drug when there is such quick trading at the throne of Grace Great Merchants will empty their Ware houses and bring forth their richest commodity when they have a quick trade when the wants and necessities of their own or other Countries do give them advantage to put off with greater profit they will use the utmost diligence and industry and will lay out themselves to the utmost they will venture all their stock engage all their credit improve all their interest in such a season Shall men be so wise for earth and shall not the children of the Kingdome be as wise for Heaven O yee Saints of God yee are the heavenly Merchants who onely have this trade in your hands yee have interest in the heavenly Country and ye have a Factor there who is both able and faithful who will not fail to put off your prayers with the best advantage and procure you returns in the richest and best things of the Country which shall best answer your interest and profit here on earth And now yee have a most precious season 1. The wants and necessities of three great Nations whereof your selves are a part and in the peace whereof your peace is bound up do call aloud for the help of your prayers being under as great symptomes and tokens of divine displeasure and under as black a cloud of stormy wrath as any Nation wee read of in all the Word of God search the Scriptures and take a catalogue of all the characters and marks expressed there of a generation marked out for vengeance and try if they be not all found upon this generation this one excepted That the Lord of Hosts hath reserved unto himself a remnant And can you see all this and be silent have yee not so much charity so much bowels of compassion for your native Country Gen. 18.22 your children and posterity as Abraham had for Sodom as Lot for Zoar 2. The desolations of Mount Zion the captivity of Gods Ark the afflictions and troubles that are accomplished in your dear brethren who are like sheep appointed for the slaughter do call aloud for your most fervent prayers and strong cryes to bee sent up to Heaven incessantly that you give the Lord no rest till hee doth arise and have mercy upon Zion and turn the captivity of his people as streams in the South Can yee bee at ease in Zion and not regard the afflictions of Joseph Can yee behold Zion in travel yea crying out and in pangs to be delivered and not lend a helping hand 3. The ruinous case and condition of thousands of precious souls who are like to perish for want of vision to starve for want of the bread of life who wander from mountain to hill to seek the Word of the Lord and cannot finde it who cry out for bread and behold stones are given them instead of bread who ask for fish but are fed with Scorpions who seek water but finde none and their tongue faileth for thirst do also in their deep misery and distress cry out and call aloud to you oh pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers drive out loiterers that hee would raise up unto us a soul-searching a soul-saving Ministry and take away from us the heavy scourge and plague of a soul-murdering blind and superstitious Clergy for where the blind lead the blind both must fall into the ditch Oh yee Saints of God who only know the worth of souls who only can be truly sensible of spiritual evils and know both the worth and want of a true Gospel-Ministry can ye be silent and see such merchandize made of the souls of men by the greedy Merchants of Babylon Never was there a time from the foundation of the world in which the Saints had more advantage of doing great and eminent service by prayer for the poor Nations of the earth and for their dear brethren in sufferings and for the souls of men yea and for the whole Creation than at this day In which the Nations of the earth are so greatly distressed the minds of men perplexed and their hearts even failing them for fear and for looking after the things that are coming to pass on the earth yea the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain desiring to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God In which Zions consolation and Babylons confusion greatly hasteneth the time of Babels Tyranny and the Saints captivity is so near fulfilled and the times of refreshing a coming from the presence of the Lord and the time of the restitution of all things Oh ye Saints of God know that this is a pretious season let but your prayers meet together in the Angels hand who stands before the Altar to offer them up with his own Incense and then great and marvellous things will be done in the earth Rev. 8.3 4 5. THE Efficacy of FAITH IN PRAYER Matthew 21.22 And all things whatsoever yee shall ask in Prayer beleeving yee shall receive THe next thing observable in the Text and proposed to be handled in this Treatise is The Efficacy of Faith in Prayer Faith is a plenipotentiary grace it hath a kind of omnipotency in it it cometh with a full commission from Heaven to the poor Disciples of Christ on earth by which they may do and obtain great things with God yea all things whatsoever they shall ask in prayer they shall obtain by Faith The great God of Heaven will not cannot deny any thing to his poor servants here on earth which they ask in Faith Hee is faithful who hath promised and cannot deny himself the word is gone out of his mouth in righteousness and hee will not repent hee will not call it in again And all things whatsoever yee shall ask in prayer beleeving yee shall receive Oh here is a large commission indeed All things and all things whatsoever Here are no limits no bounds set to Faith in prayer Faith may ask what it will and have what it asks at the hand of God! Faith can but ask and have Faith doth but speak the word on Earth and it is done in Heaven the truth is Faith is a modest grace a prudent wise and sober grace that looketh at the will of God as her Rule and the glory of God as her ultimate end and aim in all things and therefore will not cannot desire or ask any thing contrary to Gods most holy will or cross to and inconsistent with his glory and therefore Faith hath the Key of Heaven committed to her and may go to the heap of mercy and take even what shee will Mat. 15.28 O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt The Efficacy of Faith in prayer and the mighty prevailing power it hath with God is sufficiently made manifest 1. In the truth of Gods most holy Word and Promises 2. In the Saints most precious and
from our sins in his own blood And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father therefore yee may come boldly to the throne of grace through the glorious intercession of Jesus your great High Priest Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Vers 16. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace And again Ephes 3.12 In whom wee have boldness and access by the Faith of him 2. The services 2 Their services and spiritual sacrifices of the Saints which they offer up to God in Faith are acceptable to the Father through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 Yee also as lively stones are built up a spiritual-house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Where observe that the mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ is the procuring cause of all the Saints acceptation with God both as to their persons and as to their services which here are called spiritual sacrifice And yee Saints of God know that your sacrifices are not therefore acceptable to God because spiritual but because offered to God thorow Jesus Christ because sprinkled with the blood of Christ Now it is the nature and property of Faith to lead us out of our selves for acceptation Rom. 5.1 as well as for assistance unto the blood and righteousness Isa 45.24 and merits of Jesus Christ and Faith seeks its acceptation with the Father onely Gal. 2.19 20 and wholly through the mediation of Jesus the Son of God And therefore all the prayers of the Saints which are put up in Faith do come under the mediation and glorious intercession of Jesus and are offered up to the Father by the hand of Christ who is therefore called the Angel of the Covenant and said to stand before the Altar i. e. the Incense Altar because hee offereth up continually the prayers of the Saints with his own hand perfumed with the Incense of his own merits unto the Father Rev. 8.3 4. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer And there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne And the smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand Oh needs must the prayers of Faith the beleeving prayers of all the Saints ascend up before God and prevail in Heaven which are offered up by the hand of this blessed Angel even Jesus who is before the throne And is there continually so that it is alwaies the time of Incense with the Congregation of Gods praying people for this blessed Angel is day and night before the Throne offering up their prayers with the pure Incense of his merits Jesus the Mediator and High Priest of our profession is alway within the vail carrying on this part of his Priestly office in Heaven Heb. 7.25 Seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them Use 1 If the Efficacy of Faith in prayer be such that the Saints may thereby prevail in Heaven And that all things whatsoever they shall ask in prayer beleeving they shall receive then woe be to all such as have the prayers of the Saints justly engaged against them It is easier to stand before the greatest Armies before the combined powers and policies of the greatest Monarchs and Princes in the world than to stand before the prayers of two or three poor Saints who pray in Faith and cry day and night to God for help against their wicked persecutors 'T is storied of the Champions and Worthies of the Old Testament amongst other worthy deeds and great things which they did by Faith That by it they put to flight the Armies of the Aliens and subdued Kingdomes Heb. 11.33 Who through Faith subdued Kingdomes stopped the mouths of Lions quenc hed the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens By Faith i. e. by prayers of Faith for they cryed unto the Lord in their straits and under the great oppressions and tyranny of their enemies they prayed to the Lord for help against them And by Faith in prayer they obtained help from God against their persecutors Their enemies were wonderfully brought under mighty Kingdomes subdued and whole Armies strangely conquered and shamefully put to flight Sometimes without means Exod. 14.27 28 as Pharaoh and all his Host at the Red Sea Sometimes by weak and contemptible means Judges 4.21 as Sisera fell by the hand of a woman And King Herod that bloody persecutor Act. 12.23 dyed by Worms or Lice And the whole Army of the Midianites with the Amalekites and all the children of the East who lay upon the ground like Grashoppers so great was their multitude were put to flight by the dream of a Barley Cake tumbling into the Host of Midian Judg. 5.12 13 14 Sometimes by contrary means against the very Law of nature friendship and natural affection So proud and blasphemous Sennacherib fell by his own Sons Isa 37.38 whilst hee was worshipping in the house of Niseroth his God who were wonderfully over-ruled by the power and providence of God even against the Law of nature and religion to execute the wrath of God and avenge the cause of his praying-people upon this proud and wicked persecutor So also the children of Moab Ammon and Mount-Seir who were confederate against Judah were by the just judgement of God at the prayer of good Jehosaphat given up to such a spirit of division and hatred amongst themselves 2 Chron. 20.23 24 that they fully set themselves to destroy one another and ceased not till there was not one of them left Sometimes by preternatural and extraordinary means where ordinary means have failed Josh 10.10 11 Thus the five Kings and their Armies that fought against Joshuah were subdued and destroyed chiefly by hailstones from Heaven And thus the King of Assyria's Army consisting of an hundred and fourscore and five thousand Isa 27.36 were slain in one night by the hand of an Angel Thus the mouths of those greedy and roaring Lions were stopped by an Angel that they could not so much as touch Daniel Dan. 1.6.22 And the burning destroying power of the fiery Furnace so quenched by the glorious presence of the Son of God that it had no power so much as to singe the garments Dan. 3.25 26 27 or hair of the heads of those three Worthies Shadrach Meshach and Abednego So that the greatest Monarchs Princes Generals Armies and Kingdomes of the world have not been able to stand before the prayers of the Saints of God when they have prayed in Faith and cryed to the Lord for help against them Woe therefore be unto all those against whom
our prayers are neither acceptable to God nor profitable to our selves the acceptance and efficacy of the Saints prayers with God turn onely upon this hinge and depend solely upon this substratum Joh. 14.13 14 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 8.3 4 that they are offered up in the Name and by the hand of Christ now if they fail in this they lose all their work which is but lost labour prayers without Faith are prayers without fruit because they are without Christ that which is Faithless is Christless and therefore must needs also be fruitless for in him is all our fruit found Hos 14.8 Wee cannot bear any fruit by any spiritual service or sacrifice wee tender up unto God but in and through his Son Jesus Christ Now wee cannot pray in the Name of Christ if wee do not pray in Faith it is Faith onely that taketh hold of the Name and merits of Jesus Christ and so bring our services unto God by him Ephes 3.12 To pray in the Name of Christ is to pray in the Faith of his Name we may pray with the Name of Christ in ouâ— mouths and yet not pray in hiâ— Name unless wee pray with the Faith of Christ in our hearts And observe it as a most certain and infallible Rule of interpretation that where-ever weeâ— are in Scripture commanded to do or promised to receive any thing in the Name of Christ the meaning is that wee should do and receive the same by Faith in his Name and not by the bare use of his Name in our mouths and to repose any confidence or lay any stress upon the bare use of the Name of Christ in our mouths any otherwise than wee have and exercise the Faith of his Name in our hearts is to act more like unto Conjurors than Christians more like Sorcerers than Saints Act. 19.13 14 15. Then certain of the vagabond Jews Exorcists took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the Name of the Lord Jesus saying Wee adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth And there were seven Sons of one Sceva a Jew and chief of the Priests which did so And the evil spirit answered and said Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are yee And the man in whom the evil spirit was leapt on them and overcame them c. It seems by this Scripture that 't is a peece of the Mystical Doctrin of Necromancy and the practice of sorcerers to trust much to the virtue and power of names but this is no part of the Doctrine of Christianity nor the practice of true Christians they do not expect to prevail with God by the Name of Christ in their mouths but by the Faith of Christ in their hearts here the seven Sons of Sceva come with the Name of Christ in their mouths thinking as many carnal Christians do to do great matters by the power of that Name but wanting the Faith of Christ in their hearts they prevail nothing but come off with shame and confusion of face through their miserable and unexpected expected disappointment and so will all those do that trust to their Carnal Forms and Lyturgies and as they suppose most Excellent and Absolute forms of prayers which they conclude with the Name of Christ which they often and in vain do take into their mouths whilst they have not the Faith of Christ in their hearts To pray with the Name of Christ in the mouth is fruitless and vain where there is not the exercise of the Faith of Christ in the heart therefore the exercise of Faith in prayer is of absolute and indispensible necessity Reas 2 Because wee cannot otherwise pray aright 't is the light of Faith onely by which the children of God are guided and governed in all the spiritual and heavenly exercises of Religion the things of the Spirit the things of eternity are unseen things things that are notseen by the eye of sense and natural reason and the light of Faith onely is that by which these things are seen and made manifest Heb. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things not seen No inferiour light can be sufficient to guide in and about those things that are superiour to it the light of sense being an inferiour light in man which is common to him with the brute is not able to guide him in and about the things of a man which are proper and peculiar to him as a man as to argue and discourse by fit mediums conducing to such an end to meditate upon the works of Creation and Providence to search out the natural Cause and Reason of things c. To bee guided in and about such things hee must have and exercise the light of Reason which is a superiour light to that of Sense and fitted and suited by the wisdom of his creator and planted in him for such an end So also the light of naturall Reason which is an inferiour light to that of Faith cannot guide a man in those actions and things which are Spiritual sublime and above the reach of Nature depending only upon Divine Revelation A man by the light of Nature cannot understand nor discern the things of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 Now Prayer being a Work of the Spirit and the things about which wee converse with God in Prayer being Spirituall and Heavenly things depending upon Divine Revelation upon the testimony of the Word and Spirit of God wee must of necessity have a superiour light to guide us in those things i.e. the light and evidence of Faith which is a Heavenly gift from the father of lights to the children of the Kingdom by which only they can converse with God and offer up their spirituall Sacrifices and services to him in a right manner And as it is impossible for a man to see and hear and smell and feel and taste without sense or to meditate discourse argue and understand the natural cause of things without Reason so it is impossible for a man to Pray Hear the Word Receive the Seals of the Covenant or perform any other spirituall duty in a right manner without Faith Heb. 11.6 Hee therefore that prayes without Faith prayes amiss and therefore receives not any fruit of his prayers James 4.3 Object But may not a man that hath no true Faith make such a Prayer which for the matter of it is very good and holy and ask such petitions as are right and good and which no man can finde fault with Answ Wee grant hee may but yet such an one doth ever ask amiss for though he asketh right and good things in prayer yet the grounds upon which he asketh and his ends and aims and the frame of his heart in asking are rotten and naught and therefore hee ever asketh amiss James 4.3 Yee ask and have not because yee ask amiss to spend it upon your lusts Reason and common light may direct a man to ask good and right things of God in prayer but these cannot help him
to right grounds to right ends and aims and to a right frame of heart in prayer onely the light of Faith which is influenced by the Spirit and Word of God can do this Rom. 8 26.27 To praâ— without the real exercise of truâ— Faith is to pray in vain because so to pray is to pray amiss there fore the exercise of Faith iâ— prayer is of absolute necessity Reas 3 3. Because otherwise we can not pray with acceptation anâ— that is the duty of every Christian and the excellency of truâ— grace in every duty and holâ— action to look unto God as iâ— ultimate and highest end to have its acceptation and approbation from him in all things 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore wee labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Now that is the glory of a duty and that which crowns it with life sweetness efficacy blessing and honour wheâ— it comes off with divine acceptation And therefore when God the Father would put the greatest honour upon his Son Jesus Christ and crown his work with he greatest glory he doth it by witnessing his approbation and acceptation thereof from Heaâ—en Mat. 3.17 And again Mat. â—8 5 This is my beloved Son in â—hom I am well pleased And where this is wanting wee may write upon our highest enjoyments and performances Ichabod The glory is departed the like â—weetness glory and blessedness of a duty is lost where this is wanting Gen. 4.5 Mal. 1.10 Now therefore it mainly conâ—erns us to look unto this in all â—ur holy services and sacrifices â—hat they may come upon Gods Altar with acceptation but this â—annot be without Faith we canâ—ot pray with acceptation if wee â—o not pray in Faith Heb. 11.6 But without Faith it is impossible to â—lease him And again Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin So tâ— faithless prayers like blinde aâ— lame sacrifices under the Laâ— Mal. 1.8 are both unacceptaâ— and sinful upon all which conâ—derations it doth more than sâ— ficiently appear that there is necessity of Faith in prayer Use 1 The opening and discoveâ— of this great Gospel truth mâ— be of use both to sinners â— Saints to beleevers and unâ— leevers to formal hypocritâ— and to sincere Christians whâ— ther weak or strong And first by way of Informâ—tion it may serve to inform us three things very needful aâ— profitable for all men to know 1. How worthless vile aâ— useless yea how sinful and abâ— minable the prayers of all unbâ— leevers wicked persons and foâ— mal hypocrites are If the efficacy excellency anâ— worth of prayer dependeth upâ—n and is according to the exerâ—ise of Faith in it and Faith be â—he life glory and strength of â—rayer as hath been already â—â—ewed then how fruitless vile â—nd worthless must the prayers â—f all unbeleevers wicked perâ—ons and formal hypocrites in the world needs be 'T is the manner of wicked perâ—ons and formal hypocrites whose Religion lyes in a few exâ—ernal services and ceremonies to glory much in their bookâ—rayers their say-prayers their â—orm-prayers which they cry â—p with as much superstitious â—nd blinde zeal as the Athenians â—id their Goddess Diana the â—mage which fell down from Jupiter Act. 9.35 But if wee confider the persons who are the â—dmirers and Authors of such â—ormal services The visible Characters of unbeleef enmiâ— against Christ prophaneness 〈◊〉 godliness and hypocrisie whâ— are so legible in their hearts aâ— lives that hee that runs mâ— read them For out of the abâ— dance of the heart the mouth speâ— eth Wee need no more to coâ— vince and assure us that the bâ— of such their services are 〈◊〉 worthless vain and unprofitaâ— things which God takes no pleâ— sure in and which thomselvâ— can have no profit or fruit by 〈◊〉 Mal. 1.10 Where the Lord Hosts speaking to a generatiâ— of corrupt and ungodly Prieâ— and People who by their unhaâ— lowed and unsanctified courseâ— had polluted his Name and coâ— rupted his true Worship as aâ— peareth vers 6 7 8 9. Tell them plainly vers 10. I have 〈◊〉 pleasure in you saith the Lord 〈◊〉 Hosts neither will I accept an offeâ—ing at your hand And again Isa 1.13 Bring no more vain oblations Incerse is an abomination to mee the New-Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn meeting Your New Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto mee I am weary to bear them and when yee spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you Yea when yee make many prayers I will not hear Your hands are full of blood It is marvellous to consider the admirable wisdome of the holy Spirit of God in the mouth of this holy Prophet in cutting asunder the very sinews and casting down the very bulworks and strong holds of the hypocrites confidence ripping open their hypocrisie and falshood to the quick and casting most contempt and holy disdain upon those things wherein they do most oâ— all glory and boast themselves Of those things wherein theâ— deal most proudly doth the holy Spirit speak most contemptuously 1. Their festivals and selâ— sanctified holy daies in the observation whereof they place 〈◊〉 much of their Religion and dâ— so confidently bless themselveâ— how doth the Lord contemâ— with utmost disdain and cast oâ— even with loathing and hatredâ— vers 14. Your New Moons and yoâ— appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto mee I aâ— weary to bear them 2. Their service which aâ— swers to the Sacrifices of olâ— yea their offerings and oblationâ— which they bring and perform with so much carnal devotion and contest for with so much blinde zeal how doth the Lord reject and protest against as most hateful and displeasing to his holiness and a burden too heavy for him to bear vers 13. Bring no more vain oblations Incense is an abomination unto me the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with It is iniquity even the solemn meeting Oh what shame and confusion will one day cover the faces of those wicked and ungodly hypocrites who persecute oppress punish and condemn the generation of the righteous because they cannot in conscience own or joyn with their Idolatrous Assemblies which because of their number they call solemn and publick when as the Lord himself doth reject and disown them and calls them iniquity and wickedness not onely wicked and unjust or ungodly but wickedness and iniquity in the abstract because it is iniquity under a pretence of Piety Idolatry and false Worship under a pretence oâ— worshipping God spiritual wickedness is the greatest wickedness because it hath in it the spirits oâ— wickedness Simulata sanctita saith Austin duplex iniquitas quia iniquitas quia simulatiâ— i. e. feigned sanctity is doublâ— iniquity both because iniquity and because feigned The Religion of Idolaters anâ— false worshippers is their worâ— piece their prophaneness swearing cursing drunkenness excesâ— of riot chambering
and stretch out thine hand over the Sea and divide it and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground thorow the midst of the Sea And vers 22. The children of Israel went into the midst of the Sea upon the dry ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left Oh the admirable and marvellous strength and power of Faith in prayer that by it the waters of the Sea the depths of the Sea should be divided and made to stand upon heaps as a wall to Gods Israel and yet so it is Moses cryeth to the Lord at the Sea even the Red Sea and the waters are divided and become a wall to Israel in their passage towards Canaan on the right hand and on the left All which with many other blessed experiences of the Saints which might be instanced in do amount to a sufficient testimony and witness to the truth in hand and do abundantly evince the truth of this blessed promise of the Lord Jesus to his poor servants here on earth And all things whatsoever yee shall ask in prayer beleeving yee shall receive The grounds and reasons of the point upon which this great truth is established and wherein the evidence and demonstrations thereof do yet more fully appear are briefly these three Reason 1 The prayers of Faith or beleeving prayers of the Saints and servants of God here on earth are heaven-born They are influenced from Heaven by the conduct and guidance of the holy Spirit whose office it is to influence and manage the Saints in this great concern and work of prayer So that the things which they ask of God in prayer when they ask in Faith are not so much the fruit of the inward breathings and unfeigned desires of their own hearts and spirits as of the holy and blessed Spirit of grace breathing in them and teaching them to pray as they ought which of themselves they neither know nor can do Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what we should pray for as we ought But the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered And hee that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God So that the holy Spirit of God doth not onely help and assist the Saints in the right manner of prayer exciting their graces quickening and drawing out their affections helping them to right ends and aims in prayer all which are also necessarily required but doth also suggest and teach them the very matter of their prayers how and what to pray for and ask of God both for themselves and others The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray for as wee ought But the Spirit it self c. So that the Saints are taught from Heaven what to pray for as they ought the Spirit of God from Heaven doth teach and assist them to pray here on earth according to the will of God And how reproachfully and blasphemously soever wicked and ungodly men do speak of the so called extemporary prayers of the Saints yet they are no less than heaven-born the things which they are taught by the Spirit of God from Heaven to ask of God in prayer And let wicked men know that in blaspheming the reproaching the prayers of the Saints they do blaspheme the Spirit it self But the Spirit it self maketh intercession c. Wicked and ungodly men who are ignorant of the Spirit of prayer do exceedingly magnifie and cry up their stinted forms and book-book-prayers because as they imagine composed and indited by holy and learned men and that with the deepest judgement and most serious consideration had of the things meet to be asked of God in prayer And do condemn the prayers of Gods Saints because as they judge in the darkness of their carnal mind which is alwaies enmity against God extemporary Rom. 8.7 rash and inconsiderate without any deep consideration and matter prepared before-hand but let such know that the best of their stinted Forms and book-Book-prayers are but indited by men on earth and on the other hand the prayers of Gods Saints and servants offered up in Faith though extemporary are indited by the Spirit of God in Heaven and given in immediately by the ministration of the holy Spirit who knoweth better what is meet to be asked of God in prayer extemporary than the greatest Bishops Doctors and learned men upon earth can do by their deepest consultation And let such resolve this question whether are most agreeable to the will and mind of God those prayers which are indited by the Spirit of God in Heaven and given in from above as all the prayers of the Saints are which they put up in Faith or those which are composed and imposed by the carnal wisdome and coercive power of men on earth contrary to the Word of God And let mee adde this one word more that the prayer of the poorest Saint though encompassed with utmost humane frailties and infirmities yet being breathed by the holy Spirit into his heart and breathed out again in Faith by the help of the same Spirit hath more of heavenly wisdome and true spiritual excellency in it than the most magnified and admired Form that ever was composed by the greatest Doctors and learned men in the world For Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit And again vers 31. He that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth hee that cometh from Heaven is above all As Jesus Christ came from Heaven and therefore was above all the Prophets and Apostles so also the Spirit of God cometh from Heaven and is above all the Doctors Bishops and learned men in the world in teaching as how and what to pray for as wee ought And hence it is that true spiritual and heavenly prayer is distinguished from all hypocritical shews and pretences of prayer by this character Ephes 6.18 Praying alwaies with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit True prayer and supplication is alwaies in the Spirit And again Jude 10. Praying in the Holy Ghost The summe and close of the matter is prayers of Faith do come from God and therefore must needs prevail with God prayers of Faith are heaven-born and therefore must needs finde acceptance there Reason 1 The prayers of Faith or the beleeving prayers of the Saints and People of God do alwaies fall in with the will of God The stinted Forms and composed Prayers of formal Hypocritical pretenders to Religion do alwaies in one thing or other run counter to the will of God In the very matter of their petitions it being impossible that such as keep themselves to a stinted Form of Prayer and oblige themselves to use such a form of words in prayer and no others should avoid
this Rock upon which they must inevitably fall and split themselves that the things which they so ask must of necessity run cross to the will of God let them take what Form they will and stint themselves to the constant use of it as the Hypocrites do and experience will quickly teach them that in so doing they must contradict the revealed will of God in their petitions and therefore such prayers must needs be very fruitless But the prayers of the sincere children of God which are indeed prayers of Faith and the breathings of Gods own Spirit in them do alwaies concur and fall in with the will of God And as hee that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit in the hearts of his children so the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Rom. 8.27 1 Cor. 2.10 11 Because hee i.e. the holy Spirit of God maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Faith looks at the will of God as her rule in asking and in things about which the will of God is revealed Faith will be positive and ask absolutely without an if but in things about which the will of God is yet secret and unknown Faith will ask with submission to the will of God Not my will but thy will be done is the language of Faith in such cases And it is as impossible for Faith to erre in this particular and to miss of the will of God in asking as it is for the Sun in the Firmament to mistake his way in his heavenly perambulation or for the waters of the Rivers to mistake their way into the Sea that they should not come into and coincidate with the Ocean Whatsoever therefore the Saints do ask in Faith they do ask according to the will of God whether it be secret or revealed For the rule which Faith looks at is an unerring rule viz. the whole light of Scripture-revelation And the conduct and guide by which Faith is directed in asking is an unerring guide even the holy Spirit of God Rom. 8.26 which perfectly knoweth and searcheth what is the mind and will of God in all cases whether secret or manifest And it is worthy observation how the poor Saints of God are oft times by a secret instinct and conduct of the Spirit guided in prayer to ask those very things of God which hee is about to do and bring to pass beyond what is revealed or made known As when Lot asked of God in Prayer the preservation of the City Zoar which was threatned and in visible danger of perishing in the common destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and yet was preserved by the prayer of righteous Lot who was questionless guided in his asking that City above any other Gen. 16.19 20 21 by the secret instinct of the Spirit who knew what was the secret will and purpose of God in that matter and therefore taught Lot to make intercession for it according to the will of God Thus also that holy woman Hannah when shee prayed for a Son and in the pouring out of her spirit to the Lord in prayer did before-hand dedicate and devote him to the Lord all his daies was questionless guided by a secret and special instinct of the spirit to ask of God that very thing that was in the heart and purpose of God concerning her and her Son though as yet secret and unknown 1 Sam. 1.10 11. Thus also the last Martyrs that suffered in the Marian daies were taught from Heaven by the secret conduct of the spirit to ask of God in prayer that they might be the last that should suffer in that manner and that the Lord would put an end to the afflictions of his people And were in that petition graciously heard and answered for presently the life of that wicked Queen was cut off by the hand of God And though many others were condemned and warrants issued out for the burning of them Fox Martiro vol. 3. p. 893. yet the tydings of the Queens death stayed the execution and those precious souls were according to their petition the last that suffered in that bloody persecution Whatever therefore the Saints do ask of God in prayer by the help of his holy Spirit and by Faith in the Name of Jesus Christ they do ask according to his will and therefore must needs prevail in Heaven and have such petitions granted and fulfilled on earth 1 Joh. 5.14 15. And this is the confidence that wee have in him that if wee ask any thing according to his will hee heareth us And if wee know that hee heareth us Whatsoever wee ask wee know that wee have the petitions that wee desired of him Reason 3 The prayers of the Saints offered up in Faith do fall under the blessing of the mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ Heb. 4.14.16 that great High Priest over the House of God who is entred into the Heavens even Jesus the Son of God whose office it is to offer up the prayers of all the Saints with the spiritual incense of his merits whereby they do become acceptable to God It pertained to the office Exod. 30.6 7 Levit. 16.12 and was the custome of the Priests under the Law to enter within the vail and offer up the sweet Incense with the prayers of the Congregation who usually were without the door of the Tabernacle praying at the time of Incense Luke 1.8 9 10 And the time of the Priests offering up Incense was observed by the Congregation as a special time and season for prayer And all this was to typifie and point out something of the Priestly and Mediatorial Office of Jesus Christ Heb 6.19 20. and 9.24 who is now entred within the vail into the holy of holies i. e. the heavenly places themselves there to appear in the presence of God for us as a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck to offer up all the spiritual sacrifices and services of the Saints unto his Father with the sprinkling of his blood and sweet perfume and incense of his precious merits upon them whereby their persons though compassed with many sins and infirmities and their services though weak and imperfect in themselves are made infinitely acceptable and well pleasing unto the Father through him 1. 1 Their persons Their persons are made acceptable unto the Father through him Ephes 1.6 To the praise of his glorious grace wherein hee hath made us accepted in the beloved Oh ye precious Saints of God know that the acceptation of your persons with the Father stands not in your own Saintship and personal righteousness but in the imputed righteousness precious blood and merits of Jesus Christ which is made yours by Faith So that by the blood of Jesus ye are now made Kings and Priests unto his Father and may come to the throne of grace with acceptation Rev. 1.5.6 Unto him that hath loved us and washed us
JACOB Wrestling with GOD AND PREVAILING OR A Treatise concerning the Necessity and Efficacy of Faith IN PRAYER Wherein divers weighty Questions and Cases of Conscience about Praying in Faith are stated and resolved For the comforting and satisfying of weak and scrupulous Consciences The Conviction of formal Hypocrites and awakening of all Saints both weak and strong great and small to this great duty of Prayer By one who hath obtained mercy to be a Minister of and Sufferer for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this hour of temptation John 16.24 Ask and yee shall receive that your joy may bee full LONDON Printed in the year 1663. TO THE READER WHoever thou art that takest this Book into thy hand know that as to thy spiritual state thou art either a Sinner or a Saint a Beleever Joh. 3.36 1 Joh. 5.12 or an Unbeleever in Christ or out of Christ for betwixt these there is no Medium or middle state Now if thou beest a sinner an unbeleeving Christless soul Then here is the root of all thy spiritual misery which is great beyond expression and the bar that keeps out all spiritual good and mercy from thy soul that thou art at a distance and estranged from communion the sweet and soul-enriching soul-sanctifying soul-saving and soul-satisfying communion of Jesus Christ Joh. 17.3 which is the life of grace the life of glory the life of God! Ephes 4.16 Alienated form the life of God And this is thy Hell upon Earth Eph. 2.12 though thou knowest it not that thou art without God and without Christ in the world i. e. without true spiritual enjoyment of God and Jesus Christ through want of the life and exercise of Faith in thy soul and through a sinful neglect or a mis-performance as of all other holy duties so especially of this great duty of prayer in the constant and right performance whereof such sweet and blessed communion with God may bee enjoyed as Galeatius Caracciolus that famous Italian Convert having tasted the sweetnesse thereof in his own soul and having forsaken all that was dear to him in the world upon that account was wont to say That hee was not worthy the name of a Christian that did not prize one moments communion with God before a thousand worlds Now Reader know that if thou beest such a one as art yet a stranger to communion with God it is one design of this following Treatise to lead thee unto the Father by the Son and to instruct thee into this great duty and mystery of praying in Faith which if the Lord shall give thee rightly to understand and wisely to improve will open such a door for escape out of thy spiritual misery and for the letting in of all spiritual mercies and blessings into thy soul as may make thee happy to all eternity If thou beest a Saint a Beleever a Soul in Christ Psa 37.25 Cant. 1.2 Psal 63.1 2 3.5 then to injoy communion with him is thy life thy glory thy joy thy crown thy heaven upon earth nothing so sweet nothing so precious nothing so desirable to thy soul as communion and fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ through the spirit and in the constant and right use and performance of these heavenly ordinances and holy duties which are the sweet walks of Jesus Christ Rev. 1.13 wherein hee delights to communicate himself to the souls of his people And those spiritual Galleries Cant. 7.5 in which the King is held and retained by his beloved Spouse Cant. 4.9 in most sweet embraces Cant. 2.4 5 6 and soul-endearing converses to the ravishing of the hearts of each other Amongst which spiritual walks and galleries there is none in which Jesus Christ doth more delight and abundantly communicate himself to the souls of his people than in this great ordinance of prayer which is therefore called his delight Prov. 15.8 Now 't is also the design and scope of this Treatise to further thy souls communion with Jesus Christ in this ordinance of prayer by shewing thee 1. The Necessity 2. The Efficacy of Faith in Prayer Resolving divers scruples and Cases of Conscience about it Awakening and stirring up thy soul to it teaching thee to bee spiritual and heavenly in it and revealing unto thee the great and glorious things that may be done and obtained by it Therefore whether thou beest Sinner or Saint in Christ or out of Christ strong or weak in grace read this small Treatise and the Lord give thee to understand what thou readest sincerely to imbrace and faithfully to practice what thou understandest and to reap the spiritual fruit thereof in grace here and glory hereafter And if thou reapest any fruit and benefit to thy soul by this discourse give him the glory who is the Author of Truth not the Instrument And if thou reapest no fruit or beest made worse by it blame neither the Author nor the Instrument but thine own heart as the cause of it To the Reader By a Friend of the Authors THis ensuing treatise was put into my hand by the worthy Author therof whose humility was jealous of the publication of this peece By a cursory view of it I quickly perceived the spirit of it and prest to the publishing of it for the relief quickening and consolation of such as understand praying in the Holy Ghost And do therefore think meet to acquaint you that the Author of this treatise of prayer is well known to be a judicious and faithful Minister of God and servant of Jesus Christ who hath witnessed a good confession and that in bonds for the Commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus In which condition no doubt his soul was conversant in this heavenly exercise and was taken as others of his fellow servants into a more intimate communion with Jesus Christ whose breathings and cryes with others of his brethren are gone up into the ears of the Lord of Hosts Psa 97.11 The Accuser of the Brethren hath great wrath against the Spirit of prayer in this Houre and hath blasphemed it at the highest rate that ever was heard of in any generation being greatly tormented thereat crying out Oh Away with this praying in the spirit Wonderful it is that men pretending Christianity and to have read the Holy Scriptures should decry praying in the Spirit which is perfectly opposed to stinted forms but that the way of the Spirit in the hearts of the called of God is foolishness even to the wise and learned that know it not The Author of this Book as a good witness of Jesus Christ hath given out a holy and experimental Testimony to this Spirit of prayer and hath discovered the abomination of Hypocritical praying in the vain repetitions and saying long prayers for a pretence Mat. 6.7 and 23.14 to justle out the spirit of prayer promised to all Ministers sent by Jesus Christ and all Saints especially in the New Testament daies If
this therfore come into the hands of any prayerless souls know thou art yet without the spirit and so art none of Jesus Christs Rom. 8.9 Where-ever the Spirit of Grace is it is a Spirit of prayer Zach. 12.10 Dost thou feel the guilt of sin the want of pardon peace grace holiness thou wouldst not need the words of others to help thee in praying but thou wouldst know what it is for the spirit to help the proper and onely help in prayer thy infirmities and couldst bee no more satisfied with dry and empty forms then a hungry man with Air. If thou art a weak doubting soul and complainest of an unbelieving heart which is a good symptome here thou mayest meet with plain and spiritual resolves to thy doubts about the acceptance of thy prayer and the looking for answers thereof and what faith thou art to exercise on promises in order thereunto Yea all Saints may be further instructed in the efficacy and prevalency of prayer and to be encouraged that the Lord will not cast off a praying Generation that cry day and night unto him The Lord hasten to power forth the spirit of light and prayer upon his people and upon the world as the best sign of his own approaching to judge the earth In the waiting for which let all that have received the first fruits thereof be found at this day To which expectation Reader I commend thee and this spiritual treatise to thy perusal and it and thy self to the blessing made over to the seed of Jacob that wrastle it out with God and prevail over him The Saints do in a sense govern the World with Jesus Christ already by the spirit of Prayer that is in them making intercession in them according to Christs intercession in heaven and usually wee may know what God is about to do in the world by the prayers of his Saints especially in this last age of the world when their souls travel and are in pangs for Sions Redemption and the earth-quake to come into the Nations of the world till all the foundations of it as laid for the interest of Babylon and Antichristianism are shaken and out of course which the Lord will hasten in his time But I must break off and be-speak thy prayers for the Author and my self and all the Lords afflicted Ministers that are mourning in corners resting Thy Servant for Jesus sake Jacob wrestling with God and prevailing Matthew 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer beleeving ye shall receive THis Text is brought in as an Epiphonema or Closing speech to the history of the fruitless Fig-tree which being cursed by Jesus Christ for its barrenness presently withers and is dried up v. 19. to the great admiration of the Disciples vers 20. which action as it was extraordinary and miraculous in its self so in the tendency thereof it was of extraordinary use to the Disciples and did carry along with it a double instruction First To beware of an outside formal Profession without spiritual fruit and a suitable conversation which is alway attended with the wrath and displeasure of God and is nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.8 Secondly To teach the great Efficacy and Power of Faith and what great things may be done thereby either extraordinary according to that dispensation of working miracles which was but for the time present and peculiar to some vers 21. for all had not this gift nor faith of miracles 1 Cor. 12.29.30 2. Or else ordinary according to the gift and force of prayer which is perpetual and common to all the Saints by which they have a constant and joynt access to the Throne of Grace in all causes whatsoever and may accordingly prevail with God provided they pray in Faith as in the Text. And all things whatsoever c. In this Text of Scripture there are two things principally taught and commended to our consideration 1. The Necessity of Faith in Prayer 2. The Efficacy of Faith in Prayer The first viz. The Necessity of Faith in Prayer is gathered from the word Beleeving which is brought in as a specifical and qualifying adjunct or necessary ingredient to all our prayers And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer beleeving ye shall receive The Necessity of Faith in Prayer is also gathered from other Texts of Scripture as Heb. 11.6 But without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must beleeve c. And again James 1.5 6. If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God c. But let him ask in Faith And look as the body without the soul is dead and useless and cannot perform the actions of a man So also Prayer without Faith is dead and unprofitable James 1.6 7 8. So that Faith is the soul and life of Prayer and therefore a necessary ingredient thereto 1. Quest or Case of Conscience But what kinde of Faith is that which is so necessarily and indispensibly required in all our prayers to God is it the Faith of Assurance or the Faith of Relyance seeing James saith it must be without wavering and in nothing doubting Therefore it would seem that there is required in all our prayers to God a Faith of Assurance yea of full and perfect Assurance which admits of no doubting or uncertainty of the mind in the thing asked and that a Faith of Relyance is not sufficient seeing that is alwaies attended with some doubting as in Esther If I perish I perish she relyed upon God in the use of means but yet was doubtful as to the success and event thereof Now if this Faith be not accepted in prayer then the prayers of most of the Children of God are ineffectual seeing most of them have not the Faith of Assurance That saying of the holy man James shall be cleared in its proper place Answ But in answer to the Question it is affirmed That although it be the duty of all Christians to press after the Faith of Assurance as that which tendeth exceedingly to their comfort and inward joy Yet where there is a Faith of Relyance i.e. the heart doth inwardly rest upon Gods alsufficiency mercy faithfulness truth c. yet with doubting and uncertainty of the mind whether the thing shall be done which is asked of God in prayer the prayer is accepted of God and shall certainly have a gracious return in due time But that we may be the more clear and distinct in our handling this point to the satisfaction and comfort of weak and scrupulous consciences we shall first give a brief description of these two kinds of Faith in their distinct and different natures that so the person who is scrupulous may the better judge of his Faith of what kinde it is And then wee shall by Scripture and experience make good our assertion viz. that a Faith of Relyance is accepted of God in prayer where the faith of Assurance is wanting Faith of Assurance described The Faith of Assurance
dust of the Land of Egypt into Lice at the word of his servant Moses which the Magicians could not do by their inchantments Exod. 8.19 This is the finger of God! Yet so it is that a hand-full of Gods praying Israel which come in Faith to enquire and ask of God concerning his Sons and Daughters may even command what they will may ask and have the greatest mercies the most signal deliverances and the most wonderful revolutions of providence that the hands i. e. the infinite power of God is able to produce and bring to pass As that was a most wonderful revolution of providence that caused even all the earth to stand amazed even the sudden and unexpected downfall of the mighty Kingdome of Babylon in order to the salvation and deliverance of Gods Church and people who there were holden in so strong captivity Isa 14. from the 3. v. to the 28. Oh ye precious praying-souls upon whom the Lord hath poured out the spirit of grace and supplication Zech. 12.10 11 12 that yee may see him whom yee have pierced and mourn and be in bitterness for your own sins and the sins of the Nation mourning even every family apart the men apart and their wives apart Oh know that if yee come with an humble sense of your own and the Nations sins and with Faith in God through Jesus Christ to plead his precious promises and ask of him things to come concerning his Sons and Daughters ye may even command what yee will if it be a work of Gods hands which hee hath decreed in Heaven and declared on Earth to bring to pass in due time Rev. 18.2 as hee hath the confusion of mystical Babylon and salvation of his spiritual Zion I say if it be a work of his hands i.e. within the power of his glorious arm and infinite wisdome to effect as most certainly all things prophesied and fore-told in the Word of God are then ye need not to stagger ye need not to hesitate about the matter either because of your own unworthiness or the great amazing difficulties in the way of the promise but come boldly to the throne of grace and ask in Faith and there is nothing in Heaven or Earth too good or too great for God to do for you ask and spare not yea speak the word and it shall be done command with an humble boldness and it shall be brought forth ask it in the Heaven above or in the earth beneath amongst all the glorious works and operations of Gods hands chuse where yee will ask what yee will and it shall be done for you Ask mee things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the works of my hands command yee mee The most precious and constant experiences of the Saints and servants of God in all ages and generations of the world do also abundantly declare the mighty prevailing power and efficacy of Faith in prayer 2 In the Saints experiences by which 1. They have prevailed with God for the turning away of his fierce wrath and anger from ungodly Nations who had provoked him greatly and yet perished not because some of Gods faithful servants stood up in the gap and made intercession for them Thus holy Moses prevaileth with God for Israel when they provoked him to wrath with their own inventions and turned the glory of God into the similitude of a Calf that eateth Hay Exod. 32.7 And the Lord said unto Moses Go get thee down for the people which thou broughtest out of the Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them they have made them a molten Calf and have worshipped it c. And vers 10. Now therefore let mee alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation Here is an ungodly and unthankful Nation that have greatly provoked the Lord by their Idolatry and Apostacy after all those wonders of mercy which hee had wrought for them in Egypt and at the Red Sea which was a great aggravation of their wickedness that they so quickly forgat God their Saviour and turned aside to other Gods and gave the glory of all their deliverances and salvations which Jehovah had wrought for them unto a base detestable Idol the Image of a Calf that eateth Hay So vers 8. They have made a Molten Calf and worshipped it and have sacrificed thereunto and said These be thy Gods O Israel which have brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt And here wee have a jealous offended and provoked God appearing upon the Mount to Moses as consuming fire taking up thoughts of wrath and indignation against Israel even to their utter destruction and confusion Now therefore let mee alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation But withall behold a wonder of infinite condescention God stooping to man the great Jehovah courting and intreating a poor weak sinful man to be silent and let him alone in the progress and execution of his anger against Israel Let mee alone that my wrath may wax hot against them As if Moses's prayers did tye up the hands of God so that hee could not do any thing against Israel without Moses's leave Oh that a poor sinful man as Moses was should have such power with the great and holy God! yet such is the efficacy of Faith in prayer that God will not cannot do any thing against the prayers of his people when they ask in Faith But now doth Moses let God alone and cease to pray and make intercession for Israel is Moses content to accept the promised increase of his own private family with so great dishonour to the Name of God and the universal ruine of his Church and People No verily The Faith and Zeal of this holy man Moses like a mighty fire being a little restrained breaketh forth into the greater flames And hee sets upon the work of prayer and intercession for Israel with the more Faith and fervent Zeal vers 12 13. And Moses besought the Lord his God and said Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy People which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say for mischief did hee bring them out to slay them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy People Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thâ—â— swarest by thine own self and said unto them I will multiply your seâ— as the stars of Heaven and all this Land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed and they shalâ— inherit it for ever Oh here is a prayer of Faith indeed here is much Faith acted by Moses in
this prayer looking to the Word and Promise of God made to Abraham Isaâ—â— and Jacob as his rule in asking and the glory of the Name of God as his great and ultimate end and by good argument and strength of reason shewing that to execute his fierce wrath in consuming his people would neither consist with his Covenant and Promise nor with the glory of his own great Name and therefore prayes the Lord to turn from his fierce wrath and repent of this evil against his people And by this prayer of Faith he prevails with God and delivers Israel from that consuming wrath and anger of God that was kindled against them so that they perished not in their iniquity as vers 14. And the Lord repented of the evil which hee thought to do unto his people Which famous prayer and intercession of Moses is recorded in the book of Psalms and mentioned as the onely means of Israels preservation from the consuming power of Jehovahs great wrath and fierce anger Psal 106 23. Therefore hee said that hee would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them Oh the prevailing power and efficacy of Faith in prayer that by one prayer of Faith a whole Nation should be delivered from so great a ruine Instance 2 Thus also righteous Lot by one prayer of Faith delivered Zoar from the common destruction and over throw of Sodom Gomorrah that very morning when fire was ready to come down from Heaven to destroy those Cities Gen. 19.18 And Lot said unto them oh not so my Lord Behold now thy servant hath found grace in thy sight and thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewed unto mee in saving my life and I cannot escape to the mountain lest some evil take mee and I dye Behold now this City is near to flee unto and it is a little one O let me escape thither is it not a little one and my soul shall live This prayer of Lot was not without some visible tincture of humane frailty and weakness of Faith wherein hee offended in that hee accepted not the place which the Lord had appointed but chuseth another ascribing more to the place than to the power and good pleasure of God for his protection Nevertheless it being a prayer of Faith in which there was a real exercise of Faith in that hee beleeved God was able to spare Zoar and to make it a means of his preservation and more comfortable living than the desolate mountain and therefore prayes that the Lord would not send him to the mountain but rather let him flee to Zoar. In which prayer holy Lot was questionless guided by the Spirit of God to ask the preservation of that City which though visibly threatned and in danger to be destroyed with the rest yet was in respect of Gods secret will and purpose to be preserved and therefore the Lord did by his holy Spirit put it into the heart of his righteous servant Lot to ask that City In which request he is presently accepted and the life of that City granted at his petition vers 21. And hee said unto him see I have accepted thee concerning this thing that I will not overthrow this City for the which thou hast spoken Haste thee escape thither for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither therefore the Name of that City was called Zoar. Oh the infinite and admirable condescention of the great and holy God to the weakness of a poor frail man that Lot should not accept the mountain which the Lord appointed him and yet that the Lord should accept Lot and spare Zoar which he had spoken for yet such is the holy indulgence of the heavenly Father to his praying children that when through humane frailty they cannot come up to his terms hee out of divine pity stoops and comes down to theirs and such is the efficacy prevailing force of Faith in prayer that God is even overcome thereby to grant his poor praying servants even what they will vers 21. See I have accepted thee concerning this thing that I will not overthrow this City for the which thou hast spoken Oh well was it for Zoar that Lot spoke to God for it The prayer of one just Lot delivers this wicked City from the common calamity and destruction of their fellow-sinners 2. The Saints and servants of God have prevailed by Faith in prayer for the pulling down most speedy vengeance and just judgements of God upon their malicious and ungodly enemies Thus zealous Elijah by prayer brings down fire from Heaven upon the heads of his proud and malicious enemies two several Captains and their fifties who in the pride and heat of their spirits came to do violence to the good Prophet 2 King 1.9 10 11 12 until by these examples of Gods severity the rest of that wicked party were reduced to some submission and moderation towards his faithful servant who in prophecying the death of the King of Samaria had not offended but done that which he was commanded and allowed of God to do And the same holy man Elijah by prayer prevails with God to shut the Heavens that it rained not for three years and six months so that wicked Ahab Jezabel and the ten Tribes were for their Idolatry and persecution of Gods faithful servants justly plagued with a three years famine 1 King 17.1 compared with James 5.16 17. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Elias was a man subject to like passions as wee are and hee prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months Thus also the holy Prophet Elisha prevails with God by Faith in prayer for the smiting of the King of Syria's Army with blindness 2 King 6.18 And when they came down to him Elisha prayed unto the Lord and said Smite this people I pray thee with blindness And hee smote them with blindness according to the Word of Elisha Thus also the two faithful witnesses under the New Testament which the Lord raiseth up to prophesie and bear witness against Antichrist 1260 daies that is all the time of the beasts reign and tyranny for so long hee is to continue Rev. 13.6 have power to pull down vengeance upon their enemies and to open and shut Heaven and smite the earth with plagues as oft as they will Rev. 11.5 6. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies And if any man will hurt them hee must in this manner bee killed These have power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the daies of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with plagues as often as they will See here what great power the Lord hath given to his witness-bearing Saints and servants under the New
Testament whom hee raiseth up to bear witness for Christ against Antichrist to protest and prophecy against all the abominations of the man of sin though they have no worldly power nor arm of flesh to protect them yet they are not left destitute for they have power to shut Heaven and to smite the Earth with plagues and to call for vengeance and the righteous judgements of God to be made manifest upon their enemies for which cause fire is said to proceed out of their mouth not materially but virtually i.e. they do by their prayers and prophecies which proceed out of their mouth procure vengeance from Heaven and all the plagues and righteous judgements of God to be poured forth of the vials of his wrath upon the Antichristian party who are their malicious and implacable enemies by which means they are preserved and protected in their witnessbearing-work all the time of their Prophecy until the end and finishing thereof at which time by the determinate counsel of God they are to be slain and lye dead for a season in order to a glorious resurrection Rev. 11.7 8 9 10 11 12 13. 3. The Saints and servants of God have obtained by Faith in prayer great and wonderful deliverances when they have been in the greatest danger yea even in the very jaws of destruction Great and marvellous personal deliverances have been obtained by Faith in prayer 1 Personal deliverances or by the faithful prayers of the righteous Thus that precious and faithful servant of God Hezekiah when hee was sick unto the death and had received a peremptory sentence of death by the mouth of the Prophet Isa 38.1 Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live by Faith in prayer obtained the retersion of that sentence and was delivered in a most wonderful manner from the very jaws of death vers 5. Go and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father I have heard thy prayer I have seen thy tears behold I will add unto thy daies fifteen years Which deliverance was all circumstances considered so marvellous and wonderful that the fame thereof sounded as far as Babylon the King whereof sent his Embassadors to congratulate the Kings recovery and to enquire of the wonder 2 Chron. 32.31 Thus also the good Prophet Jonah though an angry passionate man when he prayed to the Lord in the fishes belly and when hee was even swallowed up of death without all visible help or hope of deliverance by Faith in prayer obtained a wonderful deliverance at the hands of God who spake to the fish and it vomited up Jonah upon the dry Land Jonah 2.10 of which prayer of his in the fishes belly and the great salvation obtained thereby take his own confession Jonah 2.2 5 6 7. And I cryed by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord and hee heard mee out of the belly of Hell cryed I and thâ—â— heardest my voice The waters compassed mee about even to the soul the depth closed mee round about the weeds were wrapt about my head I went down to the bottome of the mountains the earth with her â—â—rs was about mee for ever yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God When my soul fainted within mee I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in unto thee into thy holy Temple Thus the holy man Peter also being shut up in prison by Herod and bound with two chains kept all night between two souldiers the keepers also standing before the door being as a sheep fast bound and appointed for the flaughter next morning by the prayers of the Church at Jerusalem was wonderfully delivered from death and rescued out of the hand of his enemies by an Angel Act. 12.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Great National 2 National and publick deliverances and publick deliverances have also been obtained at the hands of God by the faithful prayers of his people Thus was Jerusalem and the whole Church of God delivered from the cruel rage great power and proud threatnings of the King of Assyria by the prayer of Hezekiah an Army of a hundred fourscore and five thousand being slain by the Angel of the Lord in one night Isa 37.21 Then Isaiah the Son of Amos sent unto Hezekiah saying Thus saith the Lord God of Israel whereas thou hast prayed to mee against Sennacherib King of Assyria vers 33. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria Hee shall not come into this City nor shoot an Arrow there nor come before it with shields nor cast a bank against it by the way that hee came by the same shall hee return and shall not come into this City saith the Lord for I will defend this City to save it for mine own sake and for my servant Davids sake And vers 36. Then the Angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians a hundred and four score and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses Oh the admirable and wonderful strength of Faith in prayer that one praying faithful Saint of God should prevail more by one prayer of Faith than the greatest Conquerors in the world could ever do by force and power a hundred and fourscore and five thousand slain by the prayers of one man one Hezekiah prayes and the whole Church of God is delivered Thus also when proud Haman that wicked enemy of the people of God had conspired the utter ruine and destruction of the Jews in the daies of the captivity and the design was laid so sure the Kings Royal assent being obtained and the decree gone forth into all the Kings Provinces and the day set for the execution thereof that it was impossible in the eye of reason that it should be disappointed yet by the prayers of good Mordecai and the remnant of a poor despised people a most glorious deliverance was obtained the Kings heart suddenly and wonderfully changed the former decree and sentence of death reversed Mordecai highly honoured and advanced the Jews every where encouraged wonderfully preserved and feared by their enemies and wicked Haman their proud and implacable enemy with all his family destroyed and rooted out of the earth Esther 3 4 5 6 7 8 and 9 chapters Thus also when the children of Ammon Moab and Mount-Seir had conspired the utter ruine of the people of God and joyned together in a numerous and multitudinous Host and suddenly invaded Judah for that end supposing themselves to have been sure enough of their design there being no strength nor provision with Jehosaphat to withstand them A most wonderful and glorious victory and deliverance was obtained by the prayer of good Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.3 And Jehosaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord v. 6. And said O Lord God of our Fathers art not thou God in Heaven and rulest not thou over all the Kingdomes of the Heathen
And in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee Art not thou our God who didst drive out the inhabitants of this Land before thy people Israel and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever And they dwelt therein and have built thee a Sanctuary therein for thy Name saying If when evil cometh upon us as the sword judgement or pestilence or famine wee stand before this house and in thy presence for thy Name is in this house and cry unto thee in our affliction then thou wilt hear and help And now behold the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount-Seir whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade when they came out of the Land of Egypt but they turned from them and destroyed them not Behold I say how they reward us to come to cast us out of thy possession which thou hast given us to inherit O our God wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know wee what to do but our eyes are upon thee And all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones their wives and their children Oh here is a prayer of Faith indeed there is much of the life of Faith and strength of argument in this prayer of good Jebosaphat 1. By Faith he sees and pleads the near relation betwixt God and his people Israel the seed of Abraham his friend 2. By Faith hee presses God upon his Covenant and Promise made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by which hee gave the Land of Canaan which is therefore called the Land of Promise to Abraham and his seed for ever 3. By Faith hee acknowledgeth and improveth the soveraignty and ruling power which God keepeth in his own hand over all the Kingdomes of the world yea over the very Heathen and those that are the enemies of his Church and People and therefore is able at all times to frustrate their deepest counsels disappoint their greatest designs bridle their greatest rage and power so as to deliver his people that put their trust in him 4. By Faith hee pleads the special Covenant and Promise of God made to Solomon on the behalf of his people at the dedication of the Temple and applies it to the present case in hand 5. By Faith hee improves the various passages of providence clearing up the innocency and integrity of his people Israel and the righteousness of their cause and on the contrary declareth the guiltiness ingratitude and wickedness of these ungodly nations that were now combined together to seek the ruine of Israel And upon the whole leaves the case with God as a most righteous Judge holy faithful and able to plead the case of his poor people in this great distress And prevails so far with God by this prayer of Faith that hee hath a gracious answer and a most glorious return in the wonderful Salvation of the Church and People of God for whom hee prayed and in the utter destruction and overthrow of their potent enemies against whom hee prayed for vers 14. Then upon Jahaziel c. came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the Congregation And hee said Thus saith the Lord unto you be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the battel is not yours but Gods And ver 17. Yee shall not need to fight in this battel set your selves stand yee still and see the salvation of the Lord with you And vers 22. When they began to sing and to praise The Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and Mount-Seir which were come against Judah and they were smitten for the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the Inhabitants of Mount-Seir utterly to slay and destroy them And when they had made an end of the Inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness they looked unto the multitude and behold they were dead bodies fallen to the earth and none escaped And vers 25. When Jehosaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies and precious Jewels which they stript off for themselves more than they could carry away and they were three daies in gathering of the spoil it was so much Oh what a wonderful deliverance and salvation was here obtained by one prayer of Faith Good Jehosaphat prayes in Faith and prevails by prayer with God The enemies are divided one against another and utterly destroyed one by another Israel saved with a wonderful salvation and greatly enriched with the spoil of their enemies 4. The Saints and Servants of God by Faith in prayer have prevailed with God for the stopping the course and changing the very law of nature in his government of the Creatures so that they have at the command of God been serviceable to his Church and People not onely beyond but even against the course and law of nature Instance 1 So holy Joshua by Faith in prayer commands the Sun and Moon to stand still and stay their course until hee had avenged the Lords people upon their enemies Josh 10.12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel And hee said in the sight of Israel Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon And vers 13. The Sun stood still and the Moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Is not this written in the book of Jasher So the Sun stood still in the midst of Heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day And vers 14. There was us day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man for the Lord fought for Israel On the wonderful force and prevailing efficacy of Faith iâ— prayer that even the course and law of nature which no creature can resist or withstand should thereby be stayed Job 38.31 32 33. 34 35 Ezek. 1.17 and the Sun and the Moon which by the ordinance of God are to bee in continual motion and move with such wonderful speed Psal 19.1 2 3 4 5 6 as to compass the world in the vast circumference of the Heavens in a few hours should at the word of a poor frail man stand still and stay their course for the space of a whole day Instance 2 Thus also holy Moses prevails with the Lord by prayer for the dividing the waters of the Sea even the Red Sea so that contrary to the law and course of nature they stood upon an heap and were a wall to Israel on the right hand and on the left Exod. 14.15 16. And the Lord said unto Moses Wherefore cryest thou unto mee Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward But lift up thou thy Rod
the Elect of God do cry for vengeance day and night 'T is not in the power of the greatest worldly force and pollicy to secure them from the revenging hand of God No but such must certainly fall before the prayers of Gods Elect Luke 18.7 8. And shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him though hee bear long with them i. e. with the persecutors I tell you that hee will avenge them speedily Oh that therefore the Kings and Princes and Rulers of the Earth would bee wise and take heed how by persecuting and oppressing the People of God they constrain them to cry to Heaven against them 'T is blessed counsel which the Spirit of God gives by the mouth of his servant David Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed yee Judges of the Earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest hee be angry and yee perish in the way When his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Use 2 What a great mercy and blessing then are the Saints and People of God to the Nations and Kingdoms and Countries where they live who as so many Princes or rather Kings and Priests have power with God and can by Faith in prayer prevail with him for any thing What a mercy was one praying Moses to the Nation of Israel Psal 106.23 when they had provoked the Lord to jealousie by the golden Calf What a great mercy was one praying Lot to the City Zoar Gen. 19.21 which should have been destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah had not Lot prayed for it What a great blessing was holy Jacob who was a great wrestler with God in prayer Gen. 32.24.28 and as a Prince had power with God and prevailed and upon that account had his name changed from Jacob to Israel what a mercy I say was hee to the whole Family of his Unckle Laban Gen. 30.27 whilst he sojourned there That speech of the Lord to King Abimelech and his People concerning Abraham a poor traveller and stranger who came but to sojourn in his Country for a time is very remarkable Gen. 20.7 Now therefore restore the man his Wife for hee is a Prophet and hee shall pray for thee and thou shalt live Wrath was gone out from the Lord against King Abimelech and his People And the prayers of Abraham a poor stranger prevail in Heaven for the life of Abimelech who otherwaies was but a dead man and for those in his house whose wombs were fast closed up because of Sarah Abraham's Wife Gen. 20.3.17 18 whom Abimelech had sinfully taken to him Their own sin not Abraham's sojourning had procured wrath against them And Abraham by prayer procureth sparing and healing mercy for them A sinning Court who daily provoke the Lord against themselves and subjects ☞ had need of some praying souls daily to intercede for them How great therefore is the errour of the wicked who look upon the People of God as the onely troublers of their Israel 1 King 18.17 and attribute the cause of all their calamities and troubles to the Lords faithful servants which they procure unto themselves by their own wickedness Justly therefore may the Lords People answer such Ahabs in the words of that old non-conformist and good Prophet Elijah 1 King 18.18 Wee have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that yee have forsaken the Commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim 'T is not the zealous and conscientious non conformist that troubles the Court and Country but the Idolatrous and superstitious party who cast off the Commandements of the Lord and set up their own inventions Psal 106.29 Rev. 13.12 15 16 and as a greater aggravation of their wickedness would compel others to sin with them Oh that therefore the eyes of the Nations of the Kings and Judges of the earth were opened to discern aright and to see who are the troublers of Israel and who are the chariots and horsemen thereof Well! that blessed day is a coming wherein the Kings of the earth even shall hate that scarlet whore Rev. 17.16 17 tear her flesh burn her with fire even so Amen The good Lord hasten it in his due time and let all the Saints say Come Lord Jesus come quickly Well then whatever wicked men say whatever proud men say out of the blindness and hardness and unbeleef of their hearts yet the zealous and conscientious non-conformists are not the troublers of Israel 2 King 2.12 Rev. 16.13 14 but the Chariots and Horse-men thereof Are not the Kings enemies but his and their Countries best friends Rev. 19.19 20 21 and wicked men will be found at last to be the worst subjects and enemies both to their King and Country Let the Nations Kings and Princes of the earth therefore know that 't is their best interest to cherish protect and incourage a praying and a holy people though they cannot in all things conform to their laws and customs in the matters of Gods most holy worship about which the holy God is so jealous Exod. 20.5 Dan. 3.17 18. 6.10 and his people so truly and tenderly conscientious And the prayers of such a people shall prevail more in Heaven for their King and Country in order to their defence and safety than all the Chariots and Horse-men Souldiers Armies Power and Policy that the whole world can afford them Use 3 Then O ye Saints and Servants of the most high God who have received the spirit of Adoption and have an interest in Jesus 〈◊〉 great High Priest who is entred into the Heavens for us even Jesus the Son of God come boldly and daily to the throne of grace improve your interest in Heaven and try what faith and prayer will do there for the help of your native Country your poor afflicted brethren abroad in the world for the consolation and deliverance of Zion that City of God and for the confusion and destruction of mighty Babel that Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth who hath corrupted the whole earth with her fornications involved the whole Creation in such a woful bondage and thraldome and made her self drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Heb. 4.16 Come boldly I say to the throne of Grace Luke 18.7 and cry mightily to Heaven even day and night Isa 62.6 7 and give the Lord no rest till he doth arise Psal 87.3 and make his Jerusalem a praise in the earth and fulfil all those glorious things which are spoken of that City of God and execute all the judgements written against Babylon to binde her Kings in chains Psal 149.7 8 9 and her Nobles in links of Iron This honour have all his Saints O ye Saints this is an honour that the God of Heaven and earth hath put
mee nevertheless not as I will but as thouwilt Which exercise of his Faith in submitting to his Fathers will is yet more vigorous v. 42. and Heb. 5.7 'T is said hee was heard in that he feared for though hee was not heard in the very thing asked viz. that the Cup might pass from him yet he was heard in that wherein he submitted himself to his Fathers will Instance 1 2. Implicite or understood as in that petition of Paul when hee prayed against the thorn in the flesh that it might depart from him 2 Cor 12.8 In which petition questionless he did exercise his Faith and beleeved though not positively that hee should have the very thing hee asked yet that hee should have either that thing viz. the taking away the thorn in his flesh or else that which the Lord at that time should see to be better for him viz. a sufficiency of grace to resist and withstand it In which respect his petition was granted vers 9. And hee said unto meeâ— My grace is sufficient for theeâ— which was much better for him at that time than that it should have departed from him for hee stood in great need of such an exercise at that time And the thorâ— in his flesh though it was sharp and grievous to him was of special use and benefit to him to keep him humble and to prevent spiritual pride and self-exaltation after his abundance of Revelations and high enjoyments vers 7. And least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of Revelations therâ— was given to mee a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet mee least I should be exalted above measure Hence wee may observe and learn that the Lord knoweth how to make use of the Saints inbred corruptions and Satans temptations for their good and benefit And therefore when we pray against the motions and stirrings of inward corruption and Satans temptations that they may be taken from us It ought to be with this proviso and condition expressed or implied if the Lord seeth the same to be good for us otherwise to have such a sufficiency of his grace as may inable us to resist and withstand them for though the presence of such things be as a thorn in our flesh i. e. very grievous and troublesome to us yet thereby many times a greater evil is prevented viz. spiritual pride self-confidence self-conceitedness c. And though such motions of inbred corruption and temptations of Satan are sinful Yet where they are resisted and withstood by Faith Prayer Watchfulness c. they are not imputed as the Apostle Paul teacheth Rom. 7.17 Now therefore it is nâ— more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in mee Yea such motions and stirrings of the flesh and buffetings of Satan are oft-times given to the children of God in great mercy to prevent a greater evil as the Apostle saith vers 7. There was given mee a thorn in the flesh So that in such cases Christians may not conclude that their prayers against such motions and temptations are not heard or that they have not prayed in Faith because they are not presently removed and taken away for there is an exercise and work of Faith in submitting such desires unto the wisdome and will of God and an answer is given to such prayers though not in the very thing desired yet in that which the Lord knoweth to be better for them as in this case of Paul is most clear hee prayes and he prayes earnestly and importunately That the thorn in his flesh the messenger of Satan might depart from him vers 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from mee And hee hath his prayer answered not in the thing desired but in that which was better for him at present vers 9. My grace is sufficient for thee The thorn in his flesh the buffeting of Satan remaineth notwithstanding all his prayers against it and yet his prayer is heard and answered in that hee hath a sufficient measure of grace and strength from Christ to resist and withstand it Instance 1 So likewise in that case of Israel in the wilderness wheâ— being stung by the fiery flyinâ— Serpents the sting whereof wâ— deadly and by which many dyeâ— they come to Moses with thâ— request Numb 27.7 Pray unâ— the Lord that hee take away tâ— Serpents from us And Mosâ— prayed for the people And though hee was not heard in thâ— very thing asked viz. That thâ— Serpents should be taken away which questionless they thoughâ— to be best for them yet was thâ— prayer answered in the lifting 〈◊〉 of the Brazen Serpent whicâ— upon other considerations thâ— Lord saw to be better for theâ— at that time So vers 8. And tâ—â— Lord said unto Moses Make thee 〈◊〉 fiery Serpent and set it upon a poâ— and it shall come to pass that everâ— one that is bitten when hee lookeâ— upon it shall live Wherein waâ— exhibited a most lively type 〈◊〉 Christ and of that healing virtue which the children of God do receive from him by Faith against the deadly sting of sin The sting whereof would bee deadly unto them as well as unto others were they not healed by looking unto Jesus Christ who was lift up for that very end Jo. 3.14 15. And whereas many the dear children of God when they feel this sting in their consciences do pray earnestly and importunately to have these Serpents of their own inâ—red corruptions and Satans temptations taken away that they might never more be stung and hurt by them who though they do well to express their zeal hatred and holy indignation against sin which questionless is well pleasing in the sight of God yet in praying so posiâ—ively and absolutely to have these removed they do not praâ— with that understanding anâ— knowledge they ought neitheâ— do they therein pray according to the will of God otherwise thaâ— by an implicite submission whicâ— alwaies ought to accompany sucâ— petitions Rom. 8.24.25 1 Joh. 2.1 2 1 Joh. 1.9 But have such prayer answered in the remedy vouch safed in Christ which is best 〈◊〉 all Having as briefly as wee wâ— could passed through these vâ—rious and weighty questions 〈◊〉 cases of conscience about the nâ—cessity of Faith in prayer for thâ— satisfaction and comfort of Goâ— hidden ones whose property it 〈◊〉 not to take things of this natuâ— upon trust but conscientiously 〈◊〉 enquire till they be satisfactonâ— resolved from the Word of Goâ— and have proved what his goâ— and acceptable will and their dâ—ty is in all things pertaining to 〈◊〉 worship and service and wherein so much of their spiritual peace and comfort is bound up we shall proceed to give the reasons and then the application of the Point Reas 1 There is a necessity of Faith in Prayer because we cannot otherwise pray to the Father in the Name of Christ 't is of absolute necessity that wee pray in the Name of Christ otherwise