Chap. 13. Inferences Drawn from the Proposition

IF God hearkens and hears, hence I infer Gods Omnisciency. How could, he being in Heaven, hear what the Saints speak and think, were he not Omniscient? Through the bright Mirror of his own essence he has a ful Idea of all things. He knows the Intrigues of States, the Stratagems of his Enemies, Exodus 14:24. Future Contingencies fall within his Cognizance. Gods Knowledge is Primary: he is the Original, Pattern, and Prototype of all Knowledge. Gods Knowledge is Instantaneous. He knows all at once: Our Knowledge is Successive, we know one thing after another, and argue from the Effect to the cause; but all things are in Gods view uno intuitu, in one intire prospect. Gods Knowledge is infallible and not Subject to mistake. Such is the Infinity of his Knowledge, that the Apostle cries out in Admiration, O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! Romans 11:33. The World is to God as a Bee-hive of Glass, where you see the working of the Bees, and the framing of their Combs. All things are unvailed to the Eye of Jehovah.

See Gods Goodness who often passes by the failings of his People, and takes Notice of the good in them, He listened and heard. 1 Peter 3:6. Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. The Holy Ghost passes by her unbelief and Laughing at the Promise, and took Notice of her reverence to her Husband, she called him Lord. Jam. 5:11. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job. We have heard of his Impatience, cursing his Birth-day: But the Lord does not upbraid him with that, but observes the good that was in him; ye have heard of the Patience of Job. The Painter who drew Alexanders Picture, Drew him with his finger upon his Scar; so God puts a finger of Mercy upon the Scars of his Children. He sees their Faith, and Winks at their failing.

See Gods different carriage towards the Godly and the Wicked: If the Godly Think of his Name, he hearkens and hears; but if the Wicked meddle with Religious duties, he turns away his Ear, Genesis 4:5. To Cain and his Offering God had no respect. Suppose a man had a Sweet breath, yet if he had the Plague, no body would come near him: So, though a sinner may give God many a sweet elegant Expression in Prayer, yet having the Plague of the Heart, God will not receive any Offering from him. If God shut mens Prayers out of Heaven, it is a sad Prognostick that he will shut their Persons out of Heaven.

See the Priviledge of the Godly: they have Gods Ear, the Lord listened and heard, Psalm 34:15. His Ears are open to their cry: it would be counted a great happiness to have the Kings ear; but what is it to have Gods Ear! The Lord listened and heard. Believers have the Spirit of God breathing in them, and God cannot but hear the Voice of his own Spirit.

See what an encouragement here is to be conversant in the duties of Gods Worship: he takes Notice of the services of his People; he hearkens to them as to sweet Musick. Who would not come with their humble addresses to God, when he is so pleased with them? Proverbs 15:8.

But my deserts are nothing?

God bestows not his Favors according to our desert, but according to his Promise.

But I have prayed a long time and have no Answer.

God may hear Prayer when he does not Answer. He may lend us his Ear, when he does not shew us his Face. The Text says, the Lord listened and heard. 'Tis not said he gave an Answer, but he listened. It becomes suitors to wait. Faith stays upon God, Patience stayes for God, Psalm 123:2. As the Eyes of Servants look to the hand of their Masters, so our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God, untill he have Mercy upon us.

See the difference between God and men: God takes Notice of the good in his people; the Wicked pass by the good in the Godly, and take Notice only of their failings. If they can spy any indecency or blemish in them, they upbraid them with it; Like those children, 2 King 2:23. who reproached Elisha for his Baldness, but took no Notice of the Prophets Miracles. Erasmus speaks of one, who observed all the lame Verses in Homer, but passed over the good.

From this, the Lord listened and heard, Behold the folly of Idolaters: they worship a God who can neither hearken nor hear. The Cretians Pictured Iupiter without Ears. Idol-Gods have Ears, but hear not, Psalm 115:16. A life-less God is good enough for a life-less worship.

Let the People of God stand and Wonder. 1. At Gods Condescension, that he who is so high in the praises and acclamations of the Angels, should stoop so low, as to listen to the lispings of his children. The Lord listened and heard: Alas, God has no need of our Services; he is infinitely blessed in reflecting upon the Splendour of his own infinite Being: we cannot adde the least Cubit to his Essential Glory, Job 35:7. If you be Righteous what givest you to him? or what receiveth he at your hands? yet such is his sweet Condescention, that he does as it were stoop below himself, and take Notice of his Peoples Poor Oblations.

2. Wonder at Gods Love, that he should regard those services of his People, which are so mixed with Corruption, Isaiah. 64:6. Our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags. The Eucharistical Sacrifice, which was the highest, had some Leaven joined with it, Levit. 7:13. Our best duties have some Leaven of Imperfection in them; yet such is Gods love, that he has a liking to them, and accepts them, Song of Solomon 5:1. I have eaten my Hony-Comb with my Hony. Hony is sweet, but the Hony-comb is Viscous and bitter, and can hardly be eaten; yet such was Christs love to his Spouse, that he eat of her Hony-comb, her services mixed with Imperfection, and was pleased to take delight in them. Oh the Love of God! that he should have respect to our offerings that are interlarded with sin. Our best duties are as sweet Wine coming out of a Sowre Cask.

If God hearkens to us when we speak, let us hearken to him when he speaks. In the word preached God speaks to us. He is said now to speak to us from Heaven, Hebrews 12:25. That is, by the preaching of the word, as a King speaks by his Ambassadour. Does God hearken to us, and shall not we hearken to him? Be not like the Deaf-adder which stoppeth her Ear. This the Lord complains of, Job 33:14. God speaks Once, yea Twice; yet man regardeth it not. If Gods word does not prevail with us, our prayers will not prevail with him.