Let us therefore labour to ask in faith, (as the Apostle James exhorteth) and not waver: 1for he that wavereth, and maketh question whether God will hear him or not, is like a wave of the sea tossed with the wind, and carried away; being never at quiet in himself, but sometimes imagining that the Lord will help him, he runneth unto him; and then having a conceit that such and such men will do somewhat for him, he leaveth prayer, and betaketh himself unto them: but finding no relief there, he will to prayer again; and yet having not a present answer, nor faith to wait upon the Lord, he falls to shift for himself by using of ill means; and so is altogether unstable and unsettled, even as the waves of the sea that are never at rest; every vain cogitation, & every slight tentation tossing and turmoiling, and disquieting his hart. Thus it ought not to be, neither will it be thus with those ⟨p. 32⟩that ask in faith; for they know that they shall obtain, and that it shall be unto them according to their faith: that either they shall have the particular thing that they ask, or a better in stead thereof: and therefore they pray still, and wait Gods leisure: and herein they much honour the Lord, in that they cast themselves upon the truth of his promise, and do not trouble their hearts with unnecessary fears and cares about the success, which is Gods work, and not theirs. Men will be glad to be rid of importunate suitors, that they should not be still hanging upon them, especially if their suite be weighty, and the things that they crave of some importance: But the Lord would in no case have men to let their suits fall; nay he takes delight in such as will not have a repulse, but still depend upon him, and daily renew their petitions: for they show evidently that they have a lively and strong faith: they would not presume to ask unless they had a warrant; and having a warrant, they dare not make question of obtaining; for that were to make doubt of Gods truth and fidelity.
Let vs therfore labour to aske in faith, (as the Apostle Iames exhoreth) and not wauer: 1for hee that wauereth, and maketh question whether God will heare him or not, is like a waue of the sea tost with the wind, and carried away; being neuer at quiet in himselfe, but sometimes imagining that the Lord wil helpe him, he runneth vnto him; and then hauing a conceit that such and such men will doe somewhat for him, hee leaueth prayer, and betaketh himselfe vnto them: but finding no reliefe there, he will to prayer againe; and yet hauing not a present answer, nor faith to wait vpon the Lord, he fals to shift for himselfe by vsing of ill meanes; and so is altogether vnstable and vnsetled, euen as the waues of the sea that are neuer at rest; euerie vaine cogitation, & euery slight tentation tossing and turmoyling, and disquieting his hart. Thus it ought not to be, neither will it be thus with those ⟨p. 32⟩that aske in faith; for they know that they shall obtaine, and that it shall be vnto them according to their faith: that either they shall haue the particular thing that they aske, or a better in stead thereof: and therefore they pray still, and waite Gods leasure: and herein they much honour the Lord, in that they cast themselues vpon the truth of his promise, and do not trouble their hearts with vnnecessary feares and cares about the successe, which is Gods worke, and not theirs. Men will be glad to bee rid of importunate suiters, that they should not be stil hanging vpon them, especially if their suite bee weighty, and the things that they craue of some importance: But the Lord would in no case haue men to let their suits fall; nay he takes delight in such as will not haue a repulse, but still depend vpon him, and daily renew their petitions: for they shew euidently that they haue a liuely and strong faith: they would not presume to ask vnlesse they had a warrant; and hauing a warrant, they dare not make question of obtaining; for that were to make doubt of Gods truth and fidelity.
- 1James 1.3.Iames 1.3.
