Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

r 3 8 What the are to think of externporall prayer. as we have conceived in our meditation, that fo we may with David call our prayer our meditation. Neither do I doubt, but that a good deliire, vow or promife made in prayer upon former deliberation is more accepted of God, and is like to be more confront, and may likewife be uttered with bet- ter fervency of affeion and begged with more affurance of faith then that which is rally uttered upon a fudden. And therefore Salomon faith, Be not rafh with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hafly to utter any word before God, Eccles 5. 1. Neither do I condemn all that feem to pray ex tempore: For as his faculty is to be commended that is fo well fludied in Divinity and exercifed in preaching as that he is able to preach as it were ex tempore ; not that he cafteth himfelf upon extraordinary ïnfpira- tions, but is inabled by the help of his former au- dies and exercife: fo is his faculty to be commended who is fo well ftudied in Divinity and exercifed in applying the feverall parts of religion to the ufe of prayer that he is able as it were ex tempore to con- ceive a prayer ; not that in fo doing he cafleth him - felfupon the extraordinary infpiration of the holy Spirit, but is inabled by the help of his former flu- dies and meditations. A let form is Now if I be asked the quef}ion, Whether is retoe d bbe ef p ore refer ex - better, a fet form of prayer or a prayer conceived; temporepray_ I anfwer by diflinbion : For ifthey fpeak of fuch a er without prayer as is conceived ex tempore without former preceding Rudy and meditation by fuch an one as expecieth m extraordinary infpiration, meaning to pray as the fpirit íhall move him; I anfwer, that a fet form is to