The analogy is perfect and beautiful,-putting the system of nature and the system of divine grace at one. And as it all depends upon the free-will of man, or upon his free co-operation with the Divine Will, whether he will pray or not, so he might as well say of any virtue, or of any obedience,—"“I will not exert myself; God is unchangeable; what can I do to command his blessing?" Prayer, in fact, is but the labor of the spirit for certain influences from God; and what more is any moral exertion which the spirit of man puts forth? All our virtues are derived from God, and every increase of goodness that we make is but a draft upon the unchangeable Deity.

The Lord indeed changes not, in his laws and nature; but man changes, and by that variation does really attract more of the Divine Spirit into his opened soul, and can thus be led more effectually into paths of the Divine Providence, and this even in answer to prayer.

Prayer in itself is nothing but desire; and this desire, when it exists on the part of man, has the effect to open up the vessels of his spiritual organism towards the Divine Being, thus causing a larger influx of his Spirit. The word the external asking, is simply the outward expression of an internal psychological operation. It is stated by Swedenborg, and no doubt truly, we can see the rationality of it, — that the higher portions of a man's spiritual brain, when in the act of devotion, are really raised into a convexity upwards, and that they fall again into a depression when he ceases from that state. Now, therefore, while God is immutable, it is still a divine and sacred truth that He can attract us to Him, and in turn He can be attracted to human states and conditions, by virtue of those affinities which exist between God and man, just as they operate between man and man. The influence is mutual and reciprocal. "Draw nigh to God," says an apostle, "and God will draw nigh to you." And by placing ourselves in proper positions towards God, by calling on Him with a pure mind, by seeking Him in the exercise of high spiritual qualities, we do, without any

change in the essential principles and laws of action of the Divine Mind, inevitably attract those qualities in the Deity which are nearest akin to our own reigning spirit at the time of supplication. It is thus that the Lord "gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." And the Spirit which is thus given, leads also to many other things, both of a temporal and spiritual nature, consequent upon this desire on our part.

But we proceed to observe again, that the Lord frequently sends his angels in answer to prayer. This perhaps is the general way of complying with human petitions. It is, however, by immediate, as well as mediate procedure. Here again may be seen the reasonableness and the efficacy of prayer. Take the following instance from the prayers of Daniel. 660 my God," says the prophet," incline thine ear and hear; open thine eyes and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name; for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. Hearken and defer not, for thine own sake, for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. And whilst I was speaking and praying, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision from the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding." (Chap. 9.)

Surely here was answer to prayer, in a visible and tangible manner, and an angel of God called out for the purpose. Would he have come without the prayer? Surely not, we may say, for the prayer was the very means, though it were inspired by the Lord himself into the free-will of the prophet, of putting him in a state to attract the divine attention or influx more interiorly, and to cause the angel to come at that moment. If we would accustom ourselves to think of this whole matter as influx, more or less interiorly, instead of a separate Divine Being coming and going, we should form more rational views, and be

lieve more easily. But we may think of the angels, more distinctly, as coming and going. "While I was praying," says Daniel, "he was caused to fly swiftly, and touched me about the time of the evening oblation." How beautiful is this reality of prayer! How truly any man may thus draw the angels around him! As David says, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." (Psalm, 34: 6.) “The angel of his presence saved them.” (Isa. 63: 9.)

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Again it is written of Cornelius, "a devout man, who feared God and prayed to him alway," that on a certain occasion he saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, calling him by name, and saying- Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." (Acts, 10: 1-4.) Then was given him direction how to proceed and what to do, with the whole announcement of Peter's vision concerning the gentile world.

Again, it is well known that while Jesus was praying on the Mount of Olives, "there appeared an angel unto him, strengthening him." (Luke, 22: 41-43.) Also it is said, in reference to an erring disciple who would have smote one of the enemies of Jesus, "Put up thy sword; thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels." (Matt. 26: 52, 53.)

From all which it appears, that the sincere prayer of the heart is the appointed medium of connection between man, the Lord, and the heavens. And can there be any thing more touching and beautiful? To think of a direct chain of connection and communication, from God the Father, down through intermediate ranks of glorified beings, to the children of earth and mortality, by which their faintest aspiration, if it be true, touches some bright link in the chain of being, and wafts it successively to the throne of God! Indeed the universe is such a reality. We are not commanded to pray always, and not to faint, to no purpose, or for a half, or mutilated purpose. There is a wholeness in our devotions, and a reality surpassing our utmost

imaginations to conceive. A praying spirit is a strong, a mighty spirit. The expression of the old pietists, "wrestling with God," means something; though it is not a scriptural expression, and is liable to perversion. The Deity is not that fixed, immovability of Nature, which never bends or is pliant to His creatures' wants. Why, even Nature itself is not such a fixity. Is not all Nature in incessant motion? Is not Matter itself in everlasting action? And do not all things have secret affinities, attractions, and tendencies? So also the mighty universe of spirit. So also the Spirit of the infinite God. And connected as He is with all created spirits through all dominions, there cannot one of them move without affecting, by successive steps, the whole host of created intelligences, and the Lord of all to whom they are united. Call this only apparent truth, if you will. Say that, more really, it is God who affects us, and moves all with his own will. Still, so far as we are concerned, it is a practical reality. It is our free-will that is concerned in the work. How truly are we told the philosophic fact, that we cannot lift a finger without moving, by some imperceptible degree, the distant spheres! or sound a voice without undulating through the depths of space! Much less can we think a thought without moving the heavenly societies, or be stirred with deep feeling without pulsating through the immortal kingdoms. "There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth." Can a man then pray, can he bend himself in deep, strong humiliation, and pour out his desires to the Lord of mercy, especially if he is in any exercise of penitence, or distress of mind, and not pierce the ear of the Great Father of spirits, and move Him to compassion on a helpless mortal? The movement, I repeat, is chiefly the opening of our own souls to a larger influx of the Divine Spirit than could otherwise possibly be given. And God gives the prayer for that very purpose that man may feel it as his own, and that the proper blessing may be given and appropriated.

Thus we understand the whole subject of prayer in general.

We see its profundity, its clear rationality. Our prayers indeed are not all answered; they frequently remain unanswered, as to the specific things which we ask for. Hence it is so often inculcated that we must pray in submission to the Divine Will. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you:" because in this state, all the desires are in harmony with the will of God. But yet it must be observed, that our prayers are always attended with a blessing; for the very desire towards God, even though we ask amiss for the particular things, cannot but prove effectual in procuring an influx of his Spirit, which unfailingly leads to many varieties of good. And, truth to say, it is only in these specifications for particular blessings, which for the most part ought not to be indulged in, that we are likely to err; for we know not, frequently, what things we are in need of; and hence it is that the Lord's prayer is so appropriate and compendious a form; and even the simple state of mind "Thy will be done," if it be persevered in till it becomes a devout habit of the mind, is a very sufficient form of prayer. There are few, however, who attain to this simple state. What we nearly all need, in the present state of religion, is earnest, deep prayer, of a character sufficiently specific for each individual case. And until a man does come into this state, of greater or less simplicity and surrender, he is not in a condition where he can receive the highest divine blessings, his own will continually interfering with the divine efforts towards him.

The question has frequently been asked by those more spiritually minded, whether we should pray for material blessings; to which it is answered, that in this whole subject of prayer, much is to be deferred to the state of the individual. What is fit for one is not fit for another. Our Lord himself did not, from all that appears, use the form He prescribed for us, even so far as He might have used it consistently with his nature and office; but varied his petitions according to the circumstances, and the nature of the temptations of the infirm hu