CHAPTER V. I89 There are indeed some sincere christians who day worship God, and yet they are often labouring for want of matter, and are perpetually at a loss for proper expressions: They havebut a mean attainment of this holy skill ; but it is neither their honour nor their interest to perform so divine a work with somany hu- man weaknesses, and yet be satisfied with them. Thereare chil- dren that can hut just cry after their father, and stammer out a broken word or two, by which be can understand their meaning; but these are infants and ungrown. The father had rather see his children advancing to manhood, and entertaining themselves daily with that large and free converse with himself whit!i he al- lows, and to which he graciously invites them. Prayer is a sacred and appointed means to obtain all the blessings that we want, whether they relate to this life or the life to come ; and shall we not know how to use the means God hath appointed for our own happiness? Shall so glorious a privilege lie unimproved through our own neglect? Were the business of prayer nothing else but to come and beg mercy of God, it would be the duty of every man; to knowhow to draw up such peti- tions,, and present them in such a way as becomes a mortal peti- tioner: But prayer is a work of much larger extent. When a holy soul comes before God he hath much more to say than merely to beg. He tells his God what a sense he bath of the divine attributes, and what high esteem he pays to his majesty, his wis- dom; his power and his mercy. He talks with him about the works of creation, and stands wrapt up in wonder. He talks about the grace and mystery of redemption, and is yet more filled with admiration and joy. He talks of all the affairs of nature, grace and glory, he speaks of his works of providence, of love and vengeance, in this and the future world. Infinite and glorious are the subjects of this holy communion between God and his saints: and shall we content ourselves with sighs and groans, and a few short wishes, and depriue our souls of so rich, so divine, so various a pleasure, for want of knowing how to furnirsh out such meditations, and to speak this blessed language ? Ilow excellent and valuable is this skill of praying, in com- parisonof the many meaner arts and accomplishmentsof human nature that Ave labour night and day to obtain ? What toil do men daily undergo for seven years together, to acquire the know- ledge of a trade and business in this present life? Now the greatest part of the business between us and heaven is transac- ted in the way of prayer : With how much more diligence should we seek the knowledge of this heavenly commerce, than any thing that concerns us merely on earth ? How many years of our short life are spent to learn the Greek, the Latin, and the French tongues, that we may hold correspondence abroad among the living nations, or converse with the writings of the dead?
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