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with cheerfulness, for a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful. Who is a just man, and fair conditioned, that would not pay a debt, and be exonerated of it? He that can say he hath paid what he owed, is it not a quietness to his mind to be discharged?

It goes further a great deal, and brings more advantage, when we offer up the sacrifice of retribution, the incense of thanksgiving unto the Lord; for we draw on more benefits, when we declare the goodness of the Lord upon the receipt of the old. And the gift which God bestows, is a thousandfold greater than the present which we bring. This is proposed to them that will fly high from the pinnacle of the Lord's prayer, the first petition, "hallowed be thy name."

2. Neither let them faint, that stoop low in supplication for mercy will embrace them on every side. Two things being put together are of much weight: we pray with God's Spirit, and by his word. He invites us in his word to pray, and he gives the gift with which we pray. "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplications." Did he pour upon us his grace? and have we received a commandment, the outward sign of his will? and can we suspect, after all this, that he will put us off, and deny us? Is his grace given in vain? or hath he sent his word to delude us? He hath kindled a fire in our breasts, and it is a heavenly flame that burns within us. Lord, though we are vile and despicable, thou canst not despise the acting of thine own Spirit, nor frustrate thine own operations. Or do we come unbidden, when we cast ourselves down in thy presence? Nay, Lord, thou hast beckoned and called us : "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden.” Hold fast to these two, and who can forbid us to be

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1 Zech. xii. 10.

comforted? The Lord bids us pray, and he gives us a heart to pray. For it is not strange to his mercy (perhaps it is strange to man's conceit) to give us strength to bring forth that obedience, both to will and to do, which himself hath commanded :—as he gave the Blessed Virgin strength to bring forth the babe, who was conceived and formed in her womb by the Holy Ghost.

This I do the rather enforce, because we can see no comfort in ourselves: therefore, as I derive all the virtue and spirituality that is in prayer, from the efficacy of grace,- —so I refer all the success to Christ, we are blessed with all spiritual blesWhatsoever ye ask the Father in my

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name, he will give it. ” 2 one; therefore he says, If ye any thing in my name, I will do it."3 better means to God than ourselves and our own merits, there were no hope to speed: nay, our hearts would be as faint and dead, as if we heard ourselves denied before we had opened our lips: but we conclude, as it is in the most of our collects, "through Christ our Lord." When we bring that name in the rear, and quote him for our merit and Mediator, then I know it will be well, and the Lord will hear the petitions of his servants. Should we not put our requests into Christ's hand to offer them to his Father, Sion might spread forth her complaints, and there would be none to comfort her; and we might remain for ever in that heavy plight. "I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed."4 But if we renounce our wretched selves, and imagine not the least intrinsical perfection to be in our prayers, do we sail then by the Cape of

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Good Hope? Yes; because God is contented to yield upon such addresses. Jacob may wrestle with the angel all night, and protest he will not let him go till he have blessed him. But God was overcome, because he would be overcome" of Jacob: he lets us prevail, because he is willing to yield but there is no strength in us to win, if he would not suffer himself to be vanquished.

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There is no other person but Christ, in whom the Father (I know not what kind of necessity to call it) cannot but be well pleased; which made him say before his disciples, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me, and I know that thou hearest me always" as it is also, " " Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, was heard for his piety." This is the pre-eminence of our High Priest, who is an orator for us all, that the Lord cannot reject his prayers. Therefore, committing our daily orisons to our High Priest, to bear them into the Holy of Holies before his Father, they are in a sure hand: and "they that know his name, will put their trust in him: much more they that know his office perfectly. Wherefore let prayer carry on these considerations with it; that we are invited by God to that duty that the Spirit instigates us to it, and "helps our infirmities : " that it is presented to the Father by the mediation of the Son; then how canst thou be sad, O my soul, and fear to miscarry? Is not the lot fallen unto thee in a pleasant field? and mayest thou not promise to thyself a very goodly heritage ? II. Without all dispute, then, proceed unto prayer, and for a beginning, 1. "Ask in faith; that is, attribute unto God that he is almighty, and can do

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3 Psalm ix. 10.

5 James i. 6.

above all that we can ask or think: consent to his truth, that he is faithful in his promises: for he that believeth not those, makes God a liar. Acknowledge his goodness and mercy through Christ, that he will withhold no good thing from them that live a godly life. Let there be no wavering, no disputing about these attributes of God, lest we be condemned out of our own mouth. So much faith, so much efficacy, so much confidence, so much comfort in prayer.

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Then will a solicitous Christian reply, 'What will become of me? I have not that plenitude of faith: at least, in sundry occasions, I have it not to ascertain myself that I shall prevail with God.' No more had Abraham himself a perfect faith without any flaw. Excellent things are spoken of him, "who against hope believed in hope: and that he staggered not at the promise, but was strong in faith.” 1 Yet see how he stooped a little : "Shall a son be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear! O that Ishmael may live!" God is not extreme to mark what is done amiss in every convulsion of faith:-which appears, 3" I said in mine haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless, thou heardest the voice of my supplication, when I cried unto thee." You must be sure that, in general, David subscribed to the power, and truth, and goodness of God: but there was a temptation upon him at that time, in some particular case, in which he distrusted, or doubted, that there was no likelihood to prevail. But if there be such a one that says, I will pray, but I know I shall be never the better,' he is an infidel, and mocks God: in that bad mind he did well to say, 'he should be never the better: for he did usurp a form of godliness, and denied the power thereof.

1 Rom. iv. 20. 2 Gen. xvii. 18. 3 Psalm xxxi. 22.

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He is the right supplicant, but a very rare one, that hath no staggering or diffidence in his heart, that comes close up to our Saviour's rule, "Whatsoever things ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.' Yet the Lord will not cast them off, who are but in the next form, and do not resolutely promise success unto themselves in the instant of their present suppli cations: but bear it thus between faith and doubting, 'whether I shall succeed in this or that, I am not confident, but of this I am most assured, that I shall be the better for my prayers. And I would it were thus and thus, because I conceive it would be best for me but I am certain it will be better than the best that I can imagine, which the Lord knows to be most expedient.'

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Another, perhaps, may wrangle himself into an error, and say, ' How do the heathen and the wicked obtain good things, if nothing will prevail with God but the prayer of faith?' Consider that even a pagan and idolater would never pray, but that they have some kind of belief to obtain fruit by their prayers. The king of Nineveh had a solemn fast at the hearing of Jonah's prophecy; "for," says he, "who can tell if God will turn, and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?" None but a lunatic would ask for relief from him that hath neither knowledge of his case, nor power to redress it.—'O, but the prayers of such are not grounded on the faith that we speak of.' It is true: such a faith as possessed idolaters is not that which impetrates mercy from God. Then I say, neither Jews, nor Mahometans, nor wicked men, get any thing by that prayer, to which the promise is made, "Ask, and ye shall have." For whether they pray or not,

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