low their Direction: For 'tis not they but God that requires us to obferve and do what they teach us out of God's Word. And if we will not hearken to the wholfome Inftruction of our Paftors, nor be perfwaded by all their Endeavours to become Pious and Virtuous, there is little Probability that any other Means will be effectual

to convert us.

AND the chief Caufe, why Men do not believe and obey the Word of God when they are taught it, is not because the Chriftian Faith hath not been fufficiently propofed and attefted, but because they are averfe from Goodness, and unwilling to restrain their Lufts, and lead an Holy Life. The Truths of God do not want witneffing; but the Corruptions of Men fuffer them not to attend to the Evidence that hath been given to them. There hath been enough done to convince Men of the Truth of Chriftianity. For many Miracles were formerly wrought to confirm the fame. And fuch as are not convinced by thofe Miracles, will hardly be perfwaded to embrace the Chriftian Faith, though new Miracles fhould be wrought before their Eyes. For they may oppofe and baffle thefe, as they have the former; and after fome time they will have no more force to work upon them. And 'tis certain, that while Men are fo in love with wicked Ways, that they are unwilling to leave them, they will be very unwilling to believe and entertain that Religion, which condemns them, though there be ftrong Evidence to prove it to be true. every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, left his deeds should be reproved, Joh. iii. 20. The Doctrines of the Gofpel, which are as clear and pure as the Light, are not

For

re

received by wicked Men, not for any reason they have against them, but because they are not agreeable to their vicious Inclinations. For when Men give themselves to Vice, and delight in wicked Ways, they are apt to dif-believe those Truths which contradi&t their Lufts.

CHAP. XXXI.

Of PRAYER; Of the LORD's PRAYER.

T

HE fecond Ordinary Means, whereby the Benefits of Redemption are conveyed unto us, is Prayer. This is both a Duty which we owe to God, and also a special Means which he hath prescribed to obtain the Bleffings which he hath promised: Ask, and it had be given you; (faith our Saviour) Seek, and ye shall find, Matth. vii. 7. Though God knoweth what things we have need of before we ask him; yet he requireth us to make known our Requests to him. And when we have good ground to hope that God will give us fome confiderable Bleffing; yet for this he will be enquired of by us to do it for us, Ezek. iii. 37. And if we pray as we ought, God will hear and grant our pious Requests, and deny us nothing which he fees good for us. For this is the confidence that we have in him; that if we

ask

ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions, which we defired of him, Joh. v. 14, 15.

BUT that the Duty of Prayer may be acceptable to God, it must be rightly made. And in order to perform this Duty aright, we must pray unto God only, in the Name of Chrift. And when we make our Addrefs to God, we muft lift up holy Hands, and pure Hearts, without Wrath or Doubting; and we must ask fuch things as we know to be good and lawful; and we must pray for those things in Faith, with Humility and Reverence, with Attention, Zeal, and Fervency: And we muft alfo continue inftant in Prayer, and not give over our Suit, 'till God give us what we ask, or fomething that is better for us: And we must be careful likewife to pray out of Confcience towards God, to approve our felves to him; and whatever Mercies we ask of him, we must ask them with a pure Intention to glorifie him in well-doing. And if Prayer be thus made, it is an excellent Means to procure thofe Graces and Bleffings which we want.

AND for our Direction in praying, there is a fpecial Rule prefcribed; which is that Form of Prayer, which our Lord Jefus taught his Difciples, commonly called the Lord's Prayer. This Prayer contains in few Words the Subftance of all things neceffary to be prayed for. And all Prayers must have warrant from it. And if this Prayer be a Pattern of Prayer, then it may be as well ufed as any other Prayer, which is framed according to it. Nay it ought to be ufed above others; being a Pattern, it is most exact and perfect. VOL. I.

A a

THS

THE Lord's Prayer confifts of three Parts; the Preface, Petitions, and Conclufion.

THE Preface of the Lord's Prayer is contained in these Words; Our Father which art in heaven. This teacheth us both to whom we ought to pray, and alfo with what Affections we ought to come before him in Prayer. The Object of Prayer is God only, who knoweth the Defires of our Hearts, and is able and willing to give us whatsoever we ask according to his Will. And God is here prefented to us under the Relation of a Father, to fhew his Willingness, and of an heavenly Father to denote his Power, to hear and help us when we pray unto him.

AND the Confideration of God, as our Father, may encourage us to make our Petitions to him with an humble Boldness and firm Hope of Succefs. And the Confideration that God is our heavenly Father, may both engage us to pray to him with Fear and Reverence, and alfo affure us that he is every way able to fupply our Wants, and to enrich us with Bleffings.

- THE Petitions of the Lord's Prayer are fix, whereof the three former concern God, the three latter our felves. And of thofe which concern God, the first refpects his Glory, the other two the Means, whereby his Glory is manifested and advanced.

I. THE firft Petition which concerns God's Glory is this; Hallowed be thy Name. The Name of God fignifies God himself, his Attributes, his Works, his Word, and any Thing whereby he is made known unto us, and may be honoured by us. For God's glorious Nature and Majefty, his Wisdom, Mercy, Power, Juftice, and fuch

like, are usually in Scripture called his Name, Deut. xxviii. 58. Pfal. xlviii. 10. Ifa. xlviii. 9.

THE Hallowing of God's Name, fignifies the ufing of it with an Holy Refpe& and Reverence above other things. Though God cannot be made more glorious, holy and happy, than he is in himself; yet his Glory may be more manifested in the World, and he may be fanctified in his Attributes and Works, by our acknowledging and confidering them, and by our performing the Duties of his Service.

THE Things defired in this Petition are, all thofe Graces whereby we may be enabled to glorifie God's Name in our Hearts, Words, and Actions.

WE glorifie the Name of God in our Hearts, when we have high and reverend Thoughts of him, and when we honour him as God by fearing and loving him, and by fubmitting to him, and trusting in him.

WE glorifie God by our Words, when we exalt his Name, and magnifie his Wisdom, Power, Goodness, and Juftice in all his Works, and when we call upon him, and adore and praise him.

AND we glorifie God by our Actions, when we conform our felves to his Will, and live pure holy Lives, as becometh those who profefs his Name. For herein is God glorified, that we bear much fruit, Joh. xv. 8. Other Creatures, by a paffive Conformity to the Will of God, bring Glory to him. But Men and Angels fhould glorifie God by an active Conformity to this Law, that his Name may be fan&ified in them, as well as by them.