Chapter. XII: Readiness for Sufferings Consists in the Improvement of our Praying Abilities, and Keeping Close with God
And thus have I brought you one step nearer to Paul's blessed frame. O give diligence to make yourselves ready for sufferings.
Chapter. XII: Readiness for Sufferings Consists in the Improvement of our Praying Abilities, and Keeping Close with God Sheweth that a choice part of our preparation and readiness for sufferings consists in the improvement of our praying abilities, and keeping close with God in that heavenly and excellent duty in days of suffering; wherein also is opened the nature and means of its improvement.
PRAYER is said to be amongst duties, as faith is amongst the graces. Doubtless it is of special use and service at all times to a Christian: But yet in suffering days it is of more than ordinary use and necessity, Heb. 4:16. James 5:13. And therefore it is reckoned among those choice pieces of armour which suffering saints are to put on, Eph. 6:18. I will here briefly discover the necessity of it, and then shew you that a Christian may improve himself to an excellent degree in it; and, lastly, prescribe some means for an improvement.
The necessity of it to a suffering saint will demonstratively appear, If you consider, 1. That this duty is the outlet of troubles, and the best way the poor Christian hath to ease his heart when surcharged with sorrow. Griefs are eased by groans. Such evaporations disburden
and cool the heart, as the opening of a vein in some cases doth.
Oh the sensible ease that comes in this way! When grief in the mind, like vapours in the air, are condensed into black clouds that overspread the soul, and darken that beautiful light that once shone there, then prayer, like the sun dispels and scatters them, 1 Sam. 1:18. Many a saint, by prayer, hath sucked the breast of a promise, and then fell asleep by Divine contentment in the bosom of God. A time may come when thy heart is ready to break with trouble, and not a friend to whom thou canst open and ease it, and then blessed be God for prayer, Micah 7:5, 6, 7.
That which sinks others is, that when troubles fill and overwhelm their hearts, they try what reason, merry company, or outward comforts can do: But, alas! this is to palliate a cure, it returns again with the more violence: But prayer gives sensible relief, Psal. 102 title, Psal. 62:8. For, (1.) This opens and gives a vent to troubles, Jer. 20:12. (2.) It gives our troubles a diversion, and so a cure, Psal. 5:1 and the last verse compared. Yea, (3.) By praying over them they are not only diverted, but sanctified, and so cease to be distracting, or destroying troubles.
2. As it gives a vent to our troubles, so an in let to unspeakable comforts and consolations. See a pregnant instance of this, Acts
16:25. For, (1.) Hereby they obtain gracious answers from the Lord concerning their troubles, 2 Cor. 12:9. In this also they meet the gracious smiles of God, which swallow up their troubles, Psal. 85:8. And, lastly, hereby they prevail with God to open a seasonable and effectual door out of all their troubles,
Psal. 34:4, 6.
3. Prayer begets and maintains holy courage and magnanimity in evil times. When all things about you tend to discouragement, it is your being with Jesus that makes you bold, Acts 4:13. He that uses to be before a great God, will not be afraid to look such little things as men are in the face. The woman clothed with the sun, had the moon under her feet. And what need you have of courage in evil times, hath been already shewed.
4. This is a duty you may perform at any time, or in any condition: No adversary can cut you off from it. It cannot be said so of many other duties. None can hinder the intercourse betwixt heaven and your souls: You may perform it in a prison,
Acts 16:25, in a banished condition, Psal. 61:2. And so is fitted for a suffering condition.
Lastly, You must strive to excel in this, forasmuch as no grace within, or service without, can thrive without it. God hath ordained the whole work of grace to grow up to perfection this way, Judg. 19:20. He will have all mercies fetched out this way,
Ezek. 36:37. Jer. 29:11, 12, 13. All that comes from God to you, or to you from God, must come in this channel. Be convinced then of the need you have to improve yourselves herein, as ever you hope to stand in the evil day.
But how are these praying abilities capable of improvement in the people of God?
Praying abilities are either external and common, or else internal and special. The external and common ability is nothing else but that dexterity and skill men get to express themselves to God in prayer. Thus many can put their meaning into apt and
decent expressions, to which the Spirit sometimes adds his common touches upon the affections. And this hypocrites rest on, and glory in. Or else they are special and internal, whereby men are enabled to pour out their souls to God in a gracious manner. And this may be considered either in the habit or the act. The habit is given by the Spirit, when the principles of grace are first infused into the soul, Zech. 12:10. Acts 9:11. By being sanctified we are made near, and by acting those principles in prayer we are said to draw near, Psal. 10:17. Now in our actual drawing near to God, the Spirit hath the chief and principal hand: And his assistance therein is threefold.
1. He excites the heart to the duty; it is he that whispers to the soul to draw nigh to God, Psalm 27:8.
2. He suggests the matter of our prayers, and furnishes us with the materials, Rom. 8:26. guiding us as to the matter, not only to what is lawful, but also to what is expedient for us.
3. He stirreth up suitable affections in prayer, Rom. 8:26. And hence those groans and tears, those gaspings and vehement anhelation. But notwithstanding all our abilities, both habitual and actual, be from the Spirit, and not from ourselves, yet are they capable of improvement by us: For though in respect of acquirement, there be a great difference betwixt natural and supernatural habits, yet their improvement is in the same way and manner; and this improvement may be made divers ways:
For, First, Though you have the Spirit, and can pray, yet you may learn to pray more humbly than before: Though you rise no
higher as to words, yet you may learn to lay yourselves lower before the Lord, as Abraham and Ezra did, Gen 18:27. Ezra 9:6.
Secondly, You may learn to pray with more sincerity than formerly: Ah! there is much hypocrisy and formality in our prayers, much of custom, &c. Now you may learn to pour out more cordial prayers. See Psal. 17:1. Psal. 119:10.
Thirdly, You may learn to pray with more zeal and earnestness than before: Some saints have excelled and been remarkable for this, Dan. 9:19. Hosea 12:4. James 5:16.
Fourthly, With more assiduity and readiness at all times for it, Eph. 6:18. Praying always, with all prayer. Hence Christ gives that commendation to the church, Cant. 4:11. "Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honey-comb." The honey-comb often drops, but always hangs full of drops ready to fall.
Fifthly, You may learn to pray with more faith: Oh the qualms of unbelief that go over our hearts in a duty; faith is the soul of prayer, and according to the faith God finds in them, he accepts and values them. Now in all these things you may improve yourselves abundantly.
1. By being more frequent in the duty, Job 22:21. "Acquaint thyself with the Almighty;" in the Hebrew it is, accustom thyself:
Those that have been excellent have also been abundant in it, Psal. 15:1.
2. By taking heed that you grieve not the Spirit, on whose influences and assistances you so entirely depend: Even as much