A Help Unto Devotion, Notice
A ſhort Aduertiſment, touching Preparation before Praier. In which is ſhewed
1. The neceſſitie of it,
2. The manner of it.
THe neceſſitie of Preparation may appeare manie waies.
1 By our ſauiours platform, in which the Petitions are not ſet downe abruptlie; but a ſolemne preface is prefixed, like a faire porch to a beautifull houſe: to teach vsus to frame our affections and ſet them in due order, before we draw neere to ſpeak vntounto the Lord.
2 By expreſſe commandement: Bee not raſh with thy mouth, nor let thine heart be haſtie to vtter a thing before God. Eccleſ. 5.1. It is a dangerous thing to babble out vndigeſted & vnaduiſed words in his eares.
3 By example. O GOD (ſayth Dauid) mine heart is prepared, ſo is my tongue &c. Pſal. 108.1. It was the difference betwixt him and hypocrites, that he waſhed his hands in innocencie, before he would compaſſe the Altar Pſal. 26.6.
4 By due proportion from outward things. If a man goe before a Prince, or man of authority, he will thinke vponupon his cariage, he will ſet his tale in order, and meditate what to ſay: how much more then ſhould we prepare when we come to ſpeake to God, who is higher then the Kinges of the Earth?
2 The manner of Preparation ſtands in
Praying,
Meditating.
1 PRaying: Meruaile not that I make Praying a preparatiue to praier. A little eating prepareth a weake ſtomacke, and ſetteth an edge vppon the appetite to eate more; ſo in prayer: Therefore Dauid before prayer, praied, Let my prayer be directed in thy ſight as incenſe &c. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lips, Pſ. 141.2.3. A lifting vp of the ſoule to heauen, with a deſire of direction, is a good preparatiue.
2 Meditating, vponupon three things: 1 GODS maieſtie: 2 GODS promiſes: 3 Our owne vilenes. The reaſon is this: There are 3 thinges chiefelie requiſite in prayer which are helped by this threefold meditation: 1 Humilitie and lowlines of ſpirit, begotten by the due conſideration of Gods Maieſtie; 2 Confidence and aſſurance to be heard, bredde by the knowledge of Gods promiſes; 3 Feruencie of affection, ſpringing from the apprehenſion of our owne vileneſs.
That the maieſtie of God muſt bee thought vponupon, is proued, Eccleſ 5.1. Hee that ſpeaks to God, is bidden to remēber, that God is in heauen.
That the promiſes muſt be muzed vppon, appeares, 2. Sam. 7.27. Thou haſt reueiled vntounto thy ſeruant &c. Therefore hath thy ſeruant beene bold to pray &c. Geneſis, 32.11.12. I pray thee deliuer me, &c. for thou ſayedſt, I will ſurelie dooe thee good. What courage can we hauehave to goe to the throne of grace without the warrant of promiſe?
That our owne vileneſſe muſt bee remembred, it is euident. Gen. 32.10. I am leſſe then the leaſt of thy mercies. Ezra, 9.6. O my God, I am aſhamed and confounded to lift vp mine eyes, &c. for our iniquities are increaſed, &c. Thus then prepare thy ſelf to pray: Exerciſe thy thoughts before hand vponupon theſe three things: 1 what a preſence full of maieſtie thou muſt come into: 2 what ſweete promiſes he hath made to encourage thee: 3 what neede thou haſt to fly to his merciemercy. This will furniſh thee with humilitie tempered with cheerefulnes, & both whetted on & quickened by the feeling of thy owne neceſſitie.
To helpe thy meditations of Gods maieſty, remember Pſal. 104.1. O Lord my God, thou art exceeding great, thou art clothed with glorie and honor &c. 1. Tim. 6.16. who only hath immortality, and dwelleth in a light that none can attaine to, &c. and ſuch like places.
To ſupply thee with words of promiſe: conſider Pſa. 50.15. Call vponupon me &c. ſo wil I deliuer thee &c. Iſ. 65.24. yea before they call I will anſwer, and whiles they ſpeake I will heare. Iohn, 14.13. Whatſoeuer you aske in my name, that will I do: and many ſuch teſtimonies.
To bring thee to ſee thy own vileneſſe, ponder Iob, 5.14. Man drinks iniquitie like water. cha. 25.4. Hee cannot bee cleane that is borne of a woman. Pſalme, 51.5. I was borne in Iniquitie &c. Romanes, 7.18. I knowe that in my fleſh dwelleth no good thing. Gather account of thy particular ſinnes as Iob did, Chapter, 9.3. View thy ſelfe often in the glaſs of the Law.