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. 3 Of conceiued prayers, and how far foorth they are com∣mendable.

Prayers conceiued, are such as vpon meditation we fit to all present oc∣casions, not vsing any ordinary forme of words, but expressing our selues * 1.1 with such as come to our mindes; of which, we haue many examples in the Scriptures, both in the Patriarkes, Prophets, Apostles, and our Sauiour Christ himselfe. The which, I acknowledge aboue all other kinds to bee most excellent, if God haue thorowly furnished vs with gifts fit for it, both because it is most free from distractions and wandring thoughts, and from satiety and wearinesse, this variety bringing with it much delight, and also because it is most opportune and seasonable, being fitted to the time, per∣sons, and occasions. But heere the Prouerbe is verified, that things excel∣lent are most hardly attained, there being few that haue this gift and abi∣lity, and those few not alwayes in like measure, although there are many that are willing to make shew of it. For there are diuers things which ought to concurre in him that is to conceiue a prayer, which if any bee wanting, it cannot be done without much weakenesse and imperfection. First, he must be diligent in meditation, before he thus speake vnto God, calling to memory the sinnes which he is to confesse, the wants which he desireth should be supplied, and the blessings for which hee intendeth to giue thankes; that so he may with Dauid call his prayer a meditation, humble his soule in the sight of his vnworthinesse, inflame his heart with feruent desires, and not speake any thing rashly with his mouth vnto his * 1.2 God, as the Wise man aduizeth. In which respect, I cannot commend ex∣temporall prayers, which are performed without any meditation going before, and am so farre from extolling them as most excellent, that I thinke them scarce tolerable or lawfull, vnlesse some vnexpected occasion and present necessity, doe thrust vs into extraordinary straights, so as wee may not deferre our prayer, nor haue for the present, opportunity to me∣ditate, nor yet haue any former meditations fit for the present occasion,

and the circumstances that attend vpon it. Secondly, he that thus pray∣eth must be grounded in knowledge, that he may frame his prayers accor∣ding to Gods will. And therefore they who being children in knowledge, doe take vpon them this taske, they must needs faile much in this holy du∣ty, asking according to their vngrounded conceits, and not Gods will, of which they are ignorant. And as children who will venture to runne a∣lone, before they can goe in anothers hand, must needs catch many falles; and they also who will speake much, before they haue knowledge and wisedome to rule their tongues, must needs speake many things vaine and impertinent: so must it of necessity befall them in this case who are children in knowledge, and not well acquainted with Gods will and waies. Thirdly, he must be well experienced and practised in this duty; neither can we without much vse attaine to this perfection. Fourthly, be∣sides a great measure of sanctifying grace, he must haue diuers common gifts of the Spirit, which are necessary to the well-performing of this duty, as a good memory, vtterance and liberty of speech, and boldnesse also when others ioyne with him: which will inable him to expresse rea∣dily what his mind conceiueth, and rather intend & inflame, then quench or coole the feruency of his desires. But if we want these, though our know∣ledge, and faith, and zeale, and all other sanctifying graces bee neuer so great, yet shall we faile much in prayer in this kind, because the powers of the soule will be so wholly occupied about memory, and inuention of fit matter, and words to expresse it, that there will little place be left to zeale, devotion, and feruency of affection. Lastly, it is necessary that hee who prayeth on this manner do carefully auoyd spirituall pride, and ostenta∣tion of his gifts, to which the greatest excellencies, through the malice of Satan and our owne corruption are most subiect; and also curious affe∣ctation of variety of words to expresse the same matter, as though it were a note of barrennesse to vse twice the same phrases to expresse the same things. But the maine thing which we are to aime at, is to bee feruent and deuout in our prayers, and to this end to vse such words and phrases as may most conueniently lay open vnto God the sincere desires of an vp∣right heart, whether it be in new variety, or in such words as wee haue of∣ten vsed to expresse the same things.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 32. 9. 2. Sam. 22 2. 1. King. 8. 23. Dan. 9. 4. Act. 4. 24. Ioh. 17. 1, 2, &c.
• * 1.2

  Eccl. 5. 1.