do, to call him to their help against himself, his servants and his cause.

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Direct. IX. Come always to God in the humility that beseemeth a condemned sinner, and in the faith and boldness that beseemeth a son, and a member of Christ: do nothing in the least conceit and confidence of a worthiness in yourselves; but be as confident in every lawful request, as if you saw your glorified Mediator interceding for you with his Father.' Hope is the life of prayer and all endeavour, and Christ is the life of hope. If you pray and think you shall be never the better for it, your prayers will have little life. And there is no hope of success, but through our powerful Intercessor. Therefore let both a crucified and glorified Christ, be always before your eyes in prayer; not in a picture, but in the thoughts of a believing mind. Instead ofa crucifix, let some such sentence of Holy Scripture, be written before you, where you use to pray, as John xx. 17. Go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Or Heb. iv. 14. "We have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God :" ver. 15, 16. “ that was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin : let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy," &c. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast, and that entereth into that within the vail; whither the fore-runner is for us entered," "He is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them i." If ye ask any thing in my name, I will do itk.” Christ and the promise must be the ground of all your confidence and hope.

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Direct. x. Labour hard with your hearts all the while to keep them in a reverent, serious, fervent frame, and suffer them not to grow remiss and cold, to turn prayer into liplabour, and lifeless formality, or into hypocritical, affected, seeming fervency, when the heart is senseless, though the voice be earnest.' The heart will easily grow dull, and customary, and hypocritical if it be not carefully watched, and diligently followed and stirred up. "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." A cold prayer sheweth a heart that is cold in desiring that which is prayed Heb.vii. 25 k John xiv. 13, 14. 1 James v. 16.

Heb. vi. 9. 20.

for, and therefore is unfit to receive the mercy; God will make you know that his mercy is not contemptible, but worthy your most earnest prayers.

Direct. XI. For the matter and order of your desires and prayers, take the Lord's prayer as your special rule; and labour to understand it well.' For those that can make use of so brief an explication, I shall give a little help.

A Brief Explication of the Method of the Lord's Prayer.

The Lord's prayer containeth, 1.

The address or preface: in which are described or implied,

I. To whom
the prayer
is made.

II. Who
are the pe-
titioners-

Who are

1. Who he is: GOD: not Creatures, Saints, or Angels.

2. How related
to us, he is OUR
FATHER,
which compre-,
hendeth funda-
mentally, that
he is

1. Our Crea-
tor.

2. Our Re-
deemer.

And therefore

3. Our Rege-
nerator, (to
the regene-
rate.)
1. Almighty; and able to
grant all that we ask, and
to relieve and help us in
every strait.

3. What he 2. All-knowing: our
is in his at-hearts, and wants, and all
things being open to his
sight.

tributes:
WHICH
ART IN

3. Most Good: from

HEAVEN. whom, and by whom, and
Which sig- to whom are all things;
nifieth that the Fountain, the Dispo-
therefore he ser, and the End of all, on
whose bounty and influ-
ence all subsist. And
the present tense 'ART'
doth intimate his Eternity

is,

1. Man: as to his Being.

2. By Rela-
tion, God's
children.

3. By
Quality.

1. Our Owner, or Absolute Lord.

2. Our Ruler, or Supreme King.

3. Our Benefactor and chief Good, and

so our Felicity and our End.

In this one word is these attributes of not only implied all God, but also our whither to look for hearts are directed their relief and di

rection now, and and called off from their felicity for ever, earthly dependances, and expectations of happiness and rest;

and to look for all from heaven, and at last in heaven.

1. By Creation: so all are:
and therefore all may thus far
call him Father.

2. By Redemption: as all
are as to the sufficient price
and satisfaction.

3. By Regeneration: and so
only the Regenerate are chil-
dren.

1. Depen-
dant on God.
2. Necessi-

tous.

3. Sinners.

m of the method of the Lord's Prayer, see Ramus de Relig. Christ. lib. iii.cap. 3. and Ludolphus de vita Christi, Part i. cap. 37. and Perkins in orat. dom. and Dr. Boys on the Liturgy, pp. 5-7.

II. The Prayer, or Petitions, in two parts: of which,

I. The first Part is according to the order of estimation, intention, and desire; and is,

II. The se

cond Part is
according to
the order of
execution,
and is for
ourselves,

the lowest,
and ascend-
ing, till the
end first in-
tended, be
last attain-
ed and it
is,

1. For the end simply, which is GOD; in the word 'THY’ repeated in every petition.

2. For the end
respectively in
the interest of

God, and that

is in

3. For the lower

I. The highest or ultimate, that is, the glo

ry of God; HALLOWED BE THY
NAME.'

II. The highest means of his glory, 'THY
KINGDOM COME:' that is, let the
world be subject to thee their Creator and
Redeemer; the universal King.
III. The next means, being the effect of

this; THY WILL BE DONE,' that is, let thy laws be fulfilled, and thy disposals submitted to.

end, even the subject of these means; which is the public good of mankind, the world and church : 'IN EARTH,' that is, let the world be subjected to thee, and the church obey thee; which will be the greatest blessing to them: ourselves, being included in the world. And the measure and pattern is added, 'AS IT IS IN HEAVEN,' that is, let the earth be conformed as near as may be to the heavenly pattern. So that this part of the Lord's Prayer, proceeding in the order of excellency and intention, directeth us I. To make God our ultimate, highest end; and to desire his interest first, and in this order, (1.) His glory, (2.) His kingdom, (3.) Obedience to his laws. II. To make the public good of the world and the church, our next end as being the noblest means. III. To include our own interest in and under this, as the least of all; professing first our own consent to that which we desire first for others. 1. For the support of our nature by necessary means: 'GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD:' this being God's first gift, presupposed both to grace and glory. GIVE,' signifieth our dependance on God for all. 'US,' our charity, that we desire relief for ourselves and others. DAILY' (or substantial) BREAD,' our moderation; that we desire not unnecessaries or superfluities. THIS DAY,' the constancy of our dependance, and that we desire not, or care too much for the future, and promise not ourselves long life. 2. For clearing us from the guilt of all sin past (repentance and faith being here presupposed); where is (1.) The Petition: AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS' (trespasses or sins). (2.) The motive from our qualification for forgiveness: AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.' Without which God will not forgive us.

beginning at 3. For future preservation: (1.) From the means,' LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION :' that is, though thou mayst justly try us, yet pity our frailty, and neither cause or permit us so to be tried, as may tempt us to sin and ruin. (2.) From the end, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL: that is, 1. The Evil One, Satan (and his instruments). 2. The evil thing: 1. Sin. 2. Misery, which are Satan's end. He that would be saved from hell and misery, must be saved from sin; and he that would be saved from both, must be saved from satan and from temptation. Quest. But where are the requests for positive holiness, grace and heaven? Answ. 1. Repentance and faith are supposed in the petitioner. 2. What he wanteth is asked in the three petitions of the first Part, that we with others may sanctify God's name, and be the subjects of his kingdom, and do his will, &c. Christ and a state of grace, are finally in the first petition, formally in the second, and expressively in the third.

III. The conclusion: the reason and termination of our desires, in their ulti

mate end :(

here praised: beginning at the lowest, and

ascending to the highest:

containing,

I. What we praise; or the matter; or interest of God:

II. Whom we praise:

III. The. duration :

1. His universal reign, FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM,' administered variously, agreeably to the subjects all owe this absolute obedience: who commandest and executest what thou wilt.

2. His own perfections, 'THE POWER:' both right and all-sufficiency including his omniscience and goodness, as well as omnipotence.

3. His incomprehensible excellency and blessedness, as he is the ultimate end of us and all things; ' AND THE GLORY.' Rom. xi. 36. 1 Cor. x. 31.

GOD, in the word 'THINE:' in him, the first efficient cause of all things, we begin: his help as the dirigent cause, we seek and in him as the final cause, we terminate.

:

'FOR EVER AND EVER,' to eternity: and' AMEN' is the expression of our consent. For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to Him be glory for ever, Amen. Rom. ix. 36.

So that it is apparent that the method of the Lord's prayer is circular, partly analytical, and partly synthetical: beginning with God, and ending in God: beginning with such acknowledgments as are prerequisite to petition, and ending in those praises which petition and grace bestowed tend to beginning our petitions for God's interest and the public good, according to the order of estimation and intention, till we come to the mere means, and then beginning at the lowest, and ascending according to the order of execution. As the blood passing from the greater to the smaller numerous vessels, is there received by the like, and repasseth to its fountain; such a circular method hath mercy and duty, and consequently our desires.

Tit. 2. Some Questions about Prayer answered.

The rest of the general questions about prayer, I think will be best contrived into the resolving of these following doubts.

Quest. 1. Is the Lord's prayer a directory only, or a form of words to be used by us in prayer?'

Answ. 1. It is principally the rule to guide our inward desires, and outward expressions of them; both for the matter, what we must desire, and for the order, which we must desire first and most. 2. But this rule is given in a form of words, most apt to express the said matter and order. 3. And this form may fitly be used in due season by all, and more necessarily by some. 4. But it was never in

tended to be the only words which we must use, no more than the creed is the only words that we must use to express the doctrine of faith, or the decalogue the only words to express our duty by m.

Quest. 11. What need is there of any other form of prayer, if the Lord's prayer be perfect?'

1

Answ. Because it is only a perfect summary, containing but the general heads: and it is needful to be more particular in our desires; for universals exist in particulars; and he that only nameth the general, and then another and another general, doth remember but few of the particulars. He that shall say, "I have sinned, and broken all thy commandments," doth generally confess every sin; but it is not true repentance, if it be not particular, for this, and that, and the other sin; at least as to the greater which may be remembered. He that shall say, "I believe all the Word of God, or I believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," may know little what is in the Word of God, or what these generals signify, and therefore our faith must be more particular. So must desires after grace be particular also: otherwise it were enough to ask for mercy in the general. If you say, that God knoweth what those general words signify, though we do not; I answer, this is the Papists' silly argument for Latin prayers, God knoweth our desires without any expressions or prayers at all, and he knoweth our wants without our desires. But it followeth not that prayers or desires are unnecessary. The exercise of our own repentance and desire doth make us persons fit to receive forgiveness, and the grace desired; when the impenitent and those that desire it not are unfit. And it is no true repentance, when you say, "I am sorry that I have sinned," but you know not, or remember not, wherein you have sinned, nor what your sin is; and so repent not indeed of any one sin at all. And so it is no true desire, that reacheth not to the particular, necessary graces, which we must desire; though I know some few very quick, comprehensive minds

m Selden in Eutychii Alexandr. Orig. p. 42, 43. sheweth that before Ezra the Jews prayed without forms, and that Ezra and the elders with him, composed them a form which had eighteen benedictions and petitions, that is, the three first and the three last for the glorifying God, and the rest intermediate for personal and public benefits. And page 48. That they might omit none of these, but might add others.