Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachi the…Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachy the…

5. God writes down the desires of his People, Psalm. 38 9. All my desire is before thee: That is, it is set down in thy book. Desire is the Spiritual Appetite, or the Souls Anhelation and breathing after God, Psalm 84.2. In this Life we do rather desire God than enjoy him. Can we say we take our Souls è Corporis Pharetra out of the quiver of our Bodies, and shoot them into Heaven? do our Affections sally forth towards Christ? do we desire him superlatively and uncessantly? Every such desire is put down in Gods Register Book: all my desire is before thee.

6. The Lord writes down the prayers of his People, Jonah 2.7. Prayer, though it be not Vocal, only Mental, is Recorded, 1 Sam. 1.13. Hannah spake in her Heart. That prayer God did write down and Answer; God was better to her than her prayer; ⟨p. 143⟩she prayed for a Son, and God gave her a Prophet. When the heart is so full of grief, that it can only groan in Prayer; yet a Groan is sometimes the best part of a Prayer, and God writes it down, Psalm 38.9. Lord, my Groaning is not hid from thee. If we cannot speak with elegance in Prayer, if it be only lisping and chattering, God puts it in his Book of Remembrance, Isa. 38.14. Like a Crane, so did I chatter: yet that prayer was heard and registered, Ver. 5. I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy Tears.

6. The Lord writes down the prayers of his People,