·Epb. 3· 11 l'r!at. 10. 41 James 4· 3 Exod. 17.2 John 4• 22 Mat. ~o. 22 merits of Chrifl:, and the afcending of this incenfc_ond theirprayers before God, is his acceptance of them thus covered With Chrdts ments; and the reafon why the prayers afccnded was, becaufe the mccnf< afcended; that was their vehwtlmn, the pillar of fmoke ih which they mounted 11p to Heaven. This nghtly confJdcred, it will caufe us in every petition put up, to think our felvcs fo much beholding to Chrifl:, that we /hall be ready to fay in our hearts, when any petition is granted, I m~y thar.k Jefw Chrijl for this. Bttt what is it tfi pray in Chrifts name .? I anfwcr, 1. To pray in Clmjls name, is to pray with reliance upon the grace,favour and wurthinefs of the merits of Chrifl:, in whom we have bciuwd, and have acctjt with conftdmce, by the faith of him: Chrifts fatisfaltion is the ground of our intrrcdlion bnat:Je Chnfts bloodbath purchafcd this (we vray) ther£fore, 0 Lord,grant thu. ' 2. To pray in Chrifls ,;amc, is to pray from his command, and Kcording to his will· as when we fend another in our name, we wifi1 him to fay thus, Tell hnn, Jfont you,and that I drfire Juch a thing ofhim; fo when we tak! thofe wr,rds n-huh the Lord pms in our m<~ahes , and defire thofc things only that the Lord commands us to fcek, whether ab– folutely, or conditionally; this is to pray in his name. 3. To pray in Chrijl's name , is to pray for llis ends, forthe fake and ufe of Chrift: Thus the phrafe is ufed, To receive a Prophet in the name ofa Prophu ( t.e.) fur this tud and reafon , becnufc he is a Prophet. Now let Chrillians obferve, when they would have any thing of God, to whatufe and end, and for whofe fake it is : You ask_, and have mt, bteaufe;•o11 flsk_ami{s, to (pend it •n)'OHr tufts. A luft is properly fuch a defire (though for lawfull things) wherein a man nmft have a thing, becaufe it pleafeth him: Gi?;e m water, that we may drink.. (was the brutilh cry of Ifrael) not that we may live to him that gives it; holy defires or prayers ( oppofed unto iufts) are fuch defires of the foul left with God, with fubmiffion to his will, as may befl: pleafe him for his glory. S E C T. 3. The p11rticular duties of the foul in Praytr. Duties of the foul in particular; are to pray in~ 5 ofGod to whom we pray. 1 • In Knowledge ( of that for which we pray. ( Knowledge. Faith. Humility. Reverence. Ardency of fpirit. 1. We moil: k_:1oiV and ~tck..nowiedge God, and Jefits Chrifl whom he hathfont : Chrill .told the Samaritans, Ye worfhip ye k..now not what: far be it from Chriil:ians thus to do: \Vithout this knowledge we fhall wander into Will-war/hip, and fuperftitious inventions; And thtrcfore k..now thou the God of thy Fathers (faid Solomon) and forve him with a pcrfe<1 heart, 2. We mufl: k..now and ur.derjland what we pray, otbcrwifc we are fubjelt to our Saviours reproof, Yo1t ask_you f0ow not what: two forts of men are here condemned. 1 . Thofe that pray in an unknown tongue. 2. Thofc who pray in a known tocgue, but underfl:and not what they pray . .· . 5 more general. 2. In .Fatth, l more JPecia!. . . 1 • F(lith more general is f~ch a faith, as apprehends the mam promife of the Gofpel concerning falvation by Chnfl:. - . . · 2. 'Faith moreJPecial, is fuch afaith, as apprehends the precious promifes made to our prayers, whereby we are perfwaded that our particular requefl:s /hall be g.ranted unto .us, only with this ditl:in<.'tion,- in matters fpmtual, neceffary to falvat!Ot> we are to ask abfolute!y, as being perfwadcd that God hath fubordmat~d our falvat!On to h1s own glory; and we arc to believe abfolutely , that the Lord \\ t!l grant them un:o us; yea, it is'a good fign, if we defire any faving grace, that the fame grace is begun m us: but in matters temporal or fpiritual not neccffary to falvation, we are to ask them con– ditiomlly,' fo far forth us they may !land with Gods glory·, and the good of our felves · ' and
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