3. Thirdly. God is (as Dr. Tauler says) a thousand times more ready to give, than we are to receive, through prayer and hope.
4. Fourthly. God stands in no need of any external ceremonies of ours, our watchings, fastings, or cryings, to awaken him, who “neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.” Ps. 121:4. He not only foreknows our desires and prayers, but even our existence (Jer. 1:5); yet, on the other hand, the dulness and stupidity of men may by these exercises be excited, encouraged, and instructed to consider and understand the tender mercies of God towards all mankind.
5. Fifthly. Hence we discover the goodness, truth, and loving-kindness of God towards all men; and, on the other hand, the blindness and unbelief, the stupidity and unspeakable dulness of mankind towards God, who have so great a contempt of the mercies of God, and are so backward in their prayers and endeavors to obtain his grace.
6. Sixthly. God is righteous in all his works; and so far from his being the author of our miseries, blindness, and ignorance, we are indeed the cause of it ourselves; whilst, in contempt of his commands, we neglect to implore his mercies, and beg the blessings which he has promised to bestow on all that ask him. This is sufficient to vindicate the justice and impartiality of God in all his dealings towards us, and to lay the blame of all our sins and punishments upon ourselves, who are indeed the authors of both.
7. Seventhly. God is not confined to any certain time and place, but desires to be worshipped at all times, and in all places, in spirit and in truth.
8. These observations will rectify many mistakes, and open a man's eyes to discover things, of which he would otherwise have been ignorant. But though it is a shameful thing for a Christian to be ignorant of these matters, yet it is much more so to know, and not to reduce them to practice.
A PRAYER.
Awaken us, O God, that we may watch; draw us to Thee, and we will run in the true way, which conducts to the kingdom of God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.