The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

The Sixth evil that there is in a murmuring spirit, is this, By murmuring you undo your prayers, for it is exceeding contrary to the prayers that you make unto God: When you come to prayer to God, you acknowledge his Sovereignty over you, you come there to profess your selves to be at Gods dispose, what do you pray for except you acknowledge that you are at his dispose, except you will stand (as it were) at his dispose never come to petition to him, if you will come to petition him, and yet will be your own carver you go cross to your prayers, to come as if you would beg your bread at your Fathers gates every day, and yet you must do what you list, this is the undoing of the prayers of a Christian. I remember I have read of Latimer that speaking concerning Peter that denied his master, (saith he) Peter forgot his Pater-noster, for that was, hallowed be thy name, and thy kingdom come: So we may say, when you have murmuring and discontented hearts you forget your prayers, you forget what you have prayed for, for you must make the Lords-prayer to be as a pattern for your prayers though you say not always the same words, what do you pray, but give us this day our daily bread? for that's Christs intention that we should have that as a pattern, and is a directory (as it were) how to make our prayers, now God doth not teach any of you to pray, Lord give me so much a year, or let me have such kind of cloth, and so many dishes at my table, Christ doth not teach you to pray so; but he teaches us to pray, Lord give us our bread, showing that you should be content with a little, what have you not bread to eat? I hope there's none of you here but have that.

The Sixth evil that there is in a murmuring spirit, is this, By murmuring you undo your prayers, for it is exceeding contrary to the prayers that you make unto God: When you come to prayer to God, you acknowledge his Sovereignity over you, you come there to professe your selves to be at Gods dispose, what do you pray for except you acknowledge that you are at his dispose, except you will stand (as it were) at his dispose never come to petition to him, if you will come to petition him, and yet will be your own carver you go crosse to your prayers, to come as if you would beg your bread at your Fathers gates every day, and yet you must do what you list, this is the undoing of the prayers of a Christian. I remember I have read of Lattimer that speaking concerning Peter that denyed his master, (saith he) Peter forgot his Pater-noster, for that was, hallowed be thy name, and thy kingdom come: So we may say, when you have murmuring and discontented hearts you forget your prayers, you forget what you have prayed for, for you must make the Lords-prayer to be as a pattern for your prayers though you say not alwaies the same words, what do you pray, but give us this day our dayly bread? for that's Christs intention that we should have that as a pattern, and is a directory (as it were) how to make our prayers, now God doth not teach any of you to pray, Lord give me so much a yeer, or let me have such kind of cloath, and so many dishes at my table, Christ doth not teach you to pray so; but he teaches us to pray, Lord give us our bread, shewing that you should be content with a little, what have you not bread to eat? I hope there's none of you here but have that.