contradict himself, has said to all," seek and ye shall "find." Matt. vii. 7.) It is true, indeed, that he who would seek GOD, and is yet unwilling to forsake his sins, shall not find him, because he seeks not aright; and, therefore, it is added, "Ye shall die in your sins." On the other hand, he, who diligently seeks God in his heart, and that he may draw near unto him sincerely forsakes his sin, shall infallibly find him.

A Life of Piety appears so formidable, and The Spirit of Prayer of such difficult attaintment, that most persons are discouraged from taking a single step towards it. The difficulties inseparable from all great undertakings, are, indeed, either nobly surmounted, or left to subsist in all their terrors, just as Success is the object of dispair or hope. I have, therefore, endeavoured to shew the facility of the method proposed in this treatise, the great advantages to be derived from it, and the certainty of their attainment by those that faithfully persevere. O were we once truly sensible of the Goodness of God toward his poor creatures, and of his infinite desire to communicate himself unto them, we should not affright ourselves with ideal monsters, not dispair of obtaining that good which He is so earnest to bestow: "He that "spared not his own son, but delivered him for us "all; how shall he not, with him, also freely give us all "things?" (Rom. vii 32,) But we want courage and perseverance; we have both, to a high degree, in our temporal concerns, but want them in " the one thing "needful." (Luke x. 42.)

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If any think, that GOD is not easily to be found in this way of Simple Love and Pure Adherence, let them not, on my testimony, alter their opinion, but rather make trial of it; and their own experience will convince them, that the reality far exceeds all my representations of it.

Beloved reader, peruse this little tract with an humble, sincere and candid spirit, and not with an inclination to cavil and criticise, and you will not fail to reap some degree of profit from it. It was written with a hearty desire that you might wholly devote yourself to God; receive it then, with a like desire for your own perfection: for nothing more is intended by it, than to invite the Simple and the Child-like to approach their FATHER, who delights in the humble confidence of his children,

and

and is grieved at the smallest instance of their diffidence or distrust. With a sincere desire, therefore, to forsake sin, seek nothing from the inartificial method here proposed, but THE LOVE OF GOD and you shall undoubtedly obtain it

Without setting up our opinions above those of others, we mean only with truth and candour, to declare, from our own experience and the experience of others, the happy effects produced by thus SIMPLY FOLLOWING OUR LORD

As this treatise was intended only to instruct in PRAYER, there are many things which we respect and esteem, totally omitted, as not immediately felative to our main subject: it is, however, certain, that nothing will be found herein to disgust or offend, provided it be read in the spirit with which it was written; and it is still more certain, that those who in right earnest make trial of the way, will find we have written THE TRUTH.

It is Thou alone, O HOLY JESUS, who lovest simplicity and innocence," and whose delight is to dwell with "the children of men." (Prov. viii. 3.) with those who are, indeed, willing to become "Little Children;" it is Thou alone, who canst render this little work salutary! Imprint it then on the hearts of all who read it, and lead them to seek thee within themselves, where Thou reposest as in the manger, waiting to receive proofs of their love, and to give them testimony of thine. Yet alas! they may still lose these unspeakable advantages by their negligence and insensibility! But it belongeth unto Thee, O thou INCREATED LOVE! thou SIlent and ETERNAL WORD! it belongeth unto Thee, to awaken, attract, and convert; to make Thyself be heard, tasted, and beloved! I know Thou canst do it ; and I trust Thou t; wilt do it by this humble work, which belongeth entirely to Thee, proceedeth wholly from Thee, and tendeth only to Thee! And, O most Gracious and adorable Saviour!

TO THEE BE all the GLORY!

A SHORT AND EASY METHOD

OF

PRAYER.

CHA P. I.

THAT ALL ARE CAPABLE OF PRAYER.

WHAT a dreadful delusion hath prevailed over the

greater part of mankind, in supposing that they are not called to a state of prayer! whereas all are capable of prayer, and are called thereto, as all are called to and are capable of salvation.

PRAYER is the application of the heart to GOD, and the internal exercise of love. St. Paul hath enjoined us to "pray without ceasing;" (1 Thess. v. 17.) and our Lord saith, "I say unto you all, watch and pray :" (Mar. xiii. 33. 37) and all therefore may, and all ought to practise prayer. I grant that meditation is attainable but by few, for few are capable of it; and therefore my beloved brethren, who are athirst for salvaltion, meditative prayer is not the prayer which GOD requires of you, nor which we would recommend.

LET all pray we should live by prayer, as we should live by love. "I counsel you to buy of me gold "tried in the fire, that ye may be rich;" (Rev. iii. 8) this is much more easily obtained than we can conceive. "Come, all ye that are athirst, to these living waters;" nor lose your precious moments in "hewing out cis"terns that will hold no water." (John vii. 37. Jerem. ii 13.) Come, ye famishing souls, who find nought whereon to feed; come and ye shall be fully satisfied! Come, ye poor afflicted ones, who groan beneath your load of wretchedness and pain, and ye shall find ease and comfort! Come, ye sick, to your physician, and be not fearful of approaching him, because you are filled with diseases; expose them to his view, and they shall

be.

be healed! Children draw near to your Father, and he will embrace you in the arms of love! Come ye poor stray wandering sheep, return to your shepherd! Come, sinners, to your Saviour! Come ye dull ignorant and illiter. re, ye who think yourselves the most incapable of prayer! ye are more peculiarly called and adapted thereto Let all without exception come, for JESUS CHRIST hath called all Yet let not those come, who are without a heart; they are not asked; for there must be a heart, that there may be love. But who is without a heart? O come, then, give this heart to GoD; and here learn how to make the donation. All who are desirous of prayer, may easily pray, enabled by those ordinary graces and gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT which are common to all

men

Prayer is the guide to perfection, and the sovereign good; it delivers us from every vice, and obtains us every virtue; for the one great means to become perfect, is to walk in the presence of GoD: he himself hath said, "walk in my presence and be ye perfect." (Gen xvii, 1.) It is by prayer alone that we are brought into this presence, and maintained in it without interruption.

You must then learn a species of prayer, which may be exercised at all times; which doth not obstruct outward employments; and which may be equally practised by princes, kings, prelates, priests and magistrates, soldiers and children, tradesmen, labourers, women and sick persons: It cannot therefore, be the prayer of the head, but of the heart; not a prayer of the understanding alone, which is so limited in its operations that it can have but one object at one time; but the prayer of the heart is not interrupted by the exercises of reason: Indeed nothing can interrupt this prayer, but irregular and disordered affections: and when once we have tasted of GOD, and the sweetness of his love, we shall find it impossible to relish ought but himself?

Nothing is so easily obtained as the possession and enjoyment of Gon, for "in him we live, move and have "our being;" and he is more desirous to give himself into us, than we can be to receive him; and to seek aright, is easier and more natural to us than breathing. Tho' you think yourselves ever so stupid, dull incapable of sublime attainments, yet by prayer, you may live in GOD himself with less difficulty or interruption than you

live

live in the vital air. Will it not be highly sinful to neglect prayer? but this I trust you will not, when you have learnt the method, which is exceedingly easy.

THERE

CHAP. II.

THE METHOD OF PRAYING.

are two ways of introducing a soul into prayer, which should for some time be pursued; the one is meditation, the other is reading accompanied with meditation

Meditative reading is the choosing some important practical or speculative truth, always preferring the practical, and proceeding thus: whatever truth you have chosen, read only a small portion of it, ende vour ng to taste and digest it, to extract the essence and substance thereof, and proceed no farther while any savour or relish remains in the passage: when this subsides, take up your book again, and proceed as before, seldom reading more than half a page at a time; for it is not the quantity that is read, but the manner of reading, that yields us profit. Those who read fast, reap no more advantage, than a bee would by only skimming over the surface of the flower, instead of waiting to penetrate into it, and extract its sweets. Much reading is rather for scholastic subjects, than divine truths; indeed to receive real profit from spiritual books, we must read as I have described; and I am certain if that method were pursued, we should become gradually habituated to, and more fully disposed for prayer.

Meditation which is the other method, is to be practised at an appropriated season, and not in the time of reading. I believe the best manner of meditating is as follows. When by any act of lively faith, you are placed in the presence of God, recollect some truth wherein there is substance and food: pause gently and sweetly thereon, not to employ the reason, but merely to calm and fix the mind: for you must observe, that your particular exercise should ever be the presence of God; your subject therefore, should rather serve to stay the mind, than exercise the understanding. From this procedure, it will necessarily follow, that the lively faith in a GOD immediately present in our inmost soul, will produce an eager and vehement pressing inwardly into our

selves,