1 Kings 3

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. III.—Happy are the children who walk in the steps of their pious parents; and highly honoured are they to whose unfeigned faith and love God himself bears witness. How infinitely bountiful is God?—he even encourages us to ask his favours! and such as wait upon him in prayer and praise will find him speedy in his returns of blessing. Happy are they whose devout turn of mind, when awake, tinctures their very dreams with serious devotion. Godly children will always pay great regard to their parents’ memory. None are so sensible of their own insufficiency as they who seriously ponder the weight of public offices: and hopeful is their administration who earnestly ask wisdom and direction from God. The disinterested prayer of faith is always acceptable to God: and, when we seek first the kingdom of God, all things shall 43 41 be added to us. He will give us exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think: and quickly he gives opportunity for the exercise of the gifts which he bestows. How helpless and perilous is our infantine state! by the most marvellous providence we escape the dangers of it. How tender is the affection of a mother’s breast; and monsters of brutality must they be who can neglect or destroy the fruit of their own womb. Magistrates, before whom such difficult causes come, have great need of their subjects’ fervent prayers, and of God’s special direction. And the greater abilities men have, they are the more indebted to God who bestowed them. But alas! oftentimes the fear of detection and punishment from men is a greater restraint upon evil doers than all the terrors of God’s everlasting wrath