our words ought to be few." Words, which are so neceffary with regard to men, are of no confideration with refpect to God. The only rule, therefore, that we would advise, is, to obferve, with diligence, what effect the use of words produces upon our own minds. If our attention is kept alive the better by them, they ought to be used. If, on the contrary, they weaken or diminish our devotions in fecret, it is not abfolutely necessary to trouble ourselves with them at all.

That which is most effential in fixing our attention, is, for us seriously to confider the Majefty of the God we immediately addrefs. In exercifing our minds with contemplating all the perfections which the immenfe idea of his Being comprehends, it will be good for us to know what those attributes are, that principally ought to be the objects of our regard in our prayers. The first and most obvious fentiment that inspires us, is the greatnefs of the Deity whom we adore: This commands our refpect and fubmiffion. The thoughts that engage us, concerning his immaculate purity and holiness, will excite our repentance. The perfuafion of his unbounded mercy, will not only encourage us to the hopes of pardon, but ftrengthen our faith and truft in him.

There cannot be a better remedy against distraction of mind, in the performance of religious duties, than, before we fet about

them,

them, to imprint upon our fouls, venerable and folemn notions of the tranfcendent excellency of the Almighty Ruler of the univerfe, before whose throne the Powers of Heaven fall proftrate; to whom all nature is fubmiffive, and at whofe command the nations of the earth are either built up, or pulled down, according to his pleature; who either faves or deftroys kingdoms, or individuals, that ferve or difobey him, with the breath of his mouth. If the fenfible majesty that surrounds the kings of the earth, produce wonderful and furprifing impreffions of veneration upon the minds of men, how much more ought our fouls, bending before him, to be overawed in the prefence of that vaft fplendour of glory, and immensity of greatnefs, which furrounds the immortal King of Heaven.

But, while we reflect upon the Majesty of God, our attention may perhaps be benefitted, with a recollection of our own unworthiness. In his prefence, the angels themselves are as nothing; yet, when we are permitted to implore him for mercies, and really do every moment receive them, how ought this to produce in us every principle of gratitude? When we reflect, that, without his benefits we are abfolutely nothing, how ought this to ftimulate us to praife his goodness for what we have? If, from all these confiderations, we are inattentive in our addreffes to God, our minds must be grofsly carelefs and inconfiderate;

E 3

derate; we fhew great unconcern for divine things, and great irreverance to the Beft of all Beings.

Another help to keep alive our attention, is, deliberately before we ask, to confider those things which moft materially concern us to folicit.

We ought to ponder on the neceffity, the utility, and the excellency, of every thing that we would make the fubject of our prayers. If we ask the pardon of our fins, would we not be naturally led to afk ourselves what would become of us, if God refused to do what we required, and punished us with that rigour which our tranfgreffions merited? If we asked for his grace to help us, and his fpirit to fanctify us, would it not be proper for us to enquire, how little, from our own weakneffes and imperfections, we could unaffifted do, towords the glory of God, and our own falvation? In fhort, to create in us attention, fo effential in prayer, we ought to lay it down as a rule, never to be violated; namely, before we begin our prayers, to meditate, for fome confiderable time, on the greatnefs, holiness, and mercy of God; on the need we have to folicit his graces; on the excellency of the gifts he beltows; and on our own unworthinefs to receive them. By thus exercifing ourselves before hand, all languor, or distraction of fpirit, all the chimeras of the head, and wanderings of the heart, will be diffipated, and our whole fyftem

system under that degree of composure and attention, as to render us acceptable worhippers before God.

6. FERVENCY.

FERVOUR is to the heart, what attention is to the mind, and is one of those qualities which is highly neceffary to prayer. But there is this difference between fervency and attention; that the latter ought always to be equal; whereas, our fervour ought ever to be in proportion to the neceffity or excellence of what we ask from God. For, as there are two kinds of favours which we are permitted to pray for, and thefe differ with refpect to their real excellency, fo ought our eagerness of importunity, to vary with regard to them. The one kind are fpiritual gifts, the other temporal bleffings. We put into the first rank, the remiffion of our fins; the graces of the Holy Spirit; and generally all those things which concern our duty, when we would please God, and be faved by him. We put in the fecond clafs, health, profperity, peace, deliverance from danger, and all thofe things that conduce to make us pafs through life conveniently and agreeably. We are permitted to pray to God, for both the one kind and the other of these bleffings; but it becomes us, more efpecially, to entreat for fpiritual gifts, with all the vehemency and fervour of our hearts;

but

but it is our duty to folicit temporal bleffings, with moderation, and fome degree of modeft diffidence. Becaufe, we know not whether the last may be hurtful or advantageous to us; therefore, we ought to afk them with lefs importunity, or only upon condition, that they may be truly beneficial to ourselves, and others. Chrift Jefus gives us excellent inftruction in this refpect, to "Ask first of all the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things thall be added unto us*." Thus affuring us of temporal bleffings, upon condition, that they be not the principal objects of our defires. Great fervency in prayer for earthly good things, not only betrays our ignorance, but is an infallible proof, that we value this more than a future world, and declares, that we do not inherit real Chriftian difpofitions; for the followers of Chrift are not over anxious after earthly things, but figh after heaven, as the great object of all their fupplications. This too we may add, that the more vehement our prayers are after the things of the world, the less they are efficacious to draw the attention of the Almighty.

But we cannot be too importunate, when we ask for divine and spiritual things, for ourselves, or others. To entreat for these bleffings with coldness and negligence, fhews a profane heart, and indicates, that

*Matth. vi. 33.

we