266 S E R M.0 N S upon Serra: X XX V I. be anfwered, Mattb. 15. 26, 27. Keep wre(tling and ftriving with God, Rom. 15. 30, Now 1 befeech you, brethren, for the Lars{lefus Chuffs fake, and for the love of the fpirit, that ye /!rive together with me, inyour prayers to God for me. 3. With humility; we muff come as lefs than the leaft of his mercies. Gen. 42. Io. Ezra g. 6. O my God, I am- afhamed and blufh to lift up my face to thee my God. As the Publ i- can, Luke 18. 13. God be merciful to me a (inner ; as Abraham, Gen. 18. 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to fpeak unto the Lord, who am but daft and allies. 4. With holy ends, that God may be glorified. John 14.13. And whatfoever ye full askin my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the San. In the fptrit, John 16. 14. He (hall glorii e me, for he (hall receive of rake, and fhall thew it unto you. Pfal. 115. z. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy tame give glory. Joel 2, 14. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a biding behind him ; even a meat - off ring, and a drinkofering unto the Lord our God? 2. The reafons why the prayers fo made, mull be acceptable to God. a. Becaufe boreall the divine perforas concur; we pray according to Gods will, in Chrifts name and mediation, by the motion and inftin& of the fpirit, every one is a ground of hope; therefore it will not be loft labour, or breath poured out into the air. 2 Sam: 14. I. When foab perceived that the /sings heart was towards Abfalom, he makes of of the advantage. Chrifts merit breeds confidence, Heb. so. t g. Having therefore, brethren, bold. nefs , to enter into the holie!l by the blood of jefus. And then the fpirits motion, God )ac. cepteth what cometh from himfelf, Pfal. to. 17. Lord, thou haft heard the deftre of the humble, thou wilt prepare their hell, thou wilt caufe thine ear to hear: What is excited and flirted tip in us by.his fpirit. 2. On mans part, the perfon is qualified, the petition jufl, the end right, and the heart excited. U S E. Is to (hew us what prayers are heard ; fuch as cometh from God, and are made to God: certainly fuch fhall be dealt with as friends; God will bellow marks of abundant favour upon them, and reward their love and obedience, by hearing their prayers ; he delights to do great things for their fakes, and will have it known, that their fuppplication is acceptable to him. Oh pray thus by the fpirit. z. Is your prayer fuch a prayer as cometh from God ? fuch a prayer as is infpired by the fpirit, holy and fervent? Holy, for he is an holy and heavenly fpirit, and puts us mainly upon holy and heavenly things ; things that always make us better, not. worfe; and in other things referring our choices to God, what he liketh and thinketh bell for us, not what we do for our felves; not my will,' but thine be done. Then Fervent, ¡non crceJtuSrn James 5. 16. The fervent effeival prayer of a righteous mate ; when it look- eth like wre(tling with God. 2. To God; like worfhip relating to God, it hath the (tamp of his nature upon it; force of his Attributes relate to his Mercy andGoodnefs, e forme to his Maje(ly and Great. nefs; the one is feen in the joy of our faith and confidence, by our delight to conven with him : The other in our humility and deep reverence of God, when we come to him as poor undone creatures, without his grace. SER-.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=