titions. It were well for such persons as always pray in a set form of words, to examine whether they mean what they say. It is granted, that a person may as really pray in the words of others, provided they do but express his case, as in those of his own; but cases are so numerous in different persons, and so various in the same person at different times, that it is not to be expected that any set of words of human composition should fully answer the end proposed by it. Nor is formality in prayer confined to those who use a form. Persons who pray extempore may fall into a habit of repeating words without meaning, or words which, however good and proper in themselves, are not the expressions of the heart. Prayers offered up in public are very liable to this abuse, and that both in the speaker and hearer. The speaker is under a temptation to forget the God he approaches, and to consider himself barely as in the hearing of men; and so to ask, not for such things as he really desires, but such as next occur to his mind, as things, if I may so speak, that will do to be prayed for: and the hearer is apt to consider himself as not immediately concerned in the petitions of another, and so to indulge his mind in wandering after other things; whereas, by joining in public prayer, we solemnly profess to unite with it: he that prays is to be considered as the mouth of the assembly to God.

There is one considerable evidence that we do not mean what

we say, in many of our approaches to God; and that is the want of what the apostle calls watching unto prayer. If a poor man in real necessity ask relief at a rich man's door, he will not think it sufficient to repeat over a few words, and return without an answer: no, he watches, and looks with longing expectation after that for which he has been petitioning. And if the party to whom he applies should have previously invited him, and even laid his commands upon him, whenever he is in want to repair to him, the poor man in that case will not be so apt to consider his applications so much in the light of duties as privileges. It is easy to apply this to our approaches to God. Are we of such a spirit in those approaches as to reckon them a privilege; or do we satisfy ourselves with having gone thorugh the exercise, and performed, as we think, our duty, without waiting, or scarcely thinking of our

petitions being granted? When we say, Amen, so be it, at the close of our prayers, do we really desire that so it should be? It is a dangerous state of mind to be praying daily for keeping and quickening grace, and yet to be easy without it; to rest contented with asking communion with God, instead of enjoying it. The least that can be supposed in such cases is, that God will punish our indifference, not to say our hypocrisy, by withholding the blessings for which we make request.

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Secondly: Are we not apt to be less earnest in matters wherein we should take no denial, than in others wherein it would become us to be submissive? There are two sorts of mercies for which we have to pray; mercies which God hath not bound himself to bestow, even though we pray for them in ever such a right spirit,— and mercies which he hath. Of the first class, are all our earthly comforts, and some things in the religious life of the last, are all those spiritual blessings essential to salvation. David prayed for the life of his child: God did not reprove him for praying, yet neither did he grant him his request. David desired also to build God a house: God took it well that it was in his heart, yet he denied him the thing he desired. In neither of these cases had God promised to grant the desire of his servant, and he saw fit to counteract it; but in respect to spiritual and eternal blessings, God has bound himself to grant the desire of the righteous, and to perfect that which concerns his praying people. Now, if things are so, it is easy to see, that when we are praying for the first sort of blessings, a peculiar submission to the will of God becomes us, which is not required in the other. If we pray, with Jabez, to have our coast enlarged in temporal things, we ought to feel a contented mind, and submit to God, though our prayers should be unanswered; but if we are praying for an interest in Christ as our spiritual and everlasting portion, contentment of mind is not there required. God does not require us to be willing to be lost for ever; for that would be the same thing as to be willing to be for ever employed in cursing and blaspheming, instead of blessing, his holy name. Again, if we adopt the latter part of the prayer of Jabez, O that thou wouldest keep me from exil, that it may not grieve me! if by evil we understand the evil of affliction, a resigVOL. VIII.

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nation to the will of God becomes us; but if by evil we understand the evil of sin, resignation would then become criminal. But if we inspect the generality of our prayers, I am afraid there is more risignation, as it is accounted, in respect to the enjoyment of spiritual blessings, where it is not required, than there is in temporal blessings, where it is required. In those things wherein we should take no denial, we are too easy; but in those wherein resignation would become us, we are too urgent. The phrase If it be thy will, which so often occurs in prayer, is perhaps more frequently applied to things in which God requires us to be all importunity, than to things wherein such language would be suitable.

Thirdly When we pray for good things, is it always to a good end? It is possible we may go to God, and really desire the things we ask, and yet, not desiring them to a good end, we fail of obtaining our desires. We may pray for blessings upon our worldly engagements, and it is very right we should do so; but such prayer may be merely for the purposes of sensual gratification. Thus the apostle James speaks, Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. And thus the Lord charged Israel, before they entered into the promised land, saying, I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware. If these be our ends, our prayers can be no other than abomination in the sight of God. We may even pray for the success of the gospel, and it is doubtless right that we should do so; but it is possible such desires may be uttered, not out of regard to the prosperity of Christ's cause, but of our own; and if so, it is a low and carnal end, and we cannot expect that God should hear us.

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Fourthly When we confess our sins, and pray to be restored, do we really lament them, and mean to forsake them? I fear too many of our petitions are unanswered, because they do not arise from godly sorrow. We confess from custom or conscience, but do not feel our hearts go out against the sin, so as to return to the Lord with all our soul. Confession is of the nature of a solemn oath, an oath of abjuration; and it is awful to think that we should ever use it without a desire and determination to forsake! Where

this takes place, it is no wonder that prayer for the forgiveness of sins and communion with God should be unanswered. This is regarding iniquity in our hearts; and then we are assured the Lord will not hear us.

Fifthly: When we pray for divine direction in matters of faith or practice, are we sincerely determined to follow the dictates of God's word? We may pray to be led into all truth, and yet feel a prejudice in favour of sentiments already imbibed, and against others which may be proposed in this case, while we pray and search the scriptures we shall feel a secret wish to have them speak according to our pre-conceived ideas of things, not knowing how to endure the shame of having been mistaken. Much the same may be said of things which relate to practice. There is such a thing as to go to God for direction in doubtful matters, not with a resolution to be determined by the word of God, but with a hope to find God's word in favour of our inclinations. This was the motive of Ahab in sending for Micaiah, to know whether he should go up to Ramoth-Gilead to battle; and of the Jews left in Judea, to know whether they should tarry there, or go down to Egypt. In both these cases they had determined what to do: their asking counsel of God therefore was mere hypocrisy. Son of man, said the Lord to Ezekiel, concerning such characters, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face should I be inquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say, Thus saith the Lord God, Every man--that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him that cometh, according to the multitude of his idols.

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Sixthly Are we not greatly wanting in what may be called religious public spirit, in our prayers? It is a fact, that a great number of Christians in the present day are perpetually harassed in determining the reality of their own Christianity: they are all their lifetime poring upon that subject, and perhaps die at last full of fear and anxiety. The primitive Christians do not seem to have been so much troubled with these thoughts, as with heir want of conformity to Christ. Christ taught his disciples to approach

daily to God as their Father; and by the accounts we have, it would seem they generally did so but such sweet freedom is now rarely to be found, even among the godly. How is this to be accounted for? There is no doubt that such darkness of mind is in a degree pitiable, and that such persons require to be dealt with in a way of wisdom and tenderness. It is a thought however, that deserves consideration, whether one great cause of this darkness of mind may not arise from an excessive attention to our own safety, to the neglect of the glory of God and the prosperity of Christ's kingdom. Christ enjoins us to pray, Hallowed be thy. name, thy kingdom come, before we ask for the forgiveness of our sins, or even for our daily bread. A person that is employed in scarcely any thing else but recollecting former evidences, for the purpose of being able to answer the question, Am I a Christian?' is not likely to gain his object. The means he pursues tend to defeat their own end. Self-examination, however necessary in a degree, yet if attended to, to the neglect of other things, is like the conduct of a man in trade, who should spend three-fourths of his time in casting up his accounts, that he may determine whether he has gained or lost. It is doubtless very desirable to enjoy a full satisfaction respecting our interest in Christ, and such a satisfaction is to be enjoyed in the present life; but the question is, what are the means by which it is to be obtained? Like reputation, and some other things, to pursue it as an end is the way to lose it. If we care so little about God's glory, as to pray scarcely at all for the advancement of his kingdom in the world, but are continually taken up about our own safety, it is right that God should so order things as that we should be disappointed. If we wish for satisfaction on that head, it must be sought only as a secondary object. If we were to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, these would be among the things that would be added unto us. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

Lastly: Do we ask blessings wholly in the name of Christ? I do not mean to ask whether we conclude our prayers in so many words, but whether we come to God under a full persuasion of our utter unworthiness, knowing and feeling that while we implore the best of blessings we deserve the heaviest of curses; and desiring