For the first.1 First, there may be some prayers, which you must be content, never your selves to see answered in this world; the accomplishment of them not falling out in your time: such as ⟨p. 34⟩are those you haply make for the calling of the Jews, the utter downfall of Gods enemies, the flourishing of the Gospel, the full purity and liberty of Gods Ordinances, the particular flourishing and good of the society and place you live in: all you whose hearts are right, do treasure up many such prayers as these, and sow much of such precious seed, which you must be content to have the Church (it may be) in after Ages to reap: All which prayers are not yet lost, but will have answers: for as God is an eternal God, and Christs righteousness an everlasting righteousness, and therefore of ⟨p. 35⟩eternal efficacy, Dan. 9. 24 Being offered up by the eternal Spirit, Heb. 9. 14. So are prayers also, which are the work of the eternal Spirit of Christ, made to that God in his Name, and in him are eternally accepted, and of eternal force, and therefore may take place in after Ages. So the prayer that S. Stephen made for his persecutors, took place in Saul when S. Stephen was dead. So Davids prayer against Judas, Psal. 109. 8, 9. took effect above a thousand years after, as appears, Acts 1. 20. So the prayers of the Church for three hundred years in the Primitive times, That Kings might come to ⟨p. 36⟩the knowledge of the truth, and they lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty, (which S. Paul in Nero's time exhorted unto, 1. Tim. 2. 2.) were not answered, & accomplished till Constantine's time, when the Church brought forth a Man-child.2 So Isaiah 58. after he had exhorted to, and given directions for fasting & prayer in a right manner, he adjoineth this promise: Thou shalt raise up the foundation of many generations; thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, namely for this, because his fasting, and prayers might have influence into many ages yet to come, in the ⟨p. 37⟩accomplishment of what was prayed for. And that which Christ says of the Apostles, reaping the fruit of S. John the Baptists ministry, and the seed he had sown, is in like manner herein verified; John 4. 37. One soweth and another reapeth. And in this sense that which the Papists say is true, that there is a common treasury of the Church, not of their merits, but of their prayers:
For the first.1 First, there may bee some prayers, which you must bee content, never your selves to see answered in this world; the accomplishment of them not falling out in your time: such as ⟨p. 34⟩are those you haply make for the calling of the Iews, the utter downfal of Gods enemies, the flourishing of the Gospel, the full purity and liberty of Gods Ordinances, the particular flourishing and good of the society and place you live in: all you whose hearts are right, doe treasure up many such praiers as these, and sowe much of such precious seed, which you must bee content to have the Church (it may be) in after Ages to reape: All which prayers are not yet lost, but will have answers: for as God is an eternall God, and Christs righteousnesse an everlasting righteousnesse, and therefore of ⟨p. 35⟩eternall efficacie, Dan. 9. 24 Being offered up by the eternall Spirit, Heb. 9. 14. So are prayers also, which are the worke of the eternall Spirit of Christ, made to that God in his Name, and in him are eternally accepted, and of eternall force, and therefore may take place in after Ages. So the prayer that S. Stephē made for his persecutors, tooke place in Saul when S. Stephen was dead. So Davids prayer against Iudas, Psal. 109. 8, 9. took effect above a thousand yeeres after, as appeares, Acts 1. 20. So the prayers of the Church for three hundred yeeres in the Primitive times, That Kings might come to ⟨p. 36⟩the knowledge of the truth, and they leade peaceable and quiet lives in all godlinesse and honesty, (which S. Paul in Nero's time exhorted unto, 1. Tim. 2. 2.) were not answered, & accomplished till Constantines time, whē the Church brought forth a Man-childe.2 So Esay 58. after hee had exhorted to, and given directions for fasting & prayer in a right manner, hee adjoyneth this promise: Thou shalt raise up the foundation of many generations; thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, namely for this, because his fasting, and prayers might have influence into many ages yet to come, in the
- 1§. 1. The full answer to such prayers is to come.
- 2Revel. 12 1▪
