MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS. 399 worship. Though the confessions, the petitions and praises are never so happily framed, and the expressions never so proper and pathetic, yet, say they, where the same set of words and phrases pass over the ears in a constant- rehearsal, the soul by degrees loses those lively influences and devout sensations which it at first received from them ; and the continual round of uniform ex- pressions rolling on in a beaten track, makes little more impres- sion upon the heart, than a wheel that has often travelled through a hardened road. And yet, further they say, there is no man knows my thoughts my wants and my desires so well as I do myself; and where the heart and the thoughts of a christian are imprisoned and restrained by the words of any form, so as not to give himself the liberty of expressing his own present devout breathings towards God, whatsoever holy elevations of soul he may feel within himself, this brings a heavy damp upon the inward devotion of the heart, it binds the soul in uneasy fetters, it appears to carry in it a resistance of these good motions of the blessed Spirit, whose assistance is promised us in prayer, because, " we know not what to pray for as we ought, and the Spirit maketh inter- cession for us or in us, according to the will of God ;" Rom. viii. Such a restraint is indeed painful to a holy and devout wor- shipper ; it cuts short the christian in the pleasure of his con- verse with heaven, while it makes him speak to God the thoughts of other men, and he neglects his own. Having represented in short,.something of the sense of both parties on this subject, I shall not tarry now, said Bohemus, to relate how each party defend themselves against the difficulties objected by the other ; but I beg leave to interpose a little, and enquire why mankind, when their sentiments differ, should be so fond of running into extremes? Is there no use to be made of the devout composures of holy men, without confining ourselves to all the words and syllables of their writings ? May we not enjoy their help, without making them our absolute dictators? Whatsoever inconvenience may arise from the constant use or unalterable imposition of forms of prayer, yet certainly thére is very considerable benefit and assistance in the christian life to be derived from devotional compositions. Such forms of pious address to God as are drawn from a serious sense ofdivine things, and framed by a skilful and judicious hand, has given rich ad- vantages to a sincere worshipper, both in solitary and social worship. Many a holy soul has found its inward powers awakened and excited to lively religion by stich assistances; many a penitent groan under the sense of sin, many an ardent petition for some peculiar grace or virtue, many a pious aspiration of heart, and many a joyful sound of praise, has ascended towards heaven in the words and language of some well -coin.
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