Fourthly, it is an Argument of spirituall strength when the Spirit of prayer breatheth forth frequently, and constantly, and fervently to God in us: Hence David prays and cries in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, he riseth at midnight to pray, and prevents the dawning of the day to pray: Thus Daniel is thrice each day on his knees to God, and would not be beaten off, with the powers and terrors of cruel enemies and lyons.
Thus the Lord Jesus frequently retired alone to private prayer, and sometimes spent the whole night in prayer to God with strong cries, tears and supplications: And therefore is it that all true Christians are the spirituall Israelites, that is, wrastlers and strivers with God in prayer; like unto their Father Jacob, who wrastled all night in prayer with God, with weeping and supplications, and would not let the Angel go until he blessed him; and therefore his name was called Israel, a wrastler or prevailer with God, as well as Jacob a supplanter and prevailer with men.
Ob. But may not Hypocrites be frequent and fervent in prayer to God? Did not the Pharisees and Jews pray and fast often? Do not the very Turks solemnly pray five times each 24. houres? And the Papists not onely keep their solemn morning and evening times of prayer, but many other solemn prayers unto which the severall orders of Friars, Monks and Nuns bind themselves? And how easie is it by worldly engines to wheel about the Indians of America to become frequent prayers unto God, &c.
I answer: Many are the differences between the true prayers of Gods children, and the false of dissemblers and hypocrites: I will name a few for instance.
True prayer is the souls breathing unto God.
First then hypocrites pray but in a form and lip-labour, as a task and work to be done for carnall respects, to merit at Gods hand, or to stop the mouth of conscience, which tels them they cannot be Gods children except they pray: But true prayer is the pouring out of the heart to God, the true breathing of the soul to God, arising as Incense and perfume unto God: Hence (no doubt) although Paul before his conversion prayed much unto God, (for he was a Pharasie) yet he never praid indeed, untill his great change, and the descending of the holy Spirit of prayer upon him; And therefore the Lord sends Ananias with this incouragement unto Paul: Behold he prayeth, Act. 9.
and hath more or lesse some soul-pleasure in it.
Hence Gods children find a kind of holy pleasure and delight in prayer, whatever be the event or issue, it pleaseth God to give, like as a man finds delight in casting off an heavy burthen from his shoulder, or in the unbossoming of a grief, into the bosome of a friend. Thus Hanna opprest with grief weeps no more, when she had powred forth her supplication before the Lord: And the Lord Jesus powred forth his prayers, and tears, in the bosome of his Father, and then rests quiet in his Fathers pleasure, as touching the passing by, or drinking of the bitter cup.
Obj. But may not the children of God want holy pleasure and delight in prayer, and depart from Gods presence as heavy as they came?
Gods children are most in private with God.