particularly, earnestly, and absolutely, without any qualifications or exceptions, and without eeasing, that is, daily and hourly, as we feel occasion of aid; and this we do for this sound and satisfactory reason, because we know these things are always proper for us to ask, and always agreeable to the will of God to grant HS. And here, again, the sense of praying without ceasing, is clearly illustrated by the parables Christ hath left us on the very subject, where he exhorts to perseverance in prayer, from the example and effects of importunity, in the cases of the widow, and the friend, and the judge; drawing this encouraging conclusion, that if men who are evil, can be prevailed upon to give good gifts to their children, much more certain may we be, that God will not deny the grace or gift of the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. And it is further worthy our notice, that this parable and admonition of instant prayer, immediately follow the very form of prayer our blessed Lord was pleased to leave us but of this in its proper place. Now, Christians cannot be ignorant that all their prayers must be offered in the name of Jesus Christ, since it is for his sake only, we can expect them to be heard or granted; for this is the condition and command, as proposed by Christ himself (John, xiv. 13): Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that I will do, that the

2

Father may be glorified in the Son, And that we can have no good hope of favour without an interest in his merits, he declares expressly again, in the next chapter (xv. 7, 8), If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you; for herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit: so shall ye be my disciples. The manifest meaning of which texts is, that we are to ask nothing inconsistent with Christ's Spirit or holy commandments, and that it must be the needful graces of that good Spirit we must implore, by which alone, we can be enabled to bear much fruit, and consequently to glorify the Father who bestows these precious gifts upon us for the love of the Redeemer, and whereby alone assurance can be attained of our being truly his disciples.-What has now been said, may suffice as to what concerns the subject of our prayers.

The third division of my Discourse respects the time of our devotions: this, in general terms, is declared in the text; we are to pray without ceasing; but in referring to time particularly, the words will certainly bear a more limited sense than that in which they have been already considered. It is true, in St. Luke, xviii. 1, Christ intimates, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; and, in Luke, xxiv. 53, the Apostles are represented as continuing in the temple,

praising and blessing God. In the text the Apostle exhorts to pray without ceasing; and in many other parts of Scripture, continuance in prayer is variously and forcibly enjoined; the general sense of which terms has already been fully explained. In regard to the more particular measure of this duty, all these expressions do only signify and enforce a constant attendance upon it every day, as our state and condition will admit, besides such other opportunities as the providence of God shall minister to us for the further performance of it; and not that we are to account ourselves thereby obliged to spend our whole time in prayer, to be always on our knees. Thus, when the Apostle (Rom. i. 9) asserts, that without ceasing he makes mention of them always in his prayers, the true sense of the expression is, whenever he is thus employed, he never omits petitioning for them. And when, in 1 Thess. iii. 10, he testifies his zeal for them, by praying night and day exceedingly, the meaning is, that he does. not omit most earnestly to recommend them to God, both in his morning and evening devotions, and not that he continued in prayer whole days and nights for them.

But the due consideration of this part of the subject leads me naturally to inquire, what may be thought the general proportion that every Christian ought to observe, as to the

time of actual or daily prayer. Now, this must be determined by the opportunities our several callings will allow for it. It is very certain, that none laying any claim to Christian character, will be deficient in worshipping their Maker in private, every night and morning of their lives; and it is no less certain, that all who truly desire to advance in Christian piety, will be as regular and exemplary in the use of family prayer. As an excuse to avoid the latter, I know many plausible arguments have been offered on worldly principles, but they cannot be defended on religious and Christian grounds. They cannot stand the examination of a pure conscience; they will not abide the judgment of the last day.

There is nothing wanting but a heart devoted to God, to break through all these trifling excuses, and to set the weakness and the falseness of them in so glaring a light, as to prevent their being any longer hinderances to this essential and useful duty. In fact, the means to assist this bounden task, are in the power of every one: it is only to keep good hours, and to pray for a disposition to the work; for the common apology is, that such employment interferes with the common concerns of life. Rising, therefore, a few minutes earlier, for the purpose of this needful sacrifice, would remove that hinderance; the daily public

repetition of the Lord's Prayer only, in every family, would serve to keep up a sense of God and religion in it; the intention would be blessed by Him who knoweth the heart, and wonderful benefits be derived to individuals and society at large. But it is true, people must have a good degree of grace, a religious, grateful heart, and serious conviction of their wants and duty, before they can in earnest pursue this work.

In regard to God's more public worship, where opportunity is afforded, and leisure will permit, the service of the church should never be neglected. Those who prefer a partial service of their own, to the stated and regular worship of their Maker, may be sure there is something wanting in their zeal. There is such a palpable inconsistency in such conduct, that no argument can defend it; no one can entertain a pure veneration for God's public worship, who deserts it when possible to attend. However sincere in favourite and private modes of serving God, we must be uniform in our respect to the established regulation of his providence, or we shall incur the suspicion of hypocrisy, which will be dangerous to the general cause of Christianity; we shall appear to border upon will worship, to be carving out systems of our own, and endanger a contempt of the appointed solemn ordinances, through the dangerous influence of inconsiderate example. And if we