Book III
Of the actings offaith in prayer. That we are not bound to pray with assur ance of obtaining the very particular blessing which we ask. That God, neither in the revelation of himself and of his attributes, nor in his promises, hath obliged himself to give us the very particular blessing which ice ask. That the essential acts offaith in praying do not necessarily require that we should have such a certain particular persuasion. How we are in prayer to act faith upon temporal promises, and how upon spiritual.
CHAPTER I.
That God hath not, by any revelation of himself or attributes, engaged himself
to give us the very particular blessing which we ask, and therefore we are not bound to pray with faith, of assurance of obtaining it.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering : for he that wavereth is like a wave
of the sea, driven of the wind and tossed. For let not that man think he
shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all
his ways. JAMES I. 6-8.
The absolute necessity of faith in prayer he doth vehemently and peremp
torily express.
1. Vehemently: He doth not say he shall obtain no great or large gifts or favours, but nothing, not anything, without this.
2. Peremptorily: Let not that man think; let him not entertain so much as a thought that God will hear him ; let him not think that he
shall receive anything of the Lord.
The apostle binds up our faith in prayer strictly unto such a belief as hath a not doubting or not wavering accompanying it, and under that
resolute manner presseth it, as that on which the stress of all asking in
faith in prayer should lie. He instanceth in one particular of wisdom for
all other, but thereupon gives the same common rule for praying for any thing else which we may think or make account to obtain. Thus extensive
is his caution, reaching to anything, as those words shew: ver. 7, Let not
that man, namely, that wavereth, think he shall receive anything of the Lord. He cannot regularly, or according to God s ordinary course which
is set about praying, receive anything. God may hear us afore we ask, but if we think to receive anything by prayer, it must be by praying in
faith, without wavering. So as this is proposed as a general rule hold
ing in all prayers, that whatsoever we pray for, we pray in faith, nothing
doubting. But then here comes the difficulty, the last words immediately
foregoing having been, Let him ask, and it shall be given him, and these
* But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting ; the
words, coming next,
CHAP. I.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 421
coherence whereof would seem to carry it thus : let him ask in the faith and
confidence of this, that he shall receive the thing itself he prays for when and whilst he prays, nothing doubting but that he shall receive it, and
otherwise he shall not obtain it.
The text thus understood, hath been a mighty stound and plunge to many poor souls, that have lived in a lower region and way of believing. If this be the case, will some say, then I never yet have prayed one faithful
prayer in all my life. Nay, I have not prevailing assurance, that is, a faith
with a nothing doubting ; no, not for my own salvation, but am full of
doubtings and sinkings of heart about that great point. I have not obtained
so much in and by all the prayers I have hitherto made, and how much more may I say as to particular requests of what I stand in need of, that I
never yet had this happiness to be able through faith to say I shall receive them afore I did receive them. Yea, those Christians that have assurance
of their salvation, do find in experience very few of their petitions for par ticular mercies answered, wherein they have had a full forehand persuasion that they should receive the very particular.
It must therefore be looked upon as a case of very great moment and
usefulness to resolve, and which requires a thorough discussion, to satisfy the many scruples about it.
The case I propound thus :
"Whether it be a necessary requisite unto praying in faith for the obtain
ing any or every particular thing a Christian prays for, that he should pray in or with such a special faith and persuasion as amounts to a not doubting that he shall certainly receive it, so as if he fall short of this persuasion of
faith in prayer, he must not think to receive it ?
First, I lay down this assertion : That there is a true spiritual and effectual praying in faith, which doth
obtain and prevail with the Lord, that yet is short of, and rises not up unto
this special persuasion of faith without doubting, that I shall certainly receive the very particular I seek of the Lord.
Many pregnant instances and examples in Scripture might be alleged to
prove this assertion, which I omit, because they may pertinently fall in, and will well mingle with several pieces of the discourse. I know also it
is a commonplace head in our modern divines to handle, what it is to pray in faith, by the measure of which I might proceed to demonstrate this
assertion; but this I decline now, for it will fall in with my following method. But I choose rather, for the clearer demonstration of it (for I know no better or more conducing and fairer way), to take a survey of the most essential things unto faith in prayer, and chiefly because, in so doing,
it will not only prove, but withal discover the very foundation and intrin-
secal grounds how and whereupon it comes to pass that such a special per suasion of faith in prayer is not of absolute necessity to obtain the blessing desired. Now these essential things, &c., are two.
1. The principal object of faith, which faith in praying eyes, and acts
upon, to move God to bestow what he asks.
2. The proper genuine acts of faith in praying, which yet fall short of
being assured I shall receive the particular mercy prayed for.
And my demonstration for both these is founded on this great truth, common to them both, that they do admit of a latitude : First, unto our
faith in praying ; and, secondly, unto God in answering ; so that it is not
necessary either that faith in its acting upon these objects should rise up to that assured persuasion that you shall receive, or that God should grant you the very particular ; but God and faith both have room and line enough
422 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [PAET II. BOOK III
left them ; God to answer the prayer in some other thing, and faith to ask
the blessing without such an assurance.
1. I begin my demonstration with the primary objects of faith in prayer
(as our divines call them), which are these things in God which our faith in
prayer treats with God upon, which faith presents to God, and pleads with
God, and urgeth upon God that it may (plobtain ; or which are the principal
supports unto faith, that do strengthen it to continue to pray, and hearten
it that it shall obtain. And my diligent inquiry shall be, whether an
acting on these in our prayers doth necessarily require and exact such a
particular persuasion, &c.
Now the prime and principal objects of faith, by which it thus deals with God in prayer, are three.
(1.) Some special attributes of God, as his wisdom, power, mercy, which
faith applies itself unto, and treats with God by.
(2.) The promises, general or particular, of such or such good things, which faith lays hold upon, and urgeth unto God to be fulfilled by virtue
of those attributes.
(8.) The name of Christ, in which under the New Testament we are
explicitly to put up all our prayers, as for which and whose sake God will
bestow all he hath promised. Now if there be a due application of the soul unto God in and through
all these, according as the nature of these may require, then it is certain
there is true faith, and a due acting of faith in prayer. For what is or can
faith be other than a suitableness in its acting upon its proper object, for
the glorifying of God thereby ? All acts do receive their distinguishing kind and genuineness from their tendency and conformity to their objects, and so must faith; an.d it is true, genuine, unfeigned faith, when it puts forth such and such acts as its true and proper object doth require. And
it is certain, that to pray in and with such a faith, so levelled towards these
objects, must needs be a praying in faith, and so must obtain.
Now the most bottom ground why a faith duly acting in prayer upon these
objects, and pleading these motives, may yet fall short of a certain persua
sion, I shall receive the very particular, &c.. lies in this one proposition.
Prop. That God hath not in the revelation of himself, through these
objects to our faith, so bound up himself in, or by virtue of, any or all of
these, though duly implored in prayer, that he will certainly give the very
particular we shall ask in true faith on these, the nature of these things not absolutely or necessarily requiring it, as they are to us revealed.
And the inferences from hence will be,
1. That if God be not certainly bound up by any one, nor all of these
therefore mentioned, then by nothing else, for these are those, and such as
for which he is pleased and moved to grant all that he doth grant to us by
prayer.
2. And hence it will follow, that if God be not necessarily bound up by these to give the very particular, that then our faith in prayer is not bound
up to a certain persuasion, I shall receive that very particular; for our
receiving must be from God s giving, and his declared intention in giving some way answerable thereto. And therefore, if God professeth not to be bound up to give, &c., our faith cannot be bound up absolutely to think we
shall receive. And again, that must needs be acknowledged right faith, that
treats with God in all and each of these, according to God s own inten
tion in his revelation of all and each of them ; for then God is truly sought
to, when according to the tenor of his own will and revelation of himself.
And take notice, that the materials of the demonstration of this assertion
CHAP. I.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH.
proposed (which I shall carry through all these three places mentioned), will
serve also to direct and instruct us how to form and level our prayers
aright, and teach us how to apply our faith to God s attributes and promises.
1. I affirm, that the attributes of God, to which faith is to apply itself
in prayer, have reserved to themselves a latitude, or a liberty left unto God
7 most for the glory of
in what particular to answer our prayers, as shall be
any of those his attributes which we implore. That God as represented to
us by his attributes, and so his attributes, are the grand object of faith in
prayer, appears by the; prefaces unto all the eminent prayers recorded in
the Old and New Testament, the saints therein taking into their prayers
such or such particular attributes as had nighest conjunction with, and affinity
unto, the particular things they pray for, as being the next and immediate
cause of them, and so strengthen their faith for the obtaining that particular.
Before I fall into the particular instances of attributes to demonstrate
my foresaid assertion, I shall again renew the memory of this, that it is the
nature and property of faith, and that which God ordained it for, to apply and turn itself every way, to each and every attribute, according to the
kind and nature of each, and according to that way and manner of dispens
ing and giving forth things to us, which each attribute doth hold forth,
and in doing so it honours and glorifies that or those attributes, according
to the nature and kind of each attribute and way in their affecting* things
for us. And hence it comes to pass that faith in prayer is such a latitu-
dinarian, that it is not bound up to a certain persuasion or belief, that it
shall receive this or that very particular which it asks, and is bound to ask,
and which particular promises, according to a man s sense of need, direct
faith unto. And the reason is clear, because the kind or nature of these
attributes, and the way and the manner of the dispensation of them, doth
admit of a latitude in God s intention, in his engagement of those attri
butes, for the performance of the promises prayed for ; and God for the
glory of them, as became him, necessarily reserved a liberty how and in
what particular to answer our prayers as shall be most and best agreeable
to the nature of the attributes, and for the manifestation of the glory of
them. And hence if faith applies itself (as so it ought) to God in pleading
his engagement of any of those attributes, according to their kind, it must
be with a reserve on faith s part, leaving God s performance unto his^ own
latitude reserved. I only except what may and doth fall out sometimes,
that God is pleased to give a special persuasion and assurance (as some
times especially in spiritual things he doth), otherwise in the ordinary way and course faith must leave all to God, with submission to want the mercy
sought when it shall be most for the glory .of that attribute it hath or had
recourse unto in prayer ; for God s will disposeth itself in giving unto us,
according as he intended the glory of such and such his attributes ; and
this (which is a sure ground in itself) gives measure to our prayers, and
faith therein, and is a main foundation to decide this case.
(1.) We ought to apply ourselves unto God s all-sufficiency and power, with a firm assurance in it. But though as to his power he requires that
we should confide in it to obtain the thing prayed for, yet he exacts not
as to his will for us to believe that he will certainly effect it, but left that
part rather unto an humble submission, whether he would do it, yea or
no, for he would have that left to him. Thus when the two blind men
came to him, Mat. ix., who prayed vehemently to him ver. 27, Two
blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have
mercy on us all the question that Christ asked them was this, Jesus
* Qu. effecting ? ED.
424 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [PART II. BOOK III.
saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this ? ver. 28. He says not, believe ye that I will do this, but only that I am able to do this ; and doth your petition, that I would do this for you, proceed from a faith on my power, that I am able ? They say unto him, Yea, Lord; and they spake their heart as far as their faith went, and as far as Christ s question reached. And look, as Christ did not ask them, whether they did believe he would cure them, so neither did they express that they believed any such tiling; he loaded their faith with no more but that of his power, and as to the belief of that, Christ was absolute to require it ; but as to the belief of his particular will, for that particular thing, there is not a word spoken. And yet Christ in answer to their faith in praying, approved their faith by saying, Be it to you according to your faith, ver. 29;* for
it came up to his demand, and the performance testified thereunto, that it was such a faith as he required, for thereupon their eyes were opened. And these were all the transactions that passed betwixt Christ and the men in that particular, and yet they obtained what they prayed for there upon. Now, that which was faith sufficient in them to obtain by prayer will also be in us. And further, suppose this faith had not been put forth in the way of prayer, that is, if we suppose they had not prayed, but only believed this, yet it must be acknowledged that the same faith put into a prayer must needs be good, be as good faith to obtain. For look, what is true faith out of prayer, that faith if it be formed up into a prayer, doth
according to the measure of it make prayer in faith ; and so it all comes to this sum, that it is as if these blind men had explicitly said, Lord, we come to thee to be cured, and believe thou art able, which makes us come; and though yet we know not whether thou wilt, yet we come, and we leave that to thee. Now, would not this have been praying in faith ? And will not the circumstances of those transactions justify it to be so ? Yes, with out question ; and yet I need not say how much it fell short of assurance that they should have the thing.
Another instance, more express than this, is in Mat. viii. 2: Behold, there came a leper, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. This faith of his was put forth in praying, for it
is said he worshipped; the other evangelist says he fell on his face. It was an adoration, with supplication to be cured. He acknowledges him to be Lord of all diseases, even as that centurion had, who said, Si voles res acta est : If thou wilt, the thing is done. Thus says the leper, Thou canst make me clean, and in this latter he is positive, nothing wavering; but as to Christ s will, he puts an if to that, If thou wilt, &c. Where,
Jirst, he manifests his desire and request, that he would cure him; yet, secondly, speaks as one not assured that Christ would do it; and, thirdly, as one that resigned up himself to his will, and left it to him to do as he
pleased, having made first his request known with a faith on his power; and though he believes absolutely that he could heal him, yet he prays not
absolutely that he would, but with a reference and submission to his will :f
If thou wilt. Now, observe how abundantly Jesus Christ approved this faith as thus put forth in praying. I will, says he, be thou clean (it is the imperative). He had asked, If thou wilt, with an if to that; but Christ answers him positively and absolutely: I will, says he. Thou
canst, says the poor man; he speaks that absolutely of his power, and
* Fides quam Christus laudat est de potentia ipsius, non de potentise ipsius exer-
ci[tati]one. Brug. in verba. t Judicio et vcluntati Christi resignat quicquid sit magis utile, idque, scit Dens nescit homo. Alapid. in verba.
CHAP. L] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH.
: The thing is done, says he,
Christ speaks as absolutely of his obtaining
be thou clean. And the reason of this difference of believing on his
power and on his will (that the one must be absolute, the other needs be
but indefinite) is, because if we do not believe his power absolutely, that
he is able to do the thing, we do not believe he is God, nor do we come
to him and glorify God as God; but to believe he will, or that he will not,
do a thing, or may not, this detracts nothing at all from his being God,
but, on the contrary, exalts him in the acknowledgment of the liberty,
dominion, and sovereignty of his will. And it is evident that our Saviour
Christ puts the great pillar of faith upon believing his power: Mark ix. 23,
Jesus says unto the father of that child possessed with the devil, If thou
canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and the father
cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief;
for even belief of his power is not so full, without all wavering, but it may
have an imperfection accompanying it. But I cite it for this, that faith is
said to be omnipotent, as God s power is ; faith on his power can do all
that God can do, and this even in the point of pardoning sin. Moses hath
recourse to the power of God, Num. xiv. ; so that to believe that he is able
to pardon, lying at the feet of his will, is good faith.
Obj. But you will say, Power is but an attribute only, and will our
believing on one attribute thus obtain ?
Am. A believer s dealing with and applying himself to any attributes of
God, that is effective of the thing, with a spiritual faith exercised upon it,
is a prevailing faith in praying; and the reason is, because it engage^
all
the attributes while it applies itself to one, although I do not explicitly
think of the rest, even as to touch Jesus Christ anywhere by faith, but
the hem, conveys all Christ, and all of him. If I deal by spiritual faith
with him to be justified, and no more, yet adoption, sanctification, and all
< If we be planted together in
follows; and as the apostle says, Bom. vi.,
the likeness of his death, we shall be likewise in the likeness of his resur
rection; ver. 5, If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also
live with him. If we have one benefit, then all.
(2.) We have to do with God s mercy in praying in faith. I need not
: Bom. x. 12, He is rich in
enlarge upon that, for it is our constant plea
mercy to all that call upon him. It is spoken especially to what he is to
men, in or upon their prayers, for it is to them that call upon him. Now
directly mercy will be acknowledged mercy in the glory of it, and that is to
be free ; that attribute, therefore, deserves a greater latitude yet as to par
ticulars, wherein he will shew mercy ; and is in that respect more regu
lated by his will than any attribute whatsoever. Mercy will be exalted as
mercy, Isa. xxx. 18, and therefore in its freedom, which is the top glory of
it ; and therefore in that place where he himself gives himself the most
full, absolute declaration of mercy, and the characters of his nature,
Exod. xxxiv. ; yet in the 33d chapter he prefaces thereunto, I will be
merciful to whom I will. If he is free to be merciful as to the persons,
then how much more in the things wherein to be merciful. For of any
thing he hath to bestow, mercy is most his own, it is his riches, and he
hath enough of them, and shall he not do what he will with his own ?
And having such abundance and variety of them, if he doth not gratify us
in one thing, he hath to do it in another, and hereby mercy is exalted, as
you heard the prophet speak. And if it be thus then that attribute which
our hope is most in, yet it doth not require a certain belief that we shall
receive the thing we ask, but God himself reserves a liberty to himself, and
leaves thereby a latitude to our faith.
426 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [PART II. BOOK III.
(3.) God s wisdom also reserves a liberty to itself, and gives line to faith : Isa. xxx. 18, The Lord will wait, that he may be gracious to you, and therefore will he be exalted that hath mercy on you
: for the Lord is a God of righteous ness : blessed are all they that wait for him. The meaning is, he is a God of wisdom, a wise God, he knows what is every way best, and therefore waits to be gracious in the best way, that his mercy may be most exalted ; he waits not only the fittest season wherein to be merciful, but in what parti cular things most to gratify us, and will find out a time wherein it is best for us. Though a believer therefore coming to God, hath all the promises of God before him, and his own judgment is, that he hath more special need of such or such a promise, yet God s wisdom (who is a God of judg ment, and also made all the promises), having much more all those pro mises afore itself, also considers for its own glory and its own good, in what, or by which promises to answer us ; and as it is for the glory of his wisdom to order the passages of his providence, so as to be past find
ing out, so also his dispensations to his people in answer to their prayers, have much of the like variety, that he should not always do it one way. It is true God hath promised that he will withhold no good thing, but what that good thing is that shall be good for us, that he only is judge of, who as he is a Father, is termed also to be a heavenly Father, whilst he sits in heaven, considering what to give us that is good for us : Luke xi. 13, If ye then being evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father, &c. Thou askest of him some
earthly thing, as thou thinkest it best for thy need, but he answers thee as a heavenly Father : Mat. vi. 82, Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. Earthly fathers know but what are earthly good things, and of them they give to their children such things as they judge best ; but God judges as a heavenly Father, and so of what is best as in relation to heaven, and thy coming thither, and his thoughts are herein as far above earthly fathers as heaven is above earth. He hath also
declared, that all things shall work together for thy good ; but what parti cular dispensation shall work for good to thee, and how, this he says not, nor dost thou know. It may be the contrary to what thou desirest shall work for good, and that lies in his wisdom only to judge and dispose of, upon the glorifying of which in his own way thou must wait. So that wis dom reserves to itself a latitude, and it is meet it should, for the glory of.
itself, for there the glory of it lies. Hence, therefore, if faith applies itself as it ought unto God s wisdom, according to the kind and way of dispen sation of it, why then faith also must be left to a latitude too, and not be bound up to the particular that thou suest to him for, but must wait also on him for what his wisdom will judge best, and so indeed it is added, Isa.. xxx. 18, that because he is a God of judgment, and waits thus to be gra cious his own way, therefore blessed are those that wait on him, i. e., that wait on him as such a God; a God of judgment; for waiting is but an act of faith continued.
(4.) A fourth thing about which it hath to deal with God in prayer is, the glory of God, and so it is to frame its petitions, not only for what shall stand with the glory of God, but what shall be most for his glory. The
apostle shews, that faith of all other eyes God s glory, and treats with it : Rom. iv. 21, Abraham was strong in faith, and gave glory to God. And as it is the object of faith in common, so of faith in particular, as it is put forth in prayer, and which faith applies itself unto in praying. This we have in the Lord s prayer, in the close, For thine is the kingdom, power, and glory; and in the first petition, Hallowed be thy name, which is
CHAP. I.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 427
the measure of all that follows ; and we are hereby taught to enforce all
our prayers with this, as with which God is principally moved to grant us
our requests, and which the soul in praying, if it prays aright, maketh use
of as pleas unto God to grant those requests ; and it is the highest plea, and most effectual way to obtain that faith hath, or can have, in praying.
Now it is certain, that what that particular should be, which, as concern
ing my particular condition, should be most for the glory of God, that only
is known to him, who as he knows our concernments and interests, so his
own above all. We pray indeed for what we judge would be most for his
glory, as concerning us, and make a great plea of it, and God highly accepts
it from us, because it is what is best in our view and judgments ; but he
performs according to the riches of his own glory, according to his own
destinies and vast purposes of glory to himself, so as a man may pray in
the highest faith, and in the sublimest way, according to what he judges, and yet still not know certainly that he shall receive ; for what is most for God s glory, God only himself knows. It is true, indeed, that all the pro
: 2 Cor. i. 20,
mises, which are the declarations of his will, are for his glory
All the promises of God, in him, namely, Christ, are in him yea, and in
him amen, unto the glory of God by us ; there is none but cloth tend to his
glory, more or less, but the performance of which of them to my particular
will be most for his glory, that still is reserved to himself. And this attri
bute of his glory hath a mighty compass and room to answer thee in, by some promise or other, though yet it doth not give thee the particular thou
desirest, according to that one particular promise which thou hast singled out to urge. Yea, as this gives a greater latitude than any of the former
attributes, singly considered, and so therefore an answerable allowance
must be given unto faith, in respect unto this attribute above all other ; for
what is and will be most for his glory, he alone is the sovereign judge ^of. Therefore, says the apostle, Rom. xi. 36, of him, and through him, and to him are all things ; to whom be glory for ever. That other royalty
also of his kingdom, or of his being king, is appropriate and essential to
him as he is God (Ps. xciii. 2, Ps. Ixxiv. 12), which David s faith
^ so often
lays his foundation on in praying, and therefore is so arctly conjoined in
the Lord s prayer with his glory ; and therefore every son of his that comes
to him as to his king (as David often did, when he says, My God and my
King ), as he hath great encouragement, because he is his king, who can
do anything, so he must consider that his kingdom is of a vast extent, and
that he hath many dominions, and an infinity of designs and ends towards
persons of all sorts in those dominions, that he hath many irons in the fire,
many concernments and ends of a greater breadth than what thy narrow
desires or concernments are, especially as they are comprehended in the
shallowness of thy understanding, for they are of a greater breadth than
any one particular promise can or doth contain. In the administration of
a kingdom, a favourite very near to his prince comes with a request to be
gratified; he has had many large promises of all sorts given him, and his
particular request in his view is but a small one, as the life of a friend that
hath run into treason, or the like, and he thinks the grant of it will not be
a prejudice to any of his prince s affairs ; but that king having a large
^ to deal
dominion, and many persons, yea, perhaps parties and interests
with, this business and request of his may fall cross unto,_and interfere
with some very great interest of his own, which this favourite knows not
of, and so he denies him his particular request, but yet takes care to gratify him in another, that shall be best for his particular. And as he hath a
kingdom to administer, so he deals in politics, and hath more general ends
OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [PART II. BOOK III.
than a subject can think of or imagine, and knows that which none of them can do ; he hath a vast extent of affairs in that kingdom, and his honour is interested to see all things, as they shall tend to his more general ends ; and thus it is much more with God, who is the King of kings, and the greatest that ever were are but as petty constables to him. He hath designs upon particular times, wherein the saints do live, which are part of the administrations of his kingdom, and he hath such designs in those times, as according to his ordinary providence he cannot do that for his people that live m this age, at this time, which he can and doth in another for them. General providences, or at least more general than thy particular, do cross often particular requests, whereof in the end we come to see a reason. This some understand (and I believe rightly) to have been Baruch s case, Jer. xlv. Poor man, he was miserably discomposed for the common alamity which Jeremiah had threatened :
< Thou didst say, woe is me now (says God to him, ver. 3), for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow, I fainted in my sighing, and found no rest ; and he had besought God much for the averting of that calamity, the thoughts of which lay so heavy upon him and pressed him down ; but especially, he had sought for a quiet condition for himself in these turbulent times to come, ver. 5, Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not. What were the great things ? what preferment, or honour, or riches ? He was a man too godly to be so ambitious and worldly. No ; he only desired to live in the land quietly, that he might have such a particular privilege, and he sought for himself; it was a thing he sought for himself, as the text saith, he sought only quietem in communi inquietudine, quiet and ease amidst the common disturbance ; and great things these were to seek, in respect of God s common providence at the time he lived in, ardua et difficiUa, things hard and difficult to be done.- Therefore God tells him, ver. 4,
< That which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted will I break up, even this whole land ; and seekest thou great things, and hard things for thyself ? It is contrary to the general design I have, and there fore too great or too hard for thee to obtain. Yet thus far God gratifies him, as far as ordinary providence would reach and extend : I have given thee, says God,
< thy life for a prey in all other countries, but I cannot gratify thee m this ; although he had a promise sufficient to have asked this. upon, viz.,
< Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.