CHAPTER XXXV.

THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER.

THE object, the nature, and the subject of true prayer have already been considered: but ignorance, alas! in this case is but the weakest obstacle with which we have to contend; the natural profaneness of the human heart, and its aversion to every truly spiritual exercise, are far more difficult to overcome. However for this purpose let us consider in what manner the holy Scripture expresses the necessity of prayer.

It is enforced there by the practice of the most venerable persons; it is laid down as the indispensable means of obtaining grace; it is required by the express com. mand of the Lord God Almighty.

It is enforced by the most venerable names; for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, David, Daniel, Peter, and Paul, in a word, all those who stand the highest of the human race for their excellency in the sight of God, were most eminent and abundant in the exercise of prayer: by this their graces were enlivened and brightened to superior lustre. Now their diligence in prayer is recorded, not for their sakes, to give them the trifling honour of a posthumous fame, but for substantial use, as patterns which we are to copy that if we hope to be with them in the kingdom in the end, we should walk in their good paths, and be "followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." So that whilst we have any real reverence for the word of God, it is impossible should neglect, and think slightly of, a duty, which was of such unspeakable importance in the judgment of the chief saints of God.

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But if the example of all the Scripture saints proves the necessity of prayer, how much more the practice of the Saviour; before the brightness of whose glory, prophets, apostles, and martyrs are eclipsed, as the stars in the firmament by the rising sun. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners; nevertheless prayer still employed a considerable portion of his time. Fatigued

as he was wont to be with travelling from place to place to preach the Gospel, and thronged by crowds who pressed upon him to hear the gracious words which proceeded out of his lips, always therefore in need of the rest of the whole night; yet would he sometimes rise up a great while before it was day, to retire to a mountain or solitary place apart to pray; sometimes the moon and the stars beheld him, through the whole night, an earnest supplicant and devout intercessor; whilst the rest of the world were taking their full rest in their beds.

After this record can any one, professing himself a Christian, admit a doubt of the absolute necessity of prayer? If the master of the house, who had no guile, nor slightest stain of depravity, prayed, how much more must they of his household, who are both weak and wicked? If the Lord from heaven, when he took upon him our flesh, lifted up his eyes and prayed, how much more must his servants? Should any one imagine himself excused from this duty, what stronger reproof need to be given to his audacious impiety, than to reply-The prophets, the apostles, the martyrs, Jesus himself, our Redeemer, prayed; whom makest thou thyself?

Further, The universal necessity of prayer will appear still more evident by proving it to be the indispensable means of obtaining mercy and grace. Houses and possessions, honours and titles, health and long life, with all the glittering advantages the world covets, are given promiscuously, as much to those who never bend the knee to God, as to those who diligently seek him. But it is not so with any blessing pertaining to the life and salvation of the soul. God never, in any one instance, pardons sin, or delivers from its accursed tyranny, till prayer is made for such inestimable benefits. The unchangeable ordinance of heaven runs thus, "If thou shalt pray unto God, he shall be favourable unto thee," Job xxxiii. 26. 'Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy;"—but observe to whom; not to all persons indiscriminately, not to the profane, not to the selfsufficient, but-" unto all them that call upon thee," Psalm lxxxv. 5.-Omniscient and full of compassion as the Lord Jehovah is, he takes no cognizance of our spiritual necessities to supply them, or of our dangers to

interpose and save us from them, till by prayer and supplication we make our requests known unto him. "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not," Jer. xxxiii. 3. Our Redeemer in the fullest manner teaches us that prayer is the necessary means of obtaining mercy and finding grace to help, when he gives us this exhortation; “Ask. and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." Which is as much as to affirm, that without asking, seeking, and knocking, we can receive of God no spiritual blessing. By consequence, not to pray, and to remain utterly destitute of any share in the blessings which accompany salvation, is one and the same thing.

Every one therefore who despises this channel, in which God sees fit to convey to the soul its necessary supplies for eternal life, through a confidence in the sufficiency of his own strength, in the excellencies of his virtues, or in the finished work of Christ, must unavoidably remain under the power and guilt of sin. His fancied goodness, in which he confides, will necessarily be scanty and partial; some ruling passion will still prevail over him, witnessing the impossibility of attaining real righteousness without divine aid. Thus you may frequently observe a profane man, who prides himself in his moral worth, and pours contempt upon devotional duties, miserably chagrined by every trifling disappointment, or for the least fancied provocation breathing revenge. You may frequently observe a contemner of prayer, who is much caressed, and selfapplauded for good-nature and humanity, studiously injuring virgin innocence, for the gratification of merely animal appetites. Too often also you may see a warm advocate for the doctrines of grace, and the honour of Christ, deceitful, covetous, and a slave to sin, through an habitual neglect of prayer. The truth is, that the union of all virtues is wholly owing to the grace of God given to the prayer of faith; therefore he only of all the children of men can pay an uniform obedience, who goes out of himself, and places his dependence upon the aids of grace promised and given to him that asks for them.

Lastly, The absolute necessity of prayer is put out of all doubt by the plain command of God. No man is left

at liberty whether he will pray or no; or can neglect prayer, without suffering much more than the loss of those supplies he might procure by it. For he who does not pray, contracts additional guilt, and sets at defiance the ordinance of God; since he has not more expressly required us to shew mercy to our fellow-creatures, than to worship himself. We are taught, "Men ought always to pray," and to "continue in prayer." In vain therefore do we plead a strict regard to the substantial duties of temperance, of justice, and of mercy, as any exemption from the obligation of prayer. To neglect prayer is actually to live in the commission of the basest theft,-defrauding our God of his due, by refusing to render to him BC that tribute which he demands. With equal reason, and with as little affront to him, may we refuse to obey his law in being just to men, as refuse to honour him by real

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prayer.

Regarding the holy duty of prayer in this light, none will be safe from the contagion of the world, which either totally neglects prayer, or deplorably trifles and dissembles with God in it. You will perceive the neglect of it to be the most odious species of injustice, though often lurking under the captivating appearance of great integrity of morals, and of high pretences to honour; you will regard it as a violation of one of the most important duties; a duty immediately resulting from the relation of the creature to the Creator, and enjoined by all the authority of the one Lawgiver, able to save and to destroy.

Now this contempt of God, expressed by neglecting prayer for his favour, grace, and Spirit, is a sin, which no excellencies that the world applauds, can at all compensate. Like rebellion in the state, wherever it is, it cancels all pretences to any good qualities. As the kings of the earth do not acquit a rebel, though rebellion may be his only crime, much less does the King of kings, whose name is jealous, overlook contumely thrown upon himself, because the person guilty of it abstains from all fraud and injustice towards men. To imagine that God will overlook such an affront, is to entertain the most frivolous idea of the divine character; it is with the Epicureans of old, to enthrone God in heaven indeed, but at

the same time to regard him as quite indifferent whether he is held in reverence or in contempt on earth. But such a god is no more like the God of the Christians, than Baal or Moloch. The God of Christians is a God jealous and terrible: jealous, not to allow his honour to be given to another, or denied to himself; terrible, to avenge himself of his adversaries, who withhold that homage which appertains to him as the Lord of the universe, in whom we all live, and move, and have our being. This God hath commanded his servants and messengers, by every form of expression that can engage the attention, to teach men, that to serve him with godly fear and reverence is the one thing needful. By consequence, a despiser and neglecter of prayer, though adorned with all the amiable qualities the world can admire, still wants that which must hallow his generosity, his benevolence, and all that is extolled as virtue. For though social good qualities are idolized by the multitude, they weigh nothing in the balance of the sanctuary, unless they spring from religious affections: "For them that honour me," says the Almighty, "I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed," 1 Sam. ii. 30. In other words, nothing shall excuse or palliate the guilt of attempting to supersede the necessity of devotional duties, by affecting to magnify moral honesty and social virtues as the sum and substance of man's duty.

The profane indeed attempt to vindicate themselves in a neglect of prayer, by pretending to sublimer ideas of true religion than those who are governed by the simple declarations of God's own word. "The Supreme Being," say they, "knows all things; what need is there then for us to tell him our wants? He is loving unto every man; therefore he will give us, without our request, that which is upon the whole best for us: he lays not a stress on our making many prayers: pure and undefiled religion before him, is to do justice and love mercy."

From the confidence of this assertion one would be tempted to suppose, that the persons who make it perfectly knew the mind of God; when, in fact, it is not probable that they should have any just knowledge of it. For as skill in human sciences is only to be acquired by application to them, so the knowledge of God is only to