The Guide Unto True Blessedness, Section 46
SECT. XLVI. Of the Concluſion of the Lords Praier: and of the ordinary circumſtances, and kindes of Prayer.
Q. VVHat is the Confirmation, & cloſe of this Praier?
A. aMath. 6.13.For thine is the Kingdome, and the power, and the glorie, for euer, Amen. Which words, though not repeated by Saint Luke, yet are expreſly mentioned by Saint Matthew; and therefore cauſeleſly, and without warrant, omitted by the Church of Rome.
Q. What is the meaning of theſe words?
Firſt, by [Kingdome] we here vnderſtand Godsb1. Chron. 29 11. abſolute ſoueraignty, and right ouer all things.
Secondly, by [power] wee vnderſtand thecLuc. 1.37. omnipotency of God, whereby he is able to doe whatſoeuer he will.
Thirdly, by [glorie] we dodPſal. 65.1, 2. thankefully referre all good things to the honor & ſeruice of God that giueth them.
Fourthly, when wee ſay [thine] and [for euer,] wee exclude all creatures from fellowſhip with God, in theſe attributes, becauſe howſoeuer Kingdom, power, and glorie, are communicated vntounto ſome creatures (namelyaDan. 2.37. Princes) as Gods inſtruments, andbPſal. 82.6. Vicegerents: yet God alone claimeth themcRom. 13.1. originally of himſelfe, dPro 8.15. Job. 33.13.abſolutely without dependance, or controll, e…. Iam. 1.17eternally without beginning or end.
Laſtly, by [Amen] wee vnderſtand,fReuel. 22.20, 21. ſo be it, or ſo it is, or ſhall be.
Q. How is this a cloſe of confirmation to our requeſts?
A. Becauſe we doe not onelyonly in generall aſcribe, Kingdome, power, and glorie, vntounto God, as his due, but alſo with reſpect vntounto our prayers, & ſuites; beleeuing and profeſsing, that hee, as King of heauen and earth, hathgReuel. 3.7 authoritie to diſpoſe of all his treaſures: as omnipotent, ishEph. 3.20. able to do exceeding aboundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke: Finally, as the God of glorie is intereſſed in theiPſa 35.27. welfare of his ſeruants, for the maintaining of the honour of his name, andaPſal. 119.49. truth of his promiſes. Wherefore wee alſobIoh: 3.33. ſet to our ſeale in the word of faith, Amen, not onelyonly teſtifying our earneſt deſire that ſo it may be, but expreſsing our full aſſurance that ſo it ſhall bee, as we hauehave prayed, according to the will of God, being alreadiecMath 7.7, 8. let in by the key of faithfull prayer into the rich Treaſurie of his mercies.
Q. This forme being ſo abſolute, what need wee vſe any other words in praying?
A. Becauſe, as to refuſe this forme ſauoureth of a proud contempt of Chriſts ordinance, ſo to confine our ſelues to theſe words alone, argueth extreame idleneſſe in this duty, whereindHoſ. 14.3. varietie of words is required for the powring out of our ſoules before the Lord, and oftentimes, according to the occaſion, ſomeeMat. 26.41 one petition is more then the reſt, to bee inſiſted on and importuned. Wherefore our bleſſed Sauiour hath commended this for me vntounto vsus, as an excellent, coppie or leſſon, to be both repeated, and as we may, imitated, or at the leaſt, aymed at, by vsus his ſchollers; for which cauſe, bothaIoh. 17.1, &c. he himſelfe, and hisbAct. 4.24, &c. Apoſtles, are recorded to hauehave prayed in other words, which yet may be referred to theſe. Finally the libertie, which the Lord affordeth vsus, is not to bee abridged, or deſpiſed, who admitteth al languages, words, and formes, agreeable to this patterne, whetherc2. Chron. 29.30. Pſal. 90. & 92 ſee the titles. Num. 10.35, 36. read, rehearſed by heart, or preſently conceiued; ſo be it, wed1. Cor. 14.15. pray both with ſpirit and affection, and with vnderſtanding alſo.
Q. What geſtures of body muſt wee vſe in praying?
A. Such, as may beſt expreſſe, and encreaſe, the reuerence, humilitie, feruencie, and affiance, that ought to be in our hearts: as theeEph. 3.14. bowing of our knees, fLam. 1.41. Ioh. 17.1.lifting vp of our hands, and eyes to heauen &c: which yet are notgLuc. 18.13. alwaies or abſolutely neceſſary, ſo ourhPſal. 143.8. hearts be lifted vp, and the knees of ouriPhil. 2.10. conſciences bowed before the Lord, and nothing done vnbeſeeming the companie, with whome wee pray, and the kinde of prayer.
Q. What kinds are there of Prayer?
A. They are two. Viz.
1. Publique, in theaPſal. 84.1, &c. aſſembly, or congregation, wherein our behauiour muſt beb1. Cor. 14.40. ſuch, as may witneſſe our communion, and deſire of mutuall edification.
2. Priuate, that is, either with ourc2. Sam, 6.20. families, or priuate friends, ordMath 6.6. ſolitarily by our ſelues; wherin wee hauehave*1. King. 18.42. more liberty of words, and geſtures, then in company.
Q. Where muſt we pray?
A. Generallye1. Tim. 2.8. all places are allowed, thefIoh. 4.21, &c. ceremonial differences of place being remoued, & Chriſt, our propitiatorie, eueryevery wheregMatth. 18.20. preſent before vsus: notwithſtanding, according to the kindes aforementioned, the publique place of reſort, for the worſhip of God,hEſa. 56.7. Ioel. 2.17. beſt fitteth common prayers, and the priuate houſe, oriMath. 6.6. cloſet, is moſt conuenient for priuate ſupplication: howſoeuer thekNehe. 2.4. ſudden lifting vp of the heart in ſecret vntounto God, may be, as occaſion is, (without geſture) in whatſoeuer place, or company.
Q. When muſt wee pray?
A. a1. Theſſ. 5.17.Continually, as the Apoſtle enioineth: for the whole courſe of a Chriſtian is a perpetuall entercourſe with the Lord: either ſuing for mercies, orbPſal. 5.3. Luc. 2.37. waiting for the anſwere of his ſuits, or rendring thanks for graces receiued: neuertheleſſe ordinarily thecPſal. 92. title ſabbath among the daies of the weeke, anddverſe 2. morning and euening, among the houres of the day, are to be preferred; whereto ſuch times muſt be added, wherein weeCol. 3.17. Pro. 3.6. enter into any buſineſſe, orf1 Cor. 10.31 1. Tim. 4.4, 5 receiue any of the creatures and bleſsings of God: extraordinarilygPſal. 55.17. & 119.62, 164. other daies, or houres, muſt alſo be ſet apart for praier, eſpecially in caſes requiring longer continuance therein, together with theh1. Cor. 7.5 extraordinarie circumſtance of faſting for the intenſion of our prayers.