Uhap.23. A4 Exp.fatic4ñ upon the Book of r OB. Verf t 3 437 crees, not for thealtering of eh:m, for the fulfilling ofhis coua- fels, not the voiding of theta. And becaufe God is in one nsinde, and none can turn hi,re,we have the more incouragement to pray. For all the good thing; that are in the mind,counfe},andpurpofe ofGod to doe for us, and bellow toponus, are b )rn,and brought into the worlddi: ally by the hand ofprayer : Prayer is ( as it were) the midwife, to bring our bleflïngs to the birth:Therefore though prayercannot turn God, yet we have no reafon to turne from prayer. There is yet a fourth thing which may flop men, but cannot flopGod; And that is narnefs of relarion.Men are often turned out of she way when a mare relation {lands in their way. They purpofed todoe this or that,but that foci a friend,or fuch a kid-. manhath turned them from their purpofe.'Tis rare to-finde filth a fpirit as the Lord by Moles obferved & highly commendedin the Tribe of Levi (Deut. 33. 9.) who /aidunto hiefather, anti to hie mother, Ihave notfeene hino, neither did be acknowledge hie Erethren, nor knew his owne children. Thatis, he was not turned by theneared relations fromexecuting that terrible fentence of the Lord upon the children of Ifrael his Brethren after they had made theGoldenCalfe, ofwhich you may read at large (ex.3 i. 26, 27, 28, 29) It is truly laid, That relations have little entire in them, but they have thegreateff efficacy in them. And their effi- cacybath never appeared more in any thing then in this,The tur- ning o£man from his purpofe or hisduty. But relations have no efficacy in them to flop or turne theLord.froen his purpofes. (Ifa. 27. r r.) It is a people that have no underflanding,therefore he that made them,will not have mercy on them,& be that formed therm will/hew them nofavour. As if the Prophet had faid ; When the Lord threatens tobring evil! upon you,poffibiy yea will fay, we are the workeof thy hands, he bath madeus, surely then he will not deflroy us.We find that argument pleaded (lia.64. 8.)Bat- now OLord, thouart our father, we are the clay, and thou cur pst- ter, and we all are the worke of thy hand : Be not toroth very fore O Lord,&c.To plead our relation to God by Chrifh is the firong- ell plea in prayer, and to plead any relation toGod,hath a great firength-in ir.. Yet while fameurge tiefe, they fignifie nothing, and have no force at all. They who are like that people in the Propher, a people ofno senderffandiag,fpiritu3ll idiots;fuck as have no
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