2. This spiritual crying is not the earnestness of carnal affections ; that is stirred up by the flesh, but this cry is stirred up by the Spirit, who maketh request, Kara Qeov, Rom. viii. 27. God should have work enough to do if he did answer all men's prayers. Some would set him a task to provide meat for this, others for that lust. This man prayeth heartily for his pleasures, another for honour, another for preferment, another to satisfy his revenge. A carnal spring may send forth high tides of affection, James iv. 3 ; but few seek grace to serve God : they would make God serve with their sins. These are not the groans and breathings of the Spirit, but the eructations and belches of the flesh. Therefore the vehemency of the affection is not only to be regarded, but the regularity, that they be not stirred up by the flesh, but guided by the Spirit.
3. It is not a mere natural fervency ; that is the cry of nature after
YER. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 39
ease, but not the cry of grace after God, and is but howling in God's account, Hosea vii. 14. The heart is not affected with that which is the true misery, sin and the wrath of God ; nor sincerely engaged to God, from whom they expect help : and then how instant and earnest soever men be to be rid of their burden, their prayers are but like the moanings of the beasts under pain, and the howling of dogs, or the gaping of hungry ravens, Ps. cxlvii. It is lawful to ask ease, but we must ask in a spiritual manner. It is lawful to pray for temporal blessings, but not in the first place, or with the neglect of better things. Prayer properly is the vent of grace, and the desires of a renewed heart expressed to God, Zech. xii. 10.
Use 1. To reprove most men for their deadness and carelessness in prayer. Prayer is a part of natural worship. All that will acknow- ledge God and a providence will acknowledge a necessity of praying io God, especially in their straits. The pagan mariners cried every man to his god in a tempest, Jonah i. 6 ; but though all will pray in one sort or other, yet few pray in good earnest. Some say a prayer, but they do not pray in prayer, James v. 17. Elijah prayed earnestly. Their prayers are conceived in a cold and customary track of devotion. Others flow in words without spirit and life ; their tongue is as the pen of a ready writer, but the heart is dead and carelessly affected, for they are indifferent whether they be heard or not. Prayer is in- deed the work of their invention, but not the expression of their spiritual desire. The mind conceiveth a rational prayer, but the heart is not poured out before God ; and so it is discoursing rather than crying. Words are the outside of prayer, sighs and groans lie nearer the heart, and do better discover the temper of it, and are more regarded by God than all the charms of speech : Ps. vi. 8, ' The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.' Tears have a language which our Father understandeth ; a want of affection is more than a defect of words. Broken words with a spiritual affection do more than a well-set speech with unbrokenness of heart. Others have a natural fervency, but not renewed affections ; pray from their own interest, or pray passionately for carnal things : Num. xi. 4, ' They fell a-lusting, and wept, saying, Who will give us flesh ? ' They may be importunate for their own ease and welfare : ' Give me children or else I die/ saith passionate Rachel. Natural desires are very passionate, yea, for spiritual things on their own terms. Would not a man desire pardon and heaven ? Whose heart doth not engage him to look after them ? Some that are renewed yet are too cold in prayer, do not cry. It is not enough to have the qualification of the person, but the prayer must be quali- fied also, James v. 16, &er]cri<; ivepyov/xivrj ; it must be a well-wrought prayer, otherwise it availeth not ; yea, our earnestness must increase according to the weight and moment of what we pray for. When Peter was in prison the church made instant and earnest prayer, Ser]cn<; e/cTe^?, Acts xii. 5, as in the margin it is ; and Christ had his ifcrevecTTepov, Luke xxii. 44. But now the children of God are con- scious to themselves of much deadness and drowsiness, and are so low sometimes that they are not heard, scarce breathe in prayer, so far from crying. But what is the reason of this carelessness ?
1. Want of sense. They have no feeling of their wants, and there-
40 SERMONS UPON PSALM CX1X. [SER. CLX1L
fore pray perfunctorily. The poor in spirit, the mourner, and meek, are put before the desirer, Mat. v. Men must be affected with their wants before they be earnest after a supply. Jesus Christ was sensible of his burden, and therefore he ' offered up supplications with strong crying and tears,' Heb. v. 7. And if man were once sensible of his sins by which his Saviour suffered, he would be fervent in his prayers, and most earnestly deprecate the wrath of God, as his Saviour did. A smart sense of wants quickens prayers. If we were always alike affected, as we are in a deep distress, or fears of death, or some notable danger, we should not need many directions to teach us to pray fer- vently ; but because such a sense is soon worn off, our prayers grow cold and careless.