Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

36S Duties which ought to be performedin pr4yer. the bill of debt, Co1.2.14. that he would take away our finnes and cafI them into the bottom of the fea, Mich.. 18,19.that he would impute the merits and obedience of Chrift unto us. And fecondly, be- caufe we receive remiffion of finnes and are jbífified by faith, by which we apprehend the righteoufnefie of Chrift to our juffification, and without which the merits of Chrift are not communicated unto us, therefore we defire not onely that he would forgive us our finnes ,but alío that he would work in us a true faith, whereby we may have affurance of the par- don of our finnes and peace of confcience.' 3. Be- caufe our faith is weak therefore we are to pray for the increafe thereof, Luke 17.5. and alfo that God would bleffe unto us the means of the begetting and increafing of our faith. 4. Becaufe reconciliati- on and adoption are unfeparable companions of ju- ffification, we therefore muff alfo pray that he would receive us unto his love and favour, and give us his fpirit of adoption; that howfoever we be by nature the children of wrath, yet being reconciled unto him in Chrift, we may have the teffimony of his Spirit teffifying to our fpirits that we are the children of God. 5. We pray not onely for righte- oufneffe and affurance of juffification, and peace of confcience arifing from thence, Rom. 5.1. but alto for the joy of the holy Ghoft proceeding from them both, Rom.14.17. Now that we may with fervencie beg thefe graces of God, we muff befides The neceffi - the fight and fente of our finnes , and the mifery 7 c;if'sio n t hoe f which they bring upon us , confider the neceffity of our finnes. thefe graces; Firft, of remiffion of finnes ; becaufe (inne