ChaR.3S. anEïrpçftianafpontbe$ookofJozt. Verf. 73. y5 Apofiles Rule is, (t Tim. 3.8.) Iwill that men pray every where, ¿ifriiig uppure hands , without wrath, awl without doubting.A peace- able heart is asneceffary in prayer, asa pure hand. When a foul coming to God in prayer, bath I knownot what wrathful and an gry difputes within htmfelf again( his Brethren, how can he look for a gracious_acceptance with God ? Will the Lord be pleafed with us, while we nourith fecret difpleafureagainft our Neigh- bour ? Now be fure when you go to God for mercy and favour, . that ye carry no wrath in your fpirits towards man, one or other therefore Chrifi bath taught us in that molt perfea model of prayer, which he bath left us, (when we ask the forgivenefs ofour own trefpaffes) toforgive theft that trefpaf e again] tres. We tnu(k lay down our unquiet thoughts of revenge, if we would havefa- vour with, and corpallìon from God. Seventhly, Thofe are vain prayers, which are not bothformed and matter'd according to the Will of God; (I fohn 5. 74. ) which are not grounded upon a juft caufe, and which are not dì- reaed to a right end. Betides all thee I may add all cold Pray- ers, fleepyPrayers, flight. fpirited or heartlefs Prayers, meer fo -- mal Prayers, tongue wording Prayers, which are not foul-work -. ing and felf-affe&inn Prayers, are, to them who pray fo,but vain Prayers, or as the Text fpeaks, vanity. Thefe Rules muff be obferved in all our prayer-addreffes to God, elfe prayer isvain, or vanity; and when the prayer it felf is vain, the perfon prayingbath no hearing : God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. Confider that-, Eldon Both not onlyfay, God will not hear, but he adds, neither will the Al- mighty regard it. The doubling of the matter in higher Language intima-es fo nthing to us ; and we may note this from it ; As the Prayers ofevil men are vain, fo they havenot any, the left regard from God He will neither hear, nor regard. David faith ( Pfd. 66.7 8.) If 1 regard iniquity in my heart, 'God will not hear my Prayer. God will not hear a David, a good man, as to that particular prayer, if he regard iniquity in hisheart, that is, if he hold any, the leaft complyanceor fecret correfpondence with any fin, yea, if he bath not repented of, and laboured to mortifie every known fin : Doubtíefs then he will not regard the prayersof evil men, whets
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=