A godly and learned treatise of prayer which both conteineth in it the doctrine of prayer, and also sheweth the practice of it in the exposition of the Lords prayer: by that faithfull and painfull servant of God George Downame, Doctr of Divinity, and late L. Bishop of Dery in the realm of Ireland.

Wants to be bewailed.

In true sense therefore of this our want we are to pray that it may be supplied by the contrary gifts; namely, that God would be pleased to give unto us that portion of temporall benefits which he know∣eth to be most fit and convenient for us; and to that end that he would blesse our means for the obtein∣ing of that which we have not, and also grant unto us the use of that which we have, and lastly, that he would blesse the use thereof unto us, making them effectuall to our good.

2. Whereas Christ teacheth us every day to say, Give us this day, &c. it argueth our mortality and frailty, who cannot continue our lives, except it please God to make a daily supply of his temporall benefits whereby we may be susteined. In sense of which our frailty we are day by day to poure forth our souls before the Lord, saying, Give us this day our daily bread, that is, that bread which we

have need of every day, as the Syriack readeth, Luke 11.

3. As we are to acknowledge 1. our own nullity, who have nothing of our selves, and 2. our frailty and mortality, who cannot continue except we have a daily supply; so in the third place, whereas our Saviour doth teach us to ask these things not as our own desert but as the free gift of God, we must confesse our own unworthinesse, who cannot truly challenge unto our selves the least temporall benefit that may be as our own desert, but must, as our Sa∣viour hath taught us, beg it of God as his unde∣served gift: Therefore we are to come unto God not in our own worthinesse but in his manifold mercies, acknowledging with Jacob that we are lesse then the least of his mercies, that we are not worthy to breathe in the air, not to dwell upon the earth, or to enjoy any of his blessings; which there∣fore we humbly beg of him that he would give them unto us for his mercies fake in Christ Jesus.

4. Whereas our Saviour teacheth us to ask our bread, which we have gotten by good means, to be given us of God, this argueth 1. our coveting of o∣ther mens goods, & 2. our diffidence and distrust in Gods providence, which maketh us ready in time of our need to use unlawfull and indirect means: In sense of which want we are to pray, that we may depend upon his providence, and cast our care upon him, expecting with all the creatures our daily food from him; and in all our need may be carefull to▪ use good means, and with quietnesse to work that is good, that we may eat our bread given us of

God: For that is onely ours which we have by good means; and that onely is given of God which is well gotten.

5. Whereas we are taught to desire God to give us these things notwithstanding our means and the abundance of goods which we possesse, this argu∣eth our confidence in the means for obteining our desire, and our trusting in the goods once gotten: In respect whereof we are to pray, that both in the means and in the use of the things we may learn to depend upon Gods blessings, without which all means are uneffectuall and unprofitable; and there∣fore we must desire, notwithstanding all our means and abundance of goods, that God would give us our daily bread.

6. Whereas he biddeth us ask bread, teaching us to bridle our desires and to be content with a little, this sheweth our covetousnesse and discontented∣nesse many times with our present estate: In sense whereof we are to desire, that as we do ask our daily bread of God, so having that which we have asked we may not onely rest contented but give thanks to God that heard the voice of our prayer.

7. When he directeth us to ask 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, daily bread, it bewrayeth our either superstitious and phantasticall contempt of Gods gifts, with them that affect voluntary poverty, or else our worldly and immoderate desire of more then is sufficient; that in sense thereof we may with Agur pray, Give me not poverty nor riches, but feed me with food conve∣nient for me.

8. Where he biddeth us say, Give us, this

pointeth at our self-love, whereby every man desi∣reth good things for himself although many times it be with the losse of others: And in acknowledge∣ment of this our evil inclination, we are to pray un∣to God, that he would give unto us, &c. that is, not onely to me that pray, but also to others; and not onely private blessings to private men, but also publick to the commonwealth, as peace, plenty, prosperity.

9. When we are taught to ask bread to be given to us, and others by us, to day, this sheweth 1. our immoderate desire in providing for the time to come, and 2. our delay in helping and relieving the necessities of our brethren: In respect whereof we are to pray, that the Lord would this day give un∣to us, and by us unto others as occasion shall be offered.

These wants we are taught to bewail, and in the sense of them we are taught fervently to ask in this petition those gifts and graces.

The second common duty is, That we ask these* 1.1 blessings in faith. And this faith is twofold: 1. ge∣nerall, whereby we are to be perswaded that these* 1.2 blessings do not happen by chance, nor are purcha∣sed by mens industry and means, but that they are the gifts of God, and that he both can and will be∣stow these blessings upon his children as is most ex∣pedient for them, Heb. 11. 6.

2. But especially there is a speciall faith requi∣red, * 1.3 whereby we are in particular to be perswaded and assured, that the Lord will grant unto us our particular request, yea and in that form which we

make it, if we make it as we ought; viz. That God would grant outward and temporall blessings so far forth as they stand with Gods glory and our good. And this condition, If it may stand with thy glory, O Lord, and our eternall good, is in all petitions for temporall blessings either to be expressed or to be understood: and according to it doth the Lord heare our prayers, granting either that which we do desire or that which is better, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The second common du∣ty is Faith:
• * 1.2

  1. generall.
• * 1.3

  2. speciall.