A DISCOURSE ON PRAYER.

PART I.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. 1 Thess. 5: 17.

CHAPTER I.

PRAYER IN GENERAL.

WITHOUT spending time in analyzing the chapter, we find in this text two parts, the duty enjoined, and the modification of the duty of praying without ceasing. Then in the former part, you have the Sovereign commanding this duty, -even God the Father; yea, Jesus Christ his Son, who by his Spirit, sent Paul, the apostle, to deliver this command, to pray without ceasing. Then you have the persons on whom this duty is enjoined, to wit, the church of Thessalonica, jointly and severally; and through them, all other churches of Christ, and all Christians whatsoever.

Whence we deduce this doctrine: that incessant prayer, or prayer without ceasing, is a duty which the Lord requires of all, and every one of his people,

in a special manner.

Christ spoke a parable to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint He requires us to continue instant in prayer, and to be praying always with all prayer.

For the better handling of this important matter of prayer, we may speak first of the duty itself, which is prayer; secondly, of the modification of it, in that it must be without ceasing; thirdly, of the conditions required, in order to incessant prayer; and fourthly, of some cases of conscience respecting it.

Touching the duty of prayer itself, we may speak first, more generally as to the nature of it, and then more particularly of the several kinds of prayer, as sudden or ejaculatory, or as set and solemn prayer, whether it be public prayer, or family prayer, or secret prayer. Prayer also consists of several parts. Of these we shall consider only these two, that of intercession and that of imprecation.

Prayer is a duty very many ways ennobled and honored of God and his people, and as that which is of large use and extent, whose worth is not known nor easily deciphered; whose nature is not readily conceived or described, and yet that which should be most familiar to the saints. It is set forth in Scripture by many names. Let us then read over the

titles of this royal work.

It is called an offering. "My suppliants shall come and bring mine offerings;" or they shall in a solemn, reverent, and cheerful manner pray unto the Lord, even as the godly used to bring the Lord's offering to him. Isaiah 19: 21. The converted Egyptians will do sacrifice and offering; make prayer their spiritual work and business. And prayer may well be

so called; for, as that was, so this is, to be presented by all sorts, poor or rich; none are exempted from it. As those offerings were costly to all sorts, considering their several abilities, so are these spiritual sacrifices, as in case of the suppliant's tears, sighs, strivings, and pleadings. As they were free services, so are these. Christ's suppliants are free sacrificers; their spirit is forward to pray; to will is present with them; their prayer is their gift. Matt. 5: 24. As those were to be clean and pure, so are the saint's prayers. Job 16: 17. Also my prayer is pure. If we should compare prayer with their particular offerings, it would answer to this name: as, their Mincah, or meat-offering. All the subjects of Christ's kingdom must bring an offering (Mincah) into the courts. The converted Gentiles will bring an offering to the Lord; meaning, especially, this holy offering of prayer, which, as that of old, is to be of fine flour, and well sifted, tried, and refined in all the particulars and parts of it, and men's aims in it. We should not ask amiss, either unlawful things, or, though lawful, yet to spend upon our lusts. It must be mingled with the oil of grace and gracious affections, and perfumed with the sweet frankincense of Christ's merit and mediation, applied by faith, and all seasoned with that holy salt of gracious expres sions outwardly, and with mortified desires and affections inwardly; avoiding the honey of human eloquence, or affectation of expression, but especially of inordinate desires or lusts.

We might also compare it with other of their offerings, but shall forbear, remembering this only,

that we speak thus in reference to these, as part of their worship, and not as types of Christ.

Prayer is called incense. "Let my prayer come before thee as incense;" "in every place pure incense shall be offered to thy name; "" vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints." As that was compounded of very costly materials, so is a spiritual prayer; as they were small beaten, so in this. Matters in prayer are not rudely, but deliberately and very particularly presented before the Lord. The saints in their prayers have also their hearts broken and bruised, and parcelled out suitably to the very particulars mentioned in prayer; nor is the fire of the spirit, and of holy zeal wanting therein, which causes them to send out holy vapors of fragrant spiritual sighs and desires before the Lord; and whilst these spiritual priests are through faith exercised, offering up this their holy incense upon the altar Jesus Christ, there is but a step, as it were, between them and heaven, that holy of holies. O how near are the saints, so exercised, to Jesus Christ, as that covering mercy-seat! What precious answers of grace receive they oftentimes from the oracle of God! How speedily do their holy odors pierce and pass into the holy of holies into heaven!

Prayer is called a lifting up of the soul and of the heart. "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul," that is, to thee do I pray. The work of prayer being not so much to lift up eyes and hands and voice, as to lift up the heart and soul; and we have not prayed, when our spirits are not elevated. Surely that work whereby the souls of God's suppliants,

when sinking, when cleaving to the dust, are raised up, is a great work; yet Hannah's prayer did it; "she looked no more sad." The like elevation was David's prayer to him, in that sad plight, from under those grievous weights upon his spirit; yea, hereby God's suppliants do get above worldly cares, fears, and distractions. "Be careful for nothing, (meaning inordinately,) but in every thing make your request known by prayer," etc. "And the peace of God," etc., "shall keep your hearts and minds." The work of prayer is not to move or remove God; he is in one mind, he is still the same; but to move and remove our hearts near to the Lord; and then have we prayed to purpose, when by prayer our hearts and spirits are in a more sublime and celestial frame; when we are more above natural, carnal, and formal self; when more off and above the world, and all the encouragements and discouragements of it; when in and by prayer we have recovered, yea, haply exceeded our former lively apprehensions of, and affections to the Lord Jesus, our former strength and bent of spirit to his favor and ways, etc. For then our hearts are indeed lifted up: yea, prayer is not only a lifting up of the heart effectively, because when duly performed it doth thus lift it up, but it is so formally, because the very form, nature, and essence of a spiritual prayer lie in the heavenly movings, workings, and approvings of the mind and heart, as spiritual toward God and Christ, in the several expressions of their desires. Gracious suppliants, as such, "mount up with wings as eagles." They approach to the Lord; draw near to the Lord; they fly to heaven for refuge; they fly to the Lord