PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire,
Utter'd or unexpress'd;

The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burthen of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,

The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech,
That infant lips can try;

Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,

His watchword at the gates of death,
He enters heaven with prayer.
Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways;
While angels in their songs rejoice,
And say, "Behold, he prays!"
The saints in prayer, appear as one,
In word, in deed, and mind,
When, with the Father and the Son,
Their fellowship they find.

Nor prayer is made on earth alone;
The Holy Spirit pleads;

And Jesus, on th' eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes.

O Thou, by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way,

The path of Prayer Thyself hast trod,
Lord, teach us how to pray.

II.

THOUGH "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord!"

Seraph to seraph sings;

And angel choirs, with one accord

Montgomery.

Though Earth thy footstool, Heaven thy throne,

Thy way amid the sea,

Thy path deep floods, thy steps unknown,

Thy counsels mystery:

Yet wilt thou look on him who lies

A suppliant at thy feet;

And hearken to the feeblest cries,
That reach thy mercy-seat.

Between the cherubim, of old,
Thy glory was express'd;
But God, in Christ, we now behold,
In flesh made manifest.

Through Him, who all our sickness felt,
Who all our sorrows bears;
Through Him, in whom thy fullness dwelt,
We offer up our prayers.
Touch'd with a feeling of our woes,
Jesus our High Priest stands;
All our infirmities he knows,

Our souls are in his hands.

He bears them up with strength divine,
When at thy feet we fall;

Lord! cause thy face on us to shine;
Hear us; on Thee we call.

III.

LORD! teach us how to pray aright,
With rev'rence and with fear;
Though dust and ashes in thy sight,
We may, we must, draw near.
We perish, if we cease from prayer;
O grant us power to pray :
And when to meet thee we prepare,
Lord, meet us by the way.

Give deep humility; the sense
Of godly sorrow give;
A strong desiring confidence
To hear thy voice, and live.

Faith in the only Sacrifice

That can for sin atone;

To cast our hopes, to fix our eyes,

Christ alone

Montgomery.

THE writer's design has been to induce his readers generally to pray in private and in the family without forms. Yet as this work may fall into the hands of many, to whom chis, from various causes, would not immediately be praccicable, he adds a few Forms of Prayer.

He has, in two or three instances, put the names of the parts of prayer to the forms, as a means of assisting those vho may use them to learn the divisions of prayer.

In the part of Confession in the different prayers, the vriter has mentioned those sins which are most common. The person who uses the form may easily alter it according o circumstances.

These forms must rather be considered as hints to be improved on than examples to copy. Much of the interest of rivate and family prayer depends on personal and local cirumstances. Let us endeavor to attain that spirit of grace nd supplication which enables the Christian, in a strain of oly devotion, to bring the changing circumstances and vents of life before the throne of grace, comforts his own eart in private prayer, and edifies and interests all about im in family worship.

PRAYER FOR THE GIFT AND GRACE OF PRAYER.

O thou eternal and ever blessed God, who art the Aunor and Giver of every good gift, and who hast promised o many and such great blessings to them that call upon ee, hear me now, I beseech thee, through Jesus Christ. Lord, I confess my utter inability to seek thee aright. I n encompassed with infirmities; I acknowledge my insposition to prayer; I bewail my backwardness and relucnce to hold converse with God.

ess.

Teach me rightly to feel this my weakness and helplessGive me a more complete knowledge of my insuffiency. Convince me of the need that I have of thy divine sistance, and grant me earnest desires after thy salvation. reate in me an hungering and thirsting after righteous

22 Impart to me a holy liberty of soul in calling upon

thee. Heavenly Father, Fountain of light and life, I do not ask for earthly riches, vain pleasures, human honors; but I do humbly ask for the spirit of prayer, for the heart ever prepared and ready to call upon God.

It is thy promise that thou wilt give the Holy Spirit to them that ask. I ask, do thou give: I seek, grant that I may find; I knock, let it be opened unto me. Help me to pray in the Holy Ghost. Help me to live daily in constant believing prayer. Lord, teach me to pray.

By nature proud and self-sufficient, I am prone to think and act as if I needed not thy help; but O teach me to know how poor and how needy I really am; and knowing my great and many necessities, and my entire dependence on thee, give me the disposition, from day to day, and from hour to hour, to seek thy help and strength.

Enable me entirely to confide in thy almighty power, thy boundless compassion, thy infinite love, and thy amazing mercy. Let the gift of thy Son Jesus Christ, and his intercession for sinners, encourage me to approach thee. Help me to pray, relying only on his merits, and through him may I learn to come boldly to the throne of grace.

Let nothing keep me from God. May I renounce all known sin, and all carnal indulgences, and not be conformed to this world. Enable me to resist the temptations of Satan, to watch against self-righteousness and spiritual pride, and never to neglect the study of thy word.

Give me grace, whenever I seek thee, to look for the aid of thy Holy Spirit, to trust only in the name of thy Son, and to watch unto prayer. mouth; but, meditating before I pray, may I ask in faith, in Let me not be rash with my simplicity of mind, with filial freedom of spirit, in sincerity of heart, and fervency of desire, praying always with all prayer, and watching thereunto with all perseverance. And, after having done all, may I ever consider myself an unprofitable servant.

Grant me thy Holy Spirit to help my infirmities, for I know not what to pray for as I ought; grant me thy Holy Spirit to make intercession for me with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Give me, O give me this great gift, the spirit of grace and supplication, for thy dear Son's sake, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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