4. It is exceeding valuable; it is beyond all the enjoyments of life, preferable to every thing that can be had on earth; the light of God's countenance, his gracious presence, communion with him, put more joy and gladness into the hearts of his people, than the greatest increase of worldly things; it is this which makes wisdom's ways ways of pleasantness, and her paths paths of peace; it is this which makes the tabernacle of God amiable and lovely, and a day in his house better than a thousand else where; and because so valuable, hence the apostle John, in an exulting manner, says, "Truly, our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

THE OBJECT AND NATURE OF TRUE PRAYER.

And all things whatso ver ye shall ask in prayer, &c.
Matt. xxi. 22.

PRAYER is not only an important, but it is also a very large and comprehensive subject; and, in one form or another, meets the eye of him who converses much with his Bible, more frequently than any other part of religion. I. The object of prayer.

It is an unspeakable mercy to us, that we are not left, in our inquiries upon this point, to the dim light of natural reason, like the poor heathen. (Psalm. cxv. 4-8; 1 Cor. i. 21.) But we are favoured with the holy scriptures, in which we have not only a revelation of the nature and perfections of God. but also the most explicit directions concerning the manner in which he will be worshipped. (John iv. 24.) It is therefore of great importance, that we should have just and scriptural notions of the object of prayer, otherwise we may offer "strange fire before the Lord," as did Nadab and Abihu. (Lev. x. 1, 2.) That which is spoken of the Word, (Deut. iv. 2,) may be accommodated to the object of prayer.

The object of prayer set before us in the sacred volume, is the one living and true God, the God from whom the church receives all its salvation of this God, and of this salvation, the apostle speaks, 1 Pet. i. 2.

The holy trinity are sometimes addressed in prayer jointly, as when the apostle prays for the church at Corinth. (2 Cor. xiii. 14.) Sometimes the Father and the Son are only prayed to, as in 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17.

In various places in scripture, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are prayed to separately; but the most ordinary and proper mode to be adopted in prayer, is to address the Father, in the name and through the mediation of Jesus Christ, depending on the Spirit to help our infirmities. Eph. ii. 18.

He that believes and asserts this doctrine, must be content to pass for a fool, in the estimation of those who exalt their own reason above revelation. Acts xxiv. 4.

II. Of the nature of prayer. There are few, if any, definitions of prayer more concise or scriptural than that of the Assembly of Divines in their Shorter Catechism: 66 Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ." I shall make this definition the ground of this head of discourse.

1. It is the offering up of our desires to God: it is the unfeigned language of the heart; and there is no true prayer, where there is only a repetition of words. (Matt. xv. 8.) To such persons God says, "When ye spread forth your hands." (Isa. i. 15.) Every real Christian knows experimentally the difference between the prayer of the lip and that of the heart. When the Holy Spirit convinces of sin, and showeth the things of Christ, then the Christian begins to hunger and thirst after the bread and water of life; he becomes an importunate suppliant, and cries to, and wrestles with God. Gen. xxxii. 26; Matt. xv. 22. 25. 28.

2. It is essential to the nature of true prayer, that what we ask should be according to the divine will. We are liable in our prayers to be governed more by a regard to our own ease, interest, and inclinations, than by either a concern for the glory of God, or the prosperity of our own souls. Lot was governed by his inclination more than his judgment and conscience, both when he chose the plains of Sodom for his residence, though its inhabitants were so intolerably wicked, and when he desired Zoar for the place of his refuge, after the Lord had brought him out of that devoted country. (Gen. xiii. 10, and chap. xix. 19, 20.)

Elijah's prayer was in conformity to the rule of which we are speaking. (1 Kings xix. 4.) The same spirit pervaded the language of that peevish and rebellious prophet, Jonah, (iv. 8.) Both these instances furnish us with proof, that even good men may pray even in their own spirit, and have a greater regard to their own will, than to that of their heavenly Father. How different the spirit and rule of their petitions, to that of the apostle. (Phil. i. 23.) The good man's language should uniformly be this: "All the days," &c. Job xiv. 14.

Wicked men in their prayers are uniformly governed more by their own corrupt inclinations, than by the will of God. Ps. lxxviii. 29. 31.

Some pray to God with a view to make him a party in their worldly and carnal conflicts. Such was the prayer presented to our Lord. (Luke xii. 13.) Such have been the supplications which whole nations have presented to God on their days of fasting and prayer. Such were also the prayers of some professors in the time of the apostle. (James iv. 3.) If wicked men pray under this unholy disposition, God either will not grant their request, or he will answer them in anger, as he did Balaam. (Numb. xxii. 20-30.) If the children of God should ever be influenced by this temper of mind, God has too great a regard to his own glory, and their good, to give them according to their petition; he will answer them according to the love he bears them. (2 Cor. xii. 7. 9.) So that God's denials and God's bestowments are alike gracious.

When a believer is in a right frame, the preface of his prayer is, "thy will be done." The will of God is revealed in the scriptures. (1 Tim. iv. 8.) Let us then study and search them. (Rom. xii. 2.) And if we attain to an acquaintance with the mind and will of God, we may take the full encouragement of that beautiful and comprehensive promise, John xv. 7.

We pray according to the will of God, when we pray for that which tends to glorify God; at this we should aim in every thing. This was the grand end which Elijah proposed in his prayer, 1 Kings xviii. 37.

We pray according to the will of God, when we are more earnest for wisdom and grace, than to be rich and great, We have a fine example of this in Solomon. (1

Kings iii. 5. 7-10.) And whoever is enabled to pray by this rule, and in this spirit, may with some propriety use the strong and consolatory language of 1 John v. 14.

3. It enters very materially into the nature of true prayer, that we should ask all in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ. (Heb. x. 14.) As sinners, we have forfeited all right, either to temporal or spiritual blessings; we can therefore neither ask nor receive any thing at the hand of God but as a matter of favour. The seat which he is described as occupying in the church, and from which he communes with his people, is "the mercy-seat," (Exod. xxv. 22;) it is "the throne of his grace." Heb. iv. 16.

Jesus Christ by his death opened the way of access to the throne of grace. Heb. ix. 19. 22.

All the blessings which are sought in prayer are treasured up in Christ, and communicated to us through him. Eph. i. 3; John i. 16; Phil iv. 19.

It is the express law of divine revelation, that whoever approaches the throne of grace, in prayer, should come in the name, and depend on the merit, of Jesus Christ. It is upon this very ground that our Lord teaches his disciples to expect an answer to their prayers. John xvi. 23.

HII. The obligations men are under to pray to God, especially those who are favoured with divine revelation. It is a duty which naturally results from the relation God stands in to men, as their creator and benefactor. Acts xvii. 28; James i. 17.

1. It becomes our duty, from the express manner in ́ which it is enjoined upon us in his holy word. Ezek xxxvi. 37.) Christ described the nature and extent of this duty. (Luke xviii. 1.) Nor is it erely of good men that we say, they ought to pray. Acts viii. 22; James iv. 8.

2. Again, our obligation to prayer results from our circumstances and characters. In whatever light we consider ourselves, whether as creatures, as sinners, or as Christians, there is need of much prayer. As creatures, we are weak and frail; and, (1 Cor. xv. 30,) as sinners, we are, in a spiritual sense, wretched, (Rev. iii. 17.) And if through grace we have been made Christians, we shall feel a continual obligation to prayer, arising out of the multitude of our wants, the strength and zeal of our spiritual enemies, together with innumerable afflictions to

bear, and great duties to perform. Hence, we may discern the necessity of daily adopting such language as Matt. vi. 12, 13.

3. Our obligation to prayer may be inferred from the example of Christ, who, being in his human nature inferior and subject to his Father, is represented as incessantly occupied in prayer to him. (Ps. ii. 8.) Elsewhere it is said, that he "offered up prayers and supplications," &c. (Heb. v. 7.) Being therefore under a continual obligation to prayer, we are made like unto our living and glorious Head, in the days of his humiliation.

IV. In the duty of prayer there is nothing of more importance than faith: Christ therefore particularly mentions it in this text.

1. Faith is a grace of high importance in the Christian religion; it has an extensive and active part assigned it in every part thereof, but especially in the believer's devotional exercises. "Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing." The importance of faith in our approach to God is strongly marked. (Heb. xi. 6.) There is much truth in that remark of the Jews, though it was applied to a bad purpose. (Joun ix. 31.) When the apostle is recommending prayer, and holding forth the encouragement arising from the divine liberality, he says of the person praying, "But let him ask in faith." (James i. 5—7.) Our remarks upon this head are elucidated and confirmed by the history of Cain and Abel. (Gen. iv 3. 5.) See the New Testament comment upon this passage, Heb. xi. 4. 2. The scriptures are full of matter, tending to encourage our souls, and to enlarge and strengthen the actings of faith, in our approaches to God in prayer.

3. Sometimes faith grounds its encouragement upon · the ability of God (Eph. iii. 20) If unbelief starts a difficulty, and says, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? (Ps. lxxvii. 19.) Faith, calculating upon the omnipotence of God, replies, Phil. iv. 19. Strong faith in prayer is excited in the believer's soul by a consideration of the relation God stands in to him. He is his God and Father. (Matt. vi. 9.) And when the prodigal finally resolved to arise and seek salvation, his language ran thus: "I will arise and go to my Father." (Luke xv. 18, 19.) His reception far exceeds all his expectations, verse 20. In VOL. II.

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