hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him."

Here was a song adapted to the occasion. It was not the experience of David, set to the music of Handel. It was not the music of one, and the style of another-nor was it any set form of words; but the feeling of the whole nation, for all bad triumphed. Pharaoh's chariots and his hosts had he cast into the sea-his chosen captains were also drowned in the Red Sea, with the horse and his rider.

Now when we have experienced the same deliverance, and overcoming of our souls' enemies, we shall have each a word of consolation in our own hearts, and we can make melody unto Godwe can sing with the spirit, and with the understanding also. For our understandings will know the operation of the spirit-it will be sealed upon our own minds. Thus we shall be enabled to sing unto the most high God, with the spirit and the judgment, and to make sweet melody unto him in our hearts.

We have also oftentimes seen and heard long prayers, both extempore and written. I have

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seen prayers written and printed-prayers to be used at all times and all seasons, of all lengths and dimensions, and adapted to every purpose, before meat and after meat. And these have been used by individuals whose almost every act was in direct contradiction to the purity and holiness, and that divine love which are the characteristics of every follower of Christ. Now if we come to pray aright, we must pray with the spirit and the understanding also.

And what is prayer? Is it a form of words? Is it bowing down the head like a bulrush, and lifting up the voice like a trumpet? Will you call this prayer, or an acceptable offering unto God? When there was a fast called, a solemn assembly sanctified, what was to sanctify the fast?"Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breast. Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, where is their God?" Let all situations be brought forth, and come under

the divine influence of the spirit of God. Let the priests and ministers, or all the heavenly dispositions, stand as between the porch and the altar-let them pray unto the Lord, "Give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, where is their God?"

Now when we come thus to pray, we shall do it with the spirit and the understanding. We shall not pray statedly, once, twice, or three times a day, but in every act of our lives we shall know worship; when we are at our labour, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up. Then will our service be acceptable unto God, "as in the days of old, and as in former years." This is the fast which the Lord hath chosen: "to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?" Here now is a fast acceptable unto God, and one that will bring peace to our own minds. Let us look a little at that prayer which was taught by Jesus Christ to his disciples. "Our Father which art in heaven." Now we can

never know him to be our Father, till we are created into the same power, and brought forth in the same life; and not till then, can we proproperly say, “Our Father which art in heaven.” And when we are living in obedience to that which is manifest in all hearts, then we can pray, "Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done;" because, if we are keeping his statutes and laws, his spirit will govern us, and then we can pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." And wherefore? Because we have formed no system for our government: we are not looking to the carnal systems and opinions of men; we are not looking to performances which other men can do for us. And therefore, we can adopt the language of Christ, "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." And under the influence of this principle, we shall feel a being delivered from evil. “Deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory." We can ascribe this, because every one of us may thus experience the power of supplication to rest upon us. And it is here, that we can come to feel, that these supplications are precious in the sight of God, as the evening and morning sacrifice, or as incense offered up.

And these prayers, these spiritual oblations, can be offered in our daily avocations-when we sit in our houses, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up. And when we come to know this, the voice of the true shepherd, then we shall know the gospel preached baptizingly in every creature. It is the same spirit which opens the understanding, which outwardly unstopped the deaf ears, opened the blind eyes, and healed the maladies of their bodies, among the Jews; and which raised them from the dead. It is the same principle which yet operates spiritually; which unstops the deaf ears of our understanding, heals the maladies of the soul, even unto leprosy: which raises from a death of sin, into the life of Christ. And thus we become united together with God; and as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God. "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear: but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

These he is not ashamed to call his brethren.