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
How good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to joyn together in prayer God hearkens and heares and a booke of remembrance shall be written for them that speak often one to another as those converts doe Zech. 8.2 Come let us goe speedily to pray before the Lord I will goe also One soul well tuned in prayer maâ—es good musick in Gods ears Mâ— Cobbet of Prayer but he delights much saith a reverend Author I say most in prayers in consort when two or three when two or three thousand gather together and agree to ask any thing in the name of Christ The Church on earth is never so like the Church in heaven as when the four living Creatures and the four and twenty Elders i e. when Pastors and People having Harps in their hands that is being prepared to praise God and golden vials full of Odours or Incense that is being prepared to pray unto him when all these meet together thus to worship the Lamb Rev. 5.8 Let Christians say it is good for us to be here it is best for us to be here How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts this is none other than the Suburbs of Heaven than the gate than a corner of Heaven than a Heaven upon Earth Pray therefore all manner of prayer but especially in publique with the Assemblies of Gods people I shall adde but one thing more in this particular and that is to beseech you not to diminish ought of this service not to clip Gods Tribute-mony or to offer an imperfect Sacrifice unto God but at all times but especially on the Lords day let us come together at the beginning and tarry till the end of publique Prayers God will not allow the Prince of his people to absent himself or to delay his coming to publique Worship or to depart untill the Conclusion Ezek. 46.10 And now if there be any here who shall say in their hearts Wee have high thoughts of Prayer and a good minde to the duty but alas we are not able to compose a Prayer of our selves we cannot goe to prayer except some lead us by the hand we know not what to say as we ought except some put words in our mouths To these the second Observation may give satisfaction which speaketh on this wise saying II. It is lawfull to pray with or by a Set forme of Prayer Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God for things agreeable to his will in the name of Christ with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies This is the definition of Prayer given by the late Reverend Assembly in their shorter Catechisme And in this we have contained all the Essentials of Prayer and all this may be done whether we make use of a written or printed book or rehearse a Prayer out of our memory D. W. Gâ—ft of Prayer that invisible book or whether we may by immediate and sudden suggestion or according to the sudden conceptions and dictates of our own hearts I say therefore that it is neither absolutely necessary in it self nor utterly unlawfull to use a Set form of Prayer Confident I am that Prayer with or by a Form is better than no prayer at all and that if all those persons amongst us who are not able to pray by immediate suggestion or sudden conception or who cannot by study premeditation compose such a Prayer as they dare offer up to God especially before others if these would make use of some Forms of wholsome desires framed by others and if being Masters of Families they would morning and evening ingage themselves to seek God with their families in this way God might and should have honour thereby and they receive blessing from God This lawfulnesse of Set Formes may be evinced by holy Scriptures by the practise of the Church of God Jewish and Christian The Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy ch 2.1 makes four sorts or parts of Prayer Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks and we have patternes or ground for Set Formes of all these in the Scriptures For the first sort of Prayer wherein we desire the averting of evils both of sinne and punishment we have ground to do this in or by a prescribed form of words for so God injoyned in the case of an uncertain murder Deut. 21.7 8. that the Elders of the city that is next to the slain man should wash their hands over an Heifer which was to be beheaded in the valley and that they or the Priests in their name and roome should answer and say Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seene it Be mercifull O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israels charge Again the Prophet Hosea exhorting Israel to return unto the Lord chap. 14. beginning saith Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips c. from which two texts I think it more reasonable to inferre or conclude that they might without sin say those very words which were put into their mouths than to say they should sinne if they should pray in that very form of words 2. We have in the Scripture formes of Prayer or petitions for the obtaining of good things A Forme used by Moses one who had abundance of spirit at the setting forward of the Ark and at the resting of the Ark Numb 10.35 36. And another Form prescribed to Aaron and his Sons in blessing the people Numb 6.23 24 25 26. And we have a Form of Prayer also injoyned to him that paid his third yeare tithes Deut. 26 13 14 15. 3. A ground for a forme of Intercession and that too upon a publique Fast day we have in Joel chap. 2.17 Let the Ministers of the Lord weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare the people O Lord and give not thy heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is now their God I doe not believe that these were all the words they did or might say unto God on a day of Humiliation but I think I have more reason hence to gather that they might lawfully have used this form of words in their Prayers that day than any man hath to conclude the contrary 4. A ground for Set forms of Praise or Thanksgiving we have in those many admirable formes of praise composed by David Asaph and other holy men and sung at the Tabernacle and Temple and that too in the times of Hezekiah's reformation 2 Chron. 29.30 and left upon record in the book of Psalmes Mr. Mede calls the booke of Psalmes the Jewish Liturgy and truly therein we have Formes of all these four sorts of Prayer There are Prayers for averting evill for obtaining of good
here to intreat them to goe to the pattern in the Mount I mean the Lords Prayer there delivered Matth. 6.9 which I take to be a warrant and pattern for formes of Prayer even in Gospel-times I assert not here the necessity or expediency of formes for all but this I say that meerely to use a forme is not sinfull and further that some formes may be a meet help for some men that Prayer by a forme is better than no Prayer at all and that if I could preach Prayer though by a Form into all those houses and closets in England where now there is no Prayer at all I think I should through Grace doe God and his Church an acceptable service The fifth sort namely those who look upon the meere rehearsall of the words of the Lords Prayer though without a right understanding and suitable affections to bee a meritorious Act these are the men for whose sake the way of truth wherein good men goe in this matter is evil spoken of It is the Idolizing the very words and sillables of this prayer without regard to the sense of it or using it with Faith and Fervency which hath occasioned others who have a zeale but not according to knowledge in this thing to deal with this golden Prayer much like as Hezekiah did with the Brazen Serpent Let me not become their enemy and I will tell them the truth the Lords Prayer in the mouth of an ignorant and profane person is like a Pearle in a Swine's snout As it is not every one that saith Lord Lord that prayers with some enlargement and earnestnesse so some interpret that saying Mat. 7.21 so 't is not every one that prayes Our Father c. shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Let us not therefore make that prayer guilty of vain repetition which was ordained for a remedy thereunto cause no man to say this Proverb unto it Physitian heale thy selfe Lastly to them that scruple the Lawfulnesse of using this prayer I say there is no scripture nor sufficient reason against it and there is both Scripture and reason for it What plainer words needed our Lord to have used upon supposition he would have us to use this Prayer Surely if he had meant we should not have used it he would never have expressed himselfe in such words as these when ye Pray say c. Had our Lord meant it only as a patterne in no case to be used as a Prayer he would probably have bid them when they asked to be taught to pray as John taught his Disciples pray that Gods Name might be sanctified his Will done c. and not have framed it into the forme of a Prayer and so have put it in their mouths with a when ye pray say c. Certainly there is no text so plaine against as this is for the lawfulnesse of using it As for the Prayer it self I will confidently say of this Prayer what was too boldly in my judgement said of the Common-prayer viz. that it is impssible for Men and Angels to mend it yea though I will not say Our Lord Christ could not yet I dare say hee never did give a more perfect form than this It is in charity to be hoped that through some mistake Mr. Rosse hath done the adverse opinion too much honour in fathering it upon Independents though I conceive he hath done those godly and learned men no honour at all thereby especially if it be true which Mr Perkins who taught England to preach saith Mr. Perk. of the Lo Prayer viz. That it is an opinion full of ignorance and error I do therefore here humbly beseech all the rest of the Apologists to do as one of them viz. Mr. Jer. Burroughs whose name is pretious still amongst the Saints was wont to do namely sometimes to use the Lords Prayer in the Congregation For though there are published reasons of dissenting brethren against Presbytery yet I never either saw or heard any of their Reasons against the use of the Lords Prayer recommended by the Assembly to be used in the Prayers of the Church Oh that Christians under all the several Forms of Church government would agree together on earth with one heart and one mouth to lift up this one prayer to our Father in Heaven in all the Churches of CHRIST throughout all Ages And though it hath beene thought expedient to lay aside the Liturgy compiled though by good men yet but by men yet let it in no wise bee thought convenient to disuse the Lords Prayer composed and recommended by him who was both God and Man Though all Liturgies though all Set Formes composed and imposed by men should fall yet let this stand And truly it would well become in these contests all Formes of mens composing not to engage the Lords Prayer in the battell with them but rather as King David's loyall Subjects said to him 2 Sam. 18.3 Thou shalt not go forth for if we flee away they will not care for us neither if half of us die or perish will they care for us but now thou art worth ten thousand of us therefore it is better that thou succour us out of the city it is better that thou be a warrant to us and a strong city and that of Refuge to us if we be put to flight As for other Prayers they may have done vertuously but this excelleth them all others may possibly deserve their thousands of praises this its ten thousand Let not the Streams contend with the Fountain the Diall with the Sun the ordinary Measures with the royall Standard nor our Prayers whether composed or conceived with the Lords Prayer But if any should say Daies should speak and multitude of Yeares should teach wisdome ask the Fathers and they shall tell us My Answer is I joyn issue with them I appeale to the judgement of Tertullian Cyprian Hierome Austin Gregory * In legitima oratione cùm dicimus ad patrem ne nos inducas in tentationem quae autem major tentatio quam persecutio abieo illam profitemur accidere à quo veniam ejus deprecamur Tertul. de fuga c. Amica familiaris oratio est Deum de suo rogare ad aures ejus ascendere Christi orationem agnoscat Pater Filii sui verba cum precem facimus Cypr de Orat. Dom. Sic docuit Apostolos suos ut quotidie in corporis illius sacrificio credentes audeant loqui Pater Noster qui es in coelis c. Statim in prima corporis Christi communione dicunt Dimitte nobis debita nostra Hierom. adversus Pelag. Oratio vobis quotidie dicenda est cùm baptizati fueritis in Ecclesia enim ad Altare Dei quotidie dicitur ista oratio Dominica audiunt istam fideles non ergo timemus ne minùs illam teneatis diligenter quia siquis vestrùm non poterit tenere perfecté audiendo quotidie tenebit Aug. Hom. 42. Orationem
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.