True Christianity Part 37

_Am I a G.o.d at hand, saith the Lord, and not a G.o.d afar off_?-JER.

23:23.

1. It is of great use to us, to have before us certain heads which may serve as encouragements to the exercise of earnest prayer, which is that worship in spirit and in truth, which G.o.d requires of all his servants.

2. I. First, then, we must consider that "G.o.d knows what things we have need of, before we ask him." Matt. 6:8.

3. II. That G.o.d draws, invites, and encourages us to the exercise of prayer, and a.s.suredly promises that he will hear our prayers. Ps. 50:15.

4. III. That G.o.d is no respecter of persons, but has an equal regard for all mankind. Acts 10:34.

5. IV. That he is as sinful who presumes to pray upon the opinion of his own righteousness, merit, and holiness, as he that is afraid to pray out of a sense of his own sins and unworthiness. Luke 18:11, 14.

6. V. That G.o.d is not confined to any certain place, where only we ought to worship him; but that he is everywhere to be found, and is always "nigh to them that call upon him." John 4:21, 22; Ps. 145:18.

7. VI. That G.o.d is, in his own eternity, unchangeable, and not confined to any certain time; but is always attentive to the prayers of his servants.

1 Thess. 5:17.

8. VII. That G.o.d antic.i.p.ates our prayers, and gives us both natural and supernatural blessings, which yet, without prayer, n.o.body can truly enjoy.

9. These considerations will renew and awaken every soul that shall duly attend to them (Eph. 5:14): they will cleanse them from darkness and error; establish them on the foundation of truth; elevate them towards G.o.d; and inflame them with a lively devotion. For from them flow the following lessons:

10. I. That G.o.d commands and encourages us to pray, not for His own sake, as if He were ignorant of our wants, but for our sakes, that being quickened by prayer we might know and acknowledge them ourselves.

11. II. That G.o.d does not stand in need of any minute declarations of our necessities, but knows, even before we ask him, what things we have need of. Isa. 65:24; Ps. 139:2.

12. III. That G.o.d, who never slumbereth nor sleepeth, needs not to be awakened by our cries, fastings, and watchings; but that these exercises are profitable for man, to awaken and rouse him from the sleep of sin. Ps.

33:18; 34:15.

13. IV. That G.o.d is a thousand times more ready to give, than man is to receive. Jer. 32:41.

14. V. That the goodness and mercy of G.o.d towards mankind are infinite (Ps. 103:12), but that the negligence and sloth of men in praying, seeking, and knocking, are excessive. Matt. 7:7.

15. VI. That G.o.d is impartial and just in all his works, and is by no means the cause of our blindness, infirmities, ignorance, or miseries; but that wretched man himself is in fault, by neglecting to pray or to seek.

Deut. 32:4; Ps. 92:15.

16. VII. That the true worshipper may at all times and in all places, offer up his prayers in spirit and in truth to G.o.d the Father, through Christ, provided he do not hinder himself. John 4:21, 23; Luke 18:1, etc.

17. VIII. That whosoever neglects prayer, deprives himself of the blessed opportunities of speaking to G.o.d. Ps. 19:14. Thus the sinner inflicts punishment on himself.

18. IX. That the diligent worshipper doeth good to himself; not of himself but by the prevenient grace of G.o.d, which is freely given to all men without exception.

19. Let him that is unacquainted with the preceding heads of meditation, know that he is still far from Christ, and has tasted but little of the truth. He who knows them, and believes them not, is guilty of a very great sin; and, lastly, he that believes them and yet is inactive, and does not stir up himself to the practice of them, but, on the other hand, lives on from day to day, in a state of doubt and indifference, is a great sinner, and shall be beaten with many more stripes than he who knew not his Lord's will, and therefore did it not. Luke 12:47. Let the one last mentioned look carefully to himself, that he may be seriously converted, and not perish in his sins.

A PRAYER.

O Lord, and merciful Father, awaken me by thy Holy Spirit, that I may not only know those things, but may practise them by a lively faith, and become a true worshipper in spirit and in truth. Amen.

Section VI.

The Omniscient G.o.d Knows What We Stand In Need Of, Before We Ask Him.

_Thou understandest my thought afar off._-PS. 139:2.

1. The truth of these words is confirmed by our blessed Saviour: "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him" (Matt.

6:8); and by David: "He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?" (Ps.

94:9); and by St. Paul: "He is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. 4:12. For our G.o.d is not as man, who stands in need of a long account of our necessities. All the possible successions of time are in his sight but as one single moment, in which all things, both past and to come, are beheld as actually present. Therefore, he numbered the hairs of our heads before we were born, and understands all our thoughts before we pray. In a word, all things are naked and open in his sight. Heb. 4: 13. These and similar meditations may be of use, for the encouragement of those who begin the exercise of prayer; so that they may always have certain sentences of Scripture ready at hand, upon which they may meditate, and which they may apply to themselves, by comprising the sense of them in a short prayer. This will be easily understood by those that are exercised herein.

2. A man that walks abroad in an open s.p.a.cious field, and in a clear day, finds himself encompa.s.sed with light; which light, if it were spiritual, instead of being natural, would even penetrate the spirit itself. Just so are all creatures, visible and invisible, in the sight of G.o.d. He discerns and comprehends all things, and nothing can be hidden from him. "The darkness hideth not from him; but the night shineth as the day." Ps.

139:12. He himself is the all-seeing eye, to whom all things are as clear as a mote in transparent crystal would be to our bodily eyes.

3. This consideration is of great use to the inexperienced, in order to purge their hearts from the thick clouds of darkness and error, and to quicken them in prayer; by which, when truly roused and awakened, we discover many great and n.o.ble truths that had hitherto been hidden from our eyes. Many are apt to think, that G.o.d knows and sees no more than they themselves do; which is the effect of egregious blindness and ignorance, and will merit a proportionable punishment. Ps. 7:9.

A PRAYER.

Almighty and everlasting G.o.d and Father, the Searcher of hearts, and the Judge of all our secret thoughts, who seest, knowest, and hearest all our designs and purposes before they are brought to pa.s.s! Behold, I appear before thee, to confess my necessities, not with any design to awaken thee by my cries, as if thou wert ignorant of me, or of my concerns; but to stir up myself to know and consider, that thou knowest all my necessities, and that the very hairs of my head are numbered by thee. a.s.sist me, Holy Father, that I may truly know and consider these things, that my soul may joyfully submit to thy good pleasure, and that I may wait upon thee in true resignation and obedience. Amen.

Section VII.

That G.o.d Invites And Engages All Men To The Exercise Of Prayer, And Promises To Hear Their Pet.i.tions.

_Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered._-JOEL 2:32.

1. These words ought to be carefully considered; for it is not sufficient to believe that G.o.d knows all things; we must also remember that G.o.d commands us to pray, and promises to hear us. Thus, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." John 16:23. "Everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." Matt. 7:8. "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint." Luke 18:1. "If any one lack wisdom, let him ask of G.o.d, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." James 1:5. "If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us." 1 John 5:14. "All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Matt. 21:22. In all these places, both a command and a promise are expressed; which must needs make an impression upon every man that has not a heart of stone; and he that does not believe them, is in a desperate state, and deserves not the name of a man. But if these things are true, and acknowledged to be so, why do we not believe them? Why do we not pray? Why are not our prayers heard? Why do we not receive the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit? Verily, because we do not pray _with faith_, nor wait upon G.o.d with _constancy and patience_. For the property of true faith is to submit ourselves to G.o.d, in a quiet and peaceful resignation of mind; but he that wavers, is unfaithful and inconstant, and makes his own prayers void. Moreover, he denies the truth and power of G.o.d, making him either unable or unwilling to supply our wants. Both these are signs of a perverse spirit.

2. On the other hand, faith gives quietness to the soul, and makes it capable of divine grace. G.o.d requires nothing from man but that he should be quiet, and rest from all his works, and especially from himself. The spirit and mind of man are like waters, upon which the Spirit of G.o.d is perpetually moving. Gen. 1:2. So soon as our spirit is quiet, and at rest from the impetuous motions of worldly thoughts, then G.o.d rests upon it, and speaks forth the word of his power into such quiet and still waters; and the moment of this divine influx is of more value than the whole world. Still waters are easily warmed by the sun, but violent and rapid streams seldom or never. Unbelief sacrilegiously robs G.o.d of his honor, destroying the very names of faith and truth. This changes the Christian into a heathen and atheist, and, unless repented of, will lead to his everlasting destruction.

A PRAYER.

O Eternal, faithful, and righteous G.o.d, who canst not lie; I know that thou dost graciously invite, encourage, and impel all men, for their own infinite advantage, to pray unto thee; and dost offer thy grace and mercy equally to them all, without distinction or partiality. Grant, I beseech thee, Holy Father, that I may seriously lay these things to heart, and attain a true, firm, and upright faith, and not be deaf to the invitations of thy infinite mercy; but may constantly and cheerfully submit myself to thee, and expect with patience thy light within my soul. Amen.

Section VIII.

G.o.d Is No Respecter Of Persons, But Has An Impartial Love For All His Creatures.