A30241:1059
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Sermon 41: Of Praying both for the Godly and the Wicked, With the Reasons and Motives thereof.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. Because Christ prayeth for them, and how greatly should we be encouraged to pray for those, for whom Christ prayeth; We see his Example in this Verse: Now his Prayer is a Mediatory Prayer, a Prayer that cannot but take effect; for the love of the Father doth not only move him, but Justice also, being he stands in the Relation of a Surety; Oh then let us be more fervent and constant in this duty of praying for others that are holy; Thou mayest think with thy self, What I am doing for him on Earth, Christ is doing for him in Heaven: Shall Christ regard the estate of such an one, and shall I forget him? It's to be feared that the godly do not look upon this, as so necessary a duty, and certainly such are the dissentions ⟨p. 231⟩and alienations from one another, that I doubt this great duty of prayer for one another is greatly neglected.
1. Because Christ praieth for them, and how greatly should we be encouraged to pray for those, for whom Christ praieth; We see his Example in this Verse: Now his Praier is a Mediatory Praier, a Praier that cannot but take effect; for the love of the Father doth not only move him, but Justice also, being he stands in the Relation of a Surety; Oh then let us be more fervent and constant in this duty of praying for others that are holy; Thou maist think with thy self, What I am doing for him on Earth, Christ is doing for him in Heaven: Shall Christ regard the estate of such an one, and shall I forget him? It's to be feared that the godly do not look upon this, as so necessary a duty, and certainly such are the dissentions ⟨p. 231⟩and alienations from one another, that I doubt this great duty of praier for one another is greatly neglected.
2. Therefore it's like to be a speeding prayer because they are such as are within the Promise and Covenant; Now when we have a promise from Gods Word when he hath obliged his fidelity to such, Then we have strong Arguments to plead for such; Oh what a sad disheartening is it in prayer to think, I pray for such an one, but I know no promise to apply to him; It's true God is merciful and his goodness that is a general Encouragement, but yet there must be some more peculiar Encouragements from the Word of God, to be hopeful in prayer: Oh then be not guilty of the neglect of so much help and comfort to the Children of God, as to forget thy prayers for them, Thou mayest urge the promises of God for them as well as for thy own self.