A30241:603
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Sermon 24: Of vain Tautology in Prayer; And what Repetitions in Prayer are such, and what not; She…
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. We are to consider and attend to the order of our matter; That which is absolutely necessary is to be preferred before what is convenient, only what relates to Gods glory and our salvation is far to be preferred before any temporal good thing, as we see by the direction in our Lords Prayer, and by Christs command, Seek ye first the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 6.33. It's disputed whether temporal mercies may be prayed for or no, it may seem a thing below the heavenly Spirit of a Christian, but if it be lawful then it's disputed how far whether absolutely or conditionally only, and it's resolved that because temporal mercies are not promised by God absolutely, nor are they absolutely necessary to our salvation; Therefore we may pray only with submission and subordination, if it be Gods will, and so far as they may be a furtherance to our spiritual good.
2. We are to consider and attend to the order of our matter; That which is absolutely necessary is to be preferred before what is convenient, only what relates to Gods glory and our salvation is farre to be preferred before any temporall good thing, as we see by the direction in our Lords Praier, and by Christs command, Seek ye first the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 6.33. It's disputed whether temporall mercies may be praied for or no, it may seem a thing below the heavenly Spirit of a Christian, but if it be lawful then it's disputed how far whether absolutely or conditionally only, and it's resolved that because temporal mercies are not promised by God absolutely, nor are they absolutely necessary to our salvation; Therefore we may pray only with submission and subordination, if it be Gods will, and so farre as they may be a furtherance to our spiritual good.
3. There must be an attention to the words we use in our prayer as well as to the matter; That they be grave, decent and comely; That there be nothing of vanity, affectation, or irreverence; Prayer is a worship of God; When Abraham was admitted to a discourse with God, how greatly did he debase himself, he was but dust and ashes,