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much have you to implore for yourselves and others! How much to confess at the foot of the cross! How much to call forth your thanksgivings and praise! And all this is included in prayer.

And the manner need not discourage you. For here the excellency does not consist in the mode of expression-the desire is all in all. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Even words are not necessary here. God reads deep meaning in the tear; and hears heavenly eloquence in the sighs of those that seek him and often the most acceptable and successful intercession is made with groanings which cannot be uttered."

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These are the engagements of the Christian in his retired moments. But it is not necessary that he should perform all these exercises always

though it

is very desirable that they should be all included; or that he should observe them precisely in the order we have stated. They may, sometimes, alternately precede each other; and they may sometimes be intermingled. We have an instance of the blending together of these exercises in the retirement of David, with the recital of which we shall conclude this division of our discourse. For, as soon as Nathan had waited upon him, and had delivered the words of the vision, "Then went king David in and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come: and is this the manner of man, O Lord God? And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God,

knowest thy servant. For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. For thou, O Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever."-Let us consider retirement,

IV. With regard to its MOTIVES.

The obligation might be enforced from the authority of God, whose will is supremely binding on the consciences of all those who are informed of it; and whose language ought always to be, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." It might also be enforced by example. We could shew, how the most eminent saints, and the most busy too, have abounded in this employment-and at the head of all, we could present the Lord Jesus himself, whose conduct has the force of a law upon his followers; and who in vain profess to abide in him unless they also walk even as he walked. How often do we read of his withdrawing himself, to be alone with his Heavenly Father! And can any of you dare to intimate, Ah! he needed retire

ment; but I can dispense with it! But while it is enjoined by the highest authority and sanctioned by the highest example, it comes recommended by the highest advantage: and every thing unites to prove that it is a reasonable service. Mrs. Berry says in her Diary, "I would not be hired out of my closet for a thousand worlds. I never enjoy such hours of pleasure, and such free and entire communion with God, as I have here: and I wonder that any can live prayerless, and deprive themselves of the greatest privilege allowed to them." If the twelve Apostles were living in your neighbourhood, and you had access to them, and this intercourse drew you away from the Closet, they would prove a real injury to your souls; for no creature can compensate for the want of communion with God.

We may connect Retirement with the acquisition of knowledge. "Through desire, a man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom." This is peculiarly true of one kind of wisdom, and which the Heathen Oracle pronounced to be of heavenly descent-Self-Knowledge. For how can those, who are for ever engaged in company, and engrossed by business, become acquainted with their character and their state? How can they compare themselves accurately with the word of truth; and look after the workings of the hidden man of the heart; and weigh their motives; and measure their deficiencies; and detect the sins of their holy things; and "walk humbly with their God," like those who retire with him, and in his "light see light?"

Retirement is necessary to reduce the force of secular influence. Where is it the world deceives us, allures us, overcomes us? Not when we are alone.

Not when it is contemplated in the presence of our Bible and our God. There the fascination drops off. There we see that whatever successes we have gained, we are still losers, without "the one thing needful." There we feel that the favour of man, who is a worm, is less than nothing and vanity, compared with the friendship of God. There we wonder that we have ever submitted to be the slaves of folly; and vow against the tyrant in future.

"When I can say, my God is mine;
"When I can feel his glories shine;
"I tread the world beneath my feel,
And all that earth calls good or great."

This results "Evil communications

Is the resemblance of God a trifle? from our intimacy with him. corrupt good manners." But while a companion of fools shall be destroyed, he that walketh with wise men, shall be wise." We soon assume the manners, and imbibe the spirit of those with whom we are familiar, especially if the individual be a distinguished personage, and we pre-eminently revere and love him. Upon this principle, the more we have to do with God, the more we shall grow into his likeness, and "be followers of him, as dear children." When Moses descended from communion with him, his face shone and although he was not aware of the lustre himself, the people could not stedfastly behold him for the glory of his countenance; and he was constrained to hide it under a veil. The Christian, too, may be insensible of his excellencies and proficiencies; but his profiting will appear unto all men; all will take knowledge of him that he has been with Jesus.

Retirement prepares us for all other services. Judge Hale, in his Letters to his Children, makes no scruple to say, "If I omit praying, and reading a portion of God's blessed word, in the morning, nothing goes well with me all the day." Dr. Boerhaave said, that "his daily practice of retiring for an hour in the morning, and spending it in devotion and meditation, gave him firmness and vigour for the business of the whole day." He who goes forth from God, after inquiring his will, and committing himself to his care-he is the best fitted for all the successes or disappointments of life. It is alone with God, that the minister best qualifies himself for his work it is there that he is wrought into the due temper of his office; it is there he rises above the fear of man, that "bringeth a snare," and resolves not "to shun to declare all the counsel of God;" it is there he is inspired to say,

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He is the last man in the world who should be "to be had." He should learn to resist, with the firmness of a martyr, all encroachments on his holy solitude. His hearers will soon learn, by the want of savour in his ministrations, that he loves to be more abroad than at home, and is fonder of the parlour than the closet. Whereas the man that issues from frequent and long retirement, will ascend the pulpit as Aaron entered the tabernacle of the congregation, when the holy oil had been poured upon his head, and the fragrance filled the place. To speak of the Christian's preparation for publick worship, may be

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