An exposition of the Lords Prayer made in diuers lectures, and now drawne into questions and answers for the greater benefite of the simpler sort: whereunto is prefixed a briefe treatise of prayer for all men. Published at the request of diuers godly and well disposed: by W. B. minister of the Word at Reading in Barkshire.

Of the place of Prayer.

Q. WHere must all these kindes of prayer be made?

A. The place is either generall and vn∣certaine, according to necessitie and oc∣casion, or speciall, and certaine, accor∣ding to order, and custome.

Q. How generall?

A. In euery place, or in any place it is lawfull to praye, if occasion doe serue,* 1.1 as Abrahams seruant prayed in the fielde,* 1.2 Daniel in the Lyons denne, Paul in prison,* 1.3 Dauid in the wildernes: and to this agreeth the Apostle whe•• hee saith: Let men praye euery where, lif∣ting* 1.4 vp pure handes without wrath or doubt∣ing.

Q. What place call you a speciall place for prayer, that is according to or∣der?

A. It is of two sortes, either publique or priuate.

Q. Which call you publique pray∣er?

A. That is, when the Churche of God is mette in a publique place with a publique consent, for publique bene∣fites.

Q. Where haue you a warrant for that?

A. Iehosaphat proclaymed a fast through all Iudah,* 1.5 and Iudah gathered themselues together to aske counsell of the Lord.

Peter and Iohn went vp together to the Temple,* 1.6 at the ninth houre of prayer.

Q. These are good examples indeede, but what promise of blessing doe you finde, that God hath made vnto pub∣lique prayer?

A. It is promised as a blessing of it selfe, and a blessing is promised vnto it be∣sides.

Q. Where is it promised as a bles∣sing?

A. In Esa. 56. 7.* 1.7 Euery one that keepeth the Sabboth, and polluteth it not, & embra∣ceth my couenant, them will I bring to my holy mountaine, and make them ioyfull in my house of Prayer.

Q. Where is a blessing promised vn∣to it?

A. In Math. 18. 19. 20. Verely I say vnto you,* 1.8 that if two of you shall agree in earth, vp∣on any thing, whatsoeuer they shall desire, it shall be giuen them of my Father which is in heauen: for where two or three are gathe∣red

together in my name, there am I in the middest of them.

Q. What say you of priuate prayer?

A. Of priuate prayer there be certaine degrees.

Some be

• more priuate,
• lesse priuate.

Q. When is it the more priuate?

A. When a man sequestreth himselfe from al company, and hath none to heare him but the Lord.

Q. Where haue we anie warrant for this?

A. Wee are exhorted vnto it by the Lord Iesus himselfe, in Mat. 6. 6. & we are therin cōfirmed by the example of Christ, in Luk. 22. 41. and of Peter in Act. 10. 9.

Q. Which cal you lesse priuate praier?

A. That is lesse priuate when a man prayeth in companie of others, as the Ma∣ster with his familie, the Tutor with his pupilles, the Husband with his wife, the wife with her seruants and children, in her husbands absence,* 1.9 or one friend with ano∣the, as Cornelius prayed with his house∣holde.

Q. Of publique prayer, and priuate prayer which is most forcible?

A. That is publique prayer, for if the prayers of one righteous mā be auailable,* 1.10 much more are the prayers of many toge∣ther with one cōsent: & therfore this hath been most desired, and Dauid complained that hee was not suffered to come to the house of God with the congregation, and tooke it for one of the greatest crosses that euer came vnto him, as it appeareth in Psa. 27. 10. Psal. 42. 1. 2. 3. 4. Psal. 84. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 24. 12.
• * 1.2

  Dam. 6. 22.
• * 1.3

  Act. 16. 24. 25.
• * 1.4

  Psalm. 42. 6. 1. Tim. 2. 8.
• * 1.5

  2. Chro. 20. 3. 4.
• * 1.6

  Act. 3. 1.
• * 1.7

  Esa. 56. 7.
• * 1.8

  Math. 18. 19. 20.
• * 1.9

  Act. 10. 30.
• * 1.10

  Iam. 5. 16.