Chap. z.t. aifn 6xpoftion upon the Bookof J o a. Verf. i5 699 fwect, eafie , and honourable to the Saints. They who have tatted howgratious the Lord is in his promifes, will rejoyce in his commandements. And it is as much theirde fire to ferve him, as it is their happines to be faved by him. The wickedare ¡hangers from the covenant ofhis pròmife, and therefore they are &ranged from his precepts, & in Bead of receiving his law into their hearts, cat it behinde their backes. what W the Al- mighty (fay they) that we fhouldferve him ? Andwhat profitfhould we have ifwe pray unto him? We ufe to looke to the endof our ad'dons before we begin them ; and we may juftly think it is not good for us todoe that which will doe us no goodwhen we have done it. Did a godly man fee no benefit, no good cornming in by prayer, he would not pray. And becaufe a wicked man feeth no benefit in prayer, therefore he doch not pray. His reafon were good if it were true. We cannot profit God by prayer, but we may profit our felves. Wemay turne the argument and fay, What profit thall we have ifwe doe not pray ? Though God giveth fometimebefore we aske, yet we have noground to expeEt till we have asked.Wicked men receive many good things from God, for which they never prayed, butbecaufe they doe not owne him as the Author and fonntaine of their good therefore theywill not pray. They afcribe their profits to themfelves, what profit then can they conceive in prayer ?what pr( t fh.ai' we have Ifwe prayunto him ? The Hebrew is, If we meete him. 'Tis a metaphor taken tp ',meet from thole, who rife up when grave and great men come to- o:cMrrere ebvi wards them , and in honour to their perlons goe forth and rs tape a uam meete them. This elegancieofthe word heightens the irnpietie de2n eraorprep ofwicked men, who are fo farce from following God with their prayers and fupplications, when he departeth farte from them, that they will not fomuch as ftirre a foote to goe out and meete God when he commeth towards them, eyther in judgement todivert and turne him backe, or in mercy to in- vite him forwards, and give him thanks : as if they did not at ails eythis Beare his ange or regardhis love. Prayer is out L u u u z meet àsg
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=