The Godly Man's Picture

12. A godly man is a praying man:¹ This is in the Text, Every one that is godly shall pray unto thee. As soon as Grace is poured in; prayer is poured out, Psa. 109. 4. But I give my self to prayer; in the Hebrew it is, [Greek or Hebrew] but I prayer: Prayer and I are all ⟨p. 118⟩one; Prayer is the Souls traffic with heaven; God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by prayer. Caligula placed his Effigies in the Capitol, whispering in Jupiters ear; prayer whispers in Gods ear. A godly man cannot live without prayer: A man cannot live unless he takes his breath; not can the Soul, unless it breathes forth its desires to God: As soon as the Babe of Grace is born it cries; no sooner was Paul converted, but, behold he prayeth, Act. 9. 11. No doubt he prayed before being a Pharisee, but it was either superficially, or superstitiously; but when the work of Grace had passed upon his soul, behold, now, he prays: A godly man is every day upon the Mount of Prayer; he begins the day with prayer, before he opens his shop, he opens his heart to ^*God. We use to burn sweet perfumes in our houses; a godly mans house is domus aromatum, an house of perfume, he airs it with the incense of prayer; he engageth in no business without seeking God: Scipio never entered into the Senate House, but first he ascended the Capitol, where he did his^†