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1. As soone as the dutie is ended, espe∣cially if inlarged and before others, eye some one or more of thy defects (in pray∣er) to keepe thy soule humble, and also eye what was of God in dutie, to the end thou maist be thankfull, and not dejected and overcome in viewing thy weaknesses
and distempers: view all the parts of thy prayer, how it was performed (if thou canst) both for matter, manner, heart and affection, and consider what feelings, desires, comforts God gave thee in pray∣er: take heed thou doest not over-like thy prayers, nor thinke that God dislikes them, because thou seest not what thou shouldst in thy prayers.
2. Renounce all that is our owne in prayer, feelings, hopes, affections, zeale; as they are the ordinance of God, so I prise them, but as they are acts of mine, they stinke in my nostrils, yet the Lords fire shall heat me, My power is perfected in my infirmity: very gladly will I be under infir∣mitie, that his power may be magnified in me, 2 Cor. 12. 8, 9.
3. Watch that Satan wound thee not with thy prayers; if thou beest in any measure sensible of sinne, thy defects in dutie, Satan is ready to tell thee, if thou hadst the Spirit of God, then shouldst thou have the Spirit of prayer, and if thou hadst it, it should be otherwise with thee then it is, but if the soule consent to what he saith to be true, yee both agree to
wound thy faith and confidence in God, not onely for an answer of thy prayer, but of thy persons acceptance. Nay, ra∣ther charge all upon thy corruption and want of preparation, & exercise of grace, and be the more carefull and watchfull for time to come, and learne to distin∣guish between a nullity and a defect; and in a word, if thou art sensible of thy sin in praying, and art sorry for it, thy im∣perfection is passed by, and thou doest not pray in fashion. The Spirit of God discovers deadnesse, indisposition, and un∣beliefe, and the like in prayer, flesh and bloud cannot discover these, and the Spi∣rit of God onely makes the conscience tender and pliable.
4. Let the frame of thy Spirit be al∣wayes thankfull and chearfull after pray∣er, whether thou beest inlarged or strait∣ned, inwardly or outwardly, alone or with others; for when thou art at the best, thou standst in need of a Jesus, looke upward then by faith upon thy Advo∣cate, and when thy defects are most, and thou art at the worst, will not the same Jesus save thee? yea surely, and if thou
groundest thy comfort upon a right bot∣tome rightly, thy comfort and the cause of it is the same; because Christ is the same, Heb. 13. 8. And if Christ be thine, shall not he disanull all thy sinnes as well as one, seeing he is able and willing? But this is the childrens bread, this pearle is not to be cast to swine.
5. If in prayer thy heart have been opened and inlarged, thy faith strength∣ned, and thy conscience eased, &c. count it a sweet mercy, be thankfull to God for all; for want of taking notice of Gods goodnesse, and thankfulnesse for it, it is just in stead of light to possesse darknesse, and for feeling to finde deadnesse, &c.
6. Presse after (what thou hast pray∣ed for) in the use of meanes, Pro. 2. 3, 4, 5. there is the prayer, indeavour, and bles∣sing. As he that makes prayer the end of his prayer, rests in his prayer, and prayes to no purpose: So he that doth not in good earnest pursue with zeale and con∣science the grace & good things he prays for, Ioseth his prayer. The Saints pray to put their prayers in practise, & we tempt God to aske that wee use not meanes to
attaine, our indeavours must second our prayers, Pro. 20. 4. It is for hypocrites to pray and returne to their lusts with more freedome, as if they intended to have li∣bertie to sinne. Such prayers are odious to God: take we heed that what we build up with prayer, wee pull not downe by our practice, by remisnesse, sleightnesse, frothinesse of Spirit, it had been well if this knowledge had not been experimen∣tall, but a word is sufficient to the wise.
7. Expect and wait patiently for a full answer of thy prayers in Gods time and way, consider Psal. 40. 1. Rev. 3. 10. Hab. 2. 2, 3. Wee should be loth to lose any part of the answer of our prayers, and that we may wait, wee must first be sure we have a promise that wee shall speed, that wee may feed our minds with the meditation of it: this is necessary, for the time of fulfilling may be long, lest wee faint, Psal. 147. 11. Psal. 135. 6, 7. Have patience and tary; that comes hardly, is oft most prized, but lightly come, lightly goe: God knows the fittest season to doe us good, take not a delay for a deniall, many things God hath promised, he hath
not set down the time or yeare, but when it's best for us, let God alone for the time, and ye shall see what God will do. Watch we what event our prayers have, and ob∣serve Gods dealings with our selves, and others, both with his, and his enemies: and be thankfull for any answer of pray∣ers. The Saints are often afflicted, that they may often pray, and that often pray∣ing, they might pull downe many bene∣fits from the Lord, and returne many praises unto him; wee sinne against God, and hurt our selves for want of thankful∣nesse.