Answ. 1 1. Mercies are returns of prayer, when the receiving of mercy is a means to ⟨p. 84⟩quicken the heart to beg for other mercies at the hands of God: when the mercy shall make thee more to love prayer, more to use prayer. This you find proved by Davids experience, Psal. 116. 2. Because he hath 1heard my voice, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. You see here, because God had heard Davids prayer, and given him the mercy he begged, he makes an argument, and an engagement to himself to pray as long as he lived. So that to continue prayer, is a means to get more mercy; and the leaving off of prayer when you have a mercy, is a means to loose that which you have obtained at the hands of God. But as for the wicked it is not so with them. Mercies received only from a common, or general providence, have no such efficacy, as you may see, Job 21. 7, 8, &c. there Job tells you,—the wicked live, become old, yea, 2mighty in power: Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their off-spring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not, their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. And so he goes on, describing that happy condition that wicked men were in, and how God followed them with mercy after mercy. Well, what was the effect of this? Did this engage them to call upon God? Did this make them in love with prayer? No, it had a quite ⟨p. 85⟩contrary effect, vers. 14. Therefore they say 3unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. And vers. 15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and 4what profit should we have if we pray unto him?
Answ. 1 1. Mercies are returns of prayer, when the receiving of mercy is a means to ⟨p. 84⟩quicken the heart to beg for other mercies at the hands of God: when the mercy shall make thee more to love prayer, more to use prayer. This you finde proved by Davids experience, Psal. 116. 2. Because he hath 1heard my voice, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. You see here, because God had heard Davids prayer, and given him the mercy he begged, he makes an argument, and an engagement to himself to pray as long as hee lived. So that to continue prayer, is a means to get more mercy; and the leaving off of prayer when you have a mercy, is a means to loose that which you have obtained at the hands of God. But as for the wicked it is not so with them. Mercies received onely from a common, or general providence, have no such efficacy, as you may see, Job 21. 7, 8, &c. there Job tells you,—the wicked live, become old, yea, 2mighty in power: Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their off-spring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not, their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. And so he goes on, describing that happy condition that wicked men were in, and how God followed them with mercy after mercy. Well, what was the effect of this? Did this engage them to call upon God? Did this make them in love with prayer? No, it had a quite ⟨p. 85⟩contrary effect, vers. 14. Therefore they say 3unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledg of thy waies. And vers. 15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and 4what profit should we have if we pray unto him?
- 1Psal. 116. 2.
- 2Job 21. 7, 8, &c.
- 3Verse 14.
- 4Vers. 15.
