all that they obtain, had come to pass, though they had held their peace. It is for our sins, and to scourge us, that they have kingdoms, and victories ; it is not their motley faith that did purchase them. And for all manner of store and plenty that the earth yields to them, it is but as God gives fodder to the cattle, and meat to the young ravens that call upon him. 2. The prayer of faith, then, is only available, but out of the mouth of a humble suitor. For who will give an alms to a proud beggar? "Thus saith the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity; I dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." 1 Let the comparison between the Publican and the Pharisee remain for ever in our memory. 2 The prayer of the poor destitute, the contrite, the penitent, the bleeding heart, is a sacrifice well seasoned with the salt of anguish and misery. Away with high looks and high words. 66 'Lord, thou dost hear the desire of the humble, and dost prepare their heart." And "God comforteth those that are cast down."* Put yourself back, who are but dust and ashes, in a great distance from the Lord, that you may behold him the better in his infinite greatness. And a lowly heart will never spare to deject the body. "O come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker. " Solomon prayed upon his knees; so did Daniel; so did Peter, when messengers came to him from Cornelius ; so St. Paul : "For this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus. And not only men upon earth, but the glorious spirits in heaven, cast themselves and their crowns down before him that sitteth on the 6 1 Isaiah lvii. 15. 52 Chron. vi. 13. 7 Acts x. 7 2 Luke xviii. 6 Chap. vi. 10. 8 Ephes. iii. 14. 5 throne.1 Nay, the Son of God fell down upon his knees, and prayed unto his Father.2 And fasting, which is a pregnant circumstance of humiliation, was much in use with prayer; the instances are innumerous, to signify we had no part in any comfort, nor any delight in the creatures, till we were reconciled to the Lord. So was sackcloth used; and all apparel of beauty, all ornaments of riches and pride, were put off for that time. Let them be no more than outward circumstances; yet they are significant. 4 But that which is a sure companion, and most intimate to humility in prayer, is patience. It breaks not away in a pet, because it is not answered at the first or second asking: that is disdainful and arrogant. It holds on, and attends, and cries till the throat is dry: "I waited patiently for the Lord." And there must be "patient continuance in them that seek for glory and immortality." + Faith is the foundation of prayer: and, to continue the metaphor, patience is the roof. The winds blow: look to the foundation, or the building will fall. Rain and storms will descend : but if they light upon a roof that is close and compact, they run aside, and are cast upon the ground. He that expects God's pleasure from day to day, will neither faint nor fret, that his suit hangs long in the court of requests; such storms as proceed from murmuring, cannot break through a solid roof. Says Habakkuk, A great thing will the Lord bring to pass, but not presently, for "the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come." Many diseases will never be cured well, unless they be long in curing; and many deliverances will never be thoroughly settled, unless they be long : 5 1 Rev. iv. 10. 2 Luke xxii. 41. 3 Psalm xl. 1. 4 Rom. ii. 7. 5 Hab. ii. 3. in preparing; and many mercies are hid, like seed in the ground, and will be long growing. I give God thanks that every blessing of worldly comfort that I prayed for, the longer I was kept from it, and the more I prayed for it, I found it the greater in the end. Observe that there is nothing of moment, yea be it of lesser and vulgar size, with which the providence of God hath not interwoven a thousand things to be despatched with it, which requires time, perhaps seven years, to finish them. Expect, therefore, from the divine wisdom, to do all things in their order; and give honour to the Supreme Majesty to wait his leisure. "For yet a little, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry." 991 3. The third thing which gives assurance of comfort to prayer, is zeal, devotion, fervency, which will pluck on patience further and further. For he that is zealous in any thing will not easily give over till he have brought his ends to pass. Zeal is a continual and an earnest supplicant, it prays "without ceasing ;' prays exceedingly; asks with confidence, seeks with diligence, knocks with perseverance. A swarm of bees, that is many thousands, must gather into a hive to fill it with honeycombs: and a swarm of prayers is sweeter before the Lord than the honey and the honeycomb. 66 Likewise it is as vehement as it is assiduous, "labouring fervently for you in prayers. 4 Stir up your wit, and diligence, and memory, and meditations, when you come to spread out your wants before your Father but if you yawn out your heedless, heartless petitions, you shall depart with discouragement; as it is, "O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou 5 1 Heb. x. 37. 2 1 Thess. v. 17. 31 Thess. iii. 10. 4 Col. iv. 12. 66 1 be angry against the prayer of thy people?" The Laodiceans were lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, in the worship of God: therefore, the Spirit said to the angel of that church, "Be zealous, and repent.' Zeal is defined to be a vehement and inflamed love." There must be an ardour and a flame in prayer, as if we would mount it up like fire to heaven. Then we may say, that a seraphim hath laid a coal from the altar upon our mouth, and touched our lips.2 Zeal takes away the soul for a time, and carries it far above us. I write to them that have felt it, that it darts a man's spirit out of him, like an arrow out of a bow. This is it which infallibly begets hope, comfort, patience, all in a sheaf,- —as they are divinely put together: "Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer.” 3 4 66 The transportment of zeal will excuse, or rather commend some ejaculations of prayer, which seem to be too bold with God; as, "How long wilt thou turn away thy face from us, O Lord! and forgettest our misery and trouble."So, 'Why shouldst thou be as a man asleep? and as a mighty man that cannot save us?"5 And we do but follow our Saviour's pattern in it upon the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Tell not a troubled heart that is in anguish, tell it not of modesty: it is a compliment it will not be tied to. The Shunamite, swallowed up in sorrow for the loss of her child, runs to mount Carmel to Elisha, and before she said any thing, she caught him fast by the feet. Gehazi thought it irreverent and unwomanlike behaviour, and laid hold to thrust her away: "Let her alone,' 99 says the prophet, "for her soul is vexed within her. "6 1 Rev. iii. 19. 2 Isaiah vi. 7. 3 Rom. xii. 11, 12. The 1 passions of an afflicted soul have much indulgence to break out far. They are not in good compass, till vehemency of zeal carry them beyond ordinary rule and fashion. Mary Magdalen did more than this the first time she came to our Saviour; she came into a strange house without leave and admittance: into the house of a Pharisee, and those hypocrites would not admit suspected sinners: she takes opportunity to come at dinner-time, being a guest unbidden: she gives no salutation to the company, but falls down at our Saviour's feet, and lays her kisses thick upon them says a holy writer to it,-it is Gregory the great, 'Hast thou no forehead, woman? hath modesty quite left thee?' And he answers himself; 'that which she was ashamed of was within her;' she was so ashamed of her sins, that she forgot all other shamefacedness. You see that zeal will pardon boldness, and will give authority to prayer to expostulate with God, and hath a toleration, as it were, to quarrel with his mercy. Now a Christian, sensible of many imperfections, will cry out, 'O that I could attain to some degrees of zeal! I am no Shunamite, no Mary Magdalen, no Paul, fervent in spirit. I am carried away with distractions, when I speak unto the Lord in prayer; and through the multitude of various thoughts, I forget what I am about. O Christ, help our frailties, and keep our minds fixed upon thee, when we ask any thing in thy name. One body cannot be in two places at once and one heart cannot be in heaven and earth together. O let us cover our faces with the wings of the cherubims, 2 that we may not see enticements to distract us. Watch and pray: watch this wandering heart, that it may not be stolen away by fancies, that move in our mind continually, like motes in the 1 Luke vii. 37. 2 Isaiah vi. 2. |