2. The babbler is another extreme, who thinlis the commendation of a duty is to be long in it, and afiects to say much rather than well ; whereas serious and short speech makes the best prayer: Prov. x. 19, ' In the multitude of words there Avanteth not sin ; ' either to God or men, it is true ; but especially when affected. So they do but beat the air, rather than pray to God.
These, then, are the two extremes : shortness, out of barrenness or slightness ; or length, out of affectation ; and we must carefully avoid these. Christ would not justify that shortness which comes from slightness and barrenness of heart, nor, on the other side, indulge the affectation of length in prayer.
Therefore let us a little see : — I. What is the sin.
II. Give you the force of our Lord's reasons here ui'ged, or how con- clusive our Saviour's arguments are against this practice.
I. What is the sin ? That is necessary to be known ; for all repeti- tions are not vain, nor is all length in prayer to be accounted babbling.
First, for repetitions : —
1. When they express fervency and zeal, they may be used. And so we read, Christ prayed over the same prayer thrice : Mat. xxvi. 44, ' 0 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.' And another evangelist showeth that he did this out of special fervency of spirit : Luke xxii. 44, ' Being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly.' And so we read of the prophet Daniel, chap. ix. 17-19, ' 0 our God, hear the prayer of thy servant ; 0 my God, incline thine ear, and hear ; 0 Lord, hear ; 0 Lord, forgive ; 0 Lord, hearken and do ; defer not for thine own sake, 0 my God.' All this was out of vehemency ; he goes over and over again the same request. When we use many words of the same kind and signification, and it be out of vehemency and fervency of spirit, it is not forbidden.
2. This repetition is not to be disproved i when there is a special
1 That is, ' disapproved.' — Ed.
Mat, VI, 6-8.] exposition of the lord's prayer. 25
emphasis and spiritual elegancy in it, as Ps. cxxxvi,, you have it twenty- six times repeated, ' for his mercy enduretli for ever ;' because there was a special reason iu it, his purpose there being to show the unwearied- ness and tlie unexhausted riches of God's free grace, that, notwith- standing all the former experiences they had had, God is where he was at first. We waste by giving, our drop is soon spent ; but God is not wasted by bestowing, but hath the same mercy to do good to his creatures as before. Though he had done all those wonders for them, yet his mercy was as ready to do good to them still. All along God saved and blessed his people, ' for his mercy enduretli for ever.' But as there are repetitions which have their use, so there are useless tautologies and vain repetitions. And such they are when they neither come from the heart nor go to the heart ; when they come not from the abundance of the heart, but rather the emptiness of the heart ; because we know not how to enlarge ourselves to God, therefore fall upon idle and useless repetitions of the same words and requests. As a man that hath small skill in music doth only play over the same note, so when men have not a full spiritual abundance, they waste themselves in prayer in these idle repetitions. And then they go not to the heart, they do not conduce to warm the affections. A vain, clamorous ingeminating the same thing, without faith and without wisdom, merely to fill up the tale of words, or to wear out a little time in a religious exercise, that is it which is here condemned under the notion of vain repetitions.
Secondly, For the other word, TroXvXojla, or 'much speaking.' Every long prayer is not forbidden ; for our Lord Jesus himself ' con- tinued all night in prayer :' Luke vi, 12. And in extraordinary duties of fasting, length seems to be very necessary: Esther iv. 16, 'They fasted and prayed together for three days and nights, without eating any bread.' And Solomon prayed long at the dedication of the temple.
But that which is forbidden is, M'hen men speak words without need and without affection ; a needless lengthening out of prayer, and that upon a conceit that it is more acceptable to God.
1. In the general, prayer should be short, as all examples of scrip- ture teach us. And the Lord's Prayer, you see how concise and short it is, for presently upon this our Lord teacheth his disciples to pray ; for prayer is a spending rather than a feeding duty. Those which affect long speaking many times run into this : they make it a feeding duty, for they mingle exhortations with prayer, whic-h is a great abuse. A man can bear up under the hearing of tlie word for an hour or two better than half an hour in prayer, with that necessary vigour of spirit which God hath required. Therefore the general rule is, let your words be concise, but full of affection. Look, as in vast and great bodies, the si)irits are more diffused and scattered, and therefore they are more inactive than those Avhicli are of a smaller compass ; so, in a long prayer, there may be more of words, but less of life.