(through them principally, as putting moft life and fpirit into the performance) but the edification alfo of thofe that join with him; and both in matter and words fhould have an eye to that: And for service in that cafe I principally defign this endeavour.

That bright ornament of the church, the learned Dr Wilkins, bishop of Chester, hath left us an excellent performance, much of the fame nature with this, in his difcourfe concerning the gift of prayer ; which, fome may think, makes this of mine unneceffary: But the multiplying of books of devotion is what few serious chriftians will complain of: And as on the one hand I am fure those that have this poor effay of mine will ftill find great advantage by that, fo on the other hand I think those who have that may yet find fome further affiftance by this.

It is defirable that our prayers fhould be copious. and full; our burthens, cares and wants are many, fo are our fins and mercies. The promifes are numerous and very rich, our God gives liberally, and hath bid us open our mouths wide, and he will fill them, will fatisfy them with good things. We are not ftraitened in him, why then fhould we be stinted and ftrained in our own bofoms? Chrift had taught his difciples the Lord's prayer, and yet tells them, (John xvi. 24.) that "hitherto they had asked nothing," .e. nothing in comparifon with what they fhould afk when the fpirit thould be poured out, to abide with the church for ever; and they should see greater things than these. Then afk, and ye hall receive, that your joy may be full. We are encouraged to be particular in prayer, and in every thing to make our request known to God, as we ought alfo to be particular in the adoration of the divine perfections, in the confeflion of our fins, and our thankful acknowledgment of God's mercies.

But fince at the fame time we cannot go over a tenth part of the particulars which are fit to be the matter of prayer without making the duty burthenfome to the flesh, which is weak even where the fpirit is

willing, (an extream that ought carefully to be avoided) and without danger of intrenching upon other religious exercises, it will be requifite that what is but briefly touched upon at one time, fhould be enlarged apon at another time; and herein this ftorehouse of materials for prayer may be of ufe to put us in remembrance of our several errands at the throne of grace, that none may be quite forgotten.

And it is requifite to the decent performance of the duty, that some proper method be observed, not only that what is faid to be good, but that it be faid. in its proper place and time; and that we offer not any thing to the glorious majefty of heaven and earth which is confufed, impertinent, and indigefted. Care must be taken then more than ever, that we be not "rash with our mouth, nor hafty to utter any thing before God;" that we fay not what comes uppermoft, nor ufe fuch repetitions as evidence not the fervency, but the barrennefs and flightnefs of our fpirits; but that the matters we are dealing with God about being of fuch vaft importance, we obferve a decorum in our words, that they be well chofen, well weighed, and well placed.

And as it is good to be methodical in prayer, fo it is to be fententious: The Lord's prayer is remarkably fo; and David's pfalms, and many of St Paul's prayers, which we have in his epiftles: We must confider that the greatest part of those that join with us in prayer will be in danger of lofing or mistaking the fenfe, if the period be long, and the parentheses many; and in this, as in other things, they that are ftrong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak: Jacob must lead as the children, and flocks can follow. As to the words and expreflions we ufe in prayer, though I have here in my enlargements upon the feveral heads of prayer confined myself almost wholly to Scripture language, becaufe I would give an inftance of the fufliciency of the Scripture to furnish us for every good work, yet I am far from thinking, but

that it is convenient, and often neceflary to ufe other. expreflions in prayer, befides thofe that are purely fcriptural; only I would advife that the facred dialect be molt ufed, and made familiar to us and others in our dealing about facred things; that language christian people are molt accustomed to, moit affected with, and will most readily agree to; and where the fcriptures are opened and explained to the people in the miniftry of the word, feripture-language will be molt intelligible, and the fenfe of it beft apprehended. This is found fpeech that cannot be condemned;" and thofe that are able to do it, may do well to enlarge by way of defcant or paraphrafe upon the fcriptures they make ufe of; ftill fpeaking according to that rule, and comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual, that they may illuf trate each other.

And it is not to be reckoned a perverting of fcripture, but is agreeable to the ufage of many divines, efpecially the fathers, and I think is warranted by divers quotations in the New Teftament, out of the Old, to alude to a Scripture phrafe, and to make use of it by way of accommodation to another fenfe than what was the firft intendment of it, provided it agree with the analogy of faith. As for inftance, thofe words, Pfal. lxxxvii. 7. "All my fprings are in

thee," may very fitly be applied to God, though there it appears, by the femenine article in the origi nal, to be meant of Zion; Nor has it ever been thought any wrong to the Scripture phrafe, to pray for the "bleflings of the upper fprings and the nether

fprings," though the expreffion from whence it is borrowed, Judg. i. 15. hath no reference at all to what we mean; but by common use every one knows the fignification, and many are pleafed with the fignificancy of it.

Divers heads of prayer may no doubt be added to those which I have here put together, and many feripture expreffions too, under each head (for I have only

fet down fuch as first occured to my thoughts) and many other expreffions too, not in fcripture words, which may be very comprehenfive and emphatical, and apt to excite devotion. And perhaps those who covet earnestly this excellent gift, and covet to excel in it, may find it of use to them to have fuch a book as this interleaved, in which to infert fuch other heads and expreffions as they think will be moft agreeable to them, and are wanting here. And though I have here recommended a good method for prayer, and that which has been generally approved, yet I am far from thinking we should always tie ourselves to it; that may be varied as well as the expreffion: Thankfgivings may very aptly be put fometimes before confeffion or petition, or our interceffion for others before our petitions for ourfelves, as the Lord's prayer. Sometimes one of these parts of prayer may be enlarged upon much more than another; or they may be decently interwoven in fome other method: Ars eft celare artem.

There are thofe (I doubt not) who at fometimes have their hearts fo wonderfully elevated and enlarged in prayer, above themselves at other times; fuch a fixednefs and fulness of thought, fuch a fervor of pious and devout affections, the product of which is fuch a fluency and variety of pertinent and moving expreffions, and in such a just and natural method, that then to have an eye to fuch a scheme as this, would be a hindrance to them, and would be in danger to cramp and straiten them: If the heart be full of its good matter, it may make the tongue as the pen of a ready writer. But this is a cafe that rarely happens, and ordinarily there is need of propofing to ourfelves a certain method to go by in prayer, that the service may be performed decently and in order; in which yet one would avoid that which looks too formal. A man may write ftraight without having his paper ruled.

Some few forms of prayer I have added in the last

chapter, for the ufe of those who need fuch helps, and that know not how to do as well or better without them; and therefore I have calculated them for families. If any think them too long, let them obferve that they are divided into many paragraphs, and thofe moftly independent, fo that when brevity is ne ceffary, fome paragraphs may be omitted.

But after all, the intention and close application of. the mind, the lively exercifes of faith and love, and the outgoings of holy defire towards God, are fo effentially neceffary to prayer, that without thefe in fincerity, the best and most proper language is but a lifelefs image. If we had the tongue of men and angels, and have not the heart of humble ferious christians in prayer, we are but as founding brafs and a tinkling cymbal. It is only the effectual fervent prayer, the denois eiergumene, the in-wrought, in-laid prayer that avai's much. Thus, therefore, we ought to approve ourfelves to God in the integrity of our hearts, whether we pray by, or without a pre-compofed form.

If any good chriftians, receive afliftance from it in their devotions, I hope they will not deny me one request, which is, that they will pray for me, that F may obtain mercy of the Lord, to be found among the faithful watchmen on Jerufalem's walls, who never hold their peace, day or night, but give themselves to the word and prayer, that at length I may finish my courfe with joy.

Chester, March

25. 1710.

MATTH. HENRY..