esteem of that for the purchase of which he shed his precious: blood. We look upon it as a great privilege, to have free and frequent access to those, who are much our superiors; and shall we not reckon it, a much higher privilege, that we may at all times approach the presence of him, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and higher than the highest, as we may do at all times in prayer? iii. Prayer IS THE MOST SOVEREIGN MEDICINE AND REMEDY FOR AN AFFLICTED MIND. Nothing is so desirable in this world as a faithful friend, to whom we may at all times unbosom ourselves, and make all our secrets and grievances known. Now prayer directs us to go to God himself: he is our most faithful friend, who can best counsel and best help us; and prayer is a means whereby we reveal the secrets and troubles of our souls unto him. Prayer is our discoursing with God: when our hearts swell with grief and are ready to break within us, how sweet is it then to take God apart and give our hearts vent! Prayer is a making of our case known to him, and a spreading of our wants before him; casting all our burdens upon him, who hath promised to sustain us. iv. Consider: Prayer IS A MEANS APPOINTED BY GOD FOR THE OBTAINING OF THOSE BLESSINGS AND MERCIES, OF WHICH WE STAND IN NEED. For all things are God's: he is the great Lord and Proprietor both of Heaven and Earth: whether they be spiritual or temporal mercies that we desire, if it be wealth, strength or wisdom, all are his. If we would have spiritual blessings conferred upon us; our faith, our love, our patience, our humility, strengthened and encreased; he is the God of all these graces, and prayer is a means appointed by God to convey all these unto us. Our prayers and God's mercy are like two buckets in a well: while the one ascends, the other descends: so, while our prayers. ascend to God in heaven, his mercies and blessings descend down upon us. v. Consider: ALL OUR SUPPLIES ARE ONLY FOR OUR PRESENT EXIGENCIES; TO SERVE US ONLY FROM HAND TO MOUTH. The stock of mercy is not our's, but God's: he still keeps it in his own hands. And this he doth, that he may keep us in a constant dependence upon him, and in a constant expectation of mercy from him. from him. Our wants grow up very thick about us; and, if we did but observe it, we should find every day, yea every hour, new cause to present new requests and supplications unto God: and, therefore, as our necessities never cease, so neither should our prayers. vi. Consider this: IF YOU WILL NOT BE PERSUADED TO PRAY, YOU SHALL ONE DAY BE MADE TO HOWL. You, who will not now look up to heaven in prayer, shall hereafter look up in blaspheming: Isai. viii. 21. They shall fret themselves, says the Prophet, and curse their King and their God: that is, in their horrid despair and anguish, they shall curse and blaspheme both God and their king, that is the Devil, and they shall look upward. Though now wicked men will not look to heaven, yet then God will force them to look upwards. III. TWO OBJECTIONS, possibly, may be made against this duty of prayer. FIRST OBJECTION," God doth beforehand know all our wants and desires, and therefore what necessity is there of prayer?" To this I answer, with St. Augustin, God doth require that we should pray to him, not so much to make known what our will and desire is, for that he cannot be ignorant of: but it is for the exercise of our desires, and to draw forth our affections towards those things that we beg at his hands, that thereby we may be made fit to receive what he is ready to give. SECOND OBJECTION. Say some, " It is in vain to pray, because all our prayers cannot alter the course of God's Providence. We cannot, by our most fervent prayers, change the method of God's decrees: if he hath resolved from eternity to bestow such a mercy upon us, we shall receive it whether we pray or pray not if he hath resolved we shall never partake of it, if we do pray, all our prayers will be in vain." I have long since answered this Objection; and told you, that, it is true, God's providence is immutable: but the same providence, that orders the end to be obtained, hath likewise ordered the means by which it must be obtained: as God hath decreed blessings to us, so he hath decreed that they should be obtained by prayer; and therefore we must pray that we may ་ obtain those blessings, for that is the means which God hath decreed for the obtaining of them. IV. Some possibly may say, "If we must thus pray without ceasing, how shall we be assured that God will hear us? If it be our duty to pray, HOW SHALL WE PRAY so as that our prayers may become acceptable unto God? I answer, i. If you would have God hear you when you pray, YOU MUST BE SURE TO HEAR HIM WHEN HE SPEAKS. See that place, Prov. i. 24, 25, 28. Because I have called, and ye have refused....and have set at nought all my counsel....therefore, says God, ye shall call, but I will not answer: ye shall seek me early, but....shall not find me: God stops his ears against their prayers, who stop their ears against his law. So you find it, Prov. xxviii. 9. He, that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination. And this is but equity with God, to refuse to hear them, who refuse to hear him wherefore should God give attention to us, when we pray; more than we to him, when he speaks? ii. If you would have God hear you, YOU MUST BE GREATLY AFFECTED WITH WHAT YOU SPEAK YOURSELVES. Qui frigidè rogat, docet negare: "He, who asks coldly, begs only a denial." Certainly, we cannot in reason expect that God should regard when we pray, when we do not regard ourselves what we pray. How do you think a lazy prayer, that scarce drops out of your lips, should have strength and vigour enough to reach heaven, and to pierce through the ears of God? If you expect to shoot up a prayer to heaven, you must draw it from a soul full bent, iii. We must come to God WITH RESOLUTIONS TO WAIT FOR AN ANSWER. We must not give over prayer, because God doth not presently bestow a mercy upon us that we desire: this is not only to lose the mercy itself, but to lose our prayers also. God is a great God and King above all gods, and it is but his due state to be waited long upon: in this sense, it is true, He, that believeth, maketh not haste. Certainly, if we believe God to be infinitely wise to know the best season to give us what we crave both for his advantage and for ours also, we shall not be in haste in our suits, or peevish because we are not straight answered: but shall patiently wait God's leisure; as knowing that God hath read our petitions, and will grant them when he seeth the fittest time. iv. If you would pray so as to be heard, BE SURE YOU PUT UP NO REQUESTS IN THE BEHALF OF YOUR LUSTS. The Apostle gives the reason why, of so many prayers that are put up to God, so few prove successful: James iv. 3. Ye ask, and receive not; because ye ask amiss, to consume it upon your lusts. Now to ask blessings from God for our lusts, is when we beg any outward mercy, be it wealth, or health, or the like, with reference to the gratifying of our own carnal and corrupt desires. Therefore in James iv. 4. the Apostle calls them adulterers and adulteresses. Such men are indeed like adulteresses in this as they ask their husbands those things, many times, which they bestow upon them whom they love better; so wicked men do, many times, ask those mercies and blessings of God, which they intend to spend upon their lusts that they love better than God: and therefore it is no wonder that God, who knows their secret thoughts and intents, denies them. v. YOU MUST PUT SOME STRESS UPON YOUR PRAYERS, would have them heard and accepted. if you You must believe, that it is to some purpose, that you pray. If we think it is of no great concernment, to pray; God will think it is of no great concernment, to give what we pray for. vi. YOU MUST TAKE HEED ALSO, THAT YOU DO NOT PUT TOO MUCH STRESS UPON YOUR PRAYERS. That you do not set them up in the stead of Christ; that you do not expect to merit by your prayers the things which you pray for but only look upon them as a means and ordinance, which God hath appointed, to obtain those good things that you stand in need of. vii. You must be sure TO MAKE JESUS CHRIST YOUR FRIEND, WHEN YOU COME UNTO GOD; or else all your prayers are no better than scattered in the air, or spilt in the carriage. Benjamin was a type of Christ, in this respect: Joseph chargeth his brethren, that they should not dare to see his face |