The ground of it is this, A man must first have Christ, before he can have any thing else, be hath given us all things else with Christ. if […] have all things else, if we have not him, it is nothing. All the promises, you know, are Yea, […] Amen, but it is in him; so that we must […] have him. And besides, the general Covenant must go before the particular: for the ground o• all prayer i•this, or that particular promise, but you, […] fir• be […] the Covenant, you […] have the general Covenant belonging to you, before you can have the particular branches or it; & therefore a man must be within the Covenant, his person must be first righteous, and be […], & therefore […], in this […], to ⟨p. 103⟩think thus with himself, he hopes his heart is sincere, and his prayer is right, and his ends are good: for, though all this were true, yet if his person be not right, God regards it not. You know, 1the blood of a sheep, & the blood of a swine, they are both alike, it may be; the blood of the swine is better then the other; yet the blood of the swine was not to be offered, because it was the blood of a swine. So, in this case, the prayer of an unregenerate man may be as well framed, for the petitions, for every thing that is required immediately to a prayer, but the heart, from whence it comes, the person, from whence it proceeds, that is it that makes the difference, and therefore that must be observed. See the person be right. And therefore you shall find Psalm 4. 3. David makes that the ground, why his prayer should be heard, 2saith he, be ye sure that God hath chosen for himself the godly man. And when I call upon him, I shall be heard: for that is the ground that he takes to himself, that he shall be heard, that God hath chosen to himself, the godly man. As if he should say, I am of the number; and therefore, you that are my enemies, and think to prevail against me, I fear you not: for I pray to a God that will d•nd me, I am a godly man, and, upon that ground I believe that my prayer is heard: beloved, otherwise, though we pray, and pray hard, yet out •anes c•y louder, then our prayers, they •y down […] ▪ prayers, they make a greater noise then the […]:
The ground of it is this, A man must first haue Christ, before he can haue any thing else, be hath given vs all things else with Christ. if 〈…〉 haue all things else, if we haue not him, it is nothing. All the promises, you know, are Yea, 〈…〉 Amen, but it is in him; so that wee must 〈…〉 haue him. And besides, the generall Covenant must goe before the particular: for the ground o• all prayer i•this, or that particular promise, but you, 〈…〉 fir• be 〈…〉 the Covenant, you 〈…〉 haue the generall Covenant belonging to you, before you can haue the particular branches or it; & therfoe a man must be within the Covenant, his person must be first righteous, and be 〈…〉, & therefore 〈…〉, in this 〈…〉, to ⟨p. 103⟩thinke thus with himselfe, he hopes his heart is sincere, and his prayer is right, and his ends are good: for, though all this were true, yet if his person be not right, God regards it not. You know, 1the blood of a sheep, & the blood of a swine, they are both alike, it may be; the blood of the swine is better then the other; yet the blood of the swine was not to be offered, because it was the blood of a swine. So, in this case, the praier of an vnregenerate man may be as wel framed, for the petitions, for every thing that is required immediately to a praier, but the heart, from whence it comes, the person, from whence it proceeds, that is it that makes the difference, and therefore that must be observed. See the person bee right. And therefore you shall finde Psalme 4. 3. David makes that the ground, why his praier should be heard, 2saith hee, be yee sure that God hath chosen for himselfe the godly man. And when I call vpon him, I shall be heard: for that is the ground that hee takes to himselfe, that hee shall be heard, that God hath chosen to himselfe, the godly man. As if he should say, I am of the number; and therefore, you that are my enemies, and thinke to prevaile against me, I feare you not: for I pray to a God that will dnd me, I am a godly man, and, vpon that ground I beleeue that my praier is heard: beloved, otherwise, though wee pray, and pray hard, yet out anes cy lowder, then our prayers, they y downe prayers, they make a greater noise then the :
- 1Simile.
- 2Psal, 4, 3
