CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Fifthly,¹ The prayer of Christ had all those internal qualifications that are requisite to acceptation: For first, There was holy faith and confidence, the Preface is Father, which is not a bare Title, but an expression from inward affection, indeed Christ was not capable of justifying faith, he was too perfect a subject to need such a grace, yet as the habit of faith doth include no imperfection in the subject, but a full dependence and affiance on God, so Christ did believe, and in this sense he cried, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? My God, My God, were acts of fiducial dependence; As for repentance and sorrow for sin, which is requisite in all our prayers, such also Christ was not capable of, but then for love and zeal to God, for heavenly affections, &c. The Sea is not fuller of water then his soul was of such enlargements; No distraction, no deadness, no imperfection did cleave to his prayer, but as he himself was without sin, so also was his prayer; Besides the extrinsical dignity and worth of Christs prayer there was an inherent perfection and fullness of all graces in him: Oh then though the godly labour and groan under manifold weaknesses; Their prayers are so imperfect that they need to be prayed over again, and confession is requisite for our imperfect confession, yet remember the perfection of Christs prayers, There was no spot, no blemish in this Sacrifice of his lips. At the end of thy prayer, when thy heart smiteth thee for thy roving thoughts, thy dullness, thy distractions, comfort thy self with this, there was no such defect in Christs prayer; Christs prayer was like that curious confection and ointment, which had so many precious ingredients in it.

Fifthly,¹ The praier of Christ had all those internall qualifications that are requisite to acceptation: For first, There was holy faith and confidence, the Preface is Father, which is not a bare Title, but an expression from inward affection, indeed Christ was not capable of justifying faith, he was too perfect a subject to need such a grace, yet as the habit of faith doth include no imperfection in the subject, but a full dependance and affiance on God, so Christ did beleeve, and in this sence he cried, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? My God, My God, were acts of fiduciall dependance; As for repentance and sorrow for sinne, which is requisite in all our praiers, such also Christ was not capable of, but then for love and zeal to God, for heavenly affections, &c. The Sea is not fuller of water then his soul was of such enlargements; No distraction, no deadnesse, no imperfection did cleave to his praier, but as he himself was without sinne, so also was his praier; Besides the extrinsecall dignity and worth of Christs praier there was an inherent perfection and fullnesse of all graces in him: Oh then though the godly labour and groan under manifold weaknesses; Their praiers are so imperfect that they need to be praied over again, and confession is requisite for our imperfect confession, yet remember the perfection of Christs praiers, There was no spot, no blemish in this Sacrifice of his lips. At the end of thy praier, when thy heart smiteth thee for thy roving thoughts, thy dulnesse, thy distractions, comfort thy self with this, there was no such defect in Christs praier; Christs praier was like that curious confection and ointment, which had so many precious ingredients in it.