſt i… prayer. Daniel prayed three times a day, and this was his conſtant practice, Dan. 6. Yea the very Scribes and Phariſees (whom we ſhould ſcorn not to match for devotion) prayed foreign, (as a Father ſaith) oft and long, thrice a day was ordinary, at nine, twelve and three a clock; they divided their day into three parts; whereof one was ſpent in prayer, the next on the Law, the third on their work: See here a great ſhame to us Chriſtians; God hath two parts of three, themſelves but one: Oh how many among us that can ſcarce get leave of their worldly imploiments to beſtow one hour in a day in prayer to God. Notable is the example of Alfred, ſometime King of England, who flouriſhed about 872 years after Chriſt, and about two hundred years before the Conqueſt; he is famous for this, that dividing the day natural into three even parts, he ſpent eight hours in hearing and determining the matters of State belonging to his place, and but eight and no more) for the proviſion for …s body by meat, drink and ſleep, …d other neceſſaries, and the …her eight hours in reading, wri…ng and praying. Great reaſon …ere is we ſhould be conſtant in …ayer: For
1. We ſinne daily, we all offend …any times a day, and many in all: …e moſt righteous in his happieſt day …lleth ſeven times, therefore we …ave need to humble our ſouls before …e Lord day by day; we are apt to …nne continually, therefore are we …o pray every day for the pardon of …ur ſins.
2. We are ſubject to daily wants, …nd ſtand in need of a continual ſup…ly from Heaven; Gods mercies do …ot flow from him all at once, ſome …ow from him to day, and ſome to …orrow, he is ſaid daily to load us …ith his benefits, Pſal. 68.19. there…ore we ſhould ſue to him continually …or ſupply.
3. If once you neglect, and are …ot conſtant in this duty of prayer, …ou will find your ſelves much indi…poſed to it; you are at a conſtant loſſe while you are inconſtant in prayer. Chriſtians have a rich ſtock of grace, and every day they trade not with Heaven, they are at a conſtant loſſe; it is but a few daies we have to trade in, and what we ſow that ſhall we reap; they that are careleſſe in this duty are at an unſpeakable loſſe, their graces are much weakned; God ſeems to be loſt from that ſoul that ſeeks him never or but ſeldome; conſider what it is you traffick with God for, it is for God and Heaven, and that brings in unſpeakable profit to the ſoul: and i… you neglect the preſent ſeaſon, you may loſe that which you may never have the like again.
4. If we pray not conſtantly, God can ſoon deprive us of what we have; ſome think they need no… pray for what they have already; yet Chriſt bids us pray for our daily bread▪ thou haſt bread now, thou maiſt be deprived of it anon, and if God give thee bread, and deny thee his word of bleſſing, thy bread may be thy bane: Pray therefore for bread, as though thou wantedſt bread, and though thou knoweſt thou haſt God, …et ſtill ſeek him as if thou hadſt not …ound …im.
3. Let us beware we loſe not one …pportunity of praying, leſt if we will not pray when we may, …e ſhall not be able when we would.
6. If we come to the throne of …race in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, …e ſhall find we have an advocate …ith the Father, who ever liveth … make interceſſion for us, Heb. 7.25.
7. It is a note of an hypocrite to …e inconſtant in prayer: Will the …ypocrite delight himſelf in the Al…ighty? Will he alway call upon God? …b 27.10. the meaning is, he will …ot; a ſincere Chriſtian is conſtant … the duty of prayer, but an hypo…rite prayeth when he ſeeth his own …me, and ſtinteth God in time, as …ell as in meaſure: When an hypo…rite is in trouble, he prayes earneſtly …ke Pharaoh to be delivered out of …ouble, but when the ſtorm is over, he …ves over praying; beſides he will be …ry earneſt in praying, while he finds …e gets by it, but let him receive no further benefit by his prayer, if God give him not his hearts deſire, then ſaith he (like thoſe in Job) What is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve him? and what profit ſhall we have if we pray unto him? Job 21.15.
8. God will not ceaſe anſwering, till we ceaſe praying. When Queen Elizabeth demanded of Sir Walter Rawleigh, when he would give over begging of her; he anſwered her, when your Majeſty ceaſeth giving. We have a Proverb, Spare to ſpeak, and spare to speed. Chriſt taught a parable to his Diſciples, to the end, that men ought alway to pray, and not to faint, Luke 18.1. God would not have us weary of praying, nor faint in our minds, when we receive not an anſwer preſently to our minds. Gods ears are alwaies open to his peoples prayers, Pſal. 34.15. or as ſome render it, His ears are in their prayers; intimating, that if our prayers be weak, and cannot aſcend to him, he will bow his ear, and deſcend to them, Exod. 8.13. Exo. 17.6. Jud. 10.16.
Sect. 4.
WE hold, that it is fit, that certain times be ſet apart, as …or publick, ſo for private prayer, to …he end, that at thoſe times men may leave all other affairs, to attend …heir private prayers; therefore do …he RhemiſtsRhem. Annot. in Act. 10. Sect. 6. falſly charge us Prote…ants, that we account all ſet ſeaſons …f prayer ſuperſtitious: But theſe …hings our Divines miſlike in Po…iſh Canonicall houres. 1. They …ppoint too many of them; Antonine Antonin. 2. P. Tit. 9. cap. 12. ſect. 1.…aketh ſeven, Bellarmine nine, the …ur Vigils of the night, and five …oures in the day. 2. They only …ep the names of theſe houres, but …ot the times themſelves; their day-…oures they ſhufle together and per…rm before noon, and their nocturns …ey joyn with their matutines. …. They place Religion in the very …oures, placing a certain kind of …olineſs in them; to this purpoſe …here was a book written in Spaniſh, …rinted at Paris, by William Merlin, H ras de n…eſtra. Seniora.…nno 1556. ſtiled, The Hours of our Lady. 4. In confining themſelves to ſuch and ſuch houres, they often pray without any due preparation of the heart, or intention of the ſpirit; but then are we fitteſt to pray, when we pray with a prepared heart; prayer is not to be tied to a fixed hour, but to be poured out by a fixed heart. 5.The Athenians and Perſians would not wage war, before the one had called on their Montes, and the other on their Magi to be inſtructed by them as by oracles. Baal & Aſhtaroth lingua punica ſignificant Jovem & Junonem. Aug. ſup. Judic. Col. 303. D. They tye themſelves to ſay over ſo many Pater Noſters, and ſo many Ave Maries, which any perſon may do, both void of underſtanding and devotion, ſaying them over in a ſtrange tongue, ſc. in Latine, which many Papiſts underſtand not; and ſo tranſgreſſing the rule of our Saviour, who forbiddeth vain repetitions, and idle babling uſed in prayer, Matth. 6.7. When ye pray, ſaith our Saviour, uſe not vain repetitions as the heathen do; for they think they ſhall be heard for their much ſpeaking: by which we ſee that heathens have prayed unto their Gods, as Baals Prieſts crying from morning to evening, Baal hear us, and the Marriners in Jonah, (being in a ſtorm) crying every man to his God, Jon. 1.5. and afterward to the true God, 14. verſ. Thus divers heathens …ave made prayers before they have gone to their wars, and after their …ictories have given thanks: Thus Ovid In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas, corpora, Dij caeptis (nam vos mutatis & illas) Aſpirare meis. Ovid. Ovid. Matamor. lib. 1.the Poet begins his Metamorpho…s with a prayer: it were a foul …hame for Chriſtians to come behind …hem, and not do ſo much as they …ave done: But what was their er…or that we muſt avoid, and the …ult that Chriſt here findeth with …hem? not the matter that they …ayed, but the manner of their pray…ng, viz. that in their prayers they …ſed vain repetitions, or ſuperfluous …nd ſuperſtitious multiplying of …ords: for repetitions of the ſame …etitions are not unlawfull; David …ſed it, Pſal. 51.1. and Daniel uſeth …, Dan. 9, 7, 10, 19. much leſs are …ng prayers unlawfull, for Chriſt …ent a whole night in prayer, Luke ….12. and we need not doubt, but Moſes and Elias, and He alſo ſpent …uch time in their forty daies faſt in …rayer, and haply often iterated the …me requeſt.
Ferus Ferus in Mat. 6.upon theſe words of Chriſt …ith, Non dixit ſalvator, multum precari, ſed multum loqui, our Saviour ſaid not, do not pray much, but do not ſpeak much, nor doth he condemn the outward praiſing of God, than which nothing is more divine: why doth the kingly Prophet by a Proſopopeia exhort heaven and earth, and all creatures in them both to praiſe God, Pſal. 148. but to excite men to do the ſame, and ſhame them if they be backward thereunto? and why elſe hath God given us tongues and mouthes, and endued us with reaſon and ſpeech, but to employ them in praying to him, and praiſing of him? and how elſe ſhall we be conformable to the Saints, departed (our fellow-Citizens) already in actuall poſſeſſion of what we have onelyonly in ſpe, they in re? Its not then long prayers proceeding from true devotion, but many idle words uttered in ſuperſtition, that our Saviour reproveth; When men honour God with their lips, and their hearts are far from him, as the Jews, Iſai. 29.13. and the Phariſees, Matth. 23.14. and the ignorant Papiſts that number their prayers, but ponder not what they pray; and this was the ſin of the heathens, who endeavoured rather to exerciſe their tongues, than cleanſe their hearts,Numerantes nòn ponderantes preces: operam enim Gentes dabant, potius linguis exercendis, quam cordibus mundan dis. Aug. ad probam. as Auſtin ſpeaketh. In a word, St Jerom goes to the pith of the point, ſaying, Ab…t in oratione multa locutio, in prayer …et much babling be far from us, Sed …on deſit multa precatio, but let not much interceſſion be wanting; and David ſaith, Truſt in God at all times …e people, pour out your hearts before him, Pſal. 62. v. 8. hypocrites (like the heathen before ſpoken of) think the …onger they pray, that they ſhall be heard for their much ſpeaking, although they repeat over the ſame …hings again and again, not out of …ffection, but from affectation: But …herein two groſs errors are diſcover…d. 1. They think by many words, …o enforce God to hear them, as the …awling Prieſts of Baal, 1 King. 18.26. …. They thought God muſt be enformed and inſtructed of their wants, …lſe he knew them not, nor could …upply them: this falſe reaſon our Saviour confuteth with a true …ound one to the contrary, ſaying, Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him: nor doth he barely know his peoples wants, but conſidereth how to ſupply them: And Chemnitius Chemnit. in Matth. 6.noteth, the word is of the plurall number [foreign quibus,] to teach us, That he will not only give us what we ask, but whatſoever he knows we need, whether we expreſly mention it or not, Deut. 4.7.
Sect. 5.
Object. 1. BUt it may be ſaid, If God know our wants before we ask him, Non narratores, ſed rogatores apud Deum agimus, aliud enim eſt ignoranti aliquid narrare, aliud ſcientem aliquid perere: in illo eſt judicium, in hoc obſequium: ibi fidelitèr judicamus, hie miſerabilitèr obſecramus. Hieron.why then do we pray?
Reſp. To this Jerome anſwereth, When we come to God, we act not the part of informers, but of ſupplicants; it is one thing to declare a thing to one that is ignorant, it is another thing for a knowing man to beg any thing: in that there is judgement; in this obedience; there we judg faithfully, here we intreat miſerably: And Chryſoſtome tells us, That in prayer we do not, docere Deum, ſed inflectere, teach God, but cauſe him to incline towards us: that he needs not informing, himſelf tells us, Iſai. 65.24. where he ſaith to his people, Before they call I will anſwer, and whiles they are yet ſpeaking I will …ear: but by praying we teſtifie our obedience to his commandments, and faith in his promiſes, Heb. 4.16. Pſal. 50.15. Pſal. 37.5. Pſal. 55.22. …ikewiſe to humble us and teach us our own weakneſſes, and to whom …o have recourſe for the ſupply of all our wants, James 1.17. 1 Cor. 4.7. …nd alſo that there may by this means be the more familiarity and …cquaintance between God and us.
Object. 2. Seeing God knoweth what …e want, and will give it us, if he pur…ſe ſo to do, and it be his pleaſure, what …ed we to trouble him, or our ſelves, for …t is immutable, and his purpoſe ſhall …and?
Reſp. 1. Although God knoweth …ll our wants, and will give us what …e purpoſeth, and though himſelf …e immutable; yet God is ſaid to be moved by the prayers of his people; …nd they are ſaid to wreſtle with him, and prevail with him; now when they come to the throne of grace, they do not only ſpread their Petitions before the Lord, but they ſtrengthen them with many ſtrong and forcible arguments; now all their pleadings and arguments do not work any change at all upon God; we may not imagine that upon our prayers God takes up any new thoughts, or puts any new reſolves to do this or that;Quamquam Deus à nullo modo poteſt moveri, ad aliquid volendum de novo, cùm ſit immutabilis: tamen ſicut voluntate aeterna producit aliquid in tempore; ita ab aeterno voluit modum producendi. for what we obtain from God by prayer this day, God purpoſed to give us before the world was, therefore, Gods purpoſes are not changed by our prayers; but God may be ſaid to be moved by his peoples prayers, or to do this for them, or to beſtow that mercy upon them, when they pray, becauſe he doth what he purpoſed to do for them when they ſhould ask it at his hands: Beſides, God frequenty in Scripture ſpeaks of himſelf after the manner of men: now as men uſually beſtow favours, when they are moved thereunto by ſupplications and perſwaſions, even to do that, which a day before they never thought to do: ſo God is ſaid to do his or that upon the prayers and …arneſt ſupplications of his people, …hich [indeed] he intended to do …om everlaſting.
Sect. 6.
MOreover! albeit we muſt pray unto God at all times, and …ek his face by prayer upon all occa…ons, yet there are ſome ſpeciall ſea…ons of prayer, and they are theſe that …ollow.
1. When you are to undertake …ny weighty buſineſs, begin it with …rayer:Invocandi ſunt Dij antequam operi manus apponimus. Heſiod. Vide exemp. Ajacis & Agamemnonis. Plut. Mor. 1. p. 388. Vide Homer Iliad. 1. Abrahams ſervant being in…uſted to ſeek a wife for Iſaac, com…ends the ſucceſs of the whole buſi…eſs to God by prayer, Gen. 24.12. Nehemiah being about to reſtore Re…gion, and build the Temple, pray…th earneſtly to the Lord to proſper …im in that great buſineſs, Nehem. 1.…, 11. So when Solomon came to the …hrone, he earneſtly begs of God a wiſe and underſtanding heart, to …udge the people committed to his …harge, 1 Reg. 3.9. When Chriſt was baptized, and was entring into his miniſtry, he prayed at the bank o… Jordan, Luke 3.21. Chriſt undertaking this great work, goes to his Father for a bleſſing upon it, and ſucceſs in it, and at his prayer the heavens were opened to him: and the Spirit deſcended then like a Dove upon him; to teach us, that our heavenly Father will give the holy Ghoſt to them that ask him:Auguſtus Caeſar miſſurus Caium Caeſarem filiae filium in Armeniam precatus eſt à Dijs, ei gratiam Pompeij, audaciam Alexandri, & fortunam ſuam concedi. Plutar. A Jove principium muſae, &c. So when Chriſt choſe the twelve Apoſtles, he ſpent a whole night in prayer, Luke 6.12. Thus did the Apoſtles, they prayed at the choice of Matthias into the room of Judas, Acts 1.2, 4, and at the election of the ſeven Deacons, Acts 6.6. no man therefore is to undertake any weighty buſineſs without invocation on the name of God: Commit thy way unto the Lord, and he ſhall bring it to paſſe, Pſalm 37.5.
2. We are to ſeek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near, Iſai. 55.6. Eſau came too late with his veniſon, when his Fathers bleſſing was beſtowed, and could not be recalled, Gen. 27. it was …o late for the fooliſh virgins to go …y oyl, and cry, Lord open to us, …hen the bridegroom is gone, and …e doors be ſhut, Matth. 25. it was …o late for the rich glutton to call …nd cry for mercy in hell; he ſhould …ve remembred that upon earth, …uke 16. Jeruſalem knew not her …ay of Gods viſiting her in mercy, …nd therefore dayes of vengeance …me upon her; God hath a day to …iſit thoſe in juſtice, who refuſe his …iſitation in mercy: there is a day …f grace, when God will be found …f thoſe that ſeek him: but Gods …pirit ſhall not alway ſtrive with …an, Gen. 6.3.
3.Judas Macchabeus ever prayed, except twice, once againſt Eupator, and then he lost the field, and once againſt Alcimus, and Bacchides, and then he loſt his life. In times of danger and afflicti…n: howbeit prayer be a duty not to …e neglected or omitted, at any time …r in any place; yet affliction and …mes of trouble are apteſt to draw …nd drive us hereunto, and God …alls upon us to call upon him in time …f trouble, Pſal. 50.15. Is any man …fflicted let him pray? ſaith St James, …ames 5.13. At that day ſhall a man …ook to his maker, and his eyes ſhall have …eſpect to the holy one of Iſrael, Iſa. 17.7. And Job ſaith, I will not refrain my mouth, I will ſpeak in the anguiſh of my ſpirit, I will complain in the bitterneſs of my ſoul, Job 7.11. And God himſelf ſaith of his people, In their afflictions they will ſeek me early, Hoſ. 5.13.Euſeb. Eccleſ. hiſt. l. 2. c. 4. Euſehius tells us of that renowned Chriſtian Emperor Conſtantine, That he never went into the field to battel, but he prepared himſelf by prayer, knowing that the God of battle was the author of victory; and whereas other Princes uſed to have their Pictures ſtampt upon their Coyn, ſometimes riding on horſeback for pleaſure, ſometimes ſitting on their chaires of eſtate for their pomp and port:Euſeb. lib. 5. cap. 5. he (that he might teſtifie his devotion) would be Pictured praying. When Marcus Aurelius was in hot wars againſt the Germans and Sarmatians, and his army almoſt ready to periſh with thirſt; certain of his Chriſtian Souldiers falling down upon their knees, betook themſelves to prayer, which it pleaſed God to hear; for immediately God ſent a comfortable ſhowre to refreſh them, and a moſt terrible thunder to affright their enemies; …hereupon that legion was ever af…rward called legio fulminea, the …undering legion. And Origen Origen. ſup. Exod. 17.tells …s, That one godly man may do more good by praying, than an hundred, yea, a thouſand ſinners can do by fighting: Jacob in extremity prayeth, and is delivered from …is angry brother Eſau, Gen. 32. Mo…es prayeth, and both he and his peo…le are delivered from Pharaoh and …is hoſt, Exod. 14. and from the Ama…ekites, Exod. 17. Elijah alſo prayeth, …nd is delivered from Ahab and Jeze…el; and Hezekias prayed, and was …elivered from Sennacherib; and Je…oſaphat prayed, and is delivered from …he Moabites, Ammonites, and inhabitants of Mount Seir; Manaſſes …rayed in his affliction, and God was …ntreated of him, and reſtored him …o his Kingdom▪ In a time of gene…all judgment, it is our duty to pray …or others as well as our ſelves; Jeremias was inſtant in prayer to God for …he King and People of Judah, Remember (ſaith he to the Lord) that I …ood before thee to ſpeak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them, Jer. 18.29. When the Ark of God was taken, and Iſrael received a great rout by the Philiſtines, it is ſaid, The word of Samuel came to all Iſrael, 1 Sam. 4.1.Tho. Coleman Serm. ad locum. or (as one tranſlateth) the word of Samuel was for all Iſrael; His daily words and prayers, ſaith he, were for that people, and for their good.
4. In the time of ſickneſs, and in the hour of death, then eſpecially are we to commend our ſouls to God, as to a moſt faithfull Creator: and as at all times, ſo more eſpecially when death approacheth, have we need to pray; for then Satan (our ſworn enemy) will be moſt buſie to aſſault us, and we then (for the moſt part) leaſt able to make reſiſtance: and that we may be the better able to pray when that day cometh, let us inure our ſelves to the exerciſe thereof, in the mean time before it cometh;Ut qui viventes obliviſcuntur Dei, morientes obliviſcantur ſui. Aug. otherwiſe, ſaith Auſtin, It is juſt with God, that thoſe perſons ſhould at their death forget themſelves, who through the courſe of their lives, were not carefull to remember God.
Let therefore the men of this world ſo buſily employ themſelves … the affairs of this life, that they …either can, nor will ſpare ſo much … a quarter of an hour in a day for …rayer; let wicked Atheiſts, delu…ed by the Prince of darkneſs, deſpe…ately jeer and deride this heavenly …uty; let all ſottiſh, ſenſuall, and ſe…ure Chriſtians ſlight this ſerious ex…ciſe as a matter of no moment, or …ſe it as a cuſtomary complement, …hen they have nothing elſe to do, …t ſay over a few words dreamingly …etween ſleeping and waking; let …ypocrites neglect the private per…ormance of this holy duty, practi…ng it only in publick, phariſaically …o be ſeen of men, uſing it as an en…ne only to ſcrew themſelves into …e peoples affections, and to win po…ular applauſe, and be eſteemed men … ſingular devotion; But let us bre…ren, pray alwayes with all manner of …ayers and ſupplications in the ſpirit, …atching thereunto with all perſeverance. One man may pray long, and ano…er be but brief; yet both may obtain alike; God meaſureth his gifts by his love, not by the length of our prayers, by his own bounty, not by our brevity; one man may pray long and miſs for lack of devotion, another may be ſhort, and yet obtain; becauſe his affection is large though his prayers be ſhort; one may be long in prayer, yet ſeem to be brief, becauſe he prayeth fervently; whiles another is ſhort, and yet be accounted tedious; it is not ſo much the length, as the ſtrength of prayer, and the affection of him that prayeth, that God regardeth.