q.ao OfPrayerandMeditatión. Prayer an ex. 4 And nomaruellthoughour nature befo bird ro pray asthinking ita thing painful( ercifemoft teeing among manyexerctfes iris molt profitable. The word maketh knotven tóvsthe $table. -riches ofGodsloue,anditrengthenethfaith: prayerfeeleththepowerofit ,audconfinueth ,, with feelings. The word telleth vs that God bath a care ofhispeople, prayer proueth that ,, Godbatha care ofbis people.The word faith,God is merciful! : prayerIndetli bypraf}ife that God is merciful.The word fpeakeehofthemaiedie,power,andgoodnes ofGod:pray_ erobtaineth the experienceofthe tnaießie,power,and goodnesofGod.lfa mancommetti ,, to knowledge,faith,andcomforts by hearing, it is ratheran infufron fromGod intoman, then an aLdionproceeding from a man toGod : but if wetafteof thepower ofthefe things ,, by prayer,as there is an infufion fromGod as the author,fo thereis an a&ion fromman as the agentand indrument. This gift of prayer is alto a nurfe of repentance, becau(eout prayers looke with bioudrecheekes, as readietoblufh, when with guiltie confciences we come before the Lord. If weMould haue a fate to a prince, wewould be loath he fhould haue a Tuft complaint ofour rebellion to lay aphidvs, for feare of repulfeor ofa won't thing, wewould notavillinglyhaue our acculer and before him, whenweare fusers vota Simile.' him: muchsnore arewe-to feareour Irypocrifie, ifwe prefutne in wilful)difobedience, to prayvnto theprince of thefpirits,and fearcher of all mens hearts.Andifwecan be boldto pray inthe hypocrifìe ofour hearts to furlsaGod; wemuli nerdes either beabafhedwith. out comfort,or aftoniedwithout feelings, wethat' findeourprayers either accufed, or ac- ,o curfed,orboth. 5 Although there was but aweakefaith inMufis, whenheprayed, yea though itfee- .Rtofee infrmi- midrather to be an expoftulation then a prayer,Exod.5.22,23.yet the Lord refpeâedhis tieiuprover. faith, and pardonedhisinfirmitie. Exod.6. r,2,3y&c. So greatis the Lord in mercy, and readre to heare thofe that call vponhim though inweaknes, which may.not onely!erue to moue vs topray,but alto allúrevs that the Lordwill heare vs. 6 Ifany would know atrue faith then, trieitby onefpeciall fruitthereof: ifonrfaith, rriallofour moueth vs toprayer, it is true : and fomuch faith, fo muchprayer, which will takeaway Jàetb byprayer. doubting, and confirmevs more inGodsgoodnes.Where areconfuted thofe which lay,if Godsprovidence rule ouer all,what needethprayer ? For then hadMofes,and thechildren of Ifrael prayed invaine: and David(aith,Pia1.3q.The Lordscare is open to our prayers. ButifthepromifetofGod,whereon our faith :sgrotendedmakevsto refraineprayerfrom theLord; it is manifeflwe are toofecare,and carnallyminded: meare tofeare that outfaith itfalfe. 7. In that the Lord heard Mofes in prayer, we mayafire our felues that he will al(ó heare vs ï forfrom a particular examplemay begathereda general! dodríne,as is euident by the like gathering of Iam.5. of theprayer ofEleab: fo that wefhall either haue.thacwe Prayer brings eouet,orelitfome fpirituallrecompence ; onlythis let vscarefor, that webe righteous, feelingandex. faithful!,andcontinueinprayer,andthen( hall wehauecomfortin ourfelues.Forreading perience. getteth knowledge,butprayer is that,thatgetteth feeling and experience. 8 Nótwithflanding the Lord had promsfed by themouth of Afofes, that bee would . glue dciisseeanceto tine hfrariites, yetliceceafetis not (although lice was lureiy perfaadnd that the Lordwould performehispromife) to pray forthe fame, &chainmolt hartie and YhepromifisofferuentaffeEtion: men ( o didEllah, when hepraied forraine,whichhee knewwould.crr Godougbtto tamely be, which teacheth vs firlt , that Gods promifesdoe notmake Inchas feare him to (tirvsvpvnto be careleffe,butcareful!to vfe the meanes. Secondly, thatfaith willalwaies thew it(rife in p es praier,and the ftrongerfaith is,the more vehement (hail be our prayer. Itis faid5rhat Mo- fir cryed and yet hedid not fpeake aword, fo the holy woman Haimah, t .Sam. 0.5. Praied Tearernotal_ in thevery bstternes of her fpirir,yetvttered not a wotd,which teacheth vs that the hartie tepid byvoyce. prayer onite pearceth the cloudes and is heard of God, and thevoice isno furtherheard, then thevehemencieof thefpirit cloth caufe it. For as the bullet-out of theGrynne, or an arrowout ofa bow, to out of the aboundance of ourheart mud our prayers proceede. Simile. Therefore the voicemay be vied in private praiers,to threevp theaffeItions, and to keep the mimic fromwandring,andm publrke prayers,becaufeGodwill bee glorified in route and bodie,and that othersmay beedified; but bothpublikely and privately,it isthe heart oncly chat is accepted, p The
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