them, and to give him the glory of them. And when our prayers accord to his precepts, are grounded on his promises, imply submission to his providence, and spring from a supreme desire of spiritual blessings; when we pray for those things that are truly good for us, conducive to the advantage of our brethren, or in any way honourable to his name, we cannot expect too much in answer to them, for "he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." The scripture abounds with examples of the efficacy of prayer: Abraham ceased to ask, even in behalf of Sodom, before the Lord refused to answer him; and "God remembered Abraham, in preserving Lot from the overthrow" (Gen. xviii. 17-33; xix. 29). Jacob wrestled with God, and prevailed with him, and Esau's heart was softened and his rage disarmed: he set out an enemy, yet met him as a brother (Gen. xxxii. xxxiii.). When Moses prayed, Amalek was discomfited; and when he pleaded for Israel, the Lord said, "Let me alone that I may destroy them." The time would fail to speak of David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, &c. Doubtless the conversion of Saul was an answer to the prayer of dying Stephen : and we may suppose, that the believers at Damascus were heard in their cries for protection from that cruel persecutor, in a manner beyond their most enlarged expectations; as were those at Jerusalem, when they prayed for Peter's deliverance from Herod (Acts xii). But, indeed, except in the case of miraculous interpositions, the same is still experienced; and the more any man has made the trial, the fuller will be his assent to this truth. The Christian, who has been frequent, fervent, and particular in his supplications for a length of time, has doubtless found that many of his petitions (defective and defiled as he knows them to be,) have been manifestly answered, both in his

own temporal and spiritual concerns, and in behalf of others, often beyond his expectations, and contrary to apparent probability: some requests have been granted, not exactly in his meaning, but in a far more desirable way; he hath prayed for the removal of the " thorn in the flesh," but the Lord hath answered him by showing the sufficiency of his grace, and employing the trial " to humble and prove him, and to do him good at the latter end" (2 Cor. xii. 1-10); so that the things that seemed the most against him, have most effectually promoted his highest interest. Or he has found his prayers answered, by feeling his mind wonderfully reconciled to a denial, from a conviction that "he knew not what he asked;" or by a calm serenity in waiting the Lord's time for those things which he had impatiently desired. The causes of his perturbation and anxiety remain, after his prayers have been presented before God; but the solicitude itself has given place to a divine "peace which passeth all understanding;" for " he called on the Lord, and was strengthened with strength in his soul." In short, he can scarcely produce an instance, in which he "poured out his heart" with earnestness and importunity, that he failed of btaining the blessing he sought, or was not, after a time, satisfied with the denial. In many cases

his intercessions for those around him have been graciously answered; in others, he may still retain hope; and in all, he may be assured that they will return into his own bosom. So that the efficacy of prayer, to bring light and wisdom into the mind, peace into the conscience, submission into the will, and purity into the affections; to keep our garments clean, our armour bright, and our hearts joyful; to make us strong for the conflict, for service or for suffering; to obtain sufficiency for our place and work, and a blessing on our endeavours; to secure peace with our enemies, or protection

against them; to carry every point that is truly good for us; to bring down blessings on our families, friends, and country; to procure peace and prosperity to the church, the conversion of sinners, and the spread of the gospel; and for all things which we can desire or conceive; must be allowed by every man who reverences the scriptures, or knows what it is " to walk with God." Did men speculate and dispute less, and pray more, their souls would be like a watered garden; fruitful, joyful, beautiful, and fragrant. Prayer is the first breath of divine life: it is the pulse of the believing soul, the best criterion of health or sickness, vigour or debility. By prayer we draw waters with joy from the wells of salvation: by prayer, faith puts forth its energy, in apprehending the promised blessings, and receiving from the Redeemer's fulness; in leaning on his almighty arm, and making his name our strong tower; and in overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil. All other means of grace are made effectual by prayer every doctrine and instruction produces its effect, in proportion as this is attended to; every grace revives or languishes according to the same rule.

Our grand conflict with Satan and our own hearts is about prayer: the sinner feels less reluctance, and meets less resistance, in respect of all other means, than in retiring to pour out his heart before God in secret; and the believer will find his chief difficulty to consist in continuing instant and fervent in this spiritual exercise. If he succeed in this, all else will eventually give place before him, and turn out to his benefit and comfort.

It should be remembered, that prayer may be either public, social, or secret. Public worship most honours God, and is the grand end of our assembling together; though few seem to understand it so. Social worship tends greatly to maintain brotherly love, and to bring down blessings on

families and societies. But secret prayer is the grand means of maintaining communion with God, and keeping alive the power of religion in the soul. Without this, the others will degenerate into formality; and the man himself will be devoid of life, strength and comfort, in the midst of them. Christians should, therefore, remember to prepare for public and social worship by secret prayer, meditation, and reading the scriptures; and not yield to the temptation of neglecting the one, by spending much time in the other. If we desire to pray aright, we must well observe, that the scripture always calls upon us " to pray in the Spirit," or "in the Holy Ghost," or rather " by the Spirit :" our first petition, therefore, should be, that the Lord would graciously give us his Holy Spirit to teach and enable us to pray. When this is duly attended to, a very heartless beginning will often have a bright and encouraging conclusion, and our desires may be too large even for utterance; but without it, words will often flow that have little meaning, and no correspondent affections (Rom viii. 26, 27). We should also be particular in our secret devotions; both in confession, supplication for temporal and spiritual mercies according to our circumstances, thanksgivings, and prayers for others; for whilst men deal in general words, they must either be very short and superficial, or run into needless repetition: and occasional ejaculatory petitions are a blessed addition to stated seasons of retirement. All our prayers should be explicitly offered in the name, and through the intercession of the divine Saviour; in dependence on his merits; with realizing expectation of success; and in a loving, forgiving spirit.

Finally, a thorough acquaintance with the prayers contained in the Psalms, and other parts of scripture; and a careful observation of the requests which the sacred penmen offered, the pleas they

used, the order and proportion they observed, and the confessions, adorations, and grateful praises they intermixed with their fervent supplications for personal and public, temporal and spiritual mercies, will be more useful to the serious Christian, in this part of religion, than all other helps whatsoever. Above all, the Lord's prayer, well understood and digested, will teach him what the confidence and leading desire of his heart in every prayer should be; what are the blessings especially to be sought for; and with what moderation and submission he should ask for temporal mercies, compared with the forgiveness of his sins, and deliverance from temptation and the tempter, from evil and the evil one: that, in approaching the throne of grace, he may "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, assured that all other things will be added to him.

ESSAY XXIV.

ON BAPTISM, and the lord's SUPPER.

AMONG the ordinances which the Lord hath appointed in his church, as means of grace and acts of solemn worship, some have from the earliest times been distinguished by the name of sacraments. This word originally signified the military oath which the Roman generals required from their soldiers; and these institutions were considered as solemn engagements to be faithful and obedient to Christ, under whose banner all Christians have inlisted. But in process of time sacraments were multiplied, which gave rise to immense superstition and absurdity: and as human nature continually verges to extremes, so it may be queried, whe ther numbers have not lately been induced too