of "no dwelling," chap. ix. 3. "Branches growing" and spreading, instead of "branches consumed," chap. xi. 6. "Green tree" instead of "dry springs." chap. xiii. 5. And all these fruits, "the fruits as of Lebanon," which was, of all other parts of that country, the most fertile mountain, full of various kinds of the most excellent trees, cedars, cypress, olive, and divers others, affording rich gums and balsams; full also of all kinds of the most medicinal and aromatic herbs, sending forth a most fragrant odour, whereby all harmful and venomous creatures were driven from harbouring there and in the valleys of that mountain were most rich grounds for pasture, corn, and vineyards, as the learned in their descriptions of the Holy Land have observed". The original of all these blessings is the "heavenly dew" of God's grace and favour (alluding to that abundance of dew, which fell on that mountain), descending upon the church, as upon a garden, bringing forth lilies,-as upon a forest, strengthening the cedars,-as upon a vineyard, spreading abroad the branches,-as upon an olive-yard, making the trees thereof green and fruitful,—and as on a rich field, receiving the corn. Here is a spiritual beauty, the beauty of the lily, exceeding that of Solomon in all his glory; spiritual stability, the roots of the cedars, and other goodly trees in that mountain; spiritual odours, and spices of Lebanon; spiritual fruitfulness, and that of all sorts and kinds, for the comfort of life. The fruit of the field, "bread to strengthen,"-the fruit of the olive-trees," oil to refresh," -the fruit of the vineyard, "wine to make glad," the heart of man". We esteem him a very rich man, and most excellently accommodated, who hath gardens for pleasure,--and fields for corn and pasture,--and woods for fuel, for structure, for defence, for beauty, and delight,—and vineyards for wine and oil; and all other conveniences, both for the necessities and delights of a plentiful life. Thus is the church here set forth unto us as such a wealthy man, furnished with • Adrichomius in Septalim 6.-Brocard.-Hier.in loc. • Folio-edition, page 558. d Psalm civ. 15. • Θεμιστοκλῆς ἀπὸ βασιλέως ἔλαβεν δωρεάν τὴν Λάμψακον εἰς οἶνον· Μαγνησίαν δ ̓ εἰς ἄρτον, Μυοῦντα δ ̓ εἰς ὄψον, Περκώ πηντε, καὶ Παλαισκήψιν εἰς στρωμνὴν καὶ ἱματισμόν. Athenaeus, l. 1. c. 23. Casanbon, p. 29.-Vid. 1. 4. ff. de Censibus. the unsearchable riches of Christ, with all kind of blessings both for sanctity and safety; as the apostle praiseth God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with "all spiritual blessings" in heavenly places in Christ, viz. election to eternal life,-adoption to the condition of sons, and to a glorious inheritance,-redemption from misery unto blessedness,-remission of sins,-knowledge of his will, -holiness and unblameableness of life,-and the seal of the Holy Spirit of promise; as we find them particularly enumerated, Ephes. i. 3, 13. SECT. 2. The words, thus opened, do first afford us one general observation,-in that God singleth out so many excellent good things by name in relation to that general petition, "Do us good;" that God many times answereth prayer abundantly beyond the petitions of his people. They prayed at large only for good, leaving it (as it becometh us who know not always what is good for ourselves) to his holy will and wisdom, in what manner and measure to do good unto them; and he answers them in particular with all kind of good things: as, in the former petition, they prayed in general for the forgiveness of sin,—and God in particular promiseth the healing of their rebellions, which was the greatest of their sins. God many times answers the prayers of his people, as he did the "seed of Isaac," with a hundred-fold increase. As God's word never returns empty unto him, so the prayers of his servants never return empty unto them; and usually the crop of prayer is greater than the seed out of which it grew; as the putting in of a little water into a pump, makes way to the drawing out of a great deal more. Isaac and Rebecca had lived twenty years together without any children, and he grew now in years; for he was forty years old before he married. Hereupon he solemnly prays to God in behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and God gave him more than it is probable he expected; for he gave him two sons at a births. As the cloud which riseth out of the earth many times in thin and insensible vapours, falleth down in great and abundant showers; so our prayers, which ascend weak and narrow, return with a full and enlarged answer. God deals in this point with his children, as Joseph did with his brethren in Egypt: he did not only put corn into their sacks, but returned the money which they brought to purchase it". So he dealt with Solomon: he did not only give him 'wisdom' and gifts of government, which he asked, but further gave him both riches and honour,' which he asked not. The people of Israel, when they were distressed by the Ammonites, besought the Lord for help: he turns back their prayers, and sends them to their idols to help them: they humble themselves, and put away their idols, and pray again; and the highest pitch that their petitions mounted unto, was, "Lord, we have sinned; do unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; only deliver us, we pray thee, this day." And God did answer this prayer beyond the contents of it: he did not only deliver them from the enemy, and so save them, but subdued the enemy under them, and delivered him into their hands: he did not only give them the relief they desired, but a glorious victory beyond their desires. God deals with his servants, as the prophet did with the woman of Shunem, when he bid her ask what she needed, and tell him what she would have him to do for the kindness she had done to him, and she found not any thing to request at his hands: he sends for her again, and makes her a free promise of that which she most wanted and desired, and tells her that God would give her a son ". So, many times, God is pleased to give his servants such things. as they forget to ask,-or gives them the things which they ask", in a fuller measure than their own desires durst to propose them. David in his troubles asked life of God, and would have esteemed it a great mercy only to have been delivered from the fear of his enemies: and God doth not only answer him according to the desire of his heart in that particular, and above it too, for he gave him "length of days for ever and ever;" but further settled the crown upon his head, and added honour and majesty' unto his life. And the reasons hereof are principally two: SECT. 3.-I. We beg of God according to the sense and knowledge which we have of our own wants, and according to the measure of that love, which we bear unto ourselves. Gen. xlii. 25. 2 Kings iv. 16. VOL. 111. i 1 Kings iii. 13. * Judges x. 15. a Folio-Edition, p. 559. Y I Judges xi. 12. • Psalm xxi. 2, 3, 4, 5. The greater our love is to ourselves, the more active and importunate will our petitions be for such good things as we need but God answers prayers according to his knowledge of us, and according to the love which he beareth unto us. Now God knows what things we want, much better than we do ourselves; and he loves our souls much better than we love them ourselves; and therefore he gives us more and better things, than our own prayers know how to ask of him. A little child will beg none but trifles and mean things of his father, because he hath not understanding to look higher, or to value things that are more excellent but his father, knowing better what is good for him, bestows on him education, trains him unto learning and virtue, that he may be fit to manage and enjoy that inheritance which he provides for him :-so, "we know not what to ask, as we ought ";" and when we do know, our spirits are much straitened; we have but a finite and narrow love unto ourselves but God's knowledge is infinite, and his love is infinite; and according unto these, are the distributions of his mercy. Even the apostle himself, when he was in affliction, and buffeted by the messenger of Satan, and vexed with a thorn in the flesh,-besought the Lord for nothing "but that it might depart from him :" but God had a far better answer in store to the apostle's prayer, and purposed to do more for him than he desired, namely, to give him a 'sufficiency of grace' to support him, and to magnify his strength in the infirmity of his servant. When the prophet had encouraged men to 'seek the Lord,' and to turn unto him, and that upon this assurance; That he will not only hear petitions for mercy and forgiveness, but will multiply to pardon,'-that is, will pardon more sins than we can confess (for with him there is not only mercy, but 'plenteous redemption;') he further strengtheneth our faith, and encourageth our obedience unto this duty, by the consideration of the thoughts of God;'-to wit, his thoughts of love, mercy, and peace towards us: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord: for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isai. lv. 7, 8, 9. He can pardon beyond our petitions, be p Rom. viii. 26. 92 Cor. xii. 9. r Psalm cxxx. 7. cause his thoughts of mercy towards us are beyond our apprehensions. See the like place, Jer. xxix. 10, 11, 12. SECT. 4.-2. God answers prayers not always with respect to the narrow compass of our weak desires, but with respect to his own honour, and to the declaration of his own greatness: for he promiseth "to hear us, that we may glorify him." Therefore he is pleased to exceed our petitions, and to do for us abundantly above what we ask or think, that our hearts may be more abundantly enlarged, and our mouths wide open in rendering honour unto him. When Perillus', a favourite of Alexander, begged of him a portion for his daughter, the king appointed that fifty talents should be given unto him, and he answered that "ten would be sufficient:" the king replied, that "ten were enough for Perillus to ask, but not enough for Alexander to grant :"-so God is pleased many times to give more than we ask, that we may look upon it not only as an act of mercy, but as an act of honour; and to teach us in all our prayers to move God as well by his glory, as by his mercy. So Moses did, when he prayed for pardon unto Israel, lest God's Name should be blasphemed ". So Joshua did, when Israel turned their backs before their enemies,"What wilt thou do unto thy great name?" So Solomon in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple, "Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all the people of the earth may know thy name." So David in his, for Israel, and for the performance of God's promise to the seed of David, " Do as thou hast said; let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever." So Asa; "O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee." So Jehoshaphat; "Art not thou God in Heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee ?" &c. So Hezekiah, when he spread the blasphemies of Sennacherib before the Lord, "O Lord our God, save us ⚫ Psalm 1. 12. · Περίλλου δὲ τινὸς τῶν φίλων αἰτήσαντος τροῖκα τοῖς θυγατρίοις, ἐκέλευσε πεντήκοντα τάλαντα λαβεῖν· αὐτοῦ δὲ φήσαντος ἱκανὰ εἶναι δέκα, Σοί γε (έφη) λαβεῖν, ἐμοὶ δ ̓ οὐχ ἱκανὰ δοῦναι. Plut. Αpophtheg. Xylandr. ii. p. 179. "Numb. xiv. 15, 16, 17. * Josh. vii. 9. y 1 Kings viii. 43. a 1 Chron. xvii. 23, 24. a 2 Chron. xiv. 11. b 2 Chron. xx. 6. • Folio Edition. p. 560, |