upon the Epiftle rf }AME s. VERS.IS. 6II \tli/1 hark._en to you : When the time of deliverance was come,God w~mld have them .fL:e it out by.prayer. -well cbcn, Look upon the dlu!ionof the Spmc of Supphcattons as an happy prefage ; ·cis the firfi intimation and token for good of approaching mercy, like the chirping of Birds before the Spring. z, Though ~eareJure of the ac~omplifhment of"· bleffing, yet Obfervat.i. We muft not gwe over prayer. Elw had foretold ram, yet when he feemed to hear the found of it, he falls apraying. Daniel had uoderfiood by Books, that tbe date of days was expired, therefore is he fo earnefr, Dan. 9• I, 1, ~· When Chrill had intimated his coming, Behold I come quick.!;, the Church takech hold of that advantage, Evenfo LordJefm,comequick.ly, Rev. 22.latterend. It iheweth, That 'tu ~n ill confidence that mtJ/z[th m to negleEl means: Gods children are never more dilig m snd free in their en~ devors, then when confident of a bleffing; hope is indu!lrious, ami draweth to atl:icn. - 3• Prayer is a g9od remedy in the moft desperate cafes: and Ob[trv t when you are lofi to all other hopes, you-are not lofi to the hopes of e 11 • 3· Prayer : Though there had been three years drought, yet he prayed · till he brought down fweet lhowers. One faid of the prayers of Luther,Non dubito quin multum[t'tbfidii ad d~f}eratam h~ne caafam Comitiorum preces illim a!Laturte {tmt, That he W.u confident the bujinefs hadfo!l'e life in it, becaufe ~uther prayed. Well then, continue prayer with fame hope ; though the. Heaven be as brafs, and the Earth as Iron, when the cafe is defperate the Lord is wont to come in; he fendeth JV/ofes when che bricks were doubled. 4· The efficacy of Praye~ i& very great: EliM feemed_ to have ob[trva:t.4~ the key ofHeaven, to open tt and flmt it at pleafure: Nothmg hach wrought fuch wonderful effetl:s in the world, as prayer ; it made the Sunftandftill at Jojhulfii:Jsrequefl:, Jofh. 1 o.13· yea, to go bac~- wttrds thus many degrees when He~ekjas prayed, Ifai. 38•9• It brought fire out of Heaven when ElitUprayed, 1 King. I. Io. Nay,it brought Angels out of HeavetJ when elijhlf. prayed, 2 King. 6. I 7· Nay, God himfelf will {eem to yeeld to the importunity and , force of prayer, Gen. 3z. ·24, 2). in this wreftling he will be overcome: Certainly they that negled prayer, do not onely negleCt the fweeteft Way of converfe with God, but the mop forcible W~Jof prevailingwith him. · · I i ii 2. . $~From
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