fection is like coals put to the incense ; it makes prayer ascend as a sweet perfume. Christ prayed with strong cries, Heb. v. 7. Clamor iste penetrat nubes, Luther. Fer- vent prayer, like a petard set against hea- ven's gates, makes them fly open. To cause holy fervour and ardour of soul in prayer, consider, 1. Prayer without fervency, is no prayer ; it is speaking, not praying ; lifeless prayer is no more prayer, than the picture of a man is a man. One may say, as Pha- raoh, Gen. xli., " I have dreamed a dream :" it is a dreaming, not praying. Life and fervency baptizeth a duty, and gives it a name. 2. Consider in what need wc stand of those things which we ask in prayer. We come to ask the favour of God ; and if we have not his love, all we enjoy is cursed to us. W^e pray that our souls may be washed in Christ's blood; if he wash us not we have " no part in him," John xiii. 8. When will we be in earnest, if not when we are praying for the life of our souls ? 3. It is only fervent prayer hath the pro- mise of mercy affixed to it, Jer. xxix. 13., " Then shall ye find me, when ye search for me with all your heart." It is dead praying without a promise; and the pro- mise is made only to ardency. The Aediles among the Romans, had their doors al- ways standing open, that all who had peti- tions might have free access to them : God's heart is ever open to fervent prayer.
(4.) Prayer must be sincere; sincerity is the silver thread which must run through the whole duties of religion. Sincerity in prayer is, when we have gracious holy ends in prayer; our prayer is not so much for temporal mercies as spiritual. We send out our prayer, as a merchant sends out his ship, that we may have large returns of spiritual blessings; our aim in prayer is, that our heart may be more holy, that wc may have more communion with God ; ou*
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design is, that by prayer we may increase the stock of grace. Prayer which wants a good aim, wants a good issue.
(5.) Prayer tliat will prevail with God, must have a fixation of mind, Ps. Ivii. 7., " O God, my heart is fixed '" Since the fall, the mind is like quicksilver, which will not fix ; it hatli principium mollis, but 7iun quietus; the thoughts will be roving and dancing up and down in prayer, just as if a man that is travelling to such a place should run out of the road, and wander he knows not whither. In prayer, we are travelling to the throne of grace, but how often do we by vain cogitations, turn out of the road ! Which is rather wandering than praying.
Quest. But how shall we cure these vain impertinent thoughts, which do so distract us in prayer, and we may fear, hinder the accep- tance !
Ans. 1. Be very apprehensive in prayer of the infiniteness of God's majesty and purity. God's eye is upon us in prayer, and we may say, as David, Ps. Ivi. 8., " Thou tellest my wanderings." The thoughts of this would make us hoc agere, — mind the duty we are about. If a man were to de- liver a petition to an earthly prince, would he at that time be playing with a feather ? Set yourselves, when you pray, as in God's presence; could you but look through the key-hole of heaven, and see how devout and intent the angels are in their worshipping of God, sure you would be ready to blush at your vain thoughts and vile impertinen- ces in prayer.
A. 2. If you would keep your mind fixed in prayer, keep your eye fixed, Ps. cxxiii. 1., " Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens !" Much va- nity comes in at the eye. When the eye wanders in prayer, the heart wanders. To think to keep the heart fixed in prayer, and yet let the eye gaze, is as if one should think to keep his house safe, yet let the windows be open.
A. 3. If you would have your thoughts fixed in prayer, get more love to God. Love is a great fixer of the thoughts. He who is in love, cannot keep his thoughts off the object. lie who loves the world, his thoughts run undisturbedly upon the world.
Did we love God more, our minds would be more intent upon him in prayer. Were there more delight in duty, there would be less distraction.
A. 4. Implore the help of God's Spirit to fix our minds, and make them intent and serious in prayer. The ship without a pilot rather floats than sails ; that our thoughts do not float up and down in prayer, we need the blessed Spirit to be our pilot to steer us ; only God's Spirit can bound the thoughts. A shaking hand may as well write a line steadily, as we can keep our hearts fixed in prayer without the Spirit of God.
A. 5. Make holy thoughts familiar to you in your ordinary course of life. David was oft musing on God, Ps. cxxxix. 18., " When I awake, I am still with thee." He who gives himself liberty to have vain thoughts out of prayer, will scarce have other thoughts in prayer.