The Christian Completely Armed, Lecture 25
LECT. XXV. March 27. 1650.
Epheſ. 6. 18.
Praying alwayes with all Prayer and ſupplication in the ſpirit, &c. foreign.
IN theſe words we have the laſt piece of the ſpirituall Armour, which the Apoſtle recommends unto Chriſtians for their ſafe ſtanding, and certain Victory over Satan and his Temptations, viz. Prayer and Supplication. Some Interpreters think, this is no peece of Armour, becauſe there is no expreſſion of any piece of materiall Armour, to which it is reſembled; but I conceive it is a ſpeciall piece of Armour, both offenſive and defenſive, and that the Apoſtle forbears perticularly to reſemble it to any one piece of materiall Armour, becauſe no one piece doth ſufficiently ſet out the excellency of it. It is Armatura Armaturae, hath an influence upon all the other pieces. And therefore reſerved to the laſt place, as that without with all the reſt are unſerviceable.
In the whole verſe we ſhall conſider two things.
1. The Armour it ſelfe. Prayer and Supplication.
2. The particular qualifications of this Duty: this is expreſſed in theſe things.
1. It muſt be conſtant, praying alwayes, foreign, according to opportunity.
2. We muſt uſe all kindes of prayer, with all prayer.
3. It muſt be in the ſpirit, foreign.
4. We muſt watch unto the duty.
5. It muſt be with perſeverance.
6. It muſt be charitable, Not for our ſelves onelyonly, but for all the Saints.
Though I might make many obſervations of theſe, yet I ſhall onelyonly give you one, which is the main in which I ſhall have occaſion to open all theſe particulars. And it is this.
He that would ſtand in the day of Temptation, and be victorious over Satan, muſt be very careful to make uſe of the duty of Prayer and Supplication unto God. Or thus, Prayer and Supplication to God, is an excellent and ſpeciall thing to help a Chriſtian to conquer and overcome all the Temptations of Satan, and his Inſtruments. This is the way to ſtand, this is the way to overcome.
In the handling of this Doctrine, I ſhall do theſe three things.
1. Open briefly the nature of Prayer.
2. Shew you what are the Ingredients of a conquering Prayer: where I ſhall open thoſe ſix things which I named before.
3. How this duty of Prayer helps a Chriſtian in this ſpiritual Warre.
1. What Prayer is. There are two parts of Prayer largely taken. Petition, Thankſgiving. I ſhall not at this time meddle with the latter, but ſpeak onelyonly of petitionary Prayer, which is chiefly meant in this place, of which I lay down this Deſcription.
Prayer is a religious Invocation, or calling upon the true God in the name of Jeſus Christ the Mediator for the obtaining of good things, neceſſary for ſoul and body, and averting of evill things, that God may be better glorified.
I do purpoſely omit many things in this Deſcription, which are neceſſary and eſſentiall to Prayer, becauſe they are particularly expreſſed in thoſe Qualifications and Ingredients, which will come to be handled in the next particular. I ſhall briefly open this Deſcription.
1. 'Tis Invocation or calling upon God, ſo the Scripture uſeth to expreſs it, Zech. 13. 9. They ſhall call on my name, and I will hear them, Rom. 10. 14. How ſhall they call on him, on whom they have not believed? ſo 1 Pet. 1. 17. and 1 Cor. 1. 2. 'Tis called ſometimes the making of our requeſt to God, Phil. 4. 6. ſometimes the ſeeking of Gods face, Speaking unto God, intreating the Lord, &c. All which import invocation. I put this in for theſe two Reaſons, viz.
1. Becauſe it is in it ſelf an Act of Religion, of ſolemn worſhip and Adoration, ſo much the word foreign ſignifieth. It is ſometimes uſed for all Religion, Gen. 4. 26. The reſtoring of the worſhip of God from corruption, wherein it had now for a long time been, is ſet out Synecdochically by that part of it.
2. To diſtinguiſh it from thoſe Invocations which are not religious, but raſh, paſſionate, inadviſed and prophane wiſhes: ſuch as men in diſcontent and diſtemper put up to God: as alſo to diſtinguiſh it from thoſe Prayers which want thoſe Religious and holy affections and Ingredients which ſhould be in a holy Prayer, Heb. 12. 28. Eccleſ. 5. 1. 3. 'Tis calling upon the true God. This I add for theſe three Reaſons.
1. To exclude all prayer made to Saints, Angels, the Virgin Mary, or any other Creature. Prayer being an Act of Religious worſhip, cannot without manifeſt Idolatry be directed to any Creature, Rev. 22. 9. Mat. 4. 10. Judg. 13. 16. That in Gen. 48. 16. is not to be underſtood of a created Angel, but of Jehovah the Son of God, the increated Angel of the Covenant, vid. Hoſ. 12. 4, 5. compared with Gen. 32. 28. It was not any created Angel; but God himſelf who redeemed him out of evill.
2. To exclude all prayer to falſe Gods, ſuch as Heathens do invoke, vid. Pſal. 44. 21.
3. To teach us that we muſt direct our prayers to God in Trinity. We muſt invocate the Trinity of perſons in the unity of the God-head. When in prayer we name one perſon of the Trinity: we muſt in our heart and minde include the other two; for however, the perſons be diſtinct in themſelves: yet in all the duties of worſhip which we perform, the name of any perſon, Father, Son, or Holy Ghoſt, is to be taken eſſentially, not perſonally. We are to conceive, the Father ſubſiſting in the ſame God-head, with the Son and Holy Ghoſt, and in all workings, ad extra, the three perſons of the Trinity work together, and are only diſtinguiſhed in manner of working. Therefore we muſt not ſeparate them in worſhip.
And when we pray to Chriſt, we are not to ſever his two Natures in our minde; but we muſt call upon him as God and man; for however, the Manhood is not to be worſhipped with religious worſhip for it ſelf, or by it ſelf, becauſe it is by it ſelfe a Creature: yet as it is perſonally united to the God-head, it is part of that perſon which is true God, and therefore to be worſhipped with one and the ſame worſhip, wherewith the Godhead is worſhipped, Heb. 1. 6.
4. 'Tis in the name of Chriſt the Mediator. In the ſtate of innocency man might worſhip God without a Mediator, but ſince ſin made the breach, God will accept no worſhip from man, but what is tendred in the hands of a Mediator. This Mediator is Jeſus Chriſt alone, 1 Tim. 2. 5. This was typified in the Law. The High Prieſt alone did enter into the Sanctuary, and carry the names of the Children of Iſrael before the Lord, and the people ſtood without, Exod. 28. 29. this did typifie Chriſts Mediation. The Mercy ſeat had two things, The Cloud of Incenſe that covered it, The blood of the Bullock ſprinkled before it, Lev. 16. 13, 14. That blood typified Chriſts ſatisfaction. The Cloud of incenſe, his interceſſion. The Patriarchs of old made all their Prayers in Chriſts name, Deut. 9. 17. Chriſt is the Jacobs Ladder: No man comes to the Father but by him. He is our Brother Benjamin, without whom God will not bid us welcome, vid. Eph. 3. 12. This I add for two Reaſons.
Firſt, To exclude the mediation of Saints and Angels: the Papiſts make Co-Mediators with Chriſt:
Secondly, To take off that fond conceit of the meritoriouſneſs of our prayers. Theſe come in the name of your prayers, not in Chriſts name.
5. For the obtaining of good things neceſſary for ſoul and body, and the averting of evil things. Here we have both Petition and Deprecation. That which is to be prayed for comprehends:
1. Good things.
2. Things lawful, 1 Joh. 5. 14.
3. Things neceſſary; not trifles, not vanities; not res ludicrae: we muſt not foreign
4. Things for ſoul and body, daily bread, pardon of ſinne.
That which is to be prayed againſt, or deprecated: Evill things, Penal Evills, Sinful Evils.
Only things ſpiritually good muſt be prayed for: In the firſt place, Matth. 6. 33.
Abſolutely. All outward things muſt be prayed for, and prayed againſt not abſolutely, but with ſubordination to the Will of God, and our good. Not as I will, but as thou wilt.
6. That God may be the better glorified. This I add, to let you ſee what the ſupream and principal end of a Chriſtian ſhould be in prayer: Not ſo much the ſatisfaction of his own wants, or the removal of his own annoyance, as the glorifying of God, vid. 1 Pet. 4. 11. Hallowed be thy name, is put into the firſt place of that pattern for prayer; and, Thine is the Kingdome, power and glory, into the Concluſion, to let us ſee that Gods honour muſt be both the Alphae and Omega of our Prayers.
Secondly, what are the Ingredients of a Conquering Prayer?
In the opening of this, I ſhall give you an Expoſition of that which I made the latter part of the Text, and it hath theſe ſix things in it.
1. A conquering Prayer muſt be a frequent Prayer, foreign. As often as God gives us an occaſion, and fit opportunity, ſo often muſt we perform this Duty of Prayer. Firſt, The Scripture doth not onelyonly enjoyn the Duty of Prayer, but requires frequency in it, Luke 18. 1. 1 Theſ. 5. 17. Daily prayer is commanded by our Saviour, Matth. 6. 11. Give us this day our daily bread. Daily prayer; yea, Morning and Evening prayer, was typified by the morning and evening Sacrifice under the Law, vid. Exo. 29. 38, 39. and Numb. 28. 3. That was to be offered by the Iſraelites every morning, and every evening, without intermiſſion; yea, upon their Sabbaths, and other Feſtivals, though there were other peculiar Sacrifices to be offered by the people, yet the daily Sacrifice was not to be omitted, Numb. 28. 10.
Secondly, the ſervants of God have been frequent in prayer, Daniel uſed to pray three times a day, Dan. 6. 10. David ſeven times a day, Pſal. 119. 164. Yea, he was vir orationis, for his frequency in it, Pſal. 109. 4. The ſtory relates it of John the Evangeliſt, that by his frequent prayer, his knees were grown like Camels hoofs for hardneſs.
Thirdly, Satan tempts us frequently: he is every moment ſpreading his Net, and laying his Snare to intrap the Soul: he takes every opportunity to aſſault us: ergo, we ſhould take every opportunity to defend our ſelves againſt his Aſſaults, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your Adverſary goeth about continually ſeeking whom to devour. Himſelf ſaith, Job 1. 7. That he is continually circuiting, and going up and down to deſtroy. Tis not one Arrow that will ſecure us againſt ſuch frequent and reiterated Temptations. He made three Aſſaults upon our Saviour in a little ſpace of time, Mat. 4. init. and when he left him, it was but for a ſeaſon, Luke 4. 13.
2. He that would overcome, muſt uſe all kind of prayer. foreign. Prayer is diverſly diſtinguiſhed. In regard of the manner of performing it, it is either, 1. Mental, or Vocal. Mental prayer is, when the heart onelyonly prayeth without the voyce: ſuch was that of Moſes, Exod. 14. 15. Such was that of Hanna, 1 Sam. 1. 13. Theſe are mutae preces, & tamen clamantes. Vocal Prayer is, when the deſires of the heart are drawn out into verbal expreſſions: ſuch was that of David, Pſal. 5. 3. Pſal. 64. 1.
2. Either with others, or elſe ſolitary with our ſelves alone: Prayer, with others, is either more publike, as in the Congregation; or more private, as in the Family. Solitary prayer is, when the Chriſtian enters into his Cloſet, retires himſelf from all company, and then powres out his deſires to God: ſuch is that our Saviour enjoyns, Matth. 6. 6. Such was that of our Saviour, Luke 5. 16. In regard of the matter, Prayer is either for the obtaining of good things; this is called foreign in the Text: or elſe it is for the diverting of evill, which is called foreign. Now all kind of prayer muſt be uſed by him that would overcome Temptations: He muſt pray privately and publikely, mentally and vocally, &c. Every kind of prayer hath in it ſomething which is more peculiarly excellent, which is not ſo excellent in any other kind of prayer: Publike prayer excels in one kind; private prayer is more excellent in other reſpects, Nehem. 2. 4. Mental prayer, in ſome reſpects, excels vocall in others. In publike prayer there, is more ſtrength, vis unita fortior. In private and ſecret prayer there is leſs diſtraction. There is in the publike, more Communion with Saints: There is in the private often more Communion with God, leſs interruption, incumbrance, &c. Satan uſeth all kind of Temptations, and therefore we ſhould uſe all kind of prayer. The whole vertue of prayer lies not in any one kind, but in all kinds.
3. A Conquering Prayer muſt be in the Spirit. foreign. This hath four things in it:
1. It muſt be in the Spirit, and not onelyonly in the outward man. So the Scholiaſt, foreign that is, foreign. It muſt not be a work of the head, or hands, or eyes onelyonly; but chiefly a work of the heart. Prayer is called the powring out of the ſoul, 1 Sam. 1. 15. The powring out of the heart, Pſal. 62. 8. The lifting up, or ſtretching out of the ſoul, Pſal. 25. 1. We read indeed of the lifting up of the hands, Pſal. 28. 2. Of the lifting up of the eyes, Pſal. 123. 1. Of the bowing of the knee, Epheſ. 3. 14. Theſe are fit and convenient poſtures, to manifeſt the inward affections of the heart; but the main work of prayer is in the inward man, Quod cor non facit, non fit. Satan is a Spiritual Enemy. Satans Temptations, are Spiritual Temptations; and therefore prayer will do no good againſt him, which is not Spiritual. God will never honour a prayer with victory over Satan, which is onelyonly a bodily ſervice; yea, prayer without the heart, drives God away, and brings temptations into the ſoul. It will never be a Satan-conquering, but a ſelf-weakning prayer.
2. Prayer in the Spirit, i. e. Zealous and fervent, not cold and faint. So 'tis uſed in the Scripture, Rom. 12. 11. A cold faint prayer will never prove a Conquering-prayer. 'Tis fervent prayer, that is the effectuall prayer, Jam. 5. 16. foreign. Such have been the prayers of the victorious ſervants of God. Such was Jacobs prayer, Gen. 32. 31. compared with Hoſ. 12. 4. Such was the prayer of Elias, Jam. 5. 16. compared with 1 King. 18. 42. We read of ſtriving in prayer, Rom. 15. 30. foreign. Wraſtling in prayer, Gen. 32. 24. Labouring fervently Col. 4. 12. Praying exceedingly, foreign 1 Theſ. 3. 10. Powring out a prayer, Pſal. 102. tit. Lifting up a prayer, Eſa 64. 7. Stirring up our ſelves in prayer, Eſa 64. 7. All which expreſſions note ardency. Satan is not cold, but ſervent; not faint, but zealous in his Aſſaults: he fights againſt us in his Spirit, that is, with all his might; and if we do not pray in the Spirit, we ſhall rather encourage him then get the Victory.
3. In the Spirit; that is, in ſincerity. Spirit is uſed, in Scripture, in oppoſition to hypocriſie, Joh. 4. 24. Ambroſe expounds this, of purity of heart, and integrity. Hoc est in Spiritu ſemper …rare, mundâ conſcientiâ, & fide integrâ, precem ad Deum dirigere. In carne enim orat, qui pollutâ mente orat. A prayer proceeding from an impure heart, is like rotten Arrows againſt an Enemy, which will neither wound him. nor kill him. Hypocritical prayers ſhall not be heard of God, Pſal. 66. 18. Nor ſhall they be fear'd of Satan. Satan is not hypocritical, and in appearance, but real and in good earneſt in his temptations; and ſo muſt a Chriſtian be in his prayer, that means to overcome.
4. In the Spirit, i. e. By the help of the Holy Spirit. The Saints have this happineſs, that the Holy Ghoſt makes interceſſion in them with ſighs and groans, which cannot be uttered, Rom. 8. 26. Now he prayes in the Spirit, that prayes by the help and aſſiſtance of the Spirit: he that acteth the Graces of the Spirit in Prayer, Faith, Hope, Heavenlineſs, &c. Some deride Prayer in and by the Spirit. Satan is a Spirit, and no prayer will put him to flight, but that which is framed in the heart by the Holy Spirit of prayer. It is not the gift of Prayer, but the grace of Prayer which gets the day.
4. A Conquering Prayer, muſt be a watchfull Prayer. foreign. This is required as a neceſſary Qualification of Prayer, Mat. 26. 41.
There is a two-fold watchfulneſs, in reference unto prayer.
1. A watchfulneſs (unto prayer:) Of this we read, 1 Pet. 4. 7. Be ye ſober, and watch unto prayer. A watchfulneſs (in prayer:) Of which we read, Col. 4. 2. Watch in prayer with thanksgiving. He that would overcome Satan by prayer, muſt do both theſe; He must watch unto prayer; that is:
1. He muſt have the thoughts of his heart taken up about this Duty: he muſt prepare for it, both matters for it, and time for it: he muſt ſo order his affairs, that he may ſolemnly wait upon this work of prayer: many Chriſtians are ſo intangled about other things, they do ſo watch for the matters of this life, that they have no fit time for prayer.
2. He muſt watch and obſerve thoſe ſpecial ſeaſons, in which God doth move and ſtir up his heart to this Duty. He muſt watch (in Prayer;) that is, he muſt watch againſt Drowſineſs, againſt Diſtractions, and wandrings, againſt whatſoever may divert him from prayer. It is to be the care of a Chriſtian, that his heart may be compoſed in prayer, that Satan may not take him off from the work he hath in hand.
Satan watcheth unto Temptation, and watcheth In Temptation; and if we do not watch both Into ſupplication, and In ſupplication, he will have a very great advantage againſt us; your drowſie, careleſs, looſe, unſetled prayer, is the way to encourage, not to diſhearten Satan.
5. A conquering Prayer, muſt be a perſevering Prayer. foreign. It ſignifieth ſuch an invincible conſtancy, and perſeverance, as will be beaten off by no kind of oppoſition, or difficulty whatſoever. This is required in many places, Rom. 12. 12. Col. 4. 2. We muſt not onelyonly pray for a day, or a year, and then ceaſe; our prayers muſt continue as long as the battel continues. All victory is promiſed to him onelyonly that perſeveres. Satan is never weary of tempting, and we muſt never be weary of praying. You muſt be ſtill charging and diſcharging this Ordinance of Prayer, as Satan is charging and diſcharging upon you by his Temptations: Diſcontinuing of this, may loſe the battel. The Apoſtle exhorts Chriſtians to have a care that their prayers be not cut off, 1 Pet. 3. 7. foreign. The cutting off prayer, is as dangerous as the totall neglecting of prayer.
6. A conquering Prayer, must be a charitable prayer. This is, in theſe words, foreign. Not, as if we muſt pray for none but Saints. God gives us leave to pray for all ſinners, except thoſe who have ſinned that unpardonable ſinne. Samuel prayed for Saul. Abraham prayed for Iſhmael &c. 'Tis not excluſive of others: His meaning is, we muſt pray for others, eſpecially for the Saints: the Eye of Charity, in this, as in other pieces of it, is to look firſt at the Saints. The Saints are liable moſt of all to the violence of the ſame Temptation, which we are lyable to. The Saints being helped by our prayers, will be the better able to pray for us, and to help us in our Aſſaults, by their prayers. And beſides, Prayers for the Saints, will engage God to hear the prayers that we make for our ſelves, in our own Temptations. I might add more Qualifications out of other Scriptures; but I reſolve not to go out of the Text.
Thirdly, Wherein the uſefulneſs of Prayer, as to the overcoming of Satan, and his Temptations, lyeth. This I ſhall ſhew in theſe things, viz,