to him in a formal manner with your lips only, using words without any meaning. You should pray from an heart-felt conviction, that you are a miserable sinner; that the time is short; that death draws near; that judgment is at hand; that eternity is before you; that there is no salvation but in God's mercy through Christ. If you thus pray, you will hereafter be a partaker of that faith, which overcometh the world. (1 John v. 4.)

"The generality are too ready to take up with the mere performance of prayer. When they pray for spiritual mercies, they do not consider afterwards whether God has granted them or not. They have asked at the time for an increase of faith, wisdom, holiness, and other graces; and then have soon forgotten for what they asked, or neglected to observe how far these petitions have been answered. When they have requested temporal blessings, how little have they considered the hand of God in granting, or the wisdom of God in refusing them! Hence all the lowness of their attainments in divine things! Hence their subjection to earthly things * !"

Great indeed are the patience and love of God; yet it cannot be supposed that such petitioners will be regarded. Never let us so far delude our own souls, as to believe, that those prayers will be effectual with God which are not useful to ourselves.

Helps for self-examination on some of the petitions in our daily or occasional prayers.

It may be very useful to many, if some of the petitions in their prayers were turned into ques

See Serle's Christian Remembrancer, or short Reflections on the Faith, Life, and Conduct of a real Christian, page 133, of the second edition.

tions; as they would then see how far they had desired to have their petitions fulfilled. As for instance; I have prayed for the promised assistance of God's Holy Spirit: am I convinced of my want of it, and do I sincerely desire it? I have presented this prayer through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ: am I duly sensible, that I am not worthy so much as to ask pardon for my sins, or to present any petition to God, but through the mediation of his Son Jesus Christ? By such and the like self-examination in all our prayers, and from the answers faithfully returned by our own hearts to such questions as these, we shall be able to form a right judgment of the state of our souls.

A method of self-examination, with the due order of asking each question here stated, so as to prevent either confusion, omission, or irregularity in the discharge of this very important duty.

This manner of self-examination may be used at any time, either daily or weekly, morning and evening, or whenever it shall be judged necessary, as it frequently will in the day of sickness or other affliction.

1. The first question I wish to be asked is, Do you confess your sins of omission, as well as of commission?

2. Do you repent of them?

3. Do you pray for mercy and forgiveness?

4. Do you plead the promises and atonement of Christ?

5. Do you resolve to reverence, love, and obey God?

6. Do you implore the aid of the Holy Spirit to strengthen your resolutions?

7. Do you examine how far these things are done or left undone?

8. Are you deeply humbled on any deficiencies?

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9. Do you watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation?

10. Are you a follower of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises? Heb. vi. 12. Do you acquaint yourself with God, and are you at peace? Job xxii. 21.

Helps to assist the sick (or others) in praying to God acceptably.

1. You should be very careful not to trifle in the presence of the eternal God; for what does not proceed from the heart is no prayer, but rather a sin. See Psalm cix. 7.

2. If you pray without some fixedness of thought and sincerity of heart, it is, in effect, taking God's name in vain. You should consider well each petition, as you offer it up; and, if you have not been sufficiently attentive to it, repeat it again and again till your heart accompanies the words..

3. Make some pauses. Think what you are about. Ask yourself, Is this prayer? Is this a rational spiritual service? Will God be pleased with this kind of worship? The formal and customary kneeling, the lifting up the hands and eyes to heaven without the heart, the cold and careless uttering of words, are in reality no more than the dead carcase of prayer, and not a living sacrifice.

4. Fix your dependence on the Spirit of God to help your infirmities, which God has promised to give to those who ask it. (Luke xi. 13.) And you should in every act of devotion earnestly entreat God's presence and assistance, or by a short ejaculation previous to it.

5. It is of the utmost importance, that in all your prayers you should maintain a believing regard to our Lord and Advocate Jesus Christ, and never lose sight of him. All blessings in time and eternity are the purchase of his blood, and to be ob

tained by his intercession. No prayers can be acceptable without faith in his promises; and they must be presented to God through him, as your Mediator; and through him you are to expect mercy. It is essentially necessary, that at the conclusion of every prayer (as you may see it is in our Liturgy) the name of Christ should be expressly mentioned, and the dependence of the soul should certainly be fixed on his merits and inter

cession.

6. When your prayer is ended, you should recollect how it was performed, that you may be humbled, or satisfied, and thankful, as the case shall require. God may sometimes, for a farther trial of your faith, and other wise reasons, delay to return an answer to your prayer, though presented in sincerity, faith, and hope: David waited patiently, and at length the Lord heard him. See Psalm xl. 1. Sometimes you may not pray earnestly enough; or be sufficiently sensible of the request you make, so as to be very desirous of obtaining it. At other times you may pray for outward and temporal mercies too importunately and unwarrantably. Sometimes the mercy you pray for may not be good for you; or probably may not be yet good for you*: you are not therefore to judge of God's hearing prayer by your not having any immediate answer.

7. You should live suitably to your prayers; and let every one see that you are the better for them. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, (says the "Psalmist,) the Lord will not hear me." (Psalm lxvi. 18.) "He that turneth away his ear from

"hearing the law, says Solomon, even his prayer "shall be an abomination." (Prov. xxviii. 9.)

8. You will deceive yourself if you imagine that any thing but an increase of holiness will effectually prove, that you have been with God in daily

prayer.

9. You should consider, that one great use of prayer is to produce in you a disposition to receive God's grace; to exercise your dependence on God through a Redeemer; to increase your desires after the things for which you ask ; and to make you sensible of your wants, that you may never cease praying for relief till you have obtained it. Alas! for them, who have no hope in God; no access to a throne of grace; no sure promise, on which to rest in time of trouble.

10. Remember, that, when once the means of religion are discarded, the principles of it will be of no longer continuance; and that, when once you cease to attend the worship of God, you will soon also cease to fear and obey him.

The helps I have here suggested will, I hope, contribute to the pleasure of your devotion, and make it the instrument of your growth in grace, and fitness for heaven.

Bishop Wilkins's sentiments on prayer.

The great and good Bishop Wilkins has observed in his treatise, entitled The Gift of Prayer, that " prayer by book floats for the most part too "much in generalities, and is not particular enough "for each several occasion." Many however have not acquired the habit of praying without a form of prayer: they therefore may occasionally add, in any of the forms they may use, a few sentences peculiarly suitable to their own circumstances, or those of the sick person whom they may visit. I well know plausible objections have been made to