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

Qu. 2. How often should we pray in secret?

Ans. If we consult Scripture-president, we find David at prayer in the morning our blessed Lord early before day in the morning.¹ Chrysostom advises [Greek or Hebrew], &c. wash thy soul before thy body, for as the face and hands are cleansed by water, so is the soul by prayer. At another time our Lord went to secret prayer in the even, and Isaac went to prayer in the eventide, David and Daniel prayed three times a day, and once 'tis mentioned that David said seven times a day will I praise thee, that is, very often. Such cases may happen that may require frequent accesses to the throne of grace in a day: But I humbly think at the least once a day, which seems to be imported by that passage in our Lord's prayer, give us this day our daily bread. Since after our Lord's appointment of secret prayer in the text, he gives us this prayer as a pattern to his Disciples.

Ans. If we consult Scripture-president, we find David at prayer in the morning our blessed Lord early before day in the morning.¹ Chrysostom advises 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, &c. wash thy soul before thy body, for as the face and hands are cleansed by water, so is the soul by prayer. At another time our Lord went to secret prayer in the even, and Isaac went to prayer in the eventide, David and Daniel pray'd three times a day, and once 'tis mentioned that David said seven times a day will I praise thee, that is, very often. Such cases may happen that may require frequent accesses to the throne of grace in a day: But I humbly think at the least once a day, which seems to be imported by that passage in our Lord's prayer, give us this day our daily bread. Since after our Lord's appointment of secret prayer in the text, he gives us this prayer as a pattern to his Disciples.

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