Milk for Babes, Questions · Question 34
34. Q. Is not prayer an excellent means to make thy faith grow?
A. Yes: It is a ſpeciall means appointed of God.
Mark this truth. Prayer is an excellent means to encreaſe faith.The word of God, and Sacraments are ſweet means: But how theſe will be made effectuall, without thy prayer, thou canſt not tell. Chriſt ſaith, Matth. 7.7.Aske, and ye ſhall have; ſeek, and ye ſhall find, knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. All theſe phraſes preſſe upon thee prayer, for the enjoying of any bleſſing. Act. 4.31.When the Diſciples had prayed, the place was ſhaken where they were aſſembled, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt. God anſwered them extraordinarily to confirm them upon their prayers. And therefore, when the Apoſtles found their faith weake for the forgiving of wrongs, Luk. 17.5.they prayed, Lord, encreaſe our faith. Gods promiſes goe along with power. Pſal. 145.19. Pſal. 34.15.17.He will fulfill the deſire of them that feare him. His eares are open to their cry. Therefore David looks upon God with confidence, and ſaith, Pſal. 4.3;The Lord will heare when I call. And thou canſt not wonder that prayer ſhould be ſuch a powerfull means to encreaſe thy faith. For it moves God to be mindfull of us amid a thouſand vexations. When Chriſt was on the croſſe, and vexed from heaven and earth, yet, when the good thiefe prayed, Chriſt, he anſwered, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradice. Yea, prayer doth, in a manner binde God: and therefore when Moſes prayed, God ſaid, Now, Moſes, let me alone: Exod. 32.16. Gen. 18.33.and God went not from Abraham a foot, before he had left praying; yea, further, and let it be ſpoken to the honour of our great God countenancing of his own ordinance, prayer doth (in a manner) command God. Eſa. 45.11.Aske of me (ſaith he) and, concerning the works of my hands, command thou me; as if he ſhould ſay, if I am able to doe it, I will doe it, if thou pray. Yea, in truth, prayers are ſo powerfull, that, when God purpoſeth not to grant, he ſhuts them out. When I cry, and ſhout, Lam. 3.8.44.he ſhuts out my prayer: he covereth himſelfe with a cloud that prayer ſhould not paſſe thorough. It is no marvell then that it ſhould be ſo effectuall to encreaſe faith.
Vſe. Therefore (my child) if thou wouldſt have faith, and have it in aboundance, be ſure that thou duely adde this to all other means. Oh, it is a comfortable thing to have the word of God, and Sacraments: but theſe will never worke kindly upon thy ſoule, without Gods bleſſed aſſiſtance, and that muſt be obtained by prayer. Gods nature doth aſſure thee that he will heare thee. He is prone to doe us good above all that we can ſpeak, or think. The Egyptians made Gods of wood, and not of gold, and ſilver, and other more untractable mettals, to ſignifie the eaſineſſe of their nature to work upon. Joh. 5.6.And Chriſt, at the poole of Betheſda, to ſhew his readineſſe, went to the man of infirmities, and ſaid, without being asked, Numb. 20.Wilt thou be made whole? God bade Moſes, take his rod, and ſpeak to the rock. Moſes he ſtrook, and ſtrook twice, and God was angry: becauſe it might bring a ſlander upon him, that he was hardly to be entreated to confirm his peoples faith. Again, this aſſures thee, that he will hear thee, becauſe prayers are moſt acceptable to God. He is ready to hear at all times. Moſes ſaith, Exod. 8.9.when ſhall I do it? When ſhall I pray for thee? As if he ſhould ſay, he is a God of all houres. He is angry when we ſue to others not to him. When Ahaziah received an hurt, 2 King. 1.2, 3, 4.he went to Baalzebub the God of Ekron for his cure, and not to him, God was angry, and Ahaziah muſt dye for it. God puts his own ſonne to his prayers for what he hath purchaſed: He hath a double right to all the world; a right of inheritance, and a right of purchaſe: yet God ſaith unto him, Pſal. 2.Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt part of the earth for thy poſſeſsion. Yea, God hath ſo ordered the matter, that his ſervants have nothing to give that is better then prayer. What ſhall I give unto the Lord, Pſal. 116.ſaith David, for all his benefits? I will call upon the name of the Lord: As if he ſhould ſay, becauſe he hath given me many bleſſings, I will honour him by asking more. All this ſhewes that prayers are moſt acceptable to God, and therefore thou haſt no cauſe to doubt, but, if thou prayeſt to God to encreaſe thy faith, that God will grant it. Let me therefore ask thee further,