12.0 pr~itr ~ rl;uJl Cl.:crllcrlt f..,rn1c of 1 pt.:.ier. j Th<L·.,,.J, C!/ln EiCpojition of Chrifls \ Matrb.6. 'ZI-9· they be rwo.J.To read a Sermon penned b)"an. I A other is no-preaching,and therefore to rcpcate a fct prayer i:-s no prayer" ..A11{. The: rea[on is n~ught: for tn_rc:J.djnt{a pcnni:d fermo.n.a:np.n c.:aqnot cx·prdle the git[ ofproRhdie;but in n·-a ding :i fct prai.er he m'.ly !hew the gift ofpraicr; as narnely, a touched heart for his finnes_, an I 1~ungring detirc ~fter grace,&. a thankfull h-caft for Gods mercies; :md herein~oth praicr con..o fiH,and not in words. I I. Rta[on.Wc mufipray. frc.cly as his· fpidt mooucs "\'S; and therefore I to vfc ferformes of pnuer,~s to Hint andquench the good motions of the ipirir• .An[1wr. This rcafon were fomcwhat, if cucry one rcceiucd , 1fuch a portion andmeafi.ll'e of the fpirit'as did ~ inablc him hereunto : but feeing in this lifc:.w.e hauc bur th<firft fruit.< thereof and not ~he tentht (as one faith)wc arc ro vfc all good helps B to make fupply vnto our wants: for in thepra– Cl:ifc of holy duties we are like vnto a man that is newly recouertd offomc gricuous fickndfc, who.can walkc in his chambcr,yct not by liim- ' fclfc alone, but either with his ibffc,or l'~aning f vpon another mans fl10uldcr:cucn fo we bCing 1 wcakc and feeble in prayer, had need of the 1 helpeoffctformesofpraycr, to hold vp our feeble hands vntoGod:& therefore it is rcc;uifite for men to \.fc fct formes,ofpraicr, at I<. aft for the matter and order thereof in their ovvnc hearts ; yea and many times it is nccdcfull for fomc,to vfe fet praicrs for words:for many that haue.true grace in their heatts; war1t vtterance to cxprdfc it:& ifthey might not vfe fct fornics C ofpraicr, tbcy fhold be de_priued ofmany great comfons, cfpecially, when they' pr::ty with others. So that ifthe heart be rightly prepared thereto, fer prayer doth not quench but helpc rhc weake gifts of the fpirit both in the heart a.nd tongue. By this then we fee, that neither our Church !nor any oihcr, '''here a fet forme ofdiuine (crui et is·e!tabiiihcd, is therefore to be blamed; bccaufc the fa1nc is both nccdfaric and profita– ble. Secondly, here \.\'C tCc,rhat it is mccte and ncccffaric we lhould haue fomc fct forme of pr!.ycr in our hearts according to our peculiar I dlatcs, vJhercby we may cxprcffc vnto God our peculiar wants, and crauc (upply·thcreof p:uri"cularly: Come thinke We rnuft onclytpraie- D · vpon extraordinoric in!hnC.t-and motion ofthe fpirit: but fo many be our wants, that vnleffe we prepare our (clues before hand, we cannot pray '3.right:and thcrforc to auoid many difha– Cl.ions and lets in our minde. heart, and vtter– rance, it 01all be found needefull to p~efcribc vmo onr'fclucs a fct forme ofpraycr:wc arc_eO– tent to kcepc a fCt order for our diet and appa– rell, and v-:hy !hould we nt.lt doe it in praicr ~"which conccrne.tthc comfort and rcfi·dhing of our foulcs. A fccond thing to begathered from this c6mandcmenr i~ this; That the Lords praier is the mo!t-cxcdlent forme of prayer that is,. or c~n be made by any creature:for it was indic~d ,,--~ and.propoundcd by the fonn~ of God, who is · the: ....:.:ifcdomc.ofrhefathcr. No.y.r th~ excel· \ lcucic ofir !lands in thcfc tbingstl.in the pithic \ ihort:ndlC of it: for in fc.w ""ords it cornprifcrh ! cndldfe matter: J I. in the pcrfeB-ion of it: , for lt.c:omaincth in.it wharfocucr is to be ::tskcd j in1-rraycr: in \Nhich rcfpeCl:ir is vvell called of Rre\i.1:i·nn on'e.th.e a6ridgemcnt~of rhe whole Ga[pe!: I I I. 1;.:~~\~~:'J: in the order thereof, "vhich hereafter .... vdhall 3 + fee in.the refdlution ofir:IV.in rhc acceprarion it hatl1 with God the Father: for it conraincrh the ,.\·ords ofChrifi his fonnc,in \o\'hom the Father!swell pltafcd. \ r{e.r. The cxccllcncie of this prlier fhC\\'- 1 crb 'phincly, rhat ifany fer fdrmc ofprai·er m:ty , be vfcd; the11 this may, bceing indited by the \ Mcdi•cour of the Church. And therefore the \ A1ubaprifis of our daics arc fouly dccciucd, who dcni<: the vfe-hcreof for a praicr, when as bcfOllc. this time fior•th'e fpacc of fifrccnc hun– dred y<~ares after' ·ChrHl, thctc was ncucr any that difa.llowed it. Secondly, hence we fee that the praChfc of rhofc preachers is commenda– ble,\vho vfc.to conclude their prayers with the Lords praye'r: forhereby, ~s by a motl•pcrfctt and rxcdlcnt pbyu,t~cwants and impcrfc£ri... ons of our praiers are fupplied. Thirdly,\,·hcr– as romc would gather from the perfeCtion and exccHcncic ofthis praier,tbatit ~lon.c is fuffici ... em to be: vfed,they arc deceiucd;for Chrifls in ... tent was rather [o ,Commend this prayer ymo vs fer mat-ter and manner, then for the word.s th.erc~f. Again"e-; rl!ougfl itbeamofl perfect pr,~yfr, y~t It is ~~n~ly g~ncrall; b~ut :u~r.y tru_<: bc1ceuer mull Hauc pamcularprayers,w~erepy in fpcciall forme and rnanncd~is p::~rtic,ula(e~ 1 {late and conditiQn may be made knowne vnto the Ilord;y<t fo:;:>s they be alw:Ues fuitahlc vn. to thisforme hcrcprUfcribcd. Ana thunmidl ofrheCornrnandement: ·Now fol1owcth the prayer•it fclfe. '" · · - ,,~ Ourfotb~ryPhich.4rtInhe4_– uen, halofved he thj'iidm'e~'(jt/j ·T-his prayer hath three pans : I.-i pefae' I I. the petititmJ: I I I. the conclujion. · Th~ Preface.in th( fc words: ·011r Father wbich art;;, h.e11Hen. In..the handling whereof, as -alfo in th~ rcfl of·this prayer, l will fir!t propound th~ .Jifeaning; then the lnftruHi.om. • I. Th<M.anin.g. 01<r Fath<rl This title F.rc rher, properly bciongs ~o God, whoisa.Fa- , .thcr limply ;by creation giuing beeing to all thin as,and prcfctulng themby his prolUden.<;c.. M cr~indcedc arc (a!lCd f:1thcrs,but that ·;s OQC"- I h"l fccondarily, bccaufe in fome propcrciesof fatlurhood they rcfe£?blc God. Now this titl~ I is giucn to G.od, fomctimc !imply conGdcrecJ 1 1 without pcrfonall r.c~atio.n ; .as, Dcut. 3_-z.6.Doe ye fo rewardtht Lora,0 foo!JJ!? peop!t? Jj· not krt. rh; 'F.al;cr rhat h.uh ~oHghr t.hte ? <?lhcr.w~~~~ I it io; giuen to the p:J.rucubr perfons 1~ Tnnm~; aS nd\ and principallyto the firfl pe;loll,\\ ho lS com- 1 -~~--
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