and not killed; as forrowful, yet always rejoycing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet poffeffing all Things.

A fhort View of that great and folemn Duty of PRAY E R.

WHEN we pray in the PUBLICK Affemblies, or in private Families of the Lord's People, we ought carefully to guard against all Impertinence of Expreffion, and Indecency of Sounds or Deportment; to prevent all which, confider well the Frame of thy Heart, that thou art in a meek and quiet Difpofition, being calm in thy Mind; this will keep thee, that the Heat of thy own Spirit, in a mistaken blind Zeal, hurry thee not too fast, without a right understanding of the Ability receiv'd by the Spirit of Prayer; for the fame Spirit which affifteth us in the Miniftry, will likewife in Prayer; without the Help of which, we can perform neither as we ought. But I have observed fome, by a Tranfport of Zeal (rather Paffion) go into a Flow of Words, without a right Understanding either of their own Spirits or of the Spirit of Prayer, but in a confused manner directing their Matter to the People in a way of Preaching, and then to the Almighty in a way of Prayer, and then returning again to the People, which hath made it very tirefome, and could ferve no other End than to expofe the Parties con

cern'd

cern'd to Pity or Contempt, and bring Reproach on the Principle they profefs. Such Conduct plainly demonftrates, that there is want of both the Spirit and Understanding, fo effential to the Performance of this folemn Duty.

Our bleffed Saviour in Matthew vi. having firft fet the falfe and fictitious Prayer in a true Light, teaches his Difciples their Duty herein, Verse 9. faying, After this manner therefore pray ye; and then lays down that most beautiful and comprehenfive Form of Prayer, so plain, that I have not met with any to equal it. But with how little Thought, Confideration or Seriousness, is it frequently repeated by fundry that ufe it? I am fearful it is little better in many, than taking the Lord's Name in vain. It therefore ought to be seriously confider'd by all, that in ufing that, or any other Prayer, they are in fome Degree qualified by the Spirit fo to do, whether it be in publick or in private; for publick Prayer, in its Nature, is adapted to befeech the Divine Majesty to confirm by his Word the various Branches of Doctrine that may have been before deliver'd, and to ftrengthen that Faith begot by the Gospel preached, and to increase Vigour in the pure Mind stirred up in the Hearers, by the Infpiration of the divine Word. The royal Pfalmift prayed the Lord, Pfal. li. 15. faying, O Lord, open thou my Lips, and my Mouth fhall fhew forth thy Praife. And when our Lips are thus opened, this is the right Qualification to true Prayer; and it will edifie and comfort the Hearers who are alive to God, fo that the Right-minded will all fay AMEN.

FINI S.