Prayer

I will return to my place, saith the Lord by His Prophet, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face. In their affliction they will seek me early. Hos. v. 15. The Father of Mercies hides Himself from His children, not to lose them, but that they may seek Him, and may learn, having found Him, to keep closer by Him than formerly. He threatens them, to keep them from punishment: if His threatening work submission, it is well; if not, He punishes them gently, to save them from destruction. He seeks no more but that they acknowledge their offence, and seek His face. Wonderful clemency! For who- can forbear to confess multitudes of offences, who know themselves? And who can choose but seek Thy face, who ever saw Thy face, and who know Thee? In their affliction they will seek me early. He that prays not till affliction comes and forces him to it, is very slothful; but he that prays not in affliction, is altogether senseless. Certainly, they that at this time are not more than ordinarily fervent in prayer, or do not at least desire and strive to be so, cannot well think that there is any spiritual life within them. Surely it is high time to stir up ourselves to prayers and tears. All may bear arms in that kind of service. Weak women may be strong in prayer; and those tears wherein they usually abound upon other occasions, cannot be so well spent as this way. Let them not run out in howlings and impatience, but bring them, by bewailing sins, private as well as public, to quench this public fire. And ye men, yea, ye men of courage, account it no disparagement thus to weep. We read often of David's tears, which were no stain to his valour. That cloud which hangs over us, which the frequent vapours of our sins have made, except it dissolve and fall down again in these sweet showers of godly tears, is certainly reserved to be the matter of a dreadful storm. Be instant, every one, in secret, for the averting of this wrath, and let us now again unite the cries of our hearts for this purpose to our compassionate God, in the name and mediation of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Robert Leighton

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