God is ready to give, but he looks to be entreated, and he will be entreated: What God hath promised to do for us, his doing of it must be obtained by prayer. Working prayer, worketh the promises to their issue, yea prayer worketh the prophecies, whether of salvation upon Zion, or ruin upon Babylon to their issue. Promises and prophesies are the express will of God, and shall certainly be fulfilled in their season; yet if we desire their fulfilling, we must pray that he would fulfil them; and 'tis a token for good that God is about to fulfil them, when the hearts of his people are drawn out much in prayer for their fulfilling. There are some mercies, in the promises, rightly called preventing ⟨p. 425⟩mercies, they come upon us before we ask; such is the mercy of out vocation, conversion or turning to God; we are naturally so far from praying while we are in the state of nature, that we are continually blaspheming or dishonouring the name of God; but, as for persons converted, (who are eminently called heirs of the promise, that is, of the good in the promise) if they will have any good out of a promise, they must ask it. When the Prophet had declared many prophesies of good and great and glorious things which God would do for his people, he concludes with this direction from the Lord. (Ezek. 36.37.) I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them. As if the Lord had said, I will not do these things unasked, as you look I should do these things for you, so I look you should pray unto me that they may be done. A promise was made to Abraham (Gen. 22.17.) that his seed should be multiplied as the Stars of Heaven; now might not Isaac his Son have said, God hath promised me children, what need I pray for them? but Isaac knew better, he knew that the promise was to be brought to the birth by prayer, therefore he entreated the Lord that he might have children.
God is ready to give, but he looks to be intreated, and he will be intreated: What God hath promised to doe for us, his doing of it must be obtained by prayer. Working prayer, worketh the promises to their issue, yea prayer worketh the prophecies, whether of salvation upon Sion, or ruine upon Babylon to their issue. Promises and prophesies are the express will of God, and shall certainly be fullfilled in their season; yet if we desire their fullfilling, we must pray that he would fullfill them; and 'tis a token for good that God is about to fullfill them, when the hearts of his people are drawne out much in prayer for their fullfilling. There are some mercies, in the promises, rightly called preventing ⟨p. 425⟩mercies, they come upon us before we ask; such is the mercy of out vocation, conversion or turning to God; we are naturally so far from praying while we are in the state of nature, that we are continually blaspheming or dishonouring the name of God; but, as for persons converted, (who are eminently called heires of the promise, that is, of the good in the promise) if they will have any good out of a promise, they must aske it. When the Prophet had declared many prophesies of good and great and glorious things which God would doe for his people, he concludes with this direction from the Lord. (Ezek. 36.37.) I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them. As if the Lord had said, I will not doe these things unasked, as you looke I should doe these things for you, so I look you should pray unto me that they may be done. A promise was made to Abraham (Gen. 22.17.) that his seed should be multiplyed as the Stars of Heaven; now might not Isaac his Son have said, God hath promised me children, what need I pray for them? but Isaac knew better, he knew that the promise was to be brought to the birth by prayer, therefore he entreated the Lord that he might have children.
