what gifts He addes to him shall one give of the gold of Sheba And according to his word the Queen of Sheba gave King Solomon Gold even to an hundred and twenty talents and of Spices very great store and pretious Stones and yet I have not told you the halfe of Solomons treasury he had an Exchequer of prayers far beyond all gold and pretious stones For when his dying Father as some thinke by the Spirit of Prophecy had blessed him with that wealth he addes that which excelleth all the gold and riches of both the Indies Prayer also shall be made for him continually Psal 72.10 11 15. Again this Royall Prophet when he speakes unto God in prayer hath yet that holy boldnesse as to liken his prayers to Incense to Sacrifice to the evening Sacrifice which because it did most punctually typifie Jesus Christ who was offered up about the time of the Evening Sacrifice might in that respect have the preheminence Psal 141.2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting up my hands as the evening sacrifice In all this David sinned not nor spake to God foolishly or unadvisedly with his lips for prayer is as a sweet incense before God in the language of the Old and New Testament Malach. 1.11 Revelat. 8.3 4. And according to the price and value this holy Prophet set on the duty was his practice of it sometimes he prayed thrice a day sometimes seven times a day perhaps thrice a day was his ordinary daily course and seaven times was his practice upon Sabbaths and Festivals Againe sometimes he prayes at midnight and rises to the duty sometimes early in the morning his prayers prevent the dawning of the day Understand this of continued prayer As for Ejaculations sudden short dartings and breathings of his soule after God this kind of prayer was his element the aire his soule delighted to breath in the pulse of his soule beat this way and thus his heart panted toward God continually not onely seven times a day but seventy times seven times When his body was at rest in his bed his soule was fully imployed in following hard after God He makes his bed as it were a Bethel a house of prayer and when the time of feasting is over or ceaseth even in the night watches when he is on his bed then hath he meat to eat which the world knowes not then he doth not as some dreame of a feast but hath his soul satisfied wiâ—h holy meditations as with marrow and fatnesse A second eminent instance we have in Daniel who as before so after the decree was signed by Darius that whosoever should ask any petition of any God or Man save of the King for thirty daies space should be cast into the den of Lions went into his house and his windowes being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime saith the text Dan. 6.10 It was not the den of Lions could scare him from his wonted devotions and prayers three times a day There were four circumstances which considering that his enemies were many and mighty and such as did watch for his halting did notably commend his zeale 1. He prayed with the window of his chamber open towards Jerusalem though he was at Babylon a ceremony then used because of the Temple there a type of Christ and because of Solomons prayer in case they were in captivity 1 Kings 8.48 If they pray toward their land the city which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy name then heare thou their prayer c. 2. He prayed kneeling he did not omit his wonted humble gesture though a circumstance or cermony no not when his life was in danger and this posture might possibly help to betray him Could he have satisfied himself to pray in his bed for these thirty daies as thousands amongst us do all the daies of their lives if they pray at all saying 'T is good sleeping in a whole skin Why should I stir out of bed to pray there is a Lion in the way it may indanger my life I say could he have done thus probably the sparing his knee might have help'd to have saved his head 3. 'T is not unlikely that his prayer was vocall that he used his voice in this prayer he would not be silent though he knew he should be an offender a traytour for his words that what his Enemies heard him say in his private chamber in a corner they would publish on the house top and punish in the Lions den 4. It may seem that he continued his prayers till his enemies came and found him Dan. 6.11 and yet possibly might have some intimation or notice of their coming before they apprehended him He would not forbeare continued prayer for a moneth nor abate the ceremony of kneeling nor the circumstance of his voice nor change his times of prayer all into the night time nor cut them off by halfs in the day no though his life lay at stake The Lions roared yet Daniel did not feare And as for the New-Testament Saints the Disciples and followers of Christ as their Lord and Master was a man of many prayers so were they of his houshold and retinue It was the cognizance and character of converts in the Primitive times They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Act. 2.41 42. yea 't is brought as a convincing argument of the reality of Saul's coversion to Paul froÌ„ a persecutor to be a professor a chosen vessel unto Christ Behold he prayeth We are not to imagine but that whilst he was a Pharisee he prayed often But now he prayed more earnestly more from the heart and it may be with strong cries and teares to him that was able to enlighten his darknesse I mean to cure his blindnesse both of soul and body and to save him both from the shadow of death and from utter darknesse Now he prayes to the Lord Jesus Christ whom formerly he persecuted I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Now he prayed after another manner than ever he did before Nor ought it to seem a wonder that Gods children Christians of all men should be most zealous and excellent at prayer if we consider 1. The example of their Lord and Master Jesus Christ 1. Hee was often at prayer witnesse his usuall Oratory Mount Olivet He was zealous at it witnesse his transfiguration on Mount Tabor whilst he was praying and a second kind of transfiguration of his in the Garden when being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and sweat great drops of blood trickling downe to the ground Luke 22.44 2. If we consider the many precepts and exhortations to this duty Pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 Pray all manner of prayer Eph. 6.18 and Luke 18.1 Jesus Christ spake a parable to the end men should
according to the Directory So here it doth not follow that we may not use the words of either of the Evangelists but on the contrary that we may indifferently use the words of either and so may pray either in the form of words recorded by the Evangelist Matthew or else according to this form in the text We think it not unlawfull but expedient in the celebration of the Lords Supper to retain the words of some of the Evangelists or of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 11. upon that occasion And so I see no sufficient reason but we may and that it is expedient to use Christs owne words either at his first or second delivery of it either as recorded by one or the other Evangelist And lastly who knowes but Jesus Christ speaking Syriack the language then commonly used by the Jewes might expresse himselfe in the same Syriack words at both times and yet the Evangelists render the same diversly in another tongue keeping still the same sense as the same Greek words may be truly translated and yet rendred in English in severall or diverse words but all to the same sense Obj. But it is our duty to pray in the Spirit in the holy Ghost and so as the holy Spirit immediately moves us or suggests to us for matter and words and method and so we are not to be tied to any form of prayer Possibly this was and might be used for a time namely till Christ was glorified and the holy Ghost given as Johns form might last till Jesus Christ gave a new one so this form of prayer might be of use untill the coming down of the holy Ghost to teach Christians to pray of themselves without this or any other form Ans To this Objection I say three things 1. That we are now to pray in the holy Ghost in a right sense but not in the sense and manner above alleadged And so to say no more did those before Christs coming 2. That we may truly pray in the Spirit according to our duty although we use the Lords Prayer 3. The coming of the holy Ghost hath not taken away the Lords Prayer but that notwithstanding it may be used in the prayers of the Church and her Members until Christ come again Of the first All Christians 't is true must pray in the Spirit as all Ministers of Christ are to preach in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and in words which the holy Ghost teacheth and yet this hinders not but we may and must study and premeditate for our Sermons not alway expecting extraordinary supplies from the holy Ghost so as that it should be given us always in that houre what to preach and it should not be we that preach or speak but the holy Ghost in us The holy Ghost hath made known to us the minde of God in the Scriptures we are to study them and the matters contained in them and to preach the Word of God Scripture-truthes plainly and affectionately as those who have found favour to be taught of God to have our understandings opened to understand the Scriptures to have our wills bowed to Gods revealed will and our affections warmed with love to the truth and zeale for it and as those who have in themselves experimented those things which they declare unto others Besides Ministers may and ought to read the holy Scriptures and in so doing although for the present they are tied unto words yet this doth in no wise quench the Spirit the Scriptures themselves being dictated by the Spirit so when we pray we are to pray in the Spirit that is for such things and in such a manner as the holy Ghost teacheth in the Scriptures of truth we are to pray in faith to come to God in Christs name merits mediation trusting to be heard and answered for Christs sake with earnestnesse and importunity and so with such sighs and groans which are unutterable which cannot sufficiently be expressed in words 2. As Believers before Christ particularly Moses and Aaron had the Spirit and his help and assistance in prayer so far as was requisite notwithstanding they sometimes used prescribed forms of Gods own inditing appointing And as Iesus Christ himself prayed in the spirit when he prayed in the words of David Psal 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So those that are Christs may pray also in the spirit in the using the prayer of Christ that being a Prayer for matter method words composed by him who had the Spirit without measure recorded in the very form of a Prayer and with this preface When ye pray say c. by the holy Ghost that is by the Evangelist moved and assisted infallibly by the holy Ghost If that place be urged 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the spirit and with understanding also I answer it followes I will sing with the Spirit and with understanding also So that if the former part could possibly with any good reason be expounded so as to debarre us from the use of the Lords prayer the latter will exclude Davids and all Scripture-Psalmes too out of the Church But the sense and meaning of that place is of another importance as appeares by the context and that may seem to be this I will not make use of the extraordinary gift of the Spirit inabling me to speak in an unknown or strange language either in praying to or praising of God in the Church where it is not understood by the unlearned and therefore cannot be to edification My own spirit or I may indeed pray according to the inward man and make use outwardly of the gift of Tongues that gift of the holy Ghost in praying but I make no use of my understanding to the benefit of others I resolve therefore so to pray and so to sing as I may be understood by others even as if I had no such gift of Tongues as a man would pray that hath not that gift of tongues which is an extraordinary gift of the Spirit 3. I come to my third Proposition and that is to prove that the coming of the holy Ghost doth not take away the use of the Lords Prayer as a Prayer And were it so as is presumed in the Objection that it was given onely for that time untill the coming of the holy Ghost and that it was out of date in the day of Pentecost even this Evangelical form of prayer like the legall observations I say were it so then the use of the Lords Prayer should cease both as a pattern and as a form of prayer it should neither be any more since Pentecost a Directory or Liturgy But the truth is that the promise of the holy Ghost to teach Christians to pray and the gift of the holy Ghost so promised doth not necessarily take away all helps or directions from Christ or from the Scriptures of the Prophets so that they should thenceforth be void and of none effect to all intents and
we must no more use bread and wine and water those necessary things either in or out of the Sacrament The instance of the brazen Serpent comes not up fully to the matter in hand For first now there was no possible use of it for that end to which at first God ordained it to be made Num. 21.8 9. And God did never appoint that this should be continued as a monument of that mercy Again the memoriall of the miraculous cure once wrought upon those that looked upon this brazen Serpent was sufficiently preserved in being registred by Moses Gods pen-man or Secretary in the records of the holy Scriptures And Lastly Hezekiah did remove and abolish this brazen Serpent without sin But as for the Lords prayer the case is otherwise in all these or the like particulars It is now of use both as a pattern and as a prayer It is made a portion of the holy Scriptures and so heaven and earth must passe away rather then a jot or tittle of this Prayer If this prayer should be wholy laid aside there is besides no such perfect compleat forme of prayer and rule or touchstone of prayer as this extant in all the Scriptures And lastly the Lord would not hold him guiltlesse who should blot this prayer out of the book of the Scripture But he may justly feare to have his name blotted out of the book of life Our Lord Jesus himself was a Stone of stumbling a rock of offence to many but to them that believe he was and is a choyse stone a precious foundation corner Stone c. And so I say of the Lords Prayer it may perhaps be a stone of stumbling an occasion of fall to some but to them that beleive and use it in faith it is precious and whoever so prays this prayer need never be ashamed of it Obj. Many finde by experience that their hearts are dull dead or very formall as in the use of other formes so of this also Answ Concerning formes in generall I say as before that formes of Prayer are better than no prayer at all and concerning this prayer if our hearts be dead in the using of it I dare say the fault is in us not in the Prayer It may be our hearts are dead at the reading of a Chapter what is the Scripture therefore a dead letter and must it therefore cease in the Church Oh let us never accuse Christs Prayer or Preaching of deadnesse to excuse the sinfull deadnesse of our owne hearts Our Lord Jesus himselfe prayed in the garden thrice saying the same words Mat. 26. and with as much Affection and Devotion and Life the last time as the first Let us goe and doe likewise How is it that our Devotion flags not that our hearts wander not in the joyning with one that prayes a conceived prayer for a quarter halfe an houre or more and yet cannot hold up or keep close to the duty for a moment or two whilst our Lords owne Prayer is rehearsing I should rather thinke that if our hearts have not been duly affected or that there hath been any errour whilst the Minister hath been praying according to his ability that the using of the Lords Prayer and joyning in that perfect forme with double with seven-fold diligence zeale and holy affections in the close of all is very commendable as both pious and prudent for in the generall Petitions of this Prayer are contained all the lawfull particulars both for the Church and every member of it which were mentioned in the foregoing prayer But here I must enter my Caveat I would not be interpreted by what I have said for I doe in no wise meane it God forbid to poure cold water upon any fervent or zealous desires whilst we joyne with others praying according to the gift pretending thereby to reserve all the heat and zeal of our soule for the offering up of the Lords Prayer nor doe I meane farre be it from me to justifie any irreverent gesture by-thoughts or loose and cold affections during the time the Minister or other is exercising his gift in conceived prayer Obj. But the Apostles in their writings when they exhort to prayer and give rules and directions about it never recommend unto us the use of this prayer Ans All that the Apostles did or said is not written Sure I am they have given no rule or direction against the using of this prayer and if it be true which some say that the Evangelist Luke had the Gospell he wrote from the Apostle Paul it is some evidence that the Apostle himselfe was not against the using of this prayer else probably he would not have told him such words as these When ye pray say c. without adding some caution or interpretation to prevent mistake The Apostle Paul speaks sometimes concerning Baptisme but never treats of that forme of words I baptize thee in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost What may we not therefore baptize in that forme of words Surely we may and Mat. 28.19 shall be our sufficient warrant Againe the holy Apostles Col. 3.16 Ephes 5.18 19. James 5.13 give order for and direction about singing of Psalmes but neither there nor elsewhere tell us we are to sing Davids Psalmes or what other Psalmes we should sing doth it thence follow we may not sing the Psalmes of David or other spirituall Songs recorded in the holy Scriptures But put the case that some Christians in those dayes had said to the Apostle Paul teach us to sing Psalmes or teach us Psalms to sing as David the sweet singer of Israel of old taught the people of God and his answer to them had been in such words as these when ye sing sing one of the Psalmes of David one of those songs of Sion or else he himself had composed a Psalme and added this Preface to it or direction concerning it when ye sing sing after this manner or when ye sing sing c. Had not this been sufficient to ground thereupon the lawfulnesse of singing Davids Psalmes or that particular Psalmes so composed and subjoyned by the Apostle I believe it had And now if any ask How often we should pray the Lords prayer To this my Answer is That the holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath left this undetermined as also how oft we are to read the sixt Chapter of the Gospel written by the Evangelist Mathew and this eleventh Chapter of the Gospel according to the Evangelist Luke or any other particular Chapter in the Scriptures as also it is undetermined how oft we are to sing the 92. Psal entitled a Psalme for the Saboth day or any other Psalme I find these things left to Christian prudence and so I shall still leave them not being willing to binde mens consciences wherein God hath left us free as for this I know of no Commandement from the Lord. But herein I give my advice desiring and praying for that mercy
Dominicam idcirco mox post precem dicimus quòd nos Apostolorum fuit ut ad ipsam solummodò orationem oblationis hostiam consecrarent Greg. Epist lib. 7. Epist 63. And to say the truth I have not read or heard that ever any of the Fathers or Councils judged it either unlawfull or inexpedient to use the Lords Prayer for a Prayer And now Sir having by this time I suppose sufficiently tried if not tired your patience in detaining you so long a spectator of our contests with this half doZen of errors I shall adde no more but desiring that this Epistle may remain as a publique acknowledgement or expresse of gratitude for those Respects and Favours wherewith you have been pleased to oblige our Brackley-society I shall onely bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus for you that you may be the blessed of the Lord and your off-spring with you and particularly sith you are one who can say Amen to the Prayer of Moses for Levi Deut. 33.11 and to the Prayer of Christ Mat. 6.9 c. and Luke 11.1 2 c. that you may beare a part in the Song of Moses and of the Lamb. Sir this is and shall be the heartie prayer of Your very humble Servant in the Lord Tho Hodges Decem. 1. 1655. A TREATISE OF PRAYER And particularly An Apology for the use of the Lords Prayer On LUKE 11.1 2. And it came to passe that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples And he said unto him when ye pray say Our Father c. GOd having but one Son made him a Minister of the Circumcision that is he ordained him a preacher of the truth to his own people the Jewes This man was not meerely as other Priests taken out from amongst men but that in all things he might have the preheminence he was taken from amidst the persons of the ever blessed Trinity to deale in things pertaining unto God And now being made an Officer in the Church it behoved him to wait on his office and to fulfill his Ministry which he had received of the Lord. And accordingly he did he gave himselfe continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the word and so he became an example and pattern to his Apostles which they did follow Acts 6.4 and to all Ministers that come after that they should tread in his steps And upon occasion of his frequent going to prayer at a certain time when he had been about that holy performance one of his Disciples whether one of the Apostles for they were all called Disciples or one of the seventy Disciples or some other of his followers I determine not but one of them desires of him to teach them to pray as John Baptist had taught his Disciples It may seem either that this Disciple was not present at our Saviours Sermon on the Mount wherein as you have it Mat. 6.9 he taught his Disciples and in them all Christians to pray after this manner Our Father c. or else that he did not apprehend our Lords meaning at that his first delivery of this form of Prayer but took it for a model or pattern of Prayer onely And as probably the chief Masters or Rabbies amongst the Pharisees had framed certain formes of prayer for their Disciples and John the Baptist had given his a forme of prayer suitable likely to their present condition wherein it may be one great request was that the Messiah whom John preached and they expected and longed for might suddenly come into his Temple So this Disciple prayeth Christ to prescribe his Schollars and followers a form also both as a badge and cognizance of being his Disciples and as a help and furtherance to them in their devotions Possibly the Liturgy of the Scribes and Pharisees might now be leavened with evil as well as their Sermons Observable it is that our Saviour sometime adviseth on this wise saying the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chaire whatsoever they say unto you that observe and do but we never finde that he counselled to pray their prayers And again it may be that the form which John Baptist the Lord Christ his Harbinger taught his Disciples to prepare the way for Christ was not sufficiently accommodated or fitted to the condition of them who believed him already come followed him professed Faith in him and were ready to or actually did preach him Upon these or such like considerations this Disciple might make this motion to our Saviour saying Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples and occasion our Lord more plainly and fully to expresse himself concerning the use of that form of prayer formerly delivered now not to say as before After this manner pray yee but when ye pray say Our Father c. It is the saying of learned Mr. Mede As the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh because the thing was established by God so the Lords Prayer was twice delivered that we might not scruple the using but know it for a truth that Jesus Christ did recommend it to his Church to be used as a forme of prayer and not a patterne of prayer onely Let this serve for the occasion and scope of the words There are three observations which I shall raise and prosecute in part in my treating on this text 1. Gods Children or People or right Christians are a praying generation 2. It is lawfull to use a Form of Prayer 3. It is lawful to use this Form the Lords Prayer for a Prayer I. Of the first Gods Children or right Christians are a praying generation That John the Baptist the Elijah who was for to come was also noted for prayer I gather hence because 't is said that hee taught his Disciples to pray And that they viz. his Schollers or Disciples learnt this lesson and practised this duty seems implied in the same phrase And as for Christ himself the onely begotten Son of God and his Disciples the adopted children of God that they were men of many prayers those who much frequented and highly valued this Ordinance the very words of the text import or at least insinuate From these premises I inferre my first conclusion and ground my following discourse thereupon I shall endeavour to shew what Prayer is That all men ought to pray That the children of Men as well as the children of God That very Heathens without the pale of the Church and profane or scandalous Persons Formalists and Hypocrits within do sometimes pray That Gods own People his dear Children or right Christians are most frequent and most excellent at prayer They take the most pains about it and the greatest pleasure in it Prayer is a making of our requests known unto God It is an offering up of the first born of our soules i. e. of our desires unto God To pray well there is nothing required
saith one but to desire well Senhault ex Aug. Nature and Scripture both oblige and prompt men to pray Prayer is a duty which all men owe to God a duty whereby we acknowledge our continuall dependance upon him his fulnesse self-sufficiency and all-sufficiency and our own emptinesse and necessity He is our Soveraign Lord and we are his Subjects and this homage and tribute we owe him we hold all of him and this quit-rent this pepper-corn we are bound to pay him It is not Gods knowing all things the very thoughts and desires of our hearts long before so that hee needs not that any man should tell him in prayer it is not the irrevocableness of Gods decrees that our prayers cannot change them or him It is not mans inability naturally to ask aright It is neither Gods perfections nor Mans imperfections that do absolve men from this duty Again no mans piety can exempt him nor can any mans impiety excuse him from it And lastly there is none so rich but he must and none so poore but he may offer unto God this morning and evening this daily sacrifice God the Lord and master of this great house the world doth not allow the Israelite to take the bread upon his table nor the Canaanite to gather the crums under the table without first asking his leave or giving him thanks Prayer is the voyce of nature 't is her strugling and striving to be rid of her burden Meere naturall men yea very Heathens when they are in distresse will call upon their gods though very stocks and stones If a man cannot pray let him goe to Sea and in a storme Ionahs heathen Marriners will teach him to call upon his God Afflictions necessities will drive men generally unto Prayer for relief and succour And yet because many call upon false gods or upon the true God in a false manner either not praying constantly or not in faith and with good Affections or asking things not convenient instead of an egge a Scorpion or if good things yet to an evill end viz. That what they get by Prayer they may consume on their lusts Therefore the Holy Ghost in the Scripture brands so many for men that call not upon God And the very truth is were it not to stop the mouth of naturall conscience or to get or keep a name of being religious in the world or that hereby they thinke to merit Gods favour or countenance so far as to be blessed in this life or to hire or bribe God the Judge of all the world not to doe right i. e. not to punish them in the world to come I say that were it not for some one or more of these causes I believe that God who is a God hearing prayers would have none to heare either from meere Heathens or unregerate Christians his doors would be empty of these clients these Suitors would not come at him They goe not to Prayer with so much chearfulnes as some go to prison as others to execution they come unwillingly they are detained before the Lord like Doeg with much wearinesse like a sick Stomach at a full table they are glad when the duty is done and they again at liberty like an Apprentice that is freed from his master These things therefore considered it is no wonder that God delights not in their Prayers Quo modo te audiri à Deo postulas ùn tu ipse non audias Cyp. de Orat. Dom. who delight not at all in the duty themselves How should God take pleasure in those Prayers which those that make them scarce heare or mind themselves and are glad when they have rid their hands of them and which they would never bestow a look after but meerly for ease and advantage But is this the manner of the people of God of the Disciples of Christ Are the children of God as blame-worthy as faulty in this matter as the children of men If I should say this I should verily be guilty of rash and false judgment thus to accuse and condemn wrongfully the generation of the Righteous for they are men and women of another temper frame manner of spirit and carriage in their addresses unto the most high God in Prayer These are they that account Prayer their especiall priviledge that make it their daily exercise that looke on their incomes by Prayer as their best revenues These go to Prayer as a Favourite to Court to see and wait on his Soveraigne and whole face he sees as an Angell of God These go to Prayer with delight and have more Solid joy therein than the voluptuous man hath in all his sports and pleasures These go to this duty as an hungry man to a meale to a feast expecting to have their Soules satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse Unregenerate men at best go to it but as to the taking of Physick as to a potion which they would never take but for meer necessity but for their healths sake Lastly these go to Prayer as a trades-man into his shop to meet with a good customer as a merchant to the Exchange to get a bargaine as the merchant in the Parable goes to the field wherein was the pearle of price To make all this appeare let me instance in two or three both of the Old and of the New Testament for both they that went before Christ and they that followed after him cryed Hosanna or save us we pray thee I mean they were much taken yea much taken up with this holy performance I le instance first in David a man after Gods own heart he made Prayer his Cordiall in all his troubles and afflictions Psal 42.7 8 9 10. Psal 55.16 17. his Castle to retire unto from the face of his enemies Psal 109.4 They are my adversaries but I give my self unto prayer as Luther used to say of later daies when he was ill dealt withall by men Well I le tell God of it When they that sate in the gate i. e. Judges and Rulers spake against David and when the drunkards made songs of him what doth he doe but fall to his prayers As for me saith he Psal 69.12 13. my prayer is unto thee O Lord. I dare say he esteemed it more honour to lye prostrate at the Throne of Gods grace praying than they could do to sit on the bench on the throne of iniquity to censure to judge him And his meditations i. e. his prayers I am confident were sweeter to him than the drunkards cups and songs were or could be to them The value he set on prayer ye may guesse from hence that he layes up a prayer he leaves a prayer for his son Solomon as well as any other treasure whatsoever Psal 72. and in that Psalm or Prayer he layes a Foundation and Prophecy of the greatnesse of Solomons Kingdome saying The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Seba and Sheba shall offer gifts If you aske