Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

ît 60 of the rime of prayer: he would pray in the morning, in the evening', and at noon. And again, for the morning;Pfa1.5.3. and in another place, that he would prevent the morning watch. For the noon, As 10.9. For the night our Saviour gave us a precedent Luke 6.12. where it is Paid that hefpent the whole night in prayer unto God. And to omit other fpeciall times ; There is none fo unfeafonable as midnight ; yet often in this time have the godly given themfelves unto prayer: Pfal. 119.62. At midnight will I rife to give thanks unto thee. And fo did Paul and Silas, Ads 16.25. So that we fee no time excluded from private prayer. But to apply the former diflinaion to private prayer alfo : and firft for flats : That our infirmi- ty may be helped, and our backwardneífe in this duty relieved, we are to appoint to our felves fome certain honres in the day which we will not let paffe without invocation on the name of God : but yet fo as we place no religion iñ one time more then in an- other, as the Papitls do in their canonical) houres, as though God were more ready to heare one time of the day then another. This praaice which I have named the molt holy men of God have ufed: As David, Pfal.5 5.17. In the morning, at noon, and in the evening will I pray : And Daniel, chap. 6.1o. ufed to pray three times in the day. Which practice of theirs we are thus to imitate : z. to pray in the morning, before we go about the works of our cal- ling ; 2. in the mid -day, in the time of intermiffion of our works ; and thirdly, at evening, before we take our reíl: and betides, whenfoever we take meat we are to ufe both prayer and thankfgiving,l. Tim. 4.45 z. Con-