122 ,t GOIDE TO PRAYER. 2. We are tempted hereby to tautologies, to say the same things over and over again, which our Saviour highly blames ; Mat. vi. 7. When yepray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking. Sometimes indeed in the midst of our warm affections inprayer, we are delightfully constrained to a repetition of the same words, through mere fervency of spirit ; and there are instances of it in scripture ; but for the most part our repetitions are such as evi- dence not the fervency, but the barrenness of our minds, and the slightness of our frame. 3. Again, we shall be in danger, through an affectation of length, of tiring those that join with us ; especially when a prayer is drawn out to many words, withmuchdulness and dead- ness of spirit, and without an agreeable variety of thought. I confess, when the spirit is poured in plentiful degrees upon men, and upon some extraordinary occasions, persons have continued for an hour or two together, with a delightful variety of matter and expression, and instead of toil and labour to hold on, they found it difficult to break off; their souls have been all the while near to God, and they have held the attention of' those that join with them, and kept their devotion. warm. Our fathers have seen and felt it; but that spirit is much departed in our day ; and there are seldom found amongst us any great lengths of prayer, with equal affection and devotion, maintained either in ourselves or others, through so long a duty. 4. We are tempted also sometimes by this means to exceed the season that is allotted for us in prayer, especially where others are to succeed in the same work; or else we intrench, it may be, upon other parts of worship that are to follow; hereby some of our fellow-worshippers are made uneasy ; and when persons are tinder a necessary engagement to be elsewhere by an appointed time, or to be engaged iñ other duties, the latter part of their devotion is generally spoiled. It may be remarked here, that even when Jacob wrestled with the angel, he was required to let him go, for it was break of day ; Gen. xxxii. 26. As we must not make one duty to thrust out another, so neither should we manage any duty so, as to make it a liard task to ourselves, or a toil to others, but .a pleasure and spiritual entertainment to both. 5. I might add, in the last place, that by this excessive af- fectation of length in prayer without an equal degree of the spi- rit of prayer and lively devotion, some imprudent christians have given too much occasion to- the profane scoffers of the age ; and hereby the wicked of the earth have rendered these methods of converse with God ridiculous among their own company, aml have exposed and reproached the gift and spirit of prayer, be- cause of our irregular performance of that part of worship;
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