Clap. 3 6. e't F xpofation upon the Fink of Jos. Vert. a 3. 267 fór him ; and when Ahab was threatned with a binding he hum- bled himf if ; yet this, goes for nothing, and gets nothing, at mofl,'but what Ahabgot areprieve from come prerent or tem- poral punirhmenr. Fifthly, Thofewords are brought in as an aggravation of the, finfulnefso; the hypocrite ; he doth not cry when God binds him, he prayethiìot when God aliíiCts him. Hence Note ; Is is an heightning ®f oar fin, to negleFl prayer in time ofaf- fiCtion. Iris a finto negle& prayer at any time, but their fin is exceed- ing finful, who negle& is then, who cry not to God, when God binds them.. Is tc not extreamly evil, that they thould not pray' at all,orbur little,when they fhould beall and alwayes in prayer'? Afflictiondoth, as it were, naturally draw us, yea, forcibly drive us to God. In their aff?it-tion they willfeekmeearly (Hof. 5 t 4.) As if the Lord had Paid, If ever they will leek me, furely they will leekme then, and then they will leek me early, that is, ear- netlly,andwith all their hearts. Therefore how unnaturally fin- full are they, who in their afflie}ionv, ill not Peek God ! The Pic- phet faith (Ija. 26. 16.) Lord, in it uble have thevifited thee, theypowred out aprayer when thy chafyening was upon them : Yet the hypocrite will not pray whenchaflened. How finful it is, not topray whenGod binds us, appears upon manyaccounts. Firtl; To negleci prayer in timeof affiielian, is very finful, be- caufe then we have mofi occafion for it. Secondly, In timeof affliaion God elpeciallycalls us to p-áy- er ; he commands us at all times, but chiefly then. Is any among you afliáed? (is that anymans cafe ?) let himpray (Jam. 5.14.) Whatlhotild anallii&ed man do.elfe ? What is he lomuchen- gag'd to do by his own neceffity,what; fo much by the will of God, as to p-ay ? Áfflielion, whichtakes usoff frommany other woks, fets us upon and about this. Thirdly, Prayer intime of affli&ion isunder moll promifes to be heard : Now not to pray, not to cry toGod, whenwe havefo manypromifes to affure.us of hearing, encteafeth cur fin in the negle& of prayer. Thói gh I do not fay, the hypocrites prayer is under there promifes of hearing, yet it fhall be reckoned as a M m 2 fin
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