1. Voluntariness —
[The wicked will pray only under some heavy calamity, or in the near prospect of death and judgment0: all their peti- tions are extorted by anguish or by terror. The regenerate, on the contrary, go to God willingly and cheerfully as to their father and their friend. We do not mean to say, that the godly never feel backwardness to this duty (for, alas ! they too often do) but they do not indulge it ; they do not rest satisfied in such a state ; they condemn themselves for it as much as an unregenerate person would condemn himself for the grossest sins : and when they are enabled, in any measure, to realize their principles, they account it their sweetest privilege to draw nigh to God, and to pour out their souls before him: they even pant for God as the hart after the water brooks, and " go to him as to their exceeding joyd."]
2. Constancy —
[When the distresses or terrors, that instigated the un- godly to prayer, are removed, there is an end of the impor- tunity which was occasioned by theme. The persons who for a while seemed melted in the furnace, are no sooner taken out of it, than they return to their wonted coldness and obdu- racy. But a regenerate person can say, " My heart is fixed, O Lord, my heart is fixed :" " at evening, and at morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and that instantly f." There are seasons indeed, when he may, through the corruptions of his heart, be led to relax his diligence : but he can never give over prayer: whether he be in prosperity or adversity, he feels that he is altogether dependent upon God, both for his present and eternal happiness ; and therefore he returns again and again to God, in order to maintain fellowship with him, and to receive at his hands the blessings he stands in need of.]
3. Humility —
[Persons may use very strong language and express a kind of indignation against themselves in reference to their inward corruptions, while yet they are not truly humbled before God: but true humility consists, not in vehement ex- pressions, but in a tenderness of spirit mixed with self-lothing and self-abhorrence e. Of this, an unregenerate man has no conception : yet it is this that constitutes the chief excellence of prayer ; and without it our prayers can find no more accept- ance with God, than the howling of a dogh. In this view,
c Jer. ii. 27. Ps. lxxviii. 34. Isai. xxvi. 16.
d Ps. xlii. 1, 2. and xliii. 4. e Job xxvii. 10.
f Ps. lvii. 7. and lv. 17. s Job xlii. 6. Ezek. xx. 43.
h Matt. xv. 8, 9.