13. Part 2, Chapter 4. Conditions: Faith

CHAPTER IV. THE CONDITIONS OF PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING. — FIRST, FAITH.

Having spoken of the nature of the duty of prayer here enjoined, and of what is implied in praying without ceasing, we now come to the third thing propounded, namely, the conditions which are required in praying importunely, opportunely, or constantly. Now these conditions of incessant prayer are four. 1. Faith. 2. Humility. 3. Sincerity. 4. Watchfulness.

First, faith in prayer. This is a principle requisite to prayer; it is even all in all in it. ‘Without this, prayer is in effect no prayer unto the Lord: hence acceptable prayer is called the prayer of faith: “The prayer of faith shall save the sick.” It is not so much a Christian’s prayer, as his faith in prayer which prevails with God for a gracious answer: “Whatsoever ye ask believing, ye shall receive.” It is faith which makes a man’s person first acceptable, and no wonder then if such an one’s prayer prevails. Cain and Abel both sacrifice; “God had respect unto Abel, and unto his offering, yet not to Cain.” But it was by faith that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Faith is the instrument whereby the stains which else might blast us and our prayers are removed, both from our persons and prayers: “God purifies our hearts by faith;” “We are sanctified by faith.” Faith is a means to make the holiness of Christ’s person and prayers ours; and that must needs be acceptable to the Lord. My beloved is mine, all his holiness and righteousness is mine, saith the believing church. Faith interested the saints in all the succoring attributes and titles of God, or offices and titles of Christ in the covenant of grace, and all the particular Promises which we need to improve in prayer; and what then more needful or useful in prayer than faith? Faith shows a godly soul, where all its strength and life is to be had; and makes the utmost improvement of all in prayer. Faith makes the saints keep their due distance in prayer; gives God and Christ their due, grace and mercy their due; ourselves and our spiritual enemies which we complain of, their due. It sets God and Christ in his proper place and throne; puts us into an holy athletic plight, orders the bounds, proportions, and motions of prayer, and then takes its best season, and holy advantages, both of God and of ourselves, to effect and bring about the desires which spring from our faith. Faith is a lively spark indeed, and puts life, both into the suppliants, and into their supplications. Be we ever so dead, dumb, and listless in spirituals; if faith begin once to be stirring, it puts life into the business. Now for the better handling of this principal requisite to incessant prayer, consider 1. What faith in prayer is required, and why so?

2. What is the work of faith in prayer?

3. What helpful means and encouragements are useful to further faith in prayer?

4. What are the marks of faith in prayer?

First, the faith requisite in prayer, either respects God more generally, both in his absolute and relative nature, or Jesus Christ more specially, or the promises or providences of God more particularly.

1. Faith in God’s nature, and in God absolutely considered, is required, as in all other approaches to God. “He that cometh to God, must believe that be is,” and so must believe in God absolutely considered, “and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him;” and so believe in him, relatively considered. But let us instance in some particulars.

1. Faith in the immensity and omnipresence of God is required in prayer. Faith in prayer must look at God as in heaven, in respect to his more glorious manifestation and communication of himself:

“Our Father which art in heaven.” “Art not thou God in heaven?” And “Hear in heaven thy dwelling-place.” It is a great help to an heavenly spirit in prayer, and to high and holy aims. It is a notable curb to restrain carnal desires and thoughts in prayer, to eye God as in heaven. But though faith with its eager eye pierce the clouds, and behold the Lord as above all, yet also it beholds him as in all and through all. It conceives of God as comprehending heaven itself, and not comprehended either of heaven or earth. So did Solomon by faith eye God as one whom the heaven of heavens could not contain. Wheresoever the saints are praying, they are praying as before God: “Daniel prayeth and giveth thanks before God.” So did Nehemiah. Neither is any frame more suitable to prayer, than that lawful working of heart which proceeds from faith in God’s immensity. And nothing more quickening to serious attentions to the duty, and to comfortable expectation of the issue, than a lively apprehension, that we speak not to an absent, but to a present deity, not to a friend out of hearing, but to one that is with us when we are praying.

2. Faith in God’s omniscience is also required in prayer. Thus David, and Jeremiah, and Solomon, in prayer look at God as one that tries the heart and the reins. Faith in prayer comes not to bring light to God, but rather to borrow light from him in all the business of prayer. It knows his all-seeing eye as well as his all-hearing ear. Faith makes a sincere heart the more free and bold with God, because it eyes him as one who is privy to all it has to think or speak in prayer. Nothing is more terrible to the sinner’s thoughts than that God sees them. But nothing is more comfortable to the godly than this persuasion, that now they are before an all-seeing one; they are glad that they serve such a master, and speak to such a father, who does thoroughly know them, and watchfully eyes them. The suppliants of God have secret things in secret, to commit to the ears of God. And oh, how well is it for them in their esteem, that they may pray to God which seeth in secret: “Pray to thy Father which is in secret,” says Christ. Suppliants are to seek God’s face about matters carried on by God’s and their own enemies, secretly and slyly, and had need eye the Lord as one who sees what is contrived and done in the dark; yea, sometimes they are so sorely assailed and charged by the wily enemies of their souls, that they have no way left them but to appeal in prayer to the Lord’s all seeing eye, to judge of the false charges of men and devils; and sometimes of their corrupted, tempted consciences, accusing them when they should excuse, disquieted when they should rest in God. Hence, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God.” “Deep calleth unto deep.” “My prayer shall be to the God of my life.” That appeal in prayer unto the Lord as one that hears, where the right lies, helped much. Sometimes we know not what to ask as we ought, “but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered;” and “he that searcheth the heart, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit.” So said Paul’s faith, so says the faith of each gracious suppliant.

3. Faith in God’s all-sufficiency is requisite; wherefore Christ teaches us to pray, teaches us to look at God, as one whose is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory. Hence, the lowest room, and one day’s residence in God’s house of prayer is desirable to David. He believed that God is a sun and a shield, and would withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly. Moses prays to the Lord for mercy, as one whose mercy would fill all the desires of his soul: “0 satisfy me early with thy mercy.” None are more self-empty and needy than true suppliants; and therefore faith in God’s all-sufficiency is most needful to them. None are more sensible of their utter inability to withstand the force and guile of their souls’ enemies, and so need such a faith the more; yea, the truth is, true suppliants seek not of God this or that so much, as God and Christ in that which they seek of him; God in a spouse, in a friend, in liberty, in health, in ordinances, in comforts, and the like, and therefore they must needs eye the Lord as all in all, and all without him to be nothing; yea, in a barren land where no desirable comforts are; and can then in seeking him by faith be satisfied with him, as with marrow and fatness.

4. Faith in God’s almightiness is requisite in prayer. Paul, who bowed his knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, looks on him as one who was “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” So Jehosaphat, in his prayer, argues by faith in God thus: “And in thy hand is not there power and might?” So Jeremy in his prayer: “I prayed unto the Lord, saying, Ah, Lord God, behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.” Sometimes God’s suppliants are put hard to it in the course of their prayers; the last grain of their faith and patience seems to be put into the scale; their pressures are to the last drop of their faith and patience; there appears but some small spark thereof under the ashes; they seem to cease in some fainting fits, to be even departing, only some symptoms left of life therein, namely, some workings of faith in God’s almightiness, that he is yet able to succor them. It may be, a possibility in respect of God’s almightiness is eyed by faith, and that carries them out in prayer. Sometimes the very faith of God’s suppliants is at a stand in regard of God’s will; it is an “if” to them whether be will help; yet they believe he can help, and therefore pray, as he did: “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean;” and such a faith in the Lord’s almightiness does great things by prayer. For hence that “I will; be thou clean,” says Christ, “and immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” He who prays in faith of God’s power, shall have beyond his faith the benefit of his gracious and energetic will. So the centurion in his prayer to Christ believes that if he but will his servant’s cure, he can word it; he can even command it by its sovereign word: “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” He is not sure that he will give out that energetic word, but if he would but speak the word, he concludes that he has power over all desirable blessings, “as servants at his command, even as his soldiers were at his beck.” And Christ approves of his faith in his sovereign power, saying, “Verily I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” So the man mentioned Mark 9:1-50 makes a request to Christ for his child, but at first questioned Christ’s power, saying, “If thou canst do any thing, help us;” and so long his request took not; but being quickened by Christ’s word to faith in his power, that he could do any thing for them, and to expect any thing from him in such a way of believing, “if thou canst believe,” namely, that I can do any thing for you, “all things are possible to him that so believeth;” then the man cries out with tears, “Lord, I believe,” namely, that thou canst do any thing for us, and so gets the blessing lie prayed for; where prayers are put up in faith, believing all things are possible to the Lord, and attainable upon believing. All things are possible and attainable to such a faith’s request. Sometimes suppliants deal with God in prayer about intricacies, where the determinations of the will of God seem, or are hid and obscure; yea, for such good things as come within the reach of his power; and herein it were sad with them, if faith in God’s power did not relieve them. Sometimes they deal with God about cases wherein the Lord comes to express his mind to the contrary, and yet faith in God’s almightiness puts words into their mouth, and encourages them to pray to him, even in such cases. When God tells Moses that he will smite the people, and disinherit them, yet, because Moses believed the greatness of God’s power, which might else be dishonored, he pleads that the nations will say, that because the Lord was not able to bring them into the promised land, therefore he slew them, and then be- takes him to this hold: “Let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity,” etc. He looked at him as now able to fulfill the other part of his revealed will, even to be a God pardoning his people’s sins. This set the Ninevites a praying, when God had said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” Yet for aught any knew to the contrary, God might show them mercy: “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not.” And their prayers took effect: “God repented of the evil that he bad said.” Besides, true seekers of God are continually sensible of mighty, adverse powers of darkness against them, so that if they had not faith in God’s almightiness overmatching those powers, they would not pray without ceasing.

5. Faith in the gracious nature and disposition of God, as in his love, mercy, bounty, compassion, longsuffering, goodness, is required. Nothing is more usual with the saints in their prayers mentioned throughout the Scripture, than to set their faith on work in prayer upon the gracious nature of God. I need not mention the Scriptures. In this ocean faith can freely swim, and bear up all the suppliant’s burdens. In this holy chancery court of grace, it can have right in any cases which concern the soul. Nothing more suitable to the hungering and thirsting desires of suppliants, and nothing more sweet and satisfying than the marrow and fatness of God’s loving-kindness: “The upright remember the love of the Lord more than wine.” A poor suppliant sees here by an eye of faith the true riches which his soul needs, and that it is here ready for him; God is rich in mercy to all that call upon him. So did David. This is a spiritual heal-all to the diseased and wounded soul crying to God for cure. When the people of God are tossed with tempests of troubles and temptations, they eye this as a sweet and safe harbor; if they can but put in here, they are sheltered in all weathers; if they can but cast the anchor of faith and hope here, they can ride securely, and without hurt or loss from any winds which blow.

6. Faith in God’s simplicity is required. Solomon in his prayer looks at God as always acting, one whose eyes were open night and day. So the psalmist, “O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.” The like faith in the eternity and immutability of God, and his faithfulness in what he is to his redeemed, and in what he says to them, and does for them in a way of grace and favor, is needful. Habakkuk in his prayer makes use of the eternity of God: “Art not thou from everlasting, O Lord my God, my holy one? we shall not die.” Nehemiah in his prayer improves God’s faithfulness: “O God, that keepest covenant and mercy for them that love thee.” Those afflicted souls mentioned Psalms 102:1-28, in their prayer improve by faith God’s unchangeableness: “Thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” The suppliants themselves, and their cases vary much, and suffer many changes; but faith in these encourages them to incessant prayer to the Lord. We might have instanced in the particulars of faith’s improvement of the relative nature of God in prayer; as that of a Father, of a Savior, and the like, as is often mentioned in Scripture; but I shall forbear. The second branch of faith required in prayer, namely, faith in the Lord Jesus. Christ is able to save such to the uttermost as come unto God by him. Out of Christ God is a consuming fire and if we eye him as such only, we are driven from him rather than drawn to him. Daniel craves all things for the Lord’s sake. David requests mercies of the Lord for his word’s sake, or for his servant’s sake; the saints of old looked in their prayers towards the temple. Now the temple was a type of Christ; Christ spake of the temple of his body. It was not enough for the Israelites to cry out of wounds, nor for Moses to pray with them, or for them; but they must look to the brazen serpent, which is made a type of Christ; Christ is the altar whereon we offer all our spiritual sacrifice if acceptable. And if we do in offering them but touch this blessed altar by faith, that sanctifies them. The best incense of our prayers needs sprinkling with Christ’s blood. As was typed in that Exodus 30:10. No intercourse betwixt God and us but by the means of this blessed ladder, whose foot is on earth, and top reacheth unto heaven. A third branch of faith required in prayer, is faith in God’s promises; especially in such promises as do respect our personal and particular cases. Jehosaphat in his prayer makes use of a suitable promise, respecting the case about which he then besought the Lord, saying, “If when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, etc., we stand before this house, and in thy presence, and cry unto thee in our afflictions, then thou wilt hear and help.” When David also is to seek the Lord for mercy upon his house, he improves a promise of God made to that end: “For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.” The Lord is so abundant as in goodness so in truth, that at every path’s end, in the way of grace and race of godliness, he has placed some well of salvation, some spring of consolation, quickening and encouragement in Christ, to go therein without fainting. All his ordinances and precepts have their promises annexed to the faithful observance thereof, and no one ordinance has more gracious promises than this of prayer.

Prayer, as it puts much honor upon God, so the Lord has honored it with many goodly, glorious, encouraging promises. Faith makes use of this blessed treasury, bequeathed in the Lord’s testament to the prayer of his suppliants. Faith wisely lays out and bestows this holy stock, here and there, as need requires. Hardly any case of prayer, but there are promises here and there scattered in the Word of God, which speak to that very case, if not directly, yet by necessary consequences. Now by faith the godly make suitable improvement thereof; and such as put them upon pleading such holy maxims before the Lord. The Lord sees it meet to bound the people’s desires, within these holy limits of his promises, and it is faith that helps us to keep within them in our prayers. And surely there is no language more sweet and acceptable to God, than to speak to him in our prayers in this holy language of his Spirit and word. If we speak in our prayers no otherwise than the Lord himself speaks in his promises, there shall be a sweet concert of voice begun by the Spirit in the promises, seconded by the spirit of faith in the saint’s prayers, and answered by God in his providences.

4. The last branch of faith required in prayer, is faith in God’s providences. The saints mentioned in Scripture, in their prayers have thus by faith improved the providence of God: “Our fathers cried unto thee, and were delivered.” The real respects which the Lord bears to his people’s prayers, are practically demonstrated in his providence. Providences of mercy respecting prayer, are but the promises of God made thereto, executed. Every such providence is an oracle of God instructing or encouraging us. Faith is a spiritual recorder in the soul and conscience sanctified, it writes by the finger of the Spirit on the table of the heart, such observable and useful passages; and faith calls for conscience to read them over as need requires. There are no cases now, but what in substance have been heretofore; there is nothing new under the sun. And the Lord in like cases cannot vary, but ever carries it like himself, so that faith makes great advantage hereof in prayer; t.he Spirit of God leads suppliants in the same track of holy requests for the substance of them, and what wonder if the same answers and issues are, by faith, expected? Precedents in prayer are rules to us, and arguments with God in our holy pleadings with him for his mercy. As with men in their courts and pleas, precedents in such and such a king’s reign, in such a suit, thus and thus issued, according to such or such a statute, not repealed, are casting matters in lawsuits; so verily in our suits in heaven’s court, for this or that relief which we crave, precedents of providence improved by faith, are a current gospel plea.

Second, what is the work of faith in prayer? Prayer is called the prayer of faith; as if faith were, and indeed is, the chief instrument of the Holy Ghost in the soul to do all in prayer. Let us instance in some particular good offices which faith performs for the souls of God’s poor suppliants in prayer.

1. Faith is a monitor to instruct the soul truly and thoroughly in such things as are most suitable and helpful to this holy work. Hence we read of the Psalmist, in his secret lifting up his heart to the Lord in the night season; he says, “My reins instruct me.” This knowing grace of faith in his heart, was the Spirit’s instrument to teach him. Faith is called the wisdom of the just; the wisdom of justified persons by Christ, to which they were to be converted, there spoken of: and as other wisdom, so this in special is profitable to direct our minds and mouths. It is faith which gives the soul the truest survey of its emptiness and neediness. It is faith which most fully and convincingly informs the soul of the fullness and freeness of the riches of grace in God and Christ, and of his suitableness to us, considering our case and condition. Faith tells the soul of its interest and encouragement in the mercies of God, and merits of Christ, and iii the covenant of grace, so far as the same does concern that about which the soul comes to God in prayer.

Faith in prayer acts as a queen, and a mother grace, to order and excite each praying grace unto its proper work therein. When faith is stirring, it does in a manner charge desire to do its office; reach out thy hand, open thy mouth wide, enlarge thyself, O desire, to crave the mercies which the soul needs, which the Lord is ready to give. And Love, do thou the like; never a more lovely object presented to thee from one who so dearly loves the soul wherein thou art. Zeal, be thou fervent, put an edge upon desire and love; the case so requires, the mercies are near, it is a pity they should be lost for want of putting to a little more strength to wrestle for them. Humility, stoop thou the heart, be low and vile before one that is so glorious. Fear, awe thou the heart, let it tremble in the presence of the holy one of Israel. Joy, do thou enlarge the heart in the sense of mercies already gotten by prayer, and more mercies are at hand. Hope, stand thou on tiptoe, and look up, for verily mercy is not far off; the Lord is near such secret motives and whispers of faith as are in the souls of God’s suppliants; their spirits are encouraged in prayer by that faith which they have in the Lord when it is exercised. David’s faith in the love of God towards him, occasioned that speech in his soul, when to Praise God; so that David from the strength of his faith therein speaks to his soul:

“And all that is within me bless his holy name.” The like speech doth faith occasion in a gracious heart, when to pray, requiring all within to be employed in furthering the work. So when David is to make his prayer to the God of his life, in faith that God will command loving-kindness to him, a charge is given his heart to attend it patiently and hopefully; and distempers are commanded to stand by.

3. Faith in prayer regulates and recifies the soul’s pleas. It dictates arguments to back those holy pleas. Prayers of faith are pleading prayers, filled and carried on in lively reasonings with the Lord. And because ofttimes the spirit of a suppliant may be even nonplussed almost, and not know how to carry it on, by reason of secret cavils raised in the heart, whether from Satan, or distrust, or otherwise; faith then whispering some spiritual and suitable answers, clears up the mist upon the spirit, and exposes the mistake and sophism, and so the soul is afresh carried on in his pleading with God: “Will the Lord cast off?” etc.” This was secretly whispered by distrust, as if God would cast him off: “But will he do it for ever?” David’s spirit was pinched in these reasonings and cavils; at present he could not positively answer that God would not do so; the cavil of distrust became a real question to his tempted, deserted spirit, by reasoning so much with that whilst he was crying to the Lord. But faith gave light to the case, and he perceived that these were but cavils of an infirm spirit of his own. The case is resolved and determined, through the help of faith exercised, which before sat silent; and he concluded this was his infirmity. Faith is a second to the soul in its holy wrestlings and pleadings with God to succor it in its suits, both in persuading the heart that the Lord will prepare the heart to seek him, and to prevail. It is the speech of faith, “We have what we ask of God.” It is as sure as if it were already granted. And so in point of acceptance: “We know he heareth.” Now when at any time the spirit of a suppliant begins to give out and faint, then faith renews the charge; it takes up the holy weapons which the spirit of the saints began to lay by, the arguments which it was ready to forego; and the soul gathers up itself afresh, and plies the Lord with renewed strength of holy requests. At this pass was Jonah; be said, “I am cast out of thy sight, yet I will look again towards thy holy temple.” When fainting, and when faith minding him afresh of something in the Lord, he is revived, and sends up many supplications to him. What, give out? will faith say; nay, for shame! It claps the soul on the back, and bids it cheer up; wrestle one bout more, pursue once again; it may be, nay, it is likely thou wilt prevail, nay, thou shalt indeed prevail.

4. Faith in prayer is an agent for the soul to improve and plead all the foregoing principles and spiritual arguments mentioned. God’s gracious disposition is a large field, and very fruitful in prevailing arguments, when improved by faith; so is that of Gods all-sufficiency, almightiness, eternity, immutability; and so is that of Christ considered in his offices, merit, mediation, and intercession; the promises of God likewise are several heads of holy’ pleas. Faith improves them wisely, and seasonably, as the case requires. It would be improving them all, in and through the Lord Jesus, for the soul’s succor and support in this ordinance of prayer; verifying Isaiah 12:3, “Drawing water out of the wells of salvation.”

5. Finally, faith in prayer becomes the common pledge between the Lord and the suppliant, that each shall do right in all that has been pleaded. Faith undertakes to become bound, and to be a pledge to the soul that the Lord for his part will do what is meet and what becomes the souL And again it engages itself to the Lord, that by his help the soul shall attend to its duty. David’s faith pawns its credit that the Lord will not, shall not say him nay: “My voice shalt thou hear, O Lord;” and then faithfully promises on David’s behalf, that he will and shall rightly order his prayer, and so leave it with the Lord: “And unto thee will I direct my prayer, and look up.”

3. In the third place we consider some useful helps unto faith in prayer. The helps and encouragements to faith in prayer may be such as these.

1. Let us take and make all holy advantage of the least possibility of mercy, whereon we may ground an expectation of a gracious answer of our prayers. We may, yea must do thus. Meek ones must seek the Lord, hoping for his mercy when there is but a possibility of being hid from the Lord’s anger. Thus did the Ninevites; nobody could tell they should be delivered, nor assure them of mercy if they did sue for it; yet none could tell the contrary, none could say peremptorily they should perish without remedy. If it be but a “Who can tell?” it is a ground of mighty prayer, and may cherish a spark of hope therein of success. Isaiah must lift up his prayer, though it be but a possibility that God would hear the blasphemous speeches of Rabshakeh, against which he was to bend his prayers on Israel’s behalf. A very peradventure of prevailing in prayer will set Moses praying. No Scripture tells thee that thou art a castaway, many Scriptures give thee grounds of a possibility at least of salvation. Let that therefore raise thee, though troubled sore, to look and wait for a gracious answer of thy prayer.

2. Labor to be stored with suitable promises to your case; it will be our wisdom to lay up knowledge of such words of grace. Jehosaphat had not to seek a promise suitable to that he was to pray for. Nehemiah had a like promise ready written on the table of his heart. And let us be well acquainted with the attributes of God, which are virtually promises and props to our faith in prayer. Moses in his prayer makes use of them for that end. And the saints oft elsewhere, as recorded in the Scripture.

3. Let us improve former experiences, both of our own and others of the gracious dealings of God with us in way of prayer, for they work hope. “The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.” David’s experience of God’s merciful and faithful performance of all the desires of his soul for him, will make him cry to him with much confidence. We may not rest in mercies and blessings received, but we may and must be encouraged from them to wait for more; if we never had tasted of his goodness to us, when we sought him, yet were we to expect and wait for his gracious answer; but tasting and seeing how good the Lord is by experience, it is then a blessed thing to trust in him. We may well trust him as a God hearing prayer, when we have tried him to be such: or else it will be a shame, if speaking it in his word that he is such, and then speaking it over sensibly in his works that he is such, yet he cannot be believed. If any, surely such as by experience know the name of God, have proof of that or any other title, or attribute, or word of his, wherein he makes himself known to us, they will trust in him. Gracious answers of prayer given to the saints, are precious pledges of our interest in the covenant of grace, and in God as our God; and so we are to look at them, and be encouraged by them. For indeed the Lord in giving answers of grace to any of his children, has regard to the good and encouragement of them all; that which the Lord did for, and spake to supplicating, wrestling Jacob, he did with a view to others that were to come after him. The regard which the Lord has to the prayers of the destitute, is written and recorded for the generation to come, to make a comfortable use thereof.

4. Let us carefully improve the intercession of the Lord Jesus for us. When he was on earth he prayed for us, as you may see in John 17:1-26, To be sanctified by his truth, to be kept from the evil of apostasy, we pray for union and communion with the Lord Jesus, such as is very strong, comfortable, and constant whilst we are here, and the eternal enjoyment of the Lord Jesus in another world, but fear lest our sins might intercept and frustrate our prayers; but Christ tells us (and for our comfort, that our joy may be full) what is the sum of what he intercedes with the Father for on the behalf of his apostles, also of all believers.

We must needs confess that Christ’s prayers were without exception, and that the Father always heard him. How well is it then for us that the Lord Jesus has with acceptance gone before us, and these mercies are already begged by Christ, and granted of God to our hands. Solomon’s request for the grant of their prayers, in their several cases which are mentioned and which are granted, were types of what the Lord will condescend to in all his suppliants’ cases, at the request of this our blessed Solomon, but especially improve his present intercession and appearing before God for us now in heaven. Whilst the people were “praying without, the priest was offering incense within the temple.” So is Christ in that glorious temple above appearing before God for us, whilst we are praying. That was a shadow of this; the saints’ prayers are committed to him there, as his charge, according to his office to which the Lord has appointed him, to offer them up with the incense of his own meritorious sufferings; they cannot, then, but succeed well. The time when the Lord should be absent from his disciples, was a special speeding time in their prayers.

5. Contemplate, and let your spirits dwell much upon these considerations.

1. What a suitable name the Lord assumes, and by his own writing and seal allows to be challenged, namely, “A God hearing prayer.” Hearing prayer, showing it is his constant exercise, his inseparable property; nor says he whose prayers, as excluding thine, or the prayers of any other poor soul, which in truth desire to seek him. It is recorded of Augustus, that he never sent away any petitioner sad from him; and dost thou think that the Lord of compassion, that “is rich in mercy to all that call upon him,” can or will?

2. To whose requests the Lord has given, at least, some audience; even to the rude moans of beasts and other dumb creatures. And as Christ reasons thence: “God feedeth the ravens, and are not you much better than they?” So may I say here, God hears the ravens’ cries; will he not hear the righteous’ cries? It is but righteous, as well as an act of grace in him so to do. “He satisfieth the desire of every living thing;” “Is righteous in all his ways.” No wonder then if “he be nigh unto all them that call upon him, to fulfill the desires of them that fear him.” The cries of mere natural men, as they are his creatures, and in helpless condition, look out to him for succor, as many rude mariners are so heard; he will give some audience even to hypocrites’ prayers, and surely he that out of his overflowing bounty will hear (as far as he may) such persons’ prayers, they shall have that benefit of his common audience and providence, though not of his peculiar and saving respects of grace. He is not unwilling to hear his people’s requests, when not so rightly principled as that noble Jew, who would scarce believe without signs shown, yet who was so heard in his request for his son; if rightly, yet not so thoroughly principled as Cornelius, who yet was not so cleared in that great article of faith then in question, that “that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah;” or if so principled, yet at present under much distemper of corruption; yet even then God overlooked all that, and judged of them by their better part, and taken their prayers then made kindly. Such was David’s secret prayer at that instant, when changing his behavior or favor, as if he had not been the man he was, yet accepted. Those that in their affliction are so distempered with infirmities of distrust or discontent, it may be that they cannot speak freely to God in prayer, but sigh, yet are heard. Moses when in such a pet, yet the Lord picks out what he would have craved, and grants it. Their cry was with much distemper, as appears by their words to Moses, yet it was heard and granted; and God the rather showed all those after-signs and wonders on the Egyptians, in answer even to that distempered cry to him by the Israelites, many whereof were truly godly. Halting Jacob, yet wrestling in his prayer, though lamely, is heard; yea when too curious in his inquiry, yet blessed in regard of his prayer before. Sparks of grace amongst an heap of ashes are acceptable.

3. Consider what kind of prayers have found special acceptance with God; such as have been rather sighs and groans, than express prayers; he hears the prisoner’s groans, the needy’s sighs. Such as have been but ejaculatory liftings up of the soul unto God in mental desires. Such as have been but a poor chattering and muttering of something in the ears of God. Such as have been but an abrupt. and broken expression or two from a truly broken spirit, as the contrite publican’s: “God be merciful to me a sinner;” the converted thief’s, “Lord, remember me in thy kingdom;” but a long look of the body and soul towards God: “They looked to thee, and were not ashamed.” And Jonah’s look towards God in Christ, typified by the temple, took well with God; yea, prayers of the saints in a dream, as was that of Solomon’s, have found good acceptance:

“After that Solomon awoke.” Not that any should think it enough to sigh or groan, and not utter their souls in words to the Lord; but if, like the Shunamite, the soul of any be troubled within them, that they cannot utter their hearts, or like David, so troubled in spirit that they cannot speak, then it is comfortable to consider that even in such cases sighs are successful. Neither may any abuse what we said of the publican and the converted thief, and content themselves to speak some few words constantly, and there rest as if all were well: no, but if we are young in Christianity, babes in Christ, our heavenly Father, (as other fathers do in theirs,) delights as much, and sometimes more, in the broken language and lispings of his little ones, and of his sick ones, than he does in the more fluent expressions of sundry others; not but that he does in his own season enable such stammerers also to speak more plainly.

4. Consider what account God does make of his people: they are his choice allowed suppliants; his royal priests; persons separated for such holy ends; his beloved ones. Hence that strong expression of Christ, encouraging us to expect the hearing of our prayers: “I say not that I will pray to the Father for you,” (namely, as now whilst on earth,) “for the Father himself loveth you;” as if that were that strong motive which will further his gracious audience of his servant’s prayers. What will not love grant?

6. Consider what account the Lord makes of his people’s prayers. They are his delight, “as sweet music in his ears.” They are memorials before him, ever in his eye, minding him of what is meet to be done for his people. They are as a recompense to him, he likes to be paid in his dues in prayer also; he thinks we never pray enough: “Hitherto you have asked nothing,” (namely, in comparison,) “open thy mouth wide.” Mercy accompanies prayer; if the Lord would turn away the one’s, yet not the other’s plea.

6. Consider what measures the Lord keeps in his respect to prayer. He hears sometimes before we call: “Preventeth his people with goodness.” Sometimes even whilst praying they have answers of grace. Sometimes when his people seek him for pardoning grace, he “showeth mercy even above their thoughts,” gives them as above what they ask, so beyond their thoughts and expectations. Wherefore raise up our expectation in this way of seeking the face of God, by thoughts of his gracious disposition to hear and help us; and when we have got up our thoughts therein to the highest, yet believe it, he has mercy and answers of grace for us above our thoughts.

7. Consider what method God continually and infallibly uses in his respects to prayer; namely, first to incline hearts to be cordial and serious in prayer, and then to give his promised mercies. The nearer and surer mercies are, the more praying motions there are then in our hearts. Both are to the same mercy, as one works to help to pray, and to hear prayer. Mercy would not be at work with us in the one, if the other part of God’s work were not to be effected.

Lastly, that we may clear up our fainting hearts, in expectation of faith, that our prayers shall not fail of good success from God, consider that parable of our Lord Jesus, which he for this purpose propounds. An unjust judge hears a poor suppliant’s request; and will not God, a Father, do much more for his? An unjust judge hears, and will not a just and righteous God hear the cry of his poor ones? One that was a hater and disregarder of men, and of his own name, yet hears; and will not God and Christ hear, whose delight is to be with men? One that was utterly averse from hearing: “He would not hear;” one to whom asking was a trouble: “This widow troubleth me;” yet at length grants the request of her which sought to him. How much more will the Lord, to whom prayer is a delight, and whose property it is to be hearing (even ready to hear) prayers; surely he will hearken to his suppliants’ requests much more. One that while he denied and delayed his petitioner, considered it not till afterwards, (then he considered with himself,) and he relents. How much rather will the Lord, who wisely weighs all circumstances and inconveniences in case of too long delay to hear? He will surely fulfill his people’s desires. One that in granting his petitioner’s desire, merely to avoid disquiet, (lest she should weary him out with her cries,) hearkens; and will not God, who delights in mercy, do much more for his precious ones? One that is solicited by a certain widow, one no way allied to him, coming to him without any other intercessor to plead her cause, yet he cannot deny her petition: and can or will the Lord deny his own dear children, who come to him in the name of him in whom he is well pleased; who have the Lord himself to intercede for them.

Lastly, very briefly. The marks of one praying in faith are these:—

1. When a soul is borne up, and carried on in praying, amidst discouragements to pray. If he pray without ceasing, when yet there are so many things sometimes which may seem to occasion ceasing to pray, save that he prays in faith. When we are hindered and opposed in it by Satan and others, yet a Joshua stands before the angel, notwithstanding Satan’s resistance. We continue crying, “Jesus, have mercy on us,” even when others would forbid us; when we are delayed and held off from our desired answers, and left in some deeps of affliction in the interim, and yet trusting in the Lord in prayer:

“We will wait.” When the Lord is long silent, yet we will not be silent, but plead, “How long, Lord?” When denied of God, as the woman of Canaan, as if we had no part in the mercy we ask, yet we continue asking. Surely there is faith emboldening thereunto. When we seem to be curbed and silently rebuked, as the friend wished not to trouble his friend, yet will not give over his suit, surely he thinks he speaks to a friend within, or else he could not, would not then continue asking.

2. When we pray with some more than usual boldness and liberty of speech, as sometimes in an awful and spiritual manner, we are wondrous free to plead with God, more than at other times, now is faith stirring in such a prayer.

3. When we pray with a kind of delightful calmness and stillness of spirit, not tossed like waves in prayer, through the power of unbelief.

4. When in setting ourselves sometimes to pray to the Lord, and petition him, we are even ready to make a holy digression and diversion, and turning our intended petition into melting, admiring praises of God; as ofttimes spiritual Christians have experiences thereof; surely then faith is stirring. So Christ turning himself to approach to God, says: “I thank thee, Father, that thou always hearest me.”