The Life of Faith, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. The uſe of Prayer, though we pray by the Spirit, yet we are to pray for the Spirit, Mat. 7.11. and Luk. 11.13. compared; an unbeleever cannot pray acceptably, nor in the name of Chriſt, yet is not therefore diſcharged of his duty; by faith we pray with reverence, boldneſs, importunity, Mat. 15.22, &c. explained; by Faith we wait for a return of Prayer; helps to Faith in Prayer, Pſa. 9.10. 2 Pet. 1.4. Iſa. 30.18. illuſtrated▪ what Faith is required in Prayer, or what it is to pray in Faith, Jam. 1.6, &c. opened; the ends of Prayer.
PRayer is as the Merchants Ship, it fetches in all a Chriſtians ſtore, even temporal bleſſings, if they be really bleſſings, are brought in by Prayer; indeed, ſometimes men have them without asking, but they had better aske them without having: for it is by Prayer that they are ſanctified to us, 1 Tim. 4.5. And we are to pray, not that we may incline God to give, but becauſe he is enclined and hath promiſed to give, 2 Sam. 7.27. And though we pray by the Spirit, Rom. 8.15, 27. yet we muſt pray alſo for the Spirit, Luk. 11.13. He is given to us as a Spirit of Supplication, and thereby we obtain him to work effectually in us to all thoſe ends and purpoſes for which Chriſt ſent him into the World, to be Vicarius Domini, as Tertullian calls him, De velandis virgin, Cap. 1. To ſupply his abſence while he is gone to appear in heaven for us. The words of Chriſt are variouſly related, by Luke and Matthew. Luke relates them, How much more ſhall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that aske him. Matthew, How much more ſhall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that aske him, Mat. 7.11. Of the Evangeliſts citing the words of our Saviour, we may make the ſame judgment which was made, Chap. 1. of the Apoſtles citing the words of the Prophets. If the words of Chriſt were as they are related by Matthew, then Luke makes a particular inference from a general, or at leaſt from an indefinite promiſe. If God will give good things to thoſe that ask him, ſurely he will give his Spirit, elſe we may ſay as Abraham, Gen. 15.2. Lord God what wilt thou give me? Nothing can be good to us without the Spirit; if thoſe which Luke ſets down were Chriſts words, then Matthew doth make the Spirit to be all good things in effect; the promiſe of the Spirit being the great Promiſe under the Goſpel, as the Promiſe of the Meſſiah was under the Law: and the Spirit being all in all, in reſpect of Application, as Chriſt is all in all, in reſpect of impetration, Col. 3.11. Or elſe he doth from the promiſe of the Spirit infer, That God would give all good things, as Chriſt argues, Mat. 6.33. and the Apoſtle, Rom. 8.32. He that gives the greater will not deny the leſs.
Now, we can do nothing in Prayer without Faith, which muſt qualifie us for it both habitually and actually.
Firſt, Habitually, for without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. Heb. 11.6. It muſt be the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that availes, Jam. 5.16. for ſuch a man only can pray in the name of Chriſt; If a man ſhould come to deſire a favour of you in the name or for the ſake of ſuch a friend whom you much reſpect, and whoſe name will prevail much with you, would you not aske him preſently, What relation he hath to ſuch a man that he uſeth his name? So many come to God in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, And God may ſay to them, and Why in the name of Chriſt? What are you to Chriſt? Or, What relation have you to him? Or, ſuppoſe, in the former caſe, your friend, whoſe name another makes uſe of, ſhould be near you at ſuch a time, and you go to him, and aske him if he know that man that makes uſe of his name, and he ſhould tell you, he is one that he hath nothing to do with, one that hath done him much injury, and from whom he never received the leaſt reſpect or civility; What anſwer might ſuch a Petitioner expect? So let us ſuppoſe our ſelves to hear God asking Jeſus Chriſt, when an Unbeleever comes to pray in his name, if he belong to him, or have any thing to do with him: and Chriſt anſwering, That he hath nothing to do with him, and is one that deſpiſes his authority, and contemns his grace, and reproacheth his name, and makes light of him; What can we think it would availe ſuch an one to pray in the name of Chriſt? Yet an Unbeleevers incapacity of praying acceptably doth not give him a diſcharge from his duty, for if wicked men were bound to do nothing but what they can do as they ought, they ſhould have no ſins of omiſſion; but however I ſhould in Theſi ſay it is the duty of an Unbeliever to pray, yet in hypotheſi if ſuch an one ſhould come to aske mine advice, I would deal with him as with one who hath an erring conſcience, I would not adviſe him to do any thing againſt his conſcience, or to do his duty perſiſting in his errour, but rather to lay aſide his errour, by rightly informing his conſcience, that ſo he might do that which is lawful in a lawful manner.
So I would not adviſe ſuch an one to pray, perſiſting in his unbelief; but to believe, that ſo he might pray acceptably. It is true, God doth ſomtimes out of the exuperance of his bounty hear wicked men, 1 Kings 21.29. 2 Kings 13.4. But though he beſtows common favours on good and bad, yet it is upon the righteous (who are ſo by Faith) that he beſtows them with a ſpecial love, Pſal. 146.8.
But Secondly, Faith qualifieth us actually for prayer.
1. As it diſpoſeth us to an holy awe and reverence of God. He that will ſerve God acceptably, muſt ſerve him with reverence and godly fear. Heb. 12.28. God diſdains ſuch ſervices as men would be aſhamed to offer to their Prince, Mal. 1.8. And it is more tolerable to erre by ſuperſtition in the Worſhip of God, than on the other hand, by rudeneſs and prophaneneſs. Now Faith ſets the ſoul as under the eye of God, ſees him (who to ſenſe) is inviſible, Heb. 11.27. It being the evidence of things not ſeen. So that by Faith the ſoul doth as really apprehend God preſent, as if he were incarnat…, or had aſſumed an humane ſhape; and there is nothing more effectual to beget in the ſoul a due reverence of God, ſince the preſence of Angels in our Aſſemblies requires ſuch a decorum in the exerciſes which we there perform, 1 Cor. 11.10.
2. By Faith we come boldly to God in prayer, though Faith prevent rudeneſs, yet it comes with an holy boldneſs, Epheſ. 3.12. it is by Faith, as the Apoſtle there ſhews, that we have acceſs with confidence; the word foreign, there uſed, ſignifies freedom of ſpeech, when a man ſpeaks his whole mind freely, when a man can come boldly to God and challenge his Promiſe, urge upon him, as Auſtin ſaies of his Mother Monica, his own hand-writing, as David doth, Pſal. 119.49. Remember thy word unto thy ſervant, upon which thou haſt cauſed me to hope; and Pſal. 143.1. he challenges God in his faithfulneſs and righteouſneſs to anſwer him, though he dare not deal with God upon terms of ſtrict juſtice, as he ſhews, verſ. 2. yet he pleads that iuſtice which is founded upon his mercy, and his promiſe made thereby.
3. Faith encourages the ſoul to perſeverance and importunity in Prayer; there is an holy impudence to be uſed in Prayer, ſo the word foreign, uſed Luk. 11.8. doth properly import; a clear inſtance of this we have in that woman, Mat. 15.22. She comes to Chriſt, and propounds her caſe to him, and at firſt he gives her no anſwer. Sometimes a Beleever may pray and have no audience, Pſalm. 22.2. yet Chriſts ſilence would not make her ſilent, but ſhe cries after him, ver. 23. It ſeems the Diſciples were weary of her importunity, and Auſtin, by comparing this place with Mar. 7.24. obſerves, that ſhe followed Chriſt from one place to another, though he endeavoured to avoid her; then Chriſt doth in effect give her a flat denial, ſignifying to her, that ſhe was none of thoſe to whom he was ſent, for the time of the full calling of the Gentiles was nor yet come. So God doth ſometimes deny the prayers of his People, as he tels them plainly, Judg. 10.13. He would deliver them no more; yet neither delaies nor denial would beat her off, but ſhe ſtill continues her ſuit; then Chriſt gives her a very rough anſwer: doth in effect call her a dog, ver. 26. Sometimes God ſeems to be angry even againſt the prayer of his People, Pſal. 80.4. The more they pray, the more their affliction encreaſeth, and things ſeem to grow worſe and worſe with them; but yet ſhe is not diſcouraged hereby, but retorts Chriſts words upon himſelf, arguing from thence againſt him, If ſhe were a dog, yet there was ſomething due to her as a dog: the dogs eating of the crumbs which fal… from their Maſters table… as David ſeems to retort ſuch an argument upon God, Pſal. 25.11. making that which might ſeem to make his ſin leſs capable of Pardon, an argument to prevail with God for the pardon of them; the greater they were the more need he had of pardon, and the more glory God would have in the pardon of them; this is an excellent point of skill in prayer, yea, not only in wreſtling with God, but in wreſtling with Satan.
Now obſerve Chriſts anſwer to this woman, O woman great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt.
Here is firſt, Chriſts teſtimony concerning her, her faith was great, he imputes her importunity and perſeverance to her faith.
2. Here is Chriſts grant to her, even what ſhe would; by which Chriſt ſhews how pleaſing ſuch importunity is to him, and what a grateful violence, as Tertullian calls it, Apol. c. 39. is thereby offered to him. The ſame importunity we may obſerve in Jacob, Gen. 32.24. and in Moſes, Exod. 32.10. and the like ſucceſs thereof in them both.
Fourthly, Faith waits for the anſwer of Prayer, as David when he had directed his Prayer to God, looked up, Pſal. 5.3. as one that having put in a Petition, waits to ſee what anſwer he ſhall have, or what becomes of it. A ſurly beggar loſes many Almes becauſe be will not wait; like that wicked King, 2 Kings 6.33. This was the frequent ſin of the Jews, who, impatient of delayes, were wont to betake themſelves to forraign aid, Iſa. 30.1, &c. 31.1, &c. Hoſ. 12.1. though God had told them, that in quietneſs and confidence ſhould be their ſtrength, Iſa. 30.15. quiet and confident dependance upon God ſhould be their beſt ſecurity: And when young men (that are ſtrongeſt, and moſt confident in their ſtrength) ſhall utterly fall, they that wait on the Lord ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles, they ſhall run and not be weary, they ſhall walk and not faint, Iſa. 40.30, 31. they ſhall hold out to the laſt, and overcome all difficulties, as if they had wings to fly over them. God is ſo well pleaſed with thoſe that wait on him, Pſalm 147.11. that he will not fail them, Pſal. 25.3. We may ſay of God, as Seneca of a friend, Epiſt. 3. Fidelem ſi putaveris, facies; the Proverb is true here, He that truſts much, obliges much, ſee Pſal. 37.40. Iſa. 26.3. Now that this is the fruit of Faith, is evident from the whole current of that place, Hab. 2.2, 3, 4. He that believes makes not haſte, he doth not through the diſtruſt of Gods Promiſe, (though the performance of it be deferred) betake himſelf to the uſe of any unlawfull means for his own help, (which was before obſerved to be the common ſin of the Jews) Eſai. 28.16. but waits for the God of his Salvation, becauſe he knowes his God will hear him, Micah 7.7.
Now becauſe the work of Faith lies much in trading to heaven in Prayer, I ſhall here add ſome helps to faith therein.
Firſt, Let us look to the command of God. It is not in vain that he hath ſaid, Seek ye my face, Iſa. 45.19. When Chriſt called the blinde man, Mark 10.49. they bad him be of good comfort, ſuppoſing he intended ſome good towards him, elſe he would not have called him. Commands may ſometimes be of greater uſe than Promiſes, and more effectual for ſilencing doubts and diſcouragements; ſome I believe have found them ſo. We may diſpute our intereſt in a Promiſe, or plead (in a miſtaken humility) our own unworthineſs againſt what we look upon only as a priviledg; but Commands are not to be diſputed, but obeyed. And if we ſhould fear Gods being angry with our Prayers, and that he ſhould ſay as Joſh. 7.10. Wherefore lieſt thou thus upon thy face? we might take the boldneſs to anſwer, as David, Pſal. 27.8. Thou haſt ſaid, Seek ye my face, therefore thy face Lord will I ſeek: And beſides the general commands of Prayer, Chriſt hath let words fall from him to invite our importunity, intimating his readineſs to yield thereto, and how well pleaſed he is therewith, Luk. 11.8. Chap. 18.1. &c.
2. Let us acquaint our ſelves more with the nature of God, & this will be a great encouragement to Faith as one obſerves well, (Arrowſmith Chain of Principles, p. 39.) Faith may lay hold on an Attribute when it cannot cloſe with a Promiſe, Pſal. 9.10. They that know thy name will put their truſt in thee. Name here may have reference to Exod. 34.5, &c. thoſe Attributes there mentioned being an encouragement to confidence; or it may have reference to Exod. 6.3. the name Jehovah importing the conſtancy and faithfulneſs of God in fulfilling his Promiſes, ſee Rivet on the place. But moſt probably it is redundant here; and the words intend no more, but, they that know thee will put their truſt in thee.
Inſtances of the like redundance we have in thoſe expreſſions, The Name of the God of Jacob defend thee, Pſal. 20.1. To ſeek Gods Name, Pſal. 83.16. To love his Name, Iſa. 56.6. To fear his Name, Iſa. 59.19. to praiſe his name, call upon his name, ſwear by his name, &c. however the ſence of the place will be the ſame: Thoſe that know God, that is, how faithful, how good, how wiſe, &c. he is, will put their truſt in him, Iſa. 30.18. The Prophet ſhews the bleſſedneſs of thoſe that wait for God, becauſe
Firſt, God is a good God; while the ſinner waits for mercy, God waits that he may be gracious, Tardius videtur Deo veniam peccatori dediſſe quam illi accepiſſe, Bern. de interior. dom. c. 37. the time ſeems longer to him than it doth to them.
Secondly, He is a God of judgment, one that doth all things with wiſdome, and moderation, and ſo will take the fitteſt ſeaſon when he may ſhew mercy to our greateſt advantage.
Martha thought it fell out very unhappily that Chriſt was not with her at her bro…hers death, Jo. 11.21 but Chriſt was glad that he was not there, for he intended a farther mercy than the life of Lazarus, viz. the confirming the faith of others by the miracle which he had occaſion to work, ver. 15. We are alwaies ready for mercy, but God in his wiſdom ſeeth meet many times to defer it, Joh. 7.6.
Thirdly, Let us ſtudy the Promiſes, that ſo we may have them in readineſs to urge upon God as the matter ſhall require in particular caſes, 2 Pet. 1.4. the Promiſes are exceeding great and precious; they are great in reſpect of the things promiſed, and exceeding precious in themſelves, it being a great favour to have a promiſe from another; Many that intend us good, will not come under the bonds of a promiſe, they love not to be obliged, but would have us ſtand to their courteſie: But God hath not been ſo reſerved, but hath made himſelf a debter by his promiſe, if not to us, yet to his own truth and faithfulneſs; that requiring that what he had promiſed ſhould be fulfilled: So that we know what we have to truſt to; times and ſeaſons indeed for their accompliſhment he hath kept in his own power, but the things themſelves he hath, as it were, put out of his power, Act. 1.7. They are precious in reſpect of their ſutableneſs to every condition or degree of Believers; There is no duty a Chriſtian can be called to, no temptation or affliction which he can be exerciſed with, but he may find a Promiſe ſuited to it; Yea, no Chriſtian, of the loweſt ſtature, but may find Promiſes within his reach, though ſome may be above him; a man on the ground cannot reach the top of a tree, but he may get hold of the lower boughs, and ſo riſe by degrees till he come to the top. It may be thou canſt not reach ſuch Promiſes as Rev. 2.26. or Chap. 3.21. but thou mayeſt reach ſuch as thoſe Mat. 5.3, 4, 6. Yea, let me adde farther, as Auſtin ſaith of Books de Trinit. l. 1. cap. 3. It is expedient that divers men write of the ſame thing in different ſtyles, that ſo what they cannot underſtand in one they may apprehend in another, that ſo the truth may come to all: to one after this manner, to another after that (the common Apology for multiplying Books on the ſame ſubject) ſo I may ſay of the Promiſes; God hath promiſed the ſame things under ſeveral notions, and expreſſed them by ſeveral ſimilitudes, whereby he conveys them to the ſoul (as cordial powders are conveyed in ſome waters to the ſtomach) and when a ſoul cannot receive comfort by one Promiſe, it doth by another, though they are Promiſes of the ſame thing, but under different notions and expreſſions, or to the ſame perſons whoſe condition is expreſſed by ſeveral Metaphors. Some may perhaps receive comfort from Mat. 5.6. which dare not apply Pſal. 51.19. though it would be eaſie to ſhew, that whoever hungers and thirſts after righteouſneſs hath a broken and contrite heart. Mat. 11.28. is as full a Promiſe as Joh. 6.37. and Iſa. 55.1, &c. as full as either of them: Yet it may be ſome ſouls may take more comfort from Joh. 6.37. becauſe that Promiſe, that Chriſt will in no wiſe caſt out ſuch as come to him, anſwers directly to their ſcruple, and juſt meets with that doubt which runs moſt in their minds, (that Chriſt would ſurely reject them if they ſhould come) as if God had intended that Promiſe purpoſely for them.
But further, theſe Promiſes are precious in reſpect of their firmneſs and certainty, which God hath given us aſſurance of by all thoſe waies which are in uſe among men for the confirmation of any Grant, Covenant, Promiſe; being as a Teſtament confirmed by the death of the Teſtator, Heb. 9.17. 2 Cor. 1.20. A Covenant ſealed, Rom. 4.11. A Promiſe confirmed by an Oath, which is the utmoſt aſſurance that any man can give or require, Heb. 6.16, &c. This God doth not that his counſel may be immutable, but that he may declare it to be ſo to us, by that which is the moſt ſolemn way of confirmation amongſt men. O beatos nos quorum causâ Deus jurat. O miſerrimos ſi nec juranti Domino credimus, Tert. de Poenit. cap. 4. How happy are we that God ſhould ſwear for our ſakes! And what wretches are we if we believe him not upon his oath.
Fourthly, Let us labour to clear our own intereſt in the Promiſe, that we may with the more boldneſs put in our claim, crying, Abba Father, Rom. 8.15. coming with as much confidence to God as a child to a Father, though we may pray indeed without aſſurance hereof: if we come not to God as knowing that he is our Father, we may come to him that he may be our Father. The Promiſe indeed is not univerſal, but the call or invitation is univerſal, and the Promiſe becomes abſolute upon our accepting of Gods invitation, Iſa. 55.1. Mat. 11.28. If any ſhall ſay, the invitation is not to all, but only to ſuch as are thirſty and weary. I anſwer, theſe are no limitations of Gods grace, but it would be in vain to invite any others; and thoſe are not moral qualifications to make Chriſt willing to accept of us, but natural qualifications to make us willing to accept of him. But that you may ſee what Faith it is which is required in Prayer, I will make a ſhort Digreſſion to conſider more diſtinctly what it is to pray in Faith: and this may be taken either improperly, or properly; we may be ſaid to pray in faith more improperly,
Firſt, When we pray with this confidence, that our Prayer is according to the will of God, (viz. that it is according to the will of God that we ſhould ſo pray, though not that our Prayer ſhould be granted;) it may be our duty to pray for that which it is not the pleaſure of God to beſtow, Rom. 14.23. it is evident by the Context, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of what a man doth without a perſwaſion of the lawfulneſs of it; for the Will of God muſt be both the Rule of our duty, and the Reaſon of our obedience; ſo that whatſoever we do without this perſwaſion, though it may be materially good, it is formally evill, becauſe it is not in obedience to Gods Will.
Secondly, When we pray in truth and ſincerity, ſo Faith is taken, Rom. 3.3. and Jam. 1.6. the Apoſtle ſeems to ſpeak of ſuch a Faith as doth effectually determine the Will to the free choice and conſtant proſecution of that which is good; and that you may not think this a ſingular notion, ſee the ſence of ſeveral very judicious and godly men, Dr. Jackson of Faith, pag. 108. Dr. Preſton on the Attributes of God, pag. 11, 12. Dr. Reynolds on Pſal. 110. p. 317. Mr. Capel of Tentations, part. 4. p. 46. The double-minded man ſaith, he is not he who is in the right vvay, and labours under ſome doubting, but he that hangs betvvixt tvvo vvaies and knovvs not which to chuſe, whether God or Baal.] There are many which pray from their memories, uttering ſuch expreſſions as they have heard or read, or from their fancies and inventions (for therein Mr Saltmarſh is right, that all extemporary prayers are not from the Spirit, as ſome miſtake.) Others go further, and pray from conſcience, for ſuch things as they are convinced they ought to pray for, yet theſe pray not ſincerely from the heart and affections, and ſo they do not as David ſaith, Pſal. 27.4. Seek after that which they deſire of the Lord; they pray, but are afraid to be heard, loath that God ſhould take them at their word, or ſay Amen to their prayers. This was Auſtine caſe Confeſſ. L. 8. cap. 7. he prayed, Da mihi caſtitatem & continentiam, ſed noli modo. Timebam enim ne me cito exaudines. Lord, give me chaſtity and continency, but not yet. I was afraid (ſaith he) leſt thou ſhouldſt hear me preſently, and cure that diſeaſe of luſt which I had rather ſhould be fulfilled than mortified. So doubtleſs there are many which pray for that humility which would ſpoil their pride and gallantry; for that fear of God, ſelf-denial, heavenly-mindedneſs, which would interrupt their ſenſual pleaſures, or hinder their thriving in the world by unlawful means: and it is to be feared, would be loath to part with thoſe ſins which an anſwer of ſuch prayers would force them to part with. How many pray, that Gods name may be hallowed, and are moſt ready to blaſpheme his name? That his Kingdom may come, and oppoſe his Kingdom? That his will may be done, that will neither do it themſelves, nor ſuffer thoſe to live quietly that deſire to do it? That God would not lead them into temptation, and yet daily run upon temptations, and would account it a puniſhment to be kept from them? Thus do men compaſs God about with lies and deceit, Hoſ. 11.12. pretending to pray for thoſe things which they hate or fear.
But more properly we may be ſaid to pray in faith, when we pray,
Firſt, With a more general perſwaſion either of the power of God, Mat. 9.28, 29. 2 Tim. 1.12. I am perſwaded he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, or of his faithfulneſs, Heb. 11.11. 1 Tim. 2.13. If we believe not, he is faithful, he cannot deny himſelf; which words we are not to underſtand, as if God notwithſtanding the unbelief of men would perform to them his mercy promiſed, or as if unbelief could not deprive us of it; but whether we believe or no that ſhall not make the faith of God of none effect, Rom. 3.3. Gods Promiſe ſhall be made good (according to the true tenour and import of it) to thoſe that by faith lay hold thereon, though we ſhould by our unbelief exclude our ſelves from the benefit of it.
Secondly, When we pray with a particular perſwaſion that we ſhall receive the mercies which we pray for.
Now, the chief queſtion is about this, How far we may pray with ſuch a faith?
And for anſwer hereof we muſt conſider, that our prayers are either for ſpiritual mercies or for temporal. Again, ſpiritual mercies are either ſuch as are neceſſary to the being of grace, or for the well-being of it; that which is neceſſary to the being of Chriſtianity is aſſiſting and perſevering Grace, and of the receiving of this our aſſurance is anſwerable to the aſſurance which we have of our own ſincerity. For that of God to the Apoſtle, My grace is ſufficient for thee, is equivalent to a Promiſe, and is as applicable to every Believer as thoſe words of God to Joſhua, which the Apoſtle applies to all, Heb. 13.5. and that the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 12.9. doth not ſpeak of the ſufficiency of grace, as diſtinguiſhed from the efficacy of it, ſee Rhetorforti exercitat. 428. and that Heb. 13.5. is true as well of ſpirituals as of temporals, that being the chief end why we ſhould deſire of God not to fail us nor forſake us, that he may encline our hearts to walk in all his waies, and keep his Commandments, 1 Kings 8.57, 58. but for ſuch grace as is neceſſary only to keep us from particular infirmities, or for our comfort, or for the livelineſs of our graces; this is not promiſed ſo abſolutely, but after the manner of temporal mercies, for which we cannot ordinarily pray, with a particular aſſurance of being heard; all the Faith we can exerciſe in ſuch caſes, is only on the power, faithfulneſs, and goodneſs of God in generall, and that he will not deſpiſe our Prayers, Pſal. 102.17. but accept them graciouſly, and anſwer them in ſuch kinde, manner, time, and meaſure, as ſeems good to his grace and wiſdome; and accordingly are all ſuch Promiſes to be underſtood. Indeed ſomtimes God doth make an extraordinary impreſſion of confidence upon the hearts of his people in their prayers for temporal mercies, as in Luther, when he prayed for his friend Myconius: and Edward the ſixt for Sr. John Cheek, Fullers H…ſtory, Lib. 7.
Object. We are commanded to believe, that we ſhall receive whatſoever things we deſire when we pray, Mark 11.24. and whatever we ask in prayer, believing, we ſhall receive, Matth. 21.22.
Anſ. 1. It is evident in both theſe places, by the context, that our Saviour ſpeaks of that Faith of miracles, which was in the primitive Church, and peculiar to thoſe times.
2. If this were univerſally true, many would never die, nor ever want any thing: for though they ſhould not, poſſibly, pray thus for themſelves, yet others might pray thus for them.
3. They had not an abſolute power of receiving whatſoever they asked in prayer, but this Faith was from an extraordinary impreſs upon the ſoul, which had not any particular Promiſe for its foundation, but only the power of God, & an immediate perſwaſion of his willingneſs, God preparing the heart to ſeek, where he had an intent to lend his ear to hear, Pſal. 10.17. Indeed, as one boaſted that he could make an engine which would remove the whole earth, if he had ſome place elſe to fix his engine upon: ſo Faith would remove the world, if it had a promiſe to ſtand firm upon. If it be ſaid, we ſhould pray for nothing but what we have a promiſe for, I deny it. There are (as Mr. Hooker, Eccleſ. pol. l. 5. Sect. 48. hath rightly obſerved) two uſes of Prayer, It ſerves as a means to procure thoſe things which God hath promiſed to grant when we ask: and as a mean alſo to expreſs our lawfull deſires towards that which whether we ſhall have or no we know not, till we ſee the event. Yea, I may add further, we may therein repreſent our deſires (with a ſubmiſſion to the will of God) of thoſe things which we know we ſhall not have: It was plainly our Saviours caſe, Matth. 26.39. though he knew it was not poſſible that the cup ſhould paſſe from him, and that he was come to that hour, for this end; that he might drink it, John 12.27.