A80611:476
Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life
Christ the fountain of life: or, Sundry choice sermons on part of the fifth chapter of the first Epistle of St. John. Preached by that learned judicious divine, and faithful minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. John Cotton B.D. now preacher at Boston in New-England. Published according to Order.Christ the fountaine of life: or, Sundry choyce sermons on part of the fift chapter of the first Epistle of St. John. Preached by that learned judicious divine, and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. John Cotton B.D. now preacher at Boston in New-England. Published according to Order.
London: printed by Robert Ibbitson, 1651
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.
For opening of this point observe thus much; First, let us see what it is to pray according to Gods will; and then secondly, what is the ground of the point.
For the first, to pray according to Gods will,1 are contained in that Phrase, and yet divers things besides those are comprehended in it.
- 1To pray according to Gods will in two things
First, when he saith, according to his will, it implies first, That we pray for such things as God wills, such things as are not according to his secret will, for so we cannot guide our actions, for secret things belong to the Lord our God; but of things revealed, it is according to his revealed will, and it implies, that we should ask him nothing but what he gives us Commandment to ask, all that he commands us to do, as to ask that we may ask, and for that we are to pray for expressly; As for the glory of his Name, the coming of his Kingdom, and the building up of his grace in any, the doing of Gods will, for our daily bread, &c. These are the things he hath given us warrant to pray for.
First, when he saith, according to his wil, it implyes first, That we pray for such things as God wills, such things as are not according to his secret will, for so we cannot guide our actions, for secret things belong to the Lord our God; but of things revealed, it is according to his revealed will, and it implyes, that we should aske him nothing but what hee gives us Commandement to aske, all that he commands us to doe, as to aske that we may aske, and for that we are to pray for expresly; As for the glory of his Name, the comming of his Kingdome, and the building up of his grace in any, the doing of Gods will, for our daily bread, &c. These are the things he hath given us warrant to pray for.