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THE REQUISITES FOR ACCEPTABLE PRAYER
RELIGION is often thought to be an employment fit only for weak minds, or for those who have nothing else to engage their attention; but it is worthy the pursuit of the wisest and greatest of men. Never did Solomon appear more glorious than when uttering these words. At the head of all his subjects he dedicated his temple to God. He set them a bright example of piety and devotion; and interceded, not for them only, but for all succeeding generations.
In this portion of his instructive prayer we may sec,
I. The requisites for acceptable prayer—
An humble, upright, fervent, believing, submissive, obediential frame of mind is necessary when we approach the throne of grace. But the most essential requisites for acceptable worship are comprised in,
1. A deep sense of our own depravity—
[The “plague of one’s own heart” is, one’s in-dwelling corruption [Note: Some understand “plague” as expressing some loathsome disorder; and the rather because it is translated “sore” in the parallel passage, 2Ch_6:29. This is the true sense of it when it relates to the body; but here the heart is represented as the seat of this disorder, and therefore it must be understood of sin. This is confirmed by what is said in the text, of God’s knowing the heart.]. “Every one” has some “sin that more easily besets him;” and this sin he ought to know. Not that a mere acquaintance with this plague is sufficient: we must know the depth and inveteracy of our disorder. Our knowledge too must produce an unfeigned self-abhorrence, and a full conviction of our utter helplessness: nor without this knowledge can we offer up one acceptable prayer. We cannot lament what we neither feel nor know; or seek for mercy, when we perceive not our need of it. While ignorant of our depravity, we are not in a state to receive mercy: we should not even be willing to accept of mercy on God’s terms. The very offers of salvation would rather excite our displeasure than our gratitude [Note: A man, not sensible that he had subjected himself to capital punishment by breaking the laws of his country, would reject with indignation an offer of deliverance from an ignominious death: but a self-condemned criminal on the eve of his execution would receive such an offer gladly.].]
2. A believing view of Christ—
[The temple of Solomon was the more immediate residence of the Deity: all were on this account directed to look towards it when they prayed. That temple was typical of the Lord Jesus Christ [Note: See Joh_2:19; Joh_2:21 and compare Exo_23:21 with the expression “My name shall be there,” 1Ki_8:29.]: in him “dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily:” to him our eyes are therefore to be directed [Note: Isa_45:22.]. We are to offer all our petitions to him, or in his name [Note: Joh_14:13-14.]. This regard to him is necessary to the acceptance of our prayers: it is through him alone that we gain access to the Deity [Note: Eph_2:18.]. We cannot approach the Father in any other way [Note: Joh_14:6.]; nor is there any other channel whereby the divine blessings can flow down to us [Note: Joh_1:16.]. On these accounts we must “stretch out our hands towards” him: we must view him as our only source of spiritual blessings.]
They who truly seek after God will soon experience,
II. The efficacy of prayer when attended with those requisites—
Cold or unbelieving petitions will receive no answer [Note: Jam_4:3; Mat_15:8-9; Jam_1:6-7.]; but humble and believing prayer will obtain the richest blessings:
I. National—
[The passage before us relates to the whole Jewish nation: it supposes them to have incurred the heavy displeasure of God, and teaches them how they are to avert his wrath; nor did God leave them in suspense about the issue of such humiliation: he declared in a vision to Solomon that his petitions were accepted [Note: 2Ch_7:12-14.]. The Jewish history affords many striking instances of deliverance vouchsafed to a repenting people [Note: Jehoshaphat praying according to the direction in the text, 2Ch_20:5-13, expressly reminded God of his promise, ver. 9. And the success of his prayer far exceeded all reasonable expectation ; see ver. 22–25.]; nor can we doubt but that the same means will still be crowned with the like success [Note: If this were a Fast Sermon, it would be proper to enlarge a little on this idea in reference to the peculiar state of the nation at the time.].]
2. Personal—
He who “knows our heart” will grant all that we can desire [Note: 1Jn_5:14-15.]”:
Forgiveness of sin—
[Who more infamous and abandoned than that woman [Note: Luk_7:37; Luk_7:39.]? Yet she, in humility and faith, applied to Jesus [Note: Luk_7:38.], and received an assurance that her iniquities were forgiven [Note: Luk_7:47-48; Luk_7:50.]. And shall not we obtain mercy if we apply to him in the same humble and believing way?]
Peace of conscience—
[How troubled, almost to distraction, were the murderers of our Lord [Note: Act_2:37.]! But, according to Peter’s direction, they looked to Jesus [Note: Act_2:38.], and were immediately filled with “peace and joy in believing [Note: Act_2:46.].”]
[Note: Those particulars which are marked with an asterisk under the second head may be omitted.] Deliverance from temporal troubles—
[We cannot conceive greater temporal affliction than that endured by Jonah [Note: Jon_2:1-3.]; yet, when to appearance irrecoverably lost, he prayed in this manner [Note: Jon_2:4; Jon_2:7.], and experienced a most unparalleled deliverance [Note: Jon_2:10.].]
[Note: Those particulars which are marked with an asterisk under the second head may be omitted.] Victory over our spiritual enemies—
[With what vehemence did Satan assault the Apostle Paul [Note: 2Co_12:7.]! The afflicted saint cried with earnestness to the Lord Jesus [Note: 2Co_12:8.]: his troubles were immediately turned into triumphant exultations [Note: 2Co_12:9.].]
Renewal after the divine image—
[Nothing on earth does a believer desire so much as this; yet this shall be attained in the same way. An humble and believing view of Christ shall effect it [Note: 2Co_3:18.].]
[Note: Those particulars which are marked with an asterisk under the second head may be omitted.] A peaceful death—
[Stephen died by the hands of cruel and blood-thirsty enemies [Note: Act_7:54.]; but he offered an humble and believing prayer to Christ [Note: Act_7:59.], and his death was to him as a serene and peaceful sleep [Note: Act_7:60.].]
A glorious immortality—
[He who died justly by the hands of the public executioner must have merited in an high degree the wrath of God [Note: Luk_23:41.]: nevertheless in his last hour he directed his eyes to Christ [Note: Luk_23:42.]; and that very day was he admitted with Christ to Paradise [Note: Luk_23:43.].]
Application—
[Let none despair on account of the greatness of their sins, or of the judgments of God which are already inflicted on them. God will suffer none to “seek his face in vain.” Let every one then bewail “the plague of his own heart,” and offer up believing prayers “towards God’s holy oracle [Note: This will suffice for two Sermons; the first head being the subject of one, and the second head of the other. If it form the ground of one Sermon only, those particulars which are marked with an asterisk under the second head may be omitted.].”]