A Golden Chain

Of the use of the Lords prayer.

Of the vse of the Lords praier.

The principal use of the Lords prayer, is to direct gods Church in making their prayers in all places, at all times, and upon all occasions, though their prayers should be innumerable: and unless they be framed after this prayer, they cannot be acceptable unto God. In the using of it for direction there be three things required. 1. The first is the knowledge of the Lords prayer, and all the parts thereof. He that would pray by it, must understand the meaning thereof, the wants therein to be bewailed, & the graces to be desired, for which end it hath been expounded. 2. Knowing this, there is in the second place required thus much skill, that he be able to refer every want and grace to one of the six petitions: for example, feeling in himself pride of heart, he must be able to say, this is a want in the first petition: and feeling a rebellion and slowness in doing Gods commandments, he must be able to say, this is a sin to be prayed against in the third petition. Thus every want he must refer to his proper head: again, he must refer every grace to be desired to one of the six petitions: as strength in temptation to the sixth: affiance in Gods providence to the fourth: knowledge of God to the first, &c. and so in the rest. 3. In the third place, he must before he pray, consider what be his wants and imperfections which most trouble him, as also the graces which he would obtain: then for the helping of his memory, he must go to the petitions, & he must set those things first in his mind, which concern the first petition: and those which concern the second petition, must have the second place in his mind, and so he must proceed in order as he shall have occasion. Thus a man keeping in mind the order of the petitions as they stand, shall be able by referring every grace and want to his proper head, to make distinct prayer: and to vary it as time, place, and other occasions shall move him.