Serm How Intl we Pray in Faith ? VII. As the cafe ftands between Juftifying Faith and affurance fo the cafe ftands as to our receiving and our expecting the anfwer of our Prayers in kind. r. As we may and fhall have all the Promifes that are made to Faith made good to us, though we do not believe that we have Faith , and by Confegt ence do not believe they (hall have them made good to us; fo when we pray for thofe things God hath promifed to thofe who Nye or fear God , or walk uprightly s though we do not believe we have that fear or love, or that we walk uprightly , if we have thofe Graces we (hall receive the Promifes made to them. z. As there are two kinds of affurance, one which comes from the Tellimony of our own fpirits , when upon ferious examination of our felves, we find that we do believe ; the other which comes from the. Teflimony of the Spirit of God , witneffing with our Spirits; So there are two kinds of affurance of receiving the thing we ask, one which proceeds from our believing and improving our believing the~" Power and goodnefs of God and Chrifts Intereft in God , and Gods delighting to honour Chrift , by giving the mercies we ask in his Name, the other from Gods immediate alluring us that we íhal1 re. ceive the very mercy we pray for 3 . As the immediate Teflimony of the Spirit comes with more evi- dence than the Teflimony of our own Spirits , fo the immediate af- furance that God gives that we fhall Deceive the things we pray for, is clearer and fuller than that which we have by our relying upon the Power and goodnefs of God, or to fpeak more properly, we do more fully rely upon the goodnefs and Power of God when God doth im- mediately enable us fo to do, than when we work out this Confidence by our Own endeavours , affifted by the ordinary concurrence of the Spirit. 4. As it is not our fin to want the immediate Teflimony of the Spi- rit, fo it is not our fin not to have this particular affurance of receiving what we ask. There Parallels may be far more enlarged, and will hold as I think in all particulars. The Ufeof this is, i. For Confolation to all that love and fear God ; for thy not believing God will grant thy Prayers, {hall not hin- der thy Prayers from being accepted and granted;for although if thine unbelief were built upon thy not believing Gods power or goodnefs to do what thou prayeft for would hinder thee , yet lince thy diffidence proceeds from thy not believing that thou art fuch an one as the Preo- mifes are made to, fuch thine unbelief Ihall not make the prpmife of x God 339
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