2. The second use is, /or reproof to such as think it an easy matter to pray. Ask a^beggar wandering through the country how he thinks to come to heaven, and he will answer, By my good praj'ers. So the dissolute and profane man, ask him how he thinks to come to heaven, he will say, By my good prayers. I confess, if you mean saying of a prayer, it is easy; but to pray aright, to pour out thy heart and soul before God, to believe he hears, and will come to help thee, to pray in faith, to rend thy heart before him, to lay hold of those things in him which are for thy humiliation and consolation, to wrestle with him, and strive for a blessing, to hope above hope, and, being delayed, to wait for him till he come, this is ex- ceeding hard to be done. What then, profane man, hast thou not heard what is written ? Zech. sii. 10, ' And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication,' &c. ; so, hast thou not read what is written ? Ps. x. 17, ' Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their hearts,' &c. Hast thou not read what is written, Rom. viii. 16, ' Likewise the Spirit helpelh our infirmities ; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings W'hich can- not be uttered.' And dost thou, a lump of flesh, wallowing in thy sin, think to prevail by and bye in prayer ? Those who are most forward thus in little esteeming and talking of prayer, many times are most to seek in sore and hard trials ; as you shall have fencers, who make bravest flourishes when they play at blunt, are put most to their shifts when they come to the sharp (f) ; so, if such a one as I speak of fall into disti-ess, he cannot draw out his sword, it rusts in the scabbard. It is a wonder to see grave and wise men to come so far short of this, that in the sorrows and discom- forts of themselves or others, they cannot pray ; a minister must be sent for to say somewhat unto them ; they cannot themselves pray. I deny not but that God's dear children may be driven to this need upon divers occa- sions of sickness, sorrows, and temptations, to crave the help of others, that they may be humbled. Neither deny I but that book prayers may be good and profitable, and that there is a good and holy use of them, in which all our necessities may be included, if they be well and rightly penned ; but yet for all this, it is a shame for men to be so ignorant that they cannot tell their mind to God in prayer, and plead for themselves and others in necessity, being more unfit to pray than David was to march in Saul's armour. ^ 3. The third use is /or cowi/brt. To whom ? To such as are good in
246 THE KNOT OF PRAYER LOOSED.
prayer, and yet are out of heart witli their prayers. I would have such see how Jacob wrestled, wept, and prevailed with God in prayer. In some sort we must be contented to go away halting ; there will be defects and imper- fections in our best prayers, do what we can. * That which is born of the flesh is flesh,' and will be so; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit,' John iii. 6. You shall have those who are fullest of grace most complain, like rich men whining most when their bags arc fullest, you shall have them complain. Lord, help me, I cannot pray ; what shall I do ? It is all to no purpose ; better leave than go on in such a formal course. I am worse and worse. Surely, if I could pray aright, I should speed better. But I ask thee how ? Dost thou not pray at all ? Yes, will they say, I pray, but I pray not as I should, with faith, fervency, constancy, and feeling. I faint, and am discouraged in my journey. Hear me ; thou seest a man go under a great burden, and perhaps so sinking under the same, that he must stoop and rest him often ; and yet thou pitiest him, and thinkest for all this that he carrieth this burden, though he rest himself. So may it be with thee in prayer, seeing it is one of the hardest tasks of the world to pray with faith and feeling. If in this thou find stops and failings, be not discouraged; thou seest what a hard thing it is [to] go upright under so great a burden. Yet be not out of heart, though thou must sit down by the way; but know thy striving and endeavour shall bring thee through at the last. The bring- ing forth of a right prayer through so many oppositions, it is in a manner like the bringing forth of a child, in which there is much pain, anguish, and sorrow ; so that we had rather do anything else ; but when the child is born, then there is joy. Though with the remembrance of the throes of prayer thou art astonished, be comforted in this, the work is done, and thou hast made thy prayers known ; the issue at one time or other shall be comfortable.