God bids thee do so, for he hath said, "The
desire of the righteous shall be granted."
GOD'S METHOD OF ANSWERING PRAYER.
"The desire of the righteous shall be granted." But I find it not
so, says one; for though I have desired and desired a thousand times
upon my knees, for something that I want, yet I have not my desire;
and indeed, the consideration of this has made me question whether I
am one of those to whom the promise of granting desires is made.
ANSWER. What are the things thou desirest; are they lawful or
unlawful? for a Christian may desire unlawful things.
But we will suppose that the thing thou. desirest is good, and that
thy heart may be right in asking, as, suppose thou desirest more
grace; yet there are several things for thy instruction may be
applied to thy objection: as,
1. Thou, though thou desirest more of this, mayest not yet be so
sensible of the worth of what thou askest, as perhaps God will have
thee be before he granteth thy desire.
2. Hast thou well improved what thou hast received already?
3. When God gives to his people the grant of their desires, he doth
it so as may be best for our advantage: as,
(1.) Just before a temptation comes; then if it rains grace on thee
from heaven, it may be most for thy advantage.
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