A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 40
CHAP. 40.
Of Prayer, or Innocation.
In prayer is to bee conſidered
The
1. Motiues.
2.
The parts,
Petition—
vntounto which are annexed Confeſſion.
Thankeſgiuing.—
The ſorts,
1.
Priuate.
Publike.
2.
Ordinarie.
Extraordinarie, wherunto are ſometimes adioyned
Faſting. Chap. 41.
Feaſting. Ch. 42.
The rule of prayer. Chapter, 43.
ROM. chap. 10. verſ. 14. How then ſhall they call on him in whom they hauehave not beleeued? and how ſhall they beleeue in him, of whom they hauehave not heard? and how ſhall they heare without a Preacher?
Q. HItherto of the things which God giueth to vsus: what are thoſe which we giuegive to God?
A. Prayers, and Vowes.
Q. What is Prayer or Inuocation?
A. It is a calling vponupon God alone, in the name of Mat. 6. 9. Rom. 10. 14. Pſal. 50. 15. Act 9. 14. Coloſſ. 3. 17.Chriſt, by the titles where with (in the Scripture) he is ſet forth vntounto vsus; as well thereby to doe ſeruice and homage vntounto the Lord, as to obtaine all neceſſary graces.
Q. What are we generally to conſider in Prayer?
A. Firſt, to whom wee are to pray: ſecondly, for whom: thirdly, by what ſtrength and power: fourthly, by what motiues.
Q. VntoUnto whom are we to pray?
A. VntoUnto God alone. Eſa. 42. 8. & 49. 11. Rom. 10. 14.
Q. Why are we to pray to God alone?
A. Firſt, becauſe he onelyonly aAct. 1. 24. Pſal 7. 10. & 33. 3. &. 44. 21.knowes our hearts and deſires, and what we want, and what is good for vsus.
Secondly, Prayer is a principall bDeut. 6. 11. Mat. 4. 10. Pſal. 50. 15. Mat. 6. 9.part of Gods worſhip, and therefore not to be giuen vntounto any but God.
Thirdly, he is not onelyonly Almighty, and able to giuegive vsus what we aske, but moſt mercifull and gracious; and therefore moſt readie to grant our requeſts. Eſa. 63. 16.
Fourthly, becauſe we ought to cRom. 10. 14.pray only to thoſe in whom we are to beleeue, and we are to beleeue only in God.
Fifthly, wee hauehave neither precept nor example of any Saint, that called vponupon, and prayed to any but vntounto God.
Sixthly, the Lords Prayer (which is a perfect direction for all prayers, directs vsus only vntounto God.Mat. 6. 9.
Q. What followeth here-vponupon?
A. That the communicating of this honour with Saints and Angels, is deteſtable and abominable.
Q. For whom are we to pray?
A. For our ſelues and others, euen all a1. Tim. 2. 1. 2.ſorts and degrees of men: Magiſtrates, bEpheſ. 6. 19. Coloſſ. 4. 3.Miniſters, yea cMat. 5. 44.our very enemies.
Q. Are no ſort of men excepted?
A. None, but thoſe which hauehave committed the 1. Ioh. 5. 16.vnpardonable ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt.
Q. By what power and ſtrength doe we pray?
A. Not by the power and ſtrength of our owne naturall gifts (if our prayers bee good and acceptable Pſal. 109. 7. & 51. 15. Phil. 4. 6. Iud. 20.vntounto God) but by the power and motion of the ſpirit of God ſanctifying our hearts, and drawing from them this holy ſeruice.
Q. What motiues hauehave wee to ſtirre vsus to this dutie of Prayer?
A. Firſt, God hath aMat. 7. 7. 1. Theſ. 5. 7.commanded this ſeruice, and that it ſhould be performed bMat. 7. 7. Luk. 11. 13. Pſal. 34. 16. & 140. 18.continually, that is, daily at ſet times, without intermiſſion.
Secondly, he hath appointed prayer as a meanes, vntounto which he hath tied the procuring and obtaining of thoſe graces, which he intendeth to beſtow vponupon vsus; ſo that it is as a key, to open therewith the ſtorehouſes of all Gods treaſures, and (as it were) the onelyonly hooke whereby wee reach all the bleſſings of God, which otherwiſe would be out of our reach. So that as the couetouſneſſe of Popiſh Prieſts gaue occaſion of a reprochfull prouerbe: No pennie, no prayer: the truth of God on the contrary ſide, doth teach vsus, No prayer, no pennie.
Thirdly, without prayer, the vſe and enioying of all things we hauehave is vnlawfull. For as when we take any 1. Tim. 4. 5.thing that is our neighbors without asking him leaue, we are theeues and vſurpers: ſo to lay our hands vponupon any thing that is Gods (whoſe all things are) without asking them at his hand, is a ſpirituall kind of fellonie.
Fourthly, by this meanes wee hauehave the more aſſurance & feeling wrought in vsus, that thoſe good things that wee enioy or receiue, wee hauehave them from God, and not by accident or Fortune. Pſal. 50. 15.
Fifthly, prayer is a ſpeciall meanes to appeaſe Gods anger towards vsus, and to make way to his fauour, whē by any ſpeciall ſinne we hauehave prouoked him. Pſalm. 6. and 51.
Sixthly, they are in Gods eſtimation, as Incenſe and ſweet perfumes are to men, exceeding gratefull and acceptable. Pſal. 141. 2. Reuel. 5. 8.
Q. How can God ſo infinitely wiſe, take any ſuch delight in our weake and ſimple prayers?
A. Becauſe in a1. Pet. 2. 5.Chriſt he taketh vsus for his children; as therefore parents take more pleaſure to heare their owne children ſtammer, then others to ſpeake eloquently: ſo doth the bCant. 2. 14.Lord take pleaſure in the prayers of his children, how weake ſoeuer.
Q. Doth not God often beſtow his benefits without prayer?
A. Yea ſomtimes he beſtowes benefits on the wicked, either to prouoke them to repent, or to make them inexcuſable; or vponupon his children (as a louing father vſeth) becauſe of their ignorance, though they bee negligent.
Q. What are the parts of prayer?
A. Petition, and thankſgiuing. Philip. 4. 6.
Q. What is Petition?
A. A part of prayer, whereby we deſire any thing that may bee prayed for by Gods word; and it is either for things of this preſent life, with this exception, ſo farre forth as the ſame ſhall be thought good by the wiſedome of God; or (and b that eſpecially) for the things of the life to come, & that without exception.
Q. With what minde and affections are wee to make our petitions to God?
A. Firſt, with a true ſenſe and feeling of our wants. 1. Sam. 1. 10. Dan. 9. 4. 5. 16.
Secondly, with an earneſt deſire that God would ſupply them. Pſal. 130. 1. & 143. 6.
Thirdly, with confidence, that (if the fault be not in our ſelues) they ſhall bee ſupplied. 1. Ioh. 5. 14. 15. Mark. 11. 24.
Q. What is thankſgiuing?
A. A part of prayer, wherein wee magnifie the 2. Sam 19. 25. 26. Mat. 8. 2. 1. Ioh. 5. 14. Luk. 11. 13.goodneſſe of God: and it is either in praiſing him for all his goodneſſe, wiſedome, power, mercy, generally ſhewed in the gouernment of the world, eſpecially of his Church; or for thoſe particular benefits, that by petition, or without, wee hauehave receiued from his mercifull hands. 1. Theſſ 5. 18. Epheſ. 5. 20. Coloſſ. 3. 16. Pſal. 36. 8. 9.
Q. What is annexed vntounto both theſe kinds of prayer?
A. Confeſſion of ſinnes, and of the righteous iudgment of God againſt them; at the view wherof we being humbled, may come the more prepared to prayer in both kinds. Dan. 9. 8. 9. Pſal. 143. 6.
Q. What are the ſorts of prayer?
A. They are publike or priuate; both which are alſo ordinarie, or extraordinarie. Act. 6. 4. 1. Tim. 2. 12. Mat. 6. 6. Act. 10. 4.
Q. What is publike prayer?
A. That which is made by the congregation ſolemnly.
Q. What is priuate prayer?
A. It is either leſſe priuate, as when a whole familie ioyneth together in that exerciſe; or more priuate, when either one of the members of the family, or ſome few, by reaſon of ſome ſpecial duty ioyntly pray together. Eſter. 4. 15. Nehem. 1. 4. 5. 6. Geneſ. 25. 21. 1. Pet. 3. 7.
Q. Is it enough for eueryevery one in the family to make prayers with the reſt of the houſhold?
A. No: for as eueryevery one hath committed ſpeciall Mat. 6. 6. Zach. 12. 12. Gen. 24. 63.ſinnes, and hath ſpeciall defects, which others in the family happily hauehave not; and may hauehave receiued ſpeciall fauours which others hauehave not; ſo in theſe regards it is meet, that he ſhould more ſpecially and priuately reſort vntounto God, in confeſſion, petition, and thankſgiuing.
Q. What is ordinary prayer?
A. It is that prayer which is made daily vponupon ordinarie Pſal. 55 18. Dan. 6. 11.occaſions.
Q. What is extraordinary prayer?
A. That aPſal. 119. 62.which is made vponupon ſome ſpeciall and extraordinarie occaſion, and bAct. 12. 5.as the occaſion fals out to bee more great and extraordinarie; ſo ſhould our prayers be more feruent. VntoUnto which kind of prayers are often annexed a holy faſt, and a holy feaſt.