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Chapter 3 of 4

Our

Our

Of Prayer and What It Is

Prayer is an earnest lifting up of the mind, and calling upon God, according to his will with faith, by the help and work of his Spirit (Psa 25:1; Rom 10:13-14; Matt 21:22; Rom. 8:26-27).

Prayer is a familiar conference betwixt God and us.

Prayer is as a Letter written unto God, wherein we deliver our mind unto him.

Only God is to be called upon, in whom only we believe (Rom 10).

  • First, because he hath so commanded (Psa 50:15).
  • Secondly, because he hath so taught (Matt 6:9).
  • Thirdly, because he hath so practiced by example (Matt 26:39).
  • Fourthly, because he hath promised to hear our prayers.
  • Fifthly, because the holy Ghost teacheth us to cry Abba father (Rom 8:15).
  • Lastly, because none can hear our prayers and grant our requests but God only (Matt 6:12).

    • We must pray at all times (1 Thes 5:17). It must be the Alpha and Omega of all our actions, if we look for any good success.

    We must pray in all places (1 Tim 2:8).

    There be nine things to be observed in prayer.

  • Before prayer. Reading, Meditation, and feeling of our Misery.
  • In prayer. Faith, Zeal, and Love.
  • After prayer. Watchfulness, Thanksgiving, and Practice.

    • Prayer is as a Bunch of Keys, wherewith God's children do open all the doors of heaven and enter into every closet.

    The effects of prayer are wonderful, as appeareth by the prayers of Asa, Jehoshaphat, Moses, Hezekiah, David, Elias, Paul, and Silas, the Disciples (Acts 4:31 and 12:5-7).

    The Lord's prayer is the perfect pattern of all prayers for matter, but not always for words.

  • A Preface.
  • Six Petitions.
  • A Conclusion.

    • The Preface teaches us preparation, that we do not rashly, without consideration, rush into the presence of God, being so dreadful and holy as it is (Eccl 5:1; Psa 26:6).

    Three of the petitions do concern God's glory, and three ourselves.

    We must pray with greater fervency of the Spirit for the things which concern God's glory, than for those which concern our own good, as appeareth by the Method: and for the things which concern our own goods, we must pray with more zeal for heavenly, than earthly things, since this hath but one petition, the other two.

    We must pray for the things that concern God's glory simply, above any respect at all of our own good, as the particle (thy) in everyone doth show.

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