the apostles marvelled, that it prefently withered away. Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Verily I fay unto you, if ye have faith and doubt not, ye fhall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye fhall fay unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou caft into the fea; it fhall be done: And all things what foever ye shall afk in prayer believing, ye fhall receive: For believing honours the truth of the promiser, and afking in prayer for the fulfilling of it, engages and fecures the promised grace. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much; fo much, that the prayer of faith has opened and fhut heaven. It has done wonders in removing mountain's of difficulties, and conquering hofts of foes, which rendered it feem feemingly impoffible that the word of God fhould be established. But faith gained the victory, and triumphed gloriously. It has pleafed God alfo to confirm all thefe arguments, by revealing the motive, on which he made the promifes. It was love. They are all free grace promifes. In his councils, in the revealing them, in the fulfilling them, love directs the whole. They are difcoveries of what is in the Father's heart to his children, and are the means of conveying his fatherly bleflings, efpecially fuch a perfuafion of his love to them, as will work love to him, and they work by love. For we love him, because he first loved us: Therefore he fpeaks to them comfortably, addrefling himfelf to them in the tendereft compaffion, and calling them them by the dearett names-his choien his beloved-his adopted -his children-his friends-heirs, heirs of God-joint heirs with Chrift, who is Lord of all-bis peculiar treafure-his portionthefe, and many other endearing names, are intended to convince them of his love, and to win, and engage their hearts in love to him: That when it is given them to believe the truth of his promifes, they might be certain of their fulfilment. God is love: He delighteth in his people. His heart is fo fet upon them, that in his dealings with them, love has the appointing, the directing, and the bleffing of all. His love to them had no beginning, and it will have no end. It beftows on the happy objects of it, grace, and it fecures to them glory. Love has crown ed ed their Head. And love will crown all his members. For out of his fulness they are most freely invited to come, and take all fpiritual bleffings, as the earnest of eternal. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon them! who can believe it, and not love him again! It has pleafed God alfo to give us fome examples of his fingular favour, to them who acted ftrong faith, and to whom he therefore administered ftrong confolation. The Apoftle fays, "That whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the fcriptures might have hope." And then he prays, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Ghoft." And when the Holy Ghoft gives it this bleffed effect, he always fills the heart with gratitude and thankfulnefs. Thus it operated in the day when the believer was enabled to fay, "O Lord, I will praife thee: Though thou waft angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou haft comforted me. Behold, God is my falvation, I will truft, and not be afraid: For the Lord Jehovah is my ftrength and my fong, he alfo is become my falvation. Therefore with joy fhall ye draw water out of the fountain of falvation." O what reviving cordials did the father of the faithful draw out of it! who against hope believed in hope, that he fhould become the father of many nations, according to that which was fpok en : |