Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

for favours already received, and alfo apply to him for those which we ftill want; not forgetting, however, to exprefs the most entire acquiefcence in his will, whether he should think proper to grant our requests or not. Now, this is certainly the very part that a prudent and wife parent would take with a child, though with refpect to himself, both the acknowledgments and the requests of the child were ever fo unneceffary.

In the Old Testament hiftory, we find prayer to be the conftant practice of all good men; and fo far was there from being any doubt concerning the propriety of it, that it is mentioned by Eliphaz as the greatest aggravation of the wickednefs which he afcribed to Job, that he even "caft off fear,

and reftrained prayer before God," Job. xv. 4. It is mentioned as the characteristic of God, that "he heareth prayer," Pf. lxv. 2. "O thou that "hearest prayer, unto thee fhall all flesh come." Solomon alfo fays, Prov. xv. 8. "That the "prayer of the upright is his delight;" and David, Pf. cxlv. 18. "The Lord is nigh unto all "them that call upon him. He will also hear their cry, and will fave them."

[ocr errors]

Our Saviour recommends frequent prayer to his difciples. He also gave them a variety of particular inftructions, and was himself a pattern for them, with respect to it. For we not only read of his

praying

praying upon particular occafions (several of which prayers are recorded by the Evangelifts) but it is faid, upon one occafion, that he spent even a whole night in prayer to God, Luke vi. 12. as if he who received the most from God, and who was therefore the most dependent upon him, thought it neceffary to be more particularly careful to express that dependence. Our Lord even encourages great earneftness and importunity in prayer; one of his parables being particularly calculated to excite men "always to pray, and not to faint." Luke xviii. 1. &c. "What man is there of you," fays he, addreffing himself to a great multitude, Matt. vii. 9. &c. "whom, if his fon ask bread, will he "give him a stone? Or if he afk a fish, will he "give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, "know how to give good gifts unto your chil"dren, how much more fhall your father who is "in heaven give good things to them that afk ❝ him?”

Our Lord is very careful, however, to inculcate a right difpofition of mind in prayer, and particularly cautions his difciples to avoid the oftentation of the Pharifees, and the clamorous repetitions of the heathens upon that occasion, Matt. vi. 5. &c. "When thou prayeft, thou shalt not be as the "hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in "the fynagogues, and in the corners of the streets, "that they may be seen of men, Verily, I fay unto you, they have their reward. But thou,

[blocks in formation]

"when thou prayeft, enter into thy clofet, and "when thou haft fhut thy door, pray to thy fa"ther who is in fecret, and thy father who "feeth in fecret, fhall reward thee openly. But "when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the "heathen do for they think that they shall be "heard for their much speaking. Be not ye, "therefore, like unto them: for your father know"eth what things ye have need of, before ye afk "him." To thefe excellent admonitions, he fubjoins that pattern of prayer which we usually call the Lord's prayer, which is admirably simple and expreffive; and as the most important of all our petitions is that which we make for the forgiveness of our fins, he is particularly careful to infift upon it, that we make that request with a heart thoroughly reconciled to all thofe who have offended us. Matt. vi. 14. &c. "For, if ye forgive men their "trefpaffes, your heavenly father will alfo forgive 66 you. But if ye forgive not men their tref"paffes, neither will your father forgive your "trefpaffes."

The apoftles alfo, upon a great variety of occafions, moft earnestly recommend frequent prayer, I Thef. v. 17. "Pray without ceafing." Rom. xii. 12. "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribu"lation; continuing inftant in prayer." Philip. iv. 6. "Be careful for nothing: but in every "thing, by prayer and fupplication, with thankf"giving,

"giving, let your requests be made known unto "God." 1 Tim. ii. 1. &c. "I exhort that "fupplications, prayers, interceffions, and giving "of thanks, be made for all men: for kings, and "for all that are in authority." This apoftle does not fail, however, to recommend a proper temper of mind in prayer, when he adds, v. 8. "I will "that men pray every where, lifting up holy "hands, without wrath and doubting."

When perfons are under affliction, they are more efpecially difpofed to have recourse to prayer. Seeing no other hope, they fly to God, as their all-fufficient Saviour, and friend; and this natural propenfity of the mind is particularly encouraged by the apostle James, v. 13. "Is any among you

afflicted? let him pray."

Though the greatest stress is laid, in the fcriptures, upon private devotion, it is by no means fo much fo, as to fet afide the obligation of focial worship, which is alfo much infifted upon in them. The facrifices which were appointed to be made every morning and evening in the Jewish tabernacle or temple, were offered in the name of the whole nation; and as many perfons as conveniently could, did ufually attend during the ceremony, and offered up their prayers, while the prieft went into the temple to burn incenfe. Luke i. 10. "And the "whole multitude of the people were praying with"out at the time of incenfe." David exprefles

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

the highest fatisfaction which he received from thofe opportunities of public worship in feveral of his pfalms, as Pf. xxvi. 8. "Lord, I have loved "the habitation of thy house, and the place where "thine honour dwelleth." Pf. cxxii. 1. " I was glad when they faid unto me, Let us go "into the houfe of the Lord." And Pf. lxxxiv. "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of "hofts! A day in thy courts is better than a "thoufand." He alfo recommends the greatest reverence upon these occafions. Pf. lxxxix. 7. "God is greatly to be feared in the affembly of the "faints and to be had in reverence of all them

I.

"that are about him.”

Though we have no particular accounts of the cuftom of the Jews, in antient times, with refpect to the manner in which they spent their fabbaths, yet fince they were commanded to reft from all labour on thofe days, and were enjoined to read and meditate on their law" at all times," Deut. vi. 7. we cannot but fuppofe that they employed those days, in which they had moft leisure for that purpose, in reading, meditation, and prayer; and feveral paffages in the Old Teftament feem pretty plainly to allude to fuch a cuftom. We find, however, in the time of our Saviour, that fynagogues were established through the whole country of Judea, and in all other countries where the Jews had any fettlement; and in thefe places the books of

the

« AnteriorContinua »