Our blessed Lord and Redeemer was very particular in commanding us to be diligent, constant, and persevering in the duty of prayer; and never to faint or be discouraged, so as to forget or neglect the stated seasons. "Watch ye, therefore," says he, " and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint." Our prayers in order to prevail, must be stated, at the regular return of the seasons of the duty. We must continually come to God, daily to ask his favor, and to bless his name. We must have a habit of prayer; the mind in perfect secrecy, unknown to the world or nearest friend, may lift itself up to God. We cannot too often or too fervently look to heaven for mercy, grace, and all needed good things. None should pass over the stated seasons, morning and evening. And, in general, all who have an heart to pray, will find time and place, proper language and materials, and will let no business, or company, or diversion, or pleasure keep them from paying to their Maker, Preserver and Benefactor, the duty which they owe him. Even children should go to their heavenly Parent, and never neglect or forget to pray unto him, as well as they are able; that he may have honor and

glory from all; especially should parents teach their children to pray, and fail not to set them an example in their family. Prayer is an eminent part of religion. It is the very breath of the Christian. It will keep alive a sense of God in the soul, and tend to deter us from sin more, perhaps, than any duty.-~ Hence the saying of a pious divine, "either praying will make us leave off sinning, or sinning will make us leave off praying." We must persevere, diligently and faithfully, in the duty all our days. Persons must maintain and cultivate an habitually prayerful temper of mind as well as a meek, humane, forgiving, obliging, courteous, and thankful frame of heart. We are to worship and serve God, all the days of our lives, till by death " we enter in, through the gates, into the city." "Rejoicing," says the apostle Paul," in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer." Making it our daily work, and never omitting it. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance." Again, "Pray without ceasing." We are to begin, and to continue in the practice with diligence and perseverance. Further,

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Our prayers, likewise, are to be performed with fervor, attention, and engagedness of mind. We should have a composure and solemnity, duly preparing ourselves for so near an approach to God. There are, it must be conce

ded, great inequalities in the feelings and views of the best of men, in their addresses to God. Sometimes they have more of the spirit of prayer than at others; happy visits of the divine Spirit; precious seasons of refreshment; more copiousness and enlargement, livelier devotion, warmer gratitude, more raised affections, and deeper attention. But none can avoid all kind of wanderings of thought and disturbances, and temptations. The most pious are often afflicted with vain and idle thoughts, with wandering attention, cold affections, indevout frames. When this is the case, they bewail their want of the spirit of prayer, their deadness and languor, formality and hypocricy. Clear is it that our supplications to Almighty God should be accompanied with zeal and fervor, ardor and deep attention. "Not slothful in business," says the apostle," fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." Zeal and life peculiarly become us, when we repair to the great Father of the intellectual system for his blessings. The mind should be solemn, the thoughts collected, the attention fixed, and the heart inspired with devotional sentiments. We should be earnest and affectionate. Thus we read of Jacob's wrestling with God in prayer, and of his great importunity. "He had power over the angel and prevailed;" he wept and made supplication unto him. Says St. James, "The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man avail

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eth much."

See how earnest and how sin"Attend unto my cry, give

cere David was. ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips." Hezekiah, addressing himself to God with tears in his sickness, and being heard and recovered, praised God with the most raised affections. "The living," says he," the living he shall praise thee, as I do this day, the father to the children shall make known thy truth". Finally,

It is to be particularly remembered, that all our homage and petitions are to be offered to the one only true and living God, "through the one Mediator," between an offended sovereign and guilty rebbels. In the name of Christ alone are we to come before a prayer-hearing God. He is the all-prevalent intercessor-infinitely worthy and infinitely meritorious. Our cries for mercy to the God of all grace are heard and accepted only for the sake of his merits and mediation. We may not come to a holy God in our own names, or on our own account. Confession of sin, pleadings for mercy, supplications, and thanksgiving can only ascend to the throne of the universe with acceptance for the sake of Christ. He is infinitely worthy. He has suffered and died for us; and God will hear us on his account-yea, waits to be gracious. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. For

through him we both have an access by one spirit unto the Father. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the pame of our Lord Jesus Christ. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If any man sin we have an advocate. with the Father. Who also maketh intercession for us." Many more passages might be, with equal propriety, adduced, to demonstrate that prayer to God is always to be in the name of Christ. But these are deemed sufficient.

All that is further necessary to be offered on the manner of prayer, is the assistance of the Spirit of God in the duty, to be sought and hoped for. The proofs from the holy scriptures, of the influences of the Spirit of God in prayer are, Zech. xii. 10. Luke xi. 13. Rom. viii. 26. Gal. iv. 6. Eph. vi. 18. James v. 16. Jude 20. Many collateral texts may be pertinently added, John iii. 6. Rom. viii. 14. Gal. v. 16. also ver. 25. John xvi. 8. Rom. viii. 16. The experience of all Christians confirms this doctrine of the influences of the Holy Ghost, in the duty of prayer, and other religious exercises, Such, therefore, as deny any more assistance from God, by his Spirit, in this duty than in the common lawful employments and pursuits of the world, or conceive that the Spirit only excites some holy motions in the heart according to the words of prayer, and does not assist, as to