Abrahams Humble Intercession for Sodom, Commentary on Genesis 18 · Verse 26
Verſe 26. And the Lord ſaid, If I finde in Sodom fifty righteous within the City, then I will ſpare all the place for their ſakes.
Doct. X. THat the Lord ſometimes gives unto his Servants the very ſame thing that they ask of him.
Abraham deſired this, That if there were fifty Righteous in Sodom, that the place might be ſpared, and God here grants him the very ſame thing, and ſayes, If there be ſo many found there, he will ſpare all the place for their ſakes. So he deſired a Childe, and God gave him Iſaac, Gen. 15.2, 3, 4. with 21.2. So Iſaac prayed for Rebekahs fruitfulneſs, and the Lord made her fruitful, Gen. 25.21. So Jacob prayed for deliverance from Eſau his Brother, and God gave him the ſame thing, Gen. 32.11. with 33.4. Hannah deſires a man-childe, and God gave her her Requeſt, and granted the very thing ſhe asked of him, 1 Sam. 1.11, 20, 26, 27. So Jabez prayed, 1 Chron. 4.10. and God granted him his petition in the kinde of it. We ſee the like in Aſa, Jehoſaphat, Hezekiah, David, Solomon, and many others, that had the ſame things granted that they deſired.
Reaſons. 1. From the Lord. 2. From his believing ones. 3. From the efficacy of Prayer.
Firſt, From the Lord. 1. From his Power: there is nothing too hard for him, Gen. 18.14. Job 42. I know (ſayes Job) thou canſt do every thing: and therefore though there may ſeem to be an impoſſibility in nature that the ſame thing ſhould be granted, yet what cannot the Omnipotent One do? With him all things are poſſible, Jer. 32.17, 27. It was the ſpeech of an Indian amongſt us to ſome of our Rulers, Command me ſome difficult thing, and it ſhall be done. And if ſo, what difficult thing is there that we at any time ask, that God cannot do for us?
2. From his Promiſe, Joh. 15.7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye ſhall ask what you will, and it ſhall be done to you: the very ſame thing in kinde, as well as others; he will never …ſay in his deed, what he hath ſaid in word, but fulfill with his hand what he hath ſpoken with his mouth, 1 Kin. 8.24. If he ſay, We ſhall have what we will, the thing in kinde that we ask, this King is not he that can deny it to us.
3. He hath ordained us to be fruitful, and that our fruit ſhould remain, that whatſoever we ask, God may give it to us, Joh. 15.16. It hath reference to the Apoſtles and Miniſters principally, but yet reacheth fruitful Chriſtians alſo.
4. From his Love that he bears to us, Joh. 16.26, 27. A friend that loves him that comes to ſue to him, will give him the ſame thing that he deſires of him; how much more will our Friend and Father give us the ſame thing we ask of him, if it be good for us? Pſal. 84.11.
5. From his Glory, which is exalted in giving in kinde the ſame thing that we prayed for. Thus did Hannah lift up his Name and Praiſe, by giving her the ſame mercy that ſhe asked of him, 1 Sam. 2. God loſeth not in his glory, when we have what we ask of him: it leaves an impreſſion of thankefulneſs upon our ſpirits.
6. From his Greatneſs in his bounty; for when he gives the ſame thing we ask, he commonly gives ſomething more with it: He gave Solomon wiſdome and underſtanding which he asked, but he gave him more, he added Riches and Honour to it, 1 Kin. 3.9-13. He gave Hannah a man-childe that ſhe asked, but ſomething more alſo was given, the barren bare ſeven, 1 Sam. 2.5. So Abraham deſired an Heir, and God gave him ſuch a Son of whom Chriſt ſhould come.
Secondly, From the Believers: 1. They deſire that that is pleaſing to God, 1 Kin. 3.9, &c. and he cannot tell how to deny them that.
2. They are willing to return the bleſſing to God again, that he hath given at their deſire; 1 Sam. 1.27, 28. They improve the bleſſing well, and God cannot but give them ſuch a bleſſing as he gives them an heart to improve for him.
3. They ask it conditionally, if the Lord ſee it good for them, and if it be his will, 1 Joh. 5.14. and modeſt ſuiters are often ſpeeders with men, much more with the Lord.
4. They are content to ſtay the Lords time till the bleſſing come. Iſaac waited twenty years for his wives fruitfulneſs, Gen. 25.20, 26. and they that ſo wait, cannot be denied.
5. They believe the accompliſhment of what God promiſeth upon their Prayer, Gen. 15.4, 5, 6. and Faith will carry all before it, it will get any thing at the hands of God.
6. They love the Lord for giving them what they asked of him, Pſal. 116.1. Solomon loved the Lord that gave him his deſire, 1 Kin. 3.3.
Thirdly, From the Efficacy of Prayer. 1. It obtains any thing at the hands of God, Mat. 7.7. It makes men Princes with God to prevail for any thing, Gen. 32.28.
2. It is the Souls Ambaſſador to God, that returns with good tidings, and does negotiate in Heaven for any thing for us.
3. It is that whereby we come near to God, Jam. 4.8. and they that are near the King, may have in kinde what they ask of him; much more may we that are near to God.
4. It is that that hath got great things in former times, as we ſee in the Prayers of Moſes, Ezra, Nehemiah, the good Prophets and Kings that have obtained what they asked: and we go to the ſame God ſtill, and repair to the ſame Fountain.
5. It comes into Gods holy Habitation, into Heaven, 2 Chron. 30.27. and there is all to be had that we would; there is a rich Treaſury of all we deſire.
6. It is that that is perſumed with Chriſts Interceſſion: Rev. 8.3. His Incenſe, offered up with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar, prevails for any thing: and hence it is that he ſayes, Joh. 14.13, 14. and he repeats it twice, I will do it, I will do it.
Ʋſe 1. for Information. 1. We ſee what great regard the Lord hath to the Prayers of his people put up to him, that he will ſometimes give them the very ſame thing that they ask of him. Prayer of Faith is that that is very pleaſing to him, Cant. 2.14. and accepted of him, 1 Pet. 2.5. or elſe he would never give us in kinde what we ask of him: it is muſick and melody in his ears, or elſe he would not give us the ſame thing that we deſire of him.
2. We ſee with what alacrity and chearfulneſs we ſhould come before the Lord in Prayer, for we are ſure to ſpeed, and ſometimes to have the very thing that we ſeek unto him for: it is but ask and have, and who then would not be encouraged to pray to him? The little Birds lift up their heads and eyes when they take in a drop or two into their mouthes; Oh how chearfully then ſhould we lift up our eyes to heaven to the God of Heaven, that gives us not drops, but that thing in kinde that we ask of him, out of which we day drink abundantly, and be ſatisfied?
3. We ſee what wrong they do to themſelves, that reſtrain prayer before God, Job 15.4. they miſs of many a fair bleſſing that they might carry home with them, yea in the things that they deſire that they might enjoy: They ſpare to ſpeak, and ſpare to ſpeed; they might have what they would, did they bring their Petitions with them: They need be careful for nothing, could they in every thing make their requeſts known to God, Phil. 4.6. Could men but pray, and leave their Petitions with the Lord, they might have what they deſire given in to them; but their reſtraint of prayer before him, cauſeth a reſtraint of bleſſings that might be poured into their boſoms.
4. We ſee that God mindes whatever it is that we pray to him for, for he gives ſometimes the very thing that we ask of him. Princes may ſometimes take their Suiters Petitions into their hands, but afterward lay them aſide, and never look into them; but our God does not ſo, but he conſiders well what we ſpeak in his ears, and grants the very thing we pray for. Prayer is of more reckoning with him, then to lay aſide the Petitions of his Suppliants, and never regard what is contained in them, Pſal. 102.17.
5. We ſee how willing we ſhould be to grant the deſires in kinde that others make to us, if we be able, and have it by us; this is to be like God himſelf, for ſo does he to us, Mat. 5.42. We fall ſhort this way, but we have no ſuch pattern to imitate as God is, and who would not be like to God? It is the glory of a man, the more he reſembleth the God above; it is an honour to him that comes neareſt to him in Workmanſhip, that is the rareſt and choiceſt Artificer: Oh what is it then to come up to that perfection in ſome meaſure that is in God himſelf! it's a rare thing to be a follower of him.
6. We ſee that if God give us all we ask in kinde, then we are to ſuit our thanks according to the benefits beſtowed upon us. If he hath given us ſignal mercies, ſo ſhould our praiſes be we ſhould render to him according to the benefits done to us, Herein Hezekiah failed, 2 Chron. 32.24, 25. he was ſick, and prayed unto the Lord, who ſpake to him, and gave him a ſign, but Hezakiah rendred not according to the benefit done to him. We muſt take heed of ſuch Ingratitude: Heathens could not bear unthankfulneſs; Ingratum ſi dixeris, omnia dixeris: Oh how then ſhould God bear it! Our duty is to render parallel thanks to Gods benefits, ſignal thanks for ſignal mercies. It is a ſhame to be behinde in thanks to him, who is ſo much before-hand in bounty to us, in giving us the ſame things we ask of him.
7. We ſee that if God do not give us alwayes what we ask, there is ſome great cauſe for it; either we have provoked him ſo that he will not, Deut. 3.24, 25, 26. or elſe it is not good for us, Pſal. 34.10. & 84.11. or elſe he hath ſome greater bleſſing to beſtow upon us, as to give Moſes entrance into the heavenly Canaan, though he might not go into earthly Canaan, or elſe he hath at leaſt that to give which is equivalent, and that that may be every way as conducible to us, as if we had the thing it ſelf: but ordinarily, except in theſe and ſuch like caſes, he gives us the very thing we ask of him.
8. We ſee what love we owe to him, for anſwering our deſires in the kinde of them. We would love him that gave us our deſires that we asked; what love then ſhould he have! All the Springs of our love are too little for him. [But we ſpake of that before, and therefore give but a touch of it here.]
9. We ſee that if we inlarge our deſires, and ask much, according to that in Pſal. 81.10. we may have thoſe large deſires granted, as well as if we asked but little, Luke 11.13. Jer. 33.3. It is all one with a Prince to give much, as well as little, and it is more to his honour to give liberally, then ſparingly: Oh what honour is it then to him that ever comes off liberally, and like himſelf?
10. We ſee that if he give the ſame things we ask, he hath not bound his hands, but he can give more, even that that we have not asked: he did ſo to Solomon. And if we ask the beſt things as he did, we ſhall have other things caſt in alſo, Mat. 6.33. We go to one that hath enough by him, and that hath will enough to come off royally, and like a King.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour to thoſe that ask not: If they be full of theſe earthly things, they never deſire better things; ſuch ſhall get nothing in Spirituals and Eternals that ask them not, and then what will their other things do them good? Mat. 16.26.
Ʋſe 3. for Humiliation, that we ask not enough in the beſt kinde, for how rich might we be if we did? it would come in abundantly, and we ſhould have the thing, how great ſoever, that we ask of him: in ſtead of drops and buckets, we might have great Rivers flowing in to us, yea the Sea it ſelf; God himſelf, Chriſt Jeſus, the holy Spirit might be ours; Peace as a river, Righteouſneſs as the waves of the Sea, and what not, might become ours.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To give glory to him that gives us the ſame things we ask of him, and ſomething addes more; Oh how bountiful a God do we make our addreſſes to! his hand is full, and ſo ſhould our hearts and mouthes be of his praiſe.
2. To be full of duty and obedience to him. We owe him ten thouſand thouſand, and thouſand of thouſands more then ever we can here pay him.
3. To long for the time when as he overflows to us in bounty, ſo we ſhall to him in love and duty.
4. To pray without ceaſing; we ſhall be no loſers by it, we ſhall have the thing we ask.
5. To be liberal our ſelves: we have an example worthy our imitation.
6. To be little in our own eyes: for who are we that he ſhould thus condeſcend to us?