The Daily Practice of Devotion, Part 4 – Prayers 1
The Paraphraſe.
O Mercifnl Lord God, who haſt vouchſafed to adopt and receive us Thy unworthy Creatures into the number of Thy Children, and Heirs of thy Kingdom, we beſeech Thee grant us the aſſiſtance of Thy Grace, that we may reverently worſhip Thee, diligently ſerve Thee, and readily and chearfully obey Thy holy Will here on Earth, even as thoſe Bleſſed Spirits do in Heaven.
And whereas by reaſon of our many weakneſſes and Frailties we are often hindred, and always negligent in the performance of theſe Duties, We beſeech Thee continually to relieve and ſupply us with all Spiritual and Temporal neceſſaries, for our help and furtherance in thy Service.
And in whatſoever we have hih…erto been wanting, or have otherwiſe tranſgreſſed Thy Holy Will, We beſeech Thee mercifully paſs by and pardon it, even as we our ſelves do heartily and ſincerely forgive all thoſe who have wronged or offended us.
And that we may not for the future fall again into the like ſins, We beſeech Thee graciouſly to aſſiſt and preſerve us in all Temptations, and powerfully defend and deliver us from all the aſſaults of our daily Enemies, the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil.
For Thou, O Lord, art the Supreme King; Thou art able to do All things, and to Thee is due the Honour and Glory of All, both in this world, and that which is to come. Amen.
And thus the very excellency of the Prayer it ſelf, both for the Matter and Method, beſide the dignity and veneration of the Author, may ſufficiently commend it to our uſe: it ſerving ſo properly either for a Beginning, or a Concluſion to our other Devotions.
Of the Parts of Prayer.
THE ſeveral ſorts or parts of Prayer are by the Apoſtle reduced to theſe four Heads, 1 Tim. 2. 1.
SUPPLICATION.
PRAYER.
INTERCESSION.
THANKSGIVING.
I. Supplication is the Confeſſing of Sins, and imploring Pardon and Reconciliation with God.
II. Prayer is the petitioning for ſupply of all good things, Spiritual and Temporal, which we have need or uſe of, for our Souls or Bodies.
III. Interceſſion is the praying for others, as well as our ſelves, extending to all ſorts and ſtates of men in the world.
IV. Thanksgiving is the returning of Praiſe to God for all his Mercies and Bleſſings beſtowed on us.
And this laſt is the moſt pleaſant and delightful part of all the worſhip of God, according to that ſaying of the Prophet David, It is a good thing to ſing Praiſes unto our God, yea a joyful and pleaſant thing it is to be thankful, Pſal. 14. 7. 1.
Of the Difficulty of Prayer.
FOR otherwiſe Prayer, in reſpect of the other parts, (though as it is ordinarily uſed or abuſed, it be taken for an ordinary matter, yet indeed) to perform it rightly and duly, is the higheſt and hardeſt piece of all the ſervice of God.
For (beſide the qualifications required to fit us for the preformance of it) Prayer being in it ſelf a Duty wholly Spiritual, and requiring a Spiritual intention of the Soul to God, it will be found a very difficult and rare thing for us, who are continually clogged and incumbered with Fleſh and blood, ſo to abſtract our thoughts from all bodily and worldly things, as to place them freely and purely upon an inviſible Object.
And to this occaſion the craft of our old Enemy is no way wanting, who as he is always impertinently interpoſing in every good action, ſo is he never more importunate and impudent than when we are buſie at our Devotions.
Preparatives to Prayer.
I. THerefore in this, as in all other things, before you begin ſit down and conſider with your ſelf what you are about to do.
II. Reſolve, that to make any Addreſs to God, without a Reſolution at leaſt to ſet your ſelf heartily and wholly to his Service, is not only fruitleſs, but hurtful, and that which will turn your very Prayer into ſin. For to hope for any favour at his hands, and yet continue in your ſinful courſe, is to make him ſuch an one as your ſelf.
III. Remember your own meanneſs, and the Majeſty of Him to whom you ſpeak; that he is the Great King ſitting in Heaven, and you a poor worm creeping on the Earth.
IV. Conſider how unworthy you are to receive the leaſt favour from him, whom you have ſo often and ſo highly provoked in deſpight of his continual mercies to you.
V. Conſider how great a favour and benefit you enjoy in this liberty of approaching and ſpeaking to God.
VI. Be ſober and moderate in your Petitions regulating and ſubmitting your deſires, both for the Matter, and Manner, and Meaſure, and Seaſon, to his Wiſdom and Will.
VII. Remember that he is a Spirit, and ſees into the heart, and therefore not only your words and behaviour, but alſo your thoughts and imaginations muſt be ſuch as may not offend his pure eyes.
VIII. Let your Praying be rather frequent than long, that the tediouſneſs of many words may not weary and dull the Devotion of your Mind.
IX. Recollect and take up your thoughts from the world and worldly things, that they may be wholly intent upon the buſineſs you are about. And this you may do by a ſhort Meditation, or preparatory Prayer, or reading ſomewhat in the Scripture, or ſome other pious Book.
X. Now when you have thus brought your gift to the Altar, Mat. 5. 23.remember the advice of your Saviour; firſt put away all malice and hatred out of your heart, and forgive all others before you preſume to ask pardon for your ſelf. And know that this is a qualification ſo neceſſary, ſo eſſential to the due performance of any Devotions, that our Saviour in that very ſhort Prayer of his own thought it worth the mentioning, and that as a kind of Condition, Mat. 6. 12, 14, 15.Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſs againſt us.
Preparatory Prayers.
GIve ear to my words, O Lord, conſider my meditation.
Hearken to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for unto Thee will I Pray, Pſal. 5. 1, 2.
Thou that heareſt the prayer, unto Thee ſhall all fleſh come.
Let not my Lord be angry if I, who am but duſt and aſhes, preſume to approach and ſpeak unto Thee: O Thou that art eaſie to be intreated, and rejoyceſt in doing good, bow down thy gentle ear, and hear me, and have mercy upon me.
Raiſe up my ſoul, and ſanctifie my heart and lips, that I may ask thoſe things which are moſt agreeable to thy holy Will.
Let the words of my mouth,Pſal. 19. 14. and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy ſight, O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer.