Thirdly, As being highly and indispensably obliged by them to perform the duty commanded therein, and to avoid the sins forbidden.
Fourthly, All this in a humble expectation of a divine help, according to the promise of God. Now he that can plead the command or promise against a temptation in this manner, doth not do an ordinary work, neither will he ascribe the success to the words and phrase of Scripture.
Some may, peradventure, wonder why Christ, by his example, had not recommended prayer, seeing it is of such unquestionable use in our undertakings against Satan. But that inquiry may be fully satisfied, if it be considered that Christ did peculiarly prepare himself to this encounter by ‘solemn fasting,’ ver. 2, which doth include praying; for such complicated duties are often denominated by that part which is extraordinary, and usually in Scripture a fast is only mentioned where prayer is chiefly intended. That this fast of Christ related to the temptation, and that also as a means of preservation, hath been spoken of in its place; it remains only that from hence I add a fifth direction.
CHAPTER XXVI.
The fifth direction, of prayer, and of the seriousness required of those that expect the advantage of prayer.—Of God’s hearing prayer while the temptation is continued.—Of some that are troubled more, while they pray more.
Direct. 5. That in all our endeavours of resistance, frequent and earnest prayers are not to be neglected.
This is so frequently recommended, and so fully handled by most authors, that I shall refer you to such authors as particularly treat of it; noting only that the apostle, in Eph. vi. 18, when he recommends it to us in these words, ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints,’ he doth mind us that he that expects the advantage of that duty must be peculiarly fitted, and seriously diligent in that work. For,
(1.) First, He must have a praying frame of heart; he must ‘pray always,’ or, as the apostle elsewhere, he must ‘pray continually.’ Not as if this duty must swallow up all the rest, and that a Christian had no other services to attend than prayer, but that he must be on a design to wrestle with God by prayer; and this must be constantly carried on, though the acts of prayer be intermitted; and besides that, in such cases, he may keep his usual stated times for that duty, he must have his heart so much upon his design, that every occasion or offer of temptation will presently put him upon the duty; nay, he must, in respect of the frequent intercourse of his heart with God in frequent ejaculations and breathings of soul, be as a man wholly resolved into that duty, as Paul was at his first conversion, who, as that expression ‘behold he prays’ [Acts ix. 11] doth intimate, seems to have been all prayer, and wholly taken up with that duty.
(2.) Secondly, He must pray in the spirit, his soul must be truly in the duty. A more than ordinary earnestness is necessary at solemn times, he must put out all his strength, he must cry mightily, and with his whole heart.