8o6, 2. 4 3. Objell. r. 3. objell. 2. Anfw. Ephefians, Chap.6. V E R.Io, Secondly, it dot hget us fupply offlrength, ifwe come to the encounter. For, Exod. 17. i r. Moles prayer was ftronger then Iofuahs fword. Pray,and thepeace ofGod (hall like a watch-tower keepeyour hearts. Looke how Captaines fighting abroad for their Countrey, fend their Letters, and fo havemen, munition, viétuals, money, &c. So prayer is the mcfrenger ofa faithfull foule, and fetched' every thing from God. Thirdly, Prayerdothfirengthen us infaithand hope. For, lookeas if we commune often, and familiarly with a man, we have more confi- dence towards him : fo, ifwe byoften prayer, fpeake with our God, it doth imbolden us, and breed 'more liberty and confidence towards him, then ifwe were eftranged. 4. Prayergetteth all our other armour fitted ahaut us; we being not able to buckle it on, further then our heavenly father doth helpus on with it. Now for the third thing, Plow the Devill cloth labour to weakenat in theperformance ofthis duty. Firft, from this, that prayers doe not alwaies fpeed , and therefore are invaine. a Cor. r 2. 8. For this Ibefeught theLord thrice ; yet lice miffed ofthat he fought: muchmore,; a in temporali things. Anfw. That is not in vaine , whichdati, not almaiesget the thingwee wouldhave: about whichwe muß learnt threethings. Firft, that prayer often doth obtaine what we would : as Mofes, for vihory, and had it: Hannafor a fon, and had him. Secondly, when it doth not obtainethe things themfelves , it gets fomething that may be worth our feeking : as , though it doth not quite remove evils, yet it prevaileth fo far, as to have mercy mingled with judgement; our evils affwaged. Though we get not the things wewifh, it getteth force grace proportionable : as is Paul, 2 Cor. 12. My grace is fufficient for thee. Thirdly, though itget not deliverance, advoluntatem, yet it alwaies procures rtfue adfalutem. Secondly, from this that prayers are needleffe, Efay 65.24. Yea, be. fore they call I will anfwer, and whileft they fpcake I will heare. And lohn 16.24. Henceforthyou(hall aske me nothing. vinfw. The latter is but a doubt from the phrafeoffpeech : for, asking there is queftioning , as they had done before; which they fhould notneed to doe when they had the Spirit to lead them into all truth : for the other it followethnot, God is ready to forgive us,there- fore we neednot aske : for although it is not needfull to flirreup mer- cy in himwhois the bowels ofmercy, or to informe him who is the fearcher of hearts, yet they areneceffary as mcanes which God will have ufed, that wemay receive the things which he offree mercy gi- veth. Gen.25.2 r. Ifaac knewhe fhould have feed before, yet he pray- ed. Elias knew, and had told Ahab, God would certainly give raine: yetbothprayed, and they are meanes to prepareus holily to enjoy the things received. The creatureis fanétifiedby prayer : for things recei- ved
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