* ix>ca»i7¥, i. e. Non defatigari. — Cornelius a Lapide. To pray always is u *a,iri xai^ai, to pray in every opportunity.
' Semper oral qui beni semper agit. To pray always, is to pray omni tempore. Prayer, saith one, is Flagelluin diahoLi.
* Augustine's usual wish was, that when Christ came, he might find him Aut precan- Um, aut prcedicantem, either praying or preaching.
* As a hungry man eats as if he had never ate before.
KOM. VIII. 32-34.] HEAVEN ON EARTH. 495
would turn himself into several shapes and forms ; yet if they would hold out and press him hard without fear, into whatsoever form or shape he appeared, they were sure to have satisfactory oracles. So if we will continue constant in our wrestling with God for blessings, though God should appear unto us in the form or shape of a judge, an enemy, a stranger, &c., yet still to press him hard for mercy, verily mercy will come at the long run, and we shall say, that it is not in vain for men to hold on praying, though God for a time delays giving the particular favours they sue for. As that emperor said, Oportet imjyeratorem stan- tem mori, it behoves an emperor to die standing, so may I say, Oportet Christianum Tnori precantem, it behoves a Christian to die praying.^
Fifthly, To pray in a right manner, is to pray sincerely : Ps. xvii. 1, ' Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips' ; or, as it is in the Hebrew, without * lips of deceit.'* Ps. cxlv. 18, ' The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: to all that call upon him in truth.' Your heart and tongue must go together ; word and work, lip and life, prayer and practice must 'echo one to another, or all will be lost, heaven lost, and the soul lost for ever. It is not the greatness of the voice, nor the multitude of words, nor the sweetness of the tone, nor studied notions, nor eloquent expressions, that takes Jehovah, but truth in the inward parts, Ps. li. 6. When the Athenians would know of the oracle, the cause of their often unprosperous successes in battle against the Lacedaemonians, seeing they offered the choicest things they could get, in sacrifice to the gods, which their enemies did not, the oracle gave them this answer. That the gods were better pleased with their inward supplication without ambition, than with all their outward pomp in costly sacrifices. Ah, souls ! the reason why you are so unsuccessful in your religious duties and services is, because you are no more sincere and upright in them. Were there more singleness and sincerity of heart in your duties, you would have surer and sweeter returns from heaven.^
One reports of Joachim,* the father of the Virgin Mary, that he would often say, Cibus et potus mihi erit oratio, prayer is my meat and drink. Ah, Christians ! the more sincere you are, the more will prayer be your meat and drink ; and the more prayer is a delight and pleasure to you, the more will you be the pleasure and delight of God, who delights in those that delight in his service, and that count his work better than wages. It was more troublesome to Severus the emperor, to be asked nothing, than to give much ; when any of his courtiers had not made bold with him, he would call him and say. Quid est cur nihil petis ? &c., what meanest thou to ask me nothing ? 8o says Christ to upright souls ; ' Hitherto have ye asked nothing ; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full,' John xvi 24. Christ hath a full purse, a noble heart, and a liberal hand.
^ Hypocrites are inconstant in their prayers ; they are only at it by fits and starts, they are only constant in inconstancy.
* HDID *nBK' K^2. The very heathen gods would be served in white, the very emblem of purity.
3 A gentlewoman, being in her parlour in meditation and prayer, cried out, Oh that r might ever enjoy this sweet communion with God, and never change it! The first part of her wish is precious ; in the latter part of the wish, like Peter, she said she knew not what * Protei. Jac. i., &c. — G.
496 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-34.
[4.] The fourth requisite in prayer is this, viz., your prayer must be ad bonum, to a good end; it must be to the glory of God, and to the internal and eternal advantage of your own and others' souls.' The chiefest end, the white, the mark, at which the soul must aim in prayer, is God's glory : ' Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God,' 1 Cor. X. 31. When God crowns us, he doth but crown his own gifts in us ; and when we give God the glory of all we do, we do but give him the glory that is due unto his name ; for he works all our works in us and for us. God measures all men's actions by their ends : if their end be good, all is good ; if the end be naught, all is naught. The end deter- mineth the action. All actions of worship are good or bad, as the mark is at which the soul aims. He that makes God the object of prayer, but not the end of prayer, doth but lose his prayer, and take pains to undo himself. God will be all in all, or he will be nothing at all ; he will be Alexander or Nemo ; he will be both the object and the end of prayer, or else he will abhor your prayer. Those prayers never reach his ear, they are never lodged in his bosom, that are not directed to his glory. The end must always be as noble as the means, or else a Chris- tian acts below himself, yea, below his very reason.
Ah, Christians ! it is not a flood of words, nor high strains of wit, nor vehemency of affections in prayer, but holy and gracious ends, that will render prayer acceptable and honourable to God, comfortable and pro- fitable to yourselves and others ; yea, the directing of one prayer to divine glory doth more torture and torment Satan than all the prayers in the world that are directed to ends below divine glory. It is not simply prayer, but the soul's aiming at divine glory in prayer, that adds to Christ's crown and Satan's hell.^
And thus I have shewed you all the requisites of prayer, even of such prayer as accompanies salvation. I shall now proceed to some other particulars for the further and fuller opening of this truth.
(2.) The second property. Secondly, That prayer that accompanies salvation betters the whole man. By it faith is increased, hope strength - ened, the spirit exhilarated, the heart pacified, the conscience purified, temptations vanquished, corruptions weakened, the affections inflamed, the will more renewed, and the whole man more advantaged. Prayer is a spiritual chair, wherein the soul sitteth down at the feet of the Lord, to receive the influences of his grace. Prayer is the regal gate by which, the Lord entereth into the heart, comforting, quieting, strengthening,, quickening, and raising of it. The Scripture affords us a cloud of wit- nesses to prove this truth, but I appeal to praying saints. Ah, tell me, tell me, praying souls, have not you, do not you find it so ? I know you have and do, and that is it that makes prayer a pleasure, a paradise unto you.'