power, and the glory, for ever and ever," will receive 145 ore manifest accomplishment than ever they have yet e. We are told in Isa. xlv. 11, "Thus saith the Lord, Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask of me things come, concerning my sons, and concerning the work my hands command ye me." St. Paul thus earnestly ses this duty: "I exhort, therefore, that first of all," a matter of chief importance,)" supplications, prayers, rcessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men :" he afterwards adds, "for this is good and acceptable he sight of God, our Savior, who will have all men to aved, and come to the knowledge of the truth:"* and n he says, "Brethren, pray for us, that the word of the 1 may have free course and be glorified, as it is with bserve the prophecies respecting this spirit of prayer. shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, the inhabitants of many cities: and the inhabitants of city shall go unto another, saying, Let us go speedily ay before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of Hosts. I go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray re the Lord."+ זיי ed We have also examples to encourage us thus to pray. d prays, "Have respect unto the covenant, for the places of the earth are full of the habitations of cru"Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness in thy palaces." Esther, when the peculiar people od were on the point of destruction, sends to all the s to fast and pray with her and her maidens, and their prayers are heard. Daniel's prayer for the Church, n in captivity, is well worthy of imitation. Dan. ix. 2. 7. It is probable, that on the very evening of the day hich our Lord directed his disciples to pray for more ers, he himself went into a mountain and continued ight in prayer to God; and after thus praying all night, he following morning he chose his twelve Apostles; ix. 36-38; x. 1-5; compared with Luke vi. 12The Apostles, after his ascension, "all continued with ccord in prayer and supplication:" and at length on 1 Tim. ii. 1-4. Ps. Ixxiv. 20. + Zech. viii. 2099 he day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost was given. "The Lord gave the word, and great was the company of those hat published it."* The Church of Antioch "fasted and rayed," and then sent forth Barnabas and Saul on that reat mission to the Gentiles, the benefits of which ultimately reached even to England. Acts xiii. 3. And to come to more modern times. We find that holy men have ever, as they have more advanced in religion, elt more for the perishing state of mankind. Baxter thus xpresses himself in some reflections at the close of his fe: "My soul is much more afflicted with the thoughts of his miserable world, and more drawn out in a desire for its onversion than heretofore. I was wont to look little furher than England in my prayers; but now I better undertand the case of mankind and the method of the Lord's rayer. No part of my prayer is so deeply serious, as that or the conversion of the infidel and ungodly world." It sworth while reading the life of the Missionary Brainerd,† nly to observe the constant ardor of his soul, in praying or the coming of Christ's kingdom. In fact, A blessing has ever attended this mode of seeking the elfare of the Church. "The cry of Israel in Egypt came p unto God by reason of their bondage; and God heard eir groanings," and he sent them a deliverer. Daniel's rayer, (ch. ix.) was attended with an immediate answer. Who would have supposed that in the state in which Judea nd the world were, when our Lord was crucified, that in O short a time such preachers should be raised up from ne self-righteous or worldly Jews, or the benighted Genles, as should carry the Gospel into all the known nations f the earth, and almost convert the world. They prayed, nd great was found to be the efficacy of prayer. very period of the revival of religion has been distinguishd by the previous spirit of prayer. All the great Sociees that have been raised in present times, and that fill and Born our country, have been raised in prayer; and the ay to obtain for them that full benefit to mankind, of hich, under the blessing of God, they seem capable, is, r those who support them to give them also their continual ayers. St. Paul urges a striking reason why Christians *Ps. lxviii. 11. † See also the Life of Henry Martyn should for us, t persons thus, as might, glory of The rememb spiritu accomp influenc their fu duly qua fore the the heat And wh the incre must " answer t a any desig general, the Chur The effec vine pow system; tire chan "I will c spirit wit the hand seed sown "neither watereth: fervency it not a pr been coldl a ent state o pose that it tian that us desire of h It pleases er, as it is ould thus pray: "Ye also helping together by prayer 147 rus, that for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many rsons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf;" that us, as he expresses it elsewhere, "the abundant grace ight, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the ory of God."t The importance of this will be more seen, when it is membered, that the enlargement and building up of the iritual church is entirely the work of God. complish all the promises on this subject? Who can Huence the minds of Christians in general to promote Who can eir fulfilment? Who can raise up, and prepare, and ly qualify the laborers? Who can open their way bee them, and prosper their undertakings? Who can give heathen eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to feel? d when the seed is sown in their hearts, who must give increase? In short, through whose power and mercy st "all flesh see the salvation of God?" We need not wer the question. It must be evident how greatly, in design to promote the kingdom of Christ, the fervent, eral, continued, united, and persevering prayers of all Church of God are needed in every step of our way. effect to be produced manifests the necessity of a die power. It is not a mere instruction in a particular em; it is not a mere change of sentiment; but an enchange of heart and life; the fulfilling of that promise, will create in you a clean heart, and renew a right it within you." Like the work of creation, it requires hand of God. As it is only His power that makes the sown in the earth to shoot and spring up; so here, ither is he that planteth any thing, neither is he that ereth: but God that giveth the increase." And the ency and ardor of prayer is here specially called for. Is ot a proof that the prayer, "thy kingdom come," has coldly uttered, when we look abroad and see the presstate of the kingdom of Christ? May we not well supthat it would have been very different had every Christhat used the prayer, fervently offered up therewith the -e of his heart unto God? pleases the Almighty generally to work through pray- honor, all the glory. When blessings come in answer to prayer, the praise is more generally ascribed to him to whom alone all praise belongs. The time is hastening on, when one vast song shall fill the earth" from sea to sea, and from the rivers unto the ends of the earth;" when shall be heard, "as it were the voice of mighty thunderings: saying, Allelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth; let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him." doubtless, when, through the prayers of many, this happy And period arrives, the burden of the song will be, "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous works; and blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory, Amen, and amen. May the reader lay these things to heart, and remember how small a sacrifice the thing desired calls for. You are not here asked to give your silver and gold, or your life, though these all belong to your Savior; but the duty now pointed out is simply that of remembering a perishing world in your prayers: and in constantly and faithfully discharging it, you are obeying the two great commands of love to God, and love to man. Never, then, think a prayer to be at all complete, which does not include the Heathen world. Never be satisfied with a prayer, either in your closet, in your family, in your walks, with your relatives and friends, or in the house of God, in which you have not asked of God something relating to his ways being "known on earth," his "saving health among all nations.' Pray for all the societies engaged in this work, either at home or abroad; for all the Missionaries sent forth among the heathen, and all preparing to go; and for all who conduct or support Missionary efforts. As a real Christian, you will be an immense gainer by the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ, and the increase of the communion of saints. And as this is the duty of individuals, so there seems a pecial efficacy in united prayer. Much that has been aid on social, family, and public worship, applies here. Let Christian assemblies, in every part of our land, come equently together to pray for the coming of Christ's kingom; and it would be one of the happiest signs of its aproach. Let love to your Savior, benevolence towards man WHE appear s are no the heav his condu promises, own interest in this promised and happy era, the remarkaple signs of the times, and your plain and positive duty, all combine, and influence and excite you really and often to ray, "thy kingdom come." ON DISTRACTIONS IN PRAYER.* WHEN the sun is above the horizon, all the stars which ppear so plainly, and in such number, during the night, re no longer visible; and though they are really still in ne heavens, they are lost in the sun's brightness. This ay illustrate a difference often observable between the hristian's striving to serve God in all things, and a worldly an who is living in habitual sin. The Christian conemns himself for unnumbered faults. He sees defects ore numerous than the stars of heaven, in every part of s conduct. Even his prayers appear full of sins; he disvers in them innumerable wanderings of heart, and pertual distractions; for there is no great sin in his life, in e blaze of which all these daily infirmities are lost, as the ars are lost in the more dazzling light of the sun. But e man of the world, whose heart is unchanged and unnewed, thinks that he performs a meritorious service in e outward worship of God, and is not troubled, though he ver feels one holy inclination. Did he but watch his art, and know its true state, he would have to say, "I s almost in all evil, in the midst of the congregation and sembly." There are, indeed, many defects in our prayers; there is en great coldness in our desires, much unbelief in God's omises, improper ends in our petitions; but one principal in all our devotion is, the wandering of the heart. It being of main importance to the right performance of yer, "to attend upon the Lord without distraction," a er consideration of this subject may be useful. Distrac See Steele's "Antidote against Distractions in Prayer," from om the Author has borrowed several ideas. |