proper expressions are these: 1. We | irreverent thoughts in the mind, should choose those expressions or base and impure images, for

that best suit our meaning, that these much injure the devotion of most exactly answer the ideas of our fellow worshippers.-4. We our mind, and that are fitted to should seek after those ways of our sense and apprehension of expression that are pathetical; things.-2. We should use such a such as denote the fervency of afway of speaking as may be most fection, and carry life and spirit natural and easy to be understood, with them; such as may awaken and most agreeable to those that and exercise our love, our hope, join with us. We should avoid all our holy joy, our sorrow, our foreign and uncommon words; all fear, and our faith, as well as those expressions which are too express the activity of those philosophical, and those which graces. This is the way to raise, savour too much of mystical di- assist, and maintain devotion. We vinity; all dark metaphors, or ex- should, therefore, avoid such a pressions that are used only by sort of style as looks more like some particular violent party-men. preaching, which some persons We should likewise avoid length that affect long prayers have been and obscurity in our sentences guilty of to a great degree: they and in the placing of our words; have been speaking to the people and not interline our expressions rather than speaking to God; with too many parentheses, which they have wandered away from cloud and entangle the sense.-3. God to speak to men but this Our language should be grave and is quite contrary to the nature of decent, which is a medium be- prayer, for prayer is our own adtween magnificence and mean- dress to God, and pouring out ness we should avoid all glitter- our hearts before him with warm ing language and affected style. and proper affections.--5. We An excessive fondness of elegance should not always confine ourand finery of style in prayer dis-selves to one set form of words covers the same pride and vanity of mind as an affection of many jewels and fine apparel in the house of God: it betrays us into a neglect of our hearts, and of experimental religion, by an affectation to make the nicest speech, and say the finest things we can, instead of sincere devotion, and praying in the spirit. On the other hand, we should avoid mean and coarse and too familiar ex- the best gifts will be pressions; such as excite any con-lent direction in this as well as in temptible or ridiculous ideas; the former cases. such as raise any improper or "As to the voice in prayer:

to express any particular request; nor take too much pains to avoid an expression merely because we used it in prayer heretofore. We need not be ever fond of a nice uniformity of words, nor of perpetual diversity of expression in every prayer: it is best to keep the middle between these two extremes. The imitation of those Christians and ministers that have

an excel

: in

places where we have not conveniency for the humbler gestures: but sitting, or other postures of rest and laziness, ought not to be indulged, unless persons are aged or infirm, or the work of prayer be drawn out so long as to make it troublesome to human nature to maintain itself always in one posture. The head should be kept for the most part without motion; the whole visage should be composed to gravity and solemnity. The eye should be kept from roving, and some think it best to keep the eyes closed. The lifting up of the hands is a very natural expression of our seeking help from God. As to other parts of the body, there is little need of direction.

the first place, our words should be all pronounced distinct, and not made shorter or longer by cutting off the last syllable, nor longer by the addition of hems and o's, of long breaths, affected groanings, and useless sounds, &c.-2. Every sentence should be spoken loud enough to be heard, yet none so loud as to affright or offend the ear. Some persons have got a habit of beginning their prayers, and even upon the most common family occasion, so loud, as to startle the company; others begin so low in a large assembly, that it looks like secret worship, and as though they forbid those that are present to join with them. Both these extremes are to be avoided by prudence and moderaIn secret devotion, tion.-3. We should observe a due sighs and groans may be allowed: medium between excessive swift- but in public these things should ness and slowness of speech, for be less indulged. If we use ourboth are faulty in their kind. If selves to various motions, or noise we are too swift, our words will be made by the hands or feet, or any hurried on, and be mingled in con- other parts, it will tempt others to fusion; if we are too slow, this think that our minds are not very will be tiresome to the hearers, intensely engaged; or, at least, it and will make the worship appear will appear so familiar and irreverheavy and dull. ent, as we would not willingly be guilty of in the presence of our superiors here on earth.”

"As to gesture in prayer: all indecencies should be avoided. Prostration may be sometimes used in secret prayer, under a deep and uncommon sense of sin; but kneeling is the most frequent posture; and nature seems to dictate and lead us to it as an expression of humility, of a sense of our wants, a supplication for mercy, and adoration of and dependence on Him

before we kneel.

"Standing is a posture not unfit for this worship, especially in

VI. As to forms of prayer. We find this has been a matter of controversy among divines and Christians, whether such ought to be used, or whether extempore prayers are not to be preferred. We shall state the arguments on both sides. Those who are advocates for forms, observe, that it prevents absurd, extravagant, or impious addresses to God, as well as the confusion of extemporary prayer:

if their prayers be not so elegantly composed as that of a set form, they are more appropriate, and delivered with more energy and feeling.

that forms were used under the Old Testament dispensation; and, in proof thereof, cite Numb. vi, 24, 26. Numb. x, 35, 36. On the other side it is answered, that it is neither reasonable nor scriptural to look for the pattern of Christian worship in the Mosaic dispensation, which, with all its rites and ceremonies, is abrogated and done away; that, though forms may be of use to children, and such as are very ignorant, yet restriction to forms, either in public or private, does not seem scriptural or lawful. If we look to the authority and example of Christ and his apostles, every thing is in favour of extempore prayer. The Lord's Prayer, it is observed, was not given to be a set form, exclusive of extemporary prayer. See LORD'S PRAYER. It is farther argued, that a form cramps the desires; inverts the true order of prayer, making our words to regulate our desires instead of our desires regulating our words; has a tendency to make us formal; cannot be suited to every one's case; that it looks as if we were not in reality convinced of our wants, when we want a form to express them; and, finally, in answer to the two first arguments, that it is seldom the case that those who are truly sensible of their condition, and pray extempore, do it in an impious and extravagant manner; and if any who have the gift of prayer really do so, and run into the extreme of enthusiasm, yet this is not the case with the generality, since an unpreju-a natural tendency to amend the diced attention to those who pray extempore must convince us, that,

VII. The efficacy of prayer. It has been objected, that, "If what we request be fit for us, we shall have it without praying; if it be not fit for us, we cannot obtain it by praying." But it is answered, that it may be agreeable to perfect Wisdom to grant that to our prayers which it would not have been agreeable to the same Wisdom to have given us without praying for. But what virtue, you will ask, is there in prayer, which should make a favour consistent with Wisdom, which would not have been so without it? To this question, which contains the whole difficulty attending the subject, the following possibilities are offered in reply: 1. A favour granted to prayer may be more apt on that very account to produce a good effect upon the person obliged. It may hold in the Divine bounty, what experience has rai ed into a proverb in the collation of human benefits, that what is obtained without asking is oftentimes received without gratitude.-2. It may be consistent with the wisdom of the Deity to withhold his favours till they be asked for, as an expedient to encourage devotion in his rational creation, in order thereby to keep up and circulate a knowledge and sense of their de pendency on him.-3. Prayer has

petitioner himself; it composes the mind, humbles us under a con

From the sacred records we learn, that, when men began to associate for the purpose of worshipping the Deity, Enoch prophesied, Jude 14, 15. We have a very short account of this prophet and his doctrine; enough, however, to convince us that he taught the principal truths of na

viction of what we are, and under || beginning down to the present day. the gracious influence of the Di- This must be considered as a desi. vine Spirit assimilates us into the deratum in theological learning. Divine image. Let it suffice, || Mr. Robinson, in his second votherefore, to say, that, though we lume of Claude's Essay, has preare certain that God cannot be fixed a brief dissertation on this operated on or moved as a fellow-subject, an abridgment of which creature may; that, though we we shall here insert, with a few cannot inform him of any thing occasional alterations. he does not know, nor add any thing to his essential and glorious perfections by any services of our's; yet we should remember that he has appointed this as a mean to accomplish an end; that he has commanded us to engage in this important duty, 1st Thes. v, 17; that he has promised his Spirit to assist us in it, Rom. viii,tural and revealed religion. Con26; that the Bible abounds with numerous answers to prayer; and that the promise still relates to all who pray that answers shall be given, Matt. vii, 7. Psalm 1, 15. Luke xviii, 1, &c. Phil. iv, 6, 7. James v, 16. Wilkins, Henry, Watts on Prayer; Townsend's Nine Sermons on Prayer; Paley's Moral Phil., vol. ii, p. 31; Ma-pany.-Noah, it is said, was a son's Student and Pastor, p. 87; Wollaston's Rel. of Nat., p. 122, 124; H. Moore on Education, ch. 1, vol. ii; Barrow's Works, vol. i, ser. 6; Smith's System of Pray-Lord, and to do justice and judger; Scamp's Sermon on Family ment, Gen. xviii, 19; and Jacob, Religion. when his house lapsed to idolatry, PREACHER, one who dis-remonstrated against it, and excourses publicly on religious sub-horted them and all that were with jects. See articles DECLAMATION, him to put away strange gods, and ELOQUENCE, MINISTER, and SER-go up with him to Bethel, Gen. x. Gen. xxv, 2, 3. Melchisedec, alPREACHING is the discours- so, we may consider as the father, ing publicly on any religious sub-the prince, and the priest of his ject. It is impossible, in the com- people, publishing the glad tidings pass of this work, to give a com- of peace and salvation, Gen. xviii. plete history of this article from the Heb. vii. VOL. II.

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viction of sin was in his doctrine, and communion with God was exemplified in his conduct, Gen. v, 24. Heb. xi, 5, 6. From the days of Enoch to the time of Moses each patriarch worshipped God with his family: probably several assembled at new moons, and alternately instructed the whole com

preacher of righteousness, 2d Peter ii, 5. 1st Peter iii, 19, 20. Abraham commanded his household after him to keep the way of the

Moses was a most eminent pro- | phets and all the seers protested phet and preacher, raised up by against this apostacy, and they the authority of God, and by were persecuted for so doing. whom, it is said, came the law. Shemaiah preached to Rehoboam, John i, 17. This great man had the princes, and all the people, at much at heart the promulgation of Jerusalem, 2d Chro. xii, 5. Azahis doctrine; he directed it to be riah and Hanani preached to Asa inscribed on pillars, to be tran- and his army, 2d Chro. xv, 1, &c. scribed in books, and to be taught Ch. xvi, 7. Micaiah to Ahab. both in public and private by Some of them opened schools, or word of mouth, Deut. xxviii, 8. houses of instruction, and there to Deut. vi, 9. Deut. xxxi, 19. Deut. their disciples they taught the xvii, 18. Numb. v, 23. Deut. iv, pure religion of Moses. At Nai9. Himself set the example of oth, in the suburbs of Ramah, each; and how he and Aaron ser- there was one, where Samuel monized we may see by several dwelt; there was another at Jeriparts of his writings. The first cho, and a third at Bethel, to discourse was heard with profound which Elijah and Elisha often rereverence and attention; the last sorted. Thither the people went was both uttered and received in on sabbath days and at new moons, raptures, Ex. iv, 31. Deut. xxxiii, and received public lessons of pi7, 8. Public preaching does not ety and morality, 1st Sam. xix, 18. appear under this economy to 2d Kings ii, 3, 5. 2d Kings iv, 2, have been attached to the priest-3. Through all this period there hood: priests were not officially was a dismal confusion of the usepreachers; and we have innumer- ful ordinance of public preachable instances of discourses deli-ing. Sometimes they had no open vered in religious assemblies by vision, and the word of the Lord men of other tribes besides that of was precious or scarce: the peoLevi, Ps. lxviii, 11. Joshua was an ple heard it only now and then. Ephraimite; but, being full of the At other times, they were left spirit of wisdom, he gathered the without a teaching priest, and tribes to Shechem, and harangued without law. And, at other seathe people of God, Deut. xxxiv, 9. sons again, itinerants, both princes, Joshua xxxiv. Solomon was a priests, and Levites, were sent prince of the house of Judah, through all the country to carry Amos a herdsman of Tekoa; yet the book of the law, and to teach both were preachers, and one at in the cities. In a word, preachleast was a prophet, 1st Kings ii. ing flourished when pure religion Amos vii, 14, 15. When the igno- grew; and when the last decayed, rant notions of Pagans, the vices the first was suppressed. Moses of their practice, and the idolatry had not appropriated preaching to of their pretended worship, were any order of men: persons, places, in some sad periods incorporated times, and manners, were all left into the Jewish religion by the open and discretional. Many of princes of that nation, the pro- the discourses were preached in