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On the Duty of Parish Priests

St George Konissky and Parfeny, in Blackmore, 1845

Chapter 4, Part 1: Of Prayer Generally, and What Is to Be Observed in It

The word of God directs us to Pray to the Lord, and natural reason, when in a sound state, leads man to do the same: for there is one God, the sole author and giver of all good; and all creatures, whatever good, beauty, or strength they possess, receive it all from His fulness: and He distributes all His mercies and bounties solely by His own almighty goodness and wisdom; as He willeth, and to whom He willeth; and no man can receive any thing, except it be given him from heaven. (John iii. 27.) For every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights. James i. 17.

But as man needs to be prepared and enabled to receive those manifold mercies and bounties, which God distributes, to this end the Lord Himself hath given him, as to His reasonable creature, one especial mean, which is the command to Pray: Ask, He saith, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (Mat. vii. 7.) Ask, and ye shall receive. (John xvi. 24.) And for the fulfilment of this commandment, He has also prescribed to us a certain form of Prayer. Mat. vi. 9.

However, it was not for His own sake that He gave us this law, but for ours; that we, knowing Him, and Him alone, to be both our life, and the giver of all good, might not seek in our wants and necessities to other gods, or make gods of any of the creatures, as in former times was done by the heathen, that knew not God; but might come unto Him, and ask of Him in Prayer, as of our Maker and Lord, all things that may be good and profitable for us.

The Lord was pleased to ordain this way and order for man, and so to distinguish him in the reception and use of His benefits from all other creatures. Thus it seemed good to His unsearchable wisdom and goodness; to the end that man, receiving good gifts from the right hand of the Most High, should use them, not as the beasts that have no understanding, but as a reasonable creature, with Prayer and Thanksgiving, glorifying His most holy Name.

From the above propositions it is clear that Prayer is the mean¹ given by God to man, by help of which he may draw near in mind to God, and devoutly present himself to ask of Him good gifts: and whatever he asks according to His will, with faith, in spirit and in truth, that God will give him, and he shall receive.

Here withal we must understand that under the general name Prayer many different duties or parts of the service of God, both inward and outward, are included. Christ said of that worship which became God; The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit, and in truth: (John iv. 23.) and again, of love to God; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Mat. xxii. 37.) The Apostle says, Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Rom. xii. 1, &c.) All these and the like commandments are practised and fulfilled only by true Prayer, and without Prayer cannot so be.

The duties belonging to the inward service of God are these: the true knowledge of God and of His law; faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; love to God and our neighbour; trust in God; the fear of God; purity of heart; humility; obedience; meekness; patience; and constant thankfulness. And whereas all these duties spring from one root; that is, from the true knowledge of God and of His will spring faith and love, and from these all the rest; this makes them to be all so bound up together, that no one of them can exist in any perfection without the rest. But true Prayer has that nature in itself, that it embraces all those different parts, and so includes and implies them in its own name; nor indeed without them can it itself exist.

The above-named duties are great virtues, and produce marvellous effects in man. Faith brings him to God: love unites him, and makes him one spirit with the Lord: 1 Cor. vi. 17. trust or hope comforts him: the fear of God maketh him wise unto salvation, and never allows him to depart from God: purity enlightens him: humility and obedience, with repentance, receive remission of sins: patience and meekness make him strong and unwavering in all his duties: thankfulness makes him that is thankful to be beloved: but the only mean, by which all these things are to be obtained, is Prayer.

From the inward service of God should proceed that which is outward²: for the outward service of God ought to be nothing else than the manifestation of the inward, shewn to the honour and praise of the most High. The duties thereto belonging are these: the confession by the lips of our most holy faith; the preaching of God’s word on Sundays and holydays, and the like, as going to church for public prayer, attendance there, hearing the reading and singing, and especially the word of God read and preached, giving alms to the poor, and doing all manner of good offices to our neighbours in their wants and necessities, building or furnishing churches, as well as making particular offerings or gifts for such ends. All these things are sacrifices well pleasing to God; (Heb. xiii. 16.) if they proceed directly from the inward worship or service; that is, from faith, and love to God and our neighbour.

Prayer is divided into public, that is, ecclesiastical, and private. Public prayer is that offered with the congregation in the church, or in any other place where a number of believers are present; but private is that which an individual offers alone.

Private prayer is made in two ways: I. When any one in his house, or elsewhere, retires from company, and prays privately to the Lord. Of this kind of private prayer it is, that the Lord saith; Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut to thy door, pray to thy Father Who is in secret, and thy Father Which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly³: (Mat. vi. 6.) II. When any one either in company or alone, sitting or standing, prays earnestly within his secret soul, not in words but in thought only, but still with all his heart, and all his strength, and all his mind, as standing before God Who is omnipresent. Of such prayer as this it is that the Apostle speaks, when he says; We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Rom. viii. 23.) and in another place; by Grace singing in your hearts to the Lord: (Coloss. iii. 16.) and holy David; In the night I communed with mine own heart, and tried my spirit: (Ps. lxxvii.)⁴ while of all kinds of prayer, private and public, in common Christ says; The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit, and in truth: (John iv. 23, 24.) and His Apostle; I will pray with the spirit; I will pray with the understanding also. 1 Cor. xiv. 15.

Private prayer when made in the first way, is called oral, or outward, but when made in the last, inward, or mental; and this latter of itself, even without the oral, is efficacious, well-pleasing to God, and profitable to the soul that prays; as the examples and commandments cited above prove. But outward and oral prayer, if it be without the inward, is of no value: nay, further, if it be so made willingly, that is, through hypocrisy, and not through mere natural infirmity, it is abomination in the sight of the Lord, and hurtful to the soul of him that prays; for his prayer is turned into sin. Mat. vi. 5. Luke xviii. 11.

The inward prayer of the heart may at all times be offered up in thought, by the spirit, and by faith: wherefore, the devout man, that fears God, may every where, and in all his works that he does, practise it; and indeed he is bound so to do, according to the command of the Apostle, praying always in the spirit; (Ephes. vi. 18.) and nothing can hinder him, (Rom. viii. 35.) if only he have a hearty zeal toward God, and a lively sense of His omnipresence. For, in such a state of spirit, what can hinder a man from saying in his heart, Have mercy upon me O God! O God help me! and the like?

Yet, though spiritual prayer without oral be efficacious, while oral without spiritual can never be so, it is by no means allowable to stop short at mental or inward prayer, and neglect that which is oral. Man is compounded of soul and body; and therefore is bound with his body also, as well as with his spirit, to pray, and give glory to God. (1 Cor. vi. 20.) Wherefore also holy David exclaims; Give ear to my words, O Lord: Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God! and our Lord, when He taught His disciples to pray, said thus: When ye pray, say: (Luke xi. 2.) This is said of words and speech proceeding from the lips and body, without excluding what is inward and spiritual, both by the Lord, and by David: and this truth is most strongly established both by the examples left us of our Saviour Himself, (John xvii. Mat. xxvi. 39. 42. Acts i. 24, iv. 24, &c.) and also by those of the Prophets, and by the Psalms of David. Wherefore, as we ought to pray in our hearts always, so should we also at fit times pray with our lips too, as well as with our hearts.

But to the end that oral prayer, whether public or private, be not turned into sin to them that make it, nor that be said of Christians now, which was said of old of the Jews, This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; (Mat. xv. 8.) it is requisite that we strive and labour with all our souls, that our oral prayers be preceded and accompanied by the inward prayer of the heart, and never at any time disjoined from it⁵.

Prayer, as we have said, both public and private, is always to be offered in spirit, and in truth; and our heavenly Father Himself expects this of us. (John iv. 23.) But what mean these words, in spirit, and in truth? According to the general sense of the Doctors of the Church, to pray in spirit is to pray with faith, with fear and love of God, and with the deepest humility and contrition of heart; and to pray in truth is to pray with attention, and with the understanding, not feignedly, nor only outwardly⁶.

This rule of the Gospel is sinned against by all those, who make their prayers to consist in mere movements of the body, as, in much speaking, or frequent repetition, and in mere outward bowings, kneelings, or prostrations, while they have within no manner of warmth towards God, nor seek to have, but say one thing, and think another. Still more do they sin, who pray hypocritically, merely to appear before men to pray, but have not God in their thoughts. Wherefore, all such ought, for the amendment of their prayers, to have ever in their memory this rule; God is a Spirit, and he that worshippeth Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth. John iv. 24.

In order that our prayers, whether private or public, may always be offered in spirit and in truth, we shall here set forth some assistances which will be found profitable.

First: When we are about to approach God, either in public or in private, and would call upon His wonderful and holy Name, let us reflect on His tremendous Majesty, and His unsearchable omnipresence; let us reflect too on our own vileness, and poverty; considering Who, and What is our God, who, and what are we ourselves. He is a Spirit, immortal, all-pure, all-good, seeing through our inmost soul and thoughts: but we are clothed with flesh, mortal, evil, and in our thoughts unclean in His sight. Wherefore, we ought to purify ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and so with all possible devotion and awe call upon His Name; For our God is a consuming fire; (Heb. xiii. 28.) and His Name is great, wonderful, and Holy. Ps. xcix. 3.

Secondly: as may be concluded from the above: If our God is an all-pure Spirit, and His Name wonderful, and holy, it follows that every one who prays should diligently reflect, I. Upon God, that He is so holy and just, that He cannot endure even the slightest impurity or unrighteousness: Thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness: (Ps. v. 4.) II. Upon himself, examining whether he be truly and heartily sorry for his sins, and repent him of them before the Lord, or sin over and over again without ceasing: for God heareth not impenitent sinners: (John ix. 31.) The blood-thirsty and deceitful man doth the Lord abhor: &c. but if any one be a worshipper of God, that is, flee unto God with all his soul, and be sorry for his sins, and begin to do God’s will, him God heareth. III. Lastly, we should reflect also on that which we ask of God, and see that it be not contrary to His will, nor that saying applicable to us; Ye know not what ye ask. Mark x. 38.

Thirdly: Besides the above reflections, we ought all and every one of us to have the following intentions: I. To render by our prayer due honour to God: Bring unto the Lord, O ye sons of God, glory and honour: (Ps. xxix. 1, 2.) II. To excite such emotions in our hearts, and preserve such dispositions of spirit, as are fitting from us towards the Divine Majesty and Holiness: (2 Cor. vii. 1. 1 Pet. i. 16.) III. To testify from a pure heart true Gospel faith, lively hope, and ardent love to God: (Mark xii. 30.) IV. With such dispositions of spirit, to lay before God the wishes of our heart, or our petitions for good gifts, with the profoundest humility and devotion. (See Luke xviii. 13. of the Publican; and Mat. viii. 9. of the Centurion.) V. But with all this we must not trust in ourselves, nor in our prayers, but solely in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in His mercy: For all the promises of God in Him are Yea, and in Him, Amen. 2 Cor. i. 20.

Fourthly: Our God being so very merciful, long-suffering, and of such great goodness, more ready to stretch out His hands to give, than we ours to receive, and every day and hour pouring out upon us His bounties, giving us breath, and life, and all things profitable for the enjoyment of life, (1 Tim. vi. 17.) and delivering us from all evil, who is there, that can consider and weigh these so great benefits, without having his whole heart and soul stirred up to pray to God? Holy David meditating on this from the depth of his soul cries out, Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me praise His holy Name! and burning with vehement warmth of love to God, repeats the same; Praise the Lord O my soul, and forget not all His benefits! Ps. ciii. 1, 2.

Fifthly: The thought of God’s inconceivable love is a powerful assistance towards praying in spirit and in truth to any one, who once receives it into his mind: So God loved the world, saith Christ, that He gave even His Own Son for us. (John iii. 16.) This love it was, which inflamed the Apostle, when he said of himself, and of all others like him, Who shall separate us from the love of God? shall tribulation, or distress, or peril, or sword? Nothing. But looking unto Jesus⁷ Who suffered for us, and seeing here that love of God, which passeth all understanding, he prays in spirit and in truth, seeking to teach us also to do the same: For this cause, he says, I bow my knees to my heavenly Father, that He would grant you . . to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God. Ephes. iii. 19.

Sixthly: Great assistance to true prayer will be found in God’s promises, if we truly and firmly believe them; the more, that through them Gospel faith is increased in men, love grows, and hope is established immoveable. Examples of this we have in Abraham, (Rom. iv. 20, 21.) and in others. (Heb. xi.) By this means a man is stirred up to true prayer. For the very relation which there is between the promises and their accomplishment lead to this: there being no other way by which we can obtain the accomplishment of God’s promises, than by true prayer.

Seventhly: Owing to natural infirmity, and other circumstances, a man’s spirit is sometimes so weak and deficient, and his heart so petrified, that he cannot bring himself to make the meditations above-mentioned, nor think of God’s mercy, love, and promises, but requires something special to stir up and improve his heart. Under such circumstances, we ought to force ourselves to pray orally, even though our heart refuse⁸; recalling to mind Christ’s words; The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force: (Mat. xi. 12.) and again: Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (Luke xiii. 24.) And to aid us in meditating on these words of Christ, we may use as a prayer what David says; My soul cleaveth unto the dust: O quicken Thou me according to Thy word. My soul is asleep for very heaviness: strengthen Thou me in Thy words. Take from me the way of unrighteousness, and through Thy law be gracious unto me. (Ps. cxix. 25, 28, 29.) O quicken us, and we shall call upon Thy Name. (Ps. lxxx. 19.) By this kind of compulsion a man will through oral prayer go on to that which is inward, and will begin to pray in spirit and in truth: and so the one assists the other, by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost⁹.

Eighthly: Reflection on past sins, and the sense of God’s anger against us for them, with the recollection of the terrible judgment, and the thought of punishment to come, is no slight assistance to prayer: for all these things move very powerfully man’s heart, and drive him to ask mercy of God. Such was the meditation of holy David, when he turned to the Lord, and cried; O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine indignation, neither chasten me in Thy heavy displeasure. Heal me, O Lord; for my bones are vexed: my soul also is sore troubled, &c. Ps. vi. 1. 3.

Ninthly: The agency of the Spirit of God is the chief and most potent aid to prayer. For the Holy Ghost, as the Apostle preaches, helpeth us in our infirmities. For, we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Rom. viii. 26.) And so with this teacher and guide, even the Spirit of God, all the above-mentioned meditations will be profitable, and of force; and the Spirit of God will Himself co-operate with them, directing and preparing our hearts to pray, as we ought. (Ezek. xxxvi. 26.) Wherefore, all who pray ought to ask of the Lord the Holy Spirit, that He may teach us true prayer: and, for ourselves, we should give diligent heed with all our soul, that we neither by deed, nor word, nor thought against the motions of the Holy Spirit offend Him, and so grieve Him; remembering the injunction given us; Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephes. iv. 30.

Seeing then that our God is every where present, and filleth all things; and that His name is a name great, and terrible, and holy; and those prayers, which are offered in spirit and in truth, are accepted of Him; do thou, O man, mortal, and sinful, when thou drawest near to the throne of the Divine Majesty, and wouldest call upon Him, lay aside all earthly thoughts: consider that thou art standing before His face, and He looking through thy heart: fall down devoutly on thy face to the ground before thine Almighty and All-merciful Maker and Saviour: give unto Him that honour and glory, which it becometh: testify unto Him thy faith and love, due to Him alone: confess thine own unworthiness and wretchedness, like Manasseh, like the Publican, and the Prodigal son: and so, for the sake of His Holy Name, ask Him to bestow on thee His good gifts.

The good gifts of God are twofold; spiritual, and temporal. Spiritual are, the knowledge of God, and of His law; faith in Christ Jesus; repentance; remission of sins; and the like: for which see Section vii. Temporal are, health of body, meat, drink, and clothing; which are all strictly necessary. To the same belong riches, honour, glory, and length of days.

That the above-mentioned good gifts ought to be asked by us from God, we are, besides other proofs, clearly taught by the Lord’s prayer itself. That prayer is both to all generally, and to each one of us personally, a perfect rule and lesson, how to pray: for it prescribes prayer for blessings both spiritual and temporal, and mentions by name what those blessings are, which we should pray for.

And here it will not be unprofitable to say something of the Lord’s Prayer. It is brief indeed, but yet in its brevity takes in¹⁰ all necessary petitions, which refer to man’s life either in time, or in eternity.

This Prayer ought to be held in the more honour, because it is the Lord Himself, who has given it to us, and in brief but wonderful order included in it all those petitions, which are necessary. And therefore it is the duty of all, without exception, to learn it, and labour to understand it, and to use it with the deepest devotion not only every evening and morning, on rising up and lying down, but at all times, and on all occasions. And this is required of us by those words of Christ, When ye pray, pray thus.

There are also other Prayers written in holy Scripture both for our instruction, and for our use; as that of the publican, God be merciful to me a sinner! (Luke xviii. 13.) of the prodigal son, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, &c.; (Luke xv. 21.) of the thief on the cross, who prayed, Lord, remember me, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom! (Luke xxiii. 42. &c.) These short prayers we may use, and ought to use, in asking God to pardon our sins.

Beside the Lord’s Prayer, and others, it is not contrary to the Lord’s will, but agreeable to Him, to ask God’s mercy, whether for ourselves or for our brethren, in any such words as the circumstances and necessities of the case itself may suggest. We have many examples to teach us this; as that of the ten lepers, who sought to be cleansed; (Luke xvii. 13.) and that of the Centurion, who wished that his servant should be healed: (Mat. viii. 8.) and many others likewise used their own words and those few but suitable for their needs; and every one of them obtained what he sought: and so now also, whatever may be any man’s necessity, he ought not to look about for many words, but call upon the Lord with those, which the case itself and the warmth of his heart prompts.

It has been clearly enough shewn above, that we ought to ask both spiritual and temporal goods from God: but we must understand withal that spiritual good things are necessary and profitable to man both for this temporal life, and also for that which is eternal; for they have the promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come; while bodily or temporal goods are profitable only for this present life. (1 Tim. iv. 8.) Wherefore, we ought undoubtedly to desire and ask spiritual blessings at all times; but blessings temporal and bodily, only so far as it may please our Lord, and be not hurtful to ourselves, but for our good, and to the glory of His Name.

If any one ask any thing diligently from the Lord, and even others too, it may be, are entreating God’s goodness for the same thing, but yet he receive not his petition, such a one should not faint; but should consider accurately what it is that he asks; whether it be any thing temporal; or spiritual. If it be spiritual, and necessary to salvation, let him again and again unceasingly ask it, with faith and patience, and it shall be given him. But if it be any thing temporal, let him not murmur against the Lord, but in that case resign himself to His will and providence: for we cannot foresee the future, so as to know whether what we ask will be for our good, or for our harm. But the Lord, Who is omniscient, and all-wise, foresees all things; (Ps. cxxxix. 2, 3.) and, being good and merciful, He of His goodness gives us not that which is hurtful. And therefore, when we receive not what we wish, we ought not to be vexed, but rather ought to give God thanks, that He indulges us not therein to our hurt.

Nor ought we in such case to think that our prayers have been in vain, if they have been offered in spirit and in truth: for the Lord mercifully hears us, and accepts them, but instead of temporal blessings returns us spiritual; and if not in this present, yet in the world to come repays us abundantly. (Rom. ii. 6, 7.) For He is a just Judge, and merciful; and therefore to all, who call upon Him in truth, He recompenseth a crown of righteousness in the last day. 2 Tim. iv. 8.

When we pray, we should add to our prayers diligence and patience¹¹ of our own: that is to say, he who prays to the Lord for any good thing, should himself also at the same time labour for the same, using all proper means, and avoiding all hindrances; and at the same time should have patience to abide constantly in that his labour and diligence, no less than in his prayers. And watchful and unremitting continuance in this is what both the Gospel enjoins, (Luke xii. 36. Coloss. iv. 2. 1 Thess. v. 17.) and man’s nature itself absolutely requires. For he has become carnal since the fall, sold under sin: what he would, that he doth not; and what he hates, that he doth: (Rom. vii. 14, 15.) Wherefore, to the end that he may by God’s grace be enabled to mend his condition, that is, soften the fierceness and tyranny of sin, bridle and mortify the force of evil inclinations, (Coloss. iii. 5.) and lead a virtuous life, and so by the grace of Christ Jesus be made free from the law of sin and death, (Rom. viii. 2.) it is absolutely necessary for him to continue ever in prayers, and to add thereto all manner of diligence and labour of his own.

It is the duty of us all, and of every one of us, to pray and labour not for himself alone, but also for others; according to that injunction, Pray ye one for another, that ye may be healed: (James v. 16.) and not merely one for another, but also for our enemies; whom we are bound to love, however much our hearts may be averse from doing so. The Lord says, Love your enemies: and this love He describes by its effects; that is, Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. (Mat. v. 44.) And so, it is our duty to pray for all men.

While we pray ourselves, we ought also to ask our brethren to assist us with the like prayers; after the example of the Apostle: (Ephes. vi. 19. 1 Thess. iii. 1.) and more especially should we ask the prayers of our spiritual fathers of the Priestly Order; of which in the Old Testament in the Levitical books, and elsewhere, we repeatedly read, that every one, who brought sin offerings, was to appear by God’s command before the Priest, that the Priest might pray for him; and so he should be pardoned. In the New Testament the same is in the Epistle of James the Apostle confirmed: Is any sick, he writes, among you, let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, . . . . . . and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James v. 15.

In like manner, to desire and ask the same aid and help, the prayers, that is, of the Saints, the servants and friends of God, who now reign with Christ their Lord, is a righteous and holy thing, that they too may join with us and for us in offering prayers to God for the forgiveness of sins. And when we repent and amend our lives, and receive pardon and mercy from the Lord, we may be sure that they too joy over us, as well as the Angels that are in Heaven; as the Lord hath said. Luke xv. 7 . . 10.

And here we must needs speak of fasting, watching, and sobriety, all which the word of God joins with prayer: Take heed, it is written, to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness: (Luke xxi. 34, 36,) and again: Be ye sober, and watch unto prayer: (1 Pet. iv. 7.) and in another place: that ye may give yourselves to fasting, and to prayer. (1 Cor. vii. 5.) Wherefore we also ought in like manner to make our prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings, with watching and sobriety, and at proper seasons also with fasting¹².

Fasting is abstinence from all kind of meat and drink; at the very least from all that is pleasant or superfluous: and such a fast as this was ordained by God Himself in the Old Testament to be observed at the yearly purification¹³: And this, He saith, shall be a statute for ever unto you: ye shall afflict your souls with fasting. (Lev. xvi. 29. 31.) And according to the example of this statute, whenever the Israelites repented before God, they always humbled their souls with fasting: The children of Israel, it is written, were assembled with fasting, and with sack-clothes, and earth upon their heads . . . . . and confessed themselves to the Lord, and worshipped the Lord their God. Nehem. ix. 1. 3. Also see 1 Kings vii. 6. Jer. vi. 9.

Especially was fasting joined with prayer by all in the Old Testament, when the Lord by His just judgment was preparing to bring any signal punishment on sinners. But even in this case, He Himself, solely of His love to mankind, willing to correct the children of Israel, and to turn away His own just wrath, ordered all to fast and pray: Blow the trumpet, He saith, in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation. (Joel ii. 15, 16.) And such a public fast, joined with prayer, was ever an effectual mean to deliverance; as appears plainly from the same chapter, where the Lord, seeing them praying with fasting and weeping, turned His anger into mercy: And the Lord, it is written, was jealous for His land, and spared His people. Ib. ver. 18, 19, 20. And ch. iii. 5. 10.

In the New Testament our Lord and Lawgiver Jesus Christ Himself fasted: (Mat. and Luke iv.) and in defending His disciples before the Pharisees He exempted them from fasting only while the Bridegroom should be with them; but for all remaining time, after the Bridegroom should be taken away from them, He distinctly confirmed the duty. (Mat. ix. 14, 15. Luke v. 33, 34, 35.) Further, he instructed us how to fast, so that our fasting should not be like that of the Pharisees, nor have its reward from men, but from God. (Mat. vi. 16. 18.) And again, how great is the power and benefit of fasting the same great Physician of our souls and bodies has sufficiently shewn, when for the expulsion of a devil, which had settled itself in a man, He prescribed no other medicine, than prayer and fasting. Mat. xvii. 21.

Here we may remark, that fasting, as well as prayer itself, is said to be a service pleasing to God: (Luke ii. 37.) for which cause the Apostles also, when they served the Lord, joined fasting with their prayers. (Acts xiii. 2.) Wherefore now likewise, the ministers of the Lord’s altar, and all who desire to serve or worship the Lord acceptably, in purity and sobriety, do only that which is becoming, and their duty, when they prepare themselves thereto, according to the measure of their bodily strength, by fasting.

It is notorious to all, that it is upon this foundation, that is, upon the words of God, that Christ’s Church¹⁴ of the New Testament has appointed yearly fasts, and particular days of abstinence; solely to this end, that her children of the new Israel through prayer to God, with fasting and contrition of heart, and confession of their sins, may be brought to true repentance. And, consequently, the said fasts of the Church of the New Testament are nothing else, than appointed times for repentance, and days of yearly purification.

But this is absolutely necessary, that he who keeps outward fasts, fast spiritually also: that is, he, who fasts and prays outwardly, must at the same time flee with his whole soul all sin and unrighteousness, and be on the contrary charitable and diligent in every good work. For prayer is good, with fasting, and alms, and righteousness. (Job xii. 8.) But if any man keep the fasts ever so strictly, while he is without charity and honesty to his neighbour, such a fast is not acceptable to God: It is not such a fast as this that I have chosen, saith the Lord, a day for a man to afflict his soul, nor to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him; nor shall ye call this an acceptable fast: . . . . . For not such a fast have I chosen, saith the Lord: but, when thou fastest, break off every band of unrighteousness, cancel the obligation of extorted writings, let the oppressed go free, tear every unjust writing. Break thy bread to the hungry, and bring the poor that are unsheltered into thy house. If thou seest any naked, cover him, and despise not thy kindred of thy tribe. Then shalt thou call in prayer, and God shall hear thee, and while thou art yet speaking, shall say, Here I am. (Isa. lviii. 5 . . 9.) The like instruction is also given by the Lord through the prophet Zachariah. ch. vii. viii.¹⁵

Where fasting and sobriety are not practised, but instead of them continual surfeiting in meat and drink, it cannot be but that innumerable mischiefs should be engendered, spiritual, no less than bodily. (James iv. 1.) In such persons that sanctification and honour, in which the Apostle admonishes every one to possess his vessel, will find no place; (1 Thess. iv. 4, 5, 7.) but they will become the dwelling-places only of fierce, brutal, and devilish passions: (Mat. xii. 44, 45.) as is shewn beyond all doubt by the dissoluteness and overthrow of Sodom, and by other examples¹⁶.

To the end that we may be able to observe the order of prayer, and all that course of other duties which is connected with it, in their integrity, we have the greatest need of spiritual sobriety and vigilance: nor can we either neglect these duties as regards the body. This rule is prescribed us by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself: Take heed, He says, watch, and pray. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch. (Mark xiii. 33. 37. Mat. xxiv. 42.) and again: Behold, I come as a thief: blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked. (Rev. xv. 16.) And the Apostles also, in the spirit of Christ’s words, exhort us to the same: Be sober, they write, be vigilant: (1 Pet. v. 8.) and again; Let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thess. v. 6.) Such watching and sobriety are no less necessary to Christians, than eyes¹⁷ are to our bodies, or the sensible light to our eyes.

All these things, fasting, watching, sobriety, and even our prayers themselves, night and day, and labours, and diligent exercises, are appointed in the Lord’s commandments solely for this end, that we by continuance in these things may be holy and blameless before God in the faith of the Gospel, and in love; that is, may be filled with the fruits of the Holy Ghost. But if these be not found in us, then all our prayers and labours will profit us nothing whatever¹⁸; as the example of the five foolish virgins plainly shews. Mat. xxv. 11.

Motives and excitements to prayer, and to the performance of all the above-mentioned duties, are the following: I. The commandments which God has given us to pray, mentioned in divers of the preceding sections: II. The exceeding mercy of God to them that pray; as it is written, For Thou Lord, art good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them that call upon Thee, even unto them that call upon Thee in truth: (Ps. lxxxvi. 5. cxlv. 18.) III. God’s most sweet and unfailing promises to hear prayer, and to grant forgiveness: For He is faithful, Who hath promised. (Heb. x. 23.) IV. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and God everlasting before all worlds: (John i. 1.) but He, the Same, as man is a mediator between God and men, having given Himself a ransom for all: (1 Tim. ii. 5, 6.) Who also maketh intercession for us; as the Apostle preaches. (Rom. viii. 34.) Wherefore, though we are of ourselves unworthy to approach our heavenly Father, or ask Him for good things, yet through the intervention of so great a mediator, even Jesus Christ, we have access unto Him; (Ephes. ii. 18.) and He accepts our petitions. V. The Holy Spirit Itself beareth witness with our spirit, and helpeth us in our infirmities, and maketh intercessions for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Rom. viii. 16. 26.) VI. Even our common name of Christians must impel us to offer up in our thoughts to God spiritual sacrifices of prayers and thanksgivings. (1 Pet. ii. 5, 6, 7. Rom. xii. 1, 2. Rev. i. 6.) VII. Owing to the necessities and infirmities both of our souls and bodies, we need all of us and every one of us God’s help, and, by reason of our many sins, pardon also and mercy. VIII. The greatest punishments and miseries await those, who, from contempt of the Lord’s commandments and carelessness about the future, neglect to pray. All these reasons, which we have mentioned, have great weight; and whoever will weigh them attentively will doubtless be roused from the sleep of sloth, and give himself diligently to prayer.

No less strong are those motives and incitements to prayer, which a man may find in its effects, or in the fruits which come of it: I. Prayer makes the Holy Ghost to dwell in the hearts of men. (Luke xi. 13.) II. By prayer true faith grows up in man’s soul, and increases. III. By prayer, as by a hand, we receive from the Lord all good things, spiritual and temporal. IV. By prayer we overcome sin, dispel afflictions, feel comfort in our hearts, and are armed against divers temptations, and against the devil himself. V. By prayer lastly it is, that we obtain everlasting salvation; as it is written, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts ii. 21.) And he who gives himself to prayer shews thereby that he despises not God’s promises, but is convinced that they are all to be highly valued, and that our God is faithful, and that there is no unrighteousness in Him.

On the other hand, how many and how great are the evils which ensue, wherever prayer is neglected, especially, if the neglect proceed from contempt and pride! I. By such men God’s commandment is broken. II. By such men the inestimable promises of God, instead of being appreciated, are despised; and so despite is done to His mercy. III. In such men the Holy Ghost can find no abiding place. IV. In such men faith gradually dwindles, and at last quite goes out: for prayer is the food of faith, and of all other virtues. V. With such men there is boldness to do every thing shameful, and a rapid and easy descent from one sin to another: and such are exposed defenceless to many temptations, dangers, and calamities. VI. Such men deprive themselves of all God’s spiritual gifts, and so finally also of His kingdom; all these things being given by God’s mercy through prayer. And therefore he, who of contempt and carelessness neglects to pray, has not yet really known his Lord, nor considered the Lord’s first commandments, as he ought to consider them. Of such we may well say, as God said of His people; The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel hath not known Me, My people hath not considered. Is. i. 3.

It will be profitable here to mention briefly, that our prayers and their helps, as fasting, watching, and sobriety, are then efficacious, when they are offered and used, I. With faith, in spirit and in truth: All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive: (Mat. xxi. 22.) II. In the name of Jesus Christ: Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you: (John xvi. 23.) and the same is confirmed in many other places: III. In the fear of God: He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him, and will hear their prayer, and will save them: (Ps. cxlv. 19.) IV. With humility, and contrition of heart: The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit: a contrite and humble heart God will not despise: (Ps. li. 17. Ecclus. xxxv. 17.) V. With the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation towards our neighbours, as regards their offences against us: When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father may also forgive you: &c. (Mat. v. 23.) VI. Without wrath or doubting: I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting: (1 Tim. ii. 8.) VII. If our petitions be agreeable to the will of God: If we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us. 1 John v. 14.

It often happens that good ceases to be good, when it is done amiss: and so even prayer may be displeasing to God, and its helps inefficacious, and fruitless to him that prays; I. When it is offered hypocritically: When thou prayest, be not as the hypocrites are: (Mat. vi. 5.) II. When it is offered without faith: He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea: let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of God: (James i. 6, 7.) III. When a man prays for any thing to a bad end: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it on your lusts: (James iv. 3.) IV. When he who prays is proud, and judges his neighbour: I am not as other men are, or as this publican: (Luke xviii. 11.) V. When we forgive not our neighbours their trespasses: If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you yours. Mat. vi. 15. xviii. 35.

Further, we ought to take special notice of two causes which will prevent God from hearing our prayers: I. When we turn away our ears from God’s words, and will not listen to them, then the Lord also will turn away from us. And of this He speaketh Himself in the Proverbs with anger; Because I have called, and ye would not hear, I made many words, and ye regarded not, but set at nought My counsel, and would none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your destruction. . . . . . For it shall come to pass, when ye call upon Me, I will not hearken to you, &c. Prov. i. 24 . . . 28. The same is confirmed by Isaiah, lxv. 12. and by Jeremiah, vii. 13. xi. 7, 8. II. Secondly, though a man do hear the word of God, or read it himself, yet if he live not after God’s law, nor ever repent him of his sins, neither in this case will the Lord accept his prayers, until he repent. This case is set forth by God Himself through the prophet Isaiah: When ye stretch forth your hands unto Me, I will turn away Mine eyes from you; and though ye make many prayers, I will not hear you; for your hands are full of blood. . . . And though ye bring Me the oblation of fine flour, it is in vain; or incense, it is an abomination unto Me. Your fasts and your festivals My soul hateth: I cannot endure your sins. And afterwards He sets before them the means, that is, repentance, through which He will mercifully listen to the prayer of them, that intreat Him: Wash you, He saith, make you clean: put away the evil from your souls before Mine eyes . . . . . and though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow, &c. Is. i. 23 . . 18. And therefore prayer must be accompanied with true repentance.

From all the above propositions it must be clear that the making of prayer to the Lord, whether publicly or privately, is an essential part of that service, which we owe to God; and of such nature in itself, that whenever we duly perform it, we by the very act itself confess our true God to be indeed the God almighty, all-present, all-wise, and all-good¹⁹: (This truth is grounded on the first four of the Lord’s commandments:) and by such confession, we shew forth on our own parts, that He, even this God, is our God; that He made us, and not we ourselves; that we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Ps. c. 3.

Let no one then despise nor neglect prayer, which is one great mean appointed of God for our salvation: for all, from the least even to the greatest, are bound to call out of a pure heart on the Lord God almighty; (2 Tim. ii. 19. 22.) and so to offer to Him, and to Him alone, as is His due, all honour, glory, praise, thanksgiving, and worship; according to the commandment, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve, and to Him shalt thou cleave. Mat. iv. 10. Deut. vi. 13.

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