A47542:575
A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the…
A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the mediator to believers, and his direful wrath against impenitent sinners containing the substance of near forty sermons upon several subjects / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed by the author, 1694
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.
Thirdly. The Ordinance of Prayer, is also as a Pasture for Christ's Sheep to feed in. If we pray in Faith, we receive what we desire 1and stand in need of: That Soul that goes to God in Christ's Name believingly, never comes away empty handed. We have not, 2because we ask not; or else ask amiss, that we may consume it on our Lusts, to please the Flesh, and gratify our Carnal Appetites, and so an evil End spoils good Means: So long (said a good Woman in distress) as I have a praying Heart, God will have a helping Hand. It argues we have not hungry Souls, if we have not praying Souls. You may as well live without eating, as spiritually live without praying; and as it is a sign you are not well when you cannot eat, so it is a sign your Souls are not well when you cannot pray: And as it is a sign the Body is faint, when the Breath is short, or breaths not freely so it is a sign of a faint and languishing Christian, when his Prayers are short, or prays not freely. He that believes savingly, will pray fervently. He that thrives not in this Pasture, will thrive in none. As be cannot live naturally that breaths not, no more can that Soul live spiritually that prays not. He that casts off Prayer, casts off God. No wonder God withholds Mercies from us, when we restrain Prayer ⟨p. 135⟩from him. Pure Prayer is only pleasing to a pure God: our Prayers must be directed to the right Object; O thou that hearest Prayer, to 3thee shall all Men come. We must always direct our Prayers to God, but must not forget to come unto him by Jesus Christ; and we must see to the Matter of it, as well as the Object: If we ask not that which is lawful, our Prayers must needs be unlawful; as it is a Sin to do any thing God commands not, so it is a Sin to ask any thing God allows not.
Thirdly. The Ordinance of Prayer, is also as a Pasture for Christ's Sheep to feed in. If we pray in Faith, we receive what we desire 1and stand in need of: That Soul that goes to God in Christ's Name believingly, never comes away empty handed. We have not,