A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.

§ Sect. 2 That we must not affect pro∣lixity and su∣perfluity of words in our prayers.

And these are the things to be obserued in prayer, in respect of our ge∣sture and voyce. In respect of the speech it selfe, or words whereby our prayers are expressed, diuers things are to be considered. First, in respect of the quantity and continuance of them: wee must auoyd affectation of prolixity, superfluity of words, vaine babbling and idle repetitions, which proceed not from any feruency of affection, and earnestnesse of desire to obtaine the things we pray for, arising from the sight and sense of our wants, (for in this case it may be lawfull and requisite to repeate often the same things, as pressing our suits with such importunity as will admit of no deniall: according to the example of Daniel, O our God, heare the prayer of thy seruant; O my God, incline thine eare and heare, O Lord heare, O Lord forgiue, O Lord hearken and doe, &c. And of our Sauiour Christ himselfe, praying often in the same words, that if it were possible, the bitter cup of his Passion might passe from him;) but out of an opinion that we shall be the rather heard for the length of our prayers, or out of an ostentation of our holinesse and deuotion, or our extraordinary gift aboue others, in∣abling vs to continue long in this exercise. For this our Sauiour straite∣ly forbiddeth: When ye pray, vse not vaine repetitions, as the Heathen doe, for they thinke that they shall be heard for their much speaking; prescribeth the contrary practice, in propounding that short and most pithy forme for our imitation: and condemneth as hypocriticall in the Pharises, who vn∣der pretence of long prayers, deuoured widowes houses. And Salomon likewise: Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart bee hasty to vtter any thing before God, for God is in heauen, and thou vpon the earth, therefore let thy words be few: Of which our Sauiour giueth this reason; Because our Father knoweth what things we haue need of, before we aske him: that is, being infi∣nite in wisedome, he needeth not that wee should expresse our mindes in multitude of words, for he vnderstandeth the desires of our hearts, and being our gracious Father, our wants serue as a loud cry, and eloquent oration to moue him to supply them; and therefore hee needeth not that wee should vse multitude of words to giue him notice of those wants which he already knoweth before we aske, nor to perswade him to grant our suits, being more ready to giue, then we to craue. And Salomon ren∣dreth another; Because in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: which as it is generally true, so especially in the exercise of prayer: seeing, through our naturall corruption, we are so auerse vnto this duty, and in the performance of it, subiect to such coldnesse, dulnesse and wearinesse, that long prayers are often performed with much negligence, and sub∣iect

to the interruptions and distractions of worldly cogitations and wan∣dring thoughts. And yet we are not so to vnderstand Salomon, and our Sa∣uiour, as though they simply commended short prayers, and condemned those that are long: for the Wise-man himselfe, at the consecrating of the Temple, made one of the longest prayers that wee reade of in the Scrip∣tures: and our Sauiour is said to haue continued whole nights in prayer. And the Apostle exhorteth vs to pray continually, and with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perseuerance. But they onely forbid and condemne hypocriticall ostentation, and su∣perfluity of words, vaine repetitions, and opinion of meriting to be heard for them: or when our words exceed our matter, in their multiplicity and much babbling, or both our words and matter, our zeale, deuotion, and attention. Neither are such prayers to be condemned for their prolixity, but rather much to be commended, when as there is no superfluity in our words, to expresse our matter and mindes, nor any negligence or want of zeale and attention in powring them forth before God: for if we haue with the length of our prayers, variety of good matter, attention, and feruency of affection, we cannot be too long in this holy exercise. And therefore the best rule of direction in this behalfe is, that wee fit and pro∣portion our words to our matter, and both matter and words to our minds and hearts, our faith and feruency, deuotion and attention. For if there be store of this diuine fire to kindle it, the more fuell we cast on, the greater the blaze and heate will be; whereas if there be but some little fire and small sparkes, too much of this fuell cast on at once, will not helpe to kindle it, but rather extinguish and put it cleane out. In which regard wee are not alwaies to stint our selues to the same proportion and length of prayer, but to watch the best opportunities, and to diue our selues dee∣pest in this Poole, when the Spirit of God hath descended and moued the waters. More specially we are ordinarily most fit for long prayers, when our soules are prepared thereunto, either by extrordinary afflicti∣ons, when as our hearts are full of sorrowes, and need a large vent to let them out, and powre out our complaints into Gods bosome; and reple∣nished with feruent desires for helpe and deliuerance; or by extraordi∣nary benefits, when as they are full of ioy and thankfulnesse, and so make vs to become earnest and vnwearied, in rendring vnto God praise and thankesgiuing: when as we obserue a solemne fast, and keepe vnto God a day of humiliation, consecrating it wholly to the exercises of religion and charity, especially prayer and meditation. And finally, at all other times, when we are fitted thereunto by Gods Spirit, and sufficiently qualified with the former graces. The which notwithstanding is to be vnderstood of priuate prayer by our selues, and not when we pray in the company of others; for then we are by the rule of charity to haue respect vnto them, and not to tyre their zeale and deuotion, and cause them to sinne (through our tedious prolixity) by wearinesse and wandring thoughts, although we our selues haue a good appetite to this exercise; for this were to force them to sit long at the table who haue quickly dined, to cloy the weake of disgestion, with variety of dishes, because wee who beare them company haue good stomackes; and to constraine young beginners and children

in Christ, to hold out with vs in our pace, who are come to a ripe age, and so to tyre for wearinesse, before they come halfe way to their iourneyes end. Which if it deserueth to be iudged vnequall, how much is our pra∣ctice worthy to bee condemned, if in our meetings wee contend to out∣vie one another, striuing who shall exceed in length of prayers, and va∣riety of choyce words, for the apt expressing of our minds; heereby ma∣king prayer like vnto a mastery or race, wherein we contend for the prize of praise, which they are to win who are swiftest and best at length?

Notes

• Dan. 9. 17, 18, 19.
• Mark. 14. 39.
• Mat. 6. 7, 8, 9.
• Math. 23. 14. Eccles. 5. 2.
• Math. 6. 8.
• Pro. 10. 19.
• 1. King. 8. 22. to 54.
• 1. Thes. 5. 17. Ephes. 6. 18. Col. 4. 2.
• Esa. 26. 16.