Chap.27. An Expofition upon the Book of J o B. Verf. 9. their prayers that he might be delivered from his finfull fìare, from the gall ofbitternefr, and the band of iniquity, inwhich Peter told him he thenwas, but that he might be deliver ed from that miferable flare in which he feared fhortly to be; pray that none of thefe things whichye have fpohen come uponme. The heart of the hypocrite is cheifely drawne outtoprayer in two cafes : Firfì , to prevent trouble threacned, as Simon OkIagus,Opray that noneof there things may come uponme; Secondly, co get off, or cut of trouble infli&ed,as Pharoab, O pray that theft froggf, this death may be taken away. We mull pray, and that earnefily when trouble cometh, but we muff not deferre prayer, no nor earnefl prayer till trouble cometh. Agodly man lookes upon trouble as the occafionof prayer, but the hypocrite, as the caufeof it.' Fifthly , Obfetve; God loth not regard nor anfwer the prayer ofan hypocrite, no not in trouble. As wicked men do every thing againft the godly,fo every thing with God, but prevaile. They may pray as Jacob did in his trou- bles, but they (hall not be Ifraels, Princes & prevailers with God in prayer as Jacob was. God will notheare their cry when trouble cometh, though they come to him in trouble. But fome may fay, how then doth the Lord anfwer his own promife ? (Plat. 50.1 5,) Call uponme in thedayof trouble,I will deliver thee, and thou(halt Lorifieme. And againe ( Ifa. 65. 24. ) Before they call Iwill m- /wer, andwhile they are yet fpealing 'I will beare. 1f the Lord bath promifed to heart before we call, will he not heart when we call? Y anfwer ; God is true to his own promife of hearingprayer, but he never promifed co beare the prayer of thehypocrite. He huh promifed to heare prayer ; But fir(l,it is the prayer of the upright, ( Pro. i e. 8. ) 'TheSacrifice of the wicked is anabomination to the Lord, beet the prayer of the upright is bis delight. The blind man could fay, Nowwe know that God heareth not firmer! : but ifany man be a worfhipper ofGod, and doth .his will, bim he heareth, (Jo. 9. 3 r.) But force may fay, doth not God heart sinners ? why, whom doth he heart then ? if he heare not fanners, hemuR heart none ; for all are Goners. I anfwer ; God heareth not (in- ners, that is, fuch as delight in fn, and live in a Rate of fin, efpe- dally when fuck pretend highly to holinefs and the ways of God, O as 97
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