xgß Chap. tg. e,?n Expofation upon the Boob, of J o B. Verf.7. Lord bath engaged bimfelfe to anfwer prayer, and to relieve bis people when they cry ; yea the Lord bath engaged, rot one. ly to heare them when they cry, ( which notes earneft ftrong prayer ) but to heave them in their weakeft fincere addretfes in prayer, when they doe but whifprer and breath towards him. The promife is peremptory, (7fal.50.r5.) Call upon mein the day of trouble, and Iwill deliver thee. 'Tis to allo O'hofoever /hall call on the Name of the Lord /ball befaved. The Prophet 7oel,fromwhom thole words are borrowed; fpeakes of a time when there fhould be fore troubles in the world, Fire and blond, and vapour offmoake, all in combufèion, heaven and earth ( to fence ) mingled, good and bad, holy and unholy mingled ( in appearance) and wrapt up in the famecommon calamitie; yet,then,Whofoeverfballcall on the .Name of the LordJhali' belayed; As if prayer made us fhotfree, and were a lure defence inall ftormes, as if no evill could touch their perlons, or come neere their dwellings, who can touch the Lord by faith, when they draw neere to him in prayer. And which is more ; The Lord promifeth to prevent prayer, at leaf ( as was toucht before ) that his ear fhall be open as Toone as our mouths. (Ifa.65.24.) Itfball come topafe,that before they call Iwill anfwer, &-while they yet fpeake I will heare : As if theLord had laid ; Iwill fometirnes giveyou mercy beforeyou aske it, but whenyou aske it, you Jhall not goe without it ;even while prayerfills your menthes, mercyfliall fell your hearts.Whileyourdefares are but in formingandframing, your deliverances(hallbeformed and framed. Ton (hall haveperfect mer- cies, before jots perfel duties. Whileyet areyetfpeaking Iwill heart. Now when the Lord faith, He will anfwer before wefpeake, and yet lets us fpeake long, and gives no anfwer ; how is the foule puzzled to reconcile the word of God, and his wotkes, the promifes of ( od, and his providences , this put yob hard to it, and ftrengthned the temptation uponhim ; /cry out of wrong, but amnot heard. This tryall rifethby a gradationof foure fleps. Firlt, It is a tryall, when the anfwer is deferred. Secondly, It is a greater tr} all, when we are denyed an an- fwer. As God feldome gives what we askat our time, fo Come- times he will not at all give us what we aske. Thirdly, _.mosmaW
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