to thinke that I had better not pray at all That you feele these defects Answ and do observe these your inabilities and failings in prayer if withall you be humbled and your conscience can witnesse that your desire is that your heart were inlarged and were rightly disposed to prayer this is well this argueth that you have some life and some good disposition to the worke but here is no ground of discouragement or cause why you should forbeare to pray The best of Gods children sometimes have beene in your case David himselfe had his spirit overwhelmed Psal 77.3.4 and was so troubled that he could not speake Ezekiah said that he did chatter like a crane Isa 38.14 he did rather stutter and stammer out his desires to God in a broken sort then by distinct and apt words to expresse them As for wandring thoughts who is free or who can be free so long as sinne dwelleth in him and Satan is alwayes readie to cast them in As for faith it may be that you pray in faith though you conceive otherwise because you feele so much doubting but would you pray in faith do you grieve that you cannot beleeve and can you say with him in the Gospel I do beleeve Mar. 9.24 Lord helpe my unbeleefe then you pray in faith though you feele it not If you feele your selfe worse after prayer this is a misconceit of yours or a suggestion of Satan But if it be so indeed in your feeling this doth not argue that you are worse for your prayer but better for that evill which was in you before unseene is now discovered that you may reforme it The flesh and Satan sometimes may bee more stirring with their tentations but prayer gaineth alwayes a secret helpe of God if you would but improve it But know whatsoever your feeling be if failings in prayer be not allowed but resisted and and prayed against God passeth them by and doth not account them unto you If you endeavour to pray aright and do pray as well as you can though you faile very much this unallowed failing is onely a sinne of infirmitie for which God doth pity you and will spare you as a father doth his sonne that serveth him But not to pray at all is a grosse sinne of wilfull negligence which God hateth and will severely punish Wherefore whatsoever your indisposition be and whatsoever your former failings and discouragements have beene you must breake through all lets know that you have the more need to pray setting about it in the power of Gods might sith that you have no power of your owne Psal 119.88 Psal 119.32 Psal 86.9 Do as David did pray to be quickened and to have your heart inlarged and that God would unite your heart to feare his name If there be truth of desire in your prayer then know that you are heard and accepted not for the goodnesse and worth of your prayer but for the goodnesse and merits of Christ Iesus by whom you offer up your prayers What though you know not how to pray Rom. 8.26.27 the Spirit of him who hath commanded you to pray will helpe your infirmitie and enable you to pray in such sort as God shall accept thereof in Christ Iesus And if you be so heavie and comfortlesse after prayer it is your fault proceeding from groundlesse doubts and false feares but yet no argument that you did not pray aright or that you were not heard much lesse that you should think you pray in vaine or that you had better not pray at all But so long as a doubt and scruple remaineth in my mind Quest whether I may pray or no is it not best for me not to pray till that scruple be removed for I must do nothing doubtingly nor against scruple of conscience Answ To this I answer this is but a delusion of the devill and a groundlesse fancie In things indifferent of which the Apostle speaketh a man must be fully perswaded in his owne minde Rom. 14.5.23 and he must not do a thing indifferent though lawfull in it selfe to be done so long as hee doubteth and doth make scruple of conscience thereabout whether it may be done or no and therefore he must with all singlenesse of heart use meanes by the truth of Gods word to informe his conscience But in things expresly commanded such as is this dutie of prayer in this case a man is not to hearken to any scruple which shall rise concerning the not performing of it but is violently to resist that scruple and to breake through it and to addresse himselfe to the dutie of prayer notwithstanding For whensoever scruples under pretence of conscience shall arise to trouble and hinder a man from performing a necessarie dutie When a man may do contrary to scruple of conscience such as prayer and the like it is lawfull to do contrary to such scruples for a scruple is nothing else but a groundlesse feare wherefore to do a thing commanded by God though it be done contrarie to this scruple is not to do it against conscience for there can be no tye of conscience against any of Gods Commandements Wherefore laying aside all carnall reasoning and objecting as also all scruples and doubting be you encouraged to bee frequent in prayer and that not onely because unspeakable good shall redound to your selfe thereby but out of conscience of dutie because it is the wil of God that you should pray unto him Pray in this manner or as Luk. 11.1 Say Our Father c. Note hence that Doct. 4 The Lords prayer is a prayer and may be used in this verie forme of words for a prayer Our Saviour else would not have said Say Our Father Luk. 11.1 Reason Whatsoever is requisite in prayer may be expressed in uttering the very words of this prayer And in them a man may make his requests knowne to God which to do is to pray Vse 1 This confuteth the rash and ungrounded opinion of those which because the Lords Prayer is a patterne of prayer therefore hold it unlawfull to use it for a prayer As if it might not be both a prayer and a pattern as indeed it is And why may it not as well as a Kings standard weights and measures which are patternes of all sorts of weights and measures of the kingdome by which all both small and great are to be made and examined yet no wise man will say those standards are not weights or will not use them but of all weights if he may will use them because they be perfect and by them he may make others of his owne If the Lords Prayer be a Vse 2 prayer to be used in that verie forme in which Christ hath left it Set prayers are lawfull then without question set prayers are lawfull and no man should make scruple thereat yea in private for this prayer may be said in the closet Mat. 6.6 Besides we have good
warrant from Moses teaching the Priests to blesse the people in a set forme saying Num. 6.24 The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee c. Also when the Ark set forward they had a set forme Numb 10.35 Rise up Lord c. David penned his Psalmes to bee used in the Church and Psal 92. for every Sabbath And Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praises unto the Lord with the words of David 2 Chron. 29.30 and of Asaph It is said of our Saviour Christ whose example we may bee bold to follow That he prayed the third time saying the same words Mat. 26.44 Ob. Set formes of prayer doth stint the spirit Sol. It doth not no more then a premeditated Sermon doth stint the spirit of Prophesie or then a conceived prayer by the Minister doth stint the spirit of prayer in the people who must restraine themselves to his words yet the spirit in truth is not stinted in them Order and edification in the Church requireth set formes of prayers and praises to be used in publicke as it hath beene the custome of all established true Churches there being common sinnes to be deprecated common graces to bee prayed for and common mercies to thank God for And in more private praier the ignorance forgetfulnesse and bashfulnesse of some persons before their family or others causeth that for a time it is needfull to use the helpe of a set form which he may reade or repeate so that he joyne understanding and assent of heart thereto Yet it must be remembred that Christians must not alwayes be such novices and weaklings in religion to use set formes of prayer in private which like crutches and bladders serve to initiate and minister to them helpe untill they have gotten strength as if they never intended to pray without them But let this here be observed It must not on the other side be held that onely premeditated studied and set praiers are lawfull He is not meete for the place of a Minister nor worthy the name of a strong Christian that hath so tyed his devotion to a set forme that he will not or cannot vary his petitions for his people or himselfe as particular occasions varie and new necessities require It is impossible that any prayer booke should meet with all occasions either of prayer or thanksgiving which fall out daily And conceived prayer is not so defective and imperfect but if it be pertinent and in truth God liketh it Exo 14.15 though it had no set forme to bring it forth Such were the prayers of Moses at the Red-sea 1. Sam. 1.13 and of Hannah at the Tabernacle their prayers were conceived and brought forth without set forme or voice I conclude this point therefore affirming that it is an error to hold set prayer to be unlawfull and it is no lesse error to hold that no prayer but a set forme of prayer is lawfull In this manner If our Saviour would have us use onely this forme S. Luke would not have varied from this of Saint Matthew saying Sinnes for debts and far for as in the fifth petition neither would he have left out the forme of thanksgiving nor yet would the Apostles have prayed in any other forme All which shew that In this manner signifieth according to it and not onely to use those words whence learne that All prayers must be made according Doct. 5 to the patterne of the Lords Prayer If made according to this they are acceptable if not they are faultie The best confirmation of this point besides Christs expresse exhortation which is authenticke is to compare this praier with the prayers of the Saints recorded in holy writ both before and after this prayer and it will be found that they all may without wresting be referred unto some branches of this prayer even as all the precepts scattered in the Bible may be referred unto the ten commandements Reason The perfection that this prayer hath above all other prayers doth challenge the rule of all the rest for whatsoever is necessarily requisite in praier is to be learned by this if it be truly understood For it plainly teacheth how he must be qualified that doth pray also to whom we must pray what we must aske and with what heart and affection as will appeare in the handling of it Vse 1 Every disciple and member of Christ Iesus should therefore have this prayer in great esteeme because it is of Christs owne composing they are his own words and he did of purpose leave it to be a patterne of prayer to all Christians Onely take heed that you do not with the Papists turne the use of it into abuse through superstition Let all men use this prayer Vse 2 for the guide of all their prayers and as skilfull workemen by the helpe of some small but true modell or draught can erect a large and stately building so we by this compendious but most exact briefe of prayer must learne to enlarge our selves in prayer That use of this patterne for the making of prayers according to it How to frame all prayers by the patterne of the Lords prayer may be made two things must be learned First learne the plaine meaning of the words and the sense and meaning of Christ in them Secondly learne how this patterne may be applied As for the first because such exceeding brevity doth cause some obscurity the more paines must be taken that by the light of other Scripture and helpe of those men which have faithfully travelled in the interpretation of this prayer the true meaning may be found out And untill you meete with better directions use these following First two things in generall one contrary to the other are to be understood in every petition namely petition and deprecation praying for some thing that is good and praying against the contrary evill And it is a sure rule that in the same petition where the good thing is desired the contrary evill is prayed against as in the foure former petitions Also where the evill prayed against is expressed in the petition the contrary good thing to be desired is to be understood in the same petition as in the two last petitions As it is in the commandements in the same commandement that any vice is forbidden the contrary duty is commanded A second rule is If one kind or part of any thing be expressed in any petition all kindes and parts of the same thing are to be understood A third rule is where any one thing is prayed for in any petition the causes effects thereof and whatsoever properly belongeth unto the said thing is understood to be prayed for in the same petition except they fall out to bee the expresse subject of some other petition The second thing to be learned is how application of this prayer may be made to the framing of all other prayers by it which that ye may do take notice that this prayer directeth us unto
therefore they pray unto him The meaning of these words may bee thus expressed O Lord God which art King of kings and rulest over all we have none either in heaven or in earth to whom we may make our requests but thee for thine is the kingdome it belongeth to thy place of soveraigntie to provide for thy name and honour by advancing thy kingdome by causing thy will to bee done and by preserving and receiving into favour and by giving grace to thy people Thou Lord art able to fulfill all this that we have asked and we do yeeld thee as is most due the glory of thy soveraigntie and power and if thou shalt please to grant these our requests as thou shalt therein deserve so we shall bee readie to give unto thee all glory everlasting wherefore wee are bold to aske and to expect the granting of them For thine c. In the entrance into prayer Christ taught his disciples to represent God to their thoughts under such titles and names whereby they might confirme their faith in prayer and here in the close and end of prayer he doth wish them to presse and urge God from consideration of his soveraigntie power and glory from whence they may encourage themselves by good reasons both to aske and looke for what they have asked whereby we learne The Lord would have his children Doct. 1 have good ground and reason for the petitions they aske of him and would have them uttered unto him in their prayers Thus did Jacob when he prayed to bee delivered out of the hands of his brother Esau saying Gen 32.9.10.11.12 O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isack the Lord which saidst unto mee Returne into thy country and to thy kindred and J will deale well with thee I am not worthy of the least of al the mercies which thou hast shewed unto thy servant Deliuer me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I feare him lest hee will come and smite me and the mother with the children And thou saidst I will surely doe thee good and make thy seed as the sand of the sea In this prayer Iacob gathereth reasons from the covenant between God and his fathers from Gods commandement and his obedience therto from his acknowledgement of Gods mercie and his owne unworthinesse from the relation he had to God being his servant from the condition of his adversary he being his inraged brother Esau from the extream danger hee and his wives and children were in lastly from a promise that God had made to him in respect of his posterity which could not be fulfilled if Esau should have destroyed Jacob and all his children Vpon all these reasons hee doth ground that petition Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau In like manner Salomon confirmeth his faith in the beginning of his prayer 1 King 8.23.24.25.26 And it is ordinary with David throughout the Psalmes Reas 1 Though God need no reasons either to informe him of their need or to move him to supply their need for he knoweth every mans case better then himselfe and is more readily inclined of himselfe to helpe then any man can be ready to aske yet he doth delight that his children should yeeld reasons of their requests because therein they shew proof of their knowledge faith confidence and other graces which is much pleasing to their Father Reasons in prayer doth much Reas 2 confirme faith in us and stir up good affection in prayer For when a man can assure himselfe he hath good warrant to aske and to hope to obtaine hee can breake through all the discouragements which the divell or a mans owne heart can cast in to hinder him Hereby all praying without Vse 1 understanding be the intention of the heart never so good must be judged to be faultie for hee that knoweth not what hee asketh can never give reasons why he asketh Vse 2 This reproveth all rash and inconsiderate entrances and proceedings in prayers which is when men are led therein onely by custome or present sense of necessities but never exercise their faith in uttering any reasons of their requests Hence it is that they are so weake in faith and so cold in devotion and heartlesse in their prayers because they doe not establish their faith and put life to their affections by uttering of apt reasons of their present petitions Vse 3 Whosoever therfore would make a prayer in faith and fervencie must follow our Saviours direction the examples of godly in Scripture who have gone before us in giving reasons of their requests For it doth please God to heare his children reason it out with him Wherefore hee doth sometimes of set purpose seeme not to heare but rather seemeth to deny his children that pray unto him because hee would have them answer all doubts and resist all impediments and be more importunate with him in giving reasons why they should be heard Thus the Lord dealt with the woman of Canaan first he seemed not to heare her then when he heard he seemed to deny her suite and yeelded a reason of his deniall Mat. 15.25 28. yet all this was but to make triall of her faith which when she shewed by her importunate continuance of her suit and wise answering of Christs objection saying Truth Lord yet the dogs do eate of the crums which fall from their masters table shee thereupon received of him a commendation of her faith saying O woman great is thy faith and withall obtained her request even to the full for he said Be it unto thee even as thou wilt Reasons of our petitions may be taken from Gods nature from his promise from our capablenesse to have our prayers granted either because wee are in Christ and are his servants and doe pray in his name or they may bee taken from our need of helpe or from that experience wee have had of helpe in time past or from the thanks and glory that we doe give and will give if it shall please the Lord to grant our requests If from these such like grounds out of Scripture we shall wisely make choise of reasons befitting our present occasions and shall use them understandingly not so much to informe or perswade God what hee should give as to inform and perswade our selves how to aske we shall be much holpen in our praying and God will bee well pleased with our prayers The reason of the asking the aforesaid petitions is set downe in a forme of praise and thanksgiving from which wee may observe Christians must in their prayers Doct. 2 as well offer praise unto God as make requests Wee must as well giue him glory and thanks as pray to him to give us grace or any other good thing Thus saith David Thine O Lord is greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the majestie Thine is the kingdome O
supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made knowne 〈◊〉 God Then the peace that wee have in God and in the conscience that at Gods command we have commended our cause to God should cause our hearts to rest quiet Thus it was with Hannah after that shee had prayed and by Elies speech had hope to speed it is said she went her way 1 Sa. 1.18 and did eat and drinke and her countenance was no more sad So likewise did David when he had prayed he saith I will both lay me downe Psal 4.8 and sleepe for thou Lord onely makest me to dwell in safety Secondly after wee have prayed we must bee diligent in using all good meanes which God hath appointed for the obtayning thereof We have a president for the using of means after prayer and that according to Gods direction in the example of a good Captaine Cornelius hee had fasted and prayed and as wee may judge by Gods answer hee prayed to be informed in the way of salvation God directed him to the ordinary meanes and he most diligently applyed himselfe unto them as we may read Acts the 10.5.9 and all with most happy successe Thirdly it shall bee good for us after wee have prayed from time to time to looke after our prayers and carefully to observe how they are answered and how God hath granted thē whether in the same particular or some other way either in giving us better things or giving patience and contentment without them or quickning us still to prayer and dependance on him causing as quietly to wait on him till he shall please to bestow them and accordingly wee must acknowledge Gods goodnesse to us with thankfulnesse as David did Psal 86.18.19 saying Verily God hath heard mee hee hath attended in the voyce of my prayer Blessed bee God which which hath in turned away my prayer not in mercy from me If upon observation we do not find our petitions granted then we must consider wherein wee fayled in prayer and amend it but we must not bee discouraged nor suffer our soules to bee too much disquieted we must pray againe and wait Ps 42.11 as David did on God assuring our selves that in his good time hee will heare us and that we shall praise him who is the health of our countenance and our God to whom be praise and glory for ever Amen FINIS A Table of the principall things contained in this Booke ASSurance of pardon of sinne to be desired 438. 442. How to be assured that our prayers are heard 753 What is to bee done if a man cannot assure himselfe that his prayer is heard 754 Of what things onely God is the Author 590 A large acquitting of God from being an Author of sinne though it be by his permission though he lead into temptation 576. c. All things are not common amongst Christians 388 In asking forgivenesse a man must confes his sins unto God 477 The properties of confessing sinnes aright 482 In what case a man may do contrary to scruple of conscience 71 Sinne doth cast men into the greatest debt 484 Difference betweene naturall and spirituall desires 5 After a man hath sought the things that concerne God he may desire those which concerne his owne good 327 Desires of temporall things are to be confined to the present day 363 The desires of the things of this life must be moderate 389 All divine properties in God are everlasting 710 What is meant by Evill in the last Petition 518 What it is to be delivered from Evill 521 Sinne is the Evill the worst of all evils 673 The best examples are to bee propounded for imitation 301 How far Christs example doth binde to imitation 8 Primary faith justifieth Secondary faith giveth assurance of Iustification 419. 420 All true Christians have the Lord of heaven and earth to their Father 138 What is meant by Forgive 403. c. Jt concerneth all to desire Forgivenesse 437 Motives inducing to aske Forgivenesse 446 It is God onely that forgiveth sinnes 447 Danger of deferring to aske forgivenesse 466 We must pray that others sins may be forgiven as well as our owne 470 Forgivenesse of sinne is to bee asked for the living not for the dead 475 Jn asking Forgivenesse it is good that a man expresse upon what grounds hee doth aske and expect forgivenesse 494 Who so would have God to forgive them they must forgive others 496 Cautions concerning gestures in prayer 161 Rules concerning gestures in prayer 162 God is an heavenly Majestie infinite in al holy excellēcies 146 God is not to be represented by an Image or under the likenesse of any creature 129. 151 The glory of Gods holy name must bee the chiefest of every christian mans desire and indeavour 196 Governours of Families must teach those that are of their charge the principles of religion 10 Motives to hallow Gods name 214 Jt must be every mans desire to be holy in this life 533 Reasons why we should be holy 540 Motives to holinesse 550 Meanes to be holy 556 We must desire that others may be holy as wel as our selves 621 Holinesse is of Gods free grace not of mans free will 557 Holinesse is the highest title of honour that can be given to any person 217 Justification freeth a man from the guilt and punishment of sin 457 Men already justified must yet aske forgivenesse every day 462 Who so is justified must be beholding to God for forgivenes of all his sins as well as of any 492 What is meant by Gods Kingdome in the second Petition 213. c. Of Christs Kingdome and the government thereof 228 Christs delivering up the kingdome to the Father and his being subject to him is no diminution of his glory 239. c. All Christians must unfainedly desire the comming of Gods Kingdome 248 In what cases man may goe to law and how 531 A man should desire to live upon his own maintenance 378 The enjoying things needfull for this life are of God 341. 342 What is to be held needfull 392 In heaven is all perfect obedience 298 Though Christians cannot be perfect in this life yet they must ayme at perfection 312 Meanes of growing towards perfection 314 What it is to pray 4 Preparation to prayer needful 30 A twofold preparation to prayer 32 What preparation is requisite 37 Requisites in prayer 33 Jt is every ones duty to pray 40 The use of Prayer though God have no need to be thereby informed 44 Causes of mens slacknesse in Prayer 51. 53 Motives to Prayer 55 c. Objections against Prayer answered 60 c. The Lords Prayer may be used and is to be used as a Prayer 72 Set Prayers are lawfull 73 All Prayers are to bee made according to the patterne of the Lords Prayer 79 He that would make a prayer every way acceptable must bee Gods childe 93 Though the Prayers of the wicked be abhominable yet they are not exempted from the dutie of
distractions Where he cannot corrupt the doctrine of prayer as in Popery with heresies and superstitious follies there he laboureth to hinder the exercise of it Wherein we should be so farre from being discouraged that we should reason rather that that must needs be an excellent dutie which is so irkesome to the flesh and which the devill so eagerly sets against This should incourage us to this exercise wherein lyeth all our strength that if in spite of Satans annoyance and our owne indisposition we will set upon this duty we shall finde our selves by little and little more raised up to heaven and our hearts more and more enlarged God rewarding the use of that little grace wee finde at the first with increase of strength and comfort To him that hath in the exercise of that he hath shall be given more We should labour not to be ignorant of Satans enterprises who besides his diverting our mindes from prayer and disturbing us in it laboureth by all meanes to draw us to some sin the conscience whereof will stop our mouthes and stifle our prayers and shake our confidence and eclipse our comfort which he oft aymeth more at then the sinne it selfe unto which hee tempteth us We should labour therefore to preserve our selves in such a state of soule wherein we might have boldnesse with God and wherein this gainfull trading with him might not bee hindred To passe over many other causes of the neglect of this entercourse and dealing with God by prayer we may well iudge as one of the chiefe a selfe-sufficiencie whereby men dwell too much in themselves He that hath nothing at home will seeke abroad The poore man saith Solomon speaketh supplications If wee were poore in spirit and saw our owne emptinesse it would force us out of our selves Alas what temptation can we resist much lesse overcome without fresh succour What crosse can we endure without impatiencie if we have not new support What successe can we looke for yea in common affaires without his blessing What good can we do nay thinke of without new strength When we do any good by his power do we not need pardon for the blemishes of our best performances What good blessing can we enjoy so as we defile not our selves in it without a further blessing giving us with the thing the holy use of it Yet we see most men content to receive blessings as they come from Gods generall providence without regarding any sanctified use by prayer whereas holy men knowing that God will be sought unto even for those things of which hee hath given a promise Ezek 36.37 in obedience to this his divine order desire to receive all from him as a fruit of their prayers And Gods manner is to keep many blessings from his children untill they have begged them as delighting to heare his children speake The consideration whereof moveth those that have neerest communion with God to acknowledge him in all their waies depending on him for direction strength successe whereupon he delighteth in shewing himselfe more familiarly unto them in the sweetest experiences of his love guiding them by his counsell whilest they abide here and after bringing them to glory Psal 37 24 As other graces grow in those that are in the state of grace so this spirit of prayer receiveth continuall increase upon more inward acquaintance with God and their owne estates Whence they can never be miserable having God to poure forth their spirits and ease their hearts unto who cannot but regard the voyce of his owne Spirit in them But of our selves such is our case that God who knoweth us better than wee know our selves saith wee know not what or how to pray Rom. 8.26 This language of Canaan is strange unto us Which our blessed Saviour in mercy considering stirred up a desire in his Disciples to bee taught of him the Sonne how to speake to the Father Where thereupon hee teacheth them a forme which for heavenly fulnesse of matter and exactnesse of order sheweth that it could come from no other Author This holy pattern comprizing so much in so little all things to bee desired in six short petitions it is needfull for the guides of Gods people to lay open the riches of it to the view of those that are lesse exercised An endevour which his excellent Majesty thought not unbeseeming the greatnesse of a King For the use of a set forme of prayer and this in speciall I will make no question yet in the use of this prayer we may dwell more in the meditation and enforcing such petitions as shall concern our present occasions For instance if ever there were time of praying Let thy kingdome come let Christ arise and his enemies bee scattered then certainly now is the time for us to ascend up into heaven by our prayers and awake Christ that hee would rebuke the winds and waves and cause a calme that hee would bee strong for his Church in maintaining his owne cause It is Gods manner before any great worke for his Church to stirre up the spirits of his beloved ones to give him no rest How earnest was Daniel with the Lord immediatly before the delivery out of Babylon Dan. 9. And undoubtedly if we joyne the forces of our prayes together and set upon God with an holy violence hee would set his power his wisdome his goodnesse on worke for the exalting of his Church and ruine of the enemies of it Now is the time for Moses his hands to bee upheld whilest Amalech goeth down As in the lives of David Asa Ezekia Iehosaphat c. The prevayling power of praier with God in times of danger appeareth not only in the sacred history of the Bible but hath been recorded in all ages of the Church Euseb l. 5. Tertul. in Apologet. In the primitive Church An. Dom. 175. the army of Christians was called the thundering legion because upon their prayers God scattered their enemies with thunder and refreshed themselves with showers in a great drought After in the good Emperour Theodosius his time An. Dom. 394. upon an earnest prayer to Christ the winds fought from heaven for him against his enemies as they did for us in 1588. And continually since God never left the force of faithfull prayer without witnesse If we would observe how God answereth prayers wee should see a blessed issue of all the holy desires he kindles in our hearts for hee cannot but make good that title whereby he is stiled a God hearing prayer Psal 65.2 which should move us to sow more prayers into his bosome the fruit whereof wee should reap in our greatest need Jt would bee a strong evidence in these troublesome times of the future good successe of the Church if wee were earnest in soliciting Christ with these words which himselfe hath taught us Let thy kingdom come For put him to it and hee will never faile those that seeke him Psal 9.10 He loveth importunity But
to speake something of this Treatise of this godly and painefull Minister of Christ which is written by him without affectation as desirous to cloath spirituall things with a spirituall manner of writing the diligent and godly Reader shall observe a sound cleare substantiall handling of the greatest points that naturally fall within the discourse and a more large and usefull unfolding of many things than in former Treatises It appeareth he sought the good of all so that besides the labours of other holy men there will be just cause of blessing God for his assistance in this worke To whose blessing I commend both it and the whole Israel of God Grayes Inne R. SIBBS A KEY OF HEAVEN The Lords Prayer opened and applyed MATH 6. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name 10 Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven 11 Give us this day our daily bread 12 And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters 13 And leade us not into temptation but deliver us from evill for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glory for ever Amen THese words are part of our Saviours Sermon in the Mount they concerne Prayer and doe consist of a Precept or exhortation to pray in a right manner Patterne to exemplifie the said manner The precept is After this manner pray ye The patterne is Our Father c. This Exhortation is inferred upon consideration of divers abuses of prayer whereof our Saviour had warned his Disciples to wit Hypocrisie and vaine babling of the Pharisies and Heathen Hee reasoneth from the dissimilitude that ought to be betweene hypocrites and heathen between true Christians and faithfull beleevers saying verse 8. Be not ye therefore like unto them but pray ye in an holy manner And for that cause doth propose unto them a perfect forme of prayer intimating that if they would pray according as he did therein prescribe they should neither play the Hypocrites as did the Pharisies nor babble as the heathen nor offend any other way in this holy exercise of calling upon the name of the Lord. The words of the exhortation containe these particulars 1 The person exhorting Christ Iesus implied in his imperative speech Pray 2 The persons exhorted Ye 3 The inference whereupon it is grounded Therefore 4 The subject of the exhortation Pray in this manner Pray 1 Sam. 1 1â—.15 Pâ—â—2 8 Isâ—â—â— to pray doth import an holy speech and pouring out of the soule unto God being a joynt act of the minde will whereby the minde by voyce or thought doth make knowne to God the desires of the heart What it is to pray shewing both what a man wold have God to doe for him or to accept from him A bare desire is not to pray for many wish and desire those things for which they never speake or pray unto God Orare est appetere petere Phil. 4 6. Psal 38.9 Neither are words without desires any prayer but when the minde maketh knowne to God what the will desireth this is to pray By what way soever of expression a man doth signifie his desire directing it to God whether it be by thought onely or also by sigh a Psal 38.9 Rom. 8.26 groane or b Psal 39.12 tears or by lifting up * Ps 28.2 a hand or c Psal 123.1 eyes towards God in the heavens or by d Psal 141.1.2 voyce perfect or e Isai 38.14 unperfect if it be but by f Lam. 3.56 breathing it out as it were so be hee intend and understand what he desireth this is to pray Desires are naturall or spirituall Naturall when a man Difference between naturall and spirituall desires in prayer out of a sense of that which hee needeth and which may be for his naturall well being here and for his happinesse hereafter from a meere well-wishing to himselfe doth pray unto God to obtaine it Thus a naturall man a very Balaam may pray Num. 23.10 A spirituall desire be it of naturall or spirituall good things is from the spirit and regenerate part of man Rom 8.26 27. put up to God with holy affections in a spirituall manner to a spirituall end Onely the regenerate can thus pray Ye first the Disciples and under them hee meaneth all Christians Act. 11.26 For although Christ gave his Disciples some precepts that onely did belong to them as Apostles yet hee gave very many precepts to them as they were Christians as that in Marke 13.37 What I say to one I say to all Watch so here what he saith to them he saith to all Pray Therefore hath a double reference both to the sinfull manner dehorted fom and to this holy manner exhorted to He reasoneth thus the manner of hypocritical and heathenish praying is sinfull this manner here propounded is most holy therefore pray in this manner and not as they doe After this manner or thus the word rendred thus or in this manner is a note of likenesse pointing unto the patterne following As if he had said Say Our Father as it is Luk. 11.2 or if you use other words let them be according unto this patterne here prescribed to wit to the same person the same matter in the same kindes of prayer whether it bee in Petition for our selves for that which is good or in deprecation against that which is evill or in Intercessions for others or in Thanksgiving both for our selves and for others and with the same good disposition of heart as is taught in this forme of prayer following The words thus opened the particulars therein offer divers profitable lessons Christs diligence in teaching his servants and familie this necessarie religious duty of praier both at this time of his owne accord and at another time at the request of one of his Disciples is first to be observed Luk 11.1 All the actions of Christ Jesus are observable and of excellent use but onely some of them binde Christians to imitation That I may therefore cleere the foundation of the doctrine to be concluded from Christs practise let it be considered that the actions of Christ were of different natures He did some acts as he was God and as Mediator betweene God and man as his miracles and offering up of himselfe a sacrifice for sinne c. These actions should work in all men an holy admiration of him and faith in him but must not nay cannot be imitated How far Christs example doth bind to imitation He did other actions as hee was man some whereof were indifferent being neither commanded nor forbidden others were necessarie being commanded Those actions which he did which were indifferent doe teach us Christian libertie shewing what we may do but doe not lay a bond upon the conscience to tye us to doe the same Christ did sometimes stand when he prayed this was an indifferent action
three things obseruable in all prayers First the person to whom onely we must pray concerning whom this is the rule That person onely who is God and Lord of heaven and earth is to be prayed unto thus much you learne both in the invocation in the beginning and in the forme of praise in the end of the Lords Prayer The second thing to be observed is what wee must aske the rule thereof is whatsoever may lawfully be asked may without wresting bee referred to one of the sixe petitions If they can referre their request to any petition they may be bold to make it It shall bee needfull therefore to observe the particulars under every petition both what is prayed for and what is prayed against the most whereof shall appeare in the handling of each severall petition to which I doe send you And when you have learned what you may lawfully pray ye may be longer or shorter in any one petition as your present need or the particular occasion doth require which libertie may bee obserued in those prayers of the Apostles which are recorded for our use in the holy Scriptures The third thing to be observed is with what disposition of heart and affection we must pray Which is fully expressed and implyed in that word Amen which requireth that prayer bee made with understanding in truth in fervencie and in faith as will manifestly appeare when wee come to treate of that word Here yet some question may be made touching the order here set down whether it must be precisely kept I answer in the generall it must that is Gods glory must be first in our aime but touching the particular manner of expressing it that is left to the libertie of him that prayeth whether hee begin with praise or with confession of sinnes and asking forgivenesse thereby making way to the other petitions with more confidence There is no rule to be given hereof because we see the Apostles after they were taught this forme did take this libertie Our Father c. Here beginneth the patterne of prayer which because Christ Iesus our Lord gave it to his Disciples is therefore called the Lords Prayer It consisteth of two parts The first is an expressing of a mans desire unto God The second is a manifestation of the assent and right disposition of his heart in putting up the aforesaid desires in the word Amen which though it be but one word yet is full of excellent matter The first part doth branch it selfe into three members 1 Invocation upon God Our Father which art in heaven 2 Petition Hallowed by thy Name Thy kingdome come c. 3 A forme of praise and thanâ—es containing reasons why the former petitions should be made unto God For thine is kingdome power and glory for ever Invocation or calling upon God is here taken in the proper and strictest sense not for the whole exercise of prayer but for appellation in which a man calleth upon him whom hee would have to heare him This invocation consisteth of a description of God who onely is to be called upon in prayer He is described by two arguments First by the relation that is betweene him and his elect in Christ Our Father Secondly by a signe of his soveraigntie and majestie that is by his being in heaven which is the Court of his majestie the place from whence hee sheweth his infinite power goodnesse and glory Which art in heaven The description of God by these two arguments the one arguing his graciousnesse and readinesse of will the other arguing his greatnesse fulnesse of power to helpe all that come unto him is placed of purpose in the very entrance into prayer to strengthen the petitioners faith that hee need not doubtingly say as he did If thou wilt thou canst helpe me Mat 8.2 For he is his father therefore will do whatsoever in his holy wisedome he judgeth fit to be done Neither need he say as that other If thou canst doe any thing helpe us Mark 9.22 For his God and father in the heavens is almighty and can doe whatsoever he pleaseth Psal 115.3 and would have to be done This description of God to whom prayer is made by his relation to them that are to pray consisteth of the appropriating possessive particle Our and of that gracious title of God Father In this one description two things are signified both the condition of them that pray and of him that is prayed unto These words as they looke toward the persons who may pray they intimate a double condition First that they have a right and interest in God they can call him theirs for they are the children of God Secondly Our importeth that common interest and fatherhood in God which the rest of the faithfull have in him from which there groweth a communion of one Christian with another so that they become brethren These two qualities therefore faith in God and love to our brethren are here required in every one that is qualified for prayer Our is not onely here a note of the joyning together of many in prayer when one man is the mouth of the rest because this forme of words is to be uttered by one in the closet Mat. 6.6 as well as by many in publike but it noteth that relation and respect of God to them which is common unto their brethren 2 King 19.19 Thus Hezekiah useth it saying O Lord our God I beseech thee c. Daniel praying alone Dan. 9.17.18 faith Now therefore O our God heare the prayer of thy servant Not but that when we would expresse our particular faith and dependance upon God Mat. 26.39 Ier. 3.19 1 Cor. 4.18 we may say My Father or My God But our Saviour maketh choise of this forme of speech because it is full of instruction and is best agreeing to all sorts of prayer both in private as well as publike Thus we see what this description of God intimateth as it looketh towards those that pray As it looketh towards him to whom prayer is made he is first called Father Father spoken of God is a word of relation to Christ the second person in Trinity Psal 2.7 Ioh. 1.14 and so is proper to the first person in Trinity Secondly in relation to the creature in a more common respect to all as he is the Author of their being and subsisting in nature thus all * Deut. 32.6 three persons are called Father God is also a Father in a speciall respect to his elect in Christ as he is the Author of their spirituall being and subsisting in state of grace * 1 Ioh. 5. â— Isa 9 6. Ioh 3.5 Thus in speciall sort the three persons are and may be called Father by all beleevers And as I conceive in this place this word Father directeth us to God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost yet so as it pointeth in an order to that person in the Deity
words doth expresse the desires of a naturall life but spendeth more words about the spirituall life in the two last petitions Againe Gods indulgence and yeeldance unto mans weakenesse might cause this order giving him leave to aske things more sensible thereby raising him to aske spirituall As our Saviour by curing mens bodies did leade them on to know that he could and would cure their soules letting it appeare to them he could as easily say Thy sinnes are forgiven thee as to say Rise and walke In like manner men may by the experiment they have of Gods power and goodnesse to preserve the body be led to seeke unto him with assurance that he both can and will save their soules That this petition may the better bee understood consideration must bee had of the matter-subject of the desire namely having of bread circumstances which cōcerne the having of this bread The thing expresly desired is bread which doth not signifie supersubstantiall and spirituall bread viz. the Sacrament for the administration thereof was prayed for in the second petition and the bread here spoken of is to be desired every day but the Sacrament not so By bread therfore is first meant that which properly wee call bread Also according to a borrowed forme of speech ordinary in Scripture it signifieth all manner of food Hee giveth to the beast as it is word for word his bread that is his food Psal 147.9 Goates milke is called bread well translated food Pro. 27.27 I could multiply Scriptures in this kinde In like sort by another borrowed forme of speech by this one kinde of sustenance he meaneth all kindes whatsoever whether meate or drinke whatsoever also is needfull for preservation of life as cloathes houses c. Also by bread are meant the causes and good effects of bread as fruitfull seasons good temperature of ayre health and chearefulnesse as the Apostle saith He filled our hearts with food and gladnesse Acts 14.17 In a word all things which may preserve life or restore health as Physicke skilfull and faithfull Physitians peace and good order and all good meanes to maintaine it as a wise and couragious magistracie a strong populous loyall and loving commonalty And whatsoever is contrary hereunto is prayed against as famine pestilence wars sickenesse paine c. The circumstances which concerne the having this bread and meanes of life are divers in number sixe They doe respect 1 The person of whom bread must be asked scil God implyed in Give thou 2 The meanes of obtaining it scil by gift expressed in Give 3 The persons for whom meanes of life is desired scil themselves Vs. others Vs. 4 The time when they would have bread This day 5 The propietie whose bread scil their owne Our 6 The portion both how much and of what sort daily The person of whom all temporall good things are sought is God implyed in the word give and the words of invocation scil Our Father to bee understood in every petition The meanes of maintenance is from God not by restoring any thing hee doth owe unto man but by gift give which hath this full sense give possession give right give continuance give leave to use give a blessing to the use of daily bread The persons for whom bread is asked are us every one upon earth who now are or may be Gods children The time when this bread should be given is restrained to the present time this day The propriety not such bread whereto they have neither spirituall nor civill right or onely civill or onely spirituall but our bread that which wee have true right to in Christ and amongst men The portion how much and of what kind of maintenance is contained in the word daily Daily doth not set out the time when they would have bread For that was signified in this day in which words the time when was precisely determined and our Saviour in so short a forme of prayer would not make needlesse additions But daily bread signifieth such kinde of meanes and so much maintenance as their daily and next necessities doe require all such supply for our naturall well being as we have next need of or such as one day after another successively our estate and condition needeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proximè sequens So the word in ordinary acception will beare it But that I may give a sound and cleare exposition of daily bread I referre the Reader unto other phrases of Scripture vvhich carry the same sence with daily bread as first to Iob 23.12 and Pro. 30.8 which is the best Commentary of this petition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is the very same petition with this We reade there an attribute given to bread vvhich signifieth a necessary food diet or ordinary or appointed food or food of a mans allowance or convenient food This very thing is expressed in the Greeke by divers vvords and phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dimensum Luke 12.42 It signifieth a mans stint or part where he alludeth unto the care of governours of families of stewards vvho doe appoint to all sorts in the house their severall portions and allowances In Iames 2.15 the vvords translated daily food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same in sence vvith daily bread and are expounded by Iames in the sixteenth verse to be things needfull for the body All these places conferred together shevv evidently that by daily bread is meant convenient provision of food apparell and all other things vvhich the necessity of the person or estate of any man doth require The petition thus interpreted hath this sense O heavenly Father in whom we live and have our being who onely canst fill the hearts of men with food and gladnesse sith we cannot glorifie thee on earth in doing thy will except thou doe sustaine us upon earth vouchsafe therefore unto mee and all the rest of thy children that for this present day wee may have possession right and blessing upon that allowance and convenient supply of food and maintenance which our present condition doth stand in need of Yea afford all such meanes as may make our lives comfortable unto us Be pleased likewise good Father to prevent and remove whatsoever may hinder the welfare of our naturall life so farre as may stand with thy good will and pleasure that while we live wee may both in body and soule lo rifie thee Give us this day our daily bread After Christ had taught his Disciples first to aske the things that did concerne Gods glory in the three first petitions then he willeth them to aske such things as did concern their owne good in the three last petitions Whence it followeth that When any man hath unfainedly desired and sought the things which pertaine to Gods honour and glory Doct. 1 he may then with good warrant pray for and expect all good things for himselfe both for body and soule When the Israelites
upon Atheists which in their hearts say there is no God Psal 14.4.6 They call not upon the Lord saith he You shame the counsell of the poore because God is their refuge But know ye the Lord looketh from heaven and doth behold and punish such impiety and prophanenesse In concerneth all Christians Vse 2 therefore to make all the petitions in this Lords Prayer either in this same forme or in other words to the same effect every day It was Christs practise and hath beene the manner of the faithfull in all ages Then shall we hold a gracious familiaritie with God our Father Then will he heare us alwaies and we shall ever have our requests granted when it shall be best for us The case touching how oft in a day wee must pray If it be asked how often in one day prayers are to be made I answer ejaculations and short liftings up of the heart should be very often according as sudden occasions shall minister cause more set and solemne prayers should be made ordinarily at morning at meales and at evening These times doe alwaies minister due cause of solemne prayer and may ordinarily without necessary lets be performed Also at other times prayer must bee made as there shall fall out speciall cause 1 Thes 5.17 For wee must pray continually that is in every state and condition and upon every good occasion when there is opportunity then pray and also praise God No certain rules can be given for any set number how oft this is left unto a mans Christian discretion as his necessities and as his opportunities doe vary But to keepe canonicall houres and to pray by stinted numbers upon beades or otherwise as Papists doe is ridiculous and too too superstitious It will rejoyce a Christian Vse 3 heart to consider that hee hath leave to come to God to preferre his suits unto him every day We are loth to put up petitions unto men too oft lest they should grow weary of us but it should not be so between Christians and the Lord for he is best pleased with those that come oftenest to him In Courts of Requests amongst men there are certaine dayes in which one mans suit is heard at which time other mens suits must be put off to other dayes of hearing Every man cannot have his suit sped every day no not every Terme But all Gods people may come to him by Christ Iesus and have their requests heard and granted in the Court of heaven every day yea seven times and if need be seventie times seuen times in one day Our that is such bread wherto we have true right and proprietie Hence we are taught Doct. 7 The maintenance wherupon a Christian may desire to live must be his owne He must have right both before GOD and man Drinke waters out of thine own cisterne Pro. 5.15 The Apostle commandeth that men should eate their owne bread 2 Thes 3.12 If they have not a spirituall Reas 1 right to their maintenance by their marriage with Christ it will be impure unto them for to the unbeleeving and defiled is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 To desire to live upon that Reas 2 which is another mans were to go about to draw the just God into copartnership of their injustice towards man With what face then can Vse 1 idle persons which have no calling or will not with quietnesse worke that they might have bread of their owne to eate say Give us our bread 2. Thes 3.10.12 the Apostle saith such should not eat untill they have laboured and gotten wherewithall by honest meanes But more especially how dare those that get their living and raise their estates by indirect and unlawful courses such as lying stealing defrauding gaming oppression usurie and such like meanes how dare I say these pray to God that hee would give and blesse to them their own bread when what they have to eate is the meat of wickednesse and what they have to drinke is as the wine of violence But wee unto him that increaseth that which is not his Pro. 4.17 Hab. 2.6 Vse 2 Would any man make this prayer in sinceritie so that he may expect a blessing from God let him be sure that hee have a good title unto that which he would have God to blesse unto him so that he can truly call it his owne There is a twofold right to the things of this life one common to all the other speciall and peculiar to the children of God The common right is founded in Gods goodnesse and bounty to man as he is his creature and is conveighed to man by such acts of Gods providence as do give unto a man a true proprietie amongst men in the things which they possesse this is called a civill right The speciall right is founded in Gods speciall love to his children in and through Christ which is added to their common right namely a right of inheritance which giveth not onely a right to the things themselves but to the blessing and comfortable use of the same this is a spirituall right derived to a beleever through Christ The want of this right is the cause why to the wicked even the things which they lawfully possesse are in their use impure Tit. 1.15 Hence it is that wicked men have not so good and so full a right to the good creatures of God as true beleevers have nor yet can have so comfortable and so sanctified a use of them as the godly may have they never partake of the good creatures of God but hee hath to except against them though not alwayes for the having yet for the abusing and for the unsanctified use of them For God giveth meat and so I may say of other things to them that beleeve 1. Tim. 4.3 and know the truth to be received with thanksgiving Though men may have a common right to the creatures of God without Christ yet they cannot have the speciall right or blessing in the use of them but by Christ For this cause it concerneth us to do two things First make we sure to bee ingrafted into Christ the heire of all things that through him it may bee said 1. Cor. 3 22. All things are ours Secondly we must live in an honest calling Eph. 4.28 and therein labour with our hand or head the thing that is good we must worke that wee may eate our owne bread having a civill right to what we possesse as well as a spirituall We must not thinke to be maintained being in a fruitfull land with Manna and Quailes from heaven for God will not allow his servants to eat either the bread of idlenesse or wickednesse Our bread Here God giveth his children leave to call bread their bread whence observe Everie childe of God hath a Doct. 8 true right to those temporall goods which hee doth lawfully possesse The meeke have right of inheritance unto the earth Matth. 5.5 They have right in the right
and evill thoughts when he should pray Reas 2 Guiltinesse of conscience especially upon the committing of some grosse sinne together with ignorant conceits of God that his thoughts are like mens thoughts Isa 55.8 implacable and unapeazeable this maketh many a man afraid to looke God in the face This was Davids case Many because they have praied Reas 3 long and as they think have not beene heard hence they are discouraged and out of heart to pray any more So many things as hath before Reas 4 beene shewed are required to make a praier acceptable that it is hard to observe them all when we pray Satan doth Spite nothing Reas 5 more then heartie and faithfull prayer for by it his kingdome is undermined overthrowne and by it he himselfe is cast out of his possession and kept out wherefore it standeth him upon to use all his methodes and devices to hinder a man and either altogether put him by the duty it selfe or so distemper him with evill suggestions doubts false feares presumptions or some other hindrance that he shall be heartlesse faithlesse or meerely formall and hypocriticall in prayer making him content himselfe with the worke done but altogether carelesse how it be done Vse 1 This truth justly reproveth all such as thinke it an easie matter to pray therefore never prepare themselves before nor yet are watchfull over themselves when they are in the act of prayer but patter over certaine words of prayer thinke they shall go to heaven by their good prayers Indeed it is an easie matter to say our prayers you may teach a childe to say them but to pray our prayers aright as hath beene taught before out of the Lords Prayer is found by all experienced Christians to be no easie thing Ob. This doctrine touching the difficultie of prayer is enough to discourage men altogether from prayer Sol. By no meanes for prayer is a necessarie dutie and must bee done and withall it is a most profitable duty and will quit all a mans paines Besides it is not so hard to be done but that it is possible nay certaine that by the help of the Spirit of prayer it may be done in an acceptable manner In these cases knowledge of the difficulties do whet on desire and resolution and doth stirre up care and circumspection it is farre from discouraging any from the worke Wherefore the next use is let Vse 2 none be discouraged from praier because of the hardnesse of the worke Breake through all lets for pray you must Gen. 32.26 Hos 12.3.4 Jacob by much and strong wrastling did prevaile at last Do in the matter of prayer as men use to do in difficult workes Set to it with all care and watchfulnesse Set to it with all the strength which you have and which you can get We must do like those which whet and sharpen their tooles which are blunt and dul We must fetch prayers as David used to do out of meditations If wee shall raise up our mindes to heavenlinesse and get our faith in God strengthened and if we pray for the spirit of prayer and if wee will joyne with the spirit in prayer then much of the difficultie will be taken off The principall helpe to prayer next that of Gods help by his Spirit is the strength exercise of our faith Yea the Spirit of God doth both worke it and worke by it in prayer Means to strengtheÌ„ faith in prayer We may strengthen our faith in prayer by these considerations First from Gods generall goodnesse to every creature He is good to all Psa 145 9. and his tender mercies are over all his workes He giveth the beasts their food he feedeth the young ravens that cry Psa 147.9 Will hee not much more heare man when hee prayeth unto him He hath heard wicked men such as Ahab Manasses and others Secondly consider that God is all-sufficient and able to help Thirdly consider the universality of his promise made to them that pray and the extent of his mercie towards them He saith every one that asketh receiveth Thus David strengtheneth his faith in prayer saying Be mercifull to me O Lord for I crie unto thee daily Psal 86.3.5 for thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to whom even to all that call upon thee This warrant to pray and these grounds of faith everie man as he is a creature hath in common with all men whereby he may be encouraged to pray and to expect a gracious audience But every childe of God who beleeveth in Christ in whom is the Spirit of God to sanctifie and cleanse the heart causing him to will and to endeavour in all things to please God all such have more peculiar grounds of faith expectation to be heard when they pray These may and must looke into the evidences of their adoption and sonne-ship They must consider whether they do not beleeve in Christ by such a faith which worketh by love but they must not say they have not this faith when their conscience can tell them that it is their desire that it may workby love and that it is their griefe when they faile in their duties of love to God or man now if they by faith have interest in Christ then they may know they are the sonnes and daughters of God Now when we can make good our title to God that we can call him by the spirit of adoption Rom 8.15.16 Father when we can with sonne-like affection call him our Father which art in heaven we may hereby strengthen our faith and assure our selves that he will both enable us to pray and will graciously heare and grant our prayers Is it so difficult a thing to Vse 3 pray aright then is it thus with any man or woman that in prayer they have found that their hearts have beene enlarged their spirits raised up their thoughts gathered in and composed their mindes intentive and attentive their faith strengthened and their conscience eased upon this their heartie and devout powring out their soule unto God O then let them blesse God for it for by his grace they have done a great and difficult worke they have done a blessed and most happie worke It is our great faults that we can onely complaine of our defects in prayer and not also take notice of and be thankfull to God for his helpe in our prayers Which fault if wee would amend we should finde lesse defect and more helpe from God in our prayers hereafter One thing yet remaineth to bee spoken of in a word or two before I conclude which is to answer this question Quest What are wee to doe after we have endevoured to pray aright Answ I answer first wee must not bee carkingly carefull aboâ—â— those things concerning which we have prayed Thus much the Apostle implyeth when he saith Phil. 4.6.7 Be carefull in nothing but in every thing by prayer and