stated and regular time, must be obvious to all. We shall then be sure not to forget or neglect the duty. If we have no definite rule on the subject, but leave the time for prayer to be decided by circumstances, it will generally be an irregular, hurried, and unprofitable service; our minds will often be in an unsettled state, and whether to pray now or at another time, will be a question so frequently recurring, that we shall probably dismiss the duty altogether, to relieve ourselves from embarrassment. But when shall the time be fixed? Nature and scripture point out morning and evening as the most suitable seasons. In the morning, some will find it best to pray on first rising from their beds; others, after attending to necessary domestic cares. In the evening, many can most advantageously do it about the going down of the sun; but others, not till all the labors of the day are finished. Let me only suggest, that you should sacredly guard the fixed times for prayer against the encroachments of the world. If possible, let not worldly business be pushed so hard and so late as to unfit your soul for its evening offering; let not evening company, visits, or even religious meetings, destroy your relish or waste your strength for secret devotion. Is it next asked, how frequently shall we pray? This depends so much on circumstances, that no rule applicable to all can be given. David says, "Evening, and morning, and at noon, he shall hear my voice." Daniel "kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks." "Cornelius, a devout man, prayed to God always:" that is, as I understand it, at the stated hours of prayer observed by the Jews-three times a day. Peter was engaged in private prayer "about the sixth hour," or noon. Most saints, distinguished for a close walk with God, have thrice a day entered into their closets. "I have found the benefit of your advice,” said a young Christian to his pastor, "in adding noon to my former seasons of prayer, morning and evening." As a general rule, morning and evening must not be dispensed with;-and whoever can, consistently with his other duties, retire like David and Daniel, at noon also, will find as a consequence, "Sweet pleasures rise from things unseen, It may further be inquired, how much time shall be devoted to this sacred exercise? On this point too, the Scriptures are not explicit. It must depend, in a measure, on the nature and number of other duties; on the specific objects for which we pray; and in some degree on the spirit and feelings of the occasion. When we have unusual freedom and fervor-when we most intensely desire some spiritual benefit, or when great results are depending-then more time than ordinary ought to be devoted to it. Before Christ chose his twelve apostles, he spent a whole night in prayer. Jacob, at Penuel, intent on securing the blessing of the Angel of the covenant, continued his supplication till break of day. Colonel Gardiner, whose engagements were often such that he could have but one season of retirement a day, used to spend two hours in devotion before going out in the morning. Martin Lu ther thought three hours every day were little enough to spend in prayer. These were noble examples; let those who can, imitate them. There is very little danger, in these days of spiritual declension, of erring in spending too much time in this service. The danger all lies on the other side. I admire the rule observed by the pious Bradford; "he would not give over confessing any sin, till he felt some brokenness of heart for it, and would not cease praying for a particular blessing, till he felt some relish of it in his soul." Were it needful to express a more decided opinion in regard to the time to be spent in secret devotion, at each season, I would give that of the author of "Advice to a Young Christian:" It is good to stipulate with yourself for half an fan hour. This time, at least, may be profitably occupied in self-examination and reading the Scriptures, together with prayer. Two questions of a practical kind may here be asked. First, Should we so strictly observe set times for prayer, as to attempt the duty, if we do not feel the spirit of prayer; or, as some express it, are not moved by the Spirit to pray ? To which I answer, unquestionably we should: for our feelings can never be made the standard of our duty. And if we feel a reluctance to pray, it is evident we have then some sin to confess and some blessing to crave; so that we need, it may be, to pray the more. Besides, if we adopt the rule, to pray only when we happen to feel like it, Satan and a wicked heart will allow us but few opportunities. I once knew a Christian female who was induced to act on this unscriptural rule, of praying only when "the Spirit moved her to do it ;" and she became the prey and sport of temptation, and was for a long time left in a state of most distressing gloom and doubts, of her piety. You might as well neglect public wor ship, family prayer, reading the Scriptures, and every other duty which you owe to God, or your fellow-men, when you happen to feel disin, clined or backward to it, as to neglect private prayer for this reason. The second question is, Whether those who join in family prayer ought also to pray in secret; especially, ought he to do it who leads the family devotions? Certainly, as a general rule; because the design of family prayer is different from that of private; and no one can offer such a kind of prayer in the presence of others, as the private and personal wants of his soul demand. You can no more make family prayer a substitute for private, than you can public prayer, for family; or preaching on the Sabbath, for the private reading of the Scriptures. In short, you can never throw the personal concerns of your soul into a common stock with a family, or even a church, so as to render private prayer needless. The publican spoke what his own heart felt, when he smote upon his breast, and cried, "God be merci, ful to me a sinner!" No one could possibly have uttered that prayer in the publican's behalf. Thus far I have spoken only of the ordinary seasons of prayer; but besides these, there are special and extraordinary ones, which every Christian will need to observe; such was that of David, when he prayed for the life of his child; of Daniel, when he set his face to seek the Lord God for the return of the Jews from captivity; and of Nehemiah, when he was about to make request to King Artaxerxes. Our Savior engaged in special prayer at the time of his baptism; before electing his twelve apostles; on the mount of transfiguration; and during his agony in the garden of Gethsemane. So ought we to observe special seasons of prayer. How obviously suitable is it, that more time should be spent on the Sabbath in secret devotion, than can be ordinarily on other days! Who but inust pray more when about to begin an important and difficult enterprise, or to assume weighty responsibilities, or in a season of great domestic affliction, or of general attention to religion, than he does ordinarily? And under a penitential sense of past unfaithfulness and present sin, it is suitable and even necessary for individuals to observe days of fasting and special prayer, for the pardoning mercy of God. III. Let us next consider some of the PECULIAR ADVANTAGES of private prayer. It allows of much greater freedom than we can use at other times. Both in social and family prayer-much more in public-we are restrained from confessing our personal sins, except in general terms: we must then, also, suit our expressions to the wants and circumstances of our fellow-worshippers. But when alone, with no hearing ear but that of God, with no eye but his upon us, we can, without fear or restraint, pour out our complaints, make to him our confessions, and tell him all our wants and our sorrows. You well know with what freedom you converse when alone with your best friend-so it is with the soul in solitary communion with God. Oh, could you sometimes listen at the closet door of a Christian, what heart-affecting confessions would you hear! what sighs and groans of penitence! what earnest cries for pardon! what importunity in supplication for others; what grateful acknowledgments; what outpouring of the whole heart to God! Private prayer has also a most happy influence upon a person's feelings and temper. How soothing and invigorating in the morning, to hold a season of retired communion with God; to give him thanks for the mercies of the night; to implore his guidance through the day; his defence against temptations, and his grace, as a shield, against sin! With what cheerfulness too may a Christian go out from his closet to engage in the duties, and to meet the dangers and trials of the day before him! And when he retires from his labors at evening, and in his closet has held communion with his covenant God; then with an approving conscience and heavenly calmness, he commits himself to the divine protection, and lays his head upon his pillow! Account for it as you may-I believe the fact is unquestionable-that private prayer so regulates and tranquillizes the mind, gives it such a balance, selfpossession, and reliance on divine aid, that it happily fits a person for the performance of his most common duties, and enables him to accomplish more and do it better than he otherwise could. What but prayer gave Nehemiah such firmness in building the walls of Jerusalem amid insults and opposition? What else enabled Daniel to brave the horrors of the lions' den? Sir Matthew Hale, in his letters to his chil dren, says; "If I omit praying and reading a portion of God's blessed Word in the morning, nothing goes well with me all the day." Dr. Boerhaave said, "that his daily practice of retiring for an hour in the morning, and spending it in devotion and meditation, gave him firmness and vigor for the business of the whole day." Dr. Doddridge used frequently to observe, “that he never advanced well in human learning without prayer; and that he always made the most proficiency in his studies when he prayed with the greatest fervency." Luther had written on the door of his study, “Bene orasse, est bene studuisse”To have prayed well, is to have studied well. How well does the experience of Christians, in the more retired and ordinary walks of life, accord with the facts above mentioned. Have you not found that daily private devotion has the effect of composing your mind and giving you vigor in business? When you neglect it or hurry it over, do you not feel the sad effects in a discomposed frame, a disturbed conscience, and in unsteadiness of purpose? Those of you who wholly neglect private prayer, may think little of this advantage of it:-you, perhaps, feel able to pursue your labors and meet the trials and temptations of life without God's blessing—but, alas! you may learn, when too late to profit by it, how unwisely you judge, and how presumptuously you act. 66 Again, Private prayer is one of the most important means of growth in grace. As the affections which are then called forth are fresh, lively, and vigorous, and as a corresponding impression is felt on the heart that exercises them; the closet hence becomes an index of a person's spirituality. His evidences of personal holiness and of progress in religion brighten or grow dim, very much in proportion to his faithfulness in private devotions. Apostacy," says Mr. Henry, "begins at the closet door." If, my brethren, I knew the history of your closets—if I knew the frequency of your visits there-the time you spend the motives that influence you the manner in which you conduct while there; I should not fear to hazard an opinion respecting the state of your souls! Your comparative improvement in the Christian life might, by this test, very accurately be judged of. Of some of you, I trust, it would be manifest, that you are growing up to the measure of the stature of perfect ones in Christ Jesus;" of others, I fear, that your growth is exceedingly slow, almost imperceptible; and of others still, that the graces of the Spirit, if alive at all, are languid and withered. 66 Private prayer, moreover, procures the blessing of God upon others. All the promises to prayer in general, may be claimed for prayer offered in secret. In that hallowed retreat, the Christian has power with God; there "he moves the hand that moves the world." Feeble as the instrumentality is, in itself; yet, through the promise of God, its results are great and lasting on the conversion of sinners; the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom; the peace and welfare of mankind upon earth, and their destiny in eternity! I only add-great is the reward promised to him that prayeth in Thy father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." secret. 66 99 There, truly, he manifests himself to his supplicating children, in the endearing character of FATHER! There, he inspires them with confidence to cry," Abba, Father!"—and there he gives them an earnest of the joys which are "at his right-hand.' Turn to the closet experience of almost any Christian, and how comforting and joyful is it often! "I would not," says a lady, in her diary-"I would not be hired out of my closet for a thousand worlds. I never enjoy such hours of pleasure, and such free and entire communion with God, as I have here; and I wonder that any can live prayerless, and deprive themselves of the greatest privilege allowed them." "In prayer," says the missionary Martyn, "I had a most precious view of Christ, as a friend that sticketh closer than a brother! I hardly know how to contemplate with praise enough his adorable excellences. Who can show forth all his praise? I can conceive it to be a theme long enough for eternity. I want no other happiness, no other sort of heaven!" Brainerd, in his journal, records; "I spent an hour in prayer with great intenseness and freedom, and with the most soft and tender affection towards mankind. O! it is an emblem of heaven to love all the world with a love of kindness, forgiveness, and benevolence. My soul was sweetly resigned to God's disposal of me-I confided in him that he would never leave me, though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death." How often did Payson write in his journal," Had a sweet season in prayer this morning, and felt fervent love to my Savior, and desires that he might be glorified." But why should I multiply examples? Have you not experienced in your own souls the blessed reward of prayer in secret? Do you not know what the presence of God means? what communion of soul with him is? Have you never, in the closet, seen his goodness pass before you? never had, while there, sweet foretastes of heaven, and joyous anticipations of that "open reward," which he will give you in the presence of congregated worlds? That reward, I conceive, will be the same in kind as that which you now receive. It will be open, that is, public and manifest to the whole intelligent universe. Then you will receive an answer to all your prayers, in a full justification before God, complete sanctification, confirmation in holiness, and in being admitted to his immediate "presence, where is fulness of joy, and to a seat at his right-hand, where are pleasures for evermore.' Having thus offered some suggestions relative to the duty of private prayer, and exhibited the advantages of it, I would, in conclusion, First, address all the members of this church who are present. Beloved brethren, do you pray in your closets? From many hearts, I hear the reply, "We do." Have you stated and regular hours for this duty? are you punctual in it? do you take sufficient time? do you not neglect the service, when your affections are languid, or because you pray in your family? do you observe any special seasons of prayer; and do you occasionally unite fasting with this exercise? I would also ask, my brethren, what advantages do you derive from private prayer? Can you pour out your soul with freedom before God in private? do you derive from it a happy influence on your feelings and temper; and |