the Son to engage himself in our recovery, who were fallen by forfeiture into the hands of Divine justice : so that mercy is the only plea thou, who art a siinier, canst make with God. TIiou may est with man insist upon thy desert; thus Jacob claimed his wages at Labau's hand ; but when he hath to do with God, he changcth his plea, — ' I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewn thy servant,' Gen. xxxii. 10. So Daniel, ' AVe do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies.' There is no blessing so great, but it may be obtained, where mercy is the plea, although we merit none. If tlum wonldst, therefore, beg anything at (iod's hand, confess thou deservest nothing. Then are we tit to receive great things from God, when we are least in our own eyes ; then nearest the crown, when we judge cmrselves unworthy of a crust. The proud pharisee brought his righteousness ii\ his prayer to God, and carried away his sin bound upon him ; the publican brought his sin in his humble confession, and carries away his absolution and justification with him. Thus God crosseth his hands, like Jacob, in giving his blessings. Secondly, In both thou nuist pray in faith ; for both spiritual and temporal blessings are promised, and therefore thou art to believe that God will be as faithful in the performance of the less promises that concern this life, as in the more weighty matters which respect thy eternal happiness in the other ; indeed, he promised spiritual blessings in specie, grace and glory he will give ; but temporal enjoyments either in kind or value : ' No good thing will he withhold.' And it is" fit be should judge when a temporal enjoyment will be good for us, and when it will be better to give some other thing in the lieu of it. Hence that method in our Lord's prayer, ' Thy will be done,' before we pray, ' Give us this day our daily bread.' But the seal is the same which ratifies temporal promises with that which he sets to spiritual ; his truth and faithfulness are as deeply obliged to perform temporal promises, according to the tenure in which they are made, as to make good the other. And, therefore, we are as strongly to acquiesce in his care and providence for our protection and provision here, as for our salvation hereafter; else he had done his people wrong to take them off from an anxious care for those things which he meant not to charge his providence with. Certainly, if he bid us be careful for none of these things, but only let our requests be made known to him, he intends not that we should lose anything, but thereby would have us understand and believe, that he will take the care upon himself, and give us at last a full account of his love and faithfulness in the issue of his providence, how all was disposed for our best advantage. Thirdly, We nuist join our endeavoiu's in the use of all means with our prayers, whether they be put up for spiritual or temporal blessings. 2Thess. iii. 10, ' This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.' And certainly God will not bid them welcome to his door, whom he would have us deny at ours. When the ship is likely to sink, we mvist not only pray, but apply ova- hands to the piunp. Is it temporal subsistence thou prayest for .' Pray and work, or pray and starve. Dost thou think to set God at work, whilst thou sittest with thy hand in thy bosom ? Those two proverbs are observable, — ' The hand of the diligent maketh rich,' Prov. x. 4; and, ver. 22, ' The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.' He that prays, but is not diligent, is not likely to be rich ; he that is diligent, but prays not, may be rich, but he cannot be blessed with his riches ; but he that obtains his riches by sincci-e prayer in conjunction with his diligence, is rich by the blessing of God, and shall escape the sorrow which the worldling lays up with liis money; yea, though he gets not an estate, yet he hath the blessing of God, and that makes him rich when there is no money in his purse. Again, Is it spiritual blessing thou prayest for ? Wonldst thou have more knowledge in the things of God? Think not it will drop into thy mind without endeavour. Daniel studied as well as prayed ; his eyes were one while on the book, and another while lifted up to heaven in prayer, Dan. ix. 2, &c. ' Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be inci-eased,' Dan. xii. 4. It is got I)y running from one means to another; as the merchant's ship takes in some of her freight atone port, some at another, so the Christian gets some light in a sermon, some in a conference, some in one duty, some in another. And he that takes up one duty, but through sloth neglects the rest, saves but bis pains to lose his gains.
i^lg WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION.