Sermons on Psalm 119, Sermons · Sermon 165

Sermons on Psalm 119 · Sermons · Sermon 165

p. 920SERMON CLXV.

PSALM CXIX. VER. 147.

I prevented the dawning of the Morning, and cryed; I hoped in thy Word

DAvid still goeth on to give us an account of his Fervour in Prayer, I cried. That which we have new in this Verse, is,

First, His Vigilancy and Diligence, I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cryed.

Secondly, The Reason and Incouragement of this Instant and Assiduous Praying, I hoped in thy Word.

First, His Vigilancy and Diligence, I prevented &c. He rose betimes to meditate and pray; the Sept. foreign. Heschius defineth that time to be foreign, a time of no business; when others were sleeping, David was praying: the word [prevented] is emphatical. David lived as it were in a strife with Time, being careful it should not over-run him: he pressed to get before it, by doing some good in it and to get before hand with the day.

Doctrine. Those that make a business of Prayer, will use great Vigilancy, and diligence therein.

I say, That make a business of Prayer, others that use it as a Complement, and customary Formality, will not be thus affected, or do it as a thing by the bye, or a work that might well be spared, do not look upon it as a necessary duty, but if a mans heart be in it, he will be early at work, and follow it close, morning and night: his business is to maintain Communion with God, his desires will not let him sleep, and he gets up early to be calling upon God; Psal. 88. 13. But unto thee have I cryed, O p. 921Lord, and in the morning shall my Prayer prevent thee. Thus will good men even break their sleep, to give themselves to Prayer, and calling upon the Name of God. So Isa. 26. 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. A man that hath an earnest desire after God, he will be at it night and day; when others are taking their Rest, their seeking of God is early and earnest: but where such strong desires are not, God is little minded and regarded; and of all businesses, Prayer seemeth that which may be best spared.

That I may fully Commend Davids Practice to you, I shall observe in this his Diligence,

I. That it was a Personal, Closet, or Secret Prayer, I cryed; I alone, with thee in Secret.

II. That it was an early Morning Prayer; I prevented the dawning of the Morning.

III. That it was a Vehement and Earnest Prayer; for 'tis expressed by crying, which as Chrysostome saith, noteth foreign. Chrys. in Psal. 5. He proveth it by that of God to Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Exod. 14. 15. And when Moses was silent, yet he cryeth; for crying noteth the Affection of the Mind, not extension of the Voice. Where I shall note, that it was an earnest prayer, though private; and earnest, though as yet he could get no Answer.

IV. That it was the Prayer of a Publick Person, of a King, and a King intangled in Wars, whose Calling exposed him to a Multitude of business, and distractions; yet he had his times of Converse with God: take all this together and the pattern will be more sit to be commended to your Imitation.

I. It was a Personal or Secret Prayer; I cryed, I alone, and without Company. Our Saviour that doth in Matth. 18. 19, 20. incourage us to publick Prayer, by the blessed effect of such Petitions, where two or three do agree to ask any thing of God, in the name of Christ: he doth suppose that his Disciples will make Conscience of personal, and solitary prayer, and therefore giveth directions, and Incouragement about it; Matth. 6. 6. But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father which seeth in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret, will reward thee openly. He taketh it for granted that every one of his Disciples is sufficiently convinced of being often with God in private, and pouring out his heart to God alone: Tis not if, but when, as supposing they will be careful of this; 'tis not plurally and collectively, when ye pray, but foreign when thou prayest; elsewhere the Context speaketh of publick prayer, or the Assemblies of Saints, and of Family Worship, but here he speaketh of personal prayer. Church prayer hath a special blessing when with a combined force, we besiege Heaven; as the Petition of a Shire and County, is more than a private mans Supplication; but yet this is not without its Blessing. God is with you in private, pray to thy father in secret, and he that seeth in secret, observeth the carriage and posture and frame of thy spirit; all thy fervour and uprightness of heart is known to him; that which is the Hypocrites fear, that God seeth in secret, is the Saints Comfort, that God seeth in secret: it bindeth Condemnation upon the thoughts of wicked men, 1. Iohn 3. 21. but is their support, Iohn 21. 17. Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the heart, knoweth the mind of the Spirit. He knoweth the brokenness or unbrokenness of the Heart, he can pick out the very language of thy sighs and groans; know where thou art, and how thou art imployed. Acts 9. 11. Arise and go into the street which is called streight, and inquite in the house of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus, for behold he prayeth. In such a street, in such an house, in such a Chamber of the house, there is one a praying: a notable place to express Gods seeing in secret, where we are, what we do, and how affected. And then his reward is another incouragement, he will reward thee: openly grant thee, what thou prayest for, or bless thee for the conscionable performance of this duty. Openly, either by a sensible Answer of thy prayers, as Dan. 9. 20, 21, 22. or with an evident Blessing, as Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, in the eyes of the World. God highly favoured them; a secret prayer hath an open blessing: or in convincing the Consciences of men; Pharaoh sendeth for Moses and Aaron when in distress; the Consciences of wicked men are convinced that Gods praying Children have special Audience with him, no Magicians sent for then, but Moses and Aaron. Thus God may reward them openly; 1 Sam. 2. 30. Those that honour me, I will honour. But chiefly at the day of Judgment; Luk. 14. 44. He shall be recompenced at the resurrection of the just. Then is the great reward of Christians, and most publick: then shall every p. 922man have praise of God, 1 Cor. 4. 5. Thus you see how our Lord incourageth us to Closet Prayer: but let us see other Arguments to engage us to this Duty:

1. All the precepts of Prayer do include Closet-prayer: Continue in prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving, Col. 4. 2. Pray without ceasing, 1 Thes. 5. 17. First, Gods precepts fall upon single persons, before it falleth upon Families and Churches: for God considereth us first as persons apart, and then in our several Combinations and Societies, in joyning with others; the Duty is rather imposed upon us, then taken up by Voluntary choice; and that only at stated times, when they can conveniently meet. If we are to continue in prayer, and to pray without ceasing, we are to make conscience our selves of being often with God. Every person that acknowledgeth a God, that hath a Father in Heaven, must come and profess his dependance upon him.

2. The Example of Christ, which beareth the force of a Law in things Moral. We read often of Christs praying, Mark 1. 35. He went out into a solitary place to pray. And Matth. 14. 23. And Luke 6. 12. we read, he prayed a whole night to God; now let us improve this Instance. Christ had no such need of Prayer, as we have, the Godhead dwelt in him bodily; nor such need of retirement, his Affections were alwaies in frame, yet he went out from the company of his Disciples to pray alone to God. This Pattern is very ingaging, for if we have the Spirit of Christ, we will do as Christ did; and very encouraging, for by submitting to this Duty, he sanctified it for all: his steps drop fatness, and left a blessing and vertue behind him. And it assureth us of his Sympathizing with us, he is acquainted with the heart of an earnest supplicant, and 'tis some Comfort against our imperfections, when we are with God, and our hearts are as heavy as a log, 'tis a Comfort to think of this particular part of his Righteousness, by which our defects are covered.

3. I shall urge it from Gods End in pouring out the Spirit, that we may pray apart, and mourn apart over our distempers and personal necessities: Zech. 12. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Many will say they have no gifts; certainly they that feel their necessities, will speak of them in one fashion or another: But this cuts off the objection, the Spirit is given to help thee, I will pour upon them the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, and they shall mourn apart. Such is Gods condescension to the Saints, that he hath provided for them, not only an Advocate, but a Notary: A Notary to draw up their Petitions, and an Advocate to present them in Court. And surely the gifts of the Spirit should not lie by idle, and useless.

4. I might urge you too from the practice of the Saints, who are called Gods supplicants; Zeph. 3. 9. the generation that seek him; Psal. 24. 6. They delight in Gods Company, and cannot be content to stay away long from him. Daniel had his three times a day, Dan. 6. 10. So David, Psal. 55. 17. Evening and morning and noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my Voice. And David, Seven times a day will I praise thee, Psal. 119. 164. And Cornelius prayed to God alwaies, Acts 10. 2. not only with his Family, but sometimes alone for his Family. They that have an habit of prayer, will be thus affected; now to be altogether unlike the People of God, giveth just cause of suspicion.

5. Shall I add our own private Necessities, which cannot be so feelingly spoken to by others, do challenge such a Duty at our hands; or it may be are not so fit to be divulged and communicated to them; 1 Kings 8. 38. There is the plague of our own hearts. Paul had his thorn in the Flesh, 1 Cor. 12. 7. I sought the Lord thriee. No Nurse like the Mother; none so fit feelingly to lay forth our Case to God as our selves: private prayer 'tis an help to inlargement of heart, for the more earnest men are, the more they desire to be alone. Ier. 13. 17. My soul shall weep sore in secret places. Christ went from his Disciples in his Agony, when he would pray more earnestly; Luk. 22. 41, 42. Strong affections are loth to be disturbed, and seek retirement: Iacob sent away his Company when he wrestled with God, Gen. 23. 24. Oh! then let all this be considered by you, if you neglect Closet addresses to God, you wrong God and your selves: You wrong God, because 'tis a necessary part of the Creatures Homage to God; and you wrong your selves, because such duties bring in a great deal of comfort and peace to the Soul, and many sweet and gracious experiences, which are not vouchsafed else-where. Bernard saith, The Churches Spouse is Bashful, and Christ will not communicate his Loves in Company. You are to use acquaintance with God, and so peace shall come to us; Iob. 22. 21. It argueth little friendship to God, when we seldom come at him, and maintain no personal Commerce with him. When we pray with others, we cannot so well tell who is heard, as when we pray alone, and see p. 923what God will do for our Souls. Ps. 116. 1. I will love the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my Supplication. You sought earnestly for such a thing, and the Lord heard you. To conclude all, A man will not pray with any savour and delight in publick, that doth not pray in secret. I observe in Ezekiel's Vision the Lord removed from the Temple by degrees; First from the holy place to the Altar of Burnt-offerings, then to the Threshold of the house, then to the Mountain on the East-side of the City, there it stood hovering as loth to be gone: So first God is cast out of the Closet, private intercourses are neglected; then out of the Family, and then out of the Congregation; and then publick Ordinances are laid aside as useless, then are men given up to a strange giddy and vertiginous Spirit, and all manner of Prophaneness. As a Tree dies by degrees, first bears not Fruit, then no Leaves, then no Bark; so carnal Christians die by degrees.

II. It was an early Morning Prayer; I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried. I would not lay a burden upon any ones Conscience; so God have his due at any time of the day, 'tis enough. In colder Climates, those of a weaker constitution may not be able to rise so soon, and therefore if any other time of the day be fittest for Commerce, all circumstances considered, it cometh to the same issue. Yet that the morning is our golden time, and should not be neglected out of sluggishness, what ever dispensation there be for weakness, these Considerations may evince.

1. The Example of Christ, and his Saints; we read of our Lord Jesus Christ, Mark 1. 35. That in the morning, rising a great while before day, he went out and prayed. This Example bindeth those to receive it that can receive it; if you would take the opportunity of the Morning, it deserves to be considered by us how willing Christ was to deny his Natural Rest, to be with God in private. And have not we more need? And accordingly the Saints have practised this; Psal. 5. 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord, in the morning I will direct my prayer to thee, and look up: Upon which Chrysostom saith, Before thou washest thy hands, wash thy soul by Prayer. So again, Psal. 59. 16. I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning. So would David begin his day with praises of God, and prayers to him. So 1 Sant. 1. 19. And they rose up early, and worshipped before the Lord. That was their first work, and they were betimes at it. So the primitive Christians, their hymnos Antelucanos, they sung Psalms to God and Christ in the morning early, as their Persecutors informed against them. See Tertul. Apol. Euseb. &c. Now this is of some significancy to Christians.

2. Because when ever we have strong Affections to any thing, we make it our morning work, be it good or bad: Good; so Mary and Mary Magdalen came early to the Sepulchre of Christ, Matth. 28. the Disciples when they came to wait for the promise of the Spirit, they met betimes, for the Holy Ghost fell upon them in the morning; Act. 2. 15. For these men are not drunk, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day; which was about Nine of the Clock: and some good time had been spent before, as appears by this speech that was uttered. So Hosea 5. 16. In their afflictions they will seek me early. This is their first and chiefest work: that which urgeth the heart most, we shall think of in the Morning. The Objects that have made deepest impression upon our Spirits, will present themselves before any images be received from abroad. Prov. 6. 22. Bind my Law upon thy heart; when thou walkest, it shall talk with thee, &c. Abraham when he went about the work of offering his son Isaac, he rose early in the Morning; Gen. 22. So, for bad things; if a man be Worldly, his Worldly Desires and Affections compel him to rise early for their satisfaction; Psalm 127. 3. The Drunkard is thinking early of his morning draught, to be filled with Wine; Isa. 15. 11. Wo to them that rise up early to follow strong drink. The People when they were mad upon the Calf, Exod. 36. 6. They rose up early in the morning and offered burnt-offerings to it. Whatsoever hath secured its Interest in the Soul, will first urge us; so if Prayer be our chief pleasure, it will urge us to be up betimes with God: our Delights and Affections sollicit us in the Morning.

3. 'Tis the choicest time of the day, and therefore should be allotted to the most serious and necessary imployment. 'Tis the choicest time, partly with respect to the Body, because the Body is then best refreshed, and our Vigour repaired, which is lessened and spent with the business of the day: Our Memories quickest, Senses readiest, natural Faculties most acute. And partly, with respect to the Mind; our Morning thoughts are our Virgin thoughts: more pure, sublime, and defecate, usually free from Worldly Cares, which would distract us in prayer, and will more incroach p. 924upon us by our Worldly business: and the baser Objects which the necessity of our life ingages us to converse with, and be imployed about. Certainly the best time should be taken up about the best business: not in recreations to be sure, for this is to knit pleasure to pleasure, and to wear away the sithe in whetting, not in working. They are brutish Epicures that rise up from sleep, not to service, but to their sensual Delights and Vanities: as the Scripture brandeth them that eat in the Morning, not for strength, but Excess, Eccl. 10. 16, 17. The Morning is the fittest time for business, now what business should we do, but the most weighty, and that which requireth the greatest heedfulness of Soul, which is our communion with God?

4. Consider. 'Tis profitable to begin the day with God, and to season the heart with some gracious exercise; as David, Psal. 139. 18. When I awake, I am still with thee. It sanctifieth all our other business, as the offering the first fruits did sanctifie the whole lump; and to whom should the first fruits of our Reason and Sense restored, be consecrated, but to him that gave us all, and is the Author and preserver of them? When the World gets the start of Religion it can hardly overtake it all the day: the first thoughts leave a powerful Impression upon it. Mich. 2. 1. They devise evil upon their beds, and when the morning is come they practise it. With carnal men sin beginneth in the morning, stayeth in the Heart all day, playeth in the fancy all night: but if you begin with God in the Morning, you take God along with you all the day to your business and imployment.

5. This will be some recompence for the time lost in sleeping: half our lives are consumed in it, our time is parted between work and sleep. 'Tis the misery and necessity we are subject unto, whilest we are in the body, that so much of our time should be spent without doing any thing for God, or shewing any act of Love, and thankfulness to him. None of the other Creatures ever stand still, but are alwayes executing and accomplishing the end, for which they were made. And in heaven the blessed Spirits are alwaies beholding the face of God, and Lauding and Blessing his Name; and need not those intermissions, which we bodily Creatures do. Now though this be our Necessity, and so no sin to need the refreshings of sleep, yet because so much of our time is lost, by way of recompence the least that we should do, is to take the next season; and if health and bodily constitution will permit, to prevent the dawning of the Morning, and to be as early with God as we can. All the time we can well spare should be given to God; do but consider since thou wentest to bed, the Sun hath Travailed many thousand miles to give thee light this Morning, and therefore what a shame it is, that the Sun being continually in so swift motion, should return and find him turning and tossing in his Bed, like a door upon the hinges, Prov. 20. 14. after Nature is satisfied with sleep: And that we should not rise, and own Gods Mercy in the Rest of the Night; and sanctifie the Labours of the day, by some serious address to him. This Meditation is enforced by Augustine, Indecus est Christiano, si radius solis eum inveniat in lecto, posset enim dicere sol, si potestatem loquendi haberet, amplius laboravi heri, quam tu: & tamen cum jam surrexerim, tu adhuc dormis. So Ambrose on this Text, Grave est si te otiosum radius solis orientis in verecundo pudore conveniat, & lux clara inveniat occulos somnolento adhuc corpore depressos.

III. 'Twas a Vehement and Earnest Prayer, for saith David, I cryed: Observe,

Doctrine. 'Twas earnest, though private; and 'twas earnest, though he could get no satisfactory Answer.

1. Earnest though Private; in all our Addresses to God, we must be serious; whether men see or hear or no, God seeth and heareth. An Hypocrite hath a great flash of gifts in Company, but is streight when alone; but Gods Children are most earnest in private, when they do more particularly open their hearts to God, without taking in the necessities of others. Christ when he was withdrawn from his Disciples, then he prayed foreign more earnestly, Luk. 22. 44. Iacob sent away his Company, to deal with God, in good earnest; and then wrestled with him: ille dolet vere qui sine teste dolet. Peter went out and wept bitterly; so a Christian trieth it out between God and him, when he hath a mind to plead for his own Soul, or for the Church; therefore hath no outward reason to move him but Conscience, and spiritual Affection. The Pharisees would pray in the Synagogues and corners of the streets; but Christ saith, go into thy closet, and shut the door, and pray to thy father in secret, Matth. 6. 7. p. 925This is the love and confidence we express to our Father in secret: A man may put forth himself with great Warmth and Vigour before others, that is slight and careless in secret Addresses to God. In these secret intercourses we most taste our spirits, and discern the pure workings of Affection towards God. A Woman that only bemoaneth the loss of her Husband in Company, but banisheth all thoughts of him when alone, might justly be suspected to act a Tragical part, and to pretend sorrow rather than feel it. Some will pray in secret, but customarily utter a few cold words; but David saith, I cried: Remember there is one seeth in secret, as Christ saith, I am not alone, Iohn 16. 32. And Mal. 1. 14. He is a God of great Majesty, he will not be put off with any thing, with a short good morrow, or an hasty sigh. Consider if you pray in good earnest, the Prayer will not be lost, there is a Register kept in Heaven; Acts 10. 9. Thy Prayer is come up as a memorial before God. Surely a man that believeth and consulteth these things, dareth not be slight, though there be none present but God and his own soul.

2. 'Twas earnest though the Answer was delayed: I cryed, I cryed; I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cryed. The Lord cannot away with cold asking, and a ceasing upon every repulse; you must continue to pray, when God continueth to deny, otherwise you do not pray in Faith. For when the Word warrants you to Pray, either by way of Command or Promise, you must not give over. David saith here, I cryed, for I hoped in thy Word: When Providence giveth no Answer, you must take your Answer out of the Covenant or Promise, and so answer your self, when God doth not answer you. 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid, that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. You cannot dispense with your duty, whatever the success be. Sometimes Duty keepeth up Prayer, sometimes the Promise, and so hope of the Mercy prayed for; there is no way to bring the Promise and the Providence of God together, but by Prayer, or putting the Promise in suit. Your Obedience will be assaulted by the ingratitude of those whom you pray for, and your Confidence by Gods seeming denials: therefore as long as God commandeth, and he promiseth Incouragement, you are not to give way, but hold up the suit still, whatever discouragements there be without. A good Dog hunts by sight as long as he can see his Game, but when that is lost, he hunts by sent. Visible probabilities be a good incouragement to give a lift to the Mercy, when it seemeth to be coming on; but though it be out of sight, Faith keepeth the sent of the Promise, keeps crying still, he heareth though he doth not Answer, and the Prayer will not be lost; but of this before.

IV. 'Tis the Prayer of a Publick Person who had his distractions and more occasions then we can possibly pretend unto, yet he would not lose his praying hours. This Consideration will yield us two Notes.

1. That David had his times of converse with God.

2. That rather than fail of them, he would take them from his sleep.

1. That he had his times of Converse with God; Eccl. 3. 1. There is a time for all things, much more for the best things: therefore if you have a time for other things, to eat, and drink, and follow your Worldly business, surely you should have a time for Prayer. Shall we have a time for every thing, and no time for God? Certainly we could not want time, if we did not want an heart. Many complain they have no time, and many distractions; if you have no time to pray, you have no time to be saved, no time to maintain the life and comfort and peace of your Souls. David had as many imployments as thou hast, or canst have, therefore 'tis but a vain excuse; he that will regard what his own sluggish heart will alledge, will never pray, never retire, or be alone with God: a willing mind will find time in the midst of the greatest distractions: whomsoever he compounds with, and payeth short, he will not make bold with God, and serve him by Halves. Look, as David speaks in the 1 Chron. 22. 14. Behold, in my trouble, I have prepared for the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; he was involved in Wars, his Exchequer impoverished and diminished, yet he kept vast sums for the Temple: surely the lean kine should not devour the fat; nor Religion only be thrust out of doors. 'Tis a more happy thing that Martha should complain of Mary, then Mary neglect her duty. Holy Privacy and Closet-work should not be neglected. 'Twould be no loss to our other occasions, if we did more prudently divide, and allot out of our time, and give God a good allowance, rather than streighten him. Indeed what part you should give to God, is another Question.

p. 926In the General, 'tis good to dedicate a certain part and portion of our time to the Lord of Time: Idle servants must be tasked, and required to bring in their Tale of Bricks. A prudent allotment, such as is consistent with our occasions and course of Life, would be no burden to you; I am sure it will make your Duties more seasonable and orderly. 'Tis an expression of love to give him somewhat that is your own, in the general. We are not tied to the seasons of eating and drinking, yet for conveniency we have our stated hours: the most necessary work should have a turn, and not be taken up by chance, and not left to a meer hap hazard: 'twill make you more careful and watchful, how you spend your other hours, that you may not be unfit for Duty, when your time of Worship cometh, 1 Pet. 3. 7.

Again, Though we cannot bind you absolutely to a time, they that are most holy, will be most frequent with God. Love will direct; they that love one another, cannot be strange to each other: he that loveth God, cannot be long out of his Company. God trusts Love; that Grace is Liberal and Open-hearted. Christ resorted often to Bethany, because he loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; Iohn 11. The Spirit of God will direct you by his Motions; Psal. 27. 8. Sometimes he sendeth you into the Closet, your own necessities will put you in mind, he hath left many wants upon us, to bring us into his Presence. Iam. 1. 5: If any man want Wisdom, &c. Heb. 4. 16. Let us come with boldness to the throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in a time of need. The Interest of the spiritual life directs you: you cannot maintain it in any Vigour, but by some recourse to God; some time God must have.

2. Rather than fail he would take it from his sleep: Other business must give way to the great work and Interest; especially the most inconsiderable Interests of Recreation. We are bidden to redeem time, Eph. 5. 16. rescue it from meat, sleep, company, and recreation. Surely this is an equitable proposal, let God have as much time every day, as thou spendest unprofitably: do but observe the spending of thy time, and be ashamed that God should have such a little share.

Use. Now you see Davids Instance, let this perswade you to this assiduity and diligence, to be ardent and instant in Prayer, taking hold of all opportunities to pursue after God, without whom you cannot live. Psal. 69. 32. Your hearts shall live that seek God. We cannot preserve any Vitality without this. To press this,

1. Retire often from Company, to be alone with God: publick Duties are of little profit with us, because we neglect private. God complaineth of his People, Ier. 2. 32. That they have forgotten him dayes without number: How many daies have gone over your heads, and God never heard from you? You should no more forget him every day, then a Bride would forget her Ornaments on the wedding day.

2. Let me lay this before you; You should be betimes with God, that you may not incroach upon your other occasions; Yea, that you may sanctifie your other occasions, and be the fitter for it all the day after. Let not the soft Enemy of sleep steal away your golden hours, and the flower and choicest part of time. A Christian that makes Conscience of his time, should not inure himself to a sluggish Course, and turn in his Bed, like a door upon the hinges, if your Constitution will bear it, otherwise we lay no blame upon you; the Scriptures have many disswasives from immoderate sleep, Prov. 5. 9. chap. 13. 4. chap. 26. 14. chap. 6. 6. To be sure a Christian is to make Conscience of Time, and how he spendeth it; and we may sin and surfeit in sleeping, as well as in eating and drinking; and therefore we must watch against the incroachments of ease and sloath, least a sluggish humour grow natural to us, and a morbid custom that cannot be shaken off.

3. It presseth you to Fervency though in Private: As much Fervency, Sense and Zeal as you would express before men, so much should we express when alone: The Name of God must be sanctified in all that draw near to him, in Private as well as in Publick; oherwise he is scorned rather than honoured; that it may appear you were sincere in Prayer, and have not mean and low thoughts of God; otherwise you bring a suspition upon all your Publick Duties. There may be sometimes more Assistance in Publick, more Order and Method for Edification, but not more Ardour and Zeal. Pray with Fervency as to an All-seeing Spirit. Though the Lord delayeth, yet he intendeth the inlargement of our Desires; Lam. 3. 49, 50. Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission; till the Lord looks down from heaven and beholds. If you are soon discouraged you'll get nothing.

4. Be sure that God hath his share: If business take up more time than Prayer, because p. 927of the urgency of bodily necessities; yet ordinarily a man should not spend more time in any Pastime and Recreations, than in Religious Exercises: 'Tis most equal we should first seek the Kingdom of God, and the Righteousness thereof, Matth. 6. 33. The most needful Duty should have most time bestowed upon it: 'tis an ill Character to be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, 2 Tim. 4. 3. 'Tis reasonable to give an equal time to God and Religion, as to Sports and Delights. Most men have no other thing to do, then to eat, drink, and sleep; if they should compare their Religion and their Recreations, they would soon see what a large share of time one hath above the other.

Secondly, We come to the Reason and Incouragement of his Diligence, I hoped in thy Word; that is, because I have thy Word for it, I do not doubt but in time I shall reap the fruit of my Prayers.

Doctrine. A lively hope, grounded upon the Word of God, will put us upon this Vigilancy and Diligence in Prayer.

The Reasons are taken 1. From the Word of God, which is the ground of Hope: Psal. 130. 5. I wait for the Lord, my Soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. And 2. From the nature of Hope, which is the Fountain of Prayer.

I. From the Word of God; which serveth for two uses, Invitation and Assurance.

1. For Invitation, to give us leave to come to the Throne of Grace. David did not come unbidden or uninvited into Gods Presence, he had his Word for it; the promises of the Gospel give us liberty, otherwise we should not assume the boldness to appear before him; Psal. 50. 15. The Word is our Warrant, 'tis as it were the holding out of the golden Scepter; 2 Sam. 7. 27. Therefore hath thy Servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

2. For Assurance and firm Confidence; before the thing promised be obtained, God pawneth his Word with us, which we must hold till the performance come. Now they that can thus hold it, and believe the promise, will be often in Prayer, that the Word may be both established to them, 2 Sam. 7. 25. and fulfilled, Psal. 116. 10. I have believed, and therefore have I spoken.

II. From the nature of Hope, which implyeth two things, both which have an influence upon Prayer; Earnest Expectation, and patient tarrying the Lords Leisure.

1. Earnest Expectation; Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope. This exciteth the soul by all means to pursue after the thing hoped for. When Daniel understood by books that the time was come, then was he vehement and earnest; Dan. 9. 2, 3. Elijah when he saw a Cloud but as big as a mans hand, he saith, 1 Kings 18. 43. Go bid Ahab prepare his chariot, get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. What we look for, we will pray for.

2. Patient tarrying; we read of the patience of hope, 1 Thes. 1. 3. and so though they seem long delayed, yet hope in the Promise will make us wait, and abide the performance of them: because they are assured they shall find the fruit of them at last.

Use. You see how we pray, the occasion of Prayer is necessity, our necessities lead us to the promise, that inviteth us, and giveth us Assurance, and yields matter for Faith and Hope, that puts us upon looking, and waiting, these two make us pray. When we can joyn patientiam spei cum ardore desiderii; the earnestness of expectation that keepeth us from sloth or negligence in the use of the means, or excites us to call upon God; and patience that keeps us from fainting or discouragement: hence cometh that earnest diligence, and constant unceasing importunity, so as to give God no rest: The belief of Gods promises do not make us neglect means, but to be more diligent in the use of them.