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hearing, (all which are requisite in prayer) than you could ever possibly be able to do without such preparation.

Thirdly, This due preparation to prayer doth not only fit you to pray; but is an excellent furtherance to an holy life. For it maketh the conscience tender and watchful, by the daily exercise of the knowledge of the precepts and threats of the law, and the precepts and promises of the gospel; and it being enforced to examine, accuse, judge, and pass sentence, and do a kind of execution upon you for your sin; smiting your heart, and wounding itself with godly fear, grief, and shame, (a work to which the conscience is loth to come, till it needs must;) wherefore, to prevent all this trouble and smart, it will rather give all diligence in other acts which are more pleasing; namely, it will direct you in the ways to God, check and warn you before hand, lest you should sin; to the end that when you come to examine yourself again, it might find matter, not of grieving and tormenting, but of rejoicing and comforting your heart, which is the most proper, and most pleasing work of a sanctified conscience, 2 Cor. i. 12. He that knoweth that he must be at much pains to make himself whole and clean, when he is wounded and defiled, will take the more heed lest he wound and defile himself.

Fourthly, This due preparation to prayer, by examining, judging, and reforming yourself, doth prevent God's judging you; for when you judge yourself, you shall not be judged of the Lord, saith the apostle, 1 Cor. xi. 31.

(3.) Being rightly prepared, you must draw near into God's special presence, falling low at his footstool, Psa. xcv. 6, representing him to your thoughts as one who is in himself, and of himself, the only heavenly, all-knowing and almighty Majesty, Matt. vi. 9, now become your loving and merciful Father, through Christ his Son your Lord: then you must pour out your soul before him in confessing your sins, 1 Sam. i. 15; and in making your desires (through the Spirit) known unto him in the name of Christ, for