06 A GUIDE TO PRAYER. There is also another kind of petitions which is used fre- quently in the Old Testament, and that is imprecation, or a calling for vengeance and destruction upon enemies ; but this is very seldom to be used under the gospel, which is a dispensation of love ; and should never be employed against our personal enemies, but only against the enemiesof Christ, and such as are irreconcileable to him. Christ has taught us in his life, and given us an example at his death, to forgive and pray for our personal enemies, for that is a noble singularity and glory of our religion. Here let it be observed, that when we pray for those things which are absolutely necessary to the glory of God, or to our own salvation, we May use a more full and fervent importunity in prayer ; we may say, f' Lord without the pardon of our sins we cannot rest satisfied ; without the renovation of our natures by thy grace, our souls can never rest easy; without the hopes of heaven we can never be at peace, and in these respects " will never let thee go till thou bless us. For Zion's sakewe will not hold our peace, and for the sake of thy Jerusslein, thy glory, thy church in the world, we will give thee no rest till thou hast made her the joy of the earth." But on the other hand, when we pleadwith God for those mercies or .comforts upon which our salvation or his own glory do not necessarily depend, we dare not use so absolute an importunity in prayer ; but we must learn to limit our petitions in such language as this : " If it be con- sistent with thine eternal counsels, with the purposes of grace, and the great ends of thy glory, then bestow upon us such a blessing ; if it may befor the true interest of our souls and for thine honour in the world, then let this favour be granted to us otherwise we would learn to resign ourselves to thy wiser deter- mination, and say, Father, not our wills, but Mine be done',' SECT. V. -Of Pleading.. The fifth part of prayer may be called pleading with God; which though it be not so distinct a part by itself, but rather be- longs to the work of petition and request, yet it is sovery large and diffusive, that it may well be separated by itself, and treated of distinctly. Pleadingwith God, or arguingour case with him in a fervent, yet humble manner, is one part of that importu- nity in prayer, Which scripture so much recommends. This is what all the saints ofoldhave practised : what Job resolves to engage in ; Job xxiii. 4. If I could get nearer to God, Iwould order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. This is what the prophet Jeremy practises ; Jcr. xii. I. Right- eous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee, yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments ; wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? We are not to suppose that our arguments can
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=