A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

Answ. This is so far from hindering or confounding our Prayers, that next to the Spirit of God, 'tis our best Guide and Instructor for Prayer: This will teach us, that our Petitions are not to direct God what to do, nor may we expostulate with God in a quarrelling manner, as if God wronged us if he do not humour us. Whatever we pray for, that cannot but be good for us; e. g. Renewing, strengthening, stablishing Grace, these cannot but be good for us; for these we may insist with so much earnestness, as not to be contented with a denial. God hath no where made it our Duty to be willing to be damned, to be his Enemies, to hate him, and Blaspheme him for ever: And therefore herein if a pretended Angel from Heaven (for God never sent any holy Angel upon such an errand) should tell us, as from God, that God would not hear us, nor bestow his Grace upon us; we might tell him, God never denied his Grace to any that were not willing to be denied; and therefore where God hath by preventing Grace so far engaged the Will restlessly to desire Grace, he hath given a token for good that he is pleased with our Importunity, and therefore peremptorily to resolve, humbly to lye at Gods foot, and to live and dye with this Petition, for Grace, (your endeavours being answerable to your Prayers) you may comfortably believe, never any perished that did it. But now in things not necessary to Salvation, (and of such things is the question) we must pray in another manner: we are to consider our Circumstances, the Promises that suit them, how far God useth to fulfil such Promises in the Letter of them, how in his wise Love he fulfils a Spiritual Promise, when they are earnest for a Temporal; and we shall never have hard thoughts of God, though he deny us any thing in this world for which we are most earnest: And the truth is, let but serious praying Christians deeply reflect upon their own hearts, how they have ⟨p. 28⟩been differently affected in Prayer, according to the things they prayed for, and they will certainly find, that whatever their expressions have been about things less necessary, yet their Hearts have been more thoroughly broken, and more unexpressibly longing for Spiritual supplies: 'Tis about Gods bestowing of his Grace, that they adore his Sovereignty, justifying God though he should reject them, and wondering (even to astonishment) how he can show kindness to them:

Answ. This is so far from hindering or confounding our Prayers, that next to the Spirit of God, 'tis our best Guide and Instructor for Prayer: This will teach us, that our Petitions are not to direct God what to do, nor may we expostulate with God in a quarrelling manner, as if God wrong'd us if he do not humour us. Whatever we pray for, that cannot but be good for us; e. g. Renewing, strengthening, stablishing Grace, these cannot but be good for us; for these we may insist with so much earnestness, as not to be contented with a denial. God hath no where made it our Duty to be willing to be damn'd, to be his Enemies, to hate him, and Blaspheme him for ever: And therefore herein if a pretended Angel from Heaven (for God never sent any holy Angel upon such an errand) should tell us, as from God, that God would not hear us, nor bestow his Grace upon us; we might tell him, God never denied his Grace to any that were not willing to be denied; and therefore where God hath by preventing Grace so far engaged the Will restlesly to desire Grace, he hath given a token for good that he is plased with our Importunity, and therefore peremptorily to resolve, humbly to lye at Gods foot, and to live and dye with this Petition, for Grace, (your endeavours being answerable to your Prayers) you may comfortably believe, never any perisht that did it. But now in things not necessary to Salvation, (and of such things is the question) we must pray in another manner: we are to consider our Circumstances, the Promises that suit them, how far God useth to fulfill such Promises in the Letter of them, how in his wise Love he fulfills a Spiritual Promise, when they are earnest for a Temporal; and we shall never have hard thoughts of God, thô he deny us any thing in this world for which we are most earnest: And the truth is, let but serious praying Christians deeply reflect upon their own hearts, how they have