The Godly Man's Picture

8. A spiritual prayer is when we pray in the name of Christ: To pray in the name of Christ, is not only to name Christ in prayer, but to pray in the hope and confidence of Christs mediation: as a Child claims his ⟨p. 124⟩Estate in the right of his Father who purchased it, so we come for mercy in Christs Name, who hath purchased it for us in his blood; unless we pray thus, we do not pray at all, nay, we rather provoke God; as it was with Uzziah, when he would offer Incense without a Priest, God was angry, and struck him with Leprosy, 2 Chron. 26. 16. So when we do not come in Christs Name in prayer, we offer up Incense without a Priest, and what can we expect but to meet with wrath?

8. A spiritual prayer is when we pray in the name of Christ: To pray in the name of Christ, is not only to name Christ in prayer, but to pray in the hope and confidence of Christs mediation: as a Childe claims his ⟨p. 124⟩Estate in the right of his Father who purchased it, so we come for mercy in Christs Name, who hath purchased it for us in his bloud; unless we pray thus, we do not pray at all, nay, we rather provoke God; as it was with Uzziah, when he would offer Incense without a Priest, God was angry, and struck him with Leprosie, 2 Chron. 26. 16. So when we do not come in Christs Name in prayer, we offer up Incense without a Priest, and what can we expect but to meet with wrath?

9. A spiritual prayer is when we pray out of love to prayer; A wicked man may pray, but he doth not love prayer, Job 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty? A godly man is carried upon the wings of delight; he is never so well as when he is praying; he is not forced with fear, but fired with love,