From Bayly 6. Lastly, when such thoughts come into thy head, either to keep thee from prayer, or to distract thee in praying, remember that those are the fowls which the evil one sends to devour the good seed, and the carcasses of thy spiritual sacrifices [Matt. xiii:19]; but endeavour with Abraham, to drive them… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – Meditations (on Distractions) to stir us up to morning prayer & Short Morning Prayer – 6

From Bayly 5. Consider, that if the papists, in their blind superstition, do in an unknown, and therefore unedifying tongue, fit only for the children of mystical Babylon (1 Cor. xiv. 14; Gen. xi. 9; Rev. xvii. 5), mutter over upon their beads every morning and evening so many scores of ave-maries, paternosters, and idolatrous… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – Meditations to stir us up to morning prayer – 5: Sincere devotion, not papist superstition and repetition

From Bayly. 4. Call to mind the zealous devotions of the Christians in the primitive church, who spent many whole nights and vigils in watching and praying for the forgiveness of their sins, and that they might be found ready at the coming of Christ; and that David was not content to pray at morning,… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – Meditations to stir us up to morning prayer – 4: Zealous devotions of the ancient Christians

From Bayly. 3. Remember, that as loathing of meat, and painfulness of speaking, are two symptoms of a sick body; so irksomeness of praying when thou talkest with God, and carelessness in hearing, when God, by his word, speaks unto thee, are two sure signs of a sick soul. ________________ Is. 57:15 For thus saith… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – Meditations to stir us up to morning prayer – 3: Symptoms of a sick body

From Bayly. 2. Forget not that the Holy Ghost puts it down as a special note of reprobates, “They call not upon the Lord, they call not upon God.” (Psal. xiv. 4; liii. 4.)  And when Eliphaz supposed that Job had cast off the fear of God, and that God had cast Job out of… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – Meditations to stir us up to morning prayer – 2: Special note to reprobates

From Bayly: 1. If, when thou art about to pray, Satan shall suggest that thy prayers are too long, and that therefore it were better either to omit prayers, or else to cut them shorter, meditate that prayer is thy spiritual sacrifice, wherewith God is well pleased (Heb. xiii. 15, 16;) and therefore it is… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – Meditations to stir us up to morning prayer – 1

From Bayly: O most mighty and glorious God! full of incomprehensible power and majesty; whose glory the very heaven of heavens is not able to contain! Look down from heaven upon me, thine unworthy servant, who here prostrate myself at the footstool of thy throne of grace. But look upon me, O Father, through the… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – A Prayer for the Morning

From Bayly: In a word; apply all that thou readest in holy Scripture, to one of these two heads chiefly; either to confirm thy faith, or to increase thy repentance: for, as sustine et abstine*, bear and forbear, was the epitome of a good philosopher’s life**; so crede et resipisce***, believe and repent, is the… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – Brief Directions how to Read the Holy Scriptures Once Every Year Over with Ease, Profit, and Reverence – Application or Excuses

From Bayly. But forasmuch, that as faith is the soul, so reading and meditating on the word of God, are the parents of prayer, therefore, before thou prayest in the morning, first read a chapter in the word of God; then meditate awhile with thyself, how many excellent things thou canst remember out of it.… Read More Morning Piety: How A Private Man Must Begin the Morning with Piety – Brief Directions how to Read the Holy Scriptures Once Every Year Over with Ease, Profit, and Reverence – 6 Areas of Focus