The Doctrine of Practical Praying, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Of faith which is required in prayer.
SEcondly, in the mind is required faith. For faith being a perswasion, and therefore called foreign, thePsal. 5. …. proper seat thereof is the mind. Howsoever it is to be granted, that where this sound perswasion and assurance is in the mind, it worketh affiance and hope in the heart, as a proper fruit and necessarie effect thereof. And therefore in the phrase of believing in this affiance is implyed. For to believe in God, is not onelyonly to believe that there is a God, and that he is such an one as he hath revealed himself in his word, but also that he is such an one to me: as that the Father is my Father, &c. and consequently, that therefore I repose my trust and affiance in him.
In invocation there is a double faith required: TheA double faith required in invocation. one more generall, apprehending the main promise of the Go…pel; whereby we stand righteous before God in Christ, & whereby we are to be perswaded that both we and our prayers are accepted of God in Christ: The other more speciall, apprehending the speciall promises made to our prayers; whereby we are perswaded that our speciall request shall be granted unto us. The former, because it doth generally belong to all invocation, as well thanksgiving as prayer, is now to be intreated of. The other specially belongeth to prayer, and therefore in the speciall doctrine of prayer is to be considered. The former is that perswasion or assurance of the soul, whereby we believing in Christ are in the same measure perswaded of Gods love towards us in Christ, and therefore are incouraged to come with confidence to the throne of grace, not doubting but that both we and our pray…rs are acceptable unto God in Christ, Heb. 4. 16. And this assurance of faith is grounded partly on the will and love of God, and partly on the merits and intercession of our S…viour Christ. On the will of God, 1. in generall, appearing1. Thess. 5. 17, 18. in his commandments injoyning this dutie, and his gracious promises. For if God hath commanded us to call upon him, and hath graciously promised to heare us, why should we doubt but that this our service is acceptable unto him? 1. Thess. 5. 17, 18. Pray continually; in all things give thanks: for this is the will of God (the acceptable will of God in Christ) concerning you. But chiefly on the promises of God is our faith to be grounded: Which promises are either generall; and those not onelyonly that he will heare and accept, but also graciously reward this exercise of piety performed to him, Matth. 6. 4. Godlinesse hath the promise both of this life and of that which is to come: or speciall, for the granting of that which we desire, as Gen. 32. 9, 12. Exod. 32. 13. 2. Sam. 7. 27, 28. 1. Chron. 17. 25. Secondly, in particular, that the thing which we either pray or praise be good; as being referred to Gods glory and our good. For if it be not good, we are neither, if we have it not, to desire it, and much lesse to pray for it, nor if we have it to praise God as the authour and giver of it. We must have warrant in Gods word that the thing for which we call upon God be such as God hath promised to give, otherwise our prayer is turned into sinne. And in this sense the Apostle saith, Let every man be perswaded in his mind: for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne, Rom. 14. 23.
Likewise our faith must be grounded on the love of God and goodnesse: First, in generall, that is, Psal. 5. 7. his bounty and readinesse to heare and reward all those that call upon him. Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God: For he t…at cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him. Rom. 10. 12, 13. The Lord is rich towards all that call upon him. Psal. 86. 5. Thou art plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee. Isa. 65. 24. Secondly, in particular, to our selves in Christ: John 16. 27. Rom. 8. 32. and 5. 5. and 8. 15, 16. Psal. 55. 16, 17. I will call upon God, & the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray, and he will heare my voice. Psal. 4. 3. The Lord will heare when I call unto him. Psal. 56. 9. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know, for God is for me. Psal. 86. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me.
In the merits of Christ, whereby we are accepted, and in his intercession, whereby our prayers are made acceptable, Heb. 10. 22. And in this sense also we are to pray in the name of Christ, that is, not onelyonly with desire that for Christs sake we may be heard, but also with perswasion and some measure of assurance that for Christs sake we shall be heard, John 16. 23. To call upon God in the name of Christ implyeth two things: 1. To desire that for Christs sake we may be heard; 2. To believe that for Christs sake we shall be heard.
That we are thus to pray in faith, appeareth bothT…at we must pray in fa…th, prove…, 1. By t…timonies; by testimonies & reasons. Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is imposible to please God. For as Bernard saith, How shall he please God whom God doth not please? for he that believeth not maketh God a liar.
1. God is to be worshipped with a willing …ind 2. By reasonsand chearfull heart, 1. Chron. 28. 9. which cannot be done in prayer unlesse we be perswaded that our prayers are accepted of God.
2. There is no accesse unto God but by Christ, John 14. 6. nor to Christ but by faith. To come unto God, Heb. 11. 6. and unto Christ, is to believe in him, John 6. 35. Through Christ we have boldnesse Ephes. 3. 12.and entrance with confidence; but it is by faith in him.
3. What benefit we reap by Christ we receive by faith: For which cause the same benefits which we have by Christ are ascribed to faith: And therefore as without Christ we can do nothing, John 15. 5. nothing belonging to a spirituall life which may be acceptable to God: so without faith we can do nothing, and much lesse pray as we ought. For without faith we are without Christ, and by faith we are ingrafted into him. I believed, and therefore I spake: that is, with faith I called upon God, Psal. 116. 10.
4. It is the prayer of faith which is available and acceptable, Jam. 5. 15, 16.
5. The promises made to prayer are to be understood with the condition of faith: Matth. 21. 22. If ye believe. Which may be understood of this more generall faith, or the speciall.
This is hard to be performed by a sinfull man,Object. &c. impossible to be performed by a Papist without speciall revelation. For he cometh in his own worthinesse; yet knoweth not whether he be worthy or not. Qualis …rit ista oratio, O Domine, ego quidem an exaudire me velis dubius sum: sed quia anx…etate premor, ad te confugio; & si dignus sum, mih… succurras.? What a kind of prayer is this, O Lord, I am doubtfull whether thou wilt heare me or no: But because I am pressed with anxietie, I flie unto thee: and if I be worthy, help me? Vide Calv. Instit. 3. 20. 12.
But we know that in our selves we are unworthy,Answ. and yet believe that in Christ we are accepted. Our faith is grounded not on our own worthinesse in our selves, but on the love and promises of God, and on the merits and intercession of Christ. For though we be sinners in our selves, yet believing in Christ, God the Father justifieth us. Though we know not how to pray or what to ask as of our selves, yet God the Spirit maketh intercession for us, in helping our infirmities, and teaching us to pray according to God. And though our praiers be unperfect and unworthy to be offered to God, yet Christ our Saviour sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us, Rom. 8. 26, 27, 33, 34. and perfuming the incense (that is, the prayers of the faithfull) with the odours of his own sacrifice, Revel. 8. 3.