II. Our encouragement to perform it —
The promise of acceptance is without any limit or exception —
[There is no exception with respect to the persons who may apply to God. The vilest person in the universe, pro- vided he ask in the manner prescribed in the text, shall be heard as readily as the very chief of the Apostles. His past iniquities, of whatever kind they have been, shall not operate
as any bar to his acceptance with God
Nor is there any limit respecting the blessings we implore : provided they will really conduce to our good, and to God's glory, they shall be given. However " wide we open our
mouths, God will fill them1" The frequent and solemn
repetition of this truth by our Lord himself, must of necessity remove all doubt upon the subject111."]
And instances of its accomplishment occur in almost every page of the sacred writings —
[Whether Abel's prayer was answered by fire from heaven which consumed his sacrifice, or by some other token of the Divine favour, the acceptance of it was equally manifest, and the fact is equally encouraging to us. To recount the various instances that occurred from that period to the times of Christ and his Apostles, would be a pleasing task, but would occupy many hours. Suffice it to say, that whether men's prayer has been offered for themselves" or for others0, and whether it has been of a more stated and solemn kindp, or only in a sudden ejaculation i, it has equally prevailed ; it has prevailed speedily1", and to a most incredible extent8; and shall yet prevail, by whomsoever it may be offered1.]
This encouragement to prayer is greatly heightened by what is added respecting,
III. The consequence of a clue and acceptable per- formance of it —
God delights in the prosperity of his people ; and desires that they should be happy here, as well as in the world to come. It is with this view that he has enjoined prayer as a duty ; because, when performed
I Ps. lxxxi. 10. John xiv. 18, 14. m Matt vii. 7, 8.
II Jonah ii. 1,7. ° Exod. xxxii. 11 — 14. Acts xii. 5 — 9. l' Ps. xviii. 6. i Nob. ii. 4 — 6.
' 2 Kings xx. 2, 1, .r>. Dan. ix. 20, 21, 23. s Jam. v. 17, 18. 1 Jam. v. l(').
1704.1 THE BENEFIT OF PRAYER. 10o
aright, it is the means of filling the soul with the sublimest joy.
1 . It tranquillizes the most perturbed mind — [Let a person under any sudden irritation or calamity be- take himself to prayer, and he will speedily find the tempest calmed, and his agitations quieted. No other thing- will operate like this. It will enable him to educe good out of every evil : it will not only blunt the edge of all his trials, but will turn his sorrows into joy u.]
2. It brings God nigh unto the soul —
[God in answer to prayer will take away the veil which intercepts our views of him, and " manifest himself to us, as he does not unto the world." What an exhibition of his glory was that which he vouchsafed to Moses ! What a bright display of Christ's excellency was that which the three favoured Dis- ciples were admitted to behold on Mount Tabor! We say not indeed that any similar vision of the Father or the Son shall ever be presented to our bodily eyes : but God will certainly " shine into the hearts of those who call upon him, to give them the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ*;" and will enable them to say, " Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christy." What ineffable delight must such manifestations bring with them ! ]
3. It gives us an earnest and foretaste of heaven itself —
[The happiness of heaven consists in the vision and fruition of God : and this, as far as it can be enjoyed by faith, is en- joyed in prayer. There is not any one who has abounded in the performance of this duty, but has had frequent occasion, when in his closet, to exclaim with Jacob, " This is none other but the house of God, this is the gate of heaven2!" In such seasons as these a man has no occasion to search out evidences of his acceptance with God, or of his title to heaven ; for the very intercourse which he has with the Deity is, if we may so speak, heaven brought down to earth ; it is an actual anticipa- tion of heaven, and a pledge of his complete possession of it in due season.]