graces, and cross encounters of affairs; what personal and what public calamities, and then sin the worst of all; and yet all cannot wean us. We cannot endure to hear nor think of removing; and the true reason is, unbelief of this eternal life, and the neglect of those ways that lead to it. Be persuaded at length to call in your heart from the foolish chace of vanity, and consider this glorious life that is set before you. Do you think the provision you make for this wretched present life worth so many hours daily pains, and give eternal life scarce half a thought in many hours, possibly not a fixed serious thought in many days? sure if you believe there is such a thing, you cannot but be convinced, that it is a most preposter, ous unwise course you take, in the expence of your time and pains upon any thing else more than on life eternal. Think what a sad thing it will be, when your soul must remove out of that little cottage wherein it now dwells, not to be bettered by the removal, but thrust out into utter darkness; whereas, if ye would give up with sin, and embrace Jesus Christ as your joy and your life, in him you would presently be put into a sure unfailing right to this eternal life; it is a pure life, and purity of life here, is the only way to it. Blessed are the pure heart, for they shall see God.

in

AN

EXPOSITION

OF THE

LORD's PRAYER.

TH

MATT. vi. 9.

After this manner therefore pray ye.

HE malice and slight of satan, in reference to good actions, works first in attempting wholly to divert us from them; but if that take not, the next is, to pervert their use, and corrupt them so in doing, that they lose their acceptance with God, and we consequently lose the fruit and comfort of them. And as there is no religious exercise that he hath more quarrel at, and owes greater enmity to, than prayer, being the most constant crosser of his designs, there is none from which he more endeavours to estrange men, either wholly to lay it down, or to frequent cessations; or if that cannot be, but that the light of conscience still calls for somewhat at least that may pass with a man for prayer, yet if satan can get it turned to hypocrisy and formality, he knows he needs not fear it, for so it wants the life of prayer, and remains nothing but a dead carcase, and therefore can neither please the living God, nor hurt him who is its enemy.

Therefore our Saviour here warns his disciples to avoid, in praying, these two evils, the vain ostentation of hypocrites, and the vain repetition of the Heathen", not to think it prayer to tumble out a multitude of

a Verse 5.

b Verse 7.

empty words; and upon that takes occasion to set this matchless copy of prayer, the way of example being the shortest and liveliest way of teaching. These words that are but the entry, are not to be past; there is in them, 1. The duty of prayer supposed. 2. The prescribing of this form. 1. Pray. 2. After this manner.

The use and necessity of prayer is taken for confest, as before, When ye pray, and when thou prayest. And the consideration of this exercise, and of this pattern of it, is with good reason accounted among the most necessary principles of religion; without it indeed all religion withers and languishes. The law of God is so pure and exact a rule, that we cannot come near the perfection of it, and therefore fall under its curse. When we understand it so, that drives us to the gospel, to seek salvation there; and the articles of the gospel, of our Christian faith, are so high and mysterious, that nature cannot aright understand or believe them; and therefore both law and gospel drive us to prayer, to seek of God renewing grace to conform our hearts in some measure to the holy law of God, and faith to lay hold on Jesus Christ, and salvation in him held forth to us in the gospel. Prayer is not taken in its strict grammatical sense, in which the words used for it signify only petition or request; but as comprehending together with petition, confession and thanksgiving, may be called briefly and plainly a pious invocation of God; and not speaking abstractly of prayer, but according to the estate of fallen man, it is very fit to add the express mention of the Mediator, that is an invocation of God in the name of Christ; for it never ascends to God as pleasing incense, but when it passeth through that golden censer, and is perfumed with the sweet odours of his merits and intercession. entrance into heaven hath opened up the way for our prayers to come in, and there is no access to the throne of grace, but by that new and living way, as Chap. vi. 7.

с

His

the Apostle speaks. But how much better is the frequent practice than much discourse, and business. in defining it; whatsoever is said aright in this, is for the other as its end, as Gerson hath it out of an ancient philosopher, Inquirimus quid sit virtus, non ut sciamus, sed ut boni efficiamur. We enquire what virtues are, not to know them, but to have them: and indeed to do otherwise is but answerable employment to study the nature of riches, and talk of them, and remain poor, possessing none.

It is not needful to stay upon distinguishing prayer, by the different matter of petitions, or things to be requested, which possibly some of the different names of prayer in scripture do signify. This This may suffice, that it be of such things as are conform to the will and promises of God, and desired with a suitable disposition of mind, and therefore I call it a pious invocation. It is the highest impudence to present God with unjust or frivolous desires, & quæ scire homines nolunt Deo narrant, SEN. We ought to reverence the majesty of God, and regard that in our requests. There is a difference betwixt solemn prayer, and sudden ejaculations, but it is not a difference in their nature, but only in continuance; the former is here meant, therefore of it, &c. Only this of the other, it is to be wished that it were more known, and more in use with Christians, for it is (no doubt) a very happy means of preserving the heart in holy temper, and constant regard of God in all a man's actions, and is a main point of answering the apostle's word, pray continually; when in company, and apart a man useth secret short motions of the soul to God, that may be very frequent in the day, and night, whereas men's callings, and natural necessities, and employments allow them but some certain parcel of both for solemn prayer; and these frequent looks of the heart to heaven exceedingly sweeten and sanctify our other employments, and diffuse somewhat of heaven through all our actions. Solemn prayer at fit times is a visiting of God, but this were a constant walking with

him all the day long, lodging with him in the night, When I awake, says Dovid, I am still with thee. And these sudden dartings of the soul heavenwards, may sometimes have more swiftness and force than larger supplications, having much spirit, as it were, contracted into them; and they would no doubt, if used, be answered with frequent beams of God's countenance returned to the soul, as it were in exchange; for though whole lifetimes of prayer are not worthy the least of those, yet it pleases God thus to keep intercourse with these souls that love him, and for the ejaculations of their desires to him, looks back on them, and so they interchange as it were sudden glances of love that answer one another. The Lord is pleased to speak thus himself, and the souls that know this love, understand it, Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, with one of thine eyes. But though such looks in ejaculation will refresh a soul inflamed with the love of God, yet it suffices not, they must have times of larger and more secret converse with their beloved, and particularly in the exercise of solemn continued prayer, and if cut short of it at any time, will miss it as much, as an healthful body its accustomed repast.

But it would seem, that though there may be some reason for confession and thanksgiving, yet that which hath most peculiarly the name of prayer, petition, is superfluous: He that knows our wants better than ourselves, and what is fittest to bestow upon us, and forgets not at all, what need we put him in mind, and follow him with so many suits?

This indeed is a strong reason against vain babblings in prayer, and imagining to be heard merely for long continuance, and multitude of words; and our Saviour-himself doth here use it so, but withal he shews us clearly, that it makes nothing against the exercise of prayer, in that he adds immediately upon these words, After this manner therefore pray ye. Although the Lord knows well our wants, and

d Verse 8.