PART H. SERMONVI. 89 down upon us ! When an assembly of saints, all joining toge- ther in one act of worship, shall at once rise by the same Spirit, and approach to the mercy-seat, and order their canse before Gòd ; what might not such a worshippingassembly obtain at the hands of God? What beauty would appear in the worship of christians then ? What glory would he found in a society of saints, if this Spirit were but there ? Christianity has had these ornaments, and these honours : let us praythat God would restore them again. ReflectionIII. This doctrine will not suffer us to confine ourselves or others, merely to a set prescribed form of words in prayer. For as the cases and concerns of soul or body, which we spread before God, are almost infinitely various, so must we express those cases and concerns before God in proper words, and plead for relief with a variety Of arguments, as the Spirit of God shall assist us : Iwould order my own cause before him, says Job, and my mouth shall be filled with arguments. It is not possible that aPrayer Book should be drawn up with formspar. titularly suited to every complaint, and every sorrow, that a holy soul wants to pour ont, and spread beforè the mercy-seat. And the christian, that }snows the pleasure of getting near to God in prayer, cannot content himself to wrap up all his special and dearest concernments in a few general sentences. f0 What! when I am brought so nigh to my God, my Al- mightyand compassionate friend ; when I am taken, as it were, by the hand, and led into his secret place,; when I have the ear of God so near me, shall I not tell him my secret and particular grievances? When I feel such a sweet freedom of soul in his presence, shall I not unbosom my whole self to him ? Shall I check the devout appetites and affections of my heart, because I do not find words in my Prayer Book fit to express them ? Shall I quench the blessed spirit thus, and limit my converse with God ?" I allow forms of prayer well composed, to be useful helps for younger or meaner christians; or, indeed, for all persons, when the spirits are low and languishing, and the heart in a heavy or cold temper : But at such a glorious season tocon- fine a holy soul to a few good expressions, written down be- tore, how great an injury would it be to its divine pleasure and profit? -Reflection IV. How còmfortable a consideration may be drawn from my discourse, by those that have never a friend upon earth, that there is a friend in heaven, to whom they may tell all their circumstances, and all their sorrows ! There are some persons, in this world, so mean and so wretched, that they are ready to think, at least, that they have never "a friend, and are
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