No sooner is the child born, than he breathes; no sooner is Paul converted,
than, behold! he prays.
O incomparable privilege! to be allowed to pour our
petitions into the ear of God, cast our cares upon him, plead the
performance of the promise, and cast the burden of our sorrows and
necessities over on his sympathy and all-sufficiency! The prayer of faith
has won more numerous and more noble victories than all the mighty
conquerors since war was taught among the nations. Prayer is the furbishing
of all the other pieces of the spiritual armor, and as it were the master of
all the graces. Prayer is the key of heaven; Elijah prayed, and it was
locked; again he prayed, and it was opened. Prayer is the terror of hell,
which will put up with anything but prayer. Prayer is the ambassador of the
renewed soul—the trumpet of faith—the support of the weak—the employment of
the expectant of glory—and the daily exercise of the Christian.
It is like a pulley that draws the soul up to heaven;
and, like a golden pipe, plunges into that river that proceeds out of the
throne of God and of the Lamb, and conveys the blessing down into the soul
below. When Job prayed, God turned his captivity. When Jacob wrestled in
prayer, he obtained the blessing. When Elijah and Solomon prayed, the fire
fell and consumed the sacrifice. When Paul and Barnabas prayed and sang
praises, the prison was shaken, the doors opened, and everyone's bands
loosed. And while the church prayed for Peter, an angel set him at liberty.
By all which it appears, that God will be inquired after by prayer, and will
work wonders for the humble supplicants.
This is the time that God will talk with men in a special
manner—the audience-hour of the great King, when the court of Heaven
receives and answers the petitions of the saints. And many times have the
souls of God's people been enlarged beyond measure, while they have,
Jacob-like, been wrestling for the blessing, weeping and making supplication
to God. Then Heaven has been pleased to pour in its joys in the soul, so
fully, that they hardly could contain; their old bottles being like to burst
asunder with the new wine of God.
Flowery expressions, and a fine style; a multitude of
words, and many petitions; or anything that may seem the wisdom of man, more
than the power of God—is not the prayer that shall be heard by Him, who
regards one earnest wish, and sincere request, before all the oratory of the
schools. We should search ourselves before prayer, and know what sin is
least subdued, what duty is most neglected, what grace is most decayed, that
we may pray with understanding. Again, we should summon our attention in the
time of prayer, that we may speak as to God; and we should look to God after
prayer for an answer, and wait on him who is both able and willing to supply
all our need, spiritual and temporal, according to his riches in glory by
Christ Jesus.