This confidence that we shall be heard containeth many things in it.
1. A believing that there is a God, or else why should we pray unto him? Heb. xi. 6, 'He that cometli to God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him ; ' other- wise all our devotion will be but customary and for fashion's sake, or a compliance with the vulgar error ; as one called it, eamusadcommunem error em, when he spake of the worship of God. Unless we have this persuasion that God is, all is nothing.
2. That he is such an infinite being that he can supply all the wants of the creatures, and accomplish all their desires : Eph. iii. 20, ' Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.' This is a main prop of confidence in prayer, that God is able not only ' to exceed our prayers, but our conceptions and hopes : so 2 Chron. xx. 6, And he said, 0 Lord God of our fathers ! art not thou God in heaven ? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen ? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee ? ' Faith sets prayer a-work, and prayer sets the almighty power of that God a-work, and hath a universal empire and do- minion over all the world, and all the events and affairs of the world ; and therefore our Lord Jesus Christ layeth down this as a ground for prayer — ' Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory ; ' he can set all things a-work for the glory of his name, and for the good of his people.
3. That he is omniscient as well as omnipotent, he kuoweth what we do and speak, when and where any poor creature is praying to him : Acts ix. 11, ' Arise, and go into the street that is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for l^ehold he prayeth.' God observe th you in your most private and secret re- tirements; in what corner of the house soever we are, he knoweth what we are a-doing, whether we are toying or jiraying, for it is said in what street Saul was, and in what house, and wliat he was doing : so Mai. iii. 16, ' Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to the other, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought
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upon his name.' God taketh notice of every word we speak to him, or of him, or for him. We cannot hear many speaking at once, because we are finite creatures, but God heareth all the world over, and know- eth how to interpret the secret groans and motions of the heart : Eom. viii. 27, ' He that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit.' We do not speak to an absent God, but to one that looks into the secret corners of our heart, to one that is always present and near at hand.
4. That God is ready to hear and answer our prayers : Ps. Ixv. 2, '0 thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.' He hath taken the name upon him of a God hearing prayer ; it is his nature and property, it is his work and constant practice ; what hath God been doing for thousands of years, but receiving the addresses of his people ? yea, it is his delight and glory, he will be known by it ; there- fore he is called the ' Father of mercies,' 2 Cor. i. 3, as being the fountain of all grace, and ' rich in mercy to all that call upon him,' Rom. X. 12. He is more ready to give than we are to ask ; yea, he givetli unasked, and more than we ask; and his quarrel with us is, because we do not ask enough.
5. That God will stand to his word, which is the rule of commerce between him and his creatures. This assurance he hath given to the church : Ps. cxxxviii. 2, * Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name/ that is, above all that is famed and spoken of God ; you have him puncf /lal in making good his promises. The heathens had two notions of their gods, that they always kept touch with their worship- pers, and Tvere ready to do them good. They are both true of the great and living God whom we serve in the spirit ; we may put the humble challenge upon him, and mind him of his word : Ps. cxix. 49, ' Remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope ; ' and by this we exceedingly encourage ourselves to deal with him, when we have his promise to show for it : 2 Sam. vii. 27, 'For thou, 0 Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed unto thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house, therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.' The attributes of God apprehended at large have not such a force upon the soul as when he is obliged and bound by his promise, and therefore this is a great holdfast upon God.