CHAP. WHO then fo able, or proper to teach us what to pray for, and how, and in a manner the freest of Idolatry, Superftition, and every Defect, as our Lord Jefus Chrift, who gives Efficacy to our Petitions, and is the Procurer of all Redress? Who fo capable to relieve the Ignorance of Man's Supplications, or fo fit to particularize and explicate that beft and moft ancient Form of Heathen Prayer, which Socrates collected out of Homer, "Great God, give us the good Things that are ne"ceffary for us, whether we afk them or not; and keep evil Things from us, even when we ask them "of thee?" The fame Socrates fays in Plato's 2. Alcibiad, or Prayer," "Tis altogether neceffary you fhould wait for fome Perfon to teach you how you ought to behave yourself both towards the "Gods and Men." e 66 FOR the most part, the Gentiles wholly miftook the Things they ought to pray for; Things pertaining to this World only, being, in fact, their fupreme, their fole Petition*: Whereas our Lord in his moft perfect Form, has inferted but one Petition for temporary Things. They believ'd they fhould be heard for their much speaking, ufing fo many vain Repetitions, as if to ftorm and ftun their Gods into a Compliance. The requifite Qualifications, Humility, Fervency, joined * Num quis quod bonus vir effet gratias diis egit unquam? At quod dives, quod honoratus, quod incolumis, jovemque optimum maximum ob eas res appellant, non quod nos juftos, temperatos, Sapientes efficiat, fed quod falvos, incolumes, opulentos, copiofos. Judicium hoc omnium mortalium, fortunam a Deo petendam, a feipfo fumendam effe fapientiam. Cotta in Cic. de Nat. Deorum. This the Scripture, directing to the true Foundations of Happinefs, calls asking amifs, to confume upon the Lufts. III. with Faith and Truft, which implies Refignation as CHAP to temporal, and Affurance of being heard with refpect to spiritual Things: Purity, Charity, were unknown to them; through whom, i. e. in whose Name, in whom, i. e. the Holy Ghost *, Whatever elfe praying in the Holy Ghost, Jude 20. in the Spirit, Eph. vi. 18. means, it seems very evidently to import these two Things: 1. In the Spirit of ADOPTION, whereby we cry, Abba Father; Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 5, 6. bed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghoft, Rom. v. 5. which Holy Ghoft is bed on us abundantly through Jefus Chrift, Tit. iii. 6. The Firft-Fruits, or Earneft of the Spirit which we have received, Rom. viii. 23. and whereby we are so often faid to be fealed, (another Expreffion for adopted) is the Refurrection of Chrift, comparing Rom. viii. 11. and I Cor. XV. 20, 23. the Spirit of Adoption, called the Spirit of Promife, Eph. i. 13. confifting then in the Promife of Remiffion of Sins, of an Inheritance, and of the Redemption of the Body, or its Refurrection, Rom. viii. 23. in the fame Senfe that the Spirit of Adoption (which we have received) beareth Witnefs with our Spirit that we are the Children of God, ver. 16. in the fame ver. 26. it maketh Interceffion for us, not with God, but ourfelves, as is the Province of the Spirit to advocate and it does In the fame Sense as fo with Groanings aλantos unuttered. we, who have received the First Fruits of the Spirit, and are in earnest Expectation to be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God, groan within ourselves, ver. 23, And in the same respect we know not what to pray for as we ought [who have not received the Spirit of Adoption] in the fame, the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities and Ignorances, making us to know what Things we ought to pray for, who have received the Spirit of Adoption, ver. 26. 2. Praying in the Holy Ghoft, or in the Spirit, imports according to the Will of God, ver. 27. the Spirit interceeds for us according to the Will of God, ver. 2. The Gospel which contains the Will of God, is called the Law of the Spirit of Life, in Chrift Jefus, 1 John v. 14. This is the Confidence that we have in him, Chrift our Advocate with the Father, that if we ask any Thing, according to his Will, he heareth us, Eph. i. 18. Through him [Chrift] we both (Jew and Gentile) have Access by one Spirit [of Adoption] unto the Father. And the Jewish Temple being forfaken, and the Partition Wall broke down, to be both together a new Temple, an Habitation of God through the Spirit. G4 and CHAP. and in what moft approachable Ideas, and Style III. of Address, i. e. that of our Father (by Adoption) was even unknown to Jews as well as Heathens; but were all made manifeft in the Chriftian Religion. The Worship of Prayer was inftituted in Chrift's Name, the fole Mediator, the fure Center of Communication between God and Man, and the actual Head of all the Means of Man's Recovery, on Purpose for promoting in us both the Religion of the End, and of the Means: For to both it is excellently ferviceable, and most incomparably conducive. 1. WITH refpect to Duty to GOD, Prayer whether publick or private, mental or vocal, exercifes us daily in the Belief of his Prefence with, and Providence over us, and our Affairs; in the Honour and Veneration due from Body and Soul to the Divine Majefty; in the Sense of our Obligations to, and Dependance upon his Goodness and Long-Suffering; for our Prefervation, and for the Supply of all our Needs. Though God could give unafk'd, knowing our Wants better than we ourselves; yet he will give only in fuch a manner, as to remind us who we are, i, e. Sinners, to whom nothing is owing by way of Debt, or any Obligation as to Favour. And therefore as he is in Debt to us for nothing, but where he pleases to make a Promise upon Conditions on our Part, he expects and directs Application to his Mercy, by way of begging and asking in the Name only of Him, through whom alone he has given us Access. And that actuates our Fear, Hope, Truft, Love of him, in Confideration of his Knowledge, Power, Justice, Goodness, and Loving-kindness, with a Care and Concern of pleafing him; and with those confenting Cords that draw a Man unto God. 2. Aş 2. As to our NEIGHBOUR; it is required to be fo daily qualified in the Controul of Wrath, and all Uncharitableness, that thofe Exceedings and Tranfports of the irafcible Paffions are no Day (not the fhorteft in the Year) to have a longer Period than the fetting of the Sun. And what fitter Monitor for banifhing daily out of the World all thofe malevolent, outrageous Purposes, which are the Authors and Abettors of most of the Injuries done to our Neighbour? Or what better daily infinuate and inftil the benevolent Affections, to the doing him all Good, than that indifpenfable daily Concomitant, Charity, ..which obliges us to forgive all that trespass against us, and intercede for their Good, as well as our own? 3. As to OURSELVES; daily Prayer is a daily memento of that Purity, Humility, and Refignation to the Divine Will, which ought to qualify the Supplicant, who hopes to speed in his Suit. And as to the Means, Repentance, nothing can be devised a greater Perfecter of the fame, than Confeffion of Sin, which daily accompanies Prayer. "What better Step towards making "Reparation for our Fault, as we are capable of, towards God? For as by Sin we have dif"honour'd God, difown'd his Authority, and "cast the utmost Contempt upon his Laws, fo "by confeffing our Sins we take Shame to our"felves, and give Glory to God, we accuse and "condemn ourselves of Iniquity and Folly, and justify the Wisdom of God; we acknowledge "that he has done righteously, but we have done "wickedly; we own that his Commands were holy, juft, and good, and that we ourselves 66 were СНАР. III. III. CHAP." were guilty of the higheft Impiety, Injustice, "and Ingratitude, in tranfgreffing them. By "this Means, we do in fome meafure recal what "is paft, and virtually revoke what we have "done: This is an Act of Submiffion to God's "Authority over us, and expreffes our Defire of "returning again to our Duty and Obedience." For as that daily expreffes our Sorrow for what we have done amifs, that fuppofes and fixes a daily Refolution on our Part of endeavouring to amend for the future. IT is hardly poffible in the Nature of fuch a Self-Accufation and Arraignment of our voluntary Tranfgreffions, for any, ufing it with Serioufnefs and Recollection, not to be affected with Concern and Uneafinefs, for having offended fo good and gracious a Benefactor, and grow more and more determin'd not to relapfe into fuch Provocations and Follies; but never imagine themselves at liberty to go on upon a new Score of finning, as the manner of fome is. If we use daily Confeffion as we ought, instead of adding, it must neceffarily leffen the Number of our Sins. For how can we reconcile it to our own Thoughts, if we think at all, to venture deliberately upon that Commiffion of Sin, or Omiffion of Duty, which almoft as foon as done or omitted, muft be confeffed and repented of? This is fo very abfurd, that a rational Agent cannot continue in his Sins, if he duly and truly continues in his Prayers. For, if we perfevere in this Day by Day, it muft daily have an Influence on us to our Amendment, for perfecting Repentance, and advancing in Holiness. Becaufe, none can long bear the tacit Reproach of coming daily into the Prefence of God, to confefs the fame Offences |