ous, and his ears are open unto their prayers. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him. (n) Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, (saith our Saviour) that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And this is the confidence we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us; and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (0) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God; who was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin: Let us come boldly unto the throne of graee, that we may obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need. Let us draw near in full assurance of faith. (p) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Whatsoever Je shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive. (9) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God; and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight. (r) What man is there of you, whom if his Son ask bread, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (n) John 14. 13. I Pet. 3. 12. Psal. 145. 19 5. 14, 15. 7.7. 9, 10. 11. 1 John (p) Mat. () Mat. 7. We (s) We know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth. (t) Ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not; ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. () He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the upright is his delight. (w) The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination; How much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? (x) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. (y) They have no knowledge that pray unto a God that cannot save. (≈) Call now, if there be any that will answer and to which of the saints wilt thou turn? thee; (a) O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come; even to thee shall all men come; and unto thee every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear: For thou art God, and there is none else. OATIIS, Vows, and COVENANTS. Oaths. (b) Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and swear by his name. (s) John 9. 31. 35.8. 20. (1) James 4. 2, 3. (#) Prov. 28. 9. Prov. Isa. 45. 24, 23, 22.* (w) Prov. 21. 27. (x) Psa'. 66. 18. (y) Isa. 45. (z) Job 5. 1, (@) Psal. 65. 2. (b) Deut. 6. 13. He (c) He that sweareth in the earth, shall swea by the God of truth. For men verily swear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. (d) The Lord sware, and will not repent: And because he could sware by no greater, he sware by himself. (e) Inasmuch as not without an oath Jesus was made Priest, by so much was he made a surety of a better testament. (f) Ye shall not swear by the name of the Lord falsely or deceitfully. Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thy oaths. For the Lord is witness, if we do not according to the words we have spoken. (g) If a man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear; then God will hear in heaven, and do, and judge his servants; condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righte ousness. (b) He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not, shall abide in the tabernacle of the Lord, and dwell in his holy hill. (i) Wo unto them which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of God, but not ia truth, nor in righteousness. (4) Swear not at all vainly. (2) Above all things, my brethren, swear not: Neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black; neither by any other oath. But let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay, and let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, lest ye fall into condemnation: For whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (m) Every one that sweareth vainly or falsely, shall be cut off; for because of swearing the land mourneth. Vows. (2) When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it. That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform, according as thou hast promised with thy mouth: For the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee. (0) If any man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. (p) If a woman vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth; and her father hear her vow, and he shall hold his peace at her; then every bond wherewith she had bound her soul shall stand. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth, not any of her vows shall stand; and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. (9) And if she had an husband when she vowed, or uttered aught out of her lips wherewith she bound her soul; and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it; then her vows shall stand. But if her husband disallow her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow of none effect; and the Lord shall forgive her. If her husband altogether hold his peace at her, from day to day, then he establisheth all her vows: But if he shall any ways make them void, after that he hath heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity, : (r) When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it For he hath no pleasure in fools; pay that thou hast vowed. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow, and not pay. (s) Thy vows are upon me, O God; I will render praises unto thee. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before them that fear him. (t) Render unto God the things that are God's. (u) It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry. (w) Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? (x) Ye shall not rob God in tithes and offerings. (q) Numb. 30. 6, 7, 8, 14, 15. (r) Eccles. 5. 4, 5. Psal. 20. 25. (t) Mat. 22. 21. (x) Mal 3. 8. 56. 12. I (s) Psal. (u) Prov. 20. 25. Covenants |