Chap. 19. An Expefition upon the Book of J OB. Verf.7. Thirdly, Many cry àut of wrong, and GodBoth not heare , became he defires to heare more of their cares. When the op- preffed cry in faith, w.th fervency, and from a holy frame, their very cry is as tmufck in the cares ofGod. Not that he de- I+ghts in the mifery of their flate, but in the htrlineffe of their heart. The heart is ufi V;ly in the bell frame for prayer, when our worldly Rate is out of frame. And then our fpirits are in the fweetefi tune towards God, when we metewith nothing but d Itorte, nothing but wrong and violence frommen. The kingdom of heaven fuffers mole violence from a gratious heart, ani he takes it (as it were) by force when bimf lfe fuffers mot# violence here on earth, or when his earthly portion is taken from him by force. And therefore Iourrhly, God fometimes ( that he may teach his to pray better ) fullers their outward condition to grow worfe. Pray- er is the gift of God, and he can make his people perfe& in a moment (if hepleafe, ) in this great dudeand heavenly A& of prayer ; yet much of it comes in by exercife. Our proficiency in any holy duty lyes much in the praftice of it ; we muff not forbeare the prafice of it till we can doe it better, for in the pradice of it we !carne to doe it better. Now becaufe our con- tinuance in fuffering, provokes us to continue in prayer and fupplication, (the oppreffed widdow ( Lak r8,) cryed night and day, till fhe got the care ofthe Judge, and releafe from her oppreffors ) therefore the Lord lets the oppreffion continue upon many of his precious people, that they continually exer- cifing themfelves in prayer may grow more fpiritirall and hea- venly in prayer. biithiy, The Lord defers to fend reliefe, when his people cry out of wrong, that he may make their reliefe and delive- rance from wrong more fweete when at laft he fends it ; it is therefore long a coming, that it may be more welcome when it comes. They whocry out of wrong, and are not heard after rna- ny crycs, when once they are heard. how do they fing for joy ? We fay proverbially, He that gives (veeaiily, dßxbles hisgift. And 'r`is fo indeed in the nature of the thinggiven, and in the defert of the giver, but 'ris rarely fo as to theprizings and improve- ment of the receiver. That which is given fuddenly, is by.mofi receivers fleightly valued, and little improved; whereas thofe B b mercies
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