A. 3. To pray in faith, is, in prayer to fix our faith on God's faithfulness, believiug that he doth hear, and will help; this is a taking hold of God, Isa. Ixiv. 7. By prayer we draw nigh to God, by faith we take hold of him: 2 Chron. xiii. II., thechlhlren of Judah cried luito the Lord ; and this was the crying of iaith ; v. 18., they " j)revailed, because they relied on the Lord God of their fathers." Making supj)llcation to God, and staying the soul on God, is praying iu faith. To pray, and not rely ou (lod for the granting our petitions, irrisio Dei est, saith Pelican ; " it is to abuse and ])ut a scorn on God." By praying, we seem to honour God; by not believing we affront liim. In prayer we say, ' Almighty, mer- ciful Father ;' by not believing, we blot out (ill his titles again.
Quest. 3. Hotv may %ce hnow thcrt we do trxdy pray in faith ? We may say. Our Fa- ther, and thinh we pray in faith, when it is in prcswiipt ion : how therefore may we know that we do indeed pray in faith ?
Ans. 1. AV'hen our faith in prayer is liumble. A presumptuous person liopes to be heard in ])rayer for some iidierent wor- thiness in himself; he is so qualified, and hath done God good service, therefore he is confident God will hear his prayer; see an instance, Luke xviii. 11, 12., " The Pharisee stood and prayed thus, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust: I fast twice in the week ; I give tytlies of all that I possess.'* This was a ]>resumptuous prayer ; but a sincere heart doth as well act lunnility in prayer as faith : Luke xviii. 13, " The pub- lican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote up- on his breast, saying, ' God be merciful to me a sinner !' " " God be merciful !" there was faith ; " to me a sinner," there was humility and a sense of unworthiness.
A. 2. A^'e may know we pray in faith, when, though we have not the present tiling wc ])ray for, yet we believe God will grant it, therefore we will stay his leisure. A Christian having a command to pray, and a promise, he is resolved to follow God with prayer, and not give over ; as Peter, he knocked, yet the door was not opened, but he contijuied knocking, and at last it was o})ened, Acts xii. 16. So a Christian ])rays, aiul j)rays, but hath no answer ; but lie will continue knocking at heaven's door, knowing an answer will come, Ps. Ixxxvi. T., " Thou wilt answer me." Here is one that prays in fait/i. Christ saith, "Pray and faiut not," Luke xviii. 1. A believer, at Christ's word, lets down the net of prayer, and though lie catch nothing, he will cast the net of prayer again, believing that mer- cv will come. Patience in prayer is no- thing hut faith spun out.
L'.sv 1st. It rej»roves them that pray ia formality, not in faith ; they question whe- tlu-r God hears or will grant, Jam. iv. 3., " Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss." lie doth not say, ye ask that which is unlawful ; but ye ask amiss, and therefore ye receive not. Unbelief clips
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OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER.
the wings of prayer, that it will not fly to the throne of grace ; the ruhbish of unbe- lief stops the current of prayer.
Use 2d. Of exhortation. Let us set faith a-work in prayer, ' Our Father.' The husbandman sows in hope : prayer is the seed we sow ; when the hand of faith scat- ters this seed, it brings forth a fruitful crop ©f blessing ; prayer is the ship Ave send out to heaven : when faith makes an adventure in this ship, it brings home large returns of mercy. O pray in faith ! Say, ' Our Father.' And that we may act faith in prayer, consider,
1. God's readiness to hear prayer. De- us paratus ad vvta exaudienda, Calvin. Did God forbid all addresses to him, it would put a damp upon the trade of prayer ; but God's ear is open to prayer. It is one of the names by which God is known, Ps. Ixv. 2., " O thou that hearest prayer." The Aediles among the Romans had their doors always standing open, that all who had pe- titions might have free access to them : God is both ready to hear and grant prayer ; this may encourage faith in prayer. And, whereas some may say, they have prayed, but have had no answer: 1st. God may hear prayer, though he do not presently an- swer. We write a letter to a friend ; he may have received it, though we have yet had no answer of it. Perhaps thou ])rayest for the light of God's face ; God may lend thee an ear, though he doth not shew thee his face. 2d. God may give an answer to pi*ayer, when we do not perceive it. His giving an heart to pray, and inflaming the afi'ec- tions in prayer is an answer of prayer, Ps. cxxxviii. 3., " In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul." David's inward strength was an answer of prayer, therefore let God's readiness to hear prayer encourage faith in prayer.