Hos. vii. 14. They have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds.
IT is not without reason that prayer has been called by some, the pulse of the soul : for by that more than by any thing else may be discerned the increase or declension of our spiritual health. Somewhat like prayer may be offered by the most ungodly in
seasons of deep distress: but their supplications differ widely from those which proceed from a penitent and contrite heart. The ten tribes, who, in despite of all the warnings given them, would go to Egypt and Assyria, rather than to God, for help, found them- selves taken in the net which God had spread for them. Then they began to call upon God for help : but, the heart-searching God testifies respecting them, that they cried not unto him with their heart when they howled upon their beds.
To shew how common and awful this state is, we shall,
I. Consider the prayers of unregenerate men —
It is confessed such persons often " howl upon their beds " —
[In these words two things are to be noticed, namely, the time, and the manner of their prayers. With respect to the time, it is too generally found, that they who are not in earnest about their salvation, defer their prayers till bed-time : instead of transacting their business with God whilst their faculties are alive, they stay till exhausted nature is become incapable of any energetic exertion ; and then hurry over some form of prayer, as a school-boy does his task, without feeling one word they utter. Even this is too favourable a representation of the prayers of many ; who stay till they have lain down " upon their bed," and then fall asleep in the midst of their devotions. As for praying in the morning, they have no time for that : the concerns of the past, or of the present day have pre-occupied their minds ; and if they offer two or three cold petitions while they are dressing, it is quite as much as their necessities re- quire, or as God deserves. As to the manner, we may inter- pret the prophet's expression as importing in general, that their prayers are altogether irrational, and forced : and indeed, if we take into the account the state of the suppliants as guilty and condemned sinners, and the majesty of him whom they profess to address, their prayers are a most horrid mockery, yea, as unsuitable to the occasion as the " howling" of a dog would be. But the expression may be taken more strictly and literally : for these persons will not pray with any degree of fervour, except in seasons of great affliction. Perhaps they have suffered some heavy loss, or are in embarrassed circum- stances, or have some peculiar guilt upon their conscience, that greatly disturbs them; but even then they have no disposition to spread their case before God ; and so they lie down upon