Thanksgiving is expressed in the conclusion, and there is in the petitions an implied acknowledgment of all the great perfections of God.

This prayer is too generally used as a vain repetition. It is worthy of remark, that at the very time our Lord gave it, he expressly warned his disciples against vain repetitions. Matt. vi. 7.

Many things may be learned respecting prayer from this pattern.

1. The filial confidence and reverence with which we ought to approach God.

2. The expediency of method and order in our prayers.

3. The necessity of seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

4. The lawfulness of then asking for temporal blessings.

5. The importance of the temper in which we pray; an unforgiving temper obtains not God's forgiveness.

6. The duty of praying much for others.

7. The excellence of simplicity of expression.

8. The powerful pleas with which we may urge our petitions.

In this prayer we are not directly taught to ask in the name of Christ; and one reason may be, that when it was given, Christ's atonement had not actually taken place, nor his intercession as a risen Saviour begun. Therefore our Lord says, Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name—at that day ye shall ask in my name. John xvi. 23.

But though not directly mentioned, Christ is indeed virtually included in every part, and a Christian may have the privilege of realizing this.

"Our

Father," involves the relationship of Christ, as a brother, the first-born, the head and representative of the family. It is as if he had said, My Father and your Father, my God and your God. As if he had said,

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My family, my brother, I will lead you by the hand into the presence of the great and eternal God, the Lord of Heaven and earth. Do not fear, your elder brother is with you; say with me, "Our Father." I take the lead in every petition you present." Oh, may we ever feel this.1

SECT. VII.-The Frequency of Private Prayer.

The Scriptures do not give express directions how often we ought to pray, farther than by general intimations and the examples of others. We ought always to be in the spirit of prayer. But we are speaking now of stated seasons for retired prayer: and of this we say, that at the least you ought regularly to pray twice every day. David says, It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: to show forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Psalm xcii. 1, 2. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Psalm v. 3. And again, Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm cxl. 1, 2. Morning and evening devotions, then, every day, should never be omitted; and speaking generally, unless you are prevented by circumstances out of your control, they cannot be neglected without much damage to your soul.

1 See Howels' Sermons, page 39.

Prayer has been compared to a key, that in the morning opens the treasury of God's mercies; and in the evening shuts us up under his protection and safeguard. It has ever been found, that as we have sought God in spirit and in truth in the morning, so the rest of the day has prospered.

The habit of early rising is of great importance to the due discharge of morning prayer. O how many precious hours do indolent Christians lose; while those who are more self-denying and diligent, are gaining the favour of God and enjoying communion with him.'

Our first waking thoughts should be directed towards God; copying David's example, who says, When I awake I am still with thee. Psalm cxxxix. 15. I would advise you to be longest in your morning

1 Colonel Gardiner set an admirable example. "He used constantly to rise at four in the morning, and to spend his time till six, in secret exercises of devotion, reading, meditation, and prayer; in which last he contracted such a fervency of spirit, as I believe few men living ever obtained. This certainly tended very much to strengthen that firm faith in God, and reverend animating sense of his presence, for which he was so eminently remarkable, and which carried him through the trials and services of life with such steadiness and such activity; for he indeed endured and acted as always seeing him who is invisible. If at any time he was obliged to go out before six in the morning, he rose proportionably sooner; so that when a journey or a march has required him to be on horseback by four, he would be at his devotions at farthest by two. He likewise secured time for retirement in an evening; and that he might have it the more at command, and be the more fit to use it properly, as well as the better able to rise early the next morning, he generally went to bed about ten; and during the time I was acquainted with him, he seldom ate any supper, but a mouthful of bread with one glass of wine. In consequence of this, as well as of his admirably good constitution, and the long habit he had formed, he required less sleep than most persons I have known; and I doubt not but his uncommon progress in piety was in a great measure owing to these resolute habits of self-denial.-See Doddridge's Life of Colonel Gardiner.

devotions, when your spirits are lively and vigorous, and undisturbed by the events of the day; in the evening, when you are tired and spent with its labours, be shorter, and endeavour to attend to this duty sometime before you retire to rest. If your evening devotions are deferred till every thing else is done, there is great danger of their being often imperfectly performed, if not altogether omitted.

The Rev. C. Simeon remarks, "It is too generally found, that many, instead of transacting their business with God while their faculties are alive, stay till exhausted nature is become incapable of any energetic exertion, and then hurry over some form of prayer, as a school-boy does his task, without feeling one word they utter. Even this is a too favourable representation of the prayers of some others, who stay till they have lien down upon their bed, and then fall asleep in the midst of their devotions. As for praying in the morning, they have no time for that; the concerns of the past or present day have pre-occupied their minds; and if they offer two or three cold petitions while they are dressing, or before they leave their room, they think this quite sufficient."

Regular devotional exercises, twice every day, in secret, are both our privilege and our plain duty. More than this is strongly recommended. Christians in general would find, what many do find in their own practice, a great advantage in obtaining a few leisure moments for retired and stated prayer in the middle of the day. The word of God gives us encouraging examples of those who have done so. Evening, morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. Psalm lv. 17. Daniel, in a time of great danger, his windows being

opened in his chamber, kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God as he aforetime did. Dan. vi. 10. Here was the secret spring of the eminency of these holy men. They were much in prayer. Besides, men's thoughts and affections will necessarily be most vigorous and lively about those things in which they are incessantly employed, and they are able to do that best which they do most frequently. This is very evident in the common affairs of life. Indeed, we see this to be the case, as in prayer itself our thoughts so continually run out after our daily and more constant occupations.

Many objections are ever ready to start up in the natural heart, when we are called on to form a determined resolution to attend to any holy duty. But let us say as one said, "If the house were about to fall down, I must pray;" meaning, that the glory of God and the salvation of the soul were a matter of such infinitely superior magnitude to every earthly concern, that whatever were the consequence, he must attend to them.

Respecting the time to be allotted to prayer, no general rule can be given. Many have the command of their whole time, and from them more is reasonably expected. Surely an hour or two in twenty-four is not too much for them. A real love to God and a due sense of the value of his favour, will make a cheerful and a liberal giver. Others, as servants, who have hardly any time that they can call their own, are yet bound to redeem some for God, Dr. Doddridge remarks, "that there are few who, with proper care, might not have half or three quarters of an hour at command for reading the scriptures and