I note it, to show that the assurance of the thing 1takes not away the earnestness of prayer. Daniel was assured Dan. 9. That God would deliver the Jews out of Babylon: he had read Jeremies Prophesies, he knew the time was accomplished; yet we see what an earnest prayer he makes there. Christ knew that God heard him in all his desires, that he should have all good from God, being his only Son, yet he prayed whole nights ⟨p. 85⟩sometimes, and a whole Chapter Joh. 17. is an excellent 2prayer of his: so that the assurance of the thing, takes not away prayer to God: nay it stablisheth it, for God so makes good his promises for the time to come, as that he makes them good this way, he will be sought to by prayer. And I may know hence that he will make good his promises for the time to come to me, if I have a spirit of prayer for them: if I pray for perseverance to the end, that God would vouchsafe me grace to live in the Church, and to grow ⟨p. 86⟩up as a Cedar; God surely means to grant this, because he hath given me holy, and gracious desires, which he would not have given me, but that he means to give the thing. For this is an encouragement to pray, when I know I shall not loose my labour, I pray, because I have a promise to have it, and I know the promise runs upon this; But I will be sought unto of the house of Judah for this, Ezek. 36. 3For if we have it, and have not sought it by prayer, for the most part we cannot have a comfortable use of it, unless we ⟨p. 87⟩have things as the fruit of our prayers: though there be not a particular prayer for every particular thing we have of God: yet unless it be the fruit of the general prayer, that we put up daily, we cannot have comfort in it: if God give it by a general providence as he fills the bellies of the wicked with good things. But if we will have things for our good in particular, we must receive them as the fruit of our prayers from God, you see here he seeks, and desires that that he had a promise to have, one thing have I desired of the ⟨p. 88⟩Lord, and that will I seek.
I note it, to shew that the assurance of the thing 1takes not away the earnestnesse of prayer. Daniel was assured Dan. 9. That God would deliver the Jewes out of Babylon: he had read Ieremies Prophesies, he knew the time was accomplished; yet we see what an earnest prayer hee makes there. Christ knew that God heard him in all his desires, that he should have all good from God, being his onely Sonne, yet he prayed whole nights ⟨p. 85⟩sometimes, and a whole Chapter Ioh. 17. is an excellent 2prayer of his: so that the assurance of the thing, takes not away prayer to God: nay it stablisheth it, for God so makes good his promises for the time to come, as that hee makes them good this way, hee will be sought to by prayer. And I may know hence that hee will make good his promises for the time to come to me, if I have a spirit of prayer for them: if I pray for perseverance to the end, that God would vouchsafe me grace to live in the Church, and to grow ⟨p. 86⟩up as a Cedar; God surely meanes to grant this, because hee hath given me holy, and gracious desires, which he would not have given me, but that hee meanes to give the thing. For this is an encouragement to pray, when I know I shall not loose my labour, I pray, because I have a promise to have it, and I know the promise runnes upon this; But I will be sought unto of the house of Judah for this, Ezek. 36. 3For if wee have it, and have not sought it by prayer, for the most part we cannot have a comfortable use of it, unlesse we ⟨p. 87⟩have things as the fruite of our prayers: though there be not a particular prayer for every particular thing we have of God: yet unlesse it be the fruit of the generall prayer, that wee put up daily, we cannot have comfort in it: if God give it by a generall providence as he fills the bellies of the wicked with good things. But if we will have things for our good in particular, we must receive them as the fruite of our prayers from God, you see here he seekes, and desires that that hee had a promise to have, one thing have I desired of the
- 1Answ. Assurance of that we pray for, no hinderance to prayer, Dan. 9.
- 2Joh. 17.Ioh. 17.
- 3Ezech. 36.
