128 A ot'nt ro paa1tr:a Here I shall first lay down some directions how to attain a etas treasure of expression in prayer. And, secondly, give several; rules about the choice and use of words and expressions. The directions to attain a treasure of expressions, are these : I. Besides the general acquaintance with God anti wills yourselves, that was prescribed under a former head, Labour after the fresh, particular and lively sense of the greatness and grace of God, and of your own wants, and sins, and mercies, whenever you come to pray. This will furnish you with abun- dance of proper expressions. The passions of the mind, when they are moved, do mightily help the tongue. They fili the 'tout/t u¡it/t arguments. Theygive a natural eloquence to those who know not any rules of art ; and they almost constrain the dumb to speak. There is a remarkable instance of this in an- cient history, when Atys the son of Crcesus the king, who was dumb from his childhood, saw his father ready to be slain, the violence of his passion broke the bonds wherewith his tongue was tied, and he cried out to save him. Beggars that have a pinch- ing sense of hunger andcold, find out varietyof expressions to tell us their wants, and to plead for relief. Let our spiritual senses therefore be always awake and lively, and our affections always warm, and lead the duty ; then words will follow iu rs greater or less degree. II. Treasure up-such expressions especially as you read in scripture, and such as you- have found in other books of devo- tion, or such as you have heard fellow- christians make use of wherebyyour own hearts have been sensibly moved and warmed. Those forms of speaking, that have had great influence and success upon our affections at one time, may probably have a like effect also at other seasons ; if so be- we take pare not to confine ourselves to them constantly, lest formality and thought- lessness should grow thereby. Though the limitation of ourselves to e constant set form of words be justly cisapproved yet there is great use of se- rious, pious, arid well composed patterns of prayer, in order to form our expressions and furnish us with proper praying lan- guage. And I wish the assistances that might be borrowed thence, were not as superstitiously abandonedby some persons, as they are idolized by others. But I suppose no persons will disapprove the advice, if I desire them to remember the more affectionate sentences in the psalms of David, and the complaints of .lob, and other hely men, when they breathe out their souls to Goat in worship. 'I hese in a nearer and more particular sense may he called the words which the Holy Spirit teachet/t ; and whenever they suit our circumstances, they will always be pleas- ing to God: besides, they are such as christians are most ac- quainted wi hl and pious souls are most affected with theme . The
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