A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

It is very engaging: Shall we think our selves not to need that Help which Christ would submit unto? There are many proud Persons which think themselves above Prayer. Christ had no need to pray as we have, he had the Fullness of the God-head dwelling in him bodily, yet he was not above Prayer. And if he had need of Prayer, he had no need of Retirement, to go and pray alone; his Affections always served, and he was not pestered with any Distraction; and all Places and Companies were alike to him; and yet he would depart into a solitary Place that he might be private with God.

It is very engaging: Shall we think our selves not to need that Help which Christ would submit unto? There are many proud Persons which think themselves above Prayer. Christ had no need to pray as we have, he had the Fulness of the God-head dwelling in him bodily, yet he was not above Prayer. And if he had need of Prayer, he had no need of Retirement, to go and pray alone; his Affections always served, and he was not pestered with any Distraction; and all Places and Companies were alike to him; and yet he would depart into a solitary Place that he might be private with God.

Then the Pattern of Christ is very encouraging: For whatever Christ did, he sanctified in that respect; his Steps in every Duty leave a Blessing. Look as Christ sanctified Baptism by being baptized himself, and made the Water of Baptism to be saving and comfortable for us; and the Lord's-Supper, by being a Guest himself, and eating himself at his own Table; So he sanctified private Prayer; when he prayed, a Virtue went out from him, he left a Strength to enable us to pray. And it is encouraging in this respect, because he hath experimented this Duty; he knows how soon human Strength is spent and put to it, for he himself hath been wrestling with God in Prayer with all his Might. His submitting to these Duties, gave him Sympathy; he knows the Heart of a praying Man when wrestling with God with all Earnestness; therefore he helpeth us in these Agonies of Spirit. Again, his praying is an Encouragement against our Imperfections. Christians, when we are alone with ⟨p. 17⟩God, and our Hearts are heavy as a Log and Stone, what a Comfort is it to think Christ himself prayed, and that earnestly, and was once alone wrestling with God in human Nature: