cation for mercy, the application to the fountain opened for sin, the cordial entreaty for the aid of the Spirit, the relinquishment of our own will, resolutions of better obedience, petitions that those resolutions may be directed and sanctified; these are the subjects in which the supplicant should be engaged, by which his thoughts should be absorbed."

Prayer being the expression of the heart's desire to God, we should, with all simplicity and sincerity, open our hearts unto him. When you retire to your devotions, lay aside all artifice, all needless form, all distracting anxiety, and express your desires with the utmost plainness of speech.

Consider before you begin, what are those SINS, which, if you were now on the point of death, would weigh most on your conscience, confess them, enlarge upon their circumstances and aggravations, bewail them, and plead for pardon through the blood of Christ.What BLESSING is there that you would desire above all other things if you were sure to have your wish? Whatever it be, whether it be the supply of earthly wants, or pardon, grace, peace, or heaven itself—-ask and ye shall have. What are those MERCIES and comforts which others have not, but you are now enjoying? and what are those which you could least of all spare! give hearty and unfeigned thanks for the possession of these. Consider the WANTS OF YOUR FRIENDS, your immediate relatives and your acquaintance, and intercede for them. In short, make known your present sins, wants, desires, and mercies, and empty the very thoughts of your hearts in the most easy and obvious expressions. Lord, save me, or I perish; Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy upon me; God be merciful to me a

sinner; coming from a full heart, are of prevailing weight and importance: while the most eloquent form of words, which is the mere expression of the lips, is utterly unavailing. Thus you may see that there need not be any difficulty for the poorest and most unlearned to express their desires in prayer. And do you complain of indisposition and unwillingness to set about the duty? go to the footstool of mercy, confess, in broken sighs and groans, even this indisposition of heart, cast this care upon God, and he will either remove it, or accept those broken sighs, and unexpressed wishes of the heart, which mark the unfeigned desire to find his favour and to love and serve him. The great thing is to have the heart right with God; then there will be no difficulty in finding matter for prayer. What the heart feels the mouth will express; and the varying temptations and circumstances of life will thus afford great variety in your prayers, Dwell, therefore, chiefly on those things with which you are most deeply affected, which are warmest in your own hearts.

Prayer for TEMPORAL BLESSINGS should ever be mingled with expressions of entire and unfeigned submission to the will of God. To ask for them thus is not improper, but perfectly right, for many of the highest saints have done so, and it may please God in this way to impart those temporal good things which we need. Hannah asks for children, and God hears her prayer. Hezekiah asks for health, and his sickness is removed. Paul prays for the father of Publius sick of a fever, and he is healed. Acts xxviii, 8. Nay, Asa is blamed, because in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. 2 Chron. xvi, 12. Only see to it that your desires are purified from all carnal ends, and sanctified to

sinner; coming from a full heart, are of prevailing weight and importance: while the most eloquent form of words, which is the mere expression of the lips, is utterly unavailing. Thus you may see that there need not be any difficulty for the poorest and most unlearned to express their desires in prayer. And do you complain of indisposition and unwillingness to set about the duty? go to the footstool of mercy, confess, in broken sighs and groans, even this indisposition of heart, cast this care upon God, and he will either remove it, or accept those broken sighs, and unexpressed wishes of the heart, which mark the unfeigned desire to find his favour and to love and serve him. The great thing is to have the heart right with God; then there will be no difficulty in finding matter for prayer. What the heart feels the mouth will express; and the varying temptations and circumstances of life will thus afford great variety in your prayers, Dwell, therefore, chiefly on those things with which you are most deeply affected, which are warmest in your own hearts.

Prayer for TEMPORAL BLESSINGS should ever be mingled with expressions of entire and unfeigned submission to the will of God. To ask for them thus is not improper, but perfectly right, for many of the highest saints have done so, and it may please God in this way to impart those temporal good things which we need. Hannah asks for children, and God hears her prayer. Hezekiah asks for health, and his sickness is removed. Paul prays for the father of Publius sick of a fever, and he is healed. Acts xxviii, 8. Nay, Asa is blamed, because in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physi cians. 2 Chron. xvi, 12. Only see to it that your desires are purified from all carnal ends, and sanctified to

the glory of God: Chat is, that you desire to serve him more through the things which you request. This makes the end of the prayer spiritual.

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Prayer for SPIRITUAL LESSONS, for pardon, peace, holiness, love, the favour of God, and the glory of hea calls for great earnestness. Take no denial. Say. like Jacob, I will notes the go, except thou bless u Gen. xxxii, 26. Be importunate with your God. I kingdom of heaven sufresh violence, and the violent tar it by force. Yet it is possible to desire eveu spititud things for merely carnal ends, as with the notion of me! iting heaven by them, for human applause.. is too true, that not only the formalist, but a real Gord man in general, may thus sometimes make a cati, poj even when asking for spiritual things, lack prayer that we offer up needs divine luster.. Saviour's mediation.