A Demonstration of Family Duties, Proposition 9
IX. PROPOSITION. Prayer unto God is a princ… pall part of ſuch religious wo… ſhip & ſervice, as is taught in th… holy Scriptures, in which the people of God ought to ſpend ſom… time every day.
PROOF. This Propoſition is by good… juſt conſequence implied in the Lords pr… yer (as it is uſually ſtyled) in that fourth … rection or petition, Math. 6.11. Give us … day our daily bread; which is alſo expreſſed▪ the ſame effect, Luk. 11.3. For here… we are given to underſtand, that it is our duty to ſeeke unto God every day, for a ſupply of daily requiſites for ſubſiſtance in this life. And this is manifeſt the rather, if we doe obſerve that the terme or adverbiall particle of time, This day, or To day, implieth Every day as it ſhall ſucceed other, day by day continually.
I. REAS. Becauſe whereas the evills & miſeries of ſinne & puniſhment are every day incident, Math. 6.34. Sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof: Prayer to God is a moſt effectual meanes to prevent, or ſtay, or remove the ſame. See this, Amos, 7.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 1. Chron. 4.10. Amos and Iabez by their prayers prevented, ſtayed, and removed invading evills; God accepting them. And thus much may alſo be gathered from the following directions and deprecations in the Lords prayer, Math. 6.12, 13. Forgive us our debts; Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evill. For God is able to keepe from falling; Iude, ver. 24. to ſubdue iniquity; Micah 7.19. to deliver out of temptation; 2. Pet. 2.9. to uphold in weakneſſe; 2. Cor. 12.9. and to ſtay the courſe of evills: 2. Chron. 30.20. Yet notwithſtanding he wilbe ſought unto therein. Ezek. 36. verſ. 37. Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael to doe it for them.
II. REAS. Becauſe Prayer to God, that moſt powerfull way and meanes whic… God hath ordained and ſanctified, for th… obteining of ſuch bleſſings, as he purpoſe… to beſtow upon his people: As it is direct… taught, Math. 7.7, 8. Aſke, and it ſhalbe giv… you; ſeeke, and ye ſhall finde; knock, and it ſh… opened unto you. For every one that aſketh, … ceiveth; and he that ſeeketh, findeth; and to b… that knocketh, it ſhalbe opened. Ierem. 29.1… 13. Then ſhall ye call upon me, and ye ſhall go … pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. A… ye ſhall ſeeke me, and finde me, when ye ſhall ſe… for me with all your heart.
III. REAS. Becauſe Prayer giveth … ſanctified and comfortable uſe of ſuch bl… ſings and mercies, as are already poſſeſſed a… enjoyed by the people of God. See 1 Ti… 4.4, 5. Every creature of God is good; &c. for … is ſanctified by the word, and prayer.
OBSERVAT. When God is ſought un… every day by prayer, for a beſtowing of da… requiſites; it is a good teſtimony, that the… is an acknowledgment, and dependance t… his gracious providence, & fatherly diſpe… ſation continually, as it is implied in Pſal. 6▪ 2. O thou that heareſt prayer, unto thee ſhall … fleſh come. The Pſalmiſt David in time of th… famine, which laſted three yeeres, ſough… unto God for daily bread; 2. Sam. 21.1, &c▪ And having received an anſwer of peace, he penned (as may be probably conjectured) the 65th Pſalme; to expreſſe his gratitude, and to teach others, how to demeane themſelves in time of ſtraits, and wants, namely, to goe to God, that heareth prayers, when he is ſought unto, and called upon.