SUNDAY. On Prayer. THE duty and efficacy of prayer have been felt and acknowledged in every age from the creation of the world: the sacrifices made by Cain and Abel imply, that an offering of prayer and thanksgiving was then appointed to be made, and the observance of this command was never entirely lost, even in the degeneracy of mankind; for a sense of human weakness, and the conviction of there being an invisible Power, who governs the world, have always produced, even amongst the most barbarous nations, some sort of invocation to the Deity. Throughout the whole of the Old Testament we find, that frequent and fervent prayer was a distinguishing feature in the character of all good men in all ages; and very many instances are recorded of miracles which were performed, and most unlooked-for blessings granted upon the earnest supplication of the righteous, or the contrite petition of the sin"He that serveth the Lord shall be accepted with favour, and the prayer of the humble shall pierce the clouds." ner: But to a christian no other argument is necessary to prove the excellence and necessity of prayer than this: that Christ prayed. He, the Son of God, the Word, who was in the beginning with God, and was God, even he found the efficacy of prayer in enabling him to support the infirmities he had made himself subject to when he assumed the human nature. Both public and private devotion are strongly enforced by his example: we are frequently told by the Evangelists, that he retired to solitary places to pray alone: upon one occasion St. Luke mentions, that he passed the whole night in prayer; it was his custom to attend public worship constantly; he enjoined his followers to pray always, and taught them in what manner to form their petitions. We may remark, also, that, when he prayed with such fervour in his agony in the garden, he kneeled down: kneeling is, unhappily, less practised now than formerly; but it is the posture most indicative of humility and reverence: it was practised during all the most solemn, acts of devotion recorded both in the Old and New、 Testament; and certainly no other position seems so compatible with fervent prayer. And what attitude can be too humble when we consider the relation in which we stand to God? for we pray to him as creatures to a Creator, whose wisdom and power are infinite, who by his own will called us into being, who preserves us during his own appointed time in a world to which he has adapted our comprehension and powers; and from which he will, when he sees fit, remove us, to place us in another state of existence, according to the deeds we have done here, and to which he will also roportion our faculties. We have also to implore his mercy, as sinners before an offended God; for all men : sin, some deeply and habitually and even the best come short of the glory of God; all have some passion to subdue, some weakness to overcome; either pride, or vanity, or avarice, or love of pleasure, or some defect in temper; and the task we have to perform is, to watch with vigilance over the faults, whatever they may be, and correct them, till Christ is all in all. This is our probation: we have sins to overcome, and will to choose between life and death, good and evil; but to follow what is good is so difficult, that we should, perhaps, desert our post, did not God assist us by reminding us in various ways of the prize that is before us; and the work may be completed when, by the sincerity of our prayers, we can obtain the influence of the Holy Spirit to guide us through our task, till our souls are called from their earthly dwelling to other regions, where they may be thoroughly purified from all mortal stain, and receive their full and perfect sanctification from the merits of Christ in the presence of God. We pray also, and give thanks to God, as children to a parent, who commands us to declare all our wants to him, though he knows what we need before we ask him; sees all the dangers that surround us, and our struggles to overcome them; removes from us many evils, though we may not be aware of his kindness, and leads us in the way by which we may attain eternal happiness, only requiring from us obedience and affection. As |