Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

$© of the manner of our prayer. for our firmes and rofe again for our juftification, and now fitteth at the right hand of God making intercefsion for us, v. 34, and with the odours of his own facrifice perfumeth our prayers making them acceptable unto God, Reve1.8.3,4. CHAP. XVI. of the manner horn we are to cal upon Col I. In rerpeet N the fourth place we are to intreat of the man- the foul, truth and Iner how we are to call upon God. in The manner is uprightnefpe fet down Rom. 8. 27. according to God, that is, as sf hem. S. John fpeaketh, according to the will of God, i.John 5.14. So I Paid in the definition, That invo- cation is a religious fpeech of the faithfull made un- to God in the name of Chriíl according to the will of God : where by the will of God we are to im- derftand, not his fecret will and counfel which we know not, but his will revealed in his word. Pray- er is therefore made according to the will of God, when in our prayer thofe things are performed which God in his word prefcribeth to be perform- ed in prayer. This and the former point are of great moment : for when a man prayeth and is not heard, it is, as Bernard faith, becaufe aut pneter verbum petis, aut propter ver6am non petis,that is,becaufe thou prayett either befide the word or not for the word; where- as on the other fide we have this confidence in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us, i. John 5' a 4, 15. Now for the manner ofprayer there are duties to be