184 FIFTH SERMON eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive," 1 Cor. ii. 9. to ask not as beggars only for an alms, but as children for an inheritance, Rom. viii. 15. 17. Gal. iv. 6, 7. not to ask something or a few things, but in every thing to let our requests be made known unto God, Phil. iv. 6. because with Christ he giveth us freely all things, Rom. viii. 32. even all things richly to enjoy, 1 Tim. vi. 17. As Alexander the . great was well pleased with Anaxarchus the philosopher, when he de- sired a hundred talents of his treasurer ; he Both well, saith he, in asking it, and understands his friend aright, who hath one both able and willing to give him so great a gift ; God allows his children a spiritual and heavenly ambition to covet earnestly the best gifts, 1 Cor. xii. 31. to aspire unto a kingdom, and accordingly to put up great and honourable re- quests unto him. To think what great things Christ hath purchased, what great things God hath promised and proposed to us, and to regulate our prayers more by the merits and riches of Christ, and by the great- ness of God's mercies, than by those apprehensions which we cannot but have of our own unworthiness. Now next from the particulars of the text, though many particular observations might be raised, yet I shall reduce them unto one general, which may com- prehend the particulars ; namely, that whom God loves and pardons, upon them he poureth forth the benediction of his grace and Spirit, as the dew of heaven to quicken them unto a holy and fruitful con versation. The general promises set down before, I will heal, I will love, are here further amplified by many excellent metaphors, and elegant figures, which are nine in number, multiplied into so many particu- lars, partly because of the difficulty of the promise to
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