(2.) In regard of the matter. Carnal things are begged, spiritual given ; not a pompous kingdom to Israel, but the promise of the Spirit, Acts i. 6, 7. Moses would fain enter into Canaan, but God saith, Deut. iii. 27, 'Let it suffice thee; speak to me no more of this matter ; ' would fainMiave a Pisgah sight, and be eased of the trouble of the wars. We would have a speedy riddance of troubles, but God thinketh it not fit; they go off by degrees. Showers that come by drops soak into the earth better than those that come by a tempest or
1 Qu. omit ' would fain ' ? — Ed.
VeR. 22.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN TIL 199
Imrricane. "We ask for deliverance from troubles, and God will give courage in troubles : Lam. iii. 55-57, * I called upon thy name, 0 Lord, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice ; hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. Thou drewest near in the day I called upon thee : thou saidst, Fear not.' His gracious and powerful presence in trouble was enough. Christ himself ' was heard in that he feared,' Heb. v, 7 ; not saved from that hour, but supported and strengthened in it. Job prayed, sacrificed for his children when they were feasting, Job i. 5. God gave him patience, that he charged not God foolishly when they were destroyed, ver. 20.
(3.) In regard of means. We pray such means may not miscarry ; God will use other ; as Abraham would fain have Ishmael the child of promise, but the Lord intended Isaac : ' Oh, that Ishmael might live before thee ! ' Gen. xvii. 18. God may give us our will in anger, when the thing begged turneth to our hurt. Therefore the way or kind of God's answer must be referied to his own will in all things, for which we are not to pray absolutely. And when we have discharged our duty, and endeavoured to approve our hearts to God, take what answer he will give.
Use 1. To show us with what confidence we must pray. You must be persuaded that God will hear you according to your will or need, when you ask things agreeable to his will, and fit for you to receive in your station, and with a due subordination to his glory and the interest of his kingdom ; upon other terms you should not ask any- thing of God. To support you, that you shall have what you ask, there are three things — (1.) God's nature ; (2.) Christ's merits ; (3.) The promises of the gospel.
1. God's nature. We conceive of God as wise, and powerful, and good : all encourage prayer. God's wisdom and providence : Mat. vi. 8, ' Your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask him.' His almighty power : Eph. iii. 20, ' He is able to do beyond what we can ask or think;' Mark xiv. 36, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee.' With these thoughts should we come into God's presence. And lastly, his goodness and love ; that must not be left out : John xvi. 27, * The Father himself loveth you, because ye have " loved me, and believed that I came out from God.' Christ's intercession made way for us, but the Father's love prevented that. We have wrong thoughts of God if we do not think of his self-inclination to do good. His readiness to hear and forgive doth encourage poor creatures to come to him. All these things make him a God hearing prayer. And to encourage poor suppliants —
2. There is the merits and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ : Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of God ; ' Rom. viii. 3, ' God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condenmed sin in the flesh ; ' Heb. ix. 24, ' For Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.' We have a friend in court, who will join with us in the requests we make to God, whose intercession answureth to the motions of his Spirit in our hearts.
200 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXVIII.
3. There are the gracious promises of the gospel, by which all necessary things are secured to us. And though the dispensation of particular blessings are reserved to God's good pleasure, yet there are certaiu general promises which concern us for the present, of which we mny be confident ; as that God will never utterly fail his people : Heb. xiii. 5, ' He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee ; ' that he will dispose of all things for the best to them that love God, Kom. viii. 28 ; that he will not leave us to insupportable difficulties, 1 Cor. X. 13. This should satisfy us.
Use 2. It teacheth us that we should look after the answers of prayer. Certainly a man that is serious and sincere in prayer will be earnest for an answer : Ps. Ixxxv. 8, ' I will hear what the Lord will speak.' A gracious heart dareth not take God's name in vain, nor make prayer a vain babbling or empty prattle, but will be listening and hearkening after news from heaven : Ps. v. 3, ' I will pray and look up.' Watch to see what cometh. Foolish boys, that knock at a door in wantonness, will not stay till somebody cometh to open to them ; but a man that hath business will knock, and knock again, till he gets his answer. To people that consider not what they do, whose prayers are the sacrifices of fools, they throw away their prayers, and never look after them, what cometh of it ? but they that are in earnest, and are per- suaded God heareth them, will wait for an answer. We should the rather do this —