Use 2. Caution. Do not take everything for prayer which looks like it.
1. Bodily exercise. Many, by the agitation of the bodily spirits, work themselves into some vehemency ; their voice is heard on high, but the heart is dead and cold, quihus arteriis opus est. These fill up only a little time with words ; they pray for fashion's sake, but sit down with the work wrought ; they pray, but do not look after the answer of prayers, as children shoot away their arrows, but mind not where they fall. They find it in their tongues, but not in their hearts,
2. Carnal vehemency. Men may lust and long, but do not pray : James iv. 2, ' Ye lust, and have not.' Motions of lust are violent and rapid : Ps. Ixxviii. 18, ' They tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lust.' These ask things unlawful, or lawful things to a carnal purpose. Here is no gracious bent, for they do not prefer the best things in their desires : Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof.'
3. The fluency of gifts. These make prayer the work of invention
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and memory. The tongue exciteth the fancy, but the heart hangeth oflf from God. They that are carnal may come behind in no gift, but the affections do not keep pace with the expressions. These may personate faith, hope, and love ; but they have not that real inclination, that meekness and humility, which is necessary for the addresses of a sinful creature to God.
4. Natural fervency.
[1.] They may be instant and earnest for temporal blessings. They have no more to do with God, but only that he would deliver them from their troubles : Jer. ii. 27, ' In the time of their trouble, they will say, Arise and save us ; ' Exod. x. 17, ' Entreat the Lord your God, that he may take away this death only.' It is the temporal inconvenience they mind, more than the removal of sin ; and they pray more to get ease of their trouble, than repent of their sins which procured them.
[2.] If they pray for spiritual things, it is but a dictate of conscience, not a desire of the renewed heart, and such as is seconded with, con- stant endeavours to obtain what we ask of God, and submission to the means and terms upon which the suit may be granted.
[3.] They soon grow weary, and give over, if they be not speedily relieved : Isa. Iviii. 3, ' Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not,' &c. ; Mai. iii. 13, ' Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord ; yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee ? ' 2 Kings vi. 33, ' He said, This evil is of the Lord ; what should I wait for the Lord any longer ? '
[4.] And usually there is more of murmuring than of prayer in their addresses to God. And that fervency which seemeth to be in them floweth not from humility, love, and hope, but from pride, bitterness, and diffidence ; their prayers are muddy, full of passions, doubts, and fears.
Use 3. To exhort us to find in our hearts whatever prayer we make to God.
1. In private prayer. Let us come as inclined by love, as encou- raged by faith and hope.
[1.] As inclined by love. So we ask of God all things in order to God. We first pray to God for God, and next for the grace of the Redeemer, and then for all other subordinate blessings : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.' Whatever quiets us in the neglect of God, or want of God, is esteemed more than God.
[2.] As encouraged by faith and hope.
(1.) By faith ; believing the being and bountiful nature of God : Heb. xi. 6, ' He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' And believing his many promises, which are Yea and Amen in Christ : 2 Cor. i. 20, 'For all the promises of God are in him Yea, and in him Amen.' Believing his gracious relation to those in covenant with him : John XX. 17, ' I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God ; ' Mat. vi. 32, ' Your heavenly Father knoweth you have need of these things;' Luke xii. 32, 'Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.'
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(2.) By hope, which is a certain and desirous expectation of the asked and promised blessing. None can come to God aright but those that hope to be the better for coming. Christ has taught us ' how to pray, and not to faint,' Luke xviii. 1 ; Luke xi. 7-9, with 11-13. God's not answering us is no call to us to give over, but to go on still. There is hope in waiting, however matters go. It is best to resolve to lie at Christ's door, rather than take our answer and go away. Our perseverance should show how we are affected with our wants, and how resolvedly we adhere unto and depend upon God ; though he seem not to pity us, but to pursue us with his strokes.