Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

338 Row mss f1 we Prey in Faith ? Serm. I q our good, we muff be as Confident that we thall have it ; for as we are to put no Condition to abfolute Promifes finceGod bath put none, fo we are to add no more Conditions to Conditional Promites than God huh put, and upon thofe Conditions we a e as fully to rely upon Gods performance, as upon his performance of abfolute Promifes. II I. Though we cannot nor ought not certainly to believe the obtain- ing the thing we ask, if it be Temporal by virtue of the Promife,yet by virtue of an immediate affurance God may give us of receiving the very thing we ask, we may and indeed cannot chufe buc exped it. We read cf Gods dealing fo with feveral of his Saints (with Mr.Fax,and many others.) IV.As for Spiritual bleffings they are of four forts.' O: Edification, as gifts, fuch as fpeaking with Tongues, and Prophefying in the Primi- Live Church,and the gifts of Preaching and Praying now, or, z. Of Confol arion, as affurance, and the Comforts of the Spirit, the Priviledges of the Kingdom of Gad, as Peace, and Joy, in Be- lieving. 3. Of San&ification, as G: ace and Gory, for the former the fame rules as belong to Temporals belong to thefe, but for Saving Grace, as our Prayers ought not to be Conditional, fince we are lure it is for our good, and the glory of God for us to be holy ; fo our Faith ought not ro be conditional, but abfolutc and particular, that God will give us Grace and Glory,if we fincerely and fervently ask it. 4. Yet though I fhould believe that God certainly will give Grace, nay, and all other things, if good for me, yet my not believing that God will give me Grace,doth not null mire inrerefl in the Promife,buc only my Comfort, nor (hall it hinder Gods performance, though is hinders our expe &ation of receiving. V. Though we are not abfolutely to believe we flrtll receive Tem- poral bleflings or thole of confolation or edification, yet that we do nor more confidently expea the Performance of fuch Prayers in kind, proceeds generally from our not believing and improving the Power and goodnefs of God, and the great Interefl Chriti hash in God, and the refi that I have fpoken of, for generally we are more confident that the thing we pray for is good for us, than we are that we fhall hive ir. VI. We may be confident that the refloring of our felves or our relations to health, or deliverance of them out of danger is for our good, as they in our Saviours time, who prayed to him for thefe mer- cies) were. VILAs

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