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own prayers. But it is not so with all of this sort. Some judge themselves sincere and in good earnest in their prayers, not without some hopes and expectations of success. I will not say of all such persons, tliat they are among the number of them concerning whom the wisdom of God says, ' Because I called unto them, and they refused ; they shall call on me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, and shall not find me;' Prov. i. 18 — 21. And although we may say unto such persons in general, Either leave your sinning, or leave your praying, from Psal. 1. 16, 17. and that with respect unto present scandal, and certain miscarriage in the end, if both be continued in ; yet in particular I would not advise any such person to leave off his praying until he had left his sin. This were to advise a sick man to use no remedies until he were well cured. Who knows but that the Holy Spirit, who works when and how he pleaseth, may take a time to animate these lifeless prayers, and make them a means of deliverance from the power of this' sin. In the mean time the fault and guilt is wholly their own, who have effected a consistency between a way in sinning and a course in praying. And it ariseth from hence, that they have never laboured to fill up their requests with grace. What there hath been of earnestness or diligence in them, hath been from a force put upon them by their convictions and fears. For no man was ever absolutely prevailed on by sin, who prayed for deliverance according to the mind of God. Every pray- ing man that perisheth was a hypocrite. The faithfulness of God in his promises will not allow us to judge otherwise. Wherefore, the thoughts that such persons have of spiritual things even in their duties, do not arise from within, nor are a natural emanation of, the frames of their hearts and affections.
3. Earnestness and appearing fervency in prayer, as unto the outward delivery of the words of it, yea, though the mind be so affected as to contribute much thereunto, will not of themselves prove, that the thoughts of men therein do arise from an internal spring of grace. There is a fervency of spirit in prayer, that is one of the best properties of it, being an earnest acting of love, faith, and desire. But there is a fervency wherewith the mind itself may be affected, that may arise from other causes.
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1. It may do so from the engagement of natural affection* unto the object of their prayer, or the things prayed for. Men may be mighty earnest and intent in their minds, in praying for a dear relation, or for deliverance from eminent troubles or imminent dangers ; and yet all this fervour arise from the vehement actings of natural affections about the things prayed for, excited in an especial manner by the pre- sent duty. Hence God calls the earnest cries of some for temporal things, not a ' crying unto him,' but * a howling,' Hos. vii. 14. that is, the cry of hungry ravenous beasts, that would be satisfied.
2. Sometimes it ariseth from the sharpness of con- victions, which will make men even ' roar in their prayers for disquietment of heart.' And this may be where there is no true grace as yet received, nor, it may be, ever will be so. For the perplexing work of convictions goes before real con- version ; and as it produceth many other effects and changes in the mind, so it may do this of great fervency in vocal prayers, especially if it be accompanied with outward af- flictions, pains, or troubles ; Psal. Ixxviii. 34, 35.
3. Ofttimes the mind and affections are very little con- cerned in that fervour and earnestness which appear in the outward performance of the duty. But in the exercise of gifts, and through their own utterance, men put their natural affections into such an agitation as shall carry them out into a great vehemency in their expressions. It hath been so with sundry persons, who have been discovered to be rotten hypocrites, and have afterward turned cursed apostates. Wherefore, all these things maybe, where there is no gracious spring or vital principle acting itself from within in spiritual thoughts.
Some, it may be, will design an advantage by their con- ceptions unto the interest of profaneness and scoffing. For if there may be these evils under the exercise of the gift of prayer, both in constancy and with fervency; if there may be a total want of the exercise of all true grace with it and under it ; then, it may be, all that is pretended of this gift and its use, is but hypocrisy and talk. But I say, 1. It may be as well pretended, that because the sun shining on a dunghill doth occasion offensive and noisome steams, therefore all at this pretended of its influence on spices and
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flowers, causing them to give out their fragrancy, is utterly false. No man ever thought that spiritual gifts did change or renew the minds and natures of men : where they are alone, they only help and assist unto the useful exercise of natural faculties and powers. And therefore, where the heart is not savingly renewed, no gifts can stir up a saving exercise of faith. But where it is so, they are a means to cause the savour of it to flow forth. 2. Be it so that there may be some evils found under the exercise of the gift of prayer, what remedy for them may be proposed ? Is it that men should renounce their use of it, and betake themselves unto the reading of prayers only? 1. The same may be said of all spiritual gifts whatever, for they are all of them liable unto abuse. And shall we reject all the powers of the world to come, the whole complex of gospel gifts for the communication whereof the Lord Christ hath promised to continue his Spirit with his church unto the end of the world, because by some they are abused ? 2, Not only the same, but far greater evils may be found in and under the reading of prayers, which needs no farther demonstration than what it gives of itself every day. 3. It is hard to un- derstand, how any benefit at all can accrue unto any by this relief, when the advantages of the other way are evident.