This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1809 Excerpt: ... derstanding also. And, indeed, when we pray, to pray with understanding what we pray, is one great requisite to make our prayers spiritual; and, through the prevailing intercession of Jesus Christ, to become acceptable unto God the Father. But to mutter over around of words only, as the Papists are taught and as multitudes of many ignorant persons among us do also, without understanding what they signify, or being duly affected with those wants and necessities which we beg of God the supplies of, is not to offer up a prayer unto the Almighty, but only to make a charm. Now, because there is no Form of Prayer, that ever we have heard or read of, that is deservedly so much in use, as this of our Lord"s is, I shall eitdeavour, in some Discourses thereupon, to unfold to you those Voluminous Requests which we offer up unto God, when we thus pray, as our Saviour here teacheth us: wherein, as I doubt not but as I may greatly instruct the ignorance of many, so possibly I may bring very much to the remembrance of those who have attained to great understanding in religion, those things, which may provoke their zeal and excite their affections: and both these undertakings, through the blessing of God upon it, may be very usefully profitable to enable them to pray with understanding and with the spirit also, when they approach the Throne of Grace, to present their petitions unto the Great God, as by the intercession, so in the words of his Dear Son. In this chapter, which, contains in it a great part of our Saviour"s Sermon on the Mount, our Lord lays before his hearers several directions concerning two necessary duties in a Christian"s practice; and they are Almsgiving and Prayer: the former, a duty relating more immediately unto men; the latter, a duty in a more espec...