SERM.'VI.1 SINS AND SORROWS SPREAD BEFORE GOD. ]65 salvation, and my defence, I shall not be moved; there- fore my soul waits upon God ; my refuge is in him. lxv. 1,' 2. He is a God that hears prayer, therefore unto him shall all flesh come: God will not account our complaints troublesome, though they be never so often repeated; whereas menare quickly wearied with the im- portunities of those who are poor and needy. Great men are ready to shut their doors against those who come too often for relief; but God delights to hear often from his people, and to have them ask continually at his door for mercy. Though he has Almighty power with him, saith Job, Jet he will not plead against me with his great power; No, but he wouldput strength inme; he would teach me how I should answer him ; how I should answer his justice, , byappeals to his mercy; and how I should speakprevailingly before him. 5. Lastly, A saint tells God all his circumstances and sorrows at such a season,' because he hopes for relief' from him, and fromhim only ; for it is impossible crea- tures can give relief under any trouble, unless God make them instruments of. relief. And there are some troubles in which creatures cannot be our, helpers, but our help must come only from God, and that in a more immediate way. Whatsoever be our distress, whether it arise from past guilt, and the torments of an anxious and troubled conscience; or whether it arise from the working of in- dwelling sin, the strength of, temptation, or the violence of temporal afflictions, still. God is able and willing to give relief. Call upon me, saith the Lord, in the day of trouble, Twill deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me, Ps. 1. 15. And he bath never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain, Is. xlv. 19. IV. The fourthgeneral head of discourse which I pros posed, is to shew, How a saint, near the mercy-seat, pleads with God for relief. Holy Job tells us in this text, that if he was got near to the seat of God, he would fill his mouth with argu- ments. Not as though 'he would informGod of the necessity, or thejustice of his cause, beyond what he knew before; no, this is impossible: He that teacheth ,man all things, shall he not know Ps. xciv. 9, 10. He who orders all the circumstances of our lives, and every stroke of his
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