Chap.6. according t® St M A T T H r. v v ., 197 r Sarn.zt.15. with Tfàt1.5.5. He is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy Words befew; Ecclef 5.z. Prayers move God, not as an Oratourmoves his hearers, but as achilde his fa- ther, (year Father knaweth that ye bave needofall . thrfe things, ver.8 ) Now a childe is not to chat to his father , but to 'deliver his minde, humbly, earnefly, in few, direct to the poinr. S. Peter would have men to befober in prayer, that is,topray a t et4.7. with due refpect to Gods dreadfull majefty, without trifling or vain babling. He that is fervent in fpirir, praxes much,thoughhe ¡peaklittle, as the Publican, Luk r 8. and Elias, t King. 2o.,36. But as abody without a foul, much wood without fire, a bullet in a gun without powder; fo are words in prayer without Ipirit. Now long prayers can hardly maintain their vigour : as in tall bo- dies,the fpirits are diffufed. The ftrongeft hand long extended will languifh, as Moles hand ¡lacked againft Amalec : Its a praifepro- per to God, to have his handflretcht out .fill. Our infirmity fuf- fers not any long intentionof bodyor mincie. Our devotion will Moon lag and hang the wing : others alfo that join with us, may be tiredbut, and made to finne by wearinefle and wandrings. in fe- cret indeed, and inextraordinary prayer with folemn fafting;or fo, when the heart is extraordinarily enlarged, our prayers may and muff belikewife. Solomon prayed long at the dedication of the Temple, fo did thofe godly Levites,Neh.9. Our Saviour prayed 1 .41.1us ab r all night fometimes, and riling stp a great while befire day, heeaium. rrec went apart andprayed,Mar. r.3 5. OfLather it is reported, that borax, eafq;fla he (pent conftantly three honresaday inprayer, and three of the diiè apti3Omw,, belt honres, and fitteft for Rudy. It was the layingof a grave and orarioae,n godly Divine, that he profited in the knowledgeof the word,more P'nat Yitus by prayer in a fhort (pace, then by Rudy in a longer. That which 0e0Liai in EpifE, á1 Me. our Saviour contemneth,is needleffeand heartlefle repetitions, un- 1anchehonem. neceflary digéfiions, tedious prolixities, proceeding not from warn s Thc- heat of af(edion,or. Ifrength ofdelire (forfo, therepetitionof the 01. Rules. Pelf-fame petition; is not only lawfull,but ufefull. See Pfal.t 42.2. pan 9 t 7 ' and 130.6.) but either out ofoftentation ofdevotion,as Pharifees, R23r. 14'39' or opinion of being heard the fooner, as Heathens, when mens ctords exceed their matter, or both words and matter exceed their attention and affection. See that theCebe matches, and then pray and fparenot. For they thinke they Jhall be heard fir their muchfreaking] As Orpheus, in his hymnes, andother Pagans : calling as the Ma-. 0 3 riners
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