A30241:632
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.
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.
6. Therefore it's disputed whether God doth require Prayer for the mercies sake. or give the mercy for Prayers sake; As for example God hath promised increase of grace, sanctification of all afflictions, if we rightly pray to him; Now the Question is whether he giveth this mercy for prayer sake, or not rather because he will give such a mercy, therefore he enableth us to pray, and certainly this latter way is the truth, God gives us not the mercy because we pray, but because he will vouchsafe such a mercy, therefore he quickeneth us up to pray; The mercy is not referred to prayer, but prayer to the mercy.
6. Therefore it's disputed whether God doth require Praier for the mercies sake. or give the mercy for Praiers sake; As for example God hath promised encrease of grace, sanctification of all afflictions, if we rightly pray to him; Now the Question is whether he giveth this mercy for praier sake, or not rather because he will give such a mercy, therefore he enableth us to pray, and certainly this latter way is the truth, God gives us not the mercy because we pray, but because he will vouchsafe such a mercy, therefore he quickneth us up to pray; The mercy is not referred to praier, but praier to the mercy.
Therefore 7. As long as God keeps up our heart in a praying way so long there is hope of the accomplishment of the mercy we pray for: Thou preparest the heart and hearest with the ear, saith David, Psa. 10.17. Not but that in some temporal mercies the soul may be kept long in a praying waiting frame, and yet the mercy it self be never given us, but then it will be with us as with Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12. So that still God is good to thee though thou hast not that thou prayest for, if a praying frame of heart be on thee; on the other side, it's an heavy defection not to be able or willing to pray: I speak not of a tempted Christian, who prayeth even while he saith he doth not, he cannot pray, but of those who by their sins have made themselves as a barren Wilderness, and the heavens like brass.