And self-knowledge would teach men how to pray. Your own hearts would be the best Prayer-books to you, if you were skilful in reading them. Did you see what sin is, and in what Relation you stand to God, to Heaven and Hell, it would drive you above your beads and lifeless words of course, and make you know that […] pray to God for pardon and salvation […] not a work for a sleepy soul: saith […], [Ille Deo veram Orationem exhibet […] metipsum cognoscit, quia pulvis sit; […] videt, qui nihil sibi virtutis tribuit, […] He offereth the truest prayer to God, […] ⟨p. 119⟩knoweth himself, that humbly seeth he is but dust, and ascribeth not virtue to himself, &c.] Nothing quencheth prayer more, then to be mistaken or mindless about our selves. When we go from home, this fire goes out; But when we return, and search our hearts, and see the sins, the wants, the weaknesses that are there, and perceive the danger that is before us, and withal the glorious hopes that are offered us, here's fuel and bellows to inflame the soul, and cure it of its drowsiness and dumbness. Help any sinner to a clearer light to see into his heart and life, and to a livelier sense of his own condition, and I warrant you he will be more disposed to fervent prayer, and will better understand the meaning of those words, Luke 18.1. [That men ought always to pray and not to faint.] and 1 Thes. 5.17. Pray without ceasing.] You may hear some impious persons now disputing against frequent and fervent prayer, and saying, What need all this ado? But if you were able to open these mens eyes, and show them what is within them and before them, you would quickly answer all their arguments, and convince them better then words can do, and put an end to the dispute. You would set all the prayerless families in Town and ⟨p. 120⟩Country, Gentlemen's and poor mens, on fervent calling upon God, if you could but help them to such a sight of their sin and danger, as shortly the stoutest of them must have. Why do they pray, and call for prayers, when they come to die, but that they begin a little better to know themselves? They see then that youth and health and honour are not the things, nor make them not so happy, as befooling prosperity once persuaded them. Did they believe and consider what God saith of them, and not what flattery and self-love say, it would open the mouths of them that are most speechless.
And self-knowledge would teach men how to pray. Your own hearts would be the best Prayer-books to you, if you were skilfull in reading them. Did you see what sin is, and in what Relation you stand to God, to Heaven and Hell, it would drive you above your beads and lifeless words of course, and make you know that 〈…〉 pray to God for pardon and salvation 〈…〉 not a work for a sleepy soul: saith 〈…〉, [Ille Deo veram Orationem exhibet 〈…〉 metipsum cognoscit, quia pulvis sit; 〈…〉 videt, qui nihil sibi virtutis tribuit, 〈…〉 He offereth the truest prayer to God, 〈…〉 ⟨p. 119⟩knoweth himself, that humbly seeth he is but dust, and ascribeth not vertue to himself, &c.] Nothing quencheth prayer more, then to be mistaken or mindless about our selves. When we go from home, this fire goes out; But when we return, and search our hearts, and see the sins, the wants, the weaknesses that are there, and perceive the danger that is before us, and withall the glorious hopes that are offered us, here's fuell and bellows to enflame the soul, and cure it of its drowsiness and dumbness. Help any sinner to a clearer light to see into his heart and life, and to a livelyer sense of his own condition, and I warrant you he will be more disposed to fervent prayer, and will better understand the meaning of those words, Luke 18.1. [That men ought alwayes to pray and not to faint.] and 1 Thes. 5.17. Pray without ceasing.] You may hear some impious persons now disputing against frequent and fervent prayer, and saying, What need all this ado? But if you were able to open these mens eyes, and shew them what is within them and before them, you would quickly answer all their arguments, and convince them better then words can do, and put an end to the dispute. You would set all the prayerless families in Town and ⟨p. 120⟩Country, Gentlemens and poor mens, on fervent calling upon God, if you could but help them to such a sight of their sin and danger, as shortly the stoutest of them must have. Why do they pray, and call for prayers, when they come to die, but that they begin a little better to know themselves? They see then that youth and health and honour are not the things, nor make them not so happy, as befooling prosperity once perswaded them. Did they believe and consider what God saith of them, and not what flattery and self-love say, it would open the mouths of them that are most speechless.