The Life of Faith. 247 doh, both confirm our Faith in general, which is a help to us in each particular cafe; and allo it direc`teth us toChrifi as the weans, im whole name we are to ask all things of the Fathtr y and afffnreth us,that it is for his fake that God loth fulfil thole parcicular promifes to u,. 2. And prayer in his Name, is the condition, way or means of the fulfilling them. It is a very common errour among many praying perfons, to think that ifthey can but prove it their duty to ask loch a thing, this promife tellcth them, that they (hall have it : But you fee there is more neceiiary to the undertlanding of it than fa Direte. to. Thinknot that Godprom'fcthyou aD thatyou do believe that youJhall receive, when you askit ; though it be with noverfo confident an expefiation. This is a more common errour than the former : Many think that if the thing be but lawful which they pray for, much more if it be their duty to pray for .it, then a particular beliefthat they(hall receive it, is the conditionof the promife, and therefore. that they (hall certainly receive it. As if they pray for the recovery of one that is fick, or for the converfion of one that is unconverted, and can but be lieve that it (hall be done, they thinkGod is then obliged by promife to do it, Marko. 23: Tf thou canJt believl,all (bingoare pofftble. And r t. 23, 24.. WhofeverPallfay to this Mountain, Be thou rentnied, &c. and fball not dtubt in his heart, but believe, &c. Therefore 'fayuntoyou, what things foever ye defere when yepray, believe thatye receive them, and ye (hallhave them. Alfa. The reafon of 'this was, becaufe they had a #ecial promife ofthe gift ofmiracles, as is exprcft, Mark i 6. 17, 18. And even this text is fuch a particular promife For thefirir ofmiracles was then given to confirm the Gofpel, and gather the firft Churches, and Faith was the conditionof them Or the Spirit, when ever he would work a miracle, would fiat' work anextraordinary Faith to prepare for it. And yet if you examine well the particular texts, which fpcak of this fubje , you (ball find thatas it was the doubt-of the divine Authority of Chrifts teftimony, and of his own real power; whichwas the unbeliefof thofe times ; fo it was the belief of his Authority mnd,Power, which was the Faith required ; and. this
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