found in thy head than in thy heart. Thy invention in prayer by this will be more barren, but thy heart may be as fruitful over the few broken, disjointed sentences that fall from thee, as theirs with their eloquent oration. Thy lan- guage will not be so gaudy, but thy soul and spirit may be as sound, yea, more upright than many of those who charm the ears of those that join with them. It is possible a man may have a rotten body under a gaudy suit ; and under this fine language, a poor ragged conscience. Who had not rather be sincere with mean gifts, than rotten-hearted with great parts ? We do not count him the best patriot that is the best orator, and makes more rhetorical speeches than others, but he that takes the best side. It is not the rhetoric of the tongue, but the hearty Amen, with which the sincere soul seals every holy request, that God values ; and this thy honest heart will help thee to do ; which his head cannot, that wants this sincei'ity. It is not the fairness of the hand that gives the force to the bond, but the person whose hand and seal it is. Gifts may make a fair appearance, but faith and sincerity make a valid prayer ; and this alone can lay claim to the good things of the promise. In a word, sincere soul, though thou hast not these praying gifts as others, yet thou hast as much in- terest in Christ, the 'unspeakable gift,' 2 Cor. ix. 15, as any of them all. And, for thy everlasting encouragement know, it is not those gifts in them, but this gift of God to thee, and all believers, which is the key that must open God's lieai't, if any mercy be got thence : yea, this gift must sanctify their glittering gifts, as the altar did the gold upon it, or they will be an abomination to the Lord.
CHAPTER VIII.
Satan's policy to keep a soul from this duty, upon a pretence of present indisposition of body.
Satan, and the flesh too, have their excuses to take thee off thy duty, when thy stated time comes about for the performance of it. Dost thou never, when addressing thyself to the throne of grace, hear Satan and thy flesh whispering in thine ear, — What art thou going to do ? This is not a fit time for thy pra)'ing ; stay for a more convenient season. Here the devil seems modest ; he saith not, pray not at all, but not now; not dissolve, but adjovn-n the court to a more proper time. Now beware, thy foot is near a snare ; if thou takest the devil's counsel, and waitest for his convenient season, maybe it will prove like Felix's convenient season for calling Paul to a farther hearing, which, for aught we find, never came about. When the flesh or Satan beg time of thee, it is to steal time from thee. They put thee off duty at one time, on a design to shut thee out at last from this duty at any time. The devil is a cunning sophist ; he knows a modest beggar may sooner obtain the little he asks, than he that saucily asks that which carries more unreasonableness in the request. Jephtha, who yielded to his daughter's desire for a few months' reprieve, would, it is likely not have heard her, had she begged a full release from her father's vow. A gracious soul is under a vow to call upon God : Satan knows, that, should he at first ask the saint never to pray any more, such a request would not be attended to ; therefore he would seem very willing he should sometimes pray : Ay ! by all means, saith he, I would not have you turn your back on your best friend, but now is not so fit a season. Two pleas Satan hath to cheat the Christian of his present opportunity for prayer. First, From his present indis- position to pray. Stay, Christian, saith he, till thou art in a better temper for duty, and thou wilt pray to more purpose. Now there is a double indisposi- tion, which Satan and the flesh make use of to colour their pretence with. First, Indisposition of body. Some distemper lies at present on thee ; and Scripture, say these, tell thee, God loves mercy rather than sacrifice. And it cannot be denied that the Scripture will reach as far as the body, for Ciod's com- mands are not cruel to it. But, to help thee out of this snare, tell me, how great is thy distemper of body ? Happily thou art not so ill, but thou canst go about thy worldly business, though with some groans and complaints ; but when thou shouldst pray, then thy head aches and shoots more than before. Art thou well enough to go into thy shop, but not well enough to pray in thy closet ? Canst thou waddle so far as to the market, and not pray at home? Canst thou
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