1. Because answers of prayer are notable confirmations of faith concerning the truth of God's being and promises: Ps. Ixv. 2, ' Oh, thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come ; ' Ps. xviii. 30, ' The word of the Lord is a tried word; he is a buckler to all that trust in liim;' Ps. cxxxviii. 2, * Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.' They see this is the God to be prayed unto, these promises to be trusted in ; that this God will not fail those that seek him, and depend upon him. Now we should seek confirmation from experience, as a rebuke and check to that atheism that still remaineth in us.
2. Excitements to love and obedience. Nothing inci-easeth our love to God as to see he is mindful of us upon all occasions, especially in our deep necessities: Ps. cxvi. 1, ' I will love the Lord, for he hath heard the voice of my supplications.' Every answer of prayer is a special instance of God's love to us, and so it begets love to God again ; it is as new fuel to increase the fire.
3. Encouragements to pray again : Ps. cxvi. 2, ' Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.' The throne of grace will not be neglected by them that have found good success there ; they see there is mercy and help to be found. As one adventure in point of traffic succeeding well encourageth another, so is the success of duty : Ps. xxxii. 6, ' For this shall every- one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found.' From David's ready audience and despatch.
4. God will lose much honour, praise, and thanksgiving, if we do not regard his answers : Ps. 1. 15, ' Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou slialt glorify me ; ' Col. iv. 2, ' Con- tinue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.' We are to gather matter of praise to God ; as the intercourse between heaven and
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earth is maintained by vapours and showers, so is commerce between God and us carried on by donatives and duties, by holy prayers and God's gracious answers.
SERMON XXIX.
Because we keep his commandments, and do those things ivhich are pleasing in his sight. — 1 John iii. 22.
I COME now to the second thing, the character and property of a good conscience. Here are two expressions, one relating to the matter of our obedience, the other to the end.
1. The matter, ' Because we keep his commandments.'
2. The end and aim, 'And do those things which are pleasing in his sight.'
Doct. That those have a gospel good conscience who keep God's commandments, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight. Here I shall inquire —
1. What it is to keep God's commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
2. How this is a gospel conscience ; what could the law require more?
3. How this doth constitute a good and quiet conscience, free us from fears of being rejected, and give us hopes of being accepted with God.
I. What it is. The first expression is to keep the commandments of God. Here we must open two things —
(1.) Commandments; (2.) Keep; the object, and the act.
First, The commandments that must be kept; and they are of several sorts.
1. Moral and evangelical ; so it is explained in the next verse, ' And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.' Love is our primitive holiness, faith belongeth to our recovery. Not only the moral law is the rule of our duty, but the gospel also ; faith is commanded : John vi. 29, ' This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.' Sin is not our work at all ; the affairs of the world are our bywork. Particular duties are subordinate to the great duty of the gospel, not our main work, nor must be gone about. So repentance is commanded: Acts xvii. 30, ' He hath commanded all men everywhere to repent.' At your peril will it be if you refuse this grace. Gospel obedience falleth under a command ; it is not an indif- ferent thing, whether we will accept the remedy, yea or no. Moral duties are evident by natural light. Remedial and gospel duties de- pend upon a positive institution, though highly reconcilable to natural light.
2. First-table and second-table duties; as faith in Jesus Christ, and
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love to one another. We must make conscience of all duties we owe to God and men : Acts xxiv. 16, ' Hei-ein do I exercise myself, to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men.' There is a first table and a second ; some are very punctual in dealing with men, but neglectful of God. But both tables are owned from heaven, Rom. i. 18. Some will not wrong men of a farthing, but stick not to rob God of all that fear, love, trust, delight, which is due to him. _ They will not defile their bodies with open uncleanness, but commit it in their hearts ; they condemn the rebellion of Absalom, yet disobey their heavenly Father. No murderers, but strike at the being of God ; are tender of men's good name and reputations, but dishonour and take the name of God in vain. Others are much in worship, but unconscionable in their dealings with men ; will not swear an oath, but are very uncharitable, censuring their brethren without pity and remorse. This is the fashion of the world, to be in with one duty and out with another. The commandments are introduced by this preface, ' God spake all these words,' Exod. xx. 1. He that hath enjoined the one hath enjoined the other ; but as the echo rendereth but part of the speech, so do we in our returns of obedience. God spake all, and we return but a part.