The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven

3. In case God sees we are not able to use the mercy well when we have it. If ⟨p. 19⟩you would ask gifts from God, it may be God sees, that enlarged gifts would make thee proud, and that thou wouldest be puffed up with them, and exalt thy self above thy brethren, therefore God will deny thee. We read, Gen. 26. 1, 2. When there was a famine in the Land,—He went to enquire ¹of the Lord, whether he should go down into Egypt, God answered, Go not down into Egypt. God would not let him go; but in the days of Jacob there was a famine in the Land, Gen. 46. 3. and God said to Jacob, Go down into Egypt. Now what might be the ²reason, that God would have Jacob go down into Egypt, and not Isaac. The reason is this, Isaac was a man of weaker Graces then Jacob was; and God saw, that if Isaac had gone down into Egypt for corn, he would have fallen into the sins of the Land. Now Jacob was a strong man in grace and in gifts; for as a Prince he wrestled with God, and prevailed, and was called, Israel. God saw that Jacob would resist their idolatrous ways, and not be guilty of their sins. So you may ask mercies of God, and it may be you are not able to manage them well. And therefore God denies you; when as another asks the same mercy, and God gives it to him; because he sees he will use it well, and improve it to Gods glory. Therefore reflect upon thy self; and when God denies thee ⟨p. 20⟩a mercy, which thou hast begged at his hands; Say to thy self, this denial is in mercy, for he did not think me fit for it. If men would take this way to consider of Gods dealing with them, it would silence all the murmurings and repinings of their hearts against God.

3. In case God sees we are not able to use the mercy well when we have it. If ⟨p. 19⟩you would ask gifts from God, it may be God sees, that enlarged gifts would make thee proud, and that thou wouldest be puffed up with them, and exalt thy self above thy brethren, therefore God will deny thee. We read,