well as faith, and the exercise of it, are wholly the Spirit's gifts, and he distributes them as he will. If this wind blow not on the garden, the spices flow not out; therefore the Spirit's aid and assistance should be sought, and relied on: "Awake, O north wind! and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my Beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits," namely, the fruit of the lip, as well as the fruits of the Spirit, for both are his own. That it is the will of God that we should speak to him as the Spirit gives us utterance, is clear from the scriptures: "Let me hear thy voice, let me see thy countenance: for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely." It is not only clear from scripture, but likewise from experience: because the new-born soul can find no human composition that will exactly suit its sensations. His form and his feelings never keep pace together. His tongue goes one way, and his heart another: while the tongue runs away with the form, the mind is unemployed, the understanding is unfruitful, and the thoughts of the heart refuse to engage in the work. Nor is the Spirit's assistance called in, nor expected, nor relied on; and yet it requires spiritual power to bring the thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Most forms of prayer are compiled by prayerless men. Those in the scripture that made many long prayers, never prayed at all. Paul knew not how to pray as he ought without the

Spirit's help and intercession; therefore he neither composed himself, nor enjoined any set forms for others, that is left to the Spirit. He tells us, indeed, that in the last days, when men should depart from the faith, they would have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof; and from such he bids us withdraw.

Peter, and the other disciples, desired the Saviour to teach them how to pray; and the Lord laid down a wonderful platform, containing the substance of all real prayer. But, when he intended to teach Simon to pray extempore, he let him sink in the sea; and then he prayed like a suppliant that would take heaven by storm, "Lord! save, or I perish!"

When business requires haste, and when life is in danger, or the soul at stake, people are apt to forget their forms and ceremonies. Fire and water are terrible things; and, when poor sinners get into them, they are sure to let God know where they are, whether they happen to have their prayer-books with them or not: and God often puts them into the fire, that they may either forget their forms, or be purged from their formality: "I will bring the third part through the fire; and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is my God," Zech. xiii. 9. This will teach a man to pray better than Dr. Watts's Art of Prayer, or any other

art whatsoever; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh. A heart overwhelmed with trouble will set the lips to work: "The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips." The thief upon the cross, and the publican in the temple, were driven to complain by the bitterness of their souls; and both sped better than the Pharisee, though they did not use so many words. Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness made noise enough to reach the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth: God heard the voice of the lad where he was, and shewed them a well, which was what they wanted.

The rigour of the Egyptian task-masters made Israel cry to God, till he came down to deliver them, Exod. iii. 7, 8.

A sense of an absent God, bodily afflictions, and Isaiah's denunciation of death, made Hezekiah mourn like a dove, chatter like a crane, and pray like an evangelist; "I am oppressed, undertake for me," Isa. xxxviii. 14.

And it was the sorrows of death, and the pains of hell, that drove the Psalmist to it: "Then called I on the name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul!" And from that time he continued as he begun; "Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live," Psal. cxvi. 2-4.

The self-sufficient are satisfied with what themselves say; but the poor in spirit cannot be

satisfied, but with what the Lord does. The former is pleased with his own words, the latter with the Lord's works. Nothing makes an undissembled beggar at mercy's door an excellent petitioner, an eloquent pleader, and an importunate suitor, but a hungry mind, or a starving soul, which will not be satisfied either with pleas or compliments, nor with any thing short of the bread of eternal life.

Prayer, my brother, is a pouring out one's soul before the Lord, and shewing him one's trouble. It is unburdening the mind of it's grief, and casting our cares upon the Lord, who careth for us. It is a drawing near in the faith of an allsufficient Mediator, and that with boldness; lifting up holy hands, without either wrath or doubting. It is letting one's requests be made known unto God with holy familiarity and freedom; being encouraged thereto by a throne of grace, a living way of access, a Mediator, the Spirit's assistance, and the unconditional promise of audience and relief; and that by a reconciled God, who is the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort.

Prayer should be accompanied with humble confessions of what is wrong, thankful acknowledgments of past favours received, and earnest petitions for what is wanted, as far as God's promise in Christ, which is the warrant of faith, will tolerate us to go.

VOL. VI.

Prayer should be attended with pleading our base original; our utter unworthiness; the invaluable merits of Christ; the covenant, promise, mercy, and faithfulness, of God.

It should be attended with craving those things that will tend to God's honour and our soul's good; with an acknowledgment of his justice, should he be extreme to mark what is done amiss; with an acknowledgment of his grace, mercy, and truth; and of his divine sovereignty, who makes us at all to differ from the worst of

men..

Prayer should be performed with fervour, earnestness, and importunity. It is called wrestling, striving, supplicating, entreating, and crying day and night; and should be concluded with reference, resignation, and submission, to the will of God in Christ Jesus, as the most competent judge of what is best for us.

Prayer should be followed with watchfulness, confidence through Christ, hope and expectation of being heard, regarded, and answered, and that for Christ's sake, who alone is worthy, and in whose name all prayers should be put up, and for whose sake alone answers should be expected. And, in our approaches and addresses, the new covenant characters of God in Christ should be considered, that of a God in covenant; a friend; a present help; a portion; and a Father, who is rich in mercy, plenteous in redemption, abundant