I. What, prayer supposes; and that is,
1. That we are dependent and indigent creatures, have many wants to be supplied, sins to be forgiven, miseries, under which we need pity and relief, and weaknesses, under which we want to be strengthened and assisted in the performance of the duties that are incumbent on us. From hence it may be inferred, that though our Lord Jesus Christ is often represented as praying to God, this is an action performed by him in his human nature; in which alone he could be said to be indigent, who, in his divine nature, is all-sufficient.
2. It supposes that God, who is the object of prayer, is regarded by us, not only as able, but willing to help us; and that he has encouraged us to draw nigh to him for relief: And therefore it is a duty that more especially belongs to those who are favoured with the hope of the gospel.
II. We shall now shew how prayer is to be considered, as to the various kinds hereof; and accordingly we are represented as drawing nigh to God, with an humble sense of our secret sins and wants, which none but God and our own consciences are privy to. This kind of prayer our Saviour intends, when he says, Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly, Mat. vi. 6. and we have an instance hereof in himself; inasmuch, as it is said, that when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray, chap. xiv. 23. also, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, Acts x. 9. in which, being retired from the world, he had a greater liberty to pour forth his soul unto God.
Moreover, we are to join with others in performing this duty, in which we confess those sins, and implore a supply of those wants that are common to all who are engaged therein: This our Saviour encourages us to do, when he says, If two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, Mat. xviii. 19, 20. This is a branch of social worship, and is to be performed by every family apart, whereof we have an example in Cornelius, concerning whom it is said, that he was a devout man, and feared God with all his house, and prayed to him always; and that he did this, at certain times, in his house, Acts x. 2. compared with ver. 30. Moreover, this duty is to be performed publicly in the church, or any worshipping assembly met together for that purpose: Of this we have an instance in the apostle Paul, who, when he had called for the elders of the church at Ephesus, designing to take his leave of them, after an affectionate discourse, and suitable advice given to them, he kneeled down and prayed with them all, chap. xx. 36.
Again, prayer may be considered as that for which a stated time is set apart by us, either alone, or with others; or, that which is occasional, short, and ejaculatory, consisting in a secret lifting up of our hearts to God, and may be done when we are engaged in other business of a different nature, without being a let or hindrance to it: Thus it is said that Nehemiah prayed, when he has going to deliver the cup into the king’s hand, between the king’s asking him a question, and his returning him an answer to it; which seems to be the meaning of what is said in Neh. ii. 4, 5. Then the king said unto me; for what dost thou make request? so I prayed to the God of heaven, and I said unto the king, &c. These ejaculatory prayers are either such as we put up to God while engaged in worldly business for direction, assistance, or success therein; or when attending on the word read or preached, or any other holy duties, in which we lift up our hearts to him for his presence therein.
III. The next thing to be considered, is, the various parts of prayer; and these are three, viz. Confession of sin; petition for a supply of our wants; and thanksgiving for mercies received. Confession of sin supposes that we are guilty, and deserve punishment from God; petition supposes, that we are miserable and helpless; and thanksgiving implies, a disposition to own God, the author of all the good we enjoy or hope for, and includes in it a due sense of those undeserved favours we have received from him.
From this general account of the duty of prayer, and the parts thereof, we may infer,
1. That the two former of them, namely, confession of sin, and petition for relief, under the various miseries and distresses which we are liable to, is only applicable to those who are in a sinful and imperfect state, as believers are in this world. As for glorified saints in heaven, they have no sins to be confessed, nor any miseries under which they need help and pity. As for that part of prayer which consists of thanksgiving for mercies already received, that, indeed, is agreeable to a perfect state, and is represented as the constant work of glorified saints: Thus the Psalmist says, The heavens, that is, the inhabitants thereof, shall praise thy wonders, O Lord, thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints, Psal. lxxxix. 5.
2. Sinners, who have lost their day of grace, against whom the door of hope and mercy is shut, who are enduring the punishment of sin in hell, these are not properly the subjects of prayer; concerning whom it may be said, not only that they cannot pray, being destitute of those graces that are necessary thereunto; but having no interest in a Mediator, or in the promises of the covenant of grace, which are a warrant and encouragement for the performance of this duty.