Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Next to the Preaching of the Word I shall set the Ordinance of Prayer: This is the ascent of the Soul unto God as the fountain of all Good. As in every lust there is a depression of the Heart to one Creature or other; so in every right Prayer there is an holy elevation of it to God. This gives great Glory to God; as it is humble, it reveres his Majesty; as upright, it owns his Omniscience; as believing, it glorifies his condescending Grace; and as importunate, it overcomes the Almighty, and takes the Kingdom of Heaven by violence; ⟨p. 383⟩opening a door to that infinite mass or treasure of Grace which is laid up for those that strive and wrestle with him for supplies out of it. This is a Catholic Duty, good in all places. The Jews prayed in or towards the Temple, but now the whole World is consecrated for it; every where holy hands are to be lifted up; fit for all times, praying always, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 6.18. Not that we are to do nothing else, as the Euchitae or Messaliani of old dreamed; but that there is no time wherein the Mercy-seat is shut, or Christ not interceding above, or the holy Spirit not ready in some measure to assist Believers: Neither is there any time in which we should not carry about with us a virtual confession in our sense of Sin, or a virtual Prayer in our sense of Wants, or a virtual Praise in our sense of Mercies. Continuum desiderium est continua oratio, as St. Austin hath it. Vita hominis, saith Luther, nibil aliud est, nisi oratio, gemitus, desiderium, suspirium ad misericordiam Dei; Mans life should be a perpetual breathing after God. And withal it is incumbent on all Men; the first Adam in Innocency probably addressed himself to God in Prayer; and Jesus Christ the second Adam was much in it; the Ethnics by the light of Nature used it. It was an old Gentile-Law, Ad divos adeunto, go to the gods. Socrates prayed that he might be Intus pulcher, inwardly fair with virtue. Plato saith, Every one who is compos mentis, will in the beginning of any work invoke the gods. How much more must Christians ⟨p. 384⟩pray, who have before their eyes a Gospel, a Mercy-Seat, and an open way into the Holy of Holies through the Veil of Christs flesh! Unregenerate persons are bound to this Duty, as we see in the Command to Simon Magus, being in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity,