A

METHOD

FOR

PRAYER,

WITH

SCRIPTURE EXPRESSIONS,

PROPER TO BE USED UNDER EACH HEAD,

BY-

MATTHEW HENRY,

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT CHESTER.

A NEW EDITION, CORRECTED.

AIR:

PRINTED BY 7. AND P. WILSON,
FOR

WILLIAM BROWN, KILMARNOCK.

ELIGION is so much the business of our lives, and

R the worship of God so much the business of our

religion, that what hath a sincere intention and probable tendency to promote and assist the acts of religious worship, I think cannot be unacceptable to any that wish well to the interests of God's kingdom among men: for if we have spiritual senses exercised, true devotion, that aspiring flame of pious affections to God, as far as in a judgment of charity we discern it in others (though in different shapes and dresses, which may seem uncouth to one another) cannot but appear beautiful and amiable, and as far as we feel it in our own breasts, cannot but be found very pleasant and comfortable.

Prayer is a principal branch of religious worship which we are moved to by the very light of nature, and obliged by some of its fundamental laws. Pythagoras's golden verses begin with this precept, Whatever men make a god of they pray to; Deliver me, for thou art my God, Isa. xliv. 17. Nay, whatever they pray to, they make a god of,Deos qui rogat ille ferit. "Tis a piece of respect and homage so exactly consonant to the natural ideas which all men have of God, that it is certain those that live without prayer live without God in the world.

Prayer is the solemn and religious offering of devout acknowledgments and desires to God, or a sincere representation of holy affections, with a design to give unto God the glory due unto his name thereby, and to obtain from him promised favours, and both through the Mediator. Our English word Prayer is too strait, that properly signifies petition or request; whereas humble adoration of God and thanksgivings to him, are as necessary ry in prayer as any other part of it. The Greek word proseuche, from Euche, is a vow directed to God. The Latin word Votum is used for prayer; Jonah's mariners with their sacrifices made vows; for prayer is to move Az

2

and oblige ourselves, not to move and oblige God. Clem. Alexandrius, Strom. 7. p. 722. Edit. Colon. calls prayer (with an excuse for the boldness of the expression) Homilia pros ton Theon, 'tis conversing with God, And it is the scope of a discourse of his there, to shew that his ho gnosticos; i. e. his believer his believer (for faith is called knowledge, and p. 719 he makes his companions to be hoi homoioos bo pepisteucotes, those that have in like manner believed) lives a life of communion with God, and so is praying always; that he studies by his prayers continually to converse with God. Some (saith he) have their stated hours. of prayer, but he para bolon euchetai ton hion, prays all his life long. The scripture describes prayer to be our drawour ing near to God, lifting up our souls to him, pouring out our hearts before him.

This is the life and soul of prayer; but this soul in the present state must have a body, and that must be such as becomes the soul, and is suited and adapted to it. Some words there must be, of the mind at least, in which, as in the smoke, this incense must ascend; not that God may understand us, for our thoughts afar off are known to him: but that we may the better understand ourselves.

A golden thread of heart prayer must run through the web of the whole Christian life; we must be frequently addressing ourselves to God in short and sudden ejaculations, by which we must keep up our communion with God in providences and common actions, as well as ordinances and religious services. Thus prayer must be sparsim (a sprinkling of it) in every duty, and our eyes must be ever towards the Lord.

In mental prayer thoughts are words, and they are the firstborn of the soul, which are to be consecrated to God. But if when we pray alone, we see cause, for better fixing of our minds and exciting of our devotion, to clothe our conceptions with words; if the conceptions be the genuine products of a new nature, we would think words should not be far to seek; Verbaque pravisam rem non invita sequuntur. Nay, if the groanings be such as cannot

be uttered, he that searcheth the heart knows them to be the mind of the Spirit, and will accept of them, and answer the voice of our breathing, Lam. iii. 56. Yet through the infirmity of the flesh, and the aptness of our hearts to wander and trifle, it is often necessary that words should go first, and be kept in mind for the directing and exciting of devout affections, and in order thereunto, the assistance here offered I hope, will be of

some use.

When we join with others, in prayer who are our mouth to God, our minds must attend them, by an intelligent, believing concurrence with what is the sense, scope, and substance of what they say, and affections working in us suitable thereunto; and this the scripture directs us to signify, by saying Amen mentally, if not vocally, at their giving of thanks, 1 Cor. xvi. 16. And, as far our joining with them will permit, we may intermix pious ejaculations of our own with their addresses, provided they, be pertinent, that not the least fragment of praying time may be lost..

as

But he that is the mouth of others in prayer, whether in public or in private, and therein useth that parrosin, that freedom of speech, that holy liberty of prayer which is allowed us, and which we are sure many good Christians bave found by experience to be very comfortable and advan tageous in this duty, ought not only to consult the working of his own heart, (through them principally as putting most life and spirit into the performance), but the edification also of those that join with him; and both in matter and words should have an eye to that: and for service in that case, I principally design-this endeavour.

That bright ornament of the church, the learned Dr. Wilkins bishop of Chester, has left an excellent performance, much of the same nature with this, in his dis course concerning the gift of prayer; which, some may think, makes this of mine unnecessary: but the multiplying of books of devotion is what few serious Christians.