A30241:1222
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 47: Of Gods Propriety in his People as the Ground of all the Good that accrueth to them.
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.
And First, It is that only which administers confidence and fervency in prayer; What hopes, what strivings, what agonies could there be in Prayer, if it were not for this he is our God we are praying unto? Who can hopefully pray to an Enemy or Adversary, to a condemning Judge, but when to a gracious Father that breedeth encouragement; Thus we are taught to pray Our Father; And the Spirit of God is especially for this appropriating confidence to call God Abba Father, and what is it that makes David so full of hopes even in sad Temptations, because ⟨p. 260⟩God was his God, his buckler, his Shield; And it's said in that sad perplexity he was in at Ziklag, he encouraged himself in his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. So that take this away and you take away the very soul and life of all prayers.
And First, It is that onely which administers confidence and fervency in praier; What hopes, what strivings, what agonies could there be in Praier, if it were not for this he is our God we are praying unto? Who can hopefully pray to an Enemy or Adversary, to a condemning Judge, but when to a gracious Father that breedeth encouragement; Thus we are taught to pray Our Father; And the Spirit of God is especially for this appropriating confidence to call God Abba Father, and what is it that makes David so full of hopes even in sad Temptations, because ⟨p. 260⟩God was his God, his buckler, his Shield; And it's said in that sad perplexity he was in at Ziklag, he encouraged himself in his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. So that take this away and you take away the very soul and life of all praiers.
2. Joy and Thankfulness; The overflowing of the heart with praise and rejoicing is from this, because God is our God; Thus David is like a Fountain often running over, because God forgave his iniquities, and was his God; The people of God walk in darkness because they are not clear in this, their evidences are not strong here.