A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

5. Be very particular in secret prayer, both as to sins, wants and mercies.^(b) Hide none of thy transgressions if thou expect a pardon. Be not ashamed to open all thy necessities. David argues^(c) because he is poor and needy; four several times he presses his wants and exigences before God, like an earnest but holy beggar, and^(d) showed before him his trouble, from [Greek or Hebrew] Coram, presents before him his ragged condition, and spreads open his secret wounds, as Job said, he would order his cause before him, from [Greek or Hebrew] disponerem instruerem, marshal every case as a battle in rank and file. There we may speak out our minds fully, and name the persons that afflict, affront, and troubles us, and woe to them that a child of God upon a mature judgment names in prayer, I find not that such a prayer in Scripture returned empty. Jacob in a great strait, Deliver me from the hand of my brother, ⁴from the hand of Esau. David in the ascent of Mount Olivet, O Lord I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. ⁵Prayer twisted the rope for him at Giloh. Thus Jehoshaphat in his prayer names Ammon, Moab and Edom conspiring against him. Thus Hezekiah spreads the railing letter before the Lord,⁶ and the Psalmist takes them all in a round Catalogue that consulted against Israel. Thus the Church in her prayer names Herod-Antipas, and Pontius Pilate, whereof the first was sent into perpetual banishment, and the latter slew himself. It's of great use in prayer to attend to some special case or single request with arguments and affections suitable. For this cause (says Paul) I bow the knee. Suppose a grace deficient in its strength: Lord increase our faith; or a temptation urgent: For this I prayed to the Lord thrice. A great reason why we reap so little benefit by prayer, because we rest too much in ⟨p. 282⟩