Prayer, as he had done before in giving Alms, viz. Hypocriſie and Oſtentation ;, doing this Duty upon thar Deſign, meerly to be ta- ken notice of, and applauded by Men; it was Lawful to pray ſtanding in the Synagogues, but not to do it meerly to be taken no- tice of by Men for devour Perſons; nor yet to confine them- ſelves to Praying in the Synagrgues, 1t they choſe to pray /tard- ing, that rhey might be more Conſpicuous, and in the Synazogues ; becauſe thoſe places were more Holy (as they might Dream) or, (which ſeems rather to be here meant) becaute there moit Peo- ple would ſee them, for which purpoſe only rhey choſe Corners of Streets, as was the old Popiſh Cuſtom, (upon which Accounc they ſet up Croſſes at three Way-leers, g9c.) theſe things were ſinful; bur to pray ſtanding was uſual, Mar. 11, 25. And to pray in the Synagogues, and in the Temple ſtanding was uſual, Luke 18. 13. By choſe who do it meerly for Vain-glory, have their Reward, and muſt expe& none from God.
6 Butthou, when thou prayeſt, * enter into thy
ſeeth in ſecret, ſhall reward th-e openly.
By this, publick Prayer 1s not Condemned, bur ſecret Prayer is Eſtabliſhed, and made every Chriſtian's Dury ; and Chriſtiansare warned nor to think, thar their Duty of Prayer is difch<rged by their going ro Places of Publick Worſhip and Praying there: Bur that which our Saviour here cautioneth us againſt, is Oſtent ation, by which Men may as much offend in cheir Cloſers as elſewhere ; where-ever we pray, we muſt take heed that our Ends be right, thar the Glory of God he our Principal End, and yielding Obe- dience to his Command; and there is no better Means in order ro this, than the right ſerting of God before our Eyes, as he that
ſeeth in ſecret, and knoweth the moſt ſecret Defigns, Scopes and
Intentions of our Hearts, and who, it we chus perform our Duty, will reward us of his Free Grace and Mercy; not as Perſons, who by our Prayers have merited any thing at his hand, (for whar Merit can there be in our Prayers?) but as having ſhewed our Obedience to his Will, and in the fulfilling of thoſe many Pro- miſes which he hath made to thoſe thar ſeek his Face, for the hearing of their Prayers.
7 But when ye pray, uſe not vain repetitions, as the Heathens do : for they think they ſhall be heard for their much ſpeaking.
3 Be not ye therefore like unto them : for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of; before
ye ask him.
Ir appeareth from hence, and from what followerh alſo, thac
the Praying here ſpoken of, is //3cal Prayer, not the meer Homage
which the Heart payeth ro God, by a Recognition of him as the
Fountain of all Good, and our ſecrer Deſires that God would
ſupply our Wants, bur rhe Expreſſion of thoſe Deſires by the Words
of our Mouths, which is that Dary which the Scripture generally
calleth Prayer, and is moſt certainly a Duty incumbent on every
Perſori, Nor are Repetitions of the ſame Requeſts in Prayer, or
much ſpeaking, (chat is, Praying to ſome length of time) here abſo- lutely forbidden : Our Saviour betore his Patſion prayed thrice
for the ſame thing within a ſhorc Compaſs of time, (tho' he did not uſt the ſame Words) and Lyke 5, 1 2. He —_—_— all Night in Prayer to God, Bur that which is here forbidden, is an Opinion of being heard for our long Prayers, and uſing vain Repetitions, as the Prieſts of Baal; continued from Morning to Night, crying, O Baal, hear us! O Baal, hear 1s! ( as if their God had been aſleep, or gone a Journey, as the Prophet mockerh them, 1 Kin. 18.27,28.) Repetitions are then vain, when they are affeFed, and flow from ſome irreverent Thoughts we have of God : Nor when they are, as it were, forced from the Heat and Intenſion of our Affe&ions. The like is to be ſaid of much ſpeabing in Prayer. Long Prayers are not to be Condemned, but the Afe#ation of them 1s; and /ong Prayers upon Pretences and Defigns are : Bur when the Mind 1s attent, and the AffeFioms fervent, length of Prayer is no faulr, eſpecially upon folemn Occafions, when we come not to ask a particular Mercy at the Hand of God, nc? for a particular Perſon or Family : Bur Repetitions, after the manner of Heathens, are Condemned as proceeding from Irre- verent Thoughts of God, as if he did nor know what things we have need of, or were like a Man to be prevail'd upon by a mal- ticude of Words.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye; * Our Fa-
ther which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Nor always in theſe Words, bur always to this Senſe, and in chis Manner. None ever thought Chriſtians obliged ro uſe no other Words than theſe in Prayer, tho' none miuſt deny the Lawful- neſs of ufing thoſe Words which Chriſt hath fanttified. [ 4frer this manner] Firſt ſeeking the Kingdom of God, and begging thoſe chings which more immediately concern God's Glory, and then thoſe rhings which more immediately concern your felves. Or, After this manner, praying only in particular for ſuch things 25 are more generally couched in the following Petitions. | Our Father which art in Heaven.) A Compellation ſpeaking our Faith, oth in the Power, and in the Goodneſs of God z; our eying him as in Heaven, ſpeaketh. his Power, P/al. 115. 3- Our confidering
b ny their Reward : Others ſhall have their Reward from God, '? Jeeth - _ and ſo needeth nor ſuch a Publication of our Ol. IL,
him as our Father, ſpeaks our Faith in his Goodneſs, Mart. 7. 11. [ Hallowed be thy Name.) God's Nante is whatſoever he hath made | Aaa2 : himſelt
VL
* 2 Bin. 4-
330
* Luk. Its
I
Chap. VI.
kimfelf known by. Let the Lord be Glorified in every thing, whereby he harh made himſelf known.
10 Thy Kingdom come: Thy Will be done in
Earth, aszt zs in Heaven.
Let the Lord rule over all the Nations of the Earth, and = them be treely ſubje& ro his Laws, and ro his Son Jeſus _ . Let the Goſpel of the Kingdom be publiſhed, and proſper, by net ing all Thoughts into a Captivity to it. And ler the mY _ of God come more within the Hearts of all Men, and ha ent - Revelations of the Kingdom of Glory, Ler the Will of tne _ be every-where done, and thar on Earth, with as much F oy = and Cheerfulneſs, and with as little Reluftancy as 17 15 gone y the Angels and Saints in Heaven. Theſe three firſt + of great Cognation one to another; God 15 then glor! _ _ his Kingdom is advanced; and his Kingdom is then IY al, when there is moſt free and cheertul Obedience y1e:ded T9 Will. The ſum is, Let God be glorified.
11 Give us this day, our daily bread.