unbelief," if the supplicant be in so happy a frame, and the prayer be darted up with such strong faith that his very soul mounts with the petition, may suffice to draw down a blessing which may be withheld from the more prolix petitioner; yet, if by prayer we do not mean a mere form of words, whether they be long or short; if the true definition of prayer be, that it is "the desire of the heart;" if it be that secret communion between God and the soul, which is the very breath and being of religion; then is the Scripture so far from suggesting that short measure of which it is accused, that it expressly says, "Pray without ceasing: "-"Pray evermore: " I will that men pray every where: -"Continue instant in prayer." If such "repetitions" as these objectors reprobate, stir up desires as yet unawakened, or protract affections already excited (for "vain repetitions" are such as awaken or express no new desire, and serve no religious purpose), then are repetitions" not to be condemned. And that our Savior did not give the warning against "long prayers and repetitions in the sense these objectors allege, is evident from his own practice; for once, we are told, "he continued all night in prayer to God." And again, in a most awful crisis. of his life, it is expressly said, "He prayed the third time, using the same words." * All habits gain by exercise; of course, the Christian graces gain force and vigor by being called out, and, as it were, mustered in prayer. Love, faith, and trust in the divine promises, if they were not kept alive by this stated intercourse with God, would wither and die. Prayer is also one great source and chief encourager of holiness. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Prayer possesses the twofold property of fitting and preparing the heart to receive the blessings we pray for, in case we should attain them; and of fortifying and disposing it to submit to the will of God, in case it should be his pleasure to withhold them. A sense of sin should be so far from keeping us from prayer, through a false plea of unworthiness, that the humility growing on this very consciousness is the truest and strongest incentive to prayer. There is, for our example and encouragement, a beautiful union of faith and humility in the prodigal: "I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." This, as it might seem to imply hopelessness of pardon, might be * Matt. xxvi. 44. supposed to promote unwillingness to ask it; but the brokenhearted penitent drew the direct contrary conclusion—“ I will arise, and go to my Father!' Prayer, to make it accepted, requires neither genius, eloquence, nor language; but sorrow for sin, faith, and humility. It is the cry of distress, the sense of want, the abasement of contrition, the energy of gratitude. It is not an elaborate string of well-arranged periods, nor an exercise of ingenuity, nor an effort of the memory; but the devout breathing of a soul struck with the sense of its own misery, and of the infinite holiness of Him whom it is addressing; experimentally convinced of its own emptiness, and of the abundant fulness of God. It is the complete renunciation of self, and entire dependence on another. It is the voice of the beggar who would be relieved, of the sinner who would be pardoned. It has nothing to offer but sin and sorrow; nothing to ask but forgiveness and acceptance; nothing to plead but the promises of the Gospel in the death of Christ. It never seeks to obtain its object by diminishing the guilt of sin, but by exalting the merits of the Savior. But as it is the effect of prayer to expand the affections as well as to sanctify them, the benevolent Christian is not satisfied to commend himself alone to the divine favor. The heart which is full of the love of God will overflow with love to its neighbor. All that are near to himself, he wishes to bring near to God. He will present the whole human race as objects of the divine compassion, but especially the faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Religion makes a man so liberal of soul, that he cannot endure to restrict any thing, much less divine mercies, to himself; he therefore spiritualizes the social affections, by adding intercessory to personal prayer; for he knows, that petitioning for others is one of the best methods of exercising and enlarging our own love and charity, even if it were not to draw down those blessings which are promised to those for whom we ask them. It is unnecessary to produce any of the numberless instances with which Scripture abounds on the efficacy of intercession; in which God has proved the truth of his own assurance, that "his ear was open to their cry." I shall confine myself to a few observations on the benefits it brings to him who offers it. When we pray for the objects of our dearest regard, it purifies passion, and exalts love into religion; when we pray for those with whom we have worldly intercourse, it smooths down the swellings of envy, and bids the tumults of anger and ambition subside; when we pray for our country, it sanc tifies patriotism; when we pray for those in authority, it adds a divine motive to human obedience; when we pray for our enemies, it softens the savageness of war, and mollifies hatred into tenderness, and resentment into sorrow. And we can only learn the duty so difficult to human nature, of forgiving those who have offended us, when we bring ourselves to pray for them to Him whom we ourselves daily offend. When those who are the faithful followers of the same divine Master pray for each other, the reciprocal intercession delightfully realizes that beautiful idea of " the communion of saints." There is scarcely any thing which more enriches the Christian than the circulation of this holy commerce; than the comfort of believing, while he is praying for his Christian friends, that he is also reaping the benefit of their prayers for him. Some are for confining their intercessions only to the good, as if none but persons of merit were entitled to our prayers. Merit! who has it? desert! who can plead it?—in the sight of God, I mean. Who shall bring his own piety, or the piety of others, in the way of claim, before a Being of such transcendent holiness, that "the heavens are not clean in his sight?" And if we wait for perfect holiness as a preliminary to prayer, when shall such erring creatures pray at all to HIM "who chargeth the angels with folly!" In closing this little work with the subject of intercessory prayer, may the author be allowed to avail herself of the feeling it suggests to her own heart? And while she earnestly implores that Being, who can make the meanest of his creatures instrumental to his glory, to bless this humble attempt to those for whom it was written, may she, without presumption, entreat that this work of Christian charity may be reciprocal, and that those who peruse these pages may put up a petition for her, that, in the great day to which we are all hastening, she may not be found to have suggested to others that she herself did not believe, or to have recommended what she did not desire to practise? In that awful day of everlasting decision, may both the reader and the writer be pardoned and accepted, "not for any works of righteousness which they have done," but through the merits of the GREAT INTERCESSOR. |