By these means many are tempted to defer their religious exercises: but to yield to the temptation is to increase the difficulty.]
While we are engaged in prayer — [The world is never more troublesome than at such sea- sons. Something seen or heard, lost or gained, done or to be done, will generally obtrude itself upon us when we are at the throne of grace. The flesh also, with its vilest imaginations, will solicit our attention ; nor will Satan be backward to interrupt our devotions"1.]
After we have concluded prayer —
[When we have prayed, we should expect an answer. But worldliness may again induce a forgetfulness of God ; and a habit of worldly conversation drive every serious thought from our minds. Impatience to receive the desired blessings may deject us. Ignorance of the method in which God answers prayer may cause us to disquiet ourselves with many ungrounded apprehensions. Unbelief may rob us of the benefits we might have received". Whatever obstructs God's answers to prayer, disqualifies us for the future discharge of that duty.]
Application —
[Let us not expect victory without many conflicts. Let us remember the effect of perseverance in the case of Moses0. Above all, let us attend to the parable spoken for this endp. So shall we be kept from fainting under our discouragements, and God will fulfil to us his own promise q — ]
m He has various devices whereby he strives to accomplish his purpose. He will suggest "it is needless to pray :" or, "it is pre- sumption for so great a sinner to ask any thing of God : " or, " it is hypocrisy to ask, when the heart is so little engaged." Sometimes he will inject into the Christian's mind the most blasphemous and horrid thoughts ; and at other times tempt him to admire his own fluency and enlargement in prayer. Such are the " fiery darts" with which he often assails the soul, Eph. vi. 16.
n Jam. i. 6, 7. ° Exod. xvii. 11 — 13.
p Luke xviii. 2 — 8. <J Gal. vi. 9.