The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven

3. Another time when the people of God are importunate, is, when the time for the accomplishment of a promise ⟨p. 31⟩grows near. This we find in Daniel, When ¹he understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem. Then he set his face to seek the Lord by prayer and supplication. Daniel prayed at other times, but then he was most importunate, when the promise was near the accomplishment, then he was most fervent. To the same purpose is that Jer. 29. 13. Then shall you call upon me, and ye shall seek for me and find me, when ye ²shall search for me with all your hearts. During the seventy years, the Jews did not express any holy importunity towards God, which is the reason of that expression you read, Dan. 9. 13. Though all this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the ³Lord our God, &c. But when the seventy years were come near to an end, the Jews prayed more the last year, then they did all the seventy years before. Therefore said God, I know my thoughts that I have towards ⁴you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. Therefore when you see mercies for a Family, or a Nation wanting, if thine heart be indifferent, that thou dost not care whether thou prayest or not, then you may conclude, that mercy will be long before it comes. But if you find that God ⟨p. 32⟩draws out thine heart for mercy, if God stir up thy desires, and work this holy importunity in thine heart, it is an argument that mercy is near; for when prayer is in thine heart, mercy is at the door.