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them, because they have prayed often and much: but God has rejected their prayers, and not answered them.

There are many just causes, why God may reject, or at least not grant your prayers; and yet may love your persons.

For, first, It may be you ask amiss, either asking things unlawful, or asking things inconvenient for the present, or in asking to have good things, temporal, or spiritual, in that quantity and degree, which God does not see fit for you as yet; or you ask good things to an ill end, as to satisfy some lust, as pride, voluptuousness, covetousness, &c., James iv. 3. Or, lastly though you failed in neither of the former, yet you failed in this, you were doubtful, you did not ask in faith, you did not believe you should have the things so asked; whosoever thus fails in asking, let them not think to receive any thing in favour from the Lord, James i. 6, 7. And it is a fruit of God's love, when he does not answer prayers so made; for it will cause you to seek him and to pray to him in a better manner, that you may be heard.

Secondly, God does many times in love and mercy hear his children's prayers, when they think he does not. God hears prayers many ways; you must observe this, else you will judge that he does not hear your prayers, when yet indeed he does. Sometimes, yea, always when it is good for you, he gives the very thing which you pray for. Sometimes he gives not that thing which you ask; but something much better. As, when you ask earthly and temporal good things, he grants them not, but instead thereof gives you things spiritual and eternal; likewise, when you ask grace in some special degree, such as joy, or comfort in God, or the like, it may please him not to let it appear that he gives the same unto you; but instead thereof, he does enlarge your desires, and he gives humility and patience, to wait his leisure, which will do you more good than that which you prayed for. So, likewise, when you pray that God would free you from such a temptation; God does not always rid and