138 A GUIDE TO PRAYER. look like the fruit of our fancy, and invention, and labor of the head, more than the breathings of the heart. The imitation of those christians and ministers that have the best gifts, will be an excellent direction in this, as well as in the former cases, SECT. VI. Of the Voice in Prayer. IV. The fourth thing to be considered in the gift of prayer, is the voice. Though the beauty of our expressions, and the tuneableness of our voice can never render our worship more acceptable to God, the infinite Spirit ; yet our natures, being composed of flesh and spirit, may be assisted in worship by the harmony of the voice of him that speaks. Should the matter, method, and expressions be never so well chosen in prayer, yet it is possible for the voice to spoil the pleasure, and injure the devotion of our fellow-worshippers. When speeches of the best composure,- and the warmest language are recited in a cold, harsh or ungrateful way, the beauty of them is almost lost. Some persons, by nature, have a very sweet and tuneful voice, that whatsoever they speak appears pleasing. Others must take much more pains, and attend with diligence to rules and direc- tions, that their voice may be formed to an agreeable pronuncia- tion : For we find by sad experience, that all the advantages that nature can obtain or apply to assist our devotions, are all little enough to keep our hearts fromwandering, and to main- tain delight : At least it is a necessary duty to know and avoid those disagreeable ways of pronunciation, that mayrather disgust than edify such as join with us. I confess, in secret prayer there is no necessityof a voice : for God hears a whisper as well as a sigh and a groan. Yet some christians cannot pray with any advantage to themselves without the use of a voice in some de- gree; nor can I judge it at all improper, but rather preferable, so that you have a convenient place for secrecy : For hereby you will not only excite your own affections the more, but by practice in secret, if you take due care of your voice there, you may learn also to speak in public the better. The great and general rule I would lay down for managing the voice in prayer is this ; let us use the same voice with which we usually speak in grave and serious conversation,. especially upon pathetical and affecting subjects. This is the best direction that I know, to re- gulate the sound as well as the words. Our own native and common voice appears most natural, and maybe managed with greatest ease. And some persons have taken occasion to ridicule our worship, and to censure us as hypocrites, when we fondly seek and affect any new and different sort of sounds or voices in our prayers. The particular directions are such as these : I. Let your words be all pronounced distinct, and not made . shorter by cutting off the last syllable, nor longer by the addition
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