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 ming led 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, Aşa 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

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

Prayer for SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, for pardon, peace, holiness, love, the favour of God, and the glory of heaven, calls for great earnestness. Take no denial. Say, like Jacob, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Gen. xxxii, 26. Be importunate with your God. The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Yet it is possible to desire even spiritual things for merely carnal ends, as with the notion of meriting heaven by them, for human applause, &c. And it is too true, that not only the formalist, but a really devout man in general, may thus sometimes make a carnal prayer even when asking for spiritual things. Indeed, every prayer that we offer up needs divine forgiveness, and the Saviour's mediation.

SECT. IV.--On Forms of Prayer.

Forms of Prayer are in themselves not only lawful, (Luke xi, 2.) but often, even in private, expedient and advantageous.* They are a help by which a child may be trained to walk alone; the staff by which weak Christians may, through the divine blessing, be supported; or the strong, occasionally, when labouring under present deadness, or indisposition, be much assisted.

The necessity for forms of prayer must therefore be left to the cases and consciences of individuals. Let it be remembered, that it is not forms of prayer, nor the want of them that makes real devotion; but the grace of God in Christ Jesus. It is confessed that many not

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*See note on page 129.

only do not use forms, but would be straitened in the use of them. Surely Christians ought to have wisdom and charity neither to censure nor to speak disdainfully of those who in earnest seek communion with God, either in the use of forms or without them. "The graces of prayer," says Bennett, "faith, love, humility, contrition, resignation, holy desires, and devout affections, are the life and soul of prayer, and much more to be regarded than this or that mode of outward performance."

Bishop Wilkins after allowing the use of forms for the young and weaker Christian, both in the family and the closet, and giving him a caution as to the necessity of being "narrowly watchful over his own heart, for fear of that lip service and formality to which, in such cases, we are more especially exposed," adds as follows: "But," for any one so to sit down and satisfy himself with this book prayer, or prescribed form, as to go no farther, this were still to remain in his infancy, and not to grow up in his new nature. This would be as if a man who had once need of crutches, should always afterwards make use of them, and so necessitate himself to a continual impotency.

"And if it be a fault not to strive and labour after this gift, much more is it to jeer and despise it, by the name of 'extempore prayer,' and 'praying by the Spirit,' which expressions are, for the most part, a sign of a profane heart, altogether a stranger to the power and comfort of this duty."

And, after giving some directions to help his readers in the performance of prayer, he says, "It will not be difficult to him that shall attempt it after this manner to pray in private without a form. And it is not easy

to express what a vast difference a man may find in respect of inward comfort and satisfaction, between those private prayers that are thus conceived from the affections, and those prescribed forms which we say by rote, or read out of books.

Indeed, an ability and readiness to express our thoughts to God, in all the various parts of prayer, in the manner most fit to profit our own souls, and the souls of those who join us, is not only a valuable gift, but a delightful privilege which every Christian should seck to gain.

It has been found useful in private prayer, to consider previously the things which you have to mention, and to put them down under the different parts of prayer. Thus, have you sinned by vain and trifling conversation in company? place that under Confession.. Do you fear a particular temptation? place the desire for strength. to resist it, under Petition. This previous arrangement has been found to keep the mind more fixed on its work, and it also gives you the advantage of reflecting afterwards on the subjects of your prayer.

It may be observed, that the Scriptures supply us with many beautiful models of prayer. See Hosea xiv, 1, 2, &c. Some have found it useful to take a Psalm

or a chapter for a form of prayer; such as the 103d Psalm for praise, the 51st Psalm for confession, the 9th of Daniel for intercession, the 12th of Romans for petition. And again, others have found it edifying and profitable daily to repeat the Te Deum. God blesses us in various ways when we endeavour, in simplicity and sincerity, to seek and enjoy his presence, and obtain his favour.

As prayer is a duty of such immense importance, and of such continual recurrence, we shall dwell more fully on the subject matter of our prayers under the following Section.

SFCT. V.-On the various parts of Prayer.

It will appear, from what has been said already, that no form of prayer can, perhaps, adequately express all our private, personal, and particular wants. It will, therefore, be useful to have our minds so furnished with information on the various parts of prayer, that we may, orderly, and with propriety and readiness, express every want before God.

The parts which are essential in our prayers, may be comprehended under the four heads of Confession, Petition, Intercession, and Thanksgiving. It will be useful to have these four particulars in your mind, and to bring them more or less into every prayer. Perhaps this fourfold division may have been deduced from the passage, (1 Tim. ii, 1.) where the Apostle says, "I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made. Our sins, our wants, the wants of others, and the mercies of God, are the great subjects for every prayer.

Bishop Wilkins* has given a view of the whole subject in the following Analysis of Prayer.

* Some interesting "Extracts from Bishop Wilkins's Treatise on Prayer," have been reprinted, and are sold by Seeley, and Hatchard, Price 1s.