Chap.r 4 . SeCt: 10. v·ng and taking hand; but where Grace is, there will be no eminent mercy gotten with n~uch lhugling, liut there w•ll ':le a continual, particular thankful remembrance of it a long while after, with much enlargement, Great blcf!ings won with prayc., ~<re wom with thankfulnrjfe ; fuch a man will not asl<: new, but withall, he will give thanks fer old: Tlllli•V"I"'Jfc of all d!(tics proceeds from pure G1:ace, therefore if thy fpirit il:irs thee to it, it is a fign he maqc the prayer: See Hanna s fong when fhe had her-dcfire, I Sr;m. 2. L .. + If the mercy gotten by thy prayer, cloth encourage thee to go to God another .time, to pray agaw more confidently and fervently, 1t 1s a fign th011 haft gotten the former mercy tbt way: The L ard hath heard me (faith Davrd) and I n·1/l call uponhtm M , long tJ.j' I /i7;r. 5 , If the thwg obtained by thy prayer, cloth make thee careful to perform thy vows made in prayer : I wt!l P"Y thee my vc_ws (faith Davtd) v;htch my lipsluwe uttered, and ny momh bath Jfdz(n , " '"" I 1vas ill my trouble; and the reafon follows, becanfe that ~erily God lwh heard me, whm I cryed to him, and fo Elipha~ in Job, cloth connect and hang thcfe two together, Tho!S jhalt mal:g •tby prayer to hun, '"'d h< fha/1 hear thee,and thott jbalt pa)' tby ~·on•s. . . 6. If the thing granted by thy prayer, prove a real and ll:able mercy ; 1f the curfe be taken out, and it have few thorns and vexations in it : When theb!rffir't of God mak!th rich he ~ddeth no fvrr~~>v wirb it: It may be the heart w<~s put to fome trouble in the def~rring, but it's recompenced b.y the more fetled, confl:ant, unmixt fwc<'mefs in the enjoying. ' 7 . If the mercy obtained brings with it alfurance of Gods love, ~nd an evidence ot his favour: I need not make that a (Jgn, for when tb1s comes With a l')ercy, it car– ries its own .evidence; you will then !mow well enough that it is in the fruit of pra– ·ycr. SECT. 10. The fifth Cafe: Suppofe that others joyne with me in thofc pra;•ers now anfwered, ho!'ll jhould·I ~ow that my.praycr.s had"" handmobtnining thofe an[ wers, as well as any.uthers? , • j ·:··'' 1_, ' WE may refolve this cafe by thefe obfervations: As--· - F{tt!.ll.6, 2· P[a/66 I>.J4• Job, 22 ~'(. l'rov. ro, :z:z. · r. If thy heart did fympathize and accord in the fame holy affection with thofe others in praying, then it is certain thy voyce hath helped to carry it : Iftwo of llf-'. t8, ' l<· you (kould ag-fcc on carth, (faith Chrill:) as touchi11g any thing that they jha/1 ask, it fha/1 be done for them tof my Father which is in heaven: If nvo of you Jha/1 agree (the word is oo~~ov;,•~•') q. d. if you harmonially agree to play the fame tunc (for prayers are mu~ Jick_)n Gods ears, and fo called, melody t~ God) if you agree not oncl y in the thing pray- Epb 1 f. 2 , 29• ed for, but in your affeCtions, for it is theaffocfions that makes the confort and melody: If the fame holyaffeUions were touched and fl:ruck by God Spirit in thy heart, that was in others, then didfl: thou help to make up the confort, and without thee it had been imperfect; yea, without thee the thing might not have been done, for God fomtimes fl:ands upon fuch a nuniber of voyces (as when he named ten perfons inSodom) and fo one voyce may call: it. 2. If thy heart be filled with joy in the accomplifhment of what was prar.ed for, it is an ev1dent 'lrgument that thy prayers did move the Lord to effect it, as well as the pra– yers of othep. When good old Simeon faw his prayers anfwered in fending the Meffiah ~nto the world, he was even willing to dye thrDHgh joy, and thought he could never dye m a better l•tne : Lord, now letteft tl101e thy [ervarlt depart in peace, according to thy word. , , LwJ....e 2. 29. 3. If the thing concern others, and thy heart be thankful for a bleffing on others, prayed for by thee with others, it is a fign .thy prayers had fome hand in it: Thus Paul prayed for the TheJTalonians, and when Timothy came,, and brought him good tidings of , Thef. 3 ,6,7,9 rhctrf"rth and chamy, he was not only comforted, but m h1s rav11hment he cryes, What thankJ can we renrferagain to Godfor you? ' 4· Ifthe thmg concern thy felfwhich was prayed for by others, helping thee in their prayers,
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