Abrahams Humble Intercession for Sodom, Commentary on Genesis 18 · Verse 30
Verſe 30. —Peradventure there ſhall thirty be found there.
Doct. XXI. THat Believers in every requeſt that they make to God, deſire to get ſomething more from God then formerly they have received.
Abraham deſired before, That if there were forty Righteous found in Sodom, that the City might be ſpared; and he had his deſire in that given to him: and now he prayes again, he deſires to get ſomething more, That if there be thirty found there, the reſt might be ſpared for their ſakes.
Reaſons. 1. From the Lord. 2. From the Believers themſelves. 3. From the Prayers they put up to him.
Firſt, From the Lord. 1. He hath enough by him to give us more when we ask of him, and therefore we may well deſire to get ſomething more from him: He is a full one, and can fulfill the deſires of them that fear him, Pſal. 145.19. and if he would not have us ſend the poor away empty from us, when we have it by us, Prov. 3.27, 28. then we may well deſire to get ſomething more from ſuch an one, that hath enough by him to give to us.
2. He is a bountiful one, Rich unto all that call upon him, Rom. 10.12. and therefore in every requeſt that we put up to him, we may deſire ſomething more from him. Petitioners that ſue to bountiful Princes, may expect more from them, when-ever they come before them: So we, when we come before the Lord, he ſends none empty away.
3. He calls upon us to open our mouthes wide, to enlarge our deſires, to ask much of him, Pſal. 81.10. and therefore we may well deſire to get ſomething more of him, as often as we come.
4. He loves his people, Deut. 33.3. Pſal. 146.8. and they that love others, are willing to give more and more to them at their asking; and therefore ſuch as come to them, may well deſire to get ſomething more of them then formerly they have had: So may we of the Lord.
5. He gives to all liberally, and upbraideth not when we ask in faith, Jam. 5.6. and therefore in every requeſt that we put up to him, we may deſire ſomething more then formerly we have received of him.
6. He Rewards bounty in us abundantly, Luke 6.38. and therefore we may well deſire to receive bountifully of him, and to deſire that we may have ſomething more of him in every requeſt that we put up to him.
Secondly, From the Believers themſelves: 1. They are of a noble ſpirit themſelves, as Abraham, Gen. 14.22, 23, 24. ſo Araunah, 2 Sam. 24.23. and if they be ſo royal in giving, then Believers may well look that God ſhould be more Royall, and deſire more of him.
2. They have large promiſes made to them, Pſal. 81.10. Joh. 16.23. and having ſuch promiſes, they may deſire when-ever they pray to him, to get ſomething more of him then formerly they have received.
3. They are the deſire of his eyes, and the raviſhment of his heart, Cant. 2.14. & 4.9. and they that are ſuch, may in every requeſt they make deſire ſomething more of him then formerly.
4. They are his excellent ones, Pſal. 16.3. and though they look at themſelves as vile, yet they are more precious and excellent in his eyes for that, and may deſire to get ſomething more of him. The more little we are in our own eyes, the more eſteem we are of in his.
5. They are ſuch as are purchaſed by his Sons Blood, Acts 20.28. and what may they not deſire in their requeſts of him?
6. They are lovers of him, Pſal. 69.36. and what may not they deſire of him? they may deſire in all their requeſts to get ſomething more of him then formerly.
Thirdly, From their Prayers they put up: 1. They are Odours, Rev. 5.8. of a ſweet ſavour to him through Chriſt.
2. They are pure prayers, Job 16.17. and offered up with holy hands and hearts, Jam. 4.8.
3. They are humble Prayers, as Abrahams was here, Luke 15.21. & 18.13.
4. They are unfeigned deſires and Prayers, Pſal. 17.1.
5. They are fervent Prayers, Jam. 5.16, 17. there's fire in them.
6. They are inwrought Prayers, ibid. the heart is in them: and being ſuch Prayers, no wonder if Believers in every requeſt that they make deſire to get ſomething more then formerly they have had from the Lord.
Ʋſe 1. for Information. 1. We ſee how in an holy wiſe bold Believers are with the Lord, that deſire ſomething more in every requeſt that they put up, then formerly they have received. It would be ſo with men, and is ſo in our ſuits we make to God.
2. We ſee that ſtinted Prayers enjoyned, and no other then ſuch to be uſed, fall ſhort of being Prayers of Faith, for they ask for the ſame things, and for no more then the Book ſets down, which have been asked a thouſand times over; not but that ſome requeſts may be the ſame, if ſome new ones be put in with them, for Chriſt ſaid the ſame words ſometimes in praying as well as in Preaching.
3. We ſee that Faith looks at God as a bountiful and liberal giver, Jam. 1.5, 6.
4. We ſee that Believers think they can never receive enough from the Lord.
5. We ſee that the beſt of men are indigent men, and ſtand in need of more and more ſupplies from the Lord. We are all of the craving hand here.
6. We ſee what longings we ſhould have here, for the enjoyment of God in heaven, where we ſhall be at the Well-head, and never deſiring more; for here we are alwayes deſiring more.
7. We ſee what a full one God is that we make our requeſts unto, Rom. 10.12. Joh. 1.16.
8. We ſee the excellency of Believers above other men, they have larger deſires then others: other men though they have not, yet they ask not.
9. We ſee that God hath never the leſs for all that we have of him; for, faith ſtill deſires more.
10. We ſee that Believers (though bountiful) yet are covetous in an holy way, they deſire more.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour, to thoſe that have nothing, and ask nothing.
Ʋſe 3. for Humiliation to thoſe that do not, as Pſal. 81.10.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To walk in the ſteps of Abrahams faith. 2. To get ſomething more in every Prayer. 3. To long to be at the Fountain. 4. To love him that is ſo full. 5. To go often to him. 6. To pray here with heart-prayers.