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THE PRAYERS OF UNREGENERATE MEN CONSIDERED
IT is not without reason that prayer has been called by some, the pulse of the soul: for by that more than by any thing else may be discerned the increase or declension of our spiritual health. Somewhat like prayer may be offered by the most ungodly in seasons of deep distress: but their supplications differ widely from those which proceed from a penitent and contrite heart. The ten tribes, who, in despite of all the warnings given them, would go to Egypt and Assyria, rather than to God, for help, found themselves taken in the net which God had spread for them. Then they began to call upon God for help: but, the heart-searching God testifies respecting them, that they cried not unto him with their heart when they howled upon their beds.
To shew how common and awful this state is, we shall,
I. Consider the prayers of unregenerate men—
It is confessed such persons often “howl upon their beds”—
[In these words two things are to be noticed, namely, the time, and the manner of their prayers. With respect to the time, it is too generally found, that they who are not in earnest about their salvation, defer their prayers till bed-time: instead of transacting their business with God whilst their faculties are alive, they stay till exhausted nature is become incapable of any energetic exertion; and then hurry over some form of prayer, as a school-boy does his task, without feeling one word they utter. Even this is too favourable a representation of the prayers of many; who stay till they have lain down “upon their bed,” and then fall asleep in the midst of their devotions. As for praying in the morning, they have no time for that: the concerns of the past, or of the present day have pre-occupied their minds; and if they offer two or three cold petitions while they are dressing, it is quite as much as their necessities require, or as God deserves. As to the manner, we may interpret the prophet’s expression as importing in general, that their prayers are altogether irrational, and forced: and indeed, if we take into the account the state of the suppliants as guilty and condemned sinners, and the majesty of him whom they profess to address, their prayers are a most horrid mockery, yea, as unsuitable to the occasion as the “howling” of a dog would be. But the expression may be taken more strictly and literally: for these persons will not pray with any degree of fervour, except in seasons of great affliction. Perhaps they have suffered some heavy loss, or are in embarrassed circumstances, or have some peculiar guilt upon their conscience, that greatly disturbs them; but even then they have no disposition to spread their case before God; and so they lie down upon their beds as miserable as they can be, “howling” and whining like dogs, and perhaps wishing that they were dogs, or any thing, rather than rational and accountable beings [Note: See this exemplified in David, Psa_32:3-4.].]
But, whatever their prayers be, “they cry not unto God with their heart”—
[View them in their public devotions semi; they will confess themselves “miserable sinners,” and implore mercy for Christ’s sake at the hands of God, and desire grace from him “that they may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of his holy name:” but if they were afterwards told by their minister, that they were miserable and hell-deserving sinners; that nothing but an application of the blood of Christ to their souls could ever save them; and that, to evince the sincerity of their repentance, they must devote themselves unreservedly to God; they would shew by their answers, that they neither believed, nor desired, any one of the things, which they had uttered before God.
Inquire, further, into their private prayers, and it will be found that they are not sincere in any petition that they offer. If, for instance, they were to pray that they might become true and faithful disciples of the Lord Jesus; and Jesus were to tell them, as he did the Rich Youth in the Gospel, that they must first give up all that they possess in this world, before they can be brought to love him supremely and to serve him acceptably; would they reply to him, “Thy will be done?” Would they not rather plead for this or that possession, “O, spare it; is it not a little one?” and, when they found that the terms could not be lowered, would they not pray back again their prayers with ten-fold more earnestness than they at first uttered them; yea, and forego all their hope in Christ, rather than sacrifice their worldly interests?
Such are the prayers of the unregenerate, if they pray at all: but the greater part of them, except on very particular occasions, do not so much as preserve even an appearance of devotion [Note: Mar_10:21-22. This shews with what lamentable propriety they speak of “saying their prayers.”].]
We shall have a little clearer view of the worth-lessness of such prayers, if we,
II. Contrast them with those of the regenerate—
In every thing that is essential to prayer, the difference may be seen. Particularly they differ in respect of,
1. Voluntariness—
[The wicked will pray only under some heavy calamity, or in the near prospect of death and judgment [Note: Jer_2:27. Psa_78:34. Isa_26:16.]: all their petitions are extorted by anguish or by terror. The regenerate, on the contrary, go to God willingly and cheerfully as to their father and their friend. We do not mean to say, that the godly never feel backwardness to this duty (for, alas! they too often do) but they do not indulge it; they do not rest satisfied in such a state; they condemn themselves for it as much as an unregenerate person would condemn himself for the grossest sins: and when they are enabled, in any measure, to realize their principles, they account it their sweetest privilege to draw nigh to God, and to pour out their souls before him: they even pant for God as the hart after the water brooks, and “go to him as to their exceeding joy [Note: Psa_42:1-2; Psa_43:4.].”]
2. Constancy—
[When the distresses or terrors, that instigated the ungodly to prayer, are removed, there is an end of the importunity which was occasioned by them [Note: Job_27:10.]. The persons who for a while seemed melted in the furnace, are no sooner taken out of it, than they return to their wonted coldness and obduracy. But a regenerate person can say, “My heart is fixed, O Lord, my heart is fixed:” “at evening, and at morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and that instantly [Note: Psa_57:7; Psa_55:17.].” There are seasons indeed, when he may, through the corruptions of his heart, be led to relax his diligence: but he can never give over prayer: whether he be in prosperity or adversity, he feels that he is altogether dependent upon God, both for his present and eternal happiness; and therefore he returns again and again to God, in order to maintain fellowship with him, and to receive at his hands the blessings he stands in need of.]
3. Humility—
[Persons may use very strong language and express a kind of indignation against themselves in reference to their inward corruptions, while yet they are not truly humbled before God: but true humility consists, not in vehement expressions, but in a tenderness of spirit mixed with self-lothing and self-abhorrence [Note: Job_42:6. Eze_20:43.]. Of this, an unregenerate man has no conception: yet it is this that constitutes the chief excellence of prayer; and without it our prayers can find no more acceptance with God, than the howling of a dog [Note: Mat_15:8-9.]. In this view, God himself calls the services of the temple a hateful “noise [Note: Amo_5:21-23.];” and declares that the offering of a lamb with an unhumbled spirit, is as odious in his sight, as the offering of swine’s blood, or “the cutting off a dog’s neck [Note: Isa_66:3.].”]
Infer—
1. How little dependence can be placed on a death-bed repentance!
[Far be it from us to discourage repentance at the last hour. On the contrary, if we behold symptoms of it, we would in the judgment of charity conclude well respecting its issue. But it is God alone who can perfectly distinguish between the feigned humiliation of Ahab, and the sincere contrition of Peter: and perhaps, where we think we hear the supplications of a Christian, God may hear nothing but the howling of a dog. Repentance, like every Christian grace, must be judged of by its fruits: and if we would have in ourselves, or leave in the mind of surviving friends, an unquestionable evidence of our sincerity, let us repent without delay, and “bring forth fruits meet for repentance.”]
2. What encouragement have all real penitents to call upon God!
[As God can distinguish hypocrites in the midst of their most specious services, so can he discern the upright in the midst of all their infirmities. The sigh, the groan, the tear, the broken accents of contrition, are more pleasing to him than the most fluent petitions that are destitute of a divine unction [Note: Psa_6:8; Psa_38:9; Psa_79:11 and especially Lam_3:56.]. Let none then be discouraged because they do not find a ready utterance in prayer; but let them be chiefly solicitous to “cry to God with their hearts.” Then they will have nothing to fear; for God “will hear them, yea, and answer too, while they are yet speaking to him [Note: Isa_65:24.],” and “will do for them abundantly above all that they can ask or think [Note: Eph_3:20.].”]