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tongue tied by the terror of man, but all this cannot restrain the spirit or utterance of prayer.

me."

Viewing prayer, then, as the offering up of the desires unto God, it will readily be apprehended by what features it must be distinguished. It must be sincere," a cry that goeth not out of feigned lips." Ps. xvii. 1t It will be earnest, urging, "I will not let thee go except thou bless Gen. xxxii. 26. Importunate, for "men ought always to pray, and not to faint." Luke xviii. 1. Believing, for "he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Heb. xi. 6. Humble, as the Publican's prayer, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke xviii. 13. And accompanied by a genuine love and ardent desire of holiness, so as to feel the power of the sentiment expressed by David, "if 1 regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear Ps. lxvi. 18.

me."

3. "Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will." This is the rule of prayer, the will of God. And inasmuch as this is revealed in the Scriptures, these may be said to be that rule. Here, it is to be feared, many are betrayed into a fatal mistake, making their own desires, and not the will of God, the rule of prayer. Pain is disagreeable; a desire for its removal is natural; and as it is felt God is the only being able to remove it, he is sought unto for this purpose, without any previous inquiry whether he has revealed it to be his will to remove it. It is not affirmed that it is wrong in men to desire deliverance from evil, for this is their nature; but it is affirmed that before God is asked to remove it, it should be ascertained whether he has declared it to be his will to remove such evils as we labour under. We have no right to ask any thing of God, unless he has promised it in his word, for we have forfeited all claim upon him by our sin. This is equally true of moral and natural evil. Allowing this principle to be just, how thankful should we be for the fulness of that revelation which God has been pleased to give us. There is no evil under which man can labour, but God has expressed his will concerning it in his word. Are we distressed by a sense of guilt, and do we desire its removal? We read, "in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." Eph. i. 7. Sensible of impurity, do we long after re newal of heart? It is promised, “a new heart will I give

you." Ezek. xxxvi. 25. Do we groan under temptation, and desire to be strengthened and upheld? It is written, "my grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor. xii. 19. Do we desire a guide through the snares and perplexities of life? It is upon record, "in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shail direct thy paths." Prov. iii. 6.

And what a different exercise is prayer in the case of him who is merely prompted by his own desire, and that of another who is sensible of his want, examines what God has revealed respecting it in his word, and then calls upon him with his own revelation as his authority for preferring the petition. In the one it is a mere expression of selfishness, seeking its own gratification; while in the other, it is the approach of the creature to the Creator, by his own command, spreading out his wants before him; of a child to his Father, pleading his own promises We should never ask any thing of God for which we cannot plead his own revealed will. And we should use all diligence to be accurately and extensively acquainted with his will, that we may know what is our heritage, and understand, in all the vicissitudes of life, how and what to plead with him. It is an evil not to plead with God what he has promised, as well as to ask for what he has not promised. The former is criminal ignorance or unbelief, and the latter is presumption.

4. Prayer is to be offered up "in the name of Christ." There is nothing relating to prayer more earnestly or frequently insisted upon in the Scriptures, than that it shall be presented in the name of Christ. This is presented in all the forms of command and encouragement, of precept and promise. "No man cometh unto the Father but by me" -“if ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it""whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." A subject so prominent in the Scriptures, must be of great importance; and it may be well to inquire what is implied in praying in the name of Christ.o

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It supposes, obviously, that we are not worthy to come to God in our own name. Between the sinner and God there can be no direct or immediate intercourse. They are brought together only through a Mediator. How impressively was this taught under the law of Moses, on the solemn anniversary of expiation, when none dare enter into the Holy of Holies save the high priest, and the only once in the year, nor then without the blood of a sacrifice.

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Sinners should feel it to be a solemn thing to approach God in prayer, and should ever seek to do so in the faith of what is written, "there is God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. ii. 5.

But while the sinner must approach with reverence and awe, he is not required to do so in terror or despair; for, to come in the name of Christ implies farther, that while unworthy in ourselves, we are worthy in Christ, to seek the blessings which we need. The very ceremony alluded to, while fitted to produce reverence, was full of encouragement. It represented God dwelling on a mercy-seat. Now that mercy-seat was a figure of his dwelling in Christ. And while he is contemplated there, his name is seen to be "the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.' The worshipper can say, "let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need." He draws nigh to God in the name of him with whom he is ever well pleased, and is accepted with him for Christ's sake.

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To come in the name of Christ implies, also, that we plead with God by Christ. We name his worthiness before him-that which he possesses in himself, and which, as Mediator, has resulted from what he has done. We set forth his work-that sacrifice which he made of him.. self, and by which he purchased redemption for his people. We insist upon his promises-so full, that they meet every extremity of the sinner, and so free, that we look for their gracious fulfilment without money and without price. This pleading with God is what is so fully declared by the Apostle Paul, saying, "having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Heb. x. 19–22.

In shorty to come to God in the name of Christ, is to plead with him by all the revelation which he has made of himself in Christ, whether of his name, or will, or promises, or glory. It is an appeal to his mercy, that he will act towards us as a Redeemer; to his truth, that he will accomplish all his promises; to his wisdom, that he will

direct us; to his power, to uphold us; to his glory, that he will magnify himself in us. Examples of prayer, con+ ducted thus, will be found in the history of Moses and Joshua, recorded in Exod. xxxii. 11-14; and Joshua vii, 6-9. These will be found deserving a most careful consideration and close imitation.

5. Prayer includes "the confession of our sins." When man prays, it is not merely the approach of the creature to the Creator, but of a sinner to a pure and holy God. The recognition of his own state and character before him is, therefore, essential. And hence his approach must be characterized by features altogether peculiar to man as a sinner. He must come with deep humiliation, sensible how far he is removed from God by transgression, and feeling himself to be the prodigal in the far-distant land. He must come with self-condemnation, not excusing his sins, but freely owning them before God, in all their guilti. ness and aggravation. He must come with self-examina tion, entering deeply into his own heart and life, and spreading out his secret abominations and outward offences before his sight. He must come with deep contrition, for to make confession of sins which are not felt to be hateful to God and ruinous to the soul, is hypocrisy. And he must come with hearty desires for the removal of all his sins, for these must be felt to be a burthen heavier than the soul can bear; and the spirit that is rightly exercised, never can be at rest until there is a sense of God's forgiv. ing mercy extended to it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Of this case, an instructive example will be found, in the history of David, recorded in the 51st Psalm.

6. Finally, in prayer, there is "a thankful acknowledgment of God's mercies." These stand in glorious contrast to our sins, and it is the joint contemplation of our sins and God's mercies, that forms the right spirit of prayer. Hence the deepest humility, yet the most assured confidence; the most searching scrutiny of ourselves and our sins with a frank admission of vileness and unworthiness, yet the most adoring views of the mercy of God in Christ, and a grateful recog nition of all that has been bestowed upon us for his sake; an utter condemnation of our sinful humanity, yet a holy rejoicing in God our Saviour; a distrust of self, propor.. tioned to our trust in God; sorrow for sin, united with the joy of salvation; the confession of sins and acknow ledgment of mercies going hand in hand, mutually

strengthening and confirming one another. For as it is the duty of the suppliant to follow out the confession of sin through all the exercises of soul to which it naturally prompts, so should the acknowledgment of God's mercies be pursued in a diligent study of his character, the adora tion of his perfections, the observance of his works, and the special recognition of the mercies, temporal and spiri tual, which he has bestowed upon us.

This is the view of prayer given in our Shorter Cate chism," the offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confes sión of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies." It will readily be seen how this definition includes all the parts of prayer usually embraced in more formal and extensive treatises upon it. Generally it has been divided into adoration, confession, supplication, intercession, and thanksgiving. It is well, too, to have these different parts of prayer in the mind, as they produce distinctness of thought and language. But they are all embraced, although not in this order, in the definition that has been considered, while it has some peculiar advantages, being very comprehensive while brief and simple, and most explanatory though not formal.

If there is any idea not so fully brought out in it as might be desired, it is the necessity of the Holy Spirit in prayer. That is understood, but it would have been better had it been expressed. It is only he that can quicken the soul and beget the desires of prayer that can open the mind to just apprehensions of God, its only and great object-that can lead to a right understand. ing of his word, which is the rule of prayer-that can enlighten and humble the soul in just discoveries of its own sinfulness-and that can duly impress it by a sense of the divine mercies. It is, therefore, to be regretted, that the Spirit has not been distinctly recognised in the definition. In the Scriptures he is continually treated of as the Spirit of prayer. "I will pour out the Spirit of grace and supplication," saith God. We are commanded to " pray in the Holy Ghost." And the apostle distinctly and fully testifies, "the Spirit helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what should we pray for as we ought; but the Spirit it. self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh

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