whereby God governs the World, are fufficient Motives to prevail upon us to approach the Throne of his Majefty. But left his Greatness, and the Senfe of our own Unworthiness, should make us afraid, and keep us at a Distance, God hath been graciously pleafed to excite us to the Performance of this Duty, by Promises of Success; that he will Pfal. cxlv. be nigh to all thofe that call upon him: That he is ready to forgive, and plenteous in Mercy to all that call upon bim: That whatever we shall afk in Prayer, believing we shall receive.

18.

lxxxvi. v. Mat. xxi.

22.

1 John v.

14.

111. 22.

Q. Upon what Conditions bath God promised to bear our Prayers?

A. The great Confidence of our being heard must be laid in afking according to his Will, and in foliciting his Favour upon fuch Terms as he hath promised to grant it. Which implies, that when we beg Pardon for our Sins, we muft refolve to forfake them; for the Prayer of the Wicked is an xxviii. 9. Abomination to the Lord: That we be ready to

Prov.

25.

forgive thofe that trefpafs against us, because it Mat. v. 7. is the merciful Man fhall obtain Mercy: That when we ask for any Virtue, we must be fure diligently to feek and endeavour after it: That when we crave the Help of divine Grace, we must be ready to co-operate and concur with it; for to bim Mark iv. that bath shall be given, and from him that bath not, Shall be taken away even that which he hath: That when we pray for any temporal Bleffings, we take all prudent and lawful Means to acquire them, and refign ourselves entirely to the Wifdom of his Providence, to give fuch Succefs to our Endeavours, as 'he fhall think moft conducing to our Salvation and the Good of others: And that all these Petitions for fpiritual and temporal Wants be offered to God through the Merits and Mediation of Jefus Chrift only.

Q. In what Manner ought we to pray

A. With

A. With fuch Lowlinefs of Mind, fuch reverent and Jerious Deportment, as may plainly teftify the Refpect and Veneration we have for God's infinite Majefty. With that Intenseness and Application of Thought, as to engage our Hearts as well as our Lips in his Service. With fuch Fervency of Affection, and fuch a Measure of Importunity, as may fhew how defirous we are of the Mercy we request, and how highly we value and eftcem what we afk for. With fuch a Faith as confifts in firmly believing we shall receive the good Things we defire, when we have performed thofe Conditions upon which God hath promised to bestow them. all which we must add Conftancy and Perfeverance; taking all Opportunities for it, and spending much Time in this Duty, than which none of all the Duties enjoined by the Chriftian Religion will turn to a better and more comfortable Account, if our Hearts and Lives be but anfwerable to our Prayers.

To

Q. Is it poffible to avoid all wandering Thoughts

in Prayer?

4. Confidering the Frame and Conftitution of our Natures, and the close Connexion there is between the Body and Soul, it is impoffible but that when we are at our Prayers, our Thoughts may be diverted, and our Intentions interrupted by the former Impreffions of Study or Business. All we can do is to ftrive against thefe Diftractions, to bewail this Weaknefs, and to compose our Thoughts to all that Serioufnefs our Temper and Circumftances will permit; to recall our Minds as foon as we perceive they run out upon other Objects, and immediately to throw away all fuch Thoughts as are foreign to our present Employment. What makes thefe Distractions criminal, is when we willingly entertain them, and indulge ourselves in thinking upon other Objects without Reftraint;

when

when we keep our unreasonable Paffions under no Government, and when we take no Care to compose ourselves to a ferious Temper by confidering in whofe awful Prefence we appear.

Q. What Prayers are moft acceptable to God, and moft neceffary for us?

A. Thofe that are offered in public Affemblies, which have thefe Advantages above private Devotions, that God is moft honoured and glorified by fuch Addreffes, and a Senfe of his Majefty is maintained in the World fomewhat fuitable to his most exellent Greatnefs and Goodness, when, by outward Signs and Tokens we publish and declare the inward Regard and Efteem we have for his divine Perfections: We do hereby declare ourselves Members of the Body of Chrift, which is his Church; which we cannot be to any Purpose, without having Fellowship with God and one another in all Duties, of which Prayer and Praise are the chief. To fuch Affemblies our Saviour promises his special Presence, and hath appointed a particular Order of Men to offer up our Prayers in such Places. We may expect greater Succefs when our Petitions are made with the joint and unanimous Confent of our Fellow Chriftians, and when our Devotions receive Warmth and Heat from their exemplary Zeal. Which Confiderations. fhould make all good Chriftians frequently attend the public Worfhip.

Q. Is this Obligation fufficiently discharged by going to Church on Sundays and Holy-Days?

A. It is to be wifhed, that all Chriftians were conftant in attending the public Worship on Sundays and Holy-Days, because it is likely it would difpofe them to repeat fuch Exercifes of Devotion with greater Fervency. But confidering that among the Jews there was a Morning and Evening Sacrifice daily offered to God at the Temple; and that the

Precepts

36.

I

Theff. v. 17,

Pfal. lxxii.

15.

Precepts of the Gofpel oblige us to pray always, and to pray without ceafing, and that the ancient Luke xxi. Prophets exprefsly declare, that there fhould be as frequent Devotion in the Days of Chrift, as there had been in former Times; that Prayers fhall be made unto him continually, and daily shall he be praised: Confidering thefe Things, I fay, as Prayer, the Chriftian Sacrifice fhould be offered Morning and Evening in public Affemblies; fo they that have fuch Opportunities, and are not lawfully hindered, fhould endeavour fo to regulate their Time, as to be able constantly to attend fuch a great Advantage to the Chriftian Life. And as those who have Leisure cannot better employ it, fo they must have but little Concern for the Honour and Glory of God, who neglect fuch Opportunities of declaring and publishing his Praise.

Q. Is Family Prayer a Duty incumbent upon him who is the Mafter of it?

A. A Master of a Family being answerable to God for the Welfare of those Souls that are under his Care, I cannot well understand how a Senfe of Religion can be maintained in fuch a Family, without the Exercise of daily Devotion in it, as fuch a Society. This is the best Method to confirm and establish his Children and Servants in the Practice of their Chriftian Obligations, and an admirable Means to draw down the Bleffings of God, when in a Body they daily acknowledge his divine Perfections, and fupplicate his favour for the Mercies they stand in need of. Nor may this Devotion be neglected at our Meals, for we ought to beg the Bleffing of God upon thofe good Creatures provided for our Ufe, fince it is by the Word of God and Prayer that they are fanctified to us. 1 Tim. iv. The Principles of Natural Religion teach us thank- 5. fully to acknowledge the Benefits we receive; and this particular Inftance of it had fufficient Ground

from

from the Example of Chrift and his holy Apoftles, all the Evangelifts declaring that our Saviour blessed and gave Thanks before Meat; the fame St. Luke relates of St. Paul; and even St. Paul himself Ipeaks of it, as the known Practice of the Church among Chriftians.

Q. Wherein confifts the Spirit of Prayer, or when may we be faid to pray by the Spirit?

A. When we approach the Majefty of Heaven, with all fuch devout Affections and holy Difpofitions of Mind, as are wrought in us by the powerful Affiftance of the bleffed Spirit. When we confefs our Sins with hearty Sorrow and Shame, and with firm Refolutions of better Obedience. When we beg God's Mercies with a lively Senfe of our own Wants, and with an entire Confidence in his infinite Goodness. When we refign our Wills to him, and depend upon the Wisdom of his Providence in all thofe temporal Bleffings and Deliverances we expect from him. When we fhew forth his Praise not only with our Lips, but in our Lives, by giving up ourfelves to his Service As for the Inspiration of the Matter, and the Expreffions of our Prayer; that was an extraordinary Gift, only temporary, and long fince ceafed, and intended only, as other miraculous Gifts were, for the first Propagation of the Gofpel.

Q. What are the great Advantages of the frequent and devout Exercife of this Duty?

A. The conftant Exercise of Prayer is the best Method to get the Maftery of our evil Inclinations, and to overcome our vicious Habits. It preferves a lively Senfe of our Duty upon our Minds, and fortifies us against thofe Temptations that continually affault us. It raises our Souls above this World, by making fpiritual Objects familiar to them; and supports us under the Calamities and Croffes of this Life, by fanctifying fuch Afflictions.