Abrahams Humble Intercession for Sodom, Commentary on Genesis 18 · Verse 30
Verſe 30. And he ſaid unto him, O let not the Lord be angry, and I will ſpeak, &c.
Doct. XIX. THat believing Suppliants are afraid that God may be angry at their prayers, and deſire earneſtly of him, that he would not be angry with them when they pray unto him.
The Text is full for it; ſo is that in Judg. 6.39. Gideon prayes, Let not thine anger be hot againſt me, &c.
Let me open the firſt Branch firſt, That believing Suppliants are afraid that God may be angry at their prayers.
And for opening of it, let me ſhew 1. How it does appear that they are afraid that God may be angry with their Prayers. 2. Why they are afraid of this. 3. The Ʋſes.
Queſt. 1. How does it appear that they are afraid of God being angry with their prayers?
Anſ. 1. In regard of themſelves. 2. In regard of their Prayers.
Firſt, In regard of themſelves. 1. In that they think they may be too bold with him, and preſs too much upon him: ſo did Abraham here, and ſo did Gideon in the place before-mentioned. They that Petition to Princes, are ſometimes ſo bold, that they think they may be over-bold with them, and ſo incurre their diſpleaſure: ſo it is with them that petition to the Lord.
2. They are vile, and God a glorious One, and therefore that they ſhould come ſo often into his preſence, and follow him ſo with ſuit upon ſuit, they may well fear that ſuch a glorious One may be angry at ſuch vile ones as they are. So Abraham, ſo Job looked at themſelves, and ſo every believing humble ſuppliant does, and ought to think.
3. In that they would keep that due diſtance that is between God and them, and therefore they are afraid that he may be angry that that diſtance hath not been obſerved. The truth is, though Princes and Subjects have this kept, yet we are not ſo careful to obſerve it when we draw near to the Lord. Little do we think who God is that we have to do with, and who we are that come before him: now Believers are ſenſible of this, and ſo are afraid that God may be angry with their Prayers.
4. In that they deſire pardon for their prayers, Dan. 9.19. and therefore are afraid he may be angry with their Prayers.
5. In that they confeſs the ſins of their prayers, Pſal. 130.3. If thou Lord ſhouldſt mark iniquities, O Lord, who ſhall ſtand? if in our beſt duties God ſhould mark our failings and ſins, there would be no ſtanding before him, he might well be angry with them. See Ezra 9.15.
6. In that they finde it ſo, and expoſtulate with God about it, Pſal. 80.4. God can be angry, and long angry at the prayers of his people: and what he is to ſome of them, he may be to any of them, and the beſt believers may be afraid of it.
Secondly, In regard of their Prayers. 1. They are defiled, and need waſhing in Chriſts Blood: and being ſo defiled, they may well be afraid that God may be angry with them, Iſa. 64.6. The righteouſneſs of our beſt performances, as well as of our perſons, is filthy Rags, no menſtruous Clout is more defiled then our Prayers are, as they come from us.
2. They are full of wandrings, our hearts are unfixed in the duty of Prayer. There are many roving thoughts that we are hurried and carried about with, that marre the duty, if God paſs them not by, and we may well fear that God may be angry for them. David had a fixed heart, Pſal. 57.7. but ours too often gad abroad. What is ſaid of the Adultereſs, may be ſaid of our adulterous hearts: now it is ſaid of her, Prov. 7.11, 12. Her feet abide not in her houſe, now ſhe is without, now in the ſtrects, and lieth in wait at every conner. So it is true of us when we come before the Lord in Prayer; our falſe hearts abide not cloſe to the duty, but now they are without, now in the ſtreets, and lye in wait to deceive us at every corner of the world, thinking of this, and that, and the other vain things; yea, hundreds of theſe flies (if we watch not in Prayer) will be buzzing about us, and carry us away from God and the duty, from one England to another, and into all the corners of the world: and this may well make us afraid that God will be angry at our Prayers.
3. They are not ſerious Prayers, nor we ſerious and upright in them: the duty it ſelf is a ſerious duty, and God is ſerious with us in commanding it, but we are apt to trifle with him in it, and rather to ſport and play with the duty, and to word it with God, then to expreſs any ſeriouſneſs at all in it: the heart is gone far from God, when the lips are near him, Mat. 15.8. theſe are hypocritical Prayers, and they that offer them up, Hypocrites, ver. 7. Now Believers Prayers have a tang of hypocriſie in them ſometimes, and therefore they may fear that God may be angry with them.
4. They are not ſo earneſt and fervent Prayers as God calls for, they are not ſo heated with the fire of the Spirit as God expects, Jude ver. 20. Jam. 5.16. though this cannot be ſaid of Abraham, yet of many that go for Believers it may, that are dull, and heavy, and ſleepy in Prayer, as the Diſciples of Chriſt ſometimes were, Mat. 26.39, 40. now may they well then fear that ſuch Prayers God may be angry with. A Prince would be angry with a cold Suit; ſo God with cold Prayers.
5. They are angry Prayers, paſſionate Prayers, have too much wilde-fire in them: So had Jonah when he prayed, he rather vented his paſſion, then prayed, Jonah 4.1, 2, 3. and threw out words in his heat againſt the Lord. So Elijah cannot be excuſed from too much heat, and therefore James calls him a paſſionate man, Jam. 5.17. So James and John had too much heat of ſpirit, Luke 9.54. and ſo others have had: now ſuch fire of our own kindling God no way approves of, and therefore the Saints may well fear that he may be angry with ſuch angry Prayers. Would not a King be angry if a Petitioner ſhould be paſſionate with him that ſues unto him? So here.
6. They are ſometimes unconſtant Prayers, they are but now and then performed; God hears of us but ſeldome, or it may be when we are in affliction, Iſa. 26.16. Hoſ. 5.15. and may we not then fear that God will be angry with ſuch Prayers? Will not a father be angry when his children come ſeldome into his ſight to ask what they ſtand in need of? ſo will God; and therefore we may well fear that he will be diſpleaſed with ſuch Prayers.
Queſt. 2. Why are Believers afraid that God may be angry with their Prayers?
Anſ. 1. From God. 2. From our ſelves that pray.
Firſt, From God. 1. He ſees that in our Prayers that we cannot ſee our ſelves: He ſees ſin, where we ſee none; he hath a quick eye to look into the obliquities and iniquities of our Prayers. A little blemiſh is ſeen in the face; ſo if there be but any blot or ſpot upon the face of the duty, his pure eyes ſpies it out, Pſal. 44.20, 21. there is not the leaſt mote but he takes notice of, not the leaſt ſpot but his eye is upon, and that wherein we think we do well, he knows to be evil. James and John thought they did well, in deſiring that they might do as Elias did, to call for fire from heaven to conſume thoſe that would not receive their Maſter and ours: but what ſayes he to them? Ye know not what ſpirit you are of: He ſaw that that they thought zeal, to be wilde-fire; he knew that that which they judged to come from love to their dear Maſter, was but a ſpark of their own kindling, and no love in the bottom of it, neither to Chriſt nor themſelves, much leſs to thoſe men that they wiſhed ſo ill to. And may not Believers be juſtly afraid that God will be angry with ſuch Prayers?
2. He hath been angry with the Prayers of others, and long angry, Pſal. 80.4. and therefore they fear he may be angry with their prayers. When Princes are angry with ſome that ſue to them, others are afraid that they may be angry with their ſuits alſo: ſo it is in this caſe between God and us. If a father be angry with ſome of his Children, he may be angry upon the like grounds with the reſt: ſo may God, and that may make the reſt to fear that he may be angry with them.
3. He withdraws himſelf ſometimes from his people when they pray to him, Lam. 3.8, 44. and thats a ground of his being angry at their prayers; and this makes them afraid that he is angry with them. Job complained of this, Job 30.20. I cry unto thee, and thou doſt not hear me: I ſtand up, and thou regardeſt me not. When a Prince withdraws from a Suppliant, and regards him not, it is a ſign of his anger, and he fears he is diſpleaſed with him: ſo it is in this caſe between God and us.
4. He ſees that we too often reſtrain prayer before him, and thereby caſt off fear, Job 15.4. and that makes him angry: and when we conſider of it, that makes us afraid that he is angry with our Prayers that we are ſo ſlack in. Solomon ſayes, As vineger to the teeth, and ſmoke to the eyes, ſo is a ſlothful meſſenger to him that ſends him. If our Prayers, which are the Souls meſſengers, be ſlothful, and we ſlack our pace in them, God will be diſpleaſed, and we may well fear that he will be angry with them.
Secondly, From our ſelves that pray. 1. We ſometimes diſtruſt Gods power, and that makes him angry, and makes us afraid that he is angry with our Prayers: Mark. 9.22. he doubted of Chriſts power to heal his ſon.
2. We ſometimes diſtruſt his will, as the Leper did, though he did believe his power, Mat. 8.2. and that is a juſt ground of his anger, and that that makes us afraid that he may be angry with our Prayers.
3. We ſometimes ask that that God reſolves he will never give: Thus Moſes did, that deſired God that he might go over Jordan, and ſee that good Land; which God was angry with him for, Deut. 3.25, 26. Two things hindred the granting of his deſire: 1. God was provoked at the Waters of Strife, and threatned he ſhould not bring his people into that Land, Numb. 20.12, 2. He appointed Joſhua to be the man; wherein was a myſtery, for he was a Type of Jeſus Chriſt, that brings us into Heaven, that Canaan was a Type of. Now for Moſes to deſire that, that God upon ſuch juſt grounds denied, it could not but diſpleaſe him, and make him angry: and ſo may we well fear that God will be angry with our Prayers, when we deſire that of him that he is reſolved not to give us.
4. We deſire that ſometimes that is not good for us, and that will make God angry with our Prayers; for no good thing he will withhold from us, Pſal. 14.11. and 34.10. but if we ask any thing that is not good for us, and he ſees it will hurt us, rather then do us good, he will be angry with our Prayers. Thus for Jonah to deſire once and again that God would take away his life from him, Jonah 4.3, 8. which could not be good for him, could not but diſpleaſe him: and when we ask that which is not good for us, we have ground to fear that he will be angry with our Prayers.
5. We ſometimes deſire that that will be hurtfull to others; as it would have been to the Ninevites, if Jonah had had that that he deſired, for then they had all been deſtroyed. So James and John, if they had had their deſire, what would have become of thoſe non-entertainers of Chriſt? Luke 9. and if we do ſo, and deſire the hurt of others, may we not juſtly be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers?
6. They ſometimes deſire that that may be ſatisfaction to their own luſts, as Jonah deſired Ninevehs deſtruction, rather then that they ſhould be ſpared upon their repentance, becauſe his Credit lay at the ſtake, having denounced the overthrow of it within forty dayes. Here the luſt of Pride was too predominant in the good Prophet, Jonah 4.1. and can we wonder that God ſhould be angry with ſuch Prayers? Pride ſtepping in to ſuch a duty, marres the duty, and makes God angry. Thus many will pray againſt ſuch and ſuch men, wherein they vent their pride and paſſion, and how can God be pleaſed with ſuch Prayers? they may well fear he will be angry with them. If a man ſhould be proud before a Prince, when he comes to Petition to him, would not the Prince be angry with ſuch Petitions? So here.
Ʋſe 1. for Information. 1. We ſee that there is no cauſe for us to glory in our prayers that we bring before the Lord; for if we look ſeriouſly into them, we may ſee cauſe to fear that God may juſtly be angry with them: or if we our ſelves ſhould not ſee ſuch cauſe, yet Gods pure eye cannot but ſee enough in the beſt Prayers we make, for which he may be diſpleaſed with us. There would be no ſtanding, if he ſhould mark what we do amiſs when we pray to him, Pſ. 130.3. there will be ſome blot cleaving to the beſt ſervice we preſent him; the beſt fire will bring ſome ſmoke and ſoot; and when our Prayers are moſt fervent with the fire of the Spirit, they have ſome defilement, like ſoot and ſmoke, that comes from it.
2. We ſee how humble we ſhould be, and how low we ſhould lye before the Lord, both before we pray, and in prayer, and after we have done the duty, for we may well fear that ſomething may come, or hath come from us, for which God may be angry with our Prayers; and when God hath any occaſion given him to be angry, we have cauſe to fall down humbly before him. When a King is juſtly angry, the Subject ſtoops, and abaſeth himſelf; if a Father be angry, all the Children carry themſelves ſubmiſſively: ſo ſhould we. It is ſaid of Henry the Eighth, King of England, That when he was angry (as he often was) the chief Peers of his Kingdome would ſtoop humbly to him; how much more ſhould we ſtoop humbly to the Lord when he is angry at our Prayers, who is the great King over all the earth?
3. We ſee the truth of that, Rom. 7.21. When I would do good, evil is preſent with me. When we go to pray, it is good that we do, and a commanded duty; but even then evil is preſent with us, and we have cauſe to fear that ſomething may or hath broken from us in the duty, for which God may be angry with us. When a man thinks to go a right ſtep, he takes a wry ſtep, that makes him ſtumble and fall: when a man would give a right ſtroke, his inſtrument ſometimes ſlips, and the ſtroke is wrong: when a man would make good muſick, a String breaks, or a Pegge ſlips, and makes an harſh ſound. So it is when we pray, and would tread right in the duty, and ſtrike a right ſtroke, and make a pleaſant ſound like melody in the Lords ears, then we tread awry, and ſtrike amiſs, and make ſuch an harſh ſound, that God is not delighted, but angry with our Prayers.
4. We ſee that if we be afraid that God may be angry with our Prayers, what cauſe then have we to fear that he will be angry with us for our other ſins that we do too often provoke him with? If he hath ſo much againſt us for our duties, Oh what hath he then againſt us for our other evils in thought, word and deed, whereby he is diſpleaſed! we ſhould be afraid that he will be angry for theſe. If he will be angry with wry ſteps and trips, Oh how angry will he be for deep falls, and great provocations; if for ſpots we may fear his diſpleaſure, how much more for fouler ſins? A Schoolmaſter, if he ſee a Scholars blots in writing, he will be angry; but if he ſee him blurre and blot his hands and face, and foul his clothes, he will be much more angry: So we have cauſe to be afraid of his anger for groſſer evils, if he be angry at our Prayers.
5. We ſee what cauſe we have to breathe after an immortal eſtate in glory, where neither we nor any of our ſervices ſhall have any blot or ſpot upon us or them. Here we are afraid that God may be angry at our Prayers, and that he may ſee juſt cauſe for it, our beſt duties being defiled; but when we come in Heaven, there will be no blot cleave to any of our ſervices, we ſhall give him no cauſe to be angry, nor ſhall we fear his anger to be expreſſed toward us. Here in our beſt duties we ſin, our beauty is ſtained, our face gathers blackneſs, we have ſomething of Ethiopian hue, ſome ſpots and ſpeaks are upon us, ſome wrinkles of the old man appear in the face of the beſt of our performances: but in Heaven we ſhall be faultleſs, Jude ver. 4. without ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, Eph. 5.27. nothing ſhall then be ſeen upon us like a ſpot, or like a wrinkle, all our imperfections will then be done away, there ſhall not be a wemme in our garment, not a blemiſh in our face, not a ſpeck in our ſervices, not any blot cleaving to our hearts and hands: there will be no deformity, no infirmity, no ſcar, no ſcurf, no mole, nor any the leaſt defilement ſhewing it ſelf; but we ſhall be all glorious within and without, all fair in reſpect of Sanctification, as well as of Juſtification, all over beſpangled and bedecked with thoſe rich and royall graces of the Spirit as becomes ſuch a place, and ſuch company as we ſhall ever be with: then never a frown will appear in his face, never a lowring look in his countenance, never a wrinkled brow ſhew it ſelf, but all ſmiles, and kiſſes, and hearty embraces, and amiable aſpects of his favour and acceptance of what we perform to him; and who would not long for ſuch a day and ſuch a time as this will be? it will be the happieſt day that ever our eyes ſaw, the ſweeteſt time that ever we could deſire, the joy of our hearts, the Crown of our Glory, the Light of our Life, the Confluence of all our Comforts, the Haven of our Deſires, after our toſſings with tempeſt here, the bright Sun-ſhine after our rain, and ſtorms, and miſts of darkneſs here. When Paul and his company were toſſed in the Adriatick Sea, and no ſmall tempeſt lay upon them, neither Sun nor Stars appearing for many dayes, and no hope left that they ſhould be ſaved, it's ſaid, that they wiſhed for the day, Acts 27.20, 29. So after all our troubles and toſſings here, we ſhould wiſh for this day, wherein we ſhall ſee the face of God, and ſhall never ſee him angry with us any more. This is a deſireable day indeed.
6. We ſee that if we be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers here, then how may they be afraid of that anger of his that will caſt them into the bottomleſs pit for ever? how ſhould ſuch be afraid of the wrath to come? Gods anger burns hot here; but Oh how will it burn in Hell? it's inconceiveable, unutterable, we are not able to think what his anger will there be. Moſes, in Pſal. 90.11. challengeth any to tell what this anger is; Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even when he ſmites his people here, the power of his anger is not known: Oh but if ſo, who is able to tell what it is in another world? who can tell how hot Hell is? and what that Breath is, that like a ſtream of brimſtone kindles the fire of it?
7. We ſee what need we have to get Chriſt to bear the iniquities of our holy things, as Aaron did in type of old: for the beſt of us may be afraid that God may be angry with our Prayers. Our holy things, even our pure prayers, have ſomething cleaving to them, that we may juſtly fear God is diſpleaſed with, and therefore great need we have of that great High Prieſt to bear (as all our other ſins, ſo) the iniquities of our holy things, even of the holieſt Prayers that at any time we offer up to God. He is that Lamb of God that taketh away the ſin of the world, Joh. 1.29. and in him, as our perſons, Eph. 1.6. ſo our ſpirituall ſacrifices are acceptable to God, 1 Pet. 2.5.
8. We ſee that if we may be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers, then may we much more be afraid that he will be angry when we reſtrain prayer before him. Some godly ones in temptation pray not, neither in their Families, nor in their Cloſets, and they dare not, as they think, come before the Lord in that duty, they are afraid to look him in the face: but this is their ſin, and ſuch had need be humbled for it, for God will be angry at it, and they will have cauſe to bluſh that they ſhould deal ſo with God, as not to call upon his Name.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour to all thoſe that are wicked, and go on in a way of wickedneſs: If God be angry with the Prayers of his, and they are juſtly afraid he may ſo be; how angry will he be with the workers of iniquity? he is angry with them every day, Pſal. 7.11, 12, 13. If he turn not, he will whet his ſword; he hath bent his bowe, and made it ready: He hath prepared for him the inſtruments of death; he ordained his arrows againſt the perſecutors. God is ſo angry with them, that all his weapons of deſtruction are in a readineſs to deſtroy them ſpeedily, dreadfully, and without remedy.
Ʋſe 3. for Humiliation, that we ſhould give the Lord any cauſe to be angry with our Prayers, and our ſelves cauſe to fear that ſo it is. An ingenuous Childe will be troubled at his Fathers anger; and ſo ſhould we, that we give our Father cauſe to be angry at our Prayers, and that we have cauſe to fear that we have (as in other things, ſo) in that duty provoked his diſpleaſure againſt us. This ſhould lay us low before him.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To be watchful in this duty, that God may not be angry with our Prayers. Watchfulneſs muſt ever be a companion to Prayer, Coloſſ. 4.2. 1 Pet. 4.7. To be ſure the enemy will watch when we are at the duty, and throw in ſomething that is either evil, or not good at that time, as Huſhai ſaid of Achitophels counſel, 2 Sam. 17.7. and our own hearts yield ſtore of evil thoughts, which flie-blow the duty; and if we watch not againſt theſe, God will be angry, and we have cauſe to fear that it will be no better with us.
2. To meditate much of Chriſts Interceſſion, for he it is that offers his Incenſe with the prayers of all Saints, and mingles his with ours, to perfume and ſweeten them, and make them acceptable, ſo as God will not be angry with them. Chriſts Interceſſion makes our Prayers ſo welcome, that they are pleaſant in his ſight, and he cannot be diſpleaſed with them.
3. To be angry with our ſelves, that we have any cauſe to fear that God may be angry at our Prayers, for he is not angry for nothing, he does not without cauſe what he does, Ezek. 14.23. wherein he does expreſs his anger towards us. Such holy fire therefore would be pleaſing to God, and be a fruit of true Repentance, 2 Cor 7.11.
4. To call upon us to be thankeful when he does not expreſs any tokens of his diſpleaſure at our Prayers; for we our ſelves fear that we give him cauſe to be angry at them. If therefore he manifeſt no ſuch thing, but the contrary, viz. That he is well-pleaſed in Chriſt with them, Cant. 2.14. Oh what cauſe have we to be for ever thankful?
VVE now come to the ſecond part of the Note, and that is this: That Believers deſire of God that he would not be angry with them when they pray to him.
So did Abraham here, Let not the Lord be angry: So Gideon, Judg. 6.39. Let not thine anger be hot againſt me. When we make Supplication to a Prince, we deſire this, that we may have the ſmiles of his face, and that he may not be angry with us: So do Believers when they make Supplication to the Lord, they do and ought to deſire that he would not be angry with them.
Reaſons. 1. From the Petitioners themſelves. 2. From the nature of his anger.
Firſt, From the Petitioners. 1. They deſire the acceptance of their Prayers, and that they may be ſweet and pleaſing to him; which they could not be, if God ſhould be angry with them. Pſal. 141.2. Let my prayer come before thee as Incenſe, Pſal. 10.14.
2. They would be Princes with God, and prevail with him, as it is ſaid of Jacob, Gen. 32.28. and this cannot be, if God be angry with them. A Prince will not be prevailed with, if he be angry with him that puts up his ſuit to him: So we ſhall never prevail with God, if he be angry with us when we pray to him.
3. They ſee ſome juſt cauſe why he might be angry with them, if he ſhould be ſtrict with them, there are ſo many ſpots in the duty, and theſe they earneſtly deſire that he would not take notice of to be angry with them, Pſal. 130.3.
4. They are afraid that they are too bold with him, and therefore deſire that he would not be angry with them. So Abraham does here. When we ſue to men for ſome ſpecial favour, we deſire pardon for our boldneſs, as fearing that we may offend by it: ſo do they that make ſuit to the Lord.
5. They are conſcious of their own integrity in the main, though they may have their failings, Pſal. 44.17, 18. and therefore deſire that he would not be angry with them.
6. They expoſtulate with him in an humble way, about his anger with their Prayers, Pſal. 80.4. which ſhews that they ſee cauſe to deſire of God that he would not be angry with them: for ſuch an expoſtulation contains the force of an earneſt prayer, that he would withdraw his anger from them.
Secondly, From the nature of his Anger. 1. It is like fire, and therefore Gideon expreſſeth it, Judg. 6.39. Let not thine anger be hot againſt me. Gods anger is as hot as fire; and therefore in Deut. 32.22. it is ſaid, A fire is kindled in mine anger, that ſhall burn to the loweſt hell. Now being of ſuch a fiery nature, it is not to be marvelled at that they pray that God would not be angry with them.
2. It is like the dreadful waves of the Sea, Mic. 7.9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord: The word tranſlated indignation, ſignifies ſuch a raging as is in the raging waves of the Sea when they are lifted up on high, and threaten drowning and overwhelming; and therefore Jonah 1.15. the ſame word is uſed for the raging of the Sea in a ſore ſtorm and tempeſt, and when the Sea rageth and is tempeſtuous, the Marriners earneſtly deſire a Calm, and that they might be quiet, and the Sea might ceaſe from her raging. So Believers deſire of God, that the dreadful waves of the Sea of his anger may ceaſe, and that they may enjoy a quiet Calm.
3. It is compared to ſmoke, Dent. 29.20. Pſal. 74.1. and ſmoke is a ſtifling thing, if it be in the extremity of it, and cannot be endured: and as men get out of a ſmoky houſe or room, as not being able to bear it, and deſire to be as farre from it as may be; ſo Believers deſire of God that the ſmoke of his anger may be removed from them.
4. It is ſet out to us under the notion of red wine that is full of mixture of that which doth intoxicate, Pſal. 75.8. and is without mixture of any thing that ſhould allay, and make it better to be endured, Rev. 14.9, 10. ſo thoſe two places are reconciled. Now who would not deſire to be freed from ſuch a Cup of wine, that is ſo full of mixture to intoxicate and kill, and is without mixture of that that ſhould allay, and take away the ſharpneſs and deadly ſtrength of it? Such a Cup of wine is Gods anger, and therefore Believers may well pray that he would not be angry with them.
5. It is compared to wormwood and gall, Lam. 3.15, 19. both which are bitter things; and the anger of God is that that makes affliction ſo bitter. Now wormwood and gall are ſuch things as every one would decline: Oh then much more will the Saints decline the anger of God, and pray that he would not be angry with them when they pray to him.
6. It is held out under the notion of a Bear robbed of her whelps, and of a Lion and Leopard, Hoſ. 13.7, 8. and theſe are fierce and tearing Creatures. When God is angry, he compares himſelf to ſuch Creatures as are fierce, and deadly renting and tearing in pieces what they meet with: Now who would not deſire to be delivered from a Lion, and Bear robbed of her whelps, and from a Leopard that watcheth to deſtroy? and if the Lords anger be like the fierceneſs of theſe Beaſts of Prey, there is great reaſon that Believers ſhould pray that he would not be angry with them.
Ʋſe 1. for Information. 1. We ſee that the anger of the Lord is a dreadful thing, for elſe Believers would not ſo pray to be delivered from it. If the Kings wrath be as the roaring of a Lion, Prov. 19.12. and as the meſſengers of death, Prov. 16.14. and whoſo provoketh him to anger, ſinneth againſt his own ſoul, Prov. 20.2. Oh what is it then when God is angry? Nahum 1.6. Who can ſtand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceneſs of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the Rocks are thrown down by him. Men make nothing of it to provoke him, but they ſhall know what his anger means, and what it is to ſtirre up this Lion, that will ſo roar, and rent, and tear, and kill, and devour: they ſhall finde it a dreadful anger, farre above any Kings anger, whoever he be.
2. We ſee the wofull eſtate of thoſe upon whom the wrath of God muſt abide for ever, Joh. 3.36. If Abraham prayed ſo that God would not be angry with him, ſurely they are in an ill caſe that muſt abide by it to all eternity: and who is able to undergo the ſeverity of his diſpleaſure? If his wrath be kindled but a little, there's no enduring of it; Oh how ſhall they then be able to endure it, in the extremity of it to all eternity? It's an hot hole where the Bellows blow in a furnace of Iron or Copper; Oh but what an hot hole is Hell then, which the breath and anger of the Lord, like a ſtream of Brimſtone, kindleth for ever?
3. We ſee what a mercy it is to be delivered from the heat of his anger; for Believers pray that God would not be angry with them: ſurely therefore it is a mercy when ſuch a ſhower falls not upon us, when this wrath is not poured upon us like fire, for there's no fire burns ſo hot as that; and this deliverance is by our Redeemer, Rom. 5.9. Being juſtified by his blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath through him. He quencheth this fire, and puts out all the ſparks of it: He dries up this Sea, and ſtills all the raging of it: He hath himſelf drunk that Cup of Red Wine full of mixture of that that killed, and without mixture of what might allay it, that we might never drink it.
4. We ſee what love we owe to Chriſt Jeſus, that delivereth us from the wrath to come, 1 Theſſ. 1.10. Oh, who ſhould have our hearts but he? where ſhould our love be laid out, but upon him? We would love one that plucked us out of the fire, that pulled us out of the Lions mouth, that got us out of the paw of the Bear, that reſcued us from the Leopards teeth and claws: and if ſo, what love is he worthy of, that hath plucked us out of the fire of Gods anger? and when it hath roared upon us like a Lion, and hath watched over us as the Leopard to make a prey of us, then he hath ſtood up to reſcue us: No love ever like his herein, and no love ſhould be above ours to him back again.
5. We ſee that his favour muſt needs be very ſweet, if his anger be that that is to be prayed againſt. Life is ſweet, and in his favour is life, Pſal. 30.5. yea better then life, Pſal. 63.3. This life is ſweet, but his favour is above it; there's no ſweetneſs to be equalled or compared with it. The favour of a Prince is as the dew upon the graſs, Prov. 19.12. which makes it revive and flouriſh in its greenneſs and beauty; Oh what then is the favour of God? it muſt needs make us grow and flouriſh in viridity and greenneſs. If his anger be that we are to deſire to be delivered from, then his favour is that that we are to be delighted in, and is to be deſired after.
6. We ſee that they that provoke God to anger are the greateſt enemies to themſelves; for Believers, that are their own friends, pray that the Lord would not be angry with them. If he that provoketh a Prince, ſinneth againſt his own ſoul, Prov. 20.2. how do they ſin againſt their own ſouls that provoke God to anger? There are no ſuch enemies to themſelves as ſuch men be. And truly we have ſo many enemies abroad, that we had not need be our own enemies.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour to thoſe that are to bear this anger for ever. Godly men are ſo afraid of kindling this fire, that they pray againſt it, as Abraham here does: Oh! but how will they do that are to ſuffer it to all eternity? If it be better to dwell in a corner of the houſe, then with an angry woman in a wide houſe; Oh how will they do that are to endure Gods anger? If a continuall dropping in a very rainy day, and an angry woman be alike, that will wear a man if he were a ſtone; Oh how will they endure the anger of God, that is not to be dropped, but poured out upon them for ever and ever? Job, when he felt but a few drops of this, cried out, Is my ſtrength the ſtrength of ſtones? or is my fleſh of braſs? Job 6.12. Oh what ſtones and braſs had they need be that are to bear his anger to all eternity?
Ʋſe 3. for Humiliation to the Saints that are not ſo afraid of diſpleaſing him, and do not ſo pray as they ought that God would not be angry with them: theſe forget Abraham their father, and what a gracious ſpirit he was of.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To pray that God would not be angry with us when we pray to him, but that (as at other times, ſo) then we may have the ſmiles of his face, and the light of his countenance lifted up upon us, Pſal. 119.135.
2. To do nothing when we come to pray before him that may provoke him. Take heed of all Prayer-ſins: 1. Of unwaſhen hands and hearts, Jam. 4.8. 1 Tim. 2.8. 2. Of Irreverence, Pſal. 89.7. 3. Wrath, 1 Tim. 2.8. 4. Doubting, ibid. Jam. 1.6, 7. 5. Vain thoughts, wandring imaginations, unfixed hearts, Pſal. 108.1. 6. Drowſineſs, Mat. 26.40, 41. 7. Of unpreparedneſs to the duty, Pſal. 10.17.
3. To pleaſe him when we pray to him. Q. How? A. 1. By praying in faith, Mat. 21.22. 2. In love to thoſe we pray for: ſo Abraham did. 4. In humility, Luke 7.7, 8. & 15.18, 19. 3. In fervency, Jam. 5.16.
4. To long to be with him, when we ſhall never diſpleaſe him more.
5. To be thankefull when he accepts them, Pſal. 86.
6. To love him, when he is pleaſed with us and them.