A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Their neglect of Prayer, eſpecially of ſecret Prayer.
6ly. NEglect of Prayer is another part of Ungodlineſs, Profeſſors neglect of Prayer.too common even among Profeſſours. Requeſt and Thankſgiving are (ſaith one) like the double motion of the Lungs, by which they ſuck in, and breath out the air again. In the Petitionary part of Prayer, we deſire either the beſtowing of ſome good thing, or the preventing or removing of ſome evil from our ſelves, or the inflicting of ſome evil on Gods implacable Enemies: And in the Gratulatory part of Prayer, we return the praiſe of glory, of what we have received from God, unto God. Though the Thanksgiving part of Prayer be moſt, yet the Petitionary part of Prayer is too much neglected. It is Ungodlineſs to goe about any Buſineſs, or Journey, to fix our Abode, to uſe any Creature, Food, or Phyſick; without asking Gods leave and bleſſing in Prayer: Yea, it is a branch of Atheiſm; this Brat of irreligion is laid at the door of Atheiſm by the Pſalmiſt. Is it not a Lamentation, Pſa. 14.1, 3, 4.and ſhould it not be for a Lamentation, that ſo many Profeſſours ſhould be guilty of ſuch Ungodline…?
Are there not many, that never prayed in all their lives? Never Praying.Profeſſours are looked upon by the world as Praying people; but O! how is the world miſtaken in many of them? Thou haſt not called upon me, Iſa. 41.21, 23.O Jacob! Though Jacob was a People ſever'd into a Church-State, with an aim at Gods praiſe, yet Jacob pray'd not: This was grievous unto God. Do not many Profeſſours clearly evidence, that they are prayerleſs Souls, by their diſobedience to the Preceptive, their impatience under the Providential Will of God? By their diſtrust of the All-ſufficiency and Faithfulneſs of God? Zeph. 3.2.She obeyed not the voice: ſhe received not correction: ſhe truſted not in the Lord: ſhe drew not near to her God. By their entring into ſo many Temptations? Matth. 26.41. Jer. 10.21.Watch and Pray, leſt you enter into Temptation. By their being deceived, and labouring to deceive others in the things of God? The Paſtours are become bruitiſh, and have not ſought the Lord. By their Back-ſlidings, Zeph. 1.6. Conſiderations againſt this ſin, Pſa. 10.4. Joh. 21.15.and Apoſtaſies? And them that are turned back from the Lord, and thoſe that have not ſought the Lord.
Doth not this ſin speak out high contempt of God? That God is not entertained, ſo much as in a thought? He will not ſeek God: God is not in all his thoughts. That the thoughts of God are blaſphemous? What profit should we have, if we pray unto him? Yea, Doth not this ſin speak out the hearts denial of God? What ſaith the Pſalmiſt? Pſa. 53.1, 4.The Fool hath ſaid in his heart, there is no God: he calls not upon God. To live without Prayer, is to be dead while alive; for it is to live without God. Jer. 10.25.The Families that know not God, and that call not on his Name, are the ſame. What? Will ye not do ſo much as Pray unto God? What can you do leſs for God, than by this homage, to own him for your Maker? Or leſs for your own Souls, than to beg their lives of him, whoſe hand of Juſtice is lift up againſt them? Their Souls (and theirs only) ſhall live, Pſa. 69.32.that ſeek the Lord. No Malefactours dye more unlamented, than thoſe, that when caſt, will not beg for their lives.
How many alſo are there, Reſtraining Prayer.that have caſt off Prayer? How many have restrained Prayer? And that both when they have thought they have prayed themſelves out of affliction, they have had no more to ſay to God, Job 15.4till under affliction again: and when they have for ſome time prayed for deliverance to no purpoſe. This evil is of the Lord, why ſhould I wait any longer? This is worſe, than not to pray at all. Not to pray at all, notes only the neglect of duty; but to caſt off Prayer, a diſtaſte of duty. But I ſhall be more particular.
Though Prayer be the only Key, Neglecting E…aculatary Prayer.to unlock the Store-houſes and Treaſuries of all Bleſſings; yet how little hath this Key been uſed? I ſhall wave publick and private, and only inſtance in ſecret Prayer, and that both ſudden, and compoſed, and ſolemn. How few Profeſſours have made conſcience of Ejaculatory Prayer? How ſeldome have we darted up our Souls to Heaven, upon ſudden emergent occaſions, in ſome ſhort deſires? As when we are hearing, Lord, ſet home this Word upon my heart: When in Prayer our hearts are melting, &c. Lord, ſuffer not my heart any more to be hardened from thy fear: When we are about our worldly employments, Lord, keep my heart with thy ſelf, &c. Are not ſome of us wholly unacquainted with this kind of Praying? Not ſuch a Dart (ſaith one) to be found in all their Quiver. They know not how, in the midſt of their worldly buſineſſes, and company, yea in the midſt of their ſolemn religious duties, in hearing, reading, conferring, praying, &c. to ſend their thoughts to give God a viſit, though a ſhort one, in a deſire or two, to ſpeak at leaſt one or two heart-words unto him. Have not moſt Profeſſours too much contented themſelves with their ſolemn Viſits of God, but between their ſolemn Duties have ſcarce ever converſed with God? What account ſhall we be able to give of our thoughts (the firſt-born of our Souls) from morning to evening? Is not this the higheſt improvement of them, to ſend them in embaſies unto Heaven, and by them to converſe with God? Do not the beſt of us find ſtrangeneſs apt to grow between God and our Souls, between our ſet Duties? And may we not impute that ſtrangeneſs to our omiſſion of theſe more …anſient and occaſional talkings with God? How many precious things, in Chriſtian conference, in Sermons, in our ſolemn joynt Prayers, are loſt, for want of preſent li…ting up our hearts to God, for his preſence therein, and bleſſing thereupon? How many bleſſed motions or the Holy Spirit, ſuggeſted to us in our particular Callings, are quench'd, for want of theſe ſhort ſallyes of our Souls to Heaven, for more grace, that theſe ſparks may be kept alive, yea blown into a flame? Neglect of this kind of Prayer is no ſmall provocation: it grieves God: there is much unkindneſs in it, that God ſhould be ſo gracious, as to let his door ſtand wide open at all times, and that he ſhould aſſure us of welcome, when ever we come to him, and yet that we ſhould not be ſo kind, as to ſtep in to viſit him, with a deſire, hour after hour; and that, though we may thus viſit him, and not neglect (but rather further) any buſineſs we have in hand, and without being uncivil to any company in which we are, He cannot but take this udkindly.
How few Profeſſours have made conſcience of cloſet-Prayer? Neglecting cloſet Prayer.Though Chriſt takes it for granted, that his Diſciples will thus pray, and hath annexed a ſweet promiſe to the due performance of this duty, When thou prayeſt, enter into thy Cloſet, Mat. 6.6.and when thou haſt ſhut thy door, pray to thy Father, which is in ſecret, and thy Father, which ſeeth in ſecret, ſhall reward thee openly: Retire thy ſelf, get thee a place, ſet thy ſelf a time, wherein thou mayeſt vacare Deo, be at leiſure to make it thy buſineſs to pray to God, &c. Yet how is this duty wholly omitted by ſome, and too too ſeldom performed by others? Satan prevails with ſome (otherwiſe honeſt Souls) to put off this duty from time to time, by telling them, either that they will but play the hypocrites therein; or that the time is not convenient, by reaſon either of ſome bodily, or of ſome ſoul diſtempers; or that this and the other worldly buſineſs muſt of neceſſity be diſpatch'd at ſuch a time, &c. O how little do ſuch love the Lord, that are afraid to talk too ſecretly, or too often in ſecret with him! But alas! how many omit cloſet-Prayer altogether? Some content themſelves with praying with others, either in the Church, or in the Family: How can ſuch look upon themſelves as Saints, whatever Profeſſion they make? What? a Saint, and yet never deſire any privacy between God and thy Soul? a Saint, and yet find no errand to invite thee to ſpeak with God alone? Sure thou rather ſeekeſt to approve thy ſelf to men, than to God. Thou mayeſt for a time be the worlds Saint, but God will at laſt un-caſe thee, and preſent thee before the eyes of all the world for an Hypocrite. Mat. 6.5, 6.The tr…e Lover delights to viſit his Friend, when he may find him alone: like that good man, who, when the ſet time for his cloſet-Prayer was come, would break from any compony he was in, with this handſome ſpeech, I have a Friend that ſtayes for me, Farewell. Others put off this duty, by pretending they pray alwayes, every hour they are darting up Ejaculations to Heaven. As the pretence of every day-Sabbath (ſaith one) comes juſt to no Sabbath; ſo the continual Pray…; of ſome carnal Profeſſours, is not Praying a… a…. E…aculatory Prayer ſhould not hinder, but rather fit for, ſolemn ſet Praying. Fire muſt be kept upon the Altar continually, but that muſt not hinder the Morning and Evening Sacrifice. True Chriſtians cannot be ſatisfied with a bit and away, but they muſt …ve their ſet meals. Others look at Cloſet Prayer to be at the beſt but a Free will Offering (as they term it) which they may offer, if they will, but will not own it a duty: Surely ſuch are little ſenſible of their heart-plagues, or elſe they would alone, one by one, make Prayers, 1 Kings 8.38, 39. Zech. 12.10, 11.and Supplications. Such either have … Spirit at all, or elſe but little, very little of the Spirit, (or elſe they would be Praying apart. In all my obſervation, …e raines of Chriſtians have begun in their Cloſe… neglects, either by omitting the duty totally, or by …areleſs, formal, cuſtomary management of it. The truth is ſaith a late neat Writer) this is the firſt ſtep towards Apoſtacy: Back-ſliders grow firſt out of acquaintance with God in ſecret, then delight in this duty declineth by little and little, then are they leſs frequent in their viſits, upon which followeth a caſting off the duty, and yet they may appear great ſticklers and zealous in publick Ordinances; but if they recover not what they have loſt in their ſecret Trade, they will ere long break here alſo.
No ſurer ſign of an Hypocrite, than to neglect ſecret Prayer, it turns thee into a Nebuchadnezzar, into an Heathen; nay into a Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. 10.21.a Beaſt: They are become bruitiſh, and have not ſought the Lord. Thou pretendeſt a love to God, didſt thou love him, thou wouldſt love to be with him, yea lovers covet to be alone, where they may more freely impart their mutual affections: perhaps in thy family, Religious worſhip of God by Prayer is (yet) kept up, to keep up thy credit with men, that thou mayſt not be thought an Atheiſt, that thou mayſt be truſted; an hundred things may keep thee, and hold thee to publick duties, but herein is the tryal of thy uprightneſs, what thou doſt in ſecret for God, and with him: when the Maſters part (the two great ones, God and World) then is the trial of thee, whoſe Servant thou art; but oh! when the Maſter is alone, then he is moſtly neglected.
When alone thou art fitteſt for this duty of calling upon God; when the World is ſhut out, then thou haſt a diſcharge from the cumbers of the Earth: an Heathen (Scipio) will tell the; I have never better company, than when I have no company; for then can I freely entertain my own thoughts, and converſe with all the learned that have been in former ages. But thou art called to greater honour, to improve thy ſolitude, Joh. 16.32.to converſe with God, when alone to have thy Father with thee.
Yea God, like a modeſt lover, communicates moſt of his affections, to his people, when they are in ſecret: Pſa. 63.6.when David was in the night watches, then his Soul was filled with marrow and fatneſs, not that he wanted Gods preſence in the day; for ſeven times a day he praiſed God, but his day-ſacrifices yielded him not that marrow and ſweetneſs, as he taſted in the night, when he was ſequeſtred from all company and buſineſs. O! the hidden Mannah is the ſweeteſt. Cant. Hoſ. 2.14.The Church leaneth on the breaſt of Chriſt in the Wilderneſs, and there he speaks to her heart. Unhappy Soul! innumerable are thy loſſes, by neglecting Chriſts calls, Come my Beloved, Cant. 7.12.let us goe forth into the Fields, there will I give thee my loves: That God ſhould ſo lovingly invite thee, to take a turn or two with him every day, inorder to his opening his breaſt to thee, and yet be denied?
Again: When alone, and not with God, thou art lyable to Sathans fouleſt Temptations, to Atheiſm, Diſcontent, or Pride of heart: When the Devil finds the houſe empty, he will furniſh you with company enough, ſeven other worſe Spirits, if worſe may be; you ſhall be employed: Fear a Rape at leaſt, if God be not engaged to be a little Sanctuary in thy Cloſet and retirements: Sathan frequents the high wayes, and that Robber takes men aſide into a corner, and then pillageth them of their treaſure: He thought ſo to have dealt with Chriſt, and therefore takes him into a Mountain alone: Mat. 4.8.When alone your dangers are greateſt, therefore ſhould your cries to Heaven be moſt vehement.
How few Profeſſours have obſerved the fitteſt time for ſecret Prayer? Not early enough in the Cloſet. Mark 13.33.God would have us, in this ſenſe, Watch unto Prayer: God would have us early to tell the world whoſe Servants we are, and that we dare not undertake any buſineſs, without firſt engaging God with us; Mark 1.35.that we dare not enter on Sathans territories, without Chriſt, our great Champion with us: This Poſt ſhould be ſent to Heaven in the beginning of the day; for no ſooner in the morning, do we begin to live, and ſtirr, but we need freſh ſuccours and Auxiliaries from Heaven.
True Chriſtians count that the ſweeteſt air they breath in, which is the fruit of Prayer; and all things reliſh well with him, that … through this golden Pipe of Prayer; and therefore he is up early in his Cloſet, that … may receive all, this way, from the Lords bounty, and faithfulneſs: Therefore … ſooner doth he open his eyes, but he opens his heart to God; and before he puts on… ragg, he muſt to Heaven in ſecret Ejaculations, at leaſt, before he goes to his Cloſet, to pour out his Soul more plentifully before God: He expecteth no good day, unleſs i… be begun with a good duty; and therefore my voice ſhale… thou hear in the morning, Pſa. 5.3.119.147.in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee: David prevented the dawning of the morning; na… he prevented God, (i. e.) his Providences and Favours which he expected, he loved to have them in the Channel of Prayer.
But alas! how do Profeſſours ſhuffle with God, by deferring and deferring? And hereby many miſchiefs attend.
The World, that Peſt of Souls and Graces, is admitted, before we have got our Antidotes againſt the Infection of it: Hence deadneſs of heart enſues, multitudes of worldly diſtractions; ſo that after a few hours, the Soul hath no mind at all to ſpeak with God; but though it muſt to the Cloſet, yet there is it peſtered with wandring thoughts, diſcontented thoughts, worldly thoughts; ſo that the time which ſhould be ſpent in pure Communion with God, is taken up in driving theſe Fowls from the Sacrifice.
Beſides, God is an holy God, and jealous for his Name, and he eſteemeth it a reflection on him, to be ſo neglected, that he muſt be ſerved last of all, and therefore withholds his influences from the Soul, to condemn ſuch ſalocy abuſes of his great Name; and then no wonder if thou be ſoon overcome with a world of vain impertinent cogitations. By neglect of early going into your Cloſets, you credit the World too much, as if it were more worthy of your time and ſtrength, than the Lord is: Whereas you ſhould profeſs, that all your hours are Gods, and therefore you dare not, Prov. 3.9.but honour him with the firſt Fruits of all your increaſe; you will thereby ſanctifie all the Harveſt, all the Vintage, by preſenting God with the green Eares.
By neglect of your Mornings, you hint to other Obſervers, as if you were not, Firſt to ſeek God, and his Kingdom, and the righteouſneſs thereof.
You neglect the ſitteſt ſeaſon, for then the mercies of the night are freſheſt, ſmell ſweeteſt, which after a while, like Flowers, will loſe their ſcent with us: Whilſt the Iron is hot, it is our wiſdome to ſtrike; His Mercies are renewed every Morning, ſo ſhould our Praiſes.
By entring on buſineſs without calling on God, you declare, you need not the Lords aſſiſtances, and that you depend not on him for every thing, but can make a ſnift to live without him: Whereas God feeds us from hand to mouth, and hath not left any ſtores with us, that we may make our addreſsments to him night and day, who muſt water us every moment. Poor Souls, did you but ſee your dangers, by reaſon of the three great Brigades of Enemies, the World, the Fleſh, the Devil, you would not be ſo fool-hardy, to venture abroad, untill you have beſeeched God, to help poor, needy, indigent Creatures: Remember, You want as ſoon as you wake, and thoſe things you want, as none but a God can ſupply you: You need Divine Power to follow your Callings.
By neglecting this ſeaſon, the Devil, and the World, have often made you forget, or omit the Duty for the day: You have no leiſure in the Morning, and what then? the Devil fills thy hand with unexpected buſineſs, that the excuſe grows ſtronger, and more plauſible: But muſt we ſerve the Slave, and neglect the Lord of glory?
By omitting this hour, you are the unfitter for Family-worſhip; were the Inſtrument tuned before, it would be the fitter to play in conſort.
But oh! what hazards doſt thou run, not only by preferring other things and buſineſs before God, but by neglecting the firſt hour of the day, when thou art not ſure of a ſecond? Thou purpoſeſt ſuch an hour to pray, but what is thy Life ſave a Vapour, which may expire before that hour?