702 Chap. 21. An Expofition upon the Reckof J o i. Verl, 1:5 . thing by the ferviceof God, and not only fo, but they who re- bell agatnft him, the proud, they whomake wickednefs their worke, their bufineffe, they who do not onlynegleft God, but tempt him, finning prefumptuoufly, daringly, thefe get all, thefe are happy, thefe are built up high ingood things, ho- nour and riches, and thefe are delivered andprotectedfrom evil!, dangers, anddiftreffes. A prophane fouldier at the fiege' of a Townepaffing a place ofdanger was heard (wearing, and when one that flood by warned himlaying, Fellowfouldier, doe notfineare the bullets fly ; he anfwered, They that(wear come o ff a3 well as theywho pray ; loon aftera fhot hit him, & down he fell. This is the judgementboth ofpoor ignorant, and .knowinglywicked men, what profit is there ifwepray? Where- as indeed they fhould rather fay, What profit is there in any thingwithout prayer ? or what profit is there not inprayer ? Cadlineffe ie profitable for all things, having the promife ofthis life, at well as ofthat which le to come ( -1 Tim. 4.8. ) Thirdly, obferve ; wickedmen throw up orgive over the duties ofholinefs, when theyfinde noprcfent.profit, or outwardadvancement coming in by them. They ferve God no longer then he ferveth their turnes. They who follow Chrift for the loaves, leave him when the loaves are done. Surely many old formalifts were wont to pray meerely for filthy lucre, which gave occafion for that common Proverb, Nopenny, nopater ntier; which we may tranflate in the fide of theText, 2(2 profit, no prayer. Saints finde rewarde in their worke, but hypocrites mutt be rewarded and paid in hand for their worke, elfe they will worke no more. A godly manwill pray and perfevere in prayer, becaufe God commandeth him to pray alwayes, not becaufe he always finds the grant of the thing prayed for. He knows his pray- ers can never turne to loffe, though he pray long and feeles no profit, not only not in temporals, but not in fpiritualls, and inward comforts. He confiders, what God requires ofhim, not what he receiveth fromGod is the ground of every duty. And whereasthat wickedKing laid (2 King. 6. _3 3.) Thisevil is from the Lord, why then fhould t wake upon the Lord any longer?
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=