The Return of Prayers

1. Consideration.¹ Such prayers God often heareth; why else are any such promises made? as That they shall be healed in their bodies, James 5. 15. Healed of their lusts, ver. 16. Converted to life, 1. Joh. 5. 16. God hath made these to encourage us to pray, and to testify his abundant love to us; that it so overflows and runs over, that he will hear us, not only for our selves, but for others also: which is a sign we are in extraordinary favour. So God intimates concerning Abraham, ⟨p. 45⟩to Abimelech, Gen. 20. 7. He is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and as he was a Prophet, so we are Priests; as for our selves, so for others also, to God our Father: and it is a prerogative we have through the fellowship we have, and communion of Christs Priestly office, ²who hath made us Kings and Priests, to prevail and intercede for others; and a special token and pledge of extraordinary love. For if God hears a mans prayers for others, much more for himself in his own behalf. So when Christ healed the man sick of the palsy, it was, as it is said, ⟨p. 46⟩For the faith of the standers by, Matth. 9. 2. He seeing their faith, said, Thy sins are forgiven thee; the meaning is, not as if for their faith sake he forgave that man his sins,³ for, The just doth live by his (own) faith: but to encourage them, who out of faith brought that sick man to him; and us all in like manner to bring others, and their plaints, by prayer, before him; he therefore then took occasion to declare and pronounce forgiveness to that poor man;⁴ he therefore then said,