Directions for Daily Communion with God (continued)
them, and did not still make intercession for us. He that is washed, still needeth to wash his feet, from the filth he contracts in every step; and blessed be God, there is a fountain opened for us to wash in, and it is always open.
e. We must apply ourselves to the throne of grace for peace and pardon. Those that repent must pray, that the thought of their heart may be forgiven them, ACTS 8:22. Acts 8:22 (KJV) And it is good to be particular in our prayers for the pardon of sin; that as Hannah said concerning Samuel, for this child I prayed; so we may be able to say, for the forgiveness of this I prayed. However, the publican's prayer in general, is a very proper one for each of us to lie down with, God be merciful to me a sinner.
4. Let us lie down with humble supplications for the mercies of the night. Prayer is as necessary in the evening, as it was in the morning, for we have the same need of the divine favour and care, to make the evening out goings to rejoice, that we had to beautify those of the morning.
a. We must pray, that our outward man may be under the care of God's holy angels, who are the ministers of his providence. God hath promised, that he will give his angels charge concerning those who make the Most High their refuge, and that they shall pitch their tents round about them and deliver them; and what he hath promised, we may and must pray for; not as if God needed the service of the angels, or as if he did himself quit all the care of his people, and turn it over to them: but it appears by abundance of Scripture proofs, that they are employed about the people of God, whom he takes under his special protection, though they are not seen both for the honour of God by whom they are charged, and for the honour of the saints with whom they are charged. It was the glory of Solomon's bed, that threescore valiant men were about it, of the valiant of Israel, all holding swords, because of fear in the night, CANT 3:7, 8. Song of Solomon 3:7-8 (KJV) But much more honourably and comfortably are all true believers attended, for though they lie never so meanly, they have hosts of angels surrounding their beds, and by the ministration of good spirits, are preserved from malignant spirits. But God will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel; Christ himself must pray the Father, and he will send to his relief legions of angels, MATT 26:53. Matthew
26:53 (KJV) Much more reason have we to ask, that it may be given us.
b. We must pray, that our inward man may be under the influences of his Holy Spirit, who is the Author and fountain of his grace. As public ordinances are opportunities in which the Spirit works upon the hearts of men, and therefore when we attend on them, we must pray for the Spirit's operations, so are private retirements, and therefore we must put up the same prayer, when we enter upon them. We find, that in slumberings upon the bed, God openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, JOB 33:15, 16. Job 33:15-16 (KJV) And with this David's experiences concur, he found that God visited him in the night, and tried him and so discovered him to himself, PS 17:3. Psalm 17:3 (KJV) And that God gave him counsel, and his reins instructed him in the night season, and so he discovered himself to him, PS 16:7. Psalm 16:7 (KJV) He found that was a proper season for remembering God, and meditating upon him; and in order to our due improvement of this proper season for conversing with God in solitude, we need the powerful and benign influences of the blessed Spirit, which therefore when we lie down we should earnestly pray for, and humbly put ourselves under, and submit ourselves to. How God's grace may work upon us, when we are asleep we know not; the soul will act in a state of separation from the body, and how far it doth act independent on the body, when the bodily senses are all locked up we cannot say, but are sure, that the Spirit of the Lord is not bound; we have reason to pray, not only that our minds may not be either disturbed or polluted by evil dreams, in which for ought we know, evil spirits sometimes have a hand, but may be instructed and quieted by good dreams, which Plutarch reckons among the evidences of increase and proficiency in virtue, and on which the good spirit has an influence. I have heard of a good man, that used to pray at night for good dreams.
II. Secondly, When we lay us down, our care and endeavour must be to lay us down in peace. It is promised to Abraham, that he shall go to his grave in peace, GEN 15:15, Genesis 15:15 (KJV) and this promise is sure to all his spiritual seed, for the end of the upright man is peace; Josiah dies in peace, though he is killed in a battle; now as an earnest of this let us every night lie down in peace. It is threatened to the wicked, that they shall lie down in sorrow, ISA 1:11. Isaiah 1:11 (KJV) It is promised to the righteous, that they shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid, LEV 26:6, Leviticus 26:6 (KJV) JOB 11:19. Job 11:19 (KJV) Let us then enter into this rest, this blessed Sabbatism, and take care that we come not short of it.
A. Let us lie down in peace with God; for without this there can be no peace at all; There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked, whom God is at war with. A state of sin is a state of enmity against God; they that continue in that state are under the wrath and curse of God, and cannot lie down in peace: What have they to do with peace? Hasten therefore (sinner) hasten to make thy peace with God in Jesus Christ, by repentance and faith; take hold on his strength that thou mayest make peace with him, and thou shalt make peace, for fury is not with him. Conditions of peace are offered, consent to them; close with him who is our Peace; take Christ upon his own terms, Christ upon any terms. Defer not to do this; dare not to sleep in that condition, in which thou darest not die. Escape for thy life, look not behind thee. Acquaint now thyself with him, now presently, and be at peace, and thereby this good shall come unto thee, thou shalt lie down in peace.
Sin is ever and anon making mischief between God and our souls, provoking God against us, alienating us from God, we therefore need to be every night making peace, reconciling ourselves to him and to his holy will, by the agency of his Spirit upon us, and begging of him to be reconciled to us, through the intercession of his Son for us; that there may be no distance, no strangeness between us and God, no interposing cloud to hinder his mercies from coming down upon us, or our prayers from coming up unto him. Being justified by faith, we have this peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and then we may not only lie down in peace; but we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Let this be our first care, that God have no quarrel with us, nor we with him.
B. Let us lie down in peace with all men; we are concerned to go to sleep, as well as to go to die in charity. Those that converse much with the world can scarce pass a day, but something or other happens that is provoking, some affront is given them, some injury done them, at least so they think; when they retire at night and reflect upon it, they are apt to magnify the offence, and while they are musing on it the fire burns, their resentments rise, and they begin to say, I will do so to him as he has done to me, PROV 24:29. Proverbs 24:29 (KJV) Then is the time of ripening the passion into a rooted malice, and meditating revenge; then therefore let wisdom and grace be set on work, to extinguish this fire from hell before it get head, then let this root of bitterness be killed and plucked up; and let the mind be disposed to forgive the injury, and to think well of, and wish well to him that did it. If others incline to quarrel with us, yet let us resolve not to quarrel with them. Let us resolve that whatever the affront or injury was, it shall neither disquiet our spirits, nor make us to fret, which Peninnah aimed at in provoking Hannah, I SAM 1:6, 1 Samuel 1:6 (KJV) nor sour or embitter our spirits, or make us peevish and spiteful: but that we still love ourselves, and love our neighbors as ourselves, and therefore not by harbouring malice, do any wrong to ourselves or our neighbour. And we shall find it much easier in itself, and much more pleasant in the reflection to forgive twenty injuries than to avenge one.
That it should be our particular care at night, to reconcile ourselves to those who have been injurious to us, is intimated in the charge, EPH 4:26. Ephesians 4:26 (KJV) Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. If your passion has not cooled before, let it be abated by the cool of the evening, and quite disappear with the setting sun. You are then to go to bed, and if you lie down with these unmortified passions boiling in your breasts, your soul is among lions, you lie down in a bed of thorns, in a nest of scorpions. Nay, some have observed from what follows immediately, Neither give place to the devil, ver. 27. Ephesians 4:27 (KJV) That those who go to bed in malice, have the devil for their bedfellow. We cannot lie down at peace with God, unless we be at peace with men: not in faith pray to be forgiven, unless we forgive. Let us therefore study the things that make for peace, for the peace of our own spirits, by living as much as in us lies peaceably with all men. I am for peace, yea, though they are for war.
C. Let us lie down in peace with ourselves, with our minds, with a sweet composedness of spirit and enjoyment of ourselves; return unto thy rest, O my soul, and be easy; let nothing disturb my soul, my darling.
But when may we lie down in peace? At night.