hath given his saints, by promise, a sovereignty over sin and Satan ; he will subdue both under your feet. The dread of the saint shall fall on the proudest devil, and his foot shall be set on the neck of his fiercest lust, yet this will cost hot work before the one or other be effected.
CHAPTER XVIII.
SATAN's last design upon the saint's prayer ; AND FIRST IMPEDIMENT THAT MAY OBSTRUCT THE ACCEPTATION OF IT IN HEAVEN.
The last design that Satan hath against the saint in this great undertaking of prayer, is to hinder his success therein. He will have thee, if he can, one way or other ; and it comes all to one, whether the ship be taken as it goes forth, or as it returns home ; nay, of the two, it is the greater loss to be defeated of our expectations, when we look for our prayers to come richly fraught with mercies from heaven.
Now, two ways he labours to hinder the success of prayer. First, He endeavours to hinder the welcome of their prayers with God, that they may be cast as a petition out of court, which God will not look on. Secondly, If he cannot prevail on this, then he plays an after-game, and will so handle the matter, if possible, that though they have welcome with God, and find gracious reception in heaven, yet, that this be not believed by the saint on earth, but he gives them up for lost, and looks no more after them. Now, though this be not a total miscarriage of prayer, yet the devil hath hereby a great advantage, depriving him of the present comfort and benefit which his faith might afford him before a I'eturn is made of it.
Section I. — Satan labours to hinder the entertainment of our prayers in heaven. Now, our prayers may, several ways, be stopped at heaven's door, and denied the gracious access which God useth to give. I sjDeak now of saints' prayers ; as for the prayers of the wicked, there is one law for them all, to be cast out, and the door shut upon them. The tree must be good before the fruit it bears can taste sweet on God's palate. Now, the stoppage which the saint's prayer meets with, springs not from any unwillingness in God to give out his mercy, or any dislike to have beggars at his door. God is so delighted with acts of^ mercy, that, therefore, he made the world, and all in it, that he might have suitors to beg, and alms to give to them : but we put the stones into the lock, which hinders the turning of prayer's key in it, and so we shut the door of mercy upon ourselves. The devil himself could not immediately hinder a saint's welcome, (he hath not such command of God's ear,) did we not put words into his mouth, and help him to a charge against us. The lies which he, as a false accuser, carries to God, shall not prejudice us in God's thoughts, or make our prayers the less acceptable ; but if the accusation be true, God will hear it, though he be a wicked spirit that tells the tale, and we his dear children of whom it is told. A father, when he hears of some wicked prank his child hath played, will chide and frown on him, though it be an enemy that told him of it.
Section II. — When the thing prayed for is not according to the will of God. We have not a liberty to pray at random for what we will. The throne of grace is not set up that we may come there and vent our distempered passions before God, or to make any motion to him that comes in our head ; truly, then, God should have work enough. If he had promised to sign all our petitions, without any regard to the subject-matter of them, he would too often set his hand against himself, and pass that which would be little for his glory to give. Herod was too lavish, when he gave his minion leave to ask what slie would, even to half of his kingdom, and he paid dear for it, for he gave her that head which was more worth than his whole kingdom ; for the cutting off that, lost him his crown. No, we have to do with a wise God, who, to stop the mouth of all such bold beggars, that would ask what unbecomes us to desire, or him to give, hath given a law of prayer, and confined us to the matter thereof, — 'When ye pray, say, Our Father,' &:c. ; that is, learn here what you may pray for in faith, so that you may receive it : 1 John v. 14, 'This is the confi- dence we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.' Faith without a promise, is like a foot without firm ground to stand upon.
654< PRAYING ALWAYS, ETC.