Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

Who are to perform the duty of prayer. ceflitie of the means ; as being the means ordained by God for the obteining of all good things which he bath either purpofed or promifed to bellow up- on us for our good : fo that if we ask aright, we have; if we ask not we have not, as S. James faith chap. 4. 3.1Vecefsitate figni, neceffitie of the figne; as being a neceffarie figne and cognizance of all true Chriflians, who are defcribed in the Scripture to be fuch as call upon the name of God : As contrari- wife the foolifh Atheift who faith in bis heart,*There is no God, is deciphered by this note, that he lath not call upon the Lord, Pfal. i 4.4. In which refpeds the holy man Daniel held the performance of this du- tie fo neceffary, that when the king had publifhed a decree which might not be revoked, That whofoe- ver fhould ask a petition of either God or man fave of the king for thirtie dayes , he fhould be call into the lions den, he chofe rather to be call into the den of the lions,then to omit this dutie but thirty dayes, Dan. 6. neither did he omit it one day; fee verf. z o. 33 CHAP. IX. Who are to perform the dutie of prayer. A Nd thus you have heard that it is required of all to call upon God : Now let us confider That to e what is required in all thofe that do call upon him. oneI read That I expreffed in the definition, when I defined mitted to prayer to be a fpeech of the faithfull, or, as the holy pray Ghoft flyleth them alfo, the righteous, the godly, the Saints of God. Where by the way note , that all faithfull and true Chriftians are righteous, are god- ly,