N04105:493
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit, in reconciling of a sinner to God. / By Thomas Shepard, sometime of Emanuel-College in Cambridge, since preacher of God's word in New-England. ; [One line from Matthew]
Boston: printed by Green for D. Henchman, 1742
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE Sound Believer. › Chapter 2 › Section 5: Fifthly, Audience of all Prayers.
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.
1. To pray in Christ's Name, is to pray with Reliance upon the Grace, Favour, and Worthiness of the Merits of Christ, thus this Phrase is used, Micah 4.5. To walk in the Name of their God, is in Confidence of the Authority, and Excellency, and Favour of their Gods, that they will bear them out in it; so to pray in Christ's Name, is to pray for Christ's sake, thus, Eph. 2.18. Through' him (i. e. through' his Death and Sanctification rested upon) we have Access with Confidence unto the Father, Eph. 3.12, In whom we have Boldness, and Access with Confidence, by the Faith of him. There are three Evils that commonly attend our Prayers, when we see God indeed. 1. Shame and Flight from God, the Apostle saith therefore, that by Faith in Christ we have Access. 2. If we do accede and draw near to him, there is a secret Fear and Straitness of Spirit to open all our Minds; therefore saith he, we have Boldness, the Word signifies Liberty of Speech to open all our Minds without Fear, or Discouragement. 3. After ⟨p. 230⟩we have thus drawn near, and opened all our Desires and Moans before God, we have many Doubts, viz. Will the Lord hear such a Sinner, and such weak, and imperfect and sinful Prayers? And therefore he also affirms, that we have Confidence and Assurance of being heard; but all this is by Faith in him: For look as Christ hath purchased all Blessings for us by his Death, and hence makes his Intercession for those Things daily according to our Need: So we are much more to rest upon, and make that Satisfaction, the Ground of our Intercession; because Christ's Blood purchased this, therefore, O Lord grant this.
1. To pray in Christ's Name, is to pray with Reliance upon the Grace, Favour, and Worthiness of the Merits of Christ, thus this Phrase is used, Micah 4.5. To walk in the Name of their God, is in Confidence of the Authority, and Excellency, and Favour of their Gods, that they will bear them out in it; so to pray in Christ's Name, is to pray for Christ's sake, thus,