Here we have encouragement, plentiful encouragement to come 1to God in prayer in seeking mercy, notwithstanding our wretchedness, ⟨p. 152⟩and sinfulness, yea, encouragement for believing, This Scripture may be a mighty help to faith in our prayers, seeking of our resting upon God, as thus, What, doth God find it hard to him to execute wrath, doth God muster up all arguments that may be to stop his anger, and how he may manifest goodness and mercy? why then if thou hast any arguments to plead with God for mercy, thou mayest come up with boldness, and freedom to him, he is ready to receive it, for thou bringest unto him that which is exceedingly suitable to him, suitable to his very heart, thou bringest matter to him that is agreeable to what his heart is set upon; what, doest thou apprehend the displeasure of God out against thee, or against the Land where God hath any relation? hast thou any arguments at all in prayer to plead with God, For so God gives his Creature leave to plead with him as if he were a man; Oh! come (I say) with a free spirit, come cheerfully, come with encouragement, for thou comest now to do that which Gods heart is full of; If so be that a man could know the thoughts of other men, know what thoughts their spirits are most full of, and could come at that time and suggest thoughts unto them suitable to what their thoughts are upon, what entertainment would they have, why surely, when poor sinners (if they be penitent sinners) shall come to God and suggest any arguments for mercy, I say thou doest suggest that which the heart of God was full of, and exceedingly suitable to it, The same thing that thou pleadest, mercy is pleading already, and mercy carries on those arguments with a great deal more strength than thou art able to do, but it takes it well at thy hand to present any to it, Thou art loth to perish, and God is as loth thou shouldest perish, if God give thee a heart to come to him to stop wrath, thou comest to him to do a work exceeding acceptable to him, 'tis as acceptable to God, such a work, as it can be acceptable unto thee: when thou apprehendest ⟨p. 153⟩Judgment ready to be executed, look up to mercy, 2it may […] the holy Ghost may raise an act of faith, and this act of faith will set bowels on work, the bowels of God are very ready to work; That which is very ready to work, a little thing will set it on work;
Here we have encouragement, plentiful encouragement to come 1to God in prayer in seeking mercy, notwithstanding our wretchedness, ⟨p. 152⟩and sinfulness, yea, encouragement for beleeving, This Scripture may be a mighty help to faith in our prayers, seeking of our resting upon God, as thus, What, doth God find it hard to him to execute wrath, doth God muster up all arguments that may be to stop his anger, and how he may manifest goodness and mercy? why then if thou hast any arguments to plead with God for mercy, thou mayest come up with boldness, and freedom to him, he is ready to receive it, for thou bringest unto him that which is exceedingly sutable to him, sutable to his very heart, thou bringest matter to him that is agreeable to what his heart is set upon; what, doest thou apprehend the displeasure of God out against thee, or against the Land where God hath any relation? hast thou any arguments at all in prayer to plead with God, For so God gives his Creature leave to plead with him as if he were a man; Oh! come (I say) with a free spirit, come cheerfully, come with encouragement, for thou comest now to do that which Gods heart is full of; If so be that a man could know the thoughts of other men, know what thoughts their spirits are most full of, and could come at that time and suggest thoughts unto them sutable to what their thoughts are upon, what entertainment would they have, why surely, when poor sinners (if they be penitent sinners) shall come to God and suggest any arguments for mercy, I say thou doest suggest that which the heart of God was full of, and exceedingly sutable to it, The same thing that thou pleadest, mercy is pleading already, and mercy carries on those arguments with a great deal more strength than thou art able to do, but it takes it well at thy hand to present any to it, Thou art loth to perish, and God is as loth thou shouldest perish, if God give thee a heart to come to him to stop wrath, thou comest to him to do a work exceeding acceptable to him, 'tis as acceptable to God, such a work, as it can be acceptable unto thee: when thou apprehendest ⟨p. 153⟩Judgment ready to be executed, look up to mercy, 2it may 〈…〉 the holy Ghost may raise an act of faith, and this act of faith will set bowels on work, the bowels of God are very ready to work; That which is very ready to work, a little thing will set it on work;
- 1Obs. 9. Encouragement to Prayer & Faith.
- 2Advice when the blow is coming
