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How doth the unquiet spirit of man plunge himself, and all about him, into confusion, miseries, and distresses; engendering unhappy discords among individuals, and bloody cruel wars among the nations! And how often, my blessed Master, instead of retiring to thy bosom, have I myself allowed this spirit of violence within me, and met it in other men! How much have I wronged my enemies by not praying for them, as I ought, when they have vented their wrongs against me! With how little patience and submission to thy will have I endured these wrongs; not considering, that they could not have come, unless they had been permitted by thee, and were allowed to come altogether for my good! O Lord, wipe off my guilt by thy most precious blood, and enable me in future, as well not to take offence, as to be earnest to give none. So shall I appear indeed to be the disciple of thee, my Saviour, who, like a patient silent lamb, didst endure all manner of insults and injuries; and so, in following thee, I shall find peace at least by thy grace, both in thy bosom and in my own, though I find none beside throughout this distracted world!

CHAPTER XIX.

On Prayer.

PRAYER is the very breath of faith, and the first

evidence of new and spiritual life in the soul.

The

Lord said of Paul, "Behold he prayeth;" because the Lord had then given him a heart to pray. Doubtless, he had often fasted and prayed before, as far as the lips were concerned: but the spirit, not words; life, not expression only, constitute prayer with God. Language may give it a form; but language alone is like mere body without a soul; and he that so offers it, renders to God a dead unclean carcass for a living sacrifice, which is an abomination in his sight.

Whatever hath life, must breathe; and if the life be sound and strong it will breathe freely. Short, irregular, disordered breath, discovers either great exercise, or ill health. It is the same in the life of faith. If the soul be quickened by Christ, it will breathe out its desires after him; perhaps, like a child at first, mingled with strong crying, bitter sobs, and many tears; but still it breathes on and prays on; its breath of prayer is not stopped, but struggles for life and increase. If the prayer be faint and weak, disordered and low, the person is not in full life and health, or else some great temptation oppresses him heavily. The Physician of souls must be looked to for medicine, and for deliverance. Certainly all is not right; and a speedy help should be sought for and applied.

When the mind is truly touched by grace, it will and must pray. If the heart cannot find words to carry up its request, it will send them forth in earnest groans. Prayer can no more be kept from ascending than flame from the fire. "The Spirit," said one, who understood this matter well, "helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should

pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercessions for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." The cries of a drowning man are above the formality of words, and forcibly pierce the ear for help: so the deep-felt anguish of a convinced heart is inexpressibly eager for mercy, and with moans and groans sues it out from God in right earnest. It doth not seek a florid oration, or theatrical starts, but pours forth aspirations, at times, too ardent and mighty for words. O how God loveth such addresses as these! One " Abba, Father," one tearful sigh, one inward groan, are beyond, and far better, than all the fine speeches in the world.

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Let not the broken-hearted sinner grieve then too much, that he cannot find language to express the fulness of his desires. His desires are the better for being found in his bosom too large and too strong for utterance: there is more of heaven in them, and they will break out at last the swifter towards heaven. If he can find fit words, let him use them; if he cannot, let not their absence increase his concern. God knows and loves the language of the heart, and in due time will answer the prayer. See 1 Sam. i. 13—15.

As to the gift of wordy prayer, it is generally bestowed for the sake of others. If accompanied with faith, it is highly valuable for godly edifying; if not, it will rather weary than improve. This gift is stirred up to more usefulness by exercise; and, when expressions flow easily, the heart can freely open itself without over-much labour or fear.

As to public ministrations of prayer, the unhappy

zeal of party renders it difficult to speak of them without danger of offence. However, this every candid Christian may venture to allow, that a form of sound words may more decently be used for congregations, than the loose, crude, and incoherent expressions of raw and unexperienced men. On the other hand, could the church be always sure of sound and able ministers, who might rightly pray over the word of truth, as well as divide it, there certainly would be less occasion for forms, which seem to have been composed to prevent disorders, or keep out heresies, or to show to the church at large, what should be the objects of prayer at all times. No one surely can deny, that, in both the Jewish and Christian church, where public forms have been used, men have prayed together with the Spirit, and perhaps with the more understanding and communion because they knew the words, and that it is possible to do so now with any sound and gracious form. So, on the other hand, it would be bigoted and unchristian-like to affirm, that the Spirit of grace hath not blessed what is called free prayer to the edification of souls; when, doubtless, there are now living numberless witnesses, of great truth and piety, to the contrary. It never was the form, or the want of it, that made true prayer; but the grace of God in Christ Jesus, flowing through the words that were used, from or to the heart. And if all these gracious persons, divesting themselves of narrow prejudices, were asked, How and by what means they prayed? they would probably answer to a man, that it was by faith in Christ Jesus, and by the good

Spirit of their God. If both sides, then, are thus in debt to grace for the very life and being of all their prayers, and are thus alike free to confess it; how should the kind meekness and forbearance of their dear Lord glow in all their hearts towards each other, and cause them to love one another gladly, because he hath made no difference in his love to them? Surely, this would be much better than to wrangle about a mode or no mode of of which, just as God blesses,

prayer, in either there may be much It is the spirit of

true prayer or no prayer at all. faith which carries on the real business; not the form or the gesture, the lip or the tongue.

Having ventured thus far to walk upon ground, which party or prejudice have made very tender, it may be expedient for my soul to consider the subject of prayer in a view more interesting and necessary to its welfare.

My Saviour commands me to watch, as well as to pray; and his apostle exhorts me to "be sober and watch unto prayer." My flesh is prone to be intoxicated with the mystic cup of Babylon, with the love of this present evil world, and therefore is unruly and unsteady. From hence arise all my dulness and distractions of mind in the things of God; my coldness and weariness in prayer, my feebleness in duties, and my faintness in praise. I had need to be sober, for I have a great concern before me; I ought to watch, for my enemies are subtle and mighty. They watch, if I do not, and are always ready to take advantages to hinder, whenever I am careless to get forward. I have an open door, and

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