Lord, he is found of us. We should resolve to hold on seeking, and pray as long as we prosper in it.

5. Holy constancy in prayer, will be an argument of most integrity in it. The hypocrite will not pray always. They are elect ones which are so incessant in prayer; cry night and day. They are natural fruits to trees, which they bring forth constantly. So constancy in holy prayer argues prayer to be in a holy wise natural to us as saints, and that there is in us some praying nature. It is a beam of divine immutability, amidst variety of changes in other things, yet to be unchangeable in our way of holiness, and therefore of prayer. The saints, whatever their changes otherwise, yet are suppliants: "From beyond the river of Ethiopia shall my suppliants come." That is, my saints, my effectual called ones, which will be continually, even naturally, making holy supplications to me. If abroad, they are conscientious in prayer, and so likewise if at home. If free, then free to pray; if bond, yet the Lord's free men to pray. In privileged and peaceable times they continue praying, and so they do in troublesome times; whilst the light of God shines in their tabernacles, and on their spirits, they labor in prayer; and so in darkness of temptations, afflictions, etc., they hold on praying.

6. Special and desirable benefits come by constancy in prayer. It is a special help against all worldly temptations. If we would not be charged with cares of this life, pray always. Men much in prayer with God, are ever the most weaned from the world. They have so many sweet discourses with

God, that other talks with the world are more harsh and burdensome to them; they are so oft in speech with the spouse of their souls, that they cannot affect to speak familiarly with that harlot. They are so much in heaven that their spirits cannot be much in earth. They drive so gainful a trade in that celestial city, that they have little delight to be peddling elsewhere about trifles. They fare so well at their father's house, that they care not for the devil's husks, or the world's scraps. It is likewise a means to escape the displeasure of God, which lights upon others; to escape that which comes as a snare, which takes and holds fast, and bruises, crushes, and kills others. Besides, it is a means to fit us for Christ's second coming. Pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things, and to stand before the Son of man. Persons much in prayer do so oft set up tribunals in their own hearts, so frequently make up just accounts with God in Christ, and so many times in their prayers make references of matters unto that day, that they famil iarize with their judge, and in a manner facilitate the business of that day, so far as it concerns them.

But here we might justly reprove such in our days, who have formerly been more constant in family, and possibly in closet prayer, but now leave it off, seldom or never pray in their closets, and will not join with others in prayer. This is charged upon hypocrites as their guise and garb: "Will he always call upon God?"

Whence comes it to pass that any faint, or grow weary, or cease from praying?

1. Many bring with them to prayer too many in

cumbrances, and they tire them; they cannot travel on to hold out in a course of prayer, when they carry so much luggage with them.

2. Many do but waste their time in prayer to no purpose, and so getting nothing by this their trade, they grow weary of it, and men shut up shop, as I may say. It is bootless, they perceive, and in vain. for them to pray any longer.

3. Many have some secret wounds yet unhealed; they are annoyed with some malignant distempers of heart, with some predominant lusts, and so faint and give out. They began this holy course, and set out with others in this spiritual way, but cannot hold on with them; their hearts not being sound and right within them, they draw back, and that to perdition; their heart is lifted up, and not upright within thein, and so cannot make any spiritual living of it. Their hearts not being sound in God's statutes, they sustain the shame of apostasy.

4. Many do not sincerely receive and retain the holy food of their souls, the word of God, which would keep us in this path of a Christian's course and race. Careless and unprofitable hearers will not, cannot hold on long, or with any life, a course of prayer. Whilst Christians are lively and fruitful in hearing the word, they are lively, fruitful, and constant in prayer; but they that give the bare hearing to the prophet's words, minding other matters whilst they are hearing, are heartless and listless altogether in seeking unto God that they might live. "If our iniquities be upon us, and we pine away in our sins, how should we then live?" They think it loathsome to look, or speak to God about it.

CHAPTER IV.

THE CONDITIONS OF

PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING.

FIRST, FAITH.

HAVING spoken of the nature of the duty of prayer here enjoined, and of what is implied in praying without ceasing, we now come to the third thing propounded, namely, the conditions which are required in praying importunely, opportunely, or constantly. Now these conditions of incessant prayer are four. 1. Faith. 2. Humility. 3. Sincerity. 4. Watchfulness.

First, faith in prayer. This is a principle requisite to prayer; it is even all in all in it. Without this, prayer is in effect no prayer unto the Lord: hence acceptable prayer is called the prayer of faith: "The prayer of faith shall save the sick." It is not so much a Christian's prayer, as his faith in prayer which prevails with God for a gracious answer: "Whatsoever ye ask believing, ye shall receive." It is faith which makes a man's person first acceptable, and no wonder then if such an one's prayer prevails. Cain and Abel both sacrifice; "God had respect unto Abel, and unto his offering, yet not to Cain."

But it was by faith that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Faith is the instrument whereby the stains which else might blast us and our prayers are removed, both from our persons and prayers: "God purifies our hearts by faith;" "We are sanctified by faith." Faith is a means to make

the holiness of Christ's person and prayers ours; and that must needs be acceptable to the Lord. My beloved is mine, all his holiness and righteousness is mine, saith the believing church. Faith interested the saints in all the succoring attributes and titles of God, or offices and titles of Christ in the covenant of grace, and all the particular promises which we need to improve in prayer; and what then more needful or useful in prayer than faith? Faith shows a godly soul, where all its strength and life is to be had; and makes the utmost improvement of all in prayer. Faith makes the saints keep their due distance in prayer; gives God and Christ their due, grace and mercy their due; ourselves and our spiritual enemies which we complain of, their due. It sets God and Christ in his proper place and throne; puts us into an holy athletic plight, orders the bounds, proportions, and motions of prayer, and then takes its best season, and holy advantages, both of God and of ourselves, to effect and bring about the desires which spring from our faith. Faith is a lively spark indeed, and puts life, both into the suppliants, and into their supplications. Be we ever so dead, dumb, and listless in spirituals; if faith begin once to be stirring, it puts life into the business. Now for the better handling of this principal requisite to incessant prayer, consider 1. What faith in prayer is required, and why so? 2. What is the work of faith in prayer?

3. What helpful means and encouragements are useful to further faith in prayer?

4. What are the marks of faith in prayer?

First, the faith requisite in prayer, either respects God more generally, both in his absolute and rela