SECRET PRAYER SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED.
6. SUBMISSION to the all-wise and holy will of God. This is the great benefit of a saint's communion with the Spirit, that he maketh intercession for them according to the will of God. When we pray for holiness there is a concurrence with the divine will, for "this is the will of God, even your sanctification." 1 Thess. iv, 3. When we pray that our bodies may be presented a living sacrifice, acceptable to God, we then prove "what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God." Rom. xii, 1, 2. In the covenant of grace, God does his part and ours too. As when God commands us to pray in one place, he promises in another place "to pour out upon us a spirit of grace and supplication." Zech. xii, 10. God commands us to repent and turn to him. Eze. xiv, 6. In another place, Jer. xxxi, 18, "Turn thou me and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God." And again, "turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned." Lament. v, 21. And again, "A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." Eze. xxxvi, 26, 27. And Paul says, "For this cause I cease not to pray for you, that he would work in you that which is well pleasing in his sight." Col. i, 9, 10; Heb. xiii, 21. "Work out your own salva- tion, for it is God that worketh in you, to will, and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. ii, 12, 13. Precepts, promises and prayer are connected like so many golden links to excite, encourage and assist the soul in spiritual duties. But in other cases, as to temporal and temporary mercies, let all thy desires in prayer be formed with submission, guided by his counsel and prostrate at his feet, and acted by a faith suited to the promises of outward blessings, and then it shall be unto thee even as thou wilt. Gerson said well: "Let all thy desires as to temporals turn upon the hinges of the divine good pleasure." That man shall have his own will that resolves to make God's will his. God will certainly bestow that which is for the good of his people. One great point of our mortification lies in this: to have our wills melted into God's; and it is a great token of spiritual growth, when we are not only content, but joyful to see our wills crossed that his may be done. When our wills are sacrifices of holy prayer, we many times receive choicer things than we ask expressly. It was a good saying, "God many times grants not what we would in our present prayers, that he may bestow what we would rather have when we have the prayer more graciously answered than we petitioned." We know not how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit helps us out with groans that secretly hint a correction of our wills and spirits in prayer. In great anxieties and pinching troubles, nature dictates strong groans for relief, but sustaining grace and participation of divine holiness, mortification from earthly comforts, excitation of the soul to long for heaven, being gradually weaned from the wormwood breasts of their sublunary, transient and unsatisfying pleasures, and the timing of our hearts for the seasons wherein God will time his deliverances, are sweeter mercies than the immediate return of a prayer for an outward good. What truly holy person would lose that light of God's countenance which he enjoyed by glimpses in a cloudy day for a little corn and wine? Nay, in many cases open denials of prayer prove the most excellent answers, and God's not hearing us in the most signal audience. Therefore at the foot of every prayer subscribe "Thy will be done," and thou shalt enjoy preventing mercies that thou never soughtest, and converting mercies to change all for the best, resting confident in this, that having asked according to his will he heareth thee. 7, and lastly. Present all into the hands of Christ. This was signified of old by praying toward the temple, because the golden mercy seat typifying Christ was there. 1 Kings viii, 33. Heb. viii, 3. He is ordained of God to offer gifts and sacrifices, and therefore it is of necessity that he should have something from us to offer, being the High Priest over the house of God. Heb. x, 21. What does Christ on our behalf at the throne of grace? Put some petition into the hands of Christ; he waits for our offerings at the door of the oracle; leave the sighs and groans of thy heart with this compassionate intercessor, who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, who sympathizes with our weaknesses. He that lies in the Father's bosom, and hath ex-66 love and bowels of a heavenly Father. Such a Father, the Father of fathers, and the Father of mercies. How sweetly does the apostle join it! God is our Father because the Father of our Lord; and because his Father, so our Father, therefore the Father of mercies. 2 Cor. i, 2, 3. O what generations of mercies flow from his paternity! But we must plead to this access to the Father through Christ by the Spirit. Eph. ii, 18. We must be gradually acquainted with all three; first with the Spirit, then with Christ, and last with the Father. First God sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, and then through the Son we cry Abba Father. Gal. iv, 6; Eph. i, 4. The bowels of mercy first wrought in the Father to us, he chose us in Christ and then sends his Spirit to draw us to Christ and by Christ to himself. Have you this access to God by the Spirit? Bosom communion flows from bosom affections. If your souls are truly in love with God, he will graciously say to your petitions, be it unto you according to your love. 2. The times of finding God. A godly man prays in finding seasons. When God's heart and ear are inclined to audience then God is said to bow down his ear. There are special seasons of drawing nigh to him when he draws nigh to us; times when he may be found. When thy "beloved looks forth at the window and shows himself through the lattice." Psa. xxxi, 2; Isa. lv, 6; Psa. xxxii, 6; Cant. ii, 9. That is a time of grace when God knocks at the door of thy heart by his Spirit. Motions upon the heart are like the doves of the East sent with letters about their necks. It is said of Bernard, he knew when the Holy Spirit was present with him by the motions of his heart. When God reveals himself to the heart he opens the ears of his servants for some gracious message. When God bids us seek his face, then the soul must answer "One thing have I desired, that will I seek after." Holy desires warm the heart and set the soul on seeking; they are like messengers sent from heaven to bring us into God's presence. Take heed then of quenching the Spirit of God. He that is born of the Spirit knows the voice of the Spirit. John iii, 8. When the soul is melted by the word, or softened by affliction, or feels some holy groans and sighs excited by the Spirit, that is a warm time for prayer. Then we enjoy intimations of the presence of God. Rom. viii, 27. Or when prophecies are near to expire, then there are great workings and searchings of heart in Daniel, Zechariah, Simeon and Anna; or when some promise comes with applying power, "therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee, for thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant." 2 Sam. vii, 27, 28. When we find promises dropped into the soul like wine, it causes the lips of them that are asleep to speak. Cant. vii, 9. 3. Keep conscience clear and clean from secret sins. With what face can we go to a friend to whom we have given any secret affront? And will ye be so bold as to come before the God of heaven when he knows ye maintain some secret sin in your hearts? Darest thou to bring a Delilah with thee into this sacred closet? True is that remark of Tertullian: "He that turns his ear from God's precepts must stop his mouth in the dust, if God turn his holy ears from their cry." When our secret sins are in the light of his countenance we may rather expect to be consumed by his anger and terrified by his wrath. Psa. xc, 7, 8. But it is perhaps objected—Then who may presume and venture into secret communion? True; if God should strictly mark what we do amiss who can stand? David was sensible of this objection, but he answers it humbly: "There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." Psa. cxxx, 4. If we come with holy purposes, God hath promised to pardon abundantly. Isa. lv, 7. His thoughts and ways are not as our ways; guilt makes us fly from his presence; but proclamation of pardoning grace to a wounded soul that comes for strength from heaven to subdue its iniquities, sweetly draws the soul to lie at his feet for mercy. Though we cannot say yet be so free as formerly, while under the wounding sense of guilt, yet when he "restores to us the joy of his salvation he will again uphold us with his free Spirit." Psa. li, 12. Yet take heed of scars upon the soul. God knows our foolishness, and our guiltinesses are not hid from him; yet we come for purging and cleansing mercy. A godly man may be under the sense of the divine displeasure for some iniquity that himself knoweth as the Lord spake of Eli; yet the way to be cured is not to run from God, but like the distressed woman come fearing and trembling, and fall at his feet and tell him all the truth. But if prayer has cured thee, sin no more lest a worse thing come upon thee. Matt. v, 33. For if we "regard iniquity in our heart the Lord will not hear us," but the guilt may stare conscience in the face with great amazement. Ps. lxvi, 18. It is storied of one who secretly had stolen a sheep, that it ran before his eyes in prayer, that he could have no rest. How strangely will memory ring the bell in the ears of Conscience, if we have any secret sin, if we look out aside with desires and secret thoughts (after our peace-offering) to meet our beloved lusts again. This is dangerous. God may justly give up such to cast off that which is good, to cleave to their idols, and let them alone. But if the face of the heart be not knowingly and willingly spotted with any sin and lust (hating infirmities which he mourns under), then thy countenance through Christ will be comely in the eye of God, and thy voice sweet in his ears, and as he said, "he who prays well lives well," so a holy life will be a walking continual prayer; his very life is a constant petition before God. 4. Own thy personal interest with God and plead it humbly. Consider whom thou goest to in secret; "pray to thy father who seeth in secret." Canst thou prove thyself to be in covenant? What thou canst prove thou mayst plead, and have it successfully issued. In prayer we take God's covenant into our mouths, but without a real interest; the Lord expostulates with such; what have they to do with it? Psa. l, 15, 16. God never graciously hears, but it is upon interest. This argument Solomon presses in prayer: "For they be thy people and thine inheritance." 1 Kings viii, 51. Thus David pleads: "Thou art my God; hear the voice of my supplication." Psa. cxl, 6. "I am thine, save me." Psa. cxix, 94. "Truly I am thy servant." Psa. cxvi, 16. Asa turns the contest heavenwards: "O Lord, thou art our God, let not mortal man prevail against thee; thou takest me for the sheep of thy fold and the servant of thy household, therefore seek me." 2 Chron. xiv, 11. When Israel shall be refined as silver and tried as gold, "they shall call on his name and he will hear them. I will say it is my people, my tried, refined, golden people, and they shall say, the Lord is my God." Psa. cxix, 176, and Zech. xiii, 9. When thou canst discern the print of the broad seal of the covenant upon thy heart, and the privy seal of the Spirit upon thy prayers, and canst look upon the Son of God in a sacerdotal relation to thee, thou mayest come boldly to "the throne of grace in time of need." Heb. iv, 6. 5. Be very particular in secret prayer, both as to sins, wants and mercies. Hide none of thy transgressions if thou expect a pardon. Be not ashamed to open all thy necessities. David argues because he is poor and needy. Psa. xl, 17; lxxxvi, 1; cix, 22. Four several times he presses his wants and exigences before God, like an earnest, but holy beggar, and shows before him his trouble, presents his ragged condition and secret wounds, as Job said he would "order his cause before him." Job xxiii, 4. There we may speak out our minds fully, and name the persons that afflict, affront, and trouble us; and wo to them that a child of God, upon a mature judgment, names in prayer. I do not find that such a prayer in Scripture returned empty. Jacob in a great strait, "Deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau." Gen. xxxii, 11. David in the ascent of mount Olives: "O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness." 2 Sam. xv, 31. Prayer twisted the rope for him at Giloh. Thus Jehoshaphat in his prayer names Ammon, Moab and Edom, conspiring against him. 2 Chron. xx, 10. Thus Hezekiah spreads the railing letter before the Lord. Isa. xxxvii, 14. And the Psalmist takes them all into a round catalogue that counselled against Israel. Psa. lxxxiii, 6, &c. Thus the church in her prayer names Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate, whereof the first was sent into perpetual banishment, and the latter slew himself. Josephus. L. 18, c. 9; Euseb. Chron. L. 2, p. 159. It is of great use in prayer to attend to some special case or single request, with arguments and affections suitable. "For this cause," says Paul, "I bow the knee." Eph. iii, 14. Suppose a grace deficient in its strength: "Lord increase our faith." Luke xvii, 5. Or a temptation urgent; "For this I prayed to the Lord thrice." 2 Cor. xii, 8. A great reason why we reap so little benefit by prayer, is because we rest too much in generals; and if we have success, it is but dark, so that often we cannot tell what to make of the issues of prayer. Besides, to be particular in our petitions would keep the spirit much from wandering, when we are intent upon a mighty case, and the progress of the soul in grace would manifest its gradual success in prayer. 6. Holy and humble appeals before the Lord in secret, when the soul can submissively and thankfully expose itself to divine searching. The soul cannot dwell in the presence of God under the flashing of defilement, neither will the Holy Spirit own a defiled soul. But when a person can humbly, modestly and reverently say, "Search me and try my veins, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting," [Psa. cxxxix, 23], it will be the means of the ebullitions and boilings up of joyful affections and meek confidence at the footstool of grace, especially in pleas of deliverance from wicked and proud enemies. When David can plead in the case stated between his enemies and himself, "for I am holy" [Psa. lxxxvi, 2, 14, 17], it shows him a token for good; or when we plead against the assaults of Satan, can we be conscious that we have watched and prayed against entering into temptation? When in the main we can wash our hands in innocency, we may then comfortably compass God's altar about. In case of opposition or injustice: "He rewarded me (says David in the point of Saul) according to my righteousness and the cleanness of my hands before him." Psa. xviii, 20. Or about the truth of the love that is in the heart to God: "Thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee." John xxi, 17. As to zeal for the worship and ordinances of God, so did Nehemiah. Neh. xiii, 14, 22. As to the integrity of a well-spent life, so did Hezekiah. Isa. xxxviii, 3. Or if we cannot rise so high, yet as the church did: "The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee." Isa. xxvi, 8. Or lastly, when we can unfeignedly plead the usefulness of a mercy entreated in order to the divine glory; as when a minister, or the church of Christ for him, prays for such gifts and graces—such knowledge and utterance—that he may win souls to Christ, and can appeal that it is his principle aim, this is glorious! Eph. vi, 19; Col. iv, 3.67 7. Pray for the Spirit, that ye may pray in and by the Spirit. "Awaken the north wind and the south to blow upon thy garden, that the spices thereof may flow forth." Cant. iv, 16. Then thou mayest invite Christ: "Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruit," that the soul may enjoy him and hold sweet communion with him. All successful prayer is from the breathing of the Spirit of God when he inspires and indites, when he directs the heart as to matter and governs the tongue as to utterance. God graciously hears the sighs of his own Spirit formed in us. He sends forth his Spirit, and "the waters flow." Ps. cxlvii, 18. The waters of contrition flow upon the breathing of the Spirit and the soul is as it were all afloat before the throne of grace, when these living waters issue from under the threshold of the sanctuary. Eze. xlvii, 1. Devout tears drop down from the Spirit's influences. Melting supplications follow the infusions of grace by the Spirit. "Then they shall mourn for piercing of Christ," says the prophet, "and be in bitterness as for a first born," like the mourning at the town of Hadadrimmon, where Josiah was slain. Zech. xii, 10. Then, in that day [Zech. xiii, 1, 2, 4, and xiv, 8], what inundations of mercy shall refresh the church, when the Lord will extend her peace like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream! great things to the church and gracious things to the soul. Holy sighs in prayer give intelligence of great mercies to follow. To withstand powerfully all the wiles of Satan, one means is to consecrate every part of the spiritual armor by prayer in the Spirit. Eph. vi, 18. Apply special promises to special cases in prayer. For God hath and will magnify his word of promise above all his name; when we are under the word of command for a duty, we must seek for a word of promise, and unite them in prayer. John xii, 28. When a promise of aid suits the precept it renders prayer victorious, and obedience pleasant: when we come with God's own words into his presence, when we take his words with us that he would "take away all iniquity," he will "receive us graciously." Hosea xiv, 2. Jacob urges that God had bid him return from his country and kindred. Gen. xxxii, 9. Solomon urges the word of promise to David. 1 Kings viii, 24. Jehoshaphat urges the word of promise to Solomon. 2 Chron. xx, 8, 9. Daniel fills his mouth with the promise given to Jeremiah; he reads and then applies it in prayer. Dan. ix, 2, 3. First search the Bible and look for a promise, and when found, open it before the Lord. Paul teaches us to take the promise given to Joshua, and then to say boldly the Lord is our helper. Heb. xiii, 5, 6. The special ground of the answer of prayer lies in the performance of a promise. Psa. l, 15, and lxv, 24. Simeon lived upon a promise and expired sweetly in the arms of a promise, in the breathings of a prayer. Luke ii, 29. Sometimes the soul depends for an answer by virtue of the covenant in general; as of that "I will be thy God." Gen. xvii, 7. Sometimes by the great Remembrancer it draws water out of some well of salvation. John xiv, 26. But in both, God's faithfulness is the soul's surety. Hence it is that David in prayer does so often argue upon the veracity and truth of God; and the church in Mica is so confident that the mercy promised to Abraham and confirmed in truth to Jacob, should be plentifully performed to his people Israel. Mica. vii, 20. 9. Sober and serious resolutions before God in prayer. The exixth Psalm is full of these: "I will keep thy statutes. I will run the way of thy testimonies. I will speak of thy testimonies before kings. I have sworn and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments." And elsewhere; "quicken us and we will call upon thy name." Ps. lxxx, 19. "O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart." Ps. ci, 2. Thus the soul makes holy stipulations and compacts of obedience to God. Thus Jacob, "if God will be with me, then shall the Lord be my God," and resolves upon a house for God, and reserving a tenth of all his estate to his service and worship. Gen. xxviii, 22. And this conjunction "if" is not to be taken for a single condition, as if God did not bestow what he asked, God should not be his God; that were a great wickedness; but it is a rational setting forth of order and time. Because, or since, God is graciously pleased to promise, I will acknowledge him to be the God whom I adore, by erecting a temple and paying tithes to maintain his worship. But whatever it is that the soul in distress does offer to God in promise, be not slack to perform, for many times answers of prayer may delay till we have performed our promises. Ps. xcvi, 13, 19. David confesses to pay what his lips had uttered in trouble, for God had heard him. If we break our words to God, no wonder we feel what the Lord threatened to Israel, that they should know his breach of promise. Num. xiv, 34. 10. A waiting frame of spirit in prayer. "I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry." Ps. xl, 1. The Hebrew word signifies, "I expected with expectation."—He walked up and down in the gallery of prayer. This is set forth by hope till God hear: "In thee, O Lord, do I hope; thou wilt hear, O Lord, my God." Ps. xxxviii, 15. Say with Micah: "I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation." Micah vii, 7. Hoping, expecting, trusting, living upon the promise and looking for an answer of peace, as when an archer shoots an arrow he looks after it with his glass to see how it hits the mark; so says the soul, I will attend and watch how my prayer flies toward the bosom of God, and what messages return from heaven. As the seaman when he has set sail goes to the helm and compass, and stands and observes the sun, or the pole star, and how the ship works, and how the land marks form themselves aright according to his chart; so do you, when you have been at prayer, mark your ship, how it makes the port, and what rich goods are laden back again from heaven. Most men lose their prayers in the mists and fogs of non-observation or forgetfulness. [Lee.