04. Part 1, Chapter 1. Prayer in General
A DISCOURSE ON PRAYER.
PART I.
PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. —1 Thessalonians 5:17.
CHAPTER I.
PRAYER IN GENERAL.
Without spending time in analyzing the chapter, we find in this text two parts, — the duty enjoined, and the modification of the duty of praying without ceasing. Then in the former part, you have the Sovereign commanding this duty,—even God the Father; yea, Jesus Christ his Son, who by his Spirit, sent Paul, the apostle, to deliver this command, to pray without ceasing. Then you have the persons on whom this duty is enjoined, to wit, the church of Thessalonica, jointly and severally and through them, all other churches of Christ, and all Christians whatsoever.
Whence we deduce this doctrine: that incessant prayer, or prayer without ceasing, is a duty which the Lord requires of all, and every one of his people, in a special manner. Christ spoke a parable to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint He requires us to continue instant in prayer, and to be praying always with all prayer. For the better handling of this important matter of prayer, we may speak first of the duty itself, which is prayer; secondly, of the modification of it, in that it must be without ceasing; thirdly, of the conditions required, in order to incessant prayer; and fourthly, of some cases of conscience respecting it.
Touching the duty of prayer itself, we may speak first, more generally as to the nature of it, and then more particularly of the several kinds of prayer, — as sudden or ejaculatory, or as set and solemn prayer, — whether it be public prayer, or family prayer, or secret prayer. Prayer also consists of several parts. Of these we shall consider only these two, that of intercession and that of imprecation.
Prayer is a duty very many ways ennobled and honored of God and his people, and as that which is of large use and extent, whose worth is not known nor easily deciphered; whose nature is not readily conceived or described, and yet that which should be most familiar to the saints. It is set forth in Scripture by many names. Let us then read over the titles of this royal work.
It is called an offering. “My suppliants shall come and bring mine offerings;” or they shall in a solemn, reverent, and cheerful manner - pray unto the Lord, even as the godly used to bring the Lord’s offering to him. Isaiah 19:21. The converted Egyptians will do sacrifice and offering; make prayer their spiritual work and business. And prayer may well be so called; for, as that was, so this is, to be presented by all sorts, poor or rich; none are exempted from it. As those offerings were costly to all sorts, considering their several abilities, so are these spiritual sacrifices, as in case of the suppliant’s tears, sighs, strivings, and pleadings. As they were free services, so are these. Christ’s suppliants are free sacrificers; their spirit is forward to pray; to will is present with them; their prayer is their gift. Matthew 5:24. As those were to be clean and pure, so are the saint’s prayers. Job 16:17. Also my prayer is pure. If we should compare prayer with their particular offerings, it would answer to this name: as, their Mincali, or meat-offering. All the subjects of Christ’s kingdom must bring an offering (Miticah) into the courts. The converted Gentiles will bring an offering to the Lord; meaning, especially, this holy offering of prayer, which, as that of old, is to be of fine flour, and well sifted, tried, and refined in all the particulars and parts of it, and men’s aims in it. We should not ask amiss, either unlawful things, or, though lawful, yet to spend upon our lusts. It must be mingled with the oil of grace and gracious affections, and perfumed with the sweet frankincense of Christ’s merit and mediation, applied by faith, and all seasoned with that holy salt of gracious expressions outwardly, and with mortified desires and affections inwardly; avoiding the honey of human eloquence, or affectation of expression, but especially of inordinate desires or lusts.
We might also compare it with other of their offerings, but shall forbear, remembering this only, that we speak thus in reference to these, as part of their worship, and not as types of Christ.
Prayer is called incense. “Let my prayer come before thee as incense;” “in every place pure incense shall be offered to thy name;” “vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints.” As that was compounded of very costly materials, so is a spiritual prayer; as they were small beaten, so in this. Matters in prayer are not rudely, but deliberately and very particularly presented before the Lord. The saints in their prayers have also their hearts broken and bruised, and parceled out suitably to the very particulars mentioned in prayer; nor is the fire of the spirit, and of holy zeal wanting therein, which causes them to send out holy vapors of fragrant spiritual sighs and desires before the Lord; and whilst these spiritual priests are through faith exercised, offering up this their holy incense upon the altar Jesus Christ, there is but a step, as it were, between them and heaven, that holy of holies.
O how near are the saints, so exercised, to Jesus Christ, as that covering mercy-seat! What precious answers of grace receive they oftentimes from the oracle of God! How speedily do their holy odors pierce and pass into the holy of holies into heaven!
Prayer is called a lifting up of the soul and of the heart. “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul,” that is, to thee do I pray. The work of prayer being not so much to lift up eyes and hands and voice, as to lift up the heart and soul; and we have not prayed, when our spirits are not elevated. Surely that work whereby the souls of God’s suppliants, when sinking, when cleaving to the dust, are raised up, is a great work; yet Hannah’s prayer did it; “she looked no more sad.” The like elevation was David’s prayer to him, in that sad plight, from under those grievous weights upon his spirit; yea, hereby God’s suppliants do get above worldly cares, fears, and distractions. “Be careful for nothing, (meaning inordinately,) but in every thing make your request known by prayer,” etc. “And the peace of God,” etc., “shall keep your hearts and minds.” The work of prayer is not to move or remove God; he is in one mind, he is still the same; but to move and remove our hearts near to the Lord; and then have we prayed to purpose, when by prayer our hearts and spirits are in a more sublime and celestial frame; when we are more above natural, carnal, and formal self; when more off and above the world, and all the encouragements ad discouragements of it; when in and by prayer we have recovered, yea, haply exceeded our former lively apprehensions of, and affections to the Lord Jesus, our former strength and bent of spirit to his favor and ways, etc. For then our hearts are indeed lifted up: yea, prayer is not only a lifting up of the heart effectively, because when duly performed it doth thus lift it up, but it is so formally, because the very form, nature, and essence of a spiritual prayer lie in the heavenly movings, workings, and approvings of the mind and heart, as spiritual toward God and Christ, in the several expressions of their desires. Gracious suppliants, as such, “mount up with wings as eagles.” They approach to the Lord; draw near to the Lord; they fly to heaven for refuge; they fly to the Lord for refuge, like David, who, in Psalms 143:8, pleads for favor and salvation, because he lifted up his soul to the Lord; in the ninth verse renews his plea in this expression, because he did fly to the Lord to hide him.
Prayer is called meditation. “Consider my meditation,” that is, my prayer. Isaac went out to meditate, or to pray; so that prayer is not lip-labor, if rightly performed, but it is a work of the mind exercised herein. It is blamed in hypocrites’ worship and prayer, which is therefore accounted null and vain, that they draw near with their lips, but their hearts are far from God. Prayer in the rise of it is a studied work; many a thought spent beforehand about the sins which the saints confess; about the wants which they express; upon the mercies which they do acknowledge; upon the purity, majesty, immensity, all-sufficiency, fidelity, and bounty, etc., of the Lord, to whom they pray; the beauty and fullness, etc., of the Lord Jesus, in whose name they pray; yea, immediately before they pray, they have their preparatory musing of what, of whom, and through whom they are to ask, and as they are praying, their minds are attent and intent upon what they pray for; yea, they usher in their expressions in prayer. The saints in prayer do familiarly commune with the Lord, as Abraham did in his petitioning of the Lord, Genesis 18:1-33. But yet are they very serious, and intent in this their holy discourse with the Lord, and though they do wrestle with the Lord in their pleas, in prayer, yet do they not tumultuously wrangle with him, but their spirits are stiff and calm, as but talking with the Lord.
True suppliants are so sensible of their own vileness, and troubled about their own unworthiness, that they are in a holy sense afraid, and ashamed to speak out to the Lord, as sometimes Ezra was, Ezra 9:6. Yet through faith do they eye the Lord as one so near them, that it sufficeth them to whisper to him the desires and ails of their hearts; and as one so faithful that he will wisely consider of what they thus impart to him.
Prayer is called a wrestling with the Lord. There was a mutual wrestling of the Lord with Jacob; which God intended for a trial of him, and in which he prevailed, and that wrestling was his supplication, as Hosea has it: He prevailed over the angel, he wept and made supplication, always wrestling for you in prayers, αγωνιζομηνου, striving, as they did for masteries in the Olympic games, and “striving together with me in prayer.” Praying work is wrestling work; cross and harsh to the flesh and blood. The saints are put to it by their unregenerate part to strive with that, to get into a praying frame: “The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh”; yea, with Satan too. And when once in such a frame, there is much need of conflict with the enemies of prayer, to keep in it; but, as if this were a small matter, a suppliant hath God himself to wrestle with: “And who is sufficient for these things?” We had need, indeed, with praying Jacob, of God’s strength, that thereby we may prevail with him. Hosea says, “by his strength he had power with God.” The Lord is willing to forgive, ready to help, yet he delights to try his own strength of grace in his people; the strength of their faith in Christ, and in his covenant; the strength of their holy desires and pleas. When such holy strength is put forth in prayer, then we pray indeed, for then we wrestle. When in prayer we close with the Lord, get fast hold of him, of his grace, goodness, power, and truth, or the like; and keep our hold so fast and so long, that we are got within him, (so to speak,) that we have him where we would have him; that we get our spiritualized wills of him; that be expresses a holy yielding to hear and help us, so that thereby our very hearts are cheered, quickened, and quieted by it. Now hare we prayed, for we have wrestled to purpose. And for this end, that our praying may be such indeed, or that it may be wrestling, conscience is to be made of preparation, as for wrestling. We are to be temperate in all things, forbearing any inordinacies of cares, fears, desires, delights, employments, and to diet ourselves, feed and delight ourselves in such sort as may fit us for prayer. To exercise ourselves in holy ejaculatory prayers, and holy meditations, and to get our souls well oiled and suppled by the praying grace of the spirit beforehand.
Prayer is a serving of God, and a serving of God in the spirit: “Our tribes instantly serving God night and day;” that is, praying. “My God whom I serve in my spirit,” that is, to whom I pray. A suppliant’s prayer is to him his only work and business, such as if he bad then nothing to do beside; yea, it is his Lord and Master’s business, which he in obedience to his command is ready to attend, a business to be done with all his might; he loveth to make something of it before he leaveth it; if he seems sometimes to idle out his time in distractions and distempers, how grievous is it to such a one to seem to have lost such a morning or evening without doing any thing of moment for the Lord, for his own soul, or others? He loves to pray whilst his heart be well warmed; nor is the Lord wont to be behindhand with any such as so serve him; he pays them best in holy recompenses of his grace, in them which pray most to him. The people concluded that Jonathan had wrought with God that day (wrestled, prayed hard) when they saw so apparently the stamp of God imprinted upon that victory given in to him, and by him. Yea, verily, it is no small reward to the suppliants of God, that the Lord doth account, that when they are praying to him, they are serving of him; when they are telling him of their spiritual wants and inabilities to do him service, confessing their failings in his service, and what unprofitable, unthankful servants they have been to him; how the Lord reckons they are doing him very acceptable service; the poor saints are ready to complain that they can do God no service, etc. No; Can you beg? Can you pray? This is service of God indeed.
Prayer, in the manner of carrying it on, is a holy serving of the Lord; how reverent is a suppliant! he serves the Lord with fear and trembling whilst praying; how humble is he! he is careful to keep his distance even in talking thus with the Lord. Abraham then tells the Lord he is but dust. Prayer, also, in the intents and desires of the suppliant, is serving the Lord; all that which a true suppliant fetches of God in prayer, if you resolve it into its last end, is service. He prays for outward things, as Jacob, Genesis 28:1-22. For parts and gifts, as Solomon, 1 Kings 3:1-28. For life and health, for deliverance out of divers afflictions, outward and inward, as Hezekiah, Isaiah 38:1-22, and David oft; but in all, it is that he might serve the Lord, and glorify him the more thereby; he comes, with an obedient spirit, for mercy from God, ready pressed to do any work of his, to attend any command of his. A praying frame is an obedient frame, a command of God bringing a true suppliant upon his knees, and on his knees he waits for a command from him.
Prayer is called knocking, namely, at the door of God’s grace and mercy in Christ, “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Prayer is a holy approaching to the door of mercy for all manner of supplies of grace which the saints stand in need of; the saints rest not in this, that there is a door of grace, that there is mercy for sinners to be had in Christ, but they are careful in the use of this holy means of opening the same; mercy is freely promised to the people of God, yet may none rush into the door of God, under pretence that it is open, without knocking, Ezekiel 36:25-27, etc. The door of grace is set very open: “I will pour clean water upon you,” etc.; but verse 37, “For this will I be sought by the house of Israel.” Prayer acknowledges the Lord’s prerogative royal: “In all thy way acknowledge him.” True suppliants eye the Lord as a great God, as well as gracious, and therefore are willing to keep their due distances: though the saints be the friends of Christ and of God, who may assume a holy boldness with him, yet it is becoming them not rudely to press upon his favor, or challenge: this or that benefit of it without asking leave. Indeed, pinching extremities will make them put a good face upon it, and not continue walking to and fro, within some general view of mercy, but to knock and knock, again and again, at mercy’s door, to pray often for the opening thereof to them. True suppliants are in haste of earnest and weighty affairs in their converse with the Lord, they have much to do with him, much to say to him, much to receive from him, and therefore they must, they will knock; they are sure that a gracious Father of theirs is within, yea, within bearing; and therefore they cannot but thus knock and pray. True it is, sometimes this door of grace seems to be shut against them in some displeasure, but yet this makes them the more earnest: “Hath be in anger shut up his tender mercies?” “Trouble me not, for I am in bed,” saith the friend within; but et see what prevailing importunity he uses, so that for his importunity the friend rises, opens, and gives what is desired.
What is prayer, but a spiritual knocking, a special means of opening of the gate and door of grace; and so of all the lesser wickets (as it were) thereon depending. Hence Psalms 119:169, “Let my cry come before thee,” (saith the Psalmist,) “Let my supplications come before thee;” as if he would say, open, Lord, to prayer, Jet it come in, let not that stand without: Lord, prayer is at the door, therefore open. So Psalms 88:2, “Let my prayer come before thee,” or come where thou art. David prays that the Lord would not “hide himself from his supplications.” Prayer will come in where the Lord is, will look him out (as it were) in all corners. Psalms 66:20, David “blesses the Lord that he had not turned away his prayer.” Prayer stands still at God’s door, it will not away without its errand and answer.
Wisdom’s out-doors, even the ordinances, are opened by prayer. Outlawed Gentiles fare the better for that prayer: “Let thy way be known among the people, thy saving health among all nations.” “Pray the Lord of the harvest, that he would thrust out laborers into his harvest.” Prayer helps people to a fruitful ministry, prayer helps to open the minister’s mouth, opens a door of utterance, Colossians 4:3. Pray that God would open my mouth. Prayer opens a door of faith, 1 Corinthians 16:8-9. The “mystery of salvation may be made known” by it, Ephesians 6:19. The word may come to have an open and effectual passage into people’s hearts by it. Hence that request, “Pray that the word may have a free course and be glorified,” etc. The door of liberty, the church’s liberties, may be opened to the prayer of the saints, as to Paul, upon his prayer, Acts 11:1-30 :Those strong and secret doors of death may be opened by prayer. Hence the prophet’s raising of the dead child by prayer. So Jonah by prayer had the belly of hell, the whale’s belly and jaws, opened to him, to let him out. By prayer the doors of the womb are opened, as in Hannah’s case, and Rebecca’s, and Elizabeth’s. By prayer the doors of heaven are opened: “If I shut heaven, and my people pray,” etc. “I will hear,” etc. By prayer the “prison doors are opened,” as to Peter, upon the church’s prayer, Acts 12:5; Acts 12:10. Secrets which otherwise are not to be opened, yet are to be unfolded by prayer, Daniel 2:18-19. Then was the secret revealed, upon prayer for the mercies of heaven that way. As in other knocking there is a hand, there are fingers which make a noise and help open the door; so here there is a hand of faith which knocks, and that will open that large gate and door of mercy, and any of the lesser wickets depending: “O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” Come into all my treasures of grace, and take even what thou desirest. Godly desires knock and make a noise in God’s ears, and he opens to them: “He heareth the desire of the humble.” They will come in where the Lord is: “Lord, all my desire is before thee.” The saint’s sighs make a noise at heaven’s gates, and God comes forth to them: “For the sighing of the prisoners, I will arise, saith the Lord.” “Let the sighing of the prisoners come before thee;” room for the sighing of the prisoners, Lord; yea, their very tears too make a loud noise at this door, and they have their voice also in prayer: “Thou hast heard the voice of my weeping.” No wonder, then, that effectual prayer consisting of all these, be indeed a knocking, and means of opening of the gate and door of mercy in Jesus Christ. We pass by other names given to prayer, as that of seeking, asking, calling, opening of the mouth wide, running to the Lord for counsel, referring one’s case to him, and the like. We come, now, to give a description of prayer.
Prayer is a spiritual and faithful opening of the heart to God in the name of Christ, with an eye to seasonable help and relief from him. By heart we mean thoughts, desires, affections; these wants and weaknesses and sins to which the heart is privy, and of which it is sensible. We call it an opening of the heart in opposition to hypocritical covering, and attempts to hide any thing from the Lord, whereby their prayers become no prayers, their worship yam, whilst digging deep to hide the counsels of the heart from God, Isaiah 29:13; Isaiah 29:15, compared with Psalms 119:26, “I have declared my ways to thee,” that is, prayed, “and thou heardest me.” Prayer is a showing of our way to God, or as the Hebrew word imports, a telling or counting them one by one, as if we pray indeed, when we do from our hearts deal plainly and punctually with God therein, when we leave out nothing which we know by ourselves untold before him, even in a particular manner, whether respecting our wants, our sins, or the like; so Psalms 38:18, “I have declared mine iniquity,” meaning all and each of his sins, there were some more special sins, sins which were chiefly his; the Hebrew word signifies a telling of some new thing. David’s prayer and confession is not a highway, or one track of confession, but it is a. telling of him of any new, fresh acts of sin. Jeremiah 20:12, “To thee have I opened my cause,” or prayed to thee. Prayer is an opening of the soul’s corners and cases to the Lord; the same word in another conjugation is used for uncovering, making bare and naked. The saints in prayer do, or should nakedly present their souls’ causes without any covering, or so much as a rag of self or flesh cleaving to them. But it will be objected that all things are naked to him with whom we have to do; be is privy to our secrets; how is prayer an opening of the heart to him?
Suppliants are said in prayer to open their hearts to God.
1. In that they do not, dare not, go about to hide, or desire that ought in their hearts should be hid from the Lord. It is their desire he should, and they are very glad that he does, know all their heart; their hearts are ready to break when they, through temptation or desertion, want vent in prayer.
2. In that it is their desire and endeavor to present all within their hearts, which God by a general eye of wisdom and omniscience seeth, unto a more special, energetical view of the eye of God’s compassion and love: “Behold and visit this vine.” “Look upon me as thou used to do on those that fear thy name.” “Look down from heaven,” etc. “Where are the sounding of thy bowels?”
3. In that they do thus in way of an ordinance of God, which be doth observe and own, as opening of their heart to God: “Pour out your heart to him,” or pray to him. And although their hearts are open to God before, yet they are not actually opened, in this way of required expression of the same, till they do thus pray.
4. In that when prayer is duly performed, as their minds and hearts are uttered and poured out as before the Lord’s face; so are they, in a lively manner, quickened to behold God’s merciful and energetical view of the same; hence that persuasion of David:
“All my desires are before thee.”
It is a spiritual opening. Spiritual, in respect of the efficient and working cause, God’s Spirit actuates and works therein. It is prayer in the Holy Ghost. The spirit maketh intercession in us: the spirit of prayer is wrought in it. Prayer is called εωεργοθμενη, inwrought, our spirits also as actuated and improved thereby, are at work in it: “My God, whom I serve with my spirit.” Our hearts are as water poured out to waft along each petition and confession, or as oil to anoint these messengers of the soul, that they may fly the faster to God’s throne. It is spiritual in the matter of it, things of God’s kingdom, or if other things, yet under a spiritual consideration, as according to God’s will, and for his glory. Spiritual in the manner, namely, in a sublime and elevated manner of performance, Isaiah 37:4, “Lift up thy prayer.” Spiritual in the end, a calling upon God whereby he is exalted. Spiritual in the motive and groundwork, a command of God requiring, a promise in encouraging: “Thou saidst, seek my face; my heart answered, Lord, thy face will I seek.” “For thou revealedst to thy servant, saying, I will build thee a house, therefore bath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer.” It is a faithful opening, that is, unfeigned, without reservations; prayer from unfeigned lips
It is an opening to God, not to saints and angels, which neither know our hearts, nor can help us. Though Abraham know us not. And it is to God, not as into the air, or as at an uncertainty, where, or to whom.
It is an opening in the name of Christ. There is a holy renouncing of ourselves, and our own worth and strength, and a resting and trusting upon the Lord Jesus only, through whom we come to the throne of grace, and for whose sake alone we plead for, and expect audience and acceptance, yea, an assistance.
It is an opening of the heart, with an eye to seasonable help: “Our eyes are unto the Lord, until he show us mercy.”
Thus much concerning prayer in general.
We might give sundry reasons to enforce this duty; taken,
First, from God, absolutely and relatively considered, who is thereby honored. And secondly, from Christ, whose office it is to take these offerings from his people, and present them before his father; and who bath through many difficulties made this way for his people, that they may freely and familiarly thus talk with God, and open their wants to him. Thirdly, from the Spirit of God, whose office, among other things, it is, to help and enable the saints to the• careful performance of this duty. Fourthly, from the saints themselves.
1. Their necessities call for it.
2. Their manifold engagements to the Lord require it.
3. They have praying graces as, first, faith.
Prayer is in this respect also the prayer of faith, James 5:15. Faith is an emptying grace; gives the most sensible and lively view of the soul’s wants and nothingness; presents the Lord in all his freeness, fulness, and faithfulness, for the soul’s suitable supply.
Secondly, love. “I love the Lord, therefore will I call upon him,” or pray; love of the Lord fills the soul with desires, and breathings after union, and communion with him whom the soul loves. “Let my beloved come into his garden.” Love is open-hearted, would open the soul to her lover, Jesus Christ, and to the Father, by him: love is fruitful, and in a holy way eloquent in its gracious expressions to him.
Thirdly, zeal. This is attended with vehement desires: “Yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal?” that blessed fire will cause such holy smoke in the weakest Christian, and that will soon sparkle out in holy supplications, that will be mounting upwards, spiritualizing and lifting up the heart thus heavenward.
Fourthly, holy jealousy and fear of God. Thou castest off fear, thou restrainest prayer: unless fear be thrust out of doors, that will put the soul upon prayer; other jealousy fills men’s heads and hearts with motions, so doth holy jealousy with praying motions and matter. The more we suspect ourselves, the more are we in these holy inquiries of God. Holy jealousy is an utter enemy to carnal security; presumption, selfishness, and confidence, the very bane of prayer.
4. Their spiritual calling as saints, calls for their drawing thus near to God for their offering up these spiritual sacrifices and offerings, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. As being spiritual priests, yea, as sons and children, they must thus own their Father, in crying Abba, Father, and as subjects honor their blessed king by becoming his humble petitioners; the believing penitent thief upon the cross performed this as his homage to Jesus Christ, as king of saints, he prayeth, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” The fifth reason may be taken from the enemies of prayer;— the devil, flesh, and world; which oppose the same upon all occasions, and seek in special sort to hinder the careful practice of it, (as might be showed in many particulars,) so that it the more concerns us to attend it, else would not they be so busy to divert us from it, or distract or discourage us in it. The sixth reason may be taken from prayer itself as spiritually performed, in that it is so acceptable to the Lord, so prevailing with him to admiration, for any thing which is according to his will. But inasmuch as in handling the particular kinds of prayer, we have more occasion to press upon the conscience, we shall here but name such things as might enforce to the duty.
Let us only now make one use of what has been said, and that in way of reproof of God’s own professing people, who are too ready also to neglect and omit this duty of prayer: “But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob.” That was very grievous to God, when a people whom he hath severed into church estate, with an aim at his praise; yet they should neglect to honor him in careful calling upon him. Such as we are, are looked upon by others as a praying people; but ah, that the world were not mistaken in us! what wonder is it if many professors excel no more in the things of God, if they are not much in prayer! One of the ancients used to say, If I see a man not delighting in prayer, I conclude he is one of no inward excellences; nay, is it any wonder to see many congregations rather hospitals of poor, decrepit, decayed, diseased Christians, than gardens where are goodly, fragrant, thriving plants? As the body without the soul is dead, unserviceable, yea, is an offence in others’ nostrils, so are we as loathsome in God’s sight, without the true exercise of prayer, which, (as some have called it,) is, as it were, the soul of our souls. Some of the ancients have called prayer the physic of the soul; and truly such it is; it will, by the blessing of God, purge, heal, recover, quicken, and strengthen a very weakly Christian, as experience witnesseth. But what will become of other distempered, relapsed professors, who use not this holy course of physic, is it wonder that such die, become twice dead? Some have called prayer the sun and light of the soul, and truly in a sense it is so; but how darkly and sadly must they needs walk, and how often will they be stumbling and falling dangerously? How little spiritual work will they do for Christ, in whose horizon this sun of prayer is setting, if not already set, and from whom this lightsome and lifegiving ordinance is removed? Others have called prayer the nerves and sinews of the soul, and truly so it is; prayer holdeth altogether in us, keepeth all in due place and strength; and they must needs grow loose and weak, who make not continual use thereof upon all occasions. But that this admonition be not as an arrow shot at rovers, let us show first some symptoms of this spiritual evil of omission of prayer; and so who are the persons. concerned herein, and show some particular branches of the evil of it.
Touching the former, —1. Such are surely of drawing near to God, who are not pliable the whole will of God: “She obeyed not the v she drew not near to her God.” Earnest prayer would inure us from our hearts to say, “Thy will be done,” and accordingly in heart to endeavor it.
2. Those omit prayer, who walk not humbly in afflictions; such as are full of impatience, discontent, tumultuousness of spirit, and the like: “She received not correction, she drew not near to her God.” Eliphaz gathered that Job was neglectful of prayer, because so querulous, and (as he thought) repining at God’s dealings with him: “Surely thou casteth off fear, and thou restrainest prayer; should a wise man dispute with words not comely?”
3. Those omit prayer, who are ready upon every occasion to distrust God in his promise or providence: “She trusted not in the Lord, she drew not near to her God.”
4. When professors are so very hard to be convinced of a sin, as sins of worldliness, pride, oppression, error, impatience, and the rest: “Thou casteth off fear, thou restrainest prayer, for thy mouth declareth thine iniquity, seeing thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty.” To evade and avoid the just imputations (as he thought) of hypocrisy. This argues also omission of prayer.
5. So is oppression one of another, an argument thereof: “They eat up my people, they call not upon God.”
6. Backsliding and lukewarmness in religion, also argues the same; these two are joined, Ephesians 1:6, Such as are turned back from the Lord, and those that have not sought the Lord. So is that of not inquiring after him, namely, of his servants. I fear these backsliding times are not such praying times as formerly.
7. The sad temptations which are too rife among professors, argue omission and neglect of prayer:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” Yea, but it appeared, that against that third admonition of Christ, they did neglect to do it; yea, Peter who was personally admonished. “What, Peter, couldst not thou watch?” But ah, the advantages which presently Satan got against the disciples, and against Peter above all the rest; witness his third denial of Christ. In a word, the little success we ofttimes find in our weighty endeavors, argues that we ask not, and therefore have not any choice blessing thereon: “Ye war and get nothing, because ye ask nothing.”
Touching the second thing, the case of such persons is bad, both in respect, I. Of evils of sin, accompanying the same.
1. Such are far from experimental knowledge of God, and of his ways: “The heathen that know not God, who call not upon him,” Jeremiah 10:24.
2. Such are secretly hypocrites, yea, very atheists,) who make not conscience of prayer. It is the atheist in heart, who in his heart saith, “There is no God,” “Who calleth not upon God.”
3. Such are under some deep measure of hardness of heart, yea, of wilful hardening themselves; the cast out all motions in them, arising from any fear of God, who restrains prayer.
4. Such are in a ready way to blaspheme Go and his ways: “What is the Almighty that we should fear him, or what profit should we have if we pray to him?” they are in a ready way to cast God quite out of their thoughts. These two are joined. “He will not seek after God, God is not in all his thoughts.”
5. But at best, such are surely weary of God:
“Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.” And what a sin and shame is it to be carelessly weary of God, the God of our mercy?
II. The case of such who omit and neglect prayer, is sad, in respect of the evil of sorrow. Such as call not upon God, are oftentimes in causeless horrors, and have little quiet, or peace in their spirits: “They call not upon God, and then are they in fear where no fear is.” And to say no more, such will in time come under that dreadful imprecation: “Pour out thy wrath upon the families which call not upon thy name,” and so may come to lie open to a more full measure of the wrath of the Almighty than other men. And so much of Prayer in General.