The Scripture Gospel defended, and Christ, grace, and free justification vindicated against the libertines…

They reprove us for persuading Unconverted Men to Pray, because the Prayer of the Wicked is abominable; and they ••ould stay till they have the Spirit of Prayer: And is a Tavern or a Whore-house, a sitter pl•ce to get that Spirit, than on their knees by Prayer? when God himself saith; To thee shall a•l fl•sh c•me: seek the Lord while he may •e foun•; call upon him w•ile he is near: Let the Wicked •••sak his way, &c. wicked Prayers of wicked men, that are but to quiet them in sin, are abominable; and no prayer of an Impenitent unbeliever hath any promise of certain success. But A•ab, and Nineveh, and millions of Sinners have found, that there are some ⟨p. 28⟩prayers of the unregenerate, that are better than none. A•d do they think, when we persuade them to Pray, that we persuade them to continue Impenitent? No, it is but persuading them to Turn and Live: For praying is a returni•• motion, and we say but as Peter, Repent and Pray, if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forg•••• thee. Not to exhort men to Pray, is not to exhort them to desire Grace, and true Conversion: Common Grace, and Natural Self-love have their desires, which are not all in vain; its better to be near the Kingdom of God, than to be despisers of it. God hath fixed the time of the Lord's day, and the undisposed must not say, we will not keep it till the Spirit move us; As it is a duty to Relieve the Poor, so it is to Pray, as soon as God commandeth it; and none must say, I will not Give or Pray till the Spirit move me, but wait for more help of the Spirit in the way of duty. LXXVII. That, because no man can come to Christ too soon, therefore no man can too soon believe that he is Elect and Justified, though he have no evidence to prove it, and though he know not God, or Christ, or the Spirit, or the Gospel. LXXVIII. That men are bound to Believe that Christ Believed for them, and Repented for them, and must no more question their Faith and Repentance than they must question Christ (as Saltmarsh speaketh), as if Christ had had Sin to repent of, or a Saviour to save him from it; and, as if this were no Covenant-Condition required of our selves, as necessary to our Justification. They may next say, Christ that is Holy for them, shall be Saved in stead of them.