SCRIPTURES.

Exodus xv. Ps. xxiii. xxxii. xxxiii. xcvi.-c. Isa. xii, xxxv. xl.— lxvi. Jer. xxxii. xxxiii. Ezekiel xxxvi. xxxvii. Rom. xii. 1 Cor. xiii. Ephes. i. ii. Phil. iv. Rev. vii. xv. xx.-xxii.

CHAPTER XVII.

ON PRAYER.

1. Approaching God in prayer.-2. The subjects of prayer.— 3. Watchfulness.-4. Help provided for us.-5. The reward of prayer.

We have now seen the leading truths of the gospel, and the graces, duties, and experience of the Christian; it remains to close the whole with those means by which we most effectually obtain and enjoy divine grace, and most glorify God by returning to him thanksgiving for all his goodness; I mean prayer and praise.

As the author has fully given his thoughts on these in his Treatise on Prayer, it is the less needful for him here to enlarge. He will first suggest those things which may assist the reader to understand, love, and practise these blessed duties: and then close the work with forms of prayer adapted to the poorer classes.

1. ON APPROACHING GOD IN PRAYER.

It was one of the first and most affecting marks of our fallen condition that the presence of God became painful to man. Our first parents heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. In this description we have a sweet picture of the communion which they had previously enjoyed; apparently with the Word of God as man, anticipating his incarnation; but now being fallen, they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. They had been created in the image and after the likeness of God; he had been their chief joy; he had furnished the earth with everything to make them happy; he manifested himself to them, wearing, as it is reasonably believed, already a human form; and communion with him must have been their richest privilege. All this was lost by sin.

It is the great design of the gospel, by the death of Jesus, that astonishing display of Christ's grace and holy love, shewing the greatest abhorrence of sin and yet the richest compassion to sinners,-to bring us back to real and spiritual communion with God now, and to perfected, manifested, and everlasting communion with him hereafter.

The first step towards this communion is to know and believe the real mind of God towards us. As Satan by lies first turned Adam and Eve from God, throwing doubts before them, both of his faithfulness and love, (Gen. iii. 1-5.) so he still in the same way keeps us from God. And all God's gracious communications with those who lived before the flood,

and with those who lived after; his call of Abraham; the law given by Moses; the deliverances by the judges, and the farther light given through inspired writers, kings and prophets, have all been designed to exhibit to us God's real character as still full of holy love. He hates sin most intensely, as we see in the deluge, and by Sodom and Gomorrah, and the sufferings and captivity of his own people; yet ever welcomes the returning sinner, and fills his soul with good things.

But the gospel of our Lord Jesus is the last and the brightest display of this truth, that God really loves sinful men with righteous love, and really waits to be gracious, and really rejoices over those who come to him. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son-God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself—the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. These truths shew us the real mind of God towards us, with a brightness and loveliness of grace and holiness, that ought to win every heart. They render our keeping at a distance from God wholly inexcusable. The question is no longer, will God be reconciled to me? but, will I be reconciled to Him? The case is not, God is too terrible and too holy to be approached; but I, in my natural state, through love of sin, hate him, and prefer my lusts to my God, though he has opened the very door of access to all his glories and blessedness.

Come then, poor sinner, and gaze upon God's grace to thee in Christ Jesus. See his paternal heart as it were yearning over thee; Oh, that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways. Psalm lxxxi. 13. Oh, that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments, then had thy peace been as a

river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. Isaiah xlviii. 18; Jer. xiii. 15-17. See how, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Rom. v. 10. Hear his gracious invitations. Be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor. v. 20. Come, for all things are now ready. Luke xiv. 17; Job xxii. 21. And be sure there is not one impediment on God's part; but on the contrary, he has provided every help for your immediate, happy, and constant communion with him.

The way of a sinner's approach, then, is to believe God's love to us in Christ Jesus, and to go to him in that only way opened for us. Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John xiv. 6. Open thy heart then to the full testimony of God's love in the world. See his gracious promises and covenant. I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their minds will I write them, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more; and then on this ground see how you are encouraged, having boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus-to draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith. Heb. x. 16-22.

Think, then, before prayer, God is really here. He loves me truly; he wishes to hear from me my desires. He bids me pour out my heart before him. He is, and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb. xi. 6. I have a great High Priest, perfectly holy, in whom I am accepted, and even my feeblest prayers are acceptable. I will trust, and not be afraid. God's word is true; my hope is sure. He will receive me just as I am. There is a throne of grace, and at this throne there is mercy for me,