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

Reason 3.

3. You should pray in your Families daily unto God, ¹because you have many daily Family wants, which none can supply but God. God wants not your Prayers, but you and yours want God's mercies, and if you will have them, should you not pray for them? Can you supply your Families wants? If they want health, can you give it them? If they want bread can you give it them, except God first give it unto you? Why then did Christ direct us to pray, Give us this day our daily bread? If they want grace, can you work it in them? or do you not care though they die without it? Is not God the giver of every good gift? Jam. 1.17. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights — Mercies are above, and good things are from above, and prayer is a means appointed by God to fetch them down. Jam. 1.5. If any man want wisdom, let him ask it of God. Do you think you do not want wisdom to discharge your duties to God and man? that you do not want wisdom to manage your family for their temporal, spiritual, and eternal good? If you think so, you are fools, and if you think you want it not, by those very thoughts you may discern your want of it. If you think you have enough, it is plain that you have none, and should you not ask it of God if you would have it? If you and yours want health in your Family, should you not ask it of God? Can you live without dependence upon God, or can you say you have no need of God's help to supply your wants? then you speak contradictions; for to be under wants, and not to be dependent ⟨p. 328⟩