kindness for the supply of whatsoever we desire. Now in the fourth and last place, when we come to form this sense, and those desires, and this dependance, into direct addresses to God, when we make expression of them by actual application to the throne of His grace, whether in thought alone, or in thought and word too, then is our prayer completed. This I take to be a true account of this duty of prayer, which being admitted, we may from hence observe, in the first place, not only that prayer hath an immediate prospect to the honour of God, as well as any of the other duties of piety, most properly so called, and consequently is no such mean selfish business as some profane wits are apt to account it; but also that it is a duty which we do so indispensably owe to God, that we must be horribly injurious to Him, as well as to ourselves, if we neglect it: nay, we must first be supposed to be none of His creatures before we can be excused from it; for is not every creature. in the very nature of creatureship, bound to renounce all self-sufficiency, and to take all opportunities to acknowledge to his Creator the sovereignty He hath over him, and to express his dependance upon Him for every thing he hopes for? But what is this but the very essence of prayer, as we have described it? Nay, though we had no advantage of our own to be promoted by prayer, as being sure that God would supply all our necessities without our asking Him, yet even in this case would prayer be as

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necessary a duty as it is now, because it would for ever become us to pay our homage to God, and to own Him as the Author of all those blessings we -expect from Him; it will for ever be as reasonable and as great an instance of piety, to depend upon God for His mercies to come, and to express that dependance by address of prayer to Him, as it will be to acknowledge His mercies past, and to express that acknowledgment by address of thanksgiving to Him."

But God has not left this duty to Him only to be inferred from the nature of prayer. He has in His holy Word expressly claimed it as His prerogative, and as His appointed means by which we must seek His blessing and favour. We find both the Old and the New Testaments agreeing in the necessity and privileges of prayer. We find it pressed upon us in every form, and by various arguments and motives. We have sometimes positive precepts, sometimes affectionate expostulations, sometimes terrible rebuke, sometimes kind encouragement, and sometimes careful directions, all relating to prayer: "Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him," says Job, "and he shall hear thee 1." Take with you words," exhorts Hosea, "and turn unto the Lord and say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously?" Jesus confirms this counsel, "Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to

1 Job xxii. 27.

2 Hosea xiv. 2.

escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man'" Again, in the language of expostulation, Jeremiah exclaims, "Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth 2." In that of rebuke, Isaiah denounces the folly of those that ask for the help of man, instead of looking to the Lord, "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay in horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many, and in horsemen, because they are very strong: but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord "."

Jesus, in the parable of the importunate widow, sets before us the encouragement of ultimate success. And, in various parts of the Gospel, His directions in prayer occur, and show the importance which He attached to this duty. I shall cite three such passages, the two first relating to the dispositions with which we must ask, in order that our prayers may be acceptable to God: and the other, setting forth the ground on which alone, and even with these dispositions, they are, or can be, acceptable to God: "All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive "." "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven

1 Luke xxi. 36. 2 Jer. iii. 4.

Luke xviii. 1-8.

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3 Isai. xxxi. 1. 5 Matt. xxvi. 22.

forgive your trespasses '."

"And whatsoever you

shall ask in MY NAME, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask in my name, I will do it 2."

Besides this we have the declarations of the Psalmist of his experience of the truth of the promises made to prayer, his acknowledgment that "in the day when he cried," God answered and gave ear unto him. We have the examples of the many illustrious worthies who by prayer triumphed, and were helped on in their trouble. We have the prayers of Elijah, restoring the widow's son; the prayers of David, establishing his throne; the prayers of Daniel, defeating the wicked designs of his crafty and powerful enemies; the prayer of Hannah, granted in a dutiful and pious son, the glory of his mother, and a blessing to his country; the prayer of Solomon, giving him wisdom and honour; the prayer of the leper, causing him to be cleansed; the prayer of the blind, procuring him sight; the prayer of the Gentile woman, obtaining the release of her daughter from the power of Satan; the prayer of St. Peter, saving him from sinking in the waves of the sea; the prayers of Cornelius, bringing an apostle with the message of salvation, and the gifts of the Holy Ghost, to himself and his household. We have these, and innumerable other miraculous answers to prayer. They. are recorded for our

1 Mark xi. 24. 26.

2 John xiv. 13, 14.

learning, and encouragement: they assure us, that the great and merciful God, who suspended the laws of nature, and made the powers of darkness bow to His word, at the prayers of His faithful servants, will not be wanting now, to grant us the ordinary aid of His Holy Spirit, and to give us that strength which will enable us to work out our salvation, through Him who died for us. Nay more, not only has He given us both assurance, and proof, that He expects us to pray, and that He will answer our prayer in all things that tend to our real and final happiness; He has proceeded yet further in His goodness, and has imposed even a greater obligation, and set before us a greater encouragement to pray, than all these. He has not only commanded us to pray, and promised to grant the object of our prayers, but He has also promised to help us to pray. He knoweth our unworthiness and our imperfections. Behold how He cheers us under the former, and offers us a remedy for the latter. Nay more, He tells us that the Spirit Himself joins in our prayer, and becomes an intercessor. "Ye have not received," declares the inspired apostle Paul," the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings, which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knowVOL. II.

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