the grace of Faith but wanted the energy and exercise thereof at the water of Meribah in that particular case of bringing forth water out of the Rock onely by speaking to it And their want of Faith did appear in that they smote the Rock twice when they should have but spoke unto it Numb 20 11 12. verses compared with vers 8. The Disciples had the grace of Faith in their hearts and the gift of the Faith of the miracles but yet wanted the exercise thereof in that particular case of the childe possessed with a dumb spirit Mark 9.17 18 19. The two Disciples going to Emmaus had the grace of Faith in their hearts but wanted the activity and comfort thereof in reference to the death sufferings and resurrection of Christ from the dead Luke 24.25 26 27. In all which actions those holy men of God miscarried and missed of their wonted and usual success because they did not beleeve i.e. they did not exercise Faith in those particular cases wherein the Lord did leave them to themselves to try and prove them that they might more sensibly and experimentally know their own weakness and so keep a more constant dependance upon divine assistance Now as the precious and holy Servants of God who have nature as well as grace flesh as well as Spirit may miscarry in other holy actions and duties so also in this duty of prayer so far as to miss of that blessed fruit and success therein which at other times they finde and hence it is because they do not alwaies pray in Faith James 1 5 6 7. If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him But let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for hee that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed For let not that man think that hee shall receive any thing of the Lord. The holy man James is now speaking unto Saints unto such as hee supposed to have the grace of Faith and yet putting them upon this great duty and work of prayer and that in a particular case for wisdome to manage their profession as they ought to do under those tryals and temptations which were upon them which being a thing absolutely necessary for them and according to the revealed will of God hee gives them assurance to prevail in the very thing asked vers 5. Let him ask of God c. And it shall be given him but still with this proviso and upon this condition that hee ask in Faith vers 6. But let him ask in Faith c. Whence 't is clear and the Apostle takes it for granted that such an one as hath true Faith may yet fail in the exercise thereof in this ordinance and duty of prayer therefore hee saith But let him ask in Faith intimating that a godly man a holy man may ask of God in prayer and yet may not ask in Faith and thereby miscarry and lose all the comfort and fruit of his asking vers 7. Let not that man think that hee shall receive any thing of the Lord. This may be for caution and warning to all the people of God 2 Use Caution whether they be strong in Faith or weak in Faith whether their grace be little or much to beware and take heed that they neglect not to stir up and put in exercise that grace which they have as in all other holy duties so especially in this great duty and work of prayer The Exhortation of Paul to Timothy in reference to his Ministerial gift may be applyed to every Christian in reference to his grace 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift that is in thee by putting on of my hands A man may have excellent gifts and parts and yet the Church of God bee never the better for them unless those gifts be stirred up and kept in exercise Yea a man may in time lose his gifts by neglecting the exercise and improvement of them as Mat. 25.29 But unto him that hath noâ— i.e. exerciseth and improvetâ— not as is clear by the scope oâ— the Parable shall be taken aâ—â— even that which hee hath So man may have true grace and 〈◊〉 very great measure of it and yeâ— may in some particular cases anâ— under the enjoyment of moâ—â— precious Ordinances and in thâ— performance of most holy duties be altogether fruitless and uâ—â— profitable both to himself anâ— others through not exercisâ—â— and stirring up the grace which hee hath Yea hee may thought not utterly lose yet greath weaken and impoverish his grace Rev. Joh. 11.26 1 Joh. 3.9 5.18 3.2 O Christian know that thâ— life and comfort of thy soul under the most precious ordinances and in the performance of holy duties whether with thy self or with others lyeth not so much in thy having of true grace in thy having of Faith but in the activity of grace and in the exercise of that Faith which thou hast Oh therefore beware and take heed that thou neglectest not to stir up to keep in exercise thy grace as ever thou desirest that thy soul should thrive and prosper under the holy ordinances of Jesus Christ and be filled with joy and peace in beleeving The life of Ordinances the sweetness of the Word and Promises the comfort and fruit of holy duties is lost when once the exercise of Faith is lost take away the exercise of Faith out of the heart of a Christian and what are the most pure and powerful ordinances the most sweet and precious Promises the most holy and heavenly duties when performed with the greatest external excellency but as so many empty Pipes as so many broken Cisterns which can hold no water And therefore it is that the Devil doth so industriously tempt the Saints of God to spiritual slumber and security that so hindering the exercise of their grace hee may deprive them oâ— the spiritual fruit and comfort oâ— all Gods Ordinances ☞ and there upon tempt them to doubt and question whether they be his ordinances or no and at length 〈◊〉 they be not sincere prevaileâ— with them to cast off ordinance as fruitless and unprofitable anâ— to cast reproach and dirt upon them whereas indeed the fauâ—â— is in their own hearts Mal. 3.14 Micah 2.7 And hereupon hatâ— the Devil taken advantage to for those cursed tares and corrupt opinions of Non-Ordinances Ranters Quakers c. all which though they differ among themselves yet do agree in this to cast all the dirt and reproach they can upon the precious and heavenly ordinances of Jesus Christ And this hath the Devil done whilst Professors were fallen asleep and had lost the life exercise and activity of their grace as it is written Mat. 13.25 But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the Wheat The preaching of the Gospel Act. 26.18 Eph. 4.12 Rom. 1.16
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
addresses to God by prayer 't is not enough that the person praying be a Beleever but also that the prayer made be a prayer of Faith or a beleeving Prayer hence it is put in the present tense Beleeving And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer beleeving not having beleeved but beleeving in the present tense intimating to us that a present exercise of Faith is required otherwise the prayer may be an unbeleeving and so by consequence a fruitless prayer though the person be a beleever for a godly man may make a carnal prayer a beleeving man may make an unbeleeving prayer As the good man Joshua seems to do Josh 7 7 8 9. The truth is wee are said to have no more Faith than we act And therefore Jesus Christ reproves his Disciples as faithless when as 't is clear they wanted not the habit but the exercise of Faith in that particular case of casting out the dumb spirit Mark 9.19 Those prayers therefore are faithless prayers in which there is not a present exercise of faith though the person or persons praying be in a state of grace and have the habit of Faith in their hearts 3. Quest or Case of Conscience If the exercise and actuality of Faith be necessarily required in all things whatsoever we ask of God in the name of Christ then whether may such an exercise of Faith be accepted as is accompanied with some doubting and wavering of the mind or is such an exercise of Faith only current with God in Prayer as is clear and stedfast without the least doubt or wavering The reason of this scruple or question is that saying of the holy man James in his chap. 1. v. 6 7. But let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed for let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Now if such an exercise of Faith as is attended with some doubting be not accepted of God and the prayers of such be altogether fruitless and unprofitable as this Scripture seemeth to import then is the hope comfort and experience of the most of Gods Children thereby cut off and denyed And if otherwise then how is this saying of James to bee understood and reconciled with other Scriptures Ans Two kinds of doubting There is a twofold doubting or wavering of the mind spoken of in Scripture The one which doth alwaies exclude and oppose Faith so that where such doubting is◠there is not the least acting o◠stirring of Faith in the heart The other which doth onely argue weakness of Faith and is consistent with the exercise and actuality thereof at the same time in some degree The saying of the holy man James above-mentioned is to be understood onely of the former 1 Kind explained viz. such doubting or wavering of the mind as doth oppose Faith and is exclusive to it as is clear by the antithesis or opposition of Faith and wavering being set in the Text the one against the other for saith James Let him ask in Faith And then hee opposes thereunto this word wavering nothing wavering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. not disputing or cavilling so that 't is manifest the Apostle speaketh of such a doubting or wavering as argues a nullity and privation of Faith where there is no beleeving of the Promise and Word of God but a disputing and cavilling against it and an opposing of it As in the case of that Lord on whose hand the King leaned when the Prophet by the Word of the Lord fore-told so great plenty to be on the morrow in the gate of Samaria who disputing and reasoning against the Promise and Word of God out of an unbeleeving heart answered the man of God Behold if the Lord would make windows in Heaven might this thing bee 2 King 7.1 2. This was such a wavering as James speaks of which argued a nullity of Faith and strength of unbeleef in the heart of that Noble man who thus disputed and cavilled against the Promise giving no credit to the Word of the Lord spoken by the Prophet nor in the least acknowledging or relying upon the power of God for the performance thereof And therefore was made a spectacle of divine vengeance for his disobedience and unbeleef being trodden to death the next day in the gate which verified the Word spoken to him by the Prophet Thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shalt not eat thereof vers 2. compared with v. 19 20. And of such a doubting as this is that saying of the Apostle Paul to be understood Rom 14.23 And he that doubteth is damned because he eateth not of Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin 'T is evident in this place the Apostle speaketh of such a doubting as argues a want of Faith and right understanding of true Christian liberty in that particular action of eating In which hee that eateth without Faith is condemned in his own conscience though the thing in it self be lawful yet to him it is sinful and unlawful for want of Faith in what he doth Otherwise a man is not condemned in that action which he doth with some doubting wherein there is also a real and true exercise of Faith though in a weak and low degree As Simon in letting down the Net at the command of Christ Luke 5.5 The second kind of doubting or wavering spoken of in Scripture 2 Kind explained is such a doubting as is consistent with the present exercise of Faith and argues only weakness of Faith but not the want of it which kind of doubting is found in the true Children of God even in their best duties oft times the consideration whereof doth also much trouble and afflict them Now this kind of doubting Gen. 18.13 Mat. 8.26 Mat. 14.31 though it is sinful and to be reproved yet being a sin of infirmity and weakness not o◠wilful rebellion or presumption the Lord doth in mercy cover and pass it by in his people and doth not therefore reject their persons or any their sincere and faithful services but doth graciously accept them in his Son Jesus Christ notwithstanding such infirmities as by the following instances doth appear Instance 1 And thus Sarah was accepted of God in the exercise of her weak Faith when the Lord made a promise of a Son to be given her in her old age though therein she was not without some doubting as appeareth by comparing Gen. 18.12 13 14. with Heb. 11.11 In the former viz. Gen. 18.13 She is reproved for her doubting Wherefore did Sarah laugh is any thing too hard for the Lord But in the latter viz. Heb. 11.11 She is commended and approved for her Faith at the same time and in the same action Through Faith also Sarah her self received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a childe when she was past age because she judged him faithful who
had promised So that by comparing these two Scriptures which relate to the same person and action it is manifest that Sarahs doubting through weakness of Faith did not hinder her acceptance with God in that action wherein there was the real exercise of her Faith though weak and wavering for saith the Text Shee judged him faithful who had promised therefore she did believe the promise and relye upon the faithfulness of God for the performance thereof notwithstanding the great doubting and stirring of unbeleef in her heart at the same time which yet she resisted and also at length did overcome Whence these two things may truly be gathered 1. That great doubting and wavering of the mind may consist with the real though weak exercise of Faith in the same holy action 2. That such holy actions are accepted of God in Christ notwithstanding such doubtings Instance 2 The truth of this doth also appear in the case of him who brought his childe to Christ being possessed with a dumb spirit And now finding his case to be exceeding difficult in that he had already tryed the Disciples and they could not cast out this dumb spirit out of his Son Mark 9.18 hee begins through unbeleef to haesitate and doubt concerning the power of Christ also and puts an if upon the matter vers 22. But if thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us so that here was great doubting and stirring of unbeleef which Christ reproves vers 23. and replyes to him If thou canst beleeve all things are possible to him that beleeveth which reproof of Christ prevails so far upon him to the breaking of his heart and humbling of him for his unbeleef that hee cryes out with tears from a sense of his sin as well as of his childes misery Lord I beleeve help mine unbeleef Now here was some Faith mixed with great doubting and unbeleef yet being bewaileâ— and confessed the prayer of this distressed and afflicted Father oâ— the behalf of his childe is heard and answered for the dumb spirit is cast out and his childâ— healed vers 25 26 27. Oh the infinite riches anâ— condescention of free grace thaâ— ever such a prayer as this shoulâ— be heard and answered that puâ— an if upon the power of Christ If thou canst do any thing have compassion on us And yet there being found some Faith in this prayer though attended with so great doubting and acting of unbeleef it is accepted and owned by the Lord Jesus The answer and resolution therefore of the question is That although it be the duty of the people of God to press after such Faith in prayer as is without doubting and wavering of the mind And all such doubting and wavering of the mind is in it self sinful and to be reproved and by no means to be cherished and allowed Yet such doubting and wavering as doth arise onely from weakness of Faith in the minde of a beleever where there is also a real exercise of Faith though in the weakest and lowest degree doth not nor can at any time hinder the acceptance and efficacy of their prayers with God Ephes 1.6 1 Pet. 2.5 James 5.17 18 but their persons and prayers are acceptable to God through Christ Jesus with a Notwithstanding to all such infirmities 4. Quest or Case of Conscience If the exercise of Faith be necessarily required in all our prayers to God then whether is it at all times and in all cases required that hee who cometh to God in prayer doth absolutely and determinately believe for the very thing that he prayeth for or that hee prayeth with a submission to the will of God either to have the thing that he prayeth for or that which the Lord may see to be better for him The occasion and ground of this Question is That some Christians being earnestly carried out in prayer against some particular lust or corruption as pride envy inordinate love to the creature or against the inward motions and lustings of any other sin which they feel stirring in themselves praying that the same may be removed and taken out of the way or for any other particular mercy which they have an earnest desire to obtain at the hands of God Now because they finde not an answer in the very thing asked but the same lust or corruption remaineth still unsubdued and the mercy so greatly desired still denied notwithstanding all their prayers They usually conclude that they prayed not in Faith and that their prayers are not at all accepted or answered because they have not the thing asked referring their case to that of James 4.3 Yee ask and receive not because yee ask amiss And not only in this case of inbred corruption but also in many other cases Christians are much put to it to know when they ask in Faith and when they ask amiss Many concluding they ask not in Faith because they have not the very thing asked Ans The exercise of our Faith in prayer must be either absolutâ— and determinate in the very thing asked or conditional and latitudinary referring to what may bâ— most agreeable to the will oâ— God whether it be the verâ— thing asked or something else according to the nature of thâ— thing which we ask The Rule therefore which thâ— Apostle proposeth to himseâ—â— concerning prayer is diligentâ—â— to be observed by every Christâ—an 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray wiâ—â— the Spirit and I will pray with uâ—derstanding also It therefore coâ—cerns every Christian to undeâ—stand the nature of the thing which hee asks of God in prayeâ— otherwise hee may ask amiss The things which we ask of God in prayer may fall under a double distinction 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of our selves which every Christian ought diligently to mark and consider that so hee may frame his petitions and exercise his Faith therein according to the Rule of the Word for Faith is guided by the light of the Word and cannot go against the Word nor without the Word in any thing 1. In respect of God The things which we come to ask of him in prayer are either clearly and absolutely revealed promised and fore-told in his Word or else secret and not revealed which hee hath reserved in his own power 2. In respect of our selves The things which we come to ask of God in prayer are either absolutely and perse good and necessary for us or they are good and necessary for us onely upon such and such variable considerations and suppositions as wee are very apt to mistake about Now to apply these general Rules to our case and question in hand Rule 1 In things which are clearly revealed absolutely fore-told and promised in the Word of God we ought to act our Faith absolutely and determinately for the very thing we pray for and not to admit the least doubt or question but to maintain an holy confidence that such prayers are alwaies heard though not presently answered as 1 John
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-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-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
upon you by virtue of the anointing and unction of the holy one that is upon you for that end to be the witnesses of Jesus Christ Rev. 11.3 4 5 6 and to open and shut Heaven by your prayers and to smite the earth with plagues as often as ye will to pray down the mighty Kingdome of Babel Rev. 11.15 which is Antichrist and to pray up the glorious and everlasting Kingdome of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.22 13 to pray out these old Heavens and old earth wherein dwelleth wickedness and to pray in the new Heavens and new Earth wherein shall dwel righteousness peace This is an honour I say which the God of Heaven and Earth hath put upon you that ye should stand before the God of the whole earth Zech. 4.14 and be instrumental and influential in and about these great things And this honour can no man take from you this is a priviledge and honour given you from Heaven and 't is not in the power of all the devils in hell by tempting nor all the powers of earth by persecuting to take it from you they may cast you into prisons lay you in the darkest dungeons drive you into exile and banishment but still where-ever you are what-ever your outward condition be Heaven is open over your heads and the spirit of grace is nigh your hearts ye may have access to the throne of grace they cannot keep out the Spirit from you nor shut out your prayers from ascending before God if they will not suffer you to utter words 1 Sam. 1.13 15 Rom. 8.26 27 ye may pour out your spirits and sigh and groan inwardly and hee who searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit I say ye may come freely and boldly to the throne of grace the way is open and none can shut it 't is a new and a living way not of works but of grace not by the blood of Bulls and of Goats but by the blood of Jesus neither your sins nor your enemies therefore can shut it if it were an old Covenant way of access by works and mans righteousness your sins might shut it and you not be able to enter into the holiest or if it were a way of access by carnal and external sacrifices your enemies might shut it and make the daily sacrifice to cease Dan. 8.11 either by denying you liberty or wherewithall to sacrifice But now seeing it is a new Covenant way of access not by works and mans righteousness but by free grace and Gods righteousness imputed by Faith to them that beleeve not by external sacrifice but by the blood and spirit of Jesus the Son of God lift up your heads and know that 't is not in the power of your sins or enemies to hinder your daily access to the throne of grace if you have Faith but as a grain of Mustard-seed and come in the exercise of that Faith by the blood of Jesus yee may ask and have prevail with God by prayer for all things whatsoever there is nothing too great or too good for God to bestow upon you he hath set you no bounds but bids you ask what you will And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer beleeving ye shall receive Let mee therefore close up this exhortation with the words of the holy Apostle Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh and having an high Priest over the house of God Let us draw near with a true heart and in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Use last Lastly And to shut up all O ye Israel of God who as Princes have power with him thus to prevail in Heaven that all things whatsoever ye ask in prayer beleeving ye are sure to receive give all the glory unto Jesus Christ and cast your crowns down at his feet and give glory to the Lamb through whom alone it is that ye thus overcome and prevail by Faith against all the powers of Hell and Earth Oh learn that new song Rev. 5.9 Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof not we are worthy but thou art worthy to have honour and glory and blessing and power As vers 12 13. for vers 10. Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred tongue and people and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests Oh know and freely confess before Angels and men that it is not by your own holiness or righteousness that ye do any of these great things but by Faith in the name the blessed and holy name of Jesus let the same mind be in you that was in the holy Apostles Peter and John who when they had done a great work upon the impotent man who was lame from his Mothers womb which drew the eye of the people with great admiration towards them did humble and abase themselves that Christ alone might be magnified have all the glory of what they had done directing the eye and expectation of the people from them unto Jesus the Son of God Act. 3.12 Ye men of Israel why marvel yee at this Or why look yee so earnestly on us as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk The God of Abraham Isaac and of Jacob the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus whom ye delivered up c. And vers 16. His name through Faith in his name hath made this man strong whom ye see and know Yea the Faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all Oh here is a choice and excellent spirit indeed here is the life and glory of Faith indeed to do great things in the name and strength of Christ then to give all the glory back again to him Oh ye Saints and Servants of God know that 't is not by your own power and holiness by your own Saintship and worthiness but by the power and holiness by the blood and righteousness by the mediation and intercession of Jesus that ye do any of these great things by Faith in prayer Therefore I say again and again give all the glory to Jesus Christ let nothing be given to faith nothing be given to prayer nothing be given or ascribed to your own Saintship or holiness but let all the glory be given to God and to the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne but the holy Angels the four beasts four and twenty Elders with all the heavenly host whose number is ten thousand times ten thousand are all about the throne not sharing the glory honor with Jesus Christ though they have been ministerially instrumental in the hand of Christ to accomplish these great works but giving all the glory to him and to him alone Rev. 5.11.12 13 14. And I beheld and I heard the voyce of many Angels round about the throne and the beasts and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten-thousand and thousand of thousands Saying with a loud voyce worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honor and glory and blessing And every creature which is in Heaven and on earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying blessing honor glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever And the four Beasts and the four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Even so Amen And let all the Angels in heaven and all the Saints in Heaven and earth and all creatures persons and things be nothing be lesse then nothing be overshadowed and dis-appear that Jesus Christ the Lamb of God may be all in all and appear in his glory and shine as the Sun of righteousness in the highest heavens for ever and ever And let all the Saints and holy Angels who are but stars remember and know that they shine but with a borrowed light and therfore must disappear at the appearing of this glorious Sun that all the world may behold his face in Righteousness and the whole earth be enlightned with his glory Let him be true and every man a Lyer let him be holy and every man a sinner he must increase but we must decrease And let every Saint and servant of God say let every friend of the Bridegroom say This my joy therefore is fulfilled for this is the great end of the Saints access unto acceptance with the Father through Jesus Christ Joh. 14.13 And whatsoever ye shal aske in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son If God and Jesus Christ be hereby glorified we have our end our all The summ and scope and perfection of all our faith and hope of all our praying preaching hearing reading doing and suffering is this Isa 61.3 That he may be glorified In this therefore let us joy and rejoyce in this let our souls acquiesse and take up as in our spiritual center and Heavenly rest as in our Canaan our Heaven our all which is dearer and sweeter to us then our reputations estates liberties lives yea then our very souls then all our own concernments That Jesus Christ and the Father in him is glorified and exalted by the great things that he doth and will do in Heaven for his poor sinful and unworthy tempted and afflicted Servants here on earth Heb. 13.7 8. Considering the end of their conversation Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever FINIS ERRATA IN the Epistle page 2. line 6. for form read from and page 4. line 11. read those In the Book p. 59. l. 12. r. life p. 75 l. 22. blot out the p. 83. l. 2. r. Non-Ordinancers p. 153 l. 13. r. Demonstration
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
wantonness fornication adultery oppressio◠cruelty with all other their fleshly wickedness is bad enough b◠their Religion viz. Idolatry Superstition Will-worship is wor◠of all and therefore called emphatically and by way of eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The unclea◠thing which the Saints of God are forbidden so much as to touch as ever they expect and hope to be received and owned by God in that relation of Adoption Wherefore come out from among them and be yee separate saith the Lord And touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and be a Father unto you and yee shall be my Sons and my Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Yea it is called the abominable thing which the Lord doth hate Jer. 44.4 Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate Intimating that the holy God hath a special and peculiar hatred abomination and detestation thereof above all other things 3. Their formal prayers which they make and say over with much ignorant devotion with all their significant Ceremonies attending the same their vestures and gestures as bowing cringing spreading forth hands c. which hypocrites do so much magnifi◠and applaud in compariso◠whereof they do not only sligh◠and dis-respect but also mo◠desperately if not maliciously reproach and blaspheme even th◠blessed Spirit of Grace and Supplication how doth the Lor◠reject and disown them vers 〈◊〉 And when yee spread forth you hands I will hide mine eyes fr◠you Yea when yee make ma◠prayers I will not hear Yo◠hands are full of blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the voice from Heaven to◠the Graecian Tyrant i. e. The 〈◊〉 within will certainly frustr◠and make void all the extern◠services and devotions of su◠wicked hypocrites In whom tha◠Scripture is perfectly fulfilled Prov. 28.9 Hee that turneth 〈◊〉 his ear from hearing the Law eve◠his prayer shall be abomination Secondly This may inform us of the excellency and preciousness of true Faith The excellency and worth of things is to bee valued by their usefulness and the more usefull and necessary a thing is the more excellent and precious it is Bread-corn is a more excellent and precious thing than Bullymong * i. e horse-corn because more useful and necessary for the support of mans life And Wisdome is more excellent and precious than Rubies because more useful for the management of humane affairs Grace is more excellent than Gifts and Parts because more needfull and necessary in order to the souls eternal welfare A man may bee saved bee happy and blessed for ever without Gifts and Parts but a man cannot be saved without Grace Joh. 3.3 So Faith is a most excellent and preciou◠thing because so abundantly s◠indispensibly so universally usefull and necessary for us not only in this particular case of prayer but also in all other Spirituall sacrifices and services which wee offer up unto God through Christ In all which respects tha◠Scripture holds most true He◠6.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God Wee judge of th◠goodness and excellency of th◠Tree by the goodness of th◠fruit and of the Cause by th◠Effects So the excellency a◠preciousness of Faith is to 〈◊〉 discerned by the excellent 〈◊〉 precious fruits and effects the◠of in the hearts and lives of 〈◊〉 precious Saints Oh! the great and glorious things which the Saints and 〈◊〉 vants of God have been enabl◠and taught to do by the strength and light of Faith Heb. 11.33 Who through Faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousness obtained Promises stopped the mouths of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness was made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens women received their dead raised to life again And as the Saints and Servants of God have been enabled to do So also to suffer great and strange things by faith vers 35. And others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection And others had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented c. Oh the invaluable and incomparable worth and excellency of Faith which bringeth forth such precious fruits in the hearts and lives of poor weak and contemptible men and women who are subject to the same passions encompassed with the same infirmities liable to the same temptations common to mans nature and yet have been enabled to do and suffer such things as are above and against nature requiring a supernatural and divine ability and all this by the light and strength of Faith As vers 39. All these obtained a good report through Faith Optima san◠arbor quae tales habet fructus Most excellent doubtless is that Tree which brings forth such fruits I will shew thee my Faith by my works saith the holy man James 2.18 Faith is a working Grace and it worketh like its self Operari sequitur ad esse i.e. the operation and working of things is according to the nature and being of them is a true principle in nature and 't is as true also in grace if therefore the works of Faith be so excellent and glorious oh how excellent then is the nature the life and essence of this Faith It was the saying of a Heathen Philosopher from the observation which hee made of the excellent and admirable works and fruits of moral virtue in the lives of some Heathens that if the face and image of virtue could be represented to the bodily eye the beauty and glory thereof would be so great that it would even ravish the whole world if the Heathens were so much taken with the beauty of morality because of the excellent fruits and effects thereof in the lives of some Heathens Oh how much more should Christians be taken with the beauty of Faith and Grace because of the admirable and precious fruits it hath brought forth in the lives of the Saints with which the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do so much abound Thirdly This may inform us whence it is and how it cometh to pass that oft-times the prayers even of godly and holy men fall short of Heaven and prove not successful for themselves or others as both Scripture and experience doth testifie even from hence it is because they do not alwaies pray in Faith a good man a precious holy man may have the grace of Faith in his heart and yet may want the exercise of it in this or that particular case in this or that particular ordinance or duty Peter had the Grace of Faith in his heart but wanted the active power and exercise thereof in that particular case of confessing and owning Jesus Christ before men when he was in the High Priests Hall Mat. 26.70 72 74. Moses and Aaron had
constant Experiences The truth of Gods most holy Word and Promises 1 The truth of Gods holy word and promises do abundantly attest and bear witness to the mighty efficacy of Faith iâ— prayer great things are promised yea all things are promised to the prayers of Faith So in the Text And all things whatsoever yee shall ask in prayer beleeving yee shall receive This is the Word of Christ this is a gracious Promise of Jesus Christ to his Disciples here on earth and hee will be as good as his word hee is the faithful witness and the truth it self and therefore hee cannot lye he can as well cease to be God as cease to be true and faithful in his Word and Promises 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen i. e. truth and assurance or most sure and stedfast unto the glory of God by us So that God stands upon the truth of his Word and Promises as a great part of his glory and hee will have the glory of his truth what-ever comes of it hee will appear to be true in his Word and Promises yea in all his Promises to a jot and tittle there shall not the least jot or tittle thereof fail till all be fulfilled Mat. 5.18 For verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all bee fulfilled As if the Lord had said yee are apt to set light by my Word to question and doubt of the truth and certainty thereof but I assure you I stand so much upon my Word to have it fulfilled and made good to the utmost that if Heaven and Earth lay in one scale and the least iota or tittle of my Word in the other I would rather suffer Heaven and Earth i. e. the whole Creation to perish and come to nothing than that the least iota or tittle of my Word should fail till all be fulfilled So wonderfully doth the God of Truth stand upon his glory in this respect therefore all the Promises of God in him i. e. in Christ are yea and iâ— him amen because this is for the glory of God to be as good as his word and not to falsifie but to fulfill all his Promises Now many exceeding great and precious promises hath Goâ— made in Christ unto his people praying in Faith or exercising Faith in prayer Wee shall instance in one or two in liew of all the rest which being added to this of the Text may bee sufficient to give a full testimony to the truth in hand that so in the mouth of two or three witnesses this word may bee established The first that we shall instance in is that great Charter of heaven or promise made to the poor afflicted tempted and despised Saints and Churches of Christ here on earth Mat. 18.19 Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall bee done for them of my Father which is in Heaven The number of true Disciples is in many places very small it may bee two of a Family and one of a Tribe and the true Churches of Christ are for the most part but small and few in number especially compared with the false Church and Churches of Antichrist the Whore that sitteth upon many Waters Rev. 17.15 But O yee Saints and Churches of Jesus Christ let not the paucity and smalness of your number discourage you though the malice and rage of the ungodly may like the great water-floods keep good Neighbors one from another so that ye cannot assemble and meet together in that solemn and publick manner as yee could desire yet bee not discouraged do not think the Efficacy and strength of Prayer is thereby so diminished or weakned that yee cannot prevail in Heaven Col 25 You may bee present in Spirit when absent in body Your Prayers may meet in Heaven when your persons cannot meet upon Earth Rev. 8.3 You may bee cast into Prisons and Dungeons you may bee scattered and wander in the desart places in the dens and caves of the earth but here is your comfort Heaven is still open And let mee tell you from this Scripture yee may do and obtain great things in Heaven If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing they shall ask it shall be done for you in Heaven If two of you shall agree 't is not meant in a way of worldly policy and carnal contrivance but in a way of spiritual harmony and consent of soul arising from the unity of Faith and the anointing of the Spirit Rom. 8.26.27 teaching and guiding you in prayer to ask those things which are according to the will of God let the thing be what it will ask it in the Heaven above or in the Earth beneath let it be never so hard and difficult and in the eye of fense and reason even impossible yet it shall certainly be done for you and granted in Heaven Oh what a blessed charter what a glorious liberty is this granted to the children of God that by Faith in prayer here on earth they may have any thing even what they will done for them in Heaven And this is the priviledge of all those little ones that beleeve in Christ Mat. 18.10 and 14. compared with vers 19 20. This is not the priviledge of old Fathers and strong men onely but even of babes in Christ such as are little ones little in the worlds account and it may be little in the eye of other Saints but least of all in their own eye yet these little ones that beleeve in Christ how contemptible little and low soever they be on earth are honourable great and high in Heaven and may do such things by Faith in prayer as the greatest Monarchs and Princes upon Earth cannot do by their greatest force and power As will further appear in the second Scripture and word of Promise which for the proof the point wee shall also a little insist upon Isaiah 45.11 Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel and his Maker Ask mee of things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command yee mee Oh the admirable and infinite condescention of the great Jehovah who hath created the Heavens and formed the Earth and commandeth all the hosts of them That hee who commandeth Angels and ruleth in the Armies of Heaven and in the Kingdomes of men should suffer himself to be commanded by a hand-full of poor praying-souls here on earth and to have such power in Heaven as to command and dispose of the great works of providence yea the choisest and most admirable operations thereof which for their rarity and excellency are by way of eminency the works of Gods hands as the Egyptian Magicians said of that rare and admirable work of Gods singular power and providence in turning all the
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 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
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
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
therefore is a full perswasion Heb. 10.22 1 Joh. 5.13 14 15 1 Joh. 5.6 Rom. 8.16 and certain Assurance of the mind of a Beleever of the thing asked or hoped for grounded upon the clear and infallible testimony of the Word and Spirit of God in their joynt witness Faith of Relyance described The Faith of Relyance is the inward resting of the heart upon God his name and attributes Psa 37.7 Jonah 3.8 9 Esther 4.16 Job 13.15 Dan. 3.17 18 viz. his power wisdome mercy faithfulness truth c. for the performance of his Word and Promise in general without any certainty or assurance of the mind with application thereof to its self in special wanting the particular witness and testimony of the Spirit in the case which alwaies is present in the Faith of Assurance but alwaies absent and wanting in this Faith of Relyance Of this kind was the Faith of the Leper Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean there was a relyance upon the power of Christ to do the thing asked but a doubtfulness or uncertainty of the mind as touching the application of that ability and healing power to himself in particular And therefore he puts it with an if Lord if thou wilt speaking of his particular and secret will in the case propounded which was not yet made known and therefore he might without sin doubt of it But as to his general will and infinite readiness to heal the sick cleanse the Lepers c. which was abundantly revealed and made known both by Scripture and Experience he could not have doubted thereof without great sin and so would consequently have been reproved for it Thus having described these two kinds of Faith in their distinct and different natures whereby every one that cometh unto God by prayer may be able to judge of himself and know what kinde of Faith it is that he comes withall We shall proceed to make good the Assertion viz. Asser That a Faith of Rely ance is accepted with God in prayer where a Faith of Assurance is wanting Proved 1. By Scripture 2 Cor. 8.12 It is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not The general equity and force of which Rule reacheth not onely unto the case of Alms to which the Apostle doth there apply it but also unto all other cases wherein wee have to do with God and particularly unto this case of prayer for otherwise God should seem to be a hard Master reaping where he hath not sown and gathering where he hath not strowed and expecting to receive where hee hath not first given which cannot at any time nor in any case be justly said of him who is infinite in mercy and with whom there is no unrighteousness all whose commands are equal and reasonable And who receiveth not from his creature but according to the gift of his own grace which hee hath first bestowed Rom. 11.35 or who hath first given to him Now forasmuch as Faith is not of our selves but is in an especial manner the gift of God who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will and planteth in the hearts of his people different kinds and measures of grace according to his own good pleasure and the use he intends to make of them It remains that where the Lord hath wrought a Faith of Relyance in the hearts of his people to whom he hath not given the Faith of Assurance And they come to him in prayer and in the use of all holy means which he hath appointed for the good of their souls with such a Faith as himself hath wrought in them he doth graciously accept them according to what they have and not according to what they have not Instance 1 2. By Experience and this also is manifest by the common and constant experience of the Saints who when they have so come to God in prayer with a Faith of Adherence where Assurance have been wanting have been graciously accepted of the Lord and received a gracious answer oâ— such Prayers As in the case of thâ— Leper above-mentioned Mat. 8.2 3. who when he came to Chrisâ— in prayer only in a Faith of Relyance upon his power to help when as he had no assurance of his particular will and purpose aâ— to himself and therefore puts aâ— if upon that Lord if thou wilâ— thou canst make mee clean waâ— graciously accepted of the Lord and obtained a speedy and full answer of that prayer in the very thing he asked vers 3. And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean and immediately his Leprosie was cleansed Instance 2 And so likewise in the case of the Woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 29. who came to Christ in prayer on the behalf of her afflicted daughter vers 22. Saying Have mercy on mee O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Now here was wrought in this Woman though a Canaanite a stranger an alien from the Common-wealth of Israel a mighty Faith of Relyance by which she did marvelously cling to Jesus the Son of David relying upon his mercy and power to help her though shee had no certain assurance that shee should have her petition granted but many discouraging passages from Christ As First His silence to her prayer answering her not a word v. 23. Secondly His seeming denial of her request with this reason against it That he was not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel vers 24. 3dly His upbraiding her with her stock and generation being descended of the cursed stocâ— and generation of the Canaaniteâ— in respect whereof he calls her a dog vers 26. by all which it is most clear she neither had noâ— could have any assurance but onâ— ly she exerciseth her Faith of Relyance notwithstanding all difficulties and discouragements and still she prayes and worships thâ— Son of David confessing her own vileness and unworthiness anâ— Justifying the Lord in calling heâ— dog and taking advantage there upon to hope that yet there might besome crumbs of mercy for her vers 27. Truth Lord yet the Dog eat the crumbs that fall from their Masters table And at length with this Faith she prevails and hath a full answer of her petition with a high commendation of her Faith vers 28. Then Jesus an swered and said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thâ—â— even as thou wilt And her Daughter was made whole the same hour And so much by way of answer to the first Question 2. Quest or Case of Conscience But whether is it sufficient to have the habit and being of Faith in the heart when we pray or is the exercise and acting of Faith necessarily required also Answ That it is not sufficient to have the habit and being of Faith in the heart when we pray but the exercise and actuality of our Faith is required in our