n ex 0 ttaotr 2j o n ee if .tprat .Ar. doe theypray ?Thypenceout their f stlet likewater beforetheface oftheLodi Lament. í.verf, s 9. The whofe name prayerMuffbemade. e4nfver. It mull' ttot bee made in the name ofanycreature, but onely inthenameand media- tionofChrif}. Ioh.i q..verf: t4. Ifyeaa(eary thing :mini name I will doeít. A man is not to prefent his prayers to God in any worthines of his owneme- 'rits.For what ishe tomake the belt ofhimfelfe,whatcanhemakeofhi:nfelfe? bynaturehe isnobetter théthevery firebrandofkl,8eofal Godscreatures on earth the molloutragious rebell toGod,and therefore cannot be heard forhis owne fake. As for Saints, they can bee nomediators, feeing euen they them- feluesin heaucnare acceptedofGodnot for themfelues,butonely forthe bief. ,fed merits ofChrifl, /fan/mate fin' (faithS. rohni .Epi(}. chap.a. verf.I..) we ,haueanaduocatewith thefather, IefueChrifi. But how proueshethis ?It ioi- lowes then, Andbeit thereconciliation forourlinnet. His reafon (lands thus, hewhich mut}bee an aduocate,mut} firti ofallbeea reconciliation for vs ; no Saints can beea reconciliation for vs, therefore no Saints can bee advocates. Therefore in thisplace ismanifef'c anotherfault of ignorant people. They crie often, Lordlhclpeme, Lord haue mercie vpon me. But in whole name pray they ?poore foules likeblindbayards they rufhvpon the Lord,they knoweno rnediatour in whole name theyfhouldprcfent theirprayers to him. Little doe they confider withthemfclues,that God is as well a mot} terrible Judge, as a mercifull Father. Thefat queflion is ; Whetherfaithbe requite to prayerorinot. Anfwer. Prayer is to bemade with faith,wherebya man mull hauecertaine afiurance tobeehead. For he that praiethmull f}edfafllybelecue, that God in Chrill will f raunt hispetition. Thisaffiancebeing wanting, it makethprayer to bee no prayer. For howcanhee prayforany thin effe&ually,who doubteth whe- therhe fhall obtaineirorno. Wherefore it isanefpeciall pointofpra er, tobee perfwaded, thatGod to whom prayeris made,not onely can,but ado will graunthis requell.Mark.ir 24.whatfeueryedefrewhenyepray,beleeue thatyefhallhaue-it,and itfliallbe ,done vmtoyou. Here wee fee two things required in prayer: the firf},a delireof the good things which we want: the fecond is faith, wherebywebeléeue that God will graunt the things defired. The ground ofthis faith isreconciliation with God, and the a flàrance thereof For vuletfe aman bee in confcience in fume ineafure perfwaded that all his finnes are pardoned, and that heilands reconciled to God in Chri(l)he cannot beleeueanyotherpromifes reuealedin theword,nor that any ofhisprayers Thal! beheard. Thus muchof the definition ofprayer : now let vs fee What vfemay bee made ofthis cornmandement, Prayye thus. SeeingourSauiourcommaunds his Difciples,audfo cuen vs altotopraytoGod,it is ourdutienotonly to pre- lent ourprayers toGod,butalfo todoe it chcerefully and earne(}Iy. Rom. rs. 3 o. 4If brethrenIh..ie:blou thatye wot:ldHatewith weOrwell ayerr to God fer
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