about us, but that we do, at least in Purpose and Defign, put them away from us.

Secondly, That we endeavour to get our Hearts deeply affected with a Sense of our manifold Wants and Neceffities.

Thirdly, That we get our Hearts affected with a lively Sense of our own Vileness and Unworthiness, upon account of our manifold Sins and Tranfgreffions.

Fourthly, That we be duly fenfible of the infinite Greatness and Majesty of that God, to whom we do approach in our Prayers, that fo we may make our Applications with that Decency, and Seriousness, and Attention, and Fear, and Reverence, that become fuch poor Creatures to fo glorious a Majefty.

Fifthly, That we endeavour to poffefs our Minds with a firm Belief, and feeling Apprehenfion of God's infinite Goodness, really looking upon him to be, what he is, a most kind, indulgent, compaffionate Father to all his Creatures, that he is as ready to give us whatever we want, as we can poffibly be to

afk it.

And thus much of Preparation for Prayer: I come now, in the fecond Place, to treat of those other Things that must accompany our Prayers, and which it will concern us to obferve, if we would have our Prayers acceptable, and they are likewife five.

First,

First, that our Prayers be fervent and con

tant.

Secondly, that we pray in Faith. Thirdly, that we pray in Charity. Fourthly, that we put up our Prayers in the Name of the Lord Jefus Christ.

Fifthly, that to our Prayers for any thing we add our own Endeavours; and these I defign for the Heads of my following Discourse.

The firft Condition that must accompany our Prayers for the rendering them effectual, is, great Fervour and Conftancy; that is, that we do in the most hearty, serious, and affectionate manner, put up our Requests to God; and likewise, that we perfevere in fo doing. Both thefe Things are neceffary; for whatfoever Prayers we put up with Coldness and Indifferency, in fuch a careless languid Way, as if we matter'd not whether we were heard or no, we can never expect they should be effectual, tho' we approach to the Throne of Grace never so often. And on the other fide, be we never so earneft, yet if it be but for once or twice, or by Fits and Starts, as we are in an Humour; if we let our Suit fall, if we do not continue and perfevere in it, there is little likelihood we fhall attain what we pray for. We must join both together, great Fervency and Intenfenefs of Mind, and great Conftancy and Perfeverance: And this is the full Importance of our Saviour's Command in the xviiith of Rom. That Men ought alVOL. IV.

G

ways

ways to pray, and not to faint. This is that which is meant by Seeking and Knocking in my Text; we must not only Afk, but we must Seek, we muft Knock; in each of which Expreffions the latter ftill imports fome further Degree of Earneftnefs and Application of Mind, than was implied in the former. Surely this is that which the Apoftle speaks of in that Advice of his, of continuing inftant in Prayer, Rom. xii. 12. Of praying always, with all Prayer and Supplication, and WatchIng thereunto with all Perfeverance,Eph.vi.18.

But of all other Paffages of Scripture, the Neceffity and Efficacy of this Importunity in Prayer that we speak of, is moft lively fet forth to us by our bleffed Saviour, in that remarkable Parable of his in the Eleventh of

St. Luke's Gofpel, Which of you (faith he) fhall have a Friend, and fhall go unto him at Midnight, and fhall fay unto him, Friend, lend me three Loaves; for a Friend of mine in his Journey is come unto me, and I have nothing to Jet before him? And he from within, fhall answer and fay, Trouble me not, for the Door is now fhut, and my Children are with me in Bed; I cannot rife and give thee. I fay unto you, Tho' be will not rife and give him, because he is his Friend, yet because of hisImportunity he will rife, and give him as many as he needeth. And then follows the Application of the Parable, in the fame Words as are in my Text; Afk, and it shall be given

you,

you, Seek, and ye fhall find, Knock, and it fhall be opened unto you.

It is true, we cannot from this Parable draw this Conclufion, that God is like the Man here fpoken of, that he wants Kindness to his Friends, and that if he doth grant their Requests, it is not fo much out of Love, as that he may be freed from the Trouble of their Importunities; this is decent enough to be faid of a Man, and therefore our Saviour fo puts the Parable: but it cannot be applied to an infinitely wife and good God, who ne ver can be disturbed by others, nor is he put to any Disturbance or Trouble, in order to the conferring his Benefits. But thus much certainly the very Frame of the Parable leads us to conclude; that many things that God will not give us without our Prayers, he will give us, if we pray to him for them. And thofe things that God will not grant upon our flight and lazy Prayers, he will grant, if we be earnest and importunate and conftant in them: fo that it concerns every Perfon, if he would obtain what he prays for, to take this Course, both to pray fervently, and to continue in fo doing. For Inftance, do you find that you do not make fuch Advances in Virtue and Goodness, as you defire; but, notwithstanding your good Refolutions, you are under the Power of many Corruptions, which your Nature, or your former Cuftoms, do ftrongly incline you to? You think now that G2 Prayer

Prayer to God for his Grace to aflift and ftrengthen you, is a good Remedy in this Cafe; and fo certainly it is; but you are mistaken, if you think that Praying once or twice, tho' it be very heartily, will do the Business. Nor are you to conclude, that because you do not on a fudden find thatStrength or Affiftance, which you expected when you prayed for it, that therefore God hath no Kindness for you, or that he will not answer your Prayers: Much lefs are you to reafon thus with yourself; God knows that I want the Affiftance of his Spirit to overcome my vicious Affections, and he knows that I heartily defire it, and he knows that I have more than once prayed for it; and therefore to what purpose should I be farther troublefome to him with my Prayers? No, this is never the Way to obtain what we defire; let us rather redouble our Devotions; let us rather continue to knock more earnestly, and more importunately, at the Gate of Mercy for the Supply of our Wants. If we use this Method, if we thus with Zeal and Diligence and Patience keep waiting upon God, there is no manner of doubt, but that he will at laft fulfil the Defires of our Souls, and give us fuch a Measure of his Grace and Spirit, as fhall enable us to conquer all Difficulties, to overcome all Temptations, and to vanquish every Luft, every Corruption that can make Head against us.

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