11t3, 4 0110F. TO PRAYER. and praise. This seems to be the meaning of those scriptures where we read of watching unto prayer ; Eph. vi. 15. and i Pet. iv. 7. This will make us always ready to say something, to God in prayer, both concerninghim and concerning ourselves. Let our judgments be constantly well stored, and our graces and affections be lively, and lead us to the duty, and for the most part some proper matter will naturally arise, and flow with ease and pleasure. H. Rule. Let the nature of this duty of prayer, as divided into its several parts, be impressed upon your hearts, and dwell in your memories. Let us always remember that it con- tains in it these several parts of worship, namely, invocation, adoration, confession, petition, pleading, profession, or self-re- signation, thanksgiving, and blessing: which that we may re- tain the better in our minds, may be summed up in these four lines ; Call upon God, adore, confess, Petition, plead, and then declare You are the Lord's give thanks and bless, And let Amen confirm the prayer. And by a recollection of these several parts of prayer, we mar be assisted to go on step by step, and to improve in the gift of performance of this part of worship. It would tend also to im- prove the gift of prayer, if such persons as have time and capa- city would set down all these parts of prayer as common places, and all the observable passages that occur in reading the holy scripture, or other authors ; or such passages as we hear deli- vered in prayer that are very affecting to our souls, should be written down and registered under those heads. This would preserve such thoughts and expressions ìn our memories, which have had a peculiar quickening influence upon us. Bishop Wilkins, in his Treatise of Prayer, has given us such collections of scripture, and Mr. Henry, in a late book, has furnished us with a great many more,. and judiciously ranged under their proper subjects. III. Rule. Do not content yourselves merely with generals, but if you would be furnished with larger supplies of matter, descend to particulars, in pour confessions, petitions and thanks-' givings. Enter in a particularconsideration of the attributes, the glories, the graces,and the relations of God. .Express your sins, your wants and your sorrows, with a particular sense of the mournful circumstances that attend them ; it will enlarge your hearts with prayer and humiliation, if you confess the aggrava- tions that increase the guilt of your sins, viz. whether they have been committed against knowledge, against the warnings of con- science, &c. It will furnish you with large matterfor thank- fulness, if you run over the exalting and heighteningcircum- 'stances of your mercies and comforts, viz. That they are great,
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