Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

of the thins for which me muff pray. The things which we crave for our felves ( under which word I comprehend all men)is either the be_. flowing, continuing and increafing of fome good, or elfe deliverance or prefervation from evil. In which regard prayer is either,rvoux ,I, precatio Boni, prayer for good; or An, , deprecatio mall, deprecati- Pn_g.r47. on of evil. fpootix; rzz,.) ' vr'v ávO'Bre ;% hs ooy 24,3,4, Prayer is the defirin of good concerning holy things made unto God, faith Ball. Phil. 4.6. I .Tim.2. r . Objet. It was Paid before that the matter or objed of our prayer mull be good; how then can prayer ad- mit a diflinélion in refpeCt of good and evil. efínfv. The avoiding or taking away of evil is good :.A- motio mali habet rationem boni , Removing of evil bath the reafon of good : And , as the Oratour faith, Bellum eft cawere malum , It is a good thing to fhun evil. And hereupon the benefits of God are diflinguifhed into pofitive, which are reali benefits; and privative, which is deliverance or prefervation from evil. The good things which we crave for our felves belong either to the obteining of a better life, or for the mainteining of this life: the former are commonly called fpirituall bleflings,and the lat- ter temporal!. The fpirituall bleffings (I mean fo many as are neceífary to falvation) we are to ask abfolutely; be- caufe fuch fpirituall bleflings are abfolutely fubordi- nated to Gods glory and mans falvation. And fe- condly,among thofe things which we crave for our felves they are firíl to be defired and fought,Matth. 6, 33. And that order our Saviour obferveth in the Lords