VER. io. Ephefianr,Chap.6. $07 ved byprayer encreafe ourlove to God,ourthankefulneffe, Pfal. rr6. What (hall I render unto the Lord,for all his benefits maketh us rea- dy to part with them for Gods glory. Thirdly,from our unworthineffe. Godhearethnot finners, Iohn9, 3r. object. 3. And alfo ifI regard wickedneffe, the Lord will nor heart mc. Anfro. There are repenting and unrcpenting finners: the latterkinde vinfv. of(inners, nay, their very prayers are an abomination, when they love to live inCome finne, and hate to be reformed. The other God heareth. Fourthly, Godheareth not (itch as doubt ofhis mercy. lam. T. 5. objecl 4 Anfw. There is a raigning unbeleefe; and there is a doubting, and Anfw. unbeleefe, which is aweakenetfe left in the Saints, for their exercife. The firft is in heathensand anbeleevers : the latter, which is a doubt- ingwhich is in afoule that wouldbe ridof it, and prayer by faith fights againft it, Both not hinder usfrom being heard. cyvtark 9. 22. But if thoucanft doe anything help us, Mat. 74. 3 r. ob thou of little faith, wherefore dilfl thoudoubt ! Fitn y, Frew our long asking andnot receiving. It is in vainefir him objec7.5. to pray that aeketh andreceiveth not. Arsfa Firft, we mutt examine whether our continuing in force loft, ilnjw. doenot hinder theeffe& of our prayer. lame. 4.3. Ye aske and have not, becaufeyeasl.eamifíe. We muff know that God Both deferre us, to try how wewill perfevere inprayer;as a friend when he mea- neth to doe this or that, doth detra& it at the firft, to fee if the other 3 will importune him. Thirdly, that we may know the worthof things, and haveour joy doubled in receiving them. Fourthly, it is a token 4. Godwill give us more aboundantly, the longer he Both hold us in re- queft : thewider one openeth any thing, it is a token hemeanes toput the more in. Irisnot in vaine therefore to aske, though we be not prefently anfwered; feting God cloth on fo good occafions delay us in our fuites. And let us be foreof this, that he that botleth up our teares, files up our prayers, putting them on record before him. Mal. 3. r 6. Then fpake they that feared the Lord, every one tohis neigh bour,and theLord hearkenedand heard it. and book ofremembrance waswritten before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. Sixtly, The Devill.by tempting us toforme, and diffempering of sat in objecl.6. the courfe ofprayer, r Pet. 3.7. Likewife, ye husbands dwell with your wives, as menof knowledge, givinghonour unto the woman, as unto the weaker veffell, even as they which are heires together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not interrupted. For, when the confcience is defiled, we are fo pricked in the foote, that we cannot goe to God in prayer ; and are not able comfortably to difcharge it : we either aegle& them,or prophane Gods name,in rufhing upon them: we muff therefore take heede of finne, as we would with comfort re- turne to prayers But here is a queftion, I havebeene overtaken with infrmitie, the time ofprayer draweth on, ,,tit what /halll doe ? Anfw.
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