saul's prayer. Acts ix. 11. Behold, he pray eth.
WHEN we speak of the grace of God as the free and only source of good to man, we are often mis- understood, as though we affirmed that man is wholly passive in the work of salvation : whereas, the truth is, that though, in the first instance, God puts into his heart the good desire, that desire immediately exerts itself in voluntary and earnest efforts for the attain- ment of the thing desired. This is discoverable in the conversion of Saul : in the first instance, God stopped him in his career of sin, and discovered to
him his guilt and danger ; but from that moment Saul gave himself to fasting and prayer, that by those means he might obtain yet further blessings from God : and God, as though he would shew us in the most striking manner the necessity of our own personal exertions, expressly pointed out to Ananias the reason of his communicating further blessings to Saul through his instrumentality ; " Go, and inquire for one called Saul of Tarsus ; for, be- hold, he prayeth."
We will endeavour to point out,
I. What there was in that prayer which attracted the Divine notice —
We cannot doubt but that Saul, who was " touch- ing the righteousness of the law blameless," had often bowed his knees before God in prayer : but he had never prayed aright till now. In this prayer of his was,
1. Humility —
[He never could have prayed with true humility before, because he was unconscious of his lost estate. He was igno- rant of the spirituality of the law, and, consequently, of his multiplied transgressions against it: he even thought himself " alive," as having never given to God any just cause to con- demn him. What then must his prayers have been, but, like those of the Pharisee, " I thank thee, O God, that I am not as other men are?" But contrition is the very essence of prayer : it is " the broken and contrite heart, which God will not despise." To " smite upon our breasts," as guilty self- condemning sinners, and to " cry for mercy," like the poor Publican, is more acceptable to God than all the sacrifices and burnt-offerings that ever were offered.]
2. Earnestness —
[It is a sense of need that must make us earnest: and, as Saul was insensible of his danger, he could not till now plead with that importunity that became him. But now he was like the manslayer fleeing from the avenger of blood. Now, like his Lord and Saviour, he " made prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears11 :" and, like the patriarch Jacob, he wrestled with God, saying, " I will not let thee go, except thou bless meb." Instantly therefore did God
;l lleb. v. 7. b Hos. xii. 4.
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fulfil to him that promise which Jesus has left us for the encouragement of all his people0 — ]
3. Faith—
[The prayers which Saul had offered in former times could not have had respect to a Saviour, because he had not felt his need of a Saviour. But now he saw that there was no hope of mercy, but through that very Jesus whom he had persecuted : now he thankfully embraced the salvation that Jesus offered him : he no longer " went about to establish a righteousness of his own, but gladly submitted to the right- eousness of God" revealed in the Gospel. When he said, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" he cordially received Christ as "his wisdom, his righteousness, his sanctification, and redemption :" and no sooner did he thus desire to make Christ his all, than God expressed his acceptance of his prayers, "Behold he prayeth!" God would not suffer the prayer of faith to go forth in vain.]
We propose, in the next place, to shew, II. What we may learn from the notice which God took of it —