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
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
pray alwaies and not faint 3. The encouraging promises they have to this performance Ask and ye shall have seeke and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened Mat. 7.7 Luke 11.9 Mark 11.2 4. and againe Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you John 16.23 24. 4. If we consider how great things Prayer hath done for them wee our selves might Christians say have heard with our eares and our Fathers have told us what wonders it hath done in our daies and in the times before us How it hath like a General commanded the Host of Heaven the Sun Moone and Starres either to stand still or go back and to fight in their courses against Gods enemies They know that this is it which like the key of David opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens This is the key of Heaven the key of hearts the key of the barren Womb and of the Grave it opens and shuts all these I had almost said it is the key of Hell too of the bottomlesse pit for there it locks up the Devils that they cannot tempt us and this is it which some Christians have used Luther for one to unlock Hell yea the Devils Cabinet and to recover thence those bonds whereby some have in writing under hand seale given their souls to the Devil Prayer which is our famiar converse with God makes a Christians soule shine The soul of a praying Saint is sometimes whilst he is praying in a sort transfigured as Christs body was on Mount Tabor When Moses fasted and prayed forty daies and forty nights his face was not at all disfigured he did not appeare unto men to fast but on the contrary his face did shine so gloriously that the Israelites were not able to behold him but through a vaile Exod. 34.33 34 35. Observe that at the former forty daies being in the Mount with God whilst God did as it were preach to Moses in the delivery of the Law we read of no such glory abiding on Moses face when he came downe but now when Moses went up the second time und continued interceding for Israel forty days and forty nights at his coming down the skin of his face did shine so that Aaron and Israel were afraid to come nigh him Exod. 34.28 29 30. The name of a praying Christian may be like the name of the Angel which appeared to Manoah and his wife Judges 13.18 it may be Peli wonderfull for how oft have many of them done wonderously as that Angel did for many of them at their departure hence have breathed out their soules in fervent prayer When the flame of their fervent prayers went up to Heaven from the altar of their hearts their soules like the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the Altar Yea as Elijah went up once in a fiery Chariot so do Christians in a sort daily sometimes seven times a day and sometimes seventy times seven times This chariot of Prayer hath foure wheeles Prayers Supplications Intercessions Thanksgiving And let me say the spirit of a living Christian is in these wheeles and when these are lift up from the earth towards heaven then are the living christians in their soules lifted up also What shall I say more of the praise of Prayer for time would faile me to tell of Abraham Isaac and Jacob of Moses Aaron and Sampson of Samuel also and of the Prophets who through prayer subdued enemies wrought righteousnesse obtained promises stopped the mouths of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of the Aliens women received their dead also to life again c. And now Brethren to the end we may have our conversation such as becomes the Gospel of Christ to the end we may live peaceable and quiet lives in all godlinesse and honesty here on earth and see the face of God and enjoy his presence for ever in heaven I exhort that Prayers Supplications Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made by all men for this is the will of God our Saviour who would have all men to pray and to come to the experimental knowledge of this truth that Gods children or people are a praying Generation or that right Christians are praying Christians Pray therefore my beloved brethren all manner of prayer pray set or continued prayer pray continually sending up every where holy Ejaculations towards heaven Pray when thou art alone in thy closet or secret chamber pray with thy family wife children servants pray in the publick Assemblies in the great Congregation And now as the Apostle Paul to his Thessalonians chap. 4.9 10. As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another And indeed ye doe it but we beseech you brethren that ye increase more and more So my hearty desire is that I could say concerning all kinde of prayer in secret in the family in the congregation concerning prayer ye have no need that I preach unto you for ye your selves are taught of God thus to pray And indeed you doe it but we beseech you brethren that ye increase more and more 1. Let your closet or secret chamber be perfumed with the sweet incense of Prayer morning and evening Let God have his morning evening sacrifice at least This is but reasonable service Say not thou art so spirituall already that thou art above this and all other Ordinances Be not deceived God is not mocked except thou couldst be except thou wast better than Emanuel God-man thou oughtest to pray for so did our Lord Jesus Christ If thou dost altogether restrain prayer before God thou art so far from being of the highest forme of Christians that thou hast in this denied the Faith and art worse than an infidell thou hast denied the faith and art worse than the Devil for the Devils prayed unto Christ that he would not command them to go out into the deep and that he would suffer them to enter into the herd of Swine Luke 8.31.32 Say not I am an unregenerate person a sinner and God heareth not sinners and if you should pray your prayer would be turned into sin and therefore 't is to no purpose to pray if the sacrifice of the wicked be an abomination to the Lord then his Prayer or Incense is not like to prove a sweet savour in Gods nostrills or an odour of a sweet smell unto him I grant that it is true that God doth not heare grievous sinners impostors and Sabbath-breakers so as at their prayer to cure one that was born blinde But yet I say God that heares the cry of Nature even of the young Ravens when they cry for food he doth sometimes heare the prayers of meere natural men King Jehoahaz was one that did evil in the
sight of the Lord a wicked man he was and yet he besought the Lord 2 Kings 13.4 and he hearkened unto him Again I say unto unregenerate persons it is their duty to pray 't is their sin if they doe not It is not their sin simply to pray but they sin indeed whether they eat or drink or sleep or plough or pray because they do not these things to the glory of God but they sin more who will neither lift up their hands to heaven nor put their hand to the plough nor exercise themselves in some honest calling Let thy plough as soone stand still because the ploughing of the wicked is sinne as thy prayers cease before the Lord therefore But God forbid that thou shouldst sinne against God in ceasing to pray for thy own soul for others also although thou beest unregenerate I dare confidently say that no man is ever the farther off from finding grace because he doth in a way of prayer diligently seek for it Prov. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. Ezek. 36.25 26 27 37. Mat. 7.7 If once God bow thy heart to pray in good earnest there 's hopes he will incline his eare to heare Only see thou henceforth regard not iniquity in thy heart if thou expectest that God should regard thy Prayer 2. Pray with your families thus dedicating your houses daily unto the Lord. The Jews at their first entrance or taking possession of a new house to dwell in it did use to pray feast and sing Psalmes hence the title of the thirtieth Psalme A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David Christians let your houses be dedicated houses houses of prayer and singing of Psalmes to all that dwell therein Let God have his morning and evening Sacrifice every day Christians either have or ought to have a Church in their houses your houses should be Seminaries and Nurseries for the Congregation where God should have a Church let not the Devill have a Chappell Instead of praying reading and singing of Psalmes let there not be heard cursing roaring and revelling doe not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils a habitation for Ziim and Iim and every unclean spirit We heare little now of Fairies and Hobgoblins of Spirits walking in houses I hope one reason is because the worship of God is set up in many houses Therefore it is that Dagon falls down because the Ark of God the Ordinances of God are brought into the house Let all that come under your roofe say Surely the feare of God is in this place this is none other than the house of God and this is the gate of heaven God ordained in the beginning that the first-born of every family should be the King or Governour and the Priest to offer sacrifice God provided a Magistrate and a Minister in every house I perswade my selfe that one great cause why many men are no more masters in or of their own houses or that they finde so much trouble and dâ—sturbance in their government from wife children servants is this because they seperate those things which God hath joyned together they will be Kings to over-rule their Families but they will not be Priests unto God to offer unto him the sacrifice and incense of Praise and Prayer with and for their families they would be Masters but they refuse to be Ministers in their own houses Where there is most praying to and blessing of God together in families I dare warrant there 's the least brawling and cursing of one another Those that serve God together most will least seek to domineere one over another But no mervail you cannot agree all the day in and about your own work when you did not agree in Gods work together in the morning I finde in the Scriptures that God required one great act of religious worship to be performed in private houses namely the Passover And they say that the Jewes in their publick mournings did use to shut themselves up in their houses with their families and there upon some extraordinary occasion they might fast pray and mourn See Zech. 12.12 13 14. Now if they held it lawfull to worship God in such great and extraordinary acts of devotion in their private houses and that too the Temple standing Then let not the calling the family together to pray read and sing Psalmes now in Gospel times be censured for an unlawfull Assembly nor any man be in danger to be called in question for such daily exercises there being sufficient cause whereby we may give account of such meetings in every place every day Yea let me exhort you not onely to make Prayer your ordinary your everyday-work but that when ever the Bridegroom is taken from you when Christ with-drawes his presence or hides his face from your family that then you that are the children of the Bride-chamber would fast and pray in those dayes I dare boldly say that one speciall way and meanes to keep hunger or fasting through necessity or to keep mourning or eating your bread with sorrow and mingling your drinke with teares out of your houses and to celebrate a continuall feast to have peace of conscience and the joy of the holy Ghost amongst you in your dwellings is to bring in prayer ordinary and extraordinary under your roofe As God blessed Potiphar's house for Joseph's sake and the house of Obed-Edâ—m for the Ark's sake so be assured he will blesse you and your houses if you would open your doores to entertain Family-prayer throughout all your dwellings that imprecation or curse of the Prophet should never come nigh your houses Poure out thine indignation upon the Heathen and upon the families that call not upon thy name your houses should never be Beth avens i. e. houses of iniquity and vanity your places Bochims places of weeping your fields Achâ—eldama's fields of blood your valleys valleys of Achor valleys of trouble if you would daily by prayer consecrate them Bethels that is houses of God Let none scruple to pray with their family because it may be some of them are not Saints for this is the way to make them all so And I never read that our Lord Jesus refused to be present at the Passeover which yet was not celebrated without prayers because that Judas a Devil was there But this I read that our Lord prayed in the presence of many thousands Iohn 6.26 27. although some of them were such as laboured more for the meat that perisheth than for that which endureth to everlasting life ver 66. 3. Pray in publique do not forsake the assembling your selves together the praying to God and praising of him in the great Congregation The glory of a King is the multitude of his Subjects And God is most honoured when thousands and ten thousands of his Saints come together into his Courts to bow and kneele before him in prayer David was glad when they said Come let us goe into the house of the Lord.
purposes about or concerning Prayer If the promise of the teaching of the holy Ghost if those Scriptures Ye have an anointing that teacheth you all things and when he comes he shall lead you into all truth doth not discharge us from the use of mens teaching us and preaching unto us and from our own reading the holy Scriptures the doctrine of the Prophets of our Saviour Christ of his Apostles no more doth the other promise of the spirit of Prayer take away all use of Scripture-prayers especially of our Lords Prayer The promise of baptizing with the holy Ghost when it was fulfilled did not make void or take away Baptisme of water no more doth the promise of the holy Ghost to help us to pray and in prayer take away the use of the Lords Prayer It was the work of the holy Ghost to teach and to help Christians to offer up this Prayer and all other their prayers in the name merits and mediation of Jesus Christ to stir up in them good and holy desires agreeable to the requests or petitions continued in this prayer and to descend to many particular desires and petitions and to expresse those desires in proper words and significant expressions all which desires were summarily comprehended in the Petitions and words or expressions of the Lords prayer I say this was the office and work of the holy Ghost which doth in no wise take away all lawfull use of the Lords prayer as a prayer For surely the holy Spirit will not therefore refuse to assist us when we pray this prayer because it is a prayer made by Jesus Christ and registred in the holy Scriptures written by those who were full of and moved by the holy Ghost in that work Nor doe I believe that God the holy Ghost who is the God of Order and not of Confusion will suggest or infuse into us such desires as shall necessarily turn us out of the Lords prayer whilest we are using it in a right manner It is not probable that the holy Spirit will turn us out of the road wherein the Sonne appointed us to goe to the Father And I pray what desires are there that are holy just and good such are all the desires of which the holy Ghost is authour but are comprehended in this prayer Doubtlesse as the Spirit of the Prophets in the Apostles dayes was subject to the Prophets so t is no disparagement to the spirit of prayer which Christians have in these dayes to be regulated by the spirit of prayer which was in Christ and so consequently by that forme which he hath left us Must the whole congregation be tyed up to the forme of the speaker whether Minister or other in prayer and may he in no wise be guided by Christs Prayer Beloved brethren whilst ye so judge are ye not partiall in your selves and to your selves If it be asked what 's the reason that when we have been praying a long time either according to a premeditated forme or a conceived prayer or in a mixt way betwixt both for the things contained in the Lord prayer we yet conclude our prayers with the Lords prayer Is not this a vaine repetition Answ For as much as when we have prayed our best we may have failed in something our prayer may have been defective imperfect It is not therefore vaine but to purpose and very reasonable to rehearse that prayer wherein is nothing defective nothing superfluous nothing out of its due place and order Nor is this an Innovation it was the practice of the antient Church Quam totâ—m pâ—titionem fere omnis Ecclesia Dominica oratione concludit if we will believe Austin in his 59. Epistle q. 5. where he tells that the Church did generally conclude their prayers and blessings at the consecration and distribution of the Elements at the Lords Supper with the Lords Prayer And it hath been observed that they who wholly omit or disuse the Lords Prayer as a prayer doe seldome follow the Lord Christ fully in it as a patterne namely in this particular they seldome plead with God for forgivenesse of sinnes with this argument as or because we forgive those who trespasse against us and doe not alwaies pray against Temptation If they seek to justifie their not using the Lords Prayer and their not imitating it in the former of these particulars lest they should occasion many to pray against themselves because they cannot finde in their hearts to forgive their brethren To this we reply that all our prayers ought to be according to this modell or pattern themselves being Judges To the Lords Prayer bring we all our prayers if they are not according to this rule it is because as to that thing wherein they are irregular or not conforme hereto the true spirit of prayer is not in them 2. If we will not heare Gods Commandement to forgive our brethren how should we expect God should heare our prayers for forgivenesse we must both pray and practise according to Gods will if we would have our wills done if we would have God fulfill our desires 3. The crookedness of mens hearts and waies can be no right rule for Gods Minister in publick prayer but the Word of God and prayer of our Lord Christ 4. The using of this prayer may be instead of a Sermon to such malitious ones to minde them of and move them to forgivenesse However I doubt not but some of the Israelites might be guilty of some of those sins against which the curse was denounced by the Priests on Mount Ebal and to which the Congregation said Amen Obj. Papists and profane ignorant Protestants make an ill use of this good prayer make a kind of Idoll of it and therefore we should lay it aside after the example of Hezekiah who demolished the brazen Serpent when it was abused to Idolatry 2 King 18.4 Answ Some mens abuse of naturall things must not hinder or prejudice others in their right to use them lawfully much lesse must mans abuse annull or make void Gods Institutions Our Saviour sanctifyed the Sabbath although the Jewes were superstitious in their manner of observation of it We must not lay aside the first part of the Gospell written by the holy Evangelist John because it hath been abused in charmes c. And we may still use the words of Christ This is my body in celebration of the Lords Supper notwithstanding that Papists thereupon ground Transubstantiation and Artolatry or worship of the bread believing it to be the body of Christ corporally and not only Sacramentally As the Apostle Paul to Timothy 1 Epist Chap. 1.8 saith of the law of God The law is good if a man use it lawfully So say I of the prayer of our Lord The Prayer is good if a man use it lawfully If the meer abuse of things should take away all lawfull use of them we should soon be deprived of the benefit both of Gods creatures and of his ordinances
from the Lord that in this and all other things I may be found faithfull If as often as Gods people meet together to worship God publiquely and especially upon the Lords day this prayer also might be offered up to God being a Sacrifice and Incense which our high Priest hath consecrated to God and his Father and to our God and our Father I should think it might be a good supplement of the defects and some emendation of the errors in our prayers Especially in such dayes of division as ours are wherein good men are split into so many several parties and opinions in matters of Church and State that whilst some holy men in their hearts say Amen to some prayers put up in their name by the Ministers others as holy as they in their hearts say God forbid or that be far from us This is a publique Prayer and no private Christian but ought to say Amen unto it However we are divided in more particular Requests wee ought all to concenter and agree in these generall neessary things herein prayed for Forasmuch therefore as when we come together in the Church to pray there are too too often divisions amongst us though we are together in one place yet not with one heart and because the promise is especially to two or three that agree together to ask any thing and to pray with divided hearts this is in a sense not to pray this is not to seek the Lord in due order to reforme in some measure at least these abuses in prayer I should recommend to all the Churches of Christ and to every Christian in them this one prayer the Lords prayer to which Christians of all Nations Tongues and Languages may agree to say Amen For I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you how that the Lord Jesus the same time when he was by one of his Disciples in effect asked this question how we should pray saying Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples he said When ye pray say c.. Obj. Are these things so why then do you not justifie prescribed and imposed Liturgies or forms of Prayer Answ I shall not so far lanch forth into that controversie now as either to commend or condemne them yet this I say that this was made by an infallible Spirit And againe concerning this our Saviour Christ hath said that which he never said concerning any other After this manner pray ye or when ye pray say Our Father c. I shall conclude all with some use of the Doctrine 1. And first As the Angel said to Joseph concerning the blessed Virgin Mary whilst he thought of putting her away privily Feare not Joseph thou son of David to take unto thee Mary thy espoused wife for that is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost So say I to all those just ones who have had thoughts of putting away this prayer privily feare not to take unto you this prayer which you have loved and as it were espoused for that which is conceived in it is of the holy Ghost But be not ye as the Papists are who think to make satisfaction to God and merit at his hand by the often repetition of their Pater Noster c. although without faith without understanding without holy affections And againe doe not ye slight other prayers made according to this modell or patterne by them who have the spirit or gift of prayer and above all things my brethren beware of blaspheming the spirit of prayer or praying by the Spirit accounting and calling it vaine babling 2. And you who have the gift of prayer so that ye have no need that any one teach you so that ye can goe without crutches and swimme without bladders I meane pray without using formes made by other men yet be not ye therefore lifted up or puffed up And againe be circumspect and never presume to utter any thing before the Lord in publique which will not hold weight if weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary So speak to God as considering that men also heare you And if ever you should have any thing amisse in your prayers either for matter or for manner of expression lay not this at the doore of the Spirit but rather father it thy selfe own it though with sorrow as a brat of thy owne naughty heart or extravagant fancy And farther having such a golden talent as the gift of prayer labour to improve for thy Masters and the Churches and thy owne advantage And if yee would be mighty in prayer be much in the study of the Scriptures in prayer and meditation The best way to the throne of Grace lyes by the Oracles of God And neglect not to eye and follow the cloud of Incense that is the prayers of Saints in Scripture which ascend to heaven when you would goe to God in prayer And you who have the gift of prayer pray for the Grace also and that more earnestly because one dramme of Grace is worth many talents of Gifts 3. You who have not the gift of Prayer so as to compose a Prayer but have need that some one teach you To the Lords prayer to the prayers of David Hezekiah Daniel the Apostle Paul c. in Scripture and to other formes of prayer framed by other men according to Scripture-patternes and after this manner pray ye c. As to formes of prayer composed by men of a fallible spirit use them as learners to swim use bladders so as they may be able at length to swimme without them use to goe to prayer with them as children use first to go by a bench or forme so that after a while you may as they go without them use them not as old men use staves or crutches never likely to lay them aside 4. As for those who pray not alone and with their families if they be Masters of families pretending they know not how to pray this Doctrine renders them in excusable they must needes become silent before God What can they say for themselves If they say they cannot go behold God allows them crutches to help their weaknesse Brethren if you have but a good will to come to draw nigh to God in prayer behold Jesus Christ stretches out his hand to direct you he hath left you this prayer as legs to go withall to his Father you may be welcome to God and Christ If you come but born upon the shoulders of prayers made by others if you cannot come alone of your selves goe therefore to others to teach you to pray as this Disciple did to Christ and let all Ministers Parents and Masters imitate our Lord Jesus Christ in the text and his forerunner teaching their people children servants to pray as John and Christ taught their Disciples 5. Last of all let us that use the Lords prayer ordinarily make it the patterne of our practise as well as of our prayers Let us doe as we say as we pray Let us endeavour that Gods name may be hallowed or glorified by us and others that the Kingdome of sin which is indeed the Devils Kingdome may be thrown down to the ground down to the nethermost Hell that our Lord Jesus by his good Word and holy Spirit may set up his throne in our hearts and in the world farre above the thrones of all the Kings of the earth the Prince of the aire and all the powers of darknesse Endeavour we our selves and perswade we and help we others to do the will of God on earth readily cheerfully constantly as the Saints and Angels doe it in heaven And we that every day pray for daily Bread let us take some honest calling and course to get it Operantibus dabitur your labour shall not be in vaine And content we our selves so with daily Bread with the portion for the day as to take or admit no carking or distracting thoughts for to morrow Let us who pray God to forgive us our offences against him as we forgive our brethren their offences against us let us be sure that we do not play the Hypocrites or dally with God lest our prayer be turned into sin lest our prayer to God prove like the petition of Adonijah for Abishag the Shunamite to be his wife lest it cost us our lives lest God answer and say you have spokn this against your owne lives against your owne soules you will not forgive your brethren Mites and therefore I will never forgive you Millions of talents Let not us who pray to God not to lead us into temptation goe presently and tempt the very Devill the Tempter to tempt us by throwing our selves upon occasions of sinning Whilest we pray deliver us from evill from all evill of sinne and punishment and particularly from that evill one the Devill see that we run not headlong into any sin as a horse rusheth into the battaile knowing that in so doing we cast our selves into the Lions den yea into the mouth of the roaring Lion Devill and as much as in us lieth into hell it selfe that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And let us that fill our mouthes with Arguments to plead and wrestle with God as Princes in prayer from his Kingdome Power and Glory i. e. his ability to help us Let us with our very hearts and lives as well as with our lips praise him with the song of Moses Rev. 15.3 4. and of the Lamb ascribing to him alwayes the Kingdome the Power and Glory for ever and ever Thus sealing up our Prayer with a reall AMEN FINIS Adde this after the Title Qu. How is the Lords Prayer to be used Ans The Lords Prayer is not onely for direction as a pattern according to which we are to make other Prayers Mat. 6.9 with Luke 11.2 but may also be used as a Prayer so that it be done with understanding faith reverence and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of Prayer ERRATA PAge 47. line 17. instead of those words Do not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils a habitation for Ziim and Iim and every unclean spirit read thus Do not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils to be made like falne Babylon Revel 18.2 the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule Spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull Bird.