the solicitude itself has given place to a divine

σε

peace which passeth all understanding:" for "he "called on the Lord and was strengthened with "strength in his soul." In short, he can scarcely produce an instance, in which he "poured out his "heart" with earnestness and importunity, and yet failed of obtaining the blessing which he sought, or was not after a time satisfied with the denial. In many cases his intercession for those around him has been graciously answered; in others he may still retain hope; and in all, he may be assured that they will return into his own bosom.

The efficacy therefore of prayer, to bring light and wisdom into the mind, peace into the conscience, submission into the will, and purity into the affections; to keep our garments clean, our armour bright, and our hearts joyful; to make us strong for the conflict, for service, or for suffering; to obtain sufficiency for our place and work, and a blessing on our endeavours; to secure peace with our enemies, or protection against them; to carry every point that is truly good for us; to bring down blessings on our families, friends, and country; to procure peace and prosperity to the church, the conversion of sinners, and the spread of the gospel and for all things, which we can desire or conceive, must be allowed by every man who reverences the Scriptures, or knows what it is "

to

walk with God." Did men speculate and dispute less, and pray more, their souls would be like a

watered garden: fruitful, joyful, beautiful and fragrant. Prayer is the first breath of divine life: it is the pulse of the believing soul, the best criterion of health or sickness, vigour or debility. By prayer we "draw water with joy from the wells of "salvation:" by prayer faith puts forth its energy, in apprehending the promised blessings, and receiving from the Redeemer's fulness; in leaning on his almighty arm, and making his name our strong Tower; and in overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil. All other means of grace are made effectual by prayer: every doctrine and instruction produces its effect, in proportion as this is attended to; every grace revives or languishes according to the same rule. Our grand conflict with Satan and our own hearts is about prayer: the sinner feels less reluctance and meets with less resistance, in all other means of grace, than in retiring to "pour out his heart" secretly before God; and the believer will find his chief difficulty to consist, in continuing instant and fervent in this spiritual exercise. If he succeed here, all else will eventually give place before him, and turn out to his benefit and comfort.

It should likewise be remembered that prayer may be either publick, social, or secret. Publick worship most honours God, and this is the grand end of our assembling together; though few seem thus to understand it. Social worship tends greatly to maintain brotherly love, and to bring down bless

is

ings on families and societies; but secret prayer the grand means of maintaining communion with God, and keeping alive the power of religion in the soul. Without this, the others degenerate into formality, and men continue devoid of life, strength, and comfort in the midst of them. Christians should therefore remember to prepare for publick and social worship, by private prayer, meditation, and reading the Scriptures; and not yield to the temptation of neglecting the one, by spending too much time in the other.

If we desire to pray aright, we must carefully observe, that the Scripture always calls upon us "to pray in the Spirit," or "in the Holy Ghost," or rather "by the Spirit:" our first petition therefore should be, that the Lord would graciously give us his Holy Spirit to teach and enable us to pray. When this is duly attended to, a very heartless beginning will often have a bright and encouraging conclusion, insomuch that our desires may become even too large for utterance; but without it, words will often flow, that have little meaning and no correspondent affections.' We should be also very particular in our secret devotions; both in confession, in supplication for temporal and spiritual mercies according to our circumstances, in thanksgivings and in prayers for others: for whilst men deal in general words, they must either be very short and superficial, or run into needless

'Rom. viii. 26. 27.

repetitions.—Occasional ejaculatory petitions also are a blessed addition to stated seasons of retirement. All our prayers should be explicitly offered in the name, and through the intercession, of the dilo - Saviour; in dependence on his merits, with realizing expectation of success, and in a loving forgiving spirit.

Finally, a thorough acquaintance with the devotional part of the Psalms, and the petitions etained in other parts of Scripture; and a carefai attention to the requests which the sacred writers offered, the pleas which they used, the order and proportion which they observed, and the confessions, adorations, and grateful praises which they intermixed with their fervent supplications, for personal and publick, temporal and spiritual mercies, will be more useful to the serious christian, in this part of religion, than all other helps whatever. Above all, the Lord's Prayer, well understood and digested, will teach him what the confidence and leading desire of his heart in every prayer should be; what are the blessings especially to be sought for; and with what moderation and submission he should ask for temporal mercies, compared with the forgiveness of his sins, and deliverance from temptation and the tempter, from evil and the evil one: that, in approaching the throne of grace, he may "seek first the kingdom of God "and his righteousness;" assured that "all other things will be added unto him.”

ESSAY XXIV.

On Baptism, and the Lord's Supper.

AMONG

MONG the ordinances which the Lord hath appointed in his church, as means of grace and acts of solemn worship, some have, from very early times, been distinguished by the name of Sacraments. The word Sacrament originally signified the military oath, which the commanders of the Roman armies required of their soldiers; and it seems to have been thus transferred to these institutions, because they were considered as solemn engagements to be faithful and obedient to Christ, under whose banner all christians have enlisted. In process of time sacraments were multiplied, which gave rise to immense superstition and absurdity and as human nature continually verges to extremes, it may perhaps be found on impartial enquiry, that the profession and obligation, implied in the ordinances thus distinguished by the primitive church, are now by numbers too little regarded. The word Sacrament, however, is not found in scripture; but the nature of those two solemn institutions, which are by protestants called by this name, in a general view may be thus stated.

'In