Chap. 9. An Expoftionupon the Bookof J :OB, Verf. 16. whereby he is faithfuil,and upon hisgoodnefs in Chrift, whercby he is ready to snake good his promifès.He that asks thus doth not waver. Few are without doubting, but all found believers arc without wavering. The Greek word fignifics to q,ueftion, or dif pute a thing,a degree beyond doubting ; as when a man is at no certainty with himfelf,being fometimeof one mind, fometime of another.The judgement being fo carried, that the man is at vari- ance with his own breft, or is between two wages, not knowing which to take.We tranllate the word (in the 4th. of the Romana, v.crf.2o.)by flaggering. Abrahamftaggerednot at the promife of God through unbeleif,The fìmilitude which the Apostle James tires, illnftrates this fenfe,be that wavereth k like a waveofthefea,which by tempefl.uous winds is fometimes carried up to heaven,and anon down to the deep. A man who is toffed with fuch wavesofun,- belief;flaggcrs likea drunken man, in his practice and profefiion he is nowon this fide, to morrow on that she doth not only Rag- ger. or. halt in his way,,but he. ftaggers or halts between twoway.es, and is therefore called (ver[: 8.) A double. mindedman,theprayers offuch aman axe faithlefs prayers, andd therefore fruitlefs. pray- ers, Let not that man thinkheJhall receive any thing (unlefs a re.- bake, and a denial!) ofthe Lord (verft .)There are no promifes made to fuch, and therefore no mercies convayed to fuch. Belei, ving prayer is gainingprayer;yet they who beleive leaft, prefume moll. Hence theApoftles check, Let not that man think; as ifhe had faid,I know fuch will flatter themfelves into a perfwafionof great matters ;. they. will have high thoughts, but they (hall re- civenothing. Obferve, Fourthly, That how;ftrongly.foever agodly man aels faith,for the anfwer of hisprayers,yet be bath nofaith" that his.pray- er deferves an anfwer. 'would not beleive that he had bearkned to [ my] voice. Chrift çalleth the Spoufe toprayer (Cant.z. 14.) Let mefie thy conrtte- nance,[et me hear thy, voice;forfzveet is thyvoL:e, and thycountenance cnmely. Chrift loves prayer. the prayers of the Saints upon earth are mufickin heaven. That invitation to the Spoufe, Let me bear thyvozce, kerns to be an allufion to thofe, who loving mufick, call upon a friend whohath a good voice,or.exquifte skill to play up- on an inftrument, Come, fang us aFong, play w a lef en, let. us have a ftofmirth. Thus I fay,Chrift fpeaks to the Church, Come, let me lie thy; voice., 't,is, fweet., I, know thou haft a fzveet. one. But the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=