any mercy by prayer, of all others he will use it best, and give God the most glory of it, and for it, as might be shown in divers instances.

4. Because such a kind of spirit in prayer does fit us most for the mercies of prayer. Hence it is compared to hunger, which does fit the soul for its desired food of grace and mercy. Hence is that opposition betwixt the hungry and the rich, and yet rich is rather opposed to poor, because indeed the poorest in spirit, the beggars in spirit are the most hungry. As the emptying of a vessel fits it for being filled with precious liquor; so humility by emptying the heart of all self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, self-will, fits the soul in prayer, for what it does pray for. The heart of the humble is a prepared heart to pray to God, likewise to receive and improve the mercies which it seeks in prayer; such an one is most flexible and ready both to use the best means to obtain the mercies desired, and to walk worthy of them when obtained. So Job says, “I have sinned, what shall I do to thee, O thou preserver of men?"

Lastly, what helps and means should we use to further the humility required in prayer? I answer,

1. Set faith at work, as we showed at large in the last lecture. Faith in God's promise and providence made David pray humbly, as one not worthy to speak more to God, or receive more from him. That made the prodigal to throw down himself in such sort, and humbly to seek his father's favor, considering in him a father's compassion, which possibly might move towards him; he is sure likewise that he has all he needs, and that he moves and furthers

him therein. The publican's faith in propitiatory merit and mercy, causes him so to speak. It was faith that set the woman begging in that humble and lowly, as well as earnest manner, Matt. xv. The faith of that woman was the instrumental means of her salvation, which was the means of her silent, humble approach to the Lord. It is faith which takes a true measure, both of God and of ourselves, and thereby furthers such humility.

2. Get our hearts filled with love to the Lord. Love is a stooping grace; it will make a Christian think meanly of all he says or does in behalf of Christ, whom he loves, that he never speaks nor does enough for him. Love will make a man amplify his worth and excellency and glory, and ever be speaking well, even the best of him; and that will surely make him carry it submissively to him, as very loth to displease or dishonor him; and when at any time a Christian wrongs or offends the Lord, O how will love occasion self-loathing and displeasure and distaste and trouble for it. The Lord Jesus in giving that answer in that poor woman's hearing: "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven her; for she loved much," shows that love also set her on work in such humble and melting sort, to express the secret desires of her soul unto him, touching the clearing of her justification.

3. We must be sincere in heart in our prayers which we make. The sincere-hearted publican will humble himself in seeking of God's favor by prayer, when the leaven of hypocrisy will puff up the pharisee whilst he is praying. Sincerity will make us in prayer speak freely and ingenuously on the part of

God and Christ, in way of good; and on our own part, in way of our evil and emptiness; it will make men of yielding and flexible tempers, and cause them to be open and plain-hearted with the Lord; and that they shall not refuse or be unwilling to take any shame before God.

4. Let us improve serious considerations of our needy condition, as likewise of the greatness of God. The saints are styled such as poor in spirit, hungry, destitute ones, whose best habiliments are rags. When we look at this ragged condition of ours, it will make us remember ourselves, and keep us humble in our supplications.

5. Let us spread much our own and ancestors' sins before the Lord when we are to pray. Thus did Daniel and Ezra. The very serious mention and meditation of an offence of a child of God against his Father, will make a regenerate nature begin to work, and then will issue holy blushes in the face of an ingenuous Christian. If through the wiles of Satan and our deceitful hearts, we should begin to gaze on our goodly features, and have some risings of spirit in way of pride, yet at the sight of this black foot of ours, we should then assuredly fall in our spirits.

6. Let us take all holy advantages of such melting, weeping plights, in which we are sometimes above others. David's heart being in that humble plight upon occasion of a good word of the prophet, sent to him from God, then David goes in and prays, and then he carries it so humbly. When Ezra upon the hearing of the evils among them, was put into that abased frame, then he falls into that humble

sort to pray before the Lord. So whilst Nehemiah's heart was even broken at the present hearing of the sad news, he forthwith fetches himself in solemn way to pray and weep before the Lord. Though such melting desires and inclinations should haply be raised from other causes, or spiritual miseries, yet being stirring already, they may the better be spiritualized. There are times when we are so strangely stupefied, that scarce any thing will affect us; but when affected seriously with any thing, it is an advantage to turn such waters (the sluices being now opened) into the right channel.

7. In our secret approaches to the Lord, spend some time in serious premeditation. It will help to put us into a more serious frame of spirit, and that is the next neighbor to an humble and sensible plight. It will add plummets to fleety, lofty spirits, especially if we seriously consider his majesty and sovereignty before whom we come, surely that will help to bring us on our knees. The sight of the king's colors will doubtless make all, but some presumptuous, careless, stout spirits, to lower their sails, even when they are going on full sailed in prayer.

CHAPTER VI.

SINCERITY REQUIRED IN PRAYER.

HAVING spoken in part of the third general thing propounded, namely, the conditions required to the

incessant practice of this duty of prayer, and therein handled two of those conditions required, namely, faith and humility, we come now to a third, namely, sincerity, or purity, or integrity. The approved suppliants are such as call upon God out of a pure heart, such as call upon him in truth: "The prayer of the upright is a delight to the Lord."

For our better handling of this requisite to prayer, consider we,

1. Wherein this purity, integrity, and sincerity required in prayer does consist.

2. Why the Lord requires it.

3. What are the marks of it.

4. What means and helps there are to it.

5. And lastly, what motives may stir us up to endeavor it.

To the first we answer, that such sincerity consists in these six or seven things:

1. In carrying on the whole business of prayer as to God. Whether we confess our sins and miseries, or crave redress of them; whether we ask such or such blessings or favors for ourselves or others; or whether we bless the Lord for grace already vouchsafed us for what else we do in prayer, we are to carry it with such awe and reverence as those who are speaking to God; and with such intention and observance as those that are now to deal with God; to keep our true distance, neither heartlessly distrustful and dismayed, and yet not heedlessly and presumptuously bold with God; afraid of him, yet not terrified by him; solaced in him therein, yet trembling before him; satisfied in him, yet unsatisfied in continued desires of mercy from him; resting on