intercession for the saints, according to the will of God." Rom. viii. 26, 27. II. The obligations of prayer. These are very numerous, but we shall be satisfied, at present, merely to name them. 1. Prayer is natural. It is not more natural for the drowning man to cry for help to those who are at hand to deliver, than for the sinner who feels himself perishing in sin to call mightily upon God. Nor will there be a greater difficulty in finding expression in the one case than in the other. The difficulty of prayer, of which so many complain, arises out of the sinner not being sufficiently alive to a sense of his guilt and danger. 2. It is reasonable. It is an exercise accordant with all we know of God, as a being, infinite in power, wisdom, and goodness; and of man, as a weak, erring, sinful and necessitous creature. Shall the hungry. cry for bread, or the man that is athirst for drink? Then let the sinner pray. 3. Prayer is necessary. It is so from the natural connexion between God and man, as the Creator and the creature; more particularly so by reason of their relation as Redeemer and sinner; and there is super-added all the obligation of an express appointment, inasmuch as God has joined together the bestowment of his blessings, and the supplication of those who need them. "For these things I will be inquired of, saith God, to do it for them." 4. He has commanded prayer. "Continue instant in prayer-continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving-pray without ceasing." Whoever acknowledges the authority of God and of his word, must also acknowledge the obligation of prayer. 5. Prayer is profitable. It solemnizes the mind-enlightens the understanding-sanctifies the heart-regulates the temper-governs the life-prepares the man for heaven. He who neglects it, therefore, forsakes his own mercies. 6. It has ever been practised by the most holy men. Abraham was a man of prayer. So was Joshua. Read the Psalms, and learn how largely David partook of its spirit. And Jesus himself has left the example of spending entire nights in this heavenly exercise, as the nearest approach to God and heaven. 7. Prayer is effectual. The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth mnch. Moses prayed, and the Red sea divided its waters, Hezekiel prayed, and fifteen years were added to his life. Daniel prayed, and he was favoured with visions of the Lord. Cornelius prayed, and Peter was sent to teach him. The apostles prayed, and the Holy Ghost was given, as had been promised. This is the messenger that ascends to heaven, and returns laden with blessings. It is the highest privilege man enjoys on earth. To neglect prayer is to live without God and without hope in the world. It is a denial and a contempt of God, and Christ, and the Spirit, and heaven, and hell. To live in it is to live with God. It is the exact measure of holiness and happiness. It is the key-stone that binds the arch of the devout affections and religious duties; let it be removed, and the soul falls under the first temptation that crosses it; but let it be maintained with stedfastness, and the greater the weight that is laid upon the soul, the more will it be strengthened and able to bear. III. Some directions for cultivating the Spirit, and rendering effective the practice of prayer. As reasonable beings, we need these, and may derive much profit from attending to them. 1. Let there be particular seasons set apart for prayer. The morning and the evening of every day-the return of the Sabbath-the hours of food-these are times that naturally invite the exercise, and they have been sanctioned by the appointments and examples recorded in Scripture. It is necessary to have stated seasons of prayer, else are we in danger of losing the habit. And these seasons once appointed, we should adhere to them with the utmost constancy, at the same time that we should be on our guard against formality in them. 2. We should not confine our prayers to particular seasons. We should seek to be ever in the spirit of prayer. Every event of life should be used as an excitement to it, either provoking gratitude, or leading us to expresions of humiliation. Especially when by any means the mind is disposed to prayer, we should be careful to encourage and gratify it. Satan will tempt at such a time to neglect the impulse of the spirit; but it is a critical season, and should be watched and improved. 3. When we engage in prayer, we should be at pains to have the spirit of prayer produced in the mind. This will be readily effected by previous meditation. Dwell upon the blessings received, the sins committed, the duties to be done, and the blessings to be sought, and it will be found the Spirit will own such an exercise, and cause the of the soul to flow out in the practice of prayer. graces 4. We should have variety in prayer. We need this even in our private supplications, in order to guard against formality. But especially is it required of those who lead the devotions of others in the family, the social meeting, or the sanctuary. There should be variety in both thought and language. And this will be obtained by the diligent study of three books, the Bible, the world, and ourselves. None will be at a loss for variety in prayer who reflect on these three things as they ought. Their only difficulty will be to compress their prayers within due limits. 5. We should consider carefully for whom we should pray. This will lead us to consider the special circumstances of ourselves and others-the different members of our family-the members of the church, individually and collectively-magistrates the heathen-the various religi. ous societies-the kings of the earth. "I exhort," saith Paul," that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority." Let this be done with due consideration and understanding, and it will be found that there is more matter for prayer than we have been accustomed to think. 6. Let us never forget that the spirit of prayer is the gift of the Holy Ghost. This will cause us ever to enter upon its exercise in dependence upon him. And just in the measure in which we acknowledge him, may we expect to be acknowledged by him. 7. We should never engage in any duty without betaking ourselves to prayer. There may not be a moment of time for the exercise exclusively, but the mind is so constituted, and prayer is of such a nature, that in the very act of putting the hand to the work, the soul may be lifted up, and the divine blessing and direction sought and obtained. Let these few thoughts be attended to, and it will be found they render prayer what it has ever been intended to be the greatest support, and consolation, and benefit of man. We cannot conclude them more appropriately than by annexing the beautiful lines of Montgomery on Prayer, which, thoguh familiar to many of our readers, may not be so to them all. PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast. The upward glancing of an eye,... Prayer is the simplest form of speech Prayer the sublimest strains that reach Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, While angels in their songs rejoice, The saints, in prayer, appear as one, Nor prayer is made on earth alone : And Jesus, on the eternal throne, O thou, by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way, The path of prayer thyself hast trod: NOTICES OF BOOKS. REVIEW of the DISCUSSION on the UNITARIAN CONTROVERSY, between the Rev. J. SCOTT PORTER and the Rev. D. BAGOT, M. A., held in Belfast, on April 14, 1834, and three following days. By ALEXANDER CARSON, A. M. W. M'COMв. P.p. 58. Price One Shilling. OUR readers will remember, that several months ago, we made a few observations on this admirable little brochure; and having lately, with increased pleasure, given it a more leisurely reading, we cannot refrain from offering some additional remarks. We notice the pamphlet a second time, because we think it is eminently calculated to a advance the cause of truth, not only with respect to the fundamental doctrine of the Deity of the Son of God, but also in reference to the doctrines of the Bible generally. Indeed the most valuable characteristic of Mr. Carson's works is the developement of general principles which they contain; for these serve as landmarks to guide the reader in the investigation, not only of the subject of which the author may be treating, but of all other subjects, whether of a secular or a sacred kind. Mr. Carson shows himself to be a real disciple of the Baconian school of philosophy, discarding every sentiment which is merely hypothetical, and submitting with the docility of a child to whatever has the basis of evidence to rest on. >His character, as a philosophic theologian, and a profound original independent thinker, stands in the very highest rank; and he was only justly designated, when called "one of the most acute and philosophic reasoners of the present age." Indeed Mr. Car son would have established his right to all this eulogy, though he had never written any thing else than his essay on "Transubstantiation Subversive of the Foundations of Human Belief" the most splendid and powerful tract that has ever appeared on the subject. But he has published extensively on other subjects with not less power and originality. In his work on Inspiration, he has, with amazing acuteness, exposed the errors of the most learned and pious authors in England and Scotland on this subject, and his views are rapidly in progress of general adoption by Orthodox Christians. We regard this divine's two pamphlets against Professor Lee of Cambridge, proving the latter's "Incompetency for Translating, or Correcting Translations of the Holy Scriptures," as containing some of the finest specimens of philosophic criticism that were ever penned. As we have been led to advert to these publications of Mr. Carson, we shall take leave to mention just another-one, indeed, which is more closely connected with the subject of the pamphlet whose title is at the head of this article--we mean his reply to Dr. Drummond's essay on the Trinity. It is strange that this triumphantly victorious reply was so shamelessly mismanaged in the publication. Whoever took this in hand, must have been wofully negligent. The form in which the pamphlet appeared was shabby in the extreme. It was full of typographical errors; and, as if to guarantee to it a limited circulation, the price was made extravagantly high. Had the book been treated with any thing like justice, it would have had a most extensive sale, and, we have no doubt, would have become a standard work on the |
