Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

366 Duties which ought to be performed in prayer. . a duty of charity to defire and to further the falva.: tion of our brethren. And this duty as it belongeth to all fo efpecially to thofe that are governours of others, either in the Church or Commonwealth. Examples : of Mofes, who oft flood in the gap, Pfal.106.23. Exod.32.2I,3 2. NUM. 4.19. Samu- el, r.Sam. 12.23. Neither are we to pray for oiir friends and well - willers alone, but alto for them that hate and perfecute us, according to the precept and praUice of our Saviour, Matth. 5.44. Luke 23. 34. and the holy martyr Stephen, As 7. 6o. And as we are to pray the Lord to forgive them, fo muff we as willingly forgive them as we defire to be for- given of the Lord : neither can we in truth of hoart defire God to forgive them, if we do nor. Duties in prayer. Dunes ire . The duties which here we are taught to perform I. more pe- in prayer are either more peculiar to this kind of de- culiar. precation, or common. The former is Confeffion, which muff concurre with Deprecation of pardon, and goeth before pardon; as appeareth Pfal.32.3,5' . Prov. 28.13. I. John r. 9. Num. 5.7. Examples; 2.Sam.I2.13. Luke 15.21. Now this confeffion is to be made of unknown finnes generally ; as Pfal. 19.12. of known f nnes particularly; Ifai.59.12,13 . And to this end it will be profitable to examine our hearts and our lives by the law of God, taking a view of the duties therein commanded and vices forbidden, that we may par, ticularly fee and acknowledge what duties we have omitted and what vices we have committed. common. The common duties ; That we pray in fervency, faith,