334 How muß we Pray in Faith ? Serm 14. for mercies. God only (Cayes while he may biers us indeed, as. Tibet phraCeth it. One that is in a Boit and pulls a Rare whole other end is tied to a Rock, pulls not the Rock to the Boar, but the .831t co the Rock ; Co our Importunities move not God, but us. But you will fay, when we pray for others this reafon holds nor, for their graces are not encreafed by our praying for their deliverances from mifay or danger, or the Church from perfecution. I anfwer, It is true, but our Prayers add to our reward, for God is in goodnefs as Sachan is in badnefs, and much more abundantly ; whereas when Sachan hath a Commiffion and intends to do Come mif- chief, he, as oft as he can, engagerh Witches to put him upon doing that which he intends co do,howfoever that he may involve them in the guilt as if they themfelves, or that he had not done it if they had not put him upon ir. So God, that the Saints may have the reward of the . good he Both to others, as if they themfelves had done it,or as if God would not have done it without their Prayers, puts them upon pray- ing for thofe Mercies for others, which he will doowfoever, Ifa, 59 i6. III. The third Object of Faith are the Promsfes, and there are three kinds, force to Prayer, Come of Prayer, force to the Perfon praying. We are to a& our Faith upon all, but for brevity fake ( for I am forced to Contract) I thall anfvver but one Objection. The poor Soul will fay, I do not believe I have any Intereal in the Promifes,therefore Icannot pray in Faith. I anfwer. To obtain the Mercies included in a promife, it is nor required that we fhould believe our Intereft in it,but the truth ;not that God will per- form to us, but to thofe to whom it belongs,though you do not believe it belongs to you, for the promifes made to Graces, are made to them that have them, not to them that believe ; as for example, the promifes made to Faith, are made to them that have. Faith though they believe not that they do believe, and that poor Souls doubt that God will never make good any promife to them, proceeds not from any doubt of Gods veracity or faithfulnefs, but of their own unworthinefs and non- intereft in them. IV.The fourth and main Objet} of Faith which our Faith muff eye in our Prayers,is Chrifl, in whom all the Prornifes are Yea and Amen, who hach reconciled the Perron and Attributes ofGod,and concerning Chrifl we are to believe. I.The great love God bears toChri1, which is doubtlefs greater than to the whole Creation, for to which of the Angels Paid he at any time,' Thom
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