N01732:127
Five sermons on several subjects. I. A birth-day sermon, preached on the day when…
Five sermons on several subjects. I. A birth-day sermon, preached on the day when the author attained to the eightieth year of his age. II. A dying testimony to the sovereign grace of God in the salvation of his elect, containing three sermons. III. Believers encouraged to pray from the consideration of Christs interceding for them, and with them. / By Increase Mather, D.D ; [Six lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1719
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.
Nay, […] God should put him to his choice, Tell Me what thou wouldst have, Earthly or Heavenly good things, He says, Let me have Spiritual blessings; he Prays that God would give His Spirit to him; and will not God give His Spirit to them that ask it? We are sure He will. When a Man does desire that Christs Interest may prevail in the World, rather than any thing else; a Man that seeks in the first place the Kingdom of God, that is the Man that has the Spirit of Prayer, and may know Christ Intercedes for him.
Nay, 〈…〉 God should put him to his choice, Tell Me what thou wouldst have, Earthly or Heavenly good things, He says, Let me have Spiritual blessings; he Prays that God would give His Spirit to him; and will not God give His Spirit to them that ask it? We are sure He will. When a Man does desire that Christs Interest may prevail in the World, rather than any thing else; a Man that seeks in the first place the Kingdom of God, that is the Man that has the Spirit of Prayer, and may know Christ Intercedes for him.
USE, II. The other Use is a word of Encouragement to practise this Duty of Prayer. Seeing we have an Intercessor in Heaven that presents our requests to ⟨p. 120⟩God, that is encouragement enough to this duty. And what should we pray for We should Pray that the Interest of Christ may prevail in the World. In the Printed Proclamation for this day, We are directed to Pray, That the Interest […] Christ may prevail all the World over. […] Christ Intercedes for us, it is most reasonable that we should Intercede for His Interest. Psal. 72. 15. It is said concerning Solomon, Prayer shall be made for him continually. Christ is the Solomon there intended. Why, are we to Pray for Christ? Certainly He needs none of our Prayers who is blessed for ever; we are not to Pray for His Person, but for His Kingdom, that His Interest may prevail every where; that we are the rather to Pray for, because there are Prophesies i• the written word of God that such […] Day shall come.