Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 6 · Section 3 – Section 4
Properties of perſeverant prayer.
1 It wraſtles with God by arguments, Job. 23.4. I will fill my mouth with arguments. Men when they are perſeverantly earneſt for a thing, will bring all arguments to effect their end, ſo will a believer to obtain his end; Lord it's a grace of the covenant, thou art my father, whom ſhould I go to but thee? this is for thy honour, and what wilt thou do to thy great name, Eſa. 63.16. I am a poor creature, conſider my frame, remember I am duſt, Pſal. 103.14, 15. Our near approach to death when we can no more call upon God, Job 7.21. Why doſt thou not pardon my ſins, for now ſhall I ſleep in the duſt, Pſal. 115.17. So from our own extremities, Be not ſilent to me, leſt if thou be ſilent to me, I become like one that goes down to the pit, Pſal. 28.1. Save me for the waters are come into my ſoul, Pſal. 69.1. from our own helpleſneſs otherwiſe, Pſ. 22.11, Be not far from me, trouble is near, and there is none to help. Jer. 3.23. Eſa. 63.5. from the greatneſs of ſcruples and tentations that lie upon our ſouls, from the overwhelmings of ſpirit by ſins and ſorrows, from the neceſſity of ſuch a bleſſing for the diſcharge of our callings, from the command of God that bids us ask, Jer. 33.…. from the promiſe of God who hath ingaged his faithfulneſs, Gen. 32.9, 10, 11. from our confidence in him. Pſal. 143.8. from former experiences, Pſal. 44.1. O God we have heard with our ears the great works thou diddeſt, from the low condition of Gods people, Pſal. 44.9, 10, 11, 12. from their conſtant adherence to his truth, ver. 17.18, 19, 20. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgot thee, from our own not living in ſin, Pſal. 86.2. hear my prayer for I am holy, from our perſeverance in prayer,, Pſal. 86.3. be merciful unto me, for I cry unto the daily. From the plentiful mercy and goodneſs in God, Pſ. 86.5.
2 Property: perſeverant Prayer is ſtriving. Rom. 15.3. I beſeech you for the Lord Jeſus ſake, that ye ſtrive together in your Prayers to God for me. So did Jacob wraſtle with God, Gen. 32.24. Eſpecially for thoſe to whom we are related, a paſtour for the flock, a father for his children, a maſter for his ſervants, an husband for his wife, &c. as if we were to wraſtle-with a ſtrong man, we put to all our ſtrength. As a father that hath an apple in his hand, the childe firſt opens one finger, and then another, till the apple drop out, ſo let us open one finger, and then another to get ſincerity, till we get all the graces of Chriſt upon us.
3 It's a proceeding Prayer: though a godly man do not get the thing totally that he deſired, yet he is nearer God than he was at the firſt beginning, he grows better every day by his Prayers, Job 18.9. The upright ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands ſhall grow ſtronger and ſtronger.
4 It's a prevailing Prayer, I will not let thee go except thou bleſs me, Gen. 32.26. Shall not God avenge his own elect that cry unto him day and night? I tell you, he will avenge them, and that right ſpeedily. Luke 18.7. That very Parable of the unjuſt Judg and poor Widow was ſpoken that men ſhould pray always and not faint, Luke 18.1, &c.
Motives to pray perſeverantly.
1 The continual interceſſion of Chriſt in Heaven in our behalf, there to preſent our Requeſts, Heb. 4.14.7.25.9.24. So that ſooner or later they will ſpeed, or elſe it's more expedient for us that the thing be not granted.
2 The greatneſs of thoſe things we pray for, which concern our everlaſting eſtate, hence we had need put forth all our ſtrength to beg them, Col. 4.2. Continue in Prayer, foreign, the word is derived of foreign ſtrength, by the tranſpoſition of a Letter, ſo that the word ſignifies to ply ſome laborious thing with all our might, till we have brought it to an end.
Object. But I have prayed long, and finde no benefit by my praying, Job 30.20. I cry unto thee and thou doſt not hear me, I ſtand up and thou regardeſt me not.
Anſw. 1 God ſometimes anſwers the Prayers of his Servants before they perceive it, Dan. 9.23. At the beginning of thy ſupplications the commandment came forth, yet for three Weeks he chaſtened himſelf by Prayer and Faſting, cap. 10.2, 3. v. 12. From the firſt day thou didſt ſet thy heart to chaſten thy ſelf before thy God thy words were heard; yet Daniel knew not of it, elſe would he not have further ſupplicated, but have given thanks for it. Sometimes through heedleſneſs and negligence perſons look not after their Prayers. Sometimes anguiſh of heart makes perſons not perceive it, Job 9.16. If I had called and he had anſwered me, yet would I not believe that he had hearkened to my voice.
2 Look upon it as a great affliction, to cry and not be heard, Lam. 3.44.
3 God takes notice of the Prayers of his people, Acts 9.11. Behold he prayeth, yea delights in them, as men do in the ſmell of ſweet Odours and Incenſe, Pſalm 141.2. Revel. 5.8. and if not yet anſwered, wait, for ſooner or later they ſhall be anſwered; They ſhall not be aſhamed who wait for God, Iſai 49.23.
9 Pray with watchfulneſs, Col. 4.2. Continue in Prayer and watch. Watch and pray, Matth. 26.41. Take heed, watch and pray. Mark 13.33. Be ſober and watch unto Prayer, 1 Peter 4.7. Watch therefore and pray always, that ye may be counted worthy to eſcape all theſe things, Luke 21.36. There are two ſorts of Watchings.
1 Proper. 2 Metaphorical.
1 Proper. this was practiſed, 1 Under the Old Teſtament, when holy men being compaſſed about with many cares, diſtractions and buſineſs, could not ſometimes finde fit acceſs to God on the day time, hence were forced to take part of the night: caeteris paribus, the thing is lawfull now, if a Chriſtian unavoidably hindered on the day time, do take part of the night for Prayer; thus David, Pſalm 22.2. I cry unto thee in the night ſeaſon and am not ſilent. Pſalm 6.6. All the night make I my bed to ſwim. Pſalm 119. At midnight I will riſe to give thanks unto thee. Or if a ſoul not content with Prayer in the day time, ſhall have an impulſe to pray in the night, thus Chriſt Matth. 26.38. Tarry ye here and watch with me, ſaith Chriſt. So the godly Levites, Pſalm 134.1.
2 Under the New Teſtament there were night-watchings: the Chriſtians in the Apoſtles times were compelled when they would either hear the Word publickly, or pray, to meet in the night, Acts 12.12. Peter in the night came to the houſe of Mary, where many were gathered together praying, Acts 20 7. John 20.19. Now they met in the night becauſe of the Pagans among whom they lived, to avoid their fury. Afterwards when Emperours became Chriſtians, whether for ſolemnity, cuſtome or devotion ſake, I know not, Chriſtians ſtill retained the cuſtome of wakings, and theſe Wakes they kept when a ſolemn Feaſt or Holy-day came on, which Wake they ſpent in Prayer and in the Word, that ſo they might be more fitted to partake of the Supper of the Lord; hence Tertullian lib. 2. to his Wife, brings a Reaſon why Chriſtian women ſhould not mary heathen Husbands, even from theſe Wakes, for ſaith he, Quis Ethnicus nocturnis convocationibus, &c. What Heathen would willingly endure his Wife to be from his ſide at theſe night aſſemblies? What man would endure without trouble that his Wife ſhould go abroad in the night at the Solemnities of Eaſter? wherein it's like they had divers Wakes. From this cuſtome have the popiſh Wakes continued in the Nations to this day, but quite altered from their primitive inſtitution, being now onelyonly kept as Feſtivals for the moſt horrid drunkenneſs, dancings and licentiouſneſs.
2 There is a metaphorical watchfulneſs. This is,
1 Againſt drowſineſs, that we do not come before the Lord with ſleepy Prayers. Thus Peter, James and John fell aſleep even as Chriſt was at Prayer, Matth. 26.40. They had a willingneſs to have watched with Chriſt, but drowſiſineſs ſeized on them through fleſhly weakneſs, v. 41. See alſo v. 43. A ſleepy ſpirit ſcarce ſpeaks ſenſe to God in Prayer. How do you think that God ſhould hear drowſie Prayers which your ſelves do not hear? Will Gods ears be delighted with non-ſenſe? Shouldeſt thou offer ſuch blinde halt ſervices to the Prince would he accept them? Mal. 1.13. It's a ſhame to ſpeak what many men do in ſecret, which they have confeſſed after converſion, yea and it were well if Chriſtians were not guilty herein. If it ſo fall out with thee that thou goeſt late to Prayer, and thine eys and ſpirit prove drowſie, be humbled and be ſhort, leſt thy whole Prayer be a taking of Gods Name in vain. Make the Lord amends ſome other time when thy heart is in a better temper. Let us be like Muſicians that firſt tune their Inſtruments, and then play. Or like Mariners, who having a good Gale of Winde ſet up all Sails. Pſalm 57.7.
2 Watchfulneſs againſt diſtractions. I have before ſhowen the cauſes of them under another Head, onelyonly Ile add that a worldly frame of ſpirit is a great cauſe of them, for when the heart comes immediately out of the World from pleaſures and worldly buſineſs, no wonder if the ſoul be full of wandering thoughts in duty. Alſo diſorderly affections of fear, joy, deſire, grief, anger, vain hopes, will be ready to interpoſe in Prayer. Beſides, a ſpirit of ſlothfulneſs, when we do not preſs our hearts to the Prayer in hand, will open a door for diſtractions; beſides, abundance of vain impreſſions upon the imagination, with the abſence of holy impreſſions there, help forward diſtraction. Beſides, many remaining luſts draw away and entice the ſoul.