A Method for Prayer

With Scripture Expressions

Matthew Henry

• Publisher: Left of Brain Books
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9781396321191

"The Bible is a letter God has sent to us; prayer is a letter we send to him." ~Matthew HenryMatthew Henry, known for his exegetical commentaries of the Bible, was a minister in England at the turn of the 18th century. Being a nonconformist, he was prevented from holding public office, from participating in many social functions, could not graduate from any English or Welsh Universities, and was burdened with numerous other limitations. The Act of Uniformity, the Five Mile Act, and the Test Acts levied harsh punishments against him and his family, along with all other nonconformists and Catholics within the realm.Yet Henry believed in a practical faith, one that should be used to improve any person's daily living. As such, prayers should be done correctly, frequently, and fervently. His book, A Method for Prayer, gives instructions not just for how to pray, but also when one should pray. Besides the Lord's Prayer, another dozen practical and timely specific prayers are discussed.Now almost two centuries after it was published, A Method for Prayer, gives a glimpse of religious life after the Restoration. Not only does it allow the reader an opportunity to reflect on the long struggle to reach religious freedom, it also remains a practical tool for faith.

Of the third part of prayer, which is petition and supplication for the good things which we stand in need of.

HAVING opened the wounds of sin, both the guilt of it, and the power of it, and its remainders in us, we must next seek unto God for the remedy, for healing and help, for from him alone it is to be expected, and he will for this be enquired of by us⁵²¹. And now we must affect our hearts with a deep sense of the need we have of those mercies which we pray for, that we are undone, for ever undone without them; and with a high esteem and value for them; that we are happy, we are made for ever, if we obtain them; that we may, like Jacob, wrestle with him in prayer, as for our lives, and the lives of our souls. But we must not think in our prayers to prescribe to him, or by our importunity to move him. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and knows what he will do⁵²². But thus we open our wants and our desires, and then refer ourselves to his wisdom and goodness; and hereby we give honour to him as our protector and benefactor, and take the way which he himself hath appointed, of fetching in mercy from him, and by faith plead his promise with him, and if we are sincere herein, we are, through his grace, qualified according to the tenor of the new covenant, to receive his favours, and are to be assured that we do, and shall receive them⁵²³.

And now, Lord, what wait we for⁵²⁴? Truly our hope is even in thee; deliver us from all our transgressions, that we may no more be the reproach of the foolish.

Lord, all our desire is before thee, and our groaning is not hid from thee; even the groanings which cannot be uttered: for he that searcheth the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit⁵²⁵.

We do not think that we shall be heard for our much speaking; for our Father knows what things we have need of⁵²⁶ before we ask him; but our master hath told us, that whatsoever we ask the Father in his name, he will give it us⁵²⁷. And he hath said, Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full⁵²⁸.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions we desired of him.

1. We must earnestly pray for the pardon and forgiveness of all our sins.

Lord, we come to thee, as the poor publican that stood afar off, and would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast: and we pray his prayer, God, be merciful to us sinners⁵²⁹. The God of infinite mercy, be merciful to us.

O wash us throughly from our iniquity, and cleanse us from our sin, for we acknowledge our transgressions, and our sin is ever before us⁵³⁰. O purge us with hyssop and we shall be clean, wash us and we shall be whiter than snow; hide thy face from our sins, and blot out our iniquities.

Be thou merciful to our unrighteousness, and our sins and our iniquities do thou remember no more⁵³¹. O forgive us that great debt⁵³².

Let us be justified freely by thy grace⁵³³, through the redemption that is in Jesus, from all those things from which we⁵³⁴ could not be justified by the law of Moses.

O let not not our iniquity be our ruin⁵³⁵; but let the Lord take away our sin, that we may not die⁵³⁶, not die eternally; that we may not be hurt of the second death⁵³⁷.

Blot out as a cloud our transgressions, and as a thick cloud our sins; for we return unto thee, because thou hast redeemed us⁵³⁸.

Enter not into judgment with thy servants, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified⁵³⁹.

Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; heal our backslidings, and love us freely, and let thine anger be turned away from us; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy⁵⁴⁰.

Though our sins have been as scarlet, let them be as white as snow, and though they have been red like crimson, let them be as wool, that being willing and obedient, we may eat the good of the land⁵⁴¹.

We will say unto God, Do not condemn us⁵⁴², but deliver us from going down to the pit, for thou hast found the ransom⁵⁴³.

For the encouraging of our faith, and the exciting of our servency in this petition for the pardon of sin we may plead with God.

(1.) The infinite goodness of his nature, his readiness to forgivue sin, and his glorying in it.

That if the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return unto the Lord, even to our God, that thou wilt abundantly pardon, wilt multiply to pardon⁵⁴⁴?

To thee the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against thee⁵⁴⁵.

Is not this the covenant which thou hast made with the house of Israel⁵⁴⁶, that thou wilt take away their fins; that thou wilt forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more; that the iniquity of Israel shall be fought for, and there shall be none⁵⁴⁷; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found?

Hast thou not said, that if the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep thy statutes, he shall live, he shall not die, all his transgressions shall not be mentioned unto him⁵⁴⁸?

Hast thou not appo...

Table of contents

• TO THE READER.
• CHAP. I.
• Of the first part of prayer, which is address to God, adoration of him, with suitable acknowledgments, professions, and preparatory requests.
• CHAP. II.
• Of the second part of prayer, which is confession of sin, complaint of ourselves, and humble professions of repentance.
• CHAP. III.
• Of the third part of prayer, which is petition and supplication for the good things which we stand in need of.
• CHAP. IV.
• Of the fourth part of prayer, which is thanksgivings for the mercies we have received from God, and the many favours of his we are interested in, and have, and hope for benefit by.
• Chap. V.
• Of the fith part of prayer, which is intercession, or address and supplication to God for others.
• CHAP. VI
• CHAP. VII
• Of the conclusion of our prayers.
• CHAP. VIII
• CHAP. IX
• Some short forms of prayer, for the use of those who may not be able to collect for themselves out of the foregoing materials. A prayer to be used by children.