Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

of the Yoyee i rprayer. s z ed to lift them up,that their miniftery in prayer may be unto them a bond to tie them from wickedneffe and S feparation from malicioufneffe : That when thou art about to ufe rapine or oppreffion, or to ílrike another, thou mayeft remember that thou muff lift up thefe hands to God for thy patrones and benefanours, and that with them thou mutt offer unto God a fpirituall facrifice, and therefore ought- eft not to confound or difable them, nor fpoil them of their confidence by making them infiruments in an evil anion. Cleanfe them therefore by alms, by mercy, and defenfe of the needy , and fo offer and lift them up in prayer. CHAP. XXII. of the Yoyce to be ufedin prayer. OOncerning the voice it may be demanded whe- ther it be needfull in prayer, Peeing the Lord heareth as well and regardeth more the prayer of the heart then the voyce of the mouth. And this doth Elias liignifie r .Kings i 8.2 7. when he mock - eth Baals priefls, faying, Cry aloud: he is agod,infinu- ating that if he were a god he could heare them though they did not cry aloud. I anfwer, That the vinfv. voyce is needfull not in refpeâ of the Lord, who heareth and refpeneth efpecially the cry of the hearr,but in refpen of us and others with whom we pray,& therefore is to be ufed when it may conveni- ently,for the reafons before alledged. Indeed fome- times in the private prayer of one alone it is more convenient to ufe the inward fpeech of the heart alone,