The Doctrine of the Three Sacred Persons, Part 7
PRAYER.
NExt th' Trinity of Perſons and of Graces
Mans three main Duties Muſe and Method
Who views my God and Grace in all their Beauty places.
Can't (I ſhould think) but take delight in Duty.
But who believs, Hopes, Loves (I'm ſure of that)
Will Love to Pray, to Hear, to Meditate.
Pray'r's the firſt breath put forth in crying then
When, through ſad pangs, poor ſouls are born agen.
Heav'n well commends Faiths midwifery, and ſayes,
The Child's no ſtill born, for behold he prayes.
Pray'r is the rapper at Heav'ns door: Faith knocks,
Who's there? ſaith Love within doors, and unlocks.
Pray'r is the key: what e're ith' lock retards;
Pray'r, …yld with mourning, gently ſlips the wards,
And moves the Spring, Gods heart: Doth Ephraim mourn?
The bolt gives back, Jehovah's bowels turn.
Pray'r is an Arrow from a well-bent heart:
Watch the Returns, and ſee what 'twill impart
Of Heav'ns Intelligence: i'th' flouds decreaſe
This mournfull Dove brings th'Olive branch of peace.
Pray'r is the ſaced Bellows when theſe blow,
How muſically doth faiths Organ goe;
Thus Pray'r proves Faith an Inſtaument: and Love
Anſwers to this wind-muſick from Above,
In ſweet conſort, with raviſhing conſent,
Upon that Lute (that dear ſtring'd Inſtrument)
Whoſe ſtrings are Bowels of that Lamb once ſlain,
Who makes the Muſick, bee'ng! Alive again.
Pray'r is the ſacred Bellws, when theſe blow,
How doth that Live-cole from Gods Altar glow!
By Prayer Love burns to zeal: and hot deſire
Baptizeth the ſouls fewell all with fire.
Pray'r breath's the gale, whileſt Faith doth navigate
Ith' brittle bark of Mans frail mortall ſtate:
Good Hope's the Cape: fair Heaven, and fair wind!
Whileſt Faith, in pray'r ſteers the low ballaſt mind.
Pray'r is Faiths Limbeck there the Promiſe lies
And thence diſtils: mock not Prayr's watry eyes.
On th' knees of Pray'r Faith brings forth Promiſes,
As Bilba ſometimes bare on Rachels knees.
Pray'r is Faiths Bucket (Pray'r doth upward move,
Drawing its waters from thoſe wells above)
Chain'd to that Bucket of the Bleſſing, ſo
That that comes down, as this doth upward go.
Pray'r is Faiths Pump, where't works till th' water come
If't come not free at firſt, Faith puts in ſome;
Some truly penitentiall tears: and then
Pumping the Promiſe, paies it ſelf agen.
Pray'r is the Chriſtians Pulſe: Pray'r inſtantly
The Temper or Diſtemper will deſcry.
Some read; ſome ſing and ſome their pray'rs can ſay,
He's an Elias that his pray'rs can pray.
Pray'r lifting up its holy hands can dart.
To Heav'n that hand-granado of the Heart,
Of the whole Heart, which kindled with deſire
In fervent motion breaks, ſets Love on fire:
Compaſſions burn… Heav'n, ſuff'ring violence,
Grows to ſurrender unto man, propenſe.
Pray'r's a chief piece of Faiths Artillery,
Take a right ground, mount Pray'r, aym right, let flie:
Doth Heav'n hold out? let Heaven hear from Faith
What force Pray'r home-charg'd with a Promiſe hath.
Doth Hell aſſault? let fervour fire this Gun
And the report ſhall make bold Legion run.
Pray'rs Rhetorick commands, when't begs, and ſo
Makes moſt victorious whom it brings moſt low.
Pray'r lifteth up the Eyes, Hands, Heart we ſee;
When Pray'r moſt humbly doth bow down the knee.
Pray'r makes Man Prince with God: Doth Jacob kneel,
Saith King of Glory, Riſe up Iſrael!
Pray'r, in the ſilent Hannah, loudly Speak…;
Pray'r both Manaſſe's heart, and priſon, breaks.
Elijahs Pray'r doth pierce the braſſie skies:
And makes the Tears to ſtand in Heavens eyes.
'Tis not an armed Amalek can ſtand
When Pray'r lifts up a Moſes's naked Hand.
As Thunder ſtruck Philiſtines once did fall,
D…wn tumbles Rain, and th' Enemy withall,
At th'Lightning Legions Pray'…. Oh who can war,
Where private Souldiers ſuch Commanders are?
Pray'r bee'ng aboard the great Leviathan,
In whoſe cloſe Cook-room Jonah's ſhipt, poor man!
Mak…s Land, runs th' Hull on ſhore, and open breaks
The Pris'ners way, by blowing-up the Decks.
Pray'r undertakes to diſcipline the SUN:
To teach that Giant Poſtures, when to Run,
When to Retreat, to make a Halt, to ſtand:
At praying Joſhua's word of Command,
This Rowling Eve, in Heavens Brow ſtands ſtill;
Wondering to ſee Faiths Pray'r thus work its will.
Fifteen Degrees, when Hezekiah pray'd,
His Life, and ten the Sun ran retrograde,
Thus Pray'r prevails in Heaven, Earth, and Seas:
Add but its conqueſt over Hell to theſe?
How th' Ayre of Pray'r choaks the ſerpentine brood
Of that old crooked Dragon in the flood;
Sin, Satans ſpawn, and how the inteſtine Thorne,
Is by true Prayr's compunction out-worne:
How th' Meſſenger of Satan's buffeted,
Who came to buffet: how the Serpents Head,
Under the knees of Pray'r is ſqeez'd at laſt;
And Beel-zebub is himſelf out-caſt,
By the rare force of Pray'r, that grows more ſtrong
By Faſting, and more freſh by watching long.
The ſumme of all is Pray'rs ſtupendious Art,
To bind Gods hands, and keep in hold his Heart.
Pray'r importuning this Sampſon hath found,
Himſelf revealing; how he may be bound;
Ev'n God be bound, who's infinitely free,
Yet ſaith to Faith and Pray'r Command ye mee.
The Prayer-hearing God the Father is:
The Pray'r-perfuming God that Son of His,
(With flagrant, fragrant Incenſe of His Merit)
The Pray'r-inditing God is God the Spirit.
Pray'rs Tears are waſht in Gods Blood, & its means
Are ayr'd with Gods unutterable groans:
Thus Pray'r prevails with God: yet Praiſes ſhall
Not Pray'r, but th' God of Pray'r, victorious call,
Who's All in All.
Pray alwaies with all PRAYER, and watch there vntounto with all Perſeverance,
Eph. 6.18.