A Supplement to the Several Discourses Upon Various Divine Subjects, Discourse 4
A DISCOURSE OF Delight in Prayer.
Pſal. 37.4.
Delight thy ſelf alſo in the Lord, and he ſhall give thee the deſires of thy heart.
THis Pſalm in the beginning is a heap of Inſtructions: The great Leſſon intended in it is plac'd in verſe 1. Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evil doers, neither be thou envious againſt the workers of iniquity. 'Tis reſum'd verſe 7, 8. where many Reaſons are alledged to enforce it.
Fret not.]
1. Do not envy them. Be not troubled at their proſperity.
2. Do not imitate them. Be not provoked by their Glow-worm happineſs, to practice the ſame wickedneſs to arrive to the ſame proſperity.
3. Be not ſinfully impatient and quarrel, not with God, becauſe he hath not by his providence allowed thee the ſame meaſures of proſperity in the world. Accuſe him not of injuſtice and cruelty, becauſe he afflicts the good, and is indulgent to the wicked. Leave him to diſpenſe his bleſſings according to his own mind.
4. Condemn not the way of Piety and Religion wherein thou art. Think not the worſe of thy Profeſſion, becauſe it is attended with Affliction.
The reaſon of this Exhortation is rendred v. 2. For they ſhall ſoon be cut down as the graſs, and wither as the green herb; amplified by a ſimilitude or reſemblance of their proſperity to graſs: Their happineſs hath no ſtability; it hath like graſs, more of colour and ſhow, than ſtrength and ſubſtance. Graſs nods this and that way with every wind. The mouth of a Beaſt may pull it up, or the foot of a Beaſt may tread it down; the ſcorching Sun in Summer, or the fainting Sun in Winter, will deface its complexion.
The Pſalmiſt then proceeds to poſitive duties, v. 3.
1. Faith. Truſt in the Lord. This is a grace moſt fit to quell ſuch impatiencies. The ſtronger the faith, the weaker the paſſion. Impatient motions are ſigns of a flagging faith. Many times Men are ready to caſt off their help in Jehovah, and addreſs to the God of Ekron, multitudes of friends or riches. But truſt thou in the Lord; in the promiſes of God, in the providence of God.
2. Obedience. Do good. Truſt in God's promiſes, and obſervance of his precepts muſt be linkt together. 'Tis but a pretended truſt in God, where there is a real walking in the paths of wickedneſs. Let not the gliſter of the world render thee faint and languid in a courſe of Piety.
3. The keeping our ſtation. Do good. Becauſe wicked men flouriſh, hide not thy ſelf therefore in a corner, but keep thy ſphere, run thy Race. And verily thou ſhalt be fed; have every thing needful for thee. And now, becauſe men delight in that wherein they truſt, the Pſalmiſt diverts us from all other objects of delight, to God as the true object. Delight thy ſelf in the Lord; place all thy pleaſure and joy in him. And becauſe the motive expreſſeth the anſwer of prayer, the duty enjoyned ſeems to reſpect the act of prayer, as well as the object of prayer; Prayer coming from a delight in God, and a delight in ſeeking him. Truſt is both the ſpring of joy and the ſpring of Supplication. When we truſt him for ſuſtenance and preſervation, we ſhall receive them; ſo when we delight in ſeeking him, we ſhall be anſwered by him.
1. The Duty. In the act, Delight. In the object, the Lord.
2. The motive. He ſhall give thee the deſires of thy heart, the moſt ſubſtantial deſires, thoſe deſires which he approves of; The deſire of thy heart as gracious, though not the deſire of thy heart as carnal: The deſire of thy heart as a Chriſtian, though not the deſire of thy heart as a creature. He ſhall give; God is the object of our joy, and the author of our comfort.
Doctrine. Delight in God, in ſeeking him only, procures gracious anſwers; or, without chearful prayers, we cannot have gracious anſwers.
There are two parts. 1. Chearfulneſs on our parts. 2. Grants on Gods part.
1 Chearfulneſs and delight on our parts. Joy is the tuning the Soul. The command to rejoyce precedes the command to pray, 1 Theſ. 5.16, 17. Rejoyce evermore, pray without ceaſing. Delight makes the melody, prayer elſe will be but a harſh ſound. God accepts the heart only, when it is a gift given, not forc'd. Delight is the marrow of Religion.
1. Dulneſs is not ſuitable to the great things we are chiefly to beg for. Goſpel-diſcoveries are a feaſt, Iſa. 25.6. Dulneſs becomes not ſuch a ſolemnity. Manna muſt not be ſought for with a dumpiſh heart. With joy we are to draw water out of the Wells of Salvation, Iſa. 12.3. Faith is the bucket, but joy and love are the hands that move it. They are the Hur and Aaron that hold up the hands of this Moſes. God doth not value that mans ſervice, who accounts not his ſervice a priviledge and a pleaſure.
2. Dulneſs is not ſuitable to the Duty. Goſpel-duties are to be performed with a Goſpel-temper. God's People ought to be a willing people, Pſa. 110.3. foreign, a people of willingneſs: As though in prayer no other faculty of the Soul had its exerciſe but the will. This muſt breathe fully in every word; as the ſpirit in Ezekiel's wheels. Delight, like the Angel*Judg. 13.20., muſt aſcend in the ſmoke and flame of the Soul. Though there be a kind of union by contemplation, yet the real union is by affection. A man cannot be ſaid to be a ſpiritual King, if he doth not preſent his performances with a Royal and Prince-like ſpirit. 'Tis for vigorous wreſtling that Jacob is called a Prince, Gen. 32.28.
This Temper is eſſential to grace. Natural men are deſcribed to be of a heavy and weary temper in the offering of Sacrifices, Mal. 1.13. It was but a ſickly, lame Lamb they brought for an offering, and yet weary of it, that which was not fit for their table they thought fit for the Altar.
In the handling this Doctrine I ſhall ſhew,
1. What this delight is.
2. Whence it ſprings.
3. The reaſons of the doctrine.
4. The uſe.
1. What this delight is. Delight properly is an affection of the mind that Springs from the poſſeſſion of a good which hath been ardently deſired. This is the top ſtone, the higheſt ſtep, delight is but an Embryo till it come to fruition, and that certain and immutable; Otherwiſe, if there be probability or poſſibility of loſing that which we have preſent poſſeſſion of, the fear of it is as a drop of gall that infects the ſweetneſs of this paſſion; delight properly is a ſilencing of deſire, and the banquet of the Soul on the preſence of its deſired object.
But there is a delight of a lower ſtamp.
1. In deſires. There is a delight in deſire, as well as in fruition. A chearfulneſs in labour, as well as in attainment. The deſire of Canaan made the good Iſraelites chearful in the wilderneſs. There is an inchoate delight in motion, but a conſummate delight in reſt and fruition.
2. In hopes. Deſired happineſs affects the Soul; much more expected happineſs, Rom. 5.2. We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God. Joy is the natural iſſue of a well grounded hope. A tottering expectation will engender but a tottering delight: Such a delight will Mad-men have, which is rather to be pitied than deſired. But if an imaginary hope can affect the heart with ſome real joy, much more a hope ſetled upon a ſure bottom, and raiſed upon a good foundation There may be joy in a title as well as in poſſeſſion.
3. In contemplation. The conſideration and ſerious thoughts of heaven do affect a gracious heart, and fill it with pleaſure, tho it ſelf be as if in a wilderneſs. The near appproach to a deſired good doth much affect the heart. Moſes was ſurely more pleaſed with the ſight of Canaan from Piſgah, than with the hopes of it in the deſert A travellers delight is more raiſed when he is neareſt his journeys end, and a hungry ſtomach hath a greater joy when he ſees the meat approaching which muſt ſatisfy the appetite. As the Union with the object is nearer, ſo the delight is ſtronger. Now this delight the Soul hath in duty, is not a delight of fruition, but of deſire, hope, or contemplation; Gaudium viae, not patriae.
1. We may conſider delight as Active or Paſſive.
1. Active, which is an act of our Souls in our approaches to God. When the heart like the Sun rouzeth up itſelf as a Gyant to run a ſpiritual race.
2. Paſſive. Which is Gods diſpenſation in approaches to us, and often met with in our chearful addreſſes to God, Iſa. 64.5. Thou meeteſt him that rejoiceth and works righteouſneſs. When we delightfully claſp about the Throne of grace, God doth often caſt his arms about our necks: Eſpecially when chearful prayer is accompanyed with a chearful obedience. This joy is, when Chriſt meets us in prayer with a be of good cheer, thy ſins are forgiven, thy requeſt granted. The active delight is the health of the Soul, the paſſive is the good complexion of the Soul. The one is mans duty, the other Gods peculiar gift. The one is the inſeparable property of the new birth, the other a ſeparable priviledge. There may be a joy in God, when there is little joy from God. There may be Gold in the Mine, when no flowers on the ſurface.
2. We may conſider delight as ſetled or tranſient: As Spiritual or Senſitive.
1. A ſetled delight. In ſtrong and grown Chriſtians, when prayer proceeds out of a thankfulneſs to God, a judicious knowledg and apprehenſion of God. The nearer to God the more delight: As the motion of a ſtone is moſt ſpeedy when neareſt its Center.
2. A Senſitive delight. As in perſons troubled in mind, there may be a kind of delight in prayer, becauſe there is ſome ſenſe of eaſe in the very venting itſelf; And in ſome, becauſe of the novelty of a duty they were not accuſtom'd to before. Many prayers may be put up by perſons in neceſſity without any Spiritual delight in them; As crazy perſons take more Phyſick than thoſe that are healthful, and obſerve the Spring and Fall, yet they delight not in that Phyſick. The Phariſee could pray longer, and perhaps with ſome delight too, but upon a ſenſual ground, with a proud and a vaunting kind of chearfulneſs, a delight in himſelf; When the Publican had a more ſpiritual delight; Though a humble ſorrow, in the conſideration of his own vileneſs, yet a delight in the conſideration of Gods mercy. This ſenſitive delight may be more ſenſible in a young, than in a grown Chriſtian. There is a more ſenſible affection at the firſt meeting of friends, though more ſolid after ſome converſe; As there is a love which is called the love of the eſpouſals. As it is in ſorrow for ſin, ſo in this delight; A young convert hath a greater torrent, a grown Chriſtian a more conſtant ſtream; As at the firſt converſion of a ſinner there is an overflowing joy among the Angels, which we read not of after, though without queſtion there is a ſettled joy in them at the growth of a Chriſtian. An elder ſon may have a delight in his Fathers preſence more rooted, firm and rational, than a younger child that clings more about him with affectionate expreſſions. As ſincerity is the Soul of all graces and duties, ſo this delight is the luſtre and embroydery of them.
Now this Delight in Prayer,
1. 'Tis an inward and hearty delight. As to the ſubject of it, it is ſeated in the heart. A man in prayer may have a chearful countenance and a drowſy ſpirit. The Spirit of God dwells in the heart, and love and joy are the firſt-fruits of it, Gal. 5.22. Love to duty, and joy in it; joy as a grace, not as a meer comfort. As God is hearty in offering mercy, ſo is the Soul in petitioning for it. There is a harmony between God and the heart. Where there is delight, there is great pains taken with the heart; a gracious heart ſtrikes it ſelf again and again; As Moſes did the rock twice. Thoſe ends which God hath in giving, are a Chriſtians ends in asking. Now the more of our hearts in the requeſts, the more of Gods heart in the grants. The Emphaſis of mercy is Gods whole heart and whole Soul in it, Jer. 22.41. So the Emphaſis of duty is our whole Heart and whole Soul. As without Gods chearful anſwering, a gracious Soul would not relliſh a mercy, ſo without our hearty asking God doth not relliſh our prayer.
2. 'Tis a delight in God who is the Object of Prayer. The glory of God, communion with him, enjoyment of him is the great end of a believer in his Supplications. That delight which is in prayer, is chiefly in it as a means conducing to ſuch an end, and is but a ſpark of that delight which the Soul hath in the object of prayer. God is the Center wherein the Soul reſts, and the end which the Soul aims at. According to our apprehenſions of God are our deſires, for him, when we apprehend him as the chiefeſt good, we ſhall deſire him, and delight in him, as the chiefeſt good. There muſt firſt be a delight in God, before there can be a ſpiritual delight, or a permanency in duty, Job 27.10. Will he delight himſelf in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? Delight is a grace; and as faith, deſire, and love, have God for their object, ſo hath this. And according to the ſtrength of our delight in the object or end, is the ſtrength of our delight in the means of attainment. When we delight in God as glorious, we ſhall delight to honour him, when we regard him as good, we ſhall delight to purſue and enjoy him, and delight in that which brings us to an intercourſe with him. He that rejoyces in God, will rejoyce in every approach to him. The joy of the Lord is our ſtrength, Neh. 8.10. The more joy in God, the more ſtrength to come to him. The want of this is the reaſon of our Snail-like motion to him. Men have no ſweet thoughts of God, and therefore no mind to converſe with him. We cannot judg our delight in prayer to be right, if we have not a delight in God; for natural men may have a delight in prayer, when they have corrupt and ſelfiſh ends; they may have a delight in a duty, as it is a means, according to their apprehenſions, to gain ſuch an end: As Balaam and Balak offered their Sacrifice chearfully, hoping to ingratiate themſelves with God, and to have liberty to curſe his people.
3. A delight in the precepts and promiſes of God, which are the ground and rules of Prayer. Firſt David delights in Gods teſtimonies, and then calls upon him with his whole heart. A gracious heart muſt firſt delight in precepts and promiſes, before it can turn them into prayers; For prayer is nothing elſe but a preſenting God with his own promiſe, deſiring to work that in us, and for us, which he hath promiſed to us. None was more chearful in prayer than David, becauſe none was more rejoycing in the ſtatutes of God. Gods ſtatutes were his Songs, Pſa. 119.54. And the divine Word was ſweeter to him than the hony and hony-comb. If our hearts leap not at divine promiſes, we are like to have but drowſy Souls in deſiring them. If our eye be not upon the dainties God ſets before us, our deſires cannot be ſtrong for him. If we have no delight in the great charters of heaven, the rich legacies of God, how can we ſue for them? If we delight not in the covenant of grace, we ſhall not delight in prayers for grace. It was the hopes of reward made Moſes ſo valiant in ſuffering, and the joy ſet before Chriſt in a promiſe, made him ſo chearful in enduring the ſhame. Heb. 12.1.2.
4. A delight in prayer itſelf. A Chriſtians heart is in ſecret raviſht into heaven. There is a delight in coming near God, and warming the ſoul by the fire of his love. The Angels are chearful in the act of praiſe, their work is their glory. A holy Soul doth ſo delight in this duty, that if there were no command to engage him, no promiſe to encourage him, he would be ſtepping into Gods Courts. He thinks it not a good day, that paſſeth without ſome intercourſe with God. David would have taken up his lodgings in the Courts of God, and regards it as the only bleſſedneſs, Pſalm. 65.4. And ſo great a delight he had in being in Gods preſence, that he envies the birds the happineſs of building their neſts near his Tabernacle. A delight there is in the holineſs of Prayer; a natural man under ſome troubles may delight in Gods comforting and eaſing preſence, but not in his ſanctifying preſence. He may delight to pray to God as a ſtorehouſe to ſupply his wants, but not as a refiners fire to purge away his droſs. Prayer, as Praiſe, is a melody to God in the heart, Eph. 5.19. And the Soul loves to be fingering the inſtrument and touching the ſtrings.
5. A delight in the things askt. This heavenly chearfulneſs is moſt in heavenly things. What delight others have in asking worldly goods, that a gracious heart hath in begging the light of Gods countenance. That ſoul cannot be dull in prayer, that ſeriouſly conſiders he prays for no leſs than heaven and happineſs; no leſs than the glory of the great God. A gracious man is never weary of ſpiritual things, as men are never weary of the Sun, but though it is enjoyed every day, yet long for the riſing of it again. From this delight in the matter of prayer it is, that the Saints have redoubled and repeated their Petitions, and often double the Amen at the end of Prayer, to manifeſt the great affections to thoſe things they have askt. The Soul loves to think of thoſe things the heart is ſet upon; and frequent thoughts expreſs a delight.
6. A delight in thoſe graces and affections which are Exerciſed in Prayer. A gracious heart is moſt delighted with that prayer wherein grace hath been more ſtirring, and gracious affections have been boyling over. The Soul deſires not only to ſpeak to God, but to make melody to God; the heart is the inſtrument, but graces are the ſtrings, and prayer the touching them, and therefore he is more diſpleaſed with the flagging of his graces than with miſſing an anſwer. There may be a delight in gifts, in a mans own gifts, in the gifts of another, in the pomp and varniſh of devotion; But a delight in exerciſing ſpiritual graces is an ingredient in this true delight. The Phariſees are markt by Chriſt to make long prayers, vaunting in an outward bravery of words, as if they were playing the Courtiers with God, and complementing him: But the Publican had a ſhort prayer, but more grace; Lord be merciful to me a ſinner; There is relyance and humility; A gracious heart labours to bring flaming affections, and if he cannot bring flaming grace, he will bring ſmoaking grace: he deſires the preparation of his heart as well as the anſwer of his prayer, Pſalm. 10.17.
2. Whence this delight ſprings.
1. From the Spirit of God. Not a ſpark of fire upon our own hearth, that is able to kindle this Spiritual delight; 'Tis the holy Ghoſt that breaths ſuch an heavenly heat into our affections. The Spirit is the fire that kindles the Soul, the ſpring that moves the watch, the wind that drives the ſhip. The ſwifteſt ſhip with ſpread ſails will be but ſluggiſh in its motion, unleſs the wind fills its ſails; without this Spirit we are but in a weak and ſickly condition, our breath, but ſhort, a heavy and troubleſome Aſthma is upon us, Pſal. 138.3. When I cryed unto thee, thou didſt ſtrengthen me with ſtrength in my Soul. As prayer is the work of the Spirit in the heart, ſo doth delight in prayer owe itſelf to the ſame author. God will make them joyful in his houſe of prayer, Iſa. 56.7.
2. From grace. The Spirit kindles, but gives us the Oyl of grace to make the lamp burn clear. There muſt not only be wind to drive, but ſails to catch it; a prayer without grace is a a prayer without wings. There muſt be grace to begin it. A dead man cannot rejoice in his Land, Money or Food, he cannot act, and therefore cannot be chearful in action: Chearfulneſs ſuppoſeth life: dead men cannot perform a duty, (Pſal. 115.17. the dead praiſe not the Lord,) nor dead ſouls a chearful duty. There muſt not only be grace infuſed, but grace actuated. No man in a ſleep or ſwoon, can rejoice. There muſt not only be a living principle, but a lively operation. If the ſap lurk only in the root, the branches can bring forth no fruit; our beſt prayers without the ſap of grace diffuſing itſelf, will be but as withered branches. Grace actuated puts heat into performances, without which they are but benum'd and frozen*Reynolds.. Ruſty grace, as a ruſty Key, will not unlock, will not enlarge the heart. There muſt be grace to maintain it. There is not only need of fire to kindle the lamp, but of Oyl to preſerve the flame; natural men may have their affections kindled in a way of common working, but they will preſently faint and dye, as the flame of cotton will dimm and vaniſh, if there be no Oyl to nouriſh it. There is a temporary joy in hearing the word; and if in one duty, why not in another? why not in prayer? Mat. 13.20. Like a fire of thorns that makes a great blaze, but a ſhort ſtay.
3. From a good Conſcience. A good heart is a continual feaſt, Prov. 15.15. He that hath a good conſcience muſt needs be chearful in his religious and civil duties. Guilt will come trembling, and with a ſad countenance into the preſence of Gods Majeſty. A guilty child cannot with chearfulneſs come into a diſpleaſed fathers preſence. A Soul ſmoakt with Hell cannot with delight approach to heaven. Guilty Souls in regard of the injury they have done to God, will be afraid to come; and in regard of the ſoot of Sin wherewith they are defiled, and the blackneſs they have contracted, they will be aſhamed to come. They know that by their ſins they ſhould provoke his anger, not allure his love. A Soul under conſcience of ſin cannot look up to God, Pſal. 40.12. Nor will God with favour look down upon it, Pſal. 59.2. It muſt be a pure heart that muſt ſee him with pleaſure, Mat. 5.8. And pure hands muſt be lifted up to him, 1 Tim. 2.8. Jonah was aſleep after his ſin, and was outſtript in quickneſs to pray, even by Idolaters. The marriners jogg him, but could not get him, that we read of, to call upon that God whom he had offended, Jon. 1. Where there is corruption, the ſparks of ſin will kindle that tinder, and weaken a Spiritual delight. A perfect heart and a willing mind are put together, 1 Chron. 29.2. There cannot be willingneſs without ſincerity, nor ſincerity without willingneſs.
4. From a holy and frequent familiarity with God. Where there is a great familiarity, there is a great delight; delight in one anothers company, and delight in one anothers converſe; ſtrangeneſs contracts, and familiarity dilates the Soul. There is more alacrity in going to a God with whom we are acquainted, than to a God to whom we are ſtrangers. This doth encourage the Soul to go to God; I go to a God whoſe face I have ſeen, whoſe goodneſs I have taſted, with whom I have often met in prayer. Frequent familiarity makes us more apprehenſive of the excellency of another; an excellency apprehended will be beloved, and being beloved will be delighted in.
5. From hopes of ſpeeding. There is an expectative delight which ariſeth from hopes of enjoying, Rom. 12.12. Rejoycing in hope. There cannot be a pleaſant motion, where there is a palſie of doubts. How full of delight muſt that Soul be, that can plead a promiſe, and carry God's hand and ſeal to Heaven, and ſhew him his own Bond; when it can be pleaded not only as a favour to engage his mercy, but in ſome ſenſe a debt to engage his truth and righteouſneſs! Chriſt in his prayer, which was his Swan-like ſong, John 17. pleads the terms of the Covenant between his Father and himſelf; I have glorified thee on Earth, glorifie me with that golry I had with thee before the world was. This is the caſe of a delightful approach, when we carry a Covenant of grace with us for our ſelves, and a promiſe of ſecurity and perpetuity for the Church. Upon this account we have more cauſe of a pleaſant motion to God, than the ancient Believers had. Fear acted them under the Law, Love us under the Goſpel. He cannot but delight in prayer, that hath Arguments of God's own framing to plead with God, who cannot deny his own Arguments and Reaſonings. Little comfort can be ſuckt from a perhaps. But when we come to ſeek Covenant-mercies, God's faithfulneſs to his Covenant puts the mercy paſt a perhaps. We come to a God ſitting upon a Throne of Grace, upon Mount Sion, not on Mount Sinai; to a God that deſires our preſence, more than we deſire his aſſiſtance.
6. From a ſenſe of former mercies and acceptation. If Manna be rained down, it doth not only take off our thoughts from Aegyptian Garlick, but quickens our deſires for a ſecond ſhower. A ſenſe of God's Majeſty will make us loſe our gariſhneſs; and a ſenſe of God's Love will make us loſe our dumpiſhneſs. We may as well come again with a merry heart, when God accepts our prayers, as go away and eat our bread with joy when God accepts our works, Eccleſ. 9.7. The Doves will readily fly to the windows, where they have formerly found ſhelter; and the Beggar to the door where he hath often received an Alms. Becauſe he hath inclined his ear to hear me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live, Pſal. 116.2. I have found refuge with God before; I have found my wants ſupplied, my ſoul raiſed, my temptations check'd, my doubts anſwered, and my prayers accepted, therefore I will repeat my Addreſſes with chearfulneſs.
I might add alſo other Cauſes; as a love to God, a heavenlineſs of ſpirit, a conſideration of Chriſt's Interceſſion, a deep humiliation. The more unpleaſant ſin is to our relliſh, the more delightful will God be, and the more chearful our Souls in Addreſſes to him. The more unpleaſant ſin is to us, the more ſpiritual our Souls are; and the more ſpiritual our Souls, the more ſpiritual our Affections: The more ſtony, the more lumpiſh and unapt for motion; the more contrite, the more agil. From a ſpiritual taſt; report of a thing may contribute ſome pleaſure, but a taſt greater.
3. Reaſons. Without chearful ſeeking we cannot have a gracious Anſwer.
1. God will not give an anſwer to thoſe prayers that diſhonour him A flat and dumpiſh temper is not for his honour. The Heathens themſelves thought their gods ſhould not be put off with a Sacrifice dragg'd to the Altar. We read of no Lead, that lumpiſh earthly metal, imployed about the Tabernacle or Temple, but the purer and moſt gliſtering ſorts of metals. God will have the moſt excellent Service, becauſe he is the moſt excellent Being. He will have the moſt delightful Service, becauſe he beſtows the moſt delightful and excellent gifts. All Sacrifices were to be offered up with fire, which is the quickeſt, and moſt active Element. 'Tis a diſhonour to ſo great, ſo glorious a Majeſty, to put him off with ſuch low and dead-hearted Services. Thoſe Petitions cannot expect an anſwer, which are offered, in a manner injurious to the perſon we addreſs to. 'Tis not for the credit of our great Maſter, to have his Servants dejected in his work: As though his Service were an uncomfortable thing; as though God were a Wilderneſs, and the World a Paradiſe.
2. Dull and lumpiſh Prayer doth not reach him, and therefore cannot expect an anſwer. Such deſires are as Arrows that ſink down at our feet; there is no force to carry them to Heaven: The heart is as an unbent Bow, that hath no ſtrength. When God will hear, he makes firſt a prepared heart, Pſal. 10.17. He firſt ſtrings the Inſtrument, and then receives the ſound. An enlarged heart only runs, Pſal. 119.32. A contracted heart moves ſlowly, and often faints in the Journey.
3. Lumpiſhneſs ſpeaks an unwillingneſs that God ſhould hear us. It ſpeaks a kind of a fear that God ſhould grant our Petitions. He that puts up a Petition to a Prince coldly and dully, gives him good reaſon to think, that he doth not care for an anſwer. That Husbandman hath no great mind to a Harveſt, that is lazy in tilling his ground, and ſowing his ſeed. How can we think God ſhould delight to read over our Petitions, when we take ſo little delight in preſenting them? God gives not mercy to an unwilling perſon. The firſt thing God doth, is to make his People willing. Dull ſpirits ſeek God as if they did not care for finding him: Such tempers either account not God real, or their Petitions unneceſſary.
4. Without delight we are not fit to receive a mercy. Delight in a mercy wanted, makes room for deſire; and large deſires make room for mercy. If no delight in begging, there will be no delight in enjoying. If there be no chearfulneſs to quicken our prayers when we need a bleſſing, there will be little joy to quicken our praiſe when we receive a bleſſing. A weak, ſickly ſtomack is not fit to be ſeated at a plentiful table. Where there is a dull asking ſupply, there is none, or a very dull ſenſe of wants. Now God will not ſend his mercies but to a Soul that will welcome them. The deeper the ſenſe of our wants, the higher the eſtimation of our Supplies. A chearful Soul is fit to receive the leaſt, and fit to receive the greateſt mercy. He will more prize a little mercy than a dull petitioner ſhall prize a greater, becauſe he hath a ſenſe of his wants. Had not Zacheus had a great joy at the news of Chriſts coming by his door, he had not ſo readily entertained and welcomed him.
Uſe 1. Of Information.
1. There is a great pleaſure in the ways of God, if rightly underſtood. Prayer, which is a duty wherein we expreſs our wants, is delightful. There is more ſweetneſs in a Chriſtians asking than in a wicked mans enjoying bleſſings.
2. What delight will there be in heaven! If there be ſuch ſweetneſs in deſire, what will there be in full fruition! There is joy in ſeeking, what is there then in finding! Duty hath its ſweets, its thouſands, but glory its ten thouſands. If the pleaſure of the ſeed-time be ſo great, what will the pleaſure of the harveſt be!
3. The miſerable condition of thoſe that can delight in any thing but prayer. 'Tis an aggravation of our enmity to God, when we can ſin chearfully, and pray dully: When duty is more lothſome than iniquity.
Uſe 2. Of Examination. We pray, but how are our hearts? If it be for what concerns our momentary being, is not our running like the running of Ahimaaz? But when for Spiritual things, do not our hearts ſink within us, like Nabals? Let us therefore follow our hearts cloſe, ſuffer them not to give us the ſlip in our examination of them, reſolve not to take the firſt anſwer, but ſearch to the bottom.
1. Whether we delight at all in prayer?
1. How do we prize the opportunities of duty? There is an opportunity of an earthly, and an opportunity of a heavenly gain; conſider which our hearts more readily cloſe with. Can we with much pleaſure follow a vain world, and heartleſly welcom an opportunity of duty, delight more with Judas in baggs, than in Chriſts company? This is ſad. But are praying opportunities our feſtival times? Do we go to the houſe of God with the voice of joy & praiſe?
2. Whether we ſtudy excuſes to wave a preſent duty, when conſcience and opportunity urge and invite us to it? Are our Souls more skillful in delaies than in performances? Are there no excuſes when ſin calls us, and ſtudyed put-offs when God invites us? Like the ſluggard, folding our arms, yet a little while longer? Or do our hearts riſe and beat quick againſt frivolous excuſes that ſtep in to hinder us from prayer?
3. How are our hearts affected in prayer? Are we more ready to pray our ſelves aſleep, than into a vigorous frame? Do we enter into it with ſome life, and find our hearts quickly tire and jade us? Are we more awake when we are up, than we were all the time upon our knees? are our hearts in prayer like withered, ſapleſs things, and very quick afterwards, if any worldly buſineſs invite us? Are we like logs and blocks in prayer, and like a Roe upon the mountains in earthly concerns? Surely what our pulſe beats quickeſt to, is the object moſt delighted in.
4. What time is it we chooſe for Prayer? Is it not our drowzieſt, lazyeſt time, when our nods are as many, or more than our petitions; as though the dulleſt time and the deadeſt frame were moſt ſutable to a living God? Do we come with our hearts full of the world to pray for heaven? Or do we pick out the moſt lively ſeaſons? Luther choſe thoſe hours for prayer and meditation, wherein he found himſelf moſt lively for ſtudy.
5. Do we not often wiſh a duty over? As thoſe in the Prophet that were glad when the Sabbath was over, that they might run to their buying and ſelling? Or, are we of Peter's temper, and expreſs Peter's Language, 'Tis good to be here with Chriſt on the Mount?
6. Do we prepare our ſelves by delightful and enlivening conſiderations? Do we think of the Precept of God, which ſhould ſpur us, and of the Promiſe of God, which ſhould allure us? Do we rub our Souls to heat them? Do we blow them to kindle them into a flame? Do we ſend up Ejaculations for a quickening ſpirit? If thoughts of God be a burden, requeſts to him will not be a pleaſure. If we have a coldneſs in our thoughts of God and Duty, we can have no warmth in our deſire, no delight in our Petitions.
7. Do we content our ſelves with dull motions, or do we give check to them? Can we, though our hearts be never ſo lazy, ſtroke our ſelves at the end, and call our ſelves good and faithful Servants? Do we take our Souls to task afterwards, and examine why they are ſo lazy, why ſo heavy? Do we enquire into the cauſes of our deadneſs? A gracious Soul is more troubled at its dulneſs in prayer, than a natural conſcience is at the omiſſion of prayer. He will complain of his ſluggiſhneſs, and mend his pace.
2. If we find we have a delight, let us examine whether it be a delight of the right kind.
1. Do we delight in it, becauſe of the gifts we have our ſelves, or the gifts of others we joyn with? A man may rejoyce in hearing the Word, not becauſe of the holineſs and ſpirituality of the matter, but becauſe of the goodneſs of the dreſs, and the elegancy of the expreſſion, Ezek. 33.32. The Prophet was unto them as a lovely Song, as one that had a pleaſant voice. He may upon the ſame ground delight in prayer. But this is a temper not kindled by the true fire of the Sanctuary. Or, do we delight in it, not when our Tongues are moſt quick, but our hearts moſt warm; not becauſe we have the beſt words, but the moſt ſpiritualiz'd affections? We may have Angels gifts in prayer, without an Angels ſpirit.
2. Is there a delight in all parts of a duty? Not only in asking temporal bleſſings, or ſome ſpiritual, as pardoning mercy, but in begging for refining grace? Are we earneſt only when we have boſom quarrels, and conſcience-convulſions, but flag when we come to pray for ſanctifying mercy? The riſe of this is a diſplicency with the trouble and danger, not with the ſin and cauſe.
3. Doth our delight in prayer, and ſpiritual things out do our delight in outward things? The Pſalmiſts joy in God was more than his delight in the Harveſt or Vintage, Pſal. 7.4. Are we like Ravens that delight to hover in the Air ſometimes, but our greateſt delight is to feed upon Carrion? Though we have, and may have a ſenſible delight in worldly things, yet is it as ſolid and rational, as that we have in duty?
4. Is our delight in Prayer an humble delight? Is it a rejoycing with humbling? Pſal. 2.11. Serve the Lord with gladneſs, and rejoyce before him with trembling. If our ſervice be right, it will be chearful; and if truly chearful, it will be humble.
5. Is our delight in Prayer accompanied with a delight in waiting? Do we, like Merchants, not only delight in the firſt lanching of a Ship, or the ſetting it out of the Haven with a full fraught, but alſo in expectations of a rich return of ſpiritual mercies? Do we delight to pray, though God for the preſent doth not delight to give, and wait like David with an owning God's Wiſdom in delaying? Pſal. 130.6. Or do we ſhoot them only as Arrows at random, and never look after them where they light, or where to find them?
6. Is our delight in praiſing God when mercy comes, anſwerable to the delight in praying, when a wanted mercy was begged? The ten Lepers deſired mercy with an equal chearfulneſs, in hopes of having their Leproſie cured; but his delight that returned, only was genuine. As he prayed with a loud voice, ſo he praiſed with a loud voice, Luke 17.13, 15. And Chriſt tells him, his faith had made him whole. As he had an anſwer in a way of grace, ſo he had before, a gracious delight in his asking; the others had a natural delight, and ſo a return in a way of common providence.
3 Uſe, Of Exhortation. Let us delight in Prayer. God loves a chearful giver in Alms, and a chearful petitioner in Prayer. God would have his children free with him. He takes ſpecial notice of a ſpiritual frame, Jer. 30.21. Who hath engaged his heart? The more delight we have in God, the more delight he will have in us. He takes no pleaſure in a lumpiſh Service. 'Tis an uncomely ſight to ſee a joyful Sinner, and a dumpiſh Petitioner. Why ſhould we not exerciſe as much joy in holy duties, as formerly we did in ſinful practices? How delightfully will men ſit at their games, and ſpend their days in gluttony and luxury? And ſhall not a Chriſtian find much more delight in applying himſelf to God? We ſhould delight that we can, and have hearts to ask ſuch gifts, that thouſands in the world never dream of begging. To be dull, is a diſcontentedneſs with our own Petitions. Delight in prayer is the way to gain aſſurance. To ſeek God, and treat him as our chiefeſt good, endears the Soul to him. Delighting in Acceſſes to him, will enflame our love. And there is no greater ſign of an intereſt in him, than a prevalent eſtimation of him. God caſts off none that affectionately claſp about his Throne.
To this purpoſe,
1. Pray for quickening grace. How often do we find David upon his knees for it? God only gives this grace, and God only ſtirs this grace.
2. Meditate on the Promiſes you intend to plead. Unbelief is the great root of all dumpiſhneſs. It was by the belief of the Word we had life at firſt, and by an exerciſe of that belief we gain livelineſs. What maintains our love, will maintain our delight; the amiableneſs of God, and the excellency of the Promiſes, are the incentives and fuel both of the one and of the other. Think that they are eternal things you are to pray for, and that you have as much invitation to beg them, and as good a promiſe to attain them as David, Paul, or any other ever had. How would this awaken our drowzy Souls, and elevate our heavy hearts, and open the lazy eye-lids to look up! And whatever meditation we find begin to kindle our Souls, let us follow it on, that the ſpark may not go out.
3. Chuſe the time when your hearts are moſt revived. Obſerve when God ſends an invitation, and hoiſt up the ſails when the wind begins to blow. There is no Chriſtian but hath one time or another a greater activeneſs of ſpirit. Chuſe none of thoſe ſeaſons which may quench the heat, and dull the ſpritelineſs of your affections. Reſolve before hand this, To delight your ſelves in the Lord, and thereby you ſhall gain the deſire of your hearts.