and hast revealed them unto babes; even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. And he went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." He was, also, a perfect example of a holy fervor, and affection in prayer. "Who," says the apostle to the Hebrews, " in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heared in that he feared."The prayers of Christ, the glorious founder of our holy religion, are mighty encouragements to us, to call upon our Father, who is in heaven. He has set us an example and taught us how to pray. He directs us to attend the duty, statedly, with seriousness and reverence; to be pertinent, concise, and spiritual in our sacrifices of prayer and praise. "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Immoderately long, tedious, repetitious prayers are not such as are either proper, or acceptale to God. Vain repetitions, tautolorgies, anb unnecessary words are disgusting to men, and unpleasing to God.

Another very great encouragement to prayer, is the gracious promise that God will hear and accept the supplications of his people. There is a power or efficacy in prayer. As a holy and merciful God has commanded it, so he will own and honor it, by making it the instrument of deriving blessings to us, the favors which we may want, and which are best for us. The prayer of faith, we are told, prevails with God, and is always heard and accepted. "The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much." Hence the duty and propriety of cries to God, in our distress; and likewise of desiring the prayers of his people and an important privilege it is to have an interest in them. It is particularly the declared and express will of God, that the authorized ministers of religion, the pastors of the churches should, in cases of dangerous sickness, be sent for; that they should pray over the sick, ask for their recovery and forgiveness. "Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any sick among you? let him call for the Elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”— By the "Elders of the church," we are to understand Christ's ministers of the gospel, sometimes called bishops, presbyters, pastors,

teachers, overseers of the church, and ministers of the New-Testament. And it is made the duty of people, in sickness, to send for them, to pray with, and for the sick. God is often, of his great mercy, pleased to hear their prayers, to grant health, life, and spiritual favors, on account of them. It is not mere custom or ceremony, then, neither is it superstition or enthusiasm, to have Christ's regular ministers, the pastors of the churches, at the instance of the sick and afflicted, sent for to pray for them. will and command of God.

It is the express And he would not

have commanded it, had he not intended to have it the means of deriving his blessings and favors to his creatures. If we admit that the above passage refers to a miraculous faith, and miraculous healing, and a special anointing with oil, still the duty of sending for the Elders or authorized ministers of Christ to pray for the sick, may be fairly inferred from the words. Again we are thus directed, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much." The prayers of godly ministers and people have wonderful power. It is a great privilege and happiness, as well as duty, to pray to God. Many are the promises made to this duty. "Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee," is the direction to us in adversity. The psalmist addresses himself to the Supreme Being, un

der the character of the prayer-hearing God. "O thou that hearest prayer! Again, God is intreated to open his ear upon our petitions. "Lord I cry unto thee, make haste unto me : give ear unto my voice when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." Our Father who is in heaven has an ear to hear the cries of his people; is present to know, and has power to answer. It is our happiness and privilege therefore, to come to him for his aid and pity, under all distresses. Our prayers will find the way to his throne from the deepest glooms and remotest corners of the earth. His being the hearer of prayer is one of the most engaging and attractive views, which we can take of his character, and a powerful motive to the duty of prayer. Further,

The fitness of the duty, in the reason and nature of things, is also a powerful inducement to the stated practice of it. It is perfectly reasonable in itself, and fit in its own nature, that poor, feeble, imperfect, dependant creatures should constantly own their entire dependance on the first cause of all things, the God that made them, and offer to him their homage and praise. The light of nature, our relation to God as his creatures preserved by his kindness, and our innumerable wants, prove, beyond all contradiction, that prayer is a fit and reasonable exercise. Is it

not perfectly reasonable, and fit in itself, that we should worship, fear, adore, and serve the Lord of creation, and suitably express our reverence? Ought not self-existence and almighty power to be adored-eternity, omniscience, and omnipresence to be reveredinfinite holiness to be honored-goodness and mercy to be praised-and wisdom and faithfulness celebrated by us? Can sceptecism itself, dispute the fitness and propriety of this duty? As long as the Deity remains what he is, and we what we are, it is infinitely fit and right that he should receive, day by day, a tribute of homage and adoration, gratitude and praise from us. The glories of his character the wonders of his works-the holiness of his laws-the rectitude of his government-and riches of his grace, are arguments adapted to convince all men of the reasonableness of the duty of prayer. We are invited by the warmest exhortations, and encouraged by the highest hopes to draw near to God, with all our wants and sorrows. For prayer is a work of much larger extent than a petition to God for his mercy. "When a holy soul comes before God he hath much more to say, than merely to beg. He tells his God what a sense he hath of the divine attributes, and what high esteem he pays to his majesty, his wisdom, his power, his mercy. He talks with him about the works of creation, and stands wrapt up in wonder. He

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