are taught by him to pray in spirit and in truth. For what prayer can any man think more spiritual than a prayer which is given us by Christ himself, who also sent the Holy Spirit to us? What prayer can any man imagine to have more truth in it than that which came out of his mouth, who is truth itself? Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let us pray as God himself hath been pleased to teach us: those petitions are most likely to be well received by him which are drawn in his form, and by his order, and conceived in the very words of his own dear Son. The words of a Son so dear cannot but be acceptable to a Father so indulgent. So that when we pray to God, he who dwelleth in our hearts, should also direct our lips. And since we have him for our "advocate with the Father," to make intercession for our sins; when we, wretched sinners, are begging the pardon of God for our offences, we should chuse to do it in the words of our righteous advocate. For since we have a gracious assurance from him, that "whatsoever we shall ask of the Father in his name, he will give it to us;" with how much greater success and efficacy are we likely to ask when we not only use his name in asking, but also his very words?

3. Now when we are presenting our petitions to the throne of grace, we should do it with reverence and godly fear. We should consider ourselves as standing then in the more immediate presence of

God; and therefore the gesture of our bodies, and the modulation of our voices, should be formed into a fitness for bearing his observation. For as it is a mark of confidence and boldness to be clamorous and noisy, so there is a certain decorum in the tone of the voice, which speaks the modesty of an humble petitioner. Our Lord hath therefore recommended secret prayer to us, that it should be offered in our most private retirements, in our closets and our chambers, as most agreeable to our belief and persuasion of God's omnipresence, that he beholds and regards us all, and filleth all places, even the darkest corners, with the glory of his majesty, as it is written of him : "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord.

and earth? saith the Lord."

Do not I fill heaven

And again: "The

eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." These were the rules observed by Hannah (herein no improper type of the christian church,) who prayed to God in the retirement of her soul, not in loud and clamorous strains, but in secret and silent ejaculations: Yet though her prayer was secret, her faith was not so; if her voice did not speak for her, yet her heart did; she knew that God would hear her addressing him in such a manner; she asked in faith, and therefore obtained her request. Thus the holy scripture hath represented her case and

circumstances, saying, that "she spake in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard:" And the Lord hearkened unto her. We read also in the book of psalms: "Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." Now whosoever pretends to worship God should bear in his mind the manner wherein the publican is represented praying in the temple together with the pharisee, neither with eyes nor hands lifted up to heaven; as if he were confidently sure of acceptance there; but, "smiting upon his breast," and acknowledging his sinfulness, he besought the mercies of God to pardon and succour him. The pharisee was much delighted with, and depended much upon, his own performances; and accordingly the other was thought a fitter object of God's acceptance, who placed not the hope of it in any assurances of his own innocence (since there is none who sinneth not) but humbly confessed his sin to God; and God, who is ever ready to extend his compassions to the meek and contrite, hearkened to his prayer. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, since these things are taught us out of the holy scriptures; and since we are thence instructed how we ought to pray; let us learn from the same authority, what we are to pray for: "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily

bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: Amen."

4. The first thing hence observable is that our great preacher of peace and unity enjoined not his prayer to be used by any man for himself alone, or for his own particular occasions, exclusive of other men's interests and concernments. We are not taught by it to say, My Father which art in heaven; nor, give me this day my daily bread; nor doth any man ask for his own debts in particular, that they may be forgiven him; nor that he only may not be led into temptation, or delivered from evil. No. Our prayer is general, and when we pray, we pray not for any single person, but for our whole body; because, indeed, all christian people are but one body. God, who is the author of peace and concord, and hath recommended unity to us in such a pressing manner, would have one to pray for all, even as he himself vouchsafed to be our commom representative, and bore us all* in one single person. This rule of This rule of prayer we find observed by the three youths when shut up in the fiery furnace; they perfectly accorded together in a unity of spirit and of prayer. Then " "they

* Quomodo in uno omnes ipse portavit, viz. by being our representative, and the common head of so many members; by wearing our nature, and being found in fashion as a man; and by suffering in his own person for us all.

three (saith the holy scripture) sang an hymn to God, and blessed him, as it were, with one mouth" They spake in their prayer as if they had all but one mouth to speak with; and yet Christ had not then appeared in the flesh to teach them how they should pray; but their words were therefore powerful and successful, and they obtained by them what they asked for, because God is ever ready to hear a prayer like theirs, accompanied with holy dispositions, and uttered in the unity of the spirit, and the bond of peace. Thus we learn that the apostles also prayed with the rest of our Lord's disciples after his ascension. "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with his brethren." They continued, it is said, with one accord in prayer; an example, this, and a double proof of their fervency in it, and of their unity; for God, indeed, "who maketh men to be of one mind in a house," will admit none into the mansions of eternity, but such only as are of "one accord in prayer." Now it is admirable to consider, my beloved brethren, how many matters of the greatest moment are collected together and contained in the Lord's prayer; how few are the words, and how mighty is their sense and energy; insomuch that the whole sum and substance of the gospel is indeed there abridged, and reduced within the narrow compass of that excellent formulary!