The Christian and Complete Armor by William Grinnell Ephesians chapter 6 verse 18 In the Spirit Chapter 5 Some arguments to enkindle our zeal in prayer. First, for exhortation. Dost thou pray? Pray fervently, or dost thou nothing? That prayer which warms not thine own heart, wilt it thinkest thou move God? A man hath not the use of his hand when it is denumbed with cold, neither canst thou have the use of thy spirit in duty, till thy heart hath some sense and feeling of what thou prayest for. Section 1 Consider the excellency of zeal and feverency. If a soul, thou hast a principle that inclines thee to approve of things that are excellent, and such is this. Life is the excellency of beings. Yea, even in inanimate creatures there is an analogical life, and therein consists their excellency. The spirits of wine commend it. In the diamond the sparkle gives the word. In the fountain water, that which makes it most excellent, is its motion. Call therefore it living water. much more in beings that have true life. For this the flea or fly are counted nobler creatures than the sun. The higher kind of life that beings have, their nature is thereby the more advanced. Beasts above plants, men above beasts, and angels above men. Now as life gives the excellency to beings, so vibrancy and vigor in operating gives excellency to life. Indeed, the nobler the life of the creature is, the greater energy is there in its acting. The apprehension of an angel is quicker and zeal stronger than a man. So that the more lively thou art in duty, and the more zeal thou expressest therein, the nearer thou comest to their nature, who, for their zeal in the service of God, are called a flame of fire. To be calm and cool in inferior things is better than zeal. Proverbs 17 27 A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. In the Hebrew it is a cool spirit. Injuries do not put him into a flame, neither does any occurrency heat him to any height of joy, grief, or anger. who more temperates in these than Moses. But says this holy man to pray, he is all life and zeal. Indeed, it is one excellency of this feverncy of spirit in prayer that it allies all sinful passions. David's feverency in praying for his child when alive made him bear the tidings of his death so patiently. We hear not an angry word that Hannah replies to her scolding companion, Phinehan. And why? But because she had found the art of easing her troubled spirit in prayer. What need she contend with her adversary, who could be wrestling with God to espouse her quarrel? And were there nothing else to commend feverishly in spirit and prayer, that is enough. That, like David's heart, can charm the evil spirit of our passion, which in their excess, the saint counts great sins and finds them grievous troubles. When are you more serene than when your souls can mount their feverishness in the flame of their sacrifices into the bosom of God? Possibly you may come, like Moses, down the mountain with greater heat, but it will be against sin. Section 2. God deserves the prime and strength of thy soul should be bestowed on him in thy prayers. First he gave thee the powers of thy soul and all thy affections. Such thou art as thou wert in the idea of the divine mind. Now may not thy maker call for that which was his gift? He that made the inanimate being and confined the narrow soul of brute to act upon such low, sensitive good, and noblest thee with irrational appetite and spiritual affection. Now, wilt thou not employ these divine powers in the worship of thy God, from whom thou hast them? It were hard that God should be denied what himself gave. I came to my own, saith Christ, and they would not receive me. Thus here I came to my own creature. He had his life from me. and brings a dead heart unto me. Suppose a friend should give you notice that he will ere long be at your house, and send you in beforehand a vessel of rich wine, would you be unwilling to broth for his entertainment? Expectest thou a better friend to be thy guest than God? The Sonsius calls upon us to serve the Lord with gladness. In what is his enforcement? Know ye that the Lord he is God. It is he that hath made us. Psalms 100 verses 2 and 3. Who plants a vineyard and expects not to drink of the wine. If God calls our corn and wine his, he therefore expects to be served with them, much more with our love and joy. For surely he allows us not to alienate the best of his gifts from him. When thou art therefore going to pray, call up thy affections which haply are asleep on some creature's lap, as Jonah in the sides of the ship. Awake, sleeper, call upon thy God. Secondly, he deserves the affection because he gives thee his he is jealous of because he is jealous for thee. Well, may he complain of thy cold prayers whose heart is on a plane of love to thee. High and admirable are the expressions with which He sets forth His love to His people. Whatever He doth for them is with zeal. In protecting of them, as birds flying, so will the Lord defend Jerusalem, that is, swiftly, as a bird flies to her nest when she perceives her young in danger, in avenging them of their enemies. The zeal of the Lord shall perform it. In hearing their prayers, He doth it with delight. In forgiving their sins, He is ready to forgive. multiplies to pardon. When they ask one talent, he gives them two. Jacob desires his safe egress and ingress. God hath this and more, for he brings him home with two bands. He gives not the least mercy, but he draws forth his soul and heart with it. Even in his afflicting providences, where he seems to show least love, there his heart overflows with it. What shall I do unto thee, O Ephraim? My bowels are turned within me. Thirdly, he is a good paymaster for his people's zeal. He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11, 6. Never did fever of prayer find cold welcome with him. Elijah's prayer fetched fire from heaven, because it carried fire to heaven. The tribe of Levi for their zeal were preferred to the priesthood. And why? Surely they who were so zealous in doing justice on their brethren would be no less zealous in making atonement for him by their sacrifices. Most men live the feverishness and strength of their desires by misplacing them. They are zealous for such things as cannot, and persons that often will not, pay them for their pain. Oh, how hot is the covetous man in his chase after the royal tusks! He pants after the dust of the earth and bat upon the heads of the poor, but what reward hath he for his labor? After all his getting, like the dogs in pursuit of the hare, he misses his game and at last goes poor and separatist to bed. In his grave he dies a fool, Jeremiah 17 verse 11. How many court Spaniards that have fawned and feathered for such scraps of preferment have at last been rewarded with the fatal stroke of the headsman or a consumptive death in their prince's favor. which made that ambitious cardinal say too late. If he had been as driven to a conceitedly master as he had been of his earthly, he should not have been left so miserable at last. In a word, do we not see the superstitious person knocking his breath and cutting his own flesh out of his deal to his wooden god, that hath neither ear to hear nor hand to help him? Now, doth not the living God, thy loving Father, deserve thy zeal more than their dead and dumb idols do theirs? For shame, let us not be cold in his worship, when the idol-earth sweats before his God of wood. Let not the worldling zeal in pursuit of his earthly mammon leave thee behind in serving thy God. End of chapter 5