Fourth Stratagem. Satan discourages sometimes the Christian, when on his way to this duty, from the greatness of those requests which he hath to put up to the throne of grace. Thou art going to pray, Christian, will he say, and will nothing serve thee less than pardon of sin, love and favour of God, with eternal life, &c.? Surely thou art too free of another’s purse, and too kind to thyself, if thou thinkest to be welcome at God’s door with so bold an errand. This is a boon reserved for some few favourites, and darest thou think so well of thyself that thou art one of them?
Now to arm thee, Christian, against this, that thou mayest neither be kept from the duty, nor go misgivingly to it upon this account, the greatness of thy request, ponder upon these five considerations, which will amount to a full answer to this cavil. 1. Oppose the greatness of that God thou art going to make thy address unto, against the greatness of thy request. 2. Oppose the promise to thy fears. 3. The valuable consideration on which they are made. 4. The greatness of the request cannot hinder, because they are most welcome that ask most. 5. God exceeds his people’s asking.
