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As we regard Gods Word, so he ours, John 9.33. The question was, What he thought of him that opened his eyes? He thought he was a Prophet, because God heard not sinners. John 15.7. If my word abide in you, &c. Let us keep Gods Word, and he will keep our prayers to fulfill them. Gods Word abides in us, when in our judgements we approve of it, and in our hearts we cleave to it, in our lives we practise it. The Word of God abides not in us, except it rules as becomes the Word of God, Zech. 7.13. Prov. 28.9.
Reas. 1. From a rule of equity, which God useth in dispensing himselfe, Mat. 7.2. As we dispense our selves to him, so doth God himselfe to us. This it a generall rule of Gods walking towards men. With what measure we mete, God will measure to us again. If we let no Word of God fall to the ground, but our conscience stand in awe of it, and our hearts cleave to it, God will let none of our prayers fall to the ground.
2. From the unity of the Spirit that doth help us to keep the commande∣ments. God makes account we keep the commandements, when there is none but our judgements approve, Ezek. 36.26, 27. Rom. 8.15. The Spirit helps us to pray, and it asks things according to the will of God, and he knows the meaning of the Spirit. As who should say, He that prayes not in the Spirit is a Barbarian unto God.
3. From the love and respect God bears to them that keep his commande∣ments. It is the way to become Gods Favourite, John 14.21, 23.
Ʋse 1. It shews us the cause of the fruitlesnesse of our prayers at any time, God hears not us, because we hear not him. If our prayer fall to the ground, then surely Gods Word hath faln to the ground. A good prayer and a bad life can never meet, James 2.20. If we live in awlesse respect to Gods comman∣dements, he hears not our prayers.
2. Encouragement to the obedience of Gods commandements. What comfort would a man have more then to have his wish? If God give thee an heart to keep all his commandements, thou mayst assure thy heart, that all thy petitions are granted.
3. A ground of comfort to every such soule as makes conscience of his wayes. If thou walkest with a care to fulfill Gods will, he will fulfill thine. Such as give themselves to walk as Christ hath walked, may have this comfort, John 11.32. Psal. 119.5, 6. Such petitions as are long delayed, and seem to be most strongly denyed, are fulfilled, Dan. 10.3, 10, 11, 12. Daniels prayers were heard the first day, but not then answered. A petition is granted in Hea∣ven, and a course taken for the accomplishment of it, but yet there must be a time to bring it about, Deut. 5.25, 26. Though God delay our prayers, yet even then he grants them, Prov. 21.10. Jer. 17.10. God regards the hearts of his people, and their movings. Moses desired onely to see the good Land, God bid him go up to the hill, and so strengthened his sight to see it; he should not go over, because the people should see Gods displeasure against him. We have an end alwayes in our prayers, and we prescribe means to God, he many times denies the means in displeasure, but gives the end, 2 Cor. 12.7, 8. So it was in Paul, God would not remove the messenger of Satan, but he did that by it which he would have done, the free passage of the spirit in his heart, Heb. 5.7. A Christian prays for the light of his countenance, God hears not, Why dost thou desire it, to strengthen thy faith? He will doe it by the word of promise. We pray that God would mortifie some cor∣ruption, Why doe we desire it, that grace may have free passage in our hearts? God will by such lusts mortifie a greater, that is, pride of heart; and God works such a loathing in thy heart, and bitternesse in regard of sin, that we might mortifie them.
The second benefit is the acceptance of all our prayers in the presence of God, amplified by an argument taken from the practice of such men whose