I hardly need remind you, that it was a part of the temple service. From this interesting part of religion the temple was denominated “a house of prayer." (Isa. Ivi. 7.) Here, as soon as the congregation was assembled, and the priests had brought up the ark of the Lord into its place, Solomon became a mouth for Israel to God, and mightily did the spirit of prayer rest upon him, when, in the words of the text, he pleaded with God, "words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God, day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require." In the very worst days of the Jewish church, they still paid some respect to the instituted service of God, and called upon his holy name in prayer, which made the prophet address them in the name of the Lord. Isa. i. 13-15.

We have another proof of this remark. (Isa. lviii. 2, 3.) Thus we perceive they kept up public devotions, and especially prayer, even when they were totally estranged from the purity and power of religion.

Jesus Christ recommended public prayer in the church both by his examples and instructions: he did the former, when, after his farewell sermon, contained in the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters of the gospel of John, he concluded with a most devout and heavenly prayer for the safety, unity, and prosperity of his church, which is given at full length in John xvii. and he did the latter in that encouraging promise, Matt. xviii. 20. And the disciples attended both to the letter and spirit of their Master's direction: for when he was taken from them they were in prayer themselves, and also initiated those whom the Lord called by their ministry into the same practice, as appears by Acts ii. 41, 42.

Finally: Public prayer is a reasonable, a scriptural, and a profitable service; since in the place, and among the people, where the holy incense of prayer is offered upon Jehovah's altar, he bath said, "I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." (Exod. xx. 24.) This accounts for the ardent language of David, when for a season he was precluded attendance upon the worship of God's house. (Ps. lxiii. 1, 2.) He expresses himself in like manner upon public prayer. (Ps. xxvii. 4.) Seasons of public prayer

must ever be precious to the godly man, if he believe the declaration of the same writer, Ps. Ixv. 4.

Admitting public prayer to be an essential and important part of divine worship, in the discharge of this duty we must not be governed by our own fancy, inclination, and prejudice, but by the word of God.

Obs. 11. There is reason to think, that, when Solomon put up this solemn prayer to God, the whole congregation of israel were assembled together. The design of this observation is to reprove that evil, but too prevalent practice, of either coming after the prayer is over, or whilst it is offering, to the great interruption of the devotion of others. The coming into the house of God either in or after the time of prayer, indicates something wrong in the temper and conduct of professing Christians. It should seem that their hearts are not duly apprized of the excellency and importance of the privilege about to be enjoyed. When the mind of the good man is rightly disposed towards the house and worship of God, his language will be that of David, Ps. lxxxiv 2. The time of returning to the place where the Lord has manifested his glory, and dispensed his grace to the soul, will be anticipated with pleasure, and the hours of delay be counted almost with impatience. Remember, Christian, that this is the established law of the house of God, "let all things be done decently, and in order." 1 Cor. xiv. 40.

Obs. III. The prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple was an extempore prayer. Few questions have been agitated with more warmth among Protestants and real Christians, than that which relates to written and extempore prayer.

The chief rule of direction upon this subject for the Christian church is the authority and example of Christ, as placed before his disciples, and by them transmitted to the churches, which, through the blessing of God, they were instrumental in gathering. The disciples asked Christ to teach them to pray, and he gave them what is called the Lord's prayer; not so much to be used by them as a form, but rather as a rule to direct them and the Christian church in general, as to the materials of which their prayers should be composed, and the spirit in which they should be offered. The instruction of Christ upon

this subject is best illustrated by his own example: the supplications which he offered to his Father were of the description for which we are pleading. We have an account of some short ejaculatory prayers of Christ in Matt. xi. 25, 26, and Luke xxii. 41, 42; and also of a larger and more public prayer offered for his church and people, and given more at length, in the seventeenth chapter of John's gospel. All these were uttered out of the abundance of the heart, by a special aid of the Holy Spirit.

If we look to the authority and example of the apostles, every thing there is in favour of extempore prayer; for we know of no forms of prayer either enjoined or used by them.

1. Extempore prayer leaves the greatest scope for the devout exercise of the beart.

2. It leaves the greatest room for the agency of the Holy Spirit, from whom real Christians, when in prayer, often derive such freedom of expression, and such strong faith to believe the promises, as constrain them to say, "This is the finger of God." (Ex. viii. 19.) But the great matter is, to pray with the heart, to pray in faith: and of those that pray in this manner, whether with or without a form, "Peace be on them."

Obs. IV. In Solomon's address to God, there is a pleasing union of the grace and gift of prayer.

The gift and the grace of prayer are distinct things in their nature, and are often separated from each other. (1 Cor. xiii. 2, 3.) May it be our happiness to answer fally an opposite description. 1. Pet. ii. 5.

Obs. V. It was a suitable and appropriate prayer. It deserves this character, because in this prayer Solomon exhibits a truly devotional spirit; asks for things highly requisite for himself and his people; and exemplifies his own maxim by expressing the whole in "acceptable words."

The suitableness of Solomon's prayer will appear, if we consider the branches of which it is composed—

1. As it is a prayer for the Jewish nation, that their peace and prosperity might be abundant and permanent : Jerusalem was the city the Lord had chosen, verse 44; and respecting the nation itself, he reminds God of the relation it stood in to him, and the wonderful things

which he had done for it: verses 51. 53. In praying for the Jews, he also puts God in remembrance of his cove nant and promise: verses 23, 24,

2. It is suitable, as it is a prayer for the church. In this view of it we shall find many instructive considerations, verse 32; he confesses the awful mixture of good and bad men in the church. But notwithstanding the Lord may thus suffer mere professors long to mingle with the saints, having said, "Let both grow together," (Matt. xiii. 30,) the time draws nigh, when Jesus, the great bead of the church, shall completely accomplish what his forerunner says to him. Matt. iii, 12,

The principal subject of his prayer for the church is the forgiveness of sin. The value of this blessing, and the way in which it was to be obtained, were well known in the Old Testament, and are beautifully expressed by David. (Ps. xxxii. 1, 2.) Bolomon was well acquainted with the description of people who ultimately embrace and walk in the comfort of this delightful truth, even those "which shall know every man the plague of his own heart." (verse 38.) Jesus Christ united in one great promise those two branches of spiritual good, (John xvi, *, 14.) Those to whom the Holy Ghost makes this gracious discovery, will unite with Holomon, verse 59,

3. In this prayer, Solomon is led to pray for the Gentiles, which may be proselyted to the Jewish faith: verses 41-43. The conversion of the heathens from their idols to the knowledge and worship of the true God was the subject of God's eternal purpose. (Ps. ii. M.) And it was the subject of divine revelation in the patriarchal, prophetic, and apostolic ages. (Gen. xxii. 18; Isa. xliii. 6; xli. 4; lii. 10.) The New Testament explains and confirms all these predictions: Christ gave his disciples command. Mark xvi, 15. His death embraced this desirable object; for the apostle Paul gives a description of it, Eph. ii. 13, 14. The first fruits of this glorious harvest has long since been presented to God P's, Ixxii. 19,

Obs. VI. This prayer was heard and answered. This might naturally be expected from the character of him to whom it was addressed, a God "that heareth prayer," Pa, Jxv. 2, and from the complexion of the prayer itself; for it had all the properties of genuine heart-prayer, the

prayer of faith which prevails with God. (2 Chron. vii. 1.) These were gracious tokens of acceptance. Our temples, our sacrifices, resemble not Solomon's; of course, we cannot have similar expressions of the acceptance of our prayers; but if we worship in the assembly of the saints with true spiritual worship, there is a glory revealed in the house which the eyes of our minds can perceive, and there is a fire which descends upon the altar of the Christian's heart, even that fire which made the hearts of the two disciples burn within them while Christ talked with them by the way, and opened to them the scriptures. (Luke xxiv. 32.) There were not only some outward tokens of acceptance, but "the Lord appeared unto Solomon." (2 Chron. vii. 12.) Christians have no ground to expect a voice from heaven to say, that their prayers are heard and accepted; but the Holy Spirit supplies this deficiency by dwelling in them, and bringing home to their minds the evidence of this truth, by a sweet sense of the forgiveness of sin, great nearness to God in ordinances, and an abundance of neavenly joy and peace, accompanied by a holy regard to the name, the word, and the glory of God, together with an affectionate regard to the temporal and eternal interests of their fellow-crea tures.

PRAYER MEETING.

Many were gathered together praying.—Acts xii. 12.

THE Acts of the Apostles is the ecclesiastical history of the first ages of Christianity; and is truly valuable, not only on account of its antiquity, but for the artless simplicity, and unimpeachable integrity with which it is written. In this book we have a relation of the early and rapid progress of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Notwithstanding it was in general preached by plain and unlettered men, and had to contend with the proud philosophy of the Gentile schools, and the deep-rooted prejudice of the