[SERM. there be no bad Defign in any of his Petitions. St. James affigns this for a Reason, why many of our Petitions are not granted: Ye ask, and receive not, fays he, fam. iv. 3. because ye ask amifs, that ye may confume it upon your Lufts. If any Man should pray for Succefs in a wicked Defign, or for Money and Means, which he intends to lay out in bad Ufes, it would be better for that Man that his Prayers were denied, than granted.

Thefe are the Qualifications I have obferved, as to the Light which is caft on this Text, from the Context, and other Paffages of holy Scripture, to be required in the Perfons praying, if they would reap any Benefit from this great

Promife.

II. The next Thing in our propofed Method is, to confider fome Qualifications of this Promife, with Relation to the Matter of our Prayers, or the Things we pray for. For though the Expreffion in the Text is very general, it must not be understood of every Thing that is asked of God, but only of fuch Things as are both good in themselves, and good for the Petitioners. And this we muft, in very many Cafes, leave to God to judge of, who knows infinitely better what is good for us, than we ourselves. But to confider a little more particularly the Matter of our Petitions.

1. This Expreffion in my Text, Every one that asketh, receiveth; must be understood only with Relation to good Things; for fo it is limited and explained in the Context at the 11th Verle. If ye then being evil, know how to give

good

good Gifts unto your Children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven, give good Things to them that ask him? No other Gifts can come from God, or should be asked of him. Every good Gift, as St. James faith, Jam. i. 17. and every perfect Gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights. Some further Light into this Matter will be afforded us from the Confideration of the Occafion of this Difcourfe about Prayer, which, as I formerly fhewed you, was to answer the Disciples Fears, concerning their Disability to obferve thofe many difficult Rules of Duty he had prescribed them; for his chief Intent feems to be, to direct them to this noble Means, whereby they might be furnished with a fufficient Stock of Grace, fincerely to do their Duty. And I believe it is chiefly, if not only, with Relation to this Grace, that the Promife is here made; ask, and it shall be given you; feek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. And I am the more confirmed in this Senfe of the Words, because what St Matthew here calls good Things, St. Luke in the parallel place calls the holy Spirit. If ye then being evil, fays he, Luk. xi. 13, know how to give good Gifts unto your Children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? It is not then Riches and Honour, Profperity and Victory, and fuch like outward Bleffings; I mean unneceffary Bleffings; (for as far as a Competency, our daily Bread, we may pray for, and confidently expect) but the holy Spirit, with all his Graces, this Promife relates to. And this alone, if duly confidered, would take off most of the Objections, which naturally

[SERM. rife from this Promife. For, as this Limitation to good Things cuts off all Petitions for Things unlawful and prohibited, fo it cuts off most of our Prayers for Things indifferent, and of a middle Nature; at least answers the Objections from the not granting them, because we can never be fure that these are abfolutely good; they often tending to our Hurt and Prejudice. And therefore we should not pray for them abfolutely, but only conditionally, in so far as God fees they will prove beneficial to us. We have befides them a large Field for our Prayers, namely, God's holy Spirit, with all his Gifts and Graces, in fo far as they may either promote our own Salvation, or make us in our feveral Stations useful to others.

2. The Promise in my Text, is not to be extended to all Gifts in general, but is to be limited to fuch as are good for us that ask them. For it is very poffible there may be diverse Gifts, excellent good in themselves, and yet not proper for us, in our particular Circumstances. There are Gifts fitted for all Stations and Relations of Men ; but we should content ourselves with fuch Gifts as are moft proper for that Station wherein it hath pleafed God to place us in the World. And before we venture to pray for the Gifts requifite for any higher Station, we should wait with Humility till God is pleased to call us to it. And even then he knows beft what Degree and Measure of Gifts fuits beft with our Capacities. But it is otherwife with Grace and Virtue; we can never be overstocked with them, and therefore both by our Prayers, and other Endeavours,

deavours, should study to grow in Grace and in every good Work.

We have now confidered the Persons afking, and the Matter of their Petitions.

III. We are next to confider the Way and Manner of Afking, fo far as this Promise in my Text is concerned in it. For it appears from the Context, and other Paffages of holy Scripture, that as to the Manner, our asking should be with Heartinefs and Fervour, with Patience and Conftancy, with Humility and Submiffion, with Gratitude for former Mercies, and joined with the diligent Ufe of other Means appointed by God; without which, Prayer alone will not be fufficient to obtain the good Things we want.

1. As to the Manner of Afking, it must be fervent and hearty; not with a wavering, double Mind, afking fo faintly, as if we were afraid to have our Petitions granted too foon, or to be taken at our Word, when we pray for Grace to deliver us from any predominant beloved Sin. He that wavereth, faith St. James, Jam. i. 6. is like a Wave of the Sea, driven with the Wind and toffed; let not that Man think that he shall receive any Thing of the Lord; a double-minded Man is unftable in all his Ways. There are too many fuch wavering, half refolved Petitioners, who lofe Time with their uncertain fhall I, shall I's; and fcarce ever know their own Minds; so far are they from this importunate Asking, Seeking, and Knocking, mentioned in the Text.

2. As to the Manner of Afking, it must be with Patience and Conftancy; this the Words Seeking and Knocking do likewife import; and

our

our Saviour further explains it in the Parable of the importunate Widow, Luk. xviii. which Parable, St. Luke fays, he spake to this End, that Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. It is quite a wrong Practice then of many, who, if they have not an immediate Return of their Prayers, upon once or twice asking, give over; which is far from the Apostle's Injunction, to pray without ceafing, 1 Theff. v. 17. One Reafon, no doubt, why God delays the answering of our Prayers, is, that we may have frequent Errands to the Throne of Grace, there being nothing better for us than to draw near to God.

3. The Manner of our Afking should be with Humility and Submiffion, not directing the Time, not prescribing the Manner; not being pofitive as to the Means and Inftruments; but fubmitting all to God's wifer Choice, and correcting our imperfect Defires by his more perfect Pleafure. This we may learn from our Saviour's Practice, who, when he had prayed that the bitter Cup of his Paffion might país from him, adds immediately, nevertheless not my Will, but thine be done, Luk. xxii. 42.

This is

4. As to the Manner of our Prayers, they ought to be accompanied with Gratitude for former Mercies. And therefore fhould not altogether run in the Strain of Petitions, but with a great Mixture of Thanksgiving. St. Paul's Advice to the Philippians, Phil. iv. 6. In every Thing, fays he, by Prayer and Supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your Requests be made known unto God. Like that excellent Prayer of Jacob's, for Deliverance from his incenfed Brother;