2. That we may act faith in prayer, con- sider we do not pray alone. Christ prays over our prayers again ; Christ's prayer is the ground why our prayer is heard. Christ takes the dross out of our prayer, and pre- sents nothing to his Father but pure gold. Christ mingles his sweet odours with the
pray
ers of the saints. Rev. v. 8. Think of
the dignity of his person, he is God ; and
the sweetness of his relation, he is a Son. O what encouragement is here, to pray in faith ! Our prayers are put into the hand of a Mediator. Christ's prayer is mighty and powerful.
3. We pray to God for nothing but what is pleasing to him, and he hath a mind to grant ; if a son ask nothing but what his father is willing to bestow, this may make him go to him with confidence. When we pray to God for holy hearts, there's nothing more pleasing to him, 1 Thess. iv. 3., " This is the will of God, even your sanctification." We pray that God would give us an heart to love him, and there is nothing he more desires than our love. How may this make us pray in faith, Avhen we pray for nothing but what is acceptable to God, and M'hich he delights to bestow !
4. To encourage faith in prayer, consi- der the many sweet promises that God hath made to prayer. The cork keeps the net from sinking : the promises are the cork to keep faith from sinking in prayer. God hath bound himself to us by his promises. The Bible is bespangled with promises made to prayer : Isa. xxx. 19., " He will be very jrracious to thee at the voice of thy crv." Rom. X. 1 2 , " The Lord is rich unto all that call upon him." Jer. xxix. 13., "Then shall ye find me, when ye search for me with all your heart." Ps. cxlv. 19., " He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him." The Tyrians tied their god Hercules with a croldcn chain that he should not remove : God h \lh tied himself fast to us by his pro- mises. How should these animate and spi- rit faith in prayer ? Faith gets strength iu prayer by sucking from the breast of a pro- mise.
5. That we may act faith in prayer, con- sider, Jesus Christ hath purchased that which we pray for; we may think the things we ask for in prayer too great for us to obtain, but they are not too great for Christ to purchase. We pray for pardon, Christ hath purchased it with his blood ; we pray for the Spirit to animate and in- spire us, the sending down of the Holy Ghost into our hearts is the fruit of Christ's death, John xvi. This may put life into our ])rayers, and make us pray in faith ; because the things we ask in prayer, though
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tliey are more than we deserve, yet not more than Clirist hath purchased for us.
6. To make us pray in faith, consider there is such a bountifuhicss in God that he often exceeds the prayers of his people ; !ie ^ves thetn more than they ask ; as Han- nah asked a son, and God not only gave her a son but a prophet. Solomon asked wisdom, and God gave him not only wis- dom, but riches and honour besides ; Jacob prayed that God would but give him food and raiment, and the Lord increased his pilgrim's staff into two bands. Gen. xxxli. 10. God is oft better to us than our pray- ers, as when Gehazi asked but one talent, Naaman would needs force two upon him, 2 Kings v. 23. We ask one talent of mer- cy, and God gives two talents. The wo- man of Canaan asked but a crumb, namely, to have the life of her child; and Christ gave her more, he sent her home with the life of her soul.
T. The great success the prayer of faith hath found ; like Jonathan's bow, it hath not returned einj)ty. Vocula ])ater dicta in cordo, saitli Luther, — this little word Fa- tfter, pronounced in faitii, hath overcome God, Gen. xxxii. IL, "Deliver me, I pray thee." And this was mixed with faith in the promise, v. 12., "Thou saidst I will surely do thee good ;" and this prayer had power with God, and prevailed, Hos. xii. 4. The prayer of faith hath opened prison- doors, — stopt the chariot of the sun, — lock- ed and unlocked heaven. Jam. v. 17. The prayer of faith hath strangled the plots of enemies in the birth ; it hath routed tlieir forces ; Moses' prayer against Amalek did more than Joshua's sword ; and may not this hearten and corroborate faith in prayer ?
8. If all this will not prevail, consider how heartless and comfortless it is to pray, and not in faith ; the heart misgives secret- ly, God doth not hear, nor will he grant. Faithless praying must needs be comfort- less ; for there Is no promise made to unbe-