The Guide Unto True Blessedness, Section 38
SECT. XXXVIII. Of Prayer.
Q. TO proceede then; What is prayer?
A. It is thedPhil. 4.6. requeſt of an humble, & ſanctified heart, together with thankſgiuing, offered by the power of theaRom. 8.26. ſpirit of prayer, as a ſpeciallbPſal. 50.15 ſeruice vntounto God, in thecIoh. 14.14. name of Chriſt, in behalfe of our ſelues, and dEph. 6.18.others, withe1 Joh. 5.14 aſſurance to be heard, in what we pray for, according to the will of God.
Q. Why doe you call it a requeſt with thankſgiuing?
A. Becauſe in all our prayers, there muſt bee bothf1. Theſſ 5.17. petition of the good things we need, andgVerſe 18. thankefull acknowledgement of thoſe we hauehave obtained: As for thoſe formes, which containe neither ſupplication, nor giuing of thankes (as the Articles of our faith, the Decalogue &c.) they may and ought, for other good purpoſes, bee committed to memory andhDeut 6.7. rehearſed, but to vſe them as prayers, iM…h. 6 7.ſauoreth of deepe ignorance, if not of ſuperſtition.
Q. Why doe you call it the requeſt of the heart?
A. Not to exclude the vſe of bodilie geſture, much leſſe of the voice and tongue, in the action of inuocation; (therefore called theaHoſ. 24.3. Calues of the lips) but to ſhew
1. That theb1. Cor. 14.15. Pſal. 45.1 & 108.1. heart is, on our part, the firſt, and principall moouer, and ſpeaker in prayer, from whence both voyce and geſture hauehave their force, and grace.
2. That prayer, in ſudden occaſions, may becExod. 14.15 Nehem. 2.4. ſecretly, and powerfully offered, and is of God accepted, and heard, when neither any voice is vttered, nor any bodily geſture imploied.
Q. Why doe you adde, of an humble, and ſanctified heart?
A. Becauſe, as in generall, dPſal. 109.7none can pray or doe any thing acceptably, but ſuch as are truely regenerate, andePſal. 51.15 ſanctified vntounto this, and eueryevery good worke: ſo in ſpeciall (and for the preſent action of prayer) it is required as thefPſal. 51.17 ſumme of all ſacrifices, that the heart be humble, and contrite, gDan. 9, 8, 9acknowledging it owne vnworthineſſe, by reaſon of ſinne,hPſal. 143.6 feeling the want of Gods grace and mercy, andiLuk. 15.18, 19. ſubmitting it ſelfe vntounto him, willing to be beholding for the leaſt degree of fauour.
Q. What is the ſpirit of prayer?
A. An eſpeciall grace and operation of theaIude verſ 20. holy Ghoſt (called therefore thebZech. 12.10. ſpirit of grace and deprecation) enabling vsus tocPſal. 62.8 powre out our ſoules vntounto the Lord, withdRom. 8.26. ſighs, that cannot be expreſſed.
Q. Are wee to direct our prayers to God alone?
A. Yea, to one God in Trinitie, and to none other: for he alone
1. As the ſearcher of the hearts, ePſal 65.2heareth the voice, andfRom. 8.27. knoweth the meaning of the ſpirit of praier.
2. IsgEph. 3.20. able to grant whatſoeuer we demand.
3. Challengeth ourhRom. 10.14 faith, and confidence, without which wee cannot pray.
For which cauſes, the Scripture alloweth not prayer to any other.
Q. In whoſe name, or for whoſe ſake, muſt we ſue to God?
A. In the onelyonlyiDan. 9.17. Joh. 16.23.24. name and for the onelyonly ſake, of his ſonne, our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the alone k1. Tim. 2.5.mediator betweene God and man, as ofa1. Joh. 2.1, 2 Rom. 8.34. propitiation, ſo ofa1. Joh. 2.1, 2 Rom. 8.34. interceſsion; who through thebHeb. 10.19, &c. vaile of his fleſh, and merit of his blood, hath prepared for vsus a new, and liuing way, whereby we may bee bold to enter into the holie place: incGal. 4.5. whom alone wee are made children of God, and hauehave liberty to call him Father; Finally in, with, and for dRom. 8.32.whom, God giueth all good things to his Elect.
Q. For whom are wee to pray?
A. For our ſelues, and others: vsus, and ours: In a word
1. Fore1. Tim. 2.1. all men, euen ourfMath. 5.44. enemies, becauſe of the commongIam. 3.9. image of God, andhAct. 17.26. blood of mankinde, whereof we are all made; vnleſſe it be apparent, thati1. Ioh. 5.16. any one hath committed the vnpardonable ſin: butkGal. 6.10. Eph. 6.18. principally for thoſe of the houſhold of faith.
2. For all l1. Tim. 2.2.ſorts and degrees of men; eſpecially publique perſons, as rulers, and ſuch as are in authority:mEph 6.19. Col 4.3. miniſters, that watch ouer our ſoules &c.
Q. What aſſurance hauehave we, that wee ſhall be heard in what we pray for?
A. Becauſe we pray to that God, thataPſal. 65.2 heareth the Prayer, and is thebHeb. 11.6. rewarder of all that come vntounto him, and incIoh. 11.42 his name, to whom God denyeth nothing; and therefore howſoeuer wee are not alwaies anſwered at thedPſal. 77.3 preſent, or in thee2. Cor 12.9 ſame kinde, that wee deſire, yet ſooner or later, we are ſure to receiue, euen aboue that wee are able to aske, or thinke; if wee continue,fLuc 11.5, &c. & 18.1. with conſtancie, patience, and importunitie, to ſue vntounto him according to his will.