12.4 and Psal 51.17 they prevail 4. They are importunate prayers so were Abrahams here and they are granted to the utmost Luke 11.8 5. They are modest prayers I will yet speak but this once sayes Abraham 6. They are awfull prayers Oh let not the Lord be angry sayes Abraham And such prayers shall be heard to the utmost of our desires Vse 1. for Information 1. We see what great encouragement we have to pray and not to faint Luke 18.1 for God grants their desires to the utmost that are believing Suppliants Abraham had to the utmost of his desires granted to him 2. We see that the Lord is a full Treasury and rich Store-house of all we need and will give us in all our desires that we ask of him 3. We see how dear Believers are to the Lord that have all granted that they ask even in the full latitude of their desires 4. We see how unwearied we should be in granting the desires of those that sue to us God is not weary of our desires and he is our Pattern to follow 5. We see what cause we have to think that we can never be obedient enough to him that comes up to us in the utmost of our desires that we put up to him 6. We see what cause we have to trust him to the utmost in all stresses and straits in all troubles and in sixes and sevens of them when they come thick upon us when they come rolling one in the neck of another like the waves of the Sea now it 's good trusting him to the utmost that grants our desires to the utmost Lam. 3 54-57 7. We see what cause we have to love him to the utmost that fulfils our desires to the utmost no love is sufficient for him Psal 116.1 8. We see what reason we have to stick to him to his Truth and Testimonies Josh 28.8 Psal 119.31 to his Christ and Cause to the utmost for he grants our desires to the utmost 9. We see that we may well suffer to the utmost for him the utmost scorns wrath fury flames rage of enemies persecutors devils against us for he grants the utmost of our desires to us 10. We see that we may well praise him to the utmost we can never do it enough Neh. 9.5 Hence David calls up Angels to this when his Soul and all within him could not reach it Psal 103.20 21. Vse 2. for Terrour to Unbelievers they get nothing Vse 3. for Humiliation that we pray not as Abraham did Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To joy in him 2. To delight in him 3. To long to with him 4. To do all we can for him 5. To prize him Psal 7.10 Verse 32. And he said Oh let not the Lord be angry and I will speak yet but this once c. Doct. XXVIII THat even the best of Believers leave Petitioning before the Lord leave granting So did Abraham here when he came so low as to desire that if there were but ten Righteous in Sodom the place might not be destroyed and had a gracious answer given in to him he then ceased to ask any further and left off suing before God left off giving Had he gone yet lower and desired for five whatever the Jewish Rabbins say for ought either they or I know God might have granted his desire in that also Reasons 1. From the Lord. 2. From the Believers First From the Lord. 1. He hath not stinted us nor set any bounds to our Prayers that hitherto we shall go and no further and here our desires shall stay though he hath so bounded the Sea Job 38.11 yet he hath not so limited and bounded our Prayers but if we ask in faith and desire any thing according to his will he heareth us Matth. 21.22 1 Joh. 5.14 15. and therefore we must needs leave off suing before he leave off granting 2. As he hath set no bounds to our Prayers so he hath not turned away our prayer nor his mercy from us Psal 66.20 Men sometimes do so to those that ask of them but God never does we may go as often as we will and for what we will if it be lawful that we ask and may receive it and therefore we leave off asking before he leaves off to give 3. He could not else take this noble Title to himself to be A God hearing Prayer Psal 65.2 if he should not be as ready to grant as we are to ask if he should cease to grant before we cease to ask that Title would be blotted out but he will be ever known by that Title it is his Name and though some men have forgotten their own names yet he will never forget his but will have it known all the world over that he is A God hearing Prayer 4. He findes fault with us that we ask no more Isa 43.22 Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but hast been weary of me O Israel and 64.7 the Prophet complains There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee and if this displease him so then sure we leave off to sue before he to grant 5. He encourageth us to ask by his Promises that he makes to us Mat. 7.7 8. Joh. 16.23 As Solomon said to Bathsheba Ask on my Mother for I will not say thee nay 1 Kin. 2.20 So the Lord does encourage us to ask on and if so then it is not he but we that fail if we ask not we leave off petitioning before he leave granting 6. He hath his doors ever open his Mercy-seat and Throne of Grace ever set up that we may repair to Heb. 4.16 and therefore our desires fail sooner then his will to grant because his doors are never shut nor his Mercy-seat never barred up but we may go to it when we will Secondly From the Believers themselves 1. We have narrow hearts and our desires are scant and are not so full as his hand is in giving He opens his hand wide but we shut our hearts Narrow mouth'd vessels receive in little though it rain abundantly such vessels are our hearts were they more open and more capable to receive we might have more but the narrowness of our desires and hearts makes us leave off petitioning before he leave giving even Abraham himself though he had a larger heart then other men yet had it more straitned then Gods hand was to give 2. We are apt to stint our selves and to set bounds to our desires I will speak yet but this once sayes Abraham here And we stinting our selves hence it comes to pass that we sooner cease to make our requests then the Lord to give out his grants 3. We are afraid that he may be angry with us for asking him so much as Abraham here was and that shortens our desires and bars up our requests so that we have sooner done petitioning then the Lord hath in granting The fear of a Princes anger stops his mouth that
Requests that we put up to him There 's no friend that is kinde to us in granting our desires but we judge worthy of thanks Oh how thankeful should we then be to God that hears and grants what we seek unto him for Psal 66.20 It is the Lords Tribute that he looks for and if we would not grudge to pay the King his Tribute being a commanded duty Rom. 13.7 then we should chearfully come off with the Lords Tribute and pay it in holy Praises to him The truth is we do but bungle at it here and do it not workman-like but we shall one day do it better when we are joyned in this heavenly melody with that innumerable company of Angels and blessed Souls in glory But in the mean time we must be doing something this way for all his bounties to us and if not so well as we would yet we are to do it as well as we can and long for the time when we shall perform it better 4. We see that though we have but a few friends on earth yet we have One in Heaven that will not fail us There is a friend Solomon sayes that sticketh closer then a brother Prov. 18.24 and such an one is a rare jewel and hardly to be found but though he be not to be found on Earth yet God is such a friend and will hear and grant what we sue unto him for 5. We see the truth of that in Psal 73.28 It is good for me to draw near to God it must needs be so considering what a God he is that we go unto that hears our Prayers grants us all that we ask of him We make account that it 's good to go to a Father or Friend to make our wants known that we may have a supply Oh how good is it then to go to such a Father and Friend as God is 6. We see what cause we have to delight in the Lord that we may have the desires of our hearts granted to us Seeing he is so willing to grant let us take the way that he prescribes for this and that is by delighting in him Psal 37.4 He that delights in his friend may have any thing of him how much more may they that delight themselves in the Almighty 7. We see that we can never come off with love enough to him who is a God hearing prayer granting our requests to us We would think that man worthy of our love that granted our desires in asking but Oh what love should he have that gives us all that we desire of him Our love is but a little Rivulet and Stream but he deserves a full Sea our love is but a little spark but he deserves that it flame forth our love is but a drop but he deserves that it should be a full flowing Fountain that 's never dry 8. We see how unwearied we should be in duty and obedience to him that thus hears and grants How loyal are Subjects to Royal Princes when they come off bountifully to them How dutiful and obedient are Servants to their liberal Masters they are ready at hand to ride run go do any thing for them Oh how loyal should we then be to such a bountiful King and how dutiful to such a liberal Master as God is that gives us what we ask of him 9. We see how we may be followers of God by bearing the cries of poor afflicted ones and granting their desires so does God to us and so should we to them Ephes 5.1 There are those that turn away from the cry of the poor but they shall cry and not be heard But seeing God hears us if we would follow him we must hearken and come off liberally to them Luke 6.38 10. We see that none of our Prayers shall be lost that we put up to him none of them shall miscarry We may go to men with our Suits and be put off and turned away and our Requests may be slighted and made nothing of but God dealeth not so with us when we come before him in Prayer he hears and grants and gives to all liberally and upbraideth not Jam. 1.5 Some Princes have torn in pieces what their Petitioners have brought before them as the Emperour Valens did to one of his noble Captains that had done him great Service as Theodoret relates of him Lib. 5. Hist but our God never does so to his Suppliants but they have a comfortable answer and a liberal grant they go to a Throne of Grace and finde grace to help in time of need their Prayers come loaden with blessings and they return home bringing their sheaves with them Naomi complained that she went out full but returned empty but we go out empty to him and return full Vse 2. for Terrour to those that God will not hear they are none of his they regard iniquity in their heart Psal 66.18 they are sinners that delight in sinful wayes Joh. 9.31 they are loathsome to him blacker then Ravens in his sight for he hears them when they cry to him Vse 3. for Humiliation to the people of God that pray much and get no grant surely there is some great cause either they are not earnest enough cry not loud enough or else slack their pace and are not constant enough or have given God cause to be angry with their prayers Psal 80.4 or have not been so sincere as they ought or have had unfixed hearts and been full of wandring thoughts that have marred the duty or something or other hath stepped between them and mercy and it is good for such to search what is the cause and remove it that God may not go out of his wonted way but may shew himself a God hearing prayer Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To honour God and to give him this noble Title of his when we pray to him and say He is a God hearing prayer He delights to hear himself so spoken of and we that finde the comfort of it should delight to mention it to his praise We honour an earthly King with his Titles how much more then should we do it to this glorious King 2. To bring our Petitions to him he will not throw them away nor tear them in pieces nor cast them at his feet in disdain but will have them in high esteem hang them upon the file in Heaven remember them give a grant to them We may be encouraged to come to him who is a God hearing prayer 3. To be humble for who are we that he should hear our Prayers we deserve that when we cry and shout he should not hear us and that he should cover himself with a cloud that our Prayers should not pass thorow It is nothing in us that moves him to hear and grant it is all of his Free-grace 4. To hear those that sue to us and give them that that they stand in need of if it be in the power of our hand to do it Why should we
to do so do rude children to their Father and get a check for it and so do we to our Father let it shame us or else we shall be sure of a check for it 2. To those that may be bold and dare not or at least will not go so often as they might nor take upon them to speak to the Lord as he allows What Friends of God and not be humbly bold with him God for bid Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To prize Faith that makes us bold with God 2 Pet. 1.1 We prize our friendship with some men whereby we are bold with them how much more faith whereby we are friends of God Jam. 2.23 and so bold with him 2. To prize Christ above all 1 Pet. 2.7 for he it is by whom we have access with boldness Ephes 2.18 Heb. 4.14 16. we should never have taken upon us to speak to the Lord had it not been for him He brings us to the Father Joh. 14.6 3. To be thankefull to the Blessed Trinity that we may be thus bold in Christ our Mediator 4. To love that Friend and Favourite at the Court of Heaven that hath made us friends and bold with God 5. To be bold in a good cause before the greatest men and not to fear them Prov. 24.25 6. To come with boldness to the Throne of Grace having leave so to do Heb. 4.16 Verse 28. Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous wilt thou destroy all the City for lack of five And he said If I finde there forty and five I will not destroy it Doct. XV. THat Believers when they have got one of their Requests granted stay not there but intreat for another So does Abraham here he had got a grant for Sodoms sparing if there were fifty found there and now he makes another Request that if there should lack five of the fifty he would not destroy all the City for lack of five Thus Gideon he prayed that the fleece might be wet with dew and all the earth else might be dry and he got a grant of that for so it was Judg. 6.37 38. but he stayes not there but desires another that the fleece may be dry and all the earth wet with dew ver 39 40. Reasons 1. From the Lord. 2. From the Believers First From the Lord. 1. He is a Bountiful giver he hath more blessings then one he hath a full hand and a large heart an open hand and a free liberal heart Psal 115.16 Jam. 1.5 2. He gives above what we ask or think Eph. 3.20 and therefore one Request granted should not content us but we should desire more of such an one as he is that is able to give above all our desires 3. He hath commanded us to open our mouthes wide Psal 81.10 to ask more and to inlarge our desires and if he command this we may well do it we cannot answer it but must be disobedient except we ask more 4. He hath promised that whatever we ask believing we shall receive and therefore it is not the grant of one Request that should content us but we should ask more Mat. 21.22 and all his promises are punctually performed 1 Kin. 8.24 5. He hath put a Royal spirit in giving into some men 1 Kings 2.20 Ask on my Mother sayes Solomon for I will not say thee nay So 1 Kings 10.13 He gave the Queen of Sheba all she asked besides what he gave her of his royall bounty See Esth 5.3 7.2 and if so he will never come short of men in royalty and bounty in giving and therefore we are not to rest in one grant but sue for more 6. He knows that we have many wants and when one is supplied we need another and another to that and so on to a multitude and many troubles to be removed and therefore when we sue for one and have it granted we must sue for more we are poor and afflicted many wayes Psal 34.6 19. and therefore must go on in our suits and ask more 7. He is pleased when he sees us again and again to renew our Requests to him He is not like some men that make it an argument why they will not give again because they have given once Jam. 1.5 8. He hath an inexhaustible Treasure that by the renewall of our suits and asking more we cannot draw dry He hath a rich Myne by him Rom. 10.12 He is a full one that commands all blessings both in temporal and spiritual things Psal 50. 1 Pet. 5.10 Secondly From the Believers themselves 1. Their faith is hereby strengthned Judg. 6 37-40 Gideons faith in Gods deliverance of Israel by his hand was strengthned by his second Request that he made to God concerning the fleece and the faith of Gods Servants needs strengthning even the Disciples of Christ were men of weak faith Mark 4.40 so that Christ could not tell how to put the name of Faith upon it 2. Their thankfulness is hereby more and more inlarged The more Petitions any make to a Prince the more full of Thanks they come off with when they are granted Now thanksgiving is Heavenly work Angelical Seraphical work and that that God is glorified by Psal 50.23 3. They do gain and gather upon God by renewing their suits so did Abraham he ever in his renewed Requests got something and went away a gainer A new Petition to a Prince by one in favour gains something so Believers upon every renewed Petition shall finde themselves to go away with something Even the poor at the doors that come often lose not their labour but get something are not sent empty away how much less then will God deny his poor ones that renew their requests to him Psal 10.17 4. They are the more welcome the oftner they come Men may be weary of us the oftner we come to them Prov. 25.17 Withdraw thy foot sayes Solomon from thy neighbours house lest he be weary of thee and so hate thee A man that comes seldome shall be welcome to another but if he come often he will but be a burthen but it is not so with those that go often before the Lord they are ever most welcome to him that come with new Requests oftnest before him 5. They become more dutiful and obedient to him if their renewed Suits be granted So it is with all that sue at Court how obsequious and dutiful will they be and so it is with those that renew their Suits at the Throne of Grace I am thy servant I am thy servant will each of them say Psal 116.16 not in a Complemental-way as sometimes they do at Court but in a serious way so as dutiful servants ought to do 6. They do by often coming increase their familiarity with God and this is that that he likes well of Job 22.21 and we may well delight in for no acquaintance like his 7. They by coming before God and renewing their requests to him shew forth the
something may come or hath come from us for which God may be angry with our Prayers and when God hath any occasion given him to be angry we have cause to fall down humbly before him When a King is justly angry the Subject stoops and abaseth himself if a Father be angry all the Children carry themselves submissively so should we It is said of Henry the Eighth King of England That when he was angry as he often was the chief Peers of his Kingdome would stoop humbly to him how much more should we stoop humbly to the Lord when he is angry at our Prayers who is the great King over all the earth 3. We see the truth of that Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me When we go to pray it is good that we do and a commanded duty but even then evil is present with us and we have cause to fear that something may or hath broken from us in the duty for which God may be angry with us When a man thinks to go a right step he takes a wry step that makes him stumble and fall when a man would give a right stroke his instrument sometimes slips and the stroke is wrong when a man would make good musick a String breaks or a Pegge slips and makes an harsh sound So it is when we pray and would tread right in the duty and strike a right stroke and make a pleasant sound like melody in the Lords ears then we tread awry and strike amiss and make such an harsh sound that God is not delighted but angry with our Prayers 4. We see that if we be afraid that God may be angry with our Prayers what cause then have we to fear that he will be angry with us for our other sins that we do too often provoke him with If he hath so much against us for our duties Oh what hath he then against us for our other evils in thought word and deed whereby he is displeased we should be afraid that he will be angry for these If he will be angry with wry steps and trips Oh how angry will he be for deep falls and great provocations if for spots we may fear his displeasure how much more for fouler sins A Schoolmaster if he see a Scholars blots in writing he will be angry but if he see him blurre and blot his hands and face and foul his clothes he will be much more angry So we have cause to be afraid of his anger for grosser evils if he be angry at our Prayers 5. We see what cause we have to breathe after an immortal estate in glory where neither we nor any of our services shall have any blot or spot upon us or them Here we are afraid that God may be angry at our Prayers and that he may see just cause for it our best duties being defiled but when we come in Heaven there will be no blot cleave to any of our services we shall give him no cause to be angry nor shall we fear his anger to be expressed toward us Here in our best duties we sin our beauty is stained our face gathers blackness we have something of Ethiopian hue some spots and speaks are upon us some wrinkles of the old man appear in the face of the best of our performances but in Heaven we shall be faultless Jude ver 4. without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 nothing shall then be seen upon us like a spot or like a wrinkle all our imperfections will then be done away there shall not be a wemme in our garment not a blemish in our face not a speck in our services not any blot cleaving to our hearts and hands there will be no deformity no infirmity no scar no scurf no mole nor any the least defilement shewing it self but we shall be all glorious within and without all fair in respect of Sanctification as well as of Justification all over bespangled and bedecked with those rich and royall graces of the Spirit as becomes such a place and such company as we shall ever be with then never a frown will appear in his face never a lowring look in his countenance never a wrinkled brow shew it self but all smiles and kisses and hearty embraces and amiable aspects of his favour and acceptance of what we perform to him and who would not long for such a day and such a time as this will be it will be the happiest day that ever our eyes saw the sweetest time that ever we could desire the joy of our hearts the Crown of our Glory the Light of our Life the Confluence of all our Comforts the Haven of our Desires after our tossings with tempest here the bright Sun-shine after our rain and storms and mists of darkness here When Paul and his company were tossed in the Adriatick Sea and no small tempest lay upon them neither Sun nor Stars appearing for many dayes and no hope left that they should be saved it 's said that they wished for the day Acts 27.20 29. So after all our troubles and tossings here we should wish for this day wherein we shall see the face of God and shall never see him angry with us any more This is a desireable day indeed 6. We see that if we be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers here then how may they be afraid of that anger of his that will cast them into the bottomless pit for ever how should such be afraid of the wrath to come Gods anger burns hot here but Oh how will it burn in Hell it's inconceiveable unutterable we are not able to think what his anger will there be Moses in Psal 90.11 challengeth any to tell what this anger is Who knoweth the power of thine anger even when he smites his people here the power of his anger is not known Oh but if so who is able to tell what it is in another world who can tell how hot Hell is and what that Breath is that like a stream of brimstone kindles the fire of it 7. We see what need we have to get Christ to bear the iniquities of our holy things as Aaron did in type of old for the best of us may be afraid that God may be angry with our Prayers Our holy things even our pure prayers have something cleaving to them that we may justly fear God is displeased with and therefore great need we have of that great High Priest to bear as all our other sins so the iniquities of our holy things even of the holiest Prayers that at any time we offer up to God He is that Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Joh. 1.29 and in him as our persons Eph. 1.6 so our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 8. We see that if we may be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers then may we much more be afraid that he will be
angry when we restrain prayer before him Some godly ones in temptation pray not neither in their Families nor in their Closets and they dare not as they think come before the Lord in that duty they are afraid to look him in the face but this is their sin and such had need be humbled for it for God will be angry at it and they will have cause to blush that they should deal so with God as not to call upon his Name Vse 2. for Terrour to all those that are wicked and go on in a way of wickedness If God be angry with the Prayers of his and they are justly afraid he may so be how angry will he be with the workers of iniquity he is angry with them every day Psal 7.11 12 13. If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bowe and made it ready He hath prepared for him the instruments of death he ordained his arrows against the persecutors God is so angry with them that all his weapons of destruction are in a readiness to destroy them speedily dreadfully and without remedy Vse 3. for Humiliation that we should give the Lord any cause to be angry with our Prayers and our selves cause to fear that so it is An ingenuous Childe will be troubled at his Fathers anger and so should we that we give our Father cause to be angry at our Prayers and that we have cause to fear that we have as in other things so in that duty provoked his displeasure against us This should lay us low before him Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To be watchful in this duty that God may not be angry with our Prayers Watchfulness must ever be a companion to Prayer Coloss 4.2 1 Pet. 4.7 To be sure the enemy will watch when we are at the duty and throw in something that is either evil or not good at that time as Hushai said of Achitophels counsel 2 Sam. 17.7 and our own hearts yield store of evil thoughts which flie-blow the duty and if we watch not against these God will be angry and we have cause to fear that it will be no better with us 2. To meditate much of Christs Intercession for he it is that offers his Incense with the prayers of all Saints and mingles his with ours to perfume and sweeten them and make them acceptable so as God will not be angry with them Christs Intercession makes our Prayers so welcome that they are pleasant in his sight and he cannot be displeased with them 3. To be angry with our selves that we have any cause to fear that God may be angry at our Prayers for he is not angry for nothing he does not without cause what he does Ezek. 14.23 wherein he does express his anger towards us Such holy fire therefore would be pleasing to God and be a fruit of true Repentance 2 Cor 7.11 4. To call upon us to be thankeful when he does not express any tokens of his displeasure at our Prayers for we our selves fear that we give him cause to be angry at them If therefore he manifest no such thing but the contrary viz. That he is well-pleased in Christ with them Cant. 2.14 Oh what cause have we to be for ever thankful VVE now come to the second part of the Note and that is this That Believers desire of God that he would not be angry with them when they pray to him So did Abraham here Let not the Lord be angry So Gideon Judg. 6.39 Let not thine anger be hot against me When we make Supplication to a Prince we desire this that we may have the smiles of his face and that he may not be angry with us So do Believers when they make Supplication to the Lord they do and ought to desire that he would not be angry with them Reasons 1. From the Petitioners themselves 2. From the nature of his anger First From the Petitioners 1. They desire the acceptance of their Prayers and that they may be sweet and pleasing to him which they could not be if God should be angry with them Psal 141.2 Let my prayer come before thee as Incense Psal 10.14 2. They would be Princes with God and prevail with him as it is said of Jacob Gen. 32.28 and this cannot be if God be angry with them A Prince will not be prevailed with if he be angry with him that puts up his suit to him So we shall never prevail with God if he be angry with us when we pray to him 3. They see some just cause why he might be angry with them if he should be strict with them there are so many spots in the duty and these they earnestly desire that he would not take notice of to be angry with them Psal 130.3 4. They are afraid that they are too bold with him and therefore desire that he would not be angry with them So Abraham does here When we sue to men for some special favour we desire pardon for our boldness as fearing that we may offend by it so do they that make suit to the Lord. 5. They are conscious of their own integrity in the main though they may have their failings Psal 44.17 18. and therefore desire that he would not be angry with them 6. They expostulate with him in an humble way about his anger with their Prayers Psal 80.4 which shews that they see cause to desire of God that he would not be angry with them for such an expostulation contains the force of an earnest prayer that he would withdraw his anger from them Secondly From the nature of his Anger 1. It is like fire and therefore Gideon expresseth it Judg. 6.39 Let not thine anger be hot against me Gods anger is as hot as fire and therefore in Deut. 32.22 it is said A fire is kindled in mine anger that shall burn to the lowest hell Now being of such a fiery nature it is not to be marvelled at that they pray that God would not be angry with them 2. It is like the dreadful waves of the Sea Mic. 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord The word translated indignation signifies such a raging as is in the raging waves of the Sea when they are lifted up on high and threaten drowning and overwhelming and therefore Jonah 1.15 the same word is used for the raging of the Sea in a sore storm and tempest and when the Sea rageth and is tempestuous the Marriners earnestly desire a Calm and that they might be quiet and the Sea might cease from her raging So Believers desire of God that the dreadful waves of the Sea of his anger may cease and that they may enjoy a quiet Calm 3. It is compared to smoke Dent. 29.20 Psal 74.1 and smoke is a stifling thing if it be in the extremity of it and cannot be endured and as men get out of a smoky house or room as not being able to bear it and desire to be as farre
bold with him Isa 64.7 5. He makes account that such cast off fear as restrain prayer and are not bold with him Job 15.4 and Believers are loth to have that imputed to them for faith and fear go together Heb. 11.7 6. He alwayes makes us the more welcome the more bold we are with him when we pray to him Abraham lost nothing by taking upon him to speak unto the Lord and being further bold with him A bold friend findes hearty welcome from men much more from the Lord they that sue oftenest speed the best Secondly From our selves 1. We sue to a God who hath said that we shall not seek his face in vain Isa 45.19 and therefore may be bold with him and make further bold 2. We sue to him who hath given out that great word Isa 45.11 Ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the work of my hands command me which none of us durst have thought of had not he spoken it 3. We sue to him that hath said Psal 81.10 that if we be so bold as to open our mouthes wide and enlarge our desires he will fill and satisfit them 4. We go to him who is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 and therefore can supply us abundantly What cannot that God of all grace bring in to us All grace is more then Rich grace A man may be Rich and yet not have All but God is not onely Rich in grace but the God of all grace and therefore can make all grace to abound towards us 5. We sue to him who will never send us empty away who turns none away from his doors without relief His suiters shall never go sad away from him He sends the rich empty away that think they need nothing Luke 1.53 but filleth the hungry with good things 6. We go to him that hath said that Every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Mat. 7.8 and therefore we may be bold and further bold with him We may be bold to think that he will not be harder to us then he is to every one Thirdly From the nature of Believers boldness 1. It draws us nearer unto God and that God delighteth in we get near to the Throne of Grace 2. It makes a man go out of himself more and see what need he hath of supplies from Heaven and that 's a gracious frame of heart 3. It lets us see our own unworthiness Gen. 32.10 11. Luke 15.21 and that God takes pleasure in 4. It holds up our friendship with God and assureth us that we are his friends in that we make so bold with him Jam. 2.23 5. It is the very Suburbs and Gate of Heaven for they in Heaven can be holily bold with the Lord Dan. 4.17 6. It is a blessed fruit of Christs Ascension Heb. 4.14 16. Upon all which grounds Believers may be bold and further bold with him Vse 1. for Information 1. We see what a gracious God we sue to that we may be bold and further bold with in our requests that we put up to him He proclaimed his Name thus of old The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious Exod. 34.6 2. We see that Believers have great interest in him that may be so bold with him as to take upon them to speak again and again thus to him 3. We see that great is the friendship that is between God and Believing Souls Great hath been the friendship that hath been between some men but none like this between God and his believing ones 4. We see that to be bold with God and to be further bold with him in our requests that we put up to him is an argument that God is very near to us and we very near and dear to him 5. We see that surely we shall be near indeed to him in heaven when faith is turned into vision 6. We see that if we make so bold with him here in praying to him Oh what holy boldness shall we have with him when he clasps us in his Everlasting Arms and puts us into his Bosome to all Eternity 7. We see that though Believers are the modestest men that are yet they are the boldest men also for they can take upon them to speak to God and to be further bold with him 8. We see that no men nor Devils shall be able to dash them out of countenance for they can be bold with God himself 9. We see a reason of that in Ephes 6.16 That that makes us bold with God will make us victorious over the wicked one 10. We see how bold we should be in a good cause and for a good conscience as Peter and John Acts 4. Vse 2. for Terrour to Unbelievers they cannot be bold this way though they make too bold with him by sin Vse 3. for Humiliation to those that are not so bold with him as they may Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To be holily bold 2. Believe 3. Fear him 4. Be friends to him 5. Apply Christs Ascension 6. Walk with him 7. Love Christ Verse 31. Peradventure there shall twenty be found there Doct. XXIV THat Believers in making suit to the Lord improve Gods bounty and mercy all that ever they can in behalf of others that they sue for Abraham found God merciful to Sodom that if there had been fifty Righteous within the City he would have spared the whole place for their sakes then afterwards if there had been five and forty then if there had been forty then if there had been thirty and had a grant so far and now having obtained so much mercy he improves it yet further to twenty Peradventure there shall twenty be found there he will try yet further what the Lord will do Reasons 1. From the Lord. 2. From the Believers themselves 3. From their Prayers First From the Lord. 1. He is Rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 Rom. 10.12 and that Riches of his mercy is inexhaustible we cannot empty the treasure of it nor draw the fountain of it dry it is a Spring that is alwayes full and therefore we may improve it all that ever we can A rich Myne may be digged into and a rich Treasure may be made use of and a full Fountain drawn So here 2. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think Eph. 3.20 and therefore we may improve it to the utmost and ask high of him Our desires are scant our thoughts are narrow to that large bounty and mercy that he can impart to us 3. He is such a full one that the whole earth is full of his mercy Psal 119.64 and that that fills the whole earth we may well improve for those that we pray for We may have enough of that that the whole earth is full of 4. His thoughts and wayes of mercy are not like our thoughts and wayes but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are
consider her wayes and be wise Prov. 6.6 7 8. I might be large in the prosecution of this but these instances may suffice to be as so many glasses to shew us how diligent and active and industrious we should be in our particular Callings and that God would have us busily working in our several places and stations for him Secondly From our selves 1. We are ever best when we are at work our hearts are never in better frame to go to God in duties of our general Calling then when we have been most conscientially careful in being diligent in our particular Calling We can then go with comfort to pray when we have been at work and never are we fitter to offer up this spiritual sacrifice then when sloth hath not seized upon us in our particular Callings And hence it is that these are coupled together Rom. 12.11 Not slothful in business fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. 2. We shall be pronounced blessed if we be found well-doing when our Lord cometh Matth. 24.46 and it is that that we would all desire after to be partakers of that blessedness who would not be found so at that day 3. We are not yet in heaven but on earth and therefore must attend on our outward occasions and businesses that we are called to When we come in heaven we shall rest from all our works here and be wholly imployed in serving God and praising him Rev. 22.3 4. we shall do Angelical work Seraphical work but while we are here we must be doing in ordinary work and it is a good work because commanded of God 4. We need many things for the outward man which by diligence in our ordinary Callings through the blessing of God are brought in to us Prov. 10.4 22. we get our daily bread by the labour of our hearts and hands food and raiment and physick and all necessaries by the Lords mercy are given in to us this way The King himself is served by the field Eccles 5.9 Gods crowning the year with his goodness his steps dropping fatness make our labours successful and bring in all outward blessings to us and therefore diligence in our Callings is that that God approves and looks for from every one of us 5. We are commanded to labour six dayes in the week Exod. 20.9 except upon extraordinary occasion as upon a Fast or by sickness we be hindred or by some other occasion that justly exempts us and keeps us necessarily from it we may not look at it as a permission onely but as a strict command and that calls upon us to be about our business and be doing in our particular Callings 6. We have Gods example in the first Creation set before us to follow he did his work in six dayes and then rested Exod. 20.9 and so would by his example have us to work and to trace his steps So that not onely Earth and Sea and Stars but Heaven it self calls upon us to labour and work diligently in our Callings Thirdly From our outward occasions and imployments 1. They are such as that we cannot serve God comfortably neither in our Bodies nor in our Spirits except we labour and attend our particular Callings and we are bound to serve him and glorifie him in both 1 Cor. 6.20 and how shall this be except we follow our imployments Meat will not fall into our mouthes except we labour Clothing will not be rained down from heaven upon us except we work for it and without these we cannot serve God neither with outward or inward man 2. These imployments in our Callings are such as that we cannot live without them Bread is called The staff of life Isa 3.1 and Clothing is the health of life and neither of these in an ordinary way can be had without labour 3. These imployments in our particular Callings are such as that we cannot expect the blessing of the Lord upon us The blessing of the Lord maketh rich but it is when the hand is diligent Prov. 10.4 22. otherwise there is no blessing of wealth or increase promised 4. These imployments in our particular Callings do fit us to come to God in spiritual duties and fit us for his coming to us either by death or judgement Luke 12.42 43 44. and this is worth something It was the speech of a faithful Minister now with God to one that he found working hard in his Calling Let me be found so doing when my Lord cometh 5. These ordinary imployments keep us from many sins and from many temptations to sin preserve us from many assaults of the Enemy that Idleness will expose us to As we see in Davids example 2 Sam. 11. if he had gone forth to war at that time or had been doing any thing that was good he would not have faln into such snares and sins as he did which idleness exposed him to Satan and his own corruption would not have so prevailed as they then did when he gave himself to that floth that we there reade of A diligent hand prevents the tempters coming or at least hinders him from overcoming Working in our Calling will either keep the snare from being laid for us or keep our feet from being taken by it And have we not cause then to be diligent and faithfully busie in our Calling 6. These labours and imployments preserve us from falling into other dangers and evils for God hath promised that his Angels shall have charge over us to keep us in our wayes Psal 91.11 Let a man but keep himself in his Calling and Gods Angels shall keep him They are Gods host and so long as they are about him a strong host is about him so that neither plague nor sickness nor any other evil shall come near him v. 10. he is safely guarded that hath such a military guard about him he need not fear any danger that hath these fiery charets and horses round about him 2 Kin. 6. These armies will never sly but will stand by us and shield off all dangers and all enemies and have we not good cause then to be in our Callings Cautions about our Imployments in our particular Callings 1. WE must take heed that love of the World set us not on work to be busie in our Callings for that is straitly forbidden 1 Joh 2.15 and such are not true to God but are called Adulterers and Adulteresses and are the enemies of God Jam. 4.4 and the greatest enemies that are to themselves for thereby they plunge themselves into many snares and temptations and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6.9 10. If the love of the world be the great wheel that sets all a going and puts our hands to labour in our Callings we shall never please God nor benefit our selves or others by what we do this way The World is both an Harlot and a Witch and if we lust after the beauty of this Harlot and suffer