served in these sheets, that at times I had felt it my duty to omit both singing and vocal prayer, both before and after public speaking. I had now been labouring under frequent condemnation on this ground for almost two years, and I was not oftener condemned for my unseasonable undertakings in public, than I was for mere private or family prayers. It had ever been my practice to attend what is called family duties, night and morning, until now. Such was my situation. that if I travelled abroad I was uniformly obliged by the custom of the people, to attend to a vocal form of asking a blessing and saying prayers; when the travail of when the travail of my mind by no means embraced a subject suited to such occasions. Sometimes my mind was particularly engaged to know myself, and duty; sometimes my mind was cast down with inward reprovings, and my whole spirit was absorbed in deep thought on things only best known to God. Again my spirit was engaged for the church at large, and again my mind embraced but the cases of a single per

Every christian knows that the child of God must pass through many baptisms and that the Spirit leads to different subjects at different times. They know also, that the whole heart is only capable through the Spirit of enditing a petition to God, consequently if the Spirit leads to one thing, and we unduly engage in another, the latter is but a Spiritless petition, and if we leave the instruc

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tion and teachings of the Spirit in the former, this is leaving the thing which we had ought to have done, and doing the thing which we had ought not to do. I think the traveller in true godliness knows by his own experience, what it is to labor in the Spirit. Many times have I felt the deepest remorse of conscience for following the customs of men instead of waiting upon the Spirit. And it was in this way of undue observance I met with that which caused me to fear God instead of man. One day as I was in prayer (so called) in my family, I was then seized with that degree of horror of mind that I had hitherto never known, even in the field of battle. midst of prayer I was fearful that I should be struck dead by my chair if I did not desist immediately. It appeared to me that my hair, (speaking after the manner of men) stood up on end upon my head. Such were my feelings that I arose from my knees immediately, and since that time I have been more obedient, and have been made very sensible that the preparation of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue is of the Lord:" "man's way is not in himself, that is, the way that he had ought to go. A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps," or all is wrong. "All the ways of man," says Solomon, "are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the Spirits." Again, it is said, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready

to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools, forthey consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God." God's sacrifices are spiritual-such as brokenness of heart and a contrite Spirit; so without a due preparation of the mind, either preaching or praying is " hasty," "rash," and "evil."

Says Mary Brook, in her reasons for silent waiting, "Christ in Spirit is the way to the Father: No man can come to the Father but by him. What is the reason why so many who profess to be followers of Christ, complain of wandering thoughts, inattention, much coldness, deadness and insensibility in prayer and other duties and devotions? Is it not because they are too little dependent on the dictates of the Spirit, and believe not its sensible influence necessary to every religious act, nor wait for it to cleanse the tho'ts of their hearts, and abiliate them to approach the most high and Holy God in truth and in righteousness? Is it not because such lean too much to their own unsubjugated wisdom and understanding, to place their dependence on the Spirit, and to wait for its restraining, heart-affecting power to lead them into all truth, and therefore they are sent empty away, and no more truly refreshed or benefitted by their lifeless devotion, than he who dreams he eateth, but when he awakes, finds he is yet empty? Thus they ask and receive not, because they ask amiss; not in a right

form, but in a lukewarm and unconcerned state of mind. The enemy is too strong for such worshippers, and carries their thoughts and imaginations after strange objects, while their lips only approach the Almighty.-One secret prayer, or deep sigh from the wrestling soul, produced by the eternal Spirit, is of more real service to it, issues from it with more fervour, prevails more effectually with the Father, and procures it more refreshment than ten thousand vain repetitions, because the virtue of the Spirit of the great Intercessor being in those prayers and sighs they can. not but find acceptance. ""

Where the Spirit endites the petition, if sitting, standing, or kneeling or walking in the way, it matters not, a single groan will shake satan's empire to the very foundation. Were I to tell of quick answers to prayers, the most manifest answers have been when my petitions have been endited by a sigh or groan, breathed out in deep contrition and brokenness of Spirit.

I can say that the greatest work that I ever undertook to do, was to leave off doing, that is, arrest the wanderings of my thoughts, and bring my creaturely activity into a suitable stillness before God, so that the Spirit might be heard. This, however, is easiest done in retirement and in silent waiting, for man never acts himself more honestly than when alone; and the reason is, that part in man which is fond of applause ceases to act, hav

ing no inducement, because unseen. Because there is a part in man which prides itself in its own doings; inward or secret retirement tends much to prepare the soul for inward hearing, and the mind becomes prepared to speak out that which the Spirit speaks in-he who is prepared by the Spirit prays always, and that without ceasing; but such as do not pretend to be led by the Spirit, they do not pray at all, seeing they have not a deep and inward sense of what they do. Saith the apostle, (Rom. viii, 26, 27,)" 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 searchest the heart, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit." The Pharisees prayed much in public, but Christ taught his disciples to shun their hypocritical example, and then to follow the rule he, himself so often observed. "When thou prayest," saith Christ, "enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray thy Father who seeth in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."Christ prayed oft in the mountain and in secret, but public-formality so commonly practiced among professors in these times, is without an example by Christ or his disciples.What abominable displays hath human wisdom made. So it is, as if God had left his creatures without the means or ability of interceding for themselves-prayer-books are